वरदानं महादेव्या गर्गाचार्यसुखावहम् । श्रुत्वा सभार्यः संप्रीतः परं मुदमथागमत्
Hearing of the boon granted by the great Goddess, which brought happiness to Garga the teacher, he, together with his wife, became filled with joy.
तदारभ्य परं जाने देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । अधुनापि हि देवर्षे श्रुतं तव मुखांबुजात्
From that time onward, O divine sage, I have known the supreme glory of the Goddess, which even now I have heard from your lotus mouth.
अतो भागवतं देव्यास्त्वमेव श्रावय प्रभो । मद्भाग्यादेव देवर्षे संप्राप्तोऽसि दयानिधे
Therefore, O Lord, you alone should recite the Bhāgavata of the Goddess; by my good fortune, O ocean of compassion, you have come to me, O divine sage.
वसुदेववचः श्रुत्वा नारदः प्रीतमानसः । सुदिने शुभनक्षत्रे कथारंभमथाकरोत्
Hearing Vasudeva’s words, Nārada, his mind delighted, began the narration on an auspicious day under a favorable star.
कथाविघ्नविघातार्थं द्विजा जेपुर्नवाक्षरम् । मार्कण्डेयपुराणोक्तं पेठुर्देव्याः स्तवं तथा
To remove obstacles to the narration, the twice-born recited the nine-syllabled mantra and also the hymn to the Goddess as spoken in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa.
प्रथमस्कंधमारभ्य श्रीनारदमुखोद्गतम् । शुश्राव वसुदेवश्व भक्त्या भागवतामृतम्
Beginning with the first Skandha, Vasudeva listened with devotion to the nectar of the Bhāgavata as it flowed from the mouth of Śrī Nārada.
नवमेऽह्नि कथापूर्तौ पुस्तकं वाचकं तथा । प्रसन्न: पूजयामास वसुदेवो महामनाः
On the ninth day, when the narration was completed, Vasudeva, of noble mind, worshipped the book and the reciter with satisfaction.
अथ तत्र बिलस्यांतः कृष्णजांबवतोर्मृधे । कृष्णमुष्टिविनिष्पातश्लथाङ्गो जांबवानभूत्
Then, within the cave, in the battle between Krishna and Jāmbavat, Jāmbavat became weakened in body from Krishna’s blows.
अथागतस्मृतिः सो हि भगवंतं प्रणम्य च । उवाच परया भक्त्या स्वापराधं क्षमापयन्
Regaining his memory, he bowed to the Blessed Lord and, with deep devotion, begged forgiveness for his offense.
ज्ञातोऽसि रघुवर्यस्त्वं यद्रोषात्सरितां पतिः । क्षोभं जगाम लंकां च रावणः सानुगो हतः
I have recognized you as the best of the Raghus, who, out of anger, agitated the lord of rivers and destroyed Rāvaṇa with his followers in Laṅkā.
स एवासि भवान्कृष्ण मद्दौरात्म्यं क्षमस्व भोः । ब्रूहि यत्करणीयं मे भृत्योऽहं तव सर्वथा
You are that same one, now as Krishna; forgive my wrongdoing, O Lord. Tell me what I must do—I am always your servant.
श्रुत्वा जांबवतो वाचमब्रवीज्जगदीश्वरः । मणिहेतोरिह प्राप्ता वयमृक्षपते बिलम्
Hearing Jāmbavat’s words, the Lord of the universe said: 'O king of bears, we have come to this cave for the sake of the jewel.'
द्विजा भार्यया सहितं कृष्णं देवर्षिर्नारदश्वाथ ऋक्षराजस्ततः प्रीत्या कन्यां जाम्बवतीं निजाम्। ददौ कृष्णाय संपूज्य स्यमंतकमणिं तथा
Then, with his wife, the divine sage Nārada and Krishna, the king of bears joyfully gave his own daughter Jāmbavatī to Krishna, honoring him, and also gave the Syamantaka jewel.
स तां पत्नीं समादाय मणिं कंठे तथा दधत् । अभिमंत्र्यर्क्षराजञ्च प्रतस्थे द्वारकां प्रति
Taking her as his wife and placing the jewel on his neck, Krishna, after respectfully bidding farewell to the king of bears, set out for Dvārakā.
कथासमाप्तिदिवसे वसुदेव उदारधीः । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयामास दक्षिणाभिरतोषयत्
On the day the narration was completed, Vasudeva, noble-minded, fed the brāhmaṇas and satisfied them with gifts.
