छायातपौ यथा स्वच्छौ विविक्तौ तद्वदेव हि । मम लोके भवेज्ज्ञानं द्वैतभावविवर्जितम्
Just as shade and sunlight are distinct in clear and separate places, so too, in my world, knowledge arises free from the sense of duality.
यस्तु वैराग्यवानेव ज्ञानहीनो म्रियेत चेत् । ब्रह्मलोके वसेन्नित्यं यावत्कल्पं ततः परम्
But if someone endowed with detachment dies without knowledge, that person dwells in Brahmaloka for an entire kalpa, and then beyond.
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे भवेत्तस्य जनिः पुनः । करोति साधनं पश्चात्ततो ज्ञानं हि जायते
Then, birth occurs again in the house of the pure and prosperous; afterwards, that person undertakes spiritual practice, and then knowledge arises.
अनेकजन्मभी राजञ्ज्ञानं स्यान्नैकजन्मना । ततः सर्वप्रयत्नेन ज्ञानार्थं यत्नमाश्रयेत्
O king, knowledge arises after many births, not in just one; therefore, one should strive with all effort for the sake of knowledge.
नोचेन्महान् विनाशः स्याज्जन्मैतद्दुर्लभं पुनः । तत्रापि प्रथमे वर्णे वेदप्राप्तिश्च दुर्लभा
Otherwise, there would be great destruction; such a birth is difficult to obtain again. Even then, in the first caste, the attainment of the Veda is also rare.
शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्योगसिद्धिस्तथैव च । तथोत्तमगुरुप्राप्तिः सर्वमेवात्र दुर्लभम्
The acquisition of the six virtues beginning with tranquility, the accomplishment of yoga, and the attainment of an excellent teacher—all these are indeed difficult to obtain here.
तथेन्द्रियाणां पटुता संस्कृतत्वं तनोस्तथा । अनेकजन्मपुण्यैस्तु मोक्षेच्छा जायते ततः
Similarly, the sharpness of the senses, the refinement of the body—these arise. Then, through the merit of many births, the desire for liberation is born.
साधने सफलेऽप्येवं जायमानेऽपि यो नरः । ज्ञानार्थं नैव यतते तस्य जन्म निरर्थकम्
Thus, even when fruitful means are present and a person is born, if he does not strive for knowledge, his birth is rendered meaningless.
तस्माद्राजन्यथाशक्त्या ज्ञानार्थं यत्नमाश्रयेत् । पदे पदेऽश्वमेधस्य फलमाप्नोति निश्चितम्
Therefore, O King, one should, to the best of one's ability, undertake effort for knowledge; at every step, one certainly attains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.
घृतमिव पयसि निगूढं भूते भूते च वसति विज्ञानम् । सततं मन्थयितव्यं मनसा मन्थानभूतेन
Just as clarified butter is hidden in milk, so knowledge dwells in every being; it must always be churned out with the mind serving as the churning stick.
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा कृतार्थः स्यादिति वेदान्तडिण्डिमः । सर्वमुक्तं समासेन किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Having attained knowledge, one becomes fulfilled—so proclaims the drum of Vedanta. Everything has been stated in summary; what more do you wish to hear?
देवीगीतायां महोत्सवव्रतस्थानवर्णनम् हिमालय उवाच कति स्थानानि देवेशि द्रष्टव्यानि महीतले । मुख्यानि च पवित्राणि देवीप्रियतमानि च
Description of the great festival vows and sacred places in the Song of the Goddess. Himalaya said: O Goddess of the gods, how many places are there on earth that should be seen—principal, pure, and most dear to the Goddess?
व्रतान्यपि तथा यानि तुष्टिदान्युत्सवा अपि । तत्सर्वं देव मे मातः कृतकृत्यो यतो नरः
And what are the vows that grant satisfaction, and the festivals as well? O Mother of the gods, tell me all this, for by them a person becomes accomplished.
श्रीदेव्युवाच सर्वं दृश्यं मम स्थानं सर्वे काला व्रतात्मकाः । उत्सवाः सर्वकालेषु यतोऽहं सर्वरूपिणी
The Blessed Goddess said: All that is seen is my abode; all times are forms of vows; all festivals are at all times, for I am of all forms.
तथापि भक्तवात्सल्यात्किञ्चित्किञ्चिदथोच्यते । शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा नगराज वचो मम
Yet, out of affection for devotees, I will mention a few. Listen attentively, O King of Mountains, to my words.
