Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 8 Chapter 12

The Mohinī-mūrti Incarnation Bewilders Lord Śiva

VERSE 8.12.1-2

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca

vṛṣa-dhvajo niśamyedaṁ
yoṣid-rūpeṇa dānavān
mohayitvā sura-gaṇān
hariḥ somam apāyayat

vṛṣam āruhya giriśaḥ
sarva-bhūta-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
saha devyā yayau draṣṭuṁ
yatrāste madhusūdanaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; vṛṣa-dhvajaḥ — Lord Śiva, who is carried by a bull; niśamya — hearing; idam — this (news); yoṣit-rūpeṇa — by assuming the form of a woman; dānavān — the demons; mohayitvā — enchanting; sura-gaṇān — unto the demigods; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; somam — nectar; apāyayat — caused to drink; vṛṣam — the bull; āruhya — mounting; giriśaḥ — Lord Śiva; sarva — all; bhūta-gaṇaiḥ — by the ghosts; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; saha devyā — with Umā; yayau — went; draṣṭum — to see; yatra — where; āste — stays; madhusūdanaḥ — Lord Viṣṇu.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in the form of a woman, captivated the demons and enabled the demigods to drink the nectar. After hearing of these pastimes, Lord Śiva, who is carried by a bull, went to the place where Madhusūdana, the Lord, resides. Accompanied by his wife, Umā, and surrounded by his companions, the ghosts, Lord Śiva went there to see the Lord’s form as a woman.

VERSE 8.12.3

sabhājito bhagavatā
sādaraṁ somayā bhavaḥ
sūpaviṣṭa uvācedaṁ
pratipūjya smayan harim

SYNONYMS

sabhājitaḥ — well received; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; sa-ādaram — with great respect (as befitting Lord Śiva); sa-umayā — with Umā; bhavaḥ — Lord Śambhu (Lord Śiva); su-upaviṣṭaḥ — being comfortably situated; uvāca — said; idam — this; pratipūjya — offering respect; smayan — smiling; harim — unto the Lord.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead welcomed Lord Śiva and Umā with great respect, and after being seated comfortably, Lord Śiva duly worshiped the Lord and smilingly spoke as follows.

VERSE 8.12.4

śrī-mahādeva uvāca

deva-deva jagad-vyāpiñ
jagad-īśa jagan-maya
sarveṣām api bhāvānāṁ
tvam ātmā hetur īśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-mahādevaḥ uvāca — Lord Śiva (Mahādeva) said; deva-deva — O best demigod among the demigods; jagat-vyāpin — O all-pervading Lord; jagat-īśa — O master of the universe; jagat-maya — O my Lord, who are transformed by Your energy into this creation; sarveṣām api — all kinds of; bhāvānām — situations; tvam — You; ātmā — the moving force; hetuḥ — because of this; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord, Parameśvara.

TRANSLATION

Lord Mahādeva said: O chief demigod among the demigods, O all-pervading Lord, master of the universe, by Your energy You are transformed into the creation. You are the root and efficient cause of everything. You are not material. Indeed, You are the Supersoul or supreme living force of everything. Therefore, You are Parameśvara, the supreme controller of all controllers.

VERSE 8.12.5

ādy-antāv asya yan madhyam
idam anyad ahaṁ bahiḥ
yato ’vyayasya naitāni
tat satyaṁ brahma cid bhavān

SYNONYMS

ādi — the beginning; antau — and the end; asya — of this manifested cosmos or of anything material or visible; yat — that which; madhyam — between the beginning and the end, the sustenance; idam — this cosmic manifestation; anyat — anything other than You; aham — the wrong mental conception; bahiḥ — outside of You; yataḥ — because of; avyayasya — the inexhaustible; na — not; etāni — all these differences; tat — that; satyam — the Absolute Truth; brahma — the Supreme; cit — spiritual; bhavān — Your Lordship.

TRANSLATION

The manifest, the unmanifest, false ego and the beginning, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation all come from You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But because You are the Absolute Truth, the supreme absolute spirit soul, the Supreme Brahman, such changes as birth, death and sustenance do not exist in You.

VERSE 8.12.6

tavaiva caraṇāmbhojaṁ
śreyas-kāmā nirāśiṣaḥ
visṛjyobhayataḥ saṅgaṁ
munayaḥ samupāsate

SYNONYMS

tava — Your; eva — indeed; caraṇa-ambhojam — lotus feet; śreyaḥ-kāmāḥ — persons desiring the ultimate auspiciousness, the ultimate goal of life; nirāśiṣaḥ — without material desire; visṛjya — giving up; ubhayataḥ — in this life and the next; saṅgam — attachment; munayaḥ — great sages; samupāsate — worship.

TRANSLATION

Pure devotees or great saintly persons who desire to achieve the highest goal in life and who are completely free from all material desires for sense gratification engage constantly in the transcendental service of Your lotus feet.

