सर्वेशान्या ममाज्ञा सा श्रुतिस्त्याज्या कथं नृभिः । मदाज्ञारक्षणार्थं तु ब्रह्मक्षत्रियजातयः
Among all commands, mine alone is the command; how can the Śruti, which is my command, ever be abandoned by men? For the protection of my command, the Brahmin and Kṣatriya castes were created by me.
मया सृष्टास्ततो ज्ञेयं रहस्यं मे श्रुतेर्वचः । यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भूधर
Therefore, know this as my secret: the word of the Śruti is mine. Whenever there is a decline of Dharma, O mountain, and unrighteousness arises,
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदा वेषान्बिभर्म्यहम् । देवदैत्यविभागश्चाप्यत एवाभवन्नृप
Then I assume various forms; and thus, O king, the division between gods and demons has arisen.
ये न कुर्वन्ति तद्धर्मं तच्छिक्षार्थं मया सदा । सम्पादितास्तु नरकास्त्रासो यच्छ्रवणाद्भवेत्
Those who do not practice that Dharma, for their instruction I have always created hells, the mere hearing of which brings fear.
यो वेदधर्ममुज्झित्य धर्ममन्यं समाश्रयेत् । राजा प्रवासयेद्देशान्निजादेतानधर्मिणः
Whoever, abandoning Vedic Dharma, takes refuge in another Dharma, the king should banish such unrighteous persons from his own land.
ब्राह्मणैर्न च सम्भाष्याः पङ्क्तिग्राह्या न च द्विजैः । अन्यानि यानि शास्त्राणि लोकेऽस्मिन्विविधानि च
They should not be spoken to by Brahmins, nor accepted in the line at meals by twice-born; and whatever other various scriptures exist in this world,
श्रुतिस्मृतिविरुद्धानि तामसान्येव सर्वशः । वामं कापालकं चैव कौलकं भैरवागमः
Those that are opposed to Śruti and Smṛti are entirely of the nature of darkness—such as the Vāma, Kāpālika, Kaula, and Bhairava Āgamas.
शिवेन मोहनार्थाय प्रणीतो नान्यहेतुकः । दक्षशापाद् भृगोः शापाद्दधीचस्य च शापतः
These were composed by Śiva for the purpose of delusion, not for any other reason; due to the curse of Dakṣa, the curse of Bhṛgu, and the curse of Dadhīci,
दग्धा ये ब्राह्मणवरा वेदमार्गबहिष्कृताः । तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय सोपानक्रमतः सदा
Those best of Brahmins who were burned and cast out from the Vedic path—for their upliftment, a gradual path was always established.
शैवाश्च वैष्णवाश्श्चैव सौराः शाक्तास्तथैव च । गाणपत्या आगमाश्च प्रणीताः शङ्करेण तु
Thus, the Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Saura, Śākta, and Gāṇapatya Āgamas were composed by Śaṅkara.
तत्र वेदाविरुद्धांशोऽप्युक्त एव क्वचित्क्वचित् । वैदिकैस्तद्ग्रहे देषो न भवत्येव कर्हिचित्
Therein, wherever there is a portion not opposed to the Veda, it is stated; and for those who follow the Veda, there is never any fault in accepting that.
सर्वथा वेदभिन्नार्थे नाधिकारी द्विजो भवेत् । वेदाधिकारहीनस्तु भवेत्तत्राधिकारवान्
In all cases, a twice-born is not qualified for matters contrary to the Veda; but one who lacks Vedic qualification is eligible there.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वैदिको वेदमाश्रयेत् । धर्मेण सहितं ज्ञानं परं ब्रह्म प्रकाशयेत्
Therefore, with all effort, a Vedic follower should rely on the Veda; with Dharma, knowledge reveals the supreme Brahman.
सर्वैषणाः परित्यज्य मामेव शरणं गताः । सर्वभूतदयावन्तो मानाहङ्कारवर्जिताः
Having abandoned all desires, taking refuge in me alone, showing compassion to all beings, free from pride and egoism—
मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा मत्स्थानकथने रताः । संन्यासिनो वनस्थाश्च गृहस्था ब्रह्मचारिणः
Those whose minds are absorbed in me, whose lives are devoted to me, who delight in speaking of my abode—whether renunciants, forest-dwellers, householders, or students—
उपासन्ते सदा भक्त्या योगमैश्वरसञ्ज्ञितम् । तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानामहमज्ञानजं तमः
They always worship with devotion, perceiving me as the embodiment of yoga and lordly power; for those who are ever engaged, I dispel the darkness born of ignorance.
