[Music] Har Har Mahadev you are listening to Hindu Rituals, broadcast by Hindu customs, the Shiva Purana story. The entire Shiva Purana is divided into seven Samhitas and 11 sections, which we have collectively divided into two parts. Currently, in Shiva Purana Part One, you will sequentially listen to the Shiva Purana Mahatmya, the Videshwara Samhita, the Rudra Samhita First Khand, the Rudra Samhita Second Khand, i.e., Sati Khand, the Third Khand, i.e., Parvati Khand, and the Fourth Khand, i.e., Kumar Khand. You will be able to hear the story of the Rudra Samhita in Shiva Purana Part Two. So, let us begin with the first chapter of Shiva Purana Mahatmya.

Chapter One: Sut Ji's Description of the Glory of Shiva Purana. Shri Shaunak Ji asked, "O greatly wise Sut Ji, you are a knower of all principles. Please describe to me the essence of the Puranas. How is the intellect developed through devotion along with knowledge and detachment? And how do virtuous men overcome their vices like lust, anger, etc.? In this Kali Yuga, all beings have become of demonic nature. Therefore, please tell me such a means that is beneficial and auspicious and is imbued with purity. O Lord, let it be such a means by which a person is purified, and that pure-hearted man may attain Shiva forever."

Sut Ji replied, "Shaunak Ji, you are blessed because you have immense love and desire in your heart to listen to the Puranic story. Therefore, I shall tell you the story of the supreme scripture, O child. It is the divine scripture, like nectar, which is complete in all principles, increases devotion, and satisfies Lord Shiva. In ancient times, Lord Shiva himself discoursed it. Guru Dev Vyas, receiving the command of Sanat Kumar Muni, respectfully composed this Purana. This Purana is the supreme means for the welfare of humans in the Kali Yuga. Shiva Purana is the supreme scripture. In this earthly realm, all humans should understand the vast form of Lord Shiva. Reading and listening to it is the means to all attainments. It grants desired fruits. By this, a person becomes sinless and, after enjoying all the pleasures of this world, ultimately attains the abode of Shiva. Shiva Purana has 24,000 verses, containing seven Samhitas. Shiva Purana grants a state similar to the Supreme Brahman. A person should listen to it with complete devotion and restraint. The person who daily reads or recites it with love is undoubtedly a virtuous soul. Lord Shiva, pleased with that learned person, grants him his abode. Those who daily worship Shiva Purana with respect enjoy all the pleasures in the world and attain the feet of Lord Shiva. They remain happy forever. Shiva Purana contains the essence of Lord Shiva. For the attainment of happiness in this world and the next, it should be respectfully consumed. This pure Shiva Purana grants the four Purusharthas: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Therefore, it should always be listened to and read with love."

Chapter Two: Devraj's Attainment of Shiva Loka and Chanchala's Detachment from the World. Shri Shaunak Ji asked, "You are blessed, Sut Ji. You are a knower of the ultimate truth. You have shown us grace by narrating this wonderful and divine story. There is no other means of welfare on earth equal to this story. By your grace, we have understood this. Sut Ji, which sinners are purified during this story? Please enlighten this world by telling us."

Sut Ji said, "Muni, even those who are constantly immersed in sin, misconduct, lust, anger, pride, and greed, become pure by reading or listening to Shiva Purana, and their sins are completely destroyed. In this regard, I shall tell you a story. A long time ago, in the city of Ratna, there lived a Brahmin named Devraj. He was weak in knowledge, poor, a seller of juice, and detached from Vedic dharma. He did not perform his ablutions or evening prayers, and his Vaishya tendencies were increasing. He used to cheat devotees. He killed many people and misappropriated all their wealth. That sinner did not use even a little wealth for religious purposes. He was a womanizer and morally corrupt. One day, while wandering, by divine providence, he reached Pratishthanpur, which is currently Jhusi, Prayag. There he saw a Shiva temple where many saints and great souls had gathered. Devraj stayed there. That night, he got a fever and began to suffer greatly. A Brahmin was narrating the story of Shiva Purana there. Devraj, lying in fever, also continuously listened to the Shiva story from the Brahmin's mouth. After one month, Devraj died of fever. The messengers of Yamraj bound him and took him to Yamapuri. Just then, the attendants of Lord Shiva from Shiva Loka arrived. They were as bright as camphor. They held tridents in their hands, had ash all over their bodies, and wore Rudraksha garlands around their necks, which enhanced their beauty. They beat up Yamraj's messengers, freed Devraj from the clutches of Yamdutas, and began to take him to Kailash Parvat in their divine aircraft. A commotion arose in Yamapuri, hearing which Yamraj came out of his abode. Dharmaraj, with his divine sight, worshipped these messengers who appeared like Rudra himself and understood the entire matter. Out of fear, he did not say anything to Lord Shiva's messengers. Thereafter, Shiva's messengers took Devraj to Kailash and, upon reaching there, handed the Brahmin over to the compassionate Lord Shiva.

Shaunak Ji said, "O great soul, Sut Ji, you are omniscient. By your grace, I am fulfilled. Hearing this history has filled my heart with joy. Therefore, please tell another story that increases love for Lord Shiva."

Chapter Three: Shri Sut Ji said, "Shaunak, listen. I shall describe another secret story to you, for you are a foremost among Shiva devotees and the best among the knowers of Vedas and Vedanta. Near the sea, there is a village named Vaskal, where people are detached from Vedic dharma and are great sinners. They are all wicked, and their minds are engrossed in corrupted sensual pleasures. They do not believe in gods or destiny. They are all crooked in nature, practice farming, and possess various types of weapons. They are adulterous and completely unaware that knowledge, detachment, and righteous dharma are the supreme Purusharthas for humans. They are all animal-minded. People of other communities also have similar wicked thoughts and are detached from dharma. They are constantly engaged in evil deeds and are always immersed in sensual pleasures. The women there are also of wicked nature, self-willed, steeped in sin, narrow-minded, and adulterous. They are completely devoid of good conduct and righteousness. Only wicked people reside there. In the village named Vaskal, there lived a Brahmin named Bindu. He was unrighteous, wicked, and a great sinner. His wife was very beautiful, and her name was Chanchala. She always followed the best dharma. However, Bindu was a womanizer. Thus, much time passed in such misconduct. His wife, though afflicted by lust, did not stray from dharma for a long time, enduring suffering due to fear of losing her dharma. But later, influenced by the conduct of her wicked husband, she too became immoral and detached from her dharma. Thus, much time of that husband and wife, immersed in misconduct, passed in vain. That wicked Brahmin Bindu, a womanizer with a corrupted intellect, died at the appointed time and went to hell. After suffering the torments of hell for many days, that foolish, sinful soul became a terrible ghost on the Vindhya mountain. Meanwhile, after the death of that wicked Bindu, the woman named Chanchala lived in her house with her sons for a long time. After her husband's death, she too fell from her dharma and began to associate with other men. Virtuous women do not abandon their dharma even in adversity; this is indeed penance. Penance is difficult, but its fruit is sweet. The world does not know this truth, so it enjoys the fruits of sensual objects. One day, by divine providence, on a holy festival, she went to Gokarna Kshetra with her relatives. She bathed in the holy water of the pilgrimage and wandered here and there with her kinsmen. While wandering, she went to a temple. There she heard the supremely pure and auspicious story of Lord Shiva from the mouth of a Brahmin. The storyteller Brahmin was saying, 'Women who commit adultery, when they go to Yamaloka after death, Yamraj's messengers torment them in various ways. They are branded on their sexual organs with punishment. Then they are made to associate with iron men. All these punishments are so painful that the soul cries out, saying it will not do so again, but Yamdutas do not leave them. Everyone has to suffer the consequences of their actions. Gods, sages, and humans are all bound by this.' Hearing this detachment-inducing story from the Brahmin's mouth, Chanchala became distressed with fear. When the story ended, everyone left. Then Chanchala said to the Brahmin who was narrating the story, 'O Brahmin, due to not knowing dharma, I have committed much misconduct. My lord, please be merciful and deliver me. Hearing your discourse, I have developed detachment from this world. Woe to me, this foolish, sinful me! I am worthy of condemnation. I strayed from my dharma by falling into wicked poison. Who will associate with a sinner like me who has a mind inclined towards the wrong path? When Yamdutas put a noose around my neck, bind me, and take me away, and tear my body into pieces in hell, how will I endure those great torments? I am destroyed in every way, for I have been immersed in sin in every way until now. O Brahmin, you are my guru, you are my parents. I have come to your refuge. You alone now deliver me, helpless as I am.'

Sut Ji says, "Shaunak, thus lamenting, Chanchala fell at the feet of the Brahmin. Then the Brahmin, with compassion, lifted her. Thus, the third chapter ended. In summary, in the three chapters heard so far, the greatly wise Sut Ji, while explaining the Mahatmya of Shiva Purana to Shaunak Ji, wants to convey that men or women who commit adultery and misconduct go to the world of hell, and those who worship Shiva and listen to Shiva Purana are freed from these sins. They are freed from all kinds of bonds, their minds become pure, they adopt the path of dharma."

Chapter Four: Chanchala's Interest in Listening to the Shiva Story and Her Journey to Shiva Loka. The Brahmin said, "O woman, you are fortunate that by the grace of Lord Shankar, you have realized your mistake in time by listening to the detachment-filled Shiva Purana story. Do not be afraid and take refuge in Lord Shiva. By his supreme grace, all your sins will be destroyed. I will tell you the path along with the Shiva story, by which you will attain the supreme state that grants happiness. By listening to the Shiva story, your intellect has become pure, and you have repented, and detachment has arisen in your mind. Repentance itself is the greatest atonement for sinners. Repentance purifies sins. Through this, sins are purified. According to virtuous men, atonement for the purification of sins is accomplished through repentance. The person who does not repent for his misdeeds does not attain the supreme state. But he who sincerely repents for his misdeeds is undoubtedly a recipient of the supreme state. There is no doubt about this. By listening to the Shiva Purana story, the mind becomes pure, and the heart becomes clean. Lord Shiva and Parvati reside only in a pure mind. That pure-souled person always attains the state of Shiva. Listening to this story is beneficial for all humans. Therefore, it should be worshipped and served. This story destroys the disease of worldly bondage. After listening to the story of Lord Shiva, one should contemplate it in the heart. This purifies the mind. With a pure mind, devotion to Maheshwar, along with knowledge and detachment, is certainly manifested, and by his grace, divine liberation is attained. The person who is attached to Maya cannot be freed from this worldly bondage. O Brahmin's wife, turn your mind away from other objects and listen to this holy story of Lord Shankar. This will purify your mind, and you will attain salvation. The person who contemplates the feet of Lord Shiva with a pure heart attains liberation in a single lifetime."

Sut Ji says, "Shaunak, saying this, the Brahmin fell silent. His heart was filled with compassion. He became engrossed in meditation. Hearing the Brahmin's words, tears of joy welled up in Chanchala's eyes. With a joyful heart, she fell at the feet of the Brahmin and said with folded hands, 'I am fulfilled, O Brahmin, you are the best among Shiva devotees, you are blessed, you are a seer of the ultimate truth, and you are always engaged in doing good to others. O saint, I am falling into the ocean of hell, please deliver me. I have developed detachment from this world only by listening to the beautiful Shiva Purana story, which is like nectar, as you mentioned. My mind has great reverence to listen to that nectar-like Shiva Purana story. Please narrate it to me.'

Sut Ji says, "Shaunak, with the desire to listen to the Shiva Purana story in her mind, Chanchala remained there in the service of that Brahmin. In that great holy place called Gokarna, Chanchala, by listening to the supremely excellent story from the mouth of that Brahmin, which increases devotion, knowledge, and detachment and grants liberation, became fulfilled. Her mind became pure. She began to contemplate the form of Shiva in her heart. She always remembered the blissful form of Shiva. Thereafter, when her time came, Chanchala gave up her body without any suffering. A divine aircraft arrived to take her. This aircraft was adorned with decorative means and adorned with Shiva Ganas. Chanchala reached Shiva Puri in the aircraft. All her sins were washed away. She became divine. Adorned with a crown of a half-moon on her forehead and other divine ornaments, she reached Shiva Puri. There she saw the eternal god, the three-eyed Mahadev Shiva. All the gods were present in his service with devotion. The radiance of his body was like millions of suns. He had five faces, and each face had three eyes. A crescent moon crown adorned his forehead. He had a blue mark on his throat. Goddess Gauri was seated beside him, shining like a mass of lightning. Mahadev Ji's complexion was as white as camphor. He wore white clothes and his body was covered in white ash. Thus, seeing the supremely glorious form of Lord Shiva, Chanchala became very pleased. She bowed repeatedly to the Lord and stood with folded hands, filled with love, joy, and contentment, in a humble manner. Streams of tears of joy flowed from her eyes. Lord Shankar and Goddess Gauri Uma, with compassionate and gentle glances, called Chanchala to them. Gauri Uma lovingly made her her companion. Chanchala lived happily in the abode of Lord Shiva as a companion of Umadevi."

Chapter Five: Bindu's Deliverance from the Ghostly Form. Sut Ji said, "Shaunak, one day Chanchala, filled with joy, went to Umadevi and praised her with both hands folded. Chanchala said, 'O daughter of the king of mountains, mother of Skanda, Uma, you are worshipped by all humans and gods and are the giver of all happiness. You are the beloved of Shambhu. You are both saguna and nirguna. O embodiment of existence, consciousness, and bliss, you are the sustainer of nature. O mother, you are the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe. You are the supreme power that gives excellent status to Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh.'

Sut Ji says, "Shaunak, having attained good destiny, Chanchala became quiet after praising the goddess in this way. Tears of love welled up in her eyes. Then Shankar's beloved, the devotee-loving Uma Devi, pacifying Chanchala with great affection, said, 'My dear Chanchala, I am pleased with your praise. Tell me, what boon do you seek?' Chanchala said, 'O princess of the mountains, where is my husband Bindu now? Tell me about his state, and do something so that we can meet again. O great goddess, my husband was attached to a low-caste prostitute and was immersed in sin.' Girija said, 'Daughter, your husband Bindu was a great sinner. His end was terrible. Due to enjoying the prostitute, he suffered various kinds of suffering in hell for many years, and now, to suffer the remaining sins, he is living in the form of a ghost on the Vindhya mountain. That wicked one lives there, drinking air and enduring all kinds of suffering.'

Sut Ji says, "Shaunak, hearing these words of Gauri Devi, Chanchala became extremely sad. Then, somehow stabilizing her mind, with a sad heart, she asked Mother Gauri once again, 'O great goddess, be merciful to me and deliver my sinful husband. Please tell me the means by which my husband can attain the supreme state.' Gauri Devi said, 'If your husband Bindu listens to the virtuous and sin-destroying story of the Purana, he can overcome this degraded state and become a recipient of the supreme state.' Hearing these words of Gauri Devi, which were as sweet as nectar, Chanchala folded both her hands, bowed her head, and repeatedly prostrated to her, and prayed, 'Arrange for my husband to listen to Shiva Purana.'

Upon Chanchala's repeated prayers, Shiva's beloved Gauri Devi called the Gandharva king Tumbar, who sings the glory of Lord Shiva, and said, 'Tumbar, you have love for Lord Shiva. Knowing all my thoughts, you accomplish my tasks. Go to Vindhya with my friend here. There lives a very terrible and fearsome ghost. In a past life, this ghost was Bindu, the husband of my friend Chanchala. He became a womanizer. He abandoned his daily rituals like bathing and evening prayers. Due to anger, his intellect was corrupted. His friendship with wicked people increased, and his enmity with good people grew. He committed violence with weapons, harassed people, and set their houses on fire. He befriended Chandalas and went to the prostitute daily. Abandoning his wife, he befriended wicked people and stayed in their company. He remained entangled in misconduct until his death. After death, he was taken to Yamapuri, the place of suffering for sinners. After enduring terrible hells there, he is now living as a ghost on the Vindhya mountain and suffering the fruits of his sins. Narrate the supremely virtuous, sin-destroying, divine story of Shiva Purana before him. By listening to this story, his heart will be purified of all sins, and he will be freed from the ghostly form. After being freed from the degraded state, take that ghost named Bindu in an aircraft to Lord Shiva.'

Sut Ji says, "Shaunak, receiving the command of Mother Uma, the Gandharva king Tumbar, appreciating his fortune, happily took Chanchala with him in an aircraft to the Vindhya mountain, the abode of the ghost. Upon reaching there, he saw the ghost with a terrifying form. His body was huge, his chin was large, and he would sometimes laugh, sometimes cry, and sometimes jump. The mighty Tumbar bound the ghost named Bindu with ropes. After that, he searched for a place to narrate the Shiva Purana story and constructed a pavilion. Soon, people came to know that by the order of Goddess Parvati, Tumbar had come to Vindhya mountain to narrate the nectar-like Shiva Purana story for the deliverance of a ghost. Many Devarshis arrived there, eager to listen to that story. Everyone was given a respectful place. The ghost Bindu was bound with ropes and seated on a seat, and then Tumbar began to sing the supremely excellent, nectar-like Shiva Purana story. He clearly described the story of Shiva Purana from the Videshwara Samhita to the seventh Vayu Samhita. Listening to Shiva Purana with all seven Samhitas, all the listeners became fulfilled. By listening to the supremely virtuous Shiva Purana, the ghost was freed from all sins and shed his ghostly body. Soon his form became divine. His body became fair-complexioned, and he was adorned with white clothes and ornaments. Thus, having attained a divine body, Bindu, along with his wife Chanchala, began to sing the glories of Lord Shiva himself. Everyone was astonished to see him in this divine form. His mind was filled with supreme joy. Everyone, after listening to the wonderful deeds of Lord Maheshwar, became fulfilled and, singing his praises, departed to their respective abodes. Bindu, along with his wife Chanchala, boarded an aircraft and proceeded towards Shiva Puri, singing the glories of Maheshwar. Along with his wife Chanchala and the tambura, Bindu soon reached the abode of Shiva, singing the glories of Maheshwar. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati made him their attendant. Both husband and wife, living happily as companions of Lord Maheshwar and Goddess Gauri, were blessed.

Chapter Six: The Method of Listening to Shiva Purana. Shaunak Ji says, "O great ascetic, Sut Ji, you are blessed and the best among Shiva devotees. Be gracious to us and tell us the method of listening to the auspicious Shiva Purana, so that all listeners may attain complete and excellent fruits."

Sut Ji said, "Muni Shaunak, for the attainment of complete fruits, I shall tell you the method of Shiva Purana in detail. First, call an astrologer, satisfy him with a donation, and get an auspicious time for the story, and convey the information to everyone that the Shiva Purana story is going to happen at our place. Those who desire their welfare should come to listen to it. All devotees of Lord Shiva, whether from near or far, who are eager for the chanting and listening of the Shiva story, should be invited respectfully and honored. For listening to Shiva Purana, a suitable place should be constructed in a temple, pilgrimage site, forest, or at home. Prepare a story pavilion adorned with banana pillars. Decorate it all around with fruits, flowers, and beautiful canopies. Plant flags in the four corners and adorn it with various materials. Devotedly construct a divine seat for Lord Shankar. Also, construct a divine seat for the narrator. Arrange suitable seats for those who listen to the story according to the rules, and also arrange for others to sit. Never harbor ill will towards the learned narrator. In the world, there are many gurus due to birth and qualities, but among them, the knower of Puranas is considered the supreme guru. The knower of Puranas should be pure, calm, virtuous, victorious over envy, and compassionate. Such a virtuous person should narrate this virtuous story. The appropriate time for narrating it is from sunrise until three and a half praharas. The story should be paused for two ghadi in the afternoon so that people can attend to nature's calls. On the day the story begins, observe a fast one day prior. On the days of the story, complete the morning daily rituals briefly. A learned person should be seated with the narrator to assist him, who is skilled in removing all doubts and explaining to people. To remove obstacles in the story, first worship Lord Ganesha. Worship Lord Shiva and Shiva Purana with devotion. Thereafter, listeners should listen to the Shiva Purana story respectfully, with pure body and mind. Those speakers and listeners who are distracted by various actions and are afflicted by the six vices like lust, etc., cannot be recipients of merit. Those who forget all their worries and focus their minds on the story, those pure-minded people attain the supreme fruit."

Chapter Seven: Rules to be Followed by Listeners. Sut Ji said, "Shaunak, listen devotedly to the rules for those who take the vow of listening to Shiva Purana. By listening to the virtuous Shiva Purana story according to the rules, one attains the supreme fruit without any obstacles. A person who has not received initiation is not entitled to listen to the story. Therefore, first, receive initiation from the narrator. A person who listens to the story according to the rules should strictly observe celibacy. He should sleep on the ground, eat from leaf plates, and consume food only after the story concludes. Capable persons should fast with pure intention until the completion of the Shiva Purana story and eat only once. One should not eat heavy food, lentils, burnt food, beans, masoor, or stale food. A person who has taken the vow of the story should abstain from onions, garlic, asafoetida, carrots, intoxicating substances, and items called non-vegetarian. Such a person should daily adopt virtues like truth, purity, compassion, silence, simplicity, humility, and heartfelt generosity, and abandon the condemnation of saints and sages, and listen to the story according to the rules. A capable person, through the effect of this story, attains his desired wishes and achieves selfless liberation. All men and women should listen to the excellent Shiva Purana story according to the prescribed method. At the end of the Shiva Purana, listeners should devotionally worship Lord Shiva and also worship the Purana book. After this, worship the narrator according to the prescribed method. Make a new and beautiful bag for keeping the book. After worshipping the book and the narrator, honor the pundit called to assist the narrator. Donate food and wealth to other Brahmins who have come for the story. Make the festival grand with songs, music, and dance. A detached person should recite the Gita at the end of the story, and a householder should perform a Homa for the peace of the listening ritual. Perform Homa with verses from the Rudra Samhita or the Gayatri mantra. If unable to perform Homa, then devotionally recite the Shiva Sahasranama. For the completion of the vow related to listening to the story, feed 11 Brahmins food made with ghee and give them dakshina. A prosperous person should make a beautiful throne of three tolas of gold and properly establish the written or transcribed Shiva Purana book on it, worship it, and offer dakshina. Then, worship the Acharya with clothes, ornaments, and scents, and gift him the book along with dakshina. Shaunak, by the effect of the donation of this Purana, a person, receiving the grace of Lord Shiva, is freed from worldly bondage. When Shiva Purana is completed according to the prescribed method, it yields complete fruits and grants enjoyment and liberation. Muni, I have told you the entire Mahatmya of Shiva Purana, which yields complete fruits. Now, what else do you wish to hear? Shri man Shiva Purana is the tilak on the forehead of all Puranas. The person who always meditates on Lord Shiva, whose speech praises the qualities of Shiva, and whose ears listen to his stories, his life becomes successful. They cross the ocean of the world. Such people remain happy forever in this world and the next. By touching the blissful form of Lord Shiva, all kinds of suffering are removed. His glory exists both outside and inside the world. I take refuge in that infinite, blissful, supreme Shiva. Thus, the story of Shiva Purana Mahatmya is complete. Next, you will listen to the Shiva Purana Videshwara Samhita.

Videshwara Samhita, Chapter One: Questions Regarding Sin-Destroying Means. He who is from the beginning to the end, is eternally auspicious, who illuminates the nature of the soul, who has five faces, and who, in play, performs the five mighty actions of creation, preservation, and destruction, as well as grace and concealment of the world, I mentally contemplate that supreme, undecaying, immortal, consort of Uma, Lord Shankar. Vyas Ji says, in the great field of dharma, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet, at that virtuous Prayag, which is the path to Brahmaloka, a great and radiant, highly fortunate one organized a grand sacrifice. Hearing the news of that knowledge sacrifice, Sut Ji, the disciple of the foremost among Puranic scholars, Vyas Ji, came there to see the sages. Sut Ji was duly welcomed and honored by all the sages, and praising him, they said with folded hands, "O omniscient, learned Romaharshan Ji, you are very fortunate. You have received the knowledge of Puranas directly from the mouth of Vyas Ji. You are a treasure trove of astonishing stories. You are a knower of the past, present, and future. It is our good fortune to have your darshan. Your coming here cannot be in vain. You are beneficial. O wise Sut Ji, if you would be gracious, please describe the auspicious and inauspicious elements, even if they are secret, which do not satisfy us and whose desire to hear remains as it is. Please describe that subject. When the terrible Kali Yuga arrives, humans will turn away from virtuous deeds and fall into misconduct. They will speak ill of others, be attached to other people's wives, commit violence, become foolish, atheistic, and animal-minded."

Sut Ji said, "In Kali Yuga, the Varna-Ashrama system prescribed by the Vedas will be destroyed. People living in each Varna and Ashrama will abandon the practice of their respective dharmas and find pleasure in contrary conduct. This social intermingling will lead to the downfall of people. Families will break, society will disintegrate, and due to natural calamities, people will die everywhere, and wealth will diminish. Selfishness and greed will increase. Brahmins will become greedy and earn wealth by selling Vedas. Deluded by passion, they will cheat others, not perform worship, and be devoid of Brahma knowledge. Kshatriyas will abandon their dharma, become bad company, sinful, and adulterous. Devoid of valor, they will behave like Shudras and be subject to lust. Vaishyas, detached from their dharma, with corrupted sanskaras, will become wicked, focused on earning wealth through unrighteous means, and will pay attention to weights and measures. Shudras, abandoning their dharma and karma, will be adorned with good attire and wander aimlessly. They will be crooked and envious, contrary to their dharma. They will be doers of evil deeds and debaters. Considering themselves noble, they will marry into all dharmas and varnas. Women will become detached from good conduct. They will insult their husbands and quarrel with their mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law. They will eat impure food, and their character will be very bad."

Sut Ji says, "Similarly, those whose intellect is destroyed and who have abandoned their dharma, how will such people attain the supreme state in this world and the next? We are all distressed by this thought. There is no dharma equal to doing good to others. The one who follows this dharma, while making others happy, also experiences happiness himself. If this feeling is selfless, it purifies the heart of the doer and grants him the supreme state. O great sage, you are a knower of all principles. Please tell us a way by which the sins of all these people can be instantly destroyed."

Vyas Ji says, "Hearing the words of those excellent sages, Sut Ji, remembering the supremely excellent Lord Shankar in his mind, spoke to them thus."

Chapter Two: Introduction and Glory of Shiva Purana. Sut Ji says, "O holy great souls, you have asked a very good question. This question benefits all three worlds. At your affectionate insistence, remembering Guru Dev Vyas, I am narrating the nectar-like story of Shiva Purana, which liberates from all heaps of sins. This is the essence of Vedanta. This is the giver of the ultimate truth in the next world and the destroyer of the wicked. It describes the excellent glory of Lord Shiva. The Purana, which grants the Purusharthas like dharma, artha, and moksha, is growing in influence and expansion. By studying Shiva Purana, beings entangled in all the sins of Kali Yuga will attain the supreme state. With its rise, the turmoil of Kali Yuga will subside. Shiva Purana is considered equal to the Vedas. Lord Shiva himself first discoursed it. This Purana has 12 sections or divisions. These are the 12 Samhitas: Videshwara Samhita, Rudra Samhita, Vinayaka Samhita, Uma Samhita, Sahasra Koti Rudra Samhita, Ekadasha Rudra Samhita, Kailasha Samhita, Shatrudra Samhita, Koti Rudra Samhita, Matri Samhita, Vayavya Samhita, and Dharma Samhita. Videshwara Samhita has 100,000 verses. Rudra Samhita, Vinayaka Samhita, Uma Samhita, and Matri Samhita each have 8,000 verses. Ekadasha Rudra Samhita has 13,000, Kala Samhita has 6,000, Shatrudra Samhita has 3,000, Koti Rudra Samhita has 9,000, Sahasra Koti Rudra Samhita has 11,000, Vayavya Samhita has 4,000, and Dharma Samhita has 12,000 verses. The original Shiva Purana has a total of one lakh verses, but Vyas Ji has condensed it into 24,000 verses. In the sequence of Puranas, Shiva Purana holds the fourth position, containing seven Samhitas. In ancient times, Lord Shiva composed a Purana text of 100 crore verses. This Purana literature, created at the beginning of creation, was more extensive. In the Dvapara Yuga, great sages like Dvaipayana divided the Purana into 18 parts and condensed it into 4 lakh verses. After that, Vyas Ji expounded it in 24,000 verses. This Veda-like Purana is divided into seven Samhitas named Videshwara, Rudra Samhita, Shatrudra Samhita, Samhita, Uma Samhita, Kailasha Samhita, and Vayaviya Samhita. This seven-Samhita Shiva Purana is authoritative like the Vedas and grants the supreme state. This pure Shiva Purana was composed by Lord Shiva, and the credit for its concise compilation goes to Vyas Ji. Shiva Purana is beneficial to all beings and destroys all sins. It bestows welfare upon virtuous men. It is incomparable and expounds the non-dual knowledge prescribed by the Vedas and unadulterated dharma. Shiva Purana is a compilation of excellent mantras and is the means for everyone to attain the abode of Shiva. Among all Puranas, Shiva Purana is a subject to be known by scholars with an un-envious heart. It sings of the Supreme Being. The person who respectfully reads and listens to this nectar-like Shiva Purana becomes dear to Lord Shiva and attains the supreme state."

Chapter Three: Superiority of Listening, Chanting, and Contemplation as Means. Vyas Ji says, "Hearing the words of Sut Ji, all the great sages said, 'O Bhagavan, you are the Vedas...'"

Tell the story of the glorious and virtuous Shiva Purana.

Suta said, "O great sages, remembering Lord Shiva in welfare, listen to the nectar-like story of Shiva Purana, which has manifested from the essence of the Vedas. In Shiva Purana, devotion, knowledge, and detachment are sung. When creation began, the great sages of six lineages began to debate among themselves, saying, 'This object is excellent, that one is not.' When this dispute took a serious turn, they all went to the indestructible Brahma, the creator of the universe, to resolve their doubts, and said with folded hands, 'O Lord, you are the sustainer and nourisher of the entire universe. Lord, we want to know who is the supreme, eternal Purusha beyond all elements.' Brahma said, 'The entire universe, along with Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, and all beings and senses, manifested first. Only that Mahadeva is omniscient and complete. He is realized only through devotion; He cannot be seen by any other means. Unwavering devotion to Lord Shiva liberates man from the bondage of the world. Through devotion, one receives the grace of the gods. Just as a sprout arises from a seed and a seed from a sprout, to receive the grace of Lord Shankar, all of you Brahmarsis should perform a great sacrifice on earth for a thousand years. Through the grace of the sacrifice-holder Lord Shiva, the knowledge of the essence of knowledge, the goal, and the means is obtained. Attaining Shiva's feet is the goal, and His service is the means. And those who remain immersed in His devotion without any desire for fruit are the true seekers. The means to attain the Supreme Lord is to dedicate the fruit obtained from the performance of actions at the holy feet of Lord Shiva, and this is the only means to attain liberation. Maheshwar Himself has expounded the means of devotion. Listening to the Lord's names, qualities, and pastimes with the ears, chanting them with the voice, and contemplating them in the mind are the great means to attain Shiva's feet, and through these means, all desires are fulfilled. Attraction towards an object that we can see directly with our eyes is natural. But for an object that cannot be seen directly, efforts are made to obtain it only by hearing and understanding. Therefore, listening is the first means. Through listening, the learned scholar with superior intellect, after hearing the truth from the guru's mouth, strives to gain the power and accomplishment of other means like chanting and contemplation. After contemplation, by continuously practicing this means, one gradually attains union with Lord Shiva and experiences worldly bliss. Worship of Lord Shiva, chanting His names, and continuously contemplating His form, qualities, and pastimes in the heart is called contemplation. This means, obtained by the grace of Maheshwar, is called the principal means.

Chapter Four: Sanat Kumar-Vyasa Dialogue

Suta said, "O sages, while describing the importance of this means, I will narrate an ancient incident, which you should listen to attentively. A long time ago, my guru, Vyasa Deva, the son of Parasara Muni, was performing penance on the banks of the Saraswati river. One day, Lord Sanat Kumar, traveling in a divine chariot as radiant as the sun, arrived there. My guru was engrossed in meditation. Upon waking, seeing Sanat Kumar Ji before him, he rose quickly, touched his feet, offered him Arghya, and seated him on a suitable seat. Pleased, Sanat Kumar Ji said in a grave voice, 'Muni, meditate on truth. Meditation on the true element is the path to obtaining the best. This is the path to welfare, and this makes the path to welfare prosperous. When this comes into life, everything becomes beautiful. Truth means that which always remains, unaffected by time. It always remains the same.' Sanat Kumar Ji further explained to Maharshi Vyasa, 'Maharshi, the true substance is Lord Shiva Himself. Listening, chanting, and contemplating Lord Shankar are the best means to attain Him. In ancient times, I wandered in the illusion of many other means and went to Madra Chal for penance. After some time, by the command of Maheshwar Shiva, Nandi Keshwar, the witness of all and the lord of Shiva's attendants, arrived there and lovingly said, explaining the means of liberation, 'Listening, chanting, and contemplating Lord Shankar are the source of liberation.' Lord Shiva Himself told me this. Therefore, you should practice these means.' Saying this, Sanat Kumar, along with his followers, departed for Brahmaloka. In this way, I have briefly narrated this excellent incident. The sages said, 'Suta Ji, you have described listening, chanting, and contemplation as the means of liberation. But how can a person who is incapable of these three means be liberated? By what action can liberation be attained effortlessly?'

Chapter Five: The Mystery of the Shivalinga and Mahadeva

Suta said, "O Shounaka Ji, practicing means like listening, chanting, and contemplation is not easy for everyone. It requires a qualified guru and acharya. The words heard from the guru's mouth burn away the doubts of the mind. Through the Shiva element heard from the guru's mouth, one gets to see Shiva's form and qualities and experiences bliss in His praise. Only then can the devotee chant. If this is not possible, then for liberation, one should establish the Linga and idol of Lord Shankar and worship them daily. By adopting this, one can cross the ocean of the world. To cross the ocean of the world, such worship can be easily performed with devotion. By establishing a Shivalinga or Shiva idol according to one's strength and capacity, worship them with devotion. Establish a pavilion, gopuram, pilgrimage site, monastery, and temple, and organize festivals. Offer flowers, incense, clothes, perfumes, lamps, fruits, and various types of food as naivedya. Lord Shiva is both formless (Brahman) and with form (kala-sahita). Humans worship both these forms. Shankar Ji also holds the status of Brahman. The worship of the formful Lord Shiva is also performed by humans, and the Vedas have also commanded such worship. Sanat Kumar Ji asked, 'O Nandi Keshwar, please tell us in detail about the origin of the Linga-ber (idol) that originated in ancient times.' Nandi Keshwar replied, 'Munishwar, once in ancient times, a battle took place between Brahma and Vishnu, and in their midst, Shiva Ji appeared in the form of a pillar. In this way, they protected the earthly realm. From that day onwards, the worship of Mahadeva Ji's Linga as well as His idol became prevalent in the world. The worship of other deities in their form (murti puja) began. They started calling out [music] [music], 'Son, wake up, your Lord stands before you.' Hearing this, Vishnu Ji became angry. Yet, remaining calm, He said, 'Son, may you be well. Tell me, how did you come to your father?' Hearing this, Brahma Ji said, 'I am your protector, the grandfather of the entire universe. The entire universe resides in me. You, born from my navel lotus, are speaking such things to me.' In this way, a dispute arose between them. Then, both of them, calling themselves the Lord, prepared to kill each other. Riding on a swan and a Garuda, they fought each other. Vishnu Ji struck Brahma Ji's chest with numerous weapons, causing him distress. Enraged by this, Brahma Ji retaliated with fierce attacks. Their mutual blows caused turmoil among the gods. They went to Lord Shiva, the wielder of the bow and trident, and narrated their entire plight. Lord Shiva was seated on His throne with Uma Devi in His assembly, smiling gently.

Chapter Seven: Shiva's Decision

Mahadeva Ji said, 'Sons, I know you are very distressed by the mutual conflict between Brahma and Vishnu. Do not be afraid. I will accompany you with my attendants.' Then, Lord Shiva, mounted on His Nandi, proceeded towards the battlefield with the gods. There, hiding, they began to watch the battle between Brahma and Vishnu. When they realized that both were desirous of killing each other, Mahadeva and [music] [praise] appeared between Brahma and Vishnu in the form of Pashupata. As the great fire manifested, the weapons of both were pacified on their own. Seeing their weapons pacified, both Brahma and Vishnu said, 'We must investigate this fiery pillar.' Both decided to test it. Lord Vishnu took the form of a worm and went down into the earth to see it. Brahma Ji took the form of a swan and went upwards. Going very deep into the netherworld, Vishnu Ji could not find the end of the pillar, so He returned. Brahma Ji went into the sky and saw a Ketaki flower. He took that flower to Vishnu Ji. Vishnu Ji clasped His feet. Seeing Brahma Ji's deceit, Lord Shiva appeared. Pleased by Vishnu Ji's greatness, Shiva said, 'O Vishnu Ji, you speak the truth. Therefore, I grant you the right of equality with Me.'

Chapter Eight: Brahma's Pride Broken

Nandi Keshwar said, 'Mahadeva Ji was extremely angry at Brahma Ji's deceit. He manifested Bhairava from His third eye (Trinetra) and commanded him to punish Brahma Ji with a sword. Upon receiving the command, Bhairava grabbed Brahma Ji's hair and severed his fifth head. Brahma Ji trembled with fear. He clasped Bhairava's feet and begged for forgiveness. Seeing this, Lord Vishnu prayed to Lord Shiva, 'By Your grace, Brahma Ji received his fifth head. Therefore, please forgive him.' Then, by Shiva Ji's command, Bhairava released Brahma Ji. Shiva Ji said, 'You acted deceitfully to show prestige and authority. Therefore, I curse you that you will be devoid of places of worship and festivals.' Brahma Ji regretted his mistake. He clasped the feet of Lord Shiva, begged for forgiveness, and requested Him to restore his fifth head. Mahadeva Ji said, 'To prevent the disruption of the world's order, a sinner must be punished to maintain worldly decorum. I grant you the boon that you will be called the guru of the Ganas, and sacrifices will not be complete without you.' Then He addressed the Ketaki flower, 'O wicked Ketaki flower, you will now be unfit for my worship.' Then the Ketaki flower became very sad and fell at His feet, begging for forgiveness. Then Mahadeva Ji said, 'My word cannot be false. Therefore, you will be worthy of my devotees, and in this way, your birth will be successful.'

Chapter Nine: The Importance of Shivalinga Worship

Nandi Keshwar said, 'Brahma and Vishnu bowed to Lord Shiva and stood silently to His right and left. They seated the worshipable Mahadeva Ji on a superior seat and worshipped Him with sacred items. Items that remain stable for a long time are called permanent items, and those that last for a short time are called temporary items. Garlands, anklets, armlets, crowns, jeweled earrings, sacred threads, upper garments, flower garlands, silk clothes, necklaces, rings, flowers, betel leaves, camphor, sandalwood, and agarwood for anointing, incense, lamps, white umbrellas, fans, flags, chowries, and many divine offerings, whose grandeur was beyond speech and mind, and which were only worthy of the Supreme Being, with these, Brahma and Vishnu worshipped their Lord Maheshwar. Pleased by this, Lord Shiva smiled and said to both gods, 'Sons, I am very pleased with the worship performed by you today. For this reason, this day will be supremely pure and great. This date will be known as Shivaratri, and it will be very dear to me. On this day, those who worship my Linga (formless form) and my idol (formful form) day and night, remaining without food, with sincere devotion according to their ability, will be my most beloved devotees. The fruit obtained by continuously worshipping me for the entire year, a person will immediately receive by worshipping me on Shivaratri. Just as the full moon's rise is an occasion for the ocean's growth, similarly, the date of Shivaratri is a time for the growth of my dharma. On this date, the auspicious festival of my establishment should take place. I manifested in the form of a luminous pillar on the full moon day with the Adra nakshatra in the month of Margashirsha. Whoever sees me with Parvati on this day, or takes out a procession of my idol or Linga, is dearer to me than Kartikeya. On this auspicious day, merely seeing me yields complete fruit. If worship is also performed along with seeing me, then so much fruit is obtained that it cannot be described by speech. Manifesting in the form of a Linga, I became very large. Therefore, due to the Linga, this earth became known as Linga Sthana. For the people of the world to see and worship it, this eternal and infinite luminous pillar or luminous Linga became very small. This Linga is the bestower of all kinds of enjoyments and the sole means of enjoyment and liberation. Its sight, touch, and contemplation liberate beings from the suffering of birth and death. Due to the manifestation of the Shivalinga here, this place will be known as Arunachala, and great pilgrimage sites will appear here. Living or dying in this place will grant liberation to beings. I have two forms: formful and formless. First, I manifested in the form of a pillar, then in my actual form. Brahman is my formless form, and Maheshwar is my formful form. Both are my accomplished forms. I am the Supreme Brahman. To bestow grace upon beings is my work. Being the cause of the world's growth, I am called Brahman. Being present everywhere, I am the soul of all. The five cosmic activities related to the universe, from heaven to grace, are always mine. To convey the knowledge of my Brahman form, the Linga first manifested, and then to realize the unknown divine nature, I manifested in the form of Jagadeeshwar. My formful form signifies my sattva, and my formless form signifies my Brahman form. My Linga is my form and the bestower of the attainment of my abode. Those who establish my Linga and worship me attain my equality and, experiencing oneness with me, are liberated from the ocean of the world. They experience supreme bliss while alive, and upon leaving the body, attain Shiva Loka, meaning they become one with me. The establishment of an idol is secondary to the Linga. This is for those devotees who are not capable of contemplating the Shiva element.

Chapter Ten: The Importance of Pranava and Panchakshara Mantra

Brahma and Vishnu asked, 'Lord, please tell us the characteristics of the five cosmic activities like creation.' Lord Shiva said, 'Understanding my activities is very profound. Nevertheless, I will tell you with grace. Creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment, and grace are my five cosmic activities, which are eternally accomplished. The beginning of the world's creation is called creation. The sustenance of the world, which is stable from me, is its preservation. Its destruction is dissolution. The cessation of life breath is called concealment. Liberation from all these is my grace, i.e., liberation. These are my five activities. The first four activities, creation, etc., expand the world. The fifth activity is liberation. My devotees see these five activities in the five elements. Creation is in the earth, sustenance is in water, dissolution is in fire, concealment is in air, and grace is in space. Creation happens from the earth. Growth happens from water. Fire burns everything. Air carries from one place to another, and space bestows grace upon all. To bear the burden of these five activities, I have five faces: four faces in four directions and a fifth face in between. Sons, you both have pleased me through penance and obtained the tasks of creation and sustenance. Similarly, Rudra and Maheshwar, who are my manifestations, obtained the tasks of dissolution and concealment from me. However, I myself grant liberation. In ancient times, I imparted my inherent mantra, which is known as Omkara. This is an auspicious mantra. First, Omkara manifested from my mouth, which signifies my form. Constant remembrance of this leads to constant remembrance of me. From my northern face, the 'a' sound manifested; from the western face, the 'u' sound; from the southern face, the 'm' sound; from the eastern face, the dot; and from the central face, the nada. In this way, Omkara expanded from these five components. When these five components became one, the Pranava, the letter Om, was born. All men and women born in the world are pervaded by this Pranava mantra. This mantra signifies both Shiva and Shakti. From this, the Panchakshara mantra Om Namah Shivaya originated. This signifies my formful aspect. From this Panchakshara mantra, the Matrika Varna manifested, which are of five types. From this, along with the Shiro Mantra, the Tripada Gayatri manifested. From this Gayatri, all the Vedas manifested, and from those Vedas, Karuna mantras emerged. These mantras lead to the accomplishment of various tasks. All desires are fulfilled by this Panchakshara Pranava mantra. Both enjoyment and liberation are obtained from this mantra.

Nandi Keshwar said, 'Sitting with Dambha, Uma, Gauri, and Parvati, Mahadeva covered Brahma and Vishnu, who were sitting in the northern direction, with a veil and, placing His hand on their heads, slowly uttered and imparted the supreme mantra to them. After chanting the mantra three times, Lord Shiva initiated them as disciples. As guru dakshina, both dedicated themselves and stood before Him with folded hands, praising the world-guru Lord Shiva. Brahma and Vishnu said, 'Lord, you have two forms, formful and formless. You are illuminated by radiance. You are the Lord of all. Salutations to the soul of all. You are the revealer of the Pranava mantra, and you are also the one with the Pranava Linga. Creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment, and grace are your activities. You have five faces. You are the Supreme Lord. You are the soul of all, Brahman. Your powers are infinite. We salute you.' Praising with these verses, Brahma and Vishnu pleased the guru Maheshwar and bowed at His feet. Maheshwar said, 'If this Pranava mantra is chanted on the Chaturdashi of the Adra nakshatra, it yields inexhaustible fruit. The Pranava chant performed once during the sun's transit in the Mahadra nakshatra yields the fruit of crores of chants.' The last part of the Mrigashira nakshatra and the beginning part of Punarvasu are always like Adra for worship, homa, and tarpan. My Linga should be seen in the morning, i.e., before noon. The Chaturdashi tithi is excellent for seeing and worshipping me. For those who worship, my idol and Linga are both equal. However, the position of the Linga is higher than the idol. Therefore, humans should worship the Shivalinga. The Linga should be worshipped with the Om mantra, and the idol with the Panchakshara mantra. By establishing the Shivalinga oneself or getting it established by others and worshipping it with excellent substances, my abode becomes accessible. In this way, after instructing both disciples, Lord Shiva disappeared.

Chapter Eleven: Description of the Establishment and Worship Method of Shivalinga

The sages asked, 'Suta Ji, how should the Shivalinga be established, and how, when, and with what substances should it be worshipped?' Suta Ji said, 'O Maharshis, I will describe this subject for you. Listen and understand attentively. The Shivalinga should be established in a sacred pilgrimage site on the bank of a river at a favorable and auspicious time, in a place where it can be worshipped daily. By worshipping with earthly substances, watery substances, or fiery substances, the devotee receives the full fruit of worship. Worship performed during auspicious signs is immediately fruitful. For movable consecration, a small Shivalinga is considered superior. For immovable consecration, a large Shivalinga is good. The Shivalinga should be established with its pedestal. The pedestal of the Shivalinga should be round, square, triangular, or like the legs of a cot, thick at the top and bottom and thin in the middle. Such a Linga pedestal is a great bestower of fruit. First, the Shivalinga should be made of clay or iron. The pedestal should be made of the same substance from which the Linga is made. This is the specialty of the Shivalinga with immovable consecration. In the Shivalinga with movable consecration, the Linga and the consecration should be made of the same element. The length of the Linga should be equal to 12 angulas of the person establishing it. If it is less, the fruit received will also be less, but the length can be more than 12 angulas. In a movable Linga, the length should be equal to one angula of the person establishing it, not less. The Yajamana should first build a temple according to the Shastra and install idols of all the gods in it. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple should be beautiful, strong, and clean. It should have two main doors in the east and west. In the pit where the Shivalinga is to be established, drop the nine gems: sapphire, ruby, cat's eye, emerald, pearl, coral, agate, and diamond, along with Vedic mantras. Worship from five places with five Vedic mantras, offer oblations in the fire, and worship me with your family. Satisfy the Acharya with wealth and brothers and relatives with desired objects. Provide gold, houses, land, and cows, etc., to the supplicants. Satisfy all mobile and immobile beings with care, fill a pit with gold and nine types of gems, and meditate on the supremely auspicious Mahadeva Ji while chanting Vedic mantras. Thereafter, chanting the great mantra Omkara, accompanied by the sound of nada, establish the Shivalinga with its pedestal in the pit. A very beautiful idol should also be established there, and the method of consecrating the land should be the same as for the Shivalinga. The installation, i.e., consecration, of the idol should be done with the Panchakshara mantra. The idol can also be obtained from outside, but it should be worshipped by virtuous men. In this way, the worship of Mahadeva Ji performed through the Shivalinga and the idol grants the Shiva abode. Lingas have also become of two types: stationary and mobile. Trees, creepers, etc., are called stationary Lingas, and worms, insects, etc., are called mobile Lingas. Stationary Lingas should be watered, and mobile Lingas should be satisfied by providing food and water. All mobile and immobile beings should be considered as manifestations of Lord Shankar and worshipped. In this way, after establishing the Mahalinga, worship it daily with various rituals, and hoist a flag near the temple. The Shivalinga directly grants the Shiva abode. The sixteen rituals are: invocation, seat, Arghya, foot washing, bathing, incense, lamp, betel leaf, offering, Aarti, salutation, and immersion. Worship performed in this way grants the Shiva abode. After the establishment of all Shivalingas, whether established by humans, sages, or gods, or manifested on their own, all should be worshipped according to the above method to receive the fruit. Circumambulating and bowing to it grants the Shiva abode. Regular viewing of the Shivalinga is also auspicious. Make a Shivalinga from clay, flour, cow dung, Kaner flowers, fruits, jaggery, butter, ash, or grain and worship it daily. Also, chant the Pranava mantra 10,000 times daily, or chant one thousand Pranava mantras at both dawn and dusk. This also grants the Shiva abode. During chanting, the pronunciation of the Pranava mantra purifies the mind. Some scholars call Omkara, which is accompanied by nada and bindu, as equal Pranava. Chanting the Panchakshara mantra 10,000 times daily, or one thousand mantras at both dawn and dusk, grants the Shiva abode. For all Brahmins, the Panchakshara mantra with Pranava is highly fruitful. Bathing from a Kalasha, initiation into the mantra, Nyasa of Matrikas, a pure heart through truth, Brahmins, and knowledgeable gurus are all considered excellent. By chanting the Panchakshara mantra five crore times, a person becomes equal to Lord Shiva. By chanting one, two, three, or four crore times, a person successively attains the abodes of Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, and Maheshwar. If one chants the Panchakshara mantra one thousand times daily for 1000 days and feeds a Brahmin daily, then the desired task is accomplished. A Brahmin should chant the Gayatri mantra 1008 times daily in the morning, as the Gayatri mantra grants the Shiva abode. Chant Vedic mantras and Vedic powers regularly. For other mantras, chant them as many lakh times as there are letters. In this way, a person who chants according to their capacity attains liberation. Adopt any one mantra of your choice and chant it daily, or chant Om one thousand times daily. Doing so fulfills all desires. Those who plant flower gardens or orchards for Lord Shiva and perform the service of sweeping and cleaning in Shiva temples, such Shiva devotees attain meritorious deeds. At the time of death, Lord Shiva grants them liberation. Living in Kashi also grants yoga and liberation. Therefore, one should reside in Shiva's domain until death. In that domain, by bathing, donating, and chanting in the stepwells, ponds, wells, and pools, a person attains Lord Shiva. Those who perform the cremation, monthly shraddha, or annual shraddha of any deceased relative in Shiva's domain, or offer pindas to their ancestors, are immediately freed from all sins and ultimately attain the Shiva abode. Acting according to one's varna in the world and following righteous conduct grants the Shiva abode. Actions performed without desire yield the desired fruit and grant Shiva. The day is divided into three parts: morning, noon, and evening. In these, everyone should perform a type of action. In the morning, daily scriptural rituals; at noon, actions with desire; and in the evening, worship for peace. Similarly, there are four praharas at night, among which the middle two praharas are called Nishita Kala. Worship should be performed during this time, as this worship is for desired contemplation. What are the meritorious fields which, by taking refuge in them, all men and women can attain the Shiva abode? Please tell us.

Chapter Twelve: Description of Moksha-Granting Meritorious Fields

Suta Ji said, "O learned and wise Maharshis, I am describing the Shiva fields that grant liberation. The expanse of this earth, including mountains, forests, and jungles, is 50 crore yojanas. By the will of Lord Shiva, the earth has sustained all. Lord Shiva has created Shiva fields in various places on earth to grant liberation to the beings there. Some fields have been made their dwelling places by gods and sages, hence their sanctity has increased. Many pilgrimage sites have manifested on their own. Upon going to a pilgrimage site, a person should always bathe, donate, and chant, otherwise, the person becomes subject to diseases, poverty, and other defects. A person who dies in their own country, due to the merit of this, is reborn as a human, but a sinful person attains a bad state. O Brahmins, sinful deeds performed in meritorious fields become more firmly rooted. Therefore, one should avoid performing sinful deeds while residing in meritorious fields. On the banks of the Sindhu and Sutlej rivers, there are many meritorious fields. The Saraswati river is supremely pure and has 60 mouths, meaning it has 60 streams. By residing on the banks of these streams, the supreme abode is attained. The holy Ganga, originating from the Himalayas, is a river with 100 mouths. On its banks are meritorious fields like Kashi and Prayag. When the sun is in Capricorn, the Ganga's banks become more auspicious and merit-granting. The Bhadra river has 10 streams. When Jupiter enters Capricorn, it becomes extremely pure and bestows eightfold fruits. Bathing and performing rituals here at this time grants the Vinaayaka abode. The holy Mahanadi Narmada has 24 mouths. By bathing in it and residing on its banks, a person attains the Vaishnava abode. Tamasa has 12 mouths, and the Reva has 10 mouths. The supremely pure Godavari has 21 mouths. It destroys the sins of Brahmahatya and cow slaughter and grants the Rudra Loka. The Krishnaveni river destroys all sins. It has 18 mouths and grants the Vishnu Loka. The Tungabhadra has 10 mouths and grants the Brahma Loka. The Suvarnamukhi has nine mouths. Beings returning from Brahma Loka are born on the banks of this river. The Saraswati river, Pampa Sarovar, Kanyakumari Antareep, and the auspicious Kakashweta river are all meritorious fields. By residing on their banks, Indra Loka is attained. The great river Kaveri is supremely meritorious. It has 27 mouths. It grants all desired [music] and Shiva Loka. In Navasharani and Badrinath Ashram, by bathing and worshipping when the sun and Jupiter are in Aries, Brahma Loka is attained. When the sun transits into Leo and Cancer, bathing in the Sindhu river and drinking the water of Kedarnath Tirth is considered knowledge-bestowing. When Jupiter is in Leo, bathing in the waters of Godavari in the month of Bhadrapada grants Shiva Loka, as Lord Shiva Himself said. When the sun and Jupiter are in Virgo, bathing in the Yamuna and Sonbhadra grants great enjoyment in the abodes of Dharmaraja and Ganesha, according to the belief of the Maharshis. When the sun and Jupiter are in Libra, bathing in the Kaveri river, by the glory of Lord Vishnu's words, grants the desired fruit. When the sun and Jupiter are in Scorpio in the month of Margashirsha, bathing in the Narmada grants the Vishnu abode. When the sun and Jupiter are in Sagittarius, bathing in the Suvarnamukhi river grants Shiva Loka. When the sun and Jupiter are in Capricorn in the month of Magha, bathing in the Ganga grants Shiva Loka. After Shiva Loka, after enjoying bliss in the abodes of Brahma and Vishnu, a person ultimately attains knowledge. In the month of Magha, when the sun is in Aquarius, the shraddha, pind daan, or tilak daan performed on the banks of the Ganga in the month of Phalguna liberates many generations of ancestors from both the father's and maternal grandfather's lineages. By residing on the banks of the Ganga and Kaveri rivers, sins are destroyed. Tamrapani and Vegavud [music] do not yield fruit. By resolving to spend life in a meritorious field and residing there, all past sins are immediately destroyed, as merit is said to be wealth-bestowing. O Brahmins, residing in a pilgrimage site destroys all physical, verbal, and mental sins. Mental sins committed in a pilgrimage site follow for many kalpas and are destroyed only by meditation. Verbal sins are destroyed by chanting, and physical sins are destroyed by severe penance, like drying the body. Therefore, a person desiring happiness should avoid sin while worshipping the gods and donating to Brahmins, and then reside in a pilgrimage site.

Chapter Thirteen: The Method and Importance of Righteous Conduct, Sandhya Vandanam, Pranava Gayatri Jap, and Agnihotra

The sages said, "Suta Ji, tell us that righteous conduct by which a learned person conquers the meritorious worlds. Describe the dharma that grants heaven and the adharma that causes the suffering of hell." Suta Ji said, "A person who follows righteous conduct is entitled to be called a Brahmin. A Brahmin who follows the conduct according to the Vedas and practices the Vedas is called a Vipra. When a person is endowed with righteous conduct, Vedic conduct, and knowledge, they are called a Dwija. A Brahmin who follows less conduct and less study of the Vedas, or a Brahmin who is a priest or servant of the king, is called a Kshatriya Brahmin. A Brahmin who is engaged in agriculture or trade and also follows proper Brahmin conduct is a Vaishya Brahmin, and one who cultivates his own field is called a Shudra Brahmin. A person who finds fault with others and is treacherous to others is called a Chandala Dwija. Among Kshatriyas, he who protects the earth is the king, and other men are considered Kshatriyas devoid of royalty. He who buys and sells goods like grain is called a Vaishya. Others are called merchants. He who is engaged in the service of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas is called a Shudra. A Shudra who plows the field should be considered a Vrishabha. All these varnas should wake up in the Brahma Muhurta, face the east, and contemplate the gods, dharma, artha, the efforts made to obtain them, and income and expenditure. In the middle part of the last prahara of the night, a person should wake up and discharge urine and feces. Go outside the house, covering the body, face north, and discharge urine and feces. Avoid sitting in places occupied by water, fire, Brahmins, and gods. Do not look in that direction after getting up. Cleanse your hands and feet and rinse your mouth eight times. Clean your teeth with a leaf of a tree. While cleaning teeth, do not use the index finger. Then, bowing to the water deities, bathe in the reservoir while chanting mantras. If you are unable to stand in water up to the throat or waist, stand in water up to the knees, sprinkle water on yourself, and bathe while chanting mantras and performing Tarpan. After that, wear clothes and also an upper garment. If you take off clothes while bathing in a river or at a pilgrimage site, do not wash them there. Take them to a well, stepwell, or home and wash them. The water that drips from wringing out clothes is for the satisfaction of a lineage of ancestors. After this, take ash according to the mantra mentioned in the Jabali Upanishad and apply it. If the ash falls before following this, the person who drops it goes to hell. For the purification of sins with the Apo Hi mantra, sprinkle water on your head and read Yas Sa Ya mantra and sprinkle water on your feet. Apo Hi has three verses. By reciting the first verse, sprinkle water on your feet, head, and heart. By reciting the second verse, sprinkle water on your head, heart, and feet.

Sprinkle and recite the third mantra, then sprinkle water on the heart, head, and feet. This type of bath is called a mantra bath. A mantra bath should be performed when touched by an impure object, when health is not good, or when water is not available during travel. In the morning Sandhya worship, chant the Gayatri mantra and offer Arghya to the sun three times. In the afternoon, chant the Gayatri mantra and offer one Arghya to the sun. In the evening, face west and offer Arghya to the sun on the ground. The Sandhya performed in the evening, two hours before sunset, has no significance. Sandhya should be performed at the correct time. If a day passes without Sandhya worship, chant the Gayatri mantra 100 times during the next Sandhya to expiate it. If 10 days are missed, chant it one lakh times, and if a month is missed, perform your Upanayana ceremony again. For the attainment of wealth, offer oblations with pure water to Ish, Gauri, Kartikeya, Vishnu, Brahma, Chandra, Yama, and other deities. Sitting on an asana in the south of a temple, in a ministry, in a wall, or at home, stabilize your intellect, bow to the deities, and after chanting the Pranava mantra, chant the Gayatri mantra. The three syllables A, U, and M of Pranava signify the unity of the soul and Brahma. Therefore, while chanting the Pranava mantra, the feeling should be that we are worshipping Brahma, the creator of the three worlds, Vishnu, the preserver, and Rudra, the destroyer. May this Omkara, the form of Brahma, inspire our organs of action, organs of knowledge, mental tendencies, and intellectual tendencies towards Dharma and knowledge, which always provide enjoyment and liberation. Those who chant the Pranava mantra while contemplating its meaning will surely attain Brahma, and those who chant it without understanding its meaning will fulfill their Brahminhood. For this purpose, a superior Brahmin should chant the Gayatri mantra one thousand times every morning. Chant it 100 times in the afternoon and 28 times in the evening. People of other Varnas should chant according to their capacity. There are six chakras within our body: Muladhara, Swadhisthana, Manipur, Anahata, Ajna, and Sahasrar. In these chakras reside Ishwara, Brahma, Vishnu, the soul, and the Supreme Being, respectively. Chant "Soham" with good intention and breath. Chanting it a thousand times grants the Brahma Loka. Chanting it 100 times grants the position of Indra. A person who chants it in a small quantity for self-protection is born in a Brahmin family. A person who chants the Gayatri mantra 12 lakh times is called a Brahmin. A Brahmin who has not chanted the Gayatri mantra one lakh times should not be engaged in Vedic rituals. If one day is missed, one should chant that many more mantras the next day in its place. Doing so pacifies sins. Wealth is obtained through Dharma. Enjoyment becomes easy through wealth. Renunciation becomes possible through enjoyment. Enjoyment obtained through wealth earned through Dharma creates attachment to enjoyments. Man obtains wealth through Dharma and attains a divine form through austerities. Renunciation of desires purifies the inner self, and from that purification, knowledge arises. In Satya Yuga, austerity is considered a good means of Dharma, and in Kali Yuga, charity. In Satya Yuga, knowledge is attained through meditation, in Treta Yuga through austerity, and in Dvapara Yuga through sacrifice. However, in Kali Yuga, knowledge is gained through the worship of idols. Adharma is violent and causes suffering. Dharma brings happiness and prosperity. Misconduct brings suffering, and good conduct brings happiness. Therefore, to achieve enjoyment and liberation, one must earn Dharma. A Brahmin attains Brahma Loka only by being given the means of livelihood for 100 years. Performing the Chandrayana vow for a thousand months is considered Brahma Loka-giving. The man who gives charity attains the world of the deity he keeps in front of him while donating, meaning the deity he wishes to please through donation. Inferior men can attain eternal happiness through austerity. Brahmins should earn wealth by accepting donations and performing sacrifices. Kshatriyas should earn wealth through their strength, and Vaishyas through agriculture and cattle rearing. By donating wealth earned through justice in this manner, the donor attains knowledge, and through knowledge, liberation becomes easy. A householder should donate wealth, grains, and all things. By eating the food of one who donates, one attains the fruits of listening to Katha and [music], donating gifted items, and purifying sins through austerity. One should divide their wealth into three parts: one for Dharma, the second for growth, and the third for enjoyment. With the wealth kept for Dharma, perform daily rituals like offering salt and performing desired actions. With the wealth kept for growth, engage in such business that brings wealth. With the wealth for enjoyment, enjoy pure pleasures. Donate one-tenth of the wealth obtained from agriculture. This purifies sins. One-tenth of the wealth obtained from business for growth should be donated. A scholar should not speak ill of others' faults. A Brahmin should also not reveal the flaws of others heard or seen due to faults. A wise person should not say anything that causes anger in the hearts of all beings. Satisfy the fire with oblations offered according to the rules at the time of both Sandhyas. Prepare Sthali Pak with rice, grains, ghee, fruits, flour, and Havishya, and offer them to the sun and fire in the appropriate manner. If unable to perform Agnihotra at both times, chant and worship the sun during Sandhya. Those who desire self-knowledge and wealthy individuals should worship in this manner. Those who always perform Brahma Yajna, worship deities, fire, and gurus daily, and offer food and dakshina to Brahmins, are entitled to heaven. Chapter 14 describes Agni Yajna, Deva Yajna, and Brahma Yajna. The Rishis said, "Lord, by describing Agni Yajna, Deva Yajna, and Brahma Yajna, you have made us fulfilled." Sutaji said, "Maharshis, for householders, offering two handfuls of rice and other materials into the fire in the morning and evening is Agni Yajna. For Brahmacharins, offering Samidha into the fire is Agni Yajna, meaning offering materials into the fire is their Agni Yajna. For Brahmins until their marriage, offering Samidha into the fire, observing vows, and chanting are their Agni Yajna. For Vanaprasthas and Sanyasis who have immersed the fire and established it in their soul, Agni Yajna is to eat wholesome and pure food at the appropriate time. For Brahmins, offering oblations to the fire in the evening brings wealth, and offering oblations to the Sun God in the morning increases lifespan. During the day, the fire god enters the sun; therefore, offering oblations to the sun in the morning is like Agni Yajna. The oblations offered into the fire with the intention of obtaining Indra and all other deities are called Deva Yajna. The rituals performed in the worldly fire are Deva Yajna. Sacrifice performed regularly and according to rules to please the deities is Deva Yajna. The daily study and recitation of Vedas are called Brahma Yajna. Man should perform Brahma Yajna daily for the satisfaction of the deities. This can be done in the morning and evening. How is Deva Yajna performed without fire? Listen to this with faith and respect. In the beginning of creation, the omniscient and omnipotent Mahadeva Shiva, for the welfare of all worlds, conceived the days of the week. Lord Shiva is the physician to remove the disease of the world. He is the knower of all and the medicine of all herbs. Lord Shiva first created his day, which bestows health. Thereafter, he created the day of his Maya Shakti, which bestows wealth. To protect a child suffering from misfortune at birth, the day of Kumara was conceived. To remove laziness and sin and with the desire to benefit all worlds, the day of the world protector Lord Vishnu was created. After this, Shiva created the day of Parmeshthi Brahma, the creator of the three worlds, the giver of life, for strength and protection. For the growth of the three worlds, after the creation of merit and demerit, the days of Indra and Yama, who give auspicious and inauspicious results to people, were created. These days bestow enjoyment and remove the fear of death. Thereafter, Lord Shiva appointed the seven planets as the lords of these days. All these planets are established in the luminous sphere of constellations. The lord of Shiva's day is the Sun. The lord of Shakti's day is Soma. The lord of Kumara's day is Mangala. The lord of Vishnu's day is Budha. The lord of Brahma's day is Brihaspati. The lord of Indra's day is Shukra. And the lord of Yama's day is Shani. The worship of deities on their respective days yields their fruits. The Sun gives health, and the Moon gives wealth. Budha removes ailments and bestows intellect. Brihaspati increases lifespan. Shukra bestows enjoyment, and Shani prevents death. The fruits of these seven days are obtained by worshipping their respective deities. The fruits of worshipping other deities are also given by Lord Shiva. There are five methods of worship to please the deities: first, chanting their mantras; second, Homa; third, charity; fourth, austerity; and fifth, worshipping the deity with 16 Upacharas on an altar, in an idol, in fire, or in the body of a Brahmin. For the peace of diseases of both eyes and head, and for the pacification of leprosy, worship Lord Surya and feed Brahmins. This destroys old age and diseases if strong destiny is formed. Chanting the name mantras of the Ishta Devta yields fruits according to the day of the week. On Sundays, offer specific items to Lord Surya and other deities, and to other Brahmins. This practice yields specific fruits and pacifies sins. On Mondays, worship Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity, and feed Brahmins food cooked in ghee along with your wife. On Tuesdays, worship Kali for the pacification of diseases. Feed Brahmins food containing urad, moong, and arhar dal. On Wednesdays, worship Lord Vishnu with food mixed with curd. Doing so brings sons and friends. Those who desire long life should worship deities on Thursdays with clothes, sacred thread, and kheer mixed with ghee. For the attainment of enjoyments, worship deities with a focused mind on Fridays and offer food mixed with sweet juice to Brahmins for their satisfaction. For the happiness of women, arrange for beautiful clothes. Saturdays prevent untimely death. On this day, worship Rudra. Satisfy the deities by performing Homa and charity with sesame seeds and feed Brahmins food mixed with sesame seeds. By worshipping deities in this manner, one attains health and excellent fruits. Daily special worship of deities, bathing, charity, Homa, and oblations to Brahmins, and on days with special combinations of dates and constellations like Sunday, etc., Lord Shiva, the Lord of the universe, is worshipped in the form of those deities and bestows health and other fruits to all. Mahadeva Ji, keeping in mind the country, time, recipient, materials, and the world, bestows health and other fruits to those who worship him. At the beginning of auspicious tasks, at the end of inauspicious tasks, and on the arrival of birth constellations, householders should worship the Sun planet in their homes for the prosperity of health. This proves that the worship of deities bestows all desired objects. Worship should be performed according to Vedic mantras. Those who desire auspicious fruits should worship deities every day according to their capacity. Poor people should worship deities through austerity and vows, and wealthy people through wealth. A person who sincerely follows such Dharma is reborn on this earth after enjoying various fruits in the world of merit. Wealthy individuals, for the attainment of enjoyments, plant trees on the roadside to provide shade for people and arrange for water by building wells and step-wells. For the establishment of Vedic scriptures, they build schools or accumulate Dharma in any other way and attain heaven. Through the ripening of meritorious deeds at the appropriate time, when the inner self is purified, knowledge is attained. A Dvija who listens to, reads, or arranges for this chapter to be heard receives the fruit of Deva Yajna. Chapter 15: Consideration of Country, Time, Recipient, and Charity. Rishis said, "Sutaji, the best among the knowers of all substances, describe to us the country, time, and charity." Description of Country. Sutaji said, "Deva Yajna performed in one's own house yields the fruit of a pure house. A cowshed is 10 times better than a house for performing Deva Yajna, while the bank of a reservoir is 10 times better than a cowshed. And a place where the root of a Tulsi, Bel, and Peepal tree is located is 10 times more significant than the bank of a reservoir. A temple is even more significant than that. The bank of a holy land is 10 times more significant than a temple. The bank of a river and its ten parts are excellent. The bank of a holy river is even more significant. The bank of the Saptaganga, which includes Ganga, Godavari, Kaveri, Tamraparni, Sindhu, Sarayu, and Revā rivers, is 10 times more fruitful. The sea coast is even more so, and worshipping on a mountain peak is 10 times more fruitful. And the most significant place is where the mind finds pleasure. Description of Time. In Satya Yuga, complete fruits are obtained through sacrifice and charity. In Treta Yuga, one-third of the fruits are obtained, in Dvapara Yuga, half, and in Kali Yuga, even less. However, worship performed with a pure heart yields fruits. Worship on the day of Surya Sankranti yields twice the fruit, worship on the Sankrantis of Libra and Aries yields 10 times more fruit, and worship during a lunar eclipse yields 10 times more fruit than that. Worship during a solar eclipse yields 10 times more fruit than that. The company of great souls is as purifying as millions of solar eclipses, as wise men believe. Description of Recipients. Ascetics and knowledge-oriented yogis are worthy of worship because they destroy sins. A Brahmin who has chanted the Gayatri mantra 24 lakh times is also worthy of worship. He is the giver of all time and enjoyment. A Brahmin purified by chanting Gayatri is supremely pure, hence he is the pure recipient for all actions like charity, chanting, Homa, and worship. A man or woman who is hungry is worthy of receiving food charity. If an object is given to someone who desires it without being asked, the donor receives the full fruit of that donation. Charity given after being asked yields only half the fruit. Charity given to a servant yields one-fourth the fruit. Donating wealth to a poor Brahmin provides the donor with enjoyment for 10 years on this earth. Donating to a Vedic scholar yields divine enjoyment for 10 years of the gods' years in heaven. Wealth received as Guru Dakshina is called pure wealth. Its donation yields complete fruit. Wealth earned by Kshatriyas through valor, by Vaishyas through trade, and by Shudras through service is excellent wealth. Description of Charity. One should donate 12 items: cow, land, sesame seeds, gold, ghee, clothes, grains, jaggery, silver, salt, pumpkin, and Kushmanda. Donating a cow removes all sins and strengthens meritorious deeds. Donating land provides shelter in the afterlife. Donating sesame seeds bestows strength and prevents death. Donating gold bestows virility, and donating ghee bestows strength. Donating clothes increases lifespan. Donating grains brings prosperity of food and wealth. Donating jaggery brings sweet food. Donating silver increases virility. Donating salt brings the taste of six flavors. Donating pumpkin or Kushmanda is considered strength-giving. Donating a daughter provides enjoyment for a lifetime. Always donate objects that satisfy the senses like hearing, etc. Receiving Vedas and scriptures from a Guru and performing actions yields fruits. This is called high-class faith. Faith born out of fear of brothers, relatives, or kings is of a lower category. A person who lacks wealth should worship through speech and actions. Pilgrimage and vows are considered physical worship. Austerity and charity should always be performed by humans. Whatever is donated for the satisfaction of deities bestows all kinds of enjoyments. This leads to a good birth in this world and the hereafter and easily accessible enjoyment. Liberation is attained by dedicating everything to God and performing sacrifices and charity with intellect. Chapter 16: Worship of Deities' Idols and the Scientific Form of the Shivalinga. Rishis said, "Sutaji, the best among saints, tell us the method of worshipping the idols of deities, which yields desired fruits." Sutaji said, "Maharshis, by worshipping idols made of clay, the desires of men and women are fulfilled. For this, bring clay from a river, pond, well, or underwater, and purify it with fragrant substances. Then, add milk and make a beautiful idol with your own hands. Worship the idol with respect in the Padmasana posture. Always worship the idols of Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu, Shiva, Parvati, and the Shivalinga. For the fulfillment of all desires, worship with 16 Upacharas. Worship a Shivalinga established by a human with one seer of Naivedya. Offer three seers of Naivedya to a Shivalinga established by deities, and worship a self-manifested Shivalinga with five seers of Naivedya. This leads to the attainment of Satya Loka with the fulfillment of desires. The measure of the Linga is 12 angulas wide and 25 angulas long, and the plate made of iron or wood, 15 angulas high, is called Shiva. Bathing it purifies the soul, applying scent bestows merit, offering Naivedya bestows lifespan, and offering incense bestows wealth. The lamp bestows knowledge, and Tambula bestows enjoyment. Therefore, offer the six limbs of worship like bath, etc. For those who desire नमस्कार and chanting, and complete bathing and liberation, chanting and नमस्कार should always be done at the end of worship. A person who worships a particular deity attains the world of that deity and enjoys the appropriate fruits in the intermediate worlds. O Maharshis, Shri Ganesha is worshipped in the Bhuloka. One who worships him according to the prescribed method on the dates, days, and constellations determined by Shiva, all their sins and sorrows are removed, and they are suitable for Shraddha and other rituals for the fulfillment of desires. The latter part of the day is good for divine deeds. The word 'puja' is not properly defined in the Vedas. 'Puh' means the fulfillment of enjoyment and fruits. The action by which this is accomplished is called Puja. Desired objects and knowledge are desired things. The meaning of the word 'puja' is well-known in the world and Vedas. Daily rituals yield fruits in the future. Continuous worship fulfills good wishes and destroys sins. Similarly, the worship of Lord Vishnu and other deities, keeping in mind the days, dates, and constellations of those deities, and the worship and Bhajan of other deities with their respective days and 16 Upacharas, bestows desired fruits. Worship of Shiva in the months and days of the week, and offering food and enjoyment, bestows enjoyment and liberation. Worship of deities in the month of Kartik is especially fruitful. It is appropriate for scholars to worship all deities in this month. Perform chanting, austerity, Homa, and charity with restraint and rules, because worshipping deities in the month of Kartik removes all sorrows. On Sundays in the month of Kartik, one who worships the Sun and donates oil and cotton, even leprosy is cured. One who dedicates his body and mind to Shiva throughout his life, Shiva grants him liberation. Due to the inclusion of the Yoni and Linga in the form of Shiva, they are the origin of the world. For this reason, there is a separate method of worshipping Shiva to cease birth. The entire world is in the form of Bindu and Nada. Bindu is Shakti, and Nada is Shiva. Therefore, the entire world is in the form of Shiva and Shakti. Nada is the basis of Bindu, and Bindu is the basis of this world. The contained or dissolved form of the half is in the basis. This is Sakalikaran. It is in this state of Sakalikaran that the world began in the era of creation. The Shivalinga is in the form of Bindu and Nada, hence it is called the cause of the world. Bindu is the deity, and Nada is Shiva. Their combined form is called the Shivalinga. Therefore, to escape the cycle of birth, one should worship the Shivalinga. The Devi Uma, in the form of Bindu, is the mother, and Lord Shiva, in the form of Nada, is the father. By worshipping these mother and father, supreme bliss is attained. Devi Uma is the mother of the world, and Shiva is the father of the world. Their grace constantly increases on the son who serves them. They bestow their inner splendor upon the worshipper. Therefore, by considering the Shivalinga as the form of parents and worshipping it, inner joy is attained. Bharga, meaning Shiva, is the male form, and Bharga, meaning Shakti, is called Prakriti. The male is the primal seed because he is the progenitor of Prakriti. The birth that occurs from the union of the male with Prakriti is called its first birth. The soul repeatedly experiences birth and death from the male. Its manifestation through Maya is called its birth. The soul's body is endowed with six defects from birth, hence it is called the soul. A creature that takes birth and falls into various bonds is a soul. The more a soul tries to escape the bonds of animality, the more entangled it becomes. No means can free the soul from the cycle of birth and death. Only through Shiva's grace does the soul receive the favor of Mahamaya and progress on the path of liberation. To be freed from the bondage of birth and death, one should worship the Shivalinga with faith. Prepare Panchamrita by mixing cow's milk, curd, and ghee with honey and sugar, and keep them separately. Bathe the Shivalinga with Panchamrita. Prepare Naivedya by mixing milk and grains and offer it to Lord Shiva while chanting the Pranava mantra. Pranava is known as Nada Linga due to its sound, self-manifested Linga, and Nada form, and Bindu Linga due to its Bindu form. A Shivalinga established immovably is considered the M-form, hence it is called Makara Linga. The U-form Linga is used in processions. The Guru who bestows initiation in worship, being a symbol of the form of the Acharya, has six types of form Lingas. By worshipping them daily, the seeker becomes liberated while living. Chapter 17: The Greatness of Pranava and the Glory of Shiva Loka. Rishis said, "Great sage, narrate to us the greatness of the Pranava mantra and the method of Shiva devotion and worship." Greatness of Pranava. Sutaji said, "Maharshis, you are rich in austerity, and you have asked a very beautiful question for the welfare of humans. I am answering it in simple language. The name of the ocean of the world, born from Prakriti, is Pranava. The boat to cross it is its form. Therefore, Omkara is called Pranava. Pra means universe, Na means not, and Va means for you. Therefore, Om is known by the name Pranava. That is, Pranava is the power in which there is no universe or deception for the soul. This Pranava mantra grants liberation to all devotees. It gives new knowledge to those who chant the mantra or worship it. Maheswara, who is free from Maya, is also called Nava, meaning new. They are the pure form of the Supreme Being. Pranava gives the devotee the form of Shiva. Therefore, scholars know it by the name Pranava because it reveals nine divine supreme knowledge. Therefore, it is Pranava. Pranava has two forms: gross and subtle. Om is the subtle Pranava, and Namah Shivaya is the Panchakshara mantra, the gross Pranava. For a liberated soul, the chanting of the subtle Pranava is prescribed, as it is the essence of all practices. Until the dissolution of the body, chanting the subtle Pranava mantra leads to the contemplation of the Supreme Being. Upon the destruction of the body, one attains Shiva, the form of Brahma. By chanting this mantra 36 crore times, a person becomes a yogi. This is Pranava, including the A, U, M, Bindu, and Nada, meaning the three long vowels A, U, M, and their matras. It resides in the hearts of yogis. It is the destroyer of all sins. A is Shiva, U is Shakti, and M is their unity. Earth, water, fire, air, and ether – the five elements, and sound, touch, etc. – the five sensory objects, are the subjects of human desire, totaling 10 things. Those who perform actions with the hope of these are called Pravritti Margis. And those who perform actions according to scriptures without desire are called Nivritti Margis. At the beginning of the Vedas and during the Sandhya Vandana at both times, the U-kara should be used first. By chanting Pranava nine crore times, a person becomes pure. Then, by chanting nine crore times, the earth, then the fire, then the air, and then by chanting nine crore times, the scent is perfected. A Brahmin becomes an enlightened and pure yogi by chanting the Omkara mantra one thousand times daily. Then, having controlled his senses, he chants five crore times and attains Shiva Loka. Shiva yogis are of three types through the combination of action, austerity, and chanting. One who is engaged in worship to obtain the Ishta Devta by collecting worship materials with wealth and splendor and offering नमस्कार etc. with the limbs is called Kriya Yogi. One who eats limited food while engaged in worship and conquers and controls the external senses is called Tapo Yogi. One who performs all actions with pure intention, possessing all virtues, and constantly chants with a calm heart is called Japa Yogi. A person who worships Shiva yogis with 16 Upacharas becomes pure and attains liberation. Description of Japa Yoga. Rishis, now I will describe Japa Yoga to you. First, a person should purify their mind and chant the Panchakshara mantra, Namah Shivaya. This mantra bestows Siddhis. At the beginning of this Panchakshara mantra, one should chant Omkara. After receiving the initiation of the Panchakshara mantra from the Guru's mouth, from the first day of the dark fortnight to the fourteenth day, the sadhaka should eat limited food once a day, remain silent, control the senses, serve parents, and chant the Panchakshara mantra one thousand times regularly. Only then is their Japa Yoga pure. While constantly contemplating Lord Shiva, chant the Panchakshara mantra five lakh times. During the chanting, meditate on Shiva's auspicious form. Imagine that Lord Shiva is seated on a lotus throne, his head adorned with the Ganga and the crescent moon. On his left side, Goddess Uma is seated. Many Shiva Ganas stand there, gazing at his unparalleled beauty. Mentally remember SadaShiva repeatedly and worship him mentally before the sun disc. Facing east, chant the Panchakshara mantra. During those days, the sadhaka should perform pure deeds and avoid impure deeds. On the day of completion of chanting, the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, purified with a pure heart, chant 12 thousand times. Thereafter, choose five Brahmin devotees symbolizing Ishana, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Vamadeva, and Sadyojata, and worship Shiva according to the prescribed method and begin the Homa. Purify the land according to the prescribed method and ignite the fire on the altar. Offer 1100 or 1000 oblations with cow's ghee yourself, or have 108 oblations offered by Brahmins. As dakshina, a cow or a bull should be given. Wash the feet of the five Brahmins as symbols and sprinkle that water on your head. Doing so yields the fruit of bathing in innumerable holy places instantly. After this, feed the Brahmins sumptuously and pray to Lord Shiva. Then, by chanting five lakh times, all sins are destroyed. By chanting five lakh more times, one gains authority over the 14 worlds from the earth to Satya Loka. Further, Karma Maya and Jnana Maya. Karma Maya means Lakshmi, from which karmic enjoyment is obtained, hence it is called Maya or Karma Maya. From this, knowledge enjoyment is obtained, hence it is also called Maya or Jnana Maya. Below the above limit are perishable enjoyments, and above are eternal enjoyments. In perishable enjoyments, the soul, following desirous actions, wanders through various births and worlds. Worshippers devoted to Bindu worship wander in the lower worlds. Those who worship the Shivalinga without desire go to the upper worlds. Below is the Karma Loka, where worldly beings reside. Above is the Jnana Loka, where liberated souls reside and perform spiritual worship. Further, description of Shiva Loka's glory. Those who worship Lord Shiva with truth and non-violence transcend the cycle of time. Above the limit of the Lord of the Cycle of Time is the Maheshwara Loka. Above that, in the form of a bull, is the state of Dharma. Its four legs are truth, purity, non-violence, and compassion. It stands at the very door of Shiva Loka. Forgiveness is its horns, calmness is its ears. It is adorned with the sound of Vedic hymns. Devotion is its eyes, and faith and intellect are its mind. Actions are the bull of Dharma, upon which Shiva rides. The lifespan of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh is called a Kalpa. There are 14 worlds up to Satya Loka of causal Brahma, which are beyond the five material scents. Above them are 14 worlds of causal Vishnu, and above them are 28 worlds of causal Rudra. Then there are 56 worlds of Akash Shiva. At the very top is Kailasa, covered by five sheaths, where there is the Linga formed by the union of five mandalas, five Brahma Kalpas, and the Adi Shakti, which is called Shivalaya. There resides the Supreme Being Shiva, endowed with Para Shakti. He is skilled in actions like creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace. By worshipping deities through daily rituals, one realizes the Shiva Tattva. Those upon whom Shiva's merciful glance has fallen are all liberated. Experiencing bliss in one's own soul is the means of liberation. A person who realizes Shiva through the dharmas of action, austerity, chanting, knowledge, and meditation and attains liberation, his ignorance is removed by Lord Shiva. Further, the sincere devotee of Shiva. After chanting five lakh times, for the pleasure of Lord Shiva, Mahabhoga Van Shiva is very pleased. The body of a Shiva devotee is itself Shiva. Those who are devotees of Shiva and know all the Vedic rituals, the more they chant Shiva mantras, the more they become similar to Shiva. The form of a Shiva devotee woman is that of Goddess Parvati, and by chanting mantras, the proximity of the Goddess is attained. The sadhaka, becoming Shiva himself, should worship Parashakti, i.e., Parvati, by drawing a picture of Shakti, Linga, or by creating their forms from clay, performing Prana Pratishtha, and worshipping them. Considering the Shivalinga as Shiva and oneself as Shakti, and the Shakti Linga as the Goddess, worship. Shiva, being the Shiva mantra, is the form of Shiva. One who worships him with 16 Upacharas attains the desired fruits. After worship, Shiva is pleased with scholars through the service of Shiva devotees. Invite five, ten, or 100 Shiva devotees and feed them with respect. By worshipping with sincere devotion and Shiva consciousness, one is not born again on this earth. Chapter 18: Discussion of Bondage and Liberation and the Secret of Shiva Wearing Ash. Rishis said, "Sutaji, the best among the omniscient, what are bondage and liberation? Please be merciful and enlighten us." Sutaji said, "Maharshis, I am describing the nature and means of bondage and liberation for you. Due to the eight bonds of the earth, the soul is called Jiva. That is, the soul bound by bonds is called bound, and one who is free from those bonds is called liberated. The body is created from the group of eight elements: Prakriti, intellect, the three Gunas, ego, and the five Tanmatras. From the body comes action, and from action, a new body is created. The body should be known in terms of gross, subtle, and causal. The gross body performs actions, the subtle body provides sensory enjoyment, and the causal body provides the experience of self-bliss. Through actions, the soul experiences sin and merit. From these, happiness and sorrow are obtained. Therefore, bound by the noose of action, the soul is rotated like a wheel by auspicious and inauspicious actions. To escape this, one should praise and worship Lord Shiva, the doer of the great cycle. Shiva is omniscient, perfect, and possesses infinite powers. Those who worship the Shivalinga or devotees with mind, speech, body, and wealth, feeling Shiva in them, Shiva's grace is surely upon them. Worship should be performed by feeling Shiva in the idol of Shiva in the Shivalinga and in the devotees for their pleasure. Worship can be done with body, mind, speech, and wealth. Lord Shiva bestows special grace upon those who worship him and grants them the fortune of residing in his world. When the Tanmatras."

When the mind is under control, the soul receives the curse of Shiva along with Jagadamba. Upon receiving the Lord's prasad, the intellect comes under control. Completeness and contentment are Shiva's glories. By attaining these, a person attains liberation. Therefore, to receive Shiva's grace and prasad, one should worship Him. Shiva's actions, Shiva's penance, Shiva's mantra chanting, Shiva's knowledge, and Shiva's meditation should be performed daily from morning until sleep, from birth until death. And Shiva should be worshipped with mantras and various flowers. By doing so, one attains the abode of Lord Shiva. The sages said, "O Sutaji, who follows excellent vows, please tell us how the Shivalinga should be worshipped." Sadaji said, "O Brahmins, I am describing to you the form of the Linga that fulfills all desires. The subtle Linga is formless, and the gross Linga is the Pnachakshara mantra, which is called the gross Linga. Both Lingas grant liberation. Only Lord Shiva knows the forms of the feminine and masculine Lingas, and no one else knows. There are five Lingas on Earth, whose descriptions I shall tell you. The first is the Swayam Linga, the second is the Bindu Linga, the third is the Pratishthita Linga, the fourth is the Chara Linga, and the fifth is the Guru Linga. Lord Shiva, pleased by the penance of the Devarshis, manifested in seed form within the Earth to appear before them. Like the sprouts of trees, they emerge from the earth as the Nada Linga, piercing the ground. Due to its self-manifestation, it is called the Swayambhu Linga. Worshipping it increases knowledge. Write the Pranava mantra by hand on gold, silver, or earth and consecrate and invoke Lord Shiva, and worship Him with sixteen services. By doing so, the devotee attains wealth. The gods and sages established the Purusha Linga for self-realization through the chanting of mantras. This is called the Pratishthita Linga. A Linga established by a Brahmin or a king with mantras is also called the Pratishthita Linga, but it is a natural Linga. The powerful and eternal Purusha Linga is called the Purusha Linga, and the weak and impermanent natural Linga is called the Prakrita Linga. The spiritual Linga residing in the navel, heart, and head is called the Chara Linga. Mountains are considered the Purusha Linga, and the Earth is considered the Prakrita Linga by the wise. The Purusha Linga bestows all glories. The Prakrita Linga bestows wealth. Among the Chara Lingas, the Rasa Linga is the first to grant the desired object to Brahmins. The Suvarna Linga is for Vaishyas, the Bana Linga for Kshatriyas, and the Sundara Linga for Shudras, granting great purity. The worship of the Shivalinga in crystal during childhood, youth, and old age grants all enjoyments to women. Perform all worship with the help of a Guru. After consecrating the Ishta Deva, offer kheer made of rice and milk, and naivedya. A person who has completed their duties should worship the subtle Linga with Vibhuti. The purification of the earth, iron vessels, grains, sesame seeds, clothes, etc., is done with the ashes of the worlds. Ashes generated from the Vedas should be worn at the end of Vedic rituals. Burn the wood of the Bilva tree while chanting the mantra of the embodied Shiva. Light the fire with the dung of the Kapila cow and the wood of Shami, Peepal, Palash, Amaltas, and Ber. This is considered pure ash. Lord Shiva, by burning the universe residing in His throat, accepted the essence in the form of ash. All His limbs are the essence of various objects. Lord Shiva bears the essence of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra in the tilak on His forehead. Worshiping Shiva by wearing wet ash yields complete results. Wearing ash with the Shiva mantra leads to the best ashram. Those who worship Shiva are not considered impure or subject to Sutak. The Guru destroys the Rajasic, Tamasic, and Tamoguna of the disciple and imparts the knowledge of Shiva. Ash should be worn from the hands of such a Guru. Birth and death are both created by Lord Shiva. He who dedicates them to His service becomes free from bondage. Liberation is attained by controlling the gross, subtle, and causal. He who is devoted to Shiva's worship, remains silent, is endowed with truth and virtues, and performs actions, chanting, and penance, attains divine glory and the dawn of knowledge. Shiva devotees should perform actions and rituals accordingly and reside in Shiva's abode using wealth. Propagate the glory of Lord Shiva before everyone. No one except Him knows the secret of the Shiva mantra. Therefore, worship the Shivalinga daily. Chapter 19, "The Secret of Worship," describes the different types of worship. The sages said, "O Sutaji, please grace us by describing the glory of the Parthiva Maheshwara, which you heard from Veda Vyasji." Sutaji said, "O sages, I am describing the Parthiva worship method that grants both enjoyment and liberation. The Parthiva Linga is the best among all Lingas. Worshipping it yields desired fruits. Many gods, demons, humans, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rakshasas have attained many siddhis by worshipping the Shivalinga. Just as gems were important in Satya Yuga, gold in Treta Yuga, and mercury in Dwapara Yuga, similarly, the Parthiva Linga is very important in Kali Yuga. Worshipping the Shiva idol yields even more fruit than that. Just as the Ganga River is considered the best and holiest among all rivers, similarly, the Parthiva Linga is the best among all Lingas. Just as Shivaratri is the best among all vows, and divine power is the best among all divine powers, similarly, the Parthiva Linga is the best among all Lingas. The worship of the Parthiva Shivalinga bestows wealth, prosperity, longevity, and Lakshmi, and fulfills all tasks. The person who makes the Parthiva Linga of Lord Shiva and worships it daily attains Shiva's abode and Shiva Loka. Those who worship with a selfless attitude attain liberation. A person born in a Brahmin family who does not worship attains hell. Chapter 20, "The Method of Linga Worship," describes the method of Linga worship. While describing the superiority and glory of the Parthiva Linga, Sutaji said, "O great sages, for those humans who have faith and devotion in Vedic actions, the Parthiva Linga worship method is the most useful and superior, and it bestows both enjoyment and liberation. First, bathe according to the Shrauta method. After performing Upasana, perform Brahmayajna. Then, offer oblations to the gods, sages, humans, and ancestors. After performing all daily rituals, remembering Lord Shiva, wear Vibhuti and Rudraksha. Then, with complete devotion, worship the Parthiva Linga. By doing so, all desired fruits are obtained. Parthiva worship should be performed on the bank of a river or pond, on a mountain, in a forest, in a Shiva temple, or any other holy place. The Shivalinga should be made from the soil of a holy place. Brahmins should make the Shivalinga from white soil, Kshatriyas from red soil, Vaishyas from yellow soil, and Shudras from black soil. Collect the soil for the Shivalinga, purify it with Ganga water, and slowly construct the Linga. And for liberation from the world, worship the Parthiva Linga with devotion. First, chanting the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya,' gather all worship materials and purify them with water. Establish the field with the Bharsi mantra. Then, consecrate the water. Make a circle of a crystal slab and purify the field. Then, consecrate the Shivalinga and worship it according to Vedic tradition. Invoke Lord Shiva and establish Him on a seat, and then sit on a seat before Him. Bathe the Shivalinga with milk, curd, and ghee. Bathe it with honey and sugar. These five substances – milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar – are called Panchamrita. Bathe the Linga with these substances. Then, wear the upper garment. Reciting the four Vedas, offer clothes and the sacred thread to Lord Shiva, and apply fragrant sandalwood and roli. Offer akshata, flowers, and Bilva leaves. Offer naivedya and fruits, and worship the 11 Rudras, and give dakshina to the priest performing the worship. Worship the Parthiva Linga by the names of various forms of Shiva like Maheswara, Shambhu, Shoolapani, Pinaka Dhari Shiva, Pashupati Mahadeva, Girijapati, etc., and perform Aarti. Circumambulate the Shivalinga and offer prostrations to Lord Shiva. Worship properly with the Pnachakshara mantra and sixteen services. While worshipping thus, pray to Lord Shiva in this way: "O Lord Shiva, the bestower of happiness and prosperity to all, O repository of grace, O Lord of beings, you reside in my soul. Your qualities are my soul. You are my everything. My mind always contemplates you. O Lord, if I have ever worshipped you with devotion, whether by mistake or knowingly, may it be successful. I am a great sinner, fallen, while you are the savior of the fallen. O Mahadeva, Sadashiva, you are the supreme knower of the essence of the Vedas, Puranas, and Shastras. No one knows you completely yet. Then how can a sinful person like me know you? O Maheshwara, I am completely under your control. O Lord, please be pleased with me and protect me." After praying thus, offer flowers and akshata to Lord Shiva, bow, and respectfully immerse Him. "O sages, the worship of Lord Shiva performed in this way bestows both enjoyment and liberation and increases devotion." Chapter 21, "The Number of Shivalingas." Sutaji said, "O sages, the worship of Parthiva Lingas yields the fruit of sacrifices. In Kali Yuga, Shivalinga worship is the best for humans. It bestows enjoyment and liberation and is the definite principle of the scriptures. Shivalingas are of three types: excellent, medium, and inferior. A beautiful Shivalinga with a pedestal four fingers high is called an excellent Shivalinga. Half of that is medium, and half of the medium is inferior. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras should worship the Shivalinga with Vedic services with respect. The sages said, "O Sutaji, what is the total number of Parthiva Lingas of Shiva?" Sutaji said, "O sages, the number of Parthiva Lingas depends on the desired wish. For the attainment of intellect, worship 1000 Parthiva Lingas with good intentions. For the attainment of wealth, worship 100,000 Lingas, and for the attainment of clothes, worship 500 Lingas. For land, worship 100,000 Lingas. For those who desire compassion, worship 3000. For those who wish to go on pilgrimage, worship 2000. And for liberation, worship 100,000,000 Parthiva Lingas according to Vedic methods. Worship Shiva Lingas according to your desires. The worship of Parthiva Lingas yields the fruit of millions of sacrifices and bestows enjoyment and liberation upon the devotee. There is nothing superior to this; it is the best. Regular worship of the Shivalinga frees a person from all calamities. Regular worship of the Shivalinga is the best means to cross the ocean of existence. The Linga should be worshipped daily according to Vedic methods. The ultimate worship of Lord Shankar should be performed. The eight forms of Lord Shankar are Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether, Sun, Moon, and the sacrificer. In addition, worship Shiva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bhima, Ishwara, Mahadeva, and Pashupati. Taking akshata, sandalwood, and Bilva leaves, worship Shiva with devotion, and worship His family, including Ishana, Nandi, Chanda, Mahakala, Bhrungi, Vrishabha, Skanda, Kapardeshwara, Shukra, and Soma, in all ten directions. After worshipping Shiva's Virabhadra and Kirtimukha, worship the 11 Rudras. Chant the Pnachakshara mantra and recite the Shatru Dviya and Shiva Panchanga. After that, circumambulate the Shivalinga and immerse the Shivalinga. At night, all divine activities should be performed facing the north. While worshipping, remember Lord Shiva in your mind. Do not sit in the east, west, or north directions where the Shivalinga is established, because the east direction faces Lord Shiva, and the Ishta Deva's face should not be obstructed. In the north direction resides the Goddess Uma in her Shakti form. The west direction is the back of Shiva, and worship cannot be done from behind. Therefore, one should sit facing north in the south direction. Shiva devotees should wear the Tripundra made of Vibhuti and worship. Chapter 22, "The Glory of Shiva Naivedya and Bilva Leaf." The sages said, "O Sutaji, we have heard before that Shiva's naivedya should not be accepted. What do the scriptures say in this regard? Please explain this and also clarify the glory of Bilva." Sutaji said, "O sages, you all follow Shiva vows, so I am happily telling you all the things. Listen carefully. The devotee of Lord Shiva who follows excellent vows and is pure and clean inside and out, i.e., worships Lord Shankar with a selfless attitude, should definitely consume Shiva's naivedya, because merely seeing the naivedya removes all sins. Accepting it yields the fruit of many virtues. Eating naivedya brings the merit of thousands and billions of sacrifices. The house where Shiva's naivedya is distributed is not only pure but also purifies other houses nearby. Therefore, accept it with bowed head, happily, and with devotion, and eat it. A person who delays in accepting or taking it is guilty of sin. For a Shiva devotee initiated by Shiva, naivedya is the great prasad. Listen carefully regarding those who have also received initiation from other deities besides Lord Shiva. O Brahmins, where the Shalagrama Shila originates, the Linga born there, the Rasa Linga, the Lingas made of stone, silver, and gold, the Lingas consecrated by gods and sages, the Kesara Linga, the crystal Linga, the gem-made Linga, and Lord Shiva residing in all Jyotirlingas – accepting the naivedya from these is as meritorious as the Chandrayana vow. Consuming Shiva naivedya and wearing it on the head also frees one from the sin of killing a Brahmin and makes a person pure. However, where there is the influence of a Chandala, the mahaprasad from there should not be consumed with devotion. For the worship of Bana Linga, iron-made Linga, Siddha Linga obtained through worship (i.e., Lingas established by Siddhas), Swayambhu Linga, and idols, where there is no influence of a Chandala, if a person, with devotion, bathes and sips that water three times, all their physical, verbal, and mental sins are destroyed. Anything offered to Lord Shiva is considered extremely pure. O Bilva, the Bilva tree is the form of Mahadeva. It is praised by the gods. All the holy places in the three worlds reside in the Bilva, because at its root resides Lord Shiva in the form of Linga. He who worships it surely attains Shiva's abode. The person who sprinkles water on their head near the root of the Bilva tree receives the fruit of bathing at all holy places. Lord Shiva is pleased and satisfied by seeing the roots of the Bilva filled with water. The person who worships the roots of the Bilva with fragrance, flowers, etc., directly goes to Shiva Loka. They attain progeny and happiness. The person who lights a lamp at the root of the Bilva with a pure heart and devotion is freed from all sins. The person who feeds a Shiva devotee Brahmin under this tree receives the fruit of feeding a hundred thousand Brahmins. Donating food cooked in milk and ghee under this tree removes poverty. O sages, there are two paths: Pravritti and Nivritti. On the path of Pravritti, performing worship fulfills desires. After this complete fulfillment of desires, offer naivedya made of Agrahani rice after the Abhishek. At the end of the worship, place the Shivalinga in a container and keep it in a pure place at home. Nivritti margi devotees should worship with their hands. Offer food obtained by alms as naivedya. For Nivritti men, the subtle Linga is the best. Worship with Vibhuti and offer Vibhuti itself. After worship, wear the Linga on the forehead. Chapter 23, "The Glory of Shiva's Name." The sages said, "O Vyasa's disciple Sutaji, greetings to you. Please grace us by narrating the glory of the supreme Rudraksha and Shiva's name." Sadaji said, "O sages, you have asked a very excellent question beneficial to all worlds. Those who worship Lord Shiva are blessed. Their human birth is successful, and their lineage is redeemed by Shiva devotion. For those who always chant the names of Shiva and Sadashiva from their mouths, sins cannot even touch them. Vibhuti, Rudraksha, and Shiva's name are like the Triveni, yielding great merit. Merely by the residence and sight of these three, one receives the fruit of bathing in the Triveni. Those in whom these reside, their very sight destroys all sins. The name of Lord Shiva is Ganga, Vibhuti (ash) is considered Yamuna, and Rudraksha is called Saraswati. Their combined Triveni destroys all sins. O excellent Brahmins, only Lord Maheshwara knows their glory. The glory of Shiva's name is that which removes all sins. Shiva's name is fire, and great sins are mountains. These mountains of sin are burnt by this fire. Merely by chanting Shiva's name, the roots of sin are destroyed. The person who is engaged in chanting Lord Shiva in this earthly world is wise, virtuous, and a knower of the Vedas. The good deeds performed by them yield results. Those who cross the ocean of existence by the boat of Shiva's name undoubtedly destroy their sins of existence. Those afflicted by the forest fire of sin should drink the nectar of Shiva's name. O Munishwar, only he who has performed penance for many births attains Shiva devotion, which destroys sins. The person in whose mind unshakeable Shiva devotion has manifested attains liberation. He who, despite committing many sins, has respectfully engaged in chanting Shiva's name is freed from all sins, without a doubt. Just as trees burnt by forest fire in a forest are reduced to ashes, similarly, all sins are burnt to ashes by the forest fire of Shiva's name. He who has purified his limbs by applying ash and chants Shiva's name with reverence crosses this unfathomable ocean of existence. After reviewing all the Vedas, the great sages have declared Shiva's name as the means to cross the ocean of the world. Even one name of Lord Shankar has the power to destroy sins to an extent that a person cannot commit so many sins. In ancient times, there was a greatly sinful king named Indradaman, and a Brahmin maiden who had committed many sins. Both attained excellent destinies due to the power of Shiva's name. O Dwija, thus I have described to you the glory of Shiva's name. Chapter 24, "The Glory of Wearing Vibhuti." Sutaji said, "O sages, now I shall tell you the glory of Vibhuti, which purifies all things. Vibhuti is of two types: Maha Vibhuti and Swalp Vibhuti. Maha Vibhuti also has many divisions. It is of three types: Shrauta, Smarta, and Laukika. Shrauta and Smarta Vibhuti are meant only for Brahmins. Laukika Vibhuti can be used by all humans. Brahmins should wear Vibhuti while chanting Vedic mantras, and other humans can wear Vibhuti without mantras. Vibhuti consecrated with cow dung cakes is called Agneya Vibhuti. It is the substance for Tripundra. Vibhuti generated from other sacrifices is also used for wearing Tripundra. According to the Jabala Upanishad, apply Vibhuti to the body after soaking it in water seven times with mantras like Agni, etc. In all three Sandhyas, the Tripundra made of Shiva Vibhuti [music] is praised by Goddess Uma and Goddess Lakshmi along with other goddesses. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, Varnashankaras, and caste-defiled men have also worn Vibhuti in the form of Urdhvalana and Tripundra. O great sages, thus, in brief, I have described the Tripundra, which is as large as the Tripundra [music] is called. Tripundra is extremely excellent and bestows both enjoyment and liberation. Each line of the Tripundra has nine deities, which are located in all the limbs. The first letter of Pranava, 'A,' represents Agnihotra, Earth, Dharma, Rajas Guna, Rigveda, Kriya Shakti, Pratah Savana, and Mahadeva – these are the nine deities of the first line of Tripundra. The second letter of Pranava, 'U,' represents Dakshina Agni, Ether, Sattva Guna, Yajurveda, Madhyahna Savana, Iccha Shakti, Antaratma, and Maheswara – these are the nine deities of the second line. The third letter of Pranava, 'M,' represents Aavaneeya Agni, Ether, Paramatma, Tamoguna, Divya Loka, Jnana Shakti, Samaveda, Tritiya Savana, and Shiva – these are the nine deities of the third line. After bathing and purifying yourself daily, wear the Tripundra with devotion in 32, 16, eight, or five places. In the head, forehead, both ears, both eyes, both nostrils, both hands, mouth, throat, both elbows, both arms, heart, both armpits, navel, both testicles, both thighs, both knees, both calves, both shins, and feet, etc., in 32 limbs, respectively, invoking the names of Agni, Vayu, Earth, countries, ten directions, ten Dikpalas, eight Vasus, Dhruva, Soma, Ama, Anil, morning, etc., wear the Tripundra with devotion. Or, with a focused mind, wear the Tripundra in 16 places: head, forehead, throat, both shoulders, both hands, both elbows, and both wrists, heart, navel, both ribs, and back. Then, worship the nine Shaktis like Ashwini Kumars, Shiva Shakti, Rudra, Isha, Narada, and Vama, and wear them in the Tripundra. In the head, hair, both ears, mouth, both hands, heart, navel, both thighs, both calves, and both feet, respectively, remembering the names of Shiva, Moon, Rudra, Brahma, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Shiva, Prajapati, Naga, both Naga Kanyas, Rishi Kanyas, oceans, holy places, etc., wear the Tripundra [music]. In the eight limbs, etc., wear Vibhuti by remembering the names of the Saptarishis and Brahmins. Or, the forehead, both arms, heart, and navel are said to be suitable places for wearing Vibhuti. Vibhuti should be consecrated considering the country and time, and Vibhuti should be mixed with water. Meditating on Lord Shiva, the three-eyed one, the basis of all qualities, the progenitor of all gods, and the creator of Brahma and Rudra, the Supreme Brahman, wear the Tripundra on the forehead and limbs while chanting the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya.' Chapter 25, "The Glory of Rudraksha." Sutaji says, "O great wise Sonaka, the embodiment of Shiva, I shall tell you the importance of Rudraksha, dear to Lord Shankar. This Rudraksha is supremely pure. Merely by seeing, touching, and chanting with it, all sins are destroyed. Its glory was narrated by Sadashiva Himself to Goddess Parvati for the welfare of all worlds. Lord Shiva said, 'O Goddess, out of love for you and for the welfare of devotees, I am describing the glory of Rudraksha. In ancient times, I performed severe penance for thousands of divine years, controlling my mind. One day, my mind suddenly became pure, and I thought that I am the independent Supreme God who benefits all worlds. Therefore, I playfully opened both my eyes. As soon as my eyes opened, a stream of tears flowed from them. From that, Rudraksha trees originated in places like Gauda, Mathura, Ayodhya, Kashi, Lanka, and Malayartha. Since then, their glory has increased, and their glory is also described in the Vedas. Therefore, the mala of Rudraksha destroys all sins and bestows devotion and liberation. Shiva devotees born in Brahmin, Vaishya, Kshatriya, and Shudra castes should wear white, red, yellow, or black Rudraksha. Humans should wear Rudraksha according to their caste. Rudraksha equal to the size of an Amla fruit is considered excellent. That equal to the size of a berry is considered medium, and Rudraksha the size of a chickpea is considered inferior. O Goddess, even a small Rudraksha like a berry is a bestower of excellent fruits in the world and increases happiness and good fortune. The Rudraksha that is equal to the size of an Amla destroys all misfortunes and fulfills all desires. The smaller the Rudraksha, the more fruitful it is. To destroy sins, wearing Rudraksha is essential. It ensures the attainment of all desired fruits. There is nothing in the world that yields results as auspicious as Rudraksha. Rudraksha of equal size, smooth, round, strong, thick, thorny, and with small raised beads, all bestow fulfillment of desires and devotion and liberation. However, abandon the five types of Rudraksha that are eaten by worms, broken, thorny, and not perfectly round. The Rudraksha that naturally has a hole for threading is considered excellent. That which has a hole made by humans is considered medium. In this world, the fruit obtained by wearing 1100 Rudraksha cannot be described. Make three such garlands as a path of devotion and wear them as the sacred thread. O great sages, Rudraksha should be worn on the head with the Ishana mantra and in the ears with the Tatpurusha mantra. One who wears Rudraksha on the neck and Tripundra on the forehead and chants the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya' does not go to Yamaloka. Chanting mantras on a Rudraksha mala yields a crore times more fruit. The three-faced Rudraksha perfects sadhana and makes one proficient in various arts. The four-faced Rudra is the form of Brahma. Merely by seeing and worshipping it, the sin of killing a Brahmin is absolved. It yields the fruit of the four Purusharthas: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. The five-faced Rudraksha is called Kalagama, i.e., Panchamukhi. It fulfills all desires and bestows liberation. It frees women from the sins of enjoyment and consumption. The six-faced Rudraksha is the form of Kartikeya. Wearing it on the right arm frees one from the sin of killing a Brahmin. Wearing the seven-faced Rudraksha brings wealth. The eight-faced Rudraksha is the form of Bhairava. Wearing it grants a long life, and upon death, one attains Shiva's abode. The nine-faced Rudraksha is considered the form of Bhairava and Sage Kapila, and Goddess Durga is considered its presiding deity. Wearing it on the left hand bestows all prosperity. The ten-faced Rudraksha is the very form of Lord Vishnu. Wearing it fulfills all desires. The eleven-faced Rudraksha is the form of Rudra. Wearing it grants victory everywhere. Wearing the twelve-faced Rudraksha in the hair bestows radiance equal to eleven suns on the forehead. The thirteen-faced Rudraksha is the form of the Vishwadevas. Wearing it brings good fortune and auspiciousness. The fourteen-faced Rudraksha is the very form of Shiva. Wearing it on the forehead with devotion destroys all sins. Thus, there are 14 types of Rudraksha based on the number of faces. O Parvati, now I shall tell you the mantras for wearing Rudraksha. The first mantra is 'Om Him Namah,' the second is 'Om Namah,' the third is 'Klim Namah,' the fourth is 'Om Hrim Namah,' the fifth is 'Om Hrim Namah,' the sixth is 'Om Hrim Hum Namah,' the seventh is 'Om Hum Namah,' the eighth is 'Om Hum Namah,' the ninth is 'Om Hum Namah,' the tenth is 'Om Hrim Hum Namah,' the eleventh is 'Om Hrim Hum Namah,' the twelfth is 'Om Hum Namah,' the thirteenth is 'Om Kram Saur Namah,' and the fourteenth is 'Om Hrim Namah.' The procedure for wearing Rudraksha with one to fourteen faces is according to these 14 mantras. The devotee should abandon sleep and laziness and wear Rudraksha with mantras with faith and devotion. Seeing a person wearing a Rudraksha mala, ghosts, demons, Pisachas, Dakinis, and Shakinis flee. Seeing a person wearing Rudraksha, I myself, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Durga, Ganesha, Surya, and other deities become pleased. Therefore, for the increase of Dharma, wear Rudraksha properly with mantras with devotion. O Munishwar, I have told you what Lord Shiva told Goddess Parvati. I have described the Videshwara Samhita before you. This Samhita bestows all siddhis and grants liberation by the command of Lord Shiva. Those who read or listen to it daily, after enjoying happiness with sons, grandsons, etc., live a happy life, and in the end, become liberated by becoming Shiva Himself. With this, the Videshwara Samhita is complete. After the Videshwara Samhita, we shall listen to the Shri Rudra Samhita. The first section of the Shri Rudra Samhita has a total of 20 chapters. So, let us begin with Chapter 1, which is the sole cause of the origin, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe. He is the husband of Girakumari Uma, whose glory is boundless. Though He is the refuge of Maya, He is far from it, and His form is rare. I worship that Lord Shankar whose Maya creates the universe. Just as iron is attracted by a magnet and hangs near it, similarly, this entire universe revolves around Him. I bow to that Lord Shiva who has described the method of creating this universe and who resides as the inner controller within everyone. The sages said, "O Sutaji, now describe to us the supreme and divine form of Lord Shiva and Parvati. How does Maheshwara exist in form before the creation of the universe, during its middle period, and at its end? How is the all-welfare-doing Lord Shiva pleased, and what excellent fruits does He bestow upon His devotees when pleased? We have heard that Lord Shiva is greatly merciful and cannot bear to see His devotees in distress. The three deities Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh are all born from Shiva's limbs. Please grace us by narrating the manifestation of Shiva, the origin of Goddess Uma, the Shiva-Uma marriage, household dharma, and Shiva's infinite exploits." Sutaji said, "O sages, your questions are like the purifying Shri Ganga River. They purify the listeners, speakers, and questioners – all three. You have an inner desire to hear this story, therefore you are worthy of thanks. O Brahmins, the form of Lord Shankar always brings joy to humans of Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic natures. Those great souls whose minds have no desires understand the qualities of Lord Shiva, because Shiva's devotion is pleasing to the mind and ears and bestows all desires. O sages, I shall describe Shiva's exploits according to your questions. Listen to them with respect. According to your questions, Narada also asked his father Brahma the same question, whereupon Brahma, pleased, narrated Shiva's exploits. I shall tell you that dialogue, because in that dialogue, the many wondrous exploits of Gauri Shankar, who liberates from the ocean of existence, are described. Chapter 2, "Narada's Lust." Sutaji said, "O sages, once upon a time, Narada, the son of Brahma, was performing penance in a cave of the Himalayas for many days. He had firmly established Samadhi and was performing penance. Upon hearing the news of his severe penance, Devraj Indra trembled. He thought that Narada Muni wanted to snatch his heavenly kingdom. As soon as this thought came, Indra tried to disrupt his penance. He summoned Kamadeva and said, 'O Kamadeva, you are my dearest friend and well-wisher. Narada is performing penance sitting in a cave in the Himalayas. It might be that he asks Brahma for my heavenly kingdom as a boon. Therefore, go there and break his penance.' Upon receiving this command, Kamadeva, along with Vasant, went to that place with great pride and displayed all his arts. Despite Kamadeva and Vasant's best efforts, no impurity arose in Narada Muni's mind. By the grace of Mahadeva, their pride was shattered. This happened because, by the grace of Mahadeva, Kamadeva had no effect on Narada Muni. Earlier, Lord Shiva had also performed penance in that hermitage. In that very place, He had burnt Kamadeva, who destroyed the penance of the sages. Seeing Kamadeva reduced to ashes, his wife Rati, weeping, pleaded with Lord Shankar to revive him, and all the gods also prayed to Shiva. Then Lord Mahadeva said that after some time, Kamadeva would revive on his own, but in this place and in the vicinity where the ashes are visible, Kamadeva's illusion and arrows of desire would have no effect. Thus, Kamadeva returned from that place, ashamed. When Devraj Indra heard that Kamadeva had no effect on Narada, he praised Narada greatly. Due to the illusion of Lord Shiva, he forgot that due to Shiva's curse, Kamadeva's illusion would not work in that place. Narada Muni continued to perform penance for a long time by the grace of Lord Shiva. Thinking his penance was complete, Narada got up, and then he remembered conquering Kamadeva. Then he felt proud in his mind that he had conquered Kamadeva. Thus, his knowledge was destroyed by pride. He could not understand that Kamadeva's defeat was due to Lord Shankar's illusion. Then, to narrate the story of his victory over desire, he quickly went to Kailash Parvat and, after bowing to Lord Shiva, narrated the success of his penance and his victory over Kamadeva. Hearing all this, Mahadeva praised him and said, 'O Narada, you are extremely blessed, but remember one thing: do not tell this news to any other deity, especially not to Lord Vishnu. This account should be kept secret from everyone. You are dear to me, so I command you not to reveal this to anyone.' But they were already enchanted by Shiva's illusion, so they went to Brahmaloka, keeping in mind the instruction given by Him. There, Brahma..."

Greetings to Lord Shiva. He said, "I have conquered Kamadeva with my penance." Hearing this, Brahma understood the entire reason by contemplating the feet of Lord Shiva and forbade his son Narada from telling this to anyone else. The seeds of pride had sprouted in Narada's mind, as a result of which his intellect was destroyed. He wanted to immediately reach Vishnu Loka and narrate this entire incident to Lord Vishnu. Therefore, he soon departed from Brahmaloka. Seeing Narada Muni arriving, Lord Vishnu rose from his throne. He embraced Narada and seated him on a seat with respect. Remembering the feet of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu asked Narada, "Narada, where are you coming from, and for what purpose has your auspicious arrival taken place in this world?" Hearing this, Narada, with arrogance, narrated the entire account of the completion of his penance and his victory over Kamadeva. Lord Vishnu had understood the real reason for Kamadeva's victory. He said to Narada, "O Narada, your fame and pure intellect are blessed. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, and delusion afflict those who are devoid of devotion. You are a celibate endowed with knowledge and detachment, so how could this lust have harmed you?" Devarshi Narada said, "O Lord, this is all the fruit of your grace. What power does Kamadeva have before your grace to harm me? I am always fearless." Saying this, Narada bowed to Lord Vishnu and departed from there.

Chapter Three: Narada's Request to Lord Vishnu for His Form. Suta said, "O great sage, after Narada's departure, by Shiva's will, Lord Vishnu created a wonderful illusion. He created a beautiful city in the direction Narada was going. That city was more enchanting than Vaikuntha Loka. There were many pleasure gardens in it. The king of that city was named Shila Nidhi. That king had a very beautiful daughter. He organized a Swayamvara for his daughter. Many princes eagerly arrived to describe his daughter. There was a lot of hustle and bustle there. Seeing the beauty of this city, Narada's mind was captivated. When King Shila Nidhi saw Narada arriving, he greeted him with respect, seated him on a golden throne, and worshipped him. Then he called his divine beautiful daughter, who bowed at the feet of the great sage. Introducing his daughter, Shila Nidhi requested, 'Great sage, this is my daughter Shrimati. Her Swayamvara has been organized. Please describe the virtues and flaws of this maiden.' Hearing the king's words, Narada said, 'O king, your daughter is Goddess Lakshmi herself. Her future husband will be as glorious as Lord Shiva, a conqueror of the three worlds, and one who can conquer Kamadeva as well.' Saying this, Narada Muni departed from there. Due to Shiva's illusion, he became subject to lust and began to think, 'How can I obtain the prince? How will she choose me, leaving aside the handsome and glorious kings who have come to the Swayamvara?' He thought, 'Women are very fond of beauty. Only by seeing beauty can Shrimati choose me.' Thinking this, Narada Muni went to Vishnu Loka again and told him about the Swayamvara of King Shila Nidhi's daughter and expressed his desire to marry that maiden. He prayed to Lord Vishnu to grant him his form so that Shrimati would choose him. Suta said, 'O great sage, hearing Narada Muni's words, Lord Madhusudan laughed and, experiencing the influence of Lord Shankar, replied thus: Lord Vishnu said, 'O Narada, you must go there. I will do your welfare in the same way a superior physician does for a suffering person, because you are very dear to me.' Saying this, Lord Vishnu gave Narada Muni the face of a monkey and his own enchanting form to the rest of his limbs. Then Narada Muni, extremely pleased, considering himself supremely beautiful, quickly arrived at the Swayamvara and sat in that royal assembly. In that assembly, Rudra Ganas were seated in the form of Brahmins. Narada's monkey-like face was visible only to the maiden and the Rudra Ganas. To everyone else, Narada's true form was visible. Narada Muni, pleased in his mind, was waiting for Shrimati. O sages, that maiden came to the Swayamvara with her friends, holding a garland in her hand. She had a beautiful golden garland in her hands. That auspicious princess was radiating unparalleled beauty like Lakshmi. Seeing Narada Muni's body like Lord Vishnu's and his monkey-like face, she became angry and, turning her gaze away from him, went forward in search of her desired groom. She became sad not finding her favorite groom in the assembly. She did not put the garland around anyone's neck. Then Lord Vishnu arrived there, dressed as the king. Seeing Lord Vishnu, that supremely beautiful maiden put the garland around his neck. Lord Vishnu immediately took the princess with him and went to his abode. Seeing this, Narada Muni became agitated. Then the Rudra Ganas, present in the form of Brahmins, said to Narada Muni, 'O Narada, you are uselessly infatuated with lust and want to win the princess by the power of beauty. First, just look at your monkey-like face.' Suta said, 'Hearing these words, Narada Muni was greatly astonished. He looked at his face in the mirror. Seeing his monkey-like face, he became extremely angry and, cursing both Rudra Ganas, said, 'You have mocked a Brahmin. Therefore, even though born in a Brahmin lineage, you will become a demon.' Hearing this, the Shiva Ganas said nothing, but considering it the will of Lord Shiva, they went to their place with indifference and began to praise Lord Shiva.

Chapter Four: Narada's Curse to Lord Vishnu. The sages said, "O Suta Ji, what did Narada do after the Rudra Ganas left, and where did they go? Please tell us about all this." Suta said, "O sages, Narada, deluded by Maya, could not understand anything even after cursing those two Shiva Ganas due to his delusion. Thereafter, becoming angry, he went to the pond and saw his reflection in the water again, and he again saw a monkey-like form. Seeing that, Narada Muni became even more enraged. He went directly towards Vishnu Loka. Upon reaching there, he said to Lord Vishnu, 'O Hari, you are very wicked. You delude the world with your deceit. You cannot see others happy. That is why you took the form of Mohini during the Sagar Manthan and snatched the pot of nectar from the demons, and instead of nectar, you made them mad by giving them wine. If Lord Shankar had not drunk the poison with compassion at that time, all your deceit would have been revealed. You prefer deceitful tricks. Lord Mahadeva has declared Brahmins to be supreme. Today I will teach you such a lesson that you will never do such a thing again. Until now, you have not encountered any powerful human, which is why you are arrogant. But now you will get the full fruit of your actions.' Narada Muni, deluded by Maya, was distressed with anger. Cursing Lord Vishnu, he said, 'Vishnu, you have made me restless for a woman. You delude everyone. You deceived me by taking the form of a king. Therefore, I curse you that you will get the same form that deceitfully deceived me. You have become a king, and in this way, you will suffer separation from women, just as I am suffering. Those monkeys whose form you have made of me will help you. You cause others the pain of separation from women, therefore you will also have to suffer this pain. Your condition will become like that of a person deluded by ignorance.' Lord Vishnu accepted the curse of Narada Muni, deluded by ignorance. Thereafter, he ended the Mohini Maya, who performed great divine plays. As soon as Maya disappeared, Narada Muni's lost knowledge returned, and his intellect became as before. All his restlessness vanished, and surprise arose in his mind. Knowing all this, Narada Muni repented greatly and, blaming his mind, fell at the feet of Lord Vishnu and began to ask for forgiveness. Narada Muni said, 'May the curse I gave you out of ignorance and Maya be false. Lord, my intellect was spoiled, that I spoke bad words for you. I have committed a great sin. O Lord, have mercy on me and tell me a way by which all my sins are destroyed. Please tell me the method of atonement.' Then Shri Vishnu lifted him up and said in sweet words, 'O great sage, do not be sad. You are my best devotee, there is no doubt about it. Narada, do not worry. You are supremely blessed. You did not obey Lord Shiva's command due to arrogance, therefore he devised this divine play to destroy your pride. He is without qualities and without form, and beyond qualities like Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. By his Maya, he has manifested the three forms of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. In his formless state, his name is Shiva. He is known by the names of the Supreme Soul, Maheshwar, Parabrahma, the indestructible, Ananta, and Mahadeva. By his command, Brahma became the creator of the universe. I am the preserver of the three worlds, and Shiva, in the form of Rudra, destroys everything. He is the witness of all Shiva forms. He is different from Maya and without qualities. He is always compassionate to his devotees. I will tell you a way to destroy all sins and grant enjoyment and liberation. Giving up all your doubts and worries, sing the glory and fame of Lord Shankar and always recite the Satnam Stotra of Shiva with undivided devotion. Worship him and offer him worship daily. Those who worship Lord Shiva with body, mind, and speech are called learned or wise. Those who worship Shiva are immediately liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Those who are afflicted by the forest fire of sin should drink the nectar of Shiva's name. After gaining complete knowledge of the Vedas, wise people have declared the worship of Shiva as the best means to be free from the bonds of birth and death. Therefore, from today onwards, listen to and narrate the stories of Lord Shiva daily and worship him. Establish the feet of Lord Shiva in your heart and reside in his holy places, praising and glorifying him. After this, Narada, by my command, go to Brahmaloka for the fulfillment of your desires. There, after praising your father Brahma, ask him about Shiva's greatness. Brahma is the best among Shiva's devotees. He will surely narrate to you the greatness of Lord Shankar and the Satnam Stotra. Today, become absorbed in Shiva devotion; he will surely do your welfare.' Saying this, Vishnu disappeared.

Chapter Five: Narada's Visit to Shiva Tirthas and Questions to Brahma. Suta said, "O great sage, after Lord Hari disappeared, the best of men, Narada, set out to devoutly visit the Shiva Lingas. In this way, he had the darshan of many Shiva Lingas that grant devotion and liberation. When those Rudra Ganas saw Narada there, both of them fell at his feet for the liberation from their curse and prayed for their salvation. 'We are your offenders. At the Swayamvara of Princess Shrimati, your mind was deluded by Maya. At that time, by Lord Shiva's inspiration, you cursed us. Now, please find a way for our survival. We have reaped the fruit of our actions. Please be pleased with us and free us from the curse.' Narada said, 'O Rudra Ganas, you are the Ganas of Mahadeva and are respected by all. At that time, by Lord Shiva's will, my intellect was corrupted, and therefore, due to delusion, I cursed you. Please forgive me for this offense, but my word cannot be false. Therefore, I will tell you the way to escape the curse. Through the semen of the sage Vishrava, you will be born in the womb of a Rakshasi. You will become famous as Ravana and Kumbhakarna in all directions. You will attain the position of a Rakshasa king. You will be strong and glorious. Your fame will spread in all worlds. Even as the king of the entire universe, you will be among the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva. You will attain salvation by death at the hands of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the second form of Lord Shiva, and then you will be reinstated in your position.' Suta said, 'Hearing Narada Muni's words, those two Rudra Ganas, filled with devotion, and meditating on Shiva in their minds, began to visit the Shiva Tirthas. In this way, while wandering, they reached Kashi Puri, the beloved city of Shiva, and had the darshan of Kashi Nath and worshipped him. Shri Narada Ji, immersed in Shiva's devotion, remembering him, went to Brahmaloka. Upon reaching there, he respectfully bowed to Brahma Ji and began to praise him. At that time, his heart had become pure, and there was only devotion towards Shiva in his heart, nothing else. Narada Muni said, 'O Grandfather, you know the form of the Supreme Brahman very well. By your grace, I have gained knowledge of Lord Vishnu's greatness and have learned about the paths of devotion, knowledge, penance, charity, and pilgrimage. However, I have not yet known the knowledge of Shiva Tattva. I also do not know the method of his worship. Therefore, now I want to know everything about him. I want to hear from your divine mouth about Lord Shiva's various deeds, his form, his forms at the beginning, middle, and end of creation, his divine plays, and where Lord Shiva resides during the time of dissolution. I want to hear about his marriage and the birth of his son Kartikeya. Please tell me how Lord Shiva is pleased and what he grants when pleased.' Hearing these words of his son Narada, Grandfather Brahma became very pleased.

Chapter Six: Brahma Ji's Description of Shiva Tattva. Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, you are always engaged in the welfare of the world. You have asked a very excellent question for the benefit of the people of the world, hearing which all the sins of a person's births are destroyed. I am describing the Supreme Brahman Shiva Tattva for you. The form of Shiva Tattva is very beautiful and wonderful. When the great dissolution occurred, and the entire world was destroyed, and there was only darkness all around, the sky and the universe, devoid of stars and planets, were drowned in darkness. The sun and moon stopped appearing. No trace of any planets or stars was found. There was no day, no night, no fire, no water. The primary sky and other lights also became void. There was an absence of sound, touch, smell, form, and taste. Truth and falsehood, everything ended. Then only truth remained. Sages and yogis see that element within their hearts. Speech, name, form, and color cannot reach there. After some time, regarding that Parabrahma, through the address made by knowledge and ignorance, i.e., at the time of creation, the resolve to become one from many arose. Then, by his divine play, he created an idol. That idol is complete with all glories and virtues, all-knowing, and the granter of everything. This is the idol of Sada Shiva. All learned scholars call this ancient idol Ishvara. From his body, he created a formless power with a pure body. That is the Supreme Shakti, Prakriti, endowed with qualities, and the mother of intellect. She is also called Shakti, Ambika, Prakriti, the mother of all worlds, the mother of the Trimurti, Nitya, and the root cause. Her eight arms and the beauty of her face are wonderful. Even the moon's radiance diminishes before her face. Various types of ornaments and movements enhance the beauty of the Goddess. She holds various types of weapons. All humans call Sada Shiva the Supreme Purusha, Ishvara, Shambhu, and Maheshwar. The Ganga adorns his forehead, the moon adorns his brow, and three eyes adorn his face. He has five faces and is the lord of ten arms and a trident-bearer. He applies ash to his body. He has created a region called Shivlok. This supremely holy place is known as Kashi. This is the place that grants supreme liberation. In this region, Shiva resides with Parvati in the form of supreme bliss. Shiva and Shiva did not leave that place even during the time of dissolution. Therefore, Shiva named it Anand Van. One day, while wandering in Anand Van, Shiva and Shiva desired to create another male. Then they thought, 'By entrusting this responsibility to someone else, we will remain seated here in Kashi.' Thinking this, they applied nectar to the tenth part of their left side, from which a beautiful male appeared, who was calm, endowed with Sattva qualities, and an unfathomable ocean of gravity. His complexion was dark blue like an Indranil gem. His entire body was shining with divine beauty, and his eyes were like lotuses. He joined his hands, bowed to Lord Shiva and Shiva, and prayed, 'Please fix my name.' Hearing this, Lord Shiva laughed and said, 'Because you are omnipresent, your name will be Vishnu. You will be a giver of happiness to devotees. You stay here and perform penance; that is the means to all actions.' Saying this, Shiva Ji imparted knowledge to him and disappeared from there. Then Vishnu Ji performed divine penance there for 12 years. Due to penance, many streams of water began to flow from his body. The entire sky was filled with that water. That divine water, by its mere touch, destroyed sins. Lord Vishnu himself slept in that water. Therefore, because of residing in water, he came to be known as Narayana. From that great soul, all elements originated. First, from Prakriti, mind originated, and from it, the three qualities originated, and from them, ego originated. From that, sound, touch, form, taste, and five elements manifested. From them, the organs of knowledge and action were formed. At that time, a total of 24 elements manifested from Prakriti, and accepting them, the Supreme Purusha Narayana slept in the water by the will of Lord Shiva.

Chapter Seven: The Appearance of the Pillar of Fire between the Contesting Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma Ji says, "O Devarshi, when Narayana began to sleep in the water, by Shiva's will, a very large lotus appeared from Vishnu Ji's navel. It had countless stalks. It was yellow in color, and its height was many yojanas. The lotus was beautiful, wonderful, and complete with all elements. It was enchanting and worthy of auspicious sights. Thereafter, Lord Shiva created me from his right side. Those Maheshwar, by his Maya, deluded me and placed me in the navel lotus of Narayana Deva and manifested me through divine play. In this way, I was born from that lotus as a son. I had four faces and wore Tripundra on my red forehead. Due to being deluded by the Maya of Lord Bhagavan Shiva, my knowledge power became very scarce, and I could see nothing but the lotus. Who am I? Where have I come from? What is my work? Whose son am I? Who created me? Questions like these troubled me. After a few moments, I gained intellect and felt that finding out was very easy. The origin of this lotus is downwards in this water, and below it, I will find the person who manifested me. Thinking this, I held onto a stalk and descended downwards for 100 years, but still, I did not find the root of the lotus. Therefore, I began to ascend upwards again. Even after going very high, I could not find the lotus receptacle. Then I became more troubled. At that time, by Lord Shiva's will, a benevolent celestial voice manifested. That voice said, 'Perform penance.' Hearing that celestial voice, to see my father, I began to perform penance and performed severe penance for 12 years. Then Lord Vishnu, with four arms, adorned with beautiful eyes, appeared. He held a conch, discus, mace, and lotus in his hands. His body was adorned with dark radiance. A crown adorned his forehead, and he wore yellow garments and many ornaments. He appeared enchanting like millions of Kamadevas and was adorned with a dark and golden aura. Seeing him there, I felt great joy and surprise. By Lord Shiva's divine play, a dispute arose between us as to who was greater. At that time, a luminous lingam appeared between us. We decided to find its extent. I went upwards, and Vishnu Ji went downwards, and we began to find the beginning and end of that pillar, but neither of us found any end or beginning of that pillar. Tired, we both returned to our place. We were both deluded by Shiva's Maya. Shri Hari bowed to the Supreme Lord Shiva from all directions. Even after meditating, we could not know anything. Then I and Shri Hari, purifying our minds, bowed to the pillar of fire. We both said, 'Great Lord, we do not know your form. Whatever you are, we bow to you. Please show us your true form soon.' In this way, both of us, forgetting our ego, began to bow to Lord Shiva. Thus, 100 years passed.

Chapter Eight: Lord Shiva's Darshan to Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma Ji said, "O best of sages, Narada, both of us deities, forgetting pride, continuously remembered Lord Shiva. The desire to see the true form of the Supreme Lord, manifested as the Jyotirlinga, became stronger in our minds. Shiva Shankar is the protector of the poor, the destroyer of the pride of the arrogant, and the indestructible Lord of all. He, being compassionate to us, became pleased with our worship. At that time, from that best of sages, the Om sound was clearly heard. Regarding that sound, both Vishnu Ji and I were thinking, 'Where is this coming from?' In the southern part of the lingam, they saw the eternal primal letter A, and in the northern part, the letter U, in the middle part, the letter M, and at the end, they had the direct darshan and experience of the Om sound. Seeing the tejamaya form of the letter A, manifested in the southern part, like the solar disc, when they looked at the northern part, it appeared radiant like fire. Thereafter, they saw Om, which was situated like the sun and moon, and whose beginning and end could not be determined, and only the truth, bliss, and nectar-filled Parabrahma was visible. But where did this appear from? Where did this pillar of fire originate? Shri Hari thought about this and considered testing it. Then Shri Hari, contemplating Lord Shiva, and filled with the inspiration of the Vedas and sound, decided to go below the incomparable pillar of fire. Vishnu Ji and I were contemplating Vishwatma Shiva. Then a sage appeared there. Through that sage, the Supreme Lord Vishnu came to know that in the form of this sound-Brahman-bodied lingam, Lord Mahadeva, the very form of Parabrahma, had manifested. This is the worry-free Rudra. The Pranava, which is the indicator of the Supreme Brahman Parabrahma Shiva, is the one truth, the Supreme Cause, Ananta, Akrita, Paratpara, and Parabrahma. From the first letter A of Pranava, the seed of the universe, i.e., Brahma Ji, is understood. From the second letter U, Shri Hari Vishnu, the cause of all, is understood. From the third letter M, Lord Shiva is known. A is the creator, U is the deluder, and M is the one who always bestows grace. M, meaning Lord Shiva, is the lord of the seed, so A, meaning Brahma Ji, is the seed. U, meaning Vishnu Ji, is the yoni. Maheshwar is the seed, the seed, and the yoni. All these are called Nada. The seed divides its seed into many forms. The seed, Lord Shiva, establishing itself in the yoni in the form of U from his lingam, began to spread upwards in all directions. That divine egg remained in the water for many years. After thousands of years, Lord Shiva divided this egg into two parts. Then, the first golden cup of its two parts remained upwards, from which Swargaloka originated, and from the lower part of the cup, the earth with five elements appeared. From that egg, the four-faced Brahma originated, who is the creator of all worlds. Lord Maheshwar is described in the three forms of A, U, and M. Therefore, the Jyotirlinga form, Sada Shiva, is called Om. Its accomplishment is also found in the Yajurveda. Knowing Deveshwar Shiva, Vishnu Ji began to praise Lord Shiva, adorned with excellent and great glory through the mantras born of Shakti. At this time, I and the world-preserving Lord Vishnu saw a wonderful and beautiful form, which had five faces, ten arms, a complexion as white as camphor, adorned with many ornaments in supreme radiance, possessing the characteristics of great generosity, great valor, and great men, and by seeing which, Vishnu Ji and I were blessed. Then the Supreme Lord Mahadeva, Lord Shiva, became pleased and stood in his divine form. A is his head, and A is his forehead. I is the right, and I is the big eye. U is the right, and U is the left ear. Ri is the right, and Ri is the left cheek. Ri and Li are the nostrils. E and Ai are his two lips. U and A are his two rows of teeth. An and Ah are the palate of the Deva-dideva Shiva. The five letters from K onwards are his five right hands, and the five letters from Ch onwards are his five left hands. The five letters starting from T and Th are his feet. P is the stomach. The right and B are the left sides. Bh is the shoulder. M is the heart. H is the navel. The seven letters from Y to S are the seven metals from which Lord Shiva's body is made. In this way, seeing Lord Mahadeva and Goddess Uma, both of us were gratified. We bowed at their feet. Then we had the darshan of the Omkara-generated mantra, endowed with five Kalas. Thereafter, the Mahavakya "Om Tat Tvam Asi" became visible, which is the supreme mantra. After that, the 24-letter Gayatri mantra, the giver of the fruits of human endeavors, which is the seeker of Dharma and Artha and the embodiment of intellect, manifested. Then the Mrityunjaya mantra, then the Panchakshara mantra, and then Dakshinamurti and Chintamani were realized. Vishnu Bhagavan accepted these five mantras and began to chant them. Ishana, the jewel of Shiva's crown, who is the ancient Purusha, whose feet are dear to the heart, who wears snakes as ornaments, whose feet and eyes are everywhere, who is the lord of Brahma, the benevolent, and the creator, preserver, and destroyer of creation, those bestowing boons, Shiva, were praised by me and Lord Vishnu with pleasing words.

Chapter Nine: The Manifestation and Teachings of Goddess Uma and Lord Shiva. Brahma Ji said, "Narada, hearing his praise by Lord Vishnu, the benevolent Shiva became very pleased and manifested there along with Goddess Uma. Lord Shiva had five faces, and each face had three eyes. The moon adorned his forehead, his hair was matted, and his entire body was smeared with vibhuti. He had ten arms, a blue throat, was adorned with ornaments, and wore a tripundra of ash on his forehead. This form of his was captivating to the mind and supremely blissful. Along with Mahadeva Ji, Goddess Uma also gave us darshan. Seeing them, Vishnu Ji and I began to praise them again. Then Maheshwar, the destroyer of sins and always compassionate to his devotees, imparted the knowledge of the Vedas to me and Lord Vishnu through his breath. Thereafter, he granted us secret knowledge. Having obtained the knowledge of the Vedas, Vishnu Ji and I, gratified, bowed to Lord Shiva and the Goddess with both our hands joined and prayed. Vishnu Ji asked, 'O Lord, how do you become pleased, and how should you be worshipped and meditated upon? Please tell us about this and bless us with good teachings.' Brahma Ji says, "Narada, hearing Shri Hari's words, the supremely pleased, merciful Shiva spoke these words with affection: Shri Shiva said, 'I am very pleased with your devotion. You should worship and meditate upon this form of mine. You both are very powerful. You have manifested from my right and left limbs. The world-father Brahma has manifested from my right side, and the preserver Vishnu has manifested from my left side. I am well pleased with you and grant you the desired fruits. May your devotion be firm. By obeying my command, Brahma Ji, you create the universe, and devotee Vishnu Ji, you preserve this universe.' Lord Vishnu said, 'Lord, if love has arisen in your heart from our devotion, and you are pleased with us and wish to grant us boons, then we ask for this boon: may your unique and unwavering devotion always remain in our hearts.' Brahma Ji said, "Narada, hearing Vishnu Ji's words, Lord Shankar became pleased. Then we bowed to him with both hands joined. Shiva Ji says, 'I am the creator, preserver, and destroyer of creation. My form is both with qualities and without qualities. I am the Sachchidananda, without form, Parabrahma, and the Supreme Soul. Due to the qualities of creation, preservation, and dissolution, I have divided myself into three forms, taking the names Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra. I am devoted to my devotees and always fulfill their prayers. From this part of me, Rudra will originate. From the perspective of worship rituals, there will be no difference between us. Vishnu, Brahma, and Rudra will all be one form. There is no difference between them. Whoever considers a difference between them will suffer intensely in hell. My Shiva form is eternal and the fundamental form of all. This is the truth, knowledge, and infinite Brahman. Knowing this, you should see my true form. I myself will manifest from Brahma Ji's eyebrows. Brahma Ji, you become the creator of the universe. Shri Hari Vishnu will preserve it, and Rudra, who will manifest from my part, will be the destroyer. The supreme divine power, Prakriti, known by the name Uma, will be the consort of Brahma Ji as Vagdevi Saraswati. And the second Goddess, who will originate from Prakriti Devi, will enhance the glory of Vishnu Ji in the form of Lakshmi. And the third Shakti, who will originate by the name Kali, will attain my part, Rudra Deva. For the accomplishment of tasks, they will manifest in the form of light. Their work is the execution of creation, preservation, and destruction. I myself, by the three qualities of Rajas, etc., manifest in three forms, known as Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, who are the creators, preservers, and destroyers of creation. Shri Hari, the preserver of the three worlds, possesses the quality of Tamas within and Sattva quality outside. Rudra Deva, the destroyer of the three worlds, possesses Sattva quality within and Tamas quality outside. And Brahma Ji, the creator of the three worlds, possesses Rajas quality both outside and inside. In this way, while Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra all have qualities, Shiva is considered beyond qualities. O Vishnu, by my command, you joyfully preserve the universe. By doing so, you will be worshipped in all three worlds.

Chapter Ten: Shri Hari's Responsibility for the Preservation of Creation and the Granting of Age and Strength to the Trimurti. Supreme Lord Shiva said, "O Vishnu, the follower of excellent vows, you will always be worshipped and respected in all worlds. In the worlds created by Brahma Ji, if there is any sorrow or crisis, you will always be ready to destroy sorrows and crises. You will take many incarnations, benefit beings, and expand your fame. I will assist you in your tasks and destroy your enemies. There is no difference between you and Rudra. You are each other's complements. Any person who is a devotee of Rudra and criticizes you will have their merit destroyed, and they will suffer in hell. You are the granter of enjoyment and liberation to humans, and as their most revered deity, you will bestow and withdraw grace upon them. Saying this, Lord Shiva placed my hand in Vishnu Ji's hand and said, 'You should always help them in times of crisis and grant enjoyment and liberation to all and fulfill the desires of all humans. Those who come to your refuge will also find my refuge, and those who differentiate between us will go to hell.' Brahma Ji says, "O Devarshi Narada, hearing Lord Shiva's words, I and Lord Vishnu bowed to Mahadeva Ji and slowly said, 'O compassionate Lord Shiva, I will obey your command and do all tasks. Anyone who is your devotee and criticizes you, please send them to hell. Your devotee is extremely dear to me.' Mahadeva Ji said, 'Now, the lifespan of Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra is as follows: 30 days make one month, and 12 months make one year. According to this year's calculation, Brahma's age is 100 years, and Brahma's one year is equal to Vishnu's one day. He will also live for 100 years in the same way, and Vishnu's one year is equal to Rudra's one day, and he will also exist for 100 years in this sequence. Then, a breath emerges from Shiva's mouth, which contains 21,600 days and nights. Six of his inhalations and exhalations make one moment, and eight ghatikas and 60 ghatikas make one day. There is no count of his breaths, therefore he is inexhaustible. Therefore, by my command, you create the universe.' Hearing his words, Vishnu Ji bowed to him and said, 'Your command is paramount for me.' Hearing this, Lord Shiva

He blessed them and disappeared. From that time onwards, the worship of the Linga began. Chapter 11. In the chapter, the method of Shiva worship and the attainment of its fruits are described. The sage said, "O Suta Ji, now please show us kindness and tell us the method of Shiva worship according to the dialogues of Brahma Ji and Narada, by which Lord Shiva is pleased. How should the four varnas, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, worship Shiva? Please tell us what you have heard from the mouth of Vyasa Ji." Hearing these words of the great sages, Suta Ji began to answer the questions asked by the sages. Suta Ji said, "O Munishwar, what you have asked is a matter of great mystery. I am telling you what I have heard, according to my understanding. In ancient times, Vyasa Ji had asked this very question to Sanat Kumar Ji, then Upamanyu Ji also heard it and narrated it to Lord Shri Krishna. I am now telling you the same in the form of the dialogue between Brahma and Narada." Brahma Ji said, "Devotion to Lord Shiva is a pure and eternal form of happiness, and it bestows all desired fruits. It destroys poverty, disease, sorrow, and suffering caused by enemies. Until a person worships Lord Shiva and takes refuge in Him, he is afflicted by poverty, sorrow, disease, and suffering caused by enemies – these four types of sins. As soon as one worships the Lord, these sorrows end, and eternal happiness is attained. He obtains all enjoyments and ultimately attains liberation. Those who worship Shiva attain wealth, progeny, and happiness. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras should worship according to the prescribed method for the accomplishment of all desires and purposes. Wake up in the Brahma Muhurta, remember the Guru and Shiva, contemplate on the holy places, and meditate on Lord Vishnu. Then, remembering Me, recite hymns and take the name of Shankar Ji according to the prescribed method. After that, get up and go to the south for ablutions and relieve yourself. Brahmins should apply pure mud five times to their hands for purification and wash them. Kshatriyas four times, Vaishyas three times, and Shudras twice. Do this in order. Then, wash your hands ten times with mud in your left hand and seven times with mud on both hands. Apply mud to each foot three times. Women should also wash their hands and feet with pure mud in the same manner. Brahmins should use a datun of 12 angulas, Kshatriyas of 11, Vaishyas of 10, and Shudras of nine angulas. Do not use datun on the days of Shashti, Amavasya, Navami, at sunset on Sundays, and on Shraddha days. After using datun, go to a reservoir and bathe, and when special times and circumstances arise, bathe with the chanting of mantras. Then, sit in a secluded place and perform Sandhya according to the prescribed method, and thereafter, begin the worship of Shiva according to the prescribed rituals. Then, with a stable mind, enter the puja room and sit on the asana. First, worship Lord Ganesha. After that, establish Shiva. Take a sip of water three times and meditate on the three-eyed Shiva while performing three pranayamas. Lord Mahadeva has five faces, ten arms, and a radiant complexion like the sun. All kinds of ornaments adorn His divine body, and He is clad in tiger skin. Then, begin the worship of Shiva with the Pranava mantra, i.e., Omkara. Prepare the vessels for Padya, Arghya, and Achamana. Establish nine Kalashas and cover them with lids. Wash everyone with water from the lids. Then, pour cool water into all the Kalashas. Place Khus and sandalwood in the Padya vessel. Make a mixture of jasmine flowers, camphor, banyan root, and Tamal leaves and put it in the Achamana vessel. Put cardamom and sandalwood in all the vessels. Worship Nandi, the bull, before Devaadhideva Mahadeva. [Music] Begin the worship of Lord Shiva with incense and lamps. [Music] Chant 'Sadyojatam Prapadyante' and invoke Shiva. Establish Lord Maheshwara on the asana with the mantra 'Om Vamadevaya Namah'. Then, worship the adored deity with the mantra 'Ishan Sarva Vidyanam'. Offer Padya and Achamana, and then offer Arghya. After that, bathe Lord Shiva with water mixed with sandalwood and fragrance according to the prescribed method. Then, bathe Lord Shiva with Panchamrita. Bathe Him with the five elements of Panchamrita: milk, curd, honey, sugarcane juice, and ghee, chanting the mantra of Mahadeva. Take pure and cool water in water vessels. First, worship Shiva Linga by offering Kusha, Apamarga, camphor, jasmine, Champa, rose, white Kaner, Bela, lotus, and Utpal flowers, and sandalwood. Arrange for a continuous stream of water to fall on them. Bathe Maheshwara with vessels filled with water. Worship should also be done with mantras. Such worship bestows all desired fruits. Worship with Pavamana mantras, Rudra mantras, Neel Rudra mantras, Purusha Sukta, Shri Sukta, Atharva Shirsha mantra, Shanti mantra, Bhara mantra, Mrityunjaya mantra, and Panchakshara mantras. Arrange to pour one thousand or 100 streams of water on the Shiva Linga. Offer incense, lamps, naivedya, and tambula with mantras to Lord Shiva, who is pure like crystal, indestructible, the supreme deity in all worlds, without beginning or end, like medicine for the sick, known by the name of Shiva, and famous in the form of Shiva Linga. Offer flowers at the feet of Lord Shiva after offering Arghya. Then, bow to Maheshwara and worship Shiva with your soul, holding flowers in your hand while praying. Ask for forgiveness from Lord Shiva, saying, "O benevolent Shiva, may the good deeds I have performed, knowingly or unknowingly, from time to time, be successful by Your grace." Offer flowers to Shiva with a joyful heart. Perform Swastivachan. Receive many blessings. Pray to Lord Shiva that in every birth, I may have devotion to Shiva, and Shiva may be my only refuge. Worship Him with such supreme devotion. Then, bow to the Lord with your family. The person who worships Lord Shiva with devotion daily attains all siddhis. He attains all his desires. All his diseases, sorrows, pains, and sufferings end. By the grace of Lord Shiva, the devotee is blessed. Worship of Lord Shankar increases virtues in a person. Hearing all this, Narada, being extremely pleased, thanked his father Brahma Ji, saying, "You have shown me kindness by telling me the nectar-like method of Shiva worship. Shiva devotion bestows all enjoyments and liberation." Chapter 12. Giving Instructions to the Gods. Narada Ji said, "Brahma Ji, you are blessed because you have dedicated your intellect to the feet of Shiva. Please describe this blissful subject in detail again." Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, once upon a time, I invited all the gods and sages and pleased Lord Vishnu by praising Him on the shore of the Ksheer Sagar. Lord Vishnu, being pleased, said, 'O Brahma Ji and other gods, why have you come here? What is your desire? Tell me your problem, and I will surely try to solve it.' Hearing this, Brahma Ji said, 'O Lord, to remove sorrows, which deity should be served?' Then Lord Vishnu, answering his question, said, 'O Brahmin, Lord Shiva Shankar is the remover of all sorrows. A person who desires happiness should always remain engaged in His devotion. Keep your mind focused on Him and meditate on Him. A person who is absorbed in Shiva devotion, in whose heart He resides, can never be unhappy. By the merit of past lives and Shiva devotion, men attain beautiful houses, women adorned with ornaments, contentment of mind, wealth, a healthy body, sons and grandsons, divine prestige, heavenly pleasures, and liberation. The man or woman who worships the Shiva Linga with devotion daily attains success everywhere. He is freed from the bondage of sins.' Brahma Ji and other gods listened attentively to the teachings of Lord Vishnu. Bowing to Lord Vishnu, they prayed to the Shiva Linga for the fulfillment of their desires. Then Shri Vishnu called Vishwakarma and said, 'O Muni, by my command, construct Shiva Lingas for the gods.' Then Vishwakarma, obeying my and Shri Hari's command, created Lingas for the gods according to their wishes and gave them. O great sage Narada, listen about the Shiva Lingas obtained by all the gods. All the gods worship the Lingas obtained by them. Indra received the Linga made of Padmaraga Mani, Kuber received the golden one, Dharmaraja received the one made of Pushkaraj, Varuna received the dark-colored one, Vishnu received the Indranila Mani Linga, and Brahma Ji received the Hemal Linga and worshipped it with devotion. Similarly, Vishwadeva worshiped the silver Linga, and the Vasu Ganas worshiped the Linga made of brass. The Ashwini Kumars were given the brass Linga, Lakshmi the Sphatika Linga, the Adityas the copper Linga, and the Moon the pearl Linga. The Vajra Linga was given to the Brahmins, and the clay Linga was given to the wives of Brahmins. Mayasura worshiped the Linga made of sandalwood, and the Nagas worshiped the Shiva Linga made of coral with reverence. The Goddesses worship the Linga made of butter. Yogis worship the Bhasma Linga, Yaksha Ganas worship the Linga made of curd, Chhaya Devi worship the flour Linga, and the wives of Brahmins worship the Ratnam Linga. Banasura worships the Parthiva Linga. Vishnu also told the gods the method of worship along with the Shiva Linga for their benefit. Hearing the words of the gods, my heart was filled with joy. I told the excellent method of Shiva worship, which bestows the welfare of the worlds. This Shiva devotion bestows all desired fruits. Thus, after describing the Lingas, Brahma Ji narrated the glory of the Shiva Linga and Shiva devotion. Shiva worship bestows enjoyment and liberation. Attaining birth in a high family is extremely rare. Therefore, having been born in human form, one should remain absorbed in Shiva devotion. Perform actions according to the path prescribed by the scriptures, following the rules of your caste. Donate according to your wealth. Perform Japa, Tapa, Yajna, and meditation. Through meditation, the Supreme Soul is realized. Lord Shankar is always available to His devotees. Until knowledge is attained, worship through actions. Whatever is seen or heard in this world as real or unreal is the form of the Supreme Brahman Shiva. Until the knowledge of the truth is attained, worship the idol of the deity. Strive to follow the actions adopted for your caste. Worship the deity with faith, because through worship and charity, all our obstacles and impediments are removed. Just as color does not adhere well to dirty clothes, but adheres well to clean clothes, similarly, through the worship of the deities, the human body becomes completely pure. The color of knowledge adheres to it, and it is freed from discrimination and other bondages. Upon being freed from bondages, all its sorrows end, and a person freed from attachment and illusion attains the Shiva Pada. As long as a person remains in the Grihastha Ashrama, he should lovingly worship the idol of Lord Shankar, who is the greatest among all deities. Lord Shankar is the root of all deities, and nothing is greater than His worship. Just as watering the root of a tree satisfies the root and branches, similarly is the devotion to Lord Shiva. Therefore, for the attainment of desired fruits, Shiva should be worshiped. For the attainment of the eightfold fruits and siddhis, all beings should always worship the welfare-creating Lord Shiva. Chapter 13. The Best Method of Shiva Worship. Brahma Ji says, "O Narada, now I will tell you the best method of Shiva worship. This method bestows all desired fruits and happiness. The devotee should wake up in the Brahma Muhurta and remember Jagadamba Parvati and Lord Shiva. Joining both hands, bow your head before them and pray with devotion, 'O Lord of the Gods, wake up! O Lord of the Three Worlds, wake up! O God residing in my heart, wake up and bring welfare to the entire universe! O Lord, I do not know dharma or adharma; I act by Your inspiration.' Then, meditating on the feet of the Guru, leave the room, relieve yourself of ablutions, and purify the body with mud and water. Wash both hands and feet, use a datun, and rinse your mouth with 16 handfuls of water. This should be done before sunrise. O gods and sages, do not use datun on the days of Shashti, Pratipada, Amavasya, Navami, and Sunday. Bathe at the appropriate time in a river or at home. A person should not bathe against the country and time. Do not bathe in hot water on Sundays, Shraddha, Sankranti, eclipses, Mahadanas, and fasting days. Apply oil to the body in order of the days. For a person who regularly applies oil according to the rules, applying oil is not considered impure on any day. Do not use mustard oil on the day of an eclipse. After this, bathe facing east or north. After bathing, wear clean, i.e., washed, clothes. Do not wear clothes worn by others or clothes worn while sleeping at night without washing them. After bathing, perform Tarpan to please the ancestors and deities. Then wear washed clothes and perform Achamana. Purify the place of worship by smearing it with cow dung, etc. Arrange a wooden seat there. Perform such an asana [Music] with Abhishek and Tripundra [Music]. Gather the puja materials. Then, place the vessels of water, sandalwood, and Akshata on the right side. Then, taking the Guru's permission and meditating on him, worship Shiva with your family. Worship the Vighna Vinashak Ganesha with intellect and siddhis. Chant 'Om Ganapataye Namah', bow to Him, and ask for forgiveness. Worship Kartikeya and Ganesha together and bow to them repeatedly. Then worship Lambodara, the doorkeeper at the entrance. After that, worship Bhagavati Devi. Worship Shiva with sandalwood, kumkum, incense, lamps, and naivedya. Bow with love. Make a Shiva idol at home with clay, gold, silver, or any other metal. Worship Shiva with devotion and bow to Him. Make a clay Shiva Linga, establish it according to the prescribed method, and perform its Pran Pratishtha. Worship should be done at home with the chanting of mantras. Worship should be done facing north. Sit on the asana and bow to the Guru. Offer water to the Shiva Linga from the Arghya vessel. With a calm mind and full devotion, invoke Mahadeva as follows: "He who resides on the peak of Kailash, and is the husband of Goddess Parvati, whose form is described in the scriptures, who is worshipped by all the gods, who has five faces, ten hands, and three eyes in each face, who wears the moon's crown and matted hair on His head, whose complexion is like camphor, who is clad in animal skin, around whose neck the serpent named Vasuki is entwined, who gives refuge to all humans, and to whom all devotees chant victory, whose glory is sung in all Vedas and scriptures, whom Brahma and Vishnu praise, who bestows supreme bliss and is devoted to His devotees – I invoke such a God of Gods, Mahadeva, Lord Shiva." After invoking Him in this manner, establish His seat. After the seat, offer Padya and Arghya to Shiva. Bathe the Shiva Linga with the substances of Panchamrita and offer the substances with mantras. After bathing, apply fragrant sandalwood and bathe Him with a stream of fragrant water. Then, offer Achamana, water, and clothes. Offer oil, barley, wheat, moong, and Duru with mantras to Lord Shiva. Offer flowers. Offer lotus, Shatapatra, Shankhpushpa, Kushpushpa, Dhatura, Madar, Dronpushpa, Tulsi leaves, and Bel leaves to each face of Shiva and worship Maheshwara with supreme devotion. Offering Bel leaves makes the worship of Shiva successful. After that, offer fragrant powder and scented oil to Lord Shiva with great joy. Offer Guggul and Agaru incense. Light a ghee lamp. "O Lord Shankar, we bow to You. Accept the Arghya and grant me form, grant me fame, and grant me the fruits of enjoyment and liberation." Saying this, offer Arghya. Offer Naivedya and Tambula. Perform Aarti with five wicks. Show it four times at the feet, twice in front of the navel, once in front of the face, and seven times all over the body. Then, circumambulate Shiva. "O Lord Shiva Shankar, whatever worship I have performed due to ignorance or knowingly, may it be successful by Your grace. O Lord, my life is devoted to You, my mind always meditates on You. O Gaurinath, Bhootnath, be pleased with me. O Lord, You are the sole support of those whose feet falter. You are the refuge for those who have committed any offense." Offering Pushpanjali after this prayer, bow to Lord Shiva again. "O Lord of Gods, O Prabhu, now you may depart to your abode with your family, and come back here when it is time for worship." Praying to Lord Shankar in this manner, immerse Him and apply that water to your heart and then to your forehead. "O great sages, in this way, I have told you the best method of Shiva worship, which bestows enjoyment and liberation." The sages said, "O Brahma Ji, you are the best. You have shown us kindness by describing the best method of Shiva worship to us, hearing which we are all gratified." [Music] Chapter 14. The Greatness of Shiva Worship Through Flowers. What fruits are obtained by worshiping with different flowers. Suta Ji said, "O sages, this very question was asked by Narada Ji to Brahma Ji. Brahma Ji told him the glory of Shiva worship through flowers. Brahma Ji said, 'O Narada, a person desiring Lakshmi, i.e., wealth, should worship Lord Shiva with lotus flowers, Bel leaves, Shatapatra, and Shankhpushpa. By worshiping Lord Shiva with one lakh flowers, all sins are destroyed, and Lakshmi is attained. By worshiping Shiva with one lakh flowers, the devotee becomes one with Shiva's form, without any desire in his mind. Upon completing five lakh recitations of the Mrityunjaya mantra, one gets to see the form of Mahadeva. One lakh recitations purify the body. With the second lakh recitations, one remembers events of the previous birth. Upon completion of the third lakh recitations, all desired objects are attained. Upon completion of the fourth lakh recitations, Lord Shiva appears in dreams. Upon completion of the fifth lakh recitations, He appears in person. By reciting the Mrityunjaya mantra ten lakh times, all fruits are attained. A person desiring liberation should worship Shiva with one lakh Durva grass. A person desiring longevity should worship with one lakh Durva grass. A person desiring progeny should worship with one lakh Dhatura flowers. In worship, Dhatura with red stems is [Music] auspicious. By worshiping with one lakh Javakusum flowers, enemies are destroyed. By worshiping with one lakh Karvir flowers, all diseases are destroyed. Worship with Duphariya flowers bestows ornaments, and worship with jasmine flowers bestows vehicles. Worship of Shiva with flax flowers also pleases Lord Vishnu. Offering Arghya with Bel flowers bestows a good life partner. Worship with Juhi flowers brings wealth and prosperity to the home, and granaries are filled. Worship with Kaner flowers bestows clothes. Worship with Sadhuvari and Shephalika flowers purifies the mind. Worship with one lakh mustard flowers leads to the death of enemies. Champa and Ketaki flowers should not be used for Shiva worship. Both these flowers are unsuitable for the worship of Mahadeva. Besides these, all other flowers are used in worship. Offering unbroken rice to Mahadeva bestows Lakshmi. Offer them according to the prescribed method. Offer clothes to the Shiva Linga while worshiping with the Rudra Pradhana mantra. Offering incense, lamps, sandalwood, flowers, and Shriphala yields the full fruit of worship. Feed 12 Brahmins in the same courtyard. This completes the complete worship. Worshiping Shiva with one lakh sesame seeds destroys all sorrows and afflictions. Offering barley grains bestows heavenly pleasures. Worshiping Shiva one lakh times with wheat-based offerings bestows progeny. Worshiping with moong bestows dharma, artha, and kama, and this worship bestows all pleasures. The devotee should worship Lord Shiva for liberation without any desire. Worship Shiva with devotion according to the prescribed method and offer a stream of water. Offer a stream of water to the Shiva Linga with the Shat Rudraya mantra, Ekadash Rudra Jap Sukta, Shadang Mahamrityunjaya, and Gayatri mantra, along with names or the Pranava Om mantra, according to the scriptures. Worship with a stream of water bestows progeny. Worship with a stream of water is excellent for the increase of happiness and progeny. The devotee should wear bhasma and worship Shiva with loving, pure, and divine substances, chanting His thousand names, and offer a stream of ghee to the Shiva Linga. This expands the lineage. Worship performed in this manner with one hundred thousand mantras eradicates diseases and bestows desired fruits. A eunuch should worship Shiva with ghee. Brahmins should be fed, and the Prajapatya Vrata should be observed. A person with no intellect should offer a stream of milk mixed with sugar to the Shiva Linga. This pleases the Lord, and He bestows excellent intellect. If a person's mind is always sad, loses interest, has no affection anywhere, experiences increased sorrow, and there are always fights in the house, then one should offer milk mixed with sugar to the Shiva Linga while chanting ten thousand mantras. Offering fragrant oil increases enjoyment. If honey is offered to Shiva, even diseases like tuberculosis are cured. Offering sugarcane juice to Shiva bestows bliss. Offering Ganga water bestows enjoyment and liberation. While offering the above items, chant the Mrityunjaya mantra ten thousand times and feed 11 Brahmins. By worshiping Shiva in this manner with rituals, one enjoys all pleasures, including sons and grandsons, and ultimately attains the Shiva Loka. Chapter 15. Description of Creation. Narada Ji asked, "O Grandfather, you have narrated many excellent knowledge-enhancing things. Please tell us more about creation and the related worlds that you know." Brahma Ji said, "O Muni, after Mahadeva Ji disappeared after giving me the command, I, obeying His command, became absorbed in meditation and began to think about my duties. At that time, having received knowledge from Lord Shri Hari Vishnu, I decided to create the universe. Lord Vishnu, after giving me the necessary instructions, left from there. By the grace of Lord Shiva, I reached Vaikuntha Dham outside the universe and resided there. With the intention of creating the universe, I remembered Lord Shiva and Vishnu, took water in my hand, and tossed it upwards. From this, an egg appeared there, which is said to be a collection of 24 elements. That egg, which was of Virat form, was inert. To impart consciousness to it, I began severe penance and meditated for 12 years. Then Shri Hari Vishnu Himself appeared and said with pleasure, 'Vishnu said, "O Brahmin, I am pleased with you. Ask for any boon you desire. By the grace of Lord Shiva, I am capable of giving everything." Brahma said, [Music] "O great fortune, please impart consciousness to this egg made of 24 elements." Upon my saying this, Vishnu assumed an infinite form and entered the egg. At that time, He had a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet. As soon as He entered the egg, it became conscious. From the Patal Loka to the Satya Loka, in the form of the egg, Vishnu resided there. Due to His residing in the egg, Vishnu came to be known as Vairaja Purusha. Panchamukha Mahadeva constructed Kailash Nagar for His residence. O Devash, even if the entire universe is destroyed, Vaikuntha and Kailash will remain immortal, meaning they will not be destroyed. By the command of Mahadeva, the desire to create the universe arose in me. Unknowingly, the creation of Tamoguna arose from me, which is called the fivefold Avidya. After that, by the command of Lord Shiva, the creation of stationary beings, trees, which is the first creation, was made. But it was not conducive to human effort. Therefore, the second creation, the Sthavara Srijak, appeared. It was full of sorrows. Then, by Brahma Ji, the third creation, called Urdhva Srot, was created. This Sattvic creation is known as Deva Sarga. This creation is truthful and bestows supreme happiness. After its creation, I again began meditating on Shiva. Then a Rajoguna creation began, which was known as Avak Srot. After this, I gave birth to five Vikrita Sargas and three Prakrita Sargas. The first is Mahat Tattva, the second is Bhutas, and the third is Vakra Sarga. Besides these, there are five Vikrita Sargas. In total, there are eight Sargas when both are combined. The ninth is the Kaumara Sarga, from which Sanat Kumaras were created. Sanat and others are my four mind-born sons, who are like Brahma. They are observers of great vows, detached from the world, and knowledgeable. Their minds are absorbed in Shiva meditation. O Muni Narada, even though they received my command, they did not apply their minds to the work of creation. This caused anger to enter me. Then Lord Vishnu pacified me and told me to perform penance to Lord Shiva. From my severe penance, three forms of Maheshwara appeared from between my eyebrows and nose, which were complete. And the Ardhanarishvara form of Lord Shiva appeared. I was blessed by having a direct vision of the birthless, deathless, supremely radiant, all-knowing, Neelakantha, the very consort of Uma, Lord Mahadeva. I bowed to Him with devotion and began to praise Him to please Him. Then I prayed to Him to create beings. Accepting my prayer, Devaadhideva Lord Shiva created the Rudra Ganas. Then I said to Him again, 'O Lord Shiva Shankar, now create beings who are entangled in the worldly illusion, who are bound by the cycle of death and birth.' Hearing this, Mahadeva Ji laughed and said, 'O Brahma, I will not create beings who are bound by the fear of birth and death, because such beings will be full of sorrows due to being bound by the worldly bondage. I will only redeem them, grant them supreme knowledge, and develop their wisdom. O Prajapati, you create these beings. Even after creating such beings bound by the bonds of illusion, you will not be bound by this Maya.' Saying this, Mahadeva Shiva Shankar disappeared from there with His attendants. Chapter 16. Creation. Brahma Ji said, "Narada, by performing Panchikarana with the five elements of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell, I created the gross elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth, and then created ages and time with mountains, oceans, trees, and arts. I also created many other substances. I also created substances that have origin and destruction. However, when I was still not satisfied, I meditated on Lord Shiva along with Mother Amba and created other substances of creation. From my eyes, I created Marichi; from my heart, Bhrigu; from my chest, Angira; from my ears, the great sage Pulaha; from my navel, Pulastya; from my abdomen, Vashishtha; from my lower abdomen, Kritu; from both ears, Atri; from my breath, Daksha; and from my thighs, Tamas. From my shadow, I created Kadam Muni. I also manifested Dharma, the means of all sadhanas, through my resolve. O great sage, having created the sadhakas in this way, I considered myself blessed by the grace of Mahadeva Ji. Dharma, born from my resolve, took the form of humans at my command and engaged in sadhana. After this, by the inspiration of Lord Shiva, I divided my body into two parts and became two-formed. I became half male and half female. The male became known as Svayambhu Manu, and was called a high-class sadhaka. From the female form, Shatrupa, a yogini and a great ascetic woman, was born. Manu, by the Vedic marriage ritual, married the extremely beautiful Shatrupa and began to create progeny through procreation. From Shatrupa, he had two sons named Priyavrata and Uttanpada, and three daughters named Aakuti, Devahuti, and Prasuti. Aakuti was married to Ruchi Muni, Devahuti to Kardam Muni, and Prasuti to Daksha Prajapati. The entire world, living and non-living, came into being from their progeny. From the marriage of Ruchi and Aakuti, the couple named Yajna and Dakshina was born. From Yajna's Dakshina, 12 sons were born. From the union of Kardam and Devahuti, many daughters were born. From Daksha and Prasuti, 24 daughters were born. Daksha married 13 daughters to Dharma. These 13 daughters are Shraddha, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Tushti, Pushti, Medha, Kriya, Buddhi, Lajja, Vasu, Shanti, Siddhi, and Kirti. The other 11 daughters, Khyati, Sati, Sambhuti, Smriti, Priti, Kshama, Sannati, Anusuya, Urja, Swaha, and Swadha, were married to the sages named Bhrigu, Shiva, Marichi, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kritu, Atri, Vashishtha, Agni, and Pitara. The entire Triloka was illuminated by their progeny. By the command of Ambika Pati Mahadeva Ji, many beings were born in the form of great sages. According to the Kalpa differentiation, Daksha had 10 daughters, of whom 10 were married to Dharma, 27 to the Moon, and 13 daughters were married to Sage Kashyapa. Narada, he married four daughters to Arishta Nemi. Bhrigu, Angira, and Kushashva married two daughters each. The entire Triloka is illuminated by the progeny of Sage Kashyapa. Gods, sages, daityas, birds, mountains, and creepers, etc., were born from Kashyapa's wives. In this way, by the command of Lord Shankar, Brahma Ji created the entire universe. The omnipresent Shiva Ji manifested the Goddess who appeared for penance, whom Rudra Deva protected by placing her on the tip of His trident. She was none other than Sati Devi, who was born from Daksha. She performed many divine plays to redeem her devotees. In this way, Goddess Shiva became the better half of Lord Shankar in the form of Sati. However, seeing the insult to her husband in her father's yajna, she immolated herself in the sacrificial fire. By the prayers of the gods, she reappeared as Mother Sati Parvati and, by performing severe penance, regained Lord Bholenath. She is worshiped in this world by many names such as Kalika, Chandika, Bhadra, Chamunda, Vijaya, Jaya, Jayanta, Bhadrakali, Durga, Bhagavati, Kamakhya, Kamada, Ambika, Manani, and Sarva Mangala. The ten names of the Goddess bestow enjoyment and liberation. O Muni Narada, in this way, I have narrated to you the story of the origin of creation. The entire universe has been created by me by the command of Lord Shiva. Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, the three deities, are parts of that Mahadeva. Lord Shiva is both Nirguna and Saguna. He resides in Shiva Loka with Shiva. [Music] Chapter 17. The Story of the Sinful Gunidhi. Suta says, "O sages, thereafter Narada Ji bowed humbly and asked, 'O Lord, when did Lord Shankar go to Kailash, and where and how did His friendship with the great Kubera begin? Prabhu, what does Shiva Ji do on Kailash? Please tell me, I am very eager to hear this.' Brahma Ji said, 'O Narada, I will tell you about Chandramauli Lord Shiva. In the city of Kampal, there lived a Brahmin named Yagyadatta Dikshit, who was very famous. He was highly proficient in the knowledge of Yajna. He had an eight-year-old son named Gunidhi. His Upanayana had been performed, and he also knew much knowledge. However, he became wicked and a gambler. He was always playing and dancing and had become a companion of singers and musicians. Despite his mother's repeated requests, he did not go near his father and did not obey any of his commands. His father was engaged in household chores and performing initiations. When he returned home and asked his wife about Gunidhi, she would lie, saying he had gone to bathe or worship the gods. Being the only son, she used to hide her son's shortcomings. He also got his son married. The mother would constantly advise her son. She also advised him that if your father came to know about your bad habits, he would kill both of us in anger. But the mother's advice had no effect on Gunidhi. One day, he stole his father's ring and lost it in gambling. By chance, his father came to know about the ring. When he saw the ring in the gambler's hand and asked him, the gambler said, "I have not stolen anything. Your son himself gave me the ring. Not only this, but he has also brought a lot of money from home for other gamblers." But the surprising thing is that even a pundit like you could not recognize your son's traits.' Hearing all this, Pandit Dikshit's head bowed with shame. He walked towards his home with his head bowed and his face covered. Angrily, he called his wife. He asked his wife, 'Where is your darling son? Where is my ring that I gave you this morning? Give it to me quickly.' The pundit's wife lied again."

I do not remember where he is. Now, Dixit Ji became even more angry. He said to his wife, "You are a great truth-teller, so whenever I ask about Gun Nidhi, you distract me with your words." Saying this, Dixit Ji started searching for other household items, but he could not find anything because Gun Nidhi had lost all those items in gambling. In anger, the Pandit threw his wife and son out of the house and remarried.

Chapter 18: Gun Nidhi Attains Salvation

Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, when Gun Nidhi received this news, he became worried about his future. He wandered for many days, hungry and thirsty. One day, distressed by hunger and thirst, he sat near a Shiva temple. A Shiva devotee, along with his family, had come there with various offerings for Shiva worship. He performed the worship of Lord Shiva with his family according to the prescribed rituals and offered various delicacies to the Shivling. After the worship, when they left, Gun Nidhi, compelled by hunger, decided to steal the offerings and went into the temple. It had become dark by then, so he burned his clothes to create light. This was as if he had lit a lamp before Lord Shiva, performing deep daan (offering of a lamp). As soon as he started to run away with all the offerings, the sound of his footsteps alerted people that he had stolen from the temple. Everyone ran to catch him and started chasing him. The townspeople beat him severely. His hungry body could not endure their beating, and his life departed. Due to his misdeeds, the messengers of Yama were taking him away bound. Just then, the attendants of Lord Shiva arrived and freed Gun Nidhi from the bonds of the Yama messengers. The Yama messengers bowed to the Shiva attendants and informed them that he was a great sinner and devoid of righteous deeds. He was also an enemy of his father. He had also stolen the offerings of Lord Shiva. He had committed many sins, therefore he was entitled to the realm of Yama. Let him go with us so that he can experience various hells. Then the Shiva attendants replied, "Indeed, Gun Nidhi has committed many sinful deeds, but he has also performed some virtuous deeds, which, though few in number, are capable of destroying sinful deeds. He tore his clothes at night, put a wick in the lamp before the Shivling, lit it, and performed deep daan. He heard the glories of Shiva from his father's mouth and while sitting outside the temple. He has performed many such religious deeds. By remaining hungry for so many days, he observed fasts and had darshan and worshipped Shiva many times. Therefore, he will go to Shiva Loka with us. He will reside there for some days. When all his sins are destroyed, by the grace of Lord Shiva, he will become the king of Kalinga country. Therefore, O Yama messengers, you may return to your realm." Hearing this, the Yama messengers returned to the realm of Yama. They informed Yama about this matter, and Yama happily accepted it. Thereafter, the Shiva attendants took the Brahmin named Gun Nidhi to Shiva Loka. At Kailash, Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma were seated. He was brought before them. Gun Nidhi bowed at the feet of Lord Shiva and Uma and praised them. He sought forgiveness from Mahadeva for his deeds. The Lord granted him forgiveness. After residing in Shiva Loka for a few days, Gun Nidhi became known as Dam, the son of King Arindam of Kalinga. "O Narada, even a little service to Lord Shiva was extremely fruitful for him. Whoever reads or hears the character of this Gun Nidhi, all their desires are fulfilled, and that person attains peace and happiness."

Chapter 19: Gun Nidhi Attains the Position of Kubera

Narada Ji asked, "O Brahma Ji, now please tell me why and how Gun Nidhi, a great sinner, was granted the position of Kubera by Lord Shiva. O Lord, please narrate this story as well." Brahma Ji said, "Narada, after enjoying all the divine pleasures in Shiva Loka and serving Uma Maheshwar, he was born in the next life as the son of King Arindam of Kalinga. His name was Dam. Child Dam had immense devotion to Lord Shankar. He was always engaged in Shiva's service. He used to perform Shiva bhajans with other children. Upon becoming young, after the death of his father Arindam, Dam was seated on the throne. King Dam began to propagate and spread Shiva Dharma everywhere. He used to perform deep daan in all Shiva temples. He had unparalleled devotion to Lord Shiva. He ordered all the village heads residing in his kingdom that performing deep daan in Shiva temples was mandatory for everyone. He instructed that lamps should always be lit in the Shiva temples around his village. King Dam followed Shiva Dharma throughout his life. Thus, he was called a great righteous person. He got many lamps lit in Shiva temples. As a result of this, he became the master of Alkapuri after death, being the refuge of the light of lamps. Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, the worship and adoration of Lord Shiva yield great fruits. Gun Nidhi, the son of Dixit, who was righteous, attained the position of Digpal by the grace of Lord Shiva. Now I will tell you about his friendship with Lord Shiva." Narada, a long time ago, Vishrava was born from my mind-born son Pulastya, and Kubera was the son of Vishrava. He performed severe penance in ancient times. He enjoyed Alkapuri, created by Vishwakarma. At the beginning of the Meghavahana Kalpa, he began intense penance as Kubera. He went to Kashipuri, illuminated by Lord Shiva, and by invoking the eleven Rudras with the gems of his mind, he became absorbed in the meditation of Lord Shiva with intense devotion and worshipped him with unwavering faith. There he consecrated a Shivling and worshipped the Shivling with excellent flowers. Kubera was engrossed in penance with his whole heart. Only the skeletal frame and skin remained on his entire body. Thus, he performed penance for 100,000 years. Thereafter, Lord Shiva, along with his divine power, Uma, in her magnificent form, went to Kubera. The lord of Alka, Kubera, was engrossed in penance before the Shivling with a concentrated mind. Lord Shiva said, "O lord of Alka, I am pleased with your devotion and penance. You can ask me for any boon you desire." Hearing this, as soon as Kubera opened his eyes, he saw Lord Nilakantha standing before him. His radiance was like the sun. The moon was scattering its moonlight on his forehead. Kubera's eyes were dazzled by his radiance. He immediately closed his eyes. He said to Lord Shiva, "Lord, grant my eyes the power to see your lotus feet." Hearing Kubera's words, Lord Shiva touched Kubera with his palm and granted him the power of sight. Upon receiving divine vision, he stared at Goddess Uma with wide eyes. He thought, "Who is this perfectly beautiful woman with Lord Shiva? What penance has she performed to receive such proximity and fortune from Lord Shiva?" He kept looking at Goddess Uma. Due to his continuous gaze, his left eye burst. Shiva Ji said to Uma, "O Uma, this is your son. He is not looking at you with a cruel gaze; he is trying to understand your power of penance." Then Lord Shiva said to Kubera, "I am very pleased with your penance. I grant you the boon that you will become the master of all treasures and hidden powers. Become the lord of Yakshas and Kinnaras and the giver of wealth. I will always be friends with you, and I will always reside near you, meaning I will reside near your place, Alkapuri. O Kubera, now bow at the feet of your mother Uma. She is your mother." Brahma Ji says, "O Narada, thus Lord Shiva said to the Goddess, 'O Goddess, he is like your son. Show him your grace.'" Hearing this, Uma Devi said, "Child, may your devotion to Lord Shiva always remain pure. After your left eye burst, may you remain with a single, pipal-like eye. The boons granted to you by Mahadeva are easily attainable. Due to envy of my form, you have become famous by the name Kubera." After granting the boon to Kubera, Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma returned to their abode. Thus, friendship was established between Lord Shiva and Kubera, and they resided on Mount Kailash near Alkapuri. Narada Ji said, "Brahma Ji, you are blessed. You have shown me grace by telling me this nectar-like story. Indeed, Shiva devotion removes sorrows and bestows all happiness."

Chapter 20: Lord Shiva's Journey to Mount Kailash

Brahma Ji said, "O Narada Muni, due to Kubera's penance on Mount Kailash, Lord Shiva auspiciously arrived there. After granting the boon of becoming the lord of treasures and then disappearing, Vishweshwar Shiva, who grants boons to Kubera, thought, 'I will reside on Mount Kailash in my Rudra form, who was born from Brahma Ji's forehead and is the destroyer.' By Shiva's will, the Rudra Deva, going to Kailash, began to play his damaru with great force. That sound was exhilarating. The sound of the damaru was echoing in all three worlds. That sound invited listeners to come near. Hearing that damaru sound, Brahma, Vishnu, and all other gods, sages, munis, and those who know the Vedas and Shastras, arrived at Mount Kailash with great enthusiasm. All the attendants and ganas of Lord Shiva, wherever they were, reached Mount Kailash. Along with them, Lord Shiva himself arrived with innumerable ganas and his army of millions and billions of terrifying ghosts and spirits. All the ganas were equipped with thousands of arms. They had matted hair on their heads. All were Chandrachud, Nilakantha, and Trilochan. They were adorned with necklaces, earrings, armlets, and crowns. Lord Shiva ordered Vishwakarma to build a residence on Mount Kailash. He ordered him to prepare suitable dwellings for himself and his devotees. As soon as Vishwakarma received the order, he built many types of beautiful residences there. At an auspicious moment, they entered there. At this sweet hour, Brahma and Vishnu, along with all gods, sages, and siddhas, performed the abhishakam of Shiva Ji and Uma. They worshipped and praised them in various ways and performed the aarti of the Lord. At that time, flowers rained from the sky. At this time, the victory cries of Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma were resounding everywhere. Pleased by everyone's praise, Lord Shiva granted them boons according to their wishes and presented them with desired and cherished items. Thereafter, taking leave from Lord Shankar, all the gods returned to their respective abodes. Kubera also, upon receiving Lord Shiva's command, returned to his place, Alkapuri. Thereafter, Lord Shambhu began to reside there. He remained engrossed in yoga practice and meditation. After residing there alone for some time, he obtained Daksha's daughter, Goddess Sati, as his wife. O Devarshi, now the Rudra Lord happily resided there with Goddess Sati. O Narada, thus I have narrated to you the description of Lord Shiva's Rudra form and the excellent story of his arrival on Kailash. I have told you about the friendship between Shiva Ji and Kubera and the various divine plays of Lord Shiva. Their devotion bestows happiness in all three worlds and grants desired fruits. Not only in this world but also in the next world, one attains good destiny. Whoever listens to or reads this story with concentration attains happiness and pleasures in this world and then attains salvation. Narada Ji thanked Brahma Ji and praised him. He said, "O Lord, you have narrated this nectar-like story to me. You are greatly knowledgeable. You fulfill everyone's desires. I am grateful to you. You have given me such excellent knowledge as Shiva's character. O Lord, I bow to you again and again." Thus, with the twentieth chapter, the first section of the Shri Rudra Samhita was completed. [Music] The second section of the Shri Rudra Samhita has a total of 42 chapters. So, let's begin with the first chapter. The first chapter describes the character of Sati. Narada Ji asked, "O Brahma Ji, after hearing the auspicious and nectar-like Shiva story from your divine mouth, my desire to know more about him has increased. Therefore, please tell me about Lord Shiva. O Brahma Ji, the creator of the universe, I also want to know about Sati. How did Sadashiva, who is a yogi, get married to a woman and become a householder? How did the thought of marriage come to him? How did she, who was first Daksha's daughter, then became the daughter of Himalaya, Sati and Parvati, attain Shiva? How did Parvati perform severe penance and how did her marriage take place? How did she find a place in half of Lord Shiva's body, who had burnt Kamadeva? What is his Ardhanarishvara form? O Lord, only you can answer these questions of mine. You can resolve my doubts." Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, the auspicious fame of Goddess Sati and Lord Shiva is supremely divine and secret. Only they understand its mystery. First, at your request, I will narrate the character of Sati. First, a daughter was born to me, seeing whom I was overcome with lust. Then Rudra, reminding me of dharma, rebuked me greatly. Then they went to their abode, Mount Kailash. I tried to explain to them, but all my efforts were in vain. Then I worshipped Shiva Ji. Shiva Ji explained a lot to me, but I did not give up my stubbornness, and then I began to use Shakti to enchant Rudra Deva. Sati was born in my son Daksha's house. There, Daksha's daughter, Uma, was born and by performing severe penance, became Rudra's wife. Rudra spent his time happily in the grihastha ashram. Meanwhile, due to Shiva Ji's Maya, Daksha became arrogant and began to slander Mahadeva Ji. Daksha organized a grand yajna. To that yajna, Daksha invited me, Vishnu Ji, all the gods, and the sages. But he did not invite Mahadeva Shiva Ji and his daughter Sati to that grand yajna. When Sati came to know about this, she bowed at Shiva's feet and expressed her desire to go to Daksha's yajna. Shiva tried to explain to Goddess Sati a lot that going to such events without being invited is insulting and inauspicious. But Sati insisted on going. Seeing the future, Shiva gave his permission. Shiva is omniscient. Sati went to her father's house. There, seeing no share for Mahadeva Ji in the yajna and hearing her father's severe condemnation of her husband from his mouth, she became very angry. She could not tolerate Mahadeva and jumped into the same yajna kund, sacrificing her body. When this news reached Shiva, he became very enraged. He plucked a hair from his matted locks and created his attendant named Virabhadra. Lord Shiva ordered Virabhadra to destroy Daksha's yajna. Virabhadra, obeying Shiva's command, destroyed the yajna and cut off Daksha's head. Seeing this disturbance, everyone began to pray to Lord Shiva. Then Lord Shiva revived Daksha and completed his yajna. Lord Shiva left from there with Sati's dead body. At that time, the flame generated from Sati's body went to the mountain. That mountain is still worshipped today by the name Jwalamukhi. Even today, seeing it fulfills desires. That same Sati, in her second birth, appeared as a daughter in the house of Himalaya, whose name was Parvati. By performing severe penance, she again obtained Lord Mahadeva Shiva as her husband.

Chapter 2: Shiva-Parvati Character

Suta Ji said, "O Rishis, hearing these words of Brahma Ji, Narada Ji again asked, 'O Brahma Ji, I want to hear again the supremely pure and divine character of Sati and Shankar Ji. How did Sati originate, and how did Mahadeva Ji's mind get ready for marriage? How did Daksha become angry, and how did Goddess Sati sacrifice her body, and then how did she take birth as the daughter of Himalaya, Parvati? Please narrate in detail all the stories of her penance, marriage, destruction of Kama, etc.'" Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, earlier Lord Shiva was nirguna (without attributes), nirvikalpa (without change), nirvikara (without defect), and divine. But after marrying Goddess Uma, he became saguna (with attributes) and powerful. From his left side, Brahma Ji was born, and from his right side, Vishnu was born. From then on, the three forms of Lord Sada Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, became known as the creator, preserver, and destroyer. While worshipping them, I began to create creatures like humans, along with gods and demons. I created all castes. I gave birth to Marichi, Atri, Pulaha, Pulastya, Angira, Kratu, Vashishtha, Narada, Daksha, and Bhrigu, and they are known as my mind-born sons. Thereafter, the illusion of Maya arose in my mind. Then, a very captivating and beautiful woman appeared from my heart. Her name was Sandhya. She would diminish during the day, but her beauty and radiance would increase at night. She was Sayam Sandhya. Sandhya continuously chanted mantras. Even the minds of sages were confused by her beauty. Similarly, a captivating man also appeared from my mind. He was extremely beautiful and wonderful. The middle part of his body was slender. He had dark hair. His teeth were shining like white pearls. Fragrance emanated from his breath. His gait was like that of a proud elephant. His eyes were like lotuses. The fragrance of the kesar applied to his limbs satisfied the nostrils. Then that handsome man humbly bowed his head before me, Brahma, and praised me greatly. That man said, "Brahma, you are extremely powerful. You have given me birth. Lord, have mercy on me and tell me my work of yoga so that I can complete that task by your command." Brahma Ji said, "O noble man, you create eternal creation. In this very form, enchant men and women with the five arrows of flowers. No creature in this moving world will be able to disrespect you. You will secretly enter the hearts of creatures and, becoming the cause of happiness, will advance the eternal work of creation. Your virtuous arrows will pierce all creatures and make them intoxicated. From today, you will be known by the name Pushpa Bana (flower arrow). Similarly, you will be known as the propagator of creation."

Chapter 3: Kamadeva Cursed by Brahma Ji

Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, all the sages began to search for a suitable name for that man. Then, after thinking, they said, 'You have churned Brahma's mind as soon as you were born. Therefore, your first name will be Manmath. There is no one like you in this world. Therefore, your second name will be Kama. The third name will be Madan, and the fourth name will be Kandarp.' As soon as he knew his names, Kama named his five arrows and tested them. Kama adorned his five arrows with the names Harshana, Rochana, Mohana, Shoshana, and Marana. These arrows could enchant even the sages. Many gods and sages were present at that place. Sandhya was also there at that time. As a result of the arrows shot by Kamadeva, everyone was enchanted. All minds were corrupted. All were under Kama's control. Brahma Ji, along with his mind-born sons like Prajapati Marichi, Atri, Daksha, and other sages, became infatuated with Sandhya and desired to possess her. Seeing Brahma Ji and all his mind-born sons infatuated with one maiden, Dharma felt great sorrow. Dharma remembered the protector of dharma, the lord of the three worlds. Seeing me, Shiva Ji laughed and said, "O Brahma, how have you become infatuated with your own daughter? How did the pure minds of Daksha, Marichi, and other yogis, who see the sun, become impure upon seeing a woman? How can those gods whose minds are attached to women be associated with the scriptures?" Hearing such words from Shiva, I felt great shame, and my entire body broke out in a sweat. My defect ended. But from the sweat that fell from my body, the Pitri Ganas were born. From them, 64,000 Agnisvat Pitri Ganas were born, and 86,000 Bahirshat Pitara were born. A perfectly accomplished and extremely beautiful maiden was also born, whose name was Rati. Seeing her beauty, Ritu and others ejaculated, and from them, many Pitara were born. Thus, many Pitara were born from Sandhya. After Shiva Ji disappeared from there, I became angry with Kama. When I became angry, Kama withdrew that arrow. As the arrow was withdrawn, I began to burn with the fire of anger. I cursed Kama to be burnt by Shiva's arrow. Hearing this, Kama and Rati both fell at my feet and praised me and asked for forgiveness. Then Kama said, "O Lord, you yourself, while granting me the boon, said that all gods, sages, and humans, including Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, would be under your control. I was merely testing that power. Therefore, I am innocent. Lord, have mercy on me and tell me the way to end the effect of this curse." Hearing Kama's words, Brahma Ji's anger subsided. Then he said, "My curse cannot be false. Therefore, you will be burnt by the fire arrow of Mahadeva's third eye. However, after some time, when Shiva Ji gets married, meaning when Goddess Parvati comes into his life, you will regain your body."

Chapter 4: Kama and Rati's Marriage

Narada Ji asked, "O Brahma Ji, what happened after this? Please tell me the story further. Did Kama and Rati get married or not? What happened to your curse? Please tell me in detail." Brahma Ji said, "After Shiva Ji disappeared from there, Daksha said to Kama, 'O Kamadeva, accept my daughter, who is supremely beautiful and virtuous, possessing qualities similar to yours, as your wife. My daughter is accomplished in all virtues and is suitable for you in every way. O supremely radiant Manobhava, she will always be with you and will act according to your wishes.' Saying this, Daksha named his daughter, who was born from his sweat, as Rati. Thereafter, Kama Deva and Rati were married with great joy. O Narada, Daksha's daughter Rati was very charming and supremely beautiful. Her beauty and grace were enough to enchant the sages. Kama Deva was extremely pleased with his marriage to Rati. He was completely enamored with Rati. There was a grand celebration for their marriage. Prajapati Daksha was very happy to find a suitable groom for his daughter. Goddess Rati, Daksha's daughter, also felt blessed to have Kama Deva. Just as lightning adorns the clouds, Rati was adorned with Kama Deva. When Kama Deva seated Rati on the throne of his heart, Rati also felt as happy as Goddess Lakshmi felt upon obtaining Shri Hari. At that time, filled with joy and happiness, Kama Deva forgot Shiva's curse. Suta Ji says, hearing Brahma Ji's words, Maharshi Narada became very pleased and said joyfully, "O great soul, you have narrated the wonderful divine play of Lord Shiva to me. O Lord, now please tell me what happened to the Brahmakumari Sandhya, who gives birth to Pitara, after the marriage of Kamadeva and Rati and after all the gods had gone to their abodes. When did she get married, and to whom? Please satisfy my curiosity about Sandhya."

Chapter 5: Sandhya's Character

Suta Ji said, "O Rishis, upon Narada Ji asking such questions, Brahma Ji said, 'Munis, hearing the character of Sandhya, all women can become chaste and virtuous. That Sandhya was my mind-born daughter, who sacrificed her body by performing severe penance. Then she was born as the daughter of the great sage Medhatithi, Arundhati. Sandhya sacrificed her body while performing penance because she considered herself sinful. Seeing her, even her father and brothers felt lustful desire. Then she decided to atone for it and resolved to burn her body in the Vedic fire to establish a precedent. No creature born on earth will be affected by lust before adolescence. Establishing this precedent, I will sacrifice my life.' With this thought in mind, Sandhya went to the Chandrabhaga River. This is where the Chandrabhaga River originates. Upon learning this, I ordered my son Vashishtha, who was a learned scholar of Vedas and Shastras, omniscient, and a yoga practitioner, to go there. I sent Vashishtha Ji there to formally initiate Sandhya. Narada, on the Chandrabhaga mountain, there is a divine lake full of auspicious qualities. Sandhya, sitting on the bank of that lake, was adorned as the sky is adorned with the rising moon and stars in the evening twilight. Then she also saw the Chandrabhaga River. Then, Vashishtha Ji respectfully asked Sandhya, sitting on the bank of that lake, "O Goddess, what are you doing on this deserted mountain? Who are your parents? If it is not something to be hidden, please tell me." Hearing these words, Sandhya looked at Maharshi Vashishtha. His body was illuminated with divine radiance. Wearing matted hair on his head, he appeared like a truly virtuous soul. Sandhya respectfully bowed and introduced herself to Vashishtha Ji, saying, "Brahmin, I am Sandhya, the son of Brahma Ji. I have come to this deserted mountain to perform penance. If you deem it appropriate, please tell me the method of penance. I do not know the rules of penance, so please guide me properly." Hearing Sandhya's words, Vashishtha Ji understood that Goddess Sandhya had a firm resolve for penance in her mind. Therefore, Vashishtha Ji, remembering the devotee-loving Lord Shiva, said, "O Goddess, who is the greatest and most excellent, the supreme object of worship for all, who is called the Supreme Being, hold that Mahadeva Shiva in your heart. Lord Shiva is the source of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Worship him. Chant the mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya' and perform silent penance. According to it, bathe and worship Shiva with silence. For the first two times, take water as food in the sixth period. The third time, when the sixth period arrives, fast. Goddess, penance performed in this manner yields the fruit of celibacy and fulfills desired wishes. With a noble intention in your mind, contemplate and meditate on Shiva Ji. He will be pleased and will surely fulfill your wishes." After telling Sandhya the method of penance and giving her instructions, Muni Vashishtha disappeared from there.

Chapter 6: Sandhya's Penance

Brahma Ji said, "O highly intelligent Narada, when Vashishtha Ji left after telling her the method of penance, Sandhya sat down and began severe penance. Following the rituals and mantras told by Vashishtha Ji, Sandhya began to worship Lord Shiva. She dedicated her mind to Shiva devotion and became engrossed in penance with concentration. As she performed penance, four Yugas passed. Then Lord Shiva was pleased and gave Sandhya the vision of his form, which Sandhya had been contemplating. The Lord's face was pleased, and peace radiated from his form. Sandhya thought, 'How should I praise Mahadeva?' In this thought, Sandhya closed her eyes. Lord Shiva entered Sandhya's heart and gave her divine knowledge, as well as divine speech and divine vision. With a pleased mind, Sandhya praised Lord Shiva. Sandhya said, "O formless, supreme knowledge, creator of the worlds, Lord Shiva, I bow to you. I bow to Lord Shiva, who is peaceful, pure, without defect, and the source of knowledge, who illuminates the light. I bow to that Lord whose form is unique, pure, free from illusion, radiant, full of eternal bliss, truth, and prosperity, and who bestows Lakshmi and happiness. I bow to that Supreme Father, the Supreme Being, who is predominant in sattva, worthy of meditation, the essence of the self, who helps cross over everything, and who is supremely pure. I bow to that Lord. Lord Shiva, your form is pure, captivating, adorned with jeweled ornaments, and like camphor. The damaru, rudraksha, and trident are beautiful in your hands. I bow to this divine, conscious, saguna, sakara form of yours. Sky, earth, directions, water, fire, and time are all your forms. O Lord, you create the world in the form of Brahma, you preserve the universe in the form of Vishnu. You yourself take the form of Rudra and perform destruction. From whose feet the earth and from whose body all directions, the sun, the moon, and other gods have appeared. From whose navel the sky was created. He is the eternal Brahma and the Supreme Brahma. The entire universe originated from you. Whose form and qualities even Brahma and Vishnu cannot describe, how can I praise that lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva? I am an ignorant and foolish woman. How can I worship you so that you are pleased with me? O Lord, I bow to you again and again." Brahma Ji said, "Narada, Lord Shiva was very pleased with the words spoken by Sandhya. Her praise melted him. Lord Shiva said, 'O Goddess, I am very pleased with your penance. Therefore, ask for any boon you desire. Your wish will surely be fulfilled.' Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, Sandhya, with a pleased mind, bowed to him again and again and said, 'O Maheshwar, if you are pleased with me and wish to grant a boon, and if I have been purified of my past sins, then O Maheshwar, O Lord of Gods, grant me the boon that all creatures born in this world, whether they live in the sky, on earth, or in any place, may not be filled with lust from birth. O Lord, may my husband also be kind-hearted and like a friend, and not excessively lustful. Anyone who looks at me with lustful desire, other than my husband, may become devoid of manhood, i.e., impotent. O Lord, also grant me this boon that there may be no one in the three worlds as famous and supremely ascetic as me.' Hearing the innocent Sandhya ask for boons, Lord Shiva said, 'O Goddess Sandhya, so be it. I grant you what you desire. Now there will be four stages in the lives of creatures: the first is childhood, the second is adolescence, the third is youth, and the fourth is old age. Only in the third stage, i.e., youth, will a person be lustful. In some cases, creatures may become lustful at the end of the second stage. Pleased by your penance, I have set this precedent. You will be supremely chaste, and any man who looks at you with lustful desire, other than your husband, will immediately become impotent. Your husband will be a great ascetic who will live for seven Kalpas. Thus, I have granted you both the boons you asked for. Now I will tell you the means to fulfill your vow. You had vowed to sacrifice your body in the fire. The great sacrifice of Muni Medhatithi is going on, which will last for 12 years, and the fire is burning intensely. You should sacrifice your body in that fire. On the banks of the Chandrabhaga River, there is an ashram of ascetics where a great yajna is taking place. You will emerge from that fire and become the daughter of Medhatithi. The man whom you desire in your heart and by whom you sacrifice your body, that man will become your husband.' Sandhya, when you were performing penance on this mountain, in the Treta Yuga, Prajapati Daksha had many daughters. He married 27 of them to the Moon. The Moon, abandoning all of them, loved only Rohini. Then Daksha, in anger, cursed them. To free the Moon from the curse, they created the Chandrabhaga River. At that time, Medhatithi was present here. There is no ascetic equal to him, nor will there be. His Jyotishtoma Yajna is going on, in which the fire god is blazing. You should purify yourself by entering that fire and fulfill your vow." After giving such instructions, Lord Shiva disappeared from there.

Chapter 7: Sandhya's Soul

Brahma Ji says, "Narada, when Lord Shiva disappeared from there after granting boons to Goddess Sandhya, Sandhya went to the place where Muni Medhatithi was performing the yajna. She remembered the radiant Brahmachari Vashishtha Ji in her heart and, desiring to have him as her husband, Sandhya jumped into the blazing fire of the great yajna. Her body burned in the fire and entered the solar sphere. Then the Sun divided it into two parts and placed it in the chariot for the satisfaction of the Pitara and the gods. The upper part of her body became Pratah Sandhya, and the remaining part became Sayam Sandhya. Sayam Sandhya satisfies the Pitara. Before sunrise, when the sky is red, i.e., during Arunodaya, worship the gods. When the sun, like a red lotus, sets, i.e., disappears, worship the Pitara. Lord Shiva granted Sandhya's soul a divine body. When Muni Medhatithi's yajna concluded, he saw a maiden whose radiance was like gold in the fire. The Muni bathed her properly and seated her in his lap. He named her Arundhati. Muni Medhatithi was very pleased due to the uninterrupted completion of the yajna and the acquisition of a daughter. He raised Arundhati in the ashram. She gradually grew up living on the banks of the same Chandrabhaga River. When she was of marriageable age, we three gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, spoke to Medha Muni and arranged her marriage with Muni Vashishtha. Muni."

The daughter of Medha Tithi, the greatly virtuous Arundhati, was extremely devoted to her husband. She was very pleased to have Sage Vashishtha as her husband. She began to sport with him, and from her, auspicious and excellent sons like Shakti were born. O Narada, in this way, I have narrated to you the character of the supremely pure Goddess Sandhya. All desires are fulfilled by this entire [music] consecration.

**Chapter Eight: The Defeat of Kama**

Suta said, "O Sages, when this was said by Prajapati Brahma, Narada, hearing his words, became joyous and said, 'O Brahmin, I thank you very much for narrating this divine story to me. O Lord, now tell me more about Sandhya. What did she do after her marriage? Did she perform penance again or not?'"

Suta said, "When Narada asked Brahma this, he also asked, 'When Kamadeva, after marrying Ratī, left from there, and when all the sages like Daksha also left from there, and Sandhya also went away for penance, what happened there?'"

Brahma said, "O excellent Narada, you are a great devotee of Lord Shiva. You know His pastimes very well. In the past, when I was trapped in delusion, Lord Shiva mocked me. Then I felt great sorrow, and I became jealous of Lord Shiva. I went to Sage Daksha's place. Goddess Ratī and Kamadeva were also there. I told them how Shiva had mocked me. I told my sons, 'You try in such a way that Mahadeva Shiva marries a woman of charming beauty.' I prepared Kamadeva and Ratī to enchant Lord Shiva. Kamadeva accepted my command. Kamadeva said, 'O Prajapati Brahma, my weapon is beautiful women. Therefore, you create a supremely beautiful woman for Lord Shiva.' Hearing this, I became worried. From my intense breaths, spring, adorned with flowers, began. Spring and Malana helped Kamadeva. With them, Kamadeva tried to enchant Shiva, but he was not successful. I sent them to Shiva again with the Marut ganas. Despite many efforts, they were not successful. Therefore, I asked Ratī, along with her companions like Spring, to enchant Shiva. Then Kamadeva, happily taking Ratī and other helpers, went to Shiva's abode."

**Chapter Nine: The Marriage of Brahma and Shiva**

Brahma said, "Kama spread his enchanting influence over all beings. Spring fully supported him. With Ratī, Kamadeva made many attempts to enchant Shiva. As a result, all living beings and creatures were enchanted. The entire creation, both animate and inanimate, under the influence of Kama, forgot its limits. The sages who followed the vow of restraint were astonished, repenting their actions. How did they break their vows? But they had no control over Lord Shiva. All of Kamadeva's efforts were in vain. Then Kamadeva became disappointed and came to me and bowed, saying, 'O Lord, I am not powerful enough to enchant Shiva.' Hearing this, I was plunged into worry. At that very moment, from my breaths, many terrible ganas appeared, who began to play various musical instruments loudly and shout 'Kill, kill!' Seeing such a state, Kamadeva asked me about them. Then I gave those ganas the name 'Mara' and handed them over to Kamadeva, saying, 'They will always be under your control. They were born to help you.' Hearing this, Ratī and Kamadeva became very happy. Kama said, 'O Lord, as per your command, I will go again to enchant Shiva. But I feel that I will not be successful in enchanting Him. Also, I fear that He might burn me to ashes according to your curse.' Saying this, Kamadeva, along with Ratī, Spring, and his Mara ganas, went to Shiva's abode again. Kamadeva made many attempts to enchant Shiva, but he could not succeed in enchanting the Supreme Lord Shiva. Then Kamadeva returned from there and informed me of his failure. Kamadeva began to say to me, 'O Brahmin, you yourself find a way to enchant Shiva. It is not possible for me to enchant Him.'

**Chapter Ten: The Dialogue of Brahma and Vishnu**

Brahma said, "O Narada, after Kama left, my pride in enchanting Mahadeva Shiva was shattered. But it kept running in my mind, 'What should I do so that Mahadeva Shiva accepts a wife?' While thinking this, I remembered Vishnu. As soon as I remembered Him, the golden-robed Sri Hari Vishnu appeared before me. I praised Him greatly for His pleasure. Then Vishnu began to ask me why I had remembered Him. 'If you have any sorrow or suffering, please tell me. I will remove that sorrow.' Then I said to Him, 'O Kesava, if Lord Shiva somehow accepts a wife, meaning gets married, then all my sorrows will be removed, and I will become happy again.' Hearing my words, Lord Madhusudan laughed and, increasing my joy as the creator of the world, said, 'O Brahma, after hearing my words, all your illusions will be dispelled. Shiva Himself is the creator and sustainer of all. He sustains this world. He destroys sins. Lord Shiva is the Supreme Brahman, the eternal, indescribable, unchanging, unique, infinite, and the destroyer of all. He is all-pervading. He is the abode of the three qualities, known as Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, and is beyond the qualities of Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva, and is free from Maya. Lord Shiva is devoted to Yoga and is affectionate to His devotees. O Deva, when Lord Shiva manifested us by your grace, He told us that although Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra would all be My incarnations, Rudra would be considered My complete form. Similarly, there would be three forms of Goddess Uma. One form would be named Lakshmi, and she would be the wife of Sri Hari. The second form would be of Saraswati, and she would be the wife of Brahma Ji. Goddess Sati would be the complete form of Uma, and she would be the wife of the future Rudra.' Saying this, Lord Maheswara disappeared from there. When the time came, both of us, Brahma and Vishnu, were married to Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Lakshmi. Lord Shiva took an incarnation as Rudra. He began to reside on Mount Kailash. As Lord Shiva had said, the wife of the Rudra incarnation would be Goddess Sati, who is the very form of Shiva. Therefore, you should pray for her incarnation. Meditating on your desire, praise Goddess Shiva. When the Goddess of Gods is pleased, she will remove all your troubles and obstacles. Therefore, remember Her and praise Her with a true heart. If Shiva is pleased, She will descend to Earth. She will take birth as the daughter of some human in this world. Then she will surely choose Lord Rudra and obtain Him as her husband. Then all your wishes will surely be fulfilled. Therefore, you command Prajapati Daksha to begin his penance. By the power of his penance, Parvati Devi will be born in his house in the form of Sati. Goddess Sati will bind Mahadeva in the marriage bond. Shiva and Shiva are both formless and the Supreme Brahman, and are completely subservient to their devotees. They act according to their wishes.' Saying this, Lord Sri Hari Vishnu disappeared from there. Hearing His words, I was greatly satisfied, because I had learned the way to remove my sorrows and sufferings."

**Chapter Eleven: Brahma's Prayer to Goddess Kali**

Narada said, "O revered father, what happened after Vishnu left?" Brahma said, "When Lord Vishnu left from there, I began to remember Goddess Durga and praise Her. I prayed to Mother Jagadamba to fulfill my desire. She should descend to Earth, choose Lord Shiva, and bind Him in the marriage bond. Pleased by my unique devotion and praise, Yog Nidra Chamunda appeared before me. Her complexion was like kohl, beautiful and divine. She was seated on a lion, with four arms. Seeing her before me, I bowed to her with extreme humility and worshipped her. Then I told her, 'O Goddess, Lord Shiva is residing on Mount Kailash in His Rudra form. He is absorbed in penance in meditation. He is a complete Yogi. Lord Rudra is a Brahmachari, and He does not wish to enter the Grihastha ashram. He does not want to get married. Therefore, you enchant Him and accept to become His wife. O Goddess, it is because of a woman that Lord Shiva mocked me and insulted me. Therefore, I also want to see Him involved with a woman.' O Goddess, apart from you, no one is powerful enough to enchant Lord Shankar. My request to you is that you take birth as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha and choose Lord Shiva, and make Him enter the Grihastha ashram." Goddess Chamunda said, "O Brahma, Lord Shiva is the Supreme Yogi. What benefit will you get by enchanting Him? What do you want from me for this? I have always been His servant. He has taken the Rudra incarnation to uplift His devotees." Saying this, she began to remember Shiva. Then she said, "It is true that no one can bind Lord Shiva in the bonds of Maya. No one in this world can enchant Shiva. I do not have the power to divert Him from His duty. Nevertheless, pleased by your prayer, I will try to make Lord Shiva enchanted and married. I will take the form of Sati and descend to Earth." Saying this, the Goddess disappeared from there.

**Chapter Twelve: Daksha's Penance**

Narada said, "O Brahma Ji, what boon did Prajapati Daksha, who followed the excellent vow, obtain from the Goddess by performing penance, and how did he take birth as Daksha's daughter?" Brahma said, "O Narada, at my command, Prajapati Daksha went to the northern shore of the Shira Sagar. Sitting on that shore, he began to perform penance, remembering Goddess Uma in his heart to obtain her as his daughter. Concentrating his mind, Prajapati Daksha firmly followed the rigorous vow. He performed severe penance for 3000 divine years. He only consumed water and air. Thereafter, Goddess Jagadamba appeared before him. Kalika Devi was seated on her lion, and her dark complexion and face were extremely enchanting. She had four arms, holding a boon in one, fearlessness in the second, a blue lotus in the third, and a sword in the fourth. Both her eyes were red, and her hair was long and loose. The Goddess's form was very captivating. Daksha and his wife respectfully bowed to the Goddess, who was radiant with excellent splendor. They praised the Goddess with devotion. Daksha said, 'O Jagadamba Bhavani, Kalika, Chandi, Maheshwari, I bow to you. I am very grateful that you have appeared before me. O Goddess, be pleased with me.' Brahma said, "O Narada, Goddess Jagadamba herself knew Daksha's heart's desire. She said, 'Daksha, I am very pleased with your penance. Tell me your heart's desire, and I will surely remove all your sorrows. You can ask for any boon according to your wish.' Hearing this, Prajapati Daksha became very happy and bowed to the Goddess. Daksha said, 'O Goddess, you are blessed. You are the giver of desired fruits when pleased. O Goddess, if you wish to give me a boon, listen to me carefully and fulfill my wish. O Jagadamba, my Lord Shiva has taken the Rudra incarnation, but you have not yet taken any incarnation. Who is worthy of being His wife besides you? Therefore, O Goddess, take birth on Earth as my daughter and enchant Lord Shiva with your beauty and grace. O Jagadamba, no one besides you can ever enchant Shiva. Therefore, you become the enchantress of the Lord, the Mohini, and benefit the entire world. This is the boon for me.' Hearing Daksha's words, Jagadambika laughed and, remembering Lord Shiva in her mind, said, 'O Prajapati Daksha, I am pleased with your worship and adoration. As per your boon, I will be born as your daughter. After growing up, I will please Mahadeva Ji through severe penance and obtain Him as my husband. I am His servant. In every birth, Shiva Shambhu is my Lord. Therefore, I will take birth in your house and assume the form of Shiva. Now you go home. But always remember one thing: the day your respect for me decreases, on that day I will abandon my body and merge into my form.' Saying this, Goddess Jagadambi disappeared from there, and Prajapati Daksha returned home with a happy mind."

**Chapter Thirteen: The Beginning of Procreation by Daksha**

Brahma says, "O Narada, Prajapati Daksha, having received the Goddess's boon, returned to his hermitage. At my command, Prajapati Daksha began to create mentally, but still, seeing that the population was not increasing, he became very worried and came to me and said, 'O Lord, all the beings I have created have remained as they were, meaning there has been no increase in them. O dear, please grant me a way so that these beings can grow on their own.' Brahma said, 'Prajapati Daksha, listen to me carefully. You complete this task by worshipping the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. He will surely bring you welfare. Marry Asakni, the most beautiful daughter of Prajapati Varna, and increase the population by resorting to the dharma of intercourse with women. You will have many children from Asakni.' As per my command, Daksha married Asakni, the daughter of Vir. From his wife's womb, he had 100,000 sons. They were known as Hari Ashwa. All the sons were followers of the path of dharma. One day, they received the order from their father Daksha to create progeny. For this purpose, they went to the pilgrimage site called Narayana Sar, located in the west. There, the Sindhu River and the ocean meet. By the touch of the water of that holy pilgrimage, their minds became pure and filled with knowledge. They began to perform penance there for the increase of progeny. O Narada, after learning this, you went to them at the will of Sri Hari Vishnu and said, 'Daksha's sons, Harashu Gana, how have you dared to create progeny without seeing the end of the earth?' Brahma said, 'Harashwa were very intelligent. Hearing your question, they began to ponder it. They thought, 'How can a man who does not understand the nishkama command of his supreme father, the scriptures, and believes only in Rajas guna, create progeny?' Understanding this, they circumambulated Narada Ji and went on a path from which return was impossible. When Prajapati Daksha learned that all his sons, after receiving education from Narada, had forgotten my command and gone to a place from which there was no return, Daksha became very sad. He could not bear the separation from his sons. Then I explained to him a lot and consoled him. Then again, from Daksha's wife Asikni's womb, one thousand sons named Shabala Shava were born. All of them, receiving their father's command, went again for penance to the same place where their elder brothers had gone. By the touch of the water of Narayanasarovar, all their sins were destroyed, and their minds became pure. They began to perform penance on the bank, chanting the Pranava mantra. Then Narada, you told them the same things that you had told their brothers, and according to the path shown by you, they followed their brothers' path and attained upward गति. Daksha became very sad about this and fainted from grief. When Prajapati Daksha learned that all this had happened because of Narada, he became very angry. Coincidentally, you also reached there at the same time. Seeing you, he began to criticize you out of anger and reviled you. He said, 'You have only adopted the guise of sages for show. You have cheated my sons and shown them the path of beggars. You have destroyed the welfare of both this world and the next. A person who leaves home after renouncing parents, with the desire for liberation without repaying the debts of sages, gods, and ancestors, and becomes a renunciate, attains a downward path. O Narada, you have repeatedly done me harm. Therefore, I curse you that you will not be able to remain stable anywhere. Wandering in the three worlds, your foot will not be stable anywhere, meaning you will not find a stable place to stay.' O Narada, although you are respected by good men, Daksha, in his grief, cursed you in such a way that you accepted with a calm mind, and there was no disturbance in your mind."

**Chapter Fourteen: The Marriage of Daksha's 60 Daughters**

Brahma said, "O Muniraj, knowing this aspect of Daksha, I went to him. I tried very hard to calm him and consoled him. I introduced you to him. I also informed Daksha that you are also my son. You are the best among sages and dear to the gods. Thereafter, Prajapati Daksha obtained 60 beautiful daughters from his wife. Then they were married to Dharma and others. Daksha married his 10 daughters to Dharma, 13 daughters to Sage Kashyapa, and 27 daughters to the Moon. Two each to Bhuta, Garas, and Kush, and the remaining four daughters were married to Takshi. The three worlds were filled with the offspring of all these. After the birth of sons and daughters, Prajapati Daksha, along with his wife, meditated on Goddess Jagadambika. He praised the Goddess greatly. Pleased by the praise of Prajapati Daksha, Goddess Jagadambika decided to take birth from Daksha's wife's womb. At an auspicious moment, Daksha's wife conceived. At that time, her auspiciousness increased. Due to the influence of the Goddess's abode, Daksha's wife became the embodiment of great auspiciousness. Knowing the Goddess was in the womb, all the gods and goddesses praised Jagadamba. After nine months passed, at an auspicious moment, Goddess Bhagavati was born. Her face was adorned with divine splendor. Flowers rained from the sky at the time of her birth, and clouds rained water. Deities made auspicious sounds standing in the sky. The extinguished fire of the yajna reignited. Seeing the actual Jagadamba manifest, Daksha praised her with devotion. Hearing the praise, the Goddess, pleased, said, 'O Prajapati, I am pleased with your penance. As per your boon, I have decided to be born as your daughter. Today, that boon is fulfilled.' Saying this, she again took the form of an infant and began to cry. Hearing her cry, the maids gathered there to pacify her. During the birth celebration, songs and many musical instruments were played. Daksha performed rituals according to Vedic rites and gave donations to the Brahmins. He named his daughter Uma. Goddess Uma was raised very well. She used to perform many pastimes in her childhood. Goddess Uma grew up like the waxing moon in the bright fortnight. Whenever she sat with her friends, she would only draw pictures of Lord Shiva. She always sang hymns of Lord Shiva, remembered Him, and was absorbed in devotion to Lord Shiva."

**Chapter Fifteen: Sati's Penance**

Brahma said, "O Narada, one day I took you to Prajapati Daksha's house. There I saw Goddess Sati sitting near her father. Seeing me, Daksha got up from his seat and bowed to me. Thereafter, Sati also happily bowed to me. We both sat on the seats. Then I blessed Goddess Sati, saying, 'Sati, you only desire Him and yearn for Him. You also think of Him in your mind and remember His form. May you obtain that all-knowing Jagadishwar Mahadeva as your husband. He is worthy of you.' After some time, taking leave of Daksha, I proceeded to my abode. Hearing my words, Daksha felt great satisfaction and happiness. All his worries were removed by my statement. Gradually, Sati passed her maidenhood and entered youth. Her form was extremely captivating. Her face was radiant with divine splendor. Seeing Goddess Sati, Prajapati Daksha became worried about her marriage. Then, knowing her father's mind, Goddess Sati told her mother her desire to obtain Mahadeva as her husband. She asked her mother for permission to perform penance to please Lord Shankar. Her mother gave her permission, and she began her worship at home. In the month of Ashwin, on the Nanda tithis (Pratipada, Shashti, and Ekadashi), she devoutly worshipped Lord Shiva and offered Him jaggery rice and salt, and bowed to Him. In this way, one month passed. On the Chaturdashi of the month of Kartik, Goddess Sati offered Malpua and Kheer to Lord Shiva and continuously contemplated Him. On the Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Margashirsha, she worshipped Shiva Ji with sesame, barley, and rice, and lit a ghee lamp. On the Saptami of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Paush, she stayed awake the whole night and offered Khichdi in the morning. On the night of the full moon of the month, she remained absorbed in Shiva worship and in the morning, after bathing in the river, she sat down to worship again with wet clothes. On the Chaturdashi of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Phalguna, she stayed awake and performed special worship of Shiva Ji. All her time was dedicated to Shiva Ji. She spent her days and nights remembering Shiva Ji. On the Chaturdashi of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Chaitra, she worshipped the Lord with Dhak flowers and Durva grass. In the month of Vaishakh, she only ate sesame seeds. She worshipped Shiva Ji with new barley rice. In the month of Jyeshtha, she remained hungry and worshipped Shiva Ji with flowers of Vata-kanta and Kanta-kanta. On the Chaturdashi of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Ashadh, she worshipped Rudra Deva with black clothes and Vata-kanta. In the month of Shravana, she worshipped with Yagyopavit clothes and Kusha grass, etc. In the month of Bhadrapada, she tried to please Shiva with various flowers and fruits. She only consumed water and hing. Goddess Sati was always absorbed in the worship of Lord Shiva. In this way, she firmly completed the Nanda Vrata. After completing the Vrata, she began to meditate on Shiva Ji. She sat in a fixed posture and continuously worshipped Shiva. O Narada, to witness this unique devotion and penance of Goddess Sati, I, Vishnu, and all other gods and sages went there. There, everyone bowed to Goddess Sati with devotion and bowed their heads before her. All the gods and goddesses praised her penance. Then all the gods and sages, including me and Vishnu, reached Mount Kailash. There, Lord Shiva was absorbed in meditation. We went near Him, joined our hands, bowed to Him, and began to praise Him. We said, 'Lord, you are supremely powerful. You are the master of Sattva, Rajas, and Tapas, and other powers. The three worlds are Your form. You always protect the devotees who come to Your refuge. You always uplift devotees. O Mahadeva, O Maheswara, we bow to you. Knowing Your glory is not just difficult, but impossible. We bow our heads before you.' Brahma said, 'Narada, after praising Lord Shiva Shankar in this way, all the gods stood silently before Shiva Ji, bowing their heads.'"

**Chapter Seventeen: Rudra Deva's Marriage to Sati**

Brahma said, "Hearing the praise sung by Sri Vishnu and many other gods and sages, the creator Shiva Ji, pleased, asked the reason for our arrival. Rudra Deva said, 'O Hari, O gods and great sages, tell me about your arrival at my Kailash. Why have you all come here, and what is your task? Please tell me.' When Mahadeva Ji asked this, at the command of Lord Vishnu, I submitted as follows: I said, 'O Devaadhideva Mahadeva, ocean of compassion, we have all come here to seek your help. Bhagavan, although we are three, we are one. To regulate and run the cycle of creation smoothly, we work like collaborators with each other. We are each other's helpers. It is as a result of the mutual cooperation of us three that all the tasks of the world are accomplished. The destruction of some demons is destined by me, and the destruction of some demons by Sri Hari. O Lord, some demons will be destroyed by your son born from your virya. O Lord, you destroy terrible demons and provide health and fearlessness to the world. O Lord, creation, sustenance, and destruction are all our tasks. If we do not perform our tasks correctly, then there is no purpose in our taking separate bodies. O Deva, the same Supreme Lord Maheswara has manifested in three forms. In reality, Shiva is independent. He performs the work of creation for the purpose of His pastimes. Lord Vishnu has manifested from His left side. I, Brahma, have manifested from His right side. Rudra Deva has manifested from His heart. Therefore, He is the complete form of Lord Shiva. According to His command, I create the universe, and Vishnu Ji sustains the world. While doing our work, we have become married and have wives. Therefore, you too, for the welfare of the world, accept a supremely beautiful woman as your wife. O Maheswara, in the past, you told us something in your Shiva form. You said, 'One of My incarnations will be from your forehead, who will be known by the name Rudra. You will be Brahma the creator. Lord Vishnu will sustain the world, and I, Shiva, in my Saguṇa Rudra form, will be the destroyer. I will accomplish the tasks of the world by marrying a woman.' O Mahadeva, now fulfill your promise. O Lord, without you, we both are not capable of doing our work. Therefore, Lord, accept such a woman as your wife who can perform the tasks for the welfare of the world. Bhagavan, just as Lakshmi is Vishnu's wife, and Saraswati is my better half, similarly, you also accept your life partner.' Hearing my words, Mahadeva Ji smiled and said to us, 'O Brahma, O Vishnu, you have always been extremely dear to me. You are the best among all gods and the lords of the three worlds. But it is not appropriate for me to marry. I am always absorbed in penance. I am always detached from this world. I am a Yogi who always walks on the path of renunciation. What business do I have with household life? I am always the Self, which is beyond Maya. Whose body is Avadhoota, who knows the soul, and is devoid of desire, stays away from pleasures, is unchanging. What purpose does a woman serve in this world for him? I experience joy only during Yoga. Those who are devoid of knowledge give more importance to pleasure. It is a great bondage. Therefore, I do not want to be bound by the bonds of marriage. Due to contemplation of the soul, I have no interest in worldly selfishness. Nevertheless, for the welfare of the world, I will do what you have said. As you have said, I will definitely marry, because I am always under the control of my devotees. But I will marry a woman who is a yogini and can assume any form at will. When I practice yoga, she should also become a yogini, and when I am inclined towards Kama, she should become a Kamini. Only such a woman is acceptable to me as a wife. I am always engaged in Shiva contemplation. Any woman who disrupts my contemplation will not remain alive. Vishnu and Brahma, we are all parts of Shiva. Therefore, we always contemplate Him. For His contemplation, I can remain unmarried. Therefore, provide me with a wife who will act according to me. If that woman disrupts my work, I will abandon her.' Receiving Shiva's consent for marriage, Vishnu Ji and I became happy. Then I humbly said to Lord Shiva, 'O Lord, Maheswara, Lord, listen about the kind of woman you need. O Lord, Uma, the wife of Lord Shiva, takes various incarnations and appears on Earth, and contributes to the completion of various tasks of creation. That Goddess Uma, in the form of Lakshmi, married Sri Hari, and in the form of Saraswati, she became my better half. Now, for the welfare of the world, she has descended in her third incarnation. Goddess Uma is performing severe penance as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha, with the desire to obtain you as her husband. Her name is Goddess Sati. Sati is worthy of being your wife. She, the greatly radiant one, will obtain you as her husband. O Lord, fulfill her severe penance and grant her the boon as a result. The purpose of her penance is to obtain you as her husband. Therefore, Lord, fulfill Goddess Sati's desire. This is the wish of all of us gods and goddesses. We want to witness the festival of your marriage. Your marriage will bring happiness to the three worlds and will be auspicious for everyone.' Then Lord Shiva said, 'Your command is paramount for me, because I am always subservient to my devotees. According to your wish, I will surely complete the penance by Goddess Sati and marry her.' Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, we all became very happy and, taking leave of Him, went to our respective abodes."

**Chapter Seventeen: Sati Receives the Boon from Shiva**

Brahma says, "O Narada, Sati observed a fast on the Ashtami of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Ashwin. After the completion of the Nanda Vrata, when she was absorbed in the meditation of Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva Himself appeared before her. Lord Shiva's form was extremely captivating. He had five faces, and each face had three eyes. The moon adorned His forehead. He had a blue mark on His throat. In His hands, He held a trident, a Brahma Kapala, a boon, and fearlessness. He had applied bhasma all over His body. The Ganga Ji adorned His head. His face was radiant like millions of moons. Sati, finding Him present before her, worshipped His feet. At that time, due to shyness and refuge, her head was bowed downwards. To grant the fruit of her penance, Shiva Ji said, 'O daughter of Daksha, follower of the excellent vow, I am very pleased with your penance. Therefore, to fulfill your heart's desire, I have appeared here myself. Therefore, tell me whatever desire is in your mind, under the influence of which you have performed such severe penance, and I will surely fulfill it.' Brahma says, 'O Muni, Jagadishwar Mahadeva understood Sati's feelings. Yet, He said to Sati, "O Devi, ask for a boon." ' Devi Sati's head was bowed with shyness. She could not say anything even if she wanted to. Hearing Lord Shiva's words, Sati was immersed in love. Shiva Ji was repeatedly asking Sati to ask for a boon. Then Devi Sati said to Mahadeva Ji, 'O giver of boons, Lord, grant me the boon according to my wish.' Saying this, the Devi became silent. When Lord Shiva saw that Devi Sati was unable to say anything due to shyness, He Himself said to her, 'O Devi, become my better half.' Hearing this, Sati became extremely happy because she had obtained her heart's desire. She joined her hands and, bowing her head, worshipped the feet of the devotee-loving Shiva. Sati said, 'O Devaadhideva Mahadeva, Lord, by telling my father, accept my hand in marriage according to the wedding ritual.' Brahma said, 'Narada, hearing Sati's words, Shiva Ji assured her that it would be so. Then Devi Sati looked at Lord Shiva with joy and infatuation and, taking His leave, went to her father's house. Lord Shiva returned to Kailash, and remembering Devi Sati, He contemplated me. Upon Shiva Ji's remembrance, I immediately proceeded towards Kailash. Seeing me, Lord Shiva said, 'Brahmin, Daksha's daughter Sati has worshipped me with great devotion. Due to the effect of her Nanda Vrata and respecting the wishes of all you gods, I have granted Devi Sati her desired boon. The Devi asked me to become her husband. As per her boon, I have granted Sati the boon of obtaining her as my wife. Having received the boon, she became very happy, and she prayed to me to propose the marriage of Devi Sati to her father Prajapati Daksha and accept her hand in marriage. I have accepted her humble request. Therefore, I have called you here to go to Prajapati Daksha's house and request him to give Devi Sati in marriage to me.' At Lord Shiva's command, I became very happy and said to Him, 'Lord, I am blessed that you have accepted the request of all of us gods and goddesses and chosen me to accept Devi Sati as your wife and to complete this task. As per your command, I am now going to Prajapati Daksha's house and will convey your message to him and ask for Devi Sati's hand for you.' Saying this, I set off for Daksha's house in a Vaishali chariot. Narada Ji asked, 'O Grandfather, first tell me, O Devi'"

When Sati returned home, what happened? What did Daksha say to them and what did he do?

Brahma Ji, while answering Narada Ji's question, said, "When Goddess Sati, after completing her penance, returned home with a boon from Lord Shiva according to her wish, she respectfully bowed to her parents. She informed her parents through her friend that she had received a boon from Lord Shiva. They were very pleased with Sati's penance and wanted to have her as their wife. Hearing this, Prajapati Daksha and his wife were very happy. They joyfully organized a grand celebration. They fed Brahmins and gave them donations. They gave alms to the poor and needy. After some time, Prajapati Daksha again became worried about how he would marry his daughter to Lord Shiva, as he had not yet come to ask for Sati's hand. In this way, Prajapati Daksha became lost in worry. But he did not have to worry for long. Shiva is the ocean of grace and the mine of compassion. So how can he worry whose daughter has chosen Shiva through penance? When I, along with Saraswati, arrived at their home, they bowed to me upon seeing me and offered me a seat. After that, Daksha asked the reason for my arrival. I explained the purpose of my visit and said, 'O Prajapati Daksha, I have come to your house by the command of Lord Shiva. I have come to ask for Goddess Sati's hand for Mahadev Ji. Sati has pleased Lord Shiva by performing excellent worship and has obtained the boon of having him as her husband. Therefore, you should quickly perform Sati's marriage ceremony with Shivji.' Hearing my words, Daksha was very pleased. With a joyful heart, he gave his consent for this marriage. Then I happily proceeded to Kailash Parvat. Lord Shiva was eagerly awaiting me there. On the other hand, Prajapati Daksha, his wife, and daughter Sati were overjoyed at the marriage proposal.

Chapter 18: The Marriage of Shiva and Sati

Brahma Ji said, "Narada, when I reached Kailash Parvat to inform Lord Shiva about Prajapati Daksha's consent, they were eagerly awaiting me. Then I said to Mahadev Ji, 'O Lord, Daksha has said that he is ready to marry his daughter Sati to Lord Shiva, because Sati was born for Mahadev Ji. They will be most pleased if this marriage takes place. His daughter Sati performed severe penance only to have Mahadev Ji as her husband. He is also happy that I myself have come there with your command to propose your marriage for his daughter.' He said, 'O Grandfather, tell them to come with their wedding procession at an auspicious time and moment. I will gladly give my daughter in marriage to Mahadev Ji.' O Lord, Daksha has told me this. Therefore, you should find an auspicious time and go to his house quickly and perform Sati's marriage. O Narada, hearing my words, Shiva Ji said, 'O Brahma, the creator of the universe, I will go to Prajapati Daksha's house with you and Narada Ji. Therefore, Brahma Ji, remember your Narada and your mind-born sons and call them here. Along with them, my attendants will also go to Daksha's house.' Narada, upon receiving Lord Shiva's command, I remembered you and my other mind-born sons. As soon as my message reached them, they immediately appeared at Kailash Parvat. With joyful hearts, they bowed to Mahadev Ji and me. After that, Shiva Ji remembered Lord Sri Hari Vishnu. Lord Vishnu, along with Goddess Lakshmi, arrived there seated on his vehicle Garuda. On the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra, on a Sunday, in the Purva Phalguni constellation, the wedding procession of the Lord of the Three Worlds, Lord Shiva, departed from Kailash Parvat with great pomp. In his procession, I, Goddess Saraswati, Vishnu Ji, Goddess Lakshmi, all the gods, sages, and Shiva Ganas were joyfully proceeding. There was great celebration on the way. By Lord Shiva's will, a bull, tiger, snake, matted hair, and a crescent moon became his ornaments. Lord Shiva himself rode on Nandi and reached Prajapati Daksha's house. Seeing Lord Shiva's wedding procession at the door, everyone was overjoyed. Prajapati Daksha worshiped Lord Shiva according to the rituals. He greatly honored all the gods and took them inside the house. Daksha seated Lord Shiva on an excellent seat and gave appropriate places to all of us gods and sages. Everyone was worshiped with devotion. After that, Daksha prayed to me to conduct the wedding ceremony. I accepted Daksha's prayer and began the wedding ceremony. Finding an auspicious time and moment, Prajapati Daksha handed over his daughter Sati's hand into Lord Shiva's hands and the marriage ceremony was completed according to rituals. At that time, there was a grand celebration, with singing and dancing. Everyone was joyful. All of us gods and goddesses praised Lord Shiva and Goddess Sati and bowed to them with devotion. After the marriage of Lord Shiva and Sati, their parents were very happy, and Prajapati Daksha felt fulfilled by giving his daughter in marriage to Mahadev Ji. The entire world celebrated the auspicious occasion of Mahadeva's marriage.

Chapter 19: Shiva and Vishnu's Praise of Shiva

Brahma Ji says, "Narada, after the kanya-daan, Daksha presented many gifts to Lord Shiva. He also gave donations and offerings to all the Brahmins. After that, Lord Vishnu, along with his wife Lakshmi Ji, stood before Lord Shiva with folded hands and began to worship him. They said, 'O ocean of mercy, Mahadev Ji, you are the father of the entire universe, and Goddess Sati is the mother of all. O Lord, you both take many incarnations to protect your devotees and destroy the wicked.' In this way, they greatly praised Shiva and Sati. Narada, I came near them and began to perform the rituals according to the rules. With the command of the Brahmins and my cooperation, Sati and Lord Shiva took the wedding rounds around the fire according to rituals. At that time, a very wonderful celebration was being held. Various musical instruments and shehnai were playing. Women were singing auspicious songs, and everyone was dancing with joy. After that, Lord Vishnu said, 'Sadashiva, you are the creator of all nature. Your form is luminous. Brahma Ji, I, and Rudra Dev are your forms. We all create, sustain, and destroy the universe. O Lord, we are all parts of you. O Lord, you are all-pervading like the sky and luminous. Just as the hand, ear, nose, mouth, head, etc., are different parts of the body, similarly, we are all parts of your body. You are without attributes and formless. All directions speak of your auspicious glory. All gods and sages worship your feet. I am unable to describe your glory. O Lord, if we have made any mistake, please forgive us and be pleased.' Brahma Ji said, 'In this way, Sri Hari greatly praised Lord Shiva. Hearing his praise, Lord Shiva was very pleased. After all the wedding rituals were completed, we all congratulated Mahadev Ji and Goddess Sati and prayed that they always keep their grace upon everyone and bring welfare to the world. After that, Lord Shiva said to me, 'O Brahmin, you have completed my wedding ceremony, therefore you are my Acharya. A donation is always given to the Acharya for the success of the work. Therefore, tell me, what should I give you as a donation?' Hearing such words from the great Bhagavan, I stood before him with folded hands. I bowed to him and said, 'O Lord of Gods, if you want to give me a boon considering me your Acharya, then I ask you for this boon: that you always remain seated on this altar in this form and give darshan to your devotees. By having your darshan here, the sins of all sinners will be destroyed. By your presence here, I will attain your company. I will build an ashram near this altar, reside here, and perform penance. O Lord, this is my wish. On the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra, on a Sunday, in the Purva Phalguni constellation, whoever has your darshan with devotion, all their sins will be destroyed. All the diseases of a sick person will be cured. By having your darshan on this day, whatever wish a person expresses before you, you should fulfill it immediately. O Lord, on this day, grant everyone their desired boons. O Lord, this is the boon I ask from you.' Hearing my words, Lord Shiva was very pleased. He said, 'O Brahma, I will surely fulfill your wish. According to your boon, I will remain seated on this altar with Goddess Sati.' Saying this, Lord Shiva, along with Goddess Sati, appeared in the form of an idol and became seated in the middle part of the altar. In this way, fulfilling my wish for the welfare of the world, Lord Shiva became seated on the altar in a partial form. [Music]

Chapter 20: Sati's Departure with Shiva to Kailash

Brahma Ji said, "O great sage Narada, after giving me my desired boon, Lord Shiva, along with his wife Goddess Sati, prepared to go to his abode, Kailash Parvat. Then, while bidding farewell to his daughter Sati and son-in-law Lord Shiva, Prajapati Daksha, with folded hands and bowed head, worshiped Mahadev Ji with devotion. Along with Sri Hari, all the gods and sages joyfully chanted victory slogans for the Lord. Lord Shiva, after taking permission from his father-in-law Prajapati Daksha, seated his wife on his vehicle Nandi and himself rode on it towards Kailash Parvat. At that time, the beauty of Lord Shiva and Sati seated on the bull was captivating. Their form was enchanting. Everyone was mesmerized watching them go. Prajapati Daksha and his wife were captivated by the unique form of their daughter and son-in-law and gazed at them intently. At their farewell, auspicious songs were being sung all around. Various musical instruments were playing. All the members of the wedding procession, singing the auspicious and glorious fame of Shiva, followed behind him. Lord Shiva, along with Goddess Sati, reached his abode Kailash. I, along with all the gods, and Vishnu Ji also reached Kailash Parvat. Lord Shiva heartily thanked all the assembled gods and sages. Lord Shiva respectfully bid farewell to everyone. Then all the gods praised him and happily departed to their respective abodes. After that, Lord Shiva and Goddess Sati happily enjoyed their married life. Sut Ji says, "O sages, I have narrated to you the holy story of Lord Shiva's auspicious marriage. When and with whom Lord Shiva got married, how he prepared for the marriage. In this way, I have described all the events to you. Whoever listens to or reads this story after worshiping Lord Shiva at the beginning of a yajna or any auspicious event during a wedding, their work or wedding arrangement will be completed without any obstacles or hindrances. By listening to this story, all auspicious deeds are completed without obstacles. The maiden whose marriage takes place after listening to this nectar-like story becomes endowed with good fortune, auspiciousness, good character, and other virtues. By the grace of Lord Shiva, she also becomes a mother of sons.

Chapter 21: Shiva Sati's Pastimes

Narada Ji asked, "O Grandfather Brahma Ji, after Shiva Ji's marriage, after bidding farewell to all the visiting gods and sages, including Sri Hari and you, what happened? O Lord, please describe the story further. Hearing this, Brahma Ji smiled and said, "O great sage Narada, after the marriage, Lord Shiva and Goddess Sati happily bid farewell to all the assembled gods. After that, Goddess Sati also ordered all the Shiva Ganas to leave Kailash Parvat for some time. All the Shiva Ganas bowed to Mahadev and praised him. After that, they asked for permission to leave from Lord Shankar. While giving permission, Mahadev Ji said, 'Go, but when I remember you, you should all appear before me immediately.' Then, all the Ganas, including Nandi, left Kailash Parvat for some time, leaving Lord Shiva and Goddess Sati alone. Now Lord Shiva was alone with Sati on Kailash Parvat. Goddess Sati was very happy to have Lord Shiva as her husband. She had attained Lord Shiva's company only after very difficult penance. Thinking this, she was very thrilled. Meanwhile, seeing Goddess Sati's unparalleled beauty, Shiva Ji was also captivated. He also felt blessed to have Sati's company. Finding solitude, Shiva Ji began to roam with his wife Sati on the peak of Kailash Parvat.

Chapter 22: Shiva and Sati's Journey to the Himalayas

After describing in detail the various pastimes of Lord Shiva and Daksha's daughter Sati on Kailash Parvat, Brahma Ji said, "Narada, one day, Goddess Sati lovingly bowed to Lord Shiva and stood with both hands folded. Seeing her standing silently, Lord Shiva understood that Goddess Sati must have something on her mind that she wanted to say. Then he smiled and asked Goddess Sati, 'O beloved, tell me, what do you want to say?' Hearing this, Goddess Sati said, 'O Lord, the rainy season has arrived. The atmosphere all around has become beautiful and enchanting. O Lord of Lords, I wish that for some time we go away from Kailash Parvat to the earth or the Himalayas. Let's go to a suitable place for the rainy season and reside there for some time.' Hearing Goddess Sati's prayer, Lord Shiva started laughing. While laughing, he said to his wife Sati, 'Dear, where I reside, no one can come against my will. Even the clouds will never come towards Kailash Parvat without my command. Even during the rainy season, the clouds will only move downwards and depart. O dear, no one can trouble you against your will. Nevertheless, if you wish, we will go to the Himalayas.' After that, Lord Shiva, along with his wife Sati, went to the Himalayas. After enjoying themselves there for some time, they returned to their abode.

Chapter 23: Shiva's Description of Knowledge and Moksha

Brahma Ji said, "O great sage Narada, after returning from the Himalayas, Lord Shiva and Sati resumed their residence on Kailash Parvat as before. One day, Goddess Sati bowed to Lord Shiva with devotion and said, 'O Lord of Lords, Mahadev, ocean of welfare, you protect everyone. O Lord, cast your merciful glance upon me too. O Lord, you are the supreme being and the master of all. You are beyond the three gunas: rajas, tamas, and sattva. My birth is successful by having you as my husband. O treasure of compassion, you have given me happiness of every kind and fulfilled my every wish. But now my mind seeks the knowledge of the elements. I wish to attain the knowledge of that supreme element which bestows happiness upon all, by attaining which a soul is freed from the sorrows and illusions of the world, and is liberated. O Lord, please enlighten me with knowledge.' Brahma Ji said, 'O sage, in this way, the primordial energy Goddess Sati asked Lord Shiva a question for the liberation of souls. Hearing that question, the great yogi, the master of all, Lord Shiva, said with pleasure, 'O Goddess, O daughter of Daksha, I will narrate to you that glorious story, by hearing which one is freed from the bonds of the world. This is the supreme knowledge of the elements, by the rise of which my divine form is realized. Upon gaining knowledge, the intellect of that knowledgeable person becomes pure. The mother of this knowledge is my devotion. It bestows both enjoyment and liberation. Devotion and knowledge always provide happiness. Without devotion, knowledge cannot be attained, and without knowledge, devotion cannot be attained. O Goddess, I am always subservient to my devotees. Devotion is of two types: Saguna and Nirguna. Devotion inspired by scriptures and devotion inspired by the natural love of the heart is superior. But devotion performed with the desire for something is of a lower category. O dear, sages consider the seven types of devotion: Dasya, Archan, Vandan, Sakya, and Atma-samarpan, as well as the devotion of Saguna and Nirguna, as parts of devotion. Whoever listens daily to my stories and kirtans by sitting at one place with concentration of mind and body is called Shravana. Whoever contemplates my divine births and deeds in their heart and utters them with their voice, singing them as bhajan, is called Kirtan. To constantly seek my form in everything around you, to consider me omnipresent, and to always contemplate me is Smaran. To serve me continuously with heart and senses from sunrise to night is Sevan. To remember God by considering oneself God's servant is Dasya. Worshiping me with sixteen types of offerings according to one's wealth and possessions is Archan. To greet the chosen deity by chanting mantras with mind, meditation, and speech is Vandan. To always consider God's decisions as one's own welfare and to consider them auspicious is Sakya. Whatever a person has, they should offer it at God's feet for God's pleasure and dedicate it to Him, which is Atma-samarpan. These nine limbs of devotion bestow enjoyment and liberation. All these are means of knowledge dear to me. My complete devotion gives birth to knowledge and detachment. By this, all desired fruits are obtained. My devotees are very dear to me. In all three worlds and all four yugas, there is no other path as blissful as devotion. In the Kali Yuga, when knowledge and detachment decline, even then devotion will provide auspicious results. I am always under the control of my devotees. I always help my devotees in adverse situations and remove all their sufferings. I am the protector of my devotees.' Brahma Ji said, 'Narada, Goddess Sati was very pleased hearing the importance of devotees and devotion. She bowed to Lord Shiva and again asked about the scriptures. She wanted to know which scripture is the one that liberates all beings, bestows happiness upon them, and expounds all means. She wanted to hear the glory of such a scripture. Hearing Sati's question, Shiva Ji happily told Goddess Sati about all the scriptures. Maheshwar described the Tantra Shastra, Yantra Shastra, and the glory of all the Deveshvaras, including the five limbs. He also narrated the stories of history. He also described the glory of the dharma of sons and women. He also described the Vedic scriptures and Jyotisha Shastra, which bestow happiness upon humans. Lord Shiva also described the glory of devotees and Raj Dharma. In this way, Lord Shiva answered all of Sati's questions and narrated all the stories.

Chapter 24: Sati's Test of Sri Rama by Shiva's Command

Narada Ji said, "O Brahmin, O great sage, O treasure of mercy, you have told me about the auspicious character of Lord Shankar and Goddess Sati. O Lord, I wish to hear the glory of Mahadev Ji with his wife. Please tell me now what Shiva Ji and Sati did thereafter. Describe all their characters to me." Brahma Ji said, "O sage, once upon a time, Sati Ji experienced separation from her husband. This separation was also a form of her divine play, because their mutual separation is not possible. They are like speech and meaning. They are like power and the powerful, and like the picture itself. Sati and Shiva are God. They play new divine plays from time to time." Sut Ji says, "O great sages, hearing Brahma Ji's words, Narada Ji asked Brahma Ji about Goddess Sati and Lord Shiva, why Lord Shiva abandoned his wife Sati. Why did this happen that even after giving the boon himself, he left Goddess Sati? Why did Prajapati Daksha not invite Lord Shiva to his yajna, and why was Lord Shankar disrespected at the yajna site? Why did Sati sacrifice her body at that yajna, and what happened thereafter? O Lord, please explain this to me in detail." Brahma Ji said, "O great wise Narada, seeing your curiosity, I will tell you everything to satisfy all your queries. This is all Lord Shiva's divine play. His form is independent and unchanging. Goddess Sati is also similar to him. Once upon a time, Lord Shiva, along with his beloved wife Sati, was roaming the earth riding on his vehicle Nandi. While roaming, they arrived in the Dandakaranya forest. In that forest, they saw Lord Rama along with his brother Lakshmana wandering in the forests. They were searching for their wife Sita, whom Ravana, the king of Lanka, had abducted. They were wandering here and there, calling her name and searching for her. Sri Rama appeared extremely distressed due to the separation from his wife. His radiance had faded. Lord Shiva saw Rama Ji wandering in the forest but did not appear before him. Goddess Sati was greatly surprised seeing this. She said to Shiva Ji, 'O Lord of all, O treasure of compassion, Sadashiva, O Supreme God, even Brahma and Vishnu serve you. You are worshiped by all. According to Vedanta and scriptures, you are the unchanging Lord. O Lord, who are these two men? These two brave warriors are distressed with sorrow. Why are these two archers wandering in the forests? O Lord, the elder of these two men has a complexion as dark as a blue lotus. Why are you so happy seeing him? Why did you bow to him with pleasure? A devotee never bows to his master. O benevolent Shiva, remove my doubt and tell me about this.' Brahma Ji said, "Narada, when the primordial energy Goddess Sati started asking such questions to Lord Shiva, the Lord of Lords, Mahadev, laughed and said, 'Devi, all this is predetermined. I bowed to them as a boon granted to them. These two brothers are honored by all heroes. Their auspicious names are Sri Rama and Lakshmana. They are the sons of King Dasharatha of the Suryavanshi dynasty. The younger brother, with a fair complexion, is an incarnation of Shesha, and his name is Lakshmana. The elder brother, Sri Rama, is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Their birth on earth is only for the protection of the righteous and the welfare of the inhabitants of the earth.' Hearing Lord Shiva's words, Goddess Sati did not believe him. Such confusion was due to Lord Shiva's illusion. When Lord Shiva came to know that Goddess Sati did not believe his words, he said to his wife, Daksha's daughter Sati, 'Devi, if you do not believe my words, then you yourself test Sri Rama. Until you are convinced that they are indeed Rama and Lakshmana, and your illusion is dispelled, I will stand here under this banyan tree. You go and test Sri Rama and Lakshmana.' Brahma Ji said, "O great sage Narada, hearing her husband Lord Shiva's words, Sati, having received her husband's command, decided to test Sri Rama and Lakshmana. But the same thought kept arising in her mind: how should I test them? Then the thought came to her mind that I should assume the form of Goddess Sita and go before Sri Rama. If he is indeed an incarnation of Vishnu Ji, then he will recognize me easily, otherwise, he will not recognize me. Thinking this, she assumed the guise of Sita and went before Rama Ji. Sati did this only after being deluded by Lord Shiva's illusion. Seeing Sati in the form of Sita, Rama Ji understood everything. Laughing, he bowed to Goddess Sati and said, 'O Goddess Sati, I bow to you. O Goddess, you are here, but the Lord of the Three Worlds, Lord Shiva, is nowhere to be seen. Tell me, Goddess, what are you doing alone in this desolate forest, and why have you abandoned your extremely beautiful and benevolent form and assumed this new form?' Hearing Sri Ramachandra Ji's words, Goddess Sati was astonished. Then, remembering Shiva Ji's words and realizing the truth, she felt very ashamed and, in her heart, remembering the feet of her husband Lord Shankar, she said, 'We came to this forest while roaming the earth with our husband, the treasure of compassion, Lord Shiva, and other attendants. Seeing you here searching for Sita Ji with Lakshmana Ji, Lord Shiva bowed to you and stood behind the banyan tree. Seeing you there, Lord Shiva became joyful and sang your glory. He was overjoyed by your darshan. When I asked him about this, he told me that you are an incarnation of Sri Vishnu, and I did not believe it. So I came here myself to test you. By your recognizing me, all my confusion has been dispelled. O Sri Hari, now tell me, how have you become worthy of worship even for Lord Shiva? This is the only doubt in my mind. Please remove my doubt by telling me about this and grant me peace.' Hearing such words from Goddess Sati, Sri Rama, becoming pleased and remembering Shiva Ji in his heart, became overwhelmed with love. Thinking of the feet of Lord Shiva, he began to describe his glory in his mind.

Chapter 25: Sri Rama Dispels Sati's Doubt

Sri Rama said, "O Goddess Sati, it is a matter of ancient times. Once Lord Shiva called Vishwakarma to his abode and had a beautiful cowshed built there, which was very large. He also had a beautiful, spacious building constructed there. He also had a divine throne and a divine umbrella made there. It was very wonderful and supremely excellent. After that, he invited Indra, the gods, Siddhas, Gandharvas, all the demi-gods, and Nagas, etc., to that beautiful building. He invited Brahma Ji with all the Vedas and Agamas, sages, and all the goddesses with Apsaras, and all the 16 Naga maidens, etc., who came with many auspicious items. Musicians played musical instruments like veena, mridanga, etc., and sang unparalleled music. Thus, it was a grand ceremony and festival. All the materials for the coronation were gathered, and pitchers filled with the water of holy places were brought. Many divine items were also brought by the Ganas. Then, Vedic mantras were chanted in high voices. O Goddess, Lord Shiva was always pleased by the excellent devotion of Lord Sri Hari Vishnu. He happily summoned Sri Hari from Vaikuntha and seated him on the best throne at an auspicious moment. Mahadev Ji himself adorned him with many ornaments and decorations with his own hands. He crowned Lord Vishnu and performed his consecration. At that time, many auspicious songs were sung. Then Lord Shiva lovingly bestowed upon him all his splendor, which no one else possessed. After this, Lord Shankar greatly praised him and said to Brahma Ji, the creator of the universe, 'O Lord of the world, from today onwards, Sri Hari Vishnu is worthy of my worship.' Hearing this, all the gods were stunned. Then they said again, 'You, along with all the gods, should bow to and praise Lord Vishnu, and all the Vedas should describe Sri Vishnu along with me.' Sri Ramachandra Ji said, "O Goddess, Lord Shiva is subservient to his devotees. He is extremely kind and merciful. He is always under the control of his devotees. Therefore, pleased by Lord Vishnu's devotion to Shiva, the devotee-loving Shiva did all this. After this, he also bowed to Vishnu Ji's vehicle, the Garuda flag. After that, all the gods and sages also sincerely praised Sri Hari. Then Lord Shiva gave many boons to Vishnu Ji and said, 'Sri Hari, according to my command, you are the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of all worlds. You are the giver of dharma, artha, and kama, and the punisher and destroyer of evil or unjust wrongdoers. You are in the entire universe, and all humans should always worship you. You will never be defeated. I grant you the power to perform the divine play of desires and eternal freedom. O Hari, those who fear you will surely be punished. I will also grant liberation to your devotees and remove all their sufferings. You have appeared from my left arm, and Brahma Ji from my right arm. Rudra Deva, who is my very form, has appeared from my heart. O Vishnu, you will always protect everyone. Your place in my abode will be bright and glorious. It will be known as Goloka. All the incarnations taken by you will be protectors of all and my supreme devotees. I will have darshan of them.' Sri Ramachandra Ji says, "After entrusting his unbroken splendor to Sri Hari, Lord Shiva resides on Kailash Parvat, enjoying with his attendants. Then Lord Lakshmipati Vishnu came in the guise of a cowherd, and happily roamed as the master of cowherds, cowherd girls, and cows, and protected the world. He sustained the world by taking many forms of incarnation. By Lord Shiva's command, he appeared in the form of four brothers. Now, at this time, I myself have appeared in the form of an incarnation, the eldest of the four brothers, Rama. The second is Bharata, the third is Lakshmana, and the fourth brother is Shatrughna. I have come to this forest with Lakshmana and Sita to undergo exile according to my mother's command. Some demon has abducted my wife Sita, and I am wandering here and there searching for my wife. Fortunately, I have had your darshan. Now, I will surely succeed in my task. O Mother, cast your merciful glance upon me and grant me this boon that I may kill that sinful demon and free my wife Sita from his clutches. It is my great fortune that I have had your darshan. I am blessed." In this way, after praising the Goddess in many ways, Sri Ram Ji bowed to her many times. Hearing Sri Rama's words, Sati was very pleased in her heart and began to praise and contemplate the devotee-loving Lord Shiva. She felt ashamed of her mistake and went to Shiva Ji with a sad heart. She was thinking on the way that I did very wrong by not obeying my husband Mahadev Ji and also had bad thoughts about Sri Ram Ji. Now, what answer will I give to Lord Shiva? She was repenting her actions. She went near Shiva Ji and stood silently. Seeing Sati standing silently and sadly, Lord Shankar asked, "Devi, how did you test Sri Rama?" Hearing this question, Goddess Sati stood with her head bowed silently. She did not give any answer to Shiva Ji. She was in a dilemma about what to answer. But the great yogi Shiva, by meditating, learned the entire details and renounced her from his heart. Lord Shiva thought, "Now, if I show Sati the same affection as before, my vow will be broken." Shiva Ji, the protector of dharma, fulfilling his vow, renounced Sati from his heart. Then, without saying anything to Sati, he proceeded towards Kailash. On the way, a voice from the sky was heard by everyone, especially Sati, saying, "O great yogi Shiva, you are blessed. There is no vow-keeper like you in all three worlds." Hearing this aerial voice, Goddess Sati became calm. Her radiance faded. Then she asked Lord Shiva, "O Lord of my life, what vow have you taken? Please tell me." But Lord Shiva did not tell Sati the vow he had taken before Lord Vishnu at the time of marriage. Then Goddess Sati, by meditating on Lord Shiva, understood all the reasons why Lord Shiva had renounced her. Knowing about the renunciation, Goddess Sati became extremely sad. Due to the increase in sorrow, tears came to her eyes, and she began to sob. Understanding her feelings and seeing Goddess Sati in such a state, Lord Shiva did not reveal the matter of his vow to her. Then, to console Sati's mind, Shiva Ji started towards Kailash, narrating countless stories to her. Upon reaching Kailash, Shiva Ji sat in his place and began to meditate. Sati, with a sad heart, began to live in her abode. A long time passed while Lord Shiva was meditating. After that, Shiva Ji broke his meditation. When Goddess Sati came to know, she immediately ran to Shiva Ji. Upon arriving there, she bowed at Shiva Ji's feet. Lord Shiva gave her a seat before him and lovingly narrated many stories to her. This removed Goddess Sati's sorrow. But Shiva Ji did not break his vow. O Narada, sages, hermits, and all consider these stories of Shiva and Sati as forms of their divine play, because they are the supreme God themselves. They are complements to each other. How can separation be possible between them? Sati and Shiva are united with each other like speech and meaning. Separation is impossible between them. Separation can only happen through their desires and divine plays.

Chapter 26: Daksha Curses Lord Shiva

Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, in ancient times, all the great souls and sages gathered at Prayag. There they organized a very grand yajna. In that yajna, the celestial gods, sages, hermits, saints, Siddhas..."

The great wise ones who have realized God and Brahman arrived, along with my own highly radiant Vedas, Agamas, and family. I reached there. A grand festival was being held there. Discussions and debates on knowledge were taking place in their scriptures. Lord Shiva, the Lord of the three worlds, also arrived at that sacrifice with Goddess Sati and his attendants. Seeing Lord Shiva arrive there, all the gods and sages bowed down to him with devotion and praised him in many ways. Upon receiving Shiva's command, everyone took their seats. At this time, Prajapati Daksha also arrived. He was very radiant. Prajapati Daksha bowed to me and accepted his seat. He was the lord of the universe. For this reason, he became arrogant about his position. Ego had taken root in his mind. As the lord of the universe, he was revered by all the gods. All the gods, along with all the sages, bowed their heads and paid respects to Prajapati Daksha and honored him with praise. However, Lord Shiva, the Lord of the three worlds, neither bowed to him nor rose from his seat to welcome Daksha. At this, Daksha became enraged. Lacking wisdom, Prajapati Daksha looked at Mahadeva with angry eyes and, speaking loudly for all to hear, began to say, Prajapati Daksha said, "All the gods, demons, Brahmins, and sages bow to me with humility and bow their heads before me. They all worship me with the utmost devotion. But why is this wicked man, who is always surrounded by ghosts and demons, ignoring me when he sees me? Why does this shameless creature, who resides in the cremation ground, not bow his head before me? Has he forgotten the methods of the scriptures due to his association with ghosts and demons? He has also tarnished the path of righteousness. Those who associate with him or follow his words are hypocrites, wicked, and engage in sinful conduct. They speak ill of Brahmins and are attracted to women. This Rudra is separate from all four castes and is ugly. Therefore, he should be expelled from this sacred sacrifice. He is devoid of noble lineage and birth, so he should not be allowed to participate in the sacrifice." Anger destroys discretion. Daksha, while uttering abuses for Shiva, did not consider the consequences even for a moment. Due to ego, he forgot Shiva's form. He also forgot that one whom the primordial power has chosen through penance is not an ordinary human, sage, or god. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing these words of Daksha, many great sages like Bhrigu and others began to condemn Lord Rudra, considering him wicked. Hearing this, Nandi felt hurt, his anger increased, and he cursed Daksha, saying, 'O greatly foolish, wicked-minded Daksha, who are you to remove my Lord, the Lord of Lords, Mahadeva, from the sacrifice? By whose mere remembrance, sacrifices become successful and holy places become pure, how can you curse that Mahadeva? My Lord is blameless, and you have cursed him and mocked him for the fulfillment of your own selfish desires. You curse those very Sada Shiva who created, preserved, and destroys this universe. Hearing such words from Nandi, Prajapati Daksha's anger knew no bounds. He became furious and cursed all the Rudra ganas, including Nandi, saying, 'O wicked Rudra ganas, I curse you all to be expelled from the Vedas. You will stray from the Vedic path, and all wise people will abandon you. You will not behave properly and will become hypocrites. Wear matted hair, smear ashes on your body, adorn yourself with bone ornaments, and drink alcohol.' When Daksha cursed Shiva's beloved attendants in this manner, Nandi became very enraged. Nandi, being Lord Shiva's beloved attendant, replied to Daksha with great pride, saying, 'Nandishwar said, "O foolish Daksha, you do not know the Shiva principle. You have cursed the Shiva attendants in your arrogance. At your word, Brahmins like Bhrigu also mocked Lord Shiva due to their pride. Therefore, by the power of Lord Shiva's radiance, I curse you that arrogant humans like you, who only see the fruits of actions, will remain trapped in Vedic debates. Their knowledge of Vedic principles will become zero. They will always remain entangled in illusion. They will be devoid of effort and will only value heaven. They will be angry and greedy. They will always be engaged in taking donations. O Daksha, whoever considers Lord Shiva an ordinary god and disrespects him will forever be deprived of true knowledge. He will forget self-knowledge and become like an animal. And this Daksha, who has become corrupt in his actions, his face will become like that of a goat." Thus, when Nandi, filled with great anger, cursed Daksha and the Brahmins, there was a great commotion. Lord Shiva began to pacify Nandi in sweet words, asking him to calm down. The Lord said, "Nandi, you are the supremely wise. You should not get angry. You have cursed Daksha and the entire Brahmin lineage without knowing or understanding anything. The truth is that no curse can touch me. Therefore, you should have controlled your anger. No matter how corrupted someone's intellect may be, they can never curse the Vedas. Nandi, you are the one who instructs even the Siddhas in the knowledge of reality. You know that I am the sacrifice, I am the ritual of sacrifice, I am the soul of the sacrifice, and I am also the sacrificer devoted to the sacrifice. Then how can I be expelled from the sacrifice? You have unnecessarily cursed the Brahmins." Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, when Lord Shiva pacified Nandi in many ways, his anger subsided. Then Shiva, along with his other attendants and companions, went to his abode, Mount Kailash. Daksha, filled with anger, also went to his place with the Brahmins. But the anger and envy towards Mahadeva remained in his mind. He abandoned his devotion to Shiva and began to condemn him. His pride grew day by day. Chapter 27: Daksha's Organization of a Great Sacrifice. Lord Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, thus angered and insulted, Daksha organized a very grand sacrifice at a pilgrimage site called Kankhal. For that sacrifice, he invited all the Devarshis, Maharshis, and gods to receive initiation. Many sages, including Agastya, Kashyapa, Atri, Vamadeva, Bhrigu, Dadhichi, Lord Vyasa, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Paila, Parashara, Garga, Bhargava, Kausika, Sumantu, Trikala, Kanka, and Vaishampayana, participated in Prajapati Daksha's sacrifice with their wives and sons. All the gods, along with their divine attendants, went to the sacrifice with joy. Accepting the request of his son Daksha, I, the creator of the universe, Brahma, and Lord Vishnu from Vaikuntha also arrived at that sacrifice. There, Daksha greatly honored and welcomed all the guests who had arrived. The construction of the sacrifice site was done by Vishwakarma, the architect of the gods. Vishwakarma built many divine buildings. In those buildings, Daksha accommodated the guests who had arrived at the sacrifice. Daksha appointed Rishi Bhrigu as the Rtvij (priest), and Lord Vishnu became the presiding deity of the sacrifice. I myself created this procedure. Daksha, in a beautiful form, was present in the sacrifice arena. In that great sacrifice, 88,000 sages could perform Homa simultaneously. 64,000 Devarshis were chanting mantras. Everyone was engrossed in singing Vedic mantras. Daksha had also invited Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Siddhas, 12 Adityas and their attendants, and Nagas to that great sacrifice. Many kings from home and abroad were also present, who arrived at the sacrifice with their armies and courtiers. Daksha took the initiation of the sacrifice with curiosity and auspicious rituals. But that wicked Daksha did not invite the Lord of the three worlds, the compassionate Lord Shiva, to the sacrifice, nor did he invite his daughter Sati. According to Daksha, Lord Shiva is a wearer of skulls, so it is wrong to give him a place in the sacrifice. Sati, being Shiva's wife, also became a wearer of skulls, so it was completely inappropriate to invite her as well. Daksha's sacrificial festival began with great pomp and joy. All the sages became engaged in their work. Just then, Maharshi Dadhichi arrived. Not seeing Lord Shankar at that sacrifice, Dadhichi said, "O best of gods and great sages, I respectfully bow to all of you. O best of men, you have all come to this great sacrifice. I want to ask all of you why I do not see Lord Shankar, the Lord of the three worlds, anywhere in this sacrifice. Without him, this sacrifice seems empty to me. His absence has diminished the glory of the sacrifice. As you know, all tasks are accomplished by the grace of Lord Shiva. Why is that supremely accomplished being, the blue-throated Lord Shankar, not visible here? By whose grace even inauspiciousness becomes auspicious, who always does good to everyone, it is very necessary for Lord Shiva to be present at the sacrifice. Therefore, for the successful completion of this sacrifice, you all should persuade the supremely benevolent Lord Shiva and bring him to this sacrifice. Only then can this sacrifice be fulfilled. Therefore, all you noble people should immediately go to Mount Kailash and bring Lord Shiva and Goddess Sati to the sacrifice. Their arrival will sanctify this sacrifice. They are supremely virtuous. The sacrifice can only be completed by their arrival." Hearing the words of Maharshi Dadhichi, Daksha laughed and said, "Lord Vishnu is the root of all gods, so I have respectfully invited him here. When he is present here, what deficiency can there be in the sacrifice? Along with Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma has also arrived here with Vedas, Upanishads, and various Agamas. Indra, along with his attendants, is also present here. All the great sages who know and follow the Vedas and Vedic principles have come to the sacrifice. When all the gods and noble people are present here, what is the need for Lord Rudra here? I only married my daughter Sati to Shiva at the behest of Lord Brahma. I know that they are of low lineage, and nothing is known about their parents. They are the lords of ghosts, spirits, and demons. They praise themselves. Due to being foolish, ignorant, silent, and envious, they are not worthy of being invited to the sacrifice. Therefore, O Dadhichi, do not ask to invite them to the sacrifice. All you sages, with your cooperation, make this sacrifice of mine successful." Hearing Daksha's words, Rishi Dadhichi said, "O Daksha, by not inviting the supremely benevolent Lord Shiva to the sacrifice, you have already broken this sacrifice. This sacrifice is not worthy of being called a sacrifice. By not inviting Lord Shiva, you have insulted him. Therefore, your destruction is certain." Saying this, Dadhichi left for his ashram. Following him, all the sages who followed Lord Shiva also left. Daksha's supporters, abandoning the sacrifice, used sarcastic words towards the sages. Thus, Daksha, pleased, said, "It is a very good thing that all the foolish and wicked people engaged in false arguments have themselves left this sacrifice. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, who are the knowers of all Vedas and are filled with Vedic principles, are present in this sacrifice." Lord Brahma said, "Hearing these words of Daksha, they were all deluded by Shiva's Maya. All the Devarshis and other gods began to worship them. Thus, the sacrifice resumed. O great sage, thus they stayed at the sacrifice site. Many Devarshis and sages were there again performing worship to complete the sacrifice. Chapter 28: Sati's Arrival at Daksha's Sacrifice. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, at the time when the gods and sages were going to participate in Daksha's sacrifice with celebration, at that time Daksha's daughter Sati, along with her companions, was performing many penances in the Dhaara Griha on Gandhamadana mountain. Sati saw that the moon was going somewhere with Rohini. Then Sati said to her dear friend Vijaya, "O Vijaya, quickly go and ask where Goddess Rohini and the Moon are going." Then Vijaya ran to Chandradeva, bowed to him, and asked him, "O Chandradeva, where are you going?" Chandradeva replied that they were invited to the sacrifice organized by Daksha, and therefore they were going there. Hearing about the sacrificial festival, Goddess Vijaya immediately came to Goddess Sati and informed her of all the matters. Then Goddess Sati was greatly surprised, thinking, "What is the matter that father has not even informed his daughter and son-in-law about the sacrificial festival, let alone invited them?" Even after thinking a lot, she could not understand anything. In a state of confusion, she went to her husband Mahadeva and said to him, Sati said, "O Mahadeva, I have come to know that my father, Shri Daksha Ji, has organized a very grand sacrificial festival, to which he has invited all the Devarshis, Maharshis, and gods. All the gods and sages have gathered there. O Lord, tell me why you are not going there. You are always eager to meet all your devotees. You are a devotee-loving Lord. Your devotees have arrived at that great sacrifice. Please accept my prayer and come with me today to my father's great sacrifice." Sati began to pray to Lord Shankar to go to the sacrifice hall. Hearing Sati's prayer, Lord Maheshwar said, "O Goddess, your father Daksha has become my special enemy. He harbors enmity towards me. For this reason, he has not invited me, and those who go to others' homes uninvited suffer more humiliation than death. O Goddess, in that sacrifice, all the arrogant, foolish, and ignorant gods and sages are present. All the sages and gods who follow excellent vows and worship me have abandoned that great sacrifice and have returned to their respective abodes. Therefore, my dear, it is inappropriate for us to go to that sacrifice. Moreover, going uninvited is to invite insult." Hearing these words of Shiva, Goddess Sati became enraged and said to Shiva, "O Lord, you are the supreme Lord of all. The sacrifice becomes successful by your presence. My wicked father has insulted you by not inviting you. O Lord, I want to know the reason for this. Why has my father disrespected you? Therefore, I want to go to my father's sacrifice to find out. Therefore, O Lord, grant me permission." Hearing the angry words of Goddess Sati, Lord Shankar said, "O Goddess, if you wish to go there, then I command you to go to your father's sacrifice. Adorn Nandishwar, mount him, and go to your father's place with all your splendor." Obeying Shiva's command, Goddess Sati adorned herself beautifully and, wearing various ornaments, proceeded towards her father's house. Shiva also sent 6,000 Rudra ganas with her. All those attendants, celebrating and singing the glories of the Goddess, started going towards Daksha's house. The Shiva ganas sang the hymns of Shivashiva throughout the journey. During that journey, the world mother was very auspicious. All directions echoed with her victory cries. Chapter 29: Sati's Insult at the Sacrifice Hall. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, Goddess Sati, Daksha's daughter, went to the place where the great sacrificial festival was taking place, where gods, demons, and sages were pouring oblations into the fire with mantra chanting. Sati saw many astonishing and valuable objects in her father's house. Daksha's building, filled with many charming and excellent splendors and abundant wealth, was shining with unique glory. Sati dismounted from Nandi and went inside the sacrifice hall alone. Seeing Sati arrive there, her mother and sisters became very happy and greatly honored and welcomed Goddess Sati. However, her father Daksha showed no happiness upon seeing her, nor did he pay attention to her. Due to Daksha's fear, others also did not honor Goddess Sati. Seeing the contempt in everyone's behavior, Goddess Sati was very surprised. Still, she bowed her head at the feet of her parents. Sati saw the separate portions for all the gods in the sacrifice. When Sati did not see the portion for her husband, Lord Shiva, there, she became very angry. Feeling insulted, Goddess Sati reprimanded Daksha and said, "O Prajapati, why have you not invited my supremely benevolent Lord Shiva to this sacrifice, by whose presence the entire world becomes pure? Lord Shiva is the best among sacrificers. He is the limb of the sacrifice. He is the sacrificer. Since he is everything, how can this great sacrifice be accomplished without him? Without him, this sacrifice is impure. You have greatly insulted Lord Shiva by considering him ordinary. Perhaps this has happened due to the corruption of your intellect. I do not understand how Lord Vishnu and Brahma, along with all the sages, have come to this sacrifice without Lord Shiva's arrival." Then Goddess Sati stood before me and began to scold and reprimand all the present gods, sages, and sages, including Vishnu. Lord Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, the enraged Goddess Jagadamba, with a very sad heart, told us all, gods and sages, many things. Hearing Goddess Sati's words, no one said anything, but her father Daksha became very angry at her words and said, Daksha said, "O daughter Sati, what is the benefit of such words from you? You are insulting everyone without reason. Anyway, I did not invite you here, so why did you come? You can stand here or go back, as you wish. Anyway, all the gods and sages present here know that your husband Shiva is inauspicious. He has been expelled from the Vedas. He is the lord of ghosts, spirits, and demons. He has adopted a very bad appearance. Therefore, I have not invited Rudra to this great sacrifice. I married you to him without thinking, at the behest of Lord Brahma. Otherwise, Shiva is not worthy of any kind of relationship. Now that you have come, take your seat. What you wish to do next is up to you. We have no insistence." Hearing these words of Daksha, his daughter-in-law Sati saw her father speaking ill of her husband, and her anger increased. She became filled with anger. Then she thought to herself, "How will I go before Shiva now? If I somehow go to him, what will I say when he asks about the news of the sacrifice?" Thinking all this, she said to her father Daksha, "He who denigrates or hears the denigration of Mahadeva, the Lord of the three worlds, goes to hell forever. That is, as long as the sun and moon exist, he will suffer in hell." Thus, Goddess Sati was greatly regretting her arrival there. She could not tolerate the disrespect shown to her husband, Lord Shiva. Then she said to her father Daksha and other gods, Goddess Sati said, "You are all denigrators of Lord Shiva. By witnessing his disrespect, you have insulted Lord Shiva. You will all have to suffer the consequences of this sin. It is not surprising if people who are devoid of devotion and knowledge do such a thing. But those who have dispelled the darkness of ignorance, opened their eyes of knowledge, and purified themselves with the dust of the feet of the great ones, it does not behoove them to bear any ill will, envy, or denigration towards anyone. By meditating on the lotus feet of God and chanting his two-lettered name, Shiva, all sins are washed away. You, in your foolishness, are disrespecting that very God. By betraying him, you will gain nothing. The generous Lord Mahadeva, wearing matted hair and skulls, happily resides in the cremation ground with ghosts. He smears ashes on his body and wears a garland of skulls around his neck. Yet, humans apply the dust of his feet to their foreheads because he is the Supreme God himself. He is the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Soul. He always stays away from opulence. The life of one who denigrates such a great soul is cursed. I have also heard the denigration of my husband, Lord Shiva, by you. Therefore, I will renounce my body. I will immolate myself in the sacrificial fire. I have seen the disrespect shown to my beloved husband, Lord Shiva, and I have also heard the bitter words of my father towards him. Therefore, what should I do with this life now? I am completely helpless at this moment. Whoever is powerful and capable in this sacrifice hall should cut off the tongues of those who neglect Lord Shiva and call him wicked and inauspicious. Only then can they be saved from the sin of hearing Shiva's denigration. If one is unable to do so, then they should immediately leave here by closing both their ears." Then Goddess Sati turned to her father Daksha and said, "When my husband Mahadeva calls me 'Dakshayani' due to my relationship with you, how will I be able to say anything? O father, by greatly insulting my husband, you have not even left me worthy of going before him. Therefore, I have only one path left. I will renounce this hateful body obtained from you, right in front of you." After that, Sati said to all the gods present there, "You have all heard the denigration of the compassionate Lord Shiva. Therefore, you will surely suffer the adverse consequences of your actions. My husband Lord Shiva will surely punish all of you for this." At that time, the Goddess was very angry. After saying all this, she became silent and began to remember her beloved Lord Shiva in her mind. Chapter 31: Sati's Body is Incinerated by Yogic Fire. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, when Sati said this and became silent, what happened there? What did Goddess Sati do next?" Thus, Narada asked many questions and prayed to Lord Brahma to narrate the further story in detail. Hearing this, Lord Brahma smiled and said happily, "O Narada, silently Goddess Sati began to remember her husband Lord Shiva. After remembering him, her angry mind calmed down. Then, with a calm state of mind, meditating on Shiva, Goddess Sati sat on the earth facing north. Thereafter, after performing achamana with water according to the ritual, she covered herself with a garment. Then, with a pure feeling, she closed her eyes and again meditated on Shiva. Sati, by controlling her breath, unified prana and apana and settled them in the navel. Controlling her breath, she established it in the heart above the navel chakra. Sati established air and fire in her body according to the yogic path. Then her body was established in the yogic path. Shiva resided in her heart. This was the time when she renounced her body. Her body fell into the sacred yogic fire of the sacrifice and was instantly reduced to ashes. When the humans and gods present there saw that Goddess Sati was reduced to ashes, there was a great uproar in the sky and on the earth. The uproar was terrifying everyone. Everyone was saying, "Due to the misbehavior of which wicked person has Shiva's wife Sati renounced her body?" Some people were condemning Daksha's wickedness, due to whose behavior Goddess Sati took this step out of sadness. All noble men respected her, and their hearts were intolerant. They also cursed Daksha, who disrespected such a great Goddess and her husband, the compassionate Lord Shiva. Everyone was saying that Daksha forced his own daughter to give up her life. Therefore, Daksha will surely go to great hell, and his infamy will spread throughout the world. On the other hand, when all the Shiva ganas who had arrived with Goddess Sati saw this scene, their anger knew no bounds. They immediately took their weapons and rushed to kill Daksha. Those 6,000 attendants were shouting with anger and blaming themselves for not being able to protect their mother, Goddess Sati, even though they were present there. Many of those attendants even sacrificed their own bodies. All the remaining Shiva ganas were rushing to kill Daksha. When Rishi Bhrigu saw them advancing for an attack, he poured an oblation into the Dakshina fire by chanting Yajur mantras to destroy the disturbers of the sacrifice. As a result of the oblation, many gods named Vibhu, who were powerful warriors, appeared from the sacrificial fire. A fierce battle ensued between the thousand gods named Ribhu and the Shiva ganas. Those gods were endowed with Brahmic radiance. They killed the Shiva ganas and immediately drove them away. This further spread unrest in the sacrifice. All the gods and sages prayed to Lord Vishnu to avert this obstacle. Thinking about Goddess Sati being reduced to ashes and Shiva's ganas being killed and driven away, all the gods and sages were disturbed. O Narada, thus, a great disturbance occurred at Daksha's great sacrificial festival, and everyone was crying out for help. Everyone appeared frightened by the apprehension of future consequences. Chapter 32: Shiva's Anger. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing that Akashvani, all the gods and sages looked around in surprise. Not a single word came from their mouths. They were extremely terrified. Meanwhile, the Shiva ganas, who had been driven away by the ganas generated by Bhrigu's mantras and had escaped destruction, went to Shiva's refuge. Upon reaching there, they bowed to the Lord with folded hands and narrated the entire account of what had happened at the sacrifice and Sati's renunciation of her body. Shiva ganas said, "O Maheshwar, Daksha is a very wicked and arrogant person. He greatly insulted Mother Sati. The gods present there also did not honor her. That arrogant Daksha did not even give your portion at the sacrifice. O Lord, Daksha spoke ill words against you. Hearing such things about you, Mother became angry and greatly denigrated her father. When Daksha also insulted her, she became silent and began to think. Then she reprimanded all the gods and sages present there who had disrespected you. She said that she could not live after hearing Shiva's denigration. Saying this, she immolated her body in the yogic fire. Seeing this, many attendants also sacrificed their bodies along with the mother. Then we all Shiva ganas rushed to destroy that sacrifice. But Rishi Bhrigu, by means of mantras, generated ganas and attacked us. Many of our ganas were killed by those Bhrigu's ganas. Then there was an Akashvani, which said, "Daksha, your end is certain, and any god or sage who supports you will also become a partaker of sin and will die." Hearing this, all the people present left from there, and we came here to inform you about this matter. O benevolent Lord Shiva, you must surely give severe punishment to that greatly wicked, unrighteous Daksha for his offense." Saying this, all the ganas fell silent. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing the words of his attendants, Lord Shiva remembered you to know all the details of that sacrifice. As soon as he remembered you, you arrived there and stood silently with devotion. Then Mahadeva asked you about Daksha's sacrifice. Then you narrated to him, with excellent feeling, all that had happened in that sacrifice hall. Upon being informed of all matters, Lord Shiva became extremely enraged. The anger of the powerful Shankar knew no bounds. Then Shankar, the destroyer of worlds, uprooted a hair from his matted locks and threw it onto Mount Kailash. As soon as that hair fell on the ground, it split into two pieces. At that time, there was a terrible roar. From the first part of the hair, the supremely powerful, greatly valiant Virabhadra appeared, who is the chief among all Shiva ganas. His body was very large and immense, and he had 1000 arms. From the second part of that matted hair, Mahakali, extremely terrifying and surrounded by millions of ghosts, appeared. At that time, from Rudra's angry exhalation, 100 types of fevers and many types of diseases were born. They were all cruel and terrifying, with bodies. They were blazing with a fire-like radiance. Then Virabhadra and Mahakali bowed to Lord Shiva with folded hands. Virabhadra said, "O Maharudra, you hold the sun, moon, and fire in your three eyes. O Lord, please grant me permission. What task should I perform? Should I dry up all the oceans of the earth in an instant, or should I grind all the mountains and crush them into powder in a moment? O Lord, should I burn this universe, or should I burn the sages? By receiving your command, I can turn all the worlds upside down. By your gesture, I can destroy all the beings of the world. By receiving your command, I can perform all tasks in this world. O Lord, no one has been or will be equally powerful. By your command, every task can be accomplished. I have received all these powers only by your grace. Without your command, not even a blade of grass can move. O compassionate one, I bow at your feet. Entrust me with the responsibility of accomplishing your task. I will try my best to fulfill it. O Lord, I meditate on your feet at all times. Your devotion is supremely excellent. You fulfill all the desires of your devotees without being asked and grant them their desired and cherished fruits. You are devoted-loving, O Lord. Order me to perform the task and also bless me with the success of that task." Lord Brahma said, "O great sage, hearing these words of Virabhadra, Shiva was greatly satisfied, and he bestowed his blessings upon Virabhadra."

Lord Shiva said, "Vīrabhadra, the best among my attendants, victory be to you. Brahmā's son, Dakṣa, is very wicked and extremely arrogant. He is currently performing a very grand sacrifice. He has greatly insulted me in that sacrifice. My wife, seeing my insult, immolated herself in the fire of that sacrifice. Now, you go to that sacrifice with your family. Upon reaching the sacrificial altar, you destroy that sacrifice. If the gods, Gandharvas, or anyone else confronts you and challenges you, then you burn them to ashes right there. Even after the warning given by Dadhīci, any gods present at that sacrifice, you burn them too, because they all hate me. You burn them all along with their relatives and kin. Drink the water filled in the pots there." Thus, the protector of Vedic traditions, the devotee-loving, compassionate Shiva, in anger, ordered Vīrabhadra to destroy the sacrifice.

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Chapter 33: Vīrabhadra and Mahākālī's Departure Towards the Sacrifice

Brahmā said, "Nārada, after respectfully hearing Lord Maheśvara's command, Vīrabhadra bowed to Lord Shiva. Thereafter, taking his leave, Vīrabhadra proceeded towards the sacrificial altar. Shiva sent his attendants, resembling the fire of annihilation, along with millions of his Ganas. They were extremely radiant. All these powerful Ganas walked with Vīrabhadra with curiosity. Thousands of attendants among them were as mighty and strong as Vīrabhadra. Many were like Lord Rudra, the embodiment of time. They shone with the same splendor as Lord Shiva. Thereafter, Vīrabhadra, dressed like Shiva, mounted a chariot that was 400 hands long, and this chariot was pulled by 100,000 lions. Many elephants, tigers, crocodiles, and fish were moving ahead to protect that chariot. The nine Durgās named Kāli, Kātyāyanī, Īśānī, Chāmundā, Muṇḍamardinī, Bhadrakālī, Bhadrā, Dvāratā, and Vaiṣṇavī also set out with ghosts and demons to destroy Dakṣa's sacrifice. Dākinīs, Śākinīs, ghosts, demons, Pramathas, Gayakas, Kuṣmāṇḍas, Parpaṭas, Chāṭakas, Brahma-rakṣasas, Bhairavas, and Kṣetrapālas, along with all the other Ganas, set out with an army of 64,000 crore Ganas of Lord Shiva, having received Shiva's command. At that time, the grave sound of Bhairavas began. Numerous conches began to blow in all four directions. At that time, various sounds of matted hair, faces, and horns were heard. Different types of horns began to blow. Great sage Nārada, at that time, millions of soldiers, Shiva Ganas, and ghosts and demons were included in Vīrabhadra's journey. Similarly, Mahākālī's army was also shining. Thus, the vast armies of both Vīrabhadra and Mahākālī began to advance with great fanfare to destroy Dakṣa's sacrifice. At that time, many auspicious omens began to occur.

Chapter 34: Fear in the Sacrifice Pavilion and Prayers for Life Protection from Viṣṇu

Brahmā said, "O Nārada, when the vast four-limbed army of Vīrabhadra and Mahākālī advanced towards Dakṣa's sacrifice with extreme speed, many inauspicious omens began to occur during the sacrificial festival. As soon as Vīrabhadra set out, portents indicating the destruction of the sacrifice began to appear. Dakṣa's left eye, left arm, and left thigh began to twitch. The twitching of the left limbs is very inauspicious. At that time, an earthquake occurred in the sacrificial hall. Dakṣa began to see dimly. In broad daylight, he saw stars in the sky. The directions became hazy. Black spots appeared in the sun. These spots began to look very frightening. All the constellations appeared to be falling like lightning and fire. Thousands of vultures began to hover over Dakṣa's head in the sacrificial hall. Vultures completely covered the sacrificial pavilion. The jackals gathered there were making very terrible and frightening sounds. All directions became dark. Many types of inauspicious omens began to occur there. Then, at that very moment, a celestial voice was heard: 'O foolish, wicked Dakṣa, your birth is cursed! You are a great sinner! You have greatly disregarded Lord Shiva. You have also disrespected Goddess Satī, who is the very embodiment of Jagadambā. Satī immolated herself in yogic fire due to you. You will surely receive the fruit of your deeds. Today, you will definitely receive the fruit of your actions. Along with this, all the gods and sages present here will also receive the fruit of their deeds. Lord Shiva will surely give you the fruit of your sins.' Saying this, the celestial voice became silent. Hearing that celestial voice and seeing the many inauspicious signs appearing in the sacrificial hall, Dakṣa and all the gods present there trembled with fear. Dakṣa began to remember his behavior. He greatly regretted his actions. Then, Dakṣa and all the gods went to the refuge of Lord Hari Viṣṇu. They were frightened. Trembling with fear, they all prayed to Lakṣmīpati Viṣṇu for the protection of their lives.

Chapter 35: Vīrabhadra's Arrival

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Dakṣa said, "O Viṣṇu, the ocean of compassion, I am very frightened. You must protect me and my sacrifice. Lord, you are the protector of this sacrifice. You are the very embodiment of sacrifice. Cast your merciful glance upon us. We have all come to your refuge. Lord, protect us so that the sacrifice is not destroyed." Brahmā said, "O sage Nārada, when Dakṣa prayed at the feet of Lord Viṣṇu in this manner, Dakṣa's mind was greatly agitated with fear. Then, Śrī Hari, remembering the compassionate Lord Shiva in his mind, and being knowledgeable of Shiva's essence, explained to Dakṣa, saying, 'Dakṣa, you do not have the knowledge of the essence, therefore you have disregarded Lord Śaṅkara, the lord of all. Without the praise of God, no task can be successful. Many difficulties arise in that task. Where respected individuals are not worshipped, poverty, death, and fear reside. Therefore, you should respect Lord Shiva. But you did not respect and honor Mahādeva; rather, you greatly insulted him. Because of this, clouds of great calamity are hovering over you. I am completely unable to rescue you from this calamity that has befallen you.'" Brahmā said, "Nārada, hearing the words of Lord Viṣṇu, Dakṣa fell into thought. The color drained from his face, and he became deeply worried. Just then, Vīrabhadra and Mahākālī, along with the Ganas sent by the Lord, entered the sacrificial hall with their armies. They were all greatly valiant; their numbers were impossible to count. Their roars echoed in all directions. Clouds of dust and darkness filled the entire sky. The entire earth, along with mountains, forests, and groves, was trembling. Tides were rising in the oceans. Seeing that colossal army, all the gods were astonished. Seeing them, Dakṣa, along with his wife, fell at the feet of Lord Viṣṇu and said, 'O protector of beings, Viṣṇu, it is by your strength that I have organized this grand sacrifice. Lord, you are the witness of actions and the protector of sacrifices. You are the protector of Dharma. Therefore, Lord Śrī Hari, you alone can save this sacrifice from destruction.' Hearing Dakṣa's plea in full, Śrī Hari explained to him, saying, 'Dakṣa, indeed, I should protect this sacrifice. But remember the incident at the gods' sacred place, Namasharaṇa. Have you forgotten that incident in the organization of this sacrifice? No god is capable of protecting this sacrificial hall and you here. At this time, when the Ganas of Mahādeva and their commander Vīrabhadra have come to punish you for insulting Lord Shiva, only a fool would come to your aid. Dakṣa, not only is the action itself important, but the one who assists in performing the action is also equally important. Lord Shiva gives the power for the welfare of actions. Whoever worships him with a calm mind and devotion, Mahādeva immediately grants them the fruit of that action. Those who do not believe in the existence of God are destined for hell. Dakṣa, this Vīrabhadra is such a commander of Shiva's Ganas who immediately destroys Shiva's enemies. I have come to your sacrifice by violating Shiva's command, the adverse consequences of which I will also have to bear. Now, I have no power to stop this destruction. Even if we flee from here and hide anywhere in heaven, earth, or the underworld, Vīrabhadra's weapons will find us. All of Shiva's Ganas are very powerful.' Just as Lord Viṣṇu was saying this, Vīrabhadra, with his invincible army, arrived at the sacrificial pavilion.

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Chapter 36: The Battle Between Śrī Hari and Vīrabhadra

Brahmā said, "Nārada, when Vīrabhadra's vast army, having received Shiva's command, entered the sacrificial hall, all the gods present there began to fight with the Shiva Ganas to protect their lives. But their strength was no match for the valor and prowess of the Shiva Ganas. All the gods were defeated and fled from there. Then Indra and other Lokapālas came forward for battle. They bowed to their guru, Bṛhaspati, and asked him about victory. They said, 'O Guru Bṛhaspati, we want to know how we will be victorious.' Hearing this, Bṛhaspati said, 'O Indra, God is the giver of the fruits of all actions. Everyone must face the consequences of their deeds. Only he who knows and understands God's existence, takes refuge in Him, and performs good deeds, receives the fruit of his good deeds. But he who acts against God's command is called an enemy of God and does not receive any good fruit. It is extremely difficult to know the form of the supremely virtuous Lord Shiva. He is subservient only to his devotees, hence he is also called devotee-loving. Humans who do not have faith in devotion and God's power, even if they study the Vedas ten thousand times, will not be able to fully know the form of Lord Shiva. The essence of Shiva is attained only by meditating and worshipping Lord Shiva with a calm, unperturbed, and supreme vision. You have come to participate in this sacrifice at the invitation of that foolish Dakṣa, who disregarded the compassionate Lord Maheśvara. In this sacrifice, Lord Shiva's wife, Goddess Satī, was also greatly insulted. She sacrificed her life in this sacrifice. For this reason, Lord Śaṅkara, being displeased, has sent his Shiva Ganas, led by Vīrabhadra, to destroy this sacrifice. Now, it is beyond anyone's power to stop the destruction of this sacrifice. Now, even if you wish, you cannot do anything.' Hearing Bṛhaspati's words, Indra and other gods became worried. Just then, Vīrabhadra and other Shiva Ganas approached them. There, Vīrabhadra scolded and reprimanded them severely. In anger, Vīrabhadra began to strike all the gods, including Indra, with his sharp arrows. A great commotion arose among all the gods wounded by the arrows, and they fled from the sacrificial pavilion to save their lives. Seeing this, all the sages present there, terrified, prayed to Śrī Hari for the protection of their lives. Then, I and Viṣṇu went to Vīrabhadra to fight him. Seeing us, Vīrabhadra, who was already angry, began to scold us all. Hearing his harsh words, Viṣṇu smiled and said, 'O devotee of Shiva, Vīrabhadra, I am also a devotee of Lord Shiva. I have immense faith in Him. I am His servant. But Dakṣa is ignorant and foolish. He only believes in rituals. Just as Lord Maheśvara is subservient only to his devotees, so am I subservient only to my devotees. Dakṣa is my devoted follower. I had to be present at this sacrifice due to his repeated prayers. O Vīrabhadra, you have been born from the fierce form of Rudra Deva, from his anger. Lord Shiva has sent you here to destroy this sacrifice. Your command is paramount to Him. I am the protector of this sacrifice, therefore it is my primary duty to save it. So, you also fulfill your duty, and I will fulfill mine. We both will have to fight each other to protect our responsibilities.' Hearing Lord Viṣṇu's words, Vīrabhadra laughed and said, 'It makes me very happy to know that you are a devotee of my supreme Lord Shiva. Bhagavan, I bow to you. You are as venerable to me as Lord Shiva. I respect you. But according to Shiva's command, I must destroy this sacrifice. This is my duty. As the protector of the sacrifice, it is your responsibility to save it. Therefore, we both must do our respective tasks.' Then, Śrī Hari and Vīrabhadra both prepared for battle. Thereafter, a fierce battle ensued between them. In the end, Vīrabhadra shattered Lord Viṣṇu's Sudarśana Chakra and broke his bow into three pieces. Vīrabhadra was overpowering Viṣṇu. Then he decided to cease the conflict. All the gods and sages understood that whatever was happening was the result of the injustice done to Goddess Satī and the insult to Lord Shiva. In this hour of crisis, no one could save them. Then those gods and sages, remembering Lord Shiva, departed to their respective abodes. I also, with a heavy heart, went to my Satya Loka. Great disturbances occurred at that sacrifice site. Vīrabhadra and Mahākālī tormented and killed many sages and gods. Giving the fruit of their deeds to the gods Bhagu, Pūṣa, and Bha, they threw them onto the earth.

Chapter 37: Dakṣa's Head Cut Off and Thrown into the Sacrifice Pit

"O Nārada, after frightening and killing all the gods present in the sacrificial hall, Vīrabhadra drove them away, and killed the remaining ones as well. Then, he forcibly seized Dakṣa, the organizer of the sacrifice, who was hiding in the inner altar out of fear. Vīrabhadra struck Dakṣa's body many times. He began to cut off Dakṣa's head with his sword, but due to Dakṣa's yogic power, he was unsuccessful in cutting off the head. Vīrabhadra placed his foot on Dakṣa's chest and twisted his neck with both hands, breaking it. Thereafter, Vīrabhadra threw Dakṣa's head into the fire pit. After completely destroying that great sacrifice, Vīrabhadra and all the Ganas returned to Kailāśa Parvata with the joy of victory and informed Lord Shiva of their victory. Upon receiving this news, Mahādeva was very pleased.

Chapter 38: The Dispute Between Dadhīci and Śūpa

Sūta said, "O great sages, hearing the story told by Brahmā, Nārada was astonished and asked Brahmā, 'Why did Lord Viṣṇu go to Dakṣa's sacrifice with other gods, leaving Shiva? Did he not know the supremely valorous Lord Shiva? Why did Śrī Hari fight with Rudra's Ganas? Please answer these questions arising in my mind and resolve my doubts.' Brahmā, answering Nārada's questions, said, 'O sage Nārada, in ancient times, Muni Dadhīci cursed Śrī Hari, who was assisting King Śūpa. Therefore, he forgot and went to Dakṣa's place. In ancient times, Muni Dadhīci was a friend of the very radiant King Śūpa. But later, a great dispute arose between them. The cause of the dispute was Muni Dadhīci considering the Brahmins superior among the four varnas: Brahmin, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra. However, King Śūpa, immersed in the pride of wealth and possessions, completely disagreed with this. Śūpa considered the king superior among all varnas. The Śruti also states that the king is the best and all-knowing. Therefore, the king is superior to the Brahmin. O Dadhīci, you are respectable to me.' Hearing King Śūpa's statement, Dadhīci became angry. He considered it an insult and struck Śūpa's head with his fist. Intoxicated by this behavior of Dadhīci, Śūpa became even more enraged and struck Dadhīci with his Vajra. Wounded by the Vajra, Dadhīci, falling to the earth, remembered the yogi Śukrāchārya. Śukrāchārya immediately arrived and restored Dadhīci's body to its former state. Śukrāchārya said to Dadhīci, 'I bestow upon you the Mahā Mrityunjaya mantra. "Tryambakam Yajamahe" - meaning, we worship Lord Shiva, the father of the three worlds, the father of the Sun, Moon, and Fire; the Maheśvara of the three qualities: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas; the source of the self-essence, knowledge-essence, and Shiva-essence, as well as earth, water, and fire; the God of the three foundational deities: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Shiva. "Sugandhim Puṣṭivardhanam" - meaning, just as flowers have fragrance, similarly Lord Shiva resides as the essence in beings, qualities, all actions, senses, other gods, and his beloved Ganas. His fragrance is the fame and renown of all. "Puṣṭivardhanam" - meaning, He, Lord Shiva, nourishes nature. He nourishes Brahmā, Viṣṇu, sages, and all the gods. "Urvārukamiva Bandhanānmṛtyormukṣīya mā'mṛtāt" - meaning, just as a cucumber, when ripe, breaks away from the vine, similarly may I be freed from the bondage of death and attain liberation. O Rudra Deva, your form is like nectar. He who worships Him through virtuous deeds, penance, self-study, yoga, and meditation, receives new life. Lord Shiva frees his devotees from the bonds of death and grants them liberation. Just as the cucumber is bound by its vine, and when ripe, it becomes free from the bond. This is the Mahā Mrityunjaya mantra, the life-giving mantra. You should regularly remember Lord Shiva and chant this mantra. Drink water consecrated with this mantra. Chanting this mantra removes the fear of death. By worshipping Him properly, Lord Shiva is pleased. He grants success in all endeavors and liberates from all bonds, granting moksha. Brahmā said, 'Nārada, after instructing Muni Dadhīci in this manner, Śukrāchārya went to his abode. His words had a great impact on Muni Dadhīci, and he went to the forest to remember Lord Shiva and please Him. In the forest, he began his penance, lovingly contemplating Lord Shiva. For a long time, he chanted the Mahā Mrityunjaya mantra. By his selfless devotion, the devotee-loving Lord Shiva appeared before him, pleased. Dadhīci bowed to Shiva with joined hands. He praised Mahādeva greatly. Shiva said, 'O sage Dadhīci, I am very pleased with your excellent worship. Ask for a boon, and I will grant you your heart's desire.' Hearing this, Dadhīci, with joined hands and bowed head, said, 'O Lord of Lords, ocean of compassion, Mahādeva, if you are pleased with me, then kindly grant me three boons. First, may my bones become like Vajra. Second, may no one be able to kill me, meaning may I always be invincible. And third, may I always be independent and never dependent.' Shiva said, 'So be it,' and granted the three boons to Dadhīci. Having received the three desired boons, Muni Dadhīci was very pleased. He went joyfully towards King Śūpa's place. Upon reaching there, Dadhīci kicked Śūpa's head. Śūpa was a great devotee of Viṣṇu. Being a king, he was also arrogant. Angrily, he immediately struck Dadhīci with his Vajra. But Dadhīci's hair was not even harmed by Śūpa's strike. This was all due to Mahādeva's boon. Seeing this, Śūpa was greatly astonished. Then he went to the forest and began to worship Mukunda, Indra's brother. Then Viṣṇu, pleased, granted Śūpa divine vision. Śūpa bowed to Viṣṇu and praised Him with devotion. Thereafter, Śūpa said, 'Bhagavan, sage Dadhīci was my friend before, but later a dispute arose between us. Dadhīci pleased Lord Shiva, who is supremely venerable, through the Mahā Mrityunjaya mantra and obtained the boon of being invincible. Then, in my royal court, in front of all my courtiers, he greatly insulted me. He struck my head with his feet in front of everyone. He also said that he feared no one. Bhagavan, Muni Dadhīci has become very arrogant.' Brahmā said, 'Nārada, when Śrī Hari learned that Muni Dadhīci had received the boon of being invincible from Mahādeva, he said, "Shiva's devotees are never afraid of anything. If I do anything in this matter, Dadhīci will be displeased and may also curse me. Due to the curse of that Dadhīci, I will be defeated by Shiva in Dakṣa's sacrifice. Therefore, I do not want to do anything in this regard. But I will definitely do something that will bring you victory." Hearing Lord Viṣṇu's words, King Śūpa fell silent.

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Chapter 39: Dadhīci's Curse and Grace upon Śūpa

Brahmā said, "Nārada, to protect the welfare of his beloved devotee King Śūpa, Śrī Hari Viṣṇu, disguised as a Brahmin, went to Muni Dadhīci's hermitage one day. Viṣṇu said to Muni Dadhīci, who was engrossed in the worship of Lord Shiva, 'O Lord, I ask you for a boon.' Dadhīci, recognizing Śrī Viṣṇu, said, 'I understand who you are and what you want. So, what can I say to you? O Śrī Hari Viṣṇu, you have come in the guise of a Brahmin to bring welfare to Śūpa. Abandon the guise of a Brahmin.' Ashamed, Lord Viṣṇu appeared in his true form and bowed to the great sage Dadhīci, saying, 'Great sage, your statement is absolutely true. I also know that Shiva's devotees are never afraid of anything. But, just for my sake, say to King Śūpa that you are afraid of King Śūpa.' Hearing Lord Viṣṇu's words, Dadhīci laughed. Laughing, he said, 'By the grace of Lord Shiva, no one can scare me. Since no one can truly scare me, why should I become a sinner by lying?' Hearing Muni Dadhīci's words, Viṣṇu became very angry. He tried very hard to convince Muni Dadhīci. All the gods supported Śrī Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu created many Ganas to frighten Muni Dadhīci. But Dadhīci burned them to ashes with his penance. Then Viṣṇu manifested his idol there. Seeing this, Muni Dadhīci said, 'O Śrī Hari, now abandon your illusion. Abandon your anger and ego. You will see the entire universe, including Brahmā and Rudra, within me. I grant you divine vision.' Then Muni Dadhīci showed Viṣṇu the entire universe within his body. Then Viṣṇu's anger greatly increased. He picked up his Chakra and moved forward to kill the great sage. But despite great effort, the Chakra did not move forward. Seeing this, Dadhīci laughed and said, 'O Śrī Hari, you want to kill His beloved devotee with this Sudarśana Chakra given by Lord Shiva, so why will this Chakra move? You cannot destroy His devotees with weapons given by Lord Shiva. But still, if you want to kill me, then use Brahmāstra and other weapons.' But considering Dadhīci an ordinary human, Viṣṇu launched many weapons at him. Then Muni Dadhīci picked up a fistful of Kuśa grass from the earth and, after reciting some mantras, threw it towards the gods. That Kuśa grass transformed into Kālagni, in which all the weapons thrown by the gods were burnt to ashes. Seeing this, other gods present there fled. But Śrī Hari continued to fight with Dadhīci. A fierce battle ensued between them. Then I, Brahmā, along with King Śūpa, arrived at the place where they were fighting. I said to Lord Viṣṇu, 'Your effort is futile because you cannot defeat Dadhīci, the supreme devotee of Lord Shiva.' Hearing this, Viṣṇu became calm. He bowed to Muni Dadhīci. Then King Śūpa also bowed to Muni Dadhīci with joined hands, praised him, apologized, and said, 'Lord, cast your merciful glance upon me.' Brahmā said, 'Nārada, Muni Dadhīci was very satisfied by King Śūpa's praise, and he forgave King Śūpa. But his anger towards other gods, including Viṣṇu, did not subside. Then, the angry Muni Dadhīci cursed Indra and all the gods, including Viṣṇu, to be destroyed in the fiery anger of Lord Rudra. After this, King Śūpa again bowed to Dadhīci, worshipped him, and then proceeded towards his kingdom. After King Śūpa left, all the gods, including Indra, departed to their respective abodes. Thereafter, Śrī Hari Viṣṇu also went to Vaikuṇṭha Dhāma. Since then, that holy place became known as the pilgrimage site named Thāneśvara. By visiting this pilgrimage site, one receives the affection and grace of Lord Shiva. O Nārada, thus I have narrated this entire nectar-like story to you. The person who listens to this episode related to the dispute between Śūpa and Dadhīci every day conquers untimely death and goes directly to heaven after death. Reciting this removes the fear of death in battle and certainly brings victory.

Chapter 40: Brahmā's Meeting with Shiva on Kailāśa

Nārada said, "O great fortunate one, O creator, O great soul, you possess the knowledge of Shiva's essence. You have shown me great kindness by letting me hear this nectar-like story. I thank you very much. O Lord, please tell me, after Vīrabhadra destroyed Dakṣa's sacrifice and killed him, and went to Kailāśa Parvata, what happened then?" Brahmā said, "O sage Nārada, when the vast army sent by Lord Shiva defeated all the gods and sages present at the sacrifice and forced them to flee after beating them, they all fled and came to me. They bowed to me, praised me, and narrated the entire account of what happened there. Then I became very worried about my son Dakṣa, and my heart was distressed due to grief for my son. Thereafter, I remembered Śrī Hari and, along with other gods and sages, went to the abode of Vaikuṇṭha. There, after bowing to Him, we all praised Him with devotion. Then I humbly prayed to Śrī Hari, saying, 'Lord, please do something to alleviate our sorrow. O Lord of Gods, please do something to complete that sacrifice and revive its sacrificer, Dakṣa. May all other gods and sages also become happy as before.' Upon my request, Lakṣmīpati Viṣṇu, who was contemplating Lord Shiva in his mind, addressed Brahmā, the lord of beings, and the gods, saying, 'No offense, under any circumstances, can ever be auspicious for anyone. O creator, all the gods are offenders of the Supreme Father, Lord Shiva, because they did not offer Shiva's share in the sacrifice, and also insulted Him there. His beloved wife Satī also gave up her body due to His insult. Due to their separation, the Lord became extremely displeased. You all should quickly go to Him and ask for forgiveness. Praise Him by holding His feet and please Him, because His displeasure can lead to the destruction of the entire universe. Dakṣa has pierced His heart by uttering abusive words for Shiva. Therefore, ask for forgiveness for your offenses. This is the best way to pacify Him. He is devotee-loving. If you all wish, I will also accompany you and ask for forgiveness.' Saying this, Lord Śrī Hari, I, and other gods and sages proceeded towards Kailāśa Parvata. That mountain is very high and vast. Near it is the abode of Kubera, the friend of Shiva, Alakā Puri. Alakā Puri is magnificent and beautiful. Fragrance spread all around. Various types of trees and plants were shining. On its outer part, the supremely holy rivers Nanda and Alakanandā flow. Seeing them, humans are freed from all sins. We proceeded beyond Alakā Puri to the place of the giant banyan tree where Lord Shiva, worshipped by divine yogis, resides. That banyan tree was 100 yojanas high, and its numerous branches spread up to 75 yojanas. It is a supremely holy pilgrimage site. Here, Lord Shiva performs his yogic worship. Beneath that banyan tree, around Mahādeva, were his Ganas, and Kubera, the lord of sacrifices, was also seated. Then, approaching Him, Viṣṇu and all the gods bowed many times and praised Him. At that time, Shiva had applied sacred ash on his body, was seated on Kuśa grass, and was imparting knowledge to the assembled Ganas. He had placed his left foot on his right thigh and his left hand on his left leg. In his right hand, he held a rosary of Rudrākṣa beads. Seeing the very form of Lord Shiva, Viṣṇu and all the gods, with joined hands and bowed heads, sought forgiveness from the ocean of mercy, the Supreme Lord Shiva, and said, 'O Lord, without your grace, we are ruined. Therefore, Lord, protect us all. Bhagavan, we have come to your refuge. Keep your merciful glance upon us.' Thus, the gods and sages began to pray to reduce Lord Shiva's anger and to please Him.

Chapter 41: Shiva Revives Dakṣa

The gods praised Mahādeva greatly and said, "Bhagavan, you are the Supreme Brahman and pervade everywhere in this world. You are the conqueror of death. The Moon, Sun, and Fire are your three eyes. The entire world is illuminated by your radiance. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, and Chandrādi gods have originated from you. You nourish this world. Bhagavan, you are compassionate. You destroy the wicked. Lord, by your command, fire burns, and the sun scorches with its heat. Death trembles in fear of you. O ocean of compassion, just as you have protected us from every calamity until now, always keep your merciful glance upon us. Lord, we ask for forgiveness for all our mistakes. Be pleased, complete the sacrifice, and redeem the sacrificer Dakṣa. Grant health to all the gods and sages wounded by the blows of Vīrabhadra and Mahākālī. Reduce their pain. O Shiva, complete the unfinished sacrifice of Prajāpati Dakṣa and revive Dakṣa. Grant eyes to Bhaga, teeth to Pūṣa. Also, fix the lost limbs of the gods. Grant health to all. We will offer you the full share in the sacrifice." Saying this, all of us gods bowed at the feet of the Lord of the Three Worlds, Mahādeva. By our praise and entreaties, the devotee-loving Lord Shiva was pleased. Shiva said, "O Brahmā, Śrī Hari Viṣṇu, I always obey your words, therefore I cannot reject your prayer. But I want to tell you that I did not destroy Dakṣa's sacrifice. His sacrifice was destroyed because he always wishes ill upon others and harbors malice towards them. But he who wishes ill upon others, it is he who suffers. Therefore, we should not do anything that causes distress to anyone. By your prayer, I have forgiven you, and by accepting your plea, I am reviving Dakṣa. However, Dakṣa's head was burnt in the fire, so a goat's head will have to be attached in place of his head. The sacrificial share will be seen by the Sun's eye, and Pūṣa's broken teeth will be restored. The broken limbs of the gods killed by my Ganas will also be healed. Bhaga's beard will become like a goat's. All the Adhvars will be pleased." Saying this, the supremely compassionate Lord Shiva, who follows the Veda, became silent. Thereafter, I, along with Viṣṇu and all the gods, thanked Lord Shiva. Then, inviting Shiva, along with the celestial sages, to the same sacrifice, we went to the place of the sacrifice where Dakṣa had begun his sacrifice. In that sacrificial area called Kanakhala, Shiva also arrived. Then he saw the destruction caused by Vīrabhadra. Svāhā, Svadha, Pūṣa, Tuṣṭi, Dhṛti, all the sages, ancestors, Agni, the sacrifice, Gandharvas, and demons lay there. Many people had lost their lives. Then Lord Shiva remembered his supremely valorous commander Vīrabhadra. As soon as he was remembered, Vīrabhadra immediately appeared there and bowed to Lord Shiva. Then Shiva, laughing, said, "O Vīrabhadra, you have destroyed the entire sacrifice in a short time and have also punished the gods. O Vīrabhadra, quickly bring Dakṣa, the organizer of this sacrifice, to me." Upon receiving Lord Shiva's command, Vīrabhadra went and brought Dakṣa's body there, but it had no head. Seeing Dakṣa's body, Shiva asked Vīrabhadra where Dakṣa's head was. Then Vīrabhadra said that he had cut off Dakṣa's head and thrown it into the sacrificial fire. Then Shiva...

As per the order, the head of the goat was joined to the torso of Daksha. As soon as Shiva's benevolent gaze fell upon Daksha's body, he became alive. Life entered Daksha's body, and he sat up as if awakened from a deep sleep. Upon waking, he saw Mahadeva before him. He rose, bowed to him, and began to praise him. Love blossomed in Daksha's heart, and as his cheerful disposition returned, his wicked heart became pure. Then Daksha also remembered his daughter, and for this reason, Daksha felt very ashamed. Thereafter, composing himself, Daksha said to the compassionate Lord Shiva, "O auspicious Mahadeva, you are the beginning and the end of this world. You conceived the creation of this universe. Every living being originates from you. I spoke ill of you and did not even give you a share in the yajna. My harsh words must have hurt you greatly. Yet, you have shown me grace and come here to redeem me. Lord, you are replete with all opulence; you are the Supreme Father, the Supreme God. Lord, be pleased with me and with all those present here, and accept our worship and prayers." Brahma said, "Narada, after praising Lord Shiva in this manner, Daksha fell silent. Then Sri Hari Vishnu greatly praised Lord Shiva. Thereafter, I too greatly praised Mahadeva. Bhagavan, you have cast your benevolent gaze upon my son Daksha and redeemed him. O Lord of the Gods, now, being pleased, grant us freedom from all curses." The great sage continued, "After praising Mahadeva in this manner, I stood with both hands joined and my head bowed. Hearing the praises of all the gods, Lord Shiva became pleased, and his face lit up. Then Indra, along with many Siddhas, Rishis, and species present there, also praised the devotee-loving, compassionate Lord Shiva many times. Many minor deities, Nagas, and Brahmins present in the yajna hall bowed to Lord Shiva and praised him with a cheerful heart. Hearing his praises from the mouths of all the gods in this way, Lord Shiva attained great satisfaction.

Chapter 42: Daksha Completes the Yajna

Brahma said, "Narada Muni, after being greatly pleased by the praises of Sri Hari, the gods, and the sages, Lord Shankar, looking at us all with his benevolent gaze, said, 'Prajapati Daksha, I am pleased with all of you. My existence is distinct. I am an independent God. Yet, I always remain subservient to my devotees. Only four types of virtuous humans worship me: the first is the distressed, the second is the seeker of knowledge, the third is the seeker of wealth, and the fourth is the wise. However, only the wise attain my special proximity; they are considered to be my very form. Only those who know the Vedas and are supremely wise can understand me by knowing my form. Humans who remain bound by actions cannot attain my form. Therefore, knowing the truth, remember me with a pure heart and intellect, and perform excellent deeds. O Daksha, I am the protector of Brahma and Vishnu. I am the soul. I have created this world. I sustain the world. I become the destroyer to destroy the wicked and annihilate them. Ignorant humans, who are always trapped in worldly bonds and illusion, can never realize me. My devotees always contemplate and meditate on my form. We three, namely Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra Deva, are one. Those humans who do not consider us separate but consider us as one form attain happiness, peace, and prosperity. However, those ignorant humans who consider us three separate and discriminate among us are destined for hell. O Prajapati Daksha, if anyone, a supreme devotee of Sri Hari, slanders or criticizes me, or if my devotee insults Brahma and Vishnu, they will surely incur my wrath. All the curses given to you will befall them.' Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, all the gods, sages, and great scholars rejoiced, and Daksha, obeying the Lord's command, became immersed in the devotion of Shiva along with his family. All the gods also began to sing the glories of Mahadeva. They became absorbed in Shiva devotion and began to sing his hymns. In this way, Lord Shiva, with pleasure, granted the boon that each person desired according to their praise and worship of Lord Shiva. Thereafter, Prajapati Daksha, taking permission from the devotee-loving Lord Shankar, recommenced his yajna. In that yajna, he first offered the share to Shiva. All the gods were also given their appropriate shares. Daksha gave donations to all the Brahmins present at the yajna according to his capacity. Glorifying Mahadeva, Daksha completed all the rituals of the yajna with devotion. In this way, with the cooperation of all the gods, sages, and Rishis, Daksha's yajna was completed with joy. Thereafter, all the gods and sages sang the glories of Mahadeva and proceeded towards their respective abodes. The other people present there also took permission from Shiva and departed. Then Vishnu and I also proceeded to our respective worlds, worshipping Shiva. Daksha praised the compassionate Lord Shiva many times and showed him great respect. Then, being pleased, he proceeded to Mount Kailash with his attendants. Upon reaching Mount Kailash, Shiva remembered his beloved wife, Goddess Sati. Mahadeva spoke many things about her to the attendants present there and became distressed remembering her. O Narada, I have narrated to you the supremely wonderful and divine story of Sati. This story bestows both enjoyment and liberation. This excellent narrative surely fulfills all desires. In this way, the human who reads and hears this story becomes free from sins. They attain fame, heaven, and longevity. The human who reads this story with devotion attains the fruits of all their good deeds. Thus, with Chapter 42, the second section of Sri Rudra Samhita, i.e., Sati Khanda, is complete.

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The Third Section of Sri Rudra Samhita is also called Sri Parvati Khanda. The total number of chapters in Sri Parvati Khanda is 55. So, let us begin with Chapter One. The first chapter describes the marriage of Himalaya. Narada Ji asked, "O Grandfather, after renouncing her body at your father Daksha's yajna, how was Jagadamba Sati Devi born as the daughter of Himalaya? How did she again obtain Lord Mahadeva as her husband? O Lord, please be merciful and satisfy my curiosity by answering my questions." Brahma Ji replied, "O great sage Narada, in the north direction, there is a vast mountain named Himavan. This mountain is radiant and prosperous and is famous in two forms: the first is stationary, and the second is mobile. That mountain is a mine of jewels. The eastern and western parts of this mountain are connected to the sea. Many types of animals reside fearlessly on Himavan mountain. Vast reserves of snow enhance the beauty of the mountain. Many gods, sages, and Siddha Purushas reside on that mountain. Himavan is pure and sacred. The penance of many wise men and saints has been successful in this place. Lord Shiva is extremely fond of this mountain because every color of nature is seen on it. Once, Himavan, to continue his lineage and increase righteousness, thought of getting married to satisfy his ancestors. When Himavan made up his mind to get married, he went to the gods and, with great hesitation, expressed his desire to get married. Then the gods, pleased, went to their ancestors and stood aside. Then the ancestors asked the reason for the gods' arrival. To this, the gods said, 'O ancestors, your eldest daughter Mena is auspicious. You should marry Mena to Giriraja Himavan. It will benefit everyone, and everyone will prosper. Also, at least one of these daughters born in our lineage will be freed from the curse.' Then the ancestors, after a little consideration, granted their approval for this marriage. The ancestors joyfully arranged a grand celebration and married Himavan to their daughter Mena. Sri Hari Vishnu, along with all the gods and goddesses, participated in the wedding celebration. After the wedding, all the gods happily departed to their respective worlds. Himavan also proceeded to his world with Mena.

Chapter Two: Previous Story

Narada Ji said, "O Grandfather, now tell me about the origin of Mena and also about the curse given to the daughters, thereby resolving my doubt." Hearing Narada Ji's questions, Brahma Ji smiled and said, "O Narada, my son Daksha had 6,000 daughters, who were married to great sages like Kashyap. Among them, the daughter named Swadha was married to the Pitris. She had three daughters, who were very fortunate and embodiments of Dharma itself. The first daughter was named Mena, the second Dhanya, and the third Kalavati. These three daughters were the mind-born daughters of the Pitris, meaning they manifested from their minds. They were not born from their mother's womb. They are revered by the entire universe. By remembering and chanting their names, humans attain all their desired fruits. These three are honored by humans and gods throughout the world. They are also known by the name Lokamatas (Mothers of the World). O great sage, once Mena, Dhanya, and Kalavati, all three sisters, went to Shveta Dvipa to see Vishnu Ji. Many people had gathered there. My son Sanakadik also arrived at that place. Everyone greatly praised Vishnu Ji. Everyone stood up to welcome Sanakadik, but these three sisters did not stand up to welcome them. They were enchanted by Shiva's Maya. Then, due to their misbehavior, Sanakadik became angry and cursed these sisters. Sanakadik Muni said, 'You three sisters, due to pride, did not greet me by standing up. Therefore, you will always be far from heaven and will live on earth in human form. You three will become wives of humans.' The three virtuous sisters heard the sage's words with astonishment. Then, admitting their mistake, all three bowed their heads and fell at the feet of Sanakadik Muni, praising him in many ways. They sought forgiveness in many ways. The three daughters prayed to the sage to please him. They said, 'We are foolish that we did not bow to you. Now, be merciful to us and tell us a way to regain heaven.' Then Sanakadik Muni said, 'O daughters of the Pitris, the Himavan mountain is the abode of snow. The eldest among you, Mena, will be the wife of Himavan, and her daughter will be named Parvati. The second daughter, Dhanya, will be the wife of King Janaka, and from her womb, Goddess Sita, the very form of Mahalakshmi, will be born. Similarly, the third daughter, Kalavati, will obtain King Vrishabhanu as her husband and will have the honor of being the mother of Radha. Thereafter, Mena and Himavan will attain Kailashpada through the boon of their daughter Parvati. Dhanya and her husband King Viradhvaja Janaka will attain Vaikuntha Dhama due to the complete form of Goddess Sita. Vrishabhanu and Kalavati will go to Goloka with their daughter Radha. Those who perform virtuous deeds will surely attain happiness. Therefore, one should always proceed on the path of truth. Being daughters of the Pitris, you are worthy of enjoying heaven. However, my curse will also surely come true. But since you have asked for my forgiveness, I will somewhat reduce the effect of your curse. After being born on earth, you will live like ordinary humans. But after marriage, when you have children, and when your daughters find suitable grooms and get married, meaning when you fulfill all your responsibilities, then you will attain welfare through the darshan of Lord Sri Hari Vishnu. Mena's daughter Parvati, through severe penance, will become Shiva's beloved. Dhanya's daughter Sita will obtain Sri Rama, the son of Dasharatha, as her husband. Kalavati's daughter Radha will be bound by the affection of Sri Krishna and become his beloved.' Saying this, the Muni Sanakadi disappeared from there. Thereafter, the three daughters of the Pitris, freed from the curse, went to their respective abodes.

Chapter Three: Gods Go to Himavan

Narada Ji said, "O Brahma Ji, O great soul, you have narrated the story of Mena's previous birth from your divine mouth, which was wonderful and extraordinary. Bhagavan, now tell me how Parvati Ji was born from Mena, and how she obtained Lord Shiva, the Lord of the Three Worlds, as her husband." Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, a grand celebration was held on the occasion of Mena and Himavan's marriage. After the wedding, they both returned to their home. Then Himavan and Mena resided happily in their home. Then Sri Hari, along with other gods, went to Himavan. Seeing all the gods in his royal court, Himavan became very pleased. He bowed to all the gods and praised them. He honored and served them with devotion, considering himself blessed by serving the gods. O sage, Himavan stood before them with both hands joined and said, 'Bhagavan, I am pleased to see you all together in my home. To tell the truth, my life is successful today. Today I am blessed. My kingdom and my entire lineage are blessed by your mere darshan. Today my penance, knowledge, and all my deeds are successful. Bhagavan, consider me your servant and command me, what service can I render to you? Tell me what service is worthy of me.' Hearing these words of Giriraja Himavan, the gods said joyfully, 'O Himavan, O Giriraja, Goddess Jagadamba Uma manifested as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha. After performing severe penance, she obtained Shiva as her husband. However, she could not tolerate the insult to her husband at her father Daksha's yajna and immolated herself in the sacrificial fire. You also know this entire story. Now, Goddess Jagadamba wishes to incarnate again on earth and become Shiva's Ardhangini. O Himavan, we all wish that Goddess Sati should incarnate again in your home.' Hearing this from Vishnu Ji, Himavan became very pleased and said respectfully, 'Bhagavan, it is a great fortune for me that the Goddess will manifest as my daughter to sanctify my home.' Then Himavan, along with his wife and the gods, went to the refuge of Goddess Jagadamba. They remembered the Goddess and praised her with devotion. The gods said, 'O Jagadambe, O Uma, O Goddess Durga residing in Shiva Loka, O Maheshwari, we all bow to you with devotion. You are the source of supreme welfare, you are the embodiment of purity and peace, the Adi Shakti. You are the supreme knowledge, Shivapriya, Jagadamba. You pervade everywhere in this world. The radiant rays of the sun are you. You illuminate this world with your brilliance. You sustain the world. You are Gayatri, Savitri, and Saraswati. You are the embodiment of Dharma and the knower of the Vedas. You are thirst, and you are satisfaction. Your virtuous devotion bestows pure bliss upon devotees. You reside in the homes of the virtuous as Lakshmi, and in the homes of sinners as poverty and destitution. Peace is attained by your darshan. You nourish all beings and are the essence of the five elements. You are policy, and you are the melody of Samaveda. You are the rhythm of Rigveda and Atharvaveda. You reside in the nose, ears, eyes, mouth, and heart of humans, spreading happiness in their homes. O Goddess Jagadamba, for the welfare and sustenance of this entire universe, accept our worship and be pleased with us.' In this way, after praising the mother of the universe, Sati, the virtuous Goddess Jagadamba Uma many times, all the gods stood with both hands joined for her direct darshan.

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Chapter Four: Darshan of Goddess Jagadamba's Divine Form

Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, pleased by the praises of the gods, the sorrow-destroying Goddess Durga manifested before them. She was seated on her divine chariot, the Jarat Ratha. Her face shone with the brilliance of millions of suns. Her fair complexion was as bright as milk. Her form was incomparable; her beauty could not be compared to anyone. She was endowed with all virtues. Due to her destruction of the wicked, she is called Chandi. She removes all the sorrows and pains of her devotees. Goddess Jagadamba is the mother of the entire world. She puts all the wicked, along with their kith and kin, into deep sleep during the time of dissolution. That very Goddess Uma redeems this world. The radiance of her face is extraordinary; due to this radiance, it is not even possible to look at her. Then, with the desire for her nectar-like darshan, Sri Hari and all others praised her. Then they beheld her nectar-like form. Delighted by the darshan of her wonderful form, all the gods said, 'O Mahadevi, O Jagadamba, we are your servants. We have come to your refuge with great hope. Please understand the purpose of our arrival and fulfill our desires. O Goddess, first you manifested as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha and became the wife of Rudra Deva, and removed the sorrows of Brahma Ji and other gods. Seeing the insult to your husband at your father's yajna, you voluntarily gave up your body. Because of this, Rudra Deva is very sad. He is extremely grief-stricken. Also, the desire of the gods has remained unfulfilled due to your departure. Therefore, O Jagadambe, you should incarnate again on earth and obtain Rudra Deva as your husband so that this world may be benefited and the statement of Sanat Kumar Muni may also be fulfilled. O Bhagavati, be gracious to us all in such a way that we all become happy, and Mahadeva Ji also becomes happy again, because due to separation from you, he is extremely sad. Please remove all our troubles and sorrows.' O Narada, saying this, all the gods again worshipped Bhagavati. Thereafter, they stood silently with their hands joined. Then, due to their unparalleled praise, Goddess Uma became very pleased. Then, remembering Shiva Ji, she said, 'O Hari, O Brahma Ji, and all the gods and sages, I am very pleased with your worship. Now, all of you go to your respective abodes and reside there happily. I will surely incarnate and manifest as the daughter of Himavan and Mena. Because I know well that since I gave up my body in the sacrificial fire of Daksha's yajna, my husband, the Lord of the Three Worlds, Mahadeva Ji, has been burning in the fire of time. He constantly worries about me. He always thinks that due to his anger, I did not return after seeing the insult and gave up my body there. This is why he has adopted an unusual guise and is always absorbed in yoga. He cannot bear the separation from his beloved. Therefore, his desire is also that I should incarnate on earth again so that our union may be possible again. Mahadeva Ji's desire is always paramount for me. Therefore, I will surely incarnate as the daughter of Himavan and Mena.' Giving much assurance to the gods in this way, Goddess Jagadamba disappeared from there. Thereafter, the minds of Sri Hari and other gods became filled with happiness and joy. They bowed many times to the place where the Goddess had appeared and departed to their respective abodes.

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Chapter Five: Mena and Himavan's Penance and Boon

Narada Ji asked, "O Creator, after Goddess Jagadamba disappeared and all the gods departed to their abodes, what happened next? O Bhagavan, please narrate the further story to me as well." Brahma Ji said, "O great sage Narada, after Goddess Jagadamba assured all the gods and Himavan there and departed to her abode, Sri Hari Vishnu asked Mena and Himavan to praise Goddess Jagadamba to please her. He also instructed them to contemplate the Goddess with devotion and perform penance with devotion, and then Vishnu Ji, along with all the gods, departed to his Vaikuntha abode. Thereafter, Mena and Himavan remained absorbed in contemplating Goddess Jagadamba and worshipping her. Mena worshipped her along with Shiva Ji to receive the Goddess's benevolent gaze. She gave donations to Brahmins and fed them. With the desire in their hearts to have the Goddess Durga as their daughter, Himavan and Mena worshipped the Goddess regularly for 27 years, starting from the month of Chaitra. Mena tried to please her by observing the Ashtami fast and worshipping her on Navami with laddus, kheer, pitha, adornments, and various types of flowers. She had made an idol of Durga Devi on the banks of the Ganges and always worshipped it regularly. Mena worshipped without food, sometimes drinking only water, sometimes sustaining herself with air, completing the fast. After worshipping Jagadamba Durga with devotion and regularity for 27 years, she became pleased. Then Goddess Jagadamba gave her direct darshan to Mena and Himavan. Goddess Jagadamba said, 'O Giriraja Himavan and Maharani Mena, I am very pleased with your penance. Therefore, you can ask for any boon you desire. O Himavan's beloved Mena, I am very pleased with your penance and fast. Therefore, I will grant you your heart's desire. So, tell me what you wish.' Then Mena, bowing to Goddess Durga with devotion, said, 'Goddess Jagadambe, I am blessed by your direct darshan. O Goddess, I bow to your form. O Mother, be pleased with us.' Hearing Mena's words, Goddess Durga became very satisfied and embraced Mena. As soon as the Goddess embraced her, Mena attained knowledge. Then she said to Goddess Jagadamba, 'O Goddess who sustains the world, who nourishes the worlds, and who grants desired fruits, I bow to you. You are the one who spreads joy in this world. You are Maya. You are Yoga Nidra. You remove the sorrow and suffering of your devotees. You lead your devotees out of the darkness of ignorance and bestow upon them the brilliance of knowledge. How can I, a woman, describe your glory? You are formless and invisible. You are eternal power. You are the supreme yogini and incarnate on earth in female form at will. You are the nature spread all around on earth. You are the knowledge that controls the form of Brahma. O Goddess Jagadamba, be pleased with me. You manifest as fire in the yajna. Mother, you are the power that provides light to the sun's rays. You are also the coolness of the moon. I praise such a great and auspicious Goddess Jagadamba. Mother, I worship you. You are also the power that sustains and benefits the entire world. You are the Maya of Sri Hari. O Durga Maa, you create, sustain, and destroy this world by assuming forms at will. O Goddess, I bow to you. Please be pleased with us.' Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, hearing the praise offered by Mena with devotion, the Goddess said, 'Mena, ask for your desired boon. I will surely grant whatever you ask for. There is nothing unattainable for me.' Hearing these words of Goddess Jagadamba, Mena became very happy and said, 'O Shiva, victory to you! O Jagadambe, you are the bestower of knowledge. You grant everyone their desired objects. O Goddess, I ask for a boon from you. O Mother, grant me 100 sons who are strong and valiant, and whose lifespan is long. Thereafter, grant me one daughter who is your very form. O Goddess, you are worshipped throughout the world and are endowed with all virtues and are the giver of joy. O Mother, you are the fulfiller of all actions. O Bhagavati, to fulfill the tasks of the gods, you became the wife of Rudra Deva, and to bless this world with your grace, be born as my daughter.' Hearing Mena's words, Goddess Bhagavati smiled. Then the Goddess, who fulfills everyone's desires, smiling, said, 'Mena, I am very pleased with your penance performed with devotion. I will surely grant the boon you have asked for. First, I grant you the boon of becoming the mother of 100 strong sons. Among those 100 sons, the first born will be the most powerful and valiant. Thereafter, I myself will be born from your womb as your daughter. Then I will work for the welfare of the gods.' Saying this, the mother of the universe, the supreme Goddess Jagadamba, disappeared from there. Then, receiving the desired boon from the great Goddess, Goddess Mena rejoiced with joy. Thereafter, she went to her home. Upon reaching home, Mena told her husband Himavan about the completion of her penance and the attainment of the boon, which made Himavan very happy. Then they both praised their destiny. Thereafter, after some time, Mena conceived. Gradually, time passed. When the time was complete, Mena gave birth to a son, who was named Mainaka. Upon receiving the news of the son's birth, Himavan was overwhelmed with joy, and he organized a grand celebration in his city. After this, 99 more sons were born in Himavan's house. Among the 100 sons, Mainaka was the eldest and most powerful. He was married to a Naga maiden. When Indra Deva, in his anger, began to cut off the wings of the mountains, Mainaka went to the refuge of the sea. At that time, the Wind God helped Mainaka in this task. There he became friends with the sea. Mainaka mountain itself is called the king of mountains among all mountains that came after it.

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Chapter Six: Birth of Parvati

Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, thereafter, Himavan and Mena remained absorbed in the contemplation of Goddess Bhagavati and Shiva Ji. After that, the mother of the universe, Jagadambika, to make her promise true, took abode in the heart of Giriraja Himavan with her complete part. At that time, a wonderful and beautiful radiance descended upon her body. She became radiant with brilliance and, filled with joy, meditated on the Goddess. Then, at the auspicious time, Giriraja Himavan implanted that part in the womb of his beloved Mena. Mena conceived from the part residing in Himavan's heart. Due to Goddess Jagadamba's presence in her womb, Mena's beauty and radiance increased, and she became radiant. Then, seeing her, Himavan remained very happy. When Sri Hari and I, along with the gods, came to know of this, we greatly praised Goddess Jagadambika and all departed to our respective abodes. Gradually, time passed. After the completion of 10 months, Goddess Shiva took birth from Mena's womb. After her birth, Goddess Shiva gave Mena her direct darshan. On the day of the Goddess's birth, it was the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the spring season. At that time, it was midnight, and the Mrigashira constellation was present. Due to the Goddess's birth, happiness spread throughout the world. A gentle breeze began to blow, and the entire atmosphere became fragrant. Clouds gathered in the sky, and with light drizzles, a shower of flowers occurred. Then, to have darshan of the mother of the universe, Vishnu Ji and I, along with all the gods and goddesses, reached the home of Giriraja Himavan. Seeing the Goddess, everyone praised the divinely formed, great Maya, the auspicious Jagadambika Mata. Thereafter, all the gods departed to their respective abodes. Himavan and Mena, having received the mother of the universe as their daughter, felt blessed. They experienced immense joy. By the darshan of the Goddess's divine form, Mena attained excellent knowledge. Then Mena said to the Goddess, 'O Jagadamba, O Shiva, O Maheshwari, you have shown me great kindness by giving me your divine darshan. O Mother, you are the supreme power. You are the mother of the three worlds and are worshipped by the gods. O Goddess, come as my daughter and assume the form of an infant.' Hearing Mena's words, the Goddess smiled and said, 'Mena, you have served me greatly. Pleased by your devotion, I asked you to ask for a boon, and you asked me to become your daughter. Then I said, "So be it," and honored you with my divine darshan. Now, you both as a couple, consider me your daughter, nurture me, and show me affection. I will perform wonderful pastimes on earth and fulfill the tasks of the gods. Growing up, I will obtain Lord Shiva as my husband and become his wife, thereby redeeming this world.' Saying this, the mother of the universe, Goddess Jagadamba, fell silent. Then, in an instant, Goddess Bhagavati transformed into a tiny infant.

Chapter Seven: Naming of Parvati

Brahma Ji said, "O Muni Narada, when Goddess Jagadambika assumed the form of an infant before Mena, she began to cry like a normal child. Hearing her cry, all the women and men present there rejoiced. Seeing that beautiful, radiant daughter, whose complexion was dark like a blue lotus, Giriraja Himavan became very pleased. Then, at the auspicious moment, Himavan thought about naming his daughter. At that time, Mena and Himavan were very happy. Then, seeing the Goddess's virtues and character, she was named Parvati. Like the digit of the moon, the daughter of Himavan gradually grew. Her limbs and body became extremely beautiful, like the digits and beams of the moon. Girija played with her friends. Parvati, with her companions, would sometimes build houses with the sand of the Ganges or play with kunda kana. Playing, they grew up. When they became eligible for education, the teachers began to impart knowledge of various scriptures to them. From this, she remembered all the events of her previous birth. O sage, in this way, I have narrated the divine play of Shiva to you. Once, inspired by Shiva's divine play, you went to Himavan's house. O Narada, you are a knower of Shiva's essence and understand his various divine plays. Seeing you arrive, Himavan and Mena greeted you with pleasure and showed you great respect. Thereafter, Himavan called his daughter Parvati and made her bow at your feet. Then he himself bowed repeatedly and said, 'O Narada, the foremost among sages, O son of Brahma, Narada, you are supremely wise. You always do good to everyone. You know the past, present, and future. You are benevolent and compassionate. Please tell me the destiny of my daughter and also tell me whose fortunate wife my daughter will be.' Hearing such questions from Himavan, Narada, you looked at Parvati's hand and her face and began to say, 'O Giriraja and Mena, your daughter is radiant like the digit of the moon. She is endowed with all auspicious signs. Her destiny is very strong. She will not be just a source of happiness for her husband, but will also increase the fame and glory of her parents. She will be a supremely virtuous woman and the best among the women of the world. Her husband will be a yogi, naked, without qualities, devoid of lust, without parents, free from pride, pure, and dressed in the guise of a sage.' Hearing this, Mena and Himavan became sad. Parvati Devi thought that the words of Muni Narada are always true. All the signs that Narada Ji has described are present in Shiva Ji. Considering Lord Shiva as her future husband, Parvati's heart was filled with joy, and she contemplated Shiva Ji's feet. Then Himavan said with a very sad voice, 'O Narada, knowing about my daughter's future husband, I am very sad. Please suggest a way to save my daughter.' Hearing the words of Giriraja Himavan, O Narada, you said, 'Giriraja, what I have said will be absolutely true, because the lines on the hand are written by Brahma Ji and can never be false. The fruit of this line will surely be obtained. However, even if this happens, for Parvati to live happily, get Parvati married to Lord Shiva. All these qualities are present in Mahadeva Ji. Even these inauspicious signs become auspicious in Mahadeva Ji. Therefore, Giriraja, without thinking, marry your daughter to Lord Shiva. He is the Lord of all, and he is impartial, powerful, and indestructible. However, this will not be so simple. The marriage of Parvati and Shiva can only be possible if Lord Shiva is pleased in some way. The easiest and best means to please and control Lord Shankar is if your daughter performs penance with unwavering devotion to Lord Shiva. Then everything will be fine. Parvati will obtain Lord Shiva as her husband. She will always act according to Lord Shiva, because she is a great virtuous woman who observes excellent vows. She is the one who increases the happiness of her parents. O Giriraja Himavan, the love between Lord Shiva and Shiva is divine. No one has ever had such love, nor will they ever have it. Lord Shiva will not make any other woman his wife besides her. Himavan and Shiva must perform many tasks for the welfare of the gods by becoming one. Only by obtaining your daughter as his wife will Lord Shiva become Ardhanarishvara. Your daughter Parvati, by her penance to Lord Shiva, will satisfy him and become his Ardhangini.' Hearing these words of Muni Narada, Himavan said, 'O foremost sage Narada, Lord Shiva, renouncing all desires, controls his mind.'

They perform penance daily, keeping their minds always fixed on the Supreme Brahman. How will they, who seek the light of the Supreme Brahman, agree to marry my daughter, when Lord Shiva is beyond the indestructible nature, formless, and radiant like a lamp's flame? According to my knowledge, Lord Shiva had made a vow to his wife Sati long ago that he would never accept anyone else as his wife besides her. Now that Sati has given up her body, how will he accept another woman? Hearing this, you said, Giriraj, you should not worry about this. Your daughter herself was Sati, the son of Daksha, in her previous birth and was Shiva Ji's beloved. Ashamed at seeing her husband insulted by her father Daksha, Sati immolated herself in yogic fire. Now the same Goddess Jagadamba, who was previously incarnated as Sati, has now become your daughter in the form of Parvati. Therefore, you have no need to worry about Parvati. Goddess Parvati will be the wife of Lord Shiva. Hearing your words, Giriraj Himalaya and his wife Maina, and their sons were greatly satisfied, and all their doubts and apprehensions were completely removed. Parvati, who was sitting nearby, also heard about her previous birth. Knowing Lord Shiva as her husband, Goddess Parvati sat with her head bowed in shyness. Maina and Himalaya stroked her head and gave her many blessings. Thereafter, after telling Parvati about penance, Narada disappeared from there. After your departure, Maina and Himalaya became very happy. Eighth Chapter: Conversation between Maina and Himalaya. Brahma Ji said, O Narada, after your departure to heaven, everything continued as it was for some time. One day, Maina went to her husband Himalaya, bowed to him, and said, O beloved, that day when the celestial sage Narada visited our home and told many things about Parvati after seeing her hand, I paid attention to his words. Now Parvati is growing up. My humble request to you is to start searching for a suitable and handsome groom for her marriage, with whom our daughter Parvati can spend her life happily. He should be auspicious and noble, because my daughter is dearer to me than my life. I only want my daughter's happiness. Saying this, tears came to Maina's eyes, and she fell at her husband's feet. Thereafter, Himalaya lovingly lifted his wife Maina and explained to her. He said, O Goddess, give up your useless worries. The words of sage Narada can never be false. If you want to see Parvati happy, then inspire her to perform penance for Lord Shiva. If Shiva Ji is pleased, he will himself accept Parvati's marriage. Then everything will be auspicious. All inauspiciousness and evil omens will be destroyed. Lord Shankar is always auspicious. Therefore, teach Parvati to perform penance to gain Shiva Ji's grace. Hearing Himalaya's words, Maina happily went to her daughter Parvati to ask her to perform penance. Ninth Chapter: Parvati's Dream. Brahma Ji said, O best of sages Narada, when Maina reached Parvati, she thought upon seeing her, my daughter is tender and delicate. She has always lived in royal splendor. Far from enduring sorrow and hardship, she is completely unaware of them. She has raised Parvati with great affection and love. Then how can I inspire my dear daughter to perform severe penance? Thinking all this, Maina could not say anything to her daughter about penance. Then, seeing her mother's worried face, Goddess Parvati, who is an incarnation of Jagadamba herself, knew what her mother wanted to say. Then Goddess Bhagavati, who knows everything, said, O mother, when did you come here? Please sit. Mother, in the Brahma Muhurta of last night, I had a dream. I will tell you about it. In my dream, a kind and ascetic Brahmin came. When I greeted him with folded hands, he smiled and said, you will surely become the beloved of Lord Shiva Shankar. Therefore, to please him, perform penance for him with love. Hearing this, Maina lovingly stroked her daughter's head and called her husband Himalaya there. Upon Himalaya's arrival, Maina told him about Parvati's dream. Then, knowing about his daughter's dream from his mouth, Himalaya became very happy. Then he said to his wife, dear Maina, I also had a dream last night. I saw a very excellent ascetic in my dream. He possessed all the qualities described by Narada Muni. That excellent ascetic came to my city to perform penance. Seeing him, I was very happy. I took my daughter Parvati with me to see him. Then I realized that he was Lord Shiva, the groom described by Narada Ji. Then I instructed Parvati to serve him, but she did not listen to me. Then a debate on Sankhya and Vedanta ensued. Thereafter, by their command, Parvati stayed there and served him with devotion. O dear, this was my dream, seeing which I became extremely happy. I think we should wait for some time for this dream to come true. Saying this, Himalaya and Maina began to wait for this excellent dream to come true. [Music] Chapter 10: Bhoma's Birth. Brahma Ji said, Narada, the glory of Lord Shiva is supremely pure, auspicious, devotion-enhancing, and excellent. After the Daksha Yajna, he returned to his abode, Kailash mountain. Upon arriving there, Lord Shiva was very sad due to the separation from his wife Sati. His mind was remembering Goddess Sati, and he was distressed remembering her. Then he summoned all his Ganas there and began to describe the qualities and virtues of Goddess Sati. Then, renouncing the householder's life, he wandered through all the worlds for some time searching for Sati. After this, he returned to Kailash mountain, as he could not find Sati anywhere. Then, concentrating his mind, he sat in Samadhi. Lord Shiva remained seated in Samadhi for a very long time in this manner. Countless years passed. Due to the exertion of Samadhi, a drop of sweat fell from his forehead onto the earth, and that drop transformed into an infant. The child was red in color, had four arms, and a charming appearance. He was endowed with divine radiance and possessed unique beauty. As soon as he appeared, he started crying. Seeing him, Shiva Ji became distressed thinking about his upbringing, like worldly humans. At that very moment, a beautiful woman, frightened, arrived there. She picked up the child in her lap and kissed his face. Then she fed him milk and calmed the child's crying. Then she started feeding him. That woman was none other than Mother Earth herself. Mahadeva Ji, the creator of the world and the knower of all, laughed seeing this. He recognized the Earth. He said to the Earth, O Dharini, lovingly raise this son. This infant has appeared from a drop of my sweat. O Vasudha, although this child is born from my sweat, in this world, he will be known as your son. He will be very virtuous and a giver of land. He will also give me happiness. O Goddess, you bear him. Narada, saying this, Lord Shiva became silent. His sorrowful heart was somewhat pacified. Meanwhile, obeying Shiva Ji's command, the Earth went to her abode with her son. Growing up, this child became famous by the name of Bhoma. Upon becoming young, Bhoma went to Kashi. There he served and worshipped Lord Shiva for a very long time. Then, receiving the grace of Lord Shankar, Bhoma, the son of the Earth, went to the divine world. Chapter 11: Lord Shiva's Penance at Gangavataran Tirtha. Brahma Ji said, Narada, Parvati, the daughter of Giriraj Himalaya, who was an incarnation of Jagadamba herself, when she turned 18 years old, Lord Shiva received the news of her birth. Then, keeping that wonderful girl in his heart, he became very happy. Then he concentrated his mind and thought about performing penance. Thereafter, taking Nandi and some other Ganas with him, Mahadeva Ji went to the highest peak of Himalaya, to a pilgrimage site called Gangotri. At this place, the sin-purifying Ganga is descending from Brahmaloka. Lord Shiva chose that very place to perform penance. Shiva Ji concentrated his mind and contemplated the Supreme Brahman, the soul-embodied knowledge, the eternal light, the embodiment of consciousness and bliss. Seeing his lord engrossed in meditation, Nandi and other Shiva Ganas also sat in Samadhi. Some Ganas served Shiva Ji, and some worked to protect the place. When Giriraj Himalaya received this auspicious news of Shiva Ji's arrival, he lovingly, with a feeling of respect in his heart, came with his servants to the place where he was performing penance. Himalaya bowed to Rudradeva with both hands joined. Thereafter, he worshipped and adored him with devotion. With folded hands, Himalaya said, Bhagavan, you have come here. This is my good fortune, Lord. You are devoted to your devotees. Today, by having your divine sight, my life is successful. Consider me your servant and grant me permission to serve you. O Lord, by serving you, my mind will experience immense joy. Hearing the words of Giriraj Himalaya, Mahadeva Ji opened his eyes and saw Himalaya and his servants standing there. Seeing them, Mahadeva Ji smiled and said, O Giriraj, I have come to your peak for solitary penance. Himalaya, you are the abode of penance. You provide refuge to gods, sages, and demons alike. Ganga, which washes away everyone's sins, flows through you. Therefore, you have become pure forever. I have come to perform penance at this supremely holy place, which is the origin of Ganga. I wish that my penance be completed without any obstacles. Therefore, make arrangements so that no one can come near me. Now you go to your home and make proper arrangements. Saying this, Lord Shiva became silent. Then Himalaya said, O supreme Lord, you have come to my dwelling place. This is a great fortune for me. I welcome you, Bhagavan. Many people, even after performing penance and prayers with unwavering devotion, yearn to see you. Such Mahadeva has graced me, a humble person, with his nectar-like sight. Bhagavan, you have come here for penance, which makes me very happy. Today I consider myself more fortunate than Devraj Indra. You can perform penance here with concentration without any obstacles. You will not have any trouble here in any way. I assure you of this. Saying this, Giriraj Himalaya returned to his home. Upon reaching home, he narrated all the conversations with Shiva Ji to his wife Maina. Then he summoned his servants and explained, saying, from today onwards, no one will go to Gangavat, i.e., Gangotri. I will punish anyone who goes there. In this way, Himalaya ordered his Ganas not to go to Shiva Ji's place of penance. Chapter 12: Himalaya's Request to Shiva to Keep Parvati in Service. Brahma Ji said, O sage Narada, thereafter Himalaya took his daughter Parvati with him and went to Shiva Ji. Upon reaching there, he bowed to the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, who was immersed in yogic meditation, with both hands joined and prayed as follows: Lord, my daughter Parvati is very eager to serve you. Therefore, I have brought her here to worship you. O Lord, she will serve you with her two companions. Please be merciful to me and grant her the opportunity to serve you. Then Lord Shiva closed his eyes upon seeing the supremely beautiful daughter of Himalaya, Parvati, and became engrossed in meditating on the form of the Supreme Brahman again. At that time, Shiva Ji, the Lord of all and omnipresent, began to perform penance. Seeing this, Himalaya was lost in thought, wondering whether Lord Shankar would accept his penance or not. Then, once again, Himalaya joined both hands, bowed at Shiva Ji's feet, and said, O Deva-dhideva Mahadeva, O Bholenath Shiv Shankar, I have come to your refuge with both hands joined. Please open your eyes and look at me. Bhagavan, you remove all calamities. O devotee-loving one, I will come here daily with my daughter to see you. Please grant me permission. Hearing Himalaya's words, the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, opened his eyes and said, O Giriraj Himalaya, you can come to see me by leaving your daughter at home. Otherwise, you will not even see me. Hearing such words from the great Lord, Himalaya bowed his head and said to Shiva Ji, O Lord, O Mahadeva Ji, please tell me why I cannot come to see you with my daughter. Is my daughter not worthy of your service? Then I do not understand the reason for not bringing her. Hearing Himalaya's words, Shiva Ji laughed and said, O King, your daughter is beautiful, moon-faced, and possesses many auspicious signs. Therefore, you should not bring her to me, because wise men have called women as Maya-rupini (embodiments of illusion). Young women create obstacles in the penance of ascetics. I am a yogi, always engrossed in penance, and far from illusion and attachment. Therefore, I should stay away from women. O Himalaya, you are knowledgeable in Dharma and know the ways of the Vedas. Proximity to women generates lustful desires in the mind and destroys detachment, which disrupts the meditation of ascetics and yogis. Therefore, ascetics should not associate with women. Saying this, Lord Shiva became silent. Himalaya was astonished and distressed hearing such words from Shiva Ji. Seeing him silent, Goddess Parvati became perplexed. Chapter 13: Parvati's Philosophical Dialogue with Shiva. Hearing the words of Lord Shankar, Parvati Ji said, O Yogi-raj, I will answer what you have said to my father, Shri Giriraj Himalaya. O inner-knowing one, you have decided to perform great penance. You have decided to do this only because of Shakti. This Shakti is Nature, which performs all actions. Nature creates, sustains, and destroys everything. Lord, think a little, what is Nature, and who are you? If there is no Prakriti, then how can there be a body and form? You are always worthy of worship and contemplation for all beings. All this is due to Prakriti. Hearing Parvati Ji's words, Lord Shiva, the performer of excellent pastimes, laughed and said, I have destroyed Nature through my severe penance. Now I exist in my true form. Good men should not collect Nature. Hearing such words from Lord Shiva, Parvati laughed and said, O compassionate, auspicious Yogi-raj, what you have said, is it not Nature? Then how can you be separate from it? To speak or to do anything, i.e., every activity performed by us is Nature. We are always under the control of Nature. If you are separate from Nature, then you should neither speak nor do anything, because these actions are of Nature, i.e., natural. Lord, you laugh, listen, eat, see, and act. All that is also the work of Nature. Therefore, there is no benefit from pointless arguments. If you are truly separate from Nature, then why are you performing penance here at this time? The truth is that you are under the control of Nature, and at this time you want to remain engrossed in penance to find your true self. O Yogi-raj, what kind of talk are you speaking? Speak after thinking a little. If you have destroyed Nature, then how will you exist? Because the world has always been bound by Nature. Do you not know this element of Nature, that I am Nature? You are Purusha. This is the sacred truth. It is because of me that you are considered to have attributes and form. Bhagavan, even though you are self-controlled, you act according to Nature. O Mahadeva, if you believe that you are separate from Nature, then you should not fear any of my services in any way. Hearing the words of Parvati, immersed in the Sankhya Shastra, Lord Shiva was speechless. Then he gladly granted Parvati Ji permission to see him and serve him. Thereafter, Lord Shiva said to Mount King Himalaya, O Giriraj Himalaya, I wish to perform penance on your peak. Please grant me permission. Hearing such words from the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, Giriraj Himalaya joined both hands and said, O Mahadeva, this entire world is yours. All gods, demons, and humans always worship and contemplate you. I am a mere human before you. How can I grant you permission? Lord, it is your wish. You can reside here as long as you wish. Hearing these words of Giriraj, Lord Shiva smiled and said respectfully to Himalaya, Now you go. Now I wish to perform penance. Your daughter will come daily to see me and I also grant her permission to serve me. Hearing these excellent words of the welfare-creating Lord Shiva, Himalaya and Parvati Ji became very happy. They bowed to the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, and returned to their home. From that day onwards, Parvati Ji used to come daily to see Lord Shiva. At that time, her two companions also used to go there and serve Shiva Ji with devotion. They used to wash the feet of Mahadeva and drink that Charan-amrita. Thereafter, after wiping their feet and performing their worship with the sixteen Upacharas (services) according to the prescribed method, they would return to their home. In this way, a lot of time passed in daily worship of Shiva Ji. Sometimes Parvati Ji, along with her companions, used to sing devotional songs there. One day, seeing Parvati Ji so dedicated in his service, Sadashiva thought that only when the seed of pride that has sprouted in her heart is destroyed, will I accept her marriage. Thinking this, the playful Lord Shiva became engrossed in meditation again. Then his mind became free from worry. Then Goddess Parvati used to serve him with devotion, contemplating Lord Shiva's form. Lord Shankar also used to give his darshan to Parvati daily with pure intention. Meanwhile, Indra and other gods and sages reached Brahma Ji. By Brahma Ji's command, Kamadeva went to Himalaya mountain. To fulfill the task of all the gods, they wanted to unite Parvati and Shiva through Kamadeva's inspiration. The reason for this was that the very powerful Tarakasura was troubling the sages and gods. To slay him, they needed a very powerful and strong son like Lord Shiva. Kamadeva reached the peak of Himalaya and made many attempts, but Lord Shiva could not be swayed by Kama's illusion. In anger, he reduced Kama to ashes. Now, only Shakti had the power to enchant Shiva and fulfill the wishes of the gods. Therefore, after Kama became Ananga (bodiless), for the welfare of mankind and to fulfill her vow, Parvati firmly decided in her mind to have Shiva Ji as her husband. By performing severe penance, Goddess Parvati conquered Shiva Ji's heart. Then they both lived with great love and happiness and accomplished the great task of the gods. Chapter 14: Birth of Vajra and Request for the Boon of a Son. Narada Ji said, Brahma Ji, who was Vajrasura? Who was he who troubled even the gods, expelled them from heaven, and established his sole dominion over heaven? Please tell me about him. Brahma Ji said, O sage Narada, the son of Marichi was Kashyap Muni. He had 13 wives, the eldest of whom was Diti. She had two sons named Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha were killed by Lord Vishnu in the forms of Varaha and Narasimha. Then, saddened by the death of her sons, Diti prayed to Kashyap and served him greatly. By his grace, Diti became pregnant again. When Indra came to know of this, he broke her child into small pieces while it was still in Diti's womb. However, due to Diti's vow and unwavering devotion, they could not succeed in killing the child. When the time was complete, 49 children were born from her womb. All these became the Ganas of Lord Shiva and soon went to heaven. Thereafter, Diti went to her husband Kashyap Muni again and spoke to him about becoming a mother again. Then Kashyap said, O dear Diti, purify your body and mind and perform penance with devotion. After 100,000 years, you will get a son according to your wish. Hearing this, Diti faithfully performed severe penance for 100,000 years. After the penance, she returned to her home. Then, by the grace of Kashyap Muni, Diti became pregnant. This time she gave birth to a very powerful and strong son. The name of this son was Vajra. Vajra was as Diti wished. Diti was very distressed by the deceit and trickery of Indra and ordered her son Vajra to fight with the gods to take revenge. A very terrible war took place between Vajra and all the gods. Thereafter, the brave and powerful Vajra, with his mother's blessings, defeated all the gods and seized the throne of heaven, becoming its king. All the gods became subservient to him. Then Diti was very happy seeing this. One day, I myself went to Vajra with Kashyap Muni. I requested Vajra not to punish the gods for Indra's mistake and to forgive all the gods, including Indra. Hearing me say this, Vajra said, O Brahmin, I have no greed for power. I did this because of Indra's wickedness. Indra tried to kill my brothers by entering my mother's womb. That is why I conquered Indra's kingdom and expelled him from heaven. Lord, I have no desire for enjoyment either. Indra and all the gods have reaped the fruits of their actions. Now I can return the kingdom of heaven to Indra. I did all this by obeying my mother's command. Lord, please instruct me in the essence so that I may attain happiness. Knowing Vajra's intention to be excellent, I explained to him about the Sattvic element. Then I created a beautiful and virtuous woman and married her to Vajra. Vajra gave up all his evil thoughts, but his wife's heart was filled with evil thoughts. His wife served him greatly. Then, pleased, Vajra said, O beloved, tell me what you want. I will surely fulfill your desires. Hearing this, the supremely beautiful woman said, Husband, if you are pleased with my service, then please grant me a very powerful and strong son who can conquer these three worlds, who is so strong that all the gods fear him. Hearing such words from his wife, Vajra fell into thought, because he himself did not want to bear any enmity with the gods. However, his wife wanted to increase enmity with the gods. Vajra thought that if he only considered his wife's wish paramount and fulfilled it, then all the worlds, including the gods and sages, would have to suffer. And if he did not fulfill his wife's wish, he would be liable for hell. Then, falling into this moral dilemma, he fulfilled his wife's desire. To obtain a son according to his wife's wish, Vajra performed severe penance for many years. Receiving the boon from me, Vajra, filled with great joy, went to his abode to grant a son to his wife. [Music] Chapter 15: Birth of Tarakasura and Description of His Penance. Brahma Ji said, O best of sages Narada, after some time, Vajra's wife became pregnant. When the time was complete, his wife gave birth to a son. That child was very tall and broad. His body was very large. He was extremely powerful and valiant. At the time of his birth, there was chaos throughout the world. Disturbances occurred all around. Terrible lightning flashed in the sky, and fierce roars echoed in all directions. The earth trembled, mountains shook, and the water of rivers and lakes surged violently. Storms blew all around. Rahu swallowed the sun, and darkness spread everywhere. Seeing such inauspicious signs at the time of his birth, Kashyap Muni named him Tarak. After Tarak's birth, he was raised in Vajra's house. In a short time, Tarak's body grew even larger. He was becoming as vast and fearsome as a mountain. After some time, Tarak asked his mother and father, Vajra, for permission to perform penance. Then his parents happily granted him permission. Along with that, his mother ordered him to definitely conquer the gods and establish his dominion over them and rule heaven. Receiving his mother's command, Vajra's son Tarak went to Madhuvana to perform penance. There, to please me, Tarak began to perform severe penance. He raised both his hands above his head and looked upwards, standing on one leg, and performed penance with a concentrated mind for 100 years. At that time, he sustained his life only on water and air. Thereafter, he tried to please me by performing difficult penance for 100 years in water, 100 years on land, and 100 years in fire. Then for 100 years holding his palms upwards on the earth, for 100 years holding a tree branch, and enduring many kinds of suffering, he performed penance. Due to the effect of this penance, radiance began to emanate from his body, causing the divine world to burn. Seeing this, all the gods became frightened. Then I myself went to Tarakasura to grant him a boon. I said to Tarakasura, Tarak, I am very pleased with your severe penance. You have pleased me by performing such difficult penance. What is your purpose behind this? Tell me without hesitation. I will surely grant you your desired boon. Ask for a boon according to your wish. Hearing these words from Brahma Ji, Tarakasura began to praise him. Thereafter, he said, O Creator, O Brahma Ji, if you are pleased with my penance and wish to grant me a boon, then Lord, grant me the first boon that in the creation made by you, no one should be as radiant and powerful as me. Grant me the second boon that I become immortal, i.e., never face death. Then I said that no one in this world is immortal. Therefore, ask for death according to your wish. Tarak humbly requested with arrogance, Bhagavan, my death should only occur by a weapon wielded by a child born from Shiva Shankar's virya, and no one else should be able to kill me. I granted Tarak the boons he asked for and returned him to my abode. Tarak was very happy after receiving the boons. He also went to his home to give the news of receiving the boons. The guru of the demons, Shukracharya, made Tarak the king of the Asuras. Now Tarak became famous as Tarakasura. He wanted to establish his dominion over all three worlds. Therefore, by tormenting everyone, fighting them, and defeating them, he was establishing his dominion over all their kingdoms. Indra, the king of heaven, also fearfully gave him his vehicle Airavata elephant, his treasury, and nine white horses. Sages, out of fear, gave the Kamadhenu cow to Tarakasura. Similarly, other gods also offered their beloved possessions to Tarakasura. Whatever excellent items were with other people, the demon king Tarak also took them under his control. Not only this, but the oceans, also frightened, handed over all the priceless jewels hidden within them to Tarakasura. The entire world trembled with fear of Tarakasura. His terror was increasing day by day. Earth, sun, moon, wind, fire, all were performing their duties smoothly due to the fear of Tarakasura. The demon king Tarakasura had also established his dominion over the portions of gods and ancestors. He had also defeated Indra in battle and seized the throne of heaven. He had expelled all the gods of heaven from there, who were wandering here and there for their lives. Chapter 16: Tarak's Departure from Heaven. Brahma Ji said, Narada Ji, all the gods were wandering here and there in fear of Tarakasura. I advised all the gods to come to me. All came to me. All the gods bowed to me with folded hands and praised me in many ways. Telling their sorrows, the gods said, O Creator, O Brahma Ji, you yourself granted Tarakasura the boon of fearlessness. Since then, Tarak has become arrogant by conquering the three worlds. He has intimidated people and brought them under his control. Tarak has also established his dominion over heaven, and he has expelled all of us from heaven. He has also seized Indra's throne. Now, by his command, his Asuras, who are thirsty for our lives, are searching for us. That is why we have come to your refuge for the protection of our lives. O Lord, remove our sorrows. Hearing the suffering of the gods, I felt great sorrow. I consoled them, saying, I can do nothing in this matter, because I was pleased with Tarakasura's severe penance and granted him the boon of being immensely powerful. But he, blinded by pride, has tormented all gods and humans and forcibly taken possession of their properties. Therefore, now all of you be assured that one day Tarakasura will surely be destroyed. His death will surely happen, but at this time we are helpless. At this time, neither I, nor Vishnu Ji, nor Shiva Ji can kill Tarak, because he received a boon from me that he can only be killed by a weapon wielded by a son born from Shiva Ji's virya. Therefore, all of you will have to wait until Shiva Ji's marriage and his becoming a father. No other solution is possible besides waiting. Hearing this, all the gods, including Indra, became perplexed and asked, O Lord, Lord Shiva's beloved wife Sati has destroyed her body in yogic fire. Now how and with whom will he marry, and how will this be possible? Then I told them that Sati, the daughter of Prajapati Daksha and the beloved of the Lord of the three worlds, Shiva Ji, has been born from the womb of Himalaya's wife Maina and has grown up. Her name is Parvati. Parvati will have the honor of becoming Lord Shiva's wife. Therefore, now go to Lord Shiva and try to persuade him to marry. Only Shiva's son can free you from the fear of Tarakasura. Therefore, you pray to Lord Shiva that he agrees to marry Parvati. Know this well that only Shiva's son can be your savior. Now I will explain to Tarakasura that he should stop harassing the gods unnecessarily, return their share to them, and live peacefully himself. Saying this, I bid farewell to Indra and other gods. Thereafter, I myself went to Tarakasura to explain. Tarakasura bowed to me and praised and worshipped me. I said to Tarakasura, O son Tarak, I was pleased with your devotion-filled penance and granted you your desired boons. I gladly granted those boons for your well-being. But you are misusing those boons. After receiving the boons, you have forgotten your limits. Intoxicated by unnecessary pride, you have not even remembered that gods are always to be worshipped and revered. You have also caused them suffering. You have also expelled them from heaven and made them homeless. Your armed soldiers are still searching for the gods to kill them. Heaven belongs only to the gods. How dare you expel them from there? Leave the kingdom of heaven and return to earth and rule there. This is my command. After giving this order to Tarakasura, I returned from there. Thereafter, Tarakasura, respecting my words, left the kingdom of heaven. He came to earth and ruled the city named Shonit. By my command, Indra and all the gods went to heaven and ruled heaven again as before. Chapter 17: Kamadeva's Departure to Enchant Shiva. Brahma Ji said, Narada Ji, all the gods in heaven were consulting among themselves as to how Lord Rudra could be enchanted by Kama. How would Shiva Ji accept Parvati Ji's marriage? Thinking all this, Devraj Indra remembered Kamadeva. Kamadeva immediately reached there. Then Indra said to Kamadeva, O friend, a great sorrow has befallen me. Only you can alleviate that sorrow. O Kama, just as the wife's test of the husband in the battlefield protects the hero.