VERSE 8.12.7

tvaṁ brahma pūrṇam amṛtaṁ viguṇaṁ viśokam
ānanda-mātram avikāram ananyad anyat
viśvasya hetur udaya-sthiti-saṁyamānām
ātmeśvaraś ca tad-apekṣatayānapekṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvam — Your Lordship; brahma — the all-pervading Absolute Truth; pūrṇam — fully complete; amṛtam — never to be vanquished; viguṇam — spiritually situated, free from the material modes of nature; viśokam — without lamentation; ānanda-mātram — always in transcendental bliss; avikāram — changeless; ananyat — separated from everything; anyat — yet You are everything; viśvasya — of the cosmic manifestation; hetuḥ — the cause; udaya — of the beginning; sthiti — maintenance; saṁyamānām — and of all the directors controlling the various departments of the cosmic manifestation; ātma-īśvaraḥ — the Supersoul giving direction to everyone; ca — also; tat-apekṣatayā — everyone depends upon You; anapekṣaḥ — always fully independent.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, You are the Supreme Brahman, complete in everything. Being completely spiritual, You are eternal, free from the material modes of nature, and full of transcendental bliss. Indeed, for You there is no question of lamentation. Since You are the supreme cause, the cause of all causes, nothing can exist without You. Yet we are different from You in a relationship of cause and effect, for in one sense the cause and effect are different. You are the original cause of creation, manifestation and annihilation, and You bestow benedictions upon all living entities. Everyone depends upon You for the results of his activities, but You are always independent.

VERSE 8.12.8

ekas tvam eva sad asad dvayam advayaṁ ca
svarṇaṁ kṛtākṛtam iveha na vastu-bhedaḥ
ajñānatas tvayi janair vihito vikalpo
yasmād guṇa-vyatikaro nirupādhikasya

SYNONYMS

ekaḥ — the only one; tvam — Your Lordship; eva — indeed; sat — which is existing, as the effect; asat — which is nonexistent, as the cause; dvayam — both of them; advayam — without duality; ca — and; svarṇam — gold; kṛta — manufactured into different forms; ākṛtam — the original source of gold (the gold mine); iva — like; iha — in this world; na — not; vastu-bhedaḥ — difference in the substance; ajñānataḥ — only because of ignorance; tvayi — unto You; janaiḥ — by the general mass of people; vihitaḥ — it should be done; vikalpaḥ — differentiation; yasmāt — because of; guṇa-vyatikaraḥ — free from the differences created by the material modes of nature; nirupādhikasya — without any material designation.

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, Your Lordship alone is the cause and the effect. Therefore, although You appear to be two, You are the absolute one. As there is no difference between the gold of a golden ornament and the gold in a mine, there is no difference between cause and effect; both of them are the same. Only because of ignorance do people concoct differences and dualities. You are free from material contamination, and since the entire cosmos is caused by You and cannot exist without You, it is an effect of Your transcendental qualities. Thus the conception that Brahman is true and the world false cannot be maintained.

VERSE 8.12.9

tvāṁ brahma kecid avayanty uta dharmam eke
eke paraṁ sad-asatoḥ puruṣaṁ pareśam
anye ’vayanti nava-śakti-yutaṁ paraṁ tvāṁ
kecin mahā-puruṣam avyayam ātma-tantram

SYNONYMS

tvām — You; brahma — the supreme truth, the Absolute Truth, Brahman; kecit — some people, namely the group of Māyāvādīs known as the Vedāntists; avayanti — consider; uta — certainly; dharmam — religion; eke — some others; eke — some others; param — transcendental; sat-asatoḥ — to both cause and effect; puruṣam — the Supreme Person; pareśam — the supreme controller; anye — others; avayanti — describe; nava-śakti-yutam — endowed with nine potencies; param — transcendental; tvām — unto You; kecit — some; mahā-puruṣam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avyayam — without loss of energy; ātma-tantram — supremely independent.

TRANSLATION

Those who are known as the impersonalist Vedāntists regard You as the impersonal Brahman. Others, known as the Mīmāṁsaka philosophers, regard You as religion. The Sāṅkhya philosophers regard You as the transcendental person who is beyond prakṛti and puruṣa and who is the controller of even the demigods. The followers of the codes of devotional service known as the Pañcarātras regard You as being endowed with nine different potencies. And the Patañjala philosophers, the followers of Patañjali Muni, regard You as the supreme independent Personality of Godhead, who has no equal or superior.

VERSE 8.12.10

nāhaṁ parāyur ṛṣayo na marīci-mukhyā
jānanti yad-viracitaṁ khalu sattva-sargāḥ
yan-māyayā muṣita-cetasa īśa daitya-
martyādayaḥ kim uta śaśvad-abhadra-vṛttāḥ

SYNONYMS

na — neither; aham — I; para-āyuḥ — that personality who lives for millions and millions of years (Lord Brahmā); ṛṣayaḥ — the seven ṛṣis of the seven planets; na — nor; marīci-mukhyāḥ — headed by Marīci Ṛṣi; jānanti — know; yat — by whom (the Supreme Lord); viracitam — this universe, which has been created; khalu — indeed; sattva-sargāḥ — although born in the mode of material goodness; yat-māyayā — by the influence of whose energy; muṣita-cetasaḥ — their hearts are bewildered; īśa — O my Lord; daitya — the demons; martya-ādayaḥ — the human beings and others; kim uta — what to speak of; śaśvat — always; abhadra-vṛttāḥ — influenced by the base qualities of material nature.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, I, who am considered to be the best of the demigods, and Lord Brahmā and the great ṛṣis, headed by Marīci, are born of the mode of goodness. Nonetheless, we are bewildered by Your illusory energy and cannot understand what this creation is. Aside from us, what is to be said of others, like the demons and human beings, who are in the base modes of material nature [rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa]? How will they know You?

