Sarga 36: The Story of Uma
Uma Vrittanta
Vishvamitra tells how Shiva and Uma's prolonged union alarmed the gods, who persuaded Shiva to restrain his seed, which the earth received and Agni shaped into a reed-forest birthing Kartikeya; enraged at being denied a son, Uma curses the gods' wives and the earth with barrenness, and Shiva withdraws to the Himalayas.
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उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन्नुभौ राघवलक्ष्मणौ। प्रतिनन्द्य कथां वीरावूचतुर्मुनिपुङ्गवम्।।1.36.1।।
Meaning
When the sage had finished speaking, the two heroic Raghava and Lakshmana, delighting in the tale, spoke to the eminent sage.
धर्मयुक्तमिदं ब्रह्मन् कथितं परमं त्वया। दुहितुश्शैलराजस्य ज्येष्ठाया वक्तुमर्हसि।।1.36.2।।
Meaning
You have told us this supreme, righteous tale, Brahman; now please tell us in detail of the mountain king's elder daughter, since you know how to expound at length her divine and human origin.
विस्तरं विस्तरज्ञोऽसि दिव्यमानुषसम्भवम्।।1.36.3।।
Meaning
"Tell me in detail, for you know it well, this tale of divine and human origin."
त्रीन् पथो हेतुना केन प्लावयेल्लोकपावनी।।1.36.3।। कथं गङ्गा त्रिपथगा विश्रुता सरिदुत्तमा। त्रिषु लोकेषु धर्मज्ञ कर्मभि: कैस्समन्विता।।1.36.4।।
Meaning
For what reason does this world-purifier flood in three courses? How, knower of dharma, is Ganga, renowned as the foremost of rivers, joined by deeds to all three worlds as the three-coursing one?
तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे विश्वामित्रस्तपोधन:। निखिलेन कथां सर्वामृषिमध्ये न्यवेदयत्।।1.36.5।।
Meaning
As Kakutstha spoke thus, the ascetically-wealthy Vishvamitra related the entire tale in the midst of the sages.
पुरा राम कृतोद्वाहो नीलकण्ठो महातपा:। दृष्ट्वा च स्पृहया देवीं मैथुनायोपचक्रमे।।1.36.6।।
Meaning
Long ago, Rama, the blue-throated great ascetic, having wed and gazed upon the goddess with longing, began to make love to her.
शितिकण्ठस्य देवस्य दिव्यं वर्षशतं गतम्। न चापि तनयो राम तस्यामासीत् परन्तप।।1.36.7।।
Meaning
A hundred divine years passed for the blue-throated god, yet no son was born to her, scorcher of foes.
ततो देवास्समुद्विग्ना: पितामहपुरोगमा:। यदिहोत्पद्यते भूतं कस्तत्प्रतिसहिष्यते।।1.36.8।।
Meaning
Then the gods, led by the grandsire Brahma, grew anxious: what being would emerge from this, and who could bear it?
अभिगम्य सुरास्सर्वे प्रणिपत्येदमब्रुवन्। देव देव महादेव लोकस्यास्य हिते रत।।1.36.10।।
Meaning
All the gods approached and prostrated, saying: "O god of gods, Mahadeva, devoted to this world's welfare,"
सुराणां प्रणिपातेन प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।।1.36.11।।
Meaning
"you should show grace at the gods' prostration."