Adhyaya 91: The Vaiṣṇavī Goddess on Mount Mandara: Emergence of the Maidens, Construction of the Goddess-City, and Nārada’s Visit

Verse 1

श्रीवराह उवाच । या मन्दरगता देवी तपस्तप्तुं तु वैष्णवी । राजसी परमा शक्तिः कौमारव्रतधारिणी ॥

Śrī Varāha said: The Goddess who went to Mandara—Vaiṣṇavī—undertook austerity; she is the supreme power, characterized by rajas, and the observer of the maiden’s vow (kaumāra-vrata).

Verse 2

चन्द्रप्रभा गिरिसुता तथा सूर्यप्रभामृता । स्वयम्प्रभा चारुमुखी शिवदूती विभावरी ॥

She is Candraprabhā, the mountain-born daughter; likewise Sūryaprabhā, nectar-like; Svayamprabhā, the self-radiant; Cārumukhī, the fair-faced; Śivadūtī, the messenger of Śiva; and Vibhāvarī, the radiant night.

Verse 3

जया च विजया चैव जयन्ती चापराजिता । एताश्चान्याश्च शतशः कन्यास्तस्मिन् पुरोत्तमे ॥

Jayā and Vijayā, Jayantī and Aparājitā—these, and hundreds of other maidens, were in that most excellent city.

Verse 4

देव्याः अनुचराः सर्वाः पाशाङ्कुशधराः शुभाः । ताभिः परिवृता देवी सिंहासनगता शुभा ॥

All the Goddess’s attendants were auspicious, bearing nooses and goads; surrounded by them, the auspicious Goddess was seated upon a lion-throne.

Verse 5

सुसितैश्चामरैः स्त्रीभिर्वीज्यमाना विलासिनी । कौमारं व्रतमास्थाय तपः कर्तुं समुद्यता ॥

Fanned by women with bright-white yak-tail whisks, the graceful one—having undertaken the maiden’s vow—became intent on performing austerity.

Verse 6

यौवनस्था महाभागा पीनवृत्तपयोधरा । चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागनागकेसरदामभिः ॥

She stood in youthful prime, greatly fortunate, with full and rounded breasts, adorned with garlands of campaka, aśoka, punnāga, and nāga-kesara flowers.

Verse 7

सर्वाङ्गेष्वर्चिता देवी ऋषिदेवनमस्कृता । पूज्यमाना वरस्त्रीभिः कुमारिभिः समन्ततः ॥

The Goddess was honored upon all her limbs, saluted by sages and gods, and worshiped on all sides by excellent women and by maidens.

Verse 8

सर्वाङ्गभोगिनी देवी यावदास्ते तपोऽन्विता । तावदागतवांस्तत्र नारदो ब्रह्मणः सुतः ॥

While the goddess Sarvāṅgabhoginī remained engaged in ascetic practice (tapas), Nārada—the son of Brahmā—arrived there.

Verse 9

तं दृष्ट्वा सहसा देवी ब्रह्मपुत्रं तपोधनम् । विद्युत्प्रभामुवाचेदमासनं दीयतामिति । पाद्यमाचमनीयं च क्षिप्रमस्मै प्रदीयताम् ॥

Seeing him at once, the goddess—beholding Brahmā’s son, rich in ascetic merit—said to Vidyutprabhā: “Let a seat be given, and quickly provide him water for washing the feet and water for ācamana (ritual sipping).”

Verse 10

एवमुक्ता तदा देव्याः कन्या विद्युत्प्रभा शुभा । आसनं पाद्यमर्घ्यं च नारदाय न्यवेदयत् ॥

Thus instructed by the goddess, the auspicious maiden Vidyutprabhā presented Nārada with a seat, water for washing the feet, and an arghya-offering.

Verse 11

ततः कृतासनं दृष्ट्वा प्रणतं नारदं मुनिम् । उवाच वचनं देवी हर्षेण महताऽन्विता ॥

Then, seeing that a seat had been prepared and that the sage Nārada had bowed in reverence, the goddess spoke, filled with great delight.

Verse 12

सैकाकिनी तपस्तेपे विशालायां तु शोभने । तस्यास्तपन्त्याः कालेन महता क्षुभितं मनः ॥

Alone, she performed austerity (tapas) in a splendid, expansive place; and as her ascetic practice continued for a long time, her mind became greatly stirred.

