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Devi Bhagavatam (Devi
Puranam)
Chapter VI
On the rivers and the mountains Sumeru and others
1-32. Nārāyana said :-- O Nārada! This Arunodā river that I mentioned to you
rises from the Mandara mountain and flows by the east of Ilāvarsa. The
Pavana Deva (the God of wind) takes up the nice smell from the bodies of the
wives of the Yaksas and Gandharbas, etc., and the attendants of the Devī
Bhavānī and keeps the surroundings of the earth there filled with nice smell
for ten Yoyanas around. Again the rose-apples with their nuts, of the size
of an elephant, fall down upon the earth from the high peaks of the mountain
Mandara and break into pieces; the sweet scented juices flow down as a
river. This is called the Jambū river and this flows by the south of
Ilāvarsa. The Devī Bhagavatī there is pleased with the Juice of that
rose-apple (Jambū) and is known by the name of Jambādinī. The Devas, Nāgas,
and Risis all always worship with great devotion, the lotus-feet of the
merciful Devī, wishing the welfare of all the Jīvas. The mere remembering of
the name of the Devī destroys all the disease, and all the sins of the
sinner. Therefore the Devas always worship and chant the names of the Devī,
the Remover of all obstacles. She is installed on both the banks of the
Jambū river. If men recite Her names Kokilāksī, Karunā, Kāmapūjītā,
Kathoravigrahā, Devapūjyā, Dhanyā, Gavastinī and worship, so they get their
welfare both in this world and in the next. With the juice of the Jambū
fruit aided by the combination of the wind and the rays of the Sun, is
created the gold. Out of this are made the ornaments for the wives of the
Immortals and the Vidyādharas. This gold, created by the Daiva, is known by
the name of the Jāmbūnada gold. The love-stricken Devas make their crowns,
waist bands and armlets out of this gold for their sweet-hearts. There is a
big Kadamba tree on the mountain Supars'va; the five streams of honey called
Madhu Dhārā get
out from its cavities and running by the west of Ilćvrita Varsa, flow over
the land. The Devas drink its waters; and their mouths become filled with
the sweet fragrance. The air carries this sweet fragrant smell to a distance
of even one hundred Yoyanas. The Dhāres'varī Mahā Devī dwells there, the
Fulfiller of the desires of the Bhaktas, highly energetic, of the nature of
Kāla (the Time, the Destroyer), and having large face (Mahānanā), faces
everywhere, worshipped by the Devas and is the presiding Deity of the woods
and forests all around. The Devī, the Lady of the Devas, is to be worshipped
by the names Karāla Dehā, Kālāmgī, Kāmakotipravartinī. The great
Banyan tree named S'atabala is situated on the top of the Kumud mountain.
From its trunk many big rivers take their origin. These rivers possess such
influences as to give to the holy persons there, the milk, curd, honey,
clarified butter, raw sugar, rice, clothing, ornaments, seats, and beddings,
etc., whatever they desire. Therefore these rivers are called Kāmadugh. They
come gradually down the earth and flow by the north of Ilāvarsa. The
Bhagavatī Mīnāksi dwell there and is worshipped by the Suras and the Asuras
alike. That Deity clothed blue, of fearful countenance, and ornamented with
hairs of blue colour, always fulfil the desires of the Devas dwelling in the
Heavens. Those that worship Her, remember Her or praise Her by the names
Atimānyā, Atipūjyā, Mattamātanga Gāminī, Madanonmādinī, Mānapriyā,
Mānapriyatarā, Mārabegadharā, Marapūjitā, Māramādinī, Mayūravaras'obhādhyā,
S'ikhivāhanagarbhabhū, etc., are honoured by the Deity Mīnalochanā
Ekāngarūpinī and the Parames'vara and get all sorts of happiness. Those
drink the clear waters of these rivers become free from old age or decay,
worry, perspiration, bad smell, from any disease, or premature death. They
do not suffer anything from error, from cold, heat, or rains, or from any
paleness in their colour. They enjoy extreme happiness as long as they live
and no dangers come to them. O Child! Now hear the names of the other twenty
mountains that encircle the Golden Sumeru mountain at its base, as if they
were the filaments round the pericarp of a flower. The first is Kuranga;
they come in order Kuraga, Kus'umbha, Vikankata, Trikūta, S'is'ira, Patanga,
Ruchaka, Nisadha, S'itīvāsa, Kapila, S'amkha, Vaidūrya, Chārudhi, Hamsa,
Risabha, Naga, Kālanjara and lastly Nārada. The central one is the
twentieth.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the rivers and the
mountains Sumeru and others in the Mahāpuranam S'rī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam, of
18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyāsa.
