English articles on Sanskrit Mahakavya Kumarasambhavam of Kalidasa by Prof. Radhakrishnan (Rtd Vivekananda College) for benefit of devotees and those interested to have a glimpse of our literature.

Kumarasambhava, Canto 7
The seventh canto is a detailed description of the marriage between Parvati and Siva.Kalidasa meticulously follows the rituals prescribed in the Dharmasastras as VivahaSamskara. When, Himavan orally offered  Parvati to Siva, in the sixth canto ( with these words “ehivisvaatmanevatsebhikshaasiparikalpitaa”), it is the same as Vagdaana. This canto commences with the   preparations done for the marriage scheduled to take place in the SuklaPaksha when the seventh house from Lagna had all auspiciousness. The entire city wore a festive look with decorations in every house. With the main roads strewn with celestial flowers, fluttering of row of flags made of Chinese silk, and golden arches, the city appeared as if the heaven has been transplanted:
सन्तानकाकीर्णमहापथंतच्चीनांशुकैःकल्पितकेतुमालम्।
भासाज्वलत्काञ्चनतोरणानांस्थानातरस्वर्गइवावभासे॥
Santaanakaakeernamahaapatham tat
Cheenaamsukaihkalpitaketumaalam
Bhaasojjvalatkaanchanatoranaanaam
Sthaanaantaramsvargaivaavabhaase.
The entire family of Himavan was happily engaged in decorating Parvati. When the Sun was favourable for the Muhurtha and the moon was in conjunction with the starUttaraPhalguni, the elderly women decorated her. Parvati was prepared for an oil bath  (AbhyangaSnana) wearing a silken cloth which was dazzling  with Duva grass and white sesame. She was holding an arrow ( as the Smrti text says
“Sarahkshatriyayaagrahyah”)
Pavati was given an oil bath, pouring the water from golden pots, music being played in the background. Parvati was radiant after the bath and wearing a dazzling silken cloth. She appeared like earth which has received fresh rain and was shining with blossomed Kasa flowers:
निर्वृत्तपर्जन्यजलाभिषेकाप्रफुल्लकाशावसुधेवरेजे।
Nirvrttaparjanyajalaabhishekaa
Prafullakaasaavasudhevareje.

She was, then conducted by the elderly women to a four-pillared  altar and was seated facing the east. The ladies were so much fascinated by her natural beauty that they, for a while, delayed decorating her:
भूतार्थशोभाह्रियमाणनेत्राःप्रसाधनेसन्निहितेऽपिनार्यः।
Bhootaarthasobhaahryamaananetraah
Prasaadhanesannihite’pinaaryah.
One lady made her beautiful mass of hair dry by means of  incense smoke. Her face in the background of black tresses of hair, appeared to be beyond comparison even for the lotus with bees or the moon surrounded by clouds:
तदाननश्रीरलकैःप्रसिद्धैश्चिच्छेदसादृश्यकथाप्रसङ्गम्।
Tadaananasreehalakaihprasiddhaih
Chichedasaadrsyakathaaprasangam
The sprout of barley adorning her ears got reflected on her cheeks with a paste of Gorochana, attracted the attention of the onlookers. While applying the red lac-dye on the feet of Pavati, her friend blessed her saying jocularly that, after marriage she should touch the crescent moon on Siva’s head with this foot. Parvati blushed and silenced her with a gentle stroke of a garland:
पत्युःशिरश्चन्द्रकलामनेनस्पृशेतिसख्यापरिहासपूर्वम्।
सारञ्जयित्वाशरणौकृताशीर्माल्येनतांनिर्वचनंजघान।।
Patyuahsirah Chandra kalaamanena
Sprsetisakhyaaparihaasapoorvam
Saaranjayitvaacharanaukrtaaseeh
Maalyenataamnirvachanamjaghaana.