Verse 13

स्वागतं भो मुनिश्रेष्ठ कस्माल्लोकादिहागतः । किं कार्यं वद ते कृत्यं मा ते कालात्ययो भवेत् ॥

Welcome, O best of sages. From which world have you come here? Tell me what task you have, so that no delay of time may befall you.

Verse 14

एवमुक्तस्तदा देव्याः नारदः प्राह लोकवित् । ब्रह्मलोकादिन्द्रलोकं तस्माद्रौद्रमथाचलम् ॥

Thus addressed by the goddess, Nārada, knower of the worlds, said: “From Brahmaloka I went to Indraloka; from there to Raudra, and then to the mountain.”

Verse 15

ततस्त्वामिह देवेशि द्रष्टुमभ्यागतोऽस्मि शुभे । एवमुक्त्वा मुनिः श्रीमांस्तां देवीमन्ववेक्षत ॥

“Therefore, O lady of the gods, O auspicious one, I have come here to see you.” Having spoken thus, the illustrious sage observed the goddess.

Verse 16

दृष्ट्वा मुहूर्तं देवेशि विस्मितो नारदोऽभवत् । अहो रूपमहो कान्तिरहो धैर्यमहो वयः ॥

After looking for a moment, Nārada became astonished: “Ah—what beauty! Ah—what radiance! Ah—what steadiness! Ah—what youthful vigor!”

Verse 17

अहो निष्कामता देव्याः इति खेदमुपाययौ । देवगन्धर्वसिद्धानां यक्षकिन्नररक्षसाम् ॥

“Ah, the goddess’s freedom from desire!”—thus he reflected with a poignant feeling, as he considered the gods, gandharvas, siddhas, yakṣas, kinnaras, and rākṣasas.

Verse 18

न रूपमीदृशं क्वापि स्त्रीष्वन्यासु प्रदृश्यते । एवं संचिन्त्य मनसा नारदो विस्मयान्वितः ॥

“Such a form is not seen anywhere among other women.” Reflecting thus in his mind, Nārada became filled with astonishment.

Verse 19

प्रणम्य देवीं वरदामुत्पपात नभस्तलम् । गतश्च त्वरया युक्तः पुरीं दैत्येन्द्रपालिताम् ॥

Having bowed to the goddess, the bestower of boons, he leapt into the expanse of the sky; and, driven by haste, he went to the city guarded by the lord of the Dānavas.

Verse 20

महीषाख्येन भूतेषि समुद्रान्तःस्थितां पुरीम् । तत्राससाद भगवानसुरं महीषाकृतिम् ॥

To the city situated at the ocean’s edge, associated with the being named Mahīṣa, he arrived there and encountered the asura whose form was that of a buffalo.

Verse 21

दृष्ट्वा लब्धवरं वीरं देवसैन्यान्तकं महत् । स तेन पूजितो भक्त्या तदा लोकचरो मुनिः ॥

Having seen the great hero who had obtained a boon—mighty, a destroyer of the armies of the gods—the world-wandering sage was then honored by him with devotion.

Verse 22

प्रीतात्मा नारदस्तस्मै देव्याः रूपमनुत्तमम् । आचचक्षे यथान्यायं यद्दृष्टं देवतापुरे ॥

With a pleased mind, Nārada related to him, in due order, the unsurpassed form of the goddess that he had seen in the city of the gods.

Verse 23

तस्मात्क्षोभात्समुत्तस्थुः कुमार्यः सौम्यलोचनाः । नीलकुञ्चितकेशान्ता बिम्बोष्ठायतलोचनाः । नितम्बशनोड्डामा नूपुराढ्याः सुवर्चसः ॥

From that agitation, maidens arose—gentle-eyed, with dark hair curling at the ends, with lips like the bimba fruit and elongated eyes; with well-formed hips and richly adorned with anklets (nūpura), radiant in their splendor.

Verse 24

नारद उवाच । असुरेन्द्र शृणुष्वेकं कन्यारत्नं समाहितः । येन लब्धं तु त्रैलोक्यं वरदानाच्चराचरम् ॥

Nārada said: “O lord of the asuras, listen with full attention to a single jewel among maidens—by her boon-bestowing power, the three worlds, moving and unmoving, have been obtained.”

