mārkaṇḍeya uvāca . oṁ viśuddhajñānadehāya trivedīdivyacakṣuṣe . śreyaḥprāptinimittāya namaḥ somārdhadhāriṇe.
Sage Markandeya said: Om. Salutations to Shiv ji, who wears the crescent moon, whose body is pure knowledge, whose three divine eyes are the three Vedas, and who is the cause of every good.
sarvametadvijānīyānmantrāṇāmabhikīlakam . so'pi kṣemamavāpnoti satataṁ jāpyatatparaḥ.
One should know that this stotra is the pin (Keelaka) that locks all the mantras. He who constantly devotes himself to reciting it attains peace and well-being.
siddhyantyuccāṭanādīni vastūni sakalānyapi . etena stuvatāṁ devīṁ stotramātreṇa siddhyati.
All actions like Uchatana (eradication of enemies) and other desires are accomplished. For those who praise the Devi with this stotra alone, everything is achieved.
na mantro nauṣadhaṁ tatra na kiñcidapi vidyate . vinā jāpyena siddhyeta sarvamuccāṭanādikam.
Without the need for any other mantra, medicine, or anything else, all actions like Uchatana are accomplished simply by reciting this.
samagrāṇyapi siddhyanti lokaśaṅkāmimāṁ haraḥ . kr̥tvā nimantrayāmāsa sarvamevamidaṁ śubham.
Seeing the doubt of the people regarding whether all desires can be fulfilled by this alone, Shiv ji invoked every good into this stotra.
stotraṁ vai caṇḍikāyāstu tacca guptaṁ cakāra saḥ . samāptirna ca puṇyasya tāṁ yathāvanniyantraṇām.
He kept this stotra of Devi Chandika a secret. The merit of reciting it never exhausts, provided one follows the proper rules of recitation.
so'pi kṣemamavāpnoti sarvamevaṁ na saṁśayaḥ . kr̥ṣṇāyāṁ vā caturdaśyāmaṣṭamyāṁ vā samāhitaḥ.
He undoubtedly attains all well-being. One who recites it with full concentration on the fourteenth or eighth day of the dark fortnight...
dadāti pratigr̥hṇāti nānyathaiṣā prasīdati . itthaṁrupeṇa kīlena mahādevena kīlitam.
...and offers everything to the Devi and receives it back as Her grace, pleases Her; She is not pleased otherwise. In this way, it has been pinned (locked) by Mahadev.
yo niṣkīlāṁ vidhāyaināṁ nityaṁ japati saṁsphuṭam . sa siddhaḥ sa gaṇaḥ so'pi gandharvo jāyate naraḥ.
He who unpins (unlocks) this stotra and recites it clearly every day becomes a Siddha, an attendant of Shiva, and a Gandharva.
na caivāpyaṭatastasya bhayaṁ kvāpīha jāyate . nāpamr̥tyuvaśaṁ yāti mr̥to mokṣamavāpnuyāt.
Wandering anywhere in this world, he faces no fear. He is never subject to untimely death, and upon death, he attains liberation.
jñātvā prārabhya kurvīta hyakurvāṇo vinaśyati . tato jñātvaiva sampūrṇamidaṁ prārabhyate budhaiḥ.
One must begin the recitation only after knowing this procedure of unlocking; failing to do so brings ruin. Therefore, the wise begin it only after knowing this completely.
saubhāgyādi ca yatkiñcid dr̥śyate lalanājane . tatsarvaṁ tatprasādena tena jāpyamidaṁ śubham.
Whatever good fortune, beauty, and other qualities are seen in women are all by Her grace. Therefore, this stotra should be recited.
śanaistu japyamāne'smin stotre sampattiruccakaiḥ . bhavatyeva samagrāpi tataḥ prārabhyameva tat.
When this stotra is recited softly and steadily, it brings immense wealth and all-round prosperity. Hence, one must certainly undertake its recitation.
aiśvaryaṁ yatprasādena saubhāgyārogyasampadaḥ . śatruhāniḥ paro mokṣaḥ stūyate sā na kiṁ janaiḥ.
By Her grace, one attains sovereignty, good fortune, health, wealth, destruction of enemies, and supreme liberation. Why should She not be praised by people?
caṇḍikāṁ hr̥dayenāpi yaḥ smaret satataṁ naraḥ . hr̥dyaṁ kāmamavāpnoti hr̥di devī sadā vaset.
The person who constantly remembers Devi Chandika in his heart attains his heart's desires, and the Devi always resides in his heart.
agrato'muṁ mahādevakr̥taṁ kīlakavāraṇam . niṣkīlañca tathā kr̥tvā paṭhitavyaṁ samāhitaiḥ.
First, one should remove this pin (Keelaka) created by Mahadev. Having unlocked it thus, one should read the text with a concentrated mind.