शृणोति वा स्तोत्रमिदं मदीयं भक्त्या त्रिकालं सततं नरो यः । विमुक्तदुःखः स भवेत्सुखी च वेदोक्तमेतन्ननु वेदतुल्यम्
Whoever listens to this hymn of mine with devotion, three times a day, will be freed from suffering and become happy. This is declared in the Vedas and is indeed equal to the Vedas.
शृण्वन्तु कारणं चाद्य यद्गतं वदनं हरेः । अकारणं कथं कार्यं संसारेऽत्र भविष्यति
Now listen to the reason why Hari's head was lost. How could anything in this world happen without a cause?
उदधेस्तनयां विष्णुः संस्थितामन्तिके प्रियाम् । जहास वदनं वीक्ष्य तस्यास्तत्र मनोरमम्
Vishnu, seeing the lovely face of his beloved, the daughter of the ocean, who was sitting near him, smiled.
तया ज्ञातं हरिर्नूनं कथं मां हसति प्रभुः । विरूपं हरिणा दृष्टं मुखं मे केन हेतुना
She, Mahalakshmi, understood: 'Why does the Lord laugh at me? For what reason did Hari see my face as deformed?'
विनापि कारणेनाद्य कथं हास्यस्य सम्भवः । सपत्नीव कृता तेन मन्येऽन्या वरवर्णिनी
How could laughter arise today without a cause? I think he has taken another, more beautiful wife, treating me like a co-wife.
ततः कोपयुता जाता महालक्ष्मी तमोगुणा । तामसी तु तदा शक्तिस्तस्या देहे समाविशत्
Then, Mahalakshmi, filled with anger and dominated by the quality of darkness, was entered by a tamasic power at that moment.
केनचित्कालयोगेन देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये । प्रविष्टा तामसी शक्तिस्तस्या देहेऽतिदारुणा
By some conjunction of time, for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose, that fierce tamasic power entered her body.
तामस्याविष्टदेहा सा चुकोपातिशयं तदा । शनकैः समुवाचेदमिदं पततु ते शिरः
Possessed by that tamasic force, she became extremely angry and slowly spoke these words: 'Let your head fall!'
स्त्रीस्वभावाच्च भावित्वात्कालयोगाद्विनिर्गतः । अविचार्य तदा दत्तः शापः स्वसुखनाशनः
Because of her feminine nature, and influenced by the moment, she gave that curse without reflection, which brought about her own loss of happiness.
सपत्नीसम्भवं दुःखं वैधव्यादधिकं त्विति । विचिन्त्य मनसेत्युक्तं तामसीशक्तियोगतः
Thinking in her mind that the pain of having a co-wife is greater than widowhood, she spoke thus, under the influence of tamasic power.
अनृतं साहसं माया मूर्खत्वमतिलोभता । अशौचं निर्दयत्वं च स्त्रीणां दोषाः स्वभावजाः
Falsehood, recklessness, deceit, foolishness, excessive greed, impurity, and cruelty—these are faults naturally found in women.
सशीर्षं वासुदेवं तं करोम्यद्य यथा पुरा । शिरोऽस्य शापयोगेन निमग्नं लवणाम्बुधौ
Today I will restore Vāsudeva with his head, just as before; by the effect of a curse, his head was submerged in the salt ocean.
अन्यच्च कारणं किञ्चिद्वर्तते सुरसत्तमाः । भवतां च महत्कार्यं भविष्यति न संशयः
Moreover, O best of the gods, there is another reason; a great task awaits you all, without doubt.
पुरा दैत्यो महाबाहुर्हयग्रीवोऽतिविश्रुतः । तपश्चक्रे सरस्वत्यास्तीरे परमदारुणम्
Long ago, there was a renowned demon named Hayagrīva, mighty-armed, who performed severe austerities on the bank of the Sarasvatī.
जपन्नेकाक्षरं मन्त्रं मायाबीजात्मकं मम । निराहारो जितात्मा च सर्वभोगविवर्जितः
Reciting my one-syllabled mantra, the seed of all magic, he remained without food, self-controlled, and free from all enjoyments.
