नमस्ते देवदेवेशि नमस्ते सर्ववासिनि
Salutations to you, O goddess of gods, salutations to you who dwell in all things.
शक्रादयोऽपि देवास्ते परमार्थेन नो विदुः
Even the gods, beginning with Indra, do not truly know you.
यस्याः सर्वं महीव्योमजलाग्निपवनात्मकम्
She whose essence is all—earth, sky, water, fire, and wind.
न तस्या जन्मनि ब्रह्मा न नाशाय महेश्वरः
Neither Brahma at her birth, nor Shiva at her dissolution, can comprehend her.
तथाष्टगुणमैश्वर्यं यस्याः स्वाभाविकं परम्
She whose supreme and natural sovereignty possesses eightfold powers—
यस्या रूपाण्यनेकानि सम्यग्ध्यानपरायणाः
She whose forms are many, to whom those devoted to true meditation turn—
हृदि संकल्प्य यद्रूपं ध्यानेनार्चंति योगिनः
The form which, conceived in the heart, yogis worship through meditation—
तां देवीं मानुषी भूत्वा कथं स्तौमि महेश्वरीम्
How can I, being human, praise that great goddess, the supreme Lady?
असंदिग्धं प्रदास्यामि यत्ते हृदि सदा स्थितम्
I will give you, without any doubt, that which always abides in your heart.
तत्किं तेन करिष्यामि सांप्रतं जरयावृता ॥ ६.६२.
But what shall I do with it now, as I am covered by old age?
तस्मादत्राऽऽश्रमे साकं त्वया स्थेयं सदैव तु
Therefore, you must always remain here in this hermitage together with me.
श्रीदेव्युवाच अद्यप्रभृत्यहं भद्रे श्रेष्ठेऽस्मिन्नाश्रमे शुभे
Śrī Devī said: From today onward, O blessed one, I shall remain in this most excellent and auspicious hermitage.
माघशुक्लतृतीयायां या ऽत्र स्नानं करिष्यति
Whoever bathes here on the third day of the bright half of Māgha—
अपि कृत्वा महापापं नारी वा पुरुषोऽथवा
Even if a woman or a man has committed a great sin—
अत्र ये फलदानं च प्रकरिष्यंति मानवाः
And those people who offer the gift of fruit here—
अपि हत्वा स्त्रियं मर्त्यो योऽत्र स्नानं करिष्यति
Even a mortal who has killed a woman, if he bathes here—
या तत्र कन्यका भद्रे स्नानं भक्त्या करि ष्यति
And any maiden, O blessed one, who bathes here with devotion—
ततश्च तत्क्षणाज्जाता दिव्यरूपवपुर्द्धरा
Then, at that very moment, she is born with a divine and beautiful form.
वृद्धत्वेन परित्यक्ता दिव्यमाल्यानुलेपना
Her old age cast aside, adorned with divine garlands and ointments—
ततस्तां सा समादाय विधाय निजकिंकरीम् ६.६२.
Then, taking her, she makes her her own attendant.
ततःप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं शर्मिष्ठातीर्थमुच्यते
From that time, that sacred place is called the Śarmiṣṭhā Tīrtha.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्
Therefore, one should make every effort to bathe there.
एतत्पवित्रमायुष्यं सर्व पातकनाशनम्
This is pure, life-giving, and destroys all sins.
यश्चैतत्प्रातरुत्थाय सदा पठति मानवः
Whoever, rising in the morning, always recites this, O human,
तथा पर्वणि संप्राप्ते यश्चैतत्पठते नरः
And likewise, when a festival arrives, whoever recites this, O man,
अस्ति ख्यातं त्रिलोकेऽत्र स्वयं सोमेन निर्मितम्
There exists here, renowned in the three worlds, something created by Soma himself.
सोमवारेण यस्तत्र वत्सरं यावदर्चयेत्
Whoever worships there on Mondays for a year,
यक्ष्मणापि न संदेहः किं पुनः कुष्ठपूर्वकैः
There is no doubt even for those afflicted by consumption; how much more so for those with leprosy and other diseases.
तदाराध्य पुरा सोमः क्षयव्याधिसमन्वितः
Long ago, Soma worshipped there, afflicted by wasting disease.
क्षयव्याधिः पुरा जाता उपशांतिं कथं गतः
Wasting disease arose long ago; how did it come to be pacified?