Durga Saptashati
|| ‘Chapter Four’ ||
Chapter 4:
Praise of the Devi by Indra and other Deities
॥ Dhyana (Meditation) ॥
One should meditate on the Devi Durga named ‘Jaya’, whom men desiring siddhi (spiritual power/perfection) worship, and who is surrounded by the Devas (Gods) on all sides. The radiance of her limbs is dark, like a black cloud. She instills fear in the multitude of enemies with her sidelong glances. The line of the moon bound on her forehead shines. She holds a conch, discus, sword, and trident in her hands. She has three eyes. She is mounted on the shoulder of a lion and pervades the three worlds with her brilliance.
The Rishi said: When the extremely powerful, wicked-souled Mahishasura and his demon army were slain by the Devi, Indra and the other Devas, bending their necks and shoulders in salutation, began to praise that Bhagavati Durga with excellent words. At that time, their beautiful bodies were covered with goosebumps due to extreme joy.
The Devas said: ‘We devoutly bow to that Jagadamba (Mother of the Universe), whose form is the aggregate of the powers of all the Devas, and who has pervaded the entire world with her power, and who is worshipped by all the Devas and Mahārishis (great sages). May she bestow welfare upon us.
May the Bhagavati Chandika, whose incomparable influence and power Lord Shesha, Brahmaji, and Mahadevji (Lord Shiva) are also unable to describe, contemplate the protection of the entire world and the destruction of inauspicious fear. You, the Bhagavati Durga, who reside in the homes of the virtuous as Lakshmi herself, as poverty among the sinners, as intellect in the hearts of men with pure inner consciousness, as faith among the good people, and as modesty in a well-born person, we bow to you. O Devi! Please protect the entire universe. O Devi! How can we describe this inconceivable form of yours, your immense prowess that destroys the Asuras, and your wonderful deeds manifested in battle before all the Devas and Daityas (demons)?
You are the cause of the origin of the entire world. You possess the three Gunas (qualities) – Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (inertia) – yet your association with flaws is not apparent. Even Devas like Lord Vishnu and Mahadevji cannot comprehend your limits. You are the support of all. This entire universe is a part of you, because you are the primordial, unmanifested supreme Prakriti (Nature). O Devi! You are Swaha, through the utterance of which in all yajnas (sacrifices), all Devas gain satisfaction. In addition to this, you are also the cause of the satisfaction of the Pitris (ancestors); therefore, everyone also calls you Swadha.
O Devi! You are the supreme Vidya (knowledge) that is the means to attain moksha (liberation), is of the nature of an inconceivable great vow, is free from all flaws, and which is practiced by Munis (ascetics) who are self-controlled, who consider only the truth to be the essential substance, and who long for moksha.
You are the very nature of sound; you are the basis of the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, and also the Samaveda, which is filled with the melodious verses of the Udgītha (a part of the Samaveda) and is extremely pure. You are the Devi, Trayi (the three Vedas), and Bhagavati (endowed with the six opulences). For the creation and sustenance of this universe, you are manifested as Vārta (agriculture and livelihood). You are the destroyer of the terrible agony of the entire world. O Devi! You are the power of intelligence (Medha Shakti) from which the essence of all scriptures is known. You are also the Durga Devi in the form of a boat that ferries across the difficult ocean of existence. You have no attachment anywhere. You are the Bhagavati Lakshmi, who resides solely on the chest of Lord Vishnu, the enemy of Kaitabha, and you are also the Gauri Devi, revered by Lord Chandrashekhara (Lord Shiva).
Your face, adorned with a gentle smile, pure, imitating the orb of the full moon, and lovely with the beautiful radiance of excellent gold—yet, upon seeing it, Mahishasura was enraged and suddenly struck it. This is a matter of great astonishment.
O Devi! When that very face, filled with anger, became red like the moon at sunrise and fearsome due to the drawn eyebrows, that Mahishasura’s life did not instantly depart upon seeing it, this is even more astonishing; for who can remain alive after seeing the enraged Yama (God of Death)?
O Devi! Be pleased. When you, the Supreme Self, are pleased, the world prospers, and when you are filled with wrath, you instantly destroy many lineages. This fact has just been experienced, because this vast army of Mahishasura has been destroyed in a moment by your wrath.
