Shiva on his marriage with Uma is in the conjugal bliss for a long period due to his yogic powers. Fearing the result of that prolonged activity all gods prey for the cessation of it because none in any world can carry that offspring. Shiva accepting that request asks them where to discharge the sperm that has already stirred up. Gods indicate the earth as the taker. Shiva accordingly inundates the earth with his fluid. Then the Fire-god is dispatched to consolidate that into a reed forest called sharavaNa . Goddess Uma ireful at the prevention of begetting a son, now curses gods and earth to be childless.
ukta vaakye munau tasmin ubhau raaghava lakShmaNau |
pratinaMdya kathaam viirau uucatuH muni puMgavam || 1-36-1
1. tasmin munau = = that, sage; ukta vaakye = who has spoken word - who said so - finished narration; viirau raaghava lakSmaNau ubhau = brave, Raghava, Lakshmana, both; kathaam prati nandya = at the story, in turn, praised it; muni punigavam uucatuH = to, sage, eminent, spoke.
When that sage Vishvamitra has finished narration of the legend of the daughters of Himavanta, both the brave ones, namely Raghava and Lakshmana in their turn have extolled that legend and spoke to that eminent-sage. [1-36-1]
dharma yuktam idam brahman kathitam paramam tvayaa |
duhituH shaila raajasya jyeShThaaya vaktum ar.hhasi |
vistaram vistaraj~no asi divya maanuSha saMbhavam || 1-36-2
2. brahman = oh, Brahman; dharma yuktam = righteousness, exhaustive of; paramam = admirable - story; idam = this; tvayaa kathitam = by you, discoursed; shaila raajasya jyeSThaaya duhituH = mountain, king [Himavanta] elder, daughter of [Ganga]; divya maanuSa sambhavam = divine, humanly [legend,] happenings; vistaram vaktum arhhasi = emphatically, to tell, apt of you; vistara j~naH asi = expatiation, knower - aware olf, you are.
"This admirable discourse given by you about Ganga is exhaustive in righteousness, oh, Brahman, and it will be apt of you to tell emphatically about the divine and earthly legend of the elder daughter of Himavanta, namely Ganga, for you are aware to expatiate upon it. [1-36-2]
triin patho hetunaa kena paavayet loka paavanii |
katham ga~Ngaa tripathagaa vishrutaa sarit uttamaa || 1-36-3
triShu lokeShu dharmaj~na karmabhiH kaiH samanvitaa |
3, 4a. loka paavanii = worlds, purifier of - Ganga; kena hetunaa = by which, reason; triin pathaH plaavayet = three, paths, she is flooding - flowing; dharma j~na = oh, virtue-knower [Vishvamitra]; tri patha gaa = in three, way, coursing; ga~Ngaa = Ganga; kaiH karmabhiH samanvitaa = by which, deeds, she is connected with - deeds of merit; triSu lokeSu = in three, worlds; sarit uttamaa = among rivers, the best one; [katham = in which way]; vi shrutaa well, known - renowned.
"By which reason that world purifier Ganga influxes into three paths? Oh, virtue-knower, and connected with which deeds of merit this triple-courser Ganga is renowned as the best one among all the rivers in three worlds?" Thus Rama and Lakshmana have asked the sage Vishvamitra. [1-36-3, 4a]
tathaa bruvati kaakutsthe vishvaamitraH tapodhanaH || 1-36-4
nikhilena kathaam sarvaam R^iShi madhye nyavedayat |
4b, 5a. kaakutsthe tathaa bruvati = by Kakutstha-s [Rama, Lakshmana,] that way, said; tapaH dhanaH vishvaamitraH = ascesis-wealthy, Vishvamitra; sarvaam kathaam nikhilena = all, legend, in entirety; R^iSi madhye nyavedayat = sages, among, submitted - spoken.
When Kakutstha-s have enquired that way, the ascetically-wealthy sage Vishvamitra has narrated all the legend of Ganga in its entirety, staying among the sages. [1-36-4b, 5a]
puraa raama kR^ita udvaahaH shiti kaNTho mahaa tapaaH || 1-36-5
dR^iShTvaa ca bhagavaan deviim maithunaaya upacakrame |
5b, 6a. raama = oh, Rama; puraa kR^ita udvaahaH = once, getting, married [to Uma]; mahaa tapaaH shiti kaNThaH = sublime, ascetic, blue, throated god - Shiva; deviim = consort [Shiva's consort, Goddess Uma]; dR^iSTvaa = on seeing - having a penchant; bhagavaan maithunaaya upacakrame = God - Siva, for lovemaking, began.
