Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 1
Sourceमनुकृतं देवीस्तवनम् नारद उवाच भगवन् भूतभव्येश नारायण सनातन । आख्यातं परमाश्चर्यं देवीचारित्रमुत्तमम् ॥ १ ॥ प्रादुर्भावः परो मातुः कार्यार्थमसुरद्रुहाम् । अधिकाराप्तिरुक्तात्र देवीपूर्णकृपावशात् ॥ २ ॥ अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि येन प्रीणाति सर्वदा । स्वभक्तान्परिपुष्णाति तमाचारं वद प्रभो ॥ ३ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच शृणु नारद तत्त्वज्ञ सदाचारविधिक्रमम् । यदनुष्ठानमात्रेण देवी प्रीणाति सर्वदा ॥ ४ ॥ प्रातरुत्थाय कर्तव्यं यद् द्विजेन दिने दिने । तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजानामुपकारकम् ॥ ५ ॥ उदयास्तमयं यावद् द्विजः सत्कर्मकृद्भवेत् । नित्यनैमित्तिकैर्युक्तः काम्यैश्चान्यैरगर्हितैः ॥ ६ ॥ आत्मनश्च सहायार्थं पिता माता न तिष्ठति । न पुत्रदारा न ज्ञातिर्धर्मस्तिष्ठति केवलम् ॥ ७ ॥ तस्माद्धर्मं सहायार्थं नित्यं सञ्चिनु साधनैः । धर्मेणैव सहायात्तु तमस्तरति दुस्तरम् ॥ ८ ॥ आचारः प्रथमो धर्मः श्रुत्युक्तः स्मार्त एव च । तस्मादस्मिन्समायुक्तो नित्यं स्यादात्मनो द्विजः ॥ ९ ॥ आचाराल्लभते चायुराचाराल्लभते प्रजाः । आचारादन्नमक्षय्यमाचारो हन्ति पातकम् ॥ १० ॥ आचारः परमो धर्मो नृणां कल्याणकारकः । इह लोके सुखी भूत्वा परत्र लभते सुखम् ॥ ११ ॥ अज्ञानान्धजनानां तु मोहितैर्भ्रामितात्मनाम् । धर्मरूपो महादीपो मुक्तिमार्गप्रदर्शकः ॥ १२ ॥ आचारात्प्राप्यते श्रैष्ठ्यमाचारात्कर्म लभ्यते । कर्मणो जायते ज्ञानमिति वाक्यं मनोः स्मृतम् ॥ १३ ॥ सर्वधर्मवरिष्ठोऽयमाचारः परमं तपः । तदेव ज्ञानमुद्दिष्टं तेन सर्वं प्रसाध्यते ॥ १४ ॥ यस्त्वाचारविहीनोऽत्र वर्तते द्विजसत्तमः । स शूद्रवद् बहिष्कार्यो यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः ॥ १५ ॥ आचारो द्विविधः प्रोक्तः शास्त्रीयो लौकिकस्तथा । उभावपि प्रकर्तव्यौ न त्याज्यौ शुभमिच्छता ॥ १६ ॥ ग्रामधर्मा जातिधर्मा देशधर्माः कुलोद्भवाः । परिग्राह्या नृभिः सर्वैर्नैव ताँल्लङ्घयेन्मुने ॥ १७ ॥ दुराचारो हि पुरुषो लोके भवति निन्दितः । दुःखभागी च सततं व्याधिना व्याप्त एव च ॥ १८ ॥ परित्यजेदर्थकामौ यौ स्यातां धर्मवर्जितौ । धर्ममप्यसुखोदर्कं लोकविद्विष्टमेव च ॥ १९ ॥ नारद उवाच बहुत्वादिह शास्त्राणां निश्चयः स्यात्कथं मुने । कियत्प्रमाणं तद् ब्रूहि धर्ममार्गविनिर्णये ॥ २० ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच श्रुतिस्मृती उभे नेत्रे पुराणं हृदयं स्मृतम् । एतत्त्रयोक्त एव स्याद्धर्मो नान्यत्र कुत्रचित् ॥ २१ ॥ विरोधो यत्र तु भवेत्त्रयाणां च परस्परम् । श्रुतिस्तत्र प्रमाणं स्याद् द्वयोर्द्वैधे स्मृतिर्वरा ॥ २२ ॥ श्रुतिद्वैधं भवेद्यत्र तत्र धर्मावुभौ स्मृतौ । स्मृतिद्वैधं तु यत्र स्याद्विषयः कल्प्यतां पृथक् ॥ २३ ॥ पुराणेषु क्वचिच्चैव तन्त्रदृष्टं यथातथम् । धर्मं वदन्ति तं धर्मं गृह्णीयान्न कथञ्चन ॥ २४ ॥ वेदाविरोधि चेत्तन्त्रं तत्प्रमाणं न संशयः । प्रत्यक्षश्रुतिरुद्धं यत्तत्प्रमाणं भवेन्न च ॥ २५ ॥ सर्वथा वेद एवासौ धर्ममार्गप्रमाणकः । तेनाविरुद्धं यत्किञ्चित्तत्प्रमाणं न चान्यथा ॥ २६ ॥ यो वेदधर्ममुज्झित्य वर्ततेऽन्यप्रमाणतः । कुण्डानि तस्य शिक्षार्थं यमलोके वसन्ति हि ॥ २७ ॥ तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वेदोक्तं धर्ममाश्रयेत् । स्मृतिः पुराणमन्यद्वा तन्त्रं वा शास्त्रमेव च ॥ २८ ॥ तन्मूलत्वे प्रमाणं स्यान्नान्यथा तु कदाचन । ये कुशास्त्राभियोगेन वर्तयन्तीह मानवान् ॥ २९ ॥ अधोमुखोर्ध्वपादास्ते यास्यन्ति नरकार्णवम् । कामाचाराः पाशुपतास्तथा वै लिङ्गधारिणः ॥ ३० ॥ तप्तमुद्राङ्किता ये च वैखानसमतानुगाः । ते सर्वे निरयं यान्ति वेदमार्गबहिष्कृताः ॥ ३१ ॥ वेदोक्तमेव सद्धर्मं तस्मात्कुर्यान्नरः सदा । उत्थायोत्थाय बोद्धव्यं किं मयाद्य कृतं कृतम् ॥ ३२ ॥ दत्तं वा दापितं वापि वाक्येनापि च भाषितम् । उपपापेषु सर्वेषु पातकेषु महत्स्वपि ॥ ३३ ॥ अवाप्य रजनीयामं ब्रह्मध्यानं समाचरेत् । ऊरुस्थोत्तानचरणः सव्ये चोरौ तथोत्तरम् ॥ ३४ ॥ उत्तानं किञ्चिदुत्तानं मुखमवष्टभ्य चोरसा । निमीलिताक्षः सत्त्वस्थो दन्तैर्दन्तान्न संस्पृशेत् ॥ ३५ ॥ तालुस्थाचलजिह्वश्च संवृतास्यः सुनिश्चलः । सन्निरुद्धेन्द्रियग्रामो नातिनिम्नस्थितासनः ॥ ३६ ॥ द्विगुणं त्रिगुणं वापि प्राणायाममुपक्रमेत् । ततो ध्येयः स्थितो योऽसौ हृदये दीपवत्प्रभुः ॥ ३७ ॥ धारयेत्तत्र चात्मानं धारणां धारयेद्बुधः । सधूमश्च विधूमश्च सगर्भश्चाप्यगर्भकः ॥ ३८ ॥ सलक्ष्यश्चाप्यलक्ष्यश्च प्राणायामस्तु षड्विधः । प्राणायामसमो योगः प्राणायाम इतीरितः ॥ ३९ ॥ प्राणायाम इति प्रोक्तो रेचपूरककुम्भकैः । वर्णत्रयात्मका ह्येते रेचपूरककुम्भकाः ॥ ४० ॥ स एव प्रणवः प्रोक्तः प्राणायामश्च तन्मयः । इडया वायुमारोप्य पूरयित्वोदरे स्थितम् ॥ ४१ ॥ शनैः षोडशमात्राभिरन्यया तं विरेचयेत् । एवं सधूमः प्राणानामायामः कथितो मुने ॥ ४२ ॥ आधारेलिङ्गनाभिप्रकटितहृदये तालुमूले ललाटे द्वे पत्रे षोडशारे द्विदशदशदलद्वादशार्धे चतुष्के । वासान्ते बालमध्ये डफकतसहिते कण्ठदेशे स्वराणां हंक्षंतत्त्वार्थयुक्तं सकलदलगतं वर्णरूपं नमामि ॥ ४३ ॥ अरुणकमलसंस्था तद्रजःपुञ्जवर्णा हरनियमितचिह्ना पद्मतन्तुस्वरूपा । रविहुतवहराकानायकास्यस्तनाढ्या सकृदपि यदि चित्ते संवसेत्स्यात्स भुक्तः ॥ ४४ ॥ स्थितिः सैव गतिर्यात्रा मतिश्चिन्ता स्तुतिर्वचः । अहं सर्वात्मको देवः स्तुतिः सर्वं त्वदर्चनम् ॥ ४५ ॥ अहं देवी न चान्योऽस्मि ब्रह्मैवाहं न शोकभाक् । सच्चिदानन्दरूपोऽहं स्वात्मानमिति चिन्तयेत् ॥ ४६ ॥ प्रकाशमानां प्रथमे प्रयाणे प्रतिप्रयाणेऽप्यमृतायमानाम् । अन्तःपदव्यामनुसञ्चरन्ती- मानन्दरूपामबलां प्रपद्ये ॥ ४७ ॥ ततो निजब्रह्मरन्ध्रे ध्यायेत्तं गुरुमीश्वरम् । उपचारैर्मानसैश्च पूजयेत्तु यथाविधि ॥ ४८ ॥ स्तुवीतानेन मन्त्रेण साधको नियतात्मवान् । गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुर्गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुरेव परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ४९ ॥
manukṛtaṃ devīstavanam nārada uvāca bhagavan bhūtabhavyeśa nārāyaṇa sanātana | ākhyātaṃ paramāścaryaṃ devīcāritramuttamam || 1 || prādurbhāvaḥ paro mātuḥ kāryārthamasuradruhām | adhikārāptiruktātra devīpūrṇakṛpāvaśāt || 2 || adhunā śrotumicchāmi yena prīṇāti sarvadā | svabhaktānparipuṣṇāti tamācāraṃ vada prabho || 3 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca śṛṇu nārada tattvajña sadācāravidhikramam | yadanuṣṭhānamātreṇa devī prīṇāti sarvadā || 4 || prātarutthāya kartavyaṃ yad dvijena dine dine | tadahaṃ sampravakṣyāmi dvijānāmupakārakam || 5 || udayāstamayaṃ yāvad dvijaḥ satkarmakṛdbhavet | nityanaimittikairyuktaḥ kāmyaiścānyairagarhitaiḥ || 6 || ātmanaśca sahāyārthaṃ pitā mātā na tiṣṭhati | na putradārā na jñātirdharmastiṣṭhati kevalam || 7 || tasmāddharmaṃ sahāyārthaṃ nityaṃ sañcinu sādhanaiḥ | dharmeṇaiva sahāyāttu tamastarati dustaram || 8 || ācāraḥ prathamo dharmaḥ śrutyuktaḥ smārta eva ca | tasmādasminsamāyukto nityaṃ syādātmano dvijaḥ || 9 || ācārāllabhate cāyurācārāllabhate prajāḥ | ācārādannamakṣayyamācāro hanti pātakam || 10 || ācāraḥ paramo dharmo nṛṇāṃ kalyāṇakārakaḥ | iha loke sukhī bhūtvā paratra labhate sukham || 11 || ajñānāndhajanānāṃ tu mohitairbhrāmitātmanām | dharmarūpo mahādīpo muktimārgapradarśakaḥ || 12 || ācārātprāpyate śraiṣṭhyamācārātkarma labhyate | karmaṇo jāyate jñānamiti vākyaṃ manoḥ smṛtam || 13 || sarvadharmavariṣṭho'yamācāraḥ paramaṃ tapaḥ | tadeva jñānamuddiṣṭaṃ tena sarvaṃ prasādhyate || 14 || yastvācāravihīno'tra vartate dvijasattamaḥ | sa śūdravad bahiṣkāryo yathā śūdrastathaiva saḥ || 15 || ācāro dvividhaḥ proktaḥ śāstrīyo laukikastathā | ubhāvapi prakartavyau na tyājyau śubhamicchatā || 16 || grāmadharmā jātidharmā deśadharmāḥ kulodbhavāḥ | parigrāhyā nṛbhiḥ sarvairnaiva tā~llaṅghayenmune || 17 || durācāro hi puruṣo loke bhavati ninditaḥ | duḥkhabhāgī ca satataṃ vyādhinā vyāpta eva ca || 18 || parityajedarthakāmau yau syātāṃ dharmavarjitau | dharmamapyasukhodarkaṃ lokavidviṣṭameva ca || 19 || nārada uvāca bahutvādiha śāstrāṇāṃ niścayaḥ syātkathaṃ mune | kiyatpramāṇaṃ tad brūhi dharmamārgavinirṇaye || 20 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca śrutismṛtī ubhe netre purāṇaṃ hṛdayaṃ smṛtam | etattrayokta eva syāddharmo nānyatra kutracit || 21 || virodho yatra tu bhavettrayāṇāṃ ca parasparam | śrutistatra pramāṇaṃ syād dvayordvaidhe smṛtirvarā || 22 || śrutidvaidhaṃ bhavedyatra tatra dharmāvubhau smṛtau | smṛtidvaidhaṃ tu yatra syādviṣayaḥ kalpyatāṃ pṛthak || 23 || purāṇeṣu kvaciccaiva tantradṛṣṭaṃ yathātatham | dharmaṃ vadanti taṃ dharmaṃ gṛhṇīyānna kathañcana || 24 || vedāvirodhi cettantraṃ tatpramāṇaṃ na saṃśayaḥ | pratyakṣaśrutiruddhaṃ yattatpramāṇaṃ bhavenna ca || 25 || sarvathā veda evāsau dharmamārgapramāṇakaḥ | tenāviruddhaṃ yatkiñcittatpramāṇaṃ na cānyathā || 26 || yo vedadharmamujjhitya vartate'nyapramāṇataḥ | kuṇḍāni tasya śikṣārthaṃ yamaloke vasanti hi || 27 || tasmātsarvaprayatnena vedoktaṃ dharmamāśrayet | smṛtiḥ purāṇamanyadvā tantraṃ vā śāstrameva ca || 28 || tanmūlatve pramāṇaṃ syānnānyathā tu kadācana | ye kuśāstrābhiyogena vartayantīha mānavān || 29 || adhomukhordhvapādāste yāsyanti narakārṇavam | kāmācārāḥ pāśupatāstathā vai liṅgadhāriṇaḥ || 30 || taptamudrāṅkitā ye ca vaikhānasamatānugāḥ | te sarve nirayaṃ yānti vedamārgabahiṣkṛtāḥ || 31 || vedoktameva saddharmaṃ tasmātkuryānnaraḥ sadā | utthāyotthāya boddhavyaṃ kiṃ mayādya kṛtaṃ kṛtam || 32 || dattaṃ vā dāpitaṃ vāpi vākyenāpi ca bhāṣitam | upapāpeṣu sarveṣu pātakeṣu mahatsvapi || 33 || avāpya rajanīyāmaṃ brahmadhyānaṃ samācaret | ūrusthottānacaraṇaḥ savye corau tathottaram || 34 || uttānaṃ kiñciduttānaṃ mukhamavaṣṭabhya corasā | nimīlitākṣaḥ sattvastho dantairdantānna saṃspṛśet || 35 || tālusthācalajihvaśca saṃvṛtāsyaḥ suniścalaḥ | sanniruddhendriyagrāmo nātinimnasthitāsanaḥ || 36 || dviguṇaṃ triguṇaṃ vāpi prāṇāyāmamupakramet | tato dhyeyaḥ sthito