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Eighth Skandha · Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Unit 194 of 318Eighth Skandha · Chapter 1Eighth Skandha · Chapter 11 source entries

Eighth Skandha · Chapter 1

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जनमेजय उवाच सूर्यचन्द्रान्वयोत्थानां नृपाणां सत्कथाश्रितम् । चरितं भवता प्रोक्तं श्रुतं तदमृतास्पदम् ॥ १ ॥ अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि सा देवी जगदम्बिका । मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु यद्यद्‌रूपेण पूज्यते ॥ २ ॥ यस्मिन्यस्मिंश्च वै स्थाने येन येन च कर्मणा । (शरीरेण च देवेशी पूजनीया फलप्रदा । येनैव मन्त्रबीजेन यत्र यत्र च पूज्यते ॥) देव्या विराट्स्वरूपस्य वर्णनं च यथातथम् ॥ ३ ॥ येन ध्यानेन तत्सूक्ष्मे स्वरूपे स्यान्मतेर्गतिः । तत्सर्वं वद विप्रर्षे येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ॥ ४ ॥ व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि देव्याराधनमुत्तमम् । यत्कृतेन श्रुतेनापि नरः श्रेयोऽत्र विन्दते ॥ ५ ॥ एवमेतन्नारदेन पृष्टो नारायणः पुरा । तस्मै यदुक्तवान्देवो योगचर्याप्रवर्तकः ॥ ६ ॥ एकदा नारदः श्रीमान्पर्यटन्पृथिवीमिमाम् । नारायणाश्रमं प्राप्तो गतखेदश्च तस्थिवान् ॥ ७ ॥ तस्मै योगात्मने नत्वा ब्रह्मदेवतनूद्‍भवः । पर्यपृच्छदिमं चार्थं यत्पृष्टो भवतानघ ॥ ८ ॥ नारद उवाच देवदेव महादेव पुराणपुरुषोत्तम । जगदाधार सर्वज्ञ श्लाघनीयोरुसद्‍गुण ॥ ९ ॥ जगतस्तत्त्वमाद्यं यत्तन्मे वद यथेप्सितम् । जायते कुत एवेदं कुतश्चेदं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ १० ॥ कुतोऽन्तं प्राप्नुयात्काले कुत्र सर्वफलोदयः । केन ज्ञातेन मायैषा मोहभूर्नाशमाप्नुयात् ॥ ११ ॥ कयार्चया किं जपेन किं ध्यानेनात्महृत्कजे । प्रकाशो जायते देव तमस्यर्कोदयो यथा ॥ १२ ॥ एतत्प्रश्नोत्तरं देव ब्रूहि सर्वमशेषतः । यथा लोकस्तरेदन्धतमसं त्वञ्जसैव हि ॥ १३ ॥ व्यास उवाच एवं देवर्षिणा पृष्टः प्राचीनो मुनिसत्तमः । नारायणो महायोगी प्रतिनन्द्य वचोऽब्रवीत् ॥ १४ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच शृणु देवर्षिवर्यात्र जगतस्तत्त्वमुत्तमम् । येन ज्ञातेन मर्त्यो हि जायते न जगद्‍भ्रमे ॥ १५ ॥ जगतस्तत्त्वमित्येव देवी प्रोक्ता मयापि हि । ऋषिभिर्देवगन्धर्वैरन्यैश्चापि मनीषिभिः ॥ १६ ॥ सा जगत्सृजते देवी तया च प्रतिपाल्यते । तया च नाश्यते सर्वमिति प्रोक्तं गुणत्रयात् ॥ १७ ॥ तस्याः स्वरूपं वक्ष्यामि देव्याः सिद्धर्षिपूजितम् । स्मरतां सर्वपापघ्नं कामदं मोक्षदं तथा ॥ १८ ॥ मनुः स्वायम्भुवस्त्वाद्यः पद्मपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । शतरूपापतिः श्रीमान्सर्वमन्वन्तराधिपः ॥ १९ ॥ स मनुः पितरं देवं प्रजापतिमकल्मषम् । भक्त्या पर्यचरत्पूर्वं तमुवाचात्मभूः सुतम् ॥ २० ॥ पुत्र पुत्र त्वया कार्यं देव्याराधनमुत्तमम् । तत्प्रसादेन ते तात प्रजासर्गः प्रसिद्ध्यति ॥ २१ ॥ एवमुक्तः प्रजास्रष्ट्रा मनुः स्वायम्भुवो विराट् । जगद्योनिं तदा देवीं तपसातर्पयद्‌ विभुः ॥ २२ ॥ तुष्टाव देवीं देवेशीं समाहितमतिः किल । आद्यां मायां सर्वशक्तिं सर्वकारणकारणाम् ॥ २३ ॥ मनुरुवाच नमो नमस्ते देवेशि जगत्कारणकारणे । शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते नारायणहृदाश्रिते ॥ २४ ॥ वेदमूर्त्ते जगन्मातः कारणस्थानरूपिणि । वेदत्रयप्रमाणज्ञे सर्वदेवनुते शिवे ॥ २५ ॥ माहेश्वरि महाभागे महामाये महोदये । महादेवप्रियावासे महादेवप्रियंकरि ॥ २६ ॥ गोपेन्द्रस्य प्रिये ज्येष्ठे महानन्दे महोत्सवे । महामारीभयहरे नमो देवादिपूजिते ॥ २७ ॥ सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके । शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ २८ ॥ यतश्चेदं यया विश्वमोतं प्रोतं च सर्वदा । चैतन्यमेकमाद्यन्तरहितं तेजसां निधिम् ॥ २९ ॥ ब्रह्मा यदीक्षणात्सर्वं करोति च हरिः सदा । पालयत्यपि विश्वेशः संहर्ता यदनुग्रहात् ॥ ३० ॥ मधुकैटभसम्भूतभयार्तः पद्मसम्भवः । यस्याः स्तवेन मुमुचे घोरदैत्यभवाम्बुधेः ॥ ३१ ॥ त्वं ह्रीः कीर्तिः स्मृतिः कान्तिः कमला गिरिजा सती । दाक्षायणी वेदगर्भा सिद्धिदात्री सदाभया ॥ ३२ ॥ स्तोष्ये त्वां च नमस्यामि पूजयामि जपामि च । ध्यायामि भावये वीक्षे श्रोष्ये देवि प्रसीद मे ॥ ३३ ॥ ब्रह्मा वेदनिधिः कृष्णो लक्ष्यावासः पुरन्दरः । त्रिलोकाधिपतिः पाशी यादसाम्पतिरुत्तमः ॥ ३४ ॥ कुबेरो निधिनाथोऽभूद्यमो जातः परेतराट् । नैर्ऋतो रक्षसां नाथः सोमो जातो ह्यपोमयः ॥ ३५ ॥ त्रिलोकवन्द्ये लोकेशि महामाङ्गल्यरूपिणि । नमस्तेऽस्तु पुनर्भूयो जगन्मातर्नमो नमः ॥ ३६ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच एवं स्तुता भगवती दुर्गा नारायणी परा । प्रसन्ना प्राह देवर्षे ब्रह्मपुत्रमिदं वचः ॥ ३७ ॥ देव्युवाच वरं वरय राजेन्द्र ब्रह्मपुत्र यदिच्छसि । प्रसन्नाहं स्तवेनात्र भक्त्या चाराधनेन च ॥ ३८ ॥ मनुरुवाच यदि देवि प्रसन्नासि भक्त्या कारुणिकोत्तमे । तदा निर्विघ्नतः सृष्टिः प्रजायाः स्यात्तवाज्ञया ॥ ३९ ॥ देव्युवाच प्रजासर्गः प्रभवतु ममानुग्रहतः किल । निर्विघ्नेन च राजेन्द्र वृद्धिश्चाप्युत्तरोत्तरम् ॥ ४० ॥ यः कश्चित्पठते स्तोत्रं मद्‍भक्त्या त्वत्कृतं सदा । तेषां विद्या प्रजासिद्धिः कीर्तिः कान्त्युदयः खलु ॥ ४१ ॥ जायन्ते धनधान्यानि शक्तिरप्रहता नृणाम् । सर्वत्र विजयो राजन् सुखं शत्रुपरिक्षयः ॥ ४२ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच एवं दत्त्वा वरान् देवी मनवे ब्रह्मसूनवे । अन्तर्धानं गता चासीत्पश्यतस्तस्य धीमतः ॥ ४३ ॥ अथ लब्धवरो राजा ब्रह्मपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । ब्रह्माणमब्रवीत्तात स्थानं मे दीयतां रहः ॥ ४४ ॥ यत्राहं समधिष्ठाय प्रजाः स्रक्ष्यामि पुष्कलाः । यक्ष्यामि यज्ञैर्देवेशं तत्समादिश माचिरम् ॥ ४५ ॥ इति पुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा प्रजापतिपतिर्विभुः । चिन्तयामास सुचिरं कथं कार्यं भवेदिदम् ॥ ४६ ॥ सृजतो मे गतः कालो विपुलोऽनन्तसंख्यकः । धरा वार्भिः स्तुता मग्ना रसं याताखिलाश्रया ॥ ४७ ॥ इदं मच्चिन्तितं कार्यं भगवानादिपूरुषः । करिष्यति सहायो मे यदादेशेऽहमाश्रितः ॥ ४८ ॥

