पूजां परमिकां कृत्वा कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थितः । उपविष्टः समीपे तु कृताज्ञो मुनिना हरिः
Having performed the highest worship, Rāma stood before the sage with joined palms; then, Hari, having expressed his gratitude, sat nearby the sage.
उपविष्टं तदा रामं सानुजं दुःखमानसम् । पप्रच्छ नारदः प्रीत्या कुशलं मुनिसत्तमः
Then Nārada, the best of sages, seeing Rāma seated with his brother and troubled in mind, affectionately inquired about his welfare.
कथं राघव शोकार्तो यथा वै प्राकृतो नरः । हृतां सीतां च जानामि रावणेन दुरात्मना
How can Rāghava, afflicted by grief like an ordinary man, know that Sītā has been taken by the wicked Rāvaṇa?
सुरसद्मगतश्चाहं श्रुतवाञ्जनकात्मजाम् । पौलस्त्येन हृतां मोहान्मरणं स्वमजानता
I, dwelling in the abode of the gods, have heard that the daughter of Janaka was abducted by the descendant of Pulastya, who, blinded by delusion, was unaware of his own impending death.
तव जन्म च काकुत्स्थ पौलस्त्यनिधनाय वै । मैथिलीहरणं जातमेतदर्थं नराधिप
Your birth, O Kākutstha, was indeed for the destruction of the Pulastya lineage; the abduction of Maithilī happened for this very purpose, O king among men.
पूर्वजन्मनि वैदेही मुनिपुत्री तपस्विनी । रावणेन वने दृष्टा तपस्यन्ती शुचिस्मिता
In a previous birth, Vaidehī was the daughter of a sage, devoted to austerity; Rāvaṇa saw her in the forest, engaged in penance, radiant with a pure smile.
प्रार्थिता रावणेनासौ भव भार्येति राघव । तिरस्कृतस्तयाऽसौ वै जग्राह कबरं बलात्
Rāvaṇa desired her, saying, 'Become my wife,' O Rāghava; rejected by her, he forcibly seized her hair.
शशाप तत्क्षणं राम रावणं तापसी भृशम् । कुपिता त्यक्तुमिच्छन्ती देहं संस्पर्शदूषितम्
At that very moment, O Rāma, the ascetic woman, angered and wishing to abandon her body tainted by his touch, cursed Rāvaṇa severely.
दुरात्मंस्तव नाशार्थं भविष्यामि धरातले । अयोनिजा वरा नारी त्यक्त्वा देहं जहावपि
For the destruction of that wicked one, I shall be born on earth as a woman not born from a womb; having abandoned her body, she departed.
सेयं रमांशसम्भूता गृहीता तेन रक्षसा । विनाशार्थं कुलस्यैव व्याली स्रगिव सम्भ्रमात्
She, born from a portion of Ramā, was seized by that demon; for the destruction of his lineage, she entered like a garland, trembling with agitation.
तव जन्म च काकुत्स्थ तस्य नाशाय चामरैः । प्रार्थितस्य हरेरंशादजवंशेऽप्यजन्मनः
Your birth, O Kākutstha, was for his destruction, sought by the immortals; from a portion of Hari, you were born in the race of Ajā, though unborn yourself.
कुरु धैर्यं महाबाहो तत्र सा वर्ततेऽवशा । सती धर्मरता सीता त्वां ध्यायन्ती दिवानिशम्
Be steadfast, O mighty-armed one; she remains there, helpless. Sītā, devoted to righteousness, meditates on you day and night.
कामधेनुपयः पात्रे कृत्वा मघवता स्वयम् । पानार्थं प्रेषितं तस्याः पीतं चैवामृतं यथा
Having placed the milk of the wish-fulfilling cow in a vessel, Maghavan himself sent it for her to drink, and she drank it as if it were nectar.
सुरभीदुग्धपानात्सा क्षुत्तुड्दुःखविवर्जिता । जाता कमलपत्राक्षी वर्तते वीक्षिता मया
By drinking the milk of Surabhī, she is free from hunger and suffering; born with lotus-like eyes, she remains, and I have seen her.
उपायं कथयाम्यद्य तस्य नाशाय राघव । व्रतं कुरुष्व श्रद्धावानाश्विने मासि साम्प्रतम्
I will tell you today, O Rāghava, the means for his destruction: undertake a vow with faith in the current month of Āśvina.
