The Vindhya Tale in the Devi Mahatmya

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.10.3.1)

सूत उवाच । एवं समुपदिश्यायं देवर्षिः परमः स्वराट् । जगाम ब्रह्मणो लोकं स्वैरचारी महामुनिः ॥

sūta uvāca evaṁ samupadiśyāyaṁ devarṣiḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ jagāma brahmaṇo lokaṁ svairacārī mahāmuniḥ

Suta said: Having thus instructed him, that supreme divine sage, sovereign unto himself, the great sage who wanders at will, went to the realm of Brahma.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.10.3.2)

गते मुनिवरे विन्ध्यश्चिन्तां लेभेऽनपायिनीम् । नैव शान्तिं स लेभे च सदान्तःकृतशोचनः ॥

gate munivare vindhyaścintāṁ lebhe'napāyinīm naiva śāntiṁ sa lebhe ca sadāntaḥkṛtaśocanaḥ

When the best of sages had departed, Vindhya fell into unrelenting anxiety. He found no peace at all, ever grieving within his heart.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.10.3.3)

कथं किं त्वत्र मे कार्यं कथं मेरुं जयाम्यहम् । नैव शान्तिं लभे नापि स्वास्थ्यं मे मानसे भवेत् ॥

kathaṁ kiṁ tvatra me kāryaṁ kathaṁ meruṁ jayāmyaham naiva śāntiṁ labhe nāpi svāsthyaṁ me mānase bhavet

'What is to be done by me here? How shall I conquer Meru?' He found no peace, nor was there any ease in his mind.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.10.3.4)

(धिगुत्साहं च मानं च धिङ्मे कीर्तिं च धिक्कुलम्) धिग्बलं मे पौरुषं धिक् स्मृतं पूर्वैर्महात्मभिः । एवं चिन्तयमानस्य विन्ध्यस्य मनसि स्फुटम् ॥

(dhigutsāhaṁ ca mānaṁ ca dhiṅme kīrtiṁ ca dhikkulam) dhigbalaṁ me pauruṣaṁ dhik smṛtaṁ pūrvairmahātmabhiḥ evaṁ cintayamānasya vindhyasya manasi sphuṭam

'Shame on my effort, shame on my pride, shame on my fame, shame on my lineage! Shame on my strength, my manhood, shame on what my great forebears are remembered for!' Thus, as Vindhya brooded, clearly in his mind —

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.10.3.5)

प्रादुर्भूता मतिः कार्ये कर्तव्ये दोषकारिणी । मेरुप्रदक्षिणां कुर्वन्नित्यमेव दिवाकरः ॥

prādurbhūtā matiḥ kārye kartavye doṣakāriṇī merupradakṣiṇāṁ kurvannityameva divākaraḥ

— there arose a resolve for a deed that would only bring harm: 'The sun forever circumambulates only Meru —

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.10.3.6)

सग्रहर्क्षगणोपेतः सदा दृप्यत्ययं नगः । तस्य मार्गस्य संरोधं करिष्यामि निजैः करैः ॥

sagraharkṣagaṇopetaḥ sadā dṛpyatyayaṁ nagaḥ tasya mārgasya saṁrodhaṁ kariṣyāmi nijaiḥ karaiḥ

— together with the host of planets and stars, and this mountain is forever arrogant over it. I shall obstruct his path with my own peaks —

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.10.3.7)

तदा निरुद्धो द्युमणिः परिक्रामेत्कथं नगम् । एवं मार्गे निरुद्धे तु मया दिनकरस्य च ॥

tadā niruddho dyumaṇiḥ parikrāmetkathaṁ nagam evaṁ mārge niruddhe tu mayā dinakarasya ca

— then, once obstructed, how could the sun circle that mountain at all? Thus, once the sun's path has been blocked by me —

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.10.3.8)

भग्नदर्पो दिव्यनगो भविष्यति विनिश्चयम् । एवं निश्चित्य विन्ध्याद्रिः खं स्पृशन् ववृधे भुजैः ॥

bhagnadarpo divyanago bhaviṣyati viniścayam evaṁ niścitya vindhyādriḥ khaṁ spṛśan vavṛdhe bhujaiḥ

— that divine mountain's pride will certainly be broken.' Having resolved this, Mount Vindhya grew, its peaks like arms touching the sky —

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.10.3.9)

महोन्नतैः शृङ्गवरैः सर्वं व्याप्य व्यवस्थितः । कदोदेष्यति भास्वांस्तं रोधयिष्याम्यहं कदा ॥

mahonnataiḥ śṛṅgavaraiḥ sarvaṁ vyāpya vyavasthitaḥ kadodeṣyati bhāsvāṁstaṁ rodhayiṣyāmyahaṁ kadā

— pervading everything with its towering, excellent summits, thinking: 'When will the sun rise, so that I may obstruct him?'

