Skandapurana 1.4.24

English (machine translation) 1.4.24

Language: English

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Nārada said: / Then Brahmā, having saluted Mahādeva with joined palms, / spoke to Maheśvara: 'O god, let the marriage be performed.'

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Hearing his words, the blessed lord Hara said: / 'O Brahmā, we are dependent on others, on Himādri and on you;

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so let whatever is fitting be done, for we are now under your control.' / Then Brahmā himself immediately prepared a divine, auspicious city,

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made of jewels, for the marriage of Maheśa, / a hundred yojanas wide and adorned with hundreds of palaces.

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Mahādeva himself resided in that city. / Then the god sent the seven sages, who had arrived before him upon being thought of,

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for the sake of the betrothal letter for Ambikā, the lord / [sent] them along with Arundhatī, delighting Himācala there;

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and with the virtues of the lord, they delivered the betrothal letters to [Himācala] and his wife. / Then, honoured by him, they returned from that mountain

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and reported to Tryambaka, and he rejoiced with them. / Then the god invited the entire universe for the marriage;

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and all that [universe] arrived, except for the wicked Daityas— / whatever was stationary and moving, headed by Viṣṇu.

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Together with Brahmā, it enhanced the glory of the enemy of Tripura. / Then Brahmā spoke these words to him on Mount Gandhamādana,

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stationed in the city: 'O god, the time of the wedding has arrived.' / Then the Grandfather, his eyes wide open with generous affection,

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tied the crescent moon in his matted hair. / Viṣṇu himself out of joy fashioned his beautiful braid of hair;

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Cāmuṇḍā fastened a large garland of skulls upon his head / and said to Giriśa: 'O Śaṃkara, beget a son

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who, having slain the family of the Daitya chiefs, will gratify me with their blood.' / The Sun, having illumined the three worlds with his radiance, out of great joy

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himself tied [a garland] red with blazing flames for the god of gods. / And the auspicious [serpents], foremost of whom were Śeṣa and Vāsuki, glowing with splendour,

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themselves served as ornaments upon the lord. / Then the Winds adorned the bull, which had sharp horns

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and the radiance of the snowy mountain, with various precious gems. / Śakra, holding an elephant hide, stood in front himself.

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Leaving aside the ashes, and having placed on a skull [a garland] radiant as silver, / a garland of human bones, and sandalwood paste, the lord of departed spirits,

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and Fire, standing by, gave a divine hide made of radiance. / Thus adorned by all his attendants, the lord shone brightly.

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Then the men of Himādri spoke words to Vīraka: / 'Let not the time pass; let this be reported quickly to Bhava.'

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Then Vīraka, bowing to the god with cupped hands, said: / 'These men of Himādri are urging Maheśāna to hasten.'

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Hearing this speech, the god said, 'At once!' / The seven oceans provided him with mirrors;

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in them Mahādeva beheld his own form, which comprises the universe. / Then wise Keśava, with joined palms, spoke to Sthāṇu:

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'O god of gods, Mahādeva, destroyer of Tripura, Śaṃkara, / you shine with this form that gives joy to the world,

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O Maheśvara, like another Maheśvara in visible presence.' / Then Mahādeva, smiling, while [shouts of] 'Victory!' were heard throughout the world,

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clasped the hand of Viṣṇu and slowly mounted the bull. / Then the Vasu gods offered him his trident;

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then the Bestower of Wealth, accompanied by his treasures, stood nearby. / Then Hara, holding the trident in his hand, the Soul of the Universe, set out,

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accompanied by the sounds of divine drums, showers of flowers, songs, / dancing apsarases, and loud shouts of 'Victory!'

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The two great lords, Brahmā and Viṣṇu, mounted on the swan and Garuḍa respectively, / rode on his left and right sides.

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Then Aditi, Diti, and Danu, Kadrū, the daughter of Suparṇa, / Paulomī, Surasā, Siṃhikā, Surabhi, Muni,

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Siddhi, Māyā, Kṣamā, the goddess Durgā, Svāhā, Svadhā, Sudhā, / Sāvitrī, Gāyatrī, Lakṣmī, Dakṣiṇā, Dyuti,

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Spṛhā, Mati, Dhṛti, Buddhi, Manthi, Ṛddhi, Sarasvatī, / Rākā, Kuhū, Sinīvālī, and the goddess Bhānumatī,

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Dharaṇī, Dhāraṇī, Velā, Rājñī, and Rohiṇī— / these and the other mothers and wives of the gods

