Shankara's Wedding and Agastya's Journey South

Verse 1 (skanda.2.31.1)

श्रीसूत उवाच । कृतसायन्तनविधिं हुताशनसमद्युतिम् । सुखासीनं मुनिपतिं प्रणम्य भरतर्षभः ।

śrīsūta uvāca kṛtasāyantanavidhiṁ hutāśanasamadyutim sukhāsīnaṁ munipatiṁ praṇamya bharatarṣabhaḥ

Shri Suta said: Having performed his evening rites, and shining like fire, the lord of sages sat at ease; the bull of the Bharatas bowed to him,

Verse 2 (skanda.2.31.2)

तदीयशीतलामोदसुधापूरानुमोदितः । गम्भीरं प्रश्रयोपेतमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।

tadīyaśītalāmodasudhāpūrānumoditaḥ gambhīraṁ praśrayopetamidaṁ vacanamabravīt

and, delighted as if by a flood of cooling, fragrant nectar from him, spoke these deep and respectful words.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.31.3)

अर्जुन उवाच । मुनिपुंगव लोकेऽस्मिन्धन्य एकोऽहमेव हि । पुत्राविशेषं भवता यदेवं सम्यगादृतः ।

arjuna uvāca munipuṁgava loke'smindhanya eko'hameva hi putrāviśeṣaṁ bhavatā yadevaṁ samyagādṛtaḥ

Arjuna said: "O foremost of sages, in this world I alone am blessed, since you have honoured me so fully, exactly as your own son.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.31.4)

भवदादरसञ्जातकौतुकं मम मानसम् । भवद्वाक्यामृतं दिव्यं पातुं त्वरयतीव माम् ।

bhavadādarasañjātakautukaṁ mama mānasam bhavadvākyāmṛtaṁ divyaṁ pātuṁ tvarayatīva mām

My mind, filled with eagerness born of your regard, seems to hasten me to drink the divine nectar of your words.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.31.5)

कस्माच्छैलादियं जाता केनानीता महानदी । किं पुण्यं स्नानदानाद्यैः कृतैस्तत्रोपलभ्यते ।

kasmācchailādiyaṁ jātā kenānītā mahānadī kiṁ puṇyaṁ snānadānādyaiḥ kṛtaistatropalabhyate

From what mountain did this great river arise, and by whom was she brought here? What merit is obtained there by bathing, giving gifts, and the like?

Verse 6 (skanda.2.31.6)

अस्याः प्रभावं प्रभवं प्रह्वस्य मम सन्मुने । वक्तुमर्हसि कार्यो हि भक्तानुग्रह एव ते ।

asyāḥ prabhāvaṁ prabhavaṁ prahvasya mama sanmune vaktumarhasi kāryo hi bhaktānugraha eva te

You should tell her power and her origin to me who bow before you, O virtuous sage, for it is your very duty to show grace to your devotees."

Verse 7 (skanda.2.31.7)

अर्जुनस्य वचः श्रुत्वा भरद्वाजो द्विजोत्तमः । तदाननं समालोक्य वाक्यं वाक्यविदब्रवीत् ।

arjunasya vacaḥ śrutvā bharadvājo dvijottamaḥ tadānanaṁ samālokya vākyaṁ vākyavidabravīt

Having heard Arjuna's words, Bharadvaja, best of the twice-born, gazing upon his face, being himself skilled in speech, spoke these words:

Verse 8 (skanda.2.31.8)

भरद्वाज उवाच । त्वमर्जुन महाबाहो कौरवान्वयपावनः । विशेषान्मम मान्योऽसि धर्मपुत्रानुजो यतः ।

bharadvāja uvāca tvamarjuna mahābāho kauravānvayapāvanaḥ viśeṣānmama mānyo'si dharmaputrānujo yataḥ

Bharadvaja said: "O Arjuna, mighty-armed one, purifier of the Kaurava lineage, you are especially worthy of my regard, since you are the younger brother of Dharma's son.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.31.9)

अनेके भूमिपा दृष्टा न ते त्वमिव फाल्गुन । लीलार्जवदयौदार्यधैर्यगाम्भीर्यशालिनः ।

aneke bhūmipā dṛṣṭā na te tvamiva phālguna līlārjavadayaudāryadhairyagāmbhīryaśālinaḥ

I have seen many kings, O Phalguna, but none like you, endowed with such playfulness, honesty, compassion, generosity, fortitude, and depth.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.31.10)

