Brahma's Boon to the Goddess

Verse 1 (skanda.8.11.1)

अपृच्छद्धिमवान् प्रश्नं लोके ख्यातिकरं नु किम्

apṛcchaddhimavān praśnaṁ loke khyātikaraṁ nu kim

Himavat asked this question: 'What indeed is it that brings fame in this world?'

Verse 2 (skanda.8.11.2)

केनाक्षयाश्च लोकाः स्युः ख्यातिश्च परमा मुने । तथैव चार्चनीयत्वं सत्सु तत् कथयस्व मे

kenākṣayāśca lokāḥ syuḥ khyātiśca paramā mune | tathaiva cārcanīyatvaṁ satsu tat kathayasva me

By what means, O sage, are imperishable worlds and supreme fame obtained? And likewise, how does one become worthy of worship among the virtuous? Tell me that.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.11.3)

कश्यप उवाच। अपत्येन महाभाग सर्वमेतदवाप्यते । मम ख्यातिरपत्येन ब्रह्मणश्चर्षिभिः सह

kaśyapa uvāca| apatyena mahābhāga sarvametadavāpyate | mama khyātirapatyena brahmaṇaścarṣibhiḥ saha

Kashyapa said: O illustrious one, all this is attained through offspring alone. Even my own fame, along with that of Brahma and the sages, rests upon offspring.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.11.4)

किन्न पश्यसि शैलेन्द्र यतो मां परिपृच्छसि । वर्त्तयिष्यामि तच्चापि यन्मे दृष्टं पुराचल

kinna paśyasi śailendra yato māṁ paripṛcchasi | varttayiṣyāmi taccāpi yanme dṛṣṭaṁ purācala

O lord of mountains, what is it you fail to see, that you question me so? I shall now tell you, O mountain, of what I once witnessed.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.11.5)

वाराणसीमहं गच्छन्नपश्यं संस्थितं दिवि । विमानं स्वनवद्दिव्यमनौपम्यमनिन्दितम्

vārāṇasīmahaṁ gacchannapaśyaṁ saṁsthitaṁ divi | vimānaṁ svanavaddivyamanaupamyamaninditam

As I journeyed toward Varanasi, I saw stationed in the sky a divine chariot, resonant with sound, incomparable and flawless.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.11.6)

तस्याधस्तादार्त्तनादं गर्भस्थाने शृणोम्यहम् । तानहं तपसा ज्ञात्वा तत्रैवान्तर्हितः स्थितः

tasyādhastādārttanādaṁ garbhasthāne śṛṇomyaham | tānahaṁ tapasā jñātvā tatraivāntarhitaḥ sthitaḥ

Beneath it, in a hollow place, I heard a cry of distress. Recognizing them through the power of my austerity, I stood there unseen.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.11.7)

अथागात्तत्र शैलेन्द्र विप्रो नियमवान् शुचिः । तीर्थाभिषेकपूतात्मा परे तपसि संस्थितः

athāgāttatra śailendra vipro niyamavān śuciḥ | tīrthābhiṣekapūtātmā pare tapasi saṁsthitaḥ

Then, O lord of mountains, there arrived a brahmin devoted to his vows, pure, his soul cleansed by bathing at sacred fords, established in the highest austerity.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.11.8)

अथ स व्रजमानस्तु व्याघ्रेणाभीषितो द्विजः । विवेश तं तदा देशं सा गर्ता यत्र भूधर

atha sa vrajamānastu vyāghreṇābhīṣito dvijaḥ | viveśa taṁ tadā deśaṁ sā gartā yatra bhūdhara

As he journeyed on, that brahmin, terrified by a tiger, entered, O mountain, the very region where that pit lay.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.11.9)

गर्त्तायां वीरणस्तम्बे लम्बमानांस्तदा मुनीन् । अपश्यदार्तो दुःखार्त्तानपृच्छत्तांश्च स द्विजः

garttāyāṁ vīraṇastambe lambamānāṁstadā munīn | apaśyadārto duḥkhārttānapṛcchattāṁśca sa dvijaḥ

In the pit, hanging from a tuft of virana grass, he saw those sages. Grieved, the brahmin saw them afflicted with sorrow and questioned them.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.11.10)

के यूयं वीरणस्तम्बे लम्बमाना ह्यधोमुखाः । दुःखिताः केन मोक्षश्च युष्माकं भवितानघाः

ke yūyaṁ vīraṇastambe lambamānā hyadhomukhāḥ | duḥkhitāḥ kena mokṣaśca yuṣmākaṁ bhavitānaghāḥ

'Who are you, hanging head-downward and sorrowful from this tuft of virana grass? By what means, O blameless ones, shall your release come?'

