Devī Māhātmyam | Durgā Saptashatī | 4

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Chapter 4

॥ caturtho'dhyāyaḥ ||

oṃ ṛṣiruvāca ॥ 1||

The Rishi said:

śakrādayaḥ suragaṇā nihate'tivīrye
tasmindurātmani surāribale ca devyā ।
tāṃ tuṣṭuvuḥ praṇatinamraśirodharāṃsā
vāgbhiḥ praharṣapulakodgamacārudehāḥ ॥ 2||

1-2. When that most valiant but evil-natured Mahiṣāsura and the army of that foe of Devas were destroyed by the Devi,

Indra and the hosts of devas uttered their words of praise, their necks and shoulders reverently bent, and bodies rendered beautiful with horripilation and exultation.

devyā yayā tatamidaṃ jagadātmaśaktyā
niḥśeṣadevagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā ।
tāmambikāmakhiladevamaharṣipūjyāṃ
bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ ॥ 3||

3. 'To that Ambikā who is worthy of worship by all devas and sages and pervades this world by her power and who is the embodiment of the entire powers of all the hosts of devas, we bow in devotion.

May she grant us auspicious things!

yasyāḥ prabhāvamatulaṃ bhagavānananto
brahmā haraśca na hi vaktumalaṃ balaṃ ca ।
sā caṇḍikākhilajagatparipālanāya
nāśāya cāśubhabhayasya matiṃ karotu ॥ 4||

4. 'May Chaṇḍikā, whose incomparable greatness and power Bhagavan Vishnu, Brahma and Hara are unable to describe, bestow her mind on protecting the entire world and on destroying the fear of evil.

yā śrīḥ svayaṃ sukṛtināṃ bhavaneṣvalakṣmīḥ
pāpātmanāṃ kṛtadhiyāṃ hṛdayeṣu buddhiḥ ।
śraddhā satāṃ kulajanaprabhavasya lajjā
tāṃ tvāṃ natāḥ sma paripālaya devi viśvam ॥ 5||

5. ' O Devi, we bow before you, who are yourself good fortune in the dwellings of the virtuous, and ill-fortune in those of the vicious, intelligence in the hearts of the learned, faith in the hearts of the good, and modesty in the hearts of the high-born.

May you protect the universe!

kiṃ varṇayāma tava rūpamacintyametat
kiñcātivīryamasurakṣayakāri bhūri ।
kiṃ cāhaveṣu caritāni tavāti yāni
sarveṣu devyasuradevagaṇādikeṣu ॥ 6||

6. 'O Devi, how can we describe your inconceivable form, or your abundant surpassing valour that destroys the asuras, or your wonderful feats displayed in battles among all the hosts of gods, asuras and others?

hetuḥ samastajagatāṃ triguṇāpi doṣai-
rna jñāyase hariharādibhirapyapārā ।
sarvāśrayākhilamidaṃ jagadaṃśabhūta-
mavyākṛtā hi paramā prakṛtistvamādyā ॥ 7||

7. 'You are the origin of all the worlds! Though you are possessed of the three guṇas you are not known to have any of their attendant defects (like passion)!

You are incomprehensible even to Vishnu, Shiva and others! You are the resort of all!

this entire world is composed of an infinitesimal portion of yourself! You are verily the supreme primordial Prakriti untransformed.

yasyāḥ samastasuratā samudīraṇena
tṛptiṃ prayāti sakaleṣu makheṣu devi ।
svāhāsi vai pitṛgaṇasya ca tṛptihetu-
ruccāryase tvamata eva janaiḥ svadhā ca ॥ 8||

8. 'O Devi, you are Svāhā at whose utterance the whole assemblage of gods attains satisfaction in all the sacrifices.

You are the Svadhā which gives satisfaction to the manes. Therefore you are chanted (as Svāhā and Svadhā in Sacrifices) by people.

yā muktiheturavicintyamahāvratā tvaṃ
abhyasyase suniyatendriyatattvasāraiḥ ।
mokṣārthibhirmunibhirastasamastadoṣai-
rvidyāsi sā bhagavatī paramā hi devi ॥ 9||

9. 'O Devi, you are Bhagavatī, the supreme Vidyā which is the cause of liberation, and great inconceivable penance (are the means for your realization).

