Eleventh Skandha · Chapter 18
Sourceनारद उवाच पूजाविशेषं श्रीदेव्याः श्रोतुमिच्छामि मानद । येनाश्रितेन मनुजः कृतकृत्यत्वमावहेत् ॥ १ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच देवर्षे शृणु वक्ष्यामि श्रीमत्सु पूजनक्रमम् । भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं साक्षात्समस्तापन्निवारणम् ॥ २ ॥ आचम्य मौनी सङ्कल्प्य भूतशुद्ध्यादिकं चरेत् । मातृकान्यासपूर्वं तु षडङ्गन्यासमाचरेत् ॥ ३ ॥ शङ्खस्य स्थापनं कृत्वा सामान्यार्घ्यं विधाय च । पूजाद्रव्याणि चास्त्रेण प्रोक्षयेन्मतिमान्नरः ॥ ४ ॥ गुरोरनुज्ञामादाय ततः पूजां समारभेत् । पीठपूजां पुरा कृत्वा देवीं ध्यायेत्ततः परम् ॥ ५ ॥ आसनाद्युपचारैश्च भक्तिप्रेमयुतः सदा । स्नापयेत्परदेवीं तां पञ्चामृतरसादिभिः ॥ ६ ॥ पौण्ड्रेक्षुरसपूर्णैस्तु कलशैः शतसंख्यकैः । स्तापयेद्यो महेशानीं न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥ ७ ॥ यश्च चूतरसैरेवं स्नापयेज्जगदम्बिकाम् । वेदपारायणं कृत्वा रसेनेक्षूद्भवेन वा ॥ ८ ॥ तद्गेहं न त्यजेन्नित्यं रमा चैव सरस्वती । यस्तु द्राक्षारसेनैव वेदपारायणं चरन् ॥ ९ ॥ अभिषिञ्चेन्महेशानीं सकुटुम्बो नरोत्तमः । रसरेणुप्रमाणं च देवीलोके महीयते ॥ १० ॥ कर्पूरागुरुकाश्मीरकस्तूरीपङ्कपङ्किलैः । सलिलैः स्नापयेद्देवीं वेदपारायणं चरन् ॥ ११ ॥ भस्मीभवन्ति पापानि शतजन्मार्जितानि च । यो दुग्धकलशैर्देवीं स्तापयेद्वेदपाठतः ॥ १२ ॥ आकल्पं स वसेन्नित्यं तस्मिन् वै क्षीरसागरे । यस्तु दध्नाभिषिञ्चेत्तां दधिकुल्यापतिर्भवेत् ॥ १३ ॥ मधुना च धृतेनैव तथा शर्करयापि च । स्नापयेन्मधुकुल्यादिनदीनां स पतिर्भवेत् ॥ १४ ॥ सहस्रकलशैर्देवीं स्नापयन्भक्तितत्परः । इह लोके सुखी भूत्वाप्यन्यलोके सुखी भवेत् ॥ १५ ॥ क्षौमं वस्त्रद्वयं दत्त्वा वायुलोकं स गच्छति । रत्ननिर्मितभूषाणां दाता निधिपतिर्भवेत् ॥ १६ ॥ काश्मीरचन्दनं दत्त्वा कस्तूरीबिन्दुभूषितम् । तथा सीमन्तसिन्दूरं चरणेऽलक्तपत्रकम् ॥ १७ ॥ इन्द्रासने समारूढो भवेद्देवपतिः परः । पुष्पाणि विविधान्याहुः पूजाकर्मणि साधवः ॥ १८ ॥ तानि दत्त्वा यथालाभं कैलासं लभते स्वयम् । बिल्वपत्राण्यमोघानि यो दद्यात्परशक्तये ॥ १९ ॥ तस्य दुःखं कदाचिच्च क्वचिच्च न भविष्यति । बिल्वपत्रत्रये रक्तचन्दनेन तु संल्लिखेत् ॥ २० ॥ मायाबीजत्रयं यत्नात्सुस्फुटं चातिसुन्दरम् । मायाबीजादिकं नाम चतुर्थ्यन्तं समुच्चरेत् ॥ २१ ॥ नमोऽन्तं परया भक्त्या देवीचरणपङ्कजे । समर्पयेन्महादेव्यै कोमलं तच्च पत्रकम् ॥ २२ ॥ य एवं कुरुते भक्त्या मनुत्वं लभते हि सः । यस्तु कोटिदलैरेवं कोमलैरतिनिर्मलैः ॥ २३ ॥ पूजयेद्भुवनेशानीं ब्रह्माण्डाधिपतिर्भवेत् । कुन्दपुष्पैर्नवीनैस्तु लुलितैरष्टगन्धतः ॥ २४ ॥ कोटिसङ्ख्यैः पूजयेत्तु प्राजापत्यं लभेद्ध्रुवम् । मल्लिकामालतीपुष्पैरष्टगन्धेन लोलितैः ॥ २५ ॥ कोटिसङ्ख्यैः पूजया तु जायते स चतुर्मुखः । दशकोटिभिरप्येवं तैरेव कुसुमैर्मुने ॥ २६ ॥ विष्णुत्वं लभते मर्त्यो यत्सुरेष्वपि दुर्लभम् । विष्णुनैतद्व्रतं पूर्वं कृतं स्वपदलब्धये ॥ २७ ॥ शतकोटिभिरप्येवं सूत्रात्मत्वं व्रजेद्ध्रुवम् । व्रतमेतत्पुरा सम्यक्कृतं भक्त्या प्रयत्नतः ॥ २८ ॥ तेन व्रतप्रभावेण हिरण्योदरतां व्रजेत् । जपाकुसुमपुष्पस्य बन्धूककुसुमस्य च ॥ २९ ॥ दाडिमीकुसुमस्यापि विधिरेष उदीरितः । एवमन्यानि पुष्पाणि श्रीदेव्यै विधिनार्पयेत् ॥ ३० ॥ तस्य पुण्यफलस्यान्तं न जानातीश्वरोऽपि सः । तत्तदृतूद्भवैः पुष्पैर्नामसाहस्रसंख्यया ॥ ३१ ॥ समर्पयेन्महादेव्यै प्रतिवर्षमतन्द्रितः । य एवं कुरुते भक्त्या महापातकसंयुतः ॥ ३२ ॥ उपपातकयुक्तोऽपि मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः । देहान्ते श्रीपदाम्भोजं दुर्लभं देवसत्तमैः ॥ ३३ ॥ प्राप्नोति साधकवरो मुने नास्त्यत्र संशयः । कृष्णागुरुं सकर्पूरं चन्दनेन समन्वितम् ॥ ३४ ॥ सिल्हकं चाज्यसंयुक्तं गुग्गुलेन समन्वितम् । धूपं दद्यान्महादेव्यै येन स्याद्धूपितं गृहम् ॥ ३५ ॥ तेन प्रसन्ना देवेशी ददाति भुवनत्रयम् । दीपं कर्पूरखण्डैश्च दद्याद्देव्यै निरन्तरम् ॥ ३६ ॥ सूर्यलोकमवाप्नोति नात्र कार्या विचारणा । शतदीपांस्तथा दद्यात्सहस्रान्वा समाहितः ॥ ३७ ॥ नैवेद्यं पुरतो देव्याः स्थापयेत्पर्वताकृतिम् । लेह्यैश्चोष्यैस्तथा पेयैः षड्रसैस्तु समाहितैः ॥ ३८ ॥ नानाफलानि दिव्यानि स्वादूनि रसवन्ति च । स्वर्णपात्रस्थितान्नानि दद्याद्देव्यै निरन्तरम् ॥ ३९ ॥ तृप्तायां श्रीमहादेव्यां भवेत्तृप्तं जगत्त्रयम् । यतस्तदात्मकं सर्वं रज्जौ सर्पो यथा तथा ॥ ४० ॥ ततः पानीयकं दद्याच्छुभं गङ्गाजलं महत् । कर्पूरवालासंयुक्तं शीतलं कलशस्थितम् ॥ ४१ ॥ ताम्बूलं च ततो देव्यै कर्पूरशकलान्वितम् । एलालवङ्गसंयुक्तं मुखसौगन्ध्यदायकम् ॥ ४२ ॥ दद्याद्देव्यै महाभक्त्या येन देवी प्रसीदति । मृदङ्गवीणामुरजढक्कादुन्दुभिनिःस्वनैः ॥ ४३ ॥ तोषयेज्जगतां धात्रीं गायनैरतिमोहनैः । वेदपारायणैः स्तोत्रैः पुराणादिभिरप्युत ॥ ४४ ॥ छत्रं च चामरे द्वे च दद्याद्देव्यै समाहितः । राजोपचारान् श्रीदेव्यै नित्यमेव समर्पयेत् ॥ ४५ ॥ प्रदक्षिणां नमस्कारं कुर्याद्देव्या अनेकधा । क्षमापयेज्जगद्धात्रीं जगदम्बां मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ ४६ ॥ सकृत्स्मरणमात्रेण यत्र देवी प्रसीदति । एतादृशोपचारैश्च प्रसीदेदत्र कः स्मयः ॥ ४७ ॥ स्वभावतो भवेन्माता पुत्रेऽतिकरुणावती । तेन भक्तौ कृतायां तु वक्तव्यं किं ततः परम् ॥ ४८ ॥ अत्र ते कथयिष्यामि पुरावृत्तं सनातनम् । बृहद्रथस्य राजर्षेः प्रियं भक्तिप्रदायकम् ॥ ४९ ॥ चक्रवाकोऽभवत्पक्षी क्वचिद्देशे हिमालये । भ्रमन्नानाविधान्देशान्ययौ काशीपुरं प्रति ॥ ५० ॥ अन्नपूर्णामहास्थाने प्रारब्धवशतो द्विजः । जगाम लीलया तत्र कणलोभादनाथवत् ॥ ५१ ॥ कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणामेकां जगाम स विहायसा । देशान्तरं विहायैव पुरीं मुक्तिप्रदायिनीम् ॥ ५२ ॥ कालान्तरे ममारासौ गतः स्वर्गपुरीं प्रति । बुभुजे विषयान्सर्वान् दिव्यरूपधरो युवा ॥ ५३ ॥ कल्पद्वयं तथा भुक्त्वा पुनः प्राप भुवं प्रति । क्षत्रियाणां कुले जन्म प्राप सर्वोत्तमोत्तमम् ॥ ५४ ॥ बृहद्रथेति नाम्नाभूत्प्रसिद्धः क्षितिमण्डले । महायज्वा धार्मिकश्च सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः ॥ ५५ ॥ त्रिकालज्ञः सार्वभौमो यमी परपुरञ्जयः । पूर्वजन्मस्मृतिस्तस्य वर्तते दुर्लभा भुवि ॥ ५६ ॥ इति श्रुत्वा किंवदन्तीं मुनयः समुपागताः । कृतातिथ्या नृपेन्द्रेण विष्टरेषूषुरेव ते ॥ ५७ ॥ पप्रच्छुर्मुनयः सर्वे संशयोऽस्ति महान्नृप । केन पुण्यप्रभावेण पूर्वजन्मस्मृतिस्तव ॥ ५८ ॥ त्रिकालज्ञानमेवापि केन पुण्यप्रभावतः । ज्ञानं तवेति तज्ज्ञातुमागताः स्म तवान्तिकम् ॥ ५९ ॥ वद निर्व्याजया वृत्त्या तदस्माकं यथातथम् । श्रीनारायण उवाच इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा राजा परमधार्मिकः ॥ ६० ॥ उवाच सकलं ब्रह्मन् त्रिकालज्ञानकारणम् । श्रूयतां मुनयः सर्वे मम ज्ञानस्य कारणम् ॥ ६१ ॥ चक्रवाकः स्थितः पूर्वं नीचयोनिगतोऽपि वा । अज्ञानतोऽपि कृतवानन्नपूर्णाप्रदक्षिणाम् ॥ ६२ ॥ तेन पुण्यप्रभावेण स्वर्गे कल्पद्वयस्थितिः । त्रिकालज्ञानताप्यस्मिन्नभूज्जन्मनि सुव्रताः ॥ ६३ ॥ को वेद जगदम्बायाः पदस्मृतिफलं कियत् । स्मृत्वा तन्महिमानं तु पतन्त्यश्रूणि मेऽनिशम् ॥ ६४ ॥ धिगस्तु जन्म तेषां वै कृतघ्नानां तु पापिनाम् । ये सर्वमातरं देवीं स्वोपास्यां न भजन्ति हि ॥ ६५ ॥ न शिवोपासना नित्या न विष्णूपासना तथा । नित्योपास्तिः परा देव्या नित्या श्रुत्यैव चोदिता ॥ ६६ ॥ किं मया बहु वक्तव्यं स्थाने संशयवर्जिते । सेवनीयं पदाम्भोजं भगवत्या निरन्तरम् ॥ ६७ ॥ नातः परतरं किञ्चिदधिकं जगतीतले । सेवनीया परा देवी निर्गुणा सगुणाथवा ॥ ६८ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजर्षेर्धार्मिकस्य च । प्रसन्नहृदयाः सर्वे गताः स्वस्वनिकेतनम् ॥ ६९ ॥ एवंप्रभावा सा देवी तत्पूजायाः फलं कियत् । अस्तीति केन प्रष्टव्यं वक्तव्यं वा न केनचित् ॥ ७० ॥ येषां तु जन्मसाफल्यं तेषां श्रद्धा तु जायते । येषां तु जन्मसाङ्कर्यं तेषां श्रद्धा न जायते ॥ ७१ ॥
nārada uvāca pūjāviśeṣaṃ śrīdevyāḥ śrotumicchāmi mānada | yenāśritena manujaḥ kṛtakṛtyatvamāvahet || 1 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca devarṣe śṛṇu vakṣyāmi śrīmatsu pūjanakramam | bhuktimuktipradaṃ sākṣātsamastāpannivāraṇam || 2 || ācamya maunī saṅkalpya bhūtaśuddhyādikaṃ caret | mātṛkānyāsapūrvaṃ tu ṣaḍaṅganyāsamācaret || 3 || śaṅkhasya sthāpanaṃ kṛtvā sāmānyārghyaṃ vidhāya ca | pūjādravyāṇi cāstreṇa prokṣayenmatimānnaraḥ || 4 || guroranujñāmādāya tataḥ pūjāṃ samārabhet | pīṭhapūjāṃ purā kṛtvā devīṃ dhyāyettataḥ param || 5 || āsanādyupacāraiśca bhaktipremayutaḥ sadā | snāpayetparadevīṃ tāṃ pañcāmṛtarasādibhiḥ || 6 || pauṇḍrekṣurasapūrṇaistu kalaśaiḥ śatasaṃkhyakaiḥ | stāpayedyo maheśānīṃ na sa bhūyo'bhijāyate || 7 || yaśca cūtarasairevaṃ snāpayejjagadambikām | vedapārāyaṇaṃ kṛtvā rasenekṣūdbhavena vā || 8 || tadgehaṃ na tyajennityaṃ ramā caiva sarasvatī | yastu drākṣārasenaiva vedapārāyaṇaṃ caran || 9 || abhiṣiñcenmaheśānīṃ sakuṭumbo narottamaḥ | rasareṇupramāṇaṃ ca devīloke mahīyate || 10 || karpūrāgurukāśmīrakastūrīpaṅkapaṅkilaiḥ | salilaiḥ snāpayeddevīṃ vedapārāyaṇaṃ caran || 11 || bhasmībhavanti pāpāni śatajanmārjitāni ca | yo dugdhakalaśairdevīṃ stāpayedvedapāṭhataḥ || 12 || ākalpaṃ sa vasennityaṃ tasmin vai kṣīrasāgare | yastu dadhnābhiṣiñcettāṃ dadhikulyāpatirbhavet || 13 || madhunā ca dhṛtenaiva tathā śarkarayāpi ca | snāpayenmadhukulyādinadīnāṃ sa patirbhavet || 14 || sahasrakalaśairdevīṃ snāpayanbhaktitatparaḥ | iha loke sukhī bhūtvāpyanyaloke sukhī bhavet || 15 || kṣaumaṃ vastradvayaṃ dattvā vāyulokaṃ sa gacchati | ratnanirmitabhūṣāṇāṃ dātā nidhipatirbhavet || 16 || kāśmīracandanaṃ dattvā kastūrībindubhūṣitam | tathā sīmantasindūraṃ caraṇe'laktapatrakam || 17 || indrāsane samārūḍho bhaveddevapatiḥ paraḥ | puṣpāṇi vividhānyāhuḥ pūjākarmaṇi sādhavaḥ || 18 || tāni dattvā yathālābhaṃ kailāsaṃ labhate svayam | bilvapatrāṇyamoghāni yo dadyātparaśaktaye || 19 || tasya duḥkhaṃ kadācicca kvacicca na bhaviṣyati | bilvapatratraye raktacandanena tu saṃllikhet || 20 || māyābījatrayaṃ yatnātsusphuṭaṃ cātisundaram | māyābījādikaṃ nāma caturthyantaṃ samuccaret || 21 || namo'ntaṃ parayā bhaktyā devīcaraṇapaṅkaje | samarpayenmahādevyai komalaṃ tacca patrakam || 22 || ya evaṃ kurute bhaktyā manutvaṃ labhate hi saḥ | yastu koṭidalairevaṃ komalairatinirmalaiḥ || 23 || pūjayedbhuvaneśānīṃ brahmāṇḍādhipatirbhavet | kundapuṣpairnavīnaistu lulitairaṣṭagandhataḥ || 24 || koṭisaṅkhyaiḥ pūjayettu prājāpatyaṃ labheddhruvam | mallikāmālatīpuṣpairaṣṭagandhena lolitaiḥ || 25 || koṭisaṅkhyaiḥ pūjayā tu jāyate sa caturmukhaḥ | daśakoṭibhirapyevaṃ taireva kusumairmune || 26 || viṣṇutvaṃ labhate martyo yatsureṣvapi durlabham | viṣṇunaitadvrataṃ pūrvaṃ kṛtaṃ svapadalabdhaye || 27 || śatakoṭibhirapyevaṃ sūtrātmatvaṃ vrajeddhruvam | vratametatpurā samyakkṛtaṃ bhaktyā prayatnataḥ || 28 || tena vrataprabhāveṇa hiraṇyodaratāṃ vrajet | japākusumapuṣpasya bandhūkakusumasya ca || 29 || dāḍimīkusumasyāpi vidhireṣa udīritaḥ | evamanyāni puṣpāṇi śrīdevyai vidhinārpayet || 30 || tasya puṇyaphalasyāntaṃ na jānātīśvaro'pi saḥ | tattadṛtūdbhavaiḥ puṣpairnāmasāhasrasaṃkhyayā || 31 || samarpayenmahādevyai prativarṣamatandritaḥ | ya evaṃ kurute bhaktyā mahāpātakasaṃyutaḥ || 32 || upapātakayukto'pi mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ | dehānte śrīpadāmbhojaṃ durlabhaṃ devasattamaiḥ || 33 || prāpnoti sādhakavaro mune nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ | kṛṣṇāguruṃ sakarpūraṃ candanena samanvitam || 34 || silhakaṃ cājyasaṃyuktaṃ guggulena samanvitam | dhūpaṃ dadyānmahādevyai yena syāddhūpitaṃ gṛham || 35 || tena prasannā deveśī dadāti bhuvanatrayam | dīpaṃ karpūrakhaṇḍaiśca dadyāddevyai nirantaram || 36 || sūryalokamavāpnoti nātra kāryā vicāraṇā | śatadīpāṃstathā dadyātsahasrānvā samāhitaḥ || 37 || naivedyaṃ purato devyāḥ sthāpayetparvatākṛtim | lehyaiścoṣyaistathā peyaiḥ ṣaḍrasaistu samāhitaiḥ || 38 || nānāphalāni divyāni svādūni rasavanti ca | svarṇapātrasthitānnāni dadyāddevyai nirantaram || 39 || tṛptāyāṃ śrīmahādevyāṃ bhavettṛptaṃ jagattrayam | yatastadātmakaṃ sarvaṃ rajjau sarpo yathā tathā || 40 || tataḥ pānīyakaṃ dadyācchubhaṃ gaṅgājalaṃ mahat | karpūravālāsaṃyuktaṃ śītalaṃ kalaśasthitam || 41 || tāmbūlaṃ ca tato devyai karpūraśakalānvitam | elālavaṅgasaṃyuktaṃ mukhasaugandhyadāyakam || 42 || dadyāddevyai mahābhaktyā yena devī prasīdati | mṛdaṅgavīṇāmurajaḍhakkādundubhiniḥsvanaiḥ || 43 || toṣayejjagatāṃ dhātrīṃ gāyanairatimohanaiḥ | vedapārāyaṇaiḥ stotraiḥ purāṇādibhirapyuta || 44 || chatraṃ ca cāmare dve ca dadyāddevyai samāhitaḥ | rājopacārān śrīdevyai nityameva samarpayet || 45 || pradakṣiṇāṃ namaskāraṃ kuryāddevyā anekadhā | kṣamāpayejjagaddhātrīṃ jagadambāṃ muhurmuhuḥ || 46 || sakṛtsmaraṇamātreṇa yatra devī prasīdati | etādṛśopacāraiśca prasīdedatra kaḥ smayaḥ || 47 || svabhāvato bhavenmātā putre'tikaruṇāvatī | tena bhaktau kṛtāyāṃ tu vaktavyaṃ kiṃ tataḥ param || 48 || atra te kathayiṣyāmi purāvṛttaṃ sanātanam | bṛhadrathasya rājarṣeḥ priyaṃ bhaktipradāyakam || 49 || cakravāko'bhavatpakṣī kvaciddeśe himālaye | bhramannānāvidhāndeśānyayau kāśīpuraṃ prati || 50 || annapūrṇāmahāsthāne prārabdhavaśato dvijaḥ | jagāma līlayā tatra kaṇalobhādanāthavat || 51 || kṛtvā pradakṣiṇāmekāṃ jagāma sa vihāyasā | deśāntaraṃ vihāyaiva purīṃ muktipradāyinīm || 52 || kālāntare mamārāsau gataḥ svargapurīṃ prati | bubhuje viṣayānsarvān divyarūpadharo yuvā || 53 || kalpadvayaṃ tathā bhuktvā punaḥ prāpa bhuvaṃ prati | kṣatriyāṇāṃ kule janma prāpa sarvottamottamam || 54 || bṛhadratheti nāmnābhūtprasiddhaḥ kṣitimaṇḍale | mahāyajvā dhārmikaśca satyavādī jitendriyaḥ || 55 || trikālajñaḥ sārvabhaumo yamī parapurañjayaḥ | pūrvajanmasmṛtistasya vartate durlabhā bhuvi || 56 || iti śrutvā kiṃvadantīṃ munayaḥ samupāgatāḥ | kṛtātithyā nṛpendreṇa viṣṭareṣūṣureva te || 57 || papracchurmunayaḥ sarve saṃśayo'sti mahānnṛpa | kena puṇyaprabhāveṇa pūrvajanmasmṛtistava || 58 || trikālajñānamevāpi kena