When one becomes incapable, it happens in the same way that a true friend is tested only in times of adversity. At this time, I am also caught in a great difficulty, and only you can save me from this adversity. This task is for the welfare of the gods, there is no doubt about it. Hearing the words of King Indra, Kamadeva smiled and said, "O King Indra, who is a friend and who is an enemy in this world? This is truly a sight to behold. There is no benefit in saying this. King Indra, I am your friend, and I will certainly try my best to help you. Indra, I will definitely help you in every possible way to punish him who has troubled you by snatching your position and kingdom. Therefore, tell me what task is worthy of me. Hearing this statement of Kamadeva, King Indra became very pleased and said to him, "O father, only you can complete the task that I want to do. No one else can even think of doing that task. There is a famous demon named Taraka. Taraka obtained a boon by performing severe penance for Lord Brahma. Taraka has become invincible. Now he is tormenting the whole world with complete certainty. He is eager to destroy righteousness. He has made all the gods and sages unhappy. We gods fought with him, but no weapon had any effect on him. Not only this, even Lord Vishnu's Sudarshan Chakra could not harm Taraka. Friend, a child born from the valor of Lord Shiva can kill Tarakasura. Therefore, you have to create attachment in Lord Shiva's heart. Lord Shankar is currently meditating on the Himalayas, and Goddess Parvati is serving Mahadevji along with her companions. The purpose behind doing this is for Goddess Parvati to obtain Lord Shiva as her husband. But Lord Shiva is the supreme yogi, his mind is always under his control. O Kamadeva, do something so that Parvati resides in Lord Shankar's heart, and he accepts her as his beloved and marries her. Do something so that all the troubles of the gods are removed, and we all get rid of the demon named Tarakasura forever. If Kamadeva, you succeed in doing this, then we will all always be indebted to you. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing the words of King Indra, Kamadeva's face bloomed with joy. Then Kamadeva said to King Indra, "I will definitely do this task." Assuring King Indra of doing the task, Kamadeva took his wife Rati and Vasant with him and went to the Himalayas where Shiva was meditating. Chapter 18: The Burning of Kamadeva. Lord Brahma said, "O sage Narada, Kamadeva reached the Himalayas with his wife Rati and the spring season, where the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva Shankar, was engrossed in meditation. Kamadeva shot his arrows at Shiva. Due to the effect of these arrows, attraction towards Goddess Parvati began to arise in Shiva's heart, and his concentration on meditation started to waver. Seeing this situation, the great yogi Shiva was greatly astonished and thought to himself, "Why am I unable to concentrate my mind? What obstacle is coming in my meditation?" Thinking this in his mind, Lord Shiva started looking around in all directions. When Mahadevji's gaze fell on the directions, he also trembled with fear. Then Lord Shiva's gaze fell on Kamadeva, who was hidden in front. At that moment, Kamadeva was about to shoot an arrow again. Seeing him, Shiva became very angry. Meanwhile, Kamadeva released his arrow, but it had no effect on the angry Shiva. As soon as the arrow reached Shiva, it became calm. Seeing his arrow rendered useless, Kamadeva trembled with fear and remembered Indra and other gods. All the gods arrived there and bowed to Mahadevji and praised him with devotion. While the gods were praising him, the third eye located in the middle of Mahadevji's forehead opened, and fire started emanating from it. That fire rose high in the sky and in the next moment fell on the earth. Then it started revolving in a circle all around. Before King Indra or other gods could ask for forgiveness from Lord Shiva, that fire burned Kamadeva, who was standing there, to ashes. The gods were greatly disappointed and saddened by Kamadeva's death. They became very distressed seeing that Kamadeva had become the object of Shiva's wrath because of them. Seeing Kamadeva burning in the fire, Goddess Parvati and her companions present there also became extremely terrified. Their bodies became stiff as if the blood in their bodies had turned white. Parvati immediately left for her home with her companions. Kamadeva's wife Rati fainted and fell down. Upon regaining consciousness, she began to wail loudly. "What should I do now? Where should I go? The gods have done a great wrong to me by sending my husband here and getting him burnt in the fire of Shiva's wrath. O my lord, O my beloved, what has happened to you?" Thus, Goddess Rati cried and began to pull her hair vigorously. Hearing her pathetic cries, all the moving and unmoving beings also became extremely sad. Thereafter, Indra and other gods went to Goddess Rati there, comforting her and trying to explain. The gods said, "O goddess, keep a little part of the ashes of your husband Kamadeva's body with you and be free from unnecessary fear. The lord of the three worlds, the compassionate Shiva, will surely revive Kamadeva. Then you will get Kamadeva again. Anyway, everything in the world happens according to past deeds. Therefore, give up your sorrow. Lord Shiva will surely be merciful." Thus, after giving many assurances to Goddess Rati, all the gods went to Shiva and bowing to him, said, "O lover of devotees, O lord of the three worlds, Lord, please reconsider your anger towards Kamadeva. Kamadeva was not doing this task for himself; there was no personal selfishness in it. O Lord, we were all tormented by Tarakasura. He had snatched our kingdom and expelled us from heaven. Therefore, Kamadeva did this task only to destroy Tarakasura. Please calm your anger and kindly console the weeping wife of Kamadeva, Rati. Otherwise, we will consider that you want to destroy all of us gods and humans. O Lord, please remove Rati's sorrow." Then the eternal Shiva said, "O gods, O sages, due to my anger, I have burnt Kamadeva to ashes with my third eye. What has happened cannot be changed now, but Kamadeva will surely be reborn. When Lord Vishnu incarnates as Shri Krishna and accepts Rukmini as his wife, then Kamadeva will be born as Shri Krishna's son from the womb of Goddess Rukmini. At that time, Kamadeva will be known by the name of Pradyumna. Immediately after Pradyumna's birth, a demon named Shambara will abduct him and throw him into the sea. Rati, until then, you will have to reside in the city of Shambara. There you will get your husband Kamadeva in the form of Pradyumna. There Pradyumna will kill Shambarasura. Hearing the words of Lord Shiva, the gods bowed to him with joy and said, "O lord of lords, Mahadeva, the compassionate one, grant life to Kamadeva and protect the life of Goddess Rati until Kamadeva's rebirth." Hearing these words of the gods, the compassionate Lord Shiva said, "I will surely revive Kamadeva. He will become my attendant and live happily. Now all of you go to your respective abodes without worry." Saying this, Mahadevji also disappeared from there. All the doubts of the gods were removed by his words. Thereafter, the gods gave many assurances to Kamadeva's wife Rati and then went to their abodes. Goddess Rati also went to Shambara city according to Shiva's command and after reaching there, she started waiting for her beloved to appear. [Music] Chapter 19: The Pacification of Shiva's Fiery Wrath. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, when Lord Shankar opened his third eye and burnt Kamadeva with its fire, all the moving and unmoving beings of the three worlds trembled with fear, and to be free from fear and to pacify Mahadevji's anger, they came to me with great hope and informed me of their troubles and sorrows. Then, knowing everything, I went to Lord Shankar. Upon reaching there, I saw that Lord Shankar's anger was sky-high. He was burning in the fire of terrible anger. With the grace of Shiva, I caught that blazing fire in my hand and went near the sea. Seeing me approach, the sea took a male form and came to me and said, "O creator, O Lord Brahma, what service can I do for you?" Hearing this, Lord Brahma said, "O ocean, Lord Shiva Shankar has burnt Kamadeva to ashes with the fire of his third eye. The entire world can be burnt to ashes by this fiery wrath. Therefore, I have brought this fiery wrath to you after stopping it. O King of the Ocean, I humbly request you to hold it within yourself until the time of the dissolution of creation. Only when I ask you to release it, you should release this Shiva's fiery wrath. You will have to provide it with food and water daily, and keep it safe with you as a deposit." In this way, as I said, the ocean held the fiery wrath within itself. As it entered the sea, the fiery wrath, in the form of large balls of fire along with the wind, became safely deposited near the sea. Thereafter, I returned to my abode. [Music] Chapter 20: Chapter 20 describes the sorrow of Parvati due to Shiva's separation. Lord Brahma says, "O Narada, when Lord Shiva opened his third eye and burnt Kamadeva to ashes with its fire, I, to free all the beings, including the terrified gods, from fear, caught that fire with Shiva's command and took it towards the seashore. After handing over that fiery wrath to the sea, I returned to my abode. Then the entire world, free from fear, became happy as before. Narada asked Lord Brahma, "O you, tell me, what did Goddess Parvati do after Kamadeva was burnt to ashes? Where did she go with her companions? O Lord, please tell me about this as well." Hearing these words of Narada, Lord Brahma said, "When the fire generated from Lord Shankar's third eye burnt Kamadeva to ashes, the entire sky began to echo. Seeing this scene, Goddess Parvati and her companions, frightened, went to their home. Upon reaching there, Parvati narrated the entire incident to her parents, which surprised them greatly. Seeing his daughter so distressed, Himalaya felt great sadness. Himalaya wiped away Parvati's tears and said, "Parvati, do not be afraid and do not cry." Then Himalaya consoled his daughter in many ways. After burning Kamadeva, Shiva disappeared from there. Then, not finding Shiva there, Parvati became extremely distressed. Her sleep and peace were gone. She remained sad and restless. She did not experience any happiness or peace anywhere. Then she also doubted her own beauty. Parvati thought, "Why did I never pay attention even when my companions advised me?" Goddess Parvati, whether sleeping or awake, eating or drinking, bathing or washing, walking or moving, or being with her companions, only thought and meditated on Mahadevji. In this way, her mind could not bear the pain of separation from Shiva. She was physically at her father's house and mentally with Lord Shankar. Drowned in sorrow, Parvati would faint repeatedly. This made Giriraj Himalaya and his wife Maina very sad. They tried hard to console Parvati, but Parvati's mind did not shift from Shiva even a little. O Devarshi Narada, one day, at the wish of King Indra, you came wandering to the Himalayas. Then Shailraj Himalaya welcomed you very warmly and inquired about your well-being. After seating you on a comfortable seat, Himalaya narrated the entire story. Himalaya told how Parvati began serving Mahadevji. After this, he told you the entire story from Shiva's worship to the burning of Kamadeva. Hearing all this, you said to Giriraj Himalaya, "You should worship Lord Shiva." Thereafter, taking leave from Himalaya, you went to Goddess Parvati, who was sitting alone in solitude. Then, wishing to do her good, you spoke these truthful words to her. You said, "O Parvati, listen carefully to my words. Seeing your condition, I am telling you this. You served Mahadevji who had come to the Himalayas, but somewhere in your mind, ego resided. He, the lover of Shiva devotees, always keeps his grace upon his devotees. He is detached and a great yogi. To break the pride that arose within you, Sadashiva has done this. Therefore, try to please him through penance. Perform his penance with excellent devotion for a long time. Pleased by your penance, Mahadevji will surely accept you as his wife. This is the only way to obtain Shiva in his true form." Hearing your words, Goddess Shiva, becoming happy, said, "O best of sages, you are knowledgeable and beneficial to this world. Therefore, grant me a mantra for the worship of Shiva." Then you imparted the Panchakshara Shiva mantra, "Om Namah Shivaya," to Parvati in the proper manner. Describing its effect, you said, "This mantra is the king of all mantras and fulfills all desires. This mantra is very dear to Lord Shiva. It grants the devotee enjoyment and liberation. By chanting this Panchakshara mantra regularly and according to the rules, one gets to see Lord Shiva directly. Goddess, by chanting this mantra according to the rules, your worshipped deity, the compassionate Lord Shiva, will soon appear before you. Therefore, with a pure heart, meditating on Shiva's feet, chant this great mantra. By this, your worshipped deity will be satisfied and will give you his darshan. Now, Goddess Parvati, chant this mantra and perform penance for Shiva. By this, Mahadevji comes under control. Desired fruits are obtained only through excellent devotion." Lord Brahma said, "Narada, you are a dear devotee of Lord Shiva. You roam the world according to your wish. You explained everything to Goddess Parvati and did a task for the welfare of the gods. Thereafter, you went to the heavenly world. Hearing your words, Goddess Parvati became very happy. Chapter 21: Parvati's Penance. Lord Brahma said, "O Devrishi Narada, when you left their home after imparting the Panchakshara mantra, Goddess Parvati became very happy in her heart because she had found a way to obtain Mahadevji as her husband. She knew that the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, could only be won through penance. Then, deciding to perform penance in her mind, Parvati said to her father Himraj and mother Maina, "I want to perform penance for Shiva." By this, my body, birth, and lineage will be accomplished. Therefore, grant me permission to perform penance." Hearing her desire to perform penance, her father Himalaya happily granted permission. However, her mother Maina stopped her from going far away from home into the forests to perform penance. As Maina tried to stop Parvati, the word "Uma" came out of her mouth. From then on, her name became Uma. Maina could do nothing against Parvati's stubbornness. Then, happily, she granted Parvati permission to perform penance. Thereafter, having received permission from her parents, Goddess Parvati, happily remembering Shiva in her mind, took her companions with her and went to perform penance. On the way, Parvati discarded beautiful clothes and wore bark and deerskin. After renouncing the fine clothes, Goddess proceeded towards the pilgrimage site called Gangotri. The place where Lord Shankar performed severe penance and where Shiva burnt Kamadeva is famous by the name of Ganga Avataran Tirtha. It was there that Goddess Parvati decided to perform penance. It is because of Parvati performing penance here that this mountain became famous by the name of Gauri Shikhar. At that place, Parvati planted many fruit trees. Thereafter, purifying the earth, making an altar, and controlling her senses, she began to perform difficult penance with a concentrated mind. Such penance was difficult even for sages. In the scorching heat of summer, Parvati would sit in the middle, surrounded by fire, and chant "Om Namah Shivaya." During the rainy season, she would sit on a rock or an altar, constantly bathed in water, and chant the mantra with a calm mind. In winter, she would sit in cold water without eating anything and chant the Panchakshara mantra. Sometimes, she would meditate on a snow-covered rock all night. Forgetting everything, she would remain engrossed in the meditation of Lord Shiva. When she had time, she would water the trees she had planted. Parvati, with a pure heart, would constantly meditate on Lord Shiva, the giver of desired fruits, without caring for storms, severe cold, torrential rain, or intense sunshine. Many hardships came upon her, but her mind remained attached to Shiva's feet. In the first year of her penance, she only ate fruits. In the second year, she only ate tree leaves. In this way, many years passed in penance. Goddess Parvati had given up all eating and drinking. Now she only worshipped Shiva by remaining without food. Then, as she also renounced leaves for food, the gods named her Aparna. Thereafter, Goddess Parvati began to chant "Om Namah Shivaya" standing on one leg. She wore bark clothes and matted hair on her head. In this way, 3000 years passed in the penance of Lord Shiva in that hermitage. [Music] After 3000 years passed, Goddess Parvati became worried. She began to think, "Does Mahadevji not know at this time that I am performing penance for him? Then why has he not come to me yet? The glory of the Vedas states that Lord Shankar is omniscient, all-knowing, the giver of all prosperity, the listener of everyone's thoughts, the giver of desired objects, and the remover of all sorrows. Then why does he not grace me, this humble one, with his sight? I have renounced all my desires and wishes and focused my attention on Lord Shiva. Lord, if I have chanted the Panchakshara mantra with devotion, then Mahadevji, be pleased with me." In this way, Parvati remained engrossed in the meditation of Shiva's feet at all times. The penance of Goddess Parvati, the incarnation of Jagadamba, was truly astonishing. Her penance was captivating to all. As a result of the glory of her penance, living beings and animals did not obstruct her meditation. As a result of her penance, the atmosphere there became very pleasant. The trees were always laden with fruits. Various types of beautiful, fragrant flowers bloomed there at all times. That place was adorned like Kailash Parvat and had become a manifestation of Parvati's penance. Chapter 22: The Gods Go to Shiva. Lord Brahma says, "O Munishwar, many years passed as Parvati performed penance to obtain Lord Shiva as her husband. But Lord Shiva did not even grant her his sight, let alone anything else. Then Parvati's father Himachal, her mother Maina, Meru, and Mandarachal came and tried to persuade Parvati a lot and requested her to return home. Then, hearing their words, Goddess Parvati humbly said, "O father and mother, have you forgotten the vow I made? I will surely obtain Lord Shiva through my penance. You return home with peace of mind. It was here that Mahadevji, in anger, burnt Kamadeva and burnt the forest with his fiery wrath. I will call those lords of the three worlds, Lord Shankar, here through my penance. [Music] After saying this to her father, mother, and brothers, Goddess Parvati became silent. All her relatives who had come to persuade her returned to their homes, praising her. After her parents returned, Goddess Parvati became engrossed in penance with double the enthusiasm. Seeing her amazing penance, all the gods, demons, humans, sages, etc., along with all the moving and unmoving beings, the entire three worlds were filled with awe. The gods could not understand why the entire nature was agitated and restless. To know this, Indra and all the gods went to Guru Brihaspati. Thereafter, they all reached my refuge, the creator, on Mount Sumeru. Upon reaching there, they bowed to me with folded hands and praised me. Then they asked me, "O Lord, what is the reason for the agitation of this world?" Hearing their question, I meditated on the feet of the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, and came to know that the burning sensation in the world was the result of the penance performed by Goddess Parvati. Therefore, after knowing everything, I went to the ocean of milk with the gods to tell Shri Hari Vishnu about this. There Shri Hari was seated on a comfortable seat. All the gods, including me, bowed to Vishnu and began to praise him. Thereafter, I said to Shri Hari, "O Hari, we are all distressed by the severe penance of Goddess Parvati, and we have come to your refuge. Protect us all, Lord, save us." Hearing our pathetic plea, Shri Hari, seated on the serpent couch, said, "Today I have understood the secret of Goddess Parvati's severe penance. However, fulfilling her wish is not within our power. Therefore, let us all go together to the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. Only he can save us from this dire situation. Goddess Parvati wishes to obtain Lord Shiva as her husband through penance. Therefore, we should pray to Lord Shiva to marry Goddess Parvati properly. For the welfare of this world, we should all request Lord Shiva to accept Goddess Parvati as his wife." Hearing the words of Lord Vishnu, all the gods, becoming frightened, said, "Lord, Lord Shiva is very angry and stubborn. His eyes glow like the fire of time. We will never go near Lord Shankar. His anger is unbearable. He had burnt Kamadeva to ashes. We are afraid that in anger, he might burn us too." O Narada, hearing the words of the gods, the lord of Lakshmi, Shri Hari, said, "Listen carefully to my words. Lord Shiva is the lord of all gods and the destroyer of brothers. You all should go together to the refuge of the welfare-creating Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is the primordial being, the supreme controller, and the supreme ascetic. We must go to his refuge." Hearing these words of Lord Vishnu, all the gods proceeded towards the place where Mahadevji was meditating to have darshan of the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. On that path, Goddess Parvati was engrossed in excellent penance. Seeing her penance, all the gods happily bowed to her with folded hands. Thereafter, praising her penance, I, Shri Hari Vishnu, and other gods proceeded to have darshan of Lord Shiva. Upon reaching there, all of us gods stood at a distance and sent you to see if Lord Shiva was angry or pleased, as you are very close to Lord Shiva. Narada, you are a great devotee of Lord Shiva, and by his grace, you are always fearless. Therefore, you went near Lord Shiva and found him pleased. Then you returned to us and told us about his pleasure. Then we all went near Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was sitting happily and pleasantly. The lord of devotees, Lord Shiva, was surrounded by his attendants and was seated on a yogic mat in the form of an ascetic. I, Shri Hari, and other gods bowed to Lord Shiva Shankar and praised him according to the methods known through the Vedas and Upanishads. Chapter 23: Request to Marry Shiva. Lord Brahma says, "O Narada, the gods reached there, bowed to Lord Shiva, and praised him. Nandi, who was present there, said to Lord Shiva, "Lord, the gods and sages have come to your refuge in distress. O supreme controller, save them." Hearing the words of the kind Nandi, Lord Shiva slowly opened his eyes. Withdrawing from samadhi, the supremely wise, the supreme soul, Lord Shankar, said to the gods, "O Lord Brahma, O Shri Hari Vishnu, and other gods, why have you all come here together? What is the purpose of your coming? Seeing you all together, it seems there must be something important. Therefore, inform me of that matter." Hearing these words of Lord Shankar, the fear of all the gods was completely removed, and they happily looked at Lord Vishnu. Then Shri Hari Vishnu, representing all the gods, said to Lord Shiva, "Lord Shankar, the demon named Tarakasura has caused us gods great distress. He has expelled us from our respective places. We have all come to you to tell you all this. As a result of the boon obtained from Lord Brahma, the death of that Tarakasura is destined by your son. O Lord, destroy that wicked one and protect us all. Save us all, Lord. Please accept the daughter of Himalaya, Parvati, as your wife. Your marriage alone can remove our troubles. You are the lover of devotees. To remove the sorrows of your devotees, marry Goddess Parvati soon." Hearing these words of Vishnu, Lord Shiva said, "O gods, if I marry the supremely beautiful Goddess Parvati as you say, then all humans, gods, and sages in this world will become lustful. Then they will not be able to walk the path of ultimate truth. Goddess Durga will revive Kamadeva through her marriage. I did a task for the welfare of the gods by burning Kamadeva. All the gods were performing excellent penance without desire so that they could fulfill a specific purpose. In the absence of Kamadeva, all the gods, being devoid of passion, will be able to sit in meditation with a calm mind. Lust leads to anger, anger leads to attachment, and as a result of attachment, penance is destroyed. Therefore, I say to all of you that you should also renounce lust and anger and perform penance." Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing such words from the mouth of the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, we all looked at him in amazement, and after giving advice to all the gods and sages to be desireless, he became silent and again became stable and engrossed in meditation as before. Lord Shiva became absorbed in self-contemplation in the form of Brahma. When Shri Hari Vishnu and other gods saw the supreme Lord Shiva engrossed in meditation, all the gods said to Nandi, "O Nandi, what should we do now? Suggest a way to please Lord Shiva." Then Nandi, addressing all the gods, said, "Keep praying to the lord of devotees, Lord Shiva. He is always under the control of his devotees." Hearing Nandi's words, the gods again began to praise Lord Shiva. They said, "O lord of lords, Mahadeva, the compassionate one, Lord Shiva Shankar, we have come to your refuge with folded hands. Remove all our sorrows and troubles and save us all." In this way, the gods praised Lord Shiva many times. Even after this, when Lord Shiva did not open his eyes, all the gods, with a pathetic voice, praised him and started crying. Then Shri Hari Vishnu mentally remembered Lord Shiva and made his plea in a pathetic voice. "O gods, after our and Shri Hari Vishnu's repeated pleas, Lord Shiva's trance was broken, and he happily opened his eyes. Then Lord Shiva said, "Why have you all come here together? Inform me of this." Shri Hari Vishnu said, "O Lord of Gods, O Shiva Shankar, you are omniscient, the indwelling Lord of all. You know everything, Lord. You must also know the thoughts in our minds. Nevertheless, if you want to hear from our mouths, then listen. The demon named Taraka has become very powerful these days. He causes the gods many kinds of troubles. Therefore, we all gods have prayed to Goddess Jagadamba and asked her to incarnate as Parvati, the daughter of Giriraj Himalaya. That is why we are repeatedly praying to you to accept Goddess Parvati as your wife. According to the boon of Lord Brahma, only the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati can kill Tarakasura and free us from his terror. According to the advice of the great sage Narada, Goddess Parvati is performing severe penance. Due to the radiance of her penance, the entire moving and unmoving world is agitated. Therefore, O Lord, go to bless Goddess Parvati. O Lord, to remove the crisis and sorrows of the gods, cast your benevolent glance upon Goddess Parvati. We are all very excited to witness your wedding ceremony. Therefore, Lord, quickly get married and fulfill this wish of ours as well. Lord, the boon you granted to Rati is also about to be fulfilled. Therefore, Maheshwar, fulfill your promise soon." Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, saying this and bowing, Vishnu and other gods again praised Shiva. Thereafter, they all stood with folded hands. Then, seeing them, Lord Shiva, the protector of Vedic traditions, smiled and said, "O Hari, O Vidhi, and O gods, marrying is not an appropriate act according to me, because marriage is a chain that binds humans. There are many vices in the world; woman's company is one of them. Humans can be freed from all kinds of bonds, but they can never be freed from the bond of woman. One can be freed from chains made of iron and wood, but marriage is a captivity from which escape is impossible. Marriage makes the mind subservient to desires, making liberation impossible. If a person desires happiness, he should renounce these desires. Desires are considered like poison. Even knowing all this, I will fulfill your prayers because I, the gods, remain under my devotees. I have endured many hardships to protect my devotees. O Hari and O Vidhi, you know everything. Whenever my devotees face adversity, I remove all their troubles. Being under the control of devotees, I even do inappropriate things for their welfare. I always remove the sorrows of devotees. I am well aware of the troubles Tarakasura has caused you. I will definitely remove them. As you all know, I have no desire to marry. Nevertheless, for the sake of having a son, I will accept Goddess Parvati as my wife. Now all of you gods, without fear and apprehension, return to your respective abodes. I will surely accomplish your task. Therefore, give up all your worries and happily go home." Saying this, Lord Shankar became silent again and sat in samadhi, engrossed in meditation. Thereafter, Vishnu and I, along with King Indra and all the gods, happily returned to their respective abodes. Chapter 24: The Test of Parvati by the Saptarishis. Lord Brahma says, "After the gods returned to their respective abodes, Lord Shiva thought about testing Parvati's penance. He began to contemplate his own pure, illusion-free form. Although he is the supreme controller and omniscient, the creator of all and the supreme Lord, at that time Goddess Parvati was performing very severe penance. Seeing that penance, even Lord Shiva himself was astonished. Her unwavering devotion had shaken Shiva. Then Lord Shiva remembered the Saptarishis. As soon as he remembered them, all seven sages arrived there. They were extremely happy and were appreciating their good fortune. Seeing them, Shiva smiled and said, "You all are extremely beneficial and possess knowledge of all things. This daughter of Giriraj Himalaya is currently performing severe penance with a stable and pure heart on Gauri Shikhar mountain. Her sole purpose in this penance is to obtain me as her husband. She has renounced all her desires. O Munivars, go to Goddess Parvati at my behest and test her steadfastness." Receiving the command of Lord Shiva, the seven sages went to the place of Goddess Parvati's penance. There Goddess Parvati was engrossed in penance. Her face was illuminated by the radiance of her penance. The Saptarishis, who were observing this excellent vow, bowed to Goddess Parvati in their minds with folded hands. Thereafter, the sages said, "O Goddess, daughter of Giriraj, we want to know why you are performing this penance. Which deity are you trying to please with this penance, and what fruit do you desire?" Upon being asked this by the Saptarishis, Goddess Parvati, the princess of Giriraj, said, "O Munishwar, my words will surely seem impossible to you. Also, I fear that you will ridicule me."

We will fly, but still, since you have asked me something, I will definitely give you its answer. My mind is undergoing penance for a very noble task. Although this task is very difficult to accomplish, I am working with full dedication for its success. According to the teachings given by Sage Narada, I am performing penance to obtain Lord Shiva as my husband. My mind is completely engrossed in His meditation, and I constantly contemplate His lotus feet. Hearing these words of Goddess Parvati, the Saptarishis began to laugh and, with the intention of dissuading Parvati from the path of penance, began to speak false words. They said, "O daughter of Himalaya, Parvati, Sage Narada falsely considers himself a great scholar. His mind is filled with cruelty. You appear very wise; have you not understood him? Narada always speaks deceitful and cunning words. He keeps others entangled in illusion. Following his words only leads to harm. He gave such teachings to the sons of Prajapati Daksha that they left their homes forever. He also made other sons of Daksha homeless, and they became beggars. Narada ruined the home of the Vidyadhara Chitraketu. By making Prahlad walk the path of devotion and making him his disciple, he caused Hiranyakashipu to inflict much cruelty upon Prahlad. Sage Narada always mesmerizes people with his sweet words and then makes everyone act according to his wishes. He only appears pure in body, while his mind remains impure and afflicted with suffering. He always stays with us, therefore we know and recognize him very well. O Goddess, you appear extremely learned and supremely wise; how have you been fooled by Narada? O Goddess, for whom you are performing such severe penance, Lord Shiva is very indifferent and emotionless. He is always the enemy of lust. O Parvati, think a little about what kind of husband you want. Do not be swayed by Sage Narada. Lord Shiva is extremely shameless, inauspicious in form, the ultimate enemy of lust, indifferent, devoid of passion, and lives with ghosts and spirits. Sage Narada has completely destroyed your knowledge and wisdom with his illusion and has deceived you with his deceitful and deceptive words. O Goddess, please consider that it was these very Shiva-Shankar who married Sati, the most virtuous and beautiful daughter of Daksha. That unfortunate woman also had to suffer immense sorrow with him. Lord Shiva, abandoning Sati, became engrossed in His meditation again. He always remains alone and peaceful. He cannot live with any woman. That is why Goddess Sati, due to this sorrow, went to her father's house and burnt her body in yogic fire, reducing it to ashes. O Goddess, if you think about all these things with a calm mind and concentration, you will find them completely true. Therefore, we request you to give up this stubbornness of pleasing Shiva by performing this penance and return to your father Himalaya's home. As far as your marriage is concerned, we will definitely get you married to a suitable groom. At this time, the most suitable man for you in the three worlds is Lord Vishnu, the master of Vaikuntha, the husband of Lakshmi. He is as beautiful and auspicious as you are. By obtaining him as your husband, you will become happy. Therefore, O Goddess, give up this stubbornness of obtaining Lord Shiva as your husband." Hearing such words from all the Rishis, Goddess Parvati, the incarnation of Jagadamba herself, began to laugh and said, "O supremely wise Saptarishis, you are speaking correctly according to your understanding, but I cannot abandon my firm conviction. I am the daughter of Giriraj Himalaya. Being the daughter of a mountain, I am naturally strong. I cannot be afraid of penance. Therefore, O sages, do not try to stop me. I know that the teachings given to me by Sage Narada and the means he told me for obtaining Shiva are not false. I will definitely follow them. It is well known that the words of elders are always for one's welfare. Therefore, I will completely follow the words of my guru, Narada. By this, I will be freed from sorrows and attain happiness. Those who consider the words of the guru false and do not follow them receive only sorrow in this world and the next. Therefore, one should consider the words of the guru as a written inscription and follow them. Hence, whether my home is established or not, I will not leave this path of penance. O great sages, your statement is also correct. Lord Vishnu is endowed with virtues and constantly creates new pastimes. But Lord Shiva is the Supreme Brahman Himself. He is supremely blissful. Only those who are caught in the web of illusion and attachment need worldly affairs. God has neither need nor interest in all these. Lord Shiva is pleased only by devotion. He does not bestow grace based on religion or caste. O Rishis, if Lord Shiva does not accept me as his wife, I will remain a virgin for life and will never choose anyone else. Even if the sun starts rising from the west instead of the east, mountains leave their place, and fire embraces coolness, and flowers bloom on rocks, I will not abandon my resolve." Saying this, Goddess Parvati joined her hands and bowed to the Saptarishis and, remembering the feet of Shiva with devotion, became engrossed in penance again. Then, hearing her firm resolve from Parvati's divine mouth, the Saptarishis were very pleased and shouted her victory. They blessed Parvati to be successful in her penance and obtain the desired boon from Lord Shiva. Thereafter, the Saptarishis, to test Parvati's penance, bowed to them and, with a pleased expression, proceeded quickly towards the abode of Lord Shiva to inform Him of all that had happened there. Then, reaching Lord Shiva-Shankar, the Saptarishis approached Him, bowed with joined hands, and praised Him. Thereafter, the Saptarishis narrated the entire incident to Mahadeva. Then, receiving permission from Lord Shiva, the Saptarishis went to the celestial world.

Chapter 25: Lord Shiva testing Parvati's penance.

Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, the Saptarishis, after coming from Parvati's hermitage, narrated the entire situation there to the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. After the Saptarishis had departed to their own worlds, Shiva thought of personally testing Goddess Parvati's penance. To test her, Mahadeva assumed the form of a tapasvin (ascetic) and proceeded towards the place where Parvati was engrossed in penance. Upon reaching the hermitage, he saw Goddess Parvati sitting on the altar, her face radiant like the crescent moon. Lord Shiva, disguised as a Brahmin, approached her. Seeing the Brahmin arrive, Parvati devotedly worshipped and honored him with fruits and flowers. After the worship, Goddess Parvati asked the Brahmin, "O Brahmin, who are you and from where have you come? Your supreme radiance illuminates this entire forest. Kindly tell me the reason for your arrival." Then, Lord Shiva, disguised as a Brahmin, said, "I am a Brahmin who wanders as I please. My mind only meditates on the Lord's feet. My intellect always remembers Him. I find joy in making others happy. Goddess, I am an ascetic, but who are you? Whose daughter are you, and what are you doing in this desolate forest at this time? O Goddess, whom do you wish to please with this rare and difficult penance? Penance is either performed by sages and ascetics, or meditating at the Lord's feet is the work of the elderly. Why are you, in this youthful age, renouncing the comforts of home and living the life of an ascetic, observing celibacy? Whose ascetic wife are you, and why are you performing penance like a husband? O Goddess, give me information about yourself: what is your name, and what is your father's name? How did you become so attached to penance? Are you the Vedic mother Gayatri, Lakshmi, or Saraswati?" Goddess Parvati said, "O great sage, I am neither the Vedic mother Gayatri, nor Lakshmi, nor Saraswati. I am Parvati, the daughter of Giriraj Himalaya. In my previous birth, I was Sati, the daughter of Prajapati Daksha, but seeing the insult to my husband, Lord Shiva, by my father Daksha, I burnt my body to ashes with yogic fire. In this birth too, I had the opportunity to serve Lord Shiva-Shankar. I was engaged in His service according to the rules, but unfortunately, due to the arrow shot by Kamadeva, Shiva became angry, and He burnt Kamadeva to ashes with the fire of His wrath and left from there. Suffering from His departure, I went to the banks of the Ganga to attempt to obtain Him, and I have been performing severe penance here for a very long time so that I can again obtain Shiva as my husband. But I have not been successful in doing so. I was about to enter the fire when I saw you arrive and stopped. Now, you may go, I will enter the fire because Lord Shiva has not accepted me." Saying this, Goddess Parvati immolated herself in the fire in front of the Brahmin. The Brahmin tried very hard to stop her, but Goddess Parvati did not listen to him at all and entered the fire. However, as a result of Goddess Parvati's devotion, the blazing fire suddenly became cold. Suddenly, Parvati began to rise upwards in the sky. Then Lord Shiva, disguised as a Brahmin, laughing, said, "O Goddess, the fact that fire has no effect on your body is an indication of the success of your penance. But your unfulfilled desire indicates your failure. Therefore, O Goddess, tell me your penance's desire from me." When Shiva asked this, Goddess Parvati, who observes excellent vows, asked her friend to reply. Her friend said, "O holy man, my friend is Parvati, the daughter of Giriraj Himalaya. Parvati is not yet married. She wishes to obtain Lord Shiva as her husband. For this, she has been performing severe penance for 3000 years. My friend Parvati wishes to obtain Lord Shiva, the wielder of the Pinaka, as her husband, rejecting Brahma, Vishnu, and Lord Indra. Therefore, she is performing severe penance according to the command of Sage Narada." Hearing the words of Goddess Parvati's friend, Lord Shiva, disguised as a matted-haired ascetic, laughing, said, "Goddess, what your friend has told me seems like a jest. If it is still true, then Parvati, you yourself accept this and tell me."

Chapter 26: Lord Shiva orders Parvati to stay away from Him.

Parvati said, "O matted-haired sage, what my friend has told you is absolutely true. I have chosen Lord Shiva as my husband with my mind, speech, and actions. I know that obtaining Mahadeva as a husband is a very rare task. Yet, He always resides in my heart and in my meditation. Therefore, it is for His attainment that I have chosen this difficult path of penance." After telling all this to the Brahmin, Goddess Parvati fell silent. Hearing her words, the Brahmin said, "O Goddess, until some time ago, I had a strong desire to know why you are performing such severe penance, but O Goddess, after hearing all this from your mouth, my curiosity is completely satisfied. O Goddess, the result will be in accordance with your actions. But if this gives you happiness, then do so." As the Brahmin was about to leave, Goddess Parvati bowed to him and said, "O excellent Brahmin, where are you going? Please stay here a little longer and speak words of my welfare." Hearing these words of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva, disguised as a sage, stayed there and said, "O Goddess, if you truly want to stop me here and hear words of your welfare, then I will definitely explain to you, so that you may understand your own welfare. Goddess, I myself am a devotee of Mahadeva, so I know Him very well. The Lord Shiva whom you wish to make your husband always wears ashes on His body. He has matted locks on His head. Instead of clothes, He wears the hide of a deer on His body and the hide of an elephant as a shawl. He uses a skull instead of a begging bowl in His hand. Many groups of snakes are always entwined around His body. He drinks poison like water. His eyes appear red and extremely frightening. No one knows when, where, or from whom He was born. He always remains away from the bonds of household life. He has ten arms. Goddess, I do not understand why you want to make Shiva your husband. Where has your wisdom gone? Prajapati Daksha did not invite his daughter Sati to his yajna simply because she is the wife of a skull-wearing mendicant. He offered a share to all gods except Shiva in his yajna. Angered by this insult, Sati gave up her life. Goddess, you are extremely beautiful and a jewel among women. Your father, Giriraj Himalaya, is the king of all mountains. Then why are you trying to obtain Lord Shiva as your husband through such intense penance? Why do you want to buy glass in exchange for gold coins? Why do you want to smear mud on your body after leaving fragrant sandalwood? Why do you want to obtain the glow of a firefly after leaving the radiance of the sun? Why do you want to cover your body with leather after discarding beautiful soft clothes? Why do you want to wander in forests and jungles after leaving the royal palace? What has happened to your intellect that you wish to obtain iron, i.e., Shiva, after rejecting Lord Indra and other gods who are like treasuries of jewels? The truth is that at this time, I find the relationship between you and Shiva to be contradictory. Where are you, and where is Mahadeva? You are moon-faced, while Shiva is five-faced. Your eyes are like lotus petals, while Shiva's three eyes always cast an angry glance. Your hair appears extremely beautiful, resembling dark clouds, whereas everyone knows about the matted locks on Lord Shiva's head. You wear a beautiful soft sari, while Shiva uses the rough hide of an elephant. You apply sandalwood paste to your body, while He always applies cheetah's ashes to His body. You wear divine ornaments to enhance your beauty, while snakes are always entwined around Shiva's body. Where is the sweet sound of the Mridanga, and where is the 'dum dum' of the Damaru? Goddess Parvati, Mahadeva always accepts the offerings given by ghosts. His form is not worthy of entrusting one's entire being to. Goddess, you are supremely beautiful, and your wonderful and excellent form is not worthy of Shiva. Think for yourself, if He had wealth, would He remain so naked? For a mount, He has an old bull. When searching for a suitable groom for a daughter, the groom's qualities and virtues are examined. Shiva possesses none of those qualities. Moreover, He also burnt your beloved Kamadeva to ashes with the fire of His anger. Also, leaving you at that time was a disrespect to you. O Goddess, everyone is unaware of His caste, knowledge, and learning. Ghosts are His attendants. Poison is visible in His throat. He always remains aloof from everyone. Therefore, you should never connect your mind with Lord Shiva. Your forms and all qualities are different from His, which appear to be mutually contradictory. For this reason, I do not find your relationship with Mahadeva agreeable. Nevertheless, do as you wish. However, I wish that you turn your mind away from the unreal. If you do not want to do all this, then it is your wish, do as you please. I have nothing more to say." Hearing the words of that Brahmin sage, Goddess Parvati became very sad. Hearing harsh words about her beloved Lord of the three worlds, Shiva, she felt very bad. She became angry in her mind, but she was also thinking in her mind, "How can those who try to see Shiva's beauty with a gross vision understand Him? Worldly people associate auspiciousness and inauspiciousness with their own happiness. How can they see the truth?" Thus, calming her mind with wisdom and controlling herself, the Goddess began to say:

Chapter 27: Parvati scolds the Brahmin in anger.

Parvati said, "O Brahmin, I considered you a supremely wise Mahatma, but your true nature has been fully revealed to me. Everything you have told me about Shiva, I already know, but all these things are completely false; there is nothing true in them. You said that you know Shiva very well; hearing your words, it seems you are lying, because wise people never say anything unpleasant about the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. It is true that Shiva sometimes assumes wonderful forms playfully, but the truth is that He is the Supreme Brahman Himself. He is the Supreme Soul. He has assumed this form out of compassion. O Brahmin, who are you, who have come here disguised as a Brahmin to deceive me? What do you want to prove by making such inappropriate and inconsistent arguments and debates? I know Shiva's form very well. In reality, Shiva is the attributeless Brahman. How can He have a caste, when all attributes are His form? Shiva is the basis of all knowledge; then what need can He have for knowledge? In ancient times, Lord Shiva Himself bestowed the entire Vedas upon Sri Hari Vishnu. He is the father of the moving and unmoving world. His devotees conquer even death. By whom this nature originated, who knows the beginning of all elements, how can His age be measured? Devotee-loving Shiva always remains under the control of His devotees. When pleased, He bestows inexhaustible powers called Shakti, Utsaha Shakti, and Mantra Shakti upon His devotees. By meditating on His supreme feet, death can be conquered. Therefore, Shiva is known by the name Mrityunjaya. By obtaining Lord Shiva, what desire cannot be fulfilled by Vishnu's [music] Vishnuvardhana? By not serving Him, a person becomes impoverished for seven lifetimes, whereas by worshipping Him devotedly, Lakshmi is obtained forever. All eight Siddhis bow their heads before Lord Shiva and dance because Lord Shiva is always pleased with them. How can anything be rare for such a Lord Shiva? Merely remembering Lord Shiva brings auspiciousness to all. By the effect of His worship, all the desires of the worshipper are fulfilled. How can impurity arise in such an emotionless Lord Shiva? The person whose mouth always bears Shiva's auspicious name becomes pure merely by beholding him. You said that He applies cremation ashes to His body; this is indeed true, but when these ashes fall from His body to the ground, why do all the gods consider themselves blessed by applying those ashes to their foreheads? Meaning, even impure things become pure by His mere touch. Lord Shiva is the preserver, creator, and destroyer of this world. How can He be understood by ordinary intellect? How can people like you know His attributeless form? Wicked and sinful people cannot understand Shiva's form. The person who, due to his ego and ignorance, condemns the Shiva element, all the merit of his births is burnt to ashes. O Brahmin, considering you a wise Mahatma, I worshipped you. But by condemning Shiva, you have made me a participant in sin along with yourself. You are a great enemy of Shiva. Scriptures state that upon seeing an enemy of Shiva, one should bathe for purification and perform atonement." Saying this, Goddess Parvati's anger increased further, and she said, "O wicked one, you were saying that you know Shankar, but the truth is that you do not know that eternal Shiva. Lord Shiva is the supremely wise, beloved of the virtuous, and always emotionless. He is my chosen deity. Brahma and Vishnu always bow to Mahadeva. Shiva is worshipped by all gods. Time is also always under His control. He, the devotee-loving Shiva-Shankar, is the Supreme Lord, and the Supreme Lord of all of us. He bestows His grace upon the distressed and suffering. It is to obtain that Mahadeva as my husband that I am performing severe penance in this forest with a pure heart, so that He may grace me with His glance and fulfill my heart's desire." Saying this, Goddess Parvati fell silent and, becoming emotionless, again began to meditate on Shiva with a calm mind. As the Brahmin sage was about to say something upon hearing her words, Parvati turned her face away and said to her friend Vijaya, "Friend, stop this lowly fellow. He has been criticizing my adored Lord Shiva for a long time. Now he wants to say something bad about Him again. The listener of Shiva's criticism, along with the speaker, becomes a participant in sin. Therefore, devotees of Lord Shiva should kill those who criticize Shiva. If the critic of Shiva is a Brahmin, then one should renounce him and move away from that place. This is a wicked Brahmin, therefore we cannot kill him. Hence, we should immediately renounce him. We should not even look at his face. We will all leave this place today and go to another place so that we do not meet this ignorant Brahmin again." Saying this, as Goddess Parvati took a step forward with the intention of going elsewhere, Lord Shiva appeared before her in His actual form. Lord Shiva showed Himself to her in the form she had meditated upon during her meditation. Upon seeing Lord Shiva-Shankar Himself so unexpectedly before her, Girijaanandini Parvati's head bowed with shame. Then Lord Shiva said to Goddess Parvati, "O beloved, where are you going, leaving me here alone? Goddess, I am extremely pleased with your severe penance. I have heard the praise of your penance and firm resolve from all the gods and sages. Therefore, I decided to test you and came before you. Now you can ask me for anything, because I have realized that you are a unique confluence of unparalleled beauty, knowledge, intellect, and wisdom. Today, with your excellent devotion, you have made me your purchased slave. O Goddess Girija, with a steady mind, I have realized that you are my eternal wife. I have tested you in many ways, repeatedly. O Goddess, please forgive my offense. O Shiva, in these three worlds, there is no one, nor was there ever, who is as devoted to you as you are. I am under your control, Goddess. You have undertaken this difficult penance with the aim of making me your husband. Therefore, it is my duty to fulfill this vow of yours. Goddess, I will soon marry you and take you with me to Kailash mountain." Hearing these words of the King of Deities, Mahadeva, Girijaanandini Parvati's joy knew no bounds. She became extremely happy. All her suffering during penance vanished in an instant due to extreme joy. All her fatigue was immediately removed. Parvati, successful in her penance and having the direct vision of the devotee-loving Mahadeva, felt blessed, and all her sorrows and afflictions were removed in a moment.

Chapter 28: Shiva-Parvati Dialogue.

Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, after hearing the words of Lord Shiva and seeing His form, Goddess Parvati was filled with great joy. Her face bloomed like lotus petals due to happiness. At that time, she experienced great bliss. She spoke to Mahadeva standing before her in this manner: "O Lord of all, O Lord, in ancient times, for the sake of which beloved did you destroy the entire yajna of Prajapati Daksha in moments, why have you forgotten it so easily? O Supreme Lord, our union is for lifetimes. Lord, at this time, by the prayer of all the gods, I have been born from the womb of Goddess Maina, the wife of the king of mountains, Himalaya, to liberate them from the sufferings of Tarakasura. You are aware that it is to obtain you as my husband again that I have performed this severe penance. Therefore, O Lord, marry me and make me your wife according to my desire. O Lord, you perform many pastimes. Now, ask for my hand from my father, King Himalaya, and my mother, Maina. O Lord, when you inform my father of all these matters, he will surely happily hand over my hand to you. In the previous birth, when I was Sati, the daughter of Prajapati Daksha, our marriage took place. At that time, my father Daksha did not perform the worship of the planets. There was a major error related to the worship of planets in that marriage. I want our marriage to be solemnized according to the scriptural method this time. We should properly follow all the customs and rituals related to marriage so that our marriage is successful this time. O Lord, please inform my father Himalaya about this matter so that he may know about his daughter's penance." Hearing the loving and devoted words of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva was very pleased and, laughing, said, "O Goddess Maheshwari, everything that is visible around us in this world is perishable, meaning transient. I am the attributeless Supreme Soul. I am illuminated by my own light. My existence is independent. Goddess, you are the doer of all actions, the Prakriti. You are the Mahamaya. You have entangled me in these bonds of illusion. I have assumed all these. Which is the main planet? Which is the group of seasons? O Goddess, you and I both always take birth to give happiness to our devotees. You are the embodied and unembodied Prakriti. O Girija, I cannot go to your father to ask for your hand. However, it is my duty to fulfill your wish. Therefore, as you say, I will surely do." Upon Lord Shiva saying this, Goddess Parvati felt immense joy and, bowing to Shiva devotedly, said, "O Lord, you are the Supreme Soul, and I am Prakriti. Our existence is independent and embodied. Yet, it is our duty to fulfill the wishes of our devotees. O Lord, ask for my hand from my father Himalaya and grant him the fortune of being a giver. O Lord, you are known in the world as devotee-loving. I am also your supreme devotee. Is it not important for you to fulfill my wish? O Lord, we have been each other's for lifetimes. Our existence is together. That is why your Ardhanarishvara form is worshipped by all humans, sages, and gods. I am your wife. I know that you are attributeless, formless, and the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Lord. You always benefit your devotees. You perform many kinds of pastimes. O Lord, you are omniscient. Bestow your grace upon this humble one too and accomplish this task by performing a unique pastime." Narada, saying this, Goddess Parvati stood with joined hands and bowed her head. Respecting the wish of her beloved Parvati, the Lord granted his consent to ask for her hand from Himalaya. Thereafter, the Lord of the three worlds, Mahadeva, disappeared from that place and went to His abode, Kailash mountain. Upon reaching Kailash mountain, Shiva joyfully narrated the entire incident to all His attendants, including Nandi. Upon learning this, all the attendants became very happy and began to dance and sing. At that time, a great celebration took place there. At that time, everyone was happy, and the atmosphere was filled with joy [music].

Chapter 29: Lord Shiva asks for Parvati from Himalaya.

Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, after Lord Shiva disappeared from there, Goddess Parvati also happily proceeded towards her father's house with her friends. Hearing the auspicious news of her arrival, Goddess Maina and Himalaya became very happy and immediately rose from their thrones to go and meet Goddess Parvati. As Goddess Parvati approached her city, she found her parents and brothers waiting for her at the main gate of the city. They stood there to welcome her with immense joy. Parvati bowed to them with joined hands. Himalaya and Maina embraced their daughter, giving her countless blessings. Overcome with emotion, tears trickled from their eyes. All the people present praised her wholeheartedly. They said that Parvati had uplifted their lineage and achieved the fulfillment of her heart's desire. Thus, everyone was happy and did not tire of praising her. People worshipped Goddess Parvati with fragrant flowers, sandalwood, and other materials. On this auspicious occasion, gods from heaven also showered flowers upon her and praised her. Thereafter, she was taken home with great respect and her housewarming was performed according to rituals. Brahmins, sages, gods, and the public bestowed many auspicious and excellent blessings upon her. On this auspicious occasion, King Himalaya gave alms to Brahmins and the poor and suffering. He also had auspicious chants performed by the Brahmins. He honored and welcomed all the visiting sages, gods, men, and women. Thereafter, Himalaya, along with his wife Maina, set out for a bath in the Ganga. Just then, Lord Shiva, disguised as a dancing Nata (dancer), approached them. He had a trident in His left hand and a damaru in His right hand, and a Kathari (a type of cloth) on His back. He wore beautiful red clothes and was completely engrossed in dancing and singing. The Nata-form Shiva performed a very beautiful dance and captivated everyone's hearts by singing many kinds of songs. While dancing, He occasionally played the conch and damaru and performed enchanting pastimes. To witness His captivating pastimes, men, women, children, and old people from the entire city gathered there. Seeing the Nata-form Lord Shiva dancing and hearing His songs, everyone was mesmerized. But how could this remain hidden from Goddess Parvati? In her mind, she had a direct vision of her beloved Mahadeva. Shiva's form is indeed extraordinary. He had smeared vibhuti all over His body, and a trident was drawn on His body. He wore a garland of bones around His neck. His face shone with the radiance of the sun. A serpent hung around His neck like a sacred thread. Merely by having a vision of the beautiful, captivating form of the Lord of the three worlds, Shiva, in her heart, Goddess Parvati fainted with extreme joy. It was as if He was saying in her dream, "Goddess, ask for your desired boon." Bowing mentally to this unique form residing in her heart, Parvati said, "Lord, become my husband." Then the Lord of Deities smiled and said, "Tathastu" (So be it) and disappeared from her dream. When her eyes opened, she saw Shiva dancing and singing there in the form of a Nata. Pleased by the dancing and singing of the devotee-loving Lord Shiva Himself in the form of a Nata, Parvati's mother Maina came to offer alms to Him with a plate of gold filled with gems, rubies, diamonds, and gold. Seeing his magnificence, Shiva was very pleased. But He refused to accept those beautiful gems and ornaments. He said, "Goddess, what do I have to do with gems and ornaments? If you want to give me something, then give your daughter." Saying this, He began to dance again. Hearing his words, Goddess Maina became enraged. She wanted to remove him from there immediately. Just then, Giriraj Himalaya also returned after bathing in the Ganga. When his wife Maina told him all the matters, he also became ready to remove the Nata from there as soon as possible. He ordered his servants to remove the Nata, but it was impossible. Although they were Lord Shiva Himself in the form of a Nata, His body was endowed with extraordinary radiance, and He appeared supremely radiant. Far from being able to lift and throw him out, it was difficult even to touch him. Then He performed many kinds of pastimes for Maina and Himalaya. The Nata immediately assumed the form of Sri Hari Vishnu. The crown on His forehead, the earrings in His ears, and the yellow clothes on His body showed unique splendor. He had four arms. While worshipping, Himalaya and Maina...

The flowers and other items that were offered were adorning their bodies and heads. Seeing this, everyone was astonished. Thereafter, the dancer assumed the four-faced form of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. His body was red, and he was chanting Vedic mantras. All of them saw the excellent form of Lord Shiva, the beloved of devotees, in the form of the dancer. Goddess Parvati was also with him. He was smiling in his Rudra form. His form was extremely beautiful and captivating. Seeing these beautiful divine plays, everyone was astonished and experiencing supreme bliss. Thereafter, once again, Shiva in the form of the dancer asked for the hand of their daughter from Maina and Himalaya and refused to accept any other alms. However, King Himalaya, deluded by Shiva's Maya, refused to hand over his daughter to him. Without taking anything, the dancer disappeared from there. They began to think that perhaps it was Lord Shiva himself who had come here to ask for their daughter's hand and had returned to his abode Kailash, tricking them with his Maya. Thinking this, Himalaya and Maina were both very happy for a moment, but in the next moment, they became sad thinking that they had themselves sent away the living Shiva empty-handed without giving him anything and without respecting him. They became extremely distressed. Chapter 30: Going to Parvati's house in the guise of a Brahmin. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, seeing the devotion of King Himalaya and Goddess Maina towards Lord Shiva, all the gods began to deliberate amongst themselves. Then, taking permission from Brihaspati, the guru of the gods, and Lord Brahma, all the gods went to Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash. Upon reaching there, they joined their hands, bowed to Shiva, and praised him many times. Thereafter, the gods said, "O Lord of Lords, Mahadev, Lord Shankar, we have come to your refuge with folded hands. Be pleased with us and cast your benevolent glance upon us. O Lord, you are the beloved of devotees and you act for the happiness of your devotees. You uplift the poor and the distressed. You are an unfathomable ocean of mercy and compassion. You alone remove your devotees from troubles and destroy all their calamities." After praising Mahadevji many times in this manner, the gods informed Lord Shiva about the devotion of King Himalaya and his wife Maina and told him all the matters with respect. Thereafter, Lord Shiva, smiling, accepted all their prayers. Then, considering their task accomplished, all the gods returned to their respective abodes with joy. [Music] As everyone knows, Lord Shiva is called Leeladhari. He is the master of Maya. Once again, he went to the house of King Himalaya. At that time, King Himalaya was sitting in the assembly hall with his daughter Parvati. He had assumed such a form that he appeared to be a Brahmin or a sage. He held a staff and an umbrella in his hand, wore divine clothes on his body, and a tilak adorned his forehead. Shaligram was around his neck, and he had a crystal mala in his hand. He was chanting Hari's name with an open heart. Seeing him arrive, King Himalaya of the mountains immediately stood up and bowed to the Brahmin with devotion. Goddess Parvati immediately recognized her beloved Lord Shiva. With great devotion, she bowed her head and praised him. She was very happy in her heart. Then, Lord Shiva, who had arrived in the form of a Brahmin, blessed everyone. Thereafter, Himalaya worshipped and adored the Brahmin deity and offered him offerings like Madhuparka, which Shiva accepted with pleasure. Thereafter, Himalaya, Parvati's father, inquired about his well-being and said, "O Brahmin, who are you?" Hearing this question, the Brahmin deity said, "O best of Brahmins, I am a Vaishnava Brahmin and I wander on the earth. My speed is like the mind. One moment here, the next moment there. I am omniscient, benevolent, and pure-souled. I am an astrologer and I know all about destiny. I know what has happened and what is going to happen. I have come to know that you wish to hand over your divine daughter Sudakshina Parvati, who is beautiful and like Lakshmi, to the shelterless andगुणहीन Maheshwar Shiva. That Shiva resides in the cremation ground, snakes are always wrapped around his body, and he spends most of his time in yoga and meditation. He wanders here and there naked. He does not even have clothes to wear. No one knows about his tomorrow. He is very fierce and gets angry at the slightest provocation. He always applies ashes to his body. He has tied his hair in matted locks on his head. Why do you want to make such an unsuitable groom, in whom there is nothing good or desirable to say, the life partner of your daughter? Your thinking that Shiva is suitable for your daughter is completely wrong. You are a great scholar, born in the lineage of Narayan. How can your beautiful daughter lack a groom? Many brave, strong, handsome, and healthy kings and princes from many countries will happily agree to marry that supremely beautiful one. You are prosperous; what can be lacking in your house? But the one to whom you want to marry your daughter is very poor; even his brothers and relatives are not there. He is completely alone. King Himalaya, you still have time, so consult your brothers, sons, and your beloved wife Goddess Maina on this matter, but do not consult your daughter Parvati on this matter, because she knows nothing about Shiva's qualities and faults." Saying this, the Brahmin deity, who was actually Lord Shiva himself, accepted the respect and hospitality of Himalaya and happily went to his abode. [Music] Chapter 31: Lord Brahma said, the words of the Brahmin, who was Lord Shiva himself, had a great impact on Goddess Maina, and she became very sad. She said to her husband Himalaya, "This Brahmin has insulted Shiva; hearing this, my heart has become very distressed. If Shiva's form and character are all despicable, and everyone thinks badly of him and considers him completely unsuitable for my daughter, then I will never hand over my beloved daughter's hand to him. My daughter is dearer to me than my life. If you do not listen to me, I will commit suicide at this very moment and give up my life. Along with that, I will leave this house with my daughter Parvati. I will hang Parvati. I will take her to the forests or drown her in some ocean, but under no circumstances will I let her marry the wielder of Pinaka, Shiva." Saying this, Goddess Maina, crying, immediately went to the anger chamber and renounced her precious clothes and jewelry and lay down on the ground. When Lord Shiva came to know about this, he remembered the Saptarishis. They immediately came there. Then, Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds, sent the Saptarishis to his house with the command to explain to Goddess Maina. Upon receiving the order of Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds, the Saptarishis bowed to them with reverence and proceeded towards the kingdom of King Himalaya of the mountains through the sky. When the Saptarishis reached near Himalaya's city, they praised its splendor. The seven sages appeared to be shining like the sun in the sky. Seeing them coming through the sky, Himalaya was greatly surprised. King Himalaya thought that today my entire kingdom has become blessed by the arrival of these radiant Saptarishis. Then the sun-like ascetic Saptarishis descended from the sky and stood on the earth. King Himalaya bowed to them with folded hands and bowed his head, and worshipped and praised them. Thereafter, King Himalaya said, "Today my house has become pure by receiving the dust of your feet. My life has become blessed by your sight." Then, Himalaya respectfully seated the Saptarishis on the seats. Himalaya said, "Today my life has been successful. Today my honor in this world has greatly increased. Just as visiting many pilgrimage sites is considered a source of earning merit, similarly, today I have also become venerable like holy pilgrimage sites. O sages, you are like Lord Vishnu himself. You have increased the auspiciousness of our homes. Today I consider myself the most important person in the world. Although I am a humble human being, if there is any service that I can do, please tell me. I will be heartily pleased to do your work." The Saptarishis said, "O King Himalaya, Lord Shiva is the father of this entire universe. He is without attributes and formless. He is omniscient. He is the supreme Brahman, the Supreme Soul, and he is the Lord of all. He is the beginning and the end of this universe. You are well aware of Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds. He is the beloved of devotees and is always under the control of his devotees. Your most beloved daughter Goddess Parvati has pleased Lord Shiva with her severe penance and has obtained her desired groom. She has obtained the boon of having Lord Shiva as her husband. Just as Lord Shiva is considered the father of this universe, similarly, Shiva is called the mother of the universe. Therefore, marry your daughter Parvati to the great soul Shiva Shankar. By doing so, your birth will be successful, and you will also become the guru of gurus." Hearing such words from the Saptarishis, Himalaya said, "O great sages, I am fortunate that you have considered me worthy and spoken to me. To tell you the truth, my heartfelt desire is also that my daughter should marry Lord Shiva. But there is one problem: a few days ago, a Brahmin deity visited our house. He spoke many inappropriate things about the beloved of devotees, Lord Shiva. That Vaishnava Brahmin greatly insulted Shiva and called him inauspicious. Hearing all this, my wife Goddess Maina's intellect has changed. All her knowledge has been corrupted. Now she will never marry her daughter Parvati to the supreme yogi Rudra Deva. O Saptarishis, she is adamant that she will not marry her daughter Parvati to Lord Shiva. Therefore, quarreling, she has renounced all her jewelry and royal clothes and gone to the anger chamber and is lying down. Even after my repeated explanations, she is not understanding anything. To tell you the truth from my heart, after hearing the words of that Vaishnava Brahmin, I also do not want my daughter to marry Shiva now." O Narada, thus King Himalaya, deluded by the Maya of Lord Shiva, said all these things and became silent. Then the Saptarishis sent Goddess Arundhati to explain to Goddess Maina, who was lying in the anger chamber. Receiving her husband's command, Goddess Arundhati reached the chamber where Goddess Maina was lying on the ground in anger, and Parvati was sitting near her, explaining to her. The chaste Arundhati said in a very sweet voice, "Goddess Maina, get up. I, Arundhati, and the Saptarishis have arrived at your house." Seeing Goddess Arundhati in her chamber, Goddess Maina sat up and, seeing that radiant one like Lakshmi herself, placed her head at her feet and said, "Today, the son of Brahma, the daughter-in-law, and Goddess Arundhati, the wife of Maharshi Vashishtha, along with the Saptarishis, have graced our house. What fruit of merit have they given us? Our lineage has become blessed by your arrival. I want to know from you what is the purpose of your coming here." When Goddess Maina said this, Goddess Arundhati smiled and explained to her and took her out of the anger chamber to the place where King Himalaya was sitting with all the sages. Then, seeing Goddess Maina arrive there, the best and supremely knowledgeable Saptarishis, remembering Lord Shiva in their minds, began to explain. The Saptarishis said, "O King Himalaya, marry your daughter Parvati to Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds, the beloved of devotees. He is the Lord of all. He never begs from anyone. Lord Brahma, the source of the creation of the universe, has given the boon to Tarakasura that he will be killed only by the hands of Shiva's son. At this time, due to Tarakasura, there is chaos in all three worlds. He has driven out all the gods, including Lord Indra, from heaven. He has also become an enemy of innocent people. He does not allow saints and sages to perform sacrifices, and his soldiers time and again destroy their worship and adoration. They have made everyone's life difficult. For the destruction of the evils and wicked tendencies prevalent in this world, Shiva's son is the most suitable. For the attainment of that brave and strong son, it is necessary that Lord Shiva get married. Therefore, Lord Brahma has prayed to Lord Shiva to get married. It is well known that Lord Shiva is a great yogi and is not eager for marriage. Your most beloved daughter Parvati has obtained the boon of having Lord Shiva as her husband by performing severe penance for Lord Shiva. This is why Mahadevji wishes to accept Goddess Parvati in marriage." Hearing this from the Saptarishis, Himalaya said humbly, "O sages, your words are true, but as far as I know, Shiva has no house to live in, no relatives, and no kinsmen. He has no kingdom, nor does he live a life of luxury and pleasure. You are the son of the Vedas, Lord Brahma, therefore I respect and honor you. You are supremely knowledgeable and know that a father who marries his daughter to an unsuitable groom due to lust, attachment, fear, or greed becomes a resident of hell after death. Therefore, I do not want to do anything that would make me a resident of hell. I will never marry my beloved daughter Parvati to Shulapani Shiva of my own free will. This is the decision of both me and my wife Maina. O great sages, you are supremely knowledgeable and wise, therefore, by telling us the appropriate way, you will oblige us." [Music] Chapter 32: The teachings of Sage Vashishtha. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing the words of Himalaya, Maharshi Vashishtha said, 'O King Himalaya, Lord Shankar is the father of this entire universe, and Goddess Parvati is the mother of this universe. A wise person who knows the scriptures knows the three types of statements mentioned in the Vedas. The first statement sounds very pleasant upon hearing, but in reality, it is false and harmful. Such a statement can only be made by our enemy. The second statement does not sound good, but its result is pleasant. The third statement sounds like nectar upon hearing and is ultimately beneficial. Thus, in the science of ethics, three types of statements are mentioned. In which of these three types of statements do you wish to hear? I will speak according to your wish. Lord Shankar is the lord of all the gods. He does not have ostentatious wealth. He is a great yogi and is always immersed in the ocean of knowledge. He is the Lord of all. A householder chooses his daughter's groom as the owner of the kingdom and wealth. If he marries his daughter to someone poor and insignificant instead of doing so, he incurs the sin of the daughter's murder. King Himalaya, you do not know Shiva's form. The wealthy Kubera is your servant. What lack of wealth is there for Kubera here, who himself creates, sustains, and destroys the entire universe? What lack of food can he possibly have? Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra Deva are all forms of Lord Shiva. Nature, which has emerged from Shiva, manifests in three forms from her parts. She manifested Saraswati from her mouth, Lakshmi from her chest, and Parvati from her radiance. How can she be sad? Your daughter has been his wife in every Kalpa and will continue to be. Offer your daughter to Sadashiva. Your daughter, during her penance, at the request of the gods, Sadashiva has approached her and granted her the desired groom. As per your daughter Parvati's words, Shiva has come to your house twice to ask for your daughter's hand, but you could not recognize him. It was Shiva in the guise of Nataraja and a Brahmin who came to ask for your daughter's hand, but you refused. Is this not your misfortune? Now, if you do not lovingly give your daughter to Shiva, then Lord Shankar will forcefully marry your daughter. King Himalaya, if you do not understand this properly, your very existence will cease. Perhaps you do not know that previously Goddess Shiva herself took birth from the womb of Prajapati Daksha's wife and became famous as Sati. She obtained Lord Shiva, the beloved of devotees, as her husband as a boon by performing severe penance. However, seeing the neglect and insult of her husband, Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds, at the great sacrifice organized by her father Daksha, she voluntarily gave up her body. That very Jagadamba has now manifested from the womb of your wife Maina and wishes to have the auspicious Lord Shiva as her husband, as in past lives. Therefore, King Himalaya, you yourself, of your own will, hand over your daughter's hand into the hands of Mahadeva. The union of these two is auspicious for this world. King Himalaya, if you do not marry Shiva and Goddess Parvati of your own will, then Parvati herself will go to Kailash Parvat, the abode of Lord Shiva, her worshipped deity. Respecting the wish of your beloved daughter Parvati, Lord Shiva himself came to your house in disguise to ask for Parvati's hand, but you did not recognize him and refused to give your daughter. When Goddess Parvati served Lord Shiva, who had come to your peak for penance, you also supported her in this decision. It was only after receiving your permission that Goddess Parvati went to the forest for penance with the desire to have Lord Shiva as her husband. You praised her resolve and action. Then what has happened today that you are backing away from your own words? Lord Shiva, accepting the prayers of the gods, has sent us, the Saptarishis, and Goddess Arundhati to you. Therefore, we have come to explain to you that you should give Parvati's hand into the hands of Lord Shiva. By doing so, you will be happy. Lord Shiva, pleased after penance, has given Goddess Parvati the boon that she will be his wife. Lord Shiva is the Supreme Lord, and his word can never be false. His boon will surely prove true. Therefore, we Saptarishis request you to happily give your consent for this marriage. By doing so, you will bring welfare not only to your family but also to all humans and gods. Chapter 33: The story of King Anaran. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, it is called ethical science to sacrifice one for the protection of the lineage. Just as King Anaran married his daughter to a Brahmin for the protection of his kingdom, property, and family, similarly, for the welfare of the world, you should also give your consent." Hearing about King Anaran, King Himalaya asked, "O great sage, I wish to hear the story of King Aranya." Hearing these words from King Himalaya, Sage Vashishtha said, "O King of mountains, King Indran, born in the lineage of Indrasavarni, the twenty-fourth descendant of Maharaja Manu, was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He ruled over all seven continents. King Anaran made Bhrigu Muni his preceptor and performed 100 sacrifices. King Anaran had five queens, 100 sons, and one supremely beautiful daughter, who was the very form of Lakshmi, named Padma. Padma was very dear as she was the only daughter. King Aranya and his five queens loved Padma dearly. The king was very simple, just, and generous. When the gods offered him the throne of heaven, he refused to accept it. When King Anaran's beloved daughter Padma became eligible for marriage, King Aranya became worried about her marriage. The search for a suitable groom for Padma began. Suitable grooms were being sought in all four directions. Letters were written to many kings. One day, by chance, Goddess Padma went for a stroll in the forest with her friends. The sight of Rishi Pippalada, who was returning after performing penance, fell upon Padma. He was captivated by her beauty. He reached his hut with the beautiful one imprinted in his mind. The beauty of the maiden had penetrated Pippalada's mind and consciousness. One day, Rishi Pippalada went to bathe in the river Pushpabhadra. By chance, King Anaran's supremely beautiful daughter Padma was also present there. Seeing her again, Rishi Pippalada's desire was fulfilled. He obtained information about Padma from her friends and soldiers. There, some people mocked the sage, saying, "O Rishi, your mind has been captivated by Goddess Padma, so why don't you ask the Maharaja for her?" Hearing these words, Pippalada was ashamed, but the desire to have the beautiful Padma in his heart did not diminish but became stronger. After finishing his bath, daily rituals, and Shiva worship, Muni Pippalada went to King Anaran's assembly. Seeing the Muni arrive in his court, King Anaran greeted him by touching his feet, worshipped him properly, seated him on a seat, and asked, "How can I serve you?" Upon this, Rishi Pippalada said, "King, hand over your daughter Padma to me." Hearing this, the king remained silent. Upon this, Pippalada Muni said, "King, if you do not give your daughter to me soon, I will burn you and your lineage to ashes in a moment." Hearing this, the king, his queens, servants, maids, all began to cry. King Anaran became extremely distressed thinking about how he could give his daughter, who was more delicate than flowers, to an old sage. While he was in this distress, his priest and royal guru arrived there. The king narrated the entire incident to them. Upon this, the royal guru said, "O King, you have to marry your daughter to someone anyway, so why not marry her to Rishi Pippalada? This will also protect your lineage. It is better that Padma marries him than this Brahmin destroying the lineage." Hearing the words of his royal priest and royal guru, King Anaran, to protect his lineage, adorned his daughter with clothes and jewelry, and offered her to Rishi Pippalada. Thereafter, the wedding ceremony of Goddess Padma and Rishi Pippalada was performed according to Vedic rites, and the king happily bid farewell to his daughter. Taking leave of King Anaran, Rishi Pippalada, along with his wife Padma, returned to his ashram. In grief that they had handed over their daughter to a forest-dwelling old man, King Anaran left his kingdom and went to the forest. In remembrance of her husband and daughter, the queen cried and gave up her life. There was sorrow all around in their family. King Anaran attained Shiva Loka through Shiva's grace. Thereafter, his son Kirtiman ruled, and the name of his lineage spread everywhere. Therefore, O King Himalaya, by offering your daughter to Lord Shiva, protect your kingdom, lineage, and wealth, and bring all the gods under your control. [Music] Chapter 34: The story of Padma and Pippalada. Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, hearing the story of King Anaran, King Himalaya said, 'O Sage Vashishtha, you have told me a very excellent story. Now, please, kindly tell me the story further from the marriage of Rishi Pippalada and Goddess Padma. Where did the Rishi go after making Padma his wife, and what did he do?'" Hearing the questions asked by King Himalaya, Sage Vashishtha said, "O King of mountains, Rishi Pippalada was very old. His back was bent, and he walked with a tremor. Thus, Goddess Padma, becoming the wife of the old sage, came with him to his hut. Padma was not only beautiful but also virtuous. She was the very form of Lakshmi. She served her husband, considering him Lord Vishnu himself. One day, Goddess Padma went to bathe in the river Swarnada. Then Dharmaraj arrived there, and the thought of testing Padma came to his mind. Dharmaraj wore royal clothes and jewelry and sat in a chariot. Sitting in the chariot, he appeared like Kamadeva himself. Stopping Goddess Padma on the way, he said, 'Goddess, you are supremely beautiful. Even the moon would be ashamed to see your beauty. You are worthy of becoming a queen. What are you doing in this terrible forest with that old Pippalada? That old man is very close to death. Goddess, leave him and come with me. I will give you a place in my heart. You will be my queen and rule. Thousands of maids will be there to serve you, who will obey your every command. I myself will be your servant.' Saying this, Dharmaraj descended from the chariot and moved forward to hold Goddess Padma's hand. Seeing this, Padma became angry and stepped back and said loudly, 'O foolish, ignorant, unrighteous, sinful one, move away! If you even touch me, you will be destroyed. You are blinded by lust and want to corrupt my chastity. What do you think, that seeing your royal form and wealth, I will abandon my supremely revered, highly radiant Rishi Pippalada? No, never. Remember, if you look at me with evil eyes, you will be burnt to ashes.' Hearing Goddess Padma's curse, Dharmaraj became frightened. He immediately abandoned the king's guise and said in his true form, 'Mother, I am Dharma. I am the guru of the wise, and I always consider every woman as my mother. I was born for this very purpose: to test righteous people in matters of Dharma and strengthen them in Dharma. But, Goddess, you have cursed me. Now what will happen to me?' Saying this, Dharmaraj stood silently. Then Goddess Padma said, 'O Dharmaraj, you are the witness to the deeds of all beings in this world. Then what was the need for you to do all this pretense to test me? Now the words have left my mouth. Just as an arrow shot from a bow cannot go back into the bow, similarly, my curse cannot be false. Dharma has four legs. In Satya Yuga, you will have all four legs. In Treta Yuga, you will have three legs, and in Dvapara Yuga, you will have two legs. In Kali Yuga, you will not have even one leg. But when Satya Yuga begins again, all your four legs will return as before.' Hearing Padma's words, Dharmaraj became pleased and said, 'Goddess, you are blessed. You are extremely devoted to your husband. You have unwavering love for your husband. You will always love his feet. Pleased with your devotion, I grant you the boon that your husband will become young, and his youth will remain stable. He will be long-lived like Markandeya, wealthy like Kubera, and beautiful and prosperous like Indra. Goddess, you will soon have 10 sons, who will be virtuous and long-lived.' Saying this, Dharma disappeared, and Goddess Padma returned to her home. Upon reaching home, she saw that her husband had become young according to Dharma's boon. All the items of pleasure and luxury were present in their house. Thus, Pippalada and Padma lived happily. After some time, Goddess Padma gave birth to 10 sons, and the couple's life was filled with joy. Chapter 35: Himalaya's decision to marry Parvati to Shiva. [Music] Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, after narrating the story of King Anaran's daughter Padma and Rishi Pippalada's marriage and the boon granted to Padma by Dharmaraj, that Pippalada will become the master of stable youth, will be as beautiful and prosperous as Indra, and will have 10 perfectly virtuous sons, Sage Vashishtha said to King Himalaya, 'O King, I pray to you that forgetting any displeasure in your and your wife Maina's minds, you should marry your daughter Parvati to Mahadevji, the lord of the three worlds. The auspicious time is one week from today, when the moon will be in the ascendant with its son Mercury in the Rohini constellation. It is extremely auspicious. On Monday of the month of Margashirsha, all auspicious planets will have their aspect on the ascendant. At that time, Jupiter will also be fortunate. By marrying your daughter Parvati, who is the very incarnation of Jagadamba, to the beloved of devotees, Lord Shiva, at such an auspicious time, you will consider yourself blessed.' Saying this, the jewel of knowledge, Sage Vashishtha, fell silent. Hearing his words, Maina and Himalaya were astonished, and they said to the other mountains, 'O Kings of mountains, Meru, Mandarachal, Mainak, Gandhamadan, Sahya, Vindhya, you all have heard the words of Muniraj Vashishtha. Please tell me, what should I do in these circumstances? Inform me of your thoughts on this matter.' Hearing these words of King Himalaya, all the mountains deliberated amongst themselves and said, 'O King Himalaya, it is best that we accept what the Saptarishis have said and marry Goddess Parvati to Shiva, because indeed, Parvati was born only to fulfill the tasks of the gods. Therefore, we should quickly hand over their deposit to them and be free from our responsibilities.' Hearing the words of Sumeru and other mountains, Himalaya became pleased, and Goddess Parvati also smiled in her heart. Goddess Arundhati also tried to explain to Parvati's mother Maina by narrating various stories. When Maina understood, she became very happy and offered excellent food to everyone. All the doubts and fears in her mind were removed. King Himalaya, joining his hands, said to the Saptarishis, 'Hearing your words, all the doubt in my mind has been removed. I have fully understood that Shiva is the God of Gods, i.e., the Lord of all. He pervades every particle of this universe. He is incomparable. All such things and all beings belong to him.' Saying this, Himalaya took his daughter Parvati's hand, stood her before the Saptarishis, and said, 'From today, my daughter is Shiva's deposit. They can take her from here whenever they wish.' Hearing the words of the sages, King Himalaya became pleased and said, 'Lord Shiva is bestowing good fortune upon you by asking for your daughter himself.' Saying this, the sages blessed Parvati and said, 'Goddess, may you be well and may your virtues continuously increase. May you become Shiva's better half and fill his life with happiness.' The Saptarishis, after careful consideration, fixed an auspicious time for the marriage after four days. Then, taking leave of King Himalaya and Goddess Maina, the Saptarishis, along with Goddess Arundhati, went from there to Lord Shiva. [Music] Chapter 36: The arrival of the Saptarishis at Shiva's abode. Lord Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, taking leave of King Himalaya and Maina, the Saptarishis reached Kailash Parvat, the abode of Lord Shiva. Upon reaching there, they bowed to Shiva with folded hands and praised him with devotion. Thereafter, they began to say, 'O Lord of Lords, Mahadev, Supreme Lord, Maheshwar, we have explained to King Himalaya and Maina. They have accepted this relationship. They have betrothed Parvati. O Lord, now you should go to Himalaya with your attendants and the gods as a wedding procession and perform the marriage ceremony with Goddess Parvati. Lord, make Parvati your wife according to Vedic rites.' Hearing these words of the Saptarishis, Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds, became very pleased and said, 'O sages, I know nothing about the customs of marriage. Whatever marriage customs you have seen before, or whatever you know in this regard, please tell me.' Hearing these auspicious words of Lord Shiva, the Saptarishis said, 'Lord, first of all, invite Sri Hari Vishnu and the creator Brahma, along with their sons and attendants, here. Invite all the sages, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Siddhas, and all the gods including Lord Indra, and Apsaras to your wedding. They will all collectively organize this wedding successfully.' Saying this, the Saptarishis took leave of Lord Shiva, praised him with devotion, and happily went to their abodes. Chapter 37: Himalaya sending the wedding invitation. Narada asked, "O dear, great sage, please tell me now what Himalaya did after the Saptarishis left." Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, when the Saptarishis left Himalaya and went to Kailash Parvat, Himalaya invited his relatives and kinsmen. When everyone gathered there, as per the command of the sages, Himalaya had his royal priest Shri Gargji write the wedding invitation. After worshipping it with many materials, he sent the wedding invitation to Lord Shankar. Many relatives of King Himalaya took the wedding invitation to Kailash Parvat. Upon reaching there, they applied tilak to the forehead of Lord Shiva, the lord of the three worlds, and gave him the wedding invitation. Shiva honored them greatly. Thereafter, they all returned. King Himalaya invited all his brothers and kinsmen living in various places in the country. After sending invitations to everyone."

