पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतिचतुर्बाहुं त्रिलोचनाम् । रक्तवस्त्रपरीधानां दाडिमीकुसुमप्रभाम्
They saw her with four arms, holding a noose, goad, boon, and gesture of fearlessness; three-eyed, clothed in red garments, shining like the blossom of a pomegranate flower.
सर्वशृङ्गारवेषाढ्यां सर्वदेवनमस्कृताम् । सर्वाशापूरिकां सर्वमातरं सर्वमोहिनीम्
Adorned in all the ornaments of beauty, worshipped by all the gods, fulfilling every desire, the mother of all, the bewilderer of all.
प्रसादसुमुखीमम्बां मन्दस्मितमुखाम्बुजाम् । अव्याजकरुणामूर्तिं ददृशुः पुरतः सुराः
The gods beheld before them the Mother, with a face full of grace, a lotus face adorned with a gentle smile, the very embodiment of spontaneous compassion.
दृष्ट्वा तां करुणामुर्तिं प्रणेमुः सकलाः सुराः । वक्तुं नाशक्नुवन् किञ्चिद्वाष्पसंरुद्धनिःस्वनाः
Seeing that form of compassion, all the gods bowed down; unable to speak, their voices choked with tears.
कथञ्चित्स्थैर्यमालम्ब्य भक्त्या चानतकन्धराः । प्रेमाश्रुपूर्णनयनास्तुष्टुवुर्जगदम्बिकाम्
Somehow regaining composure, their heads bowed with devotion, their eyes filled with tears of love, they praised the Mother of the universe.
देवा ऊचुः नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै शिवायै सततं नमः । नमः प्रकृत्यै भद्रायै नियताः प्रणताः स्म ताम्
The gods said: Salutations to the Goddess, the Great Goddess, to Shiva, always we bow; salutations to Prakriti, to the Auspicious One, we are ever devoted to her.
तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम् । दुर्गां देवीं शरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः
To her who is of the color of fire, blazing with austerity, the daughter of Vairocana, who delights in the fruits of action; to Goddess Durga I take refuge—salutations to the swift and powerful one.
देवीं वाचमजनयन्त देवा- स्तां विश्वरूपाः पशवो वदन्ति । सा नो मन्द्रेषमूर्जं दुहाना धेनुर्वागस्मानुपसुष्टुतैतु
The gods generated the Goddess of Speech; the beings of the world call her of manifold forms; may that Cow of Speech, yielding sweet nourishment, come to us with her most delightful milk.
कालरात्रिं ब्रह्मस्तुतां वैष्णवीं स्कन्दमातरम् । सरस्वतीमदितिं दक्षदुहितरं नमामः पावनां शिवाम्
We bow to Kālarātri, praised by Brahma, to the Vaishnavi, to the Mother of Skanda, to Sarasvati, to Aditi, to Daksha's daughter, to the pure and auspicious one.
महालक्ष्म्यै च विद्महे सर्वशक्त्यै च धीमहि । तन्नो देवी प्रचोदयात्
We contemplate Mahalakshmi, we meditate on the All-Powerful; may that Goddess inspire us.
नमो विराट्स्वरूपिण्यै नमः सूत्रात्ममूर्तये । नमोऽव्याकृतरूपिण्यै नमः श्रीब्रह्ममूर्तये
Salutations to her of the cosmic form, salutations to her whose essence is the thread of existence; salutations to her of the unmanifest form, salutations to her who is the very form of Brahman.
यदज्ञानाज्जगद्भाति रज्जुसर्पस्रगादिवत् । यज्ज्ञानाल्लयमाप्नोति नुमस्तां भुवनेश्वरीम्
When there is ignorance, the world appears as a rope mistaken for a snake or a garland; through knowledge, it dissolves—salutations to that Mistress of the worlds.
नुमस्तत्पदलक्ष्यार्थां चिदेकरसरूपिणीम् । अखण्डानन्दरूपां तां वेदतात्पर्यभूमिकाम्
We bow to her who is indicated by the word 'That', whose nature is pure consciousness, who is the undivided form of bliss, who is the very ground of the meaning of the Vedas.
पञ्चकोशातिरिक्तां तामवस्थात्रयसाक्षिणीम् । नुमस्त्वंपदलक्ष्यार्थां प्रत्यगात्मस्वरूपिणीम्
We bow to her who is beyond the five sheaths, the witness of the three states, who is indicated by the word 'Thou', whose nature is the inner Self.
