का हि नाभिलषेत्कन्या भर्तांरं भक्तिवत्सलम्। नादेयमपि ते किंचित्पितुर्मे धर्मवत्सल
What maiden would not desire a husband devoted to affection? My father, devoted to righteousness, would not refuse you anything.
प्रसादये तं शिरसा मां स तुष्टः प्रदास्यति। पितुश्चित्तमविज्ञाय यद्यात्मानं ददामि ते
I will please him with my head bowed; if he is satisfied, he will give me. Without knowing my father's mind, how can I give myself to you?
धर्मो हि विपुलो नश्येत्तेन त्वां न प्रसादये। भविष्यामि वशे तुभ्यं यदि तातः प्रदास्यति
Righteousness is vast and would perish; therefore, I do not seek to please you. I will be under your control if my father gives me.
इत्थमाभाष्यमाणस्तु तदा शक्रोऽनयच्च ताम्। ब्रह्मणः पुरतः स्थाप्य प्राहास्यार्थे मयाऽबले
Thus speaking, Śakra then led her before Brahmā, placed her there, and spoke for her sake, O gentle one.
आनीतासि विशालाक्षि मा शुचो वरवर्णिनि। गोपकन्यामसौ दृष्ट्वा गौरवर्णां महाद्युतिम्
You have been brought here, wide-eyed one; do not grieve, O splendidly beautiful woman. Seeing this cowherd maiden, fair as a cow and radiant with great brilliance—
कमलामेव तां मेने पुंडरीकनिभेक्षणाम्। तप्तकांचनसद्भित्ति सदृशा पीनवक्षसम्
She, whose eyes resembled blue lotuses, whose full breasts matched the purest gold walls, was regarded by Kamala herself as her equal.
मत्तेभहस्तवृत्तोरुं रक्तोत्तुंग नखत्विषं। तं दृष्ट्वाऽमन्यतात्मानं सापि मन्मनथचरम्
Her thighs were shaped like the trunks of intoxicated elephants, her nails shone crimson and bright; seeing her, she thought herself to be surpassed, and her mind was captivated.
तत्प्राप्तिहेतु क धिया गतचित्तेव लक्ष्यते। प्रभुत्वमात्मनो दाने गोपकन्याप्यमन्यत
With the thought of attaining her, she appeared as if her heart had departed; the cowherd maiden too considered herself superior in the matter of giving.
यद्येष मां सुरूपत्वादिच्छत्यादातुमाग्रहात्। नास्ति सीमंतिनी काचिन्मत्तो धन्यतरा भुवि
If he desires to take me because of my beauty, then there is no woman on earth more fortunate than I.
अनेनाहं समानीता यच्चक्षुर्गोचरं गता। अस्य त्यागे भवेन्मृत्युरत्यागे जीवितं सुखम्
I have been brought by him and have come within his sight; to be abandoned by him would be death, but to be accepted would be the joy of life.
भवेयमपमानाच्च धिग्रूपा दुःखदायिनी। दृश्यते चक्षुषानेन यापि योषित्प्रसादतः
If I am rejected, I would become a disgrace, a bringer of sorrow by my form; yet any woman whom he looks upon with favor is truly blessed.
सापि धन्या न संदेहः किं पुनर्यां परिष्वजेत्। जगद्रूपमशेषं हि पृथक्संचारमाश्रितम्
She is indeed fortunate, without doubt; how much more so the one whom he embraces, for he, the form of the entire world, moves distinctly among all.
लावण्यं तदिहैकस्थं दर्शितं विश्वयोनिना। अस्योपमा स्मरः साध्वी मन्मथस्य त्विषोपमा
That beauty, concentrated here alone, has been revealed by the source of the universe; her only comparison is with Smara's virtuous wife, and with the radiance of Kāma himself.
तिरस्कृतस्तु शोकोयं पिता माता न कारणम्। यदि मां नैष आदत्ते स्वल्पं मयि न भाषते
This sorrow is not caused by father or mother, but by rejection; if he does not accept me, or even speak a little to me—
अस्यानुस्मरणान्मृत्युः प्रभविष्यति शोकजः। अनागसि च पत्न्यां तु क्षिप्रं यातेयमीदृशी
Then death, born of grief, will overpower me from remembering him; and though I am blameless as a wife, I would quickly perish in such a state.
