ज्ञातुमस्या वचः प्रोचुः प्रक्रमात्प्रकृतार्थकम्। मुनय ऊचुः-। द्विविधन्तु सुखं तावत्पुत्रि लोके विभाव्यते
Desiring to know her words, they spoke in due order, relevant to the matter at hand. The sages said: 'Daughter, in this world, happiness is perceived as twofold.'
शरीरस्यास्य संयोगश्चेतसश्चापि निर्वृतिः। प्रकृत्या तु स दिग्वासा भीमो भस्मास्थिभूषणः
It is the union of this body and the satisfaction of the mind; but by nature, he is one who wears the directions as his garment, is fearsome, adorned with ashes and bones.
कपाली भिक्षुको नग्नो विरूपाक्षोऽस्थिरक्रियः। प्रमत्तोन्मत्तकाकारो बीभत्सो कृतसंग्रहः
He is a skull-bearer, a beggar, naked, with deformed eyes, unstable in action, appearing mad and intoxicated, dreadful, and has gathered all things.
पत्या न तेन चास्त्यर्थो मूर्तानर्थेन कांक्षितः। यदि स्वस्य शरीरस्य सुखमिच्छसि शाश्वतम्
There is no purpose with such a husband, desired in embodied form; but if you desire lasting happiness for your own body—
तत्कथं ते महादेवाद्भूतभाजो जुगुप्सितात्। स्रवन्नरवसासास्थिकपालकृतभूषणात्
How then, O great gods, can you disdain the Lord, who adorns himself with dreadful things—oozing flesh, bones, and skulls?
श्वसदुग्रभुजंगेन्द्रकृतभूषणभूषितात्। श्मशानवासिनो रौद्रप्रमथानुगतादपि
He is adorned with the fierce serpent as an ornament, dwells in the cremation ground, and is followed by terrifying spirits.
सुरेन्द्रमकुटव्रातनिघृष्टचरणोऽरिहा। हरिरस्ति जगद्धाता श्रीकान्तोऽनन्तमूर्तिमान्
The destroyer of enemies, whose feet are rubbed by the crowns of the lords of the gods, is Hari, the creator of the world, the beloved of Shri, and of infinite forms.
जप्यो यज्ञभुजामस्ति तथेन्द्रः पाकशासनः। देवतानां निधिश्चास्ति ज्वलनस्सर्वकामधुक्
He is the one to whom sacrifices are offered, the enjoyer of yajñas; likewise, Indra, the slayer of Paka, exists; among the gods, Fire exists, the fulfiller of all desires.
वायुरस्ति जगद्धाता यः प्राणस्सर्वदेहिनाम्। तथा वैश्रवणो राजा सर्वार्थमहिमा प्रभुः
Vāyu exists, the sustainer of the world, who is the life-breath of all beings; likewise, Vaiśravaṇa, the king, the lord of all wealth and greatness, exists.
एभ्य एकतमं कस्मान्न त्वं संप्राप्तुमिच्छसि। उतान्यस्मादिह प्राप्यं सुखं ते मनसे हितम्
Why do you not wish to attain one among these? Or do you desire some other happiness here, which you think is good for your mind?
एवमेतत्तथा पुत्रि प्रभावो लोकसम्पदाम्। अस्मिन्देहे परे वापि कल्याणप्राप्तये तव
So it is, my daughter: such is the power of worldly prosperity, whether in this body or beyond, for your attainment of good fortune.
पितुरेवास्ति ते सर्वं सुरेभ्यो यन्निवेदितम्। वरस्य प्राप्तये क्लेशस्स चाप्यत्राफलस्तरुः
All that you have requested from the gods truly belongs to your father alone; the hardship for obtaining a boon here is fruitless.
प्रायेण प्रार्थितो ह्यर्थस्समर्थो ह्यतिदुर्लभः। स्वस्थानविनियोगित्वात्पुत्रि तत्रापि लभ्यते
Generally, a desired object, even when earnestly sought, is difficult to obtain, for it is assigned to its proper place; yet, my daughter, it is sometimes attained there.
इत्युक्तवत्सु कुपिता मुनिवर्येषु शैलजा। उवाच क्रोधरक्ताक्षी विस्फुरद्दशनच्छदा
When the eminent sages had spoken thus, the mountain-born goddess, angered, her eyes reddened with rage and her teeth bared, spoke.
देव्युवाच-। असद्ग्रहस्य का नीतिर्व्यसनस्य क्व यंत्रणा। विपरीतार्थबोद्धारः सत्पथे केन योजिताः
The goddess said: What is the conduct of one possessed by false understanding? Where is restraint for one addicted to vice? Who has set those who grasp contrary meanings on the path of righteousness?
