कन्या सैन्येन महता बहुरूपेण भास्वता। देवैस्तुविस्मितैर्दृष्टा चर्ममुंडधरा रुरोः
The maiden, with a great and radiant army of many forms, was seen by the astonished gods, bearing the skin and head of Ruru.
स्वकीये तपसः स्थाने निविष्टा परमेश्वरी। ततो देव्यो महाभागाः परिवार्य व्यवस्थिताः
The Supreme Goddess, having taken her place at her own seat of penance, was then surrounded and attended by the illustrious goddesses.
याचयामासुरव्यग्रास्तां तु देवीं बुभुक्षिताः। बुभुक्षिता वयं देवि देहि नो भोजनं वरम्
Eager and hungry, the goddesses began to beg that goddess: 'We are hungry, O Goddess, grant us the boon of food.'
एवमुक्त्वा ततो देवी दध्यौ तासां तु भोजनम्। नाध्यगच्छत्तदा तासां भोजनं चिन्तितम्महत्
Having thus spoken, the goddess meditated on food for them; but she could not find any suitable food for them, though she pondered greatly.
तदा दध्यौ महादेवं रुद्रं पशुपतिं विभुम्। सोपि ध्यानात्समुत्तस्थौ परमात्मा त्रिलोचनः1.31.
Then she meditated on Mahādeva, Rudra, the Lord of Creatures, the mighty one; and from meditation, the Supreme Self, the three-eyed one, arose.
उवाच रुद्रस्तां देवीं किं ते कार्यं विवक्षितम्। ब्रूहि देवि महामाये यत्ते मनसि वर्तते
Rudra spoke to that goddess: 'What task do you wish to accomplish? Speak, O Goddess, great enchantress, whatever is in your mind.'
शिवदूत्युवाच। छागमध्ये तु वै देव छागरूपेण वर्तसे। एतास्त्वां भक्षयिष्यन्ति भक्ष्यमीप्सितमादरात्
The emissary of Śiva said: 'O God, you dwell among the goats, taking the form of a goat; these goddesses will devour you as their desired food, with reverence.'
भक्षार्थमासां देवेश किंचिद्दातुमिहार्हसि। शूलीकुर्वंति मामेता भक्षार्थिन्यो महाबलाः
'O Lord of gods, for their food you should give something here; these mighty ones, desiring food, threaten me with their tridents.'
अन्यथा मामपि बलाद्भक्षयेयुर्बुभुक्षिताः। एवं मां तु समालक्ष्य भक्ष्यं कल्पय सत्वरम्
'Otherwise, these hungry ones might forcibly devour me as well; therefore, seeing me, quickly provide suitable food.'
रुद्र उवाच। शिवदूति ब्रवीम्येकं प्रवृत्तं यद्युगांतरे। गंगाद्वारे दक्षयज्ञो गणैर्विध्वंसितो मम
Rudra said: 'Śivadūtī, I will tell you something that happened in a former age: at Gaṅgādvāra, my attendants destroyed Dakṣa's sacrifice.'
तत्र यज्ञो मृगो भूत्वा प्रदुद्राव सुवेगवान्। मया बाणेन निर्विद्धो रुधिरेण प्रसेचितः
'There, the sacrificial animal, becoming a deer, ran swiftly; I pierced it with an arrow, and it was sprinkled with blood.'
अजगंधस्तदा भूतो नाम देवैस्तु मे कृतम्। अजगंधस्त्वमेवेति दास्ये चान्यत्तु भोजनम्
'Then, having the scent of a goat, the gods named me Ajagaṃdha; you shall be Ajagaṃdha, and I will give other food as well.'
एतासां शृणु मे देवि भक्ष्यमेकं मयोचितम्। कथ्यमानं वरारोहे कालरात्रि महाप्रभे
O Devi, listen to me: I will tell you of one food suitable for them, O radiant Kalaratri, O best among women.
या स्त्री सगर्भा देवेशि अन्यस्त्रीपरिधानकम्। परिधत्ते स्पृशेद्वापि पुरुषस्य विशेषतः
Any woman who is pregnant, O queen of the gods, or who wears another woman's clothing, or who touches another woman, especially a man—
सभागोस्तु वरारोहे कासांचित्पृथिवीतले। अप्येकवर्षं बालं तु गृहीत्वा तत्र वै बलात्
O beautiful one, even if someone forcibly takes a child, just one year old, from the earth—
भुक्त्वा तिष्ठंतु सुप्रीता अपि वर्षशतान्बहून्। अन्याः सूतिगृहे च्छिद्रं गृह्णीयुस्तु ह्यपूजिताः
Let them eat and remain content for many hundreds of years; others, unhonored, may seize a breach in the birthing chamber.