janamejaya uvāca sūryacandrānvayotthānāṃ nṛpāṇāṃ satkathāśritam | caritaṃ bhavatā proktaṃ śrutaṃ tadamṛtāspadam || 1 || adhunā śrotumicchāmi sā devī jagadambikā | manvantareṣu sarveṣu yadyad‌rūpeṇa pūjyate || 2 || yasminyasmiṃśca vai sthāne yena yena ca karmaṇā | (śarīreṇa ca deveśī pūjanīyā phalapradā | yenaiva mantrabījena yatra yatra ca pūjyate ||) devyā virāṭsvarūpasya varṇanaṃ ca yathātatham || 3 || yena dhyānena tatsūkṣme svarūpe syānmatergatiḥ | tatsarvaṃ vada viprarṣe yena śreyo'hamāpnuyām || 4 || vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu rājan pravakṣyāmi devyārādhanamuttamam | yatkṛtena śrutenāpi naraḥ śreyo'tra vindate || 5 || evametannāradena pṛṣṭo nārāyaṇaḥ purā | tasmai yaduktavāndevo yogacaryāpravartakaḥ || 6 || ekadā nāradaḥ śrīmānparyaṭanpṛthivīmimām | nārāyaṇāśramaṃ prāpto gatakhedaśca tasthivān || 7 || tasmai yogātmane natvā brahmadevatanūd‍bhavaḥ | paryapṛcchadimaṃ cārthaṃ yatpṛṣṭo bhavatānagha || 8 || nārada uvāca devadeva mahādeva purāṇapuruṣottama | jagadādhāra sarvajña ślāghanīyorusad‍guṇa || 9 || jagatastattvamādyaṃ yattanme vada yathepsitam | jāyate kuta evedaṃ kutaścedaṃ pratiṣṭhitam || 10 || kuto'ntaṃ prāpnuyātkāle kutra sarvaphalodayaḥ | kena jñātena māyaiṣā mohabhūrnāśamāpnuyāt || 11 || kayārcayā kiṃ japena kiṃ dhyānenātmahṛtkaje | prakāśo jāyate deva tamasyarkodayo yathā || 12 || etatpraśnottaraṃ deva brūhi sarvamaśeṣataḥ | yathā lokastaredandhatamasaṃ tvañjasaiva hi || 13 || vyāsa uvāca evaṃ devarṣiṇā pṛṣṭaḥ prācīno munisattamaḥ | nārāyaṇo mahāyogī pratinandya vaco'bravīt || 14 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca śṛṇu devarṣivaryātra jagatastattvamuttamam | yena jñātena martyo hi jāyate na jagad‍bhrame || 15 || jagatastattvamityeva devī proktā mayāpi hi | ṛṣibhirdevagandharvairanyaiścāpi manīṣibhiḥ || 16 || sā jagatsṛjate devī tayā ca pratipālyate | tayā ca nāśyate sarvamiti proktaṃ guṇatrayāt || 17 || tasyāḥ svarūpaṃ vakṣyāmi devyāḥ siddharṣipūjitam | smaratāṃ sarvapāpaghnaṃ kāmadaṃ mokṣadaṃ tathā || 18 || manuḥ svāyambhuvastvādyaḥ padmaputraḥ pratāpavān | śatarūpāpatiḥ śrīmānsarvamanvantarādhipaḥ || 19 || sa manuḥ pitaraṃ devaṃ prajāpatimakalmaṣam | bhaktyā paryacaratpūrvaṃ tamuvācātmabhūḥ sutam || 20 || putra putra tvayā kāryaṃ devyārādhanamuttamam | tatprasādena te tāta prajāsargaḥ prasiddhyati || 21 || evamuktaḥ prajāsraṣṭrā manuḥ svāyambhuvo virāṭ | jagadyoniṃ tadā devīṃ tapasātarpayad‌ vibhuḥ || 22 || tuṣṭāva devīṃ deveśīṃ samāhitamatiḥ kila | ādyāṃ māyāṃ sarvaśaktiṃ sarvakāraṇakāraṇām || 23 || manuruvāca namo namaste deveśi jagatkāraṇakāraṇe | śaṅkhacakragadāhaste