27-29. O King! We cannot tell exactly whether the prince is the son of Indra, named Jayanta or Kârtikeya. After all, puffed up with the strength of his army, he is coming here. O King! The battle is imminent; now make your arrangements fully and carefully; fight with the son of a Deva or abandon this lotus-eyed Lady. O King! At a distance of three Yojanas from this place, be is staying with his army. Now equip yourself and quickly declare the war by blowing the war trumpets.”
30-36. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing the messenger’s words, Kâlaketu, the King of the Demons, became overwhelmed with anger and at once sent many powerful Râksasas, holding all sorts of weapons and spoke out to them :-- “O Râksasas! With weapons in your hands, go before them quickly.” Ordering them thus, Kâlaketu asked in sweet words Ekâvalî who was in front and very distressed. O Thin-bellied One! Who is coming here? Is he your father or any other man coming with his army to release you. Speak this to me truly. If your father comes here to take you back, being very much distressed with your bereavement, I will never fight with him, if I come to know this truly; rather I will bring him to my house and worship him with the excel-
lent horses, gems and jewels and clothings. Really I will show my full hospitality duly to him when he comes here. And if any other person comes, then I will take his life by the sharpened arrows; there is no doubt in this. Know this as certain whoever comes here for your rescue is brought by the hand of Death to me. Therefore, O Large-eyed One! Say who is this fool that is coming, not knowing me as the powerful and unconquerable Kâla (Death).
37-38. Ekâvalî said :-- “O Highly Fortunate One! I do not know who is this body coming to this side with a violent speed. O King! How can I know that when I am in this state of confinement in your house. This man is not my father nor my brother. Some other powerful man is coming here. I do not know exactly what for he is coming.”
39-40. The Demon said :-- My messengers say that your comrade Yas’ovatî has taken with her that warrior and is coming to this side with great energy. Where has your clever companion gone now? O Lotus-eyed! There is no enemy in the three worlds strong enough to fight against me.
41-66. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Just then other messengers hurriedly came there terrified and spoke to Kâlaketu who had been staying in the house, thus :-- “O King! The army has come quite close to the city and how are you staying in the house, calm and quiet? Better march out of the city with your vast army as early as possible.” The powerful Kâlaketu, then, hearing their words, mounted on the chariot and quickly went out of his city. The King Haihaya, on the other hand, suffering from the bereavements of his dear lady, suddenly came there mounted on horseback. The terrible fight ensued then and there between the two and each one struck the other with sharpened weapons and the quarters all around blazed with their glitterings and clashings. When the terrible fight was going on, Haihaya, the son of Laksmî, struck Kâlaketu, the King of the Daityas with a very powerful club (Gadâ). Thus struck by the Gadâ, the Lord of the Daityas fell on the ground like a mountain, struck by lightning, and died. All the Râksasas fled away on all sides, struck with terror. Yas’ovatî went then very hurriedly with a gladdened heart to Ekâvalî and began to speak to her in terms of surprise and in sweet words :-- O Dear! O Dear! Come, Come; the great warrior, the prince Ekavîra has killed the Lord of the Daityas in a dreadful battle. That King is now waiting, tired in the midst of his soldiers. He has already heard from me about your beauty and qualities; and now he is expecting to see you. O One Looking askance! Now satisfy your eyes and mind by seeing that King who is like the Cupid. When
I described to him before on the banks of the Ganges your beauty and qualifications, he got enamoured of you and now he is suffering from bereavements and wants to see you. Thus, hearing, Ekâvalî determined to go to him and as she was yet unmarried, she became abashed and afraid. She thought how could she see the prince as she was unmarried. It might be that he being passionate would catch her by her arms. Thus, troubled with thought, that daughter of the King, with a sad look, and wearing poor clothes, Ekâvalî went with Yas’ovatî on a palanquin, carried on men’s shoulders. Seeing that large-eyed daughter of the King coming there, the prince said :-- “O Beautiful One! My two eyes are very thirsty to see you. Satisfy my eyes and mind by showing yourself to me.” Seeing the prince passionate and the King’s daughter very much abashed, Yas’ovatî, who knew the rules of modesty, thus spoke to the prince :-- “ O Prince! The father of my dear companion expressed a desire to betroth her to your hands. She is also obedient to you. Therefore your meeting will certainly take place. O King! Wait; take her to her father; and he will perform duly the marriage ceremony and betroth her to your hands. Know this to be quite certain.” The King took her words to be quite just and true and taking those two ladies went with his army to the house of the father of Ekâvalî. Ekâvalî’s father became very glad and cheerful to learn that his daughter was coming and, accompanied by his ministers, went hurriedly to her. After a long time the King saw his daughter in poor clothings and became highly pleased. Yas’ovatî then described in detail all what happened before the King. The King then with his minister brought with great love, courtesy and gentleness Ekavîra to his house and on an auspicious day performed the marriage ceremony of him with Ekâvalî, in accordance with due ceremonies and rites. Then the King gave away many clothings, ornaments, jewels, and articles for fitting a house and many other things and worshipped duly and sent his daughter together with Yas’ovatî away with the King Haihaya. Thus the marriage ceremony was performed and the son of Laksmî gladly returned to his house and began to enjoy many pleasures with his wife. Then, in course of time, in the womb of Ekâvalî the King Haihaya got a son named Kritavîrya. The son of this Kritavîrya is known as Kârtavîrya. O King! Thus I have narrated to you the origin of the Haihaya dynasty.
Here ends the Twenty-third Chapter in the Sixth Book on the battle of Haihaya and Kâlaketu in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXIV
On the description of Viksepa S’akti
1-5. The King Janamejaya said :-- “O Bhagavân! I am not satiated with the drink of the divine sweet nectar-like words coming out of your lotus mouth. You have described to me in detail the wonderful and variegated story of the origin of the Haihaya dynasty; but, O Muni! There has arisen in my mind a curiosity to know something more on this subject. See the Bhagavân Visnu, the Lord of Laksmî, the Deva of the Devas, the Ruler of this whole Universe and the Cause of the Creation, Preservation and Destruction; yet that Best of Purusas S’rî Bhagavân had to assume a horse form. He is undecaying and independent, how then He came to be dependent? Clear this doubt of mine. O Best of Munis! You are omniscient; therefore satisfy my curiosity by describing this wonderful event.”
6-16. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hear what I heard of yore from Nârada how this doubt was removed. The mind-born son of Brahmâ, Maharsi Nârada got powers to go everywhere by virtue of his Tapas, could know everything, was of a calm and quiet nature, dear to all and he was a poet. On one occasion he went out on tour round the world, playing with his lute in time with Svar and Tân. One day he came to my Âs’rama, singing many things concerning Brihat Rathantara Sâma Veda and the sweet nectar-like Gâyatrî, the Giver of Liberation. O King! There was a very sacred place of hermitage, beaming as it were with happiness and self-knowledge, named S’amyâprâsa, on the banks of the river Sarasvatî. There was situated my hermitage. Seeing the lustrous Nârada the son of the Grand Sire Brahmâ, coming, I got up and offered him duly Pâdya (water to wash his feet) and Argha (offerings of worship), etc., and worshipped him. When that Muni of indomitable lustre took his seat on the Âsana, I sat beside him. When I found Nârada, the Giver of Knowledge, at rest and quiet, I duly asked him the very same question that you have asked me just now. O Best of Munis! What happiness is there on the beings taking their birth in this world. I never found it in any place or in any concern, this I can say positively. Still why do the high minded persons do Karma, fascinated by the enchantments of the world. Look! I was born in an island. Just after my birth, my mother forsook me. Helpless, I grew in the forest as my Karma allowed. Next I performed a very severe tapasyâ before Mahâdeva, the Deva of the Devas, on the mountain with a desire to have a son.
17-38. As a fruit of that I got S’uka as my son, the foremost of the Gnostics, and taught him completely the essence of the Vedas from the beginning to the end. O Devarsî! When my son got wisdom from you, he left this world even when I became very distressed on his bereavement and wept aloud and he went away to the next world. Very much afflicted for the parting of my son, I abandoned the great Mountain Meru. I got very lean due to the absence of my dear son whom I loved very much; and becoming very distressed and knowing this whole world to be an illusion, I remembered my mother and went to the Kuru Jângala district, as if bound up and controlled by the snares of Mâyâ. When I heard that the King S’ântanu had married my mother, I built my hermitage on the holy banks of the Sarasvatî and remained there. When the King S’ântanu went to the next world, my chaste mother remained with two sons. At that time Bhîsma looked after their sustenance and maintained them. The intelligent Gangâ’s son Bhîsma Deva installed Chitrângada on the throne. A short while after this, Chitrângada, too, looking like a second Cupid and extremely lovely, went to the jaws of death. The mother Satyavatî was drowned in the sorrows for his son Chitrângada and began to weep for him. O King! Knowing my mother in that sorrowful condition, I went to her. Bhîsma and I then consoled her with hopeful words. Bhîsma Deva was averse to marrying and then becoming a King; and, therefore, he installed again the younger brother, the powerful Vichitravîrya on the throne. O King! Bhîsma defeated by his own prowess the kings and brought the two daughters of the King Kâs’îrâj and handed them over to Satyavatî, so that she might give them over to Vichitravîrya. Then, on an auspicious day, and in an auspicious Lagna (moment) when the marriage ceremony of my brother Vichitravîrya was performed, I became glad. My brother, a good archer, was shortly afterwards attacked with consumption and thus he died without any issue. At this my mother became very sad and dejected. Seeing the husband dead, the two daughters of Kâs’îrâja became ready to preserve their religion of chastity and said to their mother-in-law, sorrowful and weeping :-- We two shall accompany our husbands and become Satî (i.e., be burnt up with our husbands). O Devî! We will go to the Heavens with your son. We, the two sisters united, will enjoy with him in the Nandana Garden. The mother was very much attached to them and with the permission of Bhîsma Deva, very affectionately made them desist from this great attempt. When all the funeral obsequies of Vichitravîrya were over, my mother consulted with Bhîsma and remembered me in Hastinânagara. As soon as she remembered me, immediately I knew her mental feelings and hurriedly came to Hastinânagara
and, with my head bowed, fell prostrate before her feet, and with folded hands addressed my mother who was very much inflamed with the fire of sorrow for the death of her son, thus :-- O Mother! Why have you called me here mentally? I see you are very much dejected; I am your servant; order me what I can do for you. O Mother! You are my greatest place of pilgrimage and you are my highest deity; I am very anxious since I have come here; say what you desire.
39-44. Vyâsa said :-- O Best of Munis! When I said thus and waited before her, then she looked at Bhîsma standing close by and said :-- “O Child! Your brother died of consumption; therefore I am very sorrowful, lest the family becomes extinct. O Intelligent One! For the continuance of the line, then, with the permission of the Gangâ’s son, I have called you here today by the Samâdhi Yoga. O son of Parâs’ara! You re-establish the name of S’ântanu that is going now to be well nigh extinct. O Vyâsa Deva! Relieve me soon from this sorrow of mine, lest this line be extinct. There are the two daughters of Kâs’îrâja, honest and good and endowed with youth and beauty. O Highly Intelligent One! Better you cohabit with them and save the family of Bhârata by begetting sons. You will not be touched with any sin.”
45-55. Vyâsa said :-- O Devarsî! Hearing the mother’s words, I became very anxious and humbly told her with great shame :-- “O Mother! To touch another’s wife is a very sinful act; knowing well the path of Dharma, how can I willingly and intentionally violate that? So also, the Maharsis say :-- That the wife of a younger brother is like a daughter. Studying all the Vedas, how can I do this blame-worthy and adulterous act? To preserve a line of family by illegal ways is never to be done; for then the fathers of the sinners can never cross this ocean of world. How can he, who is the spiritual preceptor of all, and the writer of all the Purânas, do this act knowingly which is awfully strange and very bad and nasty in its nature.” My mother was very much plunged into the sea of sorrows for the bereavement of her son; so to preserve the family, She came again to me, weeping and said :-- “O son of Parâs’ara! If you follow my word, you won’t incur any sin. O Child! If the reasonable words of the Gurus be even faulty, one should obey them according to the tradition of the S’istas. Therefore, O Child! Keep my word and preserve my honour; no sin will touch you. O Child! Think very well. Your mother is very sorry and is immersed in the ocean of afflictions; therefore it is your paramount duty to make her happy by begetting child for the continuance of the family.” Hearing my mother speaking to me thus, Bhîsma, the Gangâ’s son, the expert
in finding out truth in fine points with regard to Dharma, said to me :-- O Dvaipâyana! You are wholly sinless; you ought not therefore to argue on this point; obey your mother as she says and be happy.
56-61. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing his words and my mother’s request, I decided to do this very hateful act with a fearless heart without any suspicion. When Ambikâ finished her ablutions after menstruation, I gladly cohabited with her in the night; but that young lady seeing my ugly ascetic form, was not attached to me; I then cursed that beautiful woman thus :-- As you closed your eyes at the first cohabitation with me, your son will be born blind. O Muni! On the second day my mother enquired me when I was alone :-- O Dvaipâyana! Will there be born a son of the daughter of Kâs’îrâj? I then bowed my head with shame, and told, “Mother! The son will be born blind, through my curse.” O Muni! The mother then rebuked me harshly, “O Child! Why did you curse that the son of Ambikâ would be born blind?”
Here ends the Twenty-fourth Chapter in the Sixth Book on the description of Viksepa S’akti in the discourse between Vyâsa and Nârada in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXV
On the cause of Moha of Vyâsa Deva asked before Nârada
1-10. Vyâsa said :-- OKing! The mother became astonished to hear me. Becoming very anxious for a son, she began to speak to me. O Child! The wife of your brother, the daughter Ambâlikâ of Kâs’îrâj, is a widow; she is very sorrowful; she is endowed with all auspicious signs and endowed with all good qualities; better cohabit with that beautiful young wife and get a child according to the tradition of the S’istas. Persons born blind are not entitled to kingdoms. Therefore take my word and procreate a beautiful son and thus keep my honour. O Muni! Hearing the mother’s words, I began to wait in Hastinâpura till Ambâlikâ, the daughter of Kâs’îrâj, finished her ablutions after menstruation. That King’s daughter, of curling hairs, came to me alone at her mother-in-law’s order, and became very much abashed. Seeing me an ascetic with matted hairs on my head and void of every love sentiment, perspiration came on her face; her body turned pale and her
mind void of any love towards me. When I saw that lady trembling and pale beside me, I angrily spoke :-- “O One of beautiful waist! When you have turned out pale, considering your own beauty, let your son be of a pale colour.” Thus saying I spent there that night with Ambâlikâ. After enjoying her I took farewell from my mother and went to my place.
11-21. In due course, the two daughters of the King gave birth to two sons respectively, one blind and the other pale. The son of Ambikâ was named Dhritarâstra; and the son of Ambâlikâ was named Pându, as his colour was pându (pale). Mother became absent-minded when she saw the two sons in those states. After one year she again called me and said :-- “O Dvaipâyana! These two persons are not so fit to become kings; therefore beget one more son beautiful and according to my liking.” When I consented, she became very glad and, in due course, asked Ambikâ to embrace me and give birth to a son, endowed with extraordinary qualities, and fit to preserve the line worthy of the Kuru dynasty. The bride did not then say anything on account of her bashfulness. But when I went in the night time according to my mother’s order, to the sleeping room, Ambikâ sent to me a maid-servant of Vichitravîrya, full of youth and beauty, and adorned with various ornaments and clothings. That maid-servant of beautiful hairs and of a swan-like gait adorned with garlands and red sandal-paste, came to me with many enchanting gestures and making me take my seat on the cot, became herself merged in love sentiments. O Muni! I became pleased with her gestures and amorous sports and passed the night, full of love towards her and played and cohabited with her. At last I gladly gave her the boon, “O Fortunate One! Your child, begotten by me, will be endowed with all good qualities, will be of good form, will be conversant with all the essences of Dharma, calm and quiet and truthful.”
22-34. In due course, a child named Vidura was born to her. Thus I had three sons; and in my mind grew up Mâyâ and affection that these were my sons. When I saw again those three sons, heroic and full of manliness, the only cause of my sorrow due to the bereavement of my son S’uka vanished away from my mind. O Lord of Dvîjas! Mâyâ is very powerful and extremely hard to be abandoned by those who are not masters of their senses; She enchants even the wise, though She does not possess any form nor any substratum nor any support. I could not find any peace, even in the forest, as my mind was attached to my mother and children. O Muni! My mind then began to oscillate like a pendulum and I remained sometime in Hastinâpura and sometime on the
banks of the Sarasvatî. I could not stay in a certain fixed place. By discrimination, the knowledge sometimes flashed in my mind :-- Whose sons are these? The attachment is nothing but merely a delusion. On my death they would not be entitled to perform my S’râddha ceremony. These sons are begotten by ways and manners not sanctioned by Dharma; what happiness can they bring to me? O Muni! The powerful Mâyâ has caused this delusion in me. What! Knowing this Samsâra to be unreal, Alas! I have fallen into this well of the Darkness of delusion. Thus I repented when I thought over the matter deeply and when I was alone in a solitary place. When, subsequently, through the mediation of Bhîsma, the powerful Pându got the kingdom, I became pleased to see the prosperity of my son. O Muni! This is also the creation of Mâyâ. The daughter of the King S’ûrasena, named Kuntî, and the daughter of the King of Madra, named Mâdrî became the two beautiful wives of Pându. Pându was cursed by a Brâhmana that he would die if he cohabited with any woman; he therefore became dispassionate and quitting his kingdom, went to the forest with his two wives. Hearing Pându gone to the forest I felt pain and went to my son who was staying with his wives and consoling him, came to Hastinâpura, where I held a conversation with Dhritarâstra and then came back to the banks of the river Sarasvatî.
35-50. Pându in his forest life, got five sons out of his wives by the Devas Dharma, Vâyu, Indra, and the twin As’vins. Dharma, Vâyu, and Indra begat respectively of Kuntî the three sons Yudhisthira, Bhîmasena and Arjuna; and the two As’vins begat of Mâdrî the two sons Nakulu and Sahadeva. Once Mâdrî, full of youth and beauty, was staying alone in a solitary place and Pându seeing her embraced her and due to the curse, died. When the funeral pyre was ablaze, the chaste Mâdrî entered into the fire and died a Satî. Kuntî was prevented from doing so, as she was to nurse and look after her young children. The Munis then took the sorrowful Kuntî, the daughter of S’ûrasena, bereft of her husband to Hastinâpur and handed her over to the high-souled Bhîsma and Vidura. When I came to hear this, my mind was greatly agitated to see the pain and pleasure that other people suffered. Bhîsma, Vidura, and Dhritarâstra began to nourish and support Yudhisthira and others as they considered them the sons of their dearest Pându. The cruel and wicked sons of Dhritarâstra, Duryodhana and others united with each other and began to quarrel horribly with the sons of Pându. Dronâchârya came there accidentally and Bhîsma treated him with great respect and requested him to stay in Hastinâpura and educate the sons of Kuru. Karna was the the son of
Kuntî, when she was young and unmarried; and he was quitted by her no sooner he was born. The charioteer Sûta (or carpenter) Adhiratha found him in a river and nourished him. Karna was the foremost of the heroes and therefore the great favourite of Duryodhana. The enmity between Bhîma and Duryodhana, etc., began to grow greater day by day. Dhritarâstra, thinking the difficult situation of his children, fixed the residence of the sons of Pându at the Vâranâvata city so that the quarrels might die away. Out of enmity, Duryodhana ordered his dear friend Purochana to build there a house of lac for the Pândavas. O Muni! When I heard that Kuntî and her five sons were burnt in the lac-house, I became merged in the ocean of sorrows and thought that they were my grandsons. I was overwhelmed with sorrow and began to search after them in deep forests day and night till at last I found them in Ekachakrâ city, lean and thin and very much distressed with sorrow.
51-63. I became very glad to see them and sent them soon to the city of the King Drupada. Wearing the deer’s skin, they went there dejected with sorrow in the Brâhmin’s dress and stayed in the royal court. The victorious Arjuna shewed prowess and pierced the mark (the eye of the fish) and obtained Krisnâ, the daughter of the King Drupada. By the order of the mother Kuntî, the five brothers married her. O Muni! I became very glad to see that they were all married. The Pândavas , then, accompanied by Pânchâlî, soon went to Hastinâpura. Dhritarâstra then fixed Khândavaprastha as the residence of the Pândavas. Visnu, the son of Vâsudeva, then performed the Yajñâ with the victorious Arjuna and satisfied the Great Fire. The Pândavas next performed the Râjasûya sacrifice and that made me very glad. Seeing the affluence and prosperity of the Pândavas and the great assembly hall beautiful and exquisitely artistic, Duryodhana was burnt up, as it were, with malice and made arrangements for play in dice, very injurious in its consequences. S’akuni was expert in playing deceitfully and Yudhisthira the son of Dharma, was not expert in this play. So Duryodhana made S’akuni play for him and stole away all that Yudhisthira had and insulted, at last, in the royal assembly, the daughter of Drupada, Yajñâsenî and gave her much trouble. The Pândavas then went with Pânchâlî in an exile in the forest for twelve years. And I was very much grieved to hear this O Muni! Though I know all about the Sanâtan Dharma, yet I was deluded and merged in these worlds of pains and pleasures. Who am I? To whom do these sons belong? My mind roams day and night on the thought of all these. O Muni! What shall I do? And whither shall I go? I don’t find happiness anywhere; my mind is, as it were, floating in a
rocking machine and it is never being fixed. O Best of Munis! You are all-knowing; solve my doubts so that my mental fever may be quietened and I may be happy.
Here ends the Twenty-fifth Chapter on the cause of Moha of Vyâsa Deva asked before Nârada in S’rî Mad Devi Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXVI
On the description by Nârada of his own Moha
1-13. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When I asked him why this delusion overtook me, Maharsi Nârada smiled and said :-- “O son of Parâs’ara! You are thoroughly acquainted with all the Purânas. Why then are you making this question about the cause of my Moha (delusion). No embodied soul can exist in this Samsâra without this Moha. Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra, and the other Devas, S’anaka, Kapila and the other Risis, all these are surrounded by Mâyâ and are thus travelling in this path of Samsâra. The people know me as a Jñânin; but I, too, am deluded like an ordinary man. I am now speaking to you as certain as anything my of previous history now. I was deluded by Mâyâ; hear it attentively. O Son of Vâsavî! Great troubles and pains were felt by me before, due to this Moha, for my wife. One day Parvata and I, the two Devarsis, went out together from the Devaloka to see the excellent portion of the earth named Bhârata and came to the Martyaloka or the land of the mortals. We then began to travel over various places and saw the places of pilgrimages and the holy places and the beautiful hermitages of the Munis. Before we went out from the Devaloka, we consulted with each other and entered into this agreement that we would not hide our feelings from each other, whether they be good or bad, while we would travel over the face of the earth. Whether it be our desire to get food, or wealth or women for enjoyment, whatever arises in the mind of any of us, we would express that freely amongst ourselves. Thus making an agreement, we went out in right earnest as Munis to travel over the face of this earth. Thus roaming all over the face of the earth, at the end of the summer season, when the rainy season commenced we came to the beautiful city of the King named S’anjaya. The King showed us great respect and worshipped us with devotion. Since then we remained for four months at his house.
14-33. During the four months of the rainy season, the roads are always almost impassable; it is, therefore, wise to stay at one place. For eight months, the Dvîjas should always remain abroad on some work
or other. Thinking all these, we two began to stay in the house of the King S’anjaya. That liberal minded King gladly and with respect kept us as his guests and tendered to us all our requirements. The King had a very beautiful daughter named Damayantî, with good teeth. The King ordered her to take care of us. That large-eyed princess, of great discrimination, was very energetic, day and night. She began to serve both of us. In due time she gave us water for our bath, excellent meat, food, towels for cleaning and rubbing our faces, in fact, everything what we desired. She kept ready for us whatever we desired, fans, seats, beds, whatever were necessary for us. Thus she began to serve. We were also engaged in the study of our Vedas and in those practises that were approved by the Vedas. O Dvaipâyana! I used to sing, then, with lute in my hands, the sweet lovely Sâma Gâyatrî songs in tunes and good Svaras. The princess herself appreciated the songs and when she heard these Sâma songs ravishing to one’s mind, she became attached to me and showed signs of affection. Day by day the attachment towards me grew stronger. Seeing her attached to me, my mind also became attached to her. Thus that princess indulged in amorous sentiments towards me and began to make slight distinctions between the food and other things offered to me and Parvata. I got warm water for my bath and Parvata used to get cold water; I got nice curds when food was served to me whereas Parvata got only whey. I got nice white bedding for myself to sleep on whereas Parvata had merely a dirty sheet to lie down. Thus the princess began to serve me with great love and devotion but not so she served Parvata. The fair lady began to look at me with eyes of love; not so towards Parvata. Parvata was very much surprised to see all this and thought within himself, “What is this?” Parvata, then, asked me in private :-- “O Nârada! Speak out to me truly in detail. The princess shews with much gladness and affection her deep love towards you; she serves you with dainty dishes but she behaves not so with me. I therefore suspect when I see all these distinctions made between you and me, that the daughter of the King S’anjaya wants with her heart and soul to make you her husband. And you also want to make her your wife. 1 have come to know this by signs and symptoms; for affection and love reigning inside can be made out by outward expressions of eyes and face. Whatever this be, O Muni! Now speak truly to me; do never tell a lie. When we went out from the Heavens, we made out that agreement; now remember that.”
34-42. Nârada said :-- Thus questioned suddenly by Parvata, I became very much abashed and said :-- “O Parvata! This large-eyes princess is ready to marry me and I am also very much attracted towards
her.” When Parvata heard all these, he became very much angry and uttered repeatedly, “Fie! O Nârada! Fie! O Nârada! First you swore on oath and then you deceived me afterwards. Therefore, O Deceiver of friends! I curse you and let your face become that of a monkey.” When the high-souled Parvata cursed thus, the face turned immediately into that of a monkey, elongated and distorted. I did not excuse him, though he was my sister’s son. I also got angry and cursed him, “Certainly, your journey to the Heavens will be stopped. You will not be able to go to Heaven. O Parvata! When you cursed me so heavily for so trivial a fault of mine, I see you are very mean. Whatever it be, you will have to remain on earth so long.” At this Parvata became very sad and went out of the city. My face became immediately like that of a monkey. The daughter of the King became very sorry to see my face thus distorted into that of a monkey. I did not see her glad as she was before; but her desire to hear my playing with my lute remained the same as before.
43-52. Vyâsa said :-- O Muni! What happened next? How did you get yourself rid of your curse and how did you get your man-like face? Whither did Parvata Risi go! When and how did you again re-unite with each other? Kindly describe all these to me in detail. Nârada said :-- “O Highly Intelligent One! What shall I say about the nature of Mâyâ? When Parvata went away angrily, the daughter of the King began to serve me with greater care than before. I remained there, though Parvata went away, and seeing my face monkey-like, I became very dejected and sorry and was specially troubled with the care and anxiety what would happen to me hereafter? The King S’anjaya saw that his daughter Damayantî was slipping into her youth and asked the prime minister about her marriage. He said :-- “The time of marriage of my dear daughter has now come; I will now marry her in accordance with due rites and ceremonies. Now tell me particularly about a prince worthy of her, as we like, in beauty, qualifications, largeheartedness, calmness, patience and heroism and who is of a good family.” The minister said :-- “O King! There are many princes on the face of this earth, worthy in all respects, of your daughter. Whomever you like, you can call on him and give him your daughter with elephants, horses, chariots, wealth, gems and jewels.”
53-57. Damayantî, knowing the intention of his father informed the King of her own desire by her nurse and attendant. The nurse went to the King and said :-- “When my father will sit at his ease and comfort you would go and speak to him in private that I am enchanted with the
enchanting Nâda sound of the great lute played by the Maharsi Nârada and have selected him as my bridegroom. No other person will be dear to me. O Father! Marry me with Nârada and thus fulfil my desire; O Knower of Dharma! I won’t marry anybody but Nârada. O Father! I am now merged in the Nâda-ocean (sound ocean) of bliss, sweet and joyful, void of anything destructive of happiness, void of Nakra, alligators, and fishes, Timingala, etc. (injurious animals) and without any salty taste; my mind won’t be satisfied with any other thing.”
Here ends the Twenty sixth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the description by Nârada of his own Moha in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXVII
On the marriage of Nârada and his face getting transformed into that of a monkey
1-13. Nârada said :-- On hearing these words of her daughter from her nurse, the King addressed the queen Kaikeyî, of lovely eyes, standing close by, thus :-- “Have you heard what the nurse has said? Damayantî has mentally chosen the monkey-faced Nârada as her husband. What has she thought? Whatever it be, it is no doubt, an act of great foolishness. His face is monkey-like; how can I betroth my daughter to him? Where is an ugly beggar Nârada? And where is my daughter Damayantî? The marriage between them is quite unjust; never it should take place. O Beautiful One of good hairs! Better call her before you in private and show her reasons approved of the S’âstras and of the aged persons and make her desist from such a rash course.” On hearing her husband’s words, the mother of Damayantî called her in private and said :-- “O Child! Where is your this beautiful face? And where is the monkey-like face of Nârada? You are smart and quick; how have you been, then, deluded by such a Moha? O Child! You are the daughter of a king! Your body is gentle like a creeper. And Nârada always besmears his body with ashes; so his body is very rough. O Spotless One! How will you change your words with him? Why do you shew your attachment to an ugly person? What pleasure do you feel thereby? You would be married to a beautiful prince; never follow this rash course; your father is very sorry to hear these from your nurse. O One of soft body! Judge this yourself, what intelligent man is there that is not sorry at the soft Mâlatî creeper entwining a thorny tree? Even a stupid silly man would never
feed a camel, that likes thorns, with soft betel-leaves. When your marriage time arrives, say yourself, who will not be sorry to see you going to Nârada and embracing him by his arms! Nobody likes to speak with an ugly faced one; how will you be able to spend your time with him till your death!”
14-29. Nârada said :-- On hearing the mother’s words, the gentle Damayantî, with her mind intently fixed on me, spoke to her mother, very much depressed in her spirits. “O Mother! What good face and beautiful form will avail, who is not in the path of love and who is quite ignorant of amorous feelings and sentiments! And what will the wealth and kingdoms of that unskilled illiterate person avail! The deer, that roam in the forest, getting enchanted by the Nâda (sound) Rasa, give up their lives even to the singers. So they are fortunate. But fie to the persons who are illiterate and void of feelings of love! O Mother! Nârada Risi is well conversant with the science of music with seven Svaras. No other man save Mahâ Deva knows this. Living with an illiterate person is courting death at every moment. One devoid of qualifications should be always avoided, by all means, though he be wealthy and of a beautiful form. Fie on the friendship with kings that are illiterate and puffed up with vain arrogance! A well-qualified man, be he even a beggar, is far better to be cultivated friendship with. Leaving other circumstances out of account, even to change words with such a well qualified man, makes one highly delighted. The man is very rare in this world, though he be weak, if he be well versed in the science of music and if he knows Svara, Grâma, Murchchanâ and be skilled in eight sentiments of love. [Note :-- Svara - Sadaja, Risabha, Gândhâra, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nisâda. Grâma - the gradual increase and decrease in Svaras. Murchchana - the rising of sounds, an intonation; a duly regulated rise and fall of sound conducting the air and the harmony through the keys in a pleasing manner; changing the key or passing from one key to another; modulation; melody]. The man versed in the knowledge of Svara leads one to the Heaven of Kailâs’a as the rivers Ganges and Sarasvatî by their own merits lead one to Kailâs’a. There is not the least doubt in this. He is a Deva in his human body who knows the Svara measure; and he who does not know the Svara and its seven grades is a beast though he has a human form - he who finds no delight when he hears the tune regulated by Murchchanâ and the seven Svaras. Do not consider the deer as beasts for they get enchanted when they hear the musical notes. The venomous snakes, though they have no ears, get delighted to hear the enchanting Svara Nâda by their eyes. They even are to be praised;
but fie on those human beings who have ears but who do not find any delight when they hear the Nâda! The little children feel intense pleasure to hear the music, but fie, fie on those elders who are void of this musical sentiments! Does not my father know that Nârada is ornamented with many qualifications? Who is there in the three worlds like him in singing the Sâma songs! For this very reason, indeed! I have already selected him as my husband; afterwards, due to a curse, the Muni, the ocean of qualifications, got his face changed into that of a monkey. The Kinnaras, skilled in the science of music, have their faces horse-like; but are they not dear to all? What business have they to get good faces? They enchant the Devas even by their sweet ravishing songs. O Mother! Kindly tell my father that I have already chosen Nârada as my husband. Therefore let him deliver me to his hands, without making any further requests in this matter.”
30-40. Nârada said :-- On hearing the words of her daughter Damayantî, that unblameable pure queen knowing her attachment deep towards me, spoke to the King thus :-- “O King! Now celebrate in an auspicious day and on an auspicious moment the auspicious marriage of Damayantî; the daughter has said that she has already selected Nârada as her bridegroom and it cannot be other-wise.” Thus prompted by the queen, the King S’anjaya performed the marriage ceremony of her daughter in accordance with due rites and customs and in an exceedingly becoming manner. O Risi! Thus I entered into the married life and remained there though my heart constantly burned with the thought of my monkey-face. Whenever the princess used to come to me for my service, I used to get tormented with the remembrance of my monkey-face; but her face beamed with gladness whenever she saw me; never she became sorry nor dejected, even for a moment, to see my face monkey-like. Thus time passed on. One day the Muni Parvata suddenly came there, after making his sojourn to many places of pilgrimages. I showed him a great respect and gladly loved him and greeted him duly; he got himself seated in an excellent Âsana and became very sorry to see me. I am his uncle and have entered into a married life; my face has become monkey-like. Therefore I am very much depressed in spirits and worried with the sad thought and has become lean and thin. Seeing this he was overwhelmed with pity. He then said :-- “O Muni! The curse that I cast on you before out of my anger, I now withdraw. Hear. O Maharsi! Let your face be by my merits, again as good as it was before; I now feel pity for the daughter of the King.”
41-52. Hearing thus, my heart also became gentle and instantly with a view to free him of my curse, I said :-- “Let your journey to
the Heavens be re-established. I now make this special favour on you as regards my curse on you before.” O Dvaipâyana! At his word, before our sight, my face became exceedingly handsome as it was before. The princess Damayantî became very glad and instantly she went to the mother and said :-- “O Mother! At the word of Parvata, the great Muni, the curse of your son-in-law has been removed and his face has become handsome as before and the lustre of his body has also increased.” The queen was very much filled with ecstasy and joy at Damayantî’s words and went hurriedly and informed the King. The King S’anjaya gladly went at once to see the Muni. The great King became very glad and gave lots of wealth, gems and jewels to me and my nephew Parvata as a dowry. O Dvaipâyana! Thus I have described to you my old story how I felt the strong influence of Mâyâ. O Fortunate One! Owing to the illusory nature of the Gunas, like a magic, no embodied being in this world could have been happy before, or he is happy now or he will be happy hereafter. Lust, anger, greed, jealousy, attachment, egoism, and vanity, each one of these is very powerful; nobody is able to conquer these. O Muni! The three Gunas Sâttva, Râjas and Tâmas are the entire causes of the coming into this bodily existence of every being. O Dvaipâyana! Once I was passing with Bhagavân Visnu, laughing and joking, making merriments through a forest, when suddenly I was transformed into a woman. Next I became the wife of a king enchanted by Mâyâ, I remained in his house and gave birth to many children.
53-56. Vyâsa said :-- O Devarsi! A great doubt has now arisen in my mind at your word. O Muni! You are very wise; how then did you get womanhood; how again did you regain your manhood? Who was the king at whose house you stayed and how did you give birth to children; describe fully and satisfy my curiosity. Describe to me, now, the nature of Mâyâ, extremely wonderful, by which this entire universe, moving and non-moving, all are enchanted. O Muni! Though I have heard your nectar-like words, capable to remove all the doubts, embodying the essence of all the S’âstras, yet I am not fully satiated.
Here ends the Twenty-seventh Chapter of the Sixth Book on the marriage of Nârada and his face getting transformed into that of a monkey in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXVIII
On Nârada’s getting the feminine form
1-11. Nârada said :-- O Thou whose only wealth consists in asceticism! I am now describing to you all those good stories; hear attentively. O Muni! This Mâyâ and Her Power are incomprehensible even by those who are the foremost amongst the Yogins. This whole Universe, moving and non-moving, from Brahmâ to the blade of grass, is enchanted by that Unborn and Incomprehensible Mâyâ; therefore no one can escape from the hands of that Mâyâ. One day I wanted to see Hari, of wonderful deeds, and went out with lute in my hand from Satyaloka, to the lovely S’veta Dvîpa (the residence of Visnu) singing the beautiful Sâma hymns in tune with the seven Svaras. I saw there Gadâdhara, the Deva of the Devas, with four arms holding disc in one of his hands. He resembled a newly-formed rain-cloud of S’yâma colour. He was illumined with the lustre of the Kaustubha jewel in his breast. He was wearing an yellow apparel. His head was beautified with a lustrous crown. Thus the Bhagavân Nârâyana was playing in amorous movements with the daughter of the ocean, fully capable to give one delight and enjoyment. Seeing me, the lovely Devî Kamalâ, dear to Vâsudeva, full of youth and beauty, decorated with ornaments, endowed with all auspicious signs, superior to all the women, went away at once (to another room) from the presence of Janârdana. The breast of Laksmî Devî was becoming visible even through the cloth thrown over it; therefore she went hurriedly to the inner compartment. Seeing this I asked Janârdana, the Deva of the Devas, the Lord of the worlds, and holding a garland of forest grown flowers thus :-- “O Bhagavân! O Slayer of Mura! O Padmanâbha! Why has Kamalâ Devî, the Mother of all the Lokas, on seeing me coming here, gone out of Your presence. O Lord of the worlds! I am not a rogue nor a cheat; I have conquered my passions and am become an ascetic; I have conquered even Mâyâ. Therefore O Deva! What is the cause of the departure of the Kamalâ Devî from here? Kindly explain this to me.”
12-20. Nârada said :-- O Dvaipâyana! Hearing my words, expressive of my pride, Janârdana smiled and spoke to me in words sweet like the sound of a lute :-- “O Nârada! The rule in such cases is this :-- The wife of any man whatsoever ought not to stay before any other male outsider than her husband. O Nârada! It is very hard to conquer Mâyâ; even those, who by Prânâyâma have conquered their Prâna Vâyu, their organs of senses and their food, even those Sâmkhya Yogins and the Devas are not able to conquer Mâyâ. The words that you have just now uttered that you
have conquered Mâyâ are not fit to come out of your mouth; for by your knowledge of music, it seems that you are enchanted with the sounds of the music. Brahmâ, I, S’iva, and the other Munis, none of us has been able as yet to conquer that Unborn Mâyâ; how, then, can it be possible that you or any other man can conquer that Mâyâ! Any embodied being, be he a Deva, a human being, or a bird, no one is able to conquer that Mâyâ Unborn. Whoever is endowed with the three Gunas, be he a knower of the Vedas, or a Yogin, or conqueror of his passions, or all knowing, is not able to conquer Mâyâ. The Great Time (Kâla) though formless, is one form of Mâyâ and fashions this universe. All the Jîvas are subservient to this Kâla, be he a good literary person, or of a mediocre nature, or an illiterate brute. This Kâla sometimes makes even a religious man that knows Dharma confounded and deluded; so you know the nature of Mâyâ is very incomprehensible and Her ways mysterious.” (Note: This Kâla is of the fourth dimension, time and space.)
21-23. O Dvaipâyana! Thus saying, Visnu stopped. I was greatly astonished and asked that Eternal Vâsudeva, the Deva of the Devas, the Lord of the World, “O Lord of Ramâ! What is the form of Mâyâ? How is She? What is the measure of Her strength? Where She resides? Whose substratum is She? Kindly tell these to me. O Preserver of the Universe! I am greatly desirous to see Mâyâ; Shew Her to me quickly. O Lord of Ramâ! I am very eager to know Mâyâ. Be graciously pleased to describe tome the glory of Mâyâ.”
24-36. Visnu said :-- Mâyâ resides everywhere throughout this whole Universe; Her nature consists of the three Gunas; She is the substratum of all; She is omniscient, and acknowledged by all; invisible, and of diverse forms. O Nârada! If you want to see Mâyâ, then come quickly and mount with me on Garuda; we both will go elsewhere and I will shew you that Mâyâ, invincible by those who have not conquered themselves. O Son of Brahmâ! Don’t be depressed when you see Mâyâ. Thus saying, Janârdana Hari remembered Garuda and instantly he came to Hari. Janârdana mounted on him and gladly made me also get up on his back and took me with Him. In a moment Garuda, went, at his command, with the speed of wind to the forest where the Bhagavân desired to go. Mounting on Garuda we passed and saw on our way beautiful forests, nice lakes, rivers, towns, villages, huts of cultivators, towns close to the mountains, huts for cow-keepers in cowsheds, the beautiful hermitages of the Munis, lovely Jhils, tanks and lakes beautified with big lotuses, flocks of ewes, packs of wild boars, etc., till, at last, we came to a place close to Kanauj. I saw there a beautiful divine tank; nice lotuses blossomed there, spreading their sweet fragrance all around; the bees
were making lovely humming noise and ravishing away the minds of men; various flowers, lilies, etc., were beautifying the place; Geese, Kârandavas, and Chakravâkas and other acquatic fowls were playing with their cackling noise, the water was very sweet like milk; the tank was defying, as it were the ocean. Seeing such a wonderful tank, the Bhagavân told me :-- “O Nârada! See, how beautiful is this deep tank with its clear waters, and adorned all over with lotuses! The sweet voiced flamingoes are roaming on the lake making lovely sounds!
37-54. We will bathe in this tank and then go to the city Kanauj. Thus saying, He made me descend quickly from Garuda and He himself also got down. Then the Bhagavân smilingly caught hold of my fore-finger and repeatedly praising the glory of the tank took me to its bank. We rested a while on the cool umbrageous beautiful bank when S’rî Bhagavân said :-- “O Muni! Better bathe you first in this tank; next I will bathe in this very holy pool of water. O Nârada! Look! Look! How clear crystal-like is the water of this pool like the heart of a saint; see how it smells also fragrantly in contact with the lotuses on it.” When the Bhagavân spoke thus to me; I kept my lute and deer skin aside and gladly went to the edge of the tank. Washing then my hands and feet I tied my hair lock and, taking Kus’a grass, I performed my Âchaman and, purifying myself, began to bathe myself in that tank. While I was bathing, Hari was looking at me; by the time I took a dip, I saw that I quitted my male form and got a beautiful female form. Hari took away, then, my deer skin and lute and mounting on Garuda went away in a moment to His own residence. Getting the female form and decorated with excellent ornaments, my memory of my previous male form vanished at once; I forgot all about my famous lute and forgot also Jagannâtha, the Deva of the Devas. I then came out of the tank in that enchanting woman form, saw the pool of water filled with clear limpid water and adorned with lotuses. Seeing that, I began to think :-- “What is this?” and I became very much astonished. While I was thus meditating in my woman form, a king, named Tâladhvaja, came there, all on a sudden, on a chariot, accompanied by numerous elephants and horses. The King looked like a second Cupid; he was decorated with various ornaments on his various limbs; he was just entering into his youth and he looked very enchanting. The King saw me at once and looking at me decked with divine ornaments and my moon-like face, was greatly astonished and asked me :-- “O Kalyâni! Who are you? Are you the daughter of a man or of a Nâga (serpent) or of a Gandharva or of a Deva? I see you are now in your youth; why are you alone here? O Lovely-eyed!
Has any fortunate person married you? Or are you still unmarried? Speak all these truly to me. O Fair-haired One! What are you looking at in this tank? O One enchanting, as it were, like the Cupid! What is your desire? Say, O Slanting-eyed! My mind is ravished to hear your cuckoo-like voice. O One of thin waist! Choose me as your husband and enjoy various excellent things as you like.”
Here ends the Twenty-eighth Chapter of the Sixth Book on Nârada’s getting the feminine form in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXIX
On the Nârada’s getting again his male form
1-11. Nârada said :-- O Dvaipâyana! When the King Tâladhvaja asked me thus, I thought over earnestly and said thus :-- “I do not know whose daughter I am; nor do I know quite certainly where are my father and mother; one man placed me here on this tank and has gone away, whither I do not know. O King! I am now an helpless orphan; what shall I do now? Where to go? What to do by which I can have my welfare? I am all the while thinking on these. O King! The Destiny is powerful; I have not the least control over it; you know Dharma and you are a King. Do now as you like. O King! Do nourish me; I have no father, no mother, nor any acquaintances and friends; there is no place for me also to stand on; therefore I am now your dependent.” When I spoke thus, the King looked at my face and became love-stricken for me; he then told his attendants to bring an excellent rectangular and spacious palanquin to be carried on four men’s shoulders, gilt and adorned with jewels and pearls, where soft sheets were spread inside and covered all over with silken cloths. Instantly the servants went away and brought for me a beautiful palanquin. I got on it to serve the best wishes of the King. The King also gladly took me home. In an auspicious day and in an auspicious moment he married me in accordance with due rites and ceremonies in the presence of the Holy Fire.
12. I became dearer to him than even his own life and the King, with great fondness, kept my name as Saubhâgya Sundarî.
13-20. The King then began to sport with me amorously according to the rules of the Kâma S’âstra in various ways and with great enjoyments and pleasures. He then left all his kingly duties and state affairs and he began to remain day and night with me deeply immersed in amorous sports;
so much his mind was merged in me in these plays that he could not notice the long time that passed away in the interval. He used to drink the Vârunî wine and, forsaking all the state affairs, began to enjoy me in nice gardens, beautiful lakes, lovely palaces, beautified houses, excellent mountains and enviable forests and became completely subservient to me. O Dvaipâyana! Being incessantly engaged with the King in amorous sports and remaining obedient to him, my previous body, male ideas, or the birth of Muni, nothing whatsoever came in my memory. I remained always attached to him, being obedient to him with a view to be happy and I constantly thought over “that this King is very much attached to me, I am his dearest wife to all others; always he thinks of me, I am his chief consort, capable to give him enjoyment.” My mind became entirely his and I completely forgot the eternal Brahmajñân and the knowledge of the Dharma S’âstras.
21-31. O Muni! Thus engaged in various amorous sports, twelve years passed away as if a moment and I could not perceive that. Then I became pregnant; and the King became very glad and performed all the ceremonies pertaining to my impregnation and holding of the child in my womb. In order to satisfy me, the King used to ask me always what things I liked; I used to be very much abashed; seeing this, the King used to be still more glad. Ten months thus passed away and in an auspicious Lagna and when the asterism was favourably strong, I gave birth to a son; the King became very glad and great festivities were held on the birth ceremony of the child. O Dvaipâyana! When the period of the birth-impurity was over, the King saw the face of the child and was greatly delighted; I then became the dearest wife of the King. Two years after again I became impregnated; the second auspicious son was born. The King gave the name Sudhanvâ to the second son and on the authority of the Brâhmins, kept the name of the eldest son as Vîravarmâ. Thus I gave birth to twelve sons, in due course of time, to the King’s great liking; and I was engaged in rearing up those children and thus I remained enchanted. Again in due course, I gave birth to eight sons; thus my household was filled with happiness. The King performed the marriage ceremonies of all those children duly and befittingly; and our family became very large with sons and their wives.
32-52. Then I had some grandsons and they increased my attachment and the consequent delusion with their all sorts of playful sports. Sometimes I felt happy and prosperous and sometimes I felt pain and sorrow when my sons fell ill. Then my body and mind became very much troubled with sorrows. Again the quarrels amongst my sons and my daughters-in-
law, brought terrible pain and remorse in my mind. O Best of Munis! Thus I was greatly immersed in the terrible ocean of these imaginary thoughts, sometimes happy and sometimes painful, and I forgot my previous knowledge and the knowledge of the S’âstras. I was merged in the thought of myself being a woman and lost myself entirely in doing the household affairs. I began to think “that I have so many daughters-in-law; so many powerful sons of mine are playing together in my house; Oh! I am fortunate and full of merits amongst women” and thus my egoistic pride increased. Not for a moment even occurred the thought that I had been Nârada; the Bhagavân had deceived me by His Mâyâ. O Krisna Dvaipâyana! I was deluded by Mâyâ and passed away my time in the thought “that I am the king’s wife, chaste and of good conduct following good Âchâra; I have so many sons and grandsons; I am blessed in this Samsâra and that I am so happy and prosperous.” One powerful king of a distant country turned out an inveterate enemy of my husband and came to the city of Kanauj to fight with my husband, accompanied by chariots, and elephants and the fourfold army. That enemy besieged the city with his army; my sons and grandsons went out and fought valiantly with him but owing to the great Destiny, the enemies killed all my sons. The King retreated and returned to his palace. Next I heard that powerful King killed all my sons and grandsons and had gone back to his country with his army. I then hurriedly went to the battlefield, crying loudly. O Long-lived One! Seeing my sons and grandsons lying on the ground, in that horrible and distressed state, I became merged in the ocean of sorrows and lamented and wept loudly and wildly, “O my Sons! Where have you gone leaving me thus? Alas! The pernicious Fate is very dominant, and very painsgiving and indomitable. It has killed me today.” By this time, the Bhagavân Madhusûdana came to me there in the garb of a beautiful aged Brâhmin. His dress was sacred and lovely; it seemed he was versed in the Vedas. Seeing me weeping distressedly in the battlefield he said :-- “O Devî! O cuckoo-voiced One! It seems you are the mistress of a prosperous house and you have got husband and sons! O thin-bodied One! Why are you thus lamenting and feeling yourself distressed! All this is simply illusion caused by Moha; think; who are you? whose sons are these? Now think of your best hereafter; Don’t weep, get up and be comfortable, O Good-eyed one!
53-54. O Devî! To shew respect to your sons, etc., gone to the other worlds, offer them water and Til. The friends of the deceased ought to take their bath in a place of pilgrimage; never they should bathe in their houses. Know this as ordained by Dharma.
55-66. Nârada said :-- O Dvaipâyan! When the old Brâhmin thus addressed me, I and the King and other friends got up. The Bhagavân Madhusûdana causing this creation, in the form of a Brâhmana, led the way and I followed him quickly to that sacred place of pilgrimage. The Visnu Bhagavân, the Lord Janârdana Hari, in the form of a Brâhmin, kindly took me to the tank named Pumtîrtha (male tîrtha) and said :-- “O One going like an elephant! Better take your bath in this tank; forego your sorrows that are of no use; now the time has arrived to offer water to your sons. Better think that you had millions of sons born to you in your previous births and for that your millions of sons and daughters lost their lives; you had millions of fathers, husbands, and brothers and you lost them again; O Devî! Now tell me for whom you will now grieve? All these, then, are merely mental phenomena; this world is full of delusion, false like a mirage and dream-like; the embodied souls, simply get pains and sorrows and nothing else.” Nârada said :-- On hearing his words, I went to bathe in that Pumtîrtha, as ordered by him. Taking a dip, I found that, in an instant, I became a man; the Bhagavân Hari, in his own proper form, was standing on the edge with a lute in his hand. O Brâhmin! When getting out of the water, I came to the bank and saw the lotus-eyed Krisna, pure consciousness then flashed in my heart. Then I thought “that I am Nârada; I have come to this place and being deluded by the Mâyâ of Hari, I got the female form.” When I was thinking thus, Hari exclaimed, “O Nârada! Get up; what are you doing, standing in the water?” I was astonished; and, recollecting my feminine nature, very severe indeed, began to think why I was again transformed into a male form.
Here ends the Twenty-ninth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the Nârada’s getting again his male form in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXX
On the glory of Mahâ Mâyâ
1-14. Nârada said :-- O Best of Munis! The King was greatly astonished to see me dip in the tank in a female figure and get up from the tank in a male figure and thought, “Where is my dearest wife? And how is this Nârada Muni suddenly come here!” The King, not seeing his wife, lamented very much and cried frequently, “O my dear Wife! Where have you gone, leaving me here thus. Without you, O One of spacious hips! My life, palace and
kingdom, all, are quite useless. O Lotus-eyed one! What shall I do? O Smiling One! Why is not my life getting out of my body, suffering thus from thy separation? Without you, my sentiment of love has left me for ever. O Large-eyed One! Now I am lamenting for you. O Dear! Better give me your sweet reply; the love that you expressed at our first union, where has it gone now? O One with good eyebrows! Are you sunk in the water and have you given up your life? Or are you devoured by fishes or crocodiles? Or are you carried away by Varuna, the Deva of the waters, to my great misfortune? O One of beautiful limbs! You are blessed, as you have gone away with your sons; O sweet-speaking One! Your affection for them was not artificial. Is it right for you to go up to the Heavens, attached by affection for your sons, leaving me your distressed husband alone, thus weeping for your separation? O Dear! I have lost both, you and my sons; yet death is not carrying me away; O! How hard is my lot! What to do? Where to go? Râma is not now in this world. He knew what was the pain caused by the separation from one’s dearest wife. Oh! The cruel Fate has ordained very unwisely with great inconsistency the periods of parting from one another at different periods; when their minds and all other things are exactly the same in all circumstances of pleasure and pain. The practice of Satî (burning with one’s deceased husband), as ordained by the Munis, is certainly for the good of the chaste women; but it would have been good no doubt, were there such practices allowed for the men to burn themselves with their deceased wives.” Bhagavân Hari then spoke to the lamenting King in reasonable words and consoled him thus :-- “O King! Why are you thus troubling yourself with pain and sorrow? Where has gone your dearest wife? Have you not heard anything of S’âstras? or Have you not taken any shelter of any wise man!
15-27. Who was your wife? Who are you? Of what nature was your union and disunion and where did it take place? The union of wives and sons in this S’amsâra is momentary like the meetings of persons on boats, while crossing a river. O King! Now go home, there is no use in your weeping thus in vain; the union and disunion of men are always under the control of Fate, the Daiva; therefore the wise should not lament for them. O King! Your union with the woman took place here; and now you have lost that beautiful, thin-bodied, large-eyed woman here also. Her father and mother you have not seen; you have got her like what is heard in the story of the crow and the Tâl fruit; as you got her wonderfully, so you have lost her wonderfully. O King! Do not grieve; Time cannot be ruled over; go home and
enjoy yourself subservient to Time. That beautiful woman has gone away in the manner she came to you; you ought to do your stately affairs in the way as you used to do before as the ruler of all. O King! Consider that if you weep day and night, that women will never return; why then are you giving vent to your sorrows in vain? Go now and have recourse to the path of the Yoga and thus while away your time. The enjoyable things come in course of time and they go away again in due course; therefore in this world of no gain whatsoever, the wise should never lament. Continuous pleasure or continuous pain does not always take place; pleasure and pain are never steady; they rotate always like a rotary instrument. Therefore, O King! Make your mind calm and quiet and rule happily your kingdom; or make over the charge of the kingdom to your sons and retire to the forest. This human body is seldom obtained; it is frail; therefore getting that body it is advisable to practise the realisation of the Supreme. O King! This organ of generation and this tongue reside also with the beasts, the peculiarity of human body is that knowledge can be realised in it; not in any other
inferior births. Therefore leave your home, leave your sorrows for your wife; all this is the Mâyâ of Bhagavân; by Her the world is deluded.”
28-37. Nârada said :-- Bhagavân Hari speaking thus, the King bowed down to Him, the Deva of the Devas and finishing the bathing duties returned to his home. He then became possessed of dispassion and discrimination and making over the charge of his kingdom to his grandsons retired to the forest and realised the Supreme Knowledge. When the King went away, the Bhagavân began to laugh and laugh, seeing me again and again. I then told him, “O Deva! You have deceived me. I now come to know how great is the power of Mâyâ. O Janârdana! Now I remember all that I did in my feminine form. Tell me, O Hari! O Deva of the Devas! How I lost my previous consciousness, when I got down into the tank and bathed in it. O Lord of the world! Why was I enchanted, when I got the female form and when I got the King as my husband like S’achî’s getting Indra. The same mind I had; the old Jivâtmâ was there and the previous subtle body was there; how, then, I lost their memories? O Lord! Give out the cause of it and clear my doubts; a great doubt has arisen in my mind. Many enjoyments I had in my female form, drinking liquor and other prohibited things I tasted; O Slayer of Madhu! What is the cause of all these? I could not know then that I was Nârada, as I now recognise clearly what I was in and what I did in my female form. Say the Why of all these things.”
38-53. Visnu said :-- “Know, O Intelligent Nârada! That all this
is merely the Pastime of Mâyâ. There are many states going on in the bodies of all the living beings. The embodied beings have got their waking, dream, deep sleep and Tûriya (beyond all the three above-mentioned) states; then why you doubt that when there is another body, there would be also the change in the states? When a man sleeps, he knows not anything, he does not hear anything; but when he gets awake, he again comes to know everything completely. The Chitta gets itself moved by sleep; then mind gets different states by dreams and there arises a variety of feelings. A mad elephant is coming to kill me, and I am not able to fly away. What to do? Where to go? There is no place where I can quickly go; thus, in dreams, there arise different mental states. Sometimes we see in dreams that our departed grandfathers are come in our houses. I am seeing them, talking with them and I am dining with them. Whatever pain and pleasure are felt in dreams, when they awake, they know of what happened in their dreams and can also describe in details, recollecting what had then happened. O Nârada! Know the power of Mâyâ incomprehensible as the things seen in dreams cannot be certainly known that all those are false. O Muni! Neither I, nor S’ambhu, nor Brahmâ can measure the power wielded by Mâyâ and Her three Gunas, very hard to fathom. How, then, can any ordinary mortal know them! Therefore, O Nârada! None is able to fathom the Mâyâ. This world, moving and non-moving, is fashioned out of the triple Gunas of the Mâyâ; nothing whatsoever can exist without them. The predominant Guna in Me is Sâttva; but Râjas and Tâmas exist in me; being the Lord of this world, I cannot override the three Gunas. So your father, Brahmâ, is predominant in Râjo Guna; but Sâttva and Tâmas never leave Him, Our Mahâ Deva is predominant in Tâmo Guna, but Sâttva and Râjo are always with him. Therefore, no being can exist as separate from the three Gunas; this point I have settled in S’ruti. Therefore, O Lord of the Munis! Quit this endless Moha for the world, caused by Mâyâ, and very hard to get over and worship Bhagavatî, Who is of the nature of Brâhman. O Intelligent One! Now you have seen the power of Mâyâ; and you have enjoyed many things produced by Mâyâ and you have realised the extremely wonderful nature of Her. Then why do you ask me further on this point?”
Here ends the Thirtieth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the glory of Mahâ Mâyâ in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devi Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SIXTH BOOK
Chapter XXXI
On the glory of Mâyâ
18-22. O Muni! When my Father learnt the cause of my cares, he smiled and spoke to me in sweet words :-- “O Child! The Devas, the high-souled Munis, the wise ascetics and the Yogis subsisting on air only are not able to conquer this Mâyâ. O Nârada! The power of Mâyâ is so very great that I, Visnu and S’ambhu, the Lord of Umâ, none are able to know Her power.
That Mahâmâyâ is creating, preserving and dissolving this world by Time, Karma, and Nature and other efficient causes. O Child! Know Her to be inconceivable and unapproachable. O Intelligent One! Do not be sorry nor should you be surprised about Mâyâ’s great strength, for we all are deluded by Her.
23-25. O Dvaipâyan! Thus advised by my Father, my wonder disappeared. I then asked permission of my Father Padma Yoni (Lotus-born) and went out on tour round the sacred places of pilgrimages and on my way, seeing by and by the chief Tîrthas, I have now come here. Therefore, O Muni! Dost thou relinquish your sorrows for the extinction of the Kuru’s family and remain here and pass your time in great joy and happiness. One must bear the fruits of one’s Karma, good or bad; knowing this fully roam at your will wherever you like.
26-40. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Maharsi Nârada thus kindling knowledge in me, went away; I also thought over his words. On the banks of the river Sarasvatî, I composed this Devî Bhâgavat to pass away my time during the excellent period of Sârasvata Kalpa. This Purânam is excellent; it is composed on the authority of the the Vedas; all doubts are removed by it; many nice events are narrated here. Therefore, O King! Not the least doubt should be entertained. As a magician makes the wooden dolls dance in his hands at his will, so this world-enchanting Mâyâ is making this world, moving and non-moving, dance from Brahmâ down to the blades of grass and all human beings. O King! Know Mâyâ’s triple Gunas to be the cause of this mind consisting of five organs of senses, that follows the Chitta (mind, buddhi and Ahamkâra). Actions arise from the causes thereof; there is no doubt in this; what doubt, then, there can arise that all these creatures of different temperaments will come out of the different Gunas of Mâyâ. Peaceful, terrible and stupid become the persons in contact with the Mayic Gunas. How, then, can they exist, bereft of them? As the cloth cannot exist without threads, so the embodied beings cannot exist in the world without the triple Gunas of Mâyâ. There is no doubt in this. As a pot cannot be made without clay, so these bodies, Devas, human or birds, cannot be created without the Gunas. Brahmâ, Visnu
and S’iva, too, are possessed of those three Gunas and therefore they become sometimes happy and satisfied, sometimes unhappy and dissatisfied and sometimes they become sad and remorseful as they are then under the influence of one Guna or the other. Brahmâ happens at times to be full of wisdom and knowledge, his temper peaceful, sweet and pleasant and his soul rapt in Samâdhi, when he becomes possessed of Sâttva Guna; again when he is void of Sâttva and filled with Râjo Guna, His temper becomes unpleasant and his appearance gets dark and awful everywhere; and when he becomes grossly Tâmasic, He becomes sorrowful and bereft entirely of intelligence.
41-51. Visnu, when resting in Sâttva, becomes peaceful, sweet-tempered, and full of knowledge; when Râjo Guna preponderates in Him, He becomes void of sweetness and becomes awful to all the beings. Rudra becomes, too, peaceful and pleasant under the Sâttva Guna, awful and void of sweetness under the Râjo Guna, and becomes sad and stupid under the Tâmo Guna. O King! When Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes’vara and the solar and lunar Kings, the fourteen lords of Manvantaras, Manu and others are under the control of the mayic Gunas, what to speak of other ordinary mortals, men and the other Jîvas. The whole world is under the control of Mâyâ; the Devas, men and all other beings. None should doubt on this point. All the embodied beings labour under the directions of Mâyâ; never can they work independently. This Mâyâ is again always residing in the Highest Essence, the Samvit or the Universal Pure Consciousness. Thus Mâyâ is dependent on the Highest Goddess, Who is of the nature of Samvit, and, stimulated by Her, resides in the hearts of all the Jîvas. Therefore one ought to meditate, worship and bow down before the Bhagavatî, the Creatrix of Mâyâ and Who is of the nature of Samvit, Pure Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. Thus She becomes gracious and merciful and liberates the Jîvas, giving them Her realisation and drawing together Her own Mâyâ away from them. This whole cosmos is nothing but Mâyâ and the Consciousness (Samvit) of the nature of Brâhman is the Lord of Mâyâ. For this reason that Beautiful One in the triple worlds, the Devî Bhagavatî is known by the name Bhuvanes’varî, the Great Lady of the worlds.
52-60. O King! If the Jîvas can fix their hearts on that Samvit, then Mâyâ, born of the real and unreal, is quite unable to do any harm to them. No other Deva than the Bhuvanes’varî, of the nature of pure existence, intelligence and bliss is able to remove this Mâyâ. O King! Darkness cannot destroy darkness; the Sun, Moon, Lightning or Fire can destroy it. Therefore it is highly incumbent on us to worship the
Lady of Mâyâ, the Samvit, the Mother with a cheerful heart to remove the Mâyâ and Her Gunas. O King! Now I have narrated to you all the events concerning the killing of Vritrâsura that you asked. What more do you want to hear now. O One devoted to vows! I have now described the first half of that Purâna, which describes in detail the glory of S’rî Devî Bhagavatî. This Purâna, the secret of this Mother of the whole Universe, is not to be disclosed indiscriminately to anybody. Those that are peaceful, self-restrained, devoted, and possessed of Bhakti to the Devî, the disciples that are devoted to their Gurus and the eldest son, those are the fit recipients thereof. Whoever reads or hears with greatest devotion this Mahâpurânam, equivalent to the Vedas, fraught with sound proofs and the essence of all talks, becomes, in this world, possessed of great wealth, becomes wise and passes his time in the greatest happiness. There is no doubt in this.
Here ends the Thirty-first Chapter on the Sixth Book on the glory of Mâyâ in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
[The Sixth Book Finished.]
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter I
On the Solar and Lunar Kings
1-5. Sûta said :-- Glad to hear the excellent divine stories of the Solar and Lunar races, the virtuous King Janamejaya, the son of Parîksit, again asked :-- “O Lord! I am now very eager to hear the increase of the two lines of Kings. O Sinless One! You know everything. So kindly describe, in detail, the pure histories, capable to destroy sins, of the kings and their characters. The kings of the Lunar and the Solar races were great Bhaktas of the Highest S'akti, S'rî Bhagavatî Devî; this I have heard. O Muni! Who wants not to hear further on the glorious anecdotes of the Bhaktas of the S'rî Devî?” When the Râjarsi asked thus, the Muni Krisna Dvaipâyan, the son of Satyavatî began to narrate gladly the several deeds of the Kings.
6-13. O King! I am now narrating to you in detail the origin, etc., of the Lunar and the Solar dynasties as well as of other kings in their connection. Hear attentively. The four-faced Brahmâ sprang from the navel of Visnu; engaged in practising Tapasyâ, he began to worship the Mahâ Devî Durgâ, extremely hard to conceive. Mahâ Devî, pleased at his worship, granted boon to Brahmâ; Brahmâ, the Grandsire of all the Lokas on thus getting the boon, became ready to create the world; but he could not create all on a sudden the human beings. Though the creation was eternally fashioned by the Pramâtmâ Bhagavatî, the four-faced Brahmâ thinking over in his mind variously, could not quickly spread it out and accomplish it as a veritable fact. Therefore He, the Prajâpati, first created mentally the seven mind-born sons. These were known by the names of Marîchi, Atri, Angirâ, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vais'istha. Next sprang Rudra from the anger of Prajâpati, Nârada from his lap; Daksa from his right thumb. Thus Sanaka and the other Risis were also his mind-born sons. O King! The wife of Daksa was born from the left thumb of Prajâpati; this all-beautiful daughter is well known in all the Purânas by the name of Vîrinî and Asiknî. Nârada, the chief of the Devarsis, was born, on some other occasion in her womb.
14-17. Janamejaya said :-- “O Brâhmân! A great doubt arises in me to hear that the great ascetic Nârada was born of Daksa in the womb of Vîrinî. The Muni Nârada indeed, was the son of Brahmâ; moreover be was the foremost of the ascetics and especially endowed with the
knowledge of Dharma; how, then, can he be born of the womb of the Daksha's wife Vîrinî. Well, if that be so, then describe, in detail, that wonderful story of the birth of Nârada in the womb of Vîrinî.
18-31. O Muni! Under whose curse, the high-souled Nârada though very wise, had to leave his first body and be born again.” Vyâsa said :-- O King, Brahmâ, the Self-born, with a view to create offspring, ordered first Daksa :-- “Go and multiply innumerable children for the increase of the world.” Thus ordered by his father the Prajâpati Daksa produced five thousand powerful and heroic sons in the womb of Vîrinî. Seeing all the sons of Daksa, desirous to multiply, the Devarsi Nârada urged on, as it were, by Fate, began to laugh at them. How do you desire to multiply when you know not the dimensions and capacity of earth; so you will, no doubt, be put to ridicule and laughter. Rather, if you proceed on work, knowing beforehand the earth's capacity, your efforts will be fruitful. Otherwise, your attempt will no doubt, end in failures. Alas! You are awfully illiterate! Not knowing the dimensions of the world, you are ready to multiply your progeny; how, then, can you meet with success! Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing, all on a sudden, these words, Haryas'va and other sons began to speak with each other, “What this Muni has told, is very true. Let us then ascertain the earth's dimensions; we can easily multiply afterwards.” Thus saying, they all went out to reconnoitre the earth. Thus excited at Nârada's words, some went eastward, some southwards, some towards the north and some went to west all simultaneously and, as they liked, to make a survey of the earth. When the sons went away, Daksa became exceedingly sorry on their absence. Bent again on multiplying, he begat other sons; those sons again wanted to procreate. Seeing them, Nârada again laughed and said :--Alas! What fools are you! Not knowing the dimensions of the earth, why are you ready to procreate? They were deluded by Nârada's words, took them as true, and went out as their elder brothers did. Not being able to see those sons, Prajâpati Daksa became very sorrowful for them and cursed Nârada in rage.
32-38. Daksa said :-- “O Evil-minded One! You have destroyed my sons; so be yourself destroyed; you will have to be born in the womb for your sin in causing the death of my sons; you have caused my sons to go abroad; so you must be born as my son.” Thus cursed by Daksa, Nârada had to take his birth in the womb of Vîrinî. I heard also that the Prajâpati Daksa begat afterwards sixty daughters in her womb. O King! Daksa, the great knower of Dharma, then gave up the sorrows for his sons and married his thirteen daughters to the high-souled Kas'yapa,
ten daughters to Dharma, twenty-seven daughters to the Moon, two to Bhrigu, four to Aristanemi, two to Kris'âs'va and the remaining two to Angirâ. Their sons and grandsons, the Devas and Dânavas, became powerful but antagonistic towards each other. All of them were heroes and very Mâyâvis; so, deluded by their greed and jealousy, they quarrelled amongst each other.
Here ends the First Chapter in the Seventh Book on the beginning of the narrative of the Solar and the Lunar lines of kings in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter II
On the piercing of the eyes of Chyavana Muni
1. Janamejaya said :-- “O Highly Fortunate One! Kindly narrate in detail the spread of the families of those kings in the Solar line who were born and who were especially endowed with the knowledge of Dharma.”
2-8. Vyâsa said :-- O Bharata! I now speak to you exactly what I heard of yore, from Nârada, the best of the Risis, how the Solar race spread. Once, on an occasion, the Muni S'rîmân Nârada, on his tour, came at his will to my holy hermitage on the beautiful banks of the Sarasvatî river. On seeing him I bowed down at his feet and then remained standing before him. I then gave him a seat and worshipped him with great esteem. I then said to him :-- “O Best of Munis! You are worshipped by the whole universe; my retreat is sanctified by your coming. O All-knowing One! Kindly narrate the histories of the Kings that were famous in the family of the seventh Manu; they were unequalled as far as their origin was concerned and their diameters as well were wonderful. Therefore I am very eager to know, in detail, the history of the Solar race. O Muni! Describe shortly or in detail as the circumstances may require.” O King! When I made this question, Nârada, the knower of the Highest Reality, gladly smiled, and, addressing me, began to describe the history of the Solar race.
9-26. Nârada said :-- O son of Satyavatî! The history of the royal families is very holy and pleasant to hear; the more so when they are heard, one acquires Dharma and wisdom; therefore do you hear. In ancient times, Brahmâ sprang from the navel-lotus of Visnu and created the
world. This is well known in every Purâna. That self born, all-powerful, all-knowing, the Doer of all, the Universal Soul practised Tapas in ancient times for Ajuta (ten thousand) years. By virtue of that Tapas, He got special powers to create the world. He meditated on the Auspicious Mother, and getting from Her the excellent powers, He created first the mind-born sons, all endowed with auspicious signs. Of them, Marîchi became well known in this act of creation. His son Kas'yapa was respected by all and he was of great celebrity. He had thirteen wives, all daughters of Daksa Prajâpati. The Devas, Daityas, Yaksas, Pannagas, beasts and birds all sprang from him. Therefore this creation is called the Kâs'yapî creation. Amongst the Devas, the Sun is specially famous; his other name is Vivasvân. His son was named Vaivasvat Manu; he was a famous king. Besides, Manu had nine more sons. Iksvâku was the eldest. Their names are: (1) Nâbhâga, (2) Dhrista, (3) S'aryâti, (4)Narisyanta, (5) Prâns'u, (6) Nriga, (7) Dista, (8) Karûsa, and (9) Risadhra. Iksvâku, the son of Manu was born first. He had one hundred sons, and Vikuksi was the wise and the eldest of these. I am now narrating how the nine sons, born afterwards of Manu, spread their families. Ambarisa was the son of Nâbhâga; he was very truthful, powerful, and religious. He always governed his subjects justly. Dhârstaka was the son of Dhrista; though he was a Ksattriya, he attained to Brâhmanhood. He was naturally weak in fighting; always be was engaged in the works relating to the Brâhmanas. Ânarta was the well known son and Sukanyâ was the beautiful daughter of S'aryâti. The King S'aryâti gave his beautiful daughter in marriage to the blind Chyavana Risi; but the Risi, though blind, got his beautiful eyes again by the good character of the daughter. We heard that the As'vins, the Twins, the sons of the Sun, gave him back his eyesight.
27-29. Janamejaya said :-- “O Brahmâns! How is it that the King S'aryâti married his lovely-eyed daughter Sukanyâ to the blind Chyavana Muni? I have got a great doubt on this point. The King gives his daughter in marriage to a blind person, if she be deformed, ill-qualified or void of female signs. But the daughter, in this case, was beautiful. How then S'aryâti, the Chief of Kings, gave over his daughter, knowing that the Risi was blind? O Brâhmana! I am always an object of favour to you; so explain to me the cause of it.”
30. Sûta said :-- Glad to hear these words of Janamejaya, the Muni Dvaipâyana smilingly said :--
31-50. S'aryâti, the son of Vaivasvata, had four thousand married wives. All of them were endowed with auspicious signs and beautiful
all of them were daughters of kings. They all were very obliging and dear to their husbands. But, out of all of these, the King had only one daughter exceptionally lovely and beautiful. The father and all the mothers loved exceedingly that sweet-smiling daughter. Not very far off the city, there was a beautiful lake of clear waters, like the Mânasarovara lake. A Ghât way (steps) made of stones descended into the lake. Swans Kârandavas, Chakravâkas, Datyu'has, Sârasas and other birds used to play on its waters. Five varieties of lotuses were there in full bloom, bees were humming there all around. Various trees, S'âl, Tamâla, Sarala, Punnâgas, As'okas, Banyans, Peepuls, Kadambas, rows of banana trees, Jambîrs, Dates, Panasas, Betelnut trees, cocoanut trees, Ketakas, Kânchanas, and other various beautiful trees encircled round the lake. Within these, the white Yûthikâs, Mallikâs, and other creepers and shrubs were seen beautifying the scenery. Especially there were, amongst them, Jack trees, Mango trees, tamarind trees, Karanjas, Kutakas, Palâs'as, Neem trees, Khadiras, Bel trees, and Âmalaki trees; and peacocks were sounding their notes, cuckoos were cooing their beautiful voices. Close to that place, there was, in a sacred grove covered over by trees, staying Chyavana Muni, the Bhrigu's son, of a tranquilled mind, and the chief of the ascetics. Thinking the place lovely and free from any obstacles, the Muni took his firm seat there and, collecting all his thoughts within himself, took the vow of non-speaking and controlling his breath became engaged in practising tapasyâ. Restraining his senses and foregoing eating and drinking, that Muni constantly meditated on Bhagavatî of the nature of Sat, Chit and Ânanda, O King! While he was thus meditating, the anthill grew up round and covered his body and nice creepers covered that also all round. O King! Long intervals passed away and it was covered over with ants; so much so that that intelligent Muni was covered entirely and looked like a heap of earth. O King! Once the King S'aryâti wanted to play in an artificial wilderness and came there to the lake with his wives. S'aryâti became at once deeply engaged in playing on the clear waters of the lake, surrounded by the beautiful females. On the other hand, the quick beautiful daughter Sukanyâ, picking up flowers here and there with her companions also began to play. Dressed in ornaments, Sukanyâ, walked to and fro; her anklets making a beautiful tinkling sound, till she came to the ant-hill of Chyavana Risi. She sportingly sat close to that anthill and instantly saw a shining substance inside through that, like fireflies. “What is this?” She thought and wishing to take it, took a thorn and became very eager to prick it up.
51-59. Slowly she went close to it and no sooner she got ready to prick it, than the Muni saw the beautiful, good-haired daughter as if to one's
liking. The ascetic Bhârgava, seeing that auspicious nice lady with nice teeth, spoke out in a feeble voice :-- “What are you doing? O thin-bellied One! I am an ascetic; better go away from here. You have got such big-eyes, yet you do not see me. I therefore forbid you in your this attempt; do not pierce the anthill with thorn.” Though prevented, the daughter could not hear his words and asking “What was that?” pierced his two-eyes with thorns. Thus impelled by Fate, the princess sportingly pierced his eyes; but she suspected and thought “What have I done?” Thus becoming afraid she returned from that spot. His two eyes being pricked, the great Muni exceedingly pained, became very wrathful he incessantly gave vent to sorrows and remorse, being restless with pain. At that instant it happened that the king, ministers, soldiers, elephants, horses, camels, so much so that all the beings that were there, had all their evacuations (passing their urines and faeces) stopped. Seeing thus happened all on a sudden, the King S'aryâti was very much pained and became very anxious. All the soldiers came to the King and informed him of the stoppage of their evacuations. The King thought over the cause why this had happened.
60-65. Cogitating thus, the King returned home. Becoming very much troubled with cares and anxieties, He asked his soldiers and kinsmen “Who amongst you has done such an heinous act? On the west side of the lake the Maharsi Chyavana is practising the great tapasyâ in the midst of the forest; I think someone has done mischief to that king of ascetics, blazing like a fire; and therefore we are overcome with this disease. The highsouled aged son of Bhrigu has become specially proficient in his asceticism and has become supreme; I think someone must have injured him. Though I do not know who is that mischievous person that has shown him contempt or like that, this our state at present clearly shews that this is the fit punishment of that.” Hearing this, the soldiers said :-- None of us has committed any mischief by word, mind or body; we know this very well.
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Seventh Book on the piercing of the eyes of Chyavana Muni in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter III
On the bestowing of the daughter of the King S’aryâti to Chyavana Muni
1-11. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus the King, troubled with cares asked his soldiers, in an angry mood. Next he asked his friends in sweet words. The princess, seeing his father and his soldiers sorrowful, thought
of her piercing the two eyes of the Muni with a thorn and thus spoke to the King :-- O Father! While sporting in that forest, I came to see a very hard anthill covered with creepers and shrubs wherein I found two holes, O King! Through those small openings, I saw the two shining things as if they were fireflies and thinking them so I pierced them with thorns. At this time a faint voice I heard coming from that anthill. “Oh! I am killed!” I then took out my thorns and found them wet with water. “What is this!” I asked myself and was thunderstruck with fear; but I could not know what I pierced in that anthill. Hearing these gentle words of her daughter, the King S'aryâti thought that that act had no doubt insulted the Muni and went at once to the anthill. He broke the anthill that covered the Muni and saw the suffering Chyavana aged in practising Tapasyâ, very much in pain. The King prostrated flat before the Muni and then with folded hands, praised him with hymns and humbly said to him :-- “O Intelligent One! My daughter has done this wrong act while sporting; Therefore O high-souled One! What she had done unknowingly, do you forgive out of your own high-hearted-ness and liberality. I have heard that the ascetics are always void of anger; therefore now you have to forgive this daughter of the offence and thus shew your kindness.”
12-16. Vyâsa said :-- The Maharsi Chyavana, hearing thus the King's words and specially seeing his humble and distressed nature, said :-- O King! I never was angry a bit; your daughter had pained me; yet I am not angry and have not cast on her any curse; you better see, that I am innocent; much pain is felt by me due to my eyes being pricked. O King! It seems that you are sorry and troubled for that sin. Who can acquire happiness in this world who has committed a great offence to a Bhakta of the Devî, in spite he gets even S'iva as his Protector. O King! On the one hand, I am now worn out by old age, and then, on the other hand, I am deprived of my eyes; what shall be now my means? Please say, who will take care of the blind man?
17. The King said :-- O Muni! The anger of the ascetics is transient; you are in practice of your tapasyâ; so your anger is a thing of impossibility. So kindly forgive the offence of the daughter. I have got many persons who will incessantly take care of you.
18-22. Chyavana said :-- “O King! There is none of my relations with me; then I am now made blind; how shall I go on with my tapasyâ? I do not think that your servants will take care of me. O King! If you think it your duty to please me, then do my word,
give me your lotus-eyed daughter to serve me and take care of me. O King! I will be very glad if I acquire your daughter; she will serve me when I will be engaged in my tapasyâ. O King! This, if observed, will satisfy me and all the troubles that are now with you and your army will no doubt disappear. O King! Think and grant me your daughter; I am an ascetic observing vows and if you give over your daughter to me, you will not incur any sin nor any fault.”
23-31. Vyâsa said :-- O Bharata! Hearing thus the Muni's words, the King S'aryâti was immersed in cares and could not say anything whether he would or would not give over his daughter to him. The King thought, “My daughter is very fair like a Devakanyâ and this Muni is aged, ugly and specially he is blind; how then can I be happy if I give over my daughter to him. Who is there so stupid and vicious that knowing his good and bad, he for his own selfish happiness wants to deprive his beautiful daughter of the enjoyments of her married life. How will that fair eyebrowed daughter of mine pass her days happily in the company of this aged Muni when she will be overpowered by passion. The more so when the young beautiful ladies are not able to conquer their passions though possessed of husbands of their own standard and liking, how then can my daughter conquer her passion on getting this old blind husband! The exquisitely beautiful Ahalyâ married Gautama; but, seeing the youthful beauty of that lovely lady, Indra deceived her and took away her chastity. Till at last, her husband Gautama finding that action contrary to Dharma, cursed him. Now through the severe curse of that Brâhmana many troubles may arise; so I cannot in any case give my daughter Sukanyâ over to him.” Thus thinking and absent-minded the King went back to his home and, being very distressed, called his ministers to form a council. O Ministers! What am I to do now? Is it advisable to give over my daughter to the Muni? Or is it better to suffer these pains? Judge and say what is the best course for me.
32. The Ministers said :-- “O King! What shall we say in this critical juncture? How can you bestow your exceedingly beautiful daughter to that ugly unfortunate ascetic?”
33-45. Dvaipâyana said :-- At this moment, seeing her father and ministers troubled very much with cares, Sukanyâ understood at once everything by signs and hints; she then smilingly said to her dear father :-- “O Father! Why are you looking so sad with cares? Perhaps you are very much troubled and sad for me. O Father! I have pained that Muni; so I will go and console him; what more than this that I will
give up myself at his feet and please him.” Hearing these words of Sukanyâ, the King spoke to her very gladly before all the ministers. O Daughter! The Chyavana Muni is blind, aged and of a worn figure, especially of a very irritable temper; and you are a mere girl; how will you be able to serve him in that dreadful forest? You are like Rati in beauty and loveliness; how can I bestow my daughter to that aged worn out, blind Muni for my own pleasure! The father marries the daughter to him who has got relations, who is of a proper age, strong, who has got unequalled grains and wealth, gems and jewels; never to a man void of wealth. O broad-eyed One! You are exquisitely handsome; and that ascetic is very old; see what an amount of difference lies between you two. The Muni, moreover, has past his marriageable age; so how can I give over my daughter. O Lotus-eyed! You always dwell in beautiful places; how can I now make you dwell for ever in thatched huts? O Cuckoo avoiced one! Rather will I and my soldiers die than to bestow you to that blind husband. Let whatever come it may, I will never lose patience; therefore, O One of good hips! Be quiet. I will never give you to that blind man. O my Daughter! I don’t care a straw whether my kingdom and my body live or die, but I will never be able to give you over to the ascetic. Hearing thus the father's words, Sukanyâ began to speak with a glad face the following sweet and gentle words :--
46-48. O Father! Do not trouble yourself for nothing with cares on my account. Give me over now to that best of Munis; then all the persons will be happy, no doubt. I will derive my intense pleasure there in that dense forest by serving with intense devotion my old husband, who is very holy. I have got not the least inclination towards these worldly enjoyments which are the sources of all troubles for nothing, My heart is now quiet. Therefore, O Father! I will become a chaste wife to him and act according to his liking.
49-54. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The Ministers were greatly amazed on hearing these words and the King also became greatly pleased and took her to the presence of the Muni. Going before him, he bowed down to the Muni and said :-- “O Lord! Please accept duly this daughter for your Sevâ.” Thus saying, the King betrothed his daughter to him according to rules. Chyavana Muni also became very glad to receive her. The Muni took the daughter willingly for his Sevâ but refused other dowries that the King presented. Thus the Muni became pleased; immediately the soldiers began to evacuate and were very glad. Seeing this, the King's heart became filled with joy. When the King, thus finishing
the betrothal ceremony of his daughter wanted to return home, the thin bodied princess then told her father :--
55-64. Sukanyâ said :-- “O Father! Take away all my ornaments and clothings and give me for my use an excellent deer skin and one bark. O Father! I will dress myself like the wives of Munis and serve my husband in such a way as will bring to you the unparallelled undying fame in Heaven, Earth and the Nether regions; also I will serve my husband's feet so that I can derive the highest happiness in the next world. I am now full of youth, especially beautiful; do not think a bit that as I am wedded to an aged ascetic, that my character will be spoilt. As Vas'istha's wife Arundhati has attained celebrity in this world, so I will also attain success; there is no doubt in this. As the chaste wife Anasûyâ of Maharsi Artri has become widely known in this world so will I be known also and establish your fame.” The exceedingly religious King hearing all these words of Sukanyâ gave her deer skin and all other articles wanted. The King could not help weeping, when he saw that his daughter had dressed herself like the daughter of a Muni. He stood fixed, very sad, on that very spot. All the queens were exceedingly filled with sorrow to see the daughter dressed in bark and deer-skin. Their hearts quivered and they began to weep. O King! Then the King S'aryâti bade good bye to the Muni, leaving there his daughter. He went with a grievous heart and returned to his own city, accompanied by the ministers.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Seventh Book on the bestowing of the daughter of the King S'aryâti to the Chyavana Muni in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter IV
On the conversation between the two As’vins and the Princess Sukanyâ
1-38. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When the King S'aryati departed, that virtuous lady devoted her time in serving her husband, and the Fire. She gave to the Muni for his food various delicious roots and fruits. She made him bathe with warm water; then making him put on the deer skin, she made him sit on the Kus'âsan. (Seat made of the Kus'a grass.) Next she used to place in his front Kus'a, Til and Kamandalu and speak to him “O best of Munis! You are now to perform your daily rites (Nitya Karma).” When the Nitya Karma was finished, the lady used to catch him by his hand and make him sit on another seat. Next the
princess brought fresh ripe fruits and cooked rice, grown without cultivation and gave to the Muni for his food. When the husband finished his meals, she gave him devotedly water for cleansing his mouth; then washing his hands and feet gave him the betelnuts and pân leaves. Next she made him sit on an excellent seat, and with his permission, performed her own bodily purifications. She then, used to eat the remnants, fruits and roots of the dishes of her husband; and coming next to her husband addressed him affectionately “O Lord! Order me what can I do now for you? If you like, I may shampoo your legs and feet.” Thus every day that princess devotedly spent her time in serving her husband. At evening when the Homa ceremony was finished, she collecting delicious and soft fruits presented to him to eat. With his permission she, then, ate that were left of the fruits; next she prepared bedding soft to the touch and gladly made him sleep on it. When his dear husband thus laid himself on the bed, she shampooed his feet and legs and in the interval, asked him about the religious duties of the chaste wives of the family. When the Muni fell asleep in the night, she devotedly laid herself close to his feet and slept. During the summer season when her husband was perspiring, the lady used to fan him with cool breeze. She took off his troubles and thus served her husband. In the cold season, she collected firewood and lit them before him and used to ask him frequently “O Muni! Are you feeling pleasure in this?” That lady, dear to her husband, used to get up from her bed in the Brâhma Muhûrta before Sunrise, next made her husband get up and took him some short way off and there made him sit for calling on nature. She kept ready water and earth and stood in readiness at a suitable distance apart. Knowing that he had finished his calls for nature, she took him back to the Âs'ram, and washed his hands and feet with water duly making him sit on a convenient Âsana. She then gave to him the pot for Âchamana and then began to collect fuel. She used to bring pure clear water and made it hot; then she asked her husband fondly “O Husband! Have you finished cleaning your teeth? Warm water is ready; may I bring it to you? You better bathe with that, uttering your Mantrams. The time is now for performing the morning Sandhyâ and for performing Homa. Do the Homa regularly and worship the Devas.” The princess, whose nature was pure and clean as anything, kept herself engaged daily in serving her husband, Chyavana Muni, with perfect gladness, austerity, and observing all the rules duly. Thus that beautiful-faced princess worshipped gladly Chyavana Muni, serving Fire and the guests daily. Then, once, on an occasion, the As'vin twins, the sons of Sûrya came sporting and at their pleasure, close to the hermitage of the Chyavana Muni. At that
time the princess, beautiful in all respects, was returning home after her bath in a pure clear stream and came to the sight of the two As'vins. Being enchanted by her extraordinary lovely beauty, they thought she might be a Deva Kavyâ, quickly went to her and fondly questioned her :-- “O slow moving One like an elephant! Look! We are the sons of Devas; we have come to you to ask some questions. O Excellent One! Wait for a moment; we request thus to you. O Sweet-smiling One! Please answer our questions truly and properly. O Lovely-eyed! Whose daughter are you? Who is your husband Why have you come here alone to bathe in this tank? O Lotus-eyed! You seem to be a second Laksmî; O Beautiful One! We want to know something; please reply exactly. O Beloved! Your feet are exceedingly gentle; why have you not put on any shoes; why are you walking barefooted? Our hearts are being troubled to see you walking thus barefooted? O Thin bodied One! Your body is very soft that you ought to have gone in a car; why are you thus walking on foot and in such an ordinary dress in this forest? Why have not hundreds of maid-servants accompanied you? O lovely faced One! Speak truly whether you are a princess or Apsarâ. O Sinless One! Blessed is your mother from whom you are born, blessed is your father. Specially the person with whom you are married, we are unable to describe his fortune. O Lovely eyed! This earth is being sanctified by the movements of your feet; consequently this garden is now purer today than the Devaloka. Boundless is the fortune of these deer and birds who can see you whenever they like; what more can we say than this that this forest is rendered very pure. O Fair One with fair eyes! It is needless to praise your beauty; speak truly who is your father and who is your husband; we like very much to see them.”
39-56. Vyâsa said :-- O King! On hearing their words, the exquisitely beautiful princess bespoke to the twin Devas with much bashfulness :-- I am the daughter of S'aryati; father has given me over, under the directions of the Daiva, to the Maharsi Chyavana. I am his chaste dear wife; the Maharsi is staying in this very place. O Twin Devas! My husband is a blind ascetic and he is very aged. I gladly serve him day and night according to the rules of chastity amongst women. Who are you? And why have you come here? My husband is staying in the Âs'rama; kindly come and sanctify the As'rama. O King! The two As'vins heard her and said :-- “O Auspicious One! Why has your father betrothed you, such a gem, to an old ascetic? It is very strange. Indeed! In this solitary forest you are shining like a steady lightning; what more can we say than this that we hardly find a beautiful lady like you, even
in the Devaloka! Alas! The Deva dress and a full set of ornaments and blue dyes look well on you; this deer-skin and barks of trees in no way fit you. O Beautiful One! Your eyes are very large; yet the Creator has given you a blind husband; specially a very aged one; and you are wearing away by constantly dwelling with your blind husband in this forest. What more can be wrong for the Creator than this? O deer-eyed One! In vain you have selected him for your husband. At this period of your youth and beauty it does not look at all well to see you with your blind husband. You are versed in dancing and music; but your husband is blind and aged; when in dancing you will shoot your darts of love, on whom then, will those arrows fall? O large-eyed One! Oh! The Creator is certainly of a very little understanding! Else why would he have made you, so full of youthful vitality, the wife of a blind man? O lovely-eyed One! You are never fit for him; select another husband. O Lotus-eyed One! Your husband is not only blind but an ascetic; so your life is quite useless; we do not consider it fit that you reside in this forest and put on this bark and deer-skin. O dark-eyed One! Your body and every limb thereof is very beautiful; judge well and make one amongst us your husband. O Proud One! Why are you being so very beautiful, spending your youth in vain in serving this Muni? No good signs are visible in this Muni; he cannot maintain nor protect you even ; why are you, then, serving him in vain? O spotless One! Leave at once this Muni, quite incapable in giving any sort of pleasure, and marry one of us. O Beloved! Then you will enjoy in the Nandana Kânana or in the forest of Chaitratarha. O Proud One! How will you spend your time with the aged husband, being brought to so much humiliation and without any dignity and self-respect. You are endowed with all auspicious signs; moreover you are a princess; you are not ignorant of all enjoyments in this world; why then you like to live such an unfortunate life in vain in this forest? O Princess! Your face is exceedingly beautiful; your eyes are wide and your waist is thin. Your voice is sweet like a cuckoo. Who is more beautiful than you? Quit now your aged ascetic husband and marry one of us for your happiness; then you will be able to enjoy excellent celestial things in the heavens. O good-haired one! What pleasure can you derive by your staying in this forest with your blind husband! O deer-eyed One. It is very painful for you to serve at this young age of yours, to remain in this forest and serve this aged man. O Princess! Is it that you like troubles and nothing else. O One with a face lovely like the Moon! We see that you are of a very soft body; so to collect water and fruits is never a duty fit for you.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the conversa-
tion between the two As'vins and the Princess Sukanyâ in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter V
On the getting of youth by Chyavana Muni
1-6. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing their words, the princess began to tremble; but holding on patience she spoke to them in reserved terms thus :-- You are the sons of Sûrya and you are the acknowledged deities amongst the gods; specially you know everything, I am a chaste virtuous woman. You ought not to speak to me in the above mannner. O Twin Devas! Father has betrothed me to the Muni practising the Yoga Dharma; besides I am chaste; how can I behave like a prostitute! This Sun is the Witness of the actions good or bad of all people; He is therefore looking on our actions also. Besides you both are born in the family of the high-souled Kas'yapa. Thus it is utterly wrong for you to utter such (irreligious and infamous) words. You know well the course of Dharma, what is religious and what is irreligious in this world which has got nothing substantial; how can a family woman leave her husband and serve another? Go wherever you like, O Sinless Devas! I am the daughter Sukanyâ of the King S'aryâti, devoted to my husband. Otherwise I will curse you.
7-11. Vyâsa said :-- O Bharata! Hearing these words, the As'vins were greatly surprised, and, afraid of the Muni, spoke again :-- “O Princess! We are very much pleased to see your chastity; therefore, O Beautiful Woman! Ask boon from us; we will grant it for your welfare. O honoured Woman! We, the physicians of the gods, will certainly make your husband exceedingly beautiful and young, O Smart and Intelligent One! When we three will be exactly the same in figure, age and lustre! you better can make one of us your husband.” Hearing their words Sukanyâ became greatly amazed and went to her own husband and spoke everything what they, the God's physicians, said.
12-17. Sukanyâ said :-- “O Husband! The As'vins, the Sûrya's sons, have come close to our Âs'rama. I have seen the two Devas and their bright bodies. Seeing me beautiful they were overpowered with passion and told me, “We will, be sure, make your blind husband, young, bright and give him his two eyes again; but you will have to make one condition. Hear it :--Your husband will be exactly like us and you will
have to select your husband amongst three of us.” O Holy One! Hearing this as strange, I now come to inform you. Now judge and say what I am to do now. The Deva's Maya is very difficult to comprehend; the more so, when I do not know their intentions! O Omniscient One! I will act as you desire.”
18-19. Chyavana said :-- “O Beloved! Go just now, at my word, to the As'vins and bring them, O auspicious One! before me. What more shall I say than this :-- Go and observe, what they say, as early as possible. There is no need to think over this matter.”
20-25. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus getting the permission from her husband, Sukanyâ went immediately to them and said :-- “O As'vins! You are the chief gods; now do as you say. I agree to observe what you desire.” Hearing her words, the two Devas then went to the Muni's Âs'rama and told the princess :-- “Let your husband enter in the midst of the water.” The aged Chyavana Muni went down quickly in the midst of waters to attain a good form. Next the two As'vins entered into the water of that tank. A few minutes after, the three persons came out of the tank. All were equally bright, equally beautiful, equally young and their limbs were decorated equally with earrings and various other ornaments. They all spoke simultaneously :--“O Auspicious One! There is no other woman beautiful like you, especially your face is very clean and fair; therefore select any one of us three as your husband. O Fair One! Whomever you love most, choose him.”
26-30. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Sukanyâ then saw their bodies are equally bright and beautiful; not the least difference is to be found in beauty, age, voice and dress. She became doubtful on seeing their equal appearances. The princess, not being able to distinguish her husband, became very anxious and thought :-- “What am I to do now? Whom to choose? They are exactly the same. I cannot distinguish who is my real husband? This may be the magic set up by the two As'vins. However, I am put to a great crisis. I won't ever select another who is not my husband. Therefore my death is well nigh; what to do now? The third form seen now may be also a Deva's son.” Thus cogitating, she resolved to meditate on the Highest Prakriti, the Lady of the Universe, the most Auspicious One. Then the thin-bellied princess began to sing the hymns of the Bhagavatî.
31-38. Sukanyâ said :-- “O World-Mother! Under most painful circumstances I take refuge unto Thee; preserve my chastity; I bow
down to Thy feet. O Devî! Salutations to Thee, born of lotus. O Thou, the dear consort of S'ankara! Salutations to Thee. O Thou favourite to Visnu, O Mother of the Vedas! O Sarasvatî! Salutations to Thee, Thou hast created the world, moving and unmoving; Thou art preserving it without being least excited; again Thou art swallowing it for the peace and well-being of all. What more, Thou art the Most Worshipful Mother of Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'a. Thou always illuminest the understanding of the illiterate and Thou always grantest liberation to the Jñânins. Thou art the Prime Prakriti in fullness and the Beloved of the Prime Purusa. Thou grantest Bhukti (enjoyment) and Mukti (freedom) to the souls that are cleansed and pure; Thou givest pain to those that are entirely void of knowledge and Thou grantest happiness to those that are endowed with Sattva Guna. O Mother! Thou bestowest Siddhi (the success, the eight supernatural powers), fame, and victory to the Yogis! Being merged in an ocean of bewilderment, I come now to take refuge unto Thee. O Mother! The two Devas are playing hypocrisy with me; thus puzzled I can’t fix my mind whom to select; therefore I am merged in an ocean of sorrow. Save me by showing my real husband. O Omniscient One! Knowing my vow of chastity dost Thou enlighten me so that I can know my husband.”
39-58. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus pleased by the Sukanyâ's prayers, the Devî Tripurâ Sundarî then imparted to her the pleasant Sattva Jñân (knowledge pertaining to Sattva Guna). She then looked again at the three personages, and though they were similar in appearance and beauty, instantly she recognised mentally her husband and chose him. When Sukanyâ selected the Muni Chyavana, the two Devas became greatly pleased to see that. The two Devas were pleased by the grace of Bhâgavatî; they were further pleased to see the Dharma of chastity and granted her the boon. They then bade good-bye to Chyavana and were ready to start to their own place when Chyavana being very much pleased to get through their grace, his beauty, youth and wife, interrupted them, saying “O high-minded Devas! You have done much good to me. I used to feel pain every day, in spite of my having this wife having good hairs! But owing to your mercy, I cannot describe how happy I am now in this world of woes and troubles. I was very aged and blind and was without any enjoyment but it is you that coming to this forest have brought to me eyes, youth and exquisite beauty. Therefore, O twin Devas! I desire to do something good to you in return. Fie on him, who does not return anything for the good that he has received from a beneficent friend. That man remains indebted
for ever in this world; therefore I am desirous to give you two now whatever you want. O twin Devas! Even if the Devas or the Asuras find it difficult to attain, I will give that to you to free myself of the debt I owe to you. I am greatly pleased at your good deed; therefore be kind enough to speak out whatever you desire.” They began to consult with each other, and spoke to the Muni Chyavana who was seated with Sukanya beside him :-- “O Maharsi! We have got all our desires by the grace of Father! Still it is difficult for us to drink some libation along with the other Devas and we thirst after that very strongly. At the great sacrifice of Brahmâ in the Golden Mountain (Kanakâchala), Indra, the King of the Devas, ordered us not to drink Soma, as we were physicians. Therefore, O Knower of Dharma! O Ascetic! You will certainly do us a great favour if you can make us drink the Soma juice; we would be very glad and have our desires satisfied.” Thus hearing the words of the As'vins, Maharsi Chyavana gladly spoke to them the following gentle words, O Twin Devas! I was blind and aged; but now I am become a young and beautiful man, and it is by your grace that I have got back my wife. Therefore I speak this truly before you that at the great sacrifice of the lustrous King S'aryâti, I will gladly make you drink the Soma in the presence of Indra, the King of the Devas. Hearing these words of the Muni, the twin As'vins were greatly pleased and went back to the world of the Devas. And the Muni Chyavana, too, returned to his own As'rama with his wife Sukanyâ.
Here ends the Fifth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the getting of youth by Chyavana Muni in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter VI
On granting the As’vins the right to drink the Soma juice
1-3. Janamejaya said :-- “O Muni! How did Maharsi Chyavana make these twin Devas drink Soma and how his words came out to be true. Human strength is insignificant compared to Indra's strength. Indra forbade the physicians, the As'vins, to drink the Soma juice. How then could the Muni give the right thereof. This is very wonderful. Therefore, O Thou, devoted to Dharma! O Lord! Describe in detail the doings of this Maharsi Chyavana. I am very anxious to hear it.”
4-10. Vyâsa said :-- O King! In that famous sacrifice of the King S’aryâti, Chyavana Risi did wonderful feats. O Bharata! I am now
narrating to you his entirely wonderful character. Hear it attentively. Maharsi Chyavana, illustrious like the Devas, began to enjoy with a cheerful mind and gladdened heart, with his beautiful wife Sukanyâ who was like a Deva Kanyâ. Now, once on an occasion, the wife of S'aryati became very anxious and trembling said to her husband weeping :-- “O King! You have betrothed your daughter to the blind Muni Chyavana; now it is your duty to go and enquire whether the daughter is living or is dead. O Lord! What is my beautiful daughter doing with that husband. Please go just now to the Muni's Âs'rama and see about it. O Râjarsi! I always burn in pain and agony when I think of her. She must have become very lean and thin due to the troubles of Tapasyâ; please bring her quickly here to my presence. She is suffering an everlasting pain from having an aged blind husband; and it is quite likely she has become very lean and thin, I am anxious, therefore, to see my daughter lean and thin who is wearing barks of trees as her dress.”
11. S'aryâti said :-- “O broad-eyed One! I am going gladly just now to see my dear daughter and that Muni of severe vows.”
12-25. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus saying to his wife, distressed with sorrow, the King S'aryâti mounted on his chariot and quickly went towards the Âs’rama of the Chyavana Muni. On reaching there, he saw the Maharsi Chyavana like a Deva's son. Seeing his body like that of Deva, the King became bewildered and began to think thus :-- “What! Has my daughter done such an ugly act, blameable in the society! That Muni was very calm and quiet, penniless and very old; my daughter, perhaps, being overpowered with passion, killed him and has taken, no doubt, another husband. It is indeed difficult to control the God of Love, armed with his flowery bow: the period of youth is moreover very hard to conquer. So this daughter impelled by lust has thrown a dreadful stigma on the clear name of the family of the great Manu. Fie on him whose daughter in this world is of a vicious character! It seems that daughters are born for the expiation of all the sins committed by their fathers. But what an unjust act have I committed for my own selfish ends? It is highly incumbent on every father to betroth his daughter with every care possible to a bridegroom suitable in every respect; but I did not do it and now have got the fruits equivalent to my doing. If I kill my daughter, vicious and unchaste, I will incur sin due to killing a woman and moreover my daughter. I am the cause of this stain on Muni's line of descent. On the one hand, the scandal on one is very powerful; and the affection for a daughter is strong on
the other. What am I to do now?” The King became merged in deep thoughts. At this time Sukanyâ accidentally saw her father thus drowned in anxious thoughts. Seeing him, Sukanyâ instantly came to her father's side and asked the King in sweet affectionate words. O King! How is it that your face has become so pale with anxious thoughts, seeing the Muni sitting in front of you, a young man with lotus-eyes. O Father! What are you thinking? You belong to the famous Manu's family; besides, you are a high-minded man; you ought not to be sad so suddenly; come quickly and bow your head down before my husband.
26. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing thus the daughter's words, the King became impatient with anger and began to speak to her :--
27-36. O Daughter! Where is that aged blind ascetic Muni Chyavana and who is this youth intoxicated with lust? A great doubt has arisen in my mind. O Vicious Soul! Have you slain that Chyavana Muni and engaged yourself in such a sinful act? O You, a Disgrace to your family! Have you accepted another husband out of your desire of lust? My mind has became very much troubled on not seeing that Muni in this Âs'rama. O vicious One! Now I don't see the Muni; but instead of him, I see this bright person. And thus it is on account of your sinful behaviour that my mind is drowned in the ocean of cares. Then hearing her father's words, Sukanyâ smiled and gladly took him at once to her husband and said :-- “O Father! He is your son-in-law; He is the same Chyavana Muni; there is no doubt here. The twin As'vins have given him this beautiful lustre and lotus-like eyes. The two As'vini Kumâras came accidentally to my Âsrama and out of mercy no doubt they have made Chyavana such a nice young man. O King! I am not your that daughter that will do a vicious act as you think, beguiled by this beautiful form of the Muni. Father! Bow down before the Chyavana Muni. Ask him and he will tell you everything.” Hearing thus the daughter's words, the King went instantly to the Muni and bowed down before him and asked him affectionately thus :--
37-38. The King said :-- “O Son of Bhrigu! How have you got your eyes back? Where has your old age gone? Kindly narrate all your details as early as possible. O Brâhmana! Seeing your exquisitely beautiful form, a great doubt has arisen in me; so tell me everything in detail; I will be very glad, no doubt.”
39-45. Chyavana said :-- “O King! The two As'vins, the physicians of the Gods, came here on their own account and have done me
this good out of their mercy. Owing to the benefit thus received, I have granted them the boon that I will make them drink the Soma juice in the Agnistoma Yajña of the King S'aryâti. Thus I have got these beautiful eyes and the new youth; therefore, O King! Collect yourself and sit in the holy sacrificial seat.” When the Brâhmin Chyavana Muni spoke thus, the King S'aryâti and his dear wife sat with greatest pleasure and began to talk on auspicious topics with the high-souled Muni. Then the Bhârgava consoled the King and said I will perform your sacrifice; please collect all the necessary materials. I have promised to the As'vins that certainly I will make them drink the Soma juice. Therefore, O King! I will have to carry that out in your sacrifice. O King! If Indra be angry, I will stop him by my Tapas force and in the Agnistoma Yajña I will make the As'vins drink Soma.
46-58. Vyâsa said :-- O King! S'aryâti, the lord of the earth, then gladly approved the proposals of Chyavana Muni. The King then shewed respects to the Muni and, with a pleasant attitude of mind, returned to his city with his wife, all the while talking of the Muni on the way. On a good auspicious day he, possessed of enormous wealth and prosperity prepared an excellent place for the performance of the sacrifice. The Muni Chyavana then invited Vas'istha and other respectable Munis and initiated the King S'aryâti for the performance of the sacrifice. At the commencement of the sacrifice, Indra and the other Devas and the two As'vins all came to the sacrifice to drink Soma. Seeing the As'vins, Indra became afraid and asked the other Devas, “Why have the As'vins come here?” They are the physicians and, therefore, never fit to drink Soma. Who has brought them hither at this great Agnistoma Sacrifice? The Devas remained all silent. Chyavana Muni then became ready to offer Soma to the As'vins and Indra immediately stopped him saying :-- They are already prohibited to drink Soma as a sacrificial share; so do not accept the vessel of Soma for them. Chyavana then said :-- “O Lord of S'achî! These are the Sûrya's sons; tell, then, truly why these are rendered unfit to drink Soma. They are not of mixed blood; they are born of the legal wife of Sûrya Deva. O Lord of the Devas! What is the fault then, of the As'vins, the physicians, that they be prohibited to drink Soma juice. Please reply. O Indra! This point must be settled by all the Devas here. I have promised to make them drink the Soma juice in this sacrifice. To keep my word I have initiated the King in this sacrifice. I will have my word fulfilled; there is no doubt in this. O Indra! They have given me my youth and bestowed my eyes and have done me great good. I will also do good to them to my best.”
59. Indra said :-- “The Devas have appointed these Devas their Physicians; therefore they are looked down upon in the society; so they are unfit to drink Soma. You need not make them drink Soma.”
60-61. Chyavana spoke :-- “O Indra! You have adulterated yourself with Ahalyâ; why are you, then, giving vent to your anger thus in vain. You have treacherously murdered Vritrâsura; it is quite inappropriate for a vicious person like you to say that the As'vins cannot have the right to drink Soma. This is quite impossible.” O King! On the springing of this dispute, no body spoke to Indra. The illustrious Bhârgava, then, made them accept the Soma juice.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Seventh Book on granting the As'vins the right to drink the Soma juice in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the twin As’vins drinking the Soma Cup
1-2. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When the vessel filled with the Soma juice was given to the two As'vins, Indra became very angry and showing his strength, spoke thus to the Muni Chyavana. O Brâhmana! Never will you be able to endow him with such a high honour. When you have shewn towards me your enmity, I will kill you, no doubt, exactly like Vis'varûpa.
3-4. Chyavana said :-- “O Indra! Do not insult the two highsouled As'vins. They have given me beauty, youth and lustre and made me look like a second Deva. O Lord of the Devas! Just as the other Devas can take the vessel of Soma excluding you, so the two powerful As'vins can do the same towards you.”
5. Indra said :-- “They are the physicians; so they cannot in any way have the right to accept the Soma cup. I will just now sever your head.”
6-29. Vyâsa said :-- O Ornament to the race of Bharata! At these words of Indra, the Muni made the As'vins accept the Soma cup, thus highly insulting, as it were, Indra and not taking any notice of his words. When the two As'vins accepted the cup with a desire to drink the Soma thereof, the powerful Indra saw it and said :-- “If you make them drink Soma out of your own necessity, I will hurl thunderbolt on your head exactly in the same way as I did towards Vis'varûpa.”
The Muni became violently angry at this and made the As'vins drink the Soma according to due rites and ceremonies. Indra, too, angrily hurled thunderbolt on him in the presence of all the Devas. The weapon shed lustre like million Suns. Seeing the thunderbolt hurled on him, the powerful Muni made the Indra's thunderbolt stand stock still by virtue of his Tapas. The powerful Muni then adopted black magic to kill Indra and offered oblations of clarified butter and grains, purified by Mantrams, in the Fire. By the Tapas of Chyavana, of unbounded lustre, there sprang from the sacrificial hearth Krityâ (A female deity to whom sacrifices are offered for destructive and magical purposes). And out of Krityâ originated a very strong person, very cruel and of huge body, a great Demon. The horrible Demon, named Mada, was terrifying to all the beings. His body was huge like a mountain, teeth very sharp and terrible. Four teeth were hundred Yojanas long each, and his other teeth were ten Yojanas long. His arms were like mountains, very long and fierce; tongue, horrible, rough and so very long that it reached up to the heavens. His throat was like a mountain peak hard and of a furious appearance; nails resembled tiger's, hairs horrible. His body was jet black like lamp black; face very terrible, eyes bright like the conflagration fire and awful. One of his jaws touched the ground and the other touched the heaven. Thus was born the Demon, named Mada, of huge form. Looking at him, the Devas became suddenly frightened; Indra, too, got very much terrified at the sight of him and did not want to have any more fight. The Demon swallowed Indra's thunderbolt, looked at the sky, and stood up as if to swallow at once the whole Universe. He became infuriated with rage and pursued Indra to devour him. Seeing this, the Devas cried aloud :-- “Alas! We are slain.” Indra had his arms disabled by Mantrams and so he could not hurl his thunderbolt though he wanted to do so. The Lord of the Devas, then, with thunderbolt in his hand, looked on the Demon as Death personified and remembered his Guru, skilled in the knowledge which is the proper time to perform a certain thing. The liberal-minded Brihaspati knowing the time of imminent danger, and that he is remembered by Indra, at once came to the spot. He then judged what to do in the present crisis and told Indra :-- “O Indra! This cannot be averted even by Mantrams; what to speak of thunderbolt! This powerful Asura Mada has arisen from the sacrificial hearth by virtue of the Tapas of the Chyavana Muni. The Muni's power is especially felt here. O Lord of the Devas! Nobody, You, I, nor any other Deva will be able to resist him. Know this. Even Brahmâ cannot thwart the anger of one who is devoted to the S'akti, the Highest Force; Chyavana is the Bhakta of the Highest S'akti. So no
other body is able to defeat him. He is the man himself to take back the Krityâ that he has originated. There is no doubt in this. So it is better for you now to take the shelter of the Muni.”
30-52. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing thus from his Guru, Indra went to the Muni and bowed down shuddering, before him. “O Muni! Forgive me and stop the Asura from his intention to slay the Devas. O All knowing One! Be pleased, I will keep your words. O Bhârgava! The two As'vins will, from this day, have the right to drink the Some juice. This I speak out to you in truth. O Brâhmana! Be graciously pleased unto me. O Ascetic! Your intention will never be baffled. Especially I know you to be a knower of Dharma; so, you will never be able to make your word swerve from truth. The two As'vins will, by your grace, be able to drink always the Soma cup; and the King S'aryâti's fame will also know no bounds. O Muni! Know that what I have done is simply to test your prowess in Tapas. O Brâhmana! Now do this favour to me and take back your, this Demon Mada, sprung from your sacrificial hearth and thus do good to all the Devas. There is no doubt in this.” Thus spoken piteously by Indra, Chyavana, who knew the Highest Reality, drew back within himself the anger arising from the enmity with Indra. Then the Maharsi Chyavana consoled the Devas that were very much perplexed and anxious out of terror of the Demon named Mada and divided the Asura into four parts (1) female sex, (2) drinking, (3) gambling and (4) hunting animals. When Mada was thus divided into four parts, the terror stricken Devas felt themselves relieved and saved and got consoled. Chyavana then placed the Devas in their respective stations and completed the sacrifice. As last, the religious Bhârgava made first Indra and then the two As'vins drink the Soma Cups. O King! Thus Chyavana had the As'vins their Soma Cups by virtue of his power of Tapas. Thence the tank with the sacrificial post Yûpa became famous and the Muni's Âs'rama also was renowned and honoured in all respects. The King S'aryâti, too, became very glad at this sacrifice and completing the sacrifice returned with his ministers to his city. The Manu's son, the powerful religious King S'aryâti governed his kingdom, free from any obstacles or other enemies. He had one son named Ânarta; and Ânarta had a son named Revata born to him.
Revata built the city of Kus'asthalî in the midst of the ocean and began to live there. He enjoyed all the things in the countries named Ânarta and others. Revata had one hundred sons of whom Kakudmi was the eldest and of pure character. He had one daughter very beautiful named Revatî, endowed with all auspicious qualities. When the daughter reached a marriageable age, the King began to think where he
could get a prince of a good noble family. That powerful King began to govern his people Ânartas, with his headquarters at the Raivata hill. “Whom to betroth this daughter,” the King thought and settled that he would go to Brahmâ and ask him, the venerable omniscient Prajâpati, worshipped by the Devas. Thus the King went with his daughter Revatî to the Brahmaloka. There the Devas, Yajñas, Vedas, mountains, oceans and rivers all were shining with luminous bodies. There the eternal Risis, Siddhas, Gandharbas, Pannagas and Châranas were singing hymns to Brahmâ, standing with folded hands.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Seventh Book on the twin As'vins drinking the Soma Cup in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter VIII
On the King Revata and the Solar Dynasty
1-5. Janamejaya said :-- “O Brâhmanâ! The King was a Ksattriya; how could he go himself with his daughter Revatî to the Brahmâloka (the abode of Brahmâ)? I entertain a great doubt on this point. I heard of yore while conversing about matters connected with the Brâhmins, that the Brâhmin only who was self-restrained and the knower of Brahmân could alone go to the Brahmâloka. The Satyaloka is very hard for the worldly people to go; so I doubt how the king could have gone with Revatî from the Bhûrloka to the Satyaloka. Man, when he discards his body, can go to the Heavens. So is recited in all the S'âstras. How then, people, while, in their human bodies can go to the Brahmâloka. So cut asunder my doubts how the King Revata could go to the Brahmâloka to ask the Prajâpati on certain matters.”
6-16. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! On the top of the mountain Sumeru, are located the Indra's heavens called Amarâvati (the abode of the Immortals) the Samyamanî city of Yama, the Satyaloka, the Vahniloka, the Kailâsa, Vaikuntha the abode of Visnu, and others. The great archer Arjuna, the son of Prithâ, went to the Indraloka and spent five years there. In ancient times, the Kings Kakutstha and others went to Indraloka, in their human bodies. Even the powerful Daityas used to conquer the Indraloka and resided there at their will and pleasure. In ancient times, when the sovereign of the earth, the King Mahâbhisa went to the Brahmâloka, the most beautiful Gangâ also was coming to the Brahmâloka. On the way the King saw Her. O King! Accidentally at that time her clothings were cast aside by the wind; the King saw her partly in her naked state, and, overpowered with lust, smiled; Gangâ also
smiled. Seeing the states of them, Brahmâ instantly cursed them; and they had to come in this world and take their births. All the Devas, when oppressed by the Dânavas, went to Vaikuntha and sang hymns to Hari, the Lord of Kamalâ. O King! Men can go to all the Lokas; in fact those high-souled men that perform Yajñas or severe asceticism and thus have acquired great merits, those performers of Sacrifices and ascetics surely go to the Heavens. O King! It is only the abundance of good merits that is the only cause of going to Heavens. So you ought not to entertain any doubts on this.”
17-18. Janamejaya said :-- “O Muni! The King Revata went with his daughter Revatî to the Brahmâloka; but what did he do when he went there? What did Brahmâ order him? And to whom did the King betroth his daughter, when ordered by Brahmâ? O Brâhmana! Speak out all these in details to me now.”
19-21. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! Hear. When the King went to Brahmâloka to ask about the proper bridegroom of his daughter, there was going on singing and music; so he waited a while to find an opportunity when the assembly would have a leisure; but he was so very pleased with music that he could not desist from hearing it till the end. When the music was finished, the King bowed down to Brahmâ and shewed him his daughter and informed Him of his intention.”
22-26. The King said :-- “O Deva! This good daughter is mine; now kindly say who will be her bridegroom. O Brahmâ! To whom shall I betroth this daughter? I have come to you to ask on this point I have searched for many princes and seen also a good many of them and none of them is to my liking and so my mind is not at rest. O Lord of the Devas! Therefore I have come to you. Kindly select one bridegroom for her. He is to be a Kulîn (of good family), powerful, religious, liberal, and a prince endowed with all auspicious qualities. This is my prayer.” Vyâsa said :-- O King! Brahmâ, the lotus-born, the Creator of the world, hearing these words, laughed, thinking that a very long interval had passed away. He then said :--
27-43. O King! The princes that you thought would become the bridegroom of your daughter, all died; their sons and grandsons and their friends even have all passed away. The twenty-seventh Manvantara of the Dvâpara Yuga is now going on; so none of the princes of your family are now existing. The Daityas sacked your city. Now Ugrasena, the King of Mathurâ, is reigning in that place. He belongs to the illustrious lunar family of Yayâti. His son, the powerful Kansa,
born of a Dânava, began to do injuries always to the Devas; he threw his own father to the prison. Becoming very haughty, he began to govern himself the countries of other kings and began to tyrranise over the subjects. O King. The Earth became so much troubled by the armies of the wicked Demon Kings, that She became quite unable to bear further loads. So She went to seek refuge to Brahmâ. Brahmâ and the other Devas then began to say :-- “O Earth! To remove your burden the lotus-eyed Nârâyanâ will incarnate Himself as part incarnation in the form of S'rî Krisna. He who is Nârâyanâ practised in ancient times, as the son of Dharma, a very severe asceticism, in company with his brother Nara in the sacred hermitage of Badari. Now this very Deva is born in the great family of Yadu in the womb of Devakî by Vasudeva and is now celebrated by the name of Vâsudeva. O King! He has slain that vicious wicked Kansa and has installed Ugrasena in his place. The very powerful Jarâsandha, the vicious King of Magadha, is the father-in-law of Kansa. On hearing the death of his son-in-law, he became infuriated with rage, came to Mathurâ, and raged a terrible war. Vâsudeva defeated in a battle that Jarâsandha, proud of his mighty valour. Though defeated, Jarâsandha sent Kâlayavana with his host of army to fight again with Krisna. Bhâgavan Vâsudeva, when he heard that the King of Yavanas arrived, sent away all the members of his family and the Yâdavas to Dvârkâ and began to wait with his brother Balarâma for the Yavana King. Then he went alone to the camp of Yavana and led him away to a mountain cave where was sleeping the King Muchu Kunda and had then the Yavana King slain by Muchukunda. Krisna then went to Dvârkâ. The city of Dvârkâ was then a dilapidated condition. Krisna brought together the artists and got built exquisitely the beautiful palaces, forts, and markets and stalls, etc., and so added to the beauty of the place. That Vâsudeva, of mighty prowess, thus improving the city, made Ugrasena the King of that place; and Krisna is now waiting there with his friends. His elder brother Baladeva, the carrier of the plough, is celebrated. Thus he with Musala in his hands is a great warrior and the part incarnation of Ananta Deva. He is the fit bridegroom of your daughter. So give your daughter in marriage, without any delay, according to the rules of the marriage ceremony to Sankarsana Balabhadra. After giving your daughter marriage, go to the hermitage of Badari and practise tapasyâ. That sacred retreat is the (park) recreation ground of the Devas, holy and yielding to human beings the objects of their desires.
44-46. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! Thus ordered by the lotus-born Brahmâ, the King went to Dvârkâ with his daughter. Reaching there he gave over his all auspicious daughter in marriage to Bala Deva
duly according to the rules and regulations. At last, according to Brahmâ's injunction, he became engaged in severe austerities in the Badarikâs'ram and, when the time of death arrived, left off his mortal coil on the banks of the river and went to the world of Gods.”
47-48. Janamejaya said :-- “O Bhagavân! You have uttered one wonderful thing. One hundred and eight Yugas passed away when the King of Revata with his daughter was deeply absorbed in hearing music in the Brahmâloka yet neither the good King nor the daughter did get sufficiently old. How could this be! How could they have lived so long! Were their longevities ordained to be such a long period!”
49-56. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! The Brahmâloka is not touched by any vice nor sin; old age, hunger, thirst or fear of death nothing exists there; nor is there any other cause by which weariness comes. So what doubt there can be that the people there will be long-lived, free from old age and death! When the King S'aryâti went up to the Heavens, his sons were all destroyed by the Râksasas; those that remained, they, terrified left Kus'asthalî and fled on all sides. Vaivasvata Manu sneezed; owing to that, came out of his nose one powerful son; his name was Iksâku. He spread the Solar dynasty and became celebrated. Getting excellent initiation from the Maharsi Nârada, he began to meditate the Devî constantly and practised severe tapasyâ for the spread of his race. O King! Iksâku had one hundred sons; Vikuksi was the eldest; he was powerful and endowed with great strength. Iksâku became king and lived in Ayodhyâ. He sent his fifty sons, the powerful S'akuni and others to Uttarâpatha (Eastern) provinces for governing those countries. That high-souled monarch sent also other eight sons to govern the countries in the South. (Western). O King! He kept the remaining two sons by his side for his own service.”
Here ends the Eighth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the story of the King Revata and the spread of the Solar dynasty in the Mahâpuranam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter IX
On the story of Kâkutstha and the origin of Mândhâtâ
1-11. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Once on a time, the time for Astaka S'râddha (the funeral ceremony in honour of the departed) arrived. Seeing this, the King Iksâku ordered his son Vikuksi :-- “O Child! Go immediately to the forest and bring carefully pure sanctified meat for the
S'râddha purposes; see, that there be no neglect of duty.” Thus ordered, Vikuksi instantly went to the forest equipped with arms. He hunted in the forest lots of boars, pigs, deer, and hare. But he was so very tired with his journey in the forest and got so hungry that he forgot everything about the Astaka S'râddha and ate one hare there in the forest. The remaining excellent meat he brought and handed over to his father. When that meat was brought to be sprinkled for purification, the family priest Vas'istha, on seeing it, at once came to know that some portion had already been eaten and it was the remaining part. The leavings of food are not fit for the sprinkling purposes; this is the S'âstric rule. Vas'istha informed the King of this defect in the food. In accordance with the Guru's advice, the King coming to know thus the violation of the rule by his son, became very angry and banished his son from his kingdom. The prince became known from that time as Sa'sâda; he did not become the least sorry for his father's anger; he went to the forest and gladly remained there. He gladly passed his time absorbed in religion and sustained his life on forest fruits and roots. After sometime when his father died, he inherited his kingdom. On becoming the King of Ayodhyâ, S'as'âda had only one son; he became famous in the three lokas by the name of Kakutstha. He was known also by other names Indravâha and Puranjaya.
12. Janamejaya said :-- “O Holy One! How and why was the prince named Kakutstha. Why was he known by the two other names? Speak all this to me.”
13-14. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When S'as'âda went to the Heavens Kakutstha became king. That religious king then began to govern the country of his father and grandfather with an authority supported by a powerful arm. At this time the Devas suffered a defeat from the Dânavas and took refuge to Visnu, the Infallible and the Lord of the three worlds. The eternal great Visnu full of intelligence and bliss then addressed the Devas :--
15-16. Visnu said :-- “O Devas! Go and pray to the King S'as'âda. He will be your ally and kill all the Demons. That King is religious; especially he is a worshipper of the Highest S'akti. He is a good archer and will come to help you. His strength is immense.”
17-18. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Indra and the other Devas hearing the nectar like words of Hari went to Ayodhyâ, to Kakutstha, the son of S'as'âda. Seeing the Devas at his palace, the king worshipped them duly and with great care and he asked them why they had come there.
19-20. The King said :-- “O Devas! When you have favoured me by your presence here, I am blessed and sanctified; my life is crowned
with success. Say what I can do for you; I will carry it out even if it be very hard for me to perform.”
21-22. The Devas said :-- “O Prince! Please help and back us and defeat the Daityas, invincible by the Devas and form an alliance with Indra. O King! By the grace of the Highest S'akti, you have nothing unattained anywhere; so we have come to you by the order of Visnu.”
23-41. The King said :-- “O Devas! I can back you and become your ally if Indra carries me on his back in the time of war. I will fight now with the Daityas for the Devas; but I will go to the battle-field on Indra's back; this I speak to you truly.” Vyâsa said :-- O King! The Devas then spoke to Indra :-- “O Lord of S'achi! It is now your bounden duty to do this; so quitting shame, be a carrier to this King.” Indra got ashamed very much, but being requested frequently by Hari, at last assumed the appearance of a bull like the great Bull of S'iva. The King mounted on that bull to go to the war; he fought while taking his seat on the hump on the shoulders of the bull (Kakud); therefore he was named Kakutstha. The King was carried by Indra on his back hence he was named Indravâha; he conquered the Dânavas in battle; hence he was called Puranjaya. The powerful King defeated the Dânavas and gave away all their wealth to the Devas. He bade farewell to the Devas and returned to his own kingdom. Thus the alliance was formed with Indra. O King! Kakutstha became very celebrated on this earth; his descendants became kings and were known as Kakutsthas and were all very famous here on this Earth. Kakutstha had one powerful son, named Kâkutstha by his legal wife; Kâkutstha had the son Prithu, of mighty prowess. Prithu was the part incarnation personified of Visnu, and worshipper of the feet of the Supreme S'akti. His son was Visvarandhi; he became king and governed the kingdom. His son was Chandra; he came to be king, governed his subjects and multiplied very much his issues. Yuvanâs'va was one of his sons; he was very powerful and spirited. S'avanta was the son of Yuvanâs'va; he was very religious. He built a nice city named S'âvantî like the Paradise of Indra. Brihadas'va was the son of the high-souled S'âvanta; he had a son Kuvalayâs'va. He became the Lord of the earth by the power of his arms. He killed Dhundu Dânava; so he was very much celebrated by the name of Dhundumâra. His son was Dridhâs'va; he governed the earth; His son was S'rîmân Haryas'va. His son was Nikumbha; he became the King. Nikumbha had his son Varhanâs'va. Kris'âs'va was his son. His son was the powerful Parasenajit; his son's prowess knew no bounds. Parasenajit had the fortunate son Yauvanâs'va. O fortunate One! The son of Yauvanas'va was S'rîmân Mândhâtâ; he became the Lord of the Earth and for the
satisfaction of the Devî Bhagavatî had one thousand and eight palaces built in Benares and in the other chief places of pilgrimages. Mâudhâtâ was not born of his mother's womb but was born in the belly of his father. Then the ministers tore asunder the belly of his father and got him out.
42-43. Janamejaya said :-- O fortunate One! What you said was never seen nor heard ever before since. This sort of birth is highly improbable. How was that beautiful son born in the belly of his father? Describe this in detail and satisfy my curiosity.
44-49. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The King Yauvanâs'va had one hundred queens; yet he had no issues. The King always thought much about his son. Once the King, sorry and desirous of a son, went to the holy retreats of the Risis. On arriving there, he began frequently to respire heavily before the ascetics. The Risis became filled with pity on seeing his sorrowful condition. O King! The Brâhmins that said to him :-- O King! Why are you thus sorrowful and distressed? What is your sorrow that is troubling your heart? Speak truly. We will surely redress your grievance.
50-54. Yauvanâs'va said :-- “O Munis! I have got the kingdom wealth, excellent horses, one hundred illustrious chaste wives. I have no enemies in the three worlds; no one is stronger than me. All the Kings and ministers are obedient to my call. But O Ascetics! I have no son; this my sonless state is the only cause of my pain and sorrow. It has marred all my happiness. See! The persons that have no son cannot in any way go to Heavens. Therefore I am always being pained for this. You all are ascetics; you have taken great pains to learn the essence of the Veda S'âstras. So kindly order me what sacrifice is fit for me to have a son. O Ascetics! If you feel any pity for me, kindly perform this good work for me.”
55-65. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing the words of the King they were all filled with pity; and, with fulness of mind, made him to perform the sacrifice whose presiding deity was Indra. For the sake of the King, that he may get a son born to him, they had a jar filled with water by the Brâhmins and purified and charged that jar with the Vedic Mantrams. The King got thirsty in the night and entered in the sacrificial ground; seeing the Brâhmins asleep, the King himself drank that water, surcharged with the Mantram. The Brâhmins consecrated and kept that water apart, according to due rules, surcharging with Mantrams, for the wife of the King; but the King, getting thirsty, himself drank that water unconsciously. Next morning the Brâhmins
seeing the jar of water empty, were startled very much with fear; the Brâhmins then asked the King :-- Who drank the water? When they came to know that the King himself drank the water, the Munis thought this to he an act of Daiva (Fate) and completing the sacrifice returned to their abodes. Then the King became pregnant by the power of the sacrificial Mantrams. After some time, the son became fully developed. Then the King's ministers, cutting his right bowel, got the son out. Out of the God's favour, the King did not die. When the ministers were troubled with the thought whose milk the child will suck, then Indra spoke out the child would drink (Mân-Dhâtâ) my forefinger and gave his finger into the child's mouth. For that reason his name was Mândhâtâ. Thus I have described in detail the origin of Mândhâtâ.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the story of Kakutstha and the origin of Mândhâtâ in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter X
On the story of Satyavrata
1-11. Vyasa said :-- O King! That King Mândhâtâ, true to his promise, conquered one after another the whole world and became the paramount sovereign of all the other emperors and got the title “Sârvabhauma” (Sovereign of all the earth). O King! What more to speak of Mândhâtâ's influence at that time than this that all the robbers, struck with his terror, all fled to the mountain caves. For this reason, Indra gave him the title “Trasadasyu.” He married Bindumatî, the daughter of S'as'avindu. Her limbs were proportioned and perfect and so she was very beautiful. Mândhâtâ had by that wife two sons :-- (1) the famous Purukutstha and (2) Muchukunda. Purukutstha had his son Anaranya; this prince was celebrated by the name of Brihadas'va. He was very religious and deeply devoted to his father. His son was Haryas'va; he was religious and knew the Highest Reality. His son was Tridhanvâ; his son was Aruna. Aruna's son was Satyavrata; he was very avaricious, lustful, wicked and wilful. Once on an occasion that vicious prince, overpowered by lust, stole away the wife of one Brâhmin and so created an hindrance in his marriage. O King! The Brâhmins, united in a body, came to the King Aruna, bewailing and lamenting and uttered repeatedly :-- Alas! We are ruined! The King addressed to the grieved subjects, the Brâhmins :-- “O Brâhmins! What harm has been done to you by my son.”
Hearing thus the good words of the King, the Dvijas, versed in the Vedas, repeatedly blessed him and said :--
O King! You are the foremost of the powerful. So your son is like you. Today he has forcibly stolen away during the marriage ceremony a Brâhmin daughter already given over in marriage.
12-36. Vyasa said :-- O King! The highly religious King hearing the words of the Brâhmins, took them to be true and said to his son :-- “O One of evil understanding! You have rendered to-day your name useless by perpetrating this evil act. O Vicious One! Get away from my house! O Sinner! You will never be able to live in my territory!” Seeing his father angry, Satyavrata repeatedly said :-- Father! Where shall I go? He said :-- “Live with the Chandalas. You have stolen a Brâhmin's wife and so has acted like a Chândala. Go and live with them happily. O Disgrace to your family! I don't like to get issues through you: you have obliterated this family's name. So, O Sinner! go wherever you like.” Hearing the the words from his angry father, Satyavrata instantly quitted the house and went to the Chândâlas. The prince, wearing his coat of armour and holding bows and arrows, began to spend away his time with the Chândâlas; but he could not get out of his breast his feeling of sympathy and mercy. When he was banished by his liberal minded angry father the Guru Vas'istha instigated the King to the above purpose. Satyavrata was therefore angry with Vas'istha, inasmuch as he, versed the Dharma S'âstras, did not dissuade the father from banishing his son. His father, then, owing to some inexplicable cause, quitted the city and, for the sake of his son, went to the forest to practise austerities. O King! Owing to that sinful act, Indra did not rain at all in his kingdom for twelve years. O King! Just then Vis'vâmitra, too, keeping his wife and children in that kingdom, began to practise severe austerities on the banks of the river Kaus'ikî. The beautiful wife of Kus'ika then fell into great trouble how she could maintain the family. All the children, pained with hunger, began to cry, begging for Nibâr rice food. The chaste wife of Kaus'ika became very much troubled seeing all this. She thought, seeing the children hungry, “Where am I to go now and from whom to beg, and what to do, inasmuch as the King was not then staying in the Kingdom. The husband is not also near; so who would protect my children? The boys are incessantly crying. Fie therefore to my life!” She thought also thus :-- “My husband left me in this penniless state; we are suffering for want of money. He does not know these, though he is quite able. Save my husband, who else will support my sons? They will all die now of starvation. I might sell one of my sons, whatever I get out of that, I can support the others; this is now my highest duty. I ought not to do otherwise
and kill all my children; so I will now sell one of my sons to support the others.” Thus hardening her mind, she went out, tying the child by a rope round his neck. The Muni's wife, for the sake of the other children, fastened the middle son by a cord and got out of her house. The prince Satyavrata saw her distressed with pain and sorrow and asked :-- “O Beautiful One! What are you now going to do? Who are you? This boy is crying; Why have you tied him by a rope round his neck? O Fair One! Speak out truly to me the cause of all this.”
37-38. The wife said :-- “O Prince! I am the wife of Vis'vâmitra. These are my sons. I am now going, for want of food, to sell one of these out of my own accord. O King! My husband has gone away to practise tapasyâ; I do not know where he has gone. There is no food in the house; so I will sell one to support the other sons.”
39-56. Satyavrata said :-- “O Chaste One! Save your children. I will bring to you your articles of food from the forest till your husband does not come here. Daily I will fasten some food on a tree close by your Âs'rama. This I speak truly.” The wife of Vis'vâmitra, hearing these words of the prince, freed the child of the fastening and took him to her Âs'rama. The child was named afterwards as Gâlaba, due to his being fastened by the neck. He became a great Risi afterwards. The Vis'vâmitra's wife then felt great pleasure in her home, surrounded by her children. Filled with regard, and mercy, Satyavrata duly performed his task and provided daily the family of Vis'vâmitra with their food. He used to hunt wild boars, deer, buffaloes, etc., and used to take their flesh to the place where used to dwell the wife of Vis'vâmitra and the children and tie that up to an adjoining tree. The Risi's wife used to give those to her children. Thus getting excellent food, she felt very happy. Now when the King Aruna went for tapasyâ to the forest, the Muni Vas'istha carefully guarded the Ayodhyâ city, and the palace and the household. Satyavrata, too, used to sustain his livelihood daily by hunting, accordig to his father's order; and abiding by Dharma, lived in the forest outside the city. Satyavrata cherished always in his heart, for some cause, a feeling of anger towards Vas'istha. When his father banished his religious son, Vas'istha did not prevent his father. This is the cause of Satyavrata's anger. Marriage does not become valid until seven footsteps are trodden (a ceremony); so the stealing away of a girl within that period is not equivalent to stealing away a Brâhmin's wife. The virtuous Vas'istha knew that; yet he did not prevent the King. One day the prince did not find anything for hunting; he saw in the
forest the cow of Vas'istha giving milk. Very much distressed by hunger, the King killed the cow like a dacoit, partly out of anger and partly out of delusion. He fastened part of the flesh to that tree for the wife of Vis'vâmitra and the remainder he ate himself. O One of good vows! The Vis'vâmitra's wife did not know that to be beef and thought it to be deer's and so fed her sons with that. Now when Vas'istha came to know that his cow had been killed, he was inflamed with anger and spoke to Satyavrata “O Vicious One! What a heinous crime have you committed, like a Pis'âcha, by killing the cow? For the killing of the cow, the stealing of a Brâhmin's wife and the fiery anger of your father, for these three crimes, let there come out on your head three S'ankus or three marks of leprosy as the signs for your crimes. From this day you will be widely known by the name of Tris'anku and you will show your Pis'âcha form to all the beings.”
57. Vyâsa said : -- O King! The prince Satyavrata thus cursed by Vais'istha remained in that retreat and practised severe tapasyâ.
58. But he got from a Muni's son the excellent Mantram of the Highest auspicious Devî Bhagavatî and became merged in the contemplation of that.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the story of Satyavrata in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XI
On the story of Tris’anku
1. Janamejaya said :-- “O Intelligent One! Did the prince Tris’anku free himself afterwards of the curse inflicted on him by the Muni Vas’istha.”
2-8. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Satyavrata, cursed by Vas’istha, was transformed into a demoniacal state (Pis’âchatva); but he became a great devotee of the Devî and passed away his time in that Âs’rama. One day he repeating slowly the nine-lettered Mantram of the Bhagavatî, wished to perform the Puras’charana ceremony (repeating the name of a deity attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.) of the said Mantra, came to the Brâhmins, bowed down to them with great devotion and purity and said :-- “O venerable gods of the earth! Kindly hear me;
I with my head bowed down pray to you, that you all be my priests (Ritt-vigs). You are all versed in the Vedas; so kindly do for me duly the Homa ceremony equal to one-tenth part of Japam, for my success. O Brâhmanas! My name is Satyavrata; I am a prince; you ought to do this work for me for my welfare.” Thus hearing the prince’s words the Brâhmanas said :-- “O Prince! You are cursed by your Guru and you are now turned into a demoniacal state. You have now no right to the Vedas; especially you are now in the Pis’âcha state; it is blamed by all the persons; so now you are not fit to be initiated into the ceremony.”
9-14. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing them, the prince got very sad and dejected and thought “Fie on my life! What shall I do now in living even in the forest. My father has forsaken me; I am banished from the kingdom; again, by the Guru’s curse, I have got this Pis’âcha state; I therefore can’t decide what to do.” The prince, then, collecting fuel, prepared the funeral pile for himself, remembered the Chandikâ Devî and repeating Her Mantram, resolved to jump into the fire. Lighting the pyre in front, the prince bathed and standing, with clasped palms, began to chant the hymns to Mahâ Mâyâ before entering into the fire. At this moment, the Devî Bhagavatî, knowing that the prince was ready to burn himself, came instantly to the spot on the back of the lion, by the aerial route. She manifested Henself before him and spoke in a voice deep like a rain-cloud.
15-17. “O Virtuous One What is all this? What have you settled all these? Never throw yourself in fire; be patient. O Fortunate One! Your father is now aged; he will give you his kingdom and will go to the forest for tapasyâ; therefore, O Hero! Do leave your depression of spirits. O King! Tomorrow the ministers of your father will came to you to take you there. By My Grace, your father will install you on the throne and, in due time, he will conquer his desires and will go undoubtedly to the Brahmâ loka.”
18-32. Vyâsa said :-- O Fortunate One! Thus saying, the Devî vanished at that spot; the prince, too, desisted from his purpose of entering into the fire. In the meanwhile, the highsouled Nârada went to Ayodhyâ and at once informed everything to the King. The King became very sad and began to repent very much, hearing the son’s resolve to burn himself. The virtuous King, grieved at heart, for his son, said to his ministers :-- “You all are aware of the turning out of my son. I have forsaken my intelligent son Satyavrata; though he was very spiritual and worthy to get the kingdom; yet, at my command, he
instantaneously went away to the forest. Void of wealth, he, practising forgiveness, passed his time in study, particularly in spiritual knowledge; but Vas’istha Deva, cursed him and made him like a Pis’âcha. Very much distressed by pain and sorow, he was ready to burn himself but the Mahâ Devî preventing him, he desisted from this purpose. So go hurriedly and, consoling my powerful eldest son, bring him at once to me. I am now calm and quiet and of a retiring disposition; so I am determined to practise tapasyâ. My son is now capable to govern the subjects; I will now install my son on the throne and retire to the forest.” So he gladly sent his ministers to his son. The ministers, too, gladly went there and consoled the prince and, with respect, brought him to the Ayodhyâ city. Seeing Satyavrata with matted hair on his head, with dirty clothes, and thin and worn out with cares, the King began to think within himself “Oh! What a cruel act have I done, though I know everything about religion, in banishing my intelligent son, quite fit to govern my kingdom.” Thus thinking, he embraced his son by his arms and consoling him, made him sit by his throne. The King, versed in politics, then began to speak gladly with suffocated feelings of love to his son sitting by the side of him.
33-53. O Son! Your highest duty is to keep your mind always on religion and to respect the Brâhmins. Never speak falsely anywhere nor follow any bad course in any way. Rather the words of the spiritual good persons ought to be fully observed; the ascetics ought to be worshipped. Senses must be controlled and the wicked cruel robbers are certainly to be slain. O Son! For one’s success, one should consult with one’s ministers and keep that as secret by all means. Any enemy howsoever insignificant he may be, a clever King should never overlook him. The ministers, if they be attached to other masters and if they come round afterwards, don’t trust them. Spies should be kept to watch friends and foes alike. Show your living regards to the religion always, and make charitable gifts. One ought not to argue in vain and always avoid the company of the wicked. O Son! You should worship the Maharsis and perform various sacrifices. Never trust women, those who are inordinately addicted to women, and the gamblers. Never is it advisable to be addicted too much to hunting. Always shew your back to gambling, drinking, music and to the prostitutes and try to make your subjects follow the same. Early in the morning at the Brahmâ Muhûrta everyday you should get up from your bed and bathe and perform other analogous duties. O Son! Be initiated by the Guru in the Devî Mantra, and worship with devotion the Supreme Force, the Bhagavatî. Human birth is crowned with success by worshipping Her Lotus Feet, O Son!
He who performs once the great Pûjâ of the Mahâ Devî and drinks the Charanâmrita water (water with which Her feet are worshipped) has never to enter again in the womb of his mother; know this as certain. That Mahâ Devî is all that is seen and She Herself is again the Seer and Witness, of the nature of Intelligence. Filled with these ideas, rest fearless like the Universal Soul. Do your daily Naimittik (occasional) duties, go to the Brâhmin’s assembly and calling on them ask the conclusions of the Dharma S’âstras. The Brâhmins, versed in the Vedas and Vedantas, are objects of venerations and must be worshipped. Give, then, them always according to merits, cows, lands, gold, etc. Don’t worship any Brâhmin who is illiterate. Don’t give to illiterates more than their belliful wants. O Child! Never trespass Dharma, out of covetousness, and remember always not to insult ever afterwards any Brâhmanas. The Brâhmins are the cause of the Ksattriyas, the more so they are the terrestrial gods; honour them with all your care! In this never flinch from your duties. Fire comes out of water; the Ksattriyas come out of the Brâhmanas; iron comes out of stones. The powers of these flow everywhere. But if there be any clash between one thing and its source, then that clash dies away in the source. Know this as quite certain. The King who wants his own welfare and improvement must by gift and humility shew his respect especially to the Brâhmins. Follow the maxims of morality as dictated in the Dharma S’âstras. Amass wealth according to rules of justice and fill the treasury.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Seventh Book about the story of Tris’anku in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XII
On the description of Vas’istha’s curse on Tris’anku
1-6. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus giving the advice to his son, the King Tris’anku was excited with feelings of love and, in a choked voice, said to his father that he would fulfil what he had been ordered. The King then called the Brâhmins, versed in the Vedas and Mantrams, and had all the materials for installation collected quickly. He brought the waters from all the sacred places of prigrimages; he then called together with great respect all the kings. On a sacred day, the father installed his son on the throne and gave him, in accordance with due rites and ceremonies, the royal throne. The King then adopted with his wife the third Vânaprastha stage of life and practised a severe tapasyâ on the
banks of the Ganges. Then in due course of time the King went to the Heavens. There he began to shine like a second Sun by the side of Indra, respected by all the gods.
7-10. Janamejaya said :-- “O Bhagavân! You spoke before in course of conversation that Satyavrata was cursed by Vas’istha on the killing of his cow to become a Pis’âcha; how then he got himself freed of this curse. There is a doubt on this point. Kindly clear it and oblige. Satyavrata was cursed; hence pronounced unfit to succeed to the throne. How was the Muni, by what actions, was he freed of the curse? How could the father bring back to his home his son of the form of a Pis’âcha? O Viprarsi! Kindly narrate to me how the Muni was freed of his curse.”
11-18. Vyâsa said :-- Cursed by Vas’istha, Satyavrata became then and there transformed into a Pis’âcha, very ugly, violent and terrible to all; but when he worshipped the Devî with devotion, immediately the Devî gave him a beautiful divine body. By the grace of the Devî, his sins were all washed away and his Pis’âcha form vanished. Satyavrata, then, freed from his sins became very much vigorous and energetic. Vas’istha also became pleased with him, blessed thus by the Supreme Force and so was his father, too. When his father died, the virtuous Satyavrata became King, governed his subjects and performed various sacrifices and worshipped, too, the Eternal Mother of the Gods. O King! Tris’anku had a very beautiful son born to him, named Haris’chandra, endowed in all his limbs with auspicious signs. The King Tris’anku wanted to make his son Yuvarâja (the Crown prince) and then in his that very body while living, enjoy the Heavens. The King went to the Âs’rama of Vas’istha and gladly asked him, with folded palms, bowing down before him duly.
19-23. O Ascetic! You are the son of Brahmâ , versed in all the Vaidik Mantrams; so you are exceedingly fortunate; now I beg to inform you one thing; hear it gladly. I now desire to enjoy the happiness of the Heavens and all the enjoyments of the Devas, while I am in this body. To enjoy in the Nandana Garden, to live with the Apsarâs and to hear the sweet music of the Devas and the Gandharbas, these ideas now have taken a strong hold of my heart. Therefore, O Great Muni! Engage me in such a sacrifice as will enable me, in this very body to live in the Svarloka. O Muni! You are fully competent to do this; therefore be ready for this. Have the sacrifice done and let me have quickly the Devaloka, so difficult to be obtained!
24-26. Vas’istha said :-- “O King! It is exceedingly hard to live in the Heavens while in this mortal body. The departed only live in the
Heavens by their merits, this is a known fact. Therefore, O Omniscient One! Your desire is hard to be attained. I am afraid of this. O King! The living men can hardly enjoy the Apsarâs. Therefore, O Blessed One! Do the sacrifice first. Then, when you leave this body, you will go to the Heavens.”
27-31. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The Maharsi Vas’istha was already angry with the King; therefore when he spoke these words, the King heard and became absent-minded. He again spoke to the Maharsi :-- O Brâhmana! If you do not allow me to do the sacrifice, on account of your haughtiness, I will have the sacrifice performed now by another priest. Vas’istha became very angry at the words of the King and cursed him :-- “O evilminded One! Be as soon as possible a Chândâla in this body. You have committed acts by which your path to the Heaven is obstructed. You have stolen a Brâhmini’s wife, and defiled the path of religion; you have killed the Surabhi Cow and you are a libertine. Therefore, O Sinner! Never you will go to the Heavens, even after your death.”
32-56. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these harsh words from the Guru, Tris’anku became immediately Chândâla in that very body. His golden earrings became turned into iron; the sweet sandal smell over his body smelled like faeces; his beautiful yellow clothings became blue, the colour of his body became like that of an elephant, due to his curse. O King! Those who are the worshippers of the Supreme Force can produce such things when they are angry; there is not the slightest doubt in this. Therefore one ought never to insult any devotee of the Supreme Force. The Muni Vas’istha is always engaged in repeating silently the Gâyatrî of the Devî. So what wonder is there that the body of the King will be reduced to such a wretched state by his rage. The King Tris’anku became very sorry to see his ugly body; he did not go home; rather he remained in the forest in that form and poor dress. He began to think, distressed with sorrow and over-powered with misery :-- “My body is now blameable to the extreme, so what to do and where to go in this wretched state! I find no remedy to exhaust all my sufferings. If I go home, my son will be, no doubt, very much pained with sorrow. My wife, when she will see my Chândâla appearance, she won’t accept me; my ministers will not regard me as they used to do before. My friends and relations, when they will come to me, will not serve me with the former care. So it is far better to die than to live, thus despised. I will drink poison or drown myself in waters or hang myself. Or I will burn myself in the funeral pyre duly or I will quit this blameable life by starvation. But, Alas! I will be guilty of
suicide; so again due to this sin I will be born a Chândâla and I will be again cursed.” Thus thinking, the King again thought that at present he ought not to commit suicide by any means. “I will have to suffer for my Karma; and, after due suffering, this Karma will be exhausted. So I will suffer in this forest for my Karma in this my body. Without the enjoyment of the fruits, the past actions can never die out; therefore all actions done by me, auspicious or inauspicious, I will enjoy or suffer in this place. Always to remain close to a holy Âs’rama, to wander in holy places of pilgrimage, to remember the Devî Ambikâ, and to serve the saints will now be my duties. Thus I will no doubt exhaust all my actions, residing in this forest; then, if chance permits, and if I meet with a saintly person, all my intentions will be crowned with success.” Thus thinking, the King quitting his city went to the banks of the Ganges and repenting very much, remained there on the Ganges. The King Haris’chandra came to know the cause of his father’s curse and with a sorrowful heart sent ministers to him. Like a Chândâla, the King was respiring frequently; at this time the ministers went to him and bowing humbly, said : -- O King! Your son has ordered us to come here; we have come at his command; we are the ministers of the King Haris’chandra. Know this verily, O King! Kindly hear what the Crown Prince has said :-- “Go and bring my Father here without any delay.” Therefore, O King! Cast aside your mental agonies and come to the city. The ministers, the subjects all will be always at your service. We will all try our best to please Vas’istha, so that he may favour you. And that greatly illustrious Muni being pleased will certainly remove your sorrows quickly. O King! Thus your son has spoken to us many words; so now be pleased to go to your own abode.
57-64. Vyâsa said :-- O King! That Chândâla-like King, hearing even their words thus, did not consent to go back to his house. Rather he told them :-- “Ministers, go back, all of you to the city; and at my word, tell my son that I won’t go back to my house. Better leaving off all idleness, you better govern the Kingdom carefully. Shew your respect specially to the Brâhmins and perform various sacrifices and worship the Devas. I do not like in this blameable Chândâla form to go to the city of Ayodhyâ with the high-souled ones; so you all go back to Ayodhyâ without any further delay. Install, at my order, my powerful son Haris’chandra on the throne and do all these stately duties.” When the ministers heard thus the King ordering them, they began to cry very much, and, bowing down, they went away early out of
the hermitage. On coming back to Ayodhyâ they regularly installed on a sacred day the King Haris’chandra with Abhiseka water, purified with Mantrams. Thus the powerful virtuous Haris’chandra, on being installed on the royal throne by the command of the King, remembered always his father and began to govern his Kingdom with his ministers according to the dictates of Dharma.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the description of Vas’istha’s curse on Tris’anku in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XIII
On the coming of Vis’vâmitra to Tris’anku
1-3. Janamejaya said :-- “O Muni! I see that at the command of the King, the ministers installed Haris’chandra on the royal throne; but how Tris’anku got rid of his Chândâla body, kindly say. Was it that he bathed in the holy waters of the Ganges and lived in the forest and when he died he was freed of the curse; or was it that the Guru Vas’istha favoured him by his grace and freed him of the curse? O best of Risis! I am extremely eager to hear the life of the King; therefore kindly describe to me in detail his wonderful career.”
4-16. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The King became gladdened in his heart to install his son on the throne and began to pass his days in that forest in the meditation of Bhagavatî Bhavânî. Thus some time passed when Vis’vâmitra, the son of Kaus’ika, completing his course of Tapasyâ with an intent mind returned to his home to see his wife and sons. On coming back to his house, the intelligent Muni found his sons and other members of the family happy and well conditioned, became very glad and when his wife came to him for his service, asked her :-- O Fair-eyed One! How did you spend your time in days of famine? There was nothing whatsoever of the stock of rice, etc., in the house; how then did you nourish these boys? Please speak to me. O Fair One! I was very busy with my austerities, I could not therefore come to you and see my boys; how then, O Beloved, and what measures did you resort to for their maintenance? O good and auspicious One! When I heard of the dire famine, I thought then “I have no wealth; so what shall I do if I go there?” Thus thinking I did not come then. O Beautiful One! At that time, one day I was very hungry and being very much
tired I entered into the house of a Chândâla, with the object of stealing. On entering the house I found the Chândâla sleeping; then being extremely distressed with hunger, I entered into his kitchen if I could find anything there. When the dishes were sought and turned, and when I was going to take cooked dog’s flesh I immediately fell into the sight of that Chândâla. He asked me very affectionately “Who are you? Why have you entered here at this hour of night? Why are your looking after the dishes? Speak what you want.” O Beautiful One! When the Chândâla asked me these questions, I was very much pressed by hunger and I spoke out my wants in a tremulous voice :-- O Fortunate One! I am an ascetic Brâhmin very much pained by hunger; I have entered your house stealthily and am looking out for some eatables from your cooking pots. O Intelligent One! I am now your guest in the form of a thief; I am now specially very hungry; so I will now eat your cooked meat; kindly permit me. Hearing these words, the Chândâla spoke to me in words authorised by the S’âstras :-- O One of the Superior Varna! Know this to be the house of a Chândâla; so never eat that flesh.
17-28. The human birth is very rare in this world; then again to be born a Dvîja is more difficult; and to get Brâhmanhood again in the Dvîjas is exceedingly difficult. Are you not aware of this? They ought never to eat the defiled food who desire to attain to the Heavens; owing to Karma, the Maharsi Manu has denominated the seventh caste as Antyaja and has discarded them altogether. So, O Brâhmin! I am now by my actions turned into a Chândâla and so forsaken by all; there is no doubt in this. I am forbidding you so that this fault of Varna S’ankara may not suddenly attack you. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O Knower of Dharma! What you are speaking is quite true; though a Chândâla, your intelligence is very clear; hear, I will now speak to you the subtleties of the Dharma in times of danger. O Giver of respect! Always and by all means it is advisable to keep up the body if sin be thereby incurred, one ought to perform Prâyas’chitta (penance) for its purification when the time of danger is over. But if one commits sin when the time is not one of danger, one gets degraded; not so in the time of danger. The man that dies out of hunger, goes to hell, no doubt. Therefore every man seeking for his welfare must satisfy his hunger. Therefore I intend to steal for preserving my body. O Chândâla See! The sin, incurred in stealing during famine, which the Pundits have declared, goes to the God of rains until he does not pour forth rain.” O Beloved! Just when I spoke these words, the God of Rains began to pour forth rain. O Beloved! Just when I spoke these words, the God of Rains began to pour forth rain so desired by all, like that coming out of the elephant’s trunk. When
the clouds thus poured forth rains with the glitterings of the lightnings, I felt very glad and left the house of the Chândâla. O Beautiful One! Now speak out to me, how did you behave in that famine time, so terrible to all the beings.
29-48. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing the above words of the husband, the sweet speaking lady spoke :-- Hear, how I passed my time in times of famine. O Muni! After you had gone to practise Tapasyâ, the dire famine raged; and my sons, exhausted of hunger, became very anxious for food. I became very anxious to see the sons hungry; I then went out to the forest in quest of wild rice; and I got some fruits. Thus I spent some months by collecting the rice growing wildly in the forest; then in times these also could not be got and I became again anxious. The Nibâra rice, too, is now not available and nothing is obtained also by begging; there are no fruits on the trees and no roots are found under the earth. The sons are crying in agony of hunger. What to do? And where to go? What am I to say now to the hungry boys? Oh God! Thus thinking on various ways, I at last came to this conclusion that I would sell one of my sons to a rich man and whatever price I can fetch, with that I will preserve the lives of the other sons. O Dear! Thus thinking, I became ready and went out. O Fortunate One! Then this boy began to cry aloud and became very distressed; yet I was so shameless that I took the crying boy and got out of my Âs’rama. At this time one Râjarsi Satyavrata seeing me very distressed, asked me “O One of good vows! Why is this boy weeping?” O Muni! I spoke to him “Today I am going to sell this boy.” The King’s heart became overfilled with pity, and spoke to me :-- “Take back to your Âs’rama this boy. Daily I will supply you with meat for the food of your boys until the Muni returns home.” O Muni! The King from that time used to bring, with great pity, daily the flesh of deer and boar killed by him in the forest and he used to tie that on this tree. O Beloved! Thus I could protect my sons in that fearful ocean of crisis; but that King was cursed by Vas’istha only for my sake. One day that King did not get any meat in the forest; so he slaughtered the Kâma Dhenu (the cow giving all desires) of Vas’istha and the Muni became therefore very angry with him. The high-souled Muni, angry on account of the killing of his cow, called the King by the name of Tris’anku and made him a Chândâla. O Kaus’ika! The prince turned into a Chândâla because he came forward to do good to me, so I am very sorry for his sake. So it is your urgent duty to save the King from his terrible position by any means or by the influence of your powerful Tapasyâ.
49. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words from his wife the Muni Kaus’ika consoled her and said :--
50-55. O Lotus-eyed One! I will free the King of his curse, who saved you at that critical moment; what more than this that I promise to you that I will remove his sufferings whether it be by my learning or it be by my Tapas. Thus consoling his wife at that moment, Kaus’ika, the Knower of the Highest Reality, began to think how he could destroy the pains and miseries of the King. Thus thinking, the Muni went to the King Tris’anku, who was staying at that time very humbly in a village of the Chândâlas, in the garb of a Chândâla. Seeing the Muni coming, the King was greatly astonished and instantly threw himself before his feet like a piece of stick. Kaus’ika raised the fallen King and consoling him said :-- O King! You are cursed, on my account, by the Muni Vas’istha. I will, therefore, fulfil your desires. Now speak what I am to do.
56-62. The King said :-- With a view to perform a sacrifice I prayed to Vas’istha that I would perform a sacrifice, kindly do this for me. O Muni! Do that sacrifice, by which I can go to the Heavens in this my present body.” Vas’istha became angry and said :-- “O Villain! How can you go and live in the Heavens in this your human body?” I was very anxious to go to the Svarga (Heaven)
so I again spoke to him :-- “O Sinless One! I will then have the excellent sacrifice done by another priest.” Hearing this, Vas’istha Deva cursed me, saying “Be a Chândâla.” O Muni! Thus I have described to you all about my curse. You are the one quite able to remove now my grievances. Distressed in pain and agony, the King informed him and became quiet. Vis’vâmitra, too, thought how he could free him of his curse.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the coming of Vis’vâmitra to Tris’anku in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XIV
On the going to Heavens of Tris’anku and the commencement of Haris’chandra’s narrative
1-8. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Settling in his mind what to do, the great ascetic Vis’vâmitra collected all the materials necessary for the sacrifice and invited all the Munis. Thus invited by Vis’vâmitra, the Munis became informed all about the Sacrifice; but, owing to the
fact that the Muni Vas’istha prevented them, none of them went to the sacrifice. When Vis’vâmitra, the son of Gâdhi, came to know this, he became very anxious and very sad and came to the King Tris’anku and sat. The Maharsi Kaus’ika then became angry and said :-- “O King! Vas’istha preventing the Brâhmins have all refused to come to the sacrifice. But, O King! See my power of tapasyâ; I will immediately fulfil your desires; I will instantly send you to the Heavens, the abode of the Gods.” Thus saying, that Muni took water in his hand and repeated the Gâyatrî Mantram. He gave to the King all the Punyams (merits) that he collected for himself up to then. Giving him thus all the Punyams, he spoke to the King :-- “O King! Throw away all idleness and go to the abode of the Gods you wanted to go. O King of Kings! Gladly go to the Heavens by the power of all the merits collected by me for a long time and let you fare well there.”
9-20. Vyâsa spoke :-- O King! When the King of the Vipras, Vis’vâmitra, spoke thus, the King Tris’anku, by virtue of the Muni’s Tapas, got high up in the air without any delay like a quick flying bird. Thus getting up and up, when the King reached the abode of Indra, the Devas, seeing the terrible Chândâla-like appearance of Tris’anku, spoke out to Indra :-- “Who is this person coming like a Deva with a violent speed in the air? Why does he look like a Chândâla and is so fierce-looking?” Hearing thus, Indra got up at once and saw that one, the meanest of the human beings and knowing him to be Tris’anku, reproachingly said to him :-- You are a Chândâla, quite unfit for the Devaloka; so where are you going? You ought not to remain here; so go immediately back to the earth. O Destroyer of the enemies! Indra speaking thus, the King dropped from the Heavens and, like a Deva whose merits had been exhausted, fell down immediately. Tris’anku then cried out frequently “O Vis’vâmitra! O Vis’vâmitra! Being displaced from the Heavens I am now falling very violently; so save me from this trouble.” O King! Hearing his cry and seeing him getting down, Vis’vâmitra said :-- “Wait, wait.” Though displaced from Heaven, the King by virtue of the Muni’s Tapas, remained stationed at that place in the middle of the air. Vis’vâmitra then began to do Âchaman (sip water) and commenced his great Sacrifice to create another new creation and a second Svargaloka (Heaven). Seeing his resolve, the Lord of S’achî became very anxious and eagerly came to the son of Gâdhi without the least delay and said :-- “O Brâhmana! What are you going to do? O Saint! Why are you so very angry? O Muni!
There is no necessity to create another new creation. Order now what I am to do.”
21. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O Lord of the Devas! The King Tris’anku has become very miserable to have a fall from the Heavens. Therefore this is now my intention that you gladly take him to your own abode.”
22-31. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Indra was thoroughly aware of his determined resolve and very powerful asceticism; so he accepted to do according to his word, out of terror. The Lord Indra then gave the King a bright and divine body and made him take his seat in an excellent car and taking leave of Kaus’ika went with the King to his own abode. Vis’vâmitra became glad to see Tris’anku go to the Heavens with Indra and remained happy in his own Âs’rama. The King Haris’chandra now hearing that his father has gone to Heaven by virtue of his Tapas, began to govern his kingdom with a gladdened heart. The King of Ayodhyâ began then to live constantly with his clever wife full of youth and beauty. Thus time passed away; but the beautiful wife did not become pregnant. The King became very sorry and thoughtful. He then went to the holy hermitage of Vas’istha and bowing down informed him of his mental agony due to his getting no son. O Knower of Dharma! You are skilled in the Science of Mantrams. Especially you know everything of Daiva (Fate). So, O Giver of honour! Do for me so that I get a son. O Best of Brâhmins! There is no salvation for one who has not got any son; you are well aware of this. Then why do you overlook my case when you can remove my sorrow. Even these sparrows are blessed who nourish their offsprings. And I am so very unfortunate that, day and night, I am immersed in cares and anxieties, due to my not having any son.
32. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these pitiful utterances of the King, Vas’istha thought over in his mind and spoke to him everything in particular.
33-41. Vas’istha said :-- “O King! True you have spoken that in this world there is no other sorrow more painsgiving than the state of not having any issue. Therefore, O King! you worship with great care the water-god Varuna. He will crown your efforts with success. There is no other god than Varuna to grant sons. So, O Virtuous One! Worship Him and you will get success. Both Fate and Self-exertion are to be respected by men; how can success come unless efforts are made. O King! Men who realise the Highest Truth should make efforts, guided by just rules; success comes to those who work; else never one is to
expect success.” Hearing these words of the Guru, of unbounded energy, the King made a fixed resolve and bowing himself down, went away to practise tapasyâ. On the banks of the Ganges, in a sacred place, seated on Padmâsan, the King became merged in the meditation of the God Varuna with noose in his hand and thus practised severe asceticism. O King! When he was doing this, the god Varuna took pity on him and gladly came before his sight. Varuna, then, spoke to the King Haris’chandra :-- “O Knower of Dharma! I am glad at your tapasyâ. So ask boons from me.”
42-43. The King said :-- “O God! I am without any son; give me a son, who will give me happiness and will free me from the three debts that I owe to the Devas, the Pitris and the Risis. Know that with that object I am doing this Tapasyâ.” Then the God Varuna, hearing these humble words of the sorrowful King, smiled and said.
44-45. O King! If you get your desired well-qualified son, what will you do for me to my satisfaction? O King! If you perform a sacrifice in honour of me and fearlessly sacrifice your son there like an animal, I will then grant you your desired boon.
46-47. The King :-- “O Deva! Free me from this state of sonless-ness; O Water God! When my son will be born, I will do your sacrifice with my son as an animal in that. This I speak truly to you. O Giver of honour! There is no suffering more unbearable than this one, not to have any son; so grant me a good son so that all my sorrows be vanished.”
48. Varuna said :-- “O King! You will get a son as you desire; go home; but see what you have spoken before be fulfilled and turned true.”
49-55. Vyâsa said :-- Hearing these words from Varuna, Haris’chandra went back and told everything about his getting the boon to his wife. The King had one hundred exquisitely beautiful wives of whom, S’aivyâ was the lawful wife and queen and was very chaste. After some time, that wife became pregnant and the King became very glad to hear this and her longings in that state. The King performed all her purificatory ceremonies, and when ten months were completed, and on an auspicious Naksatra and on an auspicious day, she gave birth to a son, like that of a Deva son. On the birth of his son, the King, surrounded by the Brâhmins, performed his ablutions and first of all performed the natal ceremonies and distributed innumerable jewels and much
wealth; and the King’s joy knew no bounds at that time. The liberal King gave away, in special charities, wealth, grains, and various jewels and lands and had the performance of music, dancing and other things.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the going to Heavens of Tris’anku and the commencement of Haris’chandra’s narrative in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XV
On the story of the King Haris’chandra
1-7. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When there was going on in the King’s palace, the grand festivities for the son’s birth ceremonies, Varuna Deva came there in the holy Brâhmin form. “Let welfare be on you.” Saying this, Varuna began to say :-- “O King! Know me to he Varuna. Now hear what I say. O King! Your son is now born; therefore perform sacrifices in honor to me with your son. O King! Your defect of not having a son is now removed; so fulfil what you promised before.” Hearing these words, the King began to think “Oh! Only one lotus-faced son is born to me; how can I kill it. On the other hand, the powerful Regent (Lokapâla) of one quarter is present in Brâhmana form; and it never behoves one to show disrespect to a Deva or to a man who wishes welfare to us. Again it is very difficult to root out the affection for a son; so what am I to do now? How shall I preserve my happiness due to the birth of my son.” The King, then, with patience bowed down to him and worshipped him duly and humbly spoke to him in beautiful words, pregnant with reason.
8-10. O Deva of the Devas! I will obey your order no doubt and I will perform your sacrifice according to the Vedic rites and with profuse Daksinâs (remuneration to priests, etc.) But, when in a sacrifice human beings are immolated as victims, both the husband and wife are entitled to the ceremony. Father becomes purified on the tenth day and mother on the expiration of one month after the son’s birth; so how can I perform the sacrifice until one month expires! You are omniscient and the master of all the beings; and you know what is Nitya Dharma. So, O Varuna Deva! I want one month time; and show mercy thus on me.
11-19. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The King Haris’chandra saying thus, Varuna Deva spoke to the King :-- “O King! Welfare be unto
you! Do your duties; I am now going back to my place. O King! I will come again after one month. Better finish the natal ceremonies and the Nâmakarana ceremony regularly and then perform my sacrifice.” O King! When Varuna Deva turned his back, the King began to feel happiness. Then the King gave as gifts millions of cows, yielding plenty of milk and ornamented with gold, and mountains of Til, sesamums to the Brâhmins versed in the Vedas and kept his name, with formal ceremonies as Rohitâs’va. When one month became complete, Varuna Deva came again in a Brâhmin form and frequently said :-- “O King! Start the sacrifice just now!” The King, on seeing the God of Waters, at once fell into an ocean of anxieties and sorrows; he then bowed down and worshipping him as a guest, spoke to him with folded palms :-- “O Deva! It is to my great fortune that you have landed your feet at my place; O Lord! My house has been sanctified to day. O Deva! I will do, no doubt, your desired sacrifice according to the rites and ceremonies. But see, the victims that have not their teeth come as yet are not fit for a sacrifice; so the versed Pundits say; so I have settled I would perform your great sacrifice, as desired by you, when the teeth will come out of my son.”
20-41. Vyâsa said :-- O Lord of men! Hearing thus, Varuna spoke “Let it be so” and went away. The King Haris’chandra became glad and passed his days in enjoyments in his household. When the teeth of the child got out, Varuna knew it and came again in a Brâhmin garb in the palace and spoke “O King! Now commence my sacrifice.” Seeing the Brâhmin Varuna there, the King, too, bowed down and gave him a seat and shewing all respects to him, worshipped him. He sang hymns to him and very humbly said with his head bent low :-- “O Deva! I will perform your desired sacrifice with plenty of Daks’inâs according to rites and ceremonies. But the child’s Chûdâkarana (the ceremony of tonsure) is not yet done; so the hairs that were at the birth time are still there and the child cannot be fit for sacrifice as long as those hairs exist. So I have heard from the elderly persons. O Lord of Waters! You know the S’âstric rules; kindly wait till the Chûdâkarana is over. When the child will have his head shaven, I will certainly perform your sacrifice; there is no doubt in this.” Hearing these words, Varuna spoke to him again :-- “O King! Why are you deceiving me like this so often? O King! Now you have all the materials ready for the sacrifice; only for your filial affection you are deceiving me. However, if, after the ceremony of tonsure, you do not perform my sacrifice, I will be angry and I will curse you. O King! I am going for the present; but see do not tell lies, being born in the family of Iksâku.” Instantly Varuna
disappeared; the King, too, felt himself happy in his household. When the ceremony of tonsure was commenced and grand festivities were held, on the occasion Varuna soon came again to the King’s palace. The queen was then sitting before the King with the child in her lap when Varuna came up there. The Brâhmin Varuna then appeared like a Flaming Fire and spoke to the King in a clear voice :-- “O King! Start the sacrifice.” Seeing him, the King was confused with terror and with folded palms, quickly bowed down to him. After worshipping him duly, he very humbly said :-- “O Lord! Today I will perform your sacrifice. But kindly hear with attention my saying and then do what is advisable. O Lord! If you approve of this as reasonable, I then open my heart to you. The three Varnas Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas, and Vais’yas become Dvîjas (twice-born) only when they are duly purified according to proper rules and ceremonies; without any such purifications they are certainly S’ûdras. So the Pundits versed in the Vedas declare. My child is now an infant only; so it is like a S’ûdra. When his thread ceremony (Upanayan) will be performed, he will then be fit for the sacrifice; this the Veda S’âstras declare. The Ksatttriyas are so purified in their eleventh year; the Brâhmanas in their eighth year and the Vais’yas in their twelfth year. So, O Lord of the Devas! If you feel pity for your this humble servant, then wait till the Upanayana ceremony is over, when I will perform your grand sacrifice with my son. O Bibhu! You are the Lokapâla; specially you are conversant with all the S’âstric rules and have acquired the knowledge of Dharma. If you think my saying as true, then go to your home.”
42-51. Vyâsa said :-- Hearing these words, Varuna’s heart was filled with pity and so he went away instantly, saying “Let it be so.” Varuna going away, the King felt very glad and the queen, knowing the welfare of the son became glad too. Then the King gladly performed his state duties. After some time, the child grew ten years old. Consulting with the peaceful Brâhmanas as well as his ministers, he collected materials for the Upanayana ceremony befitting his position. When the eleventh year was completed by his son, the King arranged everything for the thread ceremony but when his thoughts turned to Varuna’s sacrifice, he became very sad and anxious. When the thread ceremony began to be performed, the Brâhmin Varuna came there. Seeing him, the King instantly bowed down and standing before him with clasped palms, gladly spoke to him :-- O Deva! My son’s Upanayana being over, now my son is fit for the victim in the sacrifice; and by your grace, my sorrow that was within me as not having a son, has vanished. I speak truly before
you that, O Knower of Virtue! after some mere time I have desired to perform your sacrifice with plenty of Daksinâs. In fact, when the Samâvartan ceremony will be over, I will do as you like. Kindly wait till then.
52-62. Varuna said :-- O Intelligent One! You are very much attached to your son now and so by various reasonable plays of intellect, you are repeatedly deceiving me. However, I am going home today at your request but know certain that I will come again at the time of the Samâvartan ceremony. (N. B.:-- Samâvartan means the return home especially of a pupil from his tutor’s house after finishing his course of study there.) O King! Thus saying, Varuna went away and the King became glad and began to perform duly his various duties. The prince was very intelligent; and as he used to see Varuna coming, now and then, at the time of the ceremonies, he became very anxious. He then made enquiries outside hither and thither and came to know of his own being about to be killed and he desired to quit the house instantly. He then consulted with the minister’s sons and came to a final conclusion and went out of the city to the forest. When the son had gone to the forest, the King became very much afflicted with sorrow and sent messengers in quest of him. When some time passed away, Varuna came to his house and spoke to the distressed King :-- “O King! Now perform your desired Sacrifice.” The King bowed down to him and said :-- “O Deva! What shall I do now? My son has become afraid and has gone away. I do not know where he has gone. O Deva! My messengers have searched for him in difficult places in mountains, in the hermitages of the Munis, in fact, in all the places; but they have not been able to find him out anywhere. My son has left his home; order now what I can do. O Deva! You know everything; so judge I have got no fault in this matter. It is certainly luck and nothing else.”
63-66. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words of the King, Varuna became very much angry and when he saw that he was deceived so many times by the King, he then cursed, saying :-- “O King! As you have cheated me by your deceitful words, so you be attacked by dropsy and be severely pained by it.” Thus cursed by Varuna, the King was attacked with that disease and began to suffer much. Cursing thus, Varuna went back to his own place and the King was much afflicted with that terrible disease.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the story of the King Haris’chandra in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XVI
On the story of S’unahs’epha
1-4. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When Varuna went away, the King was very much laid down with that dropsy and daily his pains began to increase and he began to suffer extreme pains. O King! The prince, on the other hand, heard, in the forest, of the illness of his father and filled with affection, wanted to go to his father. A year had passed away and the prince desired very gladly to go to his father and see him. Knowing this, Indra came there. He came instantly in the form of a Brâhmin and with favourable arguments desisted the prince, who was about to go to his father.
5-31. Indra said :-- “O Prince! It seems you are silly; you know nothing of the difficult state policies. Therefore it is that you are ready to go, out of sheer ignorance, to your father. O Fortunate One! If you go there, your father will get his sacrifice, where a human victim is to be offered, performed by the Vedic Brâhmanas and your flesh will be offered are oblations to the blazing Fire. O Child! The souls of all the beings are very dear; it is for that reason, for the sake of soul, that sons, wife, wealth and jewels are all dear. Therefore, though you are his dear son, like his son, yet he will certainly have you killed and get Homas offered, to free himself from the disease. O Prince! You ought not to go home now; rather when your father dies, you would certainly go there and inherit your Kingdom.” O King! Thus hindered by Vâsava, the prince remained in that forest for one year more. But when the prince again heard of the severe illness of his father, he wanted again to go to his father, resolved to court the death of his ownself. Indra also came there in the form of a Brâhman and, with reasonable words, repeatedly advised him not to go there. Here, on the other hand, the King Haris’chandra became very much distressed and troubled by the disease and asked his family priest Vas’istha Deva :-- “O Brâhmana! What is the sure remedy for the cure of the disease?” Vas’istha, the Brahmâ’s son, said :-- “O King! Purchase one son by giving his value; then perform the sacrifice with that purchased son and you will be free from the curse. O King! The Brâhmins, versed in the Vedas, say that sons are of ten kinds, of whom the son, purchased by paying its proper value, is one of them. So buy one son. There will very probably be within your kingdom a Brâhmin who might sell out of avarice, his son. In that case Varuna Deva will certainly be
pleased and grant your happiness.” Hearing these words of the high-souled Vas’istha, the King became glad and ordered his minister to look after such a son. There lived in that King’s dominion one Brâhmin, named Ajigarta, very poor; he had three sons. The minister spoke to him to purchase his son :-- “I will give you one hundred cows; give one son of yours for the sacrifice. You have three sons named respectively S’unahpuchcha, S’unahs’epha and S’unolangula. Give me out of them one son and I will give you one hundred cows as his value.” Ajigarta was very much distressed for want of food; so when he heard the proposal, he expressed his desire to sell his son. He thought that his eldest son was the rightful person to perform funeral obsequies and offer Pinda and he therefore did not spare him. The youngest son, too, he did not spare also, as he considered that his own. At last, he sold his second son for the price of one hundred cows. The King then bought him and made him the victim for the sacrifice. When that boy was fastened to the sacrificial post, he began to tremble and very much distressed with sorrow began to cry. Seeing this, the Munis cried out in a very pitiful tone. When the King gave permission for the immolation of that boy, the slaughterer did not take weapons to slaughter him. He told that he would never be able to kill the boy, since he is crying in a very pitiful tone. When he thus withdrew himself from his work, the King then asked his councillors :-- O Devas! What ought to be done now? S’unahs’epha then began to cry in a very pitiful voice; the people present there began to discuss and there arose a great noise on the affair. Then Ajigarta stood up in the midst of the assembly and spoke :-- “O King! Be patient; I will fulfil your desire. I am desirous of wealth and if you give me double the amount, I will slay immediately the victim; and you can complete early your sacrifice.” O King! He who is hankering after money, can always entertain
feelings of enmity even towards his own son. There is no doubt in this.
32-35. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing those words of Ajigarta, Haris’chandra gladly spoke to him :-- “I will immediately give you another hundred excellent cows.” Hearing thus, the son’s father, avaricious of wealth, immediately resolved and became ready to slay his son. All the councillors seeing the father ready to slay his son, were struck with sorrow and began to lament exclaiming “Alas! This wretch, a disgrace to his family, is now ready to kill his own son. Oh! We never saw before such a cruel vicious person. This Brâhmin must be a Demon in a Brâhmin body!
36-38. Fie on you! O Chândâla! What a vicious work are you now going to do? What happiness do you derive by slaying the son, the jewel of jewels, only to get some wealth? O Sinner! It is stated in the Vedas that the soul takes its birth from one’s body; so how are you going to slay your soul!” When the hue and cry arose in the assembly, Vis’vâmitra, the son of Kaus’ika, went to the King and, out of pity, said :--
39-56. O King! S’unahs’epha is very piteously crying; so let him be free; and then your sacrifice will be complete and you will be free of your disease. There is no virtue like mercy and there is no vice like killing (Himsâ). What is written about killing animals in the sacrifice, is only meant for the persons inclined to sensual objects and to give them a stimulus in that direction. O King! He who wants his own welfare and who wants to preserve his own body ought not to cut another’s body. He who pities equally all the beings, gets contended with a trivial gain and subdues all his senses; God is soon pleased with him. O King! You should treat all the Jîvas like yourself and thus always spend your life, so dear to all. You desire to preserve your body by taking away the life of this boy; similarly why would he not try to preserve his own body, the receptacle of happiness and pleasures. O King! You have desired to kill this innocent Brâhmin boy; but he will never overlook this enmity of yours done in previous lives. If anybody kills another willingly, though he has got no enmity with him, then the one that is killed will certainly kill afterwards the slayer. His father, out of greed for money, is deprived of intellect and so has sold away his son. The Brâhmin is certainly very cruel and sinful. There is no doubt in this. When one goes to Gayâ or one performs an As’vamedha sacrifice or when one offers a blue bull (Nila Vrisabha), one does so on the consideration that one would desire to have many sons. Moreover the King has to suffer for one-sixth of the sins committed by anyone in his Kingdom. There is no doubt in this. Therefore the King ought certainly to prohibit any man when he wants to do a sinful act. Why then did you not prevent this man when he desired to sell his son? O King! You are the son of Tris’anku; especially you are born in the Solar line of Kings. So how have you desired, being born an Âryâ, to do an act becoming an An-Âryâ (non-aryan). If you take my word and quickly free this Brâhmin boy, you will certainly derive virtue in your body. Your father was converted into a Chândâla by a curse but I sent him in his very body to the Heavens. And you are well acquainted with this fact. Therefore, O King! Keep my word out of your love for that. This boy is very pitifully crying; so free him. I pray this from you in this your Râjasûya sacrifice and if you do not keep my word, you will incur the
sin of not keeping my word. Do you not realise this? O King! You will have to give anything that a man wants from you in this sacrifice; but if you do otherwise, sin will attack you, no doubt.