VERSE 8.12.11

sa tvaṁ samīhitam adaḥ sthiti-janma-nāśaṁ
bhūtehitaṁ ca jagato bhava-bandha-mokṣau
vāyur yathā viśati khaṁ ca carācarākhyaṁ
sarvaṁ tad-ātmakatayāvagamo ’varuntse

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Your Lordship; tvam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samīhitam — which has been created (by You); adaḥ — of this material cosmic manifestation; sthiti-janma-nāśam — creation, maintenance and annihilation; bhūta — of the living entities; īhitam ca — and the different activities or endeavors; jagataḥ — of the whole world; bhava-bandha-mokṣau — in being implicated and being liberated from material complications; vāyuḥ — the air; yathā — as; viśati — enters; kham — in the vast sky; ca — and; cara-acara-ākhyam — and everything, moving and nonmoving; sarvam — everything; tat — that; ātmakatayā — because of Your presence; avagamaḥ — everything is known to You; avaruntse — You are all-pervading and therefore know everything.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, You are the supreme knowledge personified. You know everything about this creation and its beginning, maintenance and annihilation, and You know all the endeavors made by the living entities, by which they are either implicated in this material world or liberated from it. As the air enters the vast sky and also enters the bodies of all moving and nonmoving entities, You are present everywhere, and therefore You are the knower of all.

VERSE 8.12.12

avatārā mayā dṛṣṭā
ramamāṇasya te guṇaiḥ
so ’haṁ tad draṣṭum icchāmi
yat te yoṣid-vapur dhṛtam

SYNONYMS

avatārāḥ — incarnations; mayā — by me; dṛṣṭāḥ — have been seen; ramamāṇasya — while You demonstrate Your various pastimes; te — of You; guṇaiḥ — by the manifestations of transcendental qualities; saḥ — Lord Śiva; aham — I; tat — that incarnation; draṣṭum icchāmi — wish to see; yat — which; te — of You; yoṣit-vapuḥ — the body of a woman; dhṛtam — was accepted.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, I have seen all kinds of incarnations You have exhibited by Your transcendental qualities, and now that You have appeared as a beautiful young woman, I wish to see that form of Your Lordship.

VERSE 8.12.13

yena sammohitā daityāḥ
pāyitāś cāmṛtaṁ surāḥ
tad didṛkṣava āyātāḥ
paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ

SYNONYMS

yena — by such an incarnation; sammohitāḥ — were captivated; daityāḥ — the demons; pāyitāḥ — were fed; ca — also; amṛtam — nectar; surāḥ — the demigods; tat — that form; didṛkṣavaḥ — desiring to see; āyātāḥ — we have come here; param — very much; kautūhalam — great eagerness; hi — indeed; naḥ — of ourselves.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, we have come here desiring to see that form of Your Lordship which You showed to the demons to captivate them completely and in this way enable the demigods to drink nectar. I am very eager to see that form.

VERSE 8.12.14

śrī-śuka uvāca

evam abhyarthito viṣṇur
bhagavān śūla-pāṇinā
prahasya bhāva-gambhīraṁ
giriśaṁ pratyabhāṣata

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — in this way; abhyarthitaḥ — being requested; viṣṇuḥ bhagavān — Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śūla-pāṇinā — by Lord Śiva, who carries a trident in his hand; prahasya — laughing; bhāva-gambhīram — with serious gravity; giriśam — unto Lord Śiva; pratyabhāṣata — replied.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Lord Viṣṇu was thus requested by Lord Śiva, who carries a trident in his hand, He smiled with gravity and replied to Lord Śiva as follows.

VERSE 8.12.15

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

kautūhalāya daityānāṁ
yoṣid-veṣo mayā dhṛtaḥ
paśyatā sura-kāryāṇi
gate pīyūṣa-bhājane

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kautūhalāya — for the bewildering; daityānām — of the demons; yoṣit-veṣaḥ — the form of a beautiful woman; mayā — by Me; dhṛtaḥ — assumed; paśyatā — seeing that it is necessary for Me; sura-kāryāṇi — for executing the interests of the demigods; gate — having been taken away; pīyūṣa-bhājane — the jug of nectar.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: When the demons took away the jug of nectar, I assumed the form of a beautiful woman to bewilder them by directly cheating them and thus to act in the interest of the demigods.

VERSE 8.12.16

tat te ’haṁ darśayiṣyāmi
didṛkṣoḥ sura-sattama
kāmināṁ bahu mantavyaṁ
saṅkalpa-prabhavodayam

SYNONYMS

tat — that; te — unto you; aham — I; darśayiṣyāmi — shall show; didṛkṣoḥ — desirous of seeing; sura-sattama — O best of the demigods; kāminām — of persons who are very lusty; bahu — very much; mantavyam — an object of adoration; saṅkalpa — lusty desires; prabhava-udayam — causing to be strongly aroused.

