First Skandha · Chapter 7
Sourceसूत उवाच तौ वीक्ष्य बलिनौ ब्रह्मा तदोपायानचिन्तयत् । सामदानभिदादींश्च युद्धान्तान्सर्वतन्त्रवित् ॥ १ ॥ न जानेऽहं बलं नूनमेतयोर्वा यथातथम् । अज्ञाते तु बले कामं नैव युद्धं प्रशस्यते ॥ २ ॥ स्तुतिं करोमि चेदद्य दुष्टयोर्मदमत्तयोः । प्रकाशितं भवेन्नूनं निर्बलत्वं मया स्वयम् ॥ ३ ॥ वधिष्यति तदैकोऽपि निर्बलत्वे प्रकाशिते । दानं नैवाद्य योग्यं वा भेदः कार्यो मया कथम् ॥ ४ ॥ विष्णुं प्रबोधयाम्यद्य शेषे सुप्तं जनार्दनम् । चतुर्भुजं महावीर्यं दुःखहा स भविष्यति ॥ ५ ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा पद्मनालगतोऽब्जजः । जगाम शरणं विष्णुं मनसा दुःखनाशकम् ॥ ६ ॥ तुष्टाव बोधनार्थं तं शुभैः सम्बोधनैर्हरिम् । नारायणं जगन्नाथं निस्पन्दं योगनिद्रया ॥ ७ ॥ ब्रह्मोवाच दीननाथ हरे विष्णो वामनोत्तिष्ठ माधव । भक्तार्तिहृद्धृषीकेश सर्वावास जगत्पते ॥ ८ ॥ अन्तर्यामिन्नमेयात्मन्वासुदेव जगत्पते । दुष्टारिनाशनैकाग्रचित्त चक्रगदाधर ॥ ९ ॥ सर्वज्ञ सर्वलोकेश सर्वशक्तिसमन्वित । उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ देवेश दुःखनाशन पाहि माम् ॥ १० ॥ विश्वम्भर विशालाक्ष पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन । जगद्योने निराकार सर्गस्थित्यन्तकारक ॥ ११ ॥ इमौ दैत्यौ महाराज हन्तुकामौ मदोद्धतौ । न जानास्यखिलाधार कथं मां सङ्कटे गतम् ॥ १२ ॥ उपेक्षसेऽतिदुःखार्तं यदि मां शरणं गतम् । पालकत्वं महाविष्णो निराधारं भवेत्ततः ॥ १३ ॥ एवं स्तुतोऽपि भगवान् न बुबोध यदा हरिः । योगनिद्रासमाक्रान्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा ह्यचिन्तयत् ॥ १४ ॥ नूनं शक्तिसमाक्रान्तो विष्णुर्निद्रावशं गतः । जजागार न धर्मात्मा किं करोम्यद्य दुःखितः ॥ १५ ॥ हन्तुकामावुभौ प्राप्तौ दानवौ मदगर्वितौ । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि नास्ति मे शरणं क्वचित् ॥ १६ ॥ इति संचिन्त्य मनसा निश्चयं प्रतिपद्य च । तुष्टाव योगनिद्रां तामेकाग्रहृदयस्थितः ॥ १७ ॥ विचार्य मनसाप्येवं शक्तिर्मे रक्षणे क्षमा । यया ह्यचेतनो विष्णुः कृतोऽस्ति स्पन्दवर्जितः ॥ १८ ॥ व्यसुर्यथा न जानाति गुणाच्छब्दादिकानिह । तथा हरिर्न जानाति निद्रामीलितलोचनः ॥ १९ ॥ न जहाति यतो निद्रां बहुधा संस्तुतोऽप्यसौ । मन्ये नास्य वशे निद्रा निद्रयायं वशीकृतः ॥ २० ॥ यो यस्य वशमापन्तः स तस्य किङ्करः किल । तस्माच्च योगनिद्रेयं स्वामिनी मापतेर्हरेः ॥ २१ ॥ सिन्धुजाया अपि वशे यया स्वामी वशीकृतः । नूनं जगदिदं सर्वं भगवत्या वशीकृतम् ॥ २२ ॥ अहं विष्णुस्तथा शम्भुः सावित्री च रमाप्युमा । सर्वे वयं वशे यस्या नात्र किञ्चिद्विचारणा ॥ २३ ॥ हरिरप्यवशः शेते यथान्यः प्राकृतो जनः । ययाभिभूतः का वार्ता किलान्येषां महात्मनाम् ॥ २४ ॥ स्तौम्यद्य योगनिद्रां वै यया मुक्तो जनार्दनः । घटयिष्यति युद्धे च वासुदेवः सनातनः ॥ २५ ॥ इति कृत्वा मतिं ब्रह्मा पद्मनालस्थितस्तदा । तुष्टाव योगनिद्रां तां विष्णोरङ्गेषु संस्थिताम् ॥ २६ ॥ ब्रह्मोवाच देवि त्वमस्य जगतः किल कारणं हि ज्ञातं मया सकलवेदवचोभिरम्ब । यद्विष्णुरप्यखिललोकविवेककर्ता निद्रावशं च गमितः पुरुषोत्तमोऽद्य ॥ २७ ॥ को वेद ते जननि मोहविलासलीलां मूढोऽस्म्यहं हरिरयं विवशश्च शेते । ईदृक्तया सकलभूतमनोनिवासे विद्वत्तमो विबुधकोटिषु निर्गुणायाः ॥ २८ ॥ सांख्या वदन्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च यां तां चैतन्यभावरहितां जगतश्च कर्त्रीम् । किं तादृशासि कथमत्र जगन्निवास- श्चैतन्यताविरहितो विहितस्त्वयाद्य ॥ २९ ॥ नाट्यं तनोषि सगुणा विविधप्रकारं नो वेत्ति कोऽपि तव कृत्यविधानयोगम् । ध्यायन्ति यां मुनिगणा नियतं त्रिकालं सन्ध्येति नाम परिकल्प्य गुणान् भवानि ॥ ३० ॥ बुद्धिर्हि बोधकरणा जगतां सदा त्वं श्रीश्चासि देवि सततं सुखदा सुराणाम् । कीर्तिस्तथा मतिधृती किल कान्तिरेव श्रद्धा रतिश्च सकलेषु जनेषु मातः ॥ ३१ ॥ नातः परं किल वितर्कशतैः प्रमाणं प्राप्तं मया यदिह दुःखगतिं गतेन । त्वं चात्र सर्वजगतां जननीति सत्यं निद्रालुतां वितरता हरिणात्र दृष्टम् ॥ ३२ ॥ त्वं देवि वेदविदुषामपि दुर्विभाव्या वेदोऽपि नूनमखिलार्थतया न वेद । यस्मात्त्वदुद्भवमसौ श्रुतिराप्नुवाना प्रत्यक्षमेव सकलं तव कार्यमेतत् ॥ ३३ ॥ कस्ते चरित्रमखिलं भुवि वेद धीमा- न्नाहं हरिर्न च भवो न सुरास्तथान्ये । ज्ञातुं क्षमाश्च मुनयो न ममात्मजाश्च दुर्वाच्य एव महिमा तव सर्वलोके ॥ ३४ ॥ यज्ञेषु देवि यदि नाम न ते वदन्ति स्वाहेति वेदविदुषो हवने कृतेऽपि । न प्राप्नुवन्ति सततं मखभागधेयं देवास्त्वमेव विबुधेष्वपि वृत्तिदासि ॥ ३५ ॥ त्राता वयं भगवति प्रथमं त्वया वै देवारिसम्भवभयादधुना तथैव । भीतोऽस्मि देवि वरदे शरणं गतोऽस्मि घोरं निरीक्ष्य मधुना सह कैटभं च ॥ ३६ ॥ नो वेत्ति विष्णुरधुना मम दुःखमेत- ज्जाने त्वयात्मविवशीकृतदेहयष्टिः । मुञ्चादिदेवमथवा जहि दानवेन्द्रौ यद्रोचते तव कुरुष्व महानुभावे ॥ ३७ ॥ जानन्ति ये न तव देवि परं प्रभावं ध्यायन्ति ते हरिहरावपि मन्दचित्ताः । ज्ञातं मयाद्य जननि प्रकटं प्रमाणं यद्विष्णुरप्यतितरां विवशोऽथ शेते ॥ ३८ ॥ सिन्धूद्भवापि न हरिं प्रतिबोधितुं वै शक्ता पतिं तव वशानुगमद्य शक्त्या । मन्ये त्वया भगवति प्रसभं रमापि प्रस्वापिता न बुबुधे विवशीकृतेव ॥ ३९ ॥ धन्यास्त एव भुवि भक्तिपरास्तवांघ्रौ त्यक्त्वान्यदेवभजनं त्वयि लीनभावाः । कुर्वन्ति देवि भजनं सकलं निकामं ज्ञात्वा समस्तजननीं किल कामधेनुम् ॥ ४० ॥ धीकान्तिकीर्तिशुभवृत्तिगुणादयस्ते विष्णोर्गुणास्तु परिहृत्य गताः क्व चाद्य । बन्दीकृतो हरिरसौ ननु निद्रयात्र शक्त्या तवैव भगवत्यतिमानवत्याः ॥ ४१ ॥ त्वं शक्तिरेव जगतामखिलप्रभावा त्वन्निर्मितं च सकलं खलु भावमात्रम् । त्वं क्रीडसे निजविनिर्मितमोहजाले नाट्ये यथा विहरते स्वकृते नटो वै ॥ ४२ ॥ विष्णुस्त्वया प्रकटितः प्रथमं युगादौ दत्ता च शक्तिरमला खलु पालनाय । त्रातं च सर्वमखिलं विवशीकृतोऽद्य यद्रोचते तव तथाम्ब करोषि नूनम् ॥ ४३ ॥ सृष्ट्वात्र मां भगवति प्रविनाशितुं चे- न्नेच्छास्ति ते कुरु दयां परिहृत्य मौनम् । कस्मादिमौ प्रकटितौ किल कालरूपौ यद्वा भवानि हसितुं नु किमिच्छसे माम् ॥ ४४ ॥ ज्ञातं मया तव विचेष्टितमद्भुतं वै कृत्वाखिलं जगदिदं रमसे स्वतन्त्रा । लीनं करोषि सकलं किल मां तथैव हन्तुं त्वमिच्छसि भवानि किमत्र चित्रम् ॥ ४५ ॥ कामं कुरुष्व वधमद्य ममैव मात- र्दुःखं न मे मरणजं जगदम्बिकेऽत्र । कर्ता त्वयैव विहितः प्रथमं स चायं दैत्याहतोऽथ मृत इत्ययशो गरिष्ठम् ॥ ४६ ॥ उत्तिष्ठ देवि कुरु रूपमिहाद्भुतं त्वं मां वा त्विमौ जहि यथेच्छसि बाललीले । नो चेत्प्रबोधय हरिं निहनेदिमौ य- स्त्वत्साध्यमेतदखिलं किल कार्यजातम् ॥ ४७ ॥ सूत उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी तामसी तत्र वेधसा । निःसृत्य हरिदेहात्तु संस्थिता पार्श्वतस्तदा ॥ ४८ ॥ त्यक्त्वाङ्गानि च सर्वाणि विष्णोरतुलतेजसः । निर्गता योगनिद्रा सा नाशाय च तयोस्तदा ॥ ४९ ॥ विस्पन्दितशरीरोऽसौ यदा जातो जनार्दनः । धाता परमिकां प्राप्तो मुदं दृष्ट्वा हरिं ततः ॥ ५० ॥
sūta uvāca tau vīkṣya balinau brahmā tadopāyānacintayat | sāmadānabhidādīṃśca yuddhāntānsarvatantravit || 1 || na jāne'haṃ balaṃ nūnametayorvā yathātatham | ajñāte tu bale kāmaṃ naiva yuddhaṃ praśasyate || 2 || stutiṃ karomi cedadya duṣṭayormadamattayoḥ | prakāśitaṃ bhavennūnaṃ nirbalatvaṃ mayā svayam || 3 || vadhiṣyati tadaiko'pi nirbalatve prakāśite | dānaṃ naivādya yogyaṃ vā bhedaḥ kāryo mayā katham || 4 || viṣṇuṃ prabodhayāmyadya śeṣe suptaṃ janārdanam | caturbhujaṃ mahāvīryaṃ duḥkhahā sa bhaviṣyati || 5 || iti sañcintya manasā padmanālagato'bjajaḥ | jagāma śaraṇaṃ viṣṇuṃ manasā duḥkhanāśakam || 6 || tuṣṭāva bodhanārthaṃ taṃ śubhaiḥ sambodhanairharim | nārāyaṇaṃ jagannāthaṃ nispandaṃ yoganidrayā || 7 || brahmovāca dīnanātha hare viṣṇo vāmanottiṣṭha mādhava | bhaktārtihṛddhṛṣīkeśa sarvāvāsa jagatpate || 8 || antaryāminnameyātmanvāsudeva jagatpate | duṣṭārināśanaikāgracitta cakragadādhara || 9 || sarvajña sarvalokeśa sarvaśaktisamanvita | uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha deveśa duḥkhanāśana pāhi mām || 10 || viśvambhara viśālākṣa puṇyaśravaṇakīrtana | jagadyone nirākāra sargasthityantakāraka || 11 || imau daityau mahārāja hantukāmau madoddhatau | na jānāsyakhilādhāra kathaṃ māṃ saṅkaṭe gatam || 12 || upekṣase'tiduḥkhārtaṃ yadi māṃ śaraṇaṃ gatam | pālakatvaṃ mahāviṣṇo nirādhāraṃ bhavettataḥ || 13 || evaṃ stuto'pi bhagavān na bubodha yadā hariḥ | yoganidrāsamākrāntastadā brahmā hyacintayat || 14 || nūnaṃ śaktisamākrānto viṣṇurnidrāvaśaṃ gataḥ | jajāgāra na dharmātmā kiṃ karomyadya duḥkhitaḥ || 15 || hantukāmāvubhau prāptau dānavau madagarvitau | kiṃ karomi kva gacchāmi nāsti me śaraṇaṃ kvacit || 16 || iti saṃcintya manasā niścayaṃ pratipadya ca | tuṣṭāva yoganidrāṃ tāmekāgrahṛdayasthitaḥ || 17 || vicārya manasāpyevaṃ śaktirme rakṣaṇe kṣamā | yayā hyacetano viṣṇuḥ kṛto'sti spandavarjitaḥ || 18 || vyasuryathā na jānāti guṇācchabdādikāniha | tathā harirna jānāti nidrāmīlitalocanaḥ || 19 || na jahāti yato nidrāṃ bahudhā saṃstuto'pyasau | manye nāsya vaśe nidrā nidrayāyaṃ vaśīkṛtaḥ || 20 || yo yasya vaśamāpantaḥ sa tasya kiṅkaraḥ kila | tasmācca yoganidreyaṃ svāminī māpaterhareḥ || 21 || sindhujāyā api vaśe yayā svāmī vaśīkṛtaḥ | nūnaṃ jagadidaṃ sarvaṃ bhagavatyā vaśīkṛtam || 22 || ahaṃ viṣṇustathā śambhuḥ sāvitrī ca ramāpyumā | sarve vayaṃ vaśe yasyā nātra kiñcidvicāraṇā || 23 || harirapyavaśaḥ śete yathānyaḥ prākṛto janaḥ | yayābhibhūtaḥ kā vārtā kilānyeṣāṃ mahātmanām || 24 || staumyadya yoganidrāṃ vai yayā mukto janārdanaḥ | ghaṭayiṣyati yuddhe ca vāsudevaḥ sanātanaḥ || 25 || iti kṛtvā matiṃ brahmā padmanālasthitastadā | tuṣṭāva yoganidrāṃ tāṃ viṣṇoraṅgeṣu saṃsthitām || 26 || brahmovāca devi tvamasya jagataḥ kila kāraṇaṃ hi jñātaṃ mayā sakalavedavacobhiramba | yadviṣṇurapyakhilalokavivekakartā nidrāvaśaṃ ca gamitaḥ puruṣottamo'dya || 27 || ko veda te janani mohavilāsalīlāṃ mūḍho'smyahaṃ harirayaṃ vivaśaśca śete | īdṛktayā sakalabhūtamanonivāse vidvattamo vibudhakoṭiṣu nirguṇāyāḥ || 28 || sāṃkhyā vadanti puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca yāṃ tāṃ caitanyabhāvarahitāṃ jagataśca kartrīm | kiṃ tādṛśāsi kathamatra jagannivāsa- ścaitanyatāvirahito vihitastvayādya || 29 || nāṭyaṃ tanoṣi saguṇā vividhaprakāraṃ no vetti ko'pi tava kṛtyavidhānayogam | dhyāyanti yāṃ munigaṇā niyataṃ trikālaṃ sandhyeti nāma parikalpya guṇān bhavāni || 30 || buddhirhi bodhakaraṇā jagatāṃ sadā tvaṃ śrīścāsi devi satataṃ sukhadā surāṇām | kīrtistathā matidhṛtī kila kāntireva śraddhā ratiśca sakaleṣu janeṣu mātaḥ || 31 || nātaḥ paraṃ kila vitarkaśataiḥ pramāṇaṃ prāptaṃ mayā yadiha duḥkhagatiṃ gatena | tvaṃ cātra sarvajagatāṃ jananīti satyaṃ nidrālutāṃ vitaratā hariṇātra dṛṣṭam || 32 || tvaṃ devi vedaviduṣāmapi durvibhāvyā vedo'pi nūnamakhilārthatayā na veda | yasmāttvadudbhavamasau śrutirāpnuvānā pratyakṣameva sakalaṃ tava kāryametat || 33 || kaste caritramakhilaṃ bhuvi veda dhīmā- nnāhaṃ harirna ca bhavo na surāstathānye | jñātuṃ kṣamāśca munayo na mamātmajāśca durvācya eva mahimā tava sarvaloke || 34 || yajñeṣu devi yadi nāma na te vadanti svāheti vedaviduṣo havane kṛte'pi | na prāpnuvanti satataṃ makhabhāgadheyaṃ devāstvameva vibudheṣvapi vṛttidāsi || 35 || trātā vayaṃ bhagavati prathamaṃ tvayā vai devārisambhavabhayādadhunā tathaiva | bhīto'smi devi varade śaraṇaṃ gato'smi ghoraṃ nirīkṣya madhunā saha kaiṭabhaṃ ca || 36 || no vetti viṣṇuradhunā mama duḥkhameta- jjāne tvayātmavivaśīkṛtadehayaṣṭiḥ | muñcādidevamathavā jahi dānavendrau yadrocate tava kuruṣva mahānubhāve || 37 || jānanti ye na tava devi paraṃ prabhāvaṃ dhyāyanti te hariharāvapi mandacittāḥ | jñātaṃ mayādya janani prakaṭaṃ pramāṇaṃ yadviṣṇurapyatitarāṃ vivaśo'tha śete || 38 || sindhūdbhavāpi na hariṃ pratibodhituṃ vai śaktā patiṃ tava vaśānugamadya śaktyā | manye tvayā bhagavati prasabhaṃ ramāpi prasvāpitā na bubudhe vivaśīkṛteva || 39 || dhanyāsta eva bhuvi bhaktiparāstavāṃghrau tyaktvānyadevabhajanaṃ tvayi līnabhāvāḥ | kurvanti devi bhajanaṃ sakalaṃ nikāmaṃ jñātvā samastajananīṃ kila kāmadhenum || 40 || dhīkāntikīrtiśubhavṛttiguṇādayaste viṣṇorguṇāstu parihṛtya gatāḥ kva cādya | bandīkṛto harirasau nanu nidrayātra śaktyā tavaiva bhagavatyatimānavatyāḥ || 41 || tvaṃ śaktireva jagatāmakhilaprabhāvā tvannirmitaṃ ca sakalaṃ khalu bhāvamātram | tvaṃ krīḍase nijavinirmitamohajāle nāṭye yathā viharate svakṛte naṭo vai || 42 || viṣṇustvayā prakaṭitaḥ prathamaṃ yugādau dattā ca śaktiramalā khalu pālanāya | trātaṃ ca sarvamakhilaṃ vivaśīkṛto'dya yadrocate tava tathāmba karoṣi nūnam || 43 || sṛṣṭvātra māṃ bhagavati pravināśituṃ ce- nnecchāsti te kuru dayāṃ parihṛtya maunam | kasmādimau prakaṭitau kila kālarūpau yadvā bhavāni hasituṃ nu kimicchase mām || 44 || jñātaṃ mayā tava