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all went with joy to the wedding of the god of gods. / Serpents, Garuḍas, yakṣas, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, humans,

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oceans, mountains, clouds, months, years, / the Vedas, mantras, sacrifices, and all the Śrauta dharmas,

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huṃkāras, praṇavas, and thousands of itihāsas, / and tens of millions of gods, Mahendra and others, with their mounts,

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followed Mahādeva by tens of millions and hundreds of millions. / And behind him went the gaṇas, conch-coloured by the tens of millions:

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those named Kekara by ten [crores], and Vidyuts by eight; / the Viśākhas by sixty-four, and the Pāriyātrikas by nine;

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the glorious Sarvāntaka by six, and likewise Vikṛtānana; / and Jvālākeśa went surrounded by twelve crores.

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The glorious Samada went with seven [crores], and Dundubha with eight; / Kapālīśa with five, and auspicious Saṃhrādaka with six.

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Kuṇḍaka alone went with crores of crores, and likewise Kumbhaka; / Viṣṭambha, the leader of gaṇas, best of all beings, with eight.

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And Pippala with a thousand, and likewise mighty Sannāda; / and Āveśana with eight, and Candratāpana with seven.

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Mahākeśa went with a thousand, and Nandin likewise with twelve; / Naga, Kāla, and Karāla, and Mahākāla with a hundred.

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Agnika went indeed with a hundred crores, and Agnimukha with a crore; / Ādityamūrdhan with a crore, and Dhanāvaha also with a crore.

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And Sannāga with a hundred, Kumuda with three crores; / Amogha and Kokila, and Sumantraka with a crore of crores.

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Kākapāda went with sixty, and the gaṇa Saṃtānaka with sixty; / and Mahābala with nine, and Madhupiṅga and Piṅgala.

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Nīla with ninety, Caturvaktra and Pūrvapāt with seventy; / and Vīrabhadra with sixty-four, and Karaṇa and Bālaka.

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Pañcākṣa and Śatamanyu, and Meghamanyu with twenty; / Kāṣṭhakoṭi with sixty-four, and Sukośa and Vṛṣabha.

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Viśvarūpa, Tālaketu, and Sitānana with fifty; / Īśāna, Vṛddhadeva, Dīptātman, and Mṛtyuhan.

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Viṣāda, Yamahan, and the gaṇa Bhṛṅgiriṭin; / Aśani and Hāsaka, and Sahasrapāt with sixty-four.

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These and other commanders of the gaṇas, innumerably many and very powerful, / all having a thousand arms and wearing crowns of matted hair,

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having the crescent moon as an ornament, blue-necked, three-eyed, / adorned with necklaces, earrings, armlets, diadems, and other jewels,

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endowed with supernatural powers beginning with atomicity, capable of cursing and bestowing favor, / resembling ten million suns—those lords of gaṇas came there,

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abiding in Pātāla, the sky, and the earth, dwelling in all the worlds. / Tumburu, Nārada, Hāhā, and Hūhū, singers of the Sāmaveda,

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taking lutes and musical instruments, played at the celebration of Śaṃkara; / and all the sages, rich in austerities, chanting Vedic songs,

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chanted sacred wedding mantras, their minds filled with joy. / Thus set forth the Lord of the Mountain, fanned with chowries by Gaṅgā,

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and by Yamunā, with an umbrella held by the Lord of the Waters, / acclaimed by women with diverse discourses and parched grain.

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With great festivity, that Lord of Gods entered the mountain abode, / shining with golden vessels and furnished with hundreds of arched gateways,

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situated on ground laid with lapis lazuli and furnished with jewel-wrought mansions. / Entering there while being praised, he approached the doorway.

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Then the snowy mountain was seen there, overwhelmed with agitation; / he gave orders to his servants when Mahādeva arrived.

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Then the mountain petitioned Brahmā to be the preceptor, / and the wise mountain petitioned Vāsudeva with regard to all burdens of the rites.

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And he said: “In this marriage, without a brother of the maiden, / O Viṣṇu, how will rites such as the offering of parched grain take place?

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For Maināka is my son, and he has entered and remains in the ocean.” / To him who was thus downcast with worry, high-minded Viṣṇu said:

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“No anxiety should be had in this matter in any way, O king of mountains! / I am the brother of the mother of the universe; this is truly so and not otherwise.”

