Praise of Shiva and Shivaa

Vayu said

The creator went on making beings, but they did not multiply. Then Brahma thought he should create by sexual union. Earlier, the line of women had not come from Ishvara, so the grandfather could not create by union. He therefore decided in his mind that Parameshvara must be asked, so that beings could multiply, for without his favour they would not flourish. With that thought he began austerities to the one whose self is the universe. His primordial Shakti is supreme and infinite, the one who thinks of the worlds. He is original and extremely subtle. She is charming and reached through pure feeling, free of gunas and independent of prapancha, without parts or transformations, eternal and everlasting, always at Ishvara's side. She is the supreme Shakti of Bhagavan Tryambaka. Brahma thought of her in his heart and tormented himself with supreme austerities. Parameshthi gave himself to fierce austerity, and in a short time his father was pleased. Using one portion of his own and one of hers, the divinity Hara took the Arddhanarishvara form and came there himself.

Brahma saw the supreme divinity and praised Deva and Devi: "You are beyond darkness, without decay, without a second, impossible to define. Those who have not cleansed their selves cannot see you. You ordain all the worlds and are lord of all worlds. You are united with the supreme Shakti who ordains all the worlds. The mind cannot reach you. Your radiance is beyond measure. You are ageless, certain, unmoving and without gunas. You are tranquil, infinite and full of greatness. You go everywhere and you are constant. You are unmanifest and beyond ideas of being and non-being. Nothing can be compared to you. You are free. You are the refuge, the eternal Shiva." Brahma lay flat like a rod, then stood and joined his hands. Humbly and with devotion he let them hear pure hymns, full of true meanings, expanding all the true meanings of the Vedas, in subtle and deep suktas.

Brahma said

Glory to the divinity Mahadeva. Glory to Ishvara Maheshvara. Glory to the one best in qualities. Glory to the lord of all the gods. Glory to the fortunate Prakriti, to him who leads Prakriti, to the one far from Prakriti, to the beautiful Prakriti. Glory to the one whose great maya never fails, whose wishes never fail, whose great play never fails, whose great strength never fails. Glory to the mother of the world, to him who pervades the universe, to the mother of the whole universe, to the friend of the whole universe. Glory to the one whose prosperity is eternal, who is eternal time, eternal sound, who has eternal followers. Glory to the mother of the three selves, who presides over the three worlds, withdraws the three and leads the three. Glory to the lord of the worlds, the cause and expansion of the worlds. Glory to the one whose terrible glance raises a fire that devours everything material. Glory to the original one whom the devas do not know; your own subtle sight is radiant. Glory to the Shakti whose gross portion is in selves; you pervade moving and unmoving things. Glory to him who gathers all the tattvas of the universe into one. Glory to the one whose excellent followers have set their feet on the heads of asuras. Glory to the one skilled in means to protect those who take refuge. Glory to him who uproots the poisonous sprouts that lead to the tree of samsara. Glory to the one whose prosperity, valour and prowess grow and change by region. Glory to the one outside the universe who has driven back enemies. Glory to him who has laid down the supreme amrita in the use of the five kinds of meanings. Glory to the one whose form is the stotra, signifying the nectar of higher knowledge of the five kinds of meanings. Glory to the physician who treats the great terrible disease of samsara. Glory to the one like a covering of moonlight, used to destroy the original dirt that came from the darkness of ignorance. Glory to the fire of destruction that burned Tripura. Glory to the Bhairavi who destroyed Tripura. Glory to the one free of the three gunas, who crushes the three gunas. Glory to the original, omniscient one who urges everything. Glory to the one with many divine limbs. Glory to him who grants what is desired.

Divinity, where is your supreme abode and where are our trifling words? Bhagavan, still devotees will prattle. Please forgive me.

Vayu concluded

The four-faced maker of the universe offered many such hymns, and he repeatedly bowed to Rudra and Rudrani. This excellent, sacred stotra which Brahma chanted is called the Arddhanarishvara stotra, and it increases the delight of Shiva and Shivaa. A person who recites it with devotion, or teaches it to someone else, obtains as his fruit the pleasure of Shiva and Shivaa. They have thought of all beings in all worlds. They are themselves beyond birth and destruction, and have taken the forms of an excellent man and a young maiden. I always bow to Shankara and Shankari.