The Marriage Procession

Brahma said

Shambhu called Nandi and all the other ganas and gladly told them to go with him.

Shiva said

You will go with me to the mountain's city. Let a few ganas stay here and hold great festivities.

Brahma said

So instructed, the leaders of ganas came out cheerfully, bringing their forces. I will tell you a little of it. Shankhakarna, leader of ganas, left for Himachala's city with Shiva, with one crore ganas. At those great festivities Kekaraksha took ten crore, Vikrita eight crore, Vishakha four crore, Parijata nine crores. The handsome Sarvantaka and Vikritanana took sixty crores each. Dundubha had eight crore. The gana lord Kapala had five crores. Sage, brave Sandaraka had six crore. Kanduka and Kundaka had one crore each. Vishtambha had eight crore. Pippala gladly advanced with a thousand crores, and brave Sandanaka had the same. Aveshana had eight crores and Mahakesha went with a thousand crores. Kunda had twelve crores, and so did Parvataka. Brave Chandratapana advanced with eight crores. Kala, Kalaka and Mahakala had a hundred crores each. Agnika had one crore, Agnimukha one crore, and Adityamurdha and Ghanavaha one crore each. Sannaha and Kumuda had a hundred crores each, and Amogha and Kokila a hundred crores each. Sumantra advanced with one crore. Kakapadodara and Santanaka had six crores each. Mahabala, Madhupinga and Kokila had nine crores each. Nila had ninety crores, and so did Purnabhadra. Chaturvakra had seven crores and Karana twenty. Ahiromaka advanced with ninety crores. Narada, Yajvasha, Shatamanyu and Meghamanyu, leaders of ganas, each advanced separately with one crore. Kashthangushtha had sixty-four crores, and Virupaksha, Sukesha, Vrishabha and Sanatana the same. There were also Talaketu, Shadasya, Chanchasya, Sanatana, Samvartaka, Chaitra and the lord Lakulisha, and Lokantaka, Diptatma and Daityantaka. The divinity Bhringiriti, handsome Devadevapriya, Ashani and Bhanuka had sixty-four crores each. Along with Shiva, watching the festivities, they went to Shiva's marriage. There were a thousand crore bhutas and three crore pramathas. Virabhadra had sixty-four crores and Romajana three crores. In the great festivities of Shankara, Nandi and the other leaders of ganas advanced surrounded by crores and crores, thousands, hundreds and twenties. Kshetrapala and Bhairava were surrounded by crores and crores of ganas and advanced happily. There were other innumerable, immensely strong leaders of ganas who joined the festivities of Shankara in great joy and enthusiasm. All had thousands of arms, matted hair and crowns, marked with lines of the moon, blue-throated and three-eyed. All wore rudraksha beads as ornaments and smeared their bodies with bhasma, adorned with necklaces, earrings, bracelets and crowns, like Brahma, Vishnu and Indra, and possessed anima and the other powers. Those lords of ganas shone like crores of suns. Some roamed on earth, others in the nether regions, some in the sky and others in the seven heavens. Devarshi, why say more? They lived in all the worlds. Rejoicing, all Shambhu's ganas joined the festivities of Shankara.

So with gods, ganas and others the lord Shankara advanced toward Himalaya's city for his marriage. Something extraordinary then happened, lord among sages; hear it. Rudra's sister Chandi arrived, very happy but a terror to others. She rode a seat made of a preta and wore snakes as ornaments, extremely radiant, with a golden pot on her head, with her own attendants, her face and eyes blazing. Extremely strong, she caused delight and curiosity. Sage, there were crores and crores of divine, malformed bhutas and ganas there. With these innumerable, varied ones she shone. Fierce Chandi, malformed in face, advanced in front, stirring curiosity and joy; she could give happiness and calamities.

Chandi placed all Rudra's ganas behind her, eleven crores of them, fierce and dear to Rudra. The sound of damarus filled the three worlds, with the din of kettledrums, blaring conches, drums and tumult. It brought everything auspicious to the world and destroyed what was inauspicious. Sage, behind the ganas were all the eager gods, all the siddhas and the guardians of the world. Ramesha advanced in the middle, seated on Garuda, a great shining umbrella held over his head, surrounded by his companions fanning him with whisks, his attendants beside him in proper garments. As I advanced I shone along the way. With me came the Vedas, sacred texts, Puranas and agamas in personified form, Sanaka and the other great siddhas, my sons, the Prajapatis and my family, intent on serving Shiva. Shakra rode the elephant Airavata among his soldiers. There were shakinis, yatudhanas, vetalas, brahma-rakshasas, bhutas, pretas and other pramathas. There were the supreme gandharvas, Tumburu, Narada, Haha, Huhu and others. Kinnaras advanced, joyfully playing instruments. There were all the mothers of the world and all the divine maidens, Gayatri, Savitri, Lakshmi and all the divine women, and other wives of gods and mothers of the world. Full of joy, all of them advanced for Shankara's marriage. Mahadeva, devoted to dharma, rode a bull as pure as crystal and beautiful all over. In the Vedas and sacred texts the siddhas and great sages call this bull Dharma. Served by gods and rishis as he advanced, he shone. Mahesha, ornamented in many ways, was radiant among all those successful great sages. Accepting Mount Himalaya's invitation, he was going to his house to take Shivaa's hand. Such was Shambhu's conduct as he advanced to the supreme festivities. Narada, now hear the virtuous event that took place in Himalaya's city.