Parvati's Childhood

Verse 1 (shiva.rudra.70.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । ततो मेनापुरः सा वै सुता भूत्वा महाद्युतिः । चकार रोदनं तत्र लौकिकीं गतिमाश्रिता

brahmovāca tato menāpuraḥ sā vai sutā bhūtvā mahādyutiḥ cakāra rodanaṁ tatra laukikīṁ gatimāśritā

Brahma said: "Then, before Mena, having become a daughter of great splendor, she wept there, taking on a worldly course.

Verse 2 (shiva.rudra.70.2)

अरिष्टशय्यां परितः सद्विसारिसुतेजसा । निशीथदीपा विहतत्विष आसन्नरं मुने

ariṣṭaśayyāṁ paritaḥ sadvisārisutejasā niśīthadīpā vihatatviṣa āsannaraṁ mune

"Around the birthing-bed, the infant's own radiance so spread that, O sage, the very lamps of midnight seemed dim before it.

Verse 3 (shiva.rudra.70.3)

श्रुत्वा तद् रोदनं रम्यं गृहस्थाः सर्वयोषितः । जहृषुः सम्भ्रमात्तत्रागताः प्रीतिपुरस्सराः

śrutvā tad rodanaṁ ramyaṁ gṛhasthāḥ sarvayoṣitaḥ jahṛṣuḥ sambhramāttatrāgatāḥ prītipurassarāḥ

"Hearing that lovely cry, all the women of the household rejoiced, and hastened there in excitement, filled with delight.

Verse 4 (shiva.rudra.70.4)

तच्छुद्धान्तचरः शीघ्रं शशंस भूभृते तदा । पार्वतीजन्म सुखदं देवकार्यकरं शुभम्

tacchuddhāntacaraḥ śīghraṁ śaśaṁsa bhūbhṛte tadā pārvatījanma sukhadaṁ devakāryakaraṁ śubham

"Then an attendant from the inner chambers quickly announced to the mountain-lord the joyous, auspicious birth of Parvati, who would accomplish the gods' work.

Verse 5 (shiva.rudra.70.5)

तच्छुद्धान्तःचरायाशु पुत्रीजन्म सुशंसते । सितातपत्रं नादेयमासीत्तस्य महीभृतः

tacchuddhāntaḥcarāyāśu putrījanma suśaṁsate sitātapatraṁ nādeyamāsīttasya mahībhṛtaḥ

"To that messenger from the inner chambers, who swiftly announced the daughter's birth, nothing — not even the white royal umbrella — was too precious a gift for that mountain-lord to give.

Verse 6 (shiva.rudra.70.6)

गतस्तत्र गिरिः प्रीत्या सपुरोहितसद्विजः । ददर्श तनयां तां तु शोभमानां सुभाससा

gatastatra giriḥ prītyā sapurohitasadvijaḥ dadarśa tanayāṁ tāṁ tu śobhamānāṁ subhāsasā

"The mountain, going there with joy, together with his purohita and good brahmins, beheld that daughter, radiant, shining with fair lustre.

Verse 7 (shiva.rudra.70.7)

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामां सुद्युतिं सुमनोरमाम् । दृष्ट्वा च तादृशीं कन्यां मुमोदाति गिरीश्वरः

nīlotpaladalaśyāmāṁ sudyutiṁ sumanoramām dṛṣṭvā ca tādṛśīṁ kanyāṁ mumodāti girīśvaraḥ

"Seeing that daughter, dark as a blue-lotus petal, of fine radiance, most lovely, the lord of mountains rejoiced greatly.

Verse 8 (shiva.rudra.70.8)

सर्वे च मुमुदुस्तत्र पौराश्च पुरुषाः स्त्रियः । तदोत्सवो महानासीन्नेदुर्वाद्यानि भूरिशः

sarve ca mumudustatra paurāśca puruṣāḥ striyaḥ tadotsavo mahānāsīnnedurvādyāni bhūriśaḥ

"All the townsfolk there, men and women, rejoiced; a great festival arose then, and musical instruments resounded abundantly.

