Gouri's Return

The rishis asked

Devi had won a bright, divine complexion. As she came home, in what state did she find her husband? At the threshold, what did the ganeshas on guard do? And when he saw her, how did the divinity respond?

Vayu answered

Such a feeling is hard to put into words. Only those who have been swept by that kind of love know it. The deities posted at the gate welcomed Devi with eagerness and respect. Love for Bhava, who lived inside her, filled her heart, and she went in shyly. The lords of the ganas greeted and honoured her as she passed. She bowed to Tryambaka, and the moment she rose Parameshvara caught her by the arms and held her close, overjoyed. He wanted her on his lap, but she took a place on the couch. Smiling, he lifted her from it and set her down on his knee, and with wide eyes he seemed to drink in her face. Isha was the first to speak.

The lord of the gods said

Lovely one, has your anger finally passed, the anger nothing could soothe? Your dark colour never lessened my regard for you. Between us two, unlike ordinary beings, any real rift would mean the end of everything that moves and everything that stands still. I rest upon the head of Agni and you rest upon the head of Soma; as Agnishoma we are the one self that rules the whole universe. We wander for the world's good and take on bodies by choice. Were we divided, the universe would lose its support. The scriptures give one more reason. The whole world, moving and unmoving, stands on words and their meanings. You are the sweetness of the word, and I am the sweetness of the meaning. How can the two be pulled apart? You are the learning that brings certainty, and I am what that learning is about. Can learner and learned ever be parted? Nor do I make and unmake the universe through karma alone. It is all done by a command, and you are that supreme command. Without the command, where would my powers be, or my independence? Cut off from it, what power would I have? We are never separate. I played this game only to serve the gods' purpose. And since nothing is hidden from you, why did you really get angry? You only pretended, to protect the three worlds, for you cannot bear to see beings in trouble.

Vayu continued

So Ishvara Parameshvara spoke to her in loving words. She is the natural home of every sentiment of love. Hearing him, she smiled and felt no answer was called for. Too shy to say anything, she instead began to tell him about Koushiki.

She described the girl, and he listened. Then Devi asked: "Lord, did you see that I brought Koushiki into being? The world has never had a maiden like her and never will. Brahma will tell you of her strength, her home on the Vindhya and her victory. She will kill Shumbha and Nishumbha in battle, and she gives immediate rewards to those who worship her. She will be the world's lasting protector." Then Devi told her friends to fetch the tiger and set it before them. She looked at it and pleaded with the divinity once more: "Look at this tiger. I have never had a worshipper like it. In the forest where I did my austerities it guarded me from crowds of evil beings. It is devoted to me beyond measure and can be trusted to protect me. It gave up its own den and came to me for refuge. If you are pleased with it, and if you love me, make it a guard at the door of the inner rooms, working under Nandi himself, with all the other guards."

He heard Devi's auspicious words, full of the sweetness of love. Deva looked at the tiger and said, "You please me." At once the tiger shone: it held a golden staff, wore a jacket set with bright gems, and carried a fine dagger. It became a ganesha in a guard's dress. Since it pleased both Nandi and Mahadeva in his Soma form, he ordered that it be known as Somanandi. Thus the god who wears the crescent moon did what delighted Devi. The tiger was decked with many divine jewels. After this, Girisha Hara, moon-crested, gently seated Gouri, daughter of the king of mountains, on a couch and dressed her lovely limbs in many ornaments.