। ध्यानम् ।
ॐ बालार्कमण्डलाभासां चतुर्बाहुं त्रिलोचनाम् ।
पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतिर्धारयन्तीं शिवां भजे ॥
| dhyānam |
oṃ bālārkamaṇḍalābhāsāṃ caturbāhuṃ trilocanām |
pāśāṅkuśavarābhītirdhārayantīṃ śivāṃ bhaje ||
Meaning Meditation verse — I worship the auspicious Goddess (Śivā), radiant like the orb of the rising morning sun, four-armed and three-eyed, bearing the noose (pāśa) and goad (aṅkuśa) and showing the boon-granting (vara) and fear-dispelling (abhaya) gestures.
ॐ ऋषिरुवाच ॥ १३.१॥
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca || 13.1||
Meaning Oṃ. The sage (Ṛṣi Medhas) said:
एतत्ते कथितं भूप देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।
एवं प्रभावा सा देवी ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥ १३.२॥
etatte kathitaṃ bhūpa devīmāhātmyamuttamam |
evaṃ prabhāvā sā devī yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat || 13.2||
Meaning O King, this supreme glory of the Goddess (Devī-māhātmya) has been narrated to you. Such is the power of that Goddess, by whom this whole world is sustained.
विद्या तथैव क्रियते भगवद्विष्णुमायया ।
तया त्वमेष वैश्यश्च तथैवान्ये विवेकिनः ॥ १३.३॥
vidyā tathaiva kriyate bhagavadviṣṇumāyayā |
tayā tvameṣa vaiśyaśca tathaivānye vivekinaḥ || 13.3||
Meaning By that very Viṣṇu-māyā of the Lord, knowledge too is brought about (as is delusion). By her, you, this merchant, and likewise other discerning ones —
मोह्यन्ते मोहिताश्चैव मोहमेष्यन्ति चापरे ।
तामुपैहि महाराज शरणं परमेश्वरीम् ॥ १३.४॥
mohyante mohitāścaiva mohameṣyanti cāpare |
tāmupaihi mahārāja śaraṇaṃ parameśvarīm || 13.4||
Meaning — are deluded, have been deluded, and others yet will be deluded. O great King, take refuge in Her, the Supreme Goddess (Parameśvarī).
आराधिता सैव नृणां भोगस्वर्गापवर्गदा ॥ १३.५॥
ārādhitā saiva nṛṇāṃ bhogasvargāpavargadā || 13.5||
Meaning When duly worshipped, that same Goddess bestows upon men enjoyment (bhoga), heaven (svarga), and final liberation (apavarga).
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥ १३.६॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca || 13.6||
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सुरथः स नराधिपः ॥ १३.७॥
iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā surathaḥ sa narādhipaḥ || 13.7||
Meaning Having heard these words of his (the sage), that King Suratha, the ruler of men —
प्रणिपत्य महाभागं तमृषिं संशितव्रतम् ।
निर्विण्णोऽतिममत्वेन राज्यापहरणेन च ॥ १३.८॥
praṇipatya mahābhāgaṃ tamṛṣiṃ saṃśitavratam |
nirviṇṇo'timamatvena rājyāpaharaṇena ca || 13.8||
Meaning — bowed to that greatly blessed sage of severe vows; grown detached through excessive attachment and through the seizure of his kingdom,
जगाम सद्यस्तपसे स च वैश्यो महामुने ।
सन्दर्शनार्थमम्बाया नदीपुलिनमास्थितः ॥ १३.९॥
jagāma sadyastapase sa ca vaiśyo mahāmune |
sandarśanārthamambāyā nadīpulinamāsthitaḥ || 13.9||
Meaning O great sage, he at once went forth to perform austerity, and so did that merchant; and to obtain the vision of the Mother (Ambā), they took their stand on a river's sandbank.
स च वैश्यस्तपस्तेपे देवीसूक्तं परं जपन् ।
तौ तस्मिन् पुलिने देव्याः कृत्वा मूर्तिं महीमयीम् ॥ १३.१०॥
sa ca vaiśyastapastepe devīsūktaṃ paraṃ japan |
tau tasmin puline devyāḥ kṛtvā mūrtiṃ mahīmayīm || 13.10||
Meaning And that merchant performed austerity, reciting the supreme Devī-sūkta. The two of them, on that sandbank, having fashioned an earthen image of the Goddess —
अर्हणां चक्रतुस्तस्याः पुष्पधूपाग्नितर्पणैः ।
निराहारौ यतात्मानौ तन्मनस्कौ समाहितौ ॥ १३.११॥
arhaṇāṃ cakratustasyāḥ puṣpadhūpāgnitarpaṇaiḥ |
nirāhārau yatātmānau tanmanaskau samāhitau || 13.11||
Meaning — worshipped her with flowers, incense, fire-offering, and libations. Fasting, self-restrained, with minds fixed on her and fully concentrated —
ददतुस्तौ बलिं चैव निजगात्रासृगुक्षितम् ।
एवं समाराधयतोस्त्रिभिर्वर्षैर्यतात्मनोः ॥ १३.१२॥
dadatustau baliṃ caiva nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam |
evaṃ samārādhayatostribhirvarṣairyatātmanoḥ || 13.12||
Meaning — the two also offered oblation sprinkled with blood drawn from their own limbs. Thus, as the two self-controlled ones worshipped for three years —
परितुष्टा जगद्धात्री प्रत्यक्षं प्राह चण्डिका ॥ १३.१३॥
parituṣṭā jagaddhātrī pratyakṣaṃ prāha caṇḍikā || 13.13||
Meaning — Caṇḍikā, the Supporter of the world, well pleased, appeared before them in visible form and spoke.
