शतपुत्रसमः स्वामी साध्वीनां च सुरेश्वराः
The husband is equal to a hundred sons for virtuous women, O lord of the gods.
भर्तुर्वंशश्च तनयः केवलं भर्तृमूलकः
The husband's lineage and the son both originate solely from the husband.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच नष्टे धर्मे च धर्मिष्ठे स्वामिना किं सुतेन वा
Śrī Viṣṇu said: If righteousness is lost, even in the righteous, what use is a son or a husband?
ब्रह्मोवाच सत्यं संकल्पितं कर्म न तु भ्रष्टं कुरु व्रतम्
Brahmā said: Truly, an act that is resolved upon is to be performed; do not abandon a vow that has not failed.
पार्वत्युवाच तद्यस्यास्तीति स स्वामी वेदज्ञ शृणु मद्वचः
Pārvatī said: Therefore, the one to whom she belongs is her lord; O knower of the Vedas, listen to my words.
तस्य दाता सदा स्वामी न च स्वस्वामितां लभेत्
He who gives is always the master; ownership is never attained by oneself.
धर्म्म उवाच दम्पती ध्रुवमेकाङ्गौ द्वयोर्दाने द्वकौ समौ
Dharma said: Husband and wife are certainly one body; in the giving of both, both are equal.
पार्वत्युवाच न श्रुतं विपरीतं च श्रुतौ श्रुतिपरायणाः
Pārvatī said: That which is not heard, or is contrary, is not heard by those devoted to the scriptures.
देवा ऊचुः वेदज्ञे वेदवादेषु के वा त्वां जेतुमीश्वराः
The gods said: O knower of the Vedas, in matters of Vedic debate, which gods could conquer you?
निरूपिता पुण्यके तु व्रते स्वामी च दक्षिणा
In a meritorious vow, the husband is established as the fee.
पार्वत्युवाच बलवाँल्लौकिको वेदाल्लोकाचारं च कस्त्यजेत्
Pārvatī said: Who, being powerful, would abandon worldly custom for the Veda, or social practice?
वेदे प्रकृतिपुंसोश्च गरीयान्पुरुषो ध्रुवम्
In the Veda, among the primal man and woman, the man is certainly greater.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच श्रीकृष्णश्च द्वयोः स्रष्टा समौ प्रकृतिपूरुषौ
Bṛhaspati said: Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the creator of both; the two, Prakṛti and Puruṣa, are together.
पार्वत्युवाच पुमान्गरीयान्प्रकृतेस्तथैव न ततश्च सा
Pārvatī said: The man is greater than Prakṛti, and she is not greater than him.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे देवा मुनयस्तत्र संसदि
Meanwhile, the gods and sages were present there in the assembly.
पार्षदैस्संपरिवृतं युतं श्यामैश्चतुर्भुजैः अवरुह्य मुदा यानादाजगाम सभातलम्
Surrounded by attendants, joined by dark four-armed ones, joyfully descending from their vehicles, they entered the hall.
तुष्टुवुस्तं सुरेन्द्रास्ते देवं वैकुण्ठवासिनम्
Those lords of the gods praised him, the god who dwells in Vaikuṇṭha.
लक्ष्मीसरस्वतीकान्तं शान्तं तं सुमनोहरम्
He is the beloved of Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī, peaceful, and supremely charming.
कोटिकन्दर्पलावण्यं कोटिचन्द्रसमप्रभम्
He possesses the beauty of ten million Cupids and radiance equal to ten million moons.
सेव्यं ब्रह्मादिदेवैश्च सेवकैः सततं स्तुतम्
He is served by Brahmā and the other gods, and always praised by his attendants.
वासयामास तं ते च रत्नसिंहासने वरे
They seated him upon the excellent jeweled throne.
सम्पुटाञ्जलयः सर्वे पुलकाङ्गाश्रुलोचनाः
All, with hands joined in reverence, their bodies thrilled and eyes filled with tears.
सस्मितस्तांश्च पप्रच्छ सर्वं मधुरया गिरा
He, smiling, asked them all with sweet speech.
श्रीनारायण उवाच सर्वे शक्त्या यया विश्वे शक्तिमन्तो हि जीविनः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: All living beings in the universe possess power through that energy.
ब्रह्मादितृणपर्य्यन्तं सर्वं प्राकृतिकं जगत्
From Brahmā down to the blade of grass, the entire world is of Prakṛti.
आविर्भूता च सा मत्तः सृष्टौ देवी मदिच्छया
And she appeared from me, the goddess, at my wish, for creation.
प्रकृतिः सृष्टिकर्त्री च सर्वेषां जननी परा
Prakṛti is the creator of the world, the supreme mother of all.
सुचिरं तपसा तप्तं शंभुना ध्यायता च माम्
For a long time, Śaṃbhu performed austerities, meditating on me.
व्रतं च लोकशिक्षार्थमस्या न स्वार्थमेव च
And this vow was for the instruction of the world, not for his own purpose.
मायया मोहिताः सर्वे किमस्या वास्तवं व्रतम्
All are deluded by Māyā; what true vow can there be for her?