श्रीदेव्यग्रेऽम्बिकाप्रीत्यै देवीभागवतं परम् । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयामासाप्यसंख्यातान्सुवासिनीः
He quickly performed the sacrifice to the Mother, free from miserliness, and had this excellent Purāṇa recited by brāhmaṇas.
कुमारीर्वटुकादींश्च दीनानाथांस्तथैव च । द्रव्यप्रदानैस्तान्सर्वान् सन्तोष्य वसुधाधिपः
He satisfied all the young girls, boys, the poor, and the helpless as well, by giving them gifts and offerings, O ruler of the earth.
समाप्य यज्ञं संस्थाने संस्थितो यावदेव हि । तावदेव हि चाकाशान्नारदः समवातरत्
Having completed the sacrifice, he remained at the site for as long as necessary; then, at that very moment, Narada descended from the sky.
रणयन्महतीं वीणां ज्वलदग्निशिखोपमः । ससम्भमः समुत्थाय दृष्ट्वा तं नारदं मुनिम्
Playing his great vina, blazing like a flaming fire, Narada the sage appeared, and the king rose up with respect upon seeing him.
आसनाद्युपचारैश्च पूजयामास भूमिपः । कृत्वा तु कुशलप्रश्नं पप्रच्छागमकारणम्
The king honored him with seat and other offerings, and after inquiring about his well-being, asked the reason for his arrival.
राजोवाच कुत आगमनं साधो ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते । सनाथोऽहं कृतार्थोऽहं त्वदागमनकारणात्
The king said: 'From where have you come, O holy one? Tell me, what may I do for you? I am blessed and fulfilled by the cause of your arrival.'
इति राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच मुनिसत्तमः । अद्याश्चर्यं मया दृष्टं देवलोके नृपोत्तम
Hearing the king's words, the best of sages replied: 'Today I have witnessed a wonder in the world of the gods, O best of kings.'
तन्निवेदयितुं प्राप्तस्त्वत्सकाशे सुविस्मितः । पिता ते दुर्गतिं प्राप्तो निजकर्मविपर्ययात्
'I have come to you, amazed, to report this: your father fell into misfortune due to the reversal of his own deeds.'
स एवायं दिव्यरूपवपुर्भूत्वाधुनैव हि । देवदेवैः स्तुतः सम्यगप्सरोभिः समन्ततः
'Now, having assumed a divine form, he is praised by the gods and surrounded on all sides by the Apsaras.'
विमानवरमारुह्य मणिद्वीपं गतोऽभवत् । देवीभागवतस्यास्य श्रवणोत्थफलेन च
'Ascending a splendid celestial chariot, he has gone to the jeweled island, as the result of hearing this Devi Bhagavata.'
अम्बामखफलेनापि पिता ते सुगतिं गतः । धन्योऽसि कृतकृत्योऽसि जीवितं सफलं तव
'By the fruit of the Ambika sacrifice as well, your father has attained a good state. You are blessed, accomplished, and your life is fruitful.'
नरकादुद्धृतस्तातस्त्वया तु कुलभूषण । देवलोके स्फीतकीर्तिस्तवाद्य विपुलाभवत्
'Your father has been lifted from hell by you, O ornament of your lineage; today your fame has become great in the world of the gods.'
सूत उवाच नारदोक्तं समाकर्ण्य प्रेमगद्गदितान्तरः । पपात पादाम्बुजयोर्व्यासस्याद्भुतकर्मणः
Suta said: Hearing Narada's words, his heart overflowing with love, he fell at the lotus feet of Vyasa, performer of wondrous deeds.
तवानुग्रहतो देव कृतार्थोऽहं महामुने । किं मया प्रतिकर्तव्यं नमस्कारादृते तव
'By your grace, O sage, I am fulfilled; what can I do in return for you, except offer my salutations?'
अनुग्राह्यः सदैवाहमेवमेव त्वया मुने । इति राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वाप्याशीर्भिरभिनन्द्य च
'I am always to be favored by you in this way, O sage.' Hearing the king's words, he blessed him and rejoiced.
उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं भगवान् बादरायणः । राजन्सर्वं परित्यज्य भज देवीपदाम्बुजम्
The blessed Badarayana spoke gentle words: 'O king, renounce everything and worship the lotus feet of the goddess.'
