Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

तां दृष्ट्वा परमेशानीं सर्वलोकमहेश्वरीम् सर्वज्ञां सर्वगां सूक्ष्मां सदसद्व्यक्तिवर्जिताम्

Seeing that supreme goddess, the great ruler of all worlds, all-knowing, all-pervading, subtle, free from the distinctions of existence and non-existence,

परमां निखिलं भासा भासयन्तीमिदं जगत् प्रणिपत्य महादेवीं प्रार्थयामास वै विराट्

The supreme one, illuminating this entire world with her radiance, Virāṭ, having bowed to the great goddess, earnestly prayed to her.

देवि देवेन सृष्टो ऽहमादौ सर्वजगन्मयि प्रजासर्गे नियुक्तश्च सृजामि सकलं जगत्

O goddess, I was created by the god at the beginning, you who are the essence of all worlds; appointed in the creation of beings, I create the entire world.

मनसा निर्मिताः सर्वे देवि देवादयो मया न वृद्धिमुपगच्छन्ति सृज्यमानाः पुनः पुनः

O goddess, all the gods and others were created by me through mind; yet, repeatedly created, they do not attain growth.

मिथुनप्रभवामेव कृत्वा सृष्टिमतः परम् संवर्धयितुमिच्छामि सर्वा एव मम प्रजाः

Having made them arise only through pairs, according to the supreme creative principle, I wish to nurture all my offspring.

न निर्गतं पुरा त्वत्तो नारीणां कुलमव्ययम् तेन नारीकुलं स्रष्टुं शक्तिर्मम न विद्यते

No lineage of women has ever emerged from you before; thus, I lack the power to create a race of women.

सर्वासामेव शक्तीनां त्वत्तः खलु समुद्भवः तस्मात्सर्वत्र सर्वेषां सर्वशक्तिप्रदायिनीम्

All powers indeed originate from you; therefore, everywhere, you are the giver of all powers to all.

त्वामेव वरदां मायां प्रार्थयामि सुरेश्वरीम् चराचरविवृद्ध्यर्थमंशेनैकेन सर्वगे

I pray to you alone, the bestower of boons, the goddess Māyā, ruler of the gods, for the increase of moving and unmoving beings, through a portion of yourself, O all-pervading one.

दक्षस्य मम पुत्रस्य पुत्री भव भवार्दिनि एवं सा याचिता देवी ब्रह्मणा ब्रह्मयोनिना

Become the daughter of Dakṣa, my son, O destroyer of existence; thus, the goddess was requested by Brahmā, the source of Brahman.

शक्तिमेकां भ्रुवोर्मध्यात्ससर्जात्मसमप्रभाम् तामाह प्रहसन्प्रेक्ष्य देवदेववरो हरः

She created a single power, radiant as herself, from between her brows; seeing her, the supreme god of gods, Hara, spoke, smiling.

ब्रह्माणं तपसाराध्य कुरु तस्य यथेप्सितम् तामाज्ञां परमेशस्य शिरसा प्रतिगृह्य सा

Worship Brahmā with austerity; fulfill his desired purpose. Having received the command of the supreme lord, she accepted it with her head bowed.

ब्रह्मणो वचनाद्देवी दक्षस्य दुहिताभवत् दत्त्वैवमतुलां शक्तिं ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्मरूपिणीम्

By the word of Brahma, the goddess became the daughter of Daksha, having given that incomparable power—embodying the very form of Brahma—to Brahma himself.

विवेश देहं देवस्य देवश्चांतरधीयत तदा प्रभृति लोके ऽस्मिन् स्त्रियां भोगः प्रतिष्ठितः

She entered the body of the god, and the god then disappeared; from that time onward in this world, enjoyment with women was established.

प्रजासृष्टिश्च विप्रेंद्रा मैथुनेन प्रवर्तते ब्रह्मापि प्राप सानन्दं सन्तोषं मुनिपुंगवाः

And, O best of Brahmins, the creation of beings henceforth proceeds through union; even Brahma himself attained joy and satisfaction, O foremost sages.

