Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 11 • CHAPTER 1
Ch 1 Verse 1-2 Verse
११.१ प्रथमोऽध्यायः । मनुकृतं देवीस्तवनम् । नारद उवाच । भगवन् भूतभव्येश नारायण सनातन । आख्यातं परमाश्चर्यं देवीचारित्रमुत्तमम् ॥ १ ॥ प्रादुर्भावः परो मातुः कार्यार्थमसुरद्रुहाम् । अधिकाराप्तिरुक्तात्र देवीपूर्णकृपावशात् ॥ २ ॥
Nārada said :-- O Bhagavān! O Thou, the Eternal One! O Nārāyaṇa! O Lord of the past and the future! Thou art the Creator and the Lord of all the beings that lived in the past and that will come into existence in the future. Thou hast described to me the highly wonderful and excellent anecdote of the Exalted Devī. How She did assume the forms of Mahākālī, Mahā Lakṣmī, Mahā Sarasvatī and Bhrāmarī, for the fulfilment of the Devaś purposes and how the Devas got back their possessions by the Grace of the Devī. All you have described.
Ch 1 Verse 3 Verse
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि येन प्रीणाति सर्वदा । स्वभक्तान्परिपुष्णाति तमाचारं वद प्रभो ॥ ३ ॥
O Lord! Now I want to hear the rules of Sadācāra (right way of living), the due observance of which by the devotees pleases the World-Mother. Kindly describe them.
Ch 1 Verse 4-5 Verse
श्रीनारायण उवाच । शृणु नारद तत्त्वज्ञ सदाचारविधिक्रमम् । यदनुष्ठानमात्रेण देवी प्रीणाति सर्वदा ॥ ४ ॥ प्रातरुत्थाय कर्तव्यं यद् द्विजेन दिने दिने । तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजानामुपकारकम् ॥ ५ ॥
Nārāyaṇa said :-- O Knower of Truth! Now I am telling you those rules of the right way of living, which rightly observed, always please Bhagavatī. Listen first, I will talk of the Brāhmins, how their welfare is secured, what the Brāhmaṇas ought to do on getting up early in the morning from their bed.
Ch 1 Verse 6-7 Verse
उदयास्तमयं यावद् द्विजः सत्कर्मकृद्भवेत् । नित्यनैमित्तिकैर्युक्तः काम्यैश्चान्यैरगर्हितैः ॥ ६ ॥ आत्मनश्च सहायार्थं पिता माता न तिष्ठति । न पुत्रदारा न ज्ञातिर्धर्मस्तिष्ठति केवलम् ॥ ७ ॥
From the sunrise to the sunset the Brāhmaṇas should do all the daily and occasional duties (Nitya and Naimittik Karmas) and they are to perform the optional works for some particular object such as Puttreṣṭi Yajña and other good works (not acts of black magic as killing, causing pain and inconveniences to others, etc.). It is the Self alone and not the Father, Mother, etc., nor any other body that, helps us on our way to that happiness in the next world. Father, Mother, wife, sons and others are helps merely to our happiness in this world. None of them are helpful to us in bettering our states in the next world.
Ch 1 Verse 8-9 Verse
तस्माद्धर्मं सहायार्थं नित्यं सञ्चिनु साधनैः । धर्मेणैव सहायात्तु तमस्तरति दुस्तरम् ॥ ८ ॥ आचारः प्रथमो धर्मः श्रुत्युक्तः स्मार्त एव च । तस्मादस्मिन्समायुक्तो नित्यं स्यादात्मनो द्विजः ॥ ९ ॥
Deliverance of one’s Self depends verily on his own Self. Therefore one should always earn and store dharma (religion) and observe always there the right conduct to help one in the next world. If Dharma be on our side, this endless sea of troubles can be safely crossed. The rules of right living as ordained by Manu in Śrutis and Manu Smritis are the principal Dharmas. The Brāhmaṇas should always be observant to their Dharma as ordained in the Śāstras, Śruti and Smriti.
