Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

पितृभ्यां जगतो नित्यं स्नानपानोपयोगतः अवाप्तपुण्यसंस्कारः प्रसरद्भिरितस्ततः

By the daily use of its waters for bathing and drinking by the divine parents of the world, it has attained sanctity, spreading its merit everywhere.

लघुशीतलसंस्पर्शैरच्छाच्छैर्निर्झराम्बुभिः अधिराज्येन चाद्रीणामद्रीरेषो ऽभिषिच्यते

With the gentle, cool touch of its clear waterfall waters, and as if with clarified butter, this mountain is anointed as the king of mountains.

निशासु शिखरप्रान्तर्वर्तिना स शिलोच्चयः चंद्रेणाचल साम्राज्यच्छत्रेणेव विराजते

At night, the lofty peak crowned by the moon shines resplendent, as if beneath the royal umbrella of mountain sovereignty.

स शैलश्चंचलीभूतैर्बालैश्चामरयोषिताम् सर्वपर्वतसाम्राज्यचामरैरिव वीज्यते

That mountain is fanned by the playful hands of maidens, as if with the royal fans of sovereignty over all mountains.

प्रातरभ्युदिते भानौ भूधरो रत्नभूषितः दर्पणे देहसौभाग्यं द्रष्टुकाम इव स्थितः

At dawn, when the sun rises, the mountain, adorned with jewels, stands as if wishing to behold its own beauty in a mirror.

कूजद्विहंगवाचालैर्वातोद्धृतलताभुजैः विमुक्तपुष्पैः सततं व्यालम्बिमृदुपल्लवैः

With the chirping of birds, the waving of creepers lifted by the wind, the constant shower of loosened flowers, and the hanging tender leaves—

लताप्रतानजटिलैस्तरुभिस्तपसैरिव जयाशिषा सहाभ्यर्च्य निषेव्यत इवाद्रिराट्

The mountain king is worshipped, as if by ascetic trees with tangled creeper-hair, offering victorious blessings together.

अधोमुखैरूर्ध्वमुखैश्शृंगैस्तिर्यङ्मुखैस्तथा प्रपतन्निव पाताले भूपृष्ठादुत्पतन्निव

With peaks facing downward, upward, and sideways, it appears as if falling into the underworld or leaping up from the earth.

परीतः सर्वतो दिक्षु भ्रमन्निव विहायसि पश्यन्निव जगत्सर्वं नृत्यन्निव निरन्तरम्

Surrounded on all sides, it seems to wander through the sky, as if seeing the whole world, and dancing without ceasing.

गुहामुखैः प्रतिदिनं व्यात्तास्यो विपुलोदरैः अजीर्णलावण्यतया जृंभमाण इवाचलः

With cave mouths wide open every day, and vast hollows, the mountain seems to yawn from an insatiable beauty.

ग्रसन्निव जगत्सर्वं पिबन्निव पयोनिधिम् वमन्निव तमोन्तस्थं माद्यन्निव खमम्बुदैः

As if devouring the whole world, drinking the ocean, vomiting the darkness within, and exulting with the clouds in the sky.

निवास भूमयस्तास्ता दर्पणप्रतिमोदराः तिरस्कृतातपास्स्निग्धाश्रमच्छायामहीरुहाः

Its dwelling places, with bellies like mirrors, are shaded by lush trees that block the sun, their coolness enhanced by the presence of hermitages.

सरित्सरस्तडागादिसंपर्कशिशिरानिलाः तत्र तत्र निषण्णाभ्यां शिवाभ्यां सफलीकृताः

The breezes cooled by rivers, lakes, and ponds there are made fruitful wherever Shiva and Parvati are seated.

तमिमं सर्वतः श्रेष्ठं स्मृत्वा साम्बस्त्रियम्बकः रैभ्याश्रमसमीपस्थश्चान्तर्धानं गतो ययौ

Remembering him as the greatest in every way, Sambhu, the three-eyed one, who was near Raibhya’s hermitage, vanished and departed.

