The Union of the Goddess and Shiva

Verse 1 (shiva.vayaviya.27.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । कृत्वा गौरं वपुर्दिव्यं देवी गिरिवरात्मजा । कथं ददर्श भर्तारं प्रविष्टा मन्दिरं सती

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | kṛtvā gauraṁ vapurdivyaṁ devī girivarātmajā | kathaṁ dadarśa bhartāraṁ praviṣṭā mandiraṁ satī

The sages said: Having taken on her divine, fair-complexioned form, how did the chaste Goddess, daughter of the mountain-king, behold her husband as she entered the palace?

Verse 2 (shiva.vayaviya.27.2)

प्रवेशसमये तस्या भवनद्वारगोचरैः । गणेशैः किं कृतं देवस्तां दृष्ट्वा किं तदाकरोत्

praveśasamaye tasyā bhavanadvāragocaraiḥ | gaṇeśaiḥ kiṁ kṛtaṁ devastāṁ dṛṣṭvā kiṁ tadākarot

At the moment of her entry, what did the ganas stationed at the palace door do — and, on seeing her, what did the god then do?

Verse 3 (shiva.vayaviya.27.3)

वायुरुवाच । प्रवक्तुमञ्जसाशक्यः तादृशः परमो रसः । येन प्रणयगर्भेण भावो भाववतां हृतः

vāyuruvāca | pravaktumañjasāśakyaḥ tādṛśaḥ paramo rasaḥ | yena praṇayagarbheṇa bhāvo bhāvavatāṁ hṛtaḥ

Vayu said: That supreme sentiment, so charged with tenderness that it carried away the very hearts of those given to feeling, cannot easily be put into words.

Verse 4 (shiva.vayaviya.27.4)

द्वाःस्थैः ससम्भ्रमैरेव देवो देव्यागमोत्सुकः । शङ्कमाना प्रविष्टान्तस्तं च सा समपश्यत

dvāḥsthaiḥ sasambhramaireva devo devyāgamotsukaḥ | śaṅkamānā praviṣṭāntastaṁ ca sā samapaśyata

The door-keepers, flustered with eagerness at the Goddess's arrival, were in a flurry; and she too, uncertain, having entered within, beheld him there.

Verse 5 (shiva.vayaviya.27.5)

तैस्तैः प्रणयभावैश्च भवनान्तरवर्तिभिः । गणेन्द्रैर्वन्दिता वाचा प्रणनाम त्रियम्बकम्

taistaiḥ praṇayabhāvaiśca bhavanāntaravartibhiḥ | gaṇendrairvanditā vācā praṇanāma triyambakam

The lords of the ganas stationed within the palace greeted her with words full of loving devotion, and she bowed to the three-eyed one.

Verse 6 (shiva.vayaviya.27.6)

प्रणम्य नोत्थिता यावत्तावत्तां परमेश्वरः । प्रगृह्य दोर्भ्यामाश्लिष्य परितः परया मुदा

praṇamya notthitā yāvattāvattāṁ parameśvaraḥ | pragṛhya dorbhyāmāśliṣya paritaḥ parayā mudā

Before she who had bowed could even rise, the Supreme Lord seized her with both arms and embraced her all around with the greatest joy.

Verse 7 (shiva.vayaviya.27.7)

स्वाङ्के धर्तुं प्रवृत्तोऽपि सा पर्यङ्के न्यषीदत । पर्यङ्कतो बलाद्देवीं सोऽङ्कमारोप्य सुस्मिताम्

svāṅke dhartuṁ pravṛtto'pi sā paryaṅke nyaṣīdata | paryaṅkato balāddevīṁ so'ṅkamāropya susmitām

Though he tried to draw her onto his own lap, she sat down instead upon the couch; so he, drawing the sweetly-smiling Goddess by force from the couch, set her upon his lap.

