Devī Māhātmyam | Durgā Saptashatī | 11
CHAPTER 11
Hymn to Nārāyaṇī
॥ ekādaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca ॥ 1||
The Rishi said:
devyā hate tatra mahāsurendre
sendrāḥ surā vahnipurogamāstām ।
kātyāyanīṃ tuṣṭuvuriṣṭalābhād
vikāśivaktrābjavikāśitāśāḥ ॥ 2||
1-2. When the great lord of asuras was slain there by the Devi, Indra and other devas led by Agni, with their object fulfilled and their cheerful faces illumining the quarters, praised her, Kātyāyanī:
Devas said:
devi prapannārtihare prasīda
prasīda mātarjagato'khilasya ।
prasīda viśveśvari pāhi viśvaṃ
tvamīśvarī devi carācarasya ॥ 3||
3. 'O Devi, you who remove the sufferings of your suppliants, be gracious. Be propitious, O Mother of the whole world. Be gracious, O Mother of the universe. Protect the universe. You are, O Devi, the ruler of all that is moving and unmoving.
ādhārabhūtā jagatastvamekā
mahīsvarūpeṇa yataḥ sthitāsi ।
apāṃ svarūpasthitayā tvayaita-
dāpyāyate kṛtsnamalaṅghyavīrye ॥ 4||
4. 'You are the sole substratum of the world, because you subsist in the form of the earth. By you, who exist in the shape of water, all this (universe) is gratified, O Devi of inviolable valour!
tvaṃ vaiṣṇavīśaktiranantavīryā
viśvasya bījaṃ paramāsi māyā ।
sammohitaṃ devi samastametat
tvaṃ vai prasannā bhuvi muktihetuḥ ॥ 5||
5. 'You are the power of Vishnu, and have endless valour. You are the primeval māyā, which is the source of the universe; by you all this (universe) has been thrown into an illusion. O Devi. If you become gracious, you become the cause of final emancipation in this world.
vidyāḥ samastāstava devi bhedāḥ
striyaḥ samastāḥ sakalā jagatsu ।
tvayaikayā pūritamambayaitat
kā te stutiḥ stavyaparāparoktiḥ ॥ 6||
6. 'All lords are your aspects O Devi; so are all women in the world, endowed with various attributes.
By you alone, the Mother, this world is filled. What praise can there be for you who are of the nature of primary and secondary expression regarding (objects) worthy of praise?
sarvabhūtā yadā devī bhuktimuktipradāyinī ।
tvaṃ stutā stutaye kā vā bhavantu paramoktayaḥ ॥ 7||
7. 'When you have been lauded as the embodiment of all beings, the Devi (the effulgent one), and bestower of the enjoyment and liberation, what words, however excellent, can praise you?
sarvasya buddhirūpeṇa janasya hṛdi saṃsthite ।
svargāpavargade devi nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 8||
8. 'Salutation be to you, O Devi Nārāyaṇī,
O you who abide as intelligence in the hearts of all creatures, and bestow enjoyment and liberation.
kalākāṣṭhādirūpeṇa pariṇāmapradāyini ।
viśvasyoparatau śakte nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 9||
9. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who, in the form of minutes, moments and other divisions of time, bring about change in things, and have (thus) the power to destroy the universe.
sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike ।
śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 10||
10. 'Salutation be to you O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who are the good of all good, O auspicious Devi, who accomplish every object, the giver of refuge, O three eyed Gauri!
sṛṣṭisthitivināśānāṃ śaktibhūte sanātani ।
guṇāśraye guṇamaye nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 11||
11. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
you who have the power of creation, sustentation and destruction and are eternal. You are the substratum and embodiment of the three gunas.
śaraṇāgatadīnārtaparitrāṇaparāyaṇe ।
sarvasyārtihare devi nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 12||
12. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who are intent on saving the dejected and distressed that take refuge under YOU. O you, Devi, who remove the sufferings of all!
haṃsayuktavimānasthe brahmāṇīrūpadhāriṇi ।
kauśāmbhaḥkṣarike devi nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 13||
13. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who ride in the heavenly chariot yoked with swans and assume the form of Brahmāṇī, O Devi, who sprinkle water with Kuśa grass.
triśūlacandrāhidhare mahāvṛṣabhavāhini ।
māheśvarīsvarūpeṇa nārāyaṇi namo'stute ॥ 14||
14. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who bear the trident, the moon and the serpent, and ride a big bull, and have the form of Maheśvarī.
mayūrakukkuṭavṛte mahāśaktidhare'naghe ।
kaumārīrūpasaṃsthāne nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 15||
15. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who are attended by peacock and cock, and bear a great spear. O you, who are sinless and take the form of Kaumārī.
