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.
धन्या वयं महाभागाः कृतकृत्याः स्म साम्प्रतम् । यदत्र दर्शनं प्राप्तं भगवत्याः स्वयं त्विदम्
We are blessed, greatly fortunate, and now fulfilled, for we have attained this vision of the Goddess herself.
तपस्तप्तं पुरा यत्नात्तस्येदं फलमुत्तमम् । अन्यथा दर्शनं कुत्र भवेदस्माकमादरात्
The austerity performed in the past with effort has yielded this supreme fruit; otherwise, how could we have obtained this vision with reverence?
पश्यन्ति पुण्यपुञ्जा ये ये वदान्यास्तपस्विनः । रागिणो नैव पश्यन्ति देवीं भगवतीं शिवाम्
Those who are repositories of merit, generous ascetics, see the blessed, auspicious Goddess; the passionate do not see her.
मूलप्रकृतिरेवैषा सदा पुरुषसङ्गता । ब्रह्माण्डं दर्शयत्येषा कृत्वा वै परमात्मने
She is indeed the root nature, always united with the Purusha; she reveals the universe, having created it for the Supreme Self.
द्रष्टाऽसौ दृश्यमखिलं ब्रह्माण्डं देवताः सुरौ । तस्यैषा कारणं सर्वा माया सर्वेश्वरी शिवा
He is the seer, all the universe is the seen, O gods; she is the cause of all for him, the illusion, the sovereign, the auspicious.
क्वाहं वा क्व सुराः सर्वे रम्भाद्याः सुरयोषितः । लक्षांशेन तुलामस्या न भवामः कथञ्चन
Where am I, and where are all the gods, and celestial women like Rambha? By no means do we equal her, not even by a fraction.
सैषा वराङ्गना नाम या वै दृष्टा महार्णवे । बालभावे महादेवी दोलयन्तीव मां मुदा
This is the noble lady who was seen in the great ocean, the great Goddess in child form, joyfully rocking me.
शयनं वटपत्रे च पर्यङ्के सुस्थिरे दृढे । पादाङ्गुष्ठं करे कृत्वा निवेश्य मुखपङ्कजे
Lying on a banyan leaf, on a firm and steady couch, placing her big toe in her hand and setting it upon her lotus-like mouth,
लेलिहन्तञ्च क्रीडन्तमनेकैबालचेष्टितैः । रममाणं कोमलाङ्गं वटपत्रपुटे स्थितम्
She licked and played, with many childish gestures, delighting, her tender body resting within the fold of the banyan leaf.
गायन्ती दोलयन्ती च बालभावान्मयि स्थिते । सेयं सुनिश्चितं ज्ञातं जातं मे दर्शनादिव
Singing and rocking, she remained in child form with me; this is now certainly known to me, as if revealed by vision.