Balakanda - Doha 101 to 110

Doha - 101

"Lord, Uma is dear to me as life;take her as a maid -servant of Your house and forgive all her faults. Be pleased to grant this boon to me."

Sambhu comforted His mother-in law in ways more than one; and she returned home bowing her head at his feet. The mother then sent for Uma, and taking Her into her lap gave Her the following excellent advice. Ever adore the feet of Sankara this sums up the duty of a wife. Her husband is her deity; there is no other god for her,'' As she spoke these words, her eyes filled with tears and she pressed the girl to her bosom. Why has god created woman in this word? One who is dependent on others can never dream of happiness." The mother was overwhelmend with emotion; but knowing as she did that it was not an opportune moment for betraying one's weakness as she did that it was not an opportune moment for betraying one's weakness. she recovered herself. Mena met Parvati again and again and fell down clasping the girl's feet; her supreme love was beyond all words. Bidding adieu to all the ladies Bhavani ran and clung to her mother's breast once more.

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Taking leave of Her mother once more , Bhavani departed; everyone uttered appropriate blessings to Her. She often turned back to have a look at Her mother; Her girl companions then look Her to Siva . Having gratified all beggars. Sankara proceeded to His home (Mount Kailasa) with Uma All the divinities delightfully rained down flowers and kettledrums produced a charming sound in the heavens.

Himavan then accompanied Siva in order to escort Him with great affection Siva, however, sent him back, consoling him in various ways.

The mountain-king returned home at once and summoned all other mountains and lakes. Himavan greeted them with due attention, gifts, polite words and great honour and allowed them all to depart. no sooner had Sambhu reached Mount Kailasa than all the gods returned to their respective realms. Sambhu and Bhavani are the parents of the universe; hence I refrain from portraying their anmorous sports. Indulging in luxuries and enjoyments of various Kinds the divine pair lived on Mount Kailasa along with their attendants. Hara and Girija enjoyed some new delight everday. In this way a considerable time elapsed. Thereafter was born to them a boy with Their attendants. Hara and Girija enjoyed some new delight everyday. In this way a considerable time elapsed. Thereafter was born to them a boy with six heads, who (leter on) killed the demon Taraka in battle. The story of Sanmukha (the six-headed deity) is well-known in the Vedas, Tantras and puranas, and the entire world knows it.

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The tale of the birth , exploits, glory and surpassing strength of Sanmukha is known to the whole world. That is why I have briefly touched the narrative of Siva 's son. Men and women who narrate or sing this story of the wedding of Uma and Sambhu shall ever rejoice in their auspicious undertaking as well as during festive occassions such as wedding etc.

The exploits of Girija's lord are illimitable like the ocean; even the Vedas cannot reach their end. How, then can Tulasidasa, a most dull-witted clown, succeed in describing them?

Bharadvaja was much delighted to hear the sweet and charming story of Sambhu's deeds. His passion for hearing the story grew to be inordinate; tears rushed to his eyes and the hair on his body bristled with joy. Overpowered with emotion he could not utter a word. The enlightened sage,'' he said delighted to see his condition. Blessed indeed is your birth. O great sage,'' he said , to you the Lord of Gauri is dear as life . Those who love for Siva's feet is the the surest sign of a devotee of Rama. Who is so faithful to the Lord of Rama by His pledge of unswerving fidelity? Brother, whom does Rama hold so dear as Siva?

''Having begun by recounting the deeds of Siva I have come to know your secret. You are indeed a faithful servant to Rama, free from all impurities."

I have come to know your virtues and disposition. Listen, therefore, while I narrate the story of the Lord of raghus. O sage, I cannot say how glad I am at this meeting with you today. O lord of sages, the exploits of Sri Rama are much beyond measure; even a thousand million Sesas (serpent-kings) cannot recount them. Nevertheless, fixing my thoughts on the Lord who wields a bow in His hand and is the lord of speech ,I repeat the tale as I have heard it . Sarada (the goddess of speech) is like a puppet; while Sri Rama, the inner controller of all, is the master of the puppet show , who holds the strings in his hands. When He blesses a poet knowing him to be a devotee, He causes the goddess to dance in the courtyard of his heart. To Him , the benevolent Lord of Raghus, I bow and commence the recital of His fair virtues. Of all mountanis the most charming and the best is Kailasa, where Siva and Uma eternally dwell.

Hosts of Siddhas (adepts) ascetics and Yogis (mystics) , as well as gods Kinnaras and sages, all luck souls , reside there and adore Siva, the root of all joy.

Thouse who have their faces turned away from Hari and Hara and have no love for righteousness cannot even dream of going there . On the summit of that mountain exists a huge banyan tree, which is ever young and is charming during all seasons. Fanned by cool, soft and fragrant breezes, is shade is very refreshing It is the favourite resort of Siva, extolled by the Vedas, Once a time the Lord betook Himself beneath the tree and was much glanddened at heart to see it Spreading His tigerskin on the ground with His own hands , the all-merciful Siva sat down casually. His body fair in hue as the tree and was much gladdened at heart to see it spreading His tigerskin on the ground with His own hands, the all-merciful Siva sat down casually. His body fair in hue as the jasmine , the moon and the conch -shell; arms of inordinate length; a hermit's covering , consisting of the bark of trees, wrapped round His loins; His feet resembling a par of full -blown red lotuses and their toe-nails shedding a lustre which dispelled the darkness of the devotee's heart; sepents and the ashes serving as ornaments of the devotee's heart; serpents and the ashes serving as ornaments of the Slayer of Tripura and His countenance eclipsing the splendour even of the autumnal full moon.

