rishiruvaach . 1 .
The Rishi said:
etatte kathitan bhoop deveemaahaatmyamuttamam . evanprabhaavaa saa devee yayedan dhaaryate jagat . 2 .
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.
vidyaa tathaiv kriyate bhagavadvishnumaayayaa . tayaa tvamesh vaishyashch tathaivaanye vivekinah . 3 .
Knowledge too is brought about by Her, the maya of Bhagavan Vishnu. By Her you, this merchant and others who discern…
mohyante mohitaashchaiv mohameshyanti chaapare . taamupaihi mahaaraaj sharanan parameshvareem . 4 .
…are deluded, have been deluded, and others yet will be. Go to Her for refuge, great King, to the Supreme Ruler.
aaraadhitaa saiv nrinaan bhogasvargaapavargadaa . 5 .
When She is adored, She alone gives people enjoyment, heaven and liberation.
maarkandey uvaach . 6 .
Markandeya said:
iti tasy vachah shrutvaa surathah s naraadhipah . 7 .
Hearing these words of the Rishi, Suratha, ruler of men…
pranipaty mahaabhaagan tamrishin shansitavratam . nirvinno'timamatven raajyaapaharanen ch . 8 .
…bowed low before that great Rishi, whose vrats are praised. Weary of the world through his deep attachment and the loss of his kingdom…
jagaam sadyastapase s ch vaishyo mahaamune . sandarshanaarthamambaayaa nadeepulinasansthitah . 9 .
…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.
s ch vaishyastapastepe deveesooktan paran japan . tau tasmin puline devyaah kritvaa moortin maheemayeem . 10 .
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…
arhanaan chakratustasyaah pushpadhoopaagnitarpanaih . niraahaarau yataahaarau tanmanaskau samaahitau . 11 .
…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…
dadatustau balin chaiv nijagaatraasrigukshitam . evan samaaraadhayatostribhirvarshairyataatmanoh . 12 .
…they offered Her bali sprinkled with blood from their own bodies. When they had adored Her thus, self-restrained, for three years…
paritushtaa jagaddhaatree pratyakshan praah chandikaa . 13 .
…Chandika, who upholds the world, was well pleased, and appearing before them, She spoke.
devyuvaach . 14 .
The Devi said:
yatpraarthyate tvayaa bhoop tvayaa ch kulanandan . mattastatpraapyataan sarvan paritushtaa dadaami tat . 15 .
‘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.’
maarkandey uvaach . 16 .
Markandeya said:
tato vavre nripo raajyamavibhranshyanyajanmani . atraiv ch nijan raajyan hatashatrubalan balaat . 17 .
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.
so'pi vaishyastato jnaanan vavre nirvinnamaanasah . mametyahamiti praajnah sangavichyutikaarakam . 18 .
And the merchant, wise, his mind turned away from the world, asked for the knowledge that ends attachment, the sense of 'mine' and 'I'.
devyuvaach . 19 .
The Devi said:
svalpairahobhirnripate svan raajyan praapsyate bhavaan . 20 .
‘O King, in a few days you will win back your own kingdom.’
hatvaa ripoonaskhalitan tav tatr bhavishyati . 21 .
‘You will slay your enemies, and your rule there will stand unshaken.’
mritashch bhooyah sampraapy janm devaadvivasvatah . 22 .
‘And after death you will be born again of the deva Vivasvan, the Sun…’
saavarniko naam manurbhavaan bhuvi bhavishyati . 23 .
‘…and on earth you will be the Manu named Savarni.’
vaishyavary tvayaa yashch varo'smatto'bhivaanchhitah . 24 .
‘And you, best of merchants, the boon you have wished for from Me…’
tan prayachchhaami sansiddhyai tav jnaanan bhavishyati . 25 .
‘…I grant, for your liberation: true knowledge will be yours.’
maarkandey uvaach . 26 .
Markandeya said:
iti dattvaa tayordevee yathaabhilashitan varam . 27 .
Having granted each of them the boon they wished for…
babhoovaantarhitaa sadyo bhaktyaa taabhyaamabhishtutaa . evan devyaa varan labdhvaa surathah kshatriyarshabhah . 28 .
…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…
sooryaajjanm samaasaady saavarnirbhavitaa manuh . 29 .
…will be born of the Sun, and will be the Manu Savarni.