57-59. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words of Kaus’ika, the King Haris’chandra spoke thus :-- O son of Gâdhi! I am suffering very much from the dropsy; I will not be able therefore to free him. You can pray for some other thing. You ought not to throw obstacles in this my sacrifice. Vis’vâmitra became very angry at this, and seeing the Brâhmin boy very distressed, became sorrowful and mourned very much.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the story of S’unahs’epha in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XVII
On the freeing of S’unahs’epha and the curing of Haris’chandra
1-6. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When Vis’vâmitra saw that the boy was crying very pitifully, he went to him with a merciful heart and said :-- “O Child! I am giving you the Varuna Mantra; recollect this within your mind and if you go on repeating that Mantra silently, you will certainly fare well.” The sorrowful S’unahs’epha, hearing thus from Vis’vâmitra, began to repeat silently in his mind the above Mantra, clearly pronouncing each letter. O King! No sooner S’unahs’epha repeated that Mantra than the kind-hearted Varuna came suddenly before the boy, greatly pleased with him. Everyone in the assembly became thoroughly surprised to see Varuna Deva come there and they all became glad and chanted hymns in honour of him. The diseased Haris’chandra was also thoroughly surprised, fell to his feet, and with folded palms began to sing hymns to Varuna, standing before him.
7-14. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Deva of the Devas! I am very vicious; my intellect is much defiled; I am a sinner before you; O Merciful One! Now show your mercy and sanctify this humble self. I was very much troubled on not having a son; so I had disregarded your words; now show your mercy on me; what offence can cling to him whose intellect is already out of order? A beggar does not see his own faults; I am also in want of a son; so I could not see my defects. O Lord! Being afraid of the terrors of hell, I have deceived
you. Those, who are sonless, cannot find rest anywhere. Especially he is barred from the Heavens. Being terrified by this dictate of S’âstra, I have shown disregard to your words. O Lord! You are wise and I am ignorant; especially I am extremely afflicted by this terrible disease; I am also deprived of my son; so you ought not to take any notice of my faults. O Lord! I do not know where my son has gone; O merciful One! Perhaps he, being afraid of his life, has fled away to some forest. For your satisfaction, I have now commenced your sacrifice with this purchased boy; I gave an equivalent value and I have purchased this boy. O Deva of the Devas! Your sight only has taken away my infinite troubles; now if you be pleased, I can be free of my this disease dropsy and my troubles will all be over.” Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing thus the words of that diseased King, Varuna, the Deva of the Devas, took pity on him and thus spoke.
15-22. Varuna said :-- “O King! S’unahs’epha is uttering hymns of praise to me; he has become very distressed; so quit him. Your sacrifice, too, is now completed; now let you be free from your present disease.” Thus saying, Varuna freed the King of his disease in the presence of all his councillors; the King became possessed of a beautiful body and got himself completely cured and shone bright before the assembly. Shouts of victory arose from the midst of the sacrificial ground when the Brâhmin boy was freed of his bonds of rope, by the mercy of the high-souled Deva Varuna. The King became very glad on his being recovered immediately from his disease and S’unahs’epha, too, became free from his anxiety and pacified when he got himself liberated from his being immolated on the sacrificial post. Then the King Haris’chandra completed his sacrifice with great modesty. Afterwards S’unahs’epha addressed the councillors with folded palms and said :-- O Councillors! You know well the Dharma; O Speakers of truth! Kindly specify according to the dictates of the Vedas. O Omniscient ones! Whose son am I now? Who is my most respectful father? Please deliver your judgment and I will take his refuge.
23-34. When S’unahs’epha spoke thus, the members of the assembly began to speak to each other, “The boy must be of Ajigarta; whose else can he be? This boy is born of the limbs of Ajigarta; and he has nursed him according to his might. So he must be his son; whose else can he be?” Vâma Deva then told the people of the assembly, “The father of the boy sold his son for money; the King purchased him. So he can be said as the son of the King; or he may be called the son of Varuna, in as much as he freed him from his rope bondage. For, he
who nourishes another with food, who saves one from one’s fear, who protects one by giving money, who bestows learning to anybody and he who gives birth to any of the above five classes of persons can be called his father.” O King! Thus some one turned out to be in favour of Ajigarta, some other in favour of the King; but nobody came to any definite conclusion. When matters stood in this doubtful condition, the omniscient all-respected Vas’istha Deva addressed the disputing members thus :-- “O high-souled Ones! Kindly hear what the S’rutis say on this point. When the father has cut off his filial attachment and has sold his son, his fatherly connection has ceased then. No doubt this boy was purchased by the King Haris’chandra. But when the King fastened him to the sacrificial post, he cannot be called as the father. Again when this boy singing hymns in honour of Varuna, he being glad freed him of his bondage, so Varuna cannot be called his father. For whoever praises a god by the great Mantra, that Deva becomes pleased with him and gives him wealth, life, cattle, kingdom and even final emancipation. Rather Vis’vâmitra saved the boy by giving him in his critical moment the powerful great Mantra of Varuna; hence the boy can be called as the son of Vis’vâmitra and of none else.”
35-40. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing the words of Vas’istha, all the members of the assembly gave their unanimous consent and Vis’vâmitra with his heart filled with love, exclaimed, “O Son! Come to my house.” And caught hold of his right hand. S’unahs’epha, too, accompanied him and went away. Varuna also went to his own abode with a gladdened heart. The councillors, too, departed. Freed from his disease, the King gladly began to govern his subjects. At this time his son Rohitâ heard all about Varuna and became very glad and leaving the impassable forest passes and mountains, returned home. The messengers informed the King of the arrival of the prince; the King heard and his heart overflowed with love and he gladly came there with no delay.
41-48. Seeing the father coming, Rohitâs’va became filled with love and overpowered with sorrow for long separation began to shed tears and fell prostrate at his feet. The King raised him up and embraced him gladly and smelling his head enquired of his welfare. When the King was thus asking his son, taking him on his lap, the hot tears of joy flowed from his eyes and fell on the head of the prince. The King and the prince then began to govern together his kingdom. The King described in detail all the events of the sacrifice where human victims are immolated. He started next the Râjasûya sacrifice, the best of all sacrifices, and duly worshipping the Muni Vas’istha, made him the
Hotâ in that sacrifice. When this grand sacrifice was finished, the King respected the Muni Vas’istha with abundant wealth. Once, on a time, the Muni Vas’istha went gladly to the romantic Heaven of Indra; and Vis’vâmitra, too, went there also and both the Munis then met with each other. The two Maharsis took their seats in that Heaven. But Vis’vâmitra was astonished to see Vas’istha greatly respected in Indra’s hall of assembly and asked him, thus :--
49. “O Muni! Where have you received this great honour and worship? O Highly Fortunate One! Who has worshipped you thus? Speak out truly.”
50-53. Vas’istha said :-- “O Muni! There is a King named Haris’chandra; he is very powerful and my client; that King performed the great Râjasûya sacrifice with abundant Daksinâs. There is no other King truthful like him; he is virtuous, charitable, and ever ready in governing his subjects. O Son of Kaus’ika! I have got my worship and honour in his sacrifice. O best of Dvîjas! Are you telling me to speak truly? Again I speak truly to you that there never was a King truthful, heroic, charitable, and very religious like him nor there will be such a one.”
54. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing such words, the Vis’vâmitra, of a very angry temper, spoke to him with his reddened eyes :--
55-59. “O Vas’istha! Haris’chandra obtained a boon from Varuna when he made a certain promise; then he cheated Varuna with deceitful words. So he is a liar and cheat. Why are you praising then that King? O Intelligent One! Let us now stake all our virtues that we have earned since our birth by our asceticism and studies. You have praised exceedingly that King who is a great cheat; but if I cannot prove him to be a liar of the first order, I will lose all my virtues from my birth; but if it be otherwise, then all your virtues will be destroyed.” Thus the two Munis quarrelled with each other and making this stake, departed from the Heavens and went to their respective Âs’ramas.
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter in the Seventh Book on the freeing of S’unahs’epha and the curing of Haris’chandra in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XVIII
On the origin of the quarrel between Haris’chandra and Vis’vâmitra
1-6. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Once on a time Haris’chandra went out to the forest on an hunting excursion; and, while roaming to and fro, he saw that a very beautiful lady was crying. The King, seeing this, took pity on her and asked :-- “O Fair One! Why are you in this forest crying alone? O Large eyed One! Has someone pained you? What is the cause of your sorrow? Express this quickly before me. Why have you come here in this dreadful lonely forest? What are the names of your husband and your father? O Beautiful One! In My kingdom, no demon can give any trouble to another’s lady; I will immediately kill him who has given you this trouble. O thin-bellied One! Be comfortable; do not weep; tell me why you are in this sorrowful state; know that no sinner can remain within my territory.” Hearing the words of the King, the lady wiped out her tears by her hand and began to say :--
7-8. O King! I am Siddharupinî, of the nature of success; to get me, Vis’vâmitra is practising terrible austerities. So these troubles have arisen from him, the son of Kaus’ika. O King! For this reason I am sorry in Your kingdom. O One of good vows! I am a gentle lovely Lady; still that Muni is giving me so much trouble.
9-16. The King said :-- “O Large-eyed One! No longer you will have to suffer any more pains. Be patient. I will go and make the Muni desist from his tapasyâ.” Thus comforting the lady, the King went hurriedly to the Muni Vis’vâmitra and, bowing down to him said with clasped palms :-- O Maharsi! Why are you ailing your body by this terrible severe austerity! O Highly intelligent One! For what great noble cause are you practising this hard tapasyâ; speak truly to me. O Son of Gâdhi! I will fulfil your desires; there is no need of your practising this severe penance; please get out of it immediately. O Maharsi! You know everything; so what shall I say anything further? See! It ought not anyone to practise this extremely dreadful tapasyâ, causing troubles to the people within my territory. Thus prohibited by the King Haris’chandra, the Muni became very angry at his heart and went towards his own hermitage. The King, too, went back to his palace. The Muni on his arrival at his hermitage, began to cogitate in his mind, “Why has the King unjustly desisted me from
my tapasyâ” and also the discussions that took place between him and Vas’istha. Vis’vâmitra became very angry at his heart and ready to take the vengeance of this. He thought over on many points and created a terrible demon of a dreadful appearance in the form of a boar and sent it to the territory of the King Haris’chandra.
17-28. That terrible boar, of huge body, entered into the kingdom, raising a dreadful sound. The guards became afraid at his terrible noise. Entering into the forest, that boar began to whirl round and round and destroy the Mâlati forest, at another place the Kadamba forest, and at others the Yûthikâ forest. At other places he began to dig up the earth by his tusks and root out the Champaka, Ketakî, Mallikâ and various other trees. At other places again, he rooted out nice gentle Us’îra, Karavîra, Muchukunda, As’oka, Vakula, Tilaka and other trees and so massacred the nice gardens and forests. The forest guards, then, taking their weapons, rushed forward on that boar. Those that were making garlands and the florists became very distressed and uttered uproars of consternation. That boar, as if an incarnate of Death, though routed out with flights of arrows, could not be terrified; rather when he began to harass the guards very much, they became very much afraid and being very distressed took the refuge of the King and, trembling, said :-- “O King! Protect us. Protect us.” And they cried piteously. Seeing the guards terrified and distressed, the King asked them :-- Whom do you fear so much and why you are so distressed? Speak truly before me. O Guards! I do not fear the Deva nor the Demons; so tell me who has created this panic amongst you. I, no doubt, will send that vicious cheat unto the door of Death by this arrow, who has come against me in this world. What sort of enemy is that? What is his form? What is his power and where is he residing now; speak this quickly to me. Be that enemy a Deva or a Dânava, I will slay him immediately by the multitude of arrows.
29-31. The Mâlâkâras said :-- The enemy is not a Deva, nor a Dânava, Yaksa nor a Kinnara; it is a boar of a huge body that has entered into the forest. Very powerful, he is uprooting by his teeth all the beautiful flower trees; in fact, he is ruining all the gardens and forests. O King! We shot arrows on him, struck him with cudgels and hurled stones at him so much; yet he did not get a bit afraid; rather he turned back to kill us.
32-51. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words, the King’s fury knew no bounds and, immediately getting on horseback, he went towards the garden and forest. Then the horsemen, elephant drivers, charioteers and infantry, all followed him. When the King went there,
he saw the terrible boar, of a huge body, whirling round and round and making the peculiar sound in the forest; and he witnessed also the destroyed condition of the forest and became very angry. He then drew his bow and arrows and fell down on him to take away his life. Seeing the King coming angrily towards him with bow and arrows in his hands, the boar began to sound more terribly and ran forward before him. The King saw the boar coming towards him with his mouth wide opened and began to shower arrows upon him to kill him. The boar immediately made those arrows useless, and very violently and quickly jumped and passed away, over the King. When the boar passed away, the King angrily drew his bow with great care and shot sharpened arrows at him. One moment the boar came in the King’s sight; and at another moment he vanished away; thus the boar began to flee, uttering all sorts of sounds. The King Haris’chandra then became very angry and drawing his bow pursued him, mounting on a horse, swift like the wind. The soldiers then entered the forest and scattered hither and thither; the King alone pursued the boar. The sun entered unto the meridian; and the King came to be alone in a lonely forest. His horse was fatigued, and he, too, was tired of hunger and thirst. The boar went away out of sight. The King also missed his way in that dense jungle and became greatly absorbed with intense cares and anxieties. He then began to think, “Where shall I now go? There is none to help me in this dense jungle. Especially I don’t know the right path.” While he was thus thinking, he saw, all on a sudden, a river with clear water in that lonely forest. He became much delighted to see the flowing river and, alighting from horseback, he drank that water and made the horse also drink it. He became much relieved by drinking; and though he was much bewildered not to find the right track, he wanted now to go to his own city. At this moment Vis’vâmitra came up there in an old Brâhmin form; the King also looking at him bowed down to the Brâhmin garbed Vis’vâmitra, who then spoke to the King :-- “O King! Welfare be unto you! What for have you come here? O King! What object have you got in view in this lonely forest? Be calm and quiet and speak everything before me.”
52-58. The King said :-- “O Brâhmin! One powerful boar of a huge body entered into my garden and spoilt altogether all the gentle flower trees there. To desist that boar, I pursued him with bow in hand and went out of the city. That powerful boar, very swift and, as it were, a magician, has escaped my sight and gone away where I do not know. I pursued him and have come now to this place and I do not know where my soldiers have gone. O Muni! Now I am deprived of my men,
I am hungry and thirsty. I do not know which is the road to my city; nor do I know where my soldiers have gone. O Dear Lord! It is to my great fortune that you have come in this lonely forest. Now I want to return to my home; kindly shew me the way. I have completed my Râjasûya sacrifice. I always give everyone whatever he wants. This is known to everybody. O Dvîja! If you want money for your sacrifice, then come with me to Ayodhyâ and I will give you abundance of wealth. I am Haris’chandra, the famous King of Ayodhyâ.”
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the origin of the quarrel between Haris’chandra and Vis’vâmitra in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XIX
On the taking away of Haris’chandra’s Kingdom
1-12. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing thus the words of the King Haris’chandra, the Maharsi Kaus’ika smilingly said :-- “O King! This Tîrath is very sacred; if one bathes here, one is cleansed of one’s sins and virtue springs up. So, highly fortunate One! Bathe in this and do peace-offerings (tarpanam) to your fathers. O King! This time is very auspicious and highly meritorious; so take a bath in this sacred Punya Tîrtha and make charities as far as it lies in your power. Svâyambhuva Manu says :-- He, who arriving at a tîrtha capable to give high merits (Punya), does not bathe and make charities, deceives himself; so he is the slayer of his soul, no doubt. So, O King! Do meritorious acts as best as you can in this excellent tîrtha. Then I will shew you the way and you will go to Ayodhyâ. O Kâkutstha! Today I will be pleased with your gifts and I will accompany you to show you the way; this I have decided.” Hearing the deceitful words of the Maharsi, the King took off his upper garments and tying the horse on to a tree, went towards the river to bathe according to due rites. O King! The accidental combination, that was to have been so (sure to come), so enchanted the King by the Muni’s words, that he got himself entirely under the control of the Muni. He duly completed his bath and offered peace offerings to the Devas and the Pitris and then spoke to Vis’vâmitra. “O Lord! I am now making gifts to you. O Fortunate One! Cows, lands, jewels, elephants, horses, chariots or horses, etc., anything that you like I will give you just now. There is nothing that I cannot give. When I performed previously the Râjasûya
sacrifice, I took, then, before all the Munis, this vow. So, O Muni! You are also present at this principal Tîrtha (place of pilgrimage); so express what you desire; I will give you your desired object.”
13-15. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O King! Your glory is spread far and wide in this world; especially I have already heard that there is no second man charitable like you. The Muni Vas’istha has said :-- The
King of the solar dynasty, the Tris’anku’s son, Haris’chandra is foremost and first amongst the kings in this world and there is no one so liberal-minded as he is; such a king there never was nor ever there will be. So, O King! Now the marriage time of my son has arrived; so I pray before you today, that you give me wealth to celebrate this marriage.”
16. The King said :-- “O Brâhmin! Yes! Celebrate the marriage ceremony; I will give you your desired wealth. What more can be said than this that whatever wealth you would want, I will give that abundantly. There is no doubt in this.”
17-22. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words of the King, the Muni Kaus’ika became ready to deceive him and originating the Gândharbî Mâyâ, created a beautiful youth and one daughter aged ten years and showing them to the King, said, “The marriage of these two is to be celebrated today. O King! To marry the boys and the girls in the house-hold is to earn more merits than the Râjasûya sacrifice. So today you will get that desired fruit if you make charities for the marriage of this Brâhmin Youth.” The King was much enchanted by his Mâyâ; so no sooner he heard those words, he immediately promised :-- “That will be done,” he did not raise any objection whatsoever. Vis’vâmitra then showed the way and the King went to his city. Vis’vâmitra, too, thus deceiving the King, went back to his Âs’rama. When the King was staying in Agnis’âlâ (cook-room), Vis’vâmitra Muni went to him and said :-- “O King! The marriage rites have been finished; so today give me what I desire in this sacrificial hall.”
23-24. The King said :-- “O Brâhmin! Speak out what you want; now I like to get fame. So if there be anything in the world, that is not to be given by me, if you want, I will give that even to you, no doubt. The mortal, possessing all wealth, if he does not earn good name and fame, capable to give happiness to him in his next world, passes his life in vain.”
25. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O King! Give to this bridegroom, while within this sacred sacrificial altar, your entire kingdom with the royal umbrella and Châmara for fanning the king and elephants, horses, chariots, infantry and all the gems and jewels.”
26-33. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The King Haris’chandra was deluded by his Mâyâ; so no sooner he heard the Muni’s words, he willingly said without the slightest consideration :-- “O Muni! I give as you pray, my this vast dominion to you.” The very cruel Vis’vâmitra then said :-- “O King! I have accepted your offer; but O Intelligent One! Give now the requisite Daksinâ to complete your gift. Manu says gift without Daksinâ is fruitless; so to get the fruit of your gift give Daksinâ as duly fixed.” The King was exceedingly surprised to hear this and said :-- “O Lord! Kindly say what amount of wealth am I to give to you as Daksinâ. O Saint! Say the value of your Daksinâ. O Ascetic! Don’t be impatient; I will give you the Daksinâ to that amount, no doubt.” Hearing this, Vis’vâmitra told to the King :-- “At present give me two and a half loads of gold as Daksinâ.” The King Haris’chandra became greatly amazed and promised :-- “I will give you that,” he then anxiously mounted on his horseback and became ready to go quickly. At this time, his soldiers who lost their road in quest of their king, came to him. They were very glad to see him; but, seeing him anxious, they began to praise him in great haste.
34-47. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing their words, the King did not say anything, good or bad; but thinking on his own doing entered into the zenana. Oh! What have I promised to give? I have made a gift of all that I have; I am cheated in this matter by the Muni like one robbed by a thief in a wilderness. My whole dominion including my dress I have promised to give to him. Moreover I will have to pay besides two and a half loads of gold. My brain seems to have been completely destroyed. What to do now? I did not know the cunningness of the Muni. Therefore I am cheated by this deceitful Brâhmin. It is next to impossible to understand the work of Daiva. Oh! My Fate! What will happen to me now? Very much bewildered the King entered in the interior of the palace. The queen seeing her husband immersed in cares, enquired into the cause, thus :-- “O Lord Why have you become so absent-minded? Kindly say what you are thinking now? O King! The son has come back from the forest before you completed your Râjasûya sacrifice; why then are you in grief now? Kindly speak out the cause of your sorrow. Nowhere is your enemy, strong or weak; only Varuna was angry with you; now he is also very satisfied. So there is nothing further for you to do to think. O King! Owing to cares, this body gets weaker and weaker day by day. So nothing is like cares to lead one to death.” When his dear wife said so, the King expressed to her somewhat the cause of his
cares, good or bad. But the King was much absorbed with his cares so that he could not eat nor sleep though his bedding was perfectly white and clear. Early in the next morning, when, getting up from his bed, he was doing anxiously his morning duties, Vis’vâmitra came up there. When the sentinel informed the King of the arrival of Vis’vâmitra, he gave order for him to enter. Vis’vâmitra, the Looter of his all and everything, came before him and told the King who repeatedly bowed down to him :-- “O King! Now leave your kingdom and give me the gold that you promised as Daksinâ and prove that you are truthful.”
48-63. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Lord! I have given you this vast dominion of mine; so my Kingdom has now become yours; I am leaving this Kingdom and going to somewhere else. O Kaus’ika! You need not think a bit for this. O Brâhmana! You have taken my all according to the technical rule; so now I am unable to give you Daksinâ. If, in time, wealth comes to me, I will at once give you your Daksinâ.” Saying him thus, the King told his wife S’aivyâ, and his son Rohita, “In this Agnihotra room I say that I have given my vast dominion to the Muni Vis'vâmitra. Elephants, horses, chariots, gold and jewels all I have given to him along with my kingdom. What more than this that save us three, everything else I have given to him. O Maharsi! Take fully this prosperous dominion; we are going somewhere else to a forest or a mountain cave.” The exceedingly virtuous Haris’chandra spoke thus to his wife and son, and, paying respects to the Muni, went out from his house. Seeing the King going thus away, his wife and son, afflicted with cares, followed him with their sad faces. Seeing thus, all the inhabitants of Ayodhyâ cried aloud, and great consternation and uproar arose in the city. O King! What is this act that you have done? How has this suffering come to you! O King! The great Fate, without any consideration, has certainly deceived you. The Brâhmanas, Ks’attriyas, Vais’yas and S’ûdras, all the four Varnas gave vent to their sorrows, when they saw the King going away with his wife and son. The Brâhmins and the other inhabitants of the city, all were afflicted with sorrows and began to abuse the vicious Brâhmana saying that “He is a cheat, etc.” O King! Give the gold for Daksinâ and then go; or say that you will not be able to give and I will then not take the Daksinâ. Or if you entertain within yourself any greed, then take back all your Kingdom. O King! If you think that you have really made this gift, then give what you have promised. The son of Gâdhi was saying so, when the King Haris’chandra very humbly bowed down to him with folded palms and said to him.
Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the taking away of Haris’chandra’s Kingdom in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XX
On the earnestness of Haris’chandra to pay off the Daksinâ
1-4. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Muni! I will not take my food until I pay you your Daksinâ in gold; know this to be my resolve; therefore O One of good vows! Discard all your anxieties for Daksinâ. I am the King of the Solar dynasty; especially since the time I have completed my Râjasûya Sacrifice, I give to everyman whatever he desires. So, O Lord! How can it be possible that I will not give what I have voluntarily promised myself? O Best of Dvîjas! I will certainly pay off your debt. I must give you the gold as you desire; be calm and patient; but you will have to wait one month; and on getting the money I will pay it off to you.”
5-8. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O King! Kingdom, treasury and strength are the three sources of income; but you are now deprived of all these. Whence, now, do you expect to get gold? O King! Vain are your hopes to get money; what am I to do now? You are now wealthless and how can I, out of greed, give you trouble? O King! Better say ‘I will not be able to give you Daksinâ,’ and I will then quit my strong expectation and go away as I like. And you, too, can think that you have no gold, so how can you give money and so you can go wherever you like with your wife and son.”
9-20. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words of the Muni, at his time of departure, the King said :-- “O Brâhmana! Be patient and I will certainly give you your Daksinâ. O Dvîja! My wife, son and I myself are all healthy; so selling these, I will give you the money; there is no doubt in this. O Lord! Kindly enquire whether there is anyone who can purchase us and I will agree to become the slave with my wife and son. O Muni! You can sell all of us and the price you get, you can take two and a half loads of gold out of that and be pleased.” Thus saying, the King went to Benares where S’ankara was staying with his dear consort Umâ. The King saw the beautiful city, the sight of which makes one’s heart dance with more joy and he said that he had become blessed. Then he went to the banks of the Bhâgirathî and bathed
in the Ganges and offered peace-offerings (Tarpan) to the Devas and the Pitris and completing the worship of his Ista Deva (his own Deity) looked around where he would go. The King entering into the beautiful city of Benares began to think that no human being is protecting this city but S’iva Himself is protecting it. So if he lives there, he would not be living in a city which has been given away by him to Vis’vâmitra. The King, then, distressed much with pain and trouble and being very much bewildered, began to journey on foot with his wife and son and entered into the city and placed his confidence. At this moment he saw the Muni Vis’vâmitra, wanting Daksinâ and humbly bowed down and spoke with folded palms :-- “O Muni! My dear wife, my son and I myself are living here; you can take any of us and have your work done; or say what other work we will have to do for you.”
21. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “You promised that you would pay Daksinâ at the end of one month; and today that one month is completed; if you remember, then give me the Daksinâ.”
22. The King said :-- “O Brâhmana! You are wise and are endowed with the power of tapas (asceticism); as yet one month is not complete; still half a day is remaining; wait till then; and no longer.”
23-27. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O King! Let it be. I will come again and if you do not give me then, I will curse you. Thus saying Vis’vâmitra went away. The King then thought within himself how be would pay him back what he had promised. There is no influential friend of mine in this Benares city who can help me with money; where then can I get the requisite money. I am a Ksattriya. Pratigraha (begging or accepting any gift) is forbidden to me and how can I beg or accept any gift! According to the code of Dharma, the offering of sacrifices (on one’s own behalf), studying, and giving are the three duties ordained to a King. And if I die not paying a Brâhmin’s Daksinâ, I will be polluted with the sin of stealing a Brâhmin’s property and I will then be born a worm or will became a Preta. So to sell myself (and pay off the debts) is better than this.”
28-33. Sûta said :-- O Risis! When the King was thus thinking humbly with his face bent downwards, and in a distracted state of mind, his wife spoke to him with tears in her eyes and in a voice, choked with feelings :-- “O King! Discard all cares and keep your own Dharma, Truth. He who is divorced from Truth is forsaken like a Preta. O Best of all men! To keep one’s Truth is one’s Dharma; there is no other Dharma superior to it; so the sages declare. He whose
words turn out false, his Agnihotra, study, and gifts and all action, become fruitless. Truth is very much praised in the Dharma S’âstra and this Truth raises up and saves the virtuous souls. Similarly falsehood, no doubt, drags a vicious man to hell. The King Yayâti performed the Horse sacrifice, and the Râjasûya sacrifice and went to Heavens but once he spoke falsely and so he was dislodged from the Heavens.”
34. The King said :-- “O Thou, going like an elephant! I have my son who will multiply my line; speak out what Thou wishest to say.”
35. The Queen said :-- “O King! The wives are meant for sons (your having me has been fulfilled as there is your son). So sell me for the money value and give the Daksinâ to the Brâhmin. Let you not deviate from the Truth.”
36-45. Vyâsa spoke :-- Hearing this, the King fainted. Afterward regaining consciousness, he wept with a grievous heart. O gentle One! What you have uttered just now has caused me much pain; am I such a Sinner as to forget entirely all your conversations and your sweet smiles! Alas! O Sweet-smiling One! You ought not to speak such words. O Fair One! How have you been able to utter these harsh words not fit to be spoken! Speaking thus, the King became impatient at the idea of selling his wife and fainted and fell to the ground. Seeing him fainted and lying flat on the ground, the Queen became grievously hurt and spoke with great compassion. O King! Whose evil have you done that you have fallen into this calamity? Alas! He who is accustomed to sleep in a room adorned with carpets is today like a humble man, sleeping on the ground! The King who gave crores and crores of golden mohurs to the Brâhmins, that same King, my husband is lying now on the ground! Alas! What a painful thing! O Fate! What has this King done to you that You have thrown this Indra and Upendra like King in this dire calamity! Thus saying, the beautiful queen (of good hips) very much grieved by the sight of her husband’s pain fell down unconscious on the ground. Then the boy prince, seeing father and mother both senseless, lying on the ground, became very much troubled, and, becoming hungry, cried, “O Father! O Father! I am very hungry; give me food to eat; O Mother! O Mother! My tongue is being parched; give me food to eat,” and the boy began to weep repeatedly.
Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the earnestness of Haris’chandra to pay off the Daksinâ in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXI
On the description of the sorrows of Haris’chandra
1-5. Vyâsa said :-- O King! At this moment, the Muni Vis’vâmitra, endowed with his power of tapas, came up there, very angry as if the God of Death, to ask of his wealth. Seeing him Haris’chandra fallen thus senseless on the ground, Vis’vâmitra, then, began to sprinkle water on his body. O King! The man who is involved in a debt his troubles increase day by day. So get up and pay your promised Daksinâ. The King, thus sprinkled with water, cold as snow, regained his consciousness; but, seeing Vis’vâmitra, he fainted again. At this, the Dvîja Vis’vâmitra consoled him and angrily spoke to him thus :--
6-10. O King! If you want to maintain your steadiness, give, then my Daksinâ. Look! It is Truth that makes the Sun shine; It is the Truth that has stationed this Earth in its position; what to speak more, even the Svarga is established on Truth; so the greatest Dharma lies in Truth. If the fruit of the thousand As’vamedhas be held in one pan and Truth be held on the other pan of the balance, then Truth outweighs the thousand horse sacrifices or what need I to speak all about this! O King! If you fail to give my Daksinâ before the Sunset, I will, no doubt, curse you. Saying this, Vis’vâmitra went away. The King also became very terrified. The wealthless King was pained by the words of the Muni; but he was more troubled with the thought how he would pay him and keep to Truth.
11-13. Sûta said :-- O Risis! At this time, a Brâhmin, skilled in the Vedas, with many other Brâhmins, started out of his house, at that very place. The queen, then seeing the Brâhmin ascetic close by, addressed the King in words reasonable and in accordance with the Dharma, O Lord! A Brâhmin is considered the father of the other three Varnas (i.e., Ksattriyas, Vais’yas, and S’ûdras) and a son can certainly take the father’s things; so it is my intention that you beg your wealth from this Brâhmin.
14-18. The King said :-- “O One of thin waist! To beg suits the Brâhmanas; it is prohibited to the Ksattriyas; I being a Ksattriya do not wish to take anything as gift. The Brâhmins are the Gurus of all the Varnas. So they are always to be respected. It is not proper to beg from a Brâhmin; especially the Ksattriyas never ask anything from
the Brâhmins; it is totally prohibited. Offering oblations, study, gift and the governing of subjects and protecting those that take refuge is the Dharma of the Ksattriyas but they would never, never, ask any other man ‘Give, give,’ and utter these words indicative of humility O Devî! The words ‘I am giving you’ are impressed within my heart; so I will earn money from some other source and give that to the Muni.”
19-20. The Queen said :-- “O King! Time keeps some men in one and the same state; again it throws others into troubles; Time it is that gives respect to one and again it is Time that gives disrespect to others. Time it is that makes one a donor and it is the same Time that makes another a beggar. So even the Risi Vis’vâmitra, learned and endowed with the strength of Tapas, becoming angry has deprived you of your kingdom and happiness and has thus done quite an irreligious act in the shape of tormenting others. You can now judge in this the wonderful workings of Time.”
21-22. The King said :-- “I would rather out off my tongue into two pieces by a sharp sword than I would quit my Ksattriya pride; and I would never be able to utter the words ‘Give, give.’ O Fortunate One! I am a Ksattriya; so I never ask anything of anyone. I always say that, by the strength of my arms, I will earn money and pay off my debt.”
23-27. The Queen said :-- “O King! Indra and the other Devas have given me over duly to your hands. So I am your religious (legal) wife; especially I have got education and I ought to be protected. Therefore O Luminous One! If you do not like to beg then you can sell me and pay off your Daksinâ.” The King Haris’chandra became grieved very much to hear these words and lamented, saying, “O What a painful thing is this! What a painful thing is this!” His wife again spoke :-- “O King! Will we, afterwards, be burnt by the fire of curse from a Brâhmin and thus lowered very much? So keep my word now. You are selling me, not because that you are infatuated with desire for gambling nor you are deprived of all knowledge by enjoyments in worldly things nor you are selling me owing to avert the danger of your kingdom. It is that you are selling me to pay off the debt to your Guru. So nothing sinful a fault will be incurred by you. So sell me and keep to Truth and the fruits thereof.”
Here ends the Twenty-First Chapter of the Seventh Book on the description of the sorrows of Haris’chandra in the Mahâ Purânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXII
On the selling of Haris’chandra’s wife
1-6. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When the Queen Madhavî requested repeatedly the King, He said :-- “O Good Auspicious One! When you have not met with any scruple to utter clearly these harsh and cruel words, I will do that act now which the most ruthless persons do not dare to do.” Saying this, the King went with his wife, very distressed, to the city. Placing her on the public road, the King cried out in a voice choked with feelings and eyes full of tears :-- “O Citizens! Hear you all. Do any one of you require any maidservant? This lady is dearer to me than my life. If any of you be able to offer price of her as I will declare, then let him give it out quickly.” The Pundits then said :-- “Who are you? Why are you come here to sell your wife?”
7. The King said :-- “Are you asking me of my introduction? Hear then; I am a heartless brute and not fit to be called a man; or I am a Râksasa; nay, I am more than that; I am prepared to do this sinful act.”
8-11. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing this, Kaus’ika suddenly assumed the form of an old man and came out and spoke to Haris’chandra :-- I am master of boundless wealth; so I am able to give you the money you want; I am ready to purchase the maidservant by giving an equivalent wealth. Better give me the maidservant. My wife is exceedingly delicate; she is unable to do all the household work; so let me have the maid. But say quickly what value am I to pay? When the Brâhmin spoke this, Haris’chandra felt his heart, as it were, torn asunder; so he could not for the moment speak anything.
12-15. The Brâhmana said :-- Take an equivalent amount of money according to the age, beauty, qualifications and capabilities of your wife and hand her over to me. Hear about the prices of the male and female servants as written in the Dharma S’âstras :-- The price of a female servant clever, good, well-qualified and possessing thirty-two auspicious qualities is one Koti gold mohurs; and the male servant similarly qualified fetches one Arbuda gold mohurs. Haris’chandra became very much pained to hear the Brâhmin speaking thus; but he could not say anything. The Brâhmin then placed in front of the King the money over a bark and caught hold of the hair of the Queen and was ready to drag Her.
16-21. The Queen said :-- “O Ârya! Let me see once the lotus-face of my son; leave me once. O Brâhmin! Please see that it will be hard for me again to see this boy. O Son! Behold! Your mother is now a slave. So, O Prince, do not touch me. I am not fit now to be touched by you.” The boy, then, seeing the mother suddenly snatched away, cried out, “O Mother! O Mother!” and followed her with tears in his eyes. That boy tumbled at every step still he caught hold of the mother’s clothing by his hand and began to accompany her. The Brâhmin, seeing this behaviour of the boy, became impatient with anger and began to beat him. Still the boy wept, saying, “Mother! Mother!” and never quitted the hold of his mother. The Queen said :-- “O Lord! Have mercy on me and purchase this boy also. Though you are purchasing me, yet without this boy I will not be able to do your work. My fate is bad; therefore this calamity has happened. Shew this favour to me.”
22-24. The Brâhmin said :-- Take this money and give me the boy too. For the Wise in the Dharma S’âstras fix such to be the prices of a female and a male. The other Pundits make differences in the prices, e.g., one hundred, one thousand, one lakh, one crore and so on, according to the different qualifications. But for the female, who is skilled in all actions, modest, of good behaviour, and well qualified and, on whose body the thirty-two auspicious signs are seen, her price is one Koti gold mohurs and for a man qualified, one Arbuda gold mohurs.
25-35. Sûta said :-- O King! The Brâhmin then gave over the price of the boy as decided, in gold mohurs in front of the King over a bark and then tied both the mother and son. He, then, gladly and without any delay, carried them to his home. At the time of departure, the Queen circumambulated the King and, kneeling down, bowed down to him and, in that state of humility, began to speak :-- If ever I have done any charities, if ever I have poured oblations on the Fire, if ever I have satisfied the Brâhmins, then, by that virtue, Haris’chandra will again be my husband. Seeing his wife, dearer then his life, fallen on his feet, the King became very distracted and lamented, crying, “Alas! Alas! The shadow of a tree never leaves the tree; but you being verily modest and endowed with all qualifications, are now separated from me.” Speaking thus reasonably with his wife, the King said to his son :-- “O Child! Where will you go, leaving me here? Where shall I go now? and who will stop my miseries?” The King, then, spoke to the Brâhmin :-- “O Brâhmin! The pain that I experience in the separation from my son, I did not feel on the occasion of quitting my kingdom or on my being exiled in a forest.
O Auspicious One! The husband, good natured in this world, nourishes always his wife and keeps her always in comfort and happiness. But I am such a bad husband of yours, as I have left you and made you float in the sea of sorrows. Born in the Iksâku family, I inherited the kingdom and its pleasures; but, Alas! Your getting such a husband has now been reduced to slavery! O Devî! I am merged in this ocean of sorrows and troubles. Who will rescue me, by narrating this story of the Purânas!”
36-40. Sûta said :-- O King! The Brâhmin, then, began to take away the queen and the boy, whipping them, in the face of the King. Seeing his wife and son being dragged away in that state, the King’s pain knew no bounds and be frequently sighed and sighed and bitterly wept aloud. Alas! My dear wife, whom the Moon, the Sun, Wind or any other body could not see ere this, has become now reduced to slavery today! Oh! How beautiful and gentle are the fingers of my child? He has been sold off today, being born in the Solar Dynasty? Alas! Fie on my foolish understanding! Oh my Dear! Oh my child Rohitâs’va! Your this wretched condition is due to my Anârya irrespectable bad maxims! Oh! Through the mockery of the Daiva, I have got this distress! Fie on Me!
41-42 Vyâsa said :-- The King was lamenting thus when the Brâhmin disappeared with them, in the very tall trees and walls of palatial buildings. At this time the cruel fiendish Muni, endowed with great power of asceticism came there quickly, accompanied by his disciples.
43. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O One of mighty arm! If you think it your duty to respect Truth, then pay me the Daksinâ of Râjasûya sacrifice that you promised before.”
44. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Râjarsi! I bow down to Thee. O Sinless One! Now take the Daksinâ of the Râjasûya Sacrifice that I promised to pay you before.”
45. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O King! Whence have you collected these gold Mohurs that you are now paying me as my Daksinâ. How have you earned this? Say.”
46. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Dvîja! O Sinless One! What use is there in telling this to you. It will increase agony by hearing. O One of good vows!”
47. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “I won’t accept money earned not rightly.
Give what you have acquired by rightful means. Say truly how you have acquired it.”
48. Haris’chandra spoke :-- “O Brâhmin! I have sold my wife the Devî Madhavî for one Koti Gold Mohurs and my son for ten Kotis of gold Mohurs. So take this eleven Koti Gold Mohurs from me.”
49. Sûta said :-- Seeing the gold collected out of the sale of wife and son very small, and seeing the King overpowered with pain and sorrow, Kaus’ika angrily spoke :--
50-52. O King! The Daksinâ of the Râjasûya Sacrifice cannot be so small; so collect quickly other money to complete it. O Vilest of Ksattriyas! If you think this much to be proper for me, see first the enormous power of mine that I possess of my tapasyâ, practised duly, of my pure Brâhmanyahood, of my violent power and of my chaste study and then you can pay my Daksinâ.
53. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Bhagavân! I have sold just now my wife; and so wait for some time and I will collect more gold and will pay that to you.”
54. Vis’vâmitra said :-- “O King! The fourth part of the day is now remaining; I will wait till then. After this you won’t expect any other reply from me.”
Here ends the Twenty second Chapter of the Seventh Book on the selling of Haris’chandra’s wife in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXIII
On the King Haris’chandra’s acknowledging of the slavery of the Chândâla
1-5. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Speaking these harsh and cruel words to the King, the Muni took that money and went away. When Vis’vâmitra went away, the King Haris’chandra became very much perplexed with sorrows and sighed frequently. He then began to say with his face bent downwards. “Suffering from constant pain and troubles, I am now turned into a Preta; if anybody finds me serviceable, he may purchase me with value in gold as proper; but he should do this quickly before the sun sets.” Dharma, then, assuming the form of a heartless
Chândâla, came there quickly to test Haris’chandra. The body of that low mean person was of a black colour, his air looking ferocious, his belly elongated, body emitting stench odours, teeth very long, and his face, covered with beards. He had one bamboo in his hand; in his neck, the bones of the dead were hanging and his chest was very distorted.
6. The Chândâla said :-- “I am in urgent need of a servant; I will keep you as my slave; say, then, quickly what is your price?”
7. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When the cruel, extremely ferocious and heartless Chândâla said thus, the King Haris’chandra was surprised to see his appearance and said :-- “Who are you?”
8-12. The Chândâla said :-- “O King! I am the famous Chândâla, Pravîra; you will have to remain always subject to me and to collect the clothes of the dead persons.” Hearing his word, the King said, “I want to be purchased by a Brâhmin or a Ksattriya. See! The sages say, that the Dharma of good people is excellent; the Dharma of the persons intermediate is middling; and the Dharma of the mean is depressing. You belong to the low and mean class. So my Dharma cannot be observed if I remain in your house.” The Chândâla said :-- “O King! This is the Dharma of yours now mentioned by you; then why did you mention that anybody can purchase you; without any previous consideration, you spoke before me. He who speaks with preconsideration attains his desired object; but, O Sinless One! You did not consider and you spoke that ordinarily. However, if I take your words that you spoke first to be true, then you are no doubt, purchased by me.”
13. Haris’chandra said :-- The villain that speaks untruth, goes downright to a terrible hell; so to become a Chândâla is far better for me than to use an untrue word.
14-15. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When the King was speaking thus, the ascetic Vis’vâmitra arrived there out of anger and impatience; he rolled his eyes and said :-- This Chândâla is come to give you your desired money; why, then, are you not giving me the remnant of my Daksinâ!
16. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Kaus'ika! Nothing is unknown to you. My this body is born for the Solar Line; how then can I accept this slavery of a Chândâla!”
17-20. Vis’vâmitra said :-- If you do not sell yourself to a Chândâla, be certain that I will just now put you under my curse. Give me immediately
my Daksinâ, be it whether from a Chândâla or from a Brâhmana. There is no other purchaser at present than this Chândâla. But know this as certain that I won’t go back until I get my money. O King! If you do not give me money just now, then when half the Ghatikâ of the day is remaining, I will burn you up by my fire of anger.
2l. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words of Vis’vâmitra, the King became almost dead; bewildered with fear, then he clasped the feet of the Risi and said, “Be friendly, please.”
22-23. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Viprarsi! I am now very humiliated and have become very afflicted and distressed. Especially I am your Bhakta, I am your servant; so be graciously pleased and free me from this painful companion of a Chândâla. O Muni! In lieu of my remnant Daksinâ, I will be your obedient slave; I will do your work and follow your commands.”
24. Visvamitra said :-- “O King! You are then my slave, you will obey always my commands.”
25-26. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When Vis’vâmitra said so, the King, out of joy, thought that he regained his life and said to Kaus’ika. Always I will obey your words; now order me what work I will have to do.
27-28. Vis’vâmitra, then addressed the Chândâla and said :-- “O Chândâla! Come to me and give me the price for this slave. I am now handing this slave over to you; give me the price and take him. I want money; I have no need for a servant.”
29. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When Vis’vâmitra spoke thus, the Chândâla, overflowed with joy, came immediately to the Risi Vis’vâmitra and said :--
30. O Dvîja! The relief that you have given me by selling this servant, for that I will give you the ten Yoyanas wide land of Prayâga Mandalam, covered over with jewels.
31-36. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The Chândâla then gave one thousand gems, one thousand jewels, one thousand pearls and one thousand gold Mohurs and Vis’vâmitra took them. No signs of distraction nor unpleasantness were visible on the face of the King Haris’chandra. Rather he laid hold of his patience and thought within himself, “Vis’vâmitra is now my master; I will do any work that he puts
me in.” At this time, the incorporeal voice, the voice of the fourth dimensional space, sounded from the Heavens :-- “O Fortunate One! You are freed from the Daksinâ, the debt before that you promised to give me.” A shower of flowers fell on the head of the King from the Heavens. At this time the powerful Indra and the other hosts of the Devas praised the King, saying :-- “Sâdhu! Sâdhu! Well-done, Well-done.” The heart of the King was then filled with intense joy and the King then said to Kaus’ika :--
37-38. O Intelligent One! You are a greater benefactor to me than my father, mother and friend as you have freed me in a moment from my debts. So, O mighty armed one! Your words are beneficial to me. Now order what am I to do.
39. When the King said so, Vis’vâmitra then said :-- Go and observe from today the words of the Chândâla. Let good befall on you! Thus saying, the Maharsi Vis’vâmitra took the money given by the Chândâla and went away to his own place.
Here ends the Twenty-third Chapter of the Seventh Book on the King Haris’chandra’s acknowledging of the slavery of the Chândâla in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXIV
On the stay of Haris’chandra in the burning ground
1. S’aunaka said :-- “O Sûta! Now describe as quickly as you can in detail what the King Haris’chandra did afterwards in the house of the Chândâla.
2-14. Sûta said :-- When Vis’vâmitra went away, the mind of the Chândâla was filled with joy. He already gave to Vis’vâmitra that amount of jewels; so he tied now the King and, telling him, “Do you now stand on the path of falsehood?” began to beat him with sticks. The King was already very much tired of the bereavements from his dear ones; now being beaten by the Chândâla, his senses were lost. In this state the Chândâla took him to his house and fastened him with a chain. Then the Chândâla’s troubles were over and he fell asleep. The King lived in the Chândâla’s house in that state fettered by a chain; but he did not take any food there. Incessantly he wept for his wife and son and others. “Alas! That thin lady, seeing the sad face of
her son is now remembering me with a morose face. She is now perhaps thinking, with a grieved heart, that whenever the King will get the money, he will pay off the promised money to the Brâhmin and then will free us from this yoke of slavery. Alas! When will that day come when will he see me and this crying child and speak with us. When the son will cry, saying, ‘I will go to my father; father!’ When will he come and speak with the child? That fawn eyed gentle woman does not know that I am now placed under a Chândâla. Alas! I am deprived of my kingdom, friends; and I have sold away my wife and son; now I am bound in the chain of slavery of a Chândâla. Alas! So many miseries have fallen on me all one after another.” Thus thinking incessantly about his dear consort and son, the King passed his days in the house of that Chândâla. Four days passed; and on the fifth day the Chândâla came there and rebuked the King with very harsh words and freed him from his fastenings and said, “Go to the burial ground and collect the clothings of the dead bodies. There is a wide S’masân (burial ground) on the southern part of Kâs’î; go and protect that and whatever is due to you, justly take that; do not leave it. Take this Jarjara club and go there quickly. Say to all that you are the messenger of Vîravâhu and this staff is his.”
15-33. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Thus Haris’chandra became a Chândâla’s servant and was engaged in collecting the cloths of the dead persons. Thus ordered by the Chândâla, whose duty was to collect the rags of the dead bodies, the King went to the burial ground. To the south of the city Kâs’î, was situated the dreadful S’masâna, scattered over with the garlands of the dead, bad odours were emitting on all sides and it was covered all over with smoke. Hundreds of jackals were yelling there and the ground was being reverberated by their yells. Vultures, jackals and dogs were at many places dragging the dead bodies. At other places were scattered heaps of bones; the whole ground was covered with the putrid smell of the dead. At some places it seemed that from within the funeral pyre, the half-burnt dead bodies were laughing wildly with their teeth wide open from their mouths. Thus the dead bodies looked terrible when being placed under fire. Lots of dead bodies were brought there and there was a great tumultuous uproar made by the cries of their friends and relatives. Oh! My son! My friend! My relative! My brother! My child! My dear wife! Oh! My cousin! Oh! My grandfather! Oh! My father! My grandson! My acquaintance! Where hast thou gone leaving me here! Come once and let me have a sight of thee! With such dreadful sounds as these, the burial ground was being echoed. Flesh, marrow, fat all were being burnt in the
fire and a peculiar sound Son, Son was being produced there and creating voidness in the minds of the people. The fire was burning with a crackling noise. Thus the S’masâna looked very terrible as if the universe was being destroyed at the end of a Kalpa. The King Haris’chandra arrived there; and, with extreme pain, he began to give vent to his sorrows. “My ministers, servants! Where are you all now? Where is kingdom that I got by a succession of inheritance! O my Son! O my dear wife! Where are you staying now, at what a long distance, leaving me here out of the Brâhmin’s anger. Without Dharma man can never get auspicious fruits. So men should carefully earn Dharma.” The King, whose body was covered with dust and dirt, thought thus repeatedly; and at last, remembering the Chândâla’s words, went out in quest of the dead. Out of this eventful cares and anxieties, his body became lean like a stick; still he ran, to and fro, and calculated thus :-- “This dead body will fetch for its price one hundred gold mohurs; out of this, this belongs to the King; this to me, and this to the Chândâla.” So he thought constantly and his state became awful. His face, arm, belly and feet and the other parts of body were all covered over with ashes and dust; the King wore a ragged cloth where hundred places were sewn over; his toes were all besmeared with all sorts of flesh, marrow, fat and other things. He began to satisfy his hunger out of the food that was prepared for all sorts of dead bodies; and, taking their garlands, he encircled his head with them. Day and night he did not sleep and always he sighed and sighed, crying, Alas! Alas! Thus one year passed away, as if it had been three hundred years.
Here ends the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the stay of Haris’chandra in the burning ground in the Mahâ Purânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXV
On the quarrels between Haris’chandra and Vis’vâmitra
1-12. Sûta said :-- Here, on the other hand, one day the boy Rohitâs’va went out with other boys to play at some place close to Kâs’î. He first played with the his comrades; he then began to root out and collect, as far as he could, the Darbha (Kus’a) grass, with its ends and which had not deep roots. On being questioned why he was taking the Dharba grass, Rohitâ told his comrades that his master was a Brâhmin and that he was collecting them for his satisfaction. Saying this,
he began to collect carefully by his hands the sacrificial fuel (Samidha) and other fuel for the burning purposes. He collected the Palâsa wood for Homa purpose and making it into a bundle with other articles already collected, took it on his head, but at every step he seemed to be fatigued. Feeling thirsty he went to a pool of water close by and keeping his load on the ground went down to drink water. Drinking water he rested a while and then as he had kept his load on the anthill, be began to take it back on his head, a very poisonous deadly serpent came out suddenly out of that anthill at the order of Vis’vâmitra. The snake immediately bit the boy who instantly fell down and died. His comrades seeing Rohitâs’va dead went to the house of the Brâhmin. With much anxiety the boys went soon out of fear, to his mother and said :-- “O Brâhmin’s maidservant! Your son went out with us to play outside; but suddenly a poisonous snake bit him and he is dead.” Rohitâ’s mother, hearing these cruel words like thunder and lightning at once fell down on the ground like a plantain tree, cut off from its roots. The Brâhmin, then, came and sprinkled water on her face. When she regained her consciousness, the Brâhmin then angrily spoke :--
13-19. O wicked One! It is very inauspicious to cry at the evening time; especially the disfavour of the Goddess Laksmî; the poverty comes to the householder, you know this; why are you then weeping? Have you not a bit of shame in your heart? She made no reply at this. Rather very much immersed in grief for her son, she wept in a pitiful voice. Her body was covered with dust, hairs were dishevelled and her face covered all over with tears from eyes. She constantly wept out of sorrow. The Brâhmin, then, became very angry and spoke to the queen :-- “O Villain! O Wicked! Fie on you. I have bought you for money; yet you are hindering my luck. If you had this thought that you would not work under me, why did you take for nothing my money?” Thus repeatedly scolded by the Brâhmin, she pitifully cried and spoke to the Brâhmin in a voice choked with feelings :-- “O Lord! My son has fallen into the jaws of death, being smitten by a serpent. O One of good vows! I will never be able to see him. So kindly permit me to go and see my boy.” Saying thus, that lady began again to weep in a pitiful voice. The Brâhmin became very angry and spoke thus :--
20-26. O Cheat! Your conduct is extremely blameable; you do not know how one commits a sin. The man who taking his pay from his master spoils his master’s work, he goes to the terrible hell Raurava and is being scorched there. Living in the Hell for a short while, he is born as a cock. Or it is useless for me to give you this instruction of the Dharma S’âstra, for to speak to such to an illiterate, cruel, low, hypocrite
and liar and to one addicted to sinful acts is to sow seed on an usar land and to see it fruitless. Now if you have any fear for the afterlife, come and do the household affairs. Hearing this, she said to the Brâhmin, trembling :-- “O Lord! Be graciously pleased and shew your mercy on a maidservant. Only for a moment I will go to see the dead son of mine; so give me order to go there for a moment.” That lady was deeply absorbed with sorrows for her son; then she put her head on the feet of the Brâhmin and with a pitiful voice cried. The angry Brâhmin with eyes reddened then began to speak.
27-41. What purpose of mine will be served by your son? Don’t you know about my anger? Have you forgotten about my whipping? So be ready and do my household work without any delay. Hearing his words, the queen held her patience and began to do the household work. She spent half the night time, when she finished champooing his feet. When this was over, the Brâhmin spoke to her :-- “You can go now to your son; but see, finish his burning ceremonies and come back quickly. See that my morning works do not suffer.” Thus getting the permission, the Queen went at that dead of night to look for her son, alone and weeping. Gradually she went out of the precincts of the city of Kâsî and there she saw her son like a poor man’s son lying on the ground over leaves and pieces of woods. Seeing her son dead, the humble Queen was very troubled with sorrow like an antelope, straying from its herd and as a cow missing her calf. The Queen Mâdhavî then began to lament, in a very pitiful tone, thus :-- “O my Son! Come once before me; say why you are angry. Oh! My child! You used to come frequently to me, uttering Ma! Ma! Then why are you not coming now?” Saying thus, she tumbling went and fell over his son. She, regaining her consciousness, embraced her son and placing her face on the face of the child began to weep pitifully. “Oh! My son! Oh! My child! Oh my Kumâra! Oh! My Beautiful! and began to beat her head and her breast with her hands. O King! Where are you now? You used to look upon your son dearer than even your life. Your that son is now lying dead on the ground. Come and behold him once. It seems that the son has got back his life.” Thus thinking she looked upon his face; but when it looked dead, she fell immediately unconscious. Getting back soon her consciousness, she held his face by her hands and said :-- “O Child! Rise up from your sleep; awake; now is the dreadful night time; hundreds of jackals are yelling into our ears. Even Pretas, Bhutas, Pis’âchas and Dâkinîs are roaming in packs and making terrible sounds Hum, Hum. Your comrades returned to their homes just at sunset; Why are you alone remaining here?
42-56. Sûta said :-- The thin-bodied queen, thus saying, began to lament, “Oh my Child! Oh! My son, Oh! Rohitâs’va, O Kumâra, why are you not replying to my words! Oh my Child! I am your mother; do you not recognise me; look at me once. O Child! I am deprived of my kingdom and exiled from my country; my husband has sold even his body and I am myself reduced to slavery. What man is there that can live in this state! I am living simply by seeing your lotus-face. The astrologer who cast your horoscope at your birth, calculated future events in your life; but where? none of them is fructified. They said that this child will be a hero, warrior, long-lived, very charitable man, and always ready to do the worship of the Devas, Dvîjas and the Gurus. What more than this that the child will be one paramount sovereign and with his sons and grandsons will enjoy his kingdom. This boy will be the master of his senses and will fulfil the desires of his father and mother. Oh my Son! Now all those predictions have turned out false. O Child! You have on your palms so many auspicious signs, discus, fishes, umbrella, S’rî Vatsa, Svastika, flags, Kalas’a (earthen jar), Châmara and other signs; besides these, various other auspicious omens exist on your hands. Are all these become in vain today! O Son! You are the Lord of this whole dominion; but where are your that Kingdom now, those ministers, that royal throne, that umbrella, that axe, that vast amount of riches, that Ayodhyâ city, those palatial buildings, those elephants, horses, and chariots? Where have gone your subjects! O Child! Where have you gone now, quitting all these and even me! O beloved Husband! See the condition of your son who in his early childhood used to move on all fours (the hands and feet) and get up on your broad chest, anointed with Kumkum, and spoil it with dust; O King! Come once and witness the condition of your child who used to press, out of ignorance due to his young age, the Tilak on your forehead, prepared of Mriganâbhi, (musk). Alas! Flies are now sitting on the lotus face today which I used to kiss over, covered with dirt; the insects are now stinging that. Oh! This I have got to witness now! O King! Come and see once your child is now sleeping on the ground like a poor man’s dead son. O Fate! What bad act did I commit in my past life, that I have got to suffer so much in this life and I do not get an end of them! O Child! O Son! Oh, my Kumâra! Oh! My Beautiful! Shall I not be able to see you once any more elsewhere?” The Queen Mâdhavî thus lamented very much when the warders of the city, hearing her lamentations awoke and came to her without any delay, greatly astonished. They asked her thus :--
57-77. Who are you? Whose son is this? Where is your husband? Why are you weeping here in this dead of night, without any fear? Though thus questioned, the thin Queen did not reply anything. Being again asked, she remained silent; and in the next moment she was pained with extreme agony and began again to cry. Tears flowed incessantly from her two eyes out of her sorrow. The guards then began to suspect her and were greatly afraid. So much that hairs stood on their ends out of terror. They at once raised their arms and began to talk with each other. When this lady is not giving any sort of reply, she is then certainly not a woman; most probably she will be a Râksasî, knowing magic and destroying young children. So she should be killed with great attention. If she be not a Râksasî, then why she should stay in this dead of night outside the city? No doubt, this Râksasî has brought someone’s child to eat here. Thus saying, they, without any delay, tied her hairs closely and some caught hold of her hand and some caught hold of her neck, saying O Râksasî! where will you go now? The armed men, then dragged her perforce to the house of the Chândâla and handed her over to him. All the people said :-- “O Chief of the Chândâlas! We have caught today outside the city this child eating Râksasî; so you better take her quickly on the slaughter ground and slaughter her.” The Chândâla looked at her body and said, “This Râksasî is widely celebrated in this world. I know her from before; but nobody is able to see her. This Mâyâvinî has devoured many sons of many persons. You all will acquire great merit when she will be slaughtered and your good name will be known to all and will last long. You better now go back to your own homes. The man who kills women, children, cows and Brâhmins, who burns another’s house with fire, who destroys the wayfares of others, who steals his Guru’s wife, who quarrels with saintly persons, and who drinks wine, if killed, will certainly yield merits to the man who kills him. If such a one be a female or a Brâhmin, no sin will accrue if he or she be slaughtered.
So it is my paramount duty to kill her.” Saying this, the Chândâla tied her closely and drawing her by her hairs, began to beat her with a rope. Then he told to Haris’chandra in terse language :-- “O Slave! Kill her; this woman is by her very nature wicked; so do not judge anything in this matter of killing her.” Hearing these harsh words, like the falling of a thunderbolt, the King shuddered. When he came back to his nature, he fearing lest a woman be killed, said to the Chândâla :-- “I am not at all able to carry this order out; so kindly make over this task to some other servant of yours. He will kill her. I will certainly carry out any other order that you would task me to do.” Thus hearing
the King, the Chândâla said :-- Discard your fear and take the sword; this Mâyâvinî kills always the children; so to kill her is meritorious; in no way whatsoever ought she to be saved. The King became very sorry and said :-- Women should always be protected with care, never to be killed; the more so as the religious Munis have assigned greater sin in the killing of women. The man who kills consciously or unconsciously females, certainly becomes boiled in the Mahâ Raurava hell.
78-79. The Chândâla said :-- “Don’t you say this; take this sharp sword, lustrous like a lightning; where killing one engenders happiness to many, abundance of merits are acquired in doing that. This wicked fellow has eaten many children of this place; so kill her as early as possible and bring peace and happiness to the Kâsî people.”
80. The King said :-- “O Chief of the Chândâlas! I have taken the difficult vow from my childhood, not to kill any woman. Therefore I cannot exert myself in this matter of killing the woman as you order.”
81-82. The Chândâla said :-- “O Wicked Fellow! No work is superior which is not the master’s work. Why then are you cancelling today to carry out my order, when you are taking pay from me. The servant that spoils his master’s work, taking his money, is not freed from the hell even if he remains for ten thousand years there.”
83-86. The King said :-- “O Lord of the Chândâlas! Put me to some other task that is very difficult. I will do that easily. Or if you have an enemy, specify and I will kill him no doubt within an instant. I will give you the whole earth by killing him. Even if Indra comes against you with the other Devas, or Dânavas, or Uragas, or Kinnaras, or Siddhas, or Gandharbas, I will slay him with my sharpened arrows, but I will never be able to kill a woman.” The Chândâla, then, began to tremble with anger at these words and said to the King.
87-89. You are a servant and what you have spoken is not fit for a servant. Working as a slave of a Chândâla, you are speaking the words of the gods. Therefore, O slave! hear now what I say; no need of exchanging any further words. O Shameless One! If you fear sin a bit why then did you accept the slavery in a Chândâla’s house. Take this sword and cut off her head.” Thus speaking the Chândâla gave him the axe.
Here ends the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the quarrels between Haris’chandra and Vis’vâmitra in the Mahâ Purânam, S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXVI
On the narration of the sorrows of Haris’chandra
1-3. Sûta said :-- The King Haris’chandra with his face bent low thus said to the Queen :-- “O Young One! I am a great sinner, otherwise why shall I be ready to do this heinous act! However now sit before me. If my hand be capable to kill you, then it will cut off your head.” Thus saying, the King took the axe and moved forward to cut her. As the King did not recognise her as His Queen, so the Queen did not recognise him as Her husband, the King. So the Queen, being very much strained with sorrow, began to utter with a view to court her death.
4-16. O Chândâla! If you like, I say something; hear my son is dead and is lying close to the outer skirts of the city. Wait till I bring my child before you and do his burning ceremonies. Next you can cut me off by your axe. The King said :-- “Very well; let that be,” and gave her permission to go to her dead son. Then the Queen, emaciated and pale, her body being covered all over with dust arrived at the burning ground and taking her dead son, bitten by a serpent, on her lap cried out loudly “O Son! O my Child! O my young Son!” and referring to her husband said :-- “O King! See, today, the sad condition of your son, lying on the ground, as his bed. My son went to play with other boys and, bitten by a cruel poisonous serpent, left his life.” Hearing the pitiful cry of that helpless woman, the King Haris’chandra went to the dead and took off the cover of his face. Due to the long exile and the difficulties thereof, the Queen was changed altogether in her outer form, so the King could not recognise her weeping as his wife. On the other hand the King, too, had not the curled hair on his head as before; it has turned into matted hair and his skin especially has become like the bark of a dried tree; so the Queen could not make out the King also. The King then noticed all the King making auspicious signs on the several limbs of that dead boy, poisoned all over and lying on the ground and began to think thus :-- The face of the child is very beautiful like the Full Moon, nowhere there is any scar nor anything like this; the nose is high; the two cheeks are clean like a mirror and spacious; the hairs are blue, curling, similar, long and waving, the two eyes are widely expanded like a full blown lotus, the two lips are red like Bimba fruits; the chest is wide and spacious, the eyes are stretched up to the ears; the arms are extending up to the knees; the shoulders are
elevated; the legs are elongated, yet god-like like a lotus stem; the appearance is grave, the fingers are fine, yet strong enough to hold the world; the navel is deep and the region of the shoulders elevated. Certainly this boy was born in a royal family. Alas! What a pain is this! The cruel Death has reduced him to this state!
17-21. Sûta said :-- Thus looking carefully that boy in the lap of his mother from his head to foot, the King Haris’chandra got back to his ancient recollections. He recognised the boy to be his and wept aloud repeating the words Oh! Oh! The tears flowed from his eyes and he said :-- “This is my boy that has been reduced to this state! Oh! The cruel Fate!” Though the boy is dead, yet the King remained bewildered for a moment. The queen then spoke out of terrible pain :-- “O Child! What sin is that which has caused this dire calamity, I cannot imagine!
22-27. O my Husband! O King! I am extremely worried of pains and troubles; leaving me thus, how is it and where you are passing away your time in a calm, quiet state! O Fortune! It is You that has brought about the loss of the Râjarsi Haris’chandra’s dominion, the separation from his friends and what more, you have caused his wife and son to be sold! Has he done so much mischief to you!” Hearing her cries, the King’s patience gave way and he came to recognise the Devî and the son and exclaimed, “She is my wife and the dead boy is my son. Oh! What a series of troubles, one coming after another.” Being overpowered with extreme trouble and pain, the King fell unconscious on the ground; the Queen, too, looking at the King’s state, fell motionless, and, void of senses, no sooner she recognised him as the King Haris’chandra. Some time after, the King and Queen both got back at the same time their consciousness and, with great sorrow and agony, began to lament.
28-49. The King said :--“O Child! Why my heart does not rend to thousand pieces, seeing today your gentle face pale and lifeless, that was once beautiful with curls of hairs! O Rohitâ! When will you come to me saying in a sweet voice, ‘Father! Father!’ When shall I address you affectionately, ‘Oh my child! Oh my child!’ embracing you within my breast! Whose tawny coloured dust on his knees will spoil my clothes, lap and my body! O Delightful Son! I have sold you as if an ordinary thing, though I am your father. As yet my pleasure of having a son is not satisfied. Owing to the mockery of the mean Fate, my unbounded kingdom, friends, and abundance of riches all have vanished away! Finally I had one son and that too is now in the jaws of death! Oh! With what an amount of terrible pain I am being burnt up today when I am seeing the lotus-face of my son, smitten by a serpent and
lying dead on the ground!” Thus speaking in a voice choked with feelings and with tears in his eyes, as soon as he was going to take his boy in his lap, he fell senseless on the ground. Seeing the King lying on the ground, S’aivyâ thus thought :-- “Such is His voice as makes me certain that He is the King Haris’chandra, the best of men and the delighter of the learned men’s hearts. His teeth are like those of the famous Haris’chandra just like to Mukul and his nose is elevated and soft like the Tila flower. But if he be Haris’chandra, how is it that he has come to this burning ground!” Thus thinking, while she looked at the King, leaving for the moment the sorrow for his son, joy, pain and surprise attacked her heart simultaneously; and she, in that state, fell down unconscious on the ground. Then gradually regaining consciousness, she spoke in a pitiful voice :-- “O Fortune! You have caused to the King who was once like an Immortal, the loss of his kingdom, friends, and even the sale of his wife and son. And now you have transformed him into a Chândâla! You are merciless, religionless, void of any justice as to what is just and what is unjust. You are shameless. So fie on you! O King! Where are gone today that royal umbrella, that throne, that Châmara, and that pair of fans on your both sides! Oh! What is this transformation caused by the Vidhâtâ (the Ordainer of Fate)! When the high-souled King used to travel, all the kings used to remove as His servants the dust of the roads by their clothings! Oh! Is He the same King of Kings, Haris’chandra who is roaming in this unholy burning ground, burdened too much by his load of sufferings! Oh! Innumerable human skulls are lying here; the small earthen pots (brought for the purification of the bodies of the dead) are lying scattered close to each; the garlands of flowers for the dead, being intertwined with the hairs of the dead, are presenting a grim spectacle! The ashes, charcoals, half-burnt dead bodies, bones, and marrows all arranged one over another make the place more hideous. The marrows of the dead bodies have come out and are dried up by the sun. At places, vultures, and S’akunîs are crying hideously and the crows and other birds, eager to eat flesh, are roaming to and fro. All the quarters of the sky are looking blue with the smoke, arising out of the burning of the dead. The Râksasas are constantly roaming hither and thither, gladly feasting on the human flesh. Is the King passing his days thus in this place? Alas! Oh! What a painful thing is this!” The daughter of the King, S’aivyâ, was overpowered with an awful sorrow; and clasping the neck of the King, began to lament again, in a pitiful voice. O King! You have spoken that you are a Chândâla. Is this a dream? Or a Reality? O King! If it be true that you are a slave of the Chândâla, then say to me; my mind is being deluded very much! (i.e., I cannot
indulge this idea). O Knower of Dharma! You have shown your great zeal towards Dharma; and, for that reason, you are displaced from your royal throne! Now if such help comes out of worshipping the Brâhmins and the Devas, then Dharma cannot stand and, along with it, the truth, simplicity and harmlessness cannot exist.
50-55. Sûta said :-- Hearing these words from the thin S’aivyâ, the King took a heavy sigh and then described to her in detail with tears flowing on his neck, how he got the Chândâla state. The fearful Queen became very much pained to hear all this and heaving a deep sigh, described, as it was, how her son died. On hearing this, the King fainted and fell unconscious on the ground. Then regaining gradually his consciousness, he began to kiss, with his tongue, the face of his dead son. S’aivyâ then said in a choked voice :-- “Now sever off my head and obey your master’s word. O King! You will be saved then as having kept your truth; and your master’s order would be carried out.” Hearing this, the King fainted and fell down senseless. Getting up conscious in a moment, he began to weep bitterly.
56. The King said :-- “O Beloved! How have you uttered such cruel words? How can I execute that which is hard even to utter!”
57-58. S’aivyâ said :-- “O Lord! I have worshipped the Devî Gaurî and other Devas and the Brâhmins; so, with their mercy, I will get you as my husband in my future birth.” Hearing this, the King again fell down instantly on the ground; getting up immediately, he was overpowered with sorrow and began to kiss the face of the dead son.
59-71. The King said :-- “O Dear! I won’t be able to suffer an longer for a long time. But, O thin-bodied One! See, I am so very unfortunate that I have no command even over my heart. If I enter into the fire without the permission of the Chândâla, then I will have to become again the slave of a Chândâla in my future birth. Think it over. After that I will have to go to the hell and be tormented there. But this too I find beneficial to me. Rather I will go to the hell Mahâ Raurava and there suffer for a long time the torments of the hell, yet I do not like to live a little longer when my boy, the continuer of my family, has left his life out of the queer fancies of the Great Time and I be merged in the sorrows for my son. My body is now at the command of the Chândâla. How can I in this state quit my life without his permission. If I leave my body, I will be indebted to him and I will have to suffer in hell. Let this be so; still I will leave off my body, the receptacle of all these pains and troubles. Nowhere, in the Triloki, is any pain like
that felt in the demise of a son, not in crossing the Vaitaranî nor in the Asipatravanam! So I will now throw myself on the burning fire along with the dead body of my son. So, O Thin-bodied One! You should now excuse me (i.e., do not prevent me). O Sweet-smiling One! I now permit you to go back to the house of the Brâhmin. If ever I have given in charity riches, offered oblation to the fire, and given satisfaction to my superiors then, in the other world, I will get you and my son. But there is no such chance now in this world. O Sweet-smiling One! If ever I had given you offence while conversing or making jokes with you, now at the time of my parting, excuse them all. O Auspicious One! Never despise the Brâhmin out of your pride as a Queen. Look on your master as a Deva and try all your best to satisfy him.”
72-73. The Queen said :-- “O Râjarsi! I will also throw myself on the burning fire. O Deva! I will not be able to carry on this burden, so I will accompany You. It is better for me to accompany you; so there will not be otherwise. O Giver of Honour! I will enjoy with You heaven or suffer with You in the hell.” Hearing this, the King said :-- “O Chaste One! Do as you please.”
Here ends the Twenty-sixth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the narration of the sorrows of Haris’chandra in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXVII
On the going of Haris’chandra to the Heavens
1-7. Sûta said :-- The King Haris’chandra then prepared the funeral pile and placed his son on it. Next he and his wife with folded palms merged themselves in the meditation of the Parames’varî, the Lady of of the Universe. That Hundred-eyed is reigning within these five Kosas (or sheaths) Annamaya, etc. She resides in the sacral plexus of the nature of Brâhman, of the Purusa composed of Anna and Rasa. And She is the Ocean of Mercy. Wearing the red robe, She is ever ready with various weapons in Her hands for the preservation of the Universe. When the King was engaged thus in meditating on Her, Indra and all the Devas with Dharma in their front came to the King Haris’chandra with no delay. They all coming up said to the King :-- “O King! Hear. I am the Grand Sire and here are present Dharma Himself, the Bhagavân Visnu, the Sâdhyas, Vis’vadevâs, Maruts, the Lokapâlas, the Châranas, the Nâgas, the Gandharbas, Siddhas, Rudras,
the twin As’vins, and all the other Devas and Vis’vâmitra himself. Vis’vâmitra, who going ever the three worlds wishes to make friendship according to the law ordained by Dharma, is now himself desirous to grant you your desired objects.”
8. Dharma said :-- “O King! Do not risk such an hazardous undertaking. I am Dharma; I am satisfied with your patience and forbearance, control of your senses, and the other Sâttvic qualities and have therefore come to you.”
9-10. Indra said :-- “O Haris’chandra! I have also come to you. So your good fortune knows no bounds today. You with your wife and son have conquered the Eternal World. O King! What is hardly attainable by any human being, you have conquered that, by dint of your own merits. So get up to the Heavens (vibrations of the Fourth-dimensional Space) with your wife and son.”
11-16. Sûta said :-- Indra then sprinkled over the dead son on the funeral piles, the nectar, destroying the fatal effect produced by unnatural death. At that time big showers of flowers were thrown on him and Dundubhis were sounded. In the meanwhile, the prince got up from the funeral pile. He got back his former beautiful body and he looked peaceful, healthy, and greatly satisfied. Haris’chandra embraced his son instantly in his bosom; the King and Queen also both regained their former beautiful appearance at that time and were decked with clothes and garlands. Their hearts were then deeply filled with great joy at their getting back their desired object and their health. Indra then said to the King :-- “O Highly Fortunate One! Now ascend to the Heavens with your son and wife, by dint of your meritorious deeds and get the holy happy ends of your endeavours.”
17. Haris’chandra said :-- “O King of the Devas! The Chândâla is my master; so until I get freedom from his bondage, I cannot go to the Heavens without his permission.”
18. Dharma said :-- I am myself that Chândâla and had assumed that form and shewed you the city of the Chândâlas. Knowing that you will suffer.
19. What more than this, that I myself am that very Chândâla, I am that very Brâhmin and I am that very poisonous serpent who had smitten your boy. [Note: This is all the one and the same the Fourth Dimensional Space.] Indra said :-- Haris’chandra! Now get up, by virtue of your own meritorious deeds to that place which is highly covetted by all the human beings that exist on earth.
20-24. Haris’chandra said :-- “O King of the Devas! I bow down to you. Kindly consider what I say now. All the inhabitants of the city Kos’ala are in mourning, due to their being separated from me. How then, can I go to the Heavens leaving my sorrow-stricken subjects here. To abandon the Bhaktas, the devotees, is to incur the great sin due to the murder of a Brâhmin, the killing of a woman, the drinking of liquors and the killing of a cow. O Indra! It is highly inadvisable to abandon a Bhakta who is always in service. How can one be happy when one abandons such devotees. So I will not go to the Heavens without them. You better go back to the Heavens. O Lord of the Devas! If my subjects can go with me, I am ready to go with them to the Heavens or to the Hell.”
25. Indra said :-- “O King! Some of them are more sinful, some are more meritorious; different grades of people exist there. So, O King! How can you desire all to go simultaneously to the Heavens.”
26-29. Haris’chandra said :-- “O Indra! It is through the power of the citizens that the Kings enjoy their kingdoms, perform great many sacrifices, and do many engineering works (in excavating tanks, etc.) There is no doubt in this. So I, too, have done religious acts and sacrifices through my citizens’ help. They gave me all the articles necessary for kings. So how can I now quit them so that I may get the Heavens. O Lord of the Devas! If my subjects have no such Punyams as to enable them to go up to the Heavens, then let the Punyams done by me in giving away charities, in the performance of sacrifices, and other meritorious works be divided amongst them equally. If I myself enjoy S’varga for a very long time; but, if by your favour, I can enjoy with them even one day’s residence in S’varga for my merits, that is also superior to me.”
30-33. Sûta said :-- “Let that be;” saying thus Indra, the Lord of the three worlds, Vis’vâmitra, and Dharma who were very pleased went immediately to Ayodhyâ from Kâs’î by their yogic power. In an instant they reached Ayodhyâ, filled with the Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas, Vais’yas, and S’ûdras; and Indra exclaimed to them all :-- “Let all the citizens come before Haris’chandra, without any delay. Today they all will go to the Heavens by virtue of the Punyams of Haris’chandra.” Thus saying, they took all the men to Haris’chandra. Then that religious King told his subjects, “Let you all now ascend with me to the Heavens.”
34-40. Sûta said :-- Hearing these words of Indra and their King, they all became very glad. Then those who were engaged in their worldly desires, they handed over the charge of their worldly concerns to their own
sons, gladly became ready to go up to the Heavens. The high-minded King Haris’chandra then installed his son Rohitâs’va on the royal throne and permitted him to go to the beautiful city Ayodhyâ, filled with jolly and healthy inhabitants. Next addressing his son and friends, he took leave of them. Thus, by virtue of his own good deeds, the King Haris’chandra attained great celebrity. He then got up and took his seat in the aerial car that has no equal and that goes at will. It was beautifully adorned, very rare even to the Devas and decked with bells emitting jingling Kinkini sounds. The high-souled S’ukrâchârya, versed in the S’âstras and the Guru of the Daityas, seeing, Haris’chandra in the Vimâna, spoke thus :--
41. Oh! What is the glorious result of forbearance (Titiksâ)! What is the great fruit of charity! Oh! Due to whose influence, the King Haris’chandra today has attained the same region with Mahendra!
42-43. Sûta said :-- Thus I have described to you all the doings of Haris’chandra. Any man, oppressed with sorrows and troubles, no doubt, attains constant happiness, if he hears it. What more than this, those who want S’varga get S’varga, those who want son get sons, those who want wife get wife, and those who want kingdoms get their kingdoms by hearing this incident.
Here ends the twenty-seventh Chapter of the Seventh Book on the going of Haris’chandra to the Heavens, in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXVIII
On the glory of the S'ataksi Devî
1-3. Janamejaya said :-- “O Risi! Wonderful is the story of the religious Râjarsi Haris’chandra that you have described, the great Bhakta of S’atâksî Devî! Why is that auspicious S’ivâ, the wife of S’iva, called S’atâksî? Explain to me, the cause of it, O Muni! And thus make my birth full of use and success. Who is there amongst the clear-minded that gets fully satisfied, when he hears the good deeds of the Devî? Each sentence, describing the good deeds of the Devî, gives the undecaying fruits of As’vamedha Sacrifice.”
4-45. Vyâsa said :-- O King. Hear; I am describing the story of S’atâksî Devî. You are the great devotee of the Devî; so I have nothing that I cannot say to you. In olden times, there was a great
Dânava named Durgama: he was very cruel. He, the the son of Ruru, was born in the family of Hiranyâksa. Once be thought within himself thus :-- “The Munis offer oblations by Mantras as ordained in the Vedas. And the Devas, eating the clarified butter (ghee) of these oblations, get
nurtured and strengthened. The Vedas is the strength of the Devas; if the Vedas be destroyed, the Devas also would be destroyed. Thus it is advisable to destroy the Vedas. (There is no other easy way.)” Thus thinking, he went to the Himâlayâs to perform tapasyâ. He began to meditate Brahmâ in the space of his heart, and, taking air only, passed away his time. [Mark here that all the Devas reside in space, a magnitude of the Fourth Dimension.] He practised hard tapasyâ for one thousand years and the Devas and the Asuras and all the Lokas were agitated by the power of his Tejas (fiery lustre). Then the Bhagavân, the four-faced Brahmâ, became pleased with him and mounting on his carrier, the Swan came up there to grant him the boon. Brahmâ told clearly the Demon, sitting in Samâdhi with his eyes closed, “Let all be well with you; now ask what you desire? Satisfied with your tapasyâ, I have come to grant you the boon.” Hearing thus, the Demon got up from his Samâdhi and worshipping Him duly, said :-- “O Lord of the Devas! Give me all theVedas. O Mahes’vara! Let all the Vedic Mantrams, that are found in the three worlds, with the Brâhmanas and the Devas, come to me and give me such strength as would enable me to conquer the Devas.” Hearing this, the God Brahmâ, the author of the four Vedas, replied, “Let it be as you wish,” and went away. From that time, the Brâhmanas forgot all about the Vedas. So bathing, Sandhyâ, daily Homas, S’râddha, sacrifice, and Japam and other rites and performances, all became extinct. Then a cry of universal distress arose on the surface of this wide earth; the Brâhmins began to say to each other :-- “How has this happened! How has this come to pass! Now what are we to do? Where the Vedas have disappeared.” Thus when great calamities befell on the earth, the Devas became gradually weaker and weaker, not getting their share of the sacrificial Havis. At this time, that Demon invested the city of Amarâvatî. And the Devas, not being able to fight with the Asura, of a thunder-like body fled to various directions. They took refuge in the caves of the mountain Sumeru and the inaccessible passes of the mountain and began to meditate on the Highest Force, the Great Goddess. O King! When oblations of clarified butter are offered to the Fire, those get transferred to the Sun (Sûryaloka) and get transformed as rains. So when the Homa ceremonies disappeared, there was the scarcity of rain. The earth became quite dry and not a drop of water was found anywhere. The wells, tanks, pools, rivers all were dried up. And this state of “no rains” lasted one hundred years. Countless people, hundreds and thou-
sands of cows, buffaloes and other beasts went to the jaws of death. The dead bodies of persons remained in heaps in every house; persons would not be found to perform their burning ceremonies. When such calamities were seen, the calm and quiet body of the Brâhmans, in their earnestness to worship the Supreme Goddess, went to the Himâlayâs. They with their whole heart and without taking any food began to worship the Devî daily with their Samâdhi, meditation and worship. O Mahes’ânî! Shew mercy on us. O Mother! It’s not praiseworthy to Thee to manifest Thy such anger on us, the low persons and guilty of all sins. So, O Deves’î! Forgive us. If Thou art angry on us for our faults, even then we may be excused, for Thou art the Internal Ruler within us all and we do whatever Thou impellest us to do. (The other Devas become pleased and give fruits when they are worshipped by Japam, and other Homa ceremonies; but that is not even possible due to the disappearance of the Vedic Mantrams from amongst us. But You are kind as mothers are towards their children whenever they remember.) So without Thee, there is no other rescue for these people. O Mahes’varî! Whatever Thou willest, Thou canst do that; so what art Thou seeing again and again? O Mahes’arî! How can we live without Water, what is called the Life. Now rescue us from this great difficulty. O Mother of the Worlds! O Mahes’varî! Be pleased. Oh the Ruler of the endless crores of Brahmândas! Obeisance to Thee! We bow down to Thee, the Unchangeable, of the nature of Intelligence. We again and again make obeisance to Thee, the Lady of the Universe and realisable by the Vedânta words (not this, not this). All the sayings of the Vedânta declare Thee, by negating (not this, not this) other transient objects as the Cause of all this Universe. We with all our hearts bow down to the Devî. When the body of the Brâhmanas thus praised and chanted the hymns of Mahes’varî, She created innumerable eyes within Her body and became visible. Her colour was dark-blue (colour of the fourth dimension, space) like heaps of collyrium (eye-paint); eyes like the blue lotuses and expanded; breasts hard, regularly elevated round and so fleshy that they touched each other; four handed; with Her right hand, holding arrows; on the under hand holding lotus; on the upper-left hand holding a great bow and on the lower hand, carrying vegetables, fruits, flower and roots with abundance of juice, destroying hunger, thirst and fever. She was the Essence of all Beauty, lovely, luminous like the thousand Suns, and the ocean of mercy. That Upholder of the Universe, showed Her form and began to shed waters from Her eyes. For nine nights continuously, the heavy rains poured down out of the waters flowing from Her eyes. Seeing the misery of all the people, out of
pity, She showered incessantly tears from Her eyes; and all the people and medicines were satisfied. What more than this, out of those tears, the rivers began to flow. The Devas that remained hidden in the mountain caves, now came out. Then the Brâhmins, united with the Devas, began to praise and sing hymns to the Devî. Thou art known by the Vedânta Mahâvâkyas. We bow down to Thee. Thou ordained everything to all the worlds by Thy Mâyâ; so again and again we bow down to Thee. Our Obeisance to Thee! Who art a Kalpa tree to the Bhaktas yielding all their desires! Thou assumest the body for the Bhaktas! Thou art always satisfied; without any equal; the Lord of the Universe! We bow down to Thee. As Thou, O Devî! hast innumerable eyes only for our welfare and peace, therefore Thou wilt be called henceforth by the name “S’atâksî.” O Mother! We are very much hungry; so we have no power to chant hymns to Thee; therefore, O Mahes’varî? Shew mercy on us and deliver to us our Vedas.
46-68. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing these words of the Devas and the Brâhmins, the Auspicious One gave them the vegetables, delicious fruits and roots to them that were on Her Hand, for their eating. After She was prayed, She gave to men sufficient quantity of various articles of juicy food and to the beasts, grass, etc., until new crops came out. O King, from that day She became famous by the name of S’âkambharî (because She nourished all by vegetables, etc.) Great tumult arose and the Demon Durgama heard all from the emissaries and started out to fight with his weapons and army. He took one thousand Aksauhinî armies with him (one Aksauhinî army equals large army consisting of 21,870 chariots, as many elephants, 65,610 horses, and 109,350 foot) and, shooting arrows, he came quickly before the Devî and invested Her and the Deva army and the Brâhmins. At this, a great tumultuous uproar arose and the Devas and the Brâhmins united exclaimed :-- “O Devî! Save us; save us.” The Auspicious Devî, then, for the safety of the Devas and the Dvîjas created round them a luminous circle and She Herself remained outside. The terrible fight, then, ensued between the Devî and the Dânavas. The Sun was covered with their incessant hurling of arrows; and the shooters could not shoot accurately on account of the darkness that then prevailed. Then by the collision of the arrows of both the parties, the arrows caught fire and the battlefield again became filled with light. The quarters on all aides resounded with harsh bow sounds and nothing could be heard. At this moment, came, out of the body of the Devî, the principal S’aktis (forces incarnate) Kâlikâ, Târinî, Sodas’î, Tripurâ, Bhairabî, Kamalâ, Bagalâ, Mâtangî, Tripurâ Sundarî, Kâmâksî, Tulajâ Devî, Jambhinî, Mohinî, Chchinnamastâ,
and ten thousand armed Guhya Kâlîs and others. Thirty-two S’aktis, sixty-four S’aktis, and then innumerable S’aktis, all armed, came out of the Devî successively. When the S’aktis destroyed one hundred Aksauhinî forces, Mridangas, conch-shells, lutes and other musical instruments were sounded in the battle-field. At this time, the enemy of the Devas, Durgama, came in front and first fought with the S’aktis. The fight grew to such a terrible extent that, within ten days, all the Aksauhinî troops were destroyed. So much so as the blood of the dead soldiers began to flow in torrents like rivers. When the fatal eleventh day arrive the Dânava, wearing red clothes on his waist, red garlands on his neck and annointing his body all over with red sandal paste, celebrated a very grand festivity and mounted on his chariot and went out to fight. With the strenuous effort, he defeated all the S’aktis and placed his chariot before the Devî. Then a terrible fight ensued for two Praharas (six hours). The hearts of all shivered with horror. At this time, the Devî shot fifteen very awful arrows at the Dânava. His four horses (Vâhanas) were pierced by Her four arrows; the charioteer was pierced by one arrow; his two eyes were pierced by two arrows; his arms by two arrows, his flag by one arrow and his heart was pierced by five arrows. He then left his body before the Devî, vomitting blood. The vital spirit, the luminous counterpart, emitting from his body, merged in the space-like body of the Devî. The three worlds, then, assumed a peaceful appearance when that greatly powerful Dânava was killed. Then Hari, Hara, Brahmâ and the other Devas began to praise and chant hymns to the World Mother with great devotion and in voices, choked with feelings.
69-73. The Devas said :-- “O Auspicious One! Thou art the only Cause of this Illusion of this world, presenting an unreal appearance (while Brahmâ is the Only Reality). So Thou art the Lady of all the beings (otherwise why it would be that Thou hast nourished all the beings with vegetables, etc). So, Obeisance to Thee, the S’âkambharî! Hundred-eyed! O Auspicious One! Thou art sung in all the Upanisadas; The Destroyer of the Durgama Asura! We bow down to Thee, the Lord of Mâyâ, the Dweller in the five sheaths Anna, Rasa, etc. We meditate upon Thee, the Lady of the universe, as demonstrated by Pranava Aum, whom the chief Munis meditate with their Nirvikalpa hearts (hearts free from any Vikalpa, doubts or ignorance). Thou art the Mother of the endless crores of universe! Thou assumest the Divine Bodies at times for our welfare! Thou art the Mother of Brahmâ, Visnu and others; we bow down to Thee with all our heart.
Thou art the Mother of all; so, out of mercy, Thou hast shed tears from the hundred eyes, to remove the miseries of the low humble persons. Thou art the Ruler of all!”
74-80. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus when Brahmâ, Visnu, Hara and the other Devas praised and chanted various hymns to the Devî and worshipped Her with various excellent articles, She became instantly pleased. Then the Devî, graciously pleased, handed over the Vedas to the Brâhmanas. At last, She, the Cuckoo-voiced, made a special address to them. “These Vedas are the excellent parts of My body. So preserve these with your greatest care. The more so, when you all have seen with your own eyes what a great calamity befell on you when these Vedas went away out of your hands! You should all worship and serve Me (the Controller of the Space) always; there is no other thing higher than this that I can advise you for your welfare. Read always these My excellent glorious deeds. I will be pleased thereby and will destroy all your bad calamities and misfortunes. My name is Durgâ, because I have killed this demon Durgama; so he, who will take My name Durgâ and S’atâksî, he will be able to unveil my Mâyâ and walk freely. No use in telling more than this that I tell you now, O Devas, the Essence of all essences :-- Both the Suras and the Asuras would always serve Me and Me, alone.”
81-83. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus giving pleasures to the Devas by these words, the Devî of the nature of Existence, Intelligence and Bliss disappeared before them. O King! This Grand Mystery I have described to you in detail; but this is the source of good to all; so keep it secret with every care. The person that hears daily with great devotion this Chapter, gets all that he wants and at last gets the worship in the Devî Loka.
Here ends the Twenty-eighth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the glory of the S'ataksi Devî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXIX
On the birth of the Bhagavatî in the house of Daksa
1-19. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus I have described the glory of the Devî. Now I will narrate, as far as I can, the excellent lives of the kings of the the Solar and the Lunar dynasties respectively. They
all attained their excellent glories, simply because they were favoured by the Grace of the Highest S’akti; they were all the great devotees of the Supreme Deity. All their prowess, bravery, prosperity and all their glory, know that those all were derived from the mere parts of the Parâ S’akti. O King! Those Kings and others as well were able to out off the Tree of this World by the Axe of their Knowledge, simply because they were the devotees of the Parâ S’akti. So with all the care possible, the Lady of the Universe is to be worshipped and served. Men should avoid worshipping any other gods, as people avoid the husk to get the grain inside. O King! By churning the ocean of the Vedas, I have got the jewel as the lotus-feet of the Parâ S’akti; and I think that I have discharged all my duties and think myself satisfied and successful. Brahmâ, Visnu Rudra, and Is’vara are the four feet and Sadâ S’iva is the plank overhead; thus these five form the seat on which the Devî is seated. There is no other deity superior to Her. To show this (to the ordinary ignorant people) the Mahâ Devî has taken this seat composed of the five Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra, Is’vara and Sadâ S’iva. Superior to these five, what is stated in the Vedas as Vyaktam and in which all this Universe is sewn, as it were, crosswise and lengthwise, lying in and through, that is Bhuvanes’varî, the Goddess of the Universe.
[Note: Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra, Is’vara and Sadâ S’iva are the Regents or the presiding Deities of earth, water, fire, air and Âkâs’a]. No man can be free unless he until the Goddess. When men will be able to encircle the Âkâs’a, of the fourth dimension, as if it were an antelope skin, then they will be able to root out the miseries of the world, without knowing the nature of the Devî (i.e., impossible). Thus the S’vetâs’vataropanisada says :-- “Those that were engaged in meditation, Dhyâna Yoga, they saw the Devî covered by the Gunas Sâttva, Râjas and Tâmas and the forces incarnate respectively of the several Devas.” So to make the human birth a success, first avoid all companies, be it out of shame, or fear, or devotion, or out of love; then bring the mind and keep it steady in your heart and then be devoted to Her and consider Her as the Supreme. This is the Vedânta Dindima (the declaration of the Vedânta). Whoever takes the name of the Devî, either in sleeping, going or resting or in any other condition, he is certainly freed from the bondage of the world, no doubt. O King! So worship the Mâhes’varî with all the care that you can. Go on step by step; first worship Her Virât Rûpa (cosmic form); then Sûksma Rûpa (subtle form) and then her Antaryâmî Rûpa (inner form, ruling within). Thus when your heart is purified, worship the Parâ S’akti, of the nature of Brahmâ, beyond this Mâyâ, this Prapancha Ullâsa, of the nature of Existence,
Intelligence and Bliss. When the Chitta (heart) melts in Parâ S’akti, then comes the real Ârâdhanâ (the real worship). So dilute your heart in Her. O King! Thus I have described to you the sanctifying deeds of the extremely devoted kings of the Parâ S’akti, who were noble minded and religious. One who will hear this will acquire fame, dharma, intelligence, good end, and merits that have no equal. Now what else do you like to hear?
20-22. Janamejaya said :-- “O Bhagavân! In olden times, the World mother Parâ S’akti handed over Gaurî to Hara, Laksmî to Hari, and Sarasvatî to Brahmâ, born of the lotus from the navel of Hari. Now I hear that Gaurî is the daughter of Himâlayâ as well of Daksa; and Mahâ Laksmî is the daughter of the Ksiroda ocean (ocean of milk). They were all originated from the Prime Devî; how, then, Gaurî and Laksmî came to be the daughters of others? O great Muni! This is next to impossible; so my doubt arises. O Bhagavân! You are quite competent to cut off all my doubts; so by your axe of knowledge, cut off my present doubt.”
23-44. Veda Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hear. I am telling you this wonderful secret. You are greatly devoted to the Devî; so nothing there can be that I cannot disclose to you. Since the time the Great Mother gave over to Hara, Hari and Brahmâ, Gaurî, Laksmî and and Sarasvatî, respectively, these three Devas, Hara, etc. were performing their tasks, preserving, etc. O King! Once on a time, certain Dânavas, named Halâhalas were born. In time, they became very powerful and in a short time conquered the three worlds. What more than this, that they being elated with the boon granted to them by Brahmâ, took their forces and invested the Mount Kailâs’a and the Vaikuntha regions!
Seeing this, Mahâ Deva and Visnu both made preparations for war. A terrible fight ensued between both the parties. For sixty thousand years the battle lasted incessantly but the result was stalemate. Gradually there was a great cry of consternation in the two parties. When S’iva and Visnu with great effort destroyed the Dânavas. O King! S’iva and Visnu then returned to their own houses and began to brag of their powers before their own S’aktis Gaurî and Laksmî; whereas the Demons were killed on account of the S’aktis of Gaurî and Laksmî. Seeing them boast, Gaurî and Laksmî laughed not sincerely whereon the two gods were very much angry. They under the magic spell of the Prime Mâyâ insulted them and even used offensive languages. Gaurî and Laksmî quitted them and disappeared. A great uproar then arose in the worlds.
Both Hari and Hara became lustreless due to their insulting the two S’aktis. They become powerless and unconscious and turned out mad. Seeing this Brahmâ became very anxious. Hari and Hara are the two chief Deities; how then these two have become unable to perform the actions of the world! What is the cause? Why this calamity has sprung up out of season? Will there be a Pralaya (a general dissolution) of the world out of some offence, when no actions are being done! I know nothing about this. So how can I find a remedy! Being thus very distressed, he began to meditate with his eyes closed in the fourth dimensional space in the heart. O King! The Lotus born Brahmâ then found out by his meditation that this calamity was brought about by the great wrath of the Parâ S’akti. He then tried to find out the remedy until Hari and Hara did not regain the former natural position. Brahmâ began by his own S’akti to carry on the functions of them both, viz., that of preservation and destruction for some time. The religious-minded Prajâpati quickly called his son Manu and Sanaka, etc., the Risis, for bringing peace on the two great Gods! When they came to him, the great ascetic four-faced Brahmâ told them :-- “I am now busy with many more works; so I am unable carry on my tapasyâ? By the wrath of the Highest Force, Hari and Hara have become somewhat distracted; so for the satisfaction of the Parâ S'akti I am performing the three functions, i.e., those of Creation, Preservation and Destruction. So you both practise this hard tapasyâ with the greatest devotion and bring about Her satisfaction. O sons! Do such as Hari and Hara gain their former states and then be united with their own S’aktis respectively. Your fame will increase thereby, no doubt. Rather that family where the two S’aktis will take their birth, will purify the whole world and that man himself will be crowned with success.”
45. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The pure-hearted Daksa and other mind-born sons of Brahmâ, hearing the words of the Grandsire expressed their desire to worship the Parâ S’akti and went to the forest.
Here ends the Twenty-ninth Chapter of the Seventh Book on birth of the Bhagavatî in the house of Daksa in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXX
On the birth of Gaurî, the seats of the Deity, and the distraction of S’iva
1-12. Vyâsa said :--O King! They went to the forest and fixed their seats on the slope of the Himâlayân mountain and engaged them-
selves in repeating silently the seed Mantra of Mahâ Mâyâ and thus practised their austerities. O King! One hundred thousand years passed in the meditation of the Parâ S’akti. The Devî, pleased, became visible to them. Her form was three-eyed, and of the form of Existence, Intelligence and Bliss (Sachhidânanda); She was filled with mercy. In Her one hand there was the noose, in another hand, goad; in another hand there was the sign bidding her devotees discard all fear, and in the other hand She was ready to offer boons. The good-natured Munis, seeing this Form of the World Mother began to praise Her. “O Devî! Thou art existing separately in every gross body; we bow down to Thee. Thou art existing wholly (cosmically) in all the gross bodies; we bow down to Thee. O Parames’varî! Thou art existing separately in every subtle body; we bow down to Thee; Thou art existing universally in all the subtle bodies; we bow down to Thee, Thou art existing separately in all the causal bodies wherein all the Linga Dehas (subtle bodies) are interwoven; we bow down to Thee. Thou art existing universally in all the causal bodies; we bow down to Thee. Thou art of the nature of the unchangeable Brahmâ, the receptacle of all the Jîvas and thus residest in all the bodies; so we bow down to Thee. Thou art of the nature of Âtman, the Goal of all the beings; we bow again and spin to Thee.” Thus the pure-natured Daksa and the other Munis praised Her with voice, choked with feelings of intense devotion and bowed down to Her feet. Then the Devî, pleased, spoke to them in a cuckoo voice. “O Highly Fortunate Ones! I am ever ready to grant boons; so ask what you desire.” O King! Hearing thus, they asked that Hari and Hara both regain their former natural states and be united respectively with their S’aktis, Laksmî and Gaurî. Daksa again asked :-- “O Devî! Let your birth be in my family. O Mother! I will, no doubt, consider myself as having then realised the fulfilment of my life. So, O Parames’varî! Speak by Thy own mouth how Thy worship, Japam, meditation will be conducted as well the various fit places where they would be performed.”
13-16. The Devî said :-- “The insult shown towards my S’aktis has led to this calamitous state of Hari and Hara. So they should not repeat such crime. Now, by My favour, they will regain their health and, of the two S’aktis, one will be born in your family and the other will take Her birth in the Ksiroda Sâgara, the ocean of milk. Hari and Hara will get back their S’aktis, when I will send them the chief Mantra. The chief Mantra of Mine is the said Mantra of Mâyâ; this is always sweet to Me; so worship this Mantra and make Japam of this. The Form that you are seeing before you, this is My Bhuvanes’varî form (that of the Goddess
of the Universe), or worship My Virât (cosmic) form; or Sachchidânanda form. The whole world is my place of worship; so you can meditate on Me and worship Me always and in all places.”
17-23. Vyâsa said :-- When the Bhuvanes’varî Devî living in the Mani Dvîpa thus giving Her reply, went away, Daksa and other Munis all went to Brahmâ and informed him with great earnestness of everything that happened. O King! Thus Hari and Hara both became devoid of their haughtiness and got back their previous natures by the Grace of the Supreme Deity and were thus enabled to perform their functions as before. Then, on a certain time, the Devî Bhagavatî, the Fiery Nature of the Parâ S’akti, took Her birth in the house of the Prajâpati Daksa. O King! Everywhere in the Trilokas, great festivities were held. All the Devas became glad and showered flowers. The Dundubhis of the Devas were sounded by the hands and made very grave sounds. The pure-minded saints were gladdened; the Sun’s rays looked purer and cleaner; the rivers were elated with joy and began to flow in their channels. When the World-auspicious Devî, the Destroyer of the birth and death of the Jîvas took Her birth, everything looked propitious. The wise Munis named Her “Satî” as She was of the nature of Parâ Brahmâ and Truth Herself. The Prajâpati Daksa handed over the Devî, who was before the S’akti of Mahâdeva, to that Deva of the Devas, Mahâdeva. Due to the misfortune of Daksa, the daughter of Daksa burnt Herself in a blazing fire.
24-25. Janamejaya said :-- “O Munis! You have made me now hear a very inauspicious word. How can such a great thing of the nature of the Highest Intelligence come to be burnt up in a fire! The mere recollecting of Whose Name dispels the terrible danger of the burning up by the fire of Samsâra, how can She be burnt up by fire, I am extremely eager to hear; kindly describe that to me in detail.”
26-37. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hear. I am describing to you the ancient history of the burning of Satî. Once on a time, the famous Risi Durvâsâ went to the bank of the river Jambû and saw the Devî there. There he remained with his senses controlled and began to repeat silently the root Mantra of Mâyâ. Then the Goddess of the Immortals, the Bhagavatî was pleased and gave the Muni a beautiful garland as Her Prasâda that was on Her neck, that emitted the sweet fragrance of Makaranda (juice of flowers; Jasamine). Whereon the bees were about to cluster. The Maharsi took it quickly and placed it on his head. He then hurriedly went to see the Mother to the place where Satî’s Father,
the Prajâpati Daksa was staying and bowed down to the feet of the Satî. The Prajâpati then asked him :-- “O Lord! Whose extraordinary garland is this? How have you got this enchanting garland, rare to the mortals on this earth!” The eloquent Maharsi Durvâsâ then spoke to him with tears of love flowing from his eyes :-- “O Prajâpati! I have got this beautiful garland that has no equal, as the Prasâda (favour) of the Devî.” The Prajâpati asked that garland then from him. He, too, thinking that there was nothing in the three worlds that cannot be given to the devotee of the S’akti, gave that garland to the Prajâpati. He took that on his head; then placed it on the nice bed that was prepared in the bed-room of the couple. Being excited by the sweet fragrant smell of that garland in the night, the Prajâpati engaged in a sexual intercourse! O King! Due to that animal action, the bitter enmity arose in his mind towards S’ankara and His Satî. He then began to abuse S’iva. O King! For that offence, the Satî resolved to quit her body that was born of Daksa, to preserve the prestige of the Sanâtan Darma of devotion to Her Husband and burnt Her body by the fire arising out of Yoga.
38. Janamejaya said :-- “O Muni! What did Mahâ Deva do, thus pained by the bereavement from His consort dearer than His life, when the Satî’s body was thus consumed.”
39-50. Vyâsa said :-- O King! I am unable to describe what happened afterwards. O King! Out of the fire of anger of S’iva, the Pralaya seemed to threaten the three worlds. Vîrabhadra came into existence with hosts of Bhadra Kâlîs, ready to destroy the three worlds. Brahmâ and the other Devas took refuge to S’ankara. Though Mahâdeva lost everything on Satî’s departure, He, the Ocean of Mercy, destroyed the sacrifice of Daksa, cut off his head and instead placed the head of a goat, brought him back to life and thus made the Gods free from all fears. He, the Deva of the Devas, then became very much distressed and going to the place of sacrifice, began to weep in great sorrow. He saw that the body of the Intelligent Satî was being burnt in the fire of the Chitâ. He cried aloud :-- Oh my Satî! Oh My Satî! And taking Her body on His neck, began to roam in different countries, like a mad man. Seeing that, Brahmâ and the other Devas became very anxious and Bhagavân Visnu cut off the body to pieces by His arrows. Wherever the parts fell, S’ankara remained there in so many different forms. He then said to the Devas :-- Whoever will worship, with deep devotion in these places, the Bhagavatî, will have nothing left unattained. The Highest Mother will remain close to them there. The persons that will make Puras’charana (the repetition) of the Mantrams, especially the Mâyâ Vîja (the root Mantra of Mâyâ), their Mantrams will become, no
doubt, fructified and become incarnate. O King! Thus saying, the Mahâdeva, being very much distressed for Satî’s departure, passed His time in those places, making Japam, Dhyânam and taking to Samâdhi.
51-52. Janamejaya said :-- Where, in what places the several parts of the Satî fell? What are the names of those Siddhapîthas? And what is their number? Kindly describe these in detail, O Great Muni! No doubt I will highly consider myself blessed by hearing these words from your blessed mouth.
53-102. Vyâsa said :-- O King! I will now describe those Pîthas (Sacred places), the mere hearing of which destroys all the sins of men. Hear. I describe duly those places where the persons desiring to get lordly powers and to attain success ought to worship and meditate on the Devî. O Mahârâja! The face of Gaurî fell in Kâs’î; She is well known there by the name Vis’âlâksî; that which fell in Naimisâranya became known by the name of Linga Dhârinî. This Mahâ Mâyâ is known in Prayâg (Allahabad) by the name of Lalitâ Devî; in Gandha Mâdan, by the name of Kâmukî; in the southern Mânasa, by Kumudâ; in the northern Mânasa, by Visvakâmâ, the Yielder of all desires; in Gomanta, by Gomatî and in the mountain of Mandara, She became known by the name of Kâmachârinî. The Devî is known in Chaitraratha, by the name of of Madotkatâ; in Hastinâpura, by Jayantî; in Kânyakubja by the name of Gaurî; in the Malaya Mountain, by Rambhâ; in the Ekâmrapîtha, by Kîrtimatî, in Vis’ve, by the name of Vis’ves’varî; in Puskara, by the name of Puruhûtâ. She is known as Sanmârga Dâyinî in the Kedâra Pîtha; as Mandâ, in the top of the Himâlayâs; and as Bhadrakarnikâ in Gokarna. She is known as Bhavânî in Sthanes’vara, as Vilvapatrikâ in Vilvake; as Mâdhavi in S’rîs’aila; as Bhadrâ in Bhadres’vara. She is known as Jarâ in Varâha S’aila; as Kamalâ in Kamalâlaya; as Rudranî in Rudra Kotî; as Kâlî in Kâlanjara; She is known as Mahâ Devî in S’âlagrâma, as Jalapriyâ in S’ivalingam; as Kapilâ in Mahâlingam, as Mukutes’varî in Mâkota. As Kumarî in Mâyâpurî, as Lalitâmbikâ in Santânâ; as Mangalâ in Gayâ Ksetra, as Vimalâ in Purusottama. As Utpalâksî in Sahasrâksa; as Mahotpalâ in Hiranyâksa; as Amoghâksî in the Vipâsâ river; as Pâtalâ in Pundra Vardhana. As Nârâyanî in Supârs’va, as Rudra Sundarî in Trikûta; as Vipulâ Devî in Vipulâ; as Kalyânî in Malayâchala. As Ekavîrâ, in Sahyâdri; as Chandrikâ in Haris’chandra; as Ramanâ in Râma Tîrtha; as Mrigâvatî in the Yamunâ. As Kotivî in
Kotatîrtha; as Sugandhâ in Mâdhavavana; as Trisandhyâ in the Godâvarî; as Ratipriyâ in Gangâdvâra. As S’ubhânandâ in S’iva Kundam, as Nandinî in Devîkâtata; as Rukminî in Dvâravatî; as Râdhâ in Brindâvana. As Devakî in Mathurâ; as Parames’varî in Pâtâla; as Sîtâ in Chitrakuta; as Vindhyâdhivâsinî in the Vindhyâ range. O King! As Mahâlaksmî in the sacred place of Karavîra, as Umâ Devî in Vinâyaka; as Ârogyâ in Vaidyânâtha; as Mahes’varî in Mahâkâla. As Abhayâ in all the Usna tîrthas, as Nitambâ in the Vindhyâ mountain; as Mândavî in Mândavya; as Svâhâ in Mâhes’varîpûra. As Prachandâ in Chhagalanda, as Chandikâ in Amarakantaka; as Varârohâ in Somes’vara; as Puskarâvatî in Prabhâsa. As Devamâtâ in Sarasvatî; as Parâvârâ in Samudrtata; as Mahâbhâgâ in Mahâlayâ, as Pingales’varî in Payosnî. As Simhikâ in Kritas’aucha; as Atis’ânkârî in Kârtika; as Lolâ in Utpalâvartaka; as Subhadrâ in S'ona Sangam. As the Mother Laksmî in Siddhavana; as Anangâ in Bhâratâs’rama; as Vis’vamukhî in Jâlandhara; as Târâ in the Kiskindhya mountain. As Pustî in Devadâru Vana; as Medhâ in Kâs’mîramandalam; as Bhîmâ in Himâdri; as Tustîi in Vis’ves’vara Ksetra. As S’uddhî in Kapâlamochana; as Mâtâ in Kâyâvarohana; as Dharâ in S’ankhoddhâra; as Dhritî in Pindâraka; as Kalâ in Chandrabhâgâ river; as S’ivadhârinî in Achchoda; as Amritâ in Venâ; as Urvas’î in Vadarî. As medicines in Uttara Kuru; as Kus’odakâ in Kus’advîpa; as Manmathâ in Hemakûta; as Satyavâdinî in Kumuda. As Vandanîyâ in As’vattha; as Nidhi in the Vais’ravanâlaya; as Gâyatrî in the mouth of the Vedas; as Pârvatî near to S’iva. As Indrâni in the Devalokas; as Sarasvatî in the face of Brahmâ; as Prabhâ (lustre) in the Solar disc; as Vaisnavî with the Mâtrikâs. She is celebrated as Arundhatî amongst the Satîs, the chaste women and as Tilottamâ in the midst of the Râmâs. Again this Mahâdevî of the nature of the Great Intelligence (Samvid) is always existent in the form of S’akti named Brahmakalâ in the hearts of all the embodied beings. O Janamejaya! Thus I have mentioned to you the one hundred and eight pîthas (sacred places or seats of the Deity) and as many Devîs. Thus are mentioned all the seats of the Devîs and along with that, the chief places in India (the world). He who hears these excellent one hundred and eight names of the Devî as well as Her seats, gets himself freed from all sins and goes to the Loka of the Devî. O Janamejaya! His heart gets purified and is rendered blessed, no doubt, who duly makes jâtrâ (sojourn) to all these seats of the Deity, performs S’râddhas, offers peace-offerings to the Pitris and worships with the highest devotion the Goddess and asks frequently the pardon of the World Mother. O King! After worship, one should
feed the Brâhmanas, well dressed virgins (Kumârîs) and Vatukas with good eatables. All the tribes whether they be Chândâlas, know them all to be of the nature of the Devî and therefore they should be worshipped. Never one is to accept any donation or gifts (Pratigrahas) in these seats of the Devî. The saintly persons should make Purascharanas (repeat the names of their own deities, attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.) of their own Mantrams with all their might in all these places and should never be miserly in their expenses on this account. He who starts to these sacred places, with devoted hearts filled with love, finds his Pitris in the higher and greater Brahmâ Loka for one thousand Kalpas and he gets the highest knowledge, crosses the ocean of the world and becomes free. Many a people have attained success by repeating these one hundred and eight names of the Deity. Any place wherein are kept those names, embodied in a book, becomes free from such dangers as plague, cholera or any misapprehensions from planetary Deities and so forth. Nothing remains to be attained by these persons who repeat these one hundred and eight names. That man, devoted to the Devî, certainly attains blessedness. That saintly person becomes of the nature of the Devî. The Devas bow down and worship him when they behold him! What then need be said that the saints would worship him! The Pitris become pleased and get their good ends when these one hundred and eight names are read with devotion. These places are, as it were, Intelligence personified (Chinmaya) and places ready to yield freedom from bondage. Therefore, O King! Intelligent men should take their shelter in these places. O King! Whatever secrets and other deeper secrets about the Great Goddess you asked to know from me, I described to you. What more do you want to hear. Say.
Here ends the Thirtieth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the birth of Gaurî, the seats of the Deity, and the distraction of S’iva in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Note :-- The number one hundred and eight is a holy number, got by taking the half of 216,000, the number of breaths inhaled by a child in the womb who promises to take the name of God at his every breath or by taking one-eighth of 864,000, the number of seconds in a day. The two zeros are then dropped. Thus the number signifies the one who fulfils one’s promise.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXI
On the Birth of Pârvatî in the House of Himâlayâs
1-2. Janamejaya said :-- "O Muni! You told before that "the Highest Light took Her birth on the top of the Himâlayâs." Now describe to me in detail about this Highest Light. What intelligent man
can desist from hearing these nectar-like words about the S'akti? The danger of death may come even to the Devas that drink nectars but no such danger can possibly come to those that drink the nectar of the Devî's glorious deeds.
3-43. Vyâsa said :-- "O King! You are blessed; you have attained what you are to attain in this life; you are taught by the high-souled men; you are fortunate since you are so sincerely devoted to the Devî. O King! Hear the ancient history :--Wherever the Deva of the Devas, the Mahes'vara rested while He was wandering all over the world in a distracted state, carrying the Satî's body that as burnt by fire, He spent his time there with his senses controlled, in Samâdhi, forgetting all his knowledge of Samsâra in deep meditation of the form of the Devî. At this time, the three worlds, with their objects, moving and immoving, with their oceans, mountains and islands became void of prosperity and power. The hearts of all the embodied beings became dried up, without any trace of joy; they were all burdened with anxious thoughts and remained indifferent. All were merged in the ocean of sorrows and became diseased. Planets retrograded and the Devas had their states reversed. The Kings were attacked with a series of ills and misfortunes. Âdhibhantik and Âdhidaivik (from material causes and from divine interference). At this time a great Asura, named Târaka, became unconquerable owing to his receiving a boon from Brahmâ. Being intoxicated by his power and heroism, he conquered the three worlds and became the sovereign ruler.The Brahmâ Prajâpati, gave him boon to this effect that the legitimate son of S'iva would be able to kill him. And as at that time S'iva had no son, the great Asura, elated with joy, became infatuated and carried off all victories. All the Devas were banished from their places by his oppression; they remained always anxious owing to the want felt by them of a son of S'iva. "S'ânkara has now no wife; how can He then have a son! We are very unfortunate; how can our work be accomplished? Thus oppressed with thoughts, all the Devas went to Vaikuntha and informed the Bhâgavan Visnu of all that had happened, in privacy. The Bhâgavan Visnu began to tell them the means, thus :-- "O Devas! Why are you all so anxious when the Auspicious Goddess of the Universe, the Dweller in the Mani Dvîpa, the Yielder of all desires like a Kalpa Vriksa is always wakeful for you. It is due to your faults that She is showing Her indifference; it is meant to teach us (not for our destruction but to show Her Infinite mercy). When a mother nourishes and frightens and reprimands a son, it is not that she has became merciless; so the World Mother, the Controller of the Universe, will never be merciless to you as regards your qualifications and defects. A son commits offence at every step who can bear that in these three
worlds except the mother! So soon take refuge to the Highest Mother, the Goddess of the universe, with the sincerest devotion. She will certainly take action and help your cause. Thus ordering the Devas, Visnu with His consort Laksmî and the other Devas quickly went out to worship the Devî. Going to the Himâlayâs, they soon engaged themselves in doing the Puras'charana Karma (act of repeating the names of the Deity, attended with burnt oblations and offerings, etc.). O King! Those who were well versed with the performance of sacrifice to the Mother, began their sacrificial ceremonies and all began to hold vows, viz, Tritiyâdi Vratânî. Some were engaged in incessantly meditating on the Devî; some began to repeat Her names constantly; some began to repeat the Devî Sûkta. Thus some devoted themselves to repeating names; others to repeating mantrams. Again some wore engaged in performing severe (painful) Chândrâyana and other Vratas. Some were doing Antarayâgas (inner sacrifices); some wore doing Prânâgnihotra Yâgas; whereas others engaged themselves in Nyâsâdi, etc. Again some began to worship the Highest S'aktî, the Goddess of the Universe, without any sleep or rest, by the seed mantra of Mâyâ. O King! Thus many years of the Devas passed away. When the ninth Tithî came in the month of Chaitra on Friday, the Highest Light of the Supreme Force suddenly appeared in front of them. That Light was equal to Koti lightnings, of a red colour, and cool like the Koti Moons. Again the lustre was like the Koti Suns. The four Vedas personified, were chanting hymns all round Her. That mass of fire was above, below, on all sides, in the middle; nowhere it was obstructed. It had no beginning, nor end. It was of the form of a female with hands and feet and all the limbs. The appearance was not that of a male nor that of an hermophrodite. The Devas, dazzled by the brilliant lustre, first closed their eyes; but at the next moment, holding patience when they opened again their eyes, they found the Highest Light manifesting in the form of an exceedingly beautiful Divine Woman. Her youth was just blooming and Her rising breasts, plump and prominent, vying as it were, with a lotus bud, added to the beauty all around. Bracelets were on Her hands; armlets on Her four arms; necklace on Her neck; and the garland made of invaluable gems and jewels spread very bright lustre all arouud. Lovely ornaments on Her waist making tinkling sounds and beautiful anklets were on Her feet. The hairs of Her head, flowing between Her ears and cheek sparkled bright like the large black bees shining on the flower leaves of the blooming Ketakî flower. Her loins were nicely shaped and exquisitely lovely and the hairs on Her navel gave additional beauty. Her exquisitely lively lotus mouth rendered more lustrous and beautiful by the shining golden ear-ornaments, was filled with betel leaves mixed with camphor, etc.; on Her forehead there was
the half crescaut moon; Her eye-brows were extended and Her eyes looked bright and beautifully splendid like the red lotus; Her nose was elevated and Her lips very sweet. Her teeth were very beautiful like the opening buds of Kunda flowers; from Her neck was suspended a necklace of pearls; on Her head was the brilliant crown decked with diamonds and jewels; on Her ears, earrings were suspended like the lines on the Moon; Her hairs were ornamented with Mallikâ and Mâlatî flowers; Her forehead was pasted with Kâsmîra Kunkuma drops; and Her three eyes gave unparallelled lustre to Her face. On Her one hand there was the noose and on Her other hand there was the goad; her two other hands made signs granting boons and dispelling fears; Her body shed lustre like the flowers of a Dârima tree. Her wearing is a red coloured cloth. All these added great beauty. Thus the Devas saw before them the Mother Goddess, the Incarnate of unpretended mercy, with a face ready to offer Her Grace, the Mother of the Whole Universe, the Enchantress of all, sweet-smiling, saluted by all the Devas, yielding all desires, and wearing a dress, indicative of all lovely feelings. The Devas bowed at once they saw Her; but they could not speak with their voice as it was choked with tears. Then holding their patience, with much difficulty, they began to praise and chant hymns to the World Mother with their eyes filled with tears of love and devotion and with their heads bent low.
44-54. The Devas said :-- We bow down to Thee, the Devî and the Mahâ Devî, always obeisance to Thee! Thou art the Prakriti, and the Auspicious One; we always salute to Thee. O Mother! Thou art of a fiery colour (residing as a Red Flame in the heart of a Yogî) and burning with Asceticism and Wisdom (shedding lustre all around). Thou art specially shining everywhere as the Pure Chaitanya; worshipped by the Devas and all the Jîvas) for the rewards of their actions; We take refuge to Thee, the Durgâ, the Devî, we bow down to Thee, that can well make others cross the ocean of Samsâra; so that Thou helpest us in crossing this terrible ocean of world. Mother! The Devas have created the words (i.e., the words conveying ideas are uttered by the five Vâyus, Prâna, etc., which are called the Devas) which are of the nature of Vis'varûpa, pervading everywhere, like the Kâma Dhenu (the Heavenly Cow yielding all desires, riches, honor, food, etc.), and by which the brutes (the gods) become egotistical, O Mother! Thou art that language to us; so Thou fulfillest our desires when we praise and chant hymns to Thee. O Devî! Thou art the Night of Destruction at the end of the world; Thou art worshipped by Brahmâ; Thou art the Laksmi, the S'akti of Visnu; Thou art the Mother of Skanda; the S'aktî of S'iva; Thou art the S'aktî Sarasvatî of Brahmâ. Thou art Aditi,
the Mother of the gods and Thou art Satî, the daughter of Daksa. Thus Thou art purifying the worlds in various forms and giving peace to all. We bow down to Thee. We know Thee to be the great Mahâ Laksmî; we meditate on Thee as of the nature of all the S'aktis as Bhaghavatî. O Mother! Illumine us so that we can meditate and know Thee. O Devî! Obeisance to Thee, the Virât! Obeisance to Thee, the Sûtrâtmâ, the Hiranyagarbha; obeisance to Thee, the transformed into sixteen Vikritis (or transformations). Obeisance to Thee, of the nature of Brahma. We bow down with great devotion to Thee, the Goddess of the Universe, the Creatrix of Mâyic Avidyâ (the Nescience) under whose influence this world is mistaken as the rope as a garland is mistaken for a rope and again that mistake is corrected by whose Vidyâ.
We bow down to Thee who art indicated by both the letters Tat and Tvam in the sentence Tat Tvamasi (Thou art That), Tat indicating the Chit (Intelligence) of the nature of oneness and Tvam indicating the nature of Akhanda Brahma (beyond the Annamaya, Prânamaya, Manomaya, Vijnânamaya and the Ânandamaya--the five Kos'as, the Witness of the three states of wakefulness, dream, and deep sleep states) and indicating Thee. O Mother! Thou art of the nature of Pranava Om; Thou art Hrîm; Thou art of the nature of various Mantras and Thou art merciful; we bow down again and again to Thy lotus Feet. When the Devas thus praised the Devî, the In-dweller of the Mani Dvîpa, the Bhagavatî spoke to them in a sweet cuckoo voice.
55. O Devas! What for have you come here? What do you want? I am always the Tree, yielding all desires to my Bhaktas; and I am ready to grant boons to them.
56-57. You are my devotees; why do you care, when I am on your side? I will rescue you from the ocean of troubles, O Devas! Know this as My true resolve. O King! Hearing these words of deep love, the Devas became very glad and gave out all their causes of troubles.
58-65. O Parames'varî! Thou art omniscient and witness of all these worlds. What is there in the three worlds that is not known to Thee! O Auspicious Mother! The Demon Târaka is giving us troubles day and night. Brahmâ has given him boon that he will be killed by the S'iva's son. O Mahes'varî! Satî, the wife of S'iva has cast aside Her body. It is known to Thee. What will the ignorant low people inform the one, Who is Omniscient? O Mother! We have described in brief all what we had to say. What more shall we say? Thou knowest all our other troubles and causes of sorrows. Bless us so that our devotion remains unflinched at Thy lotus feet; this is our earnest prayer. That Thou
takest the body to have a son of S'iva is our fervent prayer to Thee. Hearing the Dava's words, Parames'varî, with a graceful countenance, spoke to them, thus :-- "My S'aktî will incarnate as Gaurî in the house of Himâlayâs; She will be the wife of S'iva and will beget a son that will destroy Târaka De
mon and will serve your purpose. And your devotion will remain steadfast at My Lotus feet. Himâlayâs, too, is worshipping Me with his wholehearted devotion; so to take birth in his house is to my greatest liking; know this.
66-73. Vyâsa said :-- "O King! Hearing the kind words of the Devî, the King of mountains was filled with love; and, with voice choked with feelings and with tears in his eyes spoke to the Goddess of the world, the Queen. of the three worlds. Thou hast raised me much higher, that Thou dost me so great a favour; otherwise where am I inert, and unmoving and where art Thou, of the nature of Existence, Intelligence and Bliss! It manifests the Greatness of Thy Glory. O Sinless One! My becoming the father of Thee indicates nothing less than the merits earned by me for doing, countless As'vamedha sacrifices or for my endless Samâdhi. Oh! What a favour hast Thou shewn towards me! Henceforth my unparalleled fame will be spread throughout the whole Universe of five original elements that "The Upholder of the Universe, the World Mother has become the daughter of this Himâlayâs! This man is blessed and fortunate!" Who can be so fortunate, virtuous and merited as he whose daughter She has become, Whose belly contains millions of Brahmândas! I cannot describe what pre-eminent heavens are intended for my Pitris, my family predecessors, wherein virtuous persons like myself are born. O Mother! O Parames'varî! Now describe to me Thy Real Self as exemplified in all the Vedântas; and also Jñâna with Bhakti approved by the Vedas in the same way that Thou hast shown already this favour to me, so that by That Knowledge I will be able to realise Thy Self.
74. Vyâsa said :-- "O King! Thus hearing the praise of Himâlayas, the Goddess of the Universe, with a graceful look, began to speak the very secret essences of the S'rutis.
Here ends the Thirty-first Chapter of the Seventh Book on the birth of Pârvatî in the House of Himâlayâs in the Mahâpurânam S'ri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXII
On Self-realization, Spoken by the World Mother
1-50. The Devî said :-- "Hear, Ye Immortals! My words with attention, that I am now going to speak to you, hearing which will enable the Jîvas to realise My Essence. Before the creation, I, only I, existed; nothing else was existent then. My Real Self is known by the names Chit, Sambit (Intelligence), Para Brahma and others. My Âtman is beyond mind, beyond thought, beyond any name or mark, without any parallel, and beyond birth, death or any other change or transformation. My Self has one inherent power called Mâyâ. This Mâyâ is not existent, nor non-existent, nor can it be called both. This unspeakable substance Mâyâ always exists (till the final emancipation or Moksa).
Mâyâ can be destroyed by Brahma Jñâna; so it can not be called existent, again if Mâyâ does not exist, the practical world cannot exist. So it cannot be called non-existent. Of course it cannot be called both, for it would involve contradictions. This Mâyâ (without beginning but with end at the time of Moksa) naturally arises as heat comes out of fire, as the rays come out of the Sun and as the cooling rays come out of the Moon. Just as all the Karmas of the Jîvas dissolve in deep sleep (S'usupti), so at the time of Pralaya or the General Dissolution, the Karmas of the Jîvas, the Jîvas and Time all become merged, in one uniform mass in this great Mâyâ. United with My S'aktî, I am the Cause of this world; this S'aktî has this defect that it has the power of hiding Me, its Originator.
I am Nirguna. And when I am united with my S'aktî, Mâyâ, 1 become Saguna, the Great Cause of this world. This Mâyâ is divided into two, Vidyâ and Avidyâ. Avidyâ Mâyâ hides Me; whereas Vidyâ Mâyâ does not. Avidyâ creates whereas Vidyâ Mâyâ liberates.
Mâyâ united with Chaitanya (Intelligence), i. e., Chidâbhâsa is the efficient cause of this Universe; whereas Mâyâ reduced to and united with five original elements is the material Cause of the Universe. Some call this Mâyâ tapas; some call Her inert, material; some call Her knowledge; some call Her Mâyâ, Pradhâna, Prakriti, Ajâ (unborn) and some others call Her S'aktî. The S'aiva authors call Her Vimars'a and the other Vedântists call Her Avidyâ; in short, this Mâyâ is in the heads of all the Pundits. This Mâyâ is called various in the Nigamas.
That which is seen is inert; for this reason Mâyâ is Jada (inert) and as the knowledge it conveys is destroyed, it is false. Chaitanya (Intelligence) is not seen; if It were seen, it would have been Jada. Chaitanya is self-luminous; not illumined by any other source. Were It so, Its Enlightener would have to be illumined by some other thing and so the fallacy of Anavasthâ creeps in (an endless series of causes and effects). Again one thing cannot be the actor and the thing, acted upon (being contrary to each other); so Chaitanya cannot be illumined by itself. So It is Self-luminous; and it illumines Sun, Moon, etc., as a lamp is self-luminous and illumines other objects. So, O Mountain! This My Intelligence is established as eternal and everlasting. The waking, dreaming and deep sleep states do not remain constant but the sense of "I" remains the same, whether in waking, dreaming or deep sleep state; its anomaly is never felt. (The Bauddhas say that) The sense of intelligence, Jñâna, is also not felt; there is the absence of it; so what is existent is also temporarily existent. But (it can then be argued that) then the Witness by which that absence is sensed, that Intelligence, in the shape of the Witness, is eternal. So the Pundits of all the reasonable S'âstras declare that Samvit (Intelligence) is Eternal and it is Blissful the fountain of all love. Never the Jîvas or embodied souls feel "I am not"; but "I am" this feeling is deeply established in the soul as Love. Thus it is clearly evident that I am quite separate from anything else which are all false. Also I am one continuous (no interval or separation existing within Me). Again Jñâna is not the Dharma (the natural quality) of Âtman but it is of the very nature of Âtman. If Jñâna ware the Dharma of Âtman, then Jñâna would have been material; so Jñâna is immaterial. If (for argument's sake) Jñâna be denominated as material, that cannot be. For Jñâna is of the nature of Intelligence and Âtman is of the the nature of Intelligence. Intelligence has not the attribute of being Dharma. Here the thing Chit is not different from its quality (Chit). So Âtman is always of the nature of Jñâna and happiness; Its nature is Truth; It is always Full, unattached and void of duality. This Âtman again, united with Mâyâ, composed of desires and Karmas, wants to create, due to the want of discrimination, the twenty-four tattvas, according to the previous Samskâras (tendencies), time and Karma. O Mountain! The re-awakening after Pralaya Susupti is not done with Buddhi (for then Buddhi is not at all manifested). So this creation is said to be effected without any Buddhi (proper intelligence). O Chief of the Immovables! The Tattva (Reality) that I have spoken to you is most excellent and it is my Extraordinary Form merely. In the Vedas it is known as Avyâkrita (unmodified), Avyakta (unmanifested)
Mâyâ S'abala (divided into various parts) and so forth. In all the S'âstras, it is stated to be the Cause of all causes, the Primeval Tattva and Sachchidânanda Vigraha. Where all the Karmas are solidified and where Ichchâ S'aktî (will), Jñâna S'aktî (intelligence) and Kriyâ S'aktî (action) all are melted in one, that is called the Mantra Hrîm, that is the first Tattva. From this comes out Âkâsa, having the property of sound, thence Vâyu (air) with "touch" property; then fire with form, then water having "Rasa" property; and lastly the earth having the quality "smell." The Pundits say that the "sound" is the only quality of Âkâsa; air has two qualities viz., sound and touch, fire has three qualities sound, touch, form; water has four qualities sound, touch, form, taste; and the earth has five qualities sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Out of these five original elements, the allpervading, Sûtra (string or thread) arose. This Sûtrâtman (soul) is called the "Linga Deha," comprising within itself all the Prânas; this is the subtle body of the Paramâtman. And what is said in the previous lines as Avyakta or Unmanifested and in which the Seed of the World is involved and whence the Linga Deha has sprung, that is called the Causal body (Kârana body) of the Paramâtman. The five original elements (Apañchikrita called the five Tan Mâtrâs) being created, next by the Pañchîkarana process, the gross elements are created. The process is now being stated :-- O Girijâ! Each of the five original elements is divided into two parts; one part of each of which is subdivided into four parts. This fourth part of each is united with the half of four other elements different from it and thus each gross element is formed. By these five gross elements, the Cosmic (Virât) body is formed and this is called the Gross Body of the God. Jñânendriyas (the organs of knowledge) arise from Sattva Gunas of each of these five elements. Again the Sattva Gunas of each of the Jñânendriyas united become the Antah Karanâni. This Antah karana is of four kinds, according as its functions vary. When it is engaged in forming Sankalpas, resolves, and Vikalpas (doubts) it is called "mind." When it is free from doubts and when it arrives at the decisive conclusion, it is called "Chitta"; and when it rests simply on itself in the shape of the feeling "I", it is called Ahamkâra. From the Rajo Guna of each of the five elements arises Vâk (speech), Pâni (hands) Pâda (feet), Pâyu (Anus) and Upastha (organs of generation). Again their Rajo parts united give rise to the five Prânas (Prâna, Apâna, Samâna, Udâna and Vyâna) the Prâna Vayu resides in the heart; Apâna Vayu in the Arms; Samâna Vayu resides in the Navel; Udâna Vayu rasides in the Throat; and the Vyâna Vâyu resides, pervading all over the body. My subtle body (Linga Deha) arises from the union of the five
Jñânendriyas, the five Karmendriyas (organs of action), the five Pranas and the mind and Buddhi, these seventeen elements. And the Prakriti that resides there is divided into two parts; one is pure (Suddha Sattva) Mâyâ and the other is the impure Mâyâ or Avidyâ united with the Gunas. By Mâyâ is meant She, who, without concealing Her refugees, protects them. When the Supreme Self is reflected on this S'uddha Sattva, Mâyâ, He is called Îs'vara. This Suddha Mâyâ does not conceal Brahma, its receptacle; therefore She knows the All-pervading Brahma and She is omniscient, omnipotent, the Lady of all and confers favours and blessings on all. When the Supreme Self is reflected on the Impure Mâyâ or Avidyâ, He is called Jîva. This Avidyâ conceals Brahma, Whose nature is Happiness; therefore this Jîva is the source of all miseries. Both Îs'vara and Jîva have, by the influence of Vidyâ and Avidyâ three bodies and three names. When the Jîva lives in his causal body, he is named Prâjña; when he lives in subtle body he is known as Taijasa; while he has the gross body, he is called Vis'va. So when Îs'vara is in His causal body, he is denominated Îs'a; when He is in His subtle body, he is known as Sûtra; and when He is in His gross body, He is known as Virât.
The Jîva glories in having three (as above-mentioned) kinds of differentiated bodies and Îs'vara glories in having three (as above-mentioned) kinds of cosmic bodies. Thus Îs'vara is the Lord of all and though He feels Himself always happy and satisfied, yet to favour the Jîvas and to give them liberation (Moksa) He has created various sorts of worldly things for their Bhogas (enjoyments). This Îs'vara creates all the Universe, impelled by My Brahma S'aktî. I am of the nature of Brahma; and Îs'vara is conceived in Me as a snake is imagined in a rope. Therefore Îs'vara has to remain dependent on My S'akti.
Here ends the Thirty-second Chapter of the Seventh Book on Self-realization, spoken by the World Mother in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXIII
On the Devî’s Virat Rûpa
1-19. The Devî said :-- "O Girirâja! This whole universe, moving and unmoving, is created by My Mâyâ S'aktî. This Mâyâ is conceived in Me. It is not, in reality, different or separate from Me. So I am the only Chit, Intelligence. There is no other intelligence than Me. Viewed practically, it is known variously as Mâyâ, Vidyâ; but viewed really from the point of Brahman, there is no such thing as Mâyâ; only one Brahman exists, I am that Brahma, of the nature of Intelligence.
I create this whole world on this Unchangeable Eternal (Mountain-like) Brahma, (composed of Avidyâ, Karma, and various Samskâras) and enter first as Prâna (vital breath) within it in the form of Chidâbhâsa. O Mountain! Unless I enter as Breath, how can this birth and death and leaving and retaking bodies after bodies be accounted for! As one great Âkâs'â is denominated variously Ghatâkâs'a (Âkâs'â in the air), Patâkâs'a (Âkâs'â in cloth or picture), so I too appear variously by acknowledging this Prâna in various places due to Avidyâ and various Antahkaranas. As the Sun's rays are never defiled when they illumine various objects on earth, so I, too, am not defiled in entering thus into various high and low Antahkaranas (hearts). The ignorant people attach Buddhi and other things of activity on Me and say that Âtman is the Doer; the intelligent people do not say that. I remain as the Witness in the hearts of all men, not as the Doer. O Achalendra! There are many Jîvas and many Îs'varas due to the varieties in Avidyâ and Vidyâ. Really it is Mâyâ that differentiates into men, beasts and various other Jîvas; and it is Mâyâ that differentiates into Brahma, Visnu and other Îs'varas. As the one pervading sky (Âkâs'a) is called Mahâkâs'a Ghatâkas'a (being enclosed by jars), so the One All pervading Paramâtmâ is called Paramâtmâ, Jîvâtmâ (being enclosed within Jîvas). As the Jîvas are conceived many by Mâyâ, not in reality; so Îs'varas also are conceived many by Mâyâ; not in essence. O Mountain! This Avidyâ and nothing else, is the cause of the difference in Jîvas, by creating differences in their bodies, indriyas (organs) and minds. Again, due to the varieties in the three Gunas and their wants (due to the differences between Sâttvik, Râjasik and Tâmasik desires), Mâyâ also appears various. And their differences are the causes of different Îs'varas, Brahma, Visnu and others. O Mountain! This whole world is interwoven in Me; It is I that am the Îs'vara that resides in causal bodies; I am the "Sutrâtman, Hiranyagarbha that resides in subtle bodies and it is I that am the Virât, residing in the gross bodies. I am Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara; I am the Brâhmâ, Vaisnavi and Raudrî S'aktis. I am the Sun, I am the Moon, I am the Stars; I am beast, birds, Chandâlas and I am the Thief, I am the cruel hunter; I am the virtuous high-souled persons and I am the female, male, and hermaphrodite. There is no doubt in this. O Mountain! Wherever there is anything, seen or heard, I alway exist there, within and without, There is nothing moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me. If there be such, that is like the son of a barren woman. Just as one rope is mistaken for a snake or a garland, so I am the One Brahma and appears as Îs'vara, etc. There is no doubt in this. This world cannot appear without a substratum.
And That Substratum is My Existence. There can be nothing else.
20. The Himâlayâs said :-- "O Devî! If Thou art merciful on me, I desire, then, to see Thy Virât form in the Fourth Dimensional Space.
This sight is developed when the mind resides in the heart centre or in the centre of the eye-brows. A proper teacher is necessary.
21-41. Vyâsa said :-- "O King! Hearing the words of Girirâja, Visnu and all the other Devas gladly seconded him. Then the Devî, the Goddess of the Universe, knowing the desires of the Devas, showed Her Own Form that fulfils the desires of the Bhaktas, that is auspicious and that is like the Kalpa Vriksa towards the Bhaktas. They saw Her Highest Virât Form. The Satyaloka is situated on the topmost part and is Her head; the Sun and Moon are Her eyes; the quarters, Her ears; the Vedas are Her words; the Universe is Her heart; the earth is Her loins; the Bhuvarloka is Her navel; the asterisms are Her Thighs; the Maharloka is Her neck; the Janarloka is Her Face; the Taparloka is Her head, situated below the S'atyaloka; Indra and the Devas and the Svarloka is Her arms; the sound is the organ of Her ears; the As'vin twins, Her nose; the smell is the organ of smell; the fire is within Her face; day and night are like Her two wings. The four-faced Brahmâ is Her eyebrows; water is Her palate; the juice thereof is Her organ of taste; Yama, the God of Death, is Her large teeth; the affection is Her small teeth; Mâyâ is Her smile; the creation of Universe is Her sidelooks; modesty is Her upper lip; covetousness is Her lower lip; unrighteousness is Her back. The Prajâpati is Her organ of generation; the oceans are Her bowels; the mountains are Her bones; the rivers are Her veins; and the trees are the hairs of Her body. O King! Youth, virginity, and old age are Her best gaits, positions or ways (courses) paths, the clouds are Her handsome hairs; the two twilights are Her clothings; the Moon is the mind of the Mother of the Universe; Hari is Her Vijnâna S'âkti (the knowledge power); and Rudra is Her all-destroying power. The horses and other animals are Her loins; the lower regions Atala, etc., are Her lower regions from Her hip to Her feet. The Devas began to behold Her this Cosmic (Virâta) appearance with eyes, wide awake, with wonder. Thousands of fiery rays emitted from Her form; She began to lick the whole universe with Her lips; the two rows of teeth began to make horrible sounds; fires came out from Her eyes; various weapons were seen in Her hands; and the Brâhmanas and Ksattriyas are become the food of that Awful Deity. Thousands of heads, eyes and feet were seen in that form. Crores of Suns, crores of lightnings flashes, mingled there. Horrible, Awful, That appearance looked terrific to the eyes, heart and mind. The Devas thus beheld and began to utter cries of horror and consternation; their hearts trembled and they were
caught with immoveable senselessness. "Here is the Devî, our Mother and Preserver." This idea vanished away at once from their minds.
At this moment the Vedas that were on the four sides of the Devî, removed the swoon of the Devas and made them conscious. The Immortals got, then, the excellent Vedas; and, having patience, began to praise and chant hymns in words choked with feelings and with tears flowing flowing from their eyes.
42-53. The Devas said :-- "O Mother! Forgive our faults. Protect us, the miserable, that are born of Thee. O Protectress of the Devas! Withhold Thy anger; we are very much terrified at the sight of Thy this form. "O Devî! We are inferior immortals; what prayers can we offer to Thee! Thou Thyself canst not measure Thy powers; how then can we, who are born later, know of Thy greatness! Obeisance to Thee, the Lady of the Universe! Obeisance to Thee of the nature of the Pranava Om; Thou art the One that is proved in all the Vedântas. Obeisance to Thee, of the form of Hrîm! Obeisance to Thee, the Self of all, whence has originated the Fire, the Sun, and the Moon and whence have sprung all the medicinal plants. Obeisance to the Devî, the Cosmic Deity, the Self in all whence have sprung all the Devas, Sâdhyas, the beasts, birds, and men! We bow down again and again to the Great Form, Mâhâ Mâyâ, the Self of all, whence have sprung the vital breath Prana, Apâna, grains and wheats, and Who is the source of asceticism, faith, truth, continence and the rules what to do and what not to do under the present circumstances. The seven Prânas, the seven Lokas, the seven Flames, the seven Samidhs, the seven Oblations to Fire, have sprung from Thee! Obeisance to Thee, the Great Self in all! Obeisance to the Universal form of the Deity of the Universe whence have sprung all the oceans, all the mountains, all the rivers, all the medicinal plants and all the Rasas (the tastes of all things). We bow down to that Virât Form, the Great Self, the Mahâ Mâyâ, whence have originated the sacrifices, the sacrifical post (to which the victim about to be immolated is bound) and Daksinâs (the sacrificial fees) and the Rik, the Yajus, and the Sâma Vedas. O Mother! O Mahâ Mâyâ! We bow down to Thy front, to Thy back, to Thy both the sides, to Thy top, to Thy bottom and on all sides of Thee. O Devî! Be kind enough to withhold this Extraordinary Terrific Form of Thine, and shew us Thy Beautiful Lovely Form.
54-56. Vyâsa said :-- "O King! The World Mother, the Ocean of mercy, seeing the Devas terrified, withheld Her Fearful Cosmic Form and showed Her very beautiful appearance, pleasing to the whole world. Her body became soft and gentle. In one hand She held the noose, and in another She held the goad. The two other hands made signs to dispel all their fears
and ready to grant the boons. Her eyes emitted rays of kindness; Her face was adorned with beautiful smiles. The Devas became glad at this and bowed down to Her in a peaceful mind and then spoke with great joy.
Here ends the Thirty-third Chapter of the Seventh Book on the Devî's Virât Rûpa in the Mahâ Parânam, Sri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXIV
On the Knowledge and Final Emancipation
1-22. The Devî said :-- "O Devas! You are not at all worthy to see this My Wonderful Cosmic Form. Where are Ye! and where is this My Form! But it is my affection towards the Bhaktas that I have shewn to you all this great form of mine. Nobody can see this form without My Grace; the study of the Vedas, the Yoga, the gift, the Sacrifice, the austerities or any other Sâdhanas are quite incompetent to make this form visible to anybody. O King of mountains! Now hear the real instructions. The Great Self is the only Supreme Thing in this world of Mâyâ (Illusions). He it is that under the various Upâdhis of an actor and enjoyer performs various functions leading to the Dharma (righteousness) and the Adharma (unrighteouss). Then he goes into various wombs and enjoys pleasure or pain according to his Karma. Then again owing to the tendencies pertaining to these births he becomes engaged in various functions and gets again various bodies and enjoys varieties of pleasures and pains. O Best of Mountains! There is no cessation of these births and deaths; it is like a regular clockwork machine; it has no beginning and it goes on working to an endless period. Ignorance or Avidyâ is the Cause of this Samsâra. Desire comes out of this and action flows thence. So men ought to try their best to get rid of this Ignorance. O King of Mountains! What more to say than this that the Goal of life is attained when this Ignorance is destroyed. The highest goal is attained by a Jîva, when he becomes liberated, while living . And Vidyâ is the only thing that is able and skilful in destroying this Ignorance. (As darkness cannot dispel darkness, so) the Karma done out of Ignorance is Ignorance itself; and such a work cannot destroy Ignorance. So it is not proper to expect that this Avidyâ can be destroyed by doing works. The works are entirely futile. The Jîvas want again and again the sensual enjoyments out of this Karma. Attachment arises out of this desire; discrepancies creep in and out of this ignorant attachment great calamities befall when such faults or discrepancies are committed. So every sane man ought to make his best effort to get this Jñânam (knowledge). And as it is also enjoined in the S'rutis that one ought to do actions (and try to live one hundred years) so it is advisable to do works also. Again the S'rutis declate that the "final liberation comes from
Knowledge" so one ought to acquire Jñânam. If both these be collectively followed, then works become beneficial and helping to Jñânam. (Therefore the Jîvas should take up both of these.) Others say that this is impossible owing to their contradictory natures. The knots of heart are let loose by Jñânam and the knots are knit more by Karma. So how can they be reconciled? They are so very diametrically opposite. Darkness and light cannot be brought together, so Jñânam and Karma cannot be brought together. Therefore one ought to do all the Karmas as best as one can, as enjoined in the Vedas, until one gets Chittas'uddhi (the purification of one's heart and mind). Karmas are to be done until S'ama (the control of the inner organs of senses), Dama (the control of the outer organs of senses), Titiksâ (the power to endure heat and cold and other dualities), Vairâgyam (Dispassion), Sattva Sambhava (the birth of pure Sattva Guna in one's own heart) take place. After these, the Karmas cease for that man. Then one ought to take Sannyâsa from a Guru (Spiritual Teacher) who has got his senses under control, who is versed in the S'rutis, attached to Brahma (practising the Yogic union with Brahma). He should approach to him with an unfeigned Bhakti. He should day and night, without any laziness, do S'ravanam, Mananam, and Nididhyâsanam (hearing, thinking and deeply realising) the Vedânta sayings. He should constantly ponder over the meanings of the Mahâvâkyam "Tat Tyam Asi." "Tat Tyam Asi" means Thou art That; it asserts the identity of the Supreme Self (Brahma) and Embodied Self (Jîvâtmâ). When this identity is realised, fearlessness comes and he then gets My nature. First of all, he should try to realise (by reasoning) the idea conveyed by that sentence. By the word "Tat" is meant Myself, of the nature of Brahman; and by the word "Tvam" is meant "Jîva" embodied self and the word "Asi" indicates, no doubt, the identity of these two. The two words "Tat" and "Tvam" cannot be apparently identified, as they seem to convey contradictory meanings ("Tat" implying omniscience, omnipresence, and other universal qualities and "Tvam" implying non-omniscience and other qualities of a limited nature). So to establish the identity between the two, one ought to adopt Bhâgalaksmanâ and Tyâgalaksmanâ. [N. B.—Bhâgalaksmanâ -- kind of Laksmanâ or secondary use of a word by which it partly loses and partly retains its primary meaning also called Jahadajahallaksanâ. Tyâga Laksmanâ -- a secondary use of a word by which it loses partly its primary meaning.
23-40. The Supreme Self is Brahma -- Consciousness, endowed with the omniscience, etc., and.the Embodied Self is Limited Jîva Consciousness, etc.) Leaving aside their both the adjuncts, we take the Consciousness,
when both of them are indentical and we come to Brahma, without a second. The example is now quoted to illustrate what is called Bhâgalaksanâ and Tyâgalaksanâ. "This is that Devadatta" means Devadatta seen before and Devadatta seen now means one and the same person, if we leave aside the time past and the time present take the body of Devadatta only. This gross body arises from the Panchîkrita gross elements. It is the receptacle of enjoying the fruits of its Karma and liable to disease and old age. This body is all Mâyâ; therefore it has certainly no real existence. O Lord of Mountains! Know this to be the gross Upâdhi (limitation) of My real Self. The five Jñanendriyas (organs of senses), five Karmendriyas (working organs), the Prâna Vâyus, mind and Buddhi (rational intellect), in all, these seventeen go to form the subtle body, Sûksma Deha. So the Pundits say. This body of the Supreme Self is caused by the Apanchîkrita five original elements. Through this body, pain and pleasure are felt in the heart. This is the second Upâdhi of the Âtman. The Ajñâna or Primeval Ignoranee, without beginning and indescribable, is the third body of the Âtman. Know this also to be my third Upâdhi. When all these Upâdhis subside, only the Supreme Self, the Brahman remains. Within these three gross and subtle bodies, the five sheaths, Annamaya, Prânamaya, Vijñânamaya, and Ânandamaya always exist. When these are renounced, Brahmapuchcha is obtained. That is Brahma and My Nature, too. This is the Goal of "Not this, Not this" the Vedânta words. This Self is not born nor It dies. It does not live also, being born. (But it remains constant, though It is not born). This Self is unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient. It is not killed, when the body is killed. If one wants to kill it or thinks It as slain, both of them do not know; this does not kill nor is it killed. This Âtman, subtler than the subtlest, and greater than the greatest, resides within the cave (the Buddhi) of the Jîvas. He whose heart is purified and who is free from Sankalpa and Vikalpa (doubt and mental phenomena), knows It and Its glory and is free from sorrows and troubles. Know this Âtman and Buddhi as the charioteer, this body as the chariot, and the mind as the reins. The senses and their organs are the horses and the objects of enjoyments are their aims. The sages declare that the Âtman united with mind and organs of senses enjoys the objects. He who is non-discriminating, unmindful, and always impure, does not realise his Âtman; rather he is bound in this world. He who is discriminating, mindful, and always pure reaches the Goal, realises the Highest Self; and he is not fallen again from That. That man becomes able to cross the Ocean of Samsâra and gets My
Highest Abode, of the nature of everlasting Existence, Intelligence and Bliss, whose charioteer is Discrimination, and who keeps his senses under control by keeping tight the reins of his mind. Thus one should always meditate intensely on Me to realise the nature of Self by S'ravanam (hearing), Mananam thinking and realising one's own self by one's Self (pure heart).
41-44. When by the constant practice, as mentioned above, one's heart is fit for Samâdhi (being absorbed in the Spirit), just before that, he should understand the meanings of the separate letters in the seed Mantra of Mahâmâyâ. The letter "Ha" means gross body and the letter "Ra" means subtle body and the letter "Î" means the causal body; the (dot over the semicircle) is the fourth "Turîya" state of Mine. Thus meditating on the separate differentiated states, the intelligent man should meditate on the aforesaid three Vîjas in the Cosmic body also and he should then try to establish the identity between the two. Before enteriing into Samâdhi, after very carefully thinking the above, one should close one's eyes and meditate on Me, the Supreme Deity of the Universe, the Luminous and Self-Ellulgent Brahmâ.
45-50. O Chief of Mountains! Putting a stop to all worldly desires, free from jealousy and other evils, he should (by constant practice of Prânâyâma) make equal according to the rules of Prânâyâma, the Prâna (the inhaled breath) and Apâna (the exhaled breath) Vâyûs and with an unfeigned devotion get the gross body (Vais'vânara) indicated by the letter "Ha" dissolved in the subtle body Taijasa. The Taijasa body, the letter "Ra" is in a cave where there is no noise (in the Susumnâ cave). After that He should dissolve the Taijasa, "Ra" into the Causal body "Î". He should then dissolve the Causal body, the Prâjña "Î" into the Turîya state Hrîm. Then he should go into a region where there is no speech or the thing spoken, which is absolutely free from dualities, that Akhanda Sachchidânanda and meditate on that Highest Self in the midst of the Fiery Flame of Consciousness. O King of Mountains! Thus men by the meditation mentioned above, should realise the identity between the Jîva and Brahma and see Me and get My Nature. O Lord of Mountains! Thus the firmly resolved intelligent man, by the practice of this Yoga sees and realises the nature of My Highest Self and destroys immediately the Ignorance and all the actions thereof.
Here ends the Thirty-fourth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the Knowledge, Final Emancipation in the Mahâ Purânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXV
On the Yoga and Mantra Siddhi
1. Himâlayâ said :-- "O Mahes'varî! Now tell me the Yoga with all its Amgas (limbs) giving the knowledge of the Supreme Consciousness so that, I may realise my Self, when I practise according to those instructions.
2-10. S'rî Devî said :-- "The Yoga does not exist in the Heavens; nor does it exist on earth or in the nether regions (Pâtâla). Those who are skilled in the Yogas say that the realisation of the identity between the Jivâtma and the Paramâtmâ is "Yoga." O Sinless One! The enemies to this Yoga are six; and they are lust, anger, greed, ignorance, vanity and jealousy. The Yogis attain the Yoga when they become able to destroy these six enemies by practising the accompaniments to Yoga. Yama, Niyama, Âsana, Prânâyâma, Pratyâhâra, Dhâranâ, Dhyâna, and Samâdhi, these are the eight limbs of Yoga. Yama includes Ahimsâ (non-injuring; non- killing); truthfulness; Asteyam (non-stealing by mind or deed); Brahmacharya (continence); Dayâ (mercy to all beings); Uprightness; forgiveness, steadiness; eating frugally, restrictedly and cleanliness (external and internal). These are ten in number. Niyama includes also ten qualities :-- (1) Tapasyâ (austerities and penances); (2) contentment; (3) Âstikya (faith in the God and the Vedas, Devas, Dharma and Adharma); (4) Charity (in good causes); worship of God; hearing the Siddhântas (established sayings) of the Vedas; Hrî or modesty (not to do any irreligious or blameable acts); S'raddhâ (faith to go do good works that are sanctioned); (9) Japam (uttering silently the mantrams, Gâyatrîs or sayings of Purânas) and (10) Homam (offering oblations daily to the Sacred Fire). There are five kinds of Asanas (Postures) that are commendable: Padmâsan, Svastikâsan, Bhadrâsan, Vajrâsan and Vîrâsan. Padmâsan consists in crossing the legs and placing the feet on the opposite thighs (the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh) and catching by the right hand brought round the back, the toes of the right foot and catching by the left hand brought round the back the toes of the left foot; sitting then straight and with ease. This is recommended by the Yogis (and by this one can raise oneself in the air).
N. B. -- The hands, according to some, need not be carried round the back; both the hands are crossed and placed similarly on the thighs.
11-20. Place the soles of the feet completely under the thighs, keep
the body straight, and sit at ease. This is called the Svastikâsan. Bhadrâsan consists in placing well the two heels on the two sides of the two nerves of the testicle, near the anus and catching by the two hands the two heels at the lower part of the testicles and then sitting at ease. This is very much liked by the Yogis. Vajrâsan (diamond seat) consists in placing the feet on the two thighs respectively and placing the fingers below the thighs with the hands also there, and then sitting at ease. Vîrasan consists in sitting cross on the hams in placing the right foot under the right thigh and the left foot under the left thigh and sitting at ease with body straight.
Taking in the breath by the Idâ (the left nostril) so long as we count "Om" sixteen, retaining it in the Susumnâ so long as we count "Om" sixty-four times and then exhaling it slowly by the Pingalâ nâdi (the right nostril) as long as we count "Om" thirty-two times. (The first process is called Pûraka, the second is called Kumbhaka, and the third is called Rechaka). This is called one Prânâyâma by those versed in the Yogas. Thus one should go on again and again with his Prânâyâma. At the very beginning, try with the number twelve, i. e., as we count "Om" twelve times and then increase the number gradually to sixteen and so on. Prânâyâma is of two kinds :-- Sagarbha and Vigarbha. It is called Sagarbha when Prânâyâma is performed with repeating the Ista Mantra and Japam and meditation. It is called Vigarbha Prânâyâma when "Om" is simply counted and no other Mantram. When this Prânâyâma is practised repeatedly, perspiration comes first when it is called of the lowest order; when the body begins to tremble, it is called middling; and when one rises up in the air, leaving the ground, it is called the best Prânâyâma. (Therefore one who practises Prânâyâma ought to continue it till he becomes able to rise in the air).
21-30. Now comes Pratyâhâra. The senses travel spontaneously towards their objects, as if they are without anyone to check. To curb them perforce and to make them turn backwards from those objects is called "Pratyâhâra," To hold the Prâna Vâyu on toes, heels, knees, thighs, sacrum genital organs, navel, heart, neck, throat, the soft palate, nose, between the eyebrows, and on the top of the head, at these twelve places respectively is called the "Dhâranâ." Concentrate the mind on the consciousness inside and then meditate the Ista Devatâ within the Jîvâtmâ. This is the Dhyâna. Samâdhi is identifying always the Jîvâtmâ and Paramâtmâ. Thus the sages say. (Samâdhi is of two kinds (1) Samprajñâta, or Savikalpak and (2) Nirvikalpak. When the ideas
the Knower, Knowledge and the Thing Known, rernain separate in the consciousness and yet the mind feels the one Akhanda Sachchidânanda Brahma and his heart remains, there, that is called Samprajñâta Samâdhi; and when those three vanish away and the one Brahma remains, it is called Asamprajñâta Samâdhi). Thus I have described to you the Yoga with its eight limbs. O Mountain! This body composed of the five elements, and with Jîva endowed with the essence of the Sun, the Moon, and the Fire and Brahma in it as one and the same, is denominated by the term "Vis'va." There are the 350,000 nâdis in this body of man; of these, the principal are ten. Out of the ten again, the three are most prominent. The foremost and first of these three is Susumnâ, of the nature of the Moon, Sun, and Fire, situated in the centre of the spinal cord (it extends from the sacral plexus below to the Brahmaradhra in the head at the top where it looks like a blown Dhustûra flower). On the left of this Susumnâ is the Idâ Nâdî, white and looking like Moon; this Nâdî is of the nature of Force, nectar-like. On the right side of the Susumnâ is the Pingalâ Nâdî of the nature of a male; it represents the Sun. The Susumnâ comprises the nature of the all the Tejas (fires) and it represents Fire.
31-41. The inmost of Susumnâ is Vichtrâ or Chitrinî Bhûlingam nâdî (of the form of a cobweb) in the middle of which resides the Ichchâ (will), Jñâna (knowledge) and Kriyâ (action) S'aktîs, and resplendent like the Millions of Suns. Above Him is situated Hrîm, the Mâyâ Vîja Harâtmâ with "Ha" and Chandravindu repesenting the Sound (Nâda). Above this is the Flame, Kula Kundalinî (the Serpent Fire) of a red colour, and as it were, intoxicated. Outside Her is the Âdhâra Lotus of a yellow colour having a dimension of four digits and Comprising the four letters "va", "s'a", "sa", and "sa". The Yogis meditate on this. In its centre is the hexagonal space (Pîtham). This is called the Mûlâdhâra for it is the base and it supports all the six lotuses. Above it is the Svâdhisthâna Chakra, fiery and emitting lustre like diamond and with six petals representing the six letters "ba", "bha", "ma", "ya", "ra", "la". The word "Sva" means "Param Lingam" (superior Male Symbol). Therefore the sages call this "Svâdhisthân Chakram. Above it is situated the "Manipura Chakram" of the colour of lightning in clouds and very fiery; it comprises the ten Petals, comprising the 10 letters da, dha, na, ta, tha, da, dha, na, pa, pha. The lotus resembles a full blown pearl; hence it is "Manipadma." Visnu dwells here. Meditation here leads to the sight of Visnu, Above it is "Anâhata" Padma with the twelve petals representing, the twelve letters Ka, Kha, Gha, m###, (cha), (chha), (Ja), (Jha,) Îya, ta, and tha. In the middle is Bânalingam, resplendent like
the Sun. This lotus emits the sound S'abda Brabma, without being struck; therefore it is called the Anâhata Lotus. This is the source of joy. Here dwalls Rudra, the Highest Person."
42-43. Above it is situated the Vis'uddha Chakra of the sixteen petals, comprising the sixteen letters a, â, i, î, u, û, ri, ri, li, lri, e, ai, o, ar, am, ah. This is of a smoky colour, highly lustrous, and is situated in the throat. The Jîvâtmâ sees the Paramâtmâ (the Highest Self) here and it is purified; hence it is called Vis'uddha. This wonderful lotus is termed Âkâs'a.
44-45. Above that is situated betwixt the eyebrows the exceedingly beautiful Ajñâ Chakra with two petals comprising the two letters "Ha," and Ksa. The Self resides in this lotus. When persons are stationed here, they can see everything and know of the present, past and future. There one gets the commands from the Highest Deity (e. g. now this is for you to do and so on); therefore it is called the Ajñâ Chakra.
46-47. Above that is the Kailâs'a Chakra; over it is the Rodhinî Chikra. O One of good vows! Thus I have described to you all about the Âdhâra Chakras. The prominent Yogis say that above that again, is the Vindu Sthân, the seat of the Supreme Deity with thousand petals. O Best of Mountains! Thus I declare the best of the paths leading to Yoga.
48. Now hear what is the next thing to do. First by the "Pûraka", Prânâyâma, fix the mind on the Mulâdhâra Lotus. Then contract and arouse the Kula Kundalinî S'aktî there, between the anus and the genital organs, by that Vâyu.
49. Pierce, then, the Lingams (the lustrous Svayambhu Âdi Lingam) in the several Chakras above-mentioned and transfer along with it the heart united with the S'akti to the Sahasrâra (the Thousand petalled Lotus). Then meditate the S'aktî united with S'ambhu there.
50-51. There is produced in the Vindu Chakra, out of the intercourse of S'iva and S'aktî, a kind of nectar-juice, resembling a sort of red-dye (lac). With that Nectar of Joy, the wise Yogis make the Mâyâ S'aktî, yielding successes in Yoga, drink; then pleasing all the Devas in the six Chakras with the offerings of that Nectar, the Yogi brings the S'aktî down again on the Mûlâdhâra Lotus.
52. Thus by daily practising this, all the above mantras will no doubt, be made to come to complete success.
53-54. And one will be free from this Samsâra, filled with old age and death, etc. O Lord of Mountains! I am the World Mother; My devotee will get all My qualities; there is no doubt in this. O Child! I have thus described to you the excellent Yoga, holding the Vâyu (Pavana Dhârana Yoga).
55. Now hear from Me the Dhârânâ Yoga. To fix thoroughly one's heart on the Supremely Lustrous Force of Mine, pervading all the quarters, countries, and all time leads soon to the union of the Jîva and the Brahma.
56-58. If one does not quickly do this, owing to impurities of heart, then the Yogi ought to adopt what is called the "Avayava Yoga." O Chief of Mountains! The Sâdhaka should fix his heart on my gentle hands, feet and other limbs one by one and try to conquer each of these places. Thereby his heart would be purified. Then he should fix that purified heart on My Whole Body.
59-62. The practiser must practise with Japam and Homam the Mantram till his mind be not dissolved in Me, My Consciousness. By the practice of meditating on the Mantra, the thing to be known (Brahma) is transformed into knowledge. Know this as certain, that the Mantra is futile without Yoga and the Yoga is futile without the Mantra. The Mantra and the Yoga are the two infallible means to realise Brahma. As the jar in a dark room is visible by a lamp, so this Jîvâtmâ, surrounded by Mâyâ is visible by means of Mantra to the Paramâtmâ (the Highest Self). O Best of Mountains! Thus I have described to you the Yogas with their Angas (limbs). You should receive instructions about them from the mouth of a Guru; else millions of S'âstras will never be able to give you a true realisation of the meanings of the yogas.
Here ends the Thirty-fifth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the Yoga and the Mantra Siddhi in the Mahâ Purânam S'ri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXVI
On the Highest Knowledge of Brahma
1-4. S'ri Devî said :-- "O Himâlayâs! Thus making one's own self attached to the Yoga by the above-mentioned process and sitting on a Yoga posture, one should meditate on My Brahma Nature with
an unfeigned devotion. (How the knowledge of that Formless Existence and Imperishable Brahman arises, now hear.) He is manifest, near, yea, even moving in the hearts of all beings. He is the well-known Highest Goal. Know that all this whatever, waking, dreaming, or sleeping, which moves, breathes or blinks, is founded on Him. He is higher than Being and Non-being: higher than the Wisdom, He is the Best Object of adoration for all creatures. He is brilliant, smaller than the smallest and in Him the worlds are founded and the Rulers thereof. He is the Imperishable Brahman. He is the Creator (Life), the Revealer of Sacred Knowledge (speech) and Omniscient (or the Cosmic Mind). This is the Truth. He is immortal, O Saumya! Know that He is the target to be hit.
Note. -- The words "higher than wisdom" mean higher than Brahmâ. (Brahmâ is the highest of all Jîvas, higher than Brahmâ means higher than all creatures. The word Vijñâna denotes Brahmâ as we find in the following speech of Brahmâ in the Bhâgavat Purâna) "I, the Wisdom Energy (Vijñâna-S'akti) was born from the navel of this Being resting on the Waters and possessed of the Infinite Powers."
Visnu is called "Prana," because he is the leader of all (Prâna-netri). He is called Vâk, because He is the Teacher of all; Visnu is called Manas because He is the adviser of all (Mantri). He is the Controller of all the Jîvas.
The third verse lays down that Brahman is to be meditated upon or that the Manana should be performed; as the second verse teaches that Dhyâna or concentration also is necessary.
5-6. Take hold of the Mystic Name as the bow, and know that the Brahman is the aim to be hit. Put on this the great weapon (Om), the arrow (of the mind) sharpened by meditation. Withdraw thyself from all objects, and with the mind absorbed in the idea of Brahman, hit the aim; for know, O Saumya! That Imperishable alone to be the Mark. The Great name"Om" is the bow, the mind is the arrow, and the Brahman is said to be the mark. It is to be hit by a man whose thoughts are concentrated, for then he enters the target.
Note. -- Thus S'ravana, Manana, and Dhyâna of Brahman have been taught. This is the method of Brahma-upâsanâ.
7. In Him are woven the heavens, and the interspaces, and mingle also with the senses. Know Him to be the one Support of all, the
Âtman. Leave off all other words (as well as the worship of other deities). This (Âtman) is the refuge of the Immortals.
"He is the bridge of the Immortal"--the words Amrita or Immortal means Mukta Jîvas. In the Vedânta Sûtra I, 3-2, it has been taught that the Lord is the refuge of the Muktas. So also that "He is the Highest Goal of the Muktas."
8-9. In Him the life-webs (nâdis) are fastened, as the spokes to the nave of a chariot; He is this (Âtman) that pervades the heart, and by his own free will manifests Himself in diverse ways (as Visva, Taijasa, etc., in waking, sleeping, etc., states); and also as One as Prâjña in the dreamless state. Meditate on the Âtman as Om (full of all auspicious qualities and who is the chief aim of the Vedas), in order to acquire the knowledge of the Paramâtman, Who is beyond the Prakriti and the S'ri Tattva. Your welfare consists in such knowledge.
Note. -- This shows that Brahman is the Antaryâmin Purusa. He resides in the heart where all the 72,000 Nâdis meet, as the spokes meet in the navel of the wheel. He moves within the organs, not for His own pleasure, but to give life and energy to them all. The Om with all its attributes must be constantly meditated upon. He manifests Himself in manifold ways in the waking and dreaming stews as Vis'va and Taijasa; while He manifests as One in the state of Susupti or Dreamless sleep as Prâjñâ. He is beyond darkness; He has no mortal body. Meditate on such Visnu in the heart in order to get the Supreme Brahman, with the help of the Mantra Om. The result of such meditation is that there is the welfare of yours--all evils will cease, and you will get the bliss of the manifestation of the Divinity--your Real Self within your Heart.
10. He who is All-Wise, and All-Knowing, whose Greatness is thus manifested in the worlds, is to be meditated upon as the Âtman residing in the Ether, in the Fourth Dimensional Space, in the shining city of Brahman (the Heart). He is the Controller of the mind and the Guide of the senses and the body. He abides in the dense body, controlling the heart. He, the Âtman, when manifesting Himself as the Blissful and Immortal, is seen by the wise through the purity of the heart.
11. The fetters of the Jîvas are cut asunder, the ties of Linga-dehas and Prakriti are removed (the effects of all) his works perish, when He is seen who is Supremely High (or when the Supremely High looks at the Jîva.) [Note.--Visnu is Parâvare, because Parâ or High Beings like Ramâ; Brahmâs, etc., are Avara or inferior in His comparsion.]
[Note. -- This shows the result of Divine Wisdom in the last verse. The Avidyâ covers both Îs'varâ and Jîva. It prevents Îs'vara being, seen by Jîva, and Jîva, seeing Îs'vara. It is a direct bondage of Jîva and a metaphorical fetter of Îs'vara. Avidyâ is the name given to Prakriti in Her active state. When Her three qualities Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, are actively manifest. Destruction of Avidyâ means putting these Gunas in their latent state. There is a great difference between the destruction of the Avidyâ--fetters as taught in this verse, and the unloosening of them as previously described in this verse! There Avidyâ still remained, for it was merely a Paroksa or intellectual apprehension of Truth. Here Avidyâ itself is destroyed by Aparoksa or Intuitive Knowledge of Brahman.
The bonds are five :-- The lowest is the Avidyâ bond, then the Lingadeha bond, then the Pramâchchâdaka Prakriti bond, the Kâma bond, and the Karma bond. When all these bonds are destroyed, then the Jñânî goes by the Path of Light to the Sântâmka Loka. Before proceeding further all have to salute the S'is'u-mâra--the Dweller on the threshhold--the hub of the Universe.
The Sis'umâra literally means the Infant Killer and means the porpoise and is the name of a constellation, in the north, near the Pole. It corresponds perhaps with the Draco or the Ursâ Minor. For a fuller description of it, see Bhagam Purâna Book 5, Chapter 23. Here it is a mystical reference to a Being of an exalted order, which every Jñânî passes by, in his way beyond this Universe. It may correspond with the ring-pass-not of the 'Secret Doctrine'! It is the name of Hari, also, as we find the following verse "The Supreme Hari, the Support of infinity of worlds and who is called Sis'umâra, is saluted by all knowers of Brahma, on their way to the Supreme God.]
12. The Brahman (called Sis'umâram) free from all passions and parts (manifests in the external world) in the highest Golden Sheath (the Cosmic Egg). That is pure, that is the highest of Lights, it is that which the knowers of Âtmân know. [Note. -- "He is in the Centre of the Cosmic (as Sis'umâra, the Light of all Cosmic Suns). He is even in the centre of our Sun and illumining all planets."]
In the first respect He is meditated upon as Sis'umara and in the second as Gâyatrî." [Note.--In man, the Brahman manifests in the heart or the Auric Egg, called the city of Brahman. In the Universe, He manifests Himself in the Cosmic Egg, called the "Golden Sheath." These are the two places where Brahman may be meditated upon.
This verse has been explained in two different ways: First, as applying to S'is'umâra and secondly, as teaching how to meditate on Nârâyana in the Sun. The "Golden Sheath" would then mean the Solar sphere. The Supremely High Brahman resides in the excellent Golden Sheath. He is Pure and Without parts.]
13. The Sun does not shine there in His Presence nor the Moon and the Stars (for His Light is greater than theirs, they appear as if dark in that Effulgence, like the candle-light in the Sun. Nor do these lightnings, and much less this fire shine there. When He shines, everything shines after Him; by His Light all this becomes manifest.
Him the Sun does not illumine nor the moon and the stars. Nor do these lightnings; much less this Fire illumines Him. When He illumines all (the Sun, etc.,) then they shine after (Him with His light). This whole Universe reveals His Light (is His Light and its Light is His). Note.--The Sun, etc., do not illumine Him, i.e., cannot make Him manifest.
14. The Eternally Free is verily this Brahman only. He is in the West, in the North and the South, in the Zenith and the Nadir. The Brahman alone is; it is He who pervades all directions. This Brahman alone is it who pervades. This Brahman alone is the Full (that exists in all time the Eternity). This Brahman is the Best:--
This (idam) Brahman is alone the Vis'vam or Infinity or Full (pûrnâm). This alone is the Best, the Highest of all. As the word "idam" is used several times in this verse, it qualifies the word Brahman and not "vis'vam," [Note.--The Brahman was taught to be meditated upon fully in the Heart and the Hiranmaya Kos'a. But lest one should mistake that He is thus limited in those two places, one is to infer that they are selected as the best.]
15-16. The man who realises thus is satisfied and has all that he wants to do and is considered as the best. He becomes Brahman and his Self is pleased and he neither wants anything nor becomes sorry. O King! Fear comes from the idea of a second; where there is no second, fear does not exist. No danger then arises for him to be separated from Me. Nor I also get separated from him.
17. O Himâlayâs! Know that I am he and he is I. Know that I am seen there where My Jñânî resides.
18. Neither I dwell in any sacred place of pilgrimage, nor do I live in Kailâsa nor in Vaikuntha nor in any other place. I dwell in the heart lotus of My Jñânî.
19. The blessed man who worships once My Jñânî, gets Koti times the fruit of worshipping Me. His family is rendered pure and his mother becomes blessed. He whose heart is diluted in the all-pervading Brahma Consciousness, purifies this whole world. There is no doubt in this.
20. O Best of Mountains! I have now told everything that you asked about Brahma Jñâna. Nothing now remains to be further described.
21. This Brahma Vidyâ (science of the knowledge of Brahma) is to be imparted to the eldest son, who is devoted and of good character and to him who is endowed with the good qualities as enumerated in the S'âstras and not to be given to any other person.
22. He who is fully devoted to his Ista Deva and who is equally devoted to his Guru, to him the high-minded persons should declare the Brahma Vidyâ.
23. Verily, he is God himself, who advises this Brahma Vidyâ; no one is able to repay the debts due to him.
24. He who gives birth to a man in Brahma, is, no doubt, superior to the ordinary father; for the birth that a father gives is destroyed; but the birth in Brahma that is given by the Guru is never destroyed.
25. So the S'ruti says :-- Never do harm to the Guru who imparts the knowledge of Brahma.
26. In all the Siddhântas (decided conclusions) of the S'âstras, it is stated that the Guru who imparts the knowledge of Brahman is the best and the most honourable. If S'iva, becomes angry, the Guru can save; but when the Guru becomes angry, S'ankara cannot save. So the Guru should be served with the utmost care.
27. So the Guru must be served with all the cares that are possible by body, mind, and word one should always please Him. Otherwise he becomes ungrateful and he is not saved.
28. O Best of Mountains! It is very difficult to acquire Brahma Jñâna. Hear a story. A Muni named Dadhyam of Atharvana family went to Indra and prayed to him to give Brahma Jñâna. Indra said: "I would give you Brahma-Jñâna, but if you impart it to any other body, I would sever your head." Dadhyarna agreed to this and Indra gave him the Brahma-Jñâna. After a few days, the two As'vins came to the Muni and prayed for Brahma Vidyâ, The Muni said :-- "If I give
you the Brahma-Vidyi, Indra, will cut off my head." Hearing this the two As'vins said :-- "We will cut your head and keep it elsewhere and we will attach the head of a horse to your body. Instruct us with the mouth of this horse and when Indra will cut off your this mouth, we will replace your former head." When they said so, the Muni gave them the Brahma-Vidyâ. Indra cut off his head by his thunderbolt. When the horse-head of the Muni was cut off, the two physicians of the Devas replaced his original head. This is widely known in all the Vedas.
O Chief of Mountains! He becomes blessed who gets this the Brahma-Vidyâ.
Here ends theThirty-sixth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the Highest Knowledge of Brahma in the Mahapurânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXVII
On Bhakti Yoga
1. The Himâlayâs said :-- "O Mother! Now describe your Bhaki Yoga, by which ordinary men who have no dispassion get the knowledge of Brahma easily.
2-10. The Devî said:--"O Chief of Mountains! There are three paths, widely known, leading to the final liberation (Moksa). These are Karma Yoga, Jñâna Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Of these three, Bhakti Yoga is the easiest in all respects; people can do it very well without incurring any suffering to the body, and bringing the mind to a perfect concentration. This Bhakti (devotion) again is of three kinds as the Gunas are three. His Bhakti is Tâmasî who worships Me, to pain others, being filled with vanity and jealousy and anger. That Bhakti is Râjâsic, when one worships Me for one's own welfare and does not intend to do harm to others. He has got some desire or end in view, some fame or to attain some objects of enjoyments and ignorantly, and thinking himself different from Me, worships Me with greatest devotion. Again that Bhakti is Sâttvikî when anybody worships Me to purify his sins, and offers to Me the result of all his Karmas, thinking that Jîva and Îs'vara are separate and knowing that this action of his is authorized in the Vedas and therefore must be observed. This Sâttvikî Bhakti is different from the Supreme Bhakti as the worshippers
think Me separate; but it leads to the Supreme Bhakti. The other two Bhaktis do not lead to Parâ Bhakti (the Supreme Bhakti or the Highest unselfish Love.)
11-20. Now hear attentively about the Parâ Bhakti that I am now describing to you. He who hears always My Glories and recites My Name and whose mind dwells always, like the incessant flow of oil, in Me Who is the receptacle of all auspicious qualities and Gunas. But he has not the least trace of any desire to get the fruits of his Karma; yea he does not want Sâmîpya, Sârsti, Sâyujya, and Sâlokya and other forms of liberations! He becomes filled with devotion for Me alone, worships Me only; knows nothing higher than to serve Me and he does not want final liberation even. He does not like to forsake this idea of Sevya (to he served) and Sevaka (servant who serves). He always meditates on Me with constant vigilance and actuated by a feeling of Supreme Devotion; he does not think himself separate from Me but rather thinks himself "that I am the Bhagavatî." He considers all the Jîvas as Myself and loves Me as he loves himself. He does not make any difference between the Jîvas and myself as he finds the same Chaitanya everywhere and mainfested in all. He does not quarrel with anybody as he has abandoned all ideas about separateness; he bows down, and worships the Chândâlas and all the Jîvas. He who becomes filled with devotion to Me whenever he sees My place, My devotees, and hears the Sâstras, describing My deeds, and whenever he meditates on My Mantras, he becomes filled with the highest love and his hairs stand on their ends out of love to Me and tears of love flow incessantly from both his eyes; he recites My name and My deeds in a voice, choked with feelings of love for Me. [N. B.--The Parâ Prema Bhakti is like the maddening rush of a river to the Ocean; thence in the shape of vapour to the highest; Himâlayân Mountain peaks to be congealed into snow where various plays of bright colours take place.]
21-30. O Lord of the mountains! He worships Me with intense feeling as the Mother of this Universe and the Cause of all causes. He performs the daily and occasional duties and all My vows and sacrifices without showing any miserly feeling in his expenditure of money. He naturally longs to perform My festivities and to visit places where My Utsabs are held. He sings My name loudly and dances, being intoxicated with My love, and has no idea of egoism and is devoid of his body-idea, thinking that the body is not his. He thinks that whatever is Prârabdha (done in his previoas lives) must come to pass and therefore does not become agitated as to the preservation of his body and soul. This sort of Bhakti is called the Parâ Bhakti or the Highest Devotion. Here the
predominent idea is the idea of the Devî and no other idea takes its place. O Mountain! He gets immediately dissolved in My Nature of Consciousness whose heart is really filled with such Parâ Bhakti or All Love. The sages call the limiting stage of this devotion and dispassion as Jñâna (knowledge). When this Jñâna arises, Bhakti and dispassion get their ends satisfied. Yea! He goes then to the Mani Dvîpa, when his Ahamkâra does not crop up by his Prârabdba Karma, though he did not fail to give up his life in devotion. O Mountain! That man enjoys there all the objects of enjoyments, though unwilling and at the end of the period, gets the knowledge of My Consciousness. By that he attains the Final Liberation for ever. Without this Jñâna, the Final Liberation is impossible.
31-33. He realises Para Brahma who gets in this body of his the above Jñâna of the Pratyak Âtmâ in his heart; when his Prâna leaves his body, he does not get re-birth. The S'ruti says :-- "He, who knows Brahma, becomes Brahma." In the logic of Kantha, Châmîkara, (gold on the neck) the ignorance vanishes. When this ignorance is destroyed by knowledge, he attains all his knowledge the object to be attained, when he recoginises the gold on his neck.
34-37. O Best of Mountains! This My consciousness is different from the perceived pots, etc., and unperceived Mâyâ. The image of this Paramâtmâ is seen in bodies other than the Âtmâ as the image falls in a mirror; as the image falls in water, so this Paramâtmâ is seen in the Pitrilokas. As the shadow and light are quite distinct, so in My Manidvîpa, the knowledge of oneness without a second arises. That man resides in the Brahma Loka for the period of a Kalpa who leaves his body without attaining Jñâna, though he had his Vaîrâgyam. Then he takes his birth in the family of a pure prosperous family and practising again his Yoga habits, gets My Consciousness.
38-45. O King of Mountains! This Jñâna arises after many births it does not come in one birth; so one should try one's best to get this Jñâna. If, attaining this rare human birth, one does not attain this Jñâna, know that a great calamity has befallen to him. For this human birth is very hard to attain; and then the birth in a Brâhmin family is rarer; moreover amongst the Brâhmins, the knowledge of the Veda (the Consciousness is exceedingly rare.) The attaining of the six qualities (which are considered as six wealth), restraint of passions, etc.; the success in Yoga and the acquisition of a pure real Guru, all these are very hard to be attained in this life. O Mountain! The maturity and the activities of the organs of the senses, and the purification of the body according to the Vedic rites are all very difficult to attain. Know this again that to get a desire for final liberation is acquired by the merits acquired in many births. That man's birth is entirely futile, who attaining all the above qualifications does not try his best to attain this Jñâna, So one should
try one's best to acquire the Jñâna. Then, at every moment, he gets the fruits of the As'vamedha sacrifice. There is no doubt in this. As ghee (clarified butter) resides potentially in milk, so the Vijñâna Brahma resides in every body. So make the mind the churning rod and always churn with it. Then, by slow degrees, the knowledge of Brahma will be attained.
Man attains blessedness when he gets this Jñâna; so the Vedânta says: Thus I have described to you in brief, O King of Mountains! all that you wanted to hear. Now what more do you want?
