to see him and he greeted them.  Then he went on to the head of the man.  He greeted it and it was pleased to see it.  He passed on to the golden basket (the mouth).  He greeted it and it was pleased.  He passed to the 34 nails (the teeth).  He greeted them and they were pleased.  Then he came to the two light stands (the eyes).  He greeted them and they were pleased.  Then on to the temples, which he greeted and they too were pleased, then to the two big wheels (the eye sockets).  He greeted them and they too were happy.  From there he went on to Dwapar Deep.  There was the golden cradle with twelve continents (the ribs).  Then he came to the five sisters sitting on the twelve continents.  He greeted the cradle and sat in it for five or six minutes.  He passed in front and came to the eighteen Kamk (ceremonial posts).  He greeted them and embraced each of them.  Then he came to Yapar Deep.  There he found Desha Moropa.  He greeted it and it was happy.  Then further on what did he find?  He found the four-sided seat.  He greeted it and it was happy.  Then he went on to Krutawa Deep.  What was there?  There were nine doors.  He greeted them and they were happy.  After passing them there were many rooms.  He greeted them and they were happy.  Then he reached Patar Tan Paukang (the legs).  They were happy as he greeted them.  Then he came to Artawa Deep.  What did he find there?  There was the office of Mahadeo.  He greeted him and taking the book in his hand he was happy.  Then he came to Khand Deep.  There was Mehur Rani (the seagull).  He greeted her and she was happy.  He asked her, “Oh mother, grandfather Prabhu Niranjan Guru has sent me here.  May I take the power to rule the world?  Please give me the golden words.”  There is no doubt that he will become the master of the office.

Then he greeted her and went on to Patar Deep.  There he found Shri Shek.  He went before him and greeted him.  He asked Shri Shek, “May I get the power to rule the Kali?”  “Yes it will come to you.”  He said giving full assurance.  From there he went to Nau Khand Patar Deep.  There it was boiling.  He stood at the water spring and greeted it with ten fingers touching.  The water spring was happy to see him.  Then he held it in his hand and was very happy.  The seven plus seven, fourteen zones gave light.  Then he left Patar Deep and reached Khand Deep.  From there he reached Artawa Deep.  Then on to Krutawa Deep.  Then Yapar Deep and Dapar Deep.  And then Maha Munulk Deep.  There he found the man’s head.  He took it up in his hands and he thought about Niranjan Guru.  He said to himself, “You have told me that in Maha Munulk Deep I will understand.  Then by the grace of Prabhu what was created?  A boy was created in the shape of a king.  Then Mahadu saw that for such an event Prabhu had sent him there.  Seeing that child Mahadu became very happy.  “Now this is Siwa Daramam (the limit of knowledge).  Such a thing has been put into my hands.  I must not destroy it.”  That child’s name was Jabaula (Jamba Wantudu = a god-like bear).  “You go and live in and rule the Jambo Deep.”  Then Mahadu went on from Maha Munulk Deep to Moropa Deep.  There he found Kam Dam Kasturi Yayal.  He was taking in his hands the office of Mahadeo and the water spring.  Taking these he took six years to reach Moropa Deep.  Then he thought, “I will not now go to the guru.  I have six more years.  There are seven plus seven, fourteen Deeps, I will go and roam through them all.  He went from Moropa to Jambo Deep and to Jawara Deep and to Son Khas Deep and on to Bibla Deep and to Gangana Deep and from there to Yeodan Deep and there he found Yeodan Guru.  He greeted him with five and five, ten fingers touching.  Then Yeodan Guru asked Mahadu, “My dear son, where have you come from?”  Mahadu replied, “I have been ordered to take charge of the office of Mahadeo and the water spring.  Taking these I am coming.  When I take all these things from Maha Deva, he will give me a very great watan and I will become master of his golden seats.  All the crores of living beings will in my hands.”  The Yeodan Guru said, “Oh my son, the rule will not be given to you.”  Mahadu said, “Surely I will get it because I have lifted the Viraat.  Why should I not get the power to rule?”  Then Yeodan Guru said, “Oh my son Shri Mahadu, listen to a word from me.  After you pass this Yeodan Deep there is Om Deep.  After that here is Girja Deep.  There you will find Girja Guru.  She has seven daughters who are sisters to each other.  They are called Raja Khania, Deva Khania, Deva Ghari Dev Khania, Draupati, Sita, Rukhmuni, Girja Deva (Khania means a young woman).

