Ninth Skandha · Chapter 49
Sourceनारद उवाच का वा सा सुरभिर्देवी गोलोकादागता च या । तज्जन्मचरितं ब्रह्मञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्नतः ॥ १ ॥ श्रीनारायणाय उवाच गवामधिष्ठातृदेवी गवामाद्या गवां प्रसूः । गवां प्रधाना सुरभिर्गोलोके सा समुद्भवा ॥ २ ॥ सर्वादिसृष्टेश्चरितं कथयामि निशामय । बभूव तेन तज्जन्म पुरा वृन्दावने वने ॥ ३ ॥ एकदा राधिकानाथो राधया सह कौतुकी । गोपाङ्गनापरिवृतः पुण्यं वृन्दावनं ययौ ॥ ४ ॥ सहसा तत्र रहसि विजहार स कौतुकात् । बभूव क्षीरपानेच्छा तस्य स्वेच्छामयस्य च ॥ ५ ॥ ससृजे सुरभिं देवीं लीलया वामपार्श्वतः । वत्सयुक्तां दुग्धवतीं वत्सो नाम मनोरथः ॥ ६ ॥ दृष्ट्वा सवत्सां श्रीदामा नवभाण्डे दुदोह च । क्षीरं सुधातिरिक्तं च जन्ममृत्युजराहरम् ॥ ७ ॥ तदुत्थं च पयः स्वादु पपौ गोपीपतिः स्वयम् । सरो बभूव पयसां भाण्डविस्रंसनेन च ॥ ८ ॥ दीर्घं च विस्तृतं चैव परितः शतयोजनम् । गोलोकेऽयं प्रसिद्धश्च सोऽपि क्षीरसरोवरः ॥ ९ ॥ गोपिकानां च राधायाः क्रीडावापी बभूव सा । रत्नेन्द्ररचिता पूर्णं भूता चापीश्वरेच्छया ॥ १० ॥ बभूव कामधेनूनां सहसा लक्षकोटयः । यावन्तस्तत्र गोपाश्च सुरभ्या लोमकूपतः ॥ ११ ॥ तासां पुत्राश्च बहवः सम्बभूवुरसंख्यकाः । कथिता च गवां सृष्टिस्तया च पूरितं जगत् ॥ १२ ॥ पूजां चकार भगवान् सुरभ्याश्च पुरा मुने । ततो बभूव तत्पूजा त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्लभा ॥ १३ ॥ दीपान्वितापरदिने श्रीकृष्णस्याज्ञया हरेः । बभूव सुरभिः पूज्या धर्मवक्त्रादिदं श्रुतम् ॥ १४ ॥ ध्यानं स्तोत्रं मूलमन्त्रं यद्यत्यूजाविधिक्रमम् । वेदोक्तं च महाभाग निबोध कथयामि ते ॥ १५ ॥ ॐ सुरभ्यै नम इति मन्त्रस्तस्याः षडक्षरः । सिद्धो लक्षजपेनैव भक्तानां कल्पपादपः ॥ १६ ॥ ध्यानं यजुर्वेदगीतं तस्याः पूजा च सर्वतः । ऋद्धिदा वृद्धिदा चैव मुक्तिदा सर्वकामदा ॥ १७ ॥ लक्ष्मीस्वरूपां परमां राधासहचरीं पराम् । गवामधिष्ठातृदेवीं गवामाद्यां गवां प्रसूम् ॥ १८ ॥ पवित्ररूपां पूतां च भक्तानां सर्वकामदाम् । यया पूतं सर्वविश्वं तां देवीं सुरभिं भजे ॥ १९ ॥ घटे वा धेनुशिरसि बन्धस्तम्भे गवामपि । शालग्रामे जलाग्नौ वा सुरभिं पूजयेद् द्विजः ॥ २० ॥ दीपान्वितापरदिने पूर्वाह्ने भक्तिसंयुतः । यः पूजयेच्च सुरभिं स च पूज्यो भवेद्भुवि ॥ २१ ॥ एकदा त्रिषु लोकेषु वाराहे विष्णुमायया । क्षीरं जहार सुरभिश्चिन्तिताश्च सुरादयः ॥ २२ ॥ ते गत्वा ब्रह्मलोके च ब्रह्माणं तुष्टुवुस्तदा । तदाज्ञया च सुरभिं तुष्टाव पाकशासनः ॥ २३ ॥ पुरन्दर उवाच नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै सुरभ्यै च नमो नमः । गवां बीजस्वरूपायै नमस्ते जगदम्बिके ॥ २४ ॥ नमो राधाप्रियायै च पद्मांशायै नमो नमः । नमः कृष्णप्रियायै च गवां मात्रे नमो नमः ॥ २५ ॥ कल्पवृक्षस्वरूपायै सर्वेषां सततं परे । क्षीरदायै धनदायै बुद्धिदायै नमो नमः ॥ २६ ॥ शुभायै च सुभद्रायै गोप्रदायै नमो नमः । यशोदायै कीर्तिदायै धर्मदायै नमो नमः ॥ २७ ॥ स्तोत्रश्रवणमात्रेण तुष्टा हृष्टा जगत्प्रसूः । आविर्बभूव तत्रैव ब्रह्मलोके सनातनी ॥ २८ ॥ महेन्द्राय वरं दत्त्वा वाञ्छितं चापि दुर्लभम् । जगाम सा च गोलोकं ययुर्देवादयो गृहम् ॥ २९ ॥ बभूव विश्वं सहसा दुग्धपूर्णं च नारद । दुग्धं घृतं ततो यज्ञस्ततः प्रीतिः सुरस्य च ॥ ३० ॥ इदं स्तोत्रं महापुण्यं भक्तियुक्तश्च यः पठेत् । स गोमान् धनवांश्चैव कीर्तिमान्पुत्रवांस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥ स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वयज्ञेषु दीक्षितः । इह लोके सुखं भुक्त्वा यात्यन्ते कृष्णमन्दिरे ॥ ३२ ॥ सुचिरं निवसेत्तत्र करोति कृष्णसेवनम् । न पुनर्भवनं तत्र ब्रह्मपुत्रो भवेत्ततः ॥ ३३ ॥
nārada uvāca kā vā sā surabhirdevī golokādāgatā ca yā | tajjanmacaritaṃ brahmañchrotumicchāmi yatnataḥ || 1 || śrīnārāyaṇāya uvāca gavāmadhiṣṭhātṛdevī gavāmādyā gavāṃ prasūḥ | gavāṃ pradhānā surabhirgoloke sā samudbhavā || 2 || sarvādisṛṣṭeścaritaṃ kathayāmi niśāmaya | babhūva tena tajjanma purā vṛndāvane vane || 3 || ekadā rādhikānātho rādhayā saha kautukī | gopāṅganāparivṛtaḥ puṇyaṃ vṛndāvanaṃ yayau || 4 || sahasā tatra rahasi vijahāra sa kautukāt | babhūva kṣīrapānecchā tasya svecchāmayasya ca || 5 || sasṛje surabhiṃ devīṃ līlayā vāmapārśvataḥ | vatsayuktāṃ dugdhavatīṃ vatso nāma manorathaḥ || 6 || dṛṣṭvā savatsāṃ śrīdāmā navabhāṇḍe dudoha ca | kṣīraṃ sudhātiriktaṃ ca janmamṛtyujarāharam || 7 || tadutthaṃ ca payaḥ svādu papau gopīpatiḥ svayam | saro babhūva payasāṃ bhāṇḍavisraṃsanena ca || 8 || dīrghaṃ ca vistṛtaṃ caiva paritaḥ śatayojanam | goloke'yaṃ prasiddhaśca so'pi kṣīrasarovaraḥ || 9 || gopikānāṃ ca rādhāyāḥ krīḍāvāpī babhūva sā | ratnendraracitā pūrṇaṃ bhūtā cāpīśvarecchayā || 10 || babhūva kāmadhenūnāṃ sahasā lakṣakoṭayaḥ | yāvantastatra gopāśca surabhyā lomakūpataḥ || 11 || tāsāṃ putrāśca bahavaḥ sambabhūvurasaṃkhyakāḥ | kathitā ca gavāṃ sṛṣṭistayā ca pūritaṃ jagat || 12 || pūjāṃ cakāra bhagavān surabhyāśca purā mune | tato babhūva tatpūjā triṣu lokeṣu durlabhā || 13 || dīpānvitāparadine śrīkṛṣṇasyājñayā