The collyrium was applied to her eyes, which resembled a blossomed lotus, not because it would add to the beauty but only because it is auspicious to do so. After all the decorations were over, Parvati stood with steady eyes, in front of a big mirror and hastened towards Siva. For, so far as ladies are concerned , they will be happy only when their attire is admired by the husband:
आत्मानमालोक्य च शोभमानमादर्शबिम्बेस्तिमितायताक्षी।
हरोपयानेत्वरिताबभूवस्त्रीणांप्रियालोकफलोहिवेषः।।
Aatmaanamaalokya cha sobhamaanam
Aadarsabimbestimitaayataakshi
Haropayaanetvaritaababhoova
Streenaampriyaalokaphalo hi veshah
Mena, the mother of Parvati applied the yellow orpiment  mixed with red arsenic on the forehead of her daughter indicating thereby the commencement of marriage rituals.  A band , made of wool was tied around her wrist. Parvati , then saluted the family deities and then the elderly women. They blessed her saying that she would get uninterrupted love from her husband. But , in fact, Parvati got more than that as she was given the share of half of the body of Siva:
अखण्डितंप्रेमलभस्वपत्युरित्युच्यतेताभिरुमास्मनम्रा।
तयातुतस्यार्धशरीरभाजापश्चात्कृताःस्निग्धजनाशिषोऽपि।।
Akhanditampremalabhasvapatyuh
Ityuchyatetaabhihumaasmanamraa
Tayaatutasyaardhasaeerabhaajaa
Paschaatkrtaahsnigdhajanaasisho’pi
In the meantime, in Kailasa, decorations were done for Siva also, befitting the occasion of marriage, by the seven Matrikas like Braahmi etc. Out of respect for the divine mothers, Siva brought in a total change in his appearance. The ashes became the white unguent for the body, the skull turned into a beautiful head ornament, and the elephant’s skin became a dazzling silken garment:
बभूवभस्मैवसिताङ्गरागःकपालमेवामलशेखरश्रीः।
उपातभागेषु च रोचनाङ्कोगजाजिनस्यैवदुकूलभावः।।
Babhoovabhasmaivasitaangaraagah
Kapaalamevaamalasekharasreeh
Upaantabhaageshu cha rochanaangah
Gajaajinasyaivadukoolabhaavah
The third eye in the forehead served the purpose of Tilaka. Only the body of the snakes got converted to ornaments on his limbs whereas the gems on their hoods remained  as  before. Siva mounted on Nandi the bull and was led by the ganasplaying the music. Sun god held umbrella while the rivers Ganga and Yamuna assumed visible forms and fanned him with chowries.Brahma and Vishnu hailed victory for him. In fact they constitute the trinity of gods with their superiority being interchangeable:
एकैवमूर्तिर्बिभिदेत्रिधासासामान्यमेषांप्रथमावरत्वम्।
विष्णोर्हरस्तस्यहरिःकदाचिद्वेधास्तयोस्तावपिधातुराद्यौ।।
Ekaivamoorthihbibhidetridhaasaa
Saamaanyameshaamprathamaavaratvam
Vishnorharahtasyaharihkadaachit
Vedhaahtayohtaavapidhaaturaadyau.
Then the gods like Indra got the permission from Nandi, came and saluted Siva. Lord Siva honoured the gods according to their importance. He honoured Brahma with a nod of his head, spoke a few words to Vishnu, smiled at Indra and cast his glances on the other gods assembled there:
कम्पेणमूर्ध्नःशतपत्रयोनिंवाचाहरिंवृत्रहणंस्मितेन।
आलोकमात्रेणसुरानशेषान्सम्भावयामासयथाप्रधानम्।।
Kampenamoordhnahsatapatrayonim
Vaachaaharimvrtrahanamsmitena
Aalokamaatrenasuraanaseshaan
Sambhaavayaamaasayathaapradhaanam
When the seven sages wished him victory, Siva told them that they have been already selected by him as the officiating priests of this marriage. The procession entered the gates of  Oshadhiprastha, the city of Himavan. When Siva saluted Himavan, the latter felt shameful for being saluted by one who is saluted by the three worlds. But he himself had bent very much  to receive the bridegroom.
Kalidasa describes in detail how the ladies in the city were so eager to have a glimpse of Siva as a bridegroom:
तस्मिन्मुहूर्तेपुरसुन्दरीणामीशानसन्दर्शनलालसानाम्।
प्रासादमालासुबभूवुरित्थंत्यक्तान्यकार्याणिविचेष्टितानि॥
Tasminmuhoorthepuasundareenaam
Eesanasandarsanalaalasaanaam
Praasaadamaalaasubabhoovurittham
Tyaktaanyakaaryaanivicheshtitaani.

 A certain lady ran towards the window of her house when the knot of her mass of hair got loosened and she did not even tie it. Another lady whose  feet were  being applied with red dye suddenly rushed to the window thereby leaving footprints behind on the floor. Another lady applied collyium only on the right eye and forgot toapply it in the left eye due to eagerness of seeing Siva the bridegroom. Since all the ladies in the row of houses were looking at Siva, it appeared as if all the windows were decorated with lotuses with the bees in them :
विलोलनेत्रैर्भ्रमरैर्गवाक्षाःसहस्रपत्राभरणाइवासन्।
Vilolanetrabhramaraihgavaakshaah
Sahasrapatraabharanaahivaasan.