With His twisted coils of hari for a crown and the celestial stream (the Ganga) adorning His head , eyes as big as a pair of lotuses, throat dark with poison and with the crescent shining His brow , the Lord looked like a veritable mine of beauty.

Seated there, the Destroyer of Cupid looked like an incarnation of the sentiment of Quietism. Finding it a good opportunity, Mother Bhavani called on Sambhu. In recognition of Her wifely love Lord Hara showed Her great courtesy and assigned Her a seat on His left side. Parvati gladly sat down beside Siva and recalled the history of Her past life. Presuming that Her lord cherished in His heart greater love for Her than before, Uma smilingly spoke the following sweet words to Him: the Daughter of Himalaya sought to elicit from Her lord the story which is profitable to the whole world. O Lord of the universe, O my Master, O slayer of the demon Tripura! Your glory is known to all do homage to all the three spheres. Animate as well inanimate beings, Nagas, men and gods, all do homage to Your lotus -feet.

"My Lord You are all-powerful, all -wise and all-blissful ; You are a repository of all arts and virtues and a storehose of Yoga (askesis), wisdom and dispassion. Your Name is a wish-yielding tree as it were to the suppliant.''

''O blissful Lord, if You are pleased with me and know me to be Your faithful servant, them, my Master dispersw my ignorance by repeating to me the various stories of the Lord of Raghus. Why should he who has his abode beneath a wish -yielding tree undergo the suffering born of want? Bearing this in mind. O lord the sages who discourse on the supreme Reality speak of Rama as the Brahma who who has no beginning; Sesa and Sarada, as well as the Vedas and the Puranas, all sing praises of the Lord of Raghus. You too, O Subduer of Love, reverently repeat the word Rama' night and day. Is this Rama the same as the son of the king of Ayodhya or some other unborn, unqualified and imperceptible Being?''

''If a king 's son , how could he be Brahma (the Infinite)? And if he were Brahma, how could his mind get unhinged by the loss of his wife? When I see his acts on the one hand, and hear of his glory on the other, my mind gets utterly confused,"

"If , my lord, there is any other desireless, all-pervading and all-powerful Brahma. instruct me about the same. Be not angry at my folly, but take step to wipe out my ignorance. In the wood (in my previous birth) I witnessed Sri Rama 's glory, although I was too awe-stricken to tell You . Yet, my mind was so impure that I did not understand, and I reaped a good return for my folly. Some doubt still lingers in my mind. Be gracious to me, I implore You with joined palms. Lord You instructed me then in ways more than one; yet I did not understand. Do not allow this thought to anger You . I have no such delision now; I find developed in me a taste for hearing the story of Rama Recount the sacred virtues of Sri Rama O Lord of immortals, having the serpent-king (Sesa) for an ornament.''

''Placing my head on the ground, I adore Your feet and entreat You with joined plams to recount the unsullied glory of the Chief of Raghus, giving in substance the conclusion of the revealed texts (the Vedas) on the subject.

''Though as a woman I am not qualified to hear It, I am Your servant in thought, word and deed. Saints do not withhold even an esoteric truth wherever they find a man smitten with agony. and therefore qualified to receive it. I ask You with a heart sore distressed; be gracious enough to narrate the story of the Lord of Raghus First tell me after a mature though what makes the unqualified Brahma assume a qualified form. Then, my lord, relate the story of Sri Rama's descent, and tell me next the charming exploits of His childhood. Then let me know how He wedded janaka's daughter, Sita , and the fault for which He had to renounce His father's kingdom later on. Then describe the innumerable deeds performed by Him while He lived in the forest; and further tell me, my lord, how He killed Ravana. Then relate, O blissful Sankara, all the numerous sports that were enacted by Him after his coronation.

''Thereafter relate, O gracious Lord, the miracle wrought by Rama, viz., how that jewel of Raghus's line proceeded to His divine Abode along with all His subjects.''

''Then expound, my lord, the truth in the realization of which enlightened sages remain absorbed. And thereafter discuss in detail the conceptions of Devotion. jnana or Knowledge of the formless Absolute, Vijnana or the Knowledge of qualified Divinity with and without from, and Dispassion. Over and above this , O Lord of purest understanding reveal to me the many other mysteries connected with Rama . And if there be anything which I have comitted to ask, do not keep it back, my gracious lord. You are the preecptor of all the three spheres, so declare the Vedas; what can other poor creatures know ? Siva was glad at heart to hear these questions of Uma, naturally Pleasing and guileless as they were. All the exploits of Rama flashed on His mind; the hair on His body bristled with rapture and His eyes filled with tears. The figure of Sri Rama was reflected on the mirror og His heart. This brought immense joy to Siva, who is an embodiment of supereme bliss Himself.