Verse 8 (shiva.vayaviya.27.8)

सस्मितो विवृतैर्नेत्रैस्तद्वक्त्रं प्रपिबन्निव । तया सम्भाषणायेशः पूर्वभाषितमब्रवीत्

sasmito vivṛtairnetraistadvaktraṁ prapibanniva | tayā sambhāṣaṇāyeśaḥ pūrvabhāṣitamabravīt

Smiling, with wide, drinking-in eyes fixed upon her face, the Lord, to open conversation with her, spoke first these words.

Verse 9 (shiva.vayaviya.27.9)

देवदेव उवाच । सा दशा च व्यतीता किं तव सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरि । यस्यामनुनयोपायः कोऽपि कोपान्न लभ्यते

devadeva uvāca | sā daśā ca vyatītā kiṁ tava sarvāṅgasundari | yasyāmanunayopāyaḥ ko'pi kopānna labhyate

The God of gods said: O you whose every limb is beautiful, has that state now passed — the one in which no means at all could be found to appease your anger?

Verse 10 (shiva.vayaviya.27.10)

स्वेच्छयापि न कालीति नान्यवर्णवतीति च । त्वत्स्वभावहृतं चित्तं सुभ्रु चिन्तावहं मम

svecchayāpi na kālīti nānyavarṇavatīti ca | tvatsvabhāvahṛtaṁ cittaṁ subhru cintāvahaṁ mama

Not even of your own will were you "Kali," nor of any other hue — O fair-browed one, my mind, ever carried away by your true nature, has been anxious for you.

Verse 11 (shiva.vayaviya.27.11)

विस्मृतः परमो भावः कथं स्वेच्छाङ्गयोगतः । न सम्भवन्ति ये तत्र चित्तकालुष्यहेतवः

vismṛtaḥ paramo bhāvaḥ kathaṁ svecchāṅgayogataḥ | na sambhavanti ye tatra cittakāluṣyahetavaḥ

How could our supreme, true nature ever be forgotten merely because of a self-willed bodily form? There, in that nature, no cause for any clouding of the mind can even arise.

Verse 12 (shiva.vayaviya.27.12)

पृथग्जनवदन्योऽन्यं विप्रियस्यापि कारणम् । आवयोरपि यद्यस्ति नास्त्येवैतच्चराचरम्

pṛthagjanavadanyo'nyaṁ vipriyasyāpi kāraṇam | āvayorapi yadyasti nāstyevaitaccarācaram

If there could be, between us two, any cause of mutual displeasure such as ordinary people know, then this whole moving and unmoving universe simply would not exist.

Verse 13 (shiva.vayaviya.27.13)

अहमग्निशिरोनिष्ठस्त्वं सोमशिरसि स्थिता । अग्नीषोमात्मकं विश्वमावाभ्यां समधिष्ठितम्

ahamagniśironiṣṭhastvaṁ somaśirasi sthitā | agnīṣomātmakaṁ viśvamāvābhyāṁ samadhiṣṭhitam

I abide at the peak that is fire, you abide at the peak that is soma; this universe, of the nature of fire and soma, is jointly presided over by us two.

Verse 14 (shiva.vayaviya.27.14)

जगद्धिताय चरतोः स्वेच्छाधृतशरीरयोः । आवयोर्विप्रयोगे हि स्यान्निरालम्बनं जगत्

jagaddhitāya caratoḥ svecchādhṛtaśarīrayoḥ | āvayorviprayoge hi syānnirālambanaṁ jagat

Should we two, who move about for the world's good in bodies assumed by our own free will, ever truly be parted, the whole world would be left without support.

Verse 15 (shiva.vayaviya.27.15)

अस्ति हेत्वन्तरं चात्र शास्त्रयुक्तिविनिश्चितम् । वागर्थमिव चैवैतज्जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्

asti hetvantaraṁ cātra śāstrayuktiviniścitam | vāgarthamiva caivaitajjagatsthāvarajaṅgamam

There is, moreover, another reason here, one established by the reasoning of the scriptures: this world of moving and unmoving things is indeed like word and its meaning.