Verse 9 (shiva.rudra.70.9)

बभूव मङ्गलं गानं ननृतुर्वारयोषितः । दानं ददौ द्विजातिभ्यो जातकर्म विधाय च

babhūva maṅgalaṁ gānaṁ nanṛturvārayoṣitaḥ dānaṁ dadau dvijātibhyo jātakarma vidhāya ca

"Auspicious songs were sung, and courtesans danced; he gave gifts to the brahmins, having duly performed the birth-rite.

Verse 10 (shiva.rudra.70.10)

अथ द्वारं समागत्य चकार सुमहोत्सवम् । हिमाचलः प्रसन्नात्मा भिक्षुभ्यो द्रविणं ददौ

atha dvāraṁ samāgatya cakāra sumahotsavam himācalaḥ prasannātmā bhikṣubhyo draviṇaṁ dadau

"Then, coming to the gate, the gracious Himachal held a great festival, and gave wealth to beggars.

Verse 11 (shiva.rudra.70.11)

अथो शुभमुहूर्तेऽस्मिन् हिमवान्मुनिभिः सह । नामाकरोत्सुतायास्तु कालीत्यादि सुखप्रदम्

atho śubhamuhūrte'smin himavānmunibhiḥ saha nāmākarotsutāyāstu kālītyādi sukhapradam

"Then, at this auspicious hour, Himavat, together with the sages, gave his daughter her joy-bestowing name, beginning with 'Kali,' and others.

Verse 12 (shiva.rudra.70.12)

दानं ददौ तदा प्रीत्या द्विजेभ्यो बहु सादरम् । उत्सवं कारयामास विविधं गानपूर्वकम्

dānaṁ dadau tadā prītyā dvijebhyo bahu sādaram utsavaṁ kārayāmāsa vividhaṁ gānapūrvakam

"He then lovingly and reverently gave abundant gifts to the brahmins, and held manifold festivities accompanied by song.

Verse 13 (shiva.rudra.70.13)

इत्थं कृत्वोत्सवं भूरि कालीं पश्यन्मुहुर्मुहुः । लेभे मुदं सपत्नीको बहुपुत्रोऽपि भूधरः

itthaṁ kṛtvotsavaṁ bhūri kālīṁ paśyanmuhurmuhuḥ lebhe mudaṁ sapatnīko bahuputro'pi bhūdharaḥ

"Thus, having held abundant celebrations, gazing again and again upon Kali, the mountain, together with his wife, though he had many sons, found joy.

Verse 14 (shiva.rudra.70.14)

तत्र सा ववृधे देवी गिरिराजगृहे शिवा । गङ्गेव वर्षासमये शरदीवाथ चन्द्रिका

tatra sā vavṛdhe devī girirājagṛhe śivā gaṅgeva varṣāsamaye śaradīvātha candrikā

"There the auspicious goddess grew up in the house of the mountain-king, like the Ganga in the rainy season, or moonlight in autumn.

Verse 15 (shiva.rudra.70.15)

एवं सा कालिका देवी चार्वङ्गी चारुदर्शना । दध्रे चानुदिनं रम्यां चन्द्रबिम्बकलामिव

evaṁ sā kālikā devī cārvaṅgī cārudarśanā dadhre cānudinaṁ ramyāṁ candrabimbakalāmiva

"Thus the goddess Kalika, of lovely limbs, lovely to behold, grew day by day, delightful, like the waxing digit of the moon's orb.

Verse 16 (shiva.rudra.70.16)

कुलोचितेन नाम्ना तां पार्वतीत्याजुहाव ह । बन्धुप्रियां बन्धुजनः सौशील्यगुणसंयुताम्

kulocitena nāmnā tāṁ pārvatītyājuhāva ha bandhupriyāṁ bandhujanaḥ sauśīlyaguṇasaṁyutām

"By the name fitting her lineage, her kinsfolk called her 'Parvati,' dear to her kin, endowed with good disposition and virtue.

Verse 17 (shiva.rudra.70.17)

उमेति मात्रा तपसे निषिद्धा कालिका च सा । पश्चादुमाख्यां सुमुखी जगाम भुवने मुने

umeti mātrā tapase niṣiddhā kālikā ca sā paścādumākhyāṁ sumukhī jagāma bhuvane mune

"That Kalika, checked by her mother's cry 'U mā!' — 'O, do not!' — when she sought to undertake austerity, came afterward to be known in the world by the name 'Uma,' O sage.