Chapter VII
On the Ganges and the Varsas
1-37. Nārāyana said :-- Jathara and Devakūta are the two mountains situated
on the east of Sumeru; their dimensions towards the north are eighteen
thousand Yoyanas wide and two thousand Yoyanas high. On the west of Meru,
are situated the two famous lofty mountains Pavamāna and Pāriyātra; their
length and height are well known. On the south of Meru are situated the two
lofty mountains Kailāsa and Karavira. On the north, again, of the Sumeru
mountain, are situated the mountains S'ringagiri and Makaragiri. Thus the
golden Sumeru mountain, shines like the Sun, surrounded by these eight
mountains. In the centre of the Sumeru, there is a Divine city built of the
Creator Brahmā, ten thousand Yoyanas in dimensions. The learned sages that
know everything from the highest to the lowest, describe that as square in
dimensions and all made of gold. On the top of the Sumeru, are situated the
world known eight golden cities, subservient to the Brahmapurī, for the
eight Lokapālas. The Lords of the four directions, east, west, north and
south and of the four corners, north-east, north-west, south-west,
south-east, occupy these. The dimensions of each of these eight cities are
two thousand Yoyanas and a half. In fact, there are nine cities there
including the Brahmapurī. Now hear the names of these nine cities in due
order. The First is Manovatī, the second is Amarāvatī, the third is Tejovatī,
next come in order Samyamanī, Krisnānganā, S'raddhāvatī, Gandhavatī, and
Mahodayā, the ninth is Yas'ovatī. The Lords of the Purīs are Brahmā, Indra,
Fire and the other Dikpālas in due order. When Visnu Bhagavān assumed the
Tri Vikrama Form in His Dwarf Incarnation and went at the sacrifice, to get
back the Kingdom of the Heavens from the demon Vali, there was created one
hole or cavity over this Brahmānda Katāha (skull) by the nails of the toes
of that foot that went up towards his left; and through that cavity, the
famous river Bhagavatī Gangā flowed on the top of those heavenly Kingdoms,
the clear waters of which are ever ready to destroy the sins of the whole
people. For this reason, She is known in the three Lokas as the Visnupadī
manifested. This took place long long ago, many thousand Yugas ago, a period
difficult to determine. The Ganges fell first on the top of the Indra's
Heavens, near the place called Visnudhāma, known in the three worlds. Here
the pure-souled Dhruva, the son of Uttānapāda, observed within his heart the
lotus-feet
of Srī Visnu Bhagavān and exists still there taking refuge on that
immoveable position. There the high-souled Seven Risis, knowing the highest
purifying influence of the Ganges, circumambulate the river, wishing for the
welfare of all the Lokas. This is the great place where one gets success,
and final liberation, the success-giving place of the ascetics and where the
Munis with clots of hairs on their heads daily take their dip in the Ganges
with the greatest pleasure and admiration. The Ganges flows thence from the
Dhruva Mandala, the abode of Visnu, in Kotis and Kotis of Divine Channels,
interspersed with many Vimānas or carriages, deluges the Chandra Mandala
(the Moon Sphere), comes gradually to the Brahmā Loka. Here She is divided
into the four channels, Sītā, Alakanandā, Bhadrā, and Chaturbhadrā and
irrigating many countries, mountains, and forests ultimately falls in the
oceans. The Sītā, the famous Dhārā, purifying all, while falling down from
the Brahmāloka, passes round the mountains that form as it were the
filaments of the flower-like Sumeru mountain, and falls on the top of the