Verse 16 (shiva.vayaviya.27.16)

त्वं हि वागमृतं साक्षादहमर्थामृतं परम् । द्वयमप्यमृतं कस्माद्वियुक्तमुपपद्यते

tvaṁ hi vāgamṛtaṁ sākṣādahamarthāmṛtaṁ param | dvayamapyamṛtaṁ kasmādviyuktamupapadyate

You are, verily, the very nectar of speech; I am the supreme nectar of meaning. How could these two, both being nectar, ever exist apart from one another?

Verse 17 (shiva.vayaviya.27.17)

विद्याप्रत्यायिका त्वं मे वेद्योऽहं प्रत्ययात्तव । विद्यावेद्यात्मनोरेव विश्लेषः कथमावयोः

vidyāpratyāyikā tvaṁ me vedyo'haṁ pratyayāttava | vidyāvedyātmanoreva viśleṣaḥ kathamāvayoḥ

You are the knowledge that grants me certainty; through your certainty, I am the object known. How could separation ever occur between us two, who are of the very nature of knowledge and the known?

Verse 18 (shiva.vayaviya.27.18)

न कर्मणा सृजामीदं जगत्प्रतिसृजामि च । सर्वस्याज्ञैकलभ्यत्वादाज्ञात्वं हि गरीयसी

na karmaṇā sṛjāmīdaṁ jagatpratisṛjāmi ca | sarvasyājñaikalabhyatvādājñātvaṁ hi garīyasī

I do not create this world by any action, nor do I withdraw it again by action — since everything is attained by command alone, it is the power of command that is truly supreme.

Verse 19 (shiva.vayaviya.27.19)

आज्ञैकसारमैश्वर्यं यस्मात्स्वातन्त्र्यलक्षणम् । आज्ञया विप्रयुक्तस्य चैश्वर्यं मम कीदृशम्

ājñaikasāramaiśvaryaṁ yasmātsvātantryalakṣaṇam | ājñayā viprayuktasya caiśvaryaṁ mama kīdṛśam

Since sovereignty, whose very mark is freedom, has command as its sole essence — what indeed would remain of my sovereignty were I ever parted from that command?

Verse 20 (shiva.vayaviya.27.20)

न कदाचिदवस्थानमावयोर्विप्रयुक्तयोः । देवानां कार्यमुद्दिश्य लीलोक्तिं कृतवानहम्

na kadācidavasthānamāvayorviprayuktayoḥ | devānāṁ kāryamuddiśya līloktiṁ kṛtavānaham

There is never, at any time, a state in which we two are truly parted. It was only for the sake of the gods' affairs that I spoke as I did, merely in play.

Verse 21 (shiva.vayaviya.27.21)

त्वयाप्यविदितं नास्ति कथं कुपितवत्यसि । ततस्त्रिलोकरक्षार्थे कोपो मय्यपि ते कृतः

tvayāpyaviditaṁ nāsti kathaṁ kupitavatyasi | tatastrilokarakṣārthe kopo mayyapi te kṛtaḥ

Nothing is unknown to you either — how then could you truly grow angry? I know that your anger, even toward me, was assumed only for the protection of the three worlds.

Verse 22 (shiva.vayaviya.27.22)

यदनर्थाय भूतानां न तदस्ति खलु त्वयि । इति प्रियंवदे साक्षादीश्वरे परमेश्वरे

yadanarthāya bhūtānāṁ na tadasti khalu tvayi | iti priyaṁvade sākṣādīśvare parameśvare

"For nothing that could ever harm any being exists within you at all" — thus spoke the sweet-voiced Lord, the very Sovereign, the Supreme Lord —

Verse 23 (shiva.vayaviya.27.23)

शृङ्गारभावसाराणां जन्मभूमिरकृत्रिमा । स्वभर्त्रा ललितं तथ्यमुक्तं मत्वा स्मितोत्तरम्

śṛṅgārabhāvasārāṇāṁ janmabhūmirakṛtrimā | svabhartrā lalitaṁ tathyamuktaṁ matvā smitottaram

to her, the natural birthplace of all that is essential to the sentiment of love — and she, understanding this graceful and truthful speech of her own husband, answered him with a smile.

