ब्राह्मण उवाच- धम्मिल्लं ते करिष्यामि ममांकं त्वं समारुह । प्रचलेद्यदि ते चित्तं पातिव्रत्यं कुतस्तव
The Brāhmaṇa said: 'I will arrange your hair; climb onto my lap. If your mind wavers, where is your chastity?'
पार्वत्युवाच- मम व्रतं द्विजश्रेष्ठ शंकरांकैकरोहणम् । अथ तच्चित्तमाज्ञाय भवान्याः परमेश्वरः
Pārvatī said: 'My vow, O best of Brāhmaṇas, is to ascend only Śaṅkara's lap.' Then, knowing Bhavānī's mind, the Supreme Lord—
द्व्यष्टवर्षवया भूत्वा सुस्निग्धकचबंधनः । सुस्निग्धचारुनयनो गोक्षीरसमविग्रहः
Becoming sixteen years old, with hair smoothly tied, with beautiful, gentle eyes, and a body like pure cow's milk—
कोटिकंदर्पलावण्यः सर्वाभरणभूषितः । स्वपार्श्वस्थितनार्यंसे प्रसारितभुजद्वयः
With beauty surpassing millions of Cupids, adorned with every ornament, with arms outstretched around a woman at his side—
गायन्मंदतया साकमुमया पटुता यथा । अथ तां पार्वतीं शंभुः करेणाकृष्य च स्मयन्
Singing softly together with Umā, as skillfully as possible, then Śaṃbhu, smiling, drew Pārvatī by the hand.
विन्यस्य हस्तौ वनिता द्वयांसे गायन्समस्ताभरणः प्रसन्नदृक् । ननर्त चानंदसमृद्धगात्रो मुनींद्र गीतश्च सकालवेलम्
Placing his hands on the shoulders of both women, adorned with all ornaments, with a pleasant gaze, he danced, his body filled with joy, O sage, and sang for the whole time.
एतादृशं शिवं ध्यात्वा जन्मकोटिशतेष्वपि । न दुःखं जायते तस्य सदा हर्षश्च जायते
By meditating on Śiva in this form, even for hundreds of thousands of births, one does not experience sorrow, but always attains joy.
अथ स्तुतो मुनिवरैर्नारीं कृत्वा हरिं ततः । अथ सा पार्वती तुष्टा देवं प्राह पिनाकिनम्
Then, praised by the best of sages, having made Viṣṇu into a woman, Pārvatī, being pleased, spoke to the god Pinākin.
पार्वत्युवाच- किमित्येतादृशं भावमास्थाय त्वमिहागतः । नारीं कृत्वा तथा विष्णुं किं प्रकृत्या न चागतौ
Pārvatī said: 'Why, having assumed such a form, have you come here? Why did you make Viṣṇu into a woman, and not come in your own nature?'
शिवः प्राह व्रते चात्र ह्यतिथेर्भोजनं शुभम् । जाने सिद्धिमथो येषां विषादो नाभिजायते
Śiva said: 'In this vow, feeding the guest is auspicious. I know that for those who attain success, sorrow does not arise.'
जाते विषादे तु व्रतमसम्यगिति निश्चयः । सोमवाराः समायांति यावंतोब्दशतानि तु
But if sorrow arises, then it is certain that the vow is not properly performed; as many Mondays as there are in hundreds of years—
तावंति मत्पुरे देवि सर्वभोगसमन्वितः । सभार्य्यपुत्रबंधुश्च वेदोक्तायुष्यजीवितः
For that many years, O goddess, in my city, endowed with all enjoyments, with wife, sons, and relatives, one lives the lifespan spoken of in the Vedas.
पश्चाद्वाराणसीं गत्वा मृतो मुक्तिमवाप्स्यति । शंभुरुवाच- अथ देवे स्थिते तत्र मुनयस्त्रिः प्रदक्षिणम्
Afterward, having gone to Varanasi, one who dies there will attain liberation. Shambhu said: Then, while the deity was present there, the sages circumambulated three times.
कृत्वा पंचनमस्कारान्पुनः कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् । पुनश्च दंडवद्भूत्वा विसृष्टा निर्ययुस्ततः
Having made five salutations, again they circumambulated; then, prostrating themselves, they departed from there.
अथ शोणः शोभितांगीं भार्यामाप ह्यनिंदिताम् । राज्यं च भारते वर्षे धर्मेणापालयद्द्विजः
Then Shona obtained a wife of radiant form, blameless; and the twice-born ruled the kingdom of Bharata with righteousness.
मानुषानखिलान्भोगान्बुभुजे शिवभक्तिमान् । नित्यं देवार्चनपरो नित्यं ब्राह्मणपूजकः
He enjoyed all human pleasures, being devoted to Shiva; always intent on worshipping the gods, always honoring the Brahmins.
नित्यदाता नित्ययाजी नित्यश्रोता पुराणकम् । मृतः स गतवांल्लोकं शंकरस्य विभोः शुभम्
Always giving, always performing sacrifices, always listening to the Purana; when he died, he attained the auspicious realm of the mighty Shankara.
शंभुरुवाच- नामकीर्तनमाहात्म्यं प्रसंगात्परिकीर्तितम् । शृण्वतां सर्वपापघ्नं भक्तानां च तथा नृप
Shambhu said: The greatness of reciting the name has been described incidentally; it destroys all sins for those who listen, and likewise for devotees, O king.
सर्वकल्याणदं नित्यं सुभार्य्या राज्यदं शिवम् । शिवभक्तिप्रदं गोप्यं यस्य कस्यापि नेरयेत्
It always bestows all auspiciousness, a good wife, and sovereignty; it grants devotion to Shiva, and is secret—one should not reveal it to anyone.
त्रयोदशोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः 5.113 श्रीराम उवाच- खे दृश्यंते विमानस्था नानारूपधराः शुभाः । सर्वकामफलोपेताः सुभार्य्याः शतयोषितः
Sri Rama said: In the sky are seen those dwelling in celestial vehicles, taking on various beautiful forms, endowed with all desired rewards, accompanied by good wives and hundreds of women.
सहस्रनरनारीभिः पूज्यमानाः पदे पदे । गायंति विंशतिर्योषा रूपलावण्यकोमलाः
Honored at every step by thousands of men and women, twenty women, lovely in form, beauty, and softness, sing.
करंकवाहिनी चैका चामरासक्तबाहवः । तालवृंतद्वयं नार्य्यो वीजयंति प्रगृह्य वै
One rides an elephant, others hold fly-whisks in their hands; two women, holding palm fans, gently fan them.
सचक्रे चांकमध्ये स्या उपधानं तथापरः । एकस्याः करयोर्हस्तः स्तावकानेकसंयुतः
One places a cushion in the middle of the circle, another offers support; the hands of one woman are joined with those of another, accompanied by many praises.
नानाविधपरीहास कृतोत्फुल्लमुखांबुजः । एकैकत्र विमाने तु दृश्यते चंद्रदीधितिः
Their faces bloom with laughter from various kinds of playful jesting; in each celestial vehicle, the radiance of the moon is seen.
स्त्रीशतेषु विमानेषु दृश्यते ईश्वरः शुभः । एते किं पुण्यकर्तारो विष्णुमायाथवा मुने
Among the hundreds of women in the celestial vehicles, the auspicious Lord is seen; are these doers of merit, or is it Vishnu's illusion, O sage?
शंभुरुवाच- एते हि ब्राह्मणाः पुण्या गृहस्थाश्रमवासिनः । येषामेव च स ग्रासो दत्तो दशरथेन ते
Shambhu said: These are indeed virtuous Brahmins, householders; to whom that meal was given by Dasharatha.
तेषां तु ममचित्तानां कदाचिदभवन्मतिः । यथेह सुखिनः सर्वे वयं चान्योपजीविनः
Among those whose minds are mine, sometimes there was a thought: Just as all are happy here, we too live off others.
अस्मानेवानुजीवंति शतशो मनुजा इह । येन पुण्येन च वयं सर्वेकामानुमोदिनः
Hundreds of people here live dependent on us; by whatever merit, we all enjoy every desire.
सुस्त्रीकृतोपचाराश्च सर्वे राज्यसुखान्विताः । जरामरणहीनाश्च युवानः सर्वदैव हि
All are served by good women, all possess the happiness of sovereignty; free from old age and death, always youthful indeed.
विचार्यैवं द्विजाः सर्वे वसिष्ठस्याश्रमं ययुः । आगतानथ संपूज्य वसिष्ठो वाक्यमुक्तवान्
Having considered thus, all the Brahmins went to Vasistha's hermitage; and Vasistha, having welcomed them, spoke.