वह्निना द्रवमाणस्य नितरां ब्रह्मसम्भव । सम्भावनेन स्वस्यैव योऽधमोऽपि नराधमः
When molten iron is poured into them by fire, O descendant of Brahmā, even the lowest of men, who, out of pride in their own birth,
विद्याजन्मतपोवर्णाश्रमाचारवतो नरान् । वरीयसोऽपि न बहु मन्यते पुरुषाधमः
Do not respect those who are superior in knowledge, birth, austerity, or observance of varṇa and āśrama, such a base man—
स नीयते यमभटैः क्षारकर्दमनामके । निरयेऽर्वाक्शिरा घोरा दुरन्तयातनाश्नुते
Is led by Yama’s servants to the hell called Kṣārakardama, head downward, where he endures terrible and unending torments.
ये वै नरा यजन्त्यन्यं नरमेधेन मोहिताः । स्त्रियोऽपि वा नरपशुं खादन्त्यत्र महामुने
Those men who, deluded, perform human sacrifices, or women who eat human flesh, O great sage—
पशवो निहितास्ते तु यमसद्यनि सङ्गताः । सौनिका इव ते सर्वे विदार्य शितधारया
The animals offered there are gathered at Yama’s assembly; all those like butchers, with sharp blades, tear them apart—
असृक्पिबन्ति नृत्यन्ति गायन्ति बहुधा मुने । यथेह मांसभोक्तारः पुरुषादा दुरासदाः
They drink blood, dance, and sing in many ways, O sage, just as here, those who eat flesh are like dreadful cannibals.
अनागसोऽपि येऽरण्ये ग्रामे वा ब्रह्मपुत्रक । वैश्रम्भकैरुपसृतान्विश्रम्भय्यजिजीविषून्
O son of Brahma, even those who are innocent, whether in the forest or in the village, if approached by deceivers and, trusting them, desire to live—
शूलसूत्रादिषु प्रोतान्क्रीडनोत्कारकानिव । पातयन्ति च ते प्रेत्य शूलपाते पतन्ति ह
—are impaled on stakes or bound with cords, like playthings for amusement; and after death, they are cast down and fall into the hell called Śūlapāta.
शूलादिषु प्रोतदेहाः क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां चातिपीडिताः । तिग्मतुण्डैः कङ्कबकैरितश्चेतश्च ताडिताः
Their bodies are pierced on stakes and they are tormented by hunger and thirst; they are struck here and there by vultures and crows with sharp beaks.
पीडिता आत्मशमलं बहुधा संस्मरन्ति हि । ये भूतानुद्वेजयन्ति नरा उल्बणवृत्तयः
Afflicted, they remember their own impurities in many ways; those men of cruel conduct who torment living beings—
यथा सर्पादिकास्तेऽपि नरके निपतन्ति हि । दन्दशूकाभिधाने च यत्रोत्तिष्ठन्ति सर्वतः
—just as serpents and the like, they too fall into hell, specifically into the one called Dandaśūka, where such creatures rise up everywhere.
पञ्चाननः सप्तमुखा ग्रसन्ति नरकागतान् । यथा बिलेशया विप्र क्रूरबुद्धिसमन्विताः
There, beings with five or seven mouths devour those who have entered hell, just as fierce-minded burrowing creatures do in their holes.
येऽवटेषु कुसूलादिगुहादिषु निरुन्धते । तानमुत्रोद्यतकराः कीनाशपरिसेवकाः ॥ १९ तेष्वेवोपविशित्वा च सगरेण च वह्निना । धूमेन च निरुन्धन्ति पापकर्मरतान्नरान्
Those who confine others in pits, spikes, caves, and the like—there, the servants of Yama, with raised hands, seize them; sitting there, they torment the wicked with fire, smoke, and the ocean.
योऽतिथीन्समयप्राप्तान्दिधक्षुरिव चक्षुषा । पापेनेहालोकयेच्च स्वयं गृहपतिर्द्विजः
If a householder, O twice-born one, looks upon guests who arrive at the proper time with a burning gaze, as if to burn them, motivated by sin—
तस्यापि पापदृष्टेर्हि निरये यमकिङ्कराः । अक्षिणी वज्रतुण्डा ये कङ्काः काकवटादयः
—then, because of that sinful look, in hell the servants of Yama, who are like crows, vultures, and other birds with beaks of diamond, attack his eyes.