You (the supreme knowledge) are cultivated by sages desiring liberation, whose senses are well restrained, who are devoted to Reality, and have shed all the blemishes.

śabdātmikā suvimalagya irjuṣāṃ nidhāna-
mudgītharamyapadapāṭhavatāṃ ca sāmnām ।
devi trayī bhagavatī bhavabhāvanāya
vārtāsi sarvajagatāṃ paramāti irhantrī ॥ 10||

10. 'You are the soul of Śabda-Brahman. You are the repository of the very pure Ṛig-Veda and Yajus hymns, and of Sāmans, the recital of whose words is beautiful in the Udgītha!

You are Bhagavatī embodying the three Vedas. And you are the sustenance whereby life is maintained. You are the supreme destroyer of the pain of all the worlds.

medhāsi devi viditākhilaśāstrasārā
durgāsi durgabhavasāgaranaurasaṅgā ।
śrīḥ kaiṭabhārihṛdayaikakṛtādhivāsā
gaurī tvameva śaśimaulikṛtapratiṣṭhā ॥ 11||

11. 'O Devi, you are the Intellect, by which the essence of all scriptures is comprehended.

You are Durgā, the boat that takes men across the difficult ocean of worldly existence, devoid of attachments.

You are Shri who has invariably taken her abode in the heart of Vishnu. You are indeed Gauri who has established herself with Shiva.

īṣatsahāsamamalaṃ paripūrṇacandra-
bimbānukāri kanakottamakāntikāntam ।
atyadbhutaṃ prahṛtamāttaruṣā tathāpi
vaktraṃ vilokya sahasā mahiṣāsureṇa ॥ 12||

12. 'Gently smiling, pure, resembling the full moon's orb, beautiful like the splendour of excellent gold was your face! Yet it was very strange that, being swayed by anger, Mahiṣāsura suddenly struck your face when he saw it.

dṛṣṭvā tu devi kupitaṃ bhrukuṭīkarāla-
mudyacchaśāṅkasadṛśacchavi yanna sadyaḥ ।
prāṇān mumoca mahiṣastadatīva citraṃ
kairjīvyate hi kupitāntakadarśanena ॥ 13||

13. 'Far strange it is that after seeing your wrathful face, O Devi, terrible with its frowns and red in hue like the rising moon, that Mahiṣāsura did not forthwith give up his life!

For, who can live after beholding the enraged Destroyer?

devi prasīda paramā bhavatī bhavāya
sadyo vināśayasi kopavatī kulāni ।
vijñātametadadhunaiva yadastameta-
nnītaṃ balaṃ suvipulaṃ mahiṣāsurasya ॥ 14||

14. 'O Devi, be propitious. You are Supreme.

If enraged, you forthwith destroy the (asura) families for the welfare (of the world). This was known the very moment when the extensive forces of Mahiṣāsura were brought to their end.

te sammatā janapadeṣu dhanāni teṣāṃ
teṣāṃ yaśāṃsi na ca sīdati bandhuvargaḥ ।
dhanyāsta eva nibhṛtātmajabhṛtyadārā
yeṣāṃ sadābhyudayadā bhavatī prasannā ॥ 15||

15. 'You who are always bounteous, with whom you are well pleased, those (fortunate ones) are indeed the object of esteem in the country,

theirs are riches, theirs are glories, and their acts of righteousness perish not; they are indeed blessed and possessed of devoted children, servants and wives.

dhamyārṇi devi sakalāni sadaiva karmā-
ṇyatyādṛtaḥ pratidinaṃ sukṛtī karoti ।
svargaṃ prayāti ca tato bhavatī prasādā-
llokatraye'pi phaladā nanu devi tena ॥ 16||

16. 'By your grace, O Devi, the blessed individual does daily all righteous deeds with utmost care and thereby attains to heaven.

Are you not, therefore O Devi, the bestower of reward in all the three worlds?

durge smṛtā harasi bhītimaśeṣajantoḥ
svasthaiḥ smṛtā matimatīva śubhāṃ dadāsi ।
dāridraduḥkhabhayahāriṇi kā tvadanyā
sarvopakārakaraṇāya sadādraircittā ॥ 17||

17. 'When called to mind in a difficult pass, you remove fear for every person. When called to mind by those in happiness, you bestow a mind still further pious.

