शरणार्थञ्च सम्प्राप्ता देवी भगवती हि नः । निरातङ्कैश्च गन्तव्यं मार्गेऽस्मिन्भूपसङ्कुले
For the Goddess Bhagavati herself has come to us for the sake of protection. We must proceed fearlessly along this path crowded with kings.
स्मृता मया महादेवी रक्षणार्थमुपागता । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं सेनापतिस्तेन पथाऽव्रजत्
I have remembered the great Goddess, who has come for our protection. Hearing these words, the general proceeded along that path.
युधाजित्तु सुसङ्क्रुद्धस्तानुवाच महीपतीन् । किं स्थिता भयसन्त्रस्ता निघ्नन्तु कन्यकान्वितम्
Yudhajit, greatly enraged, addressed the assembled kings: Why do you stand here, paralyzed by fear? Strike him, though he is accompanied by a maiden!
अवमन्य च नः सर्वान्बलहीनो बलाधिकान् । कन्यां गृहीत्वा संयाति निर्भयस्तरसा शिशुः
He has scorned us all—he, weak, against the strong. Taking the maiden, the boy departs swiftly and without fear.
किं भीताः कामिनीं वीक्ष्य सिंहोपरि सुसंस्थिताम् । नोपेक्ष्यो हि महाभागा हन्तव्योऽत्र समाहितैः
Why are you afraid, seeing the woman so well seated upon the lion? He must not be ignored, O noble ones; he must be slain here by those who are resolute.
हत्वैनं सङ्ग्रहीष्यामः कन्यां चारुविभूषणाम् । नायं केसरिणादत्तां छेत्तुमर्हति जम्बुकः
Having slain him, we shall seize the maiden adorned with beautiful ornaments. This jackal does not deserve to take what has been given by the lion.
इत्युक्त्वा सैन्यसंयुक्तः शत्रुजित्सहितस्तदा । योद्धुकामः सुसम्प्राप्तो युधाजित्क्रोधसंवृतः
Having spoken thus, Yudhajit, joined by his army and accompanied by Shatrujit, approached, filled with wrath and eager for battle.
मुमोच विशिखांस्तूर्णं समपुंखाञ्छिलाशितान् । धनुराकृष्य कर्णान्तं कर्मारपरिमार्जितान्
He swiftly released arrows, sharp as stone, with even feathers, drawing his bow to his ear, the arrows well-forged by craftsmen.
हन्तुकामः सुदुर्मेधाः सुदर्शनमथोपरि । सुदर्शनस्तु तान्बाणैश्चिच्छेदापततः क्षणात्
Desiring to kill, the wicked-minded one aimed at Sudarshana. But Sudarshana, in an instant, cut down those falling arrows with his own.
एवं युद्धे प्रवृत्तेऽथ चुकोप चण्डिका भृशम् । दुर्गादेवी मुमोचाथ बाणान् युधाजितं प्रति
As the battle raged thus, Chandika became exceedingly enraged. Then Goddess Durga released arrows at Yudhajit.
नानारूपा तदा जाता नानाशस्रधरा शिवा । सम्प्राप्ता तुमुलं तत्र चकार जगदम्बिका
At that moment, she took on many forms, each bearing different weapons. There, Jagadambika created a tumultuous scene.
शत्रुजिन्निहतस्तत्र युधाजिदपि पार्थिवः । पतितौ तौ रथाभ्यां तु जयशब्दस्तदाऽभवत्
There, Shatrujit was slain, and Yudhajit, the king, also fell. Both fell from their chariots, and then the cry of victory arose.
विस्मयं परमं प्राप्ता भूपाः सर्वे विलोक्य ताम् । निधनं मातुलस्यापि भागिनेयस्य संयुगे
All the kings were struck with utmost wonder, seeing her, and the destruction of both the maternal uncle and the nephew in battle.
सुबाहुरपि तद्दृष्ट्वा निधनं संयुगे तयोः । तुष्टाव परमप्रीतो दुर्गां दुर्गार्तिनाशिनीम्
Subahu too, witnessing the death of those two in battle, was deeply delighted and praised Durga, the destroyer of distress.
सुबाहुरुवाच नमौ देव्यै जगद्धात्र्यै शिवायै सततं नमः । दुर्गायै भगवत्यै ते कामदायै नमो नमः
Subahu said: I bow to the Goddess, the Mother of the world, to Shiva, I always bow; to Durga, the blessed one, the fulfiller of desires, I bow again and again.
नमः शिवायै शान्त्यै ते विद्यायै मोक्षदे नमः । विश्वव्याप्त्यै जगन्मातर्जगद्धात्र्यै नमः शिवे
I bow to Shiva, to the peaceful one, to you, the knowledge that grants liberation; to the all-pervading, the Mother of the world, the sustainer of the world, I bow to you, O Shiva.
नाहं गतिं तव धिया परिचिन्तयन् वै जानामि देवि सगुणः किल निर्गुणायाः । किं स्तौमि विश्वजननीं प्रकटप्रभावां भक्तार्तिनाशनपरां परमाञ्च शक्तिम्
I do not know, O Goddess, by my intellect, how to contemplate your path; for the one with attributes is indeed subordinate to the attribute-less. Why do I praise the Mother of the universe, whose power is manifest, who is devoted to destroying the suffering of devotees, and who is the supreme energy?