Verse 18 (shiva.rudra.70.18)

दृष्टिः पुत्रवतोऽप्यद्रेस्तस्मिंस्तृप्तिं जगाम न । अपत्ये पार्वतीत्याख्ये सर्वसौभाग्यसंयुते

dṛṣṭiḥ putravato'pyadrestasmiṁstṛptiṁ jagāma na apatye pārvatītyākhye sarvasaubhāgyasaṁyute

"Even though he had many sons, the mountain's gaze never found satiety in that child named Parvati, endowed with every good fortune.

Verse 19 (shiva.rudra.70.19)

मधोरनन्तपुष्पस्य चूते हि भ्रमरावलिः । विशेषसङ्गा भवति सहकारे मुनीश्वर

madhoranantapuṣpasya cūte hi bhramarāvaliḥ viśeṣasaṅgā bhavati sahakāre munīśvara

"For, O lord of sages, just as the swarm of bees, though there be endless flowers of spring, has a special attachment to the mango tree —

Verse 20 (shiva.rudra.70.20)

पूतो विभूषितश्चापि स बभूव तया गिरिः । संस्कारवत्यैव गिरा मनीषीव हिमालयः

pūto vibhūṣitaścāpi sa babhūva tayā giriḥ saṁskāravatyaiva girā manīṣīva himālayaḥ

"— so too, purified and adorned by her, that mountain Himalaya became like a wise man adorned by cultivated speech.

Verse 21 (shiva.rudra.70.21)

प्रभामहत्या शिखयेव दीपो भवनस्य च । त्रिमार्गयेव सन्मार्गस्तद्वद् गिरिजया गिरिः

prabhāmahatyā śikhayeva dīpo bhavanasya ca trimārgayeva sanmārgastadvad girijayā giriḥ

"As a lamp is adorned by its great flame, or a house by the triple-pathed Ganga, so was the mountain adorned by the mountain-born girl.

Verse 22 (shiva.rudra.70.22)

कन्दुकैः कृत्रिमैः पुत्रैः सखीमध्यगता च सा । गङ्गासैकतवेदीभिर्बाल्ये रेमे मुहुर्मुहुः

kandukaiḥ kṛtrimaiḥ putraiḥ sakhīmadhyagatā ca sā gaṅgāsaikatavedībhirbālye reme muhurmuhuḥ

"Amidst her friends, she played again and again in her childhood with balls, dolls, and mounds of sand on the banks of the Ganga.

Verse 23 (shiva.rudra.70.23)

अथ देवी शिवा सा चोपदेशसमये मुने । पपाठ विद्याः सुप्रीत्या यतचित्ता च सद्गुरोः

atha devī śivā sā copadeśasamaye mune papāṭha vidyāḥ suprītyā yatacittā ca sadguroḥ

"Then, O sage, when the time for instruction came, that auspicious goddess, with delight and a controlled mind, studied all learning from her true guru.

Verse 24 (shiva.rudra.70.24)

प्राक्तना जन्मविद्यास्तां शरदीव प्रपेदिरे । हंसालिः स्वर्णदीं नक्तमात्मभासो महौषधिम्

prāktanā janmavidyāstāṁ śaradīva prapedire haṁsāliḥ svarṇadīṁ naktamātmabhāso mahauṣadhim

"The learning of her former births came back to her, as swans return in autumn to the celestial river, as the glow of the self-luminous, mighty herb returns by night.

Verse 25 (shiva.rudra.70.25)

इत्थं सुवर्णिता लीला शिवायाः काचिदेव हि । अन्यलीलां प्रवक्ष्येऽहं शृणु त्वं प्रेमतो मुने

itthaṁ suvarṇitā līlā śivāyāḥ kācideva hi anyalīlāṁ pravakṣye'haṁ śṛṇu tvaṁ premato mune

"Thus has been well described one particular play of the auspicious one; I shall now tell another of her plays — listen, O sage, with love."