Varaha Purana

तत्र कालेन महता क्षपयन्ती कलेवरम् । स्वशरीराग्निना दग्धा ततः शैलसुताऽभवत् ।। २२.

There, over a long period, she wore away her body through severe penance, and, consumed by the fire of her own body, she was then born as the daughter of the mountain.

उमा नामेति महती कृष्णा चेत्यभिधानतः । लब्ध्वा तु शोभनां मूर्तिं हिमवन्तगृहे शुभा ।। २२.

She became renowned by the great names Umā and Kṛṣṇā, and, having obtained a beautiful form, she was auspicious in the house of Himavat.

पुनस्तपश्चकारोग्रं देवं स्मृत्वा त्रिलोचनम् । असावेव पतिर्मह्यमित्युक्त्वा तपसि स्थिता ।। २२.

Again she performed intense austerity, remembering the three-eyed god, declaring, 'He alone is my husband,' and remained steadfast in her penance.

कुर्वन्त्या तत् तपश्चोग्रं हिमवन्ते महागिरौ । कालेन महता देवस्तपसाराधितस्तया ।। २२.

While she was performing that severe penance on the great mountain Himavat, over a long time, the god was propitiated by her austerity.

आजगामाश्रमं तस्या विप्रो भूत्वा महेश्वरः । वृद्धः शिथिलसर्वाङ्गः स्खलंश्चैव पदे पदे ।। २२.

Maheśvara came to her hermitage, taking the form of an old brāhmaṇa, his limbs slack with age, stumbling at every step.

कृच्छ्रात् तस्याः समीपं तु आगत्य द्विजसत्तमः । बुभुक्षितोऽस्मि मे देहि भद्रे भोज्यं द्विजस्य तु ।। २२.

With difficulty, the best of twice-born approached her and said, 'O good lady, I am hungry; give me food suitable for a brāhmaṇa.'

एवमुक्ता तदा कन्या उमा शैलसुता शुभा । उवाच ब्राह्मणं भोज्यं दद्मि विप्र फलादिकम् । कुरु स्नानं द्रुतं विप्र भुञ्जस्वान्नं यदृच्छया ।। २२.

Thus addressed, the auspicious maiden Umā, daughter of the mountain, replied, 'O brāhmaṇa, I will give you fruits and such; quickly bathe, O brāhmaṇa, and then eat whatever you wish.'

एवमुक्तस्तदा विप्रस्तस्य पार्श्वे महानदीम् । गङ्गां जगाम स्नानार्थी स्नानं कर्त्तुमवातरत् ।। २२.

Thus spoken to, the brāhmaṇa went to the great river Gaṅgā nearby to her, intending to bathe, and entered the water.

स्नानं तु कुर्वता तेन रुद्रेण द्विजरूपिणा । भूत्वा मायामयं भीमं मकरं भयदर्शनम् । ग्राहितस्तु तदा विप्रस्तेन दुष्टेन मद्गुना ।। २२.

While Rudra, in the form of a brāhmaṇa, was bathing, he became a fearsome, illusory makara, terrifying to behold, and seized the brāhmaṇa, who was actually himself, with his own power.

दृष्ट्वा धृतमथात्मानं मकरेण बलीयसा । वृद्धमात्मानमन्यं तां दर्शयन् वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। २२.

Seeing himself seized by the powerful makara, he showed another aged form to her and spoke these words.

अब्रह्मण्यं गतं कन्ये धावस्वानय मां रुषः । यावन्नायाति विकृतिं तावन्मां त्रातुमर्हसि ।। २२.

'O maiden, I am no longer a brāhmaṇa; run and save me quickly, before I am further harmed; you must rescue me.'

एवमुक्ता तदा कन्या चिन्तयामास पार्वती । पितृभावेन शैलेन्द्रं भर्तृभावेन शंकरम् । स्पृशामि तपसा पूता कथं विप्रं स्पृशाम्यहम् ।। २२.

Thus addressed, the maiden Pārvatī considered: 'Himavat is my father, Śaṅkara is my husband; purified by penance, how can I touch the brāhmaṇa?'

यद्येनं नापकर्षामि मकरेण जले धृतम् । तदानीं ब्रह्मवध्या मे भवतीति न संशयः ।। २२.

'If I do not pull him out, who is held in the water by the makara, then I will surely incur the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa; of this there is no doubt.'

अन्यव्यतिक्रमे धर्ममपनेतुं च शक्यते । ब्रह्मवध्या पुनर्नैवमेवमुक्तवा गता त्वरम् ।। २२.

'In other transgressions, one can atone for the sin, but for killing a brāhmaṇa, there is no such expiation.' Having thus spoken, she quickly went.

सा गत्वा त्वरितं भीरुर्गृहीत्वा पाणिना द्विजम् । चकर्षान्तर्जलात् तावत् स्वयं भूतपतिर्हरः ।। २२.

