विसिष्मिये तदा विष्णुर्दृष्ट्वा तत्पुरमुत्तमम् । सदनाग्रे ययौ तावद्धरिः कमललोचनः
Then Vishnu was amazed upon seeing that supreme city; Hari, lotus-eyed, went to the front of the mansion.
अतसीकुसुमाभासः पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः । द्विजराजाधिरूढश्च दिव्याभरणभूषितः
Resembling the color of the flax flower, clad in yellow garments, four-armed, seated upon the king of birds, adorned with divine ornaments.
वीज्यमानस्तदा लक्ष्म्या कामिन्या चामरैः शुभैः । तं वीक्ष्य विस्मिताः सर्वे वयं विष्णुं सनातनम्
At that time, he was being fanned by Lakshmi, the lovely one, with auspicious fans; seeing that eternal Vishnu, we were all amazed.
परस्परं निरीक्षन्तः स्थितास्तस्मिन् वरासने । ततश्चचाल तरसा विमानं वातरंहसा
Gazing at one another, we stood there upon that excellent seat; then, suddenly, the chariot sped away swiftly as the wind.
सुधासमुद्रः सम्प्राप्तौ मिष्टवारिमहोर्मिमान् । यादोगणसमाकीर्णश्चलद्वीचिविराजितः
We arrived at the ocean of nectar, filled with sweet water and great waves, teeming with hosts of aquatic beings, adorned with moving waves.
मन्दारपारिजाताद्यैः पादपैरतिशोभितः । नानास्तरणसंयुक्तो नानाचित्रविचित्रितः
It was exceedingly beautiful with mandara, parijata, and other trees, furnished with various seats, and adorned with many wondrous decorations.
मुक्तादामपरिक्लिष्टो नानादामविराजितः । अशोकबकुलाख्यैश्च वृक्षैः कुरुबकादिभिः
Adorned with garlands of pearls and various other garlands, and graced by aśoka, bakula, kurubaka, and other trees,
संवृतः सर्वतः सौम्यैः केतकीचम्पकैर्वृतः । कोकिलारावसङ्घुष्टो दिव्यगन्धसमन्वितः
Surrounded on all sides by gentle ketakī and campaka trees, filled with the calls of cuckoos and pervaded by divine fragrances,
द्विरेफातिरणत्कारैरञ्जितः परमाद्भुतः । तस्मिन्द्वीपे शिवाकारः पर्यङ्कः सुमनोहरः
Enlivened by the humming of bees, most wondrous to behold, in that island stood a charming couch shaped like Śiva,
रत्नालिखचितोऽत्यर्थं नानारत्नविराजितः । दृष्टोऽस्माभिर्विमानस्थैर्दूरतः परिमण्डितः
Exquisitely inlaid with jewels and adorned with various precious stones, we saw it from afar, splendid among the celestial palaces,
नानास्तरणसंछन्न इन्द्रचापसमन्वितः । पर्यङ्कप्रवरे तस्मिन्नुपविष्टा वराङ्गना
Covered with many kinds of fine coverings and adorned with a rainbow's radiance, upon that excellent couch sat a most beautiful lady,
रक्तमाल्याम्बरधरा रक्तगन्धानुलेपना । सुरक्तनयना कान्ता विद्युत्कोटिसमप्रभा
Wearing red garlands and garments, anointed with red fragrances, with deeply red eyes, lovely and radiant as a flash of lightning,
सुचारुवदना रक्तदन्तच्छदविराजिता । रमाकोट्यधिका कान्त्या सूर्यबिम्बनिभाखिला
With a beautiful face, shining with red lips and teeth, surpassing millions of Lakṣmīs in splendor, her whole form like the orb of the sun,
वरपाशाङ्कुशाभीष्टधरा श्रीभुवनेश्वरी । अदृष्टपूर्वा दृष्टा सा सुन्दरी स्मितभूषणा
Holding the noose, goad, and desired boons, she was Śrī Bhuvaneśvarī, never before seen, adorned with a gentle smile, supremely lovely,
ह्रीङ्कारजपनिष्ठैस्तु पक्षिवृन्दैर्निषेविता । अरुणा करुणामूर्तिः कुमारी नवयौवना
Attended by flocks of birds devoted to reciting the hrīṃ mantra, she was reddish in hue, the embodiment of compassion, a maiden in the bloom of youth,
सर्वशृङ्गारवेषाढ्या मन्दस्मितमुखाम्बुजा । उद्यत्पीनकुचद्वन्द्वनिर्जिताम्भोजकुड्मला
