सुखोपविष्टं देवर्षिं प्रसन्नं नग ऊचिवान् । विन्ध्य उवाच देवर्षे कथ्यतां जात आगमः कुत उत्तमः
When the divine sage was comfortably seated and pleased, the mountain spoke: Vindhya said: O divine sage, tell me from where you have come, and for what excellent purpose.
तवागमनतो जातमनर्घ्यं मम मन्दिरम् । तव चङ्क्रमणं देवाभयार्थं हि यथा रवेः
By your arrival, my abode has become priceless; and your crossing, O divine one, is surely for the sake of the gods' safety from the sun.
अपूर्वं यन्मनोवृत्तं तद् ब्रूहि मम नारद । नारद उवाच ममागमनमिन्द्रारे जातं स्वर्णगिरेरथ
Tell me, O Nārada, about that unprecedented state of mind. Nārada said: My coming, O enemy of Indra, took place then on Mount Meru.
तत्र दृष्टा मया लोकाः शक्राग्नियमपाशिनाम् । सर्वेषां लोकपालानां भवनानि समन्ततः
There I saw the worlds of Indra, Agni, Yama, and Varuṇa; the dwellings of all the guardians of the worlds, all around.
मया दृष्टानि विन्ध्याग नानाभोगप्रदानि च । इति चोक्त्वा ब्रह्मयोनिः पुनरुच्छ्वासमाविशत्
I saw the Vindhya mountains, which grant various enjoyments. Having said this, the son of Brahmā again fell into deep thought.
उच्छ्वसन्तं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा पुनः पप्रच्छ शैलराट् । उच्छ्वासकारणं किं तद् ब्रूहि देवऋषे मम
Seeing the sage sighing, the lord of mountains asked again: Tell me, O divine sage, what is the cause of your sigh?
इत्याकर्ण्य नगस्योक्तं देवर्षिरमितद्युतिः । अब्रवीच्छ्रूयतां वत्स ममोच्छ्वासस्य कारणम्
Hearing the words of the mountain, the divine sage, radiant and gentle, said: Listen, child, to the reason for my sigh.
गौरीगुरुस्तु हिमवाञ्छिवस्य श्वशुरः किल । सम्बन्धित्वात्पशुपतेः पूज्य आसीत्क्षमाभृताम्
Himavat, the preceptor of Gaurī, is indeed the father-in-law of Śiva; because of his relation to the Lord of Beings, he is honored among the mountains.
एवमेव च कैलासः शिवस्यावसथः प्रभुः । पूज्यः पृथ्वीभृतां जातो लोके पापौघदारणः
In the same way, Kailāsa, the abode of Śiva, the great Lord, is revered among the mountains of the earth, destroying heaps of sin in the world.
निषधः पर्वतो नीलो गन्धमादन एव च । पूज्याः स्वस्थानमासाद्य सर्व एव क्षमाभृतः
Niṣadha, Nīla, and Gandhamādana mountains, too, are all honored in their own places among the mountains.
यं पर्येति च विश्वात्मा सहस्रकिरणः स्वराट् । सग्रहर्क्षगणोपेतः सोऽयं कनकपर्वतः
This golden mountain, which the Sun, the soul of the universe, encircles along with the hosts of planets and stars, is the same.
आत्मानं मनुते श्रेष्ठं वरिष्ठं च धराभृताम् । सर्वेषामहमेवाग्र्यो नास्ति लोकेषु मत्समः
He considers himself the best and foremost among the mountains, thinking, 'Among all, I alone am supreme; there is none in the worlds equal to me.'
एवंमानाभिमानं तं स्मृत्वोच्छ्वासो मयोज्झितः । अस्तु नैतावता कृत्यं तपोबलवतां नग । प्रसङ्गतो मयोक्तं ते गमिष्यामि निजं गृहम्
Remembering that pride and arrogance, I sighed. But, O mountain, for those strong in austerity, this is not a matter of concern. I have told you this incidentally; now I shall go to my own abode.
देवीमाहात्म्ये विन्ध्योपाख्यानवर्णनम् सूतउवाच एवं समुपदिश्यायं देवर्षिः परमः स्वराट् । जगाम ब्रह्मणो लोकं स्वैरचारी महामुनिः
Description of the Vindhya episode in the greatness of the Goddess. Sūta said: Thus instructed, the supreme divine sage, free to move as he wished, went to the world of Brahmā.
गते मुनिवरे विन्ध्यश्चिन्तां लेभेऽनपायिनीम् । नैव शान्तिं स लेभे च सदान्तःकृतशोचनः
When the best of sages had departed, Vindhya was seized by unceasing anxiety; he found no peace and was always sorrowful within.