Here ends the Thirty-seventh Chapter of the Seventh Book on the glories of Bhakti in the Mahâ Purânam, S'ri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 Verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXVIII
The Vows and the Sacred Places of the Devi
1-2. The Himâlayâs said :-- "O Devî! Describe the places on this earth that are prominent, sacred, and worth visiting and which Thou likest best. O Mother! Also sanctify us by describing the vows and utsabs that are pleasing to Thee, and by performing which, men become blessed and get themselves satisfied.
3-10. The Devî spoke :-- "O Himavan! All the places that are on this earth are all Mine and all should be visited. And every moment is fit for taking vows and utsabs. For I am of the nature pervading every moment; so whatever actions are performed at any moment are all equal to taking My vows and utsabs. O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of My affection to My Bhaktas. Hear. There is a great place of pilgrimage named Kolhâpura in the southern country. Here the Devî Laksmi always dwells. The second place is Mâtripura in the Sahyâdrî mountain; here the Devî Renukâ dwells. The third place is Tulajâpur; next is the place Saptas'ringa, the great places of Hingulâ and Jvâlâ Mukhî. Then the great places of Sâkambharî, Bhrâmâri, S'rîraktadantikâ and Dûrgâ. The best of all places is that of Vindhyâchala Vâsinî, the great places of Annapurnâ and the excellent Kânchipur (Conjiverum). Next come the places of Bhîmâ Devî, Vimalâ Devî, S'rî Chandralâ Devî of Karnât, and the place of Kaus'ikî. Then the great place of Nîlâmbâ on the top of the Nîlâparvata, the place of Jâmbûnades'varî, and the beautiful S'rînagara.
11-20. The great place of S'rî Guhya Kâlî, well established in Nepal, and that of S'rî Mînâksî Devî established in Chîdamvaram. The great
place named Vedâranya where the Sundarî Devî is residing; then the place named Ekâmvaram, and the place Bhuvanes'vara near Purusottama where I always dwell as Parâ S'akti Bhuvanes'varî. The famous place of Mahâlasâ, known in the south by the name Mallâri; the place of Yoges'varî Varât, and the widely known place of Nîla S'arasvatî in China. The excellent place of Bagalâ in Baidyanâth, the supreme place Manidvîpa of S'rîmatî Bhuvanes'varî where I always reside. The Yonimandala Kâmâkhyâ, the place of S'rimatî Tripurâ Bhariavî, the excellent of all the places in this earth, where the Devî Mahâ Mâyâ always dwells. There is no other place better than this on the earth. Here the Devî becomes every month in Her course of menstruation and where the virtuous men are seen. Here all the Devas remain in the form of mountains and where on the mountains the excellent Devas inhabit. The sages say: That all the places there are of the nature of the Devî; there is no better place than this Kâmâkhyâ Yonimandala. Puskara, the sacred place, is the seat of Gâyatrî; the place of Chandikâ in Amares'a: and the excellent place of Puskareksinî in Frabhâsa. The place of Linga-dhârinî Devî in Naimisâranya, and the place of Purubutâ in Puskarâksa; Rati dwells in Âsâdhî.
21-30. Dandinî Parames'vari dwells in Chandamundî. Bhûti dwells in Bhârabhûti; and Nakule S'varî dwells in Nâkula. Chandrikâ dwells in Haris'chandra; S'ânkari in S'rîgiri; Tris'ûlâ in Japes'vara; and Suksmâ in Âmrâta Kes'vara. S'ânkarî dwells in Ujjain, S'arvânî in the place Madhyamâ, and Mârga Dâyini dwells in the holy Ksetra Kedâra. The celebrated Bhairavî dwells in the place named Bhairava; Mangalâ in Gayâ Ksettra; Sthânupriyâ in Kuruksetra; and Svâyambhuvî Devî dwells in Nâkula; Ugrâ dwells in Kankhal; Vis'vesâ dwells in Vimales'vara, Mahânandâ in Attahâsa and Mahântakâ in Mahendra. Bhimes'varî dwells in Bhîma; the Bhavânî S'ankarî dwells in Vastrâpadma; and Rudrânî in Ardha Kotî. Vis'alâksî dwells in Avimukta; Mahâbhâgâ dwells in Mahâlaya; Bhadrakarnî in Gokarna; and Bhadrâ resides in Bhadrakarnak; Utpalâksî dwells in Suvarnâksa; Sthânvîs'â in Sthânu; Kamalâ in Kamalâlayâ; Chandâ in Chhagalandaka, situated in the south near the sea coast. Trisandhyâ dwells in Kurundala; Mukutes'varî in Mâkota; S'ândakî in Mandales'a; Kâlî in Kâlanjara; Dhvani in S'ankukarna; Sthûlâ in Sthûlakes'vara; and Parames'varî Hrillekhâ dwells in the heart lotuses of the Jñanins.
31-34. The places mentioned above are all dearest to the Devî. First the merits of these places are to be heard; next the Devî is to be
worshipped by the rites and ceremonies according to these rules. Or, O Mountain! All the holy places of pilgrimages exist in Kâs'î. The Devî always dwells there. Persons, devoted to the Devî, see these places and if they make Japam and meditate on the lotus-feet of the Devî, they will certainly be freed from the bonds of Samsâra; there is no doubt in this. If anybody, getting up in the morning, recite the names of these places, all his sins would instantly be burnt away.
35-40. And if one reads, in the time of S'râddha, before the Brahmins, these holy names of the Devî, his Pitris will be purified of their sins in the Mahâkâs'a by the Mahâ Prâna and will get their highest goal. O One of good vows! I will now describe to you the vows that are to be carefully observed by men and women; hear. Ananta Tritîyâkhya Vrata (vow), Rasakalyânî Vrata, and Ârdrânandakara Vrata, these three Vratas are to be observed in the Tritîyâ (third) tithi. The next come the Friday vow, the Krisna Chaturdas'i vows, the Tuesday vow, and the evening twilight vow. In this twilight vow, Mahâ Deva placed the Devî in the evening on an Âsana; and He, along with the other Devas, began to dance before Her. Fasting is enjoined in this vow; and then in the evening one must worship the Devî, the Giver of all auspicious things. Especially in every fortnight, if the Devî be worshipped, She gets extremely pleased.
41. O Best of Mountains! The Monday vow is very agreeable to Me; the worship of the Devî should be done and then in the night one must take one's food.
42-43. The two nine nights vow called Navarâtra are to be observed, one in the autumn and the other in the spring season. These are very dear to Me. He is certainly My devotee and very dear who for My satisfaction performs these and the other Nitya Naimittik vows, free from any pride and jealousy. He certainly gets the Sâjujya Mukti with Me.
44-46. O Nagarâja! The Holy (Dol) festival in the month of Chait on tha third day of the white fortnight is very pleasing to Me and should be observed by all. My devotees perform the S'ayanotsava in the Paurnâmâsî in the month of Âsâdha; the Jâgaranotsava in the Paurnamâsî in the month of Kârtik, the Ratha Jâtrâ in the 3rd of the white fortnight in Âsâdha; the Damanotsava in Chaitra. And my dear festivals in the month of S'râvana and various other festivals.
47-49. In all these festivals one should feast well with gladness all My devotees, and the Kumâris (virgins), well clothed and dressed, and the boys, thinking them all to be of My very nature. No miserliness is to be entertained and I should be worshipped with flowers, etc. He is blessed and attains his goal and is dear to Me who carefully and devotedly observes every year all these festivals. O Nagendra! Thus I have described to you in brief all the vows that are pleasing to Me. These instructions are not to be given who is not a disciple nor to one who is not My devotee.
Here ends the Thirty-eighth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the vows and the sacred places of the Devî in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXXIX
The Worship of the World Mother
1. The Himâlayâs said :-- "O Devî! O Mahes'vari! O Thou, the Ocean of Mercy! O World-Mother! Now describe in detail how Thy worship is conducted, the rules and ceremonials thereof.
2-20. The Devî said :-- "O King of Mountains! I now describe to you the rites and ceremonies and the methods of My worship that are pleasing to Me. Hear it attentively and with faith. My worship is of two kinds :-- External and internal. The external worship is again twofold: one is Vaidik, and the other is Tântrik. The Vaidik worship is also of two kinds according to the differences in My forms. Those who are initiated in the Vedic Mantrams worship according to the Vedic rites and ceremonies and those who are initiated in the Tântrik-Mantram worship according to the Tântrik rites. That stupid man is entirely ruined and goes to Hell who knowing the secrets of worship, act contrary to them. First I will describe to you the Vaidik worship; hear. The highest Form of Mine that you saw before, with innumerable heads, innumerable eyes, innumerable feet, and the Illuminer of the intelligences of all the Jîvas, endowed with all powers, Higher than the Highest, Very Grand, worship That, bow down to That and meditate on That. O Nagendra! This is the first form of worship that I describe to you. With your senses controlled, peaceful, with a well concentrated mind, void of egoism and vanity, and devoted to That, perform sacrifices to That,, take refuge of That, see That within the temple of your mind, and always recite
Her name and meditate on that. Take hold of Me, and My ideas with one pointed loving devotion and please Me with the performance of sacrifices, austerities and gifts. By My Grace, you will no doubt be able to get the Final Liberation. Whoever is entirely attached to Me, thinking Me as the Highest, is the foremost amongst the Bhaktas. I promise that I will certainly deliver him from this ocean of the world. O King of mountains! Meditation with Karma and Jñâna with Bhakti will lead one to Me. Only the work alone will fail to get one to Me. O Himavan! From Dharma arises Bhakti and from Bhakti arises the Highest Jñâna. What are said in the S'ruti and Smriti S'astras the Maharsis take that as the Dharma; and what are written in other S'astras, they take them to be Dharmâbhâsa (the Shadow or reflection of Dharma). Out of My omniscient and omnipotent Nature, the Vedas have come. Owing to the want of Ignorance in Me, the Vedas can never be invalidated. The Smritis are formed out of the meaning of the Vedas; so the Smriti and Purânas, formed, by Manu and the other Risis, are authoritative. In some places it is hinted that there other S'astras than the Vedas, taking the Tantras indirectly into account. Although the matters relating to the Dharmas are mentioned therein, but as they are apparently contrary to the S'rutis, the Tantras are not accepted by the Vaidik Pundits. The other S'âstra makers are marked with their ignorance; so their sayings cannot be authoritative. Therefore he must resort entirely to the Vedas who want the final liberation. As the king's order is never disobeyed amongst his subjects, so the S'ruti, the Command of Mine, the Lord of all, can never be abandoned by men.
21-30. To preserve My Commandments, I have created the Brâhmana and the Ksattriya castes. My secrets are all embodied in the S'rutis. For that reason, the words of the S'rutis are no doubt to be known and observed by the sages. O Mountain! When the Dharma (righteousness) declines and the Adharma (unrighteousness) reigns supreme, I then manifest Myself in the world as Sâkambharî, Râma, Krisna and others. Therefore, the Devas, the preservers of the Vedas, and the Daityas, the destroyers of the Vedas are classified. Whoever does not practise according to the Vedas I have created many hells for their lessons. When the sinners hear of those hells, they get extremely terrified. The king should banish those stupid persons from his kingdom and the Brâhmins should not talk with them nor take them in their own lines nor when partaking of food, those who forsake the Vaidic Dharma and go for shelter to another Dharma. The S'âstras that are extant, as contrary to the S'rutis and Smritis, are all Tâmasa S'âstras, Mahâdeva has framed these Vâma, Kâpâlak, Kaulaks, Bhairava and such like S'astras for fascinating the
people; else he has no object in framing them. Those Brâhmans that were burnt up by the curses of Daksa, S'ukra, Dadhîchi and were banished from the path of the Vedas, it is for delivering them, step by step that Mahâdeva has framed the five Âgamas, S'aiva, Vaisnava, S'aura, S'âtta and Gânapatya S'âstras.
31-37. In those Tantra S'âstras, there are some passages in conformity with the Vedas and there are other passages contradictory to the Vedas. If the Vaidik persons resort to passages in conformity with the Veda, then there cannot arise any fault in them. The Brâhmins are not Adhikâris to those Tântric texts that are contradictory to the Vedas. Those persons that have no claim to the Vedas can be Adhikâris to these latter texts. Therefore the Vaidik Brâhmanas should resort to the Vedas with all the care possible and make the Para Brahma ot the nature of Jñâna manifest within them. The Sanynsins, Vânaprasthas, householders and Brâhmachâris should give up all their desires and take refuge in Me; free from egoism and vanity, kind to all creatures, their hearts wholly given to Me and engaged in speaking out My places with enrapt devotion. They always worship My Virât (Cosmic) form, immersed in the Yoga called Ais'varya Yoga (Cosmic Yoga dealing with the glories, prosperity of god). Illumine the understanding with the Sun of My Consciousness, and I destroy the Darkness of Ignorance of those persons that are always engaged in practising Yoga with Me. There is no doubt in this. O Nagendra! Thus I have described in brief the methods and practices of the Vaidik Pûjâ; now I will tell you the Tântrikî Pûjâ; hear attentively.
38-47. On an image, or clean plot of ground, or on the Sun or the Moon, in water, in Vâna Linga, in Yantra or on a cloth or in the lotus of heart, one is to meditate and worship the Blissful, Higher than the Highest, the Devî, Who creates this universe with the three Gunas Sattva, Raja and Tama, Who is filled with the juice of mercy, Who is blooming in youth, Whose colour is red like the rising Sun, Whose beauty overtops to the full, Whose all the limbs are exquisitely beautiful, Who is the sentiment of Love Incarnate, Who feels very much for the mental pain of Her Bhaktas on Who being pleased, manifests Herself before the Bhaktas on Whose forehead, the segment of the Moon shines incessantly, and Whose four hands hold goad, noose and the signs of fearlessness and to grant boons. Until one is entitled to the internal worship, one should worship the external; never he is to abandon it. Worship is internal when one’s heart gets diluted in Para Brahma, of the nature of the Universal Consciousness, O Mountain! Know My Consciousness (Samvit) to
be My Highest Nature without any limitations. Therefore it is highly incumbent to attach one's hearts, free from other adjuncts, constantly to this Samvit. And what is more than this Samvit is this illusive world full of Mâyâ. So to get rid of this world one is to constantly meditate on Me, the Witness of all, the Self of all, with a heart full of devotiou and free from any Sankalpas or desires.
O Best of Mountains! Now I will describe to you in detail the external form of worship. Hear attentively.
Here ends the Thirty-ninth Chapter of tho Seventh Book on the worship of the World Mother in S'ri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE SEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XL
The External Worship of the Devî
1-5. The Devî said:--Getting up from the bed early in the morning, one is to meditate on the thousand petalled lotus, bright, of the colour of camphor, in the top part his brain on the head. On this he should remember his S'rî Guru, very gracious looking, well decorated with ornaments, with His Consort S'akti and bow down to Him and within Him he should meditate the Kundalinî Devî thus --"I take refuge unto that Highest S'akti Kundalinî, of the nature of the Supreme Consciousness, Who is manifest as Chaityana while up-going to the Brahmarandhra (the aperture supposed to be at the crown of the head, through which the soul takes its flight at death) and Who is of the nature of nectar while returning back in the Susumnâ canal. After meditating thus, he should meditate on the Blissful Form of Mine within the Kundalinî Fire situated in the Mulâdhâra Lotus (coccygeal lotus). Then he should rise up to go for the calls of nature, etc., and complete Sandhyâ Bandanams and other duties. The best of the Brâhmins, then, should for My satisfaction perform the Agnihotra Homa and sitting in his Âsana make Sankalap (determination) to do My Pûjâ (Worship).
N. B.--The brain has three divisions, the lower, the middle and the higher, or top-most part which is very pure.
6-10. Next he is to make Bhûta S'uddhi (purification of elements of the body by respiratory attraction and replacement) and then the Mâtrikâ Nyâsa, Then he should arrange the letters of the root Mantra of Mâyâ and execute the Hrîllekhâ Mâtrikâ Nyâsa. In this he is to place the letter "Ha" in the Mulâdhâra, the letter "Ra" in his heart and the vowel "î" in the middle of his brows aud, Hrîm on the top part of his head. Finishing
then all the other Nyâsas according to that Mantra, he should think within his body Dharma, Jñâna, Vairâgyam, and Prosperity as the four legs of the seat and Adharma, Ajñâna, Avairâgyam and non-prosperity, these four as the body of the seat on the four quarters East, South, West and North. Then he should meditate on the Great Devî in the lotus of his heart blewn by Prânâyâma, situated on the five seats of the Pretas. O Mountain! Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra, Sadâs'iva and Îs'vara are the five Pretas situated under My feet.
11. These are of the nature of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, the five elements and also of the nature of Jâgrat (waking), Svapna (dreaming) Susupti (deep sleep state) Turiyâ (the fourth state) and Atîta Rûpa, the (the fifth state) excluding the 4 states, corresponding to the five states. But I, who am of the nature of Brahma, am over and above the five elements and the five states; therefore My Seat is always on the top of these five forces.
12. Meditating on Me thus and worshipping Me with his mind concentrated, he is next to make Japam (reciting My name slowly). After Japam he is to make over the fruits of Japam to Me. He should then place the Arghya for the external worship.
13. Then the worshipper is to sprinkle with the Astra mantra 'Phat', all the articles of worship that are placed in front of him and purify them.
14-18. He should close the ten quarters with the Chhotikâ Mudrâ and bow down to his Guru. Taking his permission, he should meditate on the outside seat, the beauiful divine form of his heart lotus and invoke the Deity outside and place Her on the seat by Prâna Pratisthâ and perforn Âvâhana, and present to Her Arghya (an offer of green grass, rice, etc., made in worshipping a god), Pâdya (water for washing legs and feet), Âchaman, water for bath, a couple of clothes, all sorts of ornaments, or scents, flowers and the necessary articles with due devotion and he should worship the attendant deities of the Yantra. If one be unable to worship daily the attendant deities, one must worship them on Friday.
19. Of the attendant deities, one must meditate the principal deity of the nature of Prabhâ (illumination) and think that by Her rays the three worlds are pervaded.
20. Next he should worship again the Bhuvanes'vari Devî, the Chief Deity along with other attendant deities with scent, good smelling flowers; and Naivedya and various other tasteful dishes.
21-22. He should then recite the Sahasranâma (thousand names) stotra and the Devî Sûkta Mantra "Aham Rudrebhih, etc.," and "Sarve vai Devâ Devî mupatasthuh, etc.," the Devî Atharva S'iro Mantra and the Upanisads' Mantra of Bhuvanes'varî, the famous mantras, repeatedly and thus bring My satisfaction.
23-24. With hearts filled with love and with hairs standing on their ends all should satisfy Me frequently with tears of love flowing from their eyes and with voice choked with feelings and with dancing music and singing and with his whole body filled with joy.
25. My glory is well established in the Veda Pârâyana and in all the Purânas. So for My satisfaction, one should offer daily to Me one's everything with one's body and recite the readings from the Vedas.
26-27. Next, after completing the Homa offerings, he should feed the Brâhmanas, tha young virgins well clothed, the boys and the public and the poor, thinking all of them to be so many forms of the Devî. Than he should bow before the Devî that resides in his heart and finally by Samhâra Mudrâ take leave of the Deity invoked.
28. O One of good vows! The Hrîllekhâ Mantra (Hrîm) is the chief of all mantrams; so My worship and all other actions ought to be performed with this Hrîllekhâ Mantram.
29. I am always reflected in this Mirror of Hrîllekhâ form; so anything offered in this Hrîllekhâ Mantra of Mine is offered as it were with all the Mantras. Then one should worship the Guru with ornaments, etc., and think oneself blessed.
30-31. O Himavan! Nothing remains at any time unavailable to him who worships thus the Bhuvanes'varî Devî. After quitting his body, he goes to theMani Dvîpa, My Place. He gets the form of the Devî; and the Devas constantly bow down to him.
32-45. O Mahîdhara! Thus I have described to you the rules of worshipping the Great Devî; consider this in all the aspects and worship Me according to your Adhikâra (claim) and you will attain your Goal. There is no doubt in this. O Best of mountains! This S'âstra Devigîtâ you are not to tell to those who are not the devotees, to those who are enemies, and to those who are cunning. If one gives out this secret of Gîtâ, it is like taking off the covering from the breast of the mother; so carefully keep it secret and think that this is very necessary. This Devî Gîtâ ought to be given to a disciple, a Bhakta, the eldest son, and
to one who is good natured, and well dressed and devoted to the Devî. O Mountain! In the time of S'râddha (solemn obsequies performed in honour of the manes of deceased ancestors) he gets the highest place of the Pitris who reads this Devî Gîtâ before the Brâhmanas. Vyâsa said:-- The Devî vanished there after describing all these. The Devas were glad and considered themselves blessed by the sight of the Devî. O Janamejaya! The Haimavatî next took Her birth in the house of the Himâlayâ and was known by the name of Gaurî. S'ânkara, the Deva of the Devas, marricd Her. Sadânana (Kârtika) was born of them. He killed the Tâdakâ Asura. O King! In ancient times, when the ocean was churned, many gems were obtained. At that time the Devas chanted hymns to the Devî with a concentrated mind to get Laksmî Devî. To show favour to the Devas, Ramâ Devî got out of the ocean. The Devas gave Laksmi to Visnu, the Lord of the Vaikuntha. Visnu was very glad at this. O King! Thus I have described to you the Greatness of the Devî and the birth of Gaurî and Laksmî. One's desires are all fulfilled when one hears this. O King! This secret I have described to you. Take care not to divulge it to any other body. This is the secret of the Gîtâ; so carefully conceal it. O One of pure heart! I have told to you this Divine and Sin-destroying narration, that you asked. What more do you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Fortieth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the External Worship of the Devî in the Mahâpurânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
[The. Seventh Book Completed.]
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter I
On the description of the worlds
1-4. Janamejaya asked :-- “O Lord! I have heard all that you have described about the sweet nectar-like characters of the Kings of the Solar and the Lunar dynasties. Now kindly describe the real Tattva of the Virât Form of the Great Devî and how She was worshipped in every Manvantara by the Regent of that Manvantara and the Kings thereof. In what part of the year and in which place, under what circumstances and in what form and with what Mantras was the Devî worshipped? I am very anxious to hear all this. O Guru! In fact describe the gross forms of the Âdyâ S'akti, the Devî Bhagavatî by concentrating attention to Which, I can have the power to understand the subtle forms of the Devî and I can get the highest good in this world.”
5-7. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Now hear. I am describing to you in detail about the worship of the Devî Bhagavatî that leads to the welfare of the Whole World; the hearing of which or the practice of which enables one to get the highest good. In days of yore, the Devarsi Nârada asked Nârâyana about this very point; I will now tell you what the Bhagavân, the Promulgator of the Yoga Tattva, advised Nârada. Once on a time the all powerful Devarsi Nârada entitled with all the Yogic powers, and born from the body of Brahmâ was travelling all over this earth and came to the hermitage of the Risi Nârâyana. Resting a while, and the troubles of the journey over, he bowed down to the Yogi Nârâyana and asked Him what you ask me now. Nârada said :-- O Deva Deva Mahâdeva! O Thou, the Ancient Purusa, the Excellent One!
8-9. O Omniscient ! O Thou, the Holder of the Universe! O Thou Who art the repository of the good qualities and Who art praised by all!
10-12. O Deva! Now tell me what is the ultimate cause of this Universe: whence has this Universe its origin? And how does it rest? To whom does it take refuge? Where does it dissolve in the time of Pralaya? Where do all the Karmas of these beings go to? And what Object is that whose knowledge destroys forever the Mâyâ, the Cause
of all this Moha (illusion)? Whose worship, what Japam, and Whose meditation in the lotus of heart are to he made, by which, O Deva! the knowledge of Paramâtman rises in the heart, as the darkness of the night vanishes by the rising of the Sun.
13. O Deva! Kindly reply to these my questions in such a clear manner as the ignorant people in this Samsâra can understand and get themselves across this ocean of Samsâra.
14-15. Vyâsa said :-- Thus asked by the Devarsi, the ancient Nârâyana, the Best of the Munis, the great Yogi gladly spoke :-- O Devarsi! Hear I will now speak to you all the Tattvas of this world, knowing which the mortal never falls into the illusion of this world.
16. O Child! The original cause of this Universe is the Devî Mahâ Mâyâ (the image of the Supreme Chaitanya Para Brahmâ); this is the opinion of the Risis, the Devas, Gandharvas, and other intelligent persons.
17-23. It is written in the Vedas and other S'âstras that the Devî Bhagavatî, worshipped by all in the Universe, creates, preserves and destroys the Universe by the influence of Her three Gunas. I now describe to you the nature of the Devî, worshipped by the Siddhas, Gandharbas and Risis, the mere remembering of Whom destroys all sins, and gives final liberation Moksa (and Dharma, Artha, and Kama also). The powerful Svâyambhuva Manu, the First, the husband of S'atarûpâ, the prosperous and the Ruler of all the Manvantaras worshipped the sinless Prajâpati Brahmâ, his Father with due devotion and satisfied Him when the Grandsire of the Lokas, the Hiranyagarbha spoke to his son :-- The excellent worship of the Devî should be done by you. By Her Grace, O Son, your work of creating worlds will be successful. Thus spoken by Brahmâ, the Bibhu Svâyambhuva Manu, the Virât incarnate, worshipped the World Mother with great austerities. And with his concentrated devotion, he satisfied the Devî Deves'î and began to chant hymns to Her, the First-born, the Mâyâ, the S'akti of all, and the Cause of all causes.
24-36. Manu said :-- Thou art Brahmâ, the ocean of the Vedas, Krisna, the abode of Laksmî, Purandara. I bow down again and again to Thee, the Deves'î, the Cause of Mâyâ, the Cause of this Universe. Thou holdest s'ankha (the conchshell), chakra, gadâ, etc., in Thy hands and Thou residest in the heart of Nârâyana; Thou art the Vedas incarnate, the World Mother, the Auspicious One, bowed down by all the Devas, and the Knower of the Three Vedas. O Thou, endowed with all
powers and glory! O Mahâmâye! Mahâbhâge! Mahodaye! (the Self-manifested). Thou residest as the better half of Mahâ Deva, and Thou dost all what are dear to Him. Thou art the most beloved of Nanda, the Cow-herd (in the form of Mahâ Mâyâ, the daughter who concealed Krisna and slipped from the hands of Kamsa and got up in the air and remained as Vindhyâvâsinî; also in the form of S'rî Krisna). Thou gavest much pleasure and wert the cause of all the festivities; Thou takest away the fear due to plague, etc.; Thou art worshipped by the Devas. O Thou, the auspicious Bhagavatî! Thou art the welfare of all incarnate; Thou fructifiest the desires of all to success! Thou art the One to Whom all take refuge and Thou removest their all the dangers; O Thou the three-eyed! Gaurî! Nârâyanî! Obeisance to Thee. I bow down to that ocean of all brightness and splendour, without beginning or end, the One Consciousness, wherein this endless Universe rises and remains interwoven therein. I bow down to the Devî, whose Gracious Glance enables Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara to do their respective works of creating, preserving, and destroying the Universe. O Devî! Thou art the Only One, whom all can bow, since the lotus-born Brahmâ, terrified by the horrible Daityas, was freed by Thy prowess only. O Bhagavatî! Thou art modesty, fame, memory, lustre; Thou art Laksmî, Girijâ, the daughter of Himâlayâ, Thou art Satî, the Daksa's daughter; Thou art the Sâvitrî the Mother of the Vedas, Thou art the intelligence of all and Thou art the cause of fearlessness. So I now engage myself reciting Thy Japam, Thy hymns and Thy worship. I meditate on Thee and see Thy form within my heart and hear Thy praises. Be graciously pleased on me, O Devî! It is by Thy Grace that Brahmâ is the Revealer of the Four Vedas, Visnu is the Lord of Laksmî, Indra is the Lord of the Devas and of the three worlds; Varuna is the Lord of waters, Kuvera is the Lord of wealth, Yama is the Lord of the dead, Nairrita is the Lord of the Râksasas, and Soma is the Lord of the water element and praised by the three worlds. Therefore, O Auspicious World Mother! I bow down again and again to Thee.
37-45. Nârâyana said :-- O Child! When Svayambhuva Manu, the son of Brahmâ, chanted thus the hymns to the Âdyâ S'akti Bhagavatî Nârâyanî, She became pleased and spoke to him thus :-- The Devî said :-- “O King, the Brahmâ's son! I am pleased with your devoted worship and hymns; so ask boon from Me that you desire.” Manu said :-- “O Devî! If Thou art graciously pleased, grant that my creation be finished without any hitch.” The Devî said :-- “O King of Kings! By My blessing, your work of creation will be completed without any obstruction. And by your punya (merits) they will no doubt multiply on and on. He who reads
with devotion this hymn (stotra) composed by you, will get sons, fame and beauty in the world and, in the end, he will be entitled to get the Highest Place. The people will have powers unopposed by anybody, will get wealth and grains, will get victory everywhere and happiness; and his enemies will be ruined.” Nârâyana said :-- “O Child! The Devî Bhagavatî Âdyâ S'akti granted thus the desired boon to Svâyambhuva Manu and vanished away at once from his sight.” Then the powerful Manu, obtaining thus the boon, spoke to his father :-- O Father! Now give me a solitary place where I can worship the Devî with sacrifices and do my work of creating a good number of people.
46-48. Hearing thus the words of the son, the Prajâpati, the Lord thought over the matter for a long time :-- “How this work would be done? Alas! I have spent an endless time in this work of creation; but as yet nothing has been done. For the Earth, the receptacle of all the Jivâs is submerged in water and has gone down to the Rasâtala. What is to be done now? There is only one hope and that is this :-- If the Bhagavân, the Primeval Person, under Whose Command I am engaged in this work of creation, helps me in this work of mine, no doubt it will be accomplished then and then only.”
Here ends the First Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the worlds in the Mahâpurânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter II
On the uplifting of the Earth by the Sacrificial Boar
1-10. Nârâyana said :-- O Child! When you have got your senses controlled and have overcome lust, anger, etc., and other enemies, then you are certainly entitled to hear this secret. While Brahmâ was discussing on this subject with Marîchi and the other Brahmârsis and with Svâyambhuva Manu, suddenly there came out of the nose of the meditative Brahmâ, one young boar (the child of a boar) of the dimension of one finger only. That little boar, that was just in the air, soon became, while they were looking at it, enlarged to a very big elephant, in an instant; a very strange sight, indeed! Seeing this, the Kumâras Sanaka, etc., Marîchi and the other Seven Risis, and the Creator Brahmâ were struck with wonder and Brahmâ began to discuss thus :-- Oh! This young boar has come out suddenly of My nose; though it is a very small one, it is certainly, come under a disguise and it has all made us merge
in an ocean of wonder. Is this something Divine, of a Sâttvic quality under the guise of this boar? It was of the size of a thumb and it is now like the Himâlayâ Mountain? Oh! Is this the Bhagavân, the Yajña Purusa? While they were thus discussing, the Bhagavân, in the shape of the boar, began to make loud sounds, like the rolling of the mountain clouds at the time of the Pralaya resounding all the quarters. At this Brahmâ and all the Risis assembled there became very glad. Hearing the ghurghura noise of the Boar, their troubles ended and the people of Janarloka, Taparloka, Satyaloka and all the Devas being very much gladdened began to chant sweet hymns with Chhandas of Rik, Yajus, Sâma and Atharva Vedas, to that Âdi Purusa, the Bhagavân, from all sides.
11-20. Hearing their praises, the Bhagavân Hari graciously looked on them and immediately merged Himself in the ocean. The ocean was very much agitated with the fierce striking of the hairs of the Boar, when He entered into the waters, and spoke thus :-- “O Deva ! O Thou, the destroyer of the afflictions of your refuges! Protect me.” Hearing the words of the ocean, the God Hari tore asunder all the aquatic animals and went down beneath the waters. Searching violently hither and thither, He knew the earth by her smell. At once the Bhagavân Hari, the Lord of all, went to Her and rescued the earth by raising Her up on his big teeth, the Earth that was the abode of all the beings. When the Bhagavân, the Lord of all the sacrifices, came up with the Earth on the top of His teeth, He looked beautiful like the elephant of a quarter taking out by the root and holding a thousand petalled lotus upon his tusks. When the Bhagavân rescued thus the Earth, raising Her up on His tusks, Brahmâ and Indra, the Lord of the Devas, the powerful Manu began praise to Him with sweet words :-- Brahmâ said :-- O Lotus-eyed! O Bhagavân! Thou art victorious everywhere; O Thou, the Destroyer of the sufferings of the Bhaktas! Thou hast, by Thy own prowess, humiliated the Heaven, the abode of the gods upto Satyaloka! Thou, the Giver all the desires! O Deva! This earth shines so beautiful on Thy teeth as the thousand petalled lotus, taken up by the root by a mad elephant, shines on his two tusks. O Bhagavân! This Form, i. e., that of Thy sacrificial Boar, with earth on Thee looks so very beautiful as the lotus looks beautiful on the tusks of an elephant.
21-22. O Lord! We bow down to Thee, the Creator and the Destroyer of everything; Thou assumest many forms for the purpose of destroying the Dânavas; Thou dost do many acts that redound to Thy Glory, We bow down to Thee, to Thy Front and to Thy Back. (Really thou hast no front nor back. Thou art everywhere.) Thou art the Upholder of all the Celestials and the Immortals! Thy eyes shine equally everywhere.
23-25. O Deva! By Thy power I am brought up and engaged in the work of creation and by Thy order I create in every Kalpa this Universe and destroy it. O Lord of Immortals! In the ancient times the Devas united churned the vast ocean by Thy help and got according to their merits their due shares. O Hari! Indra, the Lord of the Devas is enjoying the vast kingdom of Heaven, the Trilokas, by Thy Will and appointment. All the Devas worship him.
26-27. So the God of Fire has got his burning power and is residing in the bellies of the Devas, the Asuras, men and all other beings and penetrating their bellies, is satisfying all. Yama, the King of Dharma, by Thy appointment, is the Lord of the southern quarters, is presiding over the Pitris and being the witness of all the actions of the Jivâs, is awarding duly to them the fruits thereof.
28-33. Nairrita, the Lord of the Raksasas, the witness of all the actions of all the beings, by Thy commandment, is the destroyer of all the obstacles of the devotees that take refuge unto thee, though he is a Yaksa. The Varuna Deva, by Thy order, has become duly the Lord of the waters, and the Regent of the Loka (Dikpâla). The Vâyu, the Life of all, the carrier of the smell, has become by Thy order Lokâpâla and the Guru of the universe. Kuvera, obedient to Thy order, has become the Lord of the Yaksas and the Kinnaras and is holding a respectful position like other Lokapâlas. Îs'âna, Who is the destroyer of all the Jîvas, has got his Lordship over a quarter by Thy order and is being praised by all the Rudras, the Devas, Gandharbas, Yaksas, Kinnaras, the men and all the beings. O Bhagavân! We bow down to Thee, the Lord of the Universe; the innumerable Devas that are seen are merely the small fractions of Thy powers.
34-38. Narayana said :-- “O Child Nârada! When Brahmâ, the Creator and the Grandsire of the Lokas, praised thus the Âdi Purusa Bhagavân, He cast a side long glance at them, offering His Grace. When the Bhagavân, the Sacrificial Boar, was coming up with earth, rescued and placed on his teeth, the awful Hiranyaksa, the chief of the Daityas came before Him and obstructed His passage when He killed him by one violent stroke of his club. He was besmeared all over his body with the blood of the Daitya; and thus He came up from the Rasâtala and placed the earth on the waters. He then went away to His Vaikuntha abode.
O Child Nârada! He who hears or reads devotedly this glorious deed of the Bhagavân and the deliverance of the Earth, will certainly be freed of all his sins and goes to the highest holiest place of Visnu, the Lord of all. There is no doubt in this.”
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Eighth Book on the uplifting of the Earth by the Sacrificial Boar in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter III
On the description of the family of Manu
1-23. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! When the Bhagavân went away to Vaikuntha, establishing the Earth in due position and equilibrium, Brahmâ spoke thus to his son :-- “O Powerful Son of mine, O Svâyamhhuva! The best of those that are filled with Teja (energy) and Tapas! Now go on with your work of creation, as you think proper, on this earth, the Upholdress of all the Jîvas. And worship the Purusa, the Lord of Sacrifices, according to the division of place and time, and with all the necessary materials of various kinds, high and low, and those that will be useful in performing your sacrifices. Do Dharma according to the S'âstras, and according to the Varna(the different castes) and Âsrama (Brahmâcharya, etc.); thus by gradually going on step by step in the path of Yoga, your progeny will be multiplied. Beget lovely sons and daughters, of good fame, culture, modesty and ornamented with various other good qualifications, like yourself; then marry your daughters when they will come to the marriageable age, to proper persons of good qualifications and then fix your mind thoroughly on the Excellent Purusa that is the very Best. O Child! Now go and serve the Bhagavân with devotion as I have advised you; and you will certainly attain that which is difficult to be worshipped and obtained. Advising thus his son Svâyambhuva Manu, and starting him in his work; of creation, the Lotus-born, the Lord of all the subjects, Brahmâ went away to His own abode. When Brahmâ went away, having ordered his son to create progeny and subjects, Manu, took that seriously in his heart and began to do that work. In due time, he had two powerful sons named Priyavrata and Uttânapâda and three lovely beautiful daughters endowed with various good qualities. Hear the names of the three daughters. The first daughter, the purifier of the world, was named Âkûti; the second was named Devahûti and the third was Prasûti. The first daughter Âkûti was married to the Maharsi Ruchi; the second was married to the Prajapati Karddama; and the third was married to the Prajapati Daksa. And know that all the beings in this world had their origin from this last daughter. Now hear the progeny of these three daughters and the Maharsis respectively :-- By Maharsi Ruchi was born one son named Yajña, in the womb of Âkûti; he is the part of
the Bhagavân Âdi Purusa Visnu; by Maharsi Karddama, in the womb of Devahûti was born the Bhagavân Kapila Deva, the famous author of the S'ânkhya S'âstra; and in the womb of Prasûti, by the Prajâpati Daksa were born some daughters only; know that the Devas, men, beasts and birds were all created by this Prajâpati Daksa. These offsprings were the first promulgators in the work of creation. In the Svâyambhuva Manvantara, the powerful Bhagavân Yajña, by the help of the Deva named Yâma, saved his mother's Father Manu from the attacks of the Raksasas; and the great Lord of the Yogis, the Bhagavân Kapila, remained for a while in his Âsrama and gave spiritual instructions to his mother Devahûti, by which Avidyâ could be at once destroyed, and disclosed his S'ânkhya S'âstra, the great work on the Spiritual Philosophy and the special Dhyâna Yoga in all its details and finally went for Samâdhi to the Âsrama of Pulaha where the great Deva Sâmkhyâ chârya lives up to today. Oh! I bow down to the great Yogâchârya, the Bhagavân Kapila Deva, the Fructifier of all desires, the more remembrance of Whose Name makes easily the Yogi realise the meaning of the Sâmkhya Jñâna. The sins are immediately destroyed of those that hear or read the holy anecdote of the progeny of the daughters of Manu. O Child! Now I describe to you the progeny of the sons of Svâyambhuva Manu. Hear attentively. The hearing of which will enable one to enter into the highest place. Now is being described the history about the progeny of those who formed those Dvipas (islands) Varsas(countries) and oceans for the welfare and happiness of all the creation and for the use of them. Hear.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the family of Manu in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter IV
On the narration of the family of Priyavrata
1-28. The Risi Nârâyana said :-- The eldest son of Svâyambhuva, Priyavrata served always his father and was very truthful. He married the daughter of the Prajâpati Vis'va Karmâ, the exceedingly lovely and beautiful Barhismatî, resembling like him, adorned with modesty, good nature and various other qualifications. He begat ten sons, very spiritual and well qualified and one daughter named Ûrjasvatî. This daughter was the youngest of all. The names of the ten sons are respec-
tively :-- (1) Âgnîdhra, (2) Idhmajibha, (3) Jajñabâhu, (4) Mahâvîra, (5) Rukmas'ukra (Hiranyaretâ), (6) Ghritapristha, (7) Savana, (8) Medhâtithi, (9) Vîtihotra and (10) Kavi. The name “Agni” was attached to each of the above names. Out of these ten, the three sons named Kavi, Savana, and Mahâvîra were indifferent and dispassionate to the world. In due time, these became extremely free from all desires and they were proficient in Âtmavidyâ (Self-Knowledge). They were all Ûrdharetâ (of perpetual chastity; who has subdued all their passions) and took gladly to the Paramahamsa Dharma. Priyavrata had by his other wife three sons, named Uttama, Tâmasa, and Raivata. These were all widely known; each of them in due time became endowed with great prowess and splendour and became the Lord of one Manvatara. Priyavrata, the son of Svâyambhuva, the King-Emperor enjoyed with his sons and relations, this earth for eleven Arvuda years; the wonder was this, that he lived so long and there was seen no decay in his strength as regards his body or his senses. Once on an occasion, the King observed that when the sun appeared on the horizon and got up, one part of the earth was illumined and the remaining part was enveloped in darkness. Seeing this discrepancy, he thought over for a long time and exclaimed, “What! Will the Darkness be seen in my kingdom, while I am reigning? This can never be. I will stop this by my Yogic powers.” Thus thinking, the King Priyavrata mounted on a luminous chariot, as big as the Sun, to illumine the whole world and circumambulated round the earth seven times. Whatever portion of the earth was trodden by the wheel on each occasion, became an ocean. Thus the seven oceans had their origins. And the portion of the earth, that was included within the ruts, became the seven islands (Dvîpas). 0 Child! Now hear about the seven Dvîpas and the seven Oceans :-- The first is the Jambu Dvîpa; the second is Plaksa, the third is S'almalî; the fourth is the Kus'a Dvîpa; the fifth is Krauncha; the sixth is the S'aka Dvîpa; and the seventh is the Puskara Dvîpa. The second Dvîpa Plaksa is twice the first Jambu Dvîpa and so on; each succeeding Dvîpa is twice as large as its previous one. Now hear the names of the oceans. The first ocean is named Ksâroda (the salt water ocean); the second is Iksurasa (the sugarcane ocean); the third is Surâ (the wine ocean), the fourth is Ghritoda (the clarified butter ocean) the fifth is Ksîroda (the ocean of milk); the sixth is Dadhi Manda (the ocean of curds); and the seventh is that of the ordinary water. The Jambu Dvîpa is surrounded by Ksîra Samudra. The King Priyavrata made his son Âgnîdhra, the lord of this Dvîpa. He gave to his Idhmajibha, the Plaksa Dvîpa surrounded by Iksu Sâgara; so he gave to Jajñabâhu the S'âlmalî Dvîpa surrounded by Surâ Sâgara and he
gave the lordship of Kus'a Dvîpa to Hiranyaretâ. Then he gave to his powerful son Ghritapristha the Krauncha Dvîpa surrounded by Ksîra Samudra and to his son Medhâtithi the S'âka Dvîpa surrounded by Dadhimanda Sâgara. Finally he gave to his Vîtihotra, the Puskara Dvîpa surrounded by the ordinary water. Thus distributing duly amongst his sons, the separate divisions of the earth, he married his daughter, the youngest Ûrjasvatî to the Bhagavân Us'anâ. In the womb of Ûrjasvatî the Bhagavân S'ukrâchârya had his famous daughter Devayânî. O Child! Thus giving the charge of each Dvîpa to each of his sons and marrying his daughters to the worthy hands, he took to Viveka (discrimination) and adopted the path of Yoga.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of the family of Priyavrata in the Mahâ Purânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter V
On the description of the receptacle of beings and on the mountains and on the origin of rivers
1-31. S'rî Nârâyana said :-- O Child Nârada! Now hear in detail about the divisions of the earth into the Dvîpas and the Varsas as marked out by the Devas. In brief, I describe about them; no one can speak about this in details. First, the Jambu Dvîpa is one lâkh Yoyanas in its dimensions. This Jambu Dvîpa is round like a lotus. There are nine Varsas in it and excepting the Bhadrâs'va and Ketumâla, each is nine thousand Yoyanas in its dimensions (i.e., in its diameter or circumference?) and there are eight very lofty mountains, in those Varsas, forming their boundaries. Of the Varsas, the two Varsas that are situated in the North and South, are of the size of a bow (segmental); and the four others are elongated in their size. The centre of all these Varsas is named Îlâvrita Varsa and its size is rectangular. In the centre of this Îlâvarsa is situated the golden Sumeru Mountain, the King of all the mountains, one lakh Yoyanas high. It forms the pericarp of the lotus earth. The top of this mountain is thirty Yoyanas wide. O Child! The sixteen thousand Yoyanas of this mountain is under the ground and the eighty four Yoyanas are visible outside. In the north of this Îlâvarsa are the three mountains the Nîlagiri, the S'vetagiri and the S'ringavau, forming the boundaries respectively of the three Varsas named Ramyaka, Hiranmaya and Kuru respectively. These run along from the east and gradually extend at their base and towards the salt ocean (Lavana Samudra).
These three mountains, that form the boundaries, are each two thousand Yoyanas wide. The length of each from the east towards north is less by one-tenth (1/10) of the above dimensions. Many rivers take their source and flow from them. On the south of Îlâvarsa three beautiful mountain ranges, named Nisadha, Hemakûta, and Himâlayâs, are situated, extending from the east. They are each one Ayuta Yoyanas high. These three mountains form the boundaries again of Kimpurusa and Bhârata Varsa.
To the west of Îlâvrita is situated the mountain called Mâlyavân and to the east are situated the mountains Gandhamâdan, Nîla, and Nisadha, the centres of the highest sublime grandeur and beauty. The length and breadth of these the boundary (limiting) mountains are each two thousand Yoyanas. Then the mountains Mandara, Supârs'vak, and Kumuda and others are situated in the Ketumâla and Bhadrâs'va Varsas; but these all are reckoned as the Pâda Parvatas (mountains at the foot) of the Sumeru mountain. The height and breadth of each of these is one Ayuta Yoyanas. These form the pillars, as it were, of Meru on the four sides. On these mountains, the mangoe, the jack, plantain, and the fig trees and various others are situated, four hundred (400) Yoyanas wide and eleven hundred (1,100) Yoyanas high; they seem to extend to the Heavens and form, as it were, the flagstaffs on the top. The roots, bases of these trees as well as their branches are wonderfully equally thick and extend to enormous distances. On those mountain tops are situated again, the four very capacious lakes. Of these, one lake is all milk; the other lake is all honey; the third lake is all sugarcane juice and the fourth lake is all sweet water. There are, then, again the four very lovely gardens named Nandana, Chaitrarath, Vaibhrâjaka, and Sarvatobhadra, very lovely, enchanting and pleasing to the delicate female sex and where the Devas enjoy the wealth and prosperity and their other Yogic powers. Here the Devas live always with numerous hordes of women and have their free amorous, dealings with them, to their heart's contents and they hear the sweet songs sung by the Gandharbas and Kinnaras, the Upa Devatâs about their own glorious deeds. On the top of the Mandara mountain, there are the Heavenly mangoe trees eleven hundred Yoyanas high; the sweet delicious nectarlike mangoe fruits, very soft and each of the size as the summit of a mountain, fall to the ground; and out of their juices of a colour of the rising sun, a great river named Arunodâ takes her origin. Here the Devas always worship the great Devî Bhagavatî named Arunâ, the Destructrix of all sins, the Grantrix of all desires, and the Bestower of all fearlessness with various offerings and with the lovely water of this Arunodâ river, with great devotion. O Child! In ancient days, the King of the Daityas worshipped always this Mahâ
Mâyâ Arunâ Devî (and obtained immense wealth and prosperity). He who worships Her becomes cured of all diseases, gets his health and other happiness by Her grace. Therefore She is named Âdyâ, Mâyâ, Atulâ, Anantâ, Pustî, Îs'varamâlinî, the Destroyer of the wicked and the Giver of lustre and beauty and thus remembered on this capacious earth. The river Jâmbûnada has come out, as a result of Her worship, containing divine gold.
Here ends the Fifth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the receptacle of beings and on the mountains and on the origin of rivers in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter VI
On the rivers and the mountains Sumeru and others
1-32. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! This Arunodâ river that I mentioned to you rises from the Mandara mountain and flows by the east of Ilâvarsa. The Pavana Deva (the God of wind) takes up the nice smell from the bodies of the wives of the Yaksas and Gandharbas, etc., and the attendants of the Devî Bhavânî and keeps the surroundings of the earth there filled with nice smell for ten Yoyanas around. Again the rose-apples with their nuts, of the size of an elephant, fall down upon the earth from the high peaks of the mountain Mandara and break into pieces; the sweet scented juices flow down as a river. This is called the Jambû river and this flows by the south of Ilâvarsa. The Devî Bhagavatî there is pleased with the Juice of that rose-apple (Jambû) and is known by the name of Jambâdinî. The Devas, Nâgas, and Risis all always worship with great devotion, the lotus-feet of the merciful Devî, wishing the welfare of all the Jîvas. The mere remembering of the name of the Devî destroys all the disease, and all the sins of the sinner. Therefore the Devas always worship and chant the names of the Devî, the Remover of all obstacles. She is installed on both the banks of the Jambû river. If men recite Her names Kokilâksî, Karunâ, Kâmapûjîtâ, Kathoravigrahâ, Devapûjyâ, Dhanyâ, Gavastinî and worship, so they get their welfare both in this world and in the next. With the juice of the Jambû fruit aided by the combination of the wind and the rays of the Sun, is created the gold. Out of this are made the ornaments for the wives of the Immortals and the Vidyâdharas. This gold, created by the Daiva, is known by the name of the Jâmbûnada gold. The love-stricken Devas make their crowns, waist bands and armlets out of this gold for their sweet-hearts. There is a big Kadamba tree on the mountain Supars'va; the five streams of honey called Madhu Dhârâ get
out from its cavities and running by the west of Ilãvrita Varsa, flow over the land. The Devas drink its waters; and their mouths become filled with the sweet fragrance. The air carries this sweet fragrant smell to a distance of even one hundred Yoyanas. The Dhâres'varî Mahâ Devî dwells there, the Fulfiller of the desires of the Bhaktas, highly energetic, of the nature of Kâla (the Time, the Destroyer), and having large face (Mahânanâ), faces everywhere, worshipped by the Devas and is the presiding Deity of the woods and forests all around. The Devî, the Lady of the Devas, is to be worshipped by the names “Karâla Dehâ,” “Kâlâmgî”, “Kâmakotipravartinî”. The great Banyan tree named S'atabala is situated on the top of the Kumud mountain. From its trunk many big rivers take their origin. These rivers possess such influences as to give to the holy persons there, the milk, curd, honey, clarified butter, raw sugar, rice, clothing, ornaments, seats, and beddings, etc., whatever they desire. Therefore these rivers are called Kâmadugh. They come gradually down the earth and flow by the north of Ilâvarsa. The Bhagavatî Mînâksi dwell there and is worshipped by the Suras and the Asuras alike. That Deity clothed blue, of fearful countenance, and ornamented with hairs of blue colour, always fulfil the desires of the Devas dwelling in the Heavens. Those that worship Her, remember Her or praise Her by the names Atimânyâ, Atipûjyâ, Mattamâtanga Gâminî, Madanonmâdinî, Mânapriyâ, Mânapriyatarâ, Mârabegadharâ, Marapûjitâ, Mâramâdinî, Mayûravaras'obhâdhyâ, S'ikhivâhanagarbhabhû, etc., are honoured by the Deity Mînalochanâ Ekângarûpinî and the Parames'vara and get all sorts of happiness. Those drink the clear waters of these rivers become free from old age or decay, worry, perspiration, bad smell, from any disease, or premature death. They do not suffer anything from error, from cold, heat, or rains, or from any paleness in their colour. They enjoy extreme happiness as long as they live and no dangers come to them. O Child! Now hear the names of the other twenty mountains that encircle the Golden Sumeru mountain at its base, as if they were the filaments round the pericarp of a flower. The first is Kuranga; they come in order Kuraga, Kus'umbha, Vikankata, Trikûta, S'is'ira, Patanga, Ruchaka, Nisadha, S'itîvâsa, Kapila, S'amkha, Vaidûrya, Chârudhi, Hamsa, Risabha, Naga, Kâlanjara and lastly Nârada. The central one is the twentieth.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the rivers and the mountains Sumeru and others in the Mahâpuranam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the Ganges and the Varsas
1-37. Nârâyana said :-- Jathara and Devakûta are the two mountains situated on the east of Sumeru; their dimensions towards the north are eighteen thousand Yoyanas wide and two thousand Yoyanas high. On the west of Meru, are situated the two famous lofty mountains Pavamâna and Pâriyâtra; their length and height are well known. On the south of Meru are situated the two lofty mountains Kailâsa and Karavira. On the north, again, of the Sumeru mountain, are situated the mountains S'ringagiri and Makaragiri. Thus the golden Sumeru mountain, shines like the Sun, surrounded by these eight mountains. In the centre of the Sumeru, there is a Divine city built of the Creator Brahmâ, ten thousand Yoyanas in dimensions. The learned sages that know everything from the highest to the lowest, describe that as square in dimensions and all made of gold. On the top of the Sumeru, are situated the world known eight golden cities, subservient to the Brahmapurî, for the eight Lokapâlas. The Lords of the four directions, east, west, north and south and of the four corners, north-east, north-west, south-west, south-east, occupy these. The dimensions of each of these eight cities are two thousand Yoyanas and a half. In fact, there are nine cities there including the Brahmapurî. Now hear the names of these nine cities in due order. The First is Manovatî, the second is Amarâvatî, the third is Tejovatî, next come in order Samyamanî, Krisnânganâ, S'raddhâvatî, Gandhavatî, and Mahodayâ, the ninth is Yas'ovatî. The Lords of the Purîs are Brahmâ, Indra, Fire and the other Dikpâlas in due order. When Visnu Bhagavân assumed the Tri Vikrama Form in His Dwarf Incarnation and went at the sacrifice, to get back the Kingdom of the Heavens from the demon Vali, there was created one hole or cavity over this Brahmânda Katâha (skull) by the nails of the toes of that foot that went up towards his left; and through that cavity, the famous river Bhagavatî Gangâ flowed on the top of those heavenly Kingdoms, the clear waters of which are ever ready to destroy the sins of the whole people. For this reason, She is known in the three Lokas as the Visnupadî manifested. This took place long long ago, many thousand Yugas ago, a period difficult to determine. The Ganges fell first on the top of the Indra's Heavens, near the place called Visnudhâma, known in the three worlds. Here the pure-souled Dhruva, the son of Uttânapâda, observed within his heart the lotus-feet
of Srî Visnu Bhagavân and exists still there taking refuge on that immoveable position. There the high-souled Seven Risis, knowing the highest purifying influence of the Ganges, circumambulate the river, wishing for the welfare of all the Lokas. This is the great place where one gets success, and final liberation, the success-giving place of the ascetics and where the Munis with clots of hairs on their heads daily take their dip in the Ganges with the greatest pleasure and admiration. The Ganges flows thence from the Dhruva Mandala, the abode of Visnu, in Kotis and Kotis of Divine Channels, interspersed with many Vimânas or carriages, deluges the Chandra Mandala (the Moon Sphere), comes gradually to the Brahmâ Loka. Here She is divided into the four channels, Sîtâ, Alakanandâ, Bhadrâ, and Chaturbhadrâ and irrigating many countries, mountains, and forests ultimately falls in the oceans. The Sîtâ, the famous Dhârâ, purifying all, while falling down from the Brahmâloka, passes round the mountains that form as it were the filaments of the flower-like Sumeru mountain, and falls on the top of the Gandhamâdana range. Thence She, worshipped by the Devas, irrigates the Bhadras'vavarsa and falls eastward into the salt ocean. The second Dhârâ (stream), named Chaksu, getting out of the Malyavân range, gradually gains strength and assumes great force and flows by Ketumâlavarsa to the western ocean. The third Dhârâ (stream), the very pure Alakananda, getting out of the Brahmâ Loka, passes through the Girikûta mountain and other forests, falls to Hemakûta; next She flows through the Bhârata Varsa and meets with the southern ocean. No words can describe the glory and the purifying effect of this river; suffice it to say that those who march out to bathe in this river get at each of their steps, the fruits of doing the great sacrifices, Râjasûya and As'vamedha, etc. The fourth Dhârâ of the Trailokyapavanî Ganga Devi, named Bhadrâ, falling from the mountain S'ringavân, become swift and capacious, flows by the Northern Kuru country and satisfying the people there flows down into the ocean. Many other rivers, getting out from the mountains, Meru, Mandara and others, flow through the various Varsas or continents, but of all the Varsas, continents, this Bhârata Varsa is called the Karma Ksettra (or the field of actions). The other eight Varsas, though on earth, give the pleasures of the Heavens. The reason for this is that when the period of the persons’ enjoyments in the Heavens cease, they come and take their birth in the one or other of these eight Varsas. The people here live for ten thousand years; their body is hard like thunderbolt and all are endowed with powers of Ayuta elephants. No one is satisfied with a little of the pleasures of sexes; so all men live happily with their wives, etc. It is not that the males alone are so happy; the females also are
full of youth throughout their lives and become pregnant, when they are less than one year old. In short, the inhabitants of the Varsas enjoy for ever as the persons of Tretâ Yuga do.
Hear ends the Seventh Chapter of the Eighth Book on the story of the Ganges and the continents in Srî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter VIII
On the description of Ilâvrita
1-11. Nârâyana said :-- In those Varsas, Visnu and the other Devas used to worship always the Great Devî with Japam and meditation and to chant hymns to Her. The forests there are ornamented with all sorts of fruits, flowers and leaves, in all the seasons. In those excellent forests, and on the mountains, in those Varsas and on the clear waters interspersed with full blewn lotuses and S'ârasas (cranes) and in those countries where varieties of mountain trees are standing and where varieties of birds frequent and echo all around, the people play in waters and engage themselves with a great many pleasant occupations; and the beautiful women, as well, roam there with the knitting of their eyebrows. The people there enjoy as they like, surrounded by young women; Nârâyana, the Âdipurusa Bhagavân Himself, worships the Devî there, to shew his extreme grace to all the inhabitants of the Navavarsa. The people also worship the Deity. By worshipping the Devî only, the Bhagavân remains there in Samâdhi, surrounded with Aniruddha and his other Vyûhachatustaya (the four forms). But in Ilâvrita Varsa, the Bhagavân Rudra, originated from the eye-brows of Brahmâ, resides only with women. No other person can enter there; for the Bhâvanî, the S'akti of Rudra has cursed that any male entering there would be transformed into a female. The Lord of Bhavanî, surrounded by innumerable women, remains here engaged in the worship of the unmanifested unborn Bhagavân Samkarsana. For the good of humanity, with intense meditation, He worships His Own Turîya Form of the nature of Tamas, thus :--
12-19. S'rî Bhagavâna said :-- “Obeisance to Thee! the Bhagavân, the Great Purusa, endowed with all the qualities (the principal six Ais'varyas or prosperities), the Ananta (the Infinite) and to the Unmanifested! We worship Thee, Whose lotus feet are the refuge of all. Thou art the great storehouse of all the superhuman powers and the divine
faculties of omnipotence, etc. Thou art always present to the Bhaktas. Thou art creating all these beings. Thou givest Moksa to the Bhaktas and destroyest their attachment to the world and Thou bindest Thy non-devotees in bondage to this world. Thou art the Lord. We worship Thee. We are entirely under the control of the passions, anger, etc., and our minds are always attached to the senses; but though Thou art always looking at this world for its creation, etc., Thy mind is not a bit attached to it. So who will not turn to Thee, desirous to conquer his self. Thou art appearing by Thy Mâyâ as one whose sight is ignorant; Thou lookest dreadful with Thy eyes reddened with the drink of Madhu (wine). By the touch of Thy feet, the mental faculties are very much enchanted; hence the women folk of the Nâgas cannot in any way worship Thee, out of bashfulness. The Risis say that though Thou art the Only One to create, preserve and destroy, yet Thou art quite unconcerned with them. Thou art Infinite and Thou hast innumerable heads. This vast universe is like the mustard seed resting somewhere on one of these heads, which Thou canst not feel even. The Mahat Tattva is Thy body manifested first. It is built of Sattva, Raja and Tamo Gunas. Brahmâ has come out of this and I again have sprung from this Brahmâ and am nurtured by the Sattva and the other Gunas and with the help of the Teja, created these elements and the senses. These Mahat Tattvas and we all are controlled by Thy Extraordinary Form. Thou hast kept us in our respective places by Thy Kriyâ S'akti as birds are kept duly by the strings through them. Mahat Tattva, Ahamkâra, and the Devas, elements and the senses, before mentioned all united create this Universe by Thy Grace. Thy creation is very big and grand; for this reason the gross thinkers, deluded by Thy power, never understand it. This Mâyâ is the only means to get the Samsâra Nivritti, Moksa, the real Goal of man: and this Mâyâ, again involves them in the Karma entanglements, very hard to get through. Coming in and going out, both of these are Thy forms; so we bow down to Thee.
20-23. Nârâyana said :-- Thus the Bhagavân Rudra, with His Own persons in Ilâvrita Varsa used to worship the Devî and the Sankarsana, the Controller of all the Lokas. The son of Dharma, well known by the name of Bhadras'rava and all the persons born of his family and his attendants, worship thus the Devî. This form is well known to all by the name of Hayagrîva and worshipped thus. All the persons there worship Him with the intense meditation and Samâdhi and realise Him thoroughly. Then they praise Him, according to due customs and get the thorough Siddhis (success in getting extraordinary powers).
24-29. The Bhadras'ravâs said :-- Obeisance to Thee, the Bhagavân, the Incarnate of Virtue, and to Him who destroys completely the desires, attachments, etc., to worldly objects! Ho! How wonderful are the feats of the Bhagavân! Death always destroys all, but people, seeing this, seem not to see this. Seeing that the son meets with death, the father desires to live long not for a virtuous purpose but for sense enjoyments, what is called Vikarma. Those who are skilled in Jñâna and Vijñâna say that this Universe that is seen is very transient. Moreover those Pundits who are endowed with much Jñâna, see vividly the transitoriness of this Universe. Still, O Unborn One! When practically they come to deal with this, they all become overpowered with the influence of Mâyâ. So Thy Pastime (Lîla) is wonderfully variegated. (Instead of spending our time uselessly in discussing on S'âstras) we bow down to Thee, and Thee alone. Thou art the Self-manifest Chaitanya. Thou are not the object to be covered by Mâyâ. Thou dost not do anything in the sort of creation, etc. Thou remainest simply as the Witness thereof. Sill the Vedas declare that Thou createst, preservest and destroyest the Universe. It is quite reasonable and nothing to be wondered at. Thou art the Âtman of all. When the Pralaya (the time of great dissolution) comes, the Vedas were stolen by the Daityas and taken to the nether regions, the Rasâtala. Thou, in the form of Hayagrîva (Horse-faced), rescued the Vedas and gave them to the Grandsire Brahmâ who was very eager to get them back and understand their meanings. Thou art the true Sankalap (resolve); we bow down to Thee. Thus the Bhadras'ravâs praise the Haiyagrîva form of Hari and sing the glorious deeds of Him. He who reads these narratives of the Mahâ Purusa (the high-souled personage) or he who makes others hear these things, both of them, quitting their sinful bodies, go to the Devî Loka.
Here ends the Eighth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of Ilâvrîta in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter IX
On the narration of the division of the continents
1-2. Nârâyana said :-- In Harivarsa, the Bhagavân Hari is shining splendid as a Yogi in the form of Narasimha. The Mahâ Bhâgavat (most devoted) Prahlâda, who knows the attributes of God worships and chants hymns with his whole hearted devotion, seeing that beautiful form, gladdening to all the people.
3-11. Prahlâda spoke :-- I bow down to Thee, the Bhagavân Nrisingha Deva. Thou art the Light of all Lights. Thy big teeth are like thunderbolts. Let Thee manifest in Thy most terrible form. Let Thee destroy the desires of the people to do Karma and let Thou devour the great Ignorance (Ajñâna) the Moha (delusion) of the people. Thou art the receptacle of the Sattva, Raja and Tamo Gunas. Let myself be always free from any fear by Thy Grace. “Om Khraum!” Let this whole world rest completely in peace and happiness. Let the cheats quit their guiles and be pure and simple. Let all the people quit completely their animosities towards each other and think of their welfare. Let all the people be free from making injuries to others and be peaceful; and let them have their control over their passions. Let our mind be completely free from desires and rest entirely and devotedly to Thy lotus-feet. Let us not be attached to sons, wives, wealth, house or to any other worldly objects. If there be any attachment, let it be to the objects dear to the Bhagavân. He who barely sustains his body and soul and controls himself completely, success is very near to him; not so to the persons that are attached to the senses. The dirt of the mind, that is not washed away by bathing in the Ganges or by taking recourse to the Tîrthas, etc., is removed by the company of the devotees to the God and by their influence, hearing, thinking, and meditating on the attributes of the Bhagavân. So who is there that does not serve the Bhagavân! He who has got Niskâma Bhakti (devotion without regard to any fruits thereof) to the Bhagavân, to him come always the Devatâ, Dharma and Jñâna and other higher qualities. But he who indulges in various mental phantasms, without any Bhakti to the Bhagavân, he follows the worldly happiness that is certainly to be hated and never he gets Vairâgyan and other higher qualities. As water is life to the fish, so the Bhagavân Hari is the self of all embodied beings and so He is to be specially prayed for. So if a high-souled person be attached to household happiness, without thinking of God, then his greatness dwindles into a trifling insignificance like the ordinary pleasures of man and woman when they are full of youth. So leave, at once, the home that is the source of Birth and Death and leave Trisnâ (thirst, desire), clinging to life, low-spiritedness, name, and fame, egoism, shame, fear, poverty and loss of one's honour and worship the Lotus-Feet of the Bhagavân Nrisingha Deva and be entirely fearless. Thus Prahlâda, the Lord of the Daityas, daily worships devotedly the Bhagavân Nrisingha, resplendent in his lotus heart, the death blow, the lion to all the elephant sins. In the Ketumâla Varsa, the Bhagavân Nârâyana is reigning in the form of the Kâma Deva, the God of Love. The people there always worship Him. The daughter of Ocean, the Indirâ Devî, who confers honour and glory to the Mahatmas,
is the presiding Deity of the Varsa. She always worships the Kama Deva with the following verses :--
12-18. The Laksmî Devî spoke :-- “Om, Hrâm, Hrîm, Hrûm, Om namo Bhagavate Hrisikesâya! Thou art the Bhagavân of the nature of Om. Thou are the Director, the Lord of the senses: Thy Âtman is the Highest and the Receptacle of all the good things. All the Karma Vrittis, all the Jñâna Vrittis, and effort and resolution and other faculties of the mind, act in their respective channels by Thy looking and by their being constantly practised in Thee. And the elements over which they get their masteries are subservient to Thy Laws. The mind and the other eleven Indriyas, and touch, taste and other five senses are but Thy parts. All the rites and ceremonies observed in the Vedas are found in Thee. Thou art the infinite store of all the foodings of the Jîvas. From Thee flows the Paramânanda, the Highest Bliss. Thou art All, Thou art the Substance, Purity incarnate; Thou art the Energy, the Strength manifest in all. Thou art the Finish of all the happiness and Thou art the Only One Substance, that can be desired by the people. So obeisance to Thee! This Thy Lordship is not dependent on any other body. The women that know Thee, the Lord of all and worship other bodies for their husbands, those husbands can never save them, their lives, their wealth, progeny or other dear things as those are controlled by Kâla (Time) and Karma. So they cannot be termed husbands at all; Thou art the Real Husband; and no other. For Thou art naturally fearless and Thou protectest in every way the persons that become afraid. Thou art the Lord of all wealth; so no other is superior to Thee. How can then, they be independent whose happiness depends on others! The lady that desires to worship Thy lotus feet only and becomes subservient to no others, she attains all the desires. Again the lady who, desiring other desires than to get Thee, does not worship Thy lotus-feet, Thou fulfillest the desires of her too. But, O Bhagavân! When the period of enjoyment of these things ceases and when the objects of these enjoyments are destroyed, then she repents much due to the loss of those things. Brahmâ, Mahâdeva, the Suras and the Asuras practise hard Tapasyâs to get me, impelled by their desires to attain the objects of sense enjoyments; but he only really gets me who worships and takes refuge of Thy lotus feet only, for my heart is entirely attached to Thee. So, O Achyuta! Kindly shew Thy Grace and put, on my head, Thy lotus palm, praised by the universal people that Thou placest on Thy Bhaktas. O Bhagavân! That Thou takest me in Thy Bosom is a sign of Thy Grace. No one can fathom the deeds of Thee, the Only Controller of all. Thus the Prajâpati and the Lords of that Varsa, worship the Bhagavân,
the Friend of all, with a view to attain their respective desires and Siddhis. In Ramyak Varsa, the Matsya form of the Bhagavân is set up and consecrated. The Suras and the Asuras worship Him. The highly intelligent Manu always chant hymns to that Excellent Form thus :-- “Obeisance to Him who is the Life of all, the Essence and Strength of all, to that Great Fish Form, the Body Incarnate of Sattva Guna, who is of the nature of Om and Bliss.”
19-23. Thou art the Lord of all the Lokapâlas and of the form of the Vedas. Thou art within and without all this universe, moving and non-moving; still all the beings are unable to see Thy form. As the people bring under their control the wooden dolls, so Thou controllest the universe by the rules and prohibitions under the names of the Brâhmanas, etc. Thou art the God. The Lokapâlas, being overcome by the fever of jealousy and pride, become quite unable, either individually or collectively, to quit their jealousies and to protect the tripeds, quadrupeds, reptiles and snakes; so Thou art the God. Thou hadst upheld this earth along with me and with the medicinal plants and creepers; and Thou shewedest the highest luminous light in the great ocean, at the time of Pralaya, tossed with surging waves and didst roam there. Thou art the Self of all the beings in the universe. So we bow down to Thee. Thus the Manu, the best of the mortal beings, used to praise the Bhagavân, who took His incarnation in the shape of the Fish, the Remover of all doubts. Manu, the foremost of the Bhâgavatas (the devotees) is reigning there in the service of the Fish Incarnation of the Bhagavân, with intense meditation and expurging all sins and with great devotion.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of the division of the continents in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter X
On the description of Bhuvanakosa
1-7. Nârâyana said :-- In Hiranmaya Varsa, the Bhagavân is remaining in the form of Kurma, the Tortoise, as the Lord of Yoga. He is thus praised and worshipped by Aryamâ, the Ruler of the Pitris. Aryamâ said :-- Om namo Bhagavate Akûpârâya; (King of tortoises, sustaining the world) Obeisance to Thee,
the Lord of all prosperities, in the form of Tortoise (Kurma); Thou art built of Sattva Guna Incarnate; no one can make out where Thou dost dwell; Thou art not encompassed by Time; (Thou art in the Present, Past and Future); so obeisance to Thee. Thou dost pervade all things; we bow down to Thee. All are established in Thee; so obeisance to Thee. By Thy extraordinary Mâyâ (power) Thou hast made manifest this universe that is seen. This is Thy Form. It is by no means distinct from Thee. This Thy Form is seen in so many forms. So the true reality being not known like the mirage, these cannot be counted really speaking, what is Thy form, no one can definitely say. The beings generated by heat and moisture (said of insects and worms), those that are born of eggs, from wombs and the plants and other moving, non-moving beings, the Devas, Risis, Pitris, Bhûtas, and these senses; the sky, the heavens, earth, mountains, rivers, oceans, islands, planets, and stars all these art Thou and Thou alone. Thy name, form, and appearance, are as varied; and their numbers cannot be counted. Still, Kapila and others have determined their numbers, by the knowledge of which Thou canst become visible to the Eye of Knowledge. Thy form and nature are determined by these Sânkhyas ascertained by Kapila. So we bow down to Thee. Thus Aryamâ, and the other rulers of the Varsa all united sing, praise, and worship the Bhagavân Kurma Deva, the Controller of all and the Generator of all. All Hail to Thee! The Bhagavân Yajña Purusa is manifest in Uttara Kuru Mandala in the form of Âdi Varâha. The Earth Herself worships Him always. The Goddess Earth praises Hari, the Yajña Varâha, the Destroyer of the Daityas and worships duly that Deva, with Her heart lotus, naturally devoted, rendered more devoted by Her attachment to the Lord.
8-13. The Goddess Earth spoke :-- “Om Namo Bhagavate Mantratattva Lingâya Yajña Kratave” I bow down to the Bhagavân, the Great Boar; Thou art Om; Thy real form and nature can be known by only the Mantra and Tattva. Thou art Yajña and Kratu (sacrifice) incarnate; therefore all the great sacrifices are Thy limbs. Thou art the Three Yugas (there being no Yajña in the Satya Yuga); Thou art that which is left as Pure, after doing Karma (so as to be fit for performing Yajñas). So obeisance to Thee. The sages, versed in Jñâna and Vijñâna say that Thou art hidden in the body and in the senses as fire is hidden in the wood. So they, ardent to see Thee, seek for Thee with a discriminative and dispassionate mind, judging Karmas and their fruits; and then Thy Nature is revealed, I bow down to Thee, Thy Form can be ascertained by the cause and effect of the Karmas and other Gunas of Mâyâ, sense objects, senses, actions, Devas, body, time, Ahamkâra and others. I bow
down to Thee, Those can see thus Thy form, whose mind is firmly established in Thee, by their discrimination and Yama, Niyama, etc., and who have abandoned all sorts of fickleness and changeability of their tempers. So obeisance to Thee. As iron goes attracted towards the magnet, so Mâyâ dances before Thee with Her Gunas and Her works in the way of the creation, preservation and destruction of this universe; but Thou art totally indifferent to it. For the sake of the Jîvas (embodied souls), desire comes to Thee, though Thou art not quite willing! Thou art the Witness of the Jîvas and their Adrista (the Fate). I bow down to Thee. The Yajña Varâha, the Cause of this universe, has lifted me up from the Rasâtala and placing me on His big tusks, has come out from the Pralaya, the great ocean, after overpowering in battle His enemy, the powerful Daitya, like an elephant, I bow down to that Controller of all, to Thee. In the Kimpurusa Varsa, the Bhagavân Âdi Purusa (the Prime Man), the Self-manifest, and the Lord of all, is residing in the form of Râma, the son of Das'aratha and the Joy of the heart of Sîtâ Devî.
14-18. S'rî Hanumâna thus spoke:-- “Om namo Bhagavate Uttama Slokaya” I bow down to the Bhagavân, who art sung by the excellent verses, purifying all. I bow down to Thee, the incarnate of modesty, good temper, vow and good signs; Thy mind is always under control; Thou dost imitate, as Thy nature is good, the actions of all persons; obeisance to Thee. Thou art the Supreme Place to award praise. Obeisance to Thee. Thou art Brahmanya Deva (in the creation of the universe), the high souled Person Mahâpurusa. Thou gettest the First Share, above all the persons! Thou art the One Tattva and That Alone, as established in the Vedânta. The holy realisation is the only guide to it. This Tattva dominates over all the Gunas. It can never be an object. Only by pure intellect, It can be realised. There is no name, no form of It. It is always beyond the pale of Ahamkâra. I take refuge to this Tattva, the most Peaceful, with my body and mind. Thy incarnation in human shape in this world is not simply for killing Râvana but for giving instructions to the mortals. The contact with woman and the suffering thereof are very difficult to avoid; to give this lesson also He took this incarnation, He Who is merged in enjoying the Supreme Bliss of His Own Nature and He Who is the Lord of all, how can He suffer miseries in the bereavement of Sîtâ. He is the best friend and the very Âtman of those who have conquered their minds and senses. Especially He is the receptacle of all the qualities and is in enjoyment of other divine extraordinary powers. So He is not attached to the worldly objects. How can the delusion due to His wife come and darken Him? and why will He send Laksmana
in exile? He is the Mahat Tattva and the Parama Purusa; so good birth, beauty, intelligence, oratory or good form, nothing can please Him. Bhakti (devotion) can only attract Him. If that be not the case, then why will He, the elder of Laksmana, the Bhagavân, the son of Das'aratha make friendship with us, the wanderers of the forest and who are by nature, not the receptacles of any beauty, etc. So everyone, be he a Sura or Asura, man, or not man, should worship the Hari manifest in Râma, in the human body with all his heart. He is so good that if anybody worships Him even to a very small extent, He always considers it to be much; what more can be said than this that He took all the inhabitants of Kos'ala to Heaven!
19-20. Nârâyana said :-- Thus Hanumân, the best of monkeys, sings the praises and worships duly in Kimpurusa Varsa, the lotus-eyed Râma, truthful, and determined in his vows. He who hears this wonderful description of Râma, is freed of all his sins and goes with his body pure to the abode of Râma.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of Bhuvanakosa in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XI
On the description of the continents and of Bhâratavarsa
1. Nârâyana said :-- In this Bhâratavarsa (India) I am present, as the First of all, in the shape of the Man, at present existing before you. Let you praise Me incessantly thus:--
2-28. Nârada said :-- Thou art the Bhagavân. Obeisance to Thee. Thou art completely free from attachment and envy and Thou art the incarnate of Dharma, Jñâna and Vairâgyam (Dispassion). No trace of Ahamkara (egoism) is in Thee. Obeisance to Thee. Thou hast nothing of wealth; Thou art the foremost of the family of Risis; Thou art Nara Nârâyana. Thou art the Parama Hamsa (the highest class of ascetics and renouncers of the world). Thou art the Highest Guru; Thou art happy with Thyself and the Leader of all; I bow down to Thee. Thou art the Lord of all, yet not mixed in the work of creation, etc. Though Thou residest in every embodied being, yet no hunger and thirst can press Thee; though Thou art the Witness, yet Thy sight is not at all disturbed by the proximity. Thou art not at all connected and no desires can come to Thee; Thou art the Witness. So I bow down to Thee. This path of Yoga had
come out of Thee and it is established in Thee. The Bhagavân Hiranyagarbha has given instructions on the cleverness in Yoga, thus :-- That leaving aside the egoism of this body, the seat of all evils, the people at last will take resort to the path of Bhakti and set their minds on Thee, Who art beyond the pale of the three Gunas. If, like the ignorant persons very much attached to this world as well as the next, the wise pass their time in the thoughts of their sons, wives, and riches and ultimately become very much pained on the destruction of this ugly body, persons, versed in Jñâna and Vijñâna be afraid in the end of their separation fron the body, then their study of the S'âstras and all their labours become labours merely, without any effect. When such a thing occurs to the learned, then O Thou, the Subduer of the knowledge of senses! Thou Thyself givest us instructions that we may easily think of Thee. Then this terrible clinging to this ugly body that Thy Mâyâ brings about and which it is very difficult to discard by other means, will leave us quickly. Nârada, the seer of all, well qualified with the knowledge of all the Tattvas, the foremost of the Munis, thus worships it and praises Nârâyana Who is unaffected by any of the Ûpâdhis and who corresponds to Nitya and Leelâ (both Permanent and the Pastime-making). O Devarsi! I now describe to you the rivers and mountains in Bhâratvarsa. Hear attentively. Malaya, Mangalaprastha, Mainâka, Chitrakûta, Risabha, Kûtaka, Kolla, Sahya, Devagiri, Risyamûka, S'ris'aila, Vyankata, Mahendra, Vâridhâra, Vindhya, S'uktimân, Riksa, Pâriyâtra, Drona, Chitrakûta, Gobardhana, Raivataka, Kakubha, Nîla, Gaurmukha, Indrakîla, Kâmagiri and many other mountains, that cannot be numbered. Great merits accrue on seeing these mountains. Hundreds and thousands of rivers issue from these mountains. Drinking their waters, bathing in them and visiting them and singing their praises completely destroy the sins of mind, word and body. The names of the rivers are :-- Tâmraparnî, Chandravas'â, Kritamâlâ, Vatodakâ, Vaihâyasî, Kâverî, Venâ, Payasvini, Tungabhadrâ, Krisnavenâ, S'arkarâ, Vartakâ, Godâvarî, Bhîmarathî, Nirbindhyâ, Payosnikâ, Tâpî, Revâ, Surasâ, Narmadâ, Sarasvatî, Charmanvatî, and the Indus, Andha, and Sone, Risikulyâ, Trisâmâ, Vedasmriti, Mahânadî, Kaus'ikî, Yamunâ, Mandâkini, Drisadvatî, Gomatî, Sarayû, Oghavatî, Saptavatî, Susamâ, S'atadru, Chandrabhâgâ, Marudbridhâ, Vitastâ, Asiknî and Vis'vâ and many other rivers. Those persons that take their births in this Varsa enjoy the (Divya) Divine, human, and the lower enjoyments, as the effects of their Karmas, in accordance with their Sâttvik, Râjasik, and Tâmasik qualities. All the inhabitants of this Varsa take their Sannyâsa, Vânaprasthas, etc., in accordance with the rules of their Varnas (castes) respectively and enjoy
beatitudes as dictated (in their S'âstras). The Vedavâdis (the propounders of the Vedas), the Risis, and the Devas declare that this Varsa is superior to all the other Varsas as the Grace of God is easily obtained here. They say: Oh! What an amount of good works, the inhabitants of Bhârata Varsa did in their previous lives, that by their influence, the Bhagavân Hari has become pleased with them without their having any Sâdhanâs (good Yogic practices). Therefore we also desire to have our births there, for there if we be born amidst the persons there, we would be able serve Hari, Mukunda in every way. What will severe austerities, gifts, sacrifices, and practising vows avail us? Even if we go to Heaven, what benefit we will derive there? Then we would never be able to bring our mind to the lotus-feet of the Bhagavân Nârâyana. Our tastes for sense enjoyments would increase and we would be wholly deprived of Bhagavân. Far better it is to be born in this Bhârata Varsa as short-lived persons, than to acquire other places where one can live up to the period of Kalpa and then be reborn. For the intelligent people of Bhârata, getting this mortal coil can within a short period devote themselves to the Bhagavân Hari and be free from rebirth. That place is never to be visited and served, even if that be Svarga Loka where the nectar-like ocean of the sayings of Vaikuntha are not heard; where there are no assemblages of saints who take refuge of the Lotus feet of Bhagavân; where the great sacrifices and festivities of the Bhagavân Visnu are not celebrated. Those persons, that do not try for Moksa, when they get human births and when they possess Jñâna, Kriyâ (methods of doing sacrifices and other works for the help of Jñâna) and Dravya (materials for those sacrifices), are certainly like beasts and get themselves repeatedly entanged into bondages. The people of Bhârata Varsa offer oblations to Indra and other deities, invoking their names separately, with proper rules (Vidhis), mantras, and purodâsas (a sacrificial oblation made of ground rice and offered in Kapâlas or vessels); but the All sufficient Bhagavân Hari, the Giver of blessings accepts those very gladly.
True that He grants unto the people what they ask from Him; but He hardly gives anybody the Paramârtha, the Highest Goal. The reason being that the people ask again and again after receiving what they had asked. So He gives of Himself His own lotus-feet to those who, having abandoned all their desires, worship Him and Him only with the idea of love. (1) Thus :-- We are living very happily in the Heavens as the fruit of the Istâpûrta that we performed fully; yet we want that we may also be born in Bhârata Varsa with our memory all renewed with the thought of the Bhagavân Hari. The Bhagavân residing in this Bhâratvarsa, awards the highest welfare to its inhabitants.
29-32. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! Thus the Devas of the Heavens, the Siddhas, the Highest Risis, sing the excellent merits of this Bhâratavarsa. There are the eight Upadvîpas of this Jambudvîpa :-- When the sons of the King Sagara were searching for the footprints of the stolen horse (for As'vamedha sacrifice), they found these Upadvîpas; so it is definitely stated. The names of out and made these are :-- Svarnaprastha, Chandras'ukra, Âvartana, Ramânaka, Mandaropâkhya, Harina, Pânchajanya, and Ceylon. The length and breadth of Jambudvîpa have been described; now the other six Dvîpas, Plaksa and others will be described. Hear.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the continents and of Bhâratavarsa in the Mahâpurânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XII
On the narration of Plaksa, S’âlmala and Kus’a Dvîpas
1-37. Nârâyana said :-- The Jambudvîpa has been described, how it is and what is its width. It is surrounded on all sides by the salt ocean. As Meru is surrounded by Jambudvîpa, so the salt ocean is surrounded by Plaksadvîpa, twice its size. As the ditch is surrounded by gardens, so the salt ocean is surrounded by gardens. As the Jambu tree exists in Jambudvîpa, so the Plaksa tree exists in the Plaksa Dvîpa and of the same size. The name Plaksa Dvîpa is derived from the name of this Plaksa tree. This tree is of a golden colour. Fire exists at its bottom with form incarnate. This is, named Saptajihva. The Ruler of this island is Idhmajihva, the son of Priyavrata. He divided his island into the seven Varsas and distributed them, to each of his seven sons and he himself took refuge of the path of Yoga, so much liked by the Knowers of Self and he got the Bhagavân Vâsudeva. The names of those seven Dvîpas are :-- S'iva, Yavas, Subhadra, Sânti, Ksema, Amrita, and Abhaya. Seven rivers and seven mountains exist respectively in the seven islands. The rivers are :-- Arunâ, Nrimnâ, Angirasî, Sâvitrî, Suprabhâtikâ, Ritambharâ, and Satyambharâ. The names of the mountains are Manikûta, Vajrakûta, Indrasena, Jyotismâna, Suparna, Hiranyasthîva, and Meghamâla. The seeing and drinking the waters of these rivers take away all sins and all darkness due to ignorance. The four castes live here, Hamsa, Patanga, Ûrdhâyana, and Satyânga, corresponding to the four castes Brâhmana, etc. The inhabitants of this Plaksa Dvîpa live for one thousand years and all are of variegated wonderful appearances. They follow the customs
and usages dictated by the Vedas and worship the God Sun for the attainment of Heaven. The mantra by which the worship is done is this :-- We take refuge unto that Sun, Who is the Body Manifest of the Ancient Person Visnu and Who is the Ordainer of Satya (Truth), Ritâ (Straight forwardness), Brahmâ, Amrita (Immortality) and Mrityu (Death); O Nârada! All the persons here live long, of vigorous senses, energetic, powerful, intelligent, enthusiasts, and valorous; everyone gets extraordinary powers of themselves. Next to this Plaksa Dvîpa is the Ikshu Ocean. This Iksu Sâgara surrounds the Plaksa Dvîpa. Next comes S'almala Dvîpa. It is twice as large as Plaksa. This Dvîpa is surrounded by Surâsâgara (the ocean of wine). There is a tree named S'almalî in this island, which is as large as the Plaksa tree. The high-souled Garuda resides on that tree, Yajñavâhu is the Ruler of this place. He was born of Priyavrata; he divided his Varsa into the seven parts and distributed each of them to his seven sons respectively. Now hear the names of these Varsas :-- Surochana, Saumanasya, Ramana, Deva Varsa, Pâribhadra, Âpyâyana, and Vijñâta. Seven mountains and seven rivers exist there respectively. The names of the mountains are :-- Sarasa, S'atas'ringa, Vâma Deva, Kandaka, Kumuda, Puspavarsa, and Sahasra-S'ruti. Now hear the names of the rivers. Anumati, Sinîbâlî, Sarasvatî, Kûhu, Rajanî, Nandâ, and Râkâ; these are the seven rivers. The people are divided into the four castes :-- S'rutadhara, Vîryadhara, Vasundhara, Isundhara. These correspond to the Brâhmanas, etc. They worship the Bhagavân Moon, the Controller of all and the Creator of all the Vedas. They offer food duly in the black and white fortnight to their Pitris. The mantra for their worship is :-- “Let Soma, the King of all, be pleased.” O Nârada! Next to Surâsâgara is Kus'advîpa, surrounded by Ghritasâgara (the ocean of clarified butter). Its dimensions are twice as large. Here are blades of Kus'a grass, of a very resplendent colour. The name of the Dvîpa is from this Kus'astamba. This bundle of Kus'a, illumines all the quarters with their gentle rays. The Ruler of the Dvîpa is Hiranyaretâ, the son of Priyavrata. He divided the Dvîpa into seven parts and distributed each of them to each of his seven sons respectively. The names of the seven sons are :-- Vasu, Vasudâna, Dhridharuchi, Nâbhigupta, Stutyavrata, Vivikta, and Bhâmadevaka. There are seven mountains forming the seven boundaries and so are the seven rivers. Hear the names of these. The names of the mountains are :-- Chakra, Chatuhs'ringa, Kapila, Chitre Devânîka, Kûta, Ûrdharomâ and Dravina. The names of the rivers are :-- Rasakulyâ, Madhukulyâ, Mitravindâ, S'rutavindâ, Devagarbhâ, Ghritâchyut, and Mantramalikâ. The inhabitants of the Kus'advîpa drink the waters of these
rivers. There are the four castes here Kus'ala, Kovida, Abhiyukta, and Kulaka corresponding to the Brâhmanas, etc. They are all powerful like Indra and the other chief Devas; and all of them are omniscient. They worship the Fire God and perform various good works in honour of Him. Their mantra is this :-- O Fire! Thou carriest the oblations direct to Para Brahmâ. In the sacrifices of the Devas, Thou worshippest that Personal God and offerest to Him whatever are given in oblations, mentioning the respective limbs of His Body. Thus the inhabitants of that Dvîpa worship the Fire God.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of Plaksa, S'âlmala, and Kus'a Dvîpas in the Mahâpurânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XIII
On the description of the remaining Dvîpas
1. Nârada said :-- Thou, the Knower of everything! Describe about the remaining Dvîpas, knowing which we will be highly delighted.
2-36. Nârâyana spoke thus :-- The very vast Ghrita Sâgara (the ocean of clarified butter) is encircling the Kus’a Dvîpa. Next to it is the Krauncha Dvîpa. It is twice as large as Kus’a. The Ksîra Sâgara (the ocean of milk) is surrounding this Dvîpa. The Krauncha mountain is standing here. The name of this Dvîpa is derived from this mountain. In days gone by, the highly intelligent Kârtikeya burst this mountain by his own prowess. This Dvîpa is washed by the Ksîra Sâgara; and Varuna is its Regent. The son of Priyavrata, Ghritapristha, respected by all and whose prosperity knows no end, is the Lord of this Dvîpa. He divided this Dvîpa into the seven parts and distributed them to his sons and named the Varsas after the names of his sons. He made his sons the rulers of those places and he himself took the refuge of the Bhagavân Nârâyana The names of the seven Varsas are respectively :-- Âma, Madhuruha, Meghapristha, Sudhâmaka, Bhrâjistha, Lohitârna, and Vanaspati. O Nârada! The seven mountains and the rivers there are very celebrated throughout the worlds. The names of the mountains are :-- S’ûkla, Vardhamâna, Bhojana, Upavarhana, Nanda, Nandana, and Sarvatobhadra. The names of the rivers are :-- Abhayâ, Amritaughâ, Âryakâ, Tîrthavatî, Vrittirûpavatî, S’uklâ, and Pavitravatikâ. The inhabitants there drink
the highly pure water of these rivers. The people there are divided into four colours Purusa, Risabha, Dravina, and Vedaka and they worship the Bhagavân Varuna, of the form of water. Then they become very discriminative, and, with great devotion, and holding full within their folded palms the water, repeat the following mantra :-- “O Water! Thou art the essence Vîrya of the Person Bhagavâna and Thou sanctifiest the Bhûrloka, Bhuvarloka, and Svarloka. Thou destroyest the sins of all. We all are touching it; purify our bodies.” After finishing their mantrams, they sing various hymns to Varuna. Next to the Ksiroda Sâgara, is the S’aka Dvîpa, thirty two lakh yoyanas wide, surrounded by the Dadhi Sâgara (the ocean of curds), of similar dimensions. Here the most excellent tree named the S’aka tree exists. O Nârada! The Dvîpa is named so after the tree. Medhâtithi, the son of Priyavrata is the Lord of this Dvîpa. He divided this land into the seven Varsas and distributed each to his seven sons respectively; and ultimately he took refuge to the path of Yoga. The names of the seven Varsas are Purojava, Manojava, Pavamânaka, Dhûmrânîka, Chitrarepha, Bahurûpa, and Vis’vadhrik. In these Varsas there are seven mountains, one in each Varsa, as forming their boundaries; and there are seven rivers also. The names of the mountains are :-- Îs’ana, Ûrus’ringa, Valabhadra, S’ata Kes’ara, Sahasra-srotaka, Devapâla, and Mahâsana; the names of the rivers are :-- Anaghâ, Âyurdâ, Ubhayaspristi, Aparâjitâ, Pañchapadî, and Sahasras’ruti and Nijadhriti. These seven rivers are all very big and resplendent with lustre. The people are divided into four classes :-- Varsas, Satyavrata, Kratuvrata, Dânavrata, and Anuvrata. They all take the Prânayâma exercise and thereby bring the Râjas, and Tamo Guna under their subjection and they worship Hari, of the nature of Prâna Vayu, Higher than the Highest. Their mantra is this :-- “He has entered into all the living beings and nourishes them by the Prâna and other faculties; He is the Internal Ruler of all and the Supreme Controller; this Universe is under His control; let Him protect and nourish us.” O Nârada! Next to this Dadhi Sâgara is Puskara Dvîpa; it is twice as large as S’âka Dvîpa. It is surrounded by the Dudha Sâgar (the ocean of milk) all twice as large. The leaves of Puskara tree that shines in the Puskara Dvîpa, are fiery like golden flames; they are as clean and pure. Crores and crores of leaves, golden in colour ornament this Tree. Vâsudeva, the Guru of all the Lokas, has created this Puskara Dvîpa as the seat of Paramesthî Brahmâ, possessed of six extraordinary powers, for the purpose of creation. There is one mountain in this Dvîpa; it is divided into two parts, named Arvâchîna and Parâchîna. These form the boundaries of the two Varsas. The
mountain is one Ayuta Yoyana high and one Ayuta Yoyana wide. There are four cities on the four sides. Indra and the three other Lokapâlas are the lords of these cities. The Sun God comes out from their top and circumambulating Meru, goes there again. The whole year is his Chakram, circle of circuit; His path is Uttrâyanam and Daksinâyanam. Vîtihotra, the son of Priyavrata is the lord of this island. He distributed the two Varsas amongst his two sons, Ramana and Dhâtakî. They rule over the two Varsas named also after them. Like the inhabitants of the above Varsas, the people also get powers of themselves and worship devotedly the God seated on the lotus and follow such path of the Yoga as leads them to the Brahmâ Sâlokyâ, etc. The mantra runs thus :-- “We bow down to that One God, without a Second, of the nature of Peace, Who is the Fruit of all the Karmas, Who is the seat of illumination of Brahmâ, Who is established in Unity, and Who is worshipped by all the Lokas.”
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the remaining Dvîpas in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XIV
On the description of the Lokâloka space
1-29. Nârâyana said :-- Next to the ocean of pure water, is the mountain, called Lokâloka. It marks the sphere between the two countries Loka and Aloka. O Devarsi! There is a land, all of pure gold (beyond this ocean of pure water) for a space equal to the distance between Mânasottara and Meru. This land is like a mirror; there are no beings here; the reason is, any substance placed on it would at once be converted into gold and nothing can be obtained out of it. O Nârada! No living beings can live there and therefore it is named Lokâloka. This is established always between the Loka and Aloka. The God himself has made this as the boundary of the three Lokas. The rays of the Sun, the Polar Star and all the planets are confined to this sphere; rather passing through its middle, the luminaries shed their lustre on the three Lokas. O Nârada! This great mountain is so lofty and capacious that the rays of the luminaries can never go out of it. The learned men say, that the size, form, and indications of this mountain are such as this is the one-fourth of five hundred times the size of the earth on its summit. The self-born Brahmâ has placed very big elephants on all sides of it. Hear
their names. These are Risabha, Puspachûda, Vâmana, and Aparâjita. These four elephants are said to hold all the Lokas in their respective positions. The Bhagavân Hari gives strength to these elephants and to Indra and others who are reckoned to be His Vibhûtis (powers). He manifesting His S’uddha Sattva and super-extraordinary powers, and united with Animâ, Laghimâ, etc., the eight Siddhis, is reigning there surrounded by His Pâris’adas Visvaksena and others. He is the one God of all; He is without a second. For the welfare of all, He is holding Sudars’ana and His various other weapons; and the powers of His arms are great. He is His own Cause and at all times He pervades all in and through. He is Eternal. This Universe is upheld by His extraordinary power Mâyâ for its preservation. He remains in this form till the end of a Kalpa. The inner width described above, determines the width of Âloka. For it is situated outside the above Loka. Beyond the mountain Lokâloka, is said to lie the pure path leading to Yoges’vara within the egg-shaped ellipsoid formed by the Heaven and Earth. The inner dimension of this ellipsoid is twenty five Koti Yoyanas. When this egg becomes unconscious (lifeless), the Sun enters within it in the form of Vairâja. Hence the Sun is called Mârtanda. He is Hiranyagarbha, when He is born from this Golden Egg. It is this Sun that ordains the quarters, Âkâs’a, Heaven and Earth, etc., in their proper spheres and divisions. This Sun is the Âtmâ of Svarga and Moksa, hell and other lower regions, of the Devas, men, birds, reptiles, trees and all other living beings; and He is the Presiding Deity of their sight. O Nârada! Its width is Pañchâs’at Koti Yoyanas and its height or depth is twenty-five Koti Yoyanas. If as the two halves of a gram are of the same size, so the Earth and Heaven are of equal size. The space enclosed between them is called Antarîksa; the Sun God, the foremost of the planets, being situated in the middle, gives light and illumines and heats the three Lokas. He goes by the path of Uttarâyana and therefore His motion becomes slow (His motion becomes Mandagati). The Sun then getting up higher prolongs the day time. Similarly when the Sun follows the path of Daksinâyana, He gets S’îghra-gati and not going up so high, shortens the day time. Again when He comes at the Equator, He maintains an even position and the day and night become equal. When the Sun is in the signs Aries (Mesa) and Libra (Tulâ), then the day and night become equal. When the Sun traverses the five signs Taurus, Gemini, etc., the day becomes longer and when the Sun traverses the five signs Scorpio and others, the day becomes shorter and the night becomes longer.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the
description of the Lokâloka space in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XV
On the motion of the Sun
1-45. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I will now describe the motion of the Sun. Hear. It is of three kinds; S’îghra (perihelionic), Manda (Aphelionic), and even. O Surasattama! Every planet has three positions. The name of the Madhyagati position is Jâradgava, the name of the northern position is Airâvata; and the name of the southern position is Vais’vânara. The asterisms As’vinî Krittikâ and Bharanî are known by the term Nâgavîthî. Rohinî, Ârdrâ, and Mrigas’irâ are named Gaja Vîthî; Pusyâ, As’lesâ, and Punarvasu are named Airavatîvîthî. The three Vîthîs, above-mentioned are called Uttara Mârga. Purvaphalgunî, Uttara Phalgunî and Maghâ are named A’rsabhî Vîthî. Hastâ, Chitrâ and Svâtî are called Govîthî; Jyesthâ, Vis’âkhâ and Anurâdhâ are named Jâradgavî Vîthî. These three Vîthîs are named Madhyamâ Mârga. Mûlâ, Purbâsâdhâ, Uttarâsâdhâ are termed Ajavîthî S’ravanâ, Dhanisthâ and S’atabhisâ are termed Mriga Vîthî. Uttara bhâdrapada, Purvabhâdrapada, and Revatî are called Vais’vânarîvîthî. These three Vîthîs (paths) are called Daksinamârga. During the Uttarâyana time, as the Dhruva attracts the rope of air from both the sides of the Yuga, orbit (or axis), the chariot of the Sun ascends, (i.e., is drawn up by the rope). Thus when the Sun enters within the sphere, the motion of the chariot becomes slower and the day is lengthened and the night is shortened. O Sura Sattama! Know this to be the course of the path of the Sun.
When the cord draws towards the south, the Chariot descends and as the Sun then comes out of the sphere, the motion becomes quick. The day shortens and the night is lengthened. Again when the cord is neither tightened nor is it slackened, rather its motion is exactly mid-way, the Sun also remains in a medium position and his Chariot enters within a sphere of equilibrium and the day and night become equal. When the cord of air, in a state of equilibrium is attracted by the Polar Star, then it is that the Sun and the Solar system revolves; and when the Polar Star slackens its attraction over the cord of air, the Sun coming out of the middle sphere, revolves; and the Solar system also revolves. On the east of Meru is established the city of Indra and the Devas dwell there. It is called therefore Devadhânikâ. On the south
of the Meru, is the famous city of Yama, the God of Death, named Samyamanî. On the west of Meru, is the great city of Varuna, named Nimnochanî. On the north of Meru is the city of the Moon, named Vibhâvarî. O Nârada! The Brahmavâdîs say that the Sun first rises in the city of Indra. At noon the Sun goes to Samyamanî; at evening the Sun goes to Nimnochanî and He is said to set. In the night the Sun remains in Vibhâvarî. O Muni! The going of the Sun round Meru is the cause of all the beings getting themselves engaged in their respective duties. The inhabitants of the Meru see the Sun always in the central position. The Sun moves on, eastwards towards the stars, keeping the Meru to his left; but if the Zodiac be taken into account, it would appear that the Meru is left towards the south of the Sun. The rising and the setting of the Sun are always considered in front of Him. O Devarsi! Every point, every quarter, every person, seeing the Sun says that the Sun has risen there; again where he becomes invisible, He is considered to set there. The Sun always exists; so there is no rising nor setting for Him. It is His appearance and disappearance that make men say that the Sun rises or sets. When the Sun is in the Indra’s city, He illumines the three cities, those of Indra, Yama, and the Moon and illumines the north-east and east-west corners. So when He rests in the city of Fire, he illumines north-east, east-west, and south-west, the three corners, and at the same time the cities of Indra and Yama; and so on for the other cities and corners. O Nârada! The Mont Meru is situated towards the north of all the Dvîpas and Varsas. So whenever any person sees the Sun rise he calls that side “east.” But Meru exists towards the left of the Sun; so it is said. If the Sun travels in 15 (fifteen) Ghatikâs, the distance from Indrapurî to Yamapurî, He is said to travel within that time a distance equal to 2¼ Kotis, 12½ lakhs and 25000 Yojanas (22695000 Yojanas). The thousand-eyed and thousand rayed Sun God is the Manifester of Time. He travels in the aforesaid way the cities of Varuna, Chandra and Indra respectively. He is the diadem of the Svarloka; and the Zodiac is his Âtman. He travels thus, to mark off time to all persons. O Nârada! The Moon and the other planets and stars rise and set in the aforesaid manner. Thus the powerful chariot of the Sun travels in a Muhûrta 142,00000 Yojanas. By the force of Pravaha Vâyu (air), the Sun God, the Incarnate of the Vedas travels round the cities, the Zodiac, in one Samvatsara (year). The wheel of the Sun’s Chariot is one year; twelve months are the spokes; three Châturmâsyas are the nave and the six seasons are the outer ring or circumference of the wheel. The learned men call this chariot as the
Samvatsara (one year). The axis or axle points to the Meru on one side and to Mânasottara mountain on the other. The end or circumference of the wheel marks off other divisions of the time as Kalâ, Kâsthâ, Muhûrta, Yâma, Parahara, day and night, and fortnights. The wheel is fixed on the nave. The Sun goes on this wheel, like an oilman’s on his oil-machine, round and round the Mânasottara mountain. The eastern side of the wheel is on that axis and the other part is fixed on the Pole Star. The dimension of the first axis is (15750000 Yoyanas). The second axis measures one-fourth of the above (3937500 Yoyanas). It resembles the axis of an oil-machine. The upper side of that is considered to belong to the Sun. The seat of the Sun on his chariot measures 36 Lakh Yoyanas wide. The Yuga measures in length one fourth of the above dimensions, that of his seat. The Chariot is is moved by seven horses, consisting of the seven Chhandas, Gâyatrî, etc., driven by Aruna. The horses carry the Sun for the happiness of all. Though the charioteer sits in front of the Sun, his face is turned towards the west. He does his work as a charioteer in that state. Sixty thousand Vâlakhilya Risis, of the size of a thumb, chant the sweet Vedic hymns before Him. Other Risis, Apsarâs, Uragas, Grâmanîs, Râksasas, and all the Devas, each divided in groups of seven, worship every month that highly lustrous Sun-god. The earth measures 90152000 Kros’a Yuga Yoyanas (1 Krosa - ¼ Yoyana). The Sun passes over this distance in a moment. He does not take rest in his this work even for a day; no, not even for a moment.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the motion of the Sun in the Mahâpurânam, S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XVI
On the motion of the planets
S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Now hear the wonderful movements of the planets and their positions. The auspicious and inauspicious events of the mankind, are due to the different movements of these planets. As in a potter’s wheel going round and round, the motion of the insects crawling on the wheel, appears in a contrary direction, so the motion of the Sun and other planets moving on the Zodiac composed of the Râsîs (12 constellations) which again always moves round the Meru as an axle, appears different. Their motion from one star to
another and from one constellation to another appears so likewise. These two motions therefore are not contradictory but are consistent; so it is settled everywhere by the learned Pundits (as being subservient to the Zodiac). O Nârada! He, Who is the Origin of all, Who is the Âdi Purusa, from Whom all these have sprung, Who is endowed with six extraordinary powers, in Whom all this Prapañcha, this material world composed of the five elements remains, that Nârâyana, roaming about, has divided the Trayî Âtmâ into twelve parts for the perfect happiness of all and for Karma S’uddhis (the purification of Karma, acts). The sages furnished with Jñân and Vijñâna have thus argued on the point, following the path as laid out in the Vedas. The Sûrya Nârâyana, moving on in the six seasons, spring, etc., has established, cold, heat, etc., as the Dharma of the seasons, duly for the fructification of the Karmas of the individual beings. Those persons that worship this Âdipurusa, with devotion, according to the knowledge of the Vedas the customs and usages of Varna (castes) and Âs’rama (Brahmacharya, etc.), and with various performances of Yogas, get their fruits respectively according to their desires. This Sun is the Âtman of all the Lokas and resting on the Zodiac between the Heavens and the Earth, enjoys the twelve months in the twelve constellations, Aries, etc. These months are the limbs of the year. Two fortnights make one month. The 21 asterisms go to form one month according to the Solar measure, of the day and night.
The period that the Sun takes to travel over the two constellations is called Ritu or the Season (i.e., two months). The Scientists say that this season is the limb of one Samvatsara. The path that the Sun describes within the three seasons or half the year in the Zodiac is called one Ayanam. The time taken by the Sun with earth and heavens to make a circuit of the Zodiac is called one Vatsara or year. This year is reckoned into five divisions as :-- Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idâvatsara, Anuvatsara, and Idvatsara. These are functioned by the S’îghra, Manda, and uniform motions of the Sun. So the Munis say. Thus far the motion of the Sun has been described. Now hear that of the Moon. The Moon is situated one lakh Yoyanas higher than the Sun and shares with the motion of the Sun for one year; and She enjoys as well every month with the Sun in the shape of the dark and bright fortnights. The Moon, the Lord of Night and of the medicinal plants also enjoys the day and night by the help of one constellation or 2¼ Naksattras. Thus, by Her S’îghragati, the Moon enjoys the Naksattras. During the bright fortnight, the Moon becomes more and more visible and gives pleasure to the Immortals by Her increasing phases; and, during the
dark fortnight by Her waning phases, She delights the Pitris. She performs revolution in the day and night by Her both the phases of the bright and dark fortnights. Thus She becomes the Life and Soul of
all the living beings. The Moon, endowed with the highest prosperity, travels one Naksattra in thirty Muhûrtas. She is Full and the Soul without any beginning. She fructifies the desires (Sankalpas) and
resolves of all; hence She is called Manomaya. She is the Lord of all the medicinal plants (Osadhis); hence She is called Annamaya. She is filled with nectar; hence She is called the Abode of Immortality and She gives Nirvâna (the final liberation) to all. Hence She is called Sudhâkara. She nourishes and satisfies the Devas, Pitris, men, reptiles and trees; hence She is called “Sarvamaya.” By Her influence the asterisms travel over the three lakh Yoyanas. The God Himself has made the Naksattra Abhijit to revolve round the Meru, along with the other Naksattras in the Zodiac; so this is reckoned as the twenty-eighth Naksattra. The planet Venus (S’ukra) is situated above the Moon two lakh Yoyanas high. He sometimes goes before the Sun, sometimes behind and sometimes along with Him. He is very powerful. His motion is of three kinds :-- (1) S’îghra, (2) Manda, and (3) uniform. He is generally favourable to all the persons and does for them many auspicious things. So it is stated in the S’âstras. O Muni! S’ukra, the illustrious scion of Bhrigu, removes the obstacles to the rains. Next to S’ukra, the planet Mercury (Budha) is situated two lakh Yoyanas high. Like S’ukra, he, too, goes sometimes in front sometimes behind and sometimes along with the Sun. And his motion too, is of three kinds :-- S’îghra, Manda, and uniform. When Mercury the Son of Moon, is away from the Sun, then Ativâta (strong winds, hurricanes), Abhrapâta (the falling of meteors from the clouds) and draught and other fears arise. The planet Mars, the son of the Earth is situated two lakh Yoyanas higher. Within three fortnights (45 days) he travels one Râs’î. This occurs when his motion is not retrograde. This Mars causes all sorts of mischief, evils, and miseries to mankind. The planet Jupiter is situated two lakh Yoyanas higher. He passes through one Râs’î in one year. When his motion is not retrograde, he is always in favour with the Brahmâ Vâdis. Next to Brihaspati, come the planet Saturn, the son of the Sun, two lakh Yoyanas higher. He takes thirty months to pass over one Râs’î. This planet causes all sorts of unrest and miseries to all. Therefore He is called a Manda Graha (a malefic planet). Next to it, is situated the Saptarsi mandala, the Great Bear, eleven lakh Yoyanas higher up. O Muni! The seven planets always do special favours to all. These circumambulate the Visnupada, the Polar Star.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Eighth Book on the motion of the planets in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XVII
On the Dhruva Mandalam
1-29. Nârâyana said :-- Beyond the Saptarsi mandalam (the Great Bear), thirteen lakh Yojanas higher is situated, the Visnu’s Paramam Padam (the highest place of Visnu). The Great Bhâgavat (devotee of God), the most respectful, S’rîmân Dhruva, the son of Uttânapâda, is established there with Indra, Agni, Kas’yapa and Dharma and the Naksattras. The visitors pay to him always their respects. He is the patron of those who live till the end of a Kalpa. He is engaged in serving the lotus-feet of the Bhagavân. He has been made by God Himself the pillar round whom all the planets, stars, and the luminary bodies are revolving always and with great force in the Zodiac and in the celestial Heavens. The Devas also worship him. He, resplendent in his own glory, illumines and manifests all. As beasts tied to yoke go on tilling, so the planets and stars, fixed on the Zodiac, go quickly round and round this Dhruva, the Pole Star; some nearer, some further distant in spheres, propelled by Vâyu. As the hawks hover round the sky, so the above-mentioned planets, go completely round and round under their own Karmas and controlled by the Vâyu in the sky. Thus all the luminaries do not fall to the ground, as they are kept up in their respective positions by the favour of the union of Prakriti and Purusa. Some say that this Jyotischakra, the celestial Heavens (the Zodiac) is S’is’umâra. It is kept duly in its position for the purpose of holding things up by the power of the Bhagavân. Hence it does not fall. It is resting with its body coiled round and with its head lower down. O Muni! Dhruva, the son of Uttânapâda is staying at the tail end. And, in addition to him, also at the tail rests Brahmâ, the Sinless Prajâpati, worshipped by the Gods, Agni, Indra and Dharma. Thus the creation is at the tail and the Saptarsimandal is staying at his waist. Thus the celestial wheel (Jyotischakra) is resting with his coils turned in a right-hand direction. On his right side are found the Uttarâyana Naksattras, fourteen in number from Abhijit to Punarvasu and on his left side are found the other fourteen Daksinâyanam Naksattras from Pusyâ to Uttarâsâdhâ. O Son of Brahmâ! Thus the Naksattras form the coil-shaped body of the S’is’umâra, the Zodiac; half the Naksattras
on the one side and the other half Naksattras on the other. His back is on the Heavenly Ganges named Ajavîthî. Punarvasu and Pusyâ form the right and left side of the loins; Ârdrâ and As’les’â form the right and left feet (westward); Abhijit and Uttarâsâdha form the right and left nostrils. O Devarsi! S’ravanâ and Pûrvâsâdhâ form the right and left eyes respectively; so say the persons that form the Kalpanâs (fancies). Dhanisthâ and Mûlâ form his right and left ears; Maghâ, etc., the eight Daksinâyanam Naksattras form the bones on the left side. O Muni! Mrigasîrsa, the Uttarâyana Naksattras form the bones on his right side, S’atabhisâ and Jyesthâ form the right and left shoulders. Agasti (the Canopus) forms the upper jaw and Yama, the lower jaw. The planet Mars forms his face; Saturn forms his organ of generation; Brihaspati forms the hump on the shoulders; the Sun, the Lord of the planets, forms his breast; Nârâyana remains in the heart; and the Moon is in his mind. (Note :-- S’is’umâra is also the constellation Dolphinus and is sometimes meant for the polar star.) O Nârada! The two As’vins form the nipples on his breast; Us’anâ forms his navel; the Mercury is his Prâna and Apâna; Râhu is his neck and Ketu is all over his body and the stars are reigning all over the hairs of his body. This Zodiac is the body composed of the Devas of that All Pervading Bhagavân. So every intelligent person should daily meditate this S’is’umâra in the Sandhyâ time, with perfect purity and keeping himself Mauna (silent), and with his whole heart. Then he should repeat the following mantras and get up and say :-- “Thou art the Substratum of all the luminaries, we bow down to Thee; Thou createst and destroyest all. Thou art the Lord of all the celestials. Thou art the Âdipurusa, the foremost of all the Purusas; we meditate fully on Thee. The planets, Naksattras, and the stars are Thy body. The Daiva is established in Thee alone. Thou destroyest the sins of those that compose the Mantras. The sins are completely destroyed for the time being of him who bows down or remembers Thee in the morning, afternoon and evening.”
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the Dhruva Mandalam in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XVIII
On the narrative of Râhu Mandalam
1-9. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! The Sphere of Râhu (the ascending node) is situated one Ayuta Yoyanas below the Sun. Râhu,
the son of Simhikâ is moving there like a Naksattra. This Râhu swallows up both the Sun and the Moon and He has got immortality and capability to travel in the sky. The Sun’s rays go up to one Ayuta Yoyanas. The Asura Râhu thus covers his rays. So the sphere of the Moon extends upto the twelve thousand Yoyanas. Râhu covers the field of the thirteen thousand Yoyanas. So he covers both the Sun and the Moon. Desire to take the vengeance of the previous enmity, he covers them during the time of Parva (the festivals). This planet wants to cover them from a distance. Hearing this, the Bhagavân Visnu hurls His Sudars’an Chakra against Râhu. This Chakra (disc) is encircled with the fiery flames and is very terrible. When all the quarters were filled with its violent flames, Râhu became instantly alarmed and fled away from the distance. O Devarsi! This is known as the eclipse known amongst the mortals. Below the sphere of Râhu, there are the other pure Lokas situated. O Sattama! The Siddhas, Châranas, and Vidyâdharas live in those Lokas. Their dimensions are one Ayuta Yoyanas.
10. O Devarsi! Below them live the Yaksas, Râksasas, Pis’âchas, Pretas and Bhûtas with their excellent Vihâras (residences).
11-34. The learned people call this Antarîksa. It extends upto where the wind blows violently and where the clouds appear. O Best of the twice-born! Below this Antarîksa is this earth, measuring one hundred Yoyanas. All the articles and things of the earth are found here; birds herons, cranes and ducks all fly over the earth. The earth extends upto this. Now is described the configuration of the earth. O Devarsi! At the lower part of this earth there are seven places (caves or nether regions). Their diameter is one Ayuta Yoyanas. In all the seasons, all sorts of enjoyments can be had at these places. The first is Atala; the second is Vitala. Next come in order :-- Sutala, Talâtala, Mahâtala. Rasâtala, and lastly (the seventh) the Pâtâla. O Vipra! Thus the seven holes or regions are reckoned. These are termed the Vila-Svargas and they yield the happinesses, greater than those of the Heavens. These are all filled with lovely amorous enjoyments, prosperity and happiness. They are crowded with gardens and Vihâras (the places of enjoyments). And these Vihâras are all decorated tastefully so as to furnish special tastes of enjoyments. The powerful Daityas, Dânavas, and Snakes enjoy here great happiness incessantly, united lovingly with their sons, wives and friends. The householders also pass their time in ease and enjoyments, surrounded by their friends and attendants. They are all Mâyâvis (Magicians) and their resolves are not thwarted; they are more than God in this respect and they are filled with desires. They all live with joy and in enjoyments and they
find pleasure in all the seasons. Mâyâ, the Lord of Mâyâ had built separate cities, as he liked, in those nether regions. Besides he has created thousands of dwelling-houses, palaces, and town-gates, studded with gems and jewels.
The assembly halls, Chatvaras, and Chaityas are elaborately decorated and rare even to the Suras. The Nâgas and Asuras live in those houses with their consorts; doves and pigeons and female Mayinâ birds are hovering there. In those places many plots marked out artificially and excellent rows of palatial buildings of the Lords of those Vivaras adorn there. Very big gardens also exist there. All these cheer the minds; and, to add to their beauty, many places of fruits and flowers are close by, fit for the comfort and enjoyments of the ladies. The tanks and pools of water are crowded with various birds; the lakes are filled with clear waters and the Pâthîna fishes abound there. The aquatic animals move in the waters, violently agitating them. Various kinds of lotuses, Kumud, Utpala, Kahlâra, blue lotus, red lotus, are fully blown in these lakes or reservoirs of water. The gardens there are all overcrowded with the Vihâras of the inhabitants there and echoed with the sweet melodious music, pleasing to the senses. For there, these places seem to vie with the Heavens. No fear is there, whether during the day or during the night. The gems on the crest of snakes constantly illumine the environments and there is no darkness there at any time. The food there is prepared with the divine medicines and they drink and bathe with these medicinal plants; so no disease attacks them. Old age, fever, indigestion, paleness, sweats, bad smells, or loss of energy or any other source of trouble cannot trouble them. The people are always happy and good. Only they fear the Teja of the Bhagavân and His Sudars’an disc; and they fear nothing else. When the Teja of the Bhagavân enters, the women’s abortions take place.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narrative of Râhu Mandalam in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XIX
On the narrative of the Atala, etc.
1-32. Nârâyana said :-- O Vipra! In the first beautiful region Atala, the exceedingly haughty son of the Dânava Mâyâ, named Bala, is living. He has created the ninety-six Mâyâs. All the requisites of the inhabitants are obtained by them. The other Mâyâvis know one or
two of these. None of them are capable to know all, as they are exceedingly difficult to be carried out. When this powerful Bala yawned, the three classes of women were produced, fascinating to all the Lokas. They were named Pums’chalî (or unchaste woman) Svairinî, (an adultress) and Kâminî (a lovely women). When any man, beautiful and lovely to them, enters into their Atala region, they, with the help of the Hâtaka sentiment (of love), generate in him, while in solitude, the power to enjoy (copulate) and with their sweet smiles and amorous lovely looks and with great caution embrace him thoroughly and begin to converse with him and with amorous gestures and postures, and thus please him well. When the people enjoy this Hâtakarasa, they think often and often, that they themselves have become gods, they have become Siddhas and powerful like Ayuta elephants; being blind with vanity and finding them endowed with powers and prosperity, they think themselves so repeatedly and constantly. O Nârada! Thus the position in Atala has been described. Now hear, the description of the second region Vitala. Vitala is situated below the earth. There the Bhagavân Bhava, worshipped by all the Devas, has assumed the name of Hâtakes’vara and is staying there coupled with Bhavânî, surrounded by His attendants specially for the increase of the creation of Brahmâ. The river Hâtaki flows there and has Her origin from the essences (Semen virile) of them both. Fire, augmented by the help of the wind, begins to drink it. When the Fire leaves that, making a Phutkâra noise (i.e., blowing out air through the mouth), the gold, named Hâtaka, is created. This gold is very much liked by the Daityas. The Daitya women use this gold always for their ornaments. Below Vitala is Sutala. It is reckoned as of some special importance. O Muni! The highly meritorious Bali, the son of Virochana lives here. The Bhagavân Vâsudeva, brought down this Bali into Sutala, for the welfare of Indra. He assumed the body of Trivikrama and gave to Bali all the wealth of the three Lokas, all the Laksmî went to him and installed him in the position of the Lord of the Daityas. What more can be said than this, that what prosperity, wealth and riches that Indra could not obtain, that S’rî Laksmî Devî Herself has followed Bali. Bali, as the Lord of Sutala, has become entirely fearless, remains here upto this day and is worshipping Vâsudeva. O Nârada! It is said by the high-minded persons that when Vâsudeva Himself, the Controller of all, appeared as a beggar, Bali gave him land, and, therefore, on account of making gift to a good person, he acquired so much prosperity. But this cannot be reasonable. For, it is not at all reasonable to cast the effects of making this gift on Nârâyana, O Nârada! Who is Self-manifest by His own Extraordinary
Glory and Who is Himself filled with all Ais’varya (prosperity) and Who can bestow the Highest Goal of life and other requirements of men. This Nârâyana is the Deva of the Devas; if anybody takes His name, when in the greatest distress, he gets himself immediately freed from the Gunas, the cause of bondage due to his Karma. All persons perform many Yogas and follow the paths advised by the Sâmkhya method, with their minds directed to the All-Controller Bhagavân, to abandon all sorts of troubles and miseries. O Nârada! Know that the Bhagavân does not shew us His Favour when he gives us greatest wealth and prosperity. For the wealth and riches are the offspring of Mâyâ and the source of all worries, miseries and mental troubles; and one is liable to forget the Bhagavân when one gets such a wealth. The Bhagavân is pervading all this universe and is full of wisdom; and He is seeing always all the ways and means; He took away, in the way of begging, rather cheated all that Bali had, leaving only his body; and at last, finding no other means, fastened him by the Varuna Pâs’a (noose), threw him in the middle of the mountain cleft (cave) and then has stationed Himself at his door as a Door-keeper. Once, out of his extreme devotion, Bali did not care at all for his difficulties, troubles, or miseries. Rather he gave out that Indra, whose minister is Brihaspati had acted very foolishly. For when the Bhagavân becomes very graciously pleased, he wanted from Him ordinary wealth. But what will the wealth of the Trilokas avail? It is a quite insignificant thing. Surely, He is an illiterate and stupid brute who, for mere wealth, leaves the Bhagavân, Who is the Fountain of all Good Wishes to the Humanity. My grandfather Prahlâda, who was highly fortunate, who was devoted to the God and who was always ready to do good to others, he did not ask for any other thing than the servantship of God (the Dâsya Bhâva). When his powerful father died, the Bhagavân wanted to give him unbounded wealth; but the Bhâgavata (devoted) Prahlâda did not want that. None of us, who are marked with so many deficiencies can know the nature of the Bhagavân Vâsudeva, Whose omnipotence cannot be compared and all these manifested worlds are but His Upâdhis (adjuncts, limitations). O Devarsi! Thus Bali, the Lord of Daityas, the highly respected and renowned in all the Lokas, is reigning in Sutala. Hari Himself is his Door-keeper. Once the King Râvana, the source of torment to all the people, went out to conquer the whole world; and when he entered Sutala, that Hari, ever ready to show Grace to His devoted, threw him at a distance of one Ayuta Yoyanas by the toe of His foot. Thus by the grace of the Devadeva Vâsudeva, Bali is reigning in Sutala, and enjoying all sorts of pleasures, without any equal anywhere.
Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narrative of the Atala, etc., the Pâtâlas in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XX
On the narrative of the Talâtala
1-37. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! The cave lower down than Sutala is Talâtala! The Lord of Tripura, (the three cities) the great Mâyâ Dânava is the Ruler of this region. Mahes’vara, the Doer of good to the three Bhuvanas, burnt his three cities; but at last, being pleased with his devotion, He rescued him. Thus Mâyâ, by the favour of that God, has regained his own kingdom and the enjoyments thereof. This Mâyâ Dânava is the Teacher (Âchârya) of the Mâyâvi sect and the cult thereof; and he is skilled in various Mâyâs or all sorts of the magic powers. All the fierce demons, of cruel temper, worship him for their prosperities in their various enterprises. Next to this Talâtala is the most renowned Mahâtala. The sons of Kadru, the very angry Snakes, live here. They are many headed. O Vipra! I now mention to you the names of the famous amongst them :-- Kuhaka, Taksaka, Susena, and Kâliya. These all have very wide hoods and they all are very strong; they all are of cruel temper. Their kinsmen also are so. They are always afraid of Garuda, the King of birds. Surrounded with their sons, wives, friends and acquaintances, they live happily, well skilled in various sports and pleasures. Lower down this Mahâtala is Rasâtala. The Daityas, Dânavas and Pani Asuras live here. Besides these, there live the Nivâta Kavachas of the Hiranyapura city and the Asuras named Kâleyas, the enemies of the Devas. These all are naturally very energetic and brave; their powers are baffled by the Tejas of the Bhagavân and they live like snakes in this region. The other Asuras that were driven and were afraid of the Mantras, uttered by Saramâ, the messenger of Indra, live here too. O Nârada! Lower down is Pâtâla, where live Vâsuki, the Chief of the snakes, and others named S’ankha, Kulika, S’veta, Dhananjaya, Mahâs’ankha, Dhritarâstra, S’ankhachûda, Kamvala, As’vatara, and Devopadattaka, all very angry, of wide hoods, and virulently poisonous. Some of these have five heads, some seven hoods, some ten; some hundred, some others have thousand heads, while some others have on their crests exceedingly luminous jewels. By their rays, they dispel the darkness of the nether regions; but they are awfully prone to anger. At the bottom of this Pâtâla, and at a distance of the
thirty Yoyanas; the Portion of Bhagavân in the shape of the infinite Darkness is reigning there. O Devarsi! All the Devas worship this Form. The devotees call Him by the name of Sanakarsana, as He is the manifested emblem of “Aham” and the common ground where the Seer and the Seen blend into one. He is the thousand-headed Controller of all, moving and non-moving; He is of infinite forms; He is S’esa; this whole universe is being held as a mustard bean on His head; He is of the Nature Intelligence and Bliss and He is Self-manifest. When he wants to destroy all this during the Pralaya, the very powerful Sankarsana Rudra, well arrayed with the eleven Vyûhas, military (squadrons) arrangements, springs up from Him. From His Central Eyebrow, looking wide with His Three Eyes and raising His Trident, resplendent with three flames. All the (prominent) principal snakes, ruling over many others, come to Him during the nights filled with devotion and surrounded with Bhaktas (devotees) and bow down to Him with their heads bent low and look at each other’s faces, enlightened with the lights from the jewels shining with clear lustre, on the nails of the red toes of His Lotus-Feet. At that time their faces become brilliant with the rays emitting from the jewels on the top of their very gay encircled hoods; and their cheeks look beautiful and shining. The daughters of the Nâga Râja also do like this; when very beautiful rays come out of their perfectly excellent bodies. Their arms are wide extended; they look very clear and they are beautifully white. They use always Sandalpaste, Aguru and Kâsmîri unguents. Being overpowered by the amorous passion, due to their contact with those scented things, they look at Him with bashful glances and sweet smiles and expect Âsiss (benedictions) from Him. And then His eyes roll maddened with love and express signs of kindness and mercy. The Bhagavân Ananta Deva is of boundless strength; His attributes are infinite; He is the ocean of infinite qualities. He is the Âdi Deva, of a very good nature and His Nature is highly luminous. He has abandoned anger and envy and He wants the welfare of all. All the Devas worship Him and He is the repository of all Sâttvic qualities.
The Devas, Siddhas, Asuras, Uragas, Vidyâdharas, Gandharbas, and Munis always meditate on Him. On account of His constant Mada Râga the enthusiasm and intoxication, His sight appears intoxicated and His eyes look perturbed with emotions. He is always pleasing to those who surround him and to the Devas by His sweet nectar-like words.
The Vaijayantî garland hangs from His neck; it never wanes and it is always decorated with the fresh and clear Tulasî leaves. The
maddened bees make their humming noises incessantly and thus add to the beauty. He is the Deva of the Devas and He wears a blue coloured cloth and He is ornamented with only one earring. He (the God Visnu) Undecaying and Immutable; resting His fleshy arms on the Halakakuda (the lofty portion of the plough), He is upholding the golden girdle as the elephant Airâvata of Indra upholds the golden girdle. O Nârada! The devotees describe Him as the Source of this Leelâ of the Universe and the Controller of the Devas.
Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narrative of the Talâtala in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XXI
On the narrative of hells
1-9. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! Sanâtana, the son of Brahmâ, recites thus in the assembly of the Devas, the glories of the Bhagavân Ananta Deva, and worships Him, thus :-- How can one of ordinary sight and understanding grasp the real nature of Brahmâ, Whose mere Glance enables the Prakriti work Her Gunas in the Creation, Preservation and Destruction of this Universe! Him Whose nature has no beginning nor end; Who though One, has created all this Prapañcha (the universe of five elements) as a covering to the Âtman (the True Self). He has made the Sat and Asat, out of his infinite compassion, this universe, full of cause and effect, visible in His One and only one S’uddha Sattva nature where even the very powerful lion is imitating his Leelâ (Pastime), void of all defects, to bring under His control the minds of His own kinsmen. (Note :-- This Ananta Deva is the Ruling Principle in the Fourth Dimensional Space.) To Whom else, then, the persons, desirous of Moksa, will take refuge, the mere hearing or reciting Whose Name, in a fallen or a distressed condition, or merely in jest, takes away instantly all the sins! He is upholding the earth with the mountains, oceans, rivers and all the beings as if an atom on his thousand heads. He is infinite. His power knows no decrease in any time. No one can describe his actions even if one had thousand tongues to speak. He is of an infinite strength, of the endless high qualities and of unlimited understanding. Thus staying at the bottom of the earth, the Bhagavân Ananta Deva is upholding with ease this earth for her protection, unaided and independent. O Muni! The people get the fruits of their actions and desires as they
want and as they have followed the paths laid down in the S’âstras and become accordingly kings, men, deer or birds or other creatures in other states. O Nârada! This I have described, as you questioned me before, the various and dissimilar fruits of various actions, done according to the dictates of the Dharma and the S’âstras.
10. Nârada said :-- “O Bhagavân! Kindly describe to me now why has the Bhagavân created so many diversities, when the Karmas, done by the Jîvas, are the same.”
11-28. Nârayana said :-- O Nârada! So many different states arise because the S’raddhâs of the doers are so very different. The fruits differ because the S’raddhâs vary, some being Sâttvik, some Râjasik and some Tâmasik. If the S’raddhâ be Sâttvik, happiness comes always; if it be Râjasik, incessant pain and misery is the result; if it be Tâmasik, misery comes and the loss of the knowledge of good or bad is the result. Thus the fruits differ as the S’raddhâ varies. O Best of Dvîjas! Thousands and thousands of states occur to a man as the result of their Karmas, done under the influence of the beginningless Avidyâ (Nescience). O Dvîjottama! I will now deal in detail with their varieties; hear. Behind this Triloki, below this earth and over the Atala, the Pitris named Agnisvâttas and other forefathers live. Those Pitris stay there, and, practising deep Samâdhis, they offer always, to their best blessings to their own Gotra (families) respectively. There Yama, the God of the Pitris gives punishment to the dead brought there by His messengers according to their Karmas and faults. By the command of the Bhagavân, the Yama, surrounded by his own Ganas (persons), judges and does full justice according to the Karmas that they had done and the sins they had committed. He sends always those of his messengers who obey his order and know the Tattva of Dharma, and who are posted to their respective duties to carry out what He commands. The writers of the S’âstras describe twenty-one Narakas or hells; others say there are twenty-eight hells. Now hear their names :-- Tâmisra, Andha Tâmisra, Raurava, Mahâraurava, Kumbhîpâka, Kâlasûtra, Asipatrakânana, S’ûkaramukha, Andhakûpa, Krimibhojana, Taptamûrti, Samdams’a, Vajrakantaka, S’âlmalî, Vaitaranî, Pûyoda, Prânarodha, Vis’asana, Lâlâbhaksa, Sârameyâdana, Avîchi, Apahpâna, Ksârakardama, Raksogana, Sambhoja, S’ûlaprota, Dandas’ûka, Avatârodha, Paryâvartanaka, and Sûchimukha. These are the twenty-eight Narakas or hells. (N.B. These are 29).
These hells are very tormenting. O Son of Brahmâ! The embodied beings (jîvas) suffer these according to their own Karmas respectively.
Here ends the Twenty-first Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narrative of hells in the Mahâ Purânam, S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XXII
On the narrative of the sins leading to hells
1. Nârada said :-- “O Everlasting One! O Muni! Now describe the various actions that lead to these tormenting hells. I like to hear about them in detail.”
2-52. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! He who steals other’s sons, wives, and riches, the wicked fellow is taken to Yama by His messengers. Tied down hard and fast by the terrible messengers of Yama, by the Kâla rope (rope of time), he is taken to the Tâmisra hell, the place of many torments. There the Yama’s attendants punish him, beat him and threaten him; and he becomes stupefied, and feels himself very weak, distressed and ultimately faints. He who deceives another’s husband and enjoys his wives; the Yama’s servants drag him down to Andha Tâmisra hell. There he suffers any amount of pain and suffering. He loses instantly his eyesight and his brain gets upset. His state resembles that of a tree when its trunk is broken. For this reason the ancient sages called this Andha Tâmisra. He who being subject to “My” and “Mine” quarrels with others and being very much attached, maintains his family, leaves his families here and goes with his bad tendencies to the Raurava hell, very horrible to all. The animals whom he injured and killed before in this world, assume the form of Ruru animal and torment him in the next. For this reason, the intelligent knowers of Purâna, call this Raurava. The ancients say, that Ruru is more cruel and ferocious than snakes. These animals live in that hell; hence it is termed Mahâraurava. He who torments others, goes to this hell and these Rurus, the flesh-eaters, spring on his body and bite and eat his flesh. He who cooks other animals and birds, that cruel and ferocious, thus deluded, is cooked in return on the hot oil in the Kumbhîpâka hell by the Yama Dûtas for thousand years. He who quarrels with his Pitris and the Brâhmanas, is taken by the Yama Dûtas to the Kâlasûtra hell and there be burnt by the fire and Sun. There that hellish person, being troubled very much, inside and outside by hunger and thirst, sometimes sits, sometimes sleeps, sometimes walks, and sometimes runs hither and thither. O Devarsi! He who transgresses the path of the Vedas in times other than those of calamity and danger and follows other paths
even to a trifling distance, that sinner is taken by Yamadûtas to Asipatra Kânana and there whipped severely. Not being able to bear that, he runs wildly to and fro and is pierced by the sharpedged Asi leaves on both his sides. His whole body being cut asunder, he cries “Oh! I am killed!”and faints away. Then feeling himself pained very much, he tumbles down at every step. Thus the sinner suffers for violating the path of the Vedas. The King or that royal personage who gives orders of punishment, not approved by Dharma, and hurts or punishes the body of a Brâhmana, the Yama’s servants throw him down into the S’ûkaramukha Hell and grind down his body with great force as a sugarcane is ground down. He then cries aloud bitterly, he gets fainted and becomes stupefied. He is crushed by them and suffers all sorts of pains and miseries. Again he who knows the feelings of others when they are tormented, pains those insects who live on other’s blood as bugs, etc., and who does not realise other’s pains, goes, as a punishment for that fault to the Andhakûpa Hell. There he is pained by the beasts, birds, deers, reptiles, mosquitoes, bugs, louses, flies and Dandas’ûkas and various other cruel animals. There he lives in his ugly body and roams like a beast. The man who, getting even a trifling wealth and food-stuff, does not perform the five Mahâ Yajñâs and gives not a share of that to the Devas and feeds his own belly with that like a crow, is taken by the ferocious Yamadûtas to the worst Krimibhojana Naraka for his sinful deeds. This hell is one lakh Yoyanas wide and is the reservoir of worms. It causes terror to the inhabitants of the hell. That sinner assumes the form of an insect and is eaten up on return by the insects and thus passes his time there. When a man does not give any share to the Atithis or the guests and does not offer oblations to the Fire and eats his food, he, too, goes to the above hell. When a man in times other than that of great danger and distress, follows the livelihood of a thief and robs gold and jewels forcibly of a Brâhmin or any other person, he is taken to this hell and the Yama’s servants pierce and cut off his skin by a fiery hot iron cutter. When a man goes for an illicit cohabitation to one who is not fit to be approached and when a woman goes similarly to an unapproachable man, both of them are taken, being whipped, to this hell by the servants of Yama! Where the man is obliged to embrace a fiery hot iron figure of woman and vice versa. When a man goes to all sorts of wombs for unnatural crimes, he is taken to Vajra Kantaka Naraka and placed on the top of an iron S’almalî wood. When a King or any royal personage, subject to the Pâsanda Dharma (i.e., the unrighteous path) breaks the boundary of a law, he for that sin goes to Vaitaranî, the ditch round that hell. There the aquatic animals eat
his body all around. O Nârada! Yet neither his life nor his body parts with him. He is thrown, for his Karma, into the rivers filled with faeces, urine, puss, blood, hairs, bones, nails, flesh, marrow, fat, etc., and he becomes very much troubled. Those who are the husbands of Vrisalîs (girls under twelve years of age, who have attained menstruation; or the barren women), void of any S’aucha (cleanliness) or shame and without any Âchâra Vyavahâra (the following of one’s natural customs and rites) and those who follow Pas’vâchâra (like beasts), they meet with a very hard fate and are thrown into this hell filled with faeces, urine, cough, blood and other impurities and when they feel hungry, are forced to eat the above things. When those persons that are twice born, maintain dogs and asses, etc., and when they are addicted to hunting, and kill daily, for nothing, beasts, birds and deer, those evildoers are specially watched by the servants of Yama and when they retire, they tear them asunder by shooting bows at them. He who kills animals, engaged vainly in a sacrifice and addicted to haughty tempers and habits, is thrown into this hell by the Yama’s servants and whipped very severely. The twice-born that copulates blindly with a savarnâ wife, is taken by the Yama’s messengers into the hell filled with semen and he is made to drink that. Those who are addicted to robbery, who put fire to other’s houses, who make others drink poison, those that are treacherous, and who destroy the interest of the villagers and other persons, those kings or the royal personages are taken after their death by the Yamadûtas to the Sârameyâdana hell. There seven hundred and twenty dogs, very wonderful to behold, come furiously and with great force and energy, over them and feed on them. O Nârada! This hell is denominated as Sârameyâdana Naraka and it is very horrible. Now I will describe to you the other hells Avîchi and others.
Here ends the Twenty-second Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narrative of the sins leading to hells in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XXIII
On the description of the remaining hells
1-31. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! When persons, impelled by sinful motives, always speak false at the time of giving evidence or at the time of taking or giving money, they, after their death, go to the terrible hell, named Avîchi. There, from the summit of a mountain, one hundred
Yojanas high they are dropped at once down below with their heads inverted down. Here the solid ground looks like water and appears like waves. Therefore it is called Avîchi, resembling like Avîchi waves. Here if the sinner’s body be cut to small pieces, still he does not die; rather he gets a new body when his body is all cut to pieces. O Son of Brahmâ! When a man, be he a Brâhmin, Ksattriya, or a Vais’ya, drinks the Soma (wine) or due to inadvertence drinks wine, he is thrown into this hell. O Muni! The Yama’s servants make him drink the molten iron. When a vile person being maddened by the pride of his self-learning, birth, austerities or Vârna and Âs’rama, does not pay his respect duly to his superiors, he is thrown into the Ksârakardama hell with his head downwards. He suffers a tremendous pain there. When a man or woman out of delusion, performs the human sacrifices (where men are immolated as victims), he or she has to eat the human flesh here. Those that killed before all sorts of beasts, come after their death into this abode of Yama, all united and like butchers, cut each other’s flesh by pickaxes, etc., and drink their blood and dance and sing repeatedly. They do, in fact, what the terrible Râksasas do. When persons meet with the innocent persons, wishing to live in villages or forests and raise their confidence by various such means and make them attached and finally pierce them by pointed S’ûlas (trident) or pointed swords and kill them as if they were ordinary play things, they are taken after their death by the Yama dûtas and thrown into S’ûlâdi Naraka (pierced by S’ûlas). They are pierced there by S’ûlas and become overpowered by hunger and thirst. Herons and cranes, with their sharp beaks hunt after them to and fro. Thus tormented, they remember all their sins done in their previous lives. Those who follow stray paths and trouble the other beings as the serpents do, they fall into the Dandas’ûka hell. Here worms with five faces and seven faces come from all sides and eat them as a fierce serpent devours a mouse. Those who confine persons in dark holes, a dark room or a dark cave they are taken by the Death servants with their arms uplifted and confined to similar dark caves, filled with poison, fire and smoke. When a Brâhmin householder, seeing a guest coming to his house in a reasonable (proper) time, casts a furious sinful glance at him as if to burn him, the Death’s attendants, the herons with thunderbolt like beaks, the crows and the Vatas and other birds and very fierce vultures all come and forcibly take out the eyes of that person who committed the aforesaid sins. When person elated with vanity of his riches become too haughty and doubt over their Gurus and when their hearts and faces wither withal away, as it were, with the thoughts of their income and expenditure, and being always unhappy, hoard up money always like the Brahmâ Pis’âchas, the
Death’s officers take them for these Karmas to Sûchimukha Narakas and pierce all over his body with pins, as a tailor does with his cloth. O Devarsi! True, sinful persons thus suffer hundred thousand hells. All these are very painful and tormenting. Out of these the abovenamed twenty hells give the greatest sufferings. O Devarsi! The sinners suffer various pains in hells and virtuous persons go to the several spheres where all sorts of happinesses and pleasures reign. O Maharsi! I have described to you many forms of practising one’s Sva Dharma; yet know this verily that the worship of the Devî’s Gross Form and of Her Virât Form is the Chief Dharma of all the persons. By worshipping the Devî, the persons have not to go to the hells. In fact, when the Devî Bhagavatî is worshipped, She Herself arranges for crossing the person to the other shore of this ocean of transmigration of existence.
Here ends the Twenty-third Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the remaining hells in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE EIGHTH BOOK
Chapter XXIV
On the worship of the Devî
1-2. Nârada said :-- “O Bhagavân! Of what sort is the Dharma, i.e., the worship of the Devî? In what way shall we worship Her, so that She gives us the Highest Place? What are the methods and forms of Her Worship? Where and when shall we worship Her! So that the Durgâ Devî saves us from the above mentioned hells.”
3-20. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! You are the foremost of the Knowers of Truth. I will therefore tell you how the Devî gets pleased and how Her worship is conducted according to the Dharma. Hear attentively. O Nârada! I will also describe the nature of Sva Dharma. Hear that also. When one worships, with due rites and ceremonies, the Devî in this beginningless world, She Herself removes all the terrible dangers and difficulties. Hear the rules how the people worship the Devî. When the Pratîpat Tithi (the first day after the Full or New Moon) comes, one should worship the Devî with a present of rice, etc., with ghee (clarified butter) and give that to the Brâhmins. Then one becomes completely free from any disease. On the second day (Dvîtiyâ Tithi), one must serve the Mother of the Universe with sugar and give that to the Brâhmins; he then becomes long-lived. On the third (tithi) on commencing with the Poojâ, the worshipper must give milk to the
Devî and give that to a best Brâhmin; he is then freed from all his troubles and ailings. On the fourth (tithi) the worshipper is to offer a cake of flour to the Devî and then give that to a Brâhmin; no obstacles come to that man. On the fifth tithi, the worshipper is to offer plantains to the Devî and then to give that to the Brâhmins; he thus becomes intelligent. On the sixth tithi, the worshipper gives honey to the Devî and then that to a Brâhmin; he gets thus the beauty of his body. On the seventh tithi, the Brâhmin gives to the Devî the Naivedya (an offering of rice, etc.) with Gur (sugarcandy) and then that to the Brâhmins; he then becomes freed from his mental sorrows. On the eighth day, if one gives cocoanut, one is freed of one’s remorse, etc.; on the ninth, if anybody gives fried rice (Lâj), he will have his happiness increased both in this world and in the next. O Muni! If on the tenth tithi, one offers to the Devî black Til (sesamum) and then to the Brâhmin, he becomes free from the fear of death. If, on the eleventh tithi, (ekâdas’î) one gives the curd to the Devî and then to the Brâhmin, one becomes a great favourite of the Devî. If on the twelfth day, one offers to the Devî and to the Brâhmin the Chipitaka rice or grain (well parched and flattened) one becomes a favourite of the Devî. If, on the thirteenth day one gives to the Bhagavatî grains and then that to a Brâhmin, one gets progeny. If, on the fourteenth day, one gives to the Devî the flour of fried barley or other grains (S’aktu) and then that to a Brâhmin, one becomes a favourite of S’iva. If on the Full Moon day, one offers to the Devî Pâyasa and then that to a Brâhmin, then one’s Pitris are uplifted to the higher regions.
21-42. O Muni! On the above tithis, if one forms daily Homas, as stated in the Pûjâ Chapter, the Devî becomes very pleased. The articles corresponding to the tithi as mentioned above destroy all the evils and inauspicious omens.
On Sunday, it is a rule to give an offering of Pâyasam (a food prepared of rice, milk, and sugar). On Monday, the milk; on Tuesday, the nice plantains; on Wednesday, the fresh butter; on Thursday, the gud or sugarcandy, Friday, the white sugar, and on Saturday, it is a rule to give the clarified butter of cow’s milk. Now hear what should be offered on the Naksattras. The following are the Naivedyas given to each of the Naksattras, in due order, from As’vinî :-- Clarified butter (ghee), sesamum (Til), sugar, curd, milk, Kilâtak (Mâlâi, milk), Dadhikûrchi (Mâlâi Curd), Modaka (a kind of sweetmeat, a confection) Phenikâ, Ghrita Mandaka, a sort of sweet meat of wheaten flour and gur, Vatapattra, Ghritapura (Ghior), Vataka, Kharjura juice (of the datepalm), a sort of sweet meat of Gur and gram, honey, S’ûrana, Gur
Prithuka, grapes, datepalms, Chârakâs, Apûpa, Navanîta (fresh butter), mudga, modaka, and Mâtulinga. Now hear what are given in the Viskambha and the other Yogas. The World Mother becomes very much pleased when one offers to Her the following things :-- Gur, honey, ghee, milk, curd, Takra, apûpa, fresh butter, Karkatî, Kusmânda, Modaka, Panasa, plantain, Jambu (rose-apple), mangoe, sesamum, oranges, Dâdima, (pomegranate) Vadarî (Jujube) the Dhâtrî (Âmalaki) fruit, Pâyasa, Prithuka, gram, cocoanut, Jambîra. Kaseru, and S’ûrana. The auspicious events occur when these are offered. The intelligent persons have thus decided to give the above on Viskambha and the other Yogas. Now hear :-- I will describe the things that are offered on the respective Karanas :-- Kamsâra, Mandaka, Phenî, Modaka, Vatapattraka, Ladduka, Ghritapûra, Til (Sesamun), curd, ghee, and honey. These are to be offered devotedly to the Devî on the respective Karanas. Now I will describe to you the other offerings very pleasing to the Devî. Hear. O Nârada! Hear it with great attention and love. On the third tithi of the bright fortnight, in the month of Chaitra, one is to worship duly the Madhûka tree and offer Pañcha Khâdya (the five sorts of food). So hear what articles are to be offered according to the rules that are laid down on the third day of the white fortnight of the other months. The Gur, in the month of Vais’âkh; the honey, in Jyaistha; the fresh butter, in Âsâdha; the curd, in S’râvana; the S’arkarâ, in Bhâdra; the Pâyas’a, in Âs'vin; the pure milk, in Kârtik; the Phenî, in Agrahâyana; the Dadhi Kûrchîkâ in Pausa; the clarified butter of cow’s milk, in Mâgha, and the cocoanut offerings, in the month of Phâlguna. Thus with these twelve sorts of offerings, one is to worship the Devî in the twelve months respectively.
43-69. One should worship the Devî in the Madhûka tree with these names :-- Mangalâ, Vaisnavî, Mâyâ, Kâla-râtri, Duratyayâ, Mahâmâyâ, Mâtangî, Kâlî, Kamalavâsinî, S'ivâ, Sahasracharanâ, and Sarva mangalarûpinî (One name for each of the 12 months). Finally, to bring the vow to a good issue and to have one’s desires fulfilled with greater success, one is to sing stotras (hymns) to the Mâhes'varî, the Controller of all the gods, in that Madhûka tree, thus :-- Thou art lotus-eyed; obeisance to Thee! Thou art Jagaddhâtrî, the Upholdress of the Universe, I bow down to Thee; Thou art Mahes’varî, Mahâ Devî, and Mahâmangalarûpinî (Thou art the great Devî, and Thou dost great good to all). Thou destroyest the sins, Thou givest Moksa or final liberation. Thou art Parames’varî, Thou art the World Mother and Thou art of the nature of the Highest Brahmâ. Thou art Madadâtrî (the giver of Mada, the Supreme Felicity and rapture or excessive
delight), Thou art maddened with Mada the (Excessive Joy); Thou canst be reached when Thou art given proper veneration; Thou art the the Most High. Thou art Intelligent; Thou art meditated upon by the Munis; and Thou dwellest in the Sun. Thou art the Lord of the several Lokas (worlds); Thou art endowed with the Highest Knowledge; and Thou art of the colour of water at the time of Pralaya (the Universal Dissolution). Thou art worshipped by the Gods and the Asuras for the destruction of the Great Moha. So Great Victory to Thee! Thou art the Rescuer of one from the abode of Death; Thou art worshipped by Yama, Thou art the elder of Yama, Thou art the Controller of Yama and Thou art worshipped by all. Obeisance to Thee! Thou art impartial; Thou controllest all; Thou art perfectly unattached; Thou destroyest the people’s worldly attachments; Thou art The One to whom all look for the fructification of their desires; and Thou art the Compassion Incarnate. Thou art, worshipped by the names :-- Kankâla Krûra, Kâmâksî; Mînaksî Marma bhedinî, Mâdhûryarûpas’âlinî; and Thou art worshipped with the Pranava Om prefixed to all the Stotras and the Mantras. Thou art of the nature of the Seed Mâyâ (mâyâvîja); Thou canst be realised by repeating the mantra and Thou canst be pleased by the deep concentration (Nididyâsana) on Thee. Thou canst be reached by all men through their minds and Thou dost things that are pleasing to the Mahâ Deva. Thou dwellest in the trees As’vattha, Vata (Peepul tree), Neem, Mangoe, Kapittha (wood apple tree), and the tree Kul (Jujube) trees. Thou art the Palms (Jack) tree, Thou art Arka, Karîra and Ksîra trees. Thou residest in Dugdha vallî (the milky juice of plants); Thou art the Compassion Incarnate; and fit to shew mercy. Thou art sincerity and kindness and Thou art the Consort of the Omniscient. So Victory to Thee! O Nârada! After the worship, if one performs the stotra above described, to the Devî, the worshipper derives all sorts of Punyams (merits). He who reads daily the Stotra, pleasing to the Devî, becomes freed of all sorts of diseases, pain and freed of his fear of passions, so hard to conquer! What more than this that he who wants money, gets money; who wants Dharma, gets Dharma; he who wants Kâma, gets his Kâma (objects of desires); and he who wants Moksa, gets Moksa. The Devî is the Awarder of the Chatur Varga fourfold fruits.
If this Stotra be read, the Brâhmin becomes Vedavit, the knower of the Vedas; the Ksattriya gets the victory; the Vais’ya gets wealth and the S’ûdra gets happiness. If this Stotra be read with devotion and attention, the Pitris get undying satisfaction, lasting till Pralaya (the time of universal dissolution). Thus I have described to you the method of
worshipping the Devî. The Devas consider it with great attention. He gets the Devî Loka, who performs the worship of the Devî, as above described, with devotion. O Brâhmana! When the Devî is thus worshipped, all the desires are fulfilled; all sins are destroyed; and, in the end, one’s mind becomes pure and the worshipper is respected and worshipped everywhere. O Son of Brahmâ! His fear of going into hell is destroyed by the Grace of the Devî; even in dreams, he does not fear anything. By the Grace of Mahâ Mâyâ, his sons and his grandsons, riches and grains multiply and multiply. He becomes a great and steadfast devotee of the Devî; there is no doubt in this. Now I have described to you completely the rules of worship of the Devî. When one performs this, one becomes freed of the Narakas; and all sorts of good things come to him. O Muni! The Madhûka worship and the monthly worship have been described also. He who performs this Madhûka worship fully, never meets with any disease or obstacles. Now I will describe to you the other five aspects of the Great Devî of the nature of Prakriti. Her Name, Form and Origin give pleasure to all the worlds. O Muni! Now hear this Prakriti Pañchaka, its narrative and the greatness thereof. Know that this is as curious as it gives liberation.
Here ends the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the worship of the Devî in the Mahâ Purânam, S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
[The Eighth Book completed.]
Here ends the Second Volume.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter I
On the description of Prakriti
1. S’ri Nârâyana said :-- This (Highest) Prakriti is recognised as five-fold. When She is engaged in the work of Creation, She appears as :-- (1) Durgâ, the Mother of Ganes’a, (2) Râdhâ, (3) Laksmî, (4) Sarasvatî and (5) Sâvitrî.
2-3. Nârada replied :-- O Thou, the best of Jñânins! Who is this Prakriti? (Whether She is of the nature of Intelligence or of matter?) Why did She manifest Herself and then again why did She reveal Herself in these five forms? And what are Her characteristics? Now Thou oughtest to describe the lives of all, the different modes of their worship, and the fruits that are accrued thereby. Please also inform me which Forms of them manifested themselves in which different places. Dost Thou please narrate to me all these.
4-18. Nârâyana said :-- “O Child! Who is there in this world that can describe fully the characteristics of Prakriti! However I will describe to you that much which I heard from my own father, Dharma. Hear. The prefix “Pra” in the word Prakriti means exalted, superior, excellent; and the affix “Kriti” denotes creation. So the Goddess, the Devî Who is the most excellent in the work of creation is known as the Devî Prakriti. To come closer :-- “Pra” signifies the Sattva Guna, the most exalted quality, “Kri” denotes the Rajo Guna and “Ti” denotes the Tamo Guna. (The Sattva Guna is considered as the Highest as it is perfectly clear and free from any impurities whatsoever; the Rajo Guna is considered intermediate as it has this defect :-- that it spreads a veil over the reality of things, so as not to allow men to understand the True Reality, while the Tamo Guna is considered worst as it completely hides the Real Knowledge).
So when this Intelligence of the nature of Brahmâ, beyond the three attributes, gets tinged with the above three Gunas and becomes omnipotent, then She is superior (Pradhânâ) in the work of creation. Hence She is styled as Prakriti.
O Child Nârada! The state just preceding that of creation is denoted by “Pra”; and “Kri” signifies creation. So the Great Devî that exists before creation is called Prakriti after creation. The Paramâtmâ by His Yoga (i.e., Mâyâ S’akti, the Holy Ghost) divided Himself into two parts; the right side of which was male and the left side was the female Prakriti.
(Note :-- The Holy Ghost is the principle of Conception and Emanation, Creation). So the Prakriti is of the nature of Brahmâ. She is eternal. As the fire and its burning power are not different, so there is no separate distinction between Âtman and His S’akti, between Purusa and Prakriti. Therefore those that are foremost and the highest of the Yogis do not recognise any difference between a male and a female. All is Brâhman. He is everywhere as male and female forever. There is nothing in this world that can exist for a moment even without this Brâhman consisting of male and female. (i.e. they are Brâhman with Mâyâ manifested). Out of the Will of S’rî Krisna, to create the world Whose Will is all in all, came out at once the Mûlâ Prakriti, the Great Devî Îs’varî, (the Lady Controller of the Universe) Brahmâ with Mâyâ in a state of equilibrium). By Her command came out five Forms of Her, either for the purpose of creation or for bestowing Favour and Grace to the Bhaktas (devotees). Durgâ the Mother of Ganes’a, comes, as the first, the most auspicious, loved by S’iva. She is Nârâyanî, Visnu Mâyâ, and of the nature of Pûrna Brahmâ (the Supreme Brahmâ). This eternal, all auspicious Devî is the Presiding Deity of all the Devas and is, therefore, worshipped and praised by Brahmâ and the other Devas, Munis, and Manus. This Bhagavatî Durgâ Devî, (when She gets pleased) destroys all the sorrows, pains and troubles of the Bhaktas that have taken Her refuge, and gives them Dharma, everlasting name and fame, all auspicious things and bliss and all the happiness, nay, the Final Liberation! She is the Greatest Refugeof these Bhaktas that come to Her wholly for protection and are in great distress, whom She saves from all their dangers and calamities. In fact, know this Durgâ Devî as, verily, the Presiding Deity of the heart of Krisna and as His Highest S’akti, of the nature of the Holy Fire and the Holy Light. She is Omnipotent and resides always with Krisna, the Great God. She is worshipped by all the Siddha Purusas (those that have attained success); the (eighteen) Siddhis all go to Her and when pleased She gives whatever Siddhis (success) that Her Bhaktas want.
19-40. This Great Devî is the intelligence, sleep, hunger, thirst, shadow, drowsiness, fatigue, kindness, memory, caste, forbearance, errors, peace, beauty, and consciousness, contentment, nourishment, prosperity, and fortitude. She is sung in the Vedas and in other S’âstras
as the Mahâ Mâyâ, of the nature of the Universe. In reality, She is the All-S’akti of the Universe and She is the S’akti of Krisna. All these qualities are also mentioned in the Vedas. What is mentioned here is a tithe merely, in comparison to that of the Vedas. She has infinite qualities. Now hear of other S’aktis. The second S’akti of the Paramâtman is named Padmâ (Laksmî). She is of the nature of S’uddha Sattva (Higher than Sattva Guna) and is Krisna’s Presiding Deity of all wealth and prosperity. This very beautiful Laksmi Devî is the complete master of the senses; She is of a very peaceful temper, of good mood and all-auspicious. She is free from greed, delusion, lust, anger, vanity and egoism. She is devoted to Her husband and to Her Bhaktas; Her words are very sweet and She is very dear to Her husband, indeed, the Life and Soul of Him. This Devî is residing in all the grains and vegetables and so She is the Source of Life of all the beings. She is residing in Vaikuntha as Mahâ Laksmî, chaste and always in the service of Her husband. She is the Heavenly Laksmî, residing in the Heavens and the royal Laksmî in palaces and the Griha Laksmî in the several families of several householders. O Nârada! All the lovely beauty that you see in all the living beings and all the things, it is She; She is the glory and fame of those that have done good and pious works and it is She that is the prowess of the powerful kings. She is the trade of merchants, the mercy of the saints, engaged in doing good to others and the seed of dissensions in those sinful and vicious persons as approved of in the Vedas. She is worshipped by all, reverenced by all. Now I will describe to you about the third S’akti of the Great God who is the Presiding Deity of knowledge, speech, intelligence, and learning. This third S’akti is named Sarasvatî. She is all the learning of this endless Universe and She resides as medhâ (intelligence) in the hearts of all the human beings; She is the power in composing poetry; She is the memory and She is the great wit, light, splendour and inventive genius. She gives the power to understand the real meaning of the various difficult Siddhânta works; She explains and makes us understand the difficult passages and She is the remover of all doubts and difficulties. She acts when we write books, when we argue and judge, when we sing songs of music; She is the time or measure in music; She holds balance and union in vocal and instrumental music. She is the Goddess of speech; She is the Presiding Deity in the knowledge of various subjects; in argumentations and disputations. In fact all the beings earn their livelihood by taking recourse to Her. She is peaceful and holds in Her hands Vînâ (lute) and books. Her nature is purely Sâttvic (S’uddha Sattva), modest and very loving to S’rî Hari. Her colour is white like ice-clad mountains, like that of the white sandal, like that of the Kunda flower, like that of the Moon, or white lotus. She always repeats
the name of Paramâtmâ S’rî Krisna while She turns Her bead composed of jewels. Her nature is ascetic; She is the bestower of the fruits of the ascetism of the ascetics; She is the Siddhi and Vidyâ of all; She grants always success to all. Were She not here, the whole host of Brâhmins would always remain speechless like the dead cluster of persons. What is recited in the Vedas as the Third Devî is the Holy Word, The Third S’akti, Sarasvatî. Thus I have described Her. Now hear the glories of the other Devî in accordance with the Vedas. She is the mother of the four colours (castes), the origin of the (six) Vedâmgas (the limbs of the Vedas and all the Chhandas, the Seed of all the mantrams of Sandhyâ vandanam and the Root, the Seed of the Tantras; She Herself is versed in all the subjects. Herself an ascetic, She is the Tapas of the Brâhmins; She is the Tejas (Fire) and the caste of the Brâhmin caste and embodies in Herself all sorts of Samskâras (tendencies; inclinations); She is the Japam. Pure, known by the names of Sâvitrî and Gâyatrî, She resides always in the Brahmâ Loka (the Sphere of Brahmâ) and is such as all the sacred places of pilgrimages want Her touch for their purification.
41-47. Her colour is perfectly white like the pure crystal. She is purely S’uddha Sattva, of the nature of the Highest Bliss; She is eternal and superior to all. She is of the nature of Para Brahmâ and is the bestower of Moksa. She is the Fiery S’akti and the Presiding Deity of the Brahmâ Teja (the fiery spirit of Brahmâ, and the Brâhmanas). The whole world is purified by the touch of Whose Feet, this Sâvitrî Devî is the Fourth S’akti. O Child Nârada! Now I will describe to you about the Fifth S’akti, the Devî Râdhikâ. Hear. She is the Presiding Deity of the five Prânas; She Herself is the Life of all; dearer than life even to S’rî Krisna; and She is highly more beautiful and superior to all the other Prakriti Devîs. She dwells in everything; She is very proud of Her good fortune (Saubhâgyam); Her glory is infinite; and She is the wife, the left body, as it were, of S’rî Krisna and She is not in any way inferior to Him, either in quality or in the Tejas (Fiery Spirit) or in any other thing. She is higher than the Highest; the Essence of all, infinitely superior, the First of all, Eternal, of the nature of the Highest Bliss, fortunate, highly respected, and worshipped by all. She is, the Presiding Devî of the Râsa Lîlâ of S’rî Krisna. From Her has sprung the Râsa mandalam and She is the Grace and the Ornament of the Râsa mandalam (the dance in a circle in Râsa).
[Note :-- Extracts from a paper on Creation as explained by Hon’ble Justice Sir G. Woodroffe.
The lecturer commenced by pointing out that an examination of any doctrine of creation reveals two fundamental concepts: Those of Being
(Kutastha) and Becoming (Bhava); Changelessness and Change; the one and Many. The Brahmân or Spirit in its own nature (Svarupa) is and never becomes. It is the evolutes derived from the Principle of Becoming (Mûlâ Prakriti) which constitute what is called Nature. The latter principle is essentially Movement. The world is displayed by consciousness (chit) in association with Mûlâ Prakriti in cosmic vibration (spandana). Recent Western hypotheses have made scientific “matter” into Mâyâ in the sense that it is but the varied appearances produced in our mind by vibration of and in the single substance ether. The doctrine of vibration (Spandana) is however in India an ancient inheritance. The whole world is born from the varied forms of the initial movement in Mûlâ Prakriti. The problem is how does such multiplicity exist without derogation to the essential unit of its efficient cause, the spirit? The lecturer then made a rapid survey of the Sânkhya philosophy on this point which assumes two real and independent principles of Being and Becoming which it calls Purusa and Prakriti and passed from this the easiest dualistic answer to the pure monism of S’ankara which asserted that there was but one Principle of Being, the Sadvastu and Mâyâ, whether considered as a S’akti of Îs’vara or as the product of such S’akti was Avastu or nothing. He then pointed out that the Tântrik doctrine with which he dealt occupied a middle position between those two points of view. S’iva in the Kulârnava Tantra says “Some desire Monism” (Advaitavâda), others Dualism (Dvaitavâda). Such, however, know not My Truth which is neither Monism nor Dualism (Dvaitâdvaitâ Vivarjita). Tantra is not Dvaitavâda for it does not recognise Prakriti as an independent unconscious principle (Achit). It differs from S’ankara’s Advaitavâda in holding that Prakriti as a conscious principle of Becoming, that is as S’akti, is not Avastu, though its displayed picture, the world is Mâyâ. It effects a synthesis of the S’ânkhya dualism by the conversion of the twin principles of Purusa and Prakriti into the unity which is the Ardhanârîs’vara S’iva S’akti.
As regards other matters it adopts the notions of the Sânkhya such as the concepts of Mûlâ Prakriti with the three Gunas, vibration (spandana), evolution (Parinâma) of the Vikritis and the order of emanation of the Tattvas. S’akti which effects this exists and is Herself never unconscious (Achit) though It has the power to make the Jîva think It is such. If this were understood one would not hear such nonsense as that the S’âktas (whose religion is one of the oldest in the world) worship material force or gross matter (Jada).
The lecturer then shortly explained the nature of S’akti (S’akti Tattva), a term which derived from the root “S’ak” meant the Divine Power whereby the world was created, manifested and destroyed. In Tantra the power and the Lord who wields it (S’aktimân) are one and the same, S’iva and S’akti are one and the same, S’iva is Brahmân, S’akti is Brahmân. The first is the transcendent, the second the immanent aspect of the one Brahmân, Who is both S’iva and S’akti. The Mother creates (Kârya-Vibhâvinî). The Father wills what She does (Kârya-Vibhâvaka). From their union creation comes. S’akti is not like the diminutive female figure which is seen on the lap of some Indian images, to which is assigned the subordinate position which some persons consider a Hindu wife should occupy. She is not a handmaid of the Lord but the Lord Himself in Her aspect as Mother of the worlds. This S’akti is both Nirguna and Saguna that is Chit S’akti and Mâyâ S’akti.
After this defining the nature of S’akti by which the world was created, the lecturer commenced an account of its manifestation as the universe, following in the main the S’âradâ Tilaka written in the eleventh century by Laksmanâchârya, the guru of the celebrated Kashmiran Tântrik, Abhinava Gupta. The following is a very abbreviated summary of this, the main portion of the paper. The lecturer first referred to the Aghanâvasthâ state which was that Niskala S’iva and touching upon the question why S’iva became Sakala (associated with Kalâ) and creative explained the term Kalâ and the theory of Adristasristi taught by the Tantra as by other S’astras. The former is according to Sânkhya, Mûlâ Prakriti; according to Vedânta, Avidyâ and according to the S’iva Tantra, S’akti. The latter is the doctrine that the impulse to creation is proximately caused by the Karma of the Jîvas. It is the seed of Karma which contains the germ of cosmic will to life. When Karma becomes ripe, there arises the state called Îksana and other names indicative of creative desire and will. There then takes place a development which is peculiar to the Tantra called Sadris’a Parinâma, which is a kind of Vivartta. The development is only apparent for there is no real change in the Ânandamaya Kosa. S’akti which exists in Sakala S’iva in a purely potential state is said to issue from Him. This is the first kinetic aspect of S’akti in which Sattaguna is displayed. This is the Paramâkâsâvasthâ. Nâda (sound, word) then appears. S’akti becomes further kinetic through the enlivening of the Rajo Guna. This is the Aksarâvasthâ. Then under the influence of Tamas, Îsvara becomes Ghanibhûta and what is called the Parâvindu. This is the Avyaktâvasthâ. Thus the Supreme Vindu men call by different names, Mahâ Visnu, Brahmâ Purûsa, or Devî. It is compared to a grain of gram which under its sheath contains two seeds in undivided
union. These are S’iva S’akti and their encircling sheath is Mâyâ. This Vindu unfolds and displays itself, in the threefold aspect of Vindu, Vîja, Nâda; or S’iva, S’akti, and S’iva S’akti; the three S’aktis of will, knowledge and action. This is the mysterious Kâma Kalâ which is the root of all Mantras. These seven :-- Sakala, S’iva, S’akti, Nâda, Parâvindu, Vindu, Vîja, Nâda are all aspects of S’akti which are the seven divisions of the Mantra Om and constitute what is called the creation of Parâ sound in the Îs’vara creation.
The lecturer having explained the nature of these S’aktis which formed part of the sound (S’abda), Sadrisa Parinâma, referred to the form or meaning (Artha) creation in the same development by the appearance of the six S’ivas from S’ambu to Brahmâ which were aggregate (Samasti) sound powers. It was he said, on the differentiation of the Parâvindu that there existed the completed causal S’abda which is the Hidden Word. The causal body or Parâ S’abda and Artha being complete, there then appeared the displayed word or S’abdârtha. This is a composite like the Greek Logos. The S’abda Brahmân or Brahmân as cause of S’abda is the Chaitanya in all beings. The S’abdârtha in the Vedantin Nâmarûpa or world of name and form of this S’abdârtha the subtle and gross bodies are constituted, the S’aktis of which are the Hiranyagarbha sound, called Madhyamâ and the Virât sound Vaikhârî. By S’abda is not meant merely physical sound which as a quality of atomic ether is evolved from Tâmasik Ahamkâra.
The lecturer then pointed out that there had been Adrista Sristi up to the appearance of S’akti and Vivartta development up to the completion of the “word” or causal sound. Then there takes place real evolution (Parinâma) in which the Tattvas (or elements discovered as a result of psychological analysis of our worldly experience) are said to emanate according to the Sânkhya and not the Vedantic scheme, though there were some peculiarities in the Tantrik exposition which the lecturer noted. Finally Yogika Sristi was accepted in so far as it was the elements which in varied combinations made up the gross world.
In conclusion the lecturer pointed out that Indian S’âstra was a mutually connected whole. Such peculiarities as existed in any particular S’âstra were due to a variety of standpoints or purpose in view. The main point in this connection to be remembered was that the Tantra was practical S’âdhanâ S’âstra. Whilst S’ankara dealt with the subject from the standpoint of Jñânakânda, the Tantra treated it from the point of view of worship (Upâsanâkânda) the Tantrik doctrine is compounded of various elements some of which it shared with other S’âstras, some of which are its own, the whole being set forth according to a method and terminology which is peculiar to itself.]
48-70. She is the Lady of the Râsa Lîlâ, the Foremost of the Jovial, humourous (witty) persons and dwells always in Râsa. Her abode is in Goloka and from Her have come out all the Gopîkâs. Râsa – the circular dance of Krisna and the cow-herdesses of Vrindâvana. Her nature is the Highest Bliss, the Highest Contentment, and Excessive Joy; She transcends the three Sattva, Rajo and Tamo Gunas and is Nirâkâra (without any particular form); but She dwells everywhere but unconnected with any. She is the soul of all. She is without any effort to do anything and void of Ahamkâra. She assumes forms only to show Her favour to Her Bhaktas. The intelligent learned men (Pundits) read Her Mahimâ (glories) in meditating on Her according to the Vedas. The chief of the Devas and the Munis could never see Her; Her clothings are fire-proof and She is decorated with many ornaments all over Her body. Her body looks as if the crores of moons have risen all at once; She is the Giver of Bhakti (devotion) towards Krisna, services towards Krisna; and She bestows all wealth and prosperity. In Varâha Kalpa, i.e., when the Varâha incarnation took place, She incarnated Herself as the daughter of one Gopa (cow-herd), named Vrisabhânu. And Earth was blessed by the touch of Her feet. She is such as Brahmâ and the other Devas could never perceive Her by any of their senses, yet everyone at Vrindâvan saw Her very easily. She is the Gem amongst women. And when She is seen on the breast of Krisna, it seems that lightnings flash in the blue mass of clouds in the sky. In days gone by, Brahmâ practised several austerities for sixty thousand years to purify Himself by seeing the nails of Her toe; but far from seeing that, He could not have that even in his dreams. At last He succeeded in seeing Her at Vrindâvana and became blessed. O Child Nârada! This is the fifth Prakriti and She is denominated as Râdhâ. Every female in every Universe is sprung from a part of S’rî Râdhâ or part of a part. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you the five Highest Prakritis, Durgâ and others. Now I am going to describe those that are parts of these Prakritis. Hear. The Ganges, Gangâ has sprung from the lotus feet of Visnu; Her form is fluid-like; She is eternal. And She is the veritable burning fire to burn away the sins of the sinners. She is sweet to touch in taking baths and in drinking; She gives final liberation to the Jîvas, and leads easily to the Goloka abode. She is the holiest amongst the places of pilgrimage and is the first of the running rivers. She is the rows of pearls in the clotted hairs of Mahâdeva’s head and She is the Tapasyâ (asceticism) incarnate of the Tapasvîs (ascetics) of the Bhârata Varsa. This Ganges purifies the three worlds and is the part of Mûlâ Prakriti; She shines like the Full Moon, is white like white lotus and like milk; She is pure S’uddha Sattva, clear, free from any Ahamkâra, chaste and
beloved of Nârâyana. The Tulasî Devî is the consort of Visnu. She is the ornament of Nârâyana, and dwells always at the lotus feet of Nârâyana. By Her are performed all the acts of worship, all austerities, and all Sankalpas (resolves). She is the chief of all the flowers, holy and able to give merits (Punyam) to others. At Her sight and touch, Nirvâna can be obtained; and, were it not for Her, there could be no other fire in this Kali Yuga to burn the sins. She Herself is of the nature of Fire and at the touch of Whose lotus-feet, the earth is purified; all the Tîrthas desire to have Her sight and touch for purification and without Her all acts in this world become fruitless. She bestows Moksa (liberation) to those who want final liberation, grants all sorts of desires to several people, Who Herself is like a Kalpa Vriksa, Who is the Presiding Deity of all the trees in Bhârata and Who has come here to grant satisfaction to the ladies of Bhârata Varsa and She is considered very superior throughout all parts of India. This Tulasî Devî is the chief factor of Mûlâ Prakriti.
71-95. Then comes the Manasâ Devî, the daughter of Kas’yapa. She is the dear disciple of S’ankara and is therefore very learned in matters of S’âstras. She is the daughter of Ananta Deva, the Lord of Snakes and is very much respected by all the Nâgas. She Herself is very beautiful, the Lady of the Nâgas, the mother of the Nâgas and is carried by them. She is decorated with ornaments of the Snakes; She is respected by the Nâgendras and She sleeps on the bed of Snakes. She is Siddha Yoginî, the devotee of Visnu and always ready in the worship of Visnu; She is the Tapas and the bestower of the fruits of Tapas. Herself an ascetic, She spent three lakh years (according to the Deva measure) and has become the foremost of the ascetics in Bhâratvarsa. She is the Presiding Deity of all the mantras; Her whole body shines with Brahmâteja (the Holy Fire of Brahmâ). Herself of the nature of Brahmâ, She again meditates on Brahmân. She is sprung from a part of S’rî Krisna and the chaste wife of Jarat Kâru Muni, the mother of Âstika, the great Muni; She is the part of Mûlâ Prakriti. O Child Nârada! Now comes the S’asthî Devî, the Mother of Devasenâ. She is the most superior amongst the Gaurî and the sixteen Mâtrikâs. This chaste woman is the giver of sons and grandsons in the three worlds and the nurse, the foster mother of all. She is the sixth part of Mûlâ Prakriti and is hence known by the name of S’asthî. She lives near to every child as an aged Yoginî. Her worship is everywhere prevalent in the twelve months Vais’âkha, etc. When the child gets born, on the sixth day of Her worship is done in the lying-in-chamber and again on the 21st day (after twenty days have passed away) the most auspicious worshipful ceremony of Her is performed. The Munis bow down to Her with reverence and want to visit Her daily.
She protects all children always with a mother’s affectionate heart. This S’asthî Devî is again the part of Mûlâ Prakriti. Then appears the Devî Mangala Chandikâ. She goes from one house to another, on land or through water or in air, doing great good to them; She has come out of the face of the Prakriti Devî and is doing always all sorts of good to this world. Her name is Mangala Chandî because She is all auspicious at the time of creation and assumes very furious angry appearance at the time of destruction. So the Pundits say. On every Tuesday in all the worlds Her worship is done; and She, when pleased, gives to women sons, grandsons, wealth, prosperity, fame and good of all sorts and grants all desires. This Mangala Chandi is again the part of Mûlâ Prakriti. Now comes the lotus-eyed Mâhes’varî Kâlî who when angry can destroy all this universe in a moment, who sprang from the forehead of the Mûlâ Prakriti, Dûrgâ to slay the two demons S’umbha and Nis’umbha. She is the half-portion of Dûrgâ and qualified like Her, fiery and energetic. The beauty and splendour of whose body make one think as if the millions of suns have arisen simultaneously. Who is the foremost of all the S’aktis and is more powerful than any of them, Who grants success to all the persons, Who is superior to all and is of Yogic nature, Who is exceedingly devoted to Krisna and like Him fiery, well-qualified, and valorous, Whose body has become black by the constant meditation of S’rî Krisna, Who can destroy in one breath this whole Brahmânda, Who was engaged in fighting with the Daityas simply for sport and instruction to the people and Who, when pleased in worship can grant the four fruits Dharma, Artha, Kâma and Moksa. This Kâlî is also the part of Prakriti. The Devî Basundharâ (Earth) is again the part of Mûlâ Prakriti. Brahmâ and the other Devas, all the Muni mandalams (the spheres of Munis), fourteen Manus and all men sing hymns to Her. She is the support of all and filled with all sorts of grains. She is the source of all gems and jewels, She bears in Her womb all the precious metals. All sorts of best things issue from Her. She is the Refuge of all. The subjects and kings worship Her always and chant hymns to Her. All the Jîvas live through Her and She bestows all sorts of wealth and prosperity. Without Her, all this, moving or non-moving, become void of any substratum. Where to rest on!
96-143. O Child Nârada! Now hear about them who are issued again from the parts of Mûlâ Prakriti as well as the names of their wives. I will now narrate duly. The Devî “Svâhâ” is the wife of Agni (Fire), and the whole Universe worships Her. Without her, the Devî can never take any oblations. Daksinâ and Diksâ are both the wives of Yajña (Sacrifice). They are honoured everywhere. So much so that without Daksinâ (the fees given at the end of the Sacrifice) no sacrificial ceremonies
can be complete and fructifying. The Devî “Svadhâ” is the wife of the Pitris. All worship this Devî “Svadhâ” whether they are Munis, Manus, or men. If this mantra “Svadhâ” be not uttered while making an offering to the Pitris, all turn out useless. The Devî “Svasti” is the wife of the Vâyu Deva; She is honoured everywhere in the Universe. Without this “Svasti” Devî, no giving nor taking nor any action can be fructifying and useful. “Pustî” (nourishment) is the wife of Ganapatî. All in this world worship this Pustî Devî. Without this “Pusti”, women or men alike all become weaker and weaker. Tustî (satisfaction, contentment) is the wife of Ananta Deva. She is praised and worshipped everywhere in this world. Without Her no one anywhere in the world can be happy. “Sampattî” is the wife of Îsâna Deva. The Suras, the men all alike worship Her. Were it not for Her, all in this world would be oppressed with dire poverty. The Devî “Dhritî” is the wife of Kapila Deva. She is honoured equally in all places. Were it not for Her, all the people in this world would have become impatient. The “Satî” Devî is the wife of Satya Deva (Truth). She is endearing to the whole world. The liberated ones worship Her always. Were it not for the truth loving Satî, the whole world would have lost the treasure in friendship. “Dayâ” (Mercy) endearing to the whole world is the chaste wife of “Mohâ Deva”. She is liked by all. Were it not for Her, all the world would have become hopeless. The Devî “Pratisthâ” (fame, celebrity) is the wife of Punya Deva (merit).She gives merits to persons according as they worship Her. Were it not for Her, all the persons would remain dead while living. The Devî “Kîrti” (fame) is the wife of Sukarma (good works). Herself a Siddha (one who has acquired the result of one’s success), all the blessed people honour Her with great reverence. Were it not for Her, all the persons in this world would have been dead, devoid of any fame. Kriyâ (work-efforts, action, doing) is the wife of “Udyoga” (enthusiasm). All honour Her greatly. O Muni Nârâda! Were it not for Her, the whole people would be void of any rules and regulations. Falsehood is the wife of Adharma (unrighteousness). She is honoured greatly by all the cheats that are extant in this world. Were she not liked by them, then all the cheats would become extinct. She did not fall in the sight of anybody in the Satya Yuga. Her subtle form became visible in the Tretâ Yuga. When the Dvâpara Yuga came, She became half developed. And at last when the Kali Yuga has come, She is fully developed and there is no second to Her whether in bold confidence and shamelessness or in talking much and pervading everywhere. With her brother Deceitfulness, She roams from one house to another. Peace and modesty and shame are both the wives of good behaviour. Were they not existent, all in this
world would have turned out deluded and mad. Intelligence, genius and fortitude, these three are the wives of Jñâna (knowledge). Had they not lived, every one would become stupid and insane. Mûrti is the wife of Dharma Devî. She is of the nature of Beauty to all and very charming. Were it not for Her, Paramâtmân would not get any resting place; and the whole universe would have become Nirâlamba (without anything to rest). This chaste Mûrti Devî is of the nature of splendour, loveliness and Laksmî. She is everywhere respected, worshipped and reverenced. “Sleep”, the Siddha Yoginî, is the wife of Rudra Deva, who is of the nature of Kâlâgni (the universal conflagration at the break-up of the world). All the Jîvas spend their nights with Her. The twilights, night and day are the wives of Kâla (Time). If they were not, the Creator even would not be able to reckon time. Hunger and thirst are the wives of Lobha (covetousness). They are thanked, respected and worshipped by the whole world. Had they not lived, the whole world would have merged ever in an ocean of anxieties. Splendour and burning capacity are the wives of Tejas (fire). Without these, the Lord of the world could never have created and established order in this universe. Death and old age are the daughters of the Kâla, and the dear wives of Jvarâ (the disease). Without these, all the creation would come to an end. The Tandrâ (drowsiness, lassitude) and Prîti (satisfaction) are the daughters of Nidrâ (sleep). And they are the dear wives of Sukha (pleasure). They are present everywhere in this world. O Best of Munis! S’raddhâ (faith) and Bhakti (devotion) are the wives of Vairâgyam (dispassion). For then all the persons can become liberated while living (Jîvanmuktas). Besides these there is Aditi, the Mother of the Gods, Surabhi, mother of cows; Diti, the mother of the Daityas; Kadru, the mother of the Nâgas (serpents); Vinatâ, the mother of Garuda, the prince of birds; and Danu, the mother of the Dânavas. All are very useful for the purpose of creation. But these all are parts of Mûlâ Prakriti. Now I will mention some of the other parts of Prakriti. Hear. Rohinî, the wife of the Moon, Sanjñâ, the wife of the Sun; S’atarûpâ, the wife of Manu; S’achî, the wife of Indra; Târâ, the wife of Brihaspati; Arundhatî, the wife of Vas’istha; Anasûyâ, the wife of Atri; Devahûtî, the wife of Kardama; Prasûti, the wife of Daksa; Menakâ, the mind born daughter of the Pitris and the mother of Ambikâ, Lopâmudrâ, Kuntî, the wife of Kuvera, the wife of Varuna, Bindhyâvalî, the wife of the King Bali; Damayantî, Yas’odâ, Devakî, Gândhârî, Draupadî, S’aivyâ, Satyavatî, the chaste and noble wife of Brisabhânu and the mother of Râdhâ; Mandidarî; Kaus’alyâ, Kauravî,; Subhadrâ; Revatî, Satyabhâmâ, Kâlindî, Laksmanâ; Jâmbavatî; Nâgnajiti, Mitrabindâ,
Laksanâ, Rukminî, Sîtâ, the Laksmî incarnate; Kâlî, Yojana Gandhâ, the chaste mother of Vyâsa, Ûsâ, the daughter of Vâna, her companion Chitralekhâ; Prabhâvati, Bhânumatî, the Satî Mâyâvatî, Renukâ, the mother of Paras’urâma; Rohinî, the mother of Balarâma, Ekanandâ and the sister of S’rî Krisna, Satî Durgâ and many other ladies are the parts of Prakriti and all the female sex, everywhere in the Universe are all come from the parts of Prakriti. So to insult any woman is to insult the Prakriti. If one worships a chaste Brahmin woman, who has her husband and son living, with clothings, ornaments, and sandal paste, etc., one worships, as it were, Prakriti. If any Vipra worships a virgin girl, eight years old, with clothings, ornaments and sandal paste, know that he has worshipped the Prakriti Devî. The best, middling, and worst are all sprung from Prakriti. Those women that are sprung from Sattva Guna are all very good natured and chaste; those that are sprung from Rajo Guna are middling and very much attached to worldly enjoyments and do their selfish ends and those that are sprung from Tamo Guna are recognised as worst and belonging to the unknown families. They are very scurrilous, cheats, ruining their families, fond of their own free ways, quarrelsome and no seconds are found equal to them. Such women become prostitutes in this world and Apsarâs in the Heavens. The Hermaphrodites are parts of Prakriti but they are of the nature of Tamo Gunas.
