सुरथनृपतिवृमत्तवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच सप्तमो मनुराख्यातो मनुर्वैवस्वतः प्रभुः । श्राद्धदेवः परानन्दभोक्ता मान्यस्तु भूभुजाम्
Description of King Suratha's Boon. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The seventh Manu is known as Vaivasvata Manu, the lord; Śrāddhadeva, enjoyer of supreme bliss, honored among kings.
स च वैवस्वतमनुः परदेव्याः प्रसादतः । तथा तत्तपसा चैव जातो मन्वन्तराधिपः
And this Vaivasvata Manu, by the grace of the Supreme Goddess and through his austerity, became the ruler of the manvantara.
अष्टमो मनुराख्यातः सावर्णिः प्रथितः क्षितौ । स जन्मान्तर आराध्य देवीं तद्वरलाभतः
The eighth Manu is called Sāvarṇi, renowned on earth; in a previous birth, he worshipped the Goddess and obtained her boon.
जातो मन्वन्तरपतिः सर्वराजन्यपूजितः । महापराक्रमी धीरो देवीभक्तिपरायणः
He was born as the lord of the manvantara, honored by all kings, of great valor and courage, devoted to the worship of the Goddess.
नारद उवाव कथं जन्मान्तरे तेन मनुनाराधनं कृतम् । देव्याः पृथिव्युद्भवायास्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि
Nārada said: How did he, in a previous birth, worship the Goddess for the sake of becoming Manu? Please tell me this, O you who are worthy to relate it.
श्रीनारायण उवाच चैत्रवंशसमुद्भूतो राजा स्वारोचिषेऽन्तरे । सुरथो नाम विख्यातो महाबलपराक्रमः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Born in the lineage of Caitra during the Svārociṣa manvantara, there was a king named Suratha, famed for his great strength and valor.
गुणग्राही धनुर्धारी मान्यः श्रेष्ठः कविः कृती । धनसंग्रहकर्ता च दाता याचकमण्डले
He was appreciative of virtues, an archer, honored, the best among poets, accomplished, a gatherer of wealth, and a giver to those who asked.
अरीणां मर्दनो मानी सर्वास्त्रकुशलो बली । तस्यैकदा बभूवुस्ते कोलाविध्वंसिनो नृपाः
He was a crusher of enemies, proud, skilled in all weapons, and strong; but once, there arose against him kings who destroyed his clan.
शत्रवः सैन्यसहिताः परिवार्येनमूर्जिताः । रुरुधुर्नगरीं तस्य राज्ञो मानधनस्य हि
His enemies, together with their armies, surrounded him with force and besieged the city of that king, proud of his honor and wealth.
तदा स सुरथो नाम राजा सैन्यसमावृतः । निर्ययौ नगरात्स्वीयात्सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणः
Then King Suratha, surrounded by his army, went out from his own city, determined to destroy all his enemies.
तदा स समरे राजा सुरथः शत्रुभिर्जितः । अमात्यैर्मन्त्रिभिश्चैव तस्य कोशगतं धनम्
Then, in battle, King Suratha was defeated by his enemies; his ministers and counselors took all the wealth from his treasury.
हृतं सर्वमशेषेण तदातप्यत भूमिपः । निष्कासितश्च नगरात्स राजा परमद्युतिः
All his riches were completely seized, and the king, radiant in splendor, was expelled from his city.
जगामाश्वमथारुह्य मृगयामिषतो वनम् । एकाकी विजनेऽरण्ये बभ्रामोद्भ्रान्तमानसः
Mounting his horse, he went into the forest, seeking game; alone in the desolate wilderness, he wandered, his mind disturbed.
मुनेः कस्यचिदागत्य स्वाश्रमं शान्तमानसः । प्रशान्तजन्तुसंयुक्तं मुनिशिष्यगणैर्युतम्
Coming to the peaceful hermitage of a certain sage, filled with tranquil creatures and surrounded by groups of the sage’s disciples, he arrived.
उवास कञ्चित्कालं स राजा परमशोभने । आश्रमे मुनिवर्यस्य दीर्घदृष्टेः सुमेधसः
That king of great splendor stayed for some time in the hermitage of the eminent sage Sumedhas, who possessed far-reaching vision.
