सच्चिदानन्दलक्ष्यार्थरूपां तां ब्रह्मरूपिणीम् । आराधय परां शक्तिं प्रपञ्चोल्लासवर्जिताम्
Worship that supreme power, the embodiment of Brahman, whose nature is existence, consciousness, and bliss, free from the display of the universe.
तस्यां चित्तलयो यः स तस्या आराधनं स्मृतम् । राजन् राज्ञां पराशक्तिभक्तानां चरितं मया
Absorption of the mind in her is considered her worship; O king, I have narrated the deeds of royal devotees of the Supreme Power.
धार्मिकाणां सूर्यसोमवंशजानां मनस्विनाम् । पावनं कीर्तिदं धर्मबुद्धिदं सद्गतिप्रदम्
Of the righteous, of the solar and lunar dynasties, of the wise—purifying, fame-giving, dharma-bestowing, and granting the highest path.
कथितं पुण्यदं पश्चात्किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि । जनमेजय उवाच - गौरीलक्ष्मीसरस्वत्यो दत्ताः पूर्वं पराम्बया
I have told this sacred, merit-giving story; what else do you wish to hear? Janamejaya said: Gaurī, Lakṣmī, and Sarasvatī were previously given by the Supreme Mother—
हराय हरये तद्वन्नाभिपद्मोद्भवाय च । तुषाराद्रेश्च दक्षस्य गौरी कन्येति विश्रुतम्
To Hara, to Hari, and likewise to the one born from the lotus of the navel; it is well known that Gaurī is the daughter of the snowy mountain and of Dakṣa.
क्षीरोदधेश्च कन्येति महालक्ष्मीरिति स्मृतम् । मूलदेव्युद्भवानां च कथं कन्यात्वमन्ययोः
It is remembered that Mahālakṣmī is the daughter of the ocean of milk; but how did the daughters arise from the root goddess?
असम्भाव्यमिदं भाति संशयोऽत्र महामुने । छिन्धि ज्ञानासिना तं त्वं संशयच्छेदतत्परः
This seems impossible; there is doubt here, O great sage. Please cut it away with the sword of knowledge, being intent on dispelling doubt.
व्यास उवाच - शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि रहस्यं परमाद्भुतम् । देवीभक्तस्य ते किञ्चिदवाच्यं न हि विद्यते
Vyāsa said: Listen, O king, I will declare the most wondrous secret; for a devotee of the goddess, nothing is unspeakable.
देवीत्रयं यदा देवत्रयायादात्पराम्बिका । तदाप्रभृति ते देवाः सृष्टिकार्याणि चक्रिरे
When the Supreme Mother gave the three goddesses to the three gods, from that time onward, those gods undertook the work of creation.
कस्मिंश्चित्समये राजन् दैत्या हालाहलाभिधाः । महापराक्रमा जातास्त्रैलोक्यं तैर्जितं क्षणात्
At a certain time, O King, powerful demons known as Halahala arose; with their great might, they conquered the three worlds in an instant.
ब्रह्मणो वरदानेन दर्पिता रजताचलम् । रुरुधुर्निजसेनाभिस्तथा वैकुण्ठमेव च
Made arrogant by a boon from Brahma, they besieged Mount Kailasa with their own armies, and likewise even Vaikuntha.
कामारिः कैटभारिश्च युद्धोद्योगं च चक्रतुः । षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणामभूद्युद्धं महोत्कटम्
The enemy of desire and the slayer of Kaitabha prepared for battle; a fierce war ensued for six thousand years.
हाहाकारो महानासीद्देवदानवसेनयोः । महताथ प्रयत्नेन ताभ्यां ते दानवा हताः
A great tumult arose among the armies of gods and demons; with great effort, those two destroyed the demons.
स्वस्वस्थानेषु गत्वा तावभिमानं च चक्रतुः । स्वशक्त्योर्निकटे राजन् यद्वशादेव ते हताः
Having returned to their own abodes, they became proud, O King, not realizing that it was only by the power of their respective Shaktis that they had achieved victory.
अभिमानं तयोर्ज्ञात्वा छलहास्यं च चक्रतुः । महालक्ष्मीश्च गौरी च हास्यं दृष्ट्वा तयोस्तु तौ
Knowing their pride, the two goddesses made a display of trickery and laughter; seeing their laughter, Mahalakshmi and Gauri also laughed.