आशीर्वादं प्रयुञ्जाना द्विजा यत्समये हरिः । आजगाम क्षणे तस्मिन्पत्न्या सह मणिं दधत्
As the brāhmaṇas were bestowing blessings at that moment, Hari arrived, wearing the jewel and accompanied by his wife.
भार्यया सहितं कृष्णं वसुदेवपुरोगमाः । दृष्ट्वा हर्षाश्रुपूर्णाक्षाः समवापुः परां मुदम्
Seeing Krishna together with his wife, with Vasudeva at the forefront, their eyes filled with tears of joy, they attained supreme happiness.
देवर्षिर्नारदश्चाथ कृष्णागमनहर्षितः । आमंत्र्य वसुदेवं च कृष्णो ब्रह्मसभां ययौ
Then the divine sage Narada, delighted by Krishna's arrival, after greeting Vasudeva, Krishna went to the assembly of Brahma.
हरिचरितमिदं यत्कीर्तितं दुर्यशोघ्नं पठति विमलभक्त्या शुद्धचित्तः शृणोति । स भवति सुखपूर्णः सर्वदा सिद्धिकामो जगति च वपुषोऽन्ते मुक्तिमार्गं लभेच्च
Whoever, with pure devotion and a purified mind, recites or listens to this account of Hari, which destroys evil reputation, always becomes filled with happiness, attains success in all desires in the world, and at the end of the body, obtains the path of liberation.
अध्यायः ३ सूत उवाच। अथेतिहासमन्यच्च शृणुध्वं मुनिसत्तमाः । देवीभागवतस्यास्य माहात्म्यं यत्र गीयते
Sūta said: Now, O best of sages, listen also to another ancient tale, where the greatness of this Devī Bhāgavata is sung.
एकदा कुंभयोनिस्तु लोपामुद्रापतिर्मुनिः । गत्वा कुमारमभ्यर्च्य पप्रच्छ विविधाः कथाः
Once, the sage who was the husband of Lopāmudrā, born from a pot, having worshipped Kumāra, asked him various stories.
स तस्मै भगवान्स्कन्दः कथयामास भूरिशः । दानतीर्थव्रतादीनां माहात्म्योपचिताः कथाः
Then the blessed Skanda told him many stories, filled with the greatness of charity, sacred places, and vows.
वाराणस्याश्च माहात्म्यं मणिकर्णीभवं तथा । गंगायाश्चापि तीर्थानां वर्णितं बहुविस्तरम्
He also described in great detail the glory of Vārāṇasī, the origin of Maṇikarṇikā, and the holy places of the Gaṅgā.
श्रुत्वाथ स मुनिः प्रीतः कुमारं भूरिवर्चसम् । पुनः पप्रच्छ लोकानां हितार्थं कुंभसंभवः
Having heard this, the sage, pleased, again questioned Kumāra, radiant with great splendor, for the welfare of the worlds.
अगस्त्य उवाच। भगवंस्तारकाराते देवीभागवतस्य तु । माहात्म्यश्रवणे तस्य विधिं चापि वद प्रभो
Agastya said: O Lord, slayer of Tāraka, please tell me the procedure for hearing the greatness of the Devī Bhāgavata.
देवीभागवतं नाम पुराणं परमोत्तमम् । त्रैलोक्यजननी साक्षाद्गीयते यत्र शाश्वती
This Purāṇa called Devī Bhāgavata is supremely excellent, in which the eternal Mother of the three worlds is directly praised.
स्कन्द उवाच। श्रीभागवतमाहात्म्यं को वक्तुं विस्तरात्क्षमः । शृणु संक्षेपतो ब्रह्मन्कथयिष्यामि सांप्रतम्
Skanda said: Who is able to describe in detail the greatness of the Śrī Bhāgavata? Listen, O Brahman, I will now tell you briefly.
या नित्या सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी जगदम्बिका । साक्षात्समाश्रिता यत्र भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी
She who is eternal, of the nature of existence, consciousness, and bliss, the Mother of the universe, is directly present there, bestowing enjoyment and liberation.
अतस्तद्वाङ्मयी मूर्तिर्देवीभागवते मुने । पठनाच्छ्रवणाद्यस्य न किंचिदिह दुर्लभम्
Therefore, O sage, the Devī Bhāgavata is the very embodiment of Her speech; by reading or hearing it, nothing in this world is difficult to obtain.
आसीद्विवस्वतः पुत्रः श्राद्धदेव इति श्रुतः । सोऽनपत्योऽकरोदिष्टिं वसिष्ठानुमतो नृपः
There was a son of Vivasvat known as Śrāddhadeva; being childless, the king performed a sacrifice as instructed by Vasiṣṭha.