THE NARRATION STARTS BY SUTA - KAILASA GLORY, MAHĀDEVA SEATED WITH PARVATI, PARVATI'S QUESTION
purā kailāsa-śikhare siddhgandharva sevite | tatra kalpaltāpuśpamindire-atyanta sundare || 8 ||
vyāgrājine samāsīnaṁ śukādimuṇivanditam | bodhyantaṁ paraṁ tattvaṁ madhye muṇigaṇe kaccit || 9 ||
praṇamrvadanā śaśvan-namaskurvantamādarāt | dṛṣtvā vismayamāpannā pārvatī paripṛacchati || 10 ||
- Long ago, on the mountain peak of Kailāsa (abode of Lord Śiva), which is frequented by the Siddhas and Gandharvas, in that most beautiful temple created by Kalpavṛkṣa, the wish-fulfilling tree adorned by its shrubs, flowers, fruits
9, 10. Seated on a tiger-skin, surrounded and worshipped by Śuka and other sages, on one occasion, while Lord Śiva was expounding to the Rṣis—the Paraṁ Tattva, Supreme Truth; Pārvatī with Her face full of devotion, seeing Lord Śiva bowing to some one with great reverence again and again, and being very much surprised at this, asked the Lord thus.
(Notes: Kailasa, the seat of Lord Śiva, is the venue of satsang for the riṣis, Munis and saints as they often visit the abode of the Lord to pay their respects and be benefited by His satsang, instructive talks.)
Kailāsa is a place where at least one million Enlightened beings' bodies are still residing. At least, one million enlightened beings are alive, radiating their energy! At least one million enlightened beings live there!
Kailāsa, the place is a statement by Mahādeva about His glory. See, sometimes you need to make a statement in the language people understand. So, Mahādeva makes the statement about His presence by creating a place like Kailāsa. You cannot call it as a natural wonder. Kailāsa is supernatural wonder!
|| śrī pārvatyuvāca || oṁ namo devadeveṣa parātpara jagadguro | tvāṁ namaskurvante bhaktyā surāsuranarāḥ sadā || 11 ||
11. Śrī Pārvati (Devī) said: Oṁ, prostrations onto you, O Devadeveṣa-Lord of Lords, O Parātpara-one beyond the highest, O Jagadguru-Master of the Universe. Gods, demons and men always worship You with devotion.
vidhiviṣṇumahendṛādhyair-vaṇdhyaḥ khalu sadā bhavān | namaskarośi kasmai tvam namaskārāśrayaḥ kila || 12 ||
12. Brahma, Viṣṇu, Indra and others certainly worship and prostrate to You always. Being the refuge of such prostrations, I wish to know who will be the recipient of Your prostrations (namaskār).
(There is anyone superior to You to whom You have to prostrate? Are You not the Supreme Being, the sole abode of all prostrations (namaskār)? )
Khalu – indeed, certainly
(note: this indicated that Devī Pārvatī had noticed the Lord prostrating to some one during His prayers or at other times. In the celebrated Śrī Rāmacharitra, Saint Tulasidās brings in a similar instance and a doubt is raised by Devī Pārvatī. Pārvatī was confirmed in the view that Bhāgvān Śiva is the Highest and the Supreme Lord of all Lords, Devādīdeva, Mahadev. This act of Mahadev was a surprise to Her.)