। ध्यानम् ।
ॐ विद्युद्धामसमप्रभां मृगपतिस्कन्धस्थितां भीषणां
कन्याभिः करवाळखेटविलसधस्ताभिरासेविताम् ।
हस्तैश्चक्रगदासिखेटविशिखांश्चापं गुणं तर्जनीं
बिभ्राणामनलात्मिकां शशिधरां दुर्गां त्रिनेत्रां भजे ॥
| dhyānam |
oṃ vidyuddhāmasamaprabhāṃ mṛgapatiskandhasthitāṃ bhīṣaṇāṃ
kanyābhiḥ karavāḷakheṭavilasadhastābhirāsevitām |
hastaiścakragadāsikheṭaviśikhāṃścāpaṃ guṇaṃ tarjanīṃ
bibhrāṇāmanalātmikāṃ śaśidharāṃ durgāṃ trinetrāṃ bhaje ||
Meaning Meditation verse — I worship the three-eyed Goddess Durgā: radiant like a flash of lightning, seated upon the shoulder of the lion (lord of beasts), fearsome in aspect, attended by maidens whose hands gleam with swords and shields; bearing in Her own hands the discus, mace, sword, shield, arrows, bow, bowstring (noose) and the threatening (tarjanī) gesture; of the very nature of fire, wearing the moon upon Her crown.
ॐ देव्युवाच ॥ १२.१॥
oṃ devyuvāca || 12.1||
Meaning The Goddess said:
एभिः स्तवैश्च मां नित्यं स्तोष्यते यः समाहितः ।
तस्याहं सकलां बाधां शमयिष्याम्यसंशयम् ॥ १२.२॥
ebhiḥ stavaiśca māṃ nityaṃ stoṣyate yaḥ samāhitaḥ |
tasyāhaṃ sakalāṃ bādhāṃ śamayiṣyāmyasaṃśayam || 12.2||
Meaning Whoever, with a composed and one-pointed mind, praises Me constantly with these hymns — his every affliction I shall, without doubt, wholly quell.
मधुकैटभनाशं च महिषासुरघातनम् ।
कीर्तयिष्यन्ति ये तद्वद्वधं शुम्भनिशुम्भयोः ॥ १२.३॥
madhukaiṭabhanāśaṃ ca mahiṣāsuraghātanam |
kīrtayiṣyanti ye tadvadvadhaṃ śumbhaniśumbhayoḥ || 12.3||
Meaning And those who will recite the destruction of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, the slaying of Mahiṣāsura, and likewise the killing of Śumbha and Niśumbha —
अष्टम्यां च चतुर्दश्यां नवम्यां चैकचेतसः ।
श्रोष्यन्ति चैव ये भक्त्या मम माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ॥ १२.४॥
aṣṭamyāṃ ca caturdaśyāṃ navamyāṃ caikacetasaḥ |
śroṣyanti caiva ye bhaktyā mama māhātmyamuttamam || 12.4||
Meaning and those too who, with single-minded devotion, on the eighth, fourteenth and ninth lunar days listen to this supreme Glory (Māhātmya) of Mine —
न तेषां दुष्कृतं किञ्चिद्दुष्कृतोत्था न चापदः ।
भविष्यति न दारिद्र्यं न चैवेष्टवियोजनम् ॥ १२.५॥
na teṣāṃ duṣkṛtaṃ kiñcidduṣkṛtotthā na cāpadaḥ |
bhaviṣyati na dāridryaṃ na caiveṣṭaviyojanam || 12.5||
Meaning no sin whatever shall touch them, nor calamities born of wrongdoing, nor poverty, nor separation from those they hold dear.
शत्रुभ्यो न भयं तस्य दस्युतो वा न राजतः ।
न शस्त्रानलतोयौघात् कदाचित् सम्भविष्यति ॥ १२.६॥
śatrubhyo na bhayaṃ tasya dasyuto vā na rājataḥ |
na śastrānalatoyaughāt kadācit sambhaviṣyati || 12.6||
Meaning He has no fear from enemies, nor from robbers or the king; nor shall harm from weapon, fire or flood of waters ever befall him.
तस्मान्ममैतन्माहात्म्यं पठितव्यं समाहितैः ।
श्रोतव्यं च सदा भक्त्या परं स्वस्त्ययनं महत् ॥ १२.७॥
tasmānmamaitanmāhātmyaṃ paṭhitavyaṃ samāhitaiḥ |
śrotavyaṃ ca sadā bhaktyā paraṃ svastyayanaṃ mahat || 12.7||
Meaning Therefore this Glory of Mine should be recited by those of composed mind, and ever heard with devotion, for it is the supreme, great source of well-being.
