यदेतत्कर्षकाणां वै तदेवातीव दुर्दिनम् । बीजोपस्करयुक्तानां सुखदं प्रभवत्युत
What is a most inauspicious day for farmers becomes, indeed, a source of happiness for those equipped with seeds and implements.
अप्रच्छन्नगृहाणां च दुर्भगानां विशेषतः । तृणकाष्ठगृहीतानां दुःखदं गृहमेधिनाम्
Especially for those whose houses are not well-covered, for the unfortunate, and for those who dwell in huts of grass and wood, it brings sorrow to householders.
प्रोषितभर्तृकाणां वै मोहदं प्रवदन्त्यपि । स्वभावस्था गुणाः सर्वे विपरीता विभान्ति वै
It is said to bring delusion to women whose husbands are away; all qualities, when situated in their own nature, appear as their opposites.
लक्षणानि पुनस्तेषां शृणु पुत्र ब्रवीम्यहम् । लघुप्रकाशकं सत्त्वं निर्मलं विशदं सदा
Now hear, my son, the characteristics of these; I will tell you: sattva is always light, illuminating, pure, and clear.
यदाङ्गानि लघून्येव नेत्रादीनीन्द्रियाणि च । निर्मलं च तथा चेतो गृह्णाति विषयान्न तान्
When the limbs and the senses such as the eyes are light, and likewise the mind is pure and does not grasp the objects, then—
तदा सत्त्वं शरीरे वै मन्तव्यञ्च समुत्कटम् । जृम्भां स्तम्भं च तन्द्रां च चलञ्चैव रजः पुनः
—then, sattva should be understood as predominant in the body; but yawning, stiffness, drowsiness, and restlessness are again rajas.
यदा तदुत्कटं जातं देहे यस्य च कस्यचित् । कलिं मृगयते कर्तुं गन्तुं ग्रामान्तरं तथा
When that rajas becomes predominant in anyone's body, he seeks quarrels, desires to act, and wishes to go to another village.
चलचित्तस्य सोऽत्यर्थं विवादे चोद्यतस्तथा । गुरुमावरणं कामं तमो भवति तद्यदा
Such a restless-minded person is excessively eager for dispute; and when there is obstruction of the teacher, desire, then that is tamas.
तदाङ्गानि गुरूण्याशु प्रभवन्त्यावृतानि च । इन्द्रियाणि मनः शून्यं निद्रां नैवाभिवाञ्छति
Then, the limbs become heavy and powerless, the senses and mind are empty, and sleep is not desired.
गुणानां लक्षणान्येवं विज्ञेयानीह नारद । नारद उवाच विभिन्नलक्षणाः प्रोक्ताः पितामह गुणास्त्रयः
Thus, O Nārada, the characteristics of the guṇas are to be understood here. Nārada said: The three guṇas, O Grandsire, have been described as having distinct characteristics.
कथमेकत्र संस्थाने कार्यं कुर्वन्ति शाश्वतम् । परस्परं मिलित्वा हि विभिन्नाः शत्रवः किल
How do they, being established in one place, perform a continuous action? For, though distinct and mutually opposed, they act together like enemies united.
एकत्रस्थाः कथं कार्यं कुर्वन्तीति वदस्व मे । ब्रह्मोवाच शृणु पुत्र प्रवक्ष्यामि गुणास्ते दीपवृत्तयः
How do they, being together, accomplish an action? Please tell me. Brahmā said: Listen, my son, I will explain—the guṇas are like the elements of a lamp.
प्रदीपश्च यथा कार्यं प्रकरोत्यर्थदर्शनम् । वर्तिस्तैलं यथार्चिश्च विरुद्धाश्च परस्परम्
Just as a lamp performs its function of illumination, the wick, oil, and flame are mutually opposed to each other.
विरुद्धं हि तथा तैलमग्निना सह सङ्गतम् । तैलं वर्तिविरोध्येव पावकोऽपि परस्परम्
In the same way, oil, though opposed to fire, when joined with it, and the wick, though opposed to oil, and fire, are mutually opposed.
एकत्रस्थाः पदार्थानां प्रकुर्वन्ति प्रदर्शनम् । नारद उवाच एवं प्रकृतिजाः प्रोक्ता गुणाः सत्यवतीसुत
Yet, being together in one place, they reveal objects. Nārada said: Thus, O son of Satyavatī, the guṇas born of nature have been described.
