Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

मधुरं प्रणयोदर्कं श्रुत्वा देव्याः शुभं वचः प्रीतो ऽस्मीत्याह तं देवस्स चादृश्यत तत्क्षणात्

Hearing the sweet and loving, auspicious words of the goddess, the god said, 'I am pleased,' and appeared to him at that very moment.

बिभ्रद्वेत्रलतां हैमीं रत्नचित्रं च कंचुकम् छुरिकामुरगप्रख्यां गणेशो रक्षवेषधृक्

Ganesha, in the guise of a guard, holding a golden staff, a gem-studded tunic, and a dagger resembling a serpent, stood there.

यस्मात्सोमो महादेवो नन्दी चानेन नन्दितः सोमनन्दीति विख्यातस्तस्मादेष समाख्यया

Because Soma, the great god, and Nandi were both gladdened by him, he became known by the name Somanandi.

इत्थं देव्याः प्रियं कृत्वा देवश्चर्धेन्दुभूषणः भूषयामास तन्दिव्यैर्भूषणै रत्नभूषितैः

Thus, having pleased the goddess, the god adorned with the crescent moon decorated him with divine ornaments studded with jewels.

ततस्स गौरीं गिरिशो गिरीन्द्रजां सगौरवां सर्वमनोहरां हरः पर्यंकमारोप्य वरांगभूषणैर्विभूषयामास शशांकभूषणः

Then Hara, the moon-crested one, with great respect, seated Gauri, the daughter of the mountain, who enchants all, on a couch and adorned her with the finest ornaments.

देवीं समादधानेन देवेनेदं किमीरितम् अग्निषोमात्मकं विश्वं वागर्थात्मकमित्यपि

As the goddess was being honored by the god, this was said: 'The universe is of the nature of Agni and Soma, and also of speech and meaning.'

आज्ञैकसारमैश्वर्यमाज्ञा त्वमिति चोदितम् तदिदं श्रोतुमिच्छामो यथावदनुपूर्वशः

'Sovereignty consists solely in command; you are that command,' it was said. We wish to hear this properly and in order.

अग्निरित्युच्यते रौद्री घोरा या तैजसी तनुः सोमः शाक्तो ऽमृतमयः शक्तेः शान्तिकरी तनुः

Agni is called Raudri, the fierce and fiery form; Soma is Shakti, immortal, the form of Shakti that brings peace.

अमृतं यत्प्रतिष्ठा सा तेजो विद्या कला स्वयम् भूतसूक्ष्मेषु सर्वेषु त एव रसतेजसी

That which is immortal is the foundation; it is light, knowledge, and art itself. In all subtle elements, these two—essence and energy—pervade.

द्विविधा तेजसो वृत्तिसूर्यात्मा चानलात्मिका तथैव रसवृत्तिश्च सोमात्मा च जलात्मिका

The activity of energy is twofold: one is solar, fiery in nature; likewise, the activity of essence is lunar, watery in nature.

विद्युदादिमयन्तेजो मधुरादिमयो रसः तेजोरसविभेदैस्तु धृतमेतच्चराचरम्

Energy consists of lightning and the like; essence consists of sweetness and the like. By these divisions of energy and essence, all that moves and does not move is sustained.

अग्नेरमृतनिष्पत्तिरमृतेनाग्निरेधते अत एव हि विक्रान्तमग्नीषोमं जगद्धितम्

From Agni arises the immortal; by the immortal, Agni is strengthened. Thus, the Agni-Soma principle, powerful, benefits the world.

हविषे सस्यसम्पत्तिर्वृष्टिः सस्याभिवृद्धये वृष्टेरेव हविस्तस्मादग्नीषोमधृतं जगत्

The prosperity of crops comes from offerings; rain is for the growth of crops. Offerings are for rain; thus, the world is sustained by Agni and Soma.

अग्निरूर्ध्वं ज्वलत्येष यावत्सौम्यं परामृतम् यावदग्न्यास्पदं सौम्यममृतं च स्रवत्यधः

Agni blazes upward as far as the lunar nectar; as far as Agni’s place, the lunar nectar flows downward.

अत एव हि कालाग्निरधस्ताच्छक्तिरूर्ध्वतः यावदादहनं चोर्ध्वमधश्चाप्लावनं भवेत्

Therefore, the fire of time is below, and Shakti is above; as long as burning is above and flooding is below.

आधारशक्त्यैव धृतः कालाग्निरयमूर्ध्वगः तथैव निम्नगः सोमश्शिवशक्तिपदास्पदः

This upward-moving fire of time is sustained by the supporting Shakti; likewise, the downward-moving Soma is the seat of Shiva and Shakti.

शिवश्चोर्ध्वमधश्शक्तिरूर्ध्वं शक्तिरधः शिवः तदित्थं शिवशक्तिभ्यान्नाव्याप्तमिह किञ्चन

Shiva is above, Shakti is below; Shakti is above, Shiva is below. In this way, there is nothing here that is not pervaded by Shiva and Shakti.

असकृच्चाग्निना दग्धं जगद्यद्भस्मसात्कृतम् अग्नेर्वीर्यमिदं चाहुस्तद्वीर्यं भस्म यत्ततः

They say that the power of fire is such that, having burned the world repeatedly, it has reduced it to ashes; thus, the potency of fire is in that ash.

यश्चेत्थं भस्मसद्भावं ज्ञात्वा स्नाति च भस्मना अग्निरित्यादिभिर्मन्त्रैर्बद्धः पाशात्प्रमुच्यते

Whoever, knowing thus the true nature of ash, bathes with it, reciting mantras beginning with 'Agni', is released from bondage.

अग्नेर्वीर्यं तु यद्भस्म सोमेनाप्लावितम्पुनः अयोगयुक्त्या प्रकृतेरधिकाराय कल्पते

The ash, which is the power of fire, when again bathed with Soma, by the method of non-union, becomes fit for the authority of nature.