Varaha Purana

इन्द्रो भग्नो गतः सोग्निं अग्निर्भग्नो यमं ययौ । यमो निर्ऋतिमागच्छन्निर्ऋतिर्वरुणं ययौ ।। २८.

Indra, defeated, fled to Agni; Agni, defeated, went to Yama; Yama approached Nirriti, and Nirriti went to Varuna.

इन्द्रादिभिरुपेतस्तु वरुणो वायुमन्वगात् । वायुर्धनपतिं त्वागात् सर्वैरिन्द्रादिभिः सह ।। २८.

Then Varuna, joined by Indra and the others, went to Vayu; Vayu went to Kubera, along with all the gods beginning with Indra.

धनदोऽपि स्वकं मित्रमीशं देवसमन्वितः । इयाय गदया सोऽपि दानवो बलदर्पितः । गदामादाय दुद्राव शिवलोकं प्रति प्रभो ।। २८.

Kubera, accompanied by his friend Ishvara and all the gods, set out. But that Daitya, filled with the pride of strength, took up his mace and rushed toward the realm of Shiva, O lord.

शिवोऽप्यवध्यं तं मत्वा देवान् गुह्य ययौ पुरीम् । ब्रह्मणः सुरसिद्धाद्यैर्वन्दितां पुण्यकारिभिः ।। २८.

Shiva, considering him invincible, went with the gods to the secret city, honored by Brahma and other virtuous deities and Siddhas.

तत्र ब्रह्मा जगत्स्त्रष्टा विष्णुपादोद्भवे जले । नियामिताकाशगतो जपत्यन्तर्जले शुभे । क्षेत्रज्ञमायां गायत्रीं ततो देवा विचुक्रुशुः ।। २८.

There, Brahma, the creator of the world, in the water that arose from Vishnu's feet, stationed in the sky, recited the Gayatri mantra within the pure water, invoking the field-knowing goddess. Then the gods cried out.

त्राहि प्रजापते सर्वान् देवानृषिवरानपि । असुराद्भयमापन्नान् त्राहि त्राहीत्यचोदयन् ।। २८.

'Protect us, O Lord of creatures! Protect all the gods, sages, and ancestors! Save us from the fear of the Asura!'—thus they implored.

एवमुक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा दृष्ट्वा देवांस्तदागतान् । चिन्तयामास देवस्य मायेयं विततं जगत् । नासुरा न सुराश्चात्र मायेयं कीदृशी मता ।। २८.

Thus addressed, Brahma, seeing the gods assembled, began to ponder: 'This world is pervaded by the illusion of the Lord. Here, neither Asuras nor gods exist—what is the nature of this illusion?'

एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य प्रादुरासीदयोनिजा । शुक्लाम्बरधरा कन्या स्त्रक्किरीटोज्ज्वलानना । अष्टभिर्बाहुभिर्युक्ता दिव्यप्रहरणोद्यता ।। २८.

As he was thinking thus, there appeared from his body a maiden clad in white garments, her face radiant with a garland and crown, endowed with eight arms, each raised with a divine weapon.

चक्रं शङ्खं गदां पाशं खङ्गं घण्टां तथा धनुः । धारयन्ती तथा चान्यान् बद्धतूणा जलाद् बहिः ।। २८.

She held a discus, conch, mace, noose, sword, bell, bow, and other weapons, with a quiver fastened at her side, emerging from the water.

निश्चक्राम महादेवी सिंहवाहनवेगिता । युयुधे चासुरान् सर्वानेकैव बहुधा स्थिता ।। २८.

The great goddess emerged, swift as a lion's mount, and alone, though appearing in many forms, she fought all the asuras.

दिव्यं वर्षसहस्त्रं तु दिव्यैरस्त्रैर्महाबलम् । युद्ध्वा कालात्यये देव्या हतो वैत्रासुरो रणे । ततः किलकिलाशब्दो देवसैन्येऽभवन्महान् ।। २८.

For a thousand divine years, she battled the mighty asura with celestial weapons; when the appointed time came, the goddess slew Vaitrāsura in combat, and then a great tumultuous sound arose in the army of the gods.

हते वैत्रासुरे भीमे तदा सर्वे दिवौकसः । प्रणेमुर्जय युद्धेति स्वयमीशः स्तुतिं जगौ ।। २८.

When the fearsome Vaitrāsura was slain, all the dwellers of heaven bowed down, exclaiming 'Victory in battle!' and the Lord himself sang her praise.

महेश्वर उवाच । जयस्व देवि गायत्रे महामाये महाप्रभे । महादेवि महाभागे महासत्त्वे महोत्सवे ।। २८.

Maheśvara said: 'Victory to you, O Goddess Gāyatrī, great enchantress, supreme power, great goddess, most fortunate, of immense strength, in this grand festival!'

दिव्यगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गि दिव्यस्त्रग्दामभूषिते । वेदमातर्नमस्तुभ्यं त्र्यक्षरस्थे महेश्वरि ।। २८.

O you whose limbs are anointed with divine fragrance, adorned with garlands and ornaments of celestial weapons, mother of the Vedas, I bow to you, O Maheśvarī, who abides in the three syllables.