Those upon whom you, the ever-bestower of prosperity, are gracious, are honored in the country, they attain wealth and fame, their Dharma (righteousness) never slackens, and they are considered blessed along with their robust wife, sons, and servants.
O Devi! By your grace, the virtuous man performs all kinds of righteous actions with extreme devotion every day, and by its influence, he goes to the heavenly realm; therefore, you are verily the granter of desired fruits in the three worlds.
O Mother Durga! Upon being remembered, you remove the fear of all creatures, and upon being contemplated by healthy (unafflicted) persons, you bestow upon them supremely auspicious intellect. O Devi, who removes sorrow, poverty, and fear! Who else is there besides you, whose heart is always melted with compassion for the welfare of all?
O Devi! May the world attain happiness by the slaying of these demons, and even though these demons may have committed sins to dwell in Naraka (hell) for a long time, may they attain Svargaloka (heaven) by meeting death in this battle—verily, thinking this, you slay your enemies.
Why do you strike the enemies with weapons? Why don’t you burn all the Asuras merely by a glance? There is a secret in this. May these enemies also become purified by our weapons and go to the excellent realms—in this way, your consideration for them is also extremely noble.
That the eyes of the Asuras were not blinded by the dreadful brilliance of the flash of the sword and the concentrated light of the tip of your trident, the reason for that was that they were beholding this beautiful face of yours, which grants bliss like the moon with its delightful rays.
O Devi! Your character is one that removes the bad conduct of the wicked. Moreover, your form is such that it can never be conceived even in thought and can never be compared to others. And your strength and prowess are such that they destroy even those Daityas who had previously destroyed the prowess of the Devas. Thus, you have shown only your compassion even to your enemies.
O Devi, the bestower of boons! With whom can this prowess of yours be compared? And where else is there a form so fearsome to enemies and yet so exceedingly beautiful, except in you? Compassion in the heart and ruthlessness in battle—these two things have been seen only in you within the three worlds.
O Mother! You have protected this entire triple world by destroying the enemies. You have also sent those enemies to Svargaloka by slaying them on the battlefield, and you have also removed the fear we received from the intoxicated Daityas. Salutations to you.
O Devi! Protect us with your spear. O Ambikā! Protect us also with your sword, and protect us with the sound of your bell and the twang of your bow.
O Chandikā! Protect us in the East, West, and South directions, and O Īśvarī! Protect us also in the North direction by whirling your trident.
O Ambikā! Protect us and this Bhūloka (Earth) with your supremely beautiful and extremely terrifying forms that wander in the three worlds.
O Ambikā! Whatever weapons, such as the sword, spear, and mace, adorn your lotus-like hands, protect us from all sides with all of them.
The Rishi said: Thus, when the Devas praised the Mother of the Universe, Durga, and worshiped her with the divine flowers of the Nandana garden and with fragrances, sandalwood, etc., and then all together devoutly offered the fragrance of divine incense, the Devi, with a pleased countenance, spoke to all the Devas, who were bowing:
The Devi said: O Devas! Ask from me whatever object you all desire.
The Devas said: The Bhagavati has fulfilled all our desires; nothing remains now, because this enemy of ours, Mahishasura, has been slain. O Maheśvarī! Even then, if you wish to grant us another boon:
Then, whenever we remember you, may you appear and remove our great calamities, and O pleased-faced Ambikā! May you always be gracious to us by granting wealth, prosperity, and opulence, and by increasing the property of those who praise you with these stotras (hymns), such as their wealth and wives.
The Rishi said: O King! When the Devas thus pleased the Devi Bhadrakali for their own welfare and the welfare of the world, she said, ‘So be it,’ and disappeared right there. O Ruler of the Earth! Thus, the entire story of how the Devi, who desired the good of the three worlds, manifested from the bodies of the Devas in ancient times, has been narrated by me.
Now, listen to me recount the entire episode of how the Devi, who again benefited the Devas by slaying the wicked Daityas, Shumbha and Nishumbha, and protecting all the worlds, manifested from the body of the Devi Gauri. I shall describe it to you exactly as it happened.
Thus, in the Shri Markandeya Purana, in the narrative of the Sāvarṇika Manvantara, the fourth chapter named ‘Śakrādistuti’ (Praise by Indra and others) in the Devi Mahatmya is completed.