Verse 11 (skanda.8.11.11)

पितर ऊचुः। वयन्ते कृतपुण्यस्य पितरः सपितामहाः । प्रपितामहाश्च क्लिश्यामस्तव दुष्टेन कर्मणा

pitara ūcuḥ| vayante kṛtapuṇyasya pitaraḥ sapitāmahāḥ | prapitāmahāśca kliśyāmastava duṣṭena karmaṇā

The forefathers said: We are your fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers, O meritorious one; we suffer here because of grievous past deeds.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.11.12)

नरकोयं महाभाग गर्त्तारूपं समास्थितः । त्वञ्चापि वीरणस्तम्बस्त्वयि लम्बामहे वयम्

narakoyaṁ mahābhāga garttārūpaṁ samāsthitaḥ | tvañcāpi vīraṇastambastvayi lambāmahe vayam

This, O illustrious one, is a hell that has taken the form of a pit; and you yourself are the tuft of virana grass on which we hang.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.11.13)

यावत्त्वं जीवसे विप्र तावदेव वयं स्थिताः । मृते त्वयि गमिष्यामो नरकं पापचेतसः

yāvattvaṁ jīvase vipra tāvadeva vayaṁ sthitāḥ | mṛte tvayi gamiṣyāmo narakaṁ pāpacetasaḥ

As long as you live, O brahmin, we remain suspended thus; when you die, we, our minds burdened with sin, shall fall into hell.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.11.14)

यदि त्वं दारसंयोगं कृत्वापत्यं गुणोत्तरम् । उत्पादयसि तेनास्मान्मुच्येम वयमेकशः

yadi tvaṁ dārasaṁyogaṁ kṛtvāpatyaṁ guṇottaram | utpādayasi tenāsmānmucyema vayamekaśaḥ

If you marry and beget a son of excellent virtues, by that alone shall we all be released together.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.11.15)

नान्येन तपसा पुत्र न तीर्थानां फलेन च । तत् कुरुष्व महाबुद्धे तारयस्व पितॄन् भयात्

nānyena tapasā putra na tīrthānāṁ phalena ca | tat kuruṣva mahābuddhe tārayasva pitṝn bhayāt

Not by any other austerity, O son, nor by the merit of pilgrimage, can this be done; do this, O wise one, and deliver your forefathers from this danger.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.11.16)

स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय आराध्य च वृषध्वजम् । पितॄन् गर्त्तात्समुद्धृत्य गणपान् प्रचकार ह

sa tatheti pratijñāya ārādhya ca vṛṣadhvajam | pitṝn garttātsamuddhṛtya gaṇapān pracakāra ha

He agreed, saying 'so be it,' and having worshipped the bull-bannered Shiva, he raised his ancestors out of the pit and made them lords of the ganas.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.11.17)

स्वयञ्च रुद्रदयितः सुकेशो नाम नामतः । संमतो बलवांश्चैव रुद्रस्य च गणपोभवत्

svayañca rudradayitaḥ sukeśo nāma nāmataḥ | saṁmato balavāṁścaiva rudrasya ca gaṇapobhavat

He himself, dear to Rudra, named Sukesha, honored and mighty, became a leader of Rudra's ganas.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.11.18)

तस्मात् कृत्वा तपो घोरमपत्यं गुणवद् भृशम् । उत्पादयस्व शैलेन्द्र ततः कीर्तिमवाप्स्यसि

tasmāt kṛtvā tapo ghoramapatyaṁ guṇavad bhṛśam | utpādayasva śailendra tataḥ kīrtimavāpsyasi

Therefore, O lord of mountains, perform intense austerity and beget offspring of great virtue; through that you shall attain fame.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.11.19)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। स एवमुक्तो ऋषिणा शैलेन्द्रो नियमे स्थितः । तपश्चकार विपुलं येन ब्रह्मा तुतोष ह

sanatkumāra uvāca| sa evamukto ṛṣiṇā śailendro niyame sthitaḥ | tapaścakāra vipulaṁ yena brahmā tutoṣa ha

Sanatkumara said: Thus addressed by the sage, the lord of mountains, keeping to strict observance, performed vast austerity, by which Brahma became pleased.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.11.20)

तमागत्य ततो ब्रह्मा वरदोस्मीत्यभाषत । ब्रूहि तुष्टोस्मि ते शैल तपसानेन सुव्रत

tamāgatya tato brahmā varadosmītyabhāṣata | brūhi tuṣṭosmi te śaila tapasānena suvrata

Then Brahma approached him and said, 'I am a giver of boons; speak. O mountain of noble vows, I am well pleased with this austerity of yours.'

