आह्लादकानां चन्द्रश्च धनानां च यथा यशः । क्षमावतां यथा भूमिर्गाम्भीर्ये सागरो यथा
Just as the moon brings delight, as fame brings wealth, as the earth is steadfast for those who are patient, and as the ocean is deep, so too—
! मंत्राणां चैव सावित्री पापनाशे हरिस्मृतिः । अष्टादशपुराणानां देवीभागवतं तथा
Among mantras, Savitri is supreme; for the destruction of sin, remembrance of Hari is foremost; and among the eighteen Purāṇas, so too is the Devī Bhāgavata.
येन केनाप्युपायेन नवकृत्वः शृणोति चेत् । न शक्यं तत्फलं वक्तुं जीवन्मुक्तः स एव ह
By whatever means, if one listens to it nine times, its result cannot be described; such a person is indeed liberated while living.
भूतप्रेतविनाशाय राज्यलाभाय शत्रुतः । पुत्रलाभाय शृणुयाद्देवीभागवतं द्विजाः
For the destruction of ghosts and spirits, for gaining a kingdom from enemies, and for obtaining sons, one should listen to the Devī Bhāgavata, O twice-born.
श्रीमद्भागवतं यस्तु पठेद्वा शृणुयादपि । श्लोकार्द्धं श्लोकपादं वा संयाति परमां गतिम्
Whoever recites or even listens to the Śrīmad Bhāgavata, even half a verse or a quarter of a verse, attains the supreme state.
भगवत्या स्वयं देव्या श्लोकार्द्धेन प्रकाशितम् । शिष्यप्रशिष्यद्वारेण तदेव विपुलीकृतम्
By the Goddess herself, half a verse was revealed; through disciples and their disciples, that very teaching was expanded.
न गायत्र्याः परो धर्मो न गायत्र्याः परं तपः । न गायत्र्याः समो देवो न गायत्र्याः परो मनुः
There is no dharma higher than Gāyatrī, no austerity greater than Gāyatrī, no deity equal to Gāyatrī, nor any law superior to Gāyatrī.
गातारं त्रायते यस्माद्गायत्री तेन सोच्यते । साऽत्र भागवते देवी सरहस्या प्रतिष्ठिता
Because she protects the chanter, she is called Gāyatrī; here in the Bhāgavata, the secret Goddess is established.
अतो भागवतस्यास्य देव्याः प्रीतिकरस्य च । महांत्यपि पुराणानि कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्
Therefore, even the great Purāṇas do not equal a sixteenth part of this Bhāgavata, which brings joy to the Goddess.
श्रीमद्भागवतं पुराणममलं यद्ब्राह्मणानां धनं धर्मो धर्मसुतेन यत्र गदितो नारायणेनामलः । गायत्र्याश्च रहस्यमत्र च मणिद्वीपश्च संवर्णितः श्रीदेव्या हिमभूभृते भगवती गीता च गीता स्वयम्
The Śrīmad Bhāgavata Purāṇa, pure and immaculate, is the wealth of the brāhmaṇas; where the pure dharma is spoken by Nārāyaṇa, the secret of Gāyatrī is here, and Maṇidvīpa is described; the Goddess herself sang to Himavat.
तस्मान्नास्य पुराणस्य लोकेऽन्यत्सदृशं परम् । अतः सदैव संसेव्यं देवीभागवतं द्विजाः
Therefore, in this world, there is nothing equal or superior to this Purāṇa; hence, O twice-born, the Devī Bhāgavata should always be served.
यस्याः प्रभावमखिलं न हि वेद धाता नो वा हरिर्न गिरिशो न हि चाप्यनन्तः । अंशांशका अपि च ते किमुतान्यदेवास्तस्यै नमोऽस्तु सततं जगदम्बिकायै
Whose entire power neither the Creator nor Hari nor Śiva nor Ananta knows; even their portions and sub-portions do not comprehend—what then of other gods? To her, the Mother of the world, I offer constant reverence.
यत्पादपंकजरजः समवाप्य विश्वं ब्रह्मा सृजत्यनुदिनं च बिभर्ति विष्णुः । रुद्रश्च संहरति नेतरथा समर्थास्तस्यै नमोऽस्तु सततं जगदम्बिकायै
By attaining the dust of whose lotus feet, Brahmā creates the universe daily, Viṣṇu sustains it, and Rudra dissolves it; none else is capable. To her, the Mother of the world, I offer constant reverence.
सुधाकूपारांतस्त्रिदशतरुवाटी विलसिते मणिद्वीपे चिन्तामणिमयगृहे चित्ररुचिरे । विराजन्तीमम्बां परशिवहृदि स्मेरवदनां नरो ध्यात्वा भोगं भजति खलु मोक्षं च लभते
In Maṇidvīpa, radiant with wells of nectar and groves of divine trees, in a house made of wish-fulfilling gems, shining with wondrous beauty, the Mother shines, smiling in the heart of Supreme Śiva; one who meditates on her attains both enjoyment and liberation.