Verse 25

ब्रह्मलोकादहं दैत्य मन्दराद्रिमुपागतः । तत्र देवीपुरं दृष्टं कुमारिशतसङ्कुलम् ॥

“From Brahmaloka, O Daitya, I came to Mandarādri. There I beheld the city of the Goddess, crowded with hundreds of maidens.”

Verse 26

तत्र प्रधानाया कन्या तापसी व्रतधारिणी । सा देवदैत्ययक्षाणां मध्ये काचिन्न दृश्यते ॥

“There, the foremost maiden—an ascetic (tapasī), a bearer of vows—cannot be regarded as ordinary, even among devas, daityas, and yakṣas.”

Verse 27

यादृशी सा शुभा दैत्य तादृश्येकाण्डमध्यतः । भ्रमता तादृशी दृष्ट्वा न कदाचिन्मया सती ॥

“Such as that auspicious one is, O Daitya—such a virtuous lady, while roaming within the midst of the cosmic sphere, I have never at any time seen.”

Verse 28

तस्याश्च देवगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । उपासांचक्रिरे सर्वे येऽप्यन्ये दैत्यनायकाः ॥

And the Deva-Gandharvas, the Ṛṣis, the Siddhas and the Cāraṇas—all of them—together with other leaders of the Daityas as well, attended upon her and rendered service.

Verse 29

तां दृष्ट्वा वरदां देवीमहं तूर्णमिहागतः । अजित्वा देवगन्धर्वान् न तां जयति कश्चन ॥

Having seen that boon-bestowing goddess, I came here swiftly. Without first conquering the Deva-Gandharvas, no one can conquer her.

Verse 30

एवमुक्त्वा क्षणं स्थित्वा तमनुज्ञाप्य नारदः । यथागतं ययौ धीमानन्तर्धानेन तत्क्षणात् ॥

Having spoken thus and remaining for a moment, Nārada—after taking leave of him—departed as he had come, vanishing instantly.

Verse 31

एवंविधाः स्त्रियो देव्याः क्षोभिते मनसि द्रुतम् । उत्तस्थुः शतसाहस्राः कोटिशो विविधाननाः ॥

When the goddess’s mind became agitated, women of such kinds quickly arose—hundreds of thousands, indeed in crores—bearing diverse faces.

Verse 32

दृष्ट्वा कुमार्यः सा देवी तस्मिन्नेव गिरौ शुभा । तपसा निर्ममे देवी पुरं हर्म्यशताकुलम् ॥

Seeing the maidens, that auspicious goddess, on that very mountain, created by the power of tapas a city filled with hundreds of mansions.

Verse 33

विशालरथ्यं सौवर्णप्रासादैरुपशोभितम् । अन्तरजालानि वेश्मानि मणिसोपानवन्ति च । रत्नजालगवाक्षाणि आसन्नोपवनानि च ॥

It had broad avenues adorned with golden palaces; houses with latticed interiors and stairways of gems; windows with networks of jewels, and nearby pleasure-groves as well.

Verse 34

असंख्यातानि हर्म्याणि तथा कन्या धराधरे । प्राधान्येन प्रवक्ष्यामि कन्यानामानि शोभने ॥

There were countless mansions, and likewise maidens upon the mountain. O fair one, I shall state, in order of prominence, the names of the maidens.

Verse 35

विद्युत्प्रभा चन्द्रकान्तिः सूर्यकान्तिस्तथाऽपरा । गम्भीरा चारुकेशी च सुजाता मुञ्जकेशिनी ॥

Vidyutprabhā, Candrakānti, and another named Sūryakānti; also Gambhīrā, Cārukeśī, Sujātā, and Muñjakeśinī.

Verse 36

घृताची चोर्वशी चान्या शशिनी शीलमण्डिता । चारुकन्या विशालाक्षी धन्या पीनपयोधरा ॥

Ghṛtācī and Urvaśī, and another named Śaśinī, adorned with good conduct; Cārukanyā, Viśālākṣī, Dhanyā, and Pīnapayodharā.