viceṣṭitamadbhutaṃ vai kṛtvākhilaṃ jagadidaṃ ramase svatantrā | līnaṃ karoṣi sakalaṃ kila māṃ tathaiva hantuṃ tvamicchasi bhavāni kimatra citram || 45 || kāmaṃ kuruṣva vadhamadya mamaiva māta- rduḥkhaṃ na me maraṇajaṃ jagadambike'tra | kartā tvayaiva vihitaḥ prathamaṃ sa cāyaṃ daityāhato'tha mṛta ityayaśo gariṣṭham || 46 || uttiṣṭha devi kuru rūpamihādbhutaṃ tvaṃ māṃ vā tvimau jahi yathecchasi bālalīle | no cetprabodhaya hariṃ nihanedimau ya- stvatsādhyametadakhilaṃ kila kāryajātam || 47 || sūta uvāca evaṃ stutā tadā devī tāmasī tatra vedhasā | niḥsṛtya haridehāttu saṃsthitā pārśvatastadā || 48 || tyaktvāṅgāni ca sarvāṇi viṣṇoratulatejasaḥ | nirgatā yoganidrā sā nāśāya ca tayostadā || 49 || vispanditaśarīro'sau yadā jāto janārdanaḥ | dhātā paramikāṃ prāpto mudaṃ dṛṣṭvā hariṃ tataḥ || 50 ||
English translation
1-26. Suta said Seeing the two Danavas very powerful, Brahma, the knower of all the S’astras, thought of the means Sama, Dana, Bheda, Danda (conciliation, gifts, bribe, or sowing dissensions and war or punishment); which of these four he should apply. He thought thus “I do not know their strength and it is not advisable to enter into war without knowing their strength. Again if I offer praises to them puffed up with pride, it will be simply displaying my own weakness; and when they will come to know this, only one of them will be sufficient to kill me and this they will do certainly. To offer bribes is not also advisable; and how can I sow dissensions. Therefore it is best that I should rouse the four armed Janardana Visnu, who is very powerful, from his sleep on the thousand headed Ananta serpent. He will remove my difficulties”.
Thus thinking in his mind, Bhagavan Brahma, the lotus-born remained in the tubular stalk of the lotus from Visnu's navel and thence took refuge mentally of Visnu, the remover of difficulties and began to chant auspicious hymns composed of various metres to Jagannath Narayana, involved in deep Yoganidra (meditative sleep). He said “O Refuge of the poor! O Hah! O Visnu! O Vamana! O Madhava, Thou art the Lord of the universe and omnipresent. O Hrisikes'a! Thou removest all the difficulties of Thy devotees; therefore leave your Yoganidra and get up. O Vasudeva! O Lord of the Universe! Thou residest within the hearts of all and knowest their desires.
