Scriptures

Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 3 • CHAPTER 2
Ch 2 Verse 1-4 Verse
Sanskrit Text
३.२ द्वितीयोऽध्यायः । ब्रह्मादीनाङ्गतिवर्णनम् । व्यास उवाच । यत्त्वया च महाबाहो पृष्टोऽहं कुरुसत्तम । तान्प्रश्नान्नारदः प्राह मया पृष्टो मुनीश्वरः ॥ १ ॥ नारद उवाच । व्यास किं ते ब्रवीम्यद्य पुराऽयं संशयो मम । उत्पन्नो हृदयेऽत्यर्थं सन्देहासारपीडितः ॥ २ ॥ गत्वाऽहं पितरं स्थाने ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् । अपृच्छं यत्त्वया पृष्टं व्यासाद्य प्रश्नमुत्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥ पितः कुतः समुत्पन्नं ब्रह्माण्डमखिलं विभो । भवत्कृतेन वा सम्यक् किं वा विष्णुकृतं त्विदम् ॥ ४ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- O mighty armed Kuru! What you have asked me just now, I also asked the same thing to Nārada, the lord of the Munis and he gave me the following reply :-- O Vyāsa! What shall I say to you on this point more than this that a doubt occurred to me also in my former days. The question that you have put to me today rose in my mind before; and I went to my father Brahmā, of endless energy and asked to him thus :-- O Lord! O Father! Whence is this whole Brahmāṇḍa born? Have You created it? Or is it Viṣṇu or Maheśvara? O all pervading soul!
Ch 2 Verse 5-7 Verse
Sanskrit Text
रुद्रकृतं वा विश्वात्मन् ब्रूहि सत्यं जगत्पते । आराधनीयः कः कामं सर्वोत्कृष्टश्च कः प्रभुः ॥ ५ ॥ तत्सर्वं वद मे ब्रह्मन्सन्देहांश्छिन्धि चानघ । निमग्नो ह्यस्मि संसारे दुःखरूपेऽनृतोपमे ॥ ६ ॥ सन्देहान्दोलितं चेतो न प्रशाम्यति कुत्रचित् । न तीर्थेषु न देवेषु साधनेष्वितरेषु च ॥ ७ ॥
English Translation
Who is there in this Brahmāṇḍa fit to be worshipped? O Lord of the world! Who is the top-most Lord ruling over everything? Kindly say. O Brahmāṇ! I am plunged in this sea of Maya and perils; my heart is agitated with doubts; hence it is not appeased in any place of pilgrimage ; or in thinking any Deva or in practising any Sādhan or in any other object. O Sinless one! Give me the answers duly and thus remove my doubts.
Ch 2 Verse 8 Verse
Sanskrit Text
अविज्ञाय परं तत्त्वं कुतः शान्तिः परन्तप । विकीर्णं बहुधा चित्तं नैकत्र स्थिरतां व्रजेत् ॥ ८ ॥
English Translation
O Tormentor of foes! Unless the highest truth is not known, peace is not found. This heart, distracted in various ways, cannot rest fixed on one subject.
Ch 2 Verse 9 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कं स्मरामि यजे कं वा कं व्रजाम्यर्चयामि कम् । स्तौमि कं नाभिजानामि देव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरम् ॥ ९ ॥
English Translation
Whom am I to remember? Whom to worship? Where to go? Whom to praise? Who is the Supreme God this Universe?
Ch 2 Verse 10-11 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ततो मां प्रत्युवाचेदं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । मया सत्यवतीसूनो कृते प्रश्ने सुदुस्तरे ॥ १० ॥ ब्रह्मोवाच । किं ब्रवीमि सुताद्याहं दुर्बोधं प्रश्नमुत्तमम् । त्वयाशक्यं महाभाग विष्णोरपि सुनिश्चयात् ॥ ११ ॥
English Translation
I do not understand these things. O Satyavatī’s son! Hearing these my serious queries, Brahmā, the grand-Sire of beings, replied to me as follows :-- O highly illustrious son!
Ch 2 Verse 12-13 Verse
Sanskrit Text
रागी कोऽपि न जानाति संसारेऽस्मिन्महामते । विरक्तश्च विजानाति निरीहो यो विमत्सरः ॥ १२ ॥ एकार्णवे पुरा जाते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे भूतमात्रे समुत्पन्ने सञ्जज्ञे कमलादहम् ॥ १३ ॥
English Translation
What more shall I say to you than this that even Viṣṇu is unable to answer your questions; so difficult are they indeed! O great intelligent one! Nobody that is attached to the world knows anything about this. Those who are unattached to this world, who are free from any envy, these who are without desires and calm, those highsouled ones know the secret of all this. In former days when all was water, water everywhere and all things, moving and non-moving were destroyed, when five elements were sprung, then I was also born from the lotus navel of Viṣṇu.
