श्रीनारायण उवाच सृष्टेरादौ पुरा ब्रह्मन् कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः । देवी वामांससम्भूता बभूव रासमण्डले
By whom was she first worshipped, what was she like in the beginning, and by whom, in ancient times? O best of knowers of the Veda, tell me the praise of her qualities.
अतीव सुन्दरी श्यामा न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डिता । यथा द्वादशवर्षीया शश्वत्सुस्थिरयौवना
Shri Narayana said: In the beginning of creation, O Brahman, the Goddess, born from the left side of Krishna, the Supreme Self, appeared in the circle of the rasa dance.
श्वेतचम्पकवर्णाभा सुखदृश्या मनोहरा । शरत्पार्वणकोटीन्दुप्रभाप्रच्छादनानना
She was exceedingly beautiful, dark-complexioned, adorned with a banyan garland, ever in the bloom of stable youth, as if twelve years old.
शरन्मध्याह्नपद्मानां शोभामोचनलोचना । सा देवी द्विविधा भूता सह सर्वेश्वरेच्छया
Her radiance was like white campaka flowers, pleasing to behold, captivating, her face outshining the brilliance of ten million autumn full moons.
स्वीयरूपेण वर्णेन तेजसा वयसा त्विषा । यशसा वाससा कृत्या भूषणेन गुणेन च
Her eyes surpassed the beauty of autumn midday lotuses; by the will of the Lord of all, that Goddess became twofold.
स्मितेन वीक्षणेनैव प्रेम्णा वानुनयेन च । तद्वामांसान्महालक्ष्मीर्दक्षिणासांच्च राधिका
By her own form, color, brilliance, age, splendor, fame, garments, actions, ornaments, and virtues—
राधाऽऽदौ वरयामास द्विभुजञ्च परात्परम् । महालक्ष्मीश्च तत्पश्चाच्चकमे कमनीयकम्
By her smile, glance, affection, and gentle persuasion, from her left side came Mahalakshmi, and from her right side, Radhika.
कृष्णस्तद्गौरवेणैव द्विधारूपो बभूव ह । दक्षिणांसश्च द्विभुजो वामांसश्च चतुर्भुजः
First, Radhika chose the Supreme, two-armed form, and then Mahalakshmi desired the charming form that followed.
चतुर्भुजाय द्विभुजो महालक्ष्मीं ददौ पुरा । लक्ष्यते दृश्यते विश्वं स्निग्धदृष्ट्या ययानिशम्
Out of respect for them, Krishna took two forms: the right side became two-armed, and the left side became four-armed.
देवीभूता च महती महालक्ष्मीश्च सा स्मृता । राधाकान्तश्च द्विभुजो लक्ष्मीकान्तश्चतुर्भुजः
She is remembered as the great Mahālakṣmī, who became the goddess; Rādhākānta has two arms, Lakṣmīkānta has four arms.
शुद्धसत्त्वस्वरूपा च गोपैर्गोपीभिरावृता । चतुर्भुजश्च वैकुण्ठं प्रययौ पद्मया सह
Of pure sattva nature, surrounded by cowherds and cowherd women, the four-armed one went to Vaikuṇṭha together with Padmā.
सर्वांशेन समौ तौ द्वौ कृष्णनारायणौ परौ । महालक्ष्मीश्च योगेन नानारूपा बभूव सा
Those two, Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa, supreme, were together in their entirety; Mahālakṣmī, by her yoga, became manifold in form.
वैकुण्ठे च महालक्ष्मीः परिपूर्णतमा रमा । शुद्धसत्त्वस्वरूपा च सर्वसौभाग्यसंयुता
In Vaikuṇṭha, Mahālakṣmī, the most complete Ramā, of pure sattva nature, endowed with all auspiciousness.
प्रेम्णा सा च प्रधाना च सर्वासु रमणीषु च । स्वर्गेषु स्वर्गलक्ष्मीश्च शक्रसम्पत्स्वरूपिणी
She is chief among all beloved women, through love; in heaven, she is Svarga Lakṣmī, the embodiment of Indra’s prosperity.
पाताले नागलक्ष्मीश्च राजलक्ष्मीश्च राजसु । गृहलक्ष्मीर्गृहेष्वेव गृहिणां च कलांशतः
In the netherworld, she is Nāga Lakṣmī; among kings, she is Rāja Lakṣmī; in homes, she is Gṛha Lakṣmī, a portion of the arts among housewives.