O Thou, holder of the disc and club! Thou always destroyest the enemies of Thy devotees; O Omniscient One! Thou art the Lord of all the Lokas and all-powerful; no one can know what is Thy form; O Lord of the Devas! Thou art the destroyer of all pains and sufferings! So get up and protect me. O Protector of the Universe! nothing is concealed from Thy eyes! Every one becomes pure by hearing and chanting Thy name. Thou art Nirakara (without any form); yet Thou
Greatest, preservest and destroyest the Universe. O Cause of the world! O Supporter of all! Thou art shining as king of kings over all and yet Thou dost not understand that the two Danavas, puffed up with pride have become ready to kill me. If thou dost neglect me, seeing me very much distressed and under your protection then Thy name as Preserver will become quite useless. Thus praised, when Visnu did not get up, Brahma thought that "Bhagavan Visnu is now surely under the influence of sleep of the Primal Force Adya S’akti and is not therefore getting up; what am I to do now, thus distressed! These two Danavas, elated with pride are ready to kill me; now what am I to do and where shall I go? I don't find any body who can protect me any where.” Thus thinking, Brahma came to the conclusion and decided to chant hymns to Yoga Nidra Herself with one pointed heart. Discussing in his mind. He thought that that Adya S’akti (the Prime Force) which kept Bhagavan Visnu, senseless and motionless would alone be able to save him. As a dead man cannot hear any sound so Hah, merged in deep sleep, knows not anything. When I have praised Him so much and when He has not awakened, then it is certain that sleep is not under Hah, but Hah is under sleep, and he who is under another becomes his slave; so this Yoga Nidra is now exercising Her control over Hari. Again she, too, who brought Hah under control, that daughter of the Krsira (milk) ocean is now under the control of Yoga Nidra; so it seems that that Bhagavati Mahamaya has brought the whole Universe under Her control.
Whether it be Myself, or Visnu or S’ambhu, or Savitri or Rama or Uma, all are under Her control; there is nothing to be doubted here? What to speak of other high souled persons! Now I will chant hymns to Yoga Nidra, under whose influence Bhagavan Hari even is lying, under deep sleep, inert like an ordinary man. When the eternal Vasudeva Janardana will be dispossessed by Her, He will no doubt fight with the Danavas. Thus deciding, Bhagavan Brahma, seated on the tubular stalk of the lotus, began to chant hymns to Yoga Nidra, residing on the body of Visnu, thus
27-32. Brahma said “O Devi! I have come to understand on the authority of all the words of the Vedas, that Thou art the only One Cause of this Universal Brahmanda. The more so when Thou hast brought the best Purusa Visnu, endowed with discrimination above all beings, under the control of sleep, then the above remark is self- evident.
O Thou, the Player in the minds of all beings! O Mother! I am extremely ignorant of the knowledge of Thy nature; when Bhagavan Hari is sleeping inert by Thy power, then who is there amongst Kotis and Kotis of wise men, who can understand completely the Pastime, Leela, full of Maya of Thine, who art beyond the Gunas. The Sankhya philosophers say (that the Purusa (the male aspect of S’akti) is the pure, conscious being and that Thou art the Prakriti, without any consciousness, material inert, Creatrix of the universe; but, O Mother! art Thou really inert like that? Never like that; had it been like that, how is it that Thou hast made Bhagavan Hari, the receptable of the world quite unconscious like this? O Bhavani! Thou, being beyond the Gunas art displaying like a dramatic performance these various dramatic plays by the conjunction with the three Gunas. It is Thy three qualities, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas that the Munis meditate every day in the morning mid-day, and evening, the three Sandhyas; but no one is aware of Thy ways of doings. O Devi! Thou art of the nature of the judgment and understanding giving rise to knowledge of all the beings in the Universe; Thou art always the S’ri (wealth and prosperity) giving pleasures to the Devas. O Mother! Thou art reigning in all as Kirti (fame), mati (intellect), Dhriti (fortitude). Kanti (beauty) S’raddha (faith) and Rati (enjoyment). O Mother! Now I am put to great difficulties and therefore I have got eye witness of Thy nature; no need of further reasoning and discussing about it.
