The Invitation of the Brahmins for the Taking of the Tree-Son

Verse 1 (skanda.8.161.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । शक्रेण तु कृतानुज्ञो नन्दी प्रमथनायकः । ब्रह्मणो भवनं गन्तुं मतिं दध्रे महाद्युतिः

sanatkumāra uvāca | śakreṇa tu kṛtānujño nandī pramathanāyakaḥ | brahmaṇo bhavanaṁ gantuṁ matiṁ dadhre mahādyutiḥ

Sanatkumara said: Having received leave from Indra, the mighty-radiant leader of the pramathas resolved to go to Brahma's abode.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.161.2)

स मुहूर्त्तान्महावेगो महावेग इवानिलः । वैराजं भवनं प्राप्तश्चतुर्वक्त्रस्य पार्षदः

sa muhūrttānmahāvego mahāvega ivānilaḥ | vairājaṁ bhavanaṁ prāptaścaturvaktrasya pārṣadaḥ

In but a moment, that mighty-swift one, swift as the wind, that attendant of the four-faced one, reached the Vairaja hall.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.161.3)

हतक्लमां स तु सभां सभां मेरुगिरेरिव । विवेश नन्दी तेजस्वी दिवाकरकरो यथा

hataklamāṁ sa tu sabhāṁ sabhāṁ merugireriva | viveśa nandī tejasvī divākarakaro yathā

Into that hall, tireless and majestic as Mount Meru, radiant Nandi entered, as a ray of the sun enters.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.161.4)

तां कथामिव चित्रार्थां चित्रार्थैर्बहुभिर्युताम् । ददर्श स सभां नन्दी बह्वाश्चर्यसमाकुलाम्

tāṁ kathāmiva citrārthāṁ citrārthairbahubhiryutām | dadarśa sa sabhāṁ nandī bahvāścaryasamākulām

Nandi beheld that assembly, like a tale rich with wondrous meanings, filled with many marvellous subjects, thronged with countless astonishments.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.161.5)

तस्यां सभायामालीनं यतिभिस्सह सोद्भुतम् । अपश्यदब्जजं नन्दी देवैः पञ्चभिरावृतम्

tasyāṁ sabhāyāmālīnaṁ yatibhissaha sodbhutam | apaśyadabjajaṁ nandī devaiḥ pañcabhirāvṛtam

Seated in that assembly among ascetics, surrounded by five gods, Nandi beheld the wondrous lotus-born Brahma.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.161.6)

वेदार्थं भाषमाणं तं यतीनां परिपृच्छताम् । ताँश्च भाष्यविदः सर्वान् श्रुत्वा साध्विति वादिनः

vedārthaṁ bhāṣamāṇaṁ taṁ yatīnāṁ paripṛcchatām | tā~śca bhāṣyavidaḥ sarvān śrutvā sādhviti vādinaḥ

He was expounding the meaning of the Vedas as the ascetics questioned him, and, hearing all those learned in the commentaries, was saying 'Well said!'

Verse 7 (skanda.8.161.7)

नन्दी पितामहं सम्यक् पूजयामास सत्वरम् । ततः पितामहः प्राह नन्दिनं गणनायकम्

nandī pitāmahaṁ samyak pūjayāmāsa satvaram | tataḥ pitāmahaḥ prāha nandinaṁ gaṇanāyakam

Nandi at once duly honoured the Grandsire. Then the Grandsire spoke to Nandi, the leader of the ganas.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.161.8)

किं चिरादागतोसीति स च तं प्रत्यभाषत । अशोकतरुकं पुत्रं गिरिपुत्री ग्रहीष्यति

kiṁ cirādāgatosīti sa ca taṁ pratyabhāṣata | aśokatarukaṁ putraṁ giriputrī grahīṣyati

'What is the reason for your coming after so long?' To this he replied: 'The mountain's daughter is going to take the ashoka tree as her son.'

Verse 9 (skanda.8.161.9)

भगवँस्तत्र देवस्त्वां निमन्त्रयति शङ्करः । इमांश्च तपसाग्न्याभान् सवेदान् वेदवादिनः

bhagava~statra devastvāṁ nimantrayati śaṅkaraḥ | imāṁśca tapasāgnyābhān savedān vedavādinaḥ

'O lord, the god Shankara invites you there, and these Veda-reciting ones too, radiant as fire through their austerity, together with their Vedas.'

Verse 10 (skanda.8.161.10)

निमन्त्रयति देवेशो यज्ञकोटीनिमन्त्रितः । यतिभिस्सह सर्वस्त्वं मन्दरं चित्रकन्दरम्

nimantrayati deveśo yajñakoṭīnimantritaḥ | yatibhissaha sarvastvaṁ mandaraṁ citrakandaram

'The lord of gods, honoured by millions of sacrifices, invites you together with the ascetics to Mount Mandara of the wondrous caverns.'