उपसर्गानशेषांस्तु महामारीसमुद्भवान् ।
तथा त्रिविधमुत्पातं माहात्म्यं शमयेन्मम ॥ १२.८॥
upasargānaśeṣāṃstu mahāmārīsamudbhavān |
tathā trividhamutpātaṃ māhātmyaṃ śamayenmama || 12.8||
Meaning My Glory quells all afflictions arising from great plagues, and likewise the three kinds of portents (celestial, atmospheric and terrestrial).
यत्रैतत्पठ्यते सम्यङ्नित्यमायतने मम ।
सदा न तद्विमोक्ष्यामि सान्निध्यं तत्र मे स्थितम् ॥ १२.९॥
yatraitatpaṭhyate samyaṅnityamāyatane mama |
sadā na tadvimokṣyāmi sānnidhyaṃ tatra me sthitam || 12.9||
Meaning Where this is duly and constantly recited in a sanctuary of Mine, that place I shall never forsake; there My presence abides fixed.
बलिप्रदाने पूजायामग्निकार्ये महोत्सवे ।
सर्वं ममैतन्माहात्म्यम् उच्चार्यं श्राव्यमेव च ॥ १२.१०॥
balipradāne pūjāyāmagnikārye mahotsave |
sarvaṃ mamaitanmāhātmyam uccāryaṃ śrāvyameva ca || 12.10||
Meaning At the offering of oblation, in worship, in the fire-rite (homa), and at a great festival, all this My Glory should be uttered aloud and heard.
जानताजानता वापि बलिपूजां यथा कृताम् ।
प्रतीक्षिष्याम्यहं प्रीत्या वह्निहोमं तथाकृतम् ॥ १२.११॥
jānatājānatā vāpi balipūjāṃ yathā kṛtām |
pratīkṣiṣyāmyahaṃ prītyā vahnihomaṃ tathākṛtam || 12.11||
Meaning Whether performed with knowledge of the rites or without it, the oblation and worship so offered, and the fire-homa so made, I shall await and accept with loving favour.
शरत्काले महापूजा क्रियते या च वार्षिकी ।
तस्यां ममैतन्माहात्म्यं श्रुत्वा भक्तिसमन्वितः ॥ १२.१२॥
śaratkāle mahāpūjā kriyate yā ca vārṣikī |
tasyāṃ mamaitanmāhātmyaṃ śrutvā bhaktisamanvitaḥ || 12.12||
Meaning At the great annual worship performed in the autumn season, the man who, filled with devotion, hears this Glory of Mine —
सर्वाबाधाविनिर्मुक्तो धनधान्यसमन्वितः ।
मनुष्यो मत्प्रसादेन भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ १२.१३॥
sarvābādhāvinirmukto dhanadhānyasamanvitaḥ |
manuṣyo matprasādena bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 12.13||
Meaning he shall, by My grace, become free of all afflictions and endowed with wealth and grain — of this there is no doubt.
श्रुत्वा ममैतन्माहात्म्यं तथा चोत्पत्तयः शुभाः ।
पराक्रमं च युद्धेषु जायते निर्भयः पुमान् ॥ १२.१४॥
śrutvā mamaitanmāhātmyaṃ tathā cotpattayaḥ śubhāḥ |
parākramaṃ ca yuddheṣu jāyate nirbhayaḥ pumān || 12.14||
Meaning Hearing this Glory of Mine, and the auspicious accounts of My manifestations, and My prowess in battles, a man becomes free from fear.
रिपवः सङ्क्षयं यान्ति कल्याणं चोपपद्यते ।
नन्दते च कुलं पुंसां माहात्म्यं मम शृण्वताम् ॥ १२.१५॥
ripavaḥ saṅkṣayaṃ yānti kalyāṇaṃ copapadyate |
nandate ca kulaṃ puṃsāṃ māhātmyaṃ mama śaृṇvatām || 12.15||
Meaning For men who hear My Glory, enemies come to ruin, welfare is attained, and their family rejoices.
शान्तिकर्मणि सर्वत्र तथा दुःस्वप्नदर्शने ।
ग्रहपीडासु चोग्रासु माहात्म्यं शृणुयान्मम ॥ १२.१६॥
śāntikarmaṇi sarvatra tathā duḥsvapnadarśane |
grahapīḍāsu cogrāsu māhātmyaṃ śaृṇuyānmama || 12.16||
Meaning In every rite of propitiation, on the sight of evil dreams, and amid fierce planetary afflictions, one should hear My Glory.
उपसर्गाः शमं यान्ति ग्रहपीडाश्च दारुणाः ।
दुःस्वप्नं च नृभिर्दृष्टं सुस्वप्नमुपजायते ॥ १२.१७॥
upasargāḥ śamaṃ yānti grahapīḍāśca dāruṇāḥ |
duḥsvapnaṃ ca nṛbhirdṛṣṭaṃ susvapnamupajāyate || 12.17||
Meaning Thereby afflictions subside, and dreadful planetary torments as well; and an evil dream that men have seen turns into an auspicious one.
बालग्रहाभिभूतानां बालानां शान्तिकारकम् ।
सङ्घातभेदे च नृणां मैत्रीकरणमुत्तमम् ॥ १२.१८॥
bālagrahābhibhūtānāṃ bālānāṃ śāntikārakam |
saṅghātabhede ca nṛṇāṃ maitrīkaraṇamuttamam || 12.18||
Meaning It brings healing peace to children afflicted by the child-seizing spirits (bāla-grahas), and is the finest means of restoring friendship among men when their union is broken.
दुर्वृत्तानामशेषाणां बलहानिकरं परम् ।
रक्षोभूतपिशाचानां पठनादेव नाशनम् ॥ १२.१९॥
durvṛttānāmaśeṣāṇāṃ balahānikaraṃ param |
rakṣobhūtapiśācānāṃ paṭhanādeva nāśanam || 12.19||
Meaning It supremely saps the strength of all evildoers, and by its mere recitation destroys rākṣasas, bhūtas and piśācas.
सर्वं ममैतन्माहात्म्यं मम सन्निधिकारकम् ।
पशुपुष्पार्घ्यधूपैश्च गन्धदीपैस्तथोत्तमैः ॥ १२.२०॥
sarvaṃ mamaitanmāhātmyaṃ mama sannidhikārakam |
paśupuṣpārghyadhūpaiśca gandhadīpaistathottamaiḥ || 12.20||
Meaning All this My Glory brings about My presence. With animal-offering, flowers, arghya, incense, and with excellent perfumes and lamps,
विप्राणां भोजनैर्होमैः प्रोक्षणीयैरहर्निशम् ।
अन्यैश्च विविधैर्भोगैः प्रदानैर्वत्सरेण या ॥ १२.२१॥
viprāṇāṃ bhojanairhomaiḥ prokṣaṇīyairaharniśam |
anyaiśca vividhairbhogaiḥ pradānairvatsareṇa yā || 12.21||
Meaning with feeding of brāhmaṇas, with fire-offerings and sprinklings of consecrated water, day and night, and with sundry other enjoyments and gifts, throughout a whole year — the delight that such worship yields Me,
प्रीतिर्मे क्रियते सास्मिन् सकृदुच्चरिते श्रुते ।
श्रुतं हरति पापानि तथारोग्यं प्रयच्छति ॥ १२.२२॥
prītirme kriyate sāsmin sakṛduccarite śrute |
śrutaṃ harati pāpāni tathārogyaṃ prayacchati || 12.22||
Meaning that same delight of Mine is produced by this Glory uttered or heard but once. Hearing it carries away sins and bestows health.
