[Advaita-l] Shiva stuti by Ashwatthāma in the Mahabharata

[V Subrahmanian]

In the Sauptika parvan of the Mahabharata there is a Shiva stuti by
Ashvatthāma:

http://bombay.indology.info/mahabharata/text/UD/MBh10.txt

10006030a ध्रुवं येयमधर्मे मे प्रवृत्ता कलुषा मतिः
10006030c तस्याः फलमिदं घोरं प्रतिघाताय दृश्यते
10006031a तदिदं दैवविहितं मम संख्ये निवर्तनम्
10006031c नान्यत्र दैवादुद्यन्तुमिह शक्यं कथंचन
10006032a सोऽहमद्य महादेवं प्रपद्ये शरणं प्रभुम्
10006032c दैवदण्डमिमं घोरं स हि मे नाशयिष्यति
10006033a कपर्दिनं प्रपद्याथ देवदेवमुमापतिम्
10006033c कपालमालिनं रुद्रं भगनेत्रहरं हरम्
10006034a स हि देवोऽत्यगाद्देवांस्तपसा विक्रमेण च
10006034c तस्माच्छरणमभ्येष्ये गिरिशं शूलपाणिनम्
10007001  संजय उवाच
10007001a स एवं चिन्तयित्वा तु द्रोणपुत्रो विशां पते
10007001c अवतीर्य रथोपस्थाद्दध्यौ संप्रयतः स्थितः
10007002  द्रौणिरुवाच
10007002a उग्रं स्थाणुं शिवं रुद्रं शर्वमीशानमीश्वरम्
10007002c गिरिशं वरदं देवं भवं भावनमव्ययम्
10007003a शितिकण्ठमजं शक्रं क्रथं क्रतुहरं हरम्
10007003c विश्वरूपं विरूपाक्षं बहुरूपमुमापतिम्
10007004a श्मशानवासिनं दृप्तं महागणपतिं प्रभुम्
10007004c खट्वाङ्गधारिणं मुण्डं जटिलं ब्रह्मचारिणम्
10007005a मनसाप्यसुचिन्त्येन दुष्करेणाल्पचेतसा
10007005c सोऽहमात्मोपहारेण यक्ष्ये त्रिपुरघातिनम्
10007006a स्तुतं स्तुत्यं स्तूयमानममोघं चर्मवाससम्
10007006c विलोहितं नीलकण्ठमपृक्तं दुर्निवारणम्
10007007a शुक्रं विश्वसृजं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मचारिणमेव च
10007007c व्रतवन्तं तपोनित्यमनन्तं तपतां गतिम्
10007008a बहुरूपं गणाध्यक्षं त्र्यक्षं पारिषदप्रियम्
10007008c गणाध्यक्षेक्षितमुखं गौरीहृदयवल्लभम्
10007009a कुमारपितरं पिङ्गं गोवृषोत्तमवाहनम्
10007009c तनुवाससमत्युग्रमुमाभूषणतत्परम्
10007010a परं परेभ्यः परमं परं यस्मान्न विद्यते
10007010c इष्वस्त्रोत्तमभर्तारं दिगन्तं चैव दक्षिणम्
10007011a हिरण्यकवचं देवं चन्द्रमौलिविभूषितम्
10007011c प्रपद्ये शरणं देवं परमेण समाधिना
10007012a इमां चाप्यापदं घोरां तराम्यद्य सुदुस्तराम्
10007012c सर्वभूतोपहारेण यक्ष्येऽहं शुचिना शुचिम्

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10006.htm

Ashwatthāma's musings followed by the stuti.

Without doubt, that being is the terrible fruit of this sinful
determination of mine that I had essayed to achieve unrighteously. He
standeth there for baffling that determination. It seems, therefore,
that in my case this falling off from fight had been ordained by
destiny. It is not for me to exert for the accomplishment of this my
purpose unless destiny becomes favourable. I shall, therefore, at this
hour, seek the protection of the puissant Mahadeva! He will dispel
this dreadful rod of divine chastisement uplifted before me. I will
take the shelter of that god, that source of everything beneficial,
the lord of Uma, otherwise called Kapardin, decked with a garland of
human skulls, that plucker of Bhaga's eyes called also Rudra and Hara.
In ascetic austerities and prowess, he far surpasses all the gods. I
shall, therefore, seek the protection of Girisha armed with the
trident."

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10007.htm

Sanjaya said, "The son of Drona, O monarch, having reflected thus,
descended from the terrace of his car and stood, bending his head unto
that supreme god. And he said, "I seek the protection of Him called
Ugra, Sthanu, Shiva, Rudra, Sharva, Ishana, Ishvara, Girisha; and of
that boon-giving god who is the Creator and Lord of the universe; of
Him whose throat is blue, who is without birth, who is called Shakra,
who destroyed the sacrifice of Daksha, and who is called Hara; of Him
whose form is the universe, who hath three eyes, who is possessed of
multifarious forms, and who is the lord of Uma; of Him who resides in
crematoriums, who swells with energy, who is the lord of diverse
tribes of ghostly beings, and who is the possessor of undecaying
prosperity and power; of Him who wields the skull-topped club, who is
called Rudra, who bears matted locks on his head, and who is a
*brahmacari.* Purifying my soul that is so difficult to purify, and
possessed as I am of small energy, I adore the Destroyer of the triple
city, and offer myself as the victim. Hymned thou hast been, deserving
art thou of hymns, and I hymn to thy glory!

Thy purposes are never baffled. Thou art robed in skins; thou hast red
hair on thy head; thou art blue-throated; thou art unbearable; thou
art irresistible! Thou art pure; thou art the Creator of Brahman; thou
art Brahma; thou art a *brahmacari; *thou art an observer of vows;
thou art devoted to ascetic austerities; thou art infinite; thou art
the refuge of all ascetics; thou art multiform; thou art the leader of
diverse tribes of ghostly beings; thou art three-eyed; thou art fond
of those beings called companions; thou art always seen by the Lord of
treasures; thou art dear to Gauri's heart; thou art the sire of
Kumara; thou art tawny; thou hast for thy excellent bearer a bovine
bull; thou art robed in a subtle attire; thou art most fierce; thou
art eager to adorn Uma; thou art higher than all that is high; thou
art higher than everything; there is nothing higher than thou; thou
art the wielder of weapons; thou art immeasurable, and thou art the
protector of all quarters; thou art cased in golden armour; thou art
divine; thou hast the moon as an ornament on thy brow! With
concentrated attention, I seek thy protection, O god! For success in
getting over this dreadful distress that is so difficult to get over,
I sacrifice unto thee, the purest of the pure, offering for thy
acceptance the (five) elements of which my body is composed!"