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,
महालक्ष्मीर्गृहं तस्य न जहाति कदाचन
Mahālakṣmī never abandons his household at any time.
इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा भजेल्लक्ष्मीं स मन्दधीः
He who worships Lakṣmī without knowing this armor is of dull intellect.
नारायण उवाच सन्तुष्टश्च जगन्नाथो जगतां हितकारणम्
Nārāyaṇa said: The Lord of the universe, being pleased, acts for the welfare of the worlds.
ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं नमो महालक्ष्म्यै स्वाहा
Om, Hrīṃ, Śrīṃ, Klīṃ, obeisance to Mahālakṣmī, Svāhā.
ध्यानं च सामवेदोक्तं गोपनीयं सुदुर्लभम्
The meditation described in the Sāma Veda is to be kept secret and is very rare.
श्वेतचम्पकवर्णाभां शतचन्द्रसमप्रभाम्
Her radiance is like white campaka flowers, and she shines like a hundred moons.
ईषद्धास्यप्रसन्नास्यां भक्तानुग्रहकारिकाम्
Her face is slightly smiling and gracious, and she acts for the blessing of devotees.
शान्तां च श्रीहरेः कान्तां तां भजेज्जगतां प्रसूम्
She is peaceful, the beloved of Śrī Hari, the mother of the worlds—her I worship.
ध्यानेनानेन देवेन्द्रो ध्यात्वा लक्ष्मीं मनोहराम्
By this meditation, O Indra, he meditated upon Lakshmi, the enchanting one.
स्तुत्वाऽनेन स्तवेनैव वक्ष्यमाणेन वासव
Having praised her with this very hymn, which I shall now speak, O Vasava,