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.
दृष्टादृष्टविभेदेऽस्मिन्प्राक्त्वत्तो वै पुमान्परः । नान्यः कोऽपि तृतीयोऽस्ति प्रमेये सुविचारिते
In this distinction between seen and unseen, the supreme person arises from you alone; there is no other, no third, when the object of knowledge is thoroughly examined.
न मिथ्या वेदवाक्यं वै कल्पनीयं कदाचन । विरोधोऽयं मयाऽत्यन्तं हृदये तु विशङ्कितः
Never should the words of the Veda be considered false or imagined; this contradiction has been deeply pondered in my heart.
एकमेवाद्वितीयं यद्ब्रह्म वेदा वदन्ति वै । सा किं त्वं वाप्यसौ वा किं सन्देहं विनिवर्तय
That which the Vedas declare as the one, non-dual Brahman—are you that, or is it someone else? Remove my doubt.
निःसंशयं न मे चेतः प्रभवत्यविशङ्कितम् । द्वित्वैकत्वविचारेऽस्मिन्निमग्नं क्षुल्लकं मनः
My mind is not free from doubt, nor is it unwavering; in this inquiry into duality and unity, my small mind is immersed.
स्वमुखेनापि सन्देहं छेत्तुमर्हसि मामकम् । पुण्यभोगाच्च मे प्राप्ता सङ्गतिस्तव पादयोः
You should dispel my doubt with your own words; by the merit of my past deeds, I have attained the fortune of reaching your feet.
पुमानसि त्वं स्त्री वासि वद विस्तरतो मम । ज्ञात्वाऽहं परमां शक्तिं मुक्तः स्यां भवसागरात्
Are you male or female? Tell me in detail; knowing your supreme power, I may be liberated from the ocean of worldly existence.
ब्रह्मणे श्रीदेव्या उपदेशवर्णनम् ब्रह्मोवाच इति पृष्टा मया देवी विनयावनतेन च । उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णमाद्या भगवती हि सा
Description of the teaching of the Goddess to Brahma. Brahma said: Thus questioned by me, with humility and reverence, the primordial Bhagavati spoke gentle words.
देव्युवाच सदैकत्वं न भेदोऽस्ति सर्वदैव ममास्य च । योऽसौ साहमहं योऽसौ भेदोऽस्ति मतिविभ्रमात्
The Goddess said: There is always oneness, no division, between myself and this one; I am that, and that am I—any sense of difference arises from confusion of the mind.
आवयोरन्तरं सूक्ष्मं यो वेद मतिमान्हि सः । विमुक्तः स तु संसारान्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
He who knows the subtle distinction between us, being truly wise, is liberated from worldly existence; there is no doubt about this.
एकमेवाद्वितीयं वै ब्रह्म नित्यं सनातनम् । द्वैतभावं पुनर्याति काल उत्पित्सुसंज्ञके
Brahman is truly one, without a second, eternal and ancient; but when the desire to create arises, duality appears again.