Sandhya's Rebirth as Arundhati and Her Marriage to Vasishtha

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.27.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । वरं दत्त्वा मुने तस्मिन् शम्भावन्तर्हिते तदा । सन्ध्याप्यगच्छत्तत्रैव यत्र मेधातिथिर्मुनिः

brahmovāca | varaṁ dattvā mune tasmin śambhāvantarhite tadā | sandhyāpyagacchattatraiva yatra medhātithirmuniḥ

Brahma said: O sage, when Shambhu, having granted the boon, had vanished from that place, Sandhya too went to that very spot where the sage Medhatithi was.

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.27.2)

तत्र शम्भोः प्रसादेन न केनाप्युपलक्षिता । सस्मार वर्णिनं तं वै स्वोपदेशकरं तपः

tatra śambhoḥ prasādena na kenāpyupalakṣitā | sasmāra varṇinaṁ taṁ vai svopadeśakaraṁ tapaḥ

There, by Shambhu's grace, unseen by anyone, she recalled that celibate student who had taught her the practice of austerity.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.27.3)

वसिष्ठेन पुरा सा तु वर्णीभूत्वा महामुने । उपदिष्टा तपश्चर्तुं वचनात्परमेष्ठिनः

vasiṣṭhena purā sā tu varṇībhūtvā mahāmune | upadiṣṭā tapaścartuṁ vacanātparameṣṭhinaḥ

O great sage, she had earlier, at the word of the Supreme Lord, been instructed in austerity by Vasishtha, who had taken the form of a celibate student.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.27.4)

तमेव कृत्वा मनसा तपश्चर्योपदेशकम् । पतित्वेन तदा सन्ध्या ब्राह्मणं ब्रह्मचारिणम्

tameva kṛtvā manasā tapaścaryopadeśakam | patitvena tadā sandhyā brāhmaṇaṁ brahmacāriṇam

Having fixed in her mind, as her husband, that very Brahmin celibate who had taught her the practice of austerity, Sandhya then—

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.27.5)

समिद्धेऽग्नौ महायज्ञे मुनिभिर्नोपलक्षिता । हृष्टा शम्भुप्रसादेन सा विवेश विधेः सुता

samiddhe'gnau mahāyajñe munibhirnopalakṣitā | hṛṣṭā śambhuprasādena sā viveśa vidheḥ sutā

unnoticed by the sages, and rejoicing by Shambhu's grace, that daughter of the Creator entered the blazing fire of the great sacrifice.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.27.6)

तस्याः पुरोडाशमयं शरीरं तत्क्षणात्ततः । दग्धं हव्यमयं गन्धं तस्तार यदलक्षितम्

tasyāḥ puroḍāśamayaṁ śarīraṁ tatkṣaṇāttataḥ | dagdhaṁ havyamayaṁ gandhaṁ tastāra yadalakṣitam

Her body, in that very instant, was consumed like the sacrificial cake, and its fragrance, taking the form of the oblation, spread abroad unnoticed.

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.27.7)

वह्निस्तस्याः शरीरं तु दग्ध्वा सूर्यस्य मण्डलम् । शुद्धं प्रवेशयामास शम्भोरेवाज्ञया पुनः

vahnistasyāḥ śarīraṁ tu dagdhvā sūryasya maṇḍalam | śuddhaṁ praveśayāmāsa śambhorevājñayā punaḥ

The fire, having consumed her body, then, by Shambhu's own command, caused it, now purified, to enter the orb of the sun.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.27.8)

सूर्यो द्वयर्धं विभज्याथ तच्छरीरं तदा रथे । स्वके संस्थापयामास प्रीतये पितृदेवयोः

sūryo dvayardhaṁ vibhajyātha taccharīraṁ tadā rathe | svake saṁsthāpayāmāsa prītaye pitṛdevayoḥ

The Sun then divided that body into two equal halves and placed them within his own chariot, for the pleasure of both the gods and the ancestors.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.27.9)

तदूर्ध्वभागस्तस्यास्तु शरीरस्य मुनीश्वर । प्रातःसन्ध्याभवत्सा तु अहोरात्रादिमध्यगा

tadūrdhvabhāgastasyāstu śarīrasya munīśvara | prātaḥsandhyābhavatsā tu ahorātrādimadhyagā

