मातर्नताः स्म भुवनार्तिहरे प्रसीद शन्तो विधेहि कुरु कार्यमिदं दयार्द्रे । भारं हरस्व विनिहत्य सुरारिवर्गं मह्या महेश्वरि सतां कुरु शं भवानि
Mother, we bow to you, Remover of the world's suffering; be gracious. O compassionate one, accomplish this task in peace. Destroy the hosts of the enemies of the gods, lighten the burden of the earth, and grant well-being to the virtuous, O Great Lady.
यद्यम्बुजाक्षि दयसे न सुरान्कदाचित् किं ते क्षमा रणमुखेऽसिशरैः प्रहर्तुम् । एतत्त्वयैव गदितं ननु यक्षरूपं धृत्वा तृणं दह हुताश पदाभिलाषैः
If, O lotus-eyed one, you never show mercy to the gods, why then do you endure the blows of swords and arrows in battle? Was it not you who, taking the form of a Yakṣa, told Agni to burn the blade of grass with longing for your feet?
कंसः कुजोऽथ यवनेन्द्रसुतश्च केशी बार्हद्रथो बकबकीखरशाल्वमुख्याः । येऽन्ये तथा नृपतयो भुवि सन्ति तांस्त्वं हत्वा हरस्व जगतो भरमाशु मातः
Kaṃsa, Kuja, the son of the Yavana king, Keśī, Bāṇāsura, and the chief among Baka, Bakī, Khara, Śālva, and others—whatever other kings there are on earth—may you swiftly destroy them, Mother, and relieve the world's burden.
ये विष्णुना न निहताः किल शङ्करेण ये वा विगृह्य जलजाक्षि पुरन्दरेण । ते ते मुखं सुखकरं सुसमीक्षमाणाः ् संख्ये शरैर्विनिहता निजलीलया ते
Those whom Viṣṇu did not slay, nor Śaṅkara, nor Indra, O lotus-eyed one, those very enemies, gazing upon your gracious face, were struck down in battle by your own play, by your arrows.
शक्तिं विना हरिहरप्रमुखाः सुराश्च ॥ नैवेश्वरा विचलितुं तव देवदेवि । किं धारणाविरहितः प्रभुरप्यनन्तो धर्तुं धराञ्च रजनीशकलावतंसे
Without your power, neither Hari, Hara, nor the other gods, nor even the Lords themselves, O Goddess of gods, are able to act; just as even the mighty Lord, adorned with the moon and night, cannot uphold the earth without the support of concentration.
इन्द्र उवाच वाचा विना विधिरलं भवतीह विश्वं कर्तुं हरिः किमु रमारहितोऽथ पातुम् । संहर्तुमीश उमयोज्झित ईश्वरः किं ते ताभिरेव सहिताः प्रभवः प्रजेशाः
Indra said: Without speech, how could Brahmā create this universe? How could Hari protect it without Lakṣmī? How could Śiva destroy it without Umā? Indeed, the lords of beings act only together with their powers.
विष्णुरुवाच कर्तुं प्रभुर्न द्रुहिणो न कदाचनाहं नापीश्वरस्तव कलारहितस्त्रिलोक्याः । कर्तुं प्रभुत्वमनघेऽत्र तथा विहर्तुं त्वं वै समस्तविभवेश्वरि भासि नूनम्
Viṣṇu said: O faultless one, neither Brahmā, nor I, nor even Śiva, can ever act in the three worlds without your portion. Truly, O Lady of all powers, you alone shine here as the sovereign of all dominion.
व्यास उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी तानाह विबुधेश्वरान् । किं तत्कार्यं वदन्त्वद्य करोमि विगतज्वराः
Vyāsa said: Thus praised, the Goddess then spoke to the lords of the gods: 'Tell me now, free from anxiety, what task you wish me to accomplish.'
असाध्यमपि लोकेऽस्मिंस्तत्करोमि सुरेप्सितम् । शंसन्तु भवतां दुःखं धरायाश्च सुरोत्तमाः
'Even what is impossible in this world, I will do, if it is desired by the gods. Let the best of the gods declare your distress and that of the earth.'
देवा ऊचुः वसुधेयं भराक्रान्ता सम्प्राप्ता विबुधान्प्रति । रुदती वेपमाना च पीडिता दुष्टभूभुजैः
The gods said: 'This earth, oppressed by burden, has come to the gods, weeping and trembling, tormented by wicked kings.'
भारापहरणं चास्याः कर्तव्यं भुवनेश्वरि । देवानामीष्मित कार्यमेतदेवाधुना शिवे
'O Sovereign of the world, the burden must be removed from her. O Auspicious One, this is now the task of the gods.'
घातितस्तु पुरा मातस्त्वया महिषरूपभृत् । दानवोऽतिबलाक्रान्तस्तत्सहायाश्च कोटिशः
'In former times, O Mother, you slew the demon who took the form of a buffalo, along with his countless powerful allies.'
तथा शुम्भो निशुम्भश्च रक्तबीजस्तथापरः । चण्डमुण्डौ महावीर्यौ तथैव धूम्रलोचनः
'Likewise, Śumbha and Niśumbha, and another, Raktabīja, as well as the mighty Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, and also Dhūmralocana.'