The youngest girl was playing with the golden basket and the silver winnowing fan and also with pearls and diamonds.  The six elder ones were around her.  Girja Devi was in the middle.  There were seven brothers called Dalais, which held seven big iron sticks and stood around them.  “Oh my son Mahadu, you will have to capture the youngest girl avoiding the sight of the six sisters and seven brothers.  After you get her you will be married with her.  Then you will have your wife and you can both go and sit in the office.  Then the office will give a beauty.  Then Mahadu said, “Grandfather, I will go.”  A golden Garuda was created and he sat on it and from Yeodan Deep he went to Om Deep.  Then Om Deep to Girja Deep.  There were seven sisters whom he saw from far away.  Then he thought about Guru Niranjan and sprang a long jump of twelve forearms length into the middle of the seven sisters.  He grabbed the youngest sister, Girja, in his arms and leapt up and disappeared.  Then he headed towards Yeodan Deep and reached Yeodan Guru and said, “Oh my grandfather, greetings.”  Girja got down from his arms and quickly greeted the guru.  “Oh my dear son, that is first class, excellent.  Now you are really the master of the world.  You are the father and mother of the world.”

Shri Mahadu took Girja and left to go the Prabhu Niranjan Guru.  Arriving there he stood and greeted with palms pressed together.

Girja caught sight of Niranjan Guru.  Then Niranjan Guru asked Mahadu, “How is she related to you?”  He said, “She is my queen.”  Then Prabhu said, “All right.  It is wonderful that I told you to do one thing, but you have come doing two things.  Have you done what I told you to do?”  Mahadu replied, “I have performed all your orders”.  Niranjan Guru said, “Now you have no trouble.  We will perform your marriage.”  Then Niranjan Guru called Wari Deval before him.  Wari Deval came and greeted him holding his palms together.  Then the Niranjan Guru ordered him to go to seven plus seven, fourteen Deeps, where there are many gurus.  “Call them all to come.  We have to perform Shri Mahadu’s marriage.”  Then Wari Deval went to fetch the Gurus.  He fetched these gurus from Patar Deep Shri Shekal, from Khand Deep Mehmaya Shakti, from Moropa Deep Kasturi Yayal, from Jambo Deep Jambo Guru, from Jawara Deep Jawara Guru, from Son Khas Deep Reva Guru, from Gangana Deep Gangana Guru, from Yaura Deep Yaura Guru, from Hom Deep came Hom Guru, from Girja Deep came Girja Guru.  He brought with him his six remaining daughters.  Girja Parbatal was the youngest, who was to be married to Mahadu or Shembu.  From Parda Deep came Gope Guru.  From Bandar Deep came Shri Yap Devu, Shri Gope Devu, Shri Navur Devu, and Shri Gauru Devu and Shri Akash Surial Devu.  From Dur Mandal Deep came Dhur Mandal Devu, from Adar Deep came Wari Devu.

All these gathered together for the marriage of Mahadu.  When such a god’s marriage was arranged and ready Shri Mahadu, Shri Brahma, Shri Satvi and her three sisters shri Ganadari and shri Kotma and Girja Guru’s daughters who are six in all.  These mothers said to Niranjan Guru, “Now we will have to perform the marriage.  But first we need the ornaments for the women folk.  Then the Guru said, “What are they?  The sisters replied, “A moon is needed on the forehead and also a sun.  And on the hands Chumar (they make patterns/tattoos with Singar).  A bride is not allowed to sit on the Lihi (chalked out patterns on the ground) until she has at least some tattoos.  When these are completed she will have to sit on the marriage seat (Marming Katul).”  Then Prabhu asked them, “Where are these things, children”.  The daughters said, “Those things are with Hira Devi, the daughter of Hom Guru, who lives in Bibla Deep.  Call her here.”

Then the elder brothers of Mahadu, Brahma Deval, Satvi Deval went to fetch her.  When they went and stood there, Hira Devi came and met them.  They told Hira, “Come with us to NIranjan Guru.  All the gurus have gathered there for the marriage of Mahadu.  Please bring Biblakunk that is Singar Kopar (cup and tattooing needle).

Hira Devi arrived at the marriage place.  She greeted them all and sat down.  All gave her blessings.  Then Niranjan Guru said, “Hira Bai, get on with your work.”  The Hira Bai made Girja sit down in front of her and made the mark of the sun and the moon on her forehead and the two marks, one on each temple on the chin and between the eyebrows.  One on the lobe of each nose and she made the tattoo on the back of the hand.

Then Girja’s head was washed.  She was dressed in the elephant shaped sari and the shining jacket/bodice coloured like a new young cock.  After washing she left the clothes in which she bathed, the jacket and the sari, for Hira as a gift.  Then all the gurus blessed Hira Bai and all the gurus said, “Now is the time of the Gods, and the coming future will be the period of Singar.  That is your name, Singar.  Unless the tattoo is done there can be no marriage.”  Then Niranjan Guru asked Mahadu and Girja, “Go and get Ek Tiis Kakan Sers Barseng from Bandar Deep (the triangular paper veil that is hung over the face at marriage).  They both went together to Bandar Deep and found it there.  Then greeted it and they took a handful of Barsing.  Then Girja, greeting it, took out the one that suited her and she also picked out the Kankan (a black string that is tied to the wrist).  Taking these she went to Niranjan Guru.  All the gurus asked them, ”How much have each of you brought?”  Then Mahadu showed a handful of Barseng.  But Girjal had shown only one.  Then when all of them had seen the handful that Mahadu had brought, they all felt happy and laughed (ironically).  Then all the Gurus said, “Mankind may have ten marriages but women only one.  This is the order of the Gurus.”  And they all laughed.  Then they arranged all the formalities of the marriage.  Then Shri Mahadu was made to sit down on the right lap of Girja and Girja was made to sit on the right lap of Prabhu Niranjan Guru.  Shri Mahadu was dressed in a silk dhoti and a long shirt from his neck to his ankles.  He put on a turban with twelve kilos of cloth wound round and round.  Nearly twelve kilos of pearls were attached to the cloth over his shoulder with one end in front and the other wound around his neck.  On the right hand was a bangle and on his forehead a nine lakhs priced Barseng.  He had a bhotu on his forehead and on his two feet.  In his ear lobes he had two rings and small rings on the upper ear.  On the left ear was a ring in the middle.  In the middle on his right ear was a ring with a pearl.  There were two chains around his neck and another kind of chain with three chains on it.  There was also a necklace with silver squares on it and also a wide golden chain necklace on his neck.  He had stout bangles on his wrist called baj band bahutey.  On the other wrist a cow faced bangle.  On his right wrist was another golden belt called Soneta poncha.  On his right foot were lines made of kuku.  Betel leaf was given to the bridegroom.  He was set up to eat.  A dagger (knife) was put in his right hand.  Now he looked like a goddess.  He had a forehead like a shining stone.  He had jamun coloured eyes.  His lips were coloured like the flame of the forest tree (crimson) and his tongue was like panjur flowers.  His teeth were like tendu fruits (white).  His arms were sinuous and muscular.  His wrists were as wide as the ramparts of a fort.  His breast was as wide as a cart.  His waist was like the waist of a wasp.  His thighs were as hard as iron clubs.  His feet were like pearl shells from the ocean.  His heels were like chickens eggs.  Looking like this the groom was sat on the lap of Niranjan Guru.

Now the bride has to be decorated.  She had an elephant shaped sari and a silver threaded bodice.  Her hair was curled like sendi seeds.  A pearl was attached on every lock of her hair.  She had earrings like stars.  Her nose ring was like a giant star.  She had many rings in her ears, abangi wariki, then deobangi todor, then sita huli maha huli, then Brahma Shankar past padat.  All these were attached to her bosom and moved with her breasts.  She also wore necklaces.  She had a three stringed chain necklace.  She had one nose ring on the right side and on the left side she had another ring.  She had a bangle on her biceps.  She had golden rings on her hands and golden bangles on her wrists.  A dagger (knife) was put in her hand.  Dressed like this she sat on the left lap of Niranjan Guru.

She was surrounded by her five sisters called Girjal Tare, Girjal Mare, Girjal Jaini, Girjal Maini, Girjal Yesi and Girjal Keysu.  Then Reva Guru and Hom Guru said to themselves that they would become Kanyalik Gorkang (the spears behind the stools).  Gope Devu said to himself that he would be the string around the sisters (apparently the flames in the aarti danriya are Hom Guru).  Like this they all carried out their function.  Taking the bride and groom they all stood on the Goverdhan Gautan.  Brahma sprinkled talwal (rice mixed with turmeric).  From that talwal some should also be sprinkled over the Lihi Mandal (the drawing on the floor of the wedding bower).

The marriage went on for five plus five, ten days.  Then NIranjan Guru said to Mahadu, “Up to now you have been called Shri Mahadu.  From now on you will be called Shri Shembu Mahadeva.  Girja’s name will be Girja Parvatal.  Then asking from Kam Dam Kasturi Yayal (cow mother) a bull called Nandi was given to Shembu Mahadeval.  The Niranjan Guru vacated his seat and put Shembu Mahadeval on it.  Then he gave them nine lakhs of Tara (the elements that make up the whole world from sky to earth).  Having given them all this Niranjan Guru said, “My dear son, Waikot gernuk (the whole world) is yours.  You are the father of the world.  Parbati is the mother of the world.  Nau Kot Dhauragiri is yours to rule.”