O lord of sages, the upper half of her body became the morning twilight, standing at the meeting point between night and the day's beginning.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.27.10)

तच्छेषभागस्तस्यास्तु अहोरात्रान्तमध्यगा ॥ सा सायमभवत्सन्ध्या पितृप्रीतिप्रदा सदा

taccheṣabhāgastasyāstu ahorātrāntamadhyagā || sā sāyamabhavatsandhyā pitṛprītipradā sadā

The remaining part of her body, standing at the meeting point of the day's end and night, became the evening twilight, ever a source of delight to the ancestors.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.27.11)

सूर्योदयात्तु प्रथमं यदा स्यादरुणोदयः । प्रातःसन्ध्या तदोदेति देवानां प्रीतिकारिणी

sūryodayāttu prathamaṁ yadā syādaruṇodayaḥ | prātaḥsandhyā tadodeti devānāṁ prītikāriṇī

Before sunrise, when the rosy dawn first appears, the morning twilight then arises, bringing delight to the gods.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.27.12)

अस्तं गते ततः सूर्ये शोणपद्मनिभे सदा । उदेति सायंसन्ध्यापि पितॄणां मोदकारिणी

astaṁ gate tataḥ sūrye śoṇapadmanibhe sadā | udeti sāyaṁsandhyāpi pitṝṇāṁ modakāriṇī

When the sun sets, ever like a red lotus in hue, then the evening twilight too arises, bringing joy to the ancestors.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.27.13)

तस्याः प्राणास्तु मनसा शम्भुनाथ दयालुना । दिव्येन तु शरीरेण चक्रिरे हि शरीरिणः

tasyāḥ prāṇāstu manasā śambhunātha dayālunā | divyena tu śarīreṇa cakrire hi śarīriṇaḥ

As for her vital breaths, the compassionate Lord Shambhu, by his own will, fashioned them into an embodied being through a divine body.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.27.14)

मुनेर्यज्ञावसाने तु सम्प्राप्ते मुनिना तु सा । प्राप्ता पुत्री वह्निमध्ये तप्तकाञ्चनसुप्रभा

muneryajñāvasāne tu samprāpte muninā tu sā | prāptā putrī vahnimadhye taptakāñcanasuprabhā

When the sage's sacrifice reached its completion, that daughter, radiant as molten gold, was found by the sage there within the fire.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.27.15)

तां जग्राह तदा पुत्रीं मुनिरामोदसंयुतः । यज्ञार्थं तां तु संस्नाप्य निजक्रोडे दधौ मुने

tāṁ jagrāha tadā putrīṁ munirāmodasaṁyutaḥ | yajñārthaṁ tāṁ tu saṁsnāpya nijakroḍe dadhau mune

The sage, filled with delight, took up that daughter; having bathed her for the rite, he, O sage, held her upon his own lap.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.27.16)

अरुन्धतीति तस्यास्तु नाम चक्रे महामुनिः । शिष्यैः परिवृतस्तत्र महामोदमवाप ह

arundhatīti tasyāstu nāma cakre mahāmuniḥ | śiṣyaiḥ parivṛtastatra mahāmodamavāpa ha

The great sage gave her the name Arundhati; there, surrounded by his disciples, he was filled with the greatest joy.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.27.17)

न रुणद्धि यतो धर्मं सा कस्मादपि कारणात् । अतस्त्रिलोके विदितं नाम सम्प्राप तत्स्वयम्

na ruṇaddhi yato dharmaṁ sā kasmādapi kāraṇāt | atastriloke viditaṁ nāma samprāpa tatsvayam

Since she never obstructs righteousness for any cause whatsoever — she does not 'block' (na runaddhi) — she herself thereby earned this name, renowned throughout the three worlds.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.27.18)

यज्ञं समाप्य स मुनिः कृतकृत्यभाव- मासाद्य सम्मदयुतस्तनयाप्रलम्भात् । तस्मिन्निजाश्रमपदे सह शिष्यवर्गै- स्तामेव सन्ततमसौ दयते सुरर्षे

yajñaṁ samāpya sa muniḥ kṛtakṛtyabhāva- māsādya sammadayutastanayāpralambhāt | tasminnijāśramapade saha śiṣyavargai- stāmeva santatamasau dayate surarṣe

