Durga Saptashati
|| ‘Chapter Five’ ||
Chapter 5 :
The Devas’ praise of the Goddess, Shumbha sending his messenger to Ambika after hearing the praise of her form from Chanda and Munda, and the messenger’s disappointed return.
॥ Invocation ॥
Om, the sage of this later section is Rudra, the deity is Mahasaraswati, the meter is Anushtubh, the power (Shakti) is Bhima, the seed (Bija) is Bhramari, the essence (Tattva) is Surya, and the form is Samaveda. This invocation is used for the recitation of the later section for the pleasure of Mahasaraswati.
॥ Dhyana (Meditation) ॥
I constantly worship the Goddess Mahasaraswati, who holds a bell, trident, plough, conch, mace, discus, bow, and arrow in her lotus hands; whose beautiful radiance is like the resplendent moon of the autumn season; who is the basis of the three worlds and the destroyer of the demons Shumbha and others; and who appeared from the body of Gauri.
The Rishi says: ॥ In the past, the Asuras named Shumbha and Nishumbha, in the pride of their strength, snatched the kingdom of the three worlds and the share of the sacrifice from the hand of Shachi’s husband, Indra.॥
Those two also began to enjoy the authority of Surya, Chandra, Kubera, Yama, and Varuna. They also began to perform the functions of Vayu and Agni. Insulting, dethroning, defeating, and stripping all the Devas of their authority, they drove them out of heaven. The Devas, thus despised by those two great Asuras, remembered the invincible Goddess and thought – ‘The Mother of the World had granted us a boon that if we remember her in times of adversity, she would instantly destroy all our calamities’॥
With this thought, the Devas went to the King of Mountains, Himalaya, and began to praise the divine Vishnu-Maya there.॥
The Devas said: ॥ Salutations to the Goddess, eternal salutations to Mahadevi Shiva. Obeisance to Prakriti and Bhadra. We constantly bow to the Mother of the World.॥
Salutations to Raudra. Repeated salutations to Nitya, Gauri, and Dhatri. Constant salutations to the Goddess who is Jyotsnamayi (full of moonlight), Chandra-rupini (in the form of the moon), and Sukhaswarupa (the form of happiness).॥
We repeatedly bow to the Goddess, the embodiment of Prosperity (Vriddhi) and Accomplishment (Siddhi), who bestows welfare upon those who seek refuge. Repeated salutations to you, the Mother of the World, who is Nairriti (the Lakshmi of the Rakshasas), the Lakshmi of kings, and Sharvani (the wife of Shiva).॥
Eternal salutations to Durga, Durgapara (she who carries across difficult dangers), Sara (the essence of all), Sarvakarini (the cause of all), Khyati (fame), Krishna, and Dhumra Devi.॥
We salute the Goddess who is exceedingly gentle and exceedingly fierce, our repeated obeisance to her. Repeated salutations to the Goddess Kriti, the support of the world.॥
The Goddess who is called Vishnu-Maya in all beings – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is called Consciousness (Chetana) in all beings – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Intellect (Buddhi) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥ The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Sleep (Nidra) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Hunger (Kshudha) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Shadow (Chhaya) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Power (Shakti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Thirst (Trishna) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Forbearance (Kshanti/Kshama) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Lineage (Jati) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥ The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Modesty (Lajja) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Peace (Shanti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Faith (Shraddha) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥ The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Radiance (Kanti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Prosperity (Lakshmi) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Activity (Vritti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥ The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Memory (Smriti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Compassion (Daya) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Contentment (Tushti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Mother (Mata) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
The Goddess who is situated in all beings in the form of Delusion (Bhranti) – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
Repeated salutations to that Goddess of Pervasion (Vyaptidevi), who is the presiding deity of the aggregate of senses of living beings and who is ever-pervasive in all beings.॥
The Goddess who is situated pervading this entire world in the form of Consciousness – salutations to her, salutations to her, repeated salutations to her.॥
May that Ishwari (Sovereign Goddess), who is the means of welfare, who was praised by the Devas in ancient times upon the attainment of their desired objective, and who was served by the King of Devas, Indra, for many days, bestow welfare and auspiciousness upon us and destroy all our calamities.॥
May the Mother of the World, whom all of us Devas, distressed by the arrogant demons, are bowing to at this time, and who, when remembered by men humbly devoted, instantly destroys all misfortunes, remove our distress.॥
The Rishi says: – O King! While the Devas were thus offering praise, Goddess Parvati came there to bathe in the water of the Ganga.॥
The Goddess with the beautiful eyebrows asked the Devas, ‘Whom are you people praising here?’ Then the Shivaa Devi, who had emerged from her own bodily sheath, spoke: -॥