TRANSLATION

O best of the demigods, I shall now show you My form that is very much appreciated by those who are lusty. Since you want to see that form, I shall reveal it in your presence.

VERSE 8.12.17

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti bruvāṇo bhagavāṁs
tatraivāntaradhīyata
sarvataś cārayaṁś cakṣur
bhava āste sahomayā

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; bruvāṇaḥ — while speaking; bhagavān — Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tatra — there; eva — immediately; antaradhīyata — disappeared from the vision of Lord Śiva and his associates; sarvataḥ — everywhere; cārayan — moving; cakṣuḥ — the eyes; bhavaḥ — Lord Śiva; āste — remained; saha-umayā — with his wife, Umā.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After speaking in this way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, immediately disappeared, and Lord Śiva remained there with Umā, looking for Him all around with moving eyes.

VERSE 8.12.18

tato dadarśopavane vara-striyaṁ
vicitra-puṣpāruṇa-pallava-drume
vikrīḍatīṁ kanduka-līlayā lasad-
dukūla-paryasta-nitamba-mekhalām

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — thereafter; dadarśa — Lord Śiva saw; upavane — in a nice forest; vara-striyam — a very beautiful woman; vicitra — of many varieties; puṣpa — flowers; aruṇa — pink; pallava — leaves; drume — in the midst of the trees; vikrīḍatīm — engaged in playing; kanduka — with a ball; līlayā — by pastimes of playing; lasat — shining; dukūla — by a sari; paryasta — covered; nitamba — on her hips; mekhalām — dressed with a belt.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, in a nice forest nearby, full of trees with reddish-pink leaves and varieties of flowers, Lord Śiva saw a beautiful woman playing with a ball. Her hips were covered with a shining sari and ornamented with a belt.

VERSE 8.12.19

āvartanodvartana-kampita-stana-
prakṛṣṭa-hāroru-bharaiḥ pade pade
prabhajyamānām iva madhyataś calat-
pada-pravālaṁ nayatīṁ tatas tataḥ

SYNONYMS

āvartana — by the falling down; udvartana — and springing up; kampita — trembling; stana — of the two breasts; prakṛṣṭa — beautiful; hāra — and of garlands; uru-bharaiḥ — because of the heavy load; pade pade — at every step; prabhajyamānām iva — as if breaking; madhyataḥ — in the middle portion of the body; calat — moving like that; pada-pravālam — feet reddish like coral; nayatīm — moving; tataḥ tataḥ — here and there.

TRANSLATION

Because the ball was falling down and bouncing up, as She played with it Her breasts trembled, and because of the weight of those breasts and Her heavy flower garlands, Her waist appeared to be all but breaking at every step, as Her two soft feet, which were reddish like coral, moved here and there.

VERSE 8.12.20

dikṣu bhramat-kanduka-cāpalair bhṛśaṁ
prodvigna-tārāyata-lola-locanām
sva-karṇa-vibhrājita-kuṇḍalollasat-
kapola-nīlālaka-maṇḍitānanām

SYNONYMS

dikṣu — in all directions; bhramat — moving; kanduka — of the ball; cāpalaiḥ — restlessness; bhṛśam — now and then; prodvigna — full of anxieties; tāra — eyes; āyata — broad; lola — restless; locanām — with such eyes; sva-karṇa — on Her own two ears; vibhrājita — illuminating; kuṇḍala — earrings; ullasat — shining; kapola — cheeks; nīla — bluish; alaka — with hair; maṇḍita — was decorated; ānanām — face.

TRANSLATION

The woman’s face was decorated by broad, beautiful, restless eyes, which moved as the ball bounced here and there from Her hand. The two brilliant earrings on Her ears decorated Her shining cheeks like bluish reflections, and the hair scattered on Her face made Her even more beautiful to see.

VERSE 8.12.21

ślathad dukūlaṁ kabarīṁ ca vicyutāṁ
sannahyatīṁ vāma-kareṇa valgunā
vinighnatīm anya-kareṇa kandukaṁ
vimohayantīṁ jagad-ātma-māyayā

SYNONYMS

ślathat — slipping or slackening; dukūlam — the sari; kabarīm ca — and the hair on the head; vicyutām — being slackened and scattered; sannahyatīm — trying to bind; vāma-kareṇa — with the left hand; valgunā — very beautifully attractive; vinighnatīm — striking; anya-kareṇa — with the right hand; kandukam — the ball; vimohayantīm — in this way captivating everyone; jagat — the whole world; ātma-māyayā — by the spiritual potency, the internal energy.

TRANSLATION

As She played with the ball, the sari covering Her body became loose, and Her hair scattered. She tried to bind Her hair with Her beautiful left hand, and at the same time She played with the ball by striking it with Her right hand. This was so attractive that the Supreme Lord, by His internal potency, in this way captivated everyone.

