ऋषिरुवाच ॥
१ ॥
The Rishi said:
एतत्ते कथितं भूप देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।
एवंप्रभावा सा देवी ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥
२ ॥
O King, I have told you this highest telling of the Devi's glory. Such is the power of the Devi by whom this world is upheld.
विद्या तथैव क्रियते भगवद्विष्णुमायया ।
तया त्वमेष वैश्यश्च तथैवान्ये विवेकिनः ॥
३ ॥
Knowledge too is brought about by Her, the maya of Bhagavan Vishnu. By Her you, this merchant and others who discern…
मोह्यन्ते मोहिताश्चैव मोहमेष्यन्ति चापरे ।
तामुपैहि महाराज शरणं परमेश्वरीम् ॥
४ ॥
…are deluded, have been deluded, and others yet will be. Go to Her for refuge, great King, to the Supreme Ruler.
आराधिता सैव नृणां भोगस्वर्गापवर्गदा ॥
५ ॥
When She is adored, She alone gives people enjoyment, heaven and liberation.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥
६ ॥
Markandeya said:
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सुरथः स नराधिपः ॥
७ ॥
Hearing these words of the Rishi, Suratha, ruler of men…
प्रणिपत्य महाभागं तमृषिं शंसितव्रतम् ।
निर्विण्णोऽतिममत्वेन राज्यापहरणेन च ॥
८ ॥
…bowed low before that great Rishi, whose vrats are praised. Weary of the world through his deep attachment and the loss of his kingdom…
जगाम सद्यस्तपसे स च वैश्यो महामुने ।
सन्दर्शनार्थमम्बाया नदीपुलिनसंस्थितः ॥
९ ॥
…he went at once to practise tapas, O great muni, and so did the merchant; and to see Amba face to face, he stayed on the sandy bank of a river.
स च वैश्यस्तपस्तेपे देवीसूक्तं परं जपन् ।
तौ तस्मिन् पुलिने देव्याः कृत्वा मूर्तिं महीमयीम् ॥
१० ॥
And the merchant practised tapas, saying the supreme Devi Sukta. On that river bank the two of them made a murti of the Devi out of earth…
अर्हणां चक्रतुस्तस्याः पुष्पधूपाग्नितर्पणैः ।
निराहारौ यताहारौ तन्मनस्कौ समाहितौ ॥
११ ॥
…and gave Her puja with flowers, incense, fire and offerings of water. Eating little, then nothing at all, their minds on Her alone and wholly collected…
ददतुस्तौ बलिं चैव निजगात्रासृगुक्षितम् ।
एवं समाराधयतोस्त्रिभिर्वर्षैर्यतात्मनोः ॥
१२ ॥
…they offered Her bali sprinkled with blood from their own bodies. When they had adored Her thus, self-restrained, for three years…
परितुष्टा जगद्धात्री प्रत्यक्षं प्राह चण्डिका ॥
१३ ॥
…Chandika, who upholds the world, was well pleased, and appearing before them, She spoke.
देव्युवाच ॥
१४ ॥
The Devi said:
यत्प्रार्थ्यते त्वया भूप त्वया च कुलनन्दन ।
मत्तस्तत्प्राप्यतां सर्वं परितुष्टा ददामि तत् ॥
१५ ॥
‘O King, and you, the joy of your family: whatever you ask for, take it all from Me. I am well pleased, and I give it.’
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥
१६ ॥
Markandeya said:
ततो वव्रे नृपो राज्यमविभ्रंश्यन्यजन्मनि ।
अत्रैव च निजं राज्यं हतशत्रुबलं बलात् ॥
१७ ॥
Then the king asked for a kingdom that would not fall even in another life, and in this very life his own kingdom back, the strength of his enemies broken by force.
सोऽपि वैश्यस्ततो ज्ञानं वव्रे निर्विण्णमानसः ।
ममेत्यहमिति प्राज्ञः सङ्गविच्युतिकारकम् ॥
१८ ॥
And the merchant, wise, his mind turned away from the world, asked for the knowledge that ends attachment, the sense of 'mine' and 'I'.
देव्युवाच ॥
१९ ॥
The Devi said:
स्वल्पैरहोभिर्नृपते स्वं राज्यं प्राप्स्यते भवान् ॥
२० ॥
‘O King, in a few days you will win back your own kingdom.’
हत्वा रिपूनस्खलितं तव तत्र भविष्यति ॥
२१ ॥
‘You will slay your enemies, and your rule there will stand unshaken.’
मृतश्च भूयः सम्प्राप्य जन्म देवाद्विवस्वतः ॥
२२ ॥
‘And after death you will be born again of the deva Vivasvan, the Sun…’
सावर्णिको नाम मनुर्भवान् भुवि भविष्यति ॥
२३ ॥
‘…and on earth you will be the Manu named Savarni.’
वैश्यवर्य त्वया यश्च वरोऽस्मत्तोऽभिवाञ्छितः ॥
२४ ॥
‘And you, best of merchants, the boon you have wished for from Me…’
तं प्रयच्छामि संसिद्ध्यै तव ज्ञानं भविष्यति ॥
२५ ॥
‘…I grant, for your liberation: true knowledge will be yours.’
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥
२६ ॥
Markandeya said:
इति दत्त्वा तयोर्देवी यथाभिलषितं वरम् ॥
२७ ॥
Having granted each of them the boon they wished for…
बभूवान्तर्हिता सद्यो भक्त्या ताभ्यामभिष्टुता ।
एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः ॥
२८ ॥
…the Devi vanished at once, as the two of them praised Her in bhakti. And so, having won this boon from the Devi, Suratha, foremost of kshatriyas…
सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः ॥
२९ ॥
…will be born of the Sun, and will be the Manu Savarni.