Dr. Rameshchandra Mukhopadhyaya
* *
*Om Namaschandikayai*
It is not me but Goddess Chandika ---the angry goddess alone exists
*Markandeya uvacha*
Markandeya said 1
*Savarnih suryatanayo yo manuh kathyatestamah
Nisamaya tadupayttim vistarad gadato mama
*
The Manu or the invisible Ruler of the mankind
Who is eighth in the line of the Manus
Was the son of the Sungod
Listen to the story of his birth 2
*Mahamayanubhavena yatha manvantarabhavat
Sa vabhuva mahabhaga savarnistanayo raveh*
I will tell you how the great soul-son of the Sol
Became the Ruler of the universe for the long time span called manvantara
Through the grace of Mahamaya 3
*Svarochisentare purvam chaitravamsa samudbhavah
Suratho nama rajabhut samaste ksitimandale*
In ancient times during the reign of Svarochisa Manu
There was a king named Surath
He belonged to the royal line of the Chaitras
He became the master of the whole earth 4
*Tasya palayatah samyak prajah putranivaurasan
Vabhuvuh satravo bhupah kolavidhvangsinastada*
While he was ruling properly
His subjects were as it were his own children
The kings in fealty to him became his enemies
And destroyed the Kola district 5
*Tasya tairabhavad yuddhamati pravala dandinah
Nyunairapi sa tairyuddhe kolavidhvamsibhihr jitah*
A battle ensued between him and the rebel kings
Both were equipped with fierce arms
Though the marauders of Kola
Were less in military power and military arts
Yet it were they who vanquished the king of kings
In the battle 6
*Tatah svapuramayato nijadesadhipobhavat
Akrantah sa mahabhagahstaistada pravalaribhih 7
*
Then Surath returned to his home district
And ruled it
Presently the great heart was attacked
By fierce enemies 7
*Amatyairbalibhihrdustaihdurvalasya duratmabhih
Koshoivalanchapahritam tatrapi svapure tatah
*
The wicked powerful and notorious ministers
Looted his coffers and hijacked his army
In his own principality as well 8
Then the dispossessed king
Feigned that he would go ahunting
He rode a horse
And entered the deep forests all alone 9
*Sa tatrashramamadrakshid dvijavaryasya medhasah
Prasantasvapadakirnam munisishyopashobhitam*
There he saw a retreat
Where the great brhmin Medhas
Was plunged in meditation
It was infested with peaceful beasts
And decked with the sages and their disciples 10
*Tasthau kanchit sa kalancha munina tena satkritah
Itaschetascha vicharamstasmin munivarashrame*
The sage Medhas welcomed him
And he spent sometime there
Wandering to and fro
In that retreat of the sage 11
*
Sochintayad tada tatra mamatvakrista chetanah
Matpurvaih palitam purvam mayahinam puram hi tat*
Engrossed with longing he then reflected---
The city was ruled by me earlier
Right now it is without me 12
*Madbhrityaih asadvrittairdharmatah palyate na va
Na jane sa pradhano me surahasti sadamadah
Mama vairivasam yatah kan bhogan upalapsyate
Ye mamanugata nityam prasada dhana bhojanaih
Anuvrittim dhruvam tedyakurvantyanya mahibhritam
Asamyag vyayasilaistaih kurvadbhih satatam vyayam
Sanchitah soti dukkhen ksayam kosho gamishyayi
Etachanyaccha satatam chintayamasa parthivah
*
Who knows whether my erstwhile employees
Who are corrupt in their practice
Rule the city as per law or not
I do not know how does the valiant elephant
Whose head is ever fragrant with secretions
Fare now that he is under my enemies
Those who were always obedient to me
Because of the gifts wealth and parties thrown at them
Are now taking orders from other kings surely
They are spendthrifts
They always spend
The coffers saved earlier with great frugality
Will be drained away
The king was always reflecting this
And on likely other issues 13-16
*Tatra viprashramabhyase vaishyamekam dadarsha sah
Sa pristastena kastvam bho hetuschagamanetra kah*
There in the retreats of the Brahmin sage Medhas
The king saw a Vaisya- merchantman
The king asked ;---Who are you ?
