Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Nārāyaṇa said :-- The excellent, most sweet stories of Svāhā and Svadhā are told; now I will tell you the story of Dakṣiṇā; hear attentively. In early days, in the region of Goloka, there was a good-natured Gopī named Suśīlā, beautiful, Rādhā’s companion and very dear to Śrī Hari. She was fortunate, respected, beautiful, lovely, prosperous, with good teeth, learned, well qualified and of exquisitely handsome form.

Her whole body was tender and lovely like Kalāvatī (one versed in 64 arts; moon). She was beautiful and her eyes were like water lilies. Her hips were good and spacious; Her breasts were full; she was Shyāmā (a kind of women having colour like melted gold; body being hot in cold and cool in summer; of youthful beauty); as well She was of the Nyagrodha class of women (an excellent woman. Stanau Sukaṭhinau Yasyā Nitambe ca Viśālatā. Madhye Ksīṇā bhavedyā Sānyagrodha parimaṇḍalā).

Always a smile sweetened Her face; and that looked always gracious. Her whole body was covered with jewel ornaments. Her colour was white like the white champakas. Her lips were red like the Bimba fruits; Her eyes were like those of a deer.

Suśīlā was very clever in amorous sciences. Her gait was like a swan. She was specially versed in what is called Prema Bhakti (love towards God). So She was the dearest lady of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And She was of intense emotional feelings.

She knows all the sentiments of love; she was witty, humorous, and ardent for the love of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Rāsa circle. She sat by the left side of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the presence of Rādhā. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then cast His glance on Rādhā, the Chief of the Gopīs and hung down His head through fear.

Rādhā’s face turned red; the two eyes looked like red lilies; all Her bodies began to quiver out of anger and Her lips began to shake. Seeing that state of Rādhā, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa disappeared, fearing that a quarrel might ensue. Suśīlā and other Gopīs seeing that the peaceful Kṛṣṇa of Sattvā Guṇa and of lovely form had disappeared, began to tremble with fear.

Then one lakh Koṭi Gopīs seeing Kṛṣṇa absent and Rādhā angry, became very much afraid and bowing their heads down with devotion and with folded palms began to say frequently, “Rādhe! Protect us, protect us,” and they took shelter at Her feet.

O Nārada! Three lakh Gopas also including Sudāmā and others took shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā out of fear. Seeing, then, Kṛṣṇa absent and Her companion Suśīlā running away, Rādhā cursed her thus :--

:-- “If Suśīlā comes again to this Goloka, she will be reduced to ashes.” Thus cursing Her companion Suśīlā out of anger, Rādhā, the Darling of the Deva of the Devas, and the Lady of the Rāsa circle went to the Rāsa circle and called on Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the same.

Not being able to find out Śrī Kṛṣṇa, a minute appeared a yuga to Her and she began to say :-- “O Lord of Prāṇas! O Dearer than My life! O Presiding Deity of my life! O Kṛṣṇa! My life seems to depart from Thy absence! Come quickly and show Thyself to me.

O Lord! It is through the favour of one’s husband that the pride of women gets increased day by day. Women’s safeguards of happiness are their husbands. Therefore women, who are helpless creatures, ought always to serve their husbands according to Dharma. The husband is the wife’s friend, presiding deity and the sole refuge and the chief wealth. It is through husbands that women derive their pleasures, enjoyments, Dharma, happiness, peace and contentment.

If husbands are respected, wives are respected and if husbands are dishonoured, women are dishonoured too. The husband is the highest thing to a woman. He is the highest friend. There is no better friend than him.

The husband is called Bhartā because he supports his wife; he is called Pati, because he preserves her; he is called Śvāmī, because he is the master of her body; he is called Kāntā because he bestows the desired things to her; he is called Bandhu, because he increases her happiness; he is called Priya, because he gives pleasure to her; he is called Iśa, because he bestows prosperity on her; he is called Prāṇeśvara, because he is the lord of her Prāṇa; and he is called Ramaṇa, because he gives enjoyment to her. There is no other thing dearer than husband. The son is born of the husband; hence the son is so dear.

