Skip to main content

Fifth Skandha · Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Unit 120 of 318Fifth Skandha · Chapter 33Fifth Skandha · Chapter 331 source entries

Fifth Skandha · Chapter 33

Source

अथ त्रयस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः राजोवाच। मुने वैश्योऽयमधुना वने मे मित्रतां गतः । पुत्रदारैर्निरस्तोऽयं प्राप्तोऽत्र मम संगमम् ॥१॥ "कुटुम्बविरहेणासौ दुःखितोऽतीव दुर्मनाः । न शान्तिमुपयात्येष तथैव मम साम्प्रतम् ॥ गतराज्यस्य दुःखेन शोकार्तोऽस्मि महामते” ॥१॥ निष्कारणं च मे चिंता हृदयान्न निवर्तते । हया मे दुर्बलाः स्युः किं गजाः शत्रुवशं गताः ॥ २॥ भृत्यवर्गस्तथा दुःखी जातः स्यात्तु मया विना । कोशक्षयं करिष्यंति रिपवोऽतिबलात्क्षणात् ॥३॥ इत्येवं चिंतयानस्य च मे निद्रा तनौ सुखम् । जानामीदं जगन्मिथ्या स्वप्नवत्सर्वमेव हि ॥ ४॥ जानतोऽपि मनो भ्रांतं न स्थिरं भवति प्रभो । कोऽहं केऽश्वा गजाः केऽमी न ते मे च सहोदराः ॥ न पुत्रा न च मित्राणि येषां दुःखं दुनोति माम् । भ्रमोऽयमिति जानामि तथापि मम मानसः ॥ ६ ॥ मोहो नैवापसरति किं तत्कारणमद्भुतम् । स्वामिंस्त्वमसि सर्वज्ञः सर्वसंशयनाशकृत् ॥७॥ कारणं ब्रूहि मोहस्य ममास्य च दयानिधे । व्यास उवाच। इति पृष्टस्तदा राज्ञा सुमेधा मुनिसत्तमः ॥८॥ तमुवाच परं ज्ञानं शोकमोहविनाशनम् । ऋषिरुवाच। शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः ॥ ९ ॥ महामायेति विख्याता सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह । ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथेशानस्तुराषाड्वरुणोऽनिलः ॥ १० ॥ सर्वे देवा मनुष्याश्च गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः । वृक्षाश्च विविधा वल्ल्यः पशवो मृगपक्षिणः ॥ ११॥ मायाधीनाश्च ते सर्वे भाजनं बंधमोक्षयोः । तया सृष्टमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् ॥१२॥ तद्वशे वर्तते नूनं मोहजालेन यंत्रितम् । त्वं कियान्मानुषेष्वेकः क्षत्रियो रजसाऽऽविलः ॥ १३ ॥ ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि मोहयत्यनिशं हि सा । ब्रह्मेशवासुदेवाद्या ज्ञाने सत्यपि शेषतः ॥१४॥ तेऽपि रागवशाल्लोके भ्रमति परिमोहिताः । पुरा सत्ययुगे राजन्विष्णुर्नारायणः स्वयम् ॥ १५ ॥ श्वेतद्वीपं समासाद्य चकार विपुलं तपः । वर्षाणामयुतं यावद् ब्रह्मविद्याप्रसक्तये ॥ १६॥ अनश्वरसुखायासी चिंतयानस्ततः परम् । एकस्मिन्निर्जने देशे ब्रह्माऽपि परमाद्भुते ॥ १७ ॥ स्थितस्तपसि राजेन्द्र मोहस्य विनिवृत्तये । कदाचिद्वासुदेवोऽसौ स्थलांतरमतिर्हरिः ॥१८॥ तस्माद्देशात्समुत्थाय जगामान्यद्दिदृक्षया । चतुर्मुखोऽपि राजेन्द्र तथैव निःसृतः स्थलात् ॥ १९॥ मिलितौ मार्गमध्ये तु चतुर्मुखचतुर्भुजौ । अन्योन्यं पृष्टवंतौ तौ कस्त्वं कस्त्वमिति स्म ह ॥ २० ॥ ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच तं देवं कर्ताऽहं जगतः किल । विष्णुस्तमाह भो मूर्ख जगत्कर्ताऽहमच्युतः ॥२१। त्वं कियान्बलहीनोऽसि रजोगुणसमाश्रितः । सत्त्वाश्रितं हि मां विद्धि वासुदेवं सनातनम् ॥२२॥ मया त्वं रक्षितोऽद्यैव कृत्वा युद्धं सुदारुणम् । शरणं मे समायातो दानवाभ्यां प्रपीडितः ॥ २३ ॥ मया तौ निहतौ कामं दानवौ मधुकैटभौ । कथं गर्वायसे मंद मोहोऽयं त्यज सांप्रतम् ॥२४॥ न मत्तोऽप्यधिकः कश्चित्संसारेऽस्मिन्प्रसारिते । ऋषिरुवाच। एवं प्रवदमानौ तौ ब्रह्मविष्णू परस्परम् ॥२५॥ स्फुरदोष्ठौ वेपमानौ लोहिताक्षौ बभूवतुः । प्रादुर्बभूव सहसा तयोर्विवदमानयोः ॥२६॥ मध्ये लिंगं सुधाश्वेतं विपुलं दीर्घमद्भुतम् । आकाशे तरसा तत्र वागुवाचाशरीरिणी ॥२७॥ तौ संबोध्य महाभागौ विवदन्तौ परस्परम् । ब्रह्मन्विष्णो विवादं मा कुरुतां वां परस्परम् ॥२८॥ लिंगस्यास्य परं पारमधस्तादुपरि ध्रुवम् । यो याति युवयोर्मध्ये स श्रेष्ठो वां सदैव हि ॥२९॥ एक: प्रयातु पातालमाकाशमपरोऽधुना । प्रमाणं मे वचः कार्यं त्यक्त्वा वादं निरर्थकम् ॥३०॥ मध्यस्थः सर्वदा कार्यो विवादेऽस्मिन्द्वयोरिह । ऋषिरुवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं दिव्यं सज्जीभूतौ कृतोद्यमौ ॥ ३१ ॥ जग्मतुर्मातुमग्रस्थं लिङ्गमद्भुतदर्शनम् । पातालमगमद्विष्णुर्ब्रह्माऽप्याकाशमेव च ॥३२॥ परिमातुं महालिङ्गं स्वमहत्त्वविवृद्धये । विष्णुर्गत्वा कियद्देशं श्रान्तः सर्वात्मना यतः ॥ ३३ ॥ न प्रापांतं स लिंगस्य परिवृत्य ययौ स्थलम् । ब्रह्माऽगच्छत्ततश्चोर्ध्वं पतितं केतकीदलम् ॥३४॥ शिवस्य मस्तकात्प्राप्य परावृत्तो मुदावृतः । आगत्य तरसा ब्रह्मा विष्णवे केतकीदलम ॥ ३५॥ दर्शयित्वा च वितथमुवाच मदमोहितः । लिङ्गस्य मस्तकादेतद्गृहीतं केतकीदलम् ॥३६॥ अभिज्ञानाय चानीतं तव चित्तप्रशान्तये । श्रुत्वा तद्ब्रह्मणो वाक्यं दृष्ट्वा च केतकीदलम् ॥३७॥ हरिस्तं प्रत्युवाचेदं साक्षी क: कथयाधुना । यथार्थवादी मेधावी सदाचारः शुचिः समः ॥३८॥ साक्षी भवति सर्वत्र विवादे समुपस्थिते । ब्रह्मोवाच। दूरदेशात्समायाति साक्षी कः समयेऽधुना ॥३९॥ यत्सत्यं तद्वचः सेयं केतकी कथयिष्यति । इत्युक्त्वा प्रेरिता तत्र ब्रह्मणा केतकी स्फुटम् ॥४० ॥ वचनं प्राह तरसा शार्ङ्गिणं प्रत्यबोधयत् । शिवमूर्ध्नि स्थितां ब्रह्मा गृहीत्वा मां समागतः ॥ ४१ ॥ सन्देहोऽत्र न कर्तव्यस्त्वया विष्णो कदाचन । मम वाक्यं प्रमाणं हि ब्रह्मा पारङ्गतोऽस्य ह ॥ ४२ ॥ गृहीत्वा मां समायातः शिवभक्तैः समर्पिताम् । केतक्या वचनं श्रुत्वा हरिराह स्मयनिव ॥४३॥ महादेवः प्रमाणं मे यद्यसौ वचनं वदेत् । ऋषिरुवाच। तदाकर्ण्य हरेर्वाक्यं महादेव: सनातनः ॥ ४४ ॥ कुपितः केतकीं प्राह मिथ्यावादिनि मा वद । गच्छतो मध्यतः प्राप्ता पतिता मस्तकान्मम ॥ ४५ ॥ मिथ्याभिभाषिणी त्यक्ता मया त्वं सर्वदेव हि । ब्रह्मा लज्जापरो भूत्वा ननाम मधुसूदनम् ॥४६ ॥ शिवेन केतकी त्यक्ता तद्दिनात्कुसुमेषु वै । एवं मायाबलं विद्धि ज्ञानिनामपि मोहदम् ॥४७ । अन्येषां प्राणिनां राजन्का वार्ता विभ्रमं प्रति । देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं सर्वदेव रमापतिः ॥ ४८ ॥ दैत्यान्वञ्चयते चाशु त्यक्त्वा पापभयं हरिः । अवतारकरो देवो नानायोनिषु माधवः ॥ ४९ ॥ त्यक्त्वाऽऽनन्दसुखं दैत्यैर्युद्धं चैवाकरोद्विभुः । नूनं मायाबलं चैतन्माधवेऽपि जगद्गुरौ ॥५० ॥ सर्वज्ञे देवकार्यांशे का वार्ताऽन्यस्य भूपते । ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि परमा प्रकृतिः किल ॥ ५१ ॥ बलादाकृष्य मोहाय प्रयच्छति महीपते । यया व्याप्तमिदं सर्वं भगवत्या चराचरम् ॥५२॥ मोहदा ज्ञानदा सैव बन्धमोक्षप्रदा सदा । राजोवाच। भगवन्ब्रूहि मे तस्याः स्वरूपं बलमुत्तमम् ॥५३ ॥ उत्पत्तिकारणं चापि स्थानं परमकं च यत् । ऋषिरुवाच। न चोत्पत्तिरनादित्वान्नृप तस्याः कदाचन ॥ ५४ ॥ नित्यैव सा परा देवी कारणानां च कारणम् । वर्तते सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिः सर्वात्मना नृप ॥ ५५ ॥ शववच्छक्तिहीनस्तु प्राणी भवति सर्वथा । चिच्छक्तिः सर्वभूतेषु रूपं तस्यास्तदेव हि ॥ ५६ ॥ आविर्भावतिरोभावौ देवानां कार्यसिद्धये । यदा स्तुवंति तां देवा मनुजाश्च विशांपते ॥५७॥ प्रादुर्भवति भूतानां दुःखनाशाय चाम्बिका । नानारूपधरा देवी नानाशक्तिसमन्विता ॥ ५८ ॥ आविर्भवति कार्यार्थं स्वेच्छया परमेश्वरी । दैवाधीना न सा देवी यथा सर्वे सुरा नृप ॥ ५९ ॥ न कालवशगा नित्यं पुरुषार्थप्रवर्तिनी । अकर्ता पुरुषो द्रष्टा दृश्यं सर्वमिदं जगत् ॥ ६० ॥ दृश्यस्य जननी सैव देवी सदसदात्मिका । पुरुषं रंजयत्येका कृत्वा ब्रह्माण्डनाटकम् ॥६१॥ रंजिते पुरुषे सर्वं संहरत्यतिरंहसा । तया निमित्तभूतास्ते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः ॥ ६२ ॥ कल्पिताः स्वस्वकार्येषु प्रेरिता लीलया त्वमी । स्वांशं तेषु समारोप्य कृतास्ते बलवत्तराः ॥ ६३॥ दत्ताश्व शक्तयस्तेभ्यो गीर्लक्ष्मीर्गिरिजा तथा । ते तां ध्यायंति देवेशाः पूजयंति परां मुदा ॥ ६४ ॥ ज्ञात्वा सर्वेश्वरीं शक्तिं सृष्टिस्थितिविनाशिनीम् । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ॥ मम बुद्ध्यनुसारेण नान्तं जानामि भूपते ॥६५ ॥ इति श्रीदेवीभागवते महापुराणे पञ्चमस्कन्धे त्रयस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ ३३॥

atha trayastriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ rājovāca| mune vaiśyo'yamadhunā vane me mitratāṃ gataḥ | putradārairnirasto'yaṃ prāpto'tra mama saṃgamam ||1|| "kuṭumbaviraheṇāsau duḥkhito'tīva durmanāḥ | na śāntimupayātyeṣa tathaiva mama sāmpratam || gatarājyasya duḥkhena śokārto'smi mahāmate” ||1|| niṣkāraṇaṃ ca me ciṃtā hṛdayānna nivartate | hayā me durbalāḥ syuḥ kiṃ gajāḥ śatruvaśaṃ gatāḥ || 2|| bhṛtyavargastathā duḥkhī jātaḥ syāttu mayā vinā | kośakṣayaṃ kariṣyaṃti ripavo'tibalātkṣaṇāt ||3|| ityevaṃ ciṃtayānasya ca me nidrā tanau sukham | jānāmīdaṃ jaganmithyā svapnavatsarvameva hi || 4|| jānato'pi mano bhrāṃtaṃ na sthiraṃ bhavati prabho | ko'haṃ ke'śvā gajāḥ ke'mī na te me ca sahodarāḥ || na putrā na ca mitrāṇi yeṣāṃ duḥkhaṃ dunoti mām | bhramo'yamiti jānāmi tathāpi mama mānasaḥ || 6 || moho naivāpasarati kiṃ tatkāraṇamadbhutam | svāmiṃstvamasi sarvajñaḥ sarvasaṃśayanāśakṛt ||7|| kāraṇaṃ brūhi mohasya mamāsya ca dayānidhe | vyāsa uvāca| iti pṛṣṭastadā rājñā sumedhā munisattamaḥ ||8|| tamuvāca paraṃ jñānaṃ śokamohavināśanam | ṛṣiruvāca| śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi kāraṇaṃ bandhamokṣayoḥ || 9 || mahāmāyeti vikhyātā sarveṣāṃ prāṇināmiha | brahmā viṣṇustatheśānasturāṣāḍvaruṇo'nilaḥ || 10 || sarve devā manuṣyāśca gandharvoragarākṣasāḥ | vṛkṣāśca vividhā vallyaḥ paśavo mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ || 11|| māyādhīnāśca te sarve bhājanaṃ baṃdhamokṣayoḥ | tayā sṛṣṭamidaṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṃgamam ||12|| tadvaśe vartate nūnaṃ mohajālena yaṃtritam | tvaṃ kiyānmānuṣeṣvekaḥ kṣatriyo rajasā''vilaḥ || 13 || jñānināmapi cetāṃsi mohayatyaniśaṃ hi sā | brahmeśavāsudevādyā jñāne satyapi śeṣataḥ ||14|| te'pi rāgavaśālloke bhramati parimohitāḥ | purā satyayuge rājanviṣṇurnārāyaṇaḥ svayam || 15 || śvetadvīpaṃ samāsādya cakāra vipulaṃ tapaḥ | varṣāṇāmayutaṃ yāvad brahmavidyāprasaktaye || 16|| anaśvarasukhāyāsī ciṃtayānastataḥ param | ekasminnirjane deśe brahmā'pi paramādbhute || 17 || sthitastapasi rājendra mohasya vinivṛttaye | kadācidvāsudevo'sau sthalāṃtaramatirhariḥ ||18|| tasmāddeśātsamutthāya jagāmānyaddidṛkṣayā | caturmukho'pi rājendra tathaiva niḥsṛtaḥ sthalāt || 19|| militau mārgamadhye tu caturmukhacaturbhujau | anyonyaṃ pṛṣṭavaṃtau tau kastvaṃ kastvamiti sma ha || 20 || brahmā provāca taṃ devaṃ kartā'haṃ jagataḥ kila | viṣṇustamāha bho mūrkha jagatkartā'hamacyutaḥ ||21| tvaṃ kiyānbalahīno'si rajoguṇasamāśritaḥ | sattvāśritaṃ hi māṃ viddhi vāsudevaṃ sanātanam ||22|| mayā tvaṃ rakṣito'dyaiva kṛtvā yuddhaṃ sudāruṇam | śaraṇaṃ me samāyāto dānavābhyāṃ prapīḍitaḥ || 23 || mayā tau nihatau kāmaṃ dānavau madhukaiṭabhau | kathaṃ garvāyase maṃda moho'yaṃ tyaja sāṃpratam ||24|| na matto'pyadhikaḥ kaścitsaṃsāre'sminprasārite | ṛṣiruvāca| evaṃ pravadamānau tau brahmaviṣṇū parasparam ||25|| sphuradoṣṭhau vepamānau lohitākṣau babhūvatuḥ | prādurbabhūva sahasā tayorvivadamānayoḥ ||26|| madhye liṃgaṃ sudhāśvetaṃ vipulaṃ dīrghamadbhutam | ākāśe tarasā tatra vāguvācāśarīriṇī ||27|| tau saṃbodhya mahābhāgau vivadantau parasparam | brahmanviṣṇo vivādaṃ mā kurutāṃ vāṃ parasparam ||28|| liṃgasyāsya paraṃ pāramadhastādupari dhruvam | yo yāti yuvayormadhye sa śreṣṭho vāṃ sadaiva hi ||29|| eka: prayātu pātālamākāśamaparo'dhunā | pramāṇaṃ me vacaḥ kāryaṃ tyaktvā vādaṃ nirarthakam ||30|| madhyasthaḥ sarvadā kāryo vivāde'smindvayoriha | ṛṣiruvāca| tacchrutvā vacanaṃ divyaṃ sajjībhūtau kṛtodyamau || 31 || jagmaturmātumagrasthaṃ liṅgamadbhutadarśanam | pātālamagamadviṣṇurbrahmā'pyākāśameva ca ||32|| parimātuṃ mahāliṅgaṃ svamahattvavivṛddhaye | viṣṇurgatvā kiyaddeśaṃ śrāntaḥ sarvātmanā yataḥ || 33 || na prāpāṃtaṃ sa liṃgasya parivṛtya yayau sthalam | brahmā'gacchattataścordhvaṃ patitaṃ ketakīdalam ||34|| śivasya mastakātprāpya parāvṛtto mudāvṛtaḥ | āgatya tarasā brahmā viṣṇave ketakīdalama || 35|| darśayitvā ca vitathamuvāca madamohitaḥ | liṅgasya mastakādetadgṛhītaṃ ketakīdalam ||36|| abhijñānāya cānītaṃ tava cittapraśāntaye | śrutvā tadbrahmaṇo vākyaṃ dṛṣṭvā ca ketakīdalam ||37|| haristaṃ pratyuvācedaṃ sākṣī ka: kathayādhunā | yathārthavādī medhāvī sadācāraḥ śuciḥ samaḥ ||38|| sākṣī bhavati sarvatra vivāde samupasthite | brahmovāca| dūradeśātsamāyāti sākṣī kaḥ samaye'dhunā ||39|| yatsatyaṃ tadvacaḥ seyaṃ ketakī kathayiṣyati | ityuktvā preritā tatra brahmaṇā ketakī sphuṭam ||40 || vacanaṃ prāha tarasā śārṅgiṇaṃ pratyabodhayat | śivamūrdhni sthitāṃ brahmā gṛhītvā māṃ samāgataḥ || 41 || sandeho'tra na kartavyastvayā viṣṇo kadācana | mama vākyaṃ pramāṇaṃ hi brahmā pāraṅgato'sya ha || 42 || gṛhītvā māṃ samāyātaḥ śivabhaktaiḥ samarpitām | ketakyā vacanaṃ śrutvā harirāha smayaniva ||43|| mahādevaḥ pramāṇaṃ me yadyasau vacanaṃ vadet | ṛṣiruvāca| tadākarṇya