Why have you come here? 17
*
Sashoka iva kasmattvam durmana iva laksyase
Ityakarnya vachastasya bhupateh pranayoditam
Pratyuvacha sa tam Vaishyah prashrayavanata nripam
*
Why do you look sad and absentminded?
Hearing such words of the king imbued with love
The Vaisya being touched by his sympathy answered him 18 -19
*Vaishya uvacha*
The vaishya said 20
*Samadhirnama vaishyoham utpanno dhaninam kule
*I* *am a Vaisya Samadhi by name
I am born of a rich family 21
*Putrairdarairnirastascha dhanalobhadasadhubhih
Vihinascha dhanairdaraih putrairadaya me dhanam
Vanamabhyagato duhkhi nirastaschaptavandhubhih
Soham na vedmi putranam kusalakusalatmikam
*
I am driven away by my dishonest wives and children
Who coveted my wealth
My children have usurped me of my wealth
Dispossessed of wife and wealth abandoned by friends and relatives
I have come to the forest with a sorrowladen heart
That me cannot learn what good or bad befalls on my children 22-23
*Pravrittim swajanancha darananchatra samsthitah
Kinnu tesham grihe kshemam akshemam kinnu sampratam
Kathante kinnu sadvrittah durvrittah kinnu me sutah
*I cannot learn what my wives and relatives are doing
Whether there is good fortune or misfortune in their household
Whether my children are pursuing honest or dishonest practice 24-25
* *
*Tatra viprashramabhyase vaishyamekam dadarsha sah*
*Sa pristastena kastvam bho hetuschagamanetra kah*
There in the retreats of the Brahmin sage Medhas
The king saw a Vaisya- merchantman
The king asked ;---Who are you ?
Why have you come here? 17
*Sashoka iva kasmattvam durmana iva laksyase*
*Ityakarnya vachastasya bhupateh pranayoditam*
*Pratyuvacha sa tam Vaishyah prashrayavanata nripam*
Why do you look sad and absentminded?
Hearing such words of the king imbued with love
The Vaisya being touched by his sympathy answered him 18 -19
*Vaishya uvacha*
The vaishya said 20
*Samadhirnama vaishyoham utpanno dhaninam kule*
I am a Vaisya Samadhi by name
I am born of a rich family 21
*Putrairdarairnirastascha dhanalobhadasadhubhih*
*Vihinascha dhanairdaraih putrairadaya me dhanam*
*Vanamabhyagato duhkhi nirastaschaptavandhubhih*
*Soham na vedmi putranam kusalakusalatmikam*
* *
I am driven away by my dishonest wives and children
Who coveted my wealth
My children have usurped me of my wealth
Dispossessed of wife and wealth abandoned by friends and relatives
I have come to the forest with a sorrowladen heart
That me cannot learn what good or bad befalls on my children 22-23
*Pravrittim swajanancha darananchatra samsthitah*
*Kinnu tesham grihe kshemam akshemam kinnu sampratam*
*Kathante kinnu sadvrittah durvrittah kinnu me sutah*
I cannot learn what my wives and relatives are doing
Whether there is good fortune or misfortune in their household
Whether my children are pursuing honest or dishonest practice
24-25
* *
*Rajovacha*
The king said 26
*Yairnirasto bhavan luvdhaih putradaradibhirdhanaih*
*Teshu kim bhavatah snehamanuvadhnati manasam*
Why do you pine for the wives and children
Who have driven you away
Greedy of wealth 27-28
* *
*Vaishya uvacha*
The Vaishya said 29
*Evametad yatha praha bhavan asmadgatam vachah*
*Kim karomi na vadhnati mama nisthuratam manah*
* *
What you say about me is true
But cruelty doesnot bind my mind
What can I do? 30
*Yaih santajya pitrisneham dhanalubdhair nirakritah*
*Patiswajana hardancha hardi teshveva me manah*
*Kimetannabhijanami jananapi mahamate*
*Yat prema pravanam chittam viguneshvapi bandhushu*
*Karomi kim yanna manastesvapritisu nisthuram*
* *
My mind is hankering for them only
Who have dispensed with filial love conjugal love and love for the near
ones
And turned me out for wealth
The loving heart is drawn to the near ones
Despite the fact that they are bereft of good qualities
Oh Sir I understand it and still I do not understand
What it is
They have no love
Still I cannot be cruel to them
What shall I do?
