सुवासिनीः कुमारीश्च बटुकांश्चैव सर्वशः । दीनानाथान्दरिद्रांश्च वित्तशाठ्यविवर्जितः
He should, without miserliness, honor all married women, maidens, and boys, as well as the poor, the helpless, and the destitute.
कृतार्थतां स्वस्य बुद्ध्वा नित्यमाराधयेन्मनुम् । इति ते कथितः सम्यग्दीक्षाविधिरनुत्तमः
Recognizing that his purpose has been fulfilled, he should always worship the mantra; thus, the supreme rite of initiation has been properly described to you.
विमृश्यैतदशेषेण भज देवीपदाम्बुजम् । नान्यस्तु परमो धर्मो ब्राह्मणस्यात्र विद्यते
Reflecting thoroughly on this, worship the lotus feet of the Goddess; for the brāhmaṇa, there is no higher dharma here than this.
वैदिकः स्वस्वगृह्योक्तक्रमेणोपदिशेन्मनुम् । तान्त्रिकस्तन्त्ररीत्या तु स्थितिरेषा सनातनी
The Vedic teacher should instruct the mantra according to his own tradition; the Tantric teacher should do so according to the Tantric method—this is the eternal practice.
तत्तदुक्तप्रयोगांस्ते ते ते कुर्युर्न चान्यथा । श्रीनारायण उवाच इति सर्वं मयाख्यातं यत्पृष्टं नारद त्वया
They will perform those prescribed acts exactly as stated, and not otherwise. Shri Narayana said: Thus, O Narada, I have explained everything you asked.
अतः परं पराम्बाया भज नित्यं पदाम्बुजम् । नित्यमाराध्य तच्चाहं निर्वृतिं परमां गतः
Therefore, always worship the lotus feet of the Supreme Mother; by constantly adoring Her, I myself have attained the highest bliss.
व्यास उवाच इति राजन्नारदाय प्रोक्त्वा सर्वमनुत्तमम् । समाधिमीलिताक्षस्तु दध्यौ देवीपदाम्बुजम्
Vyasa said: Having thus spoken everything excellent to Narada, O King, he closed his eyes in meditation and contemplated the lotus feet of the Goddess.
नारायणस्तु भगवान् मुनिवर्यशिखामणिः । नारदोऽपि ततो नत्वा गुरुं नारायणं परम् । जगाम सद्यस्तपसे देवीदर्शनलालसः
The blessed Narayana, the foremost among sages, and Narada, after bowing to his supreme guru Narayana, at once departed for austerities, longing for a vision of the Goddess.
पराशक्तेराविर्भाववर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच भगवन्सर्वधर्मज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रवतांवर । द्विजातीनां तु सर्वेषां शक्त्युपास्तिः श्रुतीरिता
Description of the Manifestation of the Supreme Power. Janamejaya said: O revered one, knower of all dharma, best among those versed in all scriptures, the worship of Shakti is prescribed in the Vedas for all twice-born.
सन्ध्याकालत्रयेऽन्यस्मिन् काले नित्यतया विभो । तां विहाय द्विजाः कस्माद्गृह्णीयुश्चान्यदेवताः
O Lord, at the three sandhya times and at other times as well, why would the twice-born abandon that worship and take up other deities?
दृश्यन्ते वैष्णवाः केचिद्गाणपत्यास्तथापरे । कापालिकाश्चीनमार्गरता वल्कलधारिणः
Some are seen as Vaishnavas, others as Ganapatyas; some are Kapalikas, followers of the path of the Chinas, and wearers of bark garments.
दिगम्बरास्तथा बौद्धाश्चार्वार्का एवमादयः । दृश्यन्ते बहवो लोके वेदश्रद्धाविवर्जिताः
There are also Digambaras, Buddhists, Charvakas, and others like them; many such people are seen in the world, lacking faith in the Vedas.
किमत्र कारणं ब्रह्मंस्तद्भवान् वक्तुमर्हति । बुद्धिमन्तः पण्डिताश्च नानातर्कविचक्षणाः
What is the reason for this, O Brahman? You are worthy to explain it. Even the wise and learned, skilled in various arguments—
अपि सन्त्येव वेदेषु श्रद्धया तु विवर्जिताः । न हि कश्चित्स्वकल्याणं बुद्ध्या हातुमिहेच्छति
—are indeed found among the Vedas, yet lacking in faith. For no one wishes, by reason, to abandon their own welfare.
