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When the god Nārāyaṇa, lord of yoga, had withdrawn the universe, the Blessed One lay asleep upon the serpent Śeṣa, spread out on the ocean.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,
ब्रह्माणं हन्तुमुद्युक्तौ दानवौ घोररूपिणौ । तदा कमलजो देवो दृष्ट्वा तौ मधुकैटभौ
Those two demons, terrifying in form, set out to kill Brahmā; seeing Madhu and Kaiṭabha, the lotus-born god,
निद्रितं देवदेवेशं चिन्तामाप दुरत्ययाम् । निद्रितो भगवानीशो दानवौ च दुरासदौ
The lord of the gods, master of the gods, lay asleep, and the two fierce and unapproachable demons were present; then the lotus-born was seized by overwhelming anxiety.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथं शर्म लभे ह्यहम् । एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य पद्ययोनेर्महात्मनः
"What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can I find safety?"—thus the great-souled one, born from the lotus, pondered.
बुद्धिः प्रादूरभूत्तात तदा कार्यप्रसाधिनी । यस्या वशं गतो देवो निद्रितो भगवान् हरिः
Then, O dear one, a thought arose in him, effective for his purpose—she by whose power the Blessed Lord Hari was held in sleep.
तां देवीं शरणं यामि निद्रां सर्वप्रसूतिकाम् । ब्रह्मोवाच देवि देवि जगद्धात्रि भक्ताभीष्टफलप्रदे
I take refuge in that Goddess, Sleep, the source of all creation. Brahmā said: O Goddess, O Goddess, sustainer of the world, granter of devotees’ wishes,
जगन्माये महामाये समुद्रशयने शिवे । त्वदाज्ञावशगाः सर्वे स्वस्वकार्यविधायिनः
O cosmic Māyā, great Māyā, auspicious one who lies upon the ocean, all are subject to your command, each fulfilling their own tasks.
कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिर्मदोत्कटा । व्यापिनी वशगा मान्या महानन्दैकशेवधिः
You are Kālarātri, Mahārātri, Moharātri, fierce with intoxication; all-pervading, sovereign, worthy of honor, the sole treasure of supreme bliss.
महनीया महाराध्या माया मधुमती मही । परापराणां सर्वेषां परमा त्वं प्रकीर्तिता
Worthy of reverence, greatly worshipped, Māyā, sweet as honey, earth herself; you are proclaimed the supreme among all that is higher and lower.
लज्जा पुष्टिः क्षमा कीर्तिः कान्तिः कारुण्यविग्रहा । कमनीया जगद्वन्द्या जाग्रदादिस्वरूपिणी
Modesty, nourishment, forbearance, fame, beauty, the embodiment of compassion; charming, worshipped by the world, you are the form of waking and the other states.
परमा परमेशानी परानन्दपरायणा । एकाप्येकस्वरूपा च सद्वितीया द्वयात्मिका
Supreme, supreme mistress, devoted to supreme bliss; though one, you are of a single form, yet also twofold, possessing dual nature.
त्रयी त्रिवर्गनिलया तुर्या तुर्यपदात्मिका । पञ्चमी पञ्चभूतेशी षष्ठी षष्ठेश्वरीति च
You are the threefold Veda, the abode of the three aims of life, the fourth, the essence of the fourth state; the fifth, mistress of the five elements, the sixth, and ruler of the sixth.
सप्तमी सप्तवारेशी सप्तसप्तवरप्रदा । अष्टमी वसुनाथा च नवग्रहमयीश्वरी
Seventh, mistress of the seven days, bestower of the seven sevens of blessings; eighth, Lady of the Vasus, and sovereign of the nine planets.
नवरागकला रम्या नवसंख्या नवेश्वरी । दशमी दशदिक्पूज्या दशाशाव्यापिनी रमा
Delightful with nine moods and arts, of ninefold number, sovereign of the nine; tenth, worshipped in the ten directions, pervading the ten quarters, O Ramā.
एकादशात्मिका चैकादशरुद्रनिषेविता । एकादशीतिथिप्रीता एकादशगणाधिपा
Of elevenfold form, worshipped by the eleven Rudras; pleased by the eleventh lunar day, leader of the eleven hosts.
द्वादशी द्वादशभुजा द्वादशादित्यजन्मभूः । त्रयोदशात्मिका देवी त्रयोदशगणप्रिया
Twelfth, with twelve arms, source of the twelve suns; the goddess of thirteenfold form, beloved of the thirteen hosts.
त्रयोदशाभिधा भिन्ना विश्वेदेवाधिदेवता । चतुर्दशेन्द्रवरदा चतुर्दशमनुप्रसूः
Known by thirteen names, distinct, the chief goddess of all the gods; bestower of boons to Indra and the fourteen, mother of the fourteen Manus.
पञ्चाधिकदशी वेद्या पञ्चाधिकदशी तिथिः । षोडशी षोडशभुजा षोडशेन्दुकलामयी
The fifteenth day is to be known, the fifteenth lunar day; she is the Sixteenth, with sixteen arms, composed of the sixteen digits of the moon.
षोडशात्मकचन्द्रांशुव्याप्तदिव्यकलेवरा । एवंरूपासि देवेशि निर्गुणे तामसोदये
Her divine body is pervaded by the rays of the moon of sixteen parts; thus is your form, O Goddess of the gods, beyond qualities, source of tamas.
त्वया गृहीतो भगवान्देवदेवो रमापतिः । एतौ दुरासदौ दैत्यौ विक्रान्तौ मधुकैटभौ
By you, the Blessed Lord, God of gods, Lord of Lakshmi, was seized; and those two fierce and mighty demons, Madhu and Kaitabha.
एतयोश्च वधार्थाय देवेशं प्रतिबोधय । मुनिरुवाच एवं स्तुता भगवती तामसी भगवत्प्रिया
For the destruction of those two, awaken the Lord of gods; the sage said: Thus praised, the Goddess Tamasi, beloved of the Blessed Lord—