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.
स जगाम त्वरा कामो धृतचापो समाधवः रत्या च सहितः कामः कर्तुं कर्म सुदुष्करम्
Kāma, eager and with his bow in hand, accompanied by Rati, went to perform that exceedingly difficult task.
गृहीत्वा सशरं चापम् इदं तस्य मनो ऽभवत् मया वेध्यस् त्व् अवेध्यो वै शंभुर् लोकगुरुः प्रभुः
Taking up his bow with arrows, this thought arose in his mind: 'I can pierce all, but Shiva, the lord and teacher of the worlds, cannot be pierced by me.'
त्रैलोक्यजयिनो बाणाः शंभौ मे किं दृढा न वा तेनासौ चाग्निनेत्रेण भस्मशेषस् तदा कृतः
The arrows that conquer the three worlds—are they firm or not against Shiva? By him, with his fiery eye, Kāma was then reduced to ashes.
तद् एव कर्म सुदृढम् ईक्षितुं सुरसत्तमाः आजग्मुस् तत्र यद् वृत्तं शृणु विस्मयकारकम्
Then, O best of gods, to witness that extraordinary act, the gods assembled there; listen to what happened, which brings wonder.
शंभुं दृष्ट्वा सुरगणा यावत् पश्यन्ति मन्मथम् तावच् च भस्मसाद्भूतं कामं दृष्ट्वा भयातुराः तुष्टुवुस् त्रिदशेशानं कृताञ्जलिपुटाः सुराः
As the hosts of gods beheld Shiva, they also saw Kāma turned to ashes, and, struck with fear, they praised the lord of the gods with hands joined in reverence.
तारकाद् भयम् आपन्नं कुरु पत्नीं गिरेः सुताम्
Relieve the fear caused by Tāraka—take the daughter of the mountain as your wife.
विद्धचित्तो हरो ऽप्य् आशु मेने वाक्यं सुरोदितम् अरुन्धतीं वसिष्ठं च मां तु चक्रधरं तथा
Even Hara, whose mind was pierced, quickly accepted the words spoken by the gods, as did Arundhatī, Vasiṣṭha, myself, and also the wielder of the discus.
प्रेषयाम् आसुर् अमरा विवाहाय परस्परम् संबन्धो ऽपि तथाप्य् आसीद् धिमवल्लोकनाथयोः
The immortals sent word to each other for the marriage, and thus the alliance was established between the lords of the Himavat region.
हिमवत्पर्वते श्रेष्ठे नानारत्नविचित्रिते नानावृक्षलताकीर्णे नानाद्विजनिषेविते
On the excellent mountain Himavat, adorned with various jewels, covered with many kinds of trees and creepers, and frequented by many kinds of birds—
नदीनदसरःकूपतडागादिभिर् आवृते देवगन्धर्वयक्षादिसिद्धचारणसेविते
Surrounded by rivers, streams, lakes, wells, ponds, and the like, and attended by gods, gandharvas, yakṣas, siddhas, and cāraṇas—
शुभमारुतसंपन्ने हर्षोत्कर्षैककारणे मेरुमन्दरकैलासमैनाकादिनगैर् वृते
Blessed with auspicious winds, the sole cause of great joy, and encircled by mountains such as Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa, and Maināka—
वसिष्ठागस्त्यपौलस्त्यलोमशादिभिर् आवृते महोत्सवे वर्तमाने विवाहः समजायत
With Vasiṣṭha, Agastya, Pulastya, Lomaśa, and others present, and as a great festival was underway, the marriage took place.
तत्र वेदी रत्नमयी शोभिता स्वर्णभूषिता वज्रमाणिक्यवैदूर्यतन्मयस्तम्भशोभिता
There, the altar was made of jewels, adorned with gold, and beautified by pillars of diamond, ruby, and beryl.
जयालक्ष्मीशुभाक्षान्तिकीर्तिपुष्ट्यादिसंवृता मेरुमन्दरकैलासरैवतैः परिशोभितैः
Surrounded by Jaya, Lakṣmī, Śubhā, Kṣānti, Kīrti, Puṣṭi, and others, and further beautified by Meru, Mandara, Kailāsa, and Raivataka.
पूजितो लोकनाथेन विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना मैनाकः पर्वतश्रेष्ठो रेजे ऽतीव हिरण्मयः
Honored by Viṣṇu, the Lord of the worlds, the mighty Maināka, best of mountains, shone exceedingly, golden in appearance.
ऋषयो लोकपालाश् च आदित्याः समरुद्गणाः विवाहे वेदिकां चक्रुर् देवदेवस्य शूलिनः
The sages, guardians of the worlds, the Ādityas, and the hosts of Maruts prepared the wedding altar for the god of gods, the wielder of the trident.
विश्वकर्मा स्वयं त्वष्टा वेदीं चक्रे सतोरणाम् सुरभी नन्दिनी नन्दा सुनन्दा कामदोहिनी
Viśvakarmā himself, along with Tvaṣṭṛ, made the altar with a gateway; Surabhī, Nandinī, Nandā, Sunandā, and Kāmadohinī were present.
आभिस् तु शोभितेशान्या विवाहः समजायत समुद्राः सरितो नागा ओषध्यो लोकमातरः
Adorned by these, the wedding took place; the oceans, rivers, nāgas, medicinal herbs, and mothers of the worlds all attended.
सवनस्पतिबीजाश् च सर्वे तत्र समाययुः भुवः कर्म इला चक्रे ओषध्यस् त्व् अन्नकर्म च
All the seeds of trees also gathered there; Ilā performed the rites of the earth, and the herbs performed the rites of food.
वरुणः पानकर्माणि दानकर्म धनाधिपः अग्निश् चकार तत्रान्नं यच् चेष्टं लोकनाथयोः
Varuṇa prepared the drinks, the lord of wealth performed the giving rites, and Agni made the food there, as desired by the lords of the worlds.