Tenth Skandha · Chapter 6
Sourceसूत उवाच श्रीशस्य वचनाद्देवाः सन्तुष्टाः सर्व एव हि । प्रसन्नमनसो भूत्वा पुनरेनं समूचिरे ॥ १ ॥ देवा ऊचुः देवदेव महाविष्णो सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारण । विष्णो विन्ध्यनगोऽर्कस्य मार्गरोधं करोति हि ॥ २ ॥ तेन भानुविरोधेन सर्व एव महाविभो । अलब्धभोगभागा हि किं कुर्मः कुत्र याम हि ॥ ३ ॥ श्रीभगवानुवाच या कर्त्री सर्वजगतामाद्या च कुलवर्धनी । देवी भगवती तस्याः पूजकः परमद्युतिः ॥ ४ ॥ अगस्त्यो मुनिवर्योऽसौ वाराणस्यां समासते । तत्तेजोवञ्चकोऽगस्त्यो भविष्यति सुरोत्तमाः ॥ ५ ॥ तं प्रसाद्य द्विजवरमगस्त्यं परमौजसम् । याचध्वं विबुधाः काशीं गत्वा निःश्रेयसः पदीम् ॥ ६ ॥ सूत उवाच एवं समुपदिष्टास्ते विष्णुना विबुधोत्तमाः । प्रतीताः प्रणताः सर्वे जग्मुर्वाराणसीं पुरीम् ॥ ७ ॥ क्षणेन विबुधश्रेष्ठा गत्वा काशीपुरीं शुभाम् । मणिकर्णीं समाप्लुत्य सचैलं भक्तिसंयुताः ॥ ८ ॥ सन्तर्प्य देवांश्च पितॄन्दत्त्वा दानं विधानतः । आगत्य मुनिवर्यस्य चाश्रमं परमं महत् ॥ ९ ॥ प्रशान्तश्वापदाकीर्णं नानापादपसङ्कुलम् । मयूरैः सारसैर्हंसैश्चक्रवाकैरुपाश्रितम् ॥ १० ॥ महावराहैः कोलैश्च व्याघ्रैः शार्दूलकैरपि । मृगै रुरुभिरत्यर्थं खड्गैः शरभकैरपि ॥ ११ ॥ समाश्रितं परमया लक्ष्म्या मुनिवरं तदा । दण्डवत्पतिताः सर्वे प्रणेमुश्च पुनः पुनः ॥ १२ ॥ देवा ऊचुः जय द्विजगणाधीश मान्य पूज्य धरासुर । वातापीबलनाशाय नमस्ते कुम्भयोनये ॥ १३ ॥ लोपामुद्रापते श्रीमन्मित्रावरुणसम्भव । सर्वविद्यानिधेऽगस्त्य शास्त्रयोने नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १४ ॥ यस्योदये प्रसन्नानि भवन्त्युज्ज्वलभांज्यपि । तोयानि तोयराशीनां तस्मै तुभ्यं नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १५ ॥ काशपुष्पविकासाय लङ्कावासप्रियाय च । जटामण्डलयुक्ताय सशिष्याय नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १६ ॥ जय सर्वामरस्तव्य गुणराशे महामुने । वरिष्ठाय च पूज्याय सस्त्रीकाय नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ १७ ॥ प्रसादः क्रियतां स्वामिन् वयं त्वां शरणं गताः । दुस्तराच्छैलजाद्दुःखात्पीडिताः परमद्युते ॥ १८ ॥ इत्येवं संस्तुतोऽगस्त्यो मुनिः परमधार्मिकः । प्राह प्रसन्नया वाचा विहसन् द्विजसत्तमः ॥ १९ ॥ मुनिरुवाच भवन्तः परमश्रेष्ठा देवास्त्रिभुवनेश्वराः । लोकपाला महात्मानो निग्रहानुग्रहक्षमाः ॥ २० ॥ योऽमरावत्यधीशानः कुलिशं यस्य चायुधम् । सिद्ध्यष्टकं च यद्द्वारि स शक्रो मरुतां पतिः ॥ २१ ॥ वैश्वानरः कृशानुर्हि हव्यकव्यवहोऽनिशम् । मुखं सर्वामराणां हि सोऽग्निः किं तस्य दुष्करम् ॥ २२ ॥ रक्षोगणाधिपो भीमः सर्वेषां कर्मसाक्षिकः । दण्डव्यग्रकरो देवः किं तस्यासुकरं सुराः ॥ २३ ॥ तथापि यदि देवेशाः कार्यं मच्छक्तिसिद्धिभृत् । अस्ति चेदुच्यतां देवाः करिष्यामि न संशयः ॥ २४ ॥ एवं मुनिवरेणोक्तं निशम्य विबुधर्षभाः । प्रतीताः प्रणयोद्विग्नाः कार्यं निजगदुर्निजम् ॥ २५ ॥ महर्षे विन्ध्यगिरिणा निरुद्धोऽर्कविनिर्गमः । त्रैलोक्यं तेन संविष्टं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् ॥ २६ ॥ तद्वृद्धिं स्तम्भय मुने निजया तपसः श्रिया । भवतस्तेजसागस्त्य नूनं नम्रो भविष्यति । एतदेवास्मदीयं च कार्यं कर्तव्यमस्ति हि ॥ २७ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे अगस्त्याश्वासनवर्णनं नाम षष्ठोऽध्यायः ॥ ६ ॥
sūta uvāca śrīśasya vacanāddevāḥ santuṣṭāḥ sarva eva hi | prasannamanaso bhūtvā punarenaṃ samūcire || 1 || devā ūcuḥ devadeva mahāviṣṇo sṛṣṭisthityantakāraṇa | viṣṇo vindhyanago'rkasya mārgarodhaṃ karoti hi || 2 || tena bhānuvirodhena sarva eva mahāvibho | alabdhabhogabhāgā hi kiṃ kurmaḥ kutra yāma hi || 3 || śrībhagavānuvāca yā kartrī sarvajagatāmādyā ca kulavardhanī | devī bhagavatī tasyāḥ pūjakaḥ paramadyutiḥ || 4 || agastyo munivaryo'sau vārāṇasyāṃ samāsate | tattejovañcako'gastyo bhaviṣyati surottamāḥ || 5 || taṃ prasādya dvijavaramagastyaṃ paramaujasam | yācadhvaṃ vibudhāḥ kāśīṃ gatvā niḥśreyasaḥ padīm || 6 || sūta uvāca evaṃ samupadiṣṭāste viṣṇunā vibudhottamāḥ | pratītāḥ praṇatāḥ sarve jagmurvārāṇasīṃ purīm || 7 || kṣaṇena vibudhaśreṣṭhā gatvā kāśīpurīṃ śubhām | maṇikarṇīṃ samāplutya sacailaṃ bhaktisaṃyutāḥ || 8 || santarpya devāṃśca pitṝndattvā dānaṃ vidhānataḥ | āgatya munivaryasya cāśramaṃ paramaṃ mahat || 9 || praśāntaśvāpadākīrṇaṃ nānāpādapasaṅkulam | mayūraiḥ sārasairhaṃsaiścakravākairupāśritam || 10 || mahāvarāhaiḥ kolaiśca vyāghraiḥ śārdūlakairapi | mṛgai rurubhiratyarthaṃ khaḍgaiḥ śarabhakairapi || 11 || samāśritaṃ paramayā lakṣmyā munivaraṃ tadā | daṇḍavatpatitāḥ sarve praṇemuśca punaḥ punaḥ || 12 || devā ūcuḥ jaya dvijagaṇādhīśa mānya pūjya dharāsura | vātāpībalanāśāya namaste kumbhayonaye || 13 || lopāmudrāpate śrīmanmitrāvaruṇasambhava | sarvavidyānidhe'gastya śāstrayone namo'stu te || 14 || yasyodaye prasannāni bhavantyujjvalabhāṃjyapi | toyāni toyarāśīnāṃ tasmai tubhyaṃ namo'stu te || 15 || kāśapuṣpavikāsāya laṅkāvāsapriyāya ca | jaṭāmaṇḍalayuktāya saśiṣyāya namo'stu te || 16 || jaya sarvāmarastavya guṇarāśe mahāmune | variṣṭhāya ca pūjyāya sastrīkāya namo'stu te || 17 || prasādaḥ kriyatāṃ svāmin vayaṃ tvāṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ | dustarācchailajādduḥkhātpīḍitāḥ paramadyute || 18 || ityevaṃ saṃstuto'gastyo muniḥ paramadhārmikaḥ | prāha prasannayā vācā vihasan dvijasattamaḥ || 19 || muniruvāca bhavantaḥ paramaśreṣṭhā devāstribhuvaneśvarāḥ | lokapālā mahātmāno nigrahānugrahakṣamāḥ || 20 || yo'marāvatyadhīśānaḥ kuliśaṃ yasya cāyudham | siddhyaṣṭakaṃ ca yaddvāri sa śakro marutāṃ patiḥ || 21 || vaiśvānaraḥ kṛśānurhi havyakavyavaho'niśam | mukhaṃ sarvāmarāṇāṃ hi so'gniḥ kiṃ tasya duṣkaram || 22 || rakṣogaṇādhipo bhīmaḥ sarveṣāṃ karmasākṣikaḥ | daṇḍavyagrakaro devaḥ kiṃ tasyāsukaraṃ surāḥ || 23 || tathāpi yadi deveśāḥ kāryaṃ macchaktisiddhibhṛt | asti ceducyatāṃ devāḥ kariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ || 24 || evaṃ munivareṇoktaṃ niśamya vibudharṣabhāḥ | pratītāḥ praṇayodvignāḥ kāryaṃ nijagadurnijam || 25 || maharṣe vindhyagiriṇā niruddho'rkavinirgamaḥ | trailokyaṃ tena saṃviṣṭaṃ hāhābhūtamacetanam || 26 || tadvṛddhiṃ stambhaya mune nijayā tapasaḥ śriyā | bhavatastejasāgastya nūnaṃ namro bhaviṣyati | etadevāsmadīyaṃ ca kāryaṃ kartavyamasti hi || 27 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ daśamaskandhe agastyāśvāsanavarṇanaṃ nāma ṣaṣṭho'dhyāyaḥ || 6 ||
English translation
1-6. Suta said O Risis! Hearing the words of the Lord of Laksmi, all the Devas became pleased and they spoke. The Devas said O Deva of the Devas! O Maha Visnu! O Thou, the Creator, Preserver and the Destroyer of the Universe! O Visnu! The Bindhya mountain has risen very high and it has stopped the Sun's course. Therefore all the works on earth are suspended. We are not receiving our share of Yajhas. Now where we will go, what we will do, we do not know. S’ri Bhagavan said “O Devas! There is now in Benares the Muni Agastya of indomitable power, in devoted service of that Primordial S'akti Bhagavati, the Creatrix of this Universe. This Muni alone can put a stop to this abnormal Bindhya Range. Therefore it behoves you all to go to that fiery Dvija Agastya at Benares where the people get Nirvana; the Highest Place and pray to him (to kindly fulfil your object).”
7-19. Suta said: - O Risis! Thus ordered by Visnu, the gods felt themselves comforted and, saluting Him, went to the city of Benares.
