विवर्जितोप्यहं नित्यं नैभिर्विरहितो रमे। हृद्या मे चारुसर्वाङ्गि त एते क्रीडिता गिरौ
'Though I am always apart from them, O lovely-limbed one, I am never separated from these dear ones, who play on the mountain.'
इत्युक्ता तु तदा देवी त्यक्त्वा तं विस्मयाकुला। गवाक्षांतरमासाद्य प्रेक्षते चकितानना
Thus addressed, the goddess, filled with wonder, left him, approached a window, and gazed out with a startled face.
यावंतस्ते कृशा दीर्घा ह्रस्वाः स्थूला महोदराः। व्याघ्रेभवदनाः केचित्केचिन्मेषाजरूपिणः
She saw them—some thin, some tall, some short, some stout, some with great bellies, some with tiger faces, others in the form of sheep and goats.
अनेकप्राणिरूपाश्च ज्वालास्याः कृष्णपिंगलाः। सौम्या भीमाः स्मितमुखाः कृष्णपिंगजटास्सदा
With many forms of living beings, with flaming mouths, dark and tawny, gentle and terrible, smiling faces, always with dark tawny matted hair.
नानाविहंगवदना नानाविधसुराननाः। कौशेयचर्मवसना नग्नाश्चान्यो विरूपिणः
With faces of various birds, faces of various gods, some clothed in silk or animal skins, others naked and misshapen.
गोकर्णा गजकर्णाश्च बहुवक्त्रेक्षणोदराः। बहुपादा बहुभुजा दिव्यनानास्त्रपाणयः
With cow ears, elephant ears, many mouths, eyes, and bellies, many feet, many arms, holding various divine weapons.
अनेककुसुमापीडा नानाव्याकुलभीषणाः। कृतनानायुधधरा नानाकवचभूषणाः
Adorned with many kinds of flowers, variously fierce and terrifying, bearing many weapons and adorned with various armors.
विचित्रवाहनारूढा दिव्यरूपा वियच्चराः। वीणावाद्यरवोद्घुष्टा नानास्थानकनर्तकाः
Mounted on wondrous vehicles, of divine forms, moving through the sky, resounding with the music of vīṇās, dancing in various postures.
गणेशांस्तांस्तथा दृष्ट्वा देवी प्रोवाच शंकरम्। देव्युवाच-। गणेशाः कतिसंख्याताः किंनामानः किमात्मकाः
Seeing those hosts, the goddess spoke to Śaṅkara: The goddess said: How many are the Gaṇeśas, what are their names, and of what nature are they?
एकैकशो मम ब्रूहि निष्ठिता ये पृथक्पृथक्। शंकर उवाच-। कोटिकोटिश्च संख्याता नानाविख्यातपौरुषाः
Tell me each one individually, those who are established separately. Śaṅkara said: They are counted in crores upon crores, renowned for their various deeds and valor.
जगदापूरितं सर्वमेभिर्भीमैर्महाबलैः। सिद्धक्षेत्रेषु रथ्यासु जीर्णोद्यानेषु वेश्मसु
The entire world is filled with these fearsome and mighty beings—in sacred places, on roads, in ruined gardens, and in houses.
दानवानां शरीरेषु बालेषून्मत्तकेषु च। एते विशंति मुदिता नानाहारविहारिणः
They enter, delighted, into the bodies of demons, children, and the insane, enjoying various kinds of food.
ऊष्मपाः फेनपाश्चैव धूमपा मधुपायिनः। मेदाहारारुधिरपास्सर्वभक्षा ह्यभोजनाः
Some drink heat, some drink foam, some smoke, some drink honey; some eat fat, others drink blood, some eat everything, and some eat nothing at all.
देवादास्तापसाहारा नानावाद्यरतिप्रियाः। न हि वक्तुमनंतत्वाच्छक्यन्ते हि गणाः पृथक्
Some live on offerings to gods, some on ascetics’ food, and some delight in various musical instruments; truly, because they are innumerable, the hosts cannot be described separately.
देव्युवाच-। नागत्वगुत्तरासंगः शुद्धांगो मुंजमेखली। मनःशिलेन कल्केन चपलो रंजिताननः
The goddess said: He wears an elephant-hide garment, his body is pure, he has a muñja grass girdle, his face is painted with red pigment, and he is restless.
भृंगदष्टोत्पलानां च स्रग्दामा मधुराकृतिः। पाषाणशकलोत्तान कांस्यतालप्रवर्तकः
He wears a garland of crushed lotuses and black bees, sweet in form; he holds up stone fragments and plays bronze cymbals.
असौ गणेश्वरो देव किंनामा किन्नरानुगः। य एष गणगीतेषु दत्तकर्णो मुहुर्मुहुः
Who is this lord of the hosts, following the Kinnaras, who listens intently again and again to the songs of the Gaṇas?
