Tenth Skandha · Chapter 1
Sourceनारद उवाच नारायण धराधार सर्वपालनकारण । भवतोदीरितं देवीचरितं पापनाशनम् ॥ १ ॥ मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु सा देवी यत्स्वरूपिणी । यदाकारेण कुरुते प्रादुर्भावं महेश्वरी ॥ २ ॥ तान्नः सर्वान्समाख्याहि देवीमाहात्म्यमिश्रितान् । यथा च येन येनेह पूजिता संस्तुतापि हि ॥ ३ ॥ मनोरथान्पूरयति भक्तानां भक्तवत्सला । तन्नः शुभूषमाणानां देवीचरितमुत्तमम् ॥ ४ ॥ वर्णयस्व कृपासिन्धो येनाप्नोति सुखं महत् । श्रीनारायण उवाच आकर्णय महर्षे त्वं चरितं पापनाशनम् ॥ ५ ॥ भक्तानां भक्तिजननं महासम्पत्तिकारकम् । जगद्योनिर्महातेजा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥ ६ ॥ आविरासीन्नाभिपद्माद्देवदेवस्य चक्रिणः । स चतुर्मुख आसाद्य प्रादुर्भावं महामते ॥ ७ ॥ मनुं स्वायम्भुवं नाम जनयामास मानसात् । स मानसो मनुः पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ॥ ८ ॥ शतरूपां च तत्पत्नीं जज्ञे धर्मस्वरूपिणीम् । स मनुः क्षीरसिन्धोश्च तीरे परमपावने ॥ ९ ॥ देवीमाराधयामास महाभाग्यफलप्रदाम् । मूर्तिं च मृण्मयीं तस्या विधाय पृथिवीपतिः ॥ १० ॥ उपासते स्म तां देवीं वाग्भवं स जपन् रहः । निराहारो जितश्वासो नियमव्रतकर्शितः ॥ ११ ॥ एकपादेन सन्तिष्ठन् धरायामनिशं स्थिरः । शतवर्षं जितः कामः क्रोधस्तेन महात्मना ॥ १२ ॥ जे स्थावरतां देव्याश्चरणौ चिन्तयन् हृदि । तस्य तत्तपसा देवी प्रादुर्भूता जगन्मयी ॥ १३ ॥ उवाच वचनं दिव्यं वरं वरय भूमिप । तत आनन्दजनकं श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महीपतिः ॥ १४ ॥ वरयामास तान् हृत्स्थान् वरानमरदुर्लभान् । मनुरुवाच जय देवि विशालाक्षि जय सर्वान्तरस्थिते ॥ १५ ॥ मान्ये पूज्ये जगद्धात्रि सर्वमङ्गलमङ्गले । त्वत्कटाक्षावलोकेन पद्मभूः सृजते जगत् ॥ १६ ॥ वैकुण्ठः पालयत्येव हरः संहरते क्षणात् । शचीपतिस्त्रिलोक्याश्च शासको भवदाज्ञया ॥ १७ ॥ प्राणिनः शिक्षयत्येव दण्डेन च परेतराट् । यादसामधिपः पाशी पालनं मादृशामपि ॥ १८ ॥ कुरुते स कुबेरोऽपि निधीनां पतिरव्ययः । हुतभुङ्नैर्ऋतो वायुरीशानः शेष एव च ॥ १९ ॥ त्वदंशसम्भवा एव त्वच्छक्तिपरिबृंहिताः । अथापि यदि मे देवि वरो देयोऽस्ति साम्प्रतम् ॥ २० ॥ तदा प्रह्वाः सर्गकार्ये विघ्ना नश्यन्तु मे शिवे । वाग्भवस्यापि मन्त्रस्य ये केचिदुपसेविनः ॥ २१ ॥ तेषां सिद्धिः सत्वरापि कार्याणां जायतामपि । ये संवादमिमं देवि पठन्ति श्रावयन्ति च ॥ २२ ॥ तेषां लोके भुक्तिमुक्ती सुलभे भवतां शिवे । जातिस्मरत्वं भवतु वक्तृत्वं सौष्ठवं तथा ॥ २३ ॥ ज्ञानसिद्धिः कर्ममार्गसंसिद्धिरपि चास्तु हि । पुत्रपौत्रसमृद्धिश्च जायेदित्येव मे वचः ॥ २४ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे मनुकृतं देवीस्तवनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः ॥ १ ॥
nārada uvāca nārāyaṇa dharādhāra sarvapālanakāraṇa | bhavatodīritaṃ devīcaritaṃ pāpanāśanam || 1 || manvantareṣu sarveṣu sā devī yatsvarūpiṇī | yadākāreṇa kurute prādurbhāvaṃ maheśvarī || 2 || tānnaḥ sarvānsamākhyāhi devīmāhātmyamiśritān | yathā ca yena yeneha pūjitā saṃstutāpi hi || 3 || manorathānpūrayati bhaktānāṃ bhaktavatsalā | tannaḥ śubhūṣamāṇānāṃ devīcaritamuttamam || 4 || varṇayasva kṛpāsindho yenāpnoti sukhaṃ mahat | śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca ākarṇaya maharṣe tvaṃ caritaṃ pāpanāśanam || 5 || bhaktānāṃ bhaktijananaṃ mahāsampattikārakam | jagadyonirmahātejā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ || 6 || āvirāsīnnābhipadmāddevadevasya cakriṇaḥ | sa caturmukha āsādya prādurbhāvaṃ mahāmate || 7 || manuṃ svāyambhuvaṃ nāma janayāmāsa mānasāt | sa mānaso manuḥ putro brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ || 8 || śatarūpāṃ ca tatpatnīṃ jajñe dharmasvarūpiṇīm | sa manuḥ kṣīrasindhośca tīre paramapāvane || 9 || devīmārādhayāmāsa mahābhāgyaphalapradām | mūrtiṃ ca mṛṇmayīṃ tasyā vidhāya pṛthivīpatiḥ || 10 || upāsate sma tāṃ devīṃ vāgbhavaṃ sa japan rahaḥ | nirāhāro jitaśvāso niyamavratakarśitaḥ || 11 || ekapādena santiṣṭhan dharāyāmaniśaṃ sthiraḥ | śatavarṣaṃ jitaḥ kāmaḥ krodhastena mahātmanā || 12 || je sthāvaratāṃ devyāścaraṇau cintayan hṛdi | tasya tattapasā devī prādurbhūtā jaganmayī || 13 || uvāca vacanaṃ divyaṃ varaṃ varaya bhūmipa | tata ānandajanakaṃ śrutvā vākyaṃ mahīpatiḥ || 14 || varayāmāsa tān hṛtsthān varānamaradurlabhān | manuruvāca jaya devi viśālākṣi jaya sarvāntarasthite || 15 || mānye pūjye jagaddhātri sarvamaṅgalamaṅgale | tvatkaṭākṣāvalokena padmabhūḥ sṛjate jagat || 16 || vaikuṇṭhaḥ pālayatyeva haraḥ saṃharate kṣaṇāt | śacīpatistrilokyāśca śāsako bhavadājñayā || 17 || prāṇinaḥ śikṣayatyeva daṇḍena ca paretarāṭ | yādasāmadhipaḥ pāśī pālanaṃ mādṛśāmapi || 18 || kurute sa kubero'pi nidhīnāṃ patiravyayaḥ | hutabhuṅnairṛto vāyurīśānaḥ śeṣa eva ca || 19 || tvadaṃśasambhavā eva tvacchaktiparibṛṃhitāḥ | athāpi yadi me devi varo deyo'sti sāmpratam || 20 || tadā prahvāḥ sargakārye vighnā naśyantu me śive | vāgbhavasyāpi mantrasya ye kecidupasevinaḥ || 21 || teṣāṃ siddhiḥ satvarāpi kāryāṇāṃ jāyatāmapi | ye saṃvādamimaṃ devi paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca || 22 || teṣāṃ loke bhuktimuktī sulabhe bhavatāṃ śive | jātismaratvaṃ bhavatu vaktṛtvaṃ sauṣṭhavaṃ tathā || 23 || jñānasiddhiḥ karmamārgasaṃsiddhirapi cāstu hi | putrapautrasamṛddhiśca jāyedityeva me vacaḥ || 24 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ daśamaskandhe manukṛtaṃ devīstavanaṃ nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ || 1 ||
English translation
1-6. Narada said O Narayana! O Thou, the Supporter of this whole world! The Preserver of all! Thou hast described the glorious characters of the Devi, that take away all the sins. Kindly describe now to me the several forms that the Devi assumed in every Manvantara in this world as well as Her Divine Greatness. O Thou, full of mercy! Describe also how and by whom She was worshipped and praised; how She, so kind to the devotees, having been thus pleased, fulfilled their desires. I am very eager to hear these, the very best and blissful characters of the Devi. S’ri Narayana said Hear, O Maharsi! The glories and greatness of the Devi Bhagavati leading to the devotion of the devotees, capable of giving all sorts of wealth and destroying all sins. From the navel lotus of Visnu, the holder of the Chakra (discus), was born Brahma, the Creator of this universe, the great Energetic One, and the Grand Sire of all the worlds.
