r̥ṣiruvāca.
The Rishi said:
śakrādayaḥ suragaṇā nihate'tivīrye tasmindurātmani surāribale ca devyā . tāṁ tuṣṭuvuḥ praṇatinamraśirodharāṁsā vāgbhiḥ praharṣapulakodgamacārudehāḥ.
When that most valiant but evil-natured Mahishasura and the army of that foe of the devas were destroyed by the Devi, Indra and the hosts of devas uttered their words of praise, their necks and shoulders reverently bent, and bodies rendered beautiful with horripilation and exultation.
devyā yayā tatamidaṁ jagadātmaśaktyā niśśeṣadevagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā . tāmambikāmakhiladevamaharṣipūjyāṁ bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ.
To that Ambika who is honoured by all devas and sages and pervades this world by her power and who is the embodiment of the entire powers of all the hosts of devas, we bow in devotion. May she grant us what is good!
yasyāḥ prabhāvamatulaṁ bhagavānananto brahmā haraśca na hi vaktumalaṁ balaṁ ca . sā caṇḍikākhilajagatparipālanāya nāśāya cāśubhabhayasya matiṁ karotu.
May Chandika, whose incomparable greatness and power Bhagavan Vishnu, Brahma and Hara are unable to describe, bestow her mind on protecting the entire world and on destroying the fear of evil.
yā śrīḥ svayaṁ sukr̥tināṁ bhavaneṣvalakṣmīḥ pāpātmanāṁ kr̥tadhiyāṁ hr̥dayeṣu buddhiḥ . śraddhā satāṁ kulajanaprabhavasya lajjā tāṁ tvāṁ natāḥ sma paripālaya devi viśvam.
O Devi, we bow before you, who are yourself prosperity in the dwellings of the virtuous, ill-fortune in those of the vicious, intelligence in the hearts of the learned, faith in the hearts of the good, and modesty in the hearts of the high-born. May you protect the universe!
kiṁ varṇayāma tava rūpamacintyametat kiṁ cātivīryamasurakṣayakāri bhūri . kiṁ cāhaveṣu caritāni tavādbhutāni sarveṣu devyasuradevagaṇādikeṣu.
O Devi, how can we describe your inconceivable form, or your abundant surpassing valour that destroys the asuras, or your wonderful feats displayed in battles among all the hosts of gods, asuras and others?
hetuḥ samastajagatāṁ triguṇāpi doṣair na jñāyase hariharādibhirapyapārā . sarvāśrayākhilamidaṁ jagadaṁśabhūtam avyākr̥tā hi paramā prakr̥tistvamādyā.
You are the origin of all the worlds! Though you are possessed of the three gunas you are not known to have any of their attendant defects! You are incomprehensible even to Vishnu, Shiva and others! You are the resort of all! This entire world is composed of an infinitesimal portion of yourself! You are verily the supreme primordial Prakriti untransformed.
yasyāḥ samastasuratā samudīraṇena tr̥ptiṁ prayāti sakaleṣu makheṣu devi . svāhāsi vai pitr̥gaṇasya ca tr̥ptihetur uccāryase tvamata eva janaiḥ svadhā ca.
O Devi, you are Svaha at whose utterance the whole assemblage of gods attains satisfaction in all the sacrifices. You are the Svadha which gives satisfaction to the manes. Therefore you are recited by people.
yā muktiheturavicintyamahāvratā tvam abhyasyase suniyatendriyatattvasāraiḥ . mokṣārthibhirmunibhirastasamastadoṣair vidyāsi sā bhagavatī paramā hi devi.
O Devi, you are the supreme knowledge, the cause of liberation, and of inconceivable great penance. You are cultivated by sages desiring liberation, whose senses are well restrained, who are devoted to the reality, and have shed all their blemishes.
śabdātmikā suvimalargyajuṣāṁ nidhānam udgītharamyapadapāṭhavatāṁ ca sāmnām . devī trayī bhagavatī bhavabhāvanāya vārtā ca sarvajagatāṁ paramārtihantrī.
You are the soul of Brahman. You are the repository of the very pure Rig-veda and Yajus stotra, and of Samans, the recital of whose words is beautiful with the Udgitha! You are Bhagavati embodying the three Vedas. And you are the sustenance whereby life is maintained. You are the supreme destroyer of the pain of all the worlds.
medhāsi devi viditākhilaśāstrasārā durgāsi durgabhavasāgaranaurasaṅgā . śrīḥ kaiṭabhārihr̥dayaikakr̥tādhivāsā gaurī tvameva śaśimaulikr̥tapratiṣṭhā.
O Devi, you are the Intellect, by which the essence of all scriptures is comprehended. You are Durga, the boat that takes men across the difficult ocean of worldly existence, devoid of attachments. You are Shri, who has invariably taken her abode in the heart of Vishnu. You are indeed Gauri, who has established herself with Shiva.