The Himalayas collected many types of gems, clothes, and precious jewelry, as well as various kinds of valuable gifts. Afterward, they gathered food items like rice, flour, jaggery, sugar, milk, curd, ghee, butter, sweets, and dishes, so that the wedding procession could be honored and welcomed in the best way. Many cooks were employed to prepare all the food items. There was a pleasant atmosphere all around. At the auspicious moment, Giriraj Himalaya initiated the auspicious ceremonies. The women of the house began singing auspicious songs. Celebrations began everywhere. After the ritualistic ceremony of Goddess Parvati, the women present there adorned her. Adorned with various beautiful clothes and jewelry, Goddess Parvati appeared like Jagadamba herself. At that time, many auspicious celebrations and rituals began. Women adorned with various types of adornments gathered. King of Mountains Himalaya also happily began waiting for his invited relatives and friends, and upon their arrival, he honored them appropriately. Social customs began to be observed. All the relatives and friends invited by Giriraj Himalaya started arriving at his residence. Giriraj Sumeru brought various types of gems and great jewels as gifts. Astachal, Malach, Udayachal, Nishad, Dardar, Karveer, Gandhamadan, Mahendra, Pariyatra, Neel, Trikoot, Chitrakoot, Kunj, Purushottam, Saneel, Venkat, Shrishail, Gokamukh, Narad, Vindhya, Kaljan, Kailash, and other mountains, taking divine forms, arrived with their families on this auspicious occasion. They brought excellent items to present to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Everyone was very excited about this marriage. On this auspicious occasion, rivers like Shaurya, Bhadra, Narmada, Godavari, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Sindhu, Vipasa, Chandrabhaga, Rathi, Ganga, etc., also took the form of men and women, adorned with various types of jewelry and clothes, to witness the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. King of Mountains Himalaya honored them greatly and arranged for their stay in beautiful, excellent places. Thus, the entire city of the King of Mountains, which was full of splendor, was completely filled. This city was decorated with various types of festoons and flags. Canopies were erected all around. Various blue, yellow, and colorful lights further enhanced the beauty of the city.

[Music]

Chapter 38: Creation of the Divine Pavilion by Vishwakarma

Lord Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, King of Mountains Himalaya began decorating his house in various ways to welcome the wedding procession. Special attention was paid to the cleanliness of every place. The roads were cleaned and sprinkled. Afterward, they were decorated and adorned with valuable furnishings. A sacred banana tree was planted at the entrance of every house. Beautiful festoons were made by tying mango leaves with silk threads. Every place was decorated with various fragrant flowers. The houses were beautified with beautiful toranas. The atmosphere all around was extremely fragrant. The scene there was divine and otherworldly. Giriraj Himalaya respectfully summoned Vishwakarma and asked him to create a divine pavilion. That pavilion was one hundred thousand yojanas long and wide. That divine pavilion spread over a vast area of 4,000 koshas. Vishwakarma, who is called the architect of the gods, demonstrated his skill and expertise by creating this excellent pavilion. This pavilion seemed amazing. In that pavilion, statues of various types of stationary and moving flowers, as well as men and women, were made, which were so beautiful that it was difficult to determine who was more beautiful and captivating. Water appeared on land, and land appeared in water. No one could tell by looking at this artwork whether it was water or land. Artworks of various animals were made lifelike. Sarus, which captivate the hearts of the inanimate with their beauty, were seen drinking water in lakes, and in the forests, lions appeared as if they were about to pounce. Looking at the statues of men and women in dancing poses, it seemed as if men and women were actually dancing. The gatekeepers standing at the entrance, holding bows and arrows in their hands, stood as if they were about to shower arrows. Thus, all the artificial objects were very beautiful and captivating, appearing completely lifelike. In the center of the gate, a beautiful statue of Goddess Mahalakshmi was installed, seeing whom it seemed as if Goddess Lakshmi herself had emerged from the ocean of milk and arrived there. She appeared to be endowed with all auspicious signs. Artworks of elephants were also made at various places in the pavilion. In many places, horses stood with riders, and in some places, beautiful, amazing divine chariots were yoked with white horses. At the main entrance of the pavilion, the statue of Nandishwar, Lord Shiva's mount, was made, which shone like a crystal gem. Above it, the divine Pushpak Vimana was created, which was decorated with petals and white chamaras. Vishwakarma also created replicas of all the gods, which were exactly like the real gods. The creation of Shri Hari Vishnu, who resides in the ocean of milk, and his vehicle Garuda was also made in that pavilion, whose form was exactly like Vishnu himself. Similarly, Vishwakarma also made a statue of Lord Brahma, the creator of the world, along with his sons and the Vedas. Along with that, the statue appeared to be reciting Vedic hymns. Statues of Devendra, the king of heaven, i.e., Indra, and his mount, the elephant Airavata, were also lifelike. Thus, all the artworks made by Vishwakarma were amazing examples of art, which were divine and captivating, and it was extremely difficult, if not impossible, to tell whether they were real or fake. This divine pavilion created by Vishwakarma, the architect of the gods, was full of wonder and captivating to all. Afterward, as per the command of King of Mountains Himalaya, Vishwakarma constructed artificial worlds for the gods to reside in, which were amazing, and also created divine thrones for them to sit on. Vishwakarma created Satyavlok for Lord Brahma to reside in, which was illuminated with radiance. Afterward, Vaikuntha was created for Shri Hari Vishnu. The divine heaven, filled with all glories, was created for Devraj Indra. He also created beautiful and amazing mansions for other gods. The architect of the gods, Vishwakarma, gave form to this amazing work in the blink of an eye. After creating artificial worlds for all the gods to reside in, similar to their divine worlds, Vishwakarma constructed a beautiful, captivating, and amazing house for the devotee-loving Lord Shiva to reside in. This house was similar to Lord Shiva's abode in Kailash. Here, Shiva's symbols were displayed. This building was adorned with extremely bright, divine radiance, excellent, and amazing. Everyone greatly praised this building. Even Lord Shiva himself was amazed to see it and highly appreciated Vishwakarma's creation. This creation of Vishwakarma was amazing. Similarly, when the beautiful and divinely captivating pavilion was created, and suitable worlds were also constructed for all the gods to reside in, King of Mountains Himalaya thanked Vishwakarma profusely. Afterward, Himalaya happily began waiting for the auspicious arrival of Lord Shiva. O Narada, thus I have told you the entire account of that place. Now, what else do you wish to hear?"

Chapter 39: Lord Shiva's Invitation to the Gods

Narada Ji said, "O omniscient, O creator, greetings to you. You have narrated a divine and otherworldly story, like nectar, from your own divine mouth. Now I wish to hear the essence of the auspicious married life of Lord Chandramauli, which destroys all sins. Lord, please tell me what Lord Mahadeva did when he received the wedding invitation sent by King of Mountains Himalaya. Prabhu, please be kind enough to narrate this nectar story." Lord Brahma said, "O great sage Narada, upon receiving the wedding invitation, Lord Shiva felt great joy in his heart. He honored the relatives and friends of King of Mountains Himalaya, who brought the wedding invitation, appropriately. Afterward, he read and accepted the wedding invitation and respectfully bid farewell to the people who brought the invitation. Then, Shiva Ji happily said to the Saptarishis, 'O sages, you have accomplished this auspicious task for me, and I have granted my consent for this marriage. Therefore, you are all cordially invited to my wedding.' Hearing the auspicious words of Lord Shiva, the sages were very pleased and, after respectfully bowing to them, departed to their abodes. When the sages left Mount Kailash, the devotee-loving Lord Shiva remembered you. Praising your good fortune, you immediately went to meet him at his abode. You bowed your head at Lord Shiva's divine feet and stood there with folded hands. Lord Shiva said, 'O Narada, it is due to the teachings given by you that Goddess Parvati performed severe penance, and pleased by it, I have blessed her to become my wife. Parvati has captivated me. Now I will marry her. The Saptarishis have satisfied King of Mountains Himalaya and obtained his consent for this marriage, and the wedding invitation from Himalaya has also arrived. My wedding day has been fixed for the seventh day from today. There will be a great celebration on this occasion. Therefore, send invitations to Shri Hari, Brahma, all the gods, sages, and Siddhas on my behalf, and tell them to come to my wedding with enthusiasm and joy, adorned and dressed up, along with their families.' Upon receiving Lord Shiva's command, Narada, you went everywhere and respectfully invited everyone to this wedding. Afterward, you returned to Lord Shiva and informed him of everything. Then Lord Shiva also respectfully began waiting for all the gods to arrive. All of Lord Shiva's attendants began dancing and singing in all directions. Celebrations began everywhere. Upon receiving the invitation, Lord Shri Hari Vishnu, adorned and dressed up with great joy, arrived at the mountain along with Shri Lakshmi and his retinue. Upon arriving there, he bowed to Lord Shiva with devotion and, taking the Lord's permission, took his seat. Afterward, I also arrived with my sons to participate in Lord Shiva's wedding. After bowing to Lord Shiva, I also took my seat there. Similarly, all the gods, including Devraj Indra, arrived with their respective retinues and families, adorned with beautiful clothes and precious jewelry. Siddhas, Charanas, Gandharvas, sages, and munis all happily arrived at Kailash to participate in the wedding. Apsaras began to dance, and celestial nymphs began to sing. The lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, personally came forward and heartily welcomed all the guests. At that time, a very unique and grand celebration began on Mount Kailash. All the celestial beings were performing every task with skill, as if it were their own work. Happily, the seven mothers began adorning Shiva Ji. As per the customs and by Lord Shiva's command, Shri Vishnu and all the gods began preparations to take the wedding procession. The seven mothers adorned Lord Shiva. The third eye on his forehead became his crown. He applied the mark of the moon's digit. He raised the two snakes around his neck higher, and they appeared like beautiful earrings. Similarly, snakes wrapped around all his limbs, which adorned him like jewelry. Ashes from the pyre were applied all over his body, which shone like sandalwood. In place of clothes, they draped tiger and elephant hides. Thus, adorned with makeup, Lord Shiva was ready as the groom. The radiance that adorned his face was difficult to describe. He is the Supreme Being. Afterward, all the gods, demons, Nagas, birds, Apsaras, and great sages went to Lord Shiva and happily said, 'O Mahadeva, Maheshwar Ji, now come with us to marry Goddess Parvati, and bestow your grace upon us.' Afterward, Shri Hari Vishnu, the lord of the ocean of milk, respectfully bowed to Lord Shiva and said, 'O Devaadhideva Mahadeva, the lover of devotees, you always fulfill the tasks of your devotees. O Lord, marry Girijaanandini Goddess Parvati according to Vedic rites. The wedding ritual that you will use will be known in the world as the wedding ritual. Bhagavan, establish the pavilion according to the customs of your lineage and expand your fame in this world.' Upon hearing Vishnu say this, Mahadeva Ji asked me, Brahma, to perform all the tasks according to the prescribed method. Then I summoned the best sages like Kashyap, Atri, Vashishtha, Gautam, Guru Brihaspati, Shakti, Jamadagni, Parashar, Markandeya, Agastya, Chavan, Garg, Shilapak, Arun, Pal, Akritshram, Bharadwaj, Akritvan, Pippalad, Shashik, Kosh, and disciples like Vyas, and by Lord Shiva's inspiration, performed the Abhyudaya Karma according to the prescribed method. Together, they performed the Raksha Vidhan for Lord Shankar and recited Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Swasti Vachan. Then all the sages happily completed the auspicious ceremonies. Afterward, the worship was performed for the pacification of planets and obstacles. Seeing all these Vedic and otherworldly rituals performed according to the prescribed method, Lord Shiva was very pleased. Then Lord Shiva, with joy, came out of his abode, Mount Kailash, along with the gods and Brahmins. At that time, Shiva Ji respectfully bowed to all the gods and Brahmins with folded hands. Trumpets and drums sounded all around. Everyone danced in a trance. A great celebration took place there.

Chapter 40: Lord Shiva's Wedding Procession Departs for Himalaya Puri

Lord Brahma said, "O sage Narada, Lord Shiva, ordering some attendants to stay there, commanded Nandishwar and all the attendants to proceed to Himalaya Puri. At that time, Shankh Karna, the lord of attendants, along with millions of attendants, set off. Then, upon Lord Shiva's command, Ganeshwara Shankh Karna, Karash, Vikrit, Vishakh, Parijat, Vikata, Dundu, Kapal, Sandak, Kanduk, [Music] [Music] [Music] Kundakunda, Sumantra, Kakapado, Santan, Madhu, Pinga, Kokil, Purnabhadra, Neel, Chaturvarna, Ahir, Omak, Yaj, Vakshi, Pakshik, Vrishabha, Sanatan, Tal, Ketu, Shanmukh, Chaitra, Swayamprabhu, Lakli, Datta, Manyan, Takbhag, Riti, Dev, Devpriya, Bhanu, Pram, and Virabhadra, along with their innumerable attendants, set off. Nandishwar and Ganraj also took their respective attendants and, along with Kshetrapal and Bhairav, set off enthusiastically. On the heads of all those attendants were matted locks, on their foreheads the moon, and on their necks the blue mark. Shiva Ji wore Rudraksha ornaments, and ashes adorned his body. All the attendants wore necklaces, earrings, armlets, and crowns. Thus, the lord of the three worlds, Mahadeva, along with his millions and billions of Shiva attendants, and myself, Shri Hari, and all other gods, set off with great pomp towards Himalaya city. Many serpents in the form of Shiva Ji's ornaments enhanced his splendor, and riding on his Nandi bull, he set off to marry Parvati Ji. At this time, Chandi Devi, acting as the sister of Mahadevi Ji, danced exuberantly and joined the procession. Chandi Devi wore snakes like ornaments, rode on a ghost, and had a pot full of gold on her head, which shone like a divine radiance. Seeing her form, enemies trembled with fear. Millions of ghosts and spirits enhanced the splendor of that procession. The sounds of damaru, bheriyo, and conch shells echoed in all four directions. Their sound was auspicious and removed obstacles. Shri Hari Vishnu, riding on his vehicle Garuda, walked amidst all the gods and Shiva attendants. A golden umbrella was held over his head, and chamaras were being waved. I also walked with Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, Agamas, Sanaka, etc., great Siddhas, Prajapatis, sons, and other relatives, adorning the procession. Indra, the king of heaven, also enhanced the splendor of the procession, adorned with jewelry on his elephant Airavata. Many sages and saints also walked in the wedding procession of the devotee-loving Lord Shiva, shining with their divine radiance. To witness the auspicious marriage of Devaadhideva Mahadeva Ji, Shakini, Yatudhan, Baital, Brahma Rakshas, ghosts, spirits, Pramadi ganas, Tura, Narada, Haha, and Huhu, the best Gandharvas, and Kinnaras also happily danced and sang along with them. Women were not behind in participating in this wedding. All the world mothers, celestial maidens, Gayatri, Savitri, Lakshmi, and all the celestial nymphs and divine wives and divine mothers also happily joined the procession to participate in Shankar Ji's wedding. The Vedas, Shastras, Siddhas, and Maharsis consider it the form of Dharma, which is white and radiant like crystal. That beautiful bull, Nandi, is Lord Shiva's vehicle. Shiva Ji, mounted on Nandi, enhances its splendor. This form of Lord Shiva was very captivating. Adorned and dressed up, he, along with all the gods, sages, Shiva attendants, ghosts, spirits, and mothers, proceeded with his grand procession towards his beloved Goddess Parvati, happily heading towards the city of his father-in-law, Giriraj Himalaya. They all danced and sang intoxicatingly towards Himalaya's residence. As they proceeded towards Himalaya, flowers were showered from the sky upon them. That scene of the procession was very captivating. Shehnai was playing in all four directions, and auspicious songs were echoing. The experience of that procession was destructive of all sins and provided true spiritual peace.

Chapter 41: Description of the Pavilion and the Fear of the Gods

Lord Brahma said, "O sage Narada, you also happily participated in Lord Shiva's wedding procession. Lord Shiva, after consulting with Shri Hari Vishnu, first sent you to Himalaya. Upon reaching there, you were very surprised to see the divine and unique pavilion made by Vishwakarma. It was difficult to tell whether the statues of Vishnu, Brahma, and all the gods made by Vishwakarma were real or fake. Millions of gem-studded urns were kept there. The pavilion was decorated with large banana pillars. Seeing you arrive there, King of Mountains Himalaya asked you, 'O Devarshi, has Lord Shiva arrived with the wedding procession?' Then, taking you with them, Himalaya's son Mainak and others came to welcome the wedding procession. Then I and Vishnu Ji also asked you about the news from there. We also asked you whether King of Mountains Himalaya was willing to marry his daughter Parvati to Lord Shiva or not, and whether they had changed their minds. Hearing this question, you took me, Vishnu Ji, and Devraj Indra to a secluded place, and there you began to tell us about it. You said, 'O gods, King of Mountains Himalaya has commissioned the architect Vishwakarma to create a pavilion in which there are lifelike portraits of all of you gods. Seeing them, I lost my senses. Seeing this, I feel that Giriraj wants to enchant all of you.' Hearing this, Devraj Indra trembled with fear and said, 'O Lakshmiapati Vishnu Ji, I had killed the son of Tvashtha. Perhaps, to take revenge for that, calamity might befall me. I suspect that I might be killed if I go there.' Hearing Indra's words, Shri Hari Vishnu said, 'Indra, I also feel that the foolish Himalaya wants to take revenge on us because, by my command, you had cut off the wings of the mountains. Perhaps he still remembers this matter and wants to conquer all of us. But we should not be afraid. We have Mahadeva Ji himself with us, so why should we be afraid?' Seeing us talking secretly like this, Lord Shiva spoke to us in a worldly manner and asked, 'O gods, what is the matter? Tell me clearly. Does King of Mountains Himalaya want to marry his daughter Parvati to me or not? What is the benefit of talking nonsense here?' Hearing Lord Shiva's words, Narada, you said, 'O Devaadhideva Shiva Ji, your marriage with Girijaanandini Parvati is certain. How can any obstacle come in the way? That is why King of Mountains Himalaya has sent his sons Mainak and others with me to welcome the wedding procession. My concern is something else, Prabhu. You sent me to inform about the arrival of the wedding procession at Himalaya's place. When I reached there, I saw the pavilion made by Vishwakarma. King of Mountains Himalaya has created an amazing and divine pavilion to enchant the gods. You will be surprised to know that they are so lifelike that no one can avoid being enchanted by them. Looking at those pictures, it feels as if they are about to speak. Prabhu, in that pavilion, there are beautiful and captivating pictures of Shri Hari, Brahma Ji, Devraj Indra, along with all the gods, sages, many animals, and birds. Not only that, but there are also replicas of you and me in the pavilion, seeing which I felt that you all were not here but had already reached Himalaya city.' Hearing your words, Lord Shiva smiled and said to the gods, 'You all do not need to be afraid. King of Mountains Himalaya is dedicating his beloved daughter Parvati to us, so how can his illusion harm us? Cast away your fear and proceed towards Himalaya city.' Upon receiving Lord Shiva's command, all the wedding guests, freed from fear, happily started dancing and singing again in Shiva's procession. Himalaya's son Mainak was leading, and the rest followed him. Thus, the wedding procession reached Himalaya Puri.

Chapter 42: Welcome and Reception of the Wedding Procession

Lord Brahma said, "Lord Shiva, along with his grand wedding procession, followed the sons of Himalaya and reached Himalaya city. When Giriraj Himalaya heard the news of their arrival, he happily, filled with devotion, came himself to see Lord Shiva. Himalaya's heart melted due to the abundance of love, and he praised his destiny. Himalaya, along with his fellow mountains, went to welcome the wedding procession. King of Mountains Himalaya was amazed to see Lord Shankar's wedding procession. Afterward, the gods and mountains happily embraced each other as if the eastern and western oceans were meeting. Everyone considered themselves fortunate. After this, Giriraj reached Lord Mahadeva Ji, and joining his hands, bowed to him and praised him. All the mountains and Brahmins also bowed to Shiva Ji with folded hands. Shiva Ji was seated on his vehicle, the bull. Lord Shiva was adorned with jewelry and illuminated with divine light. All directions were illuminated by his beauty. A crown studded with gems adorned Lord Shiva's forehead. The serpents coiled around his neck and other limbs gave him a wonderful and auspicious appearance. His bodily radiance was divine and otherworldly. Many Shiva attendants served him with chamaras in their hands. Lord Shri Hari Vishnu was on his left side, and I myself was on his right side. All the gods were praising Lord Shiva. Narada, as you know, Lord Shiva is the Supreme Being. He is the Lord of all. He brings welfare to this world and fulfills all the desires of his devotees, granting them their desired fruits. He is always subservient to his devotees. He is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda and the Supreme Lord. Shri Hari Vishnu sat on Garuda on his left side, and I was on his right side. Seeing the forms of all three of us together, Giriraj was filled with joy. Afterward, King of Mountains bowed his head before all the gods standing behind and around Shiva Ji and repeatedly bowed to them. Then, taking Lord Shiva's permission, King of Mountains Himalaya proceeded towards his residence and there made excellent arrangements for the stay of all the gods, sages, and other wedding guests. Himalaya happily called his sons and said, 'You all go to Lord Shiva and pray to him to come here very soon. I want to introduce him to my brothers and friends. Go there and tell him that I am waiting for him here.' Upon receiving their father Giriraj Himalaya's command, his sons proceeded towards the place where arrangements were made for the wedding procession to stay. There they reached Lord Shiva. After bowing, they informed Shiva Ji of everything their father had said. Then Lord Shankar said, 'Go and tell your father that we are reaching there soon.' Taking permission from Shiva Ji, Himalaya's sons returned. Afterward, the gods, having prepared themselves, set off towards Giriraj Himalaya's house. Lord Mahadeva Ji, along with Lord Vishnu and I, Brahma, proceeded joyfully. Just then, Devi Maina, the mother of Goddess Parvati, wished to see the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. Therefore, Devi Maina sent a message to you and called you to her. Inspired by Lord Shiva, you went there to fulfill Devi Maina's heartfelt desire.

Chapter 43: Lord Shiva's Unparalleled Leela

Lord Brahma said, "O Narada, Devi Maina was very pleased to see you in front of her and bowing to you, said, 'O great sage Narada Ji, I wish to see Lord Shiva right now. I want to see what the form of Shiva Ji is, for whom my daughter Parvati performed severe penance and endured many hardships. What do they look like?' Saying this, Devi Maina took you with her and proceeded towards the Chandra Shala. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva also understood Maina's pride and said to me and Vishnu Ji, 'You all take the gods with you and reach Giriraj Himalaya's house. I will follow behind with my attendants.' Lord Vishnu considered this Lord Shiva's command and, calling all the gods, obeyed the command and proceeded towards King of Mountains' house. Devi Maina, with you, stood at the highest point of her building. Then, seeing the beautifully adorned army of the gods, Maina became very happy. At the forefront of the procession were the Gandharvas, adorned with beautiful clothes and jewelry, riding on their vehicles, playing music, and dancing. Their attendants were waving flags in their hands. Along with them, the beautiful Apsaras of heaven were dancing enchantingly. Behind them came the Vasus. Then Mani, Gana, Yakshas, Yamraj, Nirut, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Ishana, Devraj Indra, Surya, Bhrugu, etc., gods and Munishwar, each with a more beautiful and captivating form than the other, and appeared to be endowed with all virtues. Seeing them, Narada, she would ask you, 'Is this Shiva?' Then you would smile and reply, 'No, these are Lord Shiva's servants.' Hearing this, Devi Maina would become overjoyed, thinking, 'If their servants are so beautiful and glorious, how handsome and opulent must they themselves be?' Meanwhile, Lord Shiva, who is the Supreme Lord, how could anything in the world be hidden from him? He immediately knew the thoughts in Devi Maina's heart and mentally decided to destroy the ego that had arisen in her mind. Just then, Shri Hari Vishnu arrived from where Maina and Narada, you, were standing. The radiance of the moon seemed dim in front of his complexion. He was dark like Jalandhara, four-armed, and wore yellow clothes. His eyes shone like lotus petals. He was seated on Garuda. Conch, discus, etc., increased his splendor. The crown on his head sparkled, and the mark of Shrivats was on his chest. His beauty was incomparable and captivating to the onlookers. Seeing him, Devi Maina's joy knew no bounds, and she said to you, 'Surely, this must be my Parvati's husband, Lord Shiva.' Narada Ji, hearing Devi Maina's words, you smiled and said to her, 'Devi, the future husband of your daughter Parvati is not Lord Shiva, but the lord of the ocean of milk and the protector of the world, Shri Hari Vishnu. He is dear to Lord Shiva and also the authority of his works. O Devi, the husband of Girija, Lord Shiva, is the controller of the entire universe. He is the Supreme Lord and the Supreme Being. He is even greater than Vishnu Ji.' Hearing these words of yours, I began to think a lot about Shiva Ji, thinking, 'My daughter is very fortunate and blessed to have found such a wealthy and all-powerful groom.' Thinking this, her heart was filled with joy. She considered it the dawn of her lineage to have Shiva Ji as her son-in-law. She was saying, 'I am blessed to have given birth to Parvati. My husband, Giriraj Himalaya, is also blessed. I have seen many radiant gods. The one who is worshipped by all these and is the lord of all these is my daughter Parvati's husband. Then my destiny is truly praiseworthy.' Thus, as Maina was saying all this with pride, at that very moment, to remove her pride, Shiva Ji also began to advance, bringing his wonderfully formed attendants forward. All of Lord Shiva's attendants were destroyers of Maina's ego and pride. An army of extremely ugly attendants like ghosts, spirits, and demons was coming from the front. Many of them had taken the form of whirlwinds. Some had long noses, some had long lips, some had only beards and mustaches on their faces, some had no hair on their heads, while some had a dense jungle of hair on their heads. Some had no eyes, some were blind, some were one-eyed, some had no nose, some carried heavy maces in their hands, some walked upside down, some sat upside down on vehicles. Many of them were lame, some carried staffs and nooses. All the Shiva attendants appeared extremely ugly and terrifying. Some were blowing conches, some were playing damaru, and some were playing gomukha. Some had no heads, some had no trace of their torso, some had multiple faces, some had countless eyes on their faces, some had multiple legs, some had no hands, some had multiple ears, some had multiple heads. All the Shiva attendants wore astonishing costumes. Some were very large in size, while some were very small. They looked very fearsome. Their long, wide, and vast army was dancing and singing intoxicatingly as they advanced. Then, with a gesture of your finger, pointing to the Shiva attendants, you said to Devi Maina, 'Devi, first you see Lord Shiva's attendants, and then you will see Mahadeva Ji.' Seeing such a large army of ghosts and spirits, Devi Maina trembled with fear. Amidst this army, Lord Shankar, with five faces, three eyes, 10 arms, smeared with ashes on his body, wearing a garland of skulls around his neck, entwined with snakes around his neck, draped in tiger hide, holding the Pinaka bow in his hand, with a trident on his shoulder, riding on a very ugly and old bull, appeared to Devi Maina. He had matted locks on his head, and his eyes were fiercely red. [Music] Narada, then you told Maina that he was Lord Shiva. Hearing your words, Devi Maina became extremely distressed and, like a creeper broken by a strong gust of wind, fell to the ground with a thud and fainted. Only these words came from her mouth: 'Everyone has conspired and convinced me through deceit. By accepting everyone's insistence, I have been ruined.' As Maina fainted like this, her many maids rushed there. After trying various remedies, Maina slowly regained consciousness.

Chapter 44: Maina's Lament and Stubbornness

Lord Brahma said, "Narada, when Himalaya's wife Maina regained consciousness, she was very sad and was crying. Her loud, heart-wrenching cries did not stop. Crying, she was criticizing and cursing her sons, daughter, her husband Giriraj Himalaya, as well as Devarshi Narada and the Saptarishis. Maina said, 'O sage Narada, you came to our house and said that Shiva would marry Shiva. Believing your words, we all sent our daughter to the forests to perform penance for Shiva. My daughter pleased everyone through her penance. She performed such penance that is difficult even for great sages. But this is the fruit she received for her worship and devotion, which is painful even to see. Seeing this, we have obtained extreme sorrow and fear. O God, what should I do? Where should I go? Who can relieve me from this unbearable sorrow? I am no longer worthy of showing my face to anyone. Look, where have those divinely wise and their cunning wife Arundhati gone, who came to explain to me? Who, by telling lies and truths, forcibly took my consent for this marriage? If they come before me, I will pluck the beards and mustaches of those sages. Alas, everything is lost for me. I am completely ruined.' Saying this, Devi Maina said to her daughter Parvati, 'What revenge have you taken from us from a past life? What have you done that has become a cause of extreme sorrow for your parents?' In this way, Maina began to scold Parvati severely. She said, 'You foolish girl, you have bought glass in exchange for gold. You have smeared your body with mud, leaving aside beautiful, fragrant sandalwood. This fool does not even understand that she has let the swan fly away and raised a crow in its place. She has thrown away the Ganga water, which is considered the most sacred, and drunk well water. In the desire to find light, its source, the sun...'

The firefly is running to catch, leaving aside the rice straw, throwing away the good rice. Daughter, you have wished to destroy the fame of our lineage, that is why you want to bring the inauspicious ash of the pyre into the house by throwing away the auspicious divine power. Abandoning the lion, the chief of animals, you are chasing after a jackal. Parvati, you have committed a great folly, for leaving the lords of immense prosperity and splendor, who are perfect in all virtues, like the sun, moon, Sri Hari Vishnu, and King Indra, and falling for the words of the wicked Narada, you have wandered through the forests day and night for a very ugly Shiva and performed severe penance. Shame on your intellect, your beauty, and every person who helped you and aided you in walking on the wrong path. Shame on us too, who gave birth to you, your father and I. I also curse those seven sages who gave good counsel, who, by giving wrong advice, have brought me to the wrong path. They have made complete arrangements to burn my house; they have brought my future to the brink of destruction. Parvati, I explained to you so much, but you remained stubborn. But no more, I will not listen to you anymore. I will kill you right now. There is no purpose in keeping you alive anymore. After killing you, I will also end my own life, even if I have to go to hell. I feel like cutting off your head, tearing your body into pieces, and leaving you to go somewhere. Saying this, Goddess Maina fainted and fell on the floor. Seeing her condition at that time, all the gods went to her to console her. First, I, Brahma himself, reached her. Seeing me there, Narada, you said, "Goddess, you do not know that Lord Shiva is very beautiful. You have not seen his true form yet. What you have seen so far is only his divine play. Goddess, abandon your anger, become healthy, and begin the wedding ceremony with a pure heart." As soon as she heard this, the fire of Maina's anger flared up. She said, "Wicked Narada, leave here this very moment. You are the wickedest of the wicked and the lowest. Never come before me again. Leave here this very moment. I don't even want to see your face." Hearing these words of Maina, King Indra rushed there and said, "O daughter of the ancestors, Maina, Lord Shiva is the master of this entire moving and unmoving universe. He is the giver of happiness to all and the bestower of desired boons to all, the supreme lord. He is affectionate to his devotees and always remains under the control of his devotees. Your daughter Parvati has pleased Lord Shiva by performing difficult penance and has obtained the boon of him being her husband. That is why today he has come here to accept her in marriage to fulfill the boon he gave." Hearing this, Maina cried even more and said, "Shiva is very terrifying. I will never give my daughter Parvati to him. Why are you all gods conspiring like this? Why do you want to hand over my dear, delicate daughter to these ghosts and spirits?" In this way, Goddess Maina became angry with all the gods and started scolding them. When the seven sages, including Vashishtha, heard such words from Goddess Maina, they also came near Maina to console her. Then they said, "O daughter of the ancestors, Maina, we have come here to fulfill your task. Seeing Lord Shiva destroys all sins, and here he himself has come to your house." Even after hearing this, Goddess Maina was not satisfied. Her anger remained as it was, and she said again, "I will tear Parvati into pieces, but I will not send her with Shiva." On the other hand, Maina's behavior caused chaos all around. When King Himalaya received information about Maina's behavior, he immediately rushed to his wife and said, "O dear, why are you getting so angry? Look who all the great souls have arrived at our house, and you are insulting them. You are frightened by seeing the terrifying form of Lord Shankar. Goddess, he is the supreme lord. Abandon fear and behold his auspicious form. Begin the auspicious wedding ceremonies. Give up your stubbornness and abandon anger, and complete the auspicious wedding ceremonies of Shiva and Parvati." Goddess, you know that Lord Shiva performs unparalleled divine plays. This is also a part of his divine play. Therefore, remove the fear from your mind and act as before as soon as possible." Hearing the words of King Himalaya, his wife Maina became extremely angry and said, "O husband, you do this, tie a rope around Parvati's neck and throw her down from the mountain, or drown her in the ocean. End her life in any way, and I will not say anything to you. But I will not hand over Parvati's hand to Shiva under any circumstances. If you still stubbornly decide to marry Parvati to Shiva, then I will give up my life." Hearing such words from her mother Maina, Parvati came near her and said, "Mother, you are the embodiment of knowledge. You always follow the path of righteousness. What has happened today that you are deviating from the path of righteousness? O mother, Mahadev is the god of gods. He is without attributes and formless. He is the supreme Brahman, the supreme soul, and the lord of all. He is the basis of the creation of this world. Lord Shiva is affectionate to his devotees and bestows happiness on them. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of all rituals. He is the creator, destroyer, and lord of all. Brahma and Vishnu always remain in his service. O mother, you should be proud that even the gods have come to your door as supplicants to ask for your daughter's hand. Therefore, leave aside useless talk and do a good deed. Hand me over to Lord Shiva and make your life successful. Mother, accept my small request and dedicate me to the service of Lord Shiva at his feet. Mother, I have accepted Lord Shiva as my husband through mind, speech, and action. Now I cannot marry anyone else. I only remember Mahadev. I have spent so many years of my life wishing to have him as my husband. How can I go back on my word today?" Hearing the words spoken by Parvati, Maina became overwhelmed with anger and started scolding her and saying bad words. Maina kept crying. I and all the great siddhas present there tried very hard to console Goddess Maina, but all efforts proved futile. She was not ready to understand under any circumstances. Then, hearing about her stubbornness, the supreme devotee of Shiva, Lord Vishnu, arrived there and said, "O mentally conceived daughter of the ancestors and wife of King Himalaya, Maina, you belong to the lineage of Brahma, which is why your direct connection is with righteousness. You are the foundation of righteousness. Then how can you abandon righteousness? Stubbornness like this does not suit you. Think for yourself, why would all the gods, sages, munis, and Brahma himself, and I, tell you untruths? Lord Shiva is both without attributes and with attributes. If he is ugly, he is also beautiful. Everyone worships him. He is the refuge of the virtuous. The primordial nature, Goddess, and the supreme soul were created by Lord Shiva himself. My and Brahma's creation also happened through Lord Shiva. After that, to benefit all the worlds, he himself took the form of Rudra. Thereafter, the Vedas, gods, and all that is seen in this water and land, all this moving and unmoving creation, was created by Lord Shiva. O Goddess, no one knows his form, nor can they know it. Even I and Brahma have not been able to know all his divine plays to this day. Whatever exists in this world is the form of Lord Shiva, or it is the illusion of Lord Shiva, that he himself is showing you his form in this way. O Goddess, forget everything and remember Shiva with a true heart and focus your attention at his feet. All your sorrows and afflictions will be removed, and you will attain supreme happiness." When Maina was explained in this way by Sri Hari Vishnu, Goddess Maina's anger somewhat reduced. In fact, being enchanted by Shiva's illusion, she was thinking all this. After calming down a bit, she thought for some time. Thereafter, Maina said to Sri Hari Vishnu, "Lord, I have understood everything you said. I also know that Lord Shiva is the supreme lord and pervades every particle of this world. I can hand over my daughter Parvati to Lord Shiva according to your wish, but I have one condition." Then, at Vishnu's insistence, Goddess Maina said, "If Mahadev takes on a beautiful body, then I will gladly marry my daughter Parvati to him." Saying this, Goddess Maina became silent. Blessed is the illusion of the devotee-loving, lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, which enchants everyone. [Music] Chapter 45: The Beautiful and Divine Form of Shiva [Music] Vision. Brahma said, "O Narada, at that time, when Goddess Maina placed such a condition before Vishnu, I ordered you to go to Lord Shiva. You went there, praised him, and satisfied him. Then, accepting your request and wishing to fulfill the task of the gods, Lord Shiva gladly assumed a wonderful, excellent, and divine form. At that time, Lord Shiva looked more beautiful than Kamadeva. Seeing his beautiful form and grace, you happily went immediately to Goddess Maina to give her this good news. Upon reaching there, where Goddess Maina was sitting, seeing her, you said, "O wife of the king of mountains and mother of Parvati, Maina, come and behold the beautiful and enchanting form of Lord Shiva yourself." Hearing this news, Goddess Maina's happiness knew no bounds. She took you with her to see Lord Shiva. Upon reaching there, Maina beheld the supremely blissful, beautiful form of Shiva. Shiva's face was as radiant and divine as millions of suns. The moon adorned his vast forehead. The sun held an umbrella over his head. Lord Shiva was in a cheerful mood. He was adorned with exquisite grace, fair-complexioned, decorated with crescent moon, and shining like lightning. All the gods, including Vishnu, and sages were lovingly serving him. Divine, extraordinary, beautiful clothes and ornaments adorned his body. Ganga and Yamuna were fanning him, and the eight siddhis, like Anima, were dancing and singing enchantingly. In this way, Lord Shankar, assuming a beautiful and divine form, was coming with the wedding procession towards Himalaya's house. Along with him, I, Vishnu, and King Indra were also proceeding, adorned. Behind them, ganas, siddhas, munis, and all the gods, with beautiful and manifold forms, were walking, shouting victory. All the gods were very eager to witness this wedding. Vasus, Gandharvas, and beautiful Apsaras were singing the glory of Lord Shiva. As Lord Shiva arrived at the door of Giriraj Himalaya, a great festival began there. At that time, the splendor of Mahadev was wonderful and unique. Seeing his beautiful, extraordinary form, Maina remained stunned for a moment. Then, happily, she said, "O Lord of Lords, Maheshwar Shiva, my daughter Parvati is blessed, for she pleased you by performing severe penance. It is my good fortune that the supremely auspicious Lord Sadashiva has come to my house today. Lord, I have committed an unforgivable offense. I have greatly criticized you. Lord, I beg for forgiveness with both my hands joined. Please forgive my mistake and be pleased with me." In this way, praising the moon-crested Lord Shiva, Shailapriya Maina, feeling ashamed, bowed her head. At that time, all the women of the city, leaving aside their household chores, came out, eager to see Lord Shiva, and tried to see him. The one grinding the mill left the mill. The wife engaged in serving her husband ran away from serving her husband. Some even ran away leaving their nursing babies. In this way, everyone left their essential tasks and ran to see Lord Shiva. Seeing the enchanting form of Lord Shiva, everyone was mesmerized. Then, happily embracing the beautiful idol of Shiva in their hearts, they said, "Sisters, it is our great fortune. The eyes of the men and women living in Himalaya city have been successful today by seeing the divine form of Lord Shiva. Today, we have surely attained everything in the world. Just by seeing the form of Shiva, all our sins have been destroyed. His image completely destroys all afflictions and sorrows. Today, seeing him directly before us has made our lives successful. Parvati, by obtaining Lord Shiva through excellent penance, has made our lives meaningful along with hers. O Parvati, you are truly blessed. You will adorn this world by becoming the better half of the supreme Brahman, Lord Shiva. If fate had not united Parvati and Shiva in this way, then all her efforts would surely have been in vain. Today, seeing this divine couple of Shiva and Shiva together has made all our tasks meaningful. Today, indeed, we have all become blessed by seeing them." Saying this, the women of the city worshipped Shiva with unbroken rice, kumkum, and sandalwood, and happily showered flowers on him. Those women stood near Goddess Maina and praised her fortune and future. Hearing such auspicious and auspicious words from their mouths, all the gods were very pleased. [Music] Chapter 46: Shiva's Test and Happiness upon Seeing Parvati's Beautiful Form. Brahma said, "O Narada, after that, at my command, Mahadev, pleasing everyone, happily went to the abode of Giriraj Himalaya with his ganas, gods, siddhas, munis, and other people. Himalaya's wife Maina also came out from inside with a plate decorated with beautiful lamps to perform Shiva's aarti. At that time, the wives of sages and other women were also present with her. Lord Shiva's enchanting form was spreading its radiance all around. His splendor was like millions of Kamadevas. He had three eyes on his cheerful face. The radiance of his body was like that of a champaka flower. Beautiful clothes and ornaments on his body added four moons to his personality. A beautiful moon crown was on his forehead. A necklace around his neck and bangles and armlets on his hands enhanced his splendor. His body was adorned with sandalwood, musk, kumkum, and unbroken rice. His form was divine and extraordinary, which effortlessly attracted everyone towards him. His face was as bright and cool as the moonlight of millions of moons. Receiving such a supremely beautiful and enchanting son-in-law, all of Himalaya's wife Maina's worries disappeared. She became immersed in joy and praised her fortune. She considered herself fulfilled by making Shiva her son-in-law and considered her daughter Parvati, her husband Himavat, and her lineage blessed. At that time, she happily performed Shiva's aarti. While performing the aarti, Goddess Maina was thinking that he is even more beautiful than what Parvati had described about Mahadev. His beauty and grace are pleasing to the mind and destroy all sins and sorrows. After completing the aarti according to the ritual, Maina went inside. At that time, the young women who had come to the wedding greatly praised the beautiful, auspicious, and enchanting form of Lord Shiva, who had come as the groom. They were laughing and joking among themselves. At the same time, they were also praising the fortune of their friend Parvati, that she was getting such a groom. They said to Maina, "We have never seen such a beautiful groom even at anyone's wedding. Parvati is blessed to be getting such a husband." Seeing the beautiful, enchanting form of Lord Shiva, all the gods, including sages, were very pleased. Gandharvas began to sing the glory of Lord Shiva, and Apsaras danced happily. At that time, there was only joy at Giriraj Himalaya's place. Himalaya performed auspicious rituals with respect, and Maina and all the women present there tested the groom and went inside the house. Thereafter, Mahadev and all the distinguished guests who had come with him in the wedding procession went to the guest house. Thereafter, Goddess Parvati, the incarnation of Durga herself, came out from her inner chambers with the women of her lineage to worship the family deity. Whoever's gaze fell upon Parvati at that place, they kept looking at her. Parvati's complexion was like dark collyrium. Her long, thick, and black hair was braided into a beautiful braid. A vermilion bindi with a musk mark on her forehead enhanced her beauty and grace. A necklace studded with many beautiful gems adorned her neck. Beautiful armlets and bracelets made of gems adorned her arms. Gem-studded earrings on her ears created an unparalleled image on her cheeks with their sparkling splendor. Her pearl-like beautiful and white teeth shone like pomegranate seeds. Her lips were red like honey-filled bimba fruit. The alta enhanced the beauty of her feet. Sandalwood, agar, musk, and kumkum were applied as body fragrance to her many limbs. The tinkling sound of the anklets on her feet filled the ears with sweet music. Seeing this enchanting image, all the gods bowed before her and respectfully saluted the mother of the universe, Parvati, with devotion. At that time, Lord Shiva also felt joy by glancing at her unparalleled beauty. Seeing Parvati's unparalleled beauty, Shiva abandoned the pain of his separation. Parvati's form had enchanted him. Meanwhile, for the happiness of all the gods, Parvati worshipped them according to the ritual. Thereafter, she returned to the palace with her friends and the wives of the Brahmins. Meanwhile, I, Vishnu, and Lord Shiva also stayed at their respective places. [Music] Chapter 47. Chapter 47 describes the worship of each other by the bride and groom. Brahma said, "O Narada, with enthusiasm, Giriraj Himalaya bathed Parvati and Shiva with Vedic mantras. Thereafter, following Vedic and worldly customs, Goddess Girijanandini Parvati was adorned with the clothes and ornaments brought by Lord Shiva. Parvati's friends and the Brahmin wives present there adorned Parvati with those beautiful clothes and beautiful gem-studded ornaments. After the adornment, Goddess Shiva, the mother of the three worlds and daughter of the great mountain, was meditating on Mahadev in her heart. At that time, her face looked beautiful and divine like the moonlight. A festival was happening all around in Himalaya city. The happiness and joy of the people were evident. At that time, Himalaya distributed a lot of donations and other items to the people according to the scriptures. Himalaya's royal priest, Muni Garg, said to Himalaya, "O king of mountains, the auspicious time for the wedding is approaching. Please call Lord Shiva and all other wedding guests as soon as possible." Then the ministers of Himalaya, along with all the gods, went to the guest house to call Lord Shiva and invited him to come to the wedding pavilion quickly. They said to Shiva, "Lord, the time for giving away the daughter is near. The pandits are calling the groom and the bride." Then the Lord, adorned with beautiful clothes and ornaments, mounted on his vehicle Nandi and proceeded towards the pavilion with all the gods and sages. Along with him, his ganas also walked, dancing and singing victory songs of their lord, Lord Shiva. [Music] There was an umbrella on Shiva's head, and fans were being waved all around. A great festival was happening. Conch shells, trumpets, drums, and gomukhs were being played. Apsaras were dancing. Gods from all directions were showering flowers on him. In this way, Mahadev, beautifully adorned, reached the wedding pavilion. At the pavilion door, the waiting mountains respectfully alighted him from Nandi and took him inside. Shailraj Himalaya bowed to him with devotion and performed his aarti according to the ritual. He offered water and arghya to Lord Sri Hari Vishnu, me, and Sadashiva, and seated us on beautiful, excellent seats. Thereafter, Shailraj Priya Goddess Maina, along with Brahmin women and city women, arrived. She performed the aarti of her son-in-law, Lord Shiva, worshipped him with madhuparka, and completed all the auspicious ceremonies. Thereafter, King Himalaya, along with me, Vishnu, and Lord Shiva, went to the place where Goddess Parvati was seated on the altar. Then all the sages, all the gods, and other Shiva ganas sitting there were eagerly awaiting the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. Himalaya's family guru, Sri Garg Ji, filled Parvati's folded hands with rice and poured unbroken rice on Shiva. Thereafter, Parvati respectfully worshipped Lord Shiva with curd, unbroken rice, Kusha grass, and water. While worshipping, Parvati happily gazed at the divine form of Lord Shiva. After Parvati worshipped her groom Shiva, Garg Muni, according to the scriptures, the lord of the three worlds, Mahadev, worshipped Goddess Parvati, who was about to become his bride. After worshipping each other in this way, the bride and groom, Shiva and Parvati, sat on the altar. Their image was extremely bright and enchanting. They looked very beautiful there. Then all the goddesses, including Lakshmi, performed their aarti. Chapter 48: The Beginning of Shiva-Parvati's Wedding. Brahma said, "O Narada, according to Garg Muni's command, Shailraj Himalaya began the rituals of giving away the daughter with enthusiasm. Shailraj Priya Maina Ji, adorned with beautiful clothes and ornaments, sat to the right of her husband Himalaya, holding a golden pitcher in her hands. After worshipping Lord Shiva's feet, Shailraj Himalaya adorned him with beautiful clothes, ornaments, and sandalwood, and said to the Brahmins, "O Brahmins, now please make the vow for giving away the daughter." Then the foremost sages gladly began to recite the vow. Then the best Himalaya respectfully asked Lord Shiva, who was seated as the groom, "O Shiva Shankar, to accept Parvati in marriage according to the ritual, please introduce your lineage. Tell the Brahmins your gotra, pravara, lineage name, Veda branch, everything." Hearing this question from Giriraj, Lord Shankar became serious and thought for a moment. When all the gods and sages saw Lord Shiva remaining silent in this way, they did not give any answer in this regard and remained quiet. Seeing this, some people from the bride's side laughed at him. Narada, seeing this, you immediately went to Parvati's father, Shailraj, and said, "O king of mountains, you are committing a great folly by asking Lord Shiva about his lineage. His lineage, gotra, etc., are not known even to Brahma, Vishnu, and others, so how can anyone else know? Lord Shiva is without attributes and formless. He is the supreme Brahman, the supreme soul. He is without modification, the holder of illusion, and the supreme. He is the independent supreme being, who has nothing to do with lineage, gotra, etc. All this is merely an ostentation created by humans. Shiva assumes forms and incarnations according to his will. This is the effect of the severe penance performed by Parvati, due to which you are able to see the actual form of Shiva. Shailraj, Lord Shiva, though without gotra, is of the best gotra, and though without lineage, is of noble lineage. His various divine plays enchant this moving and unmoving universe. O Shesha Himalaya, the gotra and lineage of this Lord Shiva, who performs various divine plays, is Nada. Shiva is in Nada, and Nada is in Shiva. There is no difference between Nada and Shiva. When Lord Shiva thought of creating the universe, he first manifested Nada. Therefore, now, abandoning useless talk, complete the marriage of your daughter Parvati with Shiva as soon as possible." Hearing your words, Narada, the doubt that arose in Shailraj Himalaya's mind was dispelled. Then all of us gods thanked you for cleverly handling this difficult situation. Knowing all this, all the learned people present there happily said, "We are fortunate that today we have seen the Lord of the three worlds, the self-realized, independent supreme being, who creates the universe, who constantly creates new divine plays, Lord Shiva." Seeing you removes all sins. In this way, everyone together shouted victory for Lord Shiva. Then many mountains present there, like Meru, said to Shailraj Himalaya, "O king of mountains, why are you delaying unnecessarily now? Why don't you quickly give away your daughter Parvati?" Then Himalaya and Maina happily gave away their daughter Parvati. While giving away the daughter, the king of mountains said, "O supreme Lord, ocean of compassion, Lord Shiva, I give you my daughter Parvati today. Make her your wife and make me and my lineage fulfilled." In this way, Shailraj Himalaya placed his daughter Parvati's hand and water into Lord Shiva's hands. Then, according to the words of the Vedic mantras, Sadashiva accepted her hand in marriage, taking Goddess Parvati's hand and touching the earth while reciting mantras. In this way, as soon as Giriraj gave away his daughter, the sound of victory for Shiva and Parvati echoed all around. Gandharvas sang excellent songs with pleasure, and beautiful Apsaras danced with joy. Everyone was very happy with the completion of this auspicious wedding. Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and all the gods were also very pleased. After that, Shailraj Himalaya presented many things to Lord Shiva. Beautiful golden ornaments studded with gems, vessels, and thirty-two and a half lakh cows giving milk, one lakh decorated horses, one crore elephants, and one crore gold coins studded with ratnas, etc., were respectfully offered. He also gave one lakh maids to serve his daughter Parvati. Thereafter, many mountains present at the wedding also gifted excellent items to Shiva and Parvati according to their wishes and capabilities. Everyone was happy with this wedding. All directions were resounding with the sweet sound of shehnai. Flowers were being showered from the sky on Lord Shiva and his beloved Parvati. After dedicating his beloved daughter Parvati to the devoted and loving Lord Shiva, Shailraj Himalaya and his beloved wife Maina were overjoyed. Shailraj Himalaya, with a pure heart and devotion, praised Lord Shiva many times through the stotra written in the Yajurveda Madhyandini. Thereafter, the esteemed sages present there enthusiastically performed the Abhishek of the heads of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. At that time, a great festival was happening in Himalaya city. All men and women were dancing and singing with joy. Chapter 49: Brahma's Enchantment. Brahma said, "O Narada, thereafter, at my command, Mahadev established the sacred fire and seated his beloved wife Parvati in front of him and performed the Homa with mantras from all four Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, and Samaveda, and offered oblations into it. At that time, Parvati's brother Mainak gave her rice in her hands. Then, according to worldly customs, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati began to take the wedding rounds. At that time, I was enchanted by Shiva's illusion. As soon as my gaze fell upon the extremely beautiful divine maiden Goddess Parvati's auspicious feet, I was afflicted with lust. I felt great shame in my mind. To prevent anyone's gaze from falling upon these feelings of mine, I suppressed my thoughts. But Lord Shiva is omnipresent and the supreme lord. How could anything be hidden from him? His gaze fell upon me, and he became aware of the evil thoughts that arose in my mind. Shiva's anger knew no bounds. Becoming angry, Shiva advanced to strike me. Seeing him angry, I trembled with fear, and other gods present there also became afraid. To appease Lord Shiva's anger, all the gods together said to Shiva, "O Sadashiva, you are merciful and the abode of compassion. You always become pleased with your devotees and grant them their desired objects. Lord, you are of the nature of Sat, Chit, and Ananda. Munis take refuge at your lotus feet with the desire to attain liberation by becoming pleased. O Supreme Lord, who can know your essence? Lord, Brahma apologizes for his mistake. You are always under the control of your devotees. We, all your devotees, pray to you to forgive Brahma's mistake and make him fearless." As a result of the praise and prayer for forgiveness by the gods, Lord Shiva made Brahma fearless. Narada, then I suppressed those feelings in my mind with strength. Yet, from the birth of those feelings, thousands of Bal Khila Rishis were born, who were very radiant. Knowing that Shiva might get angry seeing those Rishis, you ordered them to go to the Madan mountain. You ordered the Bal Khila Rishis to worship and perform penance to the Sun God. Then those Bal Khila Rishis immediately bowed to me and Lord Shiva and went to the Gandhamadan mountain. [Music] Chapter 50: Wedding Completed and Jest with Shiva. Brahma said, "O Narada, thereafter, at Lord Shiva's command, I completed the remaining rituals of the Shiva-Parvati wedding. First, Shiva and Parvati's foreheads were anointed. Thereafter, the Brahmins present there showed them the star Dhruva, and after that, they completed the rituals of touching the heart and reciting the Swasti mantra. After all these rituals were completed, Lord Shiva filled Goddess Parvati's forehead with vermilion, considered a symbol of good fortune and marital bliss. As soon as vermilion was filled in her forehead, Goddess Parvati's beauty blossomed like millions of lotus petals. Her splendor was captivating. Her beauty was enhanced by the vermilion. After this, Shiva and Parvati were seated together on a suitable seat, and there they performed Annaprashana. In this way, all the rituals of this excellent wedding were completed according to the ritual. Then Lord Shiva, to make this wedding joyful, considered me, Brahma, as the priest and donated a pot of merit. Then he donated cows to Garg Muni, and all the sages who helped in completing the wedding rituals were gifted 100 gold coins and many precious gems. Then there was an atmosphere of joy all around. Everyone was very happy and shouting victory for Shiva and Parvati. Then I, Sri Hari, and other sages, along with all the gods, took leave of Shailraj and returned to the guest house. The women of Himalaya city, the city women, and Parvati's friends took Lord Shiva and Parvati to the Kohbar, and after performing four rituals there, they took them to the Kautukagar and completed other customs and rituals with joy. Thereafter, they were enthusiastically taken to the Keli Griha. In the Keli Griha, the union of Lord Shiva and Parvati was opened. At that time, the splendor of Shiva and Parvati was worth seeing. At that time, to see their unparalleled enchanting image, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Savitri, Ganga, Aditi, Shachi, Lopamudra, Arundhati, Ahilya, Tulsi, Swaha, Rohini, Prithvi, Sanjana, Shatarupa, and Rati, sixteen divine celestial maidens, celestial maidens, serpent maidens, and sage maidens arrived there and began to jest with Lord Shiva. Saraswati said, "Lord Shiva, now you have obtained the moon-faced Parvati as your wife. Now, by looking at her moon-like face, cool your heart." Lakshmi Ji said, "O God of Gods, why the shame now? Embrace your beloved wife with your heart, for whose separation you wandered here and there in sorrow. When you have met that beloved, why the shame?" Then Savitri said, "Now, only after feeding Parvati will we eat, and Parvati must also be offered camphor-scented tambula." Then Janhavi said, "O Lord of the three worlds, washing the hair of the golden-like beautiful Parvati and adorning her is also your duty." To this, Shachi said, "O Sadashiva, for whom you were always eager to obtain, and in whose separation you spent days weeping, today that same Parvati is seated with you as your wife, so why the hesitation? Why don't you embrace Parvati with your heart?" Goddess Arundhati said, "I have given this chaste beautiful woman to you. Now keep her with you and take care of her happiness and sorrow." Goddess Ahilya said, "Lord, you are the lord of all. You are the lord of this entire world. No one can deny your supreme Brahman form. You are without attributes and formless. But today, all the gods together have made you a servant. Lord, now you are also under your beloved wife." Hearing this, Tulsi standing there said, "You had burnt Kamadeva and renounced Parvati. Then why did you marry her today?" In this way, the celestial maidens were laughing and joking, and they would laugh loudly at times while saying such things to Lord Shiva, and sometimes they would burst into laughter. To this, Swaha said, "O Sadashiva, do not get angry hearing our laughter and jokes like this. During weddings, girls and women do such laughter and jokes." Then Vasundhara said, "O Lord of Gods, now act for Parvati's happiness. Now Parvati has become your wife. It is your supreme duty to keep her happy." Hearing the humorous words of the women in this way, Lord Shiva.

