या हि त्रयोविंशतिभेदशब्दिता जगत्यशेषे समधिष्ठिता परा 2.4.22.
She who is spoken of as having twenty-three forms, who pervades and governs all that exists in the world, the supreme one.
यद्भक्तियुक्ताः पुरुषास्तु नित्यं दारिद्र्यभीमोहपराभवादीन्
Those people who are always devoted to her with faith are freed from poverty, delusion, defeat, and the like.
दारिद्यमोहदुःखानि न कदाचित्स्पृशंति तम्
Poverty, delusion, and suffering never touch those devoted to her.
इत्थं स्तुवंतस्ते देवास्तेजोमण्डलमास्थितम्
Thus, as the gods praised her, she remained within a radiant circle of light.
तन्मध्याद्भारतीं सर्वे शुश्रुवुर्व्योमचारिणीम् शक्तिरुवाच अहमेव त्रिधा भिन्ना तिष्ठामि त्रिविधैर्गुणैः
From its center, all heard the voice of Bhāratī, who moved through the sky. Śakti spoke: 'I alone, divided threefold, exist through the three qualities.'
गौरी लक्ष्मी स्वरा चेति रजःसत्त्वतमोगुणैः
'Gaurī, Lakṣmī, and Sarasvatī—these are my forms, arising from the qualities of passion, goodness, and darkness.'
देवानां विस्मयोत्फुल्लनेत्राणां तत्तदा नृप
The gods, their eyes wide with astonishment, beheld this, O king.
ततः सर्वेऽपि ते देवा गत्वा तद्वाक्यनोदिताः
Then all those gods, following her words, departed.
ततस्तास्तान्सुरान्दृष्ट्वा प्रणतान्भक्तवत्सलाः
Seeing those gods who had come and bowed, she who is fond of her devotees spoke.
निर्वपध्वं ततः कार्यं भवतां सिद्धिमेष्यति
'Now perform the required rite; your purpose will be fulfilled.'
नारद उवाच ततस्तु हृष्टाः सुरसिद्धसंघाः प्रगृह्य बीजानि विचिक्षिपुस्ते 2.4.22.
Nārada said: Then, delighted, the hosts of gods and siddhas took the seeds and cast them.
धात्री च मालती चैव तुलसी च नृपोत्तम
Dhātrī, Mālatī, and Tulasī, O best of kings—
धात्र्युद्भवा स्मृता धात्री माभवा मालती स्मृता
Dhātrī is said to have arisen from the dhātrī seed, Mālatī from the mālatī seed.
स्त्रीरूपिण्यौ वनस्पत्यौ दृष्ट्वा विष्णुस्तदा नृप
Seeing these two, who were trees in the form of women, Viṣṇu beheld them, O king.
दृष्ट्वा च याचते मोहात्कामासक्तेन चेतसा
And seeing them, overcome by delusion and desire, he asked for them with a mind attached to longing.
यच्च लक्ष्म्या पुरा बीजमीर्ष्ययैव समर्पितम्
And the seed that was once offered by Lakṣmī out of jealousy—
अतः सा बर्बरीत्याख्यामवापाऽध विगर्हिताम्
Therefore, she obtained the name Barbarī, which is considered low and reproached.
ततो विस्मृतदुःखोऽसौ विष्णुस्ताभ्यां सहैव तु
Then, forgetting his sorrow, Viṣṇu remained together with them.
कार्तिकोद्यापने विष्णोस्तस्मात्पूजा विधीयते
For this reason, the worship of Viṣṇu is prescribed during the Kartika festival.
तुलसीकाननं राजन्गृहे यस्याऽवतिष्ठते
O King, in whose house a grove of Tulasī is established,
सर्वपापहरं नित्यं कामदं तुलसीवनम् 2.4.23.
The Tulasī grove always removes all sins and grants desires.
दर्शनं नर्मदायास्तु गंगास्नानं तथैव च
The sight of the Narmadā, and likewise bathing in the Gaṅgā,
रोपणात्पालनात्सेकाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शनान्नृणाम्
By planting, caring for, watering, seeing, and touching it,
तुलसीमंजरीभिर्यः कुर्याद्धरिहराऽर्चनम्
Whoever worships Hari and Hara with Tulasī flowers,
पुष्कराद्यानि तीर्थानि गंगाद्याः सरितस्तथा
The holy places like Puṣkara and the rivers like Gaṅgā,
तुलसीमंजरीयुक्तो यस्तु प्राणान्विमुंचति
Whoever departs this life adorned with Tulasī flowers,
विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नोति सत्यं सत्यं नृपोत्तम
Attains union with Viṣṇu—this is true, true, O best of kings.
तद्देहं न स्पृशेत्पापं क्रियमाणमपीह यत्
Sin does not touch that body, even if committed here.
तत्र श्राद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम्
There, one should perform śrāddha for the ancestors; the offering becomes imperishable.
जलैः स्नाति नरस्तस्य गंगास्नानफलं स्मृतम्
When a man bathes there with water, it is regarded as equal to bathing in the Gaṅgā.