First Skandha · Chapter 1
Sourceॐ सर्वचैतन्यरूपां तां आद्यां विद्यां च धीमहि । बुद्धिं या नः प्रचोदयात् ॥ १ ॥ शौनक उवाच - सूत सूत महाभाग धन्योऽसि पुरुषर्षभ । यदधीतास्त्वया सम्यक् पुराणसंहिताः शुभाः ॥ २ ॥ अष्टादश पुराणानि कृष्णेन मुनिनानघ । कथितानि सुदिव्यानि पठितानि त्वयानघ ॥ ३ ॥ पञ्चलक्षणयुक्तानि सरहस्यानि मानद । त्वया ज्ञातानि सर्वाणि व्यासात्सत्यवतीसुतात् ॥ ४ ॥ अस्माकं पुण्ययोगेन प्राप्तस्त्वं क्षेत्रमुत्तमम् । दिव्यं विश्वसनं पुण्यं कलिदोषविवर्जितम् ॥ ५ ॥ समाजोऽयं मुनीनां हि श्रोतुकामोऽस्ति पुण्यदाम् । पुराणसंहितां सूत ब्रूहि त्वं नः समाहितः ॥ ६ ॥ दीर्घायुर्भव सर्वज्ञ तापत्रयविवर्जितः । कथयाद्य महाभाग पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम् ॥ ७ ॥ श्रोत्रेन्द्रिययुताः सूत नराः स्वादविचक्षणाः । न शृण्वन्ति पुराणानि वञ्चिता विधिना हि ते ॥ ८ ॥ यथा जिह्वेन्द्रियाह्लादः षड्रसैः प्रतिपद्यते । तथा श्रोत्रेन्द्रियाह्लादो वचोभिः सुधियां स्मृतः ॥ ९ ॥ अश्रोत्राः फणिनः कामं मुह्यन्ति हि नभोगुणैः । सकर्णा ये न शृण्वन्ति तेऽप्यकर्णाः कथं न च ॥ १० ॥ अतः सर्वे द्विजाः सौम्य श्रोतुकामाः समाहिताः । वर्तन्ते नैमिषारण्ये क्षेत्रे कलिभयार्दिताः ॥ ११ ॥ येन केनाप्युपायेन कालातिवाहनं स्मृतम् । व्यसनैरिह मूर्खाणां बुधानां शास्त्रचिन्तनैः ॥ १२ ॥ शास्त्राण्यपि विचित्राणि जल्पवादयुतानि च । त्रिविधानि पुराणानि शास्त्राणि विविधानि च । विताण्डाच्छलयुक्तानि गर्वामर्षकराणि च । नानार्थवादयुक्तानि हेतुमन्ति बृहन्ति च ॥ १३ ॥ सात्त्विकं तत्र वेदान्तं मीमांसा राजसं मतम् । तामसं न्यायशास्त्रं च हेतुवादाभियन्त्रितम् ॥ १४ ॥ तथैव च पुराणानि त्रिगुणानि कथानकैः । कथितानि त्वया सौम्य पञ्चलक्षणवन्ति च ॥ १५ ॥ तत्र भागवतं पुण्यं पञ्चमं वेदसम्मितम् । कथितं यत्त्वया पूर्वं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥ १६ ॥ उद्देशमत्रेण तदा कीर्तितं परमाद्भुतम् । मुक्तिप्रदं मुमुक्षूणां कामदं धर्मदं तथा ॥ १७ ॥ विस्तरेण तदाख्याहि पुराणोत्तममादरात् । श्रोतुकामा द्विजाः सर्वे दिव्यं भागवतं शुभम् ॥ १८ ॥ त्वं तु जानासि धर्मज्ञ पौराणीं संहितां किल । कृष्णोक्तां गुरुभक्तत्वात् सम्यक् सत्त्वगुणाश्रयः ॥ १९ ॥ श्रुतान्यन्यानि सर्वज्ञ त्वन्मुखान्निःसृतानि च । नैव तृप्तिं व्रजामोऽद्य सुधापानेऽमरा यथा ॥ २० ॥ धिक्सुधां पिबतां सूत मुक्तिर्नैव कदाचन । पिबन्भागवतं सद्यो नरो मुच्येत सङ्कटात् ॥ २१ ॥ सुधापाननिमित्तं यत् कृता यज्ञाः सहस्रशः । न शान्तिमधिगच्छामः सूत सर्वात्मना वयम् ॥ २२ ॥ मखानां हि फलं स्वर्गः स्वर्गात्प्रच्यवनं पुनः । एवं संसारचक्रेऽस्म्निन् भ्रमणं च निरन्तरम् ॥ २३ ॥ विना ज्ञानेन सर्वज्ञ नैव मुक्तिः कदाचन । भ्रमतां कालचक्रेऽत्र नराणां त्रिगुणात्मके ॥ २४ ॥ अतः सर्वरसोपेतं पुण्यं भागवतं वद । पावनं मुक्तिदं गुह्यं मुमुक्षूणां सदा प्रियम् ॥ २५ ॥