निवसिष्यंति देवेशि तथा वै जातहारिकाः। गृहे क्षेत्रे तटाके च वाप्युद्यानेषु चैव हि
O queen of the gods, those who steal newborns will dwell in homes, fields, ponds, lakes, and gardens.
अत्येषु च रुदंत्यो या स्त्रियस्तिष्ठंति नित्यशः। तासां शरीरगाश्चान्याः काश्चित्तृप्तिमवाप्नुयुः
Among them, those women who constantly weep will have their bodies consumed by others, and some will attain satisfaction.
शिवदूत्य उवाच। कुत्सितं भवता दत्तं प्रजानां परिपीडनम्। न च त्वं बुध्यसे दातुं शंकररस्य विशेषतः
Shivaduti said: What you have given is contemptible, causing distress to the people; you do not understand how to give the essence of Shankara.
त्रपाकरं यद्भवति प्रजानां परिपीडकम्। न तु तद्युज्यते दातुं तासां भक्ष्यं तु शंकर
That which brings shame and afflicts the people should not be given as their food, O Shankara.
रुद्र उवाच। अवंत्यां तु यदा स्कंदो मया पूर्वं तु भद्रितः। चूडाकर्मणि वृत्ते तु कुमारस्य तदा शुभे
Rudra said: When Skanda was previously consecrated by me in Avanti, at the completion of the ceremonial shaving of the boy's head—
आगत्य मातरो भक्ष्यमपूर्वं तु प्रचक्रिरे। देवलोकाद्देवगणा मातॄणां भोक्तुमागताः
Then the mothers arrived and prepared an unprecedented food; the hosts of gods came from heaven to partake of the mothers' offering.
तासां गृहे यदा पूर्वं ब्रह्माद्यास्सुरसत्तमाः। गंधर्वाप्सरसश्चैव यक्षास्सर्वे च गुह्यकाः
When, in their house, the foremost gods like Brahma, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yakshas, and all Guhyakas—
मेर्वादयः शिखरिणो गंगाद्याः सरितस्तथा। सर्वे नागा गजास्सिद्धाः पक्षिणोऽसुरसूदनाः
The peaks of Meru, the rivers like Ganga, all Nagas, elephants, Siddhas, birds, and destroyers of demons—
डाकिन्यः सह वेतालैर्वृताः सर्वैर्ग्रहैस्तदा। किमुक्तेनामुना देवि यत्सृष्टं ब्रह्मणा त्विह
The Dakinis, together with Vetalas and all the planets, were present; O Devi, what need is there to mention what was created here by Brahma?
तत्सर्वं भोजनं दत्तं स्वेच्छान्नं च नभोगतं। शिवदूत्युवाच। आसां कृतं देहि भोज्यं दुर्लभं यत्त्रिविष्टपे
All that food was given, freely chosen and celestial; Shivaduti said: Give them the food prepared, rare even in heaven.
स्नेहाक्तं सगुडं हृद्यं सुपक्वं परिकल्पितम्। क्वचिन्नान्येन यद्भुक्तमपूर्वं परमेश्वर
It is prepared with affection, sweetened, delightful, well-cooked, and carefully made; sometimes eaten by none other, O Supreme Lord.
एवमुक्तस्तदा सोपि देवदेवो महेश्वरः। भक्ष्यार्थं तास्तदा प्राह पार्वत्याश्चैव सन्निधौ
Thus addressed, the great god Maheshvara spoke for the sake of their food, in the presence of Parvati.
मया वै साधितं चान्नं प्रकारैर्बहुभिः कृतं। तत्सर्वं च व्ययं यातं न चान्यदिह दृश्यते
I have prepared food by many methods; all has been expended, and nothing else is seen here.
भवतीष्वागतास्वद्य किं मया देयमुच्यताम्। अपूर्वं भवतीनां यन्मया देयं विशेषतः
Now that you have arrived, tell me what I should give; what unprecedented thing should I give especially to you all?