Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

सामरः प्रार्थितो ब्रह्मा ययौ देव्यास्तपोवनम् संस्मरन्मनसा देवदुःखमोक्षं स्वयत्नतः

Thus entreated, Brahmā, accompanied by the gods, went to the Goddess's hermitage, recalling in his mind the deliverance of the gods from suffering, to be accomplished by his own effort.

ददर्श च सुरश्रेष्ठः श्रेष्ठे तपसि निष्ठिताम् प्रतिष्ठामिव विश्वस्य भवानीं परमेश्वरीम्

There, the foremost of the gods beheld the supreme Lady Bhavānī, established in the highest austerity, as if she were the very foundation of the universe.

ननाम चास्य जगतो मातरं स्वस्य वै हरेः रुद्रस्य च पितुर्भार्यामार्यामद्रीश्वरात्मजाम्

He bowed to her, the Mother of the world, wife of his own brother Hari and of Rudra, the noble daughter of the Lord of Mountains.

ब्रह्माणमागतं दृष्ट्वा देवी देवगणैः सह अर्घ्यं तदर्हं दत्त्वा ऽस्मै स्वागताद्यैरुपाचरत्

Seeing Brahmā arrive, the Goddess, together with the hosts of gods, offered him the proper arghya and welcomed him with due rites.

तां च प्रत्युपचारोक्तिं पुरस्कृत्याभिनंद्य च पप्रच्छ तपसो हेतुमजानन्निव पद्मजः

Having first responded to her words of hospitality and praised her, the lotus-born one then inquired, as if unaware, about the purpose of her austerity.

तीव्रेण तपसानेन देव्या किमिह साध्यते तपःफलानां सर्वेषां त्वदधीना हि सिद्धयः

With such severe austerity, O Goddess, what is to be accomplished here? For all the fruits of austerity are subject to your will alone.

यश्चैव जगतां भर्ता तमेव परमेश्वरम् भर्तारमात्मना प्राप्य प्राप्तञ्च तपसः फलम्

He who is the Lord of all worlds, that Supreme Lord, having attained him as your husband, you have already obtained the fruit of austerity.

अथवा सर्वमेवैतत्क्रीडाविलसितं तव इदन्तु चित्रं देवस्य विरहं सहसे कथम्

Or perhaps all this is but your sport and play; yet, it is remarkable, O Goddess, how you endure separation from the Lord.

सर्गादौ भवतो देवादुत्पत्तिः श्रूयते यदा तदा प्रजानां प्रथमस्त्वं मे प्रथमजः सुतः

At the beginning of creation, it is said you were born from the Lord; then, among beings, you were my first-born son.

यदा पुनः प्रजावृद्ध्यै ललाटाद्भवतो भवः उत्पन्नो ऽभूत्तदा त्वं मे गुरुः श्वशुरभावतः

Again, when for the increase of beings Bhava was born from your forehead, then you became my teacher, as you became my son-in-law.

यदा भवद्गिरीन्द्रस्ते पुत्रो मम पिता स्वयम् तदा पितामहस्त्वं मे जातो लोकपितामह

When the Lord of Mountains was your father and my own father as well, then you became my grandfather, O ancestor of the worlds.

तदीदृशस्य भवतो लोकयात्राविधायिनः वृत्तवन्तःपुरे भर्ता कथयिष्ये कथं पुनः

Thus, you, who regulate the course of the worlds, have already fulfilled the duties of a husband in the past; how then should I speak again of a husband for you?

किमत्र बहुना देहे यश्चायं मम कालिमा त्यक्त्वा सत्त्वविधानेन गौरी भवितुमुत्सहे

Why say more? If this dark complexion of mine is abandoned, by the arrangement of sattva I am able to become Gaurī.

एतावता किमर्थेन तीव्रं देवि तपः कृतम् स्वेच्छैव किमपर्याप्ता क्रीडेयं हि तवेदृशी

For what purpose, O Goddess, have you performed such severe austerity? Is your own will not sufficient? For such play is indeed yours.

क्रीडा ऽपि च जगन्मातस्तव लोकहिताय वै अतो ममेष्टमनया फलं किमपि साध्यताम्

Even your play, O Mother of the world, is for the welfare of the worlds; therefore, let some desired fruit be accomplished by this of mine.

