आनन्दं परमं जग्मुर्देवास्तस्मिन्निपातिते
The gods attained supreme joy when he was struck down.
चंडिकाऽपि रणं त्यक्त्वा शुभे देशेऽथ संस्थिता 5.18.
And Chandika, too, left the battlefield and stood in a pure place.
देवीसान्त्वनम् व्यास उवाच अथ प्रमुदिताः सर्वे देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः । महिषं निहतं दृष्ट्वा तुष्टुवुर्जगदम्बिकाम्
Vyasa said: Then all the gods, led by Indra, rejoicing, seeing Mahisha slain, praised the Mother of the Universe.
देवा ऊचुः ब्रह्मा सृजत्यवति विष्णुरिदं महेशः शक्त्या तवैव हरते ननु चान्तकाले
The gods said: Brahma creates, Vishnu sustains this world, and Mahesha destroys it—indeed, all by your power, especially at the end of time.
कीर्तिर्मतिः स्मृतिगती करुणा दया त्वं श्रद्धा धृतिश्च वसुधा कमलाजपा च । पुष्टिः कलाथ विजया गिरिजा जया त्वं तुष्टिः प्रमा त्वमसि बुद्धिरुमा रमा च
You are fame, intelligence, memory, the path of remembrance, compassion, kindness, faith, fortitude, the earth, the lotus-born, nourishment, art, victory, Girija, triumph, satisfaction, measure, wisdom, Uma, and Rama.
विद्या क्षमा जगति कान्तिरपीह मेधा सर्वं त्वमेव विदिता भुवनत्रयेऽस्मिन् । आभिर्विना तव तु शक्तिभिराशु कर्तुं को वा क्षमः सकललोकनिवासभूमे
You are knowledge, forbearance, beauty in the world, and wisdom here; you alone are known in all three worlds; without these your powers, who indeed is able to act, O foundation of all beings?
त्वं धारणा ननु न चेदसि कूर्मनागौ धर्तुं क्षमौ कथमिलामपि तौ भवेताम् । पृथ्वी न चेत्त्वमसि वा गगने कथं स्था- स्यत्येतदम्ब निखिलं बहुभारयुक्तम्
You are support; if you were not, how could Kurma and Ananta bear even the earth? If you were not the earth, how would this entire burdened world remain in the sky, O Mother?
ये वा स्तुवन्ति मनुजा अमरान्विमूढा मायागुणैस्तव चतुर्मुखविष्णुरुद्रान् । शुभ्रांशुवह्नियमवायुगणेशमुख्यान् किं त्वामृते जननि ते प्रभवन्ति कार्ये
Those men, deluded, who praise the gods—Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra—by your qualities of maya, and the chief among the bright ones, the Sun, Fire, Yama, Wind, and Ganesha, what power do they have in action without you, Mother?
ये जुह्वति प्रविततेऽल्पधियोऽम्ब यज्ञे वह्नौ सुरान्समधिकृत्य हविः समृद्धम् । स्वाहा न चेत्त्वमसि ते कथमापुरद्धा त्वामेव किं न हि यजन्ति ततो हि मूढाः
Those of little understanding who offer oblations in the fire, invoking the gods in sacrifice—if you, Svaha, are not present, how could their offerings reach completion? Why, then, do the deluded not worship you alone?
भोगप्रदासि भवतीह चराचराणां स्वांशैर्ददासि खलु जीवनमेव नित्यम् । स्वीयान्सुराञ्जननि पोषयसीह यद्व- त्तद्वत्परानपि च पालयसीति हेतोः
You grant enjoyment here to all moving and unmoving beings; by your own portions you always give life; you nourish your own gods here, Mother, and for this reason you also protect others as well.
मातः स्वयंविरचितान्विपिने विनोदा- द्वन्ध्यान्पलाशरहितांश्च कटूंश्च वृक्षान् । नोच्छेदयन्ति पुरुषा निपुणाः कथञ्चि- त्तस्मात्त्वमप्यतितरां परिपासि दैत्यान्
Mother, even skillful men do not cut down trees in the forest that are barren, without leaves, or bitter, made by you for play; thus, you also protect the Daityas exceedingly.
