The Manifestation of Kama

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.22.1)

सूत उवाच । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य नैमिषारण्यवासिनः । पप्रच्छ च मुनिश्रेष्ठः कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम्

sūta uvāca | ityākarṇya vacastasya naimiṣāraṇyavāsinaḥ | papraccha ca muniśreṣṭhaḥ kathāṁ pāpapraṇāśinīm

Suta said: That foremost of sages, dweller of the Naimisha forest, having heard these words, again asked for that story which destroys all sin.

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.22.2)

नारद उवाच । विधे विधे महाभाग कथां शम्भोः शुभावहाम् । शृण्वन् भवन्मुखाम्भोजान्न तृप्तोऽस्मि महाप्रभो

nārada uvāca | vidhe vidhe mahābhāga kathāṁ śambhoḥ śubhāvahām | śṛṇvan bhavanmukhāmbhojānna tṛpto'smi mahāprabho

Narada said: O Vidhi, O Vidhi, O most fortunate one! Even as I listen again and again to that auspicious story of Shambhu from your very lotus mouth, O great lord, I am not satisfied.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.22.3)

अतः कथय तत्सर्वं शिवस्य चरितं शुभम् । सतीकीर्त्यन्वितं दिव्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि विश्वकृत्

ataḥ kathaya tatsarvaṁ śivasya caritaṁ śubham | satīkīrtyanvitaṁ divyaṁ śrotumicchāmi viśvakṛt

Therefore tell me all of that auspicious life of Shiva, joined with the glory of Sati, in its full extent — O maker of the universe, I wish to hear it.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.22.4)

सती हि कथमुत्पन्ना दक्षदारेषु शोभना । कथं हरो मनश्चक्रे दाराहरणकर्मणि

satī hi kathamutpannā dakṣadāreṣu śobhanā | kathaṁ haro manaścakre dārāharaṇakarmaṇi

How was that lovely Sati born from the womb of Daksha's wife? And how did Hara set his mind upon the act of taking her hand?

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.22.5)

कथं वा दक्षकोपेन त्यक्तदेहा सती पुरा । हिमवत्तनया जाता भूयो वाकाशमागता

kathaṁ vā dakṣakopena tyaktadehā satī purā | himavattanayā jātā bhūyo vākāśamāgatā

And how, having in former times given up her body through Daksha's wrath, was she then born again as the daughter of Himavan, and how did she come again into the world?

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.22.6)

पार्वत्याश्च तपोऽत्युग्रं विवाहश्च कथं त्वभूत् । कथमर्धशरीरस्था बभूव स्मरनाशिनः

pārvatyāśca tapo'tyugraṁ vivāhaśca kathaṁ tvabhūt | kathamardhaśarīrasthā babhūva smaranāśinaḥ

How did Parvati's most severe austerity and her marriage come about? And how did she come to occupy half the body of Shiva, the destroyer of desire?

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.22.7)

एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व विस्तरेण महामते । नान्योऽस्ति संशयच्छेत्ता त्वत्समो न भविष्यति

etatsarvaṁ samācakṣva vistareṇa mahāmate | nānyo'sti saṁśayacchettā tvatsamo na bhaviṣyati

O great-minded one, tell me all this in full detail — there is no one equal to you in cutting away doubts, nor shall there ever be.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.22.8)

ब्रह्मोवाच । शृणु त्वं च मुने सर्वं सतीशिवयशः शुभम् । पावनं परमं दिव्यं गुह्याद् गुह्यतमं परम्

brahmovāca | śṛṇu tvaṁ ca mune sarvaṁ satīśivayaśaḥ śubham | pāvanaṁ paramaṁ divyaṁ guhyād guhyatamaṁ param

Brahma said: Listen then, O sage, to that whole auspicious story of Sati and Shiva — purifying, supremely divine, the most secret of all secrets.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.22.9)

एतच्छम्भुः पुरोवाच भक्तवर्याय विष्णवे । पृष्टस्तेन महाभक्त्या परोपकृतये मुने

etacchambhuḥ purovāca bhaktavaryāya viṣṇave | pṛṣṭastena mahābhaktyā paropakṛtaye mune

O sage, this story was told long ago by Shambhu himself to Vishnu, foremost among his devotees, when he was asked with the greatest devotion, for the benefit of others.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.22.10)

