Chapter 7 - The coronation and the nuptials of Nandīśvara

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nandīśvara said:—

1. O sage, after going there and staying in an isolated place with a steady mind I performed a severe penance very difficult even for good sages.

2-3. Meditating in the lotus-like cavity of the heart the lord Tryambaka, Sadāśiva wtih five faces,^[1] ten arms and three eyes and quiet in features I performed the repetition of Rudra Japa. I was in great meditation on the northern bank of the river. My mind was concentrated and I had pure thoughts.

4. Delighted with that Japa, lord Śiva, accompanied by Pārvatī and bedecked with the crescent moon, said:—

Śiva said:—

5. “O Śailādi (son of Śilāda) I have been pleased by this penance of yours. O intelligent one, you have performed the penance very well. Tell me what you desire. I am here the granter of boons.”

6. When thus addressed by the lord I bowed to his feet with my head and eulogised lord Śiva, the destroyer of the sorrow of old age.

7-8. I was endowed with great devotion. My eyes were filled with tears. I fell prostrate at his feet with my head resting there. Lord Śiva, the destroyer of great distress, lifted me up and stroked me with his hands. The bull-bannered lord clasped me with his hands and stood face to face with me.

9. Glancing at the leaders of the Gaṇas and the goddess, the daughter of Himavat, the lord of the worlds, looked at me with sympathy and spoke.

10. “Dear Nandin, O intelligent one, wherefore can you be afraid of death? The two brahmins were sent by me alone. There is no doubt. You are equal to me.

11. You will be free from death and old age. You will not be unhappy. You will for ever be the leader of the Gaṇas. You will be unchanging and unwasting. You will be loved by all in the company of your father and friends.

12. You will gain strength from me. You will always be at my sides. You will be for ever my favourite. Due to my favour you will have neither birth, nor death, nor old age.

Nandīśvara said:—

13. After saying thus, the store-house of mercy took off his own lotus-garland round his head and tied it round my neck immediately.

14. O brahmin, as soon as that garland adorned my neck I became three-eyed and ten-armed like a second Śiva.

15. Then, taking me by the hand, lord Śiva said—“Tell me, what excellent boon shall I grant you?”

16. Then he took the water from his matted hair, water as pure as necklace, and said “Be Nandin.” Then the bull-bannered lord let off the water.

17. Then five auspicious rivers flowed. They had pure water. They were very rapid. They were beautiful and divine in form.

18. The five rivers^[2] are glorified thus—Jaṭodakā, Trisrotas, Vṛṣadhvani, Svarṇodakā and Jambunadī.

19. O sage, this basin called Pañcanada is a very auspicious spot of Śiva. It is near Japeśvara and is very holy.

20. He who goes to the holy centre of Pañcanada, takes his bath there, performs the Japa of the lord of lords and worships him, certainly attains the Sāyujya of Śiva.

31. Then Śiva said to Pārvatī “I am going to coronate Nandin and proclaim him as the lord of Gaṇas. O unchanging goddess, what do you think?”

Pārvatī said:—

22. O lord of gods, it behoves you to give that to Nandin. O lord, Śailādi is my most beloved son.

Nandīśvara said:—

23. Then Śiva the independent lord, the Supreme deity, the bestower of everything and favourably disposed towards his devotees remembered his excellent leaders of Gaṇas.

24. Even as they were remembered, all the leading Gaṇas of Rudra came there. They were countless. They had the shape of Śiva. They were highly delighted.

25. Those leading Gaṇas bowed to lord Śiva and the goddess Pārvatī with joined palms and drooping shoulders. The powerful Gaṇas spoke.

The leading Gaṇas said:—

26. O great lord, the destroyer of Tripuras, why are we called? Please command us, O bestower of wishes. We arc your servants and we have come here.

27. Shall we dry up the oceans? Shall we kill Yama with his servants? Shall we slay great death or the aged Brahmā especially?

28. Shall we bind Indra with all the gods or Viṣṇu with all his Pārṣadas and bring them here? Or the Daityas and Dānavas?

29. To whom shall we cause great and terrible distress at your behest? O lord, who is to be extremely jubilant to-day for the increase of all cherished desires?

Nandīśvara said:—

30. On hearing these heroic words of the Gaṇas the great lord spoke after praising them.

Śiva said:—

31. Nandīśvara is my son. He is the lord of lords. He is the favourite leader of my Gaṇas. Let my behest be carried out by you.

32. All of you, crown him lovingly as your leader and resort of all my Gaṇas. From today onwards, Nandīśvara is your lord.