yo'sau hṛdaye dīpavatprabhuḥ || 37 || dhārayettatra cātmānaṃ dhāraṇāṃ dhārayedbudhaḥ | sadhūmaśca vidhūmaśca sagarbhaścāpyagarbhakaḥ || 38 || salakṣyaścāpyalakṣyaśca prāṇāyāmastu ṣaḍvidhaḥ | prāṇāyāmasamo yogaḥ prāṇāyāma itīritaḥ || 39 || prāṇāyāma iti prokto recapūrakakumbhakaiḥ | varṇatrayātmakā hyete recapūrakakumbhakāḥ || 40 || sa eva praṇavaḥ proktaḥ prāṇāyāmaśca tanmayaḥ | iḍayā vāyumāropya pūrayitvodare sthitam || 41 || śanaiḥ ṣoḍaśamātrābhiranyayā taṃ virecayet | evaṃ sadhūmaḥ prāṇānāmāyāmaḥ kathito mune || 42 || ādhāreliṅganābhiprakaṭitahṛdaye tālumūle lalāṭe dve patre ṣoḍaśāre dvidaśadaśadaladvādaśārdhe catuṣke | vāsānte bālamadhye ḍaphakatasahite kaṇṭhadeśe svarāṇāṃ haṃkṣaṃtattvārthayuktaṃ sakaladalagataṃ varṇarūpaṃ namāmi || 43 || aruṇakamalasaṃsthā tadrajaḥpuñjavarṇā haraniyamitacihnā padmatantusvarūpā | ravihutavaharākānāyakāsyastanāḍhyā sakṛdapi yadi citte saṃvasetsyātsa bhuktaḥ || 44 || sthitiḥ saiva gatiryātrā matiścintā stutirvacaḥ | ahaṃ sarvātmako devaḥ stutiḥ sarvaṃ tvadarcanam || 45 || ahaṃ devī na cānyo'smi brahmaivāhaṃ na śokabhāk | saccidānandarūpo'haṃ svātmānamiti cintayet || 46 || prakāśamānāṃ prathame prayāṇe pratiprayāṇe'pyamṛtāyamānām | antaḥpadavyāmanusañcarantī- mānandarūpāmabalāṃ prapadye || 47 || tato nijabrahmarandhre dhyāyettaṃ gurumīśvaram | upacārairmānasaiśca pūjayettu yathāvidhi || 48 || stuvītānena mantreṇa sādhako niyatātmavān | gururbrahmā gururviṣṇurgururdevo maheśvaraḥ | gurureva paraṃ brahma tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ || 49 ||
English translation
1-13. Narada said O Bhagavan! O Thou, the Eternal One! O Narayana! O Lord of the past and the future! Thou art the Creator and the Lord of all the beings that lived in the past and that will come into existence in the future. Thou hast described to me the highly wonderful and excellent anecdote of the Exalted Devi. How She did assume the forms of MahakalT, Maha Laksmi, Maha Sarasvati and Bhramari, for the fulfilment of the Devas' purposes and how the Devas got back their possessions by the Grace of the Devi. All you have described. O Lord! Now I want to hear the rules of Sadachara (right way of living), the due observance of which by the devotees pleases the World-Mother. Kindly describe them.
