त्वदंशसम्भवा एव त्वच्छक्तिपरिबृंहिताः । अथापि यदि मे देवि वरो देयोऽस्ति साम्प्रतम्
They are born from your portion, empowered by your energy; yet, O goddess, if a boon is to be granted to me at this time,
तदा प्रह्वाः सर्गकार्ये विघ्ना नश्यन्तु मे शिवे । वाग्भवस्यापि मन्त्रस्य ये केचिदुपसेविनः
Then, O auspicious one, let obstacles in my work of creation be destroyed; and for those who worship the Vagbhava mantra,
तेषां सिद्धिः सत्वरापि कार्याणां जायतामपि । ये संवादमिमं देवि पठन्ति श्रावयन्ति च
Let success in their tasks arise swiftly; and those who recite or cause others to hear this dialogue, O goddess,
तेषां लोके भुक्तिमुक्ती सुलभे भवतां शिवे । जातिस्मरत्वं भवतु वक्तृत्वं सौष्ठवं तथा
For them, O auspicious one, enjoyment and liberation in the world become easily attainable; let them have remembrance of past births, eloquence, and excellence as well.
ज्ञानसिद्धिः कर्ममार्गसंसिद्धिरपि चास्तु हि । पुत्रपौत्रसमृद्धिश्च जायेदित्येव मे वचः
May there be attainment of knowledge, success in the path of action, and abundance of sons and grandsons—let all this come to pass, as I have spoken.
विन्ध्योपाख्यानवर्णनम् श्रीदेव्युवाच भूमिपाल महाबाहो सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति । यत्त्वया प्रार्थितं तत्ते ददामि मनुजाधिप
The Account of Vindhya Begins The Blessed Goddess said: O king, mighty-armed ruler of the earth, all that you have asked for shall indeed come to be; I grant you what you have desired, O lord of men.
अहं प्रसन्ना दैत्येन्द्रनाशनामोघविक्रमा । वाग्भवस्य जपेनैव तपसा ते सुनिश्चितम्
I am pleased, O destroyer of demons, whose power is unfailing; through your recitation of the Vagbhava mantra and your austerity, it is certain.
राज्यं निष्कण्टकं तेऽस्तु पुत्रा वंशकरा अपि । मयि भक्तिर्दृढा वत्स मोक्षान्ते सत्पदे भवेत्
May your kingdom be free from obstacles, may your sons continue your lineage; and, dear one, with firm devotion to me, at the end of life you shall attain the highest state.
एवं वरान्महादेवी तस्मै दत्त्वा महात्मने । पश्यतस्तु मनोरेव जगाम विन्ध्यपर्वतम्
Thus, having granted these boons to that great-souled one, the great Goddess, while Manu looked on, departed for Mount Vindhya.
योऽसौ विन्ध्याचलो रुद्धः कुम्भोद्भवमहर्षिणा । भानुमार्गावरोधार्थं प्रवृत्तो गगनं स्पृशन्
That Vindhya mountain, which was restrained by the sage born from the water-pot, had begun to rise up to touch the sky, intending to block the path of the sun.
सा विन्ध्यवासिनी विष्णोरनुजा वरदेश्वरी । बभूव पूज्या लोकानां सर्वेषां मुनिसत्तम
She who dwells in Vindhya, the boon-bestowing goddess, sister of Vishnu, became worthy of worship by all the worlds, O best of sages.
ऋषय ऊचुः कोऽसौ विन्ध्याचलः सूत किमर्थं गगनं स्पृशन् । भानुमार्गावरोधं च किमर्थं कृतवानसौ
The sages said: Who is this Vindhya mountain, O Suta? For what reason did he rise up to touch the sky? And why did he seek to block the sun's path?
कथं च मैत्रावरुणिः पर्वतं तं महोन्नतम् । प्रकृतिस्थं चकारेति सर्वं विस्तरतो वद
And how did the son of Mitra and Varuna make that lofty mountain remain in its place? Tell us everything in detail.
न हि तृप्यामहे साधो त्वदास्यगलितामृतम् । देव्याश्चरित्ररूपाख्यं पीत्वा तृष्णा प्रवर्धते
For we are never satisfied, O noble one, drinking the nectar that flows from your lips; the thirst for hearing the stories and forms of the Goddess only grows.
सूत उवाच आसीद्विन्ध्याचलो नाम मान्यः सर्वधराभृताम् । महावनसमूहाढ्यो महापादपसंवृतः
Suta said: There was a mountain named Vindhya, honored among all the mountains that bear the earth, rich with great forests and covered with mighty trees.
