योषितामवमानेन प्रकृतेश्च पराभवः । ब्राह्मणी पूजिता येन पतिपुत्रवती सती
By disrespecting women, there is defeat of Prakṛti; the Brāhmaṇī who is honored becomes a chaste wife with husband and sons.
प्रकृतिः पूजिता तेन वस्त्रालङ्कारचन्दनैः । कुमारी चाष्टवर्षीया वस्त्रालङ्कारचन्दनैः
Prakṛti is worshipped by him with garments, ornaments, and sandal paste; and so is the maiden of eight years, with garments, ornaments, and sandal paste.
पूजिता येन विप्रस्य प्रकृतिस्तेन पूजिता । सर्वाः प्रकृतिसम्भूता उत्तमाधममध्यमाः
Whoever worships her in the form of a maiden thus worships Prakṛti; all women, whether superior, inferior, or middling, are born from Prakṛti.
सत्त्वांशाश्चोत्तमा ज्ञेयाः सुशीलाश्च पतिव्रताः । मध्यमा रजसश्चांशास्ताश्च भोग्याः प्रकीर्तिताः
Those of the highest quality are to be known as virtuous and devoted to their husbands; the middling, born of rajas, are said to be for enjoyment.
सुखसम्भोगवश्याश्च स्वकार्ये तत्पराः सदा । अधमास्तमसश्चांशा अज्ञातकुलसम्भवाः
They are always eager for pleasure and devoted to their own affairs; the lowest, born of tamas, are of unknown lineage.
दुर्मुखाः कुलहा धूर्ताः स्वतन्त्राः कलहप्रियाः । पृथिव्यां कुलटा याश्च स्वर्गे चाप्सरसां गणाः
They are ill-spoken, destroyers of families, deceitful, independent, and fond of quarrels; on earth they are called wanton women, and in heaven, the groups of apsarases.
प्रकृतेस्तमसश्चांशाः पुंश्चल्यः परिकीर्तिताः । एवं निगदितं सर्वं प्रकृते रूपवर्णनम्
These are said to be the women arising from the portion of tamas in Prakṛti; thus the forms and types of Prakṛti have all been described.
ताः सर्वाः पूजिताः पृथ्व्यां पुण्यक्षेत्रे च भारते । पूजिता सुरथेनादौ दुर्गा दुर्गार्तिनाशिनी
All these are worshipped on earth, especially in the sacred land of Bhārata; first worshipped by Suratha, Durgā, the remover of distress.
ततः श्रीरामचन्द्रेण रावणस्य वधार्थिना । तत्पश्चाज्जगतां माता त्रिषु लोकेषु पूजिता
Then by Śrī Rāma Candra, who sought the destruction of Rāvaṇa; thereafter, the Mother of the worlds was worshipped in the three realms.
जाताऽऽदौ दक्षकन्या या निहत्य दैत्यदानवान् । ततो देहं परित्यज्य यज्ञे भर्तुश्च निन्दया
At first, she was born as Dakṣa's daughter, who slew the daityas and dānavas; then, abandoning her body in the sacrifice due to her husband's insult.
जज्ञे हिमवतः पत्न्यां लेभे पशुपतिं पतिम् । गणेशश्च स्वयं कृष्णः स्कन्दो विष्णुकलोद्भवः
Born from the wife of Himavat, she obtained Paśupati as her husband; Ganesha was born himself, and Skanda arose as a portion of Vishnu.
बभूवतुस्तौ तनयौ पश्चात्तस्याश्च नारद । लक्ष्मीर्मङ्गलभूपेन प्रथमं परिपूजिता
Those two became her sons thereafter, O Narada; first, Lakshmi was worshipped by Maṅgala, the lord of auspiciousness.
त्रिषु लोकेषु तत्पश्चाद्देवतामुनिमानवैः । सावित्री चाश्वपतिना प्रथमं परिपूजिता
After that, in the three worlds, she was worshipped by the gods, sages, and humans; Sāvitrī too was first worshipped by the lord of horses.
तत्पश्चात्त्रिषु लोकेषु देवतामुनिपुङ्गवैः । आदौ सरस्वती देवी ब्रह्मणा परिपूजिता
Then, in the three worlds, by the foremost among gods and sages, the goddess Sarasvatī was first worshipped by Brahmā.
तत्पश्चात्त्रिषु लोकेषु देवतामुनिपुङ्गवैः । प्रथमं पूजिता राधा गोलोके रासमण्डले
After that, in the three worlds, by the foremost among gods and sages, Rādhā was first worshipped in Goloka, in the circle of the Rāsa dance.
