विमाने ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशा दर्शयाम्यद्य चाद्भुतम् । तन्निशम्य वचस्तस्या ओमित्युक्त्वा पुनर्वयम्
Today, in this celestial chariot, I shall show Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva a wondrous sight; hearing her words, we replied, 'Om,' and then—
समारुह्योपविष्टाः स्मो विमाने रत्नमण्डिते । मुक्तादामसुसंवीते किङ्किणीजालशब्दिते
We ascended and sat in the celestial chariot, adorned with jewels, draped with strings of pearls, and ringing with the sound of little bells.
सुरसद्मनिभे रम्ये त्रयस्तत्राविशङ्किताः । सोपविष्टांस्ततो दृष्ट्वा देव्यस्मान्विजितेन्द्रियान्
In that delightful chariot, resembling the mansions of the gods, the three of us entered without fear; seeing us seated there, the Goddess, who had mastered her senses, gazed upon us.
स्वशक्त्या तद्विमानं वै नोदयामास चाम्बरे
By her own power, the Goddess caused that chariot to rise up into the sky.
विमानस्थैर्हरादिभिर्देवीदर्शनम् ब्रह्मोवाच विमानं तन्मनोवेगं यत्र स्थानान्तरे गतम् । न जलं तत्र पश्यामो विस्मिताः स्मो वयं तदा
From the chariot, together with Hara and the others, we beheld the Goddess—
वृक्षाः सर्वफला रम्याः कोकिलारावमण्डिताः । मही महीधराः कामं वनान्युपवनानि च
There were beautiful trees bearing all fruits, adorned with the songs of cuckoos; the earth, with its mountains, forests, and groves, was delightful.
नार्यश्च पुरुषाश्चैव पशवश्च सरिद्वराः । वाप्यः कूपास्तडागाश्च पल्वलानि च निर्झराः
There were women and men, animals, sacred rivers, ponds, wells, reservoirs, marshes, and waterfalls.
पुरतो नगरं रम्यं दिव्यप्राकारमण्डितम् । यज्ञशालासमायुक्तं नानाहर्म्यविराजितम्
Before us appeared a splendid city, adorned with divine ramparts, equipped with sacrificial halls, and resplendent with various mansions.
प्रत्यभिज्ञा तदा जाताप्यस्माकं प्रेक्ष्य तत्पुरम् । स्वर्गोऽयमिति केनासौ निर्मितोस्ति तदाद्भुतम्
Upon seeing that city, we recognized it; someone said, 'Is this heaven? Who created this wondrous place?'
राजानं देवसङ्काशं व्रजन्तं मृगयां वने । अस्माभिः संस्थिता दृष्टा विमानोपरि चाम्बिका
We saw a king, radiant as a god, going out to hunt in the forest, while Ambika stood above us in the chariot.
क्षणाच्चचाल गगने विमानं पवनेरितम् । मुहूर्ताद्वा ततः प्राप्तं देशे चान्ये मनोहरे
In a moment, the chariot moved through the sky, driven by the wind; soon after, it reached another enchanting land.
नन्दनं च वनं तत्र दृष्टमस्माभिरुत्तमम् । पारिजाततरुच्छायासंश्रिता सुरभिः स्थिता
There we saw the splendid Nandana grove, fragrant and shaded by Parijata trees.
चतुर्दन्तो गजस्तस्याः समीपे समवस्थितः । अप्सरसां तत्र वृन्दानि मेनकाप्रभृतीनि च
Near her stood a four-tusked elephant; there were groups of Apsaras, including Menaka and others.
क्रीडन्ति विविधैर्भावैर्गाननृत्यसमन्वितैः । गन्धर्वाः शतशस्तत्र यक्षा विद्याधरास्तथा
They played in various ways, accompanied by singing and dancing; hundreds of Gandharvas, as well as Yakshas and Vidyadharas, were also there.
मन्दारवाटिकामध्ये गायन्ति च रमन्ति च दृष्टः शतक्रतुस्तत्र पौलोम्या सहितः प्रभुः
In the midst of the Mandara garden, they sang and delighted; there we saw mighty Indra together with Paulomi.
