Durga Saptashati
|| ‘Chapter One’ ||
Chapter :1
The narrative of Rishi Medha recounting the glory of the Goddess and the slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha to King Suratha and Samadhi.
॥ Viniyoga (Application)॥
For the first character (story), Brahma is the Rishi, Mahakali is the deity, Gayatri is the meter (chhanda), Nanda is the shakti (power), Raktadantika is the Bija (seed mantra), Agni is the tattva (element), and Rigveda is the form. The Viniyoga is used in the chanting of the first character for the pleasure of Shri Mahakali Devi.
॥ Dhyana (Meditation)॥
I worship that Mahakali Devi, who was praised by Brahma, born from the lotus, in order to slay Madhu and Kaitabha when Lord Vishnu was asleep. She holds a sword, disc, mace, arrow, bow, Parigha, spear, Bhushundi, a severed head, and a conch in her ten hands. She has three eyes. She is adorned with divine ornaments on all her limbs. The glow of her body is like a blue jewel, and she has ten faces and ten feet.
Om, Salutations to Chandika Devi. Markandeya said: Listen, I will recount in detail the story of the origin of Savarni, the son of Surya, who is called the eighth Manu. I narrate the same narrative of how the great-souled Savarni, the son of Surya, became the lord of the Manvantara (era of Manu) by the grace of Goddess Mahamaya.
In ancient times, during the Swarochisha Manvantara, there was a king named Suratha, who was born in the Chaitra dynasty. He held authority over the entire earth. He ruled his subjects righteously, like his own legitimate sons; yet, at that time, Kshatriyas named Kolavidhwamsi became his enemies.
King Suratha’s system of justice (Dandaniti) was very strong. A battle ensued with his enemies. Although the Kolavidhwamsi were few in number, King Suratha was defeated by them in battle. Then he returned from the battlefield to his city and remained only the king of his own country (his authority over the entire earth was now lost), but even there, those powerful enemies attacked the great-souled King Suratha at that time.
The king’s power had waned; therefore, his wicked, powerful, and evil-minded ministers seized his royal army and treasury, even in his capital.
Surath’s authority was destroyed, so he rode alone on horseback, pretending to hunt, and went to a dense forest. There, he saw the hermitage of the excellent sage Medha, where many carnivorous creatures lived in perfect tranquility (abandoning their natural violent instincts). Many disciples of the sage enhanced the beauty of that forest.
Upon arriving, the sage welcomed him, and the king stayed for some time, wandering around the hermitage of that best of sages.
Then, with a mind drawn by attachment, he began to worry there, thinking: ‘The city that my ancestors ruled in the past is now without me. I wonder whether my wicked servants are protecting it righteously or not. My chief elephant, who always brought forth exhilaration and was valiant, is now under the control of enemies; I wonder what pleasures he is enjoying? Those who always followed me because of my favor, wealth, and food, must surely be following other kings now.
That treasury of mine, accumulated with great difficulty, will be emptied because of the constant expenditure by those extravagant people.’ King Surath continued to ponder these and many other things.
One day, near the hermitage of the excellent sage Medha, he saw a Vaishya (merchant) and asked him, ‘Brother! Who are you? What is the reason for your coming here? Why do you look so grief-stricken and absent-minded?’ Hearing these loving words from King Surath, the Vaishya humbly bowed to him and said:
The Vaishya said, ‘O King! I am a Vaishya born in a wealthy family. My name is Samadhi. My wicked wife and sons have driven me out of the house due to greed for wealth. I am presently deprived of wealth, wife, and sons. My trustworthy relatives took my wealth and distanced me, which is why I came to the forest in distress. Staying here, I do not know whether my sons, wife, and relatives are well or not. Are they living peacefully at home now, or are they facing some difficulty? What are my sons like? Are they virtuous or have they become wicked?’
The King asked, ‘Why is there such a bond of affection in your heart for those greedy wife and sons who drove you out of the house for the sake of wealth?’
The Vaisya said: “All that you say about me is right. But what can I do, my mind does not become cruel. Those who, out of greed for wealth, abandoned love for their father, affection for their husband, and attachment to their relatives, and drove me out of the house, I still have so much affection for them in my heart. O great sage! What is this—that my mind is so engrossed in love for these unworthy relatives? I know this, yet I cannot understand it. I sigh deeply for them, and my heart is extremely distressed. They are completely devoid of love; yet, what can I do so that my mind does not become cruel towards them?”