Narayana said O Knower of Truth! Now I am telling you those rules of the right way of living, which rightly observed, always please Bhagavati. Listen first, I will talk of the Brahmins, how their welfare is secured, what the Brahmanas ought to do on getting up early in the morning from their bed. From the sunrise to the sunset the Brahmanas should do all the daily and occasional duties (Nitya and Naimittik Karmas) and they are to perform the optional works for some particular object such as Puttresti Yajha and other good works (not acts of black magic as killing, causing pain and inconveniences to others, etc.). It is the Self alone and not the Father, Mother, etc., nor any other body that, helps us on our way to that happiness in the next world. Father, Mother, wife, sons and others are helps merely to our happiness in this world. None of them are helpful to us in bettering our states in the next world.
Deliverance of one's Self depends verily on his own Self. Therefore one should always earn and store dharma (religion) and observe always there the right conduct to help one in the next world. If Dharma be on our side, this endless sea of troubles can be safely crossed. The rules of right living as ordained by Manu in S’rutis and Manu Smritis are the principal Dharmas. The Brahmanas should always be observant to their Dharma as ordained in the S’astras, S’ruti and Smriti. Follow the right conduct and then you will get life, posterity and increase of happiness easily here and hereafter. By right conduct, food is obtained and sins are easily destroyed; the right conduct is the auspicious principal Dharma of men. Persons of right living enjoy happiness in this world as well as in the next. Those, who are veiled in darkness by Ignorance and thus wildly enchanted, can verily see their way to Mukti if they follow the Great Light revealed to them by Dharma and the right conduct. It is by Sadachara, that superiority is attained. Men of right conduct always do good deeds. From good deeds, knowledge comes. This is the advice of Manu.
14-24. Right way of living is the best of all the Dharmas and is great Tapasya (asceticism). The knowledge comes from this Right Living. Everything is attained thereby. He who is devoid of Sadachara, is like a S’udra, even if he comes of a Brahmin family. There is no distinction whatsoever betwen him and a S’udra. Right conduct is of two kinds (1) as dictated by the S’astras, (2) as dictated by the popular custom (Laukika). Both these methods should be observed by him who wants welfare for his Self. He is not to forsake one of them. O Muni! The village Dharma, the Dharma of one's own caste, the Dharma of one's own family and the Dharma of one's own country all should be observed by men. Never, never he is to do anything otherwise. With great loving devotion that is to be preserved. Men who practise wrong ways of living, are censured by the public; they always suffer from diseases. Avoid wealth and desires that have no Dharma in them. Why? If in the name of
dharma, painful acts (e. g. killing animals in sacrifices) are to be committed, those are blamed by the people; so never commit them. Avoid them by all means. Narada said “O Muni! The S’astras are not one, they are many and they lay down different rules and contradictory opinions. How then Dharma is to be followed? And according what Dharma S’astra?” Narayana said S’ruti and Smriti are the two eyes of God; the Puranam is His Heart. Whatever is stated in S’ruti, the Smriti and the Puranams is Dharma; whatever else is written in other S’astras is not Dharma. Where you will find differences between S’ruti, Smriti and Puranas, accept the words of the S’rutis as final proofs. Wherever Smriti disagrees with the Puranas, know the Smritis more authoritative.
And where differences will crop up in the S’rutis themselves, know that Dharma, too, is of two kinds. And where the differences will crop up in the Smritis themselves, consider, then, that different things are aimed at. In some Puranas, the Dharma of the Tantras is duly described; but of these, which go against the Vedas, they are not to be accepted any means.
25-37. Tantra is accepted as the authoritative proof then and then only when it contradicts not the Vedas. Whatever goes clearly against the Vedas can in no way be accepted as a proof. In matters concerning Dharma, the Vedas is the Sole Proof. Therefore that which is not against the Vedas can be taken as proof; otherwise not. Whoever acts Dharma according to other proofs than what is ordained in the Vedas, goes to the hell in the abode of Yama to get his lesson. So the Dharma that is by all means to be accepted as such, is what is stated in the Vedas. The Smritis, the Puranas, or the Tantra S’astras can be taken also as authoritative when they are not conflicting to Vedas. Any other S’astras can be taken as authoritative when it is fundamentally coincident with the Vedas. Else it can never be accepted.