ततः सोऽपि मया पृष्टो विष्णुः शैववरः सुधीः । प्रीत्या मह्यं समाचख्यौ विस्तरान्मुनिसत्तम

tataḥ so'pi mayā pṛṣṭo viṣṇuḥ śaivavaraḥ sudhīḥ | prītyā mahyaṁ samācakhyau vistarānmunisattama

And then, O foremost of sages, when I in turn questioned that wisest of Shiva's devotees, Vishnu, he too, with love, related it all to me at length.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.22.11)

अहं तत्कथयिष्यामि कथामेतां पुरातनीम् । शिवाशिवयशोयुक्तां सर्वकामफलप्रदाम्

ahaṁ tatkathayiṣyāmi kathāmetāṁ purātanīm | śivāśivayaśoyuktāṁ sarvakāmaphalapradām

I shall now tell you that ancient story, joined with the glory of Shiva and his consort, and one that grants the fruit of every desire.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.22.12)

पुरा यदा शिवो देवो निर्गुणो निर्विकल्पकः । अरूपः शक्तिरहितश्चिन्मात्रः सदसत्परः

purā yadā śivo devo nirguṇo nirvikalpakaḥ | arūpaḥ śaktirahitaścinmātraḥ sadasatparaḥ

Long ago, when the god Shiva was without qualities, without differentiation, without form, without his power (Shakti), of the nature of pure consciousness alone, and beyond both being and non-being —

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.22.13)

अभवत्सगुणः सोऽपि द्विरूपः शक्तिमान्प्रभुः । सोमो दिव्याकृतिर्विप्र निर्विकारी परात्परः

abhavatsaguṇaḥ so'pi dvirūpaḥ śaktimānprabhuḥ | somo divyākṛtirvipra nirvikārī parātparaḥ

— he himself became endowed with qualities, twofold in form, the Lord possessed of his power, becoming Soma, of divine appearance, unchanging, higher than the highest, O brahmin.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.22.14)

तस्य वामाङ्गजो विष्णुर्ब्रह्माहं दक्षिणाङ्गजः । रुद्रो हृदयतो जातोऽभवच्च मुनिसत्तम

tasya vāmāṅgajo viṣṇurbrahmāhaṁ dakṣiṇāṅgajaḥ | rudro hṛdayato jāto'bhavacca munisattama

O foremost of sages, from his left side was born Vishnu, from his right side was born I, Brahma, and Rudra was born from his very heart.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.22.15)

सृष्टिकर्ताभवं ब्रह्मा विष्णुः पालनकारकः । लयकर्ता स्वयं रुद्रस्त्रिधाभूतः सदाशिवः

sṛṣṭikartābhavaṁ brahmā viṣṇuḥ pālanakārakaḥ | layakartā svayaṁ rudrastridhābhūtaḥ sadāśivaḥ

I, Brahma, became the creator; Vishnu became the sustainer; and Rudra himself became the destroyer — thus did Sadashiva become threefold.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.22.16)

तमेवाहं समाराध्य ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । प्रजाः ससर्ज सर्वास्ताः सुरासुरनरादिकाः

tamevāhaṁ samārādhya brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ | prajāḥ sasarja sarvāstāḥ surāsuranarādikāḥ

Having worshipped him, I, becoming Brahma, the grandfather of all the worlds, created all those beings — gods, demons, men, and the rest.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.22.17)

सृष्ट्वा प्रजापतीन् दक्षप्रमुखान्सुरसत्तमान् । अमन्यं सुप्रसन्नोऽहं निजं सर्वमहोन्नतम्

sṛṣṭvā prajāpatīn dakṣapramukhānsurasattamān | amanyaṁ suprasanno'haṁ nijaṁ sarvamahonnatam

Having created the foremost Prajapatis, beginning with Daksha, I became greatly pleased, and grew proud of my own vast and exalted glory.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.22.18)

मरीचिमत्रिं पुलहं पुलस्त्याङ्गिरसौ क्रतुम् । वसिष्ठं नारदं दक्षं भृगुं चेति महाप्रभून्

marīcimatriṁ pulahaṁ pulastyāṅgirasau kratum | vasiṣṭhaṁ nāradaṁ dakṣaṁ bhṛguṁ ceti mahāprabhūn

Marichi, Atri, Pulaha, Pulastya and Angiras, Kratu, Vasishtha, Narada, Daksha, and Bhrigu — these great and mighty ones —

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.22.19)

ब्रह्माहं मानसान्पुत्रानसर्जं च यदा मुने । तदा मन्मनसो जाता चारुरूपा वराङ्गना

brahmāhaṁ mānasānputrānasarjaṁ ca yadā mune | tadā manmanaso jātā cārurūpā varāṅganā

— when I, Brahma, brought forth these mind-born sons, O sage, at that very time there was born from my own mind a woman of beautiful form, most excellent.

