अनेन विधिना राजन्समाराधय चण्डिकाम् । जित्वा रिपूनस्खलितं राज्यं प्राप्स्यत्यनुत्तमम्
O King, worship Chandika with this procedure; having conquered enemies, you will obtain an unrivaled and unshaken kingdom.
सुखं च परमं भूप देहेऽस्मिन्स्वगृहे पुनः । पुत्रदारान्समासाद्य लप्स्यसे नात्र संशयः
And, O King, in this very body and in your own house, you will again attain supreme happiness, acquiring sons and wives—of this there is no doubt.
वैश्योत्तम त्वमेवाद्य समाराधय कामदाम् । देवीं विश्वेश्वरीं मायां सृष्टिसंहारकारिणीम्
O best of merchants, you too should now worship the wish-fulfilling Goddess, the Mistress of the Universe, Māyā, who creates and destroys the worlds.
स्वजनानां च मान्यस्त्वं भविष्यसि गृहे गतः । सुखं सांसारिकं प्राप्य यथाभिलषितं पुनः
Returning home, you will be honored by your own people, and you will again obtain worldly happiness as you desire.
देवीलोके शुभे वासो भविता ते न संशयः । नाराधिता भगवती यैस्ते नरकभागिनः
There is no doubt that you will attain a blessed abode in the world of the Goddess; those who do not worship the Divine Mother become destined for hell.
इह लोकेऽतिदुःखार्ता नानारोगैः प्रपीडिताः । भवंति मानवा राजञ्छत्रुभिश्च पराजिताः
O King, in this world, those who are extremely afflicted by suffering, tormented by various diseases, or defeated by enemies,
निष्कलत्रा ह्यपुत्राश्च तृष्णार्ताः स्तब्धबुद्धयः । बिल्बीदलैः करवीरैः शतपत्रैश्च चम्पकैः
Those who are without wives, without sons, tormented by desire, or whose minds are rigid—by offering bilva leaves, oleander, hundred-petaled lotuses, and champaka flowers,
अर्चिता जगतां धात्री यैस्तेऽतीव विलासिनः । भवंति कृतपुण्यास्ते शक्तिभक्तिपरायणाः
Those who worship the Sustainer of the worlds with these, become exceedingly prosperous, devoted to the Goddess, and endowed with merit.
धनविभवसुखाढ्या मानवा मानवंतः सकलगुणगणानां भाजनं भारतीशाः । निगमपठितमन्त्रैः पूजिता यैर्भवानी नृपतितिलकमुख्यास्ते भवंतीह लोके
Those by whom Bhavani is worshipped with mantras recited from the Vedas become, in this world, kings adorned with all virtues, wealthy, prosperous, happy, and the foremost among men.
अथ पञ्चत्रिंशोऽध्यायः महिष उवाच। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दुःखितौ वैश्यपार्थिवौ । प्रणिपत्य मुनिं प्रीत्या प्रश्रयावनतौ भृशम्
Chapter Thirty-Five. Mahisha said: Hearing these words, the merchant and the king, both sorrowful, bowed deeply before the sage with affection and great humility.
हर्षेणोत्फुल्लनयनावूचतुर्वाक्यकोविदौ । कृताञ्जलिपुटौ शान्तौ भक्तिप्रवणचेतसौ
Their eyes blossoming with joy, skilled in speech, with joined palms, peaceful and devoted in heart, they spoke.
भगवन्पावितावद्य शान्तौ दीनौ शुचान्वितौ । तव सूक्तसरस्वत्या गङ्गयेव भगीरथः
O Lord, we, now purified, peaceful, afflicted and sorrowful, have been sanctified by your wise words, just as Bhagiratha was by the Ganges.
साधवः सम्भवन्तीह परोपकृतितत्पराः । अकृत्रिमगुणारामाः सुखदाः सर्वदेहिनाम्
The virtuous arise here, devoted to the welfare of others, delighting in unfeigned virtues, and bring happiness to all beings.
पूर्वपुण्यप्रसङ्गेन प्राप्तोऽयमाश्रयः शुभः । तवावाभ्यां महाभाग महादुःखविनाशकः
By the influence of previous merit, this auspicious refuge has been attained by us, O highly fortunate one, which destroys great suffering.
भवन्ति मानवा भूमौ बहवः स्वार्थतत्पराः । परार्थसाधने दक्षाः केचित्क्वापि भवादृशाः
Many people on earth are intent on their own interests; but those like you, skilled in working for the good of others, are rare indeed.
