दुर्गायाश्चैव राधाया विस्तीर्णं चरितं महत् । तद्वत्पश्चात्प्रवक्ष्यामि संक्षेपक्रमतः शृणु
The extensive and great deeds of Durgā and Rādhā—I shall later relate those in detail. Now hear them in summary.
आदौ सरस्वतीपूजा श्रीकृष्णेन विनिर्मिता । यत्प्रसादान्मुनिश्रेष्ठ मूर्खो भवति पण्डितः
At first, the worship of Sarasvatī was established by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By her grace, O best of sages, a fool becomes a scholar.
आविर्भूता यथा देवी वक्त्रतः कृष्णयोषितः । इयेष कृष्णं कामेन कामुकी कामरूपिणी
As the goddess appeared from the mouth of Kṛṣṇa's beloved, she desired Kṛṣṇa with passion, herself taking the form of a lover.
स च विज्ञाय तद्भावं सर्वज्ञः सर्वमातरम् । तामुवाच हितं सत्यं परिणामे सुखावहम्
He, knowing her intent—being all-knowing and the Mother of all—spoke to her words that were beneficial, true, and would bring happiness in the end.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच भज नारायणं साध्वि मदंशं च चतुर्भुजम् । युवानं सुन्दरं सर्वगुणयुक्तं च मत्समम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Worship Nārāyaṇa, O virtuous one, my four-armed portion—youthful, beautiful, endowed with all virtues, and equal to me.
कामज्ञं कामिनीनां च तासां च कामपूरकम् । कोटिकन्दर्पलावण्यं लीलालङ्कतमीश्वरम्
He knows the desires of women, fulfills their wishes, and is adorned with the beauty of ten million Cupids, the Lord decorated with playful pastimes.
कान्ते कान्तं च मां कृत्वा यदि स्थातुमिहेच्छसि । त्वत्तो बलवती राधा न भद्रं ते भविष्यति
If you wish to remain with me as your beloved, know that Rādhā is stronger than you. No good will come to you.
यो यस्माद् बलवान्वापि ततोऽन्यं रक्षितुं क्षमः । कथं परान्साधयति यदि स्वयमनीश्वरः
Whoever is stronger than another is able to protect others. How can one accomplish others' aims if he himself is not sovereign?
सर्वेशः सर्वशास्ताहं राधां बाधितुमक्षमः । तेजसा मत्समा सा च रूपेण च गुणेन च
I am the Lord of all, the teacher of all, yet I am unable to oppose Rādhā. She is equal to me in splendor, form, and qualities.
प्राणाधिष्ठातृदेवी सा प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं च कः क्षमः । प्राणतोऽपि प्रियः पुत्रः केषां वास्ति च कश्चन
She is the goddess who presides over life itself—who is able to abandon their own life? Who indeed has a son dearer than life itself?
त्वं भद्रे गच्छ वैकुण्ठं तव भद्रं भविष्यति । पतिं तमीश्वरं कृत्वा मोदस्व सुचिरं सुखम्
O blessed one, go to Vaikuntha; good fortune will be yours. Take that Lord as your husband and rejoice in happiness for a long time.
लोभमोहकामक्रोधमानहिंसाविवर्जिता । तेजसा त्वत्समा लक्ष्मी रूपेण च गुणेन च
Free from greed, delusion, desire, anger, pride, and violence, Lakshmi will be your equal in brilliance, beauty, and virtue.
तया सार्धं तव प्रीत्या शश्वत्कालः प्रयास्यति । गौरवं च हरिस्तुल्यं करिष्यति द्वयोरपि
With her, out of affection for you, endless time will pass; and Hari will grant equal honor to both of you.
प्रतिविश्वेषु तां पूजां महतीं गौरवान्विताम् । माघस्य शुक्लपञ्चम्यां विद्यारम्भे च सुन्दरि
In every world, that great worship, endowed with honor, will be performed for her, O beautiful one, on the fifth day of the bright half of Magha and at the commencement of learning.
मानवा मनवो देवा मुनीन्द्राश्च मुमुक्षवः । वसवो योगिनः सिद्धा नागा गन्धर्वराक्षसाः
Humans, Manus, gods, great sages seeking liberation, Vasus, yogis, siddhas, nagas, gandharvas, and rakshasas—
मद्वरेण करिष्यन्ति कल्पे कल्पे लयावधि । भक्तियुक्ताश्च दत्त्वा वै चोपचाराणि षोडश
By my command, will perform that worship in every age until dissolution, with devotion, offering the sixteen prescribed services.
