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.
एकीभूतं च सर्वेषां तेजः किं वा पृथक् स्थितम् । अङ्गानि चैव तस्यास्तु सर्वतेजोमयानि वा
Is the radiance of all united as one, or does it remain distinct? And are her limbs composed entirely of this radiance, or only in part?
भिन्नभागविभागेन जातान्यङ्गानि यानि तु । मुखनासाक्षिभेदेन सर्वत्रैकभवानि च
The limbs that arose were formed by division and differentiation, yet everywhere they became unified, as seen in the distinctions of mouth, nose, and eyes.
ब्रूहि तद्विस्तरं व्यास शरीराङ्गसमुद्भवम् । बभूव यस्य देवस्य तेजसोऽङ्गं यदद्भुतम्
Vyāsa, tell in detail the origin of the limbs of that body—whose wondrous limb was born from the radiance of which deity.
आयुधाभरणादीनि दत्तानि यैर्यथा यथा । तत्सर्वं श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि त्वन्मुखाम्बुजनिर्गतम्
By whom, and in what manner, were weapons, ornaments, and other items given? I wish to hear all this, emerging from the lotus of your mouth.
न हि तृप्याम्यहं ब्रह्मन् सुधामयरसं पिबन् । चरितञ्च महालक्ष्यास्त्वन्मुखाम्भोजनिःसृतम्
O Brahman, I am never satisfied, even as I drink the nectar-like essence, hearing the deeds of Mahālakṣmī flowing from your lotus mouth.
सूत उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञः सत्यवतीसुतः । उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं प्रीणयन्निव भूपतिम्
Sūta said: Hearing these words of the king, the son of Satyavatī spoke sweetly, as if delighting the ruler.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्महाभाग विस्तरेण ब्रवीमि ते । यथामति कुरुश्रेष्ठ तस्या देहसमुद्भवम्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O fortunate king, I will tell you in detail, as best as I can, the origin of her body.
न ब्रह्मा न हरिः साक्षान्न रुद्रो न च वासवः । याथातथ्येन तद्रूपं वक्तुमीशः कदाचन
Neither Brahmā, nor Hari, nor Rudra, nor Vāsava is ever able to describe her form exactly as it is.
कथं जानाम्यहं देव्या यद्रूपं यादृशं यतः । वाचारम्भणमात्रं तदुत्पन्नेति ब्रवीमि यत्
How could I know the form of the Goddess, what it is and whence it comes? I say what arises merely from the act of speech.
सा नित्या सर्वदैवास्ते देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये । नानारूपा त्वेकरूपा जायते कार्यगौरवात्
She is eternal, always divine; for the fulfillment of the gods' purposes, she appears in many forms, yet is truly one, manifesting due to the gravity of the task.