कुचयोर्मणिशोभायै शुद्धाम्बुज समद्युतिः। मुखमस्य प्रपश्यंत्या मनो मे ध्यानमागतम्
The radiance of pure lotus equals the splendor of the gems on his chest; as I gaze upon his face, my mind becomes absorbed in meditation.
अस्यांगस्पर्शसंयोगान्न चेत्त्वं बहु मन्यसे। स्पृशन्नटसि तर्हि न त्वं शरीरं वितथं परम्
If you do not value the touch and union with his limbs, then, though you touch and move with him, your body is truly wasted.
अथवास्य न दोषोस्ति यदृच्छाचारको ह्यसि। मुषितः स्मर नूनं त्वं संरक्ष स्वां प्रियां रतिम्
Or perhaps there is no fault in you, for you act according to chance; surely you have been robbed by Love—protect your own dear delight.
त्वत्तोपि दृश्यते येन रूपेणायं स्मराधिकः। ममानेन मनोरत्न सर्वस्वं च हृतं दृढम्
By whose form, surpassing even you, Love himself is seen; by him, my mind, my precious jewel, and all my being have been firmly stolen.
शोभा या दृश्यते वक्त्रे सा कुतः शशलक्ष्मणि। नोपमा सकलं कस्य निष्कलंकेन शस्यते
The beauty seen in his face—how could it be found in the moon, marked by a hare? No comparison is ever praised for one so flawless.
समानभावतां याति पंकजं नास्य नेत्रयोः। कोपमा जलशंखेन प्राप्ता श्रवणशंङ्खयोः
A lotus cannot match the equality of his eyes; the conch of water is the only comparison for his conch-like ears.
विद्रुमोप्यधरस्यास्य लभते नोपमां ध्रुवम्। आत्मस्थममृतं ह्येष संस्रवंश्चेष्टते ध्रुवम्
Even coral cannot surely compare to his lower lip; truly, nectar flows from within him, streaming forth without doubt.
यदि किंचिच्छुभं कर्म जन्मांतरशतैः कृतम्। तत्प्रसादात्पुनर्भर्ता भवत्वेष ममेप्सितः
If I have performed any virtuous deed in hundreds of past lives, by its grace may this man, whom I desire, become my husband again.
एवं चिंतापराधीना यावत्सा गोपकन्यका। तावद्ब्रह्मा हरिं प्राह यज्ञार्थं सत्वरं वचः
While that cowherd maiden was absorbed in such thoughts, at that very moment Brahmā quickly spoke to Hari for the sake of the sacrifice.
देवी चैषा महाभागा गायत्री नामतः प्रभो। एवमुक्ते तदा विष्णुर्ब्रह्माणं प्रोक्तवानिदम्
This blessed goddess is named Gāyatrī, O Lord; when this was said, Viṣṇu then spoke these words to Brahmā.
तदेनामुद्वहस्वाद्य मया दत्तां जगत्प्रभो। गांधर्वेण विवाहेन विकल्पं मा कृथाश्चिरम्
Therefore, take her as your wife today, O Lord of the world, for I have given her to you; marry her by the gāndharva rite, and do not delay in making your decision.
अमुं गृहाण देवाद्य अस्याः पाणिमनाकुलम्। गांधेर्वेण विवाहेन उपयेमे पितामहः
Take her hand today, O god, without hesitation; and Brahmā, the grandsire, married her by the gāndharva rite.
तामवाप्य तदा ब्रह्मा जगादाद्ध्वर्युसत्तमम्। कृता पत्नी मया ह्येषा सदने मे निवेशय
Having obtained her, Brahmā then spoke to the chief officiating priest: 'She has become my wife; settle her in my house.'
मृगशृंगधरा बाला क्षौमवस्त्रावगुंठिता। पत्नीशालां तदा नीता ऋत्विग्भिर्वेदपारगैः
The young girl, adorned with deer-horn ornaments and veiled in linen cloth, was then led to the house of wives by the priests who were well-versed in the Vedas.
औदुंबेरण दंडेन प्रावृतो मृगचर्मणा। महाध्वरे तदा ब्रह्मा धाम्ना स्वेनैव शोभते
With a staff of udumbara wood and covered in a deerskin, Brahmā shone in his own splendor at that great sacrifice.