०६

… (4.) Illumining the sky with the circles of their lustre, the great sages (lit. those whose penance was their treasure) immediately appeared before the Lord, accompanied by Arundhati. (5.) Bathed in the streams of the celestial Ganges, the waves of which bear along the flowers of the wish-granting trees grown on the banks and which are scented with the temporal juice of the quarter-elephants; (6.) Wearing sacred threads of pearls, dressed in gold bark-garments and having jewel-rosaries and (thus) looking like the heavenly trees that had betaken to the ascetic mode of life (retirement from the world); (7.) Who were looked up to with a bow by the thousandrayed (sun) himself having placed his horses below and bent his flag; (8.) Who had rested, at the time of the calamity of universal destruction, on the tusk of the great Boar along with the earth, that was lifted up (from water), with their creeper-like arms attached to it (the tusk or the earth); (9.) Who, on account of their finishing the work of the remaining part of the creation, after Brahman, are (40) mentioned ( described by those conversant with history) as the primeval creators; (10.) And who, although enjoying the fruits of their exceedingly pure penance, practised in previous lives and now come to fruition, remalned (continued to be) ascetics still. (11.) The chaste Arundhati who was in their midst with her eyes directed to the feet of her husband, shone exceedingly as though she were the success of their asceticism incarnate. (12.) The Lord looked upon (or, received) her and the sages without any distinction of honour; no regard is shown to one’s being a male or female; for the character of the good (alone) is esteemed. (13.) At her sight S’ambhu’s desire for a wife became stronger: good wives, indeed, are the prime cause of religious performances. (14.) Religious duty having made S’iva take a step. with regard to (form a regard for) Parvati, the mind of Kâma, full of fear at previous guilt, breathed with relief (or hope). (15.) Then all those sages, who were adepts in the Vedas with their accessory branches, having duly honoured the Lord of the universe (thus) spoke to Him, with the hair of their bodies standing on end from joy. (16.) The Veda that was duly studied by us; the sacrifices that were offered into the fire in the prescribed form and the penance that was practised-the fruit of all that has been ripened for us to-day, (17.)—in as much as by thee, Lord over all the worlds, we have been made to be the object of thy mind which is - beyond the reach of our wish. (18.) He, in whose mind thou abidest, is, indeed, the greatest of all blessed persons: what then to say of him: who dwells in the mind of thee, the cause of Brahma (or the Vedas)? (19.) (41) Truly we occupy a station higher than that of the sun and the moon; but to-day far higher than theirs, owing to the favour of thy remembrance of us. (20.) We think highly of ourselves (thus) honoured by thee: generally the regard of superiors creates confidence in one’s own merits. (21.) Where is the necessity, O Thou with diverse eyes, to express to Thee the delight caused to us by thy having remembered us! Thou art the in-dwelling soul of all embodied creatures. (22.) Thou art seen visibly, and yet we know thee not in thy real nature; be pleased and explain thyself: (for) Thou liest not within the range of mental faculties. (23.) Which (of the three) is this form of thine? whether that by which Thou manifestest the universe or that by which Thou preservest it or that which resolves the universe back (into its original state). (24.) Or rather, O God, let this our high-soaring request stand aside: in the first place command us who have presented ourselves at thy mental call. What shall we do? (25.) Then the great the scanty lustre of the -rays of his teeth. God spoke to them, heightening moon on his head with the bright (26.) It is known to you that none of my proceedings (efforts, activities) are for my own self: and verily I am shown to be of such nature by my eight forms. (27.) That I (or, I who am, such) have been solicited for progeny (to beget a son) by the gods tormented by their enemies as the (lightning-bearing) cloud is for a shower by the Chátaka birds oppressed by thirst. (28.) For this reason I wish to take (for wife) Pârvatf for (begetting) a son, as a sacrificer secures arani (particular pieces of wood) for the generation of the holy fire. ( 42 ) (29.) Himalaya should be requested by you to bestow her (in marriage) on me: the connections (relationship) brought about by the good do not lead to bad results. (30.) Know me also to be not deluded, being joined in relationship with him who is exalted (lofty), who keeps within proper bounds (has stability), and who bears the burden of the earth. (31.) That he should be addressed in such and such a way for his daughter need not be told to you; for the learned inculcate the rules of conduct prescribed by yourselves. (32.) The revered Arundhati too will do well to take part therein generally in a matter of this nature matrons have great competency. (33.) Set out then for Oshadhiprastha, the city (capital) of Himalaya, for the accomplishment (of the business); we shall meet again just at this cataract of the Mahákosf. (34.) When he, the foremost of ascetics, became inclined to marriage, the ascetics, born of Brahman, gave up their