VERSE 8.12.22

tāṁ vīkṣya deva iti kanduka-līlayeṣad-
vrīḍāsphuṭa-smita-visṛṣṭa-kaṭākṣa-muṣṭaḥ
strī-prekṣaṇa-pratisamīkṣaṇa-vihvalātmā
nātmānam antika umāṁ sva-gaṇāṁś ca veda

SYNONYMS

tām — Her; vīkṣya — after observing; devaḥ — Lord Śambhu; iti — in this way; kanduka-līlayā — by playing with the ball; īṣat — slight; vrīḍā — by bashfulness; asphuṭa — not very distinct; smita — with smiling; visṛṣṭa — sent; kaṭākṣa-muṣṭaḥ — defeated by the glances; strī-prekṣaṇa — by glancing at that beautiful woman; pratisamīkṣaṇa — and by constantly being watched by Her; vihvala-ātmā — whose mind was agitated; na — not; ātmānam — himself; antike — (situated) nearby; umām — his wife, mother Umā; sva-gaṇān ca — and his associates; veda — Lord Śiva could understand.

TRANSLATION

While Lord Śiva observed the beautiful woman playing with the ball, She sometimes glanced at him and slightly smiled in bashfulness. As he looked at the beautiful woman and She watched him, he forgot both himself and Umā, his most beautiful wife, as well as his associates nearby.

VERSE 8.12.23

tasyāḥ karāgrāt sa tu kanduko yadā
gato vidūraṁ tam anuvrajat-striyāḥ
vāsaḥ sasūtraṁ laghu māruto ’harad
bhavasya devasya kilānupaśyataḥ

SYNONYMS

tasyāḥ — of the beautiful woman; kara-agrāt — from the hand; saḥ — that; tu — but; kandukaḥ — the ball; yadā — when; gataḥ — had gone; vidūram — far off; tam — that ball; anuvrajat — began to follow; striyāḥ — of that woman; vāsaḥ — the covering dress; sa-sūtram — with the belt; laghu — because of being very fine; mārutaḥ — the breeze; aharat — blew away; bhavasya — while Lord Śiva; devasya — the chief demigod; kila — indeed; anupaśyataḥ — was always looking.

TRANSLATION

When the ball leaped from Her hand and fell at a distance, the woman began to follow it, but as Lord Śiva observed these activities, a breeze suddenly blew away the fine dress and belt that covered her.

VERSE 8.12.24

evaṁ tāṁ rucirāpāṅgīṁ
darśanīyāṁ manoramām
dṛṣṭvā tasyāṁ manaś cakre
viṣajjantyāṁ bhavaḥ kila

SYNONYMS

evam — in this way; tām — Her; rucira-apāṅgīm — possessing all attractive features; darśanīyām — pleasing to see; manoramām — beautifully formed; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; tasyām — upon Her; manaḥ cakre — thought; viṣajjantyām — to be attracted by him; bhavaḥ — Lord Śiva; kila — indeed.

TRANSLATION

Thus Lord Śiva saw the woman, every part of whose body was beautifully formed, and the beautiful woman also looked at him. Therefore, thinking that She was attracted to him, Lord Śiva became very much attracted to Her.

VERSE 8.12.25

tayāpahṛta-vijñānas
tat-kṛta-smara-vihvalaḥ
bhavānyā api paśyantyā
gata-hrīs tat-padaṁ yayau

SYNONYMS

tayā — by Her; apahṛta — taken away; vijñānaḥ — good sense; tat-kṛta — done by Her; smara — by the smiling; vihvalaḥ — having become mad for Her; bhavānyāḥ — while Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva; api — although; paśyantyāḥ — was seeing all these incidents; gata-hrīḥ — bereft of all shame; tat-padam — to the place where She was situated; yayau — went.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva, his good sense taken away by the woman because of lusty desires to enjoy with Her, became so mad for Her that even in the presence of Bhavānī he did not hesitate to approach Her.

VERSE 8.12.26

sā tam āyāntam ālokya
vivastrā vrīḍitā bhṛśam
nilīyamānā vṛkṣeṣu
hasantī nānvatiṣṭhata

SYNONYMS

— that woman; tam — Lord Śiva; āyāntam — who was coming near; ālokya — seeing; vivastrā — She was naked; vrīḍitā — very bashful; bhṛśam — so much; nilīyamānā — was hiding; vṛkṣeṣu — among the trees; hasantī — smiling; na — not; anvatiṣṭhata — stood in one place.

TRANSLATION

The beautiful woman was already naked, and when She saw Lord Śiva coming toward Her, She became extremely bashful. Thus She kept smiling, but She hid Herself among the trees and did not stand in one place.

VERSE 8.12.27

tām anvagacchad bhagavān
bhavaḥ pramuṣitendriyaḥ
kāmasya ca vaśaṁ nītaḥ
kareṇum iva yūthapaḥ

SYNONYMS

tām — Her; anvagacchat — followed; bhagavān — Lord Śiva; bhavaḥ — known as Bhava; pramuṣita-indriyaḥ — whose senses were agitated; kāmasya — of lusty desires; ca — and; vaśam — victimized; nītaḥ — having become; kareṇum — a female elephant; iva — just as; yūthapaḥ — a male elephant.

TRANSLATION

His senses being agitated, Lord Śiva, victimized by lusty desires, began to follow Her, just as a lusty elephant follows a she-elephant.

