Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

मृदंगतालगीतादिवेणुवीणाविशारदैः विदग्धवेषभाषैश्च बहुभिः स्त्रीजनैर्वृतम्

It was filled with many women skilled in playing drums, cymbals, songs, flutes, and lutes, all adorned in clever attire and speech.

आरुरोह महादेवी सह प्रियसखीजनैः चामारव्यञ्जनं तस्या वज्रदंडमनोहरे

The great goddess ascended, accompanied by her beloved friends, and for her there was a charming fan with a jeweled handle.

गृहीत्वा रुद्रकन्ये द्वे विवीजतुरुभे शुभे तदाचामरयोर्मध्ये देव्या वदनमाबभौ

Taking two Rudrakanya maidens, both auspicious, they fanned the goddess; between those two attendants, the face of the goddess appeared.

अन्योन्यं युध्यतोर्मध्ये हंसयोरिव पंकजम् छत्रं शशिनिभं तस्याश्चूडोपरि सुमालिनी

Between the two, who contended like swans, a lotus-like parasol, shining like the moon, adorned the crown of the goddess, garlanded with flowers.

धृतमुक्तापरिक्षिप्तं बभार प्रेमनिर्भरा तच्छत्रमुज्ज्वलं देव्या रुरुचे वदनोपरि

Held aloft, encircled with pearls, that radiant parasol, full of affection, shone above the goddess's face.

उपर्यमृतभांडस्य मंडलं शशिनो यथा अथ चाग्रे समासीना सुस्मितास्या शुभावती

Above, like the disk of the nectar vessel or the moon, the goddess, beautiful and smiling, sat at the forefront.

अक्षद्यूतविनोदेन रमयामास वै सतीम् सुयशाः पादुके देव्याश्शुभे रत्नपरिष्कृते

Suyaśā, with the game of dice, entertained the virtuous goddess; the auspicious jeweled sandals of the goddess were there.

स्तनयोरंतरे कृत्वा तदा देवीमसेवतः अन्या कांचनचार्वंगी दीप्तं जग्राह दर्पणम्

Placing them between her breasts, she served the goddess; another, golden-limbed and radiant, took up a shining mirror.

अपरा तालवृन्तं च परा तांबूलपेटिकाम् काचित्क्रीडाशुकं चारु करे ऽकुरुत भामिनी

One attendant held a palm fan, another a betel box; a lovely maiden took a charming play-cloth in her hand.

काचित्तु सुमनोज्ञानि पुष्पाणि सुरभीणि च काचिदाभरणाधारं बभार कमलेक्षणा

One brought delightful and fragrant flowers; another, lotus-eyed, carried a container for ornaments.