न रूपेणेदृशी लोके रम्येषु वनसानुषु। कौतुकेन परामृष्टस्तां दृष्ट्वा रुदतीं गिरिः
Nowhere in this world, upon the beautiful slopes of the forests, had the mountain ever been so moved by wonder as when he saw her weeping.
उपसृप्य ततस्तस्या निकटं सोप्यपृच्छत। हिमवानुवाच-। कासि कस्यासि कल्याणि किमर्थं चापि रोदिषि
Approaching her, Himavat asked, 'Who are you, O auspicious one? Whose are you, and for what reason do you weep?'
नैतदल्पमहं मन्ये कारणं लोकसुंदरि। सा तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा उवाच मधुना सह
'I do not think this is a small matter, O beauty of the worlds,' he said. Hearing his words, she replied together with her sorrow.
रुदंती शोकवचनं श्वसंती दैन्यवर्धनं। रतिरुवाच-। कामस्य दयितां भार्यां रतिं मां विद्धि सुव्रत
Weeping, uttering words of grief, sighing in deep distress, Rati spoke: 'Know me, O virtuous one, as Rati, beloved wife of Kāma.'
गिरावस्मिंश्च भगवान्गिरिशस्तपसि स्थितः। तेन प्रत्यूहरुष्टेन क्रोधाद्विस्फार्य लोचनं
'Here on this mountain, the blessed Lord Śiva was engaged in austerity. Angered, he opened his eye in wrath and—'
विमुच्याग्निशिखाज्वालां कामो भस्मावशेषितः। अहं तु शरणं याता तं देवं भयविह्वला
'Releasing a flame from his eye, he reduced Kāma to ashes. Stricken with fear, I sought refuge with that god.'
स्तुतवत्यथ संतुष्टस्ततो मां गिरिशोऽब्रवीत्। तुष्टोहं कामदयिते कामोत्पत्तिर्भविष्यति
'Having praised him, Lord Śiva was satisfied and said to me: "O beloved of Kāma, I am pleased; Kāma will be reborn."'
त्वत्स्तुतिं चाप्यधीयानो नरो भक्त्या मदाश्रयः। लप्स्यते कांक्षितं कामं निवर्तमरणादपि
'And any man who, with devotion, recites your praise and takes refuge in me will obtain the desired object—even release from death.'
प्रतीक्षमाणा तद्वाक्यमाशावेशवशादहं। शरीरं परिरक्षिष्ये किंचित्कालं महाद्युते
'Awaiting the fulfillment of that promise, filled with hope, I will preserve my body for a little while, O illustrious one.'
इत्युक्तस्तु तया रत्या शैलः संभ्रमभीषणः। पाणावादाय तनयां गंतुमैच्छत्स्वकं पुरं
Thus addressed by Rati, the mountain, overwhelmed with agitation, took his daughter by the hand, wishing to return to his own city.
भाविनोऽवश्यभावित्वाद्भवित्री भूतभाविनी। लज्जमाना सखिमुखैरुवाच पितरं गिरिं
Because what is destined must surely come to pass, the bashful maiden, urged by her companions, spoke to her father, the mountain.
शैलपुत्र्युवाच-। दुर्भगेन शरीरेण किं ममानेन कारणं। कथं च तां दशां प्राप्तश्शङ्करो मे पतिर्भवेत्
The daughter of the mountain said: 'What is the use of this unfortunate body of mine? How can Śaṅkara become my husband, having reached such a state?'
तपोभिः प्राप्यतेभीष्टं नासाध्यं तु तपस्यतः। दुर्भगत्वं वृथा लोके विहिते सति साधने
'What is desired is attained through austerity; for one who performs austerity, nothing is unattainable. Misfortune is meaningless in this world when the means are at hand.'
तपसि भ्रष्टसंदेहा ततः स्वार्थजिगीषया। एवं तपः करिष्येहं यामीत्युक्तवतीं सुताम्
'Free from doubt about the efficacy of austerity, and eager for my own purpose, I will undertake austerity here,' she said to her father.
उवाच वाचा शैलेंद्रो गद्गदस्वरवर्णया। हिमवानुवाच-। उमेति चापलं पुत्रि न क्षमं तावकं वपुः
Then the lord of mountains spoke with a voice choked with emotion: 'O daughter, such impetuosity does not befit your tender form.'
