तन्नात्र विस्मयः कार्यो योगनिद्रा जगत्पतेः । महामाया हरेश्चैतत्तथा संमोह्यते जगत्
Therefore, there is no cause for astonishment here; by the Yoga-nidrā of the Lord of the universe, by the great Māyā of Hari, the world is thus deluded.
ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा । बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति
Even the minds of the wise, O Devi, are forcibly drawn by that Blessed Goddess; the great Māyā bestows delusion upon them.
तया विसृज्यते विश्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम् । सैषा प्रसन्ना वरदा नृणां भवति मुक्तये
By her, this entire universe, both animate and inanimate, is brought forth; when she is gracious, she grants boons and becomes the means of liberation for people.
सा विद्या परमा मुक्तेर्हेतुभूता सनातनी । संसारबन्धहेतुश्च सैव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरी
She is the supreme knowledge, eternal, the cause of liberation; and she herself is also the cause of bondage in worldly existence, the sovereign of all sovereigns.
भगवन् ! का हि सा देवी महामायेति यां भवान् । ब्रवीति कथमुत्पन्ना सा कर्मास्याश्च किं द्विज
O revered one! Who is that goddess whom you call Mahāmāyā? How did she arise, and what are her deeds, O twice-born?
यत्स्वभावा च सा देवी यत्स्वरूपा यदुद्भवा । तत् सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो ब्रह्मविदां वर
What is the nature of that goddess, what is her essence, and from where did she originate? I wish to hear all this from you, foremost among knowers of Brahman.
नित्यैव सा जगन्मूर्तिस्तया सर्वमिदं ततम् । तथापि तत्समुत्पत्तिर्बहुधा श्रुयतां मम
She is eternally the embodiment of the universe, and by her, all this is pervaded; yet, her origin is recounted in many ways—listen to it from me.
देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थमाविर्भवति सा यदा । उत्पन्नेति तदा लोके सा नित्याप्यभिधीयते
Whenever it is necessary for the accomplishment of the gods’ purposes, she manifests; though eternal, she is said to be born in the world at such times.
योगनिद्रां यदा विष्णुर्जगत्येकार्णवीकृते । आस्तीर्य शेषमभजत् कल्पान्ते भगवान् प्रभुः
When, at the end of the cosmic cycle, the Lord Viṣṇu, having spread out the serpent Śeṣa, reclined in yogic slumber upon the single ocean that was the world,
तदा द्वावसुरौ घोरौ विख्यातौ मधुकैटभौ । विष्णुकर्णमलोद्भूतौ हन्तुं ब्रह्माणमुद्यतौ
Then, two terrible demons, renowned as Madhu and Kaiṭabha, born from the earwax of Viṣṇu, rose up, intent on killing Brahmā.
स नाभिकमले विष्णोः स्थितो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः । दृष्ट्वा तावसुरौ चोग्रौ प्रसुप्तं च जनार्दनम्
Brahmā, the lord of creatures, seated in the lotus arising from Viṣṇu’s navel, saw those fierce demons and Viṣṇu himself deep in sleep.
तुष्टाव योगनिद्रां तामेकाग्रहृदयस्थितः । विबोधनार्थाय हरेर्हरिनेत्रकृतालयाम्
With focused mind, he praised that Yogic Sleep, who dwelt in the eyes of Hari, in order to awaken Hari.
विश्वेश्वरीं जगद्धात्रीं स्थिति-संहारकारिणीम् । निद्रां भगवतीं विष्णोरतुलां तेजसः प्रभुः
He praised the Lady of the Universe, the Sustainer of the world, the one who brings about creation and destruction, the divine Sleep of Viṣṇu, the incomparable power of the Lord.
त्वं स्वाहा त्वं स्वधा त्वं हि वषट्कारः स्वरात्मिका । सुधा त्वमक्षरे नित्ये त्रिधा मात्रात्मिका स्थिता
You are Svāhā, you are Svadhā, you indeed are the Vaṣaṭ call, the essence of sound; you are the immortal nectar, O imperishable and eternal one, established as the threefold measure of speech.
