Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Vyāsa said :-- O King Janamejaya! Next to this Puṣparāga maṇi enclosure wall comes the tenth enclosure wall, made of Padmarāga maṇi, red like the red Kuṅkuma and the Rising Sun. It is ten yojanas high. All its ground, entrance gates and temples and arbours are all made of Padmarāga maṇi.

Within this reside the sixty four Kalās or Sub-Śaktis adorned with various ornaments and holding weapons in their hands. Each of them has a separate Loka (region) allotted and within this Loka he has get his own formidable weapons, Vāhanas, families and their leaders or Governors. O King! Now hear the names of the sixty four Kalās.

They are :-- Piṅgalākṣī, Viśālākṣī, Samriddhi, Vriddhi, Śraddhā, Svāhā, Svadhā, Māyā, Sañgñā, Vasundharā, Trīlokadhātrī, Sāvitrī, Gāyatrī, Tridaśeśvsrī, Surūpā, Bahurūpā, Skandamātā, Acyutapriyā, Vimalā, Amalā, Aruṇī, Ārunī, Prakriti, Vikriti, Śrīṣṭi, Sthiti, Saṃrhiti, Sandhyā, Mātā, Satī, Hamsī, Mardikā, Vajrikā, Parā, Devamātā, Bhagavatī, Devakī, Kamalāsanā, Trimukhī, Saptamukhī, Surāsura vimardinī, Lamboṣṭhī, Ūrdhakeśī, Bahusīrṣā, Vrikodarī Ratharekhāhvayā, Śaśirekā, Gaganavegā, Pavanavegā, Bhuvanapālā, Madanāturā, Anaṅgā, Anangamathanā, Anangamekhalā, Anangakusumā, Visvarūpā, Surādikā, Kṣayaṃkarī, Akṣyobhyā, Satyavādinī, Bahurūpā, Śucivratā, Udārā and Vāgiṣ’ī. These are the sixty four Kalās.

All of them have got luminous faces and long lolling tongues. Fire is always coming out from the faces of all of them. The eyes of all of them are red with anger. They are uttering :-- We will drink all the water and thus dry up the oceans; we will annihilate fire, we will stop the flow of air and control it. Today we will devour the whole universe and so forth.

All of them have got bows and arrows in their hands; all are eager to fight. The four quarters are being reverberated with the clashing of their teeth. The hairs on their heads are all tawny and they stand upwards. Each of them has one hundred Akṣauhiṇī forces under them.

O King! What more to say than this that each of them has got power to destroy one lakh Brahmāṇḍas; and their one hundred Akṣauhiṇī forces also can do the same. There is nothing that is not impracticable with them. What they cannot do cannot be conceived by mind nor can be uttered in speech.

All the war materials exist within their enclosures. Chariots, horses, elephants, weapons, and forces all are unlimited. All the war materials are ready at all times and in abundance. Next comes the eleventh enclosure wall built of Gomedamaṇi. It is ten Yojanas high. Its colour is like the newly blown Javā flower.

All the ground, trees, tanks, houses, pillars, birds and all other things are all red and built of Gomedamaṇi. Here dwell the thirty-two Mahā Śaktis adorned with various ornament made of Gomedamaṇi and furnished with various weapons.

They are always eager to fight. Their eyes are always red with anger; their bees are like Piśācas and their hands are like cakras (discs). “Pierce him,” “Beat him,” “Cut him,” “Tear him asunder,” “Burn him down,” are the words constantly uttered by them. The inhabitants of the place always worship them. Each of them has ten Akṣauhiṇī forces.

These are inordinately powerful. It is impossible to describe that. It seems that each Śakti can easily destroy one lakh Brahmāṇḍas. Innumerable chariots, elephants, hordes, etc., and other vāhanas are here. Verily all the war materials of the Devī Bhagavatī are seen in this Gomedamaṇi enclosure.

Now I am mentioning the auspicious, sin destroying names of these Śaktis :-- Vidyā, Hrī, Puṣṭi, Prajñā, Sinī vālī, Kuhū, Rudrā, Viryā, Prabhā, Nandā, Poṣaṇī, Riddhidā, Śubhā, Kālarātri, Mahārātri, Bhadra KāIī, Kaparddinī, Vikriti, Daṇḍi, Muṇḍinī, Sendukhaṇḍā, Śikhaṇḍinī, Niśumbha śumbha mathanī, Mahiṣāsura marddinī, Indrāṇī, Rudrāṇī, Śaṅkarārdha sarīriṇī, Nārī, Nirāyaṇī Triśūlinī, Pālinī, Ambikā, and Hlādinī. (See the Dakṣiṇā Mūrti Samhitā and other Tantras.)