गृध्राः क्रूरतराश्चापि प्रसह्योत्पाटयन्ति हि । य आढ्याभिमतिर्याति अहङ्कृत्यातिगर्वितः
Even fiercer vultures tear them out by force; those who are wealthy and proud, filled with arrogance—
तिर्यक्प्रेक्षण एवात्राभिविशङ्की नराधमः । चिन्तयार्थस्य सर्वत्रायतिव्ययस्वरूपया
—such a vile man, suspicious of everyone, looks askance at others, always anxious about his wealth and its loss.
शुष्यद्धृदयवक्त्रश्च निर्वृतिं नैव गच्छति । ग्रहवद्रक्षते चार्थं स प्रेतो यमकिङ्करैः
His heart and mouth become parched, and he never finds peace; like a ghost, he clings to his wealth, guarded by the servants of Yama.
सूचीमुखे च नरके पात्यते निजकर्मणा । वित्तग्रहं च पुरुषं वायका इव याम्यकाः
By his own actions, he is cast into the hell called Sūcīmukha; the servants of Yama, like weavers, bind the man attached to wealth with threads.
किङ्कराः सर्वतोऽङ्गेषु सूत्रैः परिवयन्ति हि । एते बहुविधा विप्र नरकाः पापकर्मणाम्
The servants bind all his limbs with threads; these are the many kinds of hells, O Brahmin, for those who commit evil deeds.
नराणां शतशः सन्ति यातनास्थानभूमयः । सहस्रशोऽपि देवर्षे उक्तानुक्तांस्तथापि हि
There are hundreds of places of torment for men, and thousands more, O divine sage, both described and undescribed.
विशन्ति नरकानेतान्यातनाबहुलान्मुने । तथा धर्मपराश्चापि लोकान्यान्ति सुखोद्गतान्
Men enter these hells, filled with many torments, O sage; but those devoted to righteousness attain worlds of happiness.
स्वधर्मो बहुधा गीतो यथा तव महामुने । देवीपूजनरूपो हि देव्याराधनलक्षणः
Your own duty has been described in many ways, O great sage; it is characterized by the worship of the Goddess, the essence of devotion to Her.
येनानुष्ठितमात्रेण नरो न नरकं व्रजेत् । सा देवी भवपाथोधेरुद्धर्त्री पूजिता नृणाम्
By merely performing this, a man does not go to hell; that Goddess, when worshipped, is the savior who lifts people from the ocean of existence.
देवीपूजनविधिनिरूपणम् नारद उवाच धर्मश्च कीदृशस्तात देव्याराधनलक्षणः । कथमाराधिता देवी सा ददाति परं पदम्
Description of the method of worshipping the Goddess. Nārada said: O revered one, what is the nature of the dharma characterized by devotion to the Goddess? How, when worshipped, does the Goddess grant the supreme state?
आराधनविधिः को वा कथमाराधिता कदा । केन सा दुर्गनरकाद्दुर्गा त्राणप्रदा भवेत्
What is the method of worship? How and when should she be worshipped? By whom does Durgā become the giver of protection from terrible hells and dangers?
श्रीनारायण उवाच देवर्षे शृणु चित्तैकाग्र्येण मे विदुषां वर । यथा प्रसीदते देवी धर्माराधनतः स्वयम्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: O sage among the gods, listen with focused mind as I explain how the Goddess is pleased by the dharma of worship.
स्वधर्मो यादृशः प्रोक्तस्तं च मे शृणु नारद । अनादाविह संसारे देवी सशृजिता स्वयम्
Hear from me, O Nārada, what is called one's own dharma. In this beginningless world, the Goddess herself creates and sustains all.
परिपालयते घोरसङ्कटादिषु सा मुने । सा देवी पूज्यते लोकैर्यथावत्तद्विधिं शृणु
O sage, she protects in terrible dangers and calamities. That Goddess is to be worshipped by the people as prescribed; listen to that method.
प्रतिपत्तिथिमासाद्य देवीमाज्येन पूजयेत् । घृतं दद्याद् ब्राह्मणाय रोगहीनो भवेत्सदा
On the first lunar day, one should worship the Goddess with clarified butter. By giving ghee to a brāhmaṇa, one is always free from disease.