THE DEVI-MAHATMYAM ENGLISH TRANSLATION FULL

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THE DEVI-MAHATMYAM

 

700 Slokas on Sri Durga from MarkaNDeya PuraaNa

 

deva~ ma`ha`tmyau " Reading to be done during navara`tri. 1

 

CHAPTER 1 The slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha

 

Meditation of Mahakali I resort to Mahakali, who has ten faces, ten

legs and holds in her hands the sword, disc, mace, arrows, bow, club,

spear, missile, human head and conch, who is threeeyed, adorned with

ornaments on all her limbs, and luminous like a blue jewel, and whom

Brahma extolled in order to destroy Madhu and Kaitabha, when Vishnu

was in (mystic) sleep.

 

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Navaratri is celebrated four times a year. They are Ashada

 

Navaratri, the Sharada Navaratri, the Maha Navaratri and the Vasantha

Navaratri. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri of the month of Puratashi

and the Vasantha Navaratri of the Vasantha kala are very important.

If you refer to the agni purana, then it is said that the Puratashi

and Panguni (in Tamil months) i.e. Asvin and Chaitra are like the two

jaws of Lord Yama. If one wants to escape the mouth of Yama, then one

should celebrate Navaratri on these two occasions. A similar analogy

is presented in the devi bhagavatam. Devi bhagavatam also talks in

detail on how one should observe fasts, and how one should

meditate/work on these days.

 

According to legend, Durga sat on the tip of a needle for nine days,

doing a severe penance to destroy the evil Asura Mahisha. On the

first three days, she meditated as Herself, the next three days as

Mahalakshmi and the last three days as Sarasvati. This signifies

progression from tamsik, to rajasik to satvik and eventually

obtaining liberation. The tenth day during Sharada Navaratri is

called vijayadashami to signify the victory on the day of dashami.

 

It is, however, a long tradition that one reads the devibhagavatam or

the devi mahatmyam (Durga saptasati, 700 verses on Durga) during this

period. Devi bhagavatam notes that Rama meditated and fasted for nine

days after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. There are numerous such

incidents on how people's wishes were granted.

 

The reading of Devi Maahaatmyam during Navaraatri is to be done

follows: Chapter 1 (Madhu kaitabha samhaara) is to be read for 1st

day, ch 2 thru 4 (Mahishhasura samhaara) to be read on 2nd day, ch 5

and 6 (Dhuumralochana vadha) on the 3rd day, ch 7 (Chanda Munda

vadha) on 4th day, ch 8(Rakta biija samhaara) on 5th day, ch 9 and 10

(Shumbha Nishumbha vadha) on 6th day, ch 11(Praise of Narayani) on

7th day, ch 12 (Phalastuti) on 8th day, ch 13 (Blessings to Suratha

and the Merchant)on 9th day ch 14 (aparaadha xamaapaNa) on 10th day

Based on emails from S. A. Bhandarkar and M. Giridhar

 

Markandeya said ( to his disciple Krasustuki Bhaguri): 1-3. Savarni,

 

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son of Surya, is called the eighth Manu.

 

Listen , while I describe in detail about his birth, how Savarni,

illustrious son of Surya, became the lord of the (eighth) Manvantara

 

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by the grace of Mahamaya

 

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..

 

4-5. In former times there was a king named Suratha, born of the

Chitra dynasty, ruling over the whole world in the period of

Svarocisa. He protected his subjects dul6y like his own children. At

that time the kings, who were the destroyers of the c, became his

enemies.

 

6-7. He, the wielder of powerful weapons, fought a battle with the

destroyers of Kolas, but was defeated by them though they were a

small force. Then he returned to his own city, and ruled over his won

country. Then that illustrious king was attacked by those powerful

enemies.

 

8-9. Even in his own city, the king, (now) bereft of strength, was

robbed of his treasury and army by his own powerful, vicious and evil-

disposed ministers. Thereafter, deprived of this sovereignty, the

king left alone on horse-back for a dense forest, under the pretext

of hunting.

 

10-11. He saw there the hermitage of Medhas- the supreme among the

twice-born - inhabited by wild animals which were peaceful, and

graced by the disciples of the sage. Entertained by the sage, Suratha

spent some time moving about in the hermitage of the great sage.

 

12-16. There then overcome with attachment, he fell into the

thought, 'I do not know whether the capital (which was) well guarded

by my ancestors and recently deserted by me is being guarded

righteously or not by my servants of evil conduct. I do not know what

enjoyments my chief elephant, heroic and always elated, and now

fallen into the hands of my foes, will get. Those who were my

constant followers and received favor, riches and food from me, now

certainly pay homage to other kings. The treasure which I gathered

with great care will be squandered by those constant spendthrifts,

who

 

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Savarni was so called because he was the son of Savarna,

 

Surya's wife. He became King Suratha in the second (Svarocisa)

manvantara.

 

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One cycle of creation is divided into fourteen manvantaras.

 

The period ruled over by one Manu is called a Manvantara. There are,

therefore, fourteen Manus as follows: Svayambhuva, Svarocisa, Uttama,

Tamasa, Raivata, Caksusa, Vaivasvata, Savarni, Daksha-savarni, Brahma-

savarni, Dharma-savarni, Rudra-savarni, Deva-savarni, and Indra-

savarni.

 

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One of the names of the Divine Mother.

 

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are addicted to improper expenditures.' 17-19. The king was

continually thinking of these and other things. Near the hermitage of

the Brahamana he saw a merchant, and asked him: 'Ho! Who are you?

What is the reason for your coming here? Wherefore do you appear as

if afflicted with grief and depressed in mind?' Hearing this speech

of the king, uttered in a friendly spirit, the merchant bowed

respectfully and replied to the king.

 

The merchant said: 20-25. 'I am a merchant named Samadhi, born in a

wealthy family. I have been cast out by my sons and wife, who are

wicked through greed of wealth. My wife and sons have misappropriated

my riches, and made me devoid of wealth. Cast out by my trusted

kinsmen, I have come to the forest grief-stricken. Dwelling here, I

do not know anything as regards good of bad of my sons, kinsmen and

wife. At present is welfare or ill-luck theirs at home? How are they?

Are my sons living good or evil lives?'

 

The king said: 26-28. 'Why is your mind affectionately attached to

those covetous folk, your sons, wife and others, who have deprived

you of your wealth?'

 

The merchant said: 29-34. 'This very thought has occurred to me, just

as you have uttered it. What can I do? My mind does not become hard;

it bears deep affection to those very persons who have driven me out

in their greed for wealth, abandoning love for a father and

attachment to one's master and kinsmen. I do not comprehend although,

I know it. O noble hearted king, how it is that the mind is prone to

love even towards worthless kinsmen. On account of them I heave heavy

sighs and feel dejected. What can I do since my mind does not become

hard towards those unloving ones?

 

Markandeya said: 35-38. Then O Brahmana, the merchant Samadhi and the

noble king together approached the sage (Medhas); and after observing

the etiquette worthy of him and as was proper, they sat down and

conversed (with him ) on some topics.

 

The king said: 39-45. 'Sir, I wish to ask you one thing. Be pleased

to reply to it. Without the control of my intellect, my mind is

afflicted with sorrow. Though I have lost the kingdom, like an

ignorant man- though I know it- I have an attachment to all the

paraphernalia of my kingdom.

 

How is this, O best of sages? And this merchant has been disowned by

this children, wife and servants, and forsaken by his own people;

still he is inordinately affectionate towards them. Thus both he and

I, drawn by attachment towards objects whose defects we do know, are

exceedingly unhappy. How this happens, then, sir, that though we are

aware of it, this delusion comes? This delusion besets me as well as

him, blinded as we are in respect of discrimination.'

 

The Rishi said: 46-49. Sir, every being has the knowledge of objects

perceivable by the senses. And object of sense reaches it in various

ways. Some beings are blind by day, and others are blind by night;

some beings have equal sight both by day and night. Human beings are

certainly endowed with knowledge, but they are not the only beings (

to be so endowed), for cattle, birds, animals and other creatures

also cognize (objects of senses).

 

50-58. The knowledge that men have, birds and beasts too have; and

what they have men also possess; and the rest (like eating and

sleeping) is common to both of them. Look at these birds, which

though they possess knowledge, and are themselves distressed by

hunger are yet, because of the delusion, engaged in dropping grains

into the beaks of their young ones. Human beings are, O tiger among

men, attached to their children because of greed for return help. Do

you not see this? Even so men are hurled into the whirlpool of

attachment, the pit of delusion, through the power of Mahamaya ( the

Great Illusion), who makes the existence of the world possible.

Marvel not at this. this Mahamaya is the Yoganidra, of Vishnu, the

Lord of the world. It is by her the world is deluded. Verily she, the

Bhagavati, the Mahamaya forcibly drawing the minds of even the wise,

throws them into delusion. She creates this entire universe, both

moving and unmoving. It is she who, when propitious, becomes a boon-

giver to human beings for their final liberation. She is the supreme

knowledge, the cause of final liberation, and eternal; she is the

cause of the bondage of transmigration and the sovereign over all

lords.

 

The king said: 59-62. 'Venerable sir, who is that Devi whom you call

Mahamaya? How did she come into being, and what is her sphere of

action, O Brahmana? What constitutes her nature? What is her form?

Wherefrom did she originate? All that I wish to hear from you, O you

supreme among the knowers of Brahman.'

 

The Rishi said: 63-71. She is eternal, embodied as the universe. By

her

 

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all this is pervaded. Nevertheless she incarnates in manifold ways;

hear it from me. When she manifests herself in order to accomplish

the purposes of the devas, she is said to be born in the world,

though she is eternal. At the end of a kalpa when the universe was

one ocean( with the waters of the deluge) and the adorable Lord

Vishnu stretched out on Sesa and took the mystic slumber, tow

terrible asuras, the well-known Madhu and Kaitabha, sprung into being

from the dirt of Vishnu's ears, sought to slay Brahma; Brahma, the

father of beings, was sitting in the lotus( that came out) from

Vishnu's navel. Seeing these two fierce asuras and Janardhana asleep,

and with a view to awakening Hari, (Brahma) with concentrated mind

extolled Yoganidra, dwelling in Hari's eyes. The resplendent Lord

Brahma extolled the incomparable Goddess of Vishnu, Yoganidra, the

queen of cosmos, the supporter of the worlds, the cause of the

sustentation and dissolution alike (of the universe).