Ch 1 Verse 10-11 Verse
आचाराल्लभते चायुराचाराल्लभते प्रजाः । आचारादन्नमक्षय्यमाचारो हन्ति पातकम् ॥ १० ॥ आचारः परमो धर्मो नृणां कल्याणकारकः । इह लोके सुखी भूत्वा परत्र लभते सुखम् ॥ ११ ॥
Follow the right conduct and then you will get life, posterity and increase of happiness easily here and hereafter. By right conduct, food is obtained and sins are easily destroyed; the right conduct is the auspicious principal Dharma of men. Persons of right living enjoy happiness in this world as well as in the next.
Ch 1 Verse 12-13 Verse
अज्ञानान्धजनानां तु मोहितैर्भ्रामितात्मनाम् । धर्मरूपो महादीपो मुक्तिमार्गप्रदर्शकः ॥ १२ ॥ आचारात्प्राप्यते श्रैष्ठ्यमाचारात्कर्म लभ्यते । कर्मणो जायते ज्ञानमिति वाक्यं मनोः स्मृतम् ॥ १३ ॥
Those, who are veiled in darkness by Ignorance and thus wildly enchanted, can verily see their way to Mukti if they follow the Great Light revealed to them by Dharma and the right conduct. It is by Sadācāra, that superiority is attained. Men of right conduct always do good deeds. From good deeds, knowledge comes. This is the advice of Manu.
Ch 1 Verse 14-15 Verse
सर्वधर्मवरिष्ठोऽयमाचारः परमं तपः । तदेव ज्ञानमुद्दिष्टं तेन सर्वं प्रसाध्यते ॥ १४ ॥ यस्त्वाचारविहीनोऽत्र वर्तते द्विजसत्तमः । स शूद्रवद् बहिष्कार्यो यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः ॥ १५ ॥
Right way of living is the best of all the Dharmas and is great Tapasyā (asceticism). The knowledge comes from this Right Living. Everything is attained thereby. He who is devoid of Sadācāra, is like a Śūdra, even if he comes of a Brāhmin family. There is no distinction whatsoever betwen him and a Śūdra. Right conduct is of two kinds :--
Ch 1 Verse 16-17 Verse
आचारो द्विविधः प्रोक्तः शास्त्रीयो लौकिकस्तथा । उभावपि प्रकर्तव्यौ न त्याज्यौ शुभमिच्छता ॥ १६ ॥ ग्रामधर्मा जातिधर्मा देशधर्माः कुलोद्भवाः । परिग्राह्या नृभिः सर्वैर्नैव ताँल्लङ्घयेन्मुने ॥ १७ ॥
:-- (1) as dictated by the Śāstras, (2) as dictated by the popular custom (Laukika). Both these methods should be observed by him who wants welfare for his Self. He is not to forsake one of them. O Muni! The village Dharma, the Dharma of one’s own caste, the Dharma of one’s own family and the Dharma of one’s own country all should be observed by men.
Ch 1 Verse 18-19 Verse
दुराचारो हि पुरुषो लोके भवति निन्दितः । दुःखभागी च सततं व्याधिना व्याप्त एव च ॥ १८ ॥ परित्यजेदर्थकामौ यौ स्यातां धर्मवर्जितौ । धर्ममप्यसुखोदर्कं लोकविद्विष्टमेव च ॥ १९ ॥
Never, never he is to do anything otherwise. With great loving devotion that is to be preserved. Men who practise wrong ways of living, are censured by the public; they always suffer from diseases. Avoid wealth and desires that have no Dharma in them. Why? If in the name of dharma, painful acts (e. g. killing animals in sacrifices) are to be committed, those are blamed by the people; so never commit them. Avoid them by all means.
Ch 1 Verse 20 Verse
नारद उवाच । बहुत्वादिह शास्त्राणां निश्चयः स्यात्कथं मुने । कियत्प्रमाणं तद् ब्रूहि धर्ममार्गविनिर्णये ॥ २० ॥
Nārada said :-- “O Muni! The Śāstras are not one, they are many and they lay down different rules and contradictory opinions, How then Dharma is to be followed? And according what Dharma Śāstra?”