Which goddess but you, O Dispeller of poverty, pain and fear, has an ever sympathetic heart for helping everyone?

ebhirhatairjagadupaiti sukhaṃ tathaite
kurvantu nāma narakāya cirāya pāpam ।
saṅgrāmamṛtyumadhigamya divaṃ prayāntu
matveti nūnamahitānvinihaṃsi devi ॥ 18||

18. 'The world attains happiness by the killing of these (foes) and though these (asuras) have committed sins to keep them long in hell, let them reach heaven by meeting death eventually at the battle (with me)

- thinking thus, that you, O Devi, certainly destroy our enemies.

dṛṣṭvaiva kiṃ na bhavatī prakaroti bhasma
sarvāsurānariṣu yatprahiṇoṣi śastram ।
lokānprayāntu ripavo'pi hi śastrapūtā
itthaṃ matirbhavati teṣvahiteṣusādhvī ॥ 19||

19. 'Don't' you reduce to ashes all asuras by mere sight?

But you direct your weapons against them so that even the inimical ones, purified by the missiles, may attain the higher worlds. Such is your most kindly intention towards them.

khaḍgaprabhānikaravisphuraṇaistathograiḥ
śūlāgrakāntinivahena dṛśo'surāṇām ।
yannāgatā vilayamaṃśumadindukhaṇḍa-
yogyānanaṃ tava vilokayatāṃ tadetat ॥ 20||

20. 'If the eyes of the asuras had not been put out by the terrible flashes of the mass of light issuing from your sword or by the copious lustre of your spear-point,

it is because they saw also your face resembling the moon, giving out (cool) rays.

durvṛttavṛttaśamanaṃ tava devi śīlaṃ
rūpaṃ tathaitadavicintyamatulyamanyaiḥ ।
vīryaṃ ca hantṛ hṛtadevaparākramāṇāṃ
vairiṣvapi prakaṭitaiva dayā tvayettham ॥ 21||

21. 'O Devi, your nature is to subdue the conduct of the wicked; this your peerless beauty is inconceivable for others;

your power destroys those who have robbed Devas of their prowess, and you have thus manifested your compassion even towards the enemies.

kenopamā bhavatu te'sya parākramasya
rūpaṃ ca śatrubhayakāryatihāri kutra ।
citte kṛpā samaraniṣṭhuratā ca dṛṣṭā
tvayyeva devi varade bhuvanatraye'pi ॥ 22||

22. 'What is your prowess to be compared to? Where can one find this beauty (of yours) most charming, (yet) striking fear in enemies?

Compassion in heart and relentlessness in battle are seen, O Devi, O Bestower of boons, only in you in all the three worlds!

trailokyametadakhilaṃ ripunāśanena
trātaṃ tvayā samaramūrdhani te'pi hatvā ।
nītā divaṃ ripugaṇā bhayamapyapāstam
asmākamunmadasurāribhavaṃ namaste ॥ 23||

23. 'Through the destruction of the enemies all these three worlds have been saved by you.

Having killed them in the battle-front, you have led even those hosts of enemies to heaven, and you have dispelled our fear from the frenzied enemies of Devas. Salutation to you!

śūlena pāhi no devi pāhi khaḍgena cāmbike ।
ghaṇṭāsvanena naḥ pāhi cāpajyāniḥsvanena ca ॥ 24||

24. 'O Devi, protect us with your spear. O Ambikā, protect us with your sword, protect us by the sound of your bell and by the twang of your bow-string.

prācyāṃ rakṣa pratīcyāṃ ca caṇḍike rakṣa dakṣiṇe ।
bhrāmaṇenātmaśūlasya uttarasyāṃ tatheśvari ॥ 25||

25. 'O Chaṇḍikā, guard us in the east, in the west, in the north and in the south by the brandishing of your spear, O Īśvarī!

saumyāni yāni rūpāṇi trailokye vicaranti te ।
yāni cātyantaghorāṇi tai rakṣāsmāṃstathā bhuvam ॥ 26||

26. 'Protect us and the earth with those lovely forms of yours moving about in the three worlds, as also with your exceptionally terrible forms.

khaḍgaśūlagadādīni yāni cāstrāni te'mbike ।
karapallavasaṅgīni tairasmānrakṣa sarvataḥ ॥ 27||

27. 'O Ambikā, protect us on every side with your sword, spear and club and whatever other weapons your sprout-like (soft) hand has touched.'

ṛṣiruvāca ॥ 28||

The Rishi said:

evaṃ stutā surairdivyaiḥ kusumairnandanodbhavaiḥ ।
arcitā jagatāṃ dhātrī tathā gandhānulepanaiḥ ॥ 29||

bhaktyā samastaistridaśairdivyairdhūpaiḥ sudhūpitā ।
prāha prasādasumukhī samastān praṇatān surān ॥ 30||

28-30. Thus the supporter of the worlds was praised by Devas, worshipped with celestial flowers that blossomed in Nandana and with perfumes and unguents; and with devotion all of them offered her - heavenly incense.

Benignly serene in countenance she spoke to all obeisant devas:

devyuvāca ॥ 31||

The Devi said:

vriyatāṃ tridaśāḥ sarve yadasmatto'bhivāñchitam ॥ 32||

31-32. 'Choose all of you, O devas, whatever you desire of me. (Gratified immensely with these hymns, I grant it with great pleasure)'

devā ūcuḥ ॥ 33||

Devas said:

bhagavatyā kṛtaṃ sarvaṃ na kiñcidavaśiṣyate ॥ 34||

33-34. 'Since our enemy, this Mahiṣāsura, has been slain by Bhagavatī (i.e. you) everything has been accomplished, and nothing remains to be done.

yadayaṃ nihataḥ śatrurasmākaṃ mahiṣāsuraḥ ।
yadi cāpi varo deyastvayāsmākaṃ maheśvari ॥ 35||

35. 'And if a boon is to be granted to us by you, O Māheśvarī, whenever we think of you again, destroy our direct calamities.

saṃsmṛtā saṃsmṛtā tvaṃ no hiṃsethāḥ paramāpadaḥ ।
yaśca matyairḥ stavairebhistvāṃ stoṣyatyamalānane ॥ 36||

tasya vittaddhirvibhavairdhanadārādisampadām ।
vṛddhaye'smatprasannā tvaṃ bhavethāḥ sarvadāmbike ॥ 37||

36-37. 'O Mother of spotless countenance, and whatever mortal shall praise you with these hymns,

may you, who have become gracious towards us, be also for his increase in this wealth, wife, and other fortunes together with riches, prosperity and life, O Ambikā!'

ṛṣiruvāca ॥ 38||

The Rishi said:

iti prasāditā devairjagato'rthe tathātmanaḥ ।
tathetyuktvā bhadrakālī babhūvāntarhitā nṛpa ॥ 39||

38-39. O King, being thus propitiated by Devas for the sake of the world and for their own sake, Bhadrakālī said, 'Be it so' and vanished from their sight.

ityetatkathitaṃ bhūpa sambhūtā sā yathā purā ।
devī devaśarīrebhyo jagattrayahitaiṣiṇī ॥ 40||

40. Thus have I narrated, O King, how the Devi who desires the good of all the three worlds made her appearance of yore out of the bodies of Devas.

punaśca gaurīdehātsā samudbhūtā yathābhavat ।
vadhāya duṣṭadaityānāṃ tathā śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ ॥ 41||

rakṣaṇāya ca lokānāṃ devānāmupakāriṇī ।
tacchṛṇuṣva mayākhyātaṃ yathāvatkathayāmi te ॥ 42||

41-42. And again how, as a benefactress of Devas, she appeared in the form of Gauri for the slaying of wicked asuras as well as Śumbha and Niśumbha, and for the protection of worlds, listen as I relate it.

I shall tell it to you as it happened.

। hrīṃ oṃ ।
॥ svasti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye
śakrādistutirnāma caturtho'dhyāyaḥ ॥ 4॥

Here ends the fourth chapter of the Devi-Māhātmya in Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa during the period of Sāvarṇi, the Manu.