देवानां परमैश्वर्यं हृतं तेन बलीयसा ततस् ते शरणं जग्मुर् देवाः सेन्द्रपुरोगमाः
By that powerful one, the supreme dominion of the gods was taken; then the gods, with Indra at their head, sought refuge.
क्षीरोदशायिनं देवं जगतां प्रपितामहम् कृताञ्जलिपुटा देवा विष्णुम् ऊचुर् अनन्यगाः
The gods, with hands joined in reverence, approached Viṣṇu, the Lord reclining on the ocean of milk, the great grandsire of the worlds, and addressed him with single-minded devotion.
त्वं त्राता जगतां नाथ देवानां कीर्तिवर्धन सर्वेश्वर जगद्योने त्रयीमूर्ते नमो ऽस्तु ते
You are the protector of the worlds, the Lord, the increaser of the gods' glory, the sovereign of all, the source of the universe, the embodiment of the three Vedas—we bow to you.
लोकस्रष्टासुरान् हन्ता त्वम् एव जगतां पतिः स्थित्युत्पत्तिविनाशानां कारणं त्वं जगन्मय
You alone are the creator of the worlds, the destroyer of Asuras, the Lord of the universe; you are the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction, O all-pervading one.
त्राता न कोप्य् अस्ति जगत्त्रये ऽपि शरीरिणां सर्वविपद्गतानाम् त्वया विना वारिजपत्त्रनेत्र तापत्रयाणां शरणं न चान्यत्
There is truly no other protector in the three worlds for embodied beings, for all those beset by calamities, O lotus-eyed one; apart from you, there is no other refuge from the threefold miseries.
पिता च माता जगतो ऽखिलस्य त्वम् एव सेवासुलभो ऽसि विष्णो प्रसीद पाहीश महाभयेभ्यो श्मदार्तिहन्ता वद कस् त्वदन्यः
You alone are the father and mother of the entire world, O Viṣṇu, easily accessible through service; be gracious, Lord, save us from great dangers. Who else but you removes our distress?
आदिकर्ता वराहस् त्वं मत्स्यः कूर्मस् तथैव च इत्यादिरूपभेदैर् नो रक्षसे भय आगते
You are the primeval creator, the Boar, the Fish, the Tortoise, and so on; by these various forms, you protect us when danger arises.
हृतस्वाम्यान् सुरगणान् हृतदारान् गतापदः कस्मान् न रक्षसे देव अनन्यशरणान् हरे
The hosts of gods have lost their sovereignty, their wives taken, their positions gone—why, O Lord, do you not protect those who have no other refuge, O Hari?
ततः प्रोवाच भगवाञ् शेषशायी जगत्पतिः कस्माच् च भयम् आपन्नं तद् ब्रुवन्तु गतज्वराः ततः श्रियः पतिं प्राहुस् तं तारकवधं प्रति
Then the blessed Lord, the master of the universe who rests upon Śeṣa, spoke: 'Tell me, free from anxiety, what is the cause of your fear?' Thereupon, they told the Lord of Śrī about the slaying of Tāraka.
तारकाद् भयम् आपन्नं भीषणं रोमहर्षणम् न युद्धैस् तपसा शापैर् हन्तुं नैव क्षमा वयम्
We are seized by a dreadful, hair-raising fear of Tāraka; neither by battle, austerity, nor curses are we able to slay him.
अर्वाग्दशाहाद् यो बालस् तस्मान् मृत्युम् अवाप्स्यति तस्माद् देव न चान्येभ्यस् तत्र नीतिर् विधीयताम्
A child born after ten days from now will bring about his death; therefore, O god, let no other means be devised in this matter.
पुनर् नारायणः प्राह नाहं बलोत्कटः सुराः न मत्तो मदपत्याच् च न देवेभ्यो वधो भवेत्
Again Nārāyaṇa spoke: 'I am not exceedingly powerful, O gods; neither from me, nor from my lord, nor from the gods will his death come.'
ईश्वराद् यदि जायेत अपत्यं बहुशक्तिकम् तस्माद् वधम् अवाप्नोति तारको लोकदारुणः
If a child endowed with great power should be born from Īśvara, then that dreadful Tāraka will meet his death.
तद् गच्छामः सुराः सर्वे यतितुम् ऋषिभिः सह भार्यार्थं प्रथमो यत्नः कर्तव्यः प्रभविष्णुभिः
Therefore, let us all, O gods, go together with the sages to make effort for a wife; the foremost endeavor must be made by the mighty ones.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा सुरगणा जग्मुस् ते च नगोत्तमम् हिमवन्तं रत्नमयं मेनां च हिमवत्प्रियाम्
Having said 'so be it,' the hosts of gods went to the excellent mountain, Himavat, adorned with jewels, and to Menā, beloved of Himavat.