 

72-74. Brahma said: 'You are Svaha and Svadha. You are verily the

Vasatkara and embodiment of Svara. You are the nectar. O eternal and

imperishable One, you are the embodiment of the threefold mantra. You

are half a matra, though eternal. You are verily that which cannot be

uttered specifically. You are Savitri and the supreme Mother of the

devas.

 

75-77. 'By you this universe is borne, by you this world is created.

By you it is protected, O Devi and you always consume it at the end.

O you who are (always) of the form of the whole world, at the time of

creation you are of the form of the creative force, at the time of

sustentation you are of the form of the protective power, and at the

time of the dissolution of the world, you are of the form of the

destructive power. You are the supreme knowledge as well as the great

nescience, the great intellect and contemplation, as also the great

delusion, the great devi as also the great asuri.

 

78-81. ' You are the primordial cause of everything, bringing into

force the three qualities. You are the dark night of periodic

dissolution. You are the great night of final dissolution, and the

terrible night of delusion. You are the goddess of good fortune, the

ruler, modesty, intelligence characterized by knowledge, bashfulness,

nourishment, contentment, tranquility and forbearance. Armed with

sword, spear, club, discus, conch , bow, arrows, slings and iron

mace, you are terrible( and at the same time) you are pleasing, yea

more pleasing than all the pleasing things and exceedingly beautiful.

You are indeed the supreme Isvari, beyond the high and low.

 

82-87. 'And whatever of wherever a thing exists, conscient( real) or

non-conscient (unreal), whatever power all that possesses is

yourself. O you who are the soul

 

of everything, how can I extol you (more than this)? By you, even he

who creates, sustains and devours the world, is put to sleep. Who is

here capable of extolling you? Who is capable of praising you, who

have made all of us- Vishnu, myself and Shiva- take our embodied

forms? O Devi, being lauded thus, bewitch these two unassailable

asuras Madhu and Kaitabha with your superior powers. Let Vishnu, the

Master of the world, be quickly awakened from sleep and rouse up his

nature to slay these two great asuras.'

 

The Rishi said: 88-95. There, the Devi of delusion extolled thus by

Brahma, the creator, in order to awaken Vishnu for the destruction of

Madhu and Kaitabha, drew herself out from His eyes, mouth, nostrils,

arms, heart and breast, and appeared in the sight of Brahma of

inscrutable birth. Janardana, Lord of the universe, quitted by her,

rose up from His couch on the universal ocean, and saw those two evil

(asuras), Madhu and Kaitabha, of exceeding heroism and power, with

eyes red in anger, endeavoring to devour Brahma. Thereupon the all-

pervading Bhagavan Vishnu got up and fought with the asuras for five

thousand years, using his own arms as weapons. And they, frenzied

with their exceeding power, and deluded by Mahamaya, exclaimed to

Vishnu, ' Ask a boon from us.'

 

Bhagavan(Vishnu) said: 96-98. 'If you are satisfied with me, you must

both be slain by me now. What need is there of any other boon here?

My choice is this much indeed.'

 

The Rishi said: 99-101. Those two(asuras), thus bewitched (by

Mahamaya), gazing then at the entire world turned into water, told

Bhagavan, the lotus eyed One, 'Slay us at the spot where the earth is

not flooded with water.'

 

The Rishi said: 102-104. Saying 'Be it so', Bhagavan(Vishnu), the

great wielder of conch, discus and mace, took them on His loins and

there severed their heads with His discus. Thus she (Mahamaya)

herself appeared when praised by Brahma. Now listen again the glory

of this Devi. I tell you.

 

Here ends the first chapter called 'The slaying of Madhu and

Kaitabha' of Devi mahatmya in Markandeya purana, during the period of

Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 2 Slaughter of the armies of Mahisasura

 

Meditation of Mahalakshmi I resort to Mahalakshmi, the destroyer of

Mahisasura,

 

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who is seated on the lotus, is of the complexion of coral and who

holds in her (eighteen ) hands rosary, axe, mace, arrow, thunderbolt,

lotus, bow, pitcher, rod, sakti, sword, shield, conch, bell, wine-

cup, trident, noose and the discus Sudarsana.

 

The Rishi said: 1-3. Of yore when Mahisasura was the lord of asuras

and Indra the lord of devas, there was a war between the devas and

asuras for a full hundred years. In that the army of the devas was

vanquished by the valorous asuras. After conquering all the devas,

Mahisasura became the lord of heaven( Indra).

 

4-5. Then the vanquished devas headed by Brahma, the lord of beings,

went to the place where Siva and Vishnu were. The devas described to

them in detail, as it had happened, the story of their defeat wrought

by Mahisasura.

 

6-8. 'He(Mahisasura) himself has assumed the jurisdictions of Surya,

Indra, Agni, Vayu, Candra, Yama and Varuna and other (devas). Thrown

out from heaven by that evil-natured Mahisa, the hosts of devas

wander on the earth like mortals. All that has been done by the enemy

of the devas, has been related to you both, and we have sought

shelter under you both. May both of you be pleased to think out the

means of his destruction.'

 

9. Having thus heard the words of the devas, Vishnu was angry and

also Siva, and their faces became fierce with frowns.

 

10-11. The issued forth a great light from the face of Vishnu who was

full of intense anger, and from that of Brahma and Siva too. From the

bodies of Indra and other devas also sprang forth a very great light.

And (all) this light united together.

 

12-13. The devas saw there a concentration of light like a mountain

blazing excessively, pervading all the quarters with its flames. Then

that unique light, produced from the bodies of all the devas,

pervading the three worlds with its lustre, combined into one and

became a female form.

 

14-15. By that which was Siva's light, her face came into being; by

Yama's (light) her hair, by Vishnu's light her arms; and by Candra's

(light) her two breasts. By Indra's light her waist, by Varuna's

(light) her shanks and thighs and by earth's light her hips.

 

16-18. By Brahma's light her feet came into being; by Surya's light

her toes, by Vasus (light) her fingers, by Kubera's (light) her nose;

by Prajapati's light her teeth came into being and similarly by

Agni's light her three eyes were formed. The light of the two

sandhyas became

 

her eye-brows, the light of Vayu her ears; the manifestation of the

lights of other devas too (contributed to the being of the )

auspicious Devi.

 

19. Then looking at her, who had come into being from the assembled

lights of all the devas, the immortals who were oppressed by

Mahisasura experienced joy.

 

20-21. The bearer of Pinaka (Siva) drawing forth a trident from his

own trident presented it to her; and Vishnu bringing forth a discus

out of his own discus gave her. Varuna gave her a conch, Agni a

spear; and Maruta gave a bow as well as two quivers full of arrows.

 

22-23. Indra, lord of devas, bringing forth a thunderbolt out of (his

own) thunderbolt and a bell from that of his elephant Airavata, gave

her. Yama gave a staff from his own staff of Death and Varuna, the

lord of waters, a noose; and Brahma, the lord of beings, gave a

string of beads and a water-pot.

 

24. Surya bestowed his own rays on al the pores of her skin and Kala

(Time) gave a spotless sword and a shield.

 

25-29. The milk-ocean gave a pure necklace, a pair of un-decaying

garments, a divine crest-jewel, a pair of earrings, bracelets, a

brilliant half-moon(ornament), armlets on all arms, a pair of shining

anklets, a unique necklace and excellent rings on all the fingers.

Visvakarman gave her a very brilliant axe, weapons of various forms

and also an impenetrable armour. The ocean gave her a garland of

unfading lotuses for her head and another for her breast, besides a

very beautiful lotus in her hand. The (mountain) Himavat gave her a

lion to ride on a various jewels.

 

30-33. The lord of wealth (Kubera) gave her a drinking cup, ever full

of wine. Sesa, the lord of all serpents, who supports this earth,

gave her a serpent-necklace bedecked with best jewels. Honoured

likewise by other devas also with ornaments and weapons, she (the

Devi) gave out a loud roar with a decrying laugh again and again. By

her unending, exceedingly great, terrible roar the entire sky was

filled, and there was great reverberation. All worlds shook, the seas

trembled.

 

34-46. The earth quaked and all the mountains rocked. 'Victory to

you,' exclaimed the devas in joy to her, the lion-rider. the sages,

who bowed their bodies in devotion, extolled her. Seeing the three

worlds agitated the foes of devas, mobilized all their armies and

rose up together with uplifted weapons. Mahisasura, exclaiming in

wrath, 'Ha! What is this?' rushed towards that roar, surrounded by

innumerable asuras. Then he saw the Devi pervading the three worlds

with her lustre. Making the earth bend with her footstep, scraping

the sky with her diadem, shaking the nether worlds with the

 

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twang of the bowstring, and standing there pervading all the quarters

around with her thousand arms. Then began a battle between that Devi

and the enemies of the devas, in which the quarters of the sky were

illumined by the weapons and arms hurled diversely. Mahisasura's

general, a great asura named Ciksura and Camara, attended by forces

comprising four parts, and other (asuras) fought. A great asura named

Udagra with sixty thousand chariots, and Mahahanu with ten millions

(of chariots) gave battle. Asiloman, another great asura, with

fifteen millions (of chariots), and Baskala with six millions fought

in that battle. Privarita with many thousands of elephants and

horses, and surrounded by ten millions of chariots, fought in that

battle. An asura named Bidala fought in that battle surrounded with

five hundred crores of chariots. And other great asuras, thousands in

number, surrounded with chariots, elephants and horses fought with

the Devi in that battle.

 

47-48. Mahisasura was surrounded in that battle with thousands of

crores of horses, elephants and chariots. Others (asuras) fought in

the battle against the Devi with iron maces and javelins, with spears

and clubs, with swords, axes and halberds. Some hurled spears and

others nooses.

 

49-58. They began to strike her with swords in order to kill her.

