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.
द्वितीयायां शर्करया पूजयेज्जगदम्बिकाम् । शर्करां प्रददेद्विप्रे दीर्घायुर्जायते नरः
On the second day, one should worship the Mother of the Universe with sugar. By offering sugar to a brāhmaṇa, a person attains long life.
तृतीयादिवसे देव्यै दुग्धं पूजनकर्मणि । क्षीरं दत्त्वा द्विजाग्र्याय सर्वदुःखातिगो भवेत्
On the third day, milk should be used in the worship of the Goddess. By giving milk to a foremost brāhmaṇa, one becomes free from all suffering.
चतुर्थ्यां पूजनेऽपूपा देया देव्यै द्विजाय च । अपूपा एव दातव्या न विघ्नैरभिभूयते
On the fourth day, cakes should be offered to the Goddess and to a brāhmaṇa. By giving only cakes, one is not overcome by obstacles.
पञ्चम्यां कदलीजातं फलं देव्यै निवेदयेत् । तदेव ब्राह्मणे देयं मेधावान्पुरुषो भवेत्
On the fifth day, one should offer a fruit from the banana plant to the Goddess. That same fruit should be given to a brāhmaṇa, and one becomes wise.
षष्ठीतिथौ मधु प्रोक्तं देवीपूजनकर्मणि । ब्राह्मणाय च दातव्यं मधु कान्तिर्यतो भवेत्
On the sixth lunar day, honey is prescribed for the worship of the Goddess. It should also be given to a brāhmaṇa, for from honey comes beauty.
सप्तम्यां गुडनैवेद्यं देव्यै दत्त्वा द्विजाय च । गुडं दत्त्वा शोकहीनो जायते द्विजसत्तम
On the seventh day, after offering jaggery as food to the Goddess and to a brāhmaṇa, O best of brāhmaṇas, by giving jaggery one becomes free from sorrow.
नारिकेलमथाष्टम्यां देव्यै नैवेद्यमर्पयेत् । ब्राह्मणाय प्रदातव्यं तापहीनो भवेन्नरः
On the eighth day, one should offer coconut as food to the Goddess. It should be given to a brāhmaṇa; by doing so, a person becomes free from affliction.
नवम्यां लाजमम्बायै चार्पयित्वा द्विजाय च । दत्त्वा सुखाधिको भूयादिह लोके परत्र च
On the ninth day, after offering parched rice to the Mother and to a brāhmaṇa, by giving it, one attains greater happiness in this world and the next.
दशम्यामर्पयित्वा तु देव्यै कृष्णतिलान्मुने । ब्राह्मणाय प्रदत्त्वा तु यमलोकाद्भयं न हि
On the tenth day, O sage, after offering black sesame seeds to the Goddess and giving them to a brāhmaṇa, there is no fear of the realm of Yama.
एकादश्यां दधि तथा देव्यै चार्पयते तु यः । ददाति ब्राह्मणायैतद्देवीप्रियतमो भवेत्
On the eleventh day, whoever offers curd to the Goddess and gives it to a brāhmaṇa becomes most dear to the Goddess.
द्वादश्यां पृथुकान्देव्यै दत्त्वाचार्याय यो ददेत् । तानेव च मुनिश्रेष्ठ स देवीप्रियतां व्रजेत्
On the twelfth day, whoever offers flattened rice to the Goddess and gives it to a teacher, O best of sages, attains the favor of the Goddess.
त्रयोदश्यां च दुर्गायै चणकान्प्रददाति च । तानेव दत्त्वा विप्राय प्रजासन्ततिमान्भवेत्
On the thirteenth day, whoever offers chickpeas to Durgā and gives them to a brāhmaṇa becomes endowed with progeny.
चतुर्दश्यां च देवर्षे देव्यै सक्तून्प्रयच्छति । तानेव दद्याद्विप्राय शिवस्य दयितो भवेत्
On the fourteenth day, O divine sage, one should offer roasted grain to the Goddess; giving the same to a Brahmin, one becomes dear to Shiva.
पायसं पूर्णिमातिथ्यामपर्णायै प्रयच्छति । ददाति च द्विजाग्र्याय पितृनुद्धरतेऽखिलान्
On the full moon day, one should offer milk-rice to Aparna; giving it to a foremost Brahmin, one uplifts all one's ancestors.
तत्तिथौ हवनं प्रोक्तं देवीप्रीत्यै महामुने । तत्तत्तिथ्युक्तवस्तूनामशेषारिष्टनाशनम्
On those respective dates, the prescribed oblation is to be performed for the pleasure of the Goddess, O great sage; offering the specified items on those dates destroys all misfortunes.
रविवारे पायसं च नैवेद्यं परिकीर्तितम् । सोमवारे पयः प्रोक्तं भौमे च कदलीफलम्
On Sunday, milk-rice is declared as the offering; on Monday, milk is prescribed; on Tuesday, a plantain fruit.
बुधवारे च सम्प्रोक्तं नवनीतं नवं द्विज । गुरुवारे शर्करां च सितां भार्गववासरे
On Wednesday, O twice-born, fresh butter is prescribed; on Thursday, white sugar; on Friday, crystalline sugar.
शनिवारे घृतं गव्यं नैवेद्यं परिकीर्तितम् । सप्तविंशतिनक्षत्रनैवेद्यं श्रूयतां मुने
On Saturday, cow's ghee is declared as the offering; now, O sage, listen to the offerings for the twenty-seven lunar mansions.
घृतं तिलं शर्करां च दधि दुग्धं किलाटकम् । दथिकूर्ची मोदकं च फेणिकां घृतमण्डकम्
Ghee, sesame seeds, sugar, curd, milk, kilataka, dadhikurchi, sweet dumplings, phenika, and ghee-cakes,
कंसारं वटपत्रं च घृतपूरमतः परम् । वटकं कोकरसकं पूरणं मधु सूरणम्
Kamsara, banyan leaf, ghee-filled sweets, vataka, kokarasaka, purana, honey, and surana,