Tenth Skandha · Chapter 11
Sourceराजोवाच का सा देवी त्वया प्रोक्ता ब्रूहि कालविदां वर । का मोहयति सत्त्वानि कारणं किं भवेद् द्विज ॥ १ ॥ कस्मादुत्पद्यते देवी किंरूपा सा किमात्मिका । सर्वमाख्याहि भूदेव कृपया मम सर्वतः ॥ २ ॥ मुनिरुवाच राजन् देव्याः स्वरूपं ते वर्णयामि निशामय । यथा चोत्पतिता देवी येन वा सा जगन्मयी ॥ ३ ॥ यदा नारायणो देवो विश्वं संहृत्य योगराट् । आस्तीर्य शेषं भगवान् समुद्रे निद्रितोऽभवत् ॥ ४ ॥ तदा प्रस्वापवशगो देवदेवो जनार्दनः । तत्कर्णमलसञ्जातौ दानवौ मधुकैटभौ ॥ ५ ॥ ब्रह्माणं हन्तुमुद्युक्तौ दानवौ घोररूपिणौ । तदा कमलजो देवो दृष्ट्वा तौ मधुकैटभौ ॥ ६ ॥ निद्रितं देवदेवेशं चिन्तामाप दुरत्ययाम् । निद्रितो भगवानीशो दानवौ च दुरासदौ ॥ ७ ॥ किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथं शर्म लभे ह्यहम् । एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य पद्ययोनेर्महात्मनः ॥ ८ ॥ बुद्धिः प्रादूरभूत्तात तदा कार्यप्रसाधिनी । यस्या वशं गतो देवो निद्रितो भगवान् हरिः ॥ ९ ॥ तां देवीं शरणं यामि निद्रां सर्वप्रसूतिकाम् । ब्रह्मोवाच देवि देवि जगद्धात्रि भक्ताभीष्टफलप्रदे ॥ १० ॥ जगन्माये महामाये समुद्रशयने शिवे । त्वदाज्ञावशगाः सर्वे स्वस्वकार्यविधायिनः ॥ ११ ॥ कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिर्मदोत्कटा । व्यापिनी वशगा मान्या महानन्दैकशेवधिः ॥ १२ ॥ महनीया महाराध्या माया मधुमती मही । परापराणां सर्वेषां परमा त्वं प्रकीर्तिता ॥ १३ ॥ लज्जा पुष्टिः क्षमा कीर्तिः कान्तिः कारुण्यविग्रहा । कमनीया जगद्वन्द्या जाग्रदादिस्वरूपिणी ॥ १४ ॥ परमा परमेशानी परानन्दपरायणा । एकाप्येकस्वरूपा च सद्वितीया द्वयात्मिका ॥ १५ ॥ त्रयी त्रिवर्गनिलया तुर्या तुर्यपदात्मिका । पञ्चमी पञ्चभूतेशी षष्ठी षष्ठेश्वरीति च ॥ १६ ॥ सप्तमी सप्तवारेशी सप्तसप्तवरप्रदा । अष्टमी वसुनाथा च नवग्रहमयीश्वरी ॥ १७ ॥ नवरागकला रम्या नवसंख्या नवेश्वरी । दशमी दशदिक्पूज्या दशाशाव्यापिनी रमा ॥ १८ ॥ एकादशात्मिका चैकादशरुद्रनिषेविता । एकादशीतिथिप्रीता एकादशगणाधिपा ॥ १९ ॥ द्वादशी द्वादशभुजा द्वादशादित्यजन्मभूः । त्रयोदशात्मिका देवी त्रयोदशगणप्रिया ॥ २० ॥ त्रयोदशाभिधा भिन्ना विश्वेदेवाधिदेवता । चतुर्दशेन्द्रवरदा चतुर्दशमनुप्रसूः ॥ २१ ॥ पञ्चाधिकदशी वेद्या पञ्चाधिकदशी तिथिः । षोडशी षोडशभुजा षोडशेन्दुकलामयी ॥ २२ ॥ षोडशात्मकचन्द्रांशुव्याप्तदिव्यकलेवरा । एवंरूपासि देवेशि निर्गुणे तामसोदये ॥ २३ ॥ त्वया गृहीतो भगवान्देवदेवो रमापतिः । एतौ दुरासदौ दैत्यौ विक्रान्तौ मधुकैटभौ ॥ २४ ॥ एतयोश्च वधार्थाय देवेशं प्रतिबोधय । मुनिरुवाच एवं स्तुता भगवती तामसी भगवत्प्रिया ॥ २५ ॥ देवदेवं तदा त्यक्त्वा मोहयामास दानवौ । तदैव भगवान्विष्णुः परमात्मा जगत्पतिः ॥ २६ ॥ प्रबोधमाप देवेशो ददृशे दानवोत्तमौ । तदा तौ दानवौ घोरौ दृष्ट्वा तं मधुसूदनम् ॥ २७ ॥ युद्धाय कृतसङ्कल्पौ जग्मतुः सन्निधिं हरेः । युयुधे च ततस्ताभ्यां भगवान्मधुसूदनः ॥ २८ ॥ पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि बाहुप्रहरणो विभुः । तौ तदातिबलोन्मत्तौ जगन्मायाविमोहितौ ॥ २९ ॥ व्रियतां वर इत्येवमूचतुः परमेश्वरम् । एवं तयोर्वचः श्रुत्वा भगवानादिपूरुषः ॥ ३० ॥ वव्रे वध्याबुभौ मेऽद्य भवेतामिति निश्चितम् । तौ तदातिबलौ देवं पुनरेवोचतुर्हरिम् ॥ ३१ ॥ आवां जहि न यत्रोर्वी पयसा च परिप्लुता । तथेत्युक्त्वा भगवता गदाशङ्खभृता नृप ॥ ३२ ॥ कृत्वा चक्रेण वै छिन्ने जघने शिरसी तयोः । एवं देवी समुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणा संस्तुता नृप ॥ ३३ ॥ महाकाली महाराज सर्वयोगेश्वरेश्वरी । महालक्ष्म्यास्तथोत्पत्तिं निशामय महीपते ॥ ३४ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे देवीमाहात्म्ये मधुकैटभवधवर्णनं नाम एकादशोऽध्यायः ॥ ११ ॥
rājovāca kā sā devī tvayā proktā brūhi kālavidāṃ vara | kā mohayati sattvāni kāraṇaṃ kiṃ bhaved dvija || 1 || kasmādutpadyate devī kiṃrūpā sā kimātmikā | sarvamākhyāhi bhūdeva kṛpayā mama sarvataḥ || 2 || muniruvāca rājan devyāḥ svarūpaṃ te varṇayāmi niśāmaya | yathā cotpatitā devī yena vā sā jaganmayī || 3 || yadā nārāyaṇo devo viśvaṃ saṃhṛtya yogarāṭ | āstīrya śeṣaṃ bhagavān samudre nidrito'bhavat || 4 || tadā prasvāpavaśago devadevo janārdanaḥ | tatkarṇamalasañjātau dānavau madhukaiṭabhau || 5 || brahmāṇaṃ hantumudyuktau dānavau ghorarūpiṇau | tadā kamalajo devo dṛṣṭvā tau madhukaiṭabhau || 6 || nidritaṃ devadeveśaṃ cintāmāpa duratyayām | nidrito bhagavānīśo dānavau ca durāsadau || 7 || kiṃ karomi kva gacchāmi kathaṃ śarma labhe hyaham | evaṃ cintayatastasya padyayonermahātmanaḥ || 8 || buddhiḥ prādūrabhūttāta tadā kāryaprasādhinī | yasyā vaśaṃ gato devo nidrito bhagavān hariḥ || 9 || tāṃ devīṃ śaraṇaṃ yāmi nidrāṃ sarvaprasūtikām | brahmovāca devi devi jagaddhātri bhaktābhīṣṭaphalaprade || 10 || jaganmāye mahāmāye samudraśayane śive | tvadājñāvaśagāḥ sarve svasvakāryavidhāyinaḥ || 11 || kālarātrirmahārātrirmoharātrirmadotkaṭā | vyāpinī vaśagā mānyā mahānandaikaśevadhiḥ || 12 || mahanīyā mahārādhyā māyā madhumatī mahī | parāparāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ paramā tvaṃ prakīrtitā || 13 || lajjā puṣṭiḥ kṣamā kīrtiḥ kāntiḥ kāruṇyavigrahā | kamanīyā jagadvandyā jāgradādisvarūpiṇī || 14 || paramā parameśānī parānandaparāyaṇā | ekāpyekasvarūpā ca sadvitīyā dvayātmikā || 15 || trayī trivarganilayā turyā turyapadātmikā | pañcamī pañcabhūteśī ṣaṣṭhī ṣaṣṭheśvarīti ca || 16 || saptamī saptavāreśī saptasaptavarapradā | aṣṭamī vasunāthā ca navagrahamayīśvarī || 17 || navarāgakalā ramyā navasaṃkhyā naveśvarī | daśamī daśadikpūjyā daśāśāvyāpinī ramā || 18 || ekādaśātmikā caikādaśarudraniṣevitā | ekādaśītithiprītā ekādaśagaṇādhipā || 19 || dvādaśī dvādaśabhujā dvādaśādityajanmabhūḥ | trayodaśātmikā devī trayodaśagaṇapriyā || 20 || trayodaśābhidhā bhinnā viśvedevādhidevatā | caturdaśendravaradā caturdaśamanuprasūḥ || 21 || pañcādhikadaśī vedyā pañcādhikadaśī tithiḥ | ṣoḍaśī ṣoḍaśabhujā