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Seventh Skandha · Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Unit 192 of 318Seventh Skandha · Chapter 39Seventh Skandha · Chapter 391 source entries

Seventh Skandha · Chapter 39

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हिमालय उवाच देवदेवि महेशानि करुणासागरेऽम्बिके । ब्रूहि पूजाविधिं सम्यग्यथावदधुना निजम् ॥ १ ॥ श्रीदेव्युवाच वक्ष्ये पूजाविधिं राजन्नम्बिकाया यथा प्रियम् । अत्यन्तश्रद्धया सार्धं शृणु पर्वतपुङ्गव ॥ २ ॥ द्विविधा मम पूजा स्याद्‌ बाह्या चाभ्यन्तरापि च । बाह्यापि द्विविधा प्रोक्ता वैदिकी तान्त्रिकी तथा ॥ ३ ॥ वैदिक्यर्चापि द्विविधा मूर्तिभेदेन भूधर । वैदिकी वैदिकैः कार्या वेददीक्षासमन्वितैः ॥ ४ ॥ तन्त्रोक्तदीक्षावद्‌भिस्तु तान्त्रिकी संश्रिता भवेत् । इत्थं पूजारहस्यं च न ज्ञात्वा विपरीतकम् ॥ ५ ॥ करोति यो नरो मूढः स पतत्येव सर्वथा । तत्र या वैदिकी प्रोक्ता प्रथमा तां वदाम्यहम् ॥ ६ ॥ यन्मे साक्षात्परं रूपं दृष्ट्वानसि भूधर । अनन्तशीर्षनयनमनन्तचरणं महत् ॥ ७ ॥ सर्वशक्तिसमायुक्तं प्रेरकं यत्परात्परम् । तदेव पूजयेन्नित्यं नमेद्‌ ध्यायेत्स्मरेदपि ॥ ८ ॥ इत्येतत्प्रथमार्चायाः स्वरूपं कथितं नग । शान्तः समाहितमना दम्भाहङ्कारवर्जितः ॥ ९ ॥ तत्परो भव तद्याजी तदेव शरणं व्रज । तदेव चेतसा पश्य जप ध्यायस्व सर्वदा ॥ १० ॥ अनन्यया प्रेमयुक्तभक्त्या मद्‌भावमाश्रितः । यज्ञैर्यज तपोदानैर्मामेव परितोषय ॥ ११ ॥ इत्थं ममानुग्रहतो मोक्ष्यसे भवबन्धनात् । मत्परा ये मदासक्तचित्ता भक्तवरा मताः ॥ १२ ॥ प्रतिजाने भवादस्मादुद्धराम्यचिरेण तु । ध्यानेन कर्मयुक्तेन भक्तिज्ञानेन वा पुनः ॥ १३ ॥ प्राप्याहं सर्वथा राजन्न तु केवलकर्मभिः । धर्मात्सञ्जायते भक्तिर्भक्त्या सञ्जायते परम् ॥ १४ ॥ श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्यामुदितं यत्स धर्मः प्रकीर्तितः । अन्यशास्त्रेण यः प्रोक्तो धर्माभासः स उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥ सर्वज्ञात्सर्वशक्तेश्च मत्तो वेदः समुत्थितः । अज्ञानस्य ममाभावादप्रमाणा न च श्रुतिः ॥ १६ ॥ स्मृतयश्च श्रुतेरर्थं गृहीत्वैव च निर्गताः । मन्वादीनां श्रुतीनां च ततः प्रामाण्यमिष्यते ॥ १७ ॥ क्वचित्कदाचित्तन्त्रार्थकटाक्षेण परोदितम् । धर्मं वदन्ति सोंऽशस्तु नैव ग्राह्योऽस्ति वैदिकैः ॥ १८ ॥ अन्येषां शास्त्रकर्तॄणामज्ञानप्रभवत्वतः । अज्ञानदोषदुष्टत्वात्तदुक्तेर्न प्रमाणता ॥ १९ ॥ तस्मान्मुमुक्षुर्धर्मार्थं सर्वथा वेदमाश्रयेत् । राजाज्ञा च यथा लोके हन्यते न कदाचन ॥ २० ॥ सर्वेशान्या ममाज्ञा सा श्रुतिस्त्याज्या कथं नृभिः । मदाज्ञारक्षणार्थं तु ब्रह्मक्षत्रियजातयः ॥ २१ ॥ मया सृष्टास्ततो ज्ञेयं रहस्यं मे श्रुतेर्वचः । यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भूधर ॥ २२ ॥ अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदा वेषान्बिभर्म्यहम् । देवदैत्यविभागश्चाप्यत एवाभवन्नृप ॥ २३ ॥ ये न कुर्वन्ति तद्धर्मं तच्छिक्षार्थं मया सदा । सम्पादितास्तु नरकास्त्रासो यच्छ्रवणाद्‌भवेत् ॥ २४ ॥ यो वेदधर्ममुज्झित्य धर्ममन्यं समाश्रयेत् । राजा प्रवासयेद्देशान्निजादेतानधर्मिणः ॥ २५ ॥ ब्राह्मणैर्न च सम्भाष्याः पङ्क्तिग्राह्या न च द्विजैः । अन्यानि यानि शास्त्राणि लोकेऽस्मिन्विविधानि च ॥ २६ ॥ श्रुतिस्मृतिविरुद्धानि तामसान्येव सर्वशः । वामं कापालकं चैव कौलकं भैरवागमः ॥ २७ ॥ शिवेन मोहनार्थाय प्रणीतो नान्यहेतुकः । दक्षशापाद्‌ भृगोः शापाद्दधीचस्य च शापतः ॥ २८ ॥ दग्धा ये ब्राह्मणवरा वेदमार्गबहिष्कृताः । तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय सोपानक्रमतः सदा ॥ २९ ॥ शैवाश्च वैष्णवाश्श्चैव सौराः शाक्तास्तथैव च । गाणपत्या आगमाश्च प्रणीताः शङ्करेण तु ॥ ३० ॥ तत्र वेदाविरुद्धांशोऽप्युक्त एव क्वचित्क्वचित् । वैदिकैस्तद्ग्रहे देषो न भवत्येव कर्हिचित् ॥ ३१ ॥ सर्वथा वेदभिन्नार्थे नाधिकारी द्विजो भवेत् । वेदाधिकारहीनस्तु भवेत्तत्राधिकारवान् ॥ ३२ ॥ तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्‍नेन वैदिको वेदमाश्रयेत् । धर्मेण सहितं ज्ञानं परं ब्रह्म प्रकाशयेत् ॥ ३३ ॥ सर्वैषणाः परित्यज्य मामेव शरणं गताः । सर्वभूतदयावन्तो मानाहङ्कारवर्जिताः ॥ ३४ ॥ मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा मत्स्थानकथने रताः । संन्यासिनो वनस्थाश्च गृहस्था ब्रह्मचारिणः ॥ ३५ ॥ उपासन्ते सदा भक्त्या योगमैश्वरसञ्ज्ञितम् । तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानामहमज्ञानजं तमः ॥ ३६ ॥ ज्ञानसूर्यप्रकाशेन नाशयामि न संशयः । इत्थं वैदिकपूजायाः प्रथमाया नगाधिप ॥ ३७ ॥ स्वरूपमुक्तं संक्षेपाद्‌ द्वितीयाया अथो ब्रुवे । मूर्तौ वा स्थण्डिले वापि तथा सूर्येन्दुमण्डले ॥ ३८ ॥ जलेऽथवा बाणलिङ्गे यन्त्रे वापि महापटे । तथा श्रीहृदयाम्भोजे ध्यात्वा देवीं परात्पराम् ॥ ३९ ॥ सगुणां करुणापूर्णां तरुणीमरुणारुणाम् । सौन्दर्यसारसीमां तां सर्वावयवसुन्दरीम् ॥ ४० ॥ शृङ्गाररससम्पूर्णां सदा भक्तार्तिकातराम् । प्रसादसुमुखीमम्बां चन्द्रखण्डशिखण्डिनीम् ॥ ४१ ॥ पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतिधरामानन्दरूपिणीम् । पूजयेदुपचारैश्च यथावित्तानुसारतः ॥ ४२ ॥ यावदान्तरपूजायामधिकारो भवेन्न हि । तावद्बाह्यामिमां पूजां श्रयेज्जाते तु तां त्यजेत् ॥ ४३ ॥ आभ्यन्तरा तु या पूजा सा तु संविल्लयः स्मृतः । संविदेव परं रूपमुपाधिरहितं मम ॥ ४४ ॥ अतः संविदि मद्‌रूपे चेतः स्थाप्यं निराश्रयम् । संविद्रूपातिरिक्तं तु मिथ्या मायामयं जगत् ॥ ४५ ॥ अतः संसारनाशाय साक्षिणीमात्मरूपिणीम् । भावयेन्निर्मनस्केन योगयुक्तेन चेतसा ॥ ४६ ॥ अतः परं बाह्यपूजाविस्तारः कथ्यते मया । सावधानेन मनसा शृणु पर्वतसत्तम ॥ ४७ ॥