Ch 1 Verse 21 Verse
श्रीनारायण उवाच । श्रुतिस्मृती उभे नेत्रे पुराणं हृदयं स्मृतम् । एतत्त्रयोक्त एव स्याद्धर्मो नान्यत्र कुत्रचित् ॥ २१ ॥
Nārāyaṇa said :-- Śruti and Smriti are the two eyes of God; the Purāṇam is His Heart. Whatever is stated in Śruti, the Smriti and the Purāṇams is Dharma; whatever else is written in other Śāstras is not Dharma. Where you will find differences between Śruti, Smriti and Purāṇas, accept the words of the Śrutis as final proofs. Wherever Smriti disagrees with the Purāṇas, know the Smritis more authoritative.
Ch 1 Verse 22-24 Verse
विरोधो यत्र तु भवेत्त्रयाणां च परस्परम् । श्रुतिस्तत्र प्रमाणं स्याद् द्वयोर्द्वैधे स्मृतिर्वरा ॥ २२ ॥ श्रुतिद्वैधं भवेद्यत्र तत्र धर्मावुभौ स्मृतौ । स्मृतिद्वैधं तु यत्र स्याद्विषयः कल्प्यतां पृथक् ॥ २३ ॥ पुराणेषु क्वचिच्चैव तन्त्रदृष्टं यथातथम् । धर्मं वदन्ति तं धर्मं गृह्णीयान्न कथञ्चन ॥ २४ ॥
And where differences will crop up in the Śrutis themselves, know that Dharma, too, is of two kinds. And where the differences will crop up in the Smritis themselves, consider, then, that different things are aimed at. In some Purāṇas, the Dharma of the Tantras is duly described; but of these, which go against the Vedas, they are not to be accepted any means.
Ch 1 Verse 25-26 Verse
वेदाविरोधि चेत्तन्त्रं तत्प्रमाणं न संशयः । प्रत्यक्षश्रुतिरुद्धं यत्तत्प्रमाणं भवेन्न च ॥ २५ ॥ सर्वथा वेद एवासौ धर्ममार्गप्रमाणकः । तेनाविरुद्धं यत्किञ्चित्तत्प्रमाणं न चान्यथा ॥ २६ ॥
Tantra is accepted as the authoritative proof then and then only when it contradicts not the Vedas. Whatever goes clearly against the Vedas can in no way be accepted as a proof. In matters concerning Dharma, the Vedas is the Sole Proof. Therefore that which is not against the Vedas can be taken as proof; otherwise not.
Ch 1 Verse 27-28 Verse
यो वेदधर्ममुज्झित्य वर्ततेऽन्यप्रमाणतः । कुण्डानि तस्य शिक्षार्थं यमलोके वसन्ति हि ॥ २७ ॥ तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वेदोक्तं धर्ममाश्रयेत् । स्मृतिः पुराणमन्यद्वा तन्त्रं वा शास्त्रमेव च ॥ २८ ॥
Whoever acts Dharma according to other proofs than what is ordained in the Vedas, goes to the hell in the abode of Yama to get his lesson. So the Dharma that is by all means to be accepted as such, is what is stated in the Vedas. The Smritis, the Purāṇas, or the Tantra Śāstras can be taken also as authoritative when they are not conflicting to Vedas. Any other Śāstras can be taken as authoritative when it is fundamentally coincident with the Vedas. Else it can never be accepted.
