Chapter 21 - The Dalliance of Satī and Śiva

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:—

1. O dear, your words are perfect inasmuch as you are omniscient, sinless one. The wonderfully auspicious story of Śivā and Śiva has been heard by us.

2. We have heard the detailed account of their marriage that destroys delusions, makes one endowed with true knowledge and which is excellently auspicious.

3. I wish to know more of the auspicious story of Śivā and Śiva. Hence having unequalled consideration for me, O intelligent one, please narrate the same.

Brahmā said:—

4. Your enquiries for the history of the merciful lord are pursued well, since you have prompted me to narrate the divine sports of Siva.

5. Know from me what Śiva did with pleasure on reaching His abode after His marriage with goddess Satī, Dakṣa’s daughter and the mother of the three worlds.

6. O celestial sage, after reaching His gay abode along with His Gaṇas, Śiva descended from His Bull with great pleasure.

7. O celestial sage, entering His apartment in a befitting manner, along with Satī, Śiva assuming worldly conventions rejoiced very much.

8. Then after approaching Satī, Śiva sent out His attendants—Nandin and others, from the cave in the mountain.

9. Following the manner of the people of the world, the merciful lord spoke these affable and courteous words to Nandin and others.

Lord Śiva said:—

10. O my attendants, with minds respectfully concentrated in thinking upon me, you shall come to me only when I remember you.

11. When Śiva said like this, Nandin and others who constituted the powerful set of attendants of quick speed left for different places.

12. When they went away and He was left alone with Satī, Śiva rejoiced much and sported with her.

13. Sometimes He gathered some sylvan flowers and wreathed a fine garland out of them which he put round her neck in the place of the necklace.

14. While Satī was admiring at the reflection of her face in the mirror, Śiva came behind and peeped into the reflection of His own face.

15. Sometimes He would be sporting with her ear-rings, tying and untying and scrubbing them Himself.

16. Sometimes by the application of red dye Śiva made her naturally red feet completely red.

17. Many things which could be said aloud even in the presence of many, Śiva whispered into her ears in order to see her face.

18. He would not go far from her, (if at all he went) he would return suddenly and close her eyes from behind and while she was thinking about something else he would ask her his name.

19. Sometimes Śiva would become invisible through His Māyā and suddenly embrace her when she would become terrified and agitated.

20. Sometimes with musk He would make marks like bees on her breasts that resembled the buds of a golden lotus.

21. Sometimes he would take the necklace off her breasts and press them with his hands.

22. Sometimes he would remove the bracelets, bangles, rings from their places and fix them again one by one.

23. Even as she was looking on, sometimes he would come to her lofty breasts saying with laughter, this dark spot “Kālikā” on your breasts is your companion of the same colour as it contains the same letters as are found in your name “Kālikā”.^[1]

24. Sometimes when he was too much excited with love he would exchange pleasantries with his beloved.

25. Sometimes he would gather lotuses and other beautiful flowers and decorate her with them as though with ornaments.

26. In the company of his beloved Śivā, Śiva who is favourably disposed to His devotees, sported about among the mountain hedges.

27. Without her, he did not move anywhere, he did not stay anywhere, he did not carry on any activity without her company. Śiva was not happy without her even for a moment.

28. After dallying among the hedges and grottos in the Kailāsa mountain for a long time he went to the Himālayan ridges where he remembered Kāma out of his own accord.

29. When Kāma reached the vicinity of Śiva, Spring spread all his splendour in accord with the inclination of the lord.

30. The trees and creepers blossomed and bloomed. Waters were covered with full blown lotuses. Bees hovered round the lotuses.

31. When that excellent season set in, the gentle Malaya breeze fragrant and delightful due to sweet smelling flowers blew all round.

32. The Palāśa flowers resembling the hue of the twilight and shaped like the crescent moon shone like the flowery arrows of Kāma at the feet of trees.

33. The lotus flowers shone in the lakes. The goddess wind endeavoured to fascinate people with her sweet face.

34. With their flowers golden in hue, the Nāgakesara trees shone beautifully like the banners of Kāma.

35. Rendering the breeze fragrant with its smell the clove creeper fascinated the minds of passionate people with its sweetness.

36. The mango trees and the Śāli plants shining like mild fire shone like the open couches for the flowery arrows of Kāma.

37. With full-blown lotuses, the pure waters of the lakes shone like the minds of sages wherein the supreme splendour—Ātman is clearly reflected.

38. The dew-drops as they came in contact with the rays of the sun turned in vapours like the hearts of the people turning pure in association with the good.^[2]

39. The nights became bright with the moon devoid of mist. Lovely women shone beautifully in the company of their lovers.

40. In this atmosphere, on that excellent mountain, Lord Śiva sported about for a long time among the groves, hedges and streams in the company of Satī.

41. O sage, then Satī so exercised her splendid influence on Śiva that he did not have mental peace without her even for a moment.

42. The goddess satisfied his mind in fulness in the matter of intercourse. She seemed to enter his body. He made her drink that juice.

43. With garlands of flowers wreathed by himself he decorated her person and felt new pleasures.

44. With diverse conversations, glances, joking remarks and exchanges of pleasantries he instructed Śiva in the knowledge of Self.

45. Drinking the nectar from her moon-face, Śiva stabilised his body. Sometimes he experienced exhilarating and particularly pleasing state.

46. Just as a huge elephant that is bound with ropes cannot have any other activity. He was also bound by the sweet fragrance of her lotus-like face, her beauty and her jocular pleasantries.

47. Thus in the ridges and caverns of the Himālayan mountains, the lord sported about in the company of Satī every day. According to the calculation of the devas twenty five years elapsed, O celestial sage, during which he dallied thus.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The text of the second half of the verse is corrupt; hence the translation of that portion is conjectural.

[2]:

The text of the second half of the verse is corrupt; hence the translation of that portion is conjectural.