himālaya uvāca devadevi maheśāni karuṇāsāgare'mbike | brūhi pūjāvidhiṃ samyagyathāvadadhunā nijam || 1 || śrīdevyuvāca vakṣye pūjāvidhiṃ rājannambikāyā yathā priyam | atyantaśraddhayā sārdhaṃ śṛṇu parvatapuṅgava || 2 || dvividhā mama pūjā syād‌ bāhyā cābhyantarāpi ca | bāhyāpi dvividhā proktā vaidikī tāntrikī tathā || 3 || vaidikyarcāpi dvividhā mūrtibhedena bhūdhara | vaidikī vaidikaiḥ kāryā vedadīkṣāsamanvitaiḥ || 4 || tantroktadīkṣāvad‌bhistu tāntrikī saṃśritā bhavet | itthaṃ pūjārahasyaṃ ca na jñātvā viparītakam || 5 || karoti yo naro mūḍhaḥ sa patatyeva sarvathā | tatra yā vaidikī proktā prathamā tāṃ vadāmyaham || 6 || yanme sākṣātparaṃ rūpaṃ dṛṣṭvānasi bhūdhara | anantaśīrṣanayanamanantacaraṇaṃ mahat || 7 || sarvaśaktisamāyuktaṃ prerakaṃ yatparātparam | tadeva pūjayennityaṃ named‌ dhyāyetsmaredapi || 8 || ityetatprathamārcāyāḥ svarūpaṃ kathitaṃ naga | śāntaḥ samāhitamanā dambhāhaṅkāravarjitaḥ || 9 || tatparo bhava tadyājī tadeva śaraṇaṃ vraja | tadeva cetasā paśya japa dhyāyasva sarvadā || 10 || ananyayā premayuktabhaktyā mad‌bhāvamāśritaḥ | yajñairyaja tapodānairmāmeva paritoṣaya || 11 || itthaṃ mamānugrahato mokṣyase bhavabandhanāt | matparā ye madāsaktacittā bhaktavarā matāḥ || 12 || pratijāne bhavādasmāduddharāmyacireṇa tu | dhyānena karmayuktena bhaktijñānena vā punaḥ || 13 || prāpyāhaṃ sarvathā rājanna tu kevalakarmabhiḥ | dharmātsañjāyate bhaktirbhaktyā sañjāyate param || 14 || śrutismṛtibhyāmuditaṃ yatsa dharmaḥ prakīrtitaḥ | anyaśāstreṇa yaḥ prokto dharmābhāsaḥ sa ucyate || 15 || sarvajñātsarvaśakteśca matto vedaḥ samutthitaḥ | ajñānasya mamābhāvādapramāṇā na ca śrutiḥ || 16 || smṛtayaśca śruterarthaṃ gṛhītvaiva ca nirgatāḥ | manvādīnāṃ śrutīnāṃ ca tataḥ prāmāṇyamiṣyate || 17 || kvacitkadācittantrārthakaṭākṣeṇa paroditam | dharmaṃ vadanti soṃ'śastu naiva grāhyo'sti vaidikaiḥ || 18 || anyeṣāṃ śāstrakartṝṇāmajñānaprabhavatvataḥ | ajñānadoṣaduṣṭatvāttadukterna pramāṇatā || 19 || tasmānmumukṣurdharmārthaṃ sarvathā vedamāśrayet | rājājñā ca yathā loke hanyate na kadācana || 20 || sarveśānyā mamājñā sā śrutistyājyā kathaṃ nṛbhiḥ | madājñārakṣaṇārthaṃ tu brahmakṣatriyajātayaḥ || 21 || mayā sṛṣṭāstato jñeyaṃ rahasyaṃ me śrutervacaḥ | yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhūdhara || 22 || abhyutthānamadharmasya tadā veṣānbibharmyaham | devadaityavibhāgaścāpyata evābhavannṛpa || 23 || ye na kurvanti taddharmaṃ tacchikṣārthaṃ mayā