Ch 1 Verse 29-31 Verse
तन्मूलत्वे प्रमाणं स्यान्नान्यथा तु कदाचन । ये कुशास्त्राभियोगेन वर्तयन्तीह मानवान् ॥ २९ ॥ अधोमुखोर्ध्वपादास्ते यास्यन्ति नरकार्णवम् । कामाचाराः पाशुपतास्तथा वै लिङ्गधारिणः ॥ ३० ॥ तप्तमुद्राङ्किता ये च वैखानसमतानुगाः । ते सर्वे निरयं यान्ति वेदमार्गबहिष्कृताः ॥ ३१ ॥
Those who do injury to others even by the blade of a Kuśa grass used as a weapon, go to hell with their heads downwards and their feet upwards. Those that follow their own sweet free will, that take up any sort of dress (e. g. Bauddhas), those that follow the philosophical doctrines called Pāśupatas, and the other hermits and saints and persons that take up other vows contrary to the religions of the Vedas, for example, the Vaikhānasa followers, those who brand their bodies by the hot Mudrās, at the places of pilgrimages, e. g. Dvārkā, etc., they go to hell with their bodies scorched by red hot brands (Tapta Mudrās).
Ch 1 Verse 32-33 Verse
वेदोक्तमेव सद्धर्मं तस्मात्कुर्यान्नरः सदा । उत्थायोत्थाय बोद्धव्यं किं मयाद्य कृतं कृतम् ॥ ३२ ॥ दत्तं वा दापितं वापि वाक्येनापि च भाषितम् । उपपापेषु सर्वेषु पातकेषु महत्स्वपि ॥ ३३ ॥
So persons should act according to the excellent religions commanded by the Vedas. Everyday he should get up from his bed early in the morning and think thus :-- “What good acts have I done, what have I given as charities? Or what I advised others to do charities what greater sins (Mahāpātakas) and what smaller sins have I committed?”
Ch 1 Verse 34-35 Verse
अवाप्य रजनीयामं ब्रह्मध्यानं समाचरेत् । ऊरुस्थोत्तानचरणः सव्ये चोरौ तथोत्तरम् ॥ ३४ ॥ उत्तानं किञ्चिदुत्तानं मुखमवष्टभ्य चोरसा । निमीलिताक्षः सत्त्वस्थो दन्तैर्दन्तान्न संस्पृशेत् ॥ ३५ ॥
At the last quarter of the night he should think of Para Brahmā. He should place his right leg on his left thigh and his left on his right thigh crosswise keeping his head straight up and touching the breast with his chin, and closing his eyes, he should sit steadily so that the upper teeth should not touch the lower jaw.
Ch 1 Verse 36-37 Verse
तालुस्थाचलजिह्वश्च संवृतास्यः सुनिश्चलः । सन्निरुद्धेन्द्रियग्रामो नातिनिम्नस्थितासनः ॥ ३६ ॥ द्विगुणं त्रिगुणं वापि प्राणायाममुपक्रमेत् । ततो ध्येयः स्थितो योऽसौ हृदये दीपवत्प्रभुः ॥ ३७ ॥
He should join his tongue with his palate and he should sit quiet, restraining his senses. He should be Śuddha Sattva. His seat should not be very low. First of all he should practice Prāṇāyāma twice or thrice; and within his heart he should meditate the Self of the shape of the Holy Flame or the Holy Light. (Om Mani Padma Hum.)
Ch 1 Verse 38-39 Verse
धारयेत्तत्र चात्मानं धारणां धारयेद्बुधः । सधूमश्च विधूमश्च सगर्भश्चाप्यगर्भकः ॥ ३८ ॥ सलक्ष्यश्चाप्यलक्ष्यश्च प्राणायामस्तु षड्विधः । प्राणायामसमो योगः प्राणायाम इतीरितः ॥ ३९ ॥
He should fix his heart for a certain time to that Luminous Self whose Eyes are everywhere. So the intelligent man should practise Dhāraṇā. Prāṇāyāma is of six kinds :-- (1) Sadhūma (when the breaths are not steady), (2) Nirdhūma(better than the Sadhūma), (3) Sagarbha (when united with one’s mantra), (4) Agarbha (when the practice is without the thought of any mantra), (5) Salakṣya (when the heart is fixed on one’s Deity) and (6) Alakṣya (when the heart is not fixed on one’s Deity). No yoga can be compared with Prāṇāyāma. This is equal to itself. Nothing can be its equal.