hareḥ | babhūva surabhiḥ pūjyā dharmavaktrādidaṃ śrutam || 14 || dhyānaṃ stotraṃ mūlamantraṃ yadyatyūjāvidhikramam | vedoktaṃ ca mahābhāga nibodha kathayāmi te || 15 || oṃ surabhyai nama iti mantrastasyāḥ ṣaḍakṣaraḥ | siddho lakṣajapenaiva bhaktānāṃ kalpapādapaḥ || 16 || dhyānaṃ yajurvedagītaṃ tasyāḥ pūjā ca sarvataḥ | ṛddhidā vṛddhidā caiva muktidā sarvakāmadā || 17 || lakṣmīsvarūpāṃ paramāṃ rādhāsahacarīṃ parām | gavāmadhiṣṭhātṛdevīṃ gavāmādyāṃ gavāṃ prasūm || 18 || pavitrarūpāṃ pūtāṃ ca bhaktānāṃ sarvakāmadām | yayā pūtaṃ sarvaviśvaṃ tāṃ devīṃ surabhiṃ bhaje || 19 || ghaṭe vā dhenuśirasi bandhastambhe gavāmapi | śālagrāme jalāgnau vā surabhiṃ pūjayed dvijaḥ || 20 || dīpānvitāparadine pūrvāhne bhaktisaṃyutaḥ | yaḥ pūjayecca surabhiṃ sa ca pūjyo bhavedbhuvi || 21 || ekadā triṣu lokeṣu vārāhe viṣṇumāyayā | kṣīraṃ jahāra surabhiścintitāśca surādayaḥ || 22 || te gatvā brahmaloke ca brahmāṇaṃ tuṣṭuvustadā | tadājñayā ca surabhiṃ tuṣṭāva pākaśāsanaḥ || 23 || purandara uvāca namo devyai mahādevyai surabhyai ca namo namaḥ | gavāṃ bījasvarūpāyai namaste jagadambike || 24 || namo rādhāpriyāyai ca padmāṃśāyai namo namaḥ | namaḥ kṛṣṇapriyāyai ca gavāṃ mātre namo namaḥ || 25 || kalpavṛkṣasvarūpāyai sarveṣāṃ satataṃ pare | kṣīradāyai dhanadāyai buddhidāyai namo namaḥ || 26 || śubhāyai ca subhadrāyai gopradāyai namo namaḥ | yaśodāyai kīrtidāyai dharmadāyai namo namaḥ || 27 || stotraśravaṇamātreṇa tuṣṭā hṛṣṭā jagatprasūḥ | āvirbabhūva tatraiva brahmaloke sanātanī || 28 || mahendrāya varaṃ dattvā vāñchitaṃ cāpi durlabham | jagāma sā ca golokaṃ yayurdevādayo gṛham || 29 || babhūva viśvaṃ sahasā dugdhapūrṇaṃ ca nārada | dugdhaṃ ghṛtaṃ tato yajñastataḥ prītiḥ surasya ca || 30 || idaṃ stotraṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ bhaktiyuktaśca yaḥ paṭhet | sa gomān dhanavāṃścaiva kīrtimānputravāṃstathā || 31 || sa snātaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu sarvayajñeṣu dīkṣitaḥ | iha loke sukhaṃ bhuktvā yātyante kṛṣṇamandire || 32 || suciraṃ nivasettatra karoti kṛṣṇasevanam | na punarbhavanaṃ tatra brahmaputro bhavettataḥ || 33 ||
English translation
1. Narada said “O Bhagavan! Who was that Surabhi, who came down from the region of Goloka. I want to hear Her life. Kindly describe.”
