Text 45
ayaṁ mameṣṭo dayito ’nuvartī
mayābhayaṁ dattam amuṣya deva
sampādyatāṁ tad bhavataḥ prasādo
yathā hi te daitya-patau prasādaḥ
ayam — this; mama — my; iṣṭaḥ — favored; dayitaḥ — very dear; anuvartī — follower; mayā — by me; abhayam — fearlessness; dattam — given; amuṣya — his; deva — O Lord; sampādyatām — please let it be granted; tat — therefore; bhavataḥ — Your; prasādaḥ — grace; yathā — as; hi — indeed; te — Your; daitya — of the demons; patau — for the chief (Prahlāda); prasādaḥ — grace.
This Bāṇāsura is my dear and faithful follower, and I have awarded him freedom from fear. Therefore, my Lord, please grant him Your mercy, just as You showed mercy to Prahlāda, the lord of the demons.
Lord Śiva feels inclined to help Bāṇāsura because the demon showed great devotion to Lord Śiva when he provided musical accompaniment for Śiva’s tāṇḍava dance. Another reason Bāṇa is an object of Lord Śiva’s favor is that he is a descendant of the great devotees Prahlāda and Bali.