Ch 1 Verse 40-47 Verse
प्राणायाम इति प्रोक्तो रेचपूरककुम्भकैः । वर्णत्रयात्मका ह्येते रेचपूरककुम्भकाः ॥ ४० ॥ स एव प्रणवः प्रोक्तः प्राणायामश्च तन्मयः । इडया वायुमारोप्य पूरयित्वोदरे स्थितम् ॥ ४१ ॥ शनैः षोडशमात्राभिरन्यया तं विरेचयेत् । एवं सधूमः प्राणानामायामः कथितो मुने ॥ ४२ ॥ आधारेलिङ्गनाभिप्रकटितहृदये तालुमूले ललाटे द्वे पत्रे षोडशारे द्विदशदशदलद्वादशार्धे चतुष्के । वासान्ते बालमध्ये डफकतसहिते कण्ठदेशे स्वराणां हङ्क्षन्तत्त्वार्थयुक्तं सकलदलगतं वर्णरूपं नमामि ॥ ४३ ॥ अरुणकमलसंस्था तद्रजःपुञ्जवर्णा हरनियमितचिह्ना पद्मतन्तुस्वरूपा । रविहुतवहराकानायकास्यस्तनाढ्या सकृदपि यदि चित्ते संवसेत्स्यात्स भुक्तः ॥ ४४ ॥ स्थितिः सैव गतिर्यात्रा मतिश्चिन्ता स्तुतिर्वचः । अहं सर्वात्मको देवः स्तुतिः सर्वं त्वदर्चनम् ॥ ४५ ॥ अहं देवी न चान्योऽस्मि ब्रह्मैवाहं न शोकभाक् । सच्चिदानन्दरूपोऽहं स्वात्मानमिति चिन्तयेत् ॥ ४६ ॥ प्रकाशमानां प्रथमे प्रयाणे प्रतिप्रयाणेऽप्यमृतायमानाम् । अन्तःपदव्यामनुसञ्चरन्ती- मानन्दरूपामबलां प्रपद्ये ॥ ४७ ॥
After doing the Prāṇāyāma as stated above, pierce the Six Cakras (i. e., plexuses) (called Ṣaṭhakra bheda) and carry the Kula Kuṇḍalinī to the Brahmā Randhra, the brain aperture, or to the thousand petalled lotus in the head and meditate in the heart the Self like a Steady Flame. (The Nāḍis are not those which are known to the Vaidya or the Medical Śāstras. The latter are the gross physical nerves, The Nāḍis here are the Yoga Nāḍis, the subtle channels (Vivaras) along which the Prāṇik currents flow. Now the process of piercing the six Cakras (or nerve centres or centres of moving Prānik forces) is being described. Within this body, the six nerve centres called Padmas (Lotuses) exist. They are respectively situated at the (1) Mūlādhāra (half way between Anus and Liṅga Mūla), called the Sacral Plexus; (2) Liṅga Mūla (the root of the genital organs); called postatic plexus; (this is also called Svādhiṣṭhāna) (3) Navel, the Solar Plexus (4) Heart, the cardiac Plexus, (5) Throat (6) Forehead, between the eye brows there; the lotus in the forehead, called the cavernous plexus (Ājñā Cakra) has two petals; in these two petals, the two letters “Ham” “Kṣam” exist in the right hand direction (with the bands of the watch; going round from left to right keeping the right side towards one circumambulated as as a mark of respect). I bow down to these which are the two-lettered Brahmā. The lotus that exists in the throat laryngeal or pharyngeal plexus has sixteen petals (viśuddhā cakra); in these are in due order in right hand direction the sixteen letters (vowels) a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, rī, lri, lrī, e, ai, o, au, am, aḥ; I bow down to these which are the sixteen lettered Brahmā. The lotus that exists in the heart, the cardiac plexus (anāhata cakra), has twelve petals; wherein are the twelve letters k, kh, g, gh, n, ch, ch, j, jh, ñ, ṭ, ṭh; I bow to to these twelve lettered Brahmā. The Solar plexus forms the Great Junction of the Right and Left sympathetic chains Īḍā and Piṅgalā with the Cerebro spinal Axis. The lotus that exists in the navel, called the Solar Plexus, or Epigastric plexus (Maṇipura Cakra) has ten petals wherein are the ten letters ḍ, ḍh, ṇ, t, th, d, dh, n, p, ph, counting in the right hand direction (that is clockwise) (and the action of this clock is vertical in the plane of the spinal cord; also it may be horizontal). The lotus that exists at the root of the genital organ, the