The Prior Birth and Origin of Udumbari

Verse 1 (skanda.6.189.1)

सूत उवाच । अथ यावच्च ताः शप्ता मातरो द्विजसत्तमाः । सावित्र्या तास्तु गंधर्व्यः प्राप्ताः सा यत्र तिष्ठति

sūta uvāca atha yāvacca tāḥ śaptā mātaro dvijasattamāḥ sāvitryā tāstu gaṁdharvyaḥ prāptāḥ sā yatra tiṣṭhati

Suta said: Now, as soon as those Mothers had been cursed, O best of brahmins, those Gandharvis went to where Savitri stood.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.189.2)

ततः प्रणम्य ता ऊचुः सर्वा दीनतरं वचः । वयं समागता देवि सर्वास्तव मखे यतः

tataḥ praṇamya tā ūcuḥ sarvā dīnataraṁ vacaḥ vayaṁ samāgatā devi sarvāstava makhe yataḥ

Then, bowing, they all spoke most piteous words: "We have all come, O goddess, since it is your sacrifice —"

Verse 3 (skanda.6.189.3)

यज्ञभागं लभिष्याम औदुंबर्याः प्रसादतः । न चास्माभिः परिज्ञाता सावित्री चात्र तिष्ठति

yajñabhāgaṁ labhiṣyāma auduṁbaryāḥ prasādataḥ na cāsmābhiḥ parijñātā sāvitrī cātra tiṣṭhati

"we hoped to obtain a share of the sacrifice through Udumbari's grace; but we did not know that Savitri too was present here."

Verse 4 (skanda.6.189.4)

दौर्भाग्यदोषसंपन्ना नागरीभिः समावृता । अस्माकं सुखमार्गोऽयं नृत्यगीतसमुद्भवः

daurbhāgyadoṣasaṁpannā nāgarībhiḥ samāvṛtā asmākaṁ sukhamārgo'yaṁ nṛtyagītasamudbhavaḥ

"Endowed with the taint of misfortune, surrounded by the Nagara women — this our path, arising from dance and song, is our [natural] way of happiness."

Verse 5 (skanda.6.189.5)

तत्कुर्वाणास्ततो रात्रौ शप्ता गांधर्वसत्तमे । स्त्रीणां दुःखेन दुःखार्ता जायंते सर्वयोषितः

tatkurvāṇāstato rātrau śaptā gāṁdharvasattame strīṇāṁ duḥkhena duḥkhārtā jāyaṁte sarvayoṣitaḥ

"Doing this at night, we were cursed, O foremost among the Gandharvis; through the suffering of one woman, all women become sufferers together."

Verse 6 (skanda.6.189.6)

यूयमानंदिताः सर्वाः सपत्न्या मम चोत्सवे । तां प्रणम्य प्रपूज्याद्य नाहं संभाषितापि च

yūyamānaṁditāḥ sarvāḥ sapatnyā mama cotsave tāṁ praṇamya prapūjyādya nāhaṁ saṁbhāṣitāpi ca

"'You were all delighted at my rival wife's festival; having bowed to and worshipped her today, you did not so much as speak with me.'"

Verse 7 (skanda.6.189.7)

विशेषान्नृत्यगीतं च प्रारब्धं मम चाग्रतः। तस्माद्व्योमगति र्नैव भवतीनां भविष्यति

viśeṣānnṛtyagītaṁ ca prārabdhaṁ mama cāgrataḥ tasmādvyomagati rnaiva bhavatīnāṁ bhaviṣyati

"'And dance and song especially were begun before her, not before me — therefore passage through the sky shall never again be yours.'"

Verse 8 (skanda.6.189.8)

अस्मिन्स्थाने सदा दीनास्तथाऽऽश्रयविवर्जिताः । संतिष्ठध्वं न वः पूजां करिष्यंति च मानवाः

asminsthāne sadā dīnāstathā''śrayavivarjitāḥ saṁtiṣṭhadhvaṁ na vaḥ pūjāṁ kariṣyaṁti ca mānavāḥ

"'In this place you shall remain forever wretched and without refuge; men shall never perform worship of you —'"

Verse 9 (skanda.6.189.9)

दीनानामसमर्थानां यात्राकृत्येषु सर्वदा । तस्यास्तद्वचनं देवि नान्यथा संभविष्यति

dīnānāmasamarthānāṁ yātrākṛtyeṣu sarvadā tasyāstadvacanaṁ devi nānyathā saṁbhaviṣyati

"'wretched, powerless ones, always in matters of pilgrimage and undertaking.' This word of hers, O goddess, shall not turn out otherwise."