"On his getting married to Uma, oh, Rama, the sublime-ascetic and bluish throated god Shiva, as his throat became blue when he consumed poison during the churning of Milky Ocean, at one time with a predilection towards her he has started lovemaking with her. [1-36-5b, 6a]
tasya saMkriiDamaanasya mahaadevasya dhiimataH |
shitikaNThasya devasya divyam varSha shatam gatam || 1-36-6
na ca api tanayo raama tasyaam aasiit paraMtapa |
6b, c, 7. param tapa raama = oh, enemy-scorcher, Rama; mahaa dhiimataH = of that sagacious one; devasya shitikaNThasya samkriiDamaanasya = of god, blue-throated Shiva, while nuptial merrymaking - lovemaking; tasya devasya = of that, god's; divyam varSa shatam gatam = divine, years, hundred, elapsed; api ca = even, also - even then; tasyaam = in her - in Uma; tanayaH na aasiit = son, has not, become - not born.
"While that sublime, sagacious and blue-throated God Shiva is in lovemaking, oh, enemy-scorcher Rama, a hundred divine years have elapsed, even then he had no son in her, namely Goddess Uma. [1-36-6b, c, 7]
The hundred divine years are said to be 36,000 mortal years and this goes with the calculation of yuga Indian 'era' calculation where two thousand of four yuga-s, kR^ita, treta, dvaapara, kali yuga-s are one brahma dina Brahma's day etc.
sarve devaaH samudyuktaaH pitaamaha purogamaaH || 1-36-7
yat iha utpadyate bhuutam kaH tat pratisahiShyati |
7b, 8a. [tataH = then]; pitaamaha purogamaaH = Forefather [Brahma], going before- leading the delegation; devaaH = gods; thought among themselves; iha = in this - goddess Uma; yat bhuutam utpadyate = which, being, emerges; tat = that being; kaH prati sahiSyati = who, in turn [inevitably], sustains; thinking so; sarve samudyuktaaH [sam udyuktaaH, = all, prepared for action; [or, sam udvignaa = all are worried.]
"All the gods headed by Brahma have then started to ponder, 'is there anybody who can inevitably sustain that being which emerges from this goddess Uma after this prolonged yogic act of copulation with Shiva?' This being the worry of all gods they have prepared for action. [1-36-7b, 8a]
abhigaMya suraaH sarve praNipatya idam abruvan || 1-36-8
deva deva mahaadeva lokasya asya hite rata |
suraaNaam praNipaatena prasaadam kartum arhasi || 1-36-9
8b, 9. suraaH sarve abhi gamya = gods, all of them, towards, on going - on approaching Shiva; praNipatya idam abruvan = paying deference to [Siva,] this, they spoke; deva deva = oh, God of Gods, asya lokasya hite rata = of this, world's, welfare, oh, one who is interested in; mahaa deva = oh, Great-God; suraaNaam = of gods, such as we are; our; praNipaatena = by ['consideration of] supplication; prasaadam kartum arhasi = grace, to bestow, apt of you.
"All of the gods on approaching and paying their deference to Shiva spoke this to him, 'oh, God of Gods, oh, one who is interested in the welfare of these worlds, oh, Great-God, considering the supplication of all gods it will be apt of you to bestow grace.' [1-36-8b, 9]
This prolonged act of copulation is an act of yoga called mahaa maithuna. The Shaktaite Tantriks who practise panca ma kaara : madya, maamsa, matsya, mudra, maithuna 'liquor' 'mutton' 'fish' 'postures' [loosely: callisthenics] and 'copulation' make use of these things. In these practises, the yogis use mudra-s 'posture' 'callisthenics' at the time of copulation even, so that there will be no ejaculation for a longer period. This is their 'Five-element theory...'
na lokaa dhaarayiShyanti tava tejaH surottama |
braahmeNa tapasaa yukto devyaa saha tapaH cara || 1-36-10
trailokya hita kaama artham tejaH tejasi dhaaraya |
rakSha sarvaan imaan lokaan na alokam kartum arhasi || 1-36-11
10, 11. sura uttama = oh, of gods, supreme one - oh, supreme god; tava tejaH = your, offspring born out of your effulgence; lokaa na dhaarayiSyanti = worlds, cannot be, capable to bear; braahmeNa tapasaa yuktaH = as per Vedic ancillary [Yoga,] postulates of asceticism, unified with; devyaa saha = with Goddess Uma, along with; tapaH cara = asceticism, you practise; trailokya hita kaama artham = three, world's, welfare, desiring; tejaH tejasi dhaaraya = your refulgent seed, in your own radiance, you sustain. rakSa sarvaan imaan lokaan = protect, all, these, worlds [in universe]; na a lokam kartum arhasi = not, devoid of [annihilate], worlds [in universe,] to render, apt of you
" 'Worlds cannot capably bear your offspring born out of your effulgence, oh, Supreme-God, hence you may practice yogic asceticism along with your consort Goddess Uma in unison with Vedic postulates of Yoga, rather than progeniture, and desiring the welfare of the three worlds you may please retain your refulgent seed within your own radiance, thus protect this universe, since it will not be apt of you to render it devoid of worlds with the efflux of the unmanageable potence of yours .' So said gods to Shiva. [1-36-10, 11]
The word tejas also means semen, or offspring, besides resplendence tejaH paraakrame praaNe varcas arciShi retasi - ratnamaala thus the prospective offspring through ejaculation is the problem here, because Kumara, or, Skanda takes birth with all the irrepressible effulgence of Shiva, plus his own.
devataanaam vacaH shrutvaa sarva loka maheshvaraH |
baaDham iti abraviit sarvaan punaH ca idam uvaaca ha || 1-36-12
12. sarva loka maheshvaraH = all, universe's, Rarefied-God [Shiva]; devataanaam vacaH shrutvaa = of gods, words, on listening; baaDham = = so be it; iti abraviit thus, said to them; punaH = again - further; sarvaan = to all gods; idam uvaaca ha = this, spoke, indeed.
"On listening the words of gods that Rarefied-God of Universe, namely Shiva said, 'so be it,' and further spoke this to all of the gods, indeed. [1-36-12]
dhaarayiShyaami aham tejaH tejasi eva saha umayaa |
tridashaaH pR^ithivii caiva nirvaaNam adhigacChatu || 1-36-13
13. umayaa saha aham = Uma, along with, I; tejaH tejasi eva = sperm, in virility; dhaarayiSyaami = I wish to bear; tridashaaH pR^ithivii caiva = divinities [immortals,] earthly [mortals,] also; nirvaaNam adhigacChatu = perfect bliss, enter upon derive.
" 'I wish to bear my sperm in my virility and Uma in hers, let the immortals and mortals as well, derive a perfect bliss. [1-36-13]
yad idam kShubhitam sthaanaat mama tejo hi anuttamam |
dhaarayiShyati kaH tat me bruvantu sura sattamaaH || 1-36-14
14. mama = mine; anuttamam = unexcelled [semen]; yat = that which; idam tejaH = this, refulgence is, semen is; sthaanaat kSubhitam = from its place, stirred up; tat = that, that much semen; kaH dhaarayiSyati = who, will bear; sura sattamaaH = oh, gods, eminent ones; regarding that; me bruvantu = to me, you tell.
" 'But that part which has already stirred up from its place is irrestrainable, as such, oh gods of eminence, you tell me who can contain that part of the unexcelled potence.' So said Shiva to gods. [1-36-14]
evam uktaaH tato devaaH pratyuucur vR^iShabha dhvajam |
yat tejaH kShubhitam hi adya tad dharaa dhaarayiShyati || 1-36-15
15. evam uktaaH = thus, who are spoken to [by Shiva]; tataH = then; devaaH = gods; vR^iSabha dhvajam = Divine-Bull, bannered [god Shiva]; prati uucuH = in reply, spoke to; yat tejaH kSubhitam = that which, sperm, stirred up; tat adya = that - part, now; dharaa dhaarayiSyati hi = earth, endures, indeed.
"Thus spoken by Shiva, then the gods in reply spoke to him whose banner is Divine-Bull, namely Shiva, 'that part of the potence which has already stirred up, the earth indeed endures that now. [1-3-15]
evam uktaH sura patiH pramumoca mahaabalaH |
tejasaa pR^ithivii yena vyaaptaa sa giri kaananaa || 1-36-16
16. evam uktaH = thus, said [by gods]; sura patiH = god's, god; yena tejasaa = by which, refulgence - of Shiva; sa giri kaananaa pR^ithivii = with, mountains, forests, earth is; vyaaptaa = overspread; such a refulgence; [mahii tale = on earth's, surface]; mahaabalaH = greatly virile one [Yogi, of par excellence]; pra mumoca = well, discharged.