Markandeya Ji said: “O Brahman! After that, Surath, the best among kings, and that Vaisya named Samadhi, both came together to serve the sage Medha. They behaved respectfully and appropriately according to the norms and sat down. Thereafter, the Vaisya and the King started a conversation.”
The King said: “O Lord! I want to ask you one thing, please tell me. That matter causes great distress to my mind because my heart is not under my control. I still have attachment for the kingdom that has gone out of my hands, and for all its parts. O best of sages! Even though I know it is not mine, I grieve for it like an ignorant person; what is this? This Vaisya, too, has come after being insulted at home. His sons, wife, and servants have abandoned him. His own people have also forsaken him, yet he holds deep heartfelt affection for them. Thus, both he and I are very miserable. Even for the things where a defect is clearly seen, a bond of attachment is being created in our minds. O noble one! We are both wise; then what is this delusion that has arisen in us? This foolishness is clearly visible in me and in him, like in a person devoid of discernment.”
The Rishi said: “O noble one! All living beings have knowledge of the sense-objects. Similarly, the sense-objects are also different for everyone; some creatures do not see in the day, and others do not see at night. And some creatures are such that they see equally well both day and night.
It is true that humans are discerning, but they are not the only ones. Animals, birds, and deer, all creatures are discerning. The understanding of humans is similar to that of those deer and birds. And the understanding of those deer and birds is similar to that of humans. This and other matters are mostly similar in both. Despite having understanding, look at these birds: although they themselves are afflicted by hunger, they lovingly put grains of food into the beaks of their young out of delusion.”
O best among men! Do you not see that even though these humans are wise, out of greed, they desire sons in order to receive recompense for the good deeds they have done? Although there is no lack of understanding in all of them, they have been thrown into the pit of delusion, filled with the whirlpool of attachment, by the influence of Goddess Mahamaya, who maintains the cycle of the world (the tradition of birth and death). Therefore, there is no need to be surprised by this.
This world is being enchanted by Goddess Mahamaya, who is the form of the Yoga-nidra (sleep of union) of Lord Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe. That Goddess Mahamaya forcefully draws the minds of even the wise and plunges them into delusion. She alone creates this entire moving and unmoving world, and when pleased, she grants the boon of liberation to human beings. She is the Supreme Knowledge, the eternal Goddess, who is the cause of both the bondage of the world and liberation, and she is also the sovereign of all the gods.
The King asked -॥ O Venerable Sir! Who is that Goddess whom you call Mahamaya? O Brahman! How did she manifest? And what are her deeds? O best among the knowers of Brahman, great sage! I wish to hear from your mouth all about the influence of that Goddess, her form, and the manner in which she appeared.
The Sage replied -॥ O King! In reality, that Goddess is eternal by nature. The entire world is her form, and she pervades the whole universe, yet her manifestation occurs in various ways. Listen to me. Although she is eternal and unborn, when she appears to accomplish the work of the gods, she is spoken of in the world as having been born.
At the end of the Kalpa (aeon), when the entire world was submerged in a single ocean and Lord Vishnu, the master of all, was resting on the bed of Sheshanaga, having taken shelter in Yoga-nidra, two terrifying Asuras (demons) named Madhu and Kaitabha were born from the dirt of his ears. Those two prepared to kill Brahmaji. Prajapati Brahmaji, seated on the navel-lotus of Lord Vishnu, saw those two terrifying Asuras approaching and saw the Lord asleep. Then, with a focused mind, he began to praise Yoga-nidra, who resides in the eyes of Lord Vishnu, to awaken Him.
Lord Brahma began to praise that Goddess of sleep, who is the sovereign of this universe, the support of the world, the protector and destroyer of the world, and the unparalleled power of the effulgent Lord Vishnu.
Brahmaji said -॥ O Goddess! You are Svaha, you are Svadha, and you are Vashatkar. The musical notes (svar) are also your form. You are the life-giving nectar (Sudha). In the eternal syllable Pranava (Om), you are situated in the form of the three Matras (measures) – A-kara, U-kara, and Ma-kara. And the eternal half-measure (ardhamatra) in the form of a dot (bindu), which cannot be distinctly pronounced, is also you.