Verse 11 (skanda.8.161.11)

व्रज मानद देवानामेवमाज्ञापयत्यजः । इत्येवं वचसां कर्ता वचः श्रुत्वा स नन्दिनः

vraja mānada devānāmevamājñāpayatyajaḥ | ityevaṁ vacasāṁ kartā vacaḥ śrutvā sa nandinaḥ

'Go, O bestower of honour - the unborn one so commands.' Having heard these words of Nandi, skilled in speech -

Verse 12 (skanda.8.161.12)

जप्यप्रियमुवाचेदं हृष्टरूपः पितामहः । नन्दीश्वर व्रजस्व त्वमविघ्नेन शिवेन च

japyapriyamuvācedaṁ hṛṣṭarūpaḥ pitāmahaḥ | nandīśvara vrajasva tvamavighnena śivena ca

- the Grandsire, fond of muttered prayer, delighted, said this: 'O lord Nandi, go without hindrance and with blessing.'

Verse 13 (skanda.8.161.13)

अहमप्यागमिष्यामि एभिस्सह शिवान्तिकम् । मोक्ष्यते चाप्यशोकोसौ दक्षशापकृतं तमः

ahamapyāgamiṣyāmi ebhissaha śivāntikam | mokṣyate cāpyaśokosau dakṣaśāpakṛtaṁ tamaḥ

'I too shall come to Shiva's presence, together with all these. And so that ashoka tree too shall be freed from the darkness wrought by Daksha's curse.'

Verse 14 (skanda.8.161.14)

पुत्री हिमवतो देवी यं ग्रहीष्यति पुत्रकम् । इत्युक्तः प्रतिमान्येश ईशस्य दयितोग्रणीः

putrī himavato devī yaṁ grahīṣyati putrakam | ityuktaḥ pratimānyeśa īśasya dayitograṇīḥ

'- whom the Goddess, daughter of the Himalaya, shall take as her son.' Thus addressed, Nandi, foremost and most beloved of Ishvara -

Verse 15 (skanda.8.161.15)

ब्रह्मणो भवनात्तूर्णं क्षीरोदमुदधिं ययौ । मालामिव समुद्रस्य स तु वेलाममालिनीम्

brahmaṇo bhavanāttūrṇaṁ kṣīrodamudadhiṁ yayau | mālāmiva samudrasya sa tu velāmamālinīm

- set out at once from Brahma's abode toward the Ocean of Milk, whose shoreline lay like a garland upon the sea.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.161.16)

गणेश्वरसदोमुख्य आससाद दुरुत्सहाम् । स वेलानिलयान् विप्रान् वालखिल्याँस्तपोधनान्

gaṇeśvarasadomukhya āsasāda durutsahām | sa velānilayān viprān vālakhilyā~stapodhanān

That foremost among the assembly of the lords of the ganas came to those difficult-to-approach brahmins dwelling on the shore, the ascetic Balakhilyas.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.161.17)

नानानियमसंयुक्तानपश्यद् गणनायकः । वन्दमानं तमालोक्य गणेशं सुयशापतिम्

nānāniyamasaṁyuktānapaśyad gaṇanāyakaḥ | vandamānaṁ tamālokya gaṇeśaṁ suyaśāpatim

The leader of the ganas beheld them, each engaged in his own varied discipline. Beholding that glorious lord of the ganas as he bowed -

Verse 18 (skanda.8.161.18)

आशीभिरनुकूलाभिर्ननन्दुस्ते तपोधनाः । तपोधनानां हृष्टानां नन्दी मध्यगतो बभौ

āśībhiranukūlābhirnananduste tapodhanāḥ | tapodhanānāṁ hṛṣṭānāṁ nandī madhyagato babhau

- those ascetics rejoiced, offering favourable blessings. In the midst of those delighted ascetics, Nandi shone -

Verse 19 (skanda.8.161.19)

ग्रहाणां सौम्यरूपाणां यथा मध्यगतोडुपः । अथ पाद्यार्घ्यदानेन फलदानेन वैव हि

grahāṇāṁ saumyarūpāṇāṁ yathā madhyagatoḍupaḥ | atha pādyārghyadānena phaladānena vaiva hi

- as the moon shines amid the gentle-formed planets. Then, offering water for the feet, arghya, and fruits -

Verse 20 (skanda.8.161.20)

संपूज्य नन्दिनं देवं बालखिल्यास्तमब्रुवन् । कुतश्चिरस्यागमनमिह ते प्रमथाधिप । कच्चिद् द्रक्ष्याम देवेशं साम्बमम्बापतिं भवम्

saṁpūjya nandinaṁ devaṁ bālakhilyāstamabruvan | kutaścirasyāgamanamiha te pramathādhipa | kaccid drakṣyāma deveśaṁ sāmbamambāpatiṁ bhavam

- having thus honoured the god Nandi, the Balakhilyas said to him: 'O lord of the pramathas, what has brought you here after so long? Shall we indeed behold the lord of gods, Bhava, together with Uma?'