दुर्मुखो दुःसहश्चैव करालश्चाति वीर्यवान् । अन्ये च बहवः क्रूरास्त्वयैव च निपातिताः
'Durmukha, Duḥsaha, and Karāla, exceedingly powerful, and many other cruel ones were also slain by you.'
तथैव च सुरारींश्च जहि सर्वान्महीश्वरान् । (भारं हर धरायाश्च दुर्धरं दुष्टभूभुजाम् ।)
'In the same way, destroy all the enemies of the gods, O Sovereign of the earth. Remove the unbearable burden of the wicked kings from the earth.'
सम्प्रहस्यासितापाङ्गी मेघगम्भीरया गिरा । श्रीदेव्युवाच मयेदं चिन्तितं पूर्वमंशावतरणं सुराः
Smiling, her eyes dark as collyrium, with a voice deep as a cloud, the blessed Goddess said: 'O gods, I have already considered the descent of portions.'
भारावतरणं चैव यथा स्याद्दुष्टभूभुजाम् । मया सर्वे निहन्तव्या दैत्येशा ये महीभुजः
'And also how the burden of the wicked kings may be removed. All the great demon-lords who are kings must be slain by me.'
मागधाद्या महाभागाः स्वशक्त्या मन्दतेजसः । भवद्भिरपि स्वैरंशैरवतीर्य धरातले
'The illustrious ones beginning with the Magadhas, though weak in brilliance, must be opposed by you as well, descending to earth with your own portions.'
मच्छक्तियुक्तैः कर्तव्यं भारावतरणं सुराः । कश्यपो भार्यया सार्धं दिविजानां प्रजापतिः
'O gods, the removal of the burden must be accomplished by those endowed with my power. Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures among the gods, together with his wife—'
यादवानां कुले पूर्वं भविताऽऽनकदुन्दुभिः । तथैव भृगुशापाद्वै भगवान्विष्णुरव्ययः
'In the clan of the Yādavas, Anakadundubhi will be born. Likewise, by the curse of Bhṛgu, the imperishable Lord Viṣṇu—'
अंशेन भविता तत्र वसुदेवसुतो हरिः । तदाहं प्रभविष्यामि यशोदायां च गोकुले
'Hari, the son of Vasudeva, will be born there as a portion. Then I will manifest in Gokula, in the house of Yaśodā.'
कार्यं सर्वं करिष्यामि सुराणां सुरसत्तमाः । कारागारे गतं विष्णुं प्रापयिष्यामि गोकुले
'O best of gods, I will accomplish all the tasks of the gods. I will transfer Viṣṇu, who is in prison, to Gokula.'
शेषं च देवकीगर्भात्प्रापयिष्यामि रोहिणीम् । मच्छक्त्योपचितौ तौ च कर्तारौ दुष्टसंक्षयम्
The remainder from Devakī's womb I will transfer to Rohiṇī; by my power, those two will bring about the destruction of the wicked.
दुष्टानां भूभुजां कामं द्वापरान्ते सुनिश्चितम् । इन्द्रांशोऽप्यर्जुनः साक्षात्करिष्यति बलक्षयम्
At the end of Dvāpara, it is certain that Arjuna, the portion of Indra, will directly bring about the destruction of the wicked rulers.
धर्मांशोऽपि महाराजो भविष्यति युधिष्ठिरः । वाय्वंशो भीमसेनश्चाश्विन्यंशौ च यमावपि
Yudhiṣṭhira will be the portion of Dharma, Bhīmasena of Vāyu, and the twins, Yamā, will be portions of the Aśvins.
वसोरंशोऽथ गाङ्गेयः करिष्यति बलक्षयम् । व्रजन्तु च भवन्तोऽद्य धरा भवतु सुस्थिरा
The portion of Vasu, Gāṅgeya, will also bring about the destruction of strength; now, let you all depart, and may the earth become stable.
भारावतरणं नूनं करिष्यामि सुरोत्तमाः । कृत्वा निमित्तमात्रांस्तान्स्वशक्त्याहं न संशयः
Certainly, O best of gods, I will accomplish the removal of the burden; having made them mere instruments, I will act by my own power, without doubt.
कुरुक्षेत्रे करिष्यामि क्षत्त्रियाणां च संक्षयम् । असूयेर्ष्या मतिस्तृष्णा ममताभिमता स्पृहा
On Kurukṣetra, I will bring about the destruction of the kṣatriyas; envy, jealousy, desire, attachment, pride, and longing,
जिगीषा मदनो मोहो दोषैर्नक्ष्यन्ति यादवाः । ब्राह्मणस्य च शापेन वंशनाशो भविष्यति
The desire to conquer, passion, delusion—by these faults the Yādavas will perish; and by the curse of a brāhmaṇa, the lineage will be destroyed.
भगवानपि शापेन त्यक्ष्यत्येतत्कलेवरम् । भवन्तोऽपि निजाङ्गैश्च सहायाः शार्ङ्गधन्वनः
Even the Lord, by a curse, will abandon this body; and you all, with your own limbs, will be companions of the wielder of Śārṅga.