Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

द्वास्थैस्ससंभ्रमैरेव देवो देव्यागमोत्सुकः शंकमाना प्रविष्टान्तस्तञ्च सा समपश्यत

The doorkeepers, in their excitement, eager for the goddess’s arrival, anxiously let her in, and she beheld him within.

तैस्तैः प्रणयभावैश्च भवनान्तरवर्तिभिः गणेन्द्रैर्वन्दिता वाचा प्रणनाम त्रियम्बकम्

Honored by the chief Gaṇas within the palace, with words of devotion and affection, she bowed to Triambaka.

प्रणम्य नोत्थिता यावत्तावत्तां परमेश्वरः प्रगृह्य दोर्भ्यामाश्लिष्य परितः परया मुदा

She had not yet risen from her bow when the Supreme Lord embraced her with both arms, surrounding her with great joy.

स्वांके धर्तुं प्रवृत्तो ऽपि सा पर्यंके न्यषीदत पर्यंकतो बलाद्देवीं सोङ्कमारोप्य सुस्मिताम्

Though he wished to hold her on his lap, she sat on the couch; but from the couch, he gently lifted the smiling goddess onto his lap.

सस्मितो विवृतैर्नेत्रैस्तद्वक्त्रं प्रपिबन्निव तया संभाषणायेशः पूर्वभाषितमब्रवीत्

Smiling, with wide-open eyes, as if drinking in her face, the Lord spoke first to her, eager for conversation.

सा दशा च व्यतीता किं तव सर्वांगसुन्दरि यस्यामनुनयोपायः को ऽपि कोपान्न लभ्यते

That period has passed, O beautiful one, in which no means of appeasement could be found because of anger.

स्वेच्छयापि न कालीति नान्यवर्णवतीति च त्वत्स्वभावाहृतं चित्तं सुभ्रु चिंतावहं मम

Even by your own will, time did not move, nor did you change color; your nature has seized my mind, O lovely-browed one, and brought me concern.

विस्मृतः परमो भावः कथं स्वेच्छांगयोगतः न सम्भवन्ति ये तत्र चित्तकालुष्यहेतवः

How has that supreme feeling been forgotten, when, by the union of our own will, no causes for impurity of mind exist there?

पृथग्जनवदन्योन्यं विप्रियस्यापि कारणम् आवयोरपि यद्यस्ति नास्त्येवैतच्चराचरम्

If, like ordinary people, there is any cause of displeasure between us, then such a thing does not exist anywhere else in the moving and unmoving world.

अहमग्निशिरोनिष्ठस्त्वं सोमशिरसि स्थिता अग्नीषोमात्मकं विश्वमावाभ्यां समधिष्ठितम्

I am established at the summit of Agni, you are situated at the peak of Soma; the universe, composed of Agni and Soma, is sustained by us both.

जगद्धिताय चरतोः स्वेच्छाधृतशरीरयोः आवयोर्विप्रयोगे हि स्यान्निरालम्बनं जगत्

For the welfare of the world, as we act with bodies formed by our own will, if we were separated, the world would be left without support.

अस्ति हेत्वन्तरं चात्र शास्त्रयुक्तिविनिश्चितम् वागर्थमिव मे वैतज्जगत्स्थावरजंगमम्

There is another cause here, determined by scriptural reasoning, just as word and meaning are inseparable, so too is this world, both stationary and moving.

त्वं हि वागमृतं साक्षादहमर्थामृतं परम् द्वयमप्यमृतं कस्माद्वियुक्तमुपपद्यते

You are the nectar of speech directly, I am the supreme nectar of meaning; both are immortal, so how could separation between us arise?

विद्याप्रत्यायिका त्वं मे वेद्यो ऽहं प्रत्ययात्तव विद्यावेद्यात्मनोरेव विश्लेषः कथमावयोः

You are the one who brings knowledge, I am the one to be known through your awareness; how could there be division between us, whose nature is knowledge and the known?

