रतिर्भूतिस्तथा बुद्धिर्मतिः कीर्तिः स्मृतिर्धृतिः । श्रद्धा मेधा स्वधा स्वाहा क्षुधा निद्रा दया गतिः
Love, prosperity, intellect, discernment, fame, memory, fortitude, faith, wisdom, Svadhā, Svāhā, hunger, sleep, compassion, and movement—
तुष्टिः पुष्टिः क्षमा लज्जा जृम्भा तन्द्रा च शक्तयः । संस्थिताः सर्वतः पार्श्वे महादेव्याः पृथक्पृथक्
Contentment, nourishment, forgiveness, modesty, yawning, drowsiness—these powers stood all around the Great Goddess, each separately.
वरायुधधराः सर्वा नानाभूषणभूषिताः । मन्दारमालाकुलिता मुक्ताहारविराजिताः
All bore excellent weapons, adorned with various ornaments, wreathed with garlands of coral-tree flowers, shining with pearl necklaces.
तां दृष्ट्वा ताश्च संवीक्ष्य तस्मिन्नेकार्णवे जले । विस्मयाविष्टहृदयः सम्बभूव जनार्दनः
Seeing her and observing them in that single ocean of water, Janārdana’s heart was seized with wonder.
चिन्तयामास सर्वात्मा दृष्टमायोऽतिविस्मितः । कुतो भूताः स्त्रियः सर्वाः कुतोऽहं वटतल्पगः
The All-Self, having seen this marvel, was greatly astonished and thought: From where have all these women arisen? And how am I lying on this banyan leaf?
अस्मिन्नेकार्णवे घोरे न्यग्रोधः कथमुत्थितः । केनाहं स्थापितोऽस्म्यत्र शिशुं कृत्वा शुभाकृतिम्
In this dreadful, single ocean, how has this banyan tree arisen? By whom have I been placed here, made into a child of auspicious form?
ममेयं जननी नो वा माया वा कापि दुर्घटा । दर्शनं केनचित्त्वद्य दत्तं वा केन हेतुना
Is this my mother, or not? Or is she some unfathomable Māyā? By whom has this vision been given today, and for what reason?
किं मया चात्र वक्तव्यं गन्तव्यं वा न वा क्वचित् । मौनमास्थाय तिष्ठेयं बालभावादतन्द्रितः
What should I say here? Should I go somewhere, or not? Or should I remain silent, steadfast in my childlike state, alert and watchful?
व्यासोपदेशवर्णनम् दृष्ट्वा तं विस्मितं देवं शयानं वटपत्रके । उवाच सस्मितं वाक्यं विष्णो किं विस्मितो ह्यसि
Description of Vyāsa’s instruction: Seeing that astonished god lying on the banyan leaf, she spoke with a smile: 'Viṣṇu, why are you astonished?'
महाशक्त्याः प्रभावेण त्वं मां विस्मृतवान्पुरा । प्रभवे प्रलये जाते भूत्वा भूत्वा पुनः पुनः
By the power of the Great Śakti, you once forgot me; at the time of creation and dissolution, you are born again and again.
निर्गुणा सा परा शक्तिः सगुणस्त्वं तथाप्यहम् । सात्त्विकी किल या शक्तिस्तां शक्तिं विद्धि मामिकाम्
She is the supreme power, beyond qualities; you are endowed with qualities, and so am I. Know that the Sattvic power is my own power.
त्वन्नाभिकमलाद्ब्रह्मा भविष्यति प्रजापतिः । स कर्ता सर्वलोकस्य रजोगुणसमन्वितः
From the lotus of your navel, Brahmā will arise as the lord of creatures; he will be the creator of all worlds, endowed with the quality of rajas.
स तदा तप आस्थाय प्राप्य शक्तिमनुत्तमाम् । रजसा रक्तवर्णञ्च करिष्यति जगत्त्रयम्
Then, engaging in austerity and obtaining the supreme power, he will, with rajas, take on a red form and create the three worlds.
सगुणान्पञ्चभूतांश्च समुत्पाद्य महामतिः । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियेशांश्च मनःपूर्वान्समन्ततः
That great-minded one, producing the qualities and the five elements, as well as the senses, their presiding deities, and the mind in due order everywhere—
करिष्यति ततः सर्गं तेन कर्ता स उच्यते । विश्वस्यास्य महाभाग त्वं वै पालयिता तथा
—will then accomplish creation; therefore, he is called the creator. O highly fortunate one, you indeed are the protector of this universe.