वाग्देवता त्वमसि सर्वगतैव बुद्धि- र्विद्या मतिश्च गतिरप्यसि सर्वजन्तोः । त्वां स्तौमि किं त्वमसि सर्वमनोनियन्त्री किं स्तूयते हि सततं खलु चात्मरूपम्
You are the goddess of speech, you are present everywhere, you are intellect, knowledge, wisdom, and the goal of all beings. I praise you, but you are the controller of all minds; how can the true self be praised constantly?
ब्रह्मा हरश्च हरिरप्यनिशं स्तुवन्तो नान्तं गताः सुरवराः किल ते गुणानाम् । क्वाहं विभेदमतिरम्ब गुणैर्वृतो वै वक्तुं क्षमस्तव चरित्रमहोऽप्रसिद्धः
Brahma, Hara, and Hari, praising you endlessly, have not reached the limit of your qualities, O best of gods. Where am I, with a mind divided and covered by qualities, able to speak of your deeds, O Mother, which are indeed unknown?
सत्सङ्गतिः कथमहो न करोति कामं प्रासङ्गिकापि विहिता खलु चित्तशुद्धिः । जामातुरस्य विहितेन समागमेन प्राप्तं मयाऽद्भुतमिदं तव दर्शनं वै
How indeed does good company not produce desire, even if it occurs incidentally, it surely purifies the mind. Through the meeting arranged by my cousin, I have attained this wondrous vision of you.
ब्रह्माऽपि वाञ्छति सदैव हरो हरिश्च सेन्द्राः सुराश्च मुनयो विदितार्थतत्त्वाः । यद्दर्शनं जननि तेऽद्य मया दुरापं प्राप्तं विना दमशमादिसमाधिभिश्च
Even Brahma, Hara, Hari, Indra, the gods, and sages who know the essence of truth always desire your vision, O Mother. Today, I have attained this rare sight of you without the disciplines of self-control, tranquility, and meditation.
क्वाहं सुमन्दमतिराशु तवावलोकं क्वेदं भवानि भवभेषजमद्वितीयम् । ज्ञाताऽसि देवि सततं किल भावयुक्ता भक्तानुकम्पनपरामरवर्गपूज्या
Where am I, with very dull intellect, and where is your vision, O Bhavani, the peerless remedy for existence? You are always known, O Goddess, to those filled with devotion, devoted to compassion for devotees, and worshipped by the hosts of immortals.
किं वर्णयामि तव देवि चरित्रमेतद् यद्रक्षितोऽस्ति विषमेऽत्र सुदर्शनोऽयम् । शत्रू हतौ सुबलिनौ तरसा त्वयाद्य भक्तानुकम्पि चरितं परमं पवित्रम्
What can I describe of your deeds, O Goddess, that Sudarshana has been protected in this peril? The powerful enemies have been slain by you today; your conduct, compassionate to devotees, is supremely pure.
नाश्चर्यमेतदिति देवि विचारितेऽर्थे त्वं पासि सर्वमखिलं स्थिरजङ्गमं वै । त्रातस्त्वया च विनिहत्य रिपुर्दयातः संरक्षितोऽयमधुना ध्रुवसन्धिसूनुः
It is not surprising, O Goddess, when the matter is considered, that you protect all, both moving and unmoving. Having destroyed the enemy, you have rescued him; now the son of Dhruvasandhi is safeguarded by you.
भक्तस्य सेवनपरस्य स्वयशोऽतिदीप्तं कर्तुं भवानि रचितं चरितं त्वयैतत् । नोचेत्कथं सुपरिगृह्य सुतां मदीयां युद्धे भवेत्कुशलवाननवद्यशीलः
For the devotee who serves you, O Bhavani, your own fame is greatly increased by these deeds. Otherwise, how would my daughter, well-versed in battle and of flawless character, be so well received in war?
शक्ताऽसि जन्ममरणादिभयान्विहन्तुं किं चित्रमत्र किल भक्तजनस्य कामम् । त्वं गीयसे जननि भक्तजनैरपारा त्वं पापपुण्यरहिता सगुणाऽगुणा च
You are able to remove the fears of birth, death, and so forth; what wonder is there in this, O Goddess, for the devotee? You are sung by devotees, O Mother, as boundless; you are free from virtue and vice, with and without attributes.
त्वद्दर्शनादहमहो सुकृती कृतार्थो जातोऽस्मि देवि भुवनेश्वरि धन्यजन्मा । बीजं न ते न भजनं किल वेद्मि मात- र्ज्ञातस्तवाद्य महिमा प्रकटप्रभावः
By seeing you, O Goddess, I have become fortunate, fulfilled, born blessed in this world, O Queen of the earth. I do not know your seed or your worship, O Mother, but today your greatness and manifest power are known to me.
व्यास उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी प्रसन्नवदना शिवा । उवाच च नृपं देवी वरं वरय सुव्रत
Vyasa said: Thus praised at that time, the Goddess, with a gracious face, Shiva, spoke to the king: 'Choose a boon, O virtuous one.'
देवीमहिमवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भवान्याः स नृपोत्तमः । प्रोवाच वचनं तत्र सुबाहुर्भक्तिसंयुतः
Vyasa said: Hearing those words of Bhavani, the best of kings, Subahu, filled with devotion, spoke there.
सुबाहुरुवाच एकतो देवलोकस्य राज्यं भूमण्डलस्य च । एकतो दर्शनं ते वै न च तुल्यं कदाचन
Subahu said: On one side is the sovereignty of the realm of the gods and the earth; on the other, your vision—never can they be equal.