puṇyaprabhāvataḥ | jñānaṃ taveti tajjñātumāgatāḥ sma tavāntikam || 59 || vada nirvyājayā vṛttyā tadasmākaṃ yathātatham | śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā rājā paramadhārmikaḥ || 60 || uvāca sakalaṃ brahman trikālajñānakāraṇam | śrūyatāṃ munayaḥ sarve mama jñānasya kāraṇam || 61 || cakravākaḥ sthitaḥ pūrvaṃ nīcayonigato'pi vā | ajñānato'pi kṛtavānannapūrṇāpradakṣiṇām || 62 || tena puṇyaprabhāveṇa svarge kalpadvayasthitiḥ | trikālajñānatāpyasminnabhūjjanmani suvratāḥ || 63 || ko veda jagadambāyāḥ padasmṛtiphalaṃ kiyat | smṛtvā tanmahimānaṃ tu patantyaśrūṇi me'niśam || 64 || dhigastu janma teṣāṃ vai kṛtaghnānāṃ tu pāpinām | ye sarvamātaraṃ devīṃ svopāsyāṃ na bhajanti hi || 65 || na śivopāsanā nityā na viṣṇūpāsanā tathā | nityopāstiḥ parā devyā nityā śrutyaiva coditā || 66 || kiṃ mayā bahu vaktavyaṃ sthāne saṃśayavarjite | sevanīyaṃ padāmbhojaṃ bhagavatyā nirantaram || 67 || nātaḥ parataraṃ kiñcidadhikaṃ jagatītale | sevanīyā parā devī nirguṇā saguṇāthavā || 68 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājarṣerdhārmikasya ca | prasannahṛdayāḥ sarve gatāḥ svasvaniketanam || 69 || evaṃprabhāvā sā devī tatpūjāyāḥ phalaṃ kiyat | astīti kena praṣṭavyaṃ vaktavyaṃ vā na kenacit || 70 || yeṣāṃ tu janmasāphalyaṃ teṣāṃ śraddhā tu jāyate | yeṣāṃ tu janmasāṅkaryaṃ teṣāṃ śraddhā na jāyate || 71 ||
English translation
1. Narada spoke “O Bhagavan! I am now very eager to hear the special Puja of S’ri Devi. The people get their desires fulfilled if they worship Her.”
2-23. Narayana said O Devarsi! I shall now specially speak to you how the World Mother Bhagavati is worshipped; by worshipping Whom one easily gets objects of enjoyments, liberation and the destruction of all evils. Controlling one’s speech and making Achaman, one must make one’s sankalpa and perform Bhutas’uddhi, Matrikanyasa, sadanganyasa, placing conchshell and doing other necessary acts. Offering the ordinary Arghya, one should give special Arghya and with the mantra “Astraya Phat” sprinkle over all the articles brought for worship. Taking the Guru’s permission, he is to go on with his Puja. First worship the pitha or seat whereon the Devi would be placed; then perform dhyan (meditation of the Devi). Then with great devotion, offer to the Deva, the seats (Asana) and other articles of worship; then perform the bath of the Devi by the water of the Panchamrita (the five nectars). If anybody performs the bath ceremony of S’ri Devi with one hundred jars of sugarcane juice, he will not have to incur any future birth.