ṣoḍaśendukalāmayī || 22 || ṣoḍaśātmakacandrāṃśuvyāptadivyakalevarā | evaṃrūpāsi deveśi nirguṇe tāmasodaye || 23 || tvayā gṛhīto bhagavāndevadevo ramāpatiḥ | etau durāsadau daityau vikrāntau madhukaiṭabhau || 24 || etayośca vadhārthāya deveśaṃ pratibodhaya | muniruvāca evaṃ stutā bhagavatī tāmasī bhagavatpriyā || 25 || devadevaṃ tadā tyaktvā mohayāmāsa dānavau | tadaiva bhagavānviṣṇuḥ paramātmā jagatpatiḥ || 26 || prabodhamāpa deveśo dadṛśe dānavottamau | tadā tau dānavau ghorau dṛṣṭvā taṃ madhusūdanam || 27 || yuddhāya kṛtasaṅkalpau jagmatuḥ sannidhiṃ hareḥ | yuyudhe ca tatastābhyāṃ bhagavānmadhusūdanaḥ || 28 || pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi bāhupraharaṇo vibhuḥ | tau tadātibalonmattau jaganmāyāvimohitau || 29 || vriyatāṃ vara ityevamūcatuḥ parameśvaram | evaṃ tayorvacaḥ śrutvā bhagavānādipūruṣaḥ || 30 || vavre vadhyābubhau me'dya bhavetāmiti niścitam | tau tadātibalau devaṃ punarevocaturharim || 31 || āvāṃ jahi na yatrorvī payasā ca pariplutā | tathetyuktvā bhagavatā gadāśaṅkhabhṛtā nṛpa || 32 || kṛtvā cakreṇa vai chinne jaghane śirasī tayoḥ | evaṃ devī samutpannā brahmaṇā saṃstutā nṛpa || 33 || mahākālī mahārāja sarvayogeśvareśvarī | mahālakṣmyāstathotpattiṃ niśāmaya mahīpate || 34 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ daśamaskandhe devīmāhātmye madhukaiṭabhavadhavarṇanaṃ nāma ekādaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 11 ||
English translation
1-2. The king Suratha spoke “O Best of the twice born! Who is that Devi that you spoke just now? Why the Devi deludes all these beings? What for does She do so? Whence is the Devi born? What is Her Form? and what are Her qualities? O Brahmin! Kindly describe all these to me.”
3-9. The Muni spoke O King! I will now describe the nature of the Devi Bhagavati and why does She take Her Form in due time. Listen. In ancient days, when Bhagavan Narayana, the king of the Yogis, was lying in deep sleep on the ocean on the bed of Ananta, after He had destroyed the Universe, there came out of the wax of his ear the two Danavas, Madhu and Kaitabha, of monstrous appearances. They wanted to kill Brahma, who was lying on the lotus coming out of the navel of Bhagavan. Seeing the two Daityas Madhu and Kaitabha and seeing also Hah asleep the Lotus-born Brahma became very anxious and thoughtNow Bhagavan is asleep; and these two indomitable Daityas are ready to kill me. Now what am I to do? Where to go? How shall I get ease? O Child! Thus thinking, the high souled Lotus born suddenly came to a practical conclusion. He said “Let me now take refuge to the Goddess Sleep, Nidra, the Mother of all and under Whose power Bhagavan Hah is now asleep.”