अर्धमात्रा स्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः । त्वमेव सन्ध्या सावित्री त्वं देवि जननी परा
You are the eternal, unuttered half-syllable, especially beyond articulation; you alone are the twilight, the Savitri hymn, and you, O Goddess, are the supreme Mother.
त्वयैव धार्यते सर्वं त्वयैतत्सृज्यते जगत् । त्वयैतत्पाल्यते देवि त्वमत्स्यन्ते च सर्वदा
By you alone is all this sustained; by you this universe is created; by you, O Goddess, this is protected, and you always bring about its dissolution.
विसृष्टौ सृष्टिरूपा त्वं स्थितिरूपा च पालने । तथा संहृतिरूपान्ते जगतो ऽस्य जगन्मये
At creation you are the form of creation, in preservation you are the form of sustenance; likewise, at the end you are the form of dissolution of this universe, O embodiment of the world.
महाविद्या महामाया महामेधा महास्मृतिः । महामोहा च भवती महादेवी महेश्वरी
You are the great knowledge, the great illusion, the great wisdom, the great memory; you are also the great delusion, the great Goddess, the supreme Lady.
प्रकृतिस्त्वञ्च सर्वस्य गुणत्रयविभाविनी । कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिश्च दारुणा
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
You are prosperity, you are sovereignty, you are modesty, you are intelligence marked by understanding; you are bashfulness, nourishment, contentment, peace, and indeed forbearance.
खडिगनी शूलिनी घोरा गदिनी चक्रिणी तथा । शङ्खिनी चापिनी बाण-भुशुण्डी परिघायुधा
Wielder of sword and spear, fearsome, bearing mace and discus, conch-holder, archer, armed with arrows, slings, and iron club.
सौम्या सौम्यतराशेष-सौम्येभ्यस्त्वतिसुन्दरी । परापराणां परमा त्वमेव परमेश्वरी
Gentle, more gentle than all that is gentle, supremely beautiful; you alone are the highest among all that is high and low, O Supreme Lady.
यच्च किञ्चित् क्वचिद्वस्तु सदसद्वाखिलात्मिके । तस्य सर्वस्य या शिक्तिः सा त्वं किं स्तूयते तदा
Whatever thing exists anywhere, whether real or unreal, O essence of all, the power of all that—indeed, you are she; so how can you be praised?
यया त्वया जगत्स्त्रष्टा जगत्पात्यत्ति यो जगत् । सो ऽपि निद्रावशं नीतः कस्त्वां स्तोतुमिहेश्वरः
By you, even the creator, protector, and devourer of the world is overcome by sleep; who then, O Lady, is able to praise you here?
विष्णुः शरीरग्रहणमहामीशान एव च । कारितास्ते यतो ऽतस्त्वां कः स्तोतुं शक्तिमान् भवेत्
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?
सा त्वमित्थं प्रभावैः स्वैरुदारैर्देवि संस्तुता । मोहयैतौ दुराधर्षावसुरो मधुकैटभौ
Thus, O Goddess, praised by your own noble powers, bewilder these two unconquerable demons, Madhu and Kaitabha.
प्रबोधञ्च जगत्स्वामी नीयतामच्युतो लघु । बोधश्च क्रियतामस्य हन्तुमेतौ महासुरौ
Let the Lord of the universe, Achyuta, be quickly awakened, and let awareness be brought to him, so that he may slay these two great demons.
एवं स्तुता तदा देवी तामसी तत्र वेधसा । विष्णोः प्रबोधनार्थाय निहन्तुं मधुकैटभौ
Thus praised by the Creator, the Tamasic Goddess was there, for the purpose of awakening Vishnu, to destroy Madhu and Kaitabha.
नेत्रास्यनासिका-बाहु-हृदयेभ्यस्तथोरसः । निर्गम्य दर्शने तस्थौ ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः
Emerging from the eyes, mouth, nose, arms, heart, and chest of Brahma, the one of unmanifest birth, she stood visible.
उत्तस्थौ च जगन्नाथस्तया मुक्तो जनार्दनः । एकार्णवे ऽहिशयनात्ततः स ददृशे च तौ
Freed by her, Janardana, the Lord of the universe, arose from his serpent-bed in the single ocean, and then he saw those two.