Markandeya Purana

ज्ञानं च तन्मनुष्याणां यत्तेषां मृगृपक्षिणाम् । मनुष्याणां च यत्तेषां तुल्यमन्यत्तथोभयोः॥८१.

The knowledge that humans have is also found in animals and birds; and what they possess, humans have as well—there is a similarity in both.

ज्ञानेऽपि सति पश्यैतान् पतङ्गाञ्छावचञ्चुषु । कणमोक्षादृतान् मोहात्पीड्यमानानपि क्षुधा॥८१.

Even with knowledge, look at these moths: though tormented by hunger, out of delusion they rush into flames, unable to escape destruction.

मानुषा मनुजव्याघ्र साभिलाषाः सुतान् प्रति । लोभात्प्रत्युपकाराय नन्वेतान् किं न पश्यसि॥८१.

Humans, O tiger among men, are similarly attached to their children out of desire; out of greed, they seek reciprocation—do you not see this?

तथापि ममतावर्ते मोहगर्ते निपातिताः । महामायाप्रभावेण संसारस्थितिकारिणा॥८१.

Yet, even so, people are cast into the whirlpool of attachment and the pit of delusion, by the power of the great Māyā, which sustains worldly existence.

तन्नात्र विस्मयः कार्यो योगनिद्रा जगत्पतेः । महामाया हरेश्चैतत्तथा संमोह्यते जगत्॥८१.

Therefore, no wonder should be felt here, for it is the Yogic Sleep of the Lord of the world; this is the great Māyā of Hari, by which the world is thus bewildered.

ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा । बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति॥८१.

Even the minds of the wise are forcibly drawn by that Goddess, the Blessed One, and the great Māyā bestows delusion.

तया विसृज्यते विश्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम् । सैषा प्रसन्ना वरदा नृणां भवति मुक्तये॥८१.

By her, this entire universe, both moving and unmoving, is projected; when she is pleased, she grants boons and becomes the cause of liberation for people.

सा विद्या परमा मुक्तेर्हेतुभूता सनातनी । संसारबन्धहेतुश्च सैव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरी॥८१.

She is the supreme knowledge, the eternal cause of liberation; she is also the cause of bondage in worldly existence, and the sovereign of all sovereigns.

राजोवाच भगवन् ! का हि सा देवी महामायेति यां भवान् । ब्रवीति कथमुत्पन्ना सा कर्मास्याश्च किं द्विज॥८१.

The king said: O revered one! Who is that Goddess called Mahāmāyā, whom you speak of? How was she born, and what are her deeds, O twice-born?

यत्स्वभावा च सा देवी यत्स्वरूपा यदुद्भवा । तत् सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो ब्रह्मविदां वर॥८१.

What is the nature of that Goddess, what is her form, and whence did she arise? I wish to hear all this from you, O best of those who know Brahman.

ऋषिरुवाच नित्यैव सा जगन्मूर्तिस्तया सर्वमिदं ततम् । तथापि तत्समुत्पत्तिर्बहुधा श्रुयतां मम॥८१.

The sage said: She is eternal, the embodiment of the universe, and by her all this is pervaded; yet, her origin is manifold—listen to it from me.

देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थमाविर्भवति सा यदा । उत्पन्नेति तदा लोके सा नित्याप्यभिधीयते॥८१.

Whenever she appears for the accomplishment of the gods' purposes, she is said to be born; yet she is always called eternal in the world.

योगनिद्रां यदा विष्णुर्जगत्येकार्णवीकृते । आस्तीर्य शेषमभजत् कल्पान्ते भगवान् प्रभुः॥८१.

When Viṣṇu, at the end of the cycle, spread out Yogic Sleep upon the world turned into a single ocean, the Blessed Lord rested upon Śeṣa.

तदा द्वावसुरौ घोरौ विख्यातौ मधुकैटभौ । विष्णुकर्णमलोद्भूतौ हन्तुं ब्रह्माणमुद्यतौ॥८१.

Then, two fierce demons, renowned as Madhu and Kaiṭabha, arose from the dirt of Viṣṇu's ears, intent on killing Brahmā.

स नाभिकमले विष्णोः स्थितो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः । दृष्ट्वा तावसुरौ चोग्रौ प्रसुप्तं च जनार्दनम्॥८१.

Brahmā, the lord of creatures, seated in the lotus from Viṣṇu's navel, saw those two fierce demons and Janārdana lying asleep.