कुलं विद्या धनं चैव बलिनां मदकारणम् । भवादृशानां भव्यानां तानि प्रश्रयकारणम् ।

kulaṁ vidyā dhanaṁ caiva balināṁ madakāraṇam bhavādṛśānāṁ bhavyānāṁ tāni praśrayakāraṇam

Lineage, learning, and wealth are for the powerful the cause of arrogance; for noble men like you, these same things become the cause of humility.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.31.11)

प्राज्येषु राज्यभोगेषु विद्यमानेषु कौरव । ऋते भवन्तं को वान्यो नोपैति विकृतेर्वशम् ।

prājyeṣu rājyabhogeṣu vidyamāneṣu kaurava ṛte bhavantaṁ ko vānyo nopaiti vikṛtervaśam

While possessed of such abundant royal enjoyments, O Kaurava, who else but you would not fall under the sway of arrogant change?

Verse 12 (skanda.2.31.12)

परवानस्मि कौन्तेय गुणैलाकोत्तरैस्तव । किमस्त्यकथनीयं ते कौतुकोपेतमानस ।

paravānasmi kaunteya guṇailākottaraistava kimastyakathanīyaṁ te kautukopetamānasa

I am overcome, O son of Kunti, by your unearthly virtues; what is there that should not be told to you, whose mind is filled with such eager curiosity?

Verse 13 (skanda.2.31.13)

शृणु राजन्कथां दिव्यां मया मुनिमुखाच्छुताम् । यां श्रुत्वा पातकातङ्कान्मुच्यन्ते सर्वजन्तवः ।

śṛṇu rājankathāṁ divyāṁ mayā munimukhācchutām yāṁ śrutvā pātakātaṅkānmucyante sarvajantavaḥ

Hear, O king, this divine tale, heard by me from the mouth of a sage, hearing which all creatures are freed from the affliction of sin.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.31.14)

पूर्वं दाक्षायणी देवी जनकेनावमानिता । त्यक्त्वा तनुं तां नीहारगिरेरभवदात्मजा ।

pūrvaṁ dākṣāyaṇī devī janakenāvamānitā tyaktvā tanuṁ tāṁ nīhāragirerabhavadātmajā

Long ago the goddess Sati, daughter of Daksha, insulted by her father, gave up that body, and was reborn as the daughter of the Snow-Mountain.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.31.15)

सप्तर्षिभिरुपागम्य प्रार्थितो धरणीधरः । मृत्युंजयाय स्वां पुत्रीं विवाहे दातुमुद्यतः ।

saptarṣibhirupāgamya prārthito dharaṇīdharaḥ mṛtyuṁjayāya svāṁ putrīṁ vivāhe dātumudyataḥ

Approached by the Seven Sages, the mountain-lord, thus entreated, prepared to give his own daughter in marriage to the Conqueror of Death.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.31.16)

वृषभांको जगत्स्वामी विवोढुं सर्वमंगलाम् । प्राप्तो हिमवदावासमोषधीप्रस्थनामकम् ।

vṛṣabhāṁko jagatsvāmī vivoḍhuṁ sarvamaṁgalām prāpto himavadāvāsamoṣadhīprasthanāmakam

He whose emblem is the bull, the Lord of the universe, in order to wed the All-Auspicious One, arrived at the Himalayan abode named Aushadhiprastha.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.31.17)

तच्छासनात्समाजग्मुः स्थावराणि चराणि च । भूतानि भूतनाथस्य कल्याणमभिनंदितुम् ।

tacchāsanātsamājagmuḥ sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca bhūtāni bhūtanāthasya kalyāṇamabhinaṁditum

By his command, all beings — the moving and the unmoving — assembled there to rejoice in the auspicious wedding of the Lord of Beings.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.31.18)

तद्भूरिभारसंभग्ना भूमिरुत्तरसंश्रया । निम्नतामाययौ तावद्यावत्पातालमास्थिता ।

tadbhūribhārasaṁbhagnā bhūmiruttarasaṁśrayā nimnatāmāyayau tāvadyāvatpātālamāsthitā

Weighed down and bent by their vast burden, the earth on the northern side sank lower and lower, until it came to rest near the netherworld itself,

Verse 19 (skanda.2.31.19)

निर्भारलाघवादस्माद्भृशं दक्षिणगामिनी । ऊर्ध्वं गता च तं दृष्ट्वा सर्वेषामभवद्भयम् ।

nirbhāralāghavādasmādbhṛśaṁ dakṣiṇagāminī ūrdhvaṁ gatā ca taṁ dṛṣṭvā sarveṣāmabhavadbhayam

while, freed of its burden and thus made light, the southern part rose greatly upward; and seeing this, fear arose in everyone.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.31.20)

ज्ञात्वा तां विकृतिं भूमेर्दृष्ट्वागस्त्यं महेश्वरः । इत एहि महाप्राज्ञेत्युक्त्वा वचनमब्रवीत् ।

jñātvā tāṁ vikṛtiṁ bhūmerdṛṣṭvāgastyaṁ maheśvaraḥ ita ehi mahāprājñetyuktvā vacanamabravīt

Knowing of this distortion of the earth, Maheshwara, seeing Agastya, said, "Come here, O greatly wise one," and spoke these words:

Verse 21 (skanda.2.31.21)

आगतेषु समस्तेषु भूतेष्वत्र वसुन्धरा । तद्भारेण समाक्रान्ता विकृतिं समुपागता ।

āgateṣu samasteṣu bhūteṣvatra vasundharā tadbhāreṇa samākrāntā vikṛtiṁ samupāgatā

"With all these beings having gathered here, the earth, overwhelmed by their weight, has become distorted.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.31.22)

तद्भुवः साम्यकरणे त्वमर्हसि महामते । ऋते त्वामत्र हि त्वत्तः परेणैतत्कथं भवेत् ।

tadbhuvaḥ sāmyakaraṇe tvamarhasi mahāmate ṛte tvāmatra hi tvattaḥ pareṇaitatkathaṁ bhavet

You alone, O great-minded one, are fit to restore the earth's balance; without you, how could this be done by anyone other than you?

Verse 23 (skanda.2.31.23)

मत्तेजःसंभवो हि त्वं लोकसंरक्षणोद्यतः । तस्मान्मद्वचनाद्वत्स भुवमेतां समीकुरु ।

mattejaḥsaṁbhavo hi tvaṁ lokasaṁrakṣaṇodyataḥ tasmānmadvacanādvatsa bhuvametāṁ samīkuru

You were born from my own splendour, and are ever intent on protecting the world; therefore, my child, at my word, set this earth right.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.31.24)

मत्पाणिग्रहणाल्लोककौतुकायत्तबुद्धिषु । आगतेषु समस्तेषु स्थातव्यं भवताऽपि च ।

matpāṇigrahaṇāllokakautukāyattabuddhiṣu āgateṣu samasteṣu sthātavyaṁ bhavatā'pi ca

Since all beings, their minds bent on witnessing the taking of my hand in marriage, have gathered here, you too must remain —

Verse 25 (skanda.2.31.25)

त्वं न तिष्ठसि चेदत्र न कश्चिद्विकृतिं भुवः । अपनेतुं हि शक्नोति तद्गन्तव्यं त्वयानघ ।

tvaṁ na tiṣṭhasi cedatra na kaścidvikṛtiṁ bhuvaḥ apanetuṁ hi śaknoti tadgantavyaṁ tvayānagha

for if you do not remain there, no one will be able to remove the earth's distortion; therefore, O sinless one, you must go.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.31.26)

इमां गिरिसुतापाणिग्रहकल्याणभासुराम् । मूर्तिं प्रदर्शयिष्यामि यत्र तिष्ठसि तत्र ते ।

imāṁ girisutāpāṇigrahakalyāṇabhāsurām mūrtiṁ pradarśayiṣyāmi yatra tiṣṭhasi tatra te

Wherever you dwell, there I shall show you this very form of mine, resplendent with the auspiciousness of taking the mountain-daughter's hand in marriage."

Verse 27 (skanda.2.31.27)

इत्युक्त्वा तं परिष्वज्य विससर्ज महेश्वरः । तथेति प्रणम्यासौ ययौ याम्यां दिशं मुनिः ।

ityuktvā taṁ pariṣvajya visasarja maheśvaraḥ tatheti praṇamyāsau yayau yāmyāṁ diśaṁ muniḥ

Having said this, Maheshwara embraced him and sent him forth; saying "so be it," and bowing, that sage set off toward the southern direction.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.31.28)

विन्ध्याद्रिं समतिक्रम्य दक्षिणामागते दिशम् । अगस्त्ये मुनिशार्दूले मही साम्यमुपाययौ ।

vindhyādriṁ samatikramya dakṣiṇāmāgate diśam agastye muniśārdūle mahī sāmyamupāyayau