पौर्णमास्यां कार्तिकस्य कृष्णेन परमात्मना । गोपिकाभिश्च गोपैश्च बालिकाभिश्च बालकैः
On the full moon of Kārtika, by Krishna, the Supreme Self, together with the cowherd women, cowherds, girls, and boys.
गवां गणैः सुरभ्या च तत्पश्चादाज्ञया हरेः । तदा ब्रह्मादिभिर्देवैर्मुनिभिः परया मुदा
By the herds of cows and Surabhi as well, then by the command of Hari; at that time, by Brahmā and other gods, and by sages, with great joy.
पुष्पधूपादिभिर्भक्त्या पूजिता वन्दिता सदा । पृथिव्यां प्रथमं देवी सुयज्ञेनैव पूजिता
She was always worshipped and honored with devotion, with flowers, incense, and the like; on earth, the goddess was first worshipped by Suyajña.
शङ्करेणोपदिष्टेन पुण्यक्षेत्रे च भारते । त्रिषु लोकेषु तत्पश्चादाज्ञया परमात्मनः
As instructed by Śaṅkara, in the holy land of Bhārata; then, in the three worlds, by the command of the Supreme Self.
पुष्पधूपादिभिर्भक्त्या पूजिता मुनिभिः सदा । कला या याः समुद्भूता पूजितास्ताश्च भारते
She was always worshipped by sages with devotion, with flowers, incense, and the like; and all the manifestations that arose were worshipped in Bhārata.
पूजिता ग्रामदेव्यश्च ग्रामे च नगरे मुने । एवं ते कथितं सर्वं प्रकृतेश्चरितं शुभम्
The village goddesses were worshipped in villages and cities, O sage; thus, all the auspicious deeds of Prakṛti have been told to you.
यथागमं लक्षणं च किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
The characteristics according to scripture have also been described; what more do you wish to hear?
पञ्चप्रकृतितद्भर्तृगणोत्पत्तिवर्णनम् नारद उवाच समासेन श्रुतं सर्वं देवीनां चरितं प्रभो । विबोधनाय बोधस्य व्यासेन वक्तुमर्हसि
Nārada said: All the deeds of the goddesses have been heard in summary, O Lord; for the sake of understanding, Vyāsa, you should explain further.
सृष्टेराद्या सृष्टिविधौ कथमाविर्बभूव ह । कथं वा पञ्चधा भूता वद वेदविदांवर
How did the primal one of creation appear at the beginning of creation? And how did she become fivefold? Tell me, O best knower of the Vedas.
भूता ययांशकलया तया त्रिगुणया भवे । व्यासेन तासां चरितं श्रोतुमिच्छामि साम्प्रतम्
By which portion or aspect, endowed with the three qualities, did she manifest the beings? Vyāsa, I now wish to hear the deeds of these forms.
तासां जन्मानुकथनं पूजाध्यानविधिं बुध । स्तोत्रं कवचमैश्वर्यं शौर्यं वर्णय मङ्गलम्
Describe their births in order, the method of worship and meditation, their hymns, armor, sovereignty, valor, and auspiciousness.
श्रीनारायण उवाच नित्य आत्मा नभो नित्यं कालो नित्यो दिशो यथा । विश्वानां गोलकं नित्यं नित्यो गोलोक एव च
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The Self is eternal, space is eternal, time is eternal, and so are the directions; the sphere of the worlds is eternal, and Goloka is also eternal.
तदेकदेशो वैकुण्ठो नम्रभागानुसारकः । तथैव प्रकृतिर्नित्या ब्रह्मलीला सनातनी
A portion of that is Vaikuṇṭha, following the share of the humble; likewise, Prakṛti is eternal, and the play of Brahman is everlasting.
यथाग्नौ दाहिका चन्द्रे पद्मे शोभा प्रभा रवौ । शश्वद्युक्ता न भिन्ना सा तथा प्रकृतिरात्मनि
Just as the power to burn is in fire, radiance in the moon, beauty in the lotus, and brilliance in the sun—always joined, never separate—so too is Prakriti united with the Self.
विना स्वर्णं स्वर्णकारः कुण्डलं कर्तुमक्षमः । विना मृदा घटं कर्तुं कुलालो हि नहीश्वरः
Without gold, the goldsmith is unable to make an earring; without clay, the potter is not a master of pots.