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.
प्रतिसन्ध्यं पठेद्यस्तु सन्ध्यां कृत्वा समाहितः । एकैकमस्य चाध्यायं स नरो ज्ञानवान्भवेत्
Whoever recites this at every twilight, having performed the twilight worship with concentration, and each chapter in turn, that person becomes wise.
शकुनांश्चैव वीक्षेत कार्याकार्येषु चैव हि । तत्प्रकारः पुरस्तात्तु कथितोऽस्ति मया मुने
He will observe omens regarding what should or should not be done; the method for this has already been explained by me, O sage.
नवरात्रे पठेन्नित्यं शारदीयेऽतिभक्तितः । तस्याम्बिका तु सन्तुष्टा ददातीच्छाधिकं फलम्
Whoever recites this daily with great devotion during the autumnal Navaratri, to that person Ambika, being pleased, grants results beyond desire.
वैष्णवैश्चैव शैवैश्च रमोमा प्रीयते सदा । सौरैश्च गाणपत्यैश्च स्वेष्टशक्तेश्च तुष्टये
By Vaishnavas and Shaivas, Rama and Uma are always pleased; by worshippers of Surya, Ganapati, and their own chosen goddess, satisfaction is attained.
पठितव्यं प्रयत्नेन नवरात्रचतुष्टये । वैदिकैर्निजगायत्रीप्रीतये नित्यशो मुने
It should be recited with effort during each of the four Navaratris, O sage, by Vedic followers for the pleasure of their own Gayatri, always.
पठितव्यं प्रयत्नेन विरोधो नात्र कस्यचित् । उपासना तु सर्वेषां शक्तियुक्तास्ति सर्वदा
It should be recited with effort; there is no opposition from anyone in this. For all, worship endowed with Shakti is always present.
तच्छक्तेरेव तोषार्थं पठितव्यं सदा द्विजैः । स्त्रीशूद्रो न पठेदेतत्कदापि च विमोहितः
It should always be recited by twice-borns for the satisfaction of that Shakti alone; a woman or Shudra, being deluded, should never recite this.
शृणुयाद्द्विजवक्त्रात्तु नित्यमेवेति च स्थितिः । किं पुनर्बहुनोक्तेन सारं वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः
One should always listen to it from the mouth of a twice-born; this is the rule. Why speak at length? I will state the essence truly.
वेदसारमिदं पुण्यं पुराणं द्विजसत्तमाः । वेदपाठसमं पाठे श्रवणे च तथैव हि
O best of twice-borns, this Purana is the essence of the Vedas and meritorious; in recitation and in hearing, it is equal to the recitation of the Vedas.
सच्चिदानन्दरूपां तां गायत्रीप्रतिपादिताम् । नमामि ह्रींमयीं देवीं धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्
I bow to that goddess, of the nature of existence, consciousness, and bliss, revealed by Gayatri, who is composed of Hrīm, and who may impel our intellects.