Showering her own weapons and arms, that Devi Chandika very easily

cut into pieces all those weapons and arms. Without any strain on her

face, and with gods and sages extolling her, the Isvari threw her

weapons and arms at the bodies of the asuras. And the lion also which

carried the Devi, shaking its mane in rage, stalked among the hosts

of the asuras like a conflagration amidst the forests. The sighs

which Ambika, engaged in the battle, heaved became at once her

battalions by hundreds and thousands. Energized by the power of the

Devi, these (battalions) fought with axes, javelins, swords,

halberds, and destroyed the asuras. Of these battalions, some beat

drums, some blew conches and others played on tabors in that great

martial festival. Then the Devi killed hundreds of asuras with her

trident, club, showers of spears, swords and the like, and threw down

others who were stupefied by the noise of her bell; and binding

others with her noose, she dragged them on the ground. Some were

split into two by the sharp slashes of her sword, and others, smashed

by the blows of her mace, lay down on the ground; and some severely

hammered by club vomited forth blood.

 

59-61. Pierced in the breast by her trident, some fell on the ground.

Pierced all over by her arrows and resembling porcupines, some of the

enemies of devas gave up their lives on that field of battle. Some

had their arms cut off, some, their necks broken the heads of others

rolled down; some others were torn asunder in the middle of their

trunks, and some great asuras fell on the ground with their legs

severed.

 

62. Some rendered one-armed, one-eyed, and one-legged were again

clove in twain by the Devi. And others, though rendered headless,

fell and rose again.

 

63. Headless trunks fought with the Devi with best weapons in their

hands. Some of these headless trunks danced there in the battle to

the rhythm of the musical instruments.

 

64-65. The trunks of some other great asuras, with their swords,

spears and lances still in their hands, shouted at the Devi with

their just severed heads, 'Stop, stop'. That part of earth where the

battle was fought became impassable with the asuras, elephants and

horses and chariots that had been felled.

 

66-67. The profuse blood from the asuras, elephants and horses flowed

immediately like large rivers amidst that army of the asuras. As fire

consumes a huge heap of straw and wood, so did Ambika destroy that

vast army of asuras in no time.

 

68-69. And her carrier-lion, thundering aloud with quivering mane,

prowled about in the battlefield, appearing to search out the vital

breaths from the bodies of the enemies of devas. In that battlefield

the battalions of the Devi fought in such a manner with the asuras

that the devas in heaven, showering flowers, extolled them.

 

Here ends the second chapter called 'Slaughter of the armies of

Mahisasura' of Devi-mahatmya in Markandeyapurana, during the period

of Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 3 The Slaying of Mahisasura

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. Then Ciksura, the great asura general, seeing

that army being slain(by the Devi), advanced in anger to fight with

Ambika.

 

3. That asura rained showers of arrows on the Devi in the battle,

even as a cloud (showers) rain on the summit of Mount Meru.

 

4. Then the Devi, easily cutting asunder the masses of his arrows,

killed his horses and their controller with her arrows.

 

5. Forthwith she split his bow and lofty banner, and with her arrows

pierced the body of that(asura) whose bow had been cut.

 

6. His bow shattered, his chariot broken, his horses killed and his

charioteer slain, the asura armed with

 

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sword and shield rushed at the Devi. 7. Swiftly he smote the lion on

the head with his sharpedged sword and struck the Devi also on her

left arm.

 

8. O king, his sword broke into pieces as it touched her arm. Thereon

his eyes turning red with anger, he grasped his pike.

 

9. Then the great asura flung at Bhandrakali the pike, blazing with

lustre, as if he was hurling the very sun from the skies.

 

10. Seeing that pike coming upon her, the Devi hurled her pike that

shattered his pike into a hundred fragments and the great asura

himself.

 

11. Mahisasura's very valiant general having been killed, Camara, the

afflictor of devas, mounted on an elephant, advanced.

 

12. He also hurled his spear at the Devi. Ambika quickly assailed it

with a whoop, made it lustreless and fall to the ground.

 

13. Seeing his spear broken and fallen, Camara, full of rage, flung a

pike, and she split that also with her arrows.

 

14. Then the lion, leaping up and seating itself at the centre of the

elephant's forehead, engaged itself in a hand to hand fight with that

foe of the devas.

 

15. Fighting, the two then came down to the earth from the back of

the elephant, and fought very impetuously, dealing the most terrible

blows at each other.

 

16. Then the lion, springing up quickly to the sky, and descending,

severed Camara's head with a blow from its paw.

 

17. And Udagra was killed in the battle by the Devi with stones,

trees and the like, and Karala also stricken down by her teeth and

fists and slaps.

 

18. Enraged, the Devi ground Uddhata to powder with the blows of her

club, and killed Baskala with a dart and destroyed Tamra and Andhaka

with arrows.

 

19. The three-eyed Supreme Isvari killed Ugrasya and Ugravirya and

Mahahanu also with her trident.

 

20. With her sword she struck down Bidala's head from his body, and

dispatched both Durdhara and Durmudha to the abode of Death with her

arrows.

 

21. As his army was thus being destroyed, Mahisasura terrified the

troops of the Devi with his own buffalo form.

 

22. Some ( he laid low) by a blow of his muzzle, some by stamping

with his hooves, some by the lashes of his tail, and others by the

pokes of his horns.

 

23. Some he laid low on the face of the earth by his impetuous speed,

some by his bellowing and wheeling movement, and others by the blast

of his breath.

 

24. Having laid low her army, Mahisasura rushed to slay the lion of

the Mahadevi. This enraged Ambika.

 

25. Mahisasura, great in valour, pounded the surface of the earth

with his hooves in rage, tossed up the high mountains with his horns,

and bellowed terribly.

 

26. Crushed by the velocity of his wheeling, the earth disintegrated,

and lashed by his tail, the sea overflowed all around.

 

27. Pierced by his swaying horns, the clouds went into fragments.

Cast up by the blast of his breath, mountains fell down from the sky

in hundreds.

 

28. Seeing the great asura swollen with rage and advancing towards

her, Chandika displayed her wrath in order to slay him.

 

29. She flung her noose over him and bound the great asura. Thus

bound in the great battle, he quitted his buffalo form.

 

30. Then he became a lion suddenly. While Ambika cut off the head (of

his lion form), he took the appearance of a man with sword in hand.

 

31. Immediately then the Devi with her arrows chopped off the man

together with his sword and shield. Then he became a big elephant.

 

32. (The elephant) tugged at her great lion with his trunk and roared

loudly, but as he was dragging, the Devi cut off his trunk with her

sword.

 

33. The great asura then resumed his buffalo shape and shook the

three worlds with their movable and immovable objects.

 

34. Enraged threat, Chandika, the Mother of the worlds, quaffed a

divine drink again and again, and laughed, her eyes becoming red.

 

35, And the asura, also roared intoxicated with his strength and

valour, and hurled mountains against Chandika with his horns.

 

36. And she with showers of arrows pulverized ( those mountains)

hurled at her, and spoke to him in flurried words, the colour of her

face accentuated with the intoxication of the divine drink.

 

The Devi said: 37-38. 'Roar, roar, O fool, for a moment while I drink

this wine. When you sill be slain by me, the devas will soon roar in

this very place.'

 

6

 

The Rishi said: 39-40. Having exclaimed thus, she jumped and landed

herself on that great asura, pressed him on the neck with her foot

and struck him with her spear.

 

41. And thereupon, caught up under her foot. Mahisasura half issued

forth ( in his real form) from his own (buffalo) mouth, being

completely overcome by the valour of the Devi.

 

42. Fighting thus with his half-revealed form, the great asura was

laid by the Devi who struck off his head with her great sword.

 

43. Then, crying in consternation, the whole asura army perished; and

all the hosts of deva were in exultation.

 

44. With the great sages of heaven, the devas praised the Devi. The

Gandharva chiefs sang and the bevies of apsaras danced.

 

Here ends the third chapter called 'The Slaying of Mahisasura' of

Devi-mahatmya in Markandeya-purana during the period of Savarni, the

Manu.

 

CHAPTER 4

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. When that most valiant but evil-natured

Mahisasura 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.

 

3. 'To that Ambika who is worthy of worship 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 auspicious things!

 

4. '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.

 

5. ' O Devi, we bow before you, who are yourself good fortune in the

dwellings of the virtuous, and 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!

 

6. '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?

 

7. '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 (like passion)! 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.

 

8. '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 chanted (as

Svaha and Svadha in Sacrifices) by people.

 

9. 'O Devi, you are Bhagavati, the supreme Vidya which is the cause

of liberation, and great inconceivable penance (are the means for

your realization). You ( the supreme knowledge) are cultivated by

sages desiring liberation, whose senses are well restrained, who are

devoted to Reality, and have shed all the blemishes.

 

10. 'You are the soul of Sabda-Brahman. You are the repository of the

very pure Rig-veda and Yajus hymns, and of Samans, the recital of

whose words is beautiful sith 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 al the

worlds.

 

11. '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.

 

12. '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, Mahisasura suddenly struck your

face when he saw it.

 

13. 'Far strange it is that after seeing your wrathful face, O Devi,

terrible with its frowns and red in hue like the rising moon, that

Mahisasura did not forthwith give up his life! For, who can live

after beholding the enraged Destroyer?

 

14. 'O Devi, be propitious. You are Supreme. If enraged, you

forthwith destroy the (asura) families for the welfare (of the

world). This was known the very moment when the extensive forces of

Mahisasura were brought to their end.

 

15. 'You who are always bounteous, with whom you are well pleased,

those (fortunate ones) are indeed the object of esteem in the

country, theirs are riches, theirs are glories, and their acts of

righteousness perish not; they

 

7

 

are indeed blessed and possessed of devoted children, servants and

wives.

 

16. 'By your grace, O Devi, the blessed individual does daily all

righteous deeds with utmost care and thereby attains to heaven. Are

you not, therefore O Devi, the bestower of reward in all the three

worlds?

 

17. 'When called to mind in a difficult pass, you remove fear for

eve3ry person. When called to mind by those in happiness, you bestow

a mind still further pious. Which goddess but you, O Dispeller of

poverty, pain and fear, has an ever sympathetic heart for helping

everyone?

 

18. '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 he battle (with

me)- thinking thus, that you, O Devi, certainly destroy our enemies.

