स्वच्छेन्द्रनीलभूभागे क्रीडने यत्र धिष्ठितौ वपुःसहायतां प्राप्तौ विनोदरसनिर्वृतौ
On a ground clear as blue sapphire, they stood for play, their forms united in delight and enjoyment.
एवं प्रक्रीडतोस्तत्र देवीशंकरयोस्तदा प्रादुर्भवन्महाशब्दस् तद्गृहोदरगोचरः
As the goddess and Shankara played there, a great sound arose within the house.
तच्छ्रुत्वा कौतुकाद्देवी किमेतदिति शंकरम् पप्रच्छ तं शुभतनुर् हरं विस्मयपूर्वकम्
Hearing that, out of curiosity, the auspicious-bodied goddess, filled with wonder, asked Hara, 'What is this?'
उवाच देवीं नैतत्ते दृष्टपूर्वं सुविस्मिते एते गणेशाः क्रीडन्ते शैले ऽस्मिन्मत्प्रियाः सदा
He replied to the goddess, 'You have not seen this before, O greatly astonished one. These are my beloved Ganeshas, always playing on this mountain.'
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण नियमैः क्षेत्रसेवनैः यैरहं तोषितः पूर्वं त एते मनुजोत्तमाः
By austerity, celibacy, discipline, and service to sacred places, those best of men pleased me in the past.
मत्समीपमनुप्राप्ता मम हृद्याः शुभानने कामरूपा महोत्साहा महारूपगुणान्विताः
They have come near me, O auspicious-faced one, dear to my heart, possessing forms as they wish, great enthusiasm, and endowed with great qualities and forms.
कर्मभिर्विस्मयं तेषां प्रयामि बलशालिनाम् चराचरस्य जगतः सृष्टिसंहरणक्षमाः
By my actions, I astonish those mighty ones who possess the power to create and dissolve the moving and unmoving universe.
ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रगन्धर्वैः सकिंनरमहोरगैः समावृतो ऽप्यहं नित्यं नैभिर्विरहितो रमे
Even though I am always surrounded by Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, the Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and great serpents, O lovely one, I am never separated from my attendants.
हृद्या मे चारुसर्वाङ्गि त एते क्रीडिता गिरौ इत्युक्ता तु ततो देवी त्यक्त्वा तद्विस्मयाकुला
O beautiful-limbed one, these are my beloved attendants who play on the mountain—so I spoke, and then the goddess, filled with wonder, left that place.
गवाक्षान्तरमासाद्य प्रेक्षते विस्मितानना यावन्तस्ते कृशा दीर्घा ह्रस्वाः स्थूला महोदराः
Approaching a window, she gazed out with astonished face and saw them—some thin, some tall, some short, some stout, some with great bellies.
व्याघ्रेभवदनाः केचित् केचिन्मेषाजरूपिणः अनेकप्राणिरूपाश्च ज्वालास्याः कृष्णपिङ्गलाः
Some had tiger-like faces, others took the forms of sheep and goats; many had various animal shapes, with flaming mouths, dark and tawny in color.
सौम्या भीमाः स्मितमुखाः कृष्णपिङ्गजटासटाः नानाविहङ्गवदना नानाविधमृगाननाः
Some were gentle, some terrifying, some with smiling faces, with dark and tawny matted hair; some had the faces of various birds, others of many kinds of beasts.
कौशेयचर्मवसना नग्नाश्चान्ये विरूपिणः गोकर्णा गजकर्णाश्च बहुवक्त्रेक्षणोदराः
Some wore silk or animal skins, others were naked and deformed; some had cow ears, some elephant ears, with many mouths, eyes, and bellies.
बहुपादा बहुभुजा दिव्यनानास्त्रपाणयः अनेककुसुमापीडा नानाव्यालविभूषणाः
Some had many feet, many arms, holding various divine weapons; some wore garlands of many flowers, adorned with various serpents.
वृकाननायुधधरा नानाकवचभूषणाः विचित्रवाहनारूढा दिव्यरूपा वियच्चराः
Some bore wolf faces and weapons, adorned with various armors; some rode on wondrous mounts, divine in form, moving through the sky.