ध्यायन्मां तामसीं शक्तिं सर्वभूषणभूषिताम् । एवं वर्षसहस्रं च तपश्चक्रेऽतिदारुणम्
Meditating on me as the dark power, adorned with all ornaments, he performed extremely severe austerities for a thousand years.
तदाहं तामसं रूपं कृत्वा तत्र समागता । दर्शने पुरतस्तस्य ध्यातं तत्तेन यादृशम्
Then I assumed a dark form and appeared there, manifesting before him just as he had envisioned in his meditation.
सिंहोपरि स्थिता तत्र तमवोचं दयान्विता । वरं ब्रूहि महाभाग ददामि तव सुव्रत
Standing there upon a lion, I spoke to him with compassion: 'Ask for a boon, O highly fortunate one; I will grant you, O steadfast one.'
इति श्रुत्वा वचो देव्या दानवः प्रेमपूरितः । प्रदक्षिणां प्रणामं च चकार त्वरितस्तदा
Hearing the goddess's words, the demon, filled with love, quickly performed circumambulation and prostration.
दृष्ट्वा रूपं मदीयं स प्रेमोस्फुल्लविलोचनः । हर्षाश्रुपूर्णनयनस्तुष्टाव स च मां तदा
Seeing my form, his eyes blossoming with devotion, his eyes brimming with tears of joy, he praised me at that moment.
हयग्रीव उवाच नमो देव्यै महामाये सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारिणि । भक्तानुग्रहचतुरे कामदे मोक्षदे शिवे
Hayagrīva said: 'Salutations to the Goddess, the great enchantress, who creates, sustains, and dissolves the universe; skillful in blessing devotees, granter of desires and liberation, auspicious one.'
धराम्बुतेजःपवनखपञ्चानां च कारणम् । त्वं गन्धरसरूपाणां कारणं स्पर्शशब्दयोः
You are the cause of earth, water, fire, air, and ether; you are the cause of the forms of the Gandharvas, and of touch and sound.
घ्राणं च रसना चक्षुस्त्वक्श्रोत्रमिन्द्रियाणि च । कर्मेन्द्रियाणि चान्यानि त्वत्तः सर्वं महेश्वरि
The nose, tongue, eyes, skin, ears—the senses—and the organs of action, O great goddess, all arise from you.
देव्युवाच किं तेऽभीष्टं वरं ब्रूहि वाञ्छितं यद्ददामि तत् । परितुष्टास्मि भक्त्या ते तपसा चाद्भुतेन च
The Goddess said: 'Tell me what boon you desire; whatever you wish, I will grant it. I am pleased with your devotion and your wondrous austerity.'
हयग्रीव उवाच यथा मे मरणं मातर्न भवेत्तत्तथा कुरु । भवेयममरो योगी तथाजेयः सुरासुरैः
Hayagrīva said: 'Mother, let death not come to me; let it be so. May I be immortal, a yogi, and unconquerable by gods and demons.'
देव्युवाच जातस्य हि ध्रुवं मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । मर्यादा चेदृशी लोके भवेच्च कथमन्यथा
The Goddess said: 'For one who is born, death is certain; for one who has died, birth is certain. Such is the order in the world—how can it be otherwise?'
एवं त्वं निश्चयं कृत्वा मरणे राक्षसोत्तम । वरं वरय चेष्टं ते विचार्य मनसा किल
Therefore, O best of demons, having resolved thus about death, choose another boon you desire, after considering in your mind.
हयग्रीव उवाच हयग्रीवाच्च मे मृत्युर्नान्यस्माज्जगदम्बिके । इति मे वाञ्छितं कामं पूरयस्व मनोगतम्
Hayagrīva said: 'O Mother of the world, let my death come only from one named Hayagrīva, and from no other. Fulfill this wish that is in my heart.'
देव्युवाच गृहं गच्छ महाभाग कुरु राज्यं यथासुखम् । हयग्रीवादृते मृत्युर्न ते नूनं भविष्यति
The Goddess spoke: Go home, O greatly fortunate one, and rule your kingdom as you please. Except for Hayagriva, surely death will not come to you.
इति दत्त्वा वरं तस्मा अन्तर्धानं गता तथा । मुदं परमिकां प्राप्य सोऽपि स्वभवनं गतः
Having granted him this boon, she vanished from sight. Filled with supreme joy, he too returned to his own house.