Having completed his sacrifice and attained a sense of fulfillment, rejoicing at the gain of a daughter, O celestial sage, that sage, there in his own hermitage among his band of disciples, ever cherishes her alone.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.27.19)

अथ सा ववृधे देवी तस्मिन्मुनिवराश्रमे । चन्द्रभागानदीतीरे तापसारण्यसंज्ञके

atha sā vavṛdhe devī tasminmunivarāśrame | candrabhāgānadītīre tāpasāraṇyasaṁjñake

Then that goddess grew up there in the hermitage of that great sage, on the bank of the river Chandrabhaga, in the place known as the ascetics' forest.

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.27.20)

सम्प्राप्ते पञ्चमे वर्षे चन्द्रभागां तदा गुणैः । तापसारण्यमपि सा पवित्रमकरोत्सती

samprāpte pañcame varṣe candrabhāgāṁ tadā guṇaiḥ | tāpasāraṇyamapi sā pavitramakarotsatī

When her fifth year had come, that virtuous woman, through her own qualities, made even the Chandrabhaga and the ascetics' forest sacred.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.27.21)

विवाहं कारयामासुस्तस्या ब्रह्मसुतेन वै । वसिष्ठेन ह्यरुन्धत्या ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः

vivāhaṁ kārayāmāsustasyā brahmasutena vai | vasiṣṭhena hyarundhatyā brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ

Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara had Arundhati married to Vasishtha, the son of Brahma.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.27.22)

तद्विवाहे महोत्साहो बभूव सुखवर्धनः । सर्वे सुराश्च मुनयः सुखमापुः परं मुने

tadvivāhe mahotsāho babhūva sukhavardhanaḥ | sarve surāśca munayaḥ sukhamāpuḥ paraṁ mune

At that wedding there was great celebration, ever increasing in joy; O sage, all the gods and all the sages attained the highest happiness.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.27.23)

ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां करनिस्सृततोयतः । सप्तनद्यः समुत्पन्नाः शिप्राद्याः सुपवित्रकाः

brahmaviṣṇumaheśānāṁ karanissṛtatoyataḥ | saptanadyaḥ samutpannāḥ śiprādyāḥ supavitrakāḥ

From the water that flowed from the hands of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesha, seven most sacred rivers came into being, the Shipra among them.

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.27.24)

अरुन्धती महासाध्वी साध्वीनां प्रवरोत्तमा । वसिष्ठं प्राप्य संरेजे मेधातिथिसुता मुने

arundhatī mahāsādhvī sādhvīnāṁ pravarottamā | vasiṣṭhaṁ prāpya saṁreje medhātithisutā mune

Arundhati, that great and virtuous woman, foremost among the chaste, the daughter of Medhatithi, O sage, shone forth in splendor upon obtaining Vasishtha.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.27.25)

यस्याः पुत्राः समुत्पन्नाः श्रेष्ठाः शक्त्यादयः शुभाः । वसिष्ठं प्राप्य तं कान्तं संरेजे मुनिसत्तम

yasyāḥ putrāḥ samutpannāḥ śreṣṭhāḥ śaktyādayaḥ śubhāḥ | vasiṣṭhaṁ prāpya taṁ kāntaṁ saṁreje munisattama

From her were born excellent and auspicious sons, beginning with Shakti; O best of sages, having gained her beloved Vasishtha, she shone in radiant glory.

Verse 26 (shiva.rudra.27.26)

एवं सन्ध्याचरित्रं ते कथितं मुनिसत्तम । पवित्रं परमं दिव्यं सर्वकामफलप्रदम्

evaṁ sandhyācaritraṁ te kathitaṁ munisattama | pavitraṁ paramaṁ divyaṁ sarvakāmaphalapradam

Thus, O best of sages, has the story of Sandhya been told to you — sacred, supremely divine, and granting the fruit of every desire.

Verse 27 (shiva.rudra.27.27)

य इदं शृणुयान्नारी पुरुषो वा शुभव्रतः । सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति नात्र कार्या विचारणा

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyānnārī puruṣo vā śubhavrataḥ | sarvānkāmānavāpnoti nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Whatever man or woman of virtuous vows hears this story attains all their desires — there is no need for doubt in this matter.