अतो नवाहयज्ञोऽयं सर्वस्मात्पुण्यकर्मणः । फलाधिकप्रदानेन प्रोक्तः पुण्यप्रदो नृणाम्
Therefore, this nine-day sacrifice is declared to be more fruitful than all virtuous acts, as it bestows greater rewards and brings merit to people.
ये दुर्हृदः पापरता विमूढा मित्रद्रुहो वेदविनिंदकाश्च । हिंसारता नास्तिकमार्गसक्ता नवाहयज्ञेन पुनंति ते कलौ
Those with wicked hearts, devoted to sin, deluded, betrayers of friends, revilers of the Vedas, addicted to violence and the path of atheism—these are purified in Kali by the nine-day sacrifice.
परस्वदाराहणेतिऽलुब्धा ये वै नराः कल्मषभारभाजः । गोदेवता ब्राह्मणभक्तिहीना नवाहज्ञेन भवन्ति शुद्धाः
Those men who covet others' wives and wealth, burdened with sin, lacking devotion to cows, deities, and Brahmins, become purified by the nine-day sacrifice.
तपोभिरुग्रैर्व्रततीर्थसेवनैर्दानैरनेकैर्नियमैर्मखैश्च । हुतैर्जपैर्यच्च फलेन लभ्यते नवाहयज्ञेन तदाप्यते नृणाम्
The fruit obtained by fierce austerities, vows, pilgrimages, donations, many disciplines, sacrifices, offerings, and recitations is attained by people through the nine-day sacrifice.
तथा न गङ्गा न गया न काशी न नैमिषं नो मथुरा न पुष्करम् । पुनाति सद्यो बदरीवनं नो यथा हि देवीमख एष विप्राः
Neither Gaṅgā, nor Gayā, nor Kāśī, nor Naimiṣa, nor Mathurā, nor Puṣkara, nor even Badarī forest purifies instantly as does this sacrifice to the Goddess, O Brahmins.
अतो भागवतं देव्याः पुराणं परतः परम् । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामुत्तमं साधनं मतम्
Therefore, the Bhāgavata Purāṇa of the Goddess is considered the highest and supreme means for dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation.
आश्विनस्य सिते पक्षे कन्याराशिगते रवौ । महाष्टम्यां समभ्यर्च्य हैकसिंहासनस्थितम्
When the Sun enters Virgo during the bright fortnight of the month of Āśvina, one should worship the Goddess, seated upon the lion-throne, on the great eighth day.
देवीप्रीतिपदं भक्त्या श्रीभागवतपुस्तकम् । दद्याद्विप्राय योग्याय स देव्याः पदवीं लभेत्
With devotion, for the pleasure of the Goddess, one should give the Śrī Bhāgavata book to a worthy brāhmaṇa; by this, one attains the path of the Goddess.
देवी भागवतस्यापि श्लोकं श्लोकार्द्धमेव वा । भक्त्या यश्च पठेन्नित्यं स देव्याः प्रीतिभाग्भवेत् ॥ उपसर्गभवं घोरं महामारीसमुद्भवम् । उत्पातानखिलांश्चापि हंति श्रवणमात्रतः
Whoever, with devotion, recites daily even a single verse or half a verse of the Devī Bhāgavata becomes dear to the Goddess; merely by hearing it, one is freed from terrible calamities, deadly epidemics, and all disasters.
बालग्रहकृतं यच्च भूतप्रेतकृतं भयम् । देवीभागवतस्यास्य श्रवणाद्याति दूरतः
The fear caused by balagrahas, spirits, or ghosts is driven far away by hearing the Devī Bhāgavata.
यस्तु भागवतं देव्याः पठेद्भक्त्या शृणोति वा । धर्ममर्थं च कामं च मोक्षं च लभते नरः
Whoever, with devotion, recites or listens to the Bhāgavata of the Goddess attains dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.
श्रवणाद्वसुदेवोऽस्य प्रसेनान्वेषणे गतम् । चिरायितं प्रियं पुत्रं कृष्णं लब्ध्वा मुमोद ह
By hearing it, Vasudeva, who had gone in search of Prasena, found his beloved son Kṛṣṇa, long lost, and rejoiced.
य एतां शृणुयाद्भक्त्या श्रीमद्भागवतीं कथाम् । भुक्तिं मुक्तिं स लभते भक्त्या यश्च पठेदिमाम् ॥ अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं दरिद्रो धनवान्भवेत् । रोगी रोगात्प्रमुच्येत श्रुत्वा भागवतामृतम्
Whoever listens with devotion to this sacred tale of the Bhāgavatī, or recites it with devotion, attains both enjoyment and liberation; the childless gains a child, the poor becomes wealthy, the sick is freed from illness by hearing the nectar of the Bhāgavata.
वंध्या वा काकवंध्या वा मृतवत्सा च याङ्गना । देवीभागवतं श्रुत्वा लभेत्पुत्रं चिरायुषम्
A woman who is barren, has only daughters, or whose child has died, by hearing the Devī Bhāgavata, obtains a long-lived son.