Verse 24 (shiva.vayaviya.27.24)

लज्जया न किमप्यूचे कौशिकी वर्णनात्परम् । तदेव वर्णयाम्यद्य शृणु देव्याश्च वर्णनम्

lajjayā na kimapyūce kauśikī varṇanātparam | tadeva varṇayāmyadya śṛṇu devyāśca varṇanam

Out of modesty, Kaushiki said nothing more than what had already been described. That very account I now relate again — hear, then, this account of the Goddess.

Verse 25 (shiva.vayaviya.27.25)

देव्युवाच । किं देवेन न सा दृष्टा या सृष्टा कौशिकी मया । तादृशी कन्यका लोके न भूता न भविष्यति

devyuvāca | kiṁ devena na sā dṛṣṭā yā sṛṣṭā kauśikī mayā | tādṛśī kanyakā loke na bhūtā na bhaviṣyati

The Goddess said: Has the god not yet seen her — Kaushiki, whom I myself brought forth? Never has such a maiden existed in this world, nor will one like her ever be.

Verse 26 (shiva.vayaviya.27.26)

तस्या वीर्यं बलं विन्ध्यनिलयं विजयं तथा । शुम्भस्य च निशुम्भस्य मारणे च रणे तयोः

tasyā vīryaṁ balaṁ vindhyanilayaṁ vijayaṁ tathā | śumbhasya ca niśumbhasya māraṇe ca raṇe tayoḥ

Her valour, her strength, her dwelling upon the Vindhya, and her victory in the battle where she slew both Shumbha and Nishumbha —

Verse 27 (shiva.vayaviya.27.27)

प्रत्यक्षफलदानं च लोकाय भजते सदा । लोकानां रक्षणं शश्वद् ब्रह्मा विज्ञापयिष्यति

pratyakṣaphaladānaṁ ca lokāya bhajate sadā | lokānāṁ rakṣaṇaṁ śaśvad brahmā vijñāpayiṣyati

all this constantly bestows visible fruit upon the world; and of her ceaseless protection of all beings, Brahma himself shall inform you.

Verse 28 (shiva.vayaviya.27.28)

इति सम्भाषमाणाया देव्या एवाज्ञया तदा । व्याघ्रः सख्या समानीय पुरोऽवस्थापितस्तदा

iti sambhāṣamāṇāyā devyā evājñayā tadā | vyāghraḥ sakhyā samānīya puro'vasthāpitastadā

As the Goddess spoke thus, by her own command a companion then brought the tiger and set him there before them.

Verse 29 (shiva.vayaviya.27.29)

तं प्रेक्ष्याह पुनर्देवी देवानीतमुपायतम् । व्याघ्रं पश्य न चानेन सदृशो मदुपासकः

taṁ prekṣyāha punardevī devānītamupāyatam | vyāghraṁ paśya na cānena sadṛśo madupāsakaḥ

Beholding him, the Goddess spoke once more: "Behold, none among my worshippers is the equal of this tiger, brought here in fitting manner."

Verse 30 (shiva.vayaviya.27.30)

अनेन दुष्टसङ्घेभ्यो रक्षितं मत्तपोवनम् । अतीव मम भक्तश्च विश्रब्धश्च स्वरक्षणात्

anena duṣṭasaṅghebhyo rakṣitaṁ mattapovanam | atīva mama bhaktaśca viśrabdhaśca svarakṣaṇāt

"By him my penance-grove was kept safe from bands of wicked creatures. He is exceedingly devoted to me, and, through guarding himself, has proven wholly trustworthy."