oṃ sarvacaitanyarūpāṃ tāṃ ādyāṃ vidyāṃ ca dhīmahi | buddhiṃ yā naḥ pracodayāt || 1 || śaunaka uvāca - sūta sūta mahābhāga dhanyo'si puruṣarṣabha | yadadhītāstvayā samyak purāṇasaṃhitāḥ śubhāḥ || 2 || aṣṭādaśa purāṇāni kṛṣṇena muninānagha | kathitāni sudivyāni paṭhitāni tvayānagha || 3 || pañcalakṣaṇayuktāni sarahasyāni mānada | tvayā jñātāni sarvāṇi vyāsātsatyavatīsutāt || 4 || asmākaṃ puṇyayogena prāptastvaṃ kṣetramuttamam | divyaṃ viśvasanaṃ puṇyaṃ kalidoṣavivarjitam || 5 || samājo'yaṃ munīnāṃ hi śrotukāmo'sti puṇyadām | purāṇasaṃhitāṃ sūta brūhi tvaṃ naḥ samāhitaḥ || 6 || dīrghāyurbhava sarvajña tāpatrayavivarjitaḥ | kathayādya mahābhāga purāṇaṃ brahmasammitam || 7 || śrotrendriyayutāḥ sūta narāḥ svādavicakṣaṇāḥ | na śṛṇvanti purāṇāni vañcitā vidhinā hi te || 8 || yathā jihvendriyāhlādaḥ ṣaḍrasaiḥ pratipadyate | tathā śrotrendriyāhlādo vacobhiḥ sudhiyāṃ smṛtaḥ || 9 || aśrotrāḥ phaṇinaḥ kāmaṃ muhyanti hi nabhoguṇaiḥ | sakarṇā ye na śṛṇvanti te'pyakarṇāḥ kathaṃ na ca || 10 || ataḥ sarve dvijāḥ saumya śrotukāmāḥ samāhitāḥ | vartante naimiṣāraṇye kṣetre kalibhayārditāḥ || 11 || yena kenāpyupāyena kālātivāhanaṃ smṛtam | vyasanairiha mūrkhāṇāṃ budhānāṃ śāstracintanaiḥ || 12 || śāstrāṇyapi vicitrāṇi jalpavādayutāni ca | trividhāni purāṇāni śāstrāṇi vividhāni ca | vitāṇḍācchalayuktāni garvāmarṣakarāṇi ca | nānārthavādayuktāni hetumanti bṛhanti ca || 13 || sāttvikaṃ tatra vedāntaṃ mīmāṃsā rājasaṃ matam | tāmasaṃ nyāyaśāstraṃ ca hetuvādābhiyantritam || 14 || tathaiva ca purāṇāni triguṇāni kathānakaiḥ | kathitāni tvayā saumya pañcalakṣaṇavanti ca || 15 || tatra bhāgavataṃ puṇyaṃ pañcamaṃ vedasammitam | kathitaṃ yattvayā pūrvaṃ sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam || 16 || uddeśamatreṇa tadā kīrtitaṃ paramādbhutam | muktipradaṃ mumukṣūṇāṃ kāmadaṃ dharmadaṃ tathā || 17 || vistareṇa tadākhyāhi purāṇottamamādarāt | śrotukāmā dvijāḥ sarve divyaṃ bhāgavataṃ śubham || 18 || tvaṃ tu jānāsi dharmajña paurāṇīṃ saṃhitāṃ kila | kṛṣṇoktāṃ gurubhaktatvāt samyak sattvaguṇāśrayaḥ || 19 || śrutānyanyāni sarvajña tvanmukhānniḥsṛtāni ca | naiva tṛptiṃ vrajāmo'dya sudhāpāne'marā yathā || 20 || dhiksudhāṃ pibatāṃ sūta muktirnaiva kadācana | pibanbhāgavataṃ sadyo naro mucyeta saṅkaṭāt || 21 || sudhāpānanimittaṃ yat kṛtā yajñāḥ sahasraśaḥ | na śāntimadhigacchāmaḥ sūta sarvātmanā vayam || 22 || makhānāṃ hi phalaṃ svargaḥ svargātpracyavanaṃ punaḥ | evaṃ saṃsāracakre'smnin bhramaṇaṃ ca nirantaram || 23 || vinā jñānena sarvajña naiva muktiḥ kadācana | bhramatāṃ kālacakre'tra narāṇāṃ triguṇātmake || 24 || ataḥ sarvarasopetaṃ puṇyaṃ bhāgavataṃ vada | pāvanaṃ muktidaṃ guhyaṃ mumukṣūṇāṃ sadā priyam || 25 ||
English translation
1. I meditate on the beginningless Brahmavidya who is Sarvachaitanyarupa, of the nature of all-consciousness; May She stimulate our buddhi to the realisation of That (or who stimulates our buddhi in different directions).
