In due course, the Svayamvara of the daughter of the mountain was celebrated on the lofty peak of the Himavan filled with hundreds of lofty chambers. The Himavan, the king of the mountains, an expert in meditation came to know of the secret talk of his daughter with the lord of Devas. Even after knowing it, with a desire to conform to the traditional procedure he proclaimed the svayamvara celebration of his daughter all over the world. He thought thus: “If my daughter woos Shiva in the presence of Devas, Danavas and Siddhas, residing in all parts of the world, that alone will be proper, praiseworthy and suitable to my dignity”. After thinking thus and keeping lord Shiva in heart, the king of mountains announced the svayamvara amongst Devas ending with Brahma. The most excellent king of the mountains littered his land with precious gems and organized the svayamvara ceremony very carefully.
Immediately after the svayamvara of his daughter had been announced, Devas and others, the residents of all the worlds came there assuming divine forms and dresses. Informed by the king of mountains I went there accompanied by Devas. I was seated on my full blown lotus seat and surrounded by Siddhas and Yogin’s of immeasurable spiritual power. Riding on his Airāvata, the chief of the leading elephants, which exuded profuse currents of ichor, the lord of immortal beings (Indra) came there at the head of Devas holding his thunderbolt. The lord of Devas had a thousand eyes, and his features were elegant by virtue of his divine unguents and garlands. Seated on his golden chariot with waving flags, the sun god came there hurriedly. He brightened the quarters, so that he appeared to be equal in lustre to them, though he was superior to them in refulgence, and power.
One of the sons of Kasyapa, Aditya, came there in his chariot, equal in lustre to fire and solar splendour. His rays were those of the midday. His ear-rings brightened up by jewels, dazzled all. Riding on his terrible buffalo, the god of Death, Yama, hastened to that place. He was holding his sceptre, (the rod of chastisement). His physical body was yellow in colour. In prowess he was comparable to none. He was unparalleled in brilliance, strength, and power of demanding obedience. His limbs were well developed, and he wore garlands. Riding in his chariot, the wind god who sustains the world, came there, beautiful in dress and demeanour. Gold and jewels enhanced his elegance. In height and stoutness his body vied with great mountains. Coming in the centre of the leading Devas, the fire-god, wearing grand apparel, stood there blazing. Superior to all in splendour, and steeped in excessive brilliance, he warmed the leaders of Devas and Asuras.
Riding in an excellent divine aerial chariot, the most excellent in the universe, Kubera, the lord of all chiefs of wealth, came there in a hurry with his slender staff-like body, brightened by different sorts of jewels. Riding in an aerial chariot of wonderful form, studded with great shining precious gems, the Moon god arrived there, instilling enthusiasm in the leaders of Devas and Asuras, by means of his splendour, and grand apparel. He was elegant in form and dress. Riding on Garuḍa who resembled a mountain, the mace bearing lord Vishnu, hurried to that place. Garlands of sweet scent were tied round his limbs; his dress was wonderful, and his slender body was dark-complexioned. Ashvins, the excellent physicians were seated in the same aerial chariot. Charming in their brilliant and elegant apparel, the two bold and excellent Devas hastened to the venue of the marriage rites.
The noble-souled Naga king of fiery solar splendour, rode in an aerial chariot along with the other Nagas, and arrived there. He had the colour of fire-emitting sparks. The sons of Diti, the great Asuras, refulgent like fire, sun, Indra, and the wind-god, came there even before Devas, clad in nice apparel befitting their excellent features. At the bidding of Indra, the king of Gandharvas arrived there, along with Gandharvas and Apsaras. Bedecked in jewels and riding in a divine chariot, he had a handsome form wonderful to behold. Several other Devas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Serpents and Kinnaras, came there riding in aerial chariots. They were clad in different sorts of beautiful apparel. The overlord of mountain kings, Himalaya, shone amidst the leading Devas, superior to some, equal to others in beauty of form, delighted himself, and delighting others by his power of command and prosperity, he beautified the spot of svayamvara ceremony.
It was for accomplishing the task of heaven-dwellers, that Sati protested against Daksa, died of herself, and was reborn in the abode of Himavan. Being the cause of worlds, she gave birth to the universe. She was the mother of Devas and Asuras. She had formerly been the wife of Shiva, the intelligent Purusa, and she had been praised as the great Prakrti in the Puranas. Now as the goddess Uma, she was seated in an aerial chariot covered with gold and studded with jewels. She was fanned by the waving chowries. She held a garland of sweet-scented flowers of all seasons. She stood ready to proceed ahead quickly. Brahma said: As the Uma stood there in the assembly of Devas, holding the divine garland, as Indra and other Devas had come there ready for Svaymvara, Shiva assumed the form of an infant with five tufts of hair, with a desire to test her again. The lord of great lustre lay asleep in the lap of Uma.