रक्षां करोति भूतेभ्यो जन्मनां कीर्तनं मम ।
युद्धेषु चरितं यन्मे दुष्टदैत्यनिबर्हणम् ॥ १२.२३॥
rakṣāṃ karoti bhūtebhyo janmanāṃ kīrtanaṃ mama |
yuddheṣu caritaṃ yanme duṣṭadaityanibarhaṇam || 12.23||
Meaning The recounting of My manifestations affords protection from evil spirits; and that exploit of Mine in the battles — the annihilation of the wicked daityas —
तस्मिञ्छ्रुते वैरिकृतं भयं पुंसां न जायते ।
युष्माभिः स्तुतयो याश्च याश्च ब्रह्मर्षिभिः कृताः ॥ १२.२४॥
tasmiñchrute vairikṛtaṃ bhayaṃ puṃsāṃ na jāyate |
yuṣmābhiḥ stutayo yāśca yāśca brahmarṣibhiḥ kṛtāḥ || 12.24||
Meaning when that is heard, no fear wrought by foes arises in men. The hymns which have been composed by you (the gods) and those by the Brahmarṣis,
ब्रह्मणा च कृतास्तास्तु प्रयच्छन्तु शुभां मतिम् ।
अरण्ये प्रान्तरे वापि दावाग्निपरिवारितः ॥ १२.२५॥
brahmaṇā ca kṛtāstāstu prayacchantu śubhāṃ matim |
araṇye prāntare vāpi dāvāgniparivāritaḥ || 12.25||
Meaning and those composed by Brahmā — may they all bestow an auspicious mind. One hemmed in by a forest-fire in a wilderness or a desolate tract,
दस्युभिर्वा वृतः शून्ये गृहीतो वापि शत्रुभिः ।
सिंहव्याघ्रानुयातो वा वने वा वनहस्तिभिः ॥ १२.२६॥
dasyubhirvā vṛtaḥ śūnye gṛhīto vāpi śatrubhiḥ |
siṃhavyāghrānuyāto vā vane vā vanahastibhiḥ || 12.26||
Meaning or beset by robbers in a lonely place, or seized by enemies, or pursued in a forest by a lion, a tiger, or wild elephants,
राज्ञा क्रुद्धेन चाज्ञप्तो वध्यो बन्धगतोऽपि वा ।
आघूर्णितो वा वातेन स्थितः पोते महार्णवे ॥ १२.२७॥
rājñā kruddhena cājñapto vadhyo bandhagato'pi vā |
āghūrṇito vā vātena sthitaḥ pote mahārṇave || 12.27||
Meaning or condemned to death by an enraged king or cast into bondage, or tossed by the wind while seated in a boat upon the great ocean,
पतत्सु चापि शस्त्रेषु सङ्ग्रामे भृशदारुणे ।
सर्वाबाधासु घोरासु वेदनाभ्यर्दितोऽपि वा ॥ १२.२८॥
patatsu cāpi śastreṣu saṅgrāme bhṛśadāruṇe |
sarvābādhāsu ghorāsu vedanābhyardito'pi vā || 12.28||
Meaning or amid falling weapons in a most fearful battle, or caught in all manner of dreadful afflictions, or racked with pain —
स्मरन् ममैतच्चरितं नरो मुच्येत सङ्कटात् ।
मम प्रभावात्सिंहाद्या दस्यवो वैरिणस्तथा ॥ १२.२९॥
smaran mamaitaccaritaṃ naro mucyeta saṅkaṭāt |
mama prabhāvātsiṃhādyā dasyavo vairiṇastathā || 12.29||
Meaning such a man, remembering this exploit of Mine, is delivered from his peril. By My power, lions and the like, robbers and foes —
दूरादेव पलायन्ते स्मरतश्चरितं मम ॥ १२.३०॥
dūrādeva palāyante smarataścaritaṃ mama || 12.30||
Meaning flee far away from him who remembers My exploit.
ऋषिरुवाच ॥ १२.३१॥
ṛṣiruvāca || 12.31||
Meaning The sage (Medhas) said:
इत्युक्त्वा सा भगवती चण्डिका चण्डविक्रमा ॥ १२.३२॥
ityuktvā sā bhagavatī caṇḍikā caṇḍavikramā || 12.32||
Meaning Having spoken thus, that Bhagavatī Caṇḍikā of fierce valour,
पश्यतां सर्वदेवानां तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।
तेऽपि देवा निरातङ्काः स्वाधिकारान्यथा पुरा ॥ १२.३३॥
paśyatāṃ sarvadevānāṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata |
te'pi devā nirātaṅkāḥ svādhikārānyathā purā || 12.33||
Meaning vanished then and there before the eyes of all the gods. Those gods too, free from dread, resumed their respective offices as of old,
यज्ञभागभुजः सर्वे चक्रुर्विनिहतारयः ।
दैत्याश्च देव्या निहते शुम्भे देवरिपौ युधि ॥ १२.३४॥
yajñabhāgabhujaḥ sarve cakrurvinihatārayaḥ |
daityāśca devyā nihate śumbhe devaripau yudhi || 12.34||
Meaning enjoying their shares of the sacrifices, their enemies destroyed. And when Śumbha, the foe of the gods, had been slain by the Devī in battle,
जगद्विध्वंसके तस्मिन् महोग्रेऽतुलविक्रमे ।
निशुम्भे च महावीर्ये शेषाः पातालमाययुः ॥ १२.३५॥
jagadvidhvaṃsake tasmin mahogre'tulavikrame |
niśumbhe ca mahāvīrye śeṣāḥ pātālamāyayuḥ || 12.35||
Meaning and when Niśumbha too — that ravager of the world, most terrible, of matchless prowess and mighty valour — was slain, the remaining daityas fled to the nether world (Pātāla).
एवं भगवती देवी सा नित्यापि पुनः पुनः ।
सम्भूय कुरुते भूप जगतः परिपालनम् ॥ १२.३६॥
evaṃ bhagavatī devī sā nityāpi punaḥ punaḥ |
sambhūya kurute bhūpa jagataḥ paripālanam || 12.36||
Meaning Thus, O King, that Bhagavatī Devī, though eternal, yet manifesting again and again, carries out the preservation of the world.
तयैतन्मोह्यते विश्वं सैव विश्वं प्रसूयते ।
सा याचिता च विज्ञानं तुष्टा ऋद्धिं प्रयच्छति ॥ १२.३७॥
tayaitanmohyate viśvaṃ saiva viśvaṃ prasūyate |
sā yācitā ca vijñānaṃ tuṣṭā ṛddhiṃ prayacchati || 12.37||
Meaning By Her this whole universe is deluded; She Herself brings the universe forth. Besought, She grants knowledge; well-pleased, She bestows prosperity.
व्याप्तं तयैतत्सकलं ब्रह्माण्डं मनुजेश्वर ।
महादेव्या महाकाली महामारीस्वरूपया ॥ १२.३८॥
vyāptaṃ tayaitatsakalaṃ brahmāṇḍaṃ manujeśvara |
mahādevyā mahākālī mahāmārīsvarūpayā || 12.38||
Meaning By Her, the Great Goddess — Mahākālī, in the form of the great destroyer (Mahāmārī) — this entire cosmos is pervaded, O Lord of men.
सैव काले महामारी सैव सृष्टिर्भवत्यजा ।
स्थितिं करोति भूतानां सैव काले सनातनी ॥ १२.३९॥
saiva kāle mahāmārī saiva sṛṣṭirbhavatyajā |
sthitiṃ karoti bhūtānāṃ saiva kāle sanātanī || 12.39||
Meaning She Herself, in due time, is the great dissolution; She, the unborn, becomes creation; and She, the eternal one, sustains all beings in their season.
भवकाले नृणां सैव लक्ष्मीर्वृद्धिप्रदा गृहे ।
सैवाभावे तथालक्ष्मीर्विनाशायोपजायते ॥ १२.४०॥
bhavakāle nṛṇāṃ saiva lakṣmīrvṛddhipradā gṛhe |
saivābhāve tathālakṣmīrvināśāyopajāyate || 12.40||
Meaning In men's time of prosperity She is Lakṣmī, bringing increase in their homes; in time of adversity She becomes Alakṣmī (misfortune), arising for their ruin.
स्तुता सम्पूजिता पुष्पैर्गन्धधूपादिभिस्तथा ।
ददाति वित्तं पुत्रांश्च मतिं धर्मे गतिं शुभाम् ॥ १२.४१॥
stutā sampūjitā puṣpairgandhadhūpādibhistathā |
dadāti vittaṃ putrāṃśca matiṃ dharme gatiṃ śubhām || 12.41||
Meaning Praised and duly worshipped with flowers, perfume, incense and the like, She grants wealth and sons, a mind set on dharma, and an auspicious destiny.
भगवती वाक्यं द्वादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १२॥
bhagavatī vākyaṃ dvādaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 12||
Meaning Here ends the twelfth chapter, called 'Bhagavatī-vākya' (the Words of the Goddess), of the Devī-Māhātmya (Durgā-Saptaśatī).
उवाच २, अर्धश्लोकौ २, श्लोकाः ३७, एवमादितः ॥ ६७१॥
uvāca 2, ardhaślokau 2, ślokāḥ 37, evamāditaḥ || 671||
Meaning A verse-tally line: this chapter contains two 'uvāca' speech-openings ('The Goddess said' and 'The sage said'), two half-verses, and thirty-seven full verses; thus, counting from the beginning, the running total comes to six hundred and seventy-one.