Devi! You are Sandhya, Savitri, and the supreme Mother. Devi! You sustain this universe. The creation of this world proceeds from you; by you is it maintained, and in the end of the kalpa, you always devour all.
O Goddess, the soul of the universe! At the time of the creation of this world, you are the form of creation (Srishtirupa), during the time of maintenance, you are the form of preservation (Sthiti Rupa), and at the time of the end of the kalpa, you take the form of destruction (Samhara Rupa). You are Mahamoharupa (the form of great delusion), Mahadevi, and Mahasuri. You are the original Prakriti (Nature) that gives rise to the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) in everyone.
You are also the fearsome Kalaratri (Night of Destruction), Maharatri (Great Night), and Moharatri (Night of Delusion). You are Shri (Prosperity), you are Ishwari (Ruler), you are Hri (Modesty/Shame), and you are Buddhi (Intellect) in the form of knowledge.
You are also Lajjā (Modesty), Pushti (Nourishment), Tushti (Contentment), Shānti (Peace), and Kshamā (Forgiveness). You are the one who bears the sword (Khadgadharini), the trident (Shuladharini), the terrible form (Ghorarupa), and the one who holds the mace (Gada), discus (Chakra), conch (Shankha), and bow (Dhanush). The arrow (Bāna), Bhushundi (a kind of firearm/weapon), and Parigha (iron club) – these are also your weapons. You are gentle (Saumya) and even gentler (Saumyatar) – not only this, but you are exceedingly beautiful compared to all gentle and beautiful objects. You are the supreme Goddess (Parameshwari) who resides beyond the superior (Para) and the inferior (Apara). O Goddess, the form of all! Whatever things exist here in the form of Sat (existent) and Asat (non-existent), and the power of all those things—that is you. In such a state, what praise can be offered to you?
When you have placed even those Gods who create, maintain, and destroy this world under the control of sleep, then who here can be capable of praising you?
You have made me, Lord Shankara, and Lord Vishnu also take a body; therefore, who has the power to praise you?
O Devi! You are praised merely by these generous influences of yours. May you cast these two formidable Asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, into delusion, and quickly awaken Lord Vishnu, the Lord of the universe. At the same time, generate within him the intellect to slay these two great Asuras.”
The Rishi said: “O King! When Brahmaji thus praised Yogānidrā, the presiding Goddess of the Tamas Guna, with the intention of slaying Madhu and Kaitabha, in order to awaken Lord Vishnu, she emerged from the eyes, mouth, nose, arms, heart, and chest of the Lord and stood before Brahmaji, who is unmanifest in birth.
Upon being released by Yogānidrā, Lord Janārdana, the Master of the world, awoke from His bed on Sheshanāga in the waters of that single ocean (ekārṇava). Then He saw those two Asuras.
Those wicked souls, Madhu and Kaitabha, were extremely strong and valorous, and with eyes red with anger, they were attempting to devour Brahmaji. Then Lord Shri Hari arose and engaged in a bare-handed fight with them for five thousand years. Both of them were also intoxicated by their immense strength.
Meanwhile, Mahamaya had also put them under a spell of delusion, which is why they started saying to Lord Vishnu, “We are pleased with your valor. Ask us for any boon.”
The Lord said, “If you both are pleased with me, then now be slain by my hand. That is the only boon I have asked for. What need is there for any other boon here?”
The Sage said, “Thus, having been deceived, when they saw only water everywhere in the entire world, they said to the lotus-eyed Lord, ‘Slay us in a place where the Earth is not submerged in water – where there is dry ground.'”
The Sage said, “Then, saying ‘So be it,’ the Lord, who holds the conch, discus, and mace, placed their heads on his thigh and cut them off with the discus. Thus, this Goddess Mahamaya had manifested herself upon the praise of Brahmaji. Now, I shall again describe her glory to you, listen.”
Thus concludes the first chapter named ‘The Slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha’ in the Devi Mahatmya, which is a part of the story of the Savarnika Manvantara in the Shrimarkandeya Purana. ॥1॥
