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.
यं पर्येति च विश्वात्मा सहस्रकिरणः स्वराट् । सग्रहर्क्षगणोपेतः सोऽयं कनकपर्वतः
This golden mountain, which the Sun, the soul of the universe, encircles along with the hosts of planets and stars, is the same.
आत्मानं मनुते श्रेष्ठं वरिष्ठं च धराभृताम् । सर्वेषामहमेवाग्र्यो नास्ति लोकेषु मत्समः
He considers himself the best and foremost among the mountains, thinking, 'Among all, I alone am supreme; there is none in the worlds equal to me.'
एवंमानाभिमानं तं स्मृत्वोच्छ्वासो मयोज्झितः । अस्तु नैतावता कृत्यं तपोबलवतां नग । प्रसङ्गतो मयोक्तं ते गमिष्यामि निजं गृहम्
Remembering that pride and arrogance, I sighed. But, O mountain, for those strong in austerity, this is not a matter of concern. I have told you this incidentally; now I shall go to my own abode.
देवीमाहात्म्ये विन्ध्योपाख्यानवर्णनम् सूतउवाच एवं समुपदिश्यायं देवर्षिः परमः स्वराट् । जगाम ब्रह्मणो लोकं स्वैरचारी महामुनिः
Description of the Vindhya episode in the greatness of the Goddess. Sūta said: Thus instructed, the supreme divine sage, free to move as he wished, went to the world of Brahmā.
गते मुनिवरे विन्ध्यश्चिन्तां लेभेऽनपायिनीम् । नैव शान्तिं स लेभे च सदान्तःकृतशोचनः
When the best of sages had departed, Vindhya was seized by unceasing anxiety; he found no peace and was always sorrowful within.
कथं किं त्वत्र मे कार्यं कथं मेरुं जयाम्यहम् । नैव शान्तिं लभे नापि स्वास्थ्यं मे मानसे भवेत्
What should I do here? How shall I surpass Meru? I find no peace, nor does my mind attain calmness.
(धिगुत्साहं च मानं च धिङ्मे कीर्तिं च धिक्कुलम्) धिग्बलं मे पौरुषं धिक् स्मृतं पूर्वैर्महात्मभिः । एवं चिन्तयमानस्य विन्ध्यस्य मनसि स्फुटम्
(Fie upon my enthusiasm and pride, fie upon my fame and lineage,) fie upon my strength and manliness, fie upon what the great ones of old have said; thus, clear thoughts arose in the mind of Vindhya.
प्रादुर्भूता मतिः कार्ये कर्तव्ये दोषकारिणी । मेरुप्रदक्षिणां कुर्वन्नित्यमेव दिवाकरः
A resolve appeared in his mind, intent on action but leading to fault: The Sun always circles Meru.
सग्रहर्क्षगणोपेतः सदा दृप्यत्ययं नगः । तस्य मार्गस्य संरोधं करिष्यामि निजैः करैः
That mountain, accompanied by the hosts of planets and stars, always exults; I will block his path with my own might.
तदा निरुद्धो द्युमणिः परिक्रामेत्कथं नगम् । एवं मार्गे निरुद्धे तु मया दिनकरस्य च
Then, if the Sun is obstructed, how will he go around the mountain? Thus, if I block the path of the Sun and the day, what will happen?