तुष्टाव योगनिद्रां तामेकाग्रहृदयस्थितः । विबोधनार्थाय हरेर्हरिनेत्रकृतालयाम्॥८१.

With focused heart, he praised that Yogic Sleep, dwelling in the eyes of Hari, for the purpose of awakening Hari.

ब्रह्मोवाच विश्वेश्वरीं जगद्धात्रीं स्थिति-संहारकारिणीम् । निद्रां भगवतीं विष्णोरतुलां तेजसः प्रभुः॥८१.

Brahmā said: O Lady of the universe, O sustainer of the world, O cause of preservation and destruction, O blessed Sleep of Viṣṇu, O incomparable radiance of the Lord!

त्वं स्वाहा त्वं स्वधा त्वं हि वषट्कारः स्वरात्मिका । सुधा त्वमक्षरे नित्ये त्रिधा मात्रात्मिका स्थिता॥८१.

You are Svāhā, you are Svadhā, you are indeed the Vaṣaṭ call, the essence of the sounds; you are nectar, O eternal imperishable one, established as the threefold measure.

अर्धमात्रा स्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः । त्वमेव सन्ध्या सावित्री त्वं देवि जननी परा॥८१.

You are eternally established as the half-measure, which is especially unutterable; you alone are the twilight, the Sāvitrī, O Goddess, the supreme mother.

त्वयैव धार्यते सर्वं त्वयैतत्सृज्यते जगत् । त्वयैतत्पाल्यते देवि त्वमत्स्यन्ते च सर्वदा॥८१.

By you, all is sustained; by you, this world is created; by you, it is protected, O Goddess, and by you, it is always dissolved.

विसृष्टौ सृष्टिरूपा त्वं स्थितिरूपा च पालने । तथा संहृतिरूपान्ते जगतोऽस्य जगन्मये॥८१.

In creation, you are the form of creation; in preservation, the form of preservation; likewise, at the end, you are the form of dissolution, O embodiment of the universe.

महाविद्या महामाया महामेधा महास्मृतिः । महामोहा च भवती महादेवी महेश्वरी॥८१.

You are the great knowledge, the great illusion, the great wisdom, the great memory; you are also the great delusion, the great goddess, and the supreme sovereign.

प्रकृतिस्त्वञ्च सर्वस्य गुणत्रयविभाविनी । कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिश्च दारुणा॥८१.

You are the primal nature of all, manifesting the three qualities; you are the night of time, the great night, and the dreadful night of delusion.

त्वं श्रीस्त्वमीश्वरी त्वं ह्रीस्त्वं बुद्धिर्बोधलक्षणा । लज्जा पुष्टिस्तथा तुष्टिस्त्वं शान्तिः क्षान्तिरेव च॥८१.

You are fortune, you are sovereignty, you are modesty, you are intelligence marked by understanding; you are shame, nourishment, contentment, peace, and forbearance as well.

खडिगनी शूलिनी घोरा गदिनी चक्रिणी तथा । शङ्खिनी चापिनी बाण-भुशुण्डी परिघायुधा॥८१.

You wield the sword, the spear, you are fierce, you carry the mace and the discus; you bear the conch, the bow, arrows, the slingshot, and the iron club as weapons.

सौम्या सौम्यतराशेष-सौम्येभ्यस्त्वतिसुन्दरी । परापराणां परमा त्वमेव परमेश्वरी॥८१.

You are gentle, more gentle than all the gentle ones, supremely beautiful; you alone are the highest among the transcendent and the non-transcendent, O supreme goddess.

यच्च किञ्चित् क्वचिद्वस्तु सदसद्वाखिलात्मिके । तस्य सर्वस्य या शिक्तिः सा त्वं किं स्तूयते तदा॥८१.

Whatever thing exists anywhere, whether real or unreal, O essence of all, the power of all that is you—so what praise can be offered to you?

यया त्वया जगत्स्त्रष्टा जगत्पात्यत्ति यो जगत् । सोऽपि निद्रावशं नीतः कस्त्वां स्तोतुमिहेश्वरः॥८१.

By you, even the creator of the world, the sustainer, and the devourer of the world is overcome by sleep; who then, O goddess, is able to praise you here?

विष्णुः शरीरग्रहणमहामीशान एव च । कारितास्ते यतोऽतस्त्वां कः स्तोतुं शक्तिमान् भवेत्॥८१.

Vishnu, the one who takes form, and the great lord Ishana, are made to act by you; therefore, who could be capable of praising you?