अर्धनारीनरवपुस् तेजसा ज्वलनोपमः स्वेच्छयासौ द्विधाभूतः पृथक् स्त्री पुरुषः पृथक्
With a form half-woman, half-man, blazing with energy like fire, by his own will he became twofold: separately woman, separately man.
स एवैकादशार्धेन स्थितो ऽसौ परमेश्वरः तत्र या सा महाभागा शङ्करस्यार्धकायिनी
He, the Supreme Lord, remained thus with one half as eleven; there, she who is most illustrious, who is half the body of Shankara—
प्रागुक्ता तु महादेवी स्त्री सैवेह सती ह्यभूत् हिताय जगतां देवी दक्षेणाराधिता पुरा
She who was previously mentioned as the great goddess, that very woman became Sati here; for the welfare of the worlds, the goddess was worshipped long ago by Daksha.
कार्यार्थं दक्षिणं तस्याः शुक्लं वामं तथासितम् आत्मानं विभजस्वेति प्रोक्ता देवेन शंभुना
For a certain purpose, Shambhu said to her: 'Divide yourself—your right side white, your left side black.'
सा तथोक्ता द्विधाभूता शुक्ला कृष्णा च वै द्विजाः तस्या नामानि वक्ष्यामि शृण्वन्तु च समाहिताः
Thus addressed, she became twofold—white and black, O twice-born. I shall tell you her names; listen attentively.
स्वाहा स्वधा महाविद्या मेधा लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती सती दाक्षायणी विद्या इच्छाशक्तिः क्रियात्मिका
Svāhā, Svadhā, Mahāvidyā, Medhā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Satī, Dākṣāyaṇī, Vidyā, Icchāśakti, Kriyātmikā—
अपर्णा चैकपर्णा च तथा चैवैकपाटला उमा हैमवती चैव कल्याणी चैकमातृका
Aparṇā, Ekaparṇā, likewise Ekapāṭalā, Umā, Haimavatī, Kalyāṇī, and also Ekamātṛkā—
ख्यातिः प्रज्ञा महाभागा लोके गौरीति विश्रुता गणांबिका महादेवी नन्दिनी जातवेदसी
Khyāti, Prajñā, most illustrious, known in the world as Gaurī, Gaṇāmbikā, Mahādevī, Nandinī, Jātavedasī—
एकरूपमथैतस्याः पृथग्देहविभावनात् सावित्री वरदा पुण्या पावनी लोकविश्रुता
Of her, due to the division of forms, there is also Sāvitrī, bestower of boons, pure, renowned in the worlds as the purifier.
आज्ञा आवेशनी कृष्णा तामसी सात्त्विकी शिवा प्रकृतिर्विकृता रौद्री दुर्गा भद्रा प्रमाथिनी
Ājñā, Āveśanī, Kṛṣṇā, Tāmasī, Sāttvikī, Śivā, Prakṛti, Vikṛtā, Raudrī, Durgā, Bhadrā, Pramāthinī—
कालरात्रिर्महामाया रेवती भूतनायिका द्वापरान्तविभागे च नामानीमानि सुव्रताः
Kālarātrī, Mahāmāyā, Revatī, Bhūtanāyikā—at the end of Dvāpara, these are her names, O virtuous ones.
गौतमी कौशिकी चार्या चण्डी कात्यायनी सती कुमारी यादवी देवी वरदा कृष्णपिङ्गला
Gautamī, Kauśikī, Āryā, Caṇḍī, Kātyāyanī, Satī, Kumārī, Yādavī, Devī, Varadā, Kṛṣṇapiṅgalā.
बर्हिध्वजा शूलधरा परमा ब्रह्मचारिणी महेन्द्रोपेन्द्रभगिनी दृषद्वत्य् एकशूलधृक्
She who is adorned with sacrificial grass, bearer of the trident, supremely devoted to celibacy, sister of Mahendra and Upendra, and on the Dṛṣadvatī river, she holds a single trident.
अपराजिता बहुभुजा प्रगल्भा सिंहवाहिनी शुम्भादिदैत्यहन्त्री च महामहिषमर्दिनी
Unconquered, possessing many arms, bold, riding a lion, slayer of Śumbha and other demons, and the great subduer of the buffalo demon.
अमोघा विन्ध्यनिलया विक्रान्ता गणनायिका देव्या नामविकाराणि इत्येतानि यथाक्रमम्
Infallible, dwelling on the Vindhya, mighty, leader of the hosts—these are the various names of the goddess, each in due order.
भद्रकाल्या मयोक्तानि सम्यक्फलप्रदानि च ये पठन्ति नरास्तेषां विद्यते न च पातकम्
These names of Bhadrakālī, as I have spoken, bestow complete fruit; for those men who recite them, there is no sin.
अरण्ये पर्वते वापि पुरे वाप्यथवा गृहे रक्षामेतां प्रयुञ्जीत जले वाथ स्थले ऽपि वा
Whether in the forest, on a mountain, in a city, or at home, one should employ this protection—whether in water or on land.
व्याघ्रकुम्भीनचोरेभ्यो भयस्थाने विशेषतः आपत्स्वपि च सर्वासु देव्या नामानि कीर्तयेत्
Especially in places of fear from tigers, crocodiles, or thieves, and in all kinds of danger, one should recite the goddess’s names.
आर्यकग्रहभूतैश् च पूतनामातृभिस् तथा अभ्यर्दितानां बालानां रक्षामेतां प्रयोजयेत्
When children are afflicted by noble spirits, planets, ghosts, or mothers of disease, this protection should be applied for them.
महादेवीकले द्वे तु प्रज्ञा श्रीश् च प्रकीर्तिते आभ्यां देवीसहस्राणि यैर्व्याप्तमखिलं जगत्
Of the great goddess, two portions are proclaimed: wisdom and prosperity; by these, thousands of goddesses pervade the entire world.
अनया देवदेवो ऽसौ सत्या रुद्रो महेश्वरः आतिष्ठत्सर्वलोकानां हिताय परमेश्वरः
By her, the god of gods, the true Rudra, the great lord, established himself for the welfare of all worlds.
रुद्रः पशुपतिश्चासीत् पुरा दग्धं पुरत्रयम् देवाश् च पशवः सर्वे बभूवुस्तस्य तेजसा
Rudra, who is also Paśupati, once burned the triple city; by his energy, all the gods and living beings became as his cattle.
यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि आदिसर्गक्रमं शुभम् स याति ब्रह्मणो लोकं श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्
Whoever recites or hears this auspicious account of the original creation, or causes it to be heard by the best of twice-born, attains the world of Brahmā.
समासाद् विस्तराच्चैव सर्गः प्रोक्तस्त्वया शुभः कथं पशुपतिश्चासीत् पुरं दग्धुं महेश्वरः
In summary and in detail, you have described the auspicious creation; but how did Paśupati, the great lord, burn the city?
कथं च पशवश्चासन् देवाः सब्रह्मकाः प्रभोः मयस्य तपसा पूर्वं सुदुर्गं निर्मितं पुरम्
And how did the gods, along with Brahmā, become cattle? By Maya’s austerity, a most difficult city was built before.
हैमं च राजतं दिव्यम् अयस्मयम् अनुत्तमम् सुदुर्गं देवदेवेन दग्धमित्येव नः श्रुतम्
A golden, a silver, and a divine iron city, unsurpassed and most difficult—by the god of gods, it was burned, so we have heard.
कथं ददाह भगवान् भगनेत्रनिपातनः एकेनेषुनिपातेन दिव्येनापि तदा कथम्
How did the blessed one, destroyer of Bhaga’s eye, burn it all at once with a single divine arrow?
विष्णुनोत्पादितैर्भूतैर् न दग्धं तत्पुरत्रयम् पुरस्य संभवः सर्वो वरलाभः पुरा श्रुतः
That triple city was not burned by beings produced by Viṣṇu; the entire origin of the city and the granting of boons have been heard before.
इदानीं दहनं सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः
Now you should tell, O virtuous one, the entire burning of those cities. Hearing their words, Sūta, the foremost of bards,
यथा श्रुतं तथा प्राह व्यासाद् विश्वार्थसूचकात् त्रैलोक्यस्यास्य शापाद्धि मनोवाक्कायसंभवात्
Spoke as he had heard from Vyāsa, the revealer of the meaning of the universe, for, due to the curse upon this threefold world, it arose from mind, speech, and body.