परिचितानि मया हरिणा तथा कमलजेन विमानगतेन वै । पथिगतैर्भुवनानि कृतानि वा कथय केन भवानि नवानि च
I, Hari, and the lotus-born, have explored the worlds, even by traveling in celestial vehicles; tell me, by whom are new worlds created?
सृजसि पासि जगज्जगदम्बिके स्वकलया कियदिच्छसि नाशितुम् । रमयसे स्वपतिं पुरुषं सदा तव गतिं न हि विद्म वयं शिवे
You create and protect the world, O Mother of the world, and destroy it as much as you wish by your own power; you always delight your spouse, the Purusha, yet we do not know your path, O Shiva.
जननि देहि पदाम्बुजसेवनं युवतिभागवतानपि नः सदा । पुरुषतामधिगम्य पदाम्बुजा- द्विरहिताः क्व लभेम सुखं स्फुटम्
Mother, grant us the service of your lotus feet, even to us who have attained the state of youthful devotees; having gained manhood but deprived of your lotus feet, where could we find clear happiness?
न रुचिरस्ति ममाम्ब पदाम्बुजं तव विहाय शिवे भुवनेष्वलम् । निवसितुं नरदेहमवाप्य च त्रिभुवनस्य पतित्वमवाप्य वै
O Mother, I have no desire for anything in this world, abandoning your lotus feet, O Shiva—even if I were to gain a human body or the lordship of the three worlds.
सुदति नास्ति मनागपि मे रति- र्युवतिभावमवाप्य तवान्तिके । पुरुषता क्व सुखाय भवत्यलं तव पदं न यदीक्षणगोचरम्
O beautiful one, I have not the slightest pleasure, even after attaining youthfulness near you; how could manhood bring happiness if your feet are not within sight?
त्रिभुवनेषु भवत्वियमम्बिके मम सदैव हि कीर्तिरनाविला । युवतिभावमवाप्य पदाम्बुजं परिचितं तव संसृतिनाशनम्
O Ambika, may my fame always remain unsullied in the three worlds; having attained youthfulness, I have become acquainted with your lotus feet, which destroy the cycle of birth.
भुवि विहाय तवान्तिकसेवनं क इह वाञ्छति राज्यमकंटकम् । त्रुटिरसौ किल याति युगात्मतां न निकटं यदि तेऽङ्घ्रिसरोरुहम्
Who, having abandoned the service of your presence on earth, would desire a kingdom free from thorns? That prosperity soon perishes, for if your lotus feet are not near, it does not last an age.
तपसि ये निरता मुनयोऽमला- स्तव विहाय पदाम्बुजपूजनम् । जननि ते विधिना किल वञ्चिताः परिभवो विभवे परिकल्पितः
Those pure sages who are devoted to austerity, forsaking the worship of your lotus feet, O Mother, are indeed deceived by fate; disgrace is established even in prosperity.
न तपसा न दमेन समाधिना न च तथा विहितैः क्रतुभिर्यथा । तव पदाब्जपरागनिषेवणा- द्भवति मुक्तिरजे भवसागरात्
Liberation from the ocean of existence does not arise from austerity, self-restraint, meditation, or prescribed sacrifices as much as from devoted service to the dust of your lotus feet.
कुरु दयां दयसे यदि देवि मां कथय मन्त्रमनाविलमद्भुतम् । समभवं प्रजपन्सुखितो ह्यहं सुविशदं च नवार्णमनुत्तमम्
Show mercy, O Goddess, if you are compassionate to me; tell me the wondrous, pure mantra. When I recited it, I became happy, and the clear, supreme nine-lettered mantra appeared.
प्रथमजन्मनि चाधिगतो मया तदधुना न विभाति नवाक्षरः । कथय मां मनुमद्य भवार्णवा- ज्जननि तारय तारय तारके
I attained it in my first birth, but now the nine-lettered mantra does not shine forth. Tell me the mantra today, O Mother, so I may cross the ocean of existence—save me, save me, O Savior.
