Today,on seeing that liṅgam at that old temple in the lane behind the office of the postmaster general(been there since the very late 1800s?)It’s a tiny navaratna temple,painted red,that shloka of Amṛtavāgbhavācāryā, blessed by Svacchanda-Bhairava himself came to my mind
प्रभो शम्भो दीनं विहितशरणं त्वच्चरणयोः
भवारण्यादस्माद्विषमविषयाशीविषवृतात्।
समुद्धृत्य श्रद्धाविधुरमपि बद्धादरकरं
दयादृष्ट्या पश्यन्निजतनयमात्मीकुरु शिव॥
In SLP1 romanization(explained in the links for vowels and consonants)
prabho “sambho diina.m vihita”sara.na.m tvaccara.nayo.h
bhavaara.nyaadasmaadvi.samavi.sayaa”siivi.sav.rtaat|
samuddh.rtya “sraddhaavidhuramapi baddhaadarakara.m
dayaad.r.s.tyaa pa”syannijatanayamaatmiikuru “siva||
It’s translation(taken from the Kamakotimandali website because I’m lazy)
‘O Lord Shiva, this forest named samsāra is filled with venomous serpents that are the sensory objects. To escape from them, I take refuge most humbly in your lotus feet.
O all powerful Shambhu, please take me out of this forest even if I lack faith and devotion, for I am after all your son and I have sought refuge in you with folded hands.’
He gives the scene of composing this verse thus
मन्निमिर्तः प्रभोशम्भोश्लोको यत्सदयेच्छया।
इष्टसिद्ध्यर्थ प्राप सिद्धमहामन्त्रस्वरुपताम्॥
हितायाऽऽस्तिकलोकानां वर्णयामि सभासतः।
नत्वा तत्पादयुगलं तद्वृत्तं विस्मयावहम्॥
सायत्ननं नित्युकृतयं समाप्य समवस्थिते।
स्वासने मरुयन्धकारावृते पूजागृहेऽमले॥
श्रीशिवप्रार्थनापद्ये प्रातरेव स्वनिर्मिते।
अपशब्दं चिन्तयति सहसा दिव्यदेहवान्॥
जीर्णशुकं जानुदघं वसानो लम्बमेकतः।
रोमगुच्छाचितबिलमहाश्रोत्रः शशिप्रभः॥
बर्वरप्रभरोमालव्याप्तसवङ्गिवग्रहः।
तिरस्कृततडिच्चञ्चक्त्रनीनिकविलोचनः॥
महात्मा प्रकटीभूय कोऽपि मत्सम्मुखं तदा।
उच्चालयन् तर्जनीं स्वां मामुवाच सगर्जनम्॥
पद्यमेतन्नास्यशुद्धं न कार्यं परिवर्तनम्।
एवं समासे सुमते! कामशुद्धिं विशङ्कसे॥
इत्युक्त्वा यो दयार्त्रेण चक्षुशा वीक्ष्य मां पुनः।
शम्पेव क्वाप्यगात् सद्य आश्रित्याऽलक्षितां गतिम्॥
अजानन्नपि तस्याऽहं नामधामादिकं मुहुः।
प्रणमामि सदा भक्त्या रुपं वाक्यं च संस्मरन्॥
नालगढे धर्मसभाभवने मासि माधवे।
वृत्तं वृत्तं वैक्रमेऽभे ऋद्धिधैर्यमिते गते॥
Transliterated in the Velthuis scheme
mannimirta.h prabho”sambho”sloko yatsadayecchayaa|
i.s.tasiddhyartha praapa siddhamahaamantrasvarupataam||
hitaayaa”stikalokaanaa.m var.nayaami sabhaasata.h|
natvaa tatpaadayugala.m tadv.rtta.m vismayaavaham||
saayatnana.m nityuk.rtaya.m samaapya samavasthite|
svaasane maruyandhakaaraav.rte puujaag.rhe’male||
“srii”sivapraarthanaapadye praatareva svanirmite|
apa”sabda.m cintayati sahasaa divyadehavaan||
jiir.na”suka.m jaanudagha.m vasaano lambamekata.h|
romagucchaacitabilamahaa”srotra.h “sa”siprabha.h||
barvaraprabharomaalavyaaptasava”ngivagraha.h|
tirask.rtata.dicca~ncaktraniinikavilocana.h||
mahaatmaa praka.tiibhuuya ko’pi matsammukha.m tadaa|
uccaalayan tarjanii.m svaa.m maamuvaaca sagarjanam||
padyametannaasya”suddha.m na kaarya.m parivartanam|
eva.m samaase sumate! kaama”suddhi.m vi”sa”nkase||
ityuktvaa yo dayaartre.na cak.su”saa viik.sya maa.m puna.h|
“sampeva kvaapyagaat sadya aa”srityaa’lak.sitaa.m gatim||
ajaanannapi tasyaa’ha.m naamadhaamaadika.m muhu.h|
pra.namaami sadaa bhaktyaa rupa.m vaakya.m ca sa.msmaran||
naalaga.dhe dharmasabhaabhavane maasi maadhave|
v.rtta.m v.rtta.m vaikrame’bhe .rddhidhairyamite gate||
padmavajra 