वचनं प्राह तरसा शार्ङ्गिणं प्रत्यबोधयत् । शिवमूर्ध्नि स्थितां ब्रह्मा गृहीत्वा मां समागतः
She quickly spoke these words and awakened the wielder of Śārṅga, saying: 'Brahmā, having taken me, who was situated on Śiva’s head, has come here.'
सन्देहोऽत्र न कर्तव्यस्त्वया विष्णो कदाचन । मम वाक्यं प्रमाणं हि ब्रह्मा पारङ्गतोऽस्य ह
O Viṣṇu, you must never entertain any doubt here; my word is the authority, for Brahmā has indeed reached the end of this.
गृहीत्वा मां समायातः शिवभक्तैः समर्पिताम् । केतक्या वचनं श्रुत्वा हरिराह स्मयनिव
Having taken me, who was offered by the devotees of Śiva, Brahmā has arrived; hearing Ketakī’s statement, Hari spoke with a slight smile.
महादेवः प्रमाणं मे यद्यसौ वचनं वदेत् । ऋषिरुवाच। तदाकर्ण्य हरेर्वाक्यं महादेव: सनातनः
If Mahādeva himself confirms this statement, then it is proof for me.' The sage said: Hearing these words of Hari, the eternal Mahādeva—
कुपितः केतकीं प्राह मिथ्यावादिनि मा वद । गच्छतो मध्यतः प्राप्ता पतिता मस्तकान्मम
—became angry and said to Ketakī: 'Do not speak, you who utter falsehood! You fell from my head as Brahmā was passing through the middle.'
मिथ्याभिभाषिणी त्यक्ता मया त्वं सर्वदेव हि । ब्रह्मा लज्जापरो भूत्वा ननाम मधुसूदनम्
'You, who speak falsely, have been rejected by me and by all the gods.' Brahmā, overcome with shame, then bowed to Madhusūdana.
शिवेन केतकी त्यक्ता तद्दिनात्कुसुमेषु वै । एवं मायाबलं विद्धि ज्ञानिनामपि मोहदम्
From that day, Ketakī was rejected by Śiva and among flowers. Thus, know that the power of Māyā can delude even the wise.
अन्येषां प्राणिनां राजन्का वार्ता विभ्रमं प्रति । देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं सर्वदेव रमापतिः
O King, what need is there to speak of the confusion of other beings? Even for the accomplishment of the gods’ purposes, the Lord of Lakṣmī—
दैत्यान्वञ्चयते चाशु त्यक्त्वा पापभयं हरिः । अवतारकरो देवो नानायोनिषु माधवः
—quickly deceives the demons, abandoning fear of sin; Mādhava, the god, takes incarnations in various forms.
त्यक्त्वाऽऽनन्दसुखं दैत्यैर्युद्धं चैवाकरोद्विभुः । नूनं मायाबलं चैतन्माधवेऽपि जगद्गुरौ
Abandoning bliss and happiness, the Lord fought with the demons; surely, this is the power of Māyā, even in Mādhava, the teacher of the world.
सर्वज्ञे देवकार्यांशे का वार्ताऽन्यस्य भूपते । ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि परमा प्रकृतिः किल
O King, what need is there to speak of others, when even the all-knowing, in the course of divine duties, are affected? Indeed, the supreme nature overpowers even the minds of the wise.
बलादाकृष्य मोहाय प्रयच्छति महीपते । यया व्याप्तमिदं सर्वं भगवत्या चराचरम्
By force, she draws them into delusion, O King; by her, the entire world, moving and unmoving, is pervaded—by the Goddess.
मोहदा ज्ञानदा सैव बन्धमोक्षप्रदा सदा । राजोवाच। भगवन्ब्रूहि मे तस्याः स्वरूपं बलमुत्तमम्
She alone gives both delusion and knowledge, always granting bondage and liberation.
उत्पत्तिकारणं चापि स्थानं परमकं च यत् । ऋषिरुवाच। न चोत्पत्तिरनादित्वान्नृप तस्याः कदाचन
The king said: O Lord, tell me her true nature and supreme power, her cause of origin, and her highest abode.' The sage said: O King, she never has an origin, for she is beginningless.
नित्यैव सा परा देवी कारणानां च कारणम् । वर्तते सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिः सर्वात्मना नृप
She is the eternal supreme Goddess, the cause of all causes; she exists in all beings as the universal power, O King.
शववच्छक्तिहीनस्तु प्राणी भवति सर्वथा । चिच्छक्तिः सर्वभूतेषु रूपं तस्यास्तदेव हि
Indeed, a being without power is like a corpse in every way; consciousness is her very form present in all beings.
आविर्भावतिरोभावौ देवानां कार्यसिद्धये । यदा स्तुवंति तां देवा मनुजाश्च विशांपते
Her manifestation and withdrawal occur for the accomplishment of the gods’ purposes, whenever the gods and men praise her, O King.
प्रादुर्भवति भूतानां दुःखनाशाय चाम्बिका । नानारूपधरा देवी नानाशक्तिसमन्विता
Ambikā appears among beings to remove their suffering, taking on various forms, endowed with manifold powers.
आविर्भवति कार्यार्थं स्वेच्छया परमेश्वरी । दैवाधीना न सा देवी यथा सर्वे सुरा नृप
The Supreme Lady manifests of her own will for the sake of her work; O King, she is not subject to fate as all the other gods are.
न कालवशगा नित्यं पुरुषार्थप्रवर्तिनी । अकर्ता पुरुषो द्रष्टा दृश्यं सर्वमिदं जगत्
She is never under the control of time, always engaged in the purposes of beings; the person is not the doer, but the seer, and all this world is the seen.
दृश्यस्य जननी सैव देवी सदसदात्मिका । पुरुषं रंजयत्येका कृत्वा ब्रह्माण्डनाटकम्
She alone is the mother of what is seen, the goddess who is both being and non-being; she delights the person, having created the drama of the universe.
रंजिते पुरुषे सर्वं संहरत्यतिरंहसा । तया निमित्तभूतास्ते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः
When the person is delighted, she swiftly withdraws everything; Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara are made instruments by her.
कल्पिताः स्वस्वकार्येषु प्रेरिता लीलया त्वमी । स्वांशं तेषु समारोप्य कृतास्ते बलवत्तराः
These gods are fashioned for their respective tasks and are set in motion by her play; having placed her own portion in them, she has made them powerful.
दत्ताश्व शक्तयस्तेभ्यो गीर्लक्ष्मीर्गिरिजा तथा । ते तां ध्यायंति देवेशाः पूजयंति परां मुदा
She has given them powers—Speech, Lakshmi, and Girija; those lords of gods meditate on her and worship the Supreme with great joy.
ज्ञात्वा सर्वेश्वरीं शक्तिं सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशिनीम् । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
Knowing her as the sovereign power, the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction, all this highest glory of the goddess has been told to you.
अथ चतुस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः राजोवाच। भगवन्ब्रूहि मे सम्यक्तस्या आराधने विधिम् । पूजाविधिं च मन्त्रांश्च तथा होमविधिं वद
The king said: O blessed one, tell me properly the method of her worship, the procedure of worship, the mantras, and also the method of offering oblations.
ऋषिरुवाच। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि तस्याः पूजाविधिं शुभम् । कामदं मोक्षदं नॄणां ज्ञानदं दुःखनाशनम्
The sage said: Listen, O king, I will explain the auspicious method of her worship, which grants desires, liberation, knowledge, and destroys suffering for people.
आदौ स्नानविधिं कृत्वा शुचिः शुक्लांबरो नरः । आचम्य प्रयतः कृत्वा शुभमायतनं निजम्
First, having performed the rite of bathing, a man, pure and clad in white garments, should sip water, make himself ready, and prepare his own auspicious place.
ततोऽवलिप्तभूम्यां तु संस्थाप्यासनमुत्तमम् । तत्रोपविश्य विधिवत्त्रिराचम्य मुदान्वितः
Then, on a purified ground, he should set up an excellent seat; sitting there properly, he should sip water three times, filled with joy.
पूजाद्रव्यं सुसंस्थाप्य यथाशक्त्यनुसारतः । प्राणायामं ततः कृत्वा भूतशुद्धिं विधाय च
Having arranged the worship materials according to his ability, he should then practice breath control and perform the purification of the elements.