दुःखितोऽहं मुनिश्रेष्ठ वैश्योऽयं चातिदुःखितः । उभौ संसारसंतप्तौ तवाश्रमपदे मुदा
I am afflicted, O best of sages, and this merchant is greatly distressed; both of us, scorched by worldly existence, have joyfully come to your hermitage.
दर्शनादेव हे विद्वन्गतं दुःखमिहावयोः । देहजं मानसं वाक्यश्रवणादेव साम्प्रतम्
O learned one, by merely seeing you, our bodily and mental suffering has departed here; and now, by hearing your words.
धन्यावावां कृतकृत्यौ जातौ सूक्तिसुधारसात् । पावितौ भवता ब्रह्मन्कृपया करुणार्णव
We are blessed and fulfilled, having been purified by the nectar of your noble sayings, O Brahmin, ocean of compassion, by your grace.
गृहाणास्मत्करौ साधो नय पारं भवार्णवात् । मग्नौ श्रांताविति ज्ञात्वा मंत्रदानेन सांप्रतम्
O virtuous one, take our hands and lead us across the ocean of worldly existence, knowing that we are both submerged and exhausted, by giving us the mantra now.
तपः कृत्वाऽतिविपुलं समाराध्य सुखप्रदाम् । संप्राप्य दर्शनं भूयो यास्यावो निजमंदिरम्
Having performed great austerity and worshipped the giver of happiness, upon attaining her vision again, we will return to our own abode.
वदनात्तव सम्प्राप्य देवीमन्त्रं नवाक्षरम् । स्मरणं च करिष्यावो निराहारौ धृतव्रतौ
Receiving from your lips the nine-syllabled mantra of the Goddess, we will practice remembrance, fasting, and firm vows.
व्यास उवाच। इति सञ्चोदितस्ताभ्यां सुमेधा मुनिसत्तमः । ददौ मंत्रं शुभं ताभ्यां ध्यानबीजपुरःसरम्
Vyāsa said: Thus urged by them, the wise and eminent sage Sumedhas gave them the auspicious mantra, preceded by meditation and seed-syllable.
तौ च प्राप्य मुनेर्मंत्रं सम्मन्त्र्य गुरुदैवतौ । जग्मतुर्वैश्यराजानौ नदीतीरमनुत्तमम्
Having received the mantra from the sage and having honored their teacher and deity, the merchant and the king went to a supreme riverbank.
एकांते विजने स्थाने कृत्वासनपरिग्रहम् । उपविष्टौ स्थिरप्रज्ञौ तावतीव कृशोदरौ
In a secluded and solitary place, having prepared their seats, they sat down, steadfast in mind, their bellies greatly emaciated.
मन्त्रजाप्यरतौ शान्तौ चरित्रत्रयपाठकौ । निन्यतुर्मासमेकं तु तत्र ध्यानपरायणौ
Engaged in recitation of the mantra, peaceful, reciters of the threefold conduct, they spent one month there, devoted to meditation.
तयोर्मासव्रतेनैव जाता प्रीतिरनुत्तमा । पदाम्बुजे भवान्यास्तु स्थिरा बुद्धिस्तथाप्यलम्
By their month-long vow, supreme devotion arose in them for the lotus feet of Bhavānī, and their minds became firmly established.
कदाचित्पादयोर्गत्वा मुनेस्तस्य महात्मनः । कृतप्रणामावागत्य तस्थतुश्च कुशासने
Once, going to the feet of that great-souled sage, having offered obeisance, they came and sat on seats of sacred grass.
नान्यकार्य परौ क्वापि बभूवतुः कदाचन । देवीध्यानपरौ नित्यं जपमन्त्ररतौ सदा
They never engaged in any other activity; always intent on meditation upon the Goddess and constant in recitation of the mantra.
एवं जाते तदा पूर्णे तत्र संवत्सरे नृप । बभूवतुः फलाहारं त्यक्त्वा पर्णाशनौ नृप
When a year had thus been completed there, O king, they gave up fruit as food and subsisted on leaves, O king.
वर्षमेकं तपस्तत्र चक्रतुर्वैश्यपार्थिवौ । शुष्कपर्णाशनौ दान्तौ जपध्यानपरायणौ
For one year, the merchant and the king practiced austerity there, eating dry leaves, self-restrained, devoted to recitation and meditation.