Verse 31 (shiva.vayaviya.27.31)

स्वदेशं च परित्यज्य प्रसादार्थं समागतः । यदि प्रीतिरभून्मत्तः परां प्रीतिं करोषि मे

svadeśaṁ ca parityajya prasādārthaṁ samāgataḥ | yadi prītirabhūnmattaḥ parāṁ prītiṁ karoṣi me

"He has forsaken his own land and come here for the sake of your favour. If you have any love for me, show me this, your utmost kindness."

Verse 32 (shiva.vayaviya.27.32)

नित्यमन्तःपुरद्वारि नियोगान्नन्दिनः स्वयम् । रक्षिभिः सह तच्चिह्नैर्वर्ततामयमीश्वर

nityamantaḥpuradvāri niyogānnandinaḥ svayam | rakṣibhiḥ saha taccihnairvartatāmayamīśvara

"O Lord, let him remain always at the gateway of the inner chambers, appointed there alongside Nandin himself, among the guards, bearing his own emblem."

Verse 33 (shiva.vayaviya.27.33)

वायुरुवाच । मधुरं प्रणयोदर्कं श्रुत्वा देव्याः शुभं वचः । प्रीतोऽस्मीत्याह तं देवः स चादृश्यत तत्क्षणात्

vāyuruvāca | madhuraṁ praṇayodarkaṁ śrutvā devyāḥ śubhaṁ vacaḥ | prīto'smītyāha taṁ devaḥ sa cādṛśyata tatkṣaṇāt

Vayu said: Hearing the Goddess's sweet words, laden with love's own fruit, the god said to him, "I am pleased" — and in that very instant he stood revealed in a new form.

Verse 34 (shiva.vayaviya.27.34)

बिभ्रद्वेत्रलतां हैमीं रत्नचित्रं च कञ्चुकम् । छुरिकामुरगप्रख्यां गणेशो रक्षवेषधृक्

bibhradvetralatāṁ haimīṁ ratnacitraṁ ca kañcukam | churikāmuragaprakhyāṁ gaṇeśo rakṣaveṣadhṛk

Bearing a golden cane, a jewel-studded cloak, and a dagger shaped like a serpent, that lord of the ganas now wore the garb of a guard.

Verse 35 (shiva.vayaviya.27.35)

यस्मात्सोमो महादेवो नन्दी चानेन नन्दितः । सोमनन्दीति विख्यातस्तस्मादेष समाख्यया

yasmātsomo mahādevo nandī cānena nanditaḥ | somanandīti vikhyātastasmādeṣa samākhyayā

Since Soma, that is Mahadeva, and Nandin were both delighted by him, he became renowned thenceforth by the name "Somanandi."

Verse 36 (shiva.vayaviya.27.36)

इत्थं देव्याः प्रियं कृत्वा देवश्चार्द्धेन्दुभूषणः । भूषयामास तं दिव्यैर्भूषणै रत्नभूषितैः

itthaṁ devyāḥ priyaṁ kṛtvā devaścārddhendubhūṣaṇaḥ | bhūṣayāmāsa taṁ divyairbhūṣaṇai ratnabhūṣitaiḥ

Thus, having pleased the Goddess, the god who wears the crescent moon as his ornament adorned him too with divine, jewel-studded ornaments.

Verse 37 (shiva.vayaviya.27.37)

ततः स गौरीं गिरिशो गिरीन्द्रजां सगौरवां सर्वमनोहरां हरः । पर्यङ्कमारोप्य वराङ्गभूषणै- र्विभूषयामास शशाङ्कभूषणः

tataḥ sa gaurīṁ giriśo girīndrajāṁ sagauravāṁ sarvamanoharāṁ haraḥ | paryaṅkamāropya varāṅgabhūṣaṇai- rvibhūṣayāmāsa śaśāṅkabhūṣaṇaḥ

Then Girisha, Hara, he who wears the crescent moon as his ornament, seated Gauri — the daughter of the mountain-lord, worthy of reverence, enchanting to all — upon the couch, and adorned her limbs with the finest jeweled ornaments.