*Markandeya uvacha*
Markandeya said 35
*Tatastau sahitau vipra tam munim samupasthitau*
*Samadhirnam vaishhyosao sa cha parthiva sattamah*
*Kritva tu tou yatha nyayam yatharham tena samvidam*
*Upavistau katha kaschichchakratuvaishya parthivau*
* *
Oh Brahmin The great king Surath and the Vaishya Samadhi by name
Went together to the sage presently
After offering due regards to him
They sat there and began a dialogue 36-38
* *
* Rajovacha*
The king said 39
*Bhagavan tvaam aham prastumichchamyekam vadasva tat*
Oh Lord I want to ask you a question
Would you please answer that? 40
*Duhkkhaya yanme manasah svachittaayattataam vina*
*Mamatvam gata rajyasya rajyangesvakhileswapi*
*Janatopi yathajnasya kimetanmunisattama*
*Ayancha nikritam putrairdaarairbhrityaistathojjhitah*
*Swajanena santyaktastesu haardi tathaapyati*
*Evamesha tathahancha dvavaapyatyanta duhkkhitau*
My mind is not within my control and hence sorrow
Springs from my lingering attachment to the kingdom and its paraphernalia
Which are lost I know This is foolish
What is this Qh you sage of sages
And this gentleman has been turned out and insulted
By his children and wives and employees
Although he has been driven away by his near and dear ones
Still he is pining for them
Thus this man and me- both of us
Are terribly unhappy 41-43
*Dristadoshepi vishaye mamatvaakristamanasau*
*Tat kimetanmahabhaga yanmoho jnaninorapi*
* *
Though we see into the hollowness of material possessions
Still we are drawn to them by attachment
We are aware and still there is the engrossment
What is this Oh Lord 44
*Mamaasya bhavatyeshaa vivekaandhasya mudhataa*
Such foolishness becomes those who are
Blind to their sensibilities
Why should it be there in me and in him ?
*Rishiruvacha*
The sage replied 46
*Jnanamasti samastasya jantorvishayagochare*
* *
Every beast has knowledge and the cognizance of the world 47
*Visayascha mahabhagah yati chaivam prithak prithak*
*Divandhah praninah kechit ratravandhastathapare*
Oh sir This is how the reality becomes fragmented
Some animals are blind in the day time
Some others are blind during night 48
*Kechiddiva tatha ratrau praaninahstulya dristayoh*
*Jnanino manujah satyam kintu ten a hi kevalam*
Day and night are all the same to some animals
True that men have knowledge
But they are not the only knowledgeable beings 49
*Yato hi jnani nah sarve pashu pakshimrigaadayah*
*Jnanancha tadmanushyanam yattesam mrigapakshinam*
Since the beasts the birds and the deer –everyone has knowledge
Just as those deer and birds have knowledge so do humans have 50
*Manushyanancha yatteshaam tulyamanyat tathobhayoh*
*Jnanepi sati pashyaitan patangaanchhava chanchushu*
*Kanamoksaadritan mohat pidyamananapi ksudhaa*
*Manusha manujavyaghrah sabhilasah sutan prati*
* *
Men have as much knowledge as others have
So the knowledge of one could be compared with that of another
Even when they are aware of their own hunger
See the birds feed the mouths of their youngs
With grains impelled by infatuation only
Listen Oh tiger among men
Man has expectations from their children 51-52
* *
* *
*Lobhat pratyupakaraya nanvetat kim na pashyasi*
*Tathapi mamatavarte mohagarte nipaatitaah*
*Mahamayaprabhavena samsaara sthitikaarinaa*
*Tannaatra vismayah kaaryo yoganidraa jagatpateh*
They desire children expecting greedily some return from them
Don't you see that?