एवं मां वित्थ दुष्प्रज्ञामस्थानासद्ग्रहप्रियाम्। न मां प्रतिविचारोस्ति यदहंकारमानिनी
Thus, know me to be of poor judgment, fond of improper attachments; I have no capacity for reflection, being proud and self-willed.
प्रजापतिसमाः सर्वे भवंतः सर्वदर्शिनः। न नूनं वित्थ तं देवं शाश्वतं जगतः प्रभुम्
You are all like Prajāpati, all-seeing; yet surely you do not know that god, the eternal Lord of the world.
अजमीशानमव्यक्तममेयमहिमोदयम्। आस्तां तत्कर्मसद्भावं संबोधं तावदावृतम्
Unborn, Lord, unmanifest, whose greatness is immeasurable—let be for now the true nature of his deeds; knowledge of him is still veiled.
विदुस्तं न हरि ब्रह्ममुखा अपि सुरेश्वराः। यत्तस्यविभवं स्वोत्थं भुवनेषु विजृंभितम्
Even Hari, Brahmā, and the lords of gods do not know him, nor the extent of his own power manifested in the worlds.
प्रकटं सर्वभूतानां तदप्यथ न वित्थ किं। कस्यैतद्गगनं मूर्तिः कस्याग्निः कस्य मारुतः
Even that which is manifest to all beings, you do not know—whose is this sky, whose is fire, whose is wind?
कस्य भूः कस्य वरुणः कश्चंद्रार्कविलोचनः। कस्यार्चयंति लोकेषु लिंगं भक्त्या सुरासुराः
Whose is the earth, whose is Varuṇa, who has the moon and sun as eyes? Whose liṅga do gods and demons worship with devotion in the worlds?
यच्च ब्रह्मेश्वरा देवा विष्ण्विन्द्राद्या महर्षयः। प्रभावं प्रभवं वापि तेषामपि न वित्थ किं
And what of the gods Brahmā, Īśvara, Viṣṇu, Indra, and the great sages—do you not know the source and power of even these?
अदितेः कश्यपाज्जाता देवा नारायणादयः। मरीचेः कश्यपः पुत्रो ह्यदितिर्दक्षपुत्रिका
From Aditi and Kaśyapa were born the gods, beginning with Nārāyaṇa; Kaśyapa is the son of Marīci, and Aditi is the daughter of Dakṣa.
मरीचिश्चापि दक्षश्च पुत्रौ तौ ब्रह्मणः किल। ब्रह्मा हिरण्मयादंडादेव सिद्धविभूतिकः
Marīci and Dakṣa are said to be sons of Brahmā; Brahmā himself, endowed with accomplished powers, arose from the golden egg.
कस्य प्रादुरभूद्ध्यानात्प्राकृतः प्राकृतांशकः। अथ नारायणेनैव स्वकीयेच्छा समाश्रयात्
By whose meditation did the primordial being, a portion of the primal, appear? Then, by Nārāyaṇa’s own will and shelter—
तत्प्रेरितः प्रयात्वेष जन्म नारायणात्मकम्। सापि कर्मण एवोक्ता प्रेरणाविवशात्मनाम्
Impelled by that, he proceeded to take birth, his essence being of Nārāyaṇa; and that too is said to occur through karma, as if by the compulsion of those whose selves are driven.
यथोन्मादादि दुष्टस्य मतिरेव हि साभवेत्। इष्टानेव पदार्थान्वै विपरीतान्हि मन्यते
Just as, in one afflicted by madness and the like, the mind itself becomes corrupted, so too does he regard desirable objects as undesirable, and vice versa.
लोकस्य व्यवहारेषु दृष्टेषु हसते सदा। धर्माधर्मफलप्राप्तौ विष्णुमेव निबोधत
In the dealings of the world, he always laughs at what is seen; but in the attainment of the fruits of righteousness and unrighteousness, know Viṣṇu alone to be the cause.
विदध्वमित्थं मुनयोऽसकृच्च मे गिरं गिरीशश्रुतिभूमिसन्निधौ। उत्कृष्टकेदार इवावनीतले सुबीजमुष्टिं सुफलाय कर्षकाः
Thus, the sages have often spoken my words in the presence of the Lord of Mountains, as farmers sow a handful of excellent seeds in a fertile field for a fruitful harvest.
ते तां श्रुत्वा हि तां रम्यां प्रक्रमात्प्रक्रमक्रियाम्। वाचंवाचां पतिप्रख्याः प्रोचुश्चस्मितसुंदराः
Hearing that delightful and well-ordered speech, those women, radiant as their husbands, spoke with charming smiles.