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.10.3.10)

एवं सञ्चिन्तयानस्य सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी । प्रभातं विमलं जज्ञे दिशो वितिमिराः करैः ॥

evaṁ sañcintayānasya sā vyatīyāya śarvarī prabhātaṁ vimalaṁ jajñe diśo vitimirāḥ karaiḥ

As he brooded thus, that night passed away; a clear dawn came, and the directions became free of darkness through the sun's rays.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.10.3.11)

कुर्वन्स निर्गतो भानुरुदयायोदये गिरौ । प्रकाशते स्म विमलं नभो भानुकरैः शुभैः ॥

kurvansa nirgato bhānurudayāyodaye girau prakāśate sma vimalaṁ nabho bhānukaraiḥ śubhaiḥ

The sun emerged, rising over the eastern mountain, and the clear sky shone with his auspicious rays.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.10.3.12)

विकासं नलिनी भेजे मीलनं च कुमुद्वती । स्वानि कार्याणि सर्वे च लोकाः समुपतस्थिरे ॥

vikāsaṁ nalinī bheje mīlanaṁ ca kumudvatī svāni kāryāṇi sarve ca lokāḥ samupatasthire

The lotus-cluster bloomed open, and the night-lily closed; and all the worlds took up their own respective tasks.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.10.3.13)

हव्यं कव्यं भूतबलिं देवानां च प्रवर्धयन् । प्राह्णापराह्णमध्याह्नविभागेन त्विषां पतिः ॥

havyaṁ kavyaṁ bhūtabaliṁ devānāṁ ca pravardhayan prāhṇāparāhṇamadhyāhnavibhāgena tviṣāṁ patiḥ

The lord of light, dividing the day into forenoon, afternoon, and midday, caused the offerings of havya, kavya, and the beings' due share to flourish.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.10.3.14)

एवं प्राचीं तथाग्नेयीं समाश्वास्य वियोगिनीम् । ज्वलन्तीं चिरकालीनविरहादिव कामिनीम् ॥

evaṁ prācīṁ tathāgneyīṁ samāśvāsya viyoginīm jvalantīṁ cirakālīnavirahādiva kāminīm

Having thus comforted the eastern quarter, and likewise the south-eastern one — separated from him and burning, as if a beloved woman long parted —

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.10.3.15)

भास्करोऽथ कृशानोश्च दिशं नूनं विहाय च । याम्यां गन्तुं ततस्तूर्णं प्रतस्थे कमलाकरः ॥

bhāskaro'tha kṛśānośca diśaṁ nūnaṁ vihāya ca yāmyāṁ gantuṁ tatastūrṇaṁ pratasthe kamalākaraḥ

— the sun, having then left the quarter of Agni, set out swiftly toward the southern quarter — he, the friend of the lotus.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.10.3.16)

न शशाकाग्रतो गन्तुं ततोऽनूरुर्व्यजिज्ञपत् । अनूरुरुवाच । भानो मानोन्नतो विन्ध्यो निरुध्य गगनं स्थितः ॥

na śaśākāgrato gantuṁ tato'nūrurvyajijñapat anūruruvāca bhāno mānonnato vindhyo nirudhya gaganaṁ sthitaḥ

He was unable to go forward; then his legless charioteer, Aruna, informed him. Aruna said: 'O Sun, Vindhya, swollen with pride, stands blocking the sky —

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.10.3.17)

स्पर्धते मेरुणा प्रेप्सुस्त्वद्दत्तां च प्रदक्षिणाम् । सूत उवाच । अनूरुवाक्यमाकर्ण्य सविता ह्यास चिन्तयन् ॥

spardhate meruṇā prepsustvaddattāṁ ca pradakṣiṇām sūta uvāca anūruvākyamākarṇya savitā hyāsa cintayan

— rivaling Meru, desiring the circumambulation you grant it.' Suta said: Hearing Aruna's words, the sun fell to brooding.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.10.3.18)

अहो गगनमार्गोऽपि रुध्यते चातिविस्मयः । प्रायः शूरो न किं कुर्यादुत्पथे वर्त्मनि स्थितः ॥

aho gaganamārgo'pi rudhyate cātivismayaḥ prāyaḥ śūro na kiṁ kuryādutpathe vartmani sthitaḥ

'Ah, even the path of the sky is obstructed — how truly astonishing! Indeed, what will a hero not do, once set upon a wayward course?'

