पृष्टो दक्षेण स मुनिर्माला कस्यास्त्यलौकिकी । कथं लब्धा त्वया नाथ दुर्लभा भुवि मानवैः
Dakṣa asked the sage, 'Whose is this otherworldly garland? How did you obtain it, O lord, so rare among mortals on earth?'
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य प्रोवाचाश्रुयुतेक्षणः । देव्याः प्रसादमतुलं प्रेमगद्गदितान्तरः
Hearing his words, with tears in his eyes, the sage replied, his heart choked with love, about the incomparable grace of the Goddess.
प्रार्थयामास तां मालां तं मुनिं स सतीपिता । अदेयं शक्तिभक्ताय नास्ति त्रैलोक्यमण्डले
Her father, the sage, requested that garland from her, saying, 'For a devotee of Śakti, there is nothing unattainable in the three worlds.'
इति बुद्ध्या तु तां मालां मनवे स समर्पयत् । गृहीता शिरसा माला मनुना निजमन्दिरे
With this thought, he offered that garland to Manu; Manu received the garland upon his head and took it to his own house.
स्थापिता शयनं यत्र दम्पत्योरतिसुन्दरम् । पशुकर्मरतो रात्रौ मालागन्धेन मोदितः
He placed it where the beautiful bed of the couple was; engaged in household duties at night, he was delighted by the fragrance of the garland.
अभवत्स महीपालस्तेन पापेन शङ्करे । शिवे द्वेषमतिर्जातो देव्यां सत्यां तथा नृप
Because of that sin against Śaṅkara, the king developed a hostile mind toward Śiva, and likewise toward Satī, the true goddess.
राजंस्तेनापराधेन तज्जन्यो देह एव च । सत्या योगाग्निना दग्धः सतीधर्मदिदृक्षया
Because of that offense, O King, his body was burned by the fire of Satī’s yogic power, out of her desire to uphold the dharma of Satī.
पुनश्च हिमवत्पृष्ठे प्रादुरासीत्तु तन्महः । जनमेजय उवाच - दह्यमाने सतीदेहे जाते किमकरोच्छिवः
Again, on the slopes of the Himalayas, that great radiance manifested; Janamejaya said: 'When Satī’s body was burning, what did Śiva do?'
प्राणाधिका सती तस्य तद्वियोगेन कातरः । व्यास उवाच - ततः परं तु यज्जातां मया वक्तुं न शक्यते
Satī was dearer to him than life; separated from her, he was distraught. Vyāsa said: 'What happened next, I am unable to describe.'
त्रैलोक्यप्रलयो जातः शिवकोपाग्निना नृप । वीरभद्रः समुत्पन्नो भद्रकालीगणान्वितः
A dissolution of the three worlds occurred from the fire of Śiva’s wrath, O King; Vīrabhadra arose, accompanied by the hosts of Bhadrakālī.
त्रैलोक्यनाशनोद्युक्तो वीरभद्रो यदाभवत् । ब्रह्मादयस्तदा देवां शङ्करं शरणं ययुः
When Vīrabhadra became intent on destroying the three worlds, then Brahmā and the other gods sought refuge in Śaṅkara.
जाते सर्वस्वनाशेऽपि करुणानिधिरीश्वरः । अभयं दत्तवांस्तेभ्यो बस्तवक्रेण तं मनुम्
Even when all was being destroyed, the Lord, ocean of compassion, granted them fearlessness; he revived Manu, who was bent like a bamboo.
अजीवयन्महात्मासौ ततः खिन्नो महेश्वरः । यज्ञवाटमुपागम्य रुरोद भृशदुःखितः
That great soul was restored to life; then, deeply afflicted, Maheśvara went to the sacrificial ground and wept in intense sorrow.
अपश्यत्तां सतीं वह्नौ दह्यमानां तु चित्कलाम् । स्कन्धेऽप्यारोपयामास हा सतीति वदन्मुहुः
He saw Satī being burned in the fire, her subtle body; again and again, crying 'Alas, Satī!', he lifted her onto his shoulder.
बभ्राम भ्रान्तचित्तः सन्नानादेशेषु शङ्करः । तदा ब्रह्मादयो देवाश्चिन्तामापुरनुत्तमाम्
His mind bewildered, Śaṅkara wandered through various places; then Brahmā and the other gods fell into great anxiety.