कथं किं त्वत्र मे कार्यं कथं मेरुं जयाम्यहम् । नैव शान्तिं लभे नापि स्वास्थ्यं मे मानसे भवेत्
What should I do here? How shall I surpass Meru? I find no peace, nor does my mind attain calmness.
(धिगुत्साहं च मानं च धिङ्मे कीर्तिं च धिक्कुलम्) धिग्बलं मे पौरुषं धिक् स्मृतं पूर्वैर्महात्मभिः । एवं चिन्तयमानस्य विन्ध्यस्य मनसि स्फुटम्
(Fie upon my enthusiasm and pride, fie upon my fame and lineage,) fie upon my strength and manliness, fie upon what the great ones of old have said; thus, clear thoughts arose in the mind of Vindhya.
प्रादुर्भूता मतिः कार्ये कर्तव्ये दोषकारिणी । मेरुप्रदक्षिणां कुर्वन्नित्यमेव दिवाकरः
A resolve appeared in his mind, intent on action but leading to fault: The Sun always circles Meru.
सग्रहर्क्षगणोपेतः सदा दृप्यत्ययं नगः । तस्य मार्गस्य संरोधं करिष्यामि निजैः करैः
That mountain, accompanied by the hosts of planets and stars, always exults; I will block his path with my own might.
तदा निरुद्धो द्युमणिः परिक्रामेत्कथं नगम् । एवं मार्गे निरुद्धे तु मया दिनकरस्य च
Then, if the Sun is obstructed, how will he go around the mountain? Thus, if I block the path of the Sun and the day, what will happen?
भग्नदर्पो दिव्यनगो भविष्यति विनिश्चयम् । एवं निश्चित्य विन्ध्याद्रिः खं स्पृशन् ववृधे भुजैः
Vindhya, having resolved thus, thought, 'The proud celestial serpent will surely be humbled.' With this determination, Vindhya grew, stretching his arms to touch the sky.
महोन्नतैः शृङ्गवरैः सर्वं व्याप्य व्यवस्थितः । कदोदेष्यति भास्वांस्तं रोधयिष्याम्यहं कदा
With his lofty, towering peaks, he spread everywhere and stood firm, thinking, 'When will the Sun rise? When will I obstruct him?'
एवं सञ्चिन्तयानस्य सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी । प्रभातं विमलं जज्ञे दिशो वितिमिराः करैः
While he was pondering in this way, the night passed; a pure morning arose, and the directions were cleared of darkness by the Sun's rays.
कुर्वन्स निर्गतो भानुरुदयायोदये गिरौ । प्रकाशते स्म विमलं नभो भानुकरैः शुभैः
The Sun, rising from the mountain for his ascent, began to shine brilliantly, illuminating the sky with his auspicious rays.
विकासं नलिनी भेजे मीलनं च कुमुद्वती । स्वानि कार्याणि सर्वे च लोकाः समुपतस्थिरे
The lotus blossomed, the water-lily closed, and all beings set about their respective tasks.
हव्यं कव्यं भूतबलिं देवानां च प्रवर्धयन् । प्राह्णापराह्णमध्याह्नविभागेन त्विषां पतिः
The lord of rays, by his divisions of morning, afternoon, and midday, increased the offerings to gods and ancestors, the oblations to spirits, and the prosperity of the gods.
एवं प्राचीं तथाग्नेयीं समाश्वास्य वियोगिनीम् । ज्वलन्तीं चिरकालीनविरहादिव कामिनीम्
Thus, comforting the eastern and southeastern directions, which were separated and burning like a beloved long parted, he moved on.
भास्करोऽथ कृशानोश्च दिशं नूनं विहाय च । याम्यां गन्तुं ततस्तूर्णं प्रतस्थे कमलाकरः
Then the Sun, leaving the direction of Fire, swiftly set out to go toward the southern quarter.
न शशाकाग्रतो गन्तुं ततोऽनूरुर्व्यजिज्ञपत् । अनूरुरुवाच भानो मानोन्नतो विन्ध्यो निरुध्य गगनं स्थितः
He was unable to proceed further; then Anuru reported: 'O Sun, Vindhya, grown proud, stands blocking the sky.'
स्पर्धते मेरुणा प्रेप्सुस्त्वद्दत्तां च प्रदक्षिणाम् । सूत उवाच अनूरुवाक्यमाकर्ण्य सविता ह्यास चिन्तयन्
'He competes with Meru, desiring the circumambulation you granted.' The narrator said: Hearing Anuru's words, the Sun began to reflect.