देवीभागवतं चैव पठ नित्यं समाहितः । अम्बामखं सदा भक्त्या कुरु नित्यमतन्द्रितः
'Recite the Devi Bhagavata always with concentration, and perform the Ambika sacrifice constantly with devotion and diligence.'
अनायासेन तेन त्वं मोक्ष्यसे भवबन्धनात् । सन्त्यन्यानि पुराणानि हरिरुद्रमुखानि च
'By this, you will easily be freed from the bondage of worldly existence. There are other Puranas as well, concerning Hari and Rudra.'
देवीभागवतस्यास्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् । सारमेतत्पुराणानां वेदानां चैव सर्वशः
Not even a sixteenth part of the Devī Bhāgavata can be matched by the other Purāṇas or by all the Vedas in their entirety; this is their very essence.
मूलप्रकृतिरेवैषा यत्र तु प्रतिपाद्यते । समं तेन पुराणं स्यात्कथमन्यन्नृपोत्तम
This alone is the original Prakṛti, which is established here; how can any other Purāṇa be equal to it, O best of kings?
पाठे वेदसमं पुण्यं यस्य स्याज्जनमेजय । पठितव्यं प्रयत्नेन तदेव विबुधोत्तमैः
O Janamejaya, the merit gained by reciting this is equal to that of the Vedas; therefore, it should be recited with effort by the foremost of the wise.
इत्युक्त्वा नृपवर्यं तं जगाम मुनिराट् ततः । जग्मुश्चैव यथास्थानं धौम्यादिमुनयोऽमलाः
Having spoken thus to the excellent king, the chief sage departed; and the pure sages such as Dhaumya also returned to their respective places.
देवीभागवतस्यैव प्रशंसां चक्रुरुत्तमाम् । राजा शशास धरणीं ततः सन्तुष्टमानसः । देवीभागवतं चैव पठच्छृण्वन्तिरन्तरम्
They offered the highest praise to the Devī Bhāgavata; then the king, his mind content, ruled the earth, continually reciting and listening to the Devī Bhāgavata.
श्रीमद्देवीभागवतमहापुराण-श्रवणफलवर्णनम् सूत उवाच अर्धश्लोकात्मकं यत्तु देवीवक्त्राब्जनिर्गतम् । श्रीमद्भागवतं नाम वेदसिद्धान्तबोधकम्
Sūta said: That which emerged from the lotus-mouth of the Goddess, consisting of half a verse, is called the glorious Bhāgavata, which reveals the conclusions of the Vedas.
उपदिष्टं विष्णुवे यद्वटपत्रनिवासिने । शतकोटिप्रविस्तीर्णं तत्कृतं ब्रह्मणा पुरा
It was taught to Viṣṇu, who dwells on the banyan leaf; and long ago, Brahmā composed it, spreading over a hundred crores.
तत्सारमेकतः कृत्वा व्यासेन शुकहेतवे । अष्टादशसहस्रं तु द्वादशस्कन्धसंयुतम्
Vyāsa, having gathered its essence for the sake of Śuka, made it into eighteen thousand verses, arranged in twelve books.
देवीभागवतं नाम पुराणं ग्रथितं पुरा । अद्यापि देवलोके तद्बहुविस्तीर्णमस्ति हि
Long ago, the Purāṇa named Devī Bhāgavata was thus composed; even today, it exists in the world of the gods in its vast form.
नानेन सदृशं पुण्यं पवित्रं पापनाशनम् । पदे पदेऽश्वमेधस्य फलमाप्नोति मानवः
There is no merit, no purity, no destroyer of sin equal to this; at every step, a person obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
पौराणिकं पूजयित्वा वस्त्राद्याभरणादिभिः । व्यासबुद्ध्या तन्मुखात्तु श्रुत्वैतत्समुपोषितः
Having honored the Purāṇika with garments, ornaments, and the like, and having listened to this from his mouth with the understanding of Vyāsa, one should observe a fast.
लिखित्वा निजहस्तेन लेखकेनाथवा मुने । प्रौष्ठपद्यां पौर्णमास्यां हेमसिंहसमन्वितम्
Having written it with one's own hand or by a scribe, O sage, on the full moon of Bhādrapada, along with a golden lion,