nārāyaṇahṛdāśrite || 24 || vedamūrtte jaganmātaḥ kāraṇasthānarūpiṇi | vedatrayapramāṇajñe sarvadevanute śive || 25 || māheśvari mahābhāge mahāmāye mahodaye | mahādevapriyāvāse mahādevapriyaṃkari || 26 || gopendrasya priye jyeṣṭhe mahānande mahotsave | mahāmārībhayahare namo devādipūjite || 27 || sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalye śive sarvārthasādhike | śaraṇye tryambake gauri nārāyaṇi namo'stu te || 28 || yataścedaṃ yayā viśvamotaṃ protaṃ ca sarvadā | caitanyamekamādyantarahitaṃ tejasāṃ nidhim || 29 || brahmā yadīkṣaṇātsarvaṃ karoti ca hariḥ sadā | pālayatyapi viśveśaḥ saṃhartā yadanugrahāt || 30 || madhukaiṭabhasambhūtabhayārtaḥ padmasambhavaḥ | yasyāḥ stavena mumuce ghoradaityabhavāmbudheḥ || 31 || tvaṃ hrīḥ kīrtiḥ smṛtiḥ kāntiḥ kamalā girijā satī | dākṣāyaṇī vedagarbhā siddhidātrī sadābhayā || 32 || stoṣye tvāṃ ca namasyāmi pūjayāmi japāmi ca | dhyāyāmi bhāvaye vīkṣe śroṣye devi prasīda me || 33 || brahmā vedanidhiḥ kṛṣṇo lakṣyāvāsaḥ purandaraḥ | trilokādhipatiḥ pāśī yādasāmpatiruttamaḥ || 34 || kubero nidhinātho'bhūdyamo jātaḥ paretarāṭ | nairṛto rakṣasāṃ nāthaḥ somo jāto hyapomayaḥ || 35 || trilokavandye lokeśi mahāmāṅgalyarūpiṇi | namaste'stu punarbhūyo jaganmātarnamo namaḥ || 36 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca evaṃ stutā bhagavatī durgā nārāyaṇī parā | prasannā prāha devarṣe brahmaputramidaṃ vacaḥ || 37 || devyuvāca varaṃ varaya rājendra brahmaputra yadicchasi | prasannāhaṃ stavenātra bhaktyā cārādhanena ca || 38 || manuruvāca yadi devi prasannāsi bhaktyā kāruṇikottame | tadā nirvighnataḥ sṛṣṭiḥ prajāyāḥ syāttavājñayā || 39 || devyuvāca prajāsargaḥ prabhavatu mamānugrahataḥ kila | nirvighnena ca rājendra vṛddhiścāpyuttarottaram || 40 || yaḥ kaścitpaṭhate stotraṃ mad‍bhaktyā tvatkṛtaṃ sadā | teṣāṃ vidyā prajāsiddhiḥ kīrtiḥ kāntyudayaḥ khalu || 41 || jāyante dhanadhānyāni śaktiraprahatā nṛṇām | sarvatra vijayo rājan sukhaṃ śatruparikṣayaḥ || 42 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca evaṃ dattvā varān devī manave brahmasūnave | antardhānaṃ gatā cāsītpaśyatastasya dhīmataḥ || 43 || atha labdhavaro rājā brahmaputraḥ pratāpavān | brahmāṇamabravīttāta sthānaṃ me dīyatāṃ rahaḥ || 44 || yatrāhaṃ samadhiṣṭhāya prajāḥ srakṣyāmi puṣkalāḥ | yakṣyāmi yajñairdeveśaṃ tatsamādiśa māciram || 45 || iti putravacaḥ śrutvā prajāpatipatirvibhuḥ | cintayāmāsa suciraṃ kathaṃ kāryaṃ bhavedidam || 46 || sṛjato me gataḥ kālo vipulo'nantasaṃkhyakaḥ | dharā vārbhiḥ stutā magnā rasaṃ yātākhilāśrayā || 47 || idaṃ maccintitaṃ kāryaṃ bhagavānādipūruṣaḥ | kariṣyati sahāyo me yadādeśe'hamāśritaḥ || 48 ||

English translation

1-4. Janamejaya asked “O Lord! I have heard all that you have described about the sweet nectar-like characters of the Kings of the Solar and the Lunar dynasties. Now kindly describe the real Tattva of the Virat Form of the Great Devi and how She was worshipped in every Manvantara by the Regent of that Manvantara and the Kings thereof. In what part of the year and in which place, under what circumstances and in what form and with what Mantras was the Devi worshipped? I am very anxious to hear all this. O Guru! In fact describe the gross forms of the Adya S'akti, the Devi Bhagavati by concentrating attention to Which, I can have the power to understand the subtle forms of the Devi and I can get the highest good in this world.”

5-7. Vyasa said O King! Now hear. I am describing to you in detail about the worship of the Devi Bhagavati that leads to the welfare of the Whole World; the hearing of which or the practice of which enables one to get the highest good. In days of yore, the Devarsi Narada asked Narayana about this very point; I will now tell you what the Bhagavan, the Promulgator of the Yoga Tattva, advised Narada. Once on a time the all powerful Devarsi Narada entitled with all the Yogic powers, and born from the body of Brahma was travelling all over this earth and came to the hermitage of the Risi Narayana. Resting a while, and the troubles of the journey over, he bowed down to the Yogi Narayana and asked Him what you ask me now. Narada said O Deva Deva Mahadeva! O Thou, the Ancient Purusa, the Excellent One!

8-9. O Omniscient! O Thou, the Holder of the Universe! O Thou Who art the repository of the good qualities and Who art praised by all!

10-12. O Deva! Now tell me what is the ultimate cause of this Universe: whence has this Universe its origin? And how does it rest? To whom does it take refuge? Where does it dissolve in the time of Pralaya? Where do all the Karmas of these beings go to? And what Object is that whose knowledge destroys forever the Maya, the Cause of all this Moha (illusion)? Whose worship, what Japam, and Whose meditation in the lotus of heart are to he made, by which, O Deva! the knowledge of Paramatman rises in the heart, as the darkness of the night vanishes by the rising of the Sun.

13. O Deva! Kindly reply to these my questions in such a clear manner as the ignorant people in this Samsara can understand and get themselves across this ocean of Samsara.

14-15. Vyasa said Thus asked by the Devarsi, the ancient Narayana, the Best of the Munis, the great Yogi gladly spoke O Devarsi! Hear I will now speak to you all the Tattvas of this world, knowing which the mortal never falls into the illusion of this world.

16. O Child! The original cause of this Universe is the Devi Maha Maya (the image of the Supreme Chaitanya Para Brahma); this is the opinion of the Risis, the Devas, Gandharvas, and other intelligent persons.

17-23. It is written in the Vedas and other S'astras that the Devi Bhagavati, worshipped by all in the Universe, creates, preserves and destroys the Universe by the influence of Her three Gunas. I now describe to you the nature of the Devi, worshipped by the Siddhas, Gandharbas and Risis, the mere remembering of Whom destroys all sins, and gives final liberation Moksa (and Dharma, Artha, and Kama

also). The powerful Svayambhuva Manu, the First, the husband of S'atarupa, the prosperous and the Ruler of all the Manvantaras worshipped the sinless Prajapati Brahma, his Father with due devotion and satisfied Him when the Grandsire of the Lokas, the Hiranyagarbha spoke to his son The excellent worship of the Devi should be done by you. By Her Grace, O Son, your work of creating worlds will be successful. Thus spoken by Brahma, the Bibhu Svayambhuva Manu, the Virat incarnate, worshipped the World Mother with great austerities. And with his concentrated devotion, he satisfied the Devi Deves'i and began to chant hymns to Her, the First-born, the Maya, the S'akti of all, and the Cause of all causes.

