देवीरूपाः स्मृताः सर्वे पूजनीयास्ततो हि ते । प्रतिग्रहादिकं सर्वं तेषु क्षेत्रेषु वर्जयेत्
All of them are to be regarded as forms of the Goddess and therefore worthy of worship; in those sacred places, one must avoid all acts of receiving gifts and similar activities.
यथाशक्ति पुरश्चर्यां कुर्यान्मन्त्रस्य सत्तमः । मायाबीजेन देवेशीं तत्तत्पीठाधिवासिनीम्
According to one's ability, the best of mantra practitioners should perform the prescribed rites, worshipping the Goddess, the Mistress of Māyā, who resides in each respective seat, with the seed-mantra.
पूजयेदनिशं राजन् पुरश्चरणकृद्भवेत् । वित्तशाठ्यं न कुर्वीत देवीभक्तिपरो नरः
O King, one should worship day and night and perform the prescribed rites; a person devoted to the Goddess should not act with greed for wealth.
य एवं कुरुते यात्रां श्रीदेव्याः प्रीतमानसः । सहस्रकल्पपर्यन्तं ब्रह्मलोके महत्तरे
Whoever undertakes such a pilgrimage to Śrī Devī with a heart full of devotion dwells, along with his ancestors, in the highest Brahmā world for a thousand kalpas.
वसन्ति पितरस्तस्य सोऽपि देवीपुरे तथा । अन्ते लब्ध्वा परं ज्ञानं भवेन्मुक्तो भवाम्बुधेः
His ancestors dwell there, and he too resides in the city of the Goddess; at the end, attaining supreme knowledge, he becomes liberated from the ocean of existence.
नामाष्टशतजापेन बहवः सिद्धतां गताः । यत्रैतल्लिखितं साक्षात्पुस्तके वापि तिष्ठति
By reciting the eight hundred names, many have attained perfection; wherever this is written or kept in a book—
ग्रहमारीभयादीनि तत्र नैव भवन्ति हि । सौभाग्यं वर्धते नित्यं यथा पर्वणि वारिधिः
There, dangers from planets, diseases, and fears do not occur; good fortune increases continually, just as the ocean swells at the full moon.
न तस्य दुर्लभं किञ्चिन्नामाष्टशतजापिनः । कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नूनं देवीभक्तिपरायणः
For the one who recites the eight hundred names, nothing is difficult to obtain; devoted to the Goddess, he is certainly fulfilled in all duties.
नमन्ति देवतास्तं वै देवीरूपो हि स स्मृतः । सर्वथा पूज्यन्ते देवैः किं पुनर्मनुजोत्तमैः
The gods bow to him, for he is regarded as a form of the Goddess; he is always worshipped by the gods—how much more so by the best of men.
श्राद्धकाले पठेदेतन्नामाष्टशतमुत्तमम् । तृप्तास्तत्पितरः सर्वे प्रयान्ति परमां गतिम्
If one recites these excellent eight hundred names at the time of śrāddha, all the ancestors are satisfied and attain the highest state.
इमानि मुक्तिक्षेत्राणि साक्षात्संविन्मयानि च । सिद्धपीठानि राजेन्द्र संश्रयेन्मतिमान्नरः
These are the liberation-bestowing places, truly composed of consciousness; O King, the wise man should take refuge in these accomplished seats.
पृष्टं यत्तत्त्वया राजन्नुक्तं सर्वं महेशितुः । रहस्यातिरहस्यं च किं भूयः सह्रोतुमिच्छसि
O King, all that you have asked has been told as spoken by the great Lord; this is the most secret of secrets—what more do you wish to hear?
हिमालयगृहे पार्वतीजन्मविषये देवान् प्रति देवीकथनवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच धराधराधीशमौलावाविरासीत्परं महः । यदुक्तं भवता पूर्वं विस्तरात्तद्वदस्व मे
Janamejaya said: In the house of Himālaya, concerning the birth of Pārvatī, you previously spoke of a supreme radiance appearing on the crest of the lord of mountains; please describe that to me in detail.
को विरज्येत मतिमान् पिबञ्छक्तिकथामृतम् । सुधां तु पिबतां मृत्युः स नैतच्छृण्वतो भवेत्
Who, being wise, would refrain from drinking the nectar of the tales of Śakti? Even death does not come to those who listen to this, though it comes to those who drink ordinary nectar.