एकदा स महीपालो मुनिं पूजावसानके । काले गत्वा प्रणम्याशु पप्रच्छ विनयान्वितः
One day, the king approached the sage at the end of his worship, bowed quickly, and respectfully asked him a question.
मुने मम मनोदुःखं बाधते चाधिसम्भवम् । ज्ञाततत्त्वस्य भूदेव निष्प्रज्ञस्य च सन्ततम्
O sage, sorrow arising in my mind troubles me constantly, even though I know the truth and have no heirs, O lord of the earth.
शत्रुभिर्निर्जितस्यापि हृतराज्यस्य सर्वशः । तथापि तेषु मनसि ममत्वं जायते स्फुटम्
Even though I have been conquered by enemies and my entire kingdom has been taken, still, attachment to them arises clearly in my mind.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथं शर्म लभे मुने । त्वदनुग्रहमाशासे वद वेदविदां वर
What should I do? Where should I go? How can I find peace, O sage? I seek your grace—tell me, best of those who know the Vedas.
मुनिरुवाच आकर्णय महीपाल महाश्चर्यकरं परम् । देवीमाहात्म्यमतुलं सर्वकामप्रदं परम्
The sage said: Listen, O king, to the supreme and wondrous account, the incomparable greatness of the Goddess, who grants all desires.
जगन्मयी महामाया विष्णुब्रह्महरोद्भवा । सा बलादपहृत्यैव जन्तूनां मानसानि हि
The Great Goddess, who pervades the universe, arose from Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva; she forcibly seizes the minds of beings.
मोहाय प्रतिसंयच्छेदिति जानीहि भूमिप । सा सृजत्यखिलं विश्वं सा पालयति सर्वदा
Know, O king, that she restrains the minds of beings for the sake of delusion; she creates the entire universe and always sustains it.
संहारे हररूपेण संहरत्येव भूमिप । कामदात्री महामाया कालरात्रिर्दुरत्यया
At the time of dissolution, she withdraws everything in the form of Shiva; the Great Goddess, giver of desires, is the dark night of time, difficult to overcome.
विश्वसंहारिणी काली कमला कमलालया । तस्यां सर्वं जगज्जातं तस्यां विश्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
She is Kāli, destroyer of the universe; Kamalā, the abode of lotuses; in her, all the world is born, and in her, the universe is established.
लयमेष्यति तस्यां च तस्मात्सैव परात्परा । तस्या देव्याः प्रसादश्च यस्योपरि भवेन्नृप । स एव मोहमत्येति नान्यथा धरणीपते
Into her, all will dissolve; therefore, she is the Supreme beyond the supreme. O king, whoever receives the grace of that Goddess alone overcomes delusion—never otherwise, O lord of the earth.
देवीमाहात्म्ये मधुकैटभवधवर्णनम् राजोवाच का सा देवी त्वया प्रोक्ता ब्रूहि कालविदां वर । का मोहयति सत्त्वानि कारणं किं भवेद् द्विज
Description of the slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha in the greatness of the Goddess. The king said: Who is that Goddess you spoke of? Tell me, best of those who know time. Who deludes beings, and what is the cause, O twice-born one?
कस्मादुत्पद्यते देवी किंरूपा सा किमात्मिका । सर्वमाख्याहि भूदेव कृपया मम सर्वतः
From what does the Goddess arise? What is her form? What is her nature? Tell me everything, O lord of the earth, kindly and completely.
मुनिरुवाच राजन् देव्याः स्वरूपं ते वर्णयामि निशामय । यथा चोत्पतिता देवी येन वा सा जगन्मयी
The sage said: O king, I will describe to you the true nature of the Goddess—listen as I recount how the Goddess arose and by whom, she who pervades the universe.
यदा नारायणो देवो विश्वं संहृत्य योगराट् । आस्तीर्य शेषं भगवान् समुद्रे निद्रितोऽभवत्
When the god Nārāyaṇa, lord of yoga, had withdrawn the universe, the Blessed One lay asleep upon the serpent Śeṣa, spread out on the ocean.
तदा प्रस्वापवशगो देवदेवो जनार्दनः । तत्कर्णमलसञ्जातौ दानवौ मधुकैटभौ
Then, overcome by deep sleep, the god of gods Janārdana, from the dirt of whose ears arose the demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha,