Vayu Purana

तिस्रः कन्यास्तु मेनायां जनयामास शैलराट्। अपर्णामेकपर्णाञ्च तृतीयामेकपाटलाम् ।। ११.

The lord of mountains begot three daughters upon Menā: Aparṇā, Ekaparṇā, and the third, Ekapāṭalā.

आश्रिते द्वे ह्यपर्णा तु अनिकेता तपोऽचरत्। न्यग्रोधमेकपर्णी तु पाटलामेकपाटला। शतं वर्षसहस्राणि दुश्चरं देवदानवैः ष।। ११.

Of these, Aparṇā took refuge in asceticism, homeless, practicing austerity; Ekaparṇā lived under a banyan tree, and Ekapāṭalā under a pāṭala tree. For a hundred thousand years, they performed severe austerities, difficult even for gods and demons.

आहारमेकपर्णेन एकपर्णी समाचरत्। पाटलेनैव चैकेन विदध्यादेकपाटला ।। ११.

Ekaparṇā sustained herself with food from a single leaf; Ekapāṭalā likewise subsisted on a single pāṭala blossom.

पूर्णे पूर्णे सहस्रे द्वे आहारं वै प्रजक्रतुः । एका तत्र निराहारा तां माता प्रत्यभाषत ।। ११.

At the completion of every two thousand years, they would take food; but one among them remained without food, and her mother addressed her.

निषेधयन्ती ह्युमेति माता स्रेहेन दुःखिता। सा तथोक्ततया देवी मात्रा दुश्चरचारिणी ।। ११.

Her mother, out of affection and sorrow, forbade her, saying 'U,' and thus, as spoken by her mother, that goddess, performer of difficult austerities—

उमेति सा महाभागा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । तथेति नाम्ना तेनासौ निरुक्ता कर्मणा शुभा ।। ११.

She, the illustrious one, became known in the three worlds as Umā; thus, by that name, she is called, and by her auspicious deeds.

एतत्तु त्रिकुमारीकं जगत्स्यास्यति शाश्वतम्। एतासां तपसा दृप्तं यावद्भूमिद्धरिष्यति ।। ११.

This triad of maidens will endure in the world forever; by their austerity, the earth will be sustained as long as it lasts.

तपःशरीरास्ताः सर्वास्तिस्रो योगबलान्विताः। देव्यस्ताः सुमहाभागाः सर्व्वाश्च स्थिरयौवनाः ।। ११.

All three, their bodies formed by austerity, endowed with the power of yoga, these goddesses are greatly blessed and ever youthful.

सर्वाश्च ब्रह्मवादिन्यः सर्वा श्चैवोर्द्ध्वरेतसः। उमा तासां वरिष्ठा च श्रेष्ठा च वरवर्णिनी ।। ११.

All are speakers of Brahman, all are of pure celibacy; among them Umā is the most excellent, the foremost, and of supreme beauty.

महायोगबलोपेता महादेवमुपस्थिता। दन्तकाण्वोशना तस्याः पुत्रो वै भृगुनन्दनः ।। ११.

Endowed with great yogic power, she approached Mahādeva; Dantakāṇva was her son, O descendant of Bhṛgu.

असितस्यैकपर्णी तु पत्नी साध्वी दृढव्रता। दत्ता हिमवता तस्मै योगाचार्याय धीमते। देवलं सुषुवे सा तु ब्रह्मिष्ठं मानसं सुतम् ।। ११.

Ekaparṇā, steadfast and virtuous, was given by Himavat to Asita, the wise teacher of yoga, as his wife; she bore him Devala, a mind-born son devoted to Brahman.

या चैतासां कुमारीणां तृतीया त्वेकपाटला। पुत्रं शतशिलाकस्य जैगीषव्यमुपस्थिता ।। ११.

And the third among these maidens, Ekapāṭalā, approached Jaigīṣavya, the son of Śataśilāka.

तस्यापि शङ्खलिखितौ स्मृतौ पुत्रावयोनिजौ। इत्येता वै महाभागाः कन्या हिमवतः शुभाः ।। ११.

To her were born two sons, Śaṅkha and Likhita, remembered as born not from the womb; thus these illustrious daughters of Himavat are auspicious.

रुद्राणी सा तु प्रवरा स्वगुणैरतिरिच्यते। अन्योन्यप्रीतिरनयोरुमाशङ्करयोर्यथा ।। ११.

She, the foremost Rudrāṇī, excels by her own virtues; the mutual love between Umā and Śaṅkara is as it should be.