विश्वस्य कारणं ते वै मया पूर्वं यथा श्रुतम् । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तं नारदेनाथ मम सर्वं सविस्तरम्
They are indeed the cause of the universe, as I have previously heard. Vyāsa said: Thus everything was explained to me in detail by Nārada.
गुणानां लक्षणं सर्वं कार्यं चैव विभागशः । आराध्या परमा शक्तिर्यया सर्वमिदं ततम्
All the characteristics and actions of the guṇas, in their divisions, and the supreme power by which all this is pervaded, were described.
सगुणा निर्गुणा चैव कार्यभेदे सदैव हि । अकर्ता पुरुषः पूर्णो निरीहः परमोऽव्ययः
She is both with qualities and without qualities, always according to the difference of actions; the Puruṣa is non-agent, complete, indifferent, supreme, and imperishable.
करोत्येषा महामाया विश्वं सदसदात्मकम् । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथा रुद्रःसूर्यश्चन्द्रः शचीपतिः
This great Māyā creates the universe, consisting of the existent and non-existent; Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Sūrya, Candra, and the lord of Śacī.
अश्विनौ वसवस्त्वष्टा कुबेरो यादसां पतिः । वह्निर्वायुस्तथा पूषा सेनानीश्च विनायकः
The Aśvins, the Vasus, Tvaṣṭṛ, Kubera, the lord of the waters, Agni, Vāyu, Pūṣā, the commander of the army, and Vināyaka.
सर्वे शक्तियुताः शक्ताः कर्तुं कार्याणि स्वानि च । अन्यथा तेऽप्यशक्ता वै प्रस्पन्दितुमनीश्वराः
All are endowed with her power and are able to perform their own actions; otherwise, they too would be powerless and unable to move.
सा चैव कारणं राजन् जगतः परमेश्वरी । समाराधय तां भूप कुरु यज्ञं जनाधिप
She alone, O king, is the cause of the world, the supreme goddess; worship her, O lord of men, perform sacrifice.
पूजनं परया भक्त्या तस्या एव विधानतः । महालक्ष्मीर्महाकाली तथा महासरस्वती
Worship her with supreme devotion, according to the prescribed method; she is Mahālakṣmī, Mahākālī, and also Mahāsarasvatī.
ईश्वरी सर्वभूतानां सर्वकारणकारणम् । सर्वकामार्थदा शान्ता सुखसेव्या दयान्विता
She is the goddess of all beings, the cause of all causes; the giver of all desired objects, peaceful, easily served, and full of compassion.
नामोच्चारणमात्रेण वाञ्छितार्थफलप्रदा । देवैराराधिता पूर्वं ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वरैः
By merely uttering her name, she bestows the desired fruits; she was worshipped before by the gods—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara.
मोक्षकामैश्च विविधैस्तापसैर्विजितात्मभिः । अस्पष्टमपि यन्नाम प्रसङ्गेनापि भाषितम्
By ascetics seeking liberation, self-controlled, in various ways; even if her name is indistinctly spoken, or mentioned incidentally.
ददाति वाञ्छितानर्थान्दुर्लभानपि सर्वथा । ऐ ऐ इति भयार्तेन दृष्ट्वा व्याघ्रादिकं वने
She grants desired objects, even those exceedingly difficult to obtain, in every way; when one, terrified, cries 'ai ai' upon seeing a tiger or similar beast in the forest.
बिन्दुहीनमपीत्युक्तं वाञ्छितं प्रददाति वै । तत्र सत्यव्रतस्यैव दृष्टान्तो नृपसत्तम
Even when the utterance is incomplete, she bestows the desired boon; in this regard, O foremost of kings, the example of Satyavrata is well known.
प्रत्यक्ष एव चास्माकं मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् । ब्राह्मणानां समाजेषु तस्योदाहरणं बुधैः
This is evident to us, the sages of purified mind, in assemblies of Brahmins; the wise cite his case as an illustration.
कथ्यमानं मया राजञ्छ्रुतं सर्वं सविस्तरम् । अनक्षरो महामूर्खो नाम्ना सत्यव्रतो द्विजः
I shall narrate to you, O king, all of this in detail as I have heard it; Satyavrata, by name, was a Brahmin, utterly ignorant and unlettered.