The husband is dearer to a family woman than one hundred sons. Those who are born in impure families, cannot know what substance a husband is made up of. Taking Baths in all the Tīrthas, giving Dakṣiṇās in all the Yajñas (sacrifice), circumambulating round the whole earth, performing all austerities, observing all vows, making all great gifts, holy fastings, all that are dictated in the Śāstras, serving the Guru, the Brāhmaṇas and the Devas all cannot compare to even one sixteenth part with serving faithfully the feet of the husband. The husband is the highest; higher than the Spiritual Teacher (Guru), higher than the Brāhmaṇas, higher than all the Devas.

As to man, the Spiritual Teacher who imparts the Spiritual Knowledge is the Best and Supreme, so to the women their husbands are the best of all.

Oh! I am not able to realise the glory of my Dearest, by Whose favour I am the Sole Ruler of one lakh Koṭi Gopīs, one lakh Koṭi Gopas, innumerable Brāhmaṇḍas, and all the things thereof, and all the lokas (regions) from Bhu (earth) to Goloka. Oh! The womanly nature is insurmountable.”

Thus saying, Rādhikā began to meditate with devotion on Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Tears began to flow incessantly from Her eyes. She exclaimed, “O Lord! O Lord! O Ramaṇa! Shew Thyself to me. I am very much weak and distressed from Thy bereavement.”

Now the Dakṣiṇā Devī, driven out from Goloka; practised Tapasyā for a long time when She entered into the body of Kamalā. The Devas, on the other hand, performed a very difficult Yajña; but they could not derive any fruit therefrom. So they went to Brahmā, becoming very sad.

Hearing them, Brahmā meditated on Viṣṇu for a long time with devotion. At last Viṣṇu gave Him a reply. Viṣṇu got out of the body of Mahā Lakṣmī a Martya Lakṣmī (Lakṣmī of the earth) and gave Her Dakṣiṇā to Brahmā.Then with a view to yield to the Devas the as a fruits of their Karmas, Brahmā made over to the Yajña Deva (the Deva presiding the sacrifice) the Devī Dakṣiṇā, offered by Nārāyaṇa. Yajña Deva, then, worshipped Her duly and recited hymns to Her with great joy.

Her colour was like melted gold; her lustre equalled koṭi Moons; very lovely, beautiful, fascinating; face resembling water lilies, of a gentle body; with eyes like Padmā Palāsa, born of the body of Lakṣmī, worshipped by Brahmā, wearing celestial silken garments, her lips resembling like Bimba fruits, chaste, handsome; her braid of hair surrounded by Mālatī garlands; with a sweet smiling face, ornamented with jewel ornaments, well dressed, bathed, enchanting the minds of the Munis, below the hair of her forehead the dot of musk and Sindūra scented with sandalpaste, of spacious hips, with full breasts, smitten by the arrows of Kāma Deva (the God of Love). Such was the Dakṣiṇā Devī.

Seeing Her, the Yajña Deva fainted. At last he married her according to due rites and ceremonies. Taking her to a solitary place, he enjoyed her for full divine one hundred years with great joy like Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa. Gradually then Dakṣiṇā became pregnant. She remained so for twelve divine years.

Then she duly delivered a nice son as the fruit of Karma. When any Karma becomes complete, this son delivers the fruits of that Karma. Yajña Deva with His wife Dakṣiṇā and the above named Karmaphala, the bestower of the fruits of actions, gives the desired fruits to all their sacrificial acts and Karmas.

So the Pundits, the knowers of the Vedas, say. Really he, henceforth, began to give fruits to all the persons of their acts, with his wife Dakṣiṇā and son, the bestower of the fruits of the actions. The Devas were all satisfied at this and went away respectively to their own abodes.