 

19. 'Don't' you reduce to ashes all asuras by mere sight? But you

direct your weapons against them so that even the inimical ones,

purified by the missiles, may attain the higher worlds. Such is your

most kindly intention towards them.

 

20. '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 spearpoint, it is because they saw also your

face resembling the moon, giving out (cool) rays.

 

21. '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.

 

22. '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 een, O Devi, O

Bestower of boons, only in you in all the three worlds!

 

23. '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!

 

24. '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.

 

25. '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!

 

26. 'Protect us and the earth with those lovely forms

 

of yours moving about in the three worlds, as also with your

excludingly terrible forms.

 

27. 'O Ambika, protect us on every side with your sword, spear and

club and whatever other weapons your sproutlike (soft) hand has

touched.'

 

The Rishi said: 28-30. Thus the supporter of the worlds was praised

by the devas, worshipped with celestial flowers that blossomed in

Nandana and with perfumes and unguents; and with devotion all of them

offered her - heavenly incense. Benignly serene in countenance she

spoke to all obeisant devas.

 

The Devi said: 31-32. 'Choose all of you, O devas, whatever you

desire of me. (Gratified immensely with these hymns, I grant it with

great pleasure)'

 

The devas said: 33-34. 'Since our enemy, this Mahisasura, has been

slain by Bhagavati (i.e you) everything has been accomplished, and

nothing remains to be done.

 

35. 'And if a boon is to be granted to us by you, O Mahesvari,

whenever we think of you again, destroy our direct calamities.

 

36-37. 'O Mother of spotless countenance, and whatever mortal shall

praise you with these hymns, may you, who have become gracious

towards us, be also for his increase in this wealth, wife, and other

fortunes together with riches, prosperity and life, O Ambika!'

 

The Rishi said: 38-39. 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 their sight.

 

40. 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.

 

41-42. And again how, as a benefactress of the devas, she appeared in

the form of Gauri for the slaying of wicked asuras as well as Sumbha

and Nisumbha, and for the protection of worlds, listen as I relate

it. I shall tell it to you as it happened.

 

Here ends the fourth chapter called " " of the Devimahatmya in

Markandeya-purana during the period of Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 5 Devi's conversation with the messenger

 

Meditation of Mahasaraswati

 

8

 

I meditate on the incomparable Mahasaraswati who holds in her (eight)

lotus-like hands bell, trident, plough, conch, mace, discus, bow and

arrow; who is effulgent like destroyer of Sumbha and other asuras,

who issued forth from Parvati's body and is the substratum of the

three worlds.

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. Of yore Indra's (sovereignty) over the three

worlds and his portions of the sacrifices were taken away by the

asuras, Sumbha and Nisumbha, by force of their pride and strength.

 

3. The two, themselves, took over likewise, the offices of the sun,

the moon, Kubera, Yama, and Varuna.

 

4. They themselves exercised Vayu's authority and Agni's duty.

Deprived of their lordships and sovereignties, the devas were

defeated.

 

5. Deprived of their functions and expelled by these two great

asuras, all the devas thought of the invincible Devi.

 

6. 'She had granted us the boon, " Whenever in calamities you think of

me, that very moment I will put an end to all your worst

calamities. " '

 

7. Resolving thus, the devas went to Himavat, lord of the mountains,

and there extolled the Devi, who is the illusive power of Vishnu.

 

The devas said: 8-9. 'Salutation to the Devi, to the Mahadevi.

Salutation always to her who is ever auspicious. Salutation to her

who is the primordial cause and the sustaining power. With attention,

we have made obeisance to her.

 

10. 'Salutation to her who is terrible, to her who is eternal.

Salutation to Gauri, the supporter(of the Universe). salutation

always to her who's is of the form of the moon and moon-light and

happiness itself.

 

11. 'We bow to her who is welfare; we make salutations to her who is

prosperity and success. Salutation to the consort of Shiva who is

herself the good fortune as well as misfortune of kings.

 

12. 'Salutations always to Durga who takes one across in

difficulties, who is essence, who is the authority of everything; who

is knowledge of discrimination and who is blue-black as also smoke-

like in complexion.

 

13. 'We prostrate before her who is at once most gentle and most

terrible; we salute her again and again. Salutation to her who is the

support of the world. Salutation to the devi who is the form of

volition.

 

14-16. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who in all beings is

called Vishnumaya.

 

17-19. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings as consciousness;

 

20-22. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of intelligence;

 

23-25. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of sleep;

 

26-28. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of hunger:

 

29-31. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of reflection;

 

32-34. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of power.

 

35-37. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of thirst;

 

38-40. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of forgiveness;

 

41-43. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of genus;

 

44-46. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of modesty;

 

47-49. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of peace;

 

50-52. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of faith;

 

53-55. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of loveliness;

 

56-58. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of good fortune;

 

59-61. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of activity;

 

62-64. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of memory;

 

65-67. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of compassion;

 

68-70. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of contentment;

 

71-73. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of mother;

 

74-76. 'Salutations again and again to the Devi who abides in all

beings in the form of error;

 

77. 'Salutations again and again to the all-pervading Devi who

constantly presides over the senses of all beings and (governs) all

the elements;

 

9

 

78-80. 'Salutations again and again to her who, pervading the entire

world, abides in the form of consciousness.

 

81. 'Invoked of yore by the devas for the sake of their desired

object, and adored by the lord of the devas every day, may she, the

Isvari, the source of all good, accomplish for us all auspicious

things and put an end to our calamities!

 

82. 'And who is now again, reverenced by us, devas, tormented by

arrogant asuras and who, called to mind by us obeisant with devotion,

destroys this very moment all our calamities.'

 

The Rishi said: 83-84. O Prince, while the devas were thus engaged in

praises and (other acts of adoration), Parvathi came there to bathe

in the waters of the Ganga.

 

85. She, the lovely-browed, said to those devas, 'Who is praised by

you here?' An auspicious goddess, sprung forth from her physical

sheath, gave the reply:

 

86. 'This hymn is addressed to me by the assembled devas set at

naught by the asura Sumbha and routed in battle by Nisumbha.

 

87. Because that Ambika came out of Parvati's physical sheath (Kosa),

she is glorified as Kaushiki in all the worlds.

 

88. After she had issued forth, Parvati became dark and was called

Kalika and stationed on mount Himalaya.

 

89. Then, Canda, and Munda, two servants of Sumbha and Nisumbha, saw

that Ambika (Kausiki) bearing a surpassingly charming form.

 

They both told Sumbha: 90. 'O King, a certain woman, most

surpassingly beautiful, dwells there shedding lustre on mount

Himalaya.

 

91. 'Such supreme beauty was never seen by any one anywhere.

Ascertain who that Goddess is and take possession of her, O Lord of

the asuras!

 

92. 'A gem among women, of exquisitely beautiful limbs, illuminating

the quarters with her lustre there she is, O Lord of the daityas. You

should see her.

 

93. 'O Lord, whatever jewels, precious stones, elephants, horses and

others there are in the three worlds, they are all now in your house.

 

94. 'Airavata, gem among elephants, has been brought away from Indra

and so also this Parijata tree and the horse Uccaihsravas.

 

95. 'Here stands in your courtyard the wonderful chariot yoked with

swans, a wonderful gem (of its class). It has

 

been brought here from Brahma to whom it originally belonged.

 

96. 'Here is the treasure named Mahapadma brought from the lord of

wealth. And the ocean gave a garland named Kinjalkini made of

unfading lotus flowers.

 

97. 'In your house stands the gold-showering umbrella of Varuna. And

here is the excellent chariot that was formerly Prajapati's.

 

98. By you, O Lord, Death's shakti weapon named Utkrantida has been

carried off. the noose of the oceanking is among your brother's

possessions.

 

99. 'Nishumbha has every kind of gem produced in the sea. Fire also

gave you two garments which are purified by fire.

 

100. 'Thus, O Lord of asuras, all gems have been brought by you. Why

this beautiful lady-jewel is not seized by you?

 

The Rishi said: 101-102. On hearing these words of Chanda and Munda,

Sumbha sent the great asura Sugriva as messenger to the Devi.

 

He said: 103. 'Go and tell her thus in my words and do the thing in

such a manner that she may quickly come to me in love.'

 

104. He went there where the Devi was staying in a very beautiful

spot on the mountain and spoke to her in fine and sweet words.

 

The messenger said: 105-106. 'O Devi, Sumbha, lord of asuras, is the

supreme sovereign of three worlds. Sent by him as messenger, I have

come here to your presence.

 

107. 'Hearken to what has been said by him whose command is never

resisted among the devas and who has vanquished all the foes of the

asuras:

 

108. '(He says), " All the three worlds are mine and the devas are

obedient to me. I enjoy all their hares in sacrifices separately.

 

109-110. " All the choicest gems in the three worlds are in my

possession; and so is the gem of elephants, Airavata, the vehicle of

the king of devas carried away be me. The devas themselves offered to

me with salutations that gem of horses named Uccaisravas which arose

at the churning of milk-ocean.

 

111. " O beautiful lady, whatever other rare objects there existed

among the devas, the gandharvas and nagas are

 

10

 

now with me. 112. " We look upon you, O Devi, as the jewel of

womankind in the world. You who are such, come to me, since we are

the enjoyers of the best objects.

 

113. " Take to me or to my younger brother Nisumbha of great prowess,

O unsteady-eyed lady, for you are in truth a jewel.

 

114. " Wealth, great and beyond compare, you will get by marrying me.

Think over this in your mind, and become my wife. " '

 

The Rishi said: 115-116. Thus told, Durga the adorable and

auspicious, by whom this universe is supported, then became serene

and said.

 

The Devi said: 117-118. You have spoken truth; nothing false has been

uttered by you in this matter. Sumbha is indeed the sovereign of the

three worlds an likewise is also Nisumbha.

 

119. 'But in this matter, how can that which has been promised be

made false? Hear what promise I had made already out of foolishness.

 

120. " He who conquers me in battle, removes my pride and is my match

is strength in the world shall be my husband. "

 

121. 'So let Sumbha come here then, or Nisumbha the great asura.

Vanquishing me here, let him soon take my hand in marriage. Why

delay?'

