मम प्राप्तं हि मरणं त्वया हि स्मरदूतिके । इत्युक्ता सा तया प्राह मम त्वं प्राणरूपिणी
Now death has come to me, messenger of Kāma, because of you; hearing this, her friend replied, 'You are my very life.'
तस्यास्तथोक्तमाकर्ण्य इतिकर्त्तव्यतां ततः । वने निश्चित्य सा वृंदा गत्वा तत्र महत्सरः
Hearing her words, Vṛndā, deciding what must be done, went with her friend into the forest and reached a great lake.
विहाय दुःखमकरोद्गात्रक्षालनमंबुना । तीरे पद्मासनं बद्ध्वा कृत्वा निर्विषयं मनः
Abandoning sorrow, she washed her body with water, sat in the lotus posture on the bank, and withdrew her mind from all objects.
शोषयामास देहं स्वं विष्णुसंगेन दूषितम् । तपश्चचारसात्युग्रं निराहारा सखीसमम्
She began to dry up her body, defiled by union with Viṣṇu, and performed extremely severe austerities, fasting, together with her friend.
गंधर्वलोकतो वृंदामथागत्याप्सरोगणः । प्राह याहीति कल्याणि स्वर्गं मा त्यज विग्रहम्
Then, from the realm of the Gandharvas, a host of Apsarases came to Vṛndā and said, 'O blessed one, go to heaven; do not abandon your body.'
गांधर्वं शस्त्रमेतत्त्रिभुवनविजयं श्रीपतिस्तोषमग्र्यं। नीतो येनेह वृंदे त्यजसि कथमिदं तद्वपुः प्राप्तकामम् । कांतं ते विद्धि शूलिप्रवरशरहतं पुण्यलाभस्य भूषास्वर्गस्य त्वं। भवाद्य द्रुतममरवनं चंडिभद्रे भज त्वम्
This Gandharva science, which brings victory over the three worlds and the highest favor of Śrīpati, has been attained here, O Vṛndā; why do you abandon this body, which has fulfilled its desire? Know that your beloved was struck down by the foremost of Śiva's arrows—this is the ornament of your merit and the path to heaven. Now, O brave one, quickly go to the abode of the immortals.
श्रुत्वा शास्त्रं वधूनां जलधिजदयिता वाक्यमाह प्रहस्य । स्वर्गादाहृत्य मुक्तात्रिदशपति वधूश्चातिवीरेण पत्या । आदौ पात्रं सुखानामहममरजिता प्रेयसा तद्वियुक्तानिर्दुष्टा तद्य। तिष्ये प्रियममृतगतं प्राप्नुयां येन चैव
Hearing the scripture for brides, the beloved of the ocean-born one spoke, smiling: 'Brought from heaven, the wives of the gods, with their heroic husbands, are the vessels of happiness; I, separated from my sinless beloved, wish to attain my dear one, who has gone to immortality.'
इत्युक्त्वा ससखी वृंदा विससर्जाप्सरोगणान् । तत्प्रीतिपाशबद्धास्ता नित्यमायांति यांति च
Having spoken thus, Vṛndā, with her friend, dismissed the host of Apsarases; bound by her love, they always come and go.
योगाभ्यासेन वृंदाथ दग्ध्वा ज्ञानाग्निना गुणान् । विषयेभ्यः समाहृत्य मनः प्राप ततः परम्
Through the practice of yoga, Vṛndā burned away the qualities with the fire of knowledge; withdrawing her mind from the senses, she attained the supreme state.
दृष्ट्वा वृंदारिकां तत्र महांतश्चाप्सरोगणाः । तुष्टुवुर्नभसस्तुष्टा ववृषुः पुष्पवृष्टिभिः
Seeing Vṛndā there, the great host of Apsarases praised her; pleased, they showered flowers from the sky.
शुष्ककाष्ठचयं कृत्वा तत्र वृंदाकलेवरम् । निधायाग्निं च प्रज्वाल्य स्मरदूती विवेश तम्
Gathering dry wood there, they placed Vṛndā's body upon it; lighting the fire, the messenger of Kāma entered it.
दग्धं वृंदांगरजसां बिंबं तद्गोलकात्मकम् । कृत्वा तद्भस्मनः शेषं मंदाकिन्यां विचिक्षिपुः
When Vṛndā's body was burned, they made a round image from her ashes and cast the remains into the Mandākinī river.
यत्र वृंदा परित्यज्य देहं ब्रह्मपथं गता । आसीद्वृंदावनं तत्र गोवर्द्धनसमीपतः
Where Vṛndā, having abandoned her body, attained the path of Brahman, there, near Govardhana, was Vṛndāvana.