वीणावाद्यमुखोद्घुष्टा नानास्थानकनर्तकाः गणेशांस्तांस्तथा दृष्ट्वा देवी प्रोवाच शंकरम्
Some resounded with the music of lutes, others danced in various postures; seeing those hosts of attendants, the goddess spoke to Shankara.
गणेशाः कतिसंख्याताः किंनामानः किमात्मकाः एकैकशो मम ब्रूहि धिष्ठिता ये पृथक्पृथक्
Who are these hosts of attendants, how many are they, what are their names, what is their nature? Tell me, one by one, those who are stationed here separately.
कोटिसंख्या ह्यसंख्याता नानाविख्यातपौरुषाः जगदापूरितं सर्वैर् एभिर्भीमैर्महाबलैः
They are countless, numbering in the millions, renowned for their various powers; with these mighty and fearsome ones, the world is filled.
सिद्धक्षेत्रेषु रथ्यासु जीर्णोद्यानेषु वेश्मसु दानवानां शरीरेषु बालेषून्मत्तकेषु च एते विशन्ति मुदिता नानाहारविहारिणः
In sacred places, on streets, in ruined gardens, in houses, in the bodies of demons, in children, and in the insane—these joyful beings enter, delighting in various foods.
ऊष्मपाः फेनपाश्चैव धूमपा मधुपायिनः रक्तपाः सर्वभक्षाश्च वायुपा ह्यम्बुभोजनाः
Some drink warmth, some drink foam, some smoke, some honey; some drink blood, some eat everything, some live on air, and some on water.
गेयनृत्योपहाराश्च नानावाद्यरवप्रियाः न ह्येषां वै अनन्तत्वाद् गुणान्वक्तुं हि शक्यते
They delight in songs, dances, offerings, and the sounds of various instruments; truly, because they are infinite, their qualities cannot be fully described.
मार्गत्वगुत्तरासङ्गशुद्धाङ्गो मुञ्जमेखली मानशिलेन कल्केन चपलो रञ्जिताननः
Clad in a garment of animal skin, pure of limb, girded with a munja grass belt, his face painted with red ochre, he is restless.
पिनद्धोत्पलस्रग्दामा सुकान्तो मधुराकृतिः पाषाणशकलोत्तानकांस्यतालप्रवर्तकः
Adorned with garlands of bound lotuses, handsome and sweet in form, he plays cymbals made of stone, bronze, and wood.
असौ गणेश्वरो देवः किंनामा किंनरानुगः य एष गणगीतेषु दत्तकर्णो मुहुर्मुहुः
This is the lord of the attendants—what is his name, who follows the Kinnaras—he who, again and again, listens intently to the songs of the hosts.
स एष वीरको देवि सदा मद्धृदयप्रियः नानाश्चर्यगुणाधारो गणेश्वरगणार्चितः
This heroic boy, O Goddess, is ever dear to my heart, endowed with many wondrous virtues, and worshipped by the hosts of Ganesha.
ईदृशस्य सुतस्यास्ति ममोत्कण्ठा पुरान्तक कदाहम् ईदृशं पुत्रं द्रक्ष्याम्यानन्ददायिनम्
For such a son as this, O destroyer of cities, I have longed; when shall I behold such a son, a giver of joy?
एष एव सुतस्ते ऽस्तु नयनानन्दहेतुकः त्वया मात्रा कृतार्थो ऽस्तु वीरको ऽपि सुमध्यमे
May this very one be your son, the cause of delight to the eyes; may you, O slender-waisted one, be fulfilled as a mother, and may Viraka also be satisfied.
इत्युक्ता प्रेषयामास विजयां हर्षणोत्सुका वीरकानयनायाशु दुहिता हिमभूभृतः
Thus addressed, she eagerly sent Vijayā, delighted, to swiftly bring Viraka, the daughter of the lord of mountains.
सावरुह्य त्वरायुक्ता प्रासादादम्बरस्पृशः विजयोवाच गणपं गणमध्ये प्रवर्तिता
Descending quickly from the palace that touched the sky, Vijayā spoke to Ganapa amidst the assembly of attendants.
एहि वीरक चापल्यात् त्वया देवः प्रकोपितः किमुत्तरं वदत्यर्थे नृत्यरङ्गे तु शैलजा
"Come, Viraka! Through your impetuosity, the Lord has been angered. What answer does Shailaja give on this matter in the dance hall?"