Devi Mahatmyam

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Devi Mahatmyam

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 three-eyed, 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. Markandeya said ( to his disciple Krasustuki

Bhaguri):

1-3. Savarni, {Savarni was so called because he was the son of Savarna, Surya's

wife. He became King Suratha in the second (Svarocisa) manvantara}, 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

{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. }by the grace of Mahamaya {One of the names of the Divine

Mother. }.

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.

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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 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 manthough

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

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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

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 nonconscient

(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 (www.hindu-blog.com)

Slaughter of the armies of Mahisasura

Meditation of Mahalakshmi

I resort to Mahalakshmi, the destroyer of Mahisasura, 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 ear-rings, 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 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 Markandeya-purana, during the period of

Savarni, the Manu.

Chapter 3 (www.hindu-blog.com)

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 sword and shield rushed at the

Devi.

7. Swiftly he smote the lion on the head with his sharp-edged 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.'

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 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 sprout-like (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 of the Devi-mahatmya in Markandeya-purana

during the period of Savarni, the Manu.

Chapter 5

Devi's conversation with the messenger

Meditation of Mahasaraswati

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;

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 ocean-king 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 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 Markandeya-purana 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 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 evil-natured 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

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.

31. And lightly, with the huge arrows shot from her full-drawn 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. 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 thunder-clap ( 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 'Red-toothed.'

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. (www.hindu-blog.com)

CHAPTER 12

Eulogy of the Merits (www.hindu-blog.com)

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 fire-ceremony,

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 glorification 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 (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 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 (www.hindu-blog.com)

CHAPTER 12

Eulogy of the Merits