श्लेषं संसक्तयोर्ज्ञात्वा शङ्कितः किल वृत्रहा। ताभ्यां मैथुनसक्ताभ्यामपत्योद्भवभीरुणा। तयोः सकाशमिन्द्रेण प्रेषितो हव्यवाहनः ।। ११.

Knowing the union and attachment of the two, the slayer of Vṛtra became suspicious; as they were engaged in intimacy and fearful of offspring, Agni was sent by Indra to them.

अनयो रतिविघ्नञ्च त्वमाचर हुताशन। सर्वत्र गत एव त्वं न दोषो विद्यते तदा ।। ११.

O Fire, you should cause an obstacle to their union; since you are present everywhere, there is no fault in this.

इत्येवमुक्ते तु तथा वह्निना च तथा कृतम्। उमादेहं समुत्सृज्य शुक्रं भूमौ विसर्जितम् ।। ११.

When this was thus spoken and done by Fire, Uma abandoned her body and released the seed upon the earth.

ततो रुषितया देव्या शप्तोऽग्निः शांशपायन। इदं चोक्तवती वह्निं रोषगद्घदया गिरा ।। ११.

Then, angered, the goddess cursed Agni, O Shaṃśapāyana, and spoke these words to him, her speech trembling with wrath.

यस्मान्मय्यवितृप्तायां रतिविघ्नं हुताशन। कृतवानस्यकर्त्तव्यं तस्मात्त्वमसि दुर्मते ।। ११.

Since, while I was unsatisfied, you, O Fire, caused an obstacle to union, which was not your duty, therefore you are of misguided mind.

यदेवं विभृतं गर्भं रौद्रं शुक्रं महाप्रभम्। गर्भं त्वं धारयस्वैवमेषा ते दण्डधारणा ।। ११.

Since you have carried this fierce, radiant seed, you must bear the embryo; this shall be your punishment.

स शापरोषाद्रुद्राण्या अन्तर्गर्भो हुताशनः। बहून्वर्षगणान् गर्भं धारयामास वै द्विजाः ।। ११.

Thus, cursed by Rudrāṇī, Fire bore the embryo within for many years, O twice-born ones.

स गङ्गामुपगम्याह श्रूयतां सरिदुत्तमे। सुमहान् परिखेदो मे गर्भधारणकारणात् ।। ११.

He approached Gaṅgā and said, 'Listen, O supreme river, I am greatly afflicted because of bearing the embryo.'

मद्धितार्थमिमं गर्भमतो धारय निम्नगे। मत्प्रसादाच्च खेदो वै मन्दस्तव भविष्यति ।। ११.

'For my sake, bear this embryo, O river; by my favor, your affliction will become slight.'

तथेत्युक्त्वा तदा सा तु सम्प्रहृष्ट महानदी। तं गर्भं धारयामास दह्यमानेन चेतसा ।। ११.

Saying 'so be it,' the great river, delighted, bore the embryo, though her mind was burning.

सापि कृच्छ्रेण महता खिद्यमाना महानदी। कालं प्रकृष्टं सुमहद्घर्भधारणतत्परा ।। ११.

The great river, suffering greatly and enduring for a long time, was devoted to bearing the embryo.

तया परिगतं गर्भं कुक्षौ हिमवतः शुभे। शुभं शरवणं नाम चित्रं पुष्पितपादपम्। तत्र तं व्यसृजद्गर्भं दीप्यमानामिवानलम् ।। ११.

She placed the embryo in the pure womb of Himavat, in the beautiful place called Sharavana, adorned with blossoming trees; there she released the embryo, shining like fire.

रुद्राग्निगङ्गातनयस्तत्र जातोऽरुणप्रभः । आदित्यशतसङ्काशो महातेजाः प्रतापवान् ।। ११.

There was born the son of Rudra, Agni, and Gaṅgā, radiant as the dawn, resembling a hundred suns, possessing great energy and might.

तस्मिञ्जाते महाभागे कुमारे जाह्नवीसुते। विमानयानैराकाशं पतत्रिभिरिवावृतम् ।। ११.

When that illustrious son of Jahnavi was born, the sky was filled with celestial chariots, as if covered by birds.

देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुराकाशे मधुरस्वराः। मुमुचुः पुष्पवर्षञ्च खचराः सिद्धचारणाः ।। ११.

Divine drums resounded sweetly in the sky, and the Siddhas and Charanas, dwelling in the air, showered flowers.