Chapter 102 - The penance of Umā (umāsvayaṃvara)

1-2. The bull-emblemed lord Śiva was delighted by the penance of Pārvatī the great goddess. At the instance of Brahmā, he married her for the welfare of persons in all stages of life and for his own pleasure.

3. Accompanied by the great sages—Marīci and others, the lotus-born Brahmā went to the penance-grove, of Pārvatī the great goddess.

4. He circumambulated that goddess the fountain-head of the universe and said to her:—“O daughter of the mountain, why do you cause distress to the worlds by means of your penance?”

5. O mother, it was by you that the universe was created. Do not destroy it. Hold up and preserve all these worlds by means of your splendour.

6-9. Śiva is the glorious lord of all the worlds and Devas. All of us are only his servants. That great lord will woo you. O bestower of boons, O Mother, you have been created by him and surely he can never remain withouṭ you. He will be your husband.

After saying thus and bowing down to Pārvatī many times and glancing at her reverentially lord Brahmā returned. Thereafter, lord Śiva went to her penance-grove in the guise of a brahmin in order to bless her.

10. On seeing the great lord come there in the guise of a brahmin, she could recognize him as the lord through her intelligence. She bowed to the bull-bannered lord.

11. After worshipping the boon-bestowing lord who had come there in the guise of a brahmin, she eulogised him.

12-16. Preserving the traditional practice of the noble-souled mountain, the lord blessed the goddess and said laughingly. Moreover, Śiva, the lord of all Devas wanted some fun in the midst of the good elite—“O great goddess, I shall, assuming a gentle form, meet you at the celebration of your Svayaṃvara.” After saying this the lord looked at her with a divine vision and went away. She too returned home. On seeing the goddess come back Himavān, along with Menā (his wife) became delighted. He embraced her in her ascetic garb and kissed her on the head. Without knowing what had been whispered to his daughter by the lord of Devas, he announced publicly to hold the Svayaṃvara celebration of his daughter.

17-22. Then all these came to attend the Svayaṃvara celebration of the daughter of the mountain lord. They were—lord Brahmā, lord Viṣṇu, lord Indra, the fire-god, the sun, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭṛ, Aryaman, Vivasvān, Yama, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Soma, Īśāna, the Rudras, sages, Aśvins, twelve Ādityas, Gandharvas, Garuḍa, Yakṣas, Siddhas, Sādhyas, Daityas, Kimpuruṣas, Nāgas, oceans, rivers, Vedas, Mantras, Sūktas, Kṣaṇas, elephants, mountains, sacrifices, planets beginning with the sun, the three thousand three hundred and thirty-three Devas and many others.

23-26. Then the daughter of the mountain, the goddess, mounted the aerial chariot Sarvatobhadra. It was a splendid car made of gold, and embellished with the jewels. She was accompanied by the Apsarases who bedecked in ornaments were singing and dancing. She was eulogised by the bards, Gandharvas, Siddhas and Kinnaras. Mālinī held the white umbrella interspersed with the rays of jewels, in honour of the bride. Sandhyā held the disc of full moon. She was surrounded by divine ladies holding chowries in their hands.

27-28. Jayā stood there holding the garland of flowers of divine trees. Vijayā held a fan and stood near the goddess. Even as the goddess was stationed in the midst of Devas holding the flower garland, the bull-emblemed lord Mahādeva took the form of an infant just for the sake of fun. The lord slept on the lap of the goddess.

29-32. Devas saw the infant in her lap and asked her “Who is this infant here?” They were greatly agitated. Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, lifted up his arm and brought forth his thunderbolt. The hand that was lifted, remained stunned by the will of the lord of Devas who was in the form of an infant. Indra could not hurl his thunderbolt nor could he shake his arm. Agni too stood similarly and could not hurl his Śakti.

33. Yama could not wield his staff. O leading sages, Nirṛti could not wield his sword. Varuṇa could not use his weapon Nāgapāśa (serpentine noose). Samīraṇa (wind god) could not wield the staff of his banner.

