Skandapurana 2.9.14
English (machine translation) 2.9.14
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Skanda said:
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Brahmā, the lords of creatures, Śambhu, the Manus, and the great seers,
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the Ādityas, Vasus, and Rudras, the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Cāraṇas,
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the Sādhyas, the Maruts, the Viśvedevas, the guardians of the directions,
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the two Aśvins, Fire, the Moon, Dharma himself, Prajāpati,
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Suparṇa, the Kinnaras, and whatever other troop deities [there were],
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the Vaiṣṇavas beginning with Śeṣa, the serpents, and all the wives of the gods,
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Sāvitrī, Pārvatī, the Earth, and Sarasvatī,
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Śacī, Gaurī, Śivā, Saṃjñā, Ṛddhi, Svāhā, Rohiṇī,
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Dhūmorṇā, Aditi, and the wives of Dharma beginning with Mūrti and Dayā,
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Arundhatī, Śāṇḍilī, Lopāmudrā, and likewise
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chaste wives beginning with Anasūyā, and all the wives of the seers,
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the Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī, Revā, Yamunā, Tapatī,
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Candrabhāgā, Vipāśā, Śatadru, Devikā,
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Godāvarī, Sarayū, Kāverī, Kauśikī,
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Kṛṣṇā, Veṇī, Bhīmarathā, Tāmraparṇī, Mahānadī,
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Kṛtamālā, Vitastā, Nirvindhyā, Surasā,
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Carmaṇvatī, Payoṣṇī, and rivers beginning with Viśvā arrived.
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Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, Viśvācī, Menakā, Tilottamā,
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and all the apsarases headed by Urvaśī came there.
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All the dwellers of Vaikuṇṭha and likewise the dwellers of Goloka,
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the foremost attendants of Viṣṇu, arrived there filled with joy.
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The eight perfections beginning with Aṇimā, and the nine
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treasures beginning with Śaṅkha and Padma, personified, came near Śrī.
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The full autumn moon too, then, for the pleasure of Śrī,
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dispelled all the darkness of night; the quarters of the sky became spotless.
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Then, by the command of Brahmā, Indra began her consecration; / immediately, Tvaṣṭṛ constructed a most magnificent pavilion,
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At once Tvaṣṭṛ constructed a most magnificent pavilion,
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with long rows of thousands of jewelled pillars, / adorned with diverse, colourful canopies and plantain trees,
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adorned with many colourful canopies and plantain trees,
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graced with rows of divine wish-fulfilling trees bending with fragrant flowers, / handsome and captivating with diverse components,
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furnished with diverse parts, beautiful to behold, captivating the heart,
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gleaming with millions of rows of jewel lamps of pure radiance, / with archways and hanging pearl necklaces.
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resplendent with archways and hanging strings of pearls.
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Seating Śrī on a jewelled throne there accompanied by song and instrumental music,
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the great seers performed the consecration.
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Airāvata, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Kumuda, Añjana,
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Puṣpadanta, Sārvabhauma, and Supratīka, the elephants of the quarters,
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trumpeting, consecrated [her] with auspicious waters brought from the four oceans,
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drawn up in golden jars.
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The great rivers, personified, brought waters there;
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the Vedas in bodily form, along with the seers, chanted mantras.
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Sweet-voiced Gandharvas sang, and hosts of apsarases danced;
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other hosts of gods then played musical instruments.
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Great joy then arose among all embodied beings in the three worlds.
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The brahmins recited the Śrīsūkta and other hymns, and the women sang songs.
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Gongs, cymbals, mṛdaṅga drums, paṇavas, ānakas, and gomukha horns,
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they sounded; and the clouds thundered like kettle-drums in the sky.
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Then there was a shower of flowers accompanied by shouts of victory,
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and the wives of Dharma and the supernatural perfections attended upon her.
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Then, to her who was well-bathed, two yellow silken garments,
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priceless, the ocean gave, and abundant jewel-ornaments.
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Indra brought a seat fit for her to sit upon.
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Viśvakarman gave bracelets and rings set with precious gems.
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The Moon, her brother, gave an excellent nose-ornament;
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he likewise gave her a hair-ornament studded with excellent jewels.
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The lotus-born Brahmā gave a lotus, Sarasvatī a pearl necklace,
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and the Nāgas, headed by Śeṣa, gave her two kingly jewel-earrings.
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Durgā gave collyrium and saffron, the mark of marital felicity;
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Sāvitrī gave a forehead ornament, and Śacī a betel-box.
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The Spring gave flower garlands, and Śaṃkara a neck-string.
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The wielder of the noose gave the Vaijayantī garland, and Kubera a jeweled mirror.
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Fire gave a priceless bodice, and Yama gave an auspicious fan.
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Others too presented her with ornaments suited for that occasion.
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Then, considering, "To whom shall I give this adorned maiden?"
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the ocean asked Brahmā. Then the all-knowing one said to him:
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"O ocean, this daughter of yours is the mother of myself and of Śiva,
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and indeed of all the gods and worlds; this is certain.
