नेदुर्दुन्दुभयः स्वर्गे करकोणाहता नृप । मनांस्यासन्प्रसन्नानि साधूनाममलात्मनाम्
The celestial drums resounded in heaven, struck by divine hands, O King; the minds of the virtuous, pure-hearted ones became serene.
सरितो मार्गवाहिन्यः सुप्रभोऽभूद्दिवाकरः । मङ्गलायां तु जातायां जातं सर्वत्र मङ्गलम्
The rivers flowed in their courses, the sun shone brightly; with the birth of the auspicious one, auspiciousness arose everywhere.
तस्या नाम सतीं चक्रे सत्यत्वात्परसंविदः । ददौ पुनः शिवायाथ तस्य शक्तिस्तु याभवत्
Her name was made Satī, because of the supreme truth of her nature; and again, she became the power belonging to Śiva.
सा पुनर्ज्वलने दग्धा दैवयोगान्मनोर्नृप । जनमेजय उवाच - अनर्थकरमेतत्ते श्रावितं वचनं मुने
She was then burned in fire, O King, by divine arrangement in the time of Manu; Janamejaya said: This account you have told is distressing.
एतादृशं महद्वस्तु कथं दग्धं हुताशने । यन्नामस्मरणान्नृणां संसाराग्निभयं न हि
How could such a great being be burned in the sacrificial fire, when even the remembrance of her name removes the fear of the fire of worldly existence for people?
केन कर्मविपाकेन मनोर्दग्धं तदेव हि । व्यास उवाच - शृणु राजन् पुरा वृत्तं सतीदायस्य कारणम्
By what act or result of karma was Manu's daughter burned? Vyāsa said: Listen, O King, to the former event and the cause of Satī's giving up her body.
कदाचिदथ दुर्वासा गतो जाम्बूनदेश्वरीम् । ददर्श देवीं तत्रासौ मायाबीजं जजाप सः
Once, the sage Durvāsas went to the goddess of the Jambū region; there he saw the Goddess and recited the Māyābīja mantra.
ततः प्रसन्ना देवेशी निजकण्ठगतां स्रजम् । भ्रमद्भ्रमरसंसक्तां मकरन्दमदाकुलाम्
Then, the Goddess, pleased, took from her own neck a garland, swarming with bees intoxicated by the nectar of its flowers.
ददौ प्रसादभूतां तां जग्राह शिरसा मुनिः । ततो निर्गत्य तरसा व्योममार्गेण तापसः
She gave that garland as a token of her favor, and the sage received it upon his head; then, swiftly departing, the ascetic traveled through the sky.
आजगाम स यत्रास्ते दक्षः साक्षात्सतीपिता । सन्दर्शनार्थमम्बाया ननाम च सतीपदे
He arrived where Dakṣa, Satī's father, was present; for the sake of seeing the Mother, he bowed at Satī's feet.
पृष्टो दक्षेण स मुनिर्माला कस्यास्त्यलौकिकी । कथं लब्धा त्वया नाथ दुर्लभा भुवि मानवैः
Dakṣa asked the sage, 'Whose is this otherworldly garland? How did you obtain it, O lord, so rare among mortals on earth?'
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य प्रोवाचाश्रुयुतेक्षणः । देव्याः प्रसादमतुलं प्रेमगद्गदितान्तरः
Hearing his words, with tears in his eyes, the sage replied, his heart choked with love, about the incomparable grace of the Goddess.
प्रार्थयामास तां मालां तं मुनिं स सतीपिता । अदेयं शक्तिभक्ताय नास्ति त्रैलोक्यमण्डले
Her father, the sage, requested that garland from her, saying, 'For a devotee of Śakti, there is nothing unattainable in the three worlds.'
इति बुद्ध्या तु तां मालां मनवे स समर्पयत् । गृहीता शिरसा माला मनुना निजमन्दिरे
With this thought, he offered that garland to Manu; Manu received the garland upon his head and took it to his own house.
स्थापिता शयनं यत्र दम्पत्योरतिसुन्दरम् । पशुकर्मरतो रात्रौ मालागन्धेन मोदितः
He placed it where the beautiful bed of the couple was; engaged in household duties at night, he was delighted by the fragrance of the garland.
अभवत्स महीपालस्तेन पापेन शङ्करे । शिवे द्वेषमतिर्जातो देव्यां सत्यां तथा नृप
Because of that sin against Śaṅkara, the king developed a hostile mind toward Śiva, and likewise toward Satī, the true goddess.
राजंस्तेनापराधेन तज्जन्यो देह एव च । सत्या योगाग्निना दग्धः सतीधर्मदिदृक्षया
Because of that offense, O King, his body was burned by the fire of Satī’s yogic power, out of her desire to uphold the dharma of Satī.
पुनश्च हिमवत्पृष्ठे प्रादुरासीत्तु तन्महः । जनमेजय उवाच - दह्यमाने सतीदेहे जाते किमकरोच्छिवः
Again, on the slopes of the Himalayas, that great radiance manifested; Janamejaya said: 'When Satī’s body was burning, what did Śiva do?'
प्राणाधिका सती तस्य तद्वियोगेन कातरः । व्यास उवाच - ततः परं तु यज्जातां मया वक्तुं न शक्यते
Satī was dearer to him than life; separated from her, he was distraught. Vyāsa said: 'What happened next, I am unable to describe.'
त्रैलोक्यप्रलयो जातः शिवकोपाग्निना नृप । वीरभद्रः समुत्पन्नो भद्रकालीगणान्वितः
A dissolution of the three worlds occurred from the fire of Śiva’s wrath, O King; Vīrabhadra arose, accompanied by the hosts of Bhadrakālī.
त्रैलोक्यनाशनोद्युक्तो वीरभद्रो यदाभवत् । ब्रह्मादयस्तदा देवां शङ्करं शरणं ययुः
When Vīrabhadra became intent on destroying the three worlds, then Brahmā and the other gods sought refuge in Śaṅkara.
जाते सर्वस्वनाशेऽपि करुणानिधिरीश्वरः । अभयं दत्तवांस्तेभ्यो बस्तवक्रेण तं मनुम्
Even when all was being destroyed, the Lord, ocean of compassion, granted them fearlessness; he revived Manu, who was bent like a bamboo.
अजीवयन्महात्मासौ ततः खिन्नो महेश्वरः । यज्ञवाटमुपागम्य रुरोद भृशदुःखितः
That great soul was restored to life; then, deeply afflicted, Maheśvara went to the sacrificial ground and wept in intense sorrow.
अपश्यत्तां सतीं वह्नौ दह्यमानां तु चित्कलाम् । स्कन्धेऽप्यारोपयामास हा सतीति वदन्मुहुः
He saw Satī being burned in the fire, her subtle body; again and again, crying 'Alas, Satī!', he lifted her onto his shoulder.
बभ्राम भ्रान्तचित्तः सन्नानादेशेषु शङ्करः । तदा ब्रह्मादयो देवाश्चिन्तामापुरनुत्तमाम्
His mind bewildered, Śaṅkara wandered through various places; then Brahmā and the other gods fell into great anxiety.
विष्णुस्तु त्वरया तत्र धनुरुद्यम्य मार्गणैः । चिच्छेदावयवान्सत्यास्तत्तत्स्थानेषु तेऽपतन्
Viṣṇu, in haste, took up his bow and arrows and cut Satī’s limbs, which fell in various places.
तत्तत्स्थानेषु तत्रासीन्नानामूर्तिधरो हरः । उवाच च ततो देवान्स्थानेष्वेतेषु ये शिवाम्
In those places, Hara took on various forms; then he said to the gods, 'In these places, whoever worships Śivā with supreme devotion—'
भजन्ति परया भक्त्या तेषां किञ्चिन्न दुर्लभम् । नित्यं सन्निहिता यत्र निजाङ्गेषु पराम्बिका
'For them, nothing is difficult to obtain; the supreme Mother is always present there in her own limbs.'
स्थानेष्वेतेषु ये मर्त्याः पुरश्चरणकर्मिणः । तेषां मन्त्राः प्रसिद्ध्यन्ति मायाबीजं विशेषतः
'In these places, those mortals who perform special rites—their mantras succeed, especially the seed-mantra of Māyā.'
इत्युक्त्वा शङ्करस्तेषु स्थानेषु विरहातुरः । कालं निन्ये नृपश्रेष्ठ जपध्यानसमाधिभिः
Having spoken thus, Śaṅkara, tormented by separation, spent his time in those places, O best of kings, absorbed in recitation, meditation, and samādhi.