2-23. Narayana spoke “O Devarsi! The Devi Surabhi sprang in the Goloka. She was the first in the creation of cows; and, from Her, all the other cows have come. She is the Presiding Deity of the cows. I will now speak Her history from the very beginning. Hear. Before,
She appeared in the holy Vrindaban. One day the Lord of Radha, surrounded by the GopTs, was going gladly with Radha to the Holy Vrindavan. There he began to enjoy in a solitary place with great pleasure. He is All Will and suddenly a desire arose in His mind that He would drink milk. Then He created easily the Devi Surabhi, full of milk, with Her calf, from His own left side. The calf of Surabhi is nothing else but Her wish personified. Seeing Surabhi, S’ridama milked Her in a new earthen jar. The milk is more sweet than even the nectar and it prevents birth and death! The Lord of the GopTs drank the milk. What milk dropped out of the jar, created a big tank! The tank measured one hundred Yojanas in length and in breadth and is known in Goloka by the name of KsTrasagara. The GopTkas and Radha play therein. At the will of S’rT Krisna, Whose Nature is All Will, that tank become full of excellent gems and jewels. Then, from every pore of Surabhi, there appeared suddenly one lakh koti Kamadhenus (cows who yields according to one’s desires). So much so that every Gopa who used to live there in Goloka had one Kamadhenu and each house had one such. Their calves again became so many that no limit can be put to them. Thus, by degrees, the whole universe was filled with cows. This is the origin of the Cow Creation. O Narada! Surabhi was first worshipped by Bhagavan S’rT Krisna. Therefore She is so much honoured everywhere. On the day next the DivalT night (new moon in the month of October), Surabhi
was worshipped by the command of S’ri Krisna. This is heard from the mouth of Dharma Deva. O Child! Now hear the Dhyanam, Stotra, and the method of worship of Surabhi as mentioned in the Vedas. I will now speak on this. “Om Surabhyai namah,” is the principal six- lettered mantra of Surabhi. If anybody repeats this mantra one lakh times, he becomes Siddha in this mantra. This is like Kalpa Vriksa (a tree yielding all desires) to the devotees. The Dhyanam of Surabhi is mentioned in the Yajur Vedas. Success, prosperity, increase and freedom come as the result of worshipping Surabhi. The Dhyanam runs as follows “O Devi Surabhi! Thou art Laksmi, Thou art best. Thou art Radha; Thou art the chief companion of S’ri Radha, Thou art the first and the source of the cow-creation. Thou art holy and Thou sanctifiest the persons; Thou fufillest the desires of the devotees and Thou purifiest the whole universe. Therefore I meditate on Thee.” Reciting this Dhyanam, the Brahmanas worship the Devi Surabhi in jars, on the heads of cows, or on the pegs where cows are fastened or on S’alagrama stone or in water or in fire. O Muni!
He who worships with devotion on the next day morning after Divali night, becomes also worshipped in this world. Once a day in the Varahakalpa Surabhi did not yield milk, by the influence of Visnu Maya. The Devas became very anxious. Then they went to the Brahmaloka and began to praise Brahma. At His advice, Indra began to chant hymns (Stotra) to Surabhi
24-33. The Devendra said “O World-Mother! O Devi! O Maha Devi! O Surabhi! Thou art the source of the cow creation. Obeisance to Thee! Thou art the dear companion of Radha; Thou art the part of Kamala; Thou art dear to S’ri Krisna; Thou art the mother of cows, I bow down to Thee. Thou art like the Kalpa Vriksa (a tree yielding all desires). Thou art the Chief of all; Thou yieldest milk, wealth and prosperity and increase thereof. So I bow down to Thee. Thou art auspicious. Thou art good. Thou bestowest cows. Obeisance to Thee! Thou givest fame, name and Dharma. So I bow down to Thee.” O Narada! Thus hearing the praise sung by Indra, the eternal
Surabhi, the originator of the world, became very glad and appeared in the Brahmaloka. Granting boon to Mahendra, so very rare to others and desired by him, Subrabhi went to the Goloka. The Devas, also, went back to their own abodes. The whole world was now full of milk; clarified butter came out of the milk; and from clarified butter sacrifices began to be performed and the Devas were fed and they became pleased. O Child! He who recites this holy Stotra of Surabhi with devotion, gets cows, other wealth, name, fame and sons. The reciting of this Stotra qualifies one as if he had bathed in all the sacred places of pilgrimages and he had acquired the fruits of all the sacrifices. Enjoying happiness in this world, be goes in the end to the Temple of S’ri Krisna. There living long in the service of Krisna, he becomes able to be a son of Brahma.
Here ends the Forty-ninth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Surabhi in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24544, revision 75193 (2016-07-27T14:23:39Z). 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/bk09ch49.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.