Verse 21 (skanda.8.11.21)

हिमवानुवाच। भगवन् पुत्रमिच्छामि गुणैः सर्वैरलंकृतम् । एतद्वरं प्रयच्छस्व यदि तुष्टोसि नः प्रभो

himavānuvāca| bhagavan putramicchāmi guṇaiḥ sarvairalaṁkṛtam | etadvaraṁ prayacchasva yadi tuṣṭosi naḥ prabho

Himavat said: O lord, I desire a son adorned with every virtue. Grant me this boon, O master, if you are pleased with us.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.11.22)

ब्रह्मोवाच। कन्या भवित्री शैलेन्द्र सुता ते वरवर्णिनी । यस्याः प्रभावात् सर्वत्र कीर्त्तिमाप्स्यसि पुष्कलाम्

brahmovāca| kanyā bhavitrī śailendra sutā te varavarṇinī | yasyāḥ prabhāvāt sarvatra kīrttimāpsyasi puṣkalām

Brahma said: A daughter of surpassing beauty shall be born to you, O lord of mountains; through her power you shall gain abundant fame everywhere.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.11.23)

अर्चितः सर्वदेवानां तीर्थकोटीसमावृतः । पावनश्चैव पुण्यश्च देवानामपि सर्वतः । ज्येष्ठा च सा भवित्री ते अन्ये चानु ततः शुभे

arcitaḥ sarvadevānāṁ tīrthakoṭīsamāvṛtaḥ | pāvanaścaiva puṇyaśca devānāmapi sarvataḥ | jyeṣṭhā ca sā bhavitrī te anye cānu tataḥ śubhe

You shall be honored by all the gods, encircled by countless sacred fords, and shall become, on every side, purifying and sacred even to the gods. She shall be your eldest daughter, O auspicious one, and others shall follow after her.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.11.24)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। एवमुक्त्वा ततो ब्रह्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । सोपि कालेन शैलेन्द्रो मेनायामुदपादयत्

sanatkumāra uvāca| evamuktvā tato brahmā tatraivāntaradhīyata | sopi kālena śailendro menāyāmudapādayat

Sanatkumara said: Having spoken thus, Brahma vanished then and there. In time, the lord of mountains begot daughters upon Mena.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.11.25)

अपर्णामेकपर्णां च तथा चाप्येकपाटलाम् । न्यग्रोधमेकपर्णा तु पाटलं चैकपाटला

aparṇāmekaparṇāṁ ca tathā cāpyekapāṭalām | nyagrodhamekaparṇā tu pāṭalaṁ caikapāṭalā

He begot Aparna, Ekaparna, and likewise Ekapatala. Ekaparna was associated with the banyan tree, and Ekapatala with the patala tree.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.11.26)

आश्रिते द्वे ह्यपर्णा तु अनिकेता तपोचरत् । शतं वर्षसहस्राणां दुश्चरं देवदानवैः

āśrite dve hyaparṇā tu aniketā tapocarat | śataṁ varṣasahasrāṇāṁ duścaraṁ devadānavaiḥ

The two sisters took shelter under trees, but Aparna, without any shelter, practiced for a hundred thousand years an austerity difficult even for gods and demons to perform.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.11.27)

आहारमेकपर्णेन सैकपर्णा समाचरत् । पाटलेन तथैकेन व्यदधाच्चैकपाटला

āhāramekaparṇena saikaparṇā samācarat | pāṭalena tathaikena vyadadhāccaikapāṭalā

Ekaparna lived on a single leaf as her food, and likewise Ekapatala subsisted on a single patala blossom.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.11.28)