genital plexus or postatic plexus has six petals. The petals are the configurations made by the position of Nāḍis at any particular centre. Svādhiṣṭhāna cakra or Svayambhu Liṅga, wherein are situated the six letters, b, bh, m, y, r, l; I bow down to this six-lettered Brahmā. (These are the Laya Centres). The lotus that exists in the Mūlādhāra, called the sacral or sacrococcygeal plexus has four petals, wherein are the four letters v, ś, ṣ, s. I bow down to these four-lettered Brahmā. In the above six nerve centres or Laya Centres, or lotuses, all the letters are situated in the right hand direction (clockwise). (Note :-- All the nerves of the body combine themselves in these six nerve centres or Laya Centres. Each of these centres is spheroidal and is of the Fourth Dimension. At each centre many transitions take place, many visions take place, many forces are perceived and wonderful varieties of knowledge are experienced. These are called the Laya Centres. For many things vanish into non-existence and many new Tattvas are experienced.) Thus meditating on the Six Cakras or plexuses, meditate on the Kula Kuṇḍalinī, the Serpent Fire. She resides on the four petalled lotus (Centre of Śakti) called Mūlādhāra Cakra (Coccygeal plexus); She is of Rajo Guṇa; She is of a blood red colour, and She is expressed by the mantra “Hrīm,” which is the Māyāvīja; she is subtle as the thread of the fibrous stock of the water lily. The Sun is Her face; Fire is Her breasts; he attains Jīvan mukti (liberation while living) within whose heart such a Kula Kuṇḍalinī arises and awakens even once. Thus meditating on Kula Kuṇḍalinī, one should pray to Her :-- Her sitting, coming, going, remaining, the thought on Her, the realisation of Her and chanting hymns to Her, etc., all are Mine, Who is of the nature of all in all; I am that Bhagavatī; O Bhagavatī! All my acts are Thy worship; I am the Devī; I am Brahmā, I am free from sorrow. I am of the nature of Everlasting Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. Thus one should meditate of one’s own-self.
Ch 1 Verse 48 Verse
ततो निजब्रह्मरन्ध्रे ध्यायेत्तं गुरुमीश्वरम् । उपचारैर्मानसैश्च पूजयेत्तु यथाविधि ॥ ४८ ॥
I take refuge of that Kula Kuṇḍalinī, who appears like lightning and who holds the current thereof, when going to Brahmārandhra, in the brain, who appears like nectar when coming back from the brain to the Mūlādhāra and who travels in the Suṣumnā Nādi in the spinal cord.
Ch 1 Verse 49-50 Verse
स्तुवीतानेन मन्त्रेण साधको नियतात्मवान् । गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुर्गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुरेव परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ ४९ ॥
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायामेकादशस्कन्धे मनुकृतंदेवीस्तवनं नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः ॥ ११.१॥
Then one is to meditate on one’s own Guru, who is thought of as one with God, as seated in one’s brain and then worship Him mentally. Then the Sādhaka, controlling himself is to recite the following Mantra “The Guru is Brahmā, the Guru is Viṣṇu, it is the Guru again that is the Deva Maheśvara; it is Guru that is Para Brahmā. I bow down to that Śrī Guru.” Here ends the First Chapter of the Eleventh Book on what is to be thought of in the morning in the Mahā Purāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahārṣi Veda Vyāsa.