व्यास उवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा तामुवाच मुदान्वितः । देहि मेऽद्य निजं राज्यं हतशत्रुबलं बलात्
Vyāsa said: Hearing her words, the king joyfully replied, 'Grant me today my own kingdom, with the strength of my enemies destroyed.'
तमुवाच तदा देवी गच्छ राजन्निजं गृहम् । शत्रवः क्षीणसत्त्वास्ते गमिष्यंति पराजिताः
Then the Goddess said to him, 'Go, O king, to your own home. Your enemies, their strength diminished, will depart defeated.'
मंत्रिणस्तु समागत्य ते पतिष्यंति पादयोः । कुरु राज्यं महाभाग नगरे स्वं यथासुखम्
Your ministers will come and bow at your feet; rule your own city, O fortunate one, as you wish.
कृत्वा राज्यं सुविपुलं वर्षाणामयुतं नृप । देहान्ते जन्म संप्राप्य सूर्याच्च भविता मनुः
Having ruled a vast kingdom for ten thousand years, O king, at the end of your life you will be born from the Sun and become a Manu.
व्यास उवाच। वैश्यस्तामप्युवाचेदं कृतांजलिपुट: शुचिः । न मे गृहेण कार्यं वै न पुत्रेण धनेन वा
Vyāsa said: The merchant, pure and with folded hands, spoke to her: 'I have no use for home, nor for son or wealth.'
सर्वं बंधकरं मातः स्वप्नवन्नश्वरं स्फुटम् । ज्ञानं मे देहि विशदं मोक्षदं बंधनाशनम्
Everything, O Mother, binds and is clearly perishable like a dream; grant me clear knowledge, liberating and freeing from bondage.
असारेऽस्मिंश्च संसारे मूढा मज्जंति पामराः । पंडिता: संतरंतीह तस्मान्नेच्छन्ति संसृतिम्
In this unsubstantial world, the ignorant sink, while the wise cross over; therefore, they do not desire worldly existence.
व्यास उवाच। तदाकर्ण्य महामाया वैश्यं प्राह पुरःस्थितम् । वैश्ववर्य तव ज्ञानं भविष्यति न संशयः
Vyāsa said: Hearing this, Mahāmāyā addressed the merchant standing before her, 'O best of merchants, you will attain knowledge—there is no doubt.'
इति दत्त्वा वरं ताभ्यां तत्रैवांतरधीयत । अदर्शनं गतायां तु राजा तं मुनिसत्तमम्
Having granted them the boon, she vanished right there; and when she became invisible, the king addressed that best of sages.
प्रणम्य हयमारुह्य गमनाय मनो दधे । तदैव तस्य सचिवास्तत्रागत्य नृपं प्रजाः
After bowing, he mounted his horse and set his mind on departing; at that very moment, his ministers and subjects arrived there.
प्रणेमुर्विनयोपेतास्तमूचुः प्रांजलिस्थिताः । राजंस्ते शत्रवः सर्वे पापाच्च निहता रणे
With humility, they bowed to him, standing with folded hands, and said: 'O King, all your wicked enemies have been slain in battle.'
राज्यं निष्कंटकं भूप कुरुष्व पुरमास्थितः । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राजा नत्वा तं मुनिसत्तमम्
'O ruler, now that the kingdom is free from thorns, take up residence in the city and govern.' Hearing these words, the king bowed to that best of sages.
आपृच्छ्य निर्ययौ तत्र मंत्रिभिः परिवारितः । संप्राप्य च निजं राज्यं दारान्स्वजनबांधवान्
Taking leave, he departed from there, surrounded by his ministers; and having reached his own kingdom, he enjoyed his wives, relatives, and friends.
बुभुजे पृथिवीं सर्वां ततः सागरमेखलाम् । वैश्योऽपि ज्ञानमासाद्य मुक्तसंगः समंततः
He enjoyed the entire earth, girdled by the ocean; and the merchant, having attained knowledge, became free from all attachments.
कालातिवाहनं तत्र मुक्तबंधश्चकार ह। तीर्थेषु विचरन्गायन्भगवत्या गुणानथ
He transcended time and bondage, wandering among holy places, singing the virtues of the Blessed Goddess.
एतत्ते कथितं देव्याश्चरितं परमाद्भुतम् । आराधनफलप्राप्तिर्यथावद्भूपवैश्ययोः
Thus I have told you the wondrous deeds of the Goddess, and how the king and the merchant obtained the fruits of their worship.
