तमुवाच ऋषिर्दुःखं त्यज त्वं पांडुनंदन । सुखदुःखसमाहारे संसारे कः सुखी नरः
The sage replied: 'Abandon sorrow, O son of Pāṇḍu. In this world, which is a mixture of happiness and sorrow, who among men is truly happy?'
ईश्वरोपि हि न स्थायी पीड्यते देहसंचयैः । न दुःखरहितः कश्चिद्देही दुःखसहो यतः
Even the Lord is not constant, afflicted by bodily accumulations; no embodied being is free from sorrow, for all must endure suffering.
शरीरं सवितुर्यस्माद्राहुस्तद्ग्रसते बली । राहोरपि शिरश्छिन्नं शौरिणामृतभोजने
The body, they say, is devoured by Rāhu, who is powerful; even Rāhu's severed head was consumed by Śauri during the nectar feast.
सोऽपि शार्ङ्गधरो देवः क्षिप्तः सागरगह्वरे । जालंधरेण वीरेण निहतः सोऽपि शंभुना
Even the god bearing the Śārṅga bow was cast into the depths of the ocean; he was slain by the hero Jālaṃdhara, and Jālaṃdhara himself was killed by Śambhu.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच-। कोऽसौ जालंधरो वीरः कस्य पुत्रः कुतो बली । कथं जालंधरं संख्ये हतवान्वृषभध्वजः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: 'Who is this hero Jālaṃdhara? Whose son is he? Whence his strength? How did Vṛṣabhadhvaja slay Jālaṃdhara in battle?'
एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व विस्तरेण तपोधन । राज्ञा स एव मुक्तस्तु कथयामास नारदः
Tell me all this in detail, O ascetic rich in austerity. Freed by the king, Nārada began to narrate.
नारद उवाच-। शृणु भूप कथां दिव्यामशेषाघौघनाशिनीम् । ईशानसिंधुसून्वोश्च संग्रामं परमाद्भुतम्
Nārada said: 'Hear, O king, the divine tale that destroys all heaps of sin—the wondrous battle between Īśāna and the son of the ocean.'
एकदा गिरिशं स्तोतुं प्रययौ पाकशासनः । अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णो देवैर्बहुभिरावृतः
Once, Indra went to praise Giriśa, surrounded by groups of apsarās and attended by many gods.
गंधर्वैरावृतो देवस्तंत्रीशिक्षासु कोविदैः । रंभा तिलोत्तमा रामा कर्पूराकदली तथा
The god was surrounded by Gandharvas, skilled in the art of stringed instruments; Rambha, Tilottama, Rama, Karpura, and Akadali were there as well.
मदना भारती कामा सर्वाभरणभूषिताः । नर्तक्यश्च तथा चान्याः समाजग्मुः सुरांतिकम्
Madanā, Bhāratī, Kāmā, all adorned with every ornament, and other dancers also came together to the assembly of the gods.
गंधर्वयक्षसिद्धास्तु नारदस्तुंबुरुस्तथा । किन्नरा मुहुराजग्मुस्तथा किंनरयोषितः
Gandharvas, Yakshas, Siddhas, as well as Narada and Tumburu, Kinnaras came repeatedly, along with the women of the Kinnaras.
वायुश्च वरुणश्चैव कुबेरो धनदस्तथा । यमश्चाग्निर्निर्ऋतिश्च ये चान्ये देवतागणाः
Vāyu, Varuṇa, Kubera the lord of wealth, Yama, Agni, Nirṛti, and the other hosts of deities also arrived.
विमानसंस्थो मघवा विमानस्थाः सुरांगनाः । स्ववाहनगतादेवाः कैलासं प्रययुर्जवात्
Maghavan sat in his aerial chariot, and the celestial women in theirs; the gods, mounted on their own vehicles, swiftly proceeded to Kailāsa.
ददृशुस्ते ततो देवाः कैलासं पर्वतोत्तमम् । महीधराणां सर्वेषां पृथिव्या इव मंडनम्
Then the gods beheld Kailāsa, the greatest of mountains, the ornament of the earth, surpassing all other mountains.
सर्वतः सुखदं शुद्धं सिद्धिराशिमिवस्थितम् । यत्र वृक्षाः कल्पवृक्षाः पाषाणाश्चिंतितप्रदाः
On every side it brings delight and purity, established like a treasury of siddhis; there, the trees are wish-fulfilling, and even the stones grant what is desired.