VERSE 8.12.28

so ’nuvrajyātivegena
gṛhītvānicchatīṁ striyam
keśa-bandha upānīya
bāhubhyāṁ pariṣasvaje

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Lord Śiva; anuvrajya — following Her; ati-vegena — with great speed; gṛhītvā — catching; anicchatīm — although She was not willing to be caught; striyam — the woman; keśa-bandhe — on the cluster of hair; upānīya — dragging Her near; bāhubhyām — with his arms; pariṣasvaje — embraced Her.

TRANSLATION

After following Her with great speed, Lord Śiva caught Her by the braid of Her hair and dragged Her near him. Although She was unwilling, he embraced Her with his arms.

VERSE 8.12.29-30

sopagūḍhā bhagavatā
kariṇā kariṇī yathā
itas tataḥ prasarpantī
viprakīrṇa-śiroruhā

ātmānaṁ mocayitvāṅga
surarṣabha-bhujāntarāt
prādravat sā pṛthu-śroṇī
māyā deva-vinirmitā

SYNONYMS

— the woman; upagūḍhā — being captured and embraced; bhagavatā — by Lord Śiva; kariṇā — by a male elephant; kariṇī — a she-elephant; yathā — as; itaḥ tataḥ — here and there; prasarpantī — swirling like a snake; viprakīrṇa — scattered; śiroruhā — all the hair on Her head; ātmānam — Herself; mocayitvā — releasing; aṅga — O King; sura-ṛṣabha — of the best of the demigods (Lord Śiva); bhuja-antarāt — from the entanglement in the midst of the arms; prādravat — began to run very fast; — She; pṛthu-śroṇī — bearing very large hips; māyā — internal potency; deva-vinirmitā — exhibited by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Being embraced by Lord Śiva like a female elephant embraced by a male, the woman, whose hair was scattered, swirled like a snake. O King, this woman, who had large, high hips, was a woman of yoga-māyā presented by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She released Herself somehow or other from the fond embrace of Lord Śiva’s arms and ran away.

VERSE 8.12.31

tasyāsau padavīṁ rudro
viṣṇor adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
pratyapadyata kāmena
vairiṇeva vinirjitaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of He who is the Supreme Lord; asau — Lord Śiva; padavīm — the place; rudraḥ — Lord Śiva; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ — of He who acts very wonderfully; pratyapadyata — began to follow; kāmena — by lusty desire; vairiṇā iva — as if by an enemy; vinirjitaḥ — being harassed.

TRANSLATION

As if harassed by an enemy in the form of lusty desires, Lord Śiva followed the path of Lord Viṣṇu, who acts very wonderfully and who had taken the form of Mohinī.

VERSE 8.12.32

tasyānudhāvato retaś
caskandāmogha-retasaḥ
śuṣmiṇo yūthapasyeva
vāsitām anudhāvataḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya — of him (Lord Śiva); anudhāvataḥ — who was following; retaḥ — the semen; caskanda — discharged; amogha-retasaḥ — of that person whose discharge of semen never goes in vain; śuṣmiṇaḥ — mad; yūthapasya — of a male elephant; iva — just like; vāsitām — to a female elephant able to conceive pregnancy; anudhāvataḥ — following.

TRANSLATION

Just as a maddened bull elephant follows a female elephant who is able to conceive pregnancy, Lord Śiva followed the beautiful woman and discharged semen, even though his discharge of semen never goes in vain.

VERSE 8.12.33

yatra yatrāpatan mahyāṁ
retas tasya mahātmanaḥ
tāni rūpyasya hemnaś ca
kṣetrāṇy āsan mahī-pate

SYNONYMS

yatra — wherever; yatra — and wherever; apatat — fell; mahyām — on the surface of the world; retaḥ — the semen; tasya — of him; mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the great personality (Lord Śiva); tāni — all those places; rūpyasya — of silver; hemnaḥ — of gold; ca — and; kṣetrāṇi — mines; āsan — became; mahī-pate — O King.

TRANSLATION

O King, wheresoever on the surface of the globe fell the semen of the great personality of Lord Śiva, mines of gold and silver later appeared.

VERSE 8.12.34

sarit-saraḥsu śaileṣu
vaneṣūpavaneṣu ca
yatra kva cāsann ṛṣayas
tatra sannihito haraḥ

SYNONYMS

sarit — near the shores of the rivers; saraḥsu — and near the lakes; śaileṣu — near the mountains; vaneṣu — in the forests; upavaneṣu — in the gardens or small forests; ca — also; yatra — wherever; kva — anywhere; ca — also; āsan — were exiting; ṛṣayaḥ — great sages; tatra — there; sannihitaḥ — was present; haraḥ — Lord Śiva.

TRANSLATION

Following Mohinī, Lord Śiva went everywhere — near the shores of the rivers and lakes, near the mountains, near the forests, near the gardens, and wherever there lived great sages.

VERSE 8.12.35

skanne retasi so ’paśyad
ātmānaṁ deva-māyayā
jaḍīkṛtaṁ nṛpa-śreṣṭha
sannyavartata kaśmalāt

SYNONYMS

skanne — when fully discharged; retasi — the semen; saḥ — Lord Śiva; apaśyat — saw; ātmānam — his own self; deva-māyayā — by the māyā of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jaḍīkṛtam — had become victimized as a fool; nṛpa-śreṣṭha — O best of kings (Mahārāja Parīkṣit); sannyavartata — restrained himself further; kaśmalāt — from illusion.