Those who do injury to others even by the blade of a Kus'a grass used as a weapon, go to hell with their heads downwards and their feet upwards. Those that follow their own sweet free will, that take up any sort of dress (e. g. Bauddhas), those that follow the philosophical doctrines called Pas'upatas, and the other hermits and saints and persons that take up other vows contrary to the religions of the Vedas, for example, the Vaikhanasa followers, those who brand their bodies by the hot Mudras, at the places of pilgrimages, e. g. Dvarka, etc., they go to hell with their bodies scorched by red hot brands (Tapta Mudras). So persons should act according to the excellent religions commanded by the Vedas. Everyday he should get up from his bed early in the morning and think thus “What good acts have I done, what have I given as charities? Or what I advised others to do charities what greater sins (Mahapatakas) and what smaller sins have I committed?” At the last quarter of the night he should think of Para Brahma. He should place his right leg on his left thigh and his left on his right thigh crosswise keeping his head straight up and touching the breast with his chin, and closing his eyes, he should sit steadily so that the upper teeth should not touch the lower jaw.
He should join his tongue with his palate and he should sit quiet, restraining his senses. He should be S’uddha Sattva. His seat should not be very low. First of all he should practice Pranayama twice or thrice; and within his heart he should meditate the Self of the shape of the Holy Flame or the Holy Light. (Om Mani Padma Hum.)
38-49. He should fix his heart for a certain time to that Luminous Self whose Eyes are everywhere. So the intelligent man should practise Dharana. Pranayama is of six kinds (1) Sadhuma (when the breaths are not steady), (2) Nirdhuma(better than the Sadhuma), (3) Sagarbha (when united with one's mantra), (4) Agarbha (when the
practice is without the thought of any mantra), (5) Salaksya (when the heart is fixed on one's Deity) and (6) Alaksya (when the heart is not fixed on one's Deity). No yoga can be compared with Pranayama. This is equal to itself. Nothing can be its equal. This Pranayama is of three kinds, called Rechaka, Puraka and Kumbhaka. The Pranayama consists of three letters. A, U, M, i. e. of the nature of “Om”. Or, in other words the letter A, of the Pranava Om indicates Puraka, the letter “U” denotes Kumhhaka and the letter “M” denotes Rechaka. By the Ida Nadi (by the left nostril) inhale as long as you count “A” (Visnu) thirty-two times; then withold breath, i.e., do Kumbhaka as long as you count “U” (S’iva) sixtyfour times and by the Pingala Nadi (the right nostril) do the Rechaka, i.e., exhale the breath as long as you count “M" (Brahma) for sixteen times. O Muni! Thus I have spoken to you of the Sadhuma Pranayama. After doing the Pranayama as stated above, pierce the Six Chakras (i. e., plexuses) (called Sathakra bheda) and carry the Kula Kundalini to the Brahma Randhra, the brain aperture, or to the thousand petalled lotus in the head and meditate in the heart the Self like a Steady Flame. (The Nadis are not those which are known to the Vaidya or the Medical S’astras. The latter are the gross physical nerves. The Nadis here are the Yoga Nadis, the subtle channels (Vivaras) along which the Pranik currents flow. Now the process of piercing the six Chakras (or nerve centres or centres of moving Pranik forces) is being described. Within this body, the six nerve centres called Padmas (Lotuses) exist. They are respectively situated at the (1) Muladhara (half way between Anus and Linga Mula), called the Sacral Plexus; (2) Linga Mula (the root of the genital organs); called postatic plexus; (this is also called Svadhisthana) (3) Navel, the Solar Plexus (4) Heart, the cardiac Plexus, (5) Throat (6) Forehead, between the eye brows there; the lotus in the forehead, called the cavernous plexus (Ajna Chakra) has two petals; in these two petals, the two letters “Ham” “Ksam” exist in the right hand direction (with the bands of the watch; going round from left to right keeping the right side towards one circumambulated as as a mark of respect). I bow down to these which are the two- lettered Brahma. The lotus that exists in the throat laryngeal or