144-159. Thus I have described to you the nature of Prakriti. So in this Punyabhûmi Bhârata Varsa, to worship the Devî is by all means desirable. In days past by, the King Suratha worshipped the Mûlâ Prakriti Durgâ, the Destructrix of all evils. Then again S’rî Râma Chandra worshipped Her when he wanted to kill Râvana. Since then Her worship is extant in the three worlds. She was first born as the honourable daughter of Daksa. She destroyed the whole hosts of Daityas and Dânavas. It was She who, hearing the abusive words uttered against Her husband at the Yajña by Daksa, Her father, gave up Her body and took up again Her birth. She took Her birth in the womb of Menakâ and got again Pas’upati as Her husband. And of the two sons, Kârtika and Ganes’a, born to Her, Kârtika was the Ansa (part) of Nârâyana and Ganapati was S’rî Krisna Himself, the Lord of Râdhâ. O Devarsi! After the two sons, Laksmî Devî came out of Durgâ. Mangala Râja, the King Mars first worshipped Her. Since then, all in the three worlds began to worship Her, whether they are Devas or men. The King As’vapati first worshipped Sâvitrî Devî; and since then the Devas, Munis, all began to worship Her. When the Devî Saravastî was born, the Bhagavân Brahmâ first worshipped Her; next the greatest Munis, Devas all began
to worship Her. On the full moon night of the month of Kârtik, it was Bhagavân S’rî Krisna, The Highest Spirit, that worshipped, first of all, the Devî Râdhâ within the Râsa Mandalam, the enclosure, within which the Râsa Lîlâ was performed (the circular dance) in the region Goloka. Then under the command of S’rî Krisna, all the Gopas (cow-herds), Gopîs, all the boys, girls, Surabhî, the queen of the race of the cows, and the other cows worshipped Her. So since Her worship by the inhabitants of Goloka, by Brahmâ and the other Devas and the Munis, all began to worship ever S’rî Râdhâ with devotion and incense, light and various other offerings. On earth She was first worshipped by Suyajña, in the sacred field of Bhâratvarsa, under the direction of Bhagavân Mahâdeva. Subsequently, under the command of the Bhagavân S’rî Krisna, the Highest Spirit, the inhabitants of the three worlds began to worship Her. The Munis with great devotion, with incense, flowers and various other offerings worship always the Devî Râdhâ. O Child Nârada! Besides these, all the other Devîs that have issued from Prakriti Devî are all worshipped. So much so that in the villages, the village Deities, in the forests, the forest Deities and in the cities, the city Deities are worshipped. Thus I have described to you all according to the S’âstras the glorious lives of the Devî Prakriti and Her parts. What more do you want to hear?
Here ends the First Chapter on the Description of Prakriti in the Ninth Book of the S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter II
On the origin of Prakriti and Purusa
1-4. Nârada said :-- O Lord! I have heard all that you said in brief about the Prakriti Devî. Now describe in detail. Why the Mûlâ Prakriti Âdya S’akti (the Prime Force) was created at the beginning before the creation of this world of five elements. How did She, being of the nature of the three Gunas, come to be divided into five parts? I desire to hear all this in detail. Now kindly describe their auspicious births, methods of worship, their meditation, their stotras (praises), Kavachas (the mystic syllables considered as a preservation like armour), glory and power in detail.
5-26. Nârâyana spoke :-- “O Devarsi! The Mûlâ Prakriti, of the nature of Mâyâ of Para Brahman is an eternal entity (the nabho mandal); Time (Kâla), the ten quarters, the Universe Egg, the Goloka and, lower than this, the Vaikuntha Dhâma all are eternal things. Âtman and Prakriti are in inseparable union with each other as Fire and its burning capacity, the Moon and her beauty, the lotus and its splendour, the Sun and his rays are inseparably united with each other. As the goldsmith cannot prepare golden orna-
ments without gold and as the potter cannot make earthen pots without earth, so the Âtman cannot do any work without the help of this omnipotent Prakriti. The letter “Sa” indicates “Ais’yaryam” prosperity, the divine powers; and “Kti”, denotes strength; and in as much as She is the bestower of the above two, the Mûlâ Prakriti is named “S’akti”. “Bhaga” is indicative of knowledge, prosperity, wealth, fame; and in as much as Mûlâ Prakriti has all these powers, She is also called “Bhagavatî”. And Âtman “is always in union with this Bhagavatî Who is all powers, so He is called “Bhagavân’. The Bhagavân is therefore sometimes with form; and sometimes He is without form. (Note :-- When Prakriti becomes latent, God is without form; with Prakriti manifest, God is with form.) The Yogis always think of the Luminous Form of the Formless Bhagavân and declare Him to be all blissful Para Brahma, the God. Though He is invisible, the Witness of all, Omniscient, the Cause of all, the Giver of everything and of every form, yet the Vaisnavas do not say so. The Vaisnavas declare how can fire, strength and energy come when there is no fiery, strong, energetic Person behind it? Therefore He who shines in the centre of this fiery sphere is the Para Brahma; He is the Fiery Person; He is higher than the Highest. He is All Will; He is All Form, the Cause of all causes and His Form is Very Beautiful. He is Young; He looks very peaceful and loved by all. He is the Highest; and His Blue Body shines like new rain-clouds. His two eyes defy the beauty of the autumn lotuses in the mid-day; His exquisitely nice rows of teeth put all the series of pearls in the dark back-ground. The peacock’s feather is seen on His crown; the garland of Mâlatî flowers is suspended from His neck.; His nose is exceedingly beautiful; the sweet smile is always seen on His lips. There is no second like Him in showing favour to the Bhaktas. He wears yellow clothings, as if the burning fire is emanating all round; the flute is seen on both His hands, reaching His knees. His body is decorated all over with jewels. He is the Sole Refuge of this Universe; the Lord of all, omnipotent and omnipresent. No trace of deficiency can be seen in Him; He is Himself a Siddha (perfect) Purusa; and the foremost of all Siddha Purusas; bestows Siddhis to all. The Vaisnavas meditate always That Eternal S’rî Krisna, the Deva of the Devas. He takes away fully all the fears of birth, death, old age, and ills and sorrows. The age of Brahmâ is the twinkling of His eye. That Highest Self, the Para Brahma is denominated as Krisna. The word “Kris” denotes Bhakti to S’rî Krisna and the letter “na” signifies devotion to His service. So He is the Bestower of Bhakti and devotion to His service. Again “Kris” denotes all; everything; and
“na” signifies the root. So He Who is the Root and Creator of all, is S’rî Krisna. When He desired, in the very beginning, to create this Universe, there was nothing then except S’rî Krisna; and at last, impelled by Kâla (His Own Creation), He became ready, in His part, to do the work of creation.
27-61. The Lord, who is All Will, willed and divided Himself into two parts, His Left part becoming female and His Right part becoming male. Then that Eternal One, Who is greatly loving, looked at the female, His left part, the Sole Receptacle to hold all the contents of love, very lovely to the eyes, and looking like the beautiful lotus. The loins of this woman defy the Moon; Her thighs put the plaintain trees quite in the background; Her breasts are mistaken for the beautiful Bel fruits; flowers are scattered as Her Hairs on the head; Her middle part is very slender, very beautiful to behold! Exceedingly lovely; appearance very calm; sweet smile reigning in Her lips; side long glances with Her; Her clothing is purified with fire; all over Her body decorated with gems. Her eyes, also, like the Chakora bird (Greek partridge) began to drink incessantly with joy the moon beams from the face of S’rî Krisna, defying, as it were, the ten millions of moons. On Her forehead there was the dot of vermillion (red-lead); over that, the dot of white sandal paste and over that was placed the musk. The fillets or braids of hair on Her head are slightly curved; this was decorated with Mâlatî garlands; on Her neck was suspended the necklace of gems and jewels and She is always very amorous towards Her husband. On looking at Her face, it seems that ten millions of moons have arisen at once; when She walks, Her gait puts (humiliates) those of ganders and elephants in the shade. O Muni! S’rî Krisna, the Lord of the Râsa Dance, and the Person of Taste in the Râsa sport, looked askance at Her for a while and then catching hold of Her by Her hand went to the Râsamandalam and began to play the Râsa sport (the amorous pastime). It seemed then the Lord of amorous pastimes had become incarnate there and had been enjoying the various pleasures of amorous passions and desires. So much, that Brahma’s one day passed away in that sport. The Father of the Universe, then becoming tired, impregnated in an auspicious moment in Her womb who was born of His left portion. The Prakriti Devî was also tired of the embraces of S’rî Krisna; so after the intercourse, she began to perspire and breathe frequently. Her perspiration turned into water and deluged the whole universe, with water; and Her breath turned into air and became the life of all beings. The female that sprung from the left side of Vâyu became his wife and out of their contact originated Prâna, Apâna,
Samâna, Udâna and Vyâna, the five sons. These are the five vital Vâyus of all the beings. Besides these from the womb of the Vâyu’s wife came out Nâga and the other four lower Vâyus. The water that came out from perspiration, Varana Deva became the Presiding Deity of that; and the female, sprung out of the left side of Varuna Deva, became the wife of Varuna, called Varunânî. On the other hand, the S’akti, of the nature of knowledge of S’rî Krisna, remained pregnant for one hundred manvantaras. Her body became effulgent with Brahma-teja (the fire of Brahma). Krisna was Her life and She again was dearer to Krisna than his life even. She remained always with S’rî Krisna; so much so that She constantly rested on His breast. When one hundred manvantaras passed away, that Beautiful One gave birth to a Golden Egg. That egg was the repository of the whole universe. The Beloved of Krisna became very sorry to see the egg and out of anger, threw that within the water collected in the centre of the Universe. Seeing this, S’rî Krisna raised a great cry and immediately cursed Her duly and said :-- “O Angry One! O Cruel One! When you have forsaken out of anger this son just born of you, I say then that you become from today bereft of any issue. Besides, let all those godly women that will spring out of your parts, they also be deprived of having any issue or sons and they will remain ever constant in their youth. O Muni! While S’rî Krisna was thus cursing, suddenly came out from the tongue of the beloved of Krisna, a beautiful daughter, of a white colour. Her clothings were all white, in her hands there were lute and book and all Her body was decorated with ornaments made of gems and jewels. She was the Presiding Deity of all the S’âstras. Some time later the Mûla Prakriti, the Beloved of Krisna divided into two parts. Out of Her left portion came Kamalâ and out of Her right portion came Râdhikâ. In the meantime S’rî Krisna divided Himself into two parts. From his right side appeared a form two-handed; and from the left side appeared a form four-handed. Then S’rî Krisna addressed the Goddess Speech, holding flute in Her hand, “O Devî! You follow this four-handed Person as his wife” and then spoke to Râdhâ :-- “O Râdhe! You are a sensitive, proud lady; let you be My wife; so it will do you good”. S’rî Krisna also told Laksmî gladly to become the wife of the four-handed Nârâyana. Then Nârâyana, the Lord of the world, took both Laksmî and Sarasvatî to the abode Vaikuntha. O Muni! Both Laksmî and Sarasvatî became issueless, being born of Râdhâ. From the body of Nârâyana arose his attendants, all four-handed. They were all equal to Him in appearance, in qualifications; in spirit and in age. On the other hand, from the body of Kamalâ arose millions of female attendants all equal to Her in form and qualifications. Then
arose innumerable Gopas (cow-herds) from the pores of S’rî Krisna. They were all equal to the Lord of Goloka in form, Gunas, power and age; they were all dear to Him as if they were His life.
62-88. From the pores of Râdhikâ came out the Gopa Kanyâs (cow-herdesses). They were all equal to Râdhâ and all were Her attendants and were sweet-speaking. Their bodies were all decorated with ornaments of jewels, and their youth was constant, they were all issueless as S’rî Krisna had cursed them thus. O Best of Brâhmanas! On the other hand, suddenly arose Durgâ, the Mâyâ of Visnu (The Highest Self) eternal and whose Deity was Krisna. (N. B. Durgâ was the Avatâra of Mûla Prakriti not the Avatâra of Râdhâ as Laksmî and Sarasvatî were.) She is Nârâyanî; She is Îs’ânî; She is the S’akti of all and She is the Presiding Deity of the intelligence of S’rî Krisna. From Her have come out many other Devîs; She is Mûla Prakriti and She is Îs’varî; no failings or insufficiencies are seen in Her. She is the Tejas (of the nature of Fire) and She is of the nature of the three Gunas. Her colour is bright like the molten gold; Her lustre looks as if ten millions of Suns have simultaneously arisen. She looks gracious always with sweet smile on Her lips, Her hands are one thousand in number. Various weapons are in all Her hands. The clothings of the three-eyed one are bright and purified by Fire. She is decorated with ornaments all of jewels. All the women who are the jewels are sprung from Her parts and parts of parts and by the power of Her Mâyâ, all the people of the world are enchanted. She bestows all the wealth that a householder wants; She bestows on Krisna’s devotees, the devotion towards Krisna; nay, She is the Vaisnavî S’akti of the Vaisnavas. She gives final liberation to those that want such and gives happiness to those that want happiness. She is the Laksmî of the Heavens; as well She is the Laksmî of every household. She is the Tapas of the ascetics, the beauty of the kingdoms of the kings, the burning power of fire, the brilliancy of the Sun, the tender beauty of the Moon, the lovely beauty of the lotus and the S’akti of S’rî Krisna the Highest Self. The Self, the world all are powerful by Her S’akti; without Her everything would be a dreary dead mass. O Nârada! She is the seed of this Tree of World; She is eternal; She is the Stay, She is Intelligence, fruits, hunger, thirst, mercy, sleep, drowsiness, forgiveness, fortitude, peace, bashfulness, nourishment, contentment and lustre. The Mûla Prakriti praising S’rî Krisna stood before Him. The Lord of Râdhikâ then gave Her a throne to sit. O Great Muni! At this moment sprang from the navel lotus the four-faced Brahmâ, with his wife Sâvitrî, an exceedingly beautiful woman. No sooner the four-faced Brahmâ,
the foremost of the Jñânins, fond of asceticism and holding Kamandalu in His hand came into being than He began to praise S’rî Krisna by His four mouths. On the other hand the Devî Sâvitrî, with a beauty of one hundred moons, born with great ease, wearing apparel purified by fire and decorated with various ornaments praised Krisna, the One and Only Cause of the Universe and then took Her seat gladly with Her husband in the throne made of jewels. At that time Krisna divided Himself into two parts; His left side turned into the forn of Mahâdeva; and His right side turned into the Lord of Gopikâs (cow-herdesses). The colour and splendour of the body of Mahâdeva is pure white like white crystal; as if one hundred suns have arisen simultaneously. In His hands there are the trident (Tris’ul) and sharp-edged spear (Pattisa); He is wearing a tiger skin; on His head is matted hair (Jatâ) of a tawny hue like molten gold; His body was besmeared all over with ashes, smile reigning in His face and on His forehead, the semi-moon. He has no clothing on His loins; so He is called Digambara (the quarters of the Sky being His clothing); His neck is of a blue colour; the serpent being the ornaments on His body and on His right hand the nice bead of jewels well purified. Who is always repeating with His five faces the Eternal Light of Brahmâ, and Who has conquered Death by praising S’rî Krisna, Who is of the nature of Truth, the Highest Self, the God Incarnate, the material cause of all things and the All auspicious of all that is good and favourable, and the Destroyer of the fear of birth, death, old age, and disease and Who has been named Mrityunjaya (the conqueror of Death). This Mahâdeva took His seat on a throne made of jewels (diamonds, emeralds, etc.).
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Ninth Book on the origin of Prakriti and Purusa in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter III
On the origin of Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes’a and others
1-34. Nârâyana said:-- “O Devarsi! The egg (born of Mûla Prakriti) that was floating in the waters for a period equal to the life period of Brahmâ, now in the fullness of time separated into two parts. Within that egg there was a powerful Child, lustrous like one thousand millions of suns. This child could not suck mother’s milk, as it was forsaken by Her. So being tired of hunger, the child for a moment cried repeatedly. The child that will become the Lord of countless Brahmândas (universes), now an orphan having no father nor mother began to look upwards from the waters. This boy came to be denominated afterwards by the name of Mahâ Virât, when he became gross and
grosser. As there is nothing finer than radium so there is nothing grosser than Mahâ Virât. The power of this Mahâ Virât is one-sixteenth of that of S’ri Krisna, the Highest Self. But this boy, (born of the Prakriti Râdhâ) is the Sole Stay of all this Universe and he is denominated by the name “Mahâ-Visnu”. In his every pore countless universes are existing. So much so that even S’ri Krisna could not count them. If it were possible to count the number of dust particles, it is impossible to count the number of universes. So there are endless Brahmâs, Visnus, and Mahes’varas. In every Brahmânda, there is Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes’a. Each Brahmânda extends from Pâtâla to the Brahmâloka. The abode of Vaikuntha is higher than that (i. e. it is situated outside of Brahmânda), again the abode of Goloka is fifty koti yojanas (50 x 10 x 4 x 2 million miles) higher than Vaikuntha. This Goloka Dhâma is eternal and real as S’ri Krisna is eternal and real. This world composed of the seven islands is surrounded by the seven oceans. Forty-nine Upa Dvîpas (smaller islands adjacent to them) are existing here. Besides there are countless mountains and forests. Higher than this earth is the Brahmâloka with seven heavens and below this are the seven Pâtâlas. This is the bounding limit of Brahmânda. Just above this earth there is the Bhûrloka; above is Bhuvarloka; then Svarloka, then Janarloka, then Taparloka, then Satyaloka, and above that is Brahmâloka. The splendour of Brahmâloka is like that of molten gold. But all the substances whether outside or inside this Brahmâloka, are transient. When this Brahmânda (cosmos) dissolves, everything dissolves and is destroyed. All are temporary like bubbles of water. Only Goloka and Vaikuntha are eternal. In every pore of this Mahâ Virât is existing one Brahmânda (cosmos). What to speak of others when even Krisna cannot count the number of these Brahmândas. In every Brahmânda there is Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a. O Child Nârada! In every Brahmânda, the number of the gods is three kotis or 30 millions. Some of them are the Dikpatis (the Regents of the quarters); some are the Dikpâlas (the Rulers of the quarters), some are asterisms, and some planets. In the Bhûrloka, there are four Varnas (Brâhmins, etc.,) and in the Pâtâlas there are Nâgas. Thus the Universe exists composed of moveable and non-moveable things (This is Brahmânda Vivriti). O Nârada! Now the Virât Purusa began to look up to the skies again and again but He could not see anything within that egg except the void. Then distressed with hunger He cried out repeatedly and became merged in anxiety. Next moment getting back His consciousness, He began to think of Krisna, the Highest Person and saw there at once the eternal light of Brahmâ. He saw there His form as deep blue like new rain-cloud;
with two hands, garment of a yellow colour, sweet smile on His face, flute in His hand and He seemed to be very anxious to show His Grace to Devotees. Looking at the Lord, His Father, the boy became glad and smiled. The Lord, the Bestower of boon granted him boons appropriate for that moment “O Child! Let you possess knowledge like Me; let your hunger and thirst vanish; let you be the holder of innumerable Brahmândas till the time of Pralaya (the universal dissolution). Be without any selfishness, be fearless and the bestower of boons to all. Let not old age, death, disease, sorrow nor any other ailings afflict thee. Thus saying He repeated thrice on his ear the six-lettered great Mantra “Om Krisnâya Svâhâ” worshipped by the Vedas with their Amgas, the Giver of desires and the destroyer of all troubles and calamities. O Brahmâ’s Son! Thus giving the mantra, S’ri Krisna arranged for his feeding thus:-- In every universe, whatever offerings will be given to S’ri Krisna, one sixteenth of that will go to Nârâyana, the Lord of Vaikuntha and fifteen-sixteenth is to go to this boy, the Virât. S’ri Krisna did not allot any share for Himself. Himself transcending all the Gunas, and Full, He is always satisfied with Himself. What necessity is there for any further offerings? Whatever the people offer with devotion, the Lord of Laksmî, the Virât eats all these. Bhagavân S’ri Krisna giving thus to the Virât the boon and the Mantra said:-- “O Child! Say what more you desire; I will give you that instantly. The Virât boy, hearing thus the words of S’ri Krisna, spoke:-- “O Thou Omnipresent! I have got no desires whatsoever, save this that as long as I live, whether for a short time or for a long time, let me have pure Bhakti towards Thy lotus feet.
35-41. In this world he is Jîvanmukta (liberated whilst living) who is your Bhakta; and that bewildered fool is dead while living who is devoid of any Bhakti to Thee. What needs he to perform Japam, asceticism, sacrifice, worship, holding fasts and observances, going to sacred places of pilgrimages and other virtuous acts if he be without any bhakti to S’ri Krisna? Vain is his life who is devoid of any devotion to S’ri Krisna, under Whose Grace he has obtained his life and Whom he does not now pay homage and worship. He is endowed with Sakti as long as Âtma (Self) resides in his body; no sooner the Âtma departs from his body all the Saktis accompany him. O Great One! And thou art the Universal Âtman (soul) who transcends Prakriti, Who is All will, the Primeval Person and of the nature of the Highest Light. O Child! Thus saying, the Virât boy remained silent. S’ri Krisna then, spoke in sweet words:-- “O Child! Let you remain as fresh as ever like Me. You will not have any fall even if innumerable Brahmâs pass away.
42-57. Let you divide yourself in parts and turn into smaller Virâts in every universe. Brahmâ will spring from your navel and will create
the cosmos. From the forehead of that Brahmâ will spring eleven Rudras for the destruction of the creation. But they will all be parts of S’iva. The Rudra named Kâlâgni, of these eleven Rudras, will be the destroyer of all this Vis’vas (cosmos). Besides, from each of your sub-divisions, the Vis’nu will originate and that Bhagavân Visnu will be the Preserver of this Vis’vu world. I say that under my favour you will always be full of Bhakti towards Me and no sooner you meditate on Me, you will be able to see My lovely form. There is no doubt in this; and your Mother, Who resides in My breast, will not be difficult for you to see. Let you remain here in ease and comfort. I now go to Goloka. Saying thus S’ri Krisna, the Lord of the world disappeared. Going to His own abode He spoke instantly to Brahmâ and S’ankara, skilled in the works of creation and destruction:-- “O Child Brahmâ! Go quickly and be born in parts from the navels of each of the smaller Virâts that will arise from the pores of the Great Virât. O Child Mahâdeva! Go and be born in parts from the forehead of each Brahmâ in every universe for the destruction of the creation; (but be careful that you not forget) and perform austerities for a long, long time. O son of the Creator Brahmâ! Thus saying, the Lord of the Universe remained silent. Brahmâ and S’iva, the auspicious, bowing to the Lord, went to their own duties. On the other hand, the great Virât that lay floating in the waters of the Brahmânda sphere, created from his every pore each smaller Virât. That youth Janârdan of the form of the Great Cosmos, wearing yellow garment of the bluish-green colour of the Durba grass, lay sleeping pervading everywhere. Brahmâ took his birth in His navel. He, then, after his birth, began to travel in that navel-lotus and in the stem of the lotus for one lakh yugas. But he could not find out the place whence the lotus or its stem had sprung up. O Nârada! Then your father became very anxious and came back to his former place and began to meditate on the lotus feet of S’ri Krisna. Then, in meditation, with his introspective eye, he first saw the small Virât, then the endless great Virât lying on the watery bed, in whose pores the universes are existing and then he saw the God S’ri Krisna in Goloka with Gopas and Gopis. He then began to praise the Lord of Goloka when He granted boons to your father, and he began to do the work of creation.
58-62. From the mind of your father, were born first S’anaka and other brothers and then from his forehead eleven Rudras sprang. Then from the left side of that small Virât lying on the bed of waters, the four-handed Visnu Bhagavân, the Preserver of the Universe, came. He went to S’vetadvîpa, where he remained. Then your father became engaged in creating this Universe, moveable and non-moveable, composed
of three worlds, heaven, earth and Pâtâla, in the navel of that small Virât Purusa. O Nârada! Thus from the pores of that great Virât each universe has sprung and in every universe there is one small Virât, one Brahmâ, one Visnu and one S’iva and S’anaka and others. O Best of twice born! Thus I have described the glories of Krisna, that give exceeding pleasure and Moksa. Now say what more you want to hear?
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Ninth Book on the Origin of Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a and others in the Mahâ Purânam S’ri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter IV
On the hymn, worship and Kavacha of Sarasvatî Devî
1-3. Nârada said :-- By your Grace I have heard everything very sweet like nectar, of the origin of things. Now may I ask you which Devî of these five Prakritis has been worshipped by what Mantra? and by whom? How has each of them been praised? and by whom? How has the worship of their Mûrtis (form) become prevalent in this world? What are the Stotram (hymn of praise), the Dhyân (meditation) glory and life of these? Also what sort of boon do each of the Devîs grant? and to whom? Kindly describe all these in detail.
4-29. Nârâyana said :-- O Child! Durgâ, the mother of Ganes'a, Râdhâ, Laksmî, Sarasvatî and Sâvitrî, these are the five Prakritis sprung directly from Mûla Prakriti. The methods of their worship, wonderful glorious acts, excellent stotrams, and their lives, inculcating good to all, and sweet like nectar are all widely written in the Vedas, Purânas, Tantras and other S'âstras. So there is no need to describe them here again. Now I am describing in detail the auspicious character of these that are sprung from the parts and Kalâs of the Prakriti. Hear attentively. Kâlî, Vasundharâ, Gangâ, Sasthî, Mangal Chandikâ, Tulasî, Manasâ, Nidrâ, Svadhâ, Svâhâ, and Daksinâ, these are the parts of Prakriti. By and by I will describe, briefly, the merit-giving characters and pleasant to hear. Along with these I will describe the Karmas of the Jîvas, and the great exalted lives of Durgâ and Râdhâ. I am now describing Sarasvatî's character. Hear, O Muni! S'rî Krisna introduced first in this Bhârata, the worship of the Devî Sarasvatî, the holder of Vînâ in Her hands, under whose influence, the hearts of illiterate stupid persons become illumined with knowledge. The amorous Devî Sarasvatî sprang from the end of the lips of Râdhâ and so she desired to marry Krisna out of amorous feelings. S'ri Krisna, the controller of the hearts of all, knew it instantly and addressed the Mother of the people in true words proper to Her and beneficial to Her in the end. O Chaste One! The four-armed Nârâyana is born from My parts; He is young, of good
features and endowed with all qualifications; so much so, he is like Me. He is a Knower of amorous sentiments of women and He fulfils those desires; what to speak of His beauty, ten millions of the God of love are playing in His body. O Beloved! And if you desire to marry and remain with Me, that will not be of any good to you. For Râdhâ is near to Me; She is more powerful than you. If a man be stronger than another, he can rescue one who takes his shelter; but if he be weaker, how can he then, himself weak, protect his dependant from others. Though I am the Lord of all, and rule all, yet I cannot control Râdhâ. For She is equal to me in power, in beauty, in qualifications, equal to Me in every respect. Again it is impossible for Me to quit Râdhâ for She is the presiding Deity of My life. Who can relinquish life? Though a son is very dear to his father, still it may be questioned, is he dearer than his father's life? So, O Auspicious One! Go to the abode Vaikuntha; you will get your desires fulfilled there. You will get for your husband the Lord of Vaikuntha and you will live ever in peace and enjoy happiness. Though Laksmî is residing there yet like you she is not under the control of lust, anger, greed, delusion and vanity. She is also equal to you in beauty, qualities, and power. So you will live with her in great delight and Hari, the Lord of Vaikuntha, will treat both of you equally. Moreover, I say this in particular that in every universe, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Mâgha, every year, the day when the learning is commenced, a great festival will be held and men, Manus, Devas, and the Munis desirous of liberation, Vasus, Yogis, Nâgas, Siddhas, Gandarbhas, Râksasas, all will perform your worship with devotion in every Kalpa till the time of Mahâ Pralaya comes. All are required to be Jitendriya (having their senses under control) and Samyamî (concentrating his mind, and with a religious vow) and they will invoke Thee on a jar or on books and then meditate according to what is stated in the Kanva S'âkhâ of Yajurveda and then worship and sing hymns to Thee. Thy Kavacha (an armour; a mystical syllable ** considered as a preservative like armour) is written on the bark of the Bhûrja tree and then with eight kinds of scents mingled with it is placed within a golden nut or ring named Mâduli and then held on the neck or on the right arm. The learned should recite Thy Stotras during worship. Thus saying, the Puran Brahmâ S'rî Krisna Himself worshipped the Devî Sarasvatî. Since then, Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes'a, Ananta Deva, Dharma, Sanaka and other Munîndras, all the Devas, Munis, all the kings and all the human beings are worshipping the Devî Sarasvatî. O Nârada! Thus the worship of the Eternal Devî is made extant in the three worlds.
30-31. Nârada said :-- O Chief of the Knowers of the Vedas! Now describe to me the methods of worship, Dhyân, Kavacham, hymns, the
appropriate offerings of the Pûjâ flowers, sandalpaste and other good things necessary in these worships and which are so sweet to hear. I am ever very eager and anxious to hear these.
32-59. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I am now stating the method of worship of the Devî Sarasvatî, the Mother of the Worlds, according to Kanva S'âkhâ of the Yajurveda. Hear. On the day previous to the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Mâgh or the day of commencement of education, the devotee should control his senses, concentrate his mind and take his bath. Then he is to perform his daily duties and install the jar (Ghata) with devotion and according to the Mantras of the Kanva S'âkhâ or the Tantra, as the case may be. He is to worship first on that Ghata (jar) Ganapati (Ganes'a), then meditate the Devî Sarasvatî as described below, invoke Her and again read the Dhyân and then worship with Sodas'opachâra (sixteen good articles offered in the worship). O Good One! Now I am speaking, according to my knowledge, about the offerings as ordained in the Vedas or Tantras. Hear. Fresh butter, curd, thickened milk, rice freed from the husk by frying, sweetmeats (Til Laddu) prepared of Til, sugar cane, sugarcane juice, nice Gud (molasses), honey, svastik, sugar, rice (not broken) out of white Dhân, chipitak of table rice (Âlo châl), white Modak, Harbisyânna prepared of boiled rice with clarified butter and salt, Pistaka of jaoâ or wheaten flour, Paramânna with ghee, nectar like sweetmeats, cocoanut, cocoanut water, Svastik Pistaka, Svastik and ripe plantain Pistaka, Kaseru (root), Mûlâ, ginger, ripe plantains, excellent Bel fruit, the jujube fruit, and other appropriate white purified fruits of the season and peculiar to the place are to be offered in the Poojâ. O Nârada! White flowers of good scent, white sandalpaste of good scent, new white clothes, nice conchshell, nice garlands of white flowers, nice white necklaces, and beautiful ornament are to be given to the Devî. I say now the Dhyânam sweet to hear, of the Devî Sarasvatî according to the Vedas, capable to remove errors! Hear. I hereby bow down to the Devî Sarasvatî, of a white colour, of a smiling countenance and exceedingly beautiful, the lustre of whose body overpowers that of the ten millions of Moons, whose garment is purified by fire, in whose hands there are Vînâ and books, who is decorated with new excellent ornaments of jewels and pearls and whom Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes'vara and the other Devas, Munis, Manus and men constantly worship. Thus meditating the Devî, the intelligent persons should offer all articles, after pronouncing the root Mantra. Then he is to hymn and hold Kavacha and make Sâstânga pranâms before the Devî. O Muni! Those whose Devî Sarasvatî is the presiding Deity, are not to be spoken of at all (i.e., they
will naturally do all these things and with a greater fervour). Besides all should worship the Devî Sarasvatî on the day of commencement of education and every year on the S'ûkla Panchamî day of the month of Mâgh. The eight-lettered Mantra, as mentioned in the Vedas is the root Mantra of Sarasvatî. (Aim Klîm Sarasvatyai namah). Or the Mantra to which each worshipper is initiated is his Mûlmantra (not Mantra). Or uttering the Mantra “S'rîm Hrîm Sarasvatyai Svâhâ” one is to offer everything to the Devî Sarasvatî. This Mantra is the Kalpa Vriksa (i. e., the tree which yields all desires). Nârâyana, the ocean of mercy, gave in ancient times, this very Mantra to Vâlmikî in the holy land Bhârata Varsa on the banks of the Ganges; next Bhrîgu gave this Mantra on the occasion of solar eclipse to Maharsi Sukrâcharya on the Puskara Tîrtha; Mârîcha gave to Brihaspati on a lunar eclipse; Brahmâ gave to Bhrîgu in the Vadarikâ Âs'rama; Jaratkarâ gave to Âstika on the shore of the Ksiroda ocean; Bibhândaka gave this to the intelligent Risyasringa on the Sumeru mountain, S'iva gave this to Kanâda and Gotama, Sûrya gave to Yâjñavalkya and Kâtyâyana, Ananta Deva gave to Pânini, to the intelligent Bhâradvâja and to S'âkatâyana in Bali's assembly in the Pâtâla. If this Mantra be repeated four lakhs of times, all men attain success. And when they become Siddhas with this Mantra, they become powerful like Brihaspati. In past times, the Creator Brahmâ gave a Kavacha named Vis'vajaya to Bhrîgu on the Gandhamâdana Mountain. I now speak of that. Hear.
60-61. Once on a time Bhrîgu asked Brahmâ the Lord of all, and adored by all, thus :-- “O Brahmân! Thou art the foremost of those that know the Vedas; there is none equal to thee in matters regarding the knowledge of the Vedas (so much so that there is nothing that is not known to thee; for all these have sprung from thee). Now say about the Vis'vajaya Kavacha of the Devî Sarasvatî, that is excellent, without any faults and embodying in it all the properties of all the Mantras.”
62-91. Brahmâ said :-- “O Child! What you have asked about the Kavacha of Sarasvatî that is sweet to hear, ordained and worshipped by the Vedas, and the giver of all desired fruits, now hear of that. In the very beginning, the all-pervading S'rî Krisna, the Lord of the Râsa circle, mentioned this Kavacha to me in the holy Brindâvana forest in the abode Goloka at the time of Râsa in Râsa Mandala. This is very secret; it is full of holy unheard, wonderful Mantras. Reading this Kavacha and holding it (on one's arm) Brihaspati has become foremost in matters of intelligence; by the force of this Kavacha S'ukrâchârya
has got his ascendancy over the Daityas; the foremost Muni Vâlmikî has become eloquent and skilled in language and has become Kavîndra and Svâyambhuva Manu; holding this Kavacha he has become honoured everywhere. Kanâda, Gotama, Kanva, Panini, S'akatâyana, Daksa, and Kâtyâyana all have become great authors by virtue of this Kavacha; Krisna Dvaipâyana Veda Vyâsa made the classification of the Vedas and composed the eighteen Purânas. S'âtâtapa, Samvarta, Vas'istha, Parâsara and Yâjñavalkya had become authors by holding and reading this Sarasvatî Kavacha. Risyas'ringa, Bhâradvâja, Âstika, Devala, Jaigisavya, and Yâyâti all were honoured everywhere by virtue of this Kavacha. O Dvija! The Prajâpati Himself is the Risi of this Kavacha; Brihatî is its Chhanda; and S'âradâ Ambikâ is its presiding Deity. Its application (Viniyoga) is in the acquisition of spiritual knowlege, in the fruition of any desires or necessities, in composing poems or anywhere wheresoever success is required. May S'rîm Hrîm Sarasvatyai Svâhâ protect fully my head; S’rîm Vâgdevatâyai Svâhâ, my forehead; Om Hrîm Sarasvatyai Svâhâ, my ears always; Om S’rîm Hrîm Bhagabatyai Sarasvatyai Svâhâ always my eyes; Aim Hrîm Vâgvâdinyai Svâhâ, always my nose; Om Hrîm Vidyadhisthâtrî Devyai Svâhâ, my lips always; Om S’rîm Hrîm Brahmyai Svâhâ my rows of teeth; Aim, this single letter protect my neck; Om S’rîm Hrîm my throat; S'rîm, my shoulders, Om Hrîm Vidyâdhisthâtrî Devyai Svâhâ, always my chest; Om Hrîm Vidyadhisvarûpâyai Svâhâ my navel; Om Hrîm Klîm Vânyai Svâhâ my hands; Om Svarva vârnatmî Kâyai Svâhâ my feet; and let Om Vâgadhisthâtridevyai Svâhâ protect all my body. Let Om Sarvakanthavâsinyai Svâhâ protect my east; Let Om Svarvajibhâgra vâsinyai Svâhâ, the South-east; Om Aim Hrîm S’rîm Klîm Sarasvatyai budhajananyai Svâhâ, my South; Aim Hrîm S’rîm, this three lettered Mantra my South-west; Om Aim Jhibhagravâsinyai Svâhâ, my West; Om Svarvam bikâyai Svâhâ, my North west; Om Aim S’rîm Klîm Gadyavâsinyai Svâhâ my North; Aim Sarvas'âstra vasinyai Svâhâ, my North-east; Om Hrîm Sarvapujitayai Svâhâ, my top; Hrîm Pustakavasinyai Svâhâ my below and let Om Grantha vîjasvarupâyai Svâhâ protect all my sides. O Nârada! This Vis'vajaya Kavacha of the nature of Brahmâ and its embodied Mantra I have now spoken to you. I heard this before from the mouth of Dharma Deva in the Gandhâmâdana mountain. Now I speak this to you out of my great affection for you. But never divulge this to anybody. One is worship one's spiritual Teacher (Guru Deva) according to due rites and ceremonies with clothings, ornaments, and sandalpaste and then fall down prostrate to him and then hold this Kavacha. Repeating this
five lakhs of times, one gets success and becomes a Siddha. The holder of this Kavacha becomes intelligent like Brihaspati, eloquent, Kavîndras, and the conqueror of the three worlds, no sooner one becomes a Siddlha in this. In fact, he can conquer everything by virtue of this Kavacha. O Muni! Thus I have described to you this Kavacha according to Kânva S'âkhâ. Now I am speaking about the method of worship, Dhyâna and the praise of this Kavacha. Hear.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the hymn, worship and Kavacha of Sarasvatî Devî in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter V
On Sarasvatî stotra by Yâjñavalkya
1-5 Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I now describe the Stotra (hymn) of Sarasvatî Devî, yielding, all desires that Yâjñavalkya, the best of the Risis recited in days of yore to Her. The Muni Yajñavalkya forgot all the Vedas out of the curse of Guru and with a very sad heart went to the Sun, the great merit-giving place. There he practised austerities for a time when the Lolâkhya Sun became visible to him, when, being overpowered by great sorrow, he began to cry repeatedly; and then he sang hymns to him. Then Bhagavân Sûrya Deva became pleased and taught him all the Vedas with their Amgas (limbs) and said :-- “O Child! Now sing hymns to Sarasvatî Devî that you get back your memory.” Thus saying, the Sun disappeared. The Muni Yâjñavalkya finished his bath and with his heart full of devotion began to sing hymns to the Vâg Devî, the Goddess of Speech.
6-32. Yâjñavalkya said :-- “Mother! Have mercy on me. By Guru's curse, my memory is lost; I am now void of learning and have become powerless; my sorrow knows no bounds. Give me knowledge, learning, memory, power to impart knowledge to disciples, power to compose books, and also good disciples endowed with genius and Pratibhâ (ready wit). So that in the council of good and learned men my intelligence and power of argument and judgment be fully known. Whatever I lost by my bad luck, let all that come back to my heart and be renewed as if the sprouts come again out of the heaps of ashes. O Mother! Thou art of the nature of Brahmâ, superior to all; Thou art of the nature of Light, Eternal; Thou art the presiding Deity of all the branches of learning. So I bow down again and again to Thee. O Mother! The letters Anusvâra, Visarga and Chandravindu that are affixed, Thou art those letters. So obeisance to Thee! O Mother! Thou art the exposition (Vyâkhyâ) of the S'âstras; Thou art the
presiding Deity of all the expositions and annotations. Without Thee no mathematician can count anything. So Thou art the numbers to count time; Thou art the S'akti by which Siddhântas (definite conclusions) are arrived at; Thus Thou dost remove the errors of men. So again and again obeisance to Thee. O Mother! Thou art the S'akti, memory, knowledge, intelligence, Pratibhâ, and imagination (Kalpanâ). So I bow down again and again to Thee. Sanatkumâra fell into error and asked Brahmâ for solution. He became unable to solve the difficulties and remained speechless like a dumb person. Then S'rî Krisna, the Highest Self arriving there, said :-- O Prajâpati! Better praise and sing hymns to the Goddess of speech; then your desires will be fulfilled. Then the four-faced Brahmâ advised by the Lord, praised the Devî Sarasvatî; and, by Her grace, arrived at a very nice Siddhânta (conclusion). One day the goddess Earth questioned one doubt of Her to Ananta Deva, when He being unable to answer, remained silent like a dumb person. At last He became afraid; and advised by Kas'yapa, praised Thee when He resolved the doubt and came to a definite conclusion. Veda Vyâsa once went to Vâlmîki and asked him about some Sûtras of the Purânas when the Muni Vâlmîki got confounded and remembered Thee, the Mother of the world. When by Thy Grace, the Light flashed within him and his error vanished. Thereby he became able to solve the question. Then Vyâsadeva, born of the parts of S'rî Krisna, heard about the Purâna Sûtras from Vâlmîki's mouth and came to know about Thy glory. He then went to Puskara Tîrtha and became engaged in worshipping Thee, the Giver of Peace, for one hundred years. Then Thou didst become pleased and grant him the boon when he ascended to the rank of the Kavîndra (Indra amongst the poets). He then made the classification of the Vedas and composed the eighteen Purânas. When Sadâ S'iva was questioned on some spiritual knowledge by Mahendra, He thought of Thee for a moment and then answered. Once Indra asked Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas, about S'abda S'âstra (Scriptures on sound). He became unable to give any answer. So he went to Puskara Tîrtha and worshipped Thee for a thousand years according to the Deva Measure and he became afterwards able to give instructions on S'abda S'âstra for one thousand divine years to Mahendra. O Sures'varî! Those Munis that give education to their disciples or those that commence their own studies remember Thee before they commence their works respectively. The Munîndras, Manus, men, Daityendras, and Immortals, Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a all worship Thee and Sing hymns to Thee. Visnu ultimately becomes inert when He goes on praising Thee by His thousand mouths. So Mahâ Deva becomes when
he praises by His five mouths; and so Brahmâ by His four mouths. When great personages so desist, then what to speak of me, who is an ordinary mortal having one mouth only!” Thus saying, the Maharsi Yâjñavalkya, who had observed fasting, bowed down to the Devî Sarasvatî with great devotion and began to cry frequently. Then the Mahâmâyâ Sarasvatî, of the nature of Light could not hide Herself away. She became visible to him and said “O Child! You be good Kavîndra (Indra of the poets).” Granting him this boon, She went to Vaikuntha. He becomes a good poet, eloquent, and intelligent like Brihaspati who reads this stotra of Sarasvatî by Yâjñavalkya. Even if a great illiterate reads this Sarasvatî stotra for one year, he becomes easily a good Pundit, intelligent, and a good poet.
Here ends the Fifth Chapter of the Ninth Book on Sarasvatî stotra by Yâjñavalkya in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter VI
On the coming in this world of Laksmî, Gangâ and Sarasvatî
1-10. Nârâyana said :-- “O Nârada! Sarasvatî lives always in Vaikuntha close to Nârada. One day a quarrel arose with Gangâ, and by Her curse, Sarasvatî came in parts as a river here in this Bhârata. She is reckoned in Bhârata as a great sanctifiying holy and merit-giving river. The good persons serve Her always, residing on Her banks. She is the Tapasyâ and the fruit thereof of the ascetics. She is like the burning fire to the sins of the sinners. Those that die in Bhârata on the Sarasvatî waters with their full consciousness, live for ever in Vaikuntha in the council of Hari. Those that bathe in the Sarasvatî waters, after committing sins, become easily freed of them and live for a long, long time in Visnu-Loka. If one bathes even once in the Sarasvatî waters, during Châturmâsya (a vow that lasts four months), in full moon time, in Aksyayâ or when the day ends, in Vyatîpâta Yoga, in the time of eclipse or on any other holy day or through any other concomitant cause or even without any faith and out of sheer disregard, one is able to go to Vaikuntha and get the nature of S’rî Hari. If one repeats the Sarasvatî Mantra, residing on the banks of the Sarasvatî, for one month, a great illiterate can become a great poet. There is no doubt in this. Once shaving one's head, if one resides on the banks of the Sarasvatî, daily bathes in it, one will have not to meet with the pain of being again born in the womb. O Nârada! Thus I have described a little of the unbounded glories of Bhârata that give happiness and the fruits of all desires.”
11. Sûta said :-- “O Saunaka! The Muni Nârada hearing thus, asked again at that very moment to solve his doubts. I am now speaking of that. Hear.”
12-15. Nârada said :-- “O Lord! How did the Devî Sarasvatî quarrel with the Devî Gangâ and how did she by Her curse turn out in India, into a holy river in giving virtues. I am becoming more and more eager and impatient to hear about this critical incident. I do not find satiety in drinking your nectar-like words. Who finds satiety in getting his good weal? Why did Gangâ curse Sarasvatî, worshipped everywhere. Gangâ is also full of Sattva Gunas. She always bestows good and virtue to all. Both of them are fiery and it is pleasant to hear the cause of quarrels between those two. These are very rarely found in the Purânas. So you ought to describe that to me.”
16-21. Nârâyana said :-- Hear, O Nârada! I will now describe that incident, the hearing of which removes all the sins. Laksmî, Sarasvatî and Gangâ, the three wives of Hari and all equally loved, remain always close to Hari. One day Gangâ cast side-long glances frequently towards Nârâyana and was eagerly looking at Him, with smile on Her lips. Seeing this, the Lord Nârâyana, startled and looked at Gangâ and smiled also. Laksmî saw that, but she did not take any offence. But Sarasvatî became very angry. Padmâ (Laksmî) who was of Sattva Guna, began to console in various ways the wrathful Sarasvatî; but she could not be appeased by any means. Rather Her face became red out of anger; she began to tremble out of her feelings (passion); Her lips quivered; and She began to speak to Her husband.
22-38. The husband that is good, religious, and well qualified looks on his all the wives equally; but it is just the opposite with him who is a cheat. O Gadâdhara! You are partial to Gangâ; and so is the case with Laksmî. I am the only one that is deprived of your love. It is, therefore, that Gangâ and Padmâ are in love with each other; for you love Padmâ. So why shall not Padmâ bear this contrary thing! I am only unfortunate. What use is there in holding my life? Her life is useless, who is deprived of her husband's love. Those that declare you, of Sattva Gunas, ought not to be ever called Pundits. They are quite illiterate; they have not the least knowledge of the Vedas. They are quite impotent to understand the nature of your mind. O Nârada! Hearing Sarasvatî's words and knowing that she had become very angry, Nârâyana thought for a moment and then went away from the Zenana outside. When Nârâyana had thus gone away, Sarasvatî became fearless and began to abuse Gangâ downright out of anger in an abusive language, hard to hear :-- “O Shameless One! O Passionate One! What
pride do you feel for your husband? Do you like to show that your husband loves you much? I will destroy your pride today. I will see today, it will be seen by others also, what your Hari can do for you?” Saying thus Sarasvatî rose up to catch hold of Gangâ by Her hairs violently. Padmâ intervened to stop this. Sarasvatî became very violent and cursed Laksmî :-- “No doubt you will be turned into a tree and into a river. In as much as seeing this undue behaviour of Gangâ, you do not step forward to speak anything in this assembly, as if you are a tree or a river.” Padmâ did not become at all angry, even when she heard of the above curse. She became sorry and, holding the hands of Sarasvatî, remained silent. Then Gangâ became very angry; Her lips began to quiver frequently. Seeing the mad fiery nature of the red-eyed Sarasvatî, she told Laksmî :-- “O Padme! Leave that wicked foul-mouthed woman. What will she do to me? She presides over speech and therefore likes always to remain with quarrels. Let Her shew Her force how far can she quarrel with me. She wants to test the strength of us. So leave Her. Let all know today our strength and prowess.”
39-44. Thus saying, Gangâ became ready to curse Sarasvatî and addressing Laksmî, said :-- “O Dear Padme! As that woman has cursed you to become a river, so I too curse her, that she, too, be turned into a river and she would go to the abode of men, the sinners, to the world and take their heaps of sins.” Hearing this curse of Gangâ, Sarasvatî gave her curse, “You, too, will have to descend into the Bhurloka (the world) as a river, taking all the sins of the sinners.” O Nârada! While there was going on this quarrel, the four-armed omniscient Bhagavân Hari came up there accompanied by four attendants of His, all four-armed, and took Sarasvatî in His breast and began to speak all the previous mysteries. Then they came to know the cause of their quarrels and why they cursed one another and all became very sorry. At that time Bhagavân Hari told them one by one :--
45-67. O Laksmî! Let you be born in parts, without being born in any womb, in the world as the daughter in the house of the King Dharma-dhvaja. You will have to take the form of a tree there, out of this evil turn of fate. There S'ankhachûda, the Indra of the Asuras, born of my parts will marry you. After that you will come back here and be my wife as now. There is no doubt in this. You will be named Tulasî, the purifier of the three worlds, in Bhârata. O Beautiful One! Now go there quickly and be a river in your parts under the name Padmâvatî. O Gange! You will also have to take incarnation in Bhârata as a river, purifying all the worlds, to destroy the sins of
the inhabitants of Bhârata. Bhagiratha will take you there after much entreating and worshipping you; and you will be famous by the name Bhagirathî, the most sanctifying river in the world. There, the Ocean born of my parts, and the King S'ântanu also born of my parts will be your husbands. O Bharatî! Let you go also and incarnate in part in Bhârata under the curse of Gangâ. O Good-natured One! Now go in full Amsas to Brahmâ and become His wife. Let Gangâ go also in Her fullness to S'iva. Let Padmâ remain with Me. Padmâ is of a peaceful nature, void of anger, devoted to Me and of a Sâttvika nature. Chaste, good-natured, fortunate, and religious woman like Padmâ are very rare. Those women that are born of the parts of Padmâ are all very religious and devoted to their husbands. They are peaceful and good-natured and worshipped in every universe. It is forbidden, nay, opposed to the Vedas, to keep three wives, three servants, three friends of different natures, at one place. They never conduce to any welfare. They are the fruitful sources of all jealousies and quarrels. Where, in any family females are powerful like men and males are submissive to females, the birth of the male is useless. At his every step, he meets with difficulties and bitter experiences. He ought to retire to the forest whose wife is foul-mouthed, of bad birth and fond of quarrels. The great forest is better for him than his house. That man does not get in his house any water for washing his feet, or any seat to sit on, or any fruit to eat, nothing whatsoever; but in the forest, all these are not unavailable. Rather to dwell amidst rapacious animals or to enter into fire than remain with a bad wife. O Fair One! Rather the pains of the disease or venom are bearable, but the words of a bad wife are hard to bear. Death is far better than that. Those that are under the control of their wives, know that they never get their peace of mind until they are laid on their funeral pyres. They never see the fruits of what they daily do. They have no fame anywhere, neither in this world nor in the next. Ultimately the fruit is this:-- that they have to go to hell and remain there. His life is verily a heavy burden who is without any name or fame. Never it is for the least good that many co-wives remain at one place. When, by taking one wife only a man does not become happy, then imagine, how painful it becomes to have many wives. O Gange! Go to S'iva. O Sarasvatî! Go to Brahmâ. Let the good-natured Kamalâ, residing on the lotus remain with Me. He gets in this world happiness and Dharma and in the next Mukti whose wife is chaste and obedient. In fact he is Mukta, pure and happy whose wife is chaste; and he whose wife is foul-natured, is rendered impure unhappy and dead whilst he is living.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the coming in this world of Laksmî, Gangâ and Sarasvatî in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the curses of Gangâ, Sarasvatî and Laksmî
1-2. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Thus saying, the Lord of the World stopped. And Laksmî, Gangâ and Sarasvatî wept bitterly, embracing one another. All of them then looked to S'rî Krisna, and gave vent to their feelings one by one with tears in their eyes, and with their hearts throbbing with fears and sorrows.
3-4. Sarasvatî said :-- “O Lord! What is now, the way out of this curse, so severe and paining since our births? How long can helpless women live, separated from their husbands? O Lord! I certainly say that I will sacrifice my body when I go to Bhârata, by taking recourse to yoga. The Mahâtmâs always protect all the persons without fail.”
5-6. Gangâ said :-- “O Lord of the Universe! Why have I been abandoned by You. What fault have I committed? I will quit my body. And You will have to partake of the sin due to the killing of an innocent woman. He is surely to go to hell even if he be the Lord of all, who forsakes in this world an innocent wife.”
7-15. Padmâ said :-- “O Lord! Thou art of the nature of Sattva Guna in fullness; what wonder, then, how Thou hast become angry! However let Thou be pleased now with Sarasvatî and Gangâ. Forgiveness is the best quality of a good husband. I am ready just now to go to Bhârata when Sarasvatî has cursed me. But tell me, how long I will have to stay there? After how many days I shall be able to see again Thy lotus-feet? The sinners will wash away their dirts of sins in my waters by their constant baths and ablutions? By what means shall I be freed again and get back to Thy lotus-feet. How long shall I have to remain in my part, the daughter of Dharma Dhvaja, at the expiry of which I will be able to see Thee again? How long shall I have to assume the form of Tulasî tree, the abode of Thine. O Thou, the Ocean of mercy! Say, when wilt Thou deliver me? And if Gangâ have to go to Bhârata, by the curse of Bhârata, when shall She be freed of the curse and sin and when shall She see back Thy feet? Again if Sarasvatî have to go to Bhârata out of Gangâ's curse, when will that period of curse expire? How many days after shall She be able to come back to Thy feet? Now, be pleased to cancel Thy order for them to go to Brahmâ and S'iva respectively.” O Nârada! Thus speaking to Jagannâtha, the Devî Kamalâ bowed down
at His feet and embracing them by Her own hairs of the bead, cried frequently.
16-37. Now the lotus-navelled Hari, always eager to shew favour to the devotees, smiled and with a gracious heart took up Padmâ on His breast and said :-- “O Sures'varî! I will keep my own word, also I will act according as you like. O Lotus-eyed! Hear. How the two ends can be made to meet. Let Sarasvatî go in her one part to have the form of a river and in her one half part to Brahmâ and remain with me in Vaikuntha in Her full parts. Gangâ will have to go in one part to Bhârata - to purify the three worlds as she will be urged eagerly to do so by Bhagiratha. And She will remain in her one part in the matted hair of Chandra S'ekhara (the Mahâdeva with Moon on his forehead), obtained with a great difficulty, and so will remain there purer than her natural pure state. And let her remain with me in full parts. O Padme! O Lovely-eyed One! You are most innocent; so part of your part will go to Bhârata and be the Padmâvatî river and you will be the Tulasî tree. After the expiry of five thousand years of Kali Yuga, your curse will expire. Again you all will come to My abode. O Padme! Calamities are the causes of the happiness of the embodied beings. Without dangers no one can understand the true nature of happiness. The saint worshippers of My mantra who will perform their ablutions in your water will free you all of your curse by touch and sight. O Fair One! By the sight and touch (Darsan, Spars'an) of My bhaktas (devotees), all the sacred places of pilgrimages in the world will be purified. For uplifting and sanctifying the holy earth, My mantropâsakas, i.e., S'aivas, S'aktas, Gânapatyas, etc., that are devoted to Brahmâ all are residing in Bhârata. Where My Bhaktas reside and wash their feet, that place is undoubtedly reckoned as the holy places of pilgrimages. So much so that by the sight and touch of My devotees, the murderer of a woman, of a cow, of a Brâhmin, the treacherous and even the stealer of the wife of one's Guru will be sanctified and liberated while living. Those who do not perform the vow of Ekâdas'î, who do not perform Sandhyâs, who are Nâstikas (atheists), the murderers, all are free of their sins by the sight and touch of My devotees. By the sight and touch of My devotees, those who live on their swords, pens, and the royal officials, the beggars in a village and the Brâhmanas who carry (deal in) bullocks are also freed of their sins. The traitors, the mischief makers of their friends, those who give false evidence, those that steal other's trust properties, are also freed of their sins by the sight and touch of My devotees. Those who are foul-mouthed, bastards, the husbands and sons of unchaste women are all purified by the sight and touch of My Bhaktas. The Brâhmin cooks of S'ûdras, Brâhmins of an inferior order (who subsist
upon the offerings made to the images which he attends), the village mendicants, those who are not initiated by their Gurus, these all are purified by the sight and touch of My devotees. O Fair One! The sins of those persons who do not maintain their fathers, mothers, brothers, wives, sons, daughters, sisters, the blind, friends, the families of the Gurus, the fathers-in-law, the mothers-in-law are also removed by the sight and touch of My devotees. Those that cut the As'vattha trees, that slander My devotees, and the Brâhmins that eat the food of S'ûdras, are also freed of their sins. Those who steal the Deva's articles, the Brâhmana's articles, those that sell lac, iron, and daughters, those who commit Mahâ Pâtakas (Brahmâhatyâ, Surâpânam, Steyam, Gurbanganâganah, Mahânti pâtakânyâhuh, tatsam-sargahseha Pañchamam) and those that burn the S'ûdrâ's dead bodies, these also are freed of their respective sins by the sight and touch of My devotees.”
38-42. Mahâ Laksmî said :-- “O Thou gracious to faithful attendants! What are the characteristics, the marks of those Bhaktas of Thine that Thou hast spoken of just now whose sight and touch destroy instantly the Mahâpâtakas (five great sins), that are destroyed after a long time by the water of the Tîrthas and the earthen and stone images of the Gods. The sins of the vilest of men, devoid of Hari bhakti, vain and egoistic, cheats, hvpocrites, slanderers of saints, vicious souls are destroyed by your Bhaktas, whose touch and ablations sanctify the sacred places of pilgrimages; by the touch of the dust and water of whose feet, the earth is purified; whom the Bhaktas of Bhârata always pray to see; and there is nothing higher than the meeting of those Bhaktas.” Sûta said :-- “O Great Risi! Thus hearing the words of Mahâ Laksmî, the Lord smiled and began to speak about the secret things or the marks of the Bhaktas.”
43-54. O Laksmî! The marks of the Bhaktas are all mentioned very hiddenly in S'rutis and Purânas. These are very sanctifying; destructive of sins, giving happiness, devotion, and liberation. These are never to be described to deceitful persons; these are the essences and to be kept hidden. But you are very simple and like my life. I therefore speak to you. Hear. O Fair One! All the Vedas declare him to be holy and the best of men, in whose ears are pronounced from the mouth of a Guru, the Visnu mantra. At the very moment of his being born into this world, one hundred generations back of that person, whether they be at that time in heaven or hell, get instantaneous liberation and if any of them happen to be born then as Jîvas, they become liberated at once while living and finally get Visnupadam (the place of Visnu). That mortal is My Bhakta (devotee) who is full of devotion to Me, who always repeats My glories and acts according to My directions, who hears with all his heart My topics, and hearing which, whose mind dances with joy, whose voice gets choked and
tears incessantly flow out from whose eyes, who loses his outward consciousness. Such a man is indeed, My Bhakta. My Bhaktas do not long for happiness or Mukti, or the four states Sâlokya, Sâyujya, Sâmîpya and Sârstî, nor the Brahmâhood, nor the Devahood (the state of immortality); they want only to do Sevâ (service) to Me and they are solely intent on doing this. Even in dreams they do not desire the Indraship, Manuship, the state of Brahmâ so very difficult to be had; nor do they want the enjoyment of kingdoms and heavens. My Bhaktas roam in Bhârata, eager to hear My glories, and always very glad to recite My sweet glorious deeds. The birth of such Bhaktas in Bhârata is very rare. They purify the world and go ultimately to My abode, the best of all Tîrthas (sacred places). Thus I have spoken O Padme! all that you wanted to hear. Now do as you like. Then Gangâ and others all went to obey the order of Srî Hari, Who went to His own abode.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on the curses Gangâ, Sarasvatî, and Laksmî and the way to freedom thereof in the Mahâpurânam S'rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter VIII
On the greatness of Kali
1-110. Nârâyana said :-- A part of Sarasvatî descended in this Bhârata Punya Bhûmi (land of merits), owing to the curse of Gangâ; and She remained in full in Visnu's region, the abode of Vaikuntha. She is named Bhâratî, on account of Her coming to Bhârata; she is called Brâhmî because she is dear to Brahmâ; and She is called Vânî as She presides over Speech. Hari is seen everywhere, in tanks, in wells, in running streams (i.e., in Saras). Because He resides in Saras, therefore He is called Sarasvân. Vânî is the S'akti of that Sarasvân; therefore She is denominated Sarasvatî. The river Sarasvatî is a very sacred Tîrtha. She is the burning fire to the fuel of sins, of sinners. O Nârada! Through the curse of Sarasvatî, the Devî Gangâ also assumed the form of a river in part. She was brought down to this earth at the request of Bhagîratha. Hence she is called Bhâgirathî. While Gangâ was rushing down to the earth S'iva capable to bear the great rush of Her, held Her on His head at the request of the Mother Earth. Laksmî also, through the curse of Sarasvatî came in part of parts Bhârata as the river Padmâvatî. But She remained in full with Hari. Laksmî appeared also in Her other part as the well-known daughter Tulasî of the king Dharmadhvaja in India. Last of all, through Bhâratî's curse and by the command of S'rî Hari, she turned into the Tulasî tree, purifying the whole world. Remaining for five thousand years of Kali, all them will quit their river appearances and go back to Hari. By the
command of S’rî Hari, all the Tîrthas save Kâsî and Bindrâban will go along with them to Vaikuntha. Next at the expiry of the ten thousand years of Kali, S'âlagrâma S'ilâ (the stone piece worshipped as Nârâyana) S'iva, and S'iva S'akti and Purusottama Jagannâtha will leave the soil of Bhârata and go to their respective places, (i.e. the Mâhâtmyas of those will be extinct from Bhârata). There will then cease to be the saints of S'iva S'âkta, Gânapatya and Vaisnava sects, (eighteen) Purânas, the blowing of conch shells (auspicious signs), S'râddhas, Tarpanas, and all the rites and ceremonies dictated by the Vedas. The worship and glorification of the Gods, the recitation of their praises, their names will be extinct. The Vedas with their Amgas will no longer be heard of. All these will disappear with them. The assembly of the Sâdhus, the true Dharma, the four Vedas, the village Devas and Devîs, the Vratas (vows) the practising of the austerities, fasting, all will disappear. All will be addicted to the Vâmâchâra ritual (the left-hand ritual Tântrik form of worship; sarcastically used in the sense of drinking wine and eating flesh, etc.) They will speak falsehood and be deceitful. If anybody worships, his worship will be void of Tulasî leaves. Almost all will be deceitful, cruel, vain, egoistic, thievish and mischievous. Men will be at variance with one another; women will be at variance with one another; no fear will exist in marriage ties. Properties will be only of those that will make them (i. e. there will cease to be any inheritance from father to son and so forth ). Husbands will be obedient to their wives; unchaste women will be in every house. Wives will rebuke their husbands by incessant noisings and chidings. Wives will be the sole mistresses of houses and husbands will stand before them as servants with folded palms. Fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law will be their servants. The brothers of wives, and their friends will be the managers of the household affairs. But there will be no friendship with one's own class fellows. The brothers and friends of the house owners (masters of the house) will appear quite strangers as if they are new-comers. Without the command of the house-wives, the masters of the houses will be unable to do anything. The divisions of caste (Brâhmanâ, Ksattriya, Vaisya, and S'ûdra) will entirely disappear. Far from practising Sandhyâ Bandanam and other daily practices, the Brâhmanas will cease to hold the holy threads even on their bodies. The four colour-classes will practise the doings of the Mlechchas, read the S'âstras of the Mlechchas and forsake their own S'âstras. The Brâhmins, Ksattriyas, and Vais'yas will become the slaves of S'ûdras, will become their cooks, runners and carriers of buffaloes. Every one will be devoid of truth. Earth will not yield any grains;
trees will not yield any fruits and women will be issueless. The cows will not yield milk; even if there be a little milk, ghee will not come out of it. The affection between husband and wife will die out and the families will be devoid of truth. The King will not wield any power; the subjects will be over burdened with taxes. The ever flowing big rivers, the petty streams, the caves of mountains all will gradually have very little water in them. The Four Varnas will be devoid of Dharma and Punya (merit, virtue). One in a lakh may be virtuous. Afterwards that too will cease. Men, women, boys, all will be ugly and deformed. They will utter bad words and vile sounds. Some villages and towns will be completely deserted by men and will look terrible; at some others few cottages with few inhabitants will be seen. Villages and towns will be jungles and jungles will become filled with men. The inhabitants of the forests will become heavily taxed and disconsolate. The beds of rivers and lakes will become dry owing to want of rains and will be cultivated. The Kulînas of high families will become very low. The whole earth will be filled with liars, untruthful cheats and hypocrites. The lands, though cultivated well, will yield grains in name. Those who are well known as the millionaires, they will become poor and those who are devoted to the Devas will be atheists. The towns folk will have no trace of mercy; rather they will hate and envy their neighbours and turn out murderers of men. In the Kali age, males and females will be everywhere, of a dwarfish stature, diseased, shortlived, and of very little youthful virility. The hairs will turn out grey no sooner the people reach their sixteenth year. And they will be very old when they become twenty years old. The girls of eight years will have menstruation and will become pregnant. They will deliver every year. Old age will attack them when they become sixteen years old. Some women will have their husbands and children living. Otherwise almost all will be barren, childless. The four Varnas will sell their daughters. The paramours of the mothers, wives, son's wives, daughters, and sisters will be the source of support to them all. No one will be able, without money, to collect the merits by repeating the name of Hari. Persons will make gifts for name and fame and ultimately will take back what they had made as gifts. If there be any gifts made by one's own self or by one's forefathers or for a Deva purpose or for Brâhmins or for the families of the Gurus, there will not be found wanting attempts to take back those gifts. Some will go to daughters, some to mothers-in-law, some to the wives of sons, some to sisters, some to mothers of co-wives, some will go to the brother's wives. In every house, those who are unfit to be mixed will be mixed with, excepting one's mother. In Kali Yuga
who is whose wife? And who is whose husband? There will be no certainty; who is whose subject and what village is to whom? There will be no surety that such a property belongs to such and such a man. All will turn out to be liars, licentious, thieves, envious of other's wives, and murderers of men. In the houses of the Brâhmins, Ksattriyas, and Vais'yas, the three higher castes, the current of sin will flow. They will live by selling lac, iron, and salts prohibited by the S'âstras. The Brâhmins will drive buffaloes, burn the dead bodies of the S'ûdras, eat the food of the S'ûdras and go to unchaste women. There will be no more faith existing in the five Risi Yajñas. Almost every Brâhmin will not observe the vows of Amâvasyâ Nis'ipâlana. The holy threads will be cast away and the Sandhyâ Bandanam and cleanliness and good practices will cease altogether. The unchaste women who deal in giving loans, etc., and live on interests and the procuresses during menstruation will cook in Brâhmin families. There will be no distinction of food, no distinction of wombs, no distinction of Âs'ramas, and no distinction of persons. All will turn out Mlechchas. O Nârada! Thus, when the Kali will have its full play, the whole world will be filled with Mlechchas, the trees will be one hand high and the men will be of the size of a thumb. Then the most powerful Bhagavân Nârâyana will incarnate in His part in the house of a Brâhmin named Visnujas'â as his son. Mounted on a long horse, holding a long sword He will make the world free of the Mlechchas in three nights. Then he will disappear from the face of the Earth and She will be without any sovereign and be filled with robbers. There will be incessant rain, for six nights and it will rain and rain and the whole earth will be deluged; no traces of men, houses, and trees. After this the Twelve Suns will rise simultaneously and by their rays the whole water will be dried up and the earth will become level. Thus the dreadful Kali will pass away when the Satya Yuga will come back, Tapasyâ and the true religion and Sattva Guna will prevail again. The Brâhmins will practise Tapasyâ, they will be devoted to Dharma and the Vedas. The women will be chaste and religious in every house. Again the wise and intelligent Ksattriyas devoted to the Brâhmanas will occupy the royal thrones and their might, devotion to Dharma and love for good deeds will increase. The Vais'yas will again go on with their trades and their devotion to their trade and the Brâhmins will be reestablished. The S'ûdras, too, will be again virtuous, and serve the Brâhmins. Again the Brâhmins, Ksattriyas, and Vais'yas and their families will have Bhakti towards the Devî, be initiated in Devî Mantras and all will meditate on the Devî. Again there will be spread the knowledge of the Vedas, the Smritis,
and the Purânas, all will go to their wives in menstruation periods. No Adharma (unrighteousness) will exist and the Dharma will reign in full, with all the parts (Kalâs) complete. When the Tretâ Yuga comes, the Dharma will be three footed; when the Dvâpara Yuga will come; the Dharma will be two-footed and when Kali will begin, the Dharma will be one-footed, and when Kali will reign supreme, no Dharma will exist, even in name. (O Nârada! Now I will speak of time.) The seven days of the week, Sunday, &c., the sixteen tithis, Pratipada &c., the twelve months Vais'âkha &c., the six seasons Summer, &c., the two fortnights (dark and bright) and the two Ayanas (Northern and Southern) are rendered in vogue. One day consists of four Praharas, one night consists of four Praharas; a day and a night constitute one so-called day. Thirty such days make one month. In the computation of time, five kinds of years (Varsas) were already mentioned (in the 8th Skandha). As the Satya, Tretâ, Dvâpara and Kali roll on turn by turn, so the days, months and years also roll on in turn. One day, according to the Devas, is equal to one year, according to men; three hundred and sixty human Yugas equal to one Deva Yuga. Seventy-one Deva Yugas make one Manvantara. The life period of Indra, the Lord of S'achî, is one Manvantara. Twenty-eight Indras' lives equal to one day of Hiranyagarbha (the golden wombed) Brahmâ. One hundred and eight such years equal to the life of one Brahmâ. When this Brahmâ dies, there is the Prâkrita Pralaya. The earth is not visible then. (The dissolution of Prakriti takes place.) The whole Brâhmanda is deluged by water; Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes'vara and the other wise Risis get diluted in Para Brahmâ whose substance is all truth and consciousness. That time, the Prakriti Devî, too, gets merged in Para Brahmâ. The fall of Brahmâ and the dissolution of Prakriti are called the Prâkrita Pralaya. The duration of this Pralaya is one Nimesa of the Para Brahmâ Mûla Prakriti united with Mâyâ. All the Brâhmandas (universes) are destroyed at this time. When this Nimesa expires, the creation begins again in due order. So one cannot count the endless numbers of times when this creation and dissolution work are going on. So who can tell how many kalpas had past away, or how many Kalpas will come, how many Brâhmandas were created or how many Brâhmandas will be created. Who will be able to count how many Brahmâs, how many Visnus or how many Mahes'varas there have been. But One and Only One Para Brahmâ Parames'vara (the Great God) is The Supreme Lord of these countless Brâhmandas. The Parames'vara of the nature of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss is the Highest Spirit of all. All others, Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes'vara the
Great Virât, the Smaller Virât, all are His parts. This Brahmâ is Mûlâ Prakriti and from That has appeared S’rî Krisna, the Lord of his left half which is woman (Ardha Nârîs'vara). It is She that divided Herself into two forms; in Her one form, She resides as the two armed Krisna in the region of Goloka; and as the four-armed Nârâyana in Vaikuntha. All the things from Brahmâ, the Highest, to the mere grass the lowest, all are originated from Prakriti. And all the Prakriti-born things are transient. Thus the True, Eternal Para Brahmâ, beyond the three gunas, the Source of all creation, Whose substance is All-Will is the Only Substance beyond the region of Prakriti. He is without Upâdhis (conditions, as time, space, causation and attributes); He is without any form; and the forms that He assumes, they are for shewing His Grace to the devotees only. The Lotus-born Brahmâ is able by His Power of Knowledge to create the Brâhmanda. It is by His Grace that S'iva, the Lord of the yogis is named Mrityumjaya (the Conqueror of Death), the Destoyer of all, and the Knower of all Tattvas. By His Tapas, S'iva has realised Para Brahmâ and therefore has become the Lord of all, All-knowing, endowed with great Vibhûtis (lordly powers), the seer of all, omnipresent, the protector of all, the bestower of all prosperities. The devotion and service towards Para Brahmâ have alone made S’rî Visnu the Lord of all; and it is through the power of Para Brahmâ, that Mahâmâyâ Prakriti Devî has become omnipotent and the Goddess of all. Bhagavatî Durgâ has got His Grace by Her devotion and service to Him and has become Mûla Prakriti of the nature of Being, Consciousness and Bliss. And so has the Devî Sâvitrî, the Mother of the Vedas, become the presiding Deity of the Vedas and She is worshipped by the Brâhmanas and the Knowers of the Vedas. That She presides over all the branches of knowledge, is worshipped by all the learned assemblies and by the whole Universe is the result only of worshipping the Prakriti Devî. That Laksmî has become the bestower of all wealth and the presiding Deity of all the villages and the mistress of all, worshipped by all and the bestower of sons to all is also the result of worshipping Her. Thus it is through the worship of Prakriti that Durgâ, the Destroyer of all calamities and troubles has appeared from the left side of S’rî Krisna; and Râdhâ has become the presiding Deity of His Prâna (vital airs), and She is worshipped by all and possessed of all knowledge. It is by the worship of S'akti that Râdhikâ has so much excelled in love, has become the presiding Deity of the prâna of Krisna, has got love and respect, has been placed on His breast and is exceedingly beautiful. With the object of getting Krisna for her husband, She
practised severe austerities for one thousand Deva years on the mountain S'atas'ringa in Bhârata to get the Mûla Prakriti's Grace. And when the S'akti Mûla Prakriti became graciously pleased towards Her, S’rî Krisna seeing Râdhikâ increasing in beauty like the Crescent Moon took Her to His breast and out of tenderness wept and granted Her highest boons so very rare to others and said :-- O Beautiful One! You better remain always in My breast and devoted to Me amongs all my wives; let you be superior to them all in good fortune, respect, love and glory. From today you are my greatest best wife. I will love you as the best amongst them all. O Dear! Always I will be submissive to you and fulfil what you say. Thus saying, S’rî Krisna selected her as his wife without any co-wives and made Her dear to His Heart. The other Devîs besides the five Prakritis, already mentioned, also derived superiorities by serving Mûla Prakriti. O Muni! What shall I say, everyone reaps the fruits as he practises Tapasyâ. Bhagavati Durgâ practised on the Himâlyâs tapasyâ for one thousand Deva years and meditated on the lotus-feet of Mûla Prakriti and so has come to be worshipped by all. The Devî Sarasvatî practised Tapasyâ for one lakh Deva years and is come to be respected by all. The Devî Laksmî practised Tapasyâ at Puskara for one hundred Divine Yugas and, by the Grace of Mûla Prakriti has become the bestower of wealth to all. The Devî Savitrî worshipped S’akti for sixty thousand divine years in the Malaya mountain and is respected and worshipped by all. O Bibhu! Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara worshipped S'akti for one hundred Manvantaras and so have become the Preservers, etc., of this world. S’rî Krisna practised for ten Manvantaras terrible austerities and therefore obtained his position in the region of Goloka and is remaining there today in greatest bliss. Dharma Deva worshipped S’akti with devotion for ten Manvantaras and has become the lives of all, worshipped by all, and the receptacle of all. O Muni! Thus all, whether the Devîs, Devas, Munis, Kings, Brâhmanas, all have got their respect in this world by the worship of S’akti. O Devarsi! I have thus described to you all that I heard from the mouth of my Guru, in accordance with the rules of the Vedas. What more do you want to hear?
Here ends the Eighth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the Greatness of Kali in the Mahâ Purânam Srîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter IX
On the origin of the S’akti of the Earth
1-4. S’rî Nârada said :-- In the twinkling of an eye of the Devî, the Pralaya takes place; and in that very time also the Brahmânda (cosmos) is dissolved, which is called the Pralaya of Prakriti. During this Pralaya, the Devî Vasundharâ (Earth) disappears; the whole world is deluged with water and all this appearance of five elements called Prapañcha vanishes in the body of Prakriti. Now where does Vasundharâ (Earth), thus vanished, reside? And how does She again appear at the beginning of the creation! What is the cause of her being so much blessed, honoured and capable to hold all and victorious. So tell about Her birth, the source of all welfare.
5-23. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! So it is heard that the Earth appears at the very outset of the creation. Her appearance and disappearance so occur in all the Pralayas. (This earth) the manifestation of the great S’akti, sometimes becomes manifest in Her and sometimes remains latent in Her (the S’akti). It is all the will of that Great S’akti. Now hear the anecdote of appearance (birth) of the earth, the cause of all good, the source of destruction of all calamities, the destroyer of sin and the cause of furtherance of one's religious merits. Some say that this earth has come out of the marrow of the Daityas, Madhu and Kaitabha; but that is not the fact. Hear now the real fact. Those two Daityas were greatly pleased with Visnu's valour and prowess in the fight between them and Visnu; and they said :-- “Kill us on that part of the earth which is not under water.” From their words it is evident that the earth was existent during their lifetime but she was not visible. After their death, the marrow came out after their bones. Now hear how the name “Medinî” came to be applied to the earth. She was taken out of the water, and the marrow came to be mixed with the earth. It is on account of this mixing that she is called Medinî, Now I will tell you what I heard before in Puskara, the sacred place of pilgrimage, from the mouth of Dharma Deva, about the origin of earth, approved by the S'rutis, consistent, and good. Hear. When the mind of Mahâ Virât, merged in water, expanded all over his body, it entered into every pore of his body. Next the Mahâprithvî or the Great Earth appeared at the time of Pañchî Karana (mixing of one-half of each of the elements with one-eighth of each of the other four elements). This Mahâprithvî was broken into pieces and placed in every pore. It is this differentiated earth that appears during creation and disappears during Pralaya. From this mind, concentrated in every pore of the body
of Mahâ Virât, is born this earth, after a long interval. In every pore in the skin of this Virât Purusa there is one earth. She gets manifested and she disappears. This occurs again and again. When she appears, she floats on the water; and when she disappears, she gets merged in the water. There is this earth (world) in every universe; and along with her, there are mountains, forests, seven oceans, seven islands, Sumeru mountain, the Moon, the Sun and other planets, Brahmâloka, Visnuloka (the abode of Visnu) S'ivaloka and the regions of the other Devas, sacred places of pilgrimage, the holy land of Bhâratavarsa, the Kânchanî Bhûmi, seven heavens, seven Pâtâlas or nether regions, on the above Brahmâloka, and Dhruvaloka. This law holds good in every world in every universe. So every universe is the work of Mâyâ and thus it is transient. At the dissolution of Prakriti, Brahmâ falls. Again when creation takes place, the Mahâ Virât appears from S’rî Krisna, the Supreme Spirit. Eternal is this flow of creation, preservation and destruction; eternal is this flow of time, Kasthâ; eternal is this flow of Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a, etc. And eternal is this flow of Vasundharâ who is worshipped in the Vârâha Kalpa by the Suras, Munis, Vipras, Gandarbhas, etc. The S'ruti says that the Presiding Deity of this eternal earth is the wife of Visnu in His boar-form. Mangala (Mars) is the son of that earth and Mangala's son is Ghates'a.
24-26. Nârada said :-- In what form was the Earth worshipped by the Devas in Vârâha Kalpa. The Vârâhi, the receptacle of all things, moving and non-moving, how did she appear, by what method of Pañchî Karana, from the Mûlaprakriti? What is the method of her worship in this Bhûrloka and in the Heavens (Svarloka). Also tell me, O Lord! in detail, the auspicious birth of Mangala (Mars).
27-34. Nârâyana spoke :-- In ancient days, in the Vârâha Kalpa, Varâha Deva (the boar incarnation) when entreated and praised by Brahmâ, killed the Daitya Hiranyâksa and rescued the earth from the nether regions Rasâtala. He then placed the earth on the waters where she floated as the lotus leaf floats on water. In the meantime Brahmâ began to fashion the wonderful creation on the surface of the earth. Bhagavân Hari, in His boar form and brilliant like ten million suns saw the beautiful and lovely appearance of the presiding deity of the earth, possessed of amorous sentiments. He then assumed a very beautiful form, fit for amorous embraces. They then held their sexual intercourse and it lasted day and night for one Deva year. The beautiful Earth, in the pleasant amorous plays, fainted away; for the intercourse of the lover with the beloved is exceedingly pleasant. And Visnu, too, at the same time was very much exhausted by the pleasant touch of the
body of the Earth. He did not become conscious even how days and nights passed away. When full one year passed away, they got back their senses and the amorous man then left his hold of the loved. He assumed easily his former Boar form and worshipped Her as the incarnate of the Devî, with incense, lights, offerings of food, with vermilion (Sindur, red-powder), sandal-paste, garments, flowers and various other offerings of food, etc. He then said :--
35-37. O Auspicious One! Let Thou beest the receptacle of all things. All the Munis, Manus, Devas, Siddhas, and Dânavas, etc., will worship Thee with pleasure and willingness. On the day the Ambuvâchi ceremony closes, on the day when the house construction, i.e., the foundation is laid, on the day when the first entry is made into the newly built houses, when the digging of the well or tank commences, and on the day when tilling the ground commences, all will worship Thee. Those stupid fools that will not observe this, will certainly go to hell.
38-41 The Earth spoke :-- “O Lord! By Thy command I will assume the form of Vârâhî (female boar) and support easily on my back this whole world of moving and non-moving things, but the following things, pearls, small shells, S'âlagrâm, (a black stone, usually round, found in the river Gandakî, and worshipped as a type of Visnu), the phallus or emblem of S'iva, the images of the goddesses, conch-shells, lamps (lights), the Yantras, gems, diamonds, the sacred upanayana threads, flowers, books, the Tulasî leaves, the bead (Japa mâlâ), the garland of flowers, gold, camphor, Gorochanâ (bright yellow pigment prepared from the urine or bile of a cow), Sandal, and the water after washing the S'âlagrâma stone, I will not be able to bear. I will be very much pained in case I were to bear these on Me.”
42-45. S’rî Bhagavân said :-- “O Fair One! The fools that will place the above articles on Thy back will go to the Kâlasutra hell for one hundred divine years.” O Nârada! Thus saying, the Bhagavân Nârâyana remained silent. Now the Earth became pregnant and the powerful planet Mars was born. By the command of S’rî Hari, all began to meditate on Earth according to what is mentioned in Kânvas'âkhâ and began to praise Her. Offerings of food were given, uttering the root Mantra. Thus became extant all over the three worlds Her worship and praise.
46. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! Very sacred is the meditation, hymn and the root Mantra of the Earth. I am very anxious to hear them. Kindly describe it in detail.
47-48. Nârâyana said :-- The Earth was first worshipped by Varâha Deva; next She was worshipped by Brahmâ. Next She was worshipped by all the Munis, Devas, Manus and men. O Nârada! Now hear the Dhyân, praise and Mantra of the Devî Earth.
49-51. The Earth was first worshipped by Bhagavân Visnu with this root Mantra (mûl mantra) “On Hrîm S’rîm Klîm Vasundharâyai Svâhâ.” Next He said :-- O Devî Earth! O Thou Smiling One! I worship Thee, who art worshipped by the three worlds, whose colour is white like white lotus, whose face is beautiful like the autumnal moon, who art the Store-house of all gems and jewels, and in whose womb all the precious stones and pearls are inbedded, and who has put on a raiment purified by fire. All then began to worship Her with this Mantra.
52-63. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- Now hear the hymn sung before Her according to Kânva S'âkhâ :-- O Thou, the Giver of Victory! Holder of water! Endowed with water, full of victory; Consort of the Boar Incarnation, Carrier of victory! Bestow victory on me. O Thou Auspicious One! The Store-house of all good, O Thou incarnate of all auspiciousness! Bestower of good, Thou, the Source of all good to bestow all sorts of welfare! Bestow all things that are good and auspicious to me in this world.
O Thou! The Receptacle of all, the Knower of all, all powerful, the Bestower of all desires, O Devî Earth! Give me the fruits that I desire.
O Thou! Who art all merits, Thou, the Seed of all religious merits, O Thou, the Eternal, the receptacle of all religious merits, the home of all religious persons, Thou bestowest merits to all.
O Thou! The Store-house of all grains, enriched with all sorts of corns, Thou bestowest harvests to all; Thou takest away all the grains in this world and again, Thou producest all corns of various kinds here. O Earth! Thou art all-in-all to the landlords, the Best Source of refuge and happiness. O Bestower of lands! Give me lands. The above hymn yields great religious merits. He becomes the sovereign of the whole earth for millions and millions of births who rising early in the morning reads this stotra. Men who read this acquire merits due to giving away lands as gifts. People become certainly freed of their sins, if they read this stotra, who take back the lands after making them as gifts, who dig earth on the day of Ambuvâchî, who dig wells without permission on another's well, who steal other's lands, who throw their semen on earth, who place lamps on the earth. Religious merits, equivalent to one hundred horse sacrifices accrue from reading this stotra. There is no doubt in this. This stotra of the great Devî is the source of all sorts of welfare and auspiciousness.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the origin of the S’akti of the earth in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter X
On the offences caused to the Earth and punishments thereof
1-3. Nârada said :-- I am now desirous to hear about the merits acquired by making gifts of land, the demerits in stealing away lands, digging wells in other's wells, in digging earth on the day of Ambuvâchî, in casting semen on earth, and in placing lamps and lights on the surface of the earth as well the sins when one acts wrongly in various other ways on the surface of the earth and the remedies thereof.
4-30. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- If one makes a gift of land in this Bhârata of the measure of a Vitasti (a long span measured by the extended thumb and little finger) to a Brâhmana who performs Sandhyâ three times a day and is thus purified, one goes and remains in S’iva Loka (the abode of S’iva). If one gives away in charity a land full of corn to a Brâhmin, the giver goes and lives in Visnu Loka in the end for a period measured by the number of dust particles in the land. If one presents a village, a plot of land, or grains to a Brâhmin, both the giver and the receiver, become freed of their sins and go to the Devî Loka (the abode of the Devî). Even if one be present when a proposal for a gift of land is being made and says “This act is good,” one goes to Vaikuntha with one's friends and relatives. He remains in the Kâlasutra hell as long as the Sun and Moon exist, who takes back or steals away the gift to a Brâhmin, offered by himself or by any other body. Even his sons, grandsons, etc., become destitute of lands, prosperity, sons, and wealth and remain in a dreadful hell named Raurava. If one cultivates the grazing land for the cows and reaps therefrom a harvest of grains, one remains for one hundred divine years in the Kumbhîpâka hell. If one cultivates any enclosure for cows or tanks and grows grains on them, one remains in the Asipatra hell for a period equivalent to fourteen Indra's falls. One who bathes in another's tank without taking off five handfuls of earth from it, goes to hell and one's bath is quite ineffectual. If anybody, out of his amorous passion casts his semen privately on the suface of the ground, he will have to suffer the torments of hell for as many years as are the numbers of dust particles on that area. If anyone digs ground on the day of Ambuvâchî, one remains in hell for four Yugas. If, without the permission of the owner of a well or tank, a stupid man clears the old well or tank and digs
the slushy earth from the bottom, his labour goes in vain. The merit goes to the real owner. And the man who laboured so much goes to Tapta Kunda Naraka for fourteen Indra's life-periods. If any one takes out five handfuls of earth from another's tank, when he goes to bathe in it, he dwells in Brahmâ Loka for a period of years amounting to the number of particles in those handfuls of earth. During one's father's or grandfather's S'râdha ceremony, if one offers pinda without offering any food (pinda) to the owner of the soil, the S'râdha performer goes certainly to hell. If one places a light (Pradîpa) directly on the earth without any holding piece at the bottom, one becomes blind for seven births; and so if one places a conch-shell on the ground (S'ankha), one becomes attacked with leprosy in one's next birth. If any body places pearls, gems, diamonds, gold and jewels, the five precious things on the ground he becomes blind, if one places the phallic emblem of S’iva, the image of S'ivâni, the S'âlagrâma stone on the ground, he remains for one hundred Manvantaras to be eaten by worms. Conchshells, Yantras (diagrams for S'akti worshippers), the water after washing S'ilas (stones) i. e., Charanâmrita, flowers, Tulasî leaves, if placed on the ground, lead him who places these, verily to hells. The beads, garlands of flowers, Gorochana (a bright yellow pigment prepared from the urine or bile of a cow), and camphor, when placed on the ground, lead him who places so to suffer the torments of hell. The sandal wood, Rudrâksa mâlâ, and the roots of Kus'a grass also, if placed on the ground, lead the doer to stay for one manvantara in the hell. Books, the sacred Upanayana threads, when placed on the ground make the doers unfit for Brâhmin birth; rather he is involved in a sin equivalent to the murder of a Brâhmin. The sacred Upanayana thread when knotted and rendered fit for holding, is worth being worshipped by all the castes. One ought to sprinkle the earth with curd, milk, etc., after one has completed one's sacrifices. If one fails to do this, one will have to remain for seven births in a hot ground with great torment. If one digs the earth when there is an earth quake or when there is an eclipse, that sinner becomes also devoid of some of his limbs in his next birth. O Muni! This earth is named Bhûmi since She is the abode of all; she is named Kâs'yapî since she is the daughter of Kas'yapa; is named Vis'vambharâ, since she supports the Universe; She is named Ananta, since she is endlessly wide; and She is named Prithivî since she is the daughter of the King Prithu, or she is extensively wide.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the offences caused towards the surface of the earth and punishments thereof
in hells - in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XI
On the origin of the Ganges
1-3. The Devarsi Nârada said :-- O Thou, the foremost of the knowers of the Vedas! I have heard the excellent narration of Earth. Now I want to hear the anecdote of Gangâ. I heard, ere long, that Gangâ, of the nature of Visnu and appearing from the feet of Visnu, the Îs'varî of the Devas, appeared, due to the curse of Bhâratî, on Bhârata; why has she come to Bhârata; in which Yuga and asked by whom did she come to Bhârata? O Lord! Now describe to me this auspicious anecdote capable to destroy sins and yield religious merits.
4-38. Nârâyana said :-- O Child! In ancient days there was born a prosperous Emperor King of Kings, in the Solar dynasty. He had two beautiful wives; one was named Vaidarbhî, and the other was named S'aivyâ. S'aivyâ delivered a very lovely son; his name was Asamanjâ. On the other hand, the queen Vaidarbhî desirous of getting a son, worshipped S'ankara, the Lord of Bhûtas who became pleased and granted her request; and Vaidarbhî became pregnant. After one hundred years of pregnancy she gave birth to one mass of flesh. Seeing this, the queen became very afflicted and taking refuge of Mahâdeva, began to cry loudly and very often. Bhagavân S'ankara, then, appeared there in a Brâhmin form and cut that mass of flesh into thousand pieces. Those thousand pieces turned out into thousand very powerful sons. Their bodies looked more brillant than the mid-day sun. But they were all burnt to ashes by the curse of Kapila Muni. And the King began to lament bitterly and he entered into the forest. Asamajâ practised tapasyâ to bring the Gangâ for one lakh years when he quitted his body in course of time. His son Ams'umân practised tapasyâ for one lakh years to bring Gangâ unto Bhârata and he, too, died. Then the son of Amsumân, the intelligent Bhagîratha, a great devotee of Visnu, free of old age and death and the store of many qualifications, practised tapasyâ for one lakh years to bring Gangâ on earth. At last he saw S’rî Krisna brilliant like ten millions of summer suns. He had two hands; there was a flute in his hand; be was full of youth in the dress of a cow-herd. A sight of His Gopâla Sundarî form, wearing a Sakhî's dress, makes one think that He is ever ready to show grace on His devotees. He is Para Brahmâ, whose Substance is Will; be has no deficiencies. Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'vara and the other Devas and Munis, etc. all praise Him, who pervades everywhere. He is not concerned with anything; yet He is the Witness of all. He is beyond
the three gunas, higher than Prakriti. A sweet smile is always in his face, which makes it the more lovely. There is none equal to him in showing Grace to the Bhaktas. His raiment is purified (uninflammable) by fire and he is decorated with gems, jewels and ornaments. The King Bhagîratha saw that unforeseen appearance, bowed down and began to praise over and over again. His whole body was filled with ecstasy. Then he clearly told what he wanted for the deliverance of his family. Bhagavân S’rî Krisna then, addressed Gangâ and said :-- “O Sures'varî! Go quickly and appear in Bhârata, under the curse of Bhâratî. By My command go quickly and purify the sons of Sagara. They will all be purified by the touch of the air in contact with the Ganges and rise up in divine aerial cars, assuming forms like Mine and they will come to My abode. They will there remain always as My attendants and they will not be involved in the sins that they committed in their previous births. O Nârada! It is stated thus in the Vedas, that if the human souls, taking their births in Bhârata, commit sins for millions and millions of births, the sins will be completely destroyed if they touch once the air in contact with and carrying the particles of the Ganges. The sight of the Ganges and the touch of the Ganges water give religious merits ten times more than the touch with the air in contact with the Ganges water. People become freed of their sins then and there especially if they bathe in the Ganges. It is heard in the S'rutis that the bathing in the Ganges, if done according to rules, destroys all the sins, e.g., the murder of a Brâhmin, etc., acquired in one thousand millions of births done consciously or unconsciously. The merits that are acquired by the bathing in the Ganges on a day of religious merit, cannot be described even by the Vedas. Whatever is mentioned in the Âgamas is but a mere trifle. Even Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a cannot describe fully the merits of the bathing in the Ganges. O Brâhmin! Such is the glory of ordinary bathing. Now I will describe the effect of the Ganges bath done with a Sankalpa (resolve); hear. Ten times more the result is obtained when the Ganges bathing is done with a resolve (Sankalpa) than ordinary bath and if one bathes on the day when the sun passes from one sign to another (in the Zodiac), thirty times more religious merits accrue. On the new Moon (Amâvyas) day, the Ganges bath gives the merits as above mentioned; but when the Sun is in his Southern course (Daksinâyana) double the merits are obtained and when the sun is in his Northern course, ten times more religious merits are obtained. The Ganges bathing in the time of Châturmâsya, full Moon day, Aksayâ Navamî or Aksayâ trittîyâ yields merits that cannot be measured. And if on the above Parva (particular periods of the year on which certain ceremonies are commanded) days both bathing, and making
over gifts are done, there is no limit to the religious merits acquired; hundred times more than ordinary bath, religious merits are obtained. Great religious merits accrue from the Ganges bath on Manvantarâ tithi, Yugâdyâ, S'uklâ seventh day of the month of Mâgha, Bhîsmâstamî day, As'okâstamî day, and S’rî Râma Navamî day. Again double the merits than those of the above arise from bathing in the Ganges during the Nandâ ceremony. The Gauges bath in the Das'aharâ tenth tithi gives merits equivalent to Yugâdyâ Snânam (bath). And if the bathing be done on Mahânandâ or in Mahâvârunî day, four times more religious merits accrue. Ten million times more religious merits accrue from the Ganges bathing on Mahâ Mahâ Vârunî day than ordinary bath. The Ganges bath in the Solar eclipse yields ten times more religious merits than in the Lunar eclipse. Again the Snânam in Ardhodaya Yoga yields hundred times more religious merits than that of the (solar) eclipse. Thus saying to Gangâ before Bhagîratha, the Lord of the Devas remained silent. The Devî Gangâ with her head bowed down with devotion, said :--
39-42. Gangâ said :-- If I am after all, to go to Bhârata as Thou commandest and under the curse given previously by Bhâratî, then tell me how I would be freed of the sins that the sinners will cast on me. How long will I have to remain there? When, O Lord! Shall I be able to return to the Highest place of Visnu? O Thou, the Inner Self of all! O All Knowing! O Lord! Whatever else I desire, Thou knowest them all. So be pleased to instruct me on all these points.
43-69. Bhagavân S’rî Hari said :-- O Sures'varî! I know all that you desire; when you will assume the liquid form, the Salt Ocean will be your husband. He is My part and you are of the nature of Laksmî; so the union of the lover with the love stricken in the world will turn out a happy and qualified one. Of all the rivers Sarasvatî and others in Bhârata, that go to mix with the ocean, you will be the best and highly fortunate of them all. From today you will have to remain in Bhârata for a period of five thousand years, under the curse of Bhâratî. You will be able to enjoy daily and always the pleasures with the Ocean. O Devî! As you are a clever lady, so He is also apt and expert. The inhabitants of Bhârata will praise Thee and worship Thee with great devotion by the stotra which Bhagîratha has composed. He will derive the fruit of one horse-sacrifice who will meditate on Thee as per Kânvas'âkhâ and worship, praise and bow down to Thee daily. Even if one utter “Gangâ,” “Gangâ,” though one is one hundred Yojanas away from the Ganges, one will be freed of all sins and go to Visnu-loka. Whatever sins will be cast in Thee by thousand sinners bathing in Thee will be destroyed by the touch of the devotees of Prakriti Devî. Even if
thousands and thousands of sinners touch the dead bodies and bath in Thee, all those will be destroyed when the Devî Bhaktas,the worshippers of Bhuvanes'varî and Mâyâ Vîja, will come and touch Thee. O Auspicious One! Thou wilt wash away the sins of the sinners, by Thy stay in Bhârata with other best rivers Sarasvatî and others. That will be at once a sacred place of pilgrimage where Thy glories will be chanted. By the touch of the dust of Thine, the sinner will be at once purified and he will dwell in the Devî-loka (Mani Dvîpa) for as many years as will be the dust there. All Hail to the Devî Bhuvanes'varî! He who will leave his body on Thy lap with full consciousness and remembering My name, will certainly go to My abode and will remain, as My chief attendant for an infinite period. He will see countless Prâkritik Layas (dissolutions of the Universe). Unless a man has collected hordes of religious merits, be cannot die in the Ganges; and if he dies on the Ganges he goes to Vaikuntha as long as the Sun rises in this world. I get many bodies for him where he can enjoy the fruits of his Karma and I then give him My Svârûpya (Form resembling Mine) and make him My attendant. If any ignorant man, void of any Jñânam, quits his body by touching merely Thy water, I give him Sâlokya (place in My region) and make him My attendant. Even if one quits one's body in a far off place, uttering Thy Name, I give him place in My region for one life time of Brahmâ. And if he remembers Thee with devotion, and quits his mortal coil at another place, I give him Sârûpya (Form resembling Mine) for a period of endless Prâkritik Layas. He instantly gets on an aerial car made of jewels and goes with My attendants to the region of Goloka and gets form like Me. Those that worship daily My Mantra, that pass their day eating the remnant of the food offered to Me, they need not have any distinction whether they die in Tîrath or not. They themselves can easily purify the three worlds. Getting on the excellent and best aerial car built of jewels, they go to the region of Goloka. O Chaste One! Even if the friends of My devotees, be born in animal births, they also will be purified by the devotion shown towards Me and getting on a jewelled aerial car will be able to go to Goloka, so diffcult of access. Wherever the Bhaktas may be, if they simply remember Me with devotion, they will become liberated while living by the power of My Bhakti. Thus saying to Gangâ, Bhagavân S’rî Hari addressed Bhagîratha :-- O Child! Now worship Gangâ Devî with devotion and chant hymns to Her. The pure Bhagîrata meditated with devotion as per Kauthuma S'âkhâ and worshipped the Devî and praised Her repeatedly. Then Gangâ and Bhagîratha bowed down to S’rî Krisna and He disappeared at once from their sight.
70. The Devarsi Nârada said :-- “O Thou the foremost of the Knowers of the Vedas! How, by what Kuthuma S’âkhâ, the noble King Bhagi-
ratha meditated on the Devî Gangâ; what stotra did he recite and what was the method with which he worshipped the Ganges.
71-75. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! One should first take one's bath, and putting on a clean washed clothing should perform one's daily duties. Then one should control oneself and with devotion worship the six Devatâs Ganes’a, Sun, Fire, Visnu, S’iva and S'ivânî. Thus one becomes entitled to worship. First worship is to be given to Ganes'a for the destruction of obstacles; the Sun is to be next worshipped for health; Fire, for purification; Visnu is then worshipped for getting wealth and power; S’iva is worshipped for knowledge and S'ivânî is worshipped for Mukti. When these Devatâs are worshipped, one is entitled to worship the Deity. Otherwise contrary become the effects. Now I am saying what Dhyânam (meditation) did Bhagîratha practise towards the Devî Gangâ .
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on the origin of the Ganges in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XII
On the origin of Gangâ
1-15. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Now about the meditation (Dhyân) of the Devî Gangâ as per Kânva S'âkhâ, which destroys all the sins, O Gange! Of white colour like white lotuses! Thou destroyest all the sins of men. Thou hast appeared from the body of S’rî Krisna. Thou art powerful like Him. Thou art very chaste and pure. Thou hast worn the raiment, uninflammable and decorated all over with ornaments made of jewels. Thou art more brilliant than one hundred autumnal Moons. Thou art also well pleased with a smile on Thy lips. And Thou art always of steady youthful beauty (that never wanes). Thou art dear to Nârâyana, calm and of peaceful temper, and proud of being His with His fortune. Thou bearest the braid of hair, decked with garlands of Mâlatî flowers; Thy cheeks are anointed with sandal dots, with Sindûra bindu (dots of red powder, vermilion) and well adorned with various artistic lines made of musk. Thy garment and Thy beautiful lips are more red than the ripe Bimba fruit (the red fruit of a cucurbitaceous plant); Thy teeth vie as it were, with the rows of pearls. How lovely are Thy eyes! How delightsome is Thy side-long glance! How close are Thy breasts like Bel fruits! Thy loins are thicker and more solid then the plantain trees. How do Thy feet look beautiful, defying the beauty of the Sthalapadma (ground Lotus)!
How do the red sandals look lovely with Kunkuma and alaktak (red powder)! What a red tinge Thy feet have shewn with the honey of
Pârijâta flower that is seen on the head of Indra. The Devas, the Siddhas, the Munis, offer always Arghyas (offerings of rice with Durba grass) at Thy feet; the ascetics bow down at Thy feet, and it seems as though so many lines of bees are on Thy lotus feet. O Mother! Thy lotus feet give liberation to those that want Mukti and enjoyment to those that want Bhukti (enjoyments). O Mother! Thou art the boon; Thou art the chief excellent; Thou grantest boons and Thou showest Thy favour to Thy devotees; Thou bestowest the Visnupadam (the place of Visnu); but Thou hast come from the feet of Visnu. Thus meditating on the Devî Gangâ flowing by three routes (in Heaven, earth and infernal regions), the bestower of good things one should offer to the Devî sixteen things :-- Âsana, Pâdya, Arghya, water for bathing, ointment (anûlepana), Dhûpa (scents), Dîpa (lights), Naivedya (offerings of food), betel, cool water, clothings, ornaments garlands, sandal-paste, Âchamanîya (water for sipping), and beautiful beddings and worship Her with these. Then, with folded hands, one should perform stotra to Her and bow down to Her with devotion. Thus the worshipper gets the fruits of A'svamedha sacrifice.
16. Nârada said :-- O Lord of the Devas! At present I am desirous to hear the sin-destroying and virtue-bestowing stotra (hymn) of Gangâ Devî, the Purifier of all those that are fallen from virtue, originated from the feet of Visnu, the Lord of world and the husband of Laksmî. Kindly narrate all these in detail.
17-41. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Now I am narrating the stotra of Gangâ Devî, that destroys all sins and bestows all religious merit. Hear. I bow down to the Ganges who appeared from the body of S’rî Krisna, enchanted by the music of S'iva, and, who was bathed with the perspiration (water coming out of the body) of S’rî Râdhâ. I bow down to Gangâ Devî who first appeared in the circular dance (Râsa Mândalam) in the region of Goloka and who always remains with S'ankara. My obeisance to the Devî Gangâ who remains in the auspicious grand utsab of Râdhâ (Râsa Mândalam), crowded with Gopas and Gopîs, in the Full Moon night of the month of Kârtik. She is one koti yojanas wide and one lakh times one koti yojanas long in the region of Goloka. My Obeisance to Her! In Vaikuntha, Gangâ is sixty lakh yojanas in width and four times that in length. My Obeisance to Her! In Brahmâ-loka, Gangâ is thirty lakh yojanas wide and five times as long. I bow down to Her. In S'iva-loka, She is thirty lakh yojanas wide and four times that in length. I bow down to Her. In Dhruva-loka, She is one lakh yojanas wide and seven times as long. I bow down to Her. In Chandra-
loka She is one lakh yojanas wide and five times as long. My obeisance to S’rî Gangâ Devî. I bow down to the Ganges who is sixty thousand yojanas wide in the Sûrya loka and ten times that in length. I bow down to Gangâ in Tapo-loka who is one lakh yojanas wide and five times that in length. My obeisance to Gangâ Devî in Janar-loka, who is one thousand yojanas wide and ten times that as long. I bow down to Gangâ in Mahar-loka who is ten lakh yojanas wide and five times that in length. My obeisance to Gangâ Devî in Kailâs'a who is one thousand yojanas wide and one hundred times as long. I bow down to Gangâ Devî who is known as Mandâkinî in Indra-loka, and who is one hundred yojanas wide and ten times than that in length. My obeisance to Gangâ Devî, known as Bhogavati in Pâtâla who is ten yojanas wide and five times as long. I bow down to Gangâ Devî, known as Alakanandâ in this earth, who is two miles wide, in some places more wide and in some places less wide. I bow down to Gangâ Devî who was of the colour of milk in Satya yuga, of the colour of Moon in Tretâ Yuga, of the colour of white sandal-paste in Dvâpara yuga. I bow down to S’rî Gangâ Devî who is as water in Kali yuga in this earth and as milk in Kali yuga in Heaven. O Child! By the touch of one molecule of the water of the Ganges, all the horrible sins incurred in ten million births, the murder of a Brâhmin and so forth, are burnt to ashes. Thus I have described in twenty-one verses the great stotra (human) of the sin-destroying and the virtue-increasing merits of Gangâ. He reaps the fruit of the A'svamedha sacrifice (Horse sacrifice), who daily sings this praise of Gangâ after worshipping Her with devotion. There is no doubt in this. The persons that are without any sons get sons hereby and those who have no wives get wives. The diseased get themselves free from their diseases, and the man who is under bondage, is liberated from that bondage. He who getting up early in the morning reads this stotra of Gangâ, becomes widely known even if he be not known at all and he becomes illumined with wisdom even if he be quite ignorant. Even if he sees a bad dream, he acquires the merit of bathing in the Ganges and of seeing good dreams.
42-44. S’rî Nârâyana spoke :-- O Nârada! With this stotra (hymn) did Bhagîratha praise the Gangâ Devî. Who then went with him to the spot where the Sagara's sons were burnt to ashes by the curse of Kapila. By the contact of the wind in touch with the particles of water of the Ganges, those sons of Sagara were instantly freed of their curses and they all repaired to Vaikuntha. She is named Bhâgirathî, because Bhagîratha brought Her to this earth. Thus I have described to you the story of the Ganges.
This anecdote is highly meritorious and the great step to liberation. What more do you now want to hear? Say.
45-46. Nârada said :-- O Lord! How did Gangâ come to flow through the three worlds by three routes, and thus purify them? How was she carried and to which places? How did the people of those localities accord respect to Her? Kindly describe all these in detail.
47-79. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! On the Full Moon night of the month of Kârtik in the Râsa mândalam, at the great festivity in honour of Râdhâ, S’rî Krisna worshipped Râdhâ and remained there. Next Râdhâ, worshipped by S’rî Krisna, was worshipped by Brahmâ and the other Devas, by Saunaka and the other Risis, who also stopped there with much gladness. At this moment the Devî Sarasvatî, the Presiding Deity of the Science of Music began to sing lovely songs regarding Krisna, in tune with vocal and instrumental music. Brahmâ became glad and presented to Sarasvatî a necklace of jewels; Mahâ Deva gave her gems and jewels rare in this universe; Krisna presented the best Kaustubha jewel; Râdhikâ offered excellent invaluable necklace of jewels; Nârâyana presented to her the best and most excellent garland of jewels; Laksmî gave her invaluable golden earrings decked with gems; Visnu-Mâyâ Mûla Prakriti, Bhagvatî Durgâ, who is Nârâyanî, Îs'varî, Îs'ânî, presented Her devotion to Brahmâ, so very rare; Dharma gave her devotion to Dharma and high fame; Agni (fire) gave her excellent raiments purified by fire and Vâyu gave Her Nûpura (toe ornaments) made of gems and jewels. At this time, Mahes'vara, the Lord of Bhûtas (elements) began to sing, at the suggestion of Brahmâ, songs relating to S’rî Krisna's grand Râsa festival. Hearing this, the Devas became very much enchanted and remained motionless like statues. With great difficulty, they regained their consciousness. Then they saw that there was no Râdhâ nor Krisna in this Râsa mândala; everything was deluged with water. The Gopas, Gopîs, Devas and Brâhmanas began to cry loudly. Brahmâ in his meditation then came to know that Râdhâ and Krisna both have assumed this liquid appearance for the deliverance of the people of the world. Brahmâ and others, all began to praise S’rî Krisna and said :-- “O All prevading One! Now be pleased to show us Thy form and grant us our desired boons.” At that instant a sweet incorporeal voice was clearly heard by all, as coming from air above, that, “I am the Self of all, pervading all; and this my S’akti, Râdhâ, is also the Self of all, prevades all; so there is no separation of us from you all even for a moment. It is only to show our favour to the devotees that we assume special forms. For this reason only there is separation of us from you as regards this body! There is nothing else. Besides you have no necessity with our bodies. O Devas! Now if my Manus, men, Munis, Vaisnavas and you all, purified by Mantras desire very much to see My Form clearly, then I tell you to request Mahes'vara to carry out My word. O Brahmâ! O Creator! Better ask
Mahâdeva, the World Teacher, that He would better compose the beautiful Tantra S'âstra, in accordance with the limbs of the Vedas. And that the above S'âstra be full of Mantras, capable to yield desired fruits, Stotras (hymns) and Kavachas (protection mantras) and rules of due worship in proper order. And that also My Mantra, My Stotra, and My Kavacha be also given there in a hidden form. So that those people that are sinners might not understand their real meanings and thus turn out against Me. It may be that one in a thousand or in a hundred may worship My Mantra. And My Mantra worshippers, the saints, become purified and come to My Abode. If My S'âstra be not well made (i. e., if everyone be able to understand its meaning) and if everyone be able to go from Bhûrloka to Goloka, then Thy labour in this creation of the world will all be in vain. Therefore dost Thou better create different worlds according to the differences of Sâttvik, Râjasik, and Tamo Gunas; then some will be the inhabitants of this Bhûrloka, some will be the inhabitants of Dyuloka according to their Karmas. O Brâhman! If Mahâ Deva promises earnestly in this assembly of the Devas, I will then exhibit My True Form.” O Nârada! Thus speaking, the Eternal Purusa S’rî Krisna remained silent (i. e., the aerial incorporeal voice stopped). Hearing this, Brahmâ, the Creator of the world, gladly informed S’iva of this. When the Lord of Knowledge, the Foremost of the Jñânins, Bhûtanâtha heard the words of the Creator, He took the Ganges water in His hands and swore that “I will complete the Tantra S'astra, full of Râdhâ mantras and not opposed to the Vedas. If one touches the Ganges water and speaks lies, one remains in the terrible Kâlasutra hell for a period of one Brahmâ's life time.” O Dvija! When Bhagavân S'ankara said this before the assembly of the Devas in the region of Goloka, S’rî Krisna appeared there with Râdhâ. The Devas became exceedingly glad to see Him. They praised Him, the Best Purusa and they were all filled with rapture and again engaged themselves in the grand Râsa Festival. Some time after, Mâhâ Deva lighted the Torch of Mukti, i.e., the Tantra S'âstra was published by Him, as promised. O Child! Thus I have disclosed to you this anecdote, so very secret, and hard to be attained. Thus S’rî Krisna Himself, is verily the liquid Gangâ sprung in the region of Goloka. This holy Gangâ, born of the bodies of Krisna and Râdhâ inseparable from each other, grants enjoyment, lordship and liberation. S’rî Krisna, the Highest Self, has placed Her in various places; so Gangâ is of the nature of S’rî Krisna and is everywhere, equally honoured everywhere in the Brahmânda (universe).
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter in the Ninth Book on the origin of Gangâ in the Mahâpurânam S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XIII
On the anecdote of Gangâ
1. Nârada said :-- O Lord of the Devas! Kindly say in what Loka did Gangâ go after 5000 (five thousand) years of the Kali Yuga?
2-4. Nârâyana said :-- The Bhâgîrathî Gangâ came down to Bhârata under the curse of Bhâratî; and when the term expired, She went back, by the Will of God, to the region of Vaikuntha. Also at the end of the period of their curses, Bhâratî and, Laksmî, too, left Bhârata and repaired to Nârâyana. Gangâ, Laksmî, and Sarasvatî, these three and Tulasî all these four are so very dear to S’rî Hari.
5-6. Nârada said :-- How did Gangâ appear from the lotus feet of Visnu? Why did Brahmâ put Her in His Kamandalu? I have heard that Gangâ is the wife of S’iva; how then, came She to be the wife of Nârâyana? Kindly describe all these in detail to me.
7-8. Nârâyana said :-- O Muni! In ancient times, in the region of Goloka, Gangâ assumed the liquid appearance. She was born of the bodies of Râdhâ and Krisna. So She is of the nature of both of them and their parts. Gangâ is the presiding deity of water. She is unequalled in Her beauty in this world. She is full of youth and adorned with all ornaments.
9-43. Her face was like the autumnal mid-day lotus and sweet smile was always reigning on Her lips; Her form was very beautiful; Her colour was as bright as melted gold and She looked brilliant like the Autumnal Moon. Eyes and mind get cool and become pleasant at Her beauty and radiance; She was of purely Suddha Sattva; Her loins were bulky and hard and She was covered with excellent clothings all over Her body. Her breasts were plump and prominent; they were raised, hard, and nicely round. Her eyes very fascinating, always casting sidelong glances. Her braids of hair situated a little oblique and the garland of Mâlatî flowers over it made Her look extremely handsome. The saudalpaste dot and the vermillion dot were seen on Her forehead. On Her cheeks the leaves of musk were drawn and Her lips were red like Bandhûka flowers and they looked enchanting. Her rows of teeth looked like rows of ripe pomegranates; the ends of Her cloth not inflammable by fire, worn in front in a knot round the waist. She sat by the side of Krisna, full of amorous desires, and abashed. She covered Her face with the end of Her cloth and was seeing, with a steadfast gaze the face of the Lord and She was drinking the nectar
of His face with great gladness. Her lotus face bloomed and became gladdened at the expectation of a first amorous embrace. She fainted on seeing the Form of Her Lord and a thrill of joy passed all over Her body. In the meanwhile Râdhikâ came up there. Râdhâ was attended by thirty kotis of Gopîs. She looked brilliant like tens of millions of Moons. Seeing Gangâ by the side of S’rî Krisna, Her face and eyes became reddened with anger like a red lotus. Her colour was yellow like champaka and Her gait was like a maddened elephant. She was adorned with various invaluable ornaments made of jewels. Her pair of clothings were tied round Her waist. They were decked with invaluable jewels and not inflammable by fire (fire-proof). The Arghya offered by S’rî Krisna was on Her lotus-feet of the colour of a flowering shrub, Hibiscus mutabilis, and She was going slowly step by step. The Risis began to fan Her with white Châmaras no sooner She, descending from the excellent aeroplane decked with jewels, began to walk. Below the point where the parting of the hairs on the head is done, there was the dot of Sindura on Her forehead. It looked brilliant like a bright lamp flame. On both sides of this Sindurabindu, the dot of musk and the dot of Sandal-paste were seen. When She began to quiver with anger, Her braid, with Pârijâta garland round it began to tremble also. Her lips adorned with beautiful colours, began to quiver also. She took Her seat angrily on a jewel throne by the side of S’rî Krisna. Her attendants took their seats in their allotted positions. Seeing Râdhâ, S’rî Krisna got up at once from His seat with reverence and addressed Her, smiling and began to converse with Her in sweet words. The Gopîs, very much afraid and with their heads bent low, began to chant hymns to Her with devotion. S’rî Krisna also began to praise Her with stotras. At this moment Gangâ Devî got up and praised Her with various hymns and asked Her welfare with fear and with humble words. Out of fear, Her throat, lips and palate were parched up. She took refuge humbly at S’rî Krisna's feet. S’rî Krisna then, took Gangâ Devî on His breast when She became calm and quiet. At this interval Sures'varî Gangâ looked at Râdhâ, seated on a throne, lovely and sweet, as if She was burning with Brahmâ Fire. Since the beginning of creation, She is the Sole Lady of innumerable Brahmâs and She is Eternal. At the first sight, She looked young as if of twelve years old. Nowhere in any Universe can be seen a lady so beautiful and so qualified. She was peaceful, calm and quiet, lovely, infinite and having no beginning nor end. She was auspicious, well endowed with all auspicious signs, prosperous, and having the good fortune of having a best
husband. She was the foremost jewel amongst the ladies and appeared as if all the beauties were concentrated in Her. Râdhâ is the (left) half of S’rî Krisna's body; whether in age or in strength or in beauty she was in every way perfectly equal to S’rî Krisna. Laksmî and the Lord of Laksmî both worship Râdhâ. The excellent brilliance of Srî Krisna was overpowered by the beauty of Râdhâ. Taking Her seat on the throne She began to chew betels offered by Her attendants (Sakhîs). She is the Mother of all the worlds; but no one is Her mother. She is fortunate, respected and proud. She is the Ruling Lady of S’rî Krisna's Life and Soul and ever dearer to Him than His Prâna (vital breath). O Devarsi! Gangâ, the Governess of the Devas, looked at Her over and over again with a steadfast gaze; but Her eyes and mind were not at all satiated. At this moment, Râdhâ addressed smilingly to S’rî Krisna, the Lord of the world, humbly and in sweet words. O My Lord! Who is that Lady sitting by Thy side, looking askance, eager and with a smiling countenance. She is enchanted with Thy beauteous form and fainting away. Her whole body is excited with rapturous joy. Hiding Her face with cloth She is frequently looking at Thee. Thou also dost look on Her smilingly and with desires. What are all these? Even during My presence in this Goloka, all these bad practices are being rampant.
44-51. It is Thou that art doing all these bad things often and often! We are female sex; what shall we do? We are naturally, of a very pleasing temper, simple. I bore and forgave all these out of our love. O Licentious One! Take Thy Beloved and go away quickly from this Goloka. Otherwise these things will not bid fair to Thee. Firstly, one day I saw Thee, united with Virajâ Gopî, in Chandana (Sandal wood) forest. What to do? At the request of the S'akhîs, I did forgive Thee. Then, hearing My footsteps Thou didst fly away. Virajâ, out of shame, quitted Her body and assumed the form of a river. That is million Yojanas wide an four times as long. Even to this day that Virajâ is existing, testifying to Thy Glory (near Puri, Jagannâtha)! When I went back to My home Thou didst go to Virajâ again and cried aloud “O Viraje! O Viraje!” Hearing Your cry, Virajâ, the Siddha Yoginî arose from the waters, out of Her Yogic power, and when She showed Thee Her divine appearance decked with ornaments, Thou didst draw Her to Thy side and cast Thy seed in Her. It is owing to the casting of that seed in the womb of Virajâ that the seven oceans have come into existence!
52-107. Secondly, one day I saw Thee in actual intercourse with the Gopî named S'obhâ! Hearing My footsteps, Thou fled'st away that day also.
Out of shame S'obhâ quitted Her body and departed to the sphere of Moon (Chandra Mandal). The cooling effect of the Moon is due to this S'obhâ. When S’obhâ was thus distressed, Thou didst divide Her and put some parts to gems and jewels, part to gold, partly to excellent pearls and gems, partly on the face of women, partly to the bodies of Kings, partly to the leaves of trees, partly to flowers, partly to ripe fruits, partly to corns, partly to palaces and temples, partly to purified materials, partly to young and tender shoots and foliage, and partly to milk. Thirdly, I saw Thee united with Prabhâ Gopî in Brindâban. Thou fled'st away, hearing My footsteps. Out of shame, Prabhâ quitted Her body and departed to the Solar atmosphere. This Prabhâ (lustre) is fierce luminosity of the Solar atmosphere. Out of the pangs of separation Thou criedest and didst divide Prabhâ and didst put some parts in Fire, partly amidst the Yaksas, partly into lions, among men, partly amongst the Devas, partly in Vaisnavas, partly in serpents, partly in Brâhmanas, partly in Munis, partly in ascetics, and partly in fortunate and prosperous ladies. Thou hadst to weep then after Thou hadst thus divided Prabhâ, for Her separation and and fourthly I saw Thee in love union with the Gopî S'ânti in Râsa Mandalam. On the coming of the spring season, one day Thou with garlands of flowers on Thy neck and with Thy body besmeared with sandal paste and decked with ornaments, wast sleeping on a bed of flowers with S’ânti Gopî, decked with gems, in a temple made of gems and pearls and illumined by a lamp of jewels and Thou wast chewing the betel, given by Thy beloved. Hearing My sound Thou fled'st away. S’ânti Gopî, too, out of fear and shame quitted Her body and disappeared in Thee. Therefore S’ânti is reckoned as one of the noblest qualities. Out of the pain of separation, Thou didst divide the body of S’ânti and distributed partly to forests, partly to Brahmâ, partly to Me, partly to S'uddha Sattvâ Laksmî, partly to Thy Mantra worshippers, partly to My Mantra worshippers, partly to the ascetics, partly to Dharma, and partly to the religious persons. Fifthly, dost Thou remember that one day anointing all over Thy body fully with the sandal paste and good scent and with garlands on Thy neck, well dressed, decked with jewels, Thou wast sleeping with Ksamâ (forgiveness) Gopî in ease and happiness, on a nice bedding interspersed with flowers and well scented. Thou wert so much over-powered by sleep after fresh intercourse that when I went and disturbed, then Thou two didst get up from the sweet sleep. I took away Thy yellow robes, the beautiful Muralî (flute), garlands made of forest flowers, Kaustubha gems, and invaluable earrings of pearls and gems. I gave it back to Thee at the earnest request of the S'akhîs. Thy body turned black with sin and dire shame, Ksamâ then quitted Her body out of shame and went down to the
earth. Therefore Ksamâ turned out to be the repository of best qualities. Out of affection to Her, Thou didst divide Her body and distributed them partly to Visnu, partly to the Vaisnavas, partly to Dharma, partly to the religious persons, partly to weak persons, partly to ascetics, partly to the Devas, and partly to the Pundits (literary persons). O Lord! Thus I have described Thy qualities as far as I know. What more dost thou want to hear? Thou hast many more qualities! But I am not aware of them. Having thus spoken, the red-lotus eyed Râdhâ began to rebuke Gangâ sitting by the side of S’rî Krisna with Her head bent low out of shame. At this time Gangâ, who was a Siddha Yoginî came to know all the mysteries, and instantly disappeared from the assembly in Her own water form.
The Siddha Yoginî Râdhâ came to know also, by Her Yogic power, the secrets of Gangâ and became ready to drink the whole water in one sip. Gangâ, knowing this intention of Râdhâ, by Her Yogic power, took refuge of Krisna and entered into His feet. Then Râdhâ began to look out for Gangâ everywhere :-- First She searched in Goloka, then Vaikuntha, then Brahmâ-loka; then She searched all the Lokas one by one but no where did She find Gangâ. All the places in Goloka became void of of water; all turned out dried mud and all the aquatic animals died and fell to the ground. And Brahmâ, Visnu, S’iva, Ananta, Dharma, Indra, Moon, Sun, Manus, Munis, Siddhas, ascetics all became very thirsty and their throats became parched. They then went to Goloka, and bowed down with devotion to S’rî Krisna, Who was the Lord of all, beyond Prakriti, the Supreme, worthy to be worshipped, the Bestower of boons, the Best, and the Cause of boons; Who is the Lord of Gopas and Gopîs; Who is formless, without any desire, unattached, without refuge, attributeless, without any enthusiasm, changeless, and unstained; Who is All Will and who assumes forms to show favour to His devotees; Who is Sattva, the Lord of truth, the Witness and eternal Purusa and Who is the Highest, the Supreme Lord, the Best and Excellent, the Highest Self and the Supreme God. They began to hymn Him. All were filled with intense feelings with devotion; tears of love were flowing from their eyes and the bodies of all were filled with ecstasy, the hairs standing in ends. He was Para Brahmâ; His Substance was made of Transcendental Light, Who is the Cause of all Causes, who was seated in a wonderful throne, built of invaluable gems and jewels, who was being fanned by the Gopas with white chowries, who was seeing and hearing with great delight, and smiling countenance, the dancing and singing of the Gopîs, who was chewing the scented betel offered by Râdhâ and who
was residing in. the heart of His dearest S’rî Râdhâ, who was the Perfect, all pervading, and the Lord of the Râsa Circle. The Manus, Munis, and the ascetics all bowed down to S’rî Krisna, no sooner they beheld Him. Joy and wonder at once caught hold of their hearts. They then looked at one another and gave over to Brahmâ the task of communicating their feelings. The four faced Brahmâ, with Visnu on His right and Vâma Deva on His left, gradually came in front of S’rî Krisna. Wherever He cast His glance in the Râsa Mandalam, He saw S’rî Krisna, full of the Highest Bliss, of the nature of the Highest Bliss, sitting. All have turned out Krisnas; their seats were all uniform; all were two armed and with flutes in their hands; on every one's neck is the forest garland; peacock's tail was on the top of everyone's crest and Kaustubha jewels were on all their breasts. The Forms of all of them were very beautiful; very lovely and very peaceful. No difference at all between them whether in form, or in qualities, or in ornaments, or in radiance, in age, in lustre, in no respect no one was inferior to another. No one was imperfect; no one was deficient in lordliness. It was indeed very difficult to make out who was the master and who was the servant. Sometimes He is seen in His Teja form as the Great Light, and there is nothing else; sometimes there is that Clear Divine Form; sometimes He comes Formless; sometimes with form; and again sometimes both with and without form. Sometimes there is no Râdhâ; there is only Krisna; And sometimes again in every seat there is the Yugal Murti Râdhâ and Krisna combined. Sometimes Râdhâ assumes the form of Krisna. So the Creator Brahmâ could not make out whether S’rî Krisna was a female or a male. At last He meditated on S’rî Krisna in his heart-lotus and began to chant hymns to Him with devotion and prayed for forgiveness for his misdoings. When S’rî Krisna got pleased, the Creator, opening His eyes, saw S’rî Krisna on the breast of S’rî Râdhâ. There were His attendants on all the sides and the Gopîs all around. Seeing this, Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara bowed down to Him and sang His praises.
108-113. S’rî Krisna, the Lord of Laksmî, the Omnipresent, Cause of all, the Lord of all, and the Internal Ruler of all, knew their intentions and, addressing them, separately said :-- “O Brahmân! Is it all well with you? O Lord of Kamalâ! Come here. O Mahâdeva! Come here; let all be well to you. You all have come to me for Gangâ. Gangâ has taken refuge under My feet out of fear for Râdhâ. Seeing Gangâ by My side, Râdhâ wanted to drink Her up, However I
will give over Gangâ to the hands of you all; but you will have to pray to Râdhâ, so that Gangâ becomes fearless of Her.” The lotus born Brahmâ smiled at S’rî Krisna's words and began to sing hymns to Râdhâ, Who is fit to be worshipped by all. The Creator Brahmâ, the Compiler of the Four Vedas, the Four-faced One praised Râdhâ with His Four heads, bent low and addressed Her thus :--
114-125. Brahmâ said :-- “O Râdhe! Gangâ, appeared from Thee and the Lord S’rî Krisna. Both of you were transformed before into the liquid forms in the Râsâ Mandalam, on hearing the music of S'ankara. And That Lquid Form is Gangâ. So She is born of Thee and S’rî Krisna. Hence She is like Thy daughter and to be loved as such. She will be initiated in Thy Mantra and She will worship Thee. The four armed Lord of Vaikuntha will be Her husband. And when She will appear in parts on earth, the Salt Ocean will be Her husband. O Mother! The Gangâ that dwells in Goloka, is dwelling everywhere. O Governess of the Devas! Thou art Her mother; and She is always Thy Self born daughter.” Hearing thus, the words of Brahmâ, Râdhâ gave Her assent towards the protection of Gangâ. And then Gangâ appeared from the toe-tip of S’rî Krisna. The liquid Gangâ, then, assumed Her own form and, getting up from water, was received with great honour by the Devas. Bhagavân Brahmâ took a little of that Ganges water in His Kamandalu and Bhagavân Mahâdeva kept some of it in His own head.
The lotus born Brahmâ, then, initiated Gangâ into the Râdhâ Mantra and gave Her instructions, Râdhâ Stotra (hymn of Râdhâ) according to the Sâma Veda, Râdhâ Kavacha (protection mantras), Râdhâ Dhyân (meditation on Râdhâ), method of worship of Râdhâ, and Râdhâ's purascharana. Gangâ worshipped Râdhâ according to those instructions and went to Vaikuntha. O Muni! Laksmî, Sarasvatî, Gangâ, and the world purifying Tulasî, these four became the wives of Nârâyana. Krisna, then, smiled and explained to Brahmâ the history of Time, hardly to be comprehended by others. He then spoke :-- “O Brahmâ! O Visnu! O Mahes'vara! Now you better take Gangâ and I will now tell you what a change has been effected by this time. Hear.
126-136. You, the three Devas, the other Devas, Munis, Manus, Siddhas, and other Mahâtmâs that are present here, are living now. For this region of Goloka is not affected by Kâla (Time). Now the Kalpa is going to expire. So in the other regions than Goloka and Vaikuntha, the Brahmâs, etc., that were existing in all other Universes, have all now dissolved in My Body. O Lotus-born! Save Goloka and Vaikuntha, all are now under water, the pre-state of earth. Better go and create your own
Brahmândas and Gangâ will go to that newly created Brahmânda. I will also create other worlds and the Brahmâs thereof. Now you all better go with the Devas and do your own works respectively. You have waited here for a long interval. As many Brahmâs that have fallen all appear again.” Thus saying S’rî Krisna, the Lord of Râdhâ went to His Inner Chamber. The Devas also instantly retired from that spot and engaged themselves earnestly in the creation work. Gangâ remained as before till then in the region of Goloka, Vaikuntha, S’ivaloka, Brahmâ-loka, and in other places, by the command of S’rî Krisna. She is named Visnupadî, because She appeared from the feet of Visnu. Thus I have described to you this pleasant, essential story of Gangâ, leading to liberation. What more do you now want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter on the anecdote of Gangâ in the Ninth Book in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XIV
On the story of Gangâ becoming the wife of Nârâyana
1-2. Nârada said :-- O Lord! Gangâ, Laksmî, Sarasvatî, and the world purifying Tulasî, these four, are dearest to Nârâyana. Out of these, Gangâ went from the region of Goloka to Vaikuntha. So I have heard. But how did She come to be the wife of Nârâyana. I have not heard. Kindly describe this.
3. Nârâyana said :-- Brahmâ came from Goloka to the region of Vaikuntha accompanied by Gangâ.
4-23. Brahmâ said to Nârâyana :-- O Lord! Gangâ, born of the bodies of Râdhâ and Krisna, full of youth, modest, extraordinarily beautiful, of pure Suddha Sattva, and void of anger and egoism, does not like to marry anyone save Thee as She is born of Thee. But Râdhâ is of a very proud nature and very wrathful. She was even ready to drink up Gangâ. But Gangâ at once and intelligently took refuge into the feet of S’rî Krisna. So the whole Goloka became void of water. Seeing this, I have come here to know in particular the whole history of the case. Then S’rî Krisna, the Knower and the Ruler of the hearts of all, came to know my heart and instantly caused Gangâ to issue from His toe and handed Her over to me. I bowed down to S’rî Krisna and now I have come with Gangâ to Thee. Now Thou dost marry the Sures'varî Gangâ according to the Gândharva rule of marriage. As Thou art a Deva of taste and humorous in the assembly of the Devas, so Gangâ is. As Thou art a gem amongst the males, so She is the gem amongst the females. And the union of a humorous man with a humorous woman is exceedingly pleasant. Now marry this Lady who has come of Her own
accord to Thee. S’rî Mahâ Laksmî becomes annoyed with one who does not marry a woman who has come spontaneously. There is no doubt in this. The wise men do never insult the Prakriti. All the Purusas (males) are born of Prakriti and all the females are parts of Prakriti. So Prakriti and Purusa are both inseparable and verily one and the same. So these two should never insult each other. (If Thou sayest that Gangâ is attached to Krisna; how canst Thou marry Her. The reply is) As S’rî Krisna is beyond the attributes and beyond Prakriti, so Thou art also above Prakriti. The one-half of S’rî Krisna is two-armed; the other half of S’rî Krisna is four-armed. Râdhâ has appeared from the left side of S’rî Krisna. He Himself is the right half and Padmâ is His left-half. As there is no difference between Râdhâ and Kamalâ so there is no difference between S’rî Krisna and Thee. Therefore as Gangâ is born of Thy body, she wants to marry Thee. As Prakriti and Purusa are really one and the same without any difference, so the males and females are one. Thus speaking to Nârâyana, Brahmâ handed Gangâ over to Nârâyana and went away. Nârâyana, then, married Gangâ smeared with sandal paste and flowers, according to the rules of the Gandarbha marriage. The Lord of Laksmî then spent his time happily in enjoyment with Gangâ. Gangâ had to go to the earth (under the Bhârati's curse) and afterwards returned to Vaikuntha. As Gangâ appeared from the feet of Visnu, She is denominated Visnupadî. Gangâ Devî was very much overpowered with enjoyment in Her first intercourse with Nârâyana; so much so that She remained motionless. Thus Gangâ spent the days happily with Nârâyana. Sarasvatî’s jealousy towards Gangâ did not disappear, though She was advised by Laksmî Devî not to do so. Sarasvatî cherished incessantly the feeling of jealousy towards Gangâ. But Gangâ had not the least feeling of jealousy towards Sarasvatî.
At last, one day, when vexed too much, Gangâ became angry and cursed Sarasvatî to take Her birth in Bhârata. So Laksmî, Sarasvatî and Gangâ were the wives of Nârâyana. Lastly Tulasî became the wife of Nârâyana. So the number of wives of Nârâyana amounted to four.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter in the Ninth Book on the story of Gangâ becoming the wife of Nârâyana in the Mahâpuranam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XV
On the anecdote of Tulasî
1-6. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! How came the pure chaste Tulasî to be the wife of Nârâyana? Where was Her birth place? And what was She in Her previous birth? What family did She belong to? Whose daughter was She? And what austerities did She practise, that She got
Nârâyana for Her husband, Who is above Prakriti, not liable to change without any effort, the Universal Self, Para Brahmâ and the Highest God; Who is the Lord of all, omniscient, the Cause of all, the Receptacle of all, Omnipresent, and the Preserver of all. And how did Tulasî, the chief Devî of Nârâyana, turn out into a tree? Herself quite innocent, how She was attacked by the fierce Asura? O Remover of all doubts! My mind, plain and simple, has become restless. I am eager to hear all this. So kindly cut asunder all my doubts.
7-40. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! The Manu Daksa Sâvarni was very religious, devoted to Visnu, of wide renown, of a great name, and born with Visnu's parts. Daksa Sâvarni’s son Brahmâ Sâvarni was also very religious, devoted to Visnu and of a pure S'uddha Sattva Guna. Brahmâ Sâvarni's son, Dharma Sâvarni was devoted to Visnu and He was the master of his senses. Dharma Sâvarni's sons Rudra Sâvarni was also a man of restraint and very devoted. Rudra Sâvarni's son was Deva Sâvarni, devoted to Visnu. Deva Sâvarni's son was Indra Sâvarni. He was a great Bhakta of Visnu. His son was Vrisadhvaja. But He was a fanatic S'aiva (devoted to S'iva). At his house S'iva Himself remained for three Yugas according to the Deva measure. So much so that Bhagavân Bhûtanâtha loved him more than His own son. Vrisadhvaja did not recognise Nârâyana, nor Laksmî nor Sarasvatî nor another body. He discarded the worship of all the Devas. He worshipped S'ankara only. The greatly exciting Laksmî Puja (worship of Mahâ Laksmî) in the month of Bhâdra and S’rî Pañchamî Puja in the month of Mâgha, which are approved of by the Vedas, Vrisadhvaja put an entire stop to these and the Sarasvatî Puja. At this the Sun became angry with the King Vrisadhvaja, the discarder of the holy thread, the hater of Visnu, and cursed Him thus :-- “O King! As you are purely devoted to S’iva and S’iva alone, and as you do not recognise any other Devas, I say within no time, you will be deprived of all your wealth and prosperity.” S'ankara, hearing this curse, became very angry and taking His trident, ran after the Sun. The Sun, becoming afraid, accompanied His father Kas'yapa and took refuge of Brahmâ. Bhagavân S'ankara went to the Brahmâ Loka, with trident in His hands. Brahmâ became afraid of Mahâdeva and took Sun to the region of Vaikuntha. Out of terror, the throats of Brahmâ, Kas'yapa, and Sun became parched and dry and they all went afraid for refuge to Nârâyana, the Lord of all. They all bowed down to Him and praised Him frequently and finally informed Him of the cause of their coming and why they were so much afraid. Nârâyana showed them mercy and granted them “Abhaya” (no fear). O You! Who are afraid, take rest. What cause of fear there can be to you, when I am here!
Whoever remembers Me, wherever he may be, involved in danger or fear, I go there with the Sudars'an disc in My hand and save him. O Devas! I am always the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of this universe. In the form of Visnu, I am the Preserver; in the form of Brahmâ, I am the Creator; and in the form of Mahes'a, I am the Destroyer. I am S’iva; I am you; and I am the Sûrya, composed of the three qualities. It is I who assumes many forms and preserves the universe. Better go to your respective places. What fear can ye suspect? I say, all your fears due to S'ankara, are verily removed from this day. Bhagavân S'ankara, the Lord of all, is the Lord of the Sâdhus. He always hears the words of His Bhaktas; and He is kind to them. He is their Self. Both the Sun and S’iva are dearer to Me than My life. No one is more energetic than S'ankara and the Sun. Mahâdeva can easily create ten million Suns and ten million Brahmâs. There is nothing impossible with S'ûlapâni. Having no consciousness of any outer thing, immersed, day and night, in meditating on Me with His whole heart concentrated, He is repeating with devotion My Mantra from His five faces and He always sings My glories. I am also thinking, day and night, of His welfare. Whoever worships Me in whichever way, I also favour him similarly. Bhagavân Mahâ Deva is of the nature of S’iva, all auspiciousness; He is the presiding deity of S'iva, that is, liberation. It is because liberation is obtained from Him, He is called S’iva. O dear Nârada! While Nârâyana was thus speaking, the trident bolder Mahâdeva, with his eyes red like reddened lotuses, mounting on His bull, came up there and getting down from His Bull, humbly bowed down with devotion to the Lord of Laksmî, peaceful and higher than the highest. Nârâyana was then seated on His throne, decked with jewel ornaments. There was a crown on His crest; two earrings were hanging from His ears; the disc was in His hand, forest flower's garlands on His neck; of the colour of fresh blue rain cloud; His form exceedingly beautiful. The four-armed attendants were fanning Him with their four hands; His body smeared all over with sandal-paste and He is wearing the yellow garment. That Bhagavân, distressed with the thought of welfare for His Bhaktas, the Highest Self was sitting on a jewel throne and chewing the betel offered by Padmâ and with smiling countenance, seeing and hearing the dancing and singing of the Vidyâdharîs. When Mahâdeva bowed down to Nârâyana, Brahmâ also bowed down to Mahâdeva. The Sun, too, surprised, bowed down to Mahâdeva with devotion. Kas'yapa, too, bowed and with great bhakti, began to praise Mahâdeva. On the other hand, S’ankara praised Nârâyana and took His seat on
the throne. The attendants of Nârâyana began to fan Mahâdeva with white chowries. Then Visnu addressed Him with sweet nectar like voice and said :-- “O Mahes'vara! What brings Thee here? Hast Thou been angry?”
41-45. Mahâdeva said : -- “O Visnu! The King Vrisadhavaja is My great devotee; he is dearer to Me than My life. The Sun has cursed him and so I am angry. Out of the affection for a son I am ready to kill Sûrya. Sûrya took Brahmâ's refuge and now he and Brahmâ have taken Thy refuge. And Those who being distressed take Thy refuge, either in mind or in word, become entirely safe and free from danger. They conquer death and old age. What to speak of them, then, of those who come personally to Thee and take Thy refuge. The remembrance of Hari takes away all dangers. All good comes to them. O Lord of the world! Now tell me what becomes of My stupid Bhakta who has become devoid of fortune and prosperity by the curse of Sûrya.”
46-51. Visnu said :-- “O S'ankara! Twenty-one yugas elapsed within this one-half Ghatikâ, by the coincidence of Fate (Daiva). Now go quickly to Thy abode. Through the unavoidable coincidence of the cruel Fate, Vrisadhvaja died. His son Rathadhvaja, too, died. Rathadhvaja had two noble sons Dharmadhvaja and Kus'adhvaja. Both of them are great Vaisnavas; but, through Sûrya's curse, they have become luckless. Their kingdoms are lost; they have become destitute of all property, prosperity and they are now engaged in worshipping Mahâ Laksmî. Mahâ Laksmî will be born in parts of their two wives. Then again, by the grace of Laksmî, Dharmadhvaja and Kus'adhvaja will be prosperous and become great Kings. O S'ambhu Your worshipper Vrisadhvaja is dead. Therefore Thou dost go back to Thy place. O Brahmâ, O Sun! O Kas'yapa! You all also better go to your places respectively.” O Nârada! Thus saying, Bhagavân Visnu went with His wife to the inner rooms. The Devas also went gladly to their own places respectively. And Mahâdeva, too, Who is always quite full within Himself, departed quickly to perform His Tapas.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter on the question of anecdote of Tulasî in the Ninth Book in the Mahâpuranam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XVI
On the incarnation of Mahâ Laksmî in the house of Kus’adhvaja
1-30. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Muni! Dharmadhvaja and Kus’adhvaja practised severe tapasyâs and worshipped Laksmî. They then got separately their desired boons. By the boon of Mahâ Laksmî, they
became again the rulers of the earth. They acquired great religious merits and they also had their children. The wife of Kus’adhvaja was named Mâlâvatî. After a long time, the chaste wife delivered one daughter, born of the parts of Kamalâ. The daughter, on being born, became full of wisdom. On being born, the baby began to sing clearly the Vedic mantrams from the lying-in-chamber. Therefore She was named Vedavatî by the Pundits. She bathed after her birth and became ready to go to the forest to practise severe tapas. Everyone then, tried earnestly to dissuade her, devoted to Nârâyana, from the enterprise. But she did not listen to anybody. She went to Puskara and practised hard tapasyâ for one Manvantara. Yet her body did not get lean a bit; rather she grew more plumpy and fatter. By degrees her youth began to show signs in her body; one day she heard an incorporeal voice from the air above, “O Fair One! In your next birth S’rî Hari, adored by Brahmâ and other gods, will be your husband.” Hearing this, her joy knew no bounds. She went to the solitary caves in the Gandhamâdan mountain to practise tapas again. When a long time passed away in this tapasyâ, one day the irresistible Râvana came there as guest. No sooner Vedavatî saw the guest, then she gave him, out of devotion to the guest, water to wash feet, delicious fruits, and cool water for his drink. The villain accept the hospitality and sitting there, began to ask :-- “O Auspicious One! Who are you?” Seeing the fair smiling lady, with beautiful teeth, her face blooming like the autumnal lotus, of heavy loins, and of full breast, that villain became passionate. He lost entirely all consciousness and became ready to make violence on Her. Seeing this, the chaste Vedavatî, became angry and out of her tapas influence, astounded him and made him insensible to move. He remained motionless like an inanimate body. He could not move his hands nor feet nor could he speak. That wicked fellow then mentally recited praises to her. And the praise of the Higher S’akti can never go futile. She became pleased and granted him religious merits in the next world. But she also pronounced this curse :-- “That when you have touch my body out of passion, then you will be ruined with your whole family for my sake. Now see my power.” O Nârada! Thus saying to Râvana, Vedavatî left her body by her yogic power. Then Râvana took her body and delivered it to the Ganges and he then returned to his own home. But Râvana thought over the matter repeatedly and exclaimed, “What wonder have I seen! Oh! What a miracle this lady has wrought!” Râvana thus lamented. This Vedavatî, of pure character, took her birth afterwards as Sîtâ, the daughter of
Janaka. For the sake of this Sîtâ, Râvana was ruined with his whole family. By the religious merits of her previous birth, the ascetic lady got Bhagavân Hari S’rî Râma Chandra, the Fullest of the Full, for her husband and remained for a long time in great enjoyment with the Lord of the world; a thing very difficult to be attained! Though she was a Jâtismarâ (one who knows all about her past lives), she did not feel any pain due to her practising severe austerities in her previous birth; for when the pains end in success, the pains are not then felt at all. Sîtâ, in Her fresh youth enjoyed various pleasures in the company of her husband, handsome, peaceful, humorous and witty, the chief of the Devas, loved by the female sex, well-qualified, and just what she desired. But the all-powerful Time is irresistible; the truthful Râmachandra, the scion of the Raghu’s family, had to keep up the promise made by his father and so he had to go to the forest, ordained by Time. He remained with Sîtâ and Laksmana near the sea. Once the God Fire appeared to Him in the form of a Brâhmana. Fire, in a Brâhmin-form, saw Râma Chandra morose and became himself mortified. Then the Truthful Fire addressed the truthful Râmachandra :-- “O Bhagavân Râmachandra! I now speak to you how time is now coming to you. Now has come the time when your Sîtâ will be stolen.
31-48. The course of Destiny is irresistible; none else is more powerful than Time, Fate. So give over your Sîtâ, the World Mother to me and keep with you this Chhâyâ Sîtâ (the shadow Sîtâ; the false Sîtâ). When the time of Sîtâ’s ordeal by fire will take place I will give Her back to you. The Devas united have sent me to you. I am not really a Brâhmin; but I am Agni Deva (eater of oblations).” Râmachandra heard Fire and gave his assent. But his heart shattered. He did not speak of this to Laksmana. By the yogic power Agni (Fire) created a Mâyâ Sîtâ. This Mâyâ Sîtâ, O Nârada, was perfectly equal to the real Sîtâ. Fire, then, handed this Mâyâ Sîtâ to the hands of Râmachandra. Hûtâsana (fire) took the real Sîtâ and said, “Never divulge this to any other body” and went away. What to speak of divulging the secret to any other body, Laksmana even could not know it. By this time Râma saw one deer, made of all gold. To bring that deer carefully to her, Sîtâ sent Râmachandra with great eagerness. Putting Sîtâ under Laksmana’s care, in that forest, Râma went himself immediately and pierced the deer by one arrow. That Mâyâ mrîga (the deer created by magic powers) on being pierced, cried out “Ha Laksmana!” and seeing Hari before him and remembering the name of Hari, quitted
his life. The deer body then vanished; and a divine body made its appearance in its stead. This new body mounting on an aerial car made of jewels, ascended to Vaikuntha. That Mâyik (magic) deer was in its previous birth, a servant, of the two gate-keepers of Vaikuntha; but, for the sake of some emergency, he had to take up this Râkhsasa birth. He again became the servant of two door-keepers of Vaikuntha. On the other hand Sîtâ Devî, hearing the cry “Ha Laksmana!” became very distressed and sent Laksmana in search of Râma. No sooner did Laksmana get out of the hermitage, the irresistible Râvana took away Sîtâ gladly to the city of Lanka (Ceylon). Now Râmachandra, seeing Laksmana on the way in the forest, became merged in the ocean of sorrows and without losing any time came hurriedly to the hermitage where he could not find Sîtâ. Instantly he fell unconscious, on the ground; and, after a long time, when he regained his consciousness, he lamented and wandered here and there in search of Her. After some days on the banks of the river Godâvarî, getting the information of Sîtâ, he built a bridge across the ocean with the help of His monkey armies. Then he entered with his army into Lanka and slew Râvana with arrows with all his friends. When Sîtâ’s ordeal by fire came, Agni (Fire) handed over the real Sîtâ to Râmachandra. The Shadow Sîtâ then humbly addressed Agni and Râma Chandra, “O Lord! What am I to do now? Settle my case.”
49-53. Agni and Râmachandra both of them then said to Chhâyâ Sîtâ :-- “O Devî! Go to Puskara and practise tapasyâ there; that place is the giver of religious merits and then you will be the Svarga Laksmî (Laksmî of Heaven).” Hearing this, the Chhâyâ Sîtâ went and practised tapasyâ for the three divine lakh years and became Mahâ Laksmî. This Svarga Laksmî appeared at one time from the sacrificial Kunda (pit). She was known as the daughter of Drupada and became the wife of the five Pândavas. She was Veda Vatî, the daughter of Kus’adhvaja in the Satya Yuga; Sîtâ, the wife of Râma and the daughter of Janaka in Tretâ Yuga; and Draupadî, the daughter of Drupada, in the Dvâpara Yuga. As she existed in the Satya, Tretâ, and Dvâpara Yugas, the Three Yugas, hence She is Trihâyanî.
54. Nârada said :-- “O Chief of Munis! O Remover of doubts! Why had Draupadî five husbands? A great doubt has arisen in my mind on this point. Remove my doubt.”
55-63. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! When, in the city of Lanka, the real Sîtâ came before Râma, then Chhâyâ Sîtâ, full of youth and beauty, became very anxious. Agni Deva and Râmachandra both told
Her to go to Puskara and worship S’amkara. While this Chhâyâ Sîtâ was practising austerities in Puskara, She became very anxious to get a good husband and asked from MahâDeva the boon “Grant me a husband” and repeated it five times. S’iva, the chief among the humorous, witty persons, hearing this, said, “O Dear! You will get five husbands” and thus granted her the boon. Therefore She became the dearest wife of the five Pândavas. Now hear other facts. When the war at Lanka was over, S’rî Râmachandra got his own dear wife Sîtâ, and installing Vibhîsana on the throne of Lanka, returned to Ayodhyâ. He ruled for eleven thousand years in Bhârata and finally went to Vaikuntha with his all his subjects. Vedavatî, the incarnation in part of Laksmî dissolved in the body of Kamalâ. Thus I have described to you the pure anecdote of Vedavatî. Hearing this destroys sins and increases virtue. The four Vedas reigned incarnate, in their true forms, on the lips of Vedavatî; hence She was named Vedavatî. Thus I have told you the anecdote of the daughter of Kus’adhvaja. Now hear the story of Tulasî, the daughter of Dharmadhvaja.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Ninth Book on the incarnation of Mahâ Laksmî in the house of Kus’adhvaja in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XVII
On the anecdote of Tulasî
1-19. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! The wife of Dharmadhvaja was Mâdhavî. Going to the Gandhamâdan mountain, She began to enjoy, with great gladness, the pleasures with the king Dharmadhvaja. The bed was prepared, strewn with flowers and scented with sandal-paste. She smeared all over her body with sandal-paste. The flowers and cool breeze in contact with the sweet scent of sandal-paste began to cool the bodies. Mâdhavî was the jewel amongst women. Her whole body was very elegant. Besides it was adorned all over with jewel ornaments. As she was humorous, so the king was very expert in that respect. It seemed as if the Creator created especially for Dharmadhvaja, the humorous lady Mâdhavî expert in amorous affairs. Both of them were skilled in amorous sports. So no one did like to desist from amorous enjoyments. One hundred divine years passed in this way, day and night passed unnoticed. The king then got back his consciousness and desisted from his amorous embraces. But the lustful woman did not find herself satisfied. However, by the Deva’s influence, she became pregnant and conceived for one hundred years. In the womb there was the incarnation of Laksmî; and the body’s lustre increased day by day. Then, on an auspicious day, on an auspicious moment, auspicious Yoga, auspicious Lagna, auspicious Amsa, and on an auspicious combination of planetary
rulers and their houses, she delivered on the full moon night of the month of Kârtik one beautiful daughter, the incarnation in part of Laksmî. The face of the baby looked like the autumnal moon; Her two eyes resembled autumnal lotuses and her upper and lower lips looked beautiful like ripe Bimba fruits. The daughter began, no sooner it was born, to look on all sides of the lying-in-room. The palm and lower part of feet were red. The navel was deep and below that there were three wrinkles. Her loins were circular. Her body was hot in the winter and cold in the summer and pleasant to touch. Her hairs on the head were hanging like the roots of the fig tree. Her colour was bright like Champaka; She was a jewel amongst women. Men and women cannot compare her beauty. The holy wise men named Her Tulasî. As soon as she was born, she looked of the female sex, full in every way. Though prevented repeatedly by all, She went to the forest of Badarî for practising Tapasyâ. There she practised hard Tapasyâ for one lakh divine years. Her main object was to get Nârâyana for her husband. In summer she practise Panchatapâ (surrounded by fire on four sides and on the top); in the winter she remained in water and in the rainy season she remained in the open air and endured the showers of the rain, twenty thousand years. She passed away thus in eating fruits and water. For thirty thousand years she subsisted only on the leaves of trees. When the forty thousandth year came, she subsisted only on air and her body became thinner and thinner day by day. Then for ten thousand years afterwards she left eating anything whatsoever and without any aim, stood on only one leg. At this time the lotus-born Brahmâ, seeing this, appeared there to grant her boons. On seeing Him, Tulasî immediately bowed down to Brahmâ, the Four-faced One riding on His vehicle, the Swan. [Note: -- The vehicle theory of the Devas came from Egypt. The Devas were without vehicles at first and were faced half-beasts. Then they were rendered men and their vehicles were fancied as beasts. The face of the Dûrgâ Devî was thought of as that of a tiger.]
20. He then addressed her and said :-- “O Tulasî! Ask a boon that you like. Whether it be devotion to Hari, servantship to Hari, freedom from old age or freedom from death, I will grant that to you.”
21-27. Tulasî said :-- “Father! I now say you my mind. Hear. What is the use of hiding away my views out of fear or shame to One who knows everything reigning in One’s Heart.
I am Tulasî Gopî (cowherdess); I used to dwell before in the Goloka. I was a dear she-servant of Radhikâ, the beloved of Krisna. I was also born of Her in part, Her Sakhis (female attendants) used to love me. Once in Râsa Mandalam I was enjoyed by Govinda; but I was not satiated and while
I was lying down in an unconscious state, Râdhâ, the Governess-in-chief of the Râsa circle, came there and saw me in that state. She rebuked Gobinda and, out of anger, cursed me :-- ‘Go at once and be born as a human being.’ At this Govinda spoke to me :-- ‘If you go and practise Tapas in Bhârata, Brahmâ will get pleased and He will grant you boon. When you will get Nârâyana, the Four-armed, born of Me in part as your husband.’ O Father! Thus speaking, S’rî Krisna disappeared out of sight. Out of Râdhâ’s fear, I quitted my body and am now born in this world. Now grant me this boon that I get the peaceful, lovely, beautiful Nara for my husband.”
28-37. Brahmâ said :-- “O Child Tulasî! The Gopa (cowherd) Sudâmâ was born of S’rî Krisna’s body. At the present time he is very energetic, He too, under the curse of Râdhâ, has come and taken his birth amongst the Dânavas. He is named S’ankha Chûda. No one is equal to him in strength. In Goloka, when he saw you before, he was overpowered with passion for you. Only out of Râdhâ’s influence, he could not embrace you. That Sudâmâ is Jâtismara (knows all about his previous births); and you, too, are Jâti Smarâ. There is nothing unknown to you. O Beautiful One! You will now be his wife. Afterwards you will get Nârâyana, the Beautiful and Lovely for your husband. Thus under the curse of Nârâyana, you will be transformed into the world purifying Tulasî tree. You will be the foremost amongst the flowers and will be dearer to Nârâyana than His life. No one’s worship will be complete without Thee as leaf. You will remain as a tree in Bindrâban and you will be widely known as Vrindâbanî. The Gopas and Gopis will worship Mâdhava with Your leaves. Being the Presiding Deity of the Tulasî tree, you will always enjoy the company of Krisna, the best of the Gopas.” O Nârada! Thus bearing Brahmâ’s words, the Devî Tulasî became very glad. Smile appeared in her face. She then bowed down to the Creator and said :--
38-40. “O Father! I speak now truly to Thee that I am not as devoted to the four-armed Nârâyana as I am devoted to S’yâma Sundara, the two-armed. For my intercourse with Govinda S’rî Krisna was suddenly interrupted and my desire was not gratified. It is because of S’rî Govinda’s words that I prayed for the four-armed. Now it appears certain that by Thy grace I will get again my Govinda, very hard to be attained. But, O Father! Do this that I be not afraid of Râdhâ.”
41-48. Brahmâ said :-- “O Child! I now give you the sixteen lettered Râdhâ mantra to you. By Her Grace you will be dear to Râdhâ as Her life. Râdhikâ will not be able to know anything of your secret
dealings. O Fortunate! You will be dear to Govinda like Râdhâ.” Thus saying, Brahmâ, the Creator of the world, gave her the sixteen lettered Râdhâ mantra, stotra, Kavacha and mode of worship and puras’charana and He blessed her. Tulasî, then, engaged herself in worshipping Râdhâ, as directed. By the boon of Brahmâ, Tulasî attained Siddhi (success) like Laksmî. Out of the power of the Siddha mantra, She got her desired boon. She became fortunate in getting various pleasures, hard to be attained in this world. Her mind became quiet. All the toils of Tapasyâ disappeared. When one gets the fruit of one’s labour, all the troubles then transform to happiness. She then finished her food and drink and slept on a beautiful bed strewn with flowers and scented with sandal paste.
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Tulasî in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XVIII
On the union of S’ankhachûda with Tulasî
1-26. Nârâyana said :-- Thus highly pleased, Tulasî went to sleep with a gladdened-heart. She, the daughter of Vrisadhvaja, was then in her blooming youth and while asleep, the Cupid, the God of five arrows, shot at her five arrows (by which one gets enchanted and swooned). Though the Devî was smeared with sandal paste and She slept on a bed strewn with flowers, her body was felt as if being burnt. Out of joy, the hairs stood on their ends all over her body; her eyes were reddened and her body began to quiver. Sometimes She felt uneasiness, sometimes dryness; sometimes She got faint; sometimes drowsiness and sometimes again pleasantness; sometimes she became conscious, sometimes sorrowful. Sometimes she got up from her bed; sometimes she sat; and sometimes she fell again to sleep. The flower-bed, strewn with sandal-paste, appeared to her full of thorns; nice delicious fruits and cold water appeared to her like poison. Her house appeared to her like a hole in a ground and her fine garments seemed to her like fire. The mark of Sindûra on her forehead appeared, as it were, a boil, a sore. She began to see in her dreams that one beautiful, well clothed, humorous, young man with smile in his lips, appeared to her. His body was besmeared with sandal-paste and decked with excellent jewels; garlands of forest flowers were suspending from his neck. Coming there, he was drinking the honey of her lotus face. He was speaking on love themes and on various other sweet topics. As if he was embracing amorously and enjoying the pleasures of intercourse. After the intercourse he was going away; again he was coming near.
The lady was addressing him, “O Darling! O Lord of my heart! Where do you go. Come close.” Again when she became conscious, she began to lament bitterly. Thus on entering in her youth, the Devî Tulasî began to live in the hermitage of Badari (Plum fruit, it may signify womb. Those who visit Badari are not to enter again in any womb). On the other hand the great Yogi S’ankhachûda obtained the Krisna Mantra from Maharsi Jaigîsavya and got siddhi (success) in Puskara Tîrtha (sacred place of pilgrimage where one crosses the world). Holding on his neck the Kavacha named Sarvamangalamaya and obtaining the boon from Brahmâ as he desired, he arrived at Badari, by Brahmâ’s command. The signs of the blooming youth had just begun to be visible in the body of S’ankhachûda as if the God of Love incarnated in his body; his colour resembled that of white Champakas and all his body was decked with jewelled ornaments. His face resembled the autumnal full moon; his eyes were extended like the lotus leaves. The beautiful form was seen to sit in an excellent aerial car, made of pearls and jewels. Two jewel earrings, nice and elegant, suspended upto his cheek; his neck was adorned with Pârijâta flower garlands; and his body was smeared with Kumkum and scented sandal-paste. O Nârada! Seeing S’ankhachûda coming near to her, Tulasî covered her face by her clothing and she, with a smiling countenance, cast repeatedly sidelong glances at him and bent her head low abashed in the expectation of a fresh intercourse. How beautiful was that clear face of her! It put down the autumnal moon in the background. The invaluable jewelled ornament were on her toes. Her braid of hair was surrounded by sweet scented Mâlatî garlands. The invaluable jewelled wonderful earrings like the shape of a shark were hanging up to her cheek. Extraordinarily beautiful necklaces were seen being suspended to the middle of her breasts and added to the beauty thereof; on her arms and hand were jewelled bangles and conch ornaments; jewelled armlets and on fingers; excellent jewelled rings were seen. O Muni! Seeing that lovely beautiful chaste woman of good nature, S’ankhachûda came to her and taking his seat addressed her as follows :--
27. “O Proud One! O Auspicious One! Who are you? Whose daughter are you? You look fortunate and blessed among women. I am your silent slave. Talk with me.”
28-30. That beautiful eyed Tulasî, full of love, replied to S’ankhachûda with smiling countenance and face bent low :-- “I am the daughter of the great king Vrisadhvaja. I have come to this forest for tapasyâ and am engaged in this. Who are you? What business have you to talk with me? You can go away wherever you like. I have heard
in the S’âstras that persons born of a noble family never speak with ladies of a respectable family in privacy.
31-71. Only those that are lewd, void of any knowledge in the Dharma S’âstras, void of the Vedic knowledge and who are not Kulînas, like to speak with women in privacy. And those woman, too, that look externally beautiful but very passionate and the Death of males, who are sweet tongued but filled with venom in their hearts, those who are sweet externally but like a sword internally, those that are always bent in achieving their own selfish ends and those that become obedient to their husbands for their own selfish ends otherwise behaving as they like, those that are filled inside with dirty things and outside looking pleasant in their faces and eyes, whose characters are pronounced as defiled, what intelligent, learned and noble-minded man can trust them? Those women do not discriminate who are their friends or who are their enemies; they want always new persons. Whenever they see a man well dressed, they want to satisfy their own passions. And they pretend with great care that they are very chaste. They are the vessels of passion; they always attract the minds of others and they are very enthusiastic in satisfying their own lust. They verbally shew that they want other men to go away but at hearts, feelings for intercourse remain preponderant; whenever they see their paramours in private, they laugh and become very glad but externally their shame, knows no bounds. When they do not have their intercourses with their paramours, they become self-conceited; their bodies burn with anger and they begin to quarrel. When their passions are satisfied fully, they become glad and when there is a deficiency in that, they become sorrowful. For the sake of good and sweet food and cold drinks, they want beautiful young persons, qualified and humorous. They consider witty young persons clever in holding intercourses, more dearly than their sons. And if that beloved one becomes incapable or aged, then he is considered as an enemy. Quarrels and anger then ensue. They devour these men as serpents eat rats. They are boldness personified and they are the source of all evils and vices. Even Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a remain deluded before them. They cannot find out any clue of their minds. They are the greatest obstacle in the path of tapasyâ and the closed doors for liberation. Devotion to Hari cannot reach those women. They are the repositories of Mâyâ and they hold men fast by iron chains in this word. They are like magicians and false like dreams. They enchant others by external beauty; their lower parts are very ugly and filled with excrements, faeces, of foul scent and very unholy and smeared with blood. The Creator Bhagavân has created them as such, the Mâyâ to
the Mâyâvis and the venom to those who want liberation, and as invisible to those that want to have them.” Thus saying Tulasî stopped. O Nârada! S’ankhachûda, then smilingly addressed her as follows :-- “O Devî! What you have spoken is not wholly false; partly it is true and partly it is false. Now hear. The Creator has created this all-enchanting female form into two parts. One is praiseworthy and the other is not. He has created Laksmî, Sarasvatî, Durgâ, Sâvitrî and Râdhâ and others as the primary causes of creation; so there are the prime creations: Those women that are born of their parts, are auspicious, glorious and much praiseworthy. S’atarûpâ, Devahûtî, Svadhâ, Svâhâ, Daksinâ Chhâyâvatî, Rohinî, Varunânî, S’achî, the wife of Kuvera, Diti, Aditi, Lopâmudrâ, Anasûyâ, Kautabhî (Kotarî), Tulasî, Ahalyâ, Arundhatî, Menâ, Tarâ, Mandodarî, Damayantî, Vedavatî, Gangâ, Manasâ, Pusti, Tusti, Smriti, Medhâ, Kâlikâ, Vasundharâ, Sasthî, Mangalachandî, Mûrti, wife of Dharma. Svasti, S’raddhâ; S’ânti, Kânti, Ksânti, Nidrâ, Tandrâ, Ksudhâ, Pipâsâ, Sandhyâ, Râtri, Divâ, Sampatti, Dhriti, Kîrtî, Krîyâ, S’obhâ, Prabhâ, S’ivâ, and other women born of the Prime Prakritis, all are excellent in every Yuga. The prostitutes of the heavens are also born of the above women in their parts and parts of parts. They are not praiseworthy in the universe; they are all regarded as unchaste women. Those women that are of Sâttva Gunas are all excellent and endowed with influence. In the universe they are good, chaste and praiseworthy. This is not false. The Pandits declare them excellent. Those that are of Râjo Gunas, and Tâmo Gunas are not so praiseworthy. Those women that are of Râjo Gunas are known as middling. They are always fond of enjoyments, yield to them, and always ready to achieve their own ends. These women are generally insincere, delusive, and outside the pale of religious duties. Therefore they are generally unchaste. The Pandits consider them as middling. Those women that are of Tâmo Gunas are considered as worst. Those born of noble families, can never speak with other wives in a private place or when they are alone. By Brahmâ’s command I have come to you. O Fair One! I will marry you now according to the Gandharba method. My name is S’ankhachûda. The Devas fly away from me out of terror. Before I was the intimate S’akhâ (friend) of S’rî Hari, by the name of Sudâmâ. Now, by Râdhikâ’s curse I am born in the family of the Dânavas. I was a Pârisad (attendant) of S’rî Krisna and the chief of the eight Gopas. Now, by Râdhikâ’s curse I am born as S’ankhachûda, the Indra of the Dânavas. By S’rî Krisna’s grace and by His mantra, I am Jâtismarâ (know of my past births). You, too, are Jâtismarâ Tulasî. S’rî Krisna enjoyed you before. By
Râdhikâ’s anger, you are now born in Bhârata. I was very eager to enjoy you then; out of Râdhikâ’s fear I could not.”
72-87. Thus saying, S’ankhachûda stopped. Then Tulasî gladly and smilingly replied :-- “Such persons (like you) are famous in this world; good women desire such husbands. Really, I am now defeated by you in argument. The man who is conquered by woman is very impure and blamed by the community. The Pitri Lokas, the Deva Lokas, and the Gandharba Loka, too, look upon men, overpowered by women, as mean, despicable. Even father, mother, brother, etc., hate them mentally. It is said in the Vedas that the impurities during birth and death are expiated by a ten days observances for the Brâhmanas, by twelve days observances for the Ksattriyas, by fifteen days observances for the Vais’yas and by one month’s observances for the S’ûdras and other low castes. But the impurity of the man who is conquered by women cannot be expiated by any other means except (his dead body) being burned in the funeral pyre. The Pitris never accept willingly the pindas and offerings of water (Tarpanas) offered by the women-conquered men. So much so that the Devas even hesitate to accept flowers, water, etc., offered by them on their names. Those whose hearts are entirely subdued by men, do not acquire any fruits from their knowledge, Tapasyâ, Japam, fire sacrifices, worship, learning and fame. I tested you to ascertain your strength in learning. It is highly advisable to choose one’s husband by examining his merits and defects. Sin equivalent to the murder of a Brâhmin is committed if one gives in marriage one’s daughter to one void of all qualifications, to an old man, to one who is ignorant, to a poor, illiterate, diseased, ugly, very angry, very harsh, lame, devoid of limbs, deaf, dumb, inanimate like, and who is impotent. If one gives in marriage a daughter to a young man of good character, learned, well qualified and of a peaceful temper, one acquires the fruits of performing ten horse sacrifices. If one nourishes a daughter and sells her out of greed for money, one falls to the Kumbhîpâka hell. That sinner drinks the urine and eats the excrements of that daughter, remaining in that hell. For a period equal to the fourteen Indra’s life-periods they are bitten by worms and crows. At the expiry of this period, they will have to be born in this world of men as diseased persons. In their human births they will have to earn their livelihood by selling flesh and carrying flesh.”
88-100. Thus saying, when Tulasî stopped, Brahmâ appeared on the scene and addressed S’ankachûda :-- O S’ankhachûda! Why are you spending uselessly your time in vain talks with Tulasî? Marry her soon by the Gandharba method. As you are a gem amongst
males, so She is a gem amongst females. It is a very happy union between a humorous lover and a humorous beloved. O King! Who despises the great happiness when it is at one’s hand! He who forsakes the pleasure is worse than a beast in this world. O Tulasî! And what for are you testing the nobly qualified person who is the tormentor of the Devas, Asuras and Dânavas. O Child! As Laksmî Devî is of Nârâyana, as Râdhikâ is of Krisna; as is My Sâvîtrî, as Bhava’s is Bhavânî, as Boar's is Earth, as Yajña’s is Daksînâ, Atri’s Anasûyâ, Gautama’s Ahalyâ, Moon’s Rohinî, Brihaspati’s Târâ, Manu’s S’atarûpâ, Kandarpa’s Rati, Kas’yapa’s Aditi, Vas’istha’s Arundhatî, Karddama’s Devahûti, Fire’s Svâhâ, Indra’s S’achî, Ganes’a’s Pusti, Skanda’s Devasenâ, and Dharma’s Mûrti, so let you be the dear wife of S’ankhachûda. Let you remain with S’ankhachûda, beautiful as he is, for a long time, and enjoy with him in various places as you like. When S’ankhachûda will quit his mortal frame, you would go to Goloka and enjoy easily with the two-armed S’rî Krisna, and in Vaikuntha with the four-armed Krisna and with great gladness.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the union of S’ankhachûda with Tulasî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XIX
On the going of the Devas to Vaikuntha after Tulasî’s marriage with S’ankhachûda
1. Nârada said :-- “O Bhâgavân! Wonderful is the story that has been now recited by you. My ears are not satisfied. So tell me what happened afterwards.”
2-94. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! The Creator Brahmâ, blessing them, departed to His own abode. The Dânava married Tulasî under the Gandharba method. The celestial drums sounded and the flowers were showered. In the beautiful lovely house the Dânavendra, remained in perfect enjoyment. Tulasî, too, being busy with fresh intercourses, became almost mad after them. The chaste Tulasî and S’ankhachûda both became deeply immersed in the ocean of bliss in their sexual union and began to enjoy sixty-four sorts of amorous sports. In the S’âstras on love affairs, all the connections of limbs with limbs that are described, as the lover and the loved desire, they both enjoyed those with perfect freedom and pleasure. The place was solitary; to add to it, the scenery was grand and lovely; so nothing remained untasted of the several tastes of amorous pleasures. On the banks of the river, in flower-gardens, they slept on the flower beds smeared with sandal-paste, and enjoyed the amorous pleasures. Both were adorned with
jewel ornaments; both were skilled in amorous practices; so no one desisted. The chaste Tulasî out of her nimbleness due to young age, easily stole into the heart of her husband. S’ankhachûda, too, a great expert in knowing other’s amorous sentiments, attracted the heart of Tulasî. Tulasî obliterated the sandal marks from the breast of the King and the sign of tilak from his nose. The King also wiped away the dot of Sindur and Alakâ (vermillion) marks from Tulasî’s forehead and put marks of nails on her round plump breasts. Tulasî also hurt the King’s left side by her bracelets. Then the King bit the lips of Tulasî. Thus each one embraced the other, kissed each other and each one began to champoo the thighs, legs, etc. When both of them thus spent their time in amorous sports, they got up and began to dress themselves as they desired. Tulasî smeared S’ankhachûda’s nose with red sandal-paste mixed with kumkum (saffron), smeared his body with sweet-scented sandal-paste, offered sweet-scented betels in his mouth, made him put on celestial garments (fireproof; brought from Fire) put unto his neck the wonderful garland of Pârijâta flowers, destructive of disease and old age, invaluable jewel rings on his hand and offering him excellent gems, rare in the three worlds, said :-- “O Lord! I am your maidservant” and uttering this repeatedly bowed down to the feet of her husband with devotion. She then got up and with smiling countenance began to look on his face with a steadfast gaze. The king S’ankhachûda then attracted his dear Tulasî to his breast and took off the veil fully from her face and began to look on that, next moment he kissed on her cheek and lips and gave her a pair of garments brought from the Varuna’s house, a necklace of jewels, hard to get in the three worlds, the tinklets of Svâhâ, the wife of Agni, the Keyura (armlets) of the Sun’s wife Chhâyâ, the two earrings of Rohinî, the wife of the Moon, the finger rings of Rati, the wife of Kâmadeva, and the wonderfully beautiful conch, given by Vis’va Karmâ, excellent bedding studded with pearls and jewels and various ornaments; and when he gave her all these things, he smiled. The king then put garlands on Tulasî’s braid of hair, nicely variegated Alakâs on her cheek, three crescent lines of sweet-scented sandal paste within the Alakâs, dots of saffron all around that, the brilliant Sindura mark looking like a flame, and red Âltâ on the feet and toes; he then placed those feet on his breast and utterred repeatedly :-- “I am your servant” and then held her on his breast. They then left the hermitage, in that state and began to travel in various places. In the Malaya mountain, in mountains after mountains, in solitary flower gardens, in the mountain caves, in beautiful sea-beaches, on the banks of the Puspabhadrâ river, cool with
watery breeze, in various rivers and riversides, in Vispandana forest echoed with sweet songs of the birds of the vernal season. They then went from Vispandana forest to the Surasana forest, from the Surasana, forest to the Nandana forest, from the Nandana forest to the nice Chandana forests, from Chandana forest to Champaka, Ketakî; Mâdhavî Kunda, Mâlatî, and Kumuda and lotus forests; thence they went to the forest of desire gratifying trees (Kalpavriksa forest,) and Pârijâta trees. They then went to the solitary place Kânchan, thence to the Kânchî (forest) they then went to the Kîñjalaka forest, thence to the Kânchanâkar (the gold mine), thence to Kanchuka and various other forests echoed with the sweet sounds of cuckoos. There, on beds strewn with flowers and scented with sandal paste they both enjoyed each other to their hearts content and with great pleasure. But none of them, whether S’ankhachûda or Tulasî, got quenched with their thirst. Rather their passions were inflamed like the fire on which clarified butter is poured (in sacrifices). The King of the Dânavas, then, brought Tulasî to his own kingdom and, there, in his own beautiful garden house, he incessantly enjoyed her. Thus the powerful king of the Dânavas passed away one Manvantara in the enjoyment of his kingdom. He spread his sway over the Devatâs, Asuras, Dânavas, Gandharbas, Kinnaras, and Râksasas. The Devas, dispossessed of their realms, wandered everywhere like beggars. At last they united in a body and went to the Brahmâ’s assembly and there they began to cry and then related the whole history how the Dânava S’ankhachûda oppressed them. Hearing all this, Brahmâ took them to S’ankara and informed Him of the whole history of the case. When Mahâdeva heard all this, He took them all to the highest place, Vaikuntha devoid of old age and death. Going towards the first entrance of Nârâyana’s abode, they saw the gate-keepers watching the gate, taking their seats on jewel thrones. They all looked brilliant, clothed with the yellow garments, adorned with jewel ornaments, garlanded with forest flowers, all of S’yâma Sundara (dark blue, very beautiful) bodies. They were four-armed, holding on their hands, conch, mace, discus and lotus; sweet smile was on their faces and eyes beautiful like lotus leaves. On Brahmâ asking them for entrance to the assembly, they nodded their assent. He, then, accompanied by the Devas, passed one by one, sixteen gates and at last came before Nârâyana. On reaching there, He saw that the assembly was completely filled with Devarsis, and four-armed Nârâyanlike Pârisadas (attendants), decked with Kaustubba jewels. The sight of the Sabhâ (assembly) makes one think that the Moon has just arisen, shedding effulgent rays all round. By the will of S’rî Hari, excellent diamonds, invaluable gems and necklaces of gems and jewels were
placed at various places. At other places rows of pearls were shedding their splendour and brilliance like the garlands of gems and jewels. At others, the mirrors were placed in a circle; and at various other places, the endless wonderful artistic picture lines were drawn. Again at other places the jewels called Padmarâgas were artistically arranged as if the lotuses were there spreading their lustrous beauty all around. At many other places rows of steps were made of wonderful Syamantak jewels. All around the assembly, there were the excellent pillars, built of Indranîlam jewels. Over those pillars, sandal leaves strung on strings from to pillar to pillar, were suspended. Golden jars, all brimful with water were located at various places. All around, the garlands of Pârijâta flowers were seen. The hall was decorated with sweet scented sandal trees, red like saffron and musk. Sweet scents were being emitted all round. The Vidyadhâris were dancing at places. The assembly hall measured one thousand Yojanas. Countless servants were engaged all over on various works. Brahmâ, S’ankara, and the other Gods saw there S’rî Hari seated in the centre on an invaluable jewel throne, as a Moon looks surrounded by stars. There were the crown on His head, the ear-rings on His ears; garlands made of wild flowers were on his neck and His body was smeared all over with sandal paste and He was holding Kelipadma (a sort of lotus) in His hand. He was seeing, with a smiling countenance, the dancing and music before Him. He was full of peace, the Lord of Sarasvatî. Laksmî was holding gently His lotus feet and He was chewing the sweet scented betel offered by Her. Gangâ also was fanning Him devotedly with a white Châmara and the others were singing hymns to Him with their heads bent low with devotion. Brahmâ and the other Gods all bowed down to Him; their bodies were all filled with Pulaka (excessive joy causing hair stand on end); tears flowed from their eyes and their
voices were choked out of emotion. The creator Brahmâ, then, with clasped hands informed Him, with head bowed down, of the whole history of S’ankhachûda. Hearing this, the omniscient Hari, knowing the minds of all, smiled and spoke to Brahmâ all the interesting secrets :-- O Lotus born! I know all about S’ankhachûda. He was in his previous birth My great devotee, an energetic Gopa. Now I speak to you the ancient history of Goloka; hear. This story about Goloka is sin destroying and highly meritorious. S’ankhachûda, in his previous birth was the Gopa Sudâmâ, My chief Pârisad (attendant). He has now become a Dânava on account of the dire curse pronounced by S’rî
Râdhâ. One day when I went from My abode, accompanied by Virajâ Gopî, to the Râsa Mandala, My beloved Râdhâ, hearing this news from a maid servant, came up at once with Her whole host of Sakhîs
wrathful, to the Râsa Mandalam (ball dance in Goloka) and, not being able to see Me, saw Virajâ turned into a river, She thought that I had disappeared. So She went back to Her own abode with Her Sakhîs. But when I returned to the house with Sudâmâ, Râdhâ rebuked Me very much. I remained silent. But Sudâmâ could not bear and he rebuked Râdhâ in My presence, a thing quite intolerable to Her dignity! On hearing this rebuke, Râdhâ’s eyes became red with anger and She immediately ordered Her Sakhîs to drive him away. Sudâmâ began to tremble with fear. Immediately on Her command lakhs and lakhs of Sakhîs got up immediately and drove that hot irresistible Sudâmâ away. Sudâmâ repeated his chafings and roarings. On hearing these, She cursed him :-- “You better be born in the womb of a Dânavî.” Hearing the terrible curse, Sudâmâ bowed down to Me and went away crying; then Râdhâ, who was all-mercy, became melted with mercy. And She prevented him repeatedly, not to go away. Râdhâ wept and told him, “O Child! Wait. Where are you going? No more you will have to go; return.” Thus saying She became very distressed. The Gopas and Gopîs also began to weep. I then explained to them, “In about half a moment Sudâmâ will come back, fulfilling the conditions of the curse. O Sudâmâ! Come here when the curse expires.” Then he appeased Râdhâ also. “Know that one moment (Ksan) in Goloka is equal to one Manvantara on earth. The Yogi S’ankhachûda, expert in Mâyâ and very powerful will soon return from the earth. Take this My weapon S’ûla and go early to Bhârata. S’iva will slay the Dânava by this S’ûlâstra. The Dânava holds always on his neck My auspicious Kavacha and will therefore become the conqueror of the universe. No one will he able to kill him as long as be holds the above Kavacha. So, first of all, I will go to him in the form of a Brâhmana and ask from him the Kavacha. O Creator! Thou also didst give him the boon that his death would occur when the chastity of of his wife would be destroyed. I will go and hold intercourse with his wife. Then his death will occur without fail. His wife after her death will come and become My dearest wife. Thus saying, Nârâyana gave over to Mahâdeva the S’ûlâstra. Then He went gladly to His inner compartments. On the other hand, Brahmâ and Rudra and the other Devas incarnated themselves in Bhârata.
Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter on the going of the Devas to Vaikuntha after Tulasî’s marriage with S’ankhachûda in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XX
On the war preparations of S’ankhachûda with the Devas
1-21. Nârâyana said :-- Brahmâ, then putting S’iva to the task of killing S’ankhachûda went to His own abode. The other Devas returned to their homes. Here under the beautiful Bata tree, on the banks of the river Chandrabhâgâ, Mahâdeva pitched His big tent and encamped Himself to get the victory of the Devas. He then sent Chitraratha, the Lord of the Gandharbhas, as a messenger to S’ankhachûda, the Lord of the Dânavas. By the command of Mahâdeva, Chitraratha went to the city of the king of Daityas, more beautiful than Indra’s place and more wealthy than the mansion of Kuvera. The city was five yojanas wide and twice as much in length. It was built of crystals of pearls and jewels. There were roadways on all sides. There were seven trenches, hard to be crossed, one after another, encircling the city. The city was built of countless rubies and gems, brilliant like flames. There were hundreds of roadways and markets and stalls, in the wonderful Vedis (raised platforms) built of jewels. All around were splendid palatial buildings of traders and merchantmen, filled with various articles. There were hundreds and kotis of beautiful buildings, adorned with various ornaments and built of variegated red stones looking like Sindûras. Thus he went on and saw, in the middle, the building of S’ankhachûda, circular like the lunar sphere. Four ditches all filled with fiery flames, encircled one after another, his house. So the enemies could not in any way cross them; but the friend could easily go there. On the top were seen turrets built of jewels, rising high to the heavens. The gate-keepers were watching the twelve gates. In the centre were situated lakhs and lakhs of excellent jewel built houses. In every room there were jewelled steps and staircases and the pillars were all built of gems and jewels, and pearls. Puspadanta (Chitraratha) saw all this and then went to the first gate and saw one terrible person, copper coloured, with tawny eyes, sitting with a trident in his hand and with a smiling countenance. He told he had come as a messenger and got his entrance. Thus Chitraratha went one afer another to all the entries, not being prohibited at all though he told that he had come as a messenger on war service. The Gandharbha reached one after another, the last door and said :-- “O Door keeper! Go quickly and inform the Lord of the Dânavas all about the impending war.” When the messenger had spoken thus, the gate-keeper allowed him to go inside. Going inside, the Gandarbha saw S’ankhachûda, of excellent form, seated in the middle of the royal assembly, on a golden
throne. One servant was holding on the king’s head an umbrella, decked with divine excellent gems, the inner rod of the umbrella being made up of jewels, and decorated with expanded artificial flowers made of gems. The attendants were fanning him with beautiful white châmaras; he was nicely dressed, beautiful and lovely and adorned with jewel ornaments. He was nicely garlanded, and wore fine celestial garments. Three Koti Dânavas were surrounding him; and seven Koti Dânavas, all armed, were walking to and fro.
22-53. Puspadanta was thunderstruck when he saw thus the Dânava and he addressed him thus :-- O King! I am a servant of S’iva; My name is Puspadanta; hear what S’iva has commanded me to tell you. You better now give back, to the Devas, the rights that they had before. The Devas went to S’rî Hari and had taken His refuge. S’rî Hari gave over to S’iva one S’ûla weapon and asked the Devas to depart. At present, the three eyed Deva is residing under the shade of a Bata tree on the banks of the Puspabhadrâ river. He told me to speak this to you, “Either give over to the Devas their rights, or fight with me. Please reply and I will speak to Him accordingly.” S’ankhachûda, hearing the messenger’s words laughed and said, “Tomorrow morning I will start, ready for war. Better go away today.” The messenger went back to S’iva and replied to Him accordingly. In the meantime the following personages joined S’iva and remained seated on excellent aerial cars, built of jewels and gems. The following were the persons :-- Skanda, Vîrabhadra, Nandî, Mahâkâla, Subhadraka, Vis’âlâksa, Bâna, Pingalâksa, Vikampana, Virûpa, Vikriti, Manibhadra, Vâskâla, Kapilâksa, Dîrgha Dangstra, Vikata, Tâmralochana, Kâlâkantha, Balîbhadra, Kâlajîhba, Kutîchara, Balonmatta, Ranas’lâghî, Durjaya, Durgama, (these eight Bhairavas), eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, Indra, the twelve Âdityas, fire, moon, Vis’vakarmâ, the two As’vins, Kuvera, Yama, Jayanta, Nala Kûbara, Vâyu, Varuna, Budha, Mangala, Dharma, S’anî, Is’âna, the powerful Kâmadeva. Ugradamstrâ, Ugrachandâ, Kotarâ, Kaitabhî, and the eight armed terrible Devî Bhadrakâlî. Kâlî wore the bloody red clothings and She smeared red sandal paste all over Her body.
Dancing, laughing; singing songs in tune, very jolly, She bids Her devotees discard all fear, and terrifies the enemies. Her lip is terrible, lolling, and extends to one Yojana. On Her eight arms She holds conch, disc, mace, lotus, axe, skin, bow and arrows. She was holding in Her hands, the bowl shaped human skull; that was very deep and one Yojana wide. Her trident reached up to the Heavens; Her weapon called S’akti (dart) extended to one Yojana. Besides there were Mudgara
(mace), Musala (club), Vajra (thunderbolt), Kheta (club), brilliant Phalaka (shield), the Vaisnava weapon, the Varuna weapon, the Âgneyâstra (the fire weapon), Nâgapâs’a (the noose of serpents), the Nârâyanâstra, the Gandharva’s weapons, the Brahmâ’s weapons, the Gadudâstram, the Pârjanayâstram, the Pâs’upatâstram, the Jrimbhañâstram, the Pârvatâstram, the Mahes’varâstram, the Vâyavyâstram, and the Sanmohanam rod and various other infallible divine weapons. Besides hundreds of other divine weapons were with Her. Three Kotis of Yoginîs and three Kotis and a half of terrible Dâkinîs were attending Bhadrakâlî. Bhûtas, (demons) Pretas, Pis’âchas, Kusmândas, Brahma Râksasas, Râkhsasas, Vetâlas, Yaksas and Kinnaras also were there in countless numbers. At this time Kârtikeya came there and bowed down to his father Mahâdeva. He asked him to take his seat on His left side an asked him to help. Then the army remained there in military array. On the other hand, when S’iva’s messenger departed, S’ankhachûda went to the zenana and informed Tulasî of the news of an impending war. No sooner She heard than her throat and lips and palate became dried. She then with a sorrowful heart spoke in sweet words :-- “O my Lord! O my Friend! O the Ruler of My life! Wait for a moment and take your seat on My heart. Instil life in Me for a moment. Satisfy My desire of human birth. Let me behold you fully so that my eyes be satisfled. My breath is now very agitated. I saw by the end of the night one bad dream. Therefore I feel an internal burning.” Thus at the words of Tulasî, the king S’ankhachûda finished his meals and began to address her, in good and true words, beneficent to her :-- “O My Lady! It is Kâla (the time that brings out these various combinations by which the Karmic fruit is enjoyed; it is Kâla that awards auspicious and inauspicious things; the Kâla is the Sole Master to impart pain, fear, and good and bad things.
54-84. Trees grow up in time; their branches, etc., come out in time; flowers appear in time and fruits come out in time. Fruits are ripen in time and after giving the fruits, they die out also in time. O Fair One! The universe comes into existence in time and dies away in time. The Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the universe, are creating, preserving and destroying the worlds with the help of time. Time guides them in every way. But the Highest Prakriti is the God of Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes’a (i.e., the Creatrix of Time). This Highest Prakriti, the Highest God is creating, preserving and destroying this universe. She makes the Time dance. By Her mere Will, She has converted Her inseparable Prakriti into Mâyâ and is thus creating all things, moving and unmoving. She is the Ruler of all; the Form of all, and She is the Highest God. By Her is being done this creation of
persons by persons, this preservation of persons by persons, and this destruction of persons by persons. So you better now take refuge of the Highest Lord. Know it is by Her command the wind is blowing, by Her command the Sun is giving heat in due time, by Her command Indra is showering rains; by Her command, Death is striding over the beings; by Her command fire is burning all things and by Her command the cooling Moon is revolving. She is the Death of death, the Time of time, Yama of yama (the God of death), the Fire of fire and the Destroyer of the destroyer. So take Her refuge. You cannot find and fix who is whose friend in the world; so pray to Her, the Highest God, Who is the Friend of All. Oh! Who am I? And who are you either? The Creator is the combiner of us two and so He will dissociate us two by our Karma. When difficulty arises, the ignorant fools become overwhelmed with sorrow; but the intelligent Pundits do not get at all deluded or become distressed. By the Wheel of Time, the beings are led sometimes into happiness; sometimes into pain. You will certainly get Nârâyana for your husband; for which you practised Tapas before, in the hermitage of Vadari (the source of the Ganges, the feet of Visnu). I pleased Brahmâ by my Tapasyâ and have, by his boon, got you as my wife. But the object for which you did your Tapasyâ, that you may get Hari as your husband; will certainly be fulfilled. You will get Gobinda in Vrindâbana and in the region of Goloka. I will also go there when I forsake this, my Demon body. Now I am talking with you here; afterwards we will meet again in the region of Goloka. By the curse of Râdhikâ, I have come to this Bhârata, hard to be attained. You, too, will quit this body and, assuming the divine form will go to S’rî Hari. So, O Beloved! You need not be sorry.” O Muni! Thus these conversations took them the whole day and led them to the evening time. The king of the demons, S’ankhachûda then slept with Tulasî on a nicely decorated bed, strewn with flowers, and smeared with sandal paste, in the Ratna Mandir (temple built of jewels.) This jewel temple was adorned with various wealth and riches. The jewel lamps were lighted. S’ankhachûda passed the night with his wife in various sports. The thin bellied Tulasî was weeping with a very sorrowful heart, without having taken any food. The king, who knew the reality of existence, took her to his breast and appeased her in various ways. What religious instructions he had received in Bhândîra forest from S’rî Krisna, those Tattvas, capable to destroy all sorrows and delusions, he now spoke carefully to Tulasî. Then Tulasî’s joy knew no bounds. She then began to consider, everything as transient and began to play with a gladdened heart. Both became drowned in the ocean of bliss; and the bodies of both of them were filled with joy
and the hairs stood on their ends. Both of them, then, desirous to have amorous sports, joined themselves and became like Ardhanâris’vara and so one body. As Tulasî considered S’ankhachûda, to be her lord, so the Dânava King considered Tulasî the darling of his life. They became senseless with pleasureable feelings arising out of their amorous intercourses. Next moment they regained their tenaciousness and both began to converse on amorous matters. Thus both spent their time sometimes in sweet conversations, sometimes laughing and joking, sometimes maddened with amorous sentiments. As S’ankhachûda was clever in amorous affairs, so Tulasî was very expert. So none felt satiated with love affairs and no one was defeated by the other.
Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the war preparations of S’ankhachûda with the Devas in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXI
On the meeting of Mahâdeva and S’ankhachûda for an encounter in conflict
1-33. S’rî Nârâyana spoke :-- Then the Dânava, the devotee of S’rî Krisna, got up from his flower strewn bed, meditating on S’rî Krisna, early in the morning time, at the Brahmâ Muhûrta. Quitting his night dress, he took his bath in pure water and put on a fresh washed clothing. He then put the bright Tilak mark on his forehead and, performing the daily necessary worship, he worshipped his Ista devatâ (The Deity doing good to him). He then saw the auspicious things such as curd, ghee, honey, fried rice, etc., and distributed as usual, to the Brâhmanas the best jewels, pearls, clothing and gold. Then for his marching to turn out auspicious, he gave at the feet of his Guru Deva priceless gems, jewels, pearls, diamonds, etc., and finally he gave to the poor Brâhmins with great gladness, elephants, horses, wealth, thousands of stores, two lakhs of cities and one hundred kotis of villages. He then gave over to his son, the charge of his kingdom and of his wife, and all the dominions, wealth, property, all the servants and maid servants, all the stores and conveyances. He dressed himself for the war and took up bows and arrows and arrow cases. By the command of the King, the armies began to gather. Three lakhs of horses, one lakh elephants, one ayuta chariots, three Kotis of bowmen, three Kotis armoured soldiers and three Kotis of trident holders got themselves ready. Then the King counted his forces and appointed one Commander-in-Chief, (Mahâratha), skilled in arts of
warfare, over the whole army. Thus the generals were apppointed over the three lakh Aksauhinî forces and their provisions were collected by three hundred Aksauhinî men. He, then, thinking of S’rî Hari, started for war, accompanied by his vast army. (Note :-- One Aksauhinî consists of a large army consisting of 21,870 chariots, as many elephants, 65,610 horses, and 109,350 foot). He then mounted on a chariot built of excellent jewels and, headed by his Guru and all his other elders, went to S’ankara. O Nârada! Bhagavân Mahâdeva was at that time, staying on the banks of Puspabhadra. That place was Sidhâs’rama (the hermitage where the yogic successes had been obtained and can easily be acquired in future for the Siddhas as well a Siddha Ksettra.) It was the place where the Muni Kapila practised Tapasyâ, in the holy land of Bhârata. It was bounded on the east by the western ocean, on the west by the Malaya mountain, on the south, by the S’rî S’aila mountain and on the north by the Gandha Mâdana Mountain. It was five yojanas wide and one hundred times as long. This auspicious river in Bhârata yields great religious merits and is always full of clear, sparkling running water. She is the favourite wife of the Salt Ocean and She is very blessed. Issuing from S’arâvatî Himâlayâs, She drops into the ocean. Keeping the river Gomatî (Goomti) by her left; She falls into the west ocean. S’ankhachûda, arriving there, saw Mahâdeva under a Peepul tree near its root with a smiling countenance, like one Koti Suns seated in a yogic posture. His colour was white like a pure crystal; as if the Fire of Brahmâ was emitting from every pore of His body (burning with Brahmâ-Teja); He was wearing the tiger skin and, holding the trident and axe. He dispels the fear of death of His Bhaktas; His face is quite calm. He, the Lord of Gaurî, is the Giver of the fruits of Tapasyâ and of all sons of wealth and prosperity. The smiling face of Âs’utosa (one who is pleased quickly) is always thinking of the welfare of the Bhaktas; He is the Lord of the Universe, the Seed of the universe, the All-form (all-pervading), and the Progenitor of the universe. He is omnipresent, All pervading, the Best in this universe, the Destroyer of this universe, the Cause of all causes, and the Saviour from the hells. He is the Awakener and Bestower of Knowledge, the Seed of all knowledges, and He Himself is of the nature of Knowledge and Bliss. Seeing that Eternal Purusa, the King of the Dânavas at once descended from his chariot and bowed down with devotion to Him and to Bhadra Kâlî on His left and and to Kârtikeya on his front. The other attendants did the same. S’ankara, Bhadra Kâlî and Skanda all blessed him. Nandis’vara and others got up from their
seats on seeing the Dânava King and began to talk with each other on that subject. The King addressed S’iva and sat by Him. Bhagavân Mahâdeva, the Tranquil Self, then, spoke to him, thus :-- O King! Brahmâ, the knower of Dharma and the Creator of the world, is the Father of Dharrna, The religious Marîchi, a devotee of Visnu, is the son of Brahmâ. The religious Prajâpati Kas’yapa is also the Brahmâ’s son. Daksa gladly gave over to Kas’yapa in marriage, his thirteen daughters. Danu, fortunate and chaste, is also one of them.
34-64. Danu had forty sons, all spirited and known as Dânavas. The powerful Viprachitti was the prominent amongst them. Viprachitti’s son was Dambha, self controlled and very much devoted to Visnu. So much so that for one lakh years he recited the Visnu mantra at Puskara. His Guru (spiritual teacher) was S’ukrâchârya; and, by his advice, he recited the mantra of S’rî Krisna, the Highest Self. He got you as his son, devoted to Krisna. In your former birth, you were the chief attendant Gopa (cow-herd) of Krisna. You were very religious. Now, by Râdhikâ’s curse, you are born in Bhârata, as the Lord of the Dânavas, powerful, heroic, valorous, and chivalrous. All the things from Brahmâ down to a blade of grass, the Vaisnavas regard as very trifling; even if they get Sâlokya, Sârsti, Sâyujya and Sâmîpya of Hari, they do not care a straw for that. Without serving Hari, they do not accept those things, even if those are thrust on them. Even Brahmâhood and immortality, the Vaisnavas count for nothing. They want to serve Hari (Sevâ-bhâva). Indrahood, Manuhood, they do not care. You, too, are a real Krisna Bhakta. So what do you care for those things that belong to the Devas, that are something like false to you. Give back to the Devas their kingdoms thus and please Me. Let the Devas remain in their own places and let you enjoy your kingdom happily. No need now for further quarrels. Think that you all belong to the same Kas’yapa’s family. The sins that are incurred, for example, the murder of a Brâhmin, etc., are not even one-sixteenth of the sins incurred by hostilities amongst the relatives. If, O King! You think that by giving away to the Devas their possessions, your property will be diminished, then think that no one’s days pass ever in one and the same condition. Whenever Prakriti is dissolved, Brahmâ also vanishes. Again He appears by the Will of God. This occurs always. True, that knowledge is increased by true Tapasyâ; but memory fails then. This is certain. He who is the creator of this world, does his work of creation gradually by the help of his Knowledge-power (Jñâna-S’akti). In the Satya Yuga, Dharma reigns in full; in the Tretâ Yuga, one quarter is diminished; again in the Dvâpara only one-half remains. And in the Kâlî Yuga, only one quarter remains. Thus Dharma gets increase and decrease. At the end of the
Kâlî, the Dharma will be seen very feeble as the phase of the Moon is seen very thin on the Dark Moon night. See, again, the Sun is very powerful in summer; not so in winter. At midday the Sun is very hot; it does not remain so in the morning and evening. The Sun rises at one time; then he is considered as young at another time he becomes very powerful and at another time he goes down. Again in times of distress (i.e., during the cloudy days) the Sun gets entirely obscured. When the Moon is devoured by Râhu (in the Lunar Eclipse), the Moon quivers. Again when the Moon becomes liberated (i.e., when the eclipse passes away) She becomes bright again. In the Full-Moon night She becomes full but She does not remain so always. In the Dark fortnight She wanes every day. In the bright fortnight She waxes every day. In the bright fortnight, the Moon becomes healthy and prosperous and in the dark fortnight, the Moon becomes thinner and thinner as if attacked with consumption. In the time of eclipse She becomes pale and in the cloudy weather, She is obscured. Thus the Moon also becomes powerful at one time and weak and pale at another time. Vali now resides in Pâtâla, having lost all his fortunes; but, at some other time, he will become Devendra (the Lord of the Devas). This earth becomes at one time covered with grains and the resting-place of all beings; and, at another time, She becomes immersed under water. This universe appears at one time and disappears at another. Everything, moving or non-moving, sometimes appears and again, at another time, disappears. Only Brahmâ, the Highest Self, remains the same. By His grace, I have got the name Mrityunjaya (the Conqueror of Death). I, too, am witnessing many Prakritik dissolutions, I witnessed repeatedly many dissolutions and will in future, witness many dissolutions. The Paramâtman becomes of the nature of Prakriti. Again it is He that is the Purusa (male principle). He is the Self; He is the individual soul (Jîva). He thus assumes various forms. And, again, Lo! He is beyond all forms! He who always repeats His Name and sings His Glory, can conquer, at some occasion, death. He is not to come under the sway of this birth, death, disease, old age and fear. He has made Brahmâ the Creator, Visnu the Preserver and Me the Destroyer. By His Will, we are possessed of those influences and powers. O King! Having deputed Kâla, Agni and Rudra, to do the destruction work, I Myself repeat only His name and sing His glory, day and night, incessantly. My name is, on that account, Mrityunjaya. By His Knowledge Power, I am fearless. Death flies away fast from Me as serpents fly away at the sight of Garûda, the Vinatâ;s son. O Nârada! Thus saying, S’ambhu, the Lord of all, the Progenitor of all, remained silent. Hearing the above words of S’ambhu, the King thanked Mahâdeva again and again and spoke in sweet humble words.
65-74. S’ankhachûda said :-- The words spoken by Thee are quite true. Still I am speaking a few words. Kindly hear. Thou hast spoken just now that very great sins are incurred by kindred hostilities. How is it, then, that He robbed Vali of his whole possessions and sent him down into Pâtâla? Gadâdhara Visnu could not recover Vali’s glory. But I have done that. Why did the Devas kill Hiranyâksa and Hiranyâkas’ipu, S’umbha and the other Dânavas? In by gone days, we laboured hard when the nectar was obtained out of the churning of the ocean; but the best fruit was reaped by the Devas only. However, all these point that this universe is but the mere sporting ground of Paramâtman, Who has become of the nature of Prakriti (the polarities of the one and the same current to produce electric effects). Whomsoever He grants glory and fortune, he only gets that. The quarrel of the Devas and the Dânavas is eternal. Victory and defeat come to both the parties alternately. So it is not proper for Thee to come here in this hostility. For Thou art the God, of the nature of the Highest Self. Before Thee, we both are equal. So it is a matter of shame, no doubt, for Thee to stand up against us in favour of the gods. The glory and fame that will result to Thee, if Thou art victorious, will not be so much as it will be if we get the victory. On the contrary the inglory and infamy that will result to Thee if Thou dost get dire defeat will be inconceivably much more than what would come to us if we are defeated. (For we are low and Thou art Great.)
75-79. Mahâdeva laughed very much when he heard the Dânava’s words and replied :-- O King! You are descended from the Brâhmin family. So what shame shall I incur if I get defeat in this fighting against you. In former days, the fight took place between Madhu and Kaitabha; again between Hiranya Kas’ipu and Hiranyâksa and S’rî Hari. I also fought with the Asura Tripurâ. Again the serious fight took place also between S’umbha and the other Daityas and the Highest Prakriti Devî, the Ruler of all, and the Progenitrix of all and the Destructrix of all. And, then, you were the Pârisada attendant of S’rî Krisna, the Highest Self.
Note :-- S’rî Krisna is the Eternal Purusa beyond the Gunas. He creates Prakriti. All the creation is effected by Him. He is the Master of all the S’aktis. These S’aktis come from Him and go into Him. S’rî Krisna plays with these S’aktis, these lines of Forces, very powerful and terrible, indeed, that go to create, preserve and destroy the whole universe. These Lines of Forces have their three properties :-- (1) Origin; (2) direction and (3) magnitude. And finally they come back to their origin. This makes one Kalpa, one Life, one Moment, one in the Full One. The Gunas come out of these S’aktis, these Lines of Forces. S’rî Krisna
is the Great Reservoir, the Great Centre of Forces, Powerful, Lovely and Terrible. All the events as described here, appear in the intermediate stages when the Fourth Dimension passes into the Third Dimension, etc. The Fourth Dimension does not at once turn out into the Third Dimension but it takes place by degrees. This explains our dreams, visions, etc., which, if seen when the mind is pure, turn out to be true.
80-82. So the Daityas, that were killed before, cannot be compared with you. Then why shall I feel shame in fighting against you? I am sent here by S’rî Hari for saving the Devas. So either give back to the Devas their possessions, or fight with Me. No need in speaking thus quite useless talks. O Nârada! Thus speaking, Bhagavân S’ankara remained silent. S’ankhachûda got up at once with his ministers.
Here ends the Twenty-first Chapter in the Ninth Book on the meeting of Mahâdeva and S’ankhachûda for an encounter in conflict in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXII
On the fight between the Devas and S’ankhachûda
1-75. S’rî Nârâyana spoke :-- Then the King of the Dânavas, very powerful, bowed down to Mahâdeva and ascended on the chariot with his ministers. Mahâdeva gave orders to His army to be ready at once. So S’ankhachûda did. Terrible fight then ensued between Mahendra and Vrisaparvâ, Bhâskara and Viprachitti, Nis’âkara and Dambha, between Kâla and Kâles’vara, between Fire and Gokarna, Kuvera and Kâlakeya, between Vis’vakarmâ and Mâyâ, between Mrityu and Bhayamkar, between Yama and Samhâra, between Varuna and Vikamka, between Budha and Dhritapristha, between S’ani and Raktâksa, Jayanta and Ratnasâra, between the Vasus and Varchasas, between the two As’vin Kumâras and Dîptimân, between Nalakûbara and Dhûmra, between Dharma and Dhurandhara, between Mangala and Usâksa, Bhânu and S’ovâkara, between Kandarpa and Pîthara, between the eleven Âdityas and Godhâmukha, Chûrna and Khadgadhvaja, Kañchîmukha and Pinda, Dhûmra and Nandî, between Vis’va and Palâs’a, between the eleven Rudras and the eleven Bhayamkaras, between Ugrachandâ and the other Mahâmârîs and Nandîs’vara and the other Dânavas. The battlefield, then, assumed a grim aspect, as if the time of Dissolution had come. Bhagavân Mahâdeva sat under the Vata (peepul) tree with Kârtikeya and Bhadrakâlî. S’ankhachûda, decked with his jewel ornaments, sat on the jewel throne, surrounded by kotis and kotis of Dânavas. The S’ankara’s army got defeated at the hands of the Dânavas. The Devas, with cuts and wounds on
their bodies, fled from the battlefield, terrified. Kârtikeya gave words “Don't fear” to the Devas and excited them. Only Skanda resisted the Dânava forces. In one moment he slew one hundred Aksauhinî Dânava forces. The lotus eyed Kâlî also engaged in killing the Asuras. She became very angry and no sooner did She slay the Asura forces, than She began to drink their blood. She easily slew with Her one hand and at every time put into Her mouth ten lakhs, and hundred lakhs and Kotis and Kotis of elephants. Thousands and thousands of headless bodies (Kavandhas) came to be witnessed in the field. The bodies of the Dânavas were all cut and wounded by the arrows of Kârtikeya. They were all terrified and fled away. Only Vrisaparvâ, Viprachitti, Dambha, and Vikamkanah remained fighting with Skanda with an heroic valour. Mahâmârî, too, did not shew his back and he fought out vigorously. By and by they all became very much confused and distressed; but they did not turn their backs. Seeing this terrible fight of Skanda, the Devas began to shower flowers. The killing of the Dânavas looked like a Prakritik Dissolution. S’ankhachûda, then, began to shoot arrows from his chariot.
The shooting of arrows by the king seemed as if rains were being poured in by the clouds. Everything became pitch dark. Fires only were seen emitting their golden tongues. The Devas, Nandîs’vara and others, fled away, terrified. Only Kârtikeya remained in the battlefield. Then S’ankhachûda began to throw terribly showers and showers of mountains, snakes, stones, and trees. So much so, that Kârtikeya was covered by them as the Sun becomes obscured by fog. The Demon King cut off the weighty quiver and the pedestal of Skanda and broke His chariot. By the divine weapons of the Dânava, the peacock (the vehicle) of Kârtikeya became exhausted. Kârtikeya threw one S’akti (weapon) on the breast of the Dânava; but before it fell, the Dânava cut off that, lustrous like the Sun and, in return, darted his S’akti. By that stroke, Kârtikeya became stunned for a moment; but he immediately regained his consciousness. He then took up the quiver that Bhagavân Visnu gave him before and many other weapons; and ascending on another chariot, built of jewels, began to fight out violently and valiantly. Getting angry, he resisted all those showers of snakes, mountains and trees by his divine weapons. He resisted fire by his watery (Pâryannya) weapon. Then He cut off easily S’ankhachûda’s chariot, bow, armour, charioteer, and his bright crown and he threw on his breast one blazing S’akti of white colour. The Dânavendra fell unconscious; but, at the next moment, he regained his consciousness quickly, mounted on another chariot and took a fresh quiver. The Dânava was the foremost in his magic powers. He, by his power of Mâyâ, made a shower of arrows so much so that
Kârtikeya became completely covered by that multitude of arrows. Then the Dânava took one invincible S’akti, lustrous like one hundred Suns. It seemed that flames of fire were licking high as if the Dissolution Time had come aright. Inflamed by anger, the Dânava threw that S’akti on Kârtikeya. It seemed, then, that a burning mass of fire fell on him. The powerful Kârtikeya became senseless. Bhadrakâlî immediately took Him on Her lap and carried him before S’iva. S’iva easily restored him to his life by his knowledge-power and gave him the indomitable strength. He then got up in full vigour. Bhadrakâlî went to the field to see the Kârtikeya’s forces. Nandîs’vara and other heroes, the Devas, Gandharbas, Yaksas, Râksasas and Kinnaras followed Her. Hundreds of war drums were sounded and hundreds of persons carried Madhu (wine). Going to the battle-ground, She gave a war-cry. The Dânava forces got fainted by that cry. Bhadrakâlî shouted aloud inauspicious peals after peals of laughter. Then She drank Madhu and danced in the battlefield. Ugra Damstrâ, Ugrachandâ, Kotavî, the Yoginîs, Dâkinîs, and the Devas all drank Madhu (wine). Seeing Kâlî in the battlefield, S’ankhachûda came up again and imparted the spirit of Fearlessness to the Daityas, trembling with fear. Bhadrakâlî projected, then, the Fire weapon, flaming like the Great Dissolution Fire; but the king quickly put out that by the Watery weapon. Kâlî then projected the very violent and wonderful Varunâstra. The Dânava cut off that easily with Gandharbâstra. Kâlî then threw the flame-like Mahes’varâstra. The king made it futile by the Vaisnavâstra. Then the Devî purifying the Nârâyanâstra with the mantra, threw it on the king. At this the king instantly alighted from his chariot and bowed down to it. The Nârâyanâstra rose high up like the Dissolution Fire. S’ankhachûda fell prostrate on the ground with devotion. The Devî threw, then, the Brahmâstra, purifying it with Mantra. But it was rendered futile by the Dânava’s Brahmâstra. The Devî again shot the divine weapons purifying them with mantras; but they also were nullified by the divine weapons of the Dânava. Then Bhadrakâlî threw one S’akti extending to one Yojana. The Daitya cut it to pieces by his divine weapon. The Devî, then, being very much enraged, became ready to throw Pâs’upata Âstra, when the Incorporeal Voice was heard from the Heavens, prohibiting Her, and saying, “O Devî! The high-souled Dânava would not be killed by the Pâs’upata weapon. For Brahmâ granted him this boon that until the Visnu’s Kavacha will remain on his neck and until his wife’s chastity be not violated, old age and death will not be able to touch him.” Hearing this Celestial Voice, the Devî at once desisted. But She, out of hunger, devoured hundreds and lakhs of Dânavas. The terrible Devî Kâlî, then, went with great speed to devour S’ankhachûda but the Dânava resisted Her by his sharp
divine weapons. The Devî then threw on him a powerful axe, lustrous like a summer Sun; but the Dânava cut it to pieces by his divine weapon. The Devî seeing this, became very angry and proceeded to devour him; but the Dânava King, the Lord of all Siddhis, expanded his body. At this, Kâlî became violently angry and assuming a terrific appearance, went quickly and with the blow of one fist, broke his chariot and dropped down the charioteer. Then she hurled on the Asura one S’ûla weapon, blazing like a Pralaya Fire. S’ankhachûda easily held that by his left hand. The Devî became angry and struck the Dânava with Her fist; the Daitya’s head reeled, and, rolling, he fell unconscious for a moment. Next moment regaining his consciousness he got up. But he did not fight hand to hand with the Devî. Rather he bowed down to Her. The weapons that the Devî threw afterwards were partly cut down by the Dânava and partly taken up by him and absorbed in him and thus rendered futile. Then Bhadrakâlî caught bold of the Dânava and whirling him round and round threw him aloft. Then the powerful S’ankhachûda fell down on the ground from high with great force; he immediately
got up and bowed down to Her. He then gladly ascended on his beautiful chariot, built of excellent jewels. He did not feel any fatigue with the war and went on fighting. Then the Devî Bhadrakâlî, feeling hungry began to drink the blood of the Dânavas and ate the fat and flesh. She came before Mahâdeva and described to Him the whole history of the warfare from beginning to end. Hearing the killing of the Dânavas, Mahâdeva began to laugh. She went on saying, “The Dânavas that get out of my mouth while I was chewing them, are the only ones that are living. This number will be about one lakh. And when I took up the Pâs’upata weapon to kill the Dânava, the Incorporeal Celestial Voice spoke :-- He is invulnerable by you. But the very powerful Dânava did no more fling any weapon on Me. He simply cut to pieces those that I threw on him.”
Here ends the Twenty-Second Chapter in the Ninth Book on the fight between the Devas and S’ankhachûda in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXIII
On the killing of S’ankhachûda
1-6. Nârâyana said : -- S’iva, versed in the knowledge of the Higher Reality, hearing all this, went himself with His whole host to the battle. Seeing Him, S’ankhachûda alighted from his chariot and fell prostrate before him. With great force he got up and, quickly putting on his armour he took up his huge and heavy bow case. Then a great fight ensued between
S’iva and S’ankhachûda for full one hundred years but there was no defeat nor victory on either side. The result was stalemate. Both of them, Bhagavân and the Dânava quitted their weapons. S’ankhachûda, remained on his chariot and Mahâdeva role on His Bull. Hundreds and hundreds of Dânavas were slain. But extraordinarily endowed with divine power, S’ambhu restored to life all those of His party that were slain.
7-30. In the meanwhile, an aged Brâhmana, very distressed in his appearance, came to the battlefield and asked S’ankhachûda, the King of Dânavas :-- “O King! Grant me what I beg of you; you give away in charity all sorts of wealth and riches; give me also what I desire; give me, a Brâhmin, something also. I am a quiet peaceable aged Brâhmin, very very thirsty. Make your Promise first and then I will speak to you what I desire.” (Note :-- The Brâhmins only are fit for receiving frauds and cheatings.)
The King S’ankhachûda, with a gracious countenance and pleasing eyes swore before him that He would give him what he would desire. Then the Brâhmin spoke to the King with great affection and Mâyâ :-- “I am desirous of your Kavacha (amulet).” The King, then, gave him the Kavacha (the amulet, mantra written on a Bhurja bark and located in a golden cup). Bhagavân Hari (in the form of that Brâhmin) took that Kavacha and, assuming the form of S’ankhachûda came to Tulasî. Coming there, He made His Mâyâ (magic) manifest and held sexual intercourse with her. At this time Mahâdeva took up the Hari’s trident-aiming at the king of the Dânavas. The trident looked like the Mid-day Sun of summer, flaming like a Pralaya fire. It looked irresistible and invincible as if quite powerful to kill the enemies. In brilliance it equalled the Sudars’an Chakra (disc) and it was the chief of all the weapons. No other body than S’iva and Kes’ava could wield such a weapon. And everybody feared that but S’iva and Kes’ava. In length it was one thousand Dhanus and in width it was one hundred hands. It seemed lively, of the nature of Brahmâ, eternal and not capable to be noticed, whence and how it proceeded. The weapon could destroy, by its own free Lîlâ (Will) all the worlds. When S’iva held it aloft and aiming at S’ankhachûda, He hurled it on him, the King of the Demons quitted his bows and arrows and with mind collected in a yoga posture, began to meditate on the lotus-feet of S’rî Krisna with great devotion. At that moment, the trident, whirling round fell on S’ankhachûda and easily burnt him and his chariot to ashes. He, then assuming the form of a two-armed Gopa, full of youth, divine, ornamented with jewels, holding flute, mounted on a Divine Chariot, surrounded by kotis
and kotis of Gopas who came there from the region of Goloka, whose bodies were built up of excellent jewels, and S’ankhachûda then went up to the Heavens (Goloka, where S’rî Brindâbana is located in the middle). He went to Vrindâban, full of Râsas (sentiments) and bowed down at the lotus feet of Râdhâ Krisna with devotion. Both of them were filled with love when they saw Sudâmâ, and, with a gracious countenance and joyful eyes, they took him on their laps. On the other hand the S’ûla weapon came with force and gladness back again to Krisna. The bones of S’ankhachûda, O Narada! were transformed into conch-shells. These conch-shells are always considered very sacred and auspicious in the worship of the Devas. The water in the conch-shell is also very holy and pleasing to the Devas. What more than this, that the water in the conch-shell is as holy as the water of any Tîrtha. This water can be offered to all the Gods but not to S’iva. Wherever the conch-shell is blown, there Laksmî abides with great pleasure. If bathing be done with conch-shell water, it is equivalent to taking bath in all the Tîrthas. Bhagavân Hari resides direct in the conch-shell. Where S’ankha is placed, there Hari resides. Laksmî also resides there and all inauspicious things fly away from there. Where the females and S’ûdras blow the S’ankhas, Laksmî then gets vexed and, out of terror, She goes away to other places. O Nârada! Mahâdeva, after killing the Dânava, went to His own abode. When He gladly went away on His Vehicle, on the Bull’s back, with His whole host, all the other Devas went to their respective places with great gladness. Celestial drums were sounded in the Heavens. The Gandharbas and the Kinnaras began to sing songs. And showers of flowers were strewn on S’iva’s head. All the Munis and Devas and their chiefs began to chant hymns to Him.
Here ends the Twenty-Third Chapter of the Ninth Book on the killing of S’ankhachûda in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXIV
On the glory of Tulasî
1. Nârada said :-- How did Nârâyana impregnate Tulasî? Kindly describe all that in detail.
2-11. Nârâyana said :-- For accomplishing the ends of the Devas, Bhagavân Hari assumed the Vaisnavî Mâyâ, took the Kavacha from S’ankhachûda and assuming his form, went to the house of Tulasî. Dundubhis (celestial drums) were sounded at Her door, shouts of
victory were proclaimed and Tulasî was informed. The chaste Tulasî, hearing that sound very gladly looked out on the royal road from the window. Then for auspicious observances, She offered riches to the Brâhmins; then She gave wealth to the panegyrists (or bards attached to the courts of princes), to the beggars, and the other chanters of hymns. That time Bhagavân Nârâyana alighted from His chariot and went to the house of the Devî Tulasî, built of invaluable gems, looking exceedingly artistic and beautiful. Seeing her dear husband before her, She became very glad and washed his feet and shed tears of joy and bowed down to Him. Then She, impelled by love, made him take his seat on the beautiful jewel throne and giving him sweet scented betels with camphor, began to say :-- “Today my life has been crowned with success. For I am seeing again my lord returned from the battle.” Then she cast smiling glances askance at him and with her body filled with rapturous joy lovingly asked him the news of the war in sweet words :--
12-13. O Thou, the Ocean of mercy! Now tell me of your heroic valour, how you have come out victorious in war with Mahâdeva who destroys countless universes. Hearing Tulasî’s word, the Lord of Laksmî, in the guise of S’ankhachûda, spoke these nectar-like words with a smiling countenance.
14-17. O Dear! Full one Samvatsara the war lasted betwixt us. All the Daityas were killed. Then Brahmâ Himself came and mediated. Peace, then, was brought about and by the command of Brahmâ, I gave over to the Devas their rights. When I returned to my home, S’iva went back to His S’ivaloka. Thus saying, Hari, the Lord of the world, slept and then engaged in sexual intercourse with her. But the chaste Tulasî, finding this time her experience quite different from what She used to enjoy before, argued all the time within herself and at last questioned him :--
18-22. Who are you? O Magician! By spreading your magic, you have enjoyed me. As you have taken my chastity, I will curse you. Bhagavân Nârâyana, hearing Tulasî’s words and being afraid of the curse, assumed His real beautiful figure. The Devî then saw the Eternal Lord of the Devas before her. He was of a deep blue colour like fresh rain-clouds and with eyes like autumnal lotuses and with playful Lîlâs equivalent to tens and tens of millions of Love personified and adorned with jewels and ornaments. His face was smiling and gracious; and he wore his yellow-coloured robe. The love-stricken Tulasî, seeing That Lovely Form
of Vâsudeva, immediately fell senseless; and at the next moment, regaining consciousness, she began to speak.
23-27. O Lord! Thou art like a stone. Thou hast no mercy. By hypocrisy Thou hast destroyed my chastity, my virtue and for that reason didst kill my husband. O Lord! Thou had no mercy; Thy heart is like a stone. So Let Thee be turned into a stone. Those who declare Thee as a saint, are no doubt mistaken. Why didst Thou for the sake of others, kill without any fault, another Bhakta of Thine. Thus speaking, Tulasî overpowered with grief and sorrow, cried aloud and repeatedly gave vent to lamentations. Seeing her thus very distressed, Nârâyana, the Ocean of Mercy, spoke to her to cheer her up according to the rules of Dharma.
28-102. O Honoured One! For a long time you performed tapasyâ in this Bhârata, to get Me. S’ankhachûda, too, performed tapasyâ for a long time to get you. By that tapas, S’ankhachûda got you as wife. Now it is highly incumbent to award you also with the fruit that you asked for. Therefore I have done this. Now quit your this terestrial body and assume a Divine Body and marry Me. O Râme! Be like Laksmî. This body of yours will be known by the name of Gandakî, a very virtuous, pure and pellucid stream in this holy land of Bhârata. Your hairs will be turned into sacred trees and as they will be born of you, you will be known by the name of Tulasî. All the three worlds will perform their Pûjâs with the leaves and flowers of this Tulasî. Therefore, O Fair-faced One! This Tulasî will be reckoned as the chief amongst all flowers and leaves. In Heavens, earth, and the nether regions, and before Me, O Fair One, you will reign as the chief amongst trees and flowers. In the region of Goloka, on the banks of the river Virajâ, in the Râsa circle (the celestial ball dance,) where all amorous sentiments are played in Vrindârana forest, in Bhândîra forest, in Champaka forest, in the beautiful Chandana (Sandal Forests and in the groves of Mâdhavî, Ketakî, Kunda, Mallikâ, and Mâlatî, in the sacred places you will live and bestow the highest religious merits. All the Tîrthas will reside at the bottom of the Tulasî tree and so religious merits will accrue to all. O Fair-faced One! There I and all the Devas will wait in expectation of the falling of a Tulasî leaf. Anybody who will be initiated and installed with the Tulasî leaves water, will get all the fruits of being initiated in all the sacrifices. Whatever pleasure Hari gets when thousands and thousands of jars filled with water are offered to him, the same pleasure He will get when one Tulasî leaf will be offered to Him. Whatever fruits are acquired by giving Ayuta cows as presents, those will be also acquired by giving Tulasî leaves. Especially
if one gives Tulasî leaves in the month of Kârtik, one gets the fruits same as above mentioned. If one drinks or gets the Tulasî leaf water at the momentous Time of Death, one becomes freed of all sins and is worshipped in the Visnu Loka. He who drinks daily the Tulasî leaf water certainly gets the fruit of one lakh horse sacrifices. He who plucks or culls the Tulasî leaf by his own hand and holding it on his body, quits his life in a Tîrath, goes to Visnu Loka. Whoever holds in his neck the garland made up of Tulasî wood, gets certainly the fruit of horse sacrifices at every step. He who does not keep his word, holding the Tulasî leaf in his hand, goes to the Kâlasûtra Hell as long as the Sun and Moon last. He who gives false evidence in the presence of the Tulasî leaf, goes to the Kumbhîpâka Hell for the life-periods of fourteen Indras. He who drinks or gets a bit of the Tulasî leaf water at the time of death, certainly goes to Vaikuntha, ascending on a car made up of jewels. Those who pluck or cull the Tulasî leaves in the Full Moon night, on the twelfth lunar day, on the passing of the sun from one sign to another, the mid-day, or on the twilights, on the night, while applying oil on their bodies, on the impurity periods, and while putting on night dresses, verily eat off the Nârâyana’s head. O Chaste One! The Tulasî leaf kept in the night, is considered sacred. It is considered good in S’râddha, vow ceremony, in the making over of any gift, in the installation of any image or in worshipping any Deva. Again, the Tulasî leaf fallen on the ground or fallen in water or offered to Visnu, if washed out can be used in holy and other purposes. Thus, O Good One! You will remain as tree in this earth and will remain in Goloka as the Presiding Deity thereof and will enjoy daily the sport with Krisna. And also you will be the Presiding Deity of the river Gandakî and thus bestow religious merits in Bhârata; you will be the wife of the Salt Ocean, which is My part. You are very chaste; in Vaikuntha you will enjoy me as Râma lives with Me. And as for Me, I will be turned into stone by your curse; I will remain in India close to the bank of the river Gandakî. Millions and millions of insects with their sharp teeth will make rings, (the convolutions in the S’âlagrâma or sacred stones), on the cavities of the mountains there, representing Me. Of these stones, those that have one door (entrance hole), four convolutions, adorned by the garland of wild flowers (having a mark like this) and which look like fresh rain-cloud, are called Laksmî Nârâyana Mûrtis (forms). And those that have one door, four convolutions and look like fresh rain-clouds but no garlands are called Laksmî Jânardana Chakras (discus). Those that have two doors, four convolutions, and decked with mark like cow’s hoof and void of the garland mark are called Raghunâtha chakras. Those that are very small in size, with two Chakras and look like fresh rain
clouds and void of the garland marks are named Vâmana Chakras. Those that that are very small in size, with two Chakras and the garland mark added, know then to be the S’rîdhara Chakras. These always bring in prosperity to the household. Those that are big, circular, void of garland mark, with two circular Chakras, are known as Dâmodara forms. Those that are mediocre in size, with two Chakras and marked as if struck by an arrow, having marks of arrows and bow-cases are known as Rana-Râmas. Those that are middling, with seven Chakras, having marks of an umbrella and ornaments, are called Râjarâjes’varas. They bestow the royal Laksmî to persons. Those that have twice seven chakras, and are big, looking like fresh rain-clouds are named Anantas. They bestow four fold fruits (Dharma, wealth, desire and liberation). Those that are in their forms like a ring, with two chakras, beautiful, looking like rain-clouds, having cow-hoof marks and of mediocre size are named Madhusûdanas. Those that have one Chakra are called Sudars’anas. Those that have their Chakras hidden are called Gadâdharas. Those that have two Chakras, looking horse-faced, are known as Hayagrîvas. O Chaste One! Those that have their mouths very wide and extended, with two Chakras, and very terrible, are known as Narasimhas. They excite Vairâgyas to all who serve them. Those that have two Chakras, mouths extended and with garland marks (elliptical marks) are called Laksmî Nrisinghas. They always bless the householders who worship them. Those that have two Chakras near their doors (faces), that look even and beautiful, and with marks manifested are known as Vâsudevas. They yield all sorts of fruits. Those that have their Chakras fine and their forms like fresh rain-clouds and have many fine hole marks within their wide gaping facets are called Pradyumnas. They yield happiness to every householder. Those that have their faces of two Chakras stuck together and their backs capacious, are known as Sankarsanas. They always bring in happiness to the householders. Those that look yellow, round and very beautiful are Anirudhas. The sages say, they give happiness to the householder. Where there is the S’âlagrâma stone there exists S’rî Hari Himself; and where there is Hari, Laksmî and all the Tîrthas dwell there. Worshipping S’âlagrâm S’ilâ, destroys the Brahmahatyâ (killing a Brâhmin) and any other sin whatsoever. In worshipping the S’âlagrâma stone looking like an umbrella, kingdoms are obtained; in worshipping circular S’ilâs,
great prosperity is obtained; in worshipping cart-shaped stones, miseries arise; and in worshipping stones, whose ends look like spears (S’ûlas), death inevitably follows. Those whose facets are distorted, bring in poverty; and yellow stones bring in various evils and afflictions. Those whose Chakras look broken, bring in diseases; and those whose Chakras
are rent asunder bring in death certainly. Observing vows, making gifts, installing images, doing S’râddhas, worshipping the Devas, all these become highly exalted, if done before the S'âlagrâma S’ilâ. One acquires the merits of bathing in all the Tîrthas and in being initiated in all the sacrifices, if one worships the Sâlagrâma S’ilâ. What more than this, that the merits acquired by all the sacrifices, all the Tîrthas, all vows, all austerities and reading all the Vedas are all acquired by duly worshipping by the holy S’âlagrâma S’ilâ. He who performs his Abhis’eka ceremony always with S’âlagrâma water (being sprinkled with S’âlagrâma water at the initiation and Installation ceremonies), acquires the religious merits of performing all sorts of gifts and circumambulating the whole earth. All the Devas are, no doubt, pleased with him who thus worships daily the S’âlagrâma. What more than this, that all the Tîrthas want to have his touch. He becomes a Jîvanmukta (liberated while living) and becomes very holy; ultimately he goes to the region of S’rî Hari and remains in Hari’s service there and dwells with him for countless Prakritic dissolutions. Every sin, like Brahmâ Hatyâ, flies away from him as serpents do at the sight of Garuda. The Devî Vasundharâ (the Earth) becomes purified by the touch of the dust of his feat. At his birth, all his predecessors (a lakh in number), are saved. He who gets the S’âlagrâma S’ilâ water during the time of his death, he is freed of all his sins and goes to the Visnu Loka and gets Nirvâna; he becomes freed entirely from the effects of Karma and he gets, no doubt, dissolved and diluted for ever in (the feet of) Visnu. He who tells lies, holding S’âlagrâma in his hands, goes to the Kumbhîpâka Hell for the life-period of Brahmâ. If one does not keep his word, uttered with the S’âlagrâma stone in his hand, one goes to the Asipatra Hell for one lakh manvantaras. He who worships the S’âlagrâma stone without offering Tulasî leaves on it or separates the Tulasî leaves from the stone, will have to suffer separation from his wife in his next birth. So if one does not offer the Tulasî leaves in the conchshell, for seven births he remains without his wife and he becomes diseased. He who preserves the S’âlagrâma stone, the Tulasî and the conchshell, in one place, becomes very learned and becomes dear to Nârâyana. Look! He who casts his semen once in his wife, suffers intense pain, no doubt, at each other’s separation. So you become dear to S’ankhachûda for one Manvantara. Now, what wonder! That you will suffer pain, at his bereavement. O Nârada! Thus saying, S’rî Hari desisted. Tulasî quitted her mortal coil and assumed a divine form, began to remain in the breast of S’rî Hari like S’rî Laksmî Devî. Hari also went with her to Vaikuntha. Thus Laksmî, Sarasvatî, Gangâ, and Tulasî, all the four came so
very dear to Hari and are recognised as Îs’varîs. On the other hand, the mortal coil of Tulasî, no sooner quitted by Tulasî, became transformed into the river Gandakî. Bhagavân Hari, too, became also converted into a holy mountain, on the banks thereof, yielding religious merits to the people. The insects cut and fashion many pieces out of that mountain. Of them, those that fall into the river, yield fruits undoubtedly. And those pieces that fall on the ground become yellow coloured; they are not at all fit for worship. O Nârada! Thus I have spoken to you everything. What more do you want to hear now? Say.
Here ends the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the glory of Tulasî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXV
On the method of worship of Tulasî Devî
1-2. Nârada said :-- When the Devî Tulasî has been made so dear to Nârâyana and thus an object for worship, then describe Her worship and Stotra (the hymn of Tulasî) now. O Muni! By whom was She first worshipped? By whom were Her glories first sung? And how did She become therefore an object of worship? Speak out all these to me.
3. Sûta said :-- Hearing these words of Nârada, Nârâyana, laughing, began to describe this very holy and sin-destroying account of Tulasî.
4-15. Nârâyana said :-- Bhagavân Hari duly worshipped Tulasî, and began to enjoy her with Laksmî; He raised Tulasî to the rank of Laksmî and thus made her fortunate and glorious Laksmî and Gangâ allowed and bore this new union of Nârâyana and Tulasî. But Sarasvatî could not endure this high position of Tulasî owing to Her anger. She became self-conceited and beat Tulasî on some quarrel before Hari. Tulasî became abashed and insulted and vanished off. Being the Îs’varî of all the Siddhis, the Devî, the Self-manifest and the Giver of the Siddhiyoga to the Jñânins, Tulasî, Oh! what a wonder, became angry and turned out as invisible to S’rî Hari even.
Not seeing Tulasî, Hari appeased Sarasvatî and getting Her permission went to the Tulasî forest. Going there and taking a bath in due accord, and with due rites, worshipped with His whole heart the chaste Tulasî and then began to meditate on Her with devotion. O Nârada! He gets certainly all siddhis who worships Tulasî duly with the ten lettered mantra :-- “S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Aim Vrindâvanyai Svâhâ,” the King of mantras, yielding fruits and all gratifications like the Kalpa Tree. O Nârada! At the time of worship, the lamp of ghee, was
lighted and dhûp, sindûra, sandal, offerings of food, flowers, etc., were offered to Her. Thus hymned by Hari, Tulasî came out of the tree, pleased. And She gladly took refuge at His lotus feet. Visnu, then, granted her boon that, “You will be worshipped by all; I will keep you in My breast and in My head and the Devas also will hold you on their heads.” And He then took her to His own abode.
16. Nârada said :-- “O Highly Fortunate One! What is Tulasî’s dhyân, stotra and method of worship? Kindly describe all these.”
17. Nârâyana said :-- When Tulasî vanished, Hari became very much agitated at her bereavement and went to Vrindâvana and began to praise her.
18-44. The Bhagavân said :-- The Tulasî trees collect in multitudinous groups; hence the Pundits call it Vrindâ. I praise that dear Tulasî. Of old, She appeared in the Vrindâvana forest and therefore known as Vrindâvanî. I worship that fortunate and glorious One. She is worshipped always in innumerable universes and is, therefore, known as Vis’vapûjitâ (worshipped by all). I worship that Vis’vapûjitâ. By whose contact, those countless universes are always rendered pure and holy; and therefore She is called Vis’vapâvani (purifying the whole universe). I am suffering from her bereavement, I remember the Devî. Without Tulasî, the Devas do not get pleased, though other flowers be heaped on them; therefore She is considered as the essence of all the flowers. Now I am in sorrow and trouble and I am very eager to see her, who is of the nature of purity incarnate. The whole universe gets delighted when the Bhaktas receive her; hence She is called Nandinî; so may She be pleased with me. There is nothing in the universe that can be compared to Her; hence She is called Tulasî; I take refuge of that clear Tulasî. That chaste dear one is the life of Krisna, hence She is known as Krisnajîvanî. Now may She save my life. O Nârada! Thus praising, Ramâpatî remained there. The chaste Tulasî then came to His sight and bowed down to His lotus feet; when She becoming sensitive out of the insult, began to weep. Bhagavân Visnu, seeing that sensitive dear one, immediately took her to His breast. Taking, then, Sarasvatî’s permission, He took her to His own home and brought about, first of all, the agreement between her and Sarasvatî. Then He granted her the boon, “You will be worshipped by all, respected by all, and honoured by all; and all will carry you on their heads.” I will also worship, respect and honour you and keep you on My head. Receiving this boon from Visnu, the Devî Tulasî became very glad.
Sarasvatî then attracted her to her side, made her sit close to her. Laksmî and Gangâ both with smiling faces attracted her and made her enter into the house. O Nârada! Whosoever worships her with her eight names Vrindâ, Vrindâvanî, Vis’vapûjitâ, Vis’vapâvanî, Tulasî, Puspasârâ, Nandanî and Krisna Jîvanî and their meanings and sings this hymn of eight verses duly, acquires the merit of performing As’vamedha Yajña (horse sacrifice). Specially, on the Full Moon night of the month of Kârtik, the auspicious birth ceremony of Tulasî is performed. Of old Visnu worshipped her at that time. Whoever worships with devotion on that Full Moon combination, the universe purifying Tulasî, becomes freed of all sins and goes up to the Visnu Loka. Offerings of Tulasî leaves to Visnu in the month of Kârtik bring merits equal to those in giving away Ayuta Cows. Hearing this stotra at that period gives sons to the sonless persons, wives to the wifeless persons and friends to friendless persons. On hearing this stotra, the diseased become free of their diseases, the persons in bondage become free, the terrified become fearless, and the sinners are freed of their sins. O Nârada! Thus it has been mentioned how to chant stotra to her. Now hear her dhyân and method of worship. In the Vedas, in the Kânva S’âkhâ branch, the method of worship is given. You know that one is to meditate on the Tulasî plant, without any invocation (âvâhana) and then worship her with devotion, presenting all sorts of offerings as required to her. Now hear Her Dhyânam. Of all the flowers, Tulasî (the holy basil) is the best, very holy, and captivating the mind. It is a flame burning away all the fuel of sins committed by man. In the Vedas it is stated that this plant is called Tulasî, because there can be made no comparison with Her amongst all the flowers. She is the holiest of them all. She is placed on the heads of all and desired by all and gives holiness to the universe. She gives Jîvanmukti, mukti and devotion to S’rî Hari. I worship Her. Thus meditating on Her and worshipping Her according to due rites, one is to bow down to Her. O Nârada! I have described to you the full history of S’rî Tulasî Devî. What more do yo want to hear now, say.
Here ends the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the method of worship of Tulasî Devî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXVI
On the narration of Sâvitrî
1-2. Nârada said :-- I have heard the anecdote of Tulasî. Now describe in detail the history of Sâvitrî. Sâvitrî is considered as the Mother of the Vedas. Why was She born, in days gone by? By whom was She first worshipped and subsequently also?
3-4. Nârâyana said :-- O Muni! She was first worshipped by Brahmâ. Next the Vedas worshipped her. Subsequently the learned men worshipped her. Next the King As’vapati worshipped Her in India. Next the four Varnas (castes) worshipped Her.
5. Nârada said :-- O Brâhman! Who is that As’vapati? What for did he worship? When the Devî Sâvitrî became adorable by all, by which persons was She first worshipped and by which persons subsequently?
6-14. Nârâyana said :-- O Muni! The King As’vapati reigned in Bhadrades’a, rendering his enemies powerless and making his friends painless. He had a queen very religious; her name was Mâlatî; She was like a second Laksmî. She was barren; and desirous of an issue, She under the instruction of Vas’istha, duly worshipped Sâvitrî with devotion. But She did not receive any vision nor any command; therefore She returned home with a grievous heart. Seeing her sorry, the king consoled her with good words and himself accompanied her to Puskara with a view to perform Tapas to Sâvitrî with devotion and, being self-controlled, practised tapasyâ for one hundred years. Still he could not see Sâvitrî, but voice came to him. An incorporeal, celestial voice reached his ears :-- “Perform Japam (repeat) ten lakhs of Gâyatrî Mantram.” At this moment Parâsara came up there. The king bowed down to him. The Muni said :-- O King! One japa of Gâyatrî, destroys the days sins. Ten Japams of Gâyatrî destroy day and night’s sins.
15-40. One hundred Gâyatrî Japams destroy one month’s sins. One thousand Japams destroy one year’s sins. One lakh Gâyatrî Japams destroy the sins of the present birth and ten lakh Gâyatrî Japams destroy the sins of other births. One hundred lakhs of Japams destroy the sins of all the births. If ten times that (i.e., 1,000 lakhs) be done, then liberation is obtained. (Now the method, how to make Japam). Make the palm of the (right) hand like a snake’s hood; see that the fingers are all close, no holes are seen; and make the ends of the fingers bend downwards; then being calm and quiet and with one’s face eastward, practise Japam. Then count from the middle of the ring (name-less) finger and go on counting right-handed (with the hands of the watch) till you come to the bottom of the index finger. This is the rule of counting by the hand. O King! The rosary is to be of the seed of white lotus or of the crystals; it should be consecrated and purified. Japam is to be done then in a sacred Tîrtha or in a temple. Becoming self-controlled one should place the rosary on a banyan leaf or on a lotus leaf and smear it with cowdung; wash it, uttering Gâyatrî Mantra and over it perform one hundred times Gâyatrî Japam intently in accordance with
the rules. Or wash it with Pañchagavya, milk, curds, clarified butter, cow urine and cowdung, and then consecrate it well. Then wash it with the Ganges water and perform best the consecrations. O Râjarsi! Then perform ten lakhs of Japam in due order. Thus the sins of your three births will be destroyed and then you will see the Devî Sâvitrî. O King! Do this Japam, being pure, everyday in the morning, mid-day, and in the evening. If one be impure and devoid of Sandhyâ, one has no right to do any action; and even if one performs an action, one does not get any fruit thereby. He who does not do the morning Sandhyâ and the evening Sandhyâ, is driven away from all the Brâhminic Karmas and he becomes like S’ûdras. He who does Sandhyâ three times throughout his life, becomes like the Sun by his lustre and brilliance of tapas. What more than this, the earth is always purified by the dust of his feet. The Dvîja who does his Sandhyâ Bandanam and remains pure, becomes energetic and liberated while living. By his contact all the Tîrthas become purified. All sins vanish away from him as snakes fly away at the sight of Garuda. The Dvîja who becomes void of Sandhyâ three times a day, the Devas do not accept his worship nor the Pitris accept his Pindas. He who has no Bhakti towards the Mûla Prakriti, who does not worship the specific seed Mantra of Mâyâ and who does not hold festivities in honour of Mûla Prakriti, know him verily to be an Ajagara snake without poison. Devoid of the Visnu mantra, devoid of the three Sandhyâs and devoid of the fasting on the Ekâdas’i Tithi (the eleventh clay of the fortnight), the Brâhmin becomes a snake devoid of poison. The vile Brâhmin who does not like to take the offerings dedicated to Hari and who does the washerman’s work and eats the food of S’ûdra and drives the buffaloes, becomes a snake devoid of poison. The Brâhmin who burns the dead bodies of the S’ûdras, becomes like the man who is the husband of an unmarried girl. The Brâhmin also who becomes a cook of a S’ûdra, becomes a snake void of poison. The Brâhmin who accepts the gifts of a S’ûdra, who performs the sacrifice of a S’ûdra, who lives as clerks and warriors becomes like a snake void of poison. The Brâhmin who sells his daughter, who sells the name of Hari or eats the food of a woman who is without husband and son, as well as of one who has just bathed after her menstruation period, becomes like a serpent void of poison. The Brâhmin who takes the profession of pimps and pampers and lives on the interest, is also like a serpent void of poison. The Brâhmin who sleeps even when the Sun has risen, eats fish, and does not worship the Devî is also like a poisonless serpent. Thus stating all the rules of worship in order, the best of the Munis told him the Dhyânam, etc., of the Devî
Sâvitrî, what he wanted. Then he informed the King of all the mantras and went to his own Âs’rama. The king, then worshipped accordingly and saw the Devî Sâvitrî and got boons.
41-43. Nârada said :-- What is the Sâvitrî’s Dhyân, what are the modes of her worship, what is stotra, mantra, that Parâs’ara gave to the King before he went away? And how did the King worship and what boon did he get? This great mystery, grand and well renowned in the S’rutis, about Sâvitrî, I am desirous to hear in brief on all the points.
44-78. Nârâyana said :-- On the thirteenth day (the trayodas’i tithi) of the black fortnight in the month Jyaistha or on any other holy period, the fourteenth day (the chaturdas’i tithi) this vow is to be observed with great care and devotion. Fourteen fruits and fourteen plates with offerings of food on them, flowers and incense are to be offered and this vow is to be observed for fourteen years consecutively. Garments, holy threads and other articles are also offered and after the Vrata is over, the Brâhmins are to be fed. The lucky pot (mangal ghat) is to be located duly according to the rules of worship with branches and fruits. Ganes’a, Agni, Visnu, S’iva and S’ivâ are to be worshipped duly.
In that ghat Sâvitrî is to be next invoked and worshipped. Now hear the Dhyânam of Sâvitrî, as stated in the Mâdhyan Dina Sakhâ, as well the stotra, the modes of worship, and the Mantra, the giver of all desires. I meditate and adore that Sâvitrî, the Mother of the Vedas, of the nature of Pranava (Om), whose colour is like the burnished gold, who is burning with Brahmâ teja (the fire of Brahmâ), effulgent with thousands and thousands of rays of the midday summer Sun, who is of a smiling countenance adorned with jewels and ornaments, wearing celestial garment (purified and uninflammable by fire), and ready to grant blessings to Her Bhaktas; who is the bestower of happiness and liberation, who is peaceful and the consort of the Creator of the world, who is all wealth and the giver of all riches and prosperity, who is the Presiding Deity of the Vedas and who is the Vedas incarnate, I meditate on Thee. Thus reciting the Dhyânam, mantra and meditating on Her, one is to offer Naivedyas (offerings of food) to Her and then place one’s fingers on one’s head; one is to meditate again, and then invoke the Devî within the pot. One should next present fourteen things, uttering proper mantras according to the Vedas. Then one must perform special pûjâ and chant hymns to the Devî and worship Her. The fourteen articles of worship are as under :--
(1) Seat (Âsan); (2) water for washing feet (Pâdya), (3) offering of rice and Durba grass (Arghya), (4) water for bath (Snânîya), (6) anointment with sandalpaste and other scents (Anulepana), (7) incense (Dhûpa), (8) Lights (Dipa), (9) offerings of food (Naivedya), (10) Betels (Tambûl), (11) Cool water, (12) garments, (13) ornaments, (14) garlands, scents, offering of water to sip, and beautiful bedding. While offering these articles, one is to utter the mantras, this beautiful wooden or golden seat, giving spiritual merits is being offered by me to Thee. This water from the Tîrthas, this holy water for washing Thy feet, pleasant, highly meritorious, pure, and as an embodiment of Pûjâ is being offered by me to Thee. This holy Arghya with Durba grass and flowers and the pure water in the conch-shell is being offered by me to Thee (as a work of initial worship). This sweet scented oil and water being offered by me to Thee with devotion for Thy bathing purposes. Kindly accept these. O Mother! This sweet-scented water Divine-like, highly pure and prepared of Kunkuma and other scented things I offer to Thee. O Parames’varî! This all-auspicious, all good and highly meritorious, this beautiful Dhûpa, kindly take, O World Mother! This is very pleasant and sweet scented; therefore I offer this to Thee. O Mother! This light, manifesting all this Universe and the seed, as it were, to destroy the Darkness is being offered by me to Thee. O Devî! Kindly accept this delicious offering of food, highly meritorious, appeasing hunger, pleasant, nourishing end pleasure giving. This betel is scented with camphor, etc., nice, nourishing, and pleasure-giving; this is being offered by me to Thee. This water is nice and cool, appeasing the thirst and the Life of the World. So kindly accept this. O Devî! Kindly accept this silken garment as well as the garment made of Kârpâsa Cotton, beautifying the body and enhancing the beauty. Kindly accept these golden ornaments decked with jewels, highly meritorious, joyous, beauteous and prosperous. Kindly accept these fruits yielding fruits of desires, obtained from various trees and of various kinds. Please have this garland, all auspicious and all good, made of various flowers, beauteous and generating happiness. O Devî! Kindly accept this sweet scent, highly pleasing and meritorious. Please take this Sindûra, the best of the ornaments, beautifying the forehead, highly excellent and beautiful. Kindly accept this holy and meritorious threads an purefied by the Vedic mantrams and made of highly holy threads and knitted with highly pure knots. Uttering thus, offer the above articles that are to be offered to the Devî, every time the specific seed mantra being uttered. Then the intelligent devotee should recite the stotras and subsequently of the Daksinâs (presents) with devotion to the Brâhmanas. The Radical or the Specific Seed Mantra mantra is the eight lettered mantra Srîm Hrîm Klîm Svâitrai Svâhâ; So the sages know. The Stotra, as stated in the Mâdhyandîna
S'âkhâ, gives fruits of all desires. I am now speaking to you of that mantra, the Life of the Brâhmanas. Listen attentively. O Nârada! Sâvitrî was given to Brahmâ, in the ancient times of old in the region of Goloka by Krisna; but Sâvitrî did not come to Brahmâ loka with Brahmâ. Then by the command of Krisna, Brahmâ praised the mother of the Vedas. And when She got pleased, She accepted Brahmâ as Her husband.
79-87. Brahmâ said :-- Thou art the everlasting existence intelligence and bliss; Thou art Mûlaprakriti; thou art Hiranya Garbha; Thou didst get pleased, O Fair one! Thou art of the nature of fire and Energy; Thou art the Highest; Thou art the Highest Bliss, and the caste of the twice-born. Dost thou get appeased, O Fair One! Thou art eternal, dear to the Eternal; thou art of the nature of the Everlasting Bliss. O Devî, O Thou, the all auspicious One! O Fair One! Beest thou satisfied. Thou art the form of all (omnipresent)! Thou art the essence of all mantras of the Brâhmanas, higher than the highest! Thou art the bestower of happiness and the liberator O Devî, O Fair One! Beest thou appeased. Thou art like the burning flame to the fuel of sins of the Brâhmanas! O Thou, the Bestower of Brahmâ teja (the light of Brahmâ) O Devî! O Fair One! Beest appeased. By Thy mere remembrance, all the sins to me by body, mind and speech are burnt to ashes. Thus saying, the Creator of the world reached the assembly there. Then Sâvitrî came to the Brahmaloka with Brahmâ. The King As’vapati chanted this stotra to Sâvitrî and saw Her and got from Her the desired boons. Whosoever recites this highly sacred king of Stotras after Sandhyâ Bandanam, quickly acquires the fruits of studying the Vedas.
Here ends the Twenty Sixth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the narration of Sâvitrî in S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXVII
On the birth, etc., of Sâvitrî
1-2. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! After having chanted the above hymn to the Goddess Sâvitrî and worshipped Her in accordance with due rites and ceremonies, the king As’vapati saw the Devî, effulgent like the lustre of thousand suns. She then smilingly told the king, as a mother to her son, whilst all the quarters were illumined with the lustre of Her body :--
3-14. Sâvitrî said :-- “O King! I know your desire. Certainly I will give what you and your wife long for. Your chaste wife is anxious for a daughter, while you want a son. So, one after another,
the desires of both of you will be fulfilled.” Thus saying, the Devî went to the Brahma Loka. The King also returned to his house. First a daughter was born to him. As the daughter was born, as if a second Laksmî was born after worshipping Sâvitrî, the King kept her name as Sâvitrî. As time rolled on, the daughter grew, day by day, like the phases of bright fortnight moon, into youth and beauty. There was a son of Dyumat Sena, named Satyavâna, always truthful, good natured and endowed with various other qualifications. The daughter chose him for her bridegroom. The King betrothed her with jewels and ornaments, to Satyavâna, who gladly took her home. After one year expired, the truthful vigorous Satyavâna gladly went out, by his father’s command, to collect fruits and fuel. The chaste Sâvitrî, too, followed him. Unfortunately Satyavâna fell down from a tree and died. Yama, the God of Death, saw his soul as a Purusa of the size of one’s thumb and took it and went away. The chaste Sâvitrî began to follow Him. The high souled Yama, the Foremost of the Sadhus, seeing Sâvitrî following Him, addressed her sweetly :-- O Sâvitrî! Whither are you going in your this mortal coil? If you like to follow after all, then quit your this body.
15-25. The mortal man, with his transient coil of these five elements, is not able to go to My Abode. O Chaste One! The death time of your husband arrived; therefore Satyavâna is going to My Abode to reap the fruits of his Karma. Every living animal is born by his Karma. He dies again through his life long Karma. It is his Karma alone that ordains pleasure, pain, fear, sorrows, etc. By Karma, this embodied soul here becomes Indra; by Karma he can become a Brahmâ’s son. What more than this that Jîva, by his Karma, can be in Hari’s service and be free from birth and death! By one’s own Karma all sorts of Siddhis and immortality can be obtained; the four blessed regions as Visnu’s Sâlokya, etc., also can be obtained by Karma. What more than this that by Karma, a being becomes divine, human, or a King, or S’iva or Ganes’a! The state of Munîndra, asceticism, Ksattriyahood, Vais’yahood, Mlechhahood, moving things, stones, Râksasahood, Kinnaras, Kingship, becoming trees, beasts, forest animals, inferior animals, worms, Daityas, Dânavas, Asuras, all are fashioned and wrought by Karma and Karma alone. O Nârada! Thus speaking, Yama remained silent.
Here ends the Twenty-seventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on the birth, etc., of Sâvitrî in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXVIII
On the story of Sâvitrî
1-4. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Hearing the words of Yama, the chaste intelligent Sâvitrî, replied with great devotion :-- “O Dharmarâjan! What is Karma? Why and how is its origin? What is the cause of Karma? Who is the embodied soul (bound by Karma)? What is this body? And who is it that does Karma? What is Jñâna? What is Buddhi? What is this Prâna of this embodied Jîva? What are the Indriyas? And what are their characteristics? And what are the Devatâs thereof? Who is it that enjoys and who is it that makes one enjoy? What is this enjoyment (Bhoga)? And what is the means of escape from it? And what is the nature of that State when one escapes from enjoyment? What is the nature of Jîvatmâ? And what of Paramâtmâ? O Deva! Speak all these in detail to me.”
5-21. Dharma said :-- Karma is of two kinds: good and bad. The Karma that is stated in the Vedas as leading to Dharma is good; all other actions are bad. The God’s service, without any selfish ends (Sankalpa) and without the hope of any fruits thereof (ahaitukî), is of such a nature as to root out all the Karmas and gives rise to the highest devotion to God. A man who is such a Bhakta of Brahmâ becomes liberated, so the S’rutis say. Who then does the Karma and who is it that enjoys? (i.e., no such body). To such a Bhakta to Brahmâ, there is no birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow nor any fear. O Chaste One! Bhakti is two-fold. This is stated by all in the S’rutis. The one leads to Nirvâna and the other leads to the nature of Hari. The Vaisnavas want the Bhakti to Hari, i.e., the Saguna Bhakti. The other Yogis and the best knowers of Brahmâ want the Nirguna Bhakti. He who is the Seed of Karma, and the Bestower for ever the fruits of Karma, Who is the Karma Incarnate and the Mûla Prakriti, is the Bhagavân; He is the Highest Self. He is the Material Cause of Karma. Know this body to be by nature liable to dissolve and die. Earth, air, âkâs’a, water, and fire; these are the threads, as it were, of the work of creation of Brahmâ, Who is of the nature of Being. “Dehî” or The Embodied Soul is the Doer of Karma, the Kartâ; he is the enjoyer; and Âtmâ (self) is the prompter, the stimulator within to do the Karma and enjoy the fruits thereof. The experiencing of pleasures and pains and the varieties thereof is known as Bhoga (enjoyment). Liberation, Mukti is the escape therefrom.
The knowledge by which Âtmâ (sat) and Mâyâ (Asat) are discriminated is called Jñânam (Brahmâ Jñânam). The knowledge is considered as the root discriminator of various objects of enjoyments (i.e., by which the various objects are at once recognised as different from Âtmân). By Buddhi is meant the right seeing of things, (as certain) and is considered as the seed of Jñânam. By Prâna is known as the different Vâyus in the body. And this Prâna is the strength of the embodied. Mind is the chief, the best, of the senses, it is a part of Îs’vara; its characteristic is its doubtful uncertain state. It impels to all actions, irresistible. It is inascertainable, invisible; it obstructs the Jñâna. The senses are seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting. These are the several limbs, as it were, of the embodied and the impellers to all actions. They are both enemies and friends as they give pain (when attached to worldly objects) and happiness (when attached to virtuous objects) both. The Sun, Vâyu, Earth, Brahmâ and others are their Devatâs. The Jîva is the holder, the sustainer of Prâna, body, etc. The Paramâtmâ, the Highest Self, is the Best of all, Omnipresent, transcending the the Gunas, and beyond Prakriti. He is the Cause of all causes and He is the Brahmâ Itself. O Chaste One! I have replied, according to the S’âstras to all your questions. These are Jñânas of the Jñânins. O Child! Now go back to your house at pleasure.
22-30. Sâvitrî said :-- Whither shall I go, leaving my Husband and Thee, the Ocean of Knowledge? Please oughtest to answer the queries that I now put to Thee. What wombs do the Jîvas get in response to which Karmas? What Karmas lead to the Heavens? And what Karmas lead to various hells? Which Karmas lead to Mukti? And which Karmas give Bhakti? What Karmas make one Yogi and what Karmas inflict diseases? Which Karmas make one’s life long? or short? Which Karmas again make one happy? And what Karmas make one miserable? Which Karmas make one deformed in one’s limbs, one-eyed, blind, deaf, lame or idiotic? Which Karmas again make one mad? Make one very much avaricious or of a stealing habit? What Karmas make one possess Siddhis? Or make one earn the four Lokas Sâlokya, etc.? What Karmas make one a Brâhmin or an ascetic? Or make one go to Heaven or Vaikuntha? What Karmas enable one to go to Goloka, the par excellence and free from all diseases? How many are the hells? What are their names and how do they appear? How long will one have to remain in each hell? and what Karmas lead to what diseases? O Deva, now tell me about these that I have asked to you and oblige.
Here ends the Twenty-Eighth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the story of Sâvitrî in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXIX
On the anecdote of Sâvitrî, on gifts and on the effects of Karmas
1. Nârâyana said :-- Yama got thunderstruck at these queries of Sâvitrî. He then began to describe, with a smiling countenance, the fruition of the several works of the Jîvas.
2-8. He said :-- “O Child! You are now a daughter only twelve years old. But you speak of wisdom like the Highest Jñânins and Yogis, Sanaka and others. O Child! By virtue of the boon granted by Sâvitrî, you have become incarnate of Her in part. The King As’vapati got you before by performing severe penances. As Laksmî is dear and fortunate with regard to Visnu, as Mahâdevi is to Mahâdeva, Aditi to Kas’yapa, Ahalyâ to Gautama, so you are to Satyavâna in respect of affection and good-luck and other best qualities. As S’achî is to Mahendra, as Rohinî is to Moon, as Rati is to Kâma, as Svâhâ is to Fire, as Svadhâ is to the Pitris, as Sanjñâ is to the Sun, as Varunânî is to Varuna, as Daksinâ is to Yajñâ, as Earth is to Varâha, as Devasenâ is to Kârtika, so you are fortunate and blessed with respect to Satyavâna. O Sâvitrî! I myself grant you this boon of my own accord. Now ask other boons. O highly fortunate One! I will fulfil all your desires.”
9-12. Sâvitrî said :-- “O Noble One! Let there be one hundred sons of mine by Satyavâna. This is the boon that I want. Let there be one hundred sons of my Father as well; let my Father-in-law get back his (lost) eyesight and may he get back his lost kingdom. This is another boon that I want. Thou art the Lord of the world. So grant me this boon, too, that I may have this my very body for a lakh years when I may go to Vaikuntha with Satyavâna. Now I am eager to hear the various fruitions of Karmas of several Jîvas. Kindly narrate them and oblige.”
13-70. Dharma said :-- You are very chaste. So what you have thought will verily come to pass. Now I describe the fruition of Karmas of the Jîvas. Listen. Excepting this holy land of Bhârata, nowhere do the people enjoy wholly the fruition of their two-fold Karmas, good and bad. It is only the Suras, Daityas, Dânavas, Gandharvas, Râksasas, and men that do Karmas. The beasts and the other Jîvas do not do Karmas. The special Jîvas, e.g., men, etc., experience the fruition of their Karmas in Heavens, hells and in all the other Yonis (wombs). Specially, as the Jîvas
roam in all the different Yonis, they enjoy their Karmas, good or bad, as the case may be, carved in their previous births. The good works get fructified in Heavens; and the bad works lead the Jîvas to hells. This Karma can be got rid of by Bhakti. This Bhakti is of two kinds :-- (1) Nirgunâ of the nature of Nirvâna; and (2) towards Prakriti, of the astute of Brahmâ, and with Mâyâ inherent. Diseases come as the result of bad and ignorant actions and healthiness comes from good and certain scientific Karmas. Similar are the remarks for short and long lives for happiness and pain. By bad works, one becomes blind or deformed in body. So by doing excellent Karmas, one acquires Siddhis, etc.. These are spoken generally. I will now speak in detail; listen. This is very secret even in Purânas and Smritis. In this Bhâratavarsa men are the best of all the various classes of beings. The Brâhmans are the best of men and are best in all Kinds of Karmas. They are responsible, too, for their actions. O Chaste One! Of the Brâhmins, again, those that are attached to the Brâhmanas are the best. The Brâhmanas are of two kinds as they are Sakâma (with desires) or Niskâma (without desires). The Niskâmî Brâhmanas are superior to the Sakâmî Brâhmanas. For the Sakâmîs are to enjoy the fruits of their Karmas, while the Niskâmî Brâhmanas are perfectly free from any such disturbances (they have not to come back to this field of Karma). The Niskâma Bhakta after they quit their bodies, go to a place free from sickness or disease, pure and perfect. From there they do not come back. The Niskâma Bhaktas assuming the divine forms go to the Goloka and worship the Highest God, the Highest Self, the two-armed Krisna. The Sakâmî Vaisnavas go to Vaikuntha; but they come back in Bhârata and get into the wombs of the twice-born. By degrees they also become Niskâma when they certainly acquire pure undefiled Bhakti. The Brâhmanas and Vaisnavas that are Sakâmîs in all the births, never get that pure undefiled intellect and never get the devotion to Visnu. The Brâhmanas, living in the Tîrthas (sacred places of pilgrimages) and attached to Tapas go to Brahmaloka (the region of Brahmâ); they again come down to Bhârata. Those that are devotedly attached to their own Dharma (religion) and reside in places other than Tîrthas, go to Satyaloka and again come to Bhârata. The Brâhmanas, following their own Dharma and devoted to the Sun go to the world of the Sun and again come to Bhârata. And those who are devoted to Mûla Prakriti and devoted to Niskâma Dharma go to Mani Dvîpa and have not to come back from thither. The Bhaktas of S’iva, S’akti, and Gane’sa, and attached to their own Dharmas respectively go to the S’iva Loka and return from thence. Those Brâhmanas that worship the other Devas and attached to their
own Dharmas go to those regions of theirs respectively and again come to Bhârata. Attached to their own Dharmas, the Niskâmî Bhaktas of Hari go by their Bhakti step by step to the region of S’rî Hari. Those that are not attached to their own Dharmas and do not worship the Devas and always bent on doing things as they like without any regard to their Âchâras go certainly to hells. No doubt in this. The Brâhmanas and the other three Varnas, attached to their own Dharmas all enjoy the fruits of their good works. But those who do not do their Svadharma, go verily down into hells. They do not came to Bhârata for their rebirth, they enjoy their fruits of Karmas in hells! Therefore the four Varnas ought to follow their own Dharmas of the Brâhmanas, they are to remain attached to their own Dharmas and give their daughters in marriage to the similarly qualified Brâhmanas. They then go to the Chandraloka (the region of the Moon). There they remain for the life periods of the fourteen Indras. And if the girl be given, with ornaments, the results obtained would be twice. If the girl be given with a desire in view, then that world is obtained; but if the girl be given without any desire but to fulfil the God’s will and God’s satisfaction only, then one would not have to go to that world. They go to Visnu Loka, bereft of the fruits of all Karmas. Those that give to the Brâhmanas pasture ground and cattle, silver, gold, garment, fruits and water, go to the Chandraloka and live there for one Manvantara. They live long in those regions by virtue of that merit. Again those that give gold, cows, copper, etc., to the holy Brâhmanas, go to the Sûrya Loka (the region of the Sun) and live there for one Ayuta years (10,000 years), free from diseases, etc., for a long time. Those that give lands and lots of wealth to the Brâhmins, go to the Visnu Loka and to the beautiful S’veta Dvîpa (one of the eighteen minor divisions of the known continents). And there they live as long as the Sun and Moon exist. O Muni! The meritorious persons live long in that wide region. Note :-- S’veta Dvîpa may mean Vaikuntha, where Visnu resides. Those who give with devotion dwelling places to the Brâhmanas, go to the happy Visnu Loka. And there, in that great Visnu Loka, they live for years equal to the number of molecules, in that house. He who offers a dwelling house in honour of any Deva, goes to the region of that Deva and remains there for a number of years equivalent to the number of particles in that house. The lotus-born Brahmâ said that if one offers a royal palace, one obtains a result four times and if one offers a country, one gets the result one hundred times that; again if one offers an excellent country, twice as much merit one acquires. One who dedicates a tank for the expiation of
all one’s sins, one lives in Janar Loka (one of the pious regions) for a period equivalent to the number of particles therein). If any man offers a Vâpî (a well) in preference to other gifts, one gets ten fold fruits thereby. If one offers seven Vâpîs, one acquires the fruits of offering one tank. A Vâpî is one which is four thousand Dhanus long and which is as much wide or less (Note :-- Dhanu equals a measure of four hastas). If offered to a good bridegroom, then the giving of a daughter in marriage is equivalent to a dedication of ten Vâpîs. And if the girl be offered with ornaments, twice the merits accrue. The same merit accrues in clearing the bed of the mud of a pond as in digging it. So for the Vâpî (well). O Chaste One! He who plants an As’vattha tree and dedicates it to a godly purpose, lives for one Ayuta years in Tapar Loka. O Sâvitrî! He who dedicates a flower garden for the acquirement of all sorts of good, lives for one Ayuta years in Dhruva Loka.
O Chaste One! He who gives a Vîmâna (any sort of excellent carriage) in honour of Visnu, in this Hindoosthân, lives for one Manvantara in Visnuloka. And if one gives a Vîmâna of variegated colours and workmanship, four times the result accrues. And one who gives a palanquin, acquires half the fruits. Again if anybody gives, out of devotion, a swinging temple (the Dol Mandir) to Bhagavân S’rî Hari, lives for one hundred Manvantras, in the region of Visnu. O Chaste One! He who makes a gift of a royal road, decorated with palatial buildings on either side, lives with great honour and love in that Indraloka for one Ayuta years. Equal results follow whether the above things are offered to the Gods or to the Brâhmanas. He enjoys that which he gives. No giving, no enjoying. After enjoying the heavenly pleasures, etc., the virtuous person takes birth in Bhârata as a Brâhmin or in other good families, in due order, and ultimately in the Brâhmana families. The virtuous Brâhmana, after he has enjoyed the heavenly pleasures, takes his birth again in Bhârata in Brâhmana, Ksattriya or in Vais’ya families. A Ksattriya or a Vais’ya can never obtain Brâhmanahood, even if he performs asceticism for one Koti Kalpas. This is stated in the S’rutis. Without enjoying the fruits, no Karma can be exhausted even in one hundred Koti Kalpas. So the fruits of the Karmas must be enjoyed, whether they be auspicious or inauspicious. By the help of seeing the Devas and seeing the Tîrthas again and again, purity is acquired. O Sâvitrî! So now I have told you something. What more d o you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Twenty-Ninth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Sâvitrî on the fruits of making gifts and on the effects of Karmas in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXX
On the conversation between Sâvitrî and Yama and on the fruition of Karmas
1. Sâvitrî said :-- “O Dharmarâjan! Kindly tell me in detail about those works that lead the meritorious persons to the Heavens and various other spheres.”
2-20. Dharmarâj said :-- O Child! He who gives rice and food to the Brâhmanas in India, goes to the S’ivaloka where he dwells with great respect for years equivalent to the measure of that food. This “Anna-dâna” (the giving of boiled rice and other eatables) is a great dân (charity) and this can be done not only to the Brâhmanas but to the other castes also, where similar results also follow. There is, or will be, no other charity superior to this charity of anna (rice, boiled it may be and other eatables). For here no distinction is made as to what caste will get it or not, nor the discrimination of time, when to give such a charity. O Child! Seats (Âsanas) given to the Devas and the Brâhmanas, carry the donor to the Visnu Loka, where he dwells for Ayuta years with great respect and love. Giving excellent cows yielding milk to Brâhmanas take the donor to Visnuloka, where he is glorified and remains for years equivalent to the number of pores in that cow or those cows. And if cows be given on a meritorious day, four times the merits accrue, and if given in a sacred place of pilgrimage, hundred times the result occurs; and if given in a tîrath, where Nârâyana is worshipped, koti times the results accrue. He who gives with devotion, cows to the Brâhmanas in Bhârata, remains in the Chandraloka for one Ayuta years and is glorified. He who gives a two-mouthed cow to a Brâhmana, goes to Visnuloka and remains there for as many years as there exist the numbers of hairs on the body of that cow and is glorified. A gift of a beautiful white umbrella to a Brâhmana makes one go to Varunaloka for Ayuta years where he remains with great pleasure. Giving garments to the diseased Brâhmanas makes one fit to remain with glory in Vayuloka for one ayuta years. Giving to a Brâhmana the S’âlagrâma with garments makes one remain with glory in Vaikuntha as long as there exist the Sun and Moon. Giving a beautiful bedding to a Brâhmana, glorifies a man in the Chandraloka as long as there exist the Sun and Moon. To give lights to the Devas and Brâhmana glorifies a man in Agniloka (the region of Fire) for one Manvantara. To give elephants to the Brâhmanas in Bhârata, makes one sit in the same throne with Indra for his life period.
Giving horses to the Brâhmanas makes one remain in Varunaloka for fourteen Indra’s life periods. Giving a good palanquin to a Brâhmana makes one remain in the Varunaloka for fourteen Indra’s life-periods. Giving a good site or a good orchard to a Brâhmana leads one to the Vayuloka where he remains with glory for one Manvantara. Giving a white châmara and fan to a Brâhmana, leads the donor to the Vayuloka where he remains for one ayuta years. Giving grains and jewels make one long-lived and both the donors and receivers go certainly to Vaikuntha.
21-40. He who always recites the name of S’rî Hari, lives for ever and Death goes far far away from him. The intelligent man that celebrates the Swinging Festival (Dol Jâtrâ) in the last quarter of the Full Moon night in this land of Bhârata, becomes liberated while living, enjoying pleasures in this world, goes in the end to Visnuloka, where he remains for one hundred Manvantaras; there is no doubt in this. If the Swinging Festival be performed under the influence of the asterism Uttara Phâlgunî then the fruits become doubled; this is the saying of Brahmâ Himself. The performer lives to the end of a Kalpa. To give til (Sesamum) to a Brâhman, leads one to S’iva Loka, where one enjoys for a number of years equal to the number of til. Then one is born in a good yoni and becomes longlived and happy. To give a copper plate yields double the effect. To give in India a chaste wife with garments and ornaments to a Brâhman (and then to purchase her with an equivalent in gold) leads one to Chandra Loka where one remains for fourteen Indra’s life periods and enjoys day and night the celestial Apsarâs. Thence the donor goes to the Gandharba Loka for one ayuta years and day and night enjoys Urvas’î. Then he gets for thousand births chaste, fortunate, wealthy, gentle and sweet-speaking, beautiful wives. He who gives nice and delicious fruits to the Brâhmanas, remains with glory in the Indra Loka for a number of years equivalent to the fruits. He gets again a good Yoni (birth) and gets excellent sons. To give thousand trees while there are fruits on them, or nice fruits only to the Brâhmanas, makes one enjoy the Heavens for a long, long time and he then comes back to Bhârata. To give various things and good edifices with grains, etc., to the Brâhmanas leads one to the regions of the Devas where he remains for one hundred Manvantaras. Then he gets a very good birth and becomes the master of abundant wealth. He who gives with devotion to the Brâhmanas lands certainly goes for one hundred Manvantaras and remains there in glory for one hundred Manvantras; and, coming again to be born in good wombs, they become Kings. The earth does not leave him for hundred births. He becomes prosperous, wealthy and possesses many sons and
becomes the lord of his subjects. He who gives a good village with pasture land and cows, dwells with glory in Vaikuntha for one lakh manvantaras. Then he gets a good birth (becomes born in a high caste family) and obtains a lakh villages. The earth quits him not even if he be born a lakh times. (This is very bad then, to one who does not like to be born again).
41-60. He who gives a village inhabited by good and obedient subjects with ripe excellent grains, various tanks, trees and adorned with fruits and leaves dwells in Kailâsa with great glory for ten lakh Indra’s life periods. Getting again born in a high family, he becomes Râja Dhirâja in Bhârata and obtains Niyuta towns. There is no doubt in this. The earth quits him not, even if he be born ayuta times. Really he gets the highest prosperity in this earth. He who gives to a Brâhmana one hundred towns and countries, inhabited by good or mediocre subjects, with wells, tanks, and various trees, remains with glory in Vaikuntha for one koti manvantaras. Then he becomes born in this earth in a high caste family, becomes the Lord of Jambudvîpa and attains in this earth great prosperity like Indra. The earth quits him not even if he comes here Koti times; in reality he is a Mahâtmâ (a great soul man), Râjrâjes’vara (the Lord of Kings) and lives upto the end of a Kalpa. He who gives his whole property to a Brâhmin, gets in the end four times that; there is no doubt in this. He who gives Jambu Dvîpa to an ascetic Brâhmana, gets undoubtedly in the end one hundred times the fruit. If you give away Jambu Dvîpa, the whole earth; if you travel all the Tîrthas, if you perform all sorts of asceticisms, if you give shelter to all, if you make gifts of all sorts, know that you will have to come again to be reborn in this earth; but if you become a devotee of Mûla Prakriti, then be sure that you won’t have to come here and be reborn. The devotees of Mûla Prakriti go to Mani Dvîpa, the highest place of S’rî Bhuvanes’arî Devî and remain there and they see the fall of innumerable Brahmâs. The worshippers of the Devî Mantra when they quit their mortal coils, assume divine appearances endowed with Bibhûtis (manifestations of powers) and free from birth, death and old age, assume the Sârûpya (the same form) of the Devî and remain in Her Service. They reside in Manidvîpa and see the part Pralayas. The Devas die, the Siddhas die, the whole universe vanishes; but the Devî Bhaktas never die and they remain free form birth, death, and old age. He who offers Tulasî leaf to Bhagavân Hari in the month of Kârtik resides for three yugas in the temple of Hari. Getting again a good birth, he acquires the devotion to S’rî Hari and becomes the Foremost of those who restrain their senses. He who bathes in the Ganges early before the rising of the Sun remains in enjoyment in the temple of Hari for sixty thousand yugas. Getting again a good birth, he gets
the Visnu Mantra, and, quitting his mortal coil, becomes united with the Feet of S’rî Hari.
61-77. He has not to come back from Vaikuntha to this earth. He remains in Hari’s Service and gets the same form of Hari. He who bathes daily in the Ganges, becomes purified like the Sun and gets the result of performing the Horse-sacrifice at every step. The earth becomes purified by the dust of his feet and he enjoys in Vaikuntha as long as the Sun and Moon exist. Then again he becomes born in a good and beautiful womb, and is liberated by acquiring the devotion to Hari. He becomes very energetic and the foremost of the ascetics, pure, religious, learned, and self-restrained. When the Sun comes midway between Pisces and Cancer and heats intensely the earth, the man who in Bhârata gives cool water to drink to the people, resides in happiness in Kailâs’a for fourteen Indra’s life periods. Getting again a good birth here, he becomes beautiful, happy, devoted to S’iva, energetic and expert in the Vedas, and the Vedangas. He who gives to a Brâhmana the S’aktu (sattu). in the month of Vais’âkhe enjoys in the S’iva temple for as many years as there are number of particles in that quantity of sattu (powders in parched oat). He who performs the Krisna Janmâstamî vow in this Bhârata, is freed from the sins incurred in his hundred births; there is no doubt in this. The observer of the vow remains in great enjoyment in Vaikuntha for fourteen Indra’s life periods, gets again a good birth here and acquires Hari Bhakti. He who performs the S’ivarâtri vow in this Bhârata Varsa, resides with great joy in S’iva Loka for seven manvantaras. He who offers the Bel leaves to S’iva in S’ivarâtri time, resides with great joy in S’iva’s Abode for as many yugas as there are number of leaves. Getting again a good birth here, he acquires the devotion to S’iva and becomes learned, prosperous and possesses sons, subjects and lands. He who performs vow and worships S’ankara in the month of Chaitra or Mâgha and who, with a branch of a tree in hand, dances day and night for one month, or half a month, for ten days or for seven days, dwells in S’iva Loka for as many yugas as the number of days he dances. He who performs the vow of S’rî Râma Navamî, lives in the abode of Visnu for seven Manvantaras in great joy. Getting again a good birth, he becomes devoted to S’rî Râma, the foremost of those who have self restraint and he becomes very wealthy.
78-87. He who performs the Sâradîyâ Pûjâ (the great Durgâ Pûjâ in the month of autumn) of the Mûla Prakriti with incense, lights, offerings of food, and animal sacrifices of buffaloes, goats, sheep, rhinoceros, frogs or other animals, together with dancing, music, and various other aus-
picious things, resides in the S’iva Loka for seven Manvantaras. Getting an excellent birth, and a pure understanding, he gets unbounded prosperity, sons and, no doubt, grandsons and he becomes a very powerful sovereign possessing many horses and elephants. There is no doubt in this. Again he who worships daily with devotion for a fortnight beginning from the eighth day of the bright fortnight the Mahâ Devî Laksmî, remains in the region of Goloka for fourteen Indra’s life periods. Then, obtaining an excellent birth, he becomes a sovereign. He who in the full moon night in the month of Kârtik prepares a Râsa mandal with one hundred Gopas and Gopis and worships S’rî Krisna and Râdhâ in S’âlagrâma or in images with sixteen varieties of offerings remains in Goloka for Brahmâ’s life-time and coming again to Bhârata acquires an unflinching devotion to S’rî Krisna.
88-99. And when this Bhakti becomes greatly intensified, ho gets initiated into S’rî Hari mantra and after quitting his mortal coil, he goes to the Goloka. Then he gets the Sârûpya (the same form) of Krisna and becomes the chief Pârisad (attendant of Krisna) and, becoming free from old age, he has no fear, to fall again down to this earth. He who observes the Ekâdas’î day, remains fasting and performing penances in the bright or dark eleventh day, remains in Vaikuntha in great enjoyment and comfort. Then, again coming into this Bhârata he becomes a devotee of Hari. And when that Bhakti is intensified he becomes solely devoted to Hari and quitting his mortal coil, goes again to the Goloka and gets the Sârûpya of Krisna and becomes His Pârisada (attendant). Then, freed of old age and death, he does not fall. He who worships Indra in the month of Bhâdra in the twelfth day of the white fortnight is worshipped in the regions of Indra for sixty thousand years. He who performs in Bhârata the worship of the Sun on Sunday Sankrânti (when the Sun goes from one sign to another) and the bright seventh Tithi, according to due rules and ceremonies and eats the food called Havisyânna (rice boiled in ghee), dwells in the Sûryaloka for fourteen Indra’s life periods. Then coming to Bhârata, he becomes free from all diseases and becomes prosperous. He who worships Sâvitrî on the fourteenth day of the black fortnight dwells in the region of Brahmâ for seven Manvantaras with great eclât and glory. Coming again to Bhârata he enjoys beauty, unequalled valour, long life, knowledge and prosperity. He who worships on the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Mâgha, with his senses controlled and full of devotion, the Devî Sarasvatî with sixteen articles of food, resides in Mani Dvîpa for one day and one night of Brahmâ.
100-140. On getting re-birth, he becomes a poet and a learned man. He who daily gives with devotion for his whole life, cow and gold to a Brâhmana dwells in Visnu Loka for twice as many years as there are
the numbers of hairs on the bodies of these cows and plays and jests with Visnu and doing auspicious things he finds pleasure. In the end he comes again to this Bhârata and becomes the King of Kings. He becomes fortunate, prosperous, possesses many sons, becomes learned, full of knowledge and happy in every way. He who feeds a Brâhmana here with sweetmeats goes to Visnu Loka and enjoys there for as many years as there are hairs on the body of the Brâhmin. In the end he comes again to Bhârata and becomes happy, wealthy, learned, long lived, fortunate and very powerful. He who utters the name of Hari or gives the name (i.e., the mantra) of Hari to others, is worshipped in Visnu loka for as many yugas as the number of times, the name or mantra was uttered. Coming again to Bhârata, he becomes happy and wealthy. And if such things be done in Nârâyana Ksettra, koti times the above results ensue. He who repeats the name of Hari koti times in Nârâyana Ksettra, becomes, no doubt, freed of all sins and liberated while living and he will not get rebirth. He lives always in Vaikuntha. He gets the Sâlokya (the same region of Visnu), is not liable to fall, becomes a Bhakta of Visnu. He who daily worships the earthen phallic symbol (after making it daily) for his whole life, goes to the S’iva Loka and dwells there, for as many years as there are the number of particles of earth. Getting rebirth he becomes the King of Kings. He who worships daily the S’âlagrâma stone and eats the water (after bathing it) is glorified in Vaikuntha for one hundred Brahmâ’s lives and becomes born again. When he acquires the rare Hari Bhakti and quiting his mortal coil goes to Visnu Loka, whence he is not to return. He who performs all the Tapasyâs (asceticims) and observes all the vratas (vows), dwells in Vaikuntha for fourteen Indra’s life peroids. Getting rebirth in Bhârata he becomes the King of Kings and then he becomes liberated. He is not to return any more. He who bathes in all the Tîrthas and makes a journey round the whole world, gets Nirvâna. He is not reborn. He who performs the Horse-Sacrifice in this holy land Bhârata enjoys half the Indraship for as many years as there are hairs on the body of the horse. He who performs a Râjasûya Sacrifice, gets four times the above result. Of all the sacrifices, the Devî Yajñâ, or the Sacrifice before the Devî is the Best. O Fair One! Of old, Visnu, Brahmâ, Indra and when Tripurâsura was killed, Mahâ Deva did such a sacrifice. O Beautiful One! This sacrifice before the S’akti is the highest and best of all the sacrifices. There is nothing like this in the three worlds. This Great Sacrifice was done of yore by Daksa when he collected abundant sacrificial materials of all sorts. And a quarrel ensued on this account between Daksa and S’ankara. The Brâhmins
conducting the sacrifice cursed the Nandî and others. And Nandî cursed the Brâhmanas. Mahâdeva, therefore, disallowed the going on of sacrifice and brought it to a dead stop. Of yore the Prajâpati Daksa did this Devî Yajñâ; it was done also by Dharma, Kas’yapa; Ananta, Kardama, Svâyambhuva Manu, his son Priyavrata, S’iva, Sanat Kumâra, Kapila and Dhruva. The performance of this sacrifice brings fruits equal to performing thousands and thousands of Râjasûya sacrifices. Therefore there is no other sacrifice greater than this Devî Yajñâ. One becomes surely endowed with a long life of one hundred years and is liberated while living. He becomes equal to Visnu in knowledge, energy, strength, and asceticism. This is as true as anything. O Child! This Devî Yajñâ is the best and highest of all the sacrifices as Visnu is the highest amongst the Devas; Nârada, amongst the Vaisnavas; the Vedas, amongst all the S’âstras; the Brâhmanas amongst all the castes; the Ganges amongst the sacred places of pilgrimages, S’iva amongst the Holy of Holies, the Ekâdas’î vow amongst all the Vratas; Tulasî, amongst all the flowers; the Moon, amongst the asterisms; Garuda, amongst the birds; Prakriti, Râdhâ, Sarasvatî and Earth amongst the females; the mind, amongst the quick-going and restless senses; Brahmâ, amongst the Prajâpatis; Brahmâ, amongst all the subjects; Vrindrâban, amongst all the forests; Bharat Varsa, amongst all the Varsas; Laksmî, amongst the prosperous; Sarasvatî, amongst the learned; Durgâ, amongst the chaste; Radhikâ, amongst the fortunate. If one hundred horse sacrifices are performed, Indrahood is sure to be obtained. It is by the influence of bathing in all the Tîrthas, performing all the sacrifices, observing all the Vratas, practising all the austerities, studying all the Vedas and circumambulating the whole earth, that this Highest S’akti’s service is obtained and this service of S’akti is the direct cause of Mukti (liberation). To worship the lotus-feet of the Devî is the best and highest, is stated in all the Purânas, in all the Vedas, and in all the Itihâsas. To sing the glories of Mûla Prakriti, to meditate on Her, to chant Her Name and attributes, to remember Her stotras, bow down before Her, to repeat Her Name, and to drink daily Her Pâdodoka (water after washing Her feet) and the offerings already offered to Her, these are approved of by all; and everyone desires this. So worship, worship this Mûla Prakriti, Who is of the nature of Brahmâ, and, lo! Who is again endowed with Mâyâ. O Child! Take your husband and live happily with him in your home. O Child! Thus I have described to you the fruition of the Karmas. This is auspicious to every human being, desired by all and approved of by all. The Real Knowledge springs from this. There is no doubt in this.
Here ends the Thirtieth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the conversation between Sâvitrî and Yama and on the fruition of Karmas in the Great Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXI
On the Yama's giving S’akti Mantra to Sâvitrî
1-2. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Hearing thus the supreme nature of Mûla Prakriti from Dharmarâja Yama, the two eyes of Sâvitrî were filled with tears of joy and her whole body was filled with a thrill of rapture, joy and ecstacy. She again addressed Yama :-- “O Dharmarâja! To sing the glories of Mûla Prakriti is the only means of saving all. This takes away the old age and death of both the speaker and the hearer.
3-12. This is the Supreme Place of the Dânavas, the Siddhas, the ascetics. This is the Yoga of the Yogins and this is studying the Vedas of the Vaidiks. Nothing can compare even to one sixteenth of the sixteenth parts of the (full) merits of those who are in S’akti’s Service; call it Mukti, immortality, or attaining endless Siddhis, nothing can come to it. O Thou, the foremost of the Knowers of the Vedas! I have heard by and by everything from Thee. Now describe to me how to worship Mûla Prakriti and what are the ends of karmas, auspicious and inauspicious.” Thus saying, the chaste Sâvitrî bowed down her head and began to praise Yama in stotras according to the Vedas. She said :-- “O Dharmarâjan! The Sun practised of yore very hard austerities at Puskara and worshipped Dharma. On this, Dharma Himself became born of Sûrya as his son. And Thou art that son of Sûrya, the incarnation of Dharma. So I bow down to Thee. Thou art the Witness of all the Jîvas; Thou seest them equally; hence Thy name is Samana. I bow down to Thee. Sometimes Thou by Thy own will takest away the lives of beings. Hence Thy name is Kritânta. Obeisance to Thee! Thou holdest the rod to distribute justice and pronounce sentence on them and to destroy the sins of the Jîvas; hence Thy name is Dandadhara; so I bow down to Thee. (Note :-- Any Jîva, in course of his travelling towards Mukti, can expect to pass through the stage Yamaship; and if he pleases, he can become a Yama.) At all times Thou destroyest the universe. None can resist Thee. Hence Thou art named Kâla; so obeisance to Thee! Thou art an ascetic, devoted to Brahmâ, self-controlled, and the distributor of the fruits of Karmas to the Jîvas; Thou restrainest Thy senses. Hence Thou art called Yama. Therefore I bow down to Thee.
13-17. Thou art delighted with Thy Own Self; Thou art omniscient; Thou art the Tormentor of the sinners and the Friend of the Virtuous. Hence Thy name is Punya Mitra; so I bow down to Thee. Thou art born as a part of Brahmâ; the fire of Brahmâ is shining through Thy body. Thou dost meditate on Para Brahmâ, Thou art the Lord. Obeisance to Thee!” O Muni! Thus praising Yama, She bowed down at the feet of Him. Yama gave her the mantra of Mûla Prakriti. How to worship Her and He began to recite the fruition of good Karmas. O Nârada! He who recites these eight hymns to Yama early in the morning, getting up from his bed, is freed of the fear of death. Rather he becomes freed of all his sins. So much so, that even if he be a veritable awful sinner and if he recites daily with devotion this Yamâstakam, Yama purifies him thoroughly.
Here ends the Thirty-first Chapter of the Ninth Book on the Yama’s giving S’akti Mantra to Sâvitrî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXII
On the enumeration of various hells for sinners
1-28. Nârâyana said :-- Then, initiating her with the Great Seed, the Âdi Radical Mantra of the Mahâ S’akti, S’rî Bhuvanes’varî in accordance with due rules, the son of Sûrya began to recite the various effects of various Karmas, auspicious and inauspicious. Never do the persons go to hell when they perform good Karmas; it is only the bad works that lead men to hells. The different Purânas narrate various heavens. The Jîvas go to those places as the effects of their various good Karmas. The good Karmas do not lead men to hells; but the bad Karmas do lead them veritably to various hideous hells. In different S’âstras, different hell-pits are ascertained. Different works lead men to different hells. O Child! Those hell-pits are very wide, deep, painful and tormenting, very horrible and ugly. Of these, eighty six pits or Kundas are prominent. Many other Kundas exist. Now listen to the names of the Kundas mentioned in the Vedas. Their names are :-- Vahni Kunda, Tapta Kunda, Ksâra Kunda, Bhayânaka Kunda, Vit Kunda, Mûtra Kunda, S’lesma Kunda, Gara Kunda, Dûsikâ Kunda, Vasâ Kunda, S’ukra Kunda, S’onita Kunda, As’rû Kunda, Gâtramala Kunda, Karnamala Kunda, Majjâ Kunda, Mâmsa Kunda, impassable Nakra Kunda, Loma Kunda, Kes’a Kunda, impassable Asthi Kunda, Tâmra Kunda, the exceedingly hot and painful Lauha Kunda (the pit of molten iron), Charma Kunda, the hot Surâ Kunda, sharp Thorny Kunda, Visa Kunda, the hot Taila Kunda, very heavy Astra Kunda, Krimi Kunda, Pûya Kunda, terrible Sarpa
Kunda, Mas’aka Kunda, Dams’a Kunda, dreadful Garala Kunda, Vajra Damstra Vris’chika Kunda, S’ara Kunda, Sûla Kunda, awful Khadga Kunda, Gola Kunda, Nakra Kunda, sorrowful Kâka Kunda, Manthâna Kunda, Vîja Kunda, painful Vajra Kunda, hot Pâts’âna Kunda, sharp Pâs’âna Kunda, Lâlâ Kunda, Masî Kunda, Chakra Kunda, Vakra Kunda, very terrible Kurma Kunda, Jvâlâ Kunda, Bhasma Kunda, Dagdha Kunda, and others. Besides these, there are the Taptasûchî, Asipatra, Ksuradhâra, Sûchîmukha, Gokhâmûkha, Kûmbhîpâka, Kâlasûtra, Matsyoda, Krimi, Kantuka, Pâms’ubhojya, Pâs’avesta, Sûlaprota, Prakampana, Ulkâmakha, Andhakûpa, Vedhana, Tâdana, Jâlarandhra, Dehachûrna, Dalana, S’osana, Kasa, S’ûrpa, Jvâlâmûkha, Dhûmândha, Nâgavestana and various others. O Savitri! The Kundas give much pain and torment greatly the sinners; they are under the constant watch of innumerable servants. They hold rods in their hands; some of them have nooses; others hold clubs, S’aktis, awful scimitars; they are fierce fanatics, maddened with vanity. All are filled with Tamogunas, merciless, irresistible, energetic, fearless and tawny-eyed (like copper). Some of them are Yogis; some are Siddhas, they assume various forms. When the sinners are about to die, they see these servants of Yama. But those who do their own duties, who are S’âktas, Sauras, or Gânapatyas or those who are virtuous Siddha Yogis, they never see the servants of Yama. Those who are engaged in their own Dharmas, who are possessed of wisdom, who are endowed with knowledge, who are mentally strong, who are untouched by fear, who are endowed with the feelings of the Devas, and those who are real Vaisnavas, they never see these servants of Yama. O Chaste One! Thus I have enumerated to you the Kundas. Now hear who live in the Kundas.
Here ends the Thirty-second Chapter of the Ninth Book on the enumeration of various hells for sinners in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXIII
On the description of the destinies of different sinners in different hells
1-19. Dharmarâjan said :-- Those that are in Hari’s service, pure, the Siddhas in Yoga (those that have attained success in Yoga), the performers of Vratas (vows), the chaste, the ascetics, the Brahmachâris never go to hells. There is no doubt in this. Those persons that are proud of their strong positions and who use very harsh burning words to their friends, they go to Vahni Kunda and live there for as many years as there are hairs on his body; next they attain animal births for three births and get themselves scorched under the strong heat of the Sun. He goes to the Tapta Kunda hell who does not
entertain any Brâhman guest with any eatables who comes to his house hungry and thirsty. He lives there for as many years as there are hairs on his body and he has to sleep on a bed of fire, very tormenting. Then he will have to be born for seven births as birds. If anybody washes any clothing with any salt on Sunday, or on the day of Samkrânti (when the Sun enters another sign), or on any new-moon day or on any S’râddha day (when funeral ceremonies are performed), he will have to go to the Ksâra Kunda hell where he remains for as many years as there are threads in that clothing and finally he becomes born for seven births as a veritable washerman. The wretch that abuses Mûla Prakriti, the Vedas, the S’âstras, Purânas, Brahmâ, Visnu, S’iva and the other Devas, Gaurî, Laksmî, Sarasvatî and the other Devîs, goes to the hell named Bhayânaka Narakakunda. There is no other hell more tormenting than this. The sinners live here for many Kalpas and ultimately become serpents. There is no sin greater than the abuse of the Devî. There is no expiation for it. So one ought never to abuse the Devî. If one discontinues the allowances given by oneself or other persons to the Devas or Brâhmanas, one goes to Visthâ Kunda and has to eat the faeces there for sixty thousand years and finally to be born in Bhârata as worms in faeces the same number of years. If any person without the owner’s permission digs another’s tank dried of water, or makes water in the water of any tank, he goes to Mûtra Kunda and drinks urine for as many years as there are the particles in that tank. Then he becomes born in this Bhârata its an ox for one hundred years. If any person eats good things himself without giving any portion thereof to the member of his family, he goes to S’lesma Kunda where he eats phlegm, for full one hundred years. Then he becomes born as Preta (disembodied spirits) in this Bhârata for hundred years and drinks phlegm, urine and pus; then he becomes pure. He who does not support his father, mother, spiritual teacher, wife, sons, daughters and the helpless persons, goes to Gara Kunda where he eats poison for full one hundred years. Finally he becomes born and wanders as Bhûtas (disembodied spirits). Then he becomes pure.
20-50. He who becomes angry and shrinks his eyes at the sight of a guest who has come to his house offends the Devas or Pitris, who do not accept the water offered to them by that villain. On the contrary, he earns all the sins of Brahmahatyâ (murder of a Brâhmin and so forth) and finally goes to Dûsikâkunda where he remains for one hundred years and eats polluted things. Then wandering as Bhûtas for one hundred years he becomes purified. If anybody makes a gift of any article to a Brâhmin and then again gives that article to a different man, he goes to Vasâ Kunda
where he eats marrows for one hundred years. Then he has to roam about in India for seven births as a Krikalâsa (lizard) and finally he becomes born as a very poor man with a very short life. If any woman or any man makes another of a different sex eat semen, out of passion, he goes to S’ukra Kunda where he drinks semen for one hundred years. Then he crawls about as worms for one hundred years. And then he gets purified. If anybody beats a Brâhmana who is a family preceptor and causes his blood to come out, he will have to go to Rakta Kunda where he has to drink blood for one hundred years. Finally he has to roam about for seven births in India as tigers; then he becomes pure by degrees. If anybody mocks and laughs at any devotee of Krisna who sings with rapt consciousness and sheds tears of joy, he will have to go to As’ru Kunda where he drinks tears for one hundred years. Then he has to roam as Chândâla for three births and then he becomes pure. He who always cheats his friends, lives for one hundred years in Gâtramala Kunda. Then roaming about for three births as an ass and for three births as a fox concurrently, he becomes purified. Out of vanity, if anybody jests at a deaf person, he goes to Karnamalakunda where he eats for one hundred years the wax of the ear. Next he comes to the earth as a deaf and very poor man for seven births, when at last he gets purified. If anybody commits murder out of greed to support his family, he goes to the hell Majjâkunda where he eats marrow for one lakh years. Next he becomes a fish for seven births, for seven births he becomes a mosquito, for three births he becomes a boar, for seven births he becomes a cock, deer and other animals concurrently; at last he gets purified. If any stupid person sells the daughter whom he has supported, out of greed for money, he goes to Mânsakunda and lives there for as many years as there are hairs on her body. The Yama’s servants beat him with their clubs. His head becomes overloaded with the burden of the flesh; and, out of hunger, he licks the blood coming out of his head. Next that sinner comes to Bhârata and for sixty years becomes a worm in any daughter’s faeces, for seven births he becomes a hunter; for three births, a boar; for seven births, cock; for seven births, frog; for seven births, leech; and for seven births, crow; when he gets purified. One who shaves on the day of observing vows, fasting and funeral ceremony day, becomes impure and unfit to do any action, and, in the end, he goes to the Nakha Kunda where he receives blows of clubs and eats nails for one hundred Deva years. If anybody worships, out of carelessness, the earthen S’iva phallic symbol with any hairs on it, he goes to the hell Kes’a Kunda where he remains for as many years as there are particles in that hair; then he gets to the yoni (womb) a Yâvanânî (a Mlechcha woman) out of Hara’s wrath. After one hundred
years he becomes freed from that and then he becomes a Râksasa; there is no doubt in this. He who does not offer Pindas to the Visnupâda in honour of his Pitris at Gayâ goes to the hell Asthikunda where he remains for as many years as there are dirts on his body. Then he becomes a man; but for seven births he becomes lame and poor. Then he gets purified. The stupid man who commits outrage and violence on his pregnant wife, resides for one hundred years in the hot Tâmra Kunda (where coppers are in a molten condition). He who takes the food of a childless widow and the same of any woman that has just bathed after menstruation goes for one hundred years to the hot Lauha Kunda (where iron is in a molten condition). For seven births he becomes then a crow and for seven births he becomes born of a washerwoman, full of sores and boils, and poor. Then he gets purified.
51-61. If one touches the things of the Devas after touching skins or impure hides, one remains in the Charma Kunda for full one hundred years. If any Brâhmin eats a S’ûdra’s food, requested by him, he lives for one hundred years in the hot Surâ Kunda. Then for seven births he performs, the funeral rites for a S’ûdra; at last he becomes pure. If any foul-mouthed person uses always harsh and filthy language to his master, he will have to go to Tîksna Kantaka Kunda where he eats thorns. Besides, the Yama’s servants give severe beatings to him with their clubs. For seven births he will have to become horses when he gets purified. If any man ministers poison to another and so takes away his life, he will have to remain for endless years in Visakunda, where he will have to eat poison. Then he will have to pass for one hundred years as a murderer Bhilla, full of sores and boils, and for seven births he will have to be a leper when at last he gets purified. Being born in this holy land Bhâratavarsa, if any man strikes a cow with a rod or any driver does so whether by himself or by his servant, he will have to dwell certainly in the hot Lauha Kunda for four yugas. He will have to pass as many years as a cow as there are hairs on that cow when ultimately he gets purified. If anybody strikes any other body with a red-hot iron dart (Kunta weapon), he will have to dwell in the Kunta Kunda for ayuta years. Then he will have to remain for one birth in a good womb, with a diseased constitution, when ultimately he will be purified.
62-85. If any Brâhmin villain eats, out of greed, any flesh (not sacrificed before the goddess) or anything not offered to Hari, he will have to remain in the Krimi Kunda where he eats those things for as many years as there are hairs on his body. Then he will have to pass for three births as Mlechchas when ultimately he becomes born in a Brâhmin
family. If any Brâhmin performs the S’râdh of a S’ûdra, eats the food pertaining to a S’râdh of a S’ûdra or burns the dead body of a S’ûdra, he will have to dwell certainly in Pûya Kunda, where, being beaten by the rod of Yama, he eats the pus, etc., for as many years as there are hairs on his body. Then he becomes reborn in this Bhârata as one greatly diseased, poor, deaf and dumb and ultimately he will have to roam for seven births as a S’ûdra. He who kills a black serpent on whose hood there is the lotus mark, lives in Sarpa Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body and he is bitten by serpents there and beaten by the servants of Yama and eats the excrescences of snakes and finally becomes born as a serpent. Then he becomes a man shortlived and having the cuticaneous disease and ringworm. And his death also comes out of snake-bite. He who kills mosquitoes and other small fanged-animals, that earn their substance rightly and pass so their lives, goes to Dams’a mas’a Kunda where he is eaten by mosquitoes and other fanged-creatures and lives there without food and crying, weeping, for as many years as the numbers of lives destroyed. Besides the Yama’s servants tie his hands and feet and beat him. Then he becomes born as flies when ultimately he becomes purified. He who beats and chastises any man not fit to be chastised and beaten and as well as a Brâhmana, goes to Vajra Damstra Kunda, full of worms, and lives there day and night for as many years as there are the number of hairs on the chastised person. When he is bitten by the worms and beaten by Yama’s servants, he cries sometimes, weeps sometimes, and becomes very miserable. Next he is reborn as a crow for seven births when ultimately he gets purified. If any foolish king punishes and gives trouble to his subjects out of greed of money, he goes to Vrischika Kunda where he lives for as many years as there are hairs on the bodies of his subjects. There is no doubt in this. Finally he becomes born in this Bhârata as a scorpion; then a man diseased and defective in limbs, when ultimately he becomes freed of his sins. If any Brâhmin carries or raises weapons, washes the clothes of others who do not perform Sandhyâs and abandons his devotion to Hari, he lives in Sarâdi Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body; he is, then, pierced by arrows. Finally he becomes purified. If any king maddened by his own folly and fault, shuts his subjects in a dark cell and kills them, then he will have to go to a dreadful dark hell filled with worms having fanged teeth and covered with dirt. This hell is named Gola Kunda. He lives there bitten by insects for as many years as there are hairs on the bodies of his subjects. Finally he becomes a slave of those subjects, when he gets purified.
86-103. If anybody kills the sharks and crocodiles, etc., that rise out of the water spontaneously, he will have to remain, then, in Nakra
Kunda for as many years as there are thorns or edged points on those animals. Then he will have to be born as crocodiles, etc., for some time, when he will be purified. If any man, overpowered with lust, sees another’s wife’s uncovered breast, loins, and face, he will have to remain in Kâka Kunda for as many years as there are hairs in his own body. Here the crows take out his eyes. Finally for three births he gets himself burned by Fire when he becomes pure. He who steals in India the gold of the Devas and the Brâhmanas, dwells certainly in Manthâna Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. My servants give him good beatings, and cudgellings; his eyes are covered by Manthâna Danda insects (or animals) and he eats their dirty faeces. Then he is reborn as a man but for three births he becomes blind and for seven births he becomes very poor, cruel, and a sinful goldsmith and then he is born a Svarnavanik (Sonâr bene). O Fair One! He who steals in India copper or iron, silver or gold, dwells in Vîja Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. There the Vîjas (a kind of insect) cover his eyes and he eats the excrescences of those insects. My messengers torment him. Finally he gets purified. If anybody steals in India any Devatâ or the articles of a Devatâ, he dwells in Vajra Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. There his body gets burnt up. My messengers torment him and he a cries and weeps and remains without any food. Then he gets purified. If anybody steals the metal gold or silver, cows, or garments of any Deva or a Brâhmana, certainly he dwells in hot Pâsâna Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. Next for three births he becomes a tortoise and all sorts of white birds. Finally for three births he becomes a leper and for one birth be becomes a man with white marks on his body. Next for seven births he becomes diseased with a severe colic pain and bad blood and lives short. Then he gets purified. If anybody steals brass or Kâmsya properties of any Deva or a Brâhmana, he will have to remain in the sharp Pâsâna Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. Next he becomes born in Bhârata for seven births as horses; and ultimately his both the testicles get enlarged and he gets diseases in his legs when he gets purified. If anybody verily eats the food of an adulterate woman or lives on her alms, he will have to go to the Lâlâ Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. My messengers torment him there and he eats the saliva and thus lives miserably. Then he gets eye diseases and colic; when ultimately he gets purified.
104-126. If any Brâhmana lives on writing only or on the service of Mlechchas, he lives in Masi Kunda very painfully, eating ink, tormented by My messengers for as many years as there are hairs
on his body. Then he becomes a black animal for three births and for another three births he becomes a black goat. Then he becomes a Tâl tree when he gets purified. If anybody steals a Deva’s or
a Brâhmana’s grains, or any other good materials, betel, Âsan (seat) or bedding, he lives in Chûrna Kunda for one hundred years, tormented by My Dûtas (messengers). Next for three births he gets
himself born as a goat, cock, and monkey. Finally he becomes born as a man with the heart disease, without any issue, poor, and short lived. When, at last, he gets purified. If anybody steals any Brâhmin’s property and thereby does chakra pûjâ (the famous chakra circle worship in Tantra), or prepares a potter’s wheel or any other wheels, he will have to go to Chakra Kunda and remain there for one hundred years, tormented by My messengers. Then he will be born for three births as an oilman suffering from very severe diseases when he will ultimately be poor, without any issue and diseased. Finally he gets purified. If anybody casts a sinful eye on any Brâhmana or on cows, he will have to remain in Vakra Kunda for one hundred Yugas. Next for three births he becomes a cat, for three births he becomes a vulture; for three births he becomes a boar; for three births he becomes a peacock; for seven births he becomes a man deformed and defective in limbs, his wife being dead, without any issue. Finally he becomes purified. If any person born in a Brâhmin family eats the flesh of a tortoise that is prohibited, he lives in Kûrma Kunda, for one hundred years, eaten by tortoises. Then he becomes for three births a tortoise; for three births, a boar; for three births a cat; for three births, a peacock; till at last he gets purified. If anybody steals clarified butter or oil of any Devas or a Brâhmana he will have to go to Jvâlâ Kunda or Bhasma Kunda. That sinner remains in oil for one hundred years and gets soaked through and through. Then for seven births he becomes a fish and a mouse when he gets purified. If anybody, born here in this holy land Bhârata steals sweet scented oil of a Deva or of a Brâhmana, the powdered myrobalan or any other scent, he goes to Dagdha Kunda where he lives, burnt day and night for as many years as there are hairs on his body. For seven births he becomes born emitting a nasty smell, for three births he becomes musk (mriga-nâbhi); for seven births, as a Manthâna insect. Then he becomes born as a man. If, out of envy, a powerful man appropriates to his purpose another’s ancestral property by cheating, by using force, he goes to the hot Sûchî Kunda, being tormented there like a Jîva dropped in the midst of a very hot oil tank, full of boiling oil. His body is, then, being burnt up severely as the
result of his own Karma; the wonder being that his body never gets completely destroyed nor reduced to ashes. For seven manvantaras he lives there without any food. My messengers give him good beatings and cudgellings and chastise him; he cries aloud. Next he gets himself born as worms of faeces for sixty thousand years. When he becomes born as a pauper without owning any land. Thus that villain, getting a fresh lease of human birth, begins again to do fresh good acts.
Here ends the Thirty-third Chapter of the Ninth Book on the description of the destinies of different sinners in different hells in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXIV
On the description of the various hells
1-28. Dharma Râja Yama said :-- O Fair One! If, in this Bhârata, any murderer, merciless and fierce, kills any man, out of greed for money, he goes and miserably dwells in the Asipattra hell for fourteen Indra’s life periods. And if that murderer kills a Brâhmana, he lives in that hell for one hundred manvantaras. While in hell, his body becomes fiercely cut and wounded by the swords. There My messengers chastise him and beat him and he cries aloud and passes his time without any food. Then he becomes born for one hundred years as a Manthâna insect, for hundred births as a boar, for seven births as a cock; for seven births as a fox, for seven births as a tiger; for three births, as a wolf; for seven births, as a frog; then as a buffalo when he becomes freed of his sins of murders. If anybody sets fire to a city or a village, he will have to live in Ksuradhâra Kunda for three yugas with his body severed. Then he becomes a Preta (disembodied spirit) and travels over the whole earth, being burnt up with fire. For seven births he eats unclean and unholy food and spends his time as a pigeon. Then for seven births he becomes diseased with a severe colic pain, for seven births as a leper; when ultimately he gets a pure human body. If anybody whispers in one’s ear another’s calumny and thus glorifies himself and abuses and vilifies the Devas and Brâhmanas, he goes and remains in Sûchî Kunda for three Yugas, and he is pierced there by needles. Then he becomes a scorpion for seven births, a serpent for seven births, and an insect (Bhasma Kîta) for seven births; then he gets a diseased human body when, at last, he becomes purified. If anybody breaks into another’s house and steals away all the household articles, cows, goats or buffaloes, he goes to Gokâ Mukha Kunda where faeces are
like cow’s hoofs, there, beaten by My servants, for three Yugas. (Gokâ is Goksura, hoof of a cow). Then, for seven births, he becomes a diseased cow; for three births, a sheep; for three births, a goat; and finally he becomes a man. But in this man-birth he is born first as diseased, poor, deprived of wife and friends, and a repenting person; when ultimately he is freed of his sin. If anybody steals any ordinary thing, he goes to Nakra Mukha Kunda and lives there for three years, greatly tormented by My messengers. Next for seven births, he becomes a diseased ox. Then he attains a very diseased man-birth, and ultimately he is freed of his sins. Such are the horrible results. If anybody kills a cow, elephant, horse, or cuts a tree, he goes to Gaja Dams’a Kunda for three yugas. There he is punished by My messengers freely by the teeth of elephants. Then he attains three elephants’ births, three horse-births; then he becomes born as a cow and ultimately he is born a Mlechcha when he becomes pure. If anybody obstructs any thirsty cow from drinking water, he goes to Krimi Kunda and Gomukha Kunda filled with hot water and lives there for one manvantara. Next when he attains a human birth he owns not any cattle nor any wealth; rather he is born as a man, very much diseased, in low castes, for seven births when he becomes freed. If anybody, being born in Bhârata, kills cows, Brâhmins, women, beggars, causes abortions or goes to those not fit to be gone into, he lives in the Kumbhîpâka hell for fourteen Indra’s life periods. There be is pulverised always by My messengers. He is made to fall sometimes in fire, sometimes over thorns, sometimes in hot oil, sometimes in hot water, sometimes in molten iron or copper. That great sinner gets thousand vulture births, hundred boar births, seven crow births and seven serpent births. He then becomes worms of faeces for sixty thousand years. Thus travelling frequently in ox births he at last becomes born as a very poor leper.
29-31. Sâvitrî said :-- “O Bhagavân! What is, according to the S’âstras, Brahmahattyâ (murdering a Brâhmin) and Gohatyâ (killing a cow)? Who are called Agamyâs (women unfit to be approached)? Who are designated as void of Sandhyâ (daily worship of the twice born castes)? Who can be called uninitiated? Who are said to take Pratigrahas (gifts) in a Tîrath? What are the characteristics of a real Grâmayâjî (village priests), Devala, (Brâhmana of an inferior order who subsists upon the offerings made to the images which he attends), the cook of a S’ûdra, of one who is infatuated (Pramatta) and the Vrisalîpati (one who has married an unmarried girl twelve years old in whom menstruation has commenced; a barren woman). Kindly describe all these to me.”
32-91. Dharmarâjan said :-- O Fair Sâvitrî! If anybody makes a distinction between Krisna and His Image or between any Deva and his image, between S’iva and His phallic emblem, between the Sun and the stone Sûrya Kânta (a precious stone of a bright and glittering colour) between Ganes’a and Durgâ, he is said to be guilty of the sin Brahmahattyâ. If anybody makes any difference (superiority or inferiority) between his own Ista Deva (his Deity), his Spiritual Teacher, his natural father, and mother, is certainly involved in the sin of Brahmahattyâ. He who shews any difference (superiority or inferiority) between the devotees of Visnu and those of other Devas, is said to commit Brahmahattyâ. He who makes any difference in matters of respect between the waters of the feet of any Brâhmana and those of S’âlagrâma stone, is said to commit Brahmahattyâ. The difference between the offerings to Hari and Hara leads to Brahmahattyâ. He who shews any difference between Krisna, Who is verily the God of gods, the Cause of all causes, the Origin of all, Who is worshipped by all the Devas, Who is the Self of all, Who is attributeless and without a second yet Who by His Magic powers assumes many forms and who is Is’âna, is said to commit, indeed, the Brahmahattyâ. If any Vaisnava (a devotee of Visnu) abuses and envies a S’akta (a devotee of S’akti), he commits Brahmahattyâ. He who does not worship, according to the Vedas, the Pitris and the Devas or prohibits others in doing so, commits Brahmahattyâ. He who abuses Hrisikes’a, Who is the Highest of the Holy things, Who is Knowledge and Bliss and Who is Eternal, Who is the only God to be served by the Devas and Vaisnavas, and those Who are worshippers of His Mantra, and those who do not worship themselves are said to commit Brahmahattyâ. He who abuses and vilifies Mûlaprakriti Mahâ Devî, Who is of the nature of Causal Brahmâ (Kârana Brahmâ), Who is All Power and the Mother of all, Who is worshipped by all and who is of the nature of all the Devas and the Cause of all Causes, Who is Âdyâ S’akti Bhagavatî, is said to commit Brahmahattyâ. He who does not observe the Holy S’rî Krisna Janmâstami, S’rî Râma Navamî, S’ivarâtri, the Ekâdas’î happening on Sunday, and five other holy Pârvanas (festivals), commits Brahmahattyâ; is considered more sinful than a Chândâla. He who in this land of Bhârata, digs earth on the day of Ambuvâchî or makes water, etc., in the waters of the tanks, is involved in the sin of Brahmahattyâ. He who does not support his spiritual teacher, mother, father, chaste wife, son and daughter, though they are faultless, commits Brahmahattyâ. He whose marriage does not take place during his whole life-time, who does not see the face of his son, who does not cherish devotion to Hari, who eats things unoffered to S’rî Hari, who never worshipped throughout his life Visnu or an earthen symbol of S’iva, verily commits Brahmahattyâ. O Fair One! Now I will
recite the characteristics, according to the S’âstras, of Gohattyâ (killing a cow). Listen. If anybody does not prohibit one, seeing one to beat a cow, or if he goes between a cow and a Brâhmin, he is involved in the sin of Gohattyâ. If any illiterate Brâhman, carrying an ox, daily beats with a stick, the cows, certainly he commits the Gohattyâ. If anybody gives the remains of another’s meal to a cow to eat, or feeds a Brâhmin who carries, rather moves or drives, cows and oxen; or eats himself the food of such a Brâhmin driver, he commits Gohattyâ. Those who do sacrifices of the husband of a barren woman (Vrisalî) or eat his food, commit sin equal to one hundred Gohattyâs; there is no doubt in this. Those who touch fire with their feet, beat the cows or enter the temple bathing but not washing their feet, commit Gohattyâ. Those who eat without washing their feet or those who sleep with their feet wetted with water and those who eat just after the Sun has risen, commit Gohattyâ. Those who eat the food of women without husbands or sons or the food of pimps and pampers or those who do not perform their Sandhyâs thrice, commit Gohattyâ. If any woman makes any difference between her husband and the Devatâ, or chastises and uses harsh words to her husband, she commits Gohattyâ. If anybody destroys cow’s pasture land, tanks, or land for forts and cultivates there grains, he commits Gohattyâ. He who does not do Prâyas’chitta (expiation, atonement) for the expiation of the sin of Gohattyâ done by his son (for fear of his son’s life), commits the sin himself. If any trouble arises in the state or from the Devas, and if any master does not protect then his own cows, rather torments them, he is said to commit Gohattyâ. If any Jîva oversteps the image of a Deva, fire, water, offerings to a god, flowers, or food, he commits the great sin Brahmahattyâ. When a guest comes, if the master of the house always says, “there is nothing, nothing with me; no, no,” and if he be a liar, cheat and an abuser of the Devas, he commits the above sin. O fair One! Whoever seeing his spiritual teacher, and a Brâhman, does not bow down and make respectful obeisance to them, commits Gohattyâ. If any Brâhmin, out of sheer anger, does not utter blessings to a man who bows down or does not impart knowledge to a student, he commits Gohattyâ. O Fair One! Thus I have described to you the characteristics, approved by S’âstras, of cow-killing (Gohattyâ) and murdering a Brâhmin (Brahmahattyâ). Now hear which women are (Agamyâs) not fit to be approached and those which are fit to be approached (Gamyâs). One’s own wife is fit to be approached (Gamyâ) and all other women are Agamyâs, so the Pundits, versed in the Vedas, declare. This is a general remark; now hear everything in particular. O Chaste One! The Brâhmin wives of S’ûdras or the S’ûdra wives of Brâhmanas are Atyâgamyâs (very
unfit to be approached) and blameable both in the Vedas and in the society. A S’ûdra going to a Brâhmanî woman commits one hundred Brahmahattyâs; so a Brâhmana woman going to a S’ûdra goes to the Kumbhîpâka hell. As a S’ûdra should avoid a Brahmâni, so a Brâhmana should avoid a S’ûdra woman. A Brâhmana going to a S’ûdra woman is recognised a Brisalipati (one who has married an unmarried girl twelve years old in whom menstruation has commenced). So much so that that Brâhmana is considered an outcast and the vilest of the Chândâlas. The offerings of Pindas by him are considered as faeces and water offered by him is considered as urine. Nowhere whether in the Devaloka or in the Pitriloka, his offered Pindas and water are accepted. Whatever religious merits he has acquired by worshipping the Devas, and practising austerities for Koti births, he loses all at once by the greed of enjoying the S’ûdra woman. There is no doubt in this. A Brâhmin, if he drinks wine, is considered as the husband of a Vrisalî, eating faeces. And if he be a Vaisnava, a devotee of Visnu, his body must be branded with the marks of a Taptamudrâ (hot seal); and if he be a S’aiva, his body is to be branded with the Tapta S’ûla (hot trident). The wife of a spiritual teacher, the wife of a king, step-mother, daughter, son’s wife, mother-in-law, sister of the same father and mother, the wife of one’s brother (of the same father and mother), the wife of a maternal uncle, the father’s mother, mother’s mother, the mother’s sister, sisters, the brother’s daughter, the female disciple, the disciple’s wife, the wife of the sister’s son, the wife of the brother’s son, these all are mentioned by Brahmâ as Atyâgamyâs (very unfit to be approached). The people are hereby warned. If anybody, overpowered by passion, goes to these Atyâgamyâ women, he becomes the vilest of men. The Vedas consider him as if going to his mother and he commits one hundred Brahmahattyâ sins. These have no right to do any actions. They are not to be touched by any. They are blamed in the Vedas, in the society everywhere. Ultimately they go to the dreadful Kumbhîpâka hells. O Fair One! He who performs Sandhyâs wrongly or reads it wrongly or does not perform at all the three Sandhyâs daily, is called as void of Sandhyâ. He is said to remain uninitiated who does not, out of sheer vanity, receive any Mantra, whether he be a Vaisnavite, S’aivite, or a Sun worshipper or the Ganes’a worshipper. Where there is the running stream of the Ganges, lands on either side, four hands in width, are said to be the womb of the Ganges (Gangâ Garbha) Bhagavân Nârâyana incessantly dwells there. This is called the Nârâyana (Ksetra). One goes to Visnupada who dies in such a place. Vârânasî (Benares), Vadarî, the Confluence of the Ganges with the ocean (Ganga-Sâgara), Puskara, Hari Hara Ksettra (in Behar near Châprâ), Prabhâsa,
Kâmarûpa, Hardwar, Kedâra, Mâtripura, the banks of the river Sarasvatî, the holy land Bindrâban, Godâvarî, Kaus’ikî, Trivenî (Allahabad), and the Himâlayâs are all famous places of pilgrimages. Those who willingly accept gifts in these sacred places are said to be Tîrthapratigrâhîs (the acceptors of the gifts in the Tîrtha). These Tîrthaprathigrâhîs go in the end to Kumbhîpâka hell. The Brâhmana who acts as priest to the S’ûdras is called S’ûdrayâjî; the village priests are called Grâmayâjîs. Those who subsist on the offerings made to the gods are called Devalas. The cooks of the S’ûdras are called Sûpakâras. Those who are void of Sandhyâ Bandanams are called Pramattas (mad). O Bhadre! These are the marks of the Vrisalîpatis that I have (now) enumerated. These are the Great Sinners (Mahâ Pâtakas). They go ultimately to the Kumbhîpâka hell. O Fair One! I now state by and by the other Kundas (hells) when other people go. Listen.
Here ends the Thirty fourth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the description of the various hells in the Mahâ Purânam S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXV
On the description of the various hells for the various sinners
1-44. Dharmarâjan said :-- O Chaste One! Without serving the Gods, the Karma ties can never be severed. The pure acts are the seeds of purities and the impure acts lead to impure seeds. If any Brâhmana goes to any unchaste woman and eats her food, he will have to go ultimately to the Kâlasûtra hell. There he lives for one hundred years when ultimately he gets a human birth when he passes his times as a diseased man and ultimately he gets purified. Those women who are addicted to their (one) husbands only are called Pativratâs. Those addicted to two persons are named Kulatâs; to three, are called Dharsinîs; to four, called Pums’chalîs; to five, six persons, called Ves’yâs; to seven, eight, nine persons are called Pungîs; and to more than these, are called Mahâves’yâs. The Mahâves’yâs are unfit to be touched by all the classes. If any Brâhmana goes to Kulatâ, Dharsinî, Pums’chalî, Pungî, Ves’yâ and Mahâves’yâs, he will have to go to the Matsyoda Kunda. Those who go to Kulatâs remain there for one hundred years; those who go to Dharsinîs, remain for four hundred years, those who go to Pums’chalîs for six hundred years; those who go to Ves’yâs, for eight hundred years; those who go to Pungîs, remain for one thousand years and those who go to Mahâves’yâs remain in the Matsyoda Kunda for ten thousand years. My messengers chastise and beat and torment them very severely. And when their terms expire, the Kulatâ-goers become Tittiris (a bird), the Dharsinî-goers
become crows, the Pums’chalî-mongers become cuckoos, the Ves’yâ haunters become wolves; the Pungî-goers become for seven births boars. If any ignorant person eats food during the lunar and solar eclipses, he goes to Aruntuda Kunda for as many years as there are particles in that food. He then becomes born diseased with Gulma (a chronic enlargement of spleen) having no ears nor teeth, and after passing his time so, he becomes freed of his previous sin. If anybody makes a promise to give his daughter to one but he gives actually to a different person, he goes to Pâms’u Kunda where he eats ashes for one hundred years. Again if anybody sells his daughter, he sleeps on a bed of arrows in Pams’uvesta Kunda for one hundred years, chastised and beaten by My messengers. If any Brâhmana does not worship with devotion the phallic emblem of S’iva, he goes to the dreadful S’ûlaprota Kunda for that heinous sin. He remains there for one hundred years; then he becomes a quadruped animal for seven births and again he becomes born a Devala Brâhmin for seven births when he becomes freed. If any Brâhmana defeats another Brâhmana in a bad useless argument and trifles him and makes him tremble, he goes to the Prakampana Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. If any woman, being very furious with anger, chastises and uses harsh words to her husband, she goes to Ulkâmukha Kunda for as many years as there are hairs on his body. My servants put fiery meteors or torches in her mouth and beat on her head. At the end of the term, she becomes a human being but she has to bear the torments of widowhood for seven births. Then she is again born as diseased; when at last she gets herself freed. The Brâhmana woman, enjoyed by a S’ûdra, goes to the terrible dark Andhakûpa hell, where she remains, day and night, immersed in the impure water and eats that for fourteen Indra’s life periods. Her pains are unbounded and My messengers beat her severely and incessantly.
At the expiry of the term in that hell, she becomes a female crow for thousand births, a female boar for one hundred births, a female fox for one hundred births, a hen for one hundred years, a female pigeon for seven births, and a female monkey for seven births. Then she becomes a Chândâlî in this Bhârata, enjoyed by all. Then she becomes an unchaste woman with the pthisis disease, a washerwoman, and then an oilwoman with leprosy when she becomes freed. O Fair One! The Ves’yâs live in the Vedhana, and Jalarandhra hells; the Pungîs live in the Dandatâdana hell; the Kulatâs live in the Dehachûrna hells; the Svairinîs live in the Dalana hells; the Dharsinîs live in S’osana hells. Their pains know no bounds at all those places. My messengers always beat and chastise them and they eat always the urine and faeces for
one Manvantara. Then, at the expiry of their hell period, they become worms of faeces for one lakh years when they become freed. If a Brâhmana goes to another Brâhmana’s wife, if a Ksattriya, Vais’ya and S’ûdra do so, they go to the Kasâya hell. There they drink the hot Kasâya water for twelve years when they become purified. The lotus-born Brahmâ has said that the wives of Brâhmins, Ksattriyas, etc., live in hells like Brâhmins, Ksattriyas, etc., and they then get freed. If a Ksattriya or a Vais’ya goes to a Brâhmin’s wife, he is involved in the sin of his going to his mother and goes and lives in the S’ûrpa hell. There the worms of the size of a S’ûrpa bite that Ksattriya, that Vais’ya and that Brâhmana’s wife. My messengers chastise them and they have to eat the hot urine. Thus they suffer pains for fourteen Indra’s life periods. When they become boars for seven births and goats for seven births, when at last they are freed. Now if anybody makes a false promise or swears falsely, taking the Tûlasî leaf in his hands, if anybody makes a false promise, taking the Ganges water, S’âlagrâma stone, or any other images of God in his hand; if anybody swears falsely, placing his right palm on the palm of another; if anybody swears falsely, being in a temple or touching a Brâhmana or a cow; if anybody acts against his friends or others, if he be treacherous or if he gives a false evidence; then all these persons go to Jvâlâ Mukha hell, and remain there for fourteen Indra’s life periods, chastised and beaten by My messengers and feeling pain as if one’s body is being burnt by red hot coal. One who gives a false evidence, with the Tûlasî (holy basil) in his hand becomes a Chândâla for seven births; one who makes a false promise with the Ganges water in his hand, becomes a Mlechcha for five births; one who swears falsely while touching the S’âlagrâma stone, becomes a worm of the faeces for seven births; one who swears falsely, touching the image of the God, becomes a worm in a Brâhmin’s house for seven births; one who gives a false evidence touching with the right hand, becomes a serpent for seven births; then he becomes born as a Brâhmin, void of the knowledge of the Vedas, when he becomes freed. One who speaks falsely, while in a temple, is born as a Devala for seven births.
45-59. If one swears falsely, touching a Brâhmana, one becomes a tiger. Then he becomes dumb for three births, then for three births he becomes deaf, without wife, without friends, and his family becomes extinct. Then he becomes pure. Those that rebel against their friends, become mongoose; the treacherous persons become rhinoceroses; the hypocrite and treacherous persons become tigers and those who give false evidences become frogs. So much so, that their seven generations
above and seven generations below go to hell. If any Brâhmana does not perform his daily duties (Nitya Karma), he is reckoned as Jada (an inert matter). He has no faith in the Vedas. Rather he laughs at the Vedic customs. He does not observe vows and fastings; he blames others who give good advices. Such persons live in Dhûmrândhakâra hell where they eat dark smoke only. Then he roams about as an aquatic animal for one hundred births successively. Then he becomes born as various fishes when he is freed. If anybody jests at the wealth of a Deva or a Brâhmana, then he with his ten
generations above and below becomes fallen and he himself goes to the Dhûmrândhakâra hell, terribly dark and filled with smoke. There his pains know no bounds and he lives there for four hundred years, eating smoke only. Then he becomes a mouse for seven births, and he becomes various birds and worms, various trees and various animals when ultimately he gets a human birth. If a Brâhmin earns his livelihood by being an astrologer or if he be a physician and lives thereby or if he sells lac, iron, or oil, etc., he goes to the Nâgavstana Kunda hell where he lives for as many years as there are hairs on his body, tied up by snakes. Then he becomes born as various birds; ultimately he gets a human birth and becomes an astrologer for seven births and a physician for seven births. Then for sometime he becomes a cowherd (milkman), for sometimes a blacksmith; for sometimes a painter, when he becomes freed of his sin. O Chaste One! Thus I have described to you all the famous Kundas or hells. Besides there are innumerable small Kundas. The sinners go there and suffer the fruits of their own Karmas and travel through various wombs. O Fair One! What more do you now want to hear ? Say.
Here ends the Thirty-Fifth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the description of the various hells for the various sinners in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXVI
On the destruction of the fear of the Yama of those who are the worshippers of the Five Devatâs
1-7. Sâvitrî said :-- “O Dharmarâjan! O Highly Fortunate One! O Thou! Expert in the Vedas and the Amgas thereof! Now kindly describe that which is the essence of the various Purânas and Itihâsas, which is the quintessence, which is dear to all, approved of by all, which is the seed by which the Karmic ties are cut asunder, which is high, noble and happy is this life. Kindly describe the above by which man can acquire all his desires, and what is the only source of all the good and auspicious things. All by knowing which man has
not to face any dangers or troubles, nor has he to go to the dreadful hells that thou hast severally just now described and that by which men can be freed of those various wombs. Kindly now describe all these. O Bhagavan! What is the size of the several kundas or hells that Thou hast just now enumerated? How do the sinners dwell there? When a man departs, his body is reduced to ashes. Then of what sort is that other body by which the sinners enjoy the effects of their Karmas and why do not those bodies get destroyed when they suffer so much pains for so long a time? What sort of body is that? Kindly describe all these to me.”
8-33. Nârâyana spoke :-- Hearing the questions put forward by Sâvitrî, Dharmarâja remembered S’rî Hari and began to speak on subject that sever the bonds of Karma :-- O Child! O One of good vows! In the four Vedas, in all the books on Dharma, (Smritis) in all the Samhitâs, all the Itihâsas, all the Purânas, in the Nârada Pañcharâtram, in the other Dharma S’âstras and in the Vedângas, it is definitely stated that the worship of the Pañcha Devatâs (the five Devatâs) S’iva, S’akti Visnu, Ganes’a, and Sûrya is the best, the highest, the destroyer of the old age, disease, death, evils and sorrows, the most auspicious and leading to the highest bliss. In fact, the worship of these Pañcha Devatâs is the source of acquiring all the Siddhis (the success) and saves one from going to the hells. From their worship springs the Bhaktic Tree and then and then only the Root of the Tree of all Karmic bonds is severed for ever and ever. This is the step to Mukti (final liberation) and is the indestructible state. By this one can get Sâlokya, Sârsti, Sârûpya, and Sâmîpya, the different state of beatitudes in which the soul (1) resides in the same world with the Deity, (2) possesses the same station, condition, or rank, or equality with the Supreme Being in power and all the Divine attributes (the last of the four grades of Mukti), (3) possesses the sameness of form or gets assimilated to the Deity or (4) gets intimately united, identified or absorbed into the Deity. O Auspicious One! The worshipper of these five Devatâs has never to see any of the hells, watched by My messengers. Those who are devoid of the devotion to the Devî see My abode; but those who go to the Tîrthas of Hari, who hold Harivâsaras (festivities on the days of Hari) who bow down at the feet of Hari and worship Hari, never come to My abode named Samyamana. Those Brâhmanas that are purified by their performing the three Sandhyâs and by the following the pure Âchâras (customs and observances), those that find no pleasure until they worship the Devî, those that are attached to their own Dharmas and their own Âchâras, never come to My abode.
My terrible messengers, seeing the devotees of S’iva, run away out of terror as snakes run away terrified by Garuda. I also order My messengers with nooses in their hands never to go to them. My messengers go mostly to other persons than the servants of Hari. No sooner do My Messengers see the worshippers of the Krisna Mantra, than they run away as snakes get terrified at the sight of Garuda. Chitragupta, too, one of the beings in Yama’s world, recording the vices and virtues of mankind, strike off the names of the Devî worshippers, out of fear and prepare Madhuparka, etc., for them (a mixture of honey; respectful offering made to a guest or to the bridegroom on his arrival at the door of the father of the bride). They rise higher than the Brahmâ Lokas and go to the Devî’s abode, i.e., to Manidvîpa. Those that are the worshippers of the S’akti Mantra and are highly fortunate, whose contact removes the sins of others, they deliver the thousand generations (from the downward course). As bundles and bundles of dry grasses become burnt to ashes, no sooner they are thrown into fire, so the delusion at once becomes itself deluded at the sight of the forms of those devotees. At their sight, lust, anger, greed, disease, sorrow, old age, death, fear, Kâla (time that takes away the life of persons), the good and bad karmas, pleasures and enjoyments drop off to a great distance. O Fair One! Now I have described to you the states of those persons that are not under the control of Kâla, good and bad karmas, pleasures and enjoyments, etc., and those that do not suffer those pains. Now I am speaking of this visible body. Listen. Earth, water, fire, air, and ether are the five Mahâ Bhûtas (the great elements); these are the seeds of this visible body of the person and are the chief factors in the work of creation. The body that is made up of earth and other elements is transient and artificial, i.e., that body becomes burnt to ashes. Within this visible body, bound, is there a Purusa of the size of a thumb; that is called the Jîva Purusa; the subtle Jîva assumes those subtle bodies for enjoying the effects of karmas. In My world, that subtle body is not burnt by the burning fire. If that subtle body be immersed in water, if that be beaten incessantly or if it be struck by a weapon or pierced by a sharp thorn, that body is not destroyed. That body is not burnt nor broken by the burning hot and molten material, by the red hot iron, by hot stones by embracing a hot image or by falling into a burning cauldron. That body has to suffer incessant pains. O Fair One! Thus I have dwelt on the subject of the several bodies and the causes thereof according to the S’âstras. Now I will describe to you the characters of all the other Kundas. Listen.
Here ends the Thirty-sixth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the destruction of the fear of the Yama of those who are the worshippers of the Five Devatâs, in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXVII
On the eighty-six Kundas and their characteristics
1-60. Dharmarâja said :-- All the Kundas (hells) are circular in form like the Full Moon. Of these, the Vahnikunda has the fire lit at its bottom, by the help of various kinds of stones. This Kunda will not be destroyed till Mahâpralaya comes. Here the sinners are tormented severely. It looks like a blazing coke. The flames are rising from it one hundred hands high. In circumference those flames are two miles. This is named Vahnikunda. It is full of sinners crying loudly. It is constantly watched by My messengers who are chastising and punishing the sinners. Next comes the Tapta Kunda. It is filled with hot water and full of rapacious animals. The sinners there are severely beaten by My messengers and they are always crying out very loudly, which is being echoed and re-echoed all around terribly. It extends for one mile. This Kunda is filled with hot salt water and the abode of many crows. Then there is the Bhayânaka Kunda. It extends for two miles and it is filled with sinners. They are being punished by My messengers and they are incessantly crying, “Save us, save us.”
Next comes the Visthâ Kunda. It is filled with faeces and excrements where the sinners are moving without any food and with their palate and throats dry. Its size is two miles and it is very bad and ugly with foetid and nasty smell. It is always filled with sinners, who are being chastised by My Dûtas (messengers) and eat those faeces and excrements. The worms therein are constantly biting and stinging them and they are crying, “deliver us, deliver us.” Then comes the hot Mûttra Kunda. It is filled with the hot urine and the worms thereof. The great sinners always dwell here. It measures four miles; and it is quite dark. My Dûtas always beat them and their throats, lips, palates are all dry. Then comes the S’lesma Kunda. It is filled with phlegm and the insects thereof. The sinners dwell in phlegm and eat that phlegm. Then comes the Gara Kunda. It is filled with (factitious) poison. It measures one mile. The sinners eat this poison and dwell here. The worms thereof bite them. They tremble at the chastisement of My Dûtas and cry aloud. My messengers look like serpents, with teeth like thunderbolt and they are very furious and fierce, with their throats dry and their words very harsh. Then comes Dûsikâ Kunda. It is filled with the rheum
and dirt of the eyes and it measures one mile. Innumerable worms are born therein. Numberless sinners live there, and as they move, the insects immediately bite and sting them. Next comes the Vasâ Kunda. It is filled with the serum or marrow of the flesh and it measures one-half mile. The sinners dwell there, chastised and punished by My messengers. Then comes the S’ukra Kunda. It measures two miles in diameter. The insects, born in the semen, bite the sinners, and they move on and on. Then comes the Rakta Kunda, with very offensive, foetid smell. It is deep like a well and filled with blood. The sinners dwell here, drinking blood. The insects therein are always biting them. Then follows the As’ru Kunda. It measures in size one fourth the measure of the well (above-mentioned). It is always filled with hot tears of the eyes; and many sinners are seen there living weeping and crying and being bitten by the snakes. Then there is the Gâtra Mala Kunda. The sinners are chastised and punished there by My messengers and being bitten by the insects thereof, they eat the dirts of the body and dwell there. Then comes the Karna Mala Kunda. The sinners eat the wax of the ear and fill the place. The insects always bite them and they are crying aloud. It measures one fourth the measure of a Vâpî. Then comes the Majjâ Kunda. It is filled with fat and marrow, emitting foetid offensive odour. It measures one fourth the measure of a Vâpî. The great sinners always dwell there. Then comes the Mâmsa Kunda. This is filled with the greasy flesh. It measures (one-fourth) that of a Vâpî. Those who sell their daughters dwell here. My messengers always chastise and punish them and horrible insects bite and sting them and they cry, out of fear and agony, “Save us, save us,” and eat at times that flesh. Then come in succession the four Kundas Nakha, Loma and others. They also measure each one-fourth that of a Vâpî. The sinners dwell there, always chastised by My messengers. Next comes the very hot Tâmra Kunda. Burning cokes exist on the top of very hot coppers. There are lakhs and lakhs of very hot copper figures in that Kunda. The sinners, being compelled by My messengers, are made to embrace each of these hot copper figures and they cry loudly and live there. It measures four miles. Then come the burning Angâra Kunda and the hot Lauha Dhâra Kunda. Here the sinners are made to embrace the hot iron figures and, feeling themselves burnt, cry out of fear and agony. Whenever My messengers punish them, they immediately cry out, “Save us, save us.” It measures eight miles; and it is pitch dark and very awful. This is named the hot Lauha Kunda. Then come the Charma Kunda and Surâ Kunda. The sinners, beaten by My men, eat the skin and drink the hot urine and
dwell there. Then comes the S’âlmalî Kunda; it is overspread with thorns and thorny trees, causing intense pain. It measures two miles. Millions and millions of great sinners are made by My men to fall from the tops of those trees down below where their bodies get pierced by very sharp thorns, six feet long; and thus they dwell there, beaten by My men. Out of thirst, their palates get dried up; and they cry out repeatedly, “Water, water.” Out of fear, they get very anxious and then their heads get broken by the clubs brought down on them by My men. So they move there like the beings burnt in very hot oil. Then comes the Visoda Kunda. It measures two miles in diameter and is filled with the poison of the serpent called Taksakas. My men punish the sinners and they drink the poison thereof and dwell there. Then comes the hot Taila Kunda. There are no insects here. Only the great sinners dwell. All around burning coals are flaring and when My men beat the sinners, they run hither and thither. It is filled with horrible intense darkness and it is exceedingly painful. It looks dreadful and measures two miles. Then comes the Kunta Kunda. Sharp pointed iron weapons like tridents are placed in order all round. The sinners, pierced by those weapons, are seen encircling the Kunda. It measures one-half mile. Beaten by My men, their throats and lips get dried up. Then comes the Krimi Kunda. It is filled with terrible worms and insects, snake-like with sharp teeth, of the size of a S’anku (a Sâl tree) deformed and hideous looking; and it is filled with pitch darkness, terrible to look at. Beaten by My men, the great sinners dwell there. Then comes the Pûya Kunda. It measures eight miles in diameter (or in circumference?). The sinners dwell and eat the pus thereof and, are beaten by My men. Then comes the Sarpa Kunda. Millions and millions of snakes of the length of a Tâl tree are existing there. These serpents encircle the sinners and as they bite them, My men also beat them at the same time. So there arises a general hue and cry, “Save us, save us; we are done for.” Then come in order the Dams’a Kunda, Mas’aka Kunda, and the Garala Kunda. These are filled with gad-flies, mosquitoes, and poison respectively. Each of them measures one mile. The sinners’ hands and feet are tied up. So when the gad-flies and mosquitoes fiercely sting them, and My men violently beat them simultaneously, they raise a loud uproar and are made to move on, in their tied states by My persons. Their bodies get thoroughly reddened and covered with blood by the stinging of the flies, etc. Then come the Vajra Kunda and the Vris’chika Kunda filled respectively with Vajra insects and the scorpions. Each of them measures one-half that of the Vâpî. The
sinners that dwell there, are incessantly bitten by insects (Vajras and scorpions). Then come in order the S’ara Kunda, S’ûla Kunda, and the Khadga Kundas. They are filled respectively with arrows, spikes, and scimitars. Each of them measures one half that of the Vâpî. The sinners are pierced by arrows, etc., and become covered over with blood and dwell there. Then comes the Gola Kunda. It is filled with boiling hot water and it is pitch dark. The sinners live there, bitten by the insects. This Kunda measures half that of the Vâpî. The insects bite them and My men beat them so their fear knows no bounds; everyone of them is weeping and crying loudly. This Kunda is filled with hideously offensive smells. So the pains of the sinners are infinite. The Nakra Kunda comes next. It measures half the Vâpî, is filled with millions and millions of crocodiles living in water. The horrible looking deformed sinners live there. The Kâka Kunda then follows. The sinners here are being bitten by hundreds of deformed crows eating faeces, urines and phlegm. Then come the Manthâna Kunda and Vîja Kunda. These are filled respectively with insects called Manthâna and Vîja. Each of them measures one hundred Dhanus (one Dhanu - four hastas). Those insects are stinging the sinners and they cry out very loudly. Then follows the Vajra Kunda. It measures one hundred Dhanus. Many insects with their teeth as hard as thunderbolt live there and bite the sinners who cry out loudly. It is pitch dark. Then comes the hot Pâsâna Kunda. It measures twice that of the Vâpî. It is so built of hot stones as it resembles a burning mass of coal. The sinners become restless with the heat and turn round and round in the middle. Then comes the Pâsâna Kunda and the Lâlâ Kunda. The Pâsâna Kunda is made up of the sharp pointed stones, having sharp edges. Innumerable sinners dwell there. Many red beings live in the Lâlâ Kunda. Then comes the Mapî Kunda. Its size is one hundred Dhanus and its depth is two miles. It is made up of hot stones, each measuring the Anjana mountain. The sinners, beaten and driven by My persons, move on and on in the middle. Then comes the Chûrna Kunda. It measures two miles (in circumference) and is filled with (seven) chûrnas (powders). The sinners, driven and beaten by My men, go on, restless hither and thither and eat the powders and get themselves burnt. Then comes the Chakra Kunda. Here a potter’s wheel with sixteen sharp-edged spokes is constantly whirling round and round; the sinners are being crushed by this wheel.
61-80. Then comes the Vakra Kunda. Its depth is eight miles. lt is fashioned very much curved; and with and sharp slope it has gone down. It is built on the plan of a mountain cave, filled with hot water and it is enveloped with deep dense darkness. The aquatic animals there are biting
the sinners, who got very much restless and are crying out very loudly. Then comes the Kûrma Kunda. Here millions and millions of tortoises in the water awfully distorted, are biting the sinners. Then comes the Jvâlâ Kunda. It is built of fierce fiery flames. It measures two miles in circumference. The sinners here are always in great difficulty, with intense pain and crying out loudly. Next follows the Bhasma Kunda. It measures two miles. The sinners get themselves well burnt in hot ashes and live there, eating the ashes. It is filled with hot stones and hot irons. The sinners here are always being burnt in hot irons and hot stones and their throats and palates are being parched up. Then comes the Dagdha Kunda. It is deep and horrible. It measures two miles in circumference. My messengers threaten always the sinners there. Then comes the Sûchî Kunda. It is filled with salt water. Waves are always rising there. It is filled with various aquatic animals making all sorts of noises. It measures eight miles in circumference and it is deep and dark. The sinners here cannot see each other and are bitten by the animals. Pained very much, they cry out loudly. Then comes the Asipattra Kunda. On the top surface of the Kunda there is a very big Tâl tree very high. The edges of the leaves of this tree are sharp like the edge of a sword. One mile below this Tâl tree is situated the Kunda. The sharp-edged Tâl leaves, then, fall on the bodies of the sinners from the height of a mile and they get cut and wounded; blood comes out of them and the sinners, in great pain, cry out “save, save.” It is very deep, very dark and filled with Rakta Kîta a kind of blood like insects. This is the horrible Asipatra Kunda. Next comes the Ksura Dhâra Kunda, measuring one hundred Dhanus (one Dhanu - four hastas). It is filled with keen-edged weapons, as sharp as nice razors. The blood of the sinners is flowing here profusely. Then comes the Sûchî Mukha Kunda, filled with sharp weapons of the form of long needles. It measures fifty Dhanus. The sinners get pierced by them end are constantly emitting blood. Their intense pain knows no bounds. Then comes the Gokâmukha Kunda; inhabited by a sort of insect, called Gokâ. They look like mouths; hence they are named Gokâmukha. It is deep like a well and it measures twenty Dhanus. The great sinners suffer an intense amount of pain there. They have got to keep their mouths always downwards as the Gokâ insects always bite and sting them. Then comes the Nakra Kunda. It resembles like the mouth of a crocodile and measures sixteen Dhanus. It is deep like a well and numbers of sinners dwell there. Then comes the Gaja Dams’a Kunda. It measures one hundred Dhanus. Next comes the Gomukha Kunda. It measures thirty Dhanus and resembles the mouth of a cow. It gives incessant pains and troubles to the sinners.
81-101. Then comes the Kumbhîpâka Kunda. It is like a wheel resembling that of this Kâlachakra, very horrible; and it is rotating incessantly. It looks like a water-jar, measuring eight miles, and it is quite dark. Its depth is one lakh Purusas of the height of 100,000 persons. There are many other Kundas, Tapta Taila Kunda and Tapta Taila Tâmra Kunda, etc., within it. This Kunda is filled with almost unconscious great sinners and insects. They beat each other and cry out loudly. My messengers also threaten them with clubs and Musalas. So at times they fall dizzy-headed, at times they get unconscious, and sometimes they get up and cry. O Fair One! The numbers of sinners here equal to four times that of all the other sinners in all the other Kundas. They know no death, however much you beat them. Their lives persist. For the body is built up for sufferance, it is indestructible. This Kumbhîpâka Kunda is the chief of all the Kundas. This Kunda where the sinners are tied to a thread built by Kâla, where My men lift the sinners on high at one time, and sink them down below at another time, where the sinners becoming suffocated for a long time, get unconscious, where their sufferings know no bounds, where it is filled with boiling oil, is named the Kâlasutra Kunda. Then comes the Matsyoda Kunda, hollow like a well. It is filled with boiling water and it measures twenty-four Dhanus. Next comes the Abatoda Kunda. It measures one hundred Dhanus. The sinners get their bodies burned and chastised by My persons, live there. No sooner they drop into the water of this Kunda, then they are attacked with all sorts of diseases. Then comes the Krimikantuka Kunda. The sinners are bitten by the Krimi Kantuka insects and cry out loudly, creating a general consternation and live there. Its another name is Aruntuda Kunda. Next comes the Pâms’u Kunda. It measures one hundred Dhanus. It is overspread with burning rice husks. The sinners eat those hot husks and live there. Then comes the Pas’avestana Kunda. It measures two miles. No sooner the sinners fall in this Kunda than they are twined round by this rope or Pâs’a. Hence its name. Then comes the Sûlaprota Kunda. It measures twenty Dhanus. No sooner the sinners fall here than they are encircled with the Sûlâstra (darts). Then comes the Prakampana Kunda. It measures one mile. It is filled with ice-cold water. The sinners, going there, shiver at once. Next follows the Ulka Kunda. It measures twenty Dhanus. It is filled with burning to ashes and meteors. My messengers thrust the torches and meteors into the mouths of the sinners living there. Next comes the Andha-Kûpa Kunda. It is pitch-dark, shaped like a well, circular and very horrible. The sinners beat each other and eat the insects thereof. Their bodies are burnt with hot water; they cannot see anything on account of dire darkness.
102-118. The Kunda where the sinners are pierced by various weapons is known as the Vedhana Kunda. It measures twenty Dhanus. Then comes the Dandatâdana Kunda. It measures sixteen Dhanus. The sinners dwell here, threatened by My messengers. Then comes the Jâlarandhra Kunda. Here the sinners live encompassed by a great net as fishes, etc., are tied in a net. Next comes the Dehachûrna Kunda. It is quite dark and its depth is that of the height of one koti persons; its circumference is twenty Dhanus. The sinners, here, encompassed by iron chains are made to fall below where their bodies are reduced to powders and they are inert and almost unconscious. The Kunda where the sinners are crushed and threatened by My messengers is known as the Dalana Kunda; it measures sixteen Dhanus in circumference. Next comes the S’osana Kunda. It is deep up to the height of one hundred persons and it is very dark. It measures thirty Dhanus. On falling on the hot sand, the throats and palates of sinners get dried up. Their pain knows no bounds. Hence it is called the S’osana Kunda. Then comes the Kasa Kunda. It measures one hundred Dhanus. It is filled with the juices of skins and its smell is very offensive. The sinners eat those astringent waters and live there. Then comes S’ûrpa Kunda. It measures twelve Dhanus and is extended like a winnowing basket. It is filled with hot iron dust and many sinners live there, eating those foetid iron dusts. Next comes the Jvâlâmukha Kunda. It is filled with red hot sand. From the (bottom) centre rises a flame, over-spreading the mouth of the Kunda. It measures twenty Dhanus. The sinners are burnt here by the flame and live awfully; they get fainted no sooner they are dropped in this Kunda. Then comes the Dhumrândha Kunda. It is dark, quite filled with smoke. Within that the hot bricks are placed. The sinners get suffocated with smoke; and their eye-sight becomes also obstructed. It measures one hundred Dhanus. Then comes the Nâgabestana Kunda. It is encircled and filled with the serpents. No sooner the sinners are let fall there, than they are surrounded by the snakes. O Sâvitrî! Thus I have spoken to you about the eighty-six Kundas and their characteristics. Now what more do you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Thirty-seventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on the eighty-six Kundas and their characteristics in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXVIII
On the glories of the Devî and on the nature of Bhakti
1-6. Sâvitrî said :-- “O Lord! Give me the devotion to the Devî to that Âdyâ S’akti Bhagavatî Mahâ Mâye, Parames’varî Mâyî that is the Essence of all essences, the Door of final liberation to the human beings, and the Cause of delivering them from hells, that is the Root of all the Dharmas that lead to Mukti, that destroys all the inauspiciousness, that takes away the fear of all the Karmas, and that takes away always all the sins committed before. O Thou, the Foremost amongst the knowers of the Vedas! How many kinds of Muktis are there in this world? What is the True Bhakti? What are its characteristics? What is to be done by which the enjoyment of the karmas done can be desisted and nullified? O Bhagavân! The woman kind has been created by the Creator as devoid of any Tattvajñâna or true knowledge; now tell me something about this True Knowledge. All the charities, sacrifices, bathing in the sacred places of pilgrimages, observing vows and austerities cannot be compared with one sixteenth of imparting knowledge to those who are ignorant (of true knowledge). Mother is hundred times superior to father; this is certain; but the Spiritual Teacher, the Giver of True Knowledge, is hundred times more to be reverenced and worshipped than the mother. O Lord!”
7-79. Dharmarâja said :-- O Child! What boons you desired of Me before, I granted them all to you. Now I grant this boon to you that, “Let the devotion towards the S’akti now arise in your mind.” O Auspicious One! You want to hear the reciting of the Glories of S’rî Devî; by this, both he who puts forward the question and he who hears the answer, all their families are delivered. When the S’esa Nâga Ananta Deva with His thousand mouths is unable to recite the glories of the Devî, when Mahâdeva cannot describe with His five mouths, when the Creator Brahmâ is incapable to recite Her glories with His four mouths, when Visnu, the Omniscient, falls back, when Kârtîkeya with His six mouths cannot sufficiently describe, when Ganes’a, the Guru of the Gurus of the great yogis is incapable, when the Pundits, the knowers of the four Vedas, the Essence of all the S’âstras, cannot know even a bit of Her, when Sarasvatî becomes inert in going to describe Her glories; when Sanatkumara, Dharma, Sanâtana, Sananda, Sanaka, Kapila, Sûrya and other sons of the Creator have fallen back, when the other Siddhas, Yogîndras, Munîndras are quite incapable to glorify the deeds of Prakriti Devî, then how can I recite fully the Glories of Her? Whose lotus-feet Brahmâ,
Visnu, S’iva and others meditate; and lo! when it becomes difficult for Her devotees even to think of Her, then what wonder is there that She will be so very rare to others! Brahmâ, skilled in the knowledge of the Vedas knows more of Her than what other ordinary persons know so little of Her auspicious Glories. More than Brahmâ, Ganes’a, the Guru of the Jñânins, knows; again S’ambhu, the Omniscient, knows the best of all. For, in ancient times, the knowledge of the Prakriti Devî was given to Him by Krisna, the Highest Spirit in a solitary place in the Râsa Mandalam in the region of Goloka. Mahâdeva, again, gave it to Dharma in the S’ivaloka; Dharma again gave the Prakriti Mantra to My father. My father became successful (Siddha) in the worship of Prakriti Devî when he practised austerities. Of old, the Devas wanted to offer to me the Government of the Yama Loka; but as I was very much dispassionate towards the world, I became unwilling and became ready to perform austerities. Then my Father told the Glories of Prakriti Devî. Now I describe to you what I heard from my Father and what is stated in the Vedas, though very difficult to comprehend. Listen carefully. O Fair Faced One! As the eternal space does not know its own extent, so Prakriti Devî Herself knows not Her own Glories; then what can be said of any other person on this! She is the Self of all, endowed with all powers and lordship, the Cause of all causes, the Lord of all, the Origin of all and the Preserver of all; She is Eternal, always with Her Cosmic Body, full of everlasting bliss, without any special form, unrestrained, having no fear, without any disease and decay, unattached, the Witness of all, the Refuge of all, and Higher than the Highest; She is with Mâyâ and She is Mûla Prakriti; the objects created by Her being known as the Prakriti creation; Who remains as Prakriti and Purusa inseparable from each other as Agni and Her burning force; the Mahâ Mâyâ, of the nature of everlasting existence, intelligence and bliss. Though formless, She assumes forms for the gratification of the desires of Her Bhaktas. She created first the beautiful form of Gopâla Sundarî, i.e., the form of S’rî Krisna very lovely and beautiful, captivating the mind. His body is blue like the fresh rain cloud; He is young and dressed like that of a cow herd. Millions of Kandarpas (the Love deity) are, as it were, playing in his body. His eyes vie with the midday lotus of the autumn. The beauty of His face throws under shade the millions and millions of the Full Moon. His body is decorated with invaluable ornaments decked with jewels. Sweet smile reigns ever in His lips; it is adorned moreover with His yellow coloured invaluable robe. He is Parama Brahmâ. His whole body is burning with the Brahmâ Teja, the Fire of Brahmâ.
His Body is Fiery. He is lovely, sweet to look at, of a peaceful temper, the Lord of Râdhâ and He is Infinite. (Note :-- The Universe; as we see, is unreal like what we see in the kaleidoscope; various apparent pictures of an endless variety of beautiful colours and forms.) He is sitting on a jewel throne in the Râsa Mandalam, and is incessantly looked upon by the smiling lovely Gopîs at one and the same time. He is two-armed. A garland made of wild flowers is hanging from His neck. He is playing on His flute. His breast is resplendent with Kaustubha gem that He always wears. His body is anointed with Kunkuma (saffron), aguru (the fragrant and cooling paste of the Aguru wood), musk, and sandal-paste. The garland of beautiful Champaka and Mâlatî flowers is hanging from His neck. On His head, the beautiful crest is being seen, a little obliquely situated in the form of the beautiful Moon. Thus the Bhaktas, filled with Bhaktis, meditate on Him. O Child! It is through His fear that the Creator is doing His work of creation of this Universe; and is recording the Prârabdha fruits of their Karmas. It is through His fear that Visnu is awarding the fruits of Tapas and preserving the Universe. By His command the Kâlagni Rudra Deva is destroying all. By Whose favour S’iva has become Mrityumjaya, the Conqueror of Death and the Foremost of the Jñânins; knowing whom S’iva has become Himself endowed with knowledge and the Lord of the knowers of knowledge, full of the Highest Bliss, devotion and dispassion. Through Whose fear the wind becomes the foremost of runners and carries things, the Sun gives heat, Indra gives rain, Yama destroys, Agni burns, and Water cools all the things. By Whose command the Regents of the (ten) quarters of the sky are watching and preserving nice orders; through Whose fear the planets are describing their several orbits. Through Whose fear, trees flower and yield fruits; By Whose command the Kâla destroys all. By Whose command all the beings whether on land or in water are quitting their lives in time; until the proper time comes no man does not die even if he be pierced whether in battle or in danger. By Whose command the wind supports the water; the water supports the tortoise; the tortoise supports the Ananta and the Ananta supports the earth; the earth supports the oceans, mountain and all the jewels. The earth is of the nature of forgiveness, i.e., endures all. For this reason all things, moving and non-moving, rest on Her and again melt away in Her. Seventy-one Divine Yugas constitute one Indra’s life period. Twenty-eight Indra’s life periods constitute Brahmâ’s one day and one night. Thus thirty days constitute Brahmâ’s one month; so two months constitute one Ritu (season); six Ritus make one year. Thus one hundred years constitute Brahmâ’s
life. When Brahmâ dies, S’rî Hari’s eye closes. That is the Prâkritik Pralaya. At this time, everything, moving and non-moving, from the Deva loka to Bhûr loka (earth) dies. The Creator Brahmâ gets dissolved in the navel of S’rî Krisna. The four-armed Visnu, of Vaikuntha, sleeps on Ksîra Samudra, the ocean of milk, i.e., He dissolves on the left side of S’rî Krisna, the Highest Spirit. All the other S’aktis (forces) dissolve in Mûla Prakriti, the Mâyâ of Visnu. The Mûla Prakriti Durgâ, the Presiding Deity of Buddhi (reason) dissolves in the Buddhi of Krisna. Skanda, the part of Nârâyana, dissolves in His breast. Gane’sa, the foremost of the Devas, born in part of Krisna, dissolves in the arm of S’rî Krisna. And those who are born in parts of Padmâ, dissolve in Her body and Padmâ dissolves in the body of Râdhâ. All the cow-herdesses and all the bodies of the Devas dissolve in Râdhâ’s body. But Râdhâ, the Presiding Deity of the Prâna of S’rî Krisna, dissolves in the Prâna of S’rî Krisna. Sâvitrî, the four Vedas and all the S’âstras dissolve in Sarasvatî; and Sarasvatî gets dissolved in the tongue of S’rî Krisna, the Highest Self. The Gopâs in the region of Goloka dissolve in the pores of His skin; the Prâna Vâyu of all dissolve in His Prâna Vâyu; the fire dissolves in the fire in His belly; water dissolves in the tip of His tongue, and the Vaisnavas, (devotees of Visnu), drinking the nectar of Bhakti, the Essence of all essences, dissolve in His lotus-feet. All smaller Virâts dissolve in the Great Virât and the Great Virât dissolves in the Body of S’rî Krisna. O Child! He is Krisna, on the pores of Whose skin are situated endless Universes; at the closing of Whose eyes, the Prâkritic Pralaya comes and on the opening of Whose eyes, the creation takes place. The closing and opening of the eyes takes the same time. Brahmâ’s creation lasts one hundred years and the Pralaya lasts one hundred years. O One of good vows! There is no counting how many Brahmâs or how many creations and dissolutions have taken place. As one cannot count the number of dusts, so one cannot count the creations and dissolutions. This is the Great Unspeakable Wonder! Again on Whose closing of the eyes the Pralaya takes place and on whose opening of the eyes the creation takes place, out of the will of God, That Krisna dissolves at the time of Pralaya in Prakriti. This Highest S’akti, the Mûla Prakriti is the Only One without a second; it is the only one Nirguna and the Highest Purusa. It is considered as “Sat” existing, by the Seers of the Vedas. Such a thing as Mûla Prakriti is the unchanged state (Mukti). During the Pralaya, this only One Mûla Prakriti appears as Jñâna S’akti or the Knowledge Force. Who can in this universe recite Her glories? Mukti is of four kinds.
(1) Sâlokya, (2) Sârûpya, (3) Sâmîpya and (4) Nirvâna. So it is stated in the Vedas. Out of them Bhakti towards the Deva is the highest; so much so that the Deva Bhakti is superior to Mukti. Mukti gives Sâlokya, Sârûpya, Sâmîpya, and Nirvâna. But the Bhaktas do not want anything. They want service of the Lord. They do not want anything else. The state of becoming S’iva, of becoming an Amara or an immortal, becoming a Brahmâ, the birth, death, disease, old age, fear, sorrow, or wealth, or assuming a divine form, or Nirvâna or Moksa all are looked on alike by the Bhaktas with disregard and contempt. Because Mukti is without any service while Bhakti increases this service. Thus I have told you the difference between Bhakti and Mukti. Now hear about the cutting off of the fruits of the past Karmas. O Chaste one! This service of the Highest Lord severs the ties of Karmas (past acts). This service is really the True Knowledge. So, O Child! I have now told you the Real Truth, leading to auspicious results. Now you can go freely as you desire. Thus saying to Sâvitrî, Yama, the son of Sûrya, gave life back to her husband and blessing her, became ready to go to His own abode. Seeing Dharmarâja ready to go away, Sâvitrî became sorry to have the bereavement of a good company, bowed down at His feet and began to cry. Yama, the Ocean of Mercy, hearing the crying of Sâvitrî began to weep and told the following words :--
80-96. Dharma said :-- O Child! You enjoy in this holy Bhârata happiness for one lakh years and you will in the end go to the Devîloka or Mani Dvîpa. Now go back to your house and observe for fourteen years the vow called Sâvitrî-vrata for the mukti of women. This Vrata is to he observed on the fourteenth day of the white fortnight in the month of Jyaistha. Then observe the Mahâ-Laksmî Vrata. Its proper time is the eighth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Bhâdra. For sixteen years consecutively without any break this vow is to be observed. The woman who practises with devotion this vow, goes to the abode of Mûla Prakriti. You would worship on every Tuesday in every month the Devî Mangala Chandikâ, the giver of all good; on the eighth day in the bright fortnight you should worship Devî Sâsthî (i.e., Devasenâ); you should worship Manasâ Devî, the giver of all siddhis, on the Samkranti day (when the Sun enters another sign) in every year; you should worship Râdhâ, the Central Figure of Râsa, more than the Prâna of Krisna on every Full Moon night in the month of Kârtik and you should observe fasting on the eighth day in the bright fortnight and worship the Visnu Mâyâ Bhagavatî Devî, the Destructrix of all difficulties and dangers.