देवावतीव संकृद्धौ मोहितावादिमायया । दुरुत्तरं च ददतुरवमानपुरःसरम्
The gods became extremely angry and deluded by the goddess's maya; in their arrogance, they gave a harsh reply.
ततस्ते देवते तस्मिन्क्षणे त्यक्त्वा तु तौ पुनः । अन्तर्हिते चाभवतां हाहाकारस्तदा ह्यभूत्
Then, at that very moment, the goddesses left those two and disappeared; at that time, a great outcry arose.
निस्तेजस्कौ च निःशक्ती विक्षिप्तौ च विचेतनौ । अवमानात्तयोः शक्त्योर्जातौ हरिहरौ तदा
Deprived of energy and power, scattered and senseless, Hari and Hara were thus brought low by the withdrawal of their Shaktis.
ब्रह्मा चिन्तातुरो जातः किमेतत्समुपस्थितम् । प्रधानौ देवतामध्ये कथं कार्याक्षमावमू
Brahma became anxious, wondering, 'What is this that has happened? How have the chief gods among the deities become incapable of action?'
अकाण्डे किं निमित्तेन संकटं समुपस्थितम् । प्रलयो भविता किं वा जगतोऽस्य निरागसः
'Why has this calamity arisen without cause? Will there be a dissolution of this sinless world?'
निमित्तं नैव जानेऽहं कथं कार्या प्रतिक्रिया । इति चिन्तातुरोऽत्यर्थं दध्यौ मीलितलोचनः
'I do not know the reason, nor how to remedy the situation.' Thus, deeply troubled, he meditated with closed eyes.
पराशक्तिप्रकोपात्तु जातमेतदिति स्म ह । जानंस्तदा सावधानः पद्मजोऽभून्नृपोत्तम
Then, realizing that this had arisen from the wrath of the Supreme Shakti, the lotus-born Brahma became alert, O best of kings.
ततस्तयोश्च यत्कार्यं स्वयमेवाऽकरोत्तदा । स्वशक्तेश्च प्रभावेण कियत्कालं तपोनिधिः
Then, for some time, he himself performed the necessary tasks of those two, by the power of his own Shakti, O treasure of austerity.
ततस्तयोस्तु स्वस्त्यर्थं मन्वादीन्स्वसुतानथ । आह्वयामास धर्मात्मा सनकादींश्च सत्वरः
Afterwards, for their welfare, the righteous one quickly summoned his sons, beginning with Manu, and also Sanaka and the others.
उवाच वचनं तेभ्यः सन्नतेभ्यस्तपोनिधिः । कार्यासक्तोऽहमधुना तपः कर्तुं न च क्षमः
The ascetic, bowing to them, spoke these words: 'I am now engaged in work and unable to perform austerities.'
पराशक्तेस्तु तोषार्थं जगद्भारयुतोऽस्म्यहम् । शिवविष्णू च विक्षिप्तौ पराशक्तिप्रकोपतः
'For the satisfaction of the Supreme Shakti, I am burdened with the weight of the world; Shiva and Vishnu have been cast down by the wrath of the Supreme Shakti.'
तस्मात्तां परमां शक्तिं यूयं सन्तोषयन्त्वथ । अत्यद्भुतं तपः कृत्वा भक्त्या परमया युताः
Therefore, you should all propitiate that supreme Power, performing the most extraordinary austerity, endowed with utmost devotion.
यथा तौ पूर्ववृत्तौ च स्यात शक्तियुतावपि ां। तथा कुरुत मत्पुत्रा यशोवृद्धिर्भवेद्धि वः
So that those two, as in former times, may be endowed with power, do thus, my sons, and your fame will surely increase.
कुले यस्य भवेज्जन्म तयोः शक्त्योस्तु तत्कुलम् । पावयेज्जगतीं सर्वां कृतकृत्यं स्वयं भवेत्
In the family where the birth of those two powers takes place, that lineage sanctifies the entire world and itself attains fulfillment.
व्यास उवाच - पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा गताः सर्वे वनान्तरे । रिराधयिषवः सर्वे दक्षाद्या विमलान्तराः
Vyāsa said: Hearing the words of the Grandfather, all the pure-hearted ones, beginning with Dakṣa, went into the forest, intent on worship.