27-50. I have now known that verily, verily Thou art the only Mother of all the worlds as Thou hast brought Hah under the influence of sleep. O Devi! Now when it is evident that all the worlds, etc., have come from Thee, then the Vedas have also come from Thee; what doubt is there? So the Vedas, too, do not know fully Thy nature; for the effect can never know its cause. So, it is very true that Thou art incomprehensible of the Vedas, O Mother! When I, Hah, Hara and the other Devas and my son Narada and other Munis have not able to realise Thy nature fully, then who else can be so intelligent in this world that will realise all Thy nature? So Thy glory is beyond the speech of all beings. O Devi! If, in the place of sacrifice, the ritualists, the knowers of the Vedas, do not utter Thy name Svaha, then the Devas, participators of the offerings in Yajha, do not get their share, however hundreds of oblations be offered; so Thou art also the giver of sustenance allowances to the Devas. O Bhagavati! In previous Kalpas, Thou hadst saved me terrified from the fear of the Danavas. O Devi Varade! now, too, I am terrified at the sight of the terrible forms of Madhu and Kaitabha and take Thy refuge. O high-minded one! Now I thoroughly see that by Thee, by Thy power Yoganidra the whole body of Bhagavan Visnu is senseless; but how is it that Thou dost not realise my sufferings. So, either dost Thou leave possession of this Adi-Deva, or destroy Thyself these two Danavendras - lost do either of the two as Thou likest. O Devi! Those that do not know Thy extraordinary powers, those stupid ones meditate Hari, Hara, etc.
But, O Mother! By Thy grace, I realise to-day, as eye-witness, that Visnu even is to-day lying unconscious in deep sleep, totally senseless of anything outside by Thy force. O Bhagavati! Now, when Kamala, the daughter of Sindhu is unable to rouse Her husband Hari, by her effort, or rather Thou hast made Her, too, perforce, sleep unconsciously, it seems she is without any effort and does not know anything of what is going on outside. O Devi! Verily those are blessed who worship Thy lotus feet with their whole heart full of devotion and without any hope of getting rewards, abandoning the worship of other Devas and knowing Thee as the Creatrix of the whole world and the giver of all desires. Alas! now the intelligence, beauty, fame, and all good qualities have forsaken Hari and fled
away to some unknown quarters. O Bhagavati! Thou art really adorable in the three worlds for, by Thy power of Yoganidra, Hari has been kept in prison, as it were, in this way. O Mother! Thou art the S’akti of all this universe and endowed with all prowess and energy; all other things are Thy creation. As a dramatic player, though one, plays in the theatre, assuming many forms, so Thou, too, being one, playest always in this charming theatre of world, created by Thy Gunas, in various forms.
O Mother! Thou, in the beginning of the Yugas, dost manifest first the Visnu form and givest him the pure Sattrik Sakti, free from any obscuration and thereby madest Him preserve the Universe; and now it is Thyself that hast kept Him thus unconscious; therefore, it is an undoubted fact that Thou art doing whatever Thou wiliest, O Bhagavati! I am now in danger; if it be Thy desire not to kill me, then dost break the silence, look on me and show Thy mercy. O Bhavani! If it be not Thy desire to kill me, then why hast Thou created these two Danavas, my death incarnate; or is it that Thou wantedest to put me to ridicule. I have come to know of Thy wonderful acts; Thou createst this whole Universe, and Thyself remaining aloof, playest always and in the time of Pralaya resolvest everything again into Thee. Therefore, O Bhavani, what wonder is there, that Thou wouldst want to kill me in this way? But, O Mother! I won't feel any pain if Thou willingly killest me but this is to my great dishonour that being given power over these beings, I would then be made an object to be killed by the Daityas; this, indeed, is hard to me. So, O Thou Leelamayi like a sportive girl! get up! O Devi! assumest the wonderful form Thyself and killest me or the two Daityas, as Thou wiliest; or rouse Hari who will then kill the Daityas. All these are in Thy hands.”
Suta said Thus praised by Brahma, the Nidra Devi (the goddess of sleep), of the nature of Tamo Gunas, quitted the body of Bhagavan Hari and stood by him. When thus left completely by the Devi Yoga Nidra, of unequalled brilliance and splendour, for the
destruction of Madhu Kaitabha, Visnu began to move his body and at this Brahma became very glad.
Thus ends the seventh chapter of the First Skandha on the praise of the Devi in the Maha Puranam S’rimad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Vedavyas.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24704, revision 75549 (2016-08-03T05:54:58Z). 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/bk01ch07.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.