रममाणौ तु तौ दृष्ट्वा गिरिशौ संशितव्रताः । निवृत्ता मुनयो जग्मुर्वैकुण्ठनिलयं तदा
Seeing the two, Girisha and his consort, engaged in pleasure, the ascetic sages withdrew and went to the abode of Vaikuntha.
प्रियायाः प्रियमन्विच्छञ्छिवोऽरण्यं शशाप ह । अद्यारभ्य विशेद्योऽत्र पुमान् योषिद्भवेदिति
Desiring privacy with his beloved, Shiva cursed the forest, saying, 'From this day, any man who enters here shall become a woman.'
तत आरभ्य तं देशं पुरुषा वर्जयंति हि । तत्र प्रविष्टः सुद्युम्नो बभूव प्रमदोत्तमा
From that time, men have avoided that region; Sudyumna, having entered there, became an excellent woman.
स्त्रीभूतानुगानश्वं वडवां वीक्ष्य विस्मितः । अथ सा सुन्दरी योषा विचचार वने वने
Seeing his horses transformed into mares and his followers into women, he was astonished; then that beautiful woman wandered from forest to forest.
एकदा सा जगामाथ बुधस्याश्रमसन्निधौ । दृष्ट्वा तां चारुसर्वाङ्गीं पीनोन्नतपयोधराम्
Once, she came near the hermitage of Budha; seeing her, lovely in every limb, with full and high breasts—
बिंबोष्ठीं कुन्ददशनां सुमुखीमुत्पलेक्षणाम् । अनङ्गशरविद्धांगश्चकमे भगवान्बुधः
With lips like bimba fruit, teeth like jasmine buds, a beautiful face, and lotus-like eyes, pierced by the arrows of love, the god Budha desired her.
सापि तं चकमे सुभ्रूः कुमारं सोमनंदनम् । ततस्तस्याश्रमेऽवात्सीद्रममाणा बुधेन सा
She too, with lovely brows, desired Budha, the son of Soma; so she remained in his hermitage, delighting with him.
अथ कालेन कियता पुरूरवसमात्मजम् । स तस्यां जनयामास मित्रावरुणसंभवः
Then, after some time, Budha, born of Mitra and Varuna, begot upon her a son named Pururavas.
अथ वर्षेषु यातेषु कदाचित्सा बुधाश्रमे । स्मृत्वा स्वं पूर्ववृत्तान्तं दुःखिता निर्जगाम ह
After some years had passed, she, recalling her former life, became sorrowful and left Budha's hermitage.
गुरोरथाश्रमं गत्वा वसिष्ठस्य प्रणम्य तम् । निवेद्य वृत्तं शरणं ययौ पुंस्त्वमभीप्सती
Going to the hermitage of her guru Vasistha, she bowed to him, reported all that had happened, and sought refuge, desiring to regain manhood.
वसिष्ठो ज्ञातवृत्तांतो गत्वा कैलासपर्वतम् । संपूज्य शंभुं तुष्टाव भक्त्या परमया युतः
Vasistha, knowing her story, went to Mount Kailasa, worshipped Shambhu, and praised him with utmost devotion.
वसिष्ठ उवाच। नमो नमः शिवायास्तु शंकराय कपर्दिने । गिरिजार्द्धाङ्गदेहाय नमस्ते चंद्रमौलये
Vasistha said: 'Salutations, salutations to Shiva, to Shankara, the matted-haired one; to him whose body is half united with Girija, to the moon-crested one, I bow.'
मृडाय सुखदात्रे ते नमः कैलासवासिने । नीलकण्ठाय भक्तानां भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिने
Salutations to you, the giver of happiness, the gracious one who dwells on Kailāsa, the blue-throated one who grants enjoyment and liberation to devotees.
शिवाय शिवरूपाय प्रपन्नभयहारिणे । नमो वृषभवाहाय शरण्याय परात्मने
Salutations to Śiva, of auspicious form, remover of fear for those who take refuge; to the bull-rider, the shelter of all, the supreme self.
ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशरूपाय सर्गस्थितिलयेषु च । नमो देवाधिदेवाय वरदाय पुरारये
Salutations to the one who is the forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Īśa, in creation, preservation, and dissolution; to the god of gods, the bestower of boons, the enemy of Tripura.
