Chapter 27 - Description of the fraudulent words of the Brahmacārin

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Pārvatī said:—

1. O great brahmin, listen to my story entirely. What my friend has said just now is the whole truth, not otherwise.

2. I am telling you the truth and not a lie. Śiva has been wooed by me, by mind, speech and action as well as by means of ascetic feelings.

3. I know that it is an inaccessible object. How can I attain it? Still out of my eagerness I am performing this penance.

Brahmā said:—

4. After saying these words to him, the daughter of the mountain kept quiet. On hearing the words of Pārvatī the brahmin said.

The brahmin said:—

5. So long I had been desirous of knowing what our gentle lady craves for that she performs this great penance.

6. O dear lady, I have now known it through your own words. I am now going away from this place. You can do as you please.

7. What should be done by you is not mentioned by me. To me your further friendship is useless. -But this should be mentioned that your future should be happy.

Brahmā said:—

8. After saying these words to her when he proposed to go, goddess Pārvatī bowed to and spoke to the brahmin.

Pārvatī said:—

9. “O excellent brahmin, why do you go? Stay

and tender me wholesome advice”. When she said thus, the staff-bearing brahmin stopped and spoke.

The brahmin said:—

10. If you are stopping me with devotion, truly desirous of hearing then I shall explain everything whereby you may gain some wisdom.

11. I know Śiva through and through with all His weighty attributes. I shall tell you the truth. Listen with attention.

12. The great lord is bull-bannered. His body is smeared with ashes. His hair is matted. He is clad in the hide of a tiger. He has covered His body with the hide of an elephant.

13. He holds the skull. Serpents twine round His limbs. Poison has left a mark on his neck. He eats even forbidden stuffs. He has odd eyes and is definitely awful.

14. His birth and pedigree cannot be traced. He is devoid of the enjoyment of a householder. He has ten arms. He is mostly naked and is ever accompanied by ghosts and goblins.

15. What is the reason whereby you wish Him to be your husband? O gentle lady, where has your wisdom gone? Think well and tell me.

16. A previous terrible activity of His has been heard by me. If you are interested in hearing I shall tell you.

17. Dakṣa’s daughter, the chaste lady Satī wooed Vṛṣabhavāhana. (Śiva) as her husband. Fortunately their union was well known.

18. Satī was discarded by Dakṣa because she was the wife of the skull-bearing Śiva. Śiva too was eschewed in the allocation of shares in the sacrifice.

19. On account of the insult Satī was infuriated and she discarded her dear life. Śiva too was abandoned by her.

20. You are a jewel among women. Your father is the king of all mountains. Why do you crave for a husband like this and that too by means of a severe penance?

21. Handing over a gold coin you wish to buy a piece of glass. Setting aside the pure sandal paste you wish to smear mud over your body.

22. Unmindful of the sunlight you wish to have the light of the glow worm. Throwing away the fine China^[1] silk you wish to wear the hide.

23. Discarding the life at home you yearn for a life in the forest, O madam, throwing away excellent treasure you wish a piece of iron in return.

24. Leaving off the guardians of the quarters you run after Śiva. This is not well said. It is against the conventions of the world.

25. Where you with eyes like the petals of a lotus? Where this three-eyed creature—Śiva? You are moon-faced while Śiva is five-faced.^[2]

26. On your head the divine plaited hair shines with glossy splendour like a serpent. But Śiva has only the matted hair to boast of.

27. Sandal paste is applied on your body, while the ashes of the funeral pyre on that of Śiva. Where your silken garment and where the elephant-hide of Śiva.

28. Where the divine ornaments and where the serpents of Śiva? Where the deities that move about and where Śiva, fond of goblins and their oblations?

29. Where the pleasing sound of his tabor? Where His peculiar drum called Damaru? Where the set of fine drums and the inauspicious sound of his horn?

30. Where the inauspicious sound of double drum and where the sound of his throat? There is no matching beauty between you both.

31. If He had money to spare how could He have been a naked being? His vehicle is a bull. He has no other appendages.

32. There is not even a single quality in the odd-eyed Śiva out of the innumberable qualities pleasing to women and expected in bride-grooms.

33. Your friend Kāma was burnt by Śiva. He insulted you also by leaving you off and going elsewhere.

34. His caste is not recognised. He has no learning or wisdom. His assistants are the ghosts. Poison is seen even in His throat.

35. He also moves about in isolation. He is detached from everything particularly. Hence you cannot fix your mind in Him.

36. Where your necklace and where the garland of skulls that he wears? Where your rich divine unguent and where the ash from the funeral pyre that He has on His body?

37. O divine lady, everything concerning you and Śiva, such as form, features etc. is mutually discordant. I do not like your resolution. You can do whatever you please.

38. You yourself have evolved taste for all bad objects. Turn your mind from Him. If not, do whatever you please.

Brahmā said:—

39. On hearing these words of that brahmin, Pārvatī said angrily to the brahmin who discredited Śiva.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Chinese silken cloth is mentioned also by Kalidasa in the Śākuntala I. 34.

[2]:

On the five-faced feature of Śiva see Note 25 P. 46