10-24. Brahma then began to praise Her thus “O Devi of the Devas! O Upholdress of the world! Thou grantest desires of Thy devotees. O Thou auspicious! Thou art Para Brahma! By Thy Command all are doing respectively their works in their proper spheres! Thou art the Night of Destruction (Kala Rath); Thou art the Great Night (Maha Rath). Thou art the greatly terrible Night of Delusion (Moha Rath); Thou art omnipresent; omniscient; of the
nature of the Supreme Bliss. Thou art regarded as the Great. Thou art highly worshipped; Thou art alone in this world as highly intoxicated; Thou art submissive to Bhakti only; Thou art the Best of all the things; Thou art sung as the Highest; Thou art modesty; Thou art Pusti (nourishment); Thou art forgiveness (Ksama); Thou art Beauty (Kanti); Thou art the embodiment of mercy; Thou art liked by all; Thou art adorned by the whole world; Thou art of the nature of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep; Thou art the Highest; Thou art alone Highest Deity; Thou art highly attached to the Supreme Bliss. There is no other thing than Thee. There is One only and that is Thee. Hence Thou art denominated as One; Thou becomest again the two by contact with Thy Maya. Thou art the refuge of Dharma, Artha and Kama; hence Thou Thou art Three; Thou art the Turiya (the fourth state of consciousness) hence Thou art Four. Thou art the God of the five elements; hence Thou art Panchami (five); Thou presidest over the six passions Kama, anger, etc.; hence Thou art Sasthi; Thou presidest over the seven days of the week and Thou grantest boons seven by seven; hence Thou art Seven. Thou art the God of the eight Vasus; hence Thou art Astami; Thou art full of the nine Ragas and nine parts and Thou art the Goddess of nine planets; hence Thou art Navami. Thou pervadest the ten quarters and Thou art worshipped by the ten quarters; hence Thou art named Das'ami (the tenth day of the fortnight); Thou art served by the Eleven Rudras, the Goddesses of eleven Ganas and Thou art fond of Ekadas'i Tithi; hence Thou art denominated Ekadas'i; Thou art twelve armed and the Mother of the twelve Adityas; hence Thou art Dvadas'i; Thou art dear to the thirteen Ganas; Thou art the presiding Deity of Visve Devas and Thou art the thirteen months including the Malas Masa (dirty month), hence Thou art Trayodas'i. Thou didst grant boons to the fourteen Indras and Thou gavest birth to the fourteen Manus; hence Thou art Chaturdas'i. Thou art knowable by the Pahchadas'i. Thou art sixteen armed and on Thy forehead the sixteen digits of the Moon are always shining; Thou art the sixteenth digit (ray) of the Moon named Ama; hence Thou art Sodas'i. O Deves'i! Thou, though attributeless and formless, appearest in these forms and attributes. Thou hast now enveloped in Moha and
Darkness the Lord of Rama, the Bhagavan, the Deva of the Devas. These Daityas, Madhu and Kaitabha are indomitable and very powerful. So to kill them, Thou better dost awake the Lord of the Devas.”
25-34. The Muni said Thus praised by the Lotus-born, the Tamasi Bhagavati (the Goddess of sleep and ignorance), the Beloved of Bhagavan, left Visnu and enchanted the two Daityas.
On being awakened, the Supreme Spirit Visnu, the Lord of the world, the Bhagavan, the Deva of the Devas, saw the two Daityas. Those two monstrous Danavas, beholding Madhu Sudana, came up before Him, ready to fight. The hand-to-hand fight lasted amongst them for five thousand years. Then the two Danavas, maddened by their great strength, were enchanted by the Maya of Bhagavati and told the Supreme Deity, “Ask boon from us.” Hearing this, the Bhagavan Adi Purusa, (the Prime Man) asked the boon that both of them would be killed that day by Him. Those two very powerful Danavas spoke to Hah again, “Very well. Kill us on that part of the earth which is not under water.” O King! Bhagavan Visnu, the Holder of the conch and club, spoke “All right. Indeed! Let that be so.”
Saying this He placed their heads on His thigh and severed them with His disc (chakra). O King! Thus Maha Kali, the Queen of all the Yogas arose on this occasion when the praise was offered Her by Brahma. O King! Now I will describe another account how this Maha Laksmi appeared on another occasion. Listen.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Tenth Book on the killing of Madhu Kaitabha in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 31959, revision 201135 (2019-05-07T23:18:46Z). 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/bk10ch11.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.