īṣatsahāsamamalaṁ paripūrṇacandra bimbānukāri kanakottamakāntikāntam . atyadbhutaṁ prahr̥tamāttaruṣā tathāpi vaktraṁ vilokya sahasā mahiṣeṇa sadyaḥ.
Gently smiling, pure, resembling the full moon's orb, beautiful like the splendour of excellent gold was your face! Yet it was very strange that, being swayed by anger, Mahishasura suddenly struck your face when he saw it.
dr̥ṣṭvā tu devi kupitaṁ bhrukuṭīkarālam udyacchaśāṅkasadr̥śacchavi yanna sadyaḥ . prāṇānmumoca mahiṣastadatīva citraṁ kairjīvyate hi kupitāntakadarśanena.
Greatly strange it is that when Mahishasura saw your wrathful face, O Devi, terrible with its frowns and red in hue like the rising moon, he did not at once give up his life! For, who can live after beholding the enraged Destroyer?
devi prasīda paramā bhavatī bhavāya sadyo vināśayasi kopavatī kulāni . vijñātametadadhunaiva yadastametan nītaṁ balaṁ suvipulaṁ mahiṣāsurasya.
O Devi, be propitious. You are Supreme. If enraged, you forthwith destroy the asura families for the welfare of the world. This was known this very moment when the vast forces of Mahishasura were brought to their end.
te sammatā janapadeṣu dhanāni teṣāṁ teṣāṁ yaśāṁsi na ca sīdati dharmavargaḥ . dhanyāsta eva nibhr̥tātmajabhr̥tyadārā yeṣāṁ sadābhyudayadā bhavatī prasannā.
You who are always a bestower of prosperity, with whom you are well pleased, those fortunate ones are indeed highly honoured in the country, theirs are riches, theirs are glories, and their acts of righteousness perish not; they are indeed blessed and possessed of devoted children, servants and wives.
dharmyāṇi devi sakalāni sadaiva karmāṇyatyādr̥taḥ pratidinaṁ sukr̥tī karoti . svargaṁ prayāti ca tato bhavatīprasādāl lokatraye'pi phaladā nanu devi tena.
By your grace, O Devi, the blessed individual does daily all righteous acts with utmost care and thereby goes to heaven. Are you not, therefore O Devi, the bestower of reward in all the three worlds?
durge smr̥tā harasi bhītim aśeṣajantoḥ svasthaiḥ smr̥tā matimatīva śubhāṁ dadāsi . dāridryaduḥkhabhayahāriṇi kā tvadanyā sarvopakārakaraṇāya sadārdracittā.
When called to mind in a difficult pass, you remove fear for every person. When called to mind by those in happiness, you bestow a mind still further pious. Which devi but you, O Dispeller of poverty, pain and fear, has an ever sympathetic heart for helping everyone?
ebhirhatairjagadupaiti sukhaṁ tathaite kurvantu nāma narakāya cirāya pāpam . saṅgrāmamr̥tyumadhigamya divaṁ prayāntu matveti nūnamahitān vinihaṁsi devi.
The world attains happiness by the killing of these foes and though these asuras have committed sins to keep them long in hell, let them reach heaven by meeting death eventually at the battle with me - thinking thus, that you, O Devi, certainly destroy our enemies.
dr̥ṣṭvaiva kiṁ na bhavatī prakaroti bhasma sarvāsurānariṣu yatprahiṇoṣi śastram . lokān prayāntu ripavo'pi hi śastrapūtā itthaṁ matirbhavati teṣvapi te'tisādhvī.
Don't you reduce to ashes all asuras by mere sight? But you direct your weapons against them so that even the enemies, purified by the missiles, may attain the heavenly worlds. Such is your most kindly intention towards them.
khaḍgaprabhānikaravisphuraṇaistathograiḥ śūlāgrakāntinivahena dr̥śo'surāṇām . yannāgatā vilayamaṁśumadindukhaṇḍa yogyānanaṁ tava vilokayatāṁ tadetat.
If the eyes of the asuras had not been put out by the terrible flashes of the mass of light issuing from your sword or by the copious lustre of your spearhead, it is because they saw also your face resembling a portion of the moon, giving out cool rays.
durvr̥ttavr̥ttaśamanaṁ tava devi śīlaṁ rūpaṁ tathaitadavicintyamatulyamanyaiḥ . vīryaṁ ca hantr̥ hr̥tadevaparākramāṇāṁ vairiṣvapi prakaṭitaiva dayā tvayettham.
O Devi, your nature is to subdue the conduct of the wicked; this your peerless beauty is inconceivable for others; your power destroys those who have robbed the devas of their prowess, and you have thus manifested your compassion even towards the enemies.
kenopamā bhavatu te'sya parākramasya rūpaṁ ca śatrubhayakāryatihāri kutra . citte kr̥pā samaraniṣṭhuratā ca dr̥ṣṭā tvayyeva devi varade bhuvanatraye'pi.