दैत्यानां हननं प्रोक्तं प्रादुर्भावस्तथा शुभः । एवंप्रभावा सा देवी भक्तानामभयप्रदा
The slaying of the demons has been described, as well as her auspicious manifestation; such is the power of the Goddess, who grants fearlessness to her devotees.
यः शृणोति नरो नित्यमेतदाख्यानमुत्तमम् । संप्राप्नोति नरः सत्यं संसारसुखमद्भुतम्
Whoever hears this excellent narrative daily truly attains wondrous happiness in worldly life.
ज्ञानदं मोक्षदं चैव कीर्तिदं सुखदं तथा । पावनं श्रवणान्नूनमेतदाख्यानमद्भुतम्
This marvelous story, when heard, surely bestows knowledge, liberation, fame, and happiness, and purifies as well.
अखिलार्थप्रदं नॄणां सर्वधर्मसमावृतम् । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां कारणं परमं मतम्
It grants all goals to people, is filled with every virtue, and is held to be the supreme cause of righteousness, prosperity, pleasure, and liberation.
सूत उवाच। जनमेजयेन राज्ञाऽसौ पृष्टः सत्यवतीसुतः । उवाच संहितां दिव्यां व्यासः सर्वार्थतत्त्ववित्
Sūta said: Questioned by King Janamejaya, the son of Satyavatī—Vyāsa, knower of all truths—spoke this divine collection.
चरितं चंडिकायास्तु शुम्भदैत्यवधाश्रितम् । कथयामास भगवान्कृष्णः कारुणिको मुनिः
The compassionate sage Kṛṣṇa, the Blessed One, narrated the deeds of Caṇḍikā, centering on the slaying of the demon Śumbha.
त्रिशिरसस्तपोभङ्गाय देवराजेन्द्रद्वारा नानोपायचिन्तनवर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः सूत सूत महाभाग मिष्टं ते वचनामृतम् । न तृप्ताः स्मो वयं पीत्वा द्वैपायनकृतं शुभम्
The sages said: O Sūta, O most fortunate one, your nectar-like words are delightful; we are not satisfied, even after drinking in the auspicious tale composed by Dvaipāyana.
पुनस्त्वां प्रष्टुमिच्छामः कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । वेदेऽपि कथितां रम्यां प्रसिद्धां पापनाशिनीम्
Again, we wish to ask you for an auspicious Purāṇic tale, charming, renowned, and destroyer of sin, as told in the Vedas.
वृत्रासुर इति ख्यातो वीर्यवांस्त्वष्टुरात्मजः । स कथं निहतः संख्ये वासवेन महात्मना
Vṛtrāsura, famed as the son of Tvaṣṭṛ and full of might—how was he slain in battle by the great-souled Vāsava?
त्वष्टा वै सुरपक्षीयस्तत्पुत्रो बलवत्तरः । शक्रेण घातितः कस्माद्ब्रह्मयोनिर्महाबलः
Tvaṣṭṛ was on the side of the gods, and his son was even mightier; why was that powerful, Brahma-born one killed by Śakra?
देवाः सत्त्वगुणोत्पना मानुषा राजसाः स्मृताः । तिर्यञ्चस्तामसाः प्रोक्ताः पुराणागमवादिभिः
The gods are said to be born of the quality of sattva, humans of rajas, and animals of tamas, according to the teachers of the Purāṇas and Āgamas.
विरोधोऽत्र महान् भाति नूनं शतमखेन ह । छलेन बलवान् वृत्रः शक्रेण विनिपातितः
Here, a great contradiction is evident: indeed, Vṛtra, though powerful, was slain by Indra, the hundred-sacrificed, through deceit.
विष्णुः प्रेरयिता तत्र स तु सत्त्वधरः परः । प्रविष्टः पविमध्ये स छद्मना भगवान् प्रभुः
There, Viṣṇu, the supreme bearer of sattva, acted as the instigator; that Lord entered the midst of the weapon by disguise.
सन्धिं विधाय स ह्येवं मन्त्रितोऽसौ महाबलः । हरिभ्यां सत्यमुत्सृज्य जलफेनेन शातितः
Having made a pact and thus persuaded, that mighty one, abandoning truth together with Hari, was slain by foam from water.