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.
दर्शनात्सदृशं किञ्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु नास्ति मे । कं वरं देवि याचेऽहं कृतार्थोऽस्मि धरातले
There is nothing in the three worlds equal to the vision of you; what boon should I ask, O Goddess? I am fulfilled upon this earth.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं मातर्याचितुं वाञ्छितं वरम् । तव भक्तिः सदा मेऽस्तु निश्चला ह्यनपायिनी
This alone I wish to request, Mother: may I always have unwavering, unceasing devotion to you.
नगरेऽत्र त्वया मातः स्थातव्यं मम सर्वदा । दुर्गादेवीति नाम्ना वै त्वं शक्तिरिह संस्थिता
In this city, O Mother, you must always remain for my sake; here you are established as Shakti, known by the name Durga Devi.
रक्षा त्वया च कर्तव्या सर्वदा नगरस्य ह । यथा सुदर्शनस्त्रातो रिपुसंघादनामयः
You must always protect this city, just as Sudarshana was protected from hosts of enemies and calamities.
तथाऽत्र रक्षा कर्तव्या वाराणस्यास्त्वयाम्बिके । यावत्पुरी भवेद्भूमौ सुप्रतिष्ठा सुसंस्थिता
In the same way, O Ambika, you must protect Varanasi as long as the city stands firmly established upon the earth.
तावत्त्वयाऽत्र स्थातव्यं दुर्गे देवि कृपानिधे । वरोऽयं मम ते देयः किमन्यत्प्रार्थयाम्यहम्
Therefore, O Durga, O ocean of compassion, you must remain here for that time; grant me this boon—what else could I desire?
विविधान्सकलान्कामान्देहि मे विद्विषो जहि । अभद्राणां विनाशञ्च कुरु लोकस्य सर्वदा
Grant me all kinds of desires, destroy my enemies, and always bring about the destruction of all inauspiciousness in the world.
व्यास उवाच इति सम्प्रार्थिता देवी दुर्गा दुर्गार्तिनाशिनी । तमुवाच नृपं तत्र स्तुत्वा वै संस्थितं पुरः
Vyasa said: Thus petitioned, the Goddess Durga, destroyer of distress, spoke to the king who stood before her, having praised her.
दुर्गोवाच राजन्सदा निवासो मे मुक्तिपुर्यां भविष्यति । रक्षार्थं सर्वलोकानां यावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनी
Durga said: O King, my abode will always be in the city of liberation, for the protection of all the worlds, as long as the earth endures.
अथो सुदर्शनस्तत्र समागत्य मुदान्वितः । प्रणम्य परया भक्त्या तुष्टाव जगदम्बिकाम्
Then Sudarshana, filled with joy, arrived there, bowed with supreme devotion, and praised the Mother of the Universe.