नमः प्रणवरूपायै नमो ह्रीङ्कारमूर्तये । नानामन्त्रात्मिकायै ते करुणायै नमो नमः
Salutations to her whose form is the sacred syllable Om, salutations to her whose form is Hrim, to her who is the essence of many mantras, to that compassion, salutations again and again.
इति स्तुता तदा देवैर्मणिद्वीपाधिवासिनी । प्राह वाचा मधुरया मत्तकोकिलनिःस्वना
Thus praised by the gods, the Dweller in the Jeweled Island spoke with a sweet voice, resonant like the song of a maddened cuckoo.
श्रीदेव्युवाच वदन्तु विबुधाः कार्यं यदर्थमिह सङ्गताः । वरदाहं सदा भक्तकामकल्पद्रुमास्मि च
The Goddess said: Let the wise ones declare the purpose for which you have gathered here; I am the granter of boons, always the wish-fulfilling tree for my devotees.
तिष्ठन्त्यां मयि का चिन्ता युष्माकं भक्तिशालिनाम् । समुद्धरामि मद्भक्तान्दुःखसंसारसागरात्
While I am present, what worry can there be for you, devoted ones? I lift my devotees from the ocean of suffering and worldly existence.
इति प्रतिज्ञां मे सत्यां जानीथ विबुधोत्तमाः । इति प्रेमाकुलां वाणीं श्रुत्वा सन्तुष्टमानसाः
Thus, know my promise to be true, O foremost among the gods; hearing these words, overflowing with love, their hearts were satisfied.
निर्भया निर्जरा राजन्नूचुर्दुःखं स्वकीयकम् । देवा ऊचुः नाज्ञातं किञ्चिदप्यत्र भवत्यास्ति जगत्त्रये
Without fear, the immortals, O King, spoke of their own suffering; the gods said: Nothing here in the three worlds is unknown to you.
सर्वज्ञया सर्वसाक्षिरूपिण्या परमेश्वरि । तारकेणासुरेन्द्रेण पीडिताः स्मो दिवानिशम्
O Supreme Lady, you are omniscient and witness all; we are afflicted day and night by Tāraka, the lord of the demons.
शिवाङ्गजाद्वधस्तस्य निर्मितो ब्रह्मणा शिवे । शिवाङ्गना तु नैवास्ति जानासि त्वं महेश्वरि
His death, from the body of Shiva, was ordained by Brahma and Shiva; but there is no woman from Shiva's body, you know this, O Great Goddess.
सर्वज्ञपुरतः किं वा वक्तव्यं पामरैर्जनैः । एतदुद्देशतः प्रोक्तमपरं तर्कयाम्बिके
What need is there for ordinary people to speak before the omniscient? This has been said for this purpose, O Ambika, the rest is for you to consider.
सर्वदा चरणाम्भोजे भक्तिः स्यात्तव निश्चला । प्रार्थनीयमिदं मुख्यमपरं देहहेतवे
May unwavering devotion always be at your lotus feet; this is the chief request, the rest is for the sake of the body.
इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच परमेश्वरी । मम शक्तिस्तु या गौरी भविष्यति हिमालये
Hearing their words, the Supreme Goddess spoke: My power, Gauri, will be born in the Himalayas.
शिवाय सा प्रदेया स्यात्सा वः कार्यं विधास्यति । भक्तिर्यच्चरणाम्भोजे भूयाद्युष्माकमादरात्
She will be given to Shiva, and she will accomplish your purpose; may your devotion at my lotus feet increase with reverence.
हिमालयो हि मनसा मामुपास्तेऽतिभक्तितः । ततस्तस्य गृहे जन्म मम प्रियकरं मतम्
The Himalaya, with great devotion, worships me in his heart; therefore, my birth in his house is deemed pleasing.
व्यास उवाच हिमालयोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वात्यनुग्रहकरं वचः । बाष्पैः संरुद्धकण्ठाक्षो महाराज्ञीं वचोऽब्रवीत्
Vyasa said: Hearing those words, so full of grace, the Himalaya, his throat and eyes choked with tears, spoke to the great Queen.
महत्तरं तं कुरुषे यस्यानुग्रहमिच्छसि । नोचेत्क्वाहं जडः स्थाणुः क्व त्वं सच्चित्स्वरूपिणी
You grant the greatest favor to whom you wish to bless; otherwise, where am I, dull and unmoving, and where are you, embodiment of truth and consciousness?
असम्भाव्यं जन्मशतैस्त्वत्पितृत्वं ममानघे । अश्वमेधादिपुण्यैर्वा पुण्यैर्वा तत्समाधिजैः
O stainless one, to be your father is impossible even in hundreds of births, whether by the merit of horse sacrifices or by merits gained through meditation.