On the churning of the ocean and on the appearing of Laksmî [ p. 965 ] 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 [ p. 966 ] 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 [ p. 967 ] 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 [ p. 968 ] 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, [ p. 969 ] 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.
On the Dhyânam and Stotra of Mahâ Laksmî [ p. 969 ] 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!
[ p. 970 ]
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- [ p. 971 ] 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!
[ p. 972 ]
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 [ p. 973 ] 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.
On the history of Svâhâ [ p. 973 ] 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.
[ p. 974 ]
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 [ p. 975 ] 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 [ p. 976 ] 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.
On the story of Svadhâ Devî in the discourse between Nârada and Nârâyana [ p. 976 ] 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 [ p. 977 ] 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. [ p. 978 ] 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 [ p. 979 ] 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.
On the anecdote of Daksinâ [ p. 979 ] 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 [ p. 980 ] 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), [ p. 981 ] 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 [ p. 982 ] 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 [ p. 983 ] 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.
[ p. 984 ]
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.
On the anecdote of Sasthî Devî [ p. 985 ] 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 [ p. 986 ] 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 [ p. 987 ] 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 [ p. 988 ] 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 [ p. 989 ] 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.
On Manasâ’s story [ p. 989 ] 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 [ p. 990 ] 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 [ p. 991 ] 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,
[ p. 992 ]
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.
On the anecdote of Manasâ [ p. 992 ] 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
[ p. 993 ]
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 [ p. 994 ] 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 [ p. 995 ] 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 [ p. 996 ] 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 [ p. 997 ] 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 [ p. 998 ] 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 [ p. 999 ] 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 [ p. 1000 ] 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.
On the anecdote of Surabhi [ p. 1000 ] 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 [ p. 1001 ] 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 [ p. 1002 ] 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.
On the Glory of S’akti [ p. 1002 ] 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
[ p. 1003 ]
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 [ p. 1004 ] 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 [ p. 1005 ] 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 [ p. 1006 ] 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 [ p. 1007 ] 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 [ p. 1008 ] 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.