90 - The Goddess of Creation

Earth said:

1. Some consider the holy Shiva, some Vishnu and others Brahma as the supreme being.

2. I have great curiosity to know who among these is superior and who inferior. Please enlighten me.

Varäha said:

3. O goddess, Näräyana is the supreme god. Then is Brahma who arose from him. From Brahma arose Rudra the omniscient.

4. The wonders Rudra accomplished are numerous. I shall tell you all of them.

5. In the beautiful peak Kailäsa, full of many kinds of minerals, resides the three-eyed lord Shiva.

6. Once this god, who is bowed to by all beings, was in the company Of Pärvati, surrounded by his Ganas.

7. Some among the Ganas were lion-faced and were roaring like lions. Some were elephant-faced and others horse-faced.

8. Some were crocodile-faced, others boar-faced, yet others mule-faced and donkey-faced.

9. A few were goat-faced and a few others fish-faced. In all, they were all innumerable and holding weapons. Some were singing, some dancing, some running and some jumping.

10. The mighty ones were laughing, clapping and roaring. Some of the leaders were fighting throwing stones at one another.

11. Many were engaged in single combat. Thus were the surrounding Mahešhvara.

12. While the Ganas were thus mirthful and the lord was playing with his, spouse, there came Brahma in great hurry together with Devas.

13. The great god Rudra, seeing Brahmä arrive there, honoured him and said:

14. “O Brahmä, tell me quickly the object of your hurried visit to me”.

Brahma said:

15. ‘‘There is a great Räkshasa named Andhaka. Being much harassed by him, Devas came to me for help.

16. I then told them that they may go to Shiva and that is why they are here now”.

17. Saying this, Brahmä looked at Shiva and at the same time called to his mind the great god Näräyana.

18. Lord Näräyana thus came to be between the other two. And Brahma, and Mahešhvara came to be unified.

19. They looked at each other minutely, and as a result of the unified looks of the three, a goddess arose.

20. This deity was young and resplendent, had the complexion of the blue lotus and had dark and curly hair.

21. She had shapely nose and forehead and well-formed mouth. All that the god Tvashtä (the celestial architect) had described as five-tongue was well descernible in her.

22. Seeing her, Brahmä, Vishnu and Mahešhvara asked her who she was and what she wanted to do. 

23. That goddess who had the three colours black, white and yellow said:

24. “O great gods, I was born out of the combination of the looks of all the three of you. How do you fail to know me to be the goddess representing your energies?”

25. Then Brahmä and others were pleased and gave her a boon saying: “O goddess, we name you Trikalä, protect this universe always.

26. You will have other names also based on your attributes, and all these will produce different achievements.

27. There is another thing also. You have three colours. Assume three different forms one with each colour”.

28. Thus told by the gods, she became triplicated, one white, another red and the third black.

29. The white body is Brahmä (because of Brahmä element) and creation proceeds from it calmly as ordained by Brahmä.

30. The beautiful body red in colour, is Vaishnavï (because    Vishnu’s element) and bears conch and disc.

31. She protects the whole universe and is known as Vishnu mäyä.

32. The body black in colour bears the trident and holds a fierce face. She destroys the universe.

33. The broad-eyed white goddess with the aspect of Brahmä, took leave of him and disappeared.

34. She hid herself in the Shveta mountain and began to perform severe penance desirous of attaining omniscience.

35. The red goddess with the aspect of took leave of him and went to the Mandara mountain for performing severe penance.

36. The fierce-looking black goddess with the aspect of Rudra, similarly went to perform penance at the Nila mountain.

37. Then for a long time Brahmä started to create beings, but he could not progress.

38. When the creations made out of the mind of Brahma thus failed to multiply he began to seriously think about the cause of it.

39. When Brahmä, thus, meditated with his yogic powers, he knew about the goddess performing severe penance at the Seta mountain.

40. Then he went to the place of her penance and told her who was absorbed in contemplation.

Brahmä said:

41. O beautiful goddess, why do you do this penance? I am pleased with you. You may seek of me a boon.

Srushti said:

42. “O god, I don’t wish to remain confined to a single place. I seek of you the boon to make me present everywhere”.

43. God Brahma, being thus requested by Srushti (the goddess of creation), told her that she would be present everywhere.

44. Told thus, the beautiful srushti dissolved herself in Brahma.

45. From then onwards, the creation by Brahmi began to grow. 

46. Seven arose from Brahma’s mind, from them other sages, from them yet others, and from them still others. Thus there are four series of beings.

47. Thus was established beings moving and stationary and all that is expressible by words.

48. Thus was established all that is past and future.