Beyond Sumeru, Shiva Finds Four Golden Peaks upon a Blue Mountain
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 54
Doha 56 · Movement 1 of 2
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Shiva begins where his own journey began. In her former birth as Sati, Uma had left her body after the dishonor at Daksha's sacrifice. The sacrifice was broken, yet no outward reckoning could quiet the emptiness that followed. Separated from his beloved, Shiva wandered through forests, across mountains, and beside rivers and lakes, seeing their beauty through the clear distance of detachment.
Far north of Sumeru, a deep blue mountain rose into the sky. Four golden summits crowned it, each bearing a single vast tree: banyan, pipal, pakar, and mango. Their branches opened over the heights like four ancient canopies prepared for worship, contemplation, sacrifice, and song.
Upon the mountain shone a lake approached by steps of jewel. Its still surface caught the gold of the peaks and the blue of the stone beneath them. Shiva's grieving pilgrimage had crossed many beautiful places, but here his mind was seized by wonder. The hidden dwelling of Bhushundi appeared not through a courtly gate, but as a sacred world held between trees, water, and sky.
Through the wilderness of separation, Shiva comes upon a blue mountain whose four golden peaks guard a story capable of ending bondage.
Read the passage from the Manas
मैं जिमि कथा सुनी भव मोचनि। सो प्रसंग सुनु सुमुखि सुलोचनि।। प्रथम दच्छ गृह तव अवतारा। सती नाम तब रहा तुम्हारा।। दच्छ जग्य तब भा अपमाना। तुम्ह अति क्रोध तजे तब प्राना।। मम अनुचरन्ह कीन्ह मख भंगा। जानहु तुम्ह सो सकल प्रसंगा।। तब अति सोच भयउ मन मोरें। दुखी भयउँ बियोग प्रिय तोरें।। सुंदर बन गिरि सरित तड़ागा। कौतुक देखत फिरउँ बेरागा।। गिरि सुमेर उत्तर दिसि दूरी। नील सैल एक सुन्दर भूरी।। तासु कनकमय सिखर सुहाए। चारि चारु मोरे मन भाए।। तिन्ह पर एक एक बिटप बिसाला। बट पीपर पाकरी रसाला।। सैलोपरि सर सुंदर सोहा। मनि सोपान देखि मन मोहा।।
Let me tell you how I first heard this story that liberates from worldly bondage. Listen, O beautiful-faced one with lovely eyes. First you took birth in Daksha's house; Sati was your name in that life. At Daksha's yajna you were deeply insulted, and in fierce anger you gave up your life. My attendants destroyed that sacrifice. You know all the details of that event. Then immense sorrow filled my heart. I was grief-stricken by separation from you, my beloved. I wandered in detachment, gazing at beautiful forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes. Far to the north of Mount Sumeru stands a beautiful blue mountain. Its golden peaks were lovely; four graceful summits that captured my heart. On each peak stood one great tree: a banyan, a pipal, a fig-tree, and a mango. A beautiful lake shone upon the mountain, with jeweled steps that enchanted my mind.