तद्भुवोर्मध्यदेशाच्च क्रोधाद्रुद्रो भविष्यति । तपः कृत्वा महाघोरं प्राप्य शक्तिं तु तामसीम्
From the middle region of the earth, out of anger, Rudra will arise; performing terrible austerity and obtaining the tamasic power—
कल्पान्ते सोऽपि संहर्ता भविष्यति महामते । तेनाहं त्वामुपायाता सात्त्विकीं त्वमवेहि माम्
—at the end of the kalpa, he too, O wise one, will become the destroyer. Therefore, I have come to you; know me as the sattvic one.
स्थास्येऽहं त्वत्समीपस्था सदाहं मधुसूदन । हृदये ते कृतावासा भवामि सततं किल
I shall always remain near you, O Madhusudana; I will eternally dwell in your heart.
विष्णुरुवाच श्लोकस्यार्धं मया पूर्वं श्रुतं देवि स्फुटाक्षरम् । तत्केनोक्तं वरारोहे रहस्यं परमं शिवम्
Viṣṇu said: I have previously heard half of this verse, O Goddess, clearly and distinctly; by whom was this supreme and auspicious secret spoken, O beautiful one?
तन्मे ब्रूहि वरारोहे संशयोऽयं वरानने । निर्धनो हि यथा द्रव्यं तत्स्मरामि पुनः पुनः
Tell me this, O beautiful one; I am uncertain, O lovely-faced one. Just as a poor man remembers wealth, so do I recall it again and again.
व्यास उवाच विष्णोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा महालक्ष्मीः स्मितानना । उवाच परया प्रीत्या वचनं चारुहासिनी
Vyāsa said: Hearing Viṣṇu’s words, Mahālakṣmī, her face adorned with a smile, spoke with great affection, her speech charming.
महालक्ष्मीरुवाच शृणु शौरे वचो मह्यं सगुणाहं चतुर्भुजा । मां जानासि न जानासि निर्गुणां सगुणालयाम्
Mahālakṣmī said: Hear my words, O Śauri. I am endowed with qualities and four-armed; you know me, but do not know me as the formless one, the abode of all qualities.
त्वं जानीहि महाभाग तया तत्प्रकटीकृतम् । पुण्यं भागवतं विद्धि वेदसारं शुभावहम्
Know, O highly fortunate one, that by her this has been made manifest. Understand the Bhāgavata as holy, the essence of the Vedas, and the bringer of auspiciousness.
कृपां च महतीं मन्ये देव्याः शत्रुनिषूदन । यया प्रोक्तं परं गुह्यं हिताय तव सुव्रत
I consider the great compassion of the Goddess, O destroyer of enemies, by which this supreme secret was spoken for your benefit, O steadfast one.
रक्षणीयं सदा चित्ते न विस्मार्यं कदाचन । सारं हि सर्वशास्त्राणां महाविद्याप्रकाशितम्
It must always be preserved in the heart, never to be forgotten at any time; for it is the essence of all scriptures, revealed as the supreme knowledge.
नातः परं वेदितव्यं वर्तते भुवनत्रये । प्रियोऽसि खलु देव्यास्त्वं तेन ते व्याहृतं वचः
Beyond this, nothing remains to be known in the three worlds; truly, you are dear to the Goddess, and therefore these words were spoken to you.
व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा वचो देव्या महालक्ष्याश्चतुर्भुजः । दधार हृदये नित्यं मत्वा मन्त्रमनुत्तमम्
Vyāsa said: Thus, hearing the words of the four-armed Mahālakṣmī, he always kept that supreme mantra in his heart.
कालेन कियता तत्र तन्नाभिकमलोद्भवः । ब्रह्मा दैत्यभयात्त्रस्तो जगाम शरणं हरेः
After some time, Brahmā, born from the lotus of the navel, terrified by the fear of the demons, sought refuge with Hari.
ततः कृत्वा महायुद्धं हत्वा तौ मधुकैटभौ । जजाप भगवान्विष्णुः श्लोकार्धं विशदाक्षरम्
Then, after waging a great battle and slaying those two, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, the blessed Viṣṇu recited half of the verse, clear in every syllable.
जपन्तं वासुदेवं च दृष्ट्वा देवः प्रजापतिः । पप्रच्छ परमप्रीतः कञ्जजः कमलापतिम्
Seeing Vāsudeva reciting, the god Prajāpati, delighted, questioned the lotus-born, the lord of Lakṣmī.