sadā | sampāditāstu narakāstrāso yacchravaṇād‌bhavet || 24 || yo vedadharmamujjhitya dharmamanyaṃ samāśrayet | rājā pravāsayeddeśānnijādetānadharmiṇaḥ || 25 || brāhmaṇairna ca sambhāṣyāḥ paṅktigrāhyā na ca dvijaiḥ | anyāni yāni śāstrāṇi loke'sminvividhāni ca || 26 || śrutismṛtiviruddhāni tāmasānyeva sarvaśaḥ | vāmaṃ kāpālakaṃ caiva kaulakaṃ bhairavāgamaḥ || 27 || śivena mohanārthāya praṇīto nānyahetukaḥ | dakṣaśāpād‌ bhṛgoḥ śāpāddadhīcasya ca śāpataḥ || 28 || dagdhā ye brāhmaṇavarā vedamārgabahiṣkṛtāḥ | teṣāmuddharaṇārthāya sopānakramataḥ sadā || 29 || śaivāśca vaiṣṇavāśścaiva saurāḥ śāktāstathaiva ca | gāṇapatyā āgamāśca praṇītāḥ śaṅkareṇa tu || 30 || tatra vedāviruddhāṃśo'pyukta eva kvacitkvacit | vaidikaistadgrahe deṣo na bhavatyeva karhicit || 31 || sarvathā vedabhinnārthe nādhikārī dvijo bhavet | vedādhikārahīnastu bhavettatrādhikāravān || 32 || tasmātsarvaprayat‍nena vaidiko vedamāśrayet | dharmeṇa sahitaṃ jñānaṃ paraṃ brahma prakāśayet || 33 || sarvaiṣaṇāḥ parityajya māmeva śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ | sarvabhūtadayāvanto mānāhaṅkāravarjitāḥ || 34 || maccittā madgataprāṇā matsthānakathane ratāḥ | saṃnyāsino vanasthāśca gṛhasthā brahmacāriṇaḥ || 35 || upāsante sadā bhaktyā yogamaiśvarasañjñitam | teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāmahamajñānajaṃ tamaḥ || 36 || jñānasūryaprakāśena nāśayāmi na saṃśayaḥ | itthaṃ vaidikapūjāyāḥ prathamāyā nagādhipa || 37 || svarūpamuktaṃ saṃkṣepād‌ dvitīyāyā atho bruve | mūrtau vā sthaṇḍile vāpi tathā sūryendumaṇḍale || 38 || jale'thavā bāṇaliṅge yantre vāpi mahāpaṭe | tathā śrīhṛdayāmbhoje dhyātvā devīṃ parātparām || 39 || saguṇāṃ karuṇāpūrṇāṃ taruṇīmaruṇāruṇām | saundaryasārasīmāṃ tāṃ sarvāvayavasundarīm || 40 || śṛṅgārarasasampūrṇāṃ sadā bhaktārtikātarām | prasādasumukhīmambāṃ candrakhaṇḍaśikhaṇḍinīm || 41 || pāśāṅkuśavarābhītidharāmānandarūpiṇīm | pūjayedupacāraiśca yathāvittānusārataḥ || 42 || yāvadāntarapūjāyāmadhikāro bhavenna hi | tāvadbāhyāmimāṃ pūjāṃ śrayejjāte tu tāṃ tyajet || 43 || ābhyantarā tu yā pūjā sā tu saṃvillayaḥ smṛtaḥ | saṃvideva paraṃ rūpamupādhirahitaṃ mama || 44 || ataḥ saṃvidi mad‌rūpe cetaḥ sthāpyaṃ nirāśrayam | saṃvidrūpātiriktaṃ tu mithyā māyāmayaṃ jagat || 45 || ataḥ saṃsāranāśāya sākṣiṇīmātmarūpiṇīm | bhāvayennirmanaskena yogayuktena cetasā || 46 || ataḥ paraṃ bāhyapūjāvistāraḥ kathyate mayā | sāvadhānena manasā śṛṇu parvatasattama || 47 ||