harervākyaṃ mahādeva: sanātanaḥ || 44 || kupitaḥ ketakīṃ prāha mithyāvādini mā vada | gacchato madhyataḥ prāptā patitā mastakānmama || 45 || mithyābhibhāṣiṇī tyaktā mayā tvaṃ sarvadeva hi | brahmā lajjāparo bhūtvā nanāma madhusūdanam ||46 || śivena ketakī tyaktā taddinātkusumeṣu vai | evaṃ māyābalaṃ viddhi jñānināmapi mohadam ||47 | anyeṣāṃ prāṇināṃ rājankā vārtā vibhramaṃ prati | devānāṃ kāryasiddhyarthaṃ sarvadeva ramāpatiḥ || 48 || daityānvañcayate cāśu tyaktvā pāpabhayaṃ hariḥ | avatārakaro devo nānāyoniṣu mādhavaḥ || 49 || tyaktvā''nandasukhaṃ daityairyuddhaṃ caivākarodvibhuḥ | nūnaṃ māyābalaṃ caitanmādhave'pi jagadgurau ||50 || sarvajñe devakāryāṃśe kā vārtā'nyasya bhūpate | jñānināmapi cetāṃsi paramā prakṛtiḥ kila || 51 || balādākṛṣya mohāya prayacchati mahīpate | yayā vyāptamidaṃ sarvaṃ bhagavatyā carācaram ||52|| mohadā jñānadā saiva bandhamokṣapradā sadā | rājovāca| bhagavanbrūhi me tasyāḥ svarūpaṃ balamuttamam ||53 || utpattikāraṇaṃ cāpi sthānaṃ paramakaṃ ca yat | ṛṣiruvāca| na cotpattiranāditvānnṛpa tasyāḥ kadācana || 54 || nityaiva sā parā devī kāraṇānāṃ ca kāraṇam | vartate sarvabhūteṣu śaktiḥ sarvātmanā nṛpa || 55 || śavavacchaktihīnastu prāṇī bhavati sarvathā | cicchaktiḥ sarvabhūteṣu rūpaṃ tasyāstadeva hi || 56 || āvirbhāvatirobhāvau devānāṃ kāryasiddhaye | yadā stuvaṃti tāṃ devā manujāśca viśāṃpate ||57|| prādurbhavati bhūtānāṃ duḥkhanāśāya cāmbikā | nānārūpadharā devī nānāśaktisamanvitā || 58 || āvirbhavati kāryārthaṃ svecchayā parameśvarī | daivādhīnā na sā devī yathā sarve surā nṛpa || 59 || na kālavaśagā nityaṃ puruṣārthapravartinī | akartā puruṣo draṣṭā dṛśyaṃ sarvamidaṃ jagat || 60 || dṛśyasya jananī saiva devī sadasadātmikā | puruṣaṃ raṃjayatyekā kṛtvā brahmāṇḍanāṭakam ||61|| raṃjite puruṣe sarvaṃ saṃharatyatiraṃhasā | tayā nimittabhūtāste brahmaviṣṇumaheśvarāḥ || 62 || kalpitāḥ svasvakāryeṣu preritā līlayā tvamī | svāṃśaṃ teṣu samāropya kṛtāste balavattarāḥ || 63|| dattāśva śaktayastebhyo gīrlakṣmīrgirijā tathā | te tāṃ dhyāyaṃti deveśāḥ pūjayaṃti parāṃ mudā || 64 || jñātvā sarveśvarīṃ śaktiṃ sṛṣṭisthitivināśinīm | etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ devīmāhātmyamuttamam || mama buddhyanusāreṇa nāntaṃ jānāmi bhūpate ||65 || iti śrīdevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe pañcamaskandhe trayastriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 33||