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Except for Nārāyaṇa, Vāsudeva, the Supreme Brahman, the Lord of all,
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the Supreme Spirit alone, she has no other husband.
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Therefore, to the Lord Himself, the cause of joy to the three worlds,
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who has arrived and is seated, give her according to the rites, O ocean.
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Make your birth fruitful, purifying your lineage.
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Deliver [yourself] from the ocean of worldly existence by giving her to the Supreme Self.
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Though one, you are renowned in seven forms according to the division of the seven continents;
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now, having done this, you will attain great renown."
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Addressed thus by Brahmā, the ocean, overjoyed, with his hair standing on end,
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deeming himself blessed, wished to give his daughter to Viṣṇu.
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Then, having implored that Lord along with Brahmā,
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he performed the solemn betrothal and then carried out the wedding rites.
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Dhanvantari, the Moon, and the gods headed by Indra
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were on the ocean’s side at that wedding festival.
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In giving garments, ornaments, conveyances, and the like, in the serving of food,
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and in honoring the members of the wedding party, they indeed took the lead.
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And in the auspicious rites for Lakṣmī, the foremost women there
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were the rivers headed by Gaṅgā, and celestial damsels headed by Śacī,
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the mountain-wives headed by Menā, and the supernatural perfections such as Aṇimā,
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the wife of the Moon, Kanti, and all the apsarases, O sage.
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Then, adorning the wedding play of the all-pervading Nārāyaṇa,
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Brahmā, upon reflection, appointed Dharma and Mūrti as the parents [of the groom]:
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"This Dharma is the support of the world, worthy of worship by all embodied beings;
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he is fit to be his father, and he has great affection for him.
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And this renowned Mūrti, the birthplace of all good qualities,
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the daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Dharma, is worthy to be his mother."
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Then on Dharma's side, too, the following were foremost in the duties:
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Śaṃkara together with Nandīśvara and Gaṇeśa, O sage;
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the great seers headed by Marīci, the lords of creatures, the sage Nārada,
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the son of Vinatā [Garuḍa], and the attendants headed by Nanda and Śrīdāman.
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Durgā and Sarasvatī, mother of the Vedas, were foremost among the women,
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along with the seers' wives headed by Anasūyā, and all the wives of Dharma.
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Brahmā together with the Vedas and other [scriptures] was on both sides,
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as were the Vedic brahmins who were experts in the rites of marriage.
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Then, through the grace of Lakṣmī alone, the ocean
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procured all the provisions instantly, causing wonder among the gods.
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Whatever he envisioned in his mind was brought forth.
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he saw instantly right before him; therefore he became exceedingly glad.
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In the middle of the pavilion, he caused
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an altar for establishing the sacred fire to be built according to the rule by brahmins versed in the Vedas.
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He adorned that altar with perfumes, flowers, unbroken grains, and the like,
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with various auspicious colors, and with water-jars having sprouts.
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Then, having been ceremonially bathed by the lords of sages accompanied by mantras to the sounds of greatly auspicious musical instruments,
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Viṣṇu put on priceless garments, jewel ornaments, and a divine crown.
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Having approached that pavilion, which was made to resound in every direction by the sounding of musical instruments and made splendid by the melodious songs of dancing heavenly women,
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he sat down on a golden throne together with the praising gods.
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Then the ocean, along with his dearest wife and with the Gaṅgā, washed his lotus feet
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with an excellent stream of water poured from a pitcher, and along with his family he bore that water on his head.
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Then, loudly reciting the auspicious verses, the Creator caused the ocean to give Śrī to Acyuta;
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having kindled the fire according to rule, he made offerings into it together with the great sages.
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Having given to him his lovely daughter, whose gaze was fixed solely upon his lotus feet,
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he gave garments and jewel ornaments in great abundance to the infinite Lord along with his daughter.
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Then, around that fire into which offerings had been poured, circumambulation along with Śrī
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was performed by Hari, who captivated the hearts of the women and men looking upon him.
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Seated together on a single seat, the lovely mother and father of the universe
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were worshipped by the hosts of gods along with their wives with priceless garments and ornaments.
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And then very auspicious songs celebrating the virtues of Śrī and Viṣṇu
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were sung by goddesses such as Durgā and Pulomajā, whose faces were beautiful with smiles.
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The hosts of heavenly women, divided into two groups and seated facing each other,
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eager to gaze upon the couple, sang with an abundance of love,
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such that, hearing it, all the gods, the great seers, and all the women
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beheld within themselves the Lord radiant with Śrī, and stood motionless as if in a picture.
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Having bowed with devotion and gladly offered excellent unbroken grains and other gifts to the two,
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the gods, humble with palms joined, praised them individually with powerful words.
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Thus ends the fourteenth chapter, entitled 'Description of the Marriage Festival of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa,' in the Śrīvāsudevamāhātmya of the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skandapurāṇa containing eighty-one thousand verses.
Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit