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Devi Bhagavatam
THE FIRST BOOK
Chapter VI
On the preparation for war by Madhu Kaitabha
1-44. The Risis said :-- O Saumya! Just now you have spoken of the fight
for five thousand years, in that great ocean, between Bhagavān Sauri and
Madhu Kaitabha. How was it that the two greatly powerful Dānavas, invincible
of the Devas came to be born there? And why did Bhagavān Hari kill them? O
highly intelligent one! Kindly describe that greatly wonderful event. We all
are extremely eager to hear it, and you are the great Pundit and speaker,
present before us. It is our good luck that we have come across you here. As
the contact with the illiterate is very painful, so the contact with the
literate is very happy like nectar. The animals in this world live like
illiterates; they eat, call for their nature, void urines and faeces, and
know wonderfully well the sexual intercourse. Only they want discriminative
knowledge of right and wrong, of the real and unreal, and a knowledge of
discrimination, leading to Moksa or final liberation; this is the only point
of difference. Therefore the persons that have no liking to hear of
Bhāgavata and books like it, are like beasts; there is no doubt in this.
Behold! Deer and some other animals can enjoy well the sense of hearing like
men; and the serpents, though wanting in the organ of hearing, become
charmed quite like men, as if tasting the pleasure of hearing sweet sounds.
Verily out of the five organs of perception the organ of hearing and the
organ of sight are benefitting, for the knowledge of things arises from
hearing and the heart is pleased by seeing. Therefore the Pundits divide in
three classes, the objects of hearing, as :-- (1) Sāttvik, (2) Rājasik and
(3) Tāmasik. The Vedas and other Sāstras are Sāttvik; the literature
Sahitya is the Rājasik and war news and finding fault with others is Tāmasik.
The wise persons again sub-divide the Sāttvik in three sub-classes :-- good,
middling and worst. That which gives Moksa is good or excellent; that which
gives Heavens is middling and that which gives this worldly pleasure is
worst. In the same way, the literature Sahitya is of three kinds :-- That
which describes the people to live with their legitimate wives is the best;
which describes about prostitutes is the middling; and that which makes
people live with other's wives is the worst.
The seers of Sāstras, the learned men divide the subjects of the Tāmasik
hearing into three classes :-- That in which fight with the enemies is
described is best; where the fight, as of the Pandavas, with the enemies out
of hatred, ill-feeling, is described is middling; and that where fighting is
described without any cause is worst. Therefore, O highly intelligent one!
Hearing the Purānas is far superior to hearing other Sāstras, for thereby
sins are destroyed, intellect is increased and Punyam (good merits) is
stored. So, O intelligent one! Kindly describe to us, the Purānas,
fulfilling all the requirements of life, that you heard before from the
mouth of Krisna Dvaipāyana. Hearing these words of the Risis, Sūta said :--
O highly fortunate ones! When you all are desirous to hear the Purānas and
I am ready to tell them, then both of us are blessed on the surface of the
earth.
In days of yore, in the time of Pralaya (universal dissolution) when the
three lokas and the entire universe dissolved in water, when the Devadeva
Janārdana was lying asleep on the bed of Ananta, the thousand headed
serpent, arose from the was of the ear of Bhagavān Visnu, the two very
powerful Daityas Madhu and Kaitabha; they grew in the waters of the ocean
and played around in the waters and thus passed some of their time. Once, on
a time, when the two huge bodied Dānavas were playing with each other like
two brothers, they thought that the general rule of the universe is that no
effect takes place without a cause and nothing can rest without the
receptacle thereof. But we cannot understand what is our receptacle or who
is resting on us. Whereon rests this pleasant expanse of wide ocean? Who was
it that created this? How was this created? Why are we living here merged
within the water? Who created us? and who are our father and mother. Nothing
of a these we know. Thus thinking, when they could not come to any
conclusion, Kaitabha spoke to Madhu, beside him, within the waters :-- O
Brother! It seems to me the great immoveable force that makes us rest in
this water is the cause of all. This whole mass of water, too, pervaded by
that force, rests on that; that Highest Devī must be the Cause of us.
When the two Asuras, merged in this thought, understood this, they heard in
the air the beautiful Vāgvīja (the seed mantra of Vāk, the speech, the Devī
Sarasvatī). They then began to pronounce repeated the Vāgvīja mantra and
practised it with the great steadfastness. Next they saw, risen high up in
the air, the auspicious lightning and thought that certainly our mantra that
we are repeating has made Herself visible in this form of light and thus we
have seen certainly in the air, the saguna form (form with attributes) of
Sarasvatī, the goddess of Speech. Thus thinking in their minds they, without
any food, with their minds controlled, constantly thought of that, with
their whole mind collected on that, and repeating and meditating the mantra
became one with that. Thus they passed one thousand years in practising that
great tapas; when the Highest Ādyā Sakti became pleased with them and
seeing the two Dānavas, steadfast in the practice of Tapas, tired, address
them, invisibly in the way of celestial voice thus :-- O two Dānavas! I am
exceedingly pleased with your tapasyā; so ask boon whatever you desire; I
will grant it. Hearing, then, the celestial voice, thus the two Dānavas
said :-- O Devī! O Suvrate! Grant us that we will die when we will.
Hearing this, Vagdevī said :-- O two Dānavas! Certain by My grace, you two
will die when you will and you two brothers will be invincible of all the
Suras and Asuras. There is no doubt in this.
Sūta said :-- When the Devī granted them this boon, the two Dānavas, puffed
up with pride, began to play with the aquatic animals in the ocean. O
Brāhmins! Some days thus passed away when the two powerful Dānavas saw the
Brahmā, the Prajāpati, seated on the lotus of navel of Hari. Doubt came on
their minds and they told him with a view to fight :-- O Suvrata! Either
fight with us, or leave off this lotus seat and go any where you like. If
you be so weak, this auspicious lotus seat not fit for you. For this should
be enjoyed by the heroes. So if you be a coward, leave it quickly. Hearing
these words of the Dānavas, Prajāpati, engaged in the practice of Tapasyā,
saw the two great powerful heroes and began to think anxiously What should
be done now and waited there.
Thus ends the sixth chapter of the first Skandha on the preparation for war
by Madhu Kaitabha in the Mahāpurāna Srīmad Devī Bhāgavatam by Maharsi Veda
Vyāsa.
Chapter VII
On the praise of the Devī
1-26. Sūta said :-- Seeing the two Dānavas very powerful, Brahmā, the knower
of all the Sāstras, thought of the means Sāma, Dāna, Bheda, Danda
(conciliation, gifts, bribe, or sowing dissensions and war or punishment);
which of these four he should apply. He thought thus :-- I do not know
their strength and it is not advisable to enter into war without knowing
their strength. Again if I offer praises to them puffed up with pride, it
will be simply displaying my own weakness; and when they will come to know
this, only one of them will be sufficient to kill me and this they will do
certainly. To offer bribes is not also advisable; and how can I sow
dissensions. Therefore it is best that I should rouse the four armed
Janārdana Visnu, who is very powerful, from his sleep on the thousand headed
Ananta serpent. He will remove my difficulties.
Thus thinking in his mind, Bhagavān Brahmā, the lotus-born remained in the
tubular stalk of the lotus from Visnu's navel and thence took refuge
mentally of Visnu, the remover of difficulties and began to chant auspicious
hymns composed of various metres to Jagannāth Nārāyana, involved in deep
Yoganidrā (meditative sleep). He said :-- O Refuge of the poor! O Hari! O
Visnu! O Vāmana! O Mādhava, Thou art the Lord of the universe and
omnipresent. O Hrisikes'a! Thou removest all the difficulties of Thy
devotees; therefore leave your Yoganidrā and get up. O Vāsudeva! O Lord of
the Universe! Thou residest within the hearts of all and knowest their
desires.
O Thou, holder of the disc and club! Thou always destroyest the enemies of
Thy devotees; O Omniscient One! Thou art the Lord of all the Lokas and
all-powerful; no one can know what is Thy form; O Lord of the Devas! Thou
art the destroyer of all pains and sufferings! So get up and protect me. O
Protector of the Universe! nothing is concealed from Thy eyes! Every one
becomes pure by hearing and chanting Thy name. Thou art Nirākāra (without
any form); yet Thou createst, preservest and destroyest the Universe. O
Cause of the world! O Supporter of all! Thou art shining as king of kings
over all and yet Thou dost not understand that the two Dānavas, puffed up
with pride have become ready to kill me. If thou dost neglect me, seeing me
very much distressed and under your protection then Thy name as Preserver
will become quite useless. Thus praised, when Visnu did not get up, Brahmā
thought that "Bhagavān Visnu is now surely under the influence of sleep of
the Primal Force Ādyā Sakti and is not therefore getting up; what am I to
do now, thus distressed! These two Dānavas, elated with pride are ready to
kill me; now what am I to do and where shall I go? I don't find any body who
can protect me any where. Thus thinking, Brahmā came to the conclusion and
decided to chant hymns to Yoga Nidrā Herself with one pointed heart.
Discussing in his mind, He thought that that Ādyā Sakti (the Prime Force)
which kept Bhagavān Visnu, senseless and motionless would alone be able to
save him. As a dead man cannot hear any sound so Hari, merged in deep sleep,
knows not anything. When I have praised Him so much and when He has not
awakened, then it is certain that sleep is not under Hari, but Hari is under
sleep, and he who is under another becomes his slave; so this Yoga Nidrā is
now exercising Her control over Hari. Again she, too, who brought Hari under
control, that daughter of the Krsīra (milk) ocean is now under the control
of Yoga Nidrā; so it seems that that Bhagavatī Mahāmāyā has brought the
whole Universe under Her control.
Whether it be Myself, or Visnu or Sambhu, or Sāvitrī or Ramā or Umā, all
are under Her control; there is nothing to be doubted here? What to speak of
other high souled persons! Now I will chant hymns to Yoga Nidrā, under whose
influence Bhagavān Hari even is lying, under deep sleep, inert like an
ordinary man. When the eternal Vāsudeva Janārdana will be dispossessed by
Her, He will no doubt fight with the Dānavas. Thus deciding, Bhagavān Brahmā,
seated on the tubular stalk of the lotus, began to chant hymns to Yoga Nidrā,
residing on the body of Visnu, thus :--
27-32. Brahmā said :-- O Devī! I have come to understand on the authority
of all the words of the Vedas, that Thou art the only One Cause of this
Universal Brahmānda. The more so when Thou hast brought the best Purusa
Visnu, endowed with discrimination above all beings, under the control of
sleep, then the above remark is self-evident.
O Thou, the Player in the minds of all beings! O Mother! I am extremely
ignorant of the knowledge of Thy nature; when Bhagavān Hari is sleeping
inert by Thy power, then who is there amongst Kotis and Kotis of wise men,
who can understand completely the Pastime, Leelā, full of Māyā of Thine, who
art beyond the Gunas. The Sānkhya philosophers say (that the Purusa (the
male aspect of Sakti)
is the pure, conscious being and that Thou art the Prakriti, without any
consciousness, material inert, Creatrix of the universe; but, O Mother! art
Thou really inert like that? Never like that; had it been like that, how is
it that Thou hast made Bhagavān Hari, the receptable of the world quite
unconscious like this? O Bhavāni! Thou, being beyond the Gunas art
displaying like a dramatic performance these various dramatic plays by the
conjunction with the three Gunas. It is Thy three qualities, Sattva, Rajas
and Tamas that the Munis meditate every day in the morning mid-day, and
evening, the three Sandhyās; but no one is aware of Thy ways of doings. O
Devī! Thou art of the nature of the judgment and understanding giving rise
to knowledge of all the beings in the Universe; Thou art always the Sri
(wealth and prosperity) giving pleasures to the Devas. O Mother! Thou art
reigning in all as Kīrti (fame), mati (intellect), Dhriti (fortitude). Kānti
(beauty) Sraddhā (faith) and Rati (enjoyment). O Mother! Now I am put to
great difficulties and therefore I have got eye witness of Thy nature; no
need of further reasoning and discussing about it.
27-50. I have now known that verily, verily Thou art the only Mother of all
the worlds as Thou hast brought Hari under the influence of sleep. O Devī!
Now when it is evident that all the worlds, etc., have come from Thee, then
the Vedas have also come from Thee; what doubt is there? So the Vedas, too,
do not know fully Thy nature; for the effect can never know its cause. So,
it is very true that Thou art incomprehensible of the Vedas, O Mother! When
I, Hari, Hara and the other Devas and my son Nārada and other Munis have not
able to realise Thy nature fully, then who else can be so intelligent in
this world that will realise all Thy nature? So Thy glory is beyond the
speech of all beings. O Devī! If, in the place of sacrifice, the ritualists,
the knowers of the Vedas, do not utter Thy name Svāhā, then the Devas,
participators of the offerings in Yajńa, do not get their share, however
hundreds of oblations be offered; so Thou art also the giver of sustenance
allowances to the Devas. O Bhagavatī! In previous Kalpas, Thou hadst saved
me terrified from the fear of the Dānavas. O Devī Varade! now, too, I am
terrified at the sight of the terrible forms of Madhu and Kaitabha and take
Thy refuge. O high-minded one! Now I thoroughly see that by Thee, by Thy
power Yoganidrā the whole body of Bhagavān Visnu is senseless; but how is it
that Thou dost not realise my sufferings. So, either dost Thou leave
possession of this Ādi-Deva, or destroy Thyself these two Danavendras --
lost do either of the two as Thou likest. O Devī! Those that do not know Thy
extraordinary powers, those stupid ones meditate Hari, Hara, etc. But, O
Mother! By Thy grace, I realise to-day, as eye-witness, that Visnu even is
to-day lying unconscious in deep sleep, totally senseless of anything
outside by Thy force. O Bhagavatī! Now, when Kamalā, the daughter of Sindhu
is unable to rouse Her husband Hari, by her effort, or rather Thou hast made
Her, too, perforce, sleep unconsciously, it seems she is without any effort
and does not know anything of what is going on outside. O Devī! Verily those
are blessed who worship Thy lotus feet with their whole heart full of
devotion and without any hope of getting rewards, abandoning the worship of
other Devas and knowing Thee as the Creatrix of the whole world and the
giver of all desires. Alas! now the intelligence, beauty, fame, and all good
qualities have forsaken Hari and fled away to some unknown quarters. O
Bhagavatī! Thou art really adorable in the three worlds for, by Thy power of
Yoganidrā, Hari has been kept in prison, as it were, in this way. O Mother!
Thou art the Sakti of all this universe and endowed with all prowess and
energy; all other things are Thy creation. As a dramatic player, though one,
plays in the theatre, assuming many forms, so Thou, too, being one, playest
always in this charming theatre of world, created by Thy Gunas, in various
forms.
O Mother! Thou, in the beginning of the Yugas, dost manifest first the Visnu
form and givest him the pure Sattrik Sakti, free from any obscuration and
thereby madest Him preserve the Universe; and now it is Thyself that hast
kept Him thus unconscious; therefore, it is an undoubted fact that Thou art
doing whatever Thou willest, O Bhagavatī! I am now in danger; if it be Thy
desire not to kill me, then dost break the silence, look on me and show Thy
mercy. O Bhavāni! If it be not Thy desire to kill me, then why hast Thou
created these two Dānavas, my death incarnate; or is it that Thou wantedest
to put me to ridicule. I have come to know of Thy wonderful acts; Thou
createst this whole Universe, and Thyself remaining aloof, playest always
and in the time of Pralaya resolvest everything again into Thee. Therefore,
O Bhavāni, what wonder is there, that Thou wouldst want to kill me in this
way? But, O Mother! I won't feel any pain if Thou willingly killest me but
this is to my great dishonour that being given power over these beings, I
would then be made an object to be killed by the Daityas; this, indeed, is
hard to me. So, O Thou Leelāmayī like a sportive girl! get up! O Devī!
assumest the wonderful form Thyself and killest me or the two Daityas, as
Thou willest; or rouse Hari who will then kill the Daityas. All these are in
Thy hands.
Sūta said :-- Thus praised by Brahmā, the Nidrā Devī (the goddess of sleep),
of the nature of Tamo Gunas, quitted the body of Bhagavān Hari and stood by
him. When thus left completely by the Devī Yoga Nidrā, of unequalled
brilliance and splendour, for the destruction of Madhu Kaitabha, Visnu began
to move his body and at this Brahmā became very glad.
Thus ends the seventh chapter of the First Skandha on the praise of the Devī
in the Mahā Purānam Srimad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi
Vedavyās.
Chapter VIII
On deciding who is to be worshipped
1-7. The Risis said :-- O highly fortunate one! A great doubt has arisen on
your statement. This is ascertained by all the wise men as written in the
Vedas, Purānas and other Sāstras that Brahmā, Visnu and Mahes'var, these
three Devas are eternal. None is superior to them in this Brahmānda. Brahmā
creates all the beings, Visnu preserves and Mahes'var destroys all in due
time. These are the causes of creation, preservation and destruction. The
Trinity Brahmā, Visnu and Mahes'a are really one form, indeed, Trinity in
Unity and Unity in Trinity.
Being endowed respectively with Sattva, Raja and Tamo Gunas they do their
respective works. Amongst these, again, Purushottam Ādideva Jagannāth Hari,
the husband of Kamalā is the best; for he is capable of doing all the
actions; no other than the Visnu, of unrivalled prowess is so capable. How
is it, then that Yogamāyā has overpowered Hari with sleep and made him
altogether senseless? O highly fortunate one! whither did, then, go that
extraordinary self knowledge and power, etc., of Hari while alive? This is
our greatest doubt; so kindly advise us that our this doubt be removed and
our well-being be thus ensured.
8-30. What is that Saktī? Which you mentioned to us before; as well by whom
Visnu is conquered? Whence is She born? What is the power of that Saktī and
what is Her nature? O Suvrata! explain to us these fully.
How was it that Yogamāyā overpowered with sleep the Highest Deity Bhagavān
Visnu who is everlasting-intelligence bliss! who is the God of all, the Guru
of the whole world, the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer, who is
omni-present, an incarnate of purity and holiness and beyond Rajoguna; how
was such a personage brought under the control of sleep? O Sūta! You are
very intelligent and the pupil of Vyasa Deva; destroy our this doubt by the
sword of wisdom.
Hearing this, Sūta said :--O highly fortunate Munis! There is none in the
three Lokas who can clear your this doubt; the mind-born sons of Brahmā,
Nārada, Kapila and other eternal sons get bewildered by these questions;
what can I, then, say on this very difficult point! See, some persons call
Bhagavān Visnu omnipresent, the preserver of all and the best of all the
Devas; according to them all this universe moving and non-moving, is created
by Visnu; they bow down before
the Highest Nārāyan Hrisikes'a Janārdana Vāsudeva and worship Him, whereas
others worship Mahādeva Sankara, having Gauri for the other half of his
body, endowed with all powers, residing in Kailās'a, surrounded by hosts of
bhutas, that destroyed the Daksha's sacrifice, who is mentioned in the Vedas
as Sas'is'ekhara (having moon on his forehead), with three eyes and five
faces and holding trident in his hand and known as Vrisadhaja and Kaparddi.
O highly intelligent ones! There are some other persons, that know the Vedas
and worship the Sun everyday in the morning, mid-day and in the evening with
various hymns.
In all the Vedas, it is stated that the worship of the sun is excellent and
they have named the high-souled sun as Paramātmā (the Highest Deity).
Whereas there are other Vedavits (the knowers of the Vedas) who worship the
Devas, Fire, Indra, and Varuna. But the Maharsis say, that as Gangā Devi
(the river Ganges), though one, is expressing Herself by many channels, so
the one Visnu is expressing in all the Deva forms. Those who are big
Pundits, declare perception, inference, and verbal testimony as the three
modes of proofs. The Naiyāyik Pundits add to the above three, a fourth proof
which they call upamā, resemblance, similitude and some other intelligent
Pundits add another fifth proof called Arthāpatti, an. inference from
circumstances, presumption, implication. It is deduction of a matter from
that which could not else be; it is assumption of a thing, not itself
perceived but necessarily implied by another which is seen, heard or proved;
whereas the authors of the Purānas add two other, called Sāksī and Aitijhya,
thus advocating. seven modes of proofs. Now the Vedānta Sāstra says that
the supreme being (Param Brahmā), the Prime cause of the Universe, cannot be
comprehended by the above-mentioned seven proofs. Therefore, first of all,
adopt the reason leading to sure belief, the Buddhi, according to the words
of the Vedas and discriminate and discuss again and again and draw your
inference about Brahmā. And the intelligent person should adopt what is seen
by perception as self-evident and what is inferred by the observance of good
conduct. The wise persons say, and it is also stated in the Purānas, that
the Prime Force is present in Brahmā as the Creative Force; is present in
Hari as the Preservative Force; is present in Hara as the Destructive Force;
is present in Kurma (tortoise) and in Ananta (the thousand headed Snake) as
the earth supporting Force; is present in fire as the Burning Force, is
present in air as the moving Force, and so is present everywhere in various
manifestations of forces.
31-51. In this whole Universe, whoever he may be, all are incapable of any
action if he be deprived of his force; what more than this, if Siva be
deprived of Kula Kundalinī Saktī, He becomes a lifeless corpse; O grea
ascetic Risis! She is present everywere thus in every thing in this universe
from the highest Brahmā to the lowermost blade of grass, all moving and
non-moving things. Verily everything becomes quite inert, if deprived of
force; whether in conquering one's enemies, or in going from one place to
another or in eating -- one finds oneself quite incapable, if deprived of
force. Thus the omnipresent Saktī, the wise call by the name of Brahmā.
Those who are verily intelligent should always worship Her in various ways
and determine thoroughly the reality of Her by every means. In Visnu there
is the Sattviki Saktī; then He can preserve; otherwise He is quite useless;
so in Brahmā there is Rajasi Saktī and He creates; otherwise He is quite
useless; in Siva, there is Tamasi Saktī and He destroys; else He is quite
useless. Thus, arguing again and again in one's mind, everyone should come
to know that the Highest Ādya Saktī by Her mere will creates and preserves
this Universe and She it is who destroys again in time the whole Brahmānda,
moving and non-moving; no one is capable to do his respective work be he
Brahmā, Visnu, Mahes'var, Indra, Fire, Sun, Varuna or any other person
whatsoever; verily all the Devas perform the respective actions by the use
of this Ādya Saktī. That She alone is present in cause and effect and is
doing every action, an be witnessed vividly. The intelligent ones call that
Saktī twofold; one is Sagunā and the other is Nirgunā. The people, attached
to the senses and the objects, worship the Sagunā aspect, and those who are
not so attached worship the Nirguna aspect. That conscious Saktī is the
Lady of the fourfold aims of life, religion, wealth, desires, and
liberation. When She is worshipped according to due rules, She awards all
sorts of desires. The worldly persons, charmed by the Māyā of this world, do
not know Her at all; some persons know a little and charm others; whereas
some stupid and dull-deaded Pundits, impelled by Kali, start sects of
heretics, Pāsandas for the sustenance of their own bellies. O highly
fortunate Munis! In no other Yugas were found acts as prevalent in this Kali
Yuga, based on various different opinions and altogether beyond the pale of
the Vedic injunctions. Behold again, if Brahmā, Visnu and Mahesa be the
supreme Deities, then why do these three Devas meditate on another One
beyond speech, beyond mind and practise, for years, hard austerities; and
why do they perform Yajńas (sacrifices) for their success in creation,
preservation, and destruction? They know, verily, the Highest Supreme Being,
Brahmāni Devī Saktī eternal, constant and therefore they meditate Her
always in their minds. Therefore the wise man, knowing this firmly, should
serve in every way the Highest Saktī. O Munis! This is the settled
conclusion of all the Sāstras. I have heard of this great hidden secret from
Bhagavān Krisna Dvaipāyan. He heard it from Nārada, and Nārada heard it from
his own father Brahmā. Brahmā heard this from Visnu. O Munis it is well that
the wise even should not hear or think anything to the contrary from other
sources; they should with their concentrated heart serve the Brahmā Sanātanī
Saktī. It is clearly witnessed in this world that if there be any substance
wherein this conscious Saktī does not exist, that becomes inert, quite
useless for any purpose. So know this fully that it is the Highest Divine
Mother of the Universe that is playing here, residing in every being.
Thus ends the eighth chapter of the first Skandha on deciding who is to be
worshipped in the Mahapurāna Sri Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by
Maharsi Vedavyāsa.
Chapter IX
On the killing of Madhu Kaitabha
1-49. Sūta said:--O Munis! When the excellent Tāmasi Sakti, the Goddess
presiding over sleep came out from the eyes, mouth, nose, heart, etc., of
the body of the World-Guru Visnu and rested in the celestial space, then the
powerful Lord Visnu began to yawn and got up. He saw the Prajāpati Brahmā,
terrified and spoke to him in words, deep like rumbling in the clouds :-- O
Bhagavān Padmayone! What makes you come here, and leave your tapasyā? Why do
you look so terrified and anxious? Hearing this, Brahmā said: O Deva! The
two very powerful and very terrible Daityas, Madhu Kaitabha sprung from the
wax of Thy ears approached to kill me; terrified thus, I have come to Thee.
So, O Lord of the Universe! O Vāsudeva! now I am quite out of senses and
terrified; save me. Visnu, then, said :-- Now go and rest in peace,
without any fear; let those two stupids, whose life has been well nigh
exhausted, come to me for battle; I will certainly kill them.
Sūta said :-- While Bhagavān Visnu, the Lord of all the Devas, was thus
saying, those two very powerful Dānavas, elated with pride, came up there,
in their search for Brahmā. O Munis! The two proud Daityas stood there in
the midst of the Pralaya water without anything to stand on and with calm
attitude. They then spoke to Brahmā as follows :-- O You have fled and come
here? You cannot escape. Go on and fight. I will kill You before this one.
Then I will kill him also who sleeps on this bed of serpent. Either give us
battle or acknowledge yourself as our servant. Hearing their words, Janārdan
Visnu addressed them as follows:-- O two Dānavas, mad for war! Come and
fight with me as you like; I will surely curb your pride. O two powerful
ones! If you trust me, come and fight. Hearing this, the two Dānavas in the
midst of that mass of water resting without any support, came up there to
fight, with their eyes rolling with anger. The Daitya, named Madhu, became
very angry, came up quickly to fight while Kaitabha remained where he stood.
Then the hand-to-hand fight ensued between the two mad athletes; Bhagavān
Hari and Madhu became tired; Kaitabha came up and began to fight. After that
Madhu and Kaitabha joined and, blind with rage, began to fight again and
again hand to hand with the very powerful Visnu. And Bhagavān Brahmā and the
Prime Force Ādyā Sakti witnessed this from the celestial Heavens. So the
fight lasted for a long, long, time; yet the two Dānavas did not feel a bit
tired: rather Bhagavān Visnu became tired. Thus five thousand years passed
away; Hari then began to ponder over their mode of death. He thought :-- I
fought for five thousands of years but the two formidable Dānavas have not
been tired anything, rather I am tired; it is a matter of great surprise.
Where has gone my prowess? and what for the two Dānavas were not tired; What
is the cause? This is a matter, now, seriously to be thought over. Seeing
Bhagavān Hari thus sunk in cares, the two haughty Dānavas spoke to him with
great glee and with a voice like that of the rumbling of cloud :-- O Visnu
! If you feel tired, if you have no sufficient strength to fight with us,
then raise your folded palms on your head and acknowledge that you are our
servant; or if you can, go on fighting. O intelligent one!
We will take away your life first; and then slay this four-faced Brahmā.
Hearing the words of the two Dānavas, resting there without any support in
the vast ocean, the high-minded Visnu spoke to them in sweet consoling words
:-- See, O heroes! no one ever fights with one who is tired, afraid, who is
weaponless, who is fallen and who is a child; this is the Dharma of the
heroes. Both of you fought with me for five thousands of years. But I am
single handed; you are two, and both equally powerful and both of you took
rest at intervals. I will therefore take rest for a while, and then fight
with certainty. Both of you are very powerful and very much elated in
vanity. Therefore rest a while. After taking rest for a while I will fight
with you according to the just rules of warfare. Hearing these words of
Hari, the two chief Dānavas trusted and remained far aloof, ready to fight
again.
Now the four-armed Vāsudeva, seeing them at a sufficient distance, began to
ponder in his mind thus :-- How their death can be effected? Thinking for a
time, he came to know that they have been granted, by the Supreme Sakti
Devī, death at their will (Ichchāmrityu); and therefore they are not getting
tired. I fought so long with them uselessly; my labour went in vain. How
then can I now fight, with this certain knowledge. Again if I do not fight,
how these two Dānavas, elated with their boon and giving troubles to all, be
destroyed? When the boon is granted by the Devī their death is also well
nigh impracticable. Who wants his own death, even placed in very great
distressed circumstances. Attacked by terrible diseases, reduced to indigent
poverty no one wants to die; so how can it be expected that these two
haughty Dānavas would want their death themselves? Therefore it is advisable
me to take refuge of that Ādyā Sakti, the giver of the fruits of all
desires. No desires can ever be fructified unless She is thoroughly pleased.
Thus thinking, Bhagavān Visnu saw the beautiful Devī Yoga Nidra Siva,
shining in the air. Then the supreme Yogi, Bhagavān Visnu, of immeasurable
spirit began to praise with folded palms that great Bhuvanes'varī Mahā Kāli,
the giver of boons for the destruction of the Dānavas. O Devī! I bow down
to Thee O Mahāmāyā, the Creatrix and Destructrix! Thou beginningless and
deathless! O auspicious Chandike! The Bestower of enjoyment and liberation I
do not know Thy Saguna or Nirguna forms; how then can I know Thy glorious
deeds, innumerable as they are. To-day Thy undescribable prowess has been
experienced by me, I being made senseless and unconscious by Thy power of
sleep. Being tried again and again by Brahmā with great care to bring me
back to my consciousness, I could not become conscious, so much my senses
were contracted down. O Mother! By Thy power, Thou didst keep me unconscious
and Thou again hast freed me from sleep, and I also fought so many times. O
giver of one's honour! Now I am tired; but Thou hast granted boon to the two
Dānavas and therefore they are not getting tired. These two Dānavas, puffed
up with pride, were ready to kill Brahmā; and therefore I challenged them to
fight with me and they too are fighting fiercely with me in this vast ocean.
But Thou hast granted them the wonderful boon that they will die whenever
they will; and therefore I have now come to Thy refuge, as Thou protectest
those that come under Thy shelter. Therefore, O Mother, the remover of the
Devas' troubles! These two Dānavas are become exceedingly elated by Thy boon
and I, too, am tired. Therefore dost Thou help me now. See! those two
sinners are ready to kill me; without Thy grace, what can I do now? and
where to go?
50-59. Thus praised by the eternal Vāsudeva Jagannātha Hari, with humility
and pranams, the Devī Mahā Kāli, resting in the air, said smiling :-- O
Deva deva Hari! Fight again; O Visnu! These two heroes, when deluded by My
Māyā, would be slain by you; I will delude them certainly, by My side long
glance; O Nārāyana! then slay quickly the two Dānavas, when conjured by My
māyā.
Sūta said :-- Hearing these loving words of Bhagavatī, Bhagavān Visnu went
to the scene of battle in the middle of that ocean, when the two powerful
Dānavas of serene tempers and eager to light, became very glad on seeing
Visnu in the battle and said :-- O four-armed one! we see your desire is
very lofty indeed; well stand! Stand! now be ready for battle, knowing that
victory or defeat is surely dependent on Destiny. You should think now thus
:-- Though it is generally true that the more powerful one wins victory; but
it also happens sometimes that the weak gets the victory by queer turn of
Fate; so the high souled persons should not be glad at their victories, nor
should express their sorrows at their defeat; so dont be glad, thinking,
that you on many former occasions fought with many Dānavas who were your
enemies, and got the victory; nor be sorry that now you are defeated by the
two Dānavas. Thus saying, the powerful Madhu Kaitabha came up to fight.
Seeing this, Bhagavān Visnu struck them immediately by fist with great
violence; the two Dānavas, elated with their strength, struck Hari in return
with their fists. Thus fighting went on vigorously.
60-87. Now seeing the two Dānavas of great powers, fighting on incessantly,
Nārāyana Hari cast a glance expressive of great distress, towards the face
of the Devī Mahākāli. Seeing Visnu thus distressed, the Devī laughed loudly
and began to look constantly with eyes somewhat reddish and shot towards the
two Asuras side-long glances, of love and amorous feelings which were like
arrows from the Cupid. The two vicious Daityas became fascinated by the
side-long glances of the Devī and took great pleasures in them; being
extremely agitated by these amorous darts, looked with one steady gaze
towards the Devī, of spotless lustre. Bhagavān Hari, too, saw the wonderful
enchanting pastime of the Devī. Then Hari, perfectly expert in adopting
means to secure ends, began to speak smiling and in voice like that of the
rambling cloud, knowing the two Dānavas enchanted by Mahāmāyā, thus :--
O two heroes! I am very glad at the mode of your fighting. So ask from me
boons. I will grant that to you. I saw many Dānavas before, fighting; but
never I saw them expert like you, nor I heard like this. I am therefore,
very much satisfied by your such unrivalled powers. Therefore, O greatly
powerful pair of Dānavas! I wish to grant both of you any boon that you
want. Seeing the Devī Mahāmāyā, the gladdener, of the Universe, the two
Dānavas felt themselves amorous; and therefore they became proud on hearing
Visnu's those words and told Visnu, with their lotus-like eyes wide open,
thus :--
O Hari! what do you like to give us? We are not beggars; we do not want
anything from you. O Lord of the Devas! Rather we will give you whatever you
desire; we are donors; not receivers. So O Vāsudeva! Hrisi Kesa! We are glad
to see your- wonderful fight; so ask from us any boon that you desire.
Hearing their words, Bhagavān Janārdan said :-- If you both are so much
pleased with me, then I want this that both of you be killed by me. Hearing
these words of Visnu, Madhu Kaitabha became very much wondered and thinking
we are now cheated remained for some time merged in sorrow. Then
reflecting that there is water everywhere and solid earth nowhere, they said
:-- O Janārdana Hari! We know that you are truthful; therefore now we want
this desired boon from you that you wanted to grant us before now grant us
this desired boon of ours. O Madhusūdana! We will be slain by you; but kill
us, O Mādhava! on a solid earth, free from any water; and thus keep your
word.
Sri Bhagavān Hari laughed and remembering His Sudarsan disc said :-- O two
highly fortunate ones! Verily, I will kill both of you on the vast solid
spot without any trace of water. Thus saying, the Devadeva Hari expanded His
own thighs and showed to those Dānavas the vast solid earth on the surface
of water and said :--O two Dānavas! See, here is no water. Place your two
heads here; thus I will keep my word and you would keep your word. Hearing
this, Madhu Kaitabha thought over in their minds and expanded their bodies
to ten thousand Yojanas. Bhagavān Visnu Hari also extended his thighs to
twice that amount. Seeing this, they were greatly, suprised and laid their
heads on the thighs of Visnu. Visnu of wonderful prowess, then cut off
quickly with His Sudarsan disc the two very big heads over His thighs. Thus
the two Dānavas Madhu Kaitabha passed away; and the marrow (meda) of them
filled the ocean. O Munis! For this reason, this earth is named Medinī and
the earth is unfit for eatable purpose.
Thus I have described to you all that you asked. The sum and substance is
this that the wise persons should serve Mahāmāyā with all thei hearts. The
Supreme Sakti is worshipped by all the Devas. Verily verily, I say unto you
that this is decided, in all the Vedas and other Sastras that there is
nothing higher than this Ādyā Sakti. Therefore this Supreme Sakti should
be worshipped anyhow; either in Her Saguna form or in Her Nirguna state.
Thus ends the ninth Chapter of the first Skandha on the killing of Madhu
Kaitabha in the Mahāpurana Srimad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by
Maharsi Veda Vyās.
Chapter X
On Sivas granting boons
1-37. The Risis said :-- O Sūta! You told before, that Vyāsa Deva,
unrivalled spirit, composed all the Purānas and taught them to his own Suka
Deva; but how did Vyāsadeva, who was incessantly engaged in tapasyā,
procreate Suka? Describe to us in detail what you heard direct from Krisna
Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. Sūta said :-- O Risis! Hear how Suka Deva, the best of
the Munis and the foremost of the Yogis, was born of Vyāsa Deva, the
Satyavati's son.
On the very beautiful summit of Mount Meru, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavati,
firmly determined, practised very severe austerities for the attainment of a
son. Having heard from Nārada, he, the great ascetic, repeated the one
syllabled mantra of Vāk and worshipped the Highest Mahāmayā with the object
of getting a son. He asked, Let a son be born to me as pure and as spirited
and powerful as fire, air, earth, and Ākāsa. He thought over in his mind
that the man possessed of Sakti is worshipped in this world and the man
devoid of Sakti is censured here, and thus came to the conclusion that
Sakti is therefore worshipped every where; and, therefore,worshipped
Bhagavān Mahes'vara coupled with the auspicious Ādyā Sakti and spent away
one hundred years without any food. He began his tapasyā on that mountain
summit which was ornamented with the garden of Karnikār, where all the Devas
play, and where live the Munis highly ascetic, the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras,
Marut, the two As'vīns, and the other mindful Risis, the knowers of Brahmā
and where the Kinnaras always resound the air with their songs of music,
etc.; such a place Vyāsa Deva preferred for his tapasyā.
The whole universe was pervaded with the spirit of asceticism of the
intelligent Parāsara's son Vyāsa Deva; and the hairs of his head were
clotted and looked tawny, of the colour of flames. Seeing the fire of his
asceticism, Indra, the lord of Sachi became exceedingly terrified. Bhagavān
Rudra, seeing Indra thus afraid, fatigued and morose, asked him :-- O
Indra, why do you look so fear-stricken to-day? O Lord of the Devas! What is
the cause of your grief? Never show your jealousy and anger to the ascetics;
for the mindful ascetics always practise severe asceticism with a noble
object and worship Me, knowing Me to be possessed of the all powerful Sakti;
they never want ill of any body. When Bhagavān Rudra said this, Indra asked
him :-- What is his object? At this Sankara said :-- For the attainment
of a son, Prasāra's son is practising so severe austerities; now one-hundred
years is being completed; I will go to him, and give him to-day the
auspicious boon of a son. Thus speaking to Indra, Bhagavān Rudra, the Guru
of the world, went to Vyāsa Deva and, with merciful eyes, said :-- O
sinless Vāsavi's son! Get up; I grant to you the boon, that you will get a
son very fiery, luminous and spirited like the five elements fire, air,
earth, water and Ākās'a, the supreme Jńānī, the store of all auspicious
qualities, of great renown, beloved to all, ornamented with all Sattvik
qualities, truthful and valorous.
Hearing these sweet words of Bhagavān Sūlapāni Maharsi Krisna Dvaipāyana
bowed down to Him and went back to his own hermitage. Tired with the labour
of penance for many years, he wanted to kindle fire by rubbing two fuels (Aranī)
with each other. While doing this the high souled man suddenly began to
think strongly in his mind about procreating a son. He thought :-- Will it
be that my son will be born as this fire is produced by the friction of the
two churning sticks? I have not got the wife, which the Pundits designate a
Putrārani, the youthful wife endowed with beauty, born of a noble family,
the chaste one I have not got with me. But the wife, though chaste and fit
to beget a son, is undoubtedly a chain to both the legs so how can I get
such a one for my wife? This is known to all that a chaste wife, though
clever in doing all household duties, beautiful and giving happiness to
one's desires, is yet always a sort of bondage. What more than this, that
the ever Bhagavān Mahes'vara is always under the bondage of woman. How,
then, knowing and hearing all these I can accept this difficult
householder's life? While he was thinking thus, the extraordinarily
beautiful Apsarā Ghritāchi fell to his sight close to him in the celestial
air.
Though Vyāsa Deva was a Brahmāchāri (holding in control the secret power of
generation) of a very high order, yet seeing suddenly the agile Apsarā (a
celestial nymph) coming close to him and looking askance at him, he became
soon smitten with the arrows of cupid and feeling himself distressed, began
to think what shall I do in this critical moment.
Unbearable amorous feelings now have come over me; now if I take this
celestial nymph, knowing that Dharma is everywhere looking, and woman has
come to take away my precious fire of spirit acquired by my tapasyā, then I
will be laughed at by the high souled ascetic Munis who will think that I
have lost my senses altogether. Alas! Why I who have practised for one
hundred years the most terrible ascetism, have become so powerless by the
mere sight of this Apsarā! The Pundits declare the household life as the
source of getting son, one's hearts desire and the source of all happiness;
so much so that it leads all the virtuous souls to the pleasures of Heaven,
and ordains Moksa (liberation) to those who are Jńānins; and if I get such
unrivalled happiness from this householder's life, I can have this Deva
Kanyā (the celestial nymph) though blameable. But again that happiness will
not occur to me through her; there is no doubt in this. So how can I take
her. I heard from Nārada how, in ancient days, a king name Pururavā fell
under the clutches of Urvas'ī and ultimately felt great pain, being defeated
by her.
Thus ends the tenth chapter on Siva's granting boon in the Mahapurāna
Srīmad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyās.
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