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.22.20)

नाम्ना सन्ध्या दिवाक्षान्ता सायं सन्ध्या जपन्तिका । अतीव सुन्दरी सुभ्रूर्मुनिचेतोविमोहिनी

nāmnā sandhyā divākṣāntā sāyaṁ sandhyā japantikā | atīva sundarī subhrūrmunicetovimohinī

Her name was Sandhya — the twilight, devoted to prayer at the day's end and in the evening, exceedingly beautiful, of lovely brows, one who could bewilder even the minds of sages.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.22.21)

न तादृशी देवलोके न मर्त्ये न रसातले । कालत्रयेऽपि वै नारी सम्पूर्णगुणशालिनी

na tādṛśī devaloke na martye na rasātale | kālatraye'pi vai nārī sampūrṇaguṇaśālinī

In the world of the gods, on earth, or in the netherworld, or in any of the three times — past, present, or future — there was no woman like her, so perfectly endowed with every virtue.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.22.22)

दृष्ट्वाहं तां समुत्थाय चिन्तयन् हृदि हृद्गताम् । दक्षादयश्च स्रष्टारो मरीच्याद्याश्च मत्सुताः

dṛṣṭvāhaṁ tāṁ samutthāya cintayan hṛdi hṛdgatām | dakṣādayaśca sraṣṭāro marīcyādyāśca matsutāḥ

Seeing her, I myself rose up and began to hold her within my heart, thinking of nothing else; and Daksha and my other creator-sons, Marichi and the rest, became lost in her as well.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.22.23)

एवं चिन्तयतो मे हि ब्रह्मणो मुनिसत्तम । मानसः पुरुषो मञ्जुराविर्भूतो महाद्भुतः

evaṁ cintayato me hi brahmaṇo munisattama | mānasaḥ puruṣo mañjurāvirbhūto mahādbhutaḥ

O foremost of sages, as I, Brahma, went on thinking thus, there manifested from my own mind a most wondrous and charming being, a Purusha.

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.22.24)

काञ्चनीकृतजाताभः पीनोरस्कः सुनासिकः । सुवृत्तोरुकटीजङ्घो नीलवेलितकेसरः

kāñcanīkṛtajātābhaḥ pīnoraskaḥ sunāsikaḥ | suvṛttorukaṭījaṅgho nīlavelitakesaraḥ

He was radiant as gold, broad-chested, with a fine nose, shapely thighs and hips, and dark, waving locks of hair.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.22.25)

लग्नभ्रूयुगलो लोलः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननः । कपाटायतसद्वक्षो रोमराजीविराजितः

lagnabhrūyugalo lolaḥ pūrṇacandranibhānanaḥ | kapāṭāyatasadvakṣo romarājīvirājitaḥ

His eyebrows met, his eyes were restless, his face was like the full moon, his chest broad as a pair of doors, and he was adorned with a fine line of hair rising toward the navel.

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.22.26)

अभ्रमातङ्गकाकारः पीनो नीलसुवासकः । आरक्तपाणिनयनमुखपादकरोद्भवः

abhramātaṅgakākāraḥ pīno nīlasuvāsakaḥ | āraktapāṇinayanamukhapādakarodbhavaḥ

His form was like a cloud-colored elephant, stout, clad in blue garments, his hands, eyes, mouth, feet, and fingers all tinged with red.

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.22.27)

क्षीणमध्यश्चारुदन्तः प्रमत्तगजगन्धनः । प्रफुल्लपद्मपत्राक्षः केसरघ्राणतर्पणः

kṣīṇamadhyaścārudantaḥ pramattagajagandhanaḥ | praphullapadmapatrākṣaḥ kesaraghrāṇatarpaṇaḥ

His waist was slender, his teeth beautiful, he carried the fragrance of a rutting elephant, his eyes were like the petals of a fully-blossomed lotus, and his nostrils were ever satisfied with the scent of pollen.

