The Life of Ballālasena 2.6

Now, there is the god of gods, ever worthy of homage by all Śaivas, Śāktas, / Sauras, Vaiṣṇavas, and Gāṇapatyas, / by female and male lay devotees, staff-bearing ascetics, / and by male and female mendicants,

worshipful by Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras, / by renunciants, and by human men and women, / the celebrated giver of boons, namely Ugramādhava.

Then, to the beginningless great liṅga in the eastern land of Gauḍa, / men went to worship the god Ugramādhava:

Brahmins, all Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and ordinary men, / pure Śūdras and other Śūdras, arrived at that great holy place.

Some carrying flowers, others incense and lamps, / some perfumes and food-offerings, some hand-fans and chowries,

some parasols, gems, garlands, and garments— / gathering these and other articles, they arrived.

With blossoms of all six seasons, such as oleander and others, / and with incenses, sandalwood, and the like, the people worshipped the self-existent lord.

With pure waters from sacred bathing places, tinted with saffron, / cool and fragrant, they bathed Śaṅkara.

They offered lamps of clarified butter, and others offered oil-lamps; / they offered a libation of milk there, and water for washing the feet with pure streams.

With cow-milk rice, cow-ghee, honey, saffron, and camphor, / with the five nectars, saffron filaments, molasses, and refined sugar,

with sandalwood, fragrant pastes, and joyfully with the five perfumes, / the people, intent upon devotion, anointed Śaṅkara.

Joyfully they offered supreme food mixed with cooked śāli rice, / laḍḍukas, cakes, and diverse kinds of food-offerings.

They set up banners and fluttering Chinese silks; / some danced and sang, while some sounded the bell.

Some offered gold, silver, and copper to the self-existent lord; / and men offered the five precious gems along with parched grains and unbroken rice.

They offered cosmetics for the hands, betel, and mouth-perfumes; / and they placed dūrvā grass, flowers, and unbroken grains upon the head of the god.

In this manner, with the five modes of worship, men, Brahmins and others, / worshipped Śiva, recited prayers, and performed circumambulation.

With dances, songs, great enthusiasm, and sweet-sounding instruments, / and with joyful roars of 'hām' and 'huṅ', they carried Ugramādhava in procession.

[[036]] / Some bowed with five limbs, others with eight limbs, / and they offered praises in sweet voices.

With bhallakas, jhallarīs, mṛdaṅgas, and mardalas, / with flutes and stringed instruments, some worshipped the self-existent lord.

With hymns of victory and auspiciousness, with dhāraṇīs, and with songs, / Buddhist monks and nuns worshipped Śaṅkara, and with healing chants.

With sweet-sounding Vedic recitations, the Brahmins, best among knowers of the Vedas; / the Kṣatriyas with umbrellas made of gold, jewels, and the like, of the highest excellence;

merchants with crest-jewels and golden bilva leaves; / and Śūdras worshipped with fruits of various services.

And whatever other castes that came, such as washermen and others, / they all stood at a distance and bowed repeatedly.

Thus ends the sixth chapter, titled 'The Worship of Ugramādhava,' in the Vallālacarita composed by Ānandabhaṭṭa.

Now begins the seventh chapter.