(Note :-- The Râsa is the playing out of the Vedantic saying of Brahmâ as “Raso vai Sah.” He is of the nature of Râsa, the most sweet and lovely Divine Principle which unites the Rasika and the Rasikâ.) The chaste woman having husband and sons who worships the World Mother Mûla Prakriti, whether in Yantra, or in Mantra or in image, enjoys all pleasures in this world; and, in the end, goes to the Devîloka or Mani Dvîpa. O Child! The worshipper Sâdhaka (one who is in one’s way to success) must worship all the manifestations of the Devî, day and night. At all times one must worship the omnipresent Durgâ, the Highest Îsvarî. There is no other way to attain blessedness than this. Thus saying, Dharmarâja went to His own abode. Sâvitrî, too, with her husband Satyavân went to her home. Both Sâvitrî and Satyavân, when they reached home, narrated all their stories to their friends and acquaintances. In time, by the blessing of Yama, Sâvitrî’s father got sons and father-in-law recovered his eye-sight and kingdom and Sâvitrî Herself got sons. For one lakh years, Sâvitrî enjoyed pleasures in this holy land of Bhârata, and ultimately went with her husband to the Devîloka. Sâvitrî is the Presiding Deity of the Sûryamandalam, the solar orb. The Sun is the central Para Brahmâ. The Gâyatrî Mantra, the Presiding Devî, proves the existence of the highest Brahmâ in the centre of the Sun. Therefore She is called Sâvitrî. Or Her name is Sâvitrî because all the Vedas have come out of Her. Thus I have narrated the excellent anecdote of Sâvitrî, and the fruitions of the Karmas of the several Jîvas. Now what more do you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Thirty-eighth Chapter in the Ninth Book on the glories of the Devî and on the nature of Bhakti in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XXXIX
On the story of Mahâ Laksmî
1-3 Nârada said :-- “O Lord! I have heard in the discourse on Sâvitrî and Yama about the Formless Devî Mûla Prakriti and the glories of Sâvitrî, all true and leading to the endless good. Now I want to hear the story of the Devî Laksmî. O Thou, the Chief of the knowers of the Vedas! What is the nature of Laksmî? By whom was She first worshipped? and by what Mantra? Kindly describe Her glories to me.”
4-33. Nârâyana said :-- Of old, in the beginning of the Prâkritik Creation, from the left side of Krisna, the Supreme Spirit, appeared in the Râsamandalam (the Figure Dance) a Devî. She looked exceedingly handsome, of a dark blue colour, of spacious hips, of thin waist, and
with high breast, looking twelve years old, of steady youth, of a colour of white Champaka flower and very lovely. The beauty of Her face throws under shade millions and millions of autumnal full moons. Before Her wide expanded eyes, the midday lotus of the autumnal season becomes highly ashamed. By the Will of God, this Devî suddenly divided Herself into two parts. The two looked equal in every respect; whether in beauty, qualities, age, loveliness, colour, body, spirit, dress, ornaments, smile, glance, love, or humanity, they were perfectly equal.
Now she who appeared from the right side is named Râdhâ and she who came from the left side is named Mahâ Laksmî. Râdhâ wanted first the two armed S’rî Krisna, Who was Higher than the highest; then Mahâ Laksmî wanted Him. Râdhâ came out of the right side and wanted first Krisna; so Krisna, too, divided himself at once into two parts. From His right side came out the two-armed and from his left side came out the four-armed. The two-armed person first made over to Mahâ Laksmî the four armed One; then the two armed Person Himself took Râdhâ. Laksmî looks on the whole universe with a cooling eye; hence She is named Laksmî and as She is great, She is called Mahâ Laksmî. And for that reason the Lord of Râdhâ is two-armed and the Lord of Laksmî is four-armed. Râdhâ is pure Aprâ kritic S’uddha Sattva (of the nature of pure Sattva Guna, the illuminating attribute) and surrounded by the Gopas and Gopîs. The four-armed Purusa, on the other hand, took Laksmî (Padmâ) to Vaikuntha. The two-armed person is Krisna; and the four-armed is Nârâyana. They are equal in all respects. Mahâ Laksmî became many by Her Yogic powers (i.e., She remained in full in Vaikuntha and assumed many forms in parts). Mahâ Laksmî of Vaikuntha is full, of pure Sattva Guna, and endowed with all sorts of wealth and prosperity. She is the crest of woman-kind as far as loving one’s husbands is concerned. She is the Svarga Laksmî in the Heavens; the Nâga Laksmî of the serpents, the Nâgas, in the nether regions; the Râja Laksmî of the kings and the Household Laksmî of the householders. She resides in the houses of house-holders as prosperity and the most auspicious of all good things. She is the progenetrix, She is the Surabhi of cows and She is the Daksinâ (the sacrificial fee) in sacrifices. She is the daughter of the milk ocean and she is Padminî, the beauty of the spheres of the Moon and the Sun. She is the lustre and beauty of the ornaments, gems, fruits, water, kings, queens, heavenly women, of all the houses, grains, clothings, cleansed places, images, auspicious jars, pearls, jewels, crest of jewels, garlands, diamonds, milk, sandal, beautiful twigs, fresh rain cloud, or of all other colours. She was first worhipped in Vaikuntha by Nârâyana. Next She was worshipped by Brahmâ and then
by S’ankara with devotion. She was worshipped by Visnu in the Kshirode Samudra. Then she was worshipped by Svâyambhuva Manu, then by Indras amongst men, then by Munis, Risis, good householders, by the Gandharbas, in the Gandharbaloka; by the Nâgas in the Nâgaloka. She was worshipped with devotion by Brahmâ for one fortnight commencing from the bright eighth day in the month of Bhâdra and ending on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the three-worlds. She was worshipped by Visnu, with devotion in the three worlds on the meritorious Tuesday in the months of Pausa, Chaitra, and Bhâdra. Manu, also, worshipped Her on the Pausa Sankrânti (the last day of the month of Pausa when the Sun enters another sign) and on the auspicious Tuesday in the month of Mâgha. Thus the worship of Mahâ Laksmî is made prevalent in the three worlds. She was worshipped by Indra, the Lord of the Devas and by Mangala (Mars) on Tuesday. She was then worshipped by Kedâra, Nîla, Subala, Dhruva, Uttânapada, S’akra, Bali, Kas’yapa, Daksa, Kardama, Sûrya, Priyavrata, Chandra, Vâyu, Kuvera, Varuna, Yama, Hutâsana and others. Thus Her worship extended by and by to all the places. She is the Presiding Deity of all wealth; so She is the wealth of all.
Here ends the Thirty-ninth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the story of Mahâ Laksmî in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XL
On the birth of Laksmî in the discourse of Nârada and Nârâyana
1-2. Nârada said :-- “O Lord! How did the eternal Devî Mahâ Laksmî the dweller in Vaikuntha, the beloved of Nârâyana, the Presiding Deity of Vaikuntha, come down to the earth and how She, became the daughter of the ocean? By whom was She first praised? Kindly describe all these in detail to me and oblige.”
3-10. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! In ancient days when on Durvâsâ’s curse, Indra was dispossesed of his kingdom, all the Devas came down to earth. Laksmî, too, getting angry, quitted the Heavens, out of pain and sorrow and went to Vaikuntha and took the shelter of Nârâyana. The Devas, then, went to Brahmâ with their hearts full of sorrow and, taking Him from there, they all went to Nârâyana in Vaikuntha. Going there they all took refuge of the Lord of Vaikuntha. They were very much distressed and their throats, palate and lips were quite dry. At that time Laksmî, the wealth and prosperity of all, came down on earth by the command of Nârâyana and became born in part as the daughter of the ocean. The Devas, then with the Daityas churned the Ksîroda Ocean and, out of that, Mahâ
Laksmî appeared. Visnu looked on Her. Her joy knew no bounds. She smiling, granted boons to the Devas and then offered a garland of flowers on the neck of Nârâyana (as a symbol of marriage celebrated). O Nârada! the Devas, on the other hand, got back their kingdoms from the Asuras. They then worshipped and chanted hymns to Mahâ Laksmî and since then they became free from further dangers and troubles.
11-12. Nârada said :-- “O Bhagavân! Durvâsâ was the best of the Munis; he was attached to Brahmâ and had spiritual knowledge. Why did he curse Indra? What offence had he committed? How did the Devas and Daityas churn the ocean? How, and by what hymns Laksmî became pleased and appeared before Indra? What passed on between them. Say all this, O Lord.”
13-25. Nârâyana said :-- In ancient days, Indra the Lord of the three worlds, intoxicated with wine and becoming lustful and shameless, began to enjoy Rambhâ in a lonely grove. After having enjoyed her, he became attracted to her; his mind being wholly drawn to her, he remained there in that forest, his mind becoming very passionate. Indra then saw the Muni Durvâsâ on his way from Vaikuntha to Kailâs’a burning with the fire of Brahmâ. From the body of the Risi, emitted, as it were, the rays of the thousand midday Suns. On his head was the golden matted hair. On his breast there was the hoary holy thread; he wore torn clothes; on his hands there was the Danda and Kamandalu; on his forehead there was the bright Tilaka in the form of the Crescent Moon. (Tilaka - a sectarian mark on the forehead made with coloured earth or sandalpaste.)
One hundred thousand disciples, thoroughly-versed in the Vedas and the Vedângas, were attending him. The intoxicated Purandara, seeing him, bowed down to him and he began to chant with devotion hymns to his disciples also. They were very glad. The Risi with his disciples then blessed Indra and gave him one Pârijâta flower.
When the Muni was returning from the region of Vaikuntha, Visnu, gave him that beautiful Pârijâta flower. Old age, death, disease, sorrows, etc., all are removed by the influence of the flower; and the final liberation is also attained. The Devendra was intoxicated with his wealth; so taking the flower given by the Risi, he threw it on the head of the elephant Airârata. No sooner the elephant touched the flower, than he became suddenly like Visnu, as it were, in beauty, form, qualities, fire and age. The elephant, then, forsook Indra and
entered into a dense forest. The Lord of the Devas could, in no way, get him under his control. On the other hand, the Muni Durvâsâ seeing that Mahendra had thus dishonoured the flower, became inflamed with rage and cursed him saying, “O Indra! You are so mad with wealth that you have dishonoured me. The flower that I gave you so lovingly, you have thrown that, out of vanity, on the elephant’s head!
26-46. No sooner one gets the food, water, fruits that had been offered to Visnu, one should eat that at once. Otherwise one incurs the sin of Brahmahattyâ. If anybody forsakes the things offered to Visnu, that he has got perchance, he becomes destitute of wealth, prosperity, intelligence, and his kingdom. And if he eats the food already offered to Visnu with devotion, he then elevates his hundred families passed before him and he himself becomes liberated while living. If anybody daily eats Visnu’s Naivedyam (food offered to Visnu) and bow down before Him or worships Hari with devotion and chants hymns to Him, he becomes like Visnu in energy and wealth. By mere touch with the air round about his body, the places of pilgrimage become all purified. O You Stupid! The earth becomes purified by the contact of the dust of the feet of such a one devoted to Visnu. If anybody eats the food unoffered to Hari and flesh that is not offered to any Deity; if he eats the food of any unchaste woman, any woman without husband and sons, the food offered at any S’ûdra’s Srâdh (funeral) ceremony, the food offered by a Brâhmana, who is a priest to the S’ûdras in honour of a S’iva Lingam, the food of a Brahmân priest who subsists on the presents of a temple, the food of one who sells his daughter, the food of one who subsists on dealing with womb concerns, the leavings of others, the stale food left after all others had eaten, the food of the husband of an unmarried girl (twelve years old in whom menstruation has commenced), the driver of oxen, the food of one uninitiated in one’s Istamantram, of one who burns a corpse, of a Brâhmin who goes to one not fit for going, the food of a rebel against friends, of one who is faithless, treacherous, who gives false evidence, the food of a Brâhmin who accepts offerings in a sacred place of pilgrimage, all his sins (incurred in the ways above-mentioned) will be removed if he eats the prasâdam of Visnu, i.e., the food offered to Visnu. Even if a Chândâla be attached to the service of Visnu, he sanctifies his millions of persons born in his family before him. And the man who is devoid of the devotion to Hari is not able even to save himself. If anybody takes unknowingly the remains of an offering (such as flowers) made to Visnu,
he will certainly be freed from all the sins incurred in his seven births. And if he does this knowingly and with intense devotion, he will certainly be freed of all sorts of sins incurred in his Koti births. So, O Indra! I am a devotee of S’rî Hari. And when you have cast away the Pârijâta to flower offered by me on the elephant’s head, then I say unto you that the Mahâ Laksmî will leave you and She will go back to Nârâyana. I am highly devoted to Nârâyana; so I do not fear anybody, I fear neither the Creator, nor Kâla, the Destroyer, nor old age, nor death; what to speak of other petty persons! I do not fear your father Prajâpati Kas’yapa nor do I fear your family priest Brihaspati. Now he, on whose head there lies the flower Pârijâta offered by me, verily he should be worshipped by all means.” Hearing these words of Durvâsâ, Indra became bewildered with fear, and being greatly distressed and holding the feet of Muni, cried out loudly. He said :-- “The curse is now well inflicted on me; and it has caused my delusion to vanish. Now I do not want back my Râja Laksmî from you; instruct me on knowledge. This wealth is the source of all coils; it is the cause of the veil to all knowledge, it hides the final liberation and it is a great obstacle on the way to get the highest devotion.”
47-67. The Muni said :--“This birth, death, old age, disease, and afflictions, all come from wealth and the manipulation of great power. Being blind by the darkness of wealth, he does not see the road to Mukti. The stupid man that is intoxicated with wealth is like the one that is intoxicated with wine. Surrounded by many friends, he is surrounded by the unbreakable bondage. The man that is intoxicated with wealth, blind with property and overwhelmed with these things has no thought for the real knowledge. He who is Râjasik, is very much addicted to passions and desires; he never sees the path to Sattvaguna. The man that is blind with sense-objects is of two kinds, firstly, Râjasik and secondly Tâmasik. He who has no knowledge of the S’âstras is Tâmasik and he who has the knowledge of the S’âstras is Râjasik. O Child of the Devas! Two paths are mentioned in the S’âstras; one is Pravritti, going towards the sense objects and the other is Nivritti, going away from them. The Jîvas first follow the path of Pravritti, the path that is painful, gladly and of their own accord like a mad man. As bees, blind with the desire of getting honey, go to the lotus bud and get themselves entangled there, so the Jîvas, the embodied souls, desirous first of getting enjoyments come to this very painful circle of births and deaths, this worldly life, which in the end is realised as vapid and the only cause of old age, death, and sorrow and get themselves enchained there.
For many births he travels gladly in various wombs, ordained by his own Karmas, till at last by the favour of gods, he comes in contact with the saints. Thus one out of a thousand or out of a hundred finds means to cross this terrible ocean of world. When the saintly persons kindle the lamp of knowledge and show the way to Mukti, then the Jîva makes an attempt to sever this bondage to the world. After many births, many austerities and many fastings, he then finds safely the way to Mukti, leading to the highest happiness. O Indra! What you asked me, I thus heard from my Guru.” O Nârada! hearing the words of the Muni Durvâsâ Indra became dispassionate towards the Samsâra. Day by day his feeling of dispassion increased. One day, when he returned to his own home from the hermitage of the Muni, he saw the Heavens overspread by the Daityas and it had become terrible. At some places outrage and oppression knew no bounds; some places were devoid of friends; at some places, some persons had lost their fathers, mothers, wives, relations; so no rest and repose could be found. Thus, seeing the Heavens in the hands of the enemies, Indra went out in quest of Brihaspati, the family preceptor of the Devas. Seeking to and fro Indra ultimately went to the banks of the Mandâkinî and saw that the Guru Deva had bathed in the waters of the Mandâkinî and sitting with his face turned towards the East towards the Sun, was meditating on Para Brahmâ, Who has His faces turned everywhere. Tears were flowing from his eyes and the hairs of the body stood erect with delight. He was elderly in knowledge; the spiritual Teacher of all, religious, served by all great men; he was held as most dear to all the friends. Those who are Jñânins regard him as their Guru. He was the eldest of all his brothers; he was considered as very unpopular to the enemies of the Devas. Seeing the family priest Brihaspati merged in that state of meditation, Indra waited there. When after one Prahara (three hours), the Guru Deva got up, Indra bowed down to his feet and began to weep and cry out repeatedly. Then he informed his Guru about his curse from a Brâhmin, his acquiring the true knowledge as so very rare, and the wretched state of Amarâvatî, wrought by the enemies.
68-92. O Best of Brâhmanas! Hearing thus the words of the disciple, the intelligent speaker Brihaspati spoke with his eyes reddened out of anger. “O Lord of the Devas! I have heard everything that you said; do not cry; have patience; hear attentively what I say. The wise politicians of good behaviour, with moral precepts, never lose their heads and get themselves distressed in times of danger. Nothing is everlasting; whether property or adversity; all are transient;
they only give troubles. All are under one’s own Karma; one is master of one’s own Karma. What had been done in previous births, so one will have to reap the fruits afterwards. (Therefore property or adversity, all are due to one’s own Karma.) This happens to all persons eternally, births after births. Pain and happiness are like the ring of a rolling wheel. So what pain is there? It is already stated that one’s own Karma must be enjoyed in this Holy Bhârata. The man enjoys the effects of his own Karmas, auspicious or inauspicious. Never the Karma gets exhausted in one hundred Koti Kalpas, without their effects being enjoyed. The Karma, whether auspicious or inauspicious must be enjoyed. Thus it is stated in the Vedas and as well by S’rî Krisna, the Supreme Spirit. Bhagavân S’rî Krisna addressed Brahmâ, the lotus-born, in the Sâma Veda Sâkhâ that all persons acquire their births, whether, in Bhârata or in any other country, according to the Karma that he had done. The course of a Brâhmana comes though this Karma; and the blessings of a Brâhmana come again by this Karma. By Karma one gets great wealth and prosperity and by Karma again one gets poverty. You may take one hundred Koti births; the fruit of Karma must follow you. O Indra! The fruit of Karma follows one like one’s shadow. Without enjoyment, that can never die. The effects of Karma become increased or decreased according to time, place, and the person concerned. As you will give away anything to persons, of different natures, in different times and in different places, your merit acquired will also vary accordingly. Gifts made on certain special days bring in Koti times the fruits (merits, punyam) or infinite times or even more than that. Again gifts, similar in nature, made in similar paces yield punyam the same, in character also. Gifts made in different countries yield punyams, Koti times, infinite times, or even more than that. But similar things given to similar persons yield similar punyams. As the grains vary in their natures as the fields differ, so gifts made to different persons yield different grades of punyas infinitely superior or infinitely inferior as the case may be.
Giving things to a Brâhmana on any ordinary day yields simple punya only. But if the gift be made to a Brahmân on an Amavasyâ day (new moon day) or on a Sankrânti day (the day when the Sun enters another’s sign) then hundred times more punyam is acquired. Again charities made on the Châturmâsya period (the vow that lasts for four months in the rainy season) or on the full moon day, yield infinite punyams. So charities made on the occasion of the lunar eclipses yield Koti times the result and if made on the occasion of the solar eclipse yield ten times more punyams. Charities made on Aksayaya Tritîyâ or the Navamî day yield infinite and endless results. So charities on other holy days yield religious merits
higher than those made on ordinary days. As charities made on holy days yield religious merits, so bathing, reciting mantrams, and other holy acts yield meritorious results. As superior results are obtained by pious acts; inferior results are obtained by impious acts. As an earthen potter makes pots, jars, etc., out of the earth with the help of rod, wheel, earthen cups or plates and motion, so the Creator awards respective fruits to different persons, by the help of this thread (continuity) of Karma. Therefore if you want to have cessation of this fruition of Karma, then worship Nârâyana, by whose command all these things of Nature are created. He is the Creator of even Brahmâ, the Creator, the Preserver of Visnu, the Preserver, the Destroyer of S’iva, the Destroyer and the Kâla (the great Time) of Kâla (the Time). S’ankara has said :-- He who remembers Madhusûdana (a name of Visnu) in great troubles, his dangers cease and happiness begins.” O Nârada! The wise Brihaspati thus advised Indra and then embraced him and gave him his hearty blessings and good wishes.
Here ends the Fortieth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the birth of Laksmî in the discourse of Nârada and Nârâyana in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLI
On the churning of the ocean and on the appearing of Laksmî
1-2. Nârâyana said :-- O Twice-born! Indra then remembered Hari and took Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas, to the assembly of Brahmâ, accompanied by the other Devas. They soon reached the region of Brahmâ and no sooner they saw Him, than Indra and the other Devas and Bihaspati all bowed down to Him.
3-25. Brihaspati, the Âchârya of the Devas, then communicated all to Brahmâ. Hearing this, He smiled and spoke, addressing Indra :-- O Indra! You have been born in My race; nay, you are My grandson; the Ârya Brihaspati is your Guru; you yourself are the ruler of the Devas and you are very wise and sagacious; the mother of your father is the powerful Daksa, a great Visnu Bhakta. How is it, then that when the three sides of the family are pure, one would turn out so haughty and arrogant! Whose mother is so much devoted to her husband, whose father, mother’s father and mother’s brother are self-controlled and of pure Sattva Guna, he is not expected to be so very haughty! Every man may be guilty to Hari for the three faults :-- For some fault due to that of his father, or of his mother’s father, or of Guru, the Spiritual Teacher. Bhagavân Nârâyana, resides in this great holy temple of our this physical body controlling the hearts of all. At whatever moment, S’rî Nârâyana quits this temple-body, at that moment this body becomes dead. I myself am the mind; S’ankara is the Knowledge, Visnu is the vital
breaths, Bhagavatî Durgâ is the intelligence (Buddhi), sleep, etc., the powers of Prakriti; when these are being reflected on by the Âtman, Jîva is formed with a body for enjoyment called Bhoga S’arîrabhrit. When a king departs, his attendants also follow him; so when this Âtman departs from this temple of body, his attendants mind, buddhi, etc., instantly depart from this body and follow the Âtman. O Indra! We all, are verily, the parts of S’rî Krisna. I myself, S’iva, Ananta Deva, Visnu, Dharma, Mahâ Virât, you all are His parts and entirely devoted to Him. And you have shown contempt for His flower. Bhagavân S’ankara, the Lord of the Bhûtas, worshipped the lotus-feet of S’rî Krisna with that flower. The Risi Durvâsâ gave you that flower. But you showed disrespect to it. The flower, Pârijâta, after being offered at the lotus-feet of Krisna, should be placed on the head of an Immortal; His worship is to be done first; and it is the foremost amongst the Devas. So you are now being afflicted by the inevitable course of Fate; Fate is the most powerful of all. Who can save that unlucky man against whom Fate has turned? Seeing that you have rejected the flower offered to S’rî Krisna, S’rî Laksmî Devî has left you out of anger. Now come with Me and with your family priest Brihaspati to Vaikuntha and worship the Lord of Laksmî; then by His grace you may get back your Heavens. Thus saying, Brahmâ with Indra and all the other Devas, went to the Eternal Purusa, Bhagavân Nârâyana and saw that He was full of Fire and Energy like one hundred koti summer midday Suns, yet perfectly cool and calm. He has no beginning, and no end, nor any middle. He is Infinite. The four-armed Pârisadas, Sarasvatî, the four Vedas, and the Ganges, all were surrounding Him. Seeing Him, Brahmâ and the other Devas bowed down with devotion and began to chant hymns to Him with tears in their eyes. Brahmâ, then, informed Him of everything when all the Devas, dispossessed of their places, began to weep before Him. Nârâyana saw that the Devas were very afraid and much distressed. They had no jewel ornaments as before, no vehicles (Vâhanas), nor the Daivic splendour as before, not that brillance; always fearful. Then Nârâyana, the Destroyer of fear, seeing the Devas in that state, addressed Brahmâ and the other Devas :-- O Brâhman! O Devas! Discard all fears. What fear can overcome you? I am here. I will give you again the immoveable prosperous Râjya Laksmî (the Laksmî of the kings).
26-47. But for the present, I give you some advice proper for this moment. Listen. There are endless universes where exist innumerable persons. All of them are under Me. So know verily, that
I am under them also. My devotees regard Me as the Highest. They know no other than Me; they are fearless; so I do not remain in that house where My devotees are dissatisfied. I instantly quit that house with Laksmî. Durvâsâ Risi is born in part of S’ankara. He is highly devoted to Me. He is a pakkâ Vaisnava. He cursed you and, as a matter of fact, I and Laksmî instantly left your house.
Laksmî does not reside in that house where conch shells are not blown, where there are no Tulasî trees, where there is no worship of S’iva and S’ivâ, where the Brâhmanas are not fed. O Brâhman! O Devas! Where I and My Bhaktas are blamed, Mahâ Laksmî becomes greatly displeased. She instantly goes away out of that house. Laksmî does not stay even for a moment in that house where the stupid person, without any devotion for me, takes his food on the Harivâsara Ekâdas’î day (the eleventh day of the moon’s wane or increase) or on My anniversary birthday. If anybody sells My name or his own daughter, where the guests are not served, Laksmî quits that house instantly and goes away.
(Note :-- That Guru is the Real Guru, who, being capable, imparts the name of God to worthy persons without taking any fee at all.)
If the son of an unchaste woman be a Brâhmana, he and the husband of an unchaste woman are great sinners. If anybody goes to such a person’s house or eats the food of a S’ûdra during a Srâddha ceremony, Laksmî becomes very angry and vacates that house. Being a Brâhmin, if one burns a S’ûdra’s corpse, one becomes very wretched and the vilest of the Brâhmins. Laksmî never stays for a moment more in that house. Being a Brâhmin, if he be a S’ûdra’s cook and drives oxen, Laksmî fears to drink water there and quits his house. Being a Brâhmin, if his heart be unholy, if he be cruel, envies others and blames persons, if he officiates as a priest for the S’ûdra, Laksmî Devî never stays in his house. The World-Mother never stays even for a moment in his house who eats at the house of one who marries an unmarried girl twelve years old in whom menstruation has commenced. He who cuts grass by his nails, or writes on the ground with his nails, or from whose house a Brâhmana guest goes back disappointed, Laksmî never stays in his house. If any Brâhmana eats food at the early sunrise, sleeps during the day or engages in a sexual intercourse during the day, Laksmî never stays in his house. Laksmî slips away from that Brâhmana who is devoid of Âchâra (rules of conduct), who accepts gifts from S’ûdras, from him who remains uninitiated in his Mantram. The ignorant man who sleeps naked and with his feet wet, who laughs always, and always
talks at random on disconnected subjects like a mad man, is forsaken at once by Laksmî. Laksmî becomes angry and goes away from the house of that man who applies oil all over his body first and then touches the bodies of others and always makes some sounding noise on several parts of his body. If any Brâhmana forsakes observing vows, fastings, the Sandhyâ ceremony, purity and devotion to Visnu, Kamalâ (Laksmî) does not remain in his house any longer. If anybody blames always the Brâhmanas and shews his hatred always towards the Brâhmanas, if he does injury to the animals, and if he does not indulge in his heart anything of pity, kindness, Laksmî, the Mother of the Worlds, quits him. O Lotus-born! But where Hari is worshipped and Hari’s Name is chanted, Laksmî, the Mother of all auspiciousness, remains there. Laksmî remains where the glories of S’rî Krisna and His Bhaktas are sung.
48-59. Laksmî always remains there with the greatest gladness where conch-shells are blown, where there are conchsells, the S’âlagrâma stone, the Tulasî leaves and the service and meditation of Laksmî are daily done.
Where the phallic emblem of S’iva is worshipped, and His glories sung, where S’rî Durgâ is worshipped and Her glories are sung, Laksmî, the Dweller in the Lotus, remains there. Where the Brâhmanas are honoured and they are gladly feasted, where all the Devas are worshiped; the chaste Laksmî, the Lotus-faced, remains there. Thus saying to the Devas, the Lord of Laksmî said :-- O Devî! Go without any any delay to the Ksiroda Ocean and incarnate there in part. He then addressed Brahmâ and said :-- “O Lotus-born! You also better go there and churn the Ksiroda Ocean; when Laksmî will arise, give her to the Devas.” O Devarsi! Thus saying, the Lord Kamalâ went to His inner compartment. On the other hand the Devas, after a long time, reached the shores of the Ksiroda Ocean. The Devas and the Daityas then made the Golden Mountain (the Sumeru) the churning rod, the Deva Kurma (the tortoise), the churning pot and Ananta Deva (the thousand headed serpent) the churning cord and began to churn the ocean. While churning was going on, by and by arose Dhanvantarî, Amrita (the nectar), the horse Uchchaihs’ravâ, various other invaluable jewels that were desired, the elephant Airâvata and the beautiful eyed Laksmî. Visnupriyâ, S’rî Laksmî Devî, no sooner She got up from the ocean, she, the chaste woman, presented on the neck of Nârâyana, of beautiful appearance, the Lord of all, Who slept on the Ksiroda ocean the garland (indicative of accepting Him for her bridegroom). Then Brahmâ and Mahes’vara and the other Devas gladly worshipped Her and chanted hymns. At this time Laksmî Devî being pleased, cast a favourable glance towards the homes of the Devas,
in order to free them from their curse. Then, by the grace of Mahâ Laksmî and by the granting of the boon by Brahmâ, the Devas got back their own possessions from the hands of the Daityas. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you the story of Laksmî Devî, the Essence of all Essences, and very pleasant to hear. Now what more do you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Forty-first Chapter of the Ninth Book on the churning of the ocean and on the appearing of Laksmî in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLII
On the Dhyânam and Stotra of Mahâ Laksmî
1-50. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! I have heard about the glories of Hari, about the Tattvajñânam (the True Knowledge) and the story of Laksmî. Now tell me Her Dhyânam (meditation) and Stotram (recitation of hymns) of Her. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Indra then, bathed first in the Tîrath (holy place) and, wearing a cleansed cloth, installed, first of all, an earthen jar (ghata) on the beach of the Ksiroda Ocean. Then he worshipped with devotion Ganes’a, Sûrya, Fire, Visnu, S’iva, and S’ivâ, the six deities with scents and flowers. Next Indra invoked Mahâ Laksmî, of the nature of the highest powers and greatest prosperity, and began to worship Her as Brahmâ, who was acting as an officiating priest in the presence of the Munis, Brâhmanas, Brihaspati, Hari and the other Devas, had dictated him. He first smeared one Pârijâta flower with sandal paste and reciting the meditation mantra of Mahâ Laksmî offered it to Her feet. The meditation mantra that was recited by Devendra, was what Bhagavân Hari first gave to Brahmâ. I am now telling you that. Listen.
“O Mother! Thou residest on the thousand-petalled lotus. The beauty of Thy face excels the beauty of koti autumnal Full Moons. Thou art shining with Thy own splendour. Thou art very beautiful and lovely; Thy colour is like the burnished gold; Thou art with form, chaste, ornamented all over with jewel ornaments; Thou art wearing the yellow cloth and look! What beauty is coming out of it! Always a sweet smile reigns on Thy lips. Thy beauty is constant; Thou art the bestower of prosperity to all. O Mahâ Laksmî! I meditate on Thee.” Thus meditating on Her endowed with various attributes with this mantra, Indra worshipped devotedly with sixteen upachâras (articles offered). Every upachâra (article) was offered with the repetition of mantra. All the things were very excellent, right and commendable. “O Mahâ Laksmî!
Vis’vakarmâ has made this invaluable Âsan (a carpet seat) wonderfully decked with jewels; I am offering this Âsan to Thee. Accept. O Thou residing in the Lotus! This holy Ganges water is considered with great regard and desired by all. This is like the fire to burn the fuel in the shape of the sins of the sinners. O Thou! The Dweller in the Lotus! This Dûrbha grass, flowers, this Arghya (offering) of the Ganges water perfumed with sandalpaste, I am offering to Thee. Accept. O Beloved of Hari! This sweet scented flower oil and this sweet scented Âmalaki fruit lead to the beauty of the body; therefore I present this to Thee. Accept. O Devî! I am presenting this cloth made of silk to Thee; Accept. O Devî! This excellent ornament made of gold and jewels, which increases the beauty, I am presenting to Thee. Accept. O Beloved of Krisna! I am presenting this sweet scented holy Dhûpa prepared from various herbs and plants, exquisitely nice and the root of all beauty, to Thee. Accept. This sweet scented pleasant sandalpaste I offer to Thee, O Devî! Accept. O Ruler of the Devas! I present this pleasing holy Dîpa (lights) which is the eye of this world and by which all the darkness is vanished; accept. O Devî! I present to Thee these very delicious offerings of fruits, etc., very juicy and of various kinds. Accept. O Deves'î! This Anna (food) is Brahmâ and the chief means to preserve the life of living beings. By this the nourishment of the body and the mental satisfaction are effected. Therefore I am presenting this food to Thee. Accept. O Mahâ Laksmî! I am presenting this most delicious Paramânna, which is prepared out of rice, milk and sugar, to Thee. Accept. O Devî! I am presenting this most delicious and pleasant svastika prepared of sugar and clarified butter to Thee; accept. O Beloved of Achyuta! I am presenting to Thee various beautiful Pakkânnas, ripe delicious fruits and clarified butter out of cow’s milk; accept. O Devî! The sugarcane juice, when heated, yields a syrup which again heated yields very delicious and nice thing called Gur. I am presenting this Gur to Thee; accept. O Devî! I am presenting to Thee the sweetmeats prepared out of the flour of Yava and and wheat and Gur and clarified butter; accept. I am presenting with devotion the offering made of Svastika and the flour of other grains; accept. O Kamale! I am presenting to Thee this fan and white châmara, which blows cool air and is very pleasant when this body gets hot; accept. O Devî! I am presenting this betel scented with camphor by which the inertness of the tongue is removed; accept. O Devî! I am presenting this scented cool water, which will allay the thirst and which is known as the life of this world; accept. O Devî! I am presenting this cloth made of cotton and silk that increases the beauty and splendour of the body. Accept. O Devî! I am presenting to Thee, the ornaments made of gold and jewels which are the source of beauty and loveliness. Ac-
cept. O Devî! I am presenting to Thee these pure garlands of flowers which blossom in different seasons, which look very beautiful and which give satisfaction to the Devas and to the kings. Accept. O Devî! I am presenting to Thee this nice scent, this very holy thing to Thee by which both the body and mind become pure, which is most auspicious and which is prepared of many fragrant herbs and plants; accept. O Beloved of the God Krisna! I am presenting this Âchamanîya water to Thee for rinsing the mouth, pure and holy, and brought from holy places of pilgrimages; accept. O Devî! I am presenting to Thee, this bed made of excellent gems and jewels and flowers, sandalpaste, clothings and ornaments; accept. O Devî! I am presenting to Thee all those things that are extraordinary, very rare in this earth and fit to be enjoyed by the Devas and worthy of their ornaments; accept.” O Devarsi! Uttering those mantras, the Devendra offered those articles, with intense devotion according to the rules. He, then, made Japam of the Mûla Mantra (the Radical Seed Mantra) ten lakhs of times. Thus his Mantra revealed the Deity thereof and thus came to a successful issue. The lotus born Brahmâ gave this Mantra “S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Aim Kamalâvâsinyai Svâhâ” to the Devendra. This is like a Kalpavriksa (the tree in Indra’s garden yielding whatever may be desired). This Vaidik mantra is the chief of the mantras. The word “Svâhâ” is at the end of the mantra. By virtue of this Mantra, Kuvera got his highest prosperity. By the power of this Mantra, the King-Emperor Daksa Sâvarni Manu and Mangala became the lords of the earth with seven islands. Priyavrata, Uttânapâda, and Kedârarâja all these became Siddhas (were fructified with success) and became King-Emperors. O Nârada! When Indra attained success in this Mantra, there appeared before him Mahâ Laksmî, seated in the celestial car, decked with excellent gems and jewels. The Great Halo, coming out of Her body made manifest the earth with seven islands. Her colour was white like the white champaka flower and Her whole body was decked with ornaments. Her face was always gracious and cheerful with sweet smiles. She was ever ready to shew Her kindness to the Bhaktas. On Her neck there was a garland of jewels and gems, bright as ten million Moons. O Devarsi! No sooner did Indra see that World Mother Mahâ Laksmî, of a peaceful appearance, than his body was filled with joy and the hairs of the body stood on ends. His eyes were filled with tears; and, with folded palms, he began to recite stotras to Her, the Vaidik stotras, yielding all desires, that was communicated to him by Brahmâ.
51-75. Indra said :-- “O Thou, the Dweller in the lotus! O Nârâyanî! O Dear to Krisna! O Padmâsane! O Mahâ Laksmî!
Obeisance to Thee! O Padmadaleksane! O Padmanibhânane! O Padmâsane! O Padme! O Vaisnavî! Obeisance to Thee! Thou art the wealth of all; Thou art worshipped by all; Thou bestowest to all the bliss and devotion to S’rî Hari. I bow down to Thee. O Devî! Thou always dwellest on the breast of Krisna and exercisest Thy powers over Him. Thou art the beauty of the Moon; Thou takest Thy seat on the beautiful Jewel Lotus. Obeisance to Thee! O Devî! Thou art the Presiding Deity of the riches; Thou art the Great Devî; Thou increasest always Thy gifts and Thou art the bestower of increments. So I bow down to Thee. O Devî! Thou art the Mahâ Laksmî of Vaikuntha, the Laksmî of the Ksiroda Ocean; Thou art Indra’s Heavenly Laksmî; Thou art the Râja Laksmî of the Kings; Thou art the Griha Laksmî of the householders; Thou art the household Deity of them; Thou art the Surabhî, born of the Ocean; Thou art the Daksinâ, the wife of the Sacrifices; Thou art Aditi, the Mother of the Devas; Thou art the Kamalâ, always dwelling in the Lotus; Thou art the Svâhâ, in the offerings with clarified butter in the sacrificial ceremonies; Thou art the Svadhâ Mantra in the Kâvyas (an offering of food to deceased ancestors). So obeisance to Thee! O Mother Thou art of the nature of Visnu; Thou art the Earth that supports all; Thou art of pure S’uddha Sattva and Thou art devoted to Nârâyana. Thou art void of anger, jealousy. Rather Thou grantest boons to all. Thou art the auspicious Sâradâ; Thou grantest the Highest Reality and the devotional service to Hari. Without Thee all the worlds are quite stale, to no purpose like ashes, always dead while existing. Thou art the Chief Mother, the Chief Friend of all; Thou art the source of Dharma, Artha, Kâma and Moksa! As a mother nourishes her infants with the milk of her breasts, so Thou nourishest all as their mother! A child that sucks the milk might be saved by the Daiva (Fate), when deprived of its mother; but men can never be saved, if they be bereft of Thee! O Mother! Thou art always gracious. Please be gracious unto me. O Eternal One! My possessions are now in the hands of the enemies. Be kind enough to restore my kingdoms to me from my enemies’ hands. O Beloved of Hari! Since Thou hast forsaken me, I am wandering abroad, friendless, like a beggar, deprived of all prosperities. O Devî! Give me Jñânam, Dharma, my desired fortune, power, influence and my possessions.” O Nârada! Indra and all the other Devas bowed down frequently to Mahâ Laksmî with their eyes filled with tears. Brahmâ, S’ankara, Ananta Deva, Dharma and Kes’ava all asked pardon again and again from Mahâ Laksmî. Laksmî then granted boons to the Devas and before
the assembly gladly gave the garland of flowers on the neck of Ke’sava. The Devas, satisfied, went back to their own places. The Devî, Laksmî, too, becoming very glad went to S’rî Hari sleeping in the Ksiroda Ocean. Brahmâ and Mahes’vara, both became very glad and, blessing the Devas, went respectively to their own abodes. Whoever recites this holy Stotra three times a day, becomes the King Emperor and gets prosperity and wealth like the God Kuvera. Siddhi (success) comes to him who recites this stotra five lakhs of times. If anybody reads regularly and always this Siddha Stotra for one month, he becomes very happy and he turns out a Râjarâjendra.
Here ends the Forty-second Chapter of the Ninth Book on the Dhyânam and Stotra of Mahâ Laksmî in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLIII
On the history of Svâhâ
1-4. Nârada said :-- “O Risi Nârâyana! O Highly Fortunate One! O Lord! Thou art equal to Nârâyana whether in beauty or in qualities, or in fame or in energy or in everything. Thou art equal to Nârâyana. Thou art the foremost of the Jñânins; there cannot be found a second like Thee as a Siddha Yogî, the ascetics and the Munis. And Thou art the crest of the knowers of the Vedas. I have heard the wonderful anecdote of Mahâ Laksmî that Thou hast told me. Now tell me any other thing that is unknown, very good in everyway, in accordance with Dharma, in the Vedas, and that which is not as yet written in the Purânas.”
5-6. Nârâyana said :-- “There are many wonderful hidden anecdotes that are not published as yet in the Purânas. What you have heard is very small in fact. Please mention to me what you like to hear, what you think as best amongst them and I will describe that to you.”
7-8. Nârada said :-- “When clarified butter is poured as libations in all the sacrificial ceremonies to the gods, Svâhâ is to be uttered everywhere as excellent, and commendable; so Svadhâ is to be repeated in the offerings when the oblations are offered to the Pitris, the deceased ancestors. Then, again, Daksinâ (the sacrificial fee) is always to be paid as right and excellent. So, O Knower of the Vedas! I like to hear the accounts of Svadhâ, and Daksinâ and their merits. Please now tell me about them.”
9. Sûta said :-- “Hearing the words of Nârada, Nârâyana Risi smiled and began to speak the very ancient words of the Purânas.”
10-11. Nârâyana said :-- Before the creation, the Devas assembled in the beautiful Brahmâ’s Council to decide on their food question.
They all brought to the notice of Brahmâ the scarcity about their food. Brahmâ promised to remove their food difficulties and began to chant hymns to Hari.
12. Nârada said :-- “O Lord! Bhagavân Nârâyana Himself incarnated in part as Sacrifice. Are not the Devas satisfied when the Brâhmanas pour oblations of ghee to the Devas in those sacrifices?”
13-17. Nârâyana said :-- O Muni! The Devas, in fact, did not get the offerings of the clarified butters that were poured in with devotion in sacrificial acts by the Brâhmanas and Ksattriyas. So they were very much depressed and went again to the council of Brahmâ and informed Him that they could not get any food for themselves. On hearing this, Brahmâ at once meditated and took refuge of S’rî Krisna; Krisna advised them to worship Mûla Prakriti. Brahmâ then, by the command of S’rî Krisna, began to meditate on Prakriti, worship Her and chant hymns to Her. Then from the part of Prakriti, an all-powerful Devî appeared. She was very beautiful, Shyâmâ (of a blue colour) and very lovely. This Devî was Svâhâ. She looked always gracious with smile in Her face; it seemed that She was always ready to show favour towards the Bhaktas. She appeared before Brahmâ and said :-- “O Lotus born! Want any boon you desire.”
18-22. Hearing Her words, the Creator spoke reverentially :-- “O Devî! Let Thou be the burning power of Fire; without Thee Fire would not be able to burn anything. At the conclusion of any Mantra, whoever taking Thy name, will pour oblations in the Fire to the Gods, will cause those oblations to go to the Gods and reach them. And then they will be very glad. O Mother! Let Thou be the wealth of Fire, the beauty and housewife of Fire; let Thou be incessantly worshipped in the regions of the Gods and amongst men and other beings.” Hearing these words of Brahmâ, Svâhâ Devî became very sad and expressed Her own intentions :-- “I will get Krisna as my husband; let me perform Tapasyâ as long as it takes. This is my object. All other things are false as dreams.
23-28. I always meditate with devotion on the lotus-feet of S’rî Krisna, serving Which You have become the Creator of this world, S’ambhu has become the Conqueror of death, Ananta Deva is supporting this universe, Dharma is the Witness of the virtuous, Ganes’a is getting, first of all, the first worship. Prakriti Devî has become the adorable of all and the Munis and the Risis respected by all.” O Child! Having spoken thus to the Lotus-born, Padmâ, with Her lotus-face, meditating incessantly on the Lotus-Feet of S’rî Krisna, free from any disease, started to perform
tapasyâ for attaining Him. She, first of all, stood on one leg and practised austerities for one lakh years. Then She saw the Highest Purusa S’rî Krisna, Who is beyond Prakriti and Her attributes. The beautiful amorous Svâhâ, seeing the Lovely Form of the Lord of Love, fainted.
29-43. The omniscient Bhagavân Krisna knowing Her intentions, took Her to His lap, reduced very much in body by long continued Tapasyâ, and He said :-- “O Devî! Thou shalt be My wife in the next Varâha Kalpa. Then Thou wilt be the daughter of Nagnajit and wilt be known by the name of Nâgnajitî. O Beloved! At present let Thou be the Energy of Fire and be His wife. By My boon Thou wilt be worshipped by all. Fire will make Thee the Lady of His house and take the utmost care of Thee. Thou wilt be able to enjoy easily with Him.” O Nârada! Thus saying to Svâhâ, Bhagavân disappeared. On the other hand, Fire came in there by the command of Brahmâ, with a doubtful mind and began to meditate on Her, the World Mother as per Sâma Veda and worshipped Her. He then pleased and married Her with mantrams, etc. For one hundred divine years they enjoyed each other. In a very solitary place while they were enjoying each other, Svâhâ Devî felt pregnant. For full twelve divine years She retained Her pregnancy. Then She delivered gradually three sons Daksinâgni, Gârhyapatyâgnî, and Âhavanîyâgni. The Risis, Munis, Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas poured oblations of clarified butter pronouncing the terminal mantra “Svahâ.” He who pronounces this excellent terminal Mantra “Svâhâ” gets immediate success in his actions. Then all the mantras without “Svâhâ” in the end became impotent as snakes become when void of poison, the Brâhmanas when they are devoid of the knowledge of the Vedas, the wife when she does not serve her husband, the men when they turn illiterate and the trees, when void of fruits and branches. O Child! The Brâhmanas then became satisfied. The Devas began to receive the oblations. With the “Svâhâ” mantra everything turned out fruitful. Thus I have described to you the anecdote of “'Svâhâ.” One who hears this essential anecdote gets his happiness enhanced and the Moksa in his hands. What more do you want to hear ? Say.
44. Nârada said :-- I like to hear how Fire worshipped Svâhâ and recited stotras (hymns of praise) to Her. Kindly tell me the method of worship, the Dhyânam and Stotra.
45-49. Nârâyana said :-- O Best of Brâhmanas! I now tell you the meditation (Dhyânam) as per Sâma Veda, the method of worship and stotra. Listen attentively. At the commencement of any sacrificial ceremony, one should first of all worship whether on the S’âlagrâma stone or in an earthen jar (ghata), the Devî Svâhâ and then commence the
ceremony with the expectation of getting the desired fruit. The following is the Dhyânam (meditation) of Svâhâ Devî :-- O Devî Svâhâ! Thou art embodied of the Mantras; Thou art the success of the Mantras; Thou art Thyself a Siddhâ; Thou givest success and the the fruits of actions to men; Thou dost good to all. Thus meditating, one should offer Pâdya (water for washing the feet), etc., uttering the basic Mantra; success then comes to him. Now hear about the Radical Seed Mantra. The said mantra (Mûla mantra) is this :-- “Om Hrîm S’rîm Vahnijâyâyai Devyai Svâhâ.” If the Devî be worshipped with this Mantra, all the desires come to a successful issue.
50-54. Fire recited the following stotra :-- “Thou art Svâhâ, Thou art the Beloved of Fire, Thou art the wife of Fire; Thou pleasest all; Thou art the S’akti, Thou art the action, Thou art the bestower of Kâla (time); Thou dost digest the food; Thou art the Dhruvâ; Thou art the resort of men; Thou art the burning power; Thou canst burn everything, Thou art the essence of this world; Thou art the deliverer from the terrible world; Thou art the life of the gods and Thou nourishest the Gods.” O Nârada! He who reads with devotion these sixteen names, gets success both in this world as well as in the next. None of his works become deficient in any way; rather all the works are performed successfully and with a successful issue. Reading this stotra, one who has no wife, gets wife. So much so that the man who recites the stotra gets for his wife equal to Rambhâ, the heavenly nymph, and passes his time in greatest bliss.
Here ends the Forty-third Chapter of the Ninth Book on the history of Svâhâ in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLIV
On the story of Svadhâ Devî in the discourse between Nârada and Nârâyana
1-18. Nârâyana said said :-- O Nârada! I will tell you now the excellent anecdote of Svadhâ, pleasing to the Pitris and enhancing the fruits of the S’râdh ceremony when foods are offered to the Pitris. Listen. Before the creation, the Creator created seven Pitris. Four out of them are with forms and the other three are of the nature of Teja (light).
Note :-- Kavyavâhoanalah Somo Yamaschaivâryamâ tathâ, Agnisvâttâh Barhisadah Somapâ Pitri Devatâh. These seven Pitris are according to the other Purânas. Seeing the beautiful and lovely forms of the Pitris, He made arrangements for their food in the form of S’râddhas and
Tarpanas, etc. (funeral ceremony and peace-offerings), etc. (S’râdh, solemn obsequies performed in honour of the manes of deceased ancestors.)
Taking bath, performing S’râdh ceremony upto Tarpanam (peace-offerings), worshipping the Devas and doing Sandhyâ thrice a day; these are the daily duties of the Brâhmanas. If any Brâhmana does not perform daily the Trisandhyâs, S’râddha, Tarpanam, worship and the reciting of the Vedas, he becomes devoid of fire like a snake without any poison. He who does not perform the devotional service of the Devî, who eats food not offered to S’rî Hari, who remains impure till death, is not entitled to do any karma whatsoever. Thus, introducing the S’râddhas, etc., for the Pitris, Brahmâ went to His own abode. The Brâhmanas went on doing the S’râddhas for the Pitris, but the Pitris could not enjoy them and so they remained without food and were not satisfied. They all, being hungry and sad, went to the Council of Brahmâ and informed Him everything from beginning to end. Brahmâ then created out of His mind one daughter very beautiful, full of youth and having a face lovely, as if equal to one hundred moons. That woman was best in all respects whether in form, beauty, qualities or in learning. Her colour was white like the white Champaka flower and her body was adorned all over with jewel ornaments. This form was very pure, ready to grant boons, auspicious and the part of Prakriti. Her face was beaming with smiles; her teeth were very beautiful and her body showed signs of Laksmî (i.e., of wealth and prosperity). Her name was Svadhâ. Her lotus-feet were situated on one hundred lotuses. She was the wife of the Pitris. Her face resembled that of a lotus and Her eyes looked like water lilies. She was born of the lotus born Brahmâ. The Grand-father Brahmâ made over that daughter of the nature of Tusti (Contentment) to the hands of the Pitris and they were satisfied. Brahmâ advised the Brâhmanas privately that whenever they would offer anything to the Pitris, they should offer duly with the mantra Svadhâ pronounced at the end. Since then the Brâhmanas are offering everything to the Pitris, with the Mantra Svadhâ uttered in the end. Svâhâ is laudable, when offerings are presented to the Gods and Svadhâ is commendable when offerings are made to the Pitris. But in both the cases, Daksinâ is essential. Without Daksinâ (sacrificial fee), all sacrifices are useless and worthless. The Pitris, Devatâs, Brâhmanas, the Munis, the Manus worshipped the peaceful Svadhâ and chanted hymns to Her with great love. The Devas, Pitris, Brâhmanas, all were pleased and felt their ends achieved when they got the boon from Svadhâ Devî. Thus I have told you everything about Svadhâ. It is pleasing to all. What more do you want to hear? Say. I will answer all your questions.
19. Nârada said :-- “O Thou, the Best of the knowers of the Vedas! O Muni Sattama! I want now to hear the method of worship, the meditation and the hymns of Svadhâ Devî. Kindly tell me all about this.”
20-27. Nârâyana said :-- You know everything about the all-auspicious Dhyân, Stotra, as stated in the Vedas; then why do you ask me again? However I will speak out this for the enhancement of knowledge. On the thirteenth day of the Dark Fortnight in autumn when the Maghâ asterism is with the Moon and on the S’râddha day. One should worship with care Svadhâ Devî; then one should perform S’râddha. If, out of vanity, a Brâhmin performs S’râdh without first worshipping Svadhâ Devî then he will never get the fruits of Tarpanam or S’râdh. “O Devî Svadhe! Thou art the mind-born daughter of Brahmâ, always young and worshipped by the Pitris. Thou bestowest the fruits of S’râddh. So I meditate on Thee.” Thus meditating, the Brâhmin is to pronounce the motto (mûla mantra) and offer the Pâdyam, etc., on the S’âlagrâma stone or on the auspicious earthen jar. This is the ruling of the Vedas. The motto is “Om Hrîm, S’rîm, Klîm, Svadhâ Devyai Svâhâ.” She should be worshipped with this Mantra. After reciting hymns to the Devî, one is to bow down to the Svadhâ Devî. O Son of Brahmâ! O Best of Munis! O Skilled in hearing! I now describe the stotra which Brahmâ composed at the beginning for the bestowal of the desired fruits to mankind. Listen.
Nârâyana said :-- The instant the Mantra Svadhâ is pronounced, men get at once the fruits of bathing in the holy places of pilgrimages. No trace of sin exists in him at that time; rather the religious merits of performing the Vâjapeya sacrifice accrue to him.
28-36. “Svadhâ,” “Svadhâ,” “Svadhâ,” thrice this word if one calls to mind, one gets the fruits of S’râdh, Tarpanam, and Bali (offering sacrifices). So much so, if one hears with devotion during the S’râdh time the recitation of the hymn to Svadhâ, one gets, no doubt, the fruit of S’râdh. If one recites the Svadhâ mantra thrice every time in the morning, midday and evening, every day, one gets an obedient, chaste wife begetting sons. The following is the hymn (Stotra) to Svadhâ :-- “O Devî Svadhe! Thou art dear to the Pitris as their vital breaths and thou art the lives of the Brâhmanas. Thou art the Presiding Deity of the S’râdh ceremonies and bestowest the fruits thereof. O Thou of good vows! Thou art eternal, true, and of the nature of religious merits. Thou appearest in creation and disappearest in dissolution. And this appearing and disappearing go on forever. Thou art Om, thou art Svasti, Thou art Namas Kâra (salutation); Thou art Svadhâ, Thou art Daksinâ, Thou art the various works as designated in the Vedas. These the Lord of the world has
created for the success of actions.” No sooner Brahmâ, seated in His assembly in the Brahmâ Loka, reciting this stotra remained silent, than Svadhâ Devî appeared there all at once. When Brahmâ handed over the lotus-faced Svadhâ Devî over to the hands of the Pitris, and they gladly took Her to their own abodes. He who hears with devotion and attention this stotra of Svadhâ, gets all sorts of rich fruits that are desired and the fruits of bathing in all the Tîrthas.
Here ends the Forty-fourth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the story of Svadhâ Devî in the discourse between Nârada and Nârâyana in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLV
On the anecdote of Daksinâ
1-63. Nârâyana said :-- The excellent, most sweet stories of Svâhâ and Svadhâ are told; now I will tell you the story of Daksinâ; hear attentively. In early days, in the region of Goloka, there was a good-natured Gopî named Sus’îlâ, beautiful, Râdhâ’s companion and very dear to S’rî Hari. She was fortunate, respected, beautiful, lovely, prosperous, with good teeth, learned, well qualified and of exquisitely handsome form. Her whole body was tender and lovely like Kalâvatî (one versed in 64 arts; moon). She was beautiful and her eyes were like water lilies. Her hips were good and spacious; Her breasts were full; she was Shyâmâ (a kind of women having colour like melted gold; body being hot in cold and cool in summer; of youthful beauty); as well She was of the Nyagrodha class of women (an excellent woman. Stanau Sukathinau Yasyâ Nitambe cha Vis’âlatâ. Madhye Ksînâ bhavedyâ Sânyagrodha parimandalâ). Always a smile sweetened Her face; and that looked always gracious. Her whole body was covered with jewel ornaments. Her colour was white like the white champakas. Her lips were red like the Bimba fruits; Her eyes were like those of a deer.
Sus’îlâ was very clever in amorous sciences. Her gait was like a swan. She was specially versed in what is called Prema Bhakti (love towards God). So She was the dearest lady of S’rî Krisna. And She was of intense emotional feelings. She knows all the sentiments of love; she was witty, humorous, and ardent for the love of S’rî Krisna, the Lord of the Râsa circle. She sat by the left side of S’rî Krisna in the presence of Râdhâ. S’rî Krisna, then cast His glance on Râdhâ, the Chief of the Gopîs and hung down His head through fear. Râdhâ’s face turned red; the two eyes looked like red lilies; all Her bodies began to quiver out of anger and Her lips began to shake. Seeing that state of Râdhâ, Bhagavân S’rî Krisna disappeared, fearing that a quarrel might ensue. Sus’îlâ and other Gopîs seeing that the peaceful Krisna of Sattvâ Guna and of lovely form had disappeared, began to tremble with fear. Then one lakh Koti
Gopîs seeing Krisna absent and Râdhâ angry, became very much afraid and bowing their heads down with devotion and with folded palms began to say frequently, “Râdhe! Protect us, protect us,” and they took shelter at Her feet. O Nârada! Three lakh Gopas also including Sudâmâ and others took shelter at the lotus feet of S’rî Râdhâ out of fear. Seeing, then, Krisna absent and Her companion Sus’îlâ running away, Râdhâ cursed her thus :-- “If Sus’îlâ comes again to this Goloka, she will be reduced to ashes.” Thus cursing Her companion Sus’îlâ out of anger, Râdhâ, the Darling of the Deva of the Devas, and the Lady of the Râsa circle went to the Râsa circle and called on Krisna, the Lord of the same. Not being able to find out S’rî Krisna, a minute appeared a yuga to Her and she began to say :-- “O Lord of Prânas! O Dearer than My life! O Presiding Deity of my life! O Krisna! My life seems to depart from Thy absence! Come quickly and show Thyself to me. O Lord! It is through the favour of one’s husband that the pride of women gets increased day by day. Women’s safeguards of happiness are their husbands. Therefore women, who are helpless creatures, ought always to serve their husbands according to Dharma. The husband is the wife’s friend, presiding deity and the sole refuge and the chief wealth. It is through husbands that women derive their pleasures, enjoyments, Dharma, happiness, peace and contentment. If husbands are respected, wives are respected and if husbands are dishonoured, women are dishonoured too. The husband is the highest thing to a woman. He is the highest friend. There is no better friend than him. The husband is called Bhartâ because he supports his wife; he is called Pati, because he preserves her; he is called S’vâmî, because he is the master of her body; he is called Kântâ because he bestows the desired things to her; he is called Bandhu, because he increases her happiness; he is called Priya, because he gives pleasure to her; he is called Is’a, because he bestows prosperity on her; he is called Prânes’vara, because he is the lord of her Prâna; and he is called Ramana, because he gives enjoyment to her. There is no other thing dearer than husband. The son is born of the husband; hence the son is so dear. The husband is dearer to a family woman than one hundred sons. Those who are born in impure families, cannot know what substance a husband is made up of. Taking Baths in all the Tîrthas, giving Daksinâs in all the Yajñas (sacrifice), circumambulating round the whole earth, performing all austerities, observing all vows, making all great gifts, holy fastings, all that are dictated in the S’âstras, serving the Guru, the Brâhmanas and the Devas all cannot compare to even one sixteenth part with serving faithfully the feet of the husband. The husband is the highest; higher than the Spiritual Teacher (Guru),
higher than the Brâhmanas, higher than all the Devas. As to man, the Spiritual Teacher who imparts the Spiritual Knowledge is the Best and Supreme, so to the women their husbands are the best of all. Oh! I am not able to realise the glory of my Dearest, by Whose favour I am the Sole Ruler of one lakh Koti Gopîs, one lakh Koti Gopas, innumerable Brâhmandas, and all the things thereof, and all the lokas (regions) from Bhu (earth) to Goloka. Oh! The womanly nature is insurmountable.” Thus saying, Râdhikâ began to meditate with devotion on S’rî Krisna. Tears began to flow incessantly from Her eyes. She exclaimed, “O Lord! O Lord! O Ramana! Shew Thyself to me. I am very much weak and distressed from Thy bereavement.” Now the Daksinâ Devî, driven out from Goloka; practised Tapasyâ for a long time when She entered into the body of Kamalâ. The Devas, on the other hand, performed a very difficult Yajña; but they could not derive any fruit therefrom. So they went to Brahmâ, becoming very sad. Hearing them, Brahmâ meditated on Visnu for a long time with devotion. At last Visnu gave Him a reply. Visnu got out of the body of Mahâ Laksmî a Martya Laksmî (Laksmî of the earth) and gave Her Daksinâ to Brahmâ.Then with a view to yield to the Devas the as a fruits of their Karmas, Brahmâ made over to the Yajña Deva (the Deva presiding the sacrifice) the Devî Daksinâ, offered by Nârâyana. Yajña Deva, then, worshipped Her duly and recited hymns to Her with great joy. Her colour was like melted gold; her lustre equalled koti Moons; very lovely, beautiful, fascinating; face resembling water lilies, of a gentle body; with eyes like Padmâ Palâsa, born of the body of Laksmî, worshipped by Brahmâ, wearing celestial silken garments, her lips resembling like Bimba fruits, chaste, handsome; her braid of hair surrounded by Mâlatî garlands; with a sweet smiling face, ornamented with jewel ornaments, well dressed, bathed, enchanting the minds of the Munis, below the hair of her forehead the dot of musk and Sindûra scented with sandalpaste, of spacious hips, with full breasts, smitten by the arrows of Kâma Deva (the God of Love). Such was the Daksinâ Devî. Seeing Her, the Yajña Deva fainted. At last he married her according to due rites and ceremonies. Taking her to a solitary place, he enjoyed her for full divine one hundred years with great joy like Laksmî Nârâyana. Gradually then Daksinâ became pregnant. She remained so for twelve divine years. Then she duly delivered a nice son as the fruit of Karma. When any Karma becomes complete, this son delivers the fruits of that Karma. Yajña Deva with His wife Daksinâ and the above named Karmaphala, the bestower of the fruits of actions, gives the desired fruits to
all their sacrificial acts and Karmas. So the Pundits, the knowers of the Vedas, say. Really he, henceforth, began to give fruits to all the persons of their acts, with his wife Daksinâ and son, the bestower of the fruits of the actions. The Devas were all satisfied at this and went away respectively to their own abodes. Therefore, the man who performs Karmas, generally known as Karma Kartas, should pay the Daksinâ (the Sacrificial fee) and so he completes at once his actions. It is stated in the Vedas, that no sooner the Karma Karta pays the Daksinâ, than he obtains the fruits of his Karmas at once. In case the Karma Karta, after he has completed his acts, does not pay either through bad luck or through ignorance, any Daksinâ to the Brâhmanas, its amount is doubled if a Muhûrta passes away and if one night elapses, its amount is increased, to one hundred times. If three nights pass away, and the Daksinâ not paid, the amount last brought forward, is increased again to hundred times; if a week passes, the last amount is doubled, and if one month passes away, the Daksinâ is multiplied to one lakh times. If one year passes away, that is increased to ten millions of times and the Karma, also, bears no fruit. Such a Karma Karta is known as taking away unfairly a Brâhmana’s property and is regarded as impure. He has no right to any further actions. For that sin, he becomes a pauper and diseased. Laksmî Devî goes away from his house, leaves him, cursing him severely. So much so that the Pitris do not accept the S’râdh, Tarpanam offered by that wretched fellow. So the Devas do not accept his worship, nor the Fire accepts the oblations poured by him. If the person that performs sacrifices does not pay the sacrificial fee that he resolves to pay and he who accepts the offer does not demand the sum, both of them go to hell. But if the performer of the sacrifices does not pay when the priests demand the fee, then the Yajamâna (the performer of the sacrifices) only falls down to hell as the jar, severed from the rope, falls down. The Yajamâna (pupil) is denominated as a Brahmâsvapahârî (one who robs a Brâhmana’s property); he goes ultimately to the Kumbhîpâka hell. There he remains for one lakh years punished and threatened by Yama’s messengers. He is then reborn as a Chândâla, poor and diseased. So much so that his seven generations above and his seven
generations below go to hell.
64-65. O Nârada! Thus I have narrated to you the story of Daksinâ. What more do you want to hear? Say. Nârada said :-- “O Best of Munis! Who bears the fruits of that Karma where no Daksinâ is paid. Describe the method of worship that was offered to Daksinâ by Yajña Deva.” Nârâyana said :-- Where do you find the fruit of any sacrifice without Daksinâ? (i.e., nowhere.) That Karma only gets
fruits where Daksinâs are paid. And the fruits of the acts void of any Daksinâ, Bali who lives in the Pâtâla only enjoys; and no one else.
66-71. For, in olden times, it was ordained by Vâmana Deva that those fruits would go to the king Vali. All those that pertain to S’râdh not sanctioned by the Vedas, the charities made without any regard or faith, the worship offered by a Brâhmin who is the husband of a Vrisala (an unmarried girl twelve years in whom menstruation has commenced), the fruits of sacrifices done by an impure Brâhmana (a Brâhmana who fails in his duties), the worship offered by impure persons, and the acts of a man devoid of any devotion to his Guru, all these are reserved for the king Bali. He enjoys the fruits of all these. O Child! I am now telling you the Dhyân Stotra, and the method of worship as per Kanva S’âkhâ of Daksinâ Devî. Hear. When Yajña Deva, in ancient times got Daksinâ, skillful in action, he was very much fascinated by her appearance and being love-stricken, began to praise her :-- “O Beautiful One! You were before the chief of the Gopîs in Goloka. You were like Râdhâ; you were Her companion; and you were loved by Srî Râdhâ, the beloved of S’rî Krisna.
72-97. In the Râsa circle, on the Full Moon night in the month of Kârtik, in the great festival of Râdhâ, you appeared from the right shoulder of Laksmî; hence you were named Daksinâ. O Beautiful One! You were of good nature before; hence your name was Sus’îlâ. Next you turned due to Râdhâ's curse, into Daksinâ. It is to my great good luck that you were dislodged from Goloka and have come here. O highly fortunate One! Now have mercy on me and accept me as your husband. O Devî! You give to all the doers of actions, the fruits of their works. Without you, their Karmas bear no fruit. So much so, if you be not present in their action the works never shine forth in brilliant glory. Without Thee, neither Brahmâ, nor Visnu nor Mahes’a nor the Regents of the quarters, the ten Dikpâlas, can award the fruits of actions. Brahmâ is the incarnate of Karma. Mahes’vara is the incarnate of the fruits of Karmas; and I Visnu myself is the incarnate of Yajñas. But Thou art the Essence of all. Thou art the Parâ Prakriti, without any attributes, the Parâ Brahmâ incarnate, the bestower of the fruits of action. Bhagavân S’rî Krisna cannot award the fruits of actions without Thee. O Beloved! In every birth let Thou be my S’akti. O Thou with excellent face! Without Thee, I am unable to finish well any Karma.” O Nârada! Thus praising Daksinâ Devî, Yajña Deva stood before Her. She, born from the shoulder of Laksmî, became pleased with His Stotra and accepted Him for Her bridegroom. If anybody recites this Daksinâ stotra during sacrifice, he gets all the results thereof.
If anybody recites this stotra in the Râjasûya sacrifice, Vâjapaya, Gomedha (cow sacrifice) Naramedha (man sacrifice), As’vamedha (horse sacrifice), Lângala Sacrifice, Visnu Yajña tending to increase one’s fame, in the act of giving over wealth or pieces of lands, digging tanks or wells, or giving fruits, in Gaja medha (elephant sacrifice), in Loha Yajña (iron sacrifice), Svarna Yajña (gold sacrifice), Ratna Yajña (making over jewels in sacrifices), Tâmra Yajña (copper), S’iva Yajña, Rudra Yajña, S’akra Yajña, Bandhuka Yajña, Varuna Yajña (for rains), Kandaka Yajña, for crushing the enemies, S’uchi Yajña, Dharma Yajña, Pâpa mochana Yajña, Brahmânî Karma Yajña, the auspicious Prakriti Yâga, sacrifices, his work is achieved then without any hitch or obstacle. There is no doubt in this. The stotra, thus, is mentioned now; hear about the Dhyânam and the method of worship. First of all, one should worship in the S’âlagrâma stone, or in an earthen jar (Ghata) Daksinâ Devî. The Dhyânam runs thus :-- “O Daksinâ! Thou art sprung from the right shoulder of Laksmî; Thou art a part of Kamalâ; Thou art clever (Daksa) in all the actions and Thou bestowest the fruits of all the actions. Thou art the S’akti of Visnu, Thou art revered, worshipped. Thou bestowest all that is auspicious; Thou art purity; Thou bestowest purity, Thou art good natured. So I meditate on Thee.” Thus meditating, the intelligent one should worship Daksinâ with the principal mantra. Then with the Vedic Mantras, pâdyas, etc. (offerings of various sorts) are to be offered. Now the mantra as stated in the Vedas, runs thus :-- “Om S’rîm Klîm Hrîm Daksinâyai Svâhâ.” With this mantra, all the offerings, such as pâdyas, arghyas, etc., are to be given, and one should worship, as per rules, Daksinâ Devî with devotion. O Nârada! Thus I have stated to you the anecdote of Daksinâ. Happiness, pleasure, and the fruits of all karmas are obtained by this. Being engaged in sacrificial acts, in this Bhâratavarsa, if one hears attentively this Dhyânam of Daksinâ, his sacrifice becomes defectless. So much so that the man who has got no sons gets undoubtedly good and qualified sons; if he has no wife, he gets a best wife, good natured, beautiful, of slender waist, capable to give many sons, sweet speaking, humble, chaste, pure, and Kulîna; if he be void of learning, he gets learning; if he be poor he gets wealth; if he be without any land, he gets land and if he has no attendants, he gets attendants. If a man hears for one month this stotra of Daksinâ Devî, he gets over all difficulties and dangers, bereavements from friends, troubles, inprisonments, and all other calamities.
Here ends the Forty-fifth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Daksinâ in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLVI
On the anecdote of Sasthî Devî
1. Nârada said :-- “O Thou, the foremost of the Knowers of the Vedas! I have heard from you the anecdotes of many Devîs. Now I want to hear the lives of other Devîs also. Kindly describe.”
2. Nârâyana said :-- “O Best of the Brâhmanas! The lives and glorious deeds of all the Devîs are described separately. Now say, which lives you want to hear.”
3. Nârada said :--“O Lord! Sasthî, Mangalâ Chandî, and Manasâ, are the parts of Prakriti. Now I want to hear the lives of them.”
4-22. Nârâyana said :-- O Child! The sixth part of Prakriti is named as Sasthî. The Devî Sasthî is the Presiding Deity of infants and children; She is the Mâyâ of Visnu and She bestows sons to all. She is one of the sixteen Mâtrikâs. She is known by the name of Devasenâ. She performs Vratas (vows); She is the chaste and dearest wife of Skanda. She decides on the longevity of children and is always engaged in their preservation. So much so, that this Siddha Yoginî always keeps the children on her side.
O Best of Brâhmanas! I will now talk about the method of worshipping this Devî and the history about Her bestowing children that I heard from Dharma Deva. Hear. Svâyambhuva Manu had one son Priyavrata. He was a great Yogîndra and remained in practising austerities. So he was not inclined to have any wife. At last by the effort and request of Brahmâ, he got himself married. But many days passed, and he could not see the face of a son. Then Maharsi Kas’yapa became his priest in the Putresti Sacrifice (to get a son); and when the sacrifice was over, he gave the sacrificial offering called charu to his wife Mâlinî. On eating the charu, the queen Mâlinî become pregnant. For twelve Deva years she held the womb. After twelve years she delivered a full developed son, of a golden colour; but the son was lifeless and his two eyeballs were upset. At this, the friends’ wives became very sorry and began to weep. The mother of the child became so very sorrowful that she became senseless. O Muni! The King himself took the son on his breast and went to the burning ground. There with his child on his breast he began to cry aloud. Rather he got himself ready to quit his own
life than leave the son from away his breast. At this time he saw in the space overhead an aerial car, white as crystal, made of excellent jewels, coming towards him. The car was shining with its own lustre, encircled with woven silken cloth, which added to its beauty. Innumerable garlands of variegated colours gave it a very nice and charming appearance. On that car was seated a Siddha Yoginî, very beautiful, of a lovely appearance of a colour like that of white champakas, always youthful, smiling, adorned with jewel ornaments, ever gracious to show favour to the devotees. On seeing Her, the King Priyavrata placed the child from his breast on the ground and began to worship Her and chant hymns to Her with great love and devotion. And he then asked that peaceful lady, the wife of Skanda, Who was shining like a summer sun :-- “O Beautiful! Who art Thou? Whose wife art Thou and whose daughter art Thou? From Thy appearance it seems that Thou art fortunate and respected amongst the female sex.”
23-24. O Nârada! In ancient times, when the Daityas dispossessed the Devas of their positions, this Lady was elected as a general and got victory for the Devas; hence She was named Devasenâ. Hearing the words of the King Priyavrata, Devasenâ, who fought for the Devas and was all good to the whole world, said :--
25-42. O King! I am the mind-born daughter of Brahmâ. My name is Devasenâ. The Creator before created Me out of His mind and made Me over to the hands of Skanda. Amongst the Mâtrikâs, I am known as Sasthî, the wife of Skanda. I am the sixth part of Prakriti; hence I am named Sasthî. I give sons to those who have no sons, wives to those who have no wives, wealth to the poor, and I give works to those who are workers (karmîs.)
Happiness, pain, fear, sorrow, joy, good, and wealth and adversity all are the fruits of Karmas. As the result of one’s Karmas, people get lots of sons and it is due to the result of one’s Karma again that people are denuded of all the issues of their family. As the result of Karma, the people get dead sons; and as the result of Karma the people get long lives. All enjoy the fruits of their Karmas, whether they be well qualified, or deformed or whether they have many wives, or whether they have no wife, whether they be beautiful, religious, diseased, it is all through Karmas, Karmas. Disease comes out of their Karmas. Again they get cured by their Karmas. So, O King! It is stated in the Vedas that Karma is the most powerful of all. Thus saying, Devasenâ took the dead child on her lap; and, by the wisdom, early made the child alive. The King saw the child, of a golden colour got back his life and
began to smile. Thus bidding goodbye to the King, Devasenâ took the child and became ready to depart. At this the King’s palate and throat got dry and he began again to chant hymns to Her. The Devî Sasthî became pleased at the stotra made by the King. The Devî then addressed the King and said :-- “O King! All that is stated in the Vedas, is made up of Karmas. You are the son of Svâyambhuva Manu, and the Lord of the three worlds. You better promulgate My worship in the three worlds and you yourself worship Me. Then I will give you your beautiful son, the lotus of your family. Your son, born in part of Nârâyana, will be famous by the name of Suvrata. He will be well-qualified, a great literary man, able to remember his conditions in his former lives, the best of Yogis, performer of one hundred Yajñas, the best of all, bowed down by the Ksattriyas, strong as one lakh powerful elephants, wealthy, fortunate, pure, favourite of literary persons, learned and bestower of the fruits of the ascetics, renowned and bestower of wealth and prosperity to the three worlds.” Thus saying Devasenâ gave the the child to the king. When the king promised that he would promulgate Her worship, the Devî granted him boons and went up to the Heavens.
43-57. The king, too, becoming very glad and surrounded by his ministers, returned to his own abode and informed all about the son. The ladies of the house, become highly delighted when they heard everything. On the occasion of the son’s getting back his life, the king performed everywhere auspicious ceremonies. The worship of Sasthî Devî commenced. Wealth was bestowed to the Brâhmins. Since then, on every sixth day of the bright fortnight in every month, great festivals in honour of Sasthî Devî began to be celebrated. Since then, throughout the kingdom, on every sixth day after the birth of a child in the lying-in-chamber, Sasthî Devî began to be worshipped. On the twenty-first day, the auspicious moment, at the ceremony of giving rice to a child for the first time, when sixth months old, and on all other auspicious ceremonies of the children, Sasthî Devî’s worship was made extant and the king himself performed those worships with great care and according to due rules. Now I will tell you about the Dhyânam and method of worship and stotra as I heard from Dharma Deva, and as stated in Kauthuma S’âkhâ. Hear. He has said :-- In a S’âlagrâma stone, in a jar, on the root of a Bata tree, or drawing the figure on the floor of the rooms, or making an image of Sasthî Devî, the sixth part of Prakriti and installing it, one should worship the Devî. The Dhyânam is this :-- “O Devasenâ Thou art the bestower of good sons, the giver of good luck; Thou art mercy and kindness and the progenitor of the world; Thy colour is
bright like that of the white Champaka flowers. Thou art decked with jewel ornaments. Thou art pure, and the highest and best Devî. Obeisance to Thee! I meditate on Thee.” Thus meditating, the worshipper should place flower on his own head. Then again meditating and uttering the principal mantra one is to offer the Pâdya (water for washing feet), Arghya, Âchamanîya, scents, flowers, dhûp, lights, offerings of food and best roots and fruits and one should worship thus with various things Sasthî Devî. “Om Hrîm Sasthî Devyai Svaha” is the principal Mantra of Sasthî Devî. This great Mantra of eight letters a man should repeat as his strength allows. After the Japam, the worshipper should chant hymns with devotion and undivided attention and then bow down. The Stotra (hymn) of Sasthî Devî as per Sâma Veda is very beautiful and son-bestowing.The lotus-born Brahmâ has said :-- If one repeats (makes Japam) this eight lettered mantra one lakh of times, one gets certainly a good son. O Best of Munis! Now I am going to say the auspicious stotra of Sasthî Devî as composed by Priyavrata. Hear.
58-73. One’s desires are fulfilled when one reads this very secret stotra. Thus the King Priyavrata said :-- “O Devî, Devasenâ! I bow down to Thee. O Great Devî! Obeisance to Thee! Thou art the bestower of Siddhis; Thou art peaceful; obeisance to Thee! Thou art the bestower of good; Thou art Devasenâ; Thou art Sasthî Devî, I bow down to Thee! Thou grantest boons to persons; Thou bestowest sons and wealth to men. So obeisance to Thee! Thou givest happiness and moksa; Thou art Sasthî Devî; I bow down to Thee. Thou thyself art Siddha; so I bow down to Thee. O Sasthî Devî! Thou art the sixth part of this creation; Thou art Siddha Yoginî, so I bow down to Thee. Thou art the essence, Thou art Sâradâ; Thou art the Highest Devî. So I bow down again and again to Thee. Thou art the Presiding Deity Sasthî Devî of the children; I bow down to Thee. Thou grantest good; Thou Thyself art good and Thou bestowest the fruits of all Karmas. O Thou O Sasthî Devî! Thou shewest thy form to thy devotees; I bow down to Thee! Thou art S’uddha Sattva and respected by all the persons in all their actions. Thou art the wife of Skanda. All worship Thee. O Sasthî Devî! Thou hadst saved the Devas. So obeisance to Thee O Sasthî Devî! Thou hast no envy, no anger; so obeisance to Thee. O Sures’varî! Give me wealth, give me dear things, give me sons. Give me respect from all persons; give me victory; slay my enemies. O Mahesvarî! Give me Dharma; give me name and fame; I bow down again again to Sasthî Devî. O Sasthî Devî! worshipped reverentially by all! Give me lands, give me subjects, give me learning; have welfare for me; I bow down again and
again to Sasthî Devî.” O Nârada! Thus praising the Devî, Priyavrata got a son, renowned and ruling over a great kingdom through the favour of Sasthî Devî. If any man that has no son, hears this stotra of Sasthî Devî for one year with undivided attention, he gets easily an excellent son, having a long life. If one worships for one year with devotion this Devasenâ and hears this stotra, even the most barren woman becomes freed from all her sins and gets a son. Through the grace of Sasthî Devî, that son becomes a hero, well qualified, literate, renowned and long-lived. If any woman who bears only a single child or delivers dead children hears with devotion for one year this stotra, she gets easily, through the Devî’s grace, a good son. If the father and mother both hear with devotion, this story during the period of their child’s illness, then the child becomes cured by the Grace of the Devî.
Here ends the Forty-sixth chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Sasthî Devî in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLVII
On Manasâ’s story
1-25 Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I have now narrated the anecdote of Sasthî as stated in the Vedas. Now hear the anecdote of Mangala Chandî, approved of by the Vedas and respected by the literary persons. The Chandî, that is very skilled in all auspicious works and who is the most auspicious of all good things, is Mangal Chandîkâ. Or the Chandî who is an object of worship of Mangala (Mars), the son of earth and the bestower of desires is Mangala Chandîkâ. Or the Chandî who is an object of worship of Mangala of the family of Manu who was the ruler of the whole world composed of seven islands and the bestower of all desires is Mangala Chandî. Or it may be that the Mûla Prakriti, the Governess, the Ever Gracious Durgâ assumed the form of Mangala Chandî and has become the Ista Devatâ of women. When there was the fight with Tripurâsura, this Mangala Chandî, higher than the highest was first worshipped by Mahâdeva, stimulated by Visnu, on a critical moment. O Brâhmin! While the fighting was going on, a Daitya threw out of anger one car on Mahâdeva and as that car was about to fall on Him, Brahmâ and Visnu gave a good advice when Mahâdeva began to praise Durgâ Devî at once. Durgâ Devî that time assuming the form of Mangala Chandî appeared and said “no fear no fear” Bhagavân Visnu will be Thy Carrier buffalo. I will be also Thy S’akti in the action and Hari, full of Mâyâ, will also help Thee. Thou better slayest the enemy that dispossessed the Devas. O Child! Thus saying, the Devî Mangala
Chandî disappeared and She became the S’akti of Mahâ Deva. Then with the help of the weapon given by Visnu, the Lord of Umâ killed the Asura. When the Daitya fell, the Devas and Risis began to chant hymns to Mahâdeva with devotion and with their heads bent low. From the sky, a shower of flowers fell instantaneously on Mahâ Deva’s head. Brahmâ and Visnu became glad and gave their best wishes to Him. Then ordered by Brahmâ and Visnu, S’ankara bathed joyously. Then He began to worship with devotion the Devî Mangala Chandî with pâdya, Arghya, Âchamanîya and various clothings. Flowers, sandal paste, various goats, sheep, buffaloes, bisons, birds, garments, ornaments, garlands, Pâyasa (a preparation of rice, ghee, milk and sugar), Pistaka, honey, wine, and various fruits were offered in the worship. Dancing, music, with instruments and the chanting of Her name and other festivals commenced. Reciting the Dhyân as in Mâdhyandina, Mahâdeva offered everything, pronouncing the principal Radical Mantra, “Om Hrîm S’rîm Klîm Sarvapujye Devî Mangala Chandîke Hum Phat Svâhâ” is the twenty-one lettered Mantra of Mangala Chandî. During worship, the Kalpa Vriksa, the tree yielding all desires, must be worshipped. O Nârada! By repeating the Mantra ten lakhs of times, the Mantra Siddhi (success in realising the Deity inherent in the Mantra) comes. Now I am saying about the Dhyânam of Mangal Chandî as stated in the Vedas and as approved by all. Listen. “O Devî Mangala Chandîke! Thou art sixteen years old; Thou art ever youthful; Thy lips are like Bimba fruits, Thou art of good teeth and pure. Thy face looks like autumnal lotus; Thy colour is like white champakas; Thy eyes resemble blue lilies; Thou art the Preserver of the world and thou bestowest all sorts of prosperity. Thou art the Light in this dark ocean of the world. So I meditate on Thee.” This is the Dhyânam. Now hear the stotra, which Mahâdeva recited before Her.
26-37. Mahâdeva said :-- Protect me, Protect me, O Mother! O Devî Mangal Chandîke! Thou, the Destroyer of difficulties! Thou givest joy and good. Thou art clever in giving delight and fortune. Thou the bestower of all bliss and prosperity! Thou, the auspicious, Thou art Mangala Chandîkâ. Thou art Mangalâ, worthy of all good, Thou art the auspicious of all auspicious; Thou bestowest good to the good persons. Thou art worthy to be worshipped on Tuesday (the Mangala day); Thou art the Deity, desired by all. The King Mangala, born of Manu family always worships Thee. Thou, the presiding Devî of Mangala; Thou art the repository of all the good that are in this world. Thou, the Bestower of the auspicious Moksa. Thou, the best of all; Thou, the respository of all good; Thou makest one cross all the Karmas; the people worship Thee on every Tuesday; Thou bestowest abundance of Bliss to all. Thus praising Mangala Chandîkâ with this stotra, and worshipping on every
Tuesday, S’ambhu departed. The Devî Sarva Mangalâ was first worshipped by Mahâdeva. Next she was worsh ipped by the planet Mars; then by the King Mangala; then on every Tuesday by the ladies of every household. Fifthly she was worshipped by all men, desirous of their welfare. So in every universe Mangal Chandîkâ, first worshipped by Mahâdeva, came to be worshipped by all. Next she came to be worshipped everywhere, by the Devas, Munis, Mânavas, Manus. O Muni! He who hears with undivided attention this stotra of the Devî Mangala Chandîkâ, finds no evils anywhere. Rather all good comes to him. Day after day he gets sons and grandsons and so his prosperity gets increased, yea, verily increased!
38-58. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Thus I narrated to you the stories of Sasthî and Mangala Chandîkâ, according to the Vedas. Now hear the story of Manasâ that I heard from the mouth of Dharama Deva.
Manasâ is the mind-born daughter of Maharsi Kas’yapa; hence she is named Manasâ; or it may be She who plays with the mind is Manasâ. Or it may be She who meditates on God with her mind and gets rapture in Her meditation of God is named Manasâ. She finds pleasure in Her Own Self, the great devotee of Visnu, a Siddha Yoginî. For three Yugas She worshipped S’rî Krisna and then She became a Siddha Yoginî. S’rî Krisna, the Lord of the Gopîs, seeing the body of Manasâ lean and thin due to austerities, or seeing her worn out like the Muni Jarat Kâru called her by the name of Jarat Kâru. Hence Her name has come also to be Jarat Kâru. Krisna, the Ocean of Mercy, gave her out of kindness, Her desired boon; She worshipped Him and S’rî Krisna also worshipped Her. Devî Manasâ is known in the Heavens, in the abode of the Nâgas (serpents), in earth, in Brahmâloka, in all the worlds as of very fair colour, beautiful and charming. She is named Jagad Gaurî as she is of a very fair colour in the world. Her other name is S’aivî and she is the disciple of S’iva. She is named Vaisnavî as she is greatly devoted to Visnu. She saved the Nâgas in the Snake Sacrifice performed by Pariksit, she is named Nages’varî and Nâga Bhaginî and She is capable to destroy the effects of poison. She is called Visahari. She got the Siddha yoga from Mahâdeva; hence She is named Siddha Yoginî; She got from Him the great knowledge, so she is called Mahâ Jñanayutâ, and as she got Mritasamjîvanî (making alive the dead) she is known by the name of Mritasanjîvanî. As the great ascetic is the mother of the great Muni Âstîk, she is known in the world as Âstîka mâtâ. As She is the dear wife of the great high-souled Yogi Muni Jarat Kâru, worshipped by all, she is called as Jarat
Kârupriya, Jaratkâru, Jagadgaurî, Manasâ, Siddha Yoginî, Vaisnavî,
Nâga Bhaginî, S'aivi, Nages’varî, Jaratkârupriyâ, Âstikamâtâ, Visahari, and Mahâ Jñanayutâ; these are the twelve names of Manasâ, worshipped everywhere in the Universe. He who recites these twelve names while worshipping Manasâ Devî, he or any of his family has no fear of snakes. If there be any fear of snakes in one’s bed, if the house be infested with snakes or if one goes to a place difficult for fear of snakes or if one’s body be encircled with snakes, all the fears are dispelled, if one reads this stotra of Manasâ. There is no doubt in this. The snakes run away out of fear from the sight of him who daily recites the Manasâ stotra. Ten lakhs of times repeating the Manasâ mantra give one man success in the stotra. He can easily drink poison who attains success in this stotra. The snakes become his ornaments; they carry him even on their backs. He who is a great Siddha can sit on a seat of snakes and can sleep on a bed of snakes. In the end he sports day and night with Visnu.
Here ends the Forty-seventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on Manasâ’s story in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLVIII
On the anecdote of Manasâ
1-30. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I will now speak of the Dhyânam and the method of worship of S’rî Devî Manasâ, as stated in the Sâma Veda. Hear. “I meditate on the Devî Manasâ, Whose colour is fair like that of the white champaka flower, whose body is decked all over with jewel ornaments, whose clothing is purified by fire, whose sacred thread is the Nâgas (serpent), who is full of wisdom, who is the foremost of great Jñanins, who is the Presiding deity of the Siddhas, Who Herself is a Siddha and who bestows Siddhis to all.” O Muni! Thus meditating on Her, one should present Her, flowers, scents, ornaments, offerings of food and various other articles, pronouncing the principal Seed Mantra. O Nârada! The twelve lettered Siddha Mantra, to be mentioned below, yields to the Bhaktas their desires like the Kalpa Tree. Now the Radical mantra as stated in the Vedas is “Om Hrîm S’rîm Klîm Aim Manasâ Devyai Svâhâ.” Repetition of this, five lakhs of times, yields success to one who repeats. He who attains success in this mantra gets unbounded name and fame in this world. Poison becomes nectar to him and he himself becomes famous like Dhanvantari. O Nârada! If anybody bathes on any Samkrânti day (when the sun enters from one sign to another) and going to a private room (hidden room), invokes the Devî
Manasâ Îs’ânâ and worships Her with devotion, or makes sacrifices of animals before the Devî on the fifth day of the fortnight, he becomes certainly wealthy, endowed with sons and name and fame. Thus I have described to you the method of worship of Manasâ Devî. Now hear the anecdote of the Devî as I heard from Dharma. In olden days, men became greatly terrified on earth from snakes and took refuge of Kas’yapa, the supreme amongst the Munis. The Maharsi Kas’yapa became very afraid. He then with Brahmâ, and by His command composed a mantra following the principal motto of the Vedas. While composing this mantra, he intensely thought of the Devî, the Presiding Deity of that Mantra, through the power of his Tapasyâ and through the mental power, the Devî Manasâ appeared and was named so, as She was produced from the sheer influence of mind. On being born, the girl went to the abode of S’ankara in Kailâs’a and began to worship Him and chant hymns to Him with devotion. For one thousand Divine years, the daughter of Kas’yapa served Mahâdeva when He became pleased. He gave her the Great Knowledge, made Her recite the Sâma Veda and bestowed to her the eight-lettered Krisna mantra which is like the Kalpa Tree. S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Krisnâya Namah was the eight lettered Mantra. She got from Him the Kavacha (amulet) auspicious to the three worlds, the method of worship and all the rules of Purascharana (repetition of the name of a deity attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.) and went by His command to perform in Puskara very hard austerities. There she worshipped Krisna for the three Yugas. S’rî Krisna then appeared before Her. On seeing Krisna, immediately the girl, worn out by austerities, worshipped Him, and she was also worshipped by S’rî Krisna. Krisna granted her the boon, “Let you be worshipped throughout the world” and departed. O Nârada! She was thus first worshipped by the Supreme Spirit, the Devî Krisna; secondly by S’ankara; thirdly by the Maharsi Kas’yapa and the Devas. Then she was worshipped by the Munis, Manus, Nâgas, and men; and She became widely renowned in the three worlds. Kas’yapa gave Her over to the hands of Jaratkâru Muni. At the request of the Brâhmin Kas’yapa, the Muni Jarat Kâru married Her. After the marriage, one day, being tired with his long work of Tapasyâ, Jarat Kâru laid his head on the hip and loins of his married wife and fell fast asleep. Gradually the evening came in. The sun set. Then Manasâ thought, “If my husband fails to perform the Sandhyâ, the daily duty of the Brâhmanas, he would be involved in the sin of Brahmahatyâ. It is definitely stated in the S’âstras, that if any Brâhmana does not perform his Sandhyâ in the morning and in the evening, he becomes wholly impure and the sins
Brahmahattyâ and other crimes come down on his head.” Arguing thus, these thoughts in her mind, as commanded by the Vedas, at last she awakened her husband, who then got up from his sleep.
31-60. The Muni Jarat Kâru said :-- “O Chaste One! I was sleeping happily. Why have you thus interrupted my sleep? All his vows turn out useless who injures her husband. Her tapas, fastings, gifts, and other meritorious works all come to vain who do things unpleasant to her husband. If she worships her husband, she is said to have worshipped S’rî Krisna. For the sake of fulfilling the vows of the chaste women, Hari himself becomes their husbands. All sorts of charities, gifts, all sacrifices, fastings, practising all the virtues, keeping to truth, worshipping all the Devas, nothing can turn out equal to even one-sixteenth part of serving one’s husband. She ultimately goes with her husband to the region of Vaikuntha, who serves her husband in this holy land Bhârata. She comes certainly of a bad family who does unpleasant acts to her husband or who uses unpleasant words to her husband. She goes to the Kumbhîpâka hell as long as the Sun and Moon last and then she becomes born as a Chandâlî, without husband and son.” Speaking thus, Jarat Kâru, the best of the Munis, became angry and his lips began to tremble. Seeing this, the best Manasâ, shivering with fear, addressed her husband :--
I have broken your sleep and awakened you, fearing you might miss your time of Sandhyâ. I have committed an offence. Punish me as you think. I know that a man goes to the Kâlasûtra hell as long as the Sun and Moon last in this world, who throws an obstacle when any man eats, sleeps or enjoys with the opposite sex. O Nârada! Thus saying, the Devî Manasâ fell down at the feet of her husband and cried again and again. On the other hand, knowing the Muni angry, and ready to curse her, the Sun came there with Sandhyâ Devî. And He humbly spoke to him with fear :-- “O Bhagavân! Seeing Me going to set, and fearing that you may miss Dharma, your chaste wife has awakened you. O Brâhmin! Now I am also under your refuge; forgive me. O Bhagavân! You should not curse Me. The more so, a Brâhmana’s heart is as tender as the fresh butter. The anger of a Brâhman lasts only half the twinkling of an eye (Ksan). When a Brâhmana becomes angry, he can burn all this world and can make a new creation. So who can possess an influence like a Brâhmana. A Brâhmin is a part of Brahmâ; he is shining day and night with the Tejas of Brahmâ. A Brâhmana meditates always on the Eternal Light of Brahmâ.” O Nârada! Hearing the words of the Sun, the Brâhmin became satisfied and blessed Him. The Sun also went to His own place, thus blessed daily. To keep his promise, the Brâhmin Jaratkâru quitted
Manasâ. She became very sorry and began to cry aloud with pain and anguish. Being very much distressed by the then danger, she remembered Her Îsta Deva, Mahâdeva, Brahmâ, Hari and Her father Maharsi Kas’yapa. On the very instant when Manasâ remembered S’rî Krisna, the Lord of the Gopis, Mahâdeva, Brahmâ and Maharsi Kas’yapa appeared there. Then seeing his own desired Deity S’rî Krisna, superior to Prakriti, beyond the attributes, Jaratkâru began to praise Him and bowed down to Him repeatedly. Then bowing down to Mahâdeva, Brahmâ and Kas’yapa, he enquired why they had come there. Brahmâ, then, instantly bowed down at the lotus feet of Hrisîkes’a and spoke in befitting words at that time if the Brâhmin Jaratkâru leaves at all his legal wife, devoted to her own Dharma, he should first of all have a son born of her to fulfil his Dharma. O Muni! Any man can quit his wife, after he has impregnated her and got a son. But if without having a son, he leaves his wife, then all his merits are lost as all water leaks out of a sieve or a strainer. O Nârada! Hearing thus the words of Brahmâ, the Muni Jaratkâru by his Yogic power recited a Mantra and touching the navel of Manasâ spoke to her :-- “O Manasâ! A son will be born in your womb self-controlled, religious, and best of the Brâhmanas.
61-77. That son will be fiery, energetic, renowned, well-qualified the foremost of the Knowers of the Vedas, a great Jñânin and the best of the Yogis. That son is a true son, indeed, who uplifts his family who is religious and devoted to Hari. At his birth all the Pitris dance with great joy. And the wife is a true wife who is devoted to her husband, good-natured and sweet-speaking and she is religious, she is the mother of sons, she is the woman of the family and she is the preserver of the family. He is the true friend, indeed, the giver of one’s desired fruits, who imparts devotion to Hari. That father is a true father who shows the way to devotion to Hari. And She is the True Mother, through whom this entering into wombs ceases for ever, yea, for ever! That sister is the true kind sister from whom the fear of Death vanishes. That Guru is the Guru who gives the Visnu Mantra and the true devotion to Visnu. That Guru is the real bestower of knowledge who gives the Jñânam by which S’rî Krisna is meditated in whom this whole universe, moving and non-moving from the Brahmâ down to a blade of grass, is appearing and disappearing. There is no doubt in this. What knowledge can be superior to that of S’rî Krisna. The knowledge derived from the Vedas, or from the sacrifices or from any other source is not superior to the service to S’rî Krisna. The devotion and knowledge of S’rî Hari is the Essence of all knowledge; all else is vain and mockery. It is through this Real Knowledge; that this bondage from this world is severed. But the Guru who does not impart this devotion
and knowledge of S’rî Hari is not the real Guru; rather he is an enemy that leads one to bondage. Verily he kills his disciple when he does not free him. He can never be called a Guru, father or friend who does not free his disciple from the pains in the various wombs and from the pains of death. Verily he can never be called a friend who does not show the way to the Undecaying S’rî Krisna, the Source of the Highest Bliss. So, O Chaste One! You better worship that Undecaying Para Brahmâ S’rî Krisna, Who is beyond the attributes. O Beloved! I have left you out of a pretence; please excuse me for this. The chaste women are always forgiving; never they become angry because they are born of Sattvagunas. Now I go to Puskara for Tapasyâ; you better go wherever you like. Those who have no desire have their minds always attached to the lotus feet of S’rî Krisna.” O Nârada! Hearing the words of Jaratkâru, the Devî Manasâ became very much distressed and bewildered with great sorrow. Tears began to flow from her eyes. She then humbly spoke to her dearest husband :-- “O Lord! I have not committed any such offence, as you leave me altogether when I have thus broken your sleep.
78-115. However kindly show Thyself to me when I will recollect you. The bereavement of one’s friend is painful; more than that is the bereavement of a son. Again one’s husband is dearer than one hundred sons; so the bereavement of one’s husband is the heaviest of all. To women, the husband is the most beloved of all earthly things; hence he is called Priya, i.e., dear. As the heart of one who has only one son is attached to that son, as the heart of a Vaisnava is attached to S’rî Hari; as the mind of one-eyed man to his one eye, as the mind of the thirsty is attached to water, as the mind of the hungry is attached to food, as the mind of the passionate is attached to lust, as the mind of a thief is attached to the properties of others, as the mind of a lewd man to his prostitute, as the mind of the learned is attached to the S’âstras, as the mind of a trader is attached to his trade, so the minds of chaste women are attached to their husbands.” Thus saying, Manasâ fell down at the feet of her husband. Jaratkâru, the ocean of mercy, then, took her for a moment on his lap and drenched her body with tears from his eyes. The Devî Manasâ, too, distressed at the bereavement of her husband also drenched the lap of the Muni with tears from her eyes. Some time after, the true knowledge arose in them and they both became free from fear. Jaratkâru then enlightened his wife and asked her to meditate on the lotus feet of S’rî Krisna the Supreme Spirit repeatedly; thus saying he went away for his Tapasyâ. Manasâ, distressed with sorrow, went to his Îsta Deva Mahâdeva on Kailâs’a. The auspicious S’iva and Pârvatî both consoled her with knowledge and advice. Some days after, on an
auspicious they and on an auspicious moment she gave birth to a son born in part of Nârâyana, and as the Guru of the Yogis and as the Preceptor of the Jñânins. When the child was in mother’s womb, he heard the highest knowledge from the mouth of Mahâdeva; therefore he was born as a Yogîndra and the Spiritual Teacher of the Jñânins. On his birth, Bhagavân S’ankara performed his natal ceremonies and performed various auspicious ceremonies. The Brâhmanas chanted the Vedas for the welfare of the child; various wealth and jewels and Kirîtas and invaluable gems were distributed by S’ankara to the Brâhmanas; and Pârvatî gave one lakh cows and various jewels to others. After some days, Mahâdeva taught him the four Vedas with their Angas (six limbs) and gave him, at last, the Mrityumjaya Mantra. As in Manasâ’s mind there reigned the devotion to her husband, the devotion to her Îsta Deva and Guru, the child’s name was kept Âstika.
Âstika then got the Mahâ Mantra from S’ankara and by his command went to Puskara to worship Visnu, the Supreme Spirit. There he practised tapasyâ for three lakh divine years. And then he returned to Kailâs’a, to bow down to the great Yogi and the Lord S’ankara, Then, bowing down to S’ankara, he remained there for some time when Manasâ with her son Âstika went to the hermitage of Kas’yapa, her father. Seeing Manasâ with son, the Maharsi’s gladness knew no bounds. He fed innumerable Brâhmanas for the welfare of the child, and distributed lakhs and lakhs of jewels. The joy of Aditi and Diti (the wives of Kas’yapa) knew no bounds; Manasâ remained there for a long, long time with his son. O Child! Hear now an anecdote on this. One day due to a bad Karma, a Brâhmana cursed the king Pariksit, the son of Abhimanyu; one Risi’s son named S’ringî, sipping the water of the river Kaus’ikî cursed thus :-- “When a week expires, the snake Taksaka will bite you, and you will be burnt with the poison of that snake Taksaka.” Hearing this, the King Pariksit, to preserve his life, went to a place, solitary where wind even can have no access and he lived there. When the week was over, Dhanvantari saw, while he was going on the road, the snake Taksaka who was also going to bite the king. A conversation and a great friendship arose between them; Taksaka gave him voluntarily a gem; and Dhanvantari, getting it, became pleased and went back gladly to his house. The king Pariksit was lying on his bed-stead when Taksaka bit the king. The king died soon and went to the next world. The king Janamejaya then performed the funeral obsequies of his father and commenced afterwards the Sarpa Yajñâ (a sacrifice where the snakes are the victims). In that sacrifice, innumerable snakes gave up their lives by the Brahmâ Teja (the fire of the Brâhmins). At this, Taksaka became
terrified and took refuge of Indra. The Brâhmins, then, in a body, became, ready to burn Taksaka along with Indra, when, Indra and the other Devas went to Manasâ. Mahendra, bewildered with fear, began to chant hymns to Manasâ. Manasâ called his own son Âstika who then went to the sacrificial assembly of the king Janamejaya and begged that the lives of Indra and Taksaka be spared. The king, then, at the command of the Brâhmanas, granted their lives. The king, then, completed his sacrifice and gladly gave the Daksinâs to the Brâhmins. The Brâhmanas, Munis, and Devas collected and went to Manasâ and worshipped Her separately and chanted hymns to Her. Indra went there with the various articles and He worshipped Manasâ with devotion and with great love and care; and He chanted hymns to Her. Then bowing down before Her, and under the instructions of Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a, offered her sixteen articles, sacrifices and various other good and pleasant things. O Nârada! Thus worshipping Her, they all went to their respective places. Thus I have told you the anecdote of Manasâ. What more do you want to hear. Say.
Nârada said :-- “O Lord! How did Indra praise Her and what was the method of His worshipping Her; I want to hear all this.”
116-124. Nârâyana said :-- Indra first took his bath; and, performing Âchamana and becoming pure, He put on a fresh and clean clothing and placed Manasâ Devî on a jewel throne. Then reciting the Vedic mantras he made Her perform Her bath by the water of the Mandâkinî, the celestial river Ganges, poured from a jewel jar and then He made Her put on the beautiful clothing, uninflammable by fire. Then He caused sandalpaste to be applied to Her body all over with devotion and offered water for washing Her feet and Arghya, an offering of grass and flowers and rice, etc., as a token of preliminary worship. First of all the six Devatâs Ganes’a, Sun, Fire, Visnu, S’iva, and S’ivâ were worshipped. Then with the ten lettered mantra, “Om Hrîm S’rîm Manasâ Devyai Svâhâ” offered all the offerings to Her. Stimulated by the God Visnu, Indra worshipped with great joy the Devî with sixteen articles so very rare to any other person. Drums and instruments were sounded. From the celestial heavens, a shower of flowers was thrown on the head of Manasâ. Then, at the advice of Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a, the Devas and the Brâhmanas, Indra, with tears in his eyes, began to chant hymns to Manasâ, when his whole body was thrilled with joy and hairs stood on their ends.
125-145. Indra said :-- “O Devî Manase! Thou standest the highest amongst the chaste women. Therefore I want to chant hymns to
Thee. Thou art higher than the highest. Thou art most supreme. What I now praise Thee? Chanting hymns is characterised by the description of one’s nature; so it is said in the Vedas. But, O Prakriti! I am unable to ascertain and describe Thy qualities. Thou art of the nature of S’uddha Sattva (higher than the pure sattva unmixed with any other Gunas); Thou art free from anger and malice. The Muni Jaratkâru could not forsake Thee; therefore it was that he prayed for Thy separation before. O Chaste One! I have now worshipped Thee. Thou art an object of worship as my mother Aditi is. Thou art my sister full of mercy; Thou art the mother full of forgiveness. O Sures’varî! It is through Thee that my wife, sons and my life are saved. I am worshipping Thee. Let Thy love be increased. O World-Mother! Thou art eternal; though Thy worship is extant everywhere in the universe; yet I worship Thee to have it extended further and further. O Mother! Those who worship Thee with devotion on the Sankrânti day of the month of Âsûdha, or on the Nâga Pañchamî day, or on the Sankrânti day of every month or on every day, they get their sons and grandsons, wealth and grains increased and become themselves famous, well gratified, learned and renowned. If anybody does not worship Thee out of ignorance, rather if he censures Thee, he will be bereft of Laksmî and he will be always afraid of snakes. Thou art the Griha Laksmî of all the householders and the Râja Laksmî of Vaikuntha. Bhagavân Jarat Kâru, the great Muni, born in part of Nârâyana, is Thy husband. Father Kas’yapa has created Thee mentally by his power of Tapas and fire to preserve us; Thou art his mental creation; hence thy name is Manasâ. Thou Thyself hast become Siddha Yoginî in this world by thy mental power; hence thou art widely known as Manasâ Devî in this world and worshipped by all. The Devas always worship Thee mentally with devotion; hence the Pundits call Thee by the name of Manasâ. O Devî! Thou always servest Truth, hence Thou art of the nature of Truth. He certainly gets Thee who always thinks of Thee verily as of the nature of truth.” O Nârada! Thus praising his sister Manasâ and receiving from her the desired boon, Indra went back, dressed in his own proper dress, to his own abode. The Devî Manasâ, then, honored and worshipped everywhere, and thus worshipped by her brother, long lived in Her father’s house, with Her son.
One day Surabhi (the heavenly cow) came from the Goloka and bathed Manasâ with milk and worshipped Her with great devotion and revealed to Her all the Tattva Jñânas, to be kept very secret. (This is now made the current story wherever any Lingam suddenly becomes visible.) O Nârada! Thus worshipped by the Devas and Surabhi, the Devî Manasâ went to the Heavenly regions. O Muni! One gets no fear from snakes who recites
this holy Stotra composed by Indra and worships Manasâ; his family descendants are freed from the fear due to snakes. If anybody becomes Siddha in this Stotra, poison becomes nectar to him. Reciting the stotra five lakhs of times makes a man Siddha in this Stotra. So much so that he can sleep on a bed of snakes and he can ride on snakes.
Here ends the Forty-eighth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Manasâ in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter XLIX
On the anecdote of Surabhi
1. Nârada said :-- “O Bhagavân! Who was that Surabhi, who came down from the region of Goloka. I want to hear Her life. Kindly describe.”
2-23. Nârâyana spoke :-- “O Devarsi! The Devî Surabhi sprang in the Goloka. She was the first in the creation of cows; and, from Her, all the other cows have come. She is the Presiding Deity of the cows. I will now speak Her history from the very beginning. Hear. Before, She appeared in the holy Vrindâban. One day the Lord of Râdhâ, surrounded by the Gopîs, was going gladly with Râdhâ to the Holy Vrindâvan. There he began to enjoy in a solitary place with great pleasure. He is All Will and suddenly a desire arose in His mind that He would drink milk. Then He created easily the Devî Surabhi, full of milk, with Her calf, from His own left side. The calf of Surabhi is nothing else but Her wish personified. Seeing Surabhi, S’rîdâma milked Her in a new earthen jar. The milk is more sweet than even the nectar and it prevents birth and death! The Lord of the Gopîs drank the milk. What milk dropped out of the jar, created a big tank! The tank measured one hundred Yojanas in length and in breadth and is known in Goloka by the name of Ksîrasâgara. The Gopîkas and Râdhâ play therein. At the will of S’rî Krisna, Whose Nature is All Will, that tank become full of excellent gems and jewels. Then, from every pore of Surabhi, there appeared suddenly one lakh koti Kâmadhenus (cows who yields according to one’s desires). So much so that every Gopa who used to live there in Goloka had one Kâmadhenu and each house had one such. Their calves again became so many that no limit can be put to them. Thus, by degrees, the whole universe was filled with cows. This is the origin of the Cow Creation. O Nârada! Surabhi was first worshipped by Bhagavân S’rî Krisna. Therefore She is so much honoured everywhere. On the day next the Divâlî night (new moon in the month of October), Surabhi was worshipped by the command of S’rî Krisna. This is heard from the mouth of Dharma Deva. O Child! Now hear the Dhyânam, Stotra, and the method of worship of Surabhi as
mentioned in the Vedas. I will now speak on this. “Om Surabhyai namah,” is the principal six-lettered mantra of Surabhi. If anybody repeats this mantra one lakh times, he becomes Siddha in this mantra. This is like Kalpa Vriksa (a tree yielding all desires) to the devotees. The Dhyânam of Surabhi is mentioned in the Yajur Vedas. Success, prosperity, increase and freedom come as the result of worshipping Surabhi. The Dhyânam runs as follows :-- “O Devî Surabhi! Thou art Laksmî, Thou art best, Thou art Râdhâ; Thou art the chief companion of S’rî Râdhâ, Thou art the first and the source of the cow-creation, Thou art holy and Thou sanctifiest the persons; Thou fufillest the desires of the devotees and Thou purifiest the whole universe. Therefore I meditate on Thee.” Reciting this Dhyânam, the Brâhmanas worship the Devî Surabhi in jars, on the heads of cows, or on the pegs where cows are fastened or on S’âlagrâma stone or in water or in fire. O Muni! He who worships with devotion on the next day morning after Divâlî night, becomes also worshipped in this world. Once a day in the Vârâhakalpa Surabhi did not yield milk, by the influence of Visnu Mâyâ. The Devas became very anxious. Then they went to the Brahmaloka and began to praise Brahmâ. At His advice, Indra began to chant hymns (Stotra) to Surabhi :--
24-33. The Devendra said :-- “O World-Mother! O Devî! O Mahâ Devî! O Surabhi! Thou art the source of the cow creation. Obeisance to Thee! Thou art the dear companion of Râdhâ; Thou art the part of Kamalâ; Thou art dear to S’rî Krisna; Thou art the mother of cows, I bow down to Thee. Thou art like the Kalpa Vriksa (a tree yielding all desires), Thou art the Chief of all; Thou yieldest milk, wealth and prosperity and increase thereof. So I bow down to Thee. Thou art auspicious, Thou art good, Thou bestowest cows. Obeisance to Thee! Thou givest fame, name and Dharma. So I bow down to Thee.” O Nârada! Thus hearing the praise sung by Indra, the eternal Surabhi, the originator of the world, became very glad and appeared in the Brahmaloka. Granting boon to Mahendra, so very rare to others and desired by him, Subrabhi went to the Goloka. The Devas, also, went back to their own abodes. The whole world was now full of milk; clarified butter came out of the milk; and from clarified butter sacrifices began to be performed and the Devas were fed and they became pleased. O Child! He who recites this holy Stotra of Surabhi with devotion, gets cows, other wealth, name, fame and sons. The reciting of this Stotra qualifies one as if he had bathed in all the sacred places of pilgrimages and he had acquired the fruits of all the sacrifices. Enjoying happiness in this world, be goes in
the end to the Temple of S’rî Krisna. There living long in the service of Krisna, he becomes able to be a son of Brahmâ.
Here ends the Forty-ninth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Surabhi in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE NINTH BOOK
Chapter L
On the Glory of S’akti
1-4. Nârada said :-- “O Bhagavân! I have heard all the anecdotes of Prakriti, as according to the S’âstras, that lead to the freedom from birth and death in this world. Now I want to hear the very secret history of S’rî Râdhâ and Durgâ as described in the Vedas. Though you have told me about their glories, yet I am not satisfied. Verily, where is he whose heart does not melt away on hearing the glories of both of them! This world is originated from their parts and is being controlled by them. The devotion towards them frees one easily from the bonds of Samsâra (rounds of birth and death). O Muni! Kindly describe now about them.”
5-44. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I am now describing the characters of Râdhâ and Durgâ, as described in the Vedas; listen. I did not describe to anybody this Secret which is the Essence of all essences and Higher than the highest. This is to be kept very secret. Hearing this, one ought not to divulge it to any other body. Râdhâ presides over the Prâna and Durgâ presides over the Buddhi. From these two, the Mûlaprakriti has originated this world. These two S’aktis guide the whole world. From the Mahâvirât to the small insect, all, moving or non-moving, are under the Mûlaprakriti. One must satisfy them. Unless these two be satisfied, Mukti cannot be obtained.
Therefore one ought to serve Mûla Prakriti for Her satisfaction. Now of the two in Mûla Prakriti, I will describe fully the Râdhâ Mantra. Listen. Brahmâ, Visnu, and others always worship this mantra. The principal mantra is “S’rî Râdhâyai Svâhâ.” By this six lettered mantra Dharma and other fruits all are obtained with ease. If to this six lettered Mûla mantra Hrîm be added, it yields gems and jewels as desired. So much so, if thousand koti mouths and one hundred koti tongues are obtained, the glory of this mantra cannot be described. When the incorporeal voice of Mûla Prakriti was heard in the Heavens, this mantra was obtained, first by Krisna in the Râsa Mandalam in the region of Goloka where all love sentiments are played. (The Vedas declare him as Raso vai Sah). From Krisna, Visnu got the Mantra; from Visnu, Brahmâ got; from Brahmâ
Virât got, from Virât, Dharma, and from Dharma I have got this Mantra. Repeating that Mantra, I am known by the name of Risi. Brahmâ and the other Devas meditate always on the Mûla Prakriti with greatest joy and ecstasy. Without the worship of Râdhâ, never can the worship of S’rî Krisna be done. So men, devoted to Visnu, should first of all worship Râdhâ by all means. Râdhâ is the Presiding Deity of the Prâna of S’rî Krisna. Hence S’rî Krisna is so much subject to Râdhâ. The Lady of the Râsa Mandalam remains always close to Him. Without Her S’rî Krisna could not live even for a moment. The name Râdhâ is derived from “Râdhnoti” or fulfills all desires. Hence Mûla Prakriti is termed Râdhâ. I am the Risi of all the mantras but the Durgâ Mantra mentioned in this Ninth Skandha. Gâyatrî is the chhanda (mantra) of those mantras and Râdhikâ is the Devatâ of them. Really, Nârâyana is the Risi of all the mantras; Gâyatrî is the chhanda; Prânava (om) is the Vîja (seed) and Bhuvanes’varî (the Directrix of the world) is the S’akti. First of all the principal mantra is to be repeated six times; then meditation of the great Devî Râdhikâ, the S’akti of the Risis is to be done, as mentioned in the Sâma Veda. The meditation of Râdhâ is as follows :-- O Devî Radhike! Thy colour is like white Champaka flower; Thy face is like the autumnal Full Moon; Thy body shines with the splendour of ten million moons, Thy eyes look beautiful like autumnal lotus; Thy lips are red like Bimba fruits, Thy loins are very heavy and decked with the girdle (Kânchî) ornament; Thy face is always gracious with sweet smiles; Thy breasts defy the frontal globe of an elephant. Thou art ever youthful as if twelve years old; Thy body is adorned all over with ornaments! Thou art the waves of the ocean of S’ringâra (love sentiments.) Thou art ever ready to show Thy grace to the devotees; on Thy braid of hair garlands of Mallikâ and Mâlatî are shining; Thy body is like a creeping plant, very gentle and tender; Thou art seated in the middle of Râsa Mandalam as the Chief Directrix; Thy one hand is ready to grant boons and another hand expresses “Have no fear.” Thou art of a peaceful appearance; Thou art ever youthful; Thou art seated on a jewel throne; Thou art the foremost guide of the Gopîkâs; Thou art dearer to Krisna than even His life; O Parame’svarî! The Vedas reveal Thy nature. Meditating thus, one is to bathe the Devî on a S’âlagrâma stone, jar, yantra or the eight petalled lotus and then worship Her duly. First the Devî is to be invoked; then Pâdya and Âsana, etc., are to be offered, the principal Mantra being pronounced at every time an offering
is given. After giving water for washing both the feet, Arghya is to be placed on the head and Âchamanîyam water to be offered three times on the face. Madhuparka (an oblation of honey, milk etc.) and a cow giving a good quantity of milk are next to be offered. Then the yantra is to be thought of as the bathing place where the Devî is to be bathed. Then Her body is to be wiped and a fresh cloth given for putting on. Sandalpaste and various other ornaments are next to be given. Various garlands of flowers with Tulasî Manjari (flower stalks) Pârijâta flower and Satapatra etc., then, are to be offered. Then within the eight petals, the family members of the Devî are to be thought of; worship is next to be offered in the right hand direction (with the hands of the watch). First of all, Mâlâvatî on the petal in front of (on the east) the Devî, then Mâdhavî on the southeast corner, then Ratnamâlâ on the south, Sus’îlâ on the south-west, Sas’ikalâ on the west, Pârijâta on the north-west, Parâvatî on the north and the benefactious Sundarî on the north-east corner are to be worshipped in order. Outside this, Brâhmî and the other Mâtrikâs are to be worshipped and on the Bhûpûras (the entrances of the yantra,) the Regents of the quarters, the Dikpâlas and the weapons of the Devî, thunderbolt, etc., are to be worshipped . Then all the attendant Deities of the Devî are to be worshipped with scents and various other articles. Thus finishing the worship, one should chant the Stotra (hymns) named Sahasra-nâma (thousand names) Stotra with care and devotion. O Nârada! The intelligent man who worships thus the Râses’varî Devî Râdhâ, becomes like Visnu and goes to the Goloka.
He who performs the birthday anniversary of S’rî Râdhâ on the Full-Moon day of the month of Kârtik, gets the blessings of S’rî Râdhâ who remains near to him. For some reason Râdhâ, the dweller in Goloka was born in Brindâban as the daughter of Vrisavânu. However, according to the number of letters of the mantras that are mentioned in this chapter, Purascharana is to be made and Homa, one-tenth of Purascharana, is to be then performed. The Homa is to be done with ghee, honey, and milk; the three sweet things mixed with Til and with devotion.
45. Nârada said :-- “O Bhagavân; Now describe the Stotra (hymn) Mantra by which the Devî is pleased.”
46-100. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Now I am saying the Râdhâ Stotra. Listen. O Thou, the Highest Deity, the Dweller in Râsa Mandalam! I bow down to Thee; O Thou, the Chief Directrix of the Râsa Mandalam; O Thou dearer to Krisna than His life even, I bow down to Thee. O Thou, the Mother of the three Lokas! O Thou the Ocean of
mercy! Be pleased. Brahmâ, Visnu and the other Devas bow down before Thy lotus feet. Thou art Sarasvatî; Thou art Savitrî; Thou art S’ankarî; I bow down to Thee; Thou art Gangâ; Thou art Padmâvatî; Thou art Sasthî; Thou art Mangalâ Chandikâ; Thou art Manasâ; Thou art Tulasî; Thou art Durgâ; Thou art Bhagavatî; Thou art Laksmî; Thou art all, I bow down to Thee. Thou art the Mûla Prakriti; Thou art the Ocean of mercy. Obeisance to Thee! Be merciful to us and save us from this ocean of Samsâra (round of birth and death). O Nârada! Anybody who remembers Râdhâ and reads this Stotra three times a day does not feel the want of anything in this world. He will ultimately go to Goloka and remain in the Râsa Mandalam. O Child This great secret ought never to be given out to any. Now I am telling you the method of worship of the Durgâ Devî. Hear. When any one remembers Durgâ in this world, all his difficulties and troubles are removed. It is not seen that anybody does not remember Durgâ. She is the object of worship of all. She is the Mother of all and the Wonderful S’akti of Mahâdeva. She is the Presiding Deity of the intellect (Buddhi) of all and She controls the hearts of all and She removes the great difficulties and dangers of all. Therefore She is named Durgâ in the world. She is worshipped by all, whether a S’aiva or a Vaisnava. She is the Mûla Prakriti and from Her the creation, preservation and destruction of the universe proceed. O Nârada! Now I am saying the principal nine lettered Durgâ Mantra, the best of all the Mantras. “Aim Hrîm Klîm Châmundâyai Vichche” is the nine lettered Vîja mantra of S’rî Durgâ; it is like a Kalpa Vriksa yielding all desires. One should worship this mantra by all means. Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes’a are the Risis of this mantra; Gâyatrî, Usnik and Anusthubha are the chhandas; Mahâkâlî, Mahâ Laksmî and Sarasvatî are the Devatâs; Rakta Dantikâ, Durgâ, and Bhrâmarî are the Vîjas. Nandâ, Sâkambharî, and Bhîmâ are the S’aktis and Dharma (Virtue), Artha (wealth) and Kâma (desires), are the places of application (Viniyoga). Assign the head to the Risi of the mantra (Nyâsa); assign the chhandas to the mouth and assign the Devatâ to the heart. Then assign the S’akti to the right breast for the success and assign the Vîja to the left breast.
Then perform the Sadamga Nyâsa as follows :-- Aim Hridayâya namah, Hrîm S’irase Svâhâ, Klîm S’ikhâyâm Vasat, Châmundâyai Kavachâya Hum, Vichche Netrâbhyâm Vausat, “Aim Hrîm Klîm Châmundâyai Vichche” Karatalaprisihâbhyâm Phat. Next say touching the corresponding parts of the body :-- “Aim namah S’ikhâyâm, Hrîm Namah” on the right eye; “Klîm Namah” on the left eye, “Châm Namah” on
the right ear, “Mum namah” on the left ear, ndam Namah” on the nostrils; “Vim Namah” on the face; “Chchem Namah” on the anus and finally “Aim Hrîm Klîm Châmundâyai Vichche” on the whole body. Then do the meditation (dhyân) thus :-- “O Châmunde! Thou art holding in Thy ten hands ten weapons, viz., Khadga (axe), Chakra (disc), Gadâ (club), Vâna (arrows), Châpa (bow), Parigha, Sûla (spear), Bhûs’undî Kapâla, and Khadga. Thou art Mahâ Kâlî; Thou art three-eyed; Thou art decked with various ornaments. Thou shinest like Lilânjan (a kind of black pigment). Thou hast ten faces and ten feet. The Lotus born Brahmâ chanted hymns to Thee for the destruction of Madhu Kaitabha; I bow down to Thee.” Thus one should meditate on Mahâ Kâlî, of the nature of Kâmavîja (the source whence will comes). Then the Dhyânam of Mahâ Laksmî runs as follows :-- O Mahâ Laksmî, the destroyer of Mahisâsura! Thou holdest the garland of Aksa (a kind of seed), Paras’u (a kind of axe), Gadâ (club), Isu (arrows), Kulis’a (the thunderbolt) Padmâ (Lotus), Dhanu (bow), Kundikâ (a student’s waterpot), Kamandalu, Danda (rod for punishment), S’akti (a kind of weapon), Asi (sword), Charma (shield) Padmâ (a kind of waterlily), Ghantâ (bell,) S’urâpâtra (a pot to hold liquor), S’ûla (pickaxe), Pâs’a (noose) and Sudarsana (a kind of weapon). Thy colour is of the Rising Sun. Thou art seated on the red Lotus. Thou art of the nature Mâyâvîja (the source whence female energy comes). So Obeisance to Thee! (The Vîja and the Devî are one and identical). Next comes the Dhyânam of Mahâ Sarasvatî as follows :-- O Mahâ Sarasvatî! Thou holdest bell, pickaxe, plough (Hala), Conch shell, Musala (a kind of club), Sudars’ana, bow and arrows. Thy colour is like Kunda flower; Thou art the destroyer of S’umbha and the other Daityas; Thou art of the nature of Vânîvîja (the source whence knowledge, speech comes). Thy body is filled with everlasting existence, intelligence and bliss. Obeisance to Thee! O Nârada! Now I am going to say on the Yantra of Mahâ Sarasvatî. Listen. First draw a triangle. Draw inside the triangle eight petalled lotus having twenty-four leaves. Within this draw the house. Then on the Yantra thus drawn, or in the S’âlagrâma stone, or in the jar, or in image, or in the Vânalingam, or on the Sun, one should worship the Devî with oneness of heart. Then worship the Pîtha, the deities seated also on the dais, i.e., Jayâ, Vîjayâ, Ajitâ, Aghorâ, Mangalâ and other Pîtha S’aktis. Then worship the attendant deities called Âvarana Pûjâ :-- Brahmâ with Sarasvatî on the east, Nârâyana with Laksmî on the Nairirit corner, S’ankara with Pârvatî on the Vâyu corner, the Lion on the north of the Devî, and Mahâsura on the left side of the Devî; finally worship Mahisa (buffalo). Next worship
Nandajâ, Raktadantâ, S’akambharî, S’ivâ, Durgâ, Bhîmâ, and Bhrâmarî. Then on the eight petals worship Brahmâ, Mahes’varî, Kaumârî, Vaisnavî, Vârâhî, Nâra Simhî, Aindrî, and Châmundâ. Next commencing from the leaf in front of the Devî, worship on the twenty four leaves Visnu Mâyâ, Chetanâ, Buddhi, Nidrâ (sleep), hunger, shadow, S’akti, thirst, peace, species (Jâti), modesty, faith, fame, Laksmî (wealth), fortitude, Vriti, S’ruti, memory, mercy, Tusti, Pusti (nourishment), Bhrânti (error) and other Mâtrikâs. Next on the corners of the Bhûpura (gates of the Yantra), Ganes’a Ksettrapâlas, Vatuka and Yoginîs are to be worshipped. Then on the outside of that Indra and the other Devas furnished with weapons are to be worshipped as per the aforesaid rules. For the satisfaction of the World-Mother various nice offerings and articles like those given by the royal personages are to be presented to the Mother; then the mantra is to be repeated, understanding its exoteric and esoteric meanings. Then Saptas’ati stitra (Chandî pâtha) is to be repeated before the Devî. There is no other stotra like this in the three worlds. Thus Durgâ, the Deity of the Devas, is to be appeased every day. He who does this gets within his easy reach Dharma, Artha, Kâma, and Moksa, the four main objects of human pursuits (virtue, wealth, enjoyment and final beatitude). O Nârada! Thus I have described to you the method of worship of the Devî Durgâ. People get by this what they want. Hari, Brahmâ, and all the Devas, Manus, Munis, the Yogîs full of knowledge, the Âs’ramîs, and Laksmî and the other Devas all meditate on S’ivânî. One’s birth is attained with success at the remembrance of Durgâ. The fourteen Manus have got their Manuship and the Devas their own rights by meditating on the lotus feet of Durgâ. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you the very hidden histories of the Five Prakritis and their parts. Then, verily, the four objects of human pursuits Dharma, Artha, Kâma and Moksa are obtained by hearing this. He who has no sons gets sons, who has no learning gets learning and whoever wants anything gets that if he hears this. The Devî Jagaddhâtrî becomes certainly pleased with him who reads with his mind concentrated on this for nine nights before the Devî. The Devî becomes obedient to him who daily reads one chapter of this Ninth Skandha and the reader also does what is acceptable to the Devî. To ascertain before-hand what effects, merits or demerits, would accrue from reading this Bhâgavata, it is necessary by examining through the hands of a virgin girl or a Brâhmin child, the auspicious or inauspicious signs. First make a Sankalpa (resolve) and worship the book. Then bow down again and again to the Devî Durgâ. Then bring there a virgin girl, bathed well and worship her duly and have a golden pencil fixed duly in her
hand and placed in the middle on the body. Then calculate the auspicious or inauspicious effects, as the case may be, from the curves made by that pencil. So the effects of reading this Bhâgavata would be. If the virgin girl be indifferent in fixing the pencil within the area drawn, know the result of reading the Bhâgavata would be similar. There is no doubt in this.
Here ends the Fiftieth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the Glory of S’akti in the Mahâpurânam S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Here ends the Ninth Book.
The Ninth Book Completed.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter I
On the story of Svâyambhuva Manu
1-6. Nârada said :-- O Nârâyana! O Thou, the Supporter of this whole world! The Preserver of all! Thou hast described the glorious characters of the Devî, that take away all the sins. Kindly describe now to me the several forms that the Devî assumed in every Manvantara in this world as well as Her Divine Greatness. O Thou, full of mercy! Describe also how and by whom She was worshipped and praised; how She, so kind to the devotees, having been thus pleased, fulfilled their desires. I am very eager to hear these, the very best and blissful characters of the Devî. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- Hear, O Maharsi! The glories and greatness of the Devî Bhagavatî leading to the devotion of the devotees, capable of giving all sorts of wealth and destroying all sins. From the navel lotus of Visnu, the holder of the Chakra (discus), was born Brahmâ, the Creator of this universe, the great Energetic One, and the Grand Sire of all the worlds.
7-14. The four faced Brahmâ, on being born, produced from His mind Svâyambhuva Manu and his wife S’atarûpâ, the embodiment of all virtues. For this very reason, Svâyambbuva Manu has been known as the mind-born son of Brahmâ. Svâyambhuva Manu got from Brahmâ the task to create and multiply; he made an earthen image of the Devî Bhagavatî, the Bestower of all fortunes, on the beach of the sanctifying Ksîra Samudra (ocean of milk) and he engaged himself in worshipping Her and began to repeat the principal mystic mantra of Vâgbhava (the Deity of Speech). Thus engaged in worship, Svâyambhuva Manu conquered by and by his breath and food and observed Yama, Niyama and other vows and became lean and thin. For one hundred years he remained standing always on one leg and became successful in controlling his six passions lust, anger, etc. He meditated on the feet of that Âdyâ S'akti (the Primordial S'akti) so much that he became inert like a vegetable or mineral matter. By his Tapas the Devî, the World Mother appeared before him and said :-- “O King! Ask divine boons from Me.” Hearing these joyous words, the King wanted his long cherished and heart-felt boon, so very rare to the Devas.
15-22. Manu said :-- O Large eyed Devî! Victory to Thee, residing in the hearts of all! O Thou honoured, worshipped! O Thou! the Upholdress of the world! O Thou, the Auspicious of all auspicious!
By Thy Gracious Look, it is that the Lotus born has been able to create the worlds; Visnu is perserving and Rudra Deva is destroying in a minute. By Thy command it is that Indra, the Lord of S'achî, has got the charge of controlling the three Lokas; and Yama, the Lord of the departed, is awarding fruits and punishing according, to their merits or demerits, the deceased ones. O Mother! By Thy Grace, Varuna, the holder of the noose, has become the lord of all aquatic creatures and is preserving them; and Kuvera, the lord of the Yaksas, has become the lord of wealth. Agni (fire), Nairrit, Vâyu (wind), Îs'âna and Ananta Deva are Thy parts and have grown by Thy power. Then, O Devî! If Thou desirest to grant me my desired boon, then, O Thou! the Auspicious One! Let all the great obstacles to my work of procreating in this universe and increasing my dominions die away. And if anybody worships this great Vâgbhava Mantra or anybody hears with devotion this history or makes others hear this, they all shall be crowned with success and enjoyment and Mukti be easy to them.
23-24. Specially they would get the power to remember their past lives, acquire eloquence in speaking, all round beauty, success in obtaining knowledge, success in their deeds and especially in the increase of their posterity and children. O Bhagavatî! This is what I want most.
Here ends the First Chapter of the Tenth Book on the story of Svâyambhuva Manu in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter II
On the conversation between Nârada and the Bindhya Mountain
1-6. The Devî said :-- “O King! O Mighty armed One! All these I grant unto you. Whatever you have asked for, I give them to you. I am very much pleased with your hard Tapasyâ and with your Japam of the Vâgbhava Mantra. Know Me that My power is infallible in killing the Lords of the Daityas. O Child! Let your kingdom be free from enemies and let your prosperity be increased. Let your devotion be fixed on Me and in the end you will verily get Nirvâna Mukti.” O Nârada! Thus granting the boon to the highsouled Manu the Great Devî disappeared before him and went to the Bindhya Range. O Devarsi! This Bindhya mountain increased in height so much so that it was well nigh on the way to prevent the course of the Sun when it was arrested by Mahârsi Agastya, born of a kumbha (water jar). The younger sister of Visnu, Varades'varî, is staying here as Bindhyavâsinî. O Best of the Munis! This Devî is an object of worship of all.
7-8. Saunaka and the other Risis said :-- O Sûta! Who is that Bindhya Mountain? And why did He intend to soar high up to the Heavens to resist the Sun's course? And why was it that Agastya, the son of Mitrâvaruna quietened that rising mountain? Kindly describe all these in detail.
9-15. O Saint! We are not as yet satisfied with hearing the Glories of the Devî, the ambrosial nectar, that have come out of your mouth. Rather our thirst has been increased. Sûta said :-- O Risis! There was the Bindhya Mountain, highly honoured and reckoned as the chief of the mountains on the earth. It was covered with big forests and big trees. Creeping plants and shrubs flowered these and it looked very beautiful. On it were roaming deer, wild boars, buffaloes, monkeys, hares, foxes, tigers and bears, stout and cheerful, with full vigour and all very merrily. The Devas, Gandharbhas, Apsarâs, and Kinnaras come here and bathe in its rivers; all sorts of fruit trees can be seen here. On such a beautiful Bindhya Mountain, came there one day the ever joyful Devarsi Nârada on his voluntary tour round the world. Seeing the Mahârsi Nârada, the Bindhya Mountain got up and worshipped him with pâdya and arghya and gave him a very good Âsana to sit. When the Muni took his seat and found himself happy, the Mountain began to speak.
16-17. Bindhya said :-- “O Devarsi! Now be pleased to say whence you are coming; your coming here is so very auspicious! My house is sanctified today by your coming. O Deva! Your wandering is, like the Sun, the cause of inspiring the beings with freedom from fear. So, O Nârada! Kindly give out your intention as to your coming here which seems rather wonderful.”
18-28. Nârada said :-- “O Bindhya! O Enemy of Indra! (Once the mountains had a very great influence. Indra cut off their wings and so destroyed their influence. Hence the mountains are enemies of Indra). I am coming from the Sumeru Mountain. There I saw the nice abodes of Indra, Agni, Yama, and Varuna. There I saw the houses of these Dikpâlas (the Regents of the several quarters), which abound in objects of all sorts of enjoyments.” Thus saying, Nârada gave out a heavy sigh. Bindhya, the king of mountains, seeing the Muni heaving a long sigh, asked him again with great eagerness, “O Devarsi! Why have you heaved such a long sigh? Kindly say.” Hearing this, Nârada said :-- “O Child! Hear the cause why I sighed. See! The Himâlayâ Mountain is the father of Gaurî and the father-in-law of Mahâdeva; therefore he is the most worshipped of all the mountains. The Kailâs'a Mountain again, is the residence of Mahâdeva; hence that is also
worshipped and chanted as capable of destroying all the sins. So the Nisadha, Nîla, and Gandhamâdana and other mountains are worshipped at their own places. What more than this, that the Sumeru Mountain, round whom the thousand-rayed Sun, the Soul of the universe, circumambulates along with the planets and stars, thinks himself the supreme and greatest amongst the mountains, “I am the supreme; there is none like me in the three worlds.” Remembering this self-conceit of Sumeru, I sighed so heavily. O Bindhya! We are asceties and though we have no need to discuss these things, yet by way of conversation I have told this to you. Now I go to my own abode.”
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Tenth Book on the conversation between Nârada and the Bindhya Mountain in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter III
On the obstruction of the Sun’s course by the Bindhya Mountain
1-16. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Thus advising, the Devarsi, the great Jñanî and Muni going wherever he likes, went to the Brahmaloka. After the Muni had gone, the Bindhya became immersed in great anxiety and becoming always very sorrowful, could not get peace. What shall I do now so as to overthrow Meru? Until I do that, I won't be able to get the peace of my mind or my health. The highsouled persons always praised me for my enthusiasm and energy. Fie to my energy, honour, fame and family! Fie to my strength and heroism! O Risis! With all these cogitations in his mind, Bindhya came finally to this crooked conclusion :-- “Daily the Sun, stars and planets circumambulate round the Sumeru; hence Sumeru is always so arrogant; now if I can resist the Sun's course in the heavens by my peaks, He will not be able to circumambulate round the Sumeru. If I can do this, certainly I will be able to curb the Sumeru in his pride.” Thus coming to a conclusion, Bindhya raised his arms that were the peaks high up to the heavens and blocking the passage in the Heavens, remained so and passed that night with great uneasiness and difficulty, thinking when the Sun would rise and he would obstruct His passage. At last, when the morning broke out, all the quarters were clear. The Sun, destroying the darkness, rose in Udaya Giri. The sky looked clear with His rays; the lotus, seeing Him, blew out with joy; while the excellent white water-lilies, at the bereavement of the Moon, contracted their leaves and closed as if at the separation of one's lover, gone to a distant place. The people began to do their own works on the appearance of the day; the worship of the gods, the offerings to the Gods,
the Homas and the offerings to the Pitris were set a going on (in the morning, afternoon and evening respectively). The Sun marched on in His course. He divided the day into three parts, morning, midday, and afternoon. First of all he consoled the eastern quarter which seemed like a woman suffering from the bereavement of her lover; then he consoled the south eartern corner; then as He wanted to go quickly towards the south, His horses could not go further. The charioteer Aruna, seeing this, informed the Sun what had happened.
17. Aruna spoke :-- “O Sun! The Bindhya has become very jealous of the Sumeru as You circumambulate round the Sumeru Mountain daily. He has risen very high and obstructed your course in the Heavens, hoping that you would circumambulate round him. He is thus vying with the Sumeru Mountain.”
18-26. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Hearing the words of Aruna, the charioteer, the Sun began to think thus :-- “Oh! The Bindhya is going to obstruct My course! What can a great hero not do, when he is in the wrong path? Oh! My horses' motions are stopped to-day! The fate is the strongest of all (Because Bindhya is strong today by Daiva, therefore he is doing this). Even when eclipsed by Râhu (the ascending node) I do not stop for a moment even; and now obstructed in My passage, I am waiting here for a long time. The Daiva is powerful; what can I do?” The Sun's course having been thus obstructed, all from the Gods to the lowest became helpless and could not make out what to do. Chitragupta and others ascertain their time through the Sun's course; and that Sun is now rendered motionless by the Bindhya mountain! What a great adverse fate is this! When the Sun was thus obstructed by the Bindhya out of his arrogance, the sacrifices to the Devas, the offerings to the Pitris all were stopped; the world was going to rack and ruin. The people that lived on the west and south had their nights prolonged and they remained asleep. The people of the east and the north were scorched by the strong rays of the Sun and some of them died; some of them lost their health and so forth. The whole earth became devoid of S'râddhas and worships and a cry of universal distress arose on all sides. Indra and the other Devas became very anxious and began to think what they should do at that moment.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Tenth Book on the obstruction of the Sun's course by the Bindhya Mountain in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter IV
On the Devas going to Mahâ Deva
1-2. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Then Indra and all the other Devas taking Brahmâ along with them and placing Him at the front, went to Mahâdeva and took His refuge. They bowed down to Him and chanted sweet and great hymns to Him, Who holds Moon on His forehead, Deva of the Devas, thus :--
3-5. O Thou, the Leader of the host of Gods! Victory to Thee! O Thou, Whose lotus feet are served by Umâ, Victory to Thee! O Thou, the Giver of the eight Siddhis and Vibhûtis (extraordinary powers) to Thy devotees, Victory to Thee! O Thou, the Background of this Great Theatrical Dance of this Insurmountable Mâyâ! Thou art the Supreme Spirit in Thy True Nature! Thou ridest on Thy vehicle, the Bull, and residest in Kâilâs'a; yet Thou art the Lord of all the Devas. O Thou, Whose ornament is snakes, Who art the Honoured and the Giver of honours to persons! O Thou! the Unborn, yet comprising all forms, O Thou S'ambhu! That findest pleasure in this Thy Own Self! Victory toThee!
6-9. O Thou, the Lord of Thy attendants! O Thou, Giris'a! The Giver of the great powers, praised by Mahâ Visnu! O Thou, That livest in the heart lotus of Visnu, and deeply absorbed in Mahâ Yoga! Obeisance to Thee! O Thou that can'st be known through Yoga, and nothing but the Yoga itself; Thou, the Lord of the Yoga! We bow down to Thee. Thou awardest the fruits of yoga to the Yogins. O Thou, the Lord of the helpless! The Incarnate of the ocean of mercy! The Relief of the diseased and the most powerful! O Thou, whose forms are the three gunas, Sattva, Rajo, Tamas! O Thou! Whose Emblem (carrier) is the Bull (Dharma); Thou art verily the Great Kâla; yet Thou art the Lord of Kâla! Obeisance to Thee! (The Bull represents the Dharma or Speech).
10. Thus praised by the Devas, who take the offerings in sacrifices the Lord of the Devas, whose emblem is Bull, smilingly told the Devas in a deep voice :--
11. O Thou, the excellent Devas! The residents of the Heavens! I am pleased with the praises that you have sung of Me. I will fulfil the desires of you, all the Devas.
12-15. The Devas said :-- O Lord of all the Devas! O Giris'a! Thou whose forehead is adorned with Moon! O Thou, the Doer of good to the distressed. O Thou, the Powerful! Dost Thou do good to us. O Thou, the Sinless One! The Bindhya Mountain has become jealous of the Sumeru Mountain, and has risen very high up in the Heavens and he has obstructed the Sun's course, thereby causing great troubles to all. O
Thou, the Doer of good to all! O Îs'âna! Dost Thou check the mountain's abnormal rise. How can we fix time if the Sun's course be obstructed! And when there is no knowledge, what is now the time, the sacrifices to the Devas and the offerings to the Pitris are now almost dead and gone. O Deva! Who will now protect us? We see Thee as the Destroyer of the fear of us and of those who are terrified. O Deva! O Lord of Giris'â! Be pleased with us.
16-18. S’rî Bhagavân said :-- O Devas! I have no power to curb the Bindhya Mountain. Let us go to the Lord of Ramâ and pay our respects to Him. He is our Lord, fit to be worshipped. He is Gobinda, Bhagavân Visnu, the Cause of all causes. We will go to Him and tell Him all our sorrows. He will remove them.
19. Hearing thus the words of Girîs'a, Indra and the other Devas with Brahmâ placed Mahâdeva at their front and went to the region of Vaikuntha, trembling with fear.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the going of the Devas to Mahâdeva in the Mahâ Purânam S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter V
On the Devas going to Visnu
1-5. Sûta said :-- Then the Devas, on arriving at Vaikuntha, saw the Lord of Laksmî, the Deva of the Devas, the World-Teacher, with his eyes beautiful like Padmâ Palâsa (lotus-leaves), shining with brilliance and began to praise Him in a voice choked with intense feelings of devotion, thus :-- “Victory to Visnu! O Lord of Ramâ! Thou art prior to the Virât Purusa. O Enemy of the Daityas! O Thou, the Generator of desires in all and the Bestower of the fruits of those desires to all! O Gobinda! Thou art the Great Boar and Thou art of the nature of Great Sacrifices! O Mahâ Visnu! O Lord of Dharma! Thou art the Cause of the origin of this world! Thou didst support the earth in Thy Fish Incarnation for the deliverance of the Vedas! O Thou Satyavrata of the form of a Fish! We bow down to Thee. O Thou! The Enemy of the Daityas! The Ocean of mercy! Thou dost do the actions of the Devas out of mercy. O Thou! the Tortoise Incarnation! That grantest Mukti to others! Obeisance to Thee!
6-18. O Thou! That didst assume the form of a Boar for the destruction of the Daityas Jaya and others and for raising the earth from the waters! Obeisance to Thee! Thou didst assume that form - Half man and half Lion of the Nrisimha Mûrti and tore asunder
Hiranya Kas'ipu, proud of his boons, by Thy nails. We bow down to Thee! Obeisance to Thee! That in Thy Dwarf Incarnation, didst deceive Bali, whose head got crazed by the acquisition of the kingdom over the three Lokas. We bow down to Thee, that in Thy Paras'u Râma Incarnation, didst slay Kârta Vîryâryuna, the thousand handed, and the other wicked Ksattriyas! Obeisance to Thee! That wert born of the womb of Renukâ as the son of Jamadagni. Obeisance to Thee, of great prowess and valour, that in Thy Râma Incarnation as the son of Das'aratha, didst cut off the heads of the wicked Râksasa, the son of Pulastya! We bow down again and again to Thee, the Great Lord, that in Thy Krisna incarnation, didst deliver this earth from the clutches of the wicked King Duryodhana, Kamsa and others and didst establish the religion by removing the then prevailing vicious ideas and doctrines. We bow down to Thy Buddha Incarnation, that Great Deva who didst come down here to put a stop to the slaughtering of the innocent animals and to the performance of the wicked sacrificial ceremonies! Obeisance to the Deva! When almost all the persons in this world will turn out in future as Mlechchas and when the wicked Kings will oppress them, right and left, Thou wilt then incarnate Thyself again as Kalki and redress all the grievances! We bow down to Thy Kalki Form! O Deva! These are Thy Ten Incarnations, for the preservation of Thy devotees, for the killing of the wicked Daityas. Therefore Thou art called as the Great Reliever of all our troubles. O Thou! Victory to Thee! The Deva Who assumest the forms of women and water for destroying the ailings of the devotees! Who else can be so kind! O Thou, the Ocean of mercy!” O Risis! Thus praising the yellow robed Visnu, the Lord of all the Devas, the whole host of the Devas bowed down to Him and made Shâstâmgas. Then Visnu Gadâdhara, hearing their hymns, gladdened them and spoke :--
19-27. S’rî Bhagavâna said :-- “O Devas! I am pleased with your stotra. You need not be sorrowful. I will remove all your troubles that have become unbearable to you. O Devas! I am very glad to hear the praises that you have offered on Me. Better ask boons from Me. I will grant them though very rare even and obtained with difficulty. Any person who rises early in the morning and recites with devotion this stotra sung by you, will never experience any sorrow. O Devas! No poverty, no bad symptoms, no Vetâlas nor planets nor Brahmâ Râksasas nor any misfortunes will overtake him. No disease, due to Vâta (windy temperament), Pitta (bile) and Kapha (phlegm) nor untimely death will visit him. His family will not
be extinct and happiness will always reign there. O Devas! This stotra can give everything. Both the enjoyment and freedom will come within anyone's easy access. There is no doubt in this. Nov what is your difficulty? Give out. I will remove it at once. There is not a bit of doubt in this.” Hearing these words of S’rî Bhagavân, the Devas became glad and spoke to Visnu.
Here ends the Fifth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the Devas' going to Visnu, in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter VI
On the Devas praying to the Muni Agastya
1-6. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Hearing the words of the Lord of Laksmî, all the Devas became pleased and they spoke. The Devas said :-- O Deva of the Devas! O Mahâ Visnu! O Thou, the Creator, Preserver and the Destroyer of the Universe! O Visnu! The Bindhya mountain has risen very high and it has stopped the Sun's course. Therefore all the works on earth are suspended. We are not receiving our share of Yajñas. Now where we will go, what we will do, we do not know. S’rî Bhagavân said :-- “O Devas! There is now in Benares the Muni Agastya of indomitable power, in devoted service of that Primordial S'akti Bhagavatî, the Creatrix of this Universe. This Muni alone can put a stop to this abnormal Bindhya Range. Therefore it behoves you all to go to that fiery Dvija Agastya at Benares where the people get Nirvâna; the Highest Place and pray to him (to kindly fulfil your object).”
7-19. Sûta said: -- O Risis! Thus ordered by Visnu, the gods felt themselves comforted and, saluting Him, went to the city of Benares.
In a moment they went to the Holy City of Benares, and bathing there at the Manikarnikâ ghât, worshipped the Devas with devotion and offered Tarpanas to the Pitris and duly made their charities. Then they went to the excellent Âs'rama of the Muni Agastya. The hermitage was full of quiet quadruped animals; adorned with various trees, peacocks, herons, geese and Chakravâkas and various other birds, tigers, wolves, deer, the wild boars, rhinoceros, young elephants, Ruru deer and others. Though there were the ferocious animals, yet the place was free from fear and it looked exceedingly beautiful. On arriving before the Muni, the gods fell prostrate before him and bowed down again and again to him. They then chanted hymns to him and said :-- O Lord of Dvijas! O Thou honoured and most worshipful! Victory to Thee. Thou art sprung from a water jar. Thou art the destroyer of
Vâtâpî, the Asura. Obeisance to Thee! O Thou, full of S’rî, the son of Mitrâvaruna! Thou art the husband of Lopâmudrâ. Thou art the store house of all knowledge. Thou art the source of all the S'âstras. Obeisance to Thee! At Thy rise, the waters of the ocean become bright and clear; so obeisance to Thee! At Thy rise (Canopus) the Kâs'a flower blossoms. Thou art adorned with clots of matted hair on Thy head and Thou always livest with Thy disciples. S’rî Râma Chandra is one of Thy chief disciples. O great Muni! Thou art entitled to praise from all the Devas! O Best! The Store-house of all qualities! O great Muni! We now bow down to Thee and Thy wife Lopâmudrâ! O Lord! O very Energetic! We all are very much tormented by an unbearable pain inflicted on us by the Bindhya Range and we therefore take refuge of Thee. Be gracious unto us. Thus praised by the gods, the highly religious Muni Agastya, the twice born, smiled and graciously said :--
20-27. O Devas! You are the lords of the three worlds, superior to all, highsouled, and the preserver of the Lokas. If you wish, you can favour, disfavour, do anything. Especially He who is the Lord of heavens, whose weapon is the thunderbolt, and the eight Siddhis are ever at his service is your Indra, the Lord of the Devas. What is there that he cannot do? Then there is Agni, Who burns everything and always carries oblations to the gods and the Pitris, Who is the mouth piece of the Devas. Is there anything impracticable with him! O Devas! Then again Yama is there amongst you, the Lord of the Râksasas, the Witness of all actions, and always quick in giving punishment to the offenders, that terrible looking Yama Râja. What is there that he cannot accomplish?
Still, O Devas! if there be anything required by you that awaits my co-operation, give out at once and I will do it undoubtedly. Hearing these words of the Muni, the Devas became very glad and joyfully began to say what they wanted. O Mahârsi! The Bindhya mountain has risen very high and thwarted the Sun's course in the Heavens. A cry of universal distress and consternation has arisen and the three worlds are now verging to the ruins. O Muni! Now what we want is this that Thou, by Thy power of Tapas, curbest the rise of this Bindhya Mountain. O Agastya! Certainly, by Thy fire and austerities, that mountain will be brought down and humiliated. This is what we want.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the Devas' praying to the Muni Agastya for checking the abnormal rise of the Bindhya Range in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the checking of the rise of the Bindhya Range
1-21. Sûta said :-- Hearing the words of the Devas, Agastya, the Best of the Brâhmins promised that he would carry out their works. O Risis! All the Devas then became very glad when the Muni, born of the water jar, promised thus. They then bade good-bye to him and went back gladly to their own abodes. The Muni then spoke to his wife thus :-- “O daughter of the King! The Bindhya Mountain has baffled the progress of the Sun's course and has thus caused a great mischief. What the Munis, the Seers of truths said before referring to Kâs’î, all are now coming to my mind when I am thinking why this disturbance has overtaken me. They said that various hindrances would come to him at every step, who is a Sâdhu intending to settle at Kâs'î. Let him who wants Mukti, never quit Kâs'î, the Avimukta place in any case. But, O Dear! Today I have got one hindrance during my stay at Kâs'î.” Thus talking with much regret on various subjects with his wife, the Muni bathed in the Manikarnikâ ghât, saw the Lord Vis'ves'vara worshipped Dandapânî and went to the Kâla Bhairava. He said in the following terms :-- “O Mighty armed Kâlabhairava! Thou destroyest the fear of the Bhaktas; Thou art the God of this Kâs'î City. Then why art Thou driving me away from this Kâs'îdhâm. O Lord! Thou removest all the obstacles of the devotees and Thou preservest them. Then why, O Destroyer of the sorrows of the Bhaktas! art Thou removing me from here? Never I blamed others; nor did I practise any hypocrisy with any person nor did I lie; then under what sin, Thou art driving me away from Kâs'î.” O Risis! Thus praying to Kâla Bhairava, the Muni Agastya, born of water jar and the husband of Lopâmudrâ, went to Sâksi Ganes'a, the Destroyer of all evils and seeing and worshipping Him, went out of Kâs'î and proceeded to the south. The Muni, the ocean of great fortune, left Kâs'î; but he became very much distressed to leave it and he remembered it always. He began to march on with his wife. As if riding on his car of asceticism he arrived at the Bindhya mountain in the twinkling of an eye and saw that the Mountain had risen very high and obstructed the passage of the Sun in the Heavens. The Bindhya Mountain, seeing the Muni Agastya in front, began to tremble and as if desirous to speak something to the earth in a whisper became low and dwarfish and bowed down to the Muni and fell down with devotion in sâstângas with devotion just like a stick dropped flat on the ground before the Muni.
Seeing the Bindhya thus low, the Muni Agastya became pleased and spoke with a gracious look :-- “O Child! Better remain in this state until I come back. For, O Child! I am quite unable to ascend to your lofty heights.” Thus saying, the Muni became eager to go to the south; and, crossing the peaks of the Bindhya, alighted gradually again to the plains. He went on further to the south and saw the S’rî S'aila Mountain and at last went to the Malayâchala and there, building his Âs'rama (hermitage), settled himself. O Saunaka! The Devî Bhagavatî, worshipped by the Muni went to the Bindhya Mountain and settled there and became known, in the three worlds, by the name of Bindhyavâsinî.
22-26. Sûta said :-- Anybody who hears this highly pure narrative of the Muni Agastya and Bindhya, becomes freed of all his sins. All his enemies are destroyed in no time. This hearing gives knowledge to the Brâhmanas, victory to the Ksattriyas, wealth and corn to the Vais'yas and happiness to the S’ûdras.
If anybody once hears this narrative, he gets Dharma if he want Dharma, gets unbounded wealth if he wants wealth and gets all desires if he wants his desires fulfilled. In ancient times Svâyambhuva Manu worshipped this Devî with devotion and got his kingdom for his own Manvantara period. O Saunaka! Thus I have described to you the holy character of the Devî in this Manvantara. What more shall I say? Mention please.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Tenth Book on the checking of the rise of the Bindhya Range in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter VIII
On the origin of Manu
1. Saunaka said :-- “O Sûta! You have described the beautiful narrative of the first Manu Svâyambhuva. Now kindly describe to us the narratives of other highly energetic Deva-like Manus.”
2-3. Sûta said :-- “O Risis! The very wise Nârada, well versed in the knowledge of S’rî Devî, hearing the glorious character of the first Svâyambhuva Manu, became desirous to hear of the other Manus and asked the Eternal Nârâyana :-- O Deva! Now favour me by reciting the origin and narratives of the other Manus.”
4. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! I have already spoken to you everything regarding the first Manu. He had worshipped the Devî Bhagavatî, and thus he got his foeless kingdom. You know that then.
5-24 Manu had two sons of great prowess, Priyavrata and Uttânapâda. They governed their kingdoms with fame. The son of this Priyavrata,
of indomitable valour, is known by the wise as the second Svârochisa Manu. Dear to all the beings, this Svârochisa Manu built his hermitage near the banks of the Kâlindî (the Jumnâ) and there making an earthen image of the Devî Bhagavatî, worshipped the Devî with devotion, subsisting on dry leaves and thus practised severe austerities. Thus he passed his twelve years in that forest; when, at last, the Devî Bhagavatî, resplendent with brilliance of the thousand Suns, became visible to him. She got very much pleased with his devotional stotrams. The Devî, the Saviour of the Devas, and Who was of good vows, granted to him the sovereignty for one Manvantara. Thus the Devî became famous by the name Târinî Jagaddhâtrî. O Nârada! Thus, by worshipping the Devî Târinî, Svârochisa obtained safely the foeless kingdom. Then establishing the Dharma duly, he enjoyed his kingdom with his sons; and, when the period of his manvantara expired, he went to the Heavens. Priyavrata's son named Uttama became the third Manu. On the banks of the Ganges, be practised tapasyâ and repeated the Vîja Mantra of Vâgbhava, in a solitary place for three years and became blessed with the favour of the Devî. With rapt devotion he sang hymns wholly to the Devî with his mind full; and, by Her boon, got the foeless kingdom and a continual succession of sons and grandsons. Thus, enjoying the pleasures of his kingdom and the gifts of the Yuga Dharma, got in the end, the excellent place, obtained by the best Râjarsis. A very happy result. Priyavarata's another son named Tâmasa became the fourth Manu. He practised austerities and repeated the Kâma Vîja Mantra, the Spiritual Password of Kâma on the southern banks of the Narmadâ river and worshipped the World Mother. In the spring and in the autumn he observed the nine nights' vow ( the Navarâtri) and worshipped the excellent lotus eyed Deves'î and pleased Her. On obtaining the Devî's favour, he chanted excellent hymns to Her and made pranâms. There he enjoyed the extensive kingdom without any fear from any foe or from any other source of danger. He generated, in the womb of his wife, ten sons, all very powerful and mighty, and then he departed, to the excellent region in the Heavens.
The young brother of Tâmasa, Raivata became the Fifth Manu and practised austerities on the banks of the Kâlindî (the Jumnâ) and repeated the Kâma Vîja Mantra, the spiritual password of Kâma, the resort of the Sâdhakas, capable to give the highest power of speech and to yield all the Siddhis, and thus he worshipped the Devî. He obtained excellent heavens, indomitable power, unhampered and capable of all success and a continual line of sons, grandsons, etc. Then the unrivalled excellent hero Raivata Manu established the several divisions of Dharma and enjoying all the worldly pleasures, went to the excellent region of Indra.
Here ends the Eighth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the origin of Manu in the Mahâpuranam S'ri Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter IX
On the narrative of Châksusa Manu
1-7. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I will now narrate the supreme glories of the Devî and the anecdote how Manu, the son of Anga, obtained excellent kingdom by worshipping the Devî Bhagavatî. The son of the king Anga, named Châksusa became the Sixth Manu. One day he went to the Brahmârsi Pulaha Risi and taking his refuge said :-- O Brahmârsi! Thou removest all the sorrows and afflictions of those that come under Thy refuge; I now take Thy refuge. Kindly advise Thy servant how he may become the Lord of an endless amount of wealth. O Muni! What can I do so that I may get the sole undisputed sway over the world? How my arms can wield the weapons and manipulate them so that they may not be baffled? How my race and line be constant and my youth remain ever the same, undecayed? And how can I, in the end, attain Mukti? O Muni! Kindly dost Thou give instructions to me on these points and oblige. Hearing thus, the Muni wanted him to worship the Devî and said :-- “O King! Listen attentively to what I say you today. Worship today the all auspicious S'akti; by Her grace, all your desires will be fulfilled.”
8. Châksusa said :-- “O Muni! What is that very holy worship of S’rî Bhagavatî? How to do it? Kindly describe all these in detail.”
9-20. The Muni said :-- O King! I will now disclose all about the excellent Pûja of the Devî Bhagavatî. Hear. You recite (mentally) always the seed mantra of Vâkbhava (Speech) (The Deity being Mahâ Sarasvatî). If any one makes japam (recites slowly) of the Vâkbhava Vîja thrice a day, one gets both the highest enjoyment here and, in the end, release (Mukti). O Son of a Ksattriya! There is no other Vîja Mantra (word) better than this of Vâk (the Word). Through the Japam of this Vîja Mantra comes the increase of strength and prowess and all successes. By the Japam of this, Brahmâ is so powerful and has become the Creator; Visnu preserves the Universe and Mahes'vara has become the Destroyer of the Universe. The other Dikpâlas (the Regents of the quarters) and the other Siddhas have become very powerful by the power of this Mantra, and are capable of favouring or disfavouring others. So, O King! You, too, worship the Devî of the Devas, the World Mother and ere long you will become the Lord of unbounded wealth. There is no doubt in
this. O Nârada! Thus advised by Pulaha Risi, the son of the King Anga went to the banks of the Virajâ river to practise austerities. There the king Châksusa remained absorbed in making Japam of the Vâkbhava Vîja Mantra and took for his food the leaves of the trees that dropped on the ground and thus practised severe austerities.
The first year he ate leaves; the second year he drank water and in the third year he sustained his life by breathing air simply and thus remained steady like a pillar. Thus he remained without food for twelve years. He went on making Japam of the Vâkbhava Mantra and his heart and mind became purified. While he was sitting alone, absorbed in the meditation of the Devî Mantra, there appeared before him suddenly the Parames'varî, the World Mother, the Incarnate of Laksmî. The Highest Deity, full of dauntless fire and the Embodiment of all the Devas, spoke graciously in sweet words to Châksusa, the son of Anga.
21-29. O Regent of the earth! I am pleased with your Tapasyâ. Now ask any boon that you want. I will give that to you. Châksusa said :-- “O Thou, worshipped by the Devas! O Sovereign of the Deva of the Devas! Thou art the Controller Inside; Thou art the Controller Outside. Thou knowest everything what I desire in my mind. Still, O Devî! When I am so fortunate as to see Thee, I say Thou grantest me the kingdom for the Manvantara period.” The Devî said :-- “O Best of the Ksattriyas! I grant unto you the kingdom of the whole world for one manvantara. You will have many sons, very powerful, indeed, and well qualified. Your kingdom will be free from any danger till at last you will certainly get Mukti.” Thus granting the excellent boon to Manu, She disappeared then and there, after being praised by Manu, with deep devotion. The Sixth Manu, then favoured by the Devî, enjoyed the sovereignty of the earth and other pleasures and became the best of the Manus. His sons became the devotees of the Devî, very powerful and expert and became respected by all and enjoyed the pleasures of the kingdom. Thus getting the supremacy by the worship of the Devî, the Châksusa Manu became merged in the end in the Holy Feet of the Devî.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the narrative of Châksusa Manu in the Mahâpurânam S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter X
On the anecdote of the King Suratha
1-4. Nârâyana said :-- Now the Seventh Manu is the Right Hon'ble His Excellency the Lord Vaivasvata Manu S'râddha Deva, honoured by all the kings, and the Enjoyer of the Highest Bliss, Brahmânanda. I will now speak of this seventh Manu. He, too, practised austerities before the Highest Devî and by Her Grace, got the sovereignty of the earth for one Manvantara.
The Eighth Manu is the Sun's son, known as Sâvarni. This personage, a devotee of the Devî, honoured by the kings, gentle, patient and powerful king Sâvarni worshipped the Devî in his previous births and, by Her boon, became the Lord of the Manvantara.
5. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! How did this Sâvarni Manu worship in his previous birth the earthen image of the Devî. Kindly describe this to me.
6-13. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! This Eighth Manu had been, before, in the time of Svârochisa Manu (the second Manu), a famous king, known by the name of Suratha, born of the family of Chaitra, and very powerful. He could well appreciate merits, clever in the science of archery, amassed abundance of wealth, a generous donor, a very liberal man and he was a celebrated poet and honoured by all. He was skilled in all arts of warfare with weapons and indomitable in crushing his foes. Once on a time, some of his powerful enemies destroyed the city of Kolâ, belonging to the revered king and succeeded in besieging his capital wherein he remained. Then the king Suratha, the conqueror of all his foes went out to fight with the enemies but he was defeated by them. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the king's ministers robbed him of all his wealth. The illustrious king then went out of the city and with a sorrowful heart rode alone on his horse on the plea of having a game and walked to and fro, as if, absent-minded.
14-25. The king, then, went to the hermitage of the Muni Sumedhâ, who could see far-reaching things (a Man of the Fourth Dimension). It was a nice, quiet Âs'rama, surrounded by quiet and peaceful animals and filled with disciples. There in that very sacred Âs'rama, his heart became relieved and he went on living there.
One day, when the Muni finished his worship, etc., the king went to him and saluted him duly and humbly asked him the following :-- “O Muni! I am suffering terribly from my mental pain. O Deva on the earth! Why I am suffering so much though I know everything, as if I am quite an ignorant man. After my defeat from my enemies, why does my mind become now
compassionate towards those who stole away my kingdom. O Best of the knowers of the Vedas! What am I to do now? Where to go? How can I make me happy? Please speak on these. O Muni! Now I am in want of your good grace.” The Muni said :-- “O Lord of the earth! Hear the extremely wonderful glories of the Devî that have no equal and that can fructify all desires. She, the Mahâ Mâyâ, Who is all this world, is the Mother of Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a. O King! Know verily that it is She and She alone, that can forcibly attract the hearts of all the Jîvas and throw them in dire utter delusion. She is always the Creatrix, Preservrix and Destructrix of the Universe in the form of Hara. This Mahâ Mâyâ fulfills the desires of all the Jîvas and She is known as the insurmountable Kâlarâtri. She is Kâlî, the Destructrix of all this universe and She is Kamalâ residing in the lotus. Know that this whole world rests on Her and it will become dissolved in Her. She is therefore, the Highest and Best. O King! Know, verily, that he alone can cross the delusion (Moha) on whom the Grace of the Devî falls and otherwise no one can escape from this Anâdi Moha.”
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the anecdote of the King Suratha in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter XI
On the killing of Madhu Kaitabha
1-2. The king Suratha spoke :-- “O Best of the twice born! Who is that Devî that you spoke just now? Why the Devî deludes all these beings? What for does She do so? Whence is the Devî born? What is Her Form? and what are Her qualities? O Brâhmin! Kindly describe all these to me.”
3-9. The Muni spoke :-- O King! I will now describe the nature of the Devî Bhagavatî and why does She take Her Form in due time. Listen. In ancient days, when Bhagavân Nârâyana, the king of the Yogis, was lying in deep sleep on the ocean on the bed of Ananta, after He had destroyed the Universe, there came out of the wax of his ear the two Dânavas, Madhu and Kaitabha, of monstrous appearances. They wanted to kill Brahmâ, who was lying on the lotus coming out of the navel of Bhagavân. Seeing the two Daityas Madhu and Kaitabha and seeing also Hari asleep the Lotus-born Brahmâ became very anxious and thought :-- Now Bhagavân is asleep; and these two indomitable Daityas are ready
to kill me. Now what am I to do? Where to go? How shall I get ease? O Child! Thus thinking, the high souled Lotus born suddenly came to a practical conclusion. He said :-- “Let me now take refuge to the Goddess Sleep, Nidrâ, the Mother of all and under Whose power Bhagavân Hari is now asleep.”
10-24. Brahmâ then began to praise Her thus :-- “O Devî of the Devas! O Upholdress of the world! Thou grantest desires of Thy devotees. O Thou auspicious! Thou art Para Brahmâ! By Thy Command all are doing respectively their works in their proper spheres! Thou art the Night of Destruction (Kâla Râtri); Thou art the Great Night (Mahâ Râtri). Thou art the greatly terrible Night of Delusion (Moha Râtri); Thou art omnipresent; omniscient; of the nature of the Supreme Bliss. Thou art regarded as the Great. Thou art highly worshipped; Thou art alone in this world as highly intoxicated; Thou art submissive to Bhakti only; Thou art the Best of all the things; Thou art sung as the Highest; Thou art modesty; Thou art Pusti (nourishment); Thou art forgiveness (Ksamâ); Thou art Beauty (Kânti); Thou art the embodiment of mercy; Thou art liked by all; Thou art adorned by the whole world; Thou art of the nature of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep; Thou art the Highest; Thou art alone Highest Deity; Thou art highly attached to the Supreme Bliss. There is no other thing than Thee. There is One only and that is Thee. Hence Thou art denominated as One; Thou becomest again the two by contact with Thy Mâyâ. Thou art the refuge of Dharma, Artha and Kâma; hence Thou Thou art Three; Thou art the Turîya (the fourth state of consciousness) hence Thou art Four. Thou art the God of the five elements; hence Thou art Panchamî (five); Thou presidest over the six passions Kâma, anger, etc.; hence Thou art Sasthî; Thou presidest over the seven days of the week and Thou grantest boons seven by seven; hence Thou art Seven. Thou art the God of the eight Vasus; hence Thou art Astamî; Thou art full of the nine Râgas and nine parts and Thou art the Goddess of nine planets; hence Thou art Navamî. Thou pervadest the ten quarters and Thou art worshipped by the ten quarters; hence Thou art named Das'amî (the tenth day of the fortnight); Thou art served by the Eleven Rudras, the Goddesses of eleven Ganas and Thou art fond of Ekâdas'î Tithi; hence Thou art denominated Ekâdas'î; Thou art twelve armed and the Mother of the twelve Âdityas; hence Thou art Dvâdas'î; Thou art dear to the thirteen Ganas; Thou art the presiding Deity of Visve Devas and Thou art the thirteen months including the Malas Mâsa (dirty month), hence Thou art Trayodas'î. Thou didst
grant boons to the fourteen Indras and Thou gavest birth to the fourteen Manus; hence Thou art Chaturdas'î. Thou art knowable by the Pañchadas'î. Thou art sixteen armed and on Thy forehead the sixteen digits of the Moon are always shining; Thou art the sixteenth digit (ray) of the Moon named Amâ; hence Thou art Sodas'î. O Deves'î! Thou, though attributeless and formless, appearest in these forms and attributes. Thou hast now enveloped in Moha and Darkness the Lord of Ramâ, the Bhagavân, the Deva of the Devas. These Daityas, Madhu and Kaitabha are indomitable and very powerful. So to kill them, Thou better dost awake the Lord of the Devas.”
25-34. The Muni said :-- Thus praised by the Lotus-born, the Tâmasi Bhagavatî (the Goddess of sleep and ignorance), the Beloved of Bhagavân, left Visnu and enchanted the two Daityas.
On being awakened, the Supreme Spirit Visnu, the Lord of the world, the Bhagavân, the Deva of the Devas, saw the two Daityas. Those two monstrous Dânavas, beholding Madhu Sûdana, came up before Him, ready to fight. The hand-to-hand fight lasted amongst them for five thousand years. Then the two Dânavas, maddened by their great strength, were enchanted by the Mâyâ of Bhagavatî and told the Supreme Deity, “Ask boon from us.” Hearing this, the Bhagavân Âdi Purusa, (the Prime Man) asked the boon that both of them would be killed that day by Him. Those two very powerful Dânavas spoke to Hari again, “Very well. Kill us on that part of the earth which is not under water.” O King! Bhagavân Visnu, the Holder of the conch and club, spoke :-- “All right. Indeed! Let that be so.”
Saying this He placed their heads on His thigh and severed them with His disc (chakra). O King! Thus Mahâ Kâlî, the Queen of all the Yogas arose on this occasion when the praise was offered Her by Brahmâ. O King! Now I will describe another account how this Mahâ Laksmî appeared on another occasion. Listen.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Tenth Book on the killing of Madhu Kaitabha in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter XII
On the anecdote of Sâvarni Manu
1-6. The Muni said :-- O King! The powerful Asura Mahisa, born of a she-buffalo, defeated all the Devas and became the Lord of the whole universe. That indomitable Dânava seized forcibly all
the rights of the Devas and began to enjoy the pleasures of the kingdom over the three worlds. The Devas, thus defeated, were expelled from their abodes in Heavens. They took Brahmâ as their Leader and went to the excellent regions where Mahâ Deva and Visnu resided and informed them of all that had been done by that vicious Asura Mahisa. They said :-- “O Deva of the Devas! The insolent Mahisâsura has become unbearable and he has taken possessions of the rights and properties of the whole host of the Devas and he is now enjoying them. Both of you are quite capable to destroy the Asura. So why do you not devise means to annihilate him in no time!”
7-10. Hearing these pitiful words of the Devas, Bhagavân Visnu became quite indignant. S’ankara, Brahmâ and the other Devas all were inflamed with anger. O King! From the face of the angry Hari, then emanated an Unusual Fire, brilliant like thousand Suns. Then by and by emanated fires also from the bodies of all the Devas who were filled then with joy. From the mass of fire thus emanated there came out a beautiful Female Figure. The face of this figure was formed out of the fire that emanated from the body of Mahâ Deva. Her hairs were formed out of the fire of Yama and Her arms were formed out of the fire that emanated from Visnu.
11-21. O King! From the fire of the Moon came out two breasts; from the fire of Indra came out Her middle portion; from the fire of Varuna, appeared Her loins and thighs; from the fire of Earth, Her hips were formed; from the fire of Brahmâ, Her feet were formed; from the fire of the Sun, Her toes were formed; from the fire of the Vasus, Her fingers were formed; from Kuvera's fire, Her nose came out; from the excellent tejas of Prajâpati, teeth; from the fire of Agni, Her three eyes; from the fire of the twilights, Her eye-brows and from the fire of Vâyu, Her ears appeared.
O Lord of men! Thus Bhagavatî Mahisamardinî was born of the Tejas (fiery substances) of the Devas. Next S’iva gave Her the S’ûla (weapon spear); Visnu gave Sudars'ana (Chakra); Varuna gave the conchshell; Fire gave S'akti (weapon); Vâyu gave Her bows and arrows; Indra gave Her thunder bolt and the bell of the elephant Airâvata; Yama gave Her the Destruction Staff (Kâla Danda); Brâmâ gave Her the Rudrâksa, rosary and Kamandalu; the Sun gave Her, in every pore the wonderful rays; the Time (Kâla) gave Her sharp axe and shield; the oceans gave Her the beautiful necklace and new clothes (two in number); Vis'vakarmâ gladly gave Her the crown, ear-rings,
kataka, Angada, Chandrârdha, tinklets; and the Himâlayâs gave Her the Lion as Her Vehicle and various gems and jewels.
22-30. Kuvera, the Lord of wealth gave Her the cup filled with the drink; Bhagavân Ananta Deva gave Her a necklace of snakes (Nâghâra). Thus the World Mother, the Devî, became honoured by all the Devas. The Devas, very much oppressed by Mahisâsura, then, chanted various hymns of praise to the World Mother Mâhes'varî Mahâ Devî.
Hearing their Stotras, the Deves'î, worshipped by the Devas, shouted aloud the War-Cry. O King! Mahisâsura, startled at that War-Cry, came to Bhagavatî with all his army corps. Then that great Asura Mahisa hurled various weapons in the air and overcast the sky with them and began to fight with great skill. The several generals Chiksura, Durdhara, Durmukha, Vâskala, Tâmraka, Vidâlâksa and various other innumerable generals as if Death incarnate, accompanied Mahisa, the chief Dânava. A fierce fight then ensued. Then the Devî Who enchants all the beings, became red-eyed with anger and began to kill the generals of the against party. When the generals were killed one by one Mahisâsura, skilled in the science of magic, came up quickly to the front of the Devî.
31-40. The Lord of the Dânavas, then, by his magic power, began to assume various forms. Bhagavatî, too, began to destroy his those forms. Then the Daitya, the crusher of the Devas, assumed the form of a buffalo and began to fight. The Devî then fastened the animal, the Asura, the Death of the Devas, tightly and cut off his head by Her axe. The remainder of his forces, then, fled away in terror and disorder with a loud cry. The Devas became very glad and began to chant hymns to the Devî. O King! Thus the Laksmî Devî appeared to kill Mahisâsura. Now I will describe how Sarasvatî appeared. Listen. Once on a time the two very powerful Daityas S’umbha and Nis'umbha were born. They attacked the Devas, oppressed them and seized their houses and rights. The Devas became dispossessed of their kingdoms and went to the Himâlayâs and offered stotras to the Devî with the greatest devotion :-- “O Deves’î! O Thou, skilled in removing the difficulties of the Bhaktas! Victory to Thee! O Thou, the Sinless One! Old age and death cannot touch Thee. O Thou! Death incarnate to the Dânavas! O Deves’î! O Thou, of mighty valour and prowess! O Thou, the embodiment of Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a! Unbounded is Thy might; Thou canst be easily reached by the power of devo-
tion. O Thou, the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer! O Mâdhavî! O Thou, the Giver of Bliss! Thou dancest with great joy at the time of the dissolution of all the things (Pralaya).
41-50. O Thou, full of mercy! O Deva Deves’î! Be gracious unto us. O Thou, the Remover of the sufferings of the refugees! We now come unto Thy protection. The terror of S’umbha and Nis'umbha is like an endless ocean unto us. Save, save us from their fast clutches. O Devî! save us O King! verily.” When the Devas praised thus, the daughter of the Himâlayâs, Bhagavatî became pleased and asked “What is the matter?” In the meanwhile, there emitted from the physical sheath of the Devî another Devî Kaus'ikî who gladly spoke to the Devas :-- “O Suras! I am pleased with Thy Stotra. Now ask the boon that you desire.” The Devas then asked for the following boon :-- “O Devî! The two famous Daityas S’umbha and Nis'umbha have attacked forcibly the three worlds. The wicked Lord of the Dânavas, S’umbha, has overcome us by the power of his arm and is now tormenting us without any break. Kindly devise some means to kill him.” The Devî said :-- “O Devas! Be patient. I will kill these two Daityas, S’umbha and Nis'umbha and thus remove the thorn on your way. At an early date I will do good to you.” Thus saying to Indra and the other Devas the merciful Devî disappeared at once before their eyes. The Deva with their hearts delighted went to the beautiful Sumeru Mountain and dwelt there in the caves thereof.
Here the servants of S’umbha and Nis'umbha Chanda and Munda, while they were making their circuits, saw the exquisitely beautiful Devî, the Enchantress of the world, and came back to S’umbha their King and said :--
51-60. “O Destroyer of enemies! O Giver of honour! O Greal King! You are the Lord of all the Daityas and are fit to enjoy all the gems and jewels. To-day we have seen an extraordinary beautiful woman jewel. She is fit to be enjoyed by you. So now you would better bring that perfectly beautiful woman and enjoy. No such enchanting women can be seen amongst the Asura women Nâga Kanyâs Gandharbha women, Dânavîs or men.” Hearing thus the words of the servant, S’umbha, the tormentor of the foes, sent a Daitya named Sugrîva as a messenger to Her. The messenger went to the Devî as early as possible and spoke to Her all that S’umbha had told him. “O Devî! The Asura S’umbha is now the conqueror of the three worlds and respected by the Devas. O Devî!
He is now enjoying all that is best, the gems and jewels; O Devî! I am his messenger sent here to convey to you his message as follows :-- O Devî! I am the sole enjoyer of all the jewels. O Beautiful-eyed! You are a gem; so you would worship me. O Fair One! All the gems and jewels that are in the Deva loka, in the Daitya loka, or amongst the regions of men, are under my control. So you would lovingly worship me.” The Devî said :-- “O Messenger! True that you are speaking for your King; but I made a promise before, how can I act against it? O Messenger! Hear what I promised.
61-70. Whoever in the three worlds will conquer Me by sheer force and thus crush My vanity, whoever will be as strong as Myself, He can enjoy Me. So the King of Daityas can prove My promise true and by sheer force can marry Me. What is there with him that he cannot do? So, Messenger! Go back to your master and tell him all this so that the powerful S’umbha may fulfil My promise.” Hearing thus the words of the Great Devî, the messenger went back to S’umbba and informed him everything regarding the Devî's sayings. The very powerful Lord of the Daityas, S’umbha became very angry at the unpleasant words of the messenger and commanded the Daitya named Dhumrâksa :-- “O Dhumrâksa! Listen to my words with great attention. Go and catch hold of that wicked woman by her hairs and bring her to me. Go quickly; do not delay.” Thus commanded, the very powerful and the best of the Daityas, Dhumrâksa, went at once to the Devî with sixty thousand Daityas and cried aloud to Her :--
“O Auspicious One! You would better worship quickly our Lord S’umbha, who is very powerful and mighty; you will then acquire all sorts of pleasures; else I will hold you by your hairs and take you to the Lord of the Daityas.”
71-80. Thus addressd by Dhumrâksa Daitya, the enemy of the Devas, the Devî said :-- “O Powerful One! O Daitya! What you have spoken is perfectly right, but tell me first what you or your king S’umbha can do to Me?” When the Devî said thus, the Daitya Dhûmralochana rushed on Her at once with arms and weapons. With one loud noise, Mâhes'varî burnt him immediately to ashes. O King! The other forces were partly crushed by the Lion, the vehicle of the Devî and partly fled away in disorder to all the quarters; some became senseless out of fear. S’umbba , the Lord of the Daityas, became very angry to hear this. His face assumed a terrible form with eyebrows contracted. Then he became impatient with anger and sent in order Chanda, Munda and Raktabîja.
The three powerful Daityas went to the battle and tried their might to capture the Devî. The Devî Jagaddhâtrî, of violent prowess, seeing that these three Daityas were coming to Her, killed them by Her trident and laid them prostrate on the ground. Hearing their death with all their army, S’umbha and Nis'umbha came in their own persons arrogantly to the battlefield. S’umbha and Nis'umbha fought for a time with the Devî a terrible fight and became tired, when the Devî killed them outright. When the Bhagavatî, Who is all this world, killed S’umbba and Nis'umbha, the Devas began to praise Bhagavatî the Supreme Deity of Vâk (Word) incarnate.