English translation

1-8. The king Suratha said “O Muni! This Vais’ya is now become a friend of mine in this forest; he has been expelled from his home by his sons and wife and he has come lately here in this forest. He is now suffering very much from the bereavement of his family and has become very much troubled in his mind. He is not getting any peace whatsoever. I am also become like him and have become very distressed owing to my kingdom being robbed away. This thought, though really devoid of any substantial cause, is not leaving my heart now. Oh! My elephants and horses, now under my enemies, have become weak; My servants are suffering very much owing to my absence! My enemies will, within no time squander away forcibly all my hoarded riches. This thought is not giving me any happiness; nay, I cannot get any sleep owing to this care and anxiety. O Lord! I know that this world is false as a dream; yet my mind is so deluded that I cannot make me quiet. Who am I? What are those horses and elephants to me? They are not my brothers, sons, nor friends; yet I feel very much for them and am troubled with their troubles. O Muni!

I know these all are delusions; still I am not able to make my mind free from them. This is very wonderful indeed! What is the cause of all this? O Lord! Nothing is veiled from your sight, you are fully able to solve all these doubts. Therefore, O Ocean of mercy! Kindly explain to me and this Vais’ya the cause of all this delusion.”

9. Vyasa said O King! When the King Suratha asked thus, the Muni in reply said to him the following words, full of wisdom, so that his delusion and sorrow might vanish.

10-25. The Muni said “O King! I ann telling you the cause of bondage as well the cause of release of all the beings in this Universe. She is known as Maha Maya. She is the Mula Prakriti, the state of equilibrium of the three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Even Brahma, Visnu, MahesVara, Indra, Varuna, Vayu, and the other Devas, Gandarbhas, Nagas, Raksasas, men, deer, animals, birds, trees and various kinds of creepers all are under Maya; thus they are all bound; again they all get release when they are released by that Maya. By Her is created all this world, moving and not moving, all the beings are caught in Her net and all are under the control of Her. You are a Ksattriya; so Rajoguna preponderates in you and your heart is thus rendered impure. She, by Her Maya, deludes even the minds of those who are Jhanins or wise; you are but an ordinary man compared to them. Even Brahma, Visnu and Mahes’a, though possessed of vast wisdom, still roam, under the sway of Maya, in the three worlds completely deluded by their attachments to the sensual objects. O King! In the Satya Yuga, in ancient times Visnu Narayana himself performed a very hard tapasya in SVetadvipa. He passed away full ten thousand years in meditation, with the object of attaining the unbroken everlasting Bliss and becoming steadfastly attached to Brahma Vidya. O King! Brahma, too, became engaged in performing a tapasya, meditating the Primordial Force, Adya S’akti, in a very wonderful solitary place for the cessation of delusion. Once on a time Vasudeva Hah wanted to go to another place; he got up and started to see other places. Brahma, also, left his place and started for another destination.

When they met each other in their way, each one asked the other, “Who are you?” The Prajapati answered “I am the Creator Brahma.” Hearing thus the Brahma’s words, Visnu said “O You Stupid! I am Achyuta Visnu; therefore I am the Creator of this world. You are inferior to Me as there is so much of Rajoguna in preponderance in you. Know Me as the eternal Vasudeva, preponderating in Sattva Guna. Do you not remember that I fought a dreadful battle for you and thus saved your life a short while ago, I slew the two Danavas Madhu and Kaitava when you were much distressed by them and took My refuge. How then do you boast now!

O Fool! Quit your this vain boasting now. In this wide world, there is none superior to Me.”

26-31. The Risi said Thus engaged in disputing with each other, their lips were quivering with anger and their eyes got red. When, Behold! there appeared suddenly between those two disputants, a nectar-like white phallic emblem (Lingam), wonderfully long and extensive. Then a voice, from without anybody, broke out in the Heavens and addressed Brahma and Visnu who were quarrelling thus! Whoever amongst you will be able to go to the other end of this Lingam whether beyond its top or below its bottom, he is certainly the superior of you two; let one of you therefore go down to Patala and let the other go up to the Heavens. Leave off your useless disputations and take my word as proof. It is always advisable to select an umpire to decide such a quarrel as this that has sprung up between you two.

32-39. The Risi said O King! Hearing thus the divine word, both of them became ready and began energetically to measure the length of the wonderful Lingam that stood in front of them. Visnu went down to Patala and Brahma went up to Akas’a to measure the Lingam and thus to ascertain their superiority. Going down some distance Visnu got tired and doing his best, when he could not find out the end of the Lingam, he returned and remained at the desired meeting place. On the other hand, Brahma was ascending to the skies when he got one Ketaki flower dropping from the head of the Lingam. He became over glad and returned also to the desired meeting place. Brahma became very much elated with vanity and when he returned, he at once showed that flower to Visnu and spoke thus the false words:-- “O Visnu! This Ketaki flower has been obtained from the head of the Lingam. I have brought this to you simply that you would recognise it and be convinced in your heart.” Hearing these words of Brahma, Visnu saw the Ketaki flower and said “O Brahma! Who is your

witness in this nnatter? He whose words are true, who is equal to all, who is intelligent, pure, and always of good conduct, he can be the witness in such matters of dispute.”