When Agastya, that tiger among sages, having crossed the Vindhya mountain, arrived in the southern direction, the earth regained its balance.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.31.29)

भुवोऽपनीय विकृतिं स्थितं कलशजं मुनिम् । तुष्टुवुर्हर्षतरलाः सुरगन्धर्वकिन्नराः ।

bhuvo'panīya vikṛtiṁ sthitaṁ kalaśajaṁ munim tuṣṭuvurharṣataralāḥ suragandharvakinnarāḥ

The gods, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras, trembling with joy, praised the pot-born sage who had thus removed the earth's distortion and settled there.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.31.30)

स ददर्श ततो गत्वा कश्चिच्छैलं समुन्नतम् । विततैर्धरणीं पादैर्धृत्वा संस्थितमग्रतः ।

sa dadarśa tato gatvā kaścicchailaṁ samunnatam vitatairdharaṇīṁ pādairdhṛtvā saṁsthitamagrataḥ

Going on from there, he beheld a certain lofty mountain, standing before him, gripping the earth with its wide-spread bases,

Verse 31 (skanda.2.31.31)

महौषधीनां रत्नानामशेषाणां स्वयंभुवा । अखण्डतेजोदीप्तानां विनिर्मितमिवाकरम् ।

mahauṣadhīnāṁ ratnānāmaśeṣāṇāṁ svayaṁbhuvā akhaṇḍatejodīptānāṁ vinirmitamivākaram

as if it were a mine, fashioned by the Self-existent One, of every kind of great healing herb and gem, all blazing with unbroken splendour,

Verse 32 (skanda.2.31.32)

समुन्नतैर्यः शिखरैर्निपतद्व्योमभूतले । उदारधारासंपन्नैर्दधातीव निरन्तरम् ।

samunnatairyaḥ śikharairnipatadvyomabhūtale udāradhārāsaṁpannairdadhātīva nirantaram

which, with its lofty peaks endowed with abundant streams falling from the vault of the sky to the earth, seemed to hold up the sky continually.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.31.33)

शनैरारुह्य तं शैलमगस्त्यो मुनिपुंगवः । निवासाय मतिं चक्रे रम्ये तच्छिखरस्थले ।

śanairāruhya taṁ śailamagastyo munipuṁgavaḥ nivāsāya matiṁ cakre ramye tacchikharasthale

Slowly ascending that mountain, Agastya, foremost of sages, resolved to dwell on that lovely spot upon its summit,

Verse 34 (skanda.2.31.34)

तस्यामृतोपमेयस्य पद्मोत्पलकुलश्रियः । नानाद्रुमपरीतस्य कासारस्योत्तरे तटे ।

tasyāmṛtopameyasya padmotpalakulaśriyaḥ nānādrumaparītasya kāsārasyottare taṭe

on the northern shore of a lake comparable to nectar itself, graced with clusters of lotuses and blue lotuses, surrounded by many kinds of trees,

Verse 35 (skanda.2.31.35)

मनोहरे महीभागे विधायाश्रममुत्तमम् । आराध्य पितृदेवर्षीन्विधिवद्वास्तुदेवताम् ।

manohare mahībhāge vidhāyāśramamuttamam ārādhya pitṛdevarṣīnvidhivadvāstudevatām

where, on that lovely tract of ground, having built an excellent hermitage, and having duly worshipped the ancestors, the divine sages, and the deity of the dwelling-site,

Verse 36 (skanda.2.31.36)

उवास सुचिरं तत्र मुनिसङ्घसमन्वितः । देवतासिद्धगन्धर्वाप्सरोजुष्टमहीधरे ।

uvāsa suciraṁ tatra munisaṅghasamanvitaḥ devatāsiddhagandharvāpsarojuṣṭamahīdhare

he dwelt there for a long time, together with a company of sages, on that mountain frequented by gods, Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Apsaras.

Verse 37 (skanda.2.31.37)

तपः समावेशितवित्तवृत्तौ तपोवने तिष्ठति कुम्भजाते । प्रशस्तसौभाग्यसमन्वितोऽद्रिरगस्त्यशैलाह्वयमाससाद ।

tapaḥ samāveśitavittavṛttau tapovane tiṣṭhati kumbhajāte praśastasaubhāgyasamanvito'driragastyaśailāhvayamāsasāda

Since the pot-born sage, whose whole wealth and conduct were devoted to austerity, dwelt in that penance-grove, the mountain, endowed with such glorious good fortune, came to be called by the name Agastya-shaila.