Verse 28 (shiva.rudra.22.28)

कम्बुग्रीवो मीनकेतुः प्रांशुर्मकरवाहनः । पञ्चपुष्पायुधो वेगी पुष्पकोदण्डमण्डितः

kambugrīvo mīnaketuḥ prāṁśurmakaravāhanaḥ | pañcapuṣpāyudho vegī puṣpakodaṇḍamaṇḍitaḥ

His neck was like a conch, his emblem a fish, he was tall, mounted upon a makara, armed with the five flower-arrows, swift, and adorned with a bow strung of flowers.

Verse 29 (shiva.rudra.22.29)

कान्तः कटाक्षपातेन भ्रामयन्नयनद्वयम् । सुगन्धिमारुतो तात शृङ्गाररससेवितः

kāntaḥ kaṭākṣapātena bhrāmayannayanadvayam | sugandhimāruto tāta śṛṅgārarasasevitaḥ

O dear one, he was charming, turning both his eyes in sidelong glances, breathing a fragrant breath, and given wholly to the sentiment of love.

Verse 30 (shiva.rudra.22.30)

तं वीक्ष्य पुरुषं सर्वे दक्षाद्या मत्सुताश्च ते । औत्सुक्यं परमं जग्मुर्विस्मयाविष्टमानसाः

taṁ vīkṣya puruṣaṁ sarve dakṣādyā matsutāśca te | autsukyaṁ paramaṁ jagmurvismayāviṣṭamānasāḥ

Beholding that being, Daksha and all my other sons were seized with the greatest eagerness, their minds filled with wonder.

Verse 31 (shiva.rudra.22.31)

अभवद्विकृतं तेषां मत्सुतानां मनो द्रुतम् । धैर्यं नैवालभत्तात कामाकुलितचेतसाम्

abhavadvikṛtaṁ teṣāṁ matsutānāṁ mano drutam | dhairyaṁ naivālabhattāta kāmākulitacetasām

O dear one, the minds of my sons were quickly thrown into disorder, and, their hearts agitated by desire, they could hold to no composure at all.

Verse 32 (shiva.rudra.22.32)

मां सोऽपि वेधसं वीक्ष्य स्रष्टारं जगतां पतिम् । प्रणम्य पुरुषः प्राह विनयानतकन्धरः

māṁ so'pi vedhasaṁ vīkṣya sraṣṭāraṁ jagatāṁ patim | praṇamya puruṣaḥ prāha vinayānatakandharaḥ

That being too, beholding me, the ordainer, the creator and lord of the worlds, bowed to me and, his neck bent low in humility, spoke.

Verse 33 (shiva.rudra.22.33)

पुरुष उवाच । किं करिष्याम्यहं कर्म ब्रह्मंस्तत्र नियोजय । मान्योऽद्य पुरुषो यस्मादुचितः शोभितो विधे

puruṣa uvāca | kiṁ kariṣyāmyahaṁ karma brahmaṁstatra niyojaya | mānyo'dya puruṣo yasmāducitaḥ śobhito vidhe

That Purusha said: 'O Brahman, what work shall I perform? Assign me to it. O Vidhi, today I am an honored being, one fittingly adorned.'

Verse 34 (shiva.rudra.22.34)

अभिमानं च योग्यं च स्थानं पत्नी च या मम । तन्मे वद त्रिलोकेश त्वं स्रष्टा जगतां पतिः

abhimānaṁ ca yogyaṁ ca sthānaṁ patnī ca yā mama | tanme vada trilokeśa tvaṁ sraṣṭā jagatāṁ patiḥ

'What should be my proper pride, what my fitting station, and who my wife — tell me all this, O lord of the three worlds, for you are the creator and master of all the universe.'

Verse 35 (shiva.rudra.22.35)

ब्रह्मोवाच । एवं तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा पुरुषस्य महात्मनः । क्षणं न किञ्चित् प्रोवाच स स्रष्टा चातिविस्मितः

brahmovāca | evaṁ tasya vacaḥ śrutvā puruṣasya mahātmanaḥ | kṣaṇaṁ na kiñcit provāca sa sraṣṭā cātivismitaḥ

Brahma said: Hearing these words of that great-souled Purusha, I, the creator, utterly astonished, could say nothing at all for a moment.