Verse 10 (skanda.6.189.10)

औदुम्बर्याः पूजनाय गत्वा तस्यै निवेद्यताम् । सा हि व्यपनयेद्दुःखं ध्रुवं सा हि प्रकामदा

audumbaryāḥ pūjanāya gatvā tasyai nivedyatām sā hi vyapanayedduḥkhaṁ dhruvaṁ sā hi prakāmadā

"Let it be reported to Udumbari, going to her for worship; she indeed shall remove our sorrow — surely she is the one who grants every desire."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.189.11)

तेनाऽत्र सहसा प्राप्ता यावन्नष्टमनोरथाः

tenā'tra sahasā prāptā yāvannaṣṭamanorathāḥ

"For through her we were suddenly received here, so long as our hopes were not yet destroyed."

Verse 12 (skanda.6.189.12)

तस्मात्कुरुष्व कल्याणि यथास्माकं गतिर्भवेत् । माहात्म्यं तव वर्द्धेत त्रैलोक्येऽपि चराचरे

tasmātkuruṣva kalyāṇi yathāsmākaṁ gatirbhavet māhātmyaṁ tava varddheta trailokye'pi carācare

"Therefore, O auspicious one, act so that a way out may come for us; may your greatness increase throughout the three worlds, in all that moves and does not move."

Verse 13 (skanda.6.189.13)

औदुम्बर्युवाच । का शक्तिर्विद्यतेऽस्माकं कृतं सावित्रिसंभवम् । अन्यथा कर्तुमेवाद्य सर्वैरपि सुरासुरैः

audumbaryuvāca kā śaktirvidyate'smākaṁ kṛtaṁ sāvitrisaṁbhavam anyathā kartumevādya sarvairapi surāsuraiḥ

Udumbari said: "What power do we possess to undo today what has been done by Savitri, even together with all the gods and demons?"

Verse 14 (skanda.6.189.14)

तथापि शक्तितो देव्यो यतिष्यामि हिताय वः । अष्टषष्टिषु गोत्रेषु भवत्यः संनियोजिताः

tathāpi śaktito devyo yatiṣyāmi hitāya vaḥ aṣṭaṣaṣṭiṣu gotreṣu bhavatyaḥ saṁniyojitāḥ

"Nevertheless, O goddesses, I shall strive for your benefit as far as I am able. You shall be assigned among the sixty-eight gotras;"

Verse 15 (skanda.6.189.15)

पितामहेन तुष्टेन तत्र पूजामवाप्स्यथ । यूयं रात्रौ च संज्ञाभिर्हास्यपूर्वाभिरेव च

pitāmahena tuṣṭena tatra pūjāmavāpsyatha yūyaṁ rātrau ca saṁjñābhirhāsyapūrvābhireva ca

"the Grandsire, being pleased, shall grant that you obtain worship there — you, at night, through signs accompanied by laughter."

Verse 16 (skanda.6.189.16)

अद्यप्रभृति यस्यात्र नागरस्य तु मंदिरे । वृद्धिः संपत्स्यते काचिद्वि शेषान्मंडपोद्भवा

adyaprabhṛti yasyātra nāgarasya tu maṁdire vṛddhiḥ saṁpatsyate kācidvi śeṣānmaṁḍapodbhavā

"From this day forward, in whatever Nagara's house here some increase shall come about, especially one arising from the wedding-pavilion,"

Verse 17 (skanda.6.189.17)

तथा या योषितः काश्चित्पुरद्वारं समेत्य च । अदृष्टहास्यमाध्याय क्षपिष्यंति बलिं ततः

tathā yā yoṣitaḥ kāścitpuradvāraṁ sametya ca adṛṣṭahāsyamādhyāya kṣapiṣyaṁti baliṁ tataḥ

"and whatever women, coming to the city-gate, engaging in unseen mirth in silent thought, shall then offer a bali —"

Verse 18 (skanda.6.189.18)

तेन वो भविता तृप्तिर्देवानां च यथा मखैः । याः पुनर्न करिष्यंति पूजामेतां मयोदिताम्

tena vo bhavitā tṛptirdevānāṁ ca yathā makhaiḥ yāḥ punarna kariṣyaṁti pūjāmetāṁ mayoditām

"by this you shall attain satisfaction, just as the gods do through sacrifices. But those who will not perform this worship I have declared —"

Verse 19 (skanda.6.189.19)

युष्माकं नगरे तासां सुपुत्रो नाशमाप्स्यति । युष्माकमपमाने न सदा रोगी भविष्यति

yuṣmākaṁ nagare tāsāṁ suputro nāśamāpsyati yuṣmākamapamāne na sadā rogī bhaviṣyati

"in their city, their fine son shall meet with ruin; and through disrespect shown to you, illness shall never be absent from them."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.189.20)

तस्मात्तिष्ठध्वमत्रैव रक्षार्थं नगरस्य च । शापव्याजेन युष्माकं वरोऽयं समुपस्थितः

tasmāttiṣṭhadhvamatraiva rakṣārthaṁ nagarasya ca śāpavyājena yuṣmākaṁ varo'yaṁ samupasthitaḥ

"Therefore remain right here, for the protection of the city; through the pretext of a curse, this very boon has now come to you."