English translation

1. The Himalayas said "O Devi! O MahesVari! O Thou, the Ocean of Mercy! O World-Mother! Now describe in detail how Thy worship is conducted, the rules and ceremonials thereof.

2-20. The Devi said "O King of Mountains! I now describe to you the rites and ceremonies and the methods of My worship that are pleasing to Me. Hear it attentively and with faith. My worship is of two kinds External and internal. The external worship is again twofold: one is Vaidik, and the other is Tantrik. The Vaidik worship is also of two kinds according to the differences in My forms. Those who are initiated in the Vedic Mantrams worship according to the Vedic rites and ceremonies and those who are initiated in the Tantrik-Mantram worship according to the Tantrik rites. That stupid man is entirely ruined and goes to Hell who knowing the secrets of worship, act contrary to them. First I will describe to you the Vaidik worship; hear. The highest Form of Mine that you saw before, with innumerable heads, innumerable eyes, innumerable feet, and the llluminer of the intelligences of all the Jivas, endowed with all powers. Higher than the Highest, Very Grand, worship That, bow down to That and meditate on That. O Nagendra! This is the first form of worship that I describe to you. With your senses controlled, peaceful, with a well concentrated mind, void of egoism and vanity, and devoted to That, perform sacrifices to That,, take refuge of That, see That within the temple of your mind, and always recite Her name and meditate on that. Take hold of Me, and My ideas with one pointed loving devotion and please Me with the performance of sacrifices, austerities and gifts. By My Grace, you will no doubt be able to get the Final Liberation. Whoever is entirely attached to Me, thinking Me as the Highest, is the foremost amongst the Bhaktas. I promise that I will certainly deliver him from this ocean of the world. O King of mountains! Meditation with Karma and Jhana with Bhakti will lead one to Me. Only the work alone will fail to get one to Me. O Himavan! From Dharma arises Bhakti and from Bhakti arises the Highest

Jnana. What are said in the S'ruti and Smriti S'astras the Maharsis take that as the Dharma; and what are written in other S'astras, they take them to be Dharmabhasa (the Shadow or reflection of Dharma). Out of My omniscient and omnipotent Nature, the Vedas have come. Owing to the want of Ignorance in Me, the Vedas can never be invalidated. The Smritis are formed out of the meaning of the Vedas; so the Smriti and Puranas, formed, by Manu and the other Risis, are authoritative. In some places it is hinted that there other S'astras than the Vedas, taking the Tantras indirectly into account. Although the matters relating to the Dharmas are mentioned therein, but as they are apparently contrary to the S'rutis, the Tantras are not accepted by the Vaidik Pundits. The other S'astra makers are marked with their ignorance; so their sayings cannot be authoritative. Therefore he must resort entirely to the Vedas who want the final liberation. As the king's order is never disobeyed amongst his subjects, so the S'ruti, the Command of Mine, the Lord of all, can never be abandoned by men.