TRANSLATION

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of kings, when Lord Śiva had fully discharged semen, he could see how he himself had been victimized by the illusion created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he restrained himself from any further māyā.

VERSE 8.12.36

athāvagata-māhātmya
ātmano jagad-ātmanaḥ
aparijñeya-vīryasya
na mene tad u hādbhutam

SYNONYMS

atha — thus; avagata — being fully convinced about; māhātmyaḥ — the greatness; ātmanaḥ — of himself; jagat-ātmanaḥ — and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aparijñeya-vīryasya — who has unlimited potency; na — not; mene — did consider; tat — the miraculous activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in bewildering him; u ha — certainly; adbhutam — as wonderful.

TRANSLATION

Thus Lord Śiva could understand his position and that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potencies. Having reached this understanding, he was not at all surprised by the wonderful way Lord Viṣṇu had acted upon him.

VERSE 8.12.37

tam aviklavam avrīḍam
ālakṣya madhusūdanaḥ
uvāca parama-prīto
bibhrat svāṁ pauruṣīṁ tanum

SYNONYMS

tam — him (Lord Śiva); aviklavam — without being agitated by the incident that had taken place; avrīḍam — without being ashamed; ālakṣya — seeing; madhu-sūdanaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Madhusūdana, the killer of the demon Madhu; uvāca — said; parama-prītaḥ — being very pleased; bibhrat — assuming; svām — His own; pauruṣīm — original; tanum — form.

TRANSLATION

Seeing Lord Śiva unagitated and unashamed, Lord Viṣṇu [Madhusūdana] was very pleased. Thus He resumed His original form and spoke as follows.

VERSE 8.12.38

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

diṣṭyā tvaṁ vibudha-śreṣṭha
svāṁ niṣṭhām ātmanā sthitaḥ
yan me strī-rūpayā svairaṁ
mohito ’py aṅga māyayā

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; diṣṭyā — all auspiciousness; tvam — unto you; vibudha-śreṣṭha — O best of all the demigods; svām — in your own; niṣṭhām — fixed situation; ātmanā — of your own self; sthitaḥ — you are situated; yat — as; me — Mine; strī-rūpayā — appearance like a woman; svairam — sufficiently; mohitaḥ — enchanted; api — in spite of; aṅga — O Lord Śiva; māyayā — by My potency.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best of the demigods, although you have been amply harassed because of My potency in assuming the form of a woman, you are established in your position. Therefore, may all good fortune be upon you.

VERSE 8.12.39

ko nu me ’titaren māyāṁ
viṣaktas tvad-ṛte pumān
tāṁs tān visṛjatīṁ bhāvān
dustarām akṛtātmabhiḥ

SYNONYMS

kaḥ — what; nu — indeed; me — My; atitaret — can surpass; māyām — illusory energy; viṣaktaḥ — attached to material sense enjoyment; tvat-ṛte — except for you; pumān — person; tān — such conditions; tān — unto the materially attached persons; visṛjatīm — in surpassing; bhāvān — reactions of material activities; dustarām — very difficult to surmount; akṛta-ātmabhiḥ — by persons unable to control their senses.

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord Śambhu, who within this material world but you can surpass My illusory energy? People are generally attached to sense enjoyment and conquered by its influence. Indeed, the influence of material nature is very difficult for them to surmount.

VERSE 8.12.40

seyaṁ guṇa-mayī māyā
na tvām abhibhaviṣyati
mayā sametā kālena
kāla-rūpeṇa bhāgaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

— that insurmountable; iyam — this; guṇa-mayī — consisting of the three modes of material nature; māyā — illusory energy; na — not; tvām — you; abhibhaviṣyati — will be able to bewilder in the future; mayā — with Me; sametā — joined; kālena — eternal time; kāla-rūpeṇa — in the form of time; bhāgaśaḥ — with her different parts.

TRANSLATION

The material, external energy [māyā], who cooperates with Me in creation and who is manifested in the three modes of nature, will not be able to bewilder you any longer.

VERSE 8.12.41

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaṁ bhagavatā rājan
śrīvatsāṅkena sat-kṛtaḥ
āmantrya taṁ parikramya
sagaṇaḥ svālayaṁ yayau

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rājan — O King; śrīvatsa-aṅkena — who always carries the mark of Śrīvatsa on His breast; sat-kṛtaḥ — being very much applauded; āmantrya — taking permission from; tam — Him; parikramya — circumambulating; sa-gaṇaḥ — with his associates; sva-ālayam — to his own abode; yayau — went back.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, having thus been praised by the Supreme Personality, who bears the mark of Śrīvatsa on His chest, Lord Śiva circumambulated Him. Then, after taking permission from Him, Lord Śiva returned to his abode, Kailāsa, along with his associates.

VERSE 8.12.42

ātmāṁśa-bhūtāṁ tāṁ māyāṁ
bhavānīṁ bhagavān bhavaḥ
sammatām ṛṣi-mukhyānāṁ
prītyācaṣṭātha bhārata

SYNONYMS

ātma-aṁśa-bhūtām — a potency of the Supreme Soul; tām — unto her; māyām — the illusory energy; bhavānīm — who is the wife of Lord Śiva; bhagavān — the powerful; bhavaḥ — Lord Śiva; sammatām — accepted; ṛṣi-mukhyānām — by the great sages; prītyā — in jubilation; ācaṣṭa — began to address; atha — then; bhārata — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, descendant of Bharata.