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Then, delighted, the mountain had Pārvatī, exquisitely adorned / and surrounded by millions of female companions, enter the assembly.

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Then Śarva, surrounded by his attendants, entered the marriage pavilion, / which had pillars made of sapphire, a glittering golden floor,

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was decorated with strings of pearls, illuminated by blazing medicinal herbs, / rich with a thousand jeweled seats, and a hundred yojanas wide.

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Then the joyful mountain, accompanied by his wife, washed the feet / of Bhava, and with that water sprinkled himself and the world.

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Having offered water for the feet, water for sipping, madhuparka, and a cow, / the brahmins contemplated the ritual procedure for the giving away [of the bride].

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“I give my own daughter, the granddaughter of the Kavyavāha pitṛs…” / having spoken thus, the mountain paused; he did not know Hara's lineage.

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Then he asked everyone, but no one knew that lineage. / Then Viṣṇu spoke these words: “Why are others being asked?

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Let this one himself be asked about the fact that his lineage is unknown. / Only a snake knows the feet of a snake, no one else, O snowy mountain!

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If he does not state his own clan, my sister is not to be given.” / Then there arose a very great sound of laughter from everyone.

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And in an instant it ceased again, [wondering] what Hara would say. / Then, reflecting in many ways, with a somewhat frightened face, restrained,

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numb with embarrassment, that Hara smiled, O Pārtha. / Then eminent sages said: “Quickly, the auspicious time is passing!”

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Hari said to Maheśāna: “Afraid, I shall proclaim your / maternal grandfather and father; listen to the ritual statement, O mountain!

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‘To you, O Śambhu, who are your own son; to you, who are your own grandson!’” / When this was spoken by Viṣṇu, they all chanted, “Excellent, excellent!”

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The god [Viṣṇu] showed a display of intelligence superior to all others and best. / Then the mountain, speaking likewise and giving away the goddess with water,

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the mountain gave even himself to the god with water. / Then, filled with wonder, they all praised that wedding:

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“The giver is the lord of mountains; the hotṛ priest is the four-faced god [Brahmā]; / the groom is Paśupati in person; and the bride is the mother of the universe!”

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Then, while the sages were praising, a great rain of flowers was falling, / and the drums of the gods were sounding, Tryambaka took her hand.

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Looking upon the modest goddess born of the snowy mountain, the god / was not satiated; nor was she with delight looking upon the god whose banner is the bull.

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There the sages, Brahmā and others, looking upon the goddess of wondrous form, / mentally sought refuge in the Supreme Lord:

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“May we not be infatuated with Pārvatī as were Nārada and Parvata!” / Then he fulfilled that desired prayer of them all accordingly.

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Then, praised by the gods and sages, the Supreme Lord
entered the auspicious altar, which was attended by the embodied fire.

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With the embodied Vedic hymns recited and present, Brahmā made offerings to the embodied fire;
and Hara circumambulated it three times.

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At the offering of fried grains, Hari, Umā's brother, smilingly said to him:
"O Lord, many people have gathered together; there is a great crowd.

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O Hara, your ornaments must be guarded attentively."
Then Hara said to him: "Do not conceal too much from one's own people.

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Ask for something, and I will grant it." Then Viṣṇu spoke his boon:
"May I have firm devotion to you." And he granted that rare gift.

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Both [Hara and Umā] gave Brahmā the preservation of creation as a priestly fee,
and portions of the sacrifice to Agni, both Hara and Janārdana being delighted.

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Then, having given the priestly fee for preserving the Vedas to Bhṛgu and the others,
with songs, dances, and desired feasts,

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and with many great festivals, astonishment was produced.
Dismissing all those people with gifts given according to their desires, Bhava,

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having consoled with Sarasvatī the grieving parents of the goddess,
and bidding farewell to the lord of the snowy mountain, to Brahmā, and to Keśava,

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went to Mount Mandara, honored by the mountain who followed him.

Then, when the holy Nīlalohita had departed for the stainless mountain along with Umā, the mountain [Himālaya] wept with his kinsmen;
for whose mind is not unhinged in this world when he is the father of a bride?

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Whatever pure man hears or recites this marriage of the daughter of the king of mountains,
especially during an auspicious wedding ceremony, he attains auspiciousness and long-lasting prosperity.

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Thus ends the twenty-sixth chapter, named 'The Description of the Marriage of Hara and Gaurī', in the Kaumāreśamāhātmya of the first section, the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skandapurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.

Linked texts (1)

Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit