44 - Coronation of Nandishvara

Shailādi said: 

1. As soon as Rudra remembered them, the leaders of Ganas came there. All of them had a thousand arms with weapons in all their thousand hands. 

2. They had three eyes. These noble gañas were saluted even by Devas. They resembled crores of fires that burn at the time of dissolution. They had matted hairs and crowns. 

3. Innumerable lords of Ganas of noble souls came there with jubilation. They were accompanied by crores and crores of Gaņas all equal in exploits to the chief. Their faces were terrible due to the curved fangs. They were eternal, enlightened and devoid of impurities. 

4. Those strong ones were singing, running, dancing and playing on various instruments with facial gestures. 

5. These Ganas rode in chariots, on elephants, horses, lions and monkeys. They were seated in aerial chariots decorated in gold. 

6-8. The Gaņas of great yogic power came to the assembly of the lord, playing on drums and other musical instruments such as Bheri, Mrudangaka, Panava, Anaka, Gomukha, Pataha, Ekapushkara, Adambaraka, Muraja, Dindima, Mardala, Veņu (flute), Vīņā (lute), different kinds of chymbals, Dardura, Talaghāta, Kacchapa and Panava. 

9. Those lords of Gaņas of great strength and stamina, the lords of the chiefs of Devas bowed down to the lord and the goddess and spoke these words: 

10. O blessed lord, O lord of the chiefs of Devas, O three-eyed lord, O bull-emblemed lord, why are we summoned? O lord of great splendour, command us. 

11. Shall we dry up the oceans? Shall we kill Yama along with his servants? Shall we kill Mrutyu, the daughter of God of Death? Shall we kill the lotus-born deity as an insignificant animal? 

12. Infuriated that we are, shall we bind up Indra along with Devas or Vișhnu along with Väyu or Daityas along with Dänavas and bring them here? 

13. O lord, at your behest, to whom shall we bring destruction and distress today? Who has great securities for the prosperity and increase of his desires?" 

14. The lord honoured crores and hundred crores of those chieftains of Gaņas. Even as they earnestly spoke to him thus, he replied as follows: 

15. “You are all persons striving for the welfare of the universe. Listen why you have been called. O noble ones of pure souls, on hearing it do accordingly without hesitation. 

16. This Nandīśhvara is our son. He is the lord of all chiefs. He is a prosperous brahmin, your leader and commander-in chief. 

17. Hence at my bidding, you all, highly respected ones, crown him as your lord and commander-in-chief, as the great lord of yogas" 

18. Thus directed by the lord, the chieftains of the Ganas agreed to the same, by saying "so be it" and thereafter began to gather all the requisites. 

19-23. They brought the usual divine seat of Sarva, the splendid seat made of gold, the beautiful one resembling Meru to be offered as seat for him (Nandin). They made a Mandapa with many pillars shining with golden lustre. Pearl pendants were suspended, and they were studded with gems and jewels. There were columns of Lapis Lazuli covered with small tinkling bells. The Mandapa had doors on all sides bedecked in beautiful gems and jewels. After making the Maņdapa they placed a splendid seat in the middle. In front of it was the footstool, shining with blue stones. For the installation of the pedestal, they kept two water jars nearby. They were filled with sweet waters and covered with lotus flowers. 

24. There were a thousand jars of gold, silver, copper, and clay. They were filled with waters from all Tirthas. 

25-26. Brahmă, Parameșhthin the noble soul, offered these things, viz: - a pair of cloths, divine scents, shoulderlets, earrings, crown, necklace, hundred-ribbed umbrella and the chowries. 

27. There was a fine Chămara (bushy tail of deer used as a flyflap or fan) with gold shaft. The fan was as pure as the moon. It shone with its back as white as conch or pearl necklace. 

28. The divine elephants Airāvata and Supratika were fully caparisoned. A gold crown was made by Vishvakarman. 

29-30. There were two pure and divine earrings. The excellent weapon thunderbolt was kept there. There was a golden thread and two bracelets. The unexcited leaders of Ganas highly honoured by Devas brought many requisite materials from all around. 

31-34. Then all these assembled there joyously: - Devas along with Indra, Vișhnu and others, the sages, Brahma and nine Brahmäs²⁷⁹, when all of them had come, lord Parameśhvara directed Brahmā to perform the rite. At the behest of the lord, Brahmă performed the rite of ablution with great attention. After worshipping him Brahmã himself poured the water.

279. Cf. Linga. Ch. 70, 81-82. They are called Marichi, Bhrugu, Angiras, Pulaha, Pulastya, Kratu, Dakșha, Atri and Vasișhtha. 

 35. At the behest of Shiva, Vișhnu, Indra and the guardians of quarters bathed the leaders of Ganas in succession. 

36-37 The sages with Brahmā at their head eulogised him. While they eulogised, Vișhņu the lord of the universe kept his joined palms over the head and eulogised with great attention. With palms joined in reverence he bowed down and cried out shouts of victory. 

38-39. Then the commandants of Gaņas, Devas and Asuras one after the other, eulogised and bathed him. Thus, after being eulogised and bathed by Devas along with Brahmä, his marriage too was performed at the behest of Parameshthin. His wife was the gentle lady named Suyaśhā, the daughter of the Maruts. 

40-41. A well-decorated umbrella having the lustre of the moon was offered to her. She had Chāmaras also and she was accompanied by groups of women holding Chámara in their hands. Along with me, the most excellent throne was occupied by her. She was adorned by Mahālakṣhmi with coronet and other ornaments. 

42-43. The excellent necklace from the neck of the goddess was gifted to her. The leading bull, the white elephant, the lion, the lion-emblem, the chariot, the golden umbrella with the lustre like that of the disc of the moon-all these were there. Till now no other lord was equal to me. 

44-45. The great lord mounted the bull after taking me on, along with all the members of my family, kinsmen and relatives. He set off with the goddess. On seeing the goddess and the lord along with me, the sages, Devas, Siddhas and brahmins requested for the lord's order. 

46-49. At the behest of the lord, the husband of the daughter of the mountain, Nandi granted those who deserved the splendid behest of the lord. On receiving the order from the leading sage, they became great devotees of Shiva. Hence one should worship the lord. 

If a person utters the name of the lord without obeisance, he will incur great sin on a par with that of ten brahmin-slayers. Hence by all means, one shall utter words of obeisance. At the outset one shall make obeisance and at the end utter the name Shiva.²⁸⁰ 

280. It refers to the five-syllabled mantra of Shiva-  “Namah shivāya."