सुपुष्पितैरनेकैश्च लतागुल्मैस्तु संवृतः । मृगा वराहा महिषा व्याघ्राः शार्दूलका अपि
It was covered with many flowering creepers and bushes, and abounded with deer, wild boar, buffalo, tigers, and leopards.
वानराः शशका ऋक्षाः शृगालाश्च समन्ततः । विचरन्ति सदा हृष्टा पुष्टा एव महोद्यमाः
Monkeys, hares, bears, and jackals roamed everywhere, always joyful, well-nourished, and full of energy.
नदीनदजलाक्रान्तो देवगन्धर्वकिन्नरैः । अप्सरोभिः किम्पुरुषैः सर्वकामफलद्रुमैः
It was filled with rivers and streams, and frequented by gods, gandharvas, kinnaras, apsaras, kimpurushas, and trees that grant every desire.
एतादृशे विन्ध्यनगे कदाचित्पर्यटन् महीम् । देवर्षिः परमप्रीतो जगाम स्वेच्छया मुनिः
Once, as he wandered the earth, the divine sage, greatly delighted, came of his own will to that Vindhya mountain, so splendid.
तं दृष्ट्वा स नगो मङ्क्षु तूर्णमुत्थाय सम्भ्रमात् । पाद्यमर्घ्यं तथा दत्त्वा वरासनमथार्पयत्
Seeing him, the mountain quickly rose up in haste, and with reverence offered water for washing the feet, an arghya, and then a splendid seat.
सुखोपविष्टं देवर्षिं प्रसन्नं नग ऊचिवान् । विन्ध्य उवाच देवर्षे कथ्यतां जात आगमः कुत उत्तमः
When the divine sage was comfortably seated and pleased, the mountain spoke: Vindhya said: O divine sage, tell me from where you have come, and for what excellent purpose.
तवागमनतो जातमनर्घ्यं मम मन्दिरम् । तव चङ्क्रमणं देवाभयार्थं हि यथा रवेः
By your arrival, my abode has become priceless; and your crossing, O divine one, is surely for the sake of the gods' safety from the sun.
अपूर्वं यन्मनोवृत्तं तद् ब्रूहि मम नारद । नारद उवाच ममागमनमिन्द्रारे जातं स्वर्णगिरेरथ
Tell me, O Nārada, about that unprecedented state of mind. Nārada said: My coming, O enemy of Indra, took place then on Mount Meru.
तत्र दृष्टा मया लोकाः शक्राग्नियमपाशिनाम् । सर्वेषां लोकपालानां भवनानि समन्ततः
There I saw the worlds of Indra, Agni, Yama, and Varuṇa; the dwellings of all the guardians of the worlds, all around.
मया दृष्टानि विन्ध्याग नानाभोगप्रदानि च । इति चोक्त्वा ब्रह्मयोनिः पुनरुच्छ्वासमाविशत्
I saw the Vindhya mountains, which grant various enjoyments. Having said this, the son of Brahmā again fell into deep thought.
उच्छ्वसन्तं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा पुनः पप्रच्छ शैलराट् । उच्छ्वासकारणं किं तद् ब्रूहि देवऋषे मम
Seeing the sage sighing, the lord of mountains asked again: Tell me, O divine sage, what is the cause of your sigh?
इत्याकर्ण्य नगस्योक्तं देवर्षिरमितद्युतिः । अब्रवीच्छ्रूयतां वत्स ममोच्छ्वासस्य कारणम्
Hearing the words of the mountain, the divine sage, radiant and gentle, said: Listen, child, to the reason for my sigh.
गौरीगुरुस्तु हिमवाञ्छिवस्य श्वशुरः किल । सम्बन्धित्वात्पशुपतेः पूज्य आसीत्क्षमाभृताम्
Himavat, the preceptor of Gaurī, is indeed the father-in-law of Śiva; because of his relation to the Lord of Beings, he is honored among the mountains.
एवमेव च कैलासः शिवस्यावसथः प्रभुः । पूज्यः पृथ्वीभृतां जातो लोके पापौघदारणः
In the same way, Kailāsa, the abode of Śiva, the great Lord, is revered among the mountains of the earth, destroying heaps of sin in the world.
निषधः पर्वतो नीलो गन्धमादन एव च । पूज्याः स्वस्थानमासाद्य सर्व एव क्षमाभृतः
Niṣadha, Nīla, and Gandhamādana mountains, too, are all honored in their own places among the mountains.