7-14. The four faced Brahma, on being born, produced from His mind Svayambhuva Manu and his wife S’atarupa, the embodiment of all virtues. For this very reason, Svayambhuva Manu has been known as the mind-born son of Brahma. Svayambhuva Manu got from Brahma the task to create and multiply; he made an earthen image of the Devi Bhagavati, the Bestower of all fortunes, on the beach of the sanctifying Ksira Samudra (ocean of milk) and he engaged himself in worshipping Her and began to repeat the principal mystic mantra of Vagbhava (the Deity of Speech). Thus engaged in worship, Svayambhuva Manu conquered by and by his breath and food and observed Yama, Niyama and other vows and became lean and thin. For one hundred years he remained standing always on one leg and became successful in controlling his six passions lust, anger, etc. He meditated on the feet of that Adya S'akti (the Primordial S'akti) so much that he became inert like a
vegetable or mineral matter. By his Tapas the Devi, the World Mother appeared before him and said “O King! Ask divine boons from Me.” Hearing these joyous words, the King wanted his long cherished and heart-felt boon, so very rare to the Devas.
15-22. Manu said O Large eyed Devi! Victory to Thee, residing in the hearts of all! O Thou honoured, worshipped! O Thou! the Upholdress of the world! O Thou, the Auspicious of all auspicious!
By Thy Gracious Look, it is that the Lotus born has been able to create the worlds; Visnu is perserving and Rudra Deva is destroying in a minute. By Thy command it is that Indra, the Lord of S'achi, has got the charge of controlling the three Lokas; and Yama, the Lord of the departed, is awarding fruits and punishing according, to their merits or demerits, the deceased ones. O Mother! By Thy Grace, Varuna, the holder of the noose, has become the lord of all aquatic creatures and is preserving them; and Kuvera, the lord of the Yaksas, has become the lord of wealth. Agni (fire), Nairrit, Vayu (wind), Is'ana and Ananta Deva are Thy parts and have grown by Thy power. Then, O Devi! If Thou desirest to grant me my desired boon, then, O Thou! the Auspicious One! Let all the great obstacles to my work of procreating in this universe and increasing my dominions die away. And if anybody worships this great Vagbhava Mantra or anybody hears with devotion this history or makes others hear this, they all shall be crowned with success and enjoyment and Mukti be easy to them.
23-24. Specially they would get the power to remember their past lives, acquire eloquence in speaking, all round beauty, success in obtaining knowledge, success in their deeds and especially in the increase of their posterity and children. O Bhagavati! This is what I want most.
Here ends the First Chapter of the Tenth Book on the story of Svayambhuva Manu in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 31949, revision 201147 (2019-05-07T23:30:02Z). 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/bk10ch01.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.