किमत्र कारणं तस्माद्वद वेदविदांवर । मणिद्वीपस्य महिमा वर्णितो भवता पुरा
What, then, is the cause of this? Therefore, O best of those who know the Vedas, tell me. You have previously described the greatness of Manidvipa.
कीदृक् तदस्ति यद्देव्याः परं स्थानं महत्तरम् । तच्चापि वद भक्ताय श्रद्दधानाय मेऽनघ
What is that supreme and greater abode of the Goddess? Please tell me that also, O sinless one, for I am a devoted and faithful seeker.
प्रसन्नास्तु वदन्त्येव गुरवो गुह्यमप्युत । सूत उवाच इति राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा भगवान् बादरायणः
When pleased, teachers indeed reveal even secret knowledge. Suta said: Having heard the king’s words, the blessed Badarayana—
निजगाद ततः सर्वं क्रमेणैव मुनीश्वराः । यच्छ्रुत्वा तु द्विजातीनां वेदश्रद्धा विवर्धते
—then narrated everything in order, O best of sages; hearing which, the faith of the twice-born in the Vedas increases.
व्यास उवाच सम्यक्पृष्टं त्वया राजन् समये समयोचितम् । वुद्धिमानसि वेदेषु श्रद्धावांश्चैव लक्ष्यसे
Vyasa said: You have asked rightly, O King, at the proper time and in the proper manner; you are seen to be wise and full of faith in the Vedas.
पूर्वं मदोद्धता दैत्या देवैर्युद्धं तु चक्रिरे । शतवर्षं महाराज महाविस्मयकारकम्
Formerly, the arrogant Daityas fought with the gods, O great king, for a hundred years—a battle causing great wonder.
नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणं नानामायाविचित्रितम् । जगत्क्षयकरं नूनं तेषां युद्धमभून्नृप
That battle involved many kinds of weapons and was marked by various magical feats; it truly threatened the destruction of the world, O king.
पराशक्तिकृपावेशाद्देवैर्दैत्या जिता युधि । भुवं स्वर्गं परित्यज्य गताः पातालवेश्मनि
By the grace of the Supreme Power, the gods defeated the Daityas in battle; abandoning earth and heaven, they went to the abode of the netherworld.
ततः प्रहर्षिता देवाः स्वपराक्रमवर्णनम् । चक्रुः परस्परं मोहात्साभिमानाः समन्ततः
Then, delighted, the gods—overcome by delusion and pride—began to boast of their own prowess to one another on all sides.
जयोऽस्माकं कुतो न स्यादस्माकं महिमा यतः । सर्वोत्तरः कुत्र दैत्याः पामरा निष्पराक्रमाः
Why should victory not be ours, since our greatness surpasses all? Where are the demons compared to us—those base ones, powerless and insignificant?
सृष्टिस्थितिक्षयकरा वयं सर्वे यशस्विनः । अस्मदग्रे पामराणां दैत्यानां चैव का कथा
We are the illustrious ones who create, sustain, and destroy the universe; what need is there to speak of the lowly demons before us?
पराशक्तिप्रभावं ते न ज्ञात्वा मोहमागताः । तेषामनुग्रहं कर्तुं तदैव जगदम्बिका
Not knowing the power of the Supreme Energy, they fell into delusion; at that very moment, Jagadambika appeared to bestow her grace upon them.
प्रादुरासीत्कृपापूर्णा यक्षरूपेण भूमिप । कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशं चन्द्रकोटिसुशीतलम्
Full of compassion, she manifested in the form of a Yaksha, O King, shining like ten million suns yet as cool as ten million moons.
विद्युत्कोटिसमानाभं हस्तपादादिवर्जितम् । अदृष्टपूर्वं तद्दृष्ट्वा तेजः परमसुन्दरम्
Her radiance was like ten million lightning flashes, without hands or feet; beholding that supreme and unparalleled brilliance, never seen before—
सविस्मयास्तदा प्रोचुः किमिदं किमिदं त्विति । दैत्यानां चेष्टितं किं वा माया कापि महीयसी
Astonished, they exclaimed, 'What is this? What is this? Is it some act of the demons, or some extraordinary magic?'
केनचिन्निर्मिता वाथ देवानां स्मयकारिणी । सम्भूय ते तदा सर्वे विचारं चक्रुरुत्तमम्
'Or has someone created this to make the gods proud?' Gathering together, they all began to deliberate deeply.