पूर्णे पूर्णे सहस्रे तु आहारं ते च चक्रतुः । अपर्णा तु निराहारा तां माता प्रत्यभाषत

pūrṇe pūrṇe sahasre tu āhāraṁ te ca cakratuḥ | aparṇā tu nirāhārā tāṁ mātā pratyabhāṣata

At the end of each thousand years the two sisters took some food, but Aparna remained wholly without food; her mother then spoke to her.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.11.29)

निषेधयन्तीत्युमेति मातृस्नेहेन दुःखिता । सा तथोक्ता तदा मात्रा देवी दुश्चरचारिणी । तेनैव नाम्ना लोकेषु विख्याता सुरपूजिता

niṣedhayantītyumeti mātṛsnehena duḥkhitā | sā tathoktā tadā mātrā devī duścaracāriṇī | tenaiva nāmnā lokeṣu vikhyātā surapūjitā

Grieved by motherly love, and forbidding her, the mother cried out 'U mā' ('Do not!'). Thus addressed by her mother, that goddess of such difficult austerity became famed throughout the worlds by that very name, Uma, and was worshipped by the gods.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.11.30)

एतत् तत्त्रिकुमारीकं जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम् । एतासां तपसा लोकान् यावद् भूमिर्धरिष्यति

etat tattrikumārīkaṁ jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam | etāsāṁ tapasā lokān yāvad bhūmirdhariṣyati

This whole world, moving and unmoving, rests upon these three maidens; by their austerity the worlds shall endure as long as the earth sustains them.

Verse 31 (skanda.8.11.31)

तपःशरीरास्ताः सर्वास्तिस्रो योगबलान्विताः । सर्वाश्चैव महायोगाः सर्वाश्च स्थिरयौवनाः

tapaḥśarīrāstāḥ sarvāstisro yogabalānvitāḥ | sarvāścaiva mahāyogāḥ sarvāśca sthirayauvanāḥ

All three, their very bodies given over to austerity, endowed with the power of yoga, were great yoginis, and all possessed everlasting youth.

Verse 32 (skanda.8.11.32)

लोकानां मातरश्चैव ब्रह्मचारिण्य एव च । अनुगृह्णन्ति लोकांश्च तपसा स्वेन सर्वदा

lokānāṁ mātaraścaiva brahmacāriṇya eva ca | anugṛhṇanti lokāṁśca tapasā svena sarvadā

They are mothers of the worlds and, at the same time, celibate ascetics; through their own austerity they perpetually bestow grace upon the worlds.

Verse 33 (skanda.8.11.33)

उमा तासां वरिष्ठा च श्रेष्ठा च वरवर्णिनी । महायोगबलोपेता महादेवमुपस्थिता

umā tāsāṁ variṣṭhā ca śreṣṭhā ca varavarṇinī | mahāyogabalopetā mahādevamupasthitā

Among them, Uma was the eldest and finest, of exceeding beauty, endowed with the power of great yoga, and devoted to Mahadeva.

Verse 34 (skanda.8.11.34)

दत्तकश्चोशनास्तस्याः पुत्रः स भृगुनन्दनः । असितस्यैकवर्णा तु देवलं सुषुवे सुतम्

dattakaścośanāstasyāḥ putraḥ sa bhṛgunandanaḥ | asitasyaikavarṇā tu devalaṁ suṣuve sutam

Datta and Ushanas, the delight of Bhrigu, were her sons; and Ekavarna, wife of Asita, gave birth to a son named Devala.

Verse 35 (skanda.8.11.35)

या तु तासां कुमारीणां तृतीया ह्येकपाटला । पुत्रं शतशलाकस्य जैगीषव्यमुपस्थिता

yā tu tāsāṁ kumārīṇāṁ tṛtīyā hyekapāṭalā | putraṁ śataśalākasya jaigīṣavyamupasthitā

She who was the third among these maidens, Ekapatala, bore to Shatashalaka a son named Jaigishavya.

Verse 36 (skanda.8.11.36)

तस्यापि शंखलिखितौ स्मृतौ पुत्रावयोनिजौ । उमा तु या मया तुभ्यं कीर्तिता वरवर्णिनी

tasyāpi śaṁkhalikhitau smṛtau putrāvayonijau | umā tu yā mayā tubhyaṁ kīrtitā varavarṇinī

His two sons, Shankha and Likhita, are said to have been born not from a womb. And Uma, of whom I have told you, was that maiden of surpassing beauty.

