The Dream

Narada said

Father, you are supreme among Shiva's devotees. Wise Vidhatri, out of compassion to me you have told a wonderful account and increased my joy. Father, I with my divine sight went to my own abode. What happened after that? Out of compassion, tell me now.

Brahma replied

Sage, after you went to heaven some time passed. Once Mena went to the mountain and bowed. The mountain's beloved stood there and spoke humbly to her husband; the virtuous lady loved her daughter more than her own life.

Mena said

Because of my woman's nature I could not fully understand the sage's words. A daughter should be married to a handsome groom. A marriage made that way always brings unprecedented happiness. Let the mountain's daughter have a groom with good qualities and from a good family. Beloved, I love my daughter more than my life, and so she will be happy. I bow to you. Let her get a good groom and be very happy.

Brahma said

He heard his wife, who had fallen at his feet, her face wet with tears. The mountain, wisest of the wise, raised her up and spoke.

Himalaya said

Menaka, queen, listen; I will tell you the truth. Put away your confusion and do not make the sage's words false. If you love your daughter, instruct her with affection. With her mind fixed in devotion, let her do austerities for Shankara. Menaka, if Shiva is so pleased he will take Kali's hand, and everything will be auspicious. What Narada said about the inauspicious will be destroyed, for in Sadashiva everything inauspicious turns auspicious. So that your daughter may win Shiva, quickly instruct her in austerities.

Brahma said

Hearing the mountain, Mena was exceedingly happy. She went to her daughter intending to instruct her and turn her inclination to austerities. But Menaka saw her daughter's limbs were delicate. Distressed, her eyes quickly filled with tears, and the mountain's beloved could not instruct her. Parvati understood her mother's intention at once. Devi Kalika, Parameshvari who knows everything, comforted her mother again and again and spoke.

Parvati said

Mother, wise one, listen and be kind to me. At night, at brahma muhurta, as the sun was about to rise, I had a dream, and I will tell you. Mother, a brahmana ascetic, full of love and compassion, instructed me to do austerities for Shiva.

Brahma said

Hearing this, Menaka quickly called her husband and told him all about the dream their daughter had seen. The lord of mountains was greatly happy to hear of it and spoke gently to his beloved.

The lord of mountains said

Beloved, near the end of the second half of the night I too had a dream. Listen with great joy and I will lovingly tell you. A supreme ascetic with excellent limbs, just as Narada had said, came cheerfully to the outskirts of the city to do austerity. Taking my daughter with me, full of great joy, I went there. I knew this was the lord Shambhu, the groom Narada spoke of. I told our daughter to serve that ascetic. I asked him to give her what she asked for, but he did not agree. There was a long discussion between them on samkhya and Vedanta. Afterward, obeying his command, my daughter stayed there, hiding the desire in her heart, and served him devotedly. That is the dream I saw. Fair-faced one, I have told you. Beloved, for some time I think we should wait and test the outcome of this. I am sure this is the right course for us.

Brahma said

Lord among sages, the king of mountains said this to Menaka. Pure in mind, they decided to wait and test the outcome.

Some days went by. Paramesha, the goal of the virtuous, was suffering badly from losing Sati and wandered from place to place. The lord arrived at that spot with a few ganas to do austerity, his mind overpowered by love for Sati and wounded by her absence. While he practised austerity there, Parvati with two friends served him cheerfully all the time. The lord Shambhu does not fall into transgression. The gods sent Smara to delude him, but though the arrows hit him he was unmoved; instead, fire from his eyes burned Smara to ash on the spot. Remembering what I had said, he grew angry and disappeared. Later he broke Girija's pride, and her great austerities pleased Maheshvara. To favour Vishnu, Rudra took up worldly custom, married Kali, and many auspicious results followed. Son, that is a brief account of the lord Shankara's supremely divine conduct. What would you like to hear next?