मा-उमा-केलि:

Play of Mā and Umā


यदि काङ्क्षसि मां [मा > मां] विष्णो प्रसन्नं श्वशुरं कुरु ।

उमामिच्छसि चेच्छम्भो भजादौ श्वशुरं तव ।।४८६।।

O Vishnu, if you want Lakshmi [= mā], make your father-in-law [= ocean] happy.  O Shiva, if you want Uma, then first be devoted to your father-in-law [Himalaya].


माधवो माम् उवाच -

Madhav said to Mā [= Lakshmi]


मा याहि मां परित्यज्य त्वयि मे! [मा > मे] मे मनो गतम् ।

यदि यास्यसि मां त्यक्त्वा माधव: स्यामहं कथम् ।।४८७।।

Vishnu says: “O Lakshmi [= mā], don’t abandon me and go somewhere else.  My mind is attached to you, O Lakshmi.  If you abandon me and go somewhere else, how will I remain Madhava?”


उमाधव उमाम् उवाच -

Umādhava [= Shiva] said to Umā


उमे मा मां परित्यज्य गच्छान्यत्र कदाचन । 

त्वया हीन: शिवोऽशक्त एकल: किं करिष्यति ।।४८८।।

Shiva says: “O Uma, don’t ever abandon me and go somewhere else.  Powerless without you and all alone, what will Shiva, do?”


Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus
Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan
[Residence: Campbell, California]