He who performs this bath, and recites the Veda Mantras, with mango juice or sugarcane juice gets for ever Laksmi ever and ever and Sarasvati bound at his doors. He who gets this sacred bath of the Devi with grape juice, along with his relatives and acquaintances dwells in the DevT-loka for as many years as there are atoms in the juice. He who bathes the Devi with the Vedic mantras, and with water scented with camphor, the fragrant aloe wood (aguru), saffron, and musk, becomes freed at once of the sins acquired in his hundred births. He who bathes the Devi with jars of milk, lives in the
ocean of milk (ksira samudra) for one Kalpa. So he who does this bathing ceremony with jars of curd, becomes the lord of Dadhikunda (the reservoir of curd). He who performs the Snanams of the Devi with honey, ghee and sugar becomes the lord of these things. He who bathes the Devi with one thousand jars, becomes happy in this world as in the next. Note Make the liquid current flow pure in your body is the esoteric meaning of the bath. If you give Her a pair of silken clothes, you will go to the Vayu-Loka. If you give Her the jewel ornaments, you will become the Lord of gems and jewels. (Make your mind like the gem.) If anybody gives saffron, sandalpaste, musk, Sindura and Alaktak (red things), he will go to the Heavens and become there the Indra, the Lord of the Devas, in the next birth. Various flowers ought to be offered in S’ri Bhagavati’s worship; or the flowers of the season offered to the Devi will lead the devotee to Kailas’a. The devotee that offers the beautiful Bel leaves to the Devi never experiences anywhere pains and difficulties. The devotee who writes the Vija mantra of Maya “Hrim BhuvanesVaryai Namah” with red sandalpaste thrice on the tri-leaves of the Vilva tree leaf and offers this to the lotus feet of the Devi, becomes Manu by the merit of this virtuous act! The devotee becomes the Lord of the whole universe who worships the Devi Bhagavati with ten millions of entire Vilva leaves, fresh, green and spotless.
24-40. If any devotee worships with ten millions of entire fresh green Kunda flowers, with eight scents, he gets surely the Prajapatihood. The worship of the Devi with ten millions of Mallika and Malati flowers besmeared with eight scents makes a man the four faced (Brahma); and one hundred millions of such flowers will make the devotee a Visnu. In days of yore, Visnu worshipped the Devi in the aforesaid way and so got His Visnuhood. If any devotee worships the Devi with one hundred Kotis of Mallika or Malati flowers, the man becomes certainly Sutratma Hiranyagarbha. In ancient days Hiranyagarbha worshipped thus the Devi with great devotion and so he became Hiranyagarbha! (These Hiranyagarbha, Brahma, Visnu
and Mahes’a were mere ordinary men before. See the Brihadaranyaka Upanisada). Note The eight scents refer to data mamsi Kapiyuta S’aktergandhas takam! So will be the results if Java, Vandhuka and Dadimi flowers be offered in the worship. Various other beautiful flowers can be offered duly to the Devi by the devotee. The merits accruing from such offers are not known even to the God IsVara. The flowers that spring in their proper seasons are to be offered every year to the Devi, repeating Her thousand names enumerated in the Twelfth Book or in the Kurma Purana. If the above worship be offered to the Devi, then that man, whether he be a sinner or a great sinner, will be freed from all the sins and after leaving his mortal coil, he will get, no doubt, the lotus feet of the S’ri Devi Bhagavati. Offer Dhupa made of black Aguru, camphor, sandalpaste, red sandalpaste, Sihlaka and Guggula, saturated with ghee in such a way as the whole room of S’ri Bhagavati scents with pure fragrant smell. The Devi Bhagavati becomes pleased with this and offers the lordship of the three Lokas to the devotee. The devotee, who offers daily the light of camphor to the Devi, goes to the Surya Loka. There is no doubt in this. With one’s whole heart, one should give one hundred or one thousand lights to the Devi. The devotee should offer heaps of food consisting of six Rasas, the plates and dishes for chewing, sucking, licking and drinking, that is, all kinds of food solid, and liquid, mountain-like high. Always give food on golden flat plates and cups and various delicious sweet juicy nice heavenly fruits, nicely arranged on trays, cups and saucers. When S’ri Mahadevi Bhuvane’svari gets pleased, the whole universe gets pleased. For the whole Universe is all Devi; as a rope is mistaken for a snake, so this Mahadevi is mistaken for the universe.
