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उमामहेश्वरसंवाद (umAmahezvarasaMvAda)

 
Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum
English
उमामहेश्वरसंवाद med. from some Tantra. Burnell 70^b.
उमामहेश्वरसंवाद from Liṅgapurāṇa. Quoted by Hemādri
Vratakhaṇḍa 2, 115
--from Skandapurāṇa. Burnell 203^b. Oppert II, 1950.
5432.
उमामहेश्वरसंवाद {% read %} Vratakhaṇḍa 2, 114.
उमामहेश्वरसंवाद in Mahābhārata 13, 140--46.
उमामहेश्वरसंवाद tantr. in 21 chapters. Hr. Notices
Vol. XI, Pref. p. 8.
Mahabharata
English
[Umā-Maheśvara-saṃvāda]
(“the discourse between Umā and Śiva”). § 768b (Ānuśāsanik.): Nārada said: Once, Śiva on Himavat, the resort of Si. and Cā., practised severe penances, surrounded by Aps., etc. () (copious descriptions). Then came Umā (description) and with her hands covered the eyes of Śiva from behind, and darkness arose all around
but suddenly the darkness disappeared: a third eye appeared on his forehead and consumed the mountain
Umā stood before him with her hands joined
he directed benignant looks towards the mountain, which, in a moment, was restored to its former condition. Umā asked why his eastern, northern, and western faces are so handsome, and the southern so terrible (1)
why his matted locks are tawny and erect (2)
why his throat is blue (3)
why he has always the Pināka in his hand (4)
why he is always a brahmacārin with matted locks (5). Śiva promised to explain it to her (XIII, 140). Śiva answered the above questions (1): “In days of yore Tilottamā, created by Brahmán (cf. I, ch. 211), circumambulated me
in whatever direction she turned, a new face of mine appeared through my yoga-power
with my eastern face I exercise the sovereignty of the universe
with my northern I sport with thee (i.e. Umā)
with my western I ordain the happiness of creatures
with my southern I destroy all creatures. (2 and 5): In order to do good to all creatures. (3): In days of yore, Indra, desirous of acquiring my prosperity hurled his thunderbolt at me, which scorched my throat. (4): In order to accomplish the purposes of the gods.” Umā: Why hast thou selected a bull for thy vehicle? Śiva: In days of yore, Brahmán created Surabhi (the celestial cow)
once, froth fell from one of her calves on my body
my wrath scorched all the kine which became diversified in hue
Brahmán pacified me and gave me this bull both as a vehicle and as a device. Umā: Why dost thou reside in the cemetery (description), abandoning thy many abodes in heaven? Śiva: I do not see any spot that is more sacred than the cemetery, and my Bhūtas love to reside in such spots. Umā: What are the indications of dharma? Śiva: Abstention from injury, etc. Umā: What are the duties of the four castes? Śiva enumerated them. Umā: What are the common duties of all the castes? Śiva: Whenever the world is created, three eternal religions are created by Brahmán: the Veda, the smṛti, and the practice of the righteous, etc.
there are four classes of bhikshus: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, haṃsa, and paramahaṃsa (each in turn being superior to the preceding one
v. Nīl.). Umā: What is the religion of the ṛshis (munis)? Śiva: (1) the Phenapas always gather the froth from the amṛta that Brahmán drank at a great sacrifice. (2) The Vālakhilyas in the solar disc, adopting the practice of the birds, live by picking up grains (uñche), clad in deer-skins or bark of trees
they are only as big as the joint of the thumb
they have burnt all their sins by severe penances. (3) The Cakracaras in the Somaloka, near to Pitṛloka, live by gleaning [differently Nīl.], devoted to compassion. (4) The Samprakshālas, Aśmakuṭṭas, and Dantolūkhalikas [v. Nīl. and the note of PCR., p. 642], near the gods [called]
Somapas and Ūshmapas (C. Uº), live by gleaning [“drinking the rays of Soma, ” PCR.], together with their wives, etc. (Śiva copiously described the religion of the Ṛ. in general) (XIII, 141). Umā: What is the religion of the Vānaprasthas? Śiva described it (vīrāsana, maṇḍūka-yoga, paurṇamāsya, cāturmāsya, etc.)
they attain to Brahmaloka or Somaloka. Umā: What is the religion of the munis (munisaṅghasya) in their doctrines of perfection (siddhivādeshu
i.e. jñānagoshṭhīshu, Nīl.
“followers of the scriptures treating of ascetic success, ” PCR.)? they live unrestrained in the forest, together with their wives. Śiva: Their characteristics are the shaving of the head, yellow robes, passing the night at home, ablutions three times a day, hotra, samādhi, adherence to the path of the good, etc. All those duties of which I have spoken before as belonging to forest-recluses, are the duties of these also, etc. (copious description). Asked by Umā, Śiva said: By fasts, etc., one attains to heaven and sports with G.
by maṇḍūkayoga and dīkshā with the Nāgas
by living with deer, etc., one attains to Amarāvatī
by subsisting upon air or water, fruits and roots, one attains to the riches of Y. and sports with Aps.
by abandoning one's body in the ocean, having lived in dependence only of himself, etc., one attains to the world of Varuṇa
by the same practices and piercing one's feet with a stone, one rejoices with the Gh., others obtain Brahmaloka (having abandoned their bodies in fire as an oblation to the gods), Śakraloka, etc. (XIII, 142). Asked by Umā, Śiva expounded the circumstances under which one may be promoted or degraded to a higher or lower order when reborn (XIII, 143). Asked by Umā, Śiva (worshipped by D. and As.) discoursed as to how men succeed in ascending to heaven, and what words, thoughts, and acts are of importance in this respect and for acquiring a long life. “This is the way that was indicated by Brahmán himself” (XIII, 144). Asked by Umā, Śiva discoursed about that conduct by which a man may attain to heaven (Aps., the woods of Nandana), quoting Brahmán
the unmerciful, etc., sink into hell
they who humiliate their preceptors and seniors are reborn as Śvapākas and Pukkasas. Then (asked by Umā) he explained why some men become possessed of wisdom or the contrary, blind, diseased, etc.
what acts are faulty, and what faultless
why some are observant of vows, some like Rā. (Brahmarākshasas) in conduct, unmindful of homa and vashaṭkāra (XIII, 145). Nārada said: Now Śiva himself became desirous of hearing. Saying that Umā (acquainted with all duties, etc.) used to converse every day with Sāvitrī, etc. (), who all regard their husbands as their gods, he questioned Umā about the duties of women
“half of my body is made up of half thy body
thon…art the cause of the peopling of the earth.” Umā said she would first consult the rivers, who, with the waters of all tīrthas, are approaching Śiva in order to enable him to perform his ablutions: Sarasvatī (the first of all streams), going to the ocean, etc. (). Gaṅgā was selected for answering the question, and praised Umā's modesty
then Umā discoursed upon the duties of women in full. She should not cast her eyes on the moon or the sun or a tree that has a masculine name. The husband is the god of the woman. If a husband being poor, or diseased, or distressed, etc., were to command his wife to accomplish anything improper or unrighteous, the wife should, without hesitation, do so according to the practice allowable in time of distress, and she becomes entitled to a share in the merit acquired by her husband. Nārada said: Śiva applauded Umā and dismissed the others
Bh., etc. (), returned home (XIII, 146). Asked by Ṛ., Śiva discoursed on the glory of Vāsudeva, i.e. Kṛshṇa, q.v. (XIII, 147). Nārada said: At the conclusion of Śiva's speech loud roars were heard in the firmament, etc. Some of Ṛ. set out on a tīrthayātrā, others returned whence they came.