Ninth Skandha · Chapter 41
Sourceश्रीनारायण उवाच हरिं ध्यात्वा हरिर्ब्रह्मन् जगाम ब्रह्मणः सभाम् । बृहस्पतिं पुरस्कृत्य सर्वैः सुरगणैः सह ॥ १ ॥ शीघ्रं गत्वा ब्रह्मलोकं दृष्ट्वा च कमलोद्भवम् । प्रणेमुर्देवताः सर्वाः सहेन्द्रा गुरुणा सह ॥ २ ॥ वृत्तान्तं कथयामास सुराचार्यो विधिं प्रति । प्रहस्योवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा महेन्द्रं कमलासनः ॥ ३ ॥ ब्रह्मोवाच वत्स मद्वंशजातोऽसि प्रपौत्रो मे विचक्षणः । बृहस्पतेश्च शिष्यस्त्वं सुराणामधिपः स्वयम् ॥ ४ ॥ मातामहश्च दक्षस्ते विष्णुभक्तः प्रतापवान् । कुलत्रयं यस्य शुद्धं कथं सोऽहङ्कृतो भवेत् ॥ ५ ॥ माता पतिव्रता यस्य पिता शुद्धो जितेन्द्रियः । मातामहो मातुलश्च कथं सोऽहङ्कृतो भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥ जनः पैतृकदोषेण दोषान्मातामहस्य च । गुरुदोषात्त्रिभिर्दोषैर्हरिदोषी भवेद् ध्रुवम् ॥ ७ ॥ सर्वान्तरात्मा भगवान् सर्वदेहेष्ववस्थितः । यस्य देहात्स प्रयाति स शवस्तत्क्षणं भवेत् ॥ ८ ॥ मनोऽहमिन्द्रियेशं च ज्ञानरूपो हि शङ्करः । विष्णुप्राणा च प्रकृतिर्बुद्धिर्भगवती सती ॥ ९ ॥ निद्रादयः शक्तयश्च ताः सर्वाः प्रकृतेः कलाः । आत्मनः प्रतिबिम्बश्च जीवो भोगशरीरभृत् ॥ १० ॥ आत्मनीशे गते देहात्सर्वे यान्ति ससम्भ्रमाः । यथा वर्त्मनि गच्छन्तं नरदेवमिवानुगाः ॥ ११ ॥ अहं शिवश्च शेषश्च विष्णुर्धर्मो महाविराट् । यूयं यदंशा भक्ताश्च तत्पुष्पं न्यक्कृतं त्वया ॥ १२ ॥ शिवेन पूजितं पादपद्मं पुष्पेण येन च । तत्र दुर्वाससा दत्तं दैवेन न्यक्कृतं त्वया ॥ १३ ॥ तत्पुण्यं मस्तके यस्य कृष्णपादाब्जप्रच्युतम् । सर्वेषां च सुराणां च तत्पूजापुरतो भवेत् ॥ १४ ॥ दैवेन वञ्चितस्त्वं हि दैवं च बलवत्तरम् । भाग्यहीनं जनं मूढं को वा रक्षितुमीश्वरः ॥ १५ ॥ सा श्रीर्गताधुना कोपात्कृष्णनिर्माल्यवर्जनात् । अधुना गच्छ वैकुण्ठं मया च गुरुणा सह ॥ १६ ॥ निषेव्य तत्र श्रीनाथं श्रियं प्राप्स्यति मद्वरात् । एवमुक्त्वा च स ब्रह्मा सर्वैः सुरगणैः सह ॥ १७ ॥ तत्र गत्वा परब्रह्म भगवन्तं सनातनम् । दृष्ट्वा तेजःस्वरूपं तं प्रज्वलन्तं स्वतेजसा ॥ १८ ॥ ग्रीष्ममध्याह्नमार्तण्डशतकोटिसमप्रभम् । शान्तमनादिमध्यान्तं लक्ष्यीकान्तमनन्तकम् ॥ १९ ॥ चतुर्भुजैः पार्षदैश्च सरस्वत्या युतं प्रभुम् । भक्त्या चतुर्भिर्वेदैश्च गङ्गया परिवेष्टितम् ॥ २० ॥ तं प्रणेमुः सुराः सर्वे मूर्ध्ना ब्रह्मपुरोगमाः । भक्तिनम्राः साश्रुनेत्रास्तुष्टुवुः परमेश्वरम् ॥ २१ ॥ वृत्तान्तं कथयामास स्वयं ब्रह्मा कृताञ्जलिः । रुरुदुर्देवताः सर्वाः स्वाधिकाराच्चुताश्च ताः ॥ २२ ॥ स ददर्श सुरगणं विपद्ग्रस्तं भयाकुलम् । रत्नभूषणशून्यं च वाहनादिविवर्जितम् ॥ २३ ॥ शोभाशून्यं हतश्रीकं निष्प्रभं सभयं परम् । उवाच कातरं दृष्ट्वा भयभीतिविभञ्जनः ॥ २४ ॥ श्रीभगवानुवाच मा भैर्ब्रह्मन् हे सुराश्च भयं किं वो मयि स्थिते । दास्यामि लक्ष्मीमचलां परमैश्वर्यवर्धिनीम् ॥ २५ ॥ किञ्च मद्वचनं किञ्चिच्छ्रूयतां समयोचितम् । हितं सत्यं सारभूतं परिणामसुखावहम् ॥ २६ ॥ जनाश्चासंख्यविश्वस्था मदधीनाश्च सन्ततम् । यथा तथाहं मद्भक्तपराधीनोऽस्वतन्त्रकः ॥ २७ ॥ यं यं रुष्टो हि मद्भक्तो मत्परो हि निरङ्कुशः । तद्गृहेऽहं न तिष्ठामि पद्मया सह निश्चितम् ॥ २८ ॥ दुर्वासाः शङ्करांशश्च वैष्णवो मत्परायणः । तच्छापादागतोऽहं च सलक्ष्मीको हि वो गृहात् ॥ २९ ॥ यत्र शङ्खध्वनिर्नास्ति तुलसी न शिवार्चनम् । न भोजनं च विप्राणां न पद्मा तत्र तिष्ठति ॥ ३० ॥ मद्भक्तानां च मे निन्दा यत्र ब्रह्मन् भवेत्सुराः । महारुष्टा महालक्ष्मीस्ततो याति पराभवम् ॥ ३१ ॥ मद्भक्तिहीनो यो मूढो भुङ्क्ते यो हरिवासरे । मम जन्मदिने वापि याति श्रीस्तद्गृहादपि ॥ ३२ ॥ मन्नामविक्रयी यश्च विक्रीणाति स्वकन्यकाम् । यत्रातिथिर्न भुङ्क्ते च मत्प्रिया याति तद्गृहात् ॥ ३३ ॥ यो विप्रः पुंश्चलीपुत्रो महापापी च तत्पतिः । पापिनो यो गृहं याति शूद्रश्राद्धान्नभोजकः ॥ ३४ ॥ महारुष्टा ततो याति मन्दिरात्कमलालया । शूद्राणां शवदाही च भाग्यहीनो द्विजाधमः ॥ ३५ ॥ याति रुष्टा तद्गृहाच्च देवाः कमलवासिनी । शूद्राणां सूपकारी यो ब्राह्मणो वृषवाहकः ॥ ३६ ॥ तत्तोयपानभीता च कमला याति तद्गृहात् । अशुद्धहृदयः क्रूरो हिंसको निन्दको द्विजः ॥ ३७ ॥ ब्राह्मणः शूद्रयाजी च याति देवी च तद्गृहात् । अवीरान्नं च यो भुङ्क्ते तस्माद्याति जगत्प्रसूः ॥ ३८ ॥ तृणं छिनत्ति नखरैस्तैर्वा यो विलिखेन्महीम् । निराशो ब्राह्मणो यत्र तद्गृहाद्याति मत्प्रिया ॥ ३९ ॥ सूर्योदये द्विजो भुङ्क्ते दिवास्वापी च ब्राह्मणः । दिवा मैथुनकारी च यस्तस्माद्याति मत्प्रिया ॥ ४० ॥ आचारहीनो विप्रो यो यश्च शूद्रप्रतिग्रही । अदीक्षितो हि यो मूढस्तस्माद्वै याति मत्प्रिया ॥ ४१ ॥ स्निग्धपादश्च नग्नो हि यः शेते ज्ञानदुर्बलः । शश्वद्वदति वाचालो याति सा तद्गृहात्सती ॥ ४२ ॥ शिरस्नातस्तु तैलेन योऽन्याङ्गं समुपस्पृशेत् । स्वाङ्गं च वादयेद्वाद्यं रुष्टा सा याति तद्गृहात् ॥ ४३ ॥ व्रतोपवासहीनो यः सन्ध्याहीनोऽशुचिर्द्विजः । विष्णुभक्तिविहीनस्तु तस्माद्याति च मत्प्रिया ॥ ४४ ॥ ब्राह्मणं निन्दयेद्यो हि तं च यो द्वेष्टि सन्ततम् । जीवहिंस्रो दयाहीनो याति सर्वप्रसूस्ततः ॥ ४५ ॥ यत्र यत्र हरेरर्चा हरेरुत्कीर्तनं तथा । तत्र तिष्ठति सा देवी सर्वमङ्गलमङ्गला ॥ ४६ ॥ यत्र प्रशंसा कृष्णस्य तद्भक्तस्य पितामह । सा च कृष्णप्रिया देवी तत्र तिष्ठति सन्ततम् ॥ ४७ ॥ यत्र शङ्खध्वनिः शङ्खः शिला च तुलसीदलम् । तत्सेवा वन्दनं ध्यानं तत्र सा परितिष्ठति ॥ ४८ ॥ शिवलिङ्गार्चनं यत्र तस्य चोत्कीर्तनं शुभम् । दुर्गार्चनं तद्गुणाश्च तत्र पद्मनिवासिनी ॥ ४९ ॥ विप्राणां सेवनं यत्र तेषां च भोजनं शुभम् । अर्चनं सर्वदेवानां तत्र पद्ममुखी सती ॥ ५० ॥ इत्युक्त्वा च सुरान्सर्वान् रमामाह रमापतिः । क्षीरोदसागरे जन्म कलयाकलयेति च ॥ ५१ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा तां जगन्नाथो ब्रह्माणं पुनराह च । मथित्वा सागरं लक्ष्मीं देवेभ्यो देहि पद्मज ॥ ५२ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा कमलाकान्तो जगामान्तःपुरं मुने । देवाश्चिरेण कालेन ययुः क्षीरोदसागरम् ॥ ५३ ॥ मन्थानं मन्दरं कृत्वा कूर्मं कृत्वा च भाजनम् । कृत्वा शेषं मन्थपाशं ममन्थुरसुराः सुराः ॥ ५४ ॥ धन्वन्तरिं च पीयूषमुच्चैःश्रवसमीप्सितम् । नानारत्नं हस्तिरत्नं प्रापुर्लक्ष्मीं सुदर्शनम् ॥ ५५ ॥ वनमालां ददौ सा च क्षीरोदशायिने मुने । सर्वेश्वराय रम्याय विष्णवे वैष्णवी सती ॥ ५६ ॥ देवैः स्तुता पूजिता च ब्रह्मणा शङ्करेण च । ददौ दृष्टिं सुरगृहे ब्रह्मशापविमोचनात् ॥ ५७ ॥ प्रापुर्देवाः स्वविषयं दैत्यग्रस्तं भयङ्करम् । महालक्ष्मीप्रसादेन वरदानेन नारद ॥ ५८ ॥ इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं लक्ष्म्युपाख्यानमुत्तमम् । सुखदं सारभूतं च किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ ५९ ॥
śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca hariṃ dhyātvā harirbrahman jagāma brahmaṇaḥ sabhām | bṛhaspatiṃ puraskṛtya sarvaiḥ suragaṇaiḥ saha || 1 || śīghraṃ gatvā brahmalokaṃ dṛṣṭvā ca kamalodbhavam | praṇemurdevatāḥ sarvāḥ sahendrā guruṇā saha || 2 || vṛttāntaṃ kathayāmāsa surācāryo vidhiṃ prati | prahasyovāca tacchrutvā mahendraṃ kamalāsanaḥ || 3 || brahmovāca vatsa madvaṃśajāto'si prapautro me vicakṣaṇaḥ | bṛhaspateśca śiṣyastvaṃ surāṇāmadhipaḥ svayam || 4 || mātāmahaśca dakṣaste viṣṇubhaktaḥ pratāpavān | kulatrayaṃ yasya śuddhaṃ kathaṃ so'haṅkṛto bhavet || 5 || mātā pativratā yasya pitā śuddho jitendriyaḥ | mātāmaho mātulaśca kathaṃ so'haṅkṛto bhavet || 6 || janaḥ paitṛkadoṣeṇa doṣānmātāmahasya ca | gurudoṣāttribhirdoṣairharidoṣī bhaved dhruvam || 7 || sarvāntarātmā bhagavān sarvadeheṣvavasthitaḥ | yasya dehātsa prayāti sa śavastatkṣaṇaṃ bhavet || 8 || mano'hamindriyeśaṃ ca jñānarūpo hi śaṅkaraḥ | viṣṇuprāṇā ca prakṛtirbuddhirbhagavatī satī || 9 || nidrādayaḥ śaktayaśca tāḥ sarvāḥ prakṛteḥ kalāḥ | ātmanaḥ pratibimbaśca jīvo bhogaśarīrabhṛt || 10 || ātmanīśe gate dehātsarve yānti sasambhramāḥ | yathā vartmani gacchantaṃ naradevamivānugāḥ || 11 || ahaṃ śivaśca śeṣaśca viṣṇurdharmo mahāvirāṭ | yūyaṃ yadaṃśā bhaktāśca tatpuṣpaṃ nyakkṛtaṃ tvayā || 12 || śivena pūjitaṃ pādapadmaṃ puṣpeṇa yena ca | tatra durvāsasā dattaṃ daivena nyakkṛtaṃ tvayā || 13 || tatpuṇyaṃ mastake yasya kṛṣṇapādābjapracyutam | sarveṣāṃ ca surāṇāṃ ca tatpūjāpurato bhavet || 14 || daivena vañcitastvaṃ hi daivaṃ ca balavattaram | bhāgyahīnaṃ janaṃ mūḍhaṃ ko vā rakṣitumīśvaraḥ || 15 || sā śrīrgatādhunā kopātkṛṣṇanirmālyavarjanāt | adhunā gaccha vaikuṇṭhaṃ mayā ca guruṇā saha || 16 || niṣevya tatra śrīnāthaṃ śriyaṃ prāpsyati madvarāt | evamuktvā ca sa brahmā sarvaiḥ suragaṇaiḥ saha || 17 || tatra gatvā parabrahma bhagavantaṃ sanātanam | dṛṣṭvā tejaḥsvarūpaṃ taṃ prajvalantaṃ svatejasā || 18 || grīṣmamadhyāhnamārtaṇḍaśatakoṭisamaprabham | śāntamanādimadhyāntaṃ lakṣyīkāntamanantakam || 19 || caturbhujaiḥ pārṣadaiśca sarasvatyā yutaṃ prabhum | bhaktyā caturbhirvedaiśca gaṅgayā pariveṣṭitam || 20 || taṃ praṇemuḥ surāḥ sarve mūrdhnā brahmapurogamāḥ | bhaktinamrāḥ sāśrunetrāstuṣṭuvuḥ parameśvaram || 21 || vṛttāntaṃ kathayāmāsa svayaṃ brahmā kṛtāñjaliḥ | rurudurdevatāḥ sarvāḥ svādhikārāccutāśca tāḥ || 22 || sa dadarśa suragaṇaṃ vipadgrastaṃ bhayākulam | ratnabhūṣaṇaśūnyaṃ ca