śaṅkhacakragadāśārṅgagṛhītaparamāyudhe ।
prasīda vaiṣṇavīrūpe nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 16||
16. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who hold the great weapons of conch, discus, club and bow, and take the form of Vaiṣṇavī, be gracious.
gṛhītogramahācakre daṃṣṭroddhṛtavasundhare ।
varāharūpiṇi śive nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 17||
17. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who grasp a huge formidable discus, and uplift the earth with thy tusk, O auspicious Devi, who has a boar-like form.
nṛsiṃharūpeṇogreṇa hantuṃ daityān kṛtodyame ।
trailokyatrāṇasahite nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 18||
18. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who, in the fierce form of a man-lion, put forth your efforts to sly the Daityas, O you who possess the benevolence of saving the three worlds.
kirīṭini mahāvajre sahasranayanojjvale ।
vṛtraprāṇahare caindri nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 19||
19. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
you who have a diadem and a great thunderbolt, are dazzling with a thousand eyes, and took away the life of Vṛtra, O Aindrī!
śivadūtīsvarūpeṇa hatadaityamahābale ।
ghorarūpe mahārāve nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 20||
20. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who in the form of Śivadūtī slew the mighty hosts of the Daitya, O you of terrible form and loud throat!
daṃṣṭrākarālavadane śiromālāvibhūṣaṇe ।
cāmuṇḍe muṇḍamathane nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 21||
21. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who have a face terrible with tusks, and are adorned with a garland of heads, Chāmuṇḍā, O slayer of Muṇḍa!
lakṣmi lajje mahāvidye śraddhe puṣṭi svadhe dhruve ।
mahārātri mahāmāye nārāyaṇi namo'stu te ॥ 22||
22. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who are good fortune, modesty, great wisdom, faith, nourishment and Svadhā, O you who are immovable O you, great Night and great Illusion.
medhe sarasvati vare bhūti bābhravi tāmasi ।
niyate tvaṃ prasīdeśe nārāyaṇi namo'stute ॥ 23||
23. 'Salutation be to you, O Nārāyaṇī,
O you who are intelligence and Sarasvatī, O best one, prosperity, consort of Vishnu, dark one, nature, be propitious.
sarvasvarūpe sarveśe sarvaśaktisamanvite ।
bhayebhyastrāhi no devi durge devi namo'stu te ॥ 24||
24. 'O Queen of all, you who exist in the form of all, and possess every might, save us from error, O Devi. Salutation be to you, Devi Durgā!
etatte vadanaṃ saumyaṃ locanatrayabhūṣitam ।
pātu naḥ sarvabhūtebhyaḥ kātyāyani namo'stu te ॥ 25||
25. 'May this benign countenance of yours adorned with three eyes, protect us from all fears. Salutation be to you, O Kātyāyanī!
jvālākarālamatyugramaśeṣāsurasūdanam ।
triśūlaṃ pātu no bhīterbhadrakāli namo'stu te ॥ 26||
26. 'Terrible with flames, exceedingly sharp destroyer of all the asuras, may your trident guard us from fear. salutation be to you, O Bhadrakālī!
hinasti daityatejāṃsi svanenāpūrya yā jagat ।
sā ghaṇṭā pātu no devi pāpebhyo naḥ sutāniva ॥ 27||
27. 'May your bell that fills the world with its ringing, and destroys the prowess of the Daityas, guard us, O Devi, as a mother protects her children, from all evils.
asurāsṛgvasāpaṅkacarcitaste karojjvalaḥ ।
śubhāya khaḍgo bhavatu caṇḍike tvāṃ natā vayam ॥ 28||
28. 'May your sword, smeared with the mire like blood and fat of asuras, and gleaming with rays, be for our welfare, O Chaṇḍikā, we bow to you.