pharyngeal plexus has sixteen petals (vis’uddha chakra); in these are in due order in right hand direction the sixteen letters (vowels) a, a, i, I, u, u, ri, ri, Iri, Iri, e, ai, o, au, ann, ah; I bow down to these which are the sixteen lettered Brahma. The lotus that exists in the heart, the cardiac plexus (anahata chakra), has twelve petals; wherein are the twelve letters k, kh, g, gh, n, ch, chh, j, jh, h, t, th; I bow to to these twelve lettered Brahma. The Solar plexus forms the Great Junction of the Right and Left sympathetic chains Ida and Pingala with the Cerebro spinal Axis. The lotus that exists in the navel, called the Solar Plexus, or Epigastric plexus (Manipura Chakra) has ten petals wherein are the ten letters d, dh, n, t, th, d, dh, n, p, ph, counting in the right hand direction (that is clockwise) (and the action of this clock is vertical in the plane of the spinal cord; also it may be horizontal). The lotus that exists at the root of the genital organ, the genital plexus or postatic plexus has six petals. The petals are the configurations made by the position of Nadis at any particular centre. Svadhisthana chakra or Svayambhu Linga, wherein are situated the six letters, b, bh, m, y, r, I; I bow down to this six-lettered Brahma. (These are the Laya Centres). The lotus that exists in the Muladhara, called the sacral or sacrococcygeal plexus has four petals, wherein are the four letters v, s', s, s. I bow down to these four-lettered Brahma. In the above six nerve centres or Laya Centres, or lotuses, all the letters are situated in the right hand direction (clockwise).
(Note All the nerves of the body combine themselves in these six nerve centres or Laya Centres. Each of these centres is spheroidal and is of the Fourth Dimension. At each centre many transitions take place, many visions take place, many forces are perceived and wonderful varieties of knowledge are experienced. These are called the Laya Centres. For many things vanish into non-existence and many new Tattvas are experienced.) Thus meditating on the Six Chakras or plexuses, meditate on the Kula Kundalini, the Serpent Fire. She resides on the four petalled lotus (Centre of S’akti) called Muladhara Chakra (Coccygeal plexus); She is of Rajo Guna; She is of a blood red colour, and She is expressed by the mantra “Hrim,” which is the Mayavija; she is subtle as the thread of the fibrous stock of the water lily. The Sun is Her face; Fire is Her breasts; he attains
Jivan mukti (liberation while living) within whose heart such a Kula Kundalini arises and awakens even once. Thus meditating on Kula Kundalini, one should pray to HerHer sitting, coming, going, remaining, the thought on Her, the realisation of Her and chanting hymns to Her, etc., all are Mine, Who is of the nature of all in all; I am that Bhagavati; O Bhagavati! All my acts are Thy worship; I am the Devi; I am Brahma, I am free from sorrow. I am of the nature of Everlasting Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. Thus one should meditate of one's own-self. I take refuge of that Kula Kundalini, who appears like lightning and who holds the current thereof, when going to Brahmarandhra, in the brain, who appears like nectar when coming back from the brain to the Muladhara and who travels in the Susumna Nadi in the spinal cord. Then one is to meditate on one's own Guru, who is thought of as one with God, as seated in one's brain and then worship Him mentally. Then the Sadhaka, controlling himself is to recite the following Mantra “The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Visnu, it is the Guru again that is the Deva Mahes'vara; it is Guru that is Para Brahma. I bow down to that S’ri Guru.”
Here ends the First Chapter of the Eleventh Book on what is to be thought of in the morning in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24052, revision 84645 (2016-10-07T17:01:40Z). 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/bk11ch01.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.