Gandhamādana range. Thence She, worshipped by the Devas, irrigates the
Bhadras'vavarsa and falls eastward into the salt ocean. The second Dhārā
(stream), named Chaksu, getting out of the Malyavān range, gradually gains
strength and assumes great force and flows by Ketumālavarsa to the western
ocean. The third Dhārā (stream), the very pure Alakananda, getting out of
the Brahmā Loka, passes through the Girikūta mountain and other forests,
falls to Hemakūta; next She flows through the Bhārata Varsa and meets with
the southern ocean. No words can describe the glory and the purifying effect
of this river; suffice it to say that those who march out to bathe in this
river get at each of their steps, the fruits of doing the great sacrifices,
Rājasūya and As'vamedha, etc. The fourth Dhārā of the Trailokyapavanī Ganga
Devi, named Bhadrā, falling from the mountain S'ringavān, become swift and
capacious, flows by the Northern Kuru country and satisfying the people
there flows down into the ocean. Many other rivers, getting out from the
mountains, Meru, Mandara and others, flow through the various Varsas or
continents, but of all the Varsas, continents, this Bhārata Varsa is called
the Karma Ksettra (or the field of actions). The other eight Varsas, though
on earth, give the pleasures of the Heavens. The reason for this is that
when the period of the persons enjoyments in the Heavens cease, they come
and take their birth in the one or other of these eight Varsas. The people
here live for ten thousand years; their body is hard like thunderbolt and
all are endowed with powers of Ayuta elephants. No one is satisfied with a
little of the pleasures of sexes; so all men live happily with their wives,
etc. It is not that the males alone are so happy; the females also are
full of youth throughout their lives and become pregnant, when they are less
than one year old. In short, the inhabitants of the Varsas enjoy for ever as
the persons of Tretā Yuga do.
Hear ends the Seventh Chapter of the Eighth Book on the story of the Ganges
and the continents in Srī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam, the Mahā Purānam, of 18,000
verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyāsa.
Chapter VIII
On the description of Ilāvrita
1-11. Nārāyana said :-- In those Varsas, Visnu and the other Devas used to
worship always the Great Devī with Japam and meditation and to chant hymns
to Her. The forests there are ornamented with all sorts of fruits, flowers
and leaves, in all the seasons. In those excellent forests, and on the
mountains, in those Varsas and on the clear waters interspersed with full
blewn lotuses and S'ārasas (cranes) and in those countries where varieties
of mountain trees are standing and where varieties of birds frequent and
echo all around, the people play in waters and engage themselves with a
great many pleasant occupations; and the beautiful women, as well, roam
there with the knitting of their eyebrows. The people there enjoy as they
like, surrounded by young women; Nārāyana, the Ādipurusa Bhagavān Himself,
worships the Devī there, to shew his extreme grace to all the inhabitants of
the Navavarsa. The people also worship the Deity. By worshipping the Devī
only, the Bhagavān remains there in Samādhi, surrounded with Aniruddha and
his other Vyūhachatustaya (the four forms). But in Ilāvrita Varsa, the
Bhagavān Rudra, originated from the eye-brows of Brahmā, resides only with
women. No other person can enter there; for the Bhāvanī, the S'akti of Rudra
has cursed that any male entering there would be transformed into a female.
The Lord of Bhavanī, surrounded by innumerable women, remains here engaged
in the worship of the unmanifested unborn Bhagavān Samkarsana. For the good
of humanity, with intense meditation, He worships His Own Turīya Form of the
nature of Tamas, thus :--
12-19. S'rī Bhagavāna said :-- Obeisance to Thee! the Bhagavān, the Great
Purusa, endowed with all the qualities (the principal six Ais'varyas or
prosperities), the Ananta (the Infinite) and to the Unmanifested! We worship
Thee, Whose lotus feet are the refuge of all. Thou art the great storehouse
of all the superhuman powers and the divine
faculties of omnipotence, etc. Thou art always present to the Bhaktas. Thou
art creating all these beings. Thou givest Moksa to the Bhaktas and
destroyest their attachment to the world and Thou bindest Thy non-devotees
in bondage to this world. Thou art the Lord. We worship Thee. We are
entirely under the control of the passions, anger, etc., and our minds are
always attached to the senses; but though Thou art always looking at this
world for its creation, etc., Thy mind is not a bit attached to it. So who
will not turn to Thee, desirous to conquer his self. Thou art appearing by
Thy Māyā as one whose sight is ignorant; Thou lookest dreadful with Thy eyes
reddened with the drink of Madhu (wine). By the touch of Thy feet, the
mental faculties are very much enchanted; hence the women folk of the Nāgas
cannot in any way worship Thee, out of bashfulness. The Risis say that
though Thou art the Only One to create, preserve and destroy, yet Thou art
quite unconcerned with them. Thou art Infinite and Thou hast innumerable
heads. This vast universe is like the mustard seed resting somewhere on one
of these heads, which Thou canst not feel even. The Mahat Tattva is Thy body
manifested first. It is built of Sattva, Raja and Tamo Gunas. Brahmā has
come out of this and I again have sprung from this Brahmā and am nurtured by
the Sattva and the other Gunas and with the help of the Teja, created these
elements and the senses. These Mahat Tattvas and we all are controlled by
Thy Extraordinary Form. Thou hast kept us in our respective places by Thy
Kriyā S'akti as birds are kept duly by the strings through them. Mahat
Tattva, Ahamkāra, and the Devas, elements and the senses, before mentioned
all united create this Universe by Thy Grace. Thy creation is very big and
grand; for this reason the gross thinkers, deluded by Thy power, never
understand it. This Māyā is the only means to get the Samsāra Nivritti,
Moksa, the real Goal of man: and this Māyā, again involves them in the Karma
entanglements, very hard to get through. Coming in and going out, both of
these are Thy forms; so we bow down to Thee.
20-23. Nārāyana said :-- Thus the Bhagavān Rudra, with His Own persons in
Ilāvrita Varsa used to worship the Devī and the Sankarsana, the Controller
of all the Lokas. The son of Dharma, well known by the name of Bhadras'rava
and all the persons born of his family and his attendants, worship thus the
Devī. This form is well known to all by the name of Hayagrīva and worshipped
thus. All the persons there worship Him with the intense meditation and
Samādhi and realise Him thoroughly. Then they praise Him, according to due
customs and get the thorough Siddhis (success in getting extraordinary
powers).
24-29. The Bhadras'ravās said :-- Obeisance to Thee, the Bhagavān, the
Incarnate of Virtue, and to Him who destroys completely the desires,
attachments, etc., to worldly objects! Ho! How wonderful are the feats of
the Bhagavān! Death always destroys all, but people, seeing this, seem not
to see this. Seeing that the son meets with death, the father desires to
live long not for a virtuous purpose but for sense enjoyments, what is
called Vikarma. Those who are skilled in Jńāna and Vijńāna say that this
Universe that is seen is very transient. Moreover those Pundits who are
endowed with much Jńāna, see vividly the transitoriness of this Universe.
Still, O Unborn One! When practically they come to deal with this, they all
become overpowered with the influence of Māyā. So Thy Pastime (Līla) is
wonderfully variegated. (Instead of spending our time uselessly in
discussing on S'āstras) we bow down to Thee, and Thee alone. Thou art the
Self-manifest Chaitanya. Thou are not the object to be covered by Māyā. Thou
dost not do anything in the sort of creation, etc. Thou remainest simply as
the Witness thereof. Sill the Vedas declare that Thou createst, preservest
and destroyest the Universe. It is quite reasonable and nothing to be
wondered at. Thou art the Ātman of all. When the Pralaya (the time of great
dissolution) comes, the Vedas were stolen by the Daityas and taken to the
nether regions, the Rasātala. Thou, in the form of Hayagrīva (Horse-faced),
rescued the Vedas and gave them to the Grandsire Brahmā who was very eager
to get them back and understand their meanings. Thou art the true Sankalap
(resolve); we bow down to Thee. Thus the Bhadras'ravās praise the Haiyagrīva
form of Hari and sing the glorious deeds of Him. He who reads these
narratives of the Mahā Purusa (the high-souled personage) or he who makes
others hear these things, both of them, quitting their sinful bodies, go to
the Devī Loka.
Here ends the Eighth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of
Ilāvrīta in the Mahāpurānam S'rī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam, of 18,000 verses, by
Maharsi Veda Vyāsa.
Chapter IX
On the narration of the division of the continents
1-2. Nārāyana said :-- In Harivarsa, the Bhagavān Hari is shining splendid
as a Yogi in the form of Narasimha. The Mahā Bhāgavat (most devoted)
Prahlāda, who knows the attributes of God worships and chants hymns with his
whole hearted devotion, seeing that beautiful form, gladdening to all the
people.
3-11. Prahlāda spoke :-- I bow down to Thee, the Bhagavān Nrisingha Deva.
Thou art the Light of all Lights. Thy big teeth are like thunderbolts. Let
Thee manifest in Thy most terrible form. Let Thee destroy the desires of the
people to do Karma and let Thou devour the great Ignorance (Ajńāna) the Moha
(delusion) of the people. Thou art the receptacle of the Sattva, Raja and
Tamo Gunas. Let myself be always free from any fear by Thy Grace. Om
Khraum! Let this whole world rest completely in peace and happiness. Let
the cheats quit their guiles and be pure and simple. Let all the people quit
completely their animosities towards each other and think of their welfare.
Let all the people be free from making injuries to others and be peaceful;
and let them have their control over their passions. Let our mind be
completely free from desires and rest entirely and devotedly to Thy
lotus-feet. Let us not be attached to sons, wives, wealth, house or to any
other worldly objects. If there be any attachment, let it be to the objects
dear to the Bhagavān. He who barely sustains his body and soul and controls
himself completely, success is very near to him; not so to the persons that
are attached to the senses. The dirt of the mind, that is not washed away by
bathing in the Ganges or by taking recourse to the Tīrthas, etc., is removed
by the company of the devotees to the God and by their influence, hearing,
thinking, and meditating on the attributes of the Bhagavān. So who is there
that does not serve the Bhagavān! He who has got Niskāma Bhakti (devotion
without regard to any fruits thereof) to the Bhagavān, to him come always
the Devatā, Dharma and Jńāna and other higher qualities. But he who indulges
in various mental phantasms, without any Bhakti to the Bhagavān, he follows
the worldly happiness that is certainly to be hated and never he gets
Vairāgyan and other higher qualities. As water is life to the fish, so the
Bhagavān Hari is the self of all embodied beings and so He is to be
specially prayed for. So if a high-souled person be attached to household
happiness, without thinking of God, then his greatness dwindles into a
trifling insignificance like the ordinary pleasures of man and woman when
they are full of youth. So leave, at once, the home that is the source of
Birth and Death and leave Trisnā (thirst, desire), clinging to life,
low-spiritedness, name, and fame, egoism, shame, fear, poverty and loss of
one's honour and worship the Lotus-Feet of the Bhagavān Nrisingha Deva and
be entirely fearless. Thus Prahlāda, the Lord of the Daityas, daily worships
devotedly the Bhagavān Nrisingha, resplendent in his lotus heart, the death
blow, the lion to all the elephant sins. In the Ketumāla Varsa, the Bhagavān
Nārāyana is reigning in the form of the Kāma Deva, the God of Love. The
people there always worship Him. The daughter of Ocean, the Indirā Devī, who
confers honour and glory to the Mahatmas,
is the presiding Deity of the Varsa. She always worships the Kama Deva with
the following verses :--
12-18. The Laksmī Devī spoke :-- Om, Hrām, Hrīm, Hrūm, Om namo Bhagavate
Hrisikesāya! Thou art the Bhagavān of the nature of Om. Thou are the
Director, the Lord of the senses: Thy Ātman is the Highest and the
Receptacle of all the good things. All the Karma Vrittis, all the Jńāna
Vrittis, and effort and resolution and other faculties of the mind, act in
their respective channels by Thy looking and by their being constantly
practised in Thee. And the elements over which they get their masteries are
subservient to Thy Laws. The mind and the other eleven Indriyas, and touch,
taste and other five senses are but Thy parts. All the rites and ceremonies
observed in the Vedas are found in Thee. Thou art the infinite store of all
the foodings of the Jīvas. From Thee flows the Paramānanda, the Highest
Bliss. Thou art All, Thou art the Substance, Purity incarnate; Thou art the
Energy, the Strength manifest in all. Thou art the Finish of all the
happiness and Thou art the Only One Substance, that can be desired by the
people. So obeisance to Thee! This Thy Lordship is not dependent on any
other body. The women that know Thee, the Lord of all and worship other
bodies for their husbands, those husbands can never save them, their lives,
their wealth, progeny or other dear things as those are controlled by Kāla
(Time) and Karma. So they cannot be termed husbands at all; Thou art the
Real Husband; and no other. For Thou art naturally fearless and Thou
protectest in every way the persons that become afraid. Thou art the Lord of
all wealth; so no other is superior to Thee. How can then, they be
independent whose happiness depends on others! The lady that desires to
worship Thy lotus feet only and becomes subservient to no others, she
attains all the desires. Again the lady who, desiring other desires than to
get Thee, does not worship Thy lotus-feet, Thou fulfillest the desires of
her too. But, O Bhagavān! When the period of enjoyment of these things
ceases and when the objects of these enjoyments are destroyed, then she
repents much due to the loss of those things. Brahmā, Mahādeva, the Suras
and the Asuras practise hard Tapasyās to get me, impelled by their desires
to attain the objects of sense enjoyments; but he only really gets me who
worships and takes refuge of Thy lotus feet only, for my heart is entirely
attached to Thee. So, O Achyuta! Kindly shew Thy Grace and put, on my head,
Thy lotus palm, praised by the universal people that Thou placest on Thy
Bhaktas. O Bhagavān! That Thou takest me in Thy Bosom is a sign of Thy
Grace. No one can fathom the deeds of Thee, the Only Controller of all. Thus
the Prajāpati and the Lords of that Varsa, worship the Bhagavān,
the Friend of all, with a view to attain their respective desires and
Siddhis. In Ramyak Varsa, the Matsya form of the Bhagavān is set up and
consecrated. The Suras and the Asuras worship Him. The highly intelligent
Manu always chant hymns to that Excellent Form thus :-- Obeisance to Him
who is the Life of all, the Essence and Strength of all, to that Great Fish
Form, the Body Incarnate of Sattva Guna, who is of the nature of Om and
Bliss.
19-23. Thou art the Lord of all the Lokapālas and of the form of the Vedas.
Thou art within and without all this universe, moving and non-moving; still
all the beings are unable to see Thy form. As the people bring under their
control the wooden dolls, so Thou controllest the universe by the rules and
prohibitions under the names of the Brāhmanas, etc. Thou art the God. The
Lokapālas, being overcome by the fever of jealousy and pride, become quite
unable, either individually or collectively, to quit their jealousies and to
protect the tripeds, quadrupeds, reptiles and snakes; so Thou art the God.
Thou hadst upheld this earth along with me and with the medicinal plants and
creepers; and Thou shewedest the highest luminous light in the great ocean,
at the time of Pralaya, tossed with surging waves and didst roam there. Thou
art the Self of all the beings in the universe. So we bow down to Thee. Thus
the Manu, the best of the mortal beings, used to praise the Bhagavān, who
took His incarnation in the shape of the Fish, the Remover of all doubts.
Manu, the foremost of the Bhāgavatas (the devotees) is reigning there in the
service of the Fish Incarnation of the Bhagavān, with intense meditation and
expurging all sins and with great devotion.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the narration of the
division of the continents in the Mahā Purānam S'rī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of
18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyāsa.
Chapter X
On the description of Bhuvanakosa
1-7. Nārāyana said :-- In Hiranmaya Varsa, the Bhagavān is remaining in the
form of Kurma, the Tortoise, as the Lord of Yoga. He is thus praised and
worshipped by Aryamā, the Ruler of the Pitris. Aryamā said :-- Om namo
Bhagavate Akūpārāya; (King of tortoises, sustaining the world) Obeisance to
Thee,
the Lord of all prosperities, in the form of Tortoise (Kurma); Thou art
built of Sattva Guna Incarnate; no one can make out where Thou dost dwell;
Thou art not encompassed by Time; (Thou art in the Present, Past and
Future); so obeisance to Thee. Thou dost pervade all things; we bow down to
Thee. All are established in Thee; so obeisance to Thee. By Thy
extraordinary Māyā (power) Thou hast made manifest this universe that is
seen. This is Thy Form. It is by no means distinct from Thee. This Thy Form
is seen in so many forms. So the true reality being not known like the
mirage, these cannot be counted really speaking, what is Thy form, no one
can definitely say. The beings generated by heat and moisture (said of
insects and worms), those that are born of eggs, from wombs and the plants
and other moving, non-moving beings, the Devas, Risis, Pitris, Bhūtas, and
these senses; the sky, the heavens, earth, mountains, rivers, oceans,
islands, planets, and stars all these art Thou and Thou alone. Thy name,
form, and appearance, are as varied; and their numbers cannot be counted.
Still, Kapila and others have determined their numbers, by the knowledge of
which Thou canst become visible to the Eye of Knowledge. Thy form and nature
are determined by these Sānkhyas ascertained by Kapila. So we bow down to
Thee. Thus Aryamā, and the other rulers of the Varsa all united sing,
praise, and worship the Bhagavān Kurma Deva, the Controller of all and the
Generator of all. All Hail to Thee! The Bhagavān Yajńa Purusa is manifest in
Uttara Kuru Mandala in the form of Ādi Varāha. The Earth Herself worships
Him always. The Goddess Earth praises Hari, the Yajńa Varāha, the Destroyer
of the Daityas and worships duly that Deva, with Her heart lotus, naturally
devoted, rendered more devoted by Her attachment to the Lord.
8-13. The Goddess Earth spoke :-- Om Namo Bhagavate Mantratattva Lingāya
Yajńa Kratave I bow down to the Bhagavān, the Great Boar; Thou art Om; Thy
real form and nature can be known by only the Mantra and Tattva. Thou art
Yajńa and Kratu (sacrifice) incarnate; therefore all the great sacrifices
are Thy limbs. Thou art the Three Yugas (there being no Yajńa in the Satya
Yuga); Thou art that which is left as Pure, after doing Karma (so as to be
fit for performing Yajńas). So obeisance to Thee. The sages, versed in Jńāna
and Vijńāna say that Thou art hidden in the body and in the senses as fire
is hidden in the wood. So they, ardent to see Thee, seek for Thee with a
discriminative and dispassionate mind, judging Karmas and their fruits; and
then Thy Nature is revealed, I bow down to Thee, Thy Form can be ascertained
by the cause and effect of the Karmas and other Gunas of Māyā, sense
objects, senses, actions, Devas, body, time, Ahamkāra and others. I bow
down to Thee, Those can see thus Thy form, whose mind is firmly established
in Thee, by their discrimination and Yama, Niyama, etc., and who have
abandoned all sorts of fickleness and changeability of their tempers. So
obeisance to Thee. As iron goes attracted towards the magnet, so Māyā dances
before Thee with Her Gunas and Her works in the way of the creation,
preservation and destruction of this universe; but Thou art totally
indifferent to it. For the sake of the Jīvas (embodied souls), desire comes
to Thee, though Thou art not quite willing! Thou art the Witness of the
Jīvas and their Adrista (the Fate). I bow down to Thee. The Yajńa Varāha,
the Cause of this universe, has lifted me up from the Rasātala and placing
me on His big tusks, has come out from the Pralaya, the great ocean, after
overpowering in battle His enemy, the powerful Daitya, like an elephant, I
bow down to that Controller of all, to Thee. In the Kimpurusa Varsa, the
Bhagavān Ādi Purusa (the Prime Man), the Self-manifest, and the Lord of all,
is residing in the form of Rāma, the son of Das'aratha and the Joy of the
heart of Sītā Devī.
14-18. S'rī Hanumāna thus spoke:-- Om namo Bhagavate Uttama Slokaya I bow
down to the Bhagavān, who art sung by the excellent verses, purifying all. I
bow down to Thee, the incarnate of modesty, good temper, vow and good signs;
Thy mind is always under control; Thou dost imitate, as Thy nature is good,
the actions of all persons; obeisance to Thee. Thou art the Supreme Place to
award praise. Obeisance to Thee. Thou art Brahmanya Deva (in the creation of
the universe), the high souled Person Mahāpurusa. Thou gettest the First
Share, above all the persons! Thou art the One Tattva and That Alone, as
established in the Vedānta. The holy realisation is the only guide to it.
This Tattva dominates over all the Gunas. It can never be an object. Only by
pure intellect, It can be realised. There is no name, no form of It. It is
always beyond the pale of Ahamkāra. I take refuge to this Tattva, the most
Peaceful, with my body and mind. Thy incarnation in human shape in this
world is not simply for killing Rāvana but for giving instructions to the
mortals. The contact with woman and the suffering thereof are very difficult
to avoid; to give this lesson also He took this incarnation, He Who is
merged in enjoying the Supreme Bliss of His Own Nature and He Who is the
Lord of all, how can He suffer miseries in the bereavement of Sītā. He is
the best friend and the very Ātman of those who have conquered their minds
and senses. Especially He is the receptacle of all the qualities and is in
enjoyment of other divine extraordinary powers. So He is not attached to the
worldly objects. How can the delusion due to His wife come and darken Him?
and why will He send Laksmana
in exile? He is the Mahat Tattva and the Parama Purusa; so good birth,
beauty, intelligence, oratory or good form, nothing can please Him. Bhakti
(devotion) can only attract Him. If that be not the case, then why will He,
the elder of Laksmana, the Bhagavān, the son of Das'aratha make friendship
with us, the wanderers of the forest and who are by nature, not the
receptacles of any beauty, etc. So everyone, be he a Sura or Asura, man, or
not man, should worship the Hari manifest in Rāma, in the human body with
all his heart. He is so good that if anybody worships Him even to a very
small extent, He always considers it to be much; what more can be said than
this that He took all the inhabitants of Kos'ala to Heaven!
19-20. Nārāyana said :-- Thus Hanumān, the best of monkeys, sings the
praises and worships duly in Kimpurusa Varsa, the lotus-eyed Rāma, truthful,
and determined in his vows. He who hears this wonderful description of Rāma,
is freed of all his sins and goes with his body pure to the abode of Rāma.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Eighth Book on the description of
Bhuvanakosa in the Mahāpurānam S'rī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam, of 18,000 verses,
by Maharsi Veda Vyāsa.
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