In a moment they went to the Holy City of Benares, and bathing there at the Manikarnika ghat, worshipped the Devas with devotion and offered Tarpanas to the Piths and duly made their charities. Then they went to the excellent As'rama of the Muni Agastya. The hermitage was full of quiet quadruped animals; adorned with various trees, peacocks, herons, geese and Chakravakas and various other birds, tigers, wolves, deer, the wild boars, rhinoceros, young elephants, Ruru deer and others. Though there were the ferocious animals, yet the place was free from fear and it looked exceedingly beautiful. On arriving before the Muni, the gods fell prostrate before
him and bowed down again and again to him. They then chanted hymns to him and said O Lord of Dvijas! O Thou honoured and most worshipful! Victory to Thee. Thou art sprung from a water jar. Thou art the destroyer of VatapT, the Asura. Obeisance to Thee! O Thou, full of S’ri, the son of Mitravaruna! Thou art the husband of Lopamudra. Thou art the store house of all knowledge. Thou art the source of all the S'astras. Obeisance to Thee! At Thy rise, the waters of the ocean become bright and clear; so obeisance to Thee! At Thy rise (Canopus) the Kas'a flower blossoms. Thou art adorned with clots of matted hair on Thy head and Thou always livest with Thy disciples. S’ri Rama Chandra is one of Thy chief disciples. O great Muni! Thou art entitled to praise from all the Devas! O Best! The Store-house of all qualities! O great Muni! We now bow down to Thee and Thy wife Lopamudra! O Lord! O very Energetic! We all are very much tormented by an unbearable pain inflicted on us by the Bindhya Range and we therefore take refuge of Thee. Be gracious unto us. Thus praised by the gods, the highly religious Muni Agastya, the twice born, smiled and graciously said
20-27. O Devas! You are the lords of the three worlds, superior to all, highsouled, and the preserver of the Lokas. If you wish, you can favour, disfavour, do anything. Especially He who is the Lord of heavens, whose weapon is the thunderbolt, and the eight Siddhis are ever at his service is your Indra, the Lord of the Devas. What is there that he cannot do? Then there is Agni, Who burns everything and always carries oblations to the gods and the Pitris, Who is the mouth piece of the Devas. Is there anything impracticable with him!
O Devas! Then again Yama is there amongst you, the Lord of the Raksasas, the Witness of all actions, and always quick in giving punishment to the offenders, that terrible looking Yama Raja. What is there that he cannot accomplish?
still, O Devas! if there be anything required by you that awaits my co-operation, give out at once and I will do it undoubtedly. Hearing these words of the Muni, the Devas became very glad and joyfully began to say what they wanted. O Maharsi! The Bindhya mountain has risen very high and thwarted the Sun's course in the Heavens. A cry of universal distress and consternation has arisen and the three worlds are now verging to the ruins. O Muni! Now what we want is this that Thou, by Thy power of Tapas, curbest the rise of this Bindhya Mountain. O Agastya! Certainly, by Thy fire and austerities, that mountain will be brought down and humiliated. This is what we want.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Tenth Book on the Devas' praying to the Muni Agastya for checking the abnormal rise of the Bindhya Range in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 31954, revision 201140 (2019-05-07T23:23:14Z). 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/bk10ch06.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.