rogānaśeṣānapahaṃsi tuṣṭā
ruṣṭā tu kāmān sakalānabhīṣṭān ।
tvāmāśritānāṃ na vipannarāṇāṃ
tvāmāśritā hyāśrayatāṃ prayānti ॥ 29||
29. 'When satisfied, you destroy all illness but when wrathful you (frustrate) all the longed-for desires. No calamity befalls men who have sought you. Those who have sought you become verily a refuge of others.
etatkṛtaṃ yatkadanaṃ tvayādya
dharmadviṣāṃ devi mahāsurāṇām ।
rūpairanekairbahudhātmamūrtiṃ
kṛtvāmbike tatprakaroti kānyā ॥ 30||
30. 'This slaughter that you, O Devi, multiplying your won form into many, have now wrought on the great asuras who hate righteousness, O Ambikā, which other (goddess) can do that work?
vidyāsu śāstreṣu vivekadīpe-
ṣvādyeṣu vākyeṣu ca kā tvadanyā ।
mamatvagarte'timahāndhakāre
vibhrāmayatyetadatīva viśvam ॥ 31||
31. 'Who is there except you in the sciences, in the scriptures, and in the Vedic sayings the light the lamp of discrimination?
(Still) you cause this universe to whirl about again and again within the dense darkness of the depths of attachment.
rakṣāṃsi yatrograviṣāśca nāgā
yatrārayo dasyubalāni yatra ।
dāvānalo yatra tathābdhimadhye
tatra sthitā tvaṃ paripāsi viśvam ॥ 32||
32. 'Where rākṣasas and snakes of virulent poison (are), where foes and hosts of robbers (exist), where forest conflagrations (occur), there and in the mid-sea, you stand and save world.
viśveśvari tvaṃ paripāsi viśvaṃ
viśvātmikā dhārayasīha viśvam ।
viśveśavandyā bhavatī bhavanti
viśvāśrayā ye tvayi bhaktinamrāḥ ॥ 33||
33. 'O Queen of the universe, you protect the universe. As the self of the universe, you support the universe.
You are the (goddess) worthy to be adored by the Lord of the universe. Those who bow in devotion to you themselves become the refuge of the universe.
devi prasīda paripālaya no'ribhīte-
rnityaṃ yathāsuravadhādadhunaiva sadyaḥ ।
pāpāni sarvajagatāṃ praśamaṃ nayāśu
utpātapākajanitāṃśca mahopasargān ॥ 34||
34. 'O Devi, be pleased and protect us always from fear of foes, as you have done just now by the slaughter of asuras. And destroy quickly the sins of all worlds and the great calamities which have sprung from the maturing of evil portents.
praṇatānāṃ prasīda tvaṃ devi viśvārtihāriṇi ।
trailokyavāsināmīḍye lokānāṃ varadā bhava ॥ 35||
35. 'O Devi you who remove the afflictions of the universe, be gracious to us who have bowed to you. O you worthy of adoration by the dwellers of the three worlds, be boon-giver to the worlds.'
devyuvāca ॥ 36||
The Devi said:
varadāhaṃ suragaṇā varaṃ yanmanasecchatha ।
taṃ vṛṇudhvaṃ prayacchāmi jagatāmupakārakam ॥ 37||
36-37. 'O Devas, I am prepared to bestow a boon. Choose whatever boon you desire in your mind, for the welfare of the world. I shall grant it.'
devā ūcuḥ ॥ 38||
Devas said:
sarvābādhāpraśamanaṃ trailokyasyākhileśvari ।
evameva tvayā kāryamasmadvairivināśanam ॥ 39||
38-39. ' O Queen of all, this same manner, you must destroy all our enemies and all the afflictions of three worlds.
devyuvāca ॥ 40||
The Devi said:
vaivasvate'ntare prāpte aṣṭāviṃśatime yuge ।
śumbho niśumbhaścaivānyāvutpatsyete mahāsurau ॥ 41||
40-41. 'When the twenty-eighth age has arrived during the period of Vaivasvata Manu, two other great asuras, Śumbha and Niśumbha will be born.
nandagopagṛhe jātā yaśodāgarbhasambhavā ।
tatastau nāśayiṣyāmi vindhyācalanivāsinī ॥ 42||
42. 'Then born from the womb of Yaśodā, in the home of cowherd Nanda, and dwelling on the Vindhya mountains, I will destroy them both.
