नो वेत्ति विष्णुरधुना मम दुःखमेत- ज्जाने त्वयात्मविवशीकृतदेहयष्टिः । मुञ्चादिदेवमथवा जहि दानवेन्द्रौ यद्रोचते तव कुरुष्व महानुभावे
Now, even Vishnu does not know my suffering, for his body has been rendered powerless by you; whether you release the supreme god or slay these two lords of the demons, do as you wish, O greatly powerful one.
जानन्ति ये न तव देवि परं प्रभावं ध्यायन्ति ते हरिहरावपि मन्दचित्ताः । ज्ञातं मयाद्य जननि प्रकटं प्रमाणं यद्विष्णुरप्यतितरां विवशोऽथ शेते
Those who do not know your supreme power, O Goddess, and who meditate only on Hari or Hara, are of dull mind; today, O Mother, I have clearly understood, for even Vishnu lies here utterly helpless.
सिन्धूद्भवापि न हरिं प्रतिबोधितुं वै शक्ता पतिं तव वशानुगमद्य शक्त्या । मन्ये त्वया भगवति प्रसभं रमापि प्रस्वापिता न बुबुधे विवशीकृतेव
Even Lakshmi, born from the ocean, is unable today, by your power, to awaken her husband Hari, for she too is under your sway; I think, O Blessed One, that you have forcibly put even Rama to sleep, so that she, rendered powerless, does not awaken.
धन्यास्त एव भुवि भक्तिपरास्तवांघ्रौ त्यक्त्वान्यदेवभजनं त्वयि लीनभावाः । कुर्वन्ति देवि भजनं सकलं निकामं ज्ञात्वा समस्तजननीं किल कामधेनुम्
Blessed indeed are those on earth who are devoted to your feet, who have abandoned the worship of other gods and are absorbed in you; knowing you as the universal mother and the wish-fulfilling cow, they worship you with all their heart.
धीकान्तिकीर्तिशुभवृत्तिगुणादयस्ते विष्णोर्गुणास्तु परिहृत्य गताः क्व चाद्य । बन्दीकृतो हरिरसौ ननु निद्रयात्र शक्त्या तवैव भगवत्यतिमानवत्याः
Where now are those virtues, good conduct, and auspicious qualities that bring fame, which belonged to Vishnu? All have departed; for here, even Hari has been subdued by your power, O exceedingly glorious Goddess, and bound by sleep.
त्वं शक्तिरेव जगतामखिलप्रभावा त्वन्निर्मितं च सकलं खलु भावमात्रम् । त्वं क्रीडसे निजविनिर्मितमोहजाले नाट्ये यथा विहरते स्वकृते नटो वै
You alone are the power of the universe, the source of all might; all that exists is but a manifestation created by you; you play within the net of illusion you have woven, just as an actor delights in a drama of his own making.
विष्णुस्त्वया प्रकटितः प्रथमं युगादौ दत्ता च शक्तिरमला खलु पालनाय । त्रातं च सर्वमखिलं विवशीकृतोऽद्य यद्रोचते तव तथाम्ब करोषि नूनम्
At the beginning of the age, Vishnu was revealed by you, and you gave him pure power for the work of preservation; now, having rendered him helpless, you have protected everything; O Mother, you surely do as you wish.
सृष्ट्वात्र मां भगवति प्रविनाशितुं चे- न्नेच्छास्ति ते कुरु दयां परिहृत्य मौनम् । कस्मादिमौ प्रकटितौ किल कालरूपौ यद्वा भवानि हसितुं नु किमिच्छसे माम्
O Blessed One, since you have created me here, you must not wish to destroy me; show mercy and set aside your silence. Why have these two, forms of Time, been manifested? Or, O Bhavani, do you wish to laugh at me?
ज्ञातं मया तव विचेष्टितमद्भुतं वै कृत्वाखिलं जगदिदं रमसे स्वतन्त्रा । लीनं करोषि सकलं किल मां तथैव हन्तुं त्वमिच्छसि भवानि किमत्र चित्रम्
I have understood your wondrous actions; having created this entire world, you delight in your freedom. In the same way, you can dissolve everything, or destroy me—O Bhavani, what is strange in that?
कामं कुरुष्व वधमद्य ममैव मात- र्दुःखं न मे मरणजं जगदम्बिकेऽत्र । कर्ता त्वयैव विहितः प्रथमं स चायं दैत्याहतोऽथ मृत इत्ययशो गरिष्ठम्
Do as you wish, slay me today, O Mother; O Mother of the world, I do not grieve for death. It is you who first made the creator, and now this one is slain by the demon; thus, the greatest disgrace is his.
उत्तिष्ठ देवि कुरु रूपमिहाद्भुतं त्वं मां वा त्विमौ जहि यथेच्छसि बाललीले । नो चेत्प्रबोधय हरिं निहनेदिमौ य- स्त्वत्साध्यमेतदखिलं किल कार्यजातम्
Arise, O Goddess, take on a wondrous form here; either kill me or these two as you please, in your childlike play. Or, if not, awaken Hari, so that he may slay these two; for all these deeds are accomplished only through you.
सूत उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी तामसी तत्र वेधसा । निःसृत्य हरिदेहात्तु संस्थिता पार्श्वतस्तदा
Suta said: Thus praised by the creator, the Tamasic Goddess emerged from Hari's body and stood at his side.