एतद्वस्सर्वमाख्यातं देव्याः शक्तिसमुद्भवम् पुण्यवृद्धिकरं श्राव्यं भूतसर्गानुपंगतः

Thus, all this has been told—the origin of the goddess's power, which brings increase of merit and is worthy of being heard, following the account of the creation of beings.

य इदं कीर्तयेन्नित्यं देव्याः शक्तिसमुद्भवम् पुण्यं सर्वमवाप्नोति पुत्रांश्च लभते शुभान्

Whoever recites daily this origin of the goddess's power attains all merit and obtains auspicious sons.

एवं लब्ध्वा परां शक्तिमीश्वरादेव शाश्वतीम् मैथुनप्रभवां सृष्टिं कर्तृकामः प्रजापतिः

Thus, having obtained the supreme and eternal power from the Lord, Prajapati, desiring to create progeny arising from union, prepared himself.

स्वयमप्यद्भुतो नारी चार्धेन पुरुषो ऽभवत् यार्धेन नारी सा तस्माच्छतरूपा व्यजायत

He himself became a wondrous woman and, by half, a man; from that half which was woman, Shatarupa was born.

विराजमसृजद्ब्रह्मा सो ऽर्धन पुरुषो ऽभवत् स वै स्वायंभुवः पूर्वं पुरुषो मनुरुच्यते

Brahma created Viraj, who became half a man; he is called the original Svayambhuva Manu, the first man.

सा देवी शतरूपा तु तपः कृत्वा सुदुश्चरम् भर्तारं दीप्तयशसं मनुमेवान्वपद्यत

That goddess Shatarupa, having performed severe austerities, became the wife of Manu, who was radiant with glory.

तस्मात्तु शतरूपा सा पुत्रद्वयमसूयत प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ पुत्रौ पुत्रवतां वरौ

From her, Shatarupa, two sons were born—Priyavrata and Uttanapada, the best among sons.

कन्ये द्वे च महाभागे याभ्यां जातास्त्विमाः प्रजाः आकूतिरेका विज्ञेया प्रसूतिरपरा स्मृता

And she bore two illustrious daughters, from whom these beings were born; one is known as Akuti, the other remembered as Prasuti.

स्वायंभुवः प्रसूतिं च ददौ दक्षाय तां प्रभुः रुचेः प्रजापतिश्चैव चाकूतिं समपादयत्

Svayambhuva gave Prasuti to Daksha, and the lord Prajapati gave Akuti to Ruchi.

आकूत्यां मिथुनं जज्ञे मानसस्य रुचेः शुभम् यज्ञश्च दक्षिणा चैव याभ्यां संवर्तितं जगत्

From Akuti, a virtuous pair was born to Ruchi by mind—Yajna and Dakshina—by whom the world is sustained.

चतस्रो विंशतिः कन्या दक्षस्त्वजनयत्प्रभुः

Daksha, the lord, begot twenty-four daughters.

श्रद्धा लक्ष्मीर्धृतिः पुष्टिस्तुष्टिर्मेधा क्रिया तथा बुद्धिर्लज्जा वपुः शांतिस्सिद्धिः कीर्तिस्त्रयोदशी

Shraddha, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Pushti, Tushti, Medha, Kriya, Buddhi, Lajja, Vapu, Shanti, Siddhi, and Kirti—these are thirteen.

पत्न्यर्थं प्रतिजग्राह धर्मो दाक्षायणीः प्रभुः ताभ्यः शिष्टा यवीयस्य एकादश सुलोचनाः

For the sake of wives, Dharma, the lord, accepted the Daksha daughters; the remaining eleven, younger and fair-eyed, were left.

ख्यातिः सत्यर्थसंभूतिः स्मृतिः प्रीतिः क्षमा तथा सन्नतिश्चानसूया च ऊर्जा स्वाहा स्वधा तथा

Khyati, Satyartha, Sambhuti, Smriti, Priti, Kshama, Sannati, Anasuya, Urja, Svaha, and Svadha.

भृगुश्शर्वो मरीचिश्च अंगिराः पुलहः क्रतुः पुलस्त्यो ऽत्रिर्विशिष्ठश्च पावकः पितरस्तथा

Bhrigu, Sharva, Marichi, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, Atri, Vasishta, Pavaka, and the Pitrs likewise.