 

The messenger said: 122. 'O Devi, you are haughty. Talk not so before

me. Which man in the three worlds will stand before Sumbha and

Nisumbha?

 

124. 'All the devas verily cannot stand face to face with even the

other asuras in battle. Why mention you, O Devi, a single woman?

 

125. 'Indra and all other devas could not stand in battle against

Sumbha and other demons, how will you, a woman, face them?

 

126. 'On my word itself, you go to Sumbha and Nisumbha. Let it not be

that you go to them with your dignity lost be being dragged by your

hair.'

 

The Devi said: 127-128. 'Yes, it is; Sumbha is strong and so is

Nisumbha exceedingly heroic! What can I do since there stands my ill-

considered vow taken long ago?

 

129. 'Go back, and tell the lord of asuras carefully all

 

this that I have said; let him do whatever he considers proper.'

 

Here ends the fifth chapter called 'Devi's conversation with the

messenger' of the Devi-mahatmya in Markandeyapurana during the period

of Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 6 The Slaying of Dhumralocana

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. The messenger, filled with indignation on

hearing the words the Devi, returned and related them in detail to

the king of the daityas.

 

3-4. Then the asura monarch, enraged on hearing that report from his

messenger, told Dhumralocana, a chieftain of the daityas: 'O

Dhumralocana, hasten together with your army and fetch here by force

that shrew, distressed when dragged by her hair.

 

5. 'Or if any one else stands up as her saviors, let him be slain, be

he a god, a yaksa or a gandharva.'

 

The Rishi said: 6-7. Then the asura Dhuralocana, commanded thus by

Sumbha, went forth quickly, accompanied by sixty thousand asuras.

 

8. On seeing the Devi stationed on the snowy mountain, he asked her

aloud, 'Come to the presence of Sumbha and Nisumbha.

 

9. 'If you will not go to my lord with pleasure now, here I take you

by force, distressed when dragged by your hair.'

 

The Devi said: 10-11. 'You are sent by the lord of the asuras, mighty

yourself and accompanied by an army. If you thus take me by force,

then what can I do to you?'

 

The Rishi said: 12-13. Thus told, the asura Dhumralocana rushed

towards her and thereupon Ambika reduced him to ashes with a mere

heave of the sound 'hum'

 

14. Then the great army of asuras became enraged and showered on

Ambika sharp arrows, javelins, and axes.

 

15. Then the lion, vehicle of the Devi, shaking its mane in anger,

and making the most terrific roar, fell on the army of the asuras.

 

16. Some asuras, it slaughtered with a blow of its fore paw, others

with its mouth, and other great asuras, by treading over with its

hind legs.

 

17. The lion, with its claws, tore out the hearts of some

 

11

 

and severed heads with a blow of the paw. 18. And it severed arms and

heads from others, and shaking its mane drank the blood from the

hearts of others.

 

19. In a moment all that army was destroyed by that high-spirited and

exceedingly enraged lion who bore the Devi.

 

20-21. When Sumbha, the lord of asuras, heard that asura Dhumralocana

was slain by the Devi and all his army was destroyed by the lion of

the Devi, he was infuriated, his lip quivered and he commanded the

two mighty asuras Chanda and Munda:

 

22-23. 'O Chanda, O Munda, go there with large forces, and bring her

here speedily, dragging her by her hair or binding her. But if you

have any doubt about doing that, then let the asuras strike (her) in

the fight with all their weapons.

 

24. 'When that shrew is wounded and her lion stricken down, seize

that Ambika, bind and bring her quickly.'

 

Here ends the sixth chapter called 'The Slaying of Dhumralocana' of

Devi-mahatmya in Markandeya purana during the period of Savarni, the

Manu.

 

CHAPTER 7 The slaying of Chanda and Munda

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. Then at his command the asuras, fully armed, and

with Chanda and Munda at their head, marched in fourfold array.

 

3. They saw the Devi, smiling gently, seated upon the lion on a huge

golden peak of the great mountain.

 

4. On seeing her, some of them excited themselves and made an effort

to capture her, and others approached her, with their bows bent and

swords drawn.

 

5. Thereupon Ambika became terribly angry with those foes, and in her

anger her countenance then became dark as ink.

 

6. Out from the surface of her forehead, fierce with frown, issued

suddenly Kali of terrible countenance, armed with a sword and noose.

 

7-9. Bearing the strange skull-topped staff, decorated with a garland

of skull, clad in a tiger's skin, very appalling owing to her

emaciated flesh, with gaping mouth, fearful with her tongue lolling

out, having deep-sunk reddish eyes and filling the regions of the sky

with her roars, and falling upon impetuously and slaughtering the

great asuras in that army, she devoured those hosts of the foes of

the devas.

 

10. Snatching the elephants with one hand she flung them into her

mouth together with their rear men and drivers and their warrior-

riders and bells.

 

11. Taking likewise into her mouth the cavalry with the horses, and

chariot with its driver, she ground them most frightfully with her

teeth.

 

12. She seized one by the hair and another by the neck; one she

crushed by the weight of the foot, and another of her body.

 

13. And she caught with her mouth the weapons and the great arms shot

by those asuras and crunched them up with her teeth in her fury.

 

14. She destroyed all that host of mighty and evilnatured asuras,

devoured some and battered others.

 

15. Some were killed with her word, some were beaten with her skull-

topped staff, and other asuras met their death being ground with the

edge of her teeth.

 

16. On seeing all the hosts of asuras laid low in a moment, Chanda

rushed against that Kali, who was exceedingly terrible.

 

17. The great asura (Chanda) with very terrible showers of arrows,

and Munda with discuses hurled in thousands covered that terrible-eyed

(Devi).

 

18. Those numerous discuses, disappearing into her mouth, looked like

numerous solar orbs disappearing into the midst of a cloud.

 

19. Thereat Kali, who was roaring frightfully, whose fearful teeth

were gleaming within her dreadful mouth, laughed terribly with

exceeding fury.

 

20. Then the Devi, mounting upon her great lion, rushed at Chanda,

and seizing him by his hair, severed his head with her sword.

 

21. Seeing Chanda laid low, Munda also rushed at her. She felled him

also the ground, striking him with her sword in her fury.

 

22. Seeing the most valiant Chanda and Munda laid low, the remaining

army there became panicky and fled in all directions.

 

23. And Kali, holding the heads of Chanda and Munda in her hands,

approached Chandika and said, her words mingled with very loud

laughter.

 

24. 'Here have I brought you the heads of Chanda and Munda as two

great animal offerings in this sacrifice of battle; Sumbha and

Nisumbha, you shall yourself slay.'

 

The Rishi said: 25-27. Thereupon seeing those asuras, Chanda and

Munda

 

12

 

brought to her, the auspicious Chandika said to Kali these playful

words: 'Because you have brought me both Chanda and Munda, you O

Devi, shall be famed in the world by the name Chamunda.

 

Here ends the seventh chapter called 'The slaying of Chanda and

Munda' of Devi-mahatmya in Markandeya purana, during the period of

Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 8 The Slaying of Raktabija

 

The Rishi said: 1-3. After the daitya Chanda was slain and Munda was

laid low, and many of the battalions were destroyed, the lord of the

asuras, powerful Sumbha, with mid overcome by anger, commanded then

the mobilization of all the daitya hosts:

 

4. 'Now let the eighty-six asuras - upraising their weapons - with

all their forces, and the eighty-four Kambus, surrounded by their own

forces, go out.

 

5. 'Let the fifty asura families of Kotiviryas and the hundred

families of Dhaumras go forth at my command.

 

6. 'Let the asurasa Kalakas, Daurhrdas, the Mauryas and the Kalakeyas

hasten at my command and march forth ready for battle.'

 

7. After issuing these orders, Sumbha, the lord of the asuras and a

ferocious ruler, went forth, attended by many thousands of big

forces.

 

8. Seeing that most terrible army coming, Chandika filled into space

between the earth and the sky with the twang of her bow-string.

 

9. Thereon her lion made an exceedingly loud roar, O King, and Ambika

magnified those roars with the clanging of the bell.

 

10. Kali, expanding her mouth wide and filling the quarters with the

sound (hum ) overwhelmed the noises of her bow-string, lion and bell

by her terrific roars.

 

11. On hearing that roar the enraged asura battalions surrounded the

lion, the Devi (Chandika) and Kali on all the four sides.

 

12-13. At this moment, O King, in order to annihilate the enemies of

devas and for the well-being of the supreme devas, there issued

forth, endowed with exceeding vigour and strength, Shaktis from the

bodies of Brahma, Shiva, Guha, Vishnu and Indra, and with the form of

those devas went to Chandika.

 

14. Whatever was the form of each deva, whatever his ornaments and

vehicle, in that very form his Shakti advanced to fight with the

asuras.

 

15. In a heavenly chariot drawn by swans advanced Brahma's Shakti

carrying a rosary and Kamandalu. She is called Brahmani.

 

16. Maheshvari arrived, seated on a bull, holding a fine trident,

wearing bracelets of great snakes and adorned with a digit of the

moon.

 

17. Ambika Kaumari, in the form of Guha, holding a spear in hand

riding on a fine peacock, advanced to attack the asuras.

 

18. Likewise the Shakti of Vishnu came, seated upon Garuda, holding

conch, club, bow and sword in hand.

 

19. The Shakti of Hari, who assumed the incomparable form of a

sacrificial boar, she also advanced there in a boar-like form.

 

20. Narasmihi arrived there, assuming a body like that of a

Narasmiha, bringing down the constellations by the toss of her mane.

 

21. Likewise the thousand-eyed Aindri, holding a thunderbolt in hand

and riding on the lord of elephants arrive just like Sakra (Indra).

 

22. Then Shiva, surrounded by those shaktis of the devas, said to

Chandika, 'Let the asuras be killed forthwith by you for my

gratification.'

 

23. Thereupon from the body of Devi issued forth the Shakti of

Chandika, most terrific, exceedingly fierce and yelling like a

hundred jackals.

 

24. And that invincible (Shakti) told Shiva, of dark coloured matted

locks, 'Go, my lord, as ambassador to the presence of Sumbha and

Nisumbha.

 

25. 'Tell the two haughty asuras, Sumbha and Nisumbha, and the other

asuras assembled there for battle.