त्यक्त्वाङ्गानि च सर्वाणि विष्णोरतुलतेजसः । निर्गता योगनिद्रा सा नाशाय च तयोस्तदा
Having left all the limbs of Vishnu, whose energy is unequalled, that Yoga-Nidra departed then, for the destruction of those two.
विस्पन्दितशरीरोऽसौ यदा जातो जनार्दनः । धाता परमिकां प्राप्तो मुदं दृष्ट्वा हरिं ततः
When Janardana's body began to stir, the creator attained supreme joy upon seeing Hari.
आराध्यनिर्णयवर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः सन्देहोऽत्र महाभाग कथायां तु महाद्भुतः । वेदशास्त्रपुराणैश्च निश्चितं तु सदा बुधैः
The sages said: O greatly fortunate one, there is a wonderful doubt in this story; for it has always been established by the wise through the Vedas, Shastras, and Puranas.
ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च त्रयो देवाः सनातनाः । नातः परतरं किञ्चिद्ब्रह्माण्डेऽस्मिन्महामते
Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra—these three gods are eternal; O wise one, there is nothing greater than them in this universe.
ब्रह्मा सृजति लोकान्वै विष्णुः पात्यखिलं जगत् । रुद्रः संहरते काले त्रय एतेऽत्र कारणम्
Brahma creates the worlds, Vishnu sustains the entire universe, and Rudra destroys at the proper time; these three are the causes here.
एका मूर्तिस्त्रयो देवा ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । रजःसत्त्वतमोभिश्च संयुताः कार्यकारकाः
There is one form, yet three gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara; united with rajas, sattva, and tamas, they are agents and instruments of action.
तेषां मध्ये हरिः श्रेष्ठो माधवः पुरुषोत्तमः । आदिदेवो जगन्नाथः समर्थः सर्वकर्मसु
Among them, Hari is the foremost—Madhava, the Supreme Person, the primordial deity, Lord of the universe, capable in all actions.
नान्यः कोऽपि समर्थोऽस्ति विष्णोरतुलतेजसः । स कथं स्वापितः स्वामी विवशो योगमायया
No one else is capable like Vishnu, whose power is unmatched; how then was the Lord made to sleep, rendered powerless by yogic illusion?
क्व गतं तस्य विज्ञानं जीवतश्चेष्टितं कुतः । सन्देहोऽयं महाभाग कथयस्व यथाशुभम्
Where did his knowledge go, and how did his actions cease while living? This doubt, O illustrious one, tell me as it truly is.
का सा शक्तिः पुरा प्रोक्ता यया विष्णुजितः प्रभुः । कुतो जाता कथं शक्ता का शक्तिर्वद सुव्रत
What is that power spoken of before, by which the Lord Vishnu was overcome? From where did it arise, how is it potent, what is its nature? Tell me, O virtuous one.
यस्तु सर्वेश्वरो विष्णुर्वासुदेवो जगद्गुरुः । परमात्मा परानन्दः सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहः
He who is the Lord of all, Vishnu, Vasudeva, the teacher of the world, the supreme self, supreme bliss, whose form is existence, consciousness, and joy—
सर्वकृत्सर्वभृत्स्रष्टा विरजः सर्वगः शुचिः । स कथं निद्रया नीतः परतन्त्रः परात्परः
Who does all, sustains all, is creator, unstained, all-pervading, pure—how was he led into sleep, made dependent, though supreme among the supreme?
एतदाश्चर्यभूतो हि सन्देहो नः परन्तप । छिन्धि ज्ञानासिना सूत व्यासशिष्य महामते
This is indeed a wondrous doubt for us, O scorcher of foes; dispel it with the sword of knowledge, Suta, disciple of Vyasa, wise one.
सूत उवाच कः सन्देहं भिनत्त्येनं त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । मुह्यन्ति मुनयः कामं ब्रह्मपुत्राः सनातनाः
Suta said: Who in the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings, can break this doubt? Even the ancient sons of Brahma, the sages, are bewildered by it.
नारदः कपिलश्चैव प्रश्नेऽस्मिन्मुनिसत्तमाः । किं ब्रवीमि महाभागा दुर्घटेऽस्मिन्विमर्शने
Narada and Kapila, O best of sages, are present in this inquiry; what can I say, O illustrious ones, in this difficult discussion?
देवेषु विष्णुः कथितः सर्वगः सर्वपालकः । यतो विराडिदं सर्वमुत्पन्नं सचराचरम्
Among the gods, Vishnu is described as all-pervading, protector of all; from whom this entire universe, moving and unmoving, has arisen.
ते सर्वे समुपासन्ते नत्वा देवं परात्परम् । नारायणं हृषीकेशं वासुदेवं जनार्दनम्
All of them worship, bowing to the supreme Lord, Narayana, Hrishikesha, Vasudeva, Janardana.
तथा केचिन्महादेवं शङ्करं शशिशेखरम् । त्रिनेत्रं पञ्चवक्त्रं च शूलपाणिं वृषध्वजम्
Likewise, some worship Mahadeva, Shankara, crowned with the moon, three-eyed, five-faced, holding the trident, with the bull as his banner.