Varaha Purana

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.'

एवं श्रुत्वा तदा वाक्यं शैलराजो मुदा युतः । उवाच दुहितां धन्यां तस्मिन् काले वराननाम् ।। २२.

Hearing these words, the king of mountains, filled with joy, spoke to his blessed daughter, whose face was radiant, at that moment.

पुत्रि धन्योऽस्म्यहं लोके यस्य रुद्रः स्वयं हरः । जामाता भविता देवि त्वयाऽपत्यवतामहम् । स्थापितो मूर्ध्नि देवानामपि पुत्रि त्वया ह्यहम् ।। २२.

'Daughter, I am blessed in this world, for Rudra himself, Hara, will be my son-in-law. Through you, O goddess, I will have descendants, and you have placed me above even the gods.'

स्थीयतां क्षणमेकं तु यावदागमनं मम । एवमुक्त्वा गतो राजा शैलानां ब्रह्मणोऽन्तिकम् ।। २२.

'Wait but a moment until I return.' Having said this, the king went to Brahma, lord of the mountains.

तत्र दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं सर्वदेवपितामहम् । उवाच प्रणतो भूत्वा ब्रह्माणं शैलराट् ततः ।। २२.

There, seeing the great-souled grandsire of all the gods, the king of mountains, bowing down, addressed Brahma.

देवोमा दुहिता मह्यं तां रुद्राय ददाम्यहम् । त्वया देव अनुज्ञातस्तत्करोमि प्रशाधि माम् ।। २२.

O gods, this daughter is mine; I shall give her to Rudra. With your permission, O gods, I do this—grant me your approval.

ततो ब्रह्मा प्रीतमना याहि रुद्राय तां शुभाम् । प्रयच्छोवाच देवानां तदा लोकपितामहः ।। २२.

Then Brahmā, pleased in mind, said, 'Go and give her to Rudra.' Thus spoke the Grandfather of the worlds to the gods.

एवमुक्तः शैलराजः स्ववेश्मागम्य सत्वरम् । देवानृषीन् सिद्धसंघान् चामन्त्रयत सत्वरम् ।। २२.

Thus addressed, the King of Mountains quickly returned to his own abode and promptly summoned the gods, sages, and hosts of siddhas.

तुम्बुरुं नारदं चैव हाहाहूहूं तथैव च । स गत्वा किन्नरांश्चैव असुरान् राक्षसानपि ।। २२.

He also called Tumburu, Nārada, Hāhā and Hūhū, and, going, summoned the Kinnaras, asuras, and even the rākṣasas.

पर्वताः सरितः शैला वृक्षा ओषधयस्तथा । आगता मूर्त्तिमन्तो वै पर्वताः सङ्गमोपलाः । हिमवद्दुहितुर्द्रष्टुं विवाहं शंकरेण ह ।। २२.

Mountains, rivers, rocks, trees, and herbs—all came in embodied form, along with the confluence stones, to witness the marriage of Himavat’s daughter with Śaṅkara.

तत्र वेदिः क्षितिश्चासीत् कलशाः सप्त सागराः । सूर्यो दीपस्तथा सोमः सरितो ववहुर्जलम् ।। २२.

There, the altar was the earth itself, the seven oceans were the pots, the sun was the lamp, the moon was present, and the rivers brought water for the rites.