 

26. " Let Indra obtain the three worlds and let the devas enjoy the

sacrificial oblations. You go to the nether world, if you wish to

live.

 

27. " But if through pride of strength you are anxious for battle,

come on then. Let my jackals be satiated with your flesh. " '

 

28. Because that Devi appointed " Shiva " himself as ambassador

thenceforth she became renowned in this world as Shiva-duti.

 

29. Those great asuras, on their part, hearing the words of the Devi

communicated by Shiva, were filled with indignation and went where

Katyayani stood.

 

30. Then in the very beginning, the enraged foes of the devas poured

in front on the Devi showers of arrows, javelins and spears.

 

13

 

31. And lightly, with the huge arrows shot from her fulldrawn bow,

she clove those arrows, spears, darts and axes hurled by them.

 

32. Then, in front of him (Sumbha), stalked Kali, piercing the

enemies to pieces with her spear and crushing them with her skull-

topped staff.

 

33. And Brahmani, wherever she moved, made the enemies bereft of

valour and prowess by sprinkling on them the water from her

Kamandalu.

 

34. The very wrathful Maheshvari slew the daityas with her trident,

and Vaisnavi, with her discus and Kaumari, with her javelin.

 

35. Torn to pieces by the thunderbolt which come down upon them,

hurled by Aindri, daityas and danavas fell on the earth in hundreds,

streams of blood flowing out of them.

 

36. Shattered by the boar-formed goddess (Varahi)with blows of her

snout, wounded in their chests by the point of her tusk and torn by

her discus, (the asuras) fell down.

 

37. Narasmihi, filling all the quarters and the sky with her roars,

roamed about in the battle, devouring other great asuras torn by her

claws.

 

38. Demoralised by the violent laughter of Shivaduti, the asuras fell

down on the earth; she then devoured them who had fallen down.

 

39. Seeing the enraged band of Matrs crushing the great asuras thus

by various means, the troops of the enemies of devas took to their

heels.

 

40. Seeing the asuras harassed by the band of Matrs and fleeing, the

great asura Raktabija strode forward to fight in wrath.

 

41. Whenever from his body there fell to the ground a drop of blood,

at that moment rose up from the earth asura of his stature.

 

42. The great asura fought with Indra's shakti with club in his hand;

then Aindri also struck Ranktabija with her thunderbolt.

 

43. Blood flowed quickly and profusely from him who was wounded by

the thunderbolt. From the blood rose up (fresh)combatants of his form

and valour.

 

44. As many drops of blood fell from his body, so may persons came

into being, with his courage, strength and valour.

 

45. And those persons also sprung up from his blood fought there with

the Matrs in a more dreadful manner hurling the very formidable

weapons.

 

46. And again when his head was wounded by the fall of her thunder-

bolt, his blood flowed and therefrom were born persons in thousands.

 

47. Vaisnavi struck him with her discus in the battle, Aindri beat

that lord of asuras with her club.

 

48. The world was pervaded by thousands of great asuras who were of

his stature and who rose up from the blood that flowed from him when

cloven by the discus of Vaisnavi.

 

49. Kaumari struck the great asura Raktabija with her spear, Varahi

with her sword, and Mahesvari with her trident.

 

50. And Raktabija, that great asura also, filled with wrath, struck

everyone of the Matrs severally with his club.

 

51. From the stream of blood which fell on the earth from him when he

received multiple wounds by the spears, darts and other weapons,

hundreds of asuras came into being.

 

52. And those asuras that were born from the blood of Raktabija

pervaded the whole world; the devas got intensely alarmed at this.

 

53-54. Seeing the devas dejected, Chandika laughed and said to

Kali, 'O Chamunda, open out your mouth wide; with this mouth quickly

take in the drops of blood generated by the blow of my weapon and

(also) the great asuras born of the drops of blood of Raktabija.

 

55. 'Roam about in the battle-field, devouring the great asuras that

spring from him. So shall this daitya, with his blood emptied,

perish.

 

56. 'As you go on devouring these, other fierce (asuras) will not be

born.' Having enjoined her thus, the Devi next smote him (Raktabija)

with her dart.

 

57. Then Kali drank Raktabija's blood with her mouth. Then and there

he struck Chandika with his club.

 

58-60. The blow of his club caused her not even the slightest pain.

And from his stricken body wherever blood flowed copiously, there

Chamunda swallowed it with her mouth. The Chamunda devoured those

great asuras who sprang up from the flow of blood in her mouth, and

drank his (Raktabija's ) blood.

 

61. The Devi (Kausiki) smote Raktabija with her dart, thunderbolt,

arrows, swords, and spears, when Chamunda went on drinking his book.

 

62. Stricken with a multitude of weapons and bloodless, the great

asura (Raktabija) fell on the ground, O King.

 

63. Thereupon the devas attained great joy, O King.

 

14

 

The band of Matrs who sprang from them dance, being intoxicated with

blood.

 

Here ends the eighth chapter called 'The Slaying of Raktabija' of

Devi-mahatmya in Markandeya-purana, during the period of Savarni, the

Manu.

 

CHAPTER 9 The Slaying of Nisumbha

 

The king (Suratha) said: 1-2. 'Wonderful is this that you, adorable

sir, have related to me about the greatness of the Devi's act in

slaying Raktabija.

 

3. 'I wish to hear further what the very irate Sumbha and Nisumbha

did after Raktabija was killed.'

 

The Rishi said: 4-5. After Raktabija was slain and other asuras were

killed in the fight, the asura Sumbha and Nisumbha gave way to

unbounded wrath.

 

6. Enraged on seeing his great army slaughtered, Nisumbha then rushed

forward with the chief forces of the asuras.

 

7. In front of him behind him and on both sides of him, great asuras,

enraged and biting their lips, advanced to slay the Devi.

 

8. Sumbha also, mighty in valour, went forward, surrounded, with his

own troops to slay Chandika in this rage, after fighting with the

Matrs.

 

9. Then commenced severe combat between the Devi on one side and on

the other, Sumbha and Nisumbha who, like two thunder-clouds, rained a

most tempestuous shower of arrows on her.

 

10. Chandika with numerous arrows quickly split the arrows shot by

the two asuras and smote the two lords of asuras on their limbs with

her mass of weapons.

 

11. Nisumbha, grasping a sharp sword and a shining shield, struck the

lion, the great carrier of the Devi on the head.

 

12. When her carrier was struck, the Devi quickly cut Nisumbha's

superb sword with a sharp-edged arrow and also his shield on which

eight moons were figured.

 

13. When his shield was slit and his sword too broken, the asura

hurled his spear; and that missile also, as it advanced towards her,

was split into two by her discus.

 

14. Then the danava Nisumbha, swelling with wrath, seized a dart; and

that also, as it came, the Devi powdered with a blow of her fist.

 

15. Then brandishing his club, he flung it against Chandika;

 

cleft by the trident of the Devi, it also turned to ashes. 16. Then

the Devi assailed the heroic danava advancing with battle-axe in

hand, and laid him low on the ground.

 

17. When his brother Nisumbha of terrific prowess fell to the ground,

(Sumbha) got infuriated in the extreme, and strode forward to slay

Ambika.

 

18. Standing in his chariot and grasping excellent weapons in his

long and incomparable eight arms, he shone by pervading the entire

sky.

 

19. Seeing him approaching, the Devi blew her conch, and made a twang

of her bow-string, which was unbearable in the extreme.

 

20. And (the Devi) filled all directions with the ringing of her

bell, which destroys the strength of all the daitya hosts.

 

21. The lion filled the heaven, the earth and the ten quarters of the

sky with loud roars, which made the elephants give up their violent

rut.

 

22. Then Kali, springing upwards in the sky, (came down) and struck

the earth with both her hands; by its noise all the previous sounds

were drowned.

 

23. Sivaduti made a loud ominous peal of laughter, the asuras were

frightened by those sounds, and Sumbha flew into an utmost rage.

 

24. As Ambika said, 'O evil-natured one, stop, stop', the devas

stationed in the sky cheered her with the words, 'Be victorious'.

 

25. The spear, flaming most terribly and shining like a mass of fire,

which Sumbha approaching hurled was, as it was coming along, put out

by a great firebrand (from the Devi).

 

26. The interspace between the three worlds was pervaded by Sumbha's

lion-like roar, but the dreadful thunderclap ( of the Devi) smothered

that, O King.

 

27. The Devi split the arrows shot by Sumbha, and Sumbha also split

the arrows discharged by her, (each with her and his) sharp arrows in

hundreds and thousands.

 

28. Then Chandika became angry and smote him with a trident. Wounded

therewith, he fainted and fell to the ground.

 

29. Then Nisumbha, regaining consciousness seized his bow and struck

with arrows the Devi and Kali and the lion.

 

30. And the danuja-lord, the son of Diti, putting forth a myriad

arms, covered Chandika with myriad discuses.

 

15

 

31. Then Bhagavati Durga, the destroyer of difficulties and

afflictions, became angry and split those discuses and those arrows

with her own arrows.

 

32. Thereupon Nisumbha, surrounded by the daitya host, swiftly

seizing his club, rushed at Chandika to sly her.

 

33. As he was just rushing at her, Chandika colve his club with her

sharp-edged sword; and her took hold of a dart.

 

34. As Nisumbha, the afflictor of the devas, was advancing with the

dart in hand, Chandika pierced him in the heart with a swiftly hurled

dart.

 

35. From his (Nisumbha's) heart that was pierced by the dart, issued

forth another person of great strength and valour, exclaiming (at the

Devi) 'Stop.'

 

36. Then the Devi, laughing aloud, severed the head of him, who

issued forth, with her sword. Thereupon he fell to the ground.

 

37. The lion then devoured those asuras whose necks he had crushed

with his fierce teeth, and Kali and Sivaduti devoured others.

 

38. Some great asuras perished, being pierced through by the spear if

Kaumari. Others were repulsed by (sprinkling of ) the water purified

by the incantation of Brahmani.

 

39. Others fell, pierced by a trident wielded by Mahesvari; some were

powdered on the ground by the blows from the snout of Varahi.

 

40. Some danavas were cut to pieces by the discus of Vaisnavi, and

others again by the thunderbolt discharged from the palm of Aindri.