While looking at Siva, the women did not realise the function of any other sense organ other than the eye. Kalidasa fancies that all the sense faculty entered the eyes as it were:
तमेकदृश्यंनयनैःपिबन्त्योनार्यो न जग्मुर्विषयान्तराणि।
तथाहिशेषेन्द्रियवृत्तिरासांसर्वात्मनाचक्षुरिवप्रविष्टा।।
Tamekadrsyamnayanaihpibantyah
Naaryahnajagmuhvishayaantaraani
Tathaa hi seshendriyavrttiraasaam
Sarvaatmanaachakshurivapravishtaa
They started to exchange their impression and opinion in this manner :
“ It is only very proper that a rigorous penance was done by the delicate Parvati. If one gets a position as a servant of Siva, that itself is a great success. What to speak of  Pavati who is going to become Siva’s better half:
स्थानेतपोदुश्चरमेतदर्थमपर्णयापेलवयापितप्तम्।
यादास्यमप्यस्यलभेतनारीसास्यात्कृतार्थाकिमुताङ्कशय्याम्।।
Sthaanetapahduscharametadartham
Aparnayaapelavayaapitaptam
Yaadaasyamapyasyalabhetanaaree
Saasyaatkrtaarthaakimutaangaraagam
Having created such a beautiful girl as Parvation one hand and Siva, on the other, if these two were not united in wedlock, then the very purpose of creation of them by Brahma would have become futile:
परस्परेणस्पृहनीयशोभं न चेदिदंद्वन्द्वमयोजयिष्यत्।
अस्मिन्द्वयेरूपविधानयत्नःपत्युःप्रजानांविफलोऽभविष्यत्।।
Paraspaenasprhaneeyasobham
Na chedidamdvandamayojayishyat
Asmindvayeroopavidhaanayatnah
Patyuhpajaanaamviphalo’bhavishyat
Another lady remarked that the god of love was not burnt by Siva out of anger. He indeed gave up his body on seeing the beauty of Siva:
न नूनमरूढरुषाशरीरमनेनदग्दग्धंकुसुमायुधस्य।
व्रीडादमुंदेवमुदीक्ष्यमन्येसन्न्यस्तदेहःस्वयमेवकामः।।
Na noonamaaroodarushaasareeram
Anenadagdhamkusumaayudhasya
Vreedaadamumdevamudeekshyamanye
Sannyastadehahsvayamevakaamah.
By having matrimony alliance with Siva, the king of mountains, Himavan  will hold his head ever higher than before as the sustainer of the earth.”
Hearing with happiness, these remarks being made by the women folk , Siva reached the house of Himavan. He got down from the bull, for  which Vishnu rendered a helping hand and entered the palace where Brahma was already seated.  The gods headed by Indra, the sages led by the seven sages and the Bhutaganas also entered the palace thereafter.
Kalidasa, in fact describes the rituals of the marriage very minutely which are in consonance with Vedic practice and the Dharmasastra. Siva was offered a seat, honey, curds and clarified butter and new garments:
तत्रेश्वरोविष्टरभाग्यथावत्सरत्नमर्घ्यंमधुमच्चगव्यम्।
नवेदुकूले च नगोपनीतंप्रत्यग्रहीत्सर्वममन्त्रवर्जम्।।
Tatresvarovishtarabhaagyathaavat
Saratnamarghyammadhumacchagavyam
Nave dukoole cha nagopaneetam
Pratyagraheetsarvamamantravarjyam.
The offering of seat is in accordance with what AsvalaayanaGrihya Sutra says:
विष्टरोविष्टरोविष्टरःइतित्रिःउक्त्वाउदगग्रंविष्टरंनिदधातिदातातस्मिन्उपविशेत्प्रतिग्रहीता
Vishtarovishtarovishtaraititrihuktvaaudagagramvishtaramnidaddaatidaataa, tasminupavisetpratigraheetaa
Siva accepted all that because the offer was made with the chanting of mantras. After this, the bridegroom should be taken to the bride, which is known, in ritualistic terminology as ‘vadhvaasahanishkramanam’.Kalidasa says Siva, clad in silken garment, was taken near Parvati:
दुकूलवासाः स वधूसमीपंनिन्येविनीतैरवरोधरक्षैः।
Dukoolavaasaahsavadhoosameepam
Ninyevineetaihavarodhadakshaih
This is followed by ‘Sameekshanam’. When the two of them met, their eyes were eager to look at the other, but were restrained due to bashfulness:
ह्रीयन्त्रणांतत्क्षणमन्वभूवन्नन्योन्यलोलानिविलोचनानि।
Hreeyantranaamtatkshanamanvabhoovan
Anyonyalolaanivilochanaani
After this is the most important ritual of marriage, namely the Panigrahana. When Himavan offered the hand of his daughter Pavati, shining red in colour, it appeared like the sprout of god of love, who was hitherto hiding in her person, as it were,  due to fear from Siva. When an ordinary couple get greaterspleandour by the presence of Siva and Pavathi, what to speak of  the beauty of these two when both of them  are together:
प्रयुक्तपाणिग्रहणंयदन्यद्वधूवरंपुष्यतिकान्तिमग्र्याम्।
मेरोरुपान्तेष्विववर्तमानमन्योन्यसंसक्तमहस्त्रियामम्।।
Prayuktapaanigrahanamyadanyat
Vadhoovarampushyatikaantimagryam
Saanidhyayogaadanayohtadaaneem
Kim kathyatesreehubhayasyatasya.