Verse 36 (shiva.rudra.22.36)

अतो मनः सुसंयम्य सम्यगुत्सृज्य विस्मयम् । अवोचत्पुरुषं ब्रह्मा तत्कामं च समावहन्

ato manaḥ susaṁyamya samyagutsṛjya vismayam | avocatpuruṣaṁ brahmā tatkāmaṁ ca samāvahan

Then, restraining my mind fully and casting off my astonishment altogether, I, Brahma, spoke to the Purusha, granting him that very wish.

Verse 37 (shiva.rudra.22.37)

ब्रह्मोवाच । अनेन त्वं स्वरूपेण पुष्पबाणैश्च पञ्चभिः । मोहयन् पुरुषान् स्त्रींश्च कुरु सृष्टिं सनातनीम्

brahmovāca | anena tvaṁ svarūpeṇa puṣpabāṇaiśca pañcabhiḥ | mohayan puruṣān strīṁśca kuru sṛṣṭiṁ sanātanīm

Brahma said: 'In this very form, and with these five flower-arrows, bewildering men and women alike, carry on the eternal work of creation.'

Verse 38 (shiva.rudra.22.38)

अस्मिञ्जीवाश्च देवाद्यास्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । एते सर्वे भविष्यन्ति न क्षमास्तव लङ्घने

asmiñjīvāśca devādyāstrailokye sacarācare | ete sarve bhaviṣyanti na kṣamāstava laṅghane

'In this whole triple world of moving and unmoving things, all beings, the gods and the rest — none of them shall be able to overstep your power.'

Verse 39 (shiva.rudra.22.39)

अहं वा वासुदेवो वा स्थाणुर्वा पुरुषोत्तम । भविष्यामस्तव वशे किमन्ये प्राणधारकाः

ahaṁ vā vāsudevo vā sthāṇurvā puruṣottama | bhaviṣyāmastava vaśe kimanye prāṇadhārakāḥ

'O foremost of beings, whether it be I, or Vasudeva, or Sthanu himself — we too shall come under your sway; what then of other living creatures?'

Verse 40 (shiva.rudra.22.40)

प्रच्छन्नरूपो जन्तूनां प्रविशन् हृदयं सदा । सुखहेतुः स्वयं भूत्वा सृष्टिं कुरु सनातनीम्

pracchannarūpo jantūnāṁ praviśan hṛdayaṁ sadā | sukhahetuḥ svayaṁ bhūtvā sṛṣṭiṁ kuru sanātanīm

'Ever entering the hearts of creatures in a hidden form, becoming yourself the very cause of their pleasure, carry on this eternal work of creation.'

Verse 41 (shiva.rudra.22.41)

त्वत्पुष्पबाणस्य सदा सुखलक्ष्यं मनोऽद्भुतम् । सर्वेषां प्राणिनां नित्यं सदा मदकरो भवान्

tvatpuṣpabāṇasya sadā sukhalakṣyaṁ mano'dbhutam | sarveṣāṁ prāṇināṁ nityaṁ sadā madakaro bhavān

'The wondrous mind of every creature shall ever be the joyous target of your flower-arrow; you shall forever be the one who intoxicates them all.'

Verse 42 (shiva.rudra.22.42)

इति ते कर्म कथितं सृष्टिप्रावर्तकं पुनः । नामान्येते वदिष्यन्ति सुता मे तव तत्त्वतः

iti te karma kathitaṁ sṛṣṭiprāvartakaṁ punaḥ | nāmānyete vadiṣyanti sutā me tava tattvataḥ

'Thus has your task been told to you, that which sets creation once more in motion. And now these sons of mine shall themselves declare your names, in accordance with the truth.'

Verse 43 (shiva.rudra.22.43)

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वाहं सुरश्रेष्ठ स्वसुतानां मुखानि च । आलोक्य स्वासने पाद्मे प्रोपविष्टोऽभवं क्षणम्

brahmovāca | ityuktvāhaṁ suraśreṣṭha svasutānāṁ mukhāni ca | ālokya svāsane pādme propaviṣṭo'bhavaṁ kṣaṇam

Brahma said: O foremost of gods, having said this, I looked upon the faces of my own sons, and sat down for a moment upon my own lotus seat.