विष्णुरुवाच विशन्तु निर्जराः सर्वे कुशलं कथयन्तु वः । आसनेषु किमर्थं वै मिलिताः समुपागताः
Vishnu said: Let all the immortals enter and tell me of your well-being. For what reason have you all gathered here and taken your seats?
चिन्तातुराः कथं जाता विषण्णा दीनमानसाः । ब्रह्मरुद्रेण सहिताः कार्यं प्रब्रूत सत्वरम्
How have you become so troubled, despondent, and downcast in spirit, even though you are with Brahma and Rudra? Quickly tell me what needs to be done.
देवा ऊचुः महिषेण महाराज पीडिताः पापकर्मणा । असाध्येनातिदुष्टेन वरदृप्तेन पापिना
The gods said: O great king, we are afflicted by Mahisha, who is wicked in deed, unconquerable, extremely evil, and arrogant from the boon he received.
यज्ञभागानसौ भुंक्ते ब्राह्मणैः प्रतिपादितान् । अमरा गिरिदुर्गेषु भ्रमन्ति च भयातुराः
He consumes the shares of sacrifice allotted by the Brahmins, and the immortals, terrified, wander among the mountain fortresses.
वरदानेन धातुः स दुर्जयो मधुसूदन । तस्मात्त्वां शरणं प्राप्ता ज्ञात्वा तत्कार्यगौरवम्
By the boon given by the Creator, O slayer of Madhu, he is invincible; therefore, knowing the gravity of this matter, we have come to you for refuge.
समर्थोऽसि समुद्धर्तुं दैत्यमायाविशारद । कुरु कृष्ण वधोपायं तस्य दानवमर्दन
You are capable of rescuing us from the demon skilled in sorcery; O Krishna, destroyer of the Danavas, devise a means to slay him.
धात्रा तस्मै वरो दत्तो ह्यवध्योऽसि नरैः किल । का स्त्री त्वेवंविधा बाला या हन्यात्तं शठं रणे
The Creator granted him the boon that he cannot be slain by men; what woman, even a young girl, could kill that deceitful one in battle?
उमा मा वा शची विद्या का समर्थास्य घातने । महिषस्यातिदुष्टस्य वरदानबलादपि
Could Uma, or Shachi, or Vidya, or any woman, even with great power, be capable of killing Mahisha, who is so wicked and strengthened by the boon?
विचिन्त्य बुद्ध्या यत्सर्वं मरणस्यास्य कारणम् । कुरु कार्यं च देवानां भक्तवत्सल भूधर
Consider with your wisdom all that could be the cause of his death, and, O beloved of the devotees, do what is necessary for the gods, O mountain-like one.
व्यास उवाच श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं विष्णुस्तानुवाच हसन्निव । युद्धं कृतं पुरास्माभिस्तथापि न मृतो ह्यसौ
Vyasa said: Hearing these words, Vishnu replied to them with a smile: 'We have fought him before, yet he has not been slain.'
अद्य सर्वसुराणां वै तेजोभी रूपसम्पदा । उत्पन्ना चेद्वरारोहा सा हन्यात्तं रणे बलात्
Today, if a woman of surpassing beauty and endowed with the combined radiance of all the gods arises, she will forcibly slay him in battle.
हयारिं वरदृप्तञ्च मायाशतविशारदम् । हन्तुं योग्या भवेन्नारी शक्त्यंशैर्निर्मिता हि नः
To slay the enemy of the gods, arrogant from his boon and skilled in a hundred kinds of sorcery, a woman created from our own energies would be fit for the task.
प्रार्थयन्तु च तेजोंऽशान्स्त्रियोऽस्माकं तथा पुनः । उत्पन्नैस्तैश्च तेजोंऽशैस्तेजोराशिर्भवेद्यथा
Let the goddesses also request portions of our radiance, so that, when these portions arise, there may be a mass of radiance as great as possible.
आयुधानि वयं दद्मः सर्वे रुद्रपुरोगमाः । तस्यै सर्वाणि दिव्यानि त्रिशूलादीनि यानि च
We, all the gods with Rudra at the forefront, shall give her all the divine weapons, such as the trident and others.