vāhanādivivarjitam || 23 || śobhāśūnyaṃ hataśrīkaṃ niṣprabhaṃ sabhayaṃ param | uvāca kātaraṃ dṛṣṭvā bhayabhītivibhañjanaḥ || 24 || śrībhagavānuvāca mā bhairbrahman he surāśca bhayaṃ kiṃ vo mayi sthite | dāsyāmi lakṣmīmacalāṃ paramaiśvaryavardhinīm || 25 || kiñca madvacanaṃ kiñcicchrūyatāṃ samayocitam | hitaṃ satyaṃ sārabhūtaṃ pariṇāmasukhāvaham || 26 || janāścāsaṃkhyaviśvasthā madadhīnāśca santatam | yathā tathāhaṃ madbhaktaparādhīno'svatantrakaḥ || 27 || yaṃ yaṃ ruṣṭo hi madbhakto matparo hi niraṅkuśaḥ | tadgṛhe'haṃ na tiṣṭhāmi padmayā saha niścitam || 28 || durvāsāḥ śaṅkarāṃśaśca vaiṣṇavo matparāyaṇaḥ | tacchāpādāgato'haṃ ca salakṣmīko hi vo gṛhāt || 29 || yatra śaṅkhadhvanirnāsti tulasī na śivārcanam | na bhojanaṃ ca viprāṇāṃ na padmā tatra tiṣṭhati || 30 || madbhaktānāṃ ca me nindā yatra brahman bhavetsurāḥ | mahāruṣṭā mahālakṣmīstato yāti parābhavam || 31 || madbhaktihīno yo mūḍho bhuṅkte yo harivāsare | mama janmadine vāpi yāti śrīstadgṛhādapi || 32 || mannāmavikrayī yaśca vikrīṇāti svakanyakām | yatrātithirna bhuṅkte ca matpriyā yāti tadgṛhāt || 33 || yo vipraḥ puṃścalīputro mahāpāpī ca tatpatiḥ | pāpino yo gṛhaṃ yāti śūdraśrāddhānnabhojakaḥ || 34 || mahāruṣṭā tato yāti mandirātkamalālayā | śūdrāṇāṃ śavadāhī ca bhāgyahīno dvijādhamaḥ || 35 || yāti ruṣṭā tadgṛhācca devāḥ kamalavāsinī | śūdrāṇāṃ sūpakārī yo brāhmaṇo vṛṣavāhakaḥ || 36 || tattoyapānabhītā ca kamalā yāti tadgṛhāt | aśuddhahṛdayaḥ krūro hiṃsako nindako dvijaḥ || 37 || brāhmaṇaḥ śūdrayājī ca yāti devī ca tadgṛhāt | avīrānnaṃ ca yo bhuṅkte tasmādyāti jagatprasūḥ || 38 || tṛṇaṃ chinatti nakharaistairvā yo vilikhenmahīm | nirāśo brāhmaṇo yatra tadgṛhādyāti matpriyā || 39 || sūryodaye dvijo bhuṅkte divāsvāpī ca brāhmaṇaḥ | divā maithunakārī ca yastasmādyāti matpriyā || 40 || ācārahīno vipro yo yaśca śūdrapratigrahī | adīkṣito hi yo mūḍhastasmādvai yāti matpriyā || 41 || snigdhapādaśca nagno hi yaḥ śete jñānadurbalaḥ | śaśvadvadati vācālo yāti sā tadgṛhātsatī || 42 || śirasnātastu tailena yo'nyāṅgaṃ samupaspṛśet | svāṅgaṃ ca vādayedvādyaṃ ruṣṭā sā yāti tadgṛhāt || 43 || vratopavāsahīno yaḥ sandhyāhīno'śucirdvijaḥ | viṣṇubhaktivihīnastu tasmādyāti ca matpriyā || 44 || brāhmaṇaṃ nindayedyo hi taṃ ca yo dveṣṭi santatam | jīvahiṃsro dayāhīno yāti sarvaprasūstataḥ || 45 || yatra yatra harerarcā harerutkīrtanaṃ tathā | tatra tiṣṭhati sā devī sarvamaṅgalamaṅgalā || 46 || yatra praśaṃsā kṛṣṇasya tadbhaktasya pitāmaha | sā ca kṛṣṇapriyā devī tatra tiṣṭhati santatam || 47 || yatra śaṅkhadhvaniḥ śaṅkhaḥ śilā ca tulasīdalam | tatsevā vandanaṃ dhyānaṃ tatra sā paritiṣṭhati || 48 || śivaliṅgārcanaṃ yatra tasya cotkīrtanaṃ śubham | durgārcanaṃ tadguṇāśca tatra padmanivāsinī || 49 || viprāṇāṃ sevanaṃ yatra teṣāṃ ca bhojanaṃ śubham | arcanaṃ sarvadevānāṃ tatra padmamukhī satī || 50 || ityuktvā ca surānsarvān ramāmāha ramāpatiḥ | kṣīrodasāgare janma kalayākalayeti ca || 51 || ityuktvā tāṃ jagannātho brahmāṇaṃ punarāha ca | mathitvā sāgaraṃ lakṣmīṃ devebhyo dehi padmaja || 52 || ityuktvā kamalākānto jagāmāntaḥpuraṃ mune | devāścireṇa kālena yayuḥ kṣīrodasāgaram || 53 || manthānaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā kūrmaṃ kṛtvā ca bhājanam | kṛtvā śeṣaṃ manthapāśaṃ mamanthurasurāḥ surāḥ || 54 || dhanvantariṃ ca pīyūṣamuccaiḥśravasamīpsitam | nānāratnaṃ hastiratnaṃ prāpurlakṣmīṃ sudarśanam || 55 || vanamālāṃ dadau sā ca kṣīrodaśāyine mune | sarveśvarāya ramyāya viṣṇave vaiṣṇavī satī || 56 || devaiḥ stutā pūjitā ca brahmaṇā śaṅkareṇa ca | dadau dṛṣṭiṃ suragṛhe brahmaśāpavimocanāt || 57 || prāpurdevāḥ svaviṣayaṃ daityagrastaṃ bhayaṅkaram | mahālakṣmīprasādena varadānena nārada || 58 || ityevaṃ kathitaṃ sarvaṃ lakṣmyupākhyānamuttamam | sukhadaṃ sārabhūtaṃ ca kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi || 59 ||
English translation
1-2. Narayana said O Twice-born! Indra then remembered Hah and took Brihaspati, the Guru of the Devas, to the assembly of Brahma, accompanied by the other Devas. They soon reached the region of Brahma and no sooner they saw Him, than Indra and the other Devas and Bihaspati all bowed down to Him.