Verse 37 (skanda.8.11.37)

अथ तस्यास्तपोयोगात् त्रैलोक्यमखिलं तदा । प्रधूपितं समालक्ष्य ब्रह्मा वचनमब्रवीत्

atha tasyāstapoyogāt trailokyamakhilaṁ tadā | pradhūpitaṁ samālakṣya brahmā vacanamabravīt

Then, seeing the whole triple world smoldering from the power of her austerity and yoga, Brahma spoke these words.

Verse 38 (skanda.8.11.38)

ब्रह्मोवाच। देवि किं तपसा लोकान् तापयिष्यसि शोभने । त्वया सृष्टमिदं विश्वं मा कृत्वैतद्विनाशय

brahmovāca| devi kiṁ tapasā lokān tāpayiṣyasi śobhane | tvayā sṛṣṭamidaṁ viśvaṁ mā kṛtvaitadvināśaya

Brahma said: O beautiful goddess, why do you scorch the worlds with your austerity? This universe was created by you — do not destroy what you yourself have made.

Verse 39 (skanda.8.11.39)

त्वं हि धारयसे लोकानिमान् सर्वान् स्वतेजसा । ब्रूहि किन्ते जगन्मातः प्रार्थितं संप्रसीद नः

tvaṁ hi dhārayase lokānimān sarvān svatejasā | brūhi kinte jaganmātaḥ prārthitaṁ saṁprasīda naḥ

It is you who sustains all these worlds by your own splendor. Tell me, O mother of the universe, what it is you desire — be gracious to us.

Verse 40 (skanda.8.11.40)

देव्युवाच। यदर्थन्तपसो ह्यस्य चरणं मे पितामह । जानीषे तत्त्वतस्तन्मे ततः पृच्छसि किं पुनः

devyuvāca| yadarthantapaso hyasya caraṇaṁ me pitāmaha | jānīṣe tattvatastanme tataḥ pṛcchasi kiṁ punaḥ

The goddess said: O grandsire, you truly know the very purpose of this austerity of mine — why then do you ask me again?

Verse 41 (skanda.8.11.41)

ब्रह्मोवाच। यदर्थ देवि तपसा श्राम्यसे लोकभावनि । स त्वां स्वयं समागम्य इहैव वरयिष्यति

brahmovāca| yadartha devi tapasā śrāmyase lokabhāvani | sa tvāṁ svayaṁ samāgamya ihaiva varayiṣyati

Brahma said: O goddess who sustains the worlds, he for whose sake you exhaust yourself in austerity shall himself come here and choose you as his own.

Verse 42 (skanda.8.11.42)

सर्वदेवपतिः श्रेष्ठः सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरः । वयं सदेवा यस्येशे वश्याः किङ्करवादिनः

sarvadevapatiḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvalokeśvareśvaraḥ | vayaṁ sadevā yasyeśe vaśyāḥ kiṅkaravādinaḥ

He is the foremost lord of all the gods, the lord even of the lords of all the worlds; we, together with the gods, are subject to him, obedient as his servants.

Verse 43 (skanda.8.11.43)

सदेवदेवः परमेश्वरेश्वरः स्वयं तवायास्यति लोकपोन्तिकम् । उदाररूपो विकृतोभिरूपवान् समानरूपो हि नरस्य कस्यचित्

sadevadevaḥ parameśvareśvaraḥ svayaṁ tavāyāsyati lokapontikam | udārarūpo vikṛtobhirūpavān samānarūpo hi narasya kasyacit

That god of gods, lord even above the supreme lord, shall himself come near to you, O protector of the world — of noble form, yet also deformed and handsome at once, appearing in the guise of some ordinary man.

Verse 44 (skanda.8.11.44)

महेश्वरः पर्वतलोकवासी चराचरेशः प्रथमो प्रमेयः । विनेन्दुनापीन्दुसमानवक्त्रो विभीषणं रूपमिहास्थितोग्र्यम्

maheśvaraḥ parvatalokavāsī carācareśaḥ prathamo prameyaḥ | vinendunāpīndusamānavaktro vibhīṣaṇaṁ rūpamihāsthitogryam

Maheshvara, dweller among the mountain folk, lord of all that moves and moves not, the primeval and unfathomable one — his face resembling the moon even without its crescent — shall here assume a fearsome and extraordinary form.