Despite such knowledge they are fallen in the whirlpool of attachment
In the ditch of delusion
This is all due to the spell of Mahamaya
It is she who maintains the worldly life
You need not wonder at it
She lulls the lord of the existence into trance
*Mahaamaayaa hareschaishaa tayaa sngmohyate jagat*
*Jnaani naamapi chetaangsi devi bhagavati hi sa*
*Valaadaakrishya mohaaya mahaamaayaa prayachchhati*
*Tayaa visrijyate vishwam jagadetachcharaacharam*
She is the cosmic charm of Hari who steals away everything
The world is engrossed by her
She is the goddess possessing untold treasure
It is she who pulls the consciousness of the wise even by foce
And flings into delusion
Whatever is there at rest or motion in this restless world
The universe itself is being created by her 54-56
*Saishaa prasanna varadaa nrinaam bhavati muktaye*
*Saa vidyaa paramaa mukterhetubhutaa sanaatani*
If she is pleased she bestows boons on men
And bcomes the cause of their freedom
She is the supraknowledge she is eternal
She is the cause of supreme liberation
**
*Samsaaravandhahetuscha saiva sarvshwareshwari*
It is she only who is the cause of our worldly bondage
It is she who lords over all the gods who rule everything 58
*Raajovacha*
The king said 59
*Bhagavan kaa hi saa devi mahaamaayeti yam bhavaan*
*Vraviti kahamutpanna saa karmaasyascha kim dvija*
*Yat prabhaava cha saa devi yatsvarupa yadudbhava*
*Tat sarvam shrotumichchhaami tvatto brahmavidaam varah*
Oh Lord Who is that goddess whom you call by the name Mahaamaaya
Oh Brahmin How is she born ? What are his activities?
I want to hear from you Oh thou the wisest among those
Who know the infinitude
What might that goddess has?
What her self is like
What her origin is 60—62
*Nityaiva saa jaganmurtistaya sarvamidam tat*
She is eternal
She is the image of the world
Everything whatever is caused by her
And everything whatever is she 64
*Tathaapi tat samutpattir vahudhaa shruyataam mama*
*Devaanaam kaaryasidhyartham aavirbhavati saa yadaa*
*Utpannetit ada loke saa nityaapyabhidhiyate*
*Yoganidraam yada visnurjagatyekaarnavikrite*
Despite that hear from me her many kinds of origin
When she appears to help the gods in their activities
She is born in the world
But she is said to be sans birth and sans death—eternal
When that which covers everything
That which permeates everything
Lord Visnu was plunged in trance
When the existence was turned into one blue deep 64-66
*Aastrya shesamabhajat kalpaante bhagavaan prabhuh*
*Tada dvavasurau ghorau vikhyatau madhukaitabhau*
*Visnukarnamalodbhtau hantum brahmanamudyatau*
*Sa nabhi kamale vishnorsthito brahma prajaapatih*
Stretching the thousand hooded snake Shesa
The lord of untold wealth and the master Visnu
Worshipped the trance at the hour of the destruction of the world
When longevity of the world ran out in due course of time
At that time the two fierce demons
Famed as Madhu and Kaitabha
Sprang from the ear holes of Visnu
And were about to kill Brahmaa
Brahmaa the creator was seated in the lotus
Of the navel of Vishnu 57-68
*Dristvaa taavasurau chograu prasuptancha Janaardanam*
*Tushtava yoganidraam taamekaagrahridayasthitah*
*Vivodhanaarthaaya harerharinetrakritaalayaam*
*Visweshvarim jagaddhaatrim sthiti samhara kaarinim*
*Nidraam bhagavatim vishnoratulaam tejasah prabhuh*
Seeing those fierce demons ready to attack
And Janaardana Visnu fast asleep
Brahmaa praised with all his heart
The goddess of trance
Who nestled in the eyes of Visnu
To awaken him – the thief who steals away everything
Brahma prayed to the goddess of the universe
The nurse mother of the world
The preserver and the destroyer
The sleep of Visnu the master of peerless prowess
*Brahmovacha*
Brahma said 72
* *
*Tvam svaha tvam svadha tvam hi vasatkarah svaratmika*
*Sudha tvamakshare nitye tridha matratmika sthita*
You are svaha the offerings to the gods
You are svadha the offerings to the ancestors
You are indeed vasat the offerings to the sages
You are the honey you never wear out
You are ever present
You exist in the shape of the three phonemes *Aum*
You are eternal in the shape of the seed of the phoneme especially
Which baffles utterance 74
*Tvameva sandhya savitri tvam devi janani para*
*Tvayaitad dharyate viswam tvayaitat srijyate jagat*
* *
You are sandhya the hymns of the twilight
You are the savitri the prowess of the sun
Oh luminous goddess you are the mother of mothers
It is you who carries the world
It is you who creates the world 75
*Tvayaitat paalyate devi tvamatsyante cha sarvada*
*Visristau sristirupa sthitirupa cha paalane*
It is you who looks after the world
You are always destroying it
When created you are in the shape of the creation
When looked after you are in the shape of stability 76
*Tatha samhritirupaante jagatosya jaganmaye*
*Mahaavidyaa mahaamayaa mahaa medhaa mahaasmritih*
In the same way you are in the shape of destruction
During the end of the world
Oh you who is the world itself
You are the cosmic knowledge
You are supreme charm
You are the cosmic intellect
You are the cosmic memory 77
*Mahaamohaa cha bhavati mahaadevi mhaasuri*
*Prakritistvancha sarvasya gunatrayavibhaavini*
You are the cosmic illusion
You are the most luminous of the gods
You are the mysterium trmendum
You are the primordial matter prakriti
You are the cre atrix of the three gunas
You are sattvaguna that is light and and that which illuminates
You are the rajaguna that is ever restless
Moving from one pole to another
From tamoguna to sattvaguna to and fro
You are the tamoguna that is dark and heavy
That hides everything from the eye 78
*Kaalaratri maharaatrir moharatrischa darunaa*
*Tvam shristvam hristvam buddhirvodhalaksana*
*You are the night of annihilation kaalaratri*
*You are the cosmic night mahaaratri*
You are the night of illusion and ignorance
You are the terrible
You the most graceful sri
You are the goddess
You are shyness and courtesy
You are the intelligence
Understanding and wisdom are your indicators 79
*Lajja pustistathaatushtistvam shantih ksaantireva cha*
*Khadgini shulini ghoraa gadini chakrini tathaa*
*Shankhini chapini vaana bhushundi parighaayudhaa*
*Soumyaa soumyataraa soumyebhyastvatisundari*
Shyness is you
You are nutrition
Satisfaction is you
You are peace
Endurance is you
You wield khadga or the scimitar
You wield shula or the lance
You are terrible
You wield the club or the gadaa
You wield the wheel
You carry the conch to give the war cry
You wield weapons like
* chaapa vaana bhushundi and parigha*
You are full of grace
You are more graceful
Y ou are more beautiful than
The myriads of grace ful things 80 81
*Paraa paraanaam paramaa tvameva parameswari*
*Yachcha kinchit kvachidvastu sadasadvaakhilatmike*
*Tasya sarvasya yaa shaktih saa tvam kim stuyase sadaa*
*Yayaa tvayaa jagatsrashtaa jagatpaataatti yo jagat*
*Sopi nidravasam nitah kastvaam stotumihesvarah*
*Visnuh sariragrahanamahamishaana eva cha*
*Kaaritaaste yatotastvaam kah stotum shaktimaan bhavet*
*Saa tvamittham prabhaavaih svairudaarair devi samstutaa*
* *
You are the beyond
You are beyonder than that
You are the inscrutable Absolute
You are the goddess of gods
You are the mistress of the mundane
And the supramundane
You are the power
That impels whatever is there in this whole world
Perennial or evanescent
So how can you be praised
He who creates the world
Preserves the world
And destroys the world
Is also made to sleep by you
What god can praise you then?