Verse 21 (skanda.8.161.21)

ततो नन्दी द्विजश्रेष्ठान् श्रेष्ठो वै प्रमथाधिपः । सालाङ्कारमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीद् द्विजसंसदि

tato nandī dvijaśreṣṭhān śreṣṭho vai pramathādhipaḥ | sālāṅkāramidaṁ vākyamabravīd dvijasaṁsadi

Then Nandi, foremost of the pramathas, spoke this well-adorned reply to those foremost brahmins, in that assembly of the twice-born.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.161.22)

मन्दरे साम्बिको देवो नेहागच्छति शङ्करः । इह चागमनं यन्मे तच्छृणुध्वं तपोधनाः

mandare sāmbiko devo nehāgacchati śaṅkaraḥ | iha cāgamanaṁ yanme tacchṛṇudhvaṁ tapodhanāḥ

'The god Shankara, with Uma, is on Mount Mandara; he does not come here. Hear, O ascetics, the reason for my coming here.'

Verse 23 (skanda.8.161.23)

अशोकतरुकं पुत्रं गिरिपुत्री ग्रहीष्यति । तत्र वो गोपतिर्देवो निमन्त्रयति शङ्करः

aśokatarukaṁ putraṁ giriputrī grahīṣyati | tatra vo gopatirdevo nimantrayati śaṅkaraḥ

'The mountain's daughter is going to take the ashoka tree as her son. There the lord of cattle, the god Shankara, invites all of you.'

Verse 24 (skanda.8.161.24)

श्वः सर्वे दारसहिताः सशिष्यतनयाग्नयः । मन्दरं यात विप्राग्र्या मामम्बां चानुगृहणत

śvaḥ sarve dārasahitāḥ saśiṣyatanayāgnayaḥ | mandaraṁ yāta viprāgryā māmambāṁ cānugṛhaṇata

'O foremost brahmins, go tomorrow with your wives, disciples, sons, and sacred fires to Mount Mandara, and show your grace to Mother Amba as well.'

Verse 25 (skanda.8.161.25)

इत्येवं नन्दिना प्रोक्ता बालखिल्या महर्षयः । देवे भक्ति प्रकर्षेण गणेशमिदमब्रुवन्

ityevaṁ nandinā proktā bālakhilyā maharṣayaḥ | deve bhakti prakarṣeṇa gaṇeśamidamabruvan

Thus addressed by Nandi, the great sages, the Balakhilyas, with the deepest devotion to the god, said this to the lord of the ganas.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.161.26)

भो नन्दिन्नागमिष्यामः श्वः प्रभाते वयं प्रभो । पर्वतं याह्यविघ्नेन मन्दरं चारुकन्दरम्

bho nandinnāgamiṣyāmaḥ śvaḥ prabhāte vayaṁ prabho | parvataṁ yāhyavighnena mandaraṁ cārukandaram

'O Nandi, O lord, we shall come tomorrow at dawn. Go without hindrance to Mount Mandara of the lovely caverns.'

Verse 27 (skanda.8.161.27)

स बालखिल्यैः प्रणतोभिपूजितो निमन्त्र्य सर्वान् त्रिपदे द्विजोत्तमान् । पुनर्निवृतोभिजगाम मन्दरं स यत्र देव्या सहितोवतिष्ठते

sa bālakhilyaiḥ praṇatobhipūjito nimantrya sarvān tripade dvijottamān | punarnivṛtobhijagāma mandaraṁ sa yatra devyā sahitovatiṣṭhate

Honoured by the bowing Balakhilyas, having invited all the foremost brahmins of the three worlds, he turned back and went to Mount Mandara, where Shiva stood together with the Goddess.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.161.28)

अथ भुवनपतिं पतिं सुराणां गिरितनयामुखपङ्कजद्विरेफम् । धनदवरदमेत्य भूतनाथं गणपतिनाथ इदं तदावभाषे

atha bhuvanapatiṁ patiṁ surāṇāṁ giritanayāmukhapaṅkajadvirepham | dhanadavaradametya bhūtanāthaṁ gaṇapatinātha idaṁ tadāvabhāṣe

Then the lord of the ganapatis, having approached the lord of the worlds, sovereign of the gods, the bee upon the lotus-face of the mountain's daughter, granter of Kubera's boon, the lord of bhutas, spoke thus.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.161.29)

दिवि च भुवि च ये चरन्ति विप्राः शमदमसंयमशौचसत्वयुक्ताः । त्रिपुरदमन कालनाश सर्वे तव वचनाद्विनिमन्त्रिता मया ते

divi ca bhuvi ca ye caranti viprāḥ śamadamasaṁyamaśaucasatvayuktāḥ | tripuradamana kālanāśa sarve tava vacanādvinimantritā mayā te

'O tamer of the triple city, O destroyer of Death - whatever brahmins move through heaven and earth, endowed with calm, self-control, discipline, purity, and goodness, all of them have, at your word, now been invited by me.'