21-30. To preserve My Commandments, I have created the Brahmana and the Ksattriya castes. My secrets are all embodied in the S'rutis. For that reason, the words of the S'rutis are no doubt to be known and observed by the sages. O Mountain! When the Dharma (righteousness) declines and the Adharma (unrighteousness) reigns supreme, I then manifest Myself in the world as Sakambhari, Rama, Krisna and others. Therefore, the Devas, the preservers of the Vedas, and the Daityas, the destroyers of the Vedas are classified. Whoever does not practise according to the Vedas I have created many hells for their lessons. When the sinners hear of those hells, they get extremely terrified. The king should banish those stupid persons from his kingdom and the Brahmins should not talk with them nor take them in their own lines nor when partaking of food, those who forsake the Vaidic Dharma and go for shelter to another Dharma. The S'astras that are extant, as contrary to the S'rutis and Smritis, are all Tamasa S'astras, Mahadeva has framed these Varna, Kapalak, Kaulaks, Bhairava and such like S'astras for fascinating the people; else he has no object in

framing them. Those Brahmans that were burnt up by the curses of Daksa, S'ukra, Dadhichi and were banished from the path of the Vedas, it is for delivering them, step by step that Mahadeva has framed the five Agamas, S'aiva, Vaisnava, S'aura, S'atta and Ganapatya S'astras.

31-37. In those Tantra S'astras, there are some passages in conformity with the Vedas and there are other passages contradictory to the Vedas. If the Vaidik persons resort to passages in conformity with the Veda, then there cannot arise any fault in them. The Brahmins are not Adhikaris to those Tantric texts that are contradictory to the Vedas. Those persons that have no claim to the Vedas can be Adhikaris to these latter texts. Therefore the Vaidik Brahmanas should resort to the Vedas with all the care possible and make the Para Brahma ot the nature of Jhana manifest within them. The Sanynsins, Vanaprasthas, householders and Brahmacharis should give up all their desires and take refuge in Me; free from egoism and vanity, kind to all creatures, their hearts wholly given to Me and engaged in speaking out My places with enrapt devotion. They always worship My Virat (Cosmic) form, immersed in the Yoga called Ais'varya Yoga (Cosmic Yoga dealing with the glories, prosperity of god). Illumine the understanding with the Sun of My Consciousness, and I destroy the Darkness of Ignorance of those persons that are always engaged in practising Yoga with Me. There is no doubt in this. O Nagendra! Thus I have described in brief the methods and practices of the Vaidik Puja; now I will tell you the Tantriki Puja; hear attentively.

38-47. On an image, or clean plot of ground, or on the Sun or the Moon, in water, in Vana Linga, in Yantra or on a cloth or in the lotus of heart, one is to meditate and worship the Blissful, Higher than the Highest, the Devi, Who creates this universe with the three Gunas Sattva, Raja and Tama, Who is filled with the juice of mercy. Who is blooming in youth. Whose colour is red like the rising Sun, Whose beauty overtops to the full. Whose all the limbs are exquisitely beautiful. Who is the sentiment of Love Incarnate, Who feels very

much for the mental pain of Her Bhaktas on Who being pleased, manifests Herself before the Bhaktas on Whose forehead, the segment of the Moon shines incessantly, and Whose four hands hold goad, noose and the signs of fearlessness and to grant boons. Until one is entitled to the internal worship, one should worship the external; never he is to abandon it. Worship is internal when one’s heart gets diluted in Para Brahma, of the nature of the Universal Consciousness, O Mountain! Know My Consciousness (Samvit) to be My Highest Nature without any limitations. Therefore it is highly incumbent to attach one's hearts, free from other adjuncts, constantly to this Samvit. And what is more than this Samvit is this illusive world full of Maya. So to get rid of this world one is to constantly meditate on Me, the Witness of all, the Self of all, with a heart full of devotiou and free from any Sankalpas or desires.

O Best of Mountains! Now I will describe to you in detail the external form of worship. Hear attentively.

Here ends the Thirty-ninth Chapter of tho Seventh Book on the worship of the World Mother in S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25177, revision 76328 (2016-08-19T07:32:13Z). 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/bk07ch39.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.