"Thus said by the gods that Yogi of par excellence and the God of Gods, Shiva, discharged his refulgent semen with which the earth together with its mountains and forests is overspread. [1-36-16]
tato devaaH punar idam uucuH ca api hutaashanam |
aavisha tvam mahaatejo raudram vaayu samanvitaH || 1-36-17
17. tataH = thereby; devaaH = gods; punaH = in turn; huta ashanam api = to Fire-oblations, consumer [Fire-god,] even; idam uucuH ca = this, said, also; tvam vaayu samanvitaH = you, Wind-god, along with; raudram = pertaining to Rudra; mahaatejaH = his semen, great-potence; aavisha = enter.
"Thereby the gods in their turn said even to Fire-god, 'you enter the great-potence of Rudra along with Wind-god, lest that potence may annihilate the earth and earthlings, because you can consume anything that comes in touch with you. [1-36-17]
tad agninaa punar vyaaptam saMjaatam shveta parvatam |
divyam sharavaNam caiva paavaka aaditya saMnibham || 1-36-18
yatra jaato mahaatejaaH kaartikeyo agni saMbhavaH |
18, 19a. agninaa = by Fire-god; vyaaptam = pervaded; tat = that great-potence; punaH = again; shveta parvatam sam jaatam = as white, mountain, well, emerged; paavaka aaditya samnibham = Fire, Sun, equal in shine; divyam shara vaNam caiva = divine, reeds, forest, also thus; it has become; yatra = wherefrom; mahaatejaaH = highly brilliant; agni sambhavaH = one who is born out of the refulgence of Shiva through Fire-god; kaartikeyaH = one who is suckled by Krittika-s; jaataH = has emerged.
"And when Fire-god invaded that great-potence of Shiva it has emerged as White-mountain, also thus it has become as a divine forest of reeds equalling the Sun and Fire in its resplendence, wherefrom the highly brilliant Kumara has emerged. [1-36-18, 19a]
Because Kumara, or Skanda took birth through Fire-god from the great-potence of Shiva, he is called the one born out of fire. Because Krittika stars have suckled him he is also called as Kaaritkeya. The birth and legend of Kaartikeya is detailed in the next chapter relating to Ganga.
atha umaam ca shivam caiva devaaH sa R^iShi gaNaaH tadaa || 1-36-19
puujayaamaasuH atyartham supriita manasaH tataH |
19b, 20a. atha = later; sa R^iSi gaNaaH devaaH = with, sages, assemblages of, gods; tataH = thereby, as it has happened so; su priita manasaH = well, pleased, at heart; tadaa = then; umaam ca shivam caiva = Uma, also, Shiva, also thus; ati artham puujayaamaasuH = fulsomely, adored.
"Later on, the gods together with the assemblages of sages are well pleased at heart as it has happened according to their prayer, thereby they fulsomely adored Shiva and even Uma. [1-36-19b, 20a]
atha shaila sutaa raama tridashaan idam abraviit || 20
samanyuH ashapat sarvaan krodha saMrakta locanaa |
20b, 21a. raama = oh, Rama; atha = then; shaila sutaa = mountain's, daughter - Uma; sa manyuH = with, ire; tridashaan idam abraviit = to divinities, this, said; krodha sam rakta locanaa = in anger, with, reddened, eyes; sarvaan ashapat = all of them, cursed.
"Oh, Rama, but the daughter of Himalayan Mountain, namely Uma, while irefully saying this to the divinities she cursed them all with her eyes reddened in anger. [1-36-20b, 21a]
yasmaat nivaaritaa ca aham saMgataa putra kaaMyayaa || 1-36-21
apatyam sveShu daareShu na utpadayitum arhatha |
21b, 22a. yasmaat = wherefore; putra kaamyayaa = son, desirous of; aham samgataa ni vaaritaa = I am, from intimacy, back, moved - prevented; [tasmaat = therefore]; sveSu daareSu = in one's own, wives; apatyam = progeny; na utpadayitum arhatha = not, to bring forth, eligible - worthy enough, infecund - you are prevented to bear children.
" 'Wherefore, I who am desirous of a son had been prevented from the intimacy with my husband, therefore you shall be infecund to beget progeny through your own wives. [1-36-21b, 22a]
adya prabhR^iti yuShmaakam aprajaaH santu patnayaH || 1-36-22
evam uktvaa suraan sarvaan shashaapa pR^ithiviim api |
22, 23a. adya prabhR^iti = from now, onwards; yuSmaakam = yours; patnayaH = wives; a prajaaH = without, progeny; santu = they will be - they remain; sarvaan suraan = to all, gods; evam uktvaa = this way, on saying [by Uma,]; pR^ithiviim api = to earth, also; shashaapa = cursed - gave a curse.