They were silent, but when the women did not remain silent and continued to make fun of them in various ways, targeting them, then Lord Shiva said, "O goddesses, you are the mothers of the world. Being mothers, why are you speaking such fickle and shameless words in front of your son?" Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, all the women, feeling ashamed, ran away from there. [Music] Chapter 5: Kamadeva's Life Granted on Rati's Prayer. Brahma Ji said, "O Narada Ji, seeing the opportune time, Goddess Rati came near Lord Shiva and said, 'O Lord, compassionate to the distressed, Lord Shiva, I bow to you. By accepting Goddess Parvati in marriage, you have indeed done a work for the welfare of the world. By making Goddess Parvati your beloved, your good fortune has surely increased. You have won Parvati, but Bhagavan, what was my husband Kamadeva's fault? For the welfare of the world, accepting the prayers of all the gods, he used his love arrows only to create attachment towards Parvati in your heart. His work was to inspire the liberation of this world from the terrible and wicked demon named Tarakasura. He was far from selfishness, so why did you burn him with the fire of your anger? O Lord of Lords, Mahadeva Ji, O repository of compassion, beloved of devotees, by awakening love in your heart, revive my husband Kamadeva and remove the pain of my separation. You know the suffering of all. Understand my suffering and help me remove my sorrow. Bhagavan, when everyone's heart is filled with joy today, why is my heart sad? How long will I remain like this without my husband? Bhagavan, you are the remover of the sorrows of the distressed. Now make your words come true. Bhagavan, in these three worlds, only you can remove this suffering and sorrow of mine. Prabhu, have mercy on me and grant me happiness and joy. Bhagavan, on the auspicious occasion of your marriage, reunite me with my husband forever and reduce my pain of separation. Mahadeva Ji, revive my husband Kamadeva and fulfill me, your humble servant.' Saying this, Goddess Rati placed the ashes of her husband Kamadeva, tied in a knot of her dupatta, before Lord Shiva and began to pray loudly to Lord Shiva Shankar to revive Kamadeva. Seeing Goddess Rati crying like this, Goddesses Saraswati and others present there also started crying, and all prayed to Lord Shiva to give life to Kamadeva. Thus, upon the repeated prayers and praises of the Goddess, Lord Shiva became pleased, and he decided to remove Rati's sufferings. As soon as the divine, immortal gaze of Shoolapani Lord Shiva fell upon the ashes, Kamadeva appeared from the ashes, adorned in his beautiful former attire and form. Seeing her beloved husband Kamadeva as beautiful and healthy as before, Goddess Rati's happiness knew no bounds. She was very pleased seeing Kamadeva and joined her hands to bow to Lord Shiva and began to praise him. Both husband and wife, Kamadeva and Rati, repeatedly fell at the feet of Lord Shiva, thanked him, and praised him. Pleased by their praise, Lord Shiva said, "O Kama and Rati, I am very pleased with your praise. I am very happy. You can ask for any desired object." Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, Kamadeva was very pleased. He joined his hands, bowed his head, and said, "O Lord, if you are pleased with me, then forgive my past offense and grant me the boon that I may have love for your devotees and devotion at your feet." Hearing Kamadeva's words, Lord Shankar was very pleased and said, "So be it. It will be as you wish. I am pleased with you. Remove fear from your heart. Now go to Lord Sri Hari Vishnu." After that, Kamadeva bowed to Lord Shiva and left from there. Seeing him alive, all the gods were very pleased and said, "O Kamadeva, you are blessed. Mahadeva Ji has given you life." Then, blessing Kamadeva, Vishnu sat back in his place. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva ate with Goddess Parvati sitting beside him and sweetened her mouth with his own hands. Thereafter, taking permission from Shailraj, Shiva Ji went back to the bridal chamber. Upon reaching the bridal chamber, Shiva Ji bowed to me, Vishnu Ji, and all the sages present there. Then all the gods began to worship and adore Shiva Ji. Then I, Vishnu Ji, and Indra and all the gods began to chant victory slogans for Lord Shiva, and auspicious Vedic chants began to play. After praising Lord Shiva, taking leave from him, all the gods and sages went towards their respective resting places. Chapter 5: The Stay in Lord Shiva's Residence. Brahma Ji said, "Narada, Shailraj Himalaya, to arrange for the food of all the wedding guests, first got the courtyard of his house cleaned and beautifully decorated. Thereafter, Giriraj Himalaya sent his sons, Mainak and others, to the bridal chamber to invite all the gods, saints, sages, Shiva's attendants, celestial beings, along with Vishnu and the devotee-beloved Lord Shiva for food." Then, accompanied by all the gods, Sadashiva came to eat. Himalaya welcomed all the visiting gods and Lord Shiva with great respect and seated them on excellent seats. Various types of food were served, and Giriraj requested everyone to partake in the meal. All the wedding guests ate with satisfaction and, after sipping water, all the gods went to their respective resting places for rest. Then, taking permission from Himalaya's beloved Goddess, the women of the city respectfully seated Lord Shiva on a jewel-studded throne in a beautifully decorated residential building. In that building, hundreds of jewel lamps were lit, and the entire building was illuminated by their wonderful radiance. That residential building was decorated and adorned with various materials. The entire building was decorated with pearls, gems, and white shells. Beautiful pearl and gem torans enhanced the auspiciousness of the doorway. At that time, that residential building looked extremely divine, enchanting, and uplifting to the heart. Beautiful floral patterns were made on the floor. Fragrant substances were used to make the building fragrant, with sandalwood and agar being prominent. In that residential building, artificial Vaikuntha, Brahmaloka, Indraloka, and Shivaloka, created by Vishwakarma, the celestial architect, were all visible simultaneously. Seeing these, Lord Shiva was very pleased. In the center of the residential building was a beautiful, jewel-encrusted, wonderful bed, on which Mahadeva Ji slept and spent the night. On the other hand, after feeding his relatives, Himalaya completed all the remaining tasks. In the morning, a unique celebration of Shiva's wedding began all around. Various melodious musical instruments began to play, and auspicious sounds were heard. All the gods began to prepare their vehicles. After all preparations were complete, Lord Sri Hari Vishnu sent Dharma to Lord Shiva. Then Dharma happily went to Lord Shiva's residence. At that time, the repository of compassion, Lord Shiva, was asleep. Seeing this, Dharma, endowed with yogic power, bowed to Lord Shiva, praised him, and said, "O Maheshwara, O Mahadeva, I have come here by the order of Lord Sri Hari Vishnu. O Bhagavan, wake up and come to the bridal chamber. All the gods and sages are waiting for you there. Prabhu, please come there and fulfill us." Hearing Dharma's words, Sadashiva said, "O Dharmadeva, you go back to the bridal chamber. I am coming to the bridal chamber very soon." Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, Dharma bowed to Lord Shiva and, taking his leave, went back towards the bridal chamber. After he left, as Lord Shiva got ready and started to leave, the women of Himalaya city came to see his feet and began to sing auspicious songs. Then Mahadeva Ji took leave from Giriraj Himalaya and Maina and proceeded towards the bridal chamber. Upon reaching there, Mahadeva Ji bowed to me, Vishnu Ji, and all the sages. Then, along with all the gods, I and Vishnu Ji worshipped and praised Shiva Ji. Chapter 5: The Arrival of the Wedding Procession and Himalaya's Farewell to the Procession. Brahma Ji said, "When the repository of compassion, Lord Shiva, arrived at the bridal chamber, we all started talking about returning to Kailash. Just then, Parvatraj Himalaya arrived there and invited everyone for food, and then left. Then, accompanied by all the gods, sages, and other wedding guests, Lord Shiva, I, and Sri Hari Vishnu reached the designated place for dining. Shailraj himself was standing at the entrance. He first washed the feet of Mahadeva Ji and seated him inside on a beautiful seat. Thereafter, Shailraj washed the feet of Sri Hari, Devaraj Indra, and all the sages, and seated us all respectfully on appropriate seats. There, Shailraj Himalaya, along with his sons and relatives, was engaged in the work. He served many delicious dishes before us and asked us to partake in them. Then everyone happily sipped water and ate. Then Giriraj said, 'O Lord of Gods, we are delighted by your presence. We have one request: that you stay with the wedding guests for a few more days.' Thus, Shailraj began to urge Lord Shiva to stay for a few more days. Hearing this, Lord Shiva said, 'O Shailendra, you are blessed. Your fame is great. You are the very embodiment of Dharma. In these three worlds, there is no one like you.' Then the gods said, 'O Mountain, Lord Shiva, the Supreme Being, has arrived at your doorstep with his attendants, and you have pleased him in every way.' Then Shailraj Himalaya, joining his hands, prayed to Lord Shiva and said, 'Bhagavan, have mercy on me and stay here for a few more days to accept my hospitality.' At Giriraj's persistent requests, Lord Shiva granted his consent to stay there. Then, taking leave from Himalaya, everyone went to their respective lodging places. On the third day, Giriraj Himalaya respectfully gave donations to everyone and honored them. On the fourth day, the Chaturthi ritual was performed according to the rites, because without it, the marriage is not considered complete. As soon as the Chaturthi ritual was completed according to the procedure, auspicious sounds began to play all around, and a great festival began. The women of the city began to sing auspicious songs; some even danced with joy. On the fifth day, all the gods said to Giriraj Himalaya, 'O Parvatraj, you have honored us greatly. We have all come here for the marriage of Lord Shiva. With your cooperation, the marriage of Shiva and Parvati has been happily and joyfully completed. Therefore, please grant us permission to leave from here.' But Giriraj Himalaya said affectionately, 'O Lord Shiva, Brahma Ji, Sri Hari Vishnu, Devaraj Indra, it is only due to the severe penance of my dear daughter Parvati that I have received this good fortune today that all the gods, the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe, and great sages have come together to grace my home. Please allow me to fully enjoy the auspicious occasion of serving you all together. O Lord of Lords, show such a small kindness to this humble devotee of yours.' Thus, the king of mountains, Himalaya, in many ways, earnestly requested Shiva Ji and all the gods, and thus forcefully kept them for a few more days. Himalaya served everyone greatly. He took special care of everyone and paid attention to everyone's needs. Shailraj provided all possible facilities for the gods. In this way, by serving them with great respect, he won everyone's hearts. When many days passed, the gods sent the Saptarishis to Shailraj Himalaya so that they could prepare Devi Maina and her husband Parvatraj Himalaya to bid farewell to the wedding procession. Then those Saptarishis, with joyous hearts, approached Shailraj Himalaya and praised his fortune, saying, 'Fortunate are you that Lord Shiva himself has become your son-in-law. Parvatraj, you have handed over your daughter Parvati to Lord Shiva as his wife according to the scriptures and Vedas. The ritual of Kanyadan is considered complete only when the daughter is bid farewell with the wedding procession. Therefore, you too should happily and respectfully bid farewell to Goddess Parvati with Lord Shiva. Only then will the ritual of Kanyadan be completed.' Then Maina and her husband Giriraj Himalaya agreed to bid farewell to the wedding procession. When Lord Shiva and all the gods and sages left for Kailash Parvat, Devi Maina began to cry loudly and said, 'O repository of compassion, Lord Shiva, please take care of my daughter Parvati. My daughter is your devoted devotee. Whether awake or asleep, she only meditates on your feet. You always reside in her heart. She never tires of singing your glories and cannot bear to hear any criticism of you. If my child commits any offense knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive her. You are the beloved of devotees, the repository of compassion. Keep your merciful gaze upon my daughter.' Saying this, Maina handed over her daughter to Lord Shiva. How surprising it is that every parent knows that daughters are like paddy plants; they do not grow where they are born, yet they become sad at the time of their farewell. How do tears suddenly stream from their eyes unknowingly? Thinking of the separation from their beloved daughter Parvati, they fainted and fell to the ground. Then, with drops of water sprinkled on their faces, they were brought back to consciousness. Then Sadashiva consoled Devi Maina in many ways so that she would forget her sorrow. Then, leaving Maina and Parvati alone for some time, Lord Shiva, along with all the gods and his attendants, took leave from Himalaya and departed. Sitting in a beautiful garden in Himalaya city, they all happily awaited the arrival of Goddess Parvati, the beloved wife of Lord Shiva. They, the Shiva Ganas, were joyfully chanting victory slogans for Lord Mahadeva Ji. [Music] Chapter 5: Instruction on the Vow of Marital Devotion to Parvati. Brahma Ji said, "O great sage Narada, when Lord Shiva, taking leave from Shailraj Himalaya and Devi Maina, departed from that place along with all the gods, sages, other celestial beings, and Shiva Ganas, then the Saptarishis said, 'O Shailraj, please kindly send your daughter with Lord Shiva soon.' Hearing this, Himalaya became very distressed. He asked Devi Maina to send Parvati. Following Vedic customs, Devi Maina adorned her daughter with beautiful clothes and ornaments. That day, Maina called a Brahmin wife and asked her to teach the principles of marital devotion. The Brahmin wife came there and, while instructing Parvati, said, 'O Parvati, in this beautiful world, women are considered especially venerable. Women who follow the vow of marital devotion are blessed. They purify both families. Merely by their sight, sins are destroyed. Women who consider their husband as God himself and serve him with devotion attain happiness in this world, attain salvation, and redeem both their families. Women like Savitri, Lopamudra, Arundhati, Mandali, Shatarupa, Anasuya, Lakshmi, Sindhu, Sati, Sanja, Sumati, Shraddha, Maina, and Swaha are called noble women. Due to their marital devotion, they are also venerable to Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Therefore, a woman should always obey her husband's commands. A devoted wife should eat only after her husband has eaten. She should not sit until he stands. She should sleep only after her husband has slept and wake up before he wakes up. Even when angry or extremely happy, she should not take her husband's name. When called by her husband, she should leave all her work and go to him. She should consider his every command as her duty and follow it. She should never stand at the entrance. She should not go to anyone's house without a reason, and if she goes, she should never sit without being asked. She should not give away her household items to anyone. A devoted wife should show her face to her husband only after being adorned with clothes and ornaments. When the husband is away from home or in a foreign land, during those days, a devoted wife should not adorn herself. She should keep things for her husband's use ready at the right time when he needs them. She should do all her work with cleverness and intelligence. Obeying her husband's every command is the ultimate duty of a devoted wife. Without taking her husband's permission, a wife should not go anywhere, not even to holy places like pilgrimage sites. By washing her husband's feet and drinking that water, a wife's pilgrimage is completed. The wife should eat the leftover food left by her husband, considering it as prasad. She should eat only after offering a portion of food to gods, ancestors, guests, or beggars. Before undertaking any vow or fast, she must take her husband's permission, otherwise, the merit of the vow will not be obtained. She should never quarrel with her husband to obtain anything. She should never wake her husband while he is sitting comfortably or sleeping. Even if the husband is sad for some reason, is poor, is sick, or has become old, she should not abandon him. When she is menstruating, she should not appear before her husband for three days, nor show him her face. Until she bathes and becomes pure, she should not speak to her husband. After becoming pure, she should first see her husband. A woman who observes the best marital devotion should always wear items considered symbols of marital bliss, such as sindoor, turmeric, roli, kajal, bangles, mangalsutra, anklets, toe rings, nose studs, and earrings. Women always wear these items considered signs of marital bliss. Their husband's lifespan increases. A devoted wife should never associate with unfortunate women like adulteresses or others. That is, she should not befriend them. She should not make friends with women who fight with their husbands or bear enmity towards them. She should never remain alone. She should not bathe naked. She should always act according to her husband's wishes. She should only have intimacy with her husband if he desires it. She should consider his every wish as her own. She should laugh when he laughs and be sad when he is sad. For a devoted wife, her husband is her deity. She should give more importance to her husband than Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. She should worship her husband considering him as Shiva himself. Women who fight with their husbands are born as female dogs or jackals. She should not sit on a higher place than where her husband is sitting. She should not criticize anyone. She should speak the sweetest words. The husband is the most important person in a woman's life, so she should always worship him. A woman should worship her husband, considering him as her god, guru, dharma, pilgrimage, and vow. She should never speak harsh words to her husband. She should respect all elders, including her mother-in-law, father-in-law, elder brother, elder brother's wife, and gurus. She should never speak loudly or laugh in front of them. Upon the husband's arrival from outside, she should respectfully wash his feet. Those foolish women who abandon their husbands and engage in adultery or stay in the company of wicked men are born as owls. A woman without a husband becomes eternally impure. Even after visiting pilgrimage sites, she remains impure. In the house where a devoted wife resides, her husband's, father's, and mother's lineages are redeemed. They directly adorn the glory of heaven. Conversely, women who are attracted to other men and stray from their path destroy their lineage along with themselves. Merely by the touch of a devoted wife, the land there becomes pure and destructive of sins. Surya, Chandra, and Vayu Deva also touch women for purity, so that they can purify others. A devoted wife is the foundation of the householder's life, the storehouse of happiness, the only path to attain dharma, and the one who carries forward the family lineage. Only those Shiva devotees who have unwavering devotion to Lord Vishwanath attain devoted wives. A husband's existence is from his wife; without each other, neither has any existence. Without a wife, a husband cannot perform any yajna alone, such as Dev Yajna, Pitru Yajna, and Atithi Yajna. Devoted wives are considered as pure as the holy Ganga; merely by their sight, everything becomes pure. The relationship between husband and wife is unbreakable. The husband is Pranava, and the wife is the Vedic verses. One is penance, and the other is forgiveness. The fruit of good deeds done by the wife is the husband. [Music] O Girijanandini, in the scriptures, devoted wives are described in four types: Uttama, Madhya, Nikrishta, and Ati Nikrishta. These are the classifications of devoted wives. Women who, even in dreams, only remember their husband are called Uttama devoted wives. Women who see every man as a father, brother, and son are called Madhya devoted wives. She who fears dharma and societal shame in her mind and therefore always follows dharma is called Nikrishta devoted wife. The woman who stays away from adultery out of fear of her husband or fear of the family's disgrace is called Ati Nikrishta devoted wife. These four types of devoted wives are said to be pure, holy, and destroyers of all sins. Muni Atri's wife, Anasuya, by the power of her marital devotion, turned the Trimurti Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva into infants. Not only this, but she also revived a dead Brahmin with the power of her chastity. O Girijanandini, I have told you all the characteristics and qualities of a devoted wife. Now you should act accordingly. Consider your husband's every command as supreme and follow it. By keeping the husband happy, all desired fruits are obtained. You are the form of Jagadamba, and your husband is Lord Shiva himself. There is no benefit in telling you all this because you already know all this and will follow it perfectly. Merely by thinking of you, women become pure and follow the vow of marital devotion. Therefore, there is no need for me to say anything further. I am confident that by following the excellent vow of marital devotion, you will set an example for other women in the world.' Saying this, the Brahmin wife became silent. Hearing the instruction on the vow of marital devotion from her, Goddess Parvati felt great joy. She joined her hands, bowed to the Brahmin wife, and thanked her for imparting knowledge on the excellent dharma. Goddess Parvati, by her conduct, educated all the assembled family members, stating that no matter how knowledgeable one is, one should respectfully follow their traditions. One who abandaves worldly dharma due to ego earns infamy and misleads their children. Chapter 55: The Farewell of the Wedding Procession and Shiva-Parvati's Residence on Kailash. Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, after the Brahmin woman instructed Goddess Parvati on the vow of marital devotion, she said to Maharani Maina, 'O Maharani, as per your command, I have told your daughter about the vow of marital devotion and its observance. Now you prepare for her farewell.' Devi Maina embraced Parvati tightly and began to cry loudly. Seeing her mother crying like this, tears began to flow from Parvati's eyes. Seeing Parvati and Maina crying, the wives of all the gods and all the women present there became overwhelmed with emotion. Just then, Parvatraj Himalaya, along with his sons Mainak and ministers, arrived there and, due to affection, embraced his daughter Parvati and cried. Girija's mother, sisters-in-law, and all the women present were crying. Then the wise ones, sages, and priests explained to everyone through spiritual knowledge and also told them that the wedding procession should be sent off at the auspicious moment. With the explanation of the sages, the ocean of emotions subsided. Then Parvati, with devotion, touched the feet of her parents, brothers, and gurus and received their blessings, and then began to cry again. Then everyone lovingly consoled her. Shailraj Himalaya ordered a beautiful jewel-studded palanquin for his daughter Parvati to sit in. The Brahmin wives seated her in that palanquin. Everyone gave her many blessings and good wishes. Shailraj Himalaya and Maina gifted her many rare items as presents. Goddess Parvati joined her hands, bowed humbly to everyone, and her palanquin departed from there. Overcome with love, her father Himalaya and brothers also walked along with her palanquin. After some time, they reached the place where Shiva Ji was waiting for them with other wedding guests. Himalaya humbly bowed to Lord Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, and all the esteemed individuals present there and handed over his daughter to Shiva Ji. Thereafter, taking leave from us, they returned to Himalaya Puri. When Shailraj Himalaya returned to his city, we all also proceeded towards Kailash Parvat. After the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati, everyone's happiness knew no bounds. Everyone started moving with enthusiasm. Shiva Ji's attendants were dancing, jumping, singing, playing, and moving towards their lord's most holy abode. I and Sri Hari Vishnu Ji were also happy about Shiva Ji's marriage. Meanwhile, Devaraj Indra's joy knew no bounds. He was thinking that with the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, his troubles and sorrows would surely decrease. He was convinced that soon he and all the gods would be liberated from the terrible Tarakasura. Lord Shiva was also experiencing joy. He had regained his beloved of many births, Parvati, as his wife. Thus, happily immersed in joy, everyone was going towards Kailash Parvat. At that time, flowers were raining from all directions, auspicious sounds were playing, and auspicious songs were being sung. Traveling in this manner, everyone reached Kailash Parvat. Upon reaching there, Lord Shiva said to Parvati, "O Goddess, you have always been my beloved. In a past life, you were separated from me. By the grace of all the gods, today we are reunited. Today, I am very happy to have you seated beside me again. Our union is from birth after birth. Shiva is incomplete without Shiva, and Shiva is incomplete without Shiva. Today I have regained my beloved. Hearing these loving words of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati's face turned red with shyness. Her large, beautiful eyes lowered, and she softly said, "O Lord, I remember every word of yours. In my life, you are everything. Today, by giving me a place at your feet, you have done a great favor. I am blessed to have you as my husband." Hearing the excellent, sweet words of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva smiled. Thereafter, Lord Shiva offered delicious food to all the gods and presented them with beautiful gifts. After eating, all the gods and sages came to Lord Shiva, bowed to him, praised him, and, taking leave from Shiva and Parvati, departed to their respective abodes. Then I and Sri Hari also asked for leave to depart, and Shiva Ji bowed to us. Then I and Vishnu Ji embraced him and blessed him. Then we also went to our respective abodes. After all of us left Kailash Parvat, Lord Shiva happily resided there with his beloved Parvati. Lord Shiva's attendants began to worship Shiva and Parvati with devotion. Narada, in this way, I have narrated to you the complete account of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati. This excellent story destroys sorrow, is full of joy, and increases longevity. The person who reads or listens to this account with a sincere heart every day attains Shivaloka. All diseases are destroyed by this story, and all obstacles and difficulties are removed. This story grants desired objects like fame, sons, grandsons, etc., and also grants liberation. By reading or listening to this story on all auspicious occasions and auspicious events, the fulfillment of all tasks is achieved. There is no doubt about this. This is true. Thus, with the 55th episode, the Parvati Khand of Sri Rudra Samhita was completed. [Music] The Fourth Khand of Sri Rudra Samhita, the Fourth Khand is also called Kumar Khand. The total number of chapters in Kumar Khand is 20. So, let's begin the first chapter of Kumar Khand, Shiva-Parvati's Enjoyment. I bow at the feet of that most venerable Lord Shiva, whose mind is pleased by worship, who is loving and bestows love, who is full of bliss and always fulfills the desires of his devotees, who is wealthy and auspicious, who is the lord of truth itself, who is dear to truth and the giver of truth, whom Brahma and Vishnu always praise, and who assumes a body according to his will. Great sage Narada Ji asked Brahma Ji, "O Brahmin, you are the well-wisher of all gods and beings. O Bhagavan, have mercy on me and tell me, Lord of Lords, the repository of compassion, Lord Shiva, is extremely powerful and capable. Yet, was the purpose for which he married Girijanandini Parvati fulfilled? When and how did he get a son? How was Tarakasura slain? Prabhu, please elaborate on these matters to satisfy my curiosity." Suta Ji says that when Narada Ji asked this, Brahma Ji, with a pleased heart, remembering Lord Shiva, said, "Narada, when Lord Shiva arrived at Kailash Parvat with Goddess Parvati, everyone there celebrated an auspicious festival. Everyone was dancing with joy. Then Lord Shiva offered excellent food to everyone. Then all the gods and sages took leave from him and departed for their respective abodes. After all the gods left Kailash Parvat, Lord Shiva, along with his beloved Parvati, went to an extremely beautiful, divine, and secluded place and enjoyed themselves there with Parvati Ji for thousands of years. In this way, Lord Shiva spent such a long time as if it were a moment. Time was passing at such a rapid pace, but Lord Shiva's son had not yet been born. Knowing this, all the gods became worried in their hearts. Then Devaraj Indra decided to hold a meeting and invited all the gods to Sumeru Parvat. In that meeting, all the gods began to consider why Shiva Ji had not yet produced a son after so much time had passed. They began to think why Shiva Ji was delaying now. At that time, all the gods, including me, Brahma, went to Lord Sri Hari Vishnu and said, 'O Hari, Lord Shiva has been engaged in amorous play for thousands of years. His enjoyment with Parvati Ji is still continuing, but no good news has been received yet.' Then Lord Sri Hari Vishnu smiled and said, 'O gods, do not worry so much about this matter. Shiva Ji himself will desist from this situation according to his will. Anyway, our scriptures mention that whoever causes separation between a man and a woman has to experience this separation themselves in every birth. Therefore, nothing should be done now. Let some more time pass.' After thinking for a while, Sri Hari said again, 'After 1000 years have passed, all of you go to Shiva Ji and devise a plan to somehow cause his seed emission. From that seed, we can get his son. But for now, all of you gods should go to your respective abodes. Let Lord Shiva enjoy with his wife Parvati.' After explaining to all the gods, Sri Hari went to Vaikuntha Dham. After Sri Hari left, all the gods gave up their worries and happily went to their respective abodes. Time passed at its own pace, but Shiva Ji did not have a son. The fear and terror of Tarakasura increased day by day. His life became miserable for the gods, sages, and ordinary humans. The earth trembled with fear of Tarakasura. Then Sri Vishnu Ji called all the gods and asked them to go to Lord Shiva. Then, accompanied by all the gods, Lord Sri Hari and I went to meet Lord Shiva at Kailash Parvat. But Lord Shiva was not on Kailash Parvat. When we asked his attendants about Mahadeva Ji, they told us that Lord Shiva had gone to his temple with Mother Parvati. Then Sri Hari asked the Shiva Ganas for his whereabouts. Thereafter, we all reached the place where the lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, resided with his beloved. Then, upon reaching the door of his residence, all the gods remembered Lord Shiva, bowed to him in their minds, and began to praise him. Chapter 2: Birth of Swami Kartikeya. Brahma Ji said, "O Narada, Lord Shiva is the lord of all, the knower of all subjects. How can anything be hidden from him? Lord Shiva is a great yogi and knows everything. Therefore, by his yogic power, he knew that I, Vishnu Ji, and all the gods had come to his door. Then he became very happy and came to the door to meet us and, accepting our praise, said, 'Why have you all come here together?' Then we explained the purpose of our visit and said, 'O Lord of Gods, repository of compassion, the atrocities of Tarakasura are increasing day by day.'"

The Lords, now, please take action so that we may get liberation from its terror. Hearing these words of the gods, Lord Shiva became sad and, after thinking silently for some time, said, "O gods, I understand your sorrows, but I have a difficult problem: who can bear my Shaktipat? Saying this, he dropped his Shaktipat onto the earth. Then all the gods prayed to Agni Deva to bear the power of Lord Shiva by becoming a pigeon. Accepting the plea of all the gods, Agni Deva assumed the form of a pigeon and absorbed that power within himself. When Lord Shiva did not return to Devi Parvati for a long time, Devi, worried, herself went out to see him. There, when she saw Agni Deva consuming that power, she became angry. At that time, her eyes had turned red with anger. Then Devi Parvati said to Agni Deva, "O wicked Agni Deva, you have consumed the power of my husband, the Lord of the three worlds. Therefore, today I curse you that you are the consumer of all. Whoever comes in contact with you will be instantly destroyed. You yourself will also keep burning in this fire. Devi Parvati left from there after giving this curse to Agni Deva in anger. Shiva also left from there with her. Meanwhile, by the offerings made by all the gods in the fire and by consuming food, etc., that power reached the bodies of all the gods. All the gods were distressed by the heat of that power. Then they all again reached the refuge of Lord Shiva and started praying to him with folded hands, "Lord, free us from this burning. Experiencing the pain of all of us, he told us that to stop the heat and burning of this power, we have to expel it from our bodies through vomiting. Obeying the command of Lord Shiva, all of us gods expelled that power of Shiva from our bodies through vomiting. As soon as it came out, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Mahadev by praising him. But the pain of Agni Deva was not reducing in any way; his heart was burning. Then I advised Agni Deva to go to the refuge of Lord Shiva. Obeying my words, Agni Deva praised the devotee-loving Lord Shiva a lot. Then Shiva became pleased and said, "Tell me, Agni Deva, what do you want to say?" Then Agni Deva bowed to the Lord with folded hands and praised him. After that, he said, "O Lord of Lords, please forgive my offense. I am a great fool that I consumed your power. Forgive me and be pleased with me. O Lord, have mercy on me and free me by reducing the heat of this power." Hearing this, the Lord said to Agni Deva with pleasure, "O Agni Deva, you made a great mistake by consuming that power. You have been suffering the punishment for your actions for a long time, so I forgive you. You should establish this power of mine in a woman's body. Doing so will remove all your troubles." Hearing this, Agni asked again, "Lord, there is no one who can bear your radiance." Just then Narada also arrived there and said to Agni Deva, "Do as Lord Shiva has commanded. Your troubles will be removed by doing so." Then you said to Agni Deva, "In the month of Magha, whichever woman bathes first in Prayag, establish this power in her body." When the month of Magha arrived, in the early morning of Brahma Muhurta, the wives of the Saptarishis first bathed in Prayag. After bathing, when they felt extreme cold, six of them went to Agni to warm themselves. At that very moment, through their pores, particles of Shiva's power came out of Agni and entered their bodies. Then Agni Deva was freed from the pain of burning. In due course, those six Rishipatnis became pregnant. Their husbands, considering them adulterous, abandoned them. Then they all went to the Himalayas and started penance. There, on that mountain, they gave birth to human limbs in many parts. But that mountain could not bear their weight and dropped them into the Ganga. The Ganga joined them, but they could not bear the radiance of that child and carried him away in its waves and left him near a reed forest. That radiant child was born on earth on the sixth day of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Margashirsha. As soon as he arrived on earth, everyone felt joy. The Damru started playing in the sky, and showers of flowers [Music] began.

Chapter Three: Swami Kartikeya and Vishwamitra. Narada said, "O Brahmaji, when that child descended on earth, what happened there and how?" Hearing Narada's question, Brahmaji said, "O Narada, when the Ganga carried that radiant child away near the reed forest, at that very moment, Sage Vishwamitra arrived there. Seeing the radiant face of that child, Vishwamitra was stunned. That child was glowing with divine radiance. Considering him very powerful and strong, Sage Vishwamitra bowed to him and began to praise him. Thereafter, the sage said, "You have appeared here by the will of Lord Shiva. Shiva is the supreme Lord, the supreme Brahman, the supreme soul. Every breath, every creature in this world obeys his command." Hearing such words from Sage Vishwamitra, the child said, "O greatly knowledgeable, profound scholar, Sage Vishwamitra, after my arrival here, you are the first to have arrived. Surely your arrival here is inspired by Lord Shiva's inspiration. Therefore, you perform my naming ceremony according to the rituals. From today, you are my priest and worshipped by me. By being worshipped by me, you will be famous and worshipped in this world." Hearing such words from the child, Sage Vishwamitra, astonished, began to ask the child, "O child, who are you? Tell me about yourself." Hearing his words, the child said, "O Vishwamitra, you have now become a Brahmarshi. Before knowing about me, perform my ceremony." Then Sage Vishwamitra performed the naming ceremony of that wonderful child and named him Kartikeya. As guru dakshina, he bestowed divine knowledge upon the sage. Then I myself went there, took that child in my lap, and kissed him. Thereafter, I gave him powers and weapons. Receiving those wonderful powers, the child became very happy and immediately climbed the mountain. Climbing the mountain, he started to bring down its peaks and destroy its wealth. Seeing this, the demons residing in that place ran to kill that child. Without being afraid of those fierce demons, he drove them all away. The entire universe trembled with their fierce battle. Seeing the universe terrified, all the gods arrived there. King Indra, in anger, struck that child. As a result of this strike, another male named Vishakha was born from the child's body. He struck the child once more, and another very powerful male named Negam was born. In this way, four Skandhas were born from Indra's strikes, who were very brave and strong. Then, in anger, these four Skandhas together ran to kill Indra, the king of heaven. Seeing this, Indra got scared and hid somewhere to save his life. While searching for them, that child reached their abode, heaven. At that time, when the child reached heaven and was searching for King Indra, six Krittikas were bathing in a beautiful lake. Seeing that beautiful, charming child, they ran to love him and play with him in their laps and brought him. Then those Krittikas loved the little child very much, and then they started fighting among themselves to feed him milk. Then that child, with six faces, breastfed all the mothers. Then they happily took the child to their world and raised him.

Chapter Four: The Search for Kartikeya. Brahmaji said, "In this way, those Krittikas took that divine child to their world. Reaching there, they adorned the child with beautiful clothes and ornaments and raised him with great affection. When a long time passed, one day Parvatiji asked her husband Shiva, "O Lord, you are the Lord of all, worshipped by all beings, everyone meditates on you. Lord, I want to ask you something." Then the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, smiled and said, "Devi, ask what you want to ask." Then Devi Parvati said, "Lord, where did your power that fell on earth go?" Hearing Devi Parvati's words, Shiva remembered Vishnu, me, and all the gods and sages. Knowing that Lord Shiva had summoned us, we all immediately went to Kailash Parvat. Reaching there, we bowed to Mahadevji and Devi Parvati with folded hands and praised them. Then Lord Shiva said, "O gods, tell me, where is my infallible power? Tell me quickly, otherwise I will punish you for this." Hearing these words of Lord Shiva, all the gods trembled with fear. Then they told Shiva and Parvati in detail everything that had happened regarding where that power had gone. Then they also told them that the six Krittikas had taken that child with them to their world and were raising him. Hearing this, Shiva and Devi Parvati were very pleased. Both were very eager to see their son. Then Shiva ordered his Ganas to bring back that child from the Krittikas. Obeying the command of Lord Shiva, his brave and strong Ganas, Kshetrapal and Bhut Pret Ganas, numbering in millions, set out in search of Shiva's son. Then, reaching there, they surrounded the house of the Krittikas. Seeing this, the Krittikas became distressed with fear. Then the Krittikas said to their son Kartikeya, "We are surrounded by innumerable armies from all sides. Now we have to find a way to escape." Hearing this, Swami Kartikeya smiled and said, "O mothers, you have no need to fear. Your son is with you. As long as I am here, no enemy can enter this house. Mothers, do not consider me unfit by seeing my child form. I am capable of defeating all of them." Before Kartikeya could harm the armies of the Ganas, Nandishwar came and stood before them and said, "O mothers, O brother, I have been sent here by Lord Shiva, the destroyer of the world. The purpose of my coming here is not to harm anyone. I have only come to take you with me. At this time, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, the Trimurti, are waiting for you at Kailash Parvat and are worried about you. You should come to earth with us soon. You are completely unaware of the purpose of your birth. Your birth is only to slay the demon king Tarakasur. Therefore, come with us. There, in the earthly realm, along with all the gods, Lord Shiva himself will perform your consecration, and all the gods will bestow their divine powers and weapons upon you." Hearing this, Kartikeya said, "If you have been sent here to me by Lord Shiva, then I will definitely go with you to see him. O father, this is the art of the yogini nature; they are known by the name Krittika. They have raised me so far. Therefore, they are my mothers, and I am their devoted son." Then Swami Kartikeya, with folded hands, asked the Krittikas for permission to go with Nandishwar. The mothers gave them their blessings and granted them permission to leave.

Chapter Five: The Consecration of Kumar. Brahmaji said, "When Kartikeya left from there with permission from his mothers, the Krittikas, to go to Lord Shiva, a beautiful chariot made by Vishwakarma, the architect of the gods, was waiting for him at the gate. That chariot was divine and fast-moving. That chariot was sent for him by his mother Parvati. His attendants were standing near that chariot. Kartikeya, with a sad heart, began to climb onto that chariot. Just then, his mothers ran, crying, embraced him, and said, "Son, what will we do without you? Son, we love you very much. It is impossible for us to live here without you. Come back soon." Saying this, they embraced Kartikeya to their hearts and, with heavy hearts, gave him permission to leave, crying. Then Kartikeya imparted spiritual knowledge to the Krittikas. Thereafter, Kartikeya sat in that divine, beautiful chariot, and it carried him away. Moving at high speed through the celestial path, the chariot stopped at Kailash Parvat. Then the Shiva Ganas went to Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati and gave them the auspicious news of Kartikeya's arrival. Hearing about their arrival, Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati became very pleased. Thereafter, Lord Shiva, along with me, Vishnu, Devi Parvati, and other gods, reached the place where Kartikeya's chariot had stopped. Everyone was very eager to see that child born from the Ganga. As all the gods were coming to meet Kartikeya, at that time, conches and trumpets began to blow in all four directions. All the Shiva Ganas, dancing, singing, and chanting his victory, proceeded to see the son of their beloved Lord Shiva. Reaching there, everyone became very happy. Lord Shiva lovingly seated the child in his lap. Then Devi Parvati also loved the child very much. Lord Shiva brought a beautiful jeweled throne for the child and seated the child on that throne. Thereafter, Lord Shiva bathed the child with water brought from all the holy places, purified by Vedic mantras. Being nurtured by the six Krittikas, that divine child came to be known by the name Kartikeya. After bathing with the holy waters of the holy places, all the gods bestowed various priceless objects, knowledge, and wonderful powers upon Kartikeya. Then, first of all, Devi Parvati embraced her son to her heart and blessed him with longevity. Mother Lakshmi adorned the child with a divine, beautiful necklace. Then Devi Savitri bestowed all the Siddhis and Vidhis upon him. Then Shri Vishnu bestowed upon him a jeweled crown, armlets, the Vaijayanti garland, and his Sudarshana Chakra. Lord Shiva happily presented his son Kartikeya with the Shula, Pinaka, bow, arrow, Shakti, Pashupastra, arrow, Sangharastra, and other supreme divine objects. Then I, Brahma, bestowed the sacred thread, the Vedas, Mother Gayatri, the Kamandalu, the Brahmastra, and the knowledge to destroy enemies. King Indra bestowed his vehicle, the Airavat elephant, and the Vajra. The god of wind, Varuna, bestowed a white umbrella and jeweled garlands. The Sun God bestowed a fast-moving chariot that moved as fast as the mind and a protective armor for the body. Yama bestowed the Danda, and the god of the ocean gifted him the Amrita. The lord of immense wealth, Kubera, gave him the Gada. In this way, all the gods bestowed numerous weapons and gifts upon Lord Shiva's son Kartikeya. All the gods and Shiva Ganas greeted him. At this time, a great festival began there. Waves of joy spread all around.

Chapter Six: The Wonderful Character of Kartikeya. Brahmaji said, "Narada, thus receiving blessings from all the desired ones, Kumar Kartikeya became very happy. He thanked all the gods. Thereafter, he sat on his throne. Just then, a Brahmin came running there. That Brahmin bowed to Kartikeya and caught his feet and said, "O Lord, I have come to your refuge. Please have mercy on me and remove my suffering." Then Kartikeya picked up the Brahmin and, seating him respectfully near him, asked the reason for his sorrow. Then that Brahmin said, "O Lord, I am performing an Ashwamedha Yajna, but today my horse has broken its bonds and gone somewhere. O Lord, have mercy on me and find my horse as soon as possible, otherwise my Yajna will be disrupted." Saying this, the Brahmin again caught Kartikeya's feet and started crying and pleading. Crying, he said, "You are the Lord of the entire universe, you are always ready to serve everyone, you are the Lord of all gods, and the son of the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva." Hearing the praise offered by that Brahmin, Kumar Kartikeya became very pleased. Then he summoned his brave and strong chief Gana, Virabahu, and ordered him to find that horse as soon as possible and to complete the Yajna according to the rituals. Then Virabahu bowed to Kartikeya and set out to find the Brahmin's horse. He searched for that horse everywhere on earth. According to the information given by each person, Virabahu searched everywhere, but he was unsuccessful. Then he went to the abode of Lord Vishnu, Vaikuntha Dham, to search for that horse. Reaching there, Virabahu saw that a horse had caused great terror in Vishnu's abode. That horse was causing a lot of disturbance in Vishnu's abode. Kumar Kartikeya's Gana, Virabahu, immediately captured that horse and brought it to his master Kartikeya. Then Swami Kartikeya, taking the burden of the entire world, sat on that horse and ordered it to circumambulate the entire three worlds. That wonderful horse returned after circumambulating the three worlds in just one moment. Then Kumar Kartikeya dismounted from that horse and sat on his seat again. Then that Brahmin, with folded hands, thanked Kartikeya and said to him, "Lord, hand over this horse to me so that I can complete my Yajna." Then Kartikeya smiled and said, "O Brahmin, this horse is excellent, and it is not worthy of being killed. Therefore, do not ask to take it with you. I grant you the boon that your Yajna will be completed. With my blessings, your Yajna will surely be successful."

Chapter Seven: Lord Shiva Entrusts Kartikeya. Brahmaji said, "O Narada, seeing the wonderful valor of his son Kartikeya, Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati became very pleased. Then, along with all the gods, Shri Hari Vishnu, King Indra, and I also became very happy and said to Lord Shiva, "O Lord of Lords, Lord, you are the supreme Lord, omniscient. All events in the world happen by your will. You know that according to the boon given by Brahmaji to the demon king Tarakasur, only Shiva's son is capable of killing him. Therefore, Kumar Kartikeya was born. Lord, to remove our sorrows and make our lives happy, please command your son Kartikeya to slay Tarakasur." Saying this, all the gods began to praise Lord Shiva. Then Lord Shiva's heart was moved by all our prayers. He accepted our prayers and handed over his son Kumar Kartikeya to the gods. Then Lord Shiva commanded his son Kartikeya to lead the vast army of the gods and slay Tarakasur to remove the sorrows and calamities of the gods. Obeying this command of his father, Lord Shiva, Swami Kartikeya became very pleased. Then, with folded hands, he bowed to his mother Parvati and father Mahadevji and said, "O mother, O father, bless me with victory." Hearing this, Lord Shiva smiled and said, "Kumar, you will surely be victorious in this first battle by slaying your fierce enemy Tarakasur. Our blessings are always with you." Meanwhile, Devi Parvati's heart began to ache upon hearing that her beloved son was going to war. Due to maternal affection, tears welled up in her eyes. She became very sad and said, "O Lord, O Lord of Lords, my son Kartikeya is still very young, and Tarakasur is very powerful and strong. That wicked one has defeated all the gods with his wickedness. When even the gods, who are masters of so many powers, could not harm him, how can my little son defeat him? My heart does not permit me to send Kartikeya to war. I want to keep my son with me." Hearing these words, Lord Shiva, along with all the gods, became worried. Then Mahadevji, explaining to Devi Parvati, said, "O Devi, O Shiva, why are you behaving like ordinary women? Being our son, he is very powerful and a brave warrior. The gods have bestowed all their powers upon him. Kartikeya's victory is certain. The birth of Kartikeya is a symbol of the slaying of Tarakasur. Do not worry unnecessarily and happily send your son to slay Tarak." Hearing such words from Lord Shiva, Devi Parvati was greatly satisfied, and she gave Kartikeya permission to go to war. Then the fear of all the gods was removed, and a wave of happiness spread among them.

Chapter Eight: The Beginning of the War. Brahmaji said, "Narada, when Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva gave Kumar Kartikeya the command to lead the war, all the gods became very pleased and proceeded together towards that mountain. Chanting loudly, they moved forward. At that time, Kartikeya was leading the army at the forefront. All the gods were thinking that now they would be freed from the trouble called Tarakasur. When Tarakasur learned that the gods had completed their preparations for war, Tarakasur also immediately declared war. Taking his vast four-part army, he also advanced towards the gods, roaring loudly. Seeing the army of demons, the gods were frightened for a moment. At that very moment, a voice from the sky said, "O gods, you are going to war under the leadership of Shiva's son Kartikeya, so you will surely win. Tarakasur will surely be killed by Kartikeya's hands." Hearing that voice from the sky, the enthusiasm of all the gods increased, and their fear vanished. At that time, the sound of Dundubhi and various other musical instruments echoed in the sky. Then the gods and demons reached the confluence of the earth and the ocean to fight. A great and terrible war broke out between the two sides. The earth itself trembled with the fierce roar of the war. Kartikeya, the son of Shiva, was leading the army of the gods. Behind him was the vast army of the gods, including King Indra. Kartikeya was then riding the Airavat elephant of King Indra. Then he left that elephant and sat in a beautiful chariot adorned with jewels. On that beautiful chariot, Pracheta held a beautiful umbrella. Sitting in that beautiful chariot, Kartikeya looked very unique and radiant. At that very moment, a terrible war began between the gods and the demons. The earth trembled and turned into pieces and fragments in a moment. Thousands of soldiers fighting with valor were cut and wounded and fell to the ground. Rivers of blood flowed everywhere. Seeing such a terrible sight, many ghosts, spirits, and jackals came there to eat the flesh and drink the blood. Just then, the mighty Tarakasur attacked the gods with his vast army. Many gods, including King Indra, tried very hard to stop him, but they failed, and Tarakasur advanced, roaring terribly. There was a terrible noise all around. While attacking, the soldiers were making loud noises with their mouths as they advanced. The war between the gods and the demons had taken a terrible form. There was great chaos. Thereafter, the gods and the demon king Tarakasur's demon hosts began to fight duels. Killing each other, they considered themselves very powerful. They attacked each other with full force; some broke each other's hands, and some broke their legs. Both armies considered themselves valiant.

Chapter Nine: The Valor of Tarakasur. Brahmaji said, "Narada, in this way, a very destructive war began between the gods and the demons. Tarakasur, using his special power, injured King Indra. Similarly, the brave and strong demons of the demon army caused great damage to the army of the gods. They defeated many Lokapalas in battle and drove away the gods by beating them. Seeing the demon soldiers overpowering the gods, the demons rejoiced and roared terribly. Then Virabhadra, fighting on behalf of the gods, became angry and approached Tarakasur. The demon surrounded Virabhadra from all sides. They used weapons like noose, sword, spear, and pattisa against each other. Gods and demons fought entangled with each other. Just then, Virabhadra, on behalf of the gods, began to fight Tarakasur. Virabhadra attacked Tarakasur with full force and injured him with the strike of his trident. Wounded, Tarak fell to the ground, but in the next moment, he recovered himself and resumed fighting Virabhadra. The great Karti Tarak, after injuring Virabhadra with fierce blows, drove him away from there. Thereafter, he made the gods fighting there the target of his anger. Tarak began to rain his arrows upon the gods. The gods were terrified by this sudden rain of arrows from Tarakasur. Then Shri Hari Vishnu himself came to fight Tarakasur. Shri Hari struck Tarakasur with his mace, splitting him into two pieces with poisonous arrows. Then, in anger, Vishnu raised his Sharanga bow and advanced to kill Tarak. Just then, Tarak attacked and knocked him down. So Vishnu, in anger, threw his Sudarshana Chakra. Narada, then I went to Kumar Kartikeya and told him that according to the boon given by me, Tarakasur will be killed only by your holy hands. Therefore, no god can harm Tarak in any way." Hearing this, Kartikeya got down from his chariot and ran to kill Tarak on foot. In his hand was his Shakti, which shone like flames, appearing like a meteor. Seeing the six-faced Kumar Kartikeya, Tarakasur said, "Gods, is this the child, your brave and valiant Kumar, who destroys enemies in a moment?" Saying this, Tarakasur roared with laughter and said, "I will kill all of you along with this child. You will get this child killed by my hands." Saying this, roaring terribly, he turned towards Kumar Kartikeya and said, "O child, these foolish gods are needlessly making you a scapegoat. But I am not so cruel as to strike an innocent child without any offense. So, go, run away, I spare your life." By denouncing King Indra and Lord Shri Vishnu, all the merit of Tarak's penance was destroyed. Just then, Indra struck him with his Vajra, causing him to fall to the ground. Then, after a short while, Tarakasur stood up again with full enthusiasm and injured King Indra with his fierce attack and struck him with his foot. Seeing this, the gods became frightened and started running here and there. Just then, Shri Hari Vishnu, to handle the situation, threw his Sudarshana Chakra at Tarakasur. The Chakra struck Tarakasur down, but Tarakasur was not one to give up so easily. He stood up again with all his might. Then, taking his fierce Shakti in his hand, he challenged Lord Vishnu and injured him with his fierce attack. Vishnu fell to the ground, unconscious. Seeing this scene, a commotion arose among all the gods. Everyone started running here and there to save their lives. The entire army became scattered. Seeing this, Virabhadra attacked Tarakasur. He raised his trident and struck Tarakasur, causing Tarakasur to fall to the ground. But at the same moment, he got up, injured Virabhadra with his Shakti, made him unconscious, and started laughing loudly.

Chapter Ten: The Slaying of Tarakasur. Brahmaji said, "Narada, seeing all this, Kumar Kartikeya became very angry with Tarakasur and, remembering the holy feet of his parents, Lord Shiva and Parvati, advanced with his innumerable Ganas to kill Tarakasur. Seeing this, a wave of enthusiasm spread among all the gods, and they joyfully chanted victory for Kartikeya. The sages praised Kumar Kartikeya with their words. Thereafter, a terrible and fierce battle ensued between Tarakasur and Kartikeya. Both the supreme heroes and the strong ones attacked each other fiercely. Both used various tactics. The battle between Kartikeya and Tarakasur was also fought with mantras. Both used their full strength and might to kill each other. In this terrible battle, both were getting injured. The war was becoming terrible. All the gods, Gandharvas, and sages sat and watched that terrible war. That wonderful war spontaneously became the center of everyone's attraction. The wind forgot to blow, the sun's rays stopped, and even all the mountains, seeing this war, became extremely frightened. They immediately came to protect the son of Shiv-Parvati. Seeing this, Kartikeya said, "O mountains, do not worry. Today, I will kill this great sinner in front of everyone and free you from fear." While Kartikeya was engrossed in talking to the mountains, at that very moment, Tarak, taking his Shakti in his hand, attacked them. Due to the impact of that Shakti's strike, Shiva's son Kartikeya fell to the ground. But in the next moment, he stood up again with his full might and prepared to fight. Kartikeya, in his mind, bowed to his parents Parvatiji and Lord Shiva and took their blessings. Then, with his powerful Shakti, he struck Tarakasur on the chest. Due to that blow, Tarakasur's body was torn apart and fell to the ground. In front of everyone's eyes, that mighty demon was destroyed in a moment. As the mighty Tarakasur was killed, cheers of victory for Kartikeya echoed all around. All the gods were very pleased by the slaying of Tarakasur. Then, knowing their king Tarakasur to be dead, a terrible commotion arose in the vast army of the demons. To save their lives, all the demons were running here and there. The gods together struck down all the demons. Some demons ran away, abandoning the battlefield out of fear, while many demons and Rakshasas came to the refuge of Kumar Kartikeya with folded hands and asked for forgiveness. Then Kumar lovingly forgave them and ordered those demons to go to the underworld forever. In this way, with the slaying of Tarakasur, his entire army was destroyed in a moment. Seeing this, King Indra, along with all the gods and the beings of the world, was filled with joy. The entire universe was immersed in happiness. As soon as the news of Kumar Kartikeya's victory reached Lord Shiva and Parvati, they immediately arrived at the battlefield with their Ganas. Shri Parvatiji embraced her beloved son to her heart and, seating him in her lap, kissed him for a long time. Just then, King Himalaya also arrived there and praised his daughter Parvati, Lord Shiva, and Kartikeya. Showers of flowers rained upon them from all four directions. Auspicious sounds echoed everywhere. His victory was being chanted everywhere. The lord of the gods, King Indra, along with his fellow gods, praised Kumar Kartikeya with folded hands. Thereafter, Lord Shiva, along with his wife Parvati and the Shiva Ganas, returned to Kailash Parvat.

Chapter Eleven: The Slaying of Banasur and Prahladasur. Brahmaji said, "Narada, when Tarakasur was killed by Kumar Kartikeya, a wave of happiness spread among all the gods, sages, and common people. Everyone was happy. All the gods together praised Kartikeya with devotion. Just then, a mountain named Krauncha came sadly to Kartikeya. That Krauncha was being tormented by a demon named Banasur. He stood before Kumar with folded hands and praised Swami Kartikeya with devotion. Thereafter, he said, "O Lord, Banasur is causing me great suffering. Please protect me from him." Then Kartikeya, pleased by the praise of King Krauncha, consoled Krauncha. When King Krauncha became calm, Kumar Kartikeya, to free him from his sorrows and sufferings, remembered Lord Shiva and released a wonderful Shakti from there. Kumar Kartikeya used this Shakti against that wicked demon Banasur. Then that Shakti quickly returned to Kartikeya after burning the demon king Banasur. When this Shakti returned to him, he said to Krauncha, "O King Krauncha, now you have no need to fear the demon named Banasur. I have killed Banasur and solved this problem of yours forever. Therefore, now leave your fear and be fearless forever. Now depart happily towards your home." Upon receiving the news of freedom from the fear of Banasur, King Krauncha became very happy and praised Kartikeya with devotion. Thereafter, he took leave of them and proceeded towards his home. Upon reaching there, Krauncha established three Shiva Lingas of Lord Shiva for the pleasure of his master Kartikeya. These three Shiva Lingas named Pratikeshwar, Kapaleshwar, and Kumareswar are world-famous and living examples of people's faith and devotion. These Shiva Lingas bestow Siddhi and are included among the 16 great Jyotirlingas. After King Krauncha returned to his place, the guru of the gods, Brihaspati, said to Kumar Kartikeya, "Kumar, you were brought here by the gods, by the command of Shiva and Parvati, to slay the mighty Tarakasur. This desired task has been accomplished. Therefore, you should now return to Kailash Parvat." Brihaspati's words were not even complete when the demon named Prahladasur, who was very...

The uproar began, and people started to suffer. Then, Shiva's son, Kumod, came to Kumar Kartikeya in a distressed state. Upon arriving, Kumod praised Kartikeya and said, "O Lord, I have come to your refuge. O son of Girija, free me from the torment of Pral Sur." Then, Kumar Kartikeya, with pleasure, destroyed Pral Sur with his power to free Kumod from the suffering caused by Pral Sur. Believing that Pral Sur, along with his companions, was dead, his remaining son Kumod praised Kartikeya greatly and went to his abode, Patala.

Chapter 12: Kartikeya's Journey to Kailash

Brahma said, "O Narada, after Kartikeya thus incinerated the demon king Banasur and Prabha Sur, all the gods joyfully praised Kartikeya. The gods said, 'O divine one, we bow to you, the vanquisher of the demon king Tarak. O son of Shankar, O son of Girija, you have destroyed the demons named Balasar and Prabha Sur, thereby removing the troubles of the three worlds. Your devotion is pure, and your form destroys obstacles and grants fearlessness. We all praise you with a pure heart. Accept our praise. O Kumar, we hope that you will always help us in removing our troubles and difficulties in this manner.'"

Hearing this unique praise from the gods, Kumar Kartikeya's heart was filled with joy. He happily granted excellent boons to all the gods and promised to always help them in the future. Pleased by the praise from the mountains, Kartikeya said, "O mountain dwellers, you have always been excellent and superior. From today, you will be worshipped by all saints and seekers engrossed in penance. My maternal grandfather, Himalaya, the best of mountains, will prove to be a bestower of fruits for these knowledgeable and ascetic beings."

Shri Hari Vishnu said, "O Kumar, by slaying the mighty Tarak, you have brought happiness to this moving and unmoving world. Now, you should also fulfill your duty as a son. Now, you should go to your parents, Lord Shiva and Parvati, on Mount Kailash to please them." Thereafter, Kumar, along with all the gods, boarded a divine chariot and proceeded towards Mount Kailash to meet his parents. They reached Lord Shiva with joyous sounds. Vishnu and all the gods bowed to the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, and praised him. Kumar Kartikeya also bowed to his parents with devotion. Lord Shiva, with pleasure, kissed his son's face and showed great affection. Goddess Parvati sat Kumod on her lap and kissed him dearly. Seeing this, all the gods rejoiced and cheered for Shiva, Parvati, and Kartikeya. Thereafter, Shri Hari Vishnu and I, along with all the gods, sought permission from the divine lord Shiva and departed to our respective abodes. Then, Lord Shiva, along with his beloved Goddess Parvati and son Kartikeya, happily resided on Kailash.

Chapter 13: Parvati's Creation of Ganesha

Suta said, "Hearing the excellent deeds of Kumar Kartikeya, Narada was very pleased and joyfully said to Brahma, 'O Creator, you are an unfathomable ocean of knowledge and know everything about the compassionate Lord Shiva. You have greatly blessed me by recounting the nectar-like deeds of your Shiva son, Swami Kartikeya. O Lord, now I wish to know about Shri Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles. Please enlighten me with all the details of his divine deeds and his origin, and thus make me fulfilled.' Hearing these excellent words of the best of sages, Narada, Brahma joyfully said, 'Narada, you wish to hear the story of Ganesha's origin. Therefore, for your pleasure, I will tell you about his birth.'

Once upon a time, two of Goddess Parvati's friends, Jaya and Vijaya, who always stayed with her, came to her and said, 'O friend, here on Mount Kailash, there are innumerable ganas of Lord Shiva. They always happily obey Lord Shiva's commands. They always consider Lord Shiva's command as supreme. Therefore, you should also create a special gana for yourself, for whom your command will be supreme, and who will not bow before anyone else.' Although Parvati liked her friends' suggestion for a moment, the next moment she said, 'What is the difference between me and my husband? We are one, and all the Shiva ganas consider no difference between me and Sadashiva. They always obey both our commands.' Hearing these words of Parvati, her friends said nothing further and left.

One day, Goddess Parvati was bathing in her chamber. She had appointed Nandi as the doorkeeper and placed him at the door. Just then, Lord Shiva entered the chamber because Nandi could not stop his beloved Shiva from entering. Goddess Parvati felt great shame at that time. After this incident, Parvati remembered the suggestion given by her friends. Then she thought, 'I should also have a servant who is efficient and always obeys my commands, and never deviates from his duty.' Thinking this, she created a perfect child with auspicious signs from the dirt of her body. That child was beautiful, mighty, powerful, and handsome. Parvati adorned him with beautiful clothes and ornaments and gave him many blessings. Parvati said, 'You are my son. Your name is Ganesha.' Hearing these words, the radiant child Ganesha said, 'O mother, O mother, today you have given birth to me in this world. From today, I am your son. I bow to you repeatedly. What is my duty now? Tell me, and I will surely fulfill it.' Then Goddess Parvati said, 'O son Ganesha, from today, you become my doorkeeper. My command is that no one should enter my palace without my permission. No matter how insistent they are, do not let them in.' Saying this, Parvati handed a stick to Ganesha and, kissing his face lovingly, went inside to bathe.

Ganesha vigilantly stood guard at the palace entrance with the stick in his hand. At that time, Lord Shiva came to the palace wishing to meet Goddess Parvati. When he reached the door, Ganesha said to him, 'O divine one, my mother is bathing inside at this time. Therefore, you should leave from here and come later.' Saying this, he held the stick in front of Lord Shiva. Since Ganesha had never seen Lord Shiva before, he did not recognize him. Seeing this, Lord Shiva became angry and said, 'O fool, you are stopping me from entering. Do you not know who I am? I am Shiva. I am Parvati's husband, and I am going to my own home.' Saying this, as Lord Shiva moved forward, Ganesha struck him with the stick. Seeing this, Lord Shiva became enraged. He ordered his ganas to remove Ganesha from there and stood outside himself.

Chapter 14: Ganesha's Dispute with Shiva's Ganas

Brahma said, "O Narada, upon receiving the command of Lord Shiva, the Shiva ganas reached the door and asked Shri Ganesha, who was acting as the doorkeeper, to move away from there. But when Ganesha flatly refused to move and scolded the Shiva ganas, they also started fighting with Ganesha and said, 'O foolish child, if you want to save your life, then leave the palace door right now and go away from here, otherwise be prepared to be punished.' Seeing this, Ganesha became angry and sternly told the Shiva ganas, 'Go away from here right now, or be prepared to face my wrath.' Hearing Ganesha's words, the Shiva ganas started laughing. Then, scolding the doorkeeper Shri Ganesha, they said, 'Fool, we are the ganas of Lord Shiva, and we are asking you to move away from here at his command. Until now, we were letting you go considering you a child, but you are a very stubborn child who is not ready to listen at all. You are still saying to move away from here quickly, or you will be killed.' Hearing these words of the Shiva ganas, Ganesha became extremely angry. He scolded and threatened the Shiva ganas and chased them away. Frightened by his scolding, the Shiva ganas fled from there and returned to Lord Shiva. Upon reaching there, those Shiva ganas told their lord, Lord Shiva, everything. Hearing this, Lord Shiva became angry and ordered his ganas to remove Shri Ganesha from the door. The Shiva ganas again reached the door and asked Ganesha to move away. But Ganesha flatly refused to move from there. Ganesha fearlessly told those ganas, 'I am the son of Parvati, and you are the ganas of Lord Shiva. Both of us are performing our duties in our respective places. You want to remove me from the door by obeying Shiva's command, but I, obeying my mother's command, cannot allow anyone to enter this door without her permission. Therefore, do not repeatedly ask me to move away from the door and go inform your beloved lord about this.' Then the Shiva ganas went to Lord Shiva and informed him of all the matters. Lord Shiva is a great player of divine sports, and it is extremely difficult to understand his words. Hearing this, he said to his ganas, 'That little child is scaring you all alone, and you, being so many in number, are afraid of him? Go, fight with him, capture him, remove him from the front of the door, and then come before me.'

Chapter 15: Ganesha's Battle with Shiva's Ganas

Brahma said, "O Narada, when Lord Shiva thus commanded his ganas to remove the gana standing at the door in any way, the Shiva ganas fearlessly returned to the palace door. Seeing them, Ganesha started laughing and said, 'You have come again. I just explained to you that I am not going to move from here. My mother Parvati created me precisely so that I could obey her every command. Her command is supreme for me. Disobeying her is not within my power. You are coming here repeatedly to trouble me like this.' Then the Shiva ganas said, 'O fool, this time we have not come to ask you politely, because those who are stubborn cannot be reasoned with. Now we have come to punish you for your insolence.' Saying this, all the Shiva ganas, adorned with various weapons, attacked Ganesha. A terrible battle ensued between Ganesha and the Shiva ganas. But seeing Ganesha's courage and valor, all the Shiva ganas were stunned. None of Shiva's ganas could defeat Ganesha. Ganesha alone wounded and injured many Shiva ganas, forcing them to flee. Thereafter, he firmly stood guard at the palace door again. Then all the Shiva ganas, in an injured state, reached Shiva and told him everything. 'O Narada, at that time, I and Shri Hari also reached Kailash to see Lord Shiva. Seeing Lord Shiva worried like this, we asked him the reason for his distress. Then Shiva said, 'O Creator, O Vishnu, a child is standing at the door of my palace with a stick in his hand, and he is not letting me enter the palace. Therefore, I am standing here. He has also beaten my ganas and chased them away. O Brahma, you go and explain to that child.' Then, by Lord Shiva's command, I went to explain to Ganesha. Seeing me arrive there, Ganesha's anger increased further, and he ran to hit me. He tore out my beard and mustache and tormented the ganas who accompanied me. Seeing this, I returned from there. I told Lord Shiva everything. Hearing this, he became very angry. Then Shiva sent all the gods, including Indra, and all the ghosts and goblins to remove Ganesha from the door. But all this was in vain. Ganesha beat everyone and chased them away. That little child defeated the vast army of the gods. When this news reached Mahadeva, he became very angry and set out himself to punish Ganesha.

Chapter 16: The Beheading of Ganesha

Brahma said, "O best of sages, Narada, when all the Shiva ganas, gods, and ghosts and goblins were defeated by that child, Lord Shiva himself set out to punish that child. There, Ganesha, after bowing at his mother's feet, began to fight with Lord Shiva. Seeing such a fearless child fighting, Lord Shiva was astonished. Seeing such a brave, valorous, and courageous child, Shiva felt pleased for a moment, but then the next moment he remembered the child's insolence. That child had tormented his beloved devotees and ganas, as well as the king of gods, Indra, and me. Lord Shiva, overcome with anger, began to fight with Ganesha. He picked up his bow. Seeing Lord Shiva approaching him thus, Ganesha, remembering his mother Parvati, struck Shiva with his Shakti. Shiva's bow broke and fell from his hand due to Ganesha's strike. Then he picked up the Pinaka, but Ganesha also dropped it. Seeing this, Shiva's anger reached its peak. He picked up the trident. Now, a very terrible battle ensued between Ganesha and the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is the supreme being, superior to all gods, and a divine player. His illusion is not understandable by anyone. He is a great hero and valorous. Challenging his power is like inviting one's own death. But Ganesha did not understand this. Receiving his mother's blessings, Ganesha, considering himself invincible, fought with full valor. A fierce battle continued between them. I, along with all the gods and Shiva ganas, watched that battle in amazement. When Ganesha refused to back down from his stubbornness in any way, all limits of Lord Shiva's anger were broken, and he severed Shri Ganesha's head with his trident.

Chapter 17: Parvati's Anger and Ganesha's Revival

Narada said, "O Brahma, when Lord Shiva, in anger, severed the head of Goddess Parvati's beloved son Ganesha, what happened then? When Goddess Parvati received the news of Ganesha's death, what did she do? O Lord, have mercy on me and tell me about the subsequent events." Hearing Narada's question, Brahma smiled and said, "Narada, as soon as Lord Shiva, in anger, severed the child's head and killed him, all the Shiva ganas present there were overjoyed. They all played music with joy, and a great celebration took place there. Everyone danced in ecstasy. Cheers for Lord Shiva were heard all around. On the other hand, when Parvati finished bathing, she sent her friend outside to call Ganesha inside. When she went outside, she was terrified by the scene she witnessed. Ganesha's severed head lay separately, and the torso separately. All the gods and Shiva ganas were dancing with joy. Seeing this scene, Parvati's friend ran inside and informed Parvati of all these matters. Upon receiving the news of her son Ganesha's death, Goddess Parvati became extremely angry. She started crying and said, 'Alas, what should I do? Where should I go? I could not even protect my son. All the gods and Shiva ganas together have killed my beloved son. Now I will destroy those who killed my son. I will cause destruction!' Saying this, she created one hundred thousand Shaktis, and in no time, a vast army of Mother Jagadamba gathered there. As soon as the Shaktis appeared, they bowed to Parvati with folded hands and said, 'O mother, O divine one, what is the reason for creating us all like this? Command us, what should we do?' Then, Goddess Parvati, red with anger, said, 'You all go and destroy those who killed my son. Cause destruction in the army of the gods.' Upon receiving the command, that powerful army of Goddess Parvati departed from there. Going outside, they attacked the gods and Shiva ganas. Those angry goddesses would catch some gods and put them in their mouths, or strike others with weapons. In this way, they caused great terror there. Chaos erupted everywhere. People ran helter-skelter to save their lives. Seeing this spectacle, Lord Shiva, I, and Shri Hari Vishnu became very worried. We thought that if these divine powers were not stopped, the gods would be annihilated in an instant, and destruction would befall this earth. Everyone started thinking about how to stop this destructive play. Narada, at that time, came and said that only Goddess Parvati could stop this destruction. For this, it is necessary to praise her and please her, and somehow calm her anger. All the gods liked your idea very much, but everyone was terrified of Goddess Parvati's anger, and no one had the courage to face her. They all pushed you forward. We all went inside the palace to Parvati. All the gods together started praising the Goddess and said, 'O Jagadambe, O Dikke, we all bow to you. You are the primordial energy, you are the most powerful. You have created this world. You are nature. When pleased, you grant desired fruits, while when angered, you take everything away. O divine one, we beg for forgiveness for our offense. Forgive all our offenses and calm your anger. O Mahamaya, we bow our heads at your feet. O mother, cast your merciful glance upon us. O supreme goddess, forget everything, become pleased, and stop the terrible bloodshed!' Hearing the praise of the gods, the Goddess remained silent. After thinking for some time, she said, 'O gods, your offense is completely unforgivable. However, I can accept your plea for forgiveness only if my son Ganesha is revived as before. If my son Ganesha is revived as before, then I will forgive you all.' Hearing this, all the gods fell silent, as this was an impossible task. Then all the gods stood before Lord Shiva with folded hands in a pitiable state and said, 'O Lord, now only you can save us. Just as you killed Ganesha by severing his head, now bring him back to life.' Hearing the gods' prayer, Lord Shiva said, 'O gods, do not worry. I will do what is beneficial for you.' Lord Shiva ordered the gods to go to the north and bring the head of the first creature they find. Then, we will attach its head to Ganesha's torso and bring him back to life. The gods proceeded towards the north. There, they first found an elephant with one tusk. They cut off its head and brought it. Returning to the palace door, they washed, cleaned, and worshipped Ganesha's torso. Then they attached the elephant's head to it. Thereafter, Shri Hari Vishnu, meditating on Lord Shiva's feet, sprinkled water consecrated with mantras on Ganesha's dead body. As the water sprinkled, by Lord Shiva's grace, that child stood up as if he had just woken from sleep. That child, now with an elephant's face, had become Gajamukha, but still looked very beautiful and divine. The child, with a blood-red complexion, was illuminated with wonderful splendor. When Parvati's son Ganesha was revived by Lord Shiva's grace, all the gods and Shiva ganas danced with immense joy. All their sorrow vanished in an instant. Goddess Parvati was very pleased to see her beloved son Ganesha revived, and her anger also subsided.

Chapter 18: Ganesha's Glory

Narada said, "O Creator, when Parvati's son Ganesha was revived by Lord Shiva's grace, what happened there? What did he say after being revived?" Hearing Narada's question, Brahma said, "O Narada, when Shri Hari Vishnu attached the elephant's head to Ganesha's torso and revived him, Goddess Parvati was very pleased to see this. She embraced Ganesha in her arms and kissed him. Then she adorned Ganesha with beautiful and attractive clothes and jewel-studded ornaments. After worshipping her son according to the prescribed rituals with many siddhis and mantras, the auspicious Parvati, placing her hand on Ganesha's head, blessed him, saying, 'O my beloved son Ganesha, you have suffered greatly due to your mother's command, but from today onwards, you will never suffer any kind of trouble. All the gods will worship you. O son, as you were born from the pure essence of Jagadamba, you are supremely radiant and valorous. Every creature in this world will acknowledge your bravery and courage. From today, you are the chief of all my Shiva ganas. They will all obey your commands. From today, you will also be known by the name Ganapati.' Saying this, Lord Shiva, the supreme being, remained silent for a moment. Then he said, 'O Ganapati, your birth took place on the Chaturthi tithi of the Krishna paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, from the pure heart of Goddess Parvati, at the time of the moonrise. Therefore, from today, whoever observes a fast on this day, remembering you with complete devotion, will attain all happiness. On the Chaturthi tithi of the Krishna paksha in the month of Margashirsha, after bathing in the morning, observe the fast. Make a statue of Ganesha from metal, coral, or clay and consecrate it. Thereafter, worship the idol with divine fragrance, sandalwood, and fragrant flowers. At night, worship with 101 blades of Durva grass, each 12 angulas long and having three knots. Then worship Ganesha with incense, lamps, offerings, arghya, and then worship the young moon. Then feed Brahmins with excellent food. Eat unsalted food yourself. Perform this excellent Ganesh Chaturthi fast in this manner. When one year of fasting is completed, perform the Udyapan of this fast with devotion. In the Udyapan, feed 12 Brahmins. While performing the Udyapan of the fast, place the idol of Ganesha on the consecrated Kalasha. Prepare a Vedi, make an eight-petaled lotus on it, and perform Havan. Thereafter, seat two women and two children in front of the idol and worship them according to the prescribed rituals. Then feed them respectfully. Keep vigil with devotion throughout the night. In the morning, worship Ganesha again. After worship, immerse him. Then, taking blessings from the children, have them perform Swasti Vachan and offer flowers to Shri Ganesha to complete the fast. Thereafter, bow to him with folded hands with devotion. O Ganesha, whoever comes to your refuge with sincerity and devotion and worships you daily, all their tasks will be successful, and all their desires will be fulfilled, and all their troubles will be destroyed. The auspicious Chaturthi fast is excellent for all men and women, especially those who desire prosperity. They should definitely perform this fast with utmost devotion, because all the wishes and desires of those who observe Ganesh Chaturthi fast are fulfilled. Therefore, all humans should complete this excellent fast and always worship you with devotion.' In this way, the Lord of the three worlds, Lord Shiva, granted his son Ganesha the excellent boon of being worshipped by all humans and gods. All the gods and sages were very pleased to hear Lord Shiva's words. Their joy knew no bounds. They all, immersed in devotion, began to worship the son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganapati. Seeing this, Goddess Parvati's happiness knew no bounds. As she saw the gods worshipping her son Ganesha, she mentally meditated on Lord Shiva's feet and thanked him. All her anger had subsided in an instant. At that time, sweet drums sounded in all directions. Apsaras danced with joy. Beautiful auspicious songs were sung, and a shower of flowers rained down from the sky on Shri Ganesha. Mother Parvati was overjoyed at her son being made the chief of the ganas. A celebration took place all around at that time. Thereafter, all the gods and sages present there went near the place where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were seated with their son Ganesha. The gods and sages bowed to them with devotion and praised them. Then, taking leave from Shiva, they all returned to their respective abodes. Then I and Shri Hari also took leave from them and returned to our worlds. Whoever listens to this most auspicious story with a pure heart, with caution, becomes a partaker of all auspiciousness. This Ganesh Chaturthi fast bestows sons on the childless, wealth on the poor, health on the sick, and good fortune on the unfortunate. The woman whose husband has left her returns to him due to the power of Ganesha's worship. A person immersed in sorrows and grief, upon hearing this excellent story, becomes free from grief and happy. In the house where excellent scriptures describing the glory of Shri Ganesha reside, auspiciousness always prevails. The grace of Shri Ganesha is always upon his devotees, and he destroys all obstacles in their tasks and fulfills all their desires.

Chapter 20: The Command for Earth Circumambulation, Ganesha's Marriage, and Kartikeya's Displeasure

Narada asked, "O Creator, you have narrated to me the excellent account of Shri Ganesha's birth, his amazing valor and courage, and his protection of Mother Parvati's door. Now tell me, what happened there after Lord Shiva revived Ganesha and bestowed many blessings?" Brahma said, "O best of sages, Narada, thereafter, Lord Shiva and Parvati happily resided on their abode, Mount Kailash, with their two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Shiva and Parvati were very pleased watching the childhood pastimes of their sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya, and they showered them with great love and affection. Both of them worshipped their parents with devotion, which greatly pleased Shiva and Parvati. Gradually, time passed amidst such pastimes, and Ganesha and Kartikeya grew into young men. Then one day, Shiva and Parvati were sitting together and conversing. Goddess Parvati said to Lord Shiva, 'O Lord, both our sons are now eligible for marriage. Therefore, we should get both our sons married.' Then both began to consider whether to marry Ganesha first or Kartikeya. When the parents told their wish to their sons, the desire for marriage also awakened in their hearts. Both sons readily agreed to get married. Then Lord Shiva said to his sons, 'O sons, you are both dear to us, but we are in a dilemma as to whose marriage should be performed first. Therefore, we have devised a plan. Whichever of you first completes the circumambulation of the earth and returns will get married first.' Hearing his father's words, Kumar Kartikeya immediately mounted his vehicle and, with the permission of his parents, set out to circumambulate the earth as quickly as possible. However, Shri Ganesha stood there as he was, thinking something. Thereafter, he went inside the house, bathed, and returned to his parents and said, 'Accept these seats arranged by me. I wish to circumambulate you both.' Then Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati joyfully accepted the seats. After Shiva and Parvati sat on their seats, Ganesha bowed to them repeatedly with folded hands and worshipped them according to the prescribed rituals. After worship, he circumambulated them seven times with devotion. After circumambulating his parents seven times, Ganesha stood before the Lord with folded hands and praised him, saying, 'I have fulfilled your command. Now, please complete my marriage as soon as possible.' Hearing this, Shiva and Parvati asked Ganesha to circumambulate the earth. They said, 'Just as Kartikeya has gone to circumambulate the earth, you also go and return before him. Only then can your marriage take place first.' Hearing these words of Shiva and Shiva, Ganesha said, 'You both are supremely intelligent. There is no limit to your knowledge. You are proficient in dharma and scriptures. I have circumambulated the earth seven times, not just once, in accordance with your command.' Hearing this, Shiva and Parvati were greatly astonished and said, 'O son, when did you circumambulate this vast earth, consisting of seven continents, oceans, mountains, and islands? You have not even gone anywhere from here.' Hearing this question from Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, the intelligent Ganesha said, 'I have completed the circumambulation of the earth by worshipping you both seven times.' In this way, my circumambulation of the earth is complete. The Vedas describe that by worshipping one's parents with devotion and then circumambulating them, the merit of circumambulating the earth is obtained. The dust from the feet of parents is a great pilgrimage for a son. The Vedas and scriptures prove this. Then why are you refusing to accept this? O father Shri, you are the supreme being, the attributeless, formless, supreme Brahman. How can you deny my words? Please tell me, according to the scriptures, am I wrong?' Hearing Ganesha's words, Shiva and Parvati were greatly astonished. Knowing their son Ganesha to be a scholar of Vedas and scriptures, their happiness knew no bounds. Then, smiling, Lord Shiva and Parvati said, 'O dear son, you are not only strong and courageous but also supremely intelligent. It is true that whoever possesses intellectual strength is also powerful. Without intelligence, the use of strength is also not possible. An unintelligent person, even if powerful, cannot escape from a crisis. Vedas, scriptures, and Puranas state that parents hold the highest place. Heaven is at their feet. Obeying the commands of one's parents is the only duty of a son. Their circumambulation is even greater than the circumambulation of the earth. Therefore, your statement is entirely true. You have completed the circumambulation of the earth before Kartikeya. Therefore, we must conduct your marriage first and as soon as possible.' When Lord Shiva and Parvati supported and accepted his statement, Girjanandan was pleased and left after bowing to his parents. Mahadeva, sitting with his beloved Parvati, was lost in the thought of where to find brides for the marriage. As they were thinking this, Prajapati Vishwaroop arrived at Mount Kailash and bowed to Shiva and Shiva with devotion and praised them. When Mahadeva asked him the reason for his arrival at Kailash, Vishwaroop, with a happy heart, said, 'O Lord, I have come to you with the proposal of marriage for my two daughters, Siddhi and Buddhi. O Lord, Siddhi and Buddhi are beautiful and possess all virtues. I wish to marry them to your son.' Hearing the words of Prajapati Vishwaroop, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were very delighted and accepted his marriage proposal. Shiva and Shiva joyfully solemnized the auspicious marriage of their beloved son Ganesha with Siddhi and Buddhi. All the gods participated with joy on this auspicious occasion. They bestowed numerous blessings and good wishes upon Ganesha and returned to their respective places. Thereafter, Shri Ganesha happily lived with his two wives. After a considerable time, two sons were born to them. The son born from Siddhi was named Shubh, and the son born from Buddhi was named Labh. In this way, Shri Ganesha lived happily with his two wives and sons.

When a considerable time had passed with Shri Ganesha living a happy life, Kumar Kartikeya returned after completing the circumambulation of the earth. Just as he was about to reach home, he met Narada on the way. Then you told Kartikeya that your parents had treated you unfairly. By sending you on the circumambulation of the earth, they married your brother Ganesha to two beautiful maidens. Now they also have two sons, and they are happily spending their lives in comfort. Your parents have not done well. Narada, hearing your words, Kartikeya became enraged. He became extremely distressed and reached home very quickly. His face turned red with anger. Upon reaching Mount Kailash, he bowed to his parents with folded hands. Thereafter, he expressed his displeasure to his parents regarding this matter. Kartikeya said, 'You both have deceitfully sent your own son away from here and quietly married your beloved son Ganesha. You have treated me like a stepson. If you wanted to marry Ganesha first, you should have told me once. I myself would have joyfully celebrated my brother Ganesha's marriage with enthusiasm. But you resorted to deceit. You only love one son. My existence or non-existence makes no difference to you. Therefore, I am leaving from here forever. Now I will go to Krauncha Mountain and perform penance forever.' Saying this, Kumar Kartikeya left from there. Lord Shiva and Parvati tried to pacify him, but he ignored their words. Narada, from that day, became famous as Swami Kartikeya Kumar. From then on, his name became known as Kumar Kartikeya in these three worlds. Kartikeya's name is remover of sins, bestower of auspiciousness, giver of merit, and bestower of the power of celibacy. On the day of Kartik Purnima, in the Krittika constellation, whoever has the darshan or worship of Swami Kartikeya, all their sins are destroyed, and they attain desired fruits. All gods and sages also go to have darshan of Kartikeya on this day.

Meanwhile, due to Kumar Kartikeya's departure in anger, his mother was very sad. She took Shiva with her and went to Krauncha Mountain. Seeing them, Kartikeya had already left from there. Then Lord Shiva was established as the Jyotirlinga named Mallikarjuna at that excellent place where his son Kartikeya performed penance, and he resides there even today with Goddess Parvati. From that day, Shiva and Shiva both go to Krauncha Mountain on the new moon day to search for their son Kartikeya, and Goddess Parvati goes on the full moon day. Narada, I have narrated to you the characters of Shri Ganesha and Kartikeya, the destroyers of all sins. Whoever reads, listens to, or narrates this with devotion, all their desires will be fulfilled. This story is destructive of sins, giver of happiness, bestower of liberation, and auspicious. Therefore, selfless devotees should definitely listen to and read it. In this way, the first part of Shiva Purana, along with the Kumar Khand, is completed. In the second part of Shiva Purana, you will hear the remaining story. You can now listen to all episodes of Shiva Purana on Spotify, iTunes, and all podcast platforms. For now, that's all. We will meet you in the next episode. Until then, thank you. Har Har Mahadev. Namah Shivaya.

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संपूर्ण शिवपुराण भाग - 01 | Complete Shivpuran Part- 01 | Shivpuran Audio Book by Rajeev Singh

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