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,
दद्यात्पौराणिकायाथ दक्षिणां च पयस्विनीम् । सालङ्कृतां सवत्सां च कपिलां हेममालिनीम्
One should give to the Purāṇika a proper fee and a milch cow, adorned, with a calf, tawny, and decorated with gold.
भोजयेद्ब्राह्मणानन्तेऽप्यध्यायपरिसम्मितान् । सुवासिनीस्तावतीश्च कुमारीर्बटुकैः सह
One should feed as many brāhmaṇas as there are chapters, as well as married women, maidens, and boys.
देवीबुद्ध्या पूजयेत्तान्वसनाभरणादिभिः । पायसान्नवरेणापि गन्धस्रक्कुसुमादिभिः
One should worship them as embodiments of the Goddess with garments, ornaments, the best milk-rice and food, as well as with scents, garlands, and flowers.
पुराणदानेनैतेन भूदानस्य फलं लभेत् । इहलोके सुखी भूत्वाप्यन्ते देवीपुरं व्रजेत्
By giving this Purāṇa, one attains the fruit of giving the earth; being happy in this world, at the end one goes to the city of the Goddess.
नित्यं यः शृणुयाद्भक्त्या देवीभागवतं परम् । न तस्य दुर्लभं किञ्चित्कदाचित्क्वचिदस्ति हि
Whoever listens daily with devotion to the supreme Devī Bhāgavata, for him nothing is ever difficult or unattainable, anywhere.
अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रान्धनार्थी धनमाप्नुयात् । विद्यार्थी प्राप्नुयाद्विद्यां कीर्तिमण्डितभूतलः
The childless obtains children, the seeker of wealth obtains wealth, the seeker of knowledge obtains knowledge, and the earth becomes adorned with his fame.
वन्ध्या वा काकवन्ध्या वा मृतवन्ध्या च याङ्गना । श्रवणादस्य तद्दोषान्निवर्तेत न संशयः
Whether a woman is barren, has only one child, or whose children have died—by hearing this, those faults are removed; there is no doubt.
यद्गेहे पुस्तकं चैतत्पूजितं यदि तिष्ठति । तद्गेहं न त्यजेन्नित्यं रमा चैव सरस्वती
In whatever house this book is worshipped and kept, Lakshmi and Sarasvati never abandon that house.
नेक्षन्ते तत्र वेतालडाकिनीराक्षसादयः । ज्वरितं तु नरं स्पृष्ट्वा पठेदेतत्समाहितः
Ghosts, witches, demons, and the like do not appear there; and if a person suffering from fever is touched and this is recited with concentration,
मण्डलान्नाशमाप्नोति ज्वरो दाहसमन्वितः । शतावृत्त्यास्य पठनात्क्षयरोगो विनश्यति
The fever, along with burning sensation, is destroyed by drawing a circle; by reciting this a hundred times, consumption is eradicated.