81-93. O King! Thus I have spoken to you in due order the manner in which the beautiful Kâlî, Mahâ Laksmî and Sarasvatî incarnated themselves on the earth. That Supreme Deity, the Devî Parames'varî thus creates, preserves, and destroys the Universe. You better take refuge of that highly adored Devî, that causes the distinction and the delusion of this Universe. Then only you will attain success. Nârâyana said :-- The king Suratha, hearing these beautiful words of the Muni, took refuge of the Devî, that yields all desired objects. He built an earthen image of the Devî and, with concentrated attention, thought wholly of the Devî and began to worship Her with devotion. When the worship was over, he offered sacrifices of the blood of his body to the Devî. Then the World-Mother, the Deity of the Devas, became pleased and appeared before him and asked him :-- Accept the boon that you desire. When the Devî said thus, the king asked from the Mahes'varî that excellent knowledge whereby the ignorance is destroyed and as well the kingdom free from any dangers or difficulties. The Devî said :-- “O King! By My boon, you will get your foeless kingdom in this very birth as well as the Jñânam that removes ignorance. O King! I will tell you also what you will be in the next birth. Hear. In your next birth, you will be the son of the Sun and be famous as Sâvarni Manu. By My boon you will be the Lord of the Manvantara, become very powerful and you will get good many sons.” Thus granting him this boon, the Devî disappeared. By the Grace of the Devî, Suratha became the Lord of the Manvantara. O Sâdhu! Thus I have described to you the birth and deeds of Sâvarni. He who hears or reads this anecdote with devotion, will be a favourite of the Devî.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the anecdote of Sâvarni Manu in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TENTH BOOK
Chapter XIII
On the account of Bhrâmarî Devî
1-21. S’rî Nârâyana spoke :-- O Child Nârada! Hear now the wonderful anecdotes of the births of the remaining other Manus. The mere remembrance of these birth anecdotes causes Bhakti to grow and well up towards the Devî. Vaivasvata Manu had six sons :-- viz., Karusa, Prisadhra, Nâbhâga, Dista, Saryâti, and Tris'anku. All of them were stout and strong. Once they all united went to the excellent banks of the Jumnâ and began to practise Prânâyama without taking any food and became engaged in worshipping the Devî. Each of them built separately an earthen image of the Devî and worshipped Her with devotion and with various offerings. In the beginning, they took the dry leaves of the trees that dropped of themselves for their food; then they drank water only, then breathed air only; then the smoke from the fire of the Homa; then they depended on the Solar Rays. Thus they practised tapasyâ with great difficulties. The continual worship of the Devî with the greatest devotion made them conscious of their clear intellect, destructive of all sorts of vanities and delusions, and the Manu's sons thought only of the Hallowed Feet of the Devî; their intellects were purified and they were greatly wondered to see within their Self the whole Universe. Thus they practised their Tapasyâ full twelve years when Bhagavatî, the Ruling Principle of this Universe resplendent wiih the brilliance of the thousand Suns, appeared before them. The princes with their intelligences thus purified saw Her, bowed down and, with their lowly hearts, began to chant hymns to Her with greatest devotion. “O Îs'ânî! O Merciful! Thou art the Devî presiding over all. Thou art the Best. So Victory to Thee! Thou art known by the Vâgbhava Mantra. Thou gettest pleased when the Vâgbhava Mantra is repeated. O Devî! Thou art of the nature of Klîm Kâra (of the form of Klîm). Thou gettest pleased with the repetition of Klîm Mantra. O Thou, that gladdenest the Lord! Thou bestowest joy and pleasure in the heart of the King of Kâma. O Mahâ Mâyâ! When Thou art pleased, Thou givest that Unequalled Kingdom. O Thou that increasest the enjoyments! Thou art Visnu, Sûrya, Hara, Indra and the other Devas.” When the highsouled princes praised Her thus, Bhagavatî became pleased and spoke to them the following sweet words :-- “O Highsouled Princes! You all have worshipped Me and practised, indeed, very hard tapasyâs and thus you have become sinless and your intellects and hearts have become thoroughly purged and thus purified. Now ask boons that you
desire. I will grant them ere long to you.” The Princes said :-- “O Devî! We want unrivalled Kingdoms, many sons of long longevity, continual enjoyment of pleasures, fame, energy, freedom in all actions, and as well the good and keen intelligence. These will be beneficial to us.” The Devî said :-- Whatever you have desired, I grant them to you all. Besides I give you another boon. Listen attentively. By My Grace you all will be the Lords of the Manvantaras and acquire strength that will experience no defeat, and you will get prosperity, fame, energy, powers, and a continual line of descent and abundant full enjoyments.
22-32. Nârâyana said :-- After the World Mother Bhrâmarî Devî granted them these boons, the princes chanted hymns to Her and then She instantly vanished. The very energetic princes acquired in that birth excellent kingdoms and abundance of wealth. They all had sons and thus established their families, and became the Lords of Manvantara in their next births. By the Grace of the Devî, the first of the princes Karusa became the Ninth Manu, the exceedingly powerful Daksa Sâvarni; the second prince Prisadhra became the Tenth Manu, named Meru Sâvarni; the third prince, the highly enthusiastic Nâbhâga became the Eleventh Manu, named Sûrya Sâvarni; the fourth prince Dista became the Twelfth Manu, named Chandra Sâvarni; the powerful fifth prince S'aryâti became the Thirteenth Manu named Rudra Sâvarni and the sixth prince Tris'anku became the Fourteenth Manu named Visnu Sâvarni and became the celebrated Lord of the world.
33-41. Nârada questioned :-- “O Wise One! Who is that Bhrâmari Devî? What is Her Nature? What for She takes birth? Kindly describe all this beautiful and pain destroying anecdotes to me. I am not satiated with the drinking of the nectar of the Glories of the Devî; my desire to hear further more is as strong as ever. As the drink of the nectar takes away death, so the drink of this anecdote of the Devî takes away the fear of death.” Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I will now narrate the wonderful glories of that unthinkable, unmanifested World Mother, leading to Mukti. Hear, as a Mother behaves towards Her child kindly and without any hypocrisy, so the World Mother in all Her lives manifests Her merciful sincere dealings for the welfare of the humanity. In days gone by, in the nether regions, in the city of the Daityas, there lived a powerful Daitya named Aruna. He was a furious Deva Hater and a pâkkâ hyprocrite. With a view to conquer the Devas, he went to the banks of the Ganges in the Himâlayâs, practised a very bard Tapasyâ, to Brahmâ, taking Him to be the Protector of the Daityas. First influenced by Tamo Guna, he withheld in his body the five Vâyus
and partook only the dry leaves and repeated, the Gâyatrî Mantra and practised austerities. Thus he practised for full ten thousand years. Then for another ten thousand years the Daitya lived drinking some drops of water only; then for another ten thousand years he remained by inhaling air only; and then for another ten thousand years he did not take any thing and thus practised he his wonderful Tapasyâ.
42-49. Thus practising his Tapasyâ a sort of wonderful halo of light emitted from his body and began to burn the whole world. This thing then appeared a great wonder. All the Devas then exclaimed. “Oh! What is this! Oh! What is this!” And they trembled. All were very much terrified and took refuge of Brahmâ. Hearing all the news from the Devas, the four-faced Bhagavân rode on His vehicle, the Swan, and with the Gâyatrî went very gladly to where the Daitya was practising his austerities and saw that the Daitya was immersed in meditation with his eyes closed; and he looked, as it were, blazing with fire, as if a second Fire himself. His belly had become dried up, body withered and the nerves of the bodies, too, became almost visible; only the life breath was lingering there. Brahmâ then spoke to him :-- “O Child! Auspices to you! Now ask the boon that you desire.” Hearing these gladdening nectar-like words from the mouth of Brahmâ, Aruna, the chief of the Daityas opened his eyes and saw Brahmâ in his front. Seeing Brahmâ before him with a rosary of beads and Kâmandalu in his hand and attended by Gâyatrî and the four Vedas, muttering the name of the Eternal Brahmâ, the Daitya rose up and bowed down to Him and sang to Him various Stotras.
50-59. Then the intelligent Daitya asked from Brahmâ the following boon that “I shall not die. Grant this.” Brahmâ then gently explained to him :-- “O Best of the Dânavas! See that Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes'vara and others are not free from this limitation of death! What to speak then for others! I cannot grant you a boon that is an impossibility. Ask what is possible and just. The intelligent persons never show an eagerness to an impossibility.” Hearing the above words of Brahmâ, Aruna again said with devotion :-- “O Deva! If Thou art unwilling to grant me the above boon, then, O Lord! Grant me such a boon, as is practicable, that my death shall not be caused by any war, nor by any arms or weapons, nor by any man or any woman, by any biped or quadruped or any combination of two and grant me such a boon, such a large army as I can conquer the Devas.” Hearing the words of the Daitya, Brahmâ said “Let that be so” and went back instantly to His own abode. Then, puffed up with that boon, the Daitya Aruna called on all the other Daityas that lived in
the nether regions. The Daityas, that were under his shelter, came and saluted him, as their king and, by his command, they sent messengers to the Heavens to fight with the Devas. Hearing from the messenger that the Daityas were willing to fight with the Devas, Indra trembled with fear and went instantly with the Devas to the abode of Brahmâ. Taking Brahmâ, too, along with them from there, they went to the Visnu Loka and took Visnu with them and all went to the S’iva Loka.
60-70. There they all held a conference how to kill the Daitya, the enemy of the Gods. While, on the other hand, Aruna, the king of the Daityas surrounded by his army, went ere long to the Heavens.
O Muni! The Daitya, then, through the power of his Tapas, assumed various forms and seized the rights and possessions of the Moon, the Sun, Yama, Agni and all the othars. All the Devas, then, dislodged from their stations went to the region of Kailas'a and represented to S’ankara about their own troubles and dangers respectively. Then, what was to be done on this subject, on this, great discussions cropped up. When Brahmâ said, that the death of the Daitya would not ensue from any fight, with any arms or weapons, from any man or woman, biped, quadruped or from any combination of the above two. Then the Devas became all anxious and could not find out any solution at that instant, when the Incorporeal Voice was clearly heard in the Heavens :-- Let you all worship the Queen of the Universe. She will carry out your work to success. If the king of the Daityas, always engaged in muttering the Gâyatrî, forsakes the Gâyatrî any how, then his death will occur. Hearing this gladdening Celestial Voice, the Devas held the council with great caution. When it was settled what ought to be done, Indra asked Brihaspati and said :-- “O Guru Deva! You would better go to the Daitya for the carrying out of the Devas' ends and do so that he forsakes the Devî Gâyatrî Parames’varî. We will all now go and meditate on Her. When She will be pleased, She will help us.
71-77. Thus commanding Brihaspati and thinking that the beautiful Protectress of Jâmbû Nada would protect them the Devas all started to worship Her and, going there, began the Devî Yajña and with great devotion muttered the Mâyâ Vîja and practised asceticism. On the other hand, Brihaspati went ere long in the garb of a Muni to the Daitya Aruna. The king of the Daityas then asked him :-- “O Best of Munis! Whence and why have you come here. Say, O Muni! Where have you come? I am not one of your party. Rather I am your enemy.” Hearing the above words, Brihaspati said :-- When you are worshipping incessantly the Devî whom we too worship, then say how you are not a one on our side! O Saint! The vicious Daitya, hearing the above words and deluded
by the Mâyâ of the Devas, forsook the Gâyatrî Mantra out of vanity and therefore he became weak, bereft of the Holy Fire.
78-85. Then Brihaspati, having succeeded in his work there, went to the Heavens and saw Indra and told him everything in detail. The Devas became satisfied and worshipped the Highest Deity. O Muni! Thus, a long interval passed, when one day the World Mother, the Auspicious Devî appeared before them. She was resplendent with the brilliance of ten million suns and looked beautiful like ten millions of Kandarpas (Gods of love). Her body was anointed with variegated colours, etc.; She wore a pair of clothings; a wonderful garland suspended from Her neck; Her body was decked with various ornaments and in the fists of Her hands there were wonderful rows of hornets ( large black bees). Her one hand was ready to grant boons and Her other hand was ready to hold out “no fear.” On the neck of Bhagavatî, the Ocean of Mercy, and peaceful, were seen the variegated garlands with large black bees all round. Those male and female bees singing incessantly all round Her the Hrîmkâra Mantra (the First Vibration of Force), kotis of black bees surrounded Her. The All-auspicious Bhagavatî, praised by all the Vedas, Who is all in all, composed of all, Who is all good, the Mother of all, Omniscient, the Protectress of all, was adorned fully with dress.
86-96. Seeing suddenly the Devî, in their front Brahmâ and the other Devas became surprised and by and by they got relieved and gladly began to chant hymns of praise to Bhagavatî, Whose Glories have been written in the Vedas.
The Devas said :-- “O Devî! Obeisance to Thee! Thou art the Highest Knowledge and the Creatrix, Preservrix and the Destructrix of the Universe. O Thou, the Lotus-eyed! Thou art the Refuge of all! So we bow down to Thee. O Devî! Thou art collectively and individually Vis'va, Taijasa, Prâjña, Virât and Sûtrâtmâ. O Bhagavatî. Thou art differentiated and undifferentiated; Thou art the Kûtastha Chaitanya (the Unmoveable, Unchangeable Consciousness). So we bow down to Thee. O Durge! Thou art unconcerned with the creation, preservation and destruction; yet Thou punishest the wicked and art easily available by the sincere devotion of Thy Bhaktas. O Devî! Thou scorchest and destroyest the ignorance and sin of the embodied souls. Hence Thou art named Bhargâ. So we bow down to Thee. O Mother! Thou art Kâlikâ, Nîla Sarasvatî, Ugra Târâ, Mahogrâ; Thou assumest many other forms. So we always bow down to Thee. O Devî! Thou art Tripura Sundarî, Bhairabî, Mâtangî, Dhûmâvatî, Chhinnamastâ, S'âkambharî and Rakta Dantikâ. Obeisance to Thee! O Bhagavatî! It is Thou that didst appear as Laksmî out of
the milk ocean (Ksîra Samudra). Thou hadst destroyed Vritrâsura, Chanda, Munda, Dhûmralochana, Rakta Bîja, S’umbha, Nis'umbha and the Exterminator of the Dânavas and thus, Thou didst do great favours to the Devas. So, O Gracious Countenanced! Thou art Vîjayâ and Gangâ; O Sârade! We bow down to Thee. O Devî! Thou art the earth, fire, Prâna and other Vâyus and other substances. O Merciful! Thou art of the form of this Universe; the Deva form, and the Moon, Sun and other Luminous forms and of the Knowledge Form.
97-109. O Devî! Thou art Sâvitrî; Thou art Gâyatrî; Thou art Sarasvatî; Thou art Svadhâ, Svâhâ, and Daksinâ. So we bow down to Thee. Thou art, in the Vedas, the Âgamas, “Not this, not this.” Thou art what is left after the negation of all this. This all the Vedas declare of Thy True Nature thus as the Absolute Consciousness in all. Thus Thou art the Highest Deity. So we worship Thee. As Thou art surrounded by large black bees, Thou art named Bhrâmarî. We always make obeisance to Thee! Obeisance to Thee! Obeisance to Thy sides! Obeisance to Thy back! Obeisance to Thy front! O Mother! Obeisance to Thy above! Obeisance to Thy below! Obeisance to everywhere round of Thee! O Thou, the Dweller in Manî Dvîpa! O Mahâ Devî! Thou art the Guide of the innumerable Brahmândas! O World Mother! Let Thou be merciful to us. O Devî! Thou art higher than the highest. O World Mother! Victory be to Thee! All Hail! O Goddess of the universe! Thou art the Best in the whole universe; Victory to Thee! O Lady of the world! Thou art the mine of all the gems of qualities. O Parames'varî! O World Mother! Let Thou be pleased unto us.” Nârâyana said :-- Hearing those sweet, ready and confident words of the Devas, the World Mother said in the sweet tone of a Mad Cuckoo:-- “O Devas! As far as granting boons to others is concerned, I am ever ready. I am always pleased with you. So, O Devas! Say what you want.” Hearing the words of the Devî, the Devas began to express the cause of their sorrows. They informed Her of the wicked nature of the vicious Daitya, the neglect of the Devas, the Brahmânas and the Vedas and the ruins thereof, and the dispossession of the Devas of their abodes and the receiving by the Daitya of the boon from Brahmâ; in fact, everything what they had to say, duly and vigorously. Then the Bhagavatî Bhrâmarî Devî sent out all sorts of black bees, hornets, etc., from Her sides, front and forepart.
110-120. Innumerable lines of black bees then were generated and they joined themselves with those that got out of the Devî's hands and thus they covered the whole earth. Thus countless bees began to emit from all sides like locusts. The sky was overcast with the bees; and the earth was covered with darkness. The sky, mountain peaks, trees, forests all became filled with bees and the spectacle presented a grand dismal sight. Then the black bees began to tear asunder the breasts of the Daityas as the bees bite those who destroy their beehives. Thus the Daityas could not use their weapons nor could they fight nor exchange any words. Nothing they could do; they had no help but to die. The Daityas remained in the same state where they were and in that state they wondered and died. No one could talk with another. Thus the principal Daityas died within an instant. Thus completing their destruction, the bees came back to the Devî. All the people then spoke to one another “Oh! What a wonder! Oh! What a wonder!” Or like this :-- “Whose Mâyâ is this! What a wonder that She will do like this!” Thus Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'a became merged in the ocean of joy and worshipped the Devî Bhagavatî with various offerings and shoutings of chants “Victory to the Devî” and showered flowers all around. The Munis began to recite the Vedas. The Gandharbas began to sing.
121-127. The various musical instruments, Mridangas, Murajas, the Indian lutes, Dhakkâs, Damarus, S'ankhas, bells, etc., all sounded and the three worlds were filled with their echoes. All with folded palms chanted various hymns of praise to the Devî and said “O Mother! Îsânî! Victory to Thee!” The Mahâ Devî became glad and gave to each separate boons and when they asked “for unshakeable devotion to Thy lotus feet,” She granted them that also and disappeared before them. Thus I have described to you the glorious character of the Bhrâmârî Devî. If anybody hears this very wonderful anecdote, he crosses at once this ocean of the world. Along with the glories and greatness of the Devî, if one hears the accounts of Manus, then all auspiciousness comes to him. He who hears or recites daily this Greatness of the Devî, becomes freed from all his sins and he gets himself absorbed in the thoughts of the Devî (Sâjuya). Note :-- The Mantra is here not merely the Seed, the Spiritual Password, but it connotes, besides the idea of the password, the Âdi First vibration and it exhibits the First Spiritual Form, endowed with the highest feelings of Faith, Wisdom, Bliss and Joy, displayed with the grandest colours, startling thrills, rapt enchanting
signs, gestures, and postures, the shooting forth of all powers, the sources of Siddhis, that cannot be ordinarily conceived in the worldly concerns. Their faint echoes govern this mighty world. The Mantras are seated in the six chakras or plexuses or the six Laya centres in the spinal cord. Within these chakras, the transformations of the Tattvas take place. Some vanish. Some appear and so on. Remark :-- In this chapter we find clearly the mention of the several names of the ten Das'a Mahâ Vidyâs.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Tenth Book of the account of Bhrâmarî Devî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa and here ends as well the Tenth Book.
[The Tenth Book completed.]
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter I
On what is to be thought of in the morning
1-13. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! O Thou, the Eternal One! O Nârâyana! O Lord of the past and the future! Thou art the Creator and the Lord of all the beings that lived in the past and that will come into existence in the future. Thou hast described to me the highly wonderful and excellent anecdote of the Exalted Devî. How She did assume the forms of Mahâkâlî, Mahâ Laksmî, Mahâ Sarasvatî and Bhrâmarî, for the fulfilment of the Devas' purposes and how the Devas got back their possessions by the Grace of the Devî. All you have described. O Lord! Now I want to hear the rules of Sadâchâra (right way of living), the due observance of which by the devotees pleases the World-Mother. Kindly describe them.
Nârâyana said :-- O Knower of Truth! Now I am telling you those rules of the right way of living, which rightly observed, always please Bhagavatî. Listen first, I will talk of the Brâhmins, how their welfare is secured, what the Brâhmanas ought to do on getting up early in the morning from their bed. From the sunrise to the sunset the Brâhmanas should do all the daily and occasional duties (Nitya and Naimittik Karmas) and they are to perform the optional works for some particular object such as Puttresti Yajña and other good works (not acts of black magic as killing, causing pain and inconveniences to others, etc.). It is the Self alone and not the Father, Mother, etc., nor any other body that, helps us on our way to that happiness in the next world. Father, Mother, wife, sons and others are helps merely to our happiness in this world. None of them are helpful to us in bettering our states in the next world.
Deliverance of one's Self depends verily on his own Self. Therefore one should always earn and store dharma (religion) and observe always there the right conduct to help one in the next world. If Dharma be on our side, this endless sea of troubles can be safely crossed. The rules of right living as ordained by Manu in S’rutis and Manu Smritis are the principal Dharmas. The Brâhmanas should always be observant to their Dharma as ordained in the S’âstras, S’ruti and Smriti. Follow the right conduct and then you will get life, posterity and increase of happiness easily here and hereafter. By right conduct, food is obtained and sins are easily destroyed; the right conduct is the auspicious principal
Dharma of men. Persons of right living enjoy happiness in this world as well as in the next. Those, who are veiled in darkness by Ignorance and thus wildly enchanted, can verily see their way to Mukti if they follow the Great Light revealed to them by Dharma and the right conduct. It is by Sadâchâra, that superiority is attained. Men of right conduct always do good deeds. From good deeds, knowledge comes. This is the advice of Manu.
14-24. Right way of living is the best of all the Dharmas and is great Tapasyâ (asceticism). The knowledge comes from this Right Living. Everything is attained thereby. He who is devoid of Sadâchâra, is like a S’ûdra, even if he comes of a Brâhmin family. There is no distinction whatsoever betwen him and a S’ûdra. Right conduct is of two kinds :-- (1) as dictated by the S’âstras, (2) as dictated by the popular custom (Laukika). Both these methods should be observed by him who wants welfare for his Self. He is not to forsake one of them. O Muni! The village Dharma, the Dharma of one's own caste, the Dharma of one's own family and the Dharma of one's own country all should be observed by men. Never, never he is to do anything otherwise. With great loving devotion that is to be preserved. Men who practise wrong ways of living, are censured by the public; they always suffer from diseases. Avoid wealth and desires that have no Dharma in them. Why? If in the name of dharma, painful acts (e. g. killing animals in sacrifices) are to be committed, those are blamed by the people; so never commit them. Avoid them by all means. Nârada said :-- “O Muni! The S’âstras are not one, they are many and they lay down different rules and contradictory opinions, How then Dharma is to be followed? And according what Dharma S’âstra?” Nârâyana said :-- S’ruti and Smriti are the two eyes of God; the Purânam is His Heart. Whatever is stated in S’ruti, the Smriti and the Purânams is Dharma; whatever else is written in other S’âstras is not Dharma. Where you will find differences between S’ruti, Smriti and Purânas, accept the words of the S’rutis as final proofs. Wherever Smriti disagrees with the Purânas, know the Smritis more authoritative.
And where differences will crop up in the S’rutis themselves, know that Dharma, too, is of two kinds. And where the differences will crop up in the Smritis themselves, consider, then, that different things are aimed at. In some Purânas, the Dharma of the Tantras is duly described; but of these, which go against the Vedas, they are not to be accepted any means.
25-37. Tantra is accepted as the authoritative proof then and then only when it contradicts not the Vedas. Whatever goes clearly against the Vedas can in no way be accepted as a proof. In matters concerning Dharma, the Vedas is the Sole Proof. Therefore that which is not against the Vedas can be taken as proof; otherwise not. Whoever acts Dharma according to other proofs than what is ordained in the Vedas, goes to the hell in the abode of Yama to get his lesson. So the Dharma that is by all means to be accepted as such, is what is stated in the Vedas. The Smritis, the Purânas, or the Tantra S’âstras can be taken also as authoritative when they are not conflicting to Vedas. Any other S’âstras can be taken as authoritative when it is fundamentally coincident with the Vedas. Else it can never be accepted.
Those who do injury to others even by the blade of a Kus'a grass used as a weapon, go to hell with their heads downwards and their feet upwards. Those that follow their own sweet free will, that take up any sort of dress (e. g. Bauddhas), those that follow the philosophical doctrines called Pâs'upatas, and the other hermits and saints and persons that take up other vows contrary to the religions of the Vedas, for example, the Vaikhânasa followers, those who brand their bodies by the hot Mudrâs, at the places of pilgrimages, e. g. Dvârkâ, etc., they go to hell with their bodies scorched by red hot brands (Tapta Mudrâs). So persons should act according to the excellent religions commanded by the Vedas. Everyday he should get up from his bed early in the morning and think thus :-- “What good acts have I done, what have I given as charities? Or what I advised others to do charities what greater sins (Mahâpâtakas) and what smaller sins have I committed?” At the last quarter of the night he should think of Para Brahmâ. He should place his right leg on his left thigh and his left on his right thigh crosswise keeping his head straight up and touching the breast with his chin, and closing his eyes, he should sit steadily so that the upper teeth should not touch the lower jaw.
He should join his tongue with his palate and he should sit quiet, restraining his senses. He should be S’uddha Sattva. His seat should not be very low. First of all he should practice Prânâyâma twice or thrice; and within his heart he should meditate the Self of the shape of the Holy Flame or the Holy Light. (Om Mani Padma Hum.)
38-49. He should fix his heart for a certain time to that Luminous Self whose Eyes are everywhere. So the intelligent man should practise Dhâranâ. Prânâyâma is of six kinds :-- (1) Sadhûma (when the breaths are not steady), (2) Nirdhûma(better than the Sadhûma),
(3) Sagarbha (when united with one's mantra), (4) Agarbha (when the practice is without the thought of any mantra), (5) Salaksya (when the heart is fixed on one's Deity) and (6) Alaksya (when the heart is not fixed on one's Deity). No yoga can be compared with Prânâyâma. This is equal to itself. Nothing can be its equal. This Prânâyâma is of three kinds, called Rechaka, Pûraka and Kumbhaka. The Prânâyâma consists of three letters, A, U, M, i. e. of the nature of “Om”. Or, in other words the letter A, of the Pranava Om indicates Pûraka, the letter “U” denotes Kumhhaka and the letter “M” denotes Rechaka. By the Îdâ Nâdi (by the left nostril) inhale as long as you count “A” (Visnu) thirty-two times; then withold breath, i.e., do Kumbhaka as long as you count “U” (S’iva) sixtyfour times and by the Pingalâ Nâdi (the right nostril) do the Rechaka, i.e., exhale the breath as long as you count “M" (Brahmâ) for sixteen times. O Muni! Thus I have spoken to you of the Sadhûma Prânâyâma. After doing the Prânâyâma as stated above, pierce the Six Chakras (i. e., plexuses) (called Sathakra bheda) and carry the Kula Kundalinî to the Brahmâ Randhra, the brain aperture, or to the thousand petalled lotus in the head and meditate in the heart the Self like a Steady Flame. (The Nâdis are not those which are known to the Vaidya or the Medical S’âstras. The latter are the gross physical nerves, The Nâdis here are the Yoga Nâdis, the subtle channels (Vivaras) along which the Prânik currents flow. Now the process of piercing the six Chakras (or nerve centres or centres of moving Prânik forces) is being described. Within this body, the six nerve centres called Padmas (Lotuses) exist. They are respectively situated at the (1) Mûlâdhâra (half way between Anus and Linga Mûla), called the Sacral Plexus; (2) Linga Mûla (the root of the genital organs); called postatic plexus; (this is also called Svâdhisthâna) (3) Navel, the Solar Plexus (4) Heart, the cardiac Plexus, (5) Throat (6) Forehead, between the eye brows there; the lotus in the forehead, called the cavernous plexus (Âjnâ Chakra) has two petals; in these two petals, the two letters “Ham” “Ksam” exist in the right hand direction (with the bands of the watch; going round from left to right keeping the right side towards one circumambulated as as a mark of respect). I bow down to these which are the two-lettered Brahmâ. The lotus that exists in the throat laryngeal or pharyngeal plexus has sixteen petals (vis’uddhâ chakra); in these are in due order in right hand direction the sixteen letters (vowels) a, â, i, î, u, û, ri, rî, lri, lrî, e, ai, o, au, am, ah; I bow down to these which are the sixteen lettered Brahmâ. The lotus that exists in the heart, the cardiac plexus (anâhata chakra), has twelve petals; wherein are the twelve letters k, kh, g, gh, n, ch, chh, j, jh, ñ, t, th; I bow to to these twelve lettered Brahmâ. The Solar
plexus forms the Great Junction of the Right and Left sympathetic chains Îdâ and Pingalâ with the Cerebro spinal Axis. The lotus that exists in the navel, called the Solar Plexus, or Epigastric plexus (Manipura Chakra) has ten petals wherein are the ten letters d, dh, n, t, th, d, dh, n, p, ph, counting in the right hand direction (that is clockwise) (and the action of this clock is vertical in the plane of the spinal cord; also it may be horizontal). The lotus that exists at the root of the genital organ, the genital plexus or postatic plexus has six petals. The petals are the configurations made by the position of Nâdis at any particular centre. Svâdhisthâna chakra or Svayambhu Linga, wherein are situated the six letters, b, bh, m, y, r, l; I bow down to this six-lettered Brahmâ. (These are the Laya Centres). The lotus that exists in the Mûlâdhâra, called the sacral or sacrococcygeal plexus has four petals, wherein are the four letters v, s', s, s. I bow down to these four-lettered Brahmâ. In the above six nerve centres or Laya Centres, or lotuses, all the letters are situated in the right hand direction (clockwise). (Note :-- All the nerves of the body combine themselves in these six nerve centres or Laya Centres. Each of these centres is spheroidal and is of the Fourth Dimension. At each centre many transitions take place, many visions take place, many forces are perceived and wonderful varieties of knowledge are experienced. These are called the Laya Centres. For many things vanish into non-existence and many new Tattvas are experienced.) Thus meditating on the Six Chakras or plexuses, meditate on the Kula Kundalinî, the Serpent Fire. She resides on the four petalled lotus (Centre of S’akti) called Mûlâdhâra Chakra (Coccygeal plexus); She is of Rajo Guna; She is of a blood red colour, and She is expressed by the mantra “Hrîm,” which is the Mâyâvîja; she is subtle as the thread of the fibrous stock of the water lily. The Sun is Her face; Fire is Her breasts; he attains Jîvan mukti (liberation while living) within whose heart such a Kula Kundalinî arises and awakens even once. Thus meditating on Kula Kundalinî, one should pray to Her :-- Her sitting, coming, going, remaining, the thought on Her, the realisation of Her and chanting hymns to Her, etc., all are Mine, Who is of the nature of all in all; I am that Bhagavatî; O Bhagavatî! All my acts are Thy worship; I am the Devî; I am Brahmâ, I am free from sorrow. I am of the nature of Everlasting Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. Thus one should meditate of one's own-self. I take refuge of that Kula Kundalinî, who appears like lightning and who holds the current thereof, when going to Brahmârandhra, in the brain, who appears like nectar when coming back from the brain to the Mûlâdhâra and who travels in the Susumnâ Nâdi in the spinal cord. Then one is to meditate on one's own Guru, who is thought of as one with God, as seated
in one's brain and then worship Him mentally. Then the Sâdhaka, controlling himself is to recite the following Mantra “The Guru is Brahmâ, the Guru is Visnu, it is the Guru again that is the Deva Mahes'vara; it is Guru that is Para Brahmâ. I bow down to that S’rî Guru.”
Here ends the First Chapter of the Eleventh Book on what is to be thought of in the morning in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter II
On cleansing the several parts of the body
1-42. Nârâyana said :-- Even if a man studies the Vedas with six Amgas (limbs of the Vedas), he cannot be pure if he be devoid of the principle of right living (Sadâchâra) and if he does not practise it. All that is in vain. As soon as the two wings of the young ones of birds appear they leave their nests, so the chhandas (the Vedas) leave such a man devoid of Sadâchâra at the time of his death. The intelligent man should get up from his bed at the Brâhma muhûrta and should observe all the principles of Sadâchâra. In the last quarter of night, he should practise in reciting and studying the Vedas. Then for some time he should meditate on his Ista Deva (his Presiding Deity). The Yogi should meditate on Brahmâ according to the method stated before. O Nârada! If meditation be done as above, the identity of Jîva and Brahmâ is at once realised and the man becomes liberated while living. After the fifty-fifth Danda from the preceding sunrise, i.e., 2 hours before the sunrise comes the Usâkâla; after the fifty seventh Danda comes the Arunodayakâla; after fifty eighth Danda comes the morning time; then the Sun rises. On should get up from one's bed in the morning time. He should go then to a distance where an arrow shot at one stretch goes. There in the south-west corner he is to void his urines and faeces. Then the man, if he be a Brahmachârî, should place his holy thread on his right ear and the householder should suspend it on his neck only. That is, the Brahmachârî, in the first stage of of his life should place the holy thread over his right ear; the householder and the Vânaprasthîs should suspend the holy thread from the neck towards the back and then void their faeces, etc. He is to tie a piece of cloth round his head; and spread earth or leaves on the place where he will evacuate himself. He is not to talk then nor spit nor inhale hard. One is not to evacuate oneself in cultivated lands, that have been tilled, in water, over the burning pyre, on the mountain, in the broken and ruined temples, on the ant-hills, on places covered with grass, on road side, or on holes where living beings exist. One ought not
to do the same also while walking. One ought to keep silence during both the twilights, while one is passing urine or voiding one's faeces, or while one is holding sexual intercourse, or before the presence of one's Guru, during the time of sacrifice, or while making gifts, or while doing Brahmâ Yajña. One ought to pray before evacuating, thus :-- “O Devas! O Risis! O Pis'âchas! O Uragas! O Râksasas! You all who might be existing here unseen by me, are requested to leave this place. I am going to ease myself here duly.” Never one is to void oneself while one looks at Vâyu (wind), Agni (fire), a Brâhmana, the Sun, water or cow. At the day time one is to turn one's face northward and at the night time southward, while easing oneself and then one is to cover the faeces, etc., with stones, pebbles, leaves or grass, etc. Then he is to hold his genital organ with his hand and go to a river or any other watery place; he is to fill his vessel with water then and go to some other place.
The Brâhmana is to use the white earth, the Ksattriya is to take the red earth, the Vais'ya is to use the yellow earth and the S’ûdra is to apply the black earth and with that he is to cleanse himself. The earth under water, the earth of any temple, the earth of an anthill, the earth of a mouse hole, and the remnant of the earth used by another body for washing are not to be used for cleansing purposes. The earth for cleansing faeces is twice as much as that used in case of urine clearance; in the cleansing after sexual intercourse thrice as much. In urine cleansing the earth is to be applied in the organ of generation once, thrice in the hand. And in dirt clearing, twice in the organ of generation, five times in anus, ten times in the left hand and seven times in both the hands. Then apply earth four times first in the left feet and then on the right feet. The house holder should clean thus; the Brahmachâri is to do twice and the Yatis four times. At every time the quantity of wet earth that is to be taken is to be of the size of an Âmalakî fruit; never it is to be less than that. This is for the clearance in the day time. Half of these can be used in the night time. For the invalids, one-fourth the above measurements; for the passers-by, one-eighth the above dimensions are to be observed. In case of women, S’ûdras, and incapable children, clearings are to be done till then when the offensive smell vanishes. No numbers are to be observed. Bhagavân Manu says for all the Varnas the clearing is to be done till then when the offensive smell vanishes. The clearing is to be performed by the left hand. The right hand is never to be used. Below the navel, the left hand is to be used; and above the navel the right hand is to be used for clearing. The wise man should never hold his water pot while evacuating himself. If by mistake he catches hold of his waterpot, he will have to perform the penance (prâyaschitta).
If, out of vanity or sloth, clearing be not done, for three nights, one is to fast, drinking water only, and then to repeat the Gâyatrî Mantra and thus be purified. In every matter, in view of the place, time and materials, one's ability and power are to be considered and steps are to be taken accordingly. Knowing all this, one should clear oneself according to rule. Never be lazy here. After evacuating oneself of faeces, one is to rinse one's mouth twelve times; and after passing urine and clearing, one is to rinse four times. Never less than that is to be done. The water after rinsing is to be thrown away slowly downwards on one's left. Next performing Âchaman one is to wash one's teeth. He is to take a tiny piece, twelve Ângulas (fingers) long (about one foot) from a tree which is thorny and gummy. The cleansing twig (for teeth) is thick like one's little finger. He is to chew the one end of it to form a tooth brush. Karanja, Udumbara (figtree), Mango, Kadamba, Lodha, Champaka and Vadarî trees are used for cleansing teeth. While cleansing teeth, one is to recite the following mantra :-- “O Tree! Wherein resides the Deity Moon for giving food to the beings and for killing the enemies! Let Him wash my mouth to increase my fame and honour! O Tree! Dost Thou please give me long life, power, fame, energy, beauty, sons, cattle, wealth, intellect, and the knowledge of Brahmâ.” If the cleansing twig be not available and if there be any prohibition to brush one's teeth that day, (say, Pratipad day, Amâvas, Sasthi and Navamî), take mouthfuls of water, gargle twelve times and thus cleanse the teeth. If one brushes one's teeth with a twig on the new moon day, the first, sixth, ninth and eleventh day after the Full or New Moon or on Sunday, one eats the Sun (is it were, by making Him lose his fire), makes his family line extinct and brings his seven generations down into the hell. Next he should wash his feet and sip pure clean water thrice, touch his lips twice with his thumb, and then clear the nostrils by his thumb and fore finger. Then he is to touch his eyes and ears with his thumb and ring finger, touch his navel with his thumb and little finger, touch his breast with his palm and touch his head with all his fingers.
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Eleventh Book on cleansing the several parts of the body in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter III
On the glories of the Rudrâksa beads
1-21. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! There are the six kinds of Âchamana :-- (1) S’uddha, (2) Smârta, (3) Paurânik, (4) Vaidik, (5) Tântrik and(6) S’rauta. The act of cleaning after evacuating oneself of urine and faeces is known as S’uddha S’aucha. After cleaning, the Âchaman, that is
performed according to rules, is named as Smârta and Paurânik. In places where the Brahmâ Yajña is performed, the Vaidik and S’rauta Âchamanas are done. And where acts, e.g., the knowledge of warfare are being executed, the Tântrik Âchaman is done. Then he is to remember the Gâyatrî Mantra with Pranava (Om) and fasten the lock of hair on the crown of his head, thus controlling all the hindrances (Bighna Bandhanam). Sipping again, he is to touch his heart, two arms, and his two shoulders. After sneezing, spitting, touching the lower lip with teeth, accidentally telling a lie, and talking with a very sinful man, he is to touch his right ear (where the several Devas reside). On the right ear of the Brâhmanas reside Fire, Water, the Vedas, the Moon, the Sun, and the Vâyu (wind). Then one is to go to a river or any other reservoir of water, and there to perform one's morning ablutions and to cleanse his body thoroughly. For the body is always unclean and dirty and various diets are being excreted out of the nine holes (doors) in the body. The morning bath removes all these impurities. Therefore the morning bath is essentially necessary. The sins that arise from going to those who are not fit for such purposes, from accepting gifts from impure persons or from the practice of any other secret vices all are removed by the morning ablutions. Without this bath, no acts bear any fruit. Therefore everyday, this morning bath is very necessary. Taking the Kus'a grass in hand, one is to perform one's bath and Sandhyâ. If for seven days, the morning ablutions are not taken, and if for three days, the Sandhyâs are not performed, if for twelve days, the daily Homas be not performed, the Brâhmanas become S’ûdras. The time for making the Homa in the morning is very little; therefore lest ablutions be done fully which would take a long time and hence the time for the Homa might elapse, the morning bath should be performed quickly. After the bath the Prânâyâma is to be done. Then the full effects of bath are attained. There is nothing holier in this world or in the next than reciting the Gâyatrî. It saves the singer who sings the Gâyatrî; hence it is called Gâyatrî. During the time of Prânâyâma, one must control one's Prâna and Apâna Vâyus, i.e., make them equal. The Brâhmin, knowing the Vedas and devoted to his Dharma, must practise Prânâyâma three times with the repetition of Gâyatrî and Pranava and the three Vyârhitis (Om Bhu, Om Bhuvar, Om Svah).
While practising, the muttering of Gâyatrî is to be done three times. In Prânâyâma, the Vaidik mantra is to be repeated, never a Laukika Mantra is to be uttered. At the time of Prânâyâma, if anybody's mind be not fixed, even for a short while, like a mustard seed on the apex of a cow-horn, he cannot save even one hundred-and one persons in his father's
or in his mother's line. Prânâyâma is called Sagarbha when performed with the repetition of some mantra; it is called Agarbha when it is done simply with mere meditation, without repeating any mantra. After the bathing, the Tarpanam with its accompaniments, is to he done; i.e., the peace offerings are made with reference to the Devas, the Risis, and the Pitris (whereby we invoke the blessings from the subtle planes where the highsouled persons dwell). After this, a clean pair of clothes is to be worn and then he should get up and come out of the water. The next things preparatory to practise Japam are to wear the Tilaka marks of ashes and to put on the Rudrâksa beads. He who holds thirty-two Rudrâksa beads on his neck, forty on his head, six on each ear (12 on two ears), twenty four beads on two hands (twelve on each hand) thirty-two beads on two arms (sixteen on each), one bead on each eye and one bead on the hair on the crown, and one hundred and eight beads on the breast, (251 in all) becomes himself Mahâ Deva. One is expected to use them as such. O Muni! You can use the Rudrâksas after tieing, stringing together with gold or silver always on your S’ikhâ, the tuft of hair on the head or on your ears. On the holy thread, on the hands, on the neck, or on the belly (abdomen) one can keep the Rudrâksa after one has repeated sincerely and with devotion the five lettered mantra of S’iva, or one has repeated the Prânâva (Om). Holding the Rudrâksa implies that the man has realised the knowledge of S’iva Tattva. O Brahmân! The Rudrâksa bead that is placed on the tuft or on the crown hair represents the Târa tattva, i.e., Om Kâra; the Rudrâksa beads that are held on the two ears are to be thought of as Deva and Devî, (S’iva and S’ivâ).
22-37. The one hundred and eight Rudrâksa beads on the sacrificial thread are considered as the one hundred and eight Vedas (signifying the Full Knowledge, as sixteen digits of the Moon completed; on the arms, are considered as the Dik (quarters); on the neck, are considered as the Devî Sarasvatî and Agni (fire). The Rudrâksa beads ought to be taken by men of all colours and castes. The Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas and Vais'yas should hold them after purifying them with Mantras, i.e., knowingly; whereas the S’ûdras can take them without any such purification by the Mantras, i.e., unknowingly. By holding or putting on the Rudrâksa beads, persons become the Rudras incarnate in flesh and body. There is no doubt in this. By this all the sins arising from seeing, hearing, remembering, smelling, eating prohibited things, talking incoherently, doing prohibited things, etc., are entirely removed with the Rudrâksa beads on the body; whatever acts, eating, drinking, smelling, etc., are done, are, as it were, done by Rudra Deva Himself. O Great Muni! He who feels
shame in holding and putting on the Rudrâksa beads, can never be freed from this Samsâra even after the Koti births. He who blames another person holding Rudrâksa beads has defects in his birth (is a bastard). There is no doubt in this. It is by holding on Rudrâksa that Brahmâ has remained steady in His Brahmâhood untainted and the Munis have been true to their resolves. So there is no act better and higher than holding the Rudrâksa beads. He who gives clothing and food to a person holding Rudrâksa beads with devotion is freed of all sins and goes to the S’iva Loka. He who feasts gladly any holder of such beads at the time of S’râdh, goes undoubtedly to the Pitri Loka. He who washes the feet of a holder of Rudrâksa and drinks that water, is freed of all sins and resides with honour in the S’iva Loka. If a Brâhmana holds with devotion the Rudrâksa beads with a necklace and gold, he attains the Rudrahood. O Intelligent One! Wherever whoever holds with or without faith and devotion the Rudrâksa beads with or without any mantra, is freed of all sins and is entitled to the Tattvajñâna. I am unable to describe fully the greatness of the Rudrâksa beads. In fact, all should by all means hold the Rudrâksa beads on their bodies.
Note :-- The number one hundred and eight (108) signifies the One Hundred and Eight Vedas, the Brahmân, the Source of all Wisdom and Joy.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the glories of the Rudrâksa beads in the Mahâ Puranam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter IV
On the greatness of the Rudrâksam
1-11. Nârada said :-- O Sinless one! The greatness of the Rudrâksa seed that you have described is verily such. Now I ask why is this Rudrâksam so much entitled to worship by the people. Please speak clearly on this point. Nârâyana spoke :-- O Child! This is the very question that was asked once by Kârtika, the sixfaced One, to Bhagavân Rudra, dwelling in Kailâs'a. What He replied, I say now. Listen. Rudra Deva spoke :-- O Child Sadânana. I will dwell briefly on the secret cause of the greatness of the Rudrâksa seed. Hear. In days of yore, there was a Daitya called Tripurâ who could not be conquered by any body. Brahmâ, Visnu and the other Devas were defeated by him. They then came to Me and requested Me to kill the Asura. At their request, I called in my mind the Divine Great weapon, named Aghora, beautiful and terrible and containing the strength of all the Devas, to kill him. It was inconceivable and it was blazing with fire.
For full divine one thousand years I remained awake with eyelids wide open in thinking of the Aghora weapon, the destroyer of all obstacles, whereby the killing of Tripurâsura might be effected and the troubles of the Devas be removed. Not for a moment my eyelids dropped. There by my eyes were affected and drops of water came out of my eyes. Note here. How enemies are to be killed. It requires great thought, great concentration, great yoga and great powers. O Mahâsena! From those drops of water coming out of my eyes, the great tree of Rudrâksam did spring for the welfare of all. This Rudrâksa seed is of thirty-eight varieties. From My Sûrya Netra, i.e., My right eye, symbolizing the Sun, twelve yellow coloured (Pingala colour) varieties have come; and from my left eye representing the Moon, the Soma Netra, sixteen varieties of white colour and from my third eye on the top, representing Fire, i.e., the Agni Netra, ten varieties of black colour have come out. Of these the white Rudrâksams are Brâhmins and they are used by the Brâhmanas; the red coloured ones are the Ksattriyas and should be used by the Ksattriyas and the black ones are S’ûdras and should be used by the Vaisyas and the S’ûdras.
12-19. One faced Rudrâksa seed is the S’iva Himself, made manifest and rendered vivid; even the sin incurred in killing a Brâhmana is destroyed thereby. Two faced or two headed Rudrâksam is like the Deva and the Devî. Two sorts of sins are destroyed thereby. The three faced Rudrâksam is like fire; the sin incurred in killing a woman is destroyed in a moment. The four faced Rudrâksa seed is like Brahmâ and removes the sin of killing persons. The five faced Rudrâksam is verily an image of Rudra; all sorts of sins, e.g., eating prohibited food, going to the ungoables, etc., are destroyed thereby. The six faced Rudrâksam is Kârtikeya. It is to be worn on the right hand. One becomes freed of the Brahmâhatyâ sin. There is no manner of doubt in this. The seven faced Rudrâksam is named Ananga. Holding this frees one from the sin of stealing gold, etc., O Mahâsena! The eight faced Rudrâksa is Vinâyaka. Holding this frees one from the sin of holding an illicit contact with a woman of a bad family and with the wife of one's Guru, etc., and other sins as well. It enables one to acquire heaps of food, cotton, and gold; and in the end the Highest Place is attained.
20-35. The fruit of holding the eight faced Rudrâksa seed has been said. Now I will talk of the nine-faced Rudrâksam. It is verily the Bhairava made manifest. On the left hand it should be worn. By this, the people get both Bhoga (enjoyment) and Moksa (liberation)
and they become powerful like Me and get themselves freed at once, without the least delay, of the sins incurred by committing thousands of abortions, hundreds of Brahmâhattyâs (killing the Brâhmanas). Holding the ten-faced Rudrâksa is verily wearing Janârdana, the Deva of the Devas. The holding of which pacifies the evils caused by planets, Pis'âchas, Vetâlas, Brahmâ Râksasas, and Pannagas. The eleven-faced Rudrâksam is like the Eleven Rudras. The fruits, the efficacy of which I now describe. Hear. The fruits obtained through the performance of one thousand horse sacrifices, one hundred Vâjapeya sacrifices, and making gifts of one hundred thousand cows are obtained thereby.
If one wears the twelve-headed Rudrâksam on one's ear, the Âdityas get satisfied. The fruits of performing Gomedha and As'vamedha sacrifices are obtained thereby. No fear comes from burned buffaloes, armed enemies and wolves and tigers and other murderous animals. Also the several diseases of the body never come to him. The holder of the twelve-faced Rudrâksa seed feels always happy and he is the master of some kingdoms He becomes freed of the sins incurred in killing elephants, horses, deer, cats, snakes, mice, frogs, asses, foxes and various other animals.
O Child! The thirteen faced Rudrâksam is very rare; if anybody gets it, he becomes like Kârti Keya and gets all desires fulfilled; and the eight siddhis are under his grasp. He learns how to make gold, silver and other metals; he attains all sorts of enjoyments. There is no manner of doubt in this. O Sadânana! If anybody holds the thirteen faced Rudrâksam, he becomes freed from the sins incurred in killing mother, father and brothers.
O Son! If one holds on one's head the fourteen faced Rudrâksam always, one becomes like S’iva. O Muni! What more shall I speak to you! The Devas pay their respects to one holding the fourteen faced Rudrâksas and he in the end attains the Highest Goal, the state of S’iva. His body becomes verily the body of S’iva.
36-40. The Devas always worship the Rudrâksa seed; the highest goal is attained by wearing the Rudrâksam. The Brâhmanas should hold on their heads at least one Rudrâksam with devotion. A rosary of twenty-six Rudrâksams is to be made and tied on the head. Similarly a rosary of fifty seeds is to be worn and suspended on the breast; sixteen each on each of the two arms; twenty-four Rudrâksams to be worn on the wrists, twelve on each. O Sadânana! If a rosary be made of one hundred and eight, fifty or twenty-seven Rudrâksams and if japam be done with that, immeasurable merits are obtained. If anybody wears a rosary of one hundred and eight seeds, he gets at every moment
the fruit of performing the As'vamedha sacrifices and uplifts his twenty-one generations and finally he resides in the S’iva Loka.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Greatness of the Rudrâksam in the Mahâpuranam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter V
On the Rudrâksam rosaries
1-14. Îs'vara said :-- O Kârtikeya! Now I will speak how to count the Japam (repetition of the mantra) with the rosary. Hear. The face of Rudrâksam is Brahmâ; the upper summit point is S’iva and the tail end of Rudrâksam is Visnu. The Rudrâksam has two-fold powers :-- It can give Bhoga (Enjoyment) as well as Moksa (Liberation). Then string or tie together, like a cow's tail, and like the snake's coiling a body, twenty-five five faced Rudrâksa seeds, thorny and of red, white, mixed colours bored through and through. The rosary is to taper as a cow's tail tapers down. In stringing the beads into a rosary, it should be seen that the flat face of one Rudrâksam is in front of the flat face of another Rudrâksam; so the tail, the pointed end of one, must come in front of the tail or the narrower end of another. The Meru or the topmost bead of the string must have its face turned upwards and the knot should be given over that. The rosary, thus strung, yields success of the Mantra (mantra-siddhi). When the rosary is strung, it is to be bathed with clear and scented water and afterwards with the Pañchagavya (cow-dung, cow urine, curd, milk, and ghee); then wash it with clear water and sanctify it with the condensed electrical charge of the Mantra. Then recite the Mantra of S’iva (Six limbed), with “Hûm” added and collect the rosaries. Then repeat over them the Mantra “Sadyojâta, etc.”, and sprinkle water over it one hundred and eight times. Then utter the principal mantra and place them on a holy ground and perform Nyâsa over it, i.e., think that the Great Cause S’iva and the World-Mother Bhagavatî have come on them. Thus make the Samskâra of the rosary (i.e., purify it) and you will find then that your desired end will be attained successfully. Worship the rosary with the Mantra of that Devata for which it is intended. One is to wear the Rudrâksa rosary on one's head, neck or ear and controlling oneself, one should make japam with the rosary. On the neck, head, breast, or the ears or on the arms, the rosary should he held with the greatest devotion. What is the use in saying about it so often? It is highly meritorious and commendable
to hold always the Rudrâksam. Especially on such occasions as taking baths, making gifts, making japams, performing the Homas,or sacrifices to Visve Devas, in performing the Poojâs of the Devas,in making Prâyaschittams (penances), in the time of S’râdh and in the time of initiation, it is highly necessary to hold Rudrâksam. A Brâhmin is sure to go to hell if he performs any Vaidik act without wearing any Rudrâksam. Note :-- It would be offering an insult to S’iva!
15-29. It is advisable to use the true Rudrâksam with gold and jewel, on the head, neck or on one's hand. Never use the Rudrâksam worn by another. Use Rudrâksam always with devotion; never use it while you are impure. Even the grass that grows with the air in contact with the Rudrâksa tree, goes verily to a holy region for ever. Jâbâla Muni says in the S’ruti :-- lf a man wearing Rudrâksam commits a sin, he gets deliverance from that sin. Even if animals hold Rudrâksam, they become S’iva; what of men! The devotees of S’rî Rudra should always use at least one Rudrâksa on the head. Those great devotees, who with Rudrâksam on take the name of the Highest Self S’ambhu, get themselves freed of all sorts of sins and pains. Those who are ornamented with Rudrâksam are the best devotees. It is highly incumbent on those who want their welfare to wear Rudrâksam. Those who hold Rudrâksam on their ears, crown hair, neck, hands, and breast, get Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara under them as their Vibhûtis (manifestations, powers). The Devas and all those Risis that started the Gotra, the Âdipurusas (the first chief men in several families), held with reverence the Rudrâksams. All the other Munis, that descended from their families, the ardent followers of S’rauta Dharma, the pure souled, held the Rudrâksams. It may be, that many might not like at first to hold this Rudrâksam, the visible giver of liberation and so well written in the Vedas; but after many births, out of the Grace of Mahâdeva many become eager to take the Rudrâksams. The Munis that are the Jâbâla Sâkhîs are famous in expounding the inestimable greatness of Rudrâksams.
The effect of holding Rudrâksams is well known in the three worlds. Punyam (great merit) arises from the mere sight of Rudrâksams; ten million times that merit arises by its touch; and by wearing it, one hundred Koti times the fruit arises and if one makes Japam every day, then one lakh koti times the punyam arises. There is no manner of questionings in this.
30-36. He who holds in his hand, breast, neck, ears, head, the Rudrâksams, becomes an image of Rudra. There is no manner of doubt in this. By holding Rudrâksams, men become invulnerable of all the beings, become respected, like Mahâ Deva, by the Devas and Asuras and they roam on the earth like Rudra. Even if a man be addicted to evil deeds and commits all sorts of sins, he becomes respected by all, on holding Rudrâksams. By this men are freed of the sin of taking Uchhista and of all the other sins. Even if you suspend a Rudrâksam rosary on the neck of a dog and if that dog dies in that state, he gets liberation! Then what to speak of others! By holding Rudrâksams, men even if they be devoid of Japam and Dhyânam, become freed of all sins and attain the highest state. Even if one holds merely one Rudrâksa seed purified and surcharged with Mantra S’akti, he uplifts his twentyone generations, gets to Heaven and resides there with respect. I am speaking now further of the Greatness of Rudrâksam.
Here ends the Fifth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Rudrâksam rosaries in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter VI
On the greatness of Rudrâksams
1-21. Îs'vara said :-- O Kârtikeya! Kus'agranthi, Jîvapattrî and other rosaries cannot compare to one-sixteenth part of the Rudrâksa rosary. As Visnu is the best of all the Purusas, the Gangâ is the best of all the rivers, Kas'yapa, amongst the Munis, Uchchaihsravâ amongst the horses, Mahâ Deva amongst the Devas, Bhagavatî amongst the Devîs, so the Rudrâksam rosary is the best of all the rosaries. All the fruits that occur by reading the stotras and holding all the Vratas, are obtained by wearing the Rudrâksam bead. At the time of making the Aksaya gift, the Rudrâksam bead is capable of giving high merits. The merit that accrues by giving Rudrâksam to a peaceful devotee of S’iva, cannot be expressed in words. If anybody gives food to a man holding the Rudrâksam rosary, his twenty one generations are uplifted and he ultimately becomes able to live in the Rudrâ Loka. He who does not apply ashes on his forehead and who does not hold Rudrâksam and is averse to the worship of S’iva is inferior to a chândâla. If Rudrâksam be placed on the head then the flesh-eaters, drunkards, and the associates with the vicious become freed of their sins. Whatever fruits are obtained by performing various sacrifices, asceticism and the study of the Vedas are easily attained by simply holding the Rudrâksam rosary. Whatever merits are obtained by read-
ing the four Vedas and all the Purânas and bathing in all the Tîrthas and the results that are obtained by immense practice in learning all are obtained by wearing Rudrâksam. If at the time of death, one wears Rudrâksam and dies, one attains Rudrahood. One has not to take again one's birth. If anybody dies by holding Rudrâksam on his neck or on his two arms, he uplifts his twenty-one generations and lives in the Rudra Loka. Be he a Brâhman or a Chândâla, be he with qualities or without qualities, if he applies ashes to his body and holds Rudrâksam he surely attains S’ivahood. Be he pure or impure; whether he eats uneatables or be he a Mlechha or a Chândâla or a Great Sinner, any body if he holds Rudrâksam is surely equal to Rudra. There is no doubt in this.
If any body holds Rudrâksam on his head he gets Koti times the fruit; on his ears, ten Koti times the fruit, on his neck, one hundred Koti times the fruit; on his holy thread, ayuta times the fruit; on his arm, one lâkh Koti times the fruit and if one wears Rudrâksam on one's wrist, one attains Moksa. Whatever acts, mentioned in the Vedas be performed with Rudrâksam on, the fruits obtained are unbounded. Even if a man be without any Bhakti and if he wears on his neck the Rudrâksa rosary though he does always vicious acts, he becomes freed of the bondage of this world. Even if a man does not hold Rudrâksa but if he be always full of devotion towards the Rudrâksam, he attains the fruit that is got by wearing the Rudrâksam and he attains the S’iva Loka and is honoured like S’iva. As in the country of Kîkata, an ass which used to carry Rudrâksam seed got S’ivahood after his death, so any man, whether he be a Jñani (wise) or Ajnâni (unwise), gets S’ivahood if he holds Rudrâksam. There is no doubt in this.
22-28. Skanda said :-- “O God! How is it that in the country of Kîkata (Bihar), an ass had to carry Rudrâksa; who gave him the Rudrâksams! And what for did he hold that?”
Bhagavân Îs'vara said :-- O Son! Now hear the history of the case. In the Bindhya mountain one ass used to carry the load of Rudrâksam of a traveller. Once the ass felt tired and became unable to carry the load and fell down on the road and died. After his death the ass came to Me by My Grace, becoming Mahes'vara with trident in his hand and with three eyes. O Kârtikeya! As many faces as there are in the Rudrâksam, for so many thousand Yugas the holder resides with honour in the S’iva Loka. One should declare the greatness of Rudrâksam to one's own disciple; never to disclose its glories to one who is not a disciple nor a devotee of Rudrâksam nor to him who is an illiterate brute. Be he a Bhakta or not a
Bhakta, be be low or very low, if he holds Rudrâksam then he is freed from all sins. No equal can be to the merit of him who holds the Rudrâksams.
29-39. The Munis, the Seers of truth, describe this holding on of Rudrâksam as a very great vow. He who makes a vow to hold one thousand Rudrâksams, becomes like Rudra; the Devas bow down before him. If thousand Rudrâksams be not obtained, one should hold at least sixteen Rudrâksams on each arm, one Rudrâksam on the crown hair; on the two hands, twelve on each; thirty-two on the neck; forty on the head; six on each ear and one hundred and eight Rudrâksams on the breast; and then he becomes entitled to worship like Rudra. If any body holds Rudrâksam together with pearls, Prabâla, crystal, silver, gold and gem (lapis lazuli), he becomes a manifestation of S'iva. If a body, through laziness even, holds Rudrâksam, the sin cannot touch him as darkness cannot come near light. If any body makes japam of a mantram with a Rudrâksa rosary, he gets unbounded results. Such a merit giving Rudrâksam, if one such Rudrâksam be not found in any one's body, his life becomes useless, like a man who is void of Tripundrak (three curved horizontal marks made on the forehead by the worshippers of S'iva). If any body simply washes his head all over with Rudrâksam on, he gets the fruit of bathing in the Ganges. There is no doubt in this. One faced Rudrâksam, the five faced, eleven faced and fourteen faced Rudrâksams are highly meritorious and entitled to worship by all. The Rudrâksam is S'ankara made manifest; so it is always worshipped with devotion. The greatness of Rudrâksam is such as it can make a king out of a poor man. On this point, I will tell you an excellent Purânic anecdote.
40-49. There was a Brâhmin, named Girinâtha in the country of Kosala. He was proficient in the Vedas and Vedâmgas, religious and very rich. He used to perform sacrifices. He had a beautiful son named Gunanidhi. The son gradually entered into his youth and looked beautiful like Kandarpa, the God of Love. While he was studying at his Guru Sudhisana's house, he, by his beauty and youth captivated the mind of his Guru's wife named Muktâvalî. The Guru's wife became so much enchanted by his extraordinary beauty that she, being unable to control herself, mixed with him and for some time remained with him in secret enjoyment. Then feeling inconveniences, due to the fear of. his Guru, to enjoy her freely, used poison to the Guru, killed him and then he began to live freely with her. Next when his father, mother came to know about this, he put to death instantly his father and mother, administering poison to them. He became
addicted to various pleasures and his wealth was exhausted gradually. He began to steal in Brâhmans' houses and became addicted very much to drinking. His relatives outcasted him from the society for his bad behaviour and banished him outside the town. He then went into a dense forest with Muktâvalî; and he began to kill the Brâhmins for their wealth. Thus a long time passed away; when at last he fell into the jaws of death.
50-54. Then to take him to the region of Death, thousands of the Yama's messengers came; at the same time the S’iva's messengers came from S’iva Loka. O Kârtikeya! A quarrel then ensued between both the parties of Yama and S’iva. The Yama's messengers then said :-- “O Servers of S’ambhu! What are the merits of this man that you have come to take him? First speak to us of his merits.” S’iva's messengers spoke :-- “Fifteen feet below the ground where this man died, there exists the Rudrâksam. O Yama's messengers! By the influence of that Rudrâksam, all his sins are destroyed; and we have come to take him to S’iva.” Then the Brâhmin Gunanidhi assumed a divine form and, getting on an aerial car went with S'iva's messengers before S'iva. O One of good vows! Thus I have described briefly to you the greatness of Rudrâksam. This is capable to remove all sorts of sins and yield great merits.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Greatness of Rudrâksams in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the greatness of one faced, etc., Rudrâksam
1-4. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! When Girîs'a thus explained to Kârtikeya the greatness of Rudrâksam, he became satisfied. Now I have spoken to you of the glories of the Rudrâksams as far as I know. Now, as to our subject of right way of acting, I will now speak on other things that ought to be known. Listen. The seeing of Rudrâksam brings in a lakh times of Punyam and koti times the merit arises from touching that; holding it brings in koti times merit; again if one makes the japam of a Mantra with that Rudrâksam, one obtains merit one hundred lakh koti times and one thousand lakh koti times the merit. The merit in holding the Rudrâksam is far superior to that in holding Bhadrâksam. The Rudrâksam seed that is of the size of an Âmalakî is the best; which is the of the size of a plum, is middling; and which is of the size of a gram is the worst.
this is my word and promise. The Rudrâksam tree is of four kinds :-- Brâhmana, Ksattriya, Vais’ya, and S’ûdra. The white colour is Brâhmana; the red colour is Ksattriya; the yellow colour is Vais'ya and the black coloured Rudrâksam seed is S’ûdra. The Brâhmanas are to use the white coloured Rudrâksams; the Ksattriyas, the red coloured ones, the Vais'yas, the yellow coloured ones; and the S’ûdras, the black ones. Those Rudrâksa seeds that are nicely circular, smooth, hard, and whose thorns or points are distinctly visible, are the best. Those that are pierced by insects, broken in parts, whose thorns are not clearly visible, with swells and holes and those that are coated over, these six varieties of Rudrâksams are faulty. Those Rudrâksams that have their holes by nature running through and through are best; and those that base their holes pierced by men are middling. The Rudrâksa seeds that are all of uniform shape, bright, hard, and beautifully circular should be strung together by a silken thread. How to test the Rudrâksa seed? As gold is tested by a touch stone; so the Rudrâksam is tested by drawing lines on it; those on which the lines are most uniform, bright and beautiful are the best and they should be worn by the S’aivas. One should hold one Rudrâksam on the crown hair, thirty on the head, thirty six on the neck; sixteen on each arm, twelve on each wrist, fifty on the shoulders, one hundred and eight Rudrâksams in the place of the sacrificial thread; and the devotee should have two or three rounds on the neck. On the earrings, on the crown of the head, the head, on bracelets, on armlets, on necklace, on the ornament worn on the loins one should hold Rudrâksam always, whether one sleeps or eats. Holding three hundred Rudrâksams is the lowest; holding five hundred is middling; holding one thousand Rudrâksams is the best; so one ought to wear one thousand Rudrâksams. At the time of taking Rudrâksam, on one's head, one should utter the Mantra of Îsâna; the mantra of Tat Purusa while holding on one's ears; Aghora mantra on one's forehead and heart; and the vîja of Aghora mantra, i.e., “hasau” while holding on one's hands. One should wear the rosary of fifty Rudrâksa seeds, suspended up to the belly, uttering the Vâmadeva mantra, i.e., Sadyojâtâdi, etc., the five Brahmâ mantras, and the six-limbed S’iva mantra. One is to string every Rudrâksa seed, uttering the root mantra and then hold it. One-faced Rudrâksa reveals Paratattva (the highest Tattva); when worn, the knowledge of the highest Tattva arises; the Brahmâ is seen then. The two-faced Rudrâksam is Ardhanârîs'vara, the Lord of the other half which represents women (in the same person); if worn, Ardhanârîsvara S’iva is always pleased with that man who holds it. The three-faced Rudrâksam is Fire made manifest; it destroys in a moment the sin of killing a woman.
The three-faced Rudrâksam is the three Agnis, Daksinâgni, Gârhapatya, and Âhavaniya; Bhagavân Agni is always pleased with that man who wears the three-faced Rudrâksam. The four-faced Rudrâksam is Brahmâ Himself. The wearer gets his prosperity enhanced, his diseases destroyed, the divine knowledge springs in him and his heart is always pleased. The five-faced Rudrâksam is the five faced S’iva Himself; Mahâdeva gets pleased with him who holds it. The Presiding Deity of the six faced Rudrâksam is Kârtikeya. Some Pundits take Ganapati to be the Presiding Deity of the six-faced Rudrâksam. The presiding Deity of the seven-faced Rudrâksam is the seven Mâtrikâs, the Sun and the seven Risis. By putting on this, the prosperity is increased, health and the pure knowledge are established. It should be put on when one becomes pure. The Presiding Deity of the eight-faced Rudrâksam is Brâhmî, the eight Mâtrikâs. By holding this, the eight Vasus are pleased and the river Ganges is also pleased. The putting on of this makes the Jîvas truthful and pleasant-minded. The Devatâ of the nine-faced Rudrâksam is Yama; holding this puts off the fears of Death. The Devatâ of the eleven-faced Rudrâksam is ten quarters, the ten quarters are pleased with him who wears the ten-faced Rudrâksam. The Devata of the eleven mouthed Rudrâksam is the eleven Rudrâs and Indra. Holding this enhances happiness. The twelve-faced Rudrâksam is Visnu made manifest; its Devatâs are the twelve Âdityas; the devotees of S’iva should hold this. The thirteen-faced Rudrâksam, if worn, enables one to secure one's desires; he does nowhere experience failures. The Kâma Deva becomes pleased with him who wears this. The fourteen-faced Rudrâksam destroys all diseases and gives eternal health. While holding this, one ought not to take wine, flesh, onion, garlic, Sajñâ fruit, Châltâ fruit and the flesh of the boar which eats excrements, etc. During the Lunar and Solar eclipses, during the Uttarâyana S’amkrânti or the Daksinâyana S’amkrânti, during the full Moon or the New Moon day, if Rudrâksam be worn, one becomes instantly freed of all one's sins.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness of one faced, etc., Rudrâksam in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter VIII
On Bhûta S'uddhi
1-21. Nârâyana said :-- O Great Muni! Now I shall tell you the rules of Bhûta S’uddhi, i.e., the purification of the elements of the body (by respiratory attraction and replacement, etc.). Firstly, think of the Highest Deity Kundalinî (the Serpent Fire) as rising up in the hollow
canal Susumnâ in the Spinal Cord from the Mulâdhâra (the sacral plexus) to the Brahmârandhra (the aperture supposed to be at the crown of the head). Next, the devotee is to meditate on the Mantra “Hamsa” and consider his Jîvâtmâ (the embodied soul) united with Para Brahmâ. Then think from leg to the knees in the form of a square Yantra (diagram as furnished with Vajra thunderbolt, represented by 63 lines at the four corners); consider this square as the earth, of a golden colour and represented by the letter “Lam,” representing the Seed Mantra of earth. Next from the knee to the navel consider the semi-moon and at its two ends consider that the two Lotuses are situated. Consider this as the circle of water, of white colour, represented by the letter “Vam” the Seed Mantra of water. Then again from the navel to the heart consider it as of a triangular form and the Svastik mark at its three angles and think it as of fire and represented by the letter “Ram” its root Mantra, of red colour. Next from the heart to the centre of the eyebrows, consider as marked with six dots, with the Seed Mantra “Yam” of a smoke-coloured colour (dark-red) and of a circular appearance and consider it as air. Then again from the centre of the eyebrows to the crown of the head consider as Âkâs’a Mandalam (a region of ether) beautiful and clear and with “Ham” as its vîja letter. Thus thinking consider firstly the earthy principle originated from watery principle, dissolved in water. Then think water as dissolved in fire, its cause; fire dissolved in air, its cause; and air dissolved in Âkâs’a ether, its cause; then consider Âkâs’a dissolved in its cause Ahamkâra, egoism; then again Ahamkâra dissolved in the Great Principle (Mahâttatva); and Mahâttatva again in its cause Prakriti and consider Prakriti again diluted in its cause, the Supreme Self. Then consider your ownself as the Highest Knowledge and only that. Think, then, of the Pâpa Purusa, the Sinful Man in your body. The size of this Man is that of a thumb and it is situated in the left abdomen. The head of him is represented by Brahmahatyâ (murdering a Brâhman); his area as stealing gold; his heart as drinking wine; his loins as going to the wife of his Guru, his legs as mixing with people who go to their Guru's wives, and his toes as representing other sins and venial offences. The Sinful Man holds axes and shield in his hands; he is always angry, with his head bent down and his appearance is very horrible. Inhale air through the left nostril thinking of “Vam” the Root Mantra of air and make Kumbhaka, i.e., fill the whole body with that air, and hold it inside, purifying the sinful man; then repeating “Ram,” the seed Mantra of fire, think the sinful man with his own body burnt down to ashes. Then exhale outside through the right nostril those ashes of the Sinful Man. Next consider the ashes
due to the burning of the Sinful Man, as rolled and turned into a round ball with the nectar seed of the Moon. Think steadily this ball as transformed into a golden egg by the Seed Mantra “Lam” of the earth. Repeat then, “Ham” the seed Mantra of Âkâs’a and think yourself as an ideal being; pure and clear, and shape thus your body and the several limbs.
Create, then, fresh in an inverse order from the Brahmâ the elements Âkâs’a, air, fire, water, earth and locate them in their respective positions. Then by the Mantra “Soham” separate the Jîvâtmâ from the Paramâtmâ and locate the Jîvâtmâ in the heart. Think also that the Kundalinî has come to the Sacral Plexus, after locating the Jîvâtmâ, turned into nectar by contact with the Highest Self, in the heart. Next meditate on the vital force, the Prâna S’akti, thus located as follows :-- There is a red lotus on a wide boat in a vast ocean of a red colour; on this lotus is seated the Prâna S’akti. She has six hands holding, in due order, the trident, the arrows made of sugarcane, noose, goad, five arrows and a skull filled with blood. She is three-eyed. Her high breasts are decorated; the colour of Her body is like the Rising Sun. May She grant us happiness. Thus meditating on the Prâna S’akti, Who is of the nature of the Highest Self, one ought to apply ashes on his body in order to attain success in all actions. Great merit arises from the application of ashes (besmearing ashes) on the body. I will now dwell on this subject in detail. Listen. This point of holding ashes on to the body is particularly proved in the Vedas and Smritis.
Here ends the Eighth Chapter in the Eleventh Book on Bhûta S'uddhi (purification of elements in the body) in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter IX
On the rules of S’irovrata
1-43. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- The Brâhmanas that will perform duly the S’irovrata, to be described in the following, are the only ones who will attain very easily the highest knowledge, destroying all Avidyâ or Ignorance. So much so that the rules of right living and right conduct as ordained in the S’rutis and Smritis are not necessary to be observed by those who duly and devotedly perform the S’irovrata (i.e., vow of the head; i.e., vow to apply ashes on the forehead). O Learned One! It is through this S’irovrata that Brahmâ and the other Devas have been able to get their Brahmâhood and the Devahood. The ancient sages glorified highly this S’irovrata. Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra and the other Devas all performed this S’irovrata. O Wise One! Those that performed
duly this S’irovrata, all became sinless though they were sinful in every way. Its name is S’irovrata, inasmuch as it is mentioned in the first part of the Atharva Veda. Only this vrata (vow) is called S'irovrata; no other thing is denominated by this name. By no other merit can this be acquired. O Muni! Different names are assigned to this vrata in different S’âkhâs; in fact, they are all one and the same.
N. B. -- Pâsupata vrata, S'ivavrata, etc., are the different names assigned to it. In all the S’âkhâs, the One Substance, Intelligence solidified named S'iva and the knowledge thereof is mentioned. This is “S’irovrata.” He who does not perform this S’irovrata, is irreligious and he is banished from all religious acts, though he is well-qualified in all branches of learning. There is no manner of doubt in this. This S’irovrata is like the blazing fire in destroying wholly the forest of sins. All knowledge fleshes before him who performs this S’irovrata. The Atharva S’ruti expounds the subtle and particularly incomprehensible things; this S’ruti declares the above S’irovrata as daily to be done; so it is one of the daily observances. “Fire is ashes,” “water is ashes,” “earth is ashes,” “air is ashes,” “ether or Âkâs'a is ashes,” “all this manifest Universe is ashes.” These six mantras stated in the Atharva Veda are to be recited; after this, ashes are to be besmeared all over the body. This is named the S’irovrata. The devotee is to put on these ashes named S’irovrata during his Sandhyopâsanâ (practising Sandhyâ thrice a day); so long as the Brahmâ Vidyâ (the knowledge of Brahmâ) does not arise in him. One is to make a Sankalpa (resolve) of twelve years before one starts with this Vrata. In cases of incapability, a period of one year or six months, or three months or at least twelve days are to be adopted. That Guru is considered very cruel and his knowledge will come to an end who hesitates and does not impart the knowledge of the Vedas and other things to him who is purified by observing this S’irovrata. Know him certainly as a very merciful Guru who illumines the heart by Brahmâ Vidyâ just as God is very merciful and compassionate to all the living beings. One who performs one's own Dharmas for many births, acquires particular faith in this S’irovrata; others can have no faith in this. Rather he gets animosity for this vrata, because of the abundance of ignorance in him. So one ought never to advise on spiritual knowledge to an enemy who has no faith, rather who has hatred for any such thing. Those only that are purified by the observance of S’irovrata are entitled to Brahmâ Vidyâ; and none others. So the Vedas command :-- Those are to be advised on Brahmâ Vidyâ who have performed S’irovrata. Even the animal becomes freed of his animalism, as a result of this vrata; no sin occurs in killing that animal; this is
the decision of the Vedânta. It has been repeatedly uttered by Jâvâla Risi that the Dharma of the Brâhmanas is to put on the Tripundra (three curved lines of ashes on the forehead). The householders are instructed to put on this Tripundra by repeating the mantra “triyamvaka”' with Om prefixed. Those that are in the stage of the Bhiksus (Sannyâsis, etc.,) are to put on this Tripundra uttering thrice the mantra “Om Hasah.” Such is regularly stated in Jâvâla S’ruti. The house holders and the Vânaprasthis (foresters) are to put on this Tripundra, uttering Triyamvaka mantra purified with “Haum” the pranava of S’iva prefixed.
Those that are the Brahmâchâris are to use daily this Tripundra uttering the mantra “Medhâvî,” etc. The Brâhmanas are to apply the ashes in three curved lines on the forehead. The God S’iva is always hidden under the cover of ashes; so the S’aivas, the devotees of S’iva are to use the Tripundra. The Brâhmanas are to use daily this Tripundra. Brahmâ is the Prime Brâhmin. When He used Tripundra on His forehead, what need to tell, then, that every Brâhman ought always to use it! Never fail, out of error, to besmear your body with the ashes as prescribed in the Vedas and worship the S’iva Lingam. The Sannyâsins are to apply Tripundra on their forehead, arms, chest, uttering the Triyamvaka mantra with Om prefixed and also the five lettered mantra of S'iva “Om Namah S’ivâya.” The Brahmâchâris should use Tripundra of ashes, obtained from their own fire, uttering the mantra “Triyâyusam Jamadagneh,” etc., or the mantra “Medhâvî”, etc. The S’ûdras in the service of the Brâhmins are to use the ashes with devotion, with the mantra “Namah S’ivâya.” The other ordinary persons can use the Tripundra without any mantra. To besmear the body all over with ashes and to put on the Tripundra is the essence of all Dharma; therefore this should be used always. The ashes from the Agnihotra Sacrifice or from Virajâgni (Virajâ fire) are to be carefully placed on a clean and pure basin. Cleansing hands and feet, one is to sip (perform Âchamana) twice, and then, taking the ashes in the hand, utter the five Brahmâ mantras “Sadyoyâtam prapadyâmi,” etc., and perform short Prânâyâma thrice; he is, then, to utter the seven mantras “Fire is ashes,” “water is ashes,” “earth is ashes” “Teja is ashes,” “wind is ashes,” “ether is ashes,” “All this whatsoever is ashes” and purify and impregnate the ashes with the mantra by blowing out air through the mouth. Then one is to think of Mahâ Deva, repeating the mantra “Om Apojyoti,” etc., and apply dry ashes of white colour all over the body and become sinless. After this he is to meditate on the Mahâ Visnu, the Lord of the universe and on the Lord of the waters and repeat again the mantras “Fire is ashes” and mix water with the ashes. He is, then, to think of S’iva and apply ashes on his forehead. He is to think of the ashes as S’iva Himself and
then, with mantras appropriate to his own Âs'rama (stages of life) use the Tripundra on his forehead, chest and shoulders.
By the middle finger and ringfinger he is to draw the two lines of the ashes from the left to the right and by his thumb draw a third line of ashes from the right to the left. These Tripundras are to be used in the morning, midday and in the evening.
Here ends the Ninth chapter of the Eleventh Book on the rules of S'irovrata in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter X
On the subject of Gauna Bhasma
1-33. Nârâyana said :-- O Knower of Brahmâ! O Nârada! The ashes prepared from ordinary fire are secondary (Gauna). The greatness of this secondary ashes is to be considered by no means trifling; this also destroys the darkest ignorance and reveals the highest knowledge. It is of various kinds. Amongst the secondary ashes, that prepared from Virajâgni is the best; it is equivalent to that obtained from Agnihotra Yajña and it is as glorious. The ashes obtained from the marriage sacrificial fire, that obtained from the burning of the Samidh fuel, what is obtained from the conflagration of fire are known as the secondary ashes. The Brahmânas, Ksattriyas and Vais'yas should use the ashes from the Agnihotra and the Virajâ Fire. For the householders, the ashes from the marriage sacrificial fire are good. For the Brahmâcharis, the ashes from the Samid fuel are good and for the S’ûdras the fire of the cooking place of the Veda knowing Brahmânas is good. For the other persons, the ashes obtained from the conflagration of fire are good. Now I will talk of the origin of the ashes obtained from the Virajâ fire. The chief season of the Virajâ fire sacrifice is the Full-moon night with Chitrâ asterism with the Moon. If this does not take place, the sacrifice may be performed at other seasons; and it should be remembered that the fit place is where one adopts as one's dwelling place. The auspicious field, garden or forest is also commendable for the above sacrifice. On the Trayodas'î Tithi, the thirteenth night preceding the full-moon night, one is to complete one's bathing and Sandhyâ; then one is to worship one's Guru and bow down before Him. Then, receiving his permission, the sacrificer is to put on pure clothing and perform the special Pûjâ. Then with his white sacrificial thread, white garlands, and white sandal paste one is to sit on the Kus'a seat with sacrificial (Kus'a) grass in one's hands. With his face towards the east or north he is to perform Prânâyâma thrice.
Then he is to meditate on S’iva and Bhagavatî and get mentally their permissions. “O Deva Bhagavân! O Mother Bhagavatî! I will perform this vow for my life-time.” Thus making the resolve, he should start with this sacrifice. But this is to be known that this Vrata can be performed for twelve years, for six years, for three years, for one year, for six months, for twelve days, for six days, for three days, even at least for one day. But in every case, he must take mentally the permission of the Deva and the Devî. Now, to perform the Virajâ Homa, one is to light the fire according to one's Grihya Sûtras and then perform Homa with ghee, Samidh (fuel) or with charu (an oblation of rice, milk, and sugar boiled together). Then on the fourteenth lunar day (Chaturdas'î) one is to pray “Let the tattvas (principles) in me be purified” and then perform the Homa ceremony with Samidh, etc., as above-mentioned. Now recollecting that “My principles in my body are purified,” he is to offer oblations to the fire. In other words, uttering “Priththitattvas me sudhyatâm jyotiraham virajâ vipâpmâ bhûyâsam Svâhâ” one is to offer oblations to the Fire. Thus uttering the five element (Mahâbhutas), five tanmâtrâs, five Karmendriyas (organs of action), five Jñânendriyas (organs of perception), five Prânas, seven dhâtus Tvak, etc., mind, buddhi (intellect), Ahamkâra (egoism), Sattva, Raja, Tamah gunas, Prakriti, Purusa, Râga, Vidyâ, Kalâ (arts etc,) Daiva (Fate), Kâla (time), Mâyâ S’uddhavidyâ, Mahes'vara, Sadâ S’iva, S’akti S’ivatattva, etc., respectively by its own name, one is to offer oblations to the fire by the five-lettered Virajâ Mantra; then the sacrificer will become pure. Then form a round ball of fresh cowdung and purifying it by Mantram place it on fire and carefully watch it. On that day, the devotee is to take Havisyânna (a sacred food of boiled rice with ghee). On the morning of the Chaturdas'î, he is to perform his daily duties as above and then to perform Homa on that fire; uttering the five lettered Mantra. He is not to take any food the rest of the time. On the next day, that is, on the full-moon day, after performing the morning duties, he is to do the Homa ceremony, uttering the Five lettered Mantra and then take leave of the Fire (invoked for worship). He is, then, to raise up the ashes. Then the devotee is to keep Jatâ (matted hair) or to shave clean his head or to keep only one lock of hair on the crown of the head. He is to take his bath, then; and if he can, then he should be naked or put on a red coloured cloth, hide, or one piece of rag or bark; he is to take a staff and a belt. Washing his hands and feet and sipping twice he by his two hands, is to pulverise the ashes and, uttering the six Atharvan Mantras, “Fire is ashes” and so forth, apply ashes from his head to foot. Then, as before, he is to apply ashes, gradually to his arms, etc., and all
over the body uttering the Pranava of S’iva, “Vam, Vam.” He is to put on the Triyâyusa Tripundra on his forehead. After he has done this, the Jîva (the embodied self) becomes S’iva (the Free Self) and he should behave himself like S’iva. O Nârada! Thus, at the three Sandhyâ-periods; he is to do like this. This Pâs’upata vrata is the source of enjoyment as well as liberation and as well as of the cessation of all brutal desires. By the performance of this vrata the devotee is to free himself gradually of his animal feelings and then to worship Bhagavân Sada S’iva in the form of a phallic symbol. The above bath ashes is highly meritorious and it is the source of all happiness. By holding the ashes, one's longevity is prolonged, one gets even great bodily strength, becomes healthy and his beauty increases and he gets nourishment. This using of ashes is for the preservation of one's own self; it is the source of one's good and of all sorts of happiness and prosperity. Those who use ashes (Bhas'ma) are free from the danger of plague and other epidemic diseases; this bhasma is of three sorts as it leads to the attainment of peace, nourishment, or to the fufilment of all desires.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the subject Gauna Bhasma (secondary ashes) in the Mahâpurânam S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XI
On the description of the greatness of the three kinds of Bhasmas
Nârada asked :-- O Bhagavân! How is the above Bhasma of three kinds? I am eager to hear this. Kindly describe this to me. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I am now talking of the three kinds of ashes; hearing this even destroys one's sins and brings in good fame. When a cow evacuates her dung, just as the cow dung leaves her and is far from reaching the ground, one should catch it with one's hand and this cow-dung burnt with “Sadyojâtâdi,” i.e., Brahmâ Mantra, becomes ashes which are called “S’ântika Bhasma,” i.e., ashes producing peace. Before the cowdung is about to reach the ground, the devotee should take it with his hand and uttering the six lettered Mantra, he is to burn the cowdung. The ashes from this are called Paustik Bhasma, i.e., ashes leading to nourishment.
If the cowdung be burned with the Mantra “Haum,” the ashes of this are called “Kâmada Bhasma,” i.e., ashes leading to the granting of desires. O Nârada! On the full moon day, new moon day or on the eighth lunar day, a man is to get up from his bed early in the morning and be pure and go the cow enclosure. He is to salute the cows and take the cowdung, uttering the Mantra Haum. If he be a Brâhmin, he is to collect the white cow dung; if he be a Ksattriya, he would take the red cow
dung; a Vais'ya, yellow cow dung and if he be a S’ûdra, he would take the black cow dung. Then by the mantra “Namah” he is to form that into a ball and cover it with the husk of rice or some other grain and dry it in a sacred place, repeating the mantra “Haum.” Bring fire from a forest or from the house of a Veda-knowing Brâhmin and reduce the cowdung to ashes by this mantra, uttering the mantra Haum. Next take out the ashes carefully from the fire place (Agni Kunda) and place it in a new jar or pot, again remembering the mantra “Haum”. Mix with the ashes the Ketakî dust, the Pâtala flower dust, the root of the fragrant grass called khas khas, saffron and other sweet scented things with the mantra “Satyojâtam prapadyâmi,” etc. First perform the water bath, then the bath of the ashes. In case one cannot have the water bath, one is to have the ash bath. Washing the hands, feet and head with the mantra “Is'ânah Sarvavidyânâm,” etc., and uttering “Tatpurusa” one is to besmear one's face with ashes and by the mantra “Aghora” apply ashes on one's chest; with the mantra Vâmadeva. He is to use ashes on his navel; and with the mantra “Sadyo Jâta,” etc., all over his body; he is to quit his former cloth and put on another fresh cloth. Wash your hands and feet and sip (do Âchaman). It will serve the purpose if one simply uses Tripundrak and if one does not besmear the whole body with ashes. Before the midday one is to use Bhasma with water; but after the midday with dry ashes one is to draw the Tripundra lines of ashes with the forefinger, middlefinger and ringfinger. The head, forehead, ears, neck, heart, and the arms are the places whereon the Tripundras are used. On the head the ashes are applied with five fingers and with the mantra “Haum”; on the forehead, the Tripundra is applied with mantra Svâhâ by the forefinger, mindlefinger and ringfinger; on the right ear, it is applied with “Sadyojâta” mantra; on the left ear, with “Vamadeva” Mantra; on the neck with Aghora mantra by the middlefinger; on the chest with “Namah” mantra by the forefing middlefinger and ringfinger; on the right arm with vasat mantra by the three fingers; on the left arm with “Ham” mantra by the three fingers; and on the navel, the ashes are to be applied with the mantra Îs'ânah sarva devânâm by the middlefinger. The first line in every Tripundra is Brahmâ; the second line is Visnu; and the third, the topmost line is Mahâ Deva. The line of ashes that is marked by one finger is Îs'vara. The head is the place of Brahmâ; the forehead is the site of Îs'vara; the two ears are the seats of the two As'vins and the neck is where Ganes'a resides. The Ksattriyas, Vais'yas, and S’ûdras are to use Tripundras without any mantra; they are also not to use the ashes on
the whole of the body. The lowest classes (e.g. the chândâlas, etc.,) and the uninitiated persons are to use the Tripundraks without any mantra.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of the greatness of the three kinds of Bhasmas in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XII
On the greatness in holding the Tripundra and Bhasma
1-20. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi Nârada! Hear now the great secret and the fruits of besmearing one's body with ashes, yieding all desires. The pure cowdung of the Kapila (brown) cow is to be taken up by the hand before it reaches the ground. It should not be like mire, i.e., not like a liquid; it should not be also very hard nor should it emit a bad stench. And in case if the cowdung that has already fallen on the earth, has to be taken, it should be scraped off from the top and bottom; make it into a ball and then burn it in a pure fire, repeating the principal mantra. Take the ash and tie it in a piece of cloth and keep it in a pot. The pot in which the ashes are to be kept should be nice and good, hard, clean and sprinkled over for purification. Uttering the principal mantra, one is to keep the ashes in the pot. The pot may be of metal, wood, earth, or cloth; or it can be kept in any other nice pot. The ashes can be kept in a silken bag where the mohurs are kept. In going to a distant land, the devotee can take the ashes himself or kept with his accompanying servant. When it is to be given to somebody, it is to be given with both the hands; never with one hand. Never keep it in an unholy place. Never apply feet to the ashes, nor throw it in an ordinary place nor ever cross it by your legs. Use always the ashes after purifying it with mantra. These rules of holding the Bhasma are according to the Smritis. By holding Bhasma in this way, the devotee becomes, no doubt, like S’iva. The ashes, that the Vaidik devotees of S'iva prepare are to be taken with devotion. All can ask for that. But the ashes that the followers of the Tantra cult prepare, are taken by the Tântriks only; it is prohibited to the Vaidiks. The S’ûdras, Kâpâlikas, and other heretics (e.g., Jains, Buddhists) can use the Tripundras. Never do they conceive in their minds that they would not take the Tripundra. The holding on of Bhasma (ashes) is
according to the Vedas. Therefore one who does not apply it falls down. The Brâhmanas must use the Tripundras, repeating the mantra; and they are to besmear their whole body with ashes; if they don't do so, they are surely fallen. He can never expect to get liberation even after koti births who does not besmear his body with ashes devotedly and who does not hold the Tripundras. O Nârada! The vile man who does not hold Bhasma duly, know the birth of that man as futile as is the birth of a hog. Consider that body as a burning ground which does not bear the Tripundra marks. The virtuous man should not cast a glance at him even. Fie on that forehead which does not carry the Tripundra! Fie on that village which has not a single temple of S’iva! Fie on that birth which is void of the worship of S’iva! Fie on that knowledge which is void of the knowledge of S’iva. Know them to be the slanderers of S’iva who mock at Tripundra. Those that put on the Tripundras, bear S’iva in their forehead. The Brâhmin who is Niragnik (without the holy fire) is not nice in every way. So if the worship of S’iva be not done with any Tripundra is not praiseworthy, even it be attended with abundance of other offerings. Those who do not besmear their bodies with ashes or who do not use the Tripundras, get their previous good deeds converted into bad ones.
21-42. Unless the Tripundra mark is taken up according to the S’âstras, the Vaidik Karmas (works) or those performed according to the Smritis prove injurious; the good works whatsoever done by any man count for nothing; the holy words heard seem as if unheard and the study of the Vedas counted as if not studied.
The study of the Vedas, Sacrifices, Charities, asceticisms, vows and fastings of that man, who does not use the Tripundra, all become fruitless. Without using Bhasma (ashes) if one wants liberation, then that desire is equivalent to live after taking poison. There is no doubt in this. The Creator has not made the forehead vertically high nor round; but he has made it slightly slanting and curved fit to have the Tripundra. Making thus the forehead, the Creator wants, as it were, to inform everyone that every one ought to use Tripundra marks; the curved lines also are made visible for this purpose. Still the igorant illiterate man does not put up the Tripundra. Unless the Brâhmanas use the curved Tripundras, their meditation won't be successful; they will not have liberation, knowledge, nor their asceticism would bear any fruit. As the S’ûdras have no right in the study of the Vedas, so the Brâhmans have not any right to perform the worship of S’iva, etc., unless they use the Tripundras. First of all, facing eastward, and washing hands and feet, he ought to make a resolve
and then he takes a bath of the ashes mentally, controlling his breath. Then taking the ashes of the Agnihotra sacrifice he is to put some ashes on his own head, uttering “Îs'âna” mantra. Then he is to recite the Purusa S’ûkta Mantra and apply ashes on his face; with the Aghora mantra on his chest; with the Vâmadeva mantra, on his anus; with Sadyojâta mantra on his legs; and with the mantra Om, he is to besmear his whole body with ashes. This is called the bath of fire by the Munis. So bring all the actions to a successful issue one is to take first of all this bath of fire. Washing his hands, then, he is to make Âchaman duly; and, according to the above-mentioned rules, he is to apply ashes on his forehead, heart, and all round the neck with the five mantras above-mentioned; or with each mantra he is to apply the Tripundras. Thus all works are fructified and he gets the right to do all the Vaidik actions. The S’ûdras, even, are not to use the ashes touched by the lowest classes. All the actions ordained by the S'âstras are to be done after being besmeared with ashes of the Agnihotra sacrifice; otherwise no action will bear any fruit. All his truth, purity, Japam, offering, oblations to the sacrifice, bathing in the holy place of pilgrimage, and worshipping the gods become useless, who does not hold Tripundra. No fear of disease, sins, famine, or robbers comes to the Brâhmins who use Tripundra and rosary of Rudrâksa and thus remain always pure. In the end, they get the Nirvâna liberation. During the time of Srâddhas (solemn obsequies performed in honour of the manes of deceased ancestors) the Brâhmins purify the rows where persons are fed; so much so that the Devas glorify them. One must use the Tripundra marks before one performs any Srâddha, Japam sacrifice, offering oblations or worshipping the Visvedevâs; then one gets deliverance from the jaws of death. O Nârada! I am now speaking further of the greatness in holding the Bhasma; listen.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness in holding the Tripundra and Bhasma in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XIII
On the greatness of Bhasma
1-20. Nârâyana said :-- O Best of Munis! What shall I describe to you the effects of using the Bhasma! Only applying the ashes takes away the Mahâpâtakas (great sins) as well as other minor sins of the devotee. I speak this truly, very truly unto you. Now hear the fruits of using simply the ashes. By using Bhasma, the knowledge of Brahmâ comes to the Yatis; the desires of enjoyments are eradicated; the improvement
is felt in all the virtuous actions of the householders and the studies of the Vedas and other S’âstras of the Brahmachâris get their increase. The S’ûdras get merits in using Bhasmas and the sins of others are destroyed. To besmear the body with ashes and to apply the curved Tripundras is the source of good to all beings. The S’ruti says so. That this implies the performance of sacrifices by all, is also asserted in the S’rutis. To apply ashes to the whole of the body and to use Tripundra is common to all the religions; it has nothing, in principle, contradictory to others. So the S’ruti says. This Tripundra and the besmearing with ashes is the special mark of the devotees of S’iva; this again is asserted in the S’ruti. This Bhasma and the Tripundra are the special marks by which one is characterised; it is said so in the Vaidik S’ruti. S’iva, Visnu, Brahmâ, Indra, Hiranyagarbha, and their Avataras, Varuna and the whole host of the Devas all gladly used this Tripundra and ashes. Durgâ, Laksmî, and Sarasvatî, etc., all the wives of the gods daily anoint their bodies with ashes and use the Tripundras. So even the Yaksas, Râksasas, Gandharbhas, Sidhas, Vidyâdharas, and the Munis have applied Bhasma and Tripundra. This holding on of ashes is not prohibited to anybody; the Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas, Vais’yas, S’ûdras, mixed castes, and the vile classes all can use this Bhasma and Tripundra. O Nârada! In my opinion they only are the Sadhus (saints) who use this Tripundra and besmear their bodies with ashes. In seducing this Lady Mukti (liberation is personified here as a lady) one is to have this gem of S’iva Lingam, the five lettered Mantra Namah S’ivâyâ as the loving principle, and holding on the ashes as the charming medicine (as in seducing any ordinary woman, gems, jewels and ornaments, love and charming medicines are necessary). O Nârada! Know the place where the person, who has besmeared the holy with ashes and who has used Tripundra takes his food as where S’ankara and S’ankarî have taken their food together. Even if anybody himself not using the Bhasma, follows another who has used the Bhasma, he will be soon honoured in the society even if he be a sinner. What more than this, if anybody himself not using the ashes, praises another who uses the Bhasma, he is freed from all his sins and gets soon honour and respect in the society. All the studies of the Vedas come to him though he has not studied the Vedas, all the fruits of hearing the S’rutis and the Purânas come to him, though he has not heard them, all the fruits of practised Dharma come to him though he has not practised any, if he always uses this Tripundra on his forehead and gives food to a beggar who uses Tripundra on his forehead. Even in courtries as Bihar (Kîkata, etc., that have got a bad name) if there be a single man in the whole country whose body is besmeared with ashes and who uses this Tripundra, that is considered then as Kâs’î (Benares
city). Anybody, of a bad or of a good character, be he a Yogi or a sinner, using Bhasma, is worshipped like my son, Brahmâ. O Nârada! Even if an hypocrite uses Bhasma, he will have a good future, which cannot be attained even by performing hundreds of sacrifices. If anybody uses Bhasma daily either through good companion or through neglect, he will be entitled, like me, to the highest worship. O Nârada! Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes’vara, Pârvatî, Laksmî, Sarasvatî and all the other Devas become satisfied with simply holding on this Bhasma. The merits that are obtained by using only the Tripundra, cannot be obtained by gifts, sacrifices, severe austerities, and going to sacred places of pilgrimages. They cannot give one-sixteenth part of the result that accrues from holding the Tripundra. As a King recognises a person as his own, whom he has given some object of recognition, so Bhagavân S’ankara knows the man who uses Tripundras as His own person. They that hold Tripundras with devotion can have Bholâ Nâtha under their control; no distinction is made here between the Brâhmanas and Chândâlas. Even if anybody be fallen from the state of observing all the Âchâras or rules of conduct proper to his Âs’rama and if he be faulty in not attending to all his duties, he will be Mukta (freed) if he has used even once this Bhasma Tripundra. Never bother yourself with the caste or the family of the holder of the Tripundras. Only see whether the sign Tripundra exists in his forehead. If so, consider him entitled to respect. O Nârada! There is no mantra higher than this S’iva Mantra; there is no Deity higher than S’iva; there is no worship of greater merit-giving powers than the worship of S’iva; so there is no Tîrtha superior to this Bhasma. This Bhasma is not an ordinary thing; it is the excellent energy (semen virile) of fire of the nature of Rudra. All sorts of troubles vanish, all sorts of sins are destroyed by this Bhasma. The country where the lowest castes reside with their bodies besmeared with ashes, is inhabited always by Bhagavân S’ankara, Bhagavatî Umâ, the Pramathas (the attendants of S’iva) and by all the Tîrthas. Bhagavân S’ankara, first of all, held this Bhasma as an ornament to his body by purifying it first with “Sadyo Jâta,” etc., the five mantras. Therefore if anybody uses the Bhasma Tripundra according to rules on his forehead, the writings written at the time of his birth by Vidhâtâ Brahmâ will all be cancelled, if they had been bad. There is no doubt in this.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness of Bhasma in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devi Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XIV
On the greatness in holding the Bibhûti
1-17. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Whatever is given as charities to any man besmeared with the holy ashes, takes away instantly all the sins of the donor. The S’rutis, Smritis, and all the Purânas declare the greatness of this Bhasma. So the twice-born must accept this. Whoever holds this Tripundra, of this holy ashes at the three Sandhyâ times, is freed from all his sins and goes to the region of S’iva. The Yogi who takes a bath of ashes throughout his body during the three Sandhyâs, gets his Yoga developed soon. By this bath of ashes, many generations are lifted up. O Nârada! This ash bath is many times superior to the water bath. To take once a bath of ashes secures to one all the merits acquired by bathing in all the sacred places of pilgrimages. There is no doubt in this. By this bath of ashes, all the Mahâpâtakas (great heinous sins) and other minor sins as well are instantly destroyed as heaps of wood are brought down to ashes in a moment by the fire. No bath is holier than this one. This is first mentioned by S’iva and He took Himself this bath. Since then this bath of ashes has been taken with great care by Brahmâ and the other Devas and the Munis for their own good in all the virtuous actions. This bath of ashes is termed the bath of fire. So he who applies ashes on his head, gets the state of Rudra while he is in this body of five elements. Those who are delighted to see persons with this ashes on their bodies are respected by the Devas, Asuras, and Munis. He who honours and gets up on seeing a man besmeared with ashes is respected even by Indra, the Lord of Heavens. Even if anybody eats any uneatables, then the sin incurred thereby won’t touch him, if his body be then besmeared with ashes. He who first takes a water bath and then an ash-bath, be he a Brahmachârî or an house-holder or an anchorite (Vânaprasthî) is freed of all sins and gets in the end the highest state. Specially for the Yatis (ascetics), this ash bath is very necessary. This ash bath is superior to the water bath. For the bonds of Nature, this pleasure and pain, are cut asunder by this ash bath. The Munis know this Prakriti as moist and wet; and therefore Prakriti binds men. If anybody desires to cut asunder this bondage of the body, he will find no other remedy for this in the three worlds than this Holy Bath of ashes.
18-43. In ancient days the ashes were first offered to the Devî gladly by the Devas for their protection, their good and purification, when they first saw the ashes. Therefore anybody who takes this bath of fire, gets all his sins destroyed and he goes to S’iva Loka. He who daily uses this ashes has not to suffer from the oppression of the Râksasas, Pis’âchas, Pûtanâs and the other Bhûtas or from disease, leprosy, the chronic enlargement of spleen, all sorts of fistulae, from eighty sorts of rheumatism, sixty four kinds of bilious diseases, twenty two varieties of phlegmatic diseases and from tigers, thieves, and other vicious planetary influences. Rather he gets the power to suppress all these as a lion kills easily a mad elephant. Anybody who first mixes the ashes with pure cold water and then besmears his body with that and puts on the Tripundras, attains soon the Highest Brahmâ. He who holds the Tripundra of ashes becomes sinless and goes to the Brahmâ loka. He can even wipe off the ordnances of the fate on his forehead to go to the jaws of Death, if he uses, according to the S’âstras, the Tripundras on his forehead. If the ashes be used on the neck, then the sin, incurred through the neck, is completely destroyed. If the ashes be used on the neck, then the sin incurred by the neck, in eating uneatable things is entirely destroyed. If the ashes be held on the arms, then the sin incurred by the arms is destroyed. If it be held on the breast, the sin done mentally is destroyed. If it be held on the navel, the sin incurred by the generative organ is destroyed. If it be held on the anus, then the sin incurred by the anus is destroyed. And if it be held on the sides, then the sin incurred in embracing other’s wives is destroyed. So, know fully, to use ashes is highly commendable. Everywhere three curved lines of ashes are to be used. Know these three lines as Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a; Daksinâgni, Gârhapatya fire and Âhavanîva fire; the Sâttva, Râjas and Tâmas qualities, Heaven, earth and Pâtâla (nether regions). If the wise Brâhmin holds properly the ashes his Mahâpâtakas are destroyed. He is not involved in any sin. Rather he, without any questionings, gets his liberation. All the sins, in the body besmeared with ashes, are burnt down by the ashes, which is of the nature of fire, into ashes. He is called Bhasmanistha (a devotee of Bhasma, i.e., ashes) who takes a bath of ashes, who besmears his body with ashes, who use the Tripundras of ashes, who sleeps in ashes. He is called also Âtmanistha, a devotee of Âtman (Self). At the approach of such a man, the Demons, Pis’âchas, and very serious diseases run away to a distance. There is no doubt in this. In as much as these ashes reveal the knowledge of Brahmâ, it is called Bhasita from Bhasma, to shine; because it eats up the sins, it is called Bhasma; because it increases the eight supernatural powers Animâ, etc., it is called
Bhûti; because it protects the man who uses it, it is called “Raksâ.” As the sins are all destroyed by the mere remembrance of Bhagavân Rudra, so seeing the person using the Tripundra, the demons, bad spirits and other vicious hosts of spirits fly away quickly, trembling with fear. As a fire burns a great forest by its own strength, so this bath of ashes burns the sins of those who are incessantly addicted to sins. Even if at the time of death one takes a bath of ashes, though he has committed an inordinate amount of vices, all his sins are soon destroyed. By this bath of ashes, the Self is purified, the anger is destroyed; the senses are calmed down. The man who uses even once this Bhasma comes to Me; he has not to take any more births in future. On Monday Amâvasyâ (also on the full moon day) if one sees the S’iva Lingam, with his body besmeared all over with ashes, one’s sins will all be destroyed. (All the sins are not seen; hence the tithi is called Amâvas.) If people use Bhasma daily, all their desires will be fructified whether they want longevity, or prosperity or Mukti. The Tripundra that represents Brahmâ, Visnu and S’iva is very sacred. Seeing the man with Tripundra on, the fierce Râksasas or mischievous creatures flee to a distance. There is no doubt in this. After doing the S’aucha (necessary cleanliness) and other necessary things, one bathes in pure cold water and besmears his body with ashes from head to foot. By taking the water bath only, the outward unclean things are destroyed. But the ash bath not only cleanses the outer external uncleanliness but cleanses also all the internal uncleanliness. So even if one does not take the water bath, one ought to take this ash bath. There is to be no manner of doubt in this.
44-47. All the religious actions performed without this ash bath seem as if no actions are done at all. This ash bath is stated in the Vedas. Its another name is the Fire Bath. By this ash bath both outside and inside are purified. So a man who uses ashes gets the entire fruit of worshipping S’iva. By the water Bath only the outside dirt is removed; but by this bath of ashes, outside dirts and inside dirts, both are fully removed. If this water bath be taken many times daily, still without an ash bath, one’s heart is not purified. What more shall I speak of the greatness of ashes, the Vedas only appreciate its glories rightly! Yea, very rightly!
48-50. Or Mahâ Deva, the Gem of all the Devas, knows the greatness of this Bhasma. Those who perform rites and works prescribed
by the Vedas, without taking this bath of ashes, do not get even a tithe of the fruits of their works done. Only that man will be entitled to the entire fruits of the Vedas who perform this bath of ashes duly. This is the opinion of the Vedas. This bath of ashes purifies more the things that are already pure; thus the S’ruti says. That wretch who does not take the bath of ashes as aforesaid is a Great Sinner. There is no doubt in this. By this bath greater interminable merits accrue than what is obtained by innumerable baths taken by the Brâhmanas on the Vârunî momentous occasion. So take this bath carefully in the morning, midday and evening. This bath of ashes is ordained in the Vedas. So know those who are against this bath mentioned in the Vedas, are verily fallen! After evacuating oneself of one’s urine and faeces, one ought to take this bath of ashes. Otherwise men will not be purified. Even if one performs duly the water bath and if one does not take this bath of ashes, that man will not be purified. So he cannot get any right to do any religious actions. After evacuating one’s abdomen of the outgoing air, after yawning, after holding sexual intercourses, after spitting and sneezing, and after easing oneself of phlegm, one ought to take this bath of ashes. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you here the greatness of S’rî Bhasma. I am again telling you more of it specially. Listen attentively.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the greatness in holding the Bibhûti (ashes) in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XV
On the rules of using the Tripundra and Ûrdhapundra marks
1-10. Nârâyana said :-- Only the twice born are to take this Tripundra on the forehead and the other parts of the body after carefully purifying the ashes by the mantra Agniriti Bhasma, etc. The Brâhmans, Ksattriyas, and Vais’yas are known as the twiceborn, (the Dvîjas). So the Dvîjas ought to take daily this Tripundra with great care. O Brâhmana! Those who are purified with the ceremony of the holy thread, are called the Dvîjas. For these the taking of Tripundra as per S’ruti is very necessary. Without taking this Vibhûti, any good work done is as it were not done. There is no doubt in this. Even the japam of Gâyatrî is not well performed if this Bhasma be not used. O Best of Munis! The Gâyatrî is the most important and the chief thing of the Brâhmanhood. But that is not advised if the Tripundra be not taken. O Munis! As long as the ashes
born of Agni are not applied on the forehead, one is not entitled to be initiated in the Gâyatrî Mantra. O Brâhman! Unless ashes be applied on the forehead, no one will recognise you as a Brâhmana. For this reason I take this holding of the merit-giving Tripundra as the cause of the Brâhmanhood. I speak this verily unto you, that he is recognised as a Brâhmana and literary on whose forehead there is seen the white ashes purified by the mantra. He is entitled to the state of a Brâhmana who is naturally very eager to collect the ashes as he collects the invaluable gems and jewels.
11-20. Those who are not naturally eager to collect the Bhasma as they are naturally eager to collect gems and jewel, are to be known as Chândâlas in some of their previous births. Those who are not naturally joyous in holding Tripundra, were verily Chândâlas in their previous births; this I tell you truly very truly.
Those who eat roots and fruits without holding ashes go to the terrible hells. He who worships S’iva without having Bibhûti on his forehead, that wretch is a S’iva hater and goes to hell after his death. He who does not hold Bibhûti is not entitled to any religious act.
Without taking Bibhûti, if you make a gift of Tulâ Purusa made of gold, you won’t get any fruits. Rather you will have to go to hell!
As the Brâhmanas are not to perform their Sandhyâs without their holy threads, so without this Bibhûti, one ought not also to perform one’s Sandhyâ.
If at times a man by chance has no holy thread, he can do his Sandhyâ by muttering the Gâyatrî or by fasting. But there is no such rule in holding Bhasma.
If one performs Sandhyâ, without having any Bibhûti, he is liable to incur a sin; as without holding this Bhasma, no right can come to him to perform his Sandhyâ.
As a man of a lowest caste acts contrary and incurs a sin if he hears the Veda mantra, so a twice-born incurs a sin if he performs Sandhyâ without having his Tripundra. The twiceborn must therefore collect his thoughts with his heart intent on this Tripundra whether it be according to S’rauta or Smârta method; or in absence thereof the Laukika Bhasma. Of whatsoever sort is the Bhasma, it is always pure. In the Sandhyâ and other actions of worship, the twiceborn ought to be very careful and punctilious in using this Bhasma.
21-31. No sin can enter into the body of one besmeared with ashes. For this reason, the Brâhmanas ought always to use ashes with great care. One is to hold the Tripundra, six Angulas high or greater by the fore, middle and ring fingers of the right hand. If anybody uses Tripundra, shining and brilliant, and extending from eye to eye, he becomes, no doubt, a Rudra. The ring-finger is the letter “A,” the middle finger is “U” and the forefinger is “M”; so the Tripundra marks drawn by the above three fingers is of the nature of the three gunas. The Tripundra should be drawn by the middle, fore, and ring fingers in a reverse way (from the left of the forehead to its right). I will now tell you an anecdote, very ancient. Listen. Once Durvâsâ, the head of the ascetics, with his body besmeared with ashes and with Rudrâksam, all over, on his body went to the region of the Pitris, uttering loudly, “O S’ankara, of the Form of All! O S’iva! O Mother Jagadambe, the Source of all auspiciousness!” The Pitris Kavya-Vâlâs, etc., (Kavya Vâlanalah Somah Yamah schaivâryamâ Tathâ, Agnisvâttvâ, Varhisadah, Somapâh Pitri Devatâh) got up, received him heartily and gave him seats and shewed him great honours and respect and held many pure conversations with the Muni. During their talk, the sinners of the Kumbhîpâka hell were crying, “Oh! Alas! We are killed, we are being killed. Oh! We are being burnt!” some others cried, “Oh! Oh! We are cut down.” Thus various cries and lamentations reached their ears.
32-40. Hearing their piteous cries, Durvâsâ, the prince of the Risis, asked with a grievous heart the Pitris, “Who are those crying?” The Pitris replied :-- There is a city close to our place called “Samyamanî Purî” of the King Yama where the sinners are punished. Yama gives punishment to the sinners there. O Sinless One! In that city the King Yama lives with his terrible black-coloured messengers, the personifications of Kâla (the Destruction). For the punishment of the sinners, eighty-six hells exist there. The place is being guarded always by the horrible messengers of Yama. Out of those hells, the hell named Kumbhîpâka is very big and that is the chief of the hells. The ailings and torments of the sinners in the Kumbhîpâka hell cannot be described in hundred years. O Muni! The S’iva-haters, the Visnu-haters, the Devî-haters are made to fall to this Kunda. Those who find fault with the Vedas, and blame the Sun, Ganes’a and tyrannise the Brâhmanas fall down to this hell. Those who blame their mothers, fathers, Gurus, elder brothers, the Smritis and Purânas and those as well who take the Tapta Mudrâs (hot marks on their bodies) and
Tapta S’ûlas (i.e., those who being S’aivas act as they like) those who blame the religion (Dharma) go down to that hell.
41-50. We hear constantly their loud piteous cries, very painful to hear; hearing which naturally gives rise to feelings of indifference (Vairâgyam). Hearing the above words of the Pitris, Durvâsâ, the prince of the Munis, went to the hell to see the sinners. O Muni! Going there, the Muni bent his head downwards and saw the sinners when, instantly the sinners began to enjoy pleasures more than those who enjoy in the Heavens. The sinners became exceedingly glad. Some began to sing, some began to dance, some began to laugh; some sinners began to play one with one another in great ecstasy. The musical instruments Mridanga, Muraja, lute, Dhakkâ, Dundubhis, etc., resounded with sweet sonorous tones (in accordance with five resonants). The sweet fragrant smell of the flowers of Vâsanti creepers spread all round. Durvâsâ Muni became surprised to see all this. The messengers of Yama were startled and immediately went to their King Yama and said :-- “O Lord! Our King! A wondrous event occurred lately. The sinners in the Kumbhîpâka hell are now enjoying pleasures more than those in the Heavens. O Bibhu! How can this take place! We cannot make out the cause of this. O Deva! We all have become terrified and have come to you.” Hearing the words of the messengers, Dharmarâja, mounting on his great buffalo, came there instantly and seeing the state of the sinners sent news immediately to the Heavens.
51-60. Hearing the news Indra came there with all the Devas, Brahmâ came there from His Brahmaloka; and Nârâyana came there from Vaikuntha. Hearing this, the regents of the quarters, the Dikpâlas came there with all their attendants from their respective abodes. They all came there to the Kumbhîpâka hell and saw that all the beings there are enjoying greater pleasures than those in the Heavens. They all were astonished to see this; and they could not make out why this had happened. “What a wonder is this! This Kunda has been built for the punishment of the sinners. When such a pleasure is now being felt here, the people won’t fear anything henceforth to commit sins. Why is this order of the Vedas created by God reversed? Why has God undone His own doing? What a wonder is this! Now a great miracle is before our sight.” Thus speaking, they remained at a fix. They could not make out the cause of this. In the meanwhile Bhagavân Nârâyana after consulting with the other Devas went with some Devas to the abode of
S’ankara in Kailâs’a. They saw there that S’rî Bhagavân S’ankara (with crescent of the Moon on His forehead) was playing there attended always by the Pramathas and adorned with various ornaments like a youth, sixteen years old. His parts of the body were very beautiful as if the mine of loveliness. He was conversing on various delightful subjects with His consort Pârvatî and pleasing Her mind. The four Vedas were there personified. Seeing Him, Nârâyana bowed down and informed him clearly of all the wonderful events. He said :--
61-75. “O Deva! What is the cause of all this? We cannot make out anything! O Lord! Thou art omniscient. Thou knowest everything. So kindly mention how is this brought about!” Hearing Visnu’s words. Bhagavân S’ankara spoke graciously in sweet words, grave as the rumbling of a rain-cloud :-- “O Visnu! Hear the cause of this. What wonder is there? This is all due to the greatness of Bhasma (ashes)! What cannot be brought about by Bhasma! The great S’aiva Durvâsâ went to see the Kumbhîpâka hell, besmearing his whole body with Bhasma and looked downwards while he was looking at the sinners. At that time, accidentally a particle of Bhasma from his forehead was blown by air to the bodies of the sinners in the hell. Thereby they were freed of their sins and they got so much pleasure! Such is the greatness of Bhasma! Henceforth the Kumbhîpâka will no more be a hell. It will be a Tîrtha (holy place of pilgrimage) of the residents of the Pitrilokas. Whoever will bathe there will be very happy. There is no doubt in this. Its name will be henceforth the Pitri Tîrtha.
O Sattama! My Lingam and the form of Bhagavatî ought to be placed there. The inhabitants of the Pitri Loka would worship them. This will be the best of all the Tîrthas extant in the three Lokas. And if the Pitris’varî there be worshipped, know that the worship of the Trilokî is done. Nârâyana said :-- Hearing thus the words of S’ankara, the Deva of the Devas, He thanked Him and, taking His permission came to the Devas and informed them of everything what S’ankara had said. Hearing this, the Devas nodded their heads and said, “Sadhu (well, very well)” and began to glorify the greatness of Bhasma. O Tormenter of the enemies! Hari, Brahmâ and the other Devas began to eulogise the glories of ashes. The Pitris became very glad to get a new Tîrtha. The Devas planted a S’iva Lingam and the form of the Devî on the banks of the new Tîrtha, and began to worship them regularly day by day. The sinners that were there suffering, all ascended on the celestial chariot and got up to Kailâs’a. Even today they are
all dwelling in Kailâs’a and are known by the name of the Bhadras. The hell Kumbhîpâka came to be built afterwards in another place.
76-84. Since that day the Devas did not allow any other devotee of S’iva to go to the newly created hell Kumbhîpâka. Thus I have described to you the excellent greatness of the Bhasma. O Muni! What more can there be than the glories of the Bhasma! O Best of Munis! Now I am telling you of the usage of Ûrdhapundra (the vertical marks) according to the proper province of the devotees. Listen. I will now speak what I have ascertained from the study of the Vaisnava S’âstras, the measure of Ûrdhapundra, according to the Anguli measurements, the colour, mantra, Devatâ and the fruits thereof. Hear. The earth required is to be seen red from the crests of hills, the banks of the rivers, the place of S’iva (S’iva Ksettram), the ocean beaches, the ant-hill, or from the roots of the Tulasî plants. The earth is not to be had from any other places. The black coloured earth brings in peace, the red-colour earth brings in powers to bring another to one’s control; the yellow-coloured earth increases prosperity and the white-coloured earth gives Dharma (religion). If the Ûrdhapundra be drawn by the thumb, nourishment is obtained; if it be drawn by the middle finger, longevity is increased; if it be drawn by nameless or ring finger, food is obtained and if it be drawn by the fore finger, liberation is attained. So the Ûrdhapundras ought to be drawn by these fingers, only be careful to see that the nails do not touch at the time of making the mark. The shape of the Ûrdhapundra (the vertical mark or sign on the fore-head) is like a flame or like the opening bud of a lotus, or like the leaf of a bamboo, or like a fish, or like a tortoise or like a conch-shell.
85-95. The Ûrdhapundra, ten Angulis high is the super best; nine Angulis high, is best; eight Angulis high, is good; the middling Ûrdhapundra is of three kinds as it is of seven Angulas, six Angulas, or five Angulas. The lowest Ûrdhapundra is again of three kinds as it is four Angulas, three Angulas or two Angulas high. On the Ûrdhapundra of the forehead, you must meditate Kes’ava, on the belly you must think of Nârâyana; on the heart, you must meditate on Mâdhava; and on the neck, you must meditate on Govinda. So on the right side of the belly, you must meditate on Madhûsûdana; on the roots of the ears, on Trivikrama; on the left belly, on Vâmana; on the arms, on S’rîdhara; on the ears, Hrisîkes’a; on the back, Padmanâbha; on the shoulders Dâmodara; and on the head Brahmarandhra you must meditate on Vâsudeva. Thus the twelve
names are to be meditated. In the morning or in the evening time when you are going to make the Pûjâ or Homa, you are to take duly, single-in-intent, the above names and make the marks of Ûrdhapundras. Any man, with Ûrdhapundra on his head, is always pure, whether he be impure, or of unrighteous conduct or whether he commits a sin mentally. Wherever he dies, he comes to My Abode even if he be of a Chândâla caste. My devotees ( Vîra Vaisnavas or Mahâvîra Vaisnavas) who know My Nature must keep an empty space between the two lines of Ûrdhapundra of the form of the Visnupada (the feet of Visnu) and those who are my best devotees are to use nice Ûrdhapundras, made of turmeric powder, of the size of a spear (S’ûla), of the form of the feet of Visnu (Visnu padah).
96. The ordinary Vaisnavas are to use with Bhakti, the Ûrdhapundras without any empty space, but the form of it is to be like a flame, the blossom of a lily or like a bamboo leaf.
97-110. Those who are Vaisnavas in name only can use Ûrdhapundra of both the kinds, with or without any empty space. They incur no sin if they use one without an empty space. But those who are My good devotees, incur sin if they do not keep an empty space between the two vertical lines (in the Ûrdhapundra three vertical lines are used). The Vaisnavas who use excellent vertical rod like Ûrdhapundras keeping an empty space in the middle and uttering the mantra “Kesvâya Namah” build My Temple there. In the beautiful middle space of Ûrdhapundra, the Undecaying Visnu is playing with Laksmî. That wretch, the twice-born who uses Ûrdhapundra without any empty apace kills Visnu and Laksmî, seated there. The stupid who uses Ûrdhapundra without a vacant space goes successively to twenty-one hells. The Ûrdhapundra should be of the size of a clear straight rod, lotus, flame, a fish with sharp straight edges and with vacant spaces between them. O Great Muni! The Brâhmana should always use the Tripundra like the lock of hair on the crown of his head and like his Sacrificial thread; otherwise all his actions will be fruitless. Therefore in all ceremonies and actions the Brâhmanas ought to use Ûrdhapundras of the form of a trident, a circle or of a square form. The Brâhmana who knows the Vedas is never to use the semi-moonlike mark (Tilak) on his bead. The man who is of the Brâhmin caste and follows the path of the Vedas should not even by mistake use any other mark than those above-mentioned. Other sorts of pundras (marks) that are mentioned in other Vaisnava S’âstras for the attainment of fame, beauty, etc., the Veda-knowing Brâhmanas should not use them. The Vaidik Brâhmanas should not use even in error any other Tilaks than the curved Tripundras
1098}
If, out of delusion, the man, following the path of the Vedas, uses other sorts of Tripundras, he would certainly go down to hell.
111-118. The Veda-knowing Brâhmanas would certainly go down to hell if they use other sorts of Tripundras on their bodies. Only the Tilakas, prescribed in the Vedas ought to be used by those who are devoted to the Vedas. Those who do not observe the duties of the Vedas would use Tilaks approved of by other S’âstras. Those should use marks approved of by the Vedas whose Deity is that of the Vedas. Those who follow the Tantra S’âstras different from the Vedas, should use marks approved of by the Tantras.
Mahâ Deva is the Veda’s Deity and, ready to deliver from the bondages of the world, He has prescribed the Tilakas prescribed in the Vedas for the benefit of the devotees. The marks prescribed by Visnu, also a Deity of the Vedas, are also those of the Vedas. His other Avataras also use marks approved of by the Vedas. The Tripundras and the besmearing of the body with ashes are according to the Vedas. In the Tantra S’âstra different from the Vedas, there is the usage of Tripundra and other marks. But they are not to be used by the Vaidiks. No never.
Those who follow the path of the Vedas should use the curved Tripundras and Bhasma on their foreheads according to the rules prescribed in the Vedas.
He who has obtained the highest state of Nârâyana, i.e., who has realised My Nature, ought to use always on their foreheads S’ûla marks scented with fragrant sandalpaste.
Here ends the Fifteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the rules of using the Tripundra and Ûrdhapundra marks in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XVI
On the description of Sandhyâ Upâsânâ
1-24. Nârâyana said :-- Now I am speaking of the very holy Sandhyopâsanâ method of Sandhyâ worship of Gâyatrî, the Presiding Deity of the morning, midday and evening, and of the twice-born. Listen. The greatness of using Bhasma has been described in detail. No further need be stated on the subject. I shall talk, first of all, of the morning Sandhyâ. The morning Sandhyâ is to be done early in the morning while the stars are visible. When the Sun is in the meridian, the midday Sandhyâ is to be performed; and while the Sun is visibly going down, the
evening Sandhyâ is to be recited over. Now again, the distinctions are made in the above three Sandhyâs :-- The morning Sandhyâ with stars seen is the best; with stars disappeared, middling; and with the Sun risen above the horizon, inferior. So the evening Sandhyâ, again, is of three kinds :-- best, middling, and inferior. When the Sun is visibly disappearing, the evening Sandhyâ is the best; when the Sun has gone down the horizon, it is middling and when the stars are visible, it is inferior. The Brâhmanas are the root of the Tree, the Sandhyâ Vandanam; the Vedas are the branches; the religious actions are the leaves. Therefore its root should be carefully preserved. If the root be cut, no branches or leaves of the tree will remain. That Brâhmana who knows not his Sandhyâ or who does not perform the Sandhyâs is a living S’ûdra. That Brâhmana after his death verily becomes a dog. Therefore the Sandhyâs must be observed every day. Otherwise no right comes at all to do any action. At the sunrise and the sunset the time for Sandhyâ is two Dandas (48 minutes) and if Sandhyâ be not done or rather neglected in the interval, the Prâyas’chitta (penance) is to he paid duly (performed duly). If the proper time for Sandhyâ expires, one more offering of Arghya is to be made in addition to the three Arghayas daily made or the Gâyatrî is to be repeated one hundred and eight times before the Sandhyâ is commenced. In whichever time any action ought to be done, worship, first of all, the Sandhyâ Devî, the Presiding Deity of that time and do the actions proper to that time afterwards. The Sandhyâ performed in dwelling houses is ordinary; the Sandhyâ done in enclosures of cows is middling and on the banks of the rivers is good and the Sandhyâ performed before the Devî’s temple or the Devî’s seat is very excellent. The Sandhyopâsanâ ought to be done before the Devî, because that is the worship of the very Devî. The three Sandhyâs done before the Devî give infinitely excellent fruits. There is no other work of the Brâhmanas better than this Sandhyâ. One can rather avoid worshipping S’iva or Visnu; because that is not daily done as obligatory; but the Sandhyopâsanâ ought to be done daily. The Gâyatrî of the Great Devî is the Essence of all the mantras in the Vedas. In the Veda S’âstras, the worship of Gâyatrî is most definitely pronounced. Brahmâ and the other Devas meditate in the Sandhyâ times on this Devî Gâyatrî and make a japam of that. The Vedas always make japams of Her. For this reason the Gâyatrî has been mentioned as the object of worship by the Vedas. The Brâhmanas are called S’âktas inasmuch as they worship the Primal S’akti (Force) Gâyatrî, the Mother of the Vedas. They are not S’aivas nor Vaisnavas.
Firstly make the ordinary Âchaman three times, and, while inhaling, drink a little of the water of Âchaman, repeating “Om Kes’avâya Svâhâ, Om Nârâyanâya Svâhâ, Om Mâdhavâya Svâhâ.” Then wash your two hands, repeating “Om Gobindâya Namah, Om Visnave Namah.” Then by the root of the thumb rub the lips repeating “Om Madhû sûdanâya Namah, Om Trivikramâya Namah.” So rub the mouth, repeating “Om Vâmamâya Namah, Om S’rîdharâya Namah.” Then sprinkle water on the left hand, saying “Om Hrisîkes’âya Namah.” Sprinkle water on the legs, saying “Om Padmanâbhâya Namah.” Sprinkle water on the head, saying “Om Dâmodarâya Namah.” Touch the mouth with the three fingers of the right hand, saying “Om Samkarsanâya Namah.” Touch the nostrils with the thumb and forefinger saying “Om Vâsudevâya Namah, Om Pradyumnâya Namah.” Touch the eyes with the thumb and ring-finger, saying “Om Aniruddhâya Namah, Om Purusottamâya Namah.” Touch the ears with the thumb and ringfinger saying “Om Adhoksajâya Namah, Om Nârasimhâya Namah.” Touch the navel with the thumb and little finger saying “Om Achyutâya Namah.” Touch the breast with the palm, saying “Om Janârdanâya Namah.” Touch the head saying “Om Upendrâya Namah.” Touch the roots of the two arms saying “Om Haraye Namah, Om Krisnâya Namah.”
25-50. While sipping the Âchaman water on the right hand, touch the right hand with your left hand; otherwise; the water does not become pure. While doing Âchaman, make the palm and the fingers all united and close, of the form of a Gokarna (the ear of a cow) and spreading the thumb and the little finger, drink the water of the measure of a pea. If a greater or less quantity be sipped, then that would amount to drinking liquor. Then thinking of the Pranava, make the Prânâyâma, and repeat mentally the Gâyatrî with her head and the Turîya pâda, i.e., Âpojyotih rasomritam Brahmâ Bhurbhuvah svarom. Inhale the air by the left nostril (Pûrak), close both the nostrils (Kumbhak) and exhale the air, by the right nostril (Rechak). Thus Prânâyâma is effected. While doing Pûrak, Kumbhak and Rechak repeat the Gâyatrî every time; hold the right nostril with the right thumb and hold the left nostril with the ringfinger and little finger (i.e., don’t use forefinger and middle finger).
The Yogis who have controlled their minds say that Prânâyâma is effected by the three processes Pûraka, Kûmbhaka and Rechaka. The external air is inhaled in Pûraka; air is not exhaled nor inhaled (it is retained inside) in Kûmbhaka; and air is exhaled in Rechaka. While
doing Pûraka, meditate on the navel, the four-armed high-souled Visnu, of the blue colour (Syâma) like the blue lotus. While doing Kûmbhaka, meditate in the heart lotus the four-faced grandsire Brahmâ Prajâpati, the Creator seated on the lotus and while doing Rechaka meditate, on the fore-head, on the white sin-destroying S’ankara, pure as crystal. In Pûraka, the union with Visnu is obtained; in Kûmbhaka, the knowledge of Brahmâ is attained and in Rechaka, the highest position of Îs’vara (S’iva) is attained. This is the method of Âchaman according to the Purânas. Now I am speaking of the all sin destroying Vaidik Âchaman. Listen. Reciting the Gâyatrî mantra “Om Bhurbhuvah,” sip a little water; this is the Vaidik Âchaman after repeating the seven great Vyâhritis Om Bhuh; Om Bhuvah, Om Svah, Om Mahah, Om Janah, Om Tapah, Om Satyam, repeat Gâyatrî and the head of the Gâyatrî Âpojyoti Rasomritam Brahmâ Bhurbhuvah svarom and practise Prânâyâma three times. Hereby all sins are destroyed and all virtues spring. Now another sort of Prânâyâma Mudrâ is described :-- The Vânaprasthîs and Grihasthas would do Prânâyâma with five fingers, holding the tip of the nose; the Brahmâchâris and Yatis would do Prânâyâma with the thumbs, little finger, and ring finger (avoiding middle and fore). Now I am speaking of the Âghamasana Mârjana mantra. Listen. The Mantra of this Mârjana is “Âpohisthâ Mayobhuvah, etc.” There are three mantras in this. There are three Pâdas in every mantra, prefix Om to every pâda (thus nine times Om is to be prefixed); at the end of every pâda sprinkle water on the head with the sacrificial thread and the Kus’a grass. Or at the end of every mantra do so. By the above Mârjana (cleaning) the sins of one hundred years are instantly destroyed. Then making Âchaman (taking a sip of water to rinse the mouth before worship), repeat the three Mantras “Om Sûryas’cha mâ manyus’cha, etc.” By this act, the mental sins are destroyed. As mârjana is done with Pranava, Vyârhitis, and Gâyatrî, so make Mârjana by the three mantras ‘‘Âpohisthâ, etc.” Make your right palm of the shape of a cow’s ear; take water in it and carry it before your nose and think thus :-- “There is a terrible sinful person in my left abdomen, his colour is dark black and he is horrible looking.” Recite, then, the mantras “Om ritamcha satyamchâbhîdhyât, etc.” and “Drupâdâdiva Mumuchâna, etc.” and bring that Sinful Person through your right nostril to the water in the palm. Don’t look at that water; throw it away on a bit of stone to your left. And think that you are now sinless. Next, rising from the seat, keep your two feet horizontal and with the fingers save forefinger and thumb, take a palmful of water and with your face towards the Sun, recite the Gâyatrî three times
and offer water to the Sun three times. Thus, O Muni! The method of offering the Arghyas has been mentioned to you.
51-80. Then circumambulate, repeating the Sûrya Mantra. The one thing to be noted in offering Arghyas is this :-- Offer once in the midday, and three times in the morning and three times in the evening. While offering the Arghya in the morning, bend yourself a little low; in offering the arghya in the midday, stand up; and while offering the arghya in the evening, it can be done while sitting. Now I will tell you why the Arghya is offered to the Sun. Hear. Thirty Koti Râksasas known as the Mandehas, always roam on the path of the Sun (the mental Sun also). They are great heroes, treacherous and ferocious. They always try to devour the Sun, while they assume terrible forms. For this reason the Devas and the Risis combined offer the water with their folded hands to the Sun, while they perform the great Sandhyâ Upâsanâ. The water thus offered, becomes transformed into the thunderbolt and burns the heads of the cruel demons (and throws them on the island Mandehâruna) Therefore the Brâhmanas daily do their Sandhyopâsana. Infinite merits accrue from this Sandhyâ Upâsanâ. O Nârada! Now I am speaking to you of the Mantras pertaining to the Arghya. No sooner they are pronounced the full effects of performing the Sandhyâs are obtained. I am That Sun; I am That Light; I am That Âtman (Self); I am S’iva; I am the Light of Âtman; I am clear and transparently white; I am of the nature of all energy; and I am of the nature of Râsa (the sweetness, all the sweet sentiments). O Devî! O Gâyatrî! O Thou! Who art of the nature of Brahmâ! Let Thee come and preside in my heart to grant me success in this Japa Karma. O Devî! O Gâyatrî! Entering into my heart, go out again with this water. But Thou wouldst have to come again. Sit thus on a pure seat and with a single intent repeat the Gâyatrî, the Mother of the Vedas. O Muni! In this Sandhyopâsanâ, the Khhecharî Mudrâ ought to be done after practising the Prânâyâma. Hear now the meaning of the Khhechâri Mudrâ. When the soul of a being leaves the objects of senses, it roams in the Âkâs’a, i.e., it becomes aimless when the tongue also goes to the Âkâs’a and roams there; and then the sight is fixed between the eyebrows; this is called the Khhechâri Mudrâ. There is no Âsana (seat) equal to Siddhâsana and there is no Vâyu (air) equal to the Khumbaka Vâya (suspension of air in the body).
O Nârada! There is no Mudrâ equal to the Khhechâri Mudrâ. One is to pronounce Pranava in Pluta (protracted) accents like the sound of a bell and, suspending his breath, sit quiet motionless in Sthirâsana without any Ahamkâra (egoism). O Nârada! I am now talking of
Siddhâsana and its characteristic qualities. Hear. Keep one heel below the root of the genital and the other heel below the scrotum; keep the whole body and breast straight and motionless; withdraw the senses from their objects and look at the point, the pituitary body, between the eyebrows. This posture is called the Siddhâsan and is pleasant to the yogis. After taking this seat, invoke the Gâyatrî. “O Mother of the Vedas! O Gâyatrî! Thou art the Devî granting boons to the Bhaktas. Thou art of the nature of Brahmâ. Be gracious unto Me. O Devî! Whoever worships Thee in the day gets his day sins destroyed and in the night, night sins destroyed. O Thou! Who art all the letters of the alphabet! O Devî! O Sandhye! O Thou who art of the nature of Vidyâ! O Sarasvatî! O Ajaye! O Thou immortal! Free from disease and decay. O Mother! Who art all the Devas! I bow down to Thee.” Invoke the Devî again by the mantra “Ojosi, etc ,” and then pray :-- “O Mother! Let my japam and other acts in Thy worship be fulfilled with success by Thy Grace.” Next for the freedom of the curse of Gâyatrî, do the things properly. Brahmâ gave a curse to Gâyatrî; Vis’vâmitra gave a curse to Her and Vas’istha also cursed Her. These are the three curses; they are removed in due order by recollecting Brahmâ, Vis’vâmitra and Vas’istha. Before doing Nyâsa, one ought to collect oneself and remember the Highest Self; think in the lotus of the heart that Purusa (Person) who is Truth; who is all this Universe, who is the Highest Self and who is All knowledge and who cannot be comprehended by words. Now I am speaking of the Amganyâsa of Sandhyâ; Hear. First utter Om and then utter the mantra.
Touch the two legs, saying “Om Bhuhpâdâbhyâm namah”
Touch the knees, saying “Om Bhuva Jânubhyâm namah”
Touch the hip, saying “Om Svah Katibhyâm namah”
Touch the navel, saying “Om Maharnâbhyai namah”
Touch the heart, saying “Om Janah Hridayâya namah”
Touch the throat, saying “Om Tapah Kanthâya namah”
Touch the forehead, saying “Om Satyam Lalâtâya namah”
Thus perform the Vyârhiti nyâsa.
Next perform the Karâmganyâsa thus :-- Om Tat savituh ramgusthâbhyâm namah (referring to the thumb); Om Varenyam Tarjanîbhyâm namah (referring to the forefinger); Om bhargo devasya madhyamâ bhyâm namah (referring to the middle finger); Om Dhîmahi anâmikâbhyâm namah (referring to the ringfinger); Om dhîyo yonah, Kanisthâbyâm namah (referring to the little finger); Om prachodayât kara tal pristhâbhyâm namah (referring to the upper part and lower part of the palm and all over the body).
81-106. Now I am speaking of the Amganyâsa. Hear. Om tat savitur Brahmâ tmane hridayâya namah (referring to the heart.)
Om Varenyam Visnvâ tmane S’irase namah (referring to the head); Om bhargo devasya Rudrâtmane S’ikhâyai namah (referring to the crown of the head); Om dhîmahi S’aktyâtmane Kavachâya namah (referring to the Kavacha); Om dhîyoyonah Kâlâtmane netratrayâya namah (referring to the three eyes); Om prachodayât sarvâtmane astrâya namah (referring to the Astra or armour, protecting the body). Now I am speaking of the Varnanyâsa. O Great Muni! Hear. This Varnanyâsa is performed by the letters in the Gâyatrî mantra. If anybody does this, he becomes freed of sins.
“Om Tat namah” on the two toes; (touching them).
“Om Sa namah” on the two heels; (touching them).
“Om Vi namah” on the legs;
“Om Tu namah” on the two knees;
“Om Va namah” on the two thighs;
“Om re namah” on the anus;
“Om ni namah” on the generative organ;
“Om ya namah” on the hip;
“Om bha namah” on the navel;
“Om Rgo namah on the heart;
“Om De namah” on the breasts;
“Om va namah” on the heart;
“Om sya namah” on the throat;
“Om dhî namah” on the mouth;
“Om ma namah” on the palate;
“Om hi namah” on the tip of the nose;
“Om dhi namah” on the two eyes;
“Om yo namah” on the space between the eye-brows;
“Om yo namah” on the forehead;
“Om nah namah” to the east;
“Om pra namah” to the south;
“Om cho namah” on the west;
“Om da namah” on the north;
“Om yâ namah” on the head;
“Om ta namah” on the whole body from head to foot.
Some Jâpakas (those who do the Japam) do not approve of the above nyâsa. Thus the Nyâsa is to be done. Then meditate on the Gâyatrî or the World-Mother. The beauty of the body of the Gâyatrî Devî is like that of the full blown Javâ flower. She is seated on the big red lotus on the back of the Hansa (Flamingo); She is holding the red coloured garland on Her neck and anointed with red coloured unguent. She has four faces;
every face has two eyes. On her four hands are a wreath of flowers, a sacrificial ladle, a bead, and a Kamandalu. She is blazing with all sorts of ornaments. From the Devî Gâyatrî has originated first the Rig veda. Brahmâ worships the virgin Gâyatrî; on the idea of S’rî Parames’varî Gâyatrî has four feet. The Rig Veda is one; the Yajurveda is the second, the Sâmaveda is the third and the Atharva veda is the fourth foot. The Gâyatrî has eight bellies; the east side is the one; the south is the second; the west is the third; the north is the fourth; the zenith is the fifth; the nadir is the sixth; the intermediate space is the seventh and all the corners are the eighth belly. Gâyatrî has seven S’iras (heads); Vyâkaranam (Grammar) is one; S’iksâ is the second (that Amga of the Veda, the science which teaches the proper pronunciation of words and laws of euphony); Kalpa is the third (the Vedânga which lays down the ritual and prescribes rules for ceremonial and sacrificial acts); Nirukta is the fourth (the Vedânga that contains glossarial explanation of obscure words, especially those occurring in the Vedas); Jyotish or astronomy is the fifth; Itahâsa (history) and Purânas is the sixth head; and Upanisadas is the seventh head. Agni (fire) is the mouth of Gâyatrî; Rudra is the S’ikhâ (the chief part); Her gotra (lineage) is Sâmkhyâyana; Visnu is the heart of Gâyatrî and Brahmâ is the armour of Gâyatrî. Think of this Mahes’varî Gâyatrî in the middle of the Solar Orb. Meditating on the Gâyatrî Devî as above, the devotee should shew the following twenty-four Mudrâs (signs by the fingers, etc., in religious worship) for the satisfaction of the Devî :-- (1) Sanmukh; (2) Sampût; (3) Vitata (4) Vistrita; (5) Dvîmukha; (6) Trimukha; (7) Chaturmukha; (8) Panchamukha; (9) Sanmukha; (10) Adhomukha; (11) Vyâpaka; (12) Anjali; (13) S’akata (14) Yamapâs’a; (15) fingers intertwined end to end; (16) Vilamba (17) Mustika; (18) Matsya; (19) Kûrma; (20) Varâha; (21) Simhâkrânta; (22) Mahâkrânta; (23) Mudgara; (24) Pallava. Next make japam once only of one hundred syllabled Gâyatrî. Thus twenty-four syllabled Sâvitrî, “Jâtavedase sunavâma, etc.,” forty-four syllabled mantra; and the thirty two syllabled mantra, “Tryamvakam Jajâmahe, etc.” These three mantras united make up one hundred lettered Gâyatrî. (The full context of the last Mantra is this :-- Om Haum Om yum sah - Trayamvakam yajâmahe Sugandhim Pusti Vardhanam. Urbhârukamiva bandhanân mrityo mûksiya ma mritât Bhur Bhhuvah. Svarom Yum Svah Bhurbhuvah Svarom Haum.) Next make japam of Bhurbhuvah Svah, twenty four lettered Gâyatrî with Om. O Nârada! The Brâhmanas are to perform daily the Sandhyo pâsânâ repeating Gâyatrî, completely adopting the rules above prescribed and then he will be able to enjoy completely pleasures, happiness and bliss.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of Sandhyâ Upâsânâ in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgvatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XVII
On the description of Sandhyâ and other daily practices
1-5. Nârâyana said :-- If one divides or separates the pâdas while reciting or making Japam of the Gâyatrî, one is freed from the Brâhminicide, the sin of Brahmahatyâ. But if one does so without breaking the pâdas, i.e., repeats at one breath, then one incurs the sin of Brahmahatyâ. Those Brâhmanas who do the Japam of the Gâyatrî without giving due pause to the pâdas, suffer pains in hells with their heads downwards for one hundred Kalpas. O Gâyatrî! Thou art of one foot, of two feet, of three feet and of four feet. Thou art without foot, because Thou art not obtained. Salutation to Thy Fourth Foot beautiful and which is above the Trilokî (Râjas). This cannot obtain that. Firstly, Gâyatrî is of three kinds :-- “Samputâ,” “Ekomkârâ,” and “Sadomkârâ.” There is also the Gâyatrî, with five Pranavas, according to the Dharma S’âstras and Purânas. There is something to be noted while muttering or making the japam of the Gâyatrî :-- Note how many lettered Gâyatrî you are going to repeat (make japam). When you have repeated one-eighth of that, repeat (make japam) the Turîya pâda of Gâyatrî (i.e., the fourth Pâda, the mantram parorajase Sâvadomâ prâpat) etc., (see the daily practices, page 107) once and then complete repeating the Gâyatrî. If the Brâhmana makes the Japam (the silent muttering) in the above way he gets himself united with Brahmâ. Other modes of making the Japam do not bear any fruit. Om Gâyatryasye kapadî dvîpapî Tripadî chatus pâdasi nahi padyase namaste Tûryâya dars’atâyapadâya paro Rajase Sâbado mâ prâpat. Gâyatrî is one-footed in the form of Trilokî, two-footed, the Trayî Vidyâ from thy second foot; tripadî (all Prânas are thy third foot, chatuspadi, as the Purusa apadi without any foot, Parorajase above the Râjas, the dust; asau-that; adah this not prâpat may obtain. The Yogis who are Ûrdharetâs (hold Brahmâ charyam, continence) are to make Japam of the Samputâ Gâyatrî (i.e., with Om). Gâyatrî with one pranava and as well the Gâyatrî with six pranavas. The householder Brahmachârî or those who want moksa are to make Japam of Gâyatrî with Om prefixed.
6. Those householders who affix Om to the Gâyatrî do not get the increase of their families.
7-8. The Turîya pâda (foot) of Gâyatrî is the mantra “Parorajase Sâvodomâ prâpat.” (Brihad. up. v.14.7). Salutation to Thy beautiful Fourth Foot which is above the Trilokî (Râjas). This cannot obtain that. The presiding deity of this mantra is Brahmâ. I am now speaking of the full Dhyânam (meditation) of this Brahmâ so that the full fruit of the Japam (recitation) may be obtained. There is a full blown lotus in the heart; its form is like the Moon, Sun, and the Spark of Fire; i.e., of the nature of pranava and nothing else. This is the seat of the inconceivable Brahmâ. Think thus. Now on that seat is seated well the steady constant subtle Light, the essence of Akâs’a, the everlasting existence, intelligence and bliss, the Brahmâ. May He increase my happiness (see page 107 the daily practice of the Hindus by R. B. Sris Chandra Basu, on the Invocation of the Gâyatrî).
Note :-- Aum! Gâyatryasyekapadî dvîpadî, tripadî, chatuspadasi, nahi padyase namaste turyâya dars’ atâya padâya parorajase, sâvado mâprâpat O Gâyatrî! Thou art of one foot (in the farm of Trilokî), of two feet (the Trayî vidyâ from Thy second foot) of three feet all Prâna, etc., are Thy third foot and of four feet (as the Purusa). Thou art without foot because Thou art not obtained. Salutation to Thy beautiful fourth foot which is above the Trilokî (Râjas). This cannot obtain that.
9. Now I am speaking of the Mudrâ of the Turîyâ Gâyatrî :-- (1) Tris’ûla, (2) Yoni, (3) Surabhi, (4) Aksamâlâ, (5) Linga, (6) Padma and (7) Mahâmudrâ. These seven Mudrâs are to be shewn.
10-14. What is Sandhyâ, that is Gâyatrî; there is no difference whatsoever between the two. The two are one and the same. Both are of the nature of Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. The Brâhmanas would daily worship Her and bow down before Her with greatest devotion and reverence. After the Dhyânam, first worship Her with five upachâras or offerings. Thus :--
Om lam prithivyâtmane gandham, arpayâmi namo namah. Om Ham âkâs’âtmane puspam arpayâmi namo namah. Om ram Vahnyâtmane dîpam arpayâmi namo namah. Aum vam amritâtmane naivedyam arpayâmi namo namah. Om yam ram lam vam ham puspânjalim arpayâmi namo namah. Thus worshipping with five upachâras, you must shew Mudrâs to the Devî.
15-16. Then meditate on the Form of the Gâyatrî mentally and slowly repeat the Gâyatrî. Do not shake head, neck and while making japam, do not show your teeth. According to due rules repeat the Gâyatrî one hundred and eight times, or twenty-eight times. When unable, repeat ten times; not less than that.
17-20. Then raise the Gâyatrî placed before on the heart (seat) by the mantra “Gâyatrasyai kapadî Dvîpadî, etc., and then bid farewell to Her after bowing down to Her and repeating the mantra “Omuttame S’ikhare Devî bhûmyâm parvata mûrdhani Brâhmana ebhyobhya anujñâtâ Gachcha Devî yathâsukham” on the highest top of the mountain summit in earth (i.e., on the Meru mountain) dwells the goddess Gâyatrî. Being pleased with Thy worshippers go back, O Devî! to Thy abode as it pleaseth Thee.” (See page 110, The Daily Practices of the Hindus.)
The wise men never mutter nor recite the Gâyatrî mantra within the water. For the Maharsis say that the Gâyatrî is fire-faced (agnimukhî). After the farewell shew again the following mudrâs :-- Surabhi Jñân, Sûrpa, Kûrma, Yoni, Padma, Linga and Nirvâna Mudrâs.
Then address thus :-- “O Devî! O Thou who speakest pleasant to Kas’yapa! O Gâyatrî! Whatever syllables I have missed to utter in making Japam, whatever vowels and consonants are incorrectly pronounced, I ask Thy pardon for all my above faults.” O Nârada! Next one ought to give peace offerings to the Gâyatrî Devî.
21-33. The Chchhanda of Gâyatrî Tarpanam (peace offerings to Gâyatrî) is Gâyatrî; the Risi is Vis’vâmitra; Savitâ is the Devatâ; its application (Niyoga) is in the peace offerings.
“Om Bhûhrigvedapurusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhuvah Yajurvedapurusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Svah Sâmaveda purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Mahah Atharvaveda purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Janah Itihâsapurâna purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Tapah Sarvâgama purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Satyam Satyaloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhûh bhûrloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhuvah bhuvoloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Svah svarloka purusam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhûh rekapadâm Gâyatrîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhuvo dvîtîyapadâm Gâyatrîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Svastripadâm Gâyatrim tarpayâmi.”
“Om Bhûrbhûvah Svas’chatuspadâm Gâyatrîm tarpayâmi.”
Pronouncing these, offer the Tarpanams. Next add the word Tarpayâmi to each of the following words “Ûsasîm, Gâyatrîm, Sâvitrîm, Sarasvatim Vedamâtaram, Prithvîm, Ajâm, Kaus’îkîm, Sâmkritîm, Savajitîm, etc.,” and offer Tarpanams. After the Tarpanam is over, offer the peace-chantings, (S’ântivâri) repeating the following mantras.
“Om Jâta vedase sunavâma romam, etc.”
“Om Mânastoka, etc.”
“Om Tryamvakam Yajâmahe, etc.”
“Om Tachchhamyoh, etc.”
Then touch all the parts of your bodies, repeating the two mantra, “Om atodeva, etc.” And reciting the mantram “Svonâ Prithivî,” bow down to the earth, after repeating one’s name, Gotra, etc.
34-45. O Nârada! Thus the rules of the morning Sandhyâ are prescribed. Doing works so far, bid farewell to the above-mentioned Gâyatrî. Next finishing the Agnihotra Homa sacrifice, worship the five Devatâs, S’ivâ, S’iva, Ganes’a, Sûrya and Visnu. Worship by the Purusa Sûkta mantra, or by Hrîm mantra, or by Vyahriti mantra or by S’rischate Laksmîs’cha, etc., place Bhavanî in the centre; Visnu in the north east corner, S’iva in the south-east corner; Ganes’a in the south-west corner, and the Sun in the north-west corner; and then worship them. While offering worship with the sixteen offerings, worship by repeating sixteen mantras. As there is no other act more merit-giving than the worship of the Devî, so the Devî should first of all be worshipped. Then worship in due order the five Devatâs placed in five positions. As the worship of the Devî is the chief object, so in the three Sandhyâs, the worship of the Sandhyâ Devî is approved of by the S’rutis. Never worship Visnu with rice; Ganes’a with Tulasî leaves; the Devî Durgâ with Durba grass and S’iva with Ketakî flower. The under-mentioned flowers are pleasing to the Devî :-- Mallikâ, Jâti, Kutaja, Panasa, Palâsa, Vakula, Lodha, Karavîra, S’ins’apa, Aparâjitâ, Bandhûka, Vaka, Madanta, Sindhuvâra, Palâs’a, Durbhâ, S’allakî, Mâdhavî, Arka, Mandâra, Ketakî, Karnikâra, Kadamba, Lotus, Champaka, Yûthikâ, Tagara, etc.
46-47. Offer incenses Guggul, Dhûpa and the light of the Til oil and finish the worship. Then repeat the principal (male) mantra (make Japam). Thus finishing the work, study the Vedas in the second quarter of the next day; and in the third quarter of that day feed father, mother and other dependent relatives, with money earned by one’s own self according to the traditions of one’s family.
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of Sandhyâ and other daily practices in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XVIII
On the Greatness of the Devî Pûjâ
1. Nârada spoke :-- “O Bhagavân! I am now very eager to hear the special Pûjâ of S’rî Devî. The people get their desires fulfilled if they worship Her.”
2-23. Nârâyana said :-- O Devarsi! I shall now specially speak to you how the World Mother Bhagavatî is worshipped; by worshipping Whom one easily gets objects of enjoyments, liberation and the destruction of all evils. Controlling one’s speech and making Âchaman, one must make one’s sankalpa and perform Bhûtas’uddhi, Mâtrikânyâsa, sadanganyâsa, placing conchshell and doing other necessary acts. Offering the ordinary Arghya, one should give special Arghya and with the mantra “Astrâya Phat” sprinkle over all the articles brought for worship. Taking the Guru’s permission, he is to go on with his Pûjâ. First worship the pîtha or seat whereon the Devî would be placed; then perform dhyân (meditation of the Devî). Then with great devotion, offer to the Deva, the seats (Âsana) and other articles of worship; then perform the bath of the Devî by the water of the Panchâmrita (the five nectars). If anybody performs the bath ceremony of S’rî Devî with one hundred jars of sugarcane juice, he will not have to incur any future birth.
He who performs this bath, and recites the Veda Mantras, with mango juice or sugarcane juice gets for ever Laksmî ever and ever and Sarasvatî bound at his doors. He who gets this sacred bath of the Devî with grape juice, along with his relatives and acquaintences dwells in the Devî-loka for as many years as there are atoms in the juice. He who bathes the Devî with the Vedic mantras, and with water scented with camphor, the fragrant aloe wood (aguru), saffron, and musk, becomes freed at once of the sins acquired in his hundred births. He who bathes the Devî with jars of milk, lives in the ocean of milk (ksîra samudra) for one Kalpa. So he who does this bathing ceremony with jars of curd, becomes the lord of Dadhikunda (the reservoir of curd). He who performs the Snânams of the Devî with honey, ghee and sugar becomes the lord of these things. He who bathes the Devî with one thousand jars, becomes happy in this world as in the next. Note :-- Make the liquid current flow pure in your body is the esoteric meaning of the bath. If you give Her a pair of silken clothes, you will go to the Vâyu-Loka. If you give Her
the jewel ornaments, you will become the Lord of gems and jewels. (Make your mind like the gem.) If anybody gives saffron, sandalpaste, musk, Sindûra and Âlaktak (red things), he will go to the Heavens and become there the Indra, the Lord of the Devas, in the next birth. Various flowers ought to be offered in S’rî Bhagavatî’s worship; or the flowers of the season offered to the Devî will lead the devotee to Kailâs’a. The devotee that offers the beautiful Bel leaves to the Devî never experiences anywhere pains and difficulties. The devotee who writes the Vîja mantra of Mâyâ “Hrîm Bhuvanes’varyai Namah” with red sandalpaste thrice on the tri-leaves of the Vilva tree leaf and offers this to the lotus feet of the Devî, becomes Manu by the merit of this virtuous act! The devotee becomes the Lord of the whole universe who worships the Devî Bhagavatî with ten millions of entire Vilva leaves, fresh, green and spotless.
24-40. If any devotee worships with ten millions of entire fresh green Kunda flowers, with eight scents, he gets surely the Prajâpatihood. The worship of the Devî with ten millions of Mallikâ and Mâlatî flowers besmeared with eight scents makes a man the four faced (Brahmâ); and one hundred millions of such flowers will make the devotee a Visnu. In days of yore, Visnu worshipped the Devî in the aforesaid way and so got His Visnuhood. If any devotee worships the Devî with one hundred Kotis of Mallikâ or Mâlatî flowers, the man becomes certainly Sutrâtmâ Hiranyagarbha. In ancient days Hiranyagarbha worshipped thus the Devî with great devotion and so he became Hiranyagarbha! (These Hiranyagarbha, Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a were mere ordinary men before. See the Brihadâranyaka Upanisada). Note :-- The eight scents refer to Jatâ mamsî Kapiyutâ S’aktergandhâs takam! So will be the results if Javâ, Vandhûka and Dâdimî flowers be offered in the worship. Various other beautiful flowers can be offered duly to the Devî by the devotee. The merits accruing from such offers are not known even to the God Îs’vara. The flowers that spring in their proper seasons are to be offered every year to the Devî, repeating Her thousand names enumerated in the Twelfth Book or in the Kûrma Purâna. If the above worship be offered to the Devî, then that man, whether he be a sinner or a great sinner, will be freed from all the sins and after leaving his mortal coil, he will get, no doubt, the lotus feet of the S’rî Devî Bhagavatî. Offer Dhûpa made of black Aguru, camphor, sandalpaste, red sandalpaste, Sihlaka and Guggula, saturated with ghee in such a way as the whole room of S’rî Bhagavatî scents with pure
fragrant smell. The Devî Bhagavatî becomes pleased with this and offers the lordship of the three Lokas to the devotee. The devotee, who offers daily the light of camphor to the Devî, goes to the Sûrya Loka. There is no doubt in this. With one’s whole heart, one should give one hundred or one thousand lights to the Devî. The devotee should offer heaps of food consisting of six Râsas, the plates and dishes for chewing, sucking, licking and drinking, that is, all kinds of food solid, and liquid, mountain-like high. Always give food on golden flat plates and cups and various delicious sweet juicy nice heavenly fruits, nicely arranged on trays, cups and saucers. When S’rî Mahâdevî Bhuvane’svarî gets pleased, the whole universe gets pleased. For the whole Universe is all Devî; as a rope is mistaken for a snake, so this Mahâdevî is mistaken for the universe.
41-59. Offer a jar of drinking Ganges water, cool and nice, scented with camphor to the Devî; then offer betels with camphor, cardamum, cloves, and various delicious scents. These all are to be offered with great devotion so that the Devî may be pleased. Next have music with lovely mridangas, flutes, murajas, Dhahkâs and dundubhis and so please Her. The Veda mantras are to be recited, the Purânas are to be read and the hymns to be chanted. With whole head and heart offer to the Devî the umbrella and châmara, the two kingly offerings. Then circumambulate round Her and prostrate before Her and ask Her kindness and pray to Her to forgive all faults and shortcomings. The Devî is pleased with anybody who remembers Her even once! What wonder then that She will be pleased with all these offerings! The Mother is naturally merciful to her child. When She is loved with devotion, then She becomes very merciful. There is nothing strange here! On this point I will recite to you the history of Vrihadratha Râjarsi. Hearing which gives rise to Bhakti and Love.
Once in a certain region in the Himâlayâs there lived a bird called Chakravâk. It flew over many countries and went once to Kâs’îdhâm. As a fruit of his Prârabdha Karma, that bird, desirous to find some rice beans, voluntarily went like an orphan round about the temple of S’rî Annapûrnâ Devî. There circumambulating round the Devî Bhagavatî the bird left the city Kâs’î, that grants liberation and flew away to another country. In time the bird left his body and went to Heavens. There he assumed a heavenly form of a youth and began to enjoy various pleasures. Thus he enjoyed for two Kalpas. Then he got back to the earth and took his birth as the best in the Ksattriya family. He became celebrated as the king Vrihadratha in
this world. That King was truthful, controlled his senses, and practised S’amyama and deep concentration and knew everything of the past, the present and the future. He conquered all the enemies and performed various sacrifices and became the Emperor of the sea-girt earth and acquired the very rare faculty in the knowledge of everything of his previous births. The Munis came to know of this from various rumours and came to the King. The King Vrihadratha duly entertained those guests. The Munis took their seats and asked :-- “O King! We hear that all the events of previous births are vividly reflected in your memory. On this point great doubts have come upon us. Kindly describe in detail. By what Punyam (merits) you have come to know all about previous births and the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. We have come to you to know how you got this wonderful supersensual knowledge. Kindly say to us sincerely everything about this and oblige.”
60-71. Nârâyana said :-- O Brâhman! The very religious King Vrihadratha heard them and began to speak out all the secret causes for his knowledge of the past, the present and the future, thus :-- O Munis! Hear how I acquired this knowledge. In my previous birth I was a very low bird chakravâk. Once, out of my ignorance, I circumambulated round the temple of the Devî Bhagavatî Annapurnâ at Kâs’î. And, as the result of that, I lived in the Heavens for a period of two Kalpas and I have got this birth and I have got the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. O You of good vows! Who can ascertain what amount of merits accrues from remembering the Feet of the World-Mother. Remembering Her glories, I always shed tears of joy. Those who do not worship the adorable Deity Jagadambâ are the Great Sinners and they are treacherous. Fie on their births! The worship of S’iva or Visnu is not eternal. Only the Jagadambâ’s worship is eternal. Thus it is stated in the S’rutis. What more shall I speak on this worship of the World-Mother, which is void of the best trace of any doubt. Everyone ought to serve devotedly the lotus feet of the Devî Bhagavatî. There is no other act more glorious in this world than serving the feet of Jagadambâ. It is highly necessary to serve the Highest Deity, whether in Her Saguna or in Her Nirguna aspect. (Eat the sugarcandy, holding it in any way. It makes no difference.) Nârâyana said :-- Hearing the aforesaid words of the virtuous Râjarsi Vrihadratha, the Munis went back to their respective abodes. Such is the power of the Devî Jagadambikâ! So who can question about the certainty of the high merits arising from the Jagadambikâ’s worship and who will not reply, when so questioned? Their births are really fruitful who possess faith in the Devî worship;
but of those who have no such faith, there is some wrong mixture, no doubt; in their births.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Greatness of the Devî Pûjâ, in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XIX
On the midday Sandhyâ
1-24. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Now I am speaking of the auspicious midday Sandhyâ, the practice of which leads to the wonderfully excellent results. Listen. Here the Âchamana and other things are similar to those of the morning Sandhyâ. Only in meditation (Dhyânam) there is some difference. I will now speak of that. The name of the midday Gâyatrî is Sâvitrî. She is ever a youthful maiden, of white colour, three-eyed; She holds in Her one hand a rosary, in Her other hand a trident and with Her two other hands She makes signs to Her Bhaktas to dispel fear and to grant boons. Riding on the bull, She recites the Yayur Vedas; She is the Rudra S’akti with Tâmo gunas and She resides in Brahmaloka, She daily traverses in the path of the Sun. She is Mâyâ Devî, beginningless; I bow down to Her. After meditating on the Âdyâ Devî Bhagavatî perform Âchamanas and other things as in the morning Sandhyâ. Now, about the offering of Arghya (an offer of green grass, rice, etc., made in worshipping a God or Brâhman). Collect flowers for Arghya; in the absence of flowers, the Bael leaves and water will serve the purpose. Facing the Sun, and looking upwards, offer the Arghya to the Sun upwards. Then perform other acts as in the morning Sandhyâ. In midday, some offer Arghya to the Sun, only with the recitation of the Gâyatrî mantra. But that is not approved of by the tradition and community; there is the likelihood of the whole work being thwarted or rendered fruitless. For, in the morning and evening Sandhyâs, the Râksashas named the Mandehâs become
ready to devour the Sun. This is stated in the S’rutis. Therefore the midday offering of the Arghya is not for the destruction of the Daityas but for the satisfaction of the Devî; so with the mantra “Âkrisnena, etc.,” the offering of Arghya can be effected; and the reciting of the infallible Gâyatrî mantra is only to create disturbance in the shape of thwarting the action. So in the morning and evening, the Brâhmana is to offer the Sûryârghya, repeating the Gâyatrî and Pranava; and in the midday to offer flowers and water with the mantra “Âkrisnena, rajasâ etc.,” else it will go against the S’ruti. In the absence of flowers, the Durba grass, etc., can be offered carefully as the Arghya; and the full fruits of the Sandhyâ
will be secured. O Best of Devarsis! Now hear the important points in the Tarpanam (peace offerings). Thus :--
“Om Bhuvah purusam tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Yajurvedam tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Mandalam tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Hiranyagarbham tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om antarâtmânam tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Sâvitrîm tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Devamâtaram tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Sâmkritim tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Yuvatîm sandhyâm tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Rudrânîm tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Nîmrijâm tarpayâmi namo namah.”
“Om Bhurbhuvah Svah purusam tarpayâmi namo namah.”
Thus finish the midday Sandhyâ mga Tarpanam. Now, with your hands raised high up towards the Sun, worship Him by the two mantras, praising thus :-- “Om Udutyam Jâtavedasam, etc.,” “Om Chitram Devânâm, etc.” Next repeat the Gâyatrî. Hear its method. In the morning, repeat the Gâyatri at the proper moment with hands raised; in the evening time with hands lowered and in the midday with hands over the breast. Begin with the middle phalanx (joint) of the nameless finger, then the phalanx at its root, then the phalanx at the root of the little finger, its middle phalanx and its top, then the tops of the nameless, fore and ring fingers, then the middle and finally the root of the ring finger (in the direction of the hands of the watch; avoiding the middle and root phalanx of the middle finger). Thus ten times it is repeated. In this way if the Gâyatrî be repeated one thousand times, the sins arising from killing a cow, father, mother, from causing abortions, going to the wife of one’s Guru, stealing a Brâhmana’s property, a Brâhman’s field, drinking wine, etc., all are destroyed. Also the sins acquired in three births by mind, word, or by the enjoyments of sensual objects are thereby then and there instantly destroyed. All the labours of him, who works hard in the study of the Vedas without knowing the Gâyatrî, are useless. Therefore if you compare on the one hand the study of the four Vedas with the reciting of the Gâyatrî, then the Gâyatrî Japam stands higher. Thus I have spoken to you of the rules of the midday Sandhyâ. Now I am speaking of Brahmâ Yajñâ. Hear.
Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the midday Sandhyâ in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XX
On the description of Brahmâ Yajñâ, Sandhyâs, etc.
1-25. The twice born (Brâhmana) is firstly to sip three times (make Âchamana); then to make the mârjana (sprinkle water) twice; he is to touch the water by the right hand and sprinkle water on his two feet. Next, he is to sprinkle with water his head, eyes, nose, ears, heart, and head thoroughly. Then speaking out the Des’a and Kâla (place and time) he should commence the Brahmâ Yajñâ. Next for the destruction of all the sins and for getting liberation, he should have the Darbha (sacrificial grass, and the Kus’a grasses), two on his right hand, three on his left hand, one grass each on his seat, sacrificial thread, his tuft, and his heels. No sin can now remain in his body.
“I am performing this Brahmâ Yajñâ for the satisfaction of the Devatâ according to the Sûtra,” thus thinking he is to repeat the Gâyatrî thrice. Then he is to recite the following mantras :-- “Agnimîle purohitam, etc.,” “Yadamgeti” “Agnirvai,” “Mahâvratanchaiva panthâ,” “Athâtah S’amhitâyâs’cha vidâmaghavat,” “Mahâvratasya,” “Îsetvorjetvâ,” “Agna âyâhi” “S’anno Devî rabbîstaye,” “Tasya Samâmnâyo” “Briddairâdaich” “S’iksâm pravaksyâmi,” “Pancha Samvatsareti,” “Mayarasatajabhetyeva,” “Gaurgmâ,” also he is to recite the two following Sûtras :-- “Athâto Dharma Jijñâsâ,” “Athâto Brahmâ Jijñâsa.” Next he is to recite the mantra “Tachhamyoh” and also the mantra “Namo Brâhmane namo stvagnaye namah prithivyai nama Osadhîbhyoh namah”. (These mantras are the famous mantras of the Rig Veda). Next perform the Deva-tarpanam, thus :-- “Om Prajâpati stripyatu”, “Om Brahmâ stripyatu”, “Om Vedâs tripyantu,” “Om Risayastri pyantu”, “ Om Devâstripantu,” “Om Sarvani chhandâmsi tripyantu”, “Om Om Kâra stripyatu”, “Om Vasat Kâra stripyatu”, “Om Vyârhitayas tripyantu”, Om Sâvitrî tripyatu”, “Om Gâyatrî tripyatu”, “Om Yajñâ stripyantu,” Om Dyâvâ prithivyau tripyatâm. Om antarîksam tripyatu, Om Ahorâtrâni tripyantu, Om Sâmkkyâ stripyantu, Om Siddhâ stripyantu, Om Samudrâ stripyantu, Om Nadyâs tripyantu, Om girayas tripyantu, Om Ksettraus adhivana spati gandharvâ Psarasas tripyantu, Om nâgâ vayâmsi gâvascha sâdhyâ viprâsta thaiva cha, yaksâ raksânsi bhutanî tyeva mantâni tripyantu. Next, suspending the sacrificial thread from the neck, perform the Risi tarpanam, thus :-- Om S’atarchinas tripyantu, Om mâdhyamâs tripyantu,
Om Gritsamada stripyatu, Om Vis’vâmitra stripyantu, Om Vâmadeva stripyantu, Om Atri stripyatu, Om Bharadvâjastripyatu, Om Vas’isthastripyatu, Om Pragâthastripyatu, Pâvamânyastripyantu. Next, holding the sacrificial thread over the right shoulder and under the left arm, perform the Tarpanam, thus :--
Om Ksudrasûktâ stripyantu.
Om Mahâsûktâstripyantu.
Om Sanaka stripyatu.
Om Sananda stripyatu.
Om Sanâtana stripyatu.
Om Sanat Kumâra stripyatu.
Om Kapila stripyatu.
Om Âsuristripyatu,
Om Vohalistripyatu.
Om Pañchas’ikha stripyatu.
Om Sumantu Jaimini Vais’ampâyana Paila Sûtra Bhâsya bhârata Mahâ Bhârata Dharmâchâryah stripyantu.
Om Jânantîvâha vigârgya Gautama S’âkalya vâbhravya Mândavya Mândûkeyâ stripyantu.
Om Gârgî Vâchaknavî tripyatu.
Om Vadavâ prâtitheyî tripyatu.
Om Sulabhâ maitreyî tripyatu.
Om Kahola stripyatu.
Om Kausîtaka stripyatu.
Om Mahâ Kausitaka stripyatu.
Om Bhâradvâja stripyatu,
Om Paimga stripyatu.
Om Mahâpaimga stripyatu.
Om Sujajñâ stripyatu.
Om Sâmkhyâyana stripyatu.
Om Aitareya stripyatu.
Om Mahaitareya stripyatu.
Om Vâskala stripyatu.
Om Sâkala stripyatu.
Om Sujâta vaktra stripyatu.
Om Audavâhi stripyatu.
Om Saujâmi stripyatu,
Om S’aunaka stripyatu,
Om Âs’valâyana stripyatu.
26-54. Let all the other Âchâryas be satisfied. “Om Ye Ke châsmat kule Jâtâ aputrâ gotrino mritâh. te grihnantu mayâ dattam vastranispîdi to dakam.” Saying thus offer water squeezed out of a cloth. O Nârada! Thus I have spoken to you of the rules of Brahmâ Yajñâ. Whoever performs thus the Brahmâ Yajñâ gets the fruits of studying all the Vedas. Then performing, in due order, the Vais’va deva, Homa, S’râddha, serving the guests, and feeding the cows, the devotee is to take his meals during the fifth part of the day along with the other Brâhmanas. Then the sixth and the seventh parts of the day he is to spend in reading histories and the Purânas. Then the eighth part of the day he is to devote in seeing the relatives, talking with them and receiving visits from other persons; then he will be prepared to perform the evening Sandhyâ. O Nârada! I am now talking of the evening Sandhyâ. Listen. S’rî Bhagavatî is pleased very quickly with him who performs the evening Sandhyâ. First make the Âchaman and make the Vâyu (air) in the body steady. With heart tranquilled and with the seat Baddha Padmâsana, be calm and quiet while engaged in performing the Sandhyâ. At the commencement of all actions prescribed in the S’rutis and Smritis, first perform the Sagarbha Prânâyama. In other words recite the mantra mentally for the due number of moments and make the Prânâyama. Simply meditating is called Agarbha Prânâyama. Here no mantra is necessary to be recited. Then have the Bhutas’uddhi (have the purifications of the elements) and make the Sankalpa. First of all, the purification of elements, etc., are to be done first; one becomes, then, entitled to do other actions. While doing Pûraka (inhaling), Kumbhaka (retaining) and Rechaka (exhaling) in Pranâyâma, meditate on the Deity stated duly. In the evening time meditate on the Bhagavatî Sandhyâ Devî thus :-- The name of the then Gâyatrî Devî is Sarasvatî. She is old, of black colour, wearing ordinary clothes; in her hands are seen conch shell, disc, club and lotus. On Her feet the anklets are making sweet tinkling sounds; on Her loins there is the golden thread; decked with various ornaments. She is sitting on Garuda. On Her head the invaluable jewel crown is seen; on Her neck, the necklaces of stars; Her forehead is shining with a brilliant lustre emitting from the pearl and jewel Tâtamka ornaments. She has put on yellow clothes; Her nature is eternal knowledge and ever-bliss. She is uttering Sâma Veda. She resides in the Heavens and daily She goes in the path of the Sun. I invoke the Devî from the Solar Orb. O Nârada! Meditate on the Devî thus and perform the Sandhyâ. Then perform the Mârjanam by the mantra “Âpohisthâ” and next by the mantra
“Agnis’cha mâ manyus’cha.” The remaining actions are the same as before. Next, repeat the Gâyatrî and offer, with a pure heart, the offering of Arghya to the Sun for the satisfaction of Nârâyana. While offering this Arghya, keep the two legs level and similar and take water in folded palms and meditating on the Devatâ within the Solar Orb, throw it towards Him. The fool that offers Sûryârghya in the water, out of ignorance, disregarding the injunctions of the S’rutis, will have to perform Prâyas’chitta for that sin. Next, worship the Sun by the Sûrya mantra. Then taking one’s seat, meditate on the Devî and repeat the Gâyatrî. One thousand times or five hundred times the Gâyatrî is to be repeated. The worship, etc., in the evening is the same as in the morning. Now I am speaking of the Tarpanam in the Evening Sandhyâ. Hear. Vas’istha is the Risi of the aforesaid Sarasvatî. Visnu in the form of Sarasvatî is the Devatâ; Gâyatrî is the Chhanda; its application is in the Evening Sandhyâ Tarpanam. Now the Tarpanam of the Sandhyânga (the adjunct of Sandhyâ) runs as follows :--
“Om Svah Purusam Tarpayâmi.”
“Om Sâmavedam Tarpayâmi.”
“Om Sûryamandalam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Hiranyagarbham tarpayâmi.”
“Om Paramâtmânam tarpayâmi.”
“Om Sarasvatîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Devamâtaram tarpayâmi.”
“Om Samkritim tarpayâmi.”
“Om Vriddhâm Sandhyâm tarpayâmi
“Om Visnu rûpinîm Usasîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Nirmrijîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Sarvasiddhi kârinîm tarpayâmi.”
“Om Sarvamantrâ dhipatikâm tarpayami.”
“Om Bhurbhuvah Svah Purusam tarpayâmi.”
Thus perform the Vaidik Tarpanam. O Nârada! Thus have been described the rules of the sin destroying evening Sandhyâ. By this evening Sandhyâ, all sorts of pains and afflictions and diseases are removed. And ultimately the Moksa is obtained. What more than this that you should know this Sandhyâ Bandanam as the principal thing amongst the good conduct and right ways of living. Therefore S’rî Bhagavatî fructifies all the desires of the Bhaktas who perform this Sandhyâ Vandanam.
Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the description of Brahmâ Yajñâ, Sandhyâs, etc., in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXI
On Gâyatrî Puras’charanam
1-55. Nârâyana said :-- Now I shall speak of the Gâyatrî-puras’charanam. Hear. By its performance all the desires are obtained and all the sins are destroyed. On the tops of mountains, on the banks of the rivers, on the roots of Bel trees, on the edges of tanks, within the enclosures of the cows (cow-stalls), in temples, on the root of As’vattha trees, in gardens, in the Tulasî groves, in the Punya Ksetrams (holy places), before one’s Guru, or wherever the mind feels exalted and cheerful, and gets strength, the Puras’charanam if performed, lead to a speedy success. Before commencing the Puras’charanam of a mantra (the Puras’charanam means repetition of the name of a deity or of a mantra attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.,) first Prâyas’chitta (penance) is done in the shape of repeating one million times the Gâyatrî with the Vyârhitis. In any Vaidic Karma or in making Puras’charanam of the mantra of the Devatâs Nrisinha, Sûrya, Varâha, etc., the first thing done is to repeat the Gâyatrî. Without the japam of Gâyatrî, no action is attended with success. The reason is this :-- Every Brâhman is a S’âkta (a follower of S’akti); he cannot be a Vaisnava or S’aiva; for he is the worshipper of the Prime Force Vedamâtâ Gâyatrî. Therefore obtain first the Grace of one’s own Îsta Devatâ Gâyatrî by Her Japam. Then worship the other Deities.
Thus one should purify one’s jâpya mantra (the mantra that is to be repeated) by first repeating one million times the Gâyatrî; then one is to commence Puras’charanam. Again before purifying the mantra, one is to purify one’s Âtman (Self). In this purification of one’s Âtman three lakh times, in case of inability, one lakh times Gâyatrî is to be repeated without one’s Âtman’s purification, the Japam, Homa and other actions all become useless. This is specially noted in the Vedas. By Tapas e.g., Japam, Chândrâyana and Vrata, (asceticism) mortify your body. By offering Tarpanam (peace-offerings) to the Fathers and the Devas, one can get self purification. If you want to get the Heavens and if you want to become great, practise Tapasyâ. There is no other way. Tapasyâ is the intent calling of the Mother, That Call which penetrates through and through the
Brahmânda. The Ksattriyas should cross difficulties and dangers by force of arms; the Vais’yas, by wealth; the S’ûdras, by serving the twice born; and the Brâhmanas should cross difficulties and dangers, by Tapasyâ, Homa, Japam, etc. So the Brâhmanas should always be cheerful and in prompt readiness to do Tapasyâ. Of all sorts of tapasyâs, mortifying the body by observing vows and fastings is the best. So say the Risis. (This mortification of the body gives self-reliance and self intuition more surely and speedily than all the other studies and other practices.) The Brâhmanas should purify themselves by following duly Krichhra Chândrâyana vratas, etc., O Nârada! Now I am speaking of the purification of food. Hear. The following four occupations of the Brâhmanas are the best :-- Ayâchita, (without begging or asking for anything), Unchha, (the gathering in of handfuls of the corn left by the reapers), S’ukla (the maintenance derived by a Brâhmana from other Brâhmanas; a pure mode of life). And Bhiksû (begging). Whether according to the Tantras or according to the Vedas, the food obtained by the above four means is pure. What is earned by Bhiksâ (begging) is divided into four parts :-- one part is given to the Brâhmanas; the second part is given to the cows; the third part is given to the guests, the fourth part is to be taken by him and his wife. Whatever is fixed for taking (swallowing) mouthfuls of food, that is to be taken on a tray or a platter. First throw a little cow-urine over that and count duly the number of mouthfuls. The mouthfuls are to be of the size of an egg; the house-holders are to take eight such mouthfuls and the Vânaprasthîs are to take four such mouthfuls. The Brahmachârins can sprinkle their food with cow-urine nine times, six times, or three times as they like; while sprinkling, the fingers are to remain intact. The Gâyatrî is to be repeated also. The food offered by a thief, Chândâla, Ksattriya or Vais’ya is very inferior. The food of a S’ûdra, or the companion with a S’ûdra or taking food in the same line with a S’ûdra leads one to suffer in the terrible hells as long as there are the Sun and Moon. The Puras’charanam of Gâyatrî is repeating this twenty four lakh times (i.e., as many lakh times as there are syllables in the Gâyatrî). But, according to Vis’vâmitra, repeating thirty two lakh times is the Puras’charanam of Gâyatrî. As the body becomes useless when the soul leaves the body, so the mantra without Puras’charanam is useless. The Puras’charanam is prohibited in the months of Jyaistha, Âsâdha, Pausa and Mala (dirty) months. Also on Tuesday, Saturday; in the Vyatîpâta and Vaidhriti Yogas; also in Astamî (eighth), Navamî (ninth), Sasthî (sixth), Chaturthî (fourth) Trayodas’î (thirteenth), Chaturdasî (fourteenth) and Amâvâsyâ (New Moon), Tithis (lunar days); in the evening twilight and in the night; while
the star Bharanî, Krittikâ, Ârdrâ, As’lesâ, Jyesthâ, Dhanisthâ, S’ravanâ, or the Janma naksatra (Birth time star) is with the Moon; while the signs Mesa, Karkata, Tulâ, Kumbha, and Makara are the Lagnas (signs in the ascendant). When the moon and the start are auspicious, especially in the bright fortnight, the Puras’charanam performed, gives the Mantra Siddhi. First of all repeat Svasti vâchan and perform duly the Nândi mukha S’raddha and give food and clothing to the Brâhmanas. Take the permission of the Brâhmanas and begin the Puras’charanam. Where the S’iva Lingam exists, facing west, or in any S’iva temple, commence repeating the mantra. The other S’iva Ksettrams are :-- Kâs’î, Kedâra, Mahâ Kâla, S’rî Ksettra, and Tryamvakam. These five are the Great Ksettrams, known widely on this earth, for the fructification and the siddhis of the Mantras. At all other places than these, the Karma Chakra is to be drawn according to the principles of the Tantra. And then they will be fit for Puras’charanam. The number of times that the Puras’charanam (the repeating of the mantra) is done on the first day, the same number is to be continued every day until completion; not greater nor less than that and also no intermission or stoppage should occur in the interval.