Never there is any chance that they will be defeated anywhere. Hence if all those Śaktis get angry at any time, this Brahmāṇḍa ceases to exist. Next to this Gomeda enclosure comes the enclosure made of diamonds. It is ten yojanas high; on all sides there are the entrance gates; the doors are hinged there with nice mechanisms.

Nice new diamond trees exist here. All the roads, royal roads, trees, and the spaces for watering their roots, tanks, wells, reservoirs, Sāraṅga and other musical instruments are all made of diamonds.

Here dwells Śrī Bhuvaneśvarī Devī with Her attendants. O King! Each of them has a lakh attendants. All of them are proud of their beauty. Some of them are holding fans in their hands; some are holding cups for drinking water; some, betelnuts; some are holding umbrellas; some chowries; some are holding various clothings; some flowers; some, looking glasses; some, saffrons; some collyrium, whereas some others are holding Sindūra (red lead).

Some are ready to do the painting works; some are anxious to champoo the feet; some are eager to make Her wear ornaments; some are anxious to put garlands of flowers on Her neck.

All of them are skilled in various arts of enjoyments and they are all young. To gain the Grace of the Devī, they consider the whole universe as trifling. Now I shall mention to you the names of the attendants of the Devī, proud of their possessing lots of amorous gestures and postures.

Listen. They are :-- Anaṅgarūpā, Anangamadanā, Madanāturā, Bhuvanavegā, Bhuvanapālikā, Sarvaśiśira, Anangavedanā, Anangamekhalā, these are the Eight Sakhīs.

Each of them is as fair as Vidyullatā. Each is adorned with various ornaments and skilled in all actions. When they walk to and fro with canes and rods in their hands in the service of the Devī, they look as if the lightning flashes glimmer on all sides.

On the outer portion of the enclosure wall, on the eight sides are situated the dwelling houses of these eight Sakhīs and they are always full of various vāhanas and weapons. Next to this enclosure of diamond comes the thirteenth enclosure wall made of Vaidūrya maṇi. Its height is ten yojanas. There are entrance gates and doorways on the four sides.

The court inside, the houses, the big roads, wells, tanks, ponds, rivers and even the sands are all made of Vaidūrya maṇi. On the eight sides reside the eight Mātrikās Brāhmī, etc., with their hosts.

These Mātrikās represent the sum-total of the individual Mātrikās in every Brahmāṇḍa. Now hear their names :-- (1) Brāhmī, (2) Māheśvarī, (3) Kaumārī, (4) Vaiṣṇavī, (5) Vārāhī, (6) Indrāṇī, (7) Cāmuṇḍā, and (8) Mahā Lakṣmī.

Their forms are like those of Brahmā and Rudra and others. They are always engaged in doing good to the Universe and reside here with their own Vāhanas and weapons.

At the four gates, the various Vāhanas of Bhagavatī remain always fully equipped. Somewhere there are Koṭis and Koṭis of elephants. At some places there are Koṭis and Koṭis of horses; at others there are camps, houses, at others there are swans, lions; at others there are Garuḍas; at other places there are peacocks, bulls and various other beings all fully equipped and arranged in due order.

Similarly the above mentioned animals are yoked to Koṭis and Koṭis of chariots; there are coachmen (syces); at some places flags are fluttering high on them so as to reach the heavens and thus they are adding beauty. At other places the aerial cars are arranged in rows, countless, with various sounding instruments in them, with flags soaring high in the Heavens and endowed with various ensigns and emblems.

O King! Next to this Vaidūrya enclosure, comes the fourteenth enclosure wall built of Indranīlamaṇi; its height is ten Yojanas. The court inside, houses, roads, wells, tanks and reservoirs, etc., all are built of Indranīlamaṇi.

There is here a lotus consisting of sixteen petals extending to many Yojanas in width and shining like a second Sudarśana Cakra. On these sixteen petals reside the sixteen Śaktis of Bhagavatī, with their hosts. Now I am mentioning the names of these. Hear :-- Karālī, Vikārālī, Umā, Sarasvatī, Śrī, Durgā, Ūṣā, Lakṣmī, Śruti, Smriti, Dhriti, Śraddhā, Medhā, Mati, Kānti, and Āryā. These are the 16 Śaktis. They all are dark blue, of the colour of the fresh rain-cloud; they wield in their hands axes and shields. It seems they are ever eager to fight. O King! These Śaktis are the Rulers of all the separate Śaktis of the other Brahmāṇḍas. These are the forces of Śrī Devī.

