गीता रहस्यभूतेयं गोपनीया प्रयत्नतः । सर्वमुक्तं स्मसेन यत्पृष्टं तत्त्वयानघ । पवित्रं पावनं दिव्यं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
This is the song that is the very essence of secrecy, and must be carefully guarded; all that you asked has been told to you, O sinless one—pure, purifying, and divine. What more do you wish to hear?
भुवनकोशप्रसङ्गे देव्या मनवे वरदानवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच सूर्यचन्द्रान्वयोत्थानां नृपाणां सत्कथाश्रितम् । चरितं भवता प्रोक्तं श्रुतं तदमृतास्पदम्
Janamejaya said: The noble deeds of kings born in the lines of the Sun and Moon, which you have narrated, have been heard by me—they are the very source of immortality.
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि सा देवी जगदम्बिका । मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु यद्यद्रूपेण पूज्यते
Now I wish to hear how that Goddess, the Mother of the Universe, is worshipped in all the different ages of Manu, in whatever forms she is revered.
यस्मिन्यस्मिंश्च वै स्थाने येन येन च कर्मणा । (शरीरेण च देवेशी पूजनीया फलप्रदा । येनैव मन्त्रबीजेन यत्र यत्र च पूज्यते
In whatever places and by whatever actions, with whatever body the great Goddess is to be worshipped and grants results, and with which seed-mantra, wherever she is worshipped—
येन ध्यानेन तत्सूक्ष्मे स्वरूपे स्यान्मतेर्गतिः । तत्सर्वं वद विप्रर्षे येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम्
By which meditation, in her subtle form, does the mind attain its goal? Tell me all this, O best of sages, by which I may attain the highest good.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि देव्याराधनमुत्तमम् । यत्कृतेन श्रुतेनापि नरः श्रेयोऽत्र विन्दते
Vyāsa said: Listen, O King, I shall declare the supreme worship of the Goddess; by performing or even hearing it, a person attains the highest good here.
एवमेतन्नारदेन पृष्टो नारायणः पुरा । तस्मै यदुक्तवान्देवो योगचर्याप्रवर्तकः
Long ago, Nārada asked Nārāyaṇa about this very matter; and to him, the Lord, the originator of yogic discipline, spoke.
एकदा नारदः श्रीमान्पर्यटन्पृथिवीमिमाम् । नारायणाश्रमं प्राप्तो गतखेदश्च तस्थिवान्
Once, the illustrious Nārada, wandering over this earth, reached the hermitage of Nārāyaṇa and, his fatigue gone, stood there.
तस्मै योगात्मने नत्वा ब्रह्मदेवतनूद्भवः । पर्यपृच्छदिमं चार्थं यत्पृष्टो भवतानघ
Having bowed to him who is the very soul of yoga, Nārada, born from the body of Brahmā, asked him the same question you have asked, O sinless one.
नारद उवाच देवदेव महादेव पुराणपुरुषोत्तम । जगदाधार सर्वज्ञ श्लाघनीयोरुसद्गुण
Nārada said: O God of gods, great god, supreme person of the ancients, foundation of the universe, all-knowing, praiseworthy for your great virtues—
जगतस्तत्त्वमाद्यं यत्तन्मे वद यथेप्सितम् । जायते कुत एवेदं कुतश्चेदं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Tell me, as you wish, the original truth of the universe: from where is this born, and upon what is it established?
कुतोऽन्तं प्राप्नुयात्काले कुत्र सर्वफलोदयः । केन ज्ञातेन मायैषा मोहभूर्नाशमाप्नुयात्
From where does it attain its end in time? Where do all results arise? By knowing what does this delusion, born of Māyā, come to an end?
कयार्चया किं जपेन किं ध्यानेनात्महृत्कजे । प्रकाशो जायते देव तमस्यर्कोदयो यथा
By what worship, what recitation, or what meditation in the lotus of the heart, O God, does light arise, as the sun rises in darkness?
एतत्प्रश्नोत्तरं देव ब्रूहि सर्वमशेषतः । यथा लोकस्तरेदन्धतमसं त्वञ्जसैव हि
O God, answer all these questions completely, so that the world may cross over this dense darkness quickly, by your grace.
व्यास उवाच एवं देवर्षिणा पृष्टः प्राचीनो मुनिसत्तमः । नारायणो महायोगी प्रतिनन्द्य वचोऽब्रवीत्
Vyāsa said: Thus questioned by the divine sage, the ancient, best of sages, the great yogin Nārāyaṇa, having welcomed his words, spoke.
श्रीनारायण उवाच शृणु देवर्षिवर्यात्र जगतस्तत्त्वमुत्तमम् । येन ज्ञातेन मर्त्यो हि जायते न जगद्भ्रमे
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Listen, O best of divine sages, to the supreme truth of the universe; by knowing this, a mortal is never subject to the delusion of the world.
जगतस्तत्त्वमित्येव देवी प्रोक्ता मयापि हि । ऋषिभिर्देवगन्धर्वैरन्यैश्चापि मनीषिभिः
The essence of the universe is indeed called the Goddess, as declared by me, by sages, by gods, by Gandharvas, and by other wise ones.
सा जगत्सृजते देवी तया च प्रतिपाल्यते । तया च नाश्यते सर्वमिति प्रोक्तं गुणत्रयात्
She, the Goddess, creates the universe, she sustains it, and by her, all is destroyed; thus it is said, through the three qualities.
तस्याः स्वरूपं वक्ष्यामि देव्याः सिद्धर्षिपूजितम् । स्मरतां सर्वपापघ्नं कामदं मोक्षदं तथा
I will describe the true nature of the Goddess, revered by accomplished sages; remembering her destroys all sins, grants desires, and bestows liberation.
मनुः स्वायम्भुवस्त्वाद्यः पद्मपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । शतरूपापतिः श्रीमान्सर्वमन्वन्तराधिपः
Manu, the first born of the lotus, illustrious and powerful, husband of Śatarūpā, lord of all Manvantaras.
स मनुः पितरं देवं प्रजापतिमकल्मषम् । भक्त्या पर्यचरत्पूर्वं तमुवाचात्मभूः सुतम्
That Manu, with devotion, served his father, the sinless god and progenitor; and the self-born one spoke to his son.
पुत्र पुत्र त्वया कार्यं देव्याराधनमुत्तमम् । तत्प्रसादेन ते तात प्रजासर्गः प्रसिद्ध्यति
Son, son, you must perform the supreme worship of the Goddess; by her grace, O dear one, the creation of beings will be accomplished for you.
एवमुक्तः प्रजास्रष्ट्रा मनुः स्वायम्भुवो विराट् । जगद्योनिं तदा देवीं तपसातर्पयद् विभुः
Thus addressed by the creator of beings, Manu Svāyambhuva, the mighty, then satisfied the Goddess, the source of the universe, through austerity.
तुष्टाव देवीं देवेशीं समाहितमतिः किल । आद्यां मायां सर्वशक्तिं सर्वकारणकारणाम्
With concentrated mind, he praised the Goddess, the ruler of gods, the primordial Māyā, the possessor of all powers, the cause of all causes.
मनुरुवाच नमो नमस्ते देवेशि जगत्कारणकारणे । शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते नारायणहृदाश्रिते
Manu said: Salutations, salutations to you, O ruler of gods, cause of the causes of the universe, holding conch, discus, and mace, abiding in the heart of Nārāyaṇa.
वेदमूर्त्ते जगन्मातः कारणस्थानरूपिणि । वेदत्रयप्रमाणज्ञे सर्वदेवनुते शिवे
Embodiment of the Vedas, mother of the world, form of the place of causes, knower of the authority of the three Vedas, praised by all gods, auspicious one.
माहेश्वरि महाभागे महामाये महोदये । महादेवप्रियावासे महादेवप्रियंकरि
Great goddess, of great fortune, great Māyā, of great glory, dwelling in the beloved abode of Mahādeva, bestower of Mahādeva’s favor.
गोपेन्द्रस्य प्रिये ज्येष्ठे महानन्दे महोत्सवे । महामारीभयहरे नमो देवादिपूजिते
Beloved and eldest of the lord of cows, of great joy and great festivity, remover of the fear of great pestilence, salutation to you, worshipped by the foremost gods.
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते
O source of all auspiciousness, O auspicious one, accomplisher of all aims, refuge, three-eyed, fair one, Nārāyaṇī, salutations to you.
यतश्चेदं यया विश्वमोतं प्रोतं च सर्वदा । चैतन्यमेकमाद्यन्तरहितं तेजसां निधिम्
From whom and by whom this universe is always woven and interwoven, the one consciousness, without beginning or end, the treasury of radiance.