नित्यं यः पठते स्तोत्रं देवीप्रीतिकरं नरः । आधिव्याधिभयं नास्ति रिपुभीतिर्न तस्य हि
Whoever recites this hymn, which brings delight to the Goddess, will have no fear of distress, disease, or enemies.
अर्थार्थी चार्थमाप्नोति धर्मार्थी धर्ममाप्नुयात् । कामानवाप्नुयात्कामी मोक्षार्थी मोक्षमाजप्नुयात्
One who seeks wealth attains wealth, one who seeks righteousness attains righteousness, one who desires pleasures attains pleasures, and one who seeks liberation attains liberation.
ब्राह्मणो वेदसम्पनो विजयी क्षत्रियो भवेत् । वैश्यश्च धनधान्याढ्यो भवेच्छूद्रः सुखाधिकः
A Brahmin becomes learned in the Vedas, a Kshatriya becomes victorious, a Vaishya becomes rich in wealth and grain, and a Shudra becomes abundant in happiness.
स्तोत्रमेतच्छ्राद्धकाले यः पठेत्प्रयतो नरः । पितॄणामक्षया तृप्तिर्जायते कल्पवर्तिनी
If a person recites this hymn with devotion at the time of ancestral rites, the satisfaction of the ancestors becomes inexhaustible and lasts as long as the kalpa.
एवमाराधनं देव्याः समुक्तं सुरपूजितम् । यः करोति नरो भक्त्या स देवीलोकभाग्भवेत्
Thus has been described the worship of the Goddess, honored by the gods; whoever performs it with devotion becomes a resident of the Goddess's realm.
देवीपूजनतो विप्र सर्वे कामा भवन्ति हि । सर्वपापहतिः शुद्धा मतिरन्ते प्रजायते
O Brahmin, from the worship of the Goddess, all desires are fulfilled; all sins are destroyed, and pure understanding arises at the end.
यत्र तत्र भवेत्पूज्यो मान्यो मानधनेषु च । जायते जगदम्बायाः प्रसादेन विरञ्चिज
By the grace of the Mother of the world, one becomes worthy of worship and honor everywhere, even among the honorable and the wealthy, O Brahma.
नरकाणां न तस्यास्ति भयं स्वप्नेऽपि कुत्रचित् । महामायाप्रसादेन पुत्रपौत्रादिवर्धनः
There is no fear of hell for such a person, not even in dreams, anywhere; by the grace of the Great Maya, there is increase of sons, grandsons, and so on.
देवीभक्तो भवत्येव नात्र कार्या विचारणा । इत्येवं ते समाख्यातं नरकोद्धारलक्षणम्
One who is devoted to the Goddess certainly becomes so—there is no need for doubt; thus I have described to you the marks of deliverance from hell.
पूजनं हि महादेव्याः सर्वमङ्गलकारकम् । मधूकपूजनं तद्वन्मासानां क्रमतो मुने
Indeed, the worship of the Great Goddess brings all auspiciousness; likewise, the worship of Madhuka in the proper order of months, O sage.
सर्वं समाचरेद्यस्तु पूजनं मधुकाह्वयम् । न तस्य रोगबाधादिभयमुद्भवतेऽनघ
Whoever performs the complete worship called Madhuka, O sinless one, for him there arises no fear from disease, affliction, or the like.
अथान्यदपि वक्ष्यामि प्रकृतेः पञ्चकं परम् । नाम्ना रूपेण चोत्पत्त्या जगदानन्ददायकम्
Now I will tell you further about the supreme fivefold form of Prakriti, by name, by form, and by origin, which bestows joy upon the world.
साख्यानं च समाहात्म्यं प्रकृतेः पञ्चकं मुने । कुतूहलकर चैव शृणु मुक्तिविधायकम्
Hear, O sage, the account and the greatness of the fivefold Prakriti, which arouses curiosity and bestows liberation.
प्रकृतिचरित्रवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच गणेशजननी दुर्गा राधा लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती । सावित्री च सृष्टिविधौ प्रकृतिः पञ्चधा स्मृता
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Ganesha's mother, Durgā, Rādhā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, and Sāvitrī—these are remembered as the fivefold forms of Prakriti in creation.
नारद उवाच आविर्बभूव सा केन का वा सा ज्ञानिनांवर । किं वा तल्लक्षणं साधो बभूव पञ्चधा कथम्
Nārada said: By whom did she appear, who is she, O best of the wise? What are her characteristics, and how did she become fivefold?
सर्वासां चरितं पूजाविधानं गुण ईप्सितः । अवतारः कुत्र कस्यास्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
Please explain to me the deeds, the method of worship, the qualities, the desired incarnations, and where each of them appeared.