पूजितं यद्गृहे नित्यं श्रीभागवतपुस्तकम् । तद्गृहं तीर्थंभूतं हि वसतां पापनाशकम्
The house in which the Śrī Bhāgavata book is daily worshipped becomes a holy place, destroying the sins of its inhabitants.
अष्टम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यां नवम्यां भक्तिसंयुतः । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स सिद्धिं लभते पराम्
Whoever, filled with devotion, recites or listens on the eighth, fourteenth, or ninth day, attains the highest perfection.
पठन्द्विजो वेदविदग्रणीर्भवेद्वाहुप्रजातो धरणीपतिः स्यात् । वैश्यः पठन्वित्तसमृद्धिमेति शूद्रोऽपि शृण्वन्स्वकृतोत्तमः स्यात्
A brāhmaṇa who recites it becomes foremost among knowers of the Veda; a kṣatriya is born as a ruler; a vaiśya gains abundant wealth by reciting it; even a śūdra, by listening, becomes excellent in his own deeds.
अथ द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः। वसुदेवो महाभागः कथं पुत्रमवाप्तवान् । प्रसेनः कुत्र कृष्णेन भ्रमताऽन्वेषितः कथम्
Now, the second chapter. The sages said: How did the illustrious Vasudeva obtain his son? Where did Prasena wander with Kṛṣṇa, and how was he sought?
विधिना केन कस्माच्च देवीभागवतं श्रुतम् । वसुदेवेन सुमते वद सूत कथामिमाम्
By what means, and for what reason, did Vasudeva hear the Devī Bhāgavata? O wise Sūta, tell us this story.
सूत उवाच। सत्राजिद्भोजवंशीयो द्वारवत्यां सुखं वसन् । सूर्यस्याराधने युक्तो भक्तश्च परमः सखा
Sūta said: Satrājit, of the Bhoja lineage, dwelling happily in Dvāravatī, was devoted to the worship of the Sun and was a supreme devotee and friend.
अथ कालेन कियता प्रसन्नः सविताऽभवत् । स्वलोकं दर्शयामास तद्भक्त्या प्रणयेन च
After some time, the Sun, pleased by his devotion and affection, revealed his own world to him.
तस्मै प्रतीतस्य भगवान्स्यमंतकमणिं ददौ । स तं बिभ्रन्मणिं कण्ठे द्वारकामाजगाम ह
To him, who was thus gratified, the Lord gave the Syamantaka jewel; wearing that jewel on his neck, he came to Dvārakā.
दृष्ट्वा तं तेजसा भ्रान्ता मत्वादित्यं पुरौकसः । कृष्णमूचूः समभ्येत्य सुधर्मायामवस्थितम्
Seeing him, the people of the city, dazzled by his radiance, mistook him for the Sun and approached Kṛṣṇa, who was seated in the Sudharmā hall.
एष आयाति सविता दिदृक्षुस्त्वां जगत्पते । श्रुत्वा कृष्णस्तु तद्वाचं प्रहस्योवाच संसदि
They said: 'Here comes the Sun, wishing to see you, O Lord of the world.' Hearing these words, Kṛṣṇa smiled and spoke in the assembly.
सविता नैष भो बालाः सत्राजिन्मणिना ज्वलन् । स्यमन्तकेन चायाति भास्वद्दत्तेन भास्वता
O child, this is not the sun shining; it is Satrajit coming, radiant with the Syamantaka jewel given by the luminous Bhāsvat.
अथ विप्रान्समाहूय स्वस्तिवाचनपूर्वकम् । प्रावेशयत्समभ्यर्च्य सत्राजित्स्वगृहे मणिम्
Then, having summoned the Brahmins with auspicious recitations, Satrajit respectfully welcomed them and brought the jewel into his own house.
न तत्र मारी दुर्भिक्षं नोपसर्गभयं क्वचित् । यत्रास्ते स मणिर्नित्यमष्टभार सुवर्णदः
Wherever that jewel resides, there is neither disease nor famine nor any fear of calamity; it constantly produces eight measures of gold.
अथ सत्राजितो भ्राता प्रसेनो नाम कर्हिचित् । कण्ठे बद्ध्वा मणिं सद्यो हयमारुह्य सैंधवम्
Once, Satrajit's brother named Prasena tied the jewel around his neck, mounted his Sindhu horse, and set out immediately.
मृगयार्थं वनं यातस्तमद्राक्षीन्मृगाधिपः । प्रसेनं सहयं हत्वा सिंहो जग्राह तं मणिम्
He went into the forest for hunting; the king of beasts saw him, killed Prasena and his horse, and seized the jewel.
जाम्बवानृक्षराजोऽथ दृष्ट्वा मणिधरं हरिम् । हत्वा च तं बिलद्वारि मणिं जग्राह वीर्यवान्
Then Jāmbavān, the king of bears, seeing the lion bearing the jewel, killed him at the entrance of a cave and, being mighty, took the jewel.