कण्वशाखोक्तविधिना ध्यानेन स्तवनेन च । जितेन्द्रियाः संयताश्च घटे च पुस्तकेऽपि च
According to the procedure taught in the Kanva branch, with meditation and praise, those who have mastered their senses and are self-controlled, will do so with a pot or even with a book.
कृत्वा सुवर्णगुटिकां गन्धचन्दनचर्चिताम् । कवचं ते ग्रहीष्यन्ति कण्ठे वा दक्षिणे भुजे
Having made a golden bead anointed with fragrant sandal paste, they will wear your protective amulet on the neck or on the right arm.
पठिष्यन्ति च विद्वांसः पूजाकाले च पूजिते । इत्युक्त्वा पूजयामास तां देवीं सर्वपूजिताम्
The learned will recite it at the time of worship and after worship; having said this, she worshipped that goddess, honored by all.
ततस्तत्पूजनं चकुर्ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः । अनन्तश्चापि धर्मश्च मुनीन्द्राः सनकादयः
Then Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others performed that worship, as did Ananta, Dharma, and the great sages like Sanaka.
सर्वे देवाश्च मुनयो नृपाश्च मानवादयः । बभूव पूजिता नित्यं सर्वलोकैः सरस्वती
All the gods, sages, kings, and men—Sarasvati became ever worshipped by all the worlds.
नारद उवाच पूजाविधानं कवचं ध्यानं चापि निरन्तरम् । पूजोपयुक्तं नैवेद्यं पुष्पं च चन्दनादिकम्
Narada said: The procedure of worship, the amulet, the meditation, the offerings suitable for worship, food, flowers, and sandal paste—
वद वेदविदां श्रेष्ठ श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम । वर्तते हृदये शश्वत्किमिदं श्रुतिसुन्दरम्
Tell me, O best of those who know the Vedas, for I have a constant curiosity in my heart to hear this beautiful teaching.
श्रीनारायण उवाच शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि कण्वशाखोक्तपद्धतिम् । जगन्मातुः सरस्वत्याः पूजाविधिसमन्विताम्
Sri Narayana said: Listen, Narada, I will tell you the method taught in the Kanva branch, complete with the procedure for the worship of Mother Sarasvati.
माघस्य शुक्लपञ्चम्यां विद्यारम्भदिनेऽपि च । पूर्वेऽह्नि समयं कृत्वा तत्राह्नि संयतः शुचिः
On the fifth day of the bright half of Magha, or on the day of commencing learning, having fixed the time the previous day, one should be self-controlled and pure on that day.
स्नात्वा नित्यक्रियाः कृत्वा घटं संस्थाप्य भक्तितः । स्वशाखोक्तविधानेन तान्त्रिकेणाथवा पुनः
Having bathed and performed daily duties, one should establish a pot with devotion, according to the procedure taught in one's own branch, or by the Tantric method.
गणेशं पूर्वमभ्यर्च्य ततोऽभीष्टां प्रपूजयेत् । ध्यानेन वक्ष्यमाणेन ध्यात्वा बाह्यघटे ध्रुवम्
First worship Ganesha, then worship the desired deity; meditating as will be described, one should meditate on the external pot as fixed.
ध्यात्वा पुनः षोडषोपचारेण पूजयेद् व्रती । पूजोपयुक्तं नैवेद्यं यच्च वेदनिरूपितम्
Then, having meditated, the votary should worship with the sixteen services; and offer the food and other items prescribed by the Vedas for worship.
वक्ष्यामि सौम्य तत्किञ्चिद्यथाधीतं यथागमम् । नवनीतं दधि क्षीरं लाजांश्च तिललड्डुकम्
O gentle one, I shall now tell you, as I have studied and as it is prescribed, about offerings such as fresh butter, curd, milk, parched rice, and sesame balls.
इक्षुमिक्षुरसं शुक्लवर्णं पञ्चगुडं मधु । स्वस्तिकं शर्करां शुक्लधान्यस्याक्षतमक्षतम्
Sugarcane, sugarcane juice, white-colored five kinds of jaggery, honey, sacred rice, crystal sugar, and unbroken white grains of rice.