इत्युक्ताहं तपस्तप्तुमागतास्मि तपोवने । आराधितो मया देव त्वं सर्वार्थप्रदायकः
Thus addressed, I have come to this forest of austerities to perform penance; I have worshipped you, O Lord, who grants all desires.
पतिसङ्गं विना पुत्रं देवदेव लभे कथम् । स तु तिष्ठति वैकुण्ठे त्यक्त्वा वामामनागसम्
How can I obtain a son, O Lord of gods, without union with my husband? He remains in Vaikuntha, having abandoned me, though I am blameless.
वरं मे देहि देवेश यदि तुष्टोऽसि शङ्कर । तव तस्य द्विधा भावो नास्ति नूनं कदाचन
Grant me a boon, O Lord of gods, if you are pleased, O Shankara; surely, there is never any difference between you and him.
मयैतद्गिरिजाकान्त ज्ञातं पत्युः पुरो हर । यस्त्वं योऽसौ पुनर्योऽसौ स त्वं नास्त्यत्र संशयः
I have understood this, O beloved of Girija, before my husband: you and he, whoever he is, you are; there is no doubt in this.
एकत्वं च मया ज्ञात्वा मया ते स्मरणं कृतम् । अन्यथा मम दोषस्त्वामाश्रयन्त्या भवेच्छिव
Knowing this unity, I have remembered you; otherwise, fault would attach to me, O Shiva, for seeking refuge in you.
शिव उवाच कथं ज्ञातस्त्वया देवि मम तस्य च सुन्दरि । ऐक्यभावो हरेर्नूनं सत्यं मे वद सिन्धुजे
Shiva said: How did you know, O goddess, the unity between me and him, O beautiful one? Tell me truly, O daughter of the ocean, about the oneness with Hari.
एकत्वं च न जानन्ति देवाश्च मुनयस्तथा । ज्ञानिनो वेदतत्त्वज्ञाः कुतर्कोपहताः किल
Even the gods and sages do not know oneness; those who are knowledgeable, who know the essence of the Vedas, are indeed obstructed by false reasoning.
मद्भक्ता वासुदेवस्य निन्दका बहवस्तथा । विष्णभक्तास्तु बहवो मम निन्दापरायणाः
There are many who are my devotees and slanderers of Vāsudeva, and likewise, there are many devotees of Viṣṇu who are intent on reviling me.
भवन्ति कालभेदेन कलौ देवि विशेषतः । कथं ज्ञातस्त्वया भद्रे दुर्ज्ञेयो ह्यकृतात्मभिः
Such people arise at different times, especially in the age of Kali, O Goddess; how could you know, O auspicious one, for this is truly difficult to comprehend for those whose minds are unrefined.
सर्वथा त्वैक्यभावस्तु हरेर्मम च दुर्लभः । व्यास उवाच इति सा शम्भुना पुष्टा तुष्टेन हरिवल्लभा
In every way, the state of unity between Hari and myself is rare; Vyāsa said: Thus, she who is dear to Hari was strengthened by Śambhu, who was pleased.
वृत्तान्तं तस्य विज्ञातं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे । शिवं प्रति रमा तत्र प्रसन्नवदना भृशम्
Having understood that event, Ramā, with a very cheerful face, began to recount it to Śiva.
लक्ष्मीरुवाच एकदा देवदेवेश विष्णुर्ध्यानपरो रहः । दृष्टो मया तपः कुर्वन्पद्मासनगतो यदा
Lakṣmī said: Once, O Lord of the gods, Viṣṇu was absorbed in meditation in solitude; I saw him practicing austerity, seated on a lotus.
तदाहं विस्मिता देवं तमपृच्छं पतिं किल । प्रबुद्धं सुप्रसन्नं च ज्ञात्वा विनयपूर्वकम्
Then, amazed, I approached that Lord and questioned my husband, having observed that he was awakened and very pleased, with proper humility.
देवदेव जगन्नाथ यदाहं निर्गतार्णवात् । मथ्यमानात्सुरैर्दैत्यैः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मादिभिः प्रभो
O Lord of the gods, O Lord of the universe, when I emerged from the ocean, churned by all the gods and demons, including Brahmā and the others,
वीक्षिताश्च मया सर्वे पतिकामनया तदा । वृतस्त्वं सर्वदेवेभ्यः श्रेष्ठोऽसीति विनिश्चयात्
I looked upon all with the desire to choose a husband; you were selected from all the gods as the best, with firm resolve.
