Chapter 51 - The resuscitation of Kāma

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Brahmā said:—

1. At that time, thinking that the hour was favourable, Rati hopefully spoke to Śiva who is favourably disposed towards depressed people.

Rati said:—

2. Why did you reduce my beloved husband to ashes without gaining any interest when he had come near you with Pārvatī? He was my only fortunate possession very rare to get.

3. Give me back my husband, the lord of my journey of life who used to work lovingly with me. Remove my distress caused by separation.

4. O lord Śiva, in the great festival of your marriage, all people are happy. I alone am unhappy without my husband.

5. O lord, make me possessed of my husband. O Śiva, be pleased. O lord, friend of the distressed, please make your words true.

6. Excepting you, who is there in the three worlds including the mobile and immobile creatures who can destroy my sorrow. Knowing this, be merciful.

7. O lord, merciful to the depressed, make me jubilant at the jubilant celebration of your marriage that gives pleasure to everyone.

8. There is no doubt in this, that only when my lord is resuscitated will your sportive dalliance with your beloved Pārvatī be complete and perfect.

9. You are competent to do everything because you are the supreme lord. O lord of all, of what avail is this talk. Please resuscitate my husband quickly.

Brahmā said:—-

10. After saying thus she gave him the ashes of the cupid along with the bag in which they had been contained. “O lord, O lord”, saying thus she lamented much in front of Śiva.

11. On hearing the lamentation of Rati, Sarasvatī and other celestial ladies wept bitterly and spoke in piteous tones.

The celestial ladies said:—

12. Obeisance to you, O lord, you are known as favourably disposed to your devotees. You are friend of the distressed, storehouse of mercy. Resuscitate the cupid. Make Rati jubilant.

Brahmā said:—

13. On hearing their words, lord Śiva was delighted. The lord, the ocean of mercy, glanced compassionately.

14. Thanks to the nectarine glance of the Tridentbearing lord, Kāma came out of the ashes, a comely wonder-inspiring body with splendid dress and features.

15. On seeing her husband in the same form as before, wielding the bow and the arrows and smiling, Rati bowed to lord Śiva.

16. She became contented. With her husband resuscitated and with palms joined in reverence she eulogised the lord, the bestower of her husband, frequently.

17. On hearing the eulogy of Kāma and his wife, Śiva was delighted and he spoke with his heart melting with pity.

Śiva said:—

18. O Kāma, I am delighted by your eulogy in the company of your wife. O self-born, tell me the boon you desire. I shall grant it.

Brahmā said:—

19. On hearing these words of Śiva, Kāma was highly delighted. Humbly and in faltering accents he spoke with palms joined in reverence.

Kāma said:—

20. O lord of gods, O ocean of mercy, if you, the lord of all, are pleased with me please be delightful to me.

21. O lord, please forgive my fault formerly perpetrated by me. Please grant me great affection towards my people and devotion to your feet.

Brahmā said:—

22. On hearing the words of Kāma, lord Śiva was delighted. Giving consent, the lord of mercy laughingly said.

Lord Śiva said:—

23. O Kāma, I am delighted. O intelligent one, do not fear. Go near Viṣṇu and wait outside.

Brahmā said:—

24. On hearing these words he bowed to, circumambulated and eulogised the lord. Then he went out and bowed to Viṣṇu and gods.

25. Addressing Kāma, the gods congratulated him and offered him their auspicious blessings. Remembering Śiva, Viṣṇu and others spoke to him.

The gods said:—

26. O Kāma, you are blessed. Burnt by Śiva you have been blessed by Him. The lord of all has resuscitated you by means of his sympathetic glance, the Sāttvika part.

27. No man causes happiness or sorrow to another man. Man experiences the fruits of what he does. Who can ward off the destined protection, marriage or consummation at the proper time?

Brahmā said:—

28. After saying thus, the gods happily honoured him. Viṣṇu and other gods who had realised their desire stayed there with pleasure.

29. He too remained there, at the bidding of Śiva, with great delight. There were shouts of “Victory” “Obeisance” and “well-done”.

30. At the bed-chamber Śiva placed Pārvatī on His left side and fed her with sweets. She too delightedly fed him with sweets in return.

31. Śiva according to the conventions of the world performed the customary rites. Taking leave of Menā and the mountain He came to the audience hall.

32. O sage, there was great jubilation then. Sounds of Vedic chants rose up. People played on the four kinds of musical instruments.

33. Coming back to His apartment, Śiva saluted the sages, Viṣṇu and me according to the worldly convention. He was duly saluted by the gods and others.

34. Shouts of “Victory” and “Obeisance” rose up along with the sound of Vedic mantras which were auspicious and which removed all obstacles.

35. Then Viṣṇu, I (Indra), gods, sages, Siddhas, secondary gods and the Nāgas eulogised Him severally.

The gods said:—

36. O śiva, be victorious. O lord Śiva, the support of all, be victorious. O Rudra, O great lord, the supporter of the world, be victorious.

37. O Pārvatī’s lord, O lord, accentuator of pleasure, O three-eyed one, O lord of all, the lord of illusion, be victorious, be victorious.

38. O lord, devoid of attributes, bereft of desires, O lord beyond all causes, O omnipresent, O playful support of all, O assumer of forms, Obeisance to you, be victorious.

39-40. O lord, bestower of good desires to your devotees, O merciful one, O bliss-formed, assuming forms through magic illusions, be victorious. Be victorious, O kind, O All-souled one, friend of the distressed, storehouse of mercy, O lord of illusion, free from aberrations, whose body is beyond the reach of speech and mind.

Brahmā said:—

41. Eulogising thus, Viṣṇu and others joyously served lord Śiva, the husband of Pārvatī duly, and with great love.

42. O Nārada, Śiva, the lord who had assumed body sportively, granted boons and honour to all present there.

43. O dear one, Viṣṇu and others taking leave of the great lord delightedly returned to their respective places. They were duly honoured and their faces beamed with pleasure.