" 'And from now onwards you wives shall remain infertile...' and on saying this way to all of the gods she also gave a curse to the earth. [1-36-22, 23a]
Thus the celestials do not directly breed. They take the agency of humans or other mortals to bring forth their offspring as in the case of the monkey race, and Menaka, and as in the case of Vishvamitra giving birth to Shakuntala, who in her turn gave birth to Bharata, so on.
avane na eka ruupaa tvam bahu bhaaryaa bhaviShyasi || 1-36-23
na ca putra kR^itaam priitim mat krodha kaluShiikR^itaa |
praapsyasi tvam sudur.hmedhe mama putram anicChatii || 1-36-24
23b, 24. avane = oh, earth; tvam = you; na eka ruupaa = not, with one, appearance - sui generis, bizarre; bahu bhaaryaa = to many, as wife; bhaviSyasi = you will become; su dur medhe = oh, very, base, minded one [earth]; mama putram an icChatii = to me, son, not, desirous - you are bigoted; tvam = you; mat krodha kaluSii kR^itaa = by my, anger, sully, rendered - sullied by my anger; putra kR^itaam priitim ca = by children, caused, delight, even; na praapsyasi = not, you will get.
" 'Oh, Earth, your appearance shall be bizarre and you will be a wife to many. And oh, verily base-minded earth, rendered sully by my anger you shall have no gratification caused by the children as you are bigoted against my son. [1-36-23b, 24]
The sin of earth to bear the curse of Uma Devi is to accept the semen of Shiva on her surface. The appearance of earth will not be in one kind or quality for it has lands and oceans, deserts and forests, volcanoes and mountains, ice and humidity, etc. Further, the earth is the official wife to numerous kings. The earth is also cursed to not to have the delight of her children. The earth has Naraka, the demon, and Seetha as her children. But these two are not begotten through any seminal contact by earth, and further, for earth it is as good as not having these two as her children, for such is the plight of these two so-called children of earth on earth. After many tumults in her life, even Seetha asks her mother on earth, i.e., mother earth herself, to take her back into her womb.
taan sarvaan piiDitaan dR^iShTvaa suraan surapatiH tadaa |
gamanaaya upacakraama disham varuNa paalitaam || 1-36-25
25. sura patiH = god's, god - Shiva; tadaa = then; piiDitaan [vriiDitaan] = distressed [ashamed]; taan sarvaan suraan dR^iSTvaa = them, all, gods, on seeing - ill at ease to see their plight; varuNa paalitaam = by Rain-god, ruled by; disham = towards the quarter of compass; gamanaaya upacakraama = to go, started to.
"That God of Gods Shiva becoming ill at ease to look at all of the distressed gods, equally feeling small to convince his consort Uma, he has started to journey towards the western quarter which is ruled by Rain-god. [1-36-25]
sa gatvaa tapa aatiShThat paarshve tasya uttare gireH |
himavat prabhave shR^iMge saha devyaa maheshvaraH || 1-36-26
26. saH maheshvaraH = he - Shiva; gatvaa = having gone to west; tasya gireH uttare paarshve = of that, mountain [Himalayas,] northern, side; himavat prabhave shR^i.nge = in Himalayas, emerged [a mountain,] on its peak; devyaa saha = concert [Uma,] along with; tapa aatiSThat = in ascesis, settled down.
"On going to the northern side of Himalayan Mountains, that God of Gods, Shiva settled down in ascesis along with his consort Uma on the peak of a mountain emerged from Himalayas. [1-36-26]
Here some say the mountain on which Shiva settled for ascesis as himavat prabhava giving it a full name, like Mt. Kailash or Kanchanjunga etc. If any such mountain peak is named and available in mythologies or in Himalayas, this needs a revision.
eSha te vistaro raama shaila putryaa niveditaH |
gangaayaaH prabhavam caiva shR^iNu me saha lakShmaNa || 1-36-27
27. raama = oh, Rama; shaila putryaa = pertaining to mountain's, daughter eSa = this [Uma's legend]; vistaraH te niveditaH = vividly, to you, narrated; gangaayaaH prabhavam caiva = about Ganga's, emergence, also even; saha lakSmaNa = with, Lakshmana; shR^iNu me = listen, from me.
"This is the legend of mountain's daughter, namely Goddess Uma vividly narrated to you, oh, Rama, and now listen from me along with Lakshmana about the emergence of Ganga. [1-36-27]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe ShaT triMshaH sargaH
© 2002, Desiraju Kumari [Revised : August 04]