Verse 21 (skanda.6.189.21)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्तो देवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमाः । गंधर्वः पर्वतो जातः स्वपत्न्या सहितस्तदा

etasminnaṁtare prāpto devaśarmā dvijottamāḥ gaṁdharvaḥ parvato jātaḥ svapatnyā sahitastadā

Meanwhile, O best of brahmins, Devasharma arrived — who had been born as the Gandharva Parvata — together with his wife at that time.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.189.22)

यदा चौदुम्बरी शप्ता नारदेन सुरर्षिणा । मानुषी भव क्रुद्धेन तदा संप्रार्थितस्तया

yadā caudumbarī śaptā nāradena surarṣiṇā mānuṣī bhava kruddhena tadā saṁprārthitastayā

When Udumbari had been cursed by Narada, the divine sage, in his anger, saying "Become human" — she then entreated him,

Verse 23 (skanda.6.189.23)

मदर्थं मानुषो भूत्वा तता त्वं चानया सह। सृज मां मानुषीं चेव येन गच्छामि नो भुवि

madarthaṁ mānuṣo bhūtvā tatā tvaṁ cānayā saha sṛja māṁ mānuṣīṁ ceva yena gacchāmi no bhuvi

"For my sake, having become human, create me too, together with her, as a human, that I may go down to the earth —"

Verse 24 (skanda.6.189.24)

विण्मूत्रसंयुते गर्भे सर्वदोषसमन्विते। ततः सा कृपया तस्याः सत्पत्न्या देवशर्मणः

viṇmūtrasaṁyute garbhe sarvadoṣasamanvite tataḥ sā kṛpayā tasyāḥ satpatnyā devaśarmaṇaḥ

"into a womb filled with filth and urine, endowed with every fault." Then, out of compassion, she [entered the womb] of that virtuous wife of Devasharma,

Verse 25 (skanda.6.189.25)

अवतीर्णा धरापृष्ठे वानप्रस्थाश्रमे ततः। एवं सा पञ्चमी रात्रिस्तस्य यज्ञस्य सत्तमाः

avatīrṇā dharāpṛṣṭhe vānaprasthāśrame tataḥ evaṁ sā pañcamī rātristasya yajñasya sattamāḥ

and descended upon the earth's surface, conceived there in the vanaprastha hermitage. Thus, O most excellent ones, passed the fifth night of that sacrifice,

Verse 26 (skanda.6.189.26)

उत्सवेन मनोज्ञेन चौदुम्बर्या व्यतिक्रमात्। प्रत्यूषे च ततो जाते यदा तेन विसर्जिता

utsavena manojñena caudumbaryā vyatikramāt pratyūṣe ca tato jāte yadā tena visarjitā

in a delightful festival, on account of the episode of Udumbari. Then, when dawn arrived, when she had been released by him,

Verse 27 (skanda.6.189.27)

औदुम्बरी तदा प्राह पर्वतं जनकं निजम्। कल्येऽत्रावभृथो भावी विधियज्ञसमुद्भवः

audumbarī tadā prāha parvataṁ janakaṁ nijam kalye'trāvabhṛtho bhāvī vidhiyajñasamudbhavaḥ

Udumbari then said to Parvata, her own father: "Tomorrow, here, the avabhritha bath is to take place, arising from the ordained sacrifice."

Verse 28 (skanda.6.189.28)

सर्वतीर्थमयस्तस्मिन्स्नानं न स्यात्ततः परम्। यास्यामः स्वगृहान्भूयः सर्वैर्देवैः समन्विताः

sarvatīrthamayastasminsnānaṁ na syāttataḥ param yāsyāmaḥ svagṛhānbhūyaḥ sarvairdevaiḥ samanvitāḥ

"Since that bath is composed of all the tirthas, there shall be no bathing beyond it. We shall go home again, together with all the gods,"

Verse 29 (skanda.6.189.29)

अनेनैव विमानेन त्रयो वापि यथासुखम्। ममापि च वरो जातो यः शापान्नारदोद्भवात्। यज्ञभागो मया प्राप्तो देवानामपि दुर्लभः। पौर्णमासीदिने प्राप्ते विशेषात्स्त्रीजनैः कृतः

anenaiva vimānena trayo vāpi yathāsukham mamāpi ca varo jāto yaḥ śāpānnāradodbhavāt yajñabhāgo mayā prāpto devānāmapi durlabhaḥ paurṇamāsīdine prāpte viśeṣātstrījanaiḥ kṛtaḥ

"by this very celestial chariot, the three of us, as we please. A boon has also come to me, born from Narada's curse — I have obtained a share of the sacrifice, difficult to attain even for the gods, granted especially when the full-moon day comes, performed particularly by women."