2. S’aunaka said “O highly fortunate Suta! O noble Suta! You are the best of persons; you are blessed inasmuch as you have thoroughly studied all the auspicious Puranas.
3. O sinless one! you have gone through all the eighteen Puranas composed by Krisna Dvaipayana; these are endowed with five excellent characteristics and full of esoteric meanings.
Note The characteristics are to make the mantras reveal to one's own self, to realise, to transfer to others the S’akti, force thereof, to prove the various manifestations of the several effects thereof, etc.
4-5. O Sinless one! It is not that you have read them like a parrot, but you have thoroughly grasped the meaning of them all as you have learnt them from Vyasa himself, the son of Satyavati. Now it is our good merits that you have come at this divine holy excellent Vis'vasan Ksettra (place), free from any defects of the Kali age.
6-10. O Suta! These Munis assembled here are desirous to hear the holy Purana Samhita, that yields religious merits. So describe this to
ns with your mind concentrated. O all-knowing Suta! Live long and be free from the threefold sorrows of existence. O highly fortunate one! Narrate to us the Purana equivalent to the Vedas. O Suta! Those persons that do not hear the Puranas, are certainly deprived by the Creator, though they have apparently the organ of hearing, of the power of tasting the sweet essence of words; because, the organ of hearing is gratified then and then only when it hears the words of the wise men, just as the organ of taste is satisfied then and then only when it tastes the six kinds of rasas (flavour, taste) (sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, salty, and astringent). This is known to all. The serpents that are void of the organ of hearing are enchanted by sweet music; then why should not those persons that have the organs of hearing and are averse to hear the Puranas, be thrown under the category of the deaf?
11-18. O Saumya! Hence all these Brahmins, being distressed with the fear of this Kali, have come here to this Naimisaranya, eager to hear attentively the Puranas, and are staying here with this one object. Time must be spent away anyhow or other; those that are fools while away their times in sports and other evil practices and those that are learned pass away their times in meditating on the S’astras; but these S’astras are too vast and very varied; they contain Jalpas (debates or wrangling discussions to win over the opposite party), Vadas (sound doctrines to arrive at just conclusions), and various Arthavadas (explanations and assertions, recommending Vidhis or precepts by stating the good arising from its proper observance and evils arising from its omission and also by adducing historical instances for its support; praises and eulogies) and filled with many argumentations. And, amongst these S’astras again, the Vedanta is the Sattvik, the Mimamsas are the Rajasik and the Nyaya S’astras with Hetuvadas, are the Tamasik; so the S’astras are varied. Similarly, the Puranas are of three kinds (1) S’attvik,
(2) Rajasik and (3) Tamasik. O Saumya! (one of gentle appearance) you have recited those Puranas endowed with five characteristics
and full of many narratives; of these, the fifth Purana, equivalent to the Vedas and with all the good qualities, the Bhagavata yields Dharma and Kama (religion and desires), gives liberation to those who desire for emancipation and is very wonderful; you mentioned this before but ordinarily; you did not dwell on this specially. Now these Brahmanas are eager to hear gladly this divine auspicious Bhagavata, the best of the Puranas; so kindly describe this in detail.
19-25. O knower of Dharma! By your faith and devotion to your Guru, you have become Sattvik and thus have thoroughly known the Purana Samhitas spoken by Veda Vyas. O Omniscient one! Therefore it is that we have heard many Puranas from your mouth; but we are not satisfied as the Devas are not satisfied with the drinking of the nectar. O Suta! Fie to the nectar even as the drinking of nectar is quite useless in giving Mukti. But hearing the Bhagavata gives instantaneous Mukti from this Samsara or round of birth and death. O Suta! we performed thousands and thousands of Yajhas for the drinking of the nectar (Amrita), but never we got the full peace. The reason being that Yajhas lead to heaven only; on the expiry of the period of punya (good merits, the heavenly life ceases and one is expelled, as it were from the Heavens. Thus incessant sojourns in this wheel of Samsara, the constant rounds of births and deaths never end. O Knower of every thing! Thus, without Jhana (knowledge, wisdom) Mukti never comes to men, wandering in this wheel of Time (Kalachakra) composed of the three Gunas. So describe this holy Bhagavata, always beloved of the Mumuksas (those that desire Mukti), this secret work yielding liberation, holy and full of all sentiments (rasas).
Thus ends the first chapter of the first Skandha on the questioning about the Purana by Saunaka and other Rishis in the Mahapurana S’rimad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Here ends the First Chapter of the First Skandha of S’rimad Devi Bhagavatam on the questions by S’aunaka and other Risis.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24698, revision 75543 (2016-08-03T05:34:10Z). 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/bk01ch01.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.