She, though fearful, went quickly, seized the brāhmaṇa with her hand, and pulled him from the water; at that moment, the lord of beings, Hara, revealed himself.

यमाराध्य तपश्चर्त्तुमारब्धं शैलपुत्राया । स एव भगवान् रुद्रस्तस्याः पाणौ विलम्बत ।। २२.

The very Lord Rudra, whom the daughter of the mountain worshipped and for whom she undertook austerities, now stands holding her hand.

तं दृष्ट्वा लज्जिता देवी पूर्वत्यागमनुस्मरन् । न किंचिदुत्तरं सुभ्रूर्वदति स्म सुलज्जिता ।। २२.

Seeing him, the goddess became bashful, recalling her previous renunciation; with beautiful brows, deeply embarrassed, she spoke not a word.

तूष्णींभूतां तु तां दृष्ट्वा गौरीं रुद्रो हसन्निव । पाणौ गृहीत्वा मां भद्रे कथं त्यक्तुमिहार्हसि ।। २२.

Observing Gauri standing silent, Rudra, as if smiling, took her hand and said, 'O gentle one, how can you abandon me here?'

मत्पाणिग्रहणं भद्रे वृथा यदि करिष्यसि । तदानीं ब्रह्मणः पुत्र्यामाहारार्थं ब्रवीम्यहम् ।। २२.

'O gentle one, if you make this act of taking my hand in vain, then I will speak to the daughter of Brahma for the sake of marriage.'

न भवेत् परिहासोऽयमुक्ता देवी परापरा । लज्जमाना तदा वाक्यं वदति स्मितपूर्वकम् ।। २२.

'Let there not be any jest in this,' said the goddess, supreme and beyond, and though shy, she spoke these words with a smile.

देवदेव त्रिलोकेश त्वदर्थोऽयं समुद्यमः । प्राग्जन्माराधितो भर्त्ता भवान् देवो महेश्वरः ।। २२.

'O God of gods, Lord of the three worlds, all this effort is for you. In a previous birth, you, O great Lord, were worshipped by me as my husband.'

इदानीं मे भवान् देवः पतिर्नान्यो भविष्यति । किन्तु स्वामी पिता मह्यं शैलेन्द्रो मे व्रजामि तम् । अनुज्ञाप्य विधानेन ततः पाणिं गृहीष्यसि ।। २२.

'Now, O God, you alone will be my husband, no other. But my father, the lord of mountains, is my master; I will go to him. With his permission, you may then take my hand according to custom.'

एवमुक्त्वा तदा देवी पितरं प्रति भामिनी । कृताञ्जलिपुटा भूत्वा हिमवन्तमुवाच ह ।। २२.

Having spoken thus, the radiant goddess approached her father, Himavat, with joined palms and addressed him.

अतोऽन्यजन्मभर्त्ता मे रुद्रो दक्षमखान्तकः । इदानीं तपसा सैव ध्यातोऽभूद् गतिभावनः ।। २२.

'In a previous birth, Rudra, destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, was my husband. Now, through austerity, I have meditated upon him as the goal of my heart.'

स च विश्वपतिर्भूत्वा ब्राह्मणो मे तपोवनम् । आगत्य भोजनार्थाय याचयामास शंकरः । मया स्नातुं व्रजस्वेति चोदितो जाह्नवीं गतः ।। २२.

'He, the lord of the universe, came to my hermitage in the form of a Brahmin, asking for food. When I told him to go bathe, he went to the Jahnavi.'

तत्रासौ वृद्धकायेन द्विजरूपेण शंकरः । मकरेण धृतस्तूर्णं अब्रहह्मण्यमुवाच ह ।। २२.

There, assuming the form of an old Brahmin, Shankara was quickly seized by a crocodile and, speaking words unbefitting a Brahmin, addressed me.

ब्रह्महत्याभयात् तात मया पाणौ धृतस्ततः । धृतमात्रः स्वकं देहं दर्शयामास शंकरः ।। २२.

'Out of fear of the sin of Brahmin-killing, father, I took his hand; as soon as I did, Shankara revealed his true form.'

ततो मामब्रवीद् देवः पाणिग्रहणमागताम् । भवती देवि मा किंचिद् विचारय तपोधने ।। २२.

Then the god spoke to me, who had come for the hand-taking: 'O goddess, endowed with austerity, do not hesitate in any way.'

एवमुक्ता त्वहं तेन शंकरेण महात्मना । तदनुज्ञाप्य देवेशं भवन्तं प्रष्टुमागता । इदानीं यत् क्षमं कार्यं तच्छीघ्रं संविधीयताम् ।। २२.

'Thus addressed by the great-souled Shankara, having sought your permission, O lord of gods, I have come to ask you. Now, whatever is proper, let it be done quickly.'