Conversation between Krishna and Upamanyu

Suta said

The Samhita opens with praise of the one who holds up the seven worlds he made through sattva and destroys them through tamas, who stands beyond maya in the midst of the gunas, who is truth, bliss, the infinite and bright understanding, who always takes the positions of Brahma and the others, and who can be reached by those who rely on sattva: we meditate on the complete Shiva. The rishis said to Suta, Vyasa's disciple, that he had made them hear the fourth Samhita, Koti Rudra, and asked him to tell of the Samhita with many kinds of accounts, the deeds of Shambhu the supreme self and of Amba. Suta replied that they should listen lovingly to Shankara's auspicious account, which gives enjoyment and liberation, and that this holy question had been asked by Vyasa, supreme among sages, of Sanatkumara, who told him of Shiva's story.

Sanatkumara said

Vyasa, I will tell you Mahesha's account, as the great sage Upamanyu told it to Vaasudeva. In earlier times Krishna, Vasudeva's son, went to Kailasa, Shankara's abode, and for the sake of a son tormented himself in austerities dedicated to Shiva. He saw Upamanyu there practising austerities on that excellent peak, bowed to him devotedly with joined hands and said: Upamanyu, wise one, foremost of Shiva's devotees, I have come wanting a son, to do austerities for Girisha. Please tell me of Shankara's greatness, which always brings joy, and having heard it devotedly I will perform excellent austerities for Ishvara. Hearing Vaasudeva, the intelligent Upamanyu was pleased, remembered Shiva and answered.

Upamanyu said

Krishna, great devotee of Shiva, hear of Mahesha's greatness, which I have witnessed myself and which increases devotion to Shambhu. While I was in austerities I saw Shankara with his weapons, his whole family, and Vishnu and the other immortals. He shone in his three parts, without decay, infinite happiness, Ekapada with large teeth, flames engulfing his mouths, with the radiance of two thousand heavenly bodies and more. He held all the supreme invincible weapons, had many eyes and a thousand feet. He is surely the one who destroys the world when a kalpa ends. Nothing in the three worlds, moving or still, is not killed by him, and everything created there is swiftly burned by Maheshvara's arms, consumed in half a blink. In my austerities I saw beside Rudra his supreme, mysterious weapon, with no equal and nothing above it. Since it is a trident he is famous in the three worlds as its wielder. It is fierce and called Vijaya, and destroys all shastras and astras. It could shatter the whole earth, dry up the great ocean and make all the stars fall. With this trident the very energetic emperor Youvanashva Mandhata, conqueror of the three worlds, and his soldiers were slain in earlier times. When the Haihaya grew insolent, Lavanasura hurled it at him; when that daitya challenged King Shatrughna to battle he was destroyed and the weapon went back to Rudra's hand. That trident is fierce at the tip and causes great fear, and, with its three prongs like furrowed brows, seems to censure as it stands. It looks like smokeless fire or the young rising sun, as hard to see as the sun in his hand. He looks like the Destroyer with a noose in his hand. His battle-axe is sharp-edged and decorated with snakes, has the form of an embodied being and destroys everything at a kalpa's end. Bhargava Rama used it to destroy the kshatriyas in battle; Shiva gave it to Rama in earlier times, and, delighted, the sage burned kshatriyas down twenty-one times. I saw also the divinity's Sudarshana discus, in embodied form with a thousand faces and two thousand arms, two thousand blazing eyes and a thousand legs, bright as a crore suns and able to burn the three worlds. I saw the very bright vajra, sharp, with a hundred edges, the great bow Pinaka and the radiant quiver, the spear, sword, noose, bright goad, giant mace and many other divine weapons, and beside Bhagavan Rudra the weapons of all the guardians of the worlds. Brahma, grandfather of the worlds, was on his right, on a divine vimana yoked to swans that moved at the speed of thought. Narayana stood on his left on Garuda, holding conch, discus and mace. Svayambhuva Manu and the other Manus, Bhrigu and the other rishis, Shakra and all the gods were around him. Skanda stood near Devi on his peacock with spear and bell like a second fire-god. Nandi stood in front of Bhava holding a trident, and all the bhutas, ganas and many kinds of Matrikas surrounded Mahesha in every direction and worshipped him, while the gods praised Mahadeva with many hymns.

I was amazed at all that is seen or heard of in the universe being at Bhagavan's side, as if I were present at a sacrifice, and was immersed in great bliss. Holding on to my fortitude, I folded my hands and praised him with different hymns. Seeing Shankara before me my words choked and faltered, but full of devotion I praised him properly. Bhagavan Shankara Parameshvara was very pleased, and seemed to smile as he spoke affectionately in sweet words: brahmana, even if I try again and again I cannot make you waver; I tested you and your devotion is firm; excellent in vows, I am satisfied with you, so ask a boon, nothing is beyond giving to you, however hard to get. I heard Shambhu's loving words, folded my hands and spoke with unwavering devotion. I said that if he was satisfied and my devotion firm, then by that truth let me have knowledge of the three times, grant me extensive devotion that never wavers, let all my descendants always have plenty of rice cooked in milk, let him always stay near me in my hermitage, and let me always be friendly with his other devotees. Addressed so by me, Shambhu Parameshvara laughed, glanced at me with compassion at once and spoke. Shri Shiva said: Upamanyu, sage, son, you will never suffer the miseries of age and death and will get all you wish. You will be worshipped by sages and have fame and wealth. By my favour, at every step, you will have good conduct, beauty, qualities and prosperity. Wherever you are and wherever you wish, the ocean of milk will always be there in your presence. Until the amrita-like ocean of milk is taken away, you and your relatives will see the coming of the Vaivasvata kalpa. By my favour your gotra will be eternal and your devotion to me constant and steady. Child, whenever you remember me I will show myself near your hermitage. You are loved by me in every way and will have every happiness you desire; do not be anxious, everything you have thought of will be accomplished. Bhagavan, bright as a crore suns, having said this and given me boons, vanished.

Krishna, that is how I saw Paramesha Shankara, giver of enjoyment and liberation, with his family. Absorbed in samadhi on the lord of the gods, I have got everything that intelligent Shambhu Paramesha spoke of. Look: gandharvas, apsaras, rishis, vidyadharas and siddhas are directly present here. Look at these beautiful trees with soft, fragrant leaves; flowers of every season are here, and always flowers and fruit. Mighty-armed one, all this results from the favour of great-souled Shankara, lord of the gods, who thinks of everything in the universe. By the favour of the one who holds the trident I have every kind of knowledge and know the truth about everything past, present and future. I have seen the divinity whom the gods and their lords cannot see without worshipping him. Who is more blessed than I? There are twenty-six supreme eternal tattvas. A learned person meditates on this, and on the supreme undecaying Mahat. He knows all the tattvas, lays down their principles and has insight into their meanings. He is the divinity Bhagavan, lord of Purusha and Prakriti. To create the worlds he made Brahma from his right side. To preserve them Ishvara made Vishnu from his left. When the kalpa ends the lord makes Rudra from his heart, who then annihilates everything in the universe, moving and still, being at the yuga's end like the Samvartaka fire. Mahadeva becomes Kala and devours all beings. He knows everything, is in the selves of all beings and is the primary cause behind the causes of all beings. The divinity exists and goes everywhere and can be seen by all the gods. So for the sake of a son, you should worship Shankara. Shiva is kind to his devotees and quickly pleased.