34-35. The following persons lifted up their respective weapons (but could not use them): Soma (Moon) lifted up his iron club and stood (motionless). Dhaneśa the most excellent among staff-bearers lifted up his staff (and stood motionless). Similarly, Īśāna lifted up his sharp trident and stood motionless; the Rudras too lifted the trident; the Ādityas their threshing rod and the Vasus their Mudgara (iron-club). But all these heaven-dwellers were immediately rendered stunned and motionless by the lord.

36-37. Similarly, other heaven-dwellers too were rendered stunned by the lord of Devas. Shaking his head Viṣṇu lifted up his discus and stood ready to strike. The hair on his head became steady. He could not hurl his discus nor could he move his arms.

38. The deluded Pūṣan gnashed his teeth on glancing at the boy. The moment he was looked at by Śiva his teeth fell down.

39-40. Similarly, the lord curbed their strength, splendour and yogic power.

Now, even as those Devas who were infuriated, were stunned and rendered motionless, Brahmā who was highly dejected meditated on Śiva and understood that it was lord Iśāna lying on the lap of Umā.

41. On realising the lord Brahmā, he became surprised. He rose up immediately and saluted his feet and eulogised him.

42-47. He eulogised the lord by ancient Sāman songs, holy names and secret appellations.

“You are the creator of all the worlds. You are the instigator of Prakṛti. You are the cosmic intellect of all the worlds. You are the Ahaṃkāra (ego). You are Īśvara.

O Īśa, you alone make elements and sense-organs function. I am the ancient one formerly created out of your right side. O lord of great arms, lord Nārāyaṇa was created from your left side.

O cause of creation, this goddess Prakṛti, always adopts the form and nature of your wife and becomes the cause of the universe. O Mahādeva, obeisance to you. Obeisance to the great goddess. O lord of Devas, it was through your favour and my behest that these subjects, Devas and others, were created and deluded by your yogic power. Grant favour unto them. May they become as they were here-to-fore.

Sūta said:

48. After imploring thus to Maheśvara the lord of Devas, the lotus-born lord Brahmā spoke to Devas who had been rendered stunned and motionless.

49. O ye Devas, all of you are deluded. You have not understood Śaṅkara, your lord, who is bowed to by all of you, the lord who has come into our midst.

50. O Devas, all of you beginning with Indra including Nārāyaṇa and accompanied by the sages quickly seek refuge in lord Śaṅkara.

51. You seek refuge in īśvara the great Ātman, your lord as well as mine. You seek refuge in the most excellent lord accompanied by the daughter of Himavān who is Prakṛti.

52. The most excellent Devas, all those who had been rendered stunned and motionless including Nārāyaṇa mentally bowed down to lord Śiva.

53. Then the three-eyed lord of Devas became pleased with them. At the instance of Brahmā, the lord made them as they were before.

54. After being pleased, the lord of Devas assumed an exceedingly wonderful form consisting of three eyes. It dispelled all their miseries.^[1]

55-59. Thanks to his brilliance, Devas including Indra, Candra (Moon), the sun, Brahmā, Sādhyas, Nārāyaṇa, Yama, and Rudra requested the lord for an eye that will enable them to see the dazzling form of the lord. The lord gave them the divine eye competent to see everything. To Bhavānī and to the mountain too he gave the excellent vision. After acquiring divine sight Devas with Indra and Viṣṇu as their leaders, including Brahmā and Indra saw the lord. Then they immediately bowed down to the lord. So also Bhavānī, the lord of the mountains, sages and Gaṇas approved of by Śiva bowed down to Mahādeva. The Siddhas, Cāraṇas, and other heaven-dwellers showered flowers.

60-63. The divine Dundubhis were sounded; the sages eulogised the lord; the chiefs of the Gandharvas sang; the Apsarases danced; the leaders of the Gaṇas rejoiced; Ambā the daughter of the lord of mountains too rejoiced. The delighted goddess placed at his feet the divine fragrant garland in the presence of the heaven-dwellers. Devas including Brahmā, Yakṣas, Nāgas and Rākṣasas shouted “Well done, well done” and made obeisance to him then and there with their heads touching the ground.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

sarvadeva: Śivatoṣiṇī. reads sarvadeva for sarvadoṣa.—nivāraṇam—sarvadevair api draṣṭum aśakyam—Śivatoṣiṇī. so dazzling that it could not be visualized even by the gods.