सोढुं क्लेशानुरूपस्य तपसः सौम्यदर्शने। भावीन्यपि च कार्याणि पदार्थानि सदैव तु
'O gentle one, your body is not fit to endure the hardships of severe austerity. Moreover, destined events and objects always come to pass.'
भाविनोर्था भवंत्येव बहवोऽनिच्छतोपि हि। तस्मान्न तपसा तेस्ति बाले किंचित्प्रयोजनम्
'What is destined will surely happen, even if one does not wish it. Therefore, child, there is no purpose in austerity.'
भवनं चैव गच्छामि चिंतयिष्यामि तत्र वै। इत्युक्ता तु यदा नैव गृहमन्वेति शैलजा
'I will return home and reflect upon this,' he said. But when addressed thus, the daughter of the mountain did not follow him home.
ततोद्रिश्चिंतयाविष्टः स्वसुतां प्रशशंस च। ततोंतरिक्षे दिव्या च वागभूद्भुवनत्रये
Then, filled with wonder, he praised his own daughter; and then, a divine voice arose in the sky, heard throughout the three worlds.
उमेति चापलं पुत्रि त्वयोक्ता तनया यतः। उमेति नाम तेनास्या भुवनेषु भविष्यति
"Because you, O daughter, have called her 'Umā' out of concern, from now on, in all the worlds, that shall be her name."
सिद्धिर्मूर्तिमती त्वेषा साधयिष्यति चिंतितम्। इति श्रुत्वा तु वचनं स तदाकाशमंडले
"She is the embodiment of accomplishment and will fulfill what has been contemplated." Hearing these words, he then, in the celestial sphere—
अनुज्ञाय सुतां शैलो जगामाशु स्वमंदिरम्। पुलस्त्य उवाच-। शैलजापि ययौ शैलमगम्यमपि दैवतैः
—having given his daughter permission, the mountain-king swiftly returned to his own abode. Pulastya said: The daughter of the mountain also went to a peak that even the gods could not reach.
सखीभ्यामनुयाता तु नियता नगराजजा। शृंगं हिमवतः पुण्यं नानाधातुविभूषितम्
Accompanied by her friends, the disciplined daughter of the mountain king went to a sacred summit of Himavat, adorned with various minerals.
दिव्यपुष्पलताकीर्णं भ्रमरोद्घुष्टपादपम्। दिव्यप्रस्रवणोपेतं मनोरथशतोज्ज्वलम्
It was covered with divine flowering creepers, trees resounding with the hum of bees, endowed with celestial springs, and radiant with hundreds of fulfilled wishes.
नानापक्षिसमायुक्तं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्। जलजस्थलजैः पुण्यैः प्रफुल्लैरुपशोभितम्
It was filled with many kinds of birds, beautified by chakravaka ducks, and adorned with auspicious blossoming flowers of both water and land.
चित्रकंदरसंगुह्यं दिव्यगेहसमन्वितम्। विहंगसंघसंघुष्टं कल्पपादपसंकटम्
There were wondrous caves and secret places, with celestial dwellings; flocks of birds resounded there, and it was dense with wish-fulfilling trees.
तत्रापश्यन्महाशाखं शाखिनं हरितच्छदम्। सर्वर्तुकुसुमोपेतं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम्
There she saw a great tree with vast branches and green foliage, covered in flowers of every season, beautified by chakravaka ducks.
नानापुष्पशताकीर्णं नानाविधफलान्वितम्। त्यक्तं सूर्यस्य रुचिभिर्भिन्नसंहतपल्लवम्
It was adorned with hundreds of various flowers and many kinds of fruits, its leaves scattered and shining with the rays of the sun.
तत्रांबराणि संत्यज्य भूषणानि च शैलजा। संवीता वल्कलैर्दिव्यैर्दर्भनिर्मितमेखला
There, the mountain-born maiden set aside her garments and ornaments, and, clothed in divine bark garments, with a girdle made of sacred grass—
त्रिःस्नाता पाटलाहारा बभूव शरदां शतम्। शतमेकेन जीर्णेन पर्णेनावर्त्तयत्तदा
Having bathed three times daily and eating only pale food, she lived for a hundred autumns; with a single worn leaf, she passed a hundred years.