इदम् ऊचुः सर्व एव सभार्यं तुहिनं गिरिम्
They all said this to the snowy mountain, together with his wife.
दाक्षायणी लोकमाता या शक्तिः संस्थिता गिरौ बुद्धिः प्रज्ञा धृतिर् मेधा लज्जा पुष्टिः सरस्वती
Dakṣā's daughter, the mother of the world, that Śakti who abides on the mountain—intellect, wisdom, fortitude, intelligence, modesty, nourishment, and Sarasvatī—
एवं त्व् अनेकधा लोके या स्थिता लोकपावनी देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं युवयोर् गर्भम् आविशत्
Thus, in many forms in the world, she who purifies the worlds abides; for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose, she shall enter the womb of you two.
समुत्पन्ना जगन्माता शंभोः पत्नी भविष्यति अस्माकं भवतां चापि पालनी च भविष्यति
She who is born will be the mother of the world, the future wife of Śambhu; she will be the protector of us and of you as well.
हिमवान् अपि तद् वाक्यं सुराणाम् अभिनन्द्य च मेना चापि महोत्साहा अस्त्व् इत्य् एवं वचो ऽब्रवीत्
Himavat, delighted by the words of the gods, and Menā, full of great enthusiasm, both said, 'So be it.'
तदोत्पन्ना जगद्धात्री गौरी हिमवतो गृहे शिवध्यानरता नित्यं तन्निष्ठा तन्मनोगता
Thus was born Gaurī, the sustainer of the world, in the house of Himavat; ever devoted to meditation on Śiva, steadfast and absorbed in him.
तां वै प्रोचुः सुरगणा ईशार्थे तप आविश तथा हिमवतः पृष्ठे गौरी तेपे तपो महत्
To her the hosts of gods said, 'Undertake austerity for the sake of the Lord.' Thus, on the slopes of Himavat, Gaurī performed great austerity.
पुनः संमन्त्रयाम् आसुर् ईशो ध्यायति तां शिवाम् आत्मानं वा तथान्यद् वा न जानीमः कथं भवः
Again they deliberated: 'The Lord contemplates her, or himself, or something else—we do not know how Bhava thinks.'
मेनकायाः सुतायां तु चित्तं दध्यात् सुरेश्वरः तत्र नीतिर् विधातव्या ततः श्रैष्ठ्यम् अवाप्स्यथ ततः प्राह महाबुद्धिर् वाचस्पतिर् उदारधीः
Let the Lord of gods fix his mind upon Menakā's daughter; let a plan be devised for this, and then you will attain supremacy.' Then the wise and noble-minded Lord of Speech spoke.
यस् त्व् अयं मदनो धीमान् कन्दर्पः पुष्पचापधृक् स विध्यतु शिवं शान्तं बाणैः पुष्पमयैः शुभैः
This wise Madana, Kandarpa, bearer of the flowery bow—let him strike peaceful Śiva with his auspicious arrows made of flowers.
तेन विद्धस् त्रिनेत्रो ऽपि ईशायां बुद्धिम् आदधेत् परिणेष्यत्य् असौ नूनं तदा तां गिरिजां हरः
Struck by him, even the three-eyed Lord will set his mind upon the Lady; then surely Hara will marry Girijā.
जयिनः पञ्चबाणस्य न बाणाः क्वापि कुण्ठिताः तथोढायां जगद्धात्र्यां शंभोः पुत्रो भविष्यति
The arrows of the conqueror of the five-arrowed one are never blunted anywhere; thus, in the womb of the world-supporting goddess, a son of Shiva will be born.
जातः पुत्रस् त्रिनेत्रस्य तारकं स हनिष्यति वसन्तं च सहायार्थं शोभिष्ठं कुसुमाकरम्
Born as the son of the three-eyed one, he will slay Taraka, and for the sake of assistance, let the beautiful season of spring, the bringer of blossoms, be present.
आह्लादनं च मनसा कामायैनं प्रयच्छथ
And with joy in your hearts, offer this to Kāma.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा सुरगणा मदनं कुसुमाकरम् प्रेषयाम् आसुर् अव्यग्राः शिवान्तिकम् अरिंदमाः
Having said, 'So be it,' the hosts of gods, undisturbed and subduers of enemies, sent Madana and the bringer of blossoms to Shiva.