41-59. Offer a jar of drinking Ganges water, cool and nice, scented with camphor to the Devi; then offer betels with camphor, cardamum, cloves, and various delicious scents. These all are to be offered with great devotion so that the Devi may be pleased. Next have music with lovely mridangas, flutes, murajas, Dhahkas and dundubhis and
so please Her. The Veda mantras are to be recited, the Puranas are to be read and the hymns to be chanted. With whole head and heart offer to the Devi the umbrella and chamara, the two kingly offerings. Then circumambulate round Her and prostrate before Her and ask Her kindness and pray to Her to forgive all faults and shortcomings. The Devi is pleased with anybody who remembers Her even once! What wonder then that She will be pleased with all these offerings! The Mother is naturally merciful to her child. When She is loved with devotion, then She becomes very merciful. There is nothing strange here! On this point I will recite to you the history of Vrihadratha Rajarsi. Hearing which gives rise to Bhakti and Love.
Once in a certain region in the Himalayas there lived a bird called Chakravak. It flew over many countries and went once to Kas’idham. As a fruit of his Prarabdha Karma, that bird, desirous to find some rice beans, voluntarily went like an orphan round about the temple of S’ri Annapurna Devi. There circumambulating round the Devi Bhagavati the bird left the city Kas’i, that grants liberation and flew away to another country. In time the bird left his body and went to Heavens. There he assumed a heavenly form of a youth and began to enjoy various pleasures. Thus he enjoyed for two Kalpas. Then he got back to the earth and took his birth as the best in the Ksattriya family. He became celebrated as the king Vrihadratha in this world. That King was truthful, controlled his senses, and practised S’amyama and deep concentration and knew everything of the past, the present and the future. He conquered all the enemies and performed various sacrifices and became the Emperor of the sea-girt earth and acquired the very rare faculty in the knowledge of everything of his previous births. The Munis came to know of this from various rumours and came to the King. The King Vrihadratha duly entertained those guests. The Munis took their seats and asked “O King! We hear that all the events of previous births are vividly reflected in your memory. On this point great doubts have come upon us. Kindly describe in detail. By what Punyam (merits) you
have come to know all about previous births and the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. We have come to you to know how you got this wonderful supersensual knowledge. Kindly say to us sincerely everything about this and oblige.”
60-71. Narayana said O Brahman! The very religious King Vrihadratha heard them and began to speak out all the secret causes for his knowledge of the past, the present and the future, thus O Munis! Hear how I acquired this knowledge. In my previous birth I was a very low bird chakravak. Once, out of my ignorance, I circumambulated round the temple of the Devi Bhagavati Annapurna at Kas’i. And, as the result of that, I lived in the Heavens for a period of two Kalpas and I have got this birth and I have got the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. O You of good vows! Who can ascertain what amount of merits accrues from remembering the Feet of the World-Mother. Remembering Her glories, I always shed tears of joy. Those who do not worship the adorable Deity Jagadamba are the Great Sinners and they are treacherous. Fie on their births! The worship of S’iva or Visnu is not eternal. Only the Jagadamba’s worship is eternal. Thus it is stated in the S’rutis. What more shall I speak on this worship of the World-Mother, which is void of the best trace of any doubt. Everyone ought to serve devotedly the lotus feet of the Devi Bhagavati. There is no other act more glorious in this world than serving the feet of Jagadamba. It is highly necessary to serve the Highest Deity, whether in Her Saguna or in Her Nirguna aspect. (Eat the sugarcandy, holding it in any way. It makes no difference.) Narayana said Hearing the aforesaid words of the virtuous Rajarsi Vrihadratha, the Munis went back to their respective abodes. Such is the power of the Devi Jagadambika! So who can question about the certainty of the high merits arising from the Jagadambika’s worship and who will not reply, when so questioned? Their births are really fruitful who possess faith in the Devi worship; but of those who have no such faith, there is some wrong mixture, no doubt; in their births.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Book on the Greatness of the Devi Puja, in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24044, revision 107025 (2017-04-02T01:43:27Z). 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/bk11ch18.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.