Ch 2 Verse 14 Verse
Sanskrit Text
नापश्यं तरणिं सोमं न वृक्षान्न च पर्वतान् । कर्णिकायां समाविष्टश्चिन्तामकरवं तदा ॥ १४ ॥
English Translation
Then not seeing Moon, Sun, trees, or mountains or anything and sitting on the centre (Karṇikā) of the lotus thought thus :-- When I am born in this great ocean of waters?
Ch 2 Verse 15 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कस्मादहं समुद्भूतः सलिलेऽस्मिन्महार्णवे । को मे त्राता प्रभुः कर्ता संहर्ता वा युगात्यये ॥ १५ ॥
English Translation
Who has created me? Who is now my protector? And Who will be my Destroyer when this cycle ends? There is no earth distinctly visible anywhere here; on what, then, this mass of water rests?
Ch 2 Verse 16 Verse
Sanskrit Text
न च भूर्विद्यते स्पष्टा यदाधारं जलं त्विदम् । पङ्कजं कथमुत्पन्नं प्रसिद्धं रूढियोगयोः ॥ १६ ॥
English Translation
Lotus is termed Pankaja because it springs from mud and dirt; so unless there exists the earth underneath with mud and dirt, how this lotus will come out here!
Ch 2 Verse 17 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पश्याम्यद्यास्य पङ्कं तं मूलं वै पङ्कजस्य च । भविष्यति धरा तत्र मूलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥ १७ ॥
English Translation
Now let me try and find out where is the root of this lotus, where is the mud and dirt? If this be found, then the earth will be also certainly there.
Ch 2 Verse 18 Verse
Sanskrit Text
उत्तरन्सलिले तत्र यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम् । अन्वेषमाणो धरणीं नावाप तां यदा तदा ॥ १८ ॥
English Translation
Thus thinking, I dived underneath the water and searched for one thousand years but could not find earth anywhere, when the celestial voice entered my ears “Practise tapasyā (austerities).”
Ch 2 Verse 19 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तपस्तपेति चाकाशे वागभूदशरीरिणी । ततो मया तपस्तप्तं पद्मे वर्षसहस्रकम् ॥ १९ ॥
English Translation
Hearing this celestial voice, I sat on the lotus, my birth place, and practised tapasyā for one thousand years.
Ch 2 Verse 20 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सृजेति पुनरुद्भूता वाणी तत्र श्रुता मया । विमूढोऽहं तदाकर्ण्य कं सृजामि करोमि किम् ॥ २० ॥
English Translation
Next, the celestial voice came again “Create.” Hearing this, I became quite confounded and began to think within myself “now what am I to create? What to do?”
Ch 2 Verse 21 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तदा दैत्यावपि प्राप्तौ दारुणौ मधुकैटभौ । ताभ्यां विभीषितश्चाहं युद्धाय मकरालये ॥ २१ ॥
English Translation
After this, the two terrible Daityas Madhu and Kaitabha came to me and affrighted me saying “Fight with us.”
Ch 2 Verse 22 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ततोऽहं नालमालम्ब्य वारिमध्यमवातरम् । तदा तत्र मया दृष्टः पुरुषः परमाद्भुतः ॥ २२ ॥
English Translation
I became quite terrified and holding the stem of the lotus, I got down within the water. There I saw a wonderful person, sleeping on the Ananta serpent.
Ch 2 Verse 23 Verse
Sanskrit Text
मेघश्यामशरीरस्तु पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः । शेषशायी जगन्नाथो वनमालाविभूषितः ॥ २३ ॥
English Translation
He was of a deep blue colour like a rain-cloud, wearing yellow clothes, four-armed, garlanded with forest flowers, and the Lord of this whole Universe.
Ch 2 Verse 24 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शङ्खचक्रगदापद्माद्यायुधैः सुविराजितः । तमद्राक्षं महाविष्णुं शेषपर्यङ्कशायिनम् ॥ २४ ॥
English Translation
On the four arms of this Mahā Viṣṇu there were conch-shells, disc, club, and lotus and other weapons.
Ch 2 Verse 25 Verse
Sanskrit Text
योगनिद्रासमाक्रान्तमविस्पन्दिनमच्युतम् । शयानं तं समालोक्य भोगिभोगोपरि स्थितम् ॥ २५ ॥
English Translation
I saw this Achyuta Puruṣa, sleeping on the Ananta serpent bed, motionless and under the influence of Yoga Nidrā. I then thought within myself “What am I to do?”
Ch 2 Verse 26 Verse
Sanskrit Text
चिन्ता ममाद्भुता जाता किं करोमीति नारद । मया स्मृता तदा देवी स्तुता निद्रास्वरूपिणी ॥ २६ ॥
English Translation
Not being able to find out any other way, I recollected the Devī who was then of the nature of sleep and began to praise Her.