ब्रह्मेशाच्युतशक्राद्यैर्महर्षिभिरुपासिता। जगतः श्रेयसे साऽस्तु मणिद्वीपाधिदेवता
Worshipped by Brahmā, Īśa, Acyuta, Śakra, and other great sages, may she, the presiding deity of Maṇidvīpa, bring welfare to the world.
ॐ सर्वचैतन्यरूपां तां आद्यां विद्यां च धीमहि । बुद्धिं या नः प्रचोदयात्
Om. We contemplate that primal knowledge, the embodiment of all consciousness, who may inspire our intellect.
शौनक उवाच - सूत सूत महाभाग धन्योऽसि पुरुषर्षभ । यदधीतास्त्वया सम्यक् पुराणसंहिताः शुभाः
Śaunaka said: Sūta, Sūta, most fortunate one, best among men, you are blessed, for you have thoroughly studied the auspicious collections of Purāṇas.
अष्टादश पुराणानि कृष्णेन मुनिनानघ । कथितानि सुदिव्यानि पठितानि त्वयानघ
The eighteen Purāṇas, O sinless one, were narrated by the sage Kṛṣṇa; you, O sinless one, have recited and studied them, most divine.
पञ्चलक्षणयुक्तानि सरहस्यानि मानद । त्वया ज्ञातानि सर्वाणि व्यासात्सत्यवतीसुतात्
O bestower of honor, all the Purāṇas endowed with the five characteristics and full of secrets have been learned by you from Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī.
अस्माकं पुण्ययोगेन प्राप्तस्त्वं क्षेत्रमुत्तमम् । दिव्यं विश्वसनं पुण्यं कलिदोषविवर्जितम्
By the merit of our good deeds, you have come to this excellent and sacred place, divine, trustworthy, holy, and free from the faults of the Kali age.
समाजोऽयं मुनीनां हि श्रोतुकामोऽस्ति पुण्यदाम् । पुराणसंहितां सूत ब्रूहि त्वं नः समाहितः
This assembly of sages, eager to hear, is present here, O giver of merit; therefore, Sūta, recount to us with concentration the collection of Purāṇas.
दीर्घायुर्भव सर्वज्ञ तापत्रयविवर्जितः । कथयाद्य महाभाग पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम्
May you live long, be all-knowing, and free from the threefold miseries; O highly fortunate one, narrate today the Purāṇa, esteemed as equal to the Veda.
श्रोत्रेन्द्रिययुताः सूत नराः स्वादविचक्षणाः । न शृण्वन्ति पुराणानि वञ्चिता विधिना हि ते
O Sūta, those people who possess ears and other senses but lack discernment in enjoyment do not listen to the Purāṇas; truly, they are deceived by fate.
यथा जिह्वेन्द्रियाह्लादः षड्रसैः प्रतिपद्यते । तथा श्रोत्रेन्द्रियाह्लादो वचोभिः सुधियां स्मृतः
Just as the sense of taste is delighted by the six flavors, so too is the sense of hearing gladdened by words, as recognized by the wise.
अश्रोत्राः फणिनः कामं मुह्यन्ति हि नभोगुणैः । सकर्णा ये न शृण्वन्ति तेऽप्यकर्णाः कथं न च
Though serpents lack ears, they are still bewildered by the qualities of sound; those who have ears but do not listen—how are they not also earless?
अतः सर्वे द्विजाः सौम्य श्रोतुकामाः समाहिताः । वर्तन्ते नैमिषारण्ये क्षेत्रे कलिभयार्दिताः
Therefore, all the twice-born here, O gentle one, are assembled in Naimiṣāraṇya, eager to listen, afflicted by the fear of the Kali age.
येन केनाप्युपायेन कालातिवाहनं स्मृतम् । व्यसनैरिह मूर्खाणां बुधानां शास्त्रचिन्तनैः
Passing time is regarded in various ways: by misfortunes for the foolish, and by contemplation of the scriptures for the wise.
शास्त्राण्यपि विचित्राणि जल्पवादयुतानि च । त्रिविधानि पुराणानि शास्त्राणि विविधानि च । विताण्डाच्छलयुक्तानि गर्वामर्षकराणि च । नानार्थवादयुक्तानि हेतुमन्ति बृहन्ति च
The scriptures, too, are diverse, filled with debates and arguments; the Purāṇas are of three kinds, and the scriptures are of many types—marked by disputation, trickery, pride, and anger, containing various doctrines, reasoning, and expansiveness.
सात्त्विकं तत्र वेदान्तं मीमांसा राजसं मतम् । तामसं न्यायशास्त्रं च हेतुवादाभियन्त्रितम्
Among these, Vedānta is considered sāttvika, Mīmāṃsā is regarded as rājasika, and Nyāya, filled with arguments, is considered tāmasika.
तथैव च पुराणानि त्रिगुणानि कथानकैः । कथितानि त्वया सौम्य पञ्चलक्षणवन्ति च
In the same way, the Purāṇas are also threefold according to the guṇas and their narratives; and, O gentle one, you have described those endowed with the five characteristics.