नवरात्रोपवासञ्च भगवत्याः प्रपूजनम् । सर्वसिद्धिकरं राम जपहोमविधानतः
Observe fasting for nine nights and worship the Goddess; through recitation and ritual offerings, O Rāma, it grants all accomplishments.
मेघ्यैश्च पशुभिर्देव्या बलिं दत्त्वा विशंसितैः । दशांशं हवनं कृत्वा सशक्तस्त्वं भविष्यसि
Offer sacrifice to the Goddess with animals marked for the clouds; having performed a tenth part as oblation, you will become empowered.
विष्णुना चरितं पूर्वं महादेवेन ब्रह्मणा । तथा मघवता चीर्णं स्वर्गमध्यस्थितेन वै
This vow was previously performed by Viṣṇu, by Mahādeva, by Brahmā, and likewise by Maghavan, who dwells in heaven.
सुखिना राम कर्तव्यं नवरात्रव्रतं शुभम् । विशेषेण च कर्तव्यं पुंसा कष्टगतेन वै
O Rāma, the auspicious nine-night vow should be performed happily; especially it must be done by one who has fallen into hardship.
विश्वामित्रेण काकुत्स्थ कृतमेतन्न संशयः । भृगुणाऽथ वसिष्ठेन कश्यपेन तथैव च
O Kākutstha, this was performed by Viśvāmitra, without doubt; also by Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha, and likewise by Kaśyapa.
गुरुणा हृतदारेण कृतमेतन्महाव्रतम् । तस्मात्त्वं कुरु राजेन्द्र रावणस्य वधाय च
This great vow was performed by the preceptor whose wife was taken; therefore, O king of kings, you too should undertake it for the destruction of Ravana.
इन्द्रेण वृत्रनाशाय कृतं व्रतमनुत्तमम् । त्रिपुरस्य विनाशाय शिवेनापि पुरा कृतम्
This unsurpassed vow was performed by Indra for the destruction of Vritra, and formerly by Shiva for the annihilation of Tripura.
हरिणा मधुनाशाय कृतं मेरौ महामते । विधिवत्कुरु काकुत्स्थ व्रतमेतदतन्द्रितः
O wise one, this vow was performed by Hari on Mount Meru for the destruction of Madhu; O descendant of Kakutstha, perform this vow properly and without fatigue.
श्रीराम उवाच का देवी किं प्रभावा सा कुतो जाता किमाह्वया । व्रतं किं विधिवद्ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञोऽसि दयानिधे
Shri Rama said: Who is this Goddess? What is her power? Where was she born, and by what name is she known? Tell me the proper method of the vow, for you are all-knowing and compassionate.
नारद उवाच शृणु राम सदा नित्या शक्तिराद्या सनातनी । सर्वकामप्रदा देवी पूजिता दुःखनाशिनी
Narada said: Listen, O Rama. She is the eternal, primordial Shakti, ever-existent, the bestower of all desires, the Goddess who, when worshipped, destroys all suffering.
कारणं सर्वजन्तूनां ब्रह्मादीनां रघूद्वह । तस्याः शक्तिं विना कोऽपि स्पन्दितुं न क्षमो भवेत्
She is the cause of all beings, including Brahma and the others, O descendant of Raghu. Without her power, no one is able to move.
विष्णोः पालनशक्तिः सा कर्तृशक्तिः पितुर्मम । रुद्रस्य नाशशक्तिः सा त्वन्याशक्तिः परा शिवा
She is the power of preservation for Vishnu, the creative power for my father, and the power of destruction for Rudra; she is the supreme, transcendent Shakti.
यच्च किञ्चित्क्वचिद्वस्तु सदसद्भुवनत्रये । तस्य सर्वस्य या शक्तिस्तदुत्पत्तिः कुतो भवेत्
Whatever exists anywhere, whether manifest or unmanifest, in the three worlds—whatever power belongs to all that, from where could its origin be?
न ब्रह्मा न यदा विष्णुर्न रुद्रो न दिवाकरः । न चेन्द्राद्याः सुराः सर्वे न धरा न धराधराः
At that time, there was neither Brahma, nor Vishnu, nor Rudra, nor the sun; nor all the gods beginning with Indra, nor the earth, nor the mountains.
तदा सा प्रकृतिः पूर्णा पुरुषेण परेण वै । संयुता विहरत्येव युगादौ निर्गुणा शिवा
Then, that complete Prakriti, united with the supreme Purusha, abides, free from qualities and auspicious, at the beginning of the age.