24-36. Manu said Thou art Brahma, the ocean of the Vedas, Krisna, the abode of Laksmi, Purandara. I bow down again and again to Thee, the Deves'i, the Cause of Maya, the Cause of this Universe. Thou boldest s'ankha (the conchshell), chakra, gada, etc., in Thy hands and Thou residest in the heart of Narayana; Thou art the Vedas incarnate, the World Mother, the Auspicious One, bowed down by all the Devas, and the Knower of the Three Vedas. O Thou, endowed with all powers and glory! O Mahamaye! Mahabhage! Mahodaye! (the Self-manifested). Thou residest as the better half of Maha Deva, and Thou dost all what are dear to Him. Thou art the most beloved of Nanda, the Cow-herd (in the form of Maha Maya, the daughter who concealed Krisna and slipped from the hands of Kamsa and got up in the air and remained as Vindhyavasini; also in the form of S'ri Krisna). Thou gavest much pleasure and wert the cause of all the festivities; Thou takest away the fear due to plague, etc.; Thou art worshipped by the Devas. O Thou, the auspicious Bhagavati! Thou art the welfare of all incarnate; Thou fructifiest the desires of all to success! Thou art the One to Whom all take refuge and Thou removest their all the dangers; O Thou the three-eyed! Gauri! Narayani! Obeisance to Thee. I bow down to that ocean of all brightness and splendour, without beginning or end, the One Consciousness, wherein this endless Universe rises and remains

interwoven therein. I bow down to the Devi, whose Gracious Glance enables Brahma, Visnu, and MahesVara to do their respective works of creating, preserving, and destroying the Universe. O Devi! Thou art the Only One, whom all can bow, since the lotus-born Brahma, terrified by the horrible Daityas, was freed by Thy prowess only. O Bhagavati! Thou art modesty, fame, memory, lustre; Thou art Laksmi, Girija, the daughter of Himalaya, Thou art Sati, the Daksa's daughter; Thou art the Savitri the Mother of the Vedas, Thou art the intelligence of all and Thou art the cause of fearlessness. So I now engage myself reciting Thy Japam, Thy hymns and Thy worship. I meditate on Thee and see Thy form within my heart and hear Thy praises. Be graciously pleased on me, O Devi! It is by Thy Grace that Brahma is the Revealer of the Four Vedas, Visnu is the Lord of Laksmi, Indra is the Lord of the Devas and of the three worlds; Varuna is the Lord of waters, Kuvera is the Lord of wealth, Yama is the Lord of the dead, Nairrita is the Lord of the Raksasas, and Soma is the Lord of the water element and praised by the three worlds. Therefore, O Auspicious World Mother! I bow down again and again to Thee.

37-45. Narayana said O Child! When Svayambhuva Manu, the son of Brahma, chanted thus the hymns to the Adya S'akti Bhagavati Narayani, She became pleased and spoke to him thus The Devi said “O King, the Brahma's son! I am pleased with your devoted worship and hymns; so ask boon from Me that you desire.” Manu said “O Devi! If Thou art graciously pleased, grant that my creation be finished without any hitch.” The Devi said “O King of Kings! By My blessing, your work of creation will be completed without any obstruction. And by your punya (merits) they will no doubt multiply on and on. He who reads with devotion this hymn (stotra) composed by you, will get sons, fame and beauty in the world and, in the end, he will be entitled to get the Highest Place.

The people will have powers unopposed by anybody, will get wealth and grains, will get victory everywhere and happiness; and his

enemies will be ruined.” Narayana said “O Child! The Devi Bhagavati Adya S'akti granted thus the desired boon to Svayambhuva Manu and vanished away at once from his sight.” Then the powerful Manu, obtaining thus the boon, spoke to his father O Father! Now give me a solitary place where I can worship the Devi with sacrifices and do my work of creating a good number of people.

46-48. Hearing thus the words of the son, the Prajapati, the Lord thought over the matter for a long time “How this work would be done? Alas! I have spent an endless time in this work of creation; but as yet nothing has been done. For the Earth, the receptacle of all the Jivas is submerged in water and has gone down to the Rasatala. What is to be done now? There is only one hope and that is this If the Bhagavan, the Primeval Person, under Whose Command I am engaged in this work of creation, helps me in this work of mine, no doubt it will be accomplished then and then only.”

Here ends the First Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of the worlds in the Mahapuranam, S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 23838, revision 73380 (2016-07-03T03:14:09Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk08ch01.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.