सम्पत्स्वरूपा गृहिणां सर्वमङ्गलमङ्गला । गवां प्रसूतिः सुरभिर्दक्षिणा यज्ञकामिनी
She is the form of prosperity for housewives, the most auspicious among all auspicious things; Surabhi is the source of cows, Dakṣiṇā is desired in sacrifices.
क्षीरोदसिन्धुकन्या सा श्रीरूपा पद्मिनीषु च । शोभास्वरूपा चन्द्रे च सूर्यमण्डलमण्डिता
She is the daughter of the ocean of milk, Śrī in the lotuses; the embodiment of beauty in the moon, adorned in the solar orb.
विभूषणेषु रत्नेषु फलेषु च जलेषु च । नृपेषु नृपपत्नीषु दिव्यस्त्रीषु गृहेषु च
In ornaments, in jewels, in fruits, and in waters; among kings, among queens, among divine women, and in homes.
सर्वसस्येषु वस्त्रेषु स्थानेषु संस्कृतेषु च । प्रतिमासु च देवानां मङ्गलेषु घटेषु च
In all crops, in garments, in refined places; in the images of the gods, in auspicious pots.
माणिक्येषु च मुक्तासु माल्येषु च मनोहरा । मणीन्द्रेषु च हीरेषु क्षीरेषु चन्दनेषु च
In rubies, in pearls, in enchanting garlands; in chief gems, in diamonds, in milk, and in sandalwood.
वृक्षशाखासु रम्यासु नवमेघेषु वस्तुषु । वैकुण्ठे पूजिता साऽऽदौ देवी नारायणेन च
In lovely tree branches, in new clouds, in objects; at the beginning, the goddess was worshipped in Vaikuṇṭha by Nārāyaṇa.
द्वितीये ब्रह्मणा भक्त्या तृतीये शङ्करेण च । विष्णुना पूजिता सा च क्षीरोदे भारते मुने
In the second age, worshipped by Brahmā with devotion; in the third, by Śaṅkara; she was worshipped by Viṣṇu in the ocean of milk and in Bhārata, O sage.
स्वायम्भुवेन मनुना मानवेन्द्रेश्च सर्वतः । ऋषीन्द्रैश्च मुनीन्द्रैश्च सद्भिश्च गृहिभिर्भवे
By Svāyambhuva Manu, by the kings among men everywhere; by the foremost sages and ascetics, and by householders in existence.
गन्धर्वैश्चैव नागाद्यैः पातालेषु च पूजिता । शुक्लाष्टम्यां भाद्रपदे कृता पूजा च ब्रह्मणा
By Gandharvas and Nāgas and others, worshipped in the netherworld; on the bright eighth day in Bhādrapada, worship was performed by Brahmā.
भक्त्या च पक्षपर्यन्तं त्रिषु लोकेषु नारद । चैत्रे पौषे च भाद्रे च पुण्ये मङ्गलवासरे
With devotion, throughout the fortnight, in the three worlds, O Nārada; in Caitra, Pauṣa, and Bhādra, on auspicious holy days.
विष्णुना पूजिता सा च त्रिषु लोकेषु भक्तितः । वर्षान्ते पौषसङ्क्रान्त्यां माध्यामावाह्य मङ्गले
She was worshipped by Viṣṇu in the three worlds with devotion; at the end of the year, at the Pauṣa solstice, the middle one was invoked in auspiciousness.
मनुस्तां पूजयामास सा भूता भुवनत्रये । पूजिता सा महेन्द्रेण मङ्गलेनैव मङ्गला
Manu worshipped her, and she became the being revered in the three worlds; she was honored by Mahendra, the auspicious one, as the bringer of auspiciousness.
केदारेणैव नीलेन सुबलेन नलेन च । ध्रुवेणोत्तानपादेन शक्रेण बलिना तथा
She was worshipped by Kedara, Nila, Subala, Nala, Dhruva, Uttanapada, Shakra, and Bali as well.
कश्यपेन च दक्षेण कर्दमेन विवस्वता । प्रियव्रतेन चन्द्रेण कुबेरेणैव वायुना
She was honored by Kashyapa, Daksha, Kardama, Vivasvat, Priyavrata, Chandra, Kubera, and Vayu.
यमेन वह्निना चैव वरुणेनैव पूजिता । एवं सर्वत्र सर्वेषु पूजिता वन्दिता सदा । सर्वेश्वर्याधिदेवी सा सर्वसम्पत्स्वरूपिणी
She was worshipped by Yama, Agni, and Varuna; thus, everywhere and by all, she is always worshipped and revered. She is the supreme goddess of all lords, the very embodiment of all prosperity.