All of a sudden, Uma saw the infant lying asleep in her lap. By means of meditation, she understood who it was, and took him up with great delight. She of pure thoughts attained a husband of her choice. Holding him to her bosom, she turned round and sat down. On seeing the infant lying in the lap of Uma Devas, the gods were completely deluded. “Who is this infant?” They muttered to one another and then shouted loudly. This slayer of Vrtra (Indra) seized his thunderbolt and lifted up his hand against the infant. The raised hand of Indra remained in that position stunned by Shiva the lord of Devas in the form of the infant. The slayer of Vrtra could not hurl his thunderbolt. He could not even move. Then the powerful son of Aditi and Kaśyapa named Bhaga, who too was deluded, lifted up his bright weapon, desirous of cutting up the infant.
His hand too was stunned; his strength, splendour and yogic power became ineffective. Vishnu looked at Shiva shaking his head. When those angry Devas stood thus, I was extremely agitated. By means of meditation, I understood that it was Shiva, the lord of the chiefs of Devas who was lying on the lap of Uma. On realising that it was lord Shiva, I stood up immediately with reverence. I saluted the feet of Shiva O Brahmins, then I eulogised him with ancient songs and secret names conducive to merit. “You are the unborn lord. You are never old. You are the lord who created the greater and smaller beings. You are the primordial Nature (Prakrti) as well as Purusa. You are the Brahman worthy of meditation. You are the imperishable and undying Being. You are the supreme soul. You are the lord and great cause. You are the creator of Brahmā. You are the maker of Prakṛti. You are beyond Prakṛti.
This gentle lady is Prakrti the permanent instrument unto you in the process of creation. She has assumed the form of your wife and has come to you as the cause of the universe. O lord, obeisance to you as well as to your glorious consort. O lord of Devas, it was at your bidding and by your favour that I created these Devas and subjects. They are now deluded by your Yogic Maya. Be pleased with them. May they be as they were before. O Brahmins, after submitting this to the lord I spoke at this occurrence to all those Devas who were stunned. “O ye deities, you are confounded. You do not understand lord Shiva. You immediately seek refuge in lord and his divine consort. He is the unchanging great Soul.” Then all those heaven-dwellers who were stunned, bowed to lord Śiva with their minds purified by emotional fervour. Shiva, the lord of Devas was pleased with them.
He immediately restored Devas to their former self. When this process of reviving Devas was going on, the lord of Devas assumed a wonderful body possessed of three eyes. Devas, eclipsed and dazzled by the brilliance of Shiva closed their eyes. The lord granted them powerful eyes competent to behold him. Then they looked at the lord of Devas. On seeing the third eye, Indra and other Devas recognized him as Shiva. In the presence of heaven-dwellers the delighted goddess placed garland at the feet of the lord of unmeasured lustre. Saying “Well done, Well done.” Devas, once again, bowed to the lord along with the goddess, with their heads resting on the ground. In the meantime O Brahmins, I spoke to Himavan the great mountain of massive splendour. Devas accompanied me. You are worthy of being praised and honoured by all. You are really great. Since you have the alliance with Shiva your prosperity will be great.
Let the auspicious marriage rite be performed. There shall be no delay in this matter. Then after bowing to me Himavan replied: O lord, you alone are the cause of my all-round rise and prosperity. The favour has come about suddenly, and the reason thereof can be you alone. O sire, conduct celebration of marriage after fixing up the program. Brahma said: On hearing the words of the king of mountains, O Brahmins, I said thus to the lord: “O lord, let the marriage rite be celebrated”. Shiva, the lord of the worlds said to me: “As you like”. O Brahmins, instantaneously I created a city for the marriage. It was made splendid by different sorts of jewels, precious stones, and gems of various colours; gold and pearls came in their embodied form and decorated that excellent city. The ground was wonderfully paved with Emerald. It was adorned with columns of gold. Shining crystals constituted the walls.
Pearl necklaces were suspended from them. At the entrance to that beautiful city, a raised platform was constructed for the marital rites. That place of noble Shiva, lord of Devas, shone brightly. The moon and the sun assumed the form of two brilliant gems and rendered the place warm and cool. Wafting sweet fragrant smell, very pleasing to the mind, the wind-god came there, evincing his devotion to lord Shiva. He was gentle to the touch. The four oceans, Indra and other Devas, the celestial rivers, the great terrestrial rivers, Siddhas, sages, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Yaksas, Raksasas, aquatic and Sky-bound birds and animals, Kinnaras, Caranas, Turabaru, Narada Haha, Huhu and the singers of Saman hymns brought with them other sorts of gems and came to the city. Ascetics and sages, experts in singing Vedic Mantras chanted holy Mantras of marriage rites with delighted minds. Mothers of the universe and the celestial virgins began to sing joyously in the course of that wedding ceremony of the lord. The six seasons were simultaneously present in their embodied forms at the marriage function. They spread pleasing scents everywhere. In the course of marriage celebration of the daughter of the mountain, the rainy season was present.