shame for having wives. (35.) Then having said ‘very well’ the group of sages departed. And the Lord also went to the place first settled. (36.) The great sages too, having jumped into the sky, dark like a sword, and equalling the mind in velocity, reached Oshadhiprastha, (37.) (The city) which was built as it were, by transplanting, Alaká itself, the repository of wealth and abundance (or, abundant wealth) and peopled, as it were, by causing an exodus of the redundance of heaven. (38.) Which was encircled by the streams of the Ganges, which had herbs blazing within its ramparts, the wall of which was built of large jewel-stones and which was charming even in (notwithstanding) Its fortifications. (39.) Wherein the elephants had overcome their fear of llons, where the horses were of the Bila-breed, and of (43) which the Yakshas and the Kimpurushas were the male citizens and the sylvan goddesses the females. (40.) In which the sounds of tabors in the houses, the tops of which have clouds clinging to them, being confounded with the echoes of the thunderclaps, are distinguished by the strokes accompanying them. (41.) Where the beauty of flags of the staves in houses is presented (given rise to ), without any attempt on the part of the citizens, by the desire-granting trees themselves, having garments fluttering on their branches. (42.) Where in the parts of the crystal mansions (set apart) for drinking, the reflections of stars get at night to the position of (serve as ) presents (or offerings) of flowers. (43.) Where at night, amorous females going out to meet their lovers are ignorant of ( do not experience) nocturnal darkness even on cloudy days, their paths being shown by the light of the (glittering) herbs. (44.) Wherein life extended to youth (only; or youth was the last stage of life); where no other destroyer was known than the flower-arrowed-god and where sleep brought on by sexual exhaustion was (the only) suspension of sensation. (45.) In which lovers are made supplicants, till favour is shown (reconciliation) by the (jealous) anger of beloveds, in which there are contractions of the eye-brows, quiverings of lips and threatenings with graceful fingers. (46.) Whose outer garden is the fragrant Gandhamàdana, in which the Vidyàdhara travellers sleep in the shades of the Santanaka (heavenly) trees. (47.) Now the divine sages on seeing the capital of Him, thought their performance of holy rites with the object of attaining heaven to be a deception. (48.) Looked at by the door-keepers with faces raised up, they, with the masses of their matted hair steady like ( 44 ) painted (flames of) fire, descended with speed into the palace of the mountain, (49.) The row of sages alighted from the sky, with the seniors preceding in due order, shone like a series of the reflections of the sun in water. (50.) Bending the earth by the plantings of his feet heavy with inward substance, the mountain, taking the materials of worship, advanced from a distance to receive them, worthy of adoration, (51.) With lips mineral-red (having red minerals for his ruddy lips), tall, with arms huge like fir trees (having the large fir trees for his arms), and with a chest strong like a rock (having rocks for his chest) he was clearly known to be Himayat. (52.) Himself leading the way, he made them, to whom reception was accorded in the due form and who were of holy practices, enter the barem. (53.) Having taken his seat the lord of mountains, with joined palms, addressed this speech to the divine (lit. powerful) sages who were already seated in cane seats. (54.) Your sight obtained unexpectedly appears to me like shower without the (previous) rise of clouds or like a fruit without the appearance of a flower (before-hand). (55.) By(this) your favour I consider myself like one enlightened being ignorant, or as if transformed into gold being made of Iron, or as if raised to heaven from earth. (56.) From this day I am to be approached for purification by creatures; for that which is resorted to by the adorable is called a holy (purifying) place. (57.) O you, the most eminent of the twice born ( Brahmanas), I consider myself sanctified by the two only, the fall of the Ganges on my head and by the water from your washed feet. ( 45 ) I consider even my two-fold body, as separately favoured: the movable by being in the position of your servant, the immovable by being marked by your feet. (59.) My limbs though spreading to ( covering all space within the extremities of quarters are ill sufficient to contain the growing joy, caused by the honour done by you. (60.) By the sight of you, resplendent (illustrious) ones, not only the darkness in my caves is removed but even my internal darkness (ignorance), lying beyond. Rajas (the quality of passiou) is dispelled. (61.) I do not see that there is any thing to be done for you; and if there be any, what is there that cannot be expected to be accomplished by you? I think your arrival here is simply for my purification. (62.) Still be pleased to give me a command in some matter (to do something for you): for, in respect of their masters servants consider an order as a favour. (63.) My own self, my wife here; and this my daughter, the life of your family: say which of us you want to be at your service: about external things I speak not with any regard, (no need to say that they will be at your