What is your prowess to be compared to? Where can one find this beauty (of yours) most charming, (yet) striking fear in enemies? Compassion in heart and relentlessness in battle are seen, O Devi, O Bestower of boons, only in you in all the three worlds.
trailokyametadakhilaṁ ripunāśanena trātaṁ tvayā samaramūrdhani te'pi hatvā . nītā divaṁ ripugaṇā bhayamapyapāstamasmākamunmadasurāribhavaṁ namaste.
Through the destruction of the enemies all these three worlds have been saved by you. Having killed them in the battle-front, you have led even those hosts of enemies to heaven, and you have dispelled our fear from the frenzied enemies of the devas. Salutation to you!
śūlena pāhi no devi pāhi khaḍgena cāmbike . ghaṇṭāsvanena naḥ pāhi cāpajyāniḥsvanena ca.
O Devi, protect us with your spear. O Ambika, protect us with your sword, protect us by the sound of your bell and by the twang of your bow-string.
prācyāṁ rakṣa pratīcyāṁ ca caṇḍike rakṣa dakṣiṇe . bhrāmaṇenātmaśūlasya uttarasyāṁ tatheśvari.
O Chandika, guard us in the east, in the west, in the north and in the south by the brandishing of your spear, O Iswari!
saumyāni yāni rūpāṇi trailokye vicaranti te . yāni cātyarthaghorāṇi tai rakṣāsmāṁstathā bhuvam.
Protect us and the earth with those lovely forms of yours moving about in the three worlds, as also with your exceptionally terrible forms.
khaḍgaśūlagadādīni yāni cāstrāṇi te'mbike . karapallavasaṅgīni tairasmān rakṣa sarvataḥ.
O Ambika, protect us on every side with your sword, spear and club and whatever other weapons your sprout-like (soft) hand has touched.
r̥ṣiruvāca.
The Rishi said:
evaṁ stutā surairdivyaiḥ kusumairnandanodbhavaiḥ . arcitā jagatāṁ dhātrī tathā gandhānulepanaiḥ.
Thus the supporter of the worlds was praised by the devas, given puja with celestial flowers that blossomed in Nandana and with perfumes and unguents;
bhaktyā samastaistridaśairdivyairdhūpaiḥ sudhūpitā . prāha prasādasumukhī samastān praṇatān surān.
and with devotion all of them offered her heavenly incense. Benignly serene in countenance she spoke to all obeisant devas.
devyuvāca.
The Devi said:
vriyatāṁ tridaśāḥ sarve yadasmatto'bhivāñchitam.
Choose all of you, O devas, whatever you desire of me.
devā ūcuḥ.
The devas said:
bhagavatyā kr̥taṁ sarvaṁ na kiñcidavaśiṣyate . yadayaṁ nihataḥ śatrurasmākaṁ mahiṣāsuraḥ.
Since our enemy, this Mahishasura, has been slain by Bhagavati (i.e. you) everything has been accomplished, and nothing remains to be done.
yadi cāpi varo deyastvayāsmākaṁ maheśvari . saṁsmr̥tā saṁsmr̥tā tvaṁ no hiṁsethāḥ paramāpadaḥ.
And if a boon is to be granted to us by you, O Mahesvari, whenever we think of you again, destroy our direct calamities.
yaśca martyaḥ stavairebhistvāṁ stoṣyatyamalānane . tasya vittardhivibhavairdhanadārādisampadām.
O Mother of spotless countenance, and whatever mortal shall praise you with these stotra,
vr̥ddhaye'smatprasannā tvaṁ bhavethāḥ sarvadāmbike.
may you, who have become gracious towards us, be also propitious to him for his increase in wealth, wife, and other prosperities.
r̥ṣiruvāca.
The Rishi said:
iti prasāditā devairjagato'rthe tathā''tmanaḥ . tathetyuktvā bhadrakālī babhūvāntarhitā nr̥pa.
O King, being thus propitiated by the devas for the sake of the world and for their own sake, Bhadrakali said, 'Be it so' and vanished from sight.
ityetatkathitaṁ bhūpa sambhūtā sā yathā purā . devī devaśarīrebhyo jagattrayahitaiṣiṇī.
Thus have I narrated, O King, how the Devi who desires the good of all the three worlds made her appearance of yore out of the bodies of the devas.
punaśca gaurīdehātsā samudbhūtā yathābhavat. vadhāya duṣṭadaityānāṁ tathā śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ.
And again how she emerged from the body of Gauri for the slaying of the wicked asuras as well as Sumbha and Nisumbha,
rakṣaṇāya ca lokānāṁ devānāmupakāriṇī . tacchr̥ṇuṣva mayākhyātaṁ yathāvatkathayāmi te.
and for the protection of the worlds, as a benefactress of the devas, listen as I relate it. I shall tell it to you exactly as it happened.