अरूपमद्वन्द्वमदृष्टगोचरं प्रभावमग्र्यं कथमंब वर्णये
O Mother, how can I describe your form, which is formless, without duality, beyond perception, and of supreme power?
प्रसीद मायामयि मन्त्राविग्रहे प्रसीद सर्वेश्वरि सर्वरूपिणि
Be gracious, O one made of maya, whose form is mantra; be gracious, O sovereign of all, O one of all forms.
भूयोभूयो नमस्कृत्य शरणं जगमुरञ्जसा
Again and again bowing down, they swiftly sought refuge in her.
वरेण च्छन्दयामास वरदाखिलदेहिनाम्
The bestower of boons to all embodied beings offered them a boon of their choosing.
दुर्धरं जीवितं देहि त्वां गताः शरणार्थिनः
Grant us the difficult-to-sustain life; we have come to you seeking refuge.
अचिरात्तव दास्यामि त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
Soon I shall give you the three worlds, with all that moves and is unmoving.
ये स्तोष्यन्ति च मां भक्त्या स्तवेनानेन मानवाः
Those humans who praise me with this hymn, with devotion,
विद्याविनयसंपन्ना नीरोगा दीर्घजीविनः
Endowed with knowledge and humility, free from disease, and long-lived they shall be.
इति लब्धवरा देवा देवेन्द्रो ऽपि महाबलः
Thus, having received the boon, the gods and even mighty Indra,
आमोदं परमं जग्मुस्तां विलोक्य मुहुर्मुहुः
Again and again, upon seeing her, experienced supreme delight.
आजगामाथ देवेशीं द्रष्टुकामो महर्षिभिः
Then, desiring to see the goddess of the gods, the great sages arrived.
शिवो ऽपि वृषमारूढः समायातो ऽखिलेश्वरीम्
Shiva too, mounted on his bull, came to the sovereign of all.
आययुस्तां महादेवीं सर्वे चाप्सरसां गणाः
All the hosts of Apsarases also came to that great goddess.
ब्रह्मणाथ समादिष्टो विश्वकर्मा विशांपतिः
Then, as instructed by Brahma, Vishvakarma, lord of artisans,
ततो भगवती दुर्गा सर्वमन्त्राधिदेवता
Thereupon, the blessed Goddess Durga, the presiding deity of all mantras,
ब्राहयाद्या मातरश्चैव स्वस्वभूतगणावृताः
And the Mothers, beginning with Brahmi, surrounded by their respective hosts,
भैरवाः क्षेत्रपालाश्च महाशास्ता गणाग्रणीः
Bhairavas, Kshetrapalas, and Mahashasta, leader of the hosts,
आगत्य ते महादेवीं तुष्टुवुः प्रणतास्तदा
Having arrived, they all bowed and praised the great goddess at that time.
गजाश्वरथशालाढ्यां राजवीथिविराजिताम्
Rich with elephant, horse, and chariot halls, adorned with royal avenues,
वेतालदासदासीनां गृहाणि रुचिराणि च
And the beautiful houses of Vetalas, servants, and maidservants,
शालाभिर्बहुभिर्युक्तं सभा भिरुषशोभितम्
Equipped with many halls, and splendid with assembly chambers,
मध्ये सिंहासनं दिव्यं चिन्तामणिवीनिर्मितम्
In the center was a divine lion-throne, fashioned from wish-fulfilling jewels.
विलोक्य चिन्तयामास ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Seeing this, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, began to ponder.
पुरस्यास्य प्रभावेण सर्वलोकाधिको भवेत्
By the power of this city, he would surpass all the worlds.
अनुकूलाङ्गनायुक्तमभिषिञ्चेदिति श्रुतिः
The Veda declares: 'He should be anointed with a favorable consort.'
वरो ऽस्यास्त्रिषु लोकेषु न चान्यः शङ्करादृते
Among the three worlds, no one but Shankara is worthy of her.
कल्माषी भस्मदिग्धाङ्गः श्मशानास्थिविभूषणः
He is dark, his limbs smeared with ash, adorned with bones from the cremation ground.
इति चिन्तयमानस्य ब्रह्मणो ऽग्रे महेश्वरः
As Brahma was thus reflecting, Maheshvara appeared before him.
दिव्यांबरधरः स्रग्वी दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनः
He wore divine garments, garlands, and was anointed with celestial fragrance.
प्रादुर्बभूव पुरतो जगन्मोहन रुपधृक्
He manifested before them, assuming a form that enchanted the universe.