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.10.3.19)

निरुद्धो नो वाजिमार्गो दैवं हि बलवत्तरम् । राहुबाहुग्रहव्यग्रो यः क्षणं नावतिष्ठते ॥

niruddho no vājimārgo daivaṁ hi balavattaram rāhubāhugrahavyagro yaḥ kṣaṇaṁ nāvatiṣṭhate

'Our horses' path is blocked — fate indeed is stronger still. Even he who, seized by the grip of Rahu's arm, does not pause for even a moment —

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.10.3.20)

स चिरं रुद्धमार्गोऽपि किं करोति विधिर्बली । एवं च मार्गे संरुद्धे लोकाः सर्वे च सेश्वराः ॥

sa ciraṁ ruddhamārgo'pi kiṁ karoti vidhirbalī evaṁ ca mārge saṁruddhe lokāḥ sarve ca seśvarāḥ

— he too now finds his path long obstructed. What can be done? Fate is powerful.' And so, with the path thus blocked, all the worlds, together with their lords —

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.10.3.21)

नान्वविन्दन्त शरणं कर्तव्यं नान्वपद्यत । चित्रगुप्तादयः सर्वे कालं जानन्ति सूर्यतः ॥

nānvavindanta śaraṇaṁ kartavyaṁ nānvapadyata citraguptādayaḥ sarve kālaṁ jānanti sūryataḥ

— found no refuge, and no course of action presented itself. Chitragupta and all the others reckon time from the sun —

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.10.3.22)

संरुद्धो विन्ध्यगिरिणा अहो दैवविपर्ययः । यदा निरुद्धः सविता गिरिणा स्पर्धया तदा ॥

saṁruddho vindhyagiriṇā aho daivaviparyayaḥ yadā niruddhaḥ savitā giriṇā spardhayā tadā

— 'he is now obstructed by Mount Vindhya — ah, what a reversal of fate!' When the sun was thus checked by the mountain out of rivalry —

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.10.3.23)

नष्टः स्वाहास्वधाकारो नष्टप्रायमभूज्जगत् । एवं च पाश्चिमा लोका दाक्षिणात्यास्तथैव च ॥

naṣṭaḥ svāhāsvadhākāro naṣṭaprāyamabhūjjagat evaṁ ca pāścimā lokā dākṣiṇātyāstathaiva ca

— the ritual cries of svāhā and svadhā perished, and the world became as good as destroyed. And thus the western peoples, and likewise the southern —

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.10.3.24)

निद्रामीलितचक्षुष्का निशामेव प्रपेदिरे । प्राञ्चस्तथोत्तराहाश्च तीक्ष्णतापप्रतापिताः ॥

nidrāmīlitacakṣuṣkā niśāmeva prapedire prāñcastathottarāhāśca tīkṣṇatāpapratāpitāḥ

— with eyes closed in sleep, fell as if into night; while those to the east and to the north were scorched by fierce heat.

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.10.3.25)

मृता नष्टाश्च भग्नाश्च विनाशमभजन् प्रजाः । हाहाभूतं जगत्सर्वं स्वधाकव्यविवर्जितम् । देवाः सेन्द्राः समुद्विग्नाः किं कुर्म इतिवादिनः ॥

mṛtā naṣṭāśca bhagnāśca vināśamabhajan prajāḥ hāhābhūtaṁ jagatsarvaṁ svadhākavyavivarjitam devāḥ sendrāḥ samudvignāḥ kiṁ kurma itivādinaḥ

Creatures died, perished, and were broken, meeting destruction. The entire world cried out in lamentation, bereft of the offerings of svadhā and kavya. The gods, together with Indra, greatly distressed, cried out: 'What are we to do?'