Therefore, the man who performs Karmas, generally known as Karma Kartas, should pay the Dakṣiṇā (the Sacrificial fee) and so he completes at once his actions. It is stated in the Vedas, that no sooner the Karma Karta pays the Dakṣiṇā, than he obtains the fruits of his Karmas at once.

In case the Karma Karta, after he has completed his acts, does not pay either through bad luck or through ignorance, any Dakṣiṇā to the Brāhmaṇas, its amount is doubled if a Muhūrta passes away and if one night elapses, its amount is increased, to one hundred times. If three nights pass away, and the Daksiṇā not paid, the amount last brought forward, is increased again to hundred times; if a week passes, the last amount is doubled, and if one month passes away, the Dakṣiṇā is multiplied to one lakh times.

If one year passes away, that is increased to ten millions of times and the Karma, also, bears no fruit. Such a Karma Karta is known as taking away unfairly a Brāhmaṇa’s property and is regarded as impure. He has no right to any further actions. For that sin, he becomes a pauper and diseased. Lakṣmī Devī goes away from his house, leaves him, cursing him severely.

So much so that the Pitris do not accept the Śrādh, Tarpaṇam offered by that wretched fellow. So the Devas do not accept his worship, nor the Fire accepts the oblations poured by him. If the person that performs sacrifices does not pay the sacrificial fee that he resolves to pay and he who accepts the offer does not demand the sum, both of them go to hell.

But if the performer of the sacrifices does not pay when the priests demand the fee, then the Yajamāna (the performer of the sacrifices) only falls down to hell as the jar, severed from the rope, falls down. The Yajamāna (pupil) is denominated as a Brahmāsvapahārī (one who robs a Brāhmaṇa’s property); he goes ultimately to the Kumbhīpāka hell.

There he remains for one lakh years punished and threatened by Yama’s messengers. He is then reborn as a Cāṇḍāla, poor and diseased. So much so that his seven generations above and his seven generations below go to hell. 64-65. O Nārada! Thus I have narrated to you the story of Dakṣiṇā. What more do you want to hear? Say.

Nārada said :-- “O Best of Munis! Who bears the fruits of that Karma where no Dakṣiṇā is paid. Describe the method of worship that was offered to Dakṣiṇā by Yajña Deva.” Nārāyaṇa said :-- Where do you find the fruit of any sacrifice without Dakṣiṇā? (i.e., nowhere.) That Karma only gets fruits where Dakṣiṇās are paid. And the fruits of the acts void of any Dakṣiṇā, Bali who lives in the Pātāla only enjoys; and no one else.

For, in olden times, it was ordained by Vāmana Deva that those fruits would go to the king Vali. All those that pertain to Śrādh not sanctioned by the Vedas, the charities made without any regard or faith, the worship offered by a Brāhmin who is the husband of a Vṛṣala (an unmarried girl twelve years in whom menstruation has commenced), the fruits of sacrifices done by an impure Brāhmaṇa (a Brāhmaṇa who fails in his duties), the worship offered by impure persons, and the acts of a man devoid of any devotion to his Guru, all these are reserved for the king Bali. He enjoys the fruits of all these.

O Child! I am now telling you the Dhyān Stotra, and the method of worship as per Kaṇva Śākhā of Dakṣiṇā Devī. Hear. When Yajña Deva, in ancient times got Dakṣiṇā, skillful in action, he was very much fascinated by her appearance and being love-stricken, began to praise her :-- “O Beautiful One! You were before the chief of the Gopīs in Goloka. You were like Rādhā; you were Her companion; and you were loved by Srī Rādhā, the beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

O highly fortunate One! Now have mercy on me and accept me as your husband. O Devī! You give to all the doers of actions, the fruits of their works. Without you, their Karmas bear no fruit. So much so, if you be not present in their action the works never shine forth in brilliant glory.