Being strengthened by the Devī’s strength, these are always surrounded by various chariots and forces, various other Śaktis follow them. If they like, they can cause great agitation in the whole universe. Had I thousand faces, I would not have been able to describe what an amount of strength they wield. Now I describe the fifteenth enclosure wall. Listen.

Next to this Indranīlamaṇi enclosure, comes the enclosure made of pearls (muktā), very wide and ten Yojanas high. The court inside, its space, trees, all are built of pearls. Within this enclosure there is a lotus with eight petals, all of pearls. On these petals reside the eight Śaktis, the advisers and ministers of the Devī. Their appearances, weapons, dresses, enjoyments, everything is like those of Śrī Devī. Their duty is to inform the Devī of what is going on in the Brahmāṇḍas.

They are skilled in all sciences and arts and clever in all actions. They are very clever, skillful and clever in knowing beforehand the desires and intentions of Śrī Devī and they perform those things accordingly. Each one of them has many other Śaktis who also live here. By their Jñāna Śakti they know all the news concerning the Jīvas in every Brahmāṇḍa.

Now I mention the names of those eight Sakhīs. Listen. Anangakusumā, Anangakusumā-turā, Anangamadanā, Ananga madanāturā, Bhuvaṇapāla, Gaganavegā, Śaśirekhā, and Gaganarekhā. These are the eight Sakhīs. They look red like the Rising Sun; and in their four hands they hold noose, goad, and signs of granting boons and “no fear.”

At every instant they inform Śrī Devī of all the events of the Brahmāṇḍa. Next to this comes the sixteenth enclosure wall made of emerald (marakata); it is ten Yojanas high; the court inside, its space, and houses and everything are built of emeralds (marakata maṇi).

Here exist all the good objects of enjoyments. This is hexagonal, of the Yantra shape. And at every corner reside the Devas. On the eastern corner resides the four-faced Brahmā; he lives with Gāyatrī Devī; he holds Kamaṇḍalu, rosary, signs indicating “no fear” and Daṇḍa (rod). The Devī Gāyatrī is also decorated with these.

Here all the Vedas, Smritis, the Purāṇas, and various weapons exist incarnate in their respective forms. All the Avatāras of Brahmā, Gāyatrī, and Vyāhritis that exist in this Brahmāṇḍa, all live here. On the south-west corner Mahā Viṣṇu lives with Sāvitrī; He holds conch shell, disc, club, and lotus. Sāvitrī has got also all these.

The Avatāras of Viṣṇu that exist in every Brahmāṇḍa Matsya, Kūrma, etc., and all the Avatāras of Sāvitrī that exist in every universe, all dwell in this place. On the north western corner exists Mahā Rudra with Sarasvatī. Both of them hold in their hands Paraśu, rosary, signs granting boons and “no fear.”

All the Avatāras of Rudra and Pārvatī (Gaurī, etc.) facing south that exist in all the Brahmāṇḍas, dwell here. All the chief Āgamas, sixty four in number and all the other Tantras reside here, incarnate in their due forms. On the south-eastern corner, the Lord of wealth, Kuvera, of Bhagavatī, surrounded by roads and shops resides here with Mahā Lakṣmī and his hosts holding the jar of jewels (Maṇi Karaṇḍikā).

On the western corner exists always Madana with Rati, holding noose, goad, bow and arrow. All his amorous attendants reside here, incarnate in their forms.

On the north-eastern corner resides always the great hero Gaṇeśa, the Remover of obstacles, holding noose and goad and with his Puṣṭi Devī. O King! All the Vibhūtis (manifestations) of Gaṇeśa that exist in all the universes reside here.

What more to say than this, that Brahmā and the other Devas and Devīs here represent the sum-total of all the Brahmās and the Devas and the Devīs that exist in all the Brahmāṇḍas.

These all worship Śrī Bhagavatī, remaining in their own spheres respectively. O King! Next come the seventeenth enclosure wall made of Prabāla. It is red like saffron and it is one hundred Yojanas high. As before, the court inside, the ground and the houses all are made of Prabāla. The goddesses of the five elements, Hrillekhā, Gaganā, Raktā, Karālikā, and Mahocchuṣmā reside here. The colours and lustres of the bodies of the goddessses resemble those of the elements over which they preside respectively.

All of them are proud of their youth and hold in their