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?
तत्त्वानि चिद्विरहितानि जगद्विधातुं किं वा क्षमाणि जगदम्ब यतो जडानि । किं चेन्द्रियाणि गुणकर्मयुतानि सन्ति देवि त्वया विरहितानि फलं प्रदातुम्
Are the principles devoid of consciousness capable of creating the world, O Mother, since they are inert? And do the senses, endowed with qualities and actions, give results without you, O Devi?
देवा मखेष्वपि हुतं मुनिभिः स्वभागं गृह्णीयुरम्ब विधिवत्प्रतिपादितं किम् । स्वाहा न चेत्त्वमसि तत्र निमित्तभूता तस्मात्त्वमेव ननु पालयसीव विश्वम्
Do the gods in sacrifices, even when their share is properly offered by sages according to rule, actually receive it, O Mother? If you, as Svāhā, are not the cause there, then truly you alone protect the universe.
सर्वं त्वयेदमखिलं विहितं भवादौ त्वं पासि वै हरिहरप्रमुखान्दिगीशान् । कालेऽत्सि विश्वमपि ते चरितं भवाद्यं जानन्ति नैव मनुजाः क्व नु मन्दभाग्याः
All this is accomplished by you at the beginning of creation; you protect Hari, Hara, and the lords of the directions. In time, you consume the universe. Your deeds from creation onward are unknown to humans—where, indeed, are those of little fortune?
हत्वासुरं महिषरूपधरं महोग्रं मातस्त्वया सुरगणः किल रक्षितोऽयम् । कां ते स्तुतिं जननि मन्दधियो विदामो वेदा गतिं तव यथार्थतया न जग्मुः
Having slain the fierce demon Mahisha, O Mother, you protected the host of gods. What praise can we, dull-minded, offer you, O Mother? Even the Vedas did not reach your true path.
कार्यं कृतं जगति नो यदसौ दुरात्मा वैरी हतो भुवनकण्टकदुर्विभाव्यः । कीर्तिः कृता ननु जगत्सु कृपा विधेया- प्यस्मांश्च पाहि जननि प्रथितप्रभावे
The deed is done in the world, for that wicked one, the enemy, who was a thorn to all realms and impossible to overcome, has been slain. Your fame is established everywhere; indeed, compassion should now be shown. Protect us, O Mother, whose glory is renowned.
व्यास उवाच एवं स्तुता सुरैर्देवी तानुवाच मृदुस्वरा । अन्यत्कार्यं च दुःसाध्यं ब्रुवन्तु सुरसत्तमाः
Vyāsa said: Thus praised by the gods, the Goddess spoke to them in a gentle voice: 'Let the foremost of the gods declare any other task, however difficult, that remains to be accomplished.'
यदा यदा हि देवानां कार्यं स्यादतिदुर्घटम् । स्मर्तव्याहं तदा शीघ्रं नाशयिष्यामि चापदम्
Whenever there is a task among the gods that is exceedingly hard to achieve, you should remember me at that time; I will swiftly destroy the calamity.
देवा ऊचुः सर्वं कृतं त्वया देवि कार्यं नः खलु साम्प्रतम् । यदयं निहतः शत्रुरस्माकं महिषासुरः
The gods said: All our tasks have truly been accomplished by you, O Goddess, for this enemy of ours, Mahiṣāsura, has been slain.
स्मरिष्यामो यथा तेऽम्ब सदैव पदपङ्कजम् । तथा कुरु जगन्मातर्भक्तिं त्वय्यप्यचञ्चलाम्
We shall always remember your lotus feet, O Mother; grant, O Mother of the world, that our devotion to you may be unwavering.
अपराधसहस्राणि मातैव सहते सदा । इति ज्ञात्वा जगद्योनिं न भजन्ते कुतो जनाः
A mother always endures thousands of offenses; knowing this, why do people not worship the Source of the world?