न कर्मणा सृजामीदं जगत्प्रतिसृजामि च सर्वस्याज्ञैकलभ्यत्वादाज्ञात्वं हि गरीयसी

I do not create or recreate this world through action; since everything is attained by command alone, command is indeed superior.

आज्ञैकसारमैश्वर्यं यस्मात्स्वातंत्र्यलक्षणम् आज्ञया विप्रयुक्तस्य चैश्वर्यं मम कीदृशम्

Because sovereignty is based solely on command and is characterized by independence, what kind of sovereignty would I have if separated from command?

न कदाचिदवस्थानमावयोर्विप्रयुक्तयोः देवानां कार्यमुद्दिश्य लीलोक्तिं कृतवानहम्

There is never any state of separation between us; for the sake of the gods' affairs, I have performed actions only as a display.

त्वयाप्यविदितं नास्ति कथं कुपितवत्यसि ततस्त्रिलोकरक्षार्थे कोपो मय्यपि ते कृतः

There is nothing unknown to you, so why have you become angry? Then, for the protection of the three worlds, your anger has also been directed at me.

यदनर्थाय भूतानां न तदस्ति खलु त्वयि इति प्रियंवदे साक्षादीश्वरे परमेश्वरे

Whatever is harmful to beings is certainly not found in you, O Priyamvada, the supreme Lord manifest.

शृंगारभावसाराणां जन्मभूमिरकृत्रिमा स्वभर्त्रा ललितन्तथ्यमुक्तं मत्वा स्मितोत्तरम्

The natural birthplace of those whose essence is love is uncontrived; her own husband, having spoken gently and truthfully, she replied with a smile.

लज्जया न किमप्यूचे कौशिकी वर्णनात्परम् तदेव वर्णयाम्यद्य शृणु देव्याश्च वर्णनम्

Out of modesty, Kauśikī said nothing beyond description; now I will describe it, listen to the account of the goddess.

किं देवेन न सा दृष्टा या सृष्टा कौशिकी मया तादृशी कन्यका लोके न भूता न भविष्यति

Has the goddess not been seen by the gods, she who was created by me as Kauśikī? Such a maiden has never existed nor will exist in the world.

तस्या वीर्यं बलं विन्ध्यनिलयं विजयं तथा शुंभस्य च निशुंभस्य मारणे च रणे तयोः

Her strength, power, residence in the Vindhya, and victory, as well as the slaying of Śumbha and Niśumbha in battle, are hers.

प्रत्यक्षफलदानं च लोकाय भजते सदा लोकानां रक्षणं शश्वद्ब्रह्मा विज्ञापयिष्यति

She always bestows visible results for the world, and for the constant protection of the worlds, Brahmā will forever proclaim her.

इति संभाषमाणाया देव्या एवाज्ञया तदा व्याघ्रः सख्या समानीय पुरो ऽवस्थापितस्तदा

Thus, as the goddess was speaking, by her command, the tiger was brought by her companion and placed before her.

तं प्रेक्ष्याह पुनर्देवी देवानीतमुपायतम् व्याघ्रं पश्य न चानेन सदृशो मदुपासकः

Seeing him, the goddess said again: 'The tiger has been brought by the gods as a means; look, none of my devotees is like him.'

अनेन दुष्टसंघेभ्यो रक्षितं मत्तपोवनम् अतीव मम भक्तश्च विश्रब्धश्च स्वरक्षणात्

By him, my sacred grove was protected from evil groups; he is indeed my devoted follower, and confident in his own protection.

स्वदेशं च परित्यज्य प्रसादार्थं समागतः यदि प्रीतिरभून्मत्तः परां प्रीतिं करोषि मे

Having left your own land, you have come here for my favor; if you have affection for me, then show me the highest love.

नित्यमन्तःपुरद्वारि नियोगान्नन्दिनः स्वयम् रक्षिभिस्सह तच्चिह्नैर्वर्ततामयमीश्वर

By Nandin’s command, he himself, along with guards bearing those marks, always stands at the entrance to the inner quarters, O Lord.