The repeating of the Mantra is to be commenced in the morning and should be done up to midday. While doing this, the mind is to be kept free from other subjects, and it is to be kept pure; one is to meditate on one’s own Deity and on the meaning of the mantra and one should be particularly careful that no inaccuracies nor omissions should occur in the Gâyatrî, Chhandas and in the repetition of the Mantra. One tenth of the total number of Puras’charanams that are repeated is to be used for the Homa purpose. The Charu is to be prepared with ghee, til, the Bel leaves, flowers, jaya grain, honey and sugar; all mixed, are to be offered as oblations to the fire in the Homa. Then the success in the Mantra comes (i.e., mantra siddhi is obtained or the Mantra becomes manifested). After the Puras’charanam one should do properly the daily and occasional duties and worship the Gâyatrî that brings in dharma, wealth, objects of desire and liberation. There is nothing superior an object of worship to this Gâyatrî, whether in this world or in the next. The devotee, engaged in the Puras’charanam, should eat moderately, observe silence, bathe thrice in the three Sandhyâ times, should be engaged in worshipping one’s Deity, should not he unmindful and should not do any other work. He is to remain, while in water, to repeat the Gâyatrî three lakhs of times. In case the devotee repeats the
mantra for achieving success in any other desired work (kâmya karma), then he should willingly stick to it until the desired success is attained. Now is being told how to get success in ordinary Kâmya karmas. When the sun is rising, repeat the Purascharanam mantra daily thousand times. Then one’s life will be lengthened, no disease will occur, and wealth and prosperity will be obtained. If it be done this way, success is surely attained within three months, six months or at the end of one year. If the Homa (offering oblations to the fire) be offered one lakh times with lotuses besmeared with ghee (clarified butter), Moksa (liberation) is attained. If, before the Mantra-Siddhi, or the success in realising the Mantra, is attained, one performs Japam or Homam for Kâmya Siddhi (to get certain desires) or moksa, then all his actions become useless. If anybody performs twenty-five lakh Homas by curd and milk, be gets success (Siddhi) in this very birth. So all the Maharsis say. By this the same result is attained that is got by the aforesaid means, i.e., by the eight-limbed Yoga, whereby the Yogis become perfect.
He will attain Siddhi if he be devoted to his Guru and keep himself under restraint for six months only (i.e., practise Samyama) as regards taking food, etc., whether he be incapable or his mind be attached to other sensual objects. One should drink Pañcha gavya (cow-urine, cow-dung, milk, curd, ghee) one day, fast one day, take Brâhmana’s food one day and be mindful in repeating the Gâyatrî. First bathe in the Ganges or in other sacred places and while in water repeat one hundred Gâyatrîs. If one drinks water on which one hundred Gâyatrîs are repeated, one is freed from all one’s sins. He gets the fruit of performing the Krichhra vrata, the Chândrâyana vrata and others. Be he a Ksattriya King, or a Brâhmana, if he is to remain in his own house, hold Âs’rama and be engaged in performing Tapasyâ then he will be certainly freed of all his sins. Be he a house holder or a Brahmachârî or Vânaprasthî, he should perform sacrifices, etc., according to his Adhikâra (or his rights) and he will get fruits according to his desires. The Sâgnik man (who keeps the Holy Fire) and other persons of good conduct and of learning and of good education should perform actions as prescribed in the Vedas and Smritis with a desire to attain Moksa. Thus one should eat fruits and vegetables and and water or take eight mouthfuls of Bhiksânna (the food got by begging). If the Puras’charanam be performed this way, then the Mantra Siddhi is obtained. O Nârada ! If the Puras’charanam be done with the mantra thus, his poverty is removed entirely. What more shall I say than this that if anybody hears this simply, his merits get increased and he attains great success.
Here ends the Twenty First Chapter of the Eleventh Book on Gâyatrî Puras’charanam in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devi Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXII
On the rules of Vais’vadeva
1-45. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! In connection with this Puras’charanam it comes now to my memory about the rules concerning the Vais’va Deva worship (An offering made to the Vis’vadevâs; an offering to all deities made by presenting oblations to fire before meals). Hear. The five yajñâs are the following :-- (1) The Devayajñâ, (2) Brahmâ yajñâ, (3) Bhûta yajñâ, (4) Pitri yajñâ, and (5) Manusya yajñâ. Fireplace, the pair of stone pestles, brooms (for sweeping, etc.), sieves and other house-hold things of the sort, wooden mortars (used for cleansing grains from husk) and water-jars, these five are the sources of evils inasmuch as they are the means of killing. So to free one’s self from the above sins, one is to sacrifice before the Vais’vadeva. Never offer oblations of Vais’vadeva on hearths, on any iron vessel, on the ground or on broken tiles. They are to be offered in any sacrificial pit (Kunda) or on any sacrificial altar. Do not fire the hearth by fanning with hands, with winnowing baskets, or with holy deer skin, etc., but you can do so by blowing by your mouth. For the mouth is the origin of fire. If the fire be ignited by clothes, one is liable to get disease; if by winnowing baskets, then less of wealth comes; if by hands, one’s death ensues. But if it be done by blowing, then one’s success comes. (There is the danger of catching fire.)
One should sacrifice with curd, ghee, fruits, roots and vegetables, and water and in their absence with fuel, grass, etc., or with any other substances soaked with ghee, curd, Pâyasa or lastly with water. But never with oil or with salty substances. If one performs the Homa with dry or stale substances, one is attacked with leprosy; if anybody performs Homa with leavings of other food he becomes subdued by his enemy; if one does so with rude and harsh substances, he becomes poor and if one does with salty substances, he meets with a downward course, gets degraded in position and honour. You can offer oblations to Vais’vadeva with burning coals and ashes from the north side of the fire of the hearth after the preparation of the meals. But you should never offer sacrifices with salty things. The
illiterate Brâhmana who eats before offering oblations to Vais’vadeva goes headlong downwards into the Kâla Sûtra hell. Whatever food that you are intending to prepare, whether they be vegetables, leaves, roots or fruits, offer oblations to Vais’vadeva with that if, before the Homa be performed of Vais’vadeva, any Brahmachârî comes, then take off, for the Homa, first something; and then give to the beggar and satisfy him and tell him to be off. For the Brahmâchârî mendicant can remove any defects that may occur to Vais’vadeva but Vais’vadeva is unable to remove any defects that may occur regarding the mendicant Brahmachârî. Both the Paramahansa or Brahmachârî mendicant are the masters of the prepared food (Pakkânna); so when anybody takes one’s food without giving to any of these two, if they happen to come there, he will have to make the Chândrâyana (religious or expiatory penance regulated by the moon’s age, that is, waxing or waning). O Nârada! After the offering given to Vais’vanara, one is to offer Gogrâsa, that is, mouthfuls of food to the cows. Hear now how that is done. The mother Surabhi, the beloved of Visnu, is always stationed in the region of Visnu (Visnupada); so O Surabhi! I am offering you mouthfuls of food. Accept it. “Salutation to the cows,” saying this, one is to worship the cows and offer food to them. Hereby Surabhi, the Mother of the cows, becomes pleased. After this, one is to wait outside for a period that is taken to milch a cow, whether any guests are coming. For if any guest goes back disappointed from any house without any food; he takes away all the punyams (merits) of the house-holder and gives him back his own sin. The house-holder is to support mother, father, Guru, brother, son, servants, dependants, guests, those that have come, and Agni (Fire). Knowing all these, he who does not perform the functions of the house-hold is reckoned as fallen from his Dharma both in this world and in the next. The poor house-holder gets the same fruit by performing these five Mahâ jajñâs that a rich Brâhmana gets by performing the Soma Yajñâ. O Best of the Munis! Now I am talking of the Prânâgni Hotra or about taking food, knowing the rules of which makes a man free from birth, old age and death and from all sorts of sins. He who takes his food according to proper rules, is freed of the threefold debts, delivers his twenty one generations from the hells, obtains the fruits of all the Yajñâs and goes unhampered to all the regions of the righteous. Think of the belly as Arani or the piece of wood for kindling the fire
(by attrition), think of the mind as the churning rod, and think of the wind as the rope, and then kindle the fire, residing in the belly; the eyes are to be considered as the sacrificer, (the
Addharyu), and consider fire in the belly as the result of churning. In this fire of the belly, one is to offer oblations for the satisfaction of Prâna, etc., the five deities. First of all offer oblations to the Prâna Vâyu with food taken by the forefinger, middlefinger and thumb; next offer oblations to the Apâna Vâyu with the thumb, middle finger and the nameless (anâmâ) finger; next offer oblations to the Vyâna Vâyu (breath) with the thumb, nameless finger and the little finger; next offer oblations to the Udâna Vâyu with the thumb, forefinger and the little finger and lastly offer oblations to the Samâna Vâyu with food taken by all the fingers. At the same time repeat respectively the mantras :--
“Om Prânâya Svâhâ,”
“Om Apânâya Svâhâ,”
“Om Samânâya Svâhâ,”
“Om Udânâya Svâhâ,”
“Om Vyânâya Svâhâ.”
Within the mouth, there is the Âhavanîya fire; within the heart, there is the Gârhapatya fire; in the navel, there is the Dhaksinâgni fire; below the navel, there is the Sabhyâgni fire and below that there is the Âvasathyâgni fire. Think thus. Next consider the Speech as the Hotâ, the Prâna as the Udgâthâ, the eyes as the Addharyu, the mind as the Brahmâ, the ears as the Hotâ and the keeper of the Agni, the Ahamkâra (egoism) as beast (Pas’u), Om Kâra as water, the Buddhi (intellect) of the house-holder as the legal wife, the heart as the sacrificial altar, the hairs and pores as the Kus’a grass, and the two hands as the sacrificial ladles and spoons (Sruk and Sruva.) Then think of the colour of the Prâna mantra as golden the fire of hunger as the Risi (seer), Sûrya (the sun) as Devatâ, the chhandas as Gâyatrî and Prânâya Svâhâ as the Mantra uttered; also repeat “Idamâdityadevâya namah” and offer oblations to the Prâna. The colour of the Apâna mantra is milk white. S’raddhâgni is the Risi, the Moon is the Devatâ, Usnik is the chhandas, and “Apânâya Svâhâ,” “Idam Somâya na namah” are the mantras. The colour of the Vyâna mantra is red like red lotuses; the fire Deity Hutâsana is the Risi, the fire is the Devatâ; Anustup is the chhandas, “Vyânâya Svâhâ” and “Idamagnaye na namah” are the mantras. The colour of the Udâna mantra is like that of the worm Indra Gopa; fire is the Risi; Vâyu is the Devatâ, Brihatî is the chhandas; “Udânâya Svâhâ’’ and “Idam Vâyave na namah” are the mantras. The colour of the Samâna mantra is like lightning; Agni is the Risi; Parjanya (the rains, water) is the Devatâ; Pankti is the chhanda; “Samânâya
Svâhâ” and “Idam Parjanyâya na namah” are the mantras. O Nârada! Thus offering the five oblations to the five breaths, next offer oblations to the Âtman; the Bhîsana Vahni is the Risi; the Gâyatrî is the chhanda; the Self is the Devatâ; “Âtmane Svâhâ,” and “Idamâtmane na namah” are the mantras. O Nârada! He who knows this Homa of Prânâgnihotra attains the state of Brahmâ. Thus I have spoken to you in brief the rules of the Prânâgni hotra Homa.
Here ends the Twenty-Second Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the rules of Vais’vadeva in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXIII
On the Tapta Krichchhra vrata and others
1-20. Nârâyana said :-- The best Sâdhaka, then uttering after his meals, the mantra “Amritâpidhânamasi.” (O Water-nectar! Let Thou be the covering to the food that I have taken), should make Âchaman (sip one Gandusa water) and distribute the remnant food (the leavings) to those who take the leavings. “Let the servants and maid-servants of our family that expect the leavings of food be satisfied with what leavings I give to them.” “Let those inhabitants of the Raurava hell or other unholy places who have remained there for a Padma or Arbuda years and want to drink water, be satisfied with this water that I offer to them and let this water bring unending happiness to them.” Repeating the above two mantras let the house-holder distribute the leavings of food to the servants and the water to those who want water respectively. Then opening the knot of the Pavitra (a ring of Kus’a grass worn on the fourth finger on certain religious occasions), let him throw this on the square mandalam or the ground. The Brâhmana that throws this Kus’a grass on the vessel (Pâtra) is said to defile the vow of Brâhmanas, taking their food. The Brâhmana that has not yet washed his face after taking the food, or touching another such Brâhmana or a dog, or a S’ûdra, should fast one day and then drink Pañchagabya and thus purify himself. And in case the Uchchista Brâhmin (who has not washed his mouth and hands after meals) be touched by another Brâhmin, who is not Uchchista, then simply bathing will purify him. By offering this Ekâhuti (oblation once) according to rules mentioned above, one obtains the fruit of performing ten million sacrifices; and by offering this oblation five times one gets the
endless fruit, of performing fifty million sacrifices, and if one feeds such a man who knows well how to do this Prânâgnihoma, then he as well as he whom he feeds both derive full benefits and they ultimately go to heaven. The Brâhmana acquires while taking each of his mouthful of food the fruit of eating Pañchagavya, who takes his food duly with the holy Pavitra Kus’a grass tied on his finger. During the three times of worship, the devotee is to do his daily Japam, Tarpanam and Homa and he should feed the Brâhmins. Thus the five limbed Puras’charana is completely done. The religious man should sleep on a low bedding (lie on the ground); he is to control his senses and anger; he is to eat moderately, the things that are light, sweet and good; he is to be humble, peaceful and calm. He is to bathe thrice daily and not to hold any unholy conversation with any woman, a S’ûdra, one who is fallen, without any initiation, and who is an atheist; as well he should not speak in a language spoken by the chândâlas. One is to bow down before him who is in the act of performing the Japam, Homa and worship, etc; one is not to talk with him. Never by deed, mind or word, on all occasions never speak about sexual intercourses; nor hold any contact with such people. For the relinquishment of this subject is called Brahmacharyam (continence) of the kings as well as of the house-holders. But one should go to one’s legal wife during the night time after her menstruation duly according to the rules of the S’âstras; the Brahmacharyam is not thereby destroyed. Man cannot repay the three-fold debts and he cannot aspire for moksa without procreating sons or without doing the duties of the house-holders, as prescribed by the S’âstras. An attempt to do so becomes entirely fruitless like the breast on the neck of a goat. Rather it drags one downward. So the S’rutis say. So let yourself be free first from the debts due to the Devas, the debts due to the Risis and the debts due to the Pitris. Make sacrifices first and then be free from the Devas’ debt. Hold Brahmacharyam and be free from the Risis’ debt. Offer til and water; that is, do S’râddhas and tarpanams and be free from the debt due to the Pitris. Then do readily practise your own Varnas’rama Dharma.
21-33. One is to practise Krichchra chândrâ yana Vrata and to take for his food, milk, fruits, roots and vegetables, Habisyannam and food obtained by begging so that one may become sinless. One is to make japam for Puras’charanam. One is to avoid salt, salty or alkaline substances, acid, garlic, turnips, eating in Kâmsa vessels, chewing betels, eating twice, putting on impure clothings, the intoxicating things and the unsâstric nocturnal japam; also one is not to waste one’s time over blaming and
trying to find faults with the relatives, playing at dice, or talking at random with one’s wife (so that evil effects may arise). One is to spend one’s time in worshipping the Devas, reciting the hymns of praise, and studying the S’âstras. One is to sleep on the ground, practise Brahmacharyam, and the vow of silence, bathe thrice, not practise anything which befits the S’ûdras only. One is to worship everyday, make charities duly and be always happy, recite stotras daily, do occasional Deva worships, have faith in one’s Guru and Deva. These twelve rules are to ensure success to the devotee who does Puras’charanam. One is to daily praise the Sun, with one’s face turned towards Him, do japam before Him; or one is to worship one’s own Deity in front of fire or the image of any god, and do japam simultaneously. The devotee who practises Puras’charanam is to bathe, worship, do japam, meditate, practise Homa, Tarpanam, is to have no desires and to surrender all fruits to one’s own desired Deity, etc. These are necessarily to be observed by him. Therefore while doing japam, Homa, etc., the devotee’s mind is to remain always pleasant and satisfied. One should be ready to practise tapasyâ, to see the S’âstras and be merciful to all the beings. As asceticism leads one to to heaven and to the attainment of one’s desires, therefore know this that all the powers come to an ascetic. An ascetic can cause another’s death (mâran); he can injure others, cure diseases and kill all. Whatever the several Risis wanted from the Devî Gâyatrî and to that end made Puras’charanam and worshipped Her, they obtained from Her all those things. O Nârada! I will speak of S’ânti Karmas etc., in a future chapter. Here I will speak of those rules, etc., that are to be observed in Puras’charanam in as much as they play the principal part to success.
First of all shave yourself and have your hairs and nails, etc., cut off and bathe and be pure. Then perform the Prâjâpatya prâyas’chitta for one’s peace and purification and next do the puras’charanam of the Gâyatrî. Do not speak the whole day and night. Keep your thoughts pure. If words are to be spoken, speak only what you take as true. First recite Mahâvyârhiti and then the Sâvitrî mantra with Pranava prefixed. Then recite the sin-destroying mantra “Âpohisthâ, etc.,” and Svasti matî Sûkta and “Pâvamânî Sûkta.” In every action, in its beginning and at its end one is to understand the necessity of doing the Japam, why and what for one is doing that.
One is to repeat the Pranava, the three Vyârhitis and Sâvitrî ayuta times or one thousand times or one hundred times or ten times. Then offer with water, the peace offerings (tarpanam) to the Âchârya, Risi, Chhandas, and the Devas. Being engaged in action, do not speak any impure language
of the Mlechchhas or talk with any S’ûdra or any bad person. Do not talk with wife in the period of menstruation, with one who has fallen, with the low-class person, with any hater of the Devas and the Brâhmanas, Âchâryas and Gurus, with those who blame the fathers and mothers; nor show any disrespect to anybody. Thus I have spoken in due order about all the rules of Krichchhra vrata. Now I will speak of the rules of the Prâjâpatya Krichchhra, S’ântapana, Parâka Krichchhra and Chândrâyana.
34-54. One becomes freed of all the sins, if one performs the above five Chândrâyanas. By the performance of the Tapta Krichchhra, all sins are burnt off in an instant. By the performance of the three Chândrâyanas the people get purified and go to the Brahma Loka. By doing eight Chândrâyanas, one sees face to face one’s Devatâ, ready to grant boons. With ten Chândrâyanas, one gets the knowledge of the Vedas and one acquires all what one wants.
In the observance of the Krichchhra Prâjâpatya Vrata, one has to take food once in midday for three days, once in the evening for three days, and for the next three days whatever one gets without asking anything from anybody. For the next three days one is not to take any thing at all and go on with one’s work. These twelve days’ work constitutes the Prâjâpatya Vrata.
Now about the rules of the S’ântapana Vrata. On the preceding day one has got to eat food consisting of the mixture of cow urine, cow-dung milk, curd, ghee and the water of the Kus’a grass; the day following he is to fast. These two days’ work constitutes the S’ântapana Vrata.
Now about the Ati Krichchhra vrata. For the first three days, one is to eat one mouthful of food a day and for the next three days one is to fast. This is the Ati Krichchhra vrata. This vrata repeated three times is called Mahâ S’ântapana vrata. Note :-- According to the opinion of Yama, the fifteen days’ work constitutes Mahâ S’ântapana. For the three days one has to eat cow-urine; for the next three days, cow-dung, for the next three days, curd; for the next three days milk; and for the next three days one has to take ghee. Then one becomes pure. This is called the all sin-destroying Mahâ S’ântapan Vrata. Now I am speaking of the nature of the Tapta Krichchhra Vrata.
The Tapta Krichchhra vrata is carried out for the twelve days. For the first three days, one has to drink hot water; for the next three days, hot milk; for the next three days, the hot ghee and for the next three days, air only. Everyday one has to bathe once only under the above rules,
and remain self-controlled. If one drinks water simply everyday under the above conditions, that is called the Prâjâpatya vrata.
To remain without any food for twelve days according to rules is called the Parâka Krichchhra vrata. By this vrata, all sins are destroyed.
Now about the rules of taking food in the Chândrâyana vrata. In the dark fortnight one will have to decrease one mouthful of food every day and in the bright fortnight one will have to increase one mouthful every day and one has to fast completely on the Amâvasyâ (new moon) day. One has to bathe thrice daily during every Sandhyâ time. This is known as the Chândrâyana Vrata.
In the S’is’u Chândrâyana Vrata one will have to take four mouthfuls of food in the midday and four mouthfuls in the evening. In the Yati Chândrâyana one has to take eight mouthfuls in the midday and to control his passions.
55. These abovementioned vratas are observed by the Rudras, Âdityas, Vâsus, and Maruts; and they are enjoying thereby their full safety.
Each of the above vratas purifies the seven Dhâtus of the body in seven nights simply! First skin, then blood, then flesh, bones, sinews, marrows and semen are purified. There is no doubt in this. Thus purifying the Âtman by the above vratas, one is to do religious actions. The work done by such a purified man is sure to be met with success. First control the senses, be pure and do good actions. Then all your desires will be undoubtedly fructified. Fast for three nights, without doing any actions and see the result. (You will not do anything and you want self control! Is this a child’s play?) Perform for three days the nocturnal vratas. Then proceed with your desired duties. If one works according to these methods, one gets the fruits of Puras’charanam. O Nârada! By the Puras’charanam of S’rî Gâyatrî Devî all desires are fulfilled and all sins are destroyed. Before doing Puras’charanam purify your body by performing the above vratas. Then you will get all your desires completely fulfilled. O Nârada! Thus I have spoken to you of the secret rules of Puras’charanam. Never disclose this to any other body. For it is recognised equivalent to the Vedas.
Here ends the Twenty-third Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Tapta Krichchhra vrata and others in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
Chapter XXIV
On Sadâchâra
1. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! Thou art the ocean of mercy; kindly speak out to me in brief all the things and the duties to be observed and applied in the S’ânti Karmas (the peace bringing acts) of Gâyatrî.
2-20. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! The question asked by you is esoteric. Never divulge this to a wicked person or any hypocrite. It is to be kept secret. While doing this S’ânti Karma, the Brâhmanas are to perform the Homas with fuel soaked in milk (Payah). If the fuel of the S’amî tree be offered in Homa ceremony, then diseases caused by planets are cured. If the Homa be performed with wet As’vaththa or Udumbara or other ksîra trees, the diseases caused by demons and hob-goblins are cured. If one offers Tarpanam with one palmful of water, repeating the mantra “Sûryam Tarpayâmi namah”, the pending evils are also averted and troubles are ceased. The repetition of the Gâyatrî mantra with knees immersed in water averts all evils. The repetition of Gâyatrî with body immersed in water upto the throat, averts the danger of life; and the same with whole body immersed grants all success. This is the best of all the S’ânti karmas, the acts that bring health, wealth, happiness and peace. While performing Homa, light with the fuel of Ksîravriksa (the trees that emit milky juice); place Pañchagavya in a vessel made of gold, silver, copper or wood of ksîra trees, or in the vessels made of earth, without any knot or crack; utter the Gâyatrî mantra and offer one thousand homas. Sprinkle with water at every offering, touching the Pañchagavya with Kus’a grass, thousand times. Then offer the sacrifices there where calamities or nuisances are seen and meditate on the Highest Devatâ. Thus all the magic spells used by other persons for a malevolent purpose will be rendered nugatory. Bring under your control any Deva yoni, Bhûte Yoni, or Pis’âcha Yoni that causes you troubles; then they will quit the house, village, city, way, even that kingdom. Now hear how they are brought under control. Prepare a sacrificial altar with sand, draw a square on it, place a Sûla (spear) in its centre and plaster with Astagandha. For the sake of converting all the evils, repeat Gâyatrî mantra thousand times and impregnate it with the mantra, dig the ground and place or bury the Sûla under it. Place on the level ground or sthandila a jar or Navaphala, a fruit made of gold, silver, or copper or a newly made earthen jar and enclose it with thread. Then have the sacred waters brought from the several Tîrthas by the Brâhmins and fill the jar, repeating the Gâyatrî Mantra. Put within this jar the twigs,
then of Cardamom tree, sandal tree, karpûra tree, jâti, aparâjitâ. Saha Devî, Pâtala, Mallikâ flower, Bel leaves, rice, barley, Til, mustard, as’vattha, and udumbara trees and throw them within the jar. (The Ksîra trees are As’vaththa, Udumbara, Plaksa, and Nyagrodha.) Doing all these, prepare one Kus’a Kurcha made of twenty seven Kus’a grass in the form of a braid of hair, round one end of a straight rod and tied in a knot and place it there. Then take your bath and repeat the Gâyatrî mantra over it one thousand times with your whole mind fully concentrated. Then the Veda knowing Brâhmanas would recite the Saura mantra and sprinkle the man attacked by the demon with water and make him drink also the water saturated with the mantra and bathe him also with that. Then that person will be dispossessed of the devil and be happy. Even when the man (possessed by a devil), is going to die, he gets his life again if he be made to drink this water saturated with this mantra and have his bath with that. So a wise King must do this, with a desire to have a long life; and after he is sprinkled with this mantra-charged water he is to give one hundred cows to the Brâhmanas as the Daksinâ.
21-44. The Daksinâ is to be given according to one’s might; and specially what gives satisfaction to the Brâhmanas. If one be terrified by a Devil or so or by the mischievous magic spells of others, one is to sit on Saturday under an As’vattha tree and repeat one hundred Gâyatrîs. For the cure of all diseases, if one has to perform the Mrityunjaya Homa, one will have to do Homa with the Gulancha creeper, soaked in milk and deducting the knots thereof. For the pacification of fever, mango leaves soaked with milk ought to be used in the Homa ceremony. The wasting diseases are cured if Homa be performed with the leaves of the Vacha soaked in milk; phthisis or consumption is cured if Homa be performed with curd, milk and ghee. Again, if offerings be given to the Solar Deity and if Pâyasânnam be given to him and if this be given to the consumptive patient, his disease will be cured. Again, on the Amâvasyâ tithi (new moon day) if Homa be performed with Soma creeper (excluding the knot joints) soaked in milk, then consumption will be cured. If Homa be made with the flowers of the S’amkhya tree, then leprosy is cured; if the Homa be done with the seed of Apâmârga, the Mrigis or the hysteric and epileptic fits are cured. So if Homa be performed with the fuel of Ksîra trees, lunacy is cured; if, with the fuel of udumbara, meha (spermatorrhea) is cured; if with sugarcane juice, gonorrhea is cured; if with curd, milk and ghee or with the ghee of Kapilâ cow, the homa be performed, the Masûrikâ disease or smallpox will be cured, and if Homa be performed with the fuels of Udumbara, Vata, and As’vatha be performed, then the diseases of cows, elephants
and horses are cured. If the trouble be caused by many ants and ant-hills (Madhu Valmîka) then perform the Homa ceremony with the fuel of Samî tree one hundred times and with the food prepared of ghee one hundred times and offer sacrifices with the rest of the food; then the above troubles will cease. If there be a earth quake or if there be seen flashes of lightnings, then homa is to be performed with the fuel of Vana Vetasa and the whole kingdom will be happy. If you surcharge any piece of iron with Gâyatrî mantra repeated hundred times and if you throw it in any direction then no fear will arise from that quarter out of fire, air, or any other enemy. If one be imprisoned, and if he repeats the Gâyatrî mentally, he will be liberated from the prison. If you touch the man possessed by a devil, disease or mortification and sorrow with the Kus’a grass and repeat the Gâyatrî mantra, and thus charge him with Divine electricity, that man will be liberated from the fear caused thereby. If you make the man possessed by devils, etc., drink the water charged with the Gâyatrî mantra or if you cast on his body the ashes charged with hundred Gâyatrîs or tie those ashes on his head repeating the Gâyatrî mantra, he will be instantly freed of all diseases and will live for one hundred years in happiness. In case a man is unable to do fully all these himself, he can get all these done by other Brâhmanas and pay Daksinâ (fees) to them duly for the same.
O Nârada! Now I will tell you how nourishment and wealth are attained. Wealth is attained if the Homa be performed with red lotus or fresh Jâtî flower or with the S’âli rice or with the fuel of Bel tress, leaves, flowers, fruits or roots or with any portions thereof. If for one week the oblations be offered with fuel of Bel tree mixed with Pâyasa or with ghee one hundred times, then Laksmî Devî will surely be attained. If the Homa be performed with Lâja (fried rice) mixed with curd, milk, and ghee, the daughter will be obtained. If for one week, the Homa be performed with red lotus, then gold is obtained. If the Tarpanam (peace offering) be offered to the Sun, then the treasures, gold hidden under the water, are obtained. If the Homa be performed with food (Anna) then Anna is obtained; if Homa be performed with rice, then rice is obtained.
45-51. If Homa be performed with calfdung, dried and powdered, then animals are obtained. If Homa be performed with Priyangu, Pâyasa or ghee then the progeny is obtained. If the oblations of Pâyasânna be offered to the Solar Deity and if the Prasâdam (remnant) be given to one’s wife under menstruation to eat, then
excellent sons will be obtained. If the Homa be performed with the fuel of wet pointed Ksîra trees, then longevity is attained. If Homa be performed with the fuel of the Palâs’a tree, pointed and wet and mixed with curd, milk, and ghee for one hundred times consecutively, then longevity and gold are attained. If the Homa be performed with Durbâ grass, milk, honey or ghee, one hundred times, then longevity and golden lotus are obtained. If for one week the Homa ceremony be performed with the fuel of S’amî tree mixed with food, milk or ghee one hundred times of each or if for one week the Homa he performed with the fuel of Nyagrodha tree and afterwards one hundred Homas be made with Pâyasânna, the fear of unnatural death is removed.
52-60. That man can conquer death who can remain for one week living on milk only and who performs during that time hundreds, and hundreds of Homas and repeats the Gâyatrî, controlling his speech. If anybody can fast three nights and control his speech and repeat Gâyatrî he gets himself freed from the hands of Death; or totally immersed in water if he repeats Gâyatrî, he will be saved from the impending danger of death. If anybody repeats the Gâyatrî mantra for one month, taking his seat under a Bel tree or performs Homa with Bel fruit, root or leaves, he gets kingdoms. (Know all the Mantrams are electric in their effects). Similarly if anybody performs Homa with one hundred lotuses, he gets a foeless kingdom. So one becomes the lord of a village if one performs Homa with Yavâgu (barley gruel) and Sâlidhânya. If the Homa be performed with the fuel of Asvaththa tree, victory in battle is ensured and if the Homa be performed with the fuel of Âkanda tree, then victory everywhere is ensured. If one hundred Homas be performed extending a week with Vetasa tree’s leaves or fruits, dipped in milk and mixed with Pâyasa, the rainfall is ensured. Similarly if anybody repeats Gâyatrî for one week with his body upto navel immersed in water, the rainfall is ensured; on the contrary if the Homa be performed with ashes in water, then the cessation of heavy rainfall is ensured. The Homa with the fuel of Palâsa gives Brahmateja; Homa with the flowers of Palâsa gives everything desired. Homa with milk or drinking Brâhmarasa, charged with mantra, increases the intellect; and the Homa with ghee gives Buddhi (medhâ) (intelligence).
61-69. Homa with flowers gives good smell; Homa with thread gives cloth; Homa with salt and honey mixed or Bel flowers gives one power to control anything and everything that is desired. If anybody bathes everyday immersed completely within water and sprinkles water on his body, he becomes cured of diseases and
he becomes very healthy. If any Brâhmana does these things for others, he becomes also no doubt healthy. If anybody wants to increase his life period he should practise good deeds and repeat Gâyatrî thousand times daily for one month. Thus his longevity will be increased. Two months’ such practice gives long life and perpetual health; three month’s such practice will give life, health, and wealth, four months such practice gives longevity, wealth, fame, women, sons, etc., five months such practice gives longevity, health, wealth, wife, sons and learning. So one should repeat this as many months in proportion to the number of his desires and he would get them. Again any Brâhmana who stands on one leg without holding any other thing and raises both his hands and daily repeats three hundred Gâyatrîs for one month, gets all his desires fulfilled. And if he repeats one thousand one hundred Gâyatrîs, there is nothing in this world that is not met and attained with success. Controlling the Prâna (inhaling) and Apâna (exhaling) Vâyu (breath), he who repeats daily three hundred Gâyatrîs to the Devî, his highest desires are satisfied.
70-77. Vis’vâmitra Risi says :-- Standing on one leg, with both hands raised and controlling Vâyu he who repeats daily one hundred Gâyatrîs for one month, gets all his desires fulfilled. Similarly with three hundred or thousand repeatings, all things are attained. Submerged under water, if one repeats Gâyatrîs as many times as mentioned above, he gets everything. If, for one year, with hands uplifted and without holding anything, anyone stands on one leg, controls one’s breath and repeats Gâyatrî mantra three hundred times or thousand times, eating Havisyânnam only in the night time, he becomes a Risi (Seer). This thing repeated two years gives infallible speech; three years gives knowledge of the present, past and future; four years will enable one to see face to face the Solar God; five years will give the eight Siddhis, lightness, etc., six years will enable one to assume forms as he desires; seven years gives immortality; nine years gives Manuhood; ten years gives Indrahood; eleven years gives Brahmâ-hood; and twelve years gives the state of Parama Brahma.
78-90. O Nârada! By these practices of Tapasyâs you and other Risis have been able to conquer the three Lokas (regions). Some ate only vegetables; some fruits; some, roots; some simply water; some, ghee; some, Somarasa; whereas some others ate only charu and did tapasyâ. Some Risis practised this great Tapasyâ by eating very little for a fortnight only. Some ate food, only what they got by begging during the day; and some ate only Havisyânna. O Nârada! Now hear the rules for the purification and expiation of sins. For the expiation of the sin incurred in stealing gold, one is to repeat three thousand Gâyatrîs (daily) for one
month; then the sin will be destroyed. By this act also the sins incurred by drinking or by going to one’s Guru’s wife are destroyed. Vis’vâmitra Risi says :-- The sin incurred by killing a Brâhmana (Brahmahatyâ) is destroyed if one erects a shed in a forest and, living there, repeats three thousand Gâyatrîs daily for one month. Those Brâhmanas that have committed the Great Sins (i.e., Mahâpâtakas), become free, if they repeat one thousand Gâyatrîs daily, submerged under water, for twelve successive days. By controlling speech and by practising Prânâyâma, if one repeats three thousand Gâyatrîs daily for one month, one will be free from the Mahâpâtakas. If one practises one thousand Prânâyâmas repeating the Gâyatrî, one becomes freed also of Brahmahatyâ. If one draws upwards the Prâna and Apâna Vâyus six times, repeating the Gâyatrî with collected mind, this destroys all the sins and it is called all-sin destroying Prânâyâma. If one practises this Prânâyâma one thousand times for one month, the lord of the earth becomes freed of all sins. If any Brâhmana incurs the sin of killing a cow, for twelve days he is to repeat three thousand Gâyatrîs daily for expiation. Similarly the repetition of ten thousand Gâyatrîs removes the sin of going to those not fit to be gone into, eating the uneatables, stealing and killing and this act brings in peace. All sins are destroyed by performing one hundred Prânâyâmas with Gâyatrî. Again if there be a mixture of various sins, one will have to live in the forest for one month and repeat one thousand Gâyatrîs or practise fasting and repeat three thousand Gâyatrîs; thus all sins will be destroyed.
91-100. To repeat Gâyatrî twenty-four thousand times is equal to performing the Krichchhra vrata and to repeat sixty four thousand Gâyatrîs duly is equal to performing the Chândrâyana. If anybody repeats, in the morning and evening Sandhyâ times, the merit giving Gâyatrî one hundred times, with Prânâyâma, all his sins are destroyed. So, submerged under water, if one repeats the Gâyatrî Devî, meditating Her in the Sun, one hundred times daily, one’s all the sins are fully destroyed. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you all about averting or destroying the evils and the purification of various sins. All this is secret. Keep it carefully concealed. Never divulge this. Whoever divulges this will bring his own ruin. I have spoken to you, in brief, all about Sadâchâra (right way of living). If anybody practises this duly, according to rules, S’rî Mahâmâyâ Durgâ Devî becomes pleased with him. If anybody wants to have both enjoyment and liberation, he is to practise all these daily, as well as the occasional, and Kâmya (desired) duties duly according to rules. It is stated in all the S’âstras, that this Âchâra (right way of living) is the foremost and the chief Dharma, the Deity of which is
the Supreme Mother Herself. O Nârada! That man who practises duly this Âchâra is, in this world, holy, happy and blessed. This I speak to you truly. If anybody desires to get the Devî Bhagavatî’s Grace, he should first of all set himself at once to practise this Sadâchâra. He who hears this gets wealth and great happiness. There is no doubt in this. Now speak what more you want to hear.
Here ends the Twenty fourth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on Sadâchâra in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa. The Eleventh Book Completed.
[Here ends the Eleventh Book.]
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter I
On the description of Gâyatrî
1-7. Nârada said :-- O Deva! The rules of Sadâchâra (right ways of living) and the all-sin-destroying unequalled Glories of the Devî Bhagavatî have been described by Thee. And I, too, have heard the nectar of the Glories of the Devî from Thy lotus mouth. The Chândrâyana and other Vratas; described by Thee, are very difficult to practise. So they are impracticable with the ordinary persons. Therefore, O Lord! Kindly describe those actions which can easily be carried out by common persons, at the same time, the Devî's Grace and Siddhis can be obtained by those practices. Again what thou hast described about the Gâyatrî in connection with Sadâchâra kindly say which are the chief and foremost as well as those that are more meritorious. O Best of the Munis! Thou hast told that there are the twenty-four syllables in the Gâyatrî. Kindly describe now their Risis, Chhandas, Devatâs and other things that should be known regarding them and thus satisfy my longings.
8-27. S’rî Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! The twice-born would have done what they ought to do if they be engaged in repeating their Gâyatrî only, whether they be able or not able to practise the Chândrâyana and the other vratas. Whichever Brâhmin repeats the Gâyatrî three thousand times and offers Arghya to the Sun in the three Sandhyâ times, the Devas worship him; what to speak of other ordinary persons! Whether he practises Nyâsa or not, if anybody sincerely repeats the Gâyatrî Devî, Whose Nature is Existence, Intelligence, and Bliss and meditates on Her, even if he attains siddhi in one syllable even, then as a result of that, he can vie with the best of the Brâhmanas, the Moon, and the Sun; nay, with Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara even! O Nârada! Now I will tell in due order the Risis, Chhandas, and the Devatâs of the twenty-four syllables of the Gâyatrî. The Risis, in due order, are (1) Vâma Deva, (2) Attri, (3) Vas'istha, (4) S’ukra, (5) Kanva, (6) Parâs'ara, (7) the very fiery Vis'vamitra, (8) Kapila, (9) S’aunaka, (10) Yâjñavalkya, (11) Bharadvâja, (12) the ascetic Jamadagni, (13) Gautama, (14) Mudgala, (15) Vedavyâsa, (16) Lomas'a, (17) Agastya, (18) Kaus'ika, (19) Vatsya, (20) Pulastya, (21) Mânduka, (22) the ascetic in chief Durvâsâ, (23) Nârada and (24) Kas'yapa.
Now about the chhandas :-- (1) Gâyatrî, (2) Usnik, (3) Anustup, (4) Brihatî, (5) Pankti, (6) Trisnup, (7) Jagatî, (8) Atijagatî, (9) S’akkarî, (10) Ati S’akkarî, (11) Dhriti, (12) Ati Dhriti, (13) Virât, (14) Prastârapankti, (15) Kriti, (16) Prâkriti, (17) Âkriti, (18) Vikriti, (19) Samkriti, (20) Aksarapankti, (21) Bhuh, (22) Bhuvah, (23) Svah and (24) Jyotismatî. The Devatâs of the several letters in due order, are :-- (1) Agni, (2) Prajâpati, (3) Soma, (4) Îs'âna, (5) Savitâ, (6) Âditya, (7) Brihaspati, (8) Maitrâvaruna, (9) Bhagadeva, (10) Aryamâ, (11) Ganes'a, (12) Tvastrâ, (13) Pûsâ, (14) Indrâgnî, (l5) Vâyu, (16) Vâmadeva, (17) Maitrâ varunî (18) Vis'vadeva, (19) Mâtrikâ, (20) Visnu, (21) Vasu, (22) Rudra Deva, (23) Kuvera, and (24) the twin As'vinî Kumâras. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you about the the Devatâs of the twenty-four syllables. The hearing of this destroys all sins and yields the full results of repeating the mantra Gâyatrî. (Note :-- The Devatâs, mentioned in the Gâyatrî Brahmâ Kalpa are different from those mentioned here.)
Here ends the first Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of Gâyatrî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter II
On the description of the S’aktis, etc., of the syllables of Gâyatrî
1-18. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! O Great Muni! Now hear which are the S’aktis in due order of the twenty four syllables of the Gâyatrî Devî:--
(1) Vâma Devî, (2) Priyâ, (3) Satyâ, (4) Vis'vâ, (5) Bhadravilâsinî, (6) Prabhâ Vatî, (7) Jayâ, (8) S’ântâ, (9) Kântâ, (10) Durgâ, (11) Sarasvatî, (12) Vidrumâ, (13) Vis'âle'sâ, (14) Vyâpinî, (15) Vimalâ, (16) Tamopahârinî, (17) Sûksmâ, (18) Vis'vayoni, (19) Jayâ, (20) Vas'â, (21) Padmâlayâ, (22) Parâs'obhâ, (23) Bhadrâ, and (24) Tripadâ.
Now hear the respective colours of the several syllables of the Gâyatrî Devî :-- (1) like Champaka and Atasî flowers, (2) like Vidruma, (3) like crystal, (4) like lotus; (5) like the Rising Sun; (6) white like conchshell; (7) white like Kunda flower; (8) like Prabâla and lotus leaves; (9) like Padmarâga, (10) like Indranîlamani; (11) like pearls; (12) like Saffron; (13) like the black collyrium of the eye; (14) red; (15) like the Vaidûrya mani; (16) like Ksaudra (Champaka tree, honey, water); (17) like turmeric; (18) like Kunda flower; and the milk (19) like the rays of the Sun; (20) like the tail of the bird S’uka; (21) like S’atapatra; (22) like Ketakî flower; (23) like Mallikâ flower; (24) like Karavîra flower.
Now about their Tattvas :-- (1) earth; (2) water; (3) fire; (4) air; (5) Âkâs'a (ether); (6) smell; (7) taste; (8) form; (9) sound; (10)
touch; (11) male generative organ; (12) anus; (13) legs, (14) hands; (15) speech; (16) Prâna (vital breath); (17) tongue; (18) eyes; (19) skin; (20) ears; (21) Prâna (up going breath); (22) Apâna; (23) Vyâna, (24) Sâmâna.
Now about the Mudrâs of the syllables:-- (l) Sammukha; (2) Samputa; (3) Vitata; (4) Vistrita; (5) Dvimukha, (6) Trimukha; (7) Chaturmukha; (8) Pañchamukha; (9) Sanmukha; (10) Adhomukha; (11) Vyâpakânjali (12) S’akata; (13) Yamapâs'a; (14) Grathita; (15) Sanmukhon mukha (16) Vilamba; (17) Mustika; (18) Matsya; (19) Kûrma; (20) Varâhaka; (21) Simhâkrânta, (22) Mahâkrânta; (23) Mudgara, and (24) Pallava.
The Mahâmudrâs of the fourth foot of Gâyatrî are (1) Trisûlayonî (2) Surabhi; (3) Aksa mâlâ; (4) Linga; and (5) Ambuja. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you all about the Mudras, etc., of the several syllables of the Gâyatrî. If during Japam, one thinks all these and at the same time repeats, all his sins are destroyed and his wealth gets increase and the fame attends on him.
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of the S’aktis, etc., of the syllables of Gâyatrî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 Verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter III
On the description of the Kavacha of S’rî Gâyatrî Devî
1-3. Nârada spoke :-- O Bhagavân! Thou art the Lord of this world; Thou canst shew favour and disfavour both; Thou art specially versed in the sixty-four Kalâs (arts of learning); Thou art the chief of the Yogis. I therefore ask Thee to solve a doubt of mine. By what Punyam a man can become free from all his sins and limitations and he can realise and become of the nature of Brahmâ. O Lord! And what are duly the Risis, Chhandas, Devatâs, Dhyân, and Nyâsa, etc., of this meritorious act? I want to hear.
4-25. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! There is but one and the only one way to this and though that is very secret, I will disclose that to you. It is the Gâyatrî-Kavacha. It can destroy all sins. Therefore to recite or to hold it on one's body enables the man to become free from all his sins and to get all his desires fulfilled and he gets the Sâyuya Mukti with the Devî (be merged in the Devî-Body). Now hear the Risis, Chhandas, etc., of this Kavacha :-- Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes'vara are the Risis; the Rik, Yajus, Sâma and Atharva Vedas are the Chhandas; the Paramâ Kalâ Gâyatrî of the nature of Brahmâ is the Devatâ; “Tat” in Gâyatrî is the Vîja; “Bharga” is the S’akti; and “Dhîyah” is the Kîlaka; and its viniyoga (application) is in getting the Moksa (liberation.). With the first four syllables touch the heart; with
the next three letters touch the head; with the next four letters touch the tuft on the crown of the head; with the next three letters on the Kavacha; with the next four letters on the eyes and with the last four letters make the Nyâsa, all over the body repeating “Astrâya Phat,” O Nârada! Hear now the Dhyânam of Gâyatrî, that grants all desires. The Gâyatrî Devî has five faces; one of which is of white colour; and the other four is of pearl, Vidruma, golden, and Nîlakântamani colour respectively. Each face has got three eyes; on the head there is a crown of jewels and the digit of the Moon is shining there. Her body is composed of the twenty-four tattvas. She has ten hands :-- On the top right and left hands there are two lotuses; lower down, there are disc and conch shell; lower down, there are rope and skull; lower down, there are noose and goad; and on the bottom hands right and left she is making signs of “No fear” and “ready to grant boons.” Thus meditating on S’rî Gâyatrî, one is to recite the Kavacha thus :-- Let the Gâyatrî Devî protect my front; Sâvitrî Devî protect my right; the Sandhyâ Devî, my back and the Devî Sarasvatî, my left. Let my Mother Pârvatî Devî protect my quarters. Let Jalas'âyinî protect the southeast; Yâtudhâna Bhayankarî protect my South-west; Pavamânavilâsinî my north-west; Rudrarûpinî Rudrânî protect my north-east. Let Brahmânî protect my top and Vaisnavî protect my nether regions. Let the word “Tat” in the Gâyatrî protect my legs; “Savituh” protect my Knees; “Varenyam,” protect my loins; “Bhargah,” my navel. Let “Devasya” protect my heart; “Dhîmahî” protect my neck; “Dhîyah,” protect my eyes; “Yah,” protect my forehead; “Nah” protect my head; and “Prachodayât” protect the tuft on the crown of my head.
Again let the “Tat” of the twenty-four syllabled Gâyatrî protect my head; “Sa,” protect my forehead; “Vi” protect my eyes; “Tu” my cheeks; “Va,” protect my nostrils; “Re,” my mouth; “ni” protect my upper lip; “Yah” protect my lower lip; “Bha” within my face; “rgo,” protect my cheeks; “De,” my throat; “Va” my shoulders; “Sya” my right hand; “Dhi” my navel; “ma,” my heart, “Hi,” my belly; “Dhî,” my navel; “Yo” my loins; “Yo”, my anus; “nah,” my thighs, “Pra,” my Knees; “Cho” my shanks “Da” my heels; “Yâ” my legs; and let “at” protect all my sides. O Nârada! This divine Kavacha of the Devî Gâyatrî can baffle hundreds and thousands of obstructions and evils; can grant sixty-four Kalâs and liberation. By the glory of this Kavacha, man can become free from all evils and can attain the state of Brahmâ. Moreover whoever reads or hears this acquires the fruits of making a gift of a thousand cows.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of the Kavacha of S’rî Gâyatrî Devî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter IV
On Gâyatrî Hridaya
1-2. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! I have heard from you all about the Kavacha and the Mantra of S’rî Gâyatrî. O Deva Deva! O Thou, the Knower of the present, the past, and the future! Now tell about the Hridaya, the highest, the interior or esoteric Essence of the Gâyatrî, holding which, if one repeats the Gâyatrî, he acquires all the punyam (merits), I am desirous to hear this.
3-8. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! This subject on the Hridaya of Gâyatrî is explicitly written in the Atharva Veda. Now I will speak on that, the great secret, in detail. Listen. First, consider the Gâyatrî, the Devî, the Mother of the Vedas as of a Cosmic Form (Virâ trupâ) and meditate all the Devas as residing on Her Body. Now in as much as the Pinda and Brahmânda are similar, consider yourself as of the form of the Devî and meditate within yourself on the Devatâs, thus :-- The Pundits, the Knowers of the Vedas, say this :-- He is not yet fit to worship the Deva and he is not an Adhikârî as yet who has not been able to make himself a Deva; therefore to establish the knowledge of the oneness of the Deva and himself, he is to meditate the Devas within his body, thus :--
O Nârada! Now I will speak on the Hridaya of Gâyatrî, knowing which every man becomes able to become all the Devas. Listen. The Risi of this Gâyatrî Hridaya is Nârâyana; the Chhandas is Gâyatrî; and S’rî Parames'varî Gâyatrî is the Devatâ. Perform the Nyâsa of this as mentioned before and taking your seat in a lonely place, meditate intently on the Devî with your heart and head well collected. Now I am speaking of the Arthanyâsa. Hear. Meditate on the Devatâ Dyau on your head; the twin As'vins on the rows of the teeth; the two Sandhyâs on your upper and lower lips; the Agni, Fire, within your mouth; Sarasvatî, on the tongue; Brihaspati on the neck; the eight Vasus on the two breasts; the Vâyus, on the two arms; the Paryanya Deva on the heart; Âkâs'a, on the belly; Antarîksam (the middle space) on the navel; Indra and Agni, on the loins; Prajâpati, the condensed form, as it were, of Vijñâna, on the hip joints; the Kailâs'a and the Malaya mountains on the two thighs; the Visvedevâs on the two knees; Vis'vâmitra on the shanks; the Sun's northern and southern paths, the Uttarâyana and Daksinâyana
on the anus; the Pitris on the thighs; the Earth on the legs; the Vanaspati on the fingers and toes; the Risis on the hairs of the body; the Muhûrtas on the nails; the planets on the bones; the Ritus (seasons) on the blood and flesh; the Samvatsaras on the Nimisa (twinkling of eye) the Sun and the Moon on the day and night respectively. Thinking thus, repeat “I take refuge of the Divine Holy Gâyatrî, the Chief and most Excellent One, the Thousand eyed and I take refuge wholly unto Her.”
Then repeat “I bow down to Tat savitur varenyam,” “I bow down to the Rising Sun on the East,” “I bow down to the Morning Aditya,” “I bow down to the Gâyatrî, residing in the Morning Sun” and “I bow down to all.” O Nârada! Whoever recites this Gâyatrî Hridaya in the morning finds all the sins committed in the night all destroyed! Whoever recites this in the evening gets his sins of the day all destroyed! Whoever recites this in the evening and in the morning can rest assured to have become free of sins; he gets the fruits of all the Tîrthas; he is acquainted with all the Devas; he is saved if he has spoken anything that ought not to have been spoken; if he has eaten anything that is not fit to be eaten; if he has chewn and sucked anything that ought not to have been chewn and sucked; if he has done anything that ought not to have been done and if he has accepted hundreds and thousands of gifts that ought never to have been accepted.
The sins incurred by eating with the others in a line cannot touch him. If he speaks lies, he will not be touched by the sins thereof; even if a non-Brahmachâri recites this, he will become a Brahmachârî. O Nârada! What more shall I say to you of the results of Gâyatrî Hridaya than this :-- that whoever will study this will acquire the fruits of performing thousand sacrifices and repeating the Gâyatrî sixty thousand times. In fact, he will get Siddhi by this. The Brâhmâna, who daily reads this in the morning will be freed of all the sins and go upwards to the Brahmâ (Loka) and is glorified there. This has been uttered by Bhagavân Nârâyana Himself.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on Gâyatrî Hridaya in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter V
On the Gâyatrî Stotra
1. Nârada said :-- O All knowing One! Thou showest Thy grace to Thy devotees! Thou hast described this sin-destroying Gâyatrî Hridaya. Now describe Her Stava (hymn of praise).
2-29. Nârâyana said :-- O World-Mother! O Thou, favouring Thy devotees! O Thou, the Prime Force, O Omnipresent! Infinite! S’rî Sandhye! I bow down to Thee. Thou art the Sandhyâ; Thou art the Gâyatrî, Sâvitrî and Sarasvatî; Thou art Brâhmî, Vaisnavî and Raudrî and Thou art red, white, and black (the colours of Gâyatrî, Sâvitrî and Sarasvatî) that Thou assumest respectively. O Bhagavatî! Thou art always meditated by the Munis as young in the morning, full of youth in the mid-day, and aged in the evening. I bow down to Thee. Thou art seen by the Tapasvis (ascetics) as Brahmânî, riding on Hamsa (swan), Sarasvatî riding on Garuda, and Sâvitrî riding on Bull. Thou art seen within by the ascetics as manifesting the Rigveda (in the form of Sâvitrî) in this world, as manifesting Yayurveda in the middle space (antariksam) and as manifesting Sâmaveda everywhere in the Rudra loka, thus roaming in the three worlds. I bow down to Thee. O Devî! Thou art Rudrânî in the Rudra loka, Vaisnavî in the Visnu loka, and Brahmânî in the Brahmâ loka; thus Thou shewest Thy favour to the Immortals. O Devî! Thou art the Mother delighting the seven Risis (of the Great Bear); Thou art Mâyâ. Thou grantest great many boons to Thy Bhaktas. Thou art sprung from the eyes and hands, tears and perspiration of S’iva and S’ivâ. Thou art the Mother of delights, Durgâ Devî, recited by the following ten names :-- Varenyâ, Varadâ, Varisthâ, Varavarninî, Garisthâ, Varâhâ, Varârohâ, Nîlagangâ, Sandhyâ and Bhoga Moksadâ. Thou art the Bhâgirathî (the river Ganges) in this world; the Bhogavatî in the Pâtâla; and the Mandâkinî (the milky way) in the Heavens. Thou art in this world (Bhur loka) the all-enduring Prithvî (earth); Thou art the Vâyu S’akti (air power) in the middle space (Bhubhar Loka); Thou art the energy (the ocean of Tejas) in the Heavens (Svar loka); Thou art the Great Siddhi in the Mahar loka; Thou art Janâ in the Janar Loka; Thou art Tapasvinî in the Tapar loka; Thou art Truth (True Speech) in the Satya lokam. Thou art Kamalâ in Visnu loka; Gâyatrî in Brahmâ loka; and the other half of Hara as Gaurî in the Rudra loka. O Devî! Thou art sung as Prakriti – “Aham” “Om-Mahat” tattva and beyond that the Highest Sarva
Brahmâ rûpinî and Sâmyâvasthâ Prakriti. Thou art the Parâ S’akti; Thou art the Paramâ S’akti; O Devî! Thou art the Tri-S’akti :-- the Ichchhâ S’akti (the will power), the Kriyâ S’akti (power of action) and the Jñâna S’akti (the force of knowledge). Thou art the Gangâ, Yamunâ, Vipâs'â, Sarasvatî, Sarayu, Devîkâ, Sindhu; Narmadâ, Îrâvatî, Godâvarî, S’atadru; Kâverî, Kaus'ikî, Chandra Bhâgâ, Vitastâ, Gandakî, Tapinî, Karatoyâ, Gomatî, and Vetravatî and other rivers; Thou art the Idâ, Pingalâ, and Susumnâ nerves; Thou art Gândhârî, Hastajihvâ, Pûsâ, Apûsâ, Alambusâ, Kuhû, S’ankhinî, Prânavâhinî and other nerves in the body; O Devî! Thou art the vital power in the lotus of the heart; Thou art Svapna nâikâ in the throat; Thou art Sadâdhârâ in the palate; and Thou art the Vindumâlinî S’akti in the pituitary space between the eyebrows.
Thou art the Kundalinî in the Mûlâdhâra (sacral plexus), the Vyâpinî extending upto the roots of the hairs; Thou art Madhyâsanâ on the crown of the head, and Thou art Manonmanî in the Brahmârandhra. O Devî! What need there is in stating these? Suffice it to say that whatever there is seen in this universe, all art Thou; therefore, O S’rî Sandhyâ Devî! I bow down to Thee. O Nârada! Thus I have spoken to you about the Gâyatrî-Stotra that gives all successes, destroys all sins, and yields all merits. He who reads this in the Sandhyâ times, with all attention, will get sons if he has no sons, will get wealth if he has no wealth. There is no doubt in this. Whoever reads this Stotra gets the fruits of all Tîrthas, all Tapasyâs, all gifts, all sacrifices and all Yogas. He enjoys happiness in this world and finally gets the Moksa. The Munis who are engaged in Tapasyâs read this Stotra. While bathing, if one reads this, merged under water, acquires the fruits of his being merged in the Sandhyâ. O Nârada! I speak this verily, verily, verily, unto you that there is no trace of any doubt in this statement. Whoever will hear with devotion this Sandhyâ stotra, the nectar-like thing, will be freed from all sins.
Here ends the Fifth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the Gâyatrî Stotra in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter VI
On the one thousand and eight names of the Gâyatrî
1-3. Nârada said :-- O Bhagavân! O All-knowing One! O Thou versed in all the S’âstras! I have heard from Thy mouth all the secrets of S’rutis and Smritis. Now I ask Thee, O Deva! How can the knowledge of that Veda Vidyâ (Learning) be obtained by which all sins are rooted out and destroyed, how is Brahmajñânam obtained and how can Moksa be obtained? How can death be conquered and how can
the best results be obtained in this world and in the next. O Lotus-eyed One! Thou ought’st to describe fully all these to me.
4-9. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! O Highly Learned One! Sâdhu! Sâdhu! You have now put a nice question indeed! Now I will describe one thousand and eight names of the Gâyatrî Devî. Listen attentively. These all sin-destroying auspicious names were composed by Brahmâ and first recited by Him. Its Risi is Brahmâ; the Chhandas is Anustup; the Devatâ is Gâyatrî; its Vîja is Halavarna (consonants) and its S’akti is Svaravarna (vowels). Perform the Anga Nyâsa and the Kara Nyâsa by the Mâtrikâ varnas (that is, by the fifty syllables). Now hear its Dhyânam, that will do good to the Sâdhakas (the practisers). [N.B. :-- Amga Nyâsa - Touching the limbs of the body with the hand accompanied by appropriate Mantras. Kara Nyâsa - assignment of the various parts of fingers and hand to different deities which is usually accompanied with prayers and corresponding gesticulations.] I worship the Kumârî (virgin) Gâyatrî Devî, the Lotus-eyed One, riding on the Swan (the Prânas), and seated on a lotus (creation); Who is three-eyed and of a red colour; and Who is bright and decorated with gems and jewels of red, white, green, blue, yellow and other variegated colours; Who is holding in Her hands Kundikâ, the rosary, lotus and making signs as if ready to grant the desired boons and on whose neck is suspended the garland of red flowers. I worship the Devî Gâyatrî. [Note :-- The colours are the various emotions and feelings.]
10-16. Now I will recite the one thousand and eight names of the Gâyatrî, beginning with the syllable “a” and going on a, â, i, î, etc., in due order of the alphabets. Listen! Her ways and actions cannot be comprehended by intellect (Buddhi); She is therefore Achintya Laksanâ; She is Avyaktâ (unmanifested; unspeakable); She is Arthamâtrimahes’varî, (because She is the Controller of Brahmâ, etc.); She is Amritârnava madhyasthâ, Ajitâ and Aparâjitâ. Thou art Animâdigunâdhârâ, Arka mandalasamsthitâ, Ajarâ, Ajâ, Aparâ, Adharmâ (she has no dharma, caste, etc.), Aksasûtradharâ, Adharâ; Akârâdaksakârântâ (beginning with the syllable “a” and ending with the syllable “ksa”, thus comprising the fifty syllables), Arisadvargabhedinî (destroying the five passions), Anjanâdripratîkâs’â, Anjanâdrinivâsinî, Aditi, Ajapâ, Avidyâ, Aravindanibheksanâ, Antarvahihsthitâ, Avidyâdhvamsinî, and Antarâtmikâ. Thou art Ajâ. Ajamukhâvâsâ (residing in the mouth of Brahmâ), Aravindanibhânanâ, (Vyanjanavarnâtmikâ, therefore called) Ardhamâtrâ, Arthadânajñâ (because She grants all the Purusârthas.)
Arimandalamarddinî, Asuraghnî, Amâvâsyâ, Alaksîghnî, Antyajârchitâ. Thus end Her names beginning with “A”. Now the names with
“” Thou art Âdi Laksmî, Âdi S’akti, Âkriti, Âyatânanâ, Âdityapadavichârâ, Âdityaparisevitâ, Âchâryâ, Âvartanâ; Âchârâ, and Âdi Mûrti nivâsinî.
17-18. Thou art Âgneyî, Âmarî, Âdyâ, Ârâdhyâ, Âsanasthitâ, Âdhâra nilayâ (seated in the Mulâdhâra), Âdhârâ (the Refuge of all), and Âkâs’ânta nivâsini (of the nature of Aham tattva; Thou art Âdyâksara samâyuktâ, Ântarâkâs’arûpinî, Âdityamandalagatâ, Ântaradhvântanâs’inî, (i.e., destroyer of the Moha of Jîvas). Then come the names beginning with “I.”
19-25. Thou art Indirâ, Istadâ, Istâ Indîvaraniveksanâ, Irâvatî, Indrapadâ, Indrânî, Indurûpinî, Iksukodandasamyuktâ, Isusandhânakârinî, Indranîlasamakârâ, Idâpingalarûpinî, Indrâksî, Îs’varî, Devî Îhâtrayavivarjitâ. Thou art Umâ, Usâ, Udunibhâ, Urvârukaphalânanâ, Uduprabhâ, Udumatî, Udupâ, Udumadhyagâ, Ûrdha, Ûrdhakes’î, Ûrdhadhogatibhedinî, Ûrdhavâhupriyâ, Ûrmimâlâvâggranthadâyinî. Thou art Rita, Risi, Ritumatî (the Creatrix of the world), Risidevanamaskritâ, Rigvedâ, Rinahartrî, Risimandala chârinî, Riddhidâ, Rijumârgasthâ, Rijudharmâ, Rijupradâ, Rigvedanilayâ, Rijvî, Lupta dharma pravartinî, Lûtârivarasam bhûtâ, Lûtâdivisahârinî.
26-30. Thou art Ekâksarâ, Ekamâtrâ, Ekâ, Ekaikanisthitâ, Aindrî, Airâvatârûdhâ, Aihikâmusmikapradâ, Omkârâ, Osadhî, Otâ, Otaprotanivâsinî, Aurbbâ, Ausadhasampannâ, Aupâsanaphalapradâ, Andamadhyasthitâ, Ahkâramanurûpinî. (Visargarûpinî). Thus end the names beginning with vowels.
Now begin the names beginning with consonants. Thou art Kâtyâyanî, Kâlarâtri, Kâmâksî, Kâmasundarî, Kamalâ,. Kâminî, Kântâ, Kâmadâ, Kâlakanthinî, Karikumbha stana bharâ, Karavîra Suvâsinî, Kalyanî, Kundalavatî, Kuruksetranivâsinî, Kuruvinda, dalâkârâ, Kundalî, and Kumudâlayâ.
31-32. Thou art Kâlajhibhâ, Karâlâsyâ, Kâlikâ, Kâlarûpinî, Kâmanîyagunâ, Kânti, Kalâdhârâ, Kumudvatî, Kaus’ikî, Kamalâkârâ, Kâmachâraprabhanjinî. Thou art Kaumarî, Karunâpângî, Kakubanta (as presiding over all the quarters), and Karipriyâ.
33-37. Thou art Kes’arî, Kes’avanutâ, Kadamba Kus’umapriyâ, Kâlindî, Kâlikâ, Kâñchî, Kalas’odbhavasamstutâ. Thou art Kâmamâtâ, Kratumatî, Kâmarûpâ, Kripâvatî, Kumârî, Kunda nilayâ, Kirâtî, Kîravâhana, Kaikeyî, Kokilâlâpâ, Ketakî, Kusumapriyâ, Kamandaludharâ, Kâlî, Karmanirmûlakârinî, Kalahansagati, Kaksâ, Kritâ, Krita, Kautukamangalâ, Kastûrîtilakâ, Kamrâ, Karîndra Gamanâ, Kuhû, Karpûralepanâ, Krisnâ, Kapilâ, Kuharâs’rayâ, Kûtasthâ, Kudharâ, Kamrâ, Kuksisthâkhilavistapâ.
Thus end the names with Ka. Now come those with Kha.
38-62. Thou art Khadga Khetadharâ, Kharbhâ, Khecharî, Khagavâhanâ, Khattânga dhârinî, Khyâta, Khagarâjoparisthitâ, Khalaghnî, Khanditajarâ, Khadâksyânapradâyinî, Khandendu tilakâ.
Thou art Gangâ, Ganes’a guhapûjita, Gâyatrî, Gomatî, Gîtâ, Gândhârî, Gânalolupâ, Gautamî, Gâminî, Gâdhâ, Gandharvâpsarasevitâ, Govinda charanâ krântâ, Gunatraya vibhâbitâ, Gandharvî, Gahvarî, Gotrâ, Girîs’â, Gahanâ, Gamî, Guhâvâsâ, Gunavatî (of good qualities), Gurupâpapranâs’inî, Gurbhî, Gunavatî (of the three gunas), Guhyâ, Goptavyâ, Gunadâyinî, Girijâ, Guhyamâtangî, Garudadhvajavallabhâ, Garvâpahârinî, Godâ (grating Heaven), Gokulasthâ, Gadâdharâ, Gokarnanilayâ saktâ, and Guhyamandala vartinî.
Now the names with “Gha”. Thou art Gharmadâ, Ghanadâ, Ghantâ, Ghora Dânava marddinî, Ghrinî mantra mayî (of the Sûrya mantra, Ghrinî is to shine). Ghosâ, Ghanasampâtadâyinî, Ghantâra-vapriyâ, Ghrânâ, Ghrinisantustikârinî (giving pleasure to the Sun), Ghanârimandalâ, Ghûrnâ, Ghritâchî, Ghanaveginî, Gñânadhâtumayî. Thou art Charchâ, Charchitâ, Châruhâsinî, Chatulâ, Chandikâ, Chitrâ, Chitramâlyayi bhûsitâ, Chaturbhujâ. Châru dantâ, Châturî, Charitapradâ, Chûlikâ, Chitravastrântâ, Chandramah Karna Kundalâ, Chandrahâsâ, Chârudâtrî, Chakorî, Ghandrahâsinî, Chandrikâ, Chandradhâtrî, Chaurî, Chorâ, Chandikâ, Chanchadvâgvâdinî, Chandrachûdâ, Choravinâs’inî, Châruchandana liptângî, Chanchachchâmaravîjitâ, Chârumadhyâ, Chârugati, Chandilâ, Chandrarûpinî, Châruhoma priyâ, Chârvâ, Charitâ, Chakrabâhukâ, Chandramandalamadhyasthâ, Chandramandala Darpanâ, Chakravâkastanî, Chestâ, Chitrâ, Châruvilâsinî, Chitsvarûpâ; Chandavatî, Chandramâ, Chandanapriyâ, Chodayitrî (as impelling the Jîvas always to actions), Chiraprajñâ, Châtakâ, Châruhetukî.
Thou art Chhatrayâtâ, Chhatradharâ, Chhâyâ, Chhandhahparichchhadâ, Chhâyâ Devî, Chhidranakhâ, Chhannendriyavisarpinî, Chhandonustuppratisthântâ, Chhidropadrava bhedinî, Chhedâ, Chhatres’varî, Chhinnâ, Chhurikâ, and Chhelanpriyâ. Thou art Jananî, Janmrarahitâ, Jâtaveda, Jaganmayî, Jâhnavî, Jatilâ, Jatrî (Jetrî), Jarâmarana varjitâ, Jambu dvîpa vatî, JvâIâ, Jayantî, Jalasâlinî, Jitendrîyâ, Jitakrodhâ, Jitâmitrâ, Jagatpriyâ, Jâtarûpamayî, Jihvâ, Jânakî, Jagatî, Jarâ (Jayâ) Janitrî, Jahnutanayâ, Jagattrayahitaisinî, Jvâlamulî, Japavatî, Jvaraghnî, Jitavistapâ, Jitâkrântamayî, Jvâlâ, Jâgratî, Jvaradevatâ, Jvalantî, Jaladâ, Jyesthâ, Jyâghosâ sphota dinmukhî, Jambhinî, Jrimbhanâ, Jrimbhâ, Jvalanmânikya Kundalâ. Jhinjhikâ, Jhananirghosâ, Jhanjhâ
Mâruta veginî, Jhallakîvâdya kus’alâ, Nrûpâ, Nbhujâ, Tanka bhedinî, Tanka bânasamâyuktâ, Tankinî, Tanka bhedinî, Tankîganakritâghosâ, Tankanîya mahorasâ, Tankâra Kârinî, Tha tha s’avdaninâdinî.
63-80. Now come the names beginning with “Da.” They are :-- Dâmarî, Dâkinî, Dimbhâ, Dundamâraikanirjitâ, Dâmarîtantramargasthâ, Dandadamarunâdinî, Dindîravasahâ, Dimbhalasat krîdâparâyanâ (dancing with joy in battles). Then Dhundhi vighnes’a jananî, Dhakkâ hastâ, Dhilivrajâ (followed by S’iva ganas), Nityajñânâ, Nirupamâ, Nirgunâ and Narmadâ river. Now :-- Trigunâ, Tripadâ, Tantrî, Tulasî, Tarunâ, Tara, Trivikramapadâ krântâ, Tûrîyapadagâminî, Tarunâ ditya samkas’â, Tâmasî, Tuhinâ, Turâ, Trikâlajñâna Sampannâ, Trivalî, Trilochanâ, Tri S’akti, Tripurâ, Tungâ, Turangavadanâ, Timingilagilâ, Tibrâ, Trisrotâ, Tâmasâdinî, Tantra mantravis’esajñâ, Tanumadhyâ, Trivipstapâ, Trisandhyâ, Tristanî, Tosâsamsthâ, Tâlapratâpinî, Tâtankinî, Tusârâbhâ, Tuhinâchala vâsinî, Tantujâlasamâyuktâ, Târahârâ valipriyâ, Tilahomapriyâ, Tîrthâ, Tamâla kusumâ kriti, Târakâ, Triyutâ, Tanvî, Tris’am kuparivâritâ, Talodarî, Tirobhâsâ, Tâtamka priyavâdinî, Trijatâ, Tittirî, Trisnâ, Tribidhâ, Tarunâ kritî, Tapta kânchanasamkâs’â, Tapta kâñchana bhûsanâ, Traiyambakâ, Trivargâ, Trikâlajñânadâyinî, Tarpanâ, Triptidâ, Triptâ, Tâmasî, Tumvarustutâ, Târksyasthâ, Trigunâkârâ, Tribhangî, Tanuvallarî, Thâtkârî, Thâravâ, Thântâ, Dohinî, Dînavatsalâ, Dânavânta karî, Durgâ, Durgâsuranivahrinî, Devarîti, Divârâtri, Draupadî, Dunda bhisvanâ, Devayânî, Durâvâsâ, Dâridrya bhedinî, Divâ, Dâmodarapriyâ, Dîptâ, Digvâsâ, Digvimohinî, Danda kâranya nilayâ, Dandinî, Deva pûjitâ, Deva vandyâ, Divisâdâ, Dvesinî, Dânavâ kriti, Dînanâ thastutâ, Dîksâ, Daivas’â disvarupinî, Dhâtri, Dhanurdharâ, Dhenur Dhârinî, Dharmachârinî, Dhurandharâ, Dharâdharâ, Dhanadâ, Dhânya dohinî, Dharmas’îlâ, Dhanâdhyaksâ, Dhanurvedavis’âradâ, Dhriti, Dhanyâ, Dhritapadâ, Dharmarâjapriyâ, Dhruvâ, Dhûmavatî, Dhûmakes’î Dharmas’âstraprakas’inî.
81-98. Nandâ, Nandapriyâ, Nidrâ, Nrinutâ, Nandanâtmikâ, Narmmadâ Nalinî, Nîlâ, Nîlakanthasamâs’rayâ, Rudrânî, Nârâyanapriyâ, Nityâ, Nirmmalâ, Nirgunâ, Nidhi, Nirâdhârâ, Nirupamâ, Nityas’uddhâ, Nirajñânâ, Nâdabindu Kalâtîtâ, Nâdavindu Kalâtmikâ, Nrisimhinî; Nagadharâ, Nripanâga vibhûsitâ, Naraka Kles’anâs’inî, Nârâyanapadodbhavâ, Niravadyâ, Nirâkârâ, Nâradapriyakârinî, Nânâjyotih, Nidhidâ, Nirmalâtmikâ, Navasûtradharâ, Nîti, Nirupa drava kârinî, Nandajâ, Navaratnâdhyâ, Naimîsâranya vâsinî, Navanîtapriya, Nârî, Nîla jîmûta nisvanâ, Nimesinî, Nadîrûpâ, Nîlagrîvâ, Nis’is’varî, Nâmâvalî, Nis’umbhaghnî, Nâgaloka nivâsinî, Navajâmbû nadaprakhyâ, Nâgalokâ
dhidevatâ, Nûpûrâ Krântacharanâ, Narachitta pramodinî, Nimagnâ rakta nayanâ, Nirghâta-sama-nisvanâ, Nandanodyânilayâ, Nirvya hoparichârinî.
99-107. Pârvatî, Paramodârâ, Parabrahmâtmikâ, Parâ, Pañchkos’avinirmuktâ, Pañchapâtaka-nâs’inî, Para chitta vidhânajñâ, Pañchikâ, Pañcharûpinî. Pûrnimâ, Paramâ Prîti, Paratejah prakas’inî, Purânî, Paurusî, Punyâ, Pundarî kanibheksanâ, Pâtâla tala nirmmagnâ, Prîtâ, Prîtivivardhinî, Pâvanî, Pâda sahitâ, Pes’alâ, Pavanâs’inî Prajâpati, Paris’rântâ, Parvatastana mandalâ, Padmapriyâ, Padmasamsthâ, Padmâksî, Padmasambhavâ, Padmapatrâ, Padmapadâ, Padminî, Priyabhâsinî, Pas’upâs’a vinirmuktâ, Purandhrî, Puravâsinî, Puskalâ, Purusâ, Parbhâ, Pârijâta Kusumapriyâ, Pativratâ, Pativratâ, Pavitrângî, Puspahâsa parâyanâ, Prajñâvatîsutâ, Pautrî, Putrapûjyâ, Payasvinî, Pattipâs’adharâ, Pankti, Pitrilokapradâyinî, Purânî, Punyas’ila, Prânatârti vinâs’inî, Pradyumnajananî; Pustâ, Pitâmahaparigrahâ, Pundarîkapurâvâsâ, Pundarîkasamânanâ, Prithujanghâ, Prithubhujâ, Prithupâdâ, Prithûdarî, Pravâlas’obhâ, Pingâksî, Pîtavâsâh, Prachâpalâ, Prasavâ, Pustidâ, Punyâ, Pratisthâ, Prânavâ, Pati, Pañchavarnâ, Panchavânî, Pañchikâ, Panjarasthitâ, Paramâyâ, Parajyotih, Paraprîti, Parâgati, Parâkâsthâ, Pares’anî, Pâvanî, Pâvaka Dyutî, Punyabhadrâ, Parichchhedyâ. Puspahâsâ, Prithûdarâ, Pîtângî, Pîtavasanâ Pîtas’ayâ, Pis’âchinî, Pîtakriyâ, Pis’âchaghnî, Pâtalâksî, Patukriyâ, Pañchabhaksapriyâchârâ, Putanâ prânaghâtinî, Punyâgavanamadhyasthâ, Punyatîrthanisevitâ, Panchângî, Parâs’akti, Paramâdhâda kârinî, Puspakândasthitâ, Pûsâ, Positâkhilavistapâ, Pânapriyâ, Pañchas’ikhâ, Pannagoparis’âyinî, Pañchamâtrâtmikâ, Prithvî, Pathikâ, Prithudohinî, Purânanyâyamîmansâ, Pâtalî, Puspagandhinî, Punyaprajâ, Pâradâtrî, Paramârgaikagocharâ, Pravâlas’obhâ, Pûrnâs’â, Prânavâ, Palhabodarî.
108-149. Phalinî, Phaladâ, Phalgu, Phutkârî, Phalakâkritî, Phanindra bhogas’ayanâ, Phanimandalamanditâ, Bâlabâlâ, Bahumatâ, BâIâtapanibhâms’ukâ, Balabbadrapriyâ, Vandyâ, Badavâ, Buddhisamstutâ, Bandîdevî, Bilavatî, Badis’aghinî, Baliprîyâ, Bândhavî, Bodhitâ, Buddhirbandhûkakusumapriyâ, Bâla bhânuprabhâkârâ, Brâhmî, Brâhmana devatâ, Brihaspatistutâ. Brindâ, Brindavana vihârinî, Bâlâkinî, Bilâhâra, Bilavasâ Bahûdakâ, Bahunetrâ, Bahupadâ, Bahukarnâvatamsikâ, Bahubâhuyutâ, Bijarûpinî, Bahurûpinî, Bindunâdakalâtitâ, Bindunâdasvarûpinî, Baddhagodhângulitrânâ, Badaryâs’ramavâsinî, Brindârakâ, Brihatskandhâ, Brihatî, Bânapâtinî, Brindâdhyaksâ, Bahunutâ, Vanitâ, Bahuvikramâ, Baddhapadmâsanâsîna, Bilvapatratalasthitâ, Bodhidrumanijâvâsâ, Badisthâ, Bindu darpanâ, Bâlâ, Vânâsanavatî, Badavânalaveginî, Brahmânda
bahirantasthâ, Brahmakankanasûtrinî, Bhavânî, Bhîsanavatî, Bhâvinî, Bhayahârinî, Bhadrakâlî, Bhujangâksî, Bhâratî, Bhâratâs’ayâ, Bhairavî, Bhîsanâkârâ, Bhûtidâ, Bhutimâlinî, Bhâminî, Bhoganiratâ, Bhadradâ, Bhûrivikramâ, Bhûtavâsâ, Bhrigulatâ, Bhârgavî, Bhûsurârchitâ, Bhâgîrathî, Bhogavatî, Bhavanasthâ, Bhisagvarâ, Bhâminâ, Bhoginî, Bhâsâ, Bhavânî, Bhûridaksinâ, Bhargâtmikâ, Bhâmavatî, Bhavabandhavimochinî, Bhajanîyâ, Bhûtadhâtri-ranjitâ, Bhuvanes’varî, Bhujangavalayâ, Bhîmâ, Bherundâ, Bhâgadheyinî; Thou art Mâtâ, Mâyâ, Madhumatî, Madhujihavâ, Manupriyâ, Mahâdevî, Mahâbhâgîâ, Mâliri, Mînalochanâ, Mâyâtîtâ, Madhumatî, Madhumânsâ, Madhudravâ, Mânavî, Madhusambhûtâ, Mithilâpuravâsinî, Madhukaitabhasamhartrî, Medinî, Meghamâlinî, Mandodarâ, Mahâ Mâyâ, Maithilî, Masrinapriyâ, Mahâ Laksmî, Mahâ Kâlî, Mahâ Kanyâ, Mahes’varî, Mâhendrî, Merutanayâ Mandârakusumârchitâ, Manjumanjîracharanâ, Moksadâ, Manjubhasinî, Madhuradrâvinî, Mudrâ, Malayâ, Malayânvitâ, Medhâ, Marakatas’yâmâ, Mâgadhî, Menakâtmajâ, Mahâmârî, Mahâvîrâ, Mahâs’yâmâ, Manustutâ, Mâtrikâ, Mihirâbhâsâ, Mukundapada Vikramâ, Mûlâdhârasthitâ, Mugdhâ, Manipûranivâsinâ, Mrigâksî, Mahisârûdhâ, Mahisâsuramardinî. Thou art Yogâsanâ, Yogagamyâ, Yogâ, Yauvanakâs’rayâ, Yauvanî, Yuddhamadhyasthâ, Yamunâ, Yugâdharinî, Yaksinî, Yogayuktâ, Yaksarâjaprasûtinî, Yâtrâ, Yâna bidhanajñâ, Yaduvans’asamudbhavâ, Yakârâdi-Ha Kârântâ, (all ântahstha varnas), Yâjusî, Yajñâ rûpinî, Yâminî, Yoganiratâ. Yâtudhâna, bhayamkarî, Rukminî, Ramanî, Râmâ, Revatî, Renukâ, Ratî, Raudrî, Raudrapriyâkârâ Râma mâtâ, Ratipriyâ, Rohinî, Râjyadâ, Revâ, Rasâ, Râjîvalochanâ, Râkes’î, Rûpasampannâ, Ratnasimhâs’anasthitâ, Raktamâlyâmbaradharâ, Raktagandhânu lepanâ, Râja hamsa samârûdhâ, Rambhâ, Raktavalipriyâ, Ramanîyayugâdhârâ, Râjitâkhilabhûtalâ, Rurucharmapari-dhânâ, Rathinî, Ratnamâlikâ, Roges’î, Rogas’amanî, Râvinî, Romaharsinî, Râmachandra padâ Krântâ, Ravanachchhedakârinî, Ratnavastra parichchhinvâ, Rathasthâ, Rukma bhûsanâ, Lajjâdhidevatâ, Lolâ, Lalitâ, Lingadhârinî, Laksmî, Lolâ, Luptavisâ, Lokinî, Lokavis’rutâ, Lajjâ, Lambodarî, Lalanâ, Lokadhârinî Varadâ, Vanditâ, Vidyâ, Vaisnavî, Vimalâkriti, Vârâhî, Virajâ, Varsâ, Varalaksmî, Vilâsinî, Vinatâ, Vyomamadhyasthâ, Vârijâsanasamsthitâ, Vârunî, Venusambhutâ, Vîtihotrâ, Virûpinî, Vâyumandalamadhyasthâ, Visnurûpâ, Vidhikriyâ, Visnupatnî, Visnumatî, Vis’âlâksi, Vasundharâ, Vâmadevapriyâ, Velâ, Vajrinî, Vasudohinî, Vedâksaraparîtâmgî, Vâjapeya-phalapradâ, Vâsavî, Vâmajananî, Vaikunthanilayâ, Varâ, Vyâsapriyâ Varmadharâ, Vâlmîkiparisevitâ.
Thou art S’akambharî, S’ivâ, S’antâ, S’aradâ, S’aranâgati, S’âtodarî, S’ubhâchârâ, S’umbhâsuramardinî, S’obhâbati, S’ivâkârâ, S’amkarârdhas’arîrini, S’onâ (red), S’ubhâs’ayâ, S’ubhrâ, S’irahsandhânakârinî, S’arâvatî, S’arânandâ, S’arajjyotanâ, S’ubbânanâ, S’arabhâ, S’ûlinî, S’uddhâ, S’abarî, S’ukavâhanâ, S’rîmatî, S’rîdharânandâ, S’ravanânandadâyinî, S’arvânî, S’arbharîvandyâ, Sadbhâsâ, Sadritupriyâ, Sadâdhârasthitâdevî, Sanmukhapriyakârinî, Sadamgarûpasumati, Surâsuranamaskritâ.
150-155. Thou art Sarasvatî, Sadâdhârâ, Sarvamangalakârinî, Sâmagânapriyâ, Sûksmâ, Sâvitrî, Sâmasambhavâ, Sarvavâsâ, Sadânandâ, Sustanî, Sâgarâmbarâ, Sarvais’yaryapriyâ, Siddhi, Sâdhubandhuparâkramâ, Saptarsimandalagatâ, Somamandalavâsinî, Sarvajñâ, Sândrakarunâ, Samânâdhikavarjitâ, Sarvottungâ, Sangahînâ, Sadgunâ, Sakalestadâ, Saraghâ (bee), Sûryatanayâ, Sukes’î, Somasamhati, Hiranyavarnâ, Harinî, Hrîmkârî, Hamsavâhinî, Ksaumavastraparîtângî, Ksîrâbdhitanayâ, Ksamâ, Gâyatrî, Sâvitrî, Pârvatî, Sarasvatî, Vedagarbhâ, Varârohâ, S’rî Gâyatrî, and Parâmvikâ.
156-159. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you one thousand (and eight) names of Gâyatrî; the hearing of which yields merits and destroys all sins and gives all prosperity and wealth. Specially in the Astamîtithi (eighth lunar day) if after one’s meditation (dhyânam) worship, Homa, and japam, one recites this in company with the Brahmânas, one gets all sorts of satisfactions. These one thousand and eight names of the Gâyatrî ought not to be given to anybody indiscriminately. Speak this out to him only who is very devoted, who is a Brahmâna, and who is an obedient disciple. Even if any devotee, fallen from the observances of Âcharâ (right way of living), be a great friend, still do not disclose this to him.
160-165. In whatever house, these names are kept written, no cause of fear can creep in there and Laksmî, the Goddess of wealth, though unsteady, remains steady in that house.
This great secret yields merits to persons, gives wealth to the poor, yields moksa to those who are desirous of it, and grants all desires. If anybody reads this, he gets cured of his diseases, and becomes freed from bondages and imprisonment. All the Great Sins, for example, murdering Brâhmanas, drinking wine, stealing gold, going to the wife of one’s Guru, taking gifts from bad persons, and eating the uneatables, all are destroyed, yea, verily destroyed! O Nârada! Thus I have recited to you this Great Secret. All persons get, indeed, united with Brahmâ (Brahama sâyujya) by this. True. True. True. There is not the least trace of doubt here.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the one thousand and eight names of the Gâyatrî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter VII
On the Dîksâ vidhi or on the rules of Initiation
1-3. Nârada said :-- I have heard the one thousand names or nâma stotras equivalent in its fruits to S’rî Gâyatrî, highly potent in making a good fortune and tending to a splendid increase of the wealth and prosperity. Now I want to hear about how initiations in Mantrams are performed, without which nobody, be he a Brâhmin, a Ksattriya, a Vais’ya or a S’ûdra, is entitled to have the Devî Mantra. O Lord! Kindly describe the ordinary (Sâmânya) and the special (vis’esa) rules thereof.
4-41. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! Listen. I am now telling you about the rules of initiation (Dîksâ) of the disciples, pure in heart. When they are initiated, they become entitled then and not before that, to worship the Devas, the Fire and the Guru. That method of instruction, and religious act and ceremony is called the Dîksâ (initiation) by which the Divine Knowledge is imparted; and at once flashes in the heart and mind of the initiated that Knowledge and all his sins are then destroyed. So the Pundits of the Vedas and the Tantras, say. (The Divine Knowledge is like lightning, fire, arising and permeating the body, mind, and spirit.) This Dîksâ ought to be taken by all means. This gives excellent merits and pure results. Both the Guru and the S’isya (disciple) ought to be very pure and true. (This is the first essential requisite. Then the results are instantaneous). First of all, the Guru is to perform all the morning duties, he is to take his bath and perform his Sandhyâ Vandanams. He is to return home from the banks of the river with his Kamandalu and observe maunam (silence). Then, in order to give Dîksâ, he is to enter into the assigned room (Yâga Mandapa) and take his seat on an Âsana that is excellent and calculated to please all. He is to perform Âchanara and do Prânâyâma. Then he should take water in his Arghya vessel and putting scents and flowers in that, charge that water with Phatkâra mantra (that is, condense electricity Spirit in that). Then uttering the Phat mantra, he is to sprinkle the water on the doorways of the worshiproom and begin his Pûjâ. Firstly, on the top of the door at one end invoke the Deity Gananâthâ by His mantra, at the other end invoke Sarasvatî by Her mantra and at the middle, invoke Laksmî Devî by Her mantra duly and worship them, with flowers. Then, on the right side worship Gangâ and Bighnes’a; and on the left side worship Ksettrapâla and Yamunâ, the daughter of the Sun. Similarly, on the bottom of the door, worship the Astra Devatâ by the
Phat mantra. Then consider the whole Mandapa as inspired with the presence of the Devî, and see the whole place as pervaded by Her through and through. Then, repeat the Phat mantra and destroy the Celestial obstacles as well as those from the middle space (Antarîksa); strike the ground thrice with the left heel and thus destroy the Terrene obstacles. Then touching the left branch on the left side of the choukât, put the right foot forward and enter into the Mandapa. Then instal the S’ânti Kumbha (the peace jar) and offer the ordinary Arghya (Sâmânyârgha). Next worship the Vâstunâtha and Padmayoni with flowers and Âtapa rice and the Arghya water, on the south-west and then purify the Pancha Gavya. Next sprinkle all the Mandapa and the entrance gate with that Arghya water. And, while sprinkling with Arghya water, consider the whole space right through as inspired with the presence of the Devî and repeat the Mûla Mantra with devotion and sprinkle with Phat mantra. The Kartâ, then, uttering the mantra “Phat,” is to drive away all the evils from the Mandapa and uttering the mantra “Hûm” sprinkle water, all around, thus pacifying the atmosphere and bringing peace into the hearts of all present.
Then burn the Dhûpa incense inside and scatter Vikira (water, sandal-paste, yava, ashes, Durba grass with roots, and Âtapa rice). Then collect all these rice, etc., again with a broom made of Kus’a grass to the north east corner of the Mandapa; making the Sankalpa and uttering Svasti vâchana (invocation of good), distribute and satisfy the poor and orphans with feeding, clothing and money. Then he should bow down to his own Guru and take his seat humbly on the soft Âsanam allotted to him with his face eastwards and meditate on the Deity (Îsta Deva) of the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple. After meditating thus, he is to do the Bhûta s’ûddhi (purification of elements) and perform Nyâsa, etc., of the Deya mantra (the mantra that is to be imparted to the disciple) according to the rules stated below, i.e., the Risi on the head; the chhandas in the mouth, the Îsta Devatâ in the heart, Bîja on the anus and S’akti Nyâsa on the two legs. Then he is to make sound thrice by the clap of his palm and thus thwart off all the evils of the earth and the middle space and then make digbandhan (tieing up the quarters) by the mudrâ chhotikâ three times (snapping the thumb and forefinger together ). Then perform the Prânâyâma with the Mûla mantra of the would-be-Îsta-Devatâ and do the Mâtrikâ Nyâsa in one’s own body, thus :-- Om Am namah s’irasi, Om Âm namah on the face, Om Im namah on the right eye, Om Îm namah on the left eye, and so on, assign all the letters duly to their respective places. Then perform the Karânga Nyâsa on the fingers and the Sadanga Nyâsa thus :-- Speak: Om Hridayâya namah, touching on the heart, utter Om S’irase svâhâ, touching the head; Om
S’ikhâyai Vasat, touching the tuft; Om Kavachâya Hûm, touching on the Kavacha, “Om netratrayâya Vausat,” touching the eye, and “Om Astrâya Phat” touching both the sides of the hand, the palm and its back. Then finish the Nayâsa by doing the Varnanyâsa of the Mûla mantra in those places that are said in the cognate kalpas (i.e., throat, heart, arms, legs, etc.).
O Nârada! Next consider within your body the seat of an auspicious Âsana (a seat) and make the Nyâsa of Dharma on the right side, Jñânam on the left side, of Vairâgyam (dispassion) on the left thigh, prosperity and wealth on the right thigh, of non-Dharma in the mouth and of Non-Jñânam on the left side, Avairâgyam (passion) on the navel, and poverty on the right side. Then think of the feet of the Âsana (the body) as Dharma, etc., and all the limbs as Adharma (non-Dharma). In the middle of the Âsana (body), i.e., in the heart consider Ananta Deva as a gentle bed and on that a pure lotus representing this universe of five elements. Then make Nyâsa of the Sun, Moon, and Fire on this lotus and think the Sun as composed of twelve Kalâs (digits) the Moon composed of sixteen Kalâs (digits) and the Fire as composed of ten Kalâs. Over this make Nyâsa of Sâttva, Râja and Tâmo Gunas, Âtmâ, Antarâtmâ, Paramâtmâ and Jñânâtmâ and then think of this as his Îsta’s altar where the devotee is to meditate on his Îsta Devatâ, the Highest Mother. Nyâsa-assignment of the various parts of the body to different deities which is usually accompanied with prayers and corresponding gesticulations. Next the devotee is to perform the mental worship of the Deya Mantra Devatâ according to the rules of his own Kalpa; next he is to show all the Mudrâs, stated in the Kalpa for the satisfaction of the Deva. The Devas become very pleased when all these Mudrâs are shown to them.
42-46. O Nârada! Now, on one’s left side, erect an hectagon; inside it a circular figure; inside this again a square and then draw within that square a triangle and over it show the S’ankha Mudrâ. After finishing the Pûjâ of the Six Deities at the six corners of the hectagon, Fire, etc., take the tripod of the S’ankha (conch-shell) and sprinkling it with Phat mantra, place it within the triangle. Utter, then, the Mantra “Mam Vahniman dalâya Das’a Kalâtmane Amuka Devyâ Arghyapâtrasthânâya namah” and thus worshipping the S’ânkhya vessel place it within the mandala. Then worship in the S’ankha pâtra, the ten Kalâs of Fire, beginning from the East, then south-east and so on. Sprinkle the S’ankha, conchshell, with the Mûla Mantra and meditating on it, place the S’ankha (conch shell) on the tripod. Repeating the mantra “Am Sûrya mandalâya Dvadas’akalâtmane Amukodevyâ
Arghyapâtrâya namah” worship in the Arghyapâtra S’ankha, sprinkle water in the S’ankha with the Mantra “Sam S’ankhya namah.” Worship in due order the twelve Kalâs of the Sun Tapinî, Tâpinî, Dhûmrâ, etc., utter the fifty syllables of the Mâtrikâ in an inverse order (i.e., beginning, see the Sâradâ Tilaka, with Ksam, Ham, Sam, Sam, S’am, etc.,) and repeating the Mûla Mantra also in an inverse order, fill the S’ankha, three-fourths, with water. Next perform in it the Nyâsa of Chandrakalâ and uttering the Mantra “Um Soma mandalâya Sodas’akalâtmane Amukademtâyâ Arghyâ-mritâya namah,” worship in this conchshell. Next with Ankus’a mudrâ, invoke all the tîrthas there, repeating the Mantra “Gange Cha Yamune chaiva, etc.,” and repeat eight times the Mûla Mantra (the basic Mantra). Then perform the S’adamga Nyâsa in the water and with the Mantra “Hridâ namah, etc.,” worship and, repeating eight times the Mûla Mantra, cover it with Matsyamundrâ. Next place on the right side of the S’ankha, the Proksanî Pâtra (the Kos’â vessel from which water is taken for sprinkling) and put a little water in it. By this water sprinkle and purify all the articles of worship as well as one’s own body and consider one’s Âtman as pure and holy.
47-81. After doing works thus far the until Vis’esârghya is placed, the devotee should erect Sarvato bhadra mandala within the altar and put the S’âli rice within its pericarp. Next spread Kus’a grass on that Mandala and put on one Kurcha, looking well and auspicious within it, made of twenty-seven Kus’a grass knotted with Venyagra granthi. Worship here the Âdhâra S’akti, Prakriti, Kûrma, S’esa, Ksamâ, Sudhâsindhu, Manimandala, Kalpa vriksa and Îsta devatâ and the Pîtha. (Durgâ Devî yoga pîthâya namah). Then have an entire kumbha (waterjar) having no defect, wash it inside with Phat mantra, and encircle it with the red thread thrice as symbolising the three Gunas. Place within this jar the Nava ratna (nine jewels) with Kurcha and worshipping it with scents and flowers put them in the jar repeating the Pranava, and place that on the Pîtha (seat). Next consider the Pîtha and Kumbha (waterjar) as one and the same and pour waters from the Tîrthas, repeating in an inverse order the Mâtrikâ Varnas (from Ksa to Ka) and fill it, thinking of the Îsta Deva and repeating the basic mantra, put the new and fresh twigs (Pallavas) of As’vattha, Panasa and mango trees, etc., in the jar and cover its mouth and place over it fruits, rice, and chasaka (honey) and wrap it with two red cloths. Then perform the Prâna-Pratisthâ and invoke the Spirit of the Devî by the Prânasthâpana Mantra and show the Mudrâs, Âvâhana, etc., and thus satisfy the Devî. Then do the Sodas’opachâra Pûjâ of the Devî after me-
ditating on the Parames’varî according to the rules of the Kalpa.
First offer “welcome” in front of the Devî and then duly offer the Pâdya, Arghya, Âchamanîya water, Madhuparka, and oils, etc., for the bath. Then offer nice red silken clothes and various jewels, ornaments; repeating the Mâtrikâ syllables electrified with the Deya Mantra, worship the whole body of the Devî with scents and flowers. Next offer to the Devî the sweet scent of Kalâguru mixed with camphor and the Kâs’mîri sandalpaste mixed with Kastûrî and various nice scented flowers, for example, the Kunda flowers, etc. Then offer the Dhûpa prepared from Aguru, Guggula, Us’îra, sandalpaste, sugar, and honey and know that the Dhûpa is very pleasing to the Devî. Next offer various lights and offerings of fruits, vegetables and fooding. Be particular to sprinkle everything with the water of the Kosâ, thus purifying, before it is offered to the Devî. Then complete the Anga Pûjâ, and the Âvarana-Pûjâ of the Devî, then perform the duty of Vais’vadeva. On the right side of the Devî erect an altar (sthandila) six feet square and instal Agni (Fire) there. Invoke there the Deity, thinking of Her Form and worship Her with scents and flowers. Then with the Vyârhiti Mantra with Svâhâ prefixed and Mûla (Deya) Mantra perform the Homa ceremony with oblations, charu and ghee, twenty five times. Next perform Homa again with Vyârhiti. Next worship the Devî with scents, etc., and consider the Devî and Pîtha Devatâ as one and the same. Then take leave of (visarjana) the Agni (Fire). Offer valis (sacrifices) all round to the Pârs’vadas of the Devî with the remnant charu of the Homa.
Now again worship the Devî with five offerings and offer betel, umbrella, châmara and others and repeat the Mûla mantra thousand times. After finishing the Japam, place Karkarî (a water-jar with small holes at the bottom, as in a sieve) on the rice in the north-eastern corner and invoke the Devî there and worship Her. Uttering the mantra “Raksa Raksa” moisten the place with water coming out of Karkarî, and repeat the Phat mantra. After re-worshipping the Devî, place Karkarî in due position. Thus the Guru finishes the Adhivâsa (foregoing) ceremony and takes his meals with the disciple and sleeps that night on that altar.
82-106. O Nârada! Now I am describing briefly about the Homa Kunda (a round hole in the ground consecrated to the Deity) and the Samskâra ceremony of the Sthandila (the sacrificial altar). Uttering, first, the Mûla Mantra, see, fix your gaze on the Kunda; then sprinkle it with water and the Phat mantra and drive away the evil-spirits from there. Then with mantra “Hûm” again sprinkle it with water.
Then draw within it three lines Prâgagra and Udagagra (on the eastern and northern sides). Sprinkling it with water and the Pranava, worship within the Pîtha, uttering the mantras from Âdhâra S’aktaye namah to Amuka Devî Yoga Pîthâya namah. Invoke, in that Pîtha, the Highest One, Who is S’iva S’ivâ with all one-ness of heart and worship Her with scents and offerings. Then think for a moment the Devî as having taken bath and as one with S’ankara. Bring then fire in a vessel and taking a flaming piece thereof throw that in the south-west corner. Then purifying it by the gaze and quitting the portions of Kravyâdah, impart the Chaitanya by “Ram,” the Vahnivîja repeat “Om” over it seven times. Shew, then, the Dhenumudrâ and protect it by Phat Kâra and cover, veil, it with the mantra “Hûm.” Then turn the fire, thus worshipped with sandalpaste, etc., thrice over the Kunda and with both the knees on the ground and repeating the Pranava, consider the Agni as the Vîrya of S’iva and throw it on the yoni of the Devî in the Pîtha. Then offer Âchamana, etc., to the Deva and the Devî and worship. Then light the flame with the mantra “Chit Pingala Hana Hana Daha Daha Pacha Pacha Sarvajñâ Jñâpaya Svâhâ.” Then utter the stotra to the Agni Deva with great love, repeating the mantra “Agnim Prajvalitam vande Jâtavedam Hutâs’anam suvarna varnamamalam samiddham Visvatomukham.” Then perform the Sadamganyâsa to the Agni Deva “Om Sahasrârchchise namah, Om Svasti Pûrnâya Svâhâ,” “Om Uttistha purusâya vasat,” “Om Dhûma vyâpine Hûm Om Sapta Jihvâya vausat” “Om Dhanur dharâya Phat.” Repeating the above six mantras, perform the Nyâsa on the heart, etc., the six places. Now meditate on the Agni as of a golden colour, three-eyed, seated on a lotus and holding in His four hands signs of granting boons, S’akti, Svastika and sign of “no fear,” also meditate on Agni, as the seat of the greatest auspiciousness. Then moisten the Kunda on the top of the belt (mekhalâ) with water. Next spread the Kus’a grass all around and draw the Agni yantra over it, i.e., triangle, hectagon, circle, eight-petalled figure and Bhûpura; rather have this drawing before the Agnisthâpanâ. Now meditate this only. Then, within the Yantra, recite “Vais’vânara Jâtaveda Lohitâksa sarvakarmâni Sâdhaya Svâhâ” and worship Agni. Then worship in the centre and in the hectagon at the corners worship the Saptajihvâ (seven tongues Hiranya, Gaganâ, Raktâ, Krisnâ, Suprabhâ, Bahurûpâ, Atiraktikâ) and next worship within the pericarp of the lotus the Anga Devatâs. Then recite the following mantras within the eight petals :-- “Om Agnaye Jâtavedase namah,” “ Om Agnaye Saptajihvâya namah,” “ Om Agnaye Havyavâhanâya
namah,” “Om Agnaye As’vodarajâya namah,” “Om Agnaye Vais’vânarâya namah,” “Om Agnaye Kaumâra tejase namah,” “Om Agnaye Vis’vamukhâya namah,” “Om Agnaye Devamukhâya namah” and considering the forms to hold S’akti and Svastik, worship them. Then consider Indra and the other Lokapâlas (Regents of the several quarters) situated in the east, south-east, and so on together with their weapons, the thunderbolt and the other weapons, and thus worship them.
107-134. O Nârada! Next purify the sacrificial ladles, etc., sruk, sruva, etc., and ghee; then, taking ghee by sruva, go on with the Homa ceremony. Divide the ghee of the Âjyasthâlî (the vessel in which the ghee for the Homa purposes is kept) in three parts; take ghee from the right side and saying “Om Agnaye Svâhâ” offer oblations on the right eye of the Agni; take ghee from the left side and saying “Om Somâye Svâhâ” offer oblations on the left eye of the Agni; take ghee from the centre and saying, “Om Agnisomâbhyâm Svâhâ,” offer oblations on the central eye of the Agni. Take ghee again from the right side and saying “Om Agnaye Svistakrite Svâhâ” offer oblations to the mouth of the Agni. Then the devotee is to repeat “Om Bhuh Svâhâ,” “Om Bhuvah Svâhâ,” “Om Svah Svâhâ” and offer thrice the oblations; next he is to offer oblations thrice with the Agni mantra. After this, O Muni! for impregnation and each of the ten Samskâras, natal-ceremony, tonsure, etc., he is to repeat the Pranava Mantra and offer the eight oblations of ghee on each occasion. Now hear of the tenfold Samskâras :-- (1) Impregnation, (2) Pumsavan (a ceremony performed as soon as a woman perceives the foetus to be quick), (3) Sîmantonnayana (a ceremony observed by women in the fourth, sixth or the eighth month of pregnancy), (4) Jâta Karma (ceremony at the birth of a child), (5) Nâmakarana, (naming the child), (6) Niskrâmana (a ceremony performed when a new-born child is first taken out of the house into the open air usually in the fourth month), (7) Annaprâs’ana (when the rice is put in the mouth of the child), (8) Chûdâkarana (the ceremony of the first tonsure), (9) Upanayana (holding the sacrificial thread; (10) Godâna and Udvâha (gift of cows and marriage). These are stated in the Vedas. Next worship S’iva Pârvatî, the Father and the Mother of Agni and take leave of them. Next in the name of Agni, offer five Samidhas (fuel) soaked in ghee and offer one oblation of ghee to each of the Âvarana Devatâs.
Then take the ghee by the S’ruk and covering it with the S’ruva, offer ten oblations to Agni, and Mahâ Ganes’a with mantras ending in Vausat,
The Mahâ Ganes’a mantras run as follows :-- (1) Om, Om Svâhâ (2) Om S’rîm Svâhâ, (3) Om S’rîm Hrîm Svâhâ, (4) Om S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Svâhâ, (5) Om S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Glaum Svâhâ, (6) Om S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Glaum Gam Svâhâ, (7) Om S’rîm Hrîm Klîm Glaum ityantah Gam Ganapataye Svâhâ, (8) Om Vara Varada ityantah Svâhâ, (9) Sarvajanam me Vas’am ityanto Svâhâ and (10) Ânaya Svâhâ ityantah.
Next perform in the Agni the Pîtha Pûjâ and meditate on the Deya Îstadeva and worship him. Next offer twenty-five oblations to his face, repeating the Mûla Mantra. Then think of that and Agni Deva as one and the same, and then again as one with Âtman. Then offer oblations to each of the Sadamga Devatâs separately. Then search for the Nâdis (veins) of Vahni and Îsta Devatâ and offer twenty one oblations. Then offer oblations to each of the two Devatâs separately. Next offer one thousand and eight oblations to the Îsta Deva with Til soaked in ghee or with the materials enumerated in the Kalpa. O Muni! Thus finishing the Homa ceremony, consider that the Îsta Deva (the Devî), Agni and the Âvarana Deities are all satisfied. Then, by the command of the Guru, the disciple is to take his bath and perform his Sandhyâ, etc., and put on new clothes (cloth and châdar) and golden ornaments. He is to come then, to the Kunda with Kamandalu in his hand and with a pure heart. He is to bow down to the elders and superiors seated in the assembly and take his seat in his Âsana. S’rî Guru Deva then would look at the disciple with kind eyes and think the Chaitanya of the disciple within his own (the Guru’s) body. Then the Guru Deva would perform the Homa and look at the disciple with a divine gaze, so that the disciple becomes pure-hearted and able to get the favours of the Devas. Thus the Guru must purify all the Adhvas (the passages) of the body of the disciple.
Then the Guru is to touch respectively the feet, generative organ, navel, heart, forehead, and the head of the disciple with Kûrcha (a bundle of Kus’a grass) and til soaked in ghee, in his left hand and offer at each touch eight oblations, repeating the mantra “Om adya S’isyasya Kalâdhvânam S’odhayâmi Svâhâ, etc.” Thus the Guru would purify Kalâdhva (in the feet) Tattvâdhva (in the generative organ), Bhûvanâdhva (in the navel), Varnâdhva (in the heart), Padâdhva (in the fore-head) and Mantrâdhva (on the head), the six Adhvâs and think these all to be dissolved in Brahmâ (Brahmalîna).
135-155. Then, again, the Guru would think all these to be re-born from Brahmâ and transfer the Chaitanya of the disciple that was in him to the disciple. Then the Guru must offer Pûrnâhuti and consider
the Îsta Devatâ, placed in the fire by the visarjana mantra for the Homa purposes, as entered into the water-jar. He is to perform again the Vyârhiti Homa and offer all the Amgâhutis (oblations to all the limbs) of the fire and take leave of the fire withdrawing the Deity from the jar, into his own body. Uttering then the Vausat Mantra he would tie the eyes of the disciple with a piece of cloth and would bring him from the Kunda to the mandala and make the disciple offer puspânjali (flowers in his palm) to the Îsta deva. Then he would take away the bandage or piece of cloth from his eyes and ask him to take his seat in the seat Kusâsana. Thus the Guru, after having purified the elements of the body of the disciple and performed the Nyâsa of the Deya Mantra, would make the disciple sit in another mandala. Then he would touch the head of the disciple with the twigs (Pallavas) of the Kunda and repeat the Mâtrikâ Mantra and make him have his bath with the water of the jar which is considered as the seat of the Îsta Deva. Then, for the protection of the disciple, he would sprinkle (abhiseka) him with the water of the Vardhani vessel placed already in the north-east corner. Then the disciple would get up and put on the pair of new clothes and besmear his whole body with ashes and sit close by the Guru. When the merciful Guru would consider that the S’iva S’akti has now passed out of his own body and that Divine Force, the Devî, has entered into the body of the disciple, i.e., charged the disciple with the pass. Thinking now the disciple and the Devatâ to be one and the same, the Guru would now worship the disciple with flowers and scents. The Guru would then place his right hand on the head of the disciple and repeat clearly in his right ear the Mahâ Mantra of the Mahâ Devî . The disciple is to repeat also the Mahâ Mantra one hundred and eight times and fall prostrate on the ground before the Guru and thus bow down to the Guru, whom the disciple now thinks as the incarnate of the Deva.
The disciple, the devotee of the Guru, would now give as a Daksinâ all his wealth and property for his whole life to the Guru. Then he would give Daksinâ to the priests and make charities to the virgins; the Brâhmanas, the poor and the destitute and the orphans. Here he is not to be miserly in any way in the expenditure. O Nârada! Thus the disciple would consider himself blessed and he would daily remain engaged in repeating the Mahâ Mantra. Thus I have described to you above
The most excellent Dîksâ. Thinking all these, you are to remain ever engaged in worshipping the lotus feet of the Great Devî. There is no Dharma higher than this in this world for the Brâhmanas. The followers of the Vedas would impart this Mantra according to the rules stated respectively in their own Grihya Sûtras; and the Tântrikas
would also do the same according to their own Tantras. The Vaidiks should not follow the Tantra rules and the Tantriks are not to follow the Vaidik rules. Thus all the S’âstras say. And this is the Sanâtan Creed. Nârâyana said :-- O Nârada! I have described all about the ordinary Dîksâ that you questioned me. Now the essence in brief is this that you would remain always merged in worshipping the Parâ S’akti, the Highest Force, the Mahâ Devî. What more shall I say than this that I have got the highest pleasure and the Nirvâna, the peace, that passeth all understanding, from my daily worshipping That Lotus Feet duly. Vedavyâsa said :-- O Mahârâja! O Janamejayan! After having said this Dîksâtattva, the highest Yogi Bhagavân Nârâyana, meditated by the Yogis, closed his eyes and remained merged in Samâdhi, in the meditation of the Lotus Feet of the Devî.
Knowing this Highest Tattva, Nârada, the chief of the Risis, bowed down at the feet of the Great Guru Nârâyana and went away immediately to perform the tapasyâ so that he also might see the Mahâ Devî.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the Dîksâ vidhi or on the rules of Initiation in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter VIII
On the appearance of the Highest S’akti
1-8. Janamejaya spoke to Veda Vyâsa :-- O Bhagavân! Thou art the knower of all the Dharmas and Thou art the chief, the crown of the Pundits, knowing all the S’âstras. Now I ask Thee how is it that the twice-born have ceased to worship the Highest S’akti, the Gâyatrî and they now worship the other Devatâs, on the face of the distinct command in the S’rutis that the worship of the Gâyatrî is nityâ, that is, daily to be done at all times, especially during the three Sandhyâ times, by all those that are twice-born?
In this world some are the devotees of Visnu, some, the followers of Ganapatî, some are Kâpâlikas, some follow the doctrines prevalent in China; some are the followers of Buddha or Chârvâka; some of them again wear the barks of trees and others roam naked. So various persons are seen having no trace of faith in the Vedas.
O Brâhmana! What is the real cause underlying secretly here in this! Kindly mention this to me. Again there are seen many men, well versed in various metaphysics and logic, our B.A.s and M.A.s but then, again, they have no faith in the Vedas. How is this? Nobody wants anything ominous to him consciously. But how is it that these so-called learned men are
fully aware and yet they are wonderfully void of any trace of faith in the Vedas? Kindly mention the cause underlying this, O Thou! The foremost of the knowers of the Vedas.
There is, again, another question :-- Thou hadst described before the glories of Manidvîpa, the highest and the best place of the Devî. Now I want to hear how is that Dvîpa greater than the great. Satisfy this servant of thine by describing these. If the Guru be pleased, he reveals even the greatest and the highest esoteric secret to his disciple.
9-10. Sûta spoke :-- Hearing the words of the King Janamejaya, the Bhagavân Veda Vyâsa began to answer the questions in due order. The hearing of this increases the faith of the twice-born in the Vedas.
11-30. Vyâsa said :-- Well has this been asked by you, O King! in due time and in an appropriate moment. You are intelligent and it seems that you have got the faith in the Vedas. I now answer. Listen. In ancient days, the Asuras, maddened with pride, fought against the Devas for one hundred years. The war was very extraordinary and remarkable. In this great war various weapons were used, variegated with numerous Mâyâs or ingenious devices. It tended to destroy the whole world. By the mercy of the Highest and the Most Exalted S’akti, the Daityas were overcome by the Devas in that Great War. And they quitted the Heavens and the Earth and went to the nether regions, the Pâtâla. The Devas were all delighted and began to dwell on their own prowesses and became proud. They began to say :-- “Why shall not victory be ours. Why are not our glories great? We are by far the best! Where are the Daityas? They are devils, powerless. We are the causes of creation, preservation and destruction. We all are glorious! Oh! What can be said before us in favour of the Asuras, the devils?” Thus, not knowing the Highest S’akti, the Devas were deluded. At this moment, seeing this plight of the Devas, the World Mother took pity on the Devas and, to favour them, O King! She appeared before them in the form of the Most Worshipful, the Great Holy Light. It was resplendent like ten million Suns, and cool as well like ten million Moons. It was brilliant and dazzling like ten million lightning flashes, without hands and feet, and exceedingly beautiful! Never was this witnessed before! Seeing this Extraordinary Beautiful Lovely Light, the Devas were taken aback; they spoke amongst themselves, thus :-- “What is this! What is this! Is this the work of the Daityas or some other great Mâyâ (Mayic) played by them or is it the work of another for creating the surprise of the Devas!” O King! Then they all assembled together and decided to approach towards that Adorable
Light and to ask It what It was. They, then, would determine its strength and decide what to do afterwards. Thus, coming to this ultimate conclusion, Indra called Agni and said :-- “O Agni! You are the mouth-piece of the Devas. Therefore do you go first and ascertain distinctly what this Light is.” Hearing thus the words of Indra, Agni, elated by his own prowess, set out immediately from the place and went to that Light. Seeing Agni coming, the Light addressed him thus :-- “Who are you? What is your strength? State this before Me.” At this Agni replied :-- “I am Agni. All the yajñâs, ordained in the Vedas are performed through me. The power of burning everything in this universe resides in me.” Then that adorable Light took up a straw of grass and said :-- “O Agni! If you can burn everything in this universe, then do you burn this trifling straw.” Agni tried his best to burn the straw but he could not burn it. He got ashamed and fast went back to the Devas. Asked by the Devas, Agni told them everything and said :-- “O Devas! Know verily that the pride cherished by us that we are supreme, is entirely false.”
31-50. Indra then asked Vâyu (wind) and said :-- “O Vâyu! You are dwelling in this universe, through and through; by your efforts, all are moving; therefore you are the Prâna of all; it is possible that all forces are concentrated within you. Go and ascertain what is this Light? Verily I do not see any other person here than you who can ascertain this great adorable Light.” Hearing these commendable words of Indra, Vâyu felt himself elated and went at once to that place where was that Light. Seeing the Vâyu, the Light, the Yaksa, the demi-god, the Spirit asked in a gentle language :-- “Who are you? What strength is there in you? Speak out all these to me.” At this, Vâyu spoke arrogantly, “I am Mâtarisvan, I am Vâyu; about my strength, I can move anything and I hold everything. It is through the strength of mine, that this universe is, and is alive and brisk with movements and works.” That Highest Mass of Light then replied :-- “O Vâyu! Move this straw that lies before you, and if you cannot, quit your pride and go back to Indra ashamed.” At this Vâyu tried all his might but, alas! He could not move the straw a bit from that place!
Vâyu then gave up his pride and returned to the Devas and spoke to them all about the Yaksa (a sort of demi-god, a ghost). O Devas! Our pride is vain; in no way can we be able to ascertain the nature of that Light. It seems that that Holy Light, adorable by all, is extraordinary. Then all the Devas spoke with one voice to Indra :--
“When You are the King of the Devas, better go yourself and ascertain the reality of Its Nature.” Indra, then, with great pride, went himself to the Light; the Light, too, began to disappear gradually from the place, and ultimately vanished from Indra’s sight. When Indra found that he could not even speak to That Light, he became greatly ashamed and began to conceive of his own nothingness. He thought thus :-- “I won’t go back to the Devas. What shall I say to them? Never will I disclose to them my inferiority; one is better to die than do this. One’s self-honour is the only treasure of the great and honourable. If honour is gone, what use, then, is there in living?” O King! Then Indra, the Lord of Devas, quitted his pride and took refuge unto That Great Light which exhibited, ere long, such a glorious character. At this moment, a celestial voice was heard from the Heavens :-- “O Indra! Go on now and do the japam, the reciting of the Mâyâ Vîja Mantra, the basic Mantra of Mâyâ. All your troubles will, then, be over.” Hearing this celestial voice, Indra began to repeat the Mâyâ Vîja, the Seed Mantra of Mâyâ, with rapt concentration and without any food.
51-61. Then on the ninth lunar day of the month of Chaitra when the Sun entered the meridian, suddenly there appeared in that place a Great Mass of Light as was seen before. Indra saw, then, within that Mass of Light, a Virgin Form in full youth. The lustre from Her body was like that of ten million Rising Suns; and the colour was rosy red like a full-blown Javâ flower. On Her forehead was shining the digit of the Moon; Her breasts were full, and, though veiled under the cloth, they looked very beautiful. She was holding noose and a goad in Her two hands and Her other two hands indicated signs of favour and fearlessness.
Her body was decked with various ornaments and it looked auspicious and exceedingly lovely; nowhere can be seen a woman beautiful like Her. She was like a Kalpa Vriksa (celestial tree yielding all desires); she was three eyed and Her braid of hair was encircled with Mâlatî garlands. She was praised on Her four sides by the Four Vedas, Incarnate, in their respective Forms. The brilliancy of Her teeth shed lustre on the ground as if ornamented with Padmarâga jewels. Her face looked smiling. Her clothing was red and Her body was covered with sandalpaste. She was the Cause of all causes. Oh! She was all Full of Mercy. O King Janamejaya! Thus Indra saw, then, the Umâ Parvatî Mahes’varî Bhagavatî and the hairs of his body stood on ends with ecstasy. His eyes were filled with tears of love and deep devotion and he immediately fell prostrate before
the feet of the Devî. Indra sang various hymns to Her and praised Her. He became very glad and asked Her, “O Fair One! Art Thou that Great Mass of Light? If this be, kindly state the cause of Thy appearance.” O King! Hearing this, the Bhagavatî replied.
62-83. This My Form is Brahmâ, the Cause of all causes, the Seat of Mâyâ, the Witness of all, infallible and free from all defects or blemishes. What all the Vedas and Upanisadas try to establish, what ought to be obtained, as declared by all the rules of austerity, and for which the Brâhmanas practise Brahmacharyam, I am all that. I have told you about that Brahmâ, of the nature of the Great Holy Light. The sages declare that That Brâhman is revealed by “Om” and “Hrîm”, the two Vîjas (mystic syllables) that are My two first and foremost Mantras wherein I remain hidden. I create this universe with My two parts (in My two aspects); therefore My Vîja mantra is two. “Om” Vîja is denominated as Sachchidânanda (everlasting existence, intelligence and bliss) and “Hrîm” Vîja is Mâyâ Prakriti, the Undifferentiated Consciousness, made manifest. Know, then, That Mâyâ as the Highest S’akti and know Me as that Omnipotent Goddess at present revealed before your eyes. As moonlight is not different from the Moon, so this Mâyâ S’akti in the state of equilibrium is not different from Me. (The powerful man and the power he wields are not different. They are verily one and the same.) During Pralaya (the Great Latency period), this Mâyâ lies latent in Me, without there being any difference. Again at the time of creation, this Mâyâ appears as the fructification of the Karmas of the Jîvas. When this Mâyâ is potential and exists latent in Me, when Mâyâ is Antarmukhî, it is called Unmanifested and when the Mâyâ becomes Kinetic, when the Mâyâ is Bahirmukhî, when She is in an active Kinetic state, it is said to be Manifested. There is no origin or beginning of this Mâyâ. Mâyâ is of the nature of Brahmâ in a state of equilibrium. But, during the beginning of the creation, Her form consisting of the several Gunas appears, when Mâyâ is Bahir Mukhî, She becomes Tâmas, in Her Unmanifested state. O Indra! For this reason Her state of abstraction, and becoming introspective, this is Her Antarmukhî state; it is known as Mâyâ and Her looking outward is Her Bahirmukhî state; it is denominated by Tâmas and the other gunas. From this comes Sâttva and then Râjas and Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a are of the nature of the three gunas. Brahmâ has the Râjo guna in Him preponderating; in Visnu, the Sâttva guna preponderates and in Mahes’a, the Cause of all Causes, is said to reside the Tâmo guna. Brahmâ is known as of the Gross Body; Visnu is known as of the Subtle Body; and Rudra is known as of the Causal Body and I am known as Turîya, transcending the Gunas.
This Turîya Form of Mine is called the state of equilibrium of the Gunas. It is the Inner Controller of all. Beyond this there is another state of Mine which is called the Formless Brahmâ (Brâhman having no Forms). Know, verily, that my Forms are two, as they are with or without attributes (Saguna or Nirguna). That which is beyond Mâyâ and the Mâyic qualities is called Nirguna (without Prâkritic attributes) and that which is within Mâyâ is called Saguna. O Indra! After creating this universe, I enter within that as the Inner Controller of all and it is I that impel all the Jîvas always to their due efforts and actions. Know, verily, that It is I that engage Brahmâ, Visnu and Rudra, the causes of the several works of creation, preservation and destruction of this universe (they are performing their functions by My Command). Through the terror from Me the wind blows; through my terror, the Sun moves in the sky; through My terror, Indra, Agni, and Yama do their respective duties. I am the Best and Superior to all. All fear Me. Through My Grace you have obtained victory in the battle. Know, verily, that it is I that make you all dance like inert wooden dolls as My mere instruments. You are merely My functions. I am the Integral Whole. I give sometimes victory to you and sometimes victory to the Daityas; Yea, I do everything as I will, keeping My independence duly and, according to the Karmas, justly. Oh! You all, have forgotten me though your pride and sheer nonsense. You have been carried deep into dire delusion by your vain egoism. And know now that to favour you, this My Adorable Light has issued suddenly. Hence forth banish ever from your heart all your vain boastings and idle pratings. Take refuge wholly unto Me with all your head, heart and soul, unto My Sachchidânanda Form and be safe. (At times the Devas forget and so fall into troubles).
84-93. Vyâsa said :-- Thus saying, the Mûla Pakriti, the Great Devî, the Goddess of the Universe, vanished from their sight. The Devas, on the other hand, began to praise Her then and there, with rapt devotion. Since that day, all the Devas quitted their pride and engaged themselves in worshipping the Devî devotedly. They worshipped the Gâyatrî Devî daily during the three Sandhyâ times and performed various Yajñâs and thus they worshipped Bhagavatî daily. Thus, in the Satya Yuga, everybody engaged themselves in repeating the Mantra Gâyatrî and worshipped the Goddess indwelling in the Pranava and Hrîmkâra. So, See now for yourself, that the worship of Visnu or S’iva or initiation in the Visnu Mantra or in the S’iva Mantra are not mentioned anywhere in the Vedas as to be done always and for ever. They are done for a while and not required any more when the objects are fulfilled; only the worship of Gâyatrî is always compul-
sory, to be done at all times, as mentioned in the Vedas. O King! If a Brâhmana does not worship the Gâyatrî, know, then, for certain, that in every way, he is sure to go down lower and lower. There is no doubt in this. A Brâhmin is not to wait, no never, to do any other thing; he will have all his desires fulfilled if he worships only the Devî Gâyatrî. Bhagavân Manu says that a Brâhmin, whether he does any other thing or not, can be saved if he worships only the Divine Mother Gâyatrî. (This worshipping the Gâyatrî is the highest, greatest, and most difficult of all the works in this universe). If any devotee of S’iva or Visnu or of any other Deity worships his desired Deity without repeating the Gâyatrî, he is sure to suffer the torments of hell. (But this age of Kâlî deludes the people and draws away their minds from reciting this Gâyatrî save a few of them.) O King! For this reason, in the Satya Yuga, all the Brâhmanas kept themselves fully engaged in worshipping the Gâyatrî and the lotus feet of the Devî Bhagavatî.
Here ends the Eighth Chapter in the Twelfth Book on the appearance of the Highest S’akti in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter IX
On the cause of S’râddha in other Devas than the Devî Gâyatrî
1-20. Vyâsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! Once on a time, on account of an evil turn of Fate (Karma) of the human beings, Indra did not rain on this earth for fifteen years. Owing to want of rain, the famine appeared horribly; and almost all the beings lost their lives. No one could count in every house the number of the dead persons. Out of hunger the people began to eat horses; some began to eat bears and pigs, some began to eat the dead bodies while some others carried on any how their lives. The people were so much distressed with hunger that the mother did not refrain from eating her baby child and the husband did not refrain from eating his wife. O King! The Brâhmanas then united and after due discussion, came to the conclusion that they would go to the hermit Gautama who would be able to remove their distress. So all of them wanted to go quickly to the hermitage of the Muni Gautama. They began to say :-- “We hear that there is no famine in the hermitage of Gautama. Various persons are running there from various quarters.” Thus coming to a conclusion, the Brâhmanas went to the Gautama’s Âs’rama with their cows, servants and relations. Some went from the east; some from the south; some from the west, and some from the north. Thus from various
quarters the people flocked there. Seeing the Brâhmanas coming there, the Risi Gautama bowed down to them and gave them a cordial welcome and served them with seats, etc. When all took their seats and became calm and quiet, Gautama enquired about their welfare and the cause of their arrival. They described everything about the dire famine and their own states and expressed their deep regret. Seeing them very much distressed, the Muni gave them word not to have any fear; he said :-- “I am today become blessed by the arrival of the great ascetics and honourable persons like you. I am your servant. You consider all my houses as yours. Be quite comfortable. Bear no uneasiness. When your servant is alive, what fear do your entertain and whom do you fear? When the demerits are transformed into good merits by your mere sight, and when you have blessed my house with the dust of your holy feet, then who is more blessed than me? O Vipras! Kindly perform your Sandhyâs, and Japams and rest here at ease.” Vyâsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! Thus consoling the Brâhmanas, the Risi Gautama began to worship the Gâyatrî Devî with rapt devotional trance. “O Devî Gâyatrî! Obeisance to Thee! Thou art the Great Vidyâ, the Mother of the Vedas, Higher than the Highest; Thou art Vyârhiti represented by the Mantra ‘Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah,’ O Mother! Thou art the state of equilibrium, i.e., the Turîya; Thou art of of the Form of Hrîm; Thou art Svâhâ and Svadhâ; Thou grantest the desires of the Bhaktas. Thou art the Witness of the three states, Jâgrat (waking), Svapna (dreaming) and Susupti (deep sleep). Thou art the Turîya and Sachchidânanda Brahmâ. O Devî! Thou resident in the Solar Orb and appearest as a ruddy girl in the morning, an youthful maiden at noon and a black old woman in the evening. O Devî! Obeisance to Thee! Now shew favour on us at this severe famine time when all the beings are well nigh on the way to destruction.”
21-40. Thus praised and worshipped, the World-Mother appeared and gave to the Risi one vessel (cup) full to the brim by which every one can he fed and nourished. The Mother told the Muni :-- “This full vessel, given by me to you will yield whatever you wish.” Thus saying, the Devî Gâyatrî, Higher than the Highest, vanished. Then, according to the wish of the Muni, came out from that cup, mountains of cooked rice, various curries and sweetmeats, lots of grass and fodder, silken clothings, various ornaments and various articles and vessels for sacrificial purposes. In fact whatever the Muni Gautama wished, that came out of the brimful cup, given by the Devî Gâyatrî. Then the Muni Gautama called the other Munis that came there and gave them wealth, grains, clothing, ornament, and the sacrificial ladles and spoons and cows and buffaloes for the sacrificial purposes. The
Munis then assembled and performed various yajñâs. The place all round, then flourished and became so much prosperous that it looked like a second heaven. In fact whatever fair and beautiful there exist in the Trilokas, all came from the brimful cup given by the Devî Gâyatrî. At this time the Munis, with sandalpaste all over on their bodies, and decorated with very bright ornaments looked like the gods and their wives looked like goddesses. Daily utsabs began to be held in in the Âs’rama of Gautama. Nowhere were seen any diseases or dacoities and there was no fear from any such things. Gradually the Âs’rama’s boundary extended to one hundred Yojanas (4 hundred miles). Hearing this greatness of Gautama, many persons came there from various quarters. And the Muni Gautama, too, gave them words, “cast away fear” and fed them. The Devas, on the other hand, became very much satisfied by the various Yajñâs and extolled the Muni’s greatness. So much so, that the famous Indra, the Lord of the Devas, came in the midst of the assembly and extolled his greatness, thus :-- “This Gautama has fulfilled all our wishes and has verily become a Kalpa Vriksa (celestial tree yielding all desires). If this man had not done such things, in this hard famine time, we would not have got the Havih offered in sacrifices and the prospect of our lives would have been at stake.” O King Janamejaya! Thus the Muni Gautama fed and nourished for twelve years all the Munis, like his sons and that place came to be recognised as the chief centre (the Head Quarters) of the Gâyatrî Devî. Even today, all the Munis perform with devotion the Purasacharanams and worship thrice the Bhagavatî Gâyatrî Devî. Even today the Devî is there seen as a girl in the morning, as a youthful maiden at noon, as an old woman in the evening. Then, once on a time, Nârada, of best conduct, came there playing on his great lute and singing in tune the highest glories of Gâyatrî and took his seat in the assembly of the Munis.
41-62. Seeing the tranquil hearted Nârada coming there, Gautama and the other Munis received him duly and worshipped him with the Pâdya and Arghya. In course of conversation he began to describe the glories of Gautama and said :-- “O Best of Munis! I have heard from the mouth of Indra, in the assembly of the Devas, your glories as to your supporting and feeding the pure-hearted Munis and I have come to see you. By the Grace of S’rî Bhagavatî Gâyatrî Devî, you have now become blessed. There is no doubt in this.” Thus saying, the Devarsi Nârada entered into the temple of the Devî Gâyatrî and with eyes gladdened by love, saw the Devî there and offered due hymns in praise of Her and then ascended to the Heavens. Here, on the other hand, the Brâhmanas that were fed by Gautama, became jealous at so much honour offered
to Gautama and tried their best so that no further honour be paid to him. They further settled not to stay any longer in his Âs’rama, when the next good harvest season comes. (Thus his glories will wane). O King! Some days passed when good rains fell and there was an abundance of crops everywhere and the famine ended. Hearing this, all the Brâhmins united, Alas! O King! to curse the Gautama. Oh! Their fathers and mothers are blessed in whom do not arise such feelings of jealousy! This all is the wonderful play of the powerful Time; it cannot be expressed by any person. O King! These Brâhmins created, by Mâyâ, an aged cow, who was to die and pushed her in the sacrificial hall of the Muni Gautama at the time of the Homa ceremony. Seeing that cow entering into the enclosure where the Homa was being performed, Gautama cried out “Hoom Hoom” when the cow fell there and died. And the other Brâhmanas instantly cried out “Look! Look! The wicked Gautama has killed the cow.” Seeing this inconceivable event, Gautama was greatly nonplussed and, completing his Homa ceremony, entered into Samâdhi and began to think the cause of it. Then, coming to know that this has been concocted by the Mâyâ of the Brâhmins, he became angry like Rudra at the time of dissolution; his eyes were reddened and he cursed the Risis, thus :-- Oh vile Brâhmins! When you are ready to cause mischief to me unjustly then let you be averse to meditate and do the japam of the Devî Gâyatrî, the Mother of the Vedas. For your this act, never you will be eager to perform any Vedic sacrificial acts or any action concerning thereof. There is no doubt in this. You will be always averse to the mantra of S’iva or the Tantra of S’iva. You will be always averse to Mûla Prakriti S’rî Devî, to Her Dhyânam, mantra, to any conversation regarding Her; to the visiting of Her place or Temple, to do worship and other ceremonies to Her, to see the Grand Festivals of the Devî, to singing the names and glories of the Devî, to sit before the Devî and to adore Her.
63-81. O vile Brâhmanas! You will be always averse to see the festivals of S’iva, to worship S’iva, to Rudrâksa, to the Bel leaves, and to the holy Bhasma (ashes). You will be wholly indifferent to practise the right ways of living as presented in the Vedas and Smritis, to preserve your conduct good and to observe the path of knowledge to Advaita Jñânam, to practise restraint of senses and continence, to the daily practices of Sandhyâ Bandanam, to performing the Agnihotra ceremonies, to the study of the Vedas according to one’s own S’âkhâ or to the daily studies thereof as to teach those things or to give, as gifts, cows, etc., or to perform the S’râddhas of the fathers, etc., or to perform Krichchra Chândrâyana and other penances. O Vile Brâhmanas! As you are ready to do these mean things, you will have to suffer for this that you will desist from worshipping the Most
Adorable S’rî Bhagavatî Devî and that you will worship the other Devas with faith and devotion and hold on your bodies S’amkha, Chakra and other signs. You will follow the Kâpâlikas, Bauddha S’âstras and other heretics. You will sell your father, mother, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters and even your wives too!
You will sell the Vedas, Tîrthas, and your Dharma. You will not feel ashamed in any way to sell all these. You will certainly have faith in Kâpâlika and Bauddha opinions, Pâñcharâtras and Kâma S’âstras. O vile Brâhmanas! You will not hesitate to go to your mother, daughters or sisters and you will always be licentious with others’ wives and spend your time in that. This is not to you only but to the women and men, all that will come in your families. Let the Gâyatrî Devî be always indignant with you and let you all go in the end to the Andha Kûpa hells, etc. Vyâsa said :-- O Janamejaya! Thus taking the water symbolising the true rules and laws of creation, and cursing the Brâhmanas, the Muni Gautama went hastily to see the Gâyatrî Devî and, on arriving at the temple there bowed down to Her. The Devî, too, became surprised to see their actions. O King! Even to day Her Lotus Face looks similarly astonished!
82-90. Then the Gâyatrî Devî told Gautama with amazement :-- “O Gautama! The venom of the snake does not become less if you feed the serpents with milk; so never mind all these things; the Karmas take their peculiar turns; it is hard to say when will happen what things. Now be peaceful. Do not be sorry.” Hearing these words of the Devî, Gautama bowed down to Her and went thence to his own Âs’rama. Here, on the other hand, the Brâhmanas forgot everything due to the curse of Gautama, of the Vedas and the Gâyatrî Mantra. They then began to look at this event with wonder as unique and extraordinary. All united they afterwards repented and going before Gautama, fell prostrate at his feet. But they could not speak any word out of shame. Only they said frequently :-- “Be pleased, be pleased with us.” When all the assembly of the Brâhmanas prayed to him for favour and grace, the Muni Gautama took pity on them and replied. My word will never turn out false. You will have to remain in Kumbhîpâka hell upto the time when S’rî Krisna will take his incarnation. Then you will be born in the earth in the Kâlî age and whatever I have uttered will exactly come unto you. And if you are in earnest to avert my curse then go and worship the Lotus Feet of S’rî Gâyatrî Devî. The is no other remedy.
91-100. Vyâsa said :-- Thus dismissing the Brâhmanas, Gautama Muni thought that all these occurred as a result of Prârabdha Karma and he became calm and quiet. For this reason, after S’rî Krisna Mahârâja ascended to the Heavens, when the Kâlî age came, those cursed Brâhmanas got out of the Kumbhîpâka hell and took their births in this earth as Brâhmins, devoid of the three Sandhyâs, devoid of the devotion to Gâyatrî, devoid of faith in the Vedas, advocating the heretics’ opinion and unwilling to perform Agnihotra and other religious sacrifices and duties and they were devoid of Svadhâ and Svâhâ. They forgot entirely the Unmanifested Mûla Prakriti Bhagavatî. Some of them began to mark on their bodies various heretical signs, e.g., Taptamûdrâ, etc.; some became Kâpâlikas; some became Kaulas; some Bauddhas and some Jainas. Many of them, though learned, became lewd and addicted to other’s wives and engaged themselves in vain and bad disputations. For these, they will have to go again surely to the Kumbhîpâka hell. So O King! Worship with your heart and soul S’rî Bhagavatî Parames’varî Devî. The worship of Visnu or S’iva is not constant (to be done everyday); only the worship of S’akti is to be constantly performed. For this reason whoever does not worship S’akti is sure to fall. Thus I have answered all your questions. Now I shall describe the highest and most beautiful place, Manidvîpa of the Primal Force Bhagavatî, the Deliverer from this bondage of world. Listen.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the cause of S’râddha in other Devas than the Devî Gâyatrî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter X
On the description of Mani Dvîpa
1-20. Vyâsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! What is known in the S’rutis, in the Subâla Upanisada, as the Sarvaloka over the Brahmaloka, that is Manidvîpa. Here the Devî resides. This region is superior to all the other regions. Hence it is named “Sarvaloka.” The Devî built this place of yore according to Her will. In the very beginning, the Devî Mûla Prakriti Bhagavatî built this place for Her residence, superior to Kailâs’a, Vaikuntha and Goloka. Verily no other place in this universe can stand before it. Hence it is called Manidvîpa or Sarvaloka as superior to all the Lokas. This Manidvîpa is situated at the top of all the regions,
and resembles an umbrella. Its shadow falls on the Brahmânda and destroys the pains and sufferings of this world. Surrounding this Manidvîpa exists an ocean called the Sudhâ Samudra, many yojanas wide and many yojanas deep. Many waves arise in it due to winds. Various fishes and conches and other aquatic animals play and here the beach is full of clear sand like gems. The sea-shores are kept always cool by the splashes of the waves of water striking the beach. Various ships decked with various nice flags are plying to and fro. Various trees bearing gems are adorning the beach. Across this ocean, there is an iron enclosure, very long and seven yojanas wide, very high so as to block the Heavens. Within this enclosure wall the military guards skilled in war and furnished with various weapons are running gladly to and fro. There are four gateways or entrances; at every gate there are hundreds of guards and various hosts of the devotees of the Devî. Whenever any Deva comes to pay a visit to the Jagadîs’varî, their Vâhanas (carriers) and retinue are stopped here. O King! This place is being resounded with the chimings of the bells of hundreds of chariots of the Devas and the neighings of their horses and the sounds of their hoofs. The Devas walk here and there with canes in their hands and they are chiding at intervals the attendants of the Devas. This place is so noisy that no one can hear clearly another’s word. Here are seen thousands of houses adorned with trees of gems and jewels and tanks filled with plenty of tasteful good sweet waters. O King! After this there is a second enclosure wall, very big and built of white copper metal (an amalgam of zinc or tin and copper); it is so very high that it almost touches the Heavens. It is hundred times more brilliant than the preceding enclosure wall; there are many principal entrance gates and various trees here. What to speak of the trees there more than this that all the trees that are found in this universe are found there and they bear always flowers, fruits and new leaves! All the quarters are scented with their sweet fragrance!
21-40. O King! Now hear, in brief, the names of some of the trees that are found in abundance there :-- Panasa, Vakula, Lodhra, Karnikâra, S’ins’apa, Deodâra, Kânchanâra, mango, Sumeru, Likucha, Hingula, Elâ, Labanga, Kat fruit tree, Pâtala, Muchukunda, Tâla, Tamâla, Sâla, Kankola, Nâgabhdra, Punnâga, Pîlu, Sâlvaka, Karpûra, As’vakarna, Hastikarna, Tâlaparna, Pomegranate, Ganikâ, Bandhujîva, Jamvîra, Kurandaka, Châmpeya, Bandhujîva, Kanakavriksa, Kâlâguru (usually coiled all over with cobras, very black poisonous snakes), Sandaltree, Datetree,Yûthikâ, Tâlaparnî, Sugarcane, Ksîra-tree,
Khadira, Bhallâtaka, Ruchaka, Kutaja, Bel tree and others, the Talasî and Mallikâ and other forest plants. The place is interspersed with various forests and gardens. At intervals there are wells, tanks, etc., adding very much to the beauty of the place. The cuckoos are perching on every tree and they are cooing sweetly, the bees are drinking the honey and humming all around, the trees are emitting juices and sweet fragrance all around. The trees are casting cool nice shadows. The trees of all seasons are seen here; on the tops of these are sitting pigeons, parrots, female birds of the Mayanâ species and other birds of various other species. There are seen rivers flowing at intervals carrying many juicy liquids. The Flamingoes, swans, and other aquatic animals are playing in them. The breeze is stealing away the perfumes of flowers and carrying it all around. The deer are following this breeze. The wild mad peacocks are dancing with madness and the whole place looks very nice, lovely and charming. Next this Kâmsya enclosure comes the third enclosure wall of copper. It is square shaped and seven yojanas high. Within this are forests of Kalpavriksas, bearing golden leaves and flowers and fruits like gems. Their perfumes spread ten yojanas and gladden things all around. The king of the seasons preserves always this place. The king’s seat is made of flowers; his umbrella is of flowers; ornaments made of flowers; he drinks the honey of the flowers; and, with rolling eyes, he lives here always with his two wives named Madhu S’rî and Mâdhava S’rî. The two wives of Spring have their faces always smiling. They play with bunches of flowers. This forest is very pleasant. Oh! The honey of the flowers is seen here in abundance. The perfumes of the full blown flowers spread to a distance of ten yojanas. The Gandharbhas, the musicians, live here with their wives.
41-60. The places round this are filled with the beauties of the spring and with the cooing of cuckoos. No doubt this place intensifies the desires of the amorous persons! O King! Next comes the enclosure wall, made of lead. Its height is seven yojanas. Within this enclosure there is the garden of the Santânaka tree. The fragrance of its flowers extends to ten yojanas. The flowers look like gold and are always in full bloom. Its fruits are very sweet. They seem to be imbued with nectar drops. In this garden resides always the Summer Season with his two wives S’ukra S’rî and S’uchi S’rî. The inhabitants of this place always remain under trees; otherwise they will be scorched by summer rays. Various Siddhas and Devas inhabit this place. The female sensualists here get their bodies all anointed with sandal paste and all decked with flower
garlands and they stalk to and fro with fans in their hands. There is water to be found here very cool and refreshing. And owing to heat all the people here use this water. Next to this lead enclosure comes the wall made of brass, the fifth enclosure wall. It is seven yojanas long. In the centre is situated the garden of Hari Chandana trees. Its ruler is the Rainy Season.
The lightnings are his auburn eyes; the clouds are his armour, the thunder is his voice and the rainbow is his arrow. Surrounded by his hosts he rains incessantly. He has twelve wives :-- (1) Nabhah S’rî, (2) Nabhahsya S’rî, (3) Svarasya, (4) Rasyasâlinî, (5) Ambâ, (6) Dulâ, (7) Niratni, (8) Abhramantî, (9) Megha Yantikâ, (10) Varsayantî, (11) Chivunikâ, and (12) Vâridhârâ (some say Madamattâ). All the trees here are always seen with new leaves and entwined with new creepers. The whole site is covered all over with fresh green leaves and twigs. The rivers here always flow full and the current is strong, indeed! The tanks here are very dirty like the minds of worldly persons attached to worldly things. The devotees of the Devî, the Siddhas and the Devas and those that consecrated in their life times tanks, wells, and reservoirs for the satisfaction of the Devas dwell here with their wives. O King! Next to this brass enclosure comes, the sixth enclosure wall made of five fold irons. It is seven yojanas long. In the centre is situated the Garden of Mandâra trees. This garden is beautified by various creepers, flowers and leaves. The Autumn season lives here with his two wives Isalaksmî and Ûrjalaksmî and he is the ruler. Various Siddha persons dwell here with their wives, well clothed. O King! Next to this comes the seventh enclosure wall, seven yojanas long and built of silver.
61-80. In the centre is situated the garden of Pârijâta trees. They are filled with bunches of flowers. The fragrance of these Pârijâtas extend upto the ten Yojanas and gladden all the things all around. Those who are the Devî Bhaktas and who do the works of the Devî are delighted with this fragrance. The Hemanta (Dewy) season is the Regent of this place. He lives here with his two wives Saha S’rî and Sahasya S’rî and with his hosts. Those who are of a loving nature are pleased hereby. Those who have become perfect by performing the Vratas of the Devî live here also. O King! Next to this silver, there comes the eighth enclosure wall built of molten gold. It is seven Yojanas long. In the centre there is the garden of the Kadamba tree. The trees are always covered with fruits and flowers and the honey is coming out always from the trees from all the sides. The devotees of the Devî drink this honey always and feel intense delight; the Dewy Season is the Regent of this
place. He resides here with his two wives Tapah S’rî and Tapasyâ S’rî and his various hosts, and enjoys gladly various objects of enjoyments. Those who had made various gifts for the Devî’s satisfaction, those great Siddha Purusas live here with their wives and relatives very gladly in various enjoyments. O King! Next to this golden enclosure well comes the ninth enclosure made of red Kum Kum like (saffron) Pusparâga gems. The ground inside this enclosure, the ditches or the basins for water dug round their roots are all built of Pusparâga gems. Next to this wall there are other enclosure walls built of various other gems and jewels; the sites, forests, trees, flowers birds, rivers, tanks, lotuses, mandapas (halls) and their pillars are all built respectively of those gems. Only this is to be remembered that those coming nearer and nearer to the centre are one lakh times more brilliant than the ones receding from them. This is the general rule observed in the construction of these enclosures and the articles contained therein. Here the Regents of the several quarters, the Dikpâlas, representing the sum total of the several Dikpâlas of every Brahmânda and their guardians reside. On the eastern quarter is situated the Amarâvatî city. Here the high-peaked mountains exist and various trees are seen. Indra, the Lord of the Devas, dwells here. Whatever beauty exists in the separate Heavens in the several places, one thousand times, rather more than that, exists in the Heaven of this cosmic Indra, the thousand-eyed, here. Here Indra mounting on the elephant Airâvata, with thunderbolt in his hand, lives with S’achî Devî and other immortal ladies and with the hosts of the Deva forces. On the Agni (south-eastern) corner is the city of Agni. This represents the sum total of the several cities of Agni in different Brahmândas.
81-100. Here resides the Agni Deva very gladly with his two wives Svâhâ and Svadhâ and with his Vâhana and the other Devas. On the south is situated the city of Yama, the God of Death. Here lives Dharma Râja with rod in his hand and with Chitragupta and several other hosts. On the south-westen corner is the place of the Râksasas. Here resides Nirriti with his axe in his hand and with his wife and other Râksasas. On the west is the city of Varuna. Here Varuna râja resides with his wife Vârunî and intoxicated with the drink of Vârunî honey; his weapon is the noose, his Vâhana is the King of fishes and his subjects are the aquatic animals. On the north-western corner dwells Vâyudeva. Here Pavana Deva lives with his wife and with the Yogis perfect in the practice of Prânâyâma. He holds a flag in his hand.
His Vâhana, is deer and his family consists of the forty nine Vâyus. On the north resides the Yaksas. The corpulent King of the Yaksas, Kuvera, lives here with his S’aktis Vriddhi and Riddhi, and in possession of various gems and jewels. His generals Manibhadra, Purna bhadra, Manimân, Manikandhara, Manibhûsa, Manisragvî, Manikar-mukadhârî, etc., live here. On the north eastern corner is situated the Rudra loka, decked with invaluable gems. Here dwells the Rudra Deva. On His back is kept the arrow-case and he holds a bow in his left hand. He looks very angry and his eyes are red with anger. There are other Rudras like him with bows and spears and other weapons, surrounding him. The faces of some of them are distorted; some are very horrible indeed! Fire is coming out from the mouths of some others. Some have ten hands; some have hundred hands and some have thousand hands; some have ten feet; some have ten heads whereas some others have three eyes. Those who roam in the intermediate spaces between the heaven and earth, those who move on the earth, or the Rudras mentioned in the Rudrâdhyâya all live here. O King! Îsâna, the Regent of the north eastern quarter lives here with Bhadrakâlî and other Mâtriganas, with Kotis and Kotis of Rudrânîs and with Dâmarîs and Vîra Bhadras and various other S’aktis. On his neck there is a garland of skulls, on his hand there is a ring of snakes; he wears a tiger skin; his upper clothing is a tiger skin and his body is smeared with the ashes of the dead. He sounds frequently his Damaru; this sound reverberates on all sides, he makes big laughs called Attahâsya, reverberating through the heavens. He remains always surrounded with Pramathas and Bhûtas; they live here.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of Mani Dvîpa in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter XI
On the description of the enclosure walls built of Padmarâga mani, etc., of the Mani Dvîpa
1-30. Vyâsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! Next to this Pusparâga mani enclosure wall comes the tenth enclosure wall, made of Padmarâga mani, red like the red Kunkuma and the Rising Sun. It is ten yojanas high. All its ground, entrance gates and temples and arbours are all made of Padmarâga mani. Within this reside the sixty four Kalâs or Sub-S’aktis adorned with various ornaments and holding weapons in their hands. Each of them has a separate Loka (region) allotted and within this Loka he has get his own formidable weapons, Vâhanas, families and their
leaders or Governors. O King! Now hear the names of the sixty four Kalâs. They are :-- Pingalâksî, Vis’âlâksî, Samriddhi, Vriddhi, S’raddhâ, Svâhâ, Svadhâ, Mâyâ, Sañgñâ, Vasundharâ, Trîlokadhâtrî, Sâvitrî, Gâyatrî, Tridas’es’vsrî, Surûpâ, Bahurûpâ, Skandamâtâ, Achyutapriyâ, Vimalâ, Amalâ, Arunî, Ârunî, Prakriti, Vikriti, S’rîsti, Sthiti, Samrhiti, Sandhyâ, Mâtâ, Satî, Hamsî, Mardikâ, Vajrikâ, Parâ, Devamâtâ, Bhagavatî, Devakî, Kamalâsanâ, Trimukhî, Saptamukhî, Surâsura vimardinî, Lambosthî, Ûrdhakes’î, Bahusîrsâ, Vrikodarî Ratharekhâhvayâ, S’as’irekâ, Gaganavegâ, Pavanavegâ, Bhuvanapâlâ, Madanâturâ, Anangâ, Anangamathanâ, Anangamekhalâ, Anangakusumâ, Visvarûpâ, Surâdikâ, Ksayamkarî, Aksyobhyâ, Satyavâdinî, Bahurûpâ, S’uchivratâ, Udârâ and Vâgis’î. These are the sixty four Kalâs. All of them have got luminous faces and long lolling tongues. Fire is always coming out from the faces of all of them. The eyes of all of them are red with anger. They are uttering :-- We will drink all the water and thus dry up the oceans; we will annihilate fire, we will stop the flow of air and control it. Today we will devour the whole universe and so forth. All of them have got bows and arrows in their hands; all are eager to fight. The four quarters are being reverberated with the clashing of their teeth. The hairs on their heads are all tawny and they stand upwards. Each of them has one hundred Aksauhinî forces under them. O King! What more to say than this that each of them has got power to destroy one lakh Brahmândas; and their one hundred Aksauhinî forces also can do the same. There is nothing that is not impracticable with them. What they cannot do cannot be conceived by mind nor can be uttered in speech. All the war materials exist within their enclosures. Chariots, horses, elephants, weapons, and forces all are unlimited. All the war materials are ready at all times and in abundance. Next comes the eleventh enclosure wall built of Gomedamani. It is ten Yojanas high. Its colour is like the newly blown Javâ flower. All the ground, trees, tanks, houses, pillars, birds and all other things are all red and built of Gomedamani. Here dwell the thirty-two Mahâ S’aktis adorned with various ornament made of Gomedamani and furnished with various weapons. They are always eager to fight. Their eyes are always red with anger; their bees are like Pis’âchas and their hands are like chakras (discs). “Pierce him,” “Beat him,” “Cut him,” “Tear him asunder,” “Burn him down,” are the words constantly uttered by them. The inhabitants of the place always worship them. Each of them has ten Aksauhinî forces. These are inordinately powerful. It is impossible to describe that. It seems that each S’akti can easily destroy one lakh Brahmândas.
Innumerable chariots, elephants, hordes, etc., and other vâhanas are here. Verily all the war materials of the Devî Bhagavatî are seen in this Gomedamani enclosure.
31-51. Now I am mentioning the auspicious, sin destroying names of these S’aktis :-- Vidyâ, Hrî, Pusti, Prajñâ, Sinî vâlî, Kuhû, Rudrâ, Viryâ, Prabhâ, Nandâ, Posanî, Riddhidâ, S’ubhâ, Kâlarâtri, Mahârâtri, Bhadra KâIî, Kaparddinî, Vikriti, Dandi, Mundinî, Sendukhandâ, S’ikhandinî, Nis’umbha s’umbha mathanî, Mahisâsura marddinî, Indrânî, Rudrânî, S’ankarârdha sarîrinî, Nârî, Nirâyanî Tris’ûlinî, Pâlinî, Ambikâ, and Hlâdinî. (See the Daksinâ Mûrti Samhitâ and other Tantras.)
Never there is any chance that they will be defeated anywhere. Hence if all those S’aktis get angry at any time, this Brahmânda ceases to exist. Next to this Gomeda enclosure comes the enclosure made of diamonds. It is ten yojanas high; on all sides there are the entrance gates; the doors are hinged there with nice mechanisms. Nice new diamond trees exist here. All the roads, royal roads, trees, and the spaces for watering their roots, tanks, wells, reservoirs, Sâranga and other musical instruments are all made of diamonds. Here dwells S’rî Bhuvanes’varî Devî with Her attendants. O King! Each of them has a lakh attendants. All of them are proud of their beauty. Some of them are holding fans in their hands; some are holding cups for drinking water; some, betelnuts; some are holding umbrellas; some chowries; some are holding various clothings; some flowers; some, looking glasses; some, saffrons; some collyrium, whereas some others are holding Sindûra (red lead). Some are ready to do the painting works; some are anxious to champoo the feet; some are eager to make Her wear ornaments; some are anxious to put garlands of flowers on Her neck. All of them are skilled in various arts of enjoyments and they are all young. To gain the Grace of the Devî, they consider the whole universe as trifling. Now I shall mention to you the names of the attendants of the Devî, proud of their possessing lots of amorous gestures and postures. Listen. They are :-- Anangarûpâ, Anangamadanâ, Madanâturâ, Bhuvanavegâ, Bhuvanapâlikâ, Sarvas’is’ira, Anangavedanâ, Anangamekhalâ, these are the Eight Sakhîs. Each of them is as fair as Vidyullatâ. Each is adorned with various ornaments and skilled in all actions. When they walk to and fro with canes and rods in their hands in the service of the Devî, they look as if the lightning flashes glimmer on all sides.
52-71 On the outer portion of the enclosure wall, on the eight sides are situated the dwelling houses of these eight Sakhîs and they are always full of various vâhanas and weapons. Next to this enclosure of diamond
comes the thirteenth enclosure wall made of Vaidûrya mani. Its height is ten yojanas. There are entrance gates and doorways on the four sides. The court inside, the houses, the big roads, wells, tanks, ponds, rivers and even the sands are all made of Vaidûrya mani. On the eight sides reside the eight Mâtrikâs Brâhmî, etc., with their hosts. These Mâtrikâs represent the sum-total of the individual Mâtrikâs in every Brahmânda. Now hear their names :-- (1) Brâhmî, (2) Mâhes’varî, (3) Kaumârî, (4) Vaisnavî, (5) Vârâhî, (6) Indrânî, (7) Châmundâ, and (8) Mahâ Laksmî. Their forms are like those of Brahmâ and Rudra and others. They are always engaged in doing good to the Universe and reside here with their own Vâhanas and weapons.
At the four gates, the various Vâhanas of Bhagavatî remain always fully equipped. Somewhere there are Kotis and Kotis of elephants. At some places there are Kotis and Kotis of horses; at others there are camps, houses, at others there are swans, lions; at others there are Garudas; at other places there are peacocks, bulls and various other beings all fully equipped and arranged in due order. Similarly the above mentioned animals are yoked to Kotis and Kotis of chariots; there are coachmen (syces); at some places flags are fluttering high on them so as to reach the heavens and thus they are adding beauty. At other places the aerial cars are arranged in rows, countless, with various sounding instruments in them, with flags soaring high in the Heavens and endowed with various ensigns and emblems. O King! Next to this Vaidûrya enclosure, comes the fourteenth enclosure wall built of Indranîlamani; its height is ten Yojanas. The court inside, houses, roads, wells, tanks and reservoirs, etc., all are built of Indranîlamani. There is here a lotus consisting of sixteen petals extending to many Yojanas in width and shining like a second Sudars’ana Chakra. On these sixteen petals reside the sixteen S’aktis of Bhagavatî, with their hosts. Now I am mentioning the names of these. Hear :-- Karâlî, Vikârâlî, Umâ, Sarasvatî, S’rî, Durgâ, Ûsâ, Laksmî, S’ruti, Smriti, Dhriti, S’raddhâ, Medhâ, Mati, Kânti, and Âryâ. These are the 16 S’aktis. They all are dark blue, of the colour of the fresh rain-cloud; they wield in their hands axes and shields. It seems they are ever eager to fight. O King! These S’aktis are the Rulers of all the separate S’aktis of the other Brahmândas. These are the forces of S’rî Devî.
72-90. Being strengthened by the Devî’s strength, these are always surrounded by various chariots and forces, various other S’aktis follow them. If they like, they can cause great agitation in the whole universe. Had I thousand faces, I would not have been able to describe what an
amount of strength they wield. Now I describe the fifteenth enclosure wall. Listen. Next to this Indranîlamani enclosure, comes the enclosure made of pearls (muktâ), very wide and ten Yojanas high. The court inside, its space, trees, all are built of pearls. Within this enclosure there is a lotus with eight petals, all of pearls. On these petals reside the eight S’aktis, the advisers and ministers of the Devî. Their appearances, weapons, dresses, enjoyments, everything is like those of S’rî Devî. Their duty is to inform the Devî of what is going on in the Brahmândas. They are skilled in all sciences and arts and clever in all actions. They are very clever, skillful and clever in knowing beforehand the desires and intentions of S’rî Devî and they perform those things accordingly. Each one of them has many other S’aktis who also live here. By their Jñâna S’akti they know all the news concerning the Jîvas in every Brahmânda. Now I mention the names of those eight Sakhîs. Listen. Anangakusumâ, Anangakusumâ-turâ, Anangamadanâ, Ananga madanâturâ, Bhuvanapâla, Gaganavegâ, S’as’irekhâ, and Gaganarekhâ. These are the eight Sakhîs. They look red like the Rising Sun; and in their four hands they hold noose, goad, and signs of granting boons and “no fear.” At every instant they inform S’rî Devî of all the events of the Brahmânda. Next to this comes the sixteenth enclosure wall made of emerald (marakata); it is ten Yojanas high; the court inside, its space, and houses and everything are built of emeralds (marakata mani). Here exist all the good objects of enjoyments. This is hexagonal, of the Yantra shape. And at every corner reside the Devas. On the eastern corner resides the four-faced Brahmâ; he lives with Gâyatrî Devî; he holds Kamandalu, rosary, signs indicating “no fear” and Danda (rod). The Devî Gâyatrî is also decorated with these. Here all the Vedas, Smritis, the Purânas, and various weapons exist incarnate in their respective forms. All the Avatâras of Brahmâ, Gâyatrî, and Vyâhritis that exist in this Brahmânda, all live here. On the south-west corner Mahâ Visnu lives with Sâvitrî; He holds conch shell, disc, club, and lotus. Sâvitrî has got also all these. The Avatâras of Visnu that exist in every Brahmânda Matsya, Kûrma, etc., and all the Avatâras of Sâvitrî that exist in every universe, all dwell in this place. On the north western corner exists Mahâ Rudra with Sarasvatî. Both of them hold in their hands Paras’u, rosary, signs granting boons and “no fear.”
91-110. All the Avatâras of Rudra and Pârvatî (Gaurî, etc.) facing south that exist in all the Brahmândas, dwell here. All the chief Âgamas, sixty four in number and all the other Tantras reside here, incarnate in their due forms. On the south-eastern corner, the Lord of wealth, Kuvera, of Bhagavatî, surrounded by roads
and shops resides here with Mahâ Laksmî and his hosts holding the jar of jewels (Mani Karandikâ). On the western corner exists always Madana with Rati, holding noose, goad, bow and arrow. All his amorous attendants reside here, incarnate in their forms. On the north-eastern corner resides always the great hero Ganes’a, the Remover of obstacles, holding noose and goad and with his Pusti Devî. O King! All the Vibhûtis (manifestations) of Ganes’a that exist in all the universes reside here. What more to say than this, that Brahmâ and the other Devas and Devîs here represent the sum-total of all the Brahmâs and the Devas and the Devîs that exist in all the Brahmândas. These all worship S’rî Bhagavatî, remaining in their own spheres respectively. O King! Next come the seventeenth enclosure wall made of Prabâla. It is red like saffron and it is one hundred Yojanas high. As before, the court inside, the ground and the houses all are made of Prabâla. The goddesses of the five elements, Hrillekhâ, Gaganâ, Raktâ, Karâlikâ, and Mahochchhusmâ reside here. The colours and lustres of the bodies of the goddessses resemble those of the elements over which they preside respectively. All of them are proud of their youth and hold in their four hands noose, goad and signs granting boons and “no fear.” They are dressed like S’rî Devî and reside here always. Next to this comes the eighteenth enclosure wall built of Navaratna (the nine jewels). It is many yojanas wide. This enclosure wall is superior to all others and it is higher also. On the four sides there exist innumerable houses, tanks, reservoirs, all built of Navaratna; these belong to the Devîs, the presiding Deities of Âmnâyas (that which is to be studied or learnt by heart; the Vedas). The ten Mahâ Vidyâs, Kâlî, Târâ, etc., of S’rî Devî and the Mahâbhedâs, that is, their all the Avatâras all dwell here with their respective Âvaranas, Vâhanas and ornaments. All the Avatâras of S’rî Devî for the killing of the Daityas and for showing favour to the devotees live here. They are Pas’amkus’es’varî, Bhuvanes’varî, Bhairavî, Kapâla Bhuvanes’varî, Amkus’a Bhuvanes’varî, Pramâda bhuvanes’varî, S’rî Krodha Bhuvanes’varî, Triputâs’vârûdhâ, Nityaklinnâ, Annapurnâ, Tvaritâ, and the other avatâras of Bhuvanes’varî, and Kâlî, Târâ and the other Mahâvidyâs are known as Mahâvidyâs. They live here with their Âvarana Devatâs, Vâhanas, and ornaments respectively. (Note :-- The Âvarana Deities are the attendant Deities.) Here live also the seven Kotis of Devîs presiding over the Mahâ Mantras, all brilliant and fair like the Koti Suns. O King! Next to this enclosure wall comes the chief and crowning palace of S’rî Devî, built of
Chintâmani gems. All the articles within this are built of Chintâmani gems. Within this palace are seen hundreds and thousands of pillars. Some of these pillars are built of Sûryakântamani, some are built of Chandrakânta mani, and some are built of Vidyutkânta mani. O King! The lustre and brilliance of these pillars is so strong that no articles within this palace are visible to the eye. (Note :-- The face of the Goddess Kâlî is so bright that it appears like a shadow, i.e., black.)
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter on the description of the enclosure walls built of Padmarâga mani, etc., of the Mani Dvîpa in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter XII
On the description of Mani Dvîpa
1-17. Vyâsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! The Ratnagriha, above mentioned, is the Central, the Chief and the Crowning Place of Mûla Prakriti. [The nine jewels are :-- (1) Muktâ, (2) Mânikya, (3) Vaidûrya, (4) Gomeda, (5) Vajra, (6) Vidruma, (7) Padmarâga, (8) Marakata, and (9) Nîla.] This is situated in the centre of all the enclosures. Within this there are the four Mandapas, i.e., halls built of one thousand (i.e., innumerable) pillars. These are the S’ringâra Mandapa, Mukti Mandapa, Jñâna Mandapa and Ekânta Mandapa; on the top there are canopies of various colours; within are many scented articles scented by the Dhûpas, etc. The brilliance of each of these is like that of one Koti Suns. On all sides of these four Mandapas there are nice groups of gardens of Kas’mîra, Mallikâ, and Kunda flowers. Various scents, and scented articles, for example, of musk, etc., are fully arranged in due order. There is a very big lotus tank here; the steps leading to it are built of jewels. Its water is nectar, on it are innumerable full-blown lotuses and the bees are humming always over them. Many birds, swans, Kârandavas, etc., are swimming to and fro. The sweet scents of lotuses are playing all round. In fact, the whole Manidvîpa is perfumed with various scented things. Within the S’ringâra Mandapa, the Devî Bhagavatî is situated in the centre on an Âsana (seat) and She hears the songs sung in tune by the other Devîs along with the other Devas. Similarly sitting on the Mukti Mandapa, She frees the Jîvas from the bondages of the world. Sitting on the Jñâna Mandapa, She gives instructions on Jñâna, and sitting on the fourth Ekânta Mandapa, She consults with Her ministers, the Sakhîs, Ananga Kusuma, etc., on the creation, preservation, etc., of the universe. O King! Now I shall describe about the main, Khâs, room of S’rî Devî. Listen. The Khâs Mahâl palace of the Devî Bhagavatî is named S’rî Chintâmani Griha. Within this is placed the raised
platform, the dais and sofa whereon the Devî taketh Her honourable seat. The ten S’akti-tattvas form the staircases. The four legs are (1) Brahmâ, (2) Visnu, (3) Rudra, and (4) Mahes’vara. Sadâs’iva forms the upper covering plank. Over this S’rî Bhuvanes’vara Mahâ Deva or the Supreme Architect of the Universe is reigning. Now hear something about this Bhuvanes’vara. Before creation while intending to sport, the Devî Bhagavatî divided Her Body into two parts and from the right part created Bhuvanes’vara. He has five faces and each face has three eyes. He has four hands and He is holding in each hand speer, signs indicating do not fear, axe, and signs granting boons. He looks sixteen years old. The lustre of of His Body is more beautiful then Koti Kandarpas and more fiery than thousand Suns; and at the same time cool like Koti Suns. His colour is crystal white, and on His left lap S’rî Bhuvanes’varî Devî is always sitting.
18-29. On the hip of S’rî Bhuvanes’varî, is shining the girdle with small tinkling bells, built of various jewels; the ornaments on the arms are made of burnished gold studded with Vaidûryamanis; the Tâtanka ornaments on Her ears are very beautiful like S’rîchakra and they enhance very much the beauty of Her lotus face. The beauty of Her forehead vies with, or defies the Moon of the eighth bright lunar day. Her lips challenge the fully ripened Bimba fruits. Her face is shining with the Tilaka mark made of musk and saffron. The divine crown on Her head is beautified with the Sun and Moon made of jewels; the nose ornaments are like the star Venus and built of transparent gems, looking exceedingly beautiful and shedding charming lustre all around. The neck is decorated with necklaces built of gems and jewels. Her breasts are nicely decorated with camphor and saffron. Her neck is shining like a conchshell decorated with artistic designs. Her teeth look like fully ripe pomegranate fruits. On Her head is shining the jewel crown. Her lotus face is beautified with alakâ as if these are mad bees. Her navel is beautiful like the whirls in the river Bhâgirathî; Her fingers are decorated with jewel rings; She has three eyes like lotus leaves; the lustre of Her body is bright like Padmarâgamani cut and carved and sharpened on stone. The bracelets are adorned with jewel tinkling bells; Her neck ornaments and medals are studded with gems and jewels. Her hands are resplendent with the lustre of the jewels on the fingers; the braid of hair on Her head is wreathed with a garland of Mallikâ flowers; Her bodice (short jacket) is studded with various jewels.
30-45. O King! S’rî Devî is slightly bent down with the weight of Her very high hard breasts. She has four hands and She is holding noose, goad and signs granting boons and “do not fear.” The all beautiful all merciful Devî is full of love gestures and beauties. Her voice is sweeter than that of lute; the lustre of Her body is like Kotis and Kotis of Suns and
Moons if they rise simultaneously on the sky. The Sakhîs, attendants, the Devas and the Devîs surround Her on all sides. Ichchâ S’akti, Jñâna S’akti, and Kriya S’akti all are present always before the Devî. Lajjâ, Tusti, Pusti, Kîrti, Kânti, Ksamâ, Dayâ, Buddhi, Medhâ, Smriti, and Laksmî are always seen here incarnate in their due Forms. The nine Pîtha S’aktis, Jayâ, Vijayâ, Ajitâ, Aparâjitâ, Nityâ, Vilâsinî, Dogdhrî, Aghorâ, and Mangalâ reside here always and are in the service of the Devî Bhuvanes’varî. On the side of the Devî are the two oceans of treasures; from these streams of Navaratna, gold, and seven Dhâtus (elements) go out and assume the forms of rivers and fall into the ocean Sudhâ Sindhu. Because such a Devî Bhuvanes’varî, resplendent with all powers and prosperities, sits on the left lap of Bhuvanes’vara, that He has, no doubt acquired His omnipotence. O King! Now I will describe the dimensions of the Chintâmani Griha. Listen. It is one thousand Yojanas wide; its centre is very big; the rooms situated further and further are twice those preceding them. It lies in Antarîksa (the intervening space) without any support. At the times of dissolution and creation it contracts and expands like a cloth. The lustre of this Chintâmani Griha is comparatively far more bright and beautiful than that of other enclosure walls. S’rî Devî Bhagavatî dwells always in this place. O King! All the great Bhaktas of the Devî in every Brahmânda, in the Devaloka, in Nâgaloka, in the world of men or in any other loka, all those that were engaged in the meditation of the Devî in the sacred places of the Devî and died there, they all come here and reside with the Devî in great joy and festivity.
46-59. On all sides rivers are flowing; some of ghee, some of milk, curd, honey, nectar, pomegranate juice, jambu juice, and some of mango juice, sugarcane juices are flowing on all sides. The trees here yield fruits according to one’s desires and the wells and tanks yield water also as people desire. Never is there any want felt here of anything. Never are seen here diseases, sorrow, old age, decrepitude, anxiety, anger, jealousy, and envy and other lower ideas. All the inhabitants of this place are full of youth and look like one thousand Suns. All enjoy with their wives and they worship S’rî Bhuvanes’varî. Some have attained Sâlokya, some Sâmîpya, some Sârûpya and some have attained Sârsti and pass their days in highest comfort. The Devas that are in every Brahmânda all live here and worship S’rî Devî. The seven Koti Mahâ Mantras and Mahâ Vidyâs here assume forms and worship the Mahâ Mâyâ S’rî Bhagavatî, Who is of the nature of Brahmâ. O King! Thus I have described to you all about this Manidvîpa. The lustre of Sun, Moon and Kotis and Kotis of lightnings cannot be one Kotieth of one Koti part of Its lustre. At some places the lustre is like Vidrumamani; some places as are illumined like the lustre of Marakata Mani; some, like Sûrya Kânta mani and some
places are rendered brilliant like Kotis and Kotis of lightnings. The light at some places is like Sindûra; at some places like Indranîlamani; at some places, like Mânikya, and at some places like diamond. Some places are blazing like the conflagration of fire; and some places look like molten gold; some places seem filled with the lustre of Chandrakântamani, and some places look brilliant like Sûryakântamani.
60-73. The mountains here are all built of gems and jewels; the entrance gates and enclosures are built of gems and jewels; the trees and their leaves all are of gems; in fact all that exist here are all of gems and jewels. At some places numbers of peacocks are dancing; at some places cuckoos are captivating the minds of persons by cooing in the fifth tune and at others doves and pigeons and parrots are making sweet cackling sounds. Lakhs and lakhs of tanks are there with their pure crystal-like waters. The Red lotuses have blown fully and enhanced the beauty of the place. The captivating scents of these lotuses extend to a distance one hundred Yojanas all round and gladden the minds of people. The leaves are rustling with gentle breeze. The whole sky overhead is radiant with the lustre of Chintâmani gems and jewels. All the sides are illuminated with the brilliancy of the gems and jewels. O King! These jewels act like lamps. And the sweet scented trees emit their flagrance and it is transmitted by breeze all around. Thus these trees serve the purpose of dhûp (scent). The rays of these gems pierce through the openings of the jewel screens on the houses and fall on the mirrors inside, thus causing a nice brilliant appearance that captivates the mind and causes confusion. O King! And what shall I say of this place, more than this, that all the powers, and wealth, all the love sentiments, all the dress suited to amorous interviews, all the splendours, fire, energy, beauty and brilliance, the omniscience, the indomitable strength, all the excellent qualities and all mercy and kindness are present here! The All Comprehending Bliss and the Brahmânanda can always be witnessed here! O King! Thus I have described to you about the Manidvîpa, the most exalted place of the Devî Bhagavatî. At Her remembrance all the sins are instantly destroyed. The more so, if a man remembers the Devî and about this place at the time of death, He surely goes there. O King! He who daily reads the five Chapters, i.e., from the eighth to this twelfth chapter, is surely untouched by any obstacles due to the Bhûtas, Pretas and Pis’âchas. Especially the recitation of this at the time of building a new house and at the time of Vâstuyâga ensures all good and auspiciousness.
Here ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of Mani Dvîpa in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter XIII
On the description of Janamejaya’s Devî Yajñâ
1-4. Vyâsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! Thus I have answered all your nice queries; also what Nârâyana spoke to the highsouled Nârada is also said by me. He who hears this greatly wonderful Purânam S’rî Devî Bhâgavatam certainly becomes dear to the Devî and all his actions become fructified with success. Now as regards your mental distress, how you prevent any evil falling to your late father in his future life, I advise you to do the Yajñâ in the name of Bhagavatî; and certainly your father will be saved. And you also better take the Most Excellent Mantra of the Mahâ Devî duly, according to rules; and your human life will then be crowned with success; (your life will be saved; thus you as well as your father will be saved).
5-12. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Hearing thus, the King asked Vyâsa Deva to initiate in the Great Devî Mantra and thus to become his Guru. He was then initiated duly according to rules with the Great Mantra of Bhagavatî united with Pranava. When the Navarâtra period arrived, he called Dhaumya and other Brâhmanas and performed the Navarâtra Vrata so very dear to the Devî, according to his state. At this time for the satisfaction of the Devî, he caused this Devî Bhâgavata Purâna to be read by the Brâhmanas and fed innumerable Brâhmanas and Kumârîs (virgins) and gave in charity lots of things to the poor, orphans, and the Brâhmin boys and thus finished the Vrata. O Risis! Thus completing the Devîyajñâ, while the King was sitting on his seat, the fiery Devarsi Nârada came there from above playing with his lute. Seeing him there, all on a sudden, the King got up, and paid due respects to him by asking him to take his seat, with other necessary things. When the Devarsi became relieved of his labour of journey, the King asked him about his welfare and then enquired into the cause of his coming there.
13-19. O Devarsi! Whence and what for are you now coming? By your arrival here I am become blessed and feel that my Lord has come to me; now what can I serve to you; kindly command and oblige. Hearing this, the Devarsi Nârada said :-- “O King! Today I saw in the Devaloka a very wonderful event. I wanted eagerly to inform that to you. Hence I have come here. Your father met with a bad turn of fate for his bad action. I saw today he assumed a divine form and he was going on a chariot. The Devas were praising him and the Apsarâs were encircling him. It seemed he
was going in that dress to the Mani Dvîpa. O King! You performed the Navarâtra Vrata and read the Devî Bhâgavata; it seems, as a result of that, your father has now been rewarded with such a noble and good turn of fate. Now you have become blessed and your actions have borne fruits. You have delivered your father from the hell and so you have become an ornament in your family. Today your name and fame have extended to the Devaloka.”
20-30. Sûta said :-- O Risis! Hearing these words from the mouth of Nârada, the King Janamejaya became very much happy and delighted and fell prostrate at the feet of Vyâsa Deva of glorious deeds and said :-- O Best of Munis! By Thy Grace, today I have become blessed. Now what return can I pay to Thee save bowing down to Thee. I pray that Thou dost shew such favours to me ever and again. O Risis! Hearing these words of the King Janamejaya, Vâdarâyana Veda Vyâsa blessed him and spoke to him in sweet words :-- “O King! Now leave all other actions. Read always the Devî Bhâgavata and worship the Lotus Feet of S’rî Devî. Leave off all laziness and now perform the Devî Yajñâ with great eclât. And you will surely be able to cross this bondage of the world. True there are various Purânas, the Visnu Purâna, the S’iva Purâna, but those cannot compare with one sixteenth of this Devî Bhâgavatam. In fact, this Purâna is the Essence of all the Purânas. How can the other Purânas be compared with this, wherein is established the Devî Mûla Prakriti? Reading this Purâna from the beginning to the end yields the result of reading the Vedas. So the wise persons should try their best to study it always.” Thus saying to Janamejaya, Veda Vyâsa departed. Then the pure minded Dhaumya and the other Brâhmanas highly praised the Devî Bhâgavatam and went to their desired places. And the King Janamejaya, on the other hand, began to read and hear always the Devî Bhâgavatam and spent his days happily in governing his kingdom.
Here end the Thirteenth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the description of Janamejaya’s Devî Yajñâ in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
THE TWELFTH BOOK
Chapter XIV
On the recitation of the fruits of this Purânam
1-17. Sûta said :-- “O Risis! In days of yore, from the Lotus Face of the Devî Bhâgavata came out S’rî Mad Bhâgavatam in the form of half a S’loka, as the decided conclusion of the Vedas. About what She gave instructions to Visnu, sleeping on a leaf of a Banyan tree, that same thing, the seed of the S’rî Mad Bhâgavata, Brahmâ Himself expanded into
one hundred Koti s’lokas. Then, Veda Vyâsa, in order to teach his own son S’uka Deva, condensed them into eighteen thousand s’lokas, in Twelve Books and named it S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the present volume. That voluminous book comprising one hundred Koti s’lokas compiled by Brahmâ are still extant in the Deva loka. There is no Purâna like the Devî Bhâgavatam, so merit-giving, holy and capable to destroy all the sins. The reading of every line yields the fruits of performing many As’vamedha sacrifices. Human beings addicted to worldly affairs will get the merit of giving lands to the Brâhmanas and they will enjoy also all the pleasures of the world and in the end will go to the region of the Devî, if they can hear, after they have fasted and controlled their passions, the recitation of this Purânam from the mouth of a Paurânik Brâhmana, who has been worshipped and given clothings and ornaments and is considered as a second Veda Vyâsa. Or, if anybody writes the whole of the Devî Bhâgavatam with his own hand or gets it written by a writer from the beginning to the end and gives to a Paurânik Brâhmin the book placed in a box of the form of a lion made up of gold and a cow yielding milk with her calf with gold as his sacrificial fee; or if he feeds as many Brâhmanas as there are the number of chapters of the Devî Bhâgavatam and worship as many Kumârîs (virgin girls) with saffron, sandalpaste and ornaments and feeds them with Pâysânna, he gets the merits of giving lands and enjoys all the pleasures of the world and goes in the end to the region of the Devî. He has no want of anything who daily hears with rapt devotion this Devî Bhâgavatam. One who has no wealth gets abundance of wealth, those who are students get knowledge, one who has no sons, gets sons if one hears this Devî Bhâgavatam with true devotion. A barren woman, or one who bears still-born children or whose offsprings never live long or who bears only a single child, gets all her defects removed, if she hears this Devî Bhâgavatam with a steadfast devotion. The house where this Purâna is worshipped, Laksmî and Sarasvatî dwell there, leaving their animosities towards each other. By the influence of this Devî Bhâgavatam the Dâkinîs, Vetâlas, Râksasas, and other ghosts cannot cast a glance even on its devotee. If anybody gets fever and if the S’rî Devî Bhâgavatam be read touching him with a concentrated attention, all the complaints disappear. By reading this Bhâgavatam, one hundred times even more difficult than the severe disease pthisis is cured.
18-20. If after performing the Sandhyâ, one reads only one chapter of this Bhâgavatam with a collected mind, he soon acquires the Real Knowledge. O Muni S’aunaka! While going to read this Bhâgavatam, first examine omens and then read. I have spoken already on this subject. If during the S’âradîya Pûjâ (the autumnal Durgâ Pûjâ), at the
Navarâtra period, one reads with devotion this Bhâgavatam, the Devî Bhagavatî becomes greatly pleased and awards him results more than his desires.
21-31. During the Navarâtri period all can read well this book for the satisfaction of his Îsta Deva (his own deity) whether he be a Vaisnava, S’aiva, Saura, Gânapatya or a S’âkta. All can read this for the satisfaction of Laksmî, Umâ and other S’aktis. The Vaidik Brâhmanas are to recite this daily for the satisfaction of the Devî Gâyatrî. This Purânam is not contradictory to any sectarian belief. The reason of this being that to whatever deity he pays his worship, he must worship some S’akti or other, this is stated everywhere. So for the satisfaction of one’s own S’akti, all can read this, without contradicting each other. Never any woman nor any S’ûdra, is to read this herself or himself, even out of ignorance; rather they should hear this from the mouth of a Brâhmana. This is the rule of the S’âstras. (The vibrations and the consequent results would be truer then.) O Risis! What more to say on this book than this, that this Purânam is the most excellent of all and yields great merits. It is the essence of the Vedas. This I tell you with great certainty. There is not the least doubt in this. Reading or hearing this yields results equivalent to reading or hearing the Vedas. I now bow to the Devî of the nature of Hrîm and established by Gâyatrî, of the nature of Everlasting Existence, Intelligence and Bliss, Who stimulates our activities to the understanding of various subjects. Thus hearing the excellent words of Sûta, the great Paurânik, all the Munis of Naimisâranya worshipped him specially and as the result of hearing this Purânam glady became the servants of the Lotus Feet of the Devî and they attained the Highest Rest. The Munis expressed their humility and gratitude to Sûta frequently and bowed down to him again and again. And they said :-- “O Sûta! It is you that have saved us from this ocean of world.” Thus (the great Bhâgavata) Sûta, the bee drinking the honey of the Lotus Feet of the Devî, recited before the assemblage of the best of the Munis this Purânam from the beginning to the end, the Secret of all the Nigamas and full of the Glories of the Devî Bhagavatî. After this the Risis bowed down to him and he blessed and honoured them.
Then he went away to his desired place. Here the Devî Bhâgavatam ends and is fully completed.
THE END.
Here ends the Fourteenth Chapter of the Twelfth Book on the recitation of the fruits of this Purânam in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Here ends as well the Full Treatise, S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam.
Om. Om. Om. Om Tat Sat. Om Hari Om.
The S'rîmad Devî Bhâgawatam, part 2 of 2. 1921. Hermetic Cloud, https://hermeticcloud.com/library/vijnanananda-the-srimad-devi-bhagawatam-part-2/. Public-domain text reproduced in full; markup only.