Rich in all ornaments of beauty, her lotus face adorned with a gentle smile, her full, uplifted breasts surpassing the buds of lotuses,
नानामणिगणाकीर्णभूषणैरुपशोभिता । कनकाङ्गदकेयूरकिरीटपरिशोभिता
Adorned with ornaments set with many kinds of gems, and splendid with golden armlets, bracelets, and a crown,
कनकच्छ्रीचक्रताटङ्कविटङ्कवदनाम्बुजा । हृल्लेखा भुवनेशीति नामजापपरायणैः
Her lotus face adorned with golden earrings shaped like the Śrīcakra, she was called Hṛllekhā Bhuvaneśī, devoted to the recitation of her names,
सखीवृन्दैः स्तुता नित्यं भुवनेशी महेश्वरी । हृल्लेखाद्याभिरमरकन्याभिः परिवेष्टिता
Ever praised by her circle of companions, Bhuvaneśī, the great goddess, was surrounded by celestial maidens such as Hṛllekhā and others,
अनङ्गकुसुमाद्याभिर्देवीभिः परिवेष्टिता । देवी षट्कोणमध्यस्था यन्त्रराजोपरि स्थिता
Encircled by goddesses like Anaṅgakusumā and others, the goddess was seated at the center of a hexagon, upon the king of yantras,
दृष्ट्वा तां विस्मिताः सर्वे वयं तत्र स्थिताऽभवन् । केयं कान्ता च किं नाम न जानीमोऽत्र संस्थिताः
Seeing her, we all stood there astonished, wondering, 'Who is this lovely lady? What is her name? We do not know, standing here.'
सहस्रनयना रामा सहस्रकरसंयुता । सहस्रवदना रम्या भाति दूरादसंशयम्
With a thousand eyes, radiant, endowed with a thousand hands, and a thousand beautiful faces, she shone from afar, without doubt,
नाप्सरा नापि गन्धर्वी नेयं देवाङ्गना किल । इति संशयमापन्नास्तत्र नारद संस्थिताः
'She is not an apsaras, nor a gandharvī, nor is she a divine maiden,'—thus, O Nārada, we stood there, filled with doubt,
तदाऽसौ भगवान्विष्णुर्दृष्ट्वा तां चारुहासिनीम् । उवाचाम्बां स्वविज्ञानात्कृत्वा मनसि निश्चयम्
Then, Lord Viṣṇu, seeing her with a lovely smile, resolved in his mind and spoke to the Mother from his own understanding,
एषा भगवती देवी सर्वेषां कारणं हि नः । महाविद्या महामाया पूर्णा प्रकृतिरव्यया
This blessed Goddess is indeed the cause of all for us; she is the great wisdom, the great illusion, the complete and imperishable primal nature.
दुर्ज्ञेयाऽल्पधियां देवी योगगम्या दुराशया । इच्छा परात्मनः कामं नित्यानित्यस्वरूपिणी
The Goddess is difficult to comprehend for those of little intellect, attainable through yoga, yet elusive; she is the supreme will of the Highest Self, embodying both the eternal and the transient.
दुराराध्याऽल्पभाग्यैश्च देवी विश्वेश्वरी शिवा । वेदगर्भा विशालाक्षी सर्वेषामादिरीश्वरी
The Goddess, ruler of the universe, auspicious, is hard to propitiate for those of little fortune; she holds the Vedas within, has wide eyes, and is the original sovereign of all.
एषा संहृत्य सकलं विश्वं क्रीडति संक्षये । लिङ्गानि सर्वजीवानां स्वशरीरे निवेश्य च
She withdraws the entire universe and plays at its dissolution, placing the marks of all living beings within her own body.
सर्वबीजमयी ह्येषा राजते साम्प्रतं सुरौ । विभूतयः स्थिताः पार्श्वे पश्यतां कोटिशः क्रमात्
She, composed of all seeds, now shines forth, O gods; countless powers stand at her side, visible in succession.
दिव्याभरणभूषाढ्या दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनाः । परिचर्यापराः सर्वाः पश्यतां ब्रह्मशङ्करौ
Adorned with divine ornaments and anointed with celestial fragrances, all are devoted to her service, as Brahma and Shiva look on.