पुन्नागैर्नागचंपैश्च तिलकैर्देवदारुभिः । अशोकैः पाटलैश्चूतैर्मंदारैः शोभितो गिरिः
The mountain shone, adorned with punnāga, nāgachampa, tilaka, devadāru, aśoka, pāṭala, mango, and mandāra trees.
पर्यंतकवनामोदवाहका यत्र वायवः । पंगुत्वं बहुचारेण यांति ते मलयानिलाः
There, the winds carry the fragrance of the forest groves to the very ends; those Malaya breezes, wandering far, lose their swiftness.
वाप्यः स्फटिकसोपाना ह्यगाध विमलोदकाः । वैडूर्यनालसंसक्तसौवर्णनिभ पंकजाः
There are pools with crystal steps, deep and filled with pure water, their lotuses golden in hue, entwined with stems of beryl.
कुमुदानां द्युतिर्यत्र राजते सर्वतोदिशम् । कह्लारैः शौभितावाप्यः पिनद्धाः पद्मरागवत्
The radiance of water-lilies shines in every direction; the pools, adorned with kahlaras, are bordered by gems like padmarāga.
हरिन्मणिनिबद्धाश्च गोमेदैः सर्वतो वृताः । पद्मरागशिलाबद्धा नानाधातुविचित्रिताः
Bound with green jewels and encircled everywhere by garnets, set with padmarāga stones, they are adorned with a variety of metals.
ददृशुः सुंदरतरं नाकाधिकविनिर्मितम् । कैलासं पर्वतश्रेष्ठं दृष्ट्वा ते विस्मयंगताः
They saw Kailāsa, the most beautiful, surpassing even heaven in its creation; beholding the best of mountains, they were filled with wonder.
विमानादवतीर्णाश्च मघवा देवताश्च ताः । द्वारपालमथागम्य नंदिनं वाक्यमब्रुवन्
Then Maghavan and the other gods descended from their aerial chariots; approaching the gatekeeper Nandi, they spoke these words.
भो भो गणवरश्रेष्ठ शृणु मे वाक्यमुत्तमम् । समाज्ञापय शीघ्रं त्वं नृत्यार्थमिहमागतम्
"O best of the chief Gaṇas, hear my excellent words: quickly announce that we have come here for the sake of dance."
ईश्वरं प्रतिदेवेशं सर्वदेवैः समावृतम् । इंद्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा गिरिशं नंदिरब्रवीत्
Having heard Indra’s words, Nandi spoke to Girisha, the lord of the gods, who was surrounded by all the deities.
प्रभोऽयमागतः सर्वैर्देवराजः पुरंदरः । नृत्यार्थमथ तं प्राहानय शीघ्रं शचीपतिम्
"Lord, the king of the gods, Purandara, has arrived with all; for the sake of dance, summon Śacīpati here at once."
प्रवेशयामास तदा नंदी तैः सह वासवम् । स दृष्ट्वा गिरिशं देवं तुष्टाव वृषभध्वजम्
Then Nandi brought Vāsava in together with them; seeing the god Girisha, he praised the lord who bears the bull-banner.
रंभाद्यास्तास्तदा सर्वा नर्त्तक्यो हरसन्निधौ । मृदंगवीणावादित्रैः मुदा नाट्यं प्रचक्रिरे
Then all the dancers, beginning with Rambha, performed a joyful dance before Hara, accompanied by drums, lutes, and other instruments.
कांस्यवाद्यान्प्रगृह्यान्या वंशतालान्सकाहलान् । चक्रुस्ता नृत्यसंरंभं स्वयंदेवः पुरंदरः
Others took up cymbals, flutes, hand-clappers, and kahalas, and began their own dance performance; even Purandara himself joined in.
अतीवनर्तनं चक्रे सुंदरं देवदुर्ल्लभम् । ईश्वरस्तोषमापन्नो वासवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
They performed an exceedingly beautiful dance, rare even among the gods; pleased, Īśvara spoke to Vāsava.
प्रसन्नोऽहं सुरश्रेष्ठ जातस्ते व्रियतां वरः । इत्युक्तवति देवेशे स्वबाहुबलगर्वितः
"I am pleased, best of gods. A boon is granted to you—choose what you desire," said the Lord of the gods; and filled with pride in his own strength,