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.
सा भूत्वा सगुणा पश्चात्करोति भुवनत्रयम् । पूर्वं संसृज्य ब्रह्मादीन्दत्त्वा शक्तीश्च सर्वशः
Afterwards, becoming endowed with qualities, she creates the three worlds; first creating Brahma and the others, she bestows all powers upon them.
तां ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते जन्तुर्जन्मसंसारबन्धनात् । सा विद्या परमा ज्ञेया वेदाद्या वेदकारिणी
Knowing her, a being is freed from the bondage of birth and worldly existence; she is the supreme knowledge to be known, the originator of the Vedas and other scriptures.
असंख्यातानि नामानि तस्या ब्रह्मादिभिः किल । गुणकर्मविधानैस्तु कल्पितानि च किं ब्रुवे
Her names are countless, indeed, as conceived by Brahma and the others, based on her qualities and actions—what more can I say?
अकारादिक्षकारान्तैः स्वरैर्वर्णैस्तु योजितैः । असंख्येयानि नामानि भवन्ति रघुनन्दन
O delight of the Raghus, with combinations of vowels and consonants from 'a' to 'ksha', her names are innumerable.
राम उवाच विधिं मे ब्रूहि विप्रर्षे व्रतस्यास्य समासतः । करोम्यद्यैव श्रद्धावाञ्छ्रीदेव्याः पूजनं तथा
Rama said: O best of sages, tell me briefly the procedure for this vow; I will perform the worship of Shri Devi today itself with faith.
नारद उवाच पीठं कृत्वा समे स्थाने संस्थाप्य जगदम्बिकाम् । उपवासान्नवैव त्वं कुरु राम विधानतः
Narada said: Having prepared a seat in a level place and installing the Mother of the Universe, you, O Rama, should properly observe a fast for nine days.
आचार्योऽहं भविष्यामि कर्मण्यस्मिन्महीपते । देवकार्यविधानार्थमुत्साहं प्रकरोम्यहम्
I will be your preceptor in this rite, O king, and I will exert myself for the proper performance of the Goddess's worship.
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं सत्यं मत्वा रामः प्रतापवान् । कारयित्वा शुभं पीठं स्थापयित्वाम्बिकां शिवाम्
Vyasa said: Hearing these truthful words and considering them, the mighty Rama had an auspicious seat prepared and installed the auspicious Mother.
विधिवत्पूजनं तस्याश्चकार व्रतवान् हरिः । सम्प्राप्ते चाश्विने मासि तस्मिन्गिरिवरे तदा
Hari, devoted to his vow, performed her worship according to the prescribed rites, when the month of Ashvina arrived at that great mountain.
उपवासपरो रामः कृतवान्व्रतमुत्तमम् । होमञ्च विधिवत्तत्र बलिदानञ्च पूजनम्
Rama, intent on fasting, observed the supreme vow, and there performed the ritual offerings, oblations, and worship as prescribed.