निशुंभशुंभनामानौ दैत्यौ दत्तवरौ मया दृप्तौ देवान्प्रबाधेते त्वत्तो लब्धस्तयोर्वधः

The two Daityas named Niśumbha and Śumbha, having received boons from me, have become arrogant and oppress the gods; the destruction of both has been ordained through you.

अलं विलंबनेनात्र त्वं क्षणेन स्थिरा भव शक्तिर्विसृज्यमाना ऽद्य तयोर्मृत्युर्भविष्यति

Enough of delay here; become steadfast in a moment, and as your power is released today, death will come to those two.

ब्राह्मणाभ्यर्थिता चैव देवी गिरिवरात्मजा त्वक्कोशं सहसोत्सृज्य गौरी सा समजायत

Requested by the Brāhmaṇas, the goddess, daughter of the mountain, cast off her outer skin with resolve, and thus Gaurī was manifested.

सा त्वक्कोशात्मनोत्सृष्टा कौशिकी नाम नामतः काली कालाम्बुदप्रख्या कन्यका समपद्यत

From that shed skin, Kauśikī by name, also called Kālī, dark as a rain cloud, a maiden, came into being.

सा तु मायात्मिका शक्तिर्योगनिद्रा च वैष्णवी शंखचक्रत्रिशूलादिसायुधाष्टमहाभुजा

That power, consisting of Māyā, also known as the sleep of Viṣṇu, was armed with conch, discus, trident, and other weapons, and had eight mighty arms.

सौम्या घोरा च मिश्रा च त्रिनेत्रा चन्द्रशेखरा अजातपुंस्पर्शरतिरधृष्या चातिसुन्दरी

She was gentle, terrible, and mixed in form, three-eyed, adorned with the moon, untouched by men, invincible, and exceedingly beautiful.

दत्ता च ब्रह्मणे देव्या शक्तिरेषा सनातनी निशुंभस्य च शुंभस्य निहंत्री दैत्यसिंहयोः

This eternal power was given by the goddess to Brahmā, the slayer of Niśumbha and Śumbha, the lion among Daityas.

ब्रह्मणापि प्रहृष्टेन तस्यै परमशक्तये प्रबलः केसरी दत्तो वाहनत्वे समागतः

Even Brahmā, delighted, gave her a powerful lion to serve as her mount for that supreme power.

विन्ध्ये च वसतिं तस्याः पूजामासवपूर्वकैः मांसैर्मत्स्यैरपूपैश्च निर्वर्त्यासौ समादिशत्

He instructed that her worship should be performed in the Vindhya mountains with offerings of wine, meat, fish, and cakes.

सा चैव संमता शक्तिर्ब्रह्मणो विश्वकर्मणः प्रणम्य मातरं गौरीं ब्रह्माणं चानुपूर्वशः

That power, approved by Brahmā and Viśvakarman, after bowing in order to Mother Gaurī and to Brahmā, was honored.

शक्तिभिश्चापि तुल्याभिः स्वात्मजाभिरनेकशः परीता प्रययौ विन्ध्यं दैत्येन्द्रौ हन्तुमुद्यता

Surrounded by many powers equal to herself, her own daughters, she set out for Vindhya, intent on slaying the Daitya lords.

निहतौ च तया तत्र समरे दैत्यपुंगवौ तद्बाणैः कामबाणैश्च च्छिन्नभिन्नांगमानसौ

There, in battle, those foremost Daityas were slain by her; struck by her arrows and the arrows of Kāma, their bodies and minds were shattered.

तद्युद्धविस्तरश्चात्र न कृतो ऽन्यत्र वर्णनात् ऊहनीयं परस्माच्च प्रस्तुतं वर्णयामि वः

The full account of that battle is not given here; it is to be inferred from elsewhere, but I will narrate to you what is relevant.

उत्पाद्य कौशिकीं गौरी ब्रह्मणे प्रतिपाद्य ताम् तस्य प्रत्युपकाराय पितामहमथाब्रवीत्

Having produced Kauśikī, Gaurī entrusted her to Brahmā; then, to reciprocate, the Grandfather spoke.