Ch 2 Verse 27-28 Verse
Sanskrit Text
देहान्निर्गत्य सा देवी गगने संस्थिता शिवा । अवितर्क्यशरीरा सा दिव्याभरणमण्डिता ॥ २७ ॥ विष्णोर्देहं विहायाशु विरराज नभःस्थिता । उदतिष्ठदमेयात्मा तया मुक्तो जनार्दनः ॥ २८ ॥
English Translation
The auspicious Devī Yoga Nidrā, whose form could not be determined, immediately left the body of Viṣṇu and decorated with divine ornaments, began to shine in the air. After She left the body of Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu immediately got up.
Ch 2 Verse 29 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि कृतवान् युद्धमुत्तमम् । तदा विलोकितौ दैत्यौ हरिणा विनिपातितौ ॥ २९ ॥
English Translation
And He fought terribly for five thousand years with the Dānavas Madhu Kaitabha; then by the grace of the Bhagavatī, He extended His own thighs and then, on those thighs, He slew the two demons.
Ch 2 Verse 30 Verse
Sanskrit Text
उत्सङ्गं विमलं कृत्वा तत्रैव निहतौ च तौ । रुद्रस्तत्रैव सम्प्राप्तो यत्रावां संस्थितावुभौ ॥ ३० ॥
English Translation
Where Viṣṇu and myself were standing, Rudra Deva came also and joined with us. Then we three saw the beautiful Devī in the celestial space.
Ch 2 Verse 31-33 Verse
Sanskrit Text
त्रिभिः संवीक्षितास्मामिः स्वस्था देवी मनोहरा । संस्तुता परमा शक्तिरुवाचास्मानवस्थितान् ॥ ३१ ॥ कृपावलोकनैः कृत्वा पावनैर्मुदितानथ । देव्युवाच । काजेशाः स्वानि कार्याणि कुरुध्वं समतन्द्रिताः ॥ ३२ ॥ सृष्टिस्थितिविशिष्टानि हतावेतौ महासुरौ । कृत्वा स्वानि निकेतानि वसध्वं विगतज्वराः ॥ ३३ ॥
English Translation
We three, then, commenced to chant hymns to Her and She gladdened our hearts by Her gracious look and said :-- “O Brahmā! O Viṣṇu! O Rudra! The two great Daityas are slain. Now forsake your laziness and do your respective works of creating, preserving, and destroying the Universe; create your own abodes, and live in happiness; create by your respective lordly powers, the fourfold beings.”
Ch 2 Verse 34-38 Verse
Sanskrit Text
प्रजाश्चतुर्विधाः सर्वाः सृजध्वं स्वविभूतिभिः । ब्रह्मोवाच । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्याः पेशलं सुखदं मृदु ॥ ३४ ॥ अब्रूम तामशक्तिः स्मः कथं कुर्मस्त्विमाः प्रजाः । न मही वितता मातः सर्वत्र विततं जलम् ॥ ३५ ॥ न भूतानि गुणाश्चापि तन्मात्राणीन्द्रियाणि च । तदाकर्ण्य वचोऽस्माकं शिवा जाता स्मितानना ॥ ३६ ॥ झटित्येवागतं तत्र विमानं गगनाच्छुभम् । सोवाचास्मिन्सुराः कामं विशध्वं गतसाध्वसाः ॥ ३७ ॥ विमाने ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशा दर्शयाम्यद्य चाद्भुतम् । तन्निशम्य वचस्तस्या ओमित्युक्त्वा पुनर्वयम् ॥ ३८ ॥
English Translation
Hearing the Devī’s gentle sweet words, we spoke :-- “O Mother! There is no wide earth here; all is one mass of infinite ocean. No five elements, no five tanmātrās, no sensual organs, no Guṇas, nothing exist here; how can we then execute the works of creation, etc. Hearing our words, the Devī smiled. Immediately there came from the sky overhead a beautiful aerial car. The Devī said :-- “O Brahmā! O Viṣṇu! O Rudra! Get in this car without any fear. To-day I will show you one wonderful thing.”
Ch 2 Verse 39-42 Verse
Sanskrit Text
समारुह्योपविष्टाः स्मो विमाने रत्नमण्डिते । मुक्तादामसुसंवीते किङ्किणीजालशब्दिते ॥ ३९ ॥ सुरसद्मनिभे रम्ये त्रयस्तत्राविशङ्किताः । सोपविष्टांस्ततो दृष्ट्वा देव्यस्मान्विजितेन्द्रियान् ॥ ४० ॥ स्वशक्त्या तद्विमानं वै नोदयामास चाम्बरे ॥ ४१ ॥
Sanskrit Colophon
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां तृतीयस्कन्धे ब्रह्मादीनाङ्गतिवर्णनं नाम द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ३.२॥
English Translation
At Her word, we got into the beautiful car without any fear. It was decorated with various gems and jewels, bedecked with pearls, emitting sweet tinkling sounds of bells and looking as the abode of the celestials. Seeing us seated without any fear, She made the car get high up in the sky by Her force. Thus ends the second chapter of the third skandha on Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra’s going towards the heavens on the celestial car, given by the Devī in the Mahāpurāṇa Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyās.