Parvati's Hymn to Arunachaleshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.1.134.1)

मार्कंडेय उवाच । अहो महिषदैत्यस्य दुराचारत्वमीदृशम् । अहो दुरितहारिण्या दुर्गायाश्च पराक्रमः

mārkaṁḍeya uvāca aho mahiṣadaityasya durācāratvamīdṛśam aho duritahāriṇyā durgāyāśca parākramaḥ

Markandeya said: Oh, such was the wickedness of the demon Mahisha, and oh, such was the valour of Durga, the remover of sins.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.134.2)

एवं तया भद्रकाल्या निहते महिषासुरे । किं चकार गिरींद्रस्य नंदिनी तपसि स्थिता

evaṁ tayā bhadrakālyā nihate mahiṣāsure kiṁ cakāra girīṁdrasya naṁdinī tapasi sthitā

Thus, when Mahishasura was slain by Bhadrakali, what did the daughter of the mountain-lord, who was engaged in penance, do?

Verse 3 (skanda.1.134.3)

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । अनंतरं सा हस्तेन दधती दैत्यमस्तकम् । ननाम गौरीमन्येन पाणिना खङ्गधारिणा

naṁdikeśvara uvāca anaṁtaraṁ sā hastena dadhatī daityamastakam nanāma gaurīmanyena pāṇinā khaṅgadhāriṇā

Nandikeshvara said: Thereupon, holding the demon's severed head in one hand and the sword in the other, she bowed to Gauri.

Verse 4 (skanda.1.134.4)

अथ हर्षेण नृत्यंतीं तामालोक्य दयार्द्रया । दृष्ट्या देवी जगादैनां दंतांशुद्योतितांबरा

atha harṣeṇa nṛtyaṁtīṁ tāmālokya dayārdrayā dṛṣṭyā devī jagādaināṁ daṁtāṁśudyotitāṁbarā

Then, seeing her dancing with joy, the Goddess, whose smile lit up the sky with the radiance of her teeth, looked upon her with a compassion-melted glance and spoke to her.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.134.5)

त्वयातिदुष्करं कर्म निर्मितं विंध्यवासिनि । जातं तव प्रभावेन निष्प्रत्यूहं च मे तपः

tvayātiduṣkaraṁ karma nirmitaṁ viṁdhyavāsini jātaṁ tava prabhāvena niṣpratyūhaṁ ca me tapaḥ

O dweller of the Vindhyas, you have accomplished a most difficult task; through your power my penance has become free of obstacles.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.134.6)

अथैतन्माहिषं शीर्षमपवित्र भयंकरम् । जगत्पवित्रचारित्रे त्यक्तुमर्हसि हस्ततः

athaitanmāhiṣaṁ śīrṣamapavitra bhayaṁkaram jagatpavitracāritre tyaktumarhasi hastataḥ

O you of world-purifying conduct, now you should cast away from your hand this impure and dreadful head of the buffalo-demon.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.134.7)

इति गौर्योदिता दुर्गा जुगुप्साकुलमानसा । मूर्ध्नस्तस्य निपाताय व्यधुनोद्बहुशः करम्

iti gauryoditā durgā jugupsākulamānasā mūrdhnastasya nipātāya vyadhunodbahuśaḥ karam

Thus addressed by Gauri, Durga, her mind filled with revulsion, shook her hand many times to fling down that head.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.134.8)

तीर्थमुत्पाद्यतां देवि नवं पापविनाशनम् । तस्मिन्निमज्जनाद्दुर्गे प्रायश्चित्तं भविष्यति

tīrthamutpādyatāṁ devi navaṁ pāpavināśanam tasminnimajjanāddurge prāyaścittaṁ bhaviṣyati

Let a new sacred bathing-place, destroyer of sin, be brought forth, O Goddess; by immersion in it, O Durga, atonement shall be accomplished.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.134.9)

इतीरिता गौतमेन दुर्गा दुरितशंकिनी । पाटयामास खङ्गेन शिलापट्टं पटीयसा

itīritā gautamena durgā duritaśaṁkinī pāṭayāmāsa khaṅgena śilāpaṭṭaṁ paṭīyasā

Thus urged by Gautama, Durga, apprehensive of sin, skilfully split the rock-slab with her sword.

Verse 10 (skanda.1.134.10)

पातालावधि निर्भिन्नात्पाषाणतलतस्ततः । उदजृंभत्तरंगांभः सच्चित्तमिव निर्मलम्

pātālāvadhi nirbhinnātpāṣāṇatalatastataḥ udajṛṁbhattaraṁgāṁbhaḥ saccittamiva nirmalam

From the rock-surface split down to the netherworld, water welled up in waves, pure as a virtuous mind.

Verse 11 (skanda.1.134.11)

ममज्ज सापि गंभीरे तस्मिन्नंभसि पावने । नमः शोणाद्रिनाथायेत्युक्त्वा मंत्रमनुत्तमम्

mamajja sāpi gaṁbhīre tasminnaṁbhasi pāvane namaḥ śoṇādrināthāyetyuktvā maṁtramanuttamam

She too plunged into that deep and sacred water, uttering the peerless mantra: Salutation to the Lord of the Red Mountain.

Verse 12 (skanda.1.134.12)

तावन्महिषकंठस्थं लिंगं तद्गलितं तले । तटे प्रतिष्ठितं जातं पापनाशनसंज्ञया

tāvanmahiṣakaṁṭhasthaṁ liṁgaṁ tadgalitaṁ tale taṭe pratiṣṭhitaṁ jātaṁ pāpanāśanasaṁjñayā

Meanwhile, the linga that had lodged in the buffalo-demon's throat slipped down and became established on the bank, known by the name Papanashana, the destroyer of sin.

Verse 13 (skanda.1.134.13)

उन्ममज्ज ततो दुर्गा तीर्थांभोधूतकल्मषा । निपपाताथ तत्पाणेर्महिषासुरमस्तकम्

unmamajja tato durgā tīrthāṁbhodhūtakalmaṣā nipapātātha tatpāṇermahiṣāsuramastakam

Then Durga rose up from the water, her sins washed away by the sacred tirtha, and the head of the buffalo-demon fell from her hand.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.134.14)

कृतप्रदक्षिणा नत्वा पापनाशनमीश्वरम् । पुरस्तादस्ति सा गौर्या गौतमेनाभिनंदिता

kṛtapradakṣiṇā natvā pāpanāśanamīśvaram purastādasti sā gauryā gautamenābhinaṁditā

Having circumambulated and bowed to Lord Papanashana, she stood there before Gauri, welcomed by Gautama.

Verse 15 (skanda.1.134.15)

एवं प्रत्यक्षनिरतपापां तां वीक्ष्य पार्वती । जगाद दीर्घतपसं जगतीधरनंदिनी

evaṁ pratyakṣaniratapāpāṁ tāṁ vīkṣya pārvatī jagāda dīrghatapasaṁ jagatīdharanaṁdinī

Seeing her thus visibly cleansed of sin, Parvati, the daughter of the mountain-lord engaged in long penance, spoke.

Verse 16 (skanda.1.134.16)

महिषासुरसंहारेंऽजसा स्वनुमतिः कृता । विंध्यवासिनीयमहो दुष्टमाहिषविग्रहम्

mahiṣāsurasaṁhāreṁ'jasā svanumatiḥ kṛtā viṁdhyavāsinīyamaho duṣṭamāhiṣavigraham

With my ready consent, the destruction of Mahishasura was accomplished; oh, this dweller of the Vindhyas has slain the wicked buffalo-form demon.

Verse 17 (skanda.1.134.17)

गृहीत्वा भक्षयामास तस्य लिंगमिदं शिवम् । प्रायश्चित्तं ततो ब्रूहि ममापि मुनिसत्तम

gṛhītvā bhakṣayāmāsa tasya liṁgamidaṁ śivam prāyaścittaṁ tato brūhi mamāpi munisattama

She seized and utterly consumed the demon, and thus this holy linga of Shiva came forth; tell me then, O best of sages, what atonement there may be for me as well.

Verse 18 (skanda.1.134.18)

गौतम उवाच । देवि सर्वजगत्सर्गस्थितिसंहारकारिणि । त्वद्ध्यानमेव जगतां सर्वपातकनाशनम्

gautama uvāca devi sarvajagatsargasthitisaṁhārakāriṇi tvaddhyānameva jagatāṁ sarvapātakanāśanam

Gautama said: O Goddess, who brings about the creation, preservation and dissolution of the whole universe, meditation upon you alone destroys all the sins of the world.

Verse 19 (skanda.1.134.19)

अथापि लौकिकं वृत्तमवलंब्य त्वयेरितम् । स्वकृतापि हि मर्यादा न महद्भिर्विलंघ्यते

athāpi laukikaṁ vṛttamavalaṁbya tvayeritam svakṛtāpi hi maryādā na mahadbhirvilaṁghyate

Yet, in keeping with worldly custom, you have spoken thus; for even a rule set by oneself is never transgressed by the great.

Verse 20 (skanda.1.134.20)

अन्तःकरणकालुष्यक्षालिनी काचन क्रिया । कथ्यतेऽद्य मया मातरवधानं विधीयताम्

antaḥkaraṇakāluṣyakṣālinī kācana kriyā kathyate'dya mayā mātaravadhānaṁ vidhīyatām

There is a certain rite that washes away the impurity of the inner mind; I shall now tell it — O Mother, please give heed.

Verse 21 (skanda.1.134.21)

अरुणाद्रिरयं साक्षादनलाद्रिस्तिरोहितः । ज्वलतिज्योतिषा स्वेन कृत्तिकापूर्णिमा निशि

aruṇādrirayaṁ sākṣādanalādristirohitaḥ jvalatijyotiṣā svena kṛttikāpūrṇimā niśi

This Arunachala is verily the fire-mountain concealed; on the full-moon night of Krittika it blazes with its own light.

Verse 22 (skanda.1.134.22)

तत्सपर्यातपश्चर्या कार्या कात्यायनि त्वया । तज्ज्योतिर्दर्शनात्सर्वमभीष्टं तव सिध्यति

tatsaparyātapaścaryā kāryā kātyāyani tvayā tajjyotirdarśanātsarvamabhīṣṭaṁ tava sidhyati

O Katyayani, you should perform worship and penance directed to it; through the sight of that light, all your desires shall be fulfilled.

Verse 23 (skanda.1.134.23)

इत्युक्ता गौतमेनांबा तदाप्रभृति दारुणा । इयं च शिवभक्ता हि शिवपूजारता तदा

ityuktā gautamenāṁbā tadāprabhṛti dāruṇā iyaṁ ca śivabhaktā hi śivapūjāratā tadā

Thus addressed by Gautama, the Mother, fierce as she was, became from that time devoted to Shiva, and Durga too became engaged in the worship of Shiva.

Verse 24 (skanda.1.134.24)

तपश्चचार पंचानामग्नीनां मध्यमाश्रिता । चतुर्णां शिखिनां मध्ये स्थिता सूर्यनिविष्टदृक्

tapaścacāra paṁcānāmagnīnāṁ madhyamāśritā caturṇāṁ śikhināṁ madhye sthitā sūryaniviṣṭadṛk

She performed penance seated amid the five fires, standing in the midst of four blazing fires with her gaze fixed upon the sun.

Verse 25 (skanda.1.134.25)

रेजे हैमी शलाकेव द्योतमाना गिरींद्रजा । अथाकृष्टेवपार्वत्याः प्रेमपाशैर्निरायतैः

reje haimī śalākeva dyotamānā girīṁdrajā athākṛṣṭevapārvatyāḥ premapāśairnirāyataiḥ

The mountain-king's daughter shone like a gleaming golden rod, as though drawn ever nearer by Parvati's long and loving bonds.

Verse 26 (skanda.1.134.26)

सा कार्त्तिकी पौर्णमासी समापेदे शुभा तिथिः । ततस्तस्य दिनस्यांते शृंगे शोणमहीभृतः

sā kārttikī paurṇamāsī samāpede śubhā tithiḥ tatastasya dinasyāṁte śṛṁge śoṇamahībhṛtaḥ

That auspicious tithi of the Karttika full moon arrived; then, at the close of that day, upon the peak of the Red Mountain—

Verse 27 (skanda.1.134.27)

अदर्शि किमपि ज्योतिरनुपाधिकवैभवम् । तदर्थोपगतैर्ब्रह्ममधुभिद्वासवादिभिः

adarśi kimapi jyotiranupādhikavaibhavam tadarthopagatairbrahmamadhubhidvāsavādibhiḥ

—there was seen a certain light of unconditioned splendour, by Brahma, the slayer of Madhu, Indra and the other gods who had gathered there for that very purpose.

Verse 28 (skanda.1.134.28)

उपास्यमानमभितो देवैर्दिव्यर्षिसंगतैः । तदनिंधनमस्नेहमदशावर्तिसंभवम्

upāsyamānamabhito devairdivyarṣisaṁgataiḥ tadaniṁdhanamasnehamadaśāvartisaṁbhavam

Worshipped on every side by the gods together with divine sages, that light, without fuel, without oil, and without wick or lamp-bowl—

Verse 29 (skanda.1.134.29)

महाप्रदीपमालोक्य विस्मयं प्राप पार्वती । कृतप्रदक्षिणा साथ प्रणमंती पदेपदे । अरुणाद्रीश्वरं नाथं तुष्टा तुष्टाव शैलजा

mahāpradīpamālokya vismayaṁ prāpa pārvatī kṛtapradakṣiṇā sātha praṇamaṁtī padepade aruṇādrīśvaraṁ nāthaṁ tuṣṭā tuṣṭāva śailajā

—beholding that great lamp, Parvati was filled with wonder; circumambulating it and bowing at every step, the mountain-born goddess, filled with delight, praised the Lord of Arunachala.