 

41. Some asuras perished (themselves), some fled from the great

battle, and others were devoured by Kali, Sivaduti and the lion.

 

Here ends the ninth chapter called 'the Slaying of Nisumbha' of Devi

mahatmya in Markandeya-purana during the period of Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 10 The Slaying of Sumbha

 

The Rishi said: 1-3. Seeing his brother Nisumbha slain, who was dear

to him as his life, and his army being slaughter, Sumbha angrily

said. 'O Durga who are puffed up with pride of strength, don't show

your pride (here). Though you are exceedingly haughty, you, resorting

to the strength of others, fight.'

 

The Devi said: 4-5. 'I am all alone in the world here. Who else is

there besides me? See, O vile one, these Goddesses, who are but my

own powers, entering into my own self!'

 

6. Then all those, Brahmani and the rest, were absorbed in the body

of the Devi. Ambika alone then remained.

 

The Devi said: 7-8. ' The numerous forms which I projected by my

power here - those have been withdrawn by me, and (now) I stand

alone. Be steadfast in combat.'

 

The Rishi said: 9-10. Then began a dreadful battle between them both,

the Devi and Sumbha, while all the devas and asuras looked on.

 

11. With showers of arrows, with sharp weapons and frightful

missiles, both engaged again in a combat that frightened all the

worlds.

 

12. Then the lord of daityas broke the divine missiles, which Ambika

discharged in hundreds, with (weapons) that repulsed them.

 

13. With fierce shout of hum and the like, the Paramesvari playfully

broke the excellent missiles that he discharged.

 

14. Then the asura covered the Devi with hundreds of arrows, and the

Devi in wrath split his bow with her arrows.

 

15. And when the bow was split the lord of the daityas took up his

spear. With a discus, the Devi split that (spear) also in this hand.

 

16. Next the supreme monarch of the daityas, taking his sword bright

like the sun and shining shield bearing the images of a hundred

moons, rushed at the Devi at that moment.

 

17. Just as he was rushing forward, Chandika split his sword with

sharp arrows shot from her bow, as also his shield as bright as the

solar rays.

 

18. With his steeds slain, with his bow broken, without a charioteer,

the daitya then grasped his terrible mace, being ready to kill

Ambika.

 

19. With sharp arrows, she split the mace of Sumbha, who was rushing

at her. Even then, raising his fist, he rushed swiftly at her.

 

20. The daitya-king brought his fist down on the heart of the Devi,

and the Devi also with her palm smote him on his chest.

 

16

 

21. The daitya-king, wounded by the blow of her palm fell on the

earth, but immediately he rose up again.

 

22. Seizing the Devi, he sprang up and mounted on high into the sky.

There also Chandika, without any support, fought with him.

 

23. Then the daitya (Sumbha) and Chandika fought, a never before,

with each other in the sky in a close contact, which wrought surprise

to the Siddhas and sages.

 

24. Ambika then, after carrying on a close fight for a vary long time

with him, lifted him up, whirled him around and flung him down on the

earth.

 

25. Flung thus, the evil-natured (Sumbha) reaching the earth and

raising his fist, hastily rushed forward desiring to kill Chandika.

 

26. Seeing that lord of all the daitya-folk approaching, the Devi,

piercing him on the chest with a dart, threw him down on the earth.

 

27. Pierced by the pointed dart of the Devi he fell lifeless on the

ground, shaking the entire earth with its seas, islands and

mountains.

 

28. When that evil-natured (asura) was slain, the universe became

happy and regained perfect peace, and the sky grew clear.

 

29. Flaming portent-clouds that were in evidence before became

tranquil, and the rivers kept within their courses when (Sumbha) was

stricken down there.

 

30. When he had been slain, the minds of all the bands of devas

became overjoyed, and the Gandharvas sang sweetly.

 

31-32. Others sounded (their instruments), and the bands of nymphs

danced; likewise favourable winds blew; the sun became very

brilliant; the sacred fires blazed peacefully and tranquil became the

strange sounds that had risen in different quarters.

 

Here ends the tenth chapter called 'The Slaying of Sumbha' of Devi-

mahatmya in Markandeya-purana, during the period of Savarni, the

Manu.

 

CHAPTER 11 Hymn to Narayani

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. When the great lord of asuras was slain there by

the Devi, Indra and other devas led by Agni, with their object

fulfilled and their cheerful faces illumining the quarters, praised

her, Katyayani:

 

The devas said: 3. 'O Devi, you who remove the sufferings of your

suppliants, be gracious. Be propitious, O Mother of the whole world.

Be gracious, O Mother of the universe. Protect the universe. You are,

O Devi, the ruler of all that is moving and unmoving.

 

4. 'You are the sole substratum of the world, because you subsist in

the form of the earth. By you, who exist in the shape of water, all

this (universe) is gratified, O Devi of inviolable valour!

 

5. 'You are the power of Vishnu, and have endless valour. You are the

primeval maya, which is the source of the universe; by you all this

(universe) has been thrown into an illusion. O Devi. If you become

gracious, you become the cause of final emancipation in this world.

 

6. 'All lords are your aspects O Devi; so are all women in the world,

endowed with various attributes. By you alone, the Mother, this world

is filled. What praise can there be for you who are of the nature of

primary and secondary expression regarding (objects)worthy of praise?

 

7. 'When you have been lauded as the embodiment of all beings, the

Devi (the effulgent one), and bestower of the enjoyment and

liberation, what words, however excellent, can praise you?

 

8. 'Salutation be to you, O Devi Narayani, O you who abide as

intelligence in the hearts of all creatures, and bestow enjoyment and

liberation.

 

9. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who, in the form of

minutes, moments and other divisions of time, bring about change in

things, and have (thus ) the power to destroy the universe.

 

10. 'Salutation be to you O Narayani, O you who are the good of all

good, O auspicious Devi, who accomplish every object, the giver of

refuge, O three eyed Gauri!

 

11. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, you who have the power of

creation, sustentation and destruction and are eternal. You are the

substratum and embodiment of the three gunas.

 

12. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who are intent on saving

the dejected and distressed that take refuge under YOU. O you, Devi,

who remove the sufferings of all!

 

13. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who ride in the heavenly

chariot yoked with swans and assume the form of Brahmani, O Devi, who

sprinkle water with Kusa grass.

 

14. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who bear the trident,

the moon and the serpent, and ride a big bull, and have the form of

Mahesvari.

 

17

 

15. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who are attended by

peacock and cock, and bear a great spear. O you, who are sinless and

take the form of Kaumari.

 

16. 'Salutation be to you, O Naraayani, O you who hold the great

weapons of conch, discus, club and bow, and take the form of

Vaisnavi, be gracious.

 

17. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who grasp a huge

formidable discus, and uplift the earth with thy tusk, O auspicious

Devi, who has a boar-like form.

 

18. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who, in the fierce form

of a man-lion, put forth your efforts to sly the daityas, O you who

possess the benevolence of saving the three worlds.

 

19. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, you who have a diadem and a

great thunderbolt, are dazzling with a thousand eyes, and took away

the life of Vrtra, O Aindri!

 

20. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who in the form of

Sivaduti slew the mighty hosts of the daitya, O you of terrible form

and loud throat!

 

21. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who have a face terrible

with tusks, and are adorned with a garland of heads, Chamunda, O

slayer of Munda!

 

22. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who are good fortune,

modesty, great wisdom, faith, nourishment and Svadha, O you who are

immovable O you, great Night and great Illusion.

 

23. 'Salutation be to you, O Narayani, O you who are intelligence and

Sarasvati, O best one, prosperity, consort of Vishnu, dark one,

nature, be propitious.

 

24. 'O Queen of all, you who exist in the form of all, and possess

every might, save us from error, O Devi. Salutation be to you, Devi

Durga!

 

25. 'May this benign countenance of yours adorned with three eyes,

protect us from all fears. Salutation be to you, O Katyayani!

 

26. 'Terrible with flames, exceedingly sharp destroyer of all the

asuras, may your trident guard us from fear. salutation be to you, O

Bhadrakali!

 

27. 'May your bell that fills the world with its ringing, and

destroys the prowess of the daityas, guard us, O Devi, as a mother

protects her children, from all evils.

 

28. 'May your sword, smeared with the mire like blood and fat of

asuras, and gleaming with rays, be for our welfare, O Chandika, we

bow to you.

 

29. 'When satisfied, you destroy all illness but when wrathful you

(frustrate) all the longed-for desires. No calamity befalls men who

have sought you. Those who

 

have sought you become verily a refuge of others. 30. 'This slaughter

that you, O Devi, multiplying your won form into many, have now

wrought on the great asuras who hate righteousness, O Ambika, which

other (goddess) can do that work?

 

31. 'Who is there except you in the sciences, in the scriptures, and

in the Vedic sayings the light the lamp of discrimination? (Still)

you cause this universe to whirl about again and again within the

dense darkness of the depths of attachment.

 

32. 'Where raksasas and snakes of virulent poison (are), where foes

and hosts of robbers (exist), where forest conflagrations (occur),

there and in the mid-sea, you stand and save world.

 

33. 'O Queen of the universe, you protect the universe. As the self

of the universe, you support the universe. You are the (goddess)

worthy to be adored by the Lord of the universe. Those who bow in

devotion to you themselves become the refuge of the universe.

 

34. 'O Devi, be pleased and protect us always from fear of foes, as

you have done just now by the slaughter of asuras. And destroy

quickly the sins of all worlds and the great calamities which have

sprung from the maturing of evil portents.

 

35. 'O Devi you who remove the afflictions of the universe, be

gracious to us who have bowed to you. O you worthy of adoration by

the dwellers of the three worlds, be boon-giver to the worlds.'

 

The Devi said: 36-37. 'O Devas, I am prepared to bestow a boon.

Choose whatever boon you desire in your mind, for the welfare of the

world. I shall grant it.'

 

The devas said: 38-39. ' O Queen of all, this same manner, you must

destroy all our enemies and all the afflictions of three worlds.

 

The Devi said: 40-41. 'When the twenty-eighth age has arrived during

the period of Avaisvsvata Manu, two other great asuras, Sumbha and

Nisumbha will be born.

 

42. 'Then born from the womb of Yasoda, in the home of cowherd Nanda,

and dwelling on the Vindhya mountains, I will destroy them both.

 

43. 'And again having incarnated in a very terrible form on the

earth, I shall slay the danavas, who are the descendants of

Vipracitti.

 

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44. 'When I shall devour the fierce and great asuras descended from

Vipracitti, my teeth shall become red like the flower of pomegranate.

 

45. 'Therefore when devas in heaven and men on the earth praise me,

shall always talk of me as the 'Redtoothed.'

 

46. 'And again when rain shall fail for a period of hundred years,

propitiated by the munis I shall be born on the drought-ridden earth,

but not womb-begotten.

 

47. 'Then I shall behold the munis with a hundred eyes and so mankind

shall glorify me as the 'hundred-eyed.'

 

48. 'At that time, O devas, I shall maintain the whole world with

life -sustaining vegetables, born out of my own (cosmic) body, till

rains set in.

 

49. 'I shall be famed on the earth then as Sakambhari. At that very

period I shall slay the great asura named Durgama.

 

50-53. 'Thereby I shall have the celebrated name of Durgadevi and

again, assuming a terrible form on the mountain Himalaya, I shall

destroy the raksasas for the protection of the munis. Then all the

munis, bowing their bodies reverently, shall praise me, and thereby I

shall have the celebrated name of Bhimadevi. When the (asura) named

Aruna shall work great havoc in the three worlds, having taken a

(collective) bee-form, consisting of innumerable bees, I shall slay

the great asura for the good of the world.

 

54-55. 'And then people shall laud me every where as Bhramari. Thus

whenever trouble arises due to the advent of the danavas, I shall

incarnate and destroy the foes.'

 

Here ends the eleventh chapter called 'Hymn to Narayani' of Devi-

mahatmyam in Markandeyapurana, during the period of Savarni, the

Manu.

 

CHAPTER 12 Eulogy of the Merits

 

The Devi said: 1-2. And whoever with a concentrated mind shall pray

to me constantly with these, hymns, I shall without doubt put down

every trouble of his.

 

3. And those who shall laud (the story of) the destruction of Madhu

and Kaitabha, the slaughter Nisumbha likewise.

 

4-5. And those also who shall listen with devotion to this sublime

poem on my greatness on the eighth, the fourteenth and on the ninth

days of the fortnight with concentrated mind, to them nothing wrong

shall happen,

 

nor calamities that arise from wrong doings nor poverty and never

separation from beloved ones.

 

6. He shall not experience fear from enemies, or from robbers and

kings, or from weapon, fire and flood.

 

7. Hence this poem of my greatness must be chanted by men of

concentrated minds an dlistened to always with devotion; for it is

the supreme course of well-being.

 

8. May this poem of my glories quell all epidemic calamities, as also

the threefold naturral calamities.

 

9. The place of my sanctuary where this poem os duly chanted

everyday, I will never forsake and there my presence is certain.

 

10. When sacrifice is offered, during worship, in the fireceremony,

and at a great festival, all this poem on my acts must be chanted and

heard.

 

11. I will accept with love the sacrifice and worship that are made

and the fire-offering that is offered likewise, whethere they are

done with due knowledge (of sacrifice) or not.

 

12-13. During autumnal seasson, when the great annual worship is

performed, the man hearing this glorifi- cation of mine with devotion

shall certainly through my grace, be delivered without doubt from all

troubles and be blessed with riches, grains and children.

 

14. Hearing this glorification and auspicious appearances of mine,

and my feats of prowess in battles, a man becomes fearless.

 

15. Enemies perish, welfare accrues and the family rejoices for those

who listen to this glorification of mine.

 

16. Let one listen to this glorification of mine everywhere, at a

propitiatory ceremony, on seeing a bad dream, and when there is the

great evil influence of planets.

 

17. (By that means) evil protents subside, as also the unfavourable

influence of planets, and the bad dream seen by men turns into a good

dream.

 

18. It creates peacefulness in children possessed by the seizes of

children(i.e., evil spirits), and it is the best promoter of

friendship among men when split occurs in their union.

 

19. It diminishes most effectively the power of all men of evil ways.

Verily demons, goblins, and ogres are destroyed by its mere chanting.

 

20-30. This entire glorification of mine draws ( a devotee) very near

to me. And by means of finest cattle, flowers, arghya and incenses,

and by perfumes and lamps, by feeding Brahmanas, by oblations, by

sprinkling (consecrated) water, and by various other offerings and

gifts

 

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(if one worships) day and night in a year-the gratificattion, which

is done to me, is attained by listening but once to this holy story

of mine. The chanting and hearing of the story of my manifestations

remove sins, and grant perfect health and protect one from evil

spirits; and when my martial exploit in the form of the slaughter of

the wicked daityas is listened to, men will have no fear from

enemies. And the hymns uttered by you, and those by the divine sages,

and those by Brahma bestow a pious mind. He who is (lost) on a

lonesome spot in a forest, or is surrounded by forest fire, or who is

surrounded by robbers in a desolate sopt, or who is captured by

enemies, or who is pursued by a lion, or tiger, or by wild elephants

in a forest, or who, under the orders of a wrathful kinng, is

sentenced to death, or has been imprisoned, or who is tossed about in

his boat by a tempest in the vast sea, or who is in the most terrible

battle under shower of weapons, or who is amidst all kinds of

dreadful troubles, or who is afflicted with pain - such a man on

remembering this story of mine is saved from his strait. Through my

power, lions etc., robbers and enemies, flee from a distance from him

who remembers this story of mine.

 

The Rishi said: 31-32. Having spoken thus the adorable Chandika,

fierce in prowess, vanished on that very spot even as the Devas were

gazing one.

 

33. Their foes having been killed, all the devas also were delivered

from fear; all of them resumed their own duties as before and

participated in their shares of sacrifices.

 

34-35. When the exceedingly valourous Sumbha and Nisumbha, the most

fierce foes of devas, who brought ruin on the world, and who were

unparallelled in prowess had been slain by the Devi in battle, the

remaining daityas went away to Patala.

 

36. Thus O King, the adorable Devi, although eternal, incarnating

again and again, protects the world.

 

37. By her this universe is deluded, and it is she who creates this

universe. And when entreated, she bestows supreme knowledge, and whne

propitiated, whe bestows prosperity.

 

38. By her, the Mahakali, who takes the form of the great destroyer

at the end of time, all this cosmic sphere is pervaded.

 

39. She indeed takes the form of the great destroyer at the (proper)

time. She, the unborn, indeed becomes this creation (at the time

proper for re-creation), She herself, the eternal Being, sustains the

beings at (another) time.

 

40. In times of prosperity, she indeed is Lakshmi, who

 

bestows prosperity in the homes of men; and in times of misfortune,

she herself becomes the goddess of misfortune, and brings about ruin.

 

41. When praised and worshipped with flowers, incense, perfumes,

etc., she bestows wealth and sons, and a mind bent on righteousness

and prosperous life.

 

Here ends the twelfth chapter called Eulogy of the Merits of Devi-

mahatmya in the period of Markandya-purana, during the period of

Savarni, the Manu.

 

CHAPTER 13 The bestowing of boons to Suratha and Vaisya

 

The Rishi said: 1-2. I have now narrated to you, O King, this sublime

poem on the glory of the Devi.

 

3. The Devi is endowed with such majestic power. By her this world is

upheld. Knowledge is similarly conferred by her, the illusive power

of Bhagavan Vishnu.

 

4. By her, you, this merchant and other men of discrimination, are

being deluded; and others were deluded (in the past), and will be

deluded (in the future).

 

5. O great King, take refuge in her, the supremem Isvari. She indeed

when worshipped bestows on men enjoyment, heaven and final release

(from transmigration).

 

Markandeya said (to his disciple Bhaguri): 6-8. O great sage, King

Suratha who had become despondent consequent on his excessive

attachment and the deprivation of his kingdom, and the merchant,

having heard this speech prostrated before the illustrious Rishi of

sever penances and immediately repaired to perform austerities.

 

9. Both king and the merchant, in order to obtain a vision of Amba,

stationed themselves on the sand-bank of a river and practised

penances, chanting the supreme Devi-sukta (hymn to the Devi).

 

10. Having made an earthen image of the Devi on the sands of the

river, they both wroshipped her with flowers, incense, fire and

libation of water.

 

11. Now abstaining from food, and now restraining in their food, with

their minds on ther and with concentration, they both offered

sacrifices sprinkled with blood drawn from their own bodies.

 

12. When they, with controlled minds propitiated her thus for three

years, Chandika, the upholder of the world, was well pleased and

spoke to them in visible form.

 

The Devi said: 13-15. What you solicit, O King, and you, the delight

 

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of your family, receive all that from me. Well-leased I bestow those

to you both.

 

Markandaya said: 16-17. Then the King chose a kingdom, imperishable

even in another life, and in this life itself, his own kingdom

wherein the power of his enemies is destroyed by force.

 

18. Then the wise merchant also, whose mind was full of dipassion for

the world, chose tha knowledge which removes the attachment (in the

form of) mine and I.

 

The Devi said: 19-21. O King, after slaying your foes in a few days,

you shall obtain your own kingodm and it shall last with you there.

 

22-23. And, when you are dead, you shall gain another birth from the

Deva Vivasvat (Sun), and shall be a Manu on earth by name Savarni.

 

24-25. and, O the best of merchants, I grant you the boon which you

have desired of me. (Supreme) knowledge shall be yours, for your self-

realization.

 

Markandeya said: 26-27. Having thus granted them both the boon that

wach desired, the Devi disappeared forthwith, as they were extolling

her with devotion.

 

28-29. Having thus gained the boon from the Devi, Suratha, the

foremost of Ksatriyas, shall obtain a new birth through Surya (and of

his wife Savarna), and shall be the Manu(eighth) named Savarni, shall

be the Manu named Savarni.

 

Here ends the thirteenth chpater called The bestowing of boons to

Suratha and Vaisya of Devi-mahatmya in Markandeyapurana, during the

period of Savarni, the Manu.

 

Here ends the Devi-Mahatmya of 700 Mantras.

 

OM TAT SAT OM.

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