Without Thee, neither Brahmā, nor Viṣṇu nor Maheśa nor the Regents of the quarters, the ten Dikpālas, can award the fruits of actions. Brahmā is the incarnate of Karma. Maheśvara is the incarnate of the fruits of Karmas; and I Viṣṇu myself is the incarnate of Yajñas. But Thou art the Essence of all. Thou art the Parā Prakriti, without any attributes, the Parā Brahmā incarnate, the bestower of the fruits of action. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa cannot award the fruits of actions without Thee.

O Beloved! In every birth let Thou be my Śakti. O Thou with excellent face! Without Thee, I am unable to finish well any Karma.” O Nārada! Thus praising Dakṣiṇā Devī, Yajña Deva stood before Her. She, born from the shoulder of Lakṣmī, became pleased with His Stotra and accepted Him for Her bridegroom. If anybody recites this Dakṣiṇā stotra during sacrifice, he gets all the results thereof.

If anybody recites this stotra in the Rājasūya sacrifice, Vājapaya, Gomedha (cow sacrifice) Naramedha (man sacrifice), Aśvamedha (horse sacrifice), Lāṅgala Sacrifice, Viṣṇu Yajña tending to increase one’s fame, in the act of giving over wealth or pieces of lands, digging tanks or wells, or giving fruits, in Gaja medha (elephant sacrifice), in Loha Yajña (iron sacrifice), Svarna Yajña (gold sacrifice), Ratna Yajña (making over jewels in sacrifices), Tāmra Yajña (copper), Śiva Yajña, Rudra Yajña, Śakra Yajña, Bandhuka Yajña, Varuṇa Yajña (for rains), Kaṇḍaka Yajña, for crushing the enemies, Śuci Yajña, Dharma Yajña, Pāpa mocana Yajña, Brahmāṇī Karma Yajña, the auspicious Prakriti Yāga, sacrifices, his work is achieved then without any hitch or obstacle. There is no doubt in this.

The stotra, thus, is mentioned now; hear about the Dhyānam and the method of worship. First of all, one should worship in the Śālagrāma stone, or in an earthen jar (Ghaṭa) Dakṣiṇā Devī. The Dhyānam runs thus :--

:-- “O Dakṣiṇā! Thou art sprung from the right shoulder of Lakṣmī; Thou art a part of Kamalā; Thou art clever (Dakṣa) in all the actions and Thou bestowest the fruits of all the actions. Thou art the Śakti of Viṣṇu, Thou art revered, worshipped. Thou bestowest all that is auspicious; Thou art purity; Thou bestowest purity, Thou art good natured.

So I meditate on Thee.” Thus meditating, the intelligent one should worship Dakṣiṇā with the principal mantra. Then with the Vedic Mantras, pādyas, etc. (offerings of various sorts) are to be offered. Now the mantra as stated in the Vedas, runs thus :-- “Om Śrīm Klīm Hrīm Dakṣiṇāyai Svāhā.” With this mantra, all the offerings, such as pādyas, arghyas, etc., are to be given, and one should worship, as per rules, Dakṣiṇā Devī with devotion.

O Nārada! Thus I have stated to you the anecdote of Daksinā. Happiness, pleasure, and the fruits of all karmas are obtained by this. Being engaged in sacrificial acts, in this Bhāratavarṣa, if one hears attentively this Dhyānam of Dakṣiṇā, his sacrifice becomes defectless.

So much so that the man who has got no sons gets undoubtedly good and qualified sons; if he has no wife, he gets a best wife, good natured, beautiful, of slender waist, capable to give many sons, sweet speaking, humble, chaste, pure, and Kulīna; if he be void of learning, he gets learning; if he be poor he gets wealth; if he be without any land, he gets land and if he has no attendants, he gets attendants. If a man hears for one month this stotra of Dakṣiṇā Devī, he gets over all difficulties and dangers, bereavements from friends, troubles, inprisonments, and all other calamities. Here ends the Forty-fifth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Dakṣiṇā in the Mahā Purāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.