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.
जाह्नवीमंडलक्षुब्धतोयाकुलं मा विशेथा बहुव्याघ्रजुष्टे वने। वत्स संख्येषु दुर्गेषु यद्वीरक पुत्र भावायतां स्वच्छचित्तो जनः
Do not enter the forest, O child, where the waters of the Ganges are agitated and the region is frequented by many tigers. In dangerous and difficult places, let your mind remain pure, O brave son, and let people be attentive.
प्रार्थितं भव्यमायातिभाविन्यसौ भाव्यतां सोपि निर्वर्त्यसर्वैर्गुणैः। एवमुक्तोऽनया वीरको मातरं सस्मयन्नाह लीलावशाविष्टधीः
What is desired and auspicious for you in the future will indeed come to pass, endowed with all virtues. Thus addressed by her, the boy, his mind absorbed in play, smilingly replied to his mother.
एष मात्रा स्वयं मे कृतः कंकणः पत्रकश्चित्रितः पाटलैर्बिंदुभिः। चारुपुष्पैरियं मालतीभिः कृतामालिका मे शिरस्याहिता कोमला
Mother herself has made this bracelet for me, adorned with red dots and leaves; and this delicate garland of jasmine flowers, beautifully made, she has placed on my head.
तोषयामीश्वरीमित्ययं सत्वरं चिंतयित्वा व्रजद्बाह्यतः क्रीडनम्। स्वैर्गणैः संयुतो वीरको हर्षितो दक्षिणात्पश्चिमं पश्चिमादुत्तरम्
Thinking, 'I will please the goddess,' he quickly went outside to play, accompanied by his own group of friends, delighted, moving from the south to the west, and from the west to the north.
उत्तरात्पूर्वमभ्येत्य सख्यायुता प्रेक्षते तं गवाक्षांतराद्वीरकं। शैलपुत्री बहिः क्रीडितारं जगत्स्नेहतः पुत्रलुब्धायतस्सोत्र कः
From the north he went to the east, surrounded by his companions; and the daughter of the mountain, eager with motherly affection, watched the boy Vīraka playing outside through the window lattice.
मोहमायाति यः स्वल्पवेत्ता जडो मांसविण्मूत्रसंघातदेहोद्वहः। द्रष्टुमभ्यंतरं नाकवासेश्वरेष्विन्दुमौलिप्रविष्टेषु कक्षांतरम्
Who, being ignorant, deluded, and of little understanding, bearing a body made of flesh, excrement, and urine, would wish to see the inner chambers of the lords of heaven, where the moon-crested ones reside?
वाहनान्येवमारोहमाणास्ततो लोकपालास्त्रपूगं मुहूर्त्तावधि। खड्ग एषो विखड्गाकरो निर्मलः कृंतकः कस्य केनाहृतो ब्रूत नः
Thus mounting their vehicles, the guardians of the world, along with their retinues, for a moment said: 'This sword, pure and sharp, who brought it here? Tell us, for whom is it intended?'
नोभवेद्धस्तदंडेन किं ब्रूमहे भीममूर्त्यं गणे नास्ति कृत्यं गिरौ। पाश एषोस्ति तेनात्र को बध्यते मा वृथा लोकपालानुगास्तिष्ठत
It should not be wielded with the hand; what shall we say? Among the gaṇas, there is no task for such a terrible weapon on the mountain. Here is a noose; who is to be bound with it? Do not act in vain, followers of the guardians of the world—stand still.
एवमेवैतदित्यब्रुवंस्ते तदा वीक्ष्य देवानुगं वीरकं रक्षकं। प्राह देवी वने पर्वते निर्जराध्यग्निशालामुखे भूतले भूतपाः
Thus they spoke, observing Vīraka, the protector, accompanied by the gods. The goddess said: 'In the forest, on the mountain, at the entrance to the cave, or at the foot of the fire-hall, the guardians of beings should remain.'
निर्झरांभो निपातेषु नो मज्जतात्पुष्पजालावनद्धेषु धामस्वपि। प्रोच्चनानाद्रिकुंजावगाहेष्वथो मारुतास्फोटसंरक्षणे कामतः
Let him not fall into the waterfalls or the flower-covered pools; nor enter the dense groves of the mountains, nor be exposed to the force of the wind—let him be protected as desired.