Nandīśvara said:—

33. Thus ordered by Siva, the leading Gaṇas said “Let it be so”; they brought all the requisite things (for his consecration)

34. Then Nārāyaṇa and other gods including Indra, and die sages came from all the worlds with pleased faces.

35. At the behest of Śiva, the holy Brahmā performed the coronation of Nandin with care and attention.

36. Then Viṣṇu, Indra, the guardians of the quarters, Brahmā and the sages eulogised me.

37. While they were eulogising, Viṣṇu, the lord of the universe, eulogised me with devotion with palms joined together over the head.

38. With palms joined in reverence he bowed to me and cried shouts of victory. Then all the leading Gaṇas, the gods and the Asuras did likewise in order.

39. O great brahmin, thus at the instance of the great lord, I, Nandīśvara was coronated and eulogised by the gods including Brahmā.

40. My nuptial ceremony was also conducted at the instance of Brahmā with great jubilation and pleasure by Viṣṇu, Brahmā and others.

41. The daughter of the Maruts, the gentle and beautiful lady Suyaśā became my divine wife pleasing to my eyes and mind.

42. A well-decorated umbrella shedding moonlike lustre was held above her in the company of women holding the chowries in their hands.

43. A fine throne was occupied by me along with her. I was bedecked by the illustrious Lakṣmī with various ornaments like crown and others.

44-45. A fine necklace worn by the goddess round her neck was given to me. I got a fine bull, a white elephant, a lion, the lion-banner, a chariot, gold necklace, like the disc of the moon and many other auspicious articles, O sage.

46. O great sage, the marriage having been celebrated thus I, in the company of my wife, saluted the feet of Śiva, Brahmā and Viṣṇu for the sake of welfare.

47. Siva, lord of the three worlds, favourably disposed towards his devotees spoke these words with great love and pleasure to me accompanied by my wife.

Lord Śiva said:—

48. O dear son, listen. This Suyaśā is your beloved wife: Whatever is desired by you in your mind I shall grant you that boon.

49. O Nandīśa, O lord of Gaṇas, I am always pleased with you in the company of the goddess. O dear boy, listen to my weighty words.

50-51. You will be my favourite always. You will be endowed with all prosperity. You will be a great Yogin and a fine bowman along with your father and grandfather never to be defeated by anyone. You will be all-victorious and worthy of worship. You will be endowed with great strength. Wherever I am, you shall also be and wherever you are I shall also be.

52. O son, your father will be endowed with all prosperity. He will become a presiding officer of the Gaṇas, a great devotee of mine and very powerful.

53. O dear son, your grandfather too shall be like-wise. This is my rule that whoever approaches me is certainly endowed with a boon.

Nandīśvara said:—

54. Then the goddess, the granter of the boon and of great fortune told me—“Speak out what your desire is. Tell me all your wishes.”

55. On hearing those words of the goddess, I spoke with palms joined in reverence “O goddess, let my excellent devotion be always towards your feet.”

56. On hearing my words the goddess said “Let it be so.” With great pleasure Śivā spoke to Suyaśā, the beloved wife of Nandin.

The goddess said:—

57. Dear daughter, as you desire I grant you the boon that you will be endowed with three eyes. You will be devoid of future births. You will have devotion to me along with your husband, sons and grandsons.

Nandin said:—

58. Then the delighted Brahmā, Viṣṇu, all the gods and the Gaṇas gave them boons with pleasure at the behest of Śiva.

59. Taking me along with all the members of the family, kinsmen and relatives, lord Śiva mounted his bull and went to the abode of the goddess.

60. Viṣṇu and all other gods praising these and eulogising Śiva and Śivā lovingly returned to their respective abodes.

61. O great sage, O dear one, thus my own incarnation has been narrated to you. It is always pleasing and heightening the power of Śiva.

62-63. He who listens to or narrates, reads or teaches the incarnation of Nandin, the granting of the boons, the coronation and the nuptial ceremony with faith and devotion enjoys all pleasures here and attains great goal hereafter.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

On the five-faced form of Śiva see P. 34 note

[2]:

This group of five rivers is mythical. It is not appropriate to identify the Trisrotas of this group with the Teesta in North Bengal and the Jambu with the Jambu of mount Abu. For the Purāṇa speaks of the group of five riven forming a confluence near Japeśvara. The Teesta and the Jambu meet nowhere and cannot be held identical with the Trisrotas and the Jambu that have entered into this group.