maarkandey uvaach . om vishuddhajnaanadehaay trivedeedivyachakshushe . shreyahpraaptinimittaay namah somaardhadhaarine.
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.
sarvametadvijaaneeyaanmantraanaamabhikeelakam . so'pi kshemamavaapnoti satatan jaapyatatparah.
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.
siddhyantyuchchaatanaadeeni vastooni sakalaanyapi . eten stuvataan deveen stotramaatren 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.
n mantro naushadhan tatr n kinchidapi vidyate . vinaa jaapyen siddhyet sarvamuchchaatanaadikam.
Without the need for any other mantra, medicine, or anything else, all actions like Uchatana are accomplished simply by reciting this.
samagraanyapi siddhyanti lokashankaamimaan harah . kritvaa nimantrayaamaas sarvamevamidan shubham.
Seeing the doubt of the people regarding whether all desires can be fulfilled by this alone, Shiv ji invoked every good into this stotra.
stotran vai chandikaayaastu tachch guptan chakaar sah . samaaptirn ch punyasy taan yathaavanniyantranaam.
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 kshemamavaapnoti sarvamevan n sanshayah . krishnaayaan vaa chaturdashyaamashtamyaan vaa samaahitah.
He undoubtedly attains all well-being. One who recites it with full concentration on the fourteenth or eighth day of the dark fortnight...
dadaati pratigrihnaati naanyathaishaa praseedati . itthanrupen keelen mahaadeven keelitam.
...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 nishkeelaan vidhaayainaan nityan japati sansphutam . s siddhah s ganah so'pi gandharvo jaayate narah.
He who unpins (unlocks) this stotra and recites it clearly every day becomes a Siddha, an attendant of Shiva, and a Gandharva.
n chaivaapyatatastasy bhayan kvaapeeh jaayate . naapamrityuvashan yaati mrito mokshamavaapnuyaat.
Wandering anywhere in this world, he faces no fear. He is never subject to untimely death, and upon death, he attains liberation.
jnaatvaa praarabhy kurveet hyakurvaano vinashyati . tato jnaatvaiv sampoornamidan praarabhyate budhaih.
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.
saubhaagyaadi ch yatkinchid drishyate lalanaajane . tatsarvan tatprasaaden ten jaapyamidan shubham.
Whatever good fortune, beauty, and other qualities are seen in women are all by Her grace. Therefore, this stotra should be recited.
shanaistu japyamaane'smin stotre sampattiruchchakaih . bhavatyev samagraapi tatah praarabhyamev tat.
When this stotra is recited softly and steadily, it brings immense wealth and all-round prosperity. Hence, one must certainly undertake its recitation.
aishvaryan yatprasaaden saubhaagyaarogyasampadah . shatruhaanih paro mokshah stooyate saa n kin janaih.
By Her grace, one attains sovereignty, good fortune, health, wealth, destruction of enemies, and supreme liberation. Why should She not be praised by people?
chandikaan hridayenaapi yah smaret satatan narah . hridyan kaamamavaapnoti hridi devee sadaa 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'mun mahaadevakritan keelakavaaranam . nishkeelanch tathaa kritvaa pathitavyan samaahitaih.
First, one should remove this pin (Keelaka) created by Mahadev. Having unlocked it thus, one should read the text with a concentrated mind.