Verse 30 (skanda.1.134.30)

नमस्ते मेरुचापाय कैलासाचलवासिने । नीहारशैलजामात्रे शोणक्ष्माधररूपिणे

namaste merucāpāya kailāsācalavāsine nīhāraśailajāmātre śoṇakṣmādhararūpiṇe

Salutation to you, whose bow is Meru, who dwell on Mount Kailasa, who are father-in-law to the daughter of the snowy mountain, who take the form of the red mountain.

Verse 31 (skanda.1.134.31)

वरुणादिसुरार्च्याय तरुणादित्यवर्चसे । अरुणाचलनाथाय करुणामूर्त्तये नमः

varuṇādisurārcyāya taruṇādityavarcase aruṇācalanāthāya karuṇāmūrttaye namaḥ

Salutation to you who are worshipped by Varuna and the other gods, whose splendour is that of the rising sun, who are the Lord of Arunachala, the very embodiment of compassion.

Verse 32 (skanda.1.134.32)

जय जह्नुसुताचन्द्र लेखालंकृतशेखर । सौंदर्यमोहिताशेषमुनिपत्नीजनाशय

jaya jahnusutācandra lekhālaṁkṛtaśekhara sauṁdaryamohitāśeṣamunipatnījanāśaya

Victory to you, whose crown is adorned by the Ganga and the crescent moon, whose beauty has captivated the hearts of all the sages' wives.

Verse 33 (skanda.1.134.33)

जय शैलसुतासंगसंभृतानंगवैभव । माया नारायणाभोगक्रीडाम्रेडनपंडित

jaya śailasutāsaṁgasaṁbhṛtānaṁgavaibhava māyā nārāyaṇābhogakrīḍāmreḍanapaṁḍita

Victory to you, whose amorous splendour is nourished by union with the mountain's daughter, who are skilled in repeatedly enacting the maya of Narayana's sport of delight.

Verse 34 (skanda.1.134.34)

जय संध्यासमोपेतसंभृतानंदतांडव । जय गीर्वाणगंधर्वसिद्धविद्याधरार्चित

jaya saṁdhyāsamopetasaṁbhṛtānaṁdatāṁḍava jaya gīrvāṇagaṁdharvasiddhavidyādharārcita

Victory to you, whose blissful tandava dance is enacted at the meeting of twilight; victory to you who are worshipped by gods, gandharvas, siddhas and vidyadharas.

Verse 35 (skanda.1.134.35)

जय हेरंबजनक जय षण्मुखवत्सल । जय हैमवतीप्रार्थ्य जय पार्थिवदुर्लभ

jaya heraṁbajanaka jaya ṣaṇmukhavatsala jaya haimavatīprārthya jaya pārthivadurlabha

Victory to you, father of Heramba, loving father of the six-faced Skanda; victory to you, sought after by Haimavati; victory to you, hard to attain even for kings.

Verse 36 (skanda.1.134.36)

इति स्तुत्वा मुहुस्तस्मिञ्ज्योतिषि न्यस्तलोचनाम् । दृष्ट्वा देवीं दयाव्याजाद्विलिल्ये वृषभध्वजः

iti stutvā muhustasmiñjyotiṣi nyastalocanām dṛṣṭvā devīṁ dayāvyājādvililye vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ

Having thus praised him repeatedly, seeing the Goddess with her eyes fixed upon that light, the Bull-bannered Lord, under the pretext of compassion, revealed himself.

Verse 37 (skanda.1.134.37)

लयित्वा निजमास्थाय रूपमुत्कटसुन्दरम् । आस्थाय वृषभं दिव्यममूं दृष्ट्वा शिवां शुभाम्

layitvā nijamāsthāya rūpamutkaṭasundaram āsthāya vṛṣabhaṁ divyamamūṁ dṛṣṭvā śivāṁ śubhām

Dissolving that light and assuming his own supremely beautiful form, mounted on his divine bull, beholding the auspicious Shiva—

Verse 38 (skanda.1.134.38)

मानातिरेकादपहाय सर्वमैश्वर्यमेवं तपसि प्रवृत्ताम् । मुग्धां पुनः सांत्वयितुं गिरीशः प्रचक्रमे पर्वतराजपुत्रीम्

mānātirekādapahāya sarvamaiśvaryamevaṁ tapasi pravṛttām mugdhāṁ punaḥ sāṁtvayituṁ girīśaḥ pracakrame parvatarājaputrīm

—Girisha began to console once more the innocent daughter of the mountain-king, who out of excessive pride had abandoned all her splendour and thus engaged in penance.