यत्त्वं तु हंसि रणमूर्ध्नि शरैरराती- न्देवाङ्गनासुरतकेलिमतीन्विदित्वा । देहान्तरेऽपि करुणारसमाददाना तत्ते चरित्रमिदमीप्सितपूरणाय
When you slay enemies with arrows in the midst of battle, knowing the pride of the gods and demons, yet even in another body you take up the essence of compassion—such is your conduct, fulfilling all desires.
चित्रं त्वमी यदसुभी रहिता न सन्ति त्वच्चिन्तितेन दनुजाः प्रथितप्रभावाः । येषां कृते जननि देहनिबन्धनं ते क्रीडारसस्तव न चान्यतरोऽत्र हेतुः
It is remarkable that these demons, though deprived of life, are not absent, O Mother, by your thought alone; for whose sake you take on a body—your sport is the only reason, there is no other cause.
प्राप्ते कलावहह दुष्टतरे च काले न त्वां भजन्ति मनुजा ननु वञ्चितास्ते । धूर्तैः पुराणचतुरैर्हरिशङ्कराणां सेवापराश्च विहितास्तव निर्मितानाम्
When the age of Kali arrives, the most wicked of times, those men who do not worship you are indeed deceived; by cunning, the four ancient ones—Hari and Shankara—are served, but their service is ordained by you.
ज्ञात्वा सुरांस्तव वशानसुरार्दितांश्च ये वै भजन्ति भुवि भावयुता विभग्नान् । धृत्वा करे सुविमलं खलु दीपकं ते कूपे पतन्ति मनुजा विजलेऽतिघोरे
Those who, knowing the gods are under your control and the demons are afflicted, worship you on earth with devotion, yet, holding your pure lamp in their hand, men fall into a terrible, waterless well.
विद्या त्वमेव सुखदासुखदाप्यविद्या मातस्त्वमेव जननार्तिहरा नराणाम् । मोक्षार्थिभिस्तु कलिता किल मन्दधीभि- र्नाराधिता जननि भोगपरैस्तथाज्ञैः
You alone are knowledge, the giver of happiness and sorrow, and ignorance as well; Mother, you alone remove the suffering of men at birth. Yet, those of dull mind, seeking liberation, do not worship you, O Mother, being intent on enjoyment and ignorant.
ब्रह्मा हरश्च हरिरप्यनिशं शरण्यं पादाम्बुजं तव भजन्ति सुरास्तथान्ये । तद्वै न येऽल्पमतयो मनसा भजन्ति भ्रान्ताः पतन्ति सततं भवसागरे ते
Brahma, Shiva, and Hari, along with other gods, constantly worship your lotus feet, O Refuge. Those of little understanding who do not worship you with their minds wander lost and continually fall into the ocean of worldly existence.
चण्डि त्वदङ्घ्रिजलजोत्थरजःप्रसादै- र्ब्रह्मा करोति सकलं भुवनं भवादौ । शौरिश्च पाति खलु संहरते हरस्तु त्वां सेवते न मनुजस्त्विह दुर्भगोऽसौ
O Caṇḍī, by the grace of the dust arising from your feet, Brahma creates the entire world at its beginning; Vishnu indeed protects, and Shiva destroys. They serve you, but the unfortunate human here does not.
वाग्देवता त्वमसि देवि सुरासुराणां वक्तुं न तेऽमरवराः प्रभवन्ति शक्ताः । त्वं चेन्मुखे वससि नैव यदैव तेषां यस्माद्भवन्ति मनुजा न हि तद्विहीनाः
You are the goddess of speech, O Devi, among gods and demons. Even the best of immortals are not able to speak of you. If you do not dwell in their mouths, humans are not born with that capacity.
शप्तो हरिस्तु भृगुणा कुपितेन कामं मीनो बभूव कमठः खलु सूकरस्तु । पश्चान्नृसिंह इति यश्छलकृद्धरायां तान्सेवतां जननि मृत्युभयं न किं स्यात्
Hari was cursed by the angry Bhṛgu and became a fish, a tortoise, and indeed a boar; later, as Narasimha, he performed a trick for the earth. O Mother, for those who serve you, is there any fear of death?
शम्भोः पपात भुवि लिङ्गमिदं प्रसिद्धं शापेन तेन च भृगोर्विपिने गतस्य । तं ये नरा भुवि भजन्ति कपालिनं तु तेषां सुखं कथमिहापि परत्र मातः
The famous liṅga of Śambhu fell to earth by Bhṛgu's curse when he wandered in the forest. Those men who worship the skull-bearing one on earth—how can they find happiness here or hereafter, O Mother?
योऽभूद् गजाननगणाधिपतिर्महेशा- त्तं ये भजन्ति मनुजा वितथप्रपन्नाः । जानन्ति ते न सकलार्थफलप्रदात्रीं त्वां देवि विश्वजननीं सुखसेवनीयाम्
Those humans who worship Gajānana, the lord of the hosts, born from Maheśa, approach in vain. They do not know you, O Devi, the universal mother, bestower of all desired fruits, worthy of joyful service.
चित्रं त्वयारिजनतापि दयार्द्रभावा- द्धत्वा रणे शितशरैर्गमिता द्युलोकम् । नोचेत्स्वकर्मनिचिते निरये नितान्तं दुःखातिदुःखगतिमापदमापतेत्सा
It is remarkable that, even toward enemies, you are moved by compassion; having slain them in battle with sharp arrows, you send them to heaven. Otherwise, if consigned to hell by their own deeds, they would attain extreme suffering and misery.
ब्रह्मा हरश्च हरिरप्युत गर्वभावा- ज्जानन्ति तेऽपि विबुधा न तव प्रभावम् । केऽन्ये भवन्ति मनुजा विदितुं समर्थाः सम्मोहितास्तव गुणैरमितप्रभावैः
Even Brahma, Shiva, and Hari, due to pride, do not know your power, O goddess. Who else among humans is capable of understanding you, bewildered as they are by your immeasurable qualities?
क्लिश्यन्ति तेऽपि मुनयस्तव दुर्विभाव्यं पादाम्बुजं न हि भजन्ति विमूढचित्ताः । सूर्याग्निसेवनपराः परमार्थतत्त्वं ज्ञातं न तैः श्रुतिशतैरपि वेदसारम्
Even sages struggle, unable to comprehend your lotus feet; those whose minds are deluded do not worship you. Absorbed in worship of the sun and fire, they do not know the highest truth, nor the essence of the Vedas, even after hearing hundreds of scriptures.
मन्ये गुणास्तव भुवि प्रथितप्रभावाः कुर्वन्ति ये हि विमुखान्ननु भक्तिभावात् । लोकान्स्वबुद्धिरचितैर्विविधागमैश्च विष्ण्वीशभास्करगणेशपरान्विधाय
I think your qualities, renowned on earth, cause those who turn away from you, lacking devotion, to create worlds with their own intellect, through various scriptures, making followers of Vishnu, Shiva, the sun, and Ganesha.
कुर्वन्ति ये तव पदाद्विमुखान्नराग्र्या- न्स्वोक्तागमैर्हरिहरार्चनभक्तियोगैः । तेषां न कुप्यसि दयां कुरुषेऽम्बिके त्वं तान्मोहमन्त्रनिपुणान्प्रथयस्यलं च
Those excellent men who turn away from your feet, relying on their own scriptures and devotion to Vishnu and Shiva, you do not become angry with them, O Ambika; you show compassion and skillfully spread delusion among them.
तुर्ये युगे भवति चातिबलं गुणस्य तुर्यस्य तेन मथितान्यसदागमानि । त्वां गोपयन्ति निपुणाः कवयः कलौ वै त्वत्कल्पितान्सुरगणानपि संस्तुवन्ति
In the fourth age, the power of the fourth quality becomes very strong, and thus false scriptures are churned up. In Kali, skillful poets conceal you, and even the gods created by you praise you.
ध्यायन्ति मुक्तिफलदां भुवि योगसिद्धां विद्यां पराञ्च मुनयोऽतिविशुद्धसत्त्वाः । ते नाप्नुवन्ति जननीजठरे तु दुःखं धन्यास्त एव मनुजास्त्वयि ये विलीनाः
Sages of pure mind meditate on you, the giver of liberation and perfection in yoga, and supreme knowledge. They do not suffer in the womb of birth; truly blessed are those humans who dissolve in you.
चिच्छक्तिरस्ति परमात्मनि येन सोऽपि व्यक्तो जगत्सु विदितो भवकृत्यकर्ता । कोऽन्यस्त्वया विरहितः प्रभवत्यमुष्मिन् कर्तुं विहर्तुमपि सञ्चलितुं स्वशक्त्या
Consciousness-power exists in the Supreme Self, by which even He is manifest in the worlds and known as the doer of creation. Who else, apart from you, is able to act, play, or even move by their own power?