punarapyatiraudreṇa rūpeṇa pṛthivītale ।
avatīrya haniṣyāmi vaipracittāṃśca dānavān ॥ 43||
43. 'And again having incarnated in a very terrible form on the earth, I shall slay the Dānavas, who are the descendants of Vipracitti.
bhakṣayantyāśca tānugrān vaipracittān mahāsurān ।
raktā dantā bhaviṣyanti dāḍimīkusumopamāḥ ॥ 44||
44. 'When I shall devour the fierce and great asuras descended from Vipracitti, my teeth shall become red like the flower of pomegranate.
tato māṃ devatāḥ svarge martyaloke ca mānavāḥ ।
stuvanto vyāhariṣyanti satataṃ raktadantikām ॥ 45||
45. 'Therefore when devas in heaven and men on the earth praise me, shall always talk of me as the 'Red-toothed.'
bhūyaśca śatavārṣikyāmanāvṛṣṭyāmanambhasi ।
munibhiḥ saṃsmṛtā bhūmau sambhaviṣyāmyayonijā ॥ 46||
46. 'And again when rain shall fail for a period of hundred years, propitiated by the munis I shall be born on the drought-ridden earth, but not womb-begotten.
tataḥ śatena netrāṇāṃ nirīkṣiṣyāmyahaṃ munīn ।
kīrtayiṣyanti manujāḥ śatākṣīmiti māṃ tataḥ ॥ 47||
47. 'Then I shall behold the munis with a hundred eyes and so mankind shall glorify me as the 'hundred-eyed.'
tato'hamakhilaṃ lokamātmadehasamudbhavaiḥ ।
bhariṣyāmi surāḥ śākairāvṛṣṭeḥ prāṇadhārakaiḥ ॥ 48||
48. 'At that time, O devas, I shall maintain the whole world with life -sustaining vegetables, born out of my own (cosmic) body, till rains set in.
śākambharīti vikhyātiṃ tadā yāsyāmyahaṃ bhuvi ।
tatraiva ca vadhiṣyāmi durgamākhyaṃ mahāsuram ॥ 49||
49. 'I shall be famed on the earth then as Śākambharī. At that very period I shall slay the great asura named Durgama.
durgādevīti vikhyātaṃ tanme nāma bhaviṣyati ।
punaścāhaṃ yadā bhīmaṃ rūpaṃ kṛtvā himācale ॥ 50||
rakṣāṃsi bhakṣayiṣyāmi munīnāṃ trāṇakāraṇāt ।
tadā māṃ munayaḥ sarve stoṣyantyānamramūrtayaḥ ॥ 51||
bhīmādevīti vikhyātaṃ tanme nāma bhaviṣyati ।
yadāruṇākhyastrailokye mahābādhāṃ kariṣyati ॥ 52||
tadāhaṃ bhrāmaraṃ rūpaṃ kṛtvāsaṅkhyeyaṣaṭpadam ।
trailokyasya hitārthāya vadhiṣyāmi mahāsuram ॥ 53||
50-53. 'Thereby I shall have the celebrated name of Durgā Devī and again, assuming a terrible form on the mountain Himalaya, I shall destroy the rākṣasas for the protection of the munis.
Then all the munis, bowing their bodies reverently, shall praise me, and thereby I shall have the celebrated name of Bhīmā Devī.
When the (asura) named Aruṇā shall work great havoc in the three worlds, having taken a (collective) bee-form, consisting of innumerable bees, I shall slay the great asura for the good of the world.
bhrāmarīti ca māṃ lokāstadā stoṣyanti sarvataḥ ।
itthaṃ yadā yadā bādhā dānavotthā bhaviṣyati ॥ 54||
tadā tadāvatīryāhaṃ kariṣyāmyarisaṅkṣayam ॥ 55||
54-55. 'And then people shall laud me everywhere as Bhrāmarī.
Thus whenever trouble arises due to the advent of the Dānavas, I shall incarnate and destroy the foes.'
॥ svasti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye nārāyaṇīstutirnāmaikādaśo'dhyāyaḥ ॥ 11॥
Here ends the eleventh chapter called 'Hymn to Nārāyaṇī' of Devi-Māhātmyam in Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, during the period of Sāvarṇi, the Manu