व्यास उवाच धन्योऽसि कृतकृत्योऽसि शिक्षितोऽसि महात्मभिः । भाग्यवानसि यद्देव्यां निर्व्याजा भक्तिरस्ति ते
Vyāsa said: You are blessed, your purpose is fulfilled, you have been instructed by great souls; you are fortunate, for you have pure devotion to the Goddess.
शृणु राजन्पुरा वृत्तं सतीदेहेऽग्निभर्जिते । भ्रान्तः शिवस्तु बभ्राम क्वचिद्देशे स्थिरोऽभवत्
Hear, O King, what happened before, when Satī's body was consumed by fire: Śiva, distraught, wandered and at times remained in one place.
प्रपञ्चभानरहितः समाधिगतमानसः । ध्यायन्देवीस्वरूपं तु कालं निन्ये स आत्मवान्
His mind withdrawn from the world, absorbed in meditation, he spent his time contemplating the form of the Goddess.
सौभाग्यरहितं जातं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । शक्तिहीनं जगत्सर्वं साब्धिद्वीपं सपर्वतम्
All the three worlds, with their moving and unmoving beings, became devoid of good fortune; the entire universe, with its oceans and mountains, was bereft of power.
आनन्दः शुष्कतां यातः सर्वेषां हृदयान्तरे । उदासीनाः सर्वलोकाश्चिन्ताजर्जरचेतसः
Joy dried up within the hearts of all; all beings became indifferent, their minds worn by anxiety.
सदा दुःखोदधौ मग्ना रोगग्रस्तास्तदाभवन् । ग्रहाणां देवतानां च वैपरीत्येन वर्तनम्
All were constantly submerged in an ocean of sorrow, afflicted by disease; the planets and deities began to act contrary to their nature.
अधिभूताधिदैवानां सत्यभावान्नृपाभवन् । अथाऽस्मिन्नेव काले तु तारकाख्यो महसुरः
Because the beings and deities were truly affected, O King, at that time a great asura named Tāraka arose.
ब्रह्मदत्तवरो दैत्योऽभवत्त्रैलोक्यनायकः । शिवौरसस्तु यः पुत्रः स ते हन्ता भविष्यति
That demon, granted a boon by Brahmā, became the lord of the three worlds; it was declared that the son born from Śiva's seed would be his slayer.
इति कल्पितमृत्युः स देवदेवैर्महासुरः । शिवौरससुताभावाज्जगर्ज च ननन्द च
Thus, his death was ordained by the gods; but, since there was no son born from Śiva's seed, the great asura roared and rejoiced.
तेन चोपद्रुताः सर्वे स्वस्थानात्प्रच्युताः सुराः । शिवौरससुताभावाच्चिन्तामापुर्दुरत्ययाम्
Because of him, all the gods were troubled and driven from their own places; due to the absence of Śiva's son, they fell into insurmountable anxiety.
नाङ्गना शङ्करस्यास्ति कथं तत्सुतसम्भवः । अस्माकं भाग्यहीनानां कथं कार्यं भविष्यति
There is no wife for Śaṅkara, so how can a son be born? For us, deprived of fortune, how will our purpose be accomplished?
इति चिन्तातुराः सर्वे जग्मुर्वैकुण्ठमण्डले । शशंसुर्हरिमेकान्ते स चोपायं जगाद ह
Thus, all, tormented by worry, went to the realm of Vaikuṇṭha; they reported everything to Hari in private, and he revealed a means.
कुतश्चिन्तातुराः सर्वे कामकल्पद्रुमा शिवा । जागर्ति भूवनेशानी मणिद्वीपाधिवासिनी
Why are you all so anxious? Śivā, the wish-fulfilling tree, the sovereign of the world, the dweller in Maṇidvīpa, is ever awake.
अस्माकमनया देव तदुपेक्षास्ति नान्यथा । शिक्षैवेयं जगन्मात्रा कृतास्मच्छिक्षणाय च
It is only by her, O gods, that we are neglected; this is nothing else. The Mother of the world has arranged this as a lesson for us.
लालने ताडने मातुर्नाकारुण्यं यथार्भके । तद्वदेव जगन्मातुर्नियन्त्र्या गुणदोषयोः
Just as a mother shows no lack of compassion to her child, whether nurturing or disciplining, so too does the Mother of the world, the controller, regarding merits and faults.
अपराधो भवत्येव तनयस्य पदे पदे । कोऽपरः सहते लोके केवलं मातरं विना
A child inevitably commits offenses at every step; who else in the world endures, except the mother alone?