This is followed by another important ritual called ‘agniparikramana’ or circumambulation of the sacred fire and then the offering of puffed rice into the fire, by the bride:
तौदम्पतीत्रिःपरिणीयवह्निम्कराग्रसंस्पर्शनिमीलिताक्षीम्।
तांकारयामासवधूंपुरोधाःतस्मिन्समिद्धार्चिषिलाजमोक्षम्।।
Tau dampateetrihparineeyavahnim
Anyonyasamsparsanimeelitaakshau
Sa kaarayaamaasavadhoompurodhaah
Tasminsamiddhaarchishilaajamoksham
The priest then told Parvati“ O child ! He is yours. The sacred fire is the witness for the marriage between you both. You conduct the righteous duty with Siva without any fear”:
वधूंद्विजःप्राहतवैषवत्सेवह्निर्विवाहंप्रतिपूर्वसाक्षी।
शेवेनभर्त्रासहधर्मचर्याकार्यात्वयामुक्तविचारयेति।।
Vadhoomdvijahpraahatavaishavatse
Vahnihvivaahampratikarmasaakshee
Sivenabhartraasahadharmacharyaa
Kaaryaatvayaamuktavichaarayaaiti.
The AsvalaayanaGrihya Sutra prescribes this ritual that the priest should tell the  bride that she should follow the Dharma, ‘sahadharmamcharataitipraajaapatyah’ .Kalidasa has meticulously followed all these rituals of Praajaapatya marriage while describing these events.This is followed by the couple looking at the Dhruva star:
Siva asked her to look at the star and she said with bashfulness that she saw it by gently lifting her head:
ध्रुवेणभर्त्राध्रुवदर्शनायप्रयुज्यमानाप्रियदर्शनेन।
सादृष्टइत्याननमुन्नमय्यह्रीसन्नकण्ठीकथमप्युवाच।।
Dhruvenabhartraadhruvadarsanaaya
Prayujyamaanaapriyadarsanena
Saadrshtaityaananamunnamayya
Hreesannakanteekathamapyuvaacha
After the rituals of marriage were over, the couple bowed down to the Creator of world, Brhama who was seated on a lotus:
प्रणेमतुस्तौपितरौप्रजानांपद्मासनस्थायपितामहाय।
Pranematuh tau pitarauprajaanaam
Padmaasanasthaayapitaamahaaya.
Brahma blessed Pavati that she would give birth to a valourous child. But, though he was the lord of speech, he did not know what blessing to be given to Siva. Goddess Lakshmi held an umbrella made of lotuses above them. The Goddess of speech Saravathi blessed Siva in Sanskrit and Pavati in Prakrt:
द्विधाप्रयुक्तेन च वाङ्मयेनसरस्वतीतन्मिथुनंनुनाव।
संस्कारपूतेनवरंवरेण्यंवधूंसुखग्राह्यनिबन्धनेन।।
Dvidhaaprayuktena cha vangmayena
Sarasvateetanmithunamnunaava
Samskaarapootenavaramvarenyam
Vadhoomsukhagraahyanibandhanena.
The couple also witnessed a skit presented by the celestial nymphs. The gods saluted the divine couple and made a request to Lord Siva that the service of Cupid, who got back his physical body at the end of the curse, be accepted.  Lord Siva gave up the anger and allowed the arrows of god of love on himself. For, any matter which is conveyed to the masters at the appropriate time will bear fruit:
तस्यानुमेनेभगवान्विमन्युर्व्यापारमात्मन्यपिसायकानाम्।
कालेप्रयुक्ताखलुकालविद्भिर्विज्ञापनाभर्तृषुसिद्धमेति।।

Tasyaanumenebhagavaanvimanyuh
Vyaapaaramaatmanyapisaayakaanaam
Kaalaprayuktaakhalukaaryavidbhih
Vijnaapanaabhartrshusiddhimeti.