यज्ञरूपाय यजतां फलदात्रे नमो नमः । गंगाधराय सूर्येन्दुशिखिनेत्राय ते नमः
Repeated salutations to the one who is the form of sacrifice, the giver of fruits to those who perform sacrifices; to the bearer of Gaṅgā, to you whose hair, sun, moon, and fire are your eyes.
एवं स्तुतः स भगवान्प्रादुरासीज्जगत्पतिः । वृषारूढोऽम्बिकोपेतः कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभः
Thus praised, the blessed Lord, master of the universe, appeared, mounted on a bull, accompanied by Ambikā, shining with the brilliance of millions of suns.
रजताचलसंकाशस्त्रिनेत्रश्चंद्रशेखरः। प्रणतं परितुष्टात्मा प्रोवाच मुनिसत्तमम्
He resembled a silver mountain, three-eyed, adorned with the crescent moon; his heart content, he spoke to the foremost sage who had bowed before him.
श्रीभगवानुवाच। वरं वरय विप्रर्षे यत्ते मनसि वर्तते । इत्युक्तस्तं प्रणम्येला पुँस्त्वमभ्यर्थयन्मुनिः
The Blessed Lord said: 'Choose a boon, O best of sages, whatever is in your mind.' Thus addressed, the sage bowed and requested manhood.
अथ प्रसन्नो भगवानुवाच मुनिसत्तमम् । मासं पुमान्स भविता मासं नारी भविष्यति
Then the gracious Lord spoke to the foremost sage: 'For one month you will be a man, for one month a woman.'
इति प्राप्य वरं शंभोर्महर्षिर्जगदम्बिकाम् । वरदानोन्मुखीं देवीं प्रणनाम महेश्वरीम्
Having thus obtained the boon from Śambhu, the great sage bowed to Jagadambikā, to the goddess Maheśvarī, who was ready to grant boons.
कोटिचंद्रकलाकान्तिं सुस्मितां परिपूज्य च । तुष्टाव भक्त्या सततमिलायाः पुंस्त्वकाम्यया
He worshipped her, radiant as millions of moonbeams, smiling beautifully, and praised her always with devotion, desiring manhood from Ilā.
जय देवि महादेवि भक्तानुग्रहकारिणि । जय सर्वसुराराध्ये जयानंतगुणालये
Victory to you, O goddess, great goddess, bestower of grace to devotees! Victory to you, worshipped by all the gods, abode of endless virtues!
नमो नमस्ते देवेशि शरणागतवत्सले । जय दुर्गे दु:खहंत्रि दुष्टदैत्यनिषूदिनि
Salutations again and again to you, O queen of the gods, who is affectionate to those who seek refuge. Victory to you, Durgā, remover of suffering, destroyer of wicked demons!
भक्तिगम्ये महामाये नमस्ते जगदम्बिके । संसारसागरोत्तारपोतीभूतपदाम्बुजे
Accessible through devotion, great Māyā, salutations to you, O mother of the universe, whose lotus feet are the boat that carries beings across the ocean of worldly existence.
ब्रह्मादयोऽपि विबुधास्त्वत्पादांबुजसेवया । विश्वसर्गस्थितिलयप्रभुत्वं समवाप्नुयुः
Even Brahmā and the other gods, by serving your lotus feet, attain lordship over creation, preservation, and dissolution of the universe.
प्रसन्ना भव देवेशि चतुर्वर्गप्रदायिनि । कस्त्वां स्तोतुं क्षमो देवि केवलं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम्
Be gracious, O queen of the gods, giver of the four aims of life; who is able to praise you, O goddess? I am only one who bows before you.
एवं स्तुता भगवती दुर्गा नारायणी परा । भक्त्या वसिष्ठमुनिना प्रसन्ना तत्क्षणादभूत्
Thus praised by the sage Vasiṣṭha with devotion, the supreme goddess Durgā Nārāyaṇī was immediately pleased.
तदोवाच महादेवी प्रणतार्तिहरी मुनिम् । सुद्युम्नभवनं गत्वा कुरु भक्त्या मदर्चनम्
Then the great goddess, remover of the distress of those who bow to her, spoke to the sage: 'Go to the house of Sudyumna and worship me with devotion.'
सुद्युम्नं श्रावय प्रीत्या पुराणं मत्प्रियंकरम् । देवीभागवतं नाम नवाहोभिर्द्विजोत्तम
'Recite to Sudyumna with affection the Purāṇa dear to me, called the Devī Bhāgavata, over nine days, O best of twice-born.'