40-44. Brahma said “Who will come now as witness from that far off place? This Ketaki flower is the witness; this will give evidence.” Thus saying, Brahma requested Ketaki to give evidence; Ketaki soon replied thus to convince Visnu. O Visnu! I was on the head of Mahadeva; Brahma has brought me from there down to this place; you ought not therefore to have any doubt on this point. My word is the evidence; Brahma has gone to the other end of the Lingam. Some devotee of S’iva put me on His head and Brahma has got me down from there. Hearing thus the words of Ketaki, Visnu was very much astonished and said this “I cannot trust your word; if Maha Deva comes and speaks this Himself, then I can trust and take it as a proof.”

45-53. The Risi said O King! The eternal Maha Deva, hearing the words of Visnu, spoke thus to Ketaki with great anger, “O Liar! Do not utter such false words; You dropped down from My head and Brahma while ascending up, picked you up on the way. Now as you have told a lie, I will never take you; you are henceforth forsaken by Me.” Brahma was then very much put to shame; he bowed down to Visnu; Maha Deva, forsook the Ketaki flower from that date. O King! Such is the power of Maya; when Brahma, Visnu and other wise persons are so self-deluded by Her, what need to speak of other ordinary mortals! See! Visnu, the Lord of Laksmi, is self-deluded and is always deceiving the Daityas for the welfare of the Devas, without any fear whatsoever of the sin that he is thereby incurring. Though He is the Lord of all yet He has to take several incarnations in several wombs, forsaking the pleasures of the Heavens and fighting with the Daityas. O King! Visnu is omniscient and He is the Lord of this world; specially He is the only One, Supreme in the creation of

the Gods. Now when Maya exercises such a powerful influence on Visnu, what wonder is there that the other ordinary beings would be deluded by Her? O King! That Highest Prakriti draws away violently the hearts of the wise and drags thenn down into the ocean of world. That Omnipresent Bhagavati is ever the cause of bondage of all when She casts Her net of delusion and She is again ever the cause of liberation when She imparts Her knowledge to them.

54. The King said O Brahman! What is the nature of Her? and what is the Supreme Force? What is the Cause of this creation? And where is Her highest place? Kindly narrate all these to me.

55-66. The Risi said O King! She is beginningless; therefore She had no origin at any time; that Highest Devi is Eternal and She is always the Cause of all Causes. (How then can any other be powerful like Her). O King! She resides in all the beings as the essential vital Force; deprived of that Force, every being is reduced to a dead carcass. She is pervading as the Universal Force of Consciousness in all the beings. The form of this S’akti (Force) is the form made up of consciousness itself, the Brahma. (For the force of Fire is Fire itself; it is not seen in any other form). Her appearances and disappearances at times are simply for serving the purposes of the Gods. O King! Whenever the Devas and men worship Her, Ambika makes Her appearance visible to destroy their pains and sufferings. She assumes various forms and possesses various powers. That Highest IsVari comes down of Her free will to serve Her some purpose or other. She is not like the Devas, under the control of Daiva or Fate; She is not under the influence of Time (as both Fate and Time are created by Her). She puts always every being to action according to his capacity. Purusa is not the Doer; He is simply the Witness. This whole Universe is the object seen. That Devi is the Mother of all this that is witnessed. She is the Manifested and She is the Unmanifested and She is the Effect also. She alone is

the Actress and manifests thus the world and thus gives the colouring to the Purusa. When the Purusa is coloured thus, She destroys quickly these worlds. It is said that Brahma, Visnu and Mahes’a are respectively the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the world; but this is merely a statement; really they are merely instruments in Her hands. Bhagavati has created them in reality for Her Pastime and stationed them in their respective posts. She has bestowed to them Her part manifestations, i.e., Sarasvati to Brahma, Laksmi to Visnu, and Girija to Mahes’a and has thus rendered them more powerful. They, the lords of the Devas, always meditate and worship Her as the Creatrix, Preservrix and Destructrix of this Universe. O King! I have thus described to you, as far as my intelligence and knowledge go, the holy greatness and the excellent glory of Her (in reality, I have not been able to come to the end of it).

“Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai bichche” is the (9) nine lettered mantra.

Here ends the Thirty-third Chapter of the Fifth Book on the description of the greatness of the Devi in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 136699, revision 363290 (2022-12-16T20:57:11Z). 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/bk05ch33.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.