TRANSLATION

O descendant of Bharata Mahārāja, Lord Śiva, in jubilation, then addressed his wife, Bhavānī, who is accepted by all authorities as the potency of Lord Viṣṇu.

VERSE 8.12.43

ayi vyapaśyas tvam ajasya māyāṁ
parasya puṁsaḥ para-devatāyāḥ
ahaṁ kalānām ṛṣabho ’pi muhye
yayāvaśo ’nye kim utāsvatantrāḥ

SYNONYMS

ayi — oh; vyapaśyaḥ — have seen; tvam — you; ajasya — of the unborn; māyām — the illusory energy; parasya puṁsaḥ — of the Supreme Person; para-devatāyāḥ — the Absolute Truth; aham — myself; kalānām — of plenary portions; ṛṣabhaḥ — the chief; api — although; muhye — became bewildered; yayā — by her; avaśaḥ — imperceptibly; anye — others; kim uta — what to speak of; asvatantrāḥ — fully dependent on māyā.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva said: O Goddess, you have now seen the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the unborn master of everyone. Although I am one of the principal expansions of His Lordship, even I was illusioned by His energy. What then is to be said of others, who are fully dependent on māyā?

VERSE 8.12.44

yaṁ mām apṛcchas tvam upetya yogāt
samā-sahasrānta upārataṁ vai
sa eṣa sākṣāt puruṣaḥ purāṇo
na yatra kālo viśate na vedaḥ

SYNONYMS

yam — about whom; mām — from me; apṛcchaḥ — inquired; tvam — you; upetya — coming near me; yogāt — from performing mystic yoga; samā — years; sahasra-ante — at the end of one thousand; upāratam — ceasing; vai — indeed; saḥ — He; eṣaḥ — here is; sākṣāt — directly; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; purāṇaḥ — the original; na — not; yatra — where; kālaḥ — eternal time; viśate — can enter; na — nor; vedaḥ — the Vedas.

TRANSLATION

When I finished performing mystic yoga for one thousand years, you asked me upon whom I was meditating. Now, here is that Supreme Person to whom time has no entrance and who the Vedas cannot understand.

VERSE 8.12.45

śrī-śuka uvāca

iti te ’bhihitas tāta
vikramaḥ śārṅga-dhanvanaḥ
sindhor nirmathane yena
dhṛtaḥ pṛṣṭhe mahācalaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; te — unto you; abhihitaḥ — explained; tāta — my dear King; vikramaḥ — prowess; śārṅga-dhanvanaḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who carries the Śārṅga bow; sindhoḥ — of the Ocean of Milk; nirmathane — in the churning; yena — by whom; dhṛtaḥ — was held; pṛṣṭhe — on the back; mahā-acalaḥ — the great mountain.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, the person who bore the great mountain on His back for the churning of the Ocean of Milk is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Śārṅga-dhanvā. I have now described to you His prowess.

VERSE 8.12.46

etan muhuḥ kīrtayato ’nuśṛṇvato
na riṣyate jātu samudyamaḥ kvacit
yad uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanaṁ
samasta-saṁsāra-pariśramāpaham

SYNONYMS

etat — this narration; muhuḥ — constantly; kīrtayataḥ — of one who chants; anuśṛṇvataḥ — and also hears; na — not; riṣyate — annihilated; jātu — at any time; samudyamaḥ — the endeavor; kvacit — at any time; yat — because; uttamaśloka — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guṇa-anuvarṇanam — describing the transcendental qualities; samasta — all; saṁsāra — of material existence; pariśrama — misery; apaham — finishing.

TRANSLATION

The endeavor of one who constantly hears or describes this narration of the churning of the Ocean of Milk will never be fruitless. Indeed, chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only means to annihilate all sufferings in this material world.

VERSE 8.12.47

asad-aviṣayam aṅghriṁ bhāva-gamyaṁ prapannān
amṛtam amara-varyān āśayat sindhu-mathyam
kapaṭa-yuvati-veṣo mohayan yaḥ surārīṁs
tam aham upasṛtānāṁ kāma-pūraṁ nato ’smi

SYNONYMS

asat-aviṣayam — not understood by the atheists; aṅghrim — unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhāva-gamyam — understood by devotees; prapannān — fully surrendered; amṛtam — the nectar; amara-varyān — only unto the demigods; āśayat — gave to drink; sindhu-mathyam — produced from the Ocean of Milk; kapaṭa-yuvati-veṣaḥ — appearing as a false young girl; mohayan — captivating; yaḥ — He who; sura-arīn — the enemies of the demigods; tam — unto Him; aham — I; upasṛtānām — of the devotees; kāma-pūram — who fulfills all desires; nataḥ asmi — I offer my respectful obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Assuming the form of a young woman and thus bewildering the demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead distributed to His devotees, the demigods, the nectar produced from the churning of the Ocean of Milk. Unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always fulfills the desires of His devotees, I offer my respectful obeisances.