श्रीनारायण उवाच प्रकृतेर्लक्षणं वत्स को वा वक्तुं क्षमो भवेत् । किञ्चित्तथापि वक्ष्यामि यच्छ्रुतं धर्मवक्त्रतः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: My child, who indeed is capable of describing the nature of Prakṛti? Still, I will speak a little of what I have heard from the mouth of Dharma.
प्रकृष्टवाचकः प्रश्न कृतिश्च सृष्टिवाचकः । सृष्टौ प्रकृष्टा या देवी प्रकृतिः सा प्रकीर्तिता
The word 'prakṛṣṭa' indicates excellence, and 'kṛti' signifies creation; thus, the Goddess who is foremost in creation is called Prakṛti.
गुणे सत्त्वे प्रकृष्टे च प्रशब्दो वर्तते श्रुतः । मध्यमे रजसि कृश्च तिशब्दस्तमसि स्मृतः
When the quality of sattva is predominant, the syllable 'pra' is used, as heard in scripture; when rajas is moderate, the syllable 'kṛ' is used, and in tamas, the syllable 'ti' is remembered.
त्रिगुणात्मस्वरूपा या सा च शक्तिसमन्विता । प्रधाना सृष्टिकरणे प्रकृतिस्तेन कथ्यते
She whose essential nature is of the three guṇas, and who is endowed with power, is called Pradhāna in the act of creation, and thus is known as Prakṛti.
प्रथमे वर्तते प्रश्न कृतिश्च सृष्टिवाचकः । सृष्टेरादौ च या देवी प्रकृतिः सा प्रकीर्तिता
At first, the syllable 'pra' is present, and 'kṛti' signifies creation; the Goddess who is at the beginning of creation is called Prakṛti.
योगेनात्मा सृष्टिविधौ द्विधारूपो बभूव सः । पुमांश्च दक्षिणार्धाङ्गो वामार्धा प्रकृतिः स्मृता
By union, the Self became twofold in the process of creation: the male with the right half of the body, and the left half is remembered as Prakṛti.
सा च ब्रह्मस्वरूपा च नित्या सा च सनातनी । यथाऽऽत्मा च तथा शक्तिर्यथाग्नौ दाहिका स्थिता
She is of the nature of Brahman, eternal and everlasting; just as the Self exists, so does power, as the capacity to burn exists in fire.
अत एव हि योगीन्द्रैः स्त्रीपुम्भेदो न मन्यते । सर्वं ब्रह्ममयं ब्रह्मञ्छश्वत्सदपि नारद
Therefore, O Nārada, the great yogis do not consider any distinction between woman and man; all is pervaded by Brahman, and Brahman alone is eternal.
स्वेच्छामयस्येच्छया च श्रीकृष्णस्य सिसृक्षया । साऽऽविर्बभूव सहसा मूलप्रकृतिरीश्वरी
By the will of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who acts according to his own desire, the primal Prakṛti, the sovereign Goddess, suddenly manifested.
तदाज्ञया पञ्चविधा सृष्टिकर्मविभेदिका । अथ भक्तानुरोधाद्वा भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहा
By her command, the fivefold acts of creation were differentiated; and, out of compassion for devotees, she assumed forms to bestow grace upon them.
गणेशमाता दुर्गा या शिवरूपा शिवप्रिया । नारायणी विष्णुमाया पूर्णब्रह्मस्वरूपिणी
She is Durgā, the mother of Gaṇeśa, of the form of Śiva and beloved of Śiva; she is Nārāyaṇī, the Māyā of Viṣṇu, and the embodiment of the Supreme Brahman.
ब्रह्मादिदेवैर्मुनिभिर्मनुभिः पूजिता स्तुता । सर्वाधिष्ठातृदेवी सा शर्वरूपा सनातनी
Worshipped and praised by Brahmā and the other gods, sages, and Manus, she is the presiding Goddess of all, of the form of night, eternal.
धर्मसत्यपुण्यकीर्तिर्यशोमङ्गलदायिनी । सुखमोक्षहर्षदात्री शोकार्तिदुःखनाशिनी
She bestows righteousness, truth, merit, fame, and auspiciousness; she grants happiness, liberation, and joy, and destroys the sorrow and suffering of the afflicted.
शरणागतदीनार्तपरित्राणपरायणा । तेजःस्वरूपा परमा तदधिष्ठातृदेवता
She is devoted to rescuing those who are distressed, helpless, and who seek refuge; her form is radiance, supreme, and she is the presiding deity over all.