त्वं कं ध्यायसि सर्वेश संशयोऽयं महान्मम । प्रियोऽसि कैटभारे मे कथयस्व मनोगतम्
Whom do you meditate upon, O Lord of all? This is my great doubt. You are dear to me, O slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha; tell me what is in your heart.
विष्णुरुवाच शृणु कान्ते प्रवक्ष्यामि यं ध्यायामि सुरोत्तमम् । आशुतोषं महेशानं गिरिजावल्लभं हृदि
Viṣṇu said: Listen, beloved, I will tell you whom I meditate upon in my heart—the supreme among the gods, Maheśāna, the easily pleased Lord, beloved of Girijā.
कदाचिद्देवदेवो मां ध्यायत्यमितविक्रमः । ध्यायाम्यहं च देवेशं शङ्करं त्रिपुरान्तकम्
Sometimes, the Lord of gods, of immeasurable prowess, meditates on me; and I, too, meditate on the Lord of gods, Śaṅkara, the destroyer of Tripura.
शिवस्याहं प्रियः प्राणः शङ्करस्तु तथा मम । उभयोरन्तरं नास्ति मिथः संसक्तचेतसोः
I am dear to Śiva, his very life, and Śaṅkara is likewise to me; there is no difference between us, our minds are mutually joined.
नरकं यान्ति ते नूनं ये द्विषन्ति महेश्वरम् । भक्ता मम विशालाक्षि सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्
Surely, those who hate Maheśvara go to hell; this is the truth I speak, O wide-eyed one, my devotees.
इत्युक्तं देवदेवेन विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । एकान्ते किल पृष्टेन मया शैलसुताप्रिय
Thus spoke the powerful Viṣṇu, Lord of the gods, when I, in private, questioned him, O beloved of the daughter of the mountain.
तस्मात्त्वां वल्लभं विष्णोर्ज्ञात्वा ध्यातवती ह्यहम् । तथा कुरु महेशान यथा मे प्रियसङ्गमः
Therefore, knowing that you are dear to Viṣṇu, I have meditated upon you; O Maheśāna, grant that I may be united with my beloved as before.
व्यास उवाच इति श्रियो वचः श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच महेश्वरः । तामाश्वास्य प्रियैर्वाक्यैर्यथार्थं वाक्यकोविदः
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words of Śrī, Maheśvara replied to her, comforting her with kind words, skilled in speech and truth.
स्वस्था भव पृथुश्रोणि तुष्टोऽहं तपसा तव । समागमस्ते पतिना भविष्यति न संशयः
Be at ease, O broad-hipped one, I am pleased with your austerity; your union with your husband will certainly take place, there is no doubt.
अत्रैव हयरूपेण भगवाञ्जगदीश्वरः । आगमिष्यति ते कामं पूर्णं कर्तुं मयेरितः
Here itself, the Lord of the universe will come to you in the form of a horse, to fulfill your desire as I have spoken.
तथाहं प्रेरयिष्यामि तं देवं मधुसूदनम् । यथासौ हयरूपेण त्वामेष्यति मदातुरः
I will thus direct that god, Madhusudana, so that he, overcome by my influence, will approach you in the form of a horse.
पुत्रस्ते भविता सुभ्रु नारायणसमः क्षितौ । भविष्यति स भूपालः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः
Your son, O beautiful-browed one, will be equal to Narayana on earth; he will become a king honored by all worlds.
सुतं प्राप्य महाभागे त्वं तेन पतिना सह । गन्तासि देवि वैकुण्ठं प्रिया तस्य भविष्यसि
Having obtained a son, O highly fortunate one, you will go to Vaikuntha with your husband, and you will be his beloved.
एकवीरेति नाम्नासौ ख्यातिं यास्यति ते सुतः । तस्मात्तु हैहयो वंशो भुवि विस्तारमेष्यति
Your son will be renowned by the name Ekavira; from him, the Haihaya lineage will spread widely on earth.
परं तु विस्मृतासि त्वं हृदिस्थां परमेश्वरीम् । मदान्धा मत्तचित्ता च तेन ते फलमीदृशम्
But you have forgotten the Supreme Goddess who dwells in the heart; intoxicated and absorbed in pride, thus you have received this result.