विष्णुस्तु त्वरया तत्र धनुरुद्यम्य मार्गणैः । चिच्छेदावयवान्सत्यास्तत्तत्स्थानेषु तेऽपतन्
Viṣṇu, in haste, took up his bow and arrows and cut Satī’s limbs, which fell in various places.
तत्तत्स्थानेषु तत्रासीन्नानामूर्तिधरो हरः । उवाच च ततो देवान्स्थानेष्वेतेषु ये शिवाम्
In those places, Hara took on various forms; then he said to the gods, 'In these places, whoever worships Śivā with supreme devotion—'
भजन्ति परया भक्त्या तेषां किञ्चिन्न दुर्लभम् । नित्यं सन्निहिता यत्र निजाङ्गेषु पराम्बिका
'For them, nothing is difficult to obtain; the supreme Mother is always present there in her own limbs.'
स्थानेष्वेतेषु ये मर्त्याः पुरश्चरणकर्मिणः । तेषां मन्त्राः प्रसिद्ध्यन्ति मायाबीजं विशेषतः
'In these places, those mortals who perform special rites—their mantras succeed, especially the seed-mantra of Māyā.'
इत्युक्त्वा शङ्करस्तेषु स्थानेषु विरहातुरः । कालं निन्ये नृपश्रेष्ठ जपध्यानसमाधिभिः
Having spoken thus, Śaṅkara, tormented by separation, spent his time in those places, O best of kings, absorbed in recitation, meditation, and samādhi.
जनमेजय उवाच - कानि स्थानानि तानि स्युः सिद्धपीठानि चानघ । कति संख्यानि नामानि कानि तेषां च मे वद
Janamejaya said: O sinless one, what are those places that are called Siddha Pithas? How many are there, what are their names, and which are they? Please tell me.
तत्र स्थितानां देवीनां नामानि च कृपाकर । कृतार्थोऽहं भवे येन तद्वदाशु महामुने
O compassionate one, tell me also the names of the goddesses who reside in those places, so that I may become fulfilled by knowing them, O great sage.
व्यास उवाच - शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि देवेपीठानि साम्प्ततम् । येषां श्रवणमात्रेण पापहीनो भवेन्नरः
Vyasa said: Listen, O king, I will declare to you the goddess Pithas in detail; by merely hearing their names, a person becomes free from sin.
येषु येषु च पीठेषूपास्येयं सिद्धिकाङ्क्षिभिः । भूतिकामैरभिध्येया तानि वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः
In each of these Pithas, those who seek accomplishment worship the goddess; those desiring prosperity meditate upon her. I will tell you their true nature.
वाराणस्यां विशालाक्षी गौरीमुखनिवासिनी । क्षेत्रे वै नैमिषारण्ये प्रोक्ता सा लिङ्गधारिणी
In Varanasi, Vishalakshi dwells, residing at the face of Gauri; in the sacred region of Naimisharanya, she is called Lingadharini.
प्रयागे ललिता प्रोक्ता कामुकी गन्धमादने । मानसे कुमुदा प्रोक्ता दक्षिणे चोत्तरे तथा
In Prayaga, she is known as Lalita; in Gandhamadana, as Kamuki; in Manasa, she is called Kumuda, both in the south and the north.
विश्वकामा भगवती विश्वकामप्रपूरणी । गोमन्ते गोमती देवी मन्दरे कामचारिणी
The goddess Vishvakama fulfills all desires; in Gomanta, she is Gomati Devi; in Mandara, she is Kamacharini.
मदोत्कटा चैत्ररथे जयन्ती हस्तिनापुरे । गौरी प्रोक्ता कान्यकुब्जे रम्भा तु मलयाचले
In Chaitraratha, she is Madotkata; in Hastinapura, Jayanti; in Kanyakubja, she is Gauri; in Malayachala, Rambha.
एकाम्रपीठे सम्प्रोक्ता देवी सा कीर्तिमत्यपि । विश्वे विश्वेश्वरीं प्राहुः पुरुहूतां च पुष्करे
At Ekamra Pitha, she is called Kirti; in Vishva, she is Vishveshvari; in Pushkara, she is Puruhuta.
केदारपीठे सम्प्रोक्ता देवी सन्मार्गदायिनी । मन्दा हिमवतः पृष्ठे गोकर्णे भद्रकर्णिका
At Kedara Pitha, she is Sanmargadayini; on the slopes of the Himalayas, she is Manda; at Gokarna, she is Bhadrakarnika.