In answer, a resounding voice boomed in the sky: ‘O king! Your daughter was this fisherman’s wife in her previous birth. Long ago, in a village called Nāgasthala, there lived a virtuous brāhmaṇa called Baladhara. When his father passed away, his relatives robbed him of his entire inheritance. Baladhara became disillusioned and decided to give up his life, accompanied by his wife, on the banks of Gaṅgā. As he sat on the shore, he saw a few...
The king followed the boar inside and discovered a divine city; he, however, could not spot the boar. As he sat by a pond, he spotted a maiden, as beautiful as Ratī. She came there with her friends. She fell in love with him even upon the first sight. Overcome with empathy and with tears in her eyes, she said – “Alas! Why did you come here? The boar you laid your eyes on is the daitya Aṅgāraka; he is endowed with a diamond-body and is extremely...
पातु वस्ताण्डवोड्डीनगण्डसिन्दूरमण्डनः ।
वान्ताभिपीतप्रत्यूहप्रताप इव विघ्नजित् ॥
May Gaṇeśa, the destroyer of obstacles, protect you, the effusing vermillion on his temples during his tāṇḍava, looks like the fiery prowess of all impediments he has swallowed.
1. Once during the Vasanta, Naravāhanadatta who was sporting with his wives and ministers on the banks of the river Gaṅgā, addressed his ministers, “This forest is filled with flowers...
निशासु ताण्डवोद्दण्डशुण्डासीत्कारशीकरैः |
ज्योतींषि पुष्णन्निव वस्तमो मुष्णातु विघ्नजित् ||
May Vighneśvara remove the darkness of ignorance that envelopes you. He dances at night and lifts his trunk straight upwards. He sprinkles cool water through his trunk, giving the impression that he has added stars to the sky.
When Naravāhanadatta was in the Govindakūṭa, a vidyādhara named Amṛtaprabha came there. He said, “I have come from the sage...
The Story of Gomukha
When the enemies flung me in different directions, a certain divine woman picked me up and dropped me in a forest. I was greatly distressed and readied myself to jump off a ravine. However, a tapasvin stopped me, took me to his āśrama which was called Śivakṣetra. He heard my story and narrated about himself.
The Story of Nāgasvāmin
I hail from Kuṇḍinapura; my name is Nāgasvāmin; after my father’s death I went to Pāṭalīputra...
One night sleep eluded him, he was thinking, “I’ve been deeply interested in her, I’ve neglected others, where are my other wives? Where are my ministers?” he heard a female voice, “Alas! Such difficulty!” he turned towards the direction of the voice where he saw only the face of the woman through the window, resulting in a delusion that it might be the moon. As he kept staring bewildered, she extended her hand and signalled through her fingers...
तुष्टेन येन देहार्धमप्युमायै समर्पितम्।
स वो ददात्वभिमतं वरदः पार्वतीपतिः॥
May Śiva, who has given half his body to Umā being pleased with her, grant your wishes.
निशि विघ्नजितो वोऽव्यात् ताण्डवोद्दण्डितः करः।
शोणश्चन्द्रातपत्रस्य तन्वन्विद्रुमदण्डताम्॥
Gaṇeśa's trunk which has won over all the vighnas, is stretched upwards during his tāṇḍava.
It appears like a coral stick holding up the umbrella formed by the moon. May his hand...
स वो विघ्नेश्वरः पायात् नमितोन्नमितेव यम्।
अनुनृत्यति नृत्यन्तं सन्ध्यासु भुवनावली॥
[May Vighneśvara, whose evening dance is imitated by the entire world by movements of getting up and bowing down, protect us!]
गौरीप्रसाधनालग्नचरणालक्तकश्रियः।
सखी सखाय भूयाद्वः शम्भोर्भालेक्षणप्रभा॥
[May the brilliance of Śiva's third eye, which has turned red due to his bowing down at Gaurī's feet decked with ālaktaka, give you joy! (Here, ālaktaka, i....
Deva! Kaṇva narrated this story and said, “Whoever would face adversities with courage will get all the fruits later, not the people who would run away in front of calamities; so, cast away your worries; Mṛgāṅkadatta will be reunited with Śaśāṅkavatī and he will rule the earth for a long time.” We found courage from his wise counsel and set out to find you. Bothered by hunger and thirst, we climbed this tree to pluck some fruits and we became...
The minister Vikramakesarin finished narrating the story and said, “O king! The elderly brāhmaṇa narrated these stories and said, ‘Trivikramasena got everything he desired by the grace of the vetāla. You also learn this mantra to bring a vetāla under your control; you’ll find your king Mṛgāṅkadatta. You shall accomplish nothing by losing enthusiasm; you are my relative since you have saved me; so I suggest you this course of action!’ Upon his...