Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

सुषुवे सागराद्वेला कन्यामेकामनिंदिताम् सवर्णां नाम सामुद्रीं पत्नीं प्राचीनबर्हिषः

From the ocean, Velā gave birth to a single faultless daughter named Savarṇā, the oceanic one, who became the wife of Prācīnabarhis.

सामुद्री सुषुवे पुत्रान्दश प्राचीनबर्हिषः सर्वे प्राचेतसा नाम धनुर्वेदस्य पारगाः

Sāmudrī gave birth to ten sons for Prācīnabarhis, all known as the Prāchetasas, accomplished in the science of archery.

येषां स्वायंभुवे दक्षः पुत्रत्वमगमत्पुरा त्रियम्बकस्य शापेन चाक्षुषस्यांतरे मनोः

Among them, in the Svāyambhuva epoch, Dakṣa became a son, due to the curse of Triambaka, during the reign of Manu Cākṣuṣa.

इत्येते ब्रह्मपुत्राणां धर्मादीनाम्महात्मनाम् नातिसंक्षेपतो विप्रा नाति विस्तरतः क्रमात्

Thus, O sages, I have described in due order, neither too briefly nor too elaborately, the lineages of the great-souled sons of Brahmā, such as Dharma.

वर्णिता वै मया वंशा दिव्या देवगणान्विताः क्रियावंतः प्रजावंतो महर्धिभिरलंकृताः

Indeed, I have recounted the divine lineages, adorned with hosts of gods, active in rites, prolific in offspring, and endowed with great splendor.

प्रजानां संनिवेशो ऽयं प्रजापतिसमुद्भवः न हि शक्यः प्रसंख्यातुं वर्षकोटिशतैरपि

This arrangement of beings, originating from the progenitors, cannot be fully enumerated even in hundreds of millions of years.

राज्ञामपि च यो वंशो द्विधा सो ऽपि प्रवर्तते सूर्यवंशस्सोमवंश इति पुण्यतमः क्षितौ

The lineage of kings also proceeds in two branches on earth, known as the Solar and Lunar dynasties, most meritorious among men.

इक्ष्वाकुरम्बरीषश्च ययातिर्नाहुषादयः पुण्यश्लोकाः श्रुता ये ऽत्र ते पि तद्वंशसंभवाः

Ikṣvāku, Ambarīṣa, Yayāti, Nāhuṣa, and others renowned in virtue, who are heard of here, all arose from those lineages.

अन्ये च राजऋषयो नानावीर्यसमन्विता किं तैः फलमनुत्क्रांतैरुक्तपूर्वैः पुरातनैः

There are also other royal sages, endowed with various virtues; but what is the use of recounting those ancient ones whose fruits have already passed?

किं चेश्वरकथा वृत्ता यत्र तत्रान्यकीर्तनम् न सद्भिः संमतं मत्वा नोत्सहे बहुभाषितुम्

Moreover, where the narratives of the Lord are being told, mention of others is not approved by the virtuous; thus, I do not wish to speak at length.

प्रसंगादीश्वरस्यैव प्रभावद्योतनादपि सर्गादयो ऽपि कथिता इत्यत्र तत्प्रविस्तरैः

Incidentally, for the sake of illustrating the Lord’s greatness, the accounts of creation and so forth have also been told here, along with their expansions.

देवी दक्षस्य तनया त्यक्त्वा दाक्षायणी तनुम् कथं हिमवतः पुत्री मेनायामभवत्पुरा

How did the goddess, daughter of Dakṣa, after abandoning her Dākṣāyaṇī form, become the daughter of Himavat and Menā in ancient times?

कथं च निन्दितो रुद्रो दक्षेण च महात्मना निमित्तमपि किं तत्र येन स्यान्निंदितो भवः

And how was Rudra reproached by the great-souled Dakṣa? What was the cause there by which Bhava was censured?

उत्पन्नश्च कथं दक्षो अभिशापाद्भवस्य तु चाक्षुषस्यांतरे पूर्वं मनोः प्रब्रूहि मारुत

And how was Daksha born, O Maruta, as a result of Bhava's curse, in the interval between the Cākṣuṣa and the previous Manu? Tell me.

शृण्वंतु कथयिष्यामि दक्षस्य लघुचेतसः वृत्तं पापात्प्रमादाच्च विश्वामरविदूषणम्

Listen, I shall recount the story of Daksha, of shallow mind—his conduct, sinful and reckless, which brought disgrace upon the gods and sages.

पुरा सुरासुराः सर्वे सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः कदाचिद्द्रष्टुमीशानं हिमवच्छिखरं ययुः

Once, all the gods and demons, along with the Siddhas and supreme sages, went to the peak of the Himalaya to behold Īśāna.

तदा देवश्च देवी च दिव्यासनगतावुभौ दर्शनं ददतुस्तेषां देवादीनां द्विजोत्तमाः

At that time, the god and goddess, seated upon a divine throne, granted their audience to those foremost among gods and twice-born sages.

तदानीमेव दक्षो ऽपि गतस्तत्र सहामरैः जामातरं हरं द्रष्टुं द्रष्टुं चात्मसुतां सतीम्

Then Daksha too arrived there with the immortals, wishing to see his son-in-law Hara and his own daughter Satī.

तदात्मगौरवाद्देवो देव्या दक्षे समागते देवादिभ्यो विशेषेण न कदाचिदभूत्स्मृतिः

But out of self-regard, the god, though Daksha had arrived with the goddess, never especially acknowledged the gods and others present.

तस्य तस्याः परं भावमज्ञातुश्चापि केवलम् पुत्रीत्येवं विमूढस्य तस्यां वैरमजायत

Because he failed to recognize her supreme nature, and saw her only as his daughter, enmity arose in that deluded one toward her.

ततस्तेनैव वैरेण विधिना च प्रचोदितः नाजुवाह भवं दक्षो दीक्षितस्तामपि द्विषन्

Driven by that very enmity and impelled by fate, Daksha, though initiated, did not invite Bhava, harboring hatred even toward her.

शतशः पुष्कलामर्चाञ्चकार च पृथक्पृथक्

He performed hundreds of splendid sacrifices, each conducted separately.

तथा तान्संगताञ्छ्रुत्वा नारदस्य मुखात्तदा ययौ रुद्राय रुद्राणी विज्ञाप्य भवनं पितुः

Hearing of these gatherings from Nārada, Rudrāṇī went to Rudra, informing him of her father's assembly.

अथ संनिहितं दिव्यं विमानं विश्वतोमुखम् लक्षणाढ्यं सुखारोहमतिमात्रमनोहरम्

Then there appeared a divine aerial chariot, facing all directions, adorned with auspicious marks, easy to ascend, and exceedingly enchanting.

तप्तजांबूनदप्रख्यं चित्ररत्नपरिष्कृतम् मुक्तामयवितानाग्न्यं स्रग्दामसमलंकृतम्

It shone like molten gold, decorated with various precious gems, draped with canopies of pearls, and adorned with garlands and ornaments.

तप्तकंचननिर्व्यूहं रत्नस्तंभशतावृतम् वज्रकल्पितसोपानं विद्रुमस्तंभतोरणम्

Its structure was of refined gold, surrounded by hundreds of jeweled pillars, with steps fashioned like diamonds and gateways of coral pillars.

पुष्पपट्टपरिस्तीर्णं चित्ररत्नमहासनम् वज्रजालकिरच्छिद्रमच्छिद्रमणिकुट्टिमम्

The floor was spread with floral carpets, a grand throne set with many-colored gems, latticed with diamond windows, and a flawless jeweled pavement.

मणिदंडमनोज्ञेन महावृषभलक्ष्मणा अलंकृतपुरोभागमब्भ्रशुब्भ्रेण केतुना

Its front was adorned with a beautiful jeweled staff, marked by a great bull, and a banner pure as a cloud.

रत्नकंचुकगुप्तांगैश्चित्रवेत्रकपाणिभिः अधिष्ठितमहाद्वारमप्रधृष्यैर्गुणेश्वरैः

Guarded by attendants with gem-studded armor and holding ornate staffs, the great gate was protected by mighty lords of virtue, unassailable.