service): (64.) Himalaya, who spoke thus, said the same thing twice as it were, by its echo resounding from the mouths of the caverns. (65.) Thereupon the sages urged Angiras, best skilled (lit. the foremost speaker) in matters to be spoken, to speak: he replied (thus) to the mountain- (66.) All this (that you have said) is befitting to you and even more; the loftiness of your mind and of your peaks is alike. (67.) Rightly are you called Vishnu in your immovable form: for your middle ( or interior) has become the support of all beings-movable and immovable. ( 46 ) (68.) How could the Serpent have borne the earth on hoods as delicate as lotus-stalks, had you not sustained it from the bottom of the nether world ̧! (69.) Your glories and your rivers, with their currents unbroken and untainted and unobstructed by the waves of the seas, purify the worlds owing to their sanctity. (70.) Just as Gangà is lauded by (her birth from) the foot of the supreme Lord, so she is by you of lofty peaks, her second source. (71.) The greatness of Harf pervaded all space, crosswise upwards and downwards, when attempting to take the three steps: with you it is natural. (72.) By you having got a place among those enjoying a share of the sacrificial food, the lofty golden peak of Meru is rendered futile ( made of less consequence ). (73.) All hardness has been transferred by you to your immovable form. But this your animate form, given to the propitiation of the good, is humble (lit. beut low) with devotion. (74.) Hear then the business which has brought us here: it is, however, your own business. But we are participators in this by our advising in auspicious matters (in as much as we have to advise you in what is to your benefit). (75.) He, who bears, along with the crescent moon, the sublime title of ‘Lord’, endowed with the attributes animan (the power to become atomic) and others and not applying to any other person; (76.) By whom is sustained this universe by means of his forms, earth and others, adding to one another’s power, as a carriage is held by horses on the road; (77.) Whom residing in the interior of the body (the heart) ascetics seek, and whose abode, the wise declare, is free from the fear of the recurrence of birth ; ( 47 ) (78.) That S’ambhu himself, the witness of the doings of the world and the giver of desired objects, asks for your daughter through (lit. by words addressed through) us. (79.) You will then do well to unite him with your daughter like sense with words: for a daughter given to a good husband is not to be regretted by (is no matter of regret for) the father. (80.) Let all these creatures, immovable and movableas many as they are-consider her their mother; for S’iva Is the father of the universe. (81.) Let the gods, after having bowed down to the dark-necked God, tinge her feet with the rays of their crest-jewels. (82.) Uma is the bride; you, her giver in marriage; and here are we solicitors (for her); and S’ambhu is the bridegroom: this combination (of circumstances) is enough for the exaltation of your family. (83.) By forming the alliance through your daughter, be the father of the father of the universe, who does not praise any one, but is praised by all, who adores none but is adored by all. (84.) While the sage was speaking thus, Párvatt, who was by her father’s side, counted the petals of her sportive lotus with a down-cast look. (85.) The mountain, though his desire was entirely fulfilled, looked up to the face of Mená: generally in matters relating to daughters householders are guided by their wives (lit. have wives for their guiding eyes). (86.) Mena’, too, approved of all that, the much desired object of her husband. Wives devoted to their husbands never disagree with their lords in their desired objects. (87.) He, having thought in his mind after reflection’this would be the proper reply to this’-took hold of his daughter, auspiciously adorned, at the conclusion of the (sage’s) speech- (48) (88.) Come on, dear daughter: thou art made alms to S’iva (the soul of the universe). The sages are the petitioners : I have obtained the frult of a householder’s (or, married) life. (89.) Having said so much to his daughter, the moun tain said to the sages-here bows to you all the bride of the three-eyed God. (90.) Having commended the speech of the mountain, noble on account of his acting up to their wishes, they (the sages ) magnified Ambikâ with benedictions that were soon to fructify. (91.) Arundhati placed on her lap that blushing girl whose two gold ear-rings slipped off in her hurry (lit. earnest desire) to make a bow. (92.) And by (mentioning) the virtues of the bridegroom who had no other wife beforehand, she consoled her mother whose face was suffused with tears, and who was distracted on account of her affection for her daughter. (93.) Asked the very moment, as for the auspicious) day for marriage, by Siva’s (future) kinsman, the barkclothed sages, saying that that would be after three days thence, departed. (94.) Having taken leave of Himalaya and returned to S’iva they told him that their mission was succesful and being dismissed by him flew up into the sky. (95.) The Lord of creatures, too, eager for the union with the mountain’s daughter, passed those days with difficulty. Whom else under the power of senses will not these feelings (mental conditions) distract when they affect even the Almighty?