देव्योऽथ स्वर्गमेत्य त्रिदशपतिवधूसत्त्वसंपत्तिमाहुर्देवीभ्यस्तन्निशम्य प्रमुदितमनसो निर्जराद्याश्च सर्वे । शत्रोर्दैत्यस्य हित्वा प्रबलतरभयं भीमभेर्यो निजघ्नुः श्रुत्वा तत्रासनस्थः । परिजननिवहोवापशोभां शुभस्य
Then the goddesses, coming to heaven, spoke of the virtue and excellence of the wives of the gods; hearing this, all the immortals, their hearts delighted, destroyed the great fear of the mighty demon enemy, and, seated there, their retinues shone with auspicious beauty.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच। कथं जालंधरो गौरीं हररूपधरो मुने । दृष्ट्वा चकार किं तत्र तन्मे कथय विस्तरात्
Yudhishthira said: O sage, how did Jalandhara, taking on the form of Shiva, approach Gauri? What did he do upon seeing her? Please tell me all this in detail.
नारद उवाच- यदा मायाशिवस्तत्र प्रार्थयद्गिरिजां प्रति । ततः सा चुक्षुभे राजन्किंचिन्नोवाच तं प्रति
Narada said: When Maya-Shiva there began to woo Girija, O King, she became agitated and spoke a few words to him.
अनातुरस्य देवस्य प्राप्तस्य तपसा मया । न युक्तमिति निश्चित्य पार्वती नाह तं नृप
Considering that it was not proper for the god, who was not distressed and had already been obtained by my austerities, Parvati did not reply to him, O King.
सा न तत्र प्रतीकारं दृष्ट्वा तस्य च पश्यतः । निर्गता तत उत्थाय ददर्शाकाशवाहिनीम्
Seeing no remedy there, and with him watching, she rose and departed, and saw the one who moves through the sky.
गंगां वासोचितां मत्वा भवानी तपसे ययौ । पुरापि तपसा लब्धो मयेशः सांप्रतं तथा
Thinking that it was Ganga, adorned as befitting her, Bhavani went to perform austerities, just as before she had obtained the Lord through penance, so now again.
इत्यव्रजच्चिंतयती सखीभिः सहिता ततः । पुरः क्षीरनिभां राजन्पार्वती गगनात्परम्
Thus, pondering and accompanied by her friends, Parvati, shining like milk, went forth, surpassing even the sky, O King.
मंदाकिनीं ददर्शाथ पतंतीं मानसोत्तरे । हारमालामिवायांतीं विविक्तां गगनस्रजः
Then she saw Mandakini falling north of Lake Manasa, appearing like a garland of pearls descending, distinct among the garlands of the sky.
मंदाकिन्याः पयःपूरो ह्याकृष्टः स्वर्गतो यथा । श्रुतीनां पूरधारेव ब्रह्मणो वदनच्युता
A stream of Mandakini’s water was drawn down as if from heaven, like the flow of sacred knowledge pouring from Brahma’s mouth.
दृष्ट्वा मुमोद तां गंगां स्नात्वा चालिसमन्विता । संपूज्य स्वतनुं पश्चान्निविष्टा स्वर्णदीतटे
Seeing that Ganga, she rejoiced, bathed there with her companions, worshipped her own form, and then sat on the bank of the golden river.
परस्परमथालोक्य गौरी प्राह सखीं जयाम् । त्वं गच्छ मद्वपुः कृत्वा तत्समीपं सखी त्वरा
Then, looking at each other, Gauri spoke to her friend Jaya: 'Go quickly, taking on my form, and approach him, my friend.'
जानीहि तत्वं किं शंभुर्यदि वान्यो भविष्यति । यद्यसौ त्वां समालिंग्य कुरुते चुंबनादिकम्
'Find out the truth—whether he is Shambhu or someone else. If he embraces you or tries to kiss you,'
तदा मायां समास्थाय जानीह्यसुरमागतम् । यदि चेत्त्वां प्रतिब्रूयान्मन्निमित्तं शुभाशुभम्
'then, assuming an illusory form, know that it is the asura who has come. And if he speaks to you, revealing good or bad things concerning me,'
असंशयं पिनाकी स्यादत्रागत्य ब्रवीहि माम् । इत्यादिष्टा जया देव्या गता गंगाधरांतिकम्
'without doubt, it is Pinaki. Come and tell me after you have gone there.' Thus instructed by the goddess, Jaya went near Gangadhara.
तामायांतीं स दृष्ट्वा च भृशं मन्मथपीडितः । चकारालिंगनं तस्या गौरीरूपेण भावयन्
Seeing her approach, Jalandhara, greatly afflicted by desire, embraced her, thinking her to be Gauri.
ततो जालंधरः सद्यो वीर्यं स्वं प्रमुमोचह । अल्पेंद्रियश्च संजातो वेगतः कुरुनंदन
Then Jalandhara at once released his seed, O Kurunandana, and became weakened in his senses due to passion.
तया सप्रोदितो दैत्य न त्वं रुद्रो भविष्यसि । अल्पवीर्योऽधमाचारो नाहं गौरी हि तत्सखी
Rebuked by her, the demon was told: 'You are not Rudra; you are weak and of base conduct. I am not Gauri, but her friend.'