‘These assembled Devas, insulted by the demon Shumbha and defeated by Nishumbha in battle, are praising me.’॥ Since Ambika appeared from the bodily sheath (kosh) of Parvati, she is known as ‘Kaushiki’ in all the worlds.॥
After Kaushiki appeared, the body of Goddess Parvati became dark in colour, and thus she became famous on the Himalayas by the name of Kalika Devi.॥
Thereafter, the servants of Shumbha and Nishumbha, Chanda and Munda, came there and saw the Goddess Ambika, who had assumed an extremely enchanting form.॥
Then they went to Shumbha and said, ‘O Great King! There is an extremely captivating woman who is illuminating the Himalayas with her divine radiance.’॥ Such an excellent form has never been seen by anyone anywhere. O Lord of Asuras! Find out who that Goddess is and take her.॥
She is a gem among women; every limb of hers is very beautiful. And with the splendour of her beautiful body, she is spreading light in all directions. O King of Daityas! She is still present on the Himalayas; you can go and see her.॥
O Lord! All the gems in the three worlds—jewels, elephants, horses, etc.—are now adorning your house.॥
Airavata, the gem among elephants, this Parijata tree, and this horse Uchchaishravas—you have taken all these from Indra.॥
This chariot yoked with swans also adorns your courtyard. This wonderful, gem-like chariot, which was formerly with Brahmaji, has now been brought to your place.॥
You have snatched this Mahapadma treasure from Kubera. The ocean has also presented you with a garland called Kinjalkini, which is adorned with filaments and whose lotuses never wither.॥
Varuna’s umbrella, which showers gold, also graces your house, and this excellent chariot, which was previously under the authority of Prajapati, is now with you.॥
O Lord of Daityas! You have also snatched away the power called Utkrantida of Mrityu (Death), and Varuna’s noose and all kinds of gems produced in the ocean are under the authority of your brother Nishumbha. Agni has also offered two self-purified garments in your service.॥ O King of Daityas! Thus, you have collected all the gems. Then why do you not take possession of this Goddess, who is a gem among women and is auspicious?॥
The Rishi says: ॥ Hearing this speech of Chanda and Munda, Shumbha sent the great demon Sugriva as a messenger to the Goddess and said, ‘By my command, you say these things to her and devise such a plan that she becomes pleased and comes here quickly.’॥
That messenger went to the very beautiful region of the mountain where the Goddess was present and spoke soft words in a sweet voice.॥
The messenger said: ॥ O Goddess! The King of Daityas, Shumbha, is currently the Supreme Lord of the three worlds. I am his messenger and have come here to you.॥
All the Devas always obey his command unanimously. No one can transgress it. He has defeated all the Devas. Listen to the message he has sent for you.॥
‘The entire three worlds are under my control. The Devas also follow my command. I myself enjoy the shares of all the sacrifices separately.॥ All the best gems in the three worlds are under my authority. Airavata, the vehicle of Devraj Indra, which is like a gem among elephants, I have seized.॥
The horse-gem Uchchaishravas, which appeared from the churning of the milky ocean, was humbly submitted to me by the Devas.॥ O Beautiful One! Besides them, all other gem-like objects that belonged to the Devas, Gandharvas, and Nagas have all come to me.॥
O Goddess! We consider you to be the gem among the women of the world, so you should come to us; because we are the enjoyers of the gems.॥
O beautiful woman with restless glances! Come into the service of me or my brother, the great valiant Nishumbha; because you are the embodiment of a gem.॥
By choosing me, you will attain immense, incomparable prosperity. Pondering this with your own intellect, become my wife.’॥
The Rishi says: ॥ When the messenger said this, the auspicious Goddess Durga Devi, who sustains this world, smiled profoundly in her heart and spoke thus: -॥
The Goddess said: ॥ O Messenger! You have spoken the truth; there is not the slightest falsehood in it. Shumbha is the lord of the three worlds, and Nishumbha is equally valiant.॥
But how can I break the vow I have taken in this matter? Listen to the vow I made earlier due to my limited intellect: -॥
‘Whoever conquers me in battle, who crushes my pride, and who is as strong as me in the world, he shall be my husband.’॥
Therefore, let Shumbha or the great demon Nishumbha himself come here and, conquering me, quickly take my hand in marriage. What is the need for delay in this?॥
The messenger said: ॥ O Goddess! You are full of arrogance; do not speak such things in front of me. Who is the man in the three worlds who can stand before Shumbha and Nishumbha?॥
O Goddess! Even all the Devas cannot stand in battle before other demons, so how can you, a lone woman, stand?॥
How will you, a woman, go before those Shumbha and other demons before whom even Indra and all the other Devas did not stand in battle?॥
Therefore, come with me to Shumbha and Nishumbha, as I say. By doing so, your honour will be protected; otherwise, when they drag you by the hair, you will have to go having lost your prestige.॥
The Goddess said: ॥ Your saying is right, Shumbha is powerful, and Nishumbha is also very valiant, but what can I do? I made a vow earlier without thinking.॥
Therefore, now you go; convey, with respect, everything I have told you to the King of the Daityas. Then let them do whatever they deem appropriate.॥
Thus, in the Shri Markandeya Purana, in the narrative of the Savarni Manvantara,
The fifth chapter, named ‘Dialogue between the Goddess and the Messenger’ in Devi Mahatmya, is completed.