सर्वायुधधरा नारी सर्वतेजःसमन्विता । हनिष्यति दुरात्मानं तं पापं मदगर्वितम्
A woman, bearing all weapons and endowed with the combined radiance of all, will slay that wicked, sinful one, proud with arrogance.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तवति देवेशे ब्रह्मणो वदनात्ततः । स्वयमेवोद्बभौ तेजोराशिश्चातीव दुःसहः
Vyasa said: When the Lord of the gods had spoken thus, from the mouth of Brahma there arose by itself a mass of radiance, exceedingly unbearable.
रक्तवर्णं शुभाकारं पद्मरागमणिप्रभम् । किञ्चिच्छीतं तथा चोष्णं मरीचिजालमण्डितम्
It was red in color, beautiful in form, shining like a padmaraga gem, somewhat cool and also warm, adorned with a network of rays.
निःसृतं हरिणा दृष्टं हरेण च महात्मना । विस्मितौ तौ महाराज बभूवतुरुरुक्रमौ
It emerged and was seen by Hari, the great-souled one; both he and Hara, the mighty ones, were amazed.
शङ्करस्य शरीरात्तु निःसृतं महदद्भुतम् । रौप्यवर्णमभूत्तीव्रं दुर्दर्शं दारुणं महत्
From the body of Shankara there emerged a great and wondrous radiance, silver in color, intense, difficult to behold, vast and terrifying.
भयङ्करञ्च दैत्यानां देवानां विस्मयप्रदम् । घोररूपं गिरिप्रख्यं तमोगुणमिवापरम्
It was frightening to the demons and astonishing to the gods, terrible in form, mountain-like, as if it were another embodiment of the quality of darkness.
ततो विष्णुशरीरात्तु तेजोराशिमिवापरम् । नीलं सत्त्वगुणोपेतं प्रादुरास महाद्युति
Then, from the body of Vishnu, there appeared another mass of radiance, blue in color, endowed with the quality of goodness, and of great brilliance.
ततश्चेन्द्रशरीरात्तु चित्ररूपं दुरासदम् । आविरासीत्सुसंवृत्तं तेजः सर्वगुणात्मकम्
Next, from the body of Indra, a wondrous and formidable radiance manifested, variegated in form, well-composed, and possessing all qualities.
कुबेरयमवह्नीनां शरीरेभ्यः समन्ततः । निश्चक्राम महत्तेजो वरुणस्य तथैव च
From the bodies of Kubera, Yama, Agni, and likewise Varuna, on all sides, a great radiance issued forth.
अन्येषां चैव देवानां शरीरेभ्योऽतिभास्वरम् । निर्गतं तन्महातेजोराशिरासीन्महोज्ज्वलः
And from the bodies of the other gods as well, a most brilliant radiance emerged; that great mass of radiance was supremely luminous.
तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिताः सर्वे देवा विष्णुपुरोगमाः । तेजोराशिं महादिव्यं हिमाचलमिवापरम्
Seeing that, all the gods, with Vishnu at their head, were amazed at the great, divine mass of radiance, like another Himalaya.
पश्यतां तत्र देवानां तेजःपुञ्जसमुद्भवा । बभूवातिवरा नारी सुन्दरी विस्मयप्रदा
As the gods watched, from that cluster of radiance there arose an exceedingly excellent woman, beautiful and wondrous to behold.
त्रिगुणा सा महालक्ष्मीः सर्वदेवशरीरजा । अष्टादशभुजा रम्या त्रिवर्णा विश्वमोहिनी
She was Mahalakshmi, possessed of the three qualities, born from the bodies of all the gods, lovely with eighteen arms, three colors, and enchanting the universe.
श्वेतानना कृष्णनेत्रा संरक्ताधरपल्लवा । ताम्रपाणितला कान्ता दिव्यभूषणभूषिता
Her face was white, her eyes black, her lips red as young leaves, her palms coppery, lovely, adorned with divine ornaments.
अष्टादशभुजा देवी सहस्रभुजमण्डिता । सम्भूतासुरनाशाय तेजोराशिसमुद्भवा
The goddess, with eighteen arms, was adorned as if with a thousand arms, arisen from the mass of radiance for the destruction of the demons.
जनमेजय उवाच कृष्ण देव महाभाग सर्वज्ञ मुनिसत्तम । विस्तरं ब्रूहि तस्यास्त्वं शरीरस्य समुद्भवम्
Janamejaya said: O Krishna, great and blessed god, all-knowing best of sages, tell me in detail about the origin of her body.