वयं तु विस्मिताश्चास्म दृष्ट्वा त्रैविष्टपं तदा । यादःपतिं कुबेरं च यमं सूर्यं विभावसुम्
We were amazed to see that heavenly realm, along with the lord of the waters, Kubera, Yama, Surya, and Agni.
विलोक्य विस्मिताश्चास्म वयं तत्र सुरान्स्थितान् । तदा विनिर्गतो राजा पुरात्तस्मात्सुमण्डितात्
Seeing the gods assembled there, we were filled with wonder; then the king emerged from that splendid city.
देवराज इवाक्षोभ्यो नरवाह्यावनौ स्थितः । विमानस्था वयं तच्च चचाल तरसागतम्
Unshakable like the king of the gods, he stood on the earth with his army; as we watched from the chariot, it swiftly moved onward.
ब्रह्मलोकं तदा दिव्यं सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम् । तत्र ब्रह्माणमालोक्य विस्मितौ हरकेशवौ
Then, that divine world of Brahma, revered by all the gods—there, upon seeing Brahma, both Hara and Keshava were astonished.
सभायां तत्र वेदाश्च सर्वे साङ्गाः स्वरूपिणः । सागराः सरितश्चैव पर्वताः पन्नगोरगाः
In that assembly, all the Vedas with their branches appeared in their true forms, along with the oceans, rivers, mountains, and serpents and nagas.
मामूचतुश्चतुर्वक्त्रः कोऽयं ब्रह्मा सनातनः । ताववोचमहं नैव जाने सृष्टिपतिं पतिम्
The four-faced one said to me, 'Who is this eternal Brahma?' I replied, 'I do not know the lord and master of creation.'
कोऽहं कोऽयं किमर्थं वा भ्रमोऽयं मम चेश्वरौ । क्षणादथ विमानं तच्चचालाशु मनोजवम्
'Who am I? Who is he? For what reason is this confusion of mine, O lords?' Then, in an instant, that aerial chariot, swift as the mind, began to tremble.
कैलासशिखरे प्राप्तं रम्ये यक्षगणान्विते । मन्दारवाटिकारम्ये कीरकोकिलकूजिते
It arrived at the summit of Kailasa, beautiful and attended by hosts of yakshas, in a delightful grove of mandara trees, where peacocks and cuckoos called.
वीणामुरजवाद्यैश्च नादिते सुखदे शिवे । यदा प्राप्तं विमानं तत्तदैव सदनाच्छुभात्
With the pleasing sounds of veenas and drums resounding, bringing joy and auspiciousness, as soon as the chariot arrived, it halted at that blessed abode.
निर्गतो भगवाञ्छम्भुर्वृषारूढस्त्रिलोचनः । पञ्चाननो दशभुजः कृतसोमार्धशेखरः
The blessed Shambhu emerged, riding a bull, three-eyed, five-faced, ten-armed, adorned with the crescent moon upon his head.
व्याघ्रचर्मपरीधानो गजचर्मोत्तरीयकः । पार्ष्णिरक्षौ महावीरौ गजाननषडाननौ
Clad in a tiger skin, with an elephant hide as an upper garment, his two heroic sons stood by his heels—one with an elephant face, the other with six faces.
शिवेन सह पुत्रौ द्वौ व्रजमानौ विरेजतुः । नन्दिप्रभृतयः सर्वे गणपाश्च वराश्च ते
Together with Shiva, his two sons advanced, shining; all the attendants led by Nandi and the great hosts of ganas accompanied them.
जयशब्दं प्रयुञ्जाना व्रजन्ति शिवपृष्ठगाः । तं वीक्ष्य शङ्करं चान्यं विस्मितास्तत्र नारद
Uttering cries of victory, they proceeded behind Shiva; seeing that other Shankara, O Narada, we were all astonished there.
मातृभिः संशयाविष्टस्तत्राहं न्यवसं मुने । क्षणात्तस्माद्गिरेः शृङ्गाद्विमानं वातरंहसा
Filled with doubt by the Mothers, I remained there, O sage; then, in a moment, the chariot sped away from that mountain peak, swift as the wind.
वैकुण्ठसदनं प्राप्तं रमारमणमन्दिरम् । असम्भाव्या विभूतिश्च तत्र दृष्टा मया सुत
It reached the abode of Vaikuntha, the dwelling of the beloved of Rama; there, my son, I beheld an unimaginable splendor.