तत्रोद्यानमनुप्राप्य देव्या सह महेश्वरः रराम रमणीयासु देव्यान्तःपुरभूमिषु

Then, having reached the garden, Maheshvara enjoyed himself with the goddess in the delightful grounds of her inner palace.

तथा गतेषु कालेषु प्रवृद्धासु प्रजासु च दैत्यौ शुंभनिशुंभाख्यौ भ्रातरौ संबभूवतुः

As time passed and the population increased, two demons named Shumbha and Nishumbha, brothers, were born.

ताभ्यां तपो बलाद्दत्तं ब्रह्मणा परमेष्टिना अवध्यत्वं जगत्यस्मिन्पुरुषैरखिलैरपि

By the power of their austerity, Brahma the supreme lord granted them invulnerability against all men in the world.

अयोनिजा तु या कन्या ह्यंबिकांशसमुद्भवा अजातपुंस्पर्शरतिरविलंघ्यपराक्रमा

The maiden who was not born from a womb, arising from a portion of Ambika, untouched by any man, with unconquerable valor—

तया तु नौ वधः संख्ये तस्यां कामाभिभूतयोः इति चाभ्यर्थितो ब्रह्मा ताभ्याम्प्राह तथास्त्विति

By her alone, our death in battle shall occur when we are overcome by desire for her—so they requested Brahma, and he replied, 'So be it.'

ततः प्रभृति शक्रादीन्विजित्य समरे सुरान् निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारं जगच्चक्रतुरक्रमात्

From then on, conquering Indra and the other gods in battle, they seized the world, suppressing recitation and sacrificial offerings by force.

तयोर्वधाय देवेशं ब्रह्माभ्यर्थितवान्पुनः विनिंद्यापि रहस्यं वां क्रोधयित्वा यथा तथा

For their destruction, Brahma again petitioned the lord of the gods, even censuring and provoking you in secret, as needed.

तद्वर्णकोशजां शक्तिमकामां कन्यकात्मिकाम् निशुम्भशुंभयोर्हंत्रीं सुरेभ्यो दातुमर्हसि

You should give to the gods the power born from the treasury of colors, the desireless maiden, who will slay Shumbha and Nishumbha.

एवमभ्यर्थितो धात्रा भगवान्नीललोहितः कालीत्याह रहस्यं वां निन्दयन्निव सस्मितः

Thus petitioned by the creator, the blessed blue-red one, smiling, spoke as Kali, as if reproaching you in secret.

ततः क्रुद्धा तदा देवी सुवर्णा वर्णकारणात् स्मयन्ती चाह भर्तारमसमाधेयया गिरा

Then, angered, the goddess, golden in color because of her origin, smiling, addressed her husband with words not easily appeased.

ईदृशो मम वर्णेस्मिन्न रतिर्भवतो ऽस्ति चेत् एवावन्तं चिरं कालं कथमेषा नियम्यते

If you have such fondness for my color, how can it be restrained for so long a time?

अरत्या वर्तमानो ऽपि कथं च रमसे मया न ह्यशक्यं जगत्यस्मिन्नीश्वरस्य जगत्प्रभोः

Even if you are indifferent, how do you enjoy with me? For nothing is impossible in this world for the lord, master of the universe.

स्वात्मारामस्य भवतो रतिर्न सुखसाधनम् इति हेतोः स्मरो यस्मात्प्रसभं भस्मसात्कृतः

For one who delights in his own self, pleasure is not the means to happiness; for this reason, Kama was forcibly reduced to ashes.

या च नाभिमता भर्तुरपि सर्वांगसुन्दरी सा वृथैव हि जायेत सर्वैरपि गुणान्तरैः

Even a woman, beautiful in every limb, who is not desired by her husband, is born in vain, despite all her other qualities.

भर्तुर्भोगैकशेषो हि सर्ग एवैष योषिताम् तथासत्यन्यथाभूता नारी कुत्रोपयुज्यते

For the enjoyment of the husband alone is the purpose of women’s creation; if this is not so, what use is a woman who is otherwise?