ज्ञानसूर्यप्रकाशेन नाशयामि न संशयः । इत्थं वैदिकपूजायाः प्रथमाया नगाधिप
By the radiance of the sun of knowledge, I destroy it—there is no doubt. Thus, O King of the City, the essential nature of the first Vedic worship has been briefly stated.
स्वरूपमुक्तं संक्षेपाद् द्वितीयाया अथो ब्रुवे । मूर्तौ वा स्थण्डिले वापि तथा सूर्येन्दुमण्डले
Now I will speak of the second: whether in an image, on a pedestal, in the solar or lunar orb,
जलेऽथवा बाणलिङ्गे यन्त्रे वापि महापटे । तथा श्रीहृदयाम्भोजे ध्यात्वा देवीं परात्पराम्
In water, in the Bāṇa-liṅga, in a device, or on a great cloth, and likewise in the lotus of the heart, meditating on the supreme Goddess,
सगुणां करुणापूर्णां तरुणीमरुणारुणाम् । सौन्दर्यसारसीमां तां सर्वावयवसुन्दरीम्
As possessed of qualities, full of compassion, youthful and radiant red, the very limit of beauty, beautiful in every limb,
शृङ्गाररससम्पूर्णां सदा भक्तार्तिकातराम् । प्रसादसुमुखीमम्बां चन्द्रखण्डशिखण्डिनीम्
Filled with the essence of love, ever eager to relieve the distress of devotees, with a gracious face, Mother adorned with a crescent moon,
पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतिधरामानन्दरूपिणीम् । पूजयेदुपचारैश्च यथावित्तानुसारतः
Holding the noose, goad, boon, and fearlessness, embodying bliss, one should worship her with offerings according to one's means.
यावदान्तरपूजायामधिकारो भवेन्न हि । तावद्बाह्यामिमां पूजां श्रयेज्जाते तु तां त्यजेत्
Until one attains the right for internal worship, one should resort to this external worship; when that is attained, one should abandon it.
आभ्यन्तरा तु या पूजा सा तु संविल्लयः स्मृतः । संविदेव परं रूपमुपाधिरहितं मम
The internal worship is called the union of consciousness; consciousness alone is my supreme form, free from all attributes.
अतः संविदि मद्रूपे चेतः स्थाप्यं निराश्रयम् । संविद्रूपातिरिक्तं तु मिथ्या मायामयं जगत्
Therefore, the mind should be established in my form as consciousness, without dependence; anything apart from the form of consciousness is false, the world made of illusion.
अतः संसारनाशाय साक्षिणीमात्मरूपिणीम् । भावयेन्निर्मनस्केन योगयुक्तेन चेतसा
Thus, for the destruction of worldly existence, one should contemplate the witness, the self-formed Goddess, with a mind free from distractions and united in yoga.
अतः परं बाह्यपूजाविस्तारः कथ्यते मया । सावधानेन मनसा शृणु पर्वतसत्तम
Now I will describe in detail the external worship; listen attentively, O best of mountains.
देवीगीतायां बाह्यपूजाविधिवर्णनम् श्री देव्युवाच प्रातरुत्थाय शिरसि संस्मरेत्पद्ममुज्ज्वलम् । कर्पूराभं स्मरेत्तत्र श्रीगुरुं निजरूपिणम्
In the Song of the Goddess, the description of the method of external worship. The Blessed Goddess spoke: Rising in the morning, one should recall the radiant lotus at the crown of the head, and there remember the revered Guru, shining like camphor, in his true form.
सुप्रसन्नं लसद्भूषाभूषितं शक्तिसंयुतम् । नमस्कृत्य ततो देवीं कुण्डलीं संस्मरेद्बुधः
One should remember him as serene, adorned with splendid ornaments, united with power; after bowing, the wise should then recall the coiled Goddess.
प्रकाशमानां प्रथमे प्रयाणे प्रतिप्रयाणेऽप्यमृतायमानाम् । अन्तः पदव्यामनुसञ्चरन्ती- मानन्दरूपामबलां प्रपद्ये
Shining forth at the first movement, and even at the return, flowing with nectar, traversing the inner path, I take refuge in the blissful, youthful form.