3-25. Brihaspati, the Acharya of the Devas, then communicated all to Brahma. Hearing this. He smiled and spoke, addressing Indra O Indra! You have been born in My race; nay, you are My grandson; the Arya Brihaspati is your Guru; you yourself are the ruler of the Devas and you are very wise and sagacious; the mother of your father is the powerful Daksa, a great Visnu Bhakta. How is it, then that when the three sides of the family are pure, one would turn out so haughty and arrogant! Whose mother is so much devoted to her husband, whose father, mother’s father and mother’s brother are self-controlled and of pure Sattva Guna, he is not expected to be so very haughty! Every man may be guilty to Hari for the three faults:-- For some fault due to that of his father, or of his mother’s father, or of Guru, the Spiritual Teacher. Bhagavan Narayana, resides in this great holy temple of our this physical body controlling the hearts of all. At whatever moment, S’ri Narayana quits this temple-body, at that moment this body becomes dead. I myself am the mind; S’ankara is the Knowledge, Visnu is the vital breaths, Bhagavati Durga is the intelligence (Buddhi), sleep, etc., the powers of Prakriti; when these are being reflected on by the Atman, JTva is formed with a body for enjoyment called Bhoga S’arirabhrit. When a king departs, his attendants also follow him; so when this Atman departs from this temple of body, his attendants mind, buddhi, etc., instantly depart from this body and follow the Atman. O Indra! We all, are verily, the parts of S’ri Krisna. I myself, S’iva, Ananta Deva, Visnu,
Dharma, Maha Virat, you all are His parts and entirely devoted to Him. And you have shown contempt for His flower. Bhagavan S’ankara, the Lord of the Bhutas, worshipped the lotus-feet of S’ri Krisna with that flower. The Risi Durvasa gave you that flower. But you showed disrespect to it. The flower, Parijata, after being offered at the lotus-feet of Krisna, should be placed on the head of an Immortal; His worship is to be done first; and it is the foremost amongst the Devas. So you are now being afflicted by the inevitable course of Fate; Fate is the most powerful of all. Who can save that unlucky man against whom Fate has turned? Seeing that you have rejected the flower offered to S’ri Krisna, S’ri Laksmi Devi has left you out of anger. Now come with Me and with your family priest Brihaspati to Vaikuntha and worship the Lord of Laksmi; then by His grace you may get back your Heavens. Thus saying, Brahma with Indra and all the other Devas, went to the Eternal Purusa, Bhagavan Narayana and saw that He was full of Fire and Energy like one hundred koti summer midday Suns, yet perfectly cool and calm. He has no beginning, and no end, nor any middle. He is Infinite. The four-armed Parisadas, Sarasvati, the four Vedas, and the Ganges, all were surrounding Him. Seeing Him, Brahma and the other Devas bowed down with devotion and began to chant hymns to Him with tears in their eyes. Brahma, then, informed Him of everything when all the Devas, dispossessed of their places, began to weep before Him. Narayana saw that the Devas were very afraid and much distressed. They had no jewel ornaments as before, no vehicles (Vahanas), nor the Daivic splendour as before, not that brillance; always fearful. Then Narayana, the Destroyer of fear, seeing the Devas in that state, addressed Brahma and the other Devas O Brahman! O Devas! Discard all fears. What fear can overcome you?
I am here. I will give you again the immoveable prosperous Rajya Laksmi (the Laksmi of the kings).
26-47. But for the present, I give you some advice proper for this moment. Listen. There are endless universes where exist
innumerable persons. All of them are under Me. So know verily, that I am under them also. My devotees regard Me as the Highest. They know no other than Me; they are fearless; so I do not remain in that house where My devotees are dissatisfied. I instantly quit that house with Laksmi. Durvasa Risi is born in part of S’ankara. He is highly devoted to Me. He is a pakka Vaisnava. He cursed you and, as a matter of fact, I and Laksmi instantly left your house.
Laksmi does not reside in that house where conch shells are not blown, where there are no Tulasi trees, where there is no worship of S’iva and S’iva, where the Brahmanas are not fed. O Brahman! O Devas! Where I and My Bhaktas are blamed, Maha Laksmi becomes greatly displeased. She instantly goes away out of that house.
Laksmi does not stay even for a moment in that house where the stupid person, without any devotion for me, takes his food on the Harivasara Ekadas’i day (the eleventh day of the moon’s wane or increase) or on My anniversary birthday. If anybody sells My name or his own daughter, where the guests are not served, Laksmi quits that house instantly and goes away.
(Note That Guru is the Real Guru, who, being capable, imparts the name of God to worthy persons without taking any fee at all.)