कोलापुरं महास्थानं यत्र लक्ष्मीः सदा स्थिता । मातुः पुरं द्वितीयं च रेणुकाधिष्ठितं परम्
Kolapura is the great place where Lakshmi always resides; the second is the city of the Mother, the supreme place presided over by Renuka.
तुलजापुरं तृतीयं स्यात्सप्तशृङ्गं तथैव च । हिङ्गुलाया महास्थानं ज्वालामुख्यास्तथैव च
Tulajapura is the third, and likewise Saptashringa; the great place of Hingula, and also that of Jvalamukhi.
शकम्भर्याः परं स्थानं भ्रामर्याः स्थानमुत्तमम् । श्रीरक्तदन्तिकास्थानं दुर्गास्थानं तथैव च
The supreme place of Shakambhari, the excellent abode of Bhramari, the place of Shri Raktadantika, and likewise the place of Durga.
विन्ध्याचलनिवासिन्याः स्थानं सर्वोत्तमोत्तमम् । अन्नपूर्णमहास्थानं काञ्चीपुरमनुत्तमम्
The most excellent abode of the dweller on Vindhya mountain, the great place of Annapurna, and the unsurpassed Kanchipuram.
भीमादेव्याः परं स्थानं विमलास्थानमेव च । श्रीचन्द्रलामहास्थानं कौशिकीस्थानमेव
The supreme place of Bhima Devi, and also the abode of Vimala; the great place of Shri Chandrala, and likewise the place of Kaushiki.
नीलाम्बायाः परं स्थानं नीलपर्वतमस्तके । जाम्बूनदेश्वरीस्थानं तथा श्रीनगरं शुभम्
The supreme place of Nilamba on the summit of the blue mountain, the abode of Jambunadeshvari, and the auspicious city of Shri Nagar.
गुह्यकाल्या महास्थानं नेपाले यत्प्रतिष्ठितम् । मीनाक्ष्याः परमं स्थानं यच्च प्रोक्तं चिदम्बरे
The great place of Guhyakali established in Nepal, the supreme place of Minakshi, and that which is spoken of in Chidambaram.
वेदारण्यं महास्थानं सुन्दर्याः समधिष्ठितम् । एकाम्बरं महास्थानं परशक्त्या प्रतिष्ठितम्
The great place of the Vedaranya, established by Sundari, and the great place of Ekambara, established by the supreme Shakti.
महालसा परं स्थानं योगेश्वर्यास्तथैव च । तथा नीलसरस्वत्याः स्थानं चीनेषु विश्रुतम्
The supreme place of Mahalsa and likewise of Yogeshvari; and the renowned place of Nilasarasvati among the Chinese.
वैद्यनाथे तु बगलास्थानं सर्वोत्तमं मतम् । श्रीमच्छ्रीभुवनेश्वर्या मणिद्वीपं मम स्मृतम्
At Vaidyanatha, the place of Bagala is considered the highest; and the jeweled isle of Sribhubanesvari is remembered by me.
श्रीमत्त्रिपुरभैरव्याः कामाख्यायोनिमण्डलम् । भूमण्डले क्षेत्ररत्नं महामायाधिवासितम्
The yoni-mandala of Kamakhya, belonging to Srimat Tripura Bhairavi, is the jewel among fields on earth, inhabited by Mahamaya.
नातः परतरं स्थानं क्वचिदस्ति धरातले । प्रतिमासं भवेद्देवी यत्र साक्षाद्रजस्वला
There is no place on earth greater than this; where the Devi herself appears each month in her menstruating form.
तत्रत्या देवताः सर्वाः पर्वतात्मकतां गताः । पर्वतेषु वसन्त्येव महत्यो देवता अपि
All the deities there have assumed the form of mountains; even the great goddesses dwell among the mountains.
तत्रत्या पृथिवी सर्वा देवीरूपा स्मृता बुधैः । नातः परतरं स्थानं कामाख्यायोनिमण्डलात्
The entire earth there is regarded by the wise as having the form of the Devi; there is no place greater than the yoni-mandala of Kamakhya.
गायत्र्याश्च परं स्थानं श्रीमत्पुष्करमीरितम् । अमरेशे चण्डिका स्यात्प्रभासे पुष्करेक्षिणी
The supreme place of Gayatri is said to be the illustrious Pushkara; at Amaresha, Chandika is present, and at Prabhasa, Pushkarekshini.