Since you have caused Visnu the preserver
To incarnate along with me the creator
And Ishaana the destroyer
Who has the power to praise you?
Oh Goddess you are praised on your own
By the bounty of your own impact 82-85
*Mohayaitau duraadharsau asurau madhukaitabhau*
*Pravodhancha jagatswaami niyataamachyuto lagu*
*Vodhascha kriyataamasya hantumetau mahaasurau*
Confuse these two demons who are invincible
Make the lord of the multiverse
Who never vacillates
And who is weighed down with deep slumber
Light and aware
Motivate him to kill these great demons
*Risiruvacha*
The sage continued 89
*Evam stutaa tadaa devi taamasi tatra vedhasaa*
*Vishnoh pravodhanaarthaaya nihantum madhukaitabhau*
*Netraasya naasikaa vaahauhridayebhyastathorasah*
*Nirgamya darsane tasthau brahmanoavyakta janmanah*
*Uttasthau cha jaggannathastayaa mukto janaardana*
Thus praised by the Creator the goddess
Who incarnated as darkness personified
Then and there came out from the eyes mouth nose
Arms and heart of Visnu
To awaken Visnu and to kill Madhu and Kaitabha
And stood before the eyes
The signified without a signifier
She stood before the eyes
And Janaardana who excites all beings
The lord of the world woke up
Being freed by her
*Ekaarnave hi sayanattatah sa dadrishe cha tau*
*Madhukaitabhau duratmanavativiryaparaakramau*
*Krodharaktekshanaavattum brahmaanam janitodyamau*
*Samutthayastatahstaabhyam yuyudhe bhagavaan harih*
*Panchavarsasahasraani bahupraharano vibhuh*
*Taavapyativalonmattau mahamayavimohitau*
*Uktavantau varosmatto vriyataamiti Kesavam 92-95*
From the bed of the one undifferentiated sea
(When entropy takes place there is the one undifferentiated sea}
Visnu saw them
He saw the evil souls Madhu and Kaitabha
Who were great in strength and prowess
With angry bloodshot eyes they were about to devour up Brahmaa
Getting up the Lord who steals away everything whatever
Fought with them
Visnu the allpervading struck them
With his hands for five thousand years
Mad with great strength they were also fooled
By the godess whose charms are inscrutable
They vaunted before the Lord who later incarnated as Krisna
Saying ----Ask for a boon
*Sribhagavanuvaacha*
The Lord said 96
*Bhavetaamadya me tustau mama vadhyavubhaavapi*
If you have been pleased with me
Then be killed at my hands 97
*Kimanyenavarenaatra etavaddhi vritam mama*
What other boon do I need till now ? 98
*Risiruvacha*
The sage said 99
*Vanchitaabhyam iti tadaa sarvamaapomayam jagat*
*Vilokya taabhyaam gadito bhagavaan kamaleksanah*
*Aavaam jahi na yatrorvi salilena pariplutaa*
Thus being outwitted when they found the world
Flooded with water
They replied-Conquer us where the earth
Is not flooded with water 100 ---101
*Risiruvaacha*
The sage said 102
*Tathetyuktvaa bhagavata sankhachakragadabhritaa*
*Kritvachakrena vai chhinne jaghane sirasi tayoh*
Let that be---said the lord
And being decked with the conch
The wheel the club and the lotus
He cut off their heads with the wheel
Planting them on his thighs 103
* *
*Evameshaa samutpannaa brahmanaa samstutaa swayam*
*Prabhaavamasyaa devyaastu bhuyah vadaami te*
Thus she was born being worshipped by Brahmaa
I shall tell you again about her protean genius 104
*The canto one of the Durgasaptasati ends here*
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