Conversation between Brahma and Vishnu

Narada said

Brahma, your mind is attached to Shiva and so you are blessed. You described Shankara's excellent conduct and how Kama went home with his companions and Rati. What happened then, and what means did you use?

Brahma replied

With much love listen to the story of the moon-crested one; whoever hears it becomes indifferent to the world. Hear what happened after Kama went back with his companions. With my pride lost, my heart was full of wonder and my mind unhappy, since my wishes were unmet. I grieved in many ways: how will he accept a woman? Shankara is indifferent, a conqueror of himself, devoted to yoga. Having lost pride I reflected in many ways, and with devotion I remembered Hari, who was born from the body of a god who holds Shiva within. I praised him with auspicious hymns, my words full of distress, and the lord at once appeared before me: four-armed and lotus-eyed, holding conch, lotus and mace, in dazzling yellow garments, of dark complexion. Hari loves his devotees. Seeing him I took refuge with him again and praised him again in loving words, my voice choked with tears. Pleased, he said: "Vidhatri, Brahma, creator of the worlds, you are blessed. Why have you remembered me and praised me? What great misery is on you? Tell me now and I will pacify everything."

I replied: "Lord of the gods, Rama's lord, who gives honour, listen and show compassion. Act to take away my grief. I sent Kama to delude Rudra. He went with his companions and relatives and the Maras, tried many things, and failed. Rudra is a yogi, impartial in outlook, and was not deluded." Hearing this, Hari was surprised. He knows everything and knows Shiva's tattvas. He said: "Grandfather, how did this inclination come to you? Use your intelligence, reflect on everything and tell me the truth." I said: "Father, listen to what happened. Your maya deludes everyone and the whole universe; from it come happiness, misery and all else, and because of it I was ready to sin. At the beginning of creation ten sons were born to me, Daksha and others. A very beautiful woman was born from my speech. Dharma was born from my chest, Kama from my mind, the others from parts of my body. When I saw the daughter who had been born I was filled with delusion and, confounded by your maya, looked at her with a wicked glance. At that instant Hara arrived and reprimanded me and my sons. Taking himself to be supreme lord he rebuked us all. He has knowledge, is a yogi, lord of serpents, conqueror of his senses, and though he appeared as my son he rebuked me to my face. This is my great misery, now told in your presence. If he accepts a wife I will be happy and my sorrows will end. That is why I have sought refuge with you, Keshava." Hearing this, Madhusudana laughed.

He cheered me, the creator, and said: "Vidhatri, listen so that all your confusion is dispelled. What I say agrees with the Vedas and agamas. How has this folly arisen in you, who uttered all the Vedas and created all the worlds? You have turned evil-minded; cast off this lassitude. What do all the Vedas say, and whom do they praise? Remember that with a virtuous mind. You think of Parameshvara Rudra as your own son. Though you uttered the Vedas you have forgotten all vijnana. Taking Shankara for an ordinary god, you hate him. Your good intelligence has gone and bad has come. Hear the truth. The nigama texts describe him as the true cause of creation. Shiva is the creator, preserver and destroyer of everything, greater than the greatest, the supreme brahman and lord, nirguna and eternal, beyond ascertainment, unchanging, the paramatman without a second, imperishable, infinite, all-pervading Parameshvara. For creation, preservation and destruction he divides into the three gunas and is called Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha, yet he is beyond sattva, rajas and tamas. He is distinct from maya; he is accomplished in maya but indifferent to it; he has gunas but is independent of them. He finds bliss in himself, has no alternative, and delights in his own atman. His image is under his devotees' control. He is a yogi always in yoga and the one who shows the path of yoga, who takes away pride, lord of the worlds, always affectionate to the distressed. That is who you treat as your son. Give up this wicked idea and take refuge in him; worship Shambhu with all your heart, for that is how he is satisfied.

"If you wish Shankara to take a wife, do excellent austerities. Remember Shiva. Meditate on Shivaa to fulfil your desire. If Deveshi is pleased every task is accomplished. If Shivaa takes on gunas and an avatara, and becomes someone's daughter in this world, she will certainly become his wife. Brahma, command Daksha to perform austerities with devotion so that she is born as his daughter to become Shiva's wife. Both Shiva and Shivaa are under the control of their devotees; though forms of the supreme brahman they take on gunas and are born by their own wills." Having said this, my lord remembered Shiva, his own lord, and by his compassion obtained knowledge and went on: "Remember what Shankara said on his own when we were born and had pleaded with him. You have forgotten it all. Shambhu's maya is blessed indeed; you have been confounded by it, and no one but Shiva can fathom it. Shiva is nirguna but by his own will took gunas and was born. Through his own powers and in his excellent pastimes he created me and you. Then Lord Shambhu told you to begin creation, and the original, undecaying cause gave me the task of preservation. Having taken our stations we bowed with joined hands and said: 'Sarvesha, you too should take on gunas and an avatara.' The lord smiled, full of compassion, looked at the sky and said: 'Vishnu, Vidhatri, my supreme form will arise from my body and be known in the world as Rudra. He is my complete form and must always be worshipped by both of you. He will ensure all that is wished for. He will be lord of dissolution and controller of the gunas, practising excellent yoga without differentiation. All three divinities are my forms, but Hara in particular is complete. Uma will also have three kinds of forms: as Lakshmi she will be Hari's wife, as Sarasvati Brahma's wife, and in her complete form, named Sati, she will be Rudra's wife.' Having shown compassion, Maheshvara vanished, and we went home glad to our tasks. In time we got our wives, but Shankara did not. He took an avatara himself as Rudra and lives at Kailasa. Shivaa too will take an avatara as Sati. Devise a means and strive so that this is done." Having shown me great compassion, Vishnu vanished. I rejoiced and my jealousy went.