इत्युक्ता सा तदा देवी शिवेनाद्भुततेजसा । उच्चचाराम्बिका मन्त्रं प्रस्फुटं च नवाक्षरम्
Thus addressed, the Goddess, radiant with wondrous brilliance, then clearly uttered the nine-lettered mantra.
तं गृहीत्वा महादेवः परां मुदमवाप ह । प्रणम्य चरणौ देव्यास्तत्रैवावस्थितः शिवः
Having received it, Mahadeva attained supreme joy; bowing to the Goddess's feet, Shiva remained there.
जपन्नवाक्षरं मन्त्रं कामदं मोक्षदं तथा । बीजयुक्तं शुभोच्चारं शङ्करस्तस्थिवांस्तदा
Reciting the nine-lettered mantra, which grants desires and liberation, endowed with seed and auspicious pronunciation, Shankara stood there.
तं तथाऽवस्थितं दृष्ट्वा शङ्करं लोकशङ्करम् । अवोचं तां महामायां संस्थितोऽहं पदान्तिके
Seeing Śaṅkara, the benefactor of the worlds, thus situated, I spoke to that great Māyā, standing near her feet.
न वेदास्त्वामेवं कलयितुमिहासन्नपटवो यतस्ते नोचुस्त्वां सकलजनधात्रीमविकलाम् । स्वधाभूता देवी सकलमखहोमेषु विहिता तदा त्वं सर्वज्ञा जननि खलु जाता त्रिभुवने
The Vedas are not skilled enough here to comprehend you in this way; therefore, they do not declare you, the flawless bearer of all beings. You are the essence of offerings, established in every sacrificial rite; thus, you became the all-knowing Mother in the three worlds.
कर्ताऽहं प्रकरोमि सर्वमखिलं ब्रह्माण्डमत्यद्भुतं कोऽन्योस्तीह चराचरे त्रिभुवने मत्तः समर्थः पुमान् । धन्योऽस्म्यत्र न संशयः किल यदा ब्रह्माऽस्मि लोकातिगो मग्नोऽहं भवसागरे प्रवितते गर्वाभिवेशादिति
I am the creator; I perform everything, the entire wondrous universe. Who else, among moving and unmoving beings in the three worlds, is as capable as I? I am indeed blessed here, without doubt, for I am Brahmā, transcending the worlds, immersed in the ocean of existence, overcome by pride.
अद्याहं तव पादपङ्कजपरागादानगर्वेण वै धन्योऽस्मीति यथार्थवादनिपुणो जातः प्रसादाच्च ते । याचे त्वां भवभीतिनाशचतुरां मुक्तिप्रदां चेश्वरीं हित्वा मोहकृतं महार्तिनिगडं त्वद्भक्तियुक्तं कुरु
Today, by the dust of your lotus feet, without pride, I am truly blessed, and have become skilled in speaking truthfully by your grace. I beg you, O Lady, destroyer of fear of existence, giver of liberation, abandon the great chains of delusion and suffering, and make me devoted to you.
अतोऽहञ्च जातो विमुक्तः कथं स्यां सरोजादमेयात्त्वदाविष्कृताद्वै । तवाज्ञाकरः किङ्करोऽस्मीति नूनं शिवे पाहि मां मोहमग्नं भवाब्धौ
Thus, how can I be liberated, born from the lotus, revealed by you? I am surely your servant, obeying your command. O Śivā, protect me, immersed in delusion in the ocean of existence.
न जानन्ति ये मानवास्ते वदन्ति प्रभुं मां तवाद्यं चरित्रं पवित्रम् । यजन्तीह ये याजकाः स्वर्गकामा न ते ते प्रभावं विदन्त्येव कामम्
Those humans who do not know you speak of me as the Lord, and of your pure, primordial conduct. Those priests here who worship for heaven do not truly know your power, though they desire it.
त्वया निर्मितोऽहं विधित्वे विहारं विकर्तुं चतुर्धा विधायादिसर्गम् । अहं वेद्मि कोऽन्यो विवेदातिमाये क्षमस्वापराधं त्वहङ्कारजं मे
I am created by you, O Creator, to play and to shape the primordial creation in fourfold ways. I know this; who else could comprehend your supreme Māyā? Forgive my offense, born of ego.
श्रमं येऽष्टधा योगमार्गे प्रवृत्ताः प्रकुर्वन्ति मूढाः समाधौ स्थिता वै । न जानन्ति ते नाम मोक्षप्रदं वा समुच्चारितं जातु मातर्मिषेण
Those foolish ones who exert themselves in the eightfold path of yoga, established in meditation, do not know your name, nor that it bestows liberation, even when it is uttered by the Mother with intent.
विचारे परे तत्त्वसंख्याविधाने पदे मोहिता नाम ते संविहाय । न किं ते विमूढा भवाब्धौ भवानि त्वमेवासि संसारमुक्तिप्रदा वै
Those deluded ones, lost in the enumeration of ultimate principles and in inquiry, abandon your name. Are they not bewildered in the ocean of existence? O Bhavāni, you alone grant liberation from the cycle of worldly life.
परं तत्त्वविज्ञानमाद्यैर्जनैर्यै- रजे चानुभूतं त्यजन्त्येव ते किम् । निमेषार्धमात्रं पवित्रं चरित्रं शिवा चाम्बिका शक्तिरीशेति नाम
Those who have experienced supreme knowledge of truth through the ancient ones, why do they abandon it? For even half a blink, your pure conduct—named Śivā, Ambikā, Śakti, Īśa—remains.
न किं त्वं समर्थाऽसि विश्वं विधातुं दृशैवाशु सर्वं चतुर्धा विभक्तम् । विनोदार्थमेवं विधिं मां विधाया- दिसर्गे किलेदं करोषीति कामम्
Are you not capable of creating the universe, instantly dividing all into fourfold forms by your sight? For amusement, you have appointed me to this task of primordial creation, and thus I perform it as you wish.
हरिः पालकः किं त्वयाऽसौ मधोर्वा तथा कैटभाद्रक्षितः सिन्धुमध्ये । हरः संहृतः किं त्वयाऽसौ न काले कथं मे भ्रुवोर्मध्यदेशात्स जातः
Is Hari the protector by you, or was he preserved from Madhu and Kaiṭabha in the midst of the ocean? Was Hara destroyed by you at the proper time? How did he arise from the region between my brows?
न ते जन्म कुत्रापि दृष्टं श्रुतं वा कुतः सम्भवस्ते न कोऽपीह वेद । किलाद्यासि शक्तिस्त्वमेका भवानि स्वतन्त्रैः समस्तैरतो बोधिताऽसि
Your birth is neither seen nor heard anywhere; whence is your origin? No one here knows. Surely, you are the primordial Śakti, O Bhavāni, independent of all; thus you are understood.
त्वया संयुतोऽहं विकर्तुं समर्थो हरिस्त्रातुमम्ब त्वया संयुतश्च । हरः सम्प्रहर्तुं त्वयैवेह युक्तः क्षमा नाद्य सर्वे त्वया विप्रयुक्ताः
By you, I am empowered to create; Hari is empowered by you to protect, O Mother; Hara is empowered by you to destroy. Today, all are powerless without you.
यथाऽहं हरिः शङ्करः किं तथाऽन्ये न जाता न सन्तीह नो वाऽभविष्यन् । न मुह्यन्ति केऽस्मिंस्तवात्यन्तचित्रे विनोदे विवादास्पदेऽल्पाशयानाम्
Just as I, Hari, and Śaṅkara exist, so do others not arise, nor are they present here, nor will they be. Who is not bewildered in this exceedingly wondrous play of yours, the source of disputes among those of little desire?
अकर्ता गुणस्पष्ट एवाद्य देवो निरीहोऽनुपाधिः सदैवाकलश्च । तथापीश्वरस्ते वितीर्णं विनोदं सुसम्पश्यतीत्याहुरेवं विधिज्ञाः
The primordial deity is indeed non-agent, manifest in qualities, inactive, always without attributes, and unchanging. Yet, O Lord, you have distributed this play, observing it well—so say those who know the ordinances.