देव्युवाच ॥ १३.१४॥
devyuvāca || 13.14||
Meaning The Goddess said:
यत्प्रार्थ्यते त्वया भूप त्वया च कुलनन्दन ।
मत्तस्तत्प्राप्यतां सर्वं परितुष्टा ददामिते ॥ १३.१५॥
yatprārthyate tvayā bhūpa tvayā ca kulanandana |
mattastatprāpyatāṃ sarvaṃ parituṣṭā dadāmite || 13.15||
Meaning O King, and O delight of your family (merchant), whatever is prayed for by you both — receive it all from me; well pleased, I grant it to you.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥ १३.१६॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca || 13.16||
ततो वव्रे नृपो राज्यमविभ्रंश्यन्यजन्मनि ।
अत्रैव च निजं राज्यं हतशत्रुबलं बलात् ॥ १३.१७॥
tato vavre nṛpo rājyamavibhraṃśyanyajanmani |
atraiva ca nijaṃ rājyaṃ hataśatrubalaṃ balāt || 13.17||
Meaning Then the king chose a kingdom that would not perish even in another birth, and, in this very life, his own kingdom regained by force with the enemies' might destroyed.
सोऽपि वैश्यस्ततो ज्ञानं वव्रे निर्विण्णमानसः ।
ममेत्यहमिति प्राज्ञः सङ्गविच्युतिकारकम् ॥ १३.१८॥
so'pi vaiśyastato jñānaṃ vavre nirviṇṇamānasaḥ |
mametyahamiti prājñaḥ saṅgavicyutikārakam || 13.18||
Meaning That merchant too, his mind turned to detachment, chose knowledge — the wise one chose that which removes the attachment bound up in the notions of 'mine' and 'I'.
देव्युवाच ॥ १३.१९॥
devyuvāca || 13.19||
Meaning The Goddess said:
स्वल्पैरहोभिर्नृपते स्वं राज्यं प्राप्स्यते भवान् ॥ १३.२०॥
svalpairahobhirnṛpate svaṃ rājyaṃ prāpsyate bhavān || 13.20||
Meaning O King, in but a few days you shall regain your own kingdom.
हत्वा रिपूनस्खलितं तव तत्र भविष्यति ॥ १३.२१॥
hatvā ripūnaskhalitaṃ tava tatra bhaviṣyati || 13.21||
Meaning Having slain your foes, it shall there become unshakably (steadfastly) yours.
मृतश्च भूयः सम्प्राप्य जन्म देवाद्विवस्वतः ॥ १३.२२॥
mṛtaśca bhūyaḥ samprāpya janma devādvivasvataḥ || 13.22||
Meaning And after death, obtaining birth once again from the god Vivasvān (the Sun) —
सावर्णिको मनुर्नाम भवान्भुवि भविष्यति ॥ १३.२३॥
sāvarṇiko manurnāma bhavānbhuvi bhaviṣyati || 13.23||
Meaning — you shall become upon this earth the Manu named Sāvarṇika (Sāvarṇi).
वैश्यवर्य त्वया यश्च वरोऽस्मत्तोऽभिवाञ्छितः ॥ १३.२४॥
vaiśyavarya tvayā yaśca varo'smatto'bhivāñchitaḥ || 13.24||
Meaning O best of merchants, and the boon that has been desired by you from me —
तं प्रयच्छामि संसिद्ध्यै तव ज्ञानं भविष्यति ॥ १३.२५॥
taṃ prayacchāmi saṃsiddhyai tava jñānaṃ bhaviṣyati || 13.25||
Meaning — that I grant for your complete perfection; knowledge (of Truth) shall be yours.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥ १३.२६॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca || 13.26||
इति दत्त्वा तयोर्देवी यथाभिलषितं वरम् ॥ १३.२७॥
iti dattvā tayordevī yathābhilaṣitaṃ varam || 13.27||
Meaning Thus, having granted the two of them the boon as each desired, the Goddess —
बभूवान्तर्हिता सद्यो भक्त्या ताभ्यामभिष्टुता ।
एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः ॥ १३.२८॥
babhūvāntarhitā sadyo bhaktyā tābhyāmabhiṣṭutā |
evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ || 13.28||
Meaning — extolled with devotion by them both, at once vanished from sight. Thus, having obtained the boon from the Goddess, Suratha, the bull among Kṣatriyas —
सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः ॥ १३.२९॥
sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ || 13.29||
Meaning — obtaining birth from the Sun, will become the Manu named Sāvarṇi.
एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः ।
सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः ॥ क्लीं ॐ ॥
evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ |
sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ || klīṃ oṃ ||
Meaning Thus, having obtained the boon from the Goddess, Suratha the bull among Kṣatriyas, taking birth from the Sun, will become the Manu Sāvarṇi. (Closing seed-syllables —) Klīṃ Oṃ.
उवाच ६, अर्धश्लोकाः ११, श्लोकाः १२, एवमादितः ॥ ७००॥
uvāca 6, ardhaślokāḥ 11, ślokāḥ 12, evamāditaḥ || 700||
Meaning (Verse-count colophon) — In this chapter there are 6 dialogue-verses ('uvāca'), 11 half-verses, and 12 full verses; thus, counted from the very beginning, the whole (Saptaśatī) totals 700 verses.
समस्ता उवाचमन्त्राः ५७, अर्धश्लोकाः ४२, श्लोकाः ५३५, अवदानानि ६६ ॥
samastā uvācamantrāḥ 57, ardhaślokāḥ 42, ślokāḥ 535, avadānāni 66 ||
Meaning (Grand total of the whole Saptaśatī) — altogether there are 57 dialogue-mantras ('uvāca'), 42 half-verses, 535 full verses, and 66 avadānas (narrative episodes) — together making up the full 700.