If the son of an unchaste woman be a Brahmana, he and the husband of an unchaste woman are great sinners. If anybody goes to such a person’s house or eats the food of a S’udra during a Sraddha ceremony, Laksmi becomes very angry and vacates that house. Being a Brahmin, if one burns a S’udra’s corpse, one becomes very wretched and the vilest of the Brahmins. Laksmi never stays for a moment more in that house. Being a Brahmin, if he be a S’udra’s cook and drives oxen, Laksmi fears to drink water there and quits his house. Being a Brahmin, if his heart be unholy, if he be cruel, envies others and blames persons, if he officiates as a priest for the S’udra, Laksmi Devi never stays in his house. The
World-Mother never stays even for a moment in his house who eats at the house of one who marries an unmarried girl twelve years old in whom menstruation has commenced. He who cuts grass by his nails, or writes on the ground with his nails, or from whose house a Brahmana guest goes back disappointed, Laksmi never stays in his house. If any Brahmana eats food at the early sunrise, sleeps during the day or engages in a sexual intercourse during the day, Laksmi never stays in his house. Laksmi slips away from that Brahmana who is devoid of Achara (rules of conduct), who accepts gifts from S’udras, from him who remains uninitiated in his Mantram. The ignorant man who sleeps naked and with his feet wet, who laughs always, and always talks at random on disconnected subjects like a mad man, is forsaken at once by Laksmi. Laksmi becomes angry and goes away from the house of that man who applies oil all over his body first and then touches the bodies of others and always makes some sounding noise on several parts of his body. If any Brahmana forsakes observing vows, fastings, the Sandhya ceremony, purity and devotion to Visnu, Kamala (Laksmi) does not remain in his house any longer. If anybody blames always the Brahmanas and shews his hatred always towards the Brahmanas, if he does injury to the animals, and if he does not indulge in his heart anything of pity, kindness, Laksmi, the Mother of the Worlds, quits him. O Lotus-born! But where Hah is worshipped and Hari’s Name is chanted, Laksmi, the Mother of all auspiciousness, remains there. Laksmi remains where the glories of S’ri Krisna and His Bhaktas are sung.
48-59. Laksmi always remains there with the greatest gladness where conch-shells are blown, where there are conchsells, the S’alagrama stone, the TulasT leaves and the service and meditation of Laksmi are daily done.
Where the phallic emblem of S’iva is worshipped, and His glories sung, where S’ri Durga is worshipped and Her glories are sung, Laksmi, the Dweller in the Lotus, remains there. Where the Brahmanas are honoured and they are gladly feasted, where all the Devas are worshiped; the chaste Laksmi, the Lotus-faced, remains there. Thus saying to the Devas, the Lord of Laksmi said O Devi! Go without any any delay to the Ksiroda Ocean and incarnate there in part. He then addressed Brahma and said “O Lotus-born! You also better go there and churn the Ksiroda Ocean; when Laksmi will arise, give her to the Devas.” O Devarsi! Thus saying, the Lord Kamala went to His inner compartment. On the other hand the Devas, after a long time, reached the shores of the Ksiroda Ocean. The Devas and the Daityas then made the Golden Mountain (the Sumeru) the churning rod, the Deva Kurma (the tortoise), the churning pot and Ananta Deva (the thousand headed serpent) the churning cord and began to churn the ocean. While churning was going on, by and by arose Dhanvantari, Amrita (the nectar), the horse Uchchaihs’rava, various other invaluable jewels that were desired, the elephant Airavata and the beautiful eyed Laksmi. Visnupriya, S’ri Laksmi Devi, no sooner She got up from the ocean, she, the chaste woman, presented on the neck of Narayana, of beautiful appearance, the Lord of all. Who slept on the Ksiroda ocean the garland (indicative of accepting Him for her bridegroom). Then Brahma and MahesVara and the other Devas gladly worshipped Her and chanted hymns. At this time Laksmi Devi being pleased, cast a favourable glance towards the homes of the Devas, in order to free them from their curse. Then, by the grace of Maha Laksmi and by the granting of the boon by Brahma, the Devas got back their own possessions from the hands of the Daityas. O Narada! Thus I have described to you the story of Laksmi Devi, the Essence of all Essences, and very pleasant to hear. Now what more do you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Forty-first Chapter of the Ninth Book on the churning of the ocean and on the appearing of Laksmi in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24536, revision 75185 (2016-07-27T14:08:41Z). 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/bk09ch41.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.