त्रिलोकस्थे त्रितत्त्वस्थे त्रिवह्निस्थे त्रिशूलिनि । त्रिनेत्रे भीमवक्त्रे च भीमनेत्रे भयानके । कमलासनजे देवि सरस्वति नमोऽस्तु ते ।। २८.

O you who dwell in the three worlds, established in the three principles, abiding in the three fires, bearer of the trident, three-eyed, with a fearsome face and terrifying eyes, O goddess born from the lotus seat, Sarasvatī, I bow to you.

नमः पङ्कजपत्राक्षि महामायेऽमृतस्त्रवे । सर्वगे सर्वभूतेशि स्वाहाकारे स्वधेऽम्बिके ।। २८.

Salutations to you, lotus-eyed one, great enchantress, flowing with nectar, all-pervading, ruler of all beings, embodied in the words svāhā and svadhā, O mother.

संपूर्णे पूर्णचन्द्राभे भास्वराङ्गे भवोद्भवे । महाविद्ये महावेद्ये महादैत्यविनाशिनि । महाबुद्ध्युद्भवे देवि वीतशोके किरातिनि ।। २८.

O you who are complete, radiant as the full moon, shining in form, source of the world, great knowledge, supreme wisdom, destroyer of mighty demons, origin of great intelligence, goddess free from sorrow, huntress.

त्वं नीतिस्त्वं महाभागे त्वं गीस्त्वं गौस्त्वमक्षरम् । त्वं धीस्त्वं श्रीस्त्वमोङ्कारस्तत्त्वे चापि परिस्थिता । सर्वसत्त्वाहिते देवि नमस्ते परमेश्वरि ।। २८.

You are righteousness, O greatly fortunate one; you are song, you are the cow, you are the imperishable; you are intellect, you are prosperity, you are Om, and you are established in the essence; O goddess, benefactress of all beings, I bow to you, supreme ruler.

इत्येवं संस्तुता देवी भवेन परमेष्ठिना । देवैरपि जयेत्युच्चैरित्युक्ता परमेश्वरी ।। २८.

Thus praised by Bhava, the supreme lord, the goddess was also loudly hailed as victorious by the gods.

यावदास्ते चतुर्वक्त्रस्तावदन्तर्जलाद् बहिः । निश्चक्राम ततो देवीं कृतकृत्यां ददर्श सः ।। २८.

As long as the four-faced one remained, so long did she stay outside the waters; then he beheld the goddess, her task accomplished.

तां दृष्ट्वा देवकार्यं च सिद्धं मत्वा पितामहः । भविष्यं कार्यमुद्दिश्य ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ।। २८.

Seeing her and considering the divine task fulfilled, the Grandfather addressed her, speaking of what was yet to come.

ब्रह्मोवाच । इयं देवी वरारोहा यातु शैलं हिमोद्भवम् । तत्र यूयं सुराः सर्वे गत्वा नन्दत माचिरम् ।। २८.

Brahmā said: 'Let this goddess of noble form go to the mountain born of snow; there, all you gods, go quickly and rejoice.'

नवम्यां च सदा पूज्या इयं देवी समाधिना । वरदा सर्वलोकानां भविष्यति न संशयः ।। २८.

'On the ninth day, this goddess should always be worshipped with concentration; she will be the granter of boons to all worlds, without doubt.'

नवम्यां यश्च पिष्टाशी भविष्यति हि मानवः । नारी वा तस्य संपन्नं भविष्यति मनोगतम् ।। २८.

'Any man or woman who eats pounded grain on the ninth day will have their heart's desire fulfilled.'

यश्च सायं तथा प्रातरिदं स्तोत्रं पठिष्यति । त्वयेरितं महादेव तस्य देव्या समं भवान् ।। २८.

'Whoever recites this hymn, composed by you, O Mahādeva, in the evening and morning, will be united with the goddess.'

वरदो देव सर्वासु आपत्स्वप्युद्धरस्व तम् । एवमुक्त्वा भवं ब्रह्मा पुनर्देवीं स चाब्रवीत् ।। २८.

'O god, bestower of boons, rescue him from all calamities; having said this, Brahmā again addressed the goddess.'

त्वया देवि महत्कार्यं कर्तव्यं चान्यदस्ति नः । भविष्यं महिषाख्यस्य असुरस्य विनाशनम् ।। २८.

'O goddess, there is yet another great task for you to accomplish for us: the future destruction of the asura named Mahiṣa.'

एवमुक्त्वा ततो ब्रह्मा सर्वे देवाश्च पार्थिव । यथागतं ततो जग्मुर्द्देवीं स्थाप्य हिमे गिरौ । संस्थाप्य नन्दिता यस्मात् तस्मान्नन्दाऽभवत् तु सा ।। २८.

Having spoken thus, O king, Brahmā and all the gods departed as they had come, leaving the goddess established on the snowy mountain. Because she was established with joy, she became known as Nandā.

यश्चेदं श्रृणुयाज्जन्म देव्या यश्च स्वयं पठेत् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः परं निर्वाणमृच्छति ।। २८.

Whoever hears or recites this account of the goddess’s birth becomes freed from all sins and attains the highest liberation.