शर्व उवाच-। स एष वीरको देवि सदा मे हृदयप्रियः। नानाश्चर्यगुणाधारो गणेश्वर गणार्चितः
Śarva said: This is Vīraka, O goddess, always dear to my heart, endowed with wondrous qualities, lord of the Gaṇas, worshipped by the hosts.
देव्युवाच। ईदृशस्य सुतस्यास्ति ममोत्कंठा पुरांतक। कदाहमीदृशं पुत्रं द्रक्ष्याम्यानंददायकं
The goddess said: O destroyer of cities, I have longed for such a son. When will I see a son like this, a bringer of joy?
शर्व उवाच-। एष एव सुतस्तेस्तु नयनानंदकारकः। त्वया मात्रा कृतार्थो हि वीरकोपि सुमध्यमे
Śarva said: This very one will be your son, a bringer of delight to your eyes; by you, his mother, Vīraka too will be fulfilled, O slender-waisted one.
इत्युक्त्वा प्रेषयामास विजयां हर्षणोत्सुकां। वीरकानयनायाशु दुहिता भूभृतः सखीं
Having said this, he sent Vijayā, eager with joy, the friend of the mountain’s daughter, quickly to bring Vīraka.
सावरुह्य त्वरायुक्ता प्रासादादंबरस्पृशः। गणपं गणमध्यस्थं सूर्यकोटिप्रवर्तनम्
Descending swiftly from the palace that touched the sky, she saw the Gaṇa chief, shining among the hosts like ten million suns.
विजयोवाच-। एहि वीरक चापल्यात्त्वया देवी प्रतोषिता। त्वामाह्वयति चेत्युक्तस्त्यक्त्वा पाषाणखंडकम्
Vijayā said: Come, Vīraka! Because of your playfulness, the goddess is pleased with you; she calls you—so, leaving the stone fragment,
देव्याः सपीपमागच्छद्विजयानुगतः शनैः। प्रासादशिखरोत्फुल्लरक्तांबुजनिभ द्युतिः
He came, accompanied by Vijayā, to the goddess, moving slowly, his radiance like a blossoming red lotus atop the palace peak.
तं दृष्ट्वा प्रस्थितानल्पस्वादुक्षीरपयोधरा। गिरिजोवाच-। पिब क्षीरमिदं वत्स स्रुतं पिब यथेच्छकम्
Seeing him approach, her breasts full of sweet milk, Girijā said: Drink this milk, child, freshly flowing—drink as much as you wish.
उवाच देवी सस्नेहं गिरा मधुरवर्णया। एहि सद्यो हि जातोसि मे पुत्रको देवदेवेन दत्तोधुना वीरक
The goddess spoke with affection, her words sweetly uttered: Come, for you have just now been born as my son, given by the god of gods, O Vīraka.
उक्तवत्यंकआधाय पर्यष्वजत्तं कपोले चुचुंबागराण्नंदिनी। मूर्ध्न्युपाघ्राय संमार्ज्य गात्राणि चाभूषयामास दिव्यैः स्वयंभूषणैः
Having spoken thus, she embraced him, placed him on her lap, kissed him on the cheek, and, delighted, smelled his head, stroked his limbs, and adorned him with divine ornaments of her own making.
किंकिणीमेखलानूपुरैः सन्मणिप्रोतकेयूरहारैरमूल्यैर्गुणैः। कोमलैः पल्लवैश्चित्रितश्चारुभिर्मंगलैः कंकणैर्दिव्यमंत्रोद्भवैः
She decorated him with girdles of bells, anklets, and waistbands, with excellent jewels, armlets, necklaces of great value, and with soft, tender leaves, charming and auspicious bracelets, and bangles produced by divine mantras.
तस्य शुद्धैस्ततोभूरिभिश्चाकरोन्मिश्रसिद्धार्थकैरङ्गरक्षाविधिं। एवमादाय चोवाच कृत्वा स्रजं मूर्ध्नि गोरोचनापत्रभंगोज्ज्वलैः
With pure, abundant, and well-prepared sacred substances, she performed the rite of protecting his body, and after placing a garland on his head, shining with the brilliance of gorocana and fresh leaves, she spoke to him.
वत्सवत्साधुना क्रीड सार्द्धं गणैरप्रमत्तो व्रज श्वभ्रवर्जं शनैः। व्यालमालाकुलाः शैलसानुद्रुमादंतिभिर्भग्नशाखाः परं भंगिनः
Dear child, play well with your companions, but be careful; go slowly, avoiding ravines. The mountain slopes are crowded with garlands of serpents, and the trees, broken by elephants, have shattered branches.