The Description of Mandara (Mandaropavarṇanam) in the Mohinī Narrative

Verse 1

सौतिरुवाच । सा श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणो वाक्यं नारी कमललोचना । उवाच नाम मेदेहि येन गच्छामि मंदिरम् ॥ १ ॥

Sūta said: Hearing Brahmā’s words, the lotus-eyed woman said, “Grant me a name by which I may go to the temple.”

Verse 2

पित्रा नाम प्रकर्तव्यमपत्यानां जगत्पते । नाम पापहरं प्रोक्तं तत्कुरुष्व कुशध्वज ॥ २ ॥

O Lord of the world, it is the father who should bestow the name upon his children. A name is declared to dispel sin; therefore, O Kuśadhvaja, perform this naming.

Verse 3

ब्रह्मोवाच । यस्मादिदं जगत्सर्वं त्वया सुंदरि मोहितम् । मोहिनी नाम ते देवि सगुणं हि भविष्यति ॥ ३ ॥

Brahmā said: “Since this entire world has been deluded by you, O beautiful one, therefore, O Goddess, your name shall indeed be ‘Mohinī’, a name associated with manifest qualities (saguṇa).”

Verse 4

दशावस्थागतः सम्यग् दर्शनात्ते भविष्यति । यदि प्राप्नोति वै सुभ्रु त्वत्संपर्कं सुखावहम् ॥ ४ ॥

Even if he has entered a critical condition, he will indeed become well merely by seeing you—provided, O fair-browed one, that he attains contact with you, the giver of happiness.

Verse 5

एवमुक्ता वरारोहा प्रणम्य कमलासनम् । वीक्ष्यमाणामरैर्मार्गे प्रतस्थे मंदराचलम् ॥ ५ ॥

Thus addressed, the noble lady bowed to Kamalāsana (Brahmā); and, watched by the gods along the way, she set out for Mandara Mountain.

Verse 6

तृतीयेन मुहूर्तेन संप्राप्ता गिरिमस्तकम् । यस्य संवेष्टने नागो वासुकिर्नहि पूर्यते ॥ ६ ॥

Within the third muhūrta, she reached the mountain’s summit—(that very mountain) around which the serpent Vāsuki is never able to complete his encircling coils.

Verse 7

यो धृतो हरिणा पूर्वं मथितो देवदानवैः । षड्लक्षयोजनः सिंधुर्यस्यासौ गह्वरो भवेत् ॥ ७ ॥

He who was once upheld by Hari (Viṣṇu) and churned by the Devas and the Dānavas—his ocean spans six hundred thousand yojanas, and that mighty hollow becomes his abyss.

Verse 8

कूर्मदेहेन संपृक्तो यो न भिन्नो गिरिर्महान् । पतता येन राजेंद्र सिंधोर्गुह्यं प्रदर्शितम् ॥ ८ ॥

O king, that mighty mountain, though joined to the body of Kūrma (the Tortoise-Avatar), was not shattered; and by its fall the ocean’s hidden depths were revealed.

Verse 9

गतं ब्रह्मांडमार्गेण पयो यस्माद्गिरेर्द्विजाः । कूर्मास्थिघर्षता येन पावको जनितो महान् ॥ ९ ॥

O twice-born sages, from that mountain milk flowed along the cosmic course; and by the rubbing of Kūrma’s bones there, a mighty fire was brought forth.

Verse 10

यस्मिन्स वसते देवः सह भूतैर्दिगंबरः । न देवैर्दानवैर्वापि दृष्टो यो हि द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ १० ॥

O best of the twice-born, in that place dwells the God, sky-clad (digambara) and accompanied by the bhūtas; and He is not seen even by the Devas or by the Dānavas.

Verse 11

दशवर्षसहस्राख्ये काले महति गच्छति । केयूरघर्षणे येन कृतं देवस्य चक्रिणः ॥ ११ ॥

As the vast span of time known as ten thousand years passed, he performed the rubbing of the armlet (keyūra) in service to the Lord who bears the discus (Viṣṇu).

Verse 12

रत्नानां मंदिरं ह्येष बहुधातुसमन्वितः ॥ १२ ॥

Indeed, this is a treasury—an abode of gems—richly endowed with many kinds of metals and minerals.

Verse 13

क्रीडाविहारोऽपि दिवौकसां यस्तपस्विना यस्तपसोऽपि हेतु । सुरांगनानां रतिवर्द्धनो यो रत्नौषधीनां प्रभवो गिरिर्महान् ॥ १३ ॥

That great mountain is a very playground of the gods; to ascetics it is a place of austerity, and indeed a cause that kindles austerity. It heightens the delight of celestial maidens, and it is the source from which jewels and healing herbs arise.

Verse 14

दशैकसाहस्रमितश्च मूले तत्संख्यया विस्तरतां गतोऽसौ । दैर्घ्येण तावंति हि योजनानि त्रैलोक्ययष्टीव समुच्छ्रितोऽसौ ॥ १४ ॥

At its base it measures eleven thousand yojanas, and it expands outward by that same measure. In height too it extends for that many yojanas—standing erect like a pillar spanning the three worlds.

Verse 15

सकांचनै रत्नमयैश्च श्रृंगैः प्रकाशयन्भूमितलं वियच्च । यस्मिन्गतः कश्यपनंदनो वै विरश्मितामेति विनष्टतेजाः ॥ १५ ॥

With golden, jewel-like peaks it illumines both the surface of the earth and the sky; but when Kāśyapa’s son (the Sun) enters it, he becomes bereft of radiance—his splendor seemingly lost.

Verse 16

कांचनाकारभूतांगं सप्राप्ता कांचनप्रभा । सूर्यतेजोनिहंतारं मंदरं तेजसा स्वयम् ॥ १६ ॥

Golden in form and golden in radiance, she approached Mandara—who by his own splendor subdued the scorching brilliance of the sun.

Verse 17

कुर्वती नृपकामार्थमुपविष्टा शिलातले । नीलकांतिमये दिव्ये सप्तयोजनविरतृते ॥ १७ ॥

Seeking the king as the aim of her desire, she sat upon a stone surface—divine, suffused with a blue radiance—spanning an expanse of seven yojanas.

Verse 18

तस्यां शिलायां राजेंद्र लिगं तिष्ठति कौलिशम् । दशहस्त प्रमाणं हि विस्तरादूर्द्ध्वसंख्यया ॥ १८ ॥

O king, upon that rock stands the Kauliśa Liṅga, measuring ten hands in extent, its dimensions reckoned in breadth and upward height.

Verse 19

वृषलिंगेति विख्यातं प्रासादाभ्रसमं परम् । तस्मिन्बाला द्विजश्रेष्ठाश्चक्रे संगीतमुत्तमम् ॥ १९ ॥

There was a shrine renowned as Vṛṣaliṅga, supreme and lofty like a palace touching the clouds. In that place, the young maiden and the best of the twice-born performed exquisite sacred music.

Verse 20

तन्त्रीता लसमायुक्तं क्लमहानिकरं परम् । समीपवर्तिनी तस्य भूत्वा लिंगस्य भामिनी ॥ २० ॥

Adorned and filled with playful charm, the radiant lady drew near to that liṅga, and her presence brought about intense weariness and enervation in those affected.

Verse 21

मूर्च्छनातालसहितं गांधारध्वनिसंयुतम् । तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते राजेंद्रगीते मन्मथवर्द्धने ॥ २१ ॥

Accompanied by mūrcchanā (melodic progressions) and tāla (rhythmic cycles), and endowed with the resonance of the Gāndhāra note, when that “kingly” song began, it became a cause for the increase of Kāma (Manmatha), passion.

Verse 22

बभूव स्थावराणां हि स्पृहा तस्मिन्मुनीश्वराः । न च दैवं न चादैवं गीतं तादृग्बभूव ह ॥ २२ ॥

O lords among sages, even the immovable beings, like trees, came to yearn for that. Such a song—neither merely ‘divine’ nor ‘non-divine’—had never been heard before.

Verse 23

मोहिनीमुखनिर्गीतं गीतं सत्वविमोहनम् ॥ २३ ॥

A song issued from Mohinī’s mouth—a chant that bewilders even the pure-minded sattva.

Verse 24

श्रुत्वैव गीतं हि दिगम्बरस्तु तेनैव रूपेण वरांगनायाः । कामातुरो भोक्तुमनाश्चचाल तां मोहिनीं पार्वतिदृष्टिलज्जः ॥ २४ ॥

Hearing that song, the naked ascetic (Digambara) at once assumed the very form of a beautiful woman. Tormented by desire and intent on enjoyment, he moved toward the enchanting Mohinī—yet with shame, mindful of Pārvatī’s gaze.

Verse 25

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे मोहिनीचरिते मंदरर्णनं नामाऽष्टमोऽध्यायः ॥ ८ ॥

Thus ends the eighth chapter, called “The Description of Mandara,” in the Mohinī narrative of the Uttara-bhāga of the Śrī Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa.