प्रवृत्तिं कथयामास वाक्पतिस्तं प्रजापतिम्
The eloquent one narrated the situation to that lord of creatures.
ब्रह्मोवाच लक्ष्मीसमशचीभर्त्ता परस्त्रीलोलुपः सदा
Brahmā said: The husband of Śacī is equal to Lakṣmī, yet always lustful for other women.
गौतमस्याभिशापेन भगांगः सुरसंसदि
By Gautama's curse, Bhaga lost his eye in the assembly of the gods.
यः परस्त्रीषु निरतस्तस्य श्री वा कुतो यशः
He who is engrossed with other men's wives—how can he possess fortune or fame?
नैवेद्यं श्रीहरेरेव दत्तं दुर्वाससा च ते
The offering to Śrī Hari was given to you by Durvāsas.
क्व सा रम्भा सर्वभोग्या क्वाधुना त्वं श्रिया हतः
Where is Rambhā, who was enjoyed by all? Where are you now, deprived of fortune?
वेश्या सश्रीकमिच्छन्ती निःश्रीकं न च चञ्चला
A courtesan, desiring wealth, is fickle and never stays with one who is destitute.
यद्गतं तद्गतं वत्स निष्पन्नं न निवर्त्तते
Whatever has happened, my child, is accomplished and cannot be undone.
इत्युक्त्वा तं जगत्स्रष्टुः स्तोत्रं च कवचं ददौ
Having spoken thus, he gave him the hymn and protective charm of the Creator of the worlds.
स तैः सार्द्धं च गुरुणा ह्यजपन्मन्त्रमीप्सितम्
Together with his teacher and those others, he recited the desired mantra.
वर्षमेकं निराहारो भारते पुण्यदे शुभे
For one year, without food, he stayed in the sacred and auspicious land of Bhārata.
आगत्य तं हरिस्तस्मै वाञ्छितं च वरं ददौ
Hari came and granted him the boon he desired.
दत्त्वा जगाम वैकुण्ठमिन्द्रः क्षीरोदमेव च
After granting the boon, he departed to Vaikuṇṭha, and Indra returned to the ocean of milk.
सुरेश्वरोऽरिं जित्वा वै ह्यलभच्चामरावतीम्
The lord of the gods, having conquered his enemy, obtained Amarāvatī.
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्त्ते महापुराणे तृतीये गणपतिखण्डे नारदनारायणसंवादे शक्रलक्ष्मीप्राप्तिर्नामैकविंशतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter, named 'The Attainment of Lakṣmī by Śakra,' in the third section, Gaṇapati-khaṇḍa, of the glorious Brahma-vaivarta Mahāpurāṇa, in the dialogue between Nārada and Nārāyaṇa.
नारद उवाच महालक्ष्म्याश्च लक्ष्मीशस्तन्मे ब्रूहि तपोधन
Nārada said: O ascetic, tell me about Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, and Mahālakṣmī.
नारायण उवाच आविर्बभूव तत्रैव क्लिष्टं दृष्ट्वा हरिः स्वयम्
Nārāyaṇa said: Hari himself appeared there, seeing the afflicted one.
तमुवाच हृषीकेशो वरं वृणु यथेप्सितम्
Hṛṣīkeśa spoke to him: 'Choose the boon you desire.'
वरं दत्त्वा हृषीकेशः प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे
Having granted the boon, Hṛṣīkeśa began to speak further.
श्रीमधुसूदन उवाच परमैश्वर्य्यजनकं सर्वशत्रुविमर्दनम्
Śrī Madhusūdana said: This grants supreme prosperity and destroys all enemies.
ब्रह्मणे च पुरा दत्तं विष्टपे च जलप्लुते
Formerly, it was given to Brahmā during the deluge of the world.
बभूवुर्मनवः सर्वे सर्वैश्वर्ययुता यतः
All the Manus became endowed with all prosperity because of it.
पङ्क्तिश्छन्दश्च सा देवी स्वयं पद्मालया वरा यद्धृत्वा कवचं लोकः सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत्
That goddess, the bestower of boons, whose meter is Paṅkti, herself dwells in the lotus; whoever wears this armor becomes victorious everywhere.
मस्तकं पातु मे पद्मा कण्ठं पातु हरिप्रिया
May Padmā protect my head, and may the beloved of Hari protect my throat.
केशान्केशवकान्ता च कपालं कमलालया
May Keśava's beloved protect my hair, and Kamalālayā protect my skull.
ॐ श्रीं कमलवासिन्यै स्वाहा पृष्ठं सदाऽवतु पातु श्रीर्मम कङ्कालं बाहुयुग्मं च ते नमः
Om, Śrīṃ, Svāhā to Kamalavāsinī—may she always protect my back; may Śrī protect my skeleton; obeisance to you, may you protect both my arms.
ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं लक्ष्म्यै नमः पादौ पातु मे संततं चिरम्
Om, Hrīṃ, Śrīṃ, obeisance to Lakṣmī—may she always protect my feet for a long time.
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै स्वाहा सर्वाङ्गं पातु मे सदा
Om, Śrīṃ, Svāhā to Mahālakṣmī—may she always protect all my limbs.
इति ते कथितं वत्स सर्वसम्पत्करं परम्
Thus, O dear one, the supreme bestower of all prosperity has been told to you.
गुरुमभ्यर्च्य विधिवत्कवचं धारयेत्तु यः
Whoever, having duly worshipped the guru, wears this armor,