At the time of Śaṅkara’s great wedding, a wondrous gathering unfolded across the worlds. Rivers from every island and even those in the abodes of the gods themselves took on graceful, feminine forms and joyfully emerged to attend the sacred event. The exalted hosts of Śiva's attendants, honored throughout all the worlds, arrived in delight to witness the marriage of their Lord. Countless hosts of attendants, radiant as conch shells, and their mighty leaders came in vast numbers. Among them were Kekarākṣa with ten million, Vidyut with eight million, Viśākha with sixty-four million, Pārayātrika with nine million, and the illustrious Sarvāntaka with six million, along with Vikṛtānana. Jvālākeśa, a leader of hosts, brought twelve million followers, while Samada led seven million and Dundubha eight million. Kapālīśa arrived with five million, Saṃdāraka the auspicious with six million, and both Gaṇḍaka and Kuṃbhaka with uncountable millions. Viṣṭambha, foremost among attendants, had eight million with him; Pippala and Saṃnāda each brought a thousand million. Āveṣṭana came with eight million, Candratāpana with seven, and Mahākeśa with a thousand million, all surrounded by countless more. Kuṇḍī arrived with twelve million, accompanied by the auspicious Vīra and Parvataka, Kāla, Kālaka, and Mahākāla with a hundred million. Āgnika brought a hundred million, Agnimukha and Ādityamūrdhā each with a million, and Dhanāvaha with a million as well. Saṃnāma had a hundred million, Kumuda millions, and Amogha, Kokila, and Sumantraka countless millions. Kākapāṭa and Saṃtānaka each brought sixty million, Mahābala had nine million, and Madhupiṅga and Piṅgala joined them. Nīla, lord of the gods, and Pūrṇabhadra each had ninety million, while the mighty Caturvaktra arrived with seventy million. In all, twenty hundred thousand millions of gods gathered to see Śaṅkara, the Auspicious One. Pramatha came with a thousand million hosts, Vīrabhadra with sixty-four million, and Romaja with millions. Karaṇa brought twenty, Kevala the auspicious ninety, along with Pañcākṣa, Śatamanyu, and Meghamanyu. Kāṣṭhakūṭa had sixty-four million, Sukeśa and Vṛṣabha joined, and the Blessed Virūpākṣa, the eternal one, brought sixty-four million. Tāluketu, Ṣaḍāsya, and Pañcāsya, the eternal one, arrived, as did Saṃvartaka, Caitra, and Lakulīśa, the Lord himself. Lokāntaka, Dīptāsya, Daityāntaka, Mṛtyuhṛt, Kālahā, Kāla, and the bestower of victory over death also came. Viṣāda, Viṣada, Vidyutaḥ, Kāntaka, Deva, Bhṛṅgī, Riṭi, the illustrious one, and the beloved of the Lord of gods were all present. Aśani, Bhāsaka, and Sahasrapāt with sixty-four million, along with many other mighty Gaṇas, filled the gathering. These hosts were awe-inspiring: each with a thousand arms, crowned with matted locks, adorned with crescent moons, blue-throated, and three-eyed. Their bodies glittered with necklaces, earrings, armlets, crowns, and other ornaments. They resembled Brahmā, Indra, and Viṣṇu, and possessed supernatural powers beginning with aṇimā. The lords of the Gaṇas shone like ten million suns, some moving in the netherworlds, others dwelling throughout all the worlds. Tuṃbaru, Nārada, Hāhā, Hūhū, and the celestial singers of the Sāma Veda arrived, bearing precious jewels and musical instruments, filling the city with music and splendor. The sages, rich in ascetic merit, gathered and recited auspicious marriage mantras with hearts full of joy. As all the worlds assembled, Girijā, the pure-smiling daughter of the Mountain, adorned herself with her own hands. Then Keśava himself led her into the city. The assembly addressed the Lord of gods, Nārāyaṇa, the unborn Hari, with reverence. They spoke, recalling the origins of all: “You were born at the beginning, along with Bhavānī and the gods—from the left side of Rudra, and I, O Lord, from the right. My form is the Lord of the snowy mountain, created for the sake of sacrifice; this daughter of Himavat was born by the Māyā of the Supreme Lord. For the sake of Vedic and Smṛti rites, and for this very wedding, I am present here. She is the sustainer of the worlds, and the creator for you and for me as well. The world stands upon the forms of Rudra—earth, fire, moon, sun, wind, and ether all arise from him.” “Still, by the word of the Mountain and myself, she must be given to him. She is unborn, white, black, and red—she is Nature, O Lord. Yet this alliance with the king of mountains is auspicious for you as well. In the lotus you were born, and in the kalpa I arose from the navel-lotus.” Then Janārdana, the Lord of gods, replied, “Indeed, you are the guru both for this proud mountain and for me as well.” At that moment, all the gods and sages, along with the wise Lord of gods, Śaṅkara, and Padmanābha, rose and bowed to Girijā. The lotus-eyed one, Hari, washed the feet of the god with his own hands, then sprinkled that holy water on his own head, as well as on the heads of Brahmā and the Mountain. Declaring, “She is my younger sister, Menā’s daughter, and is now to be given in marriage to you,” he offered her, with water, to the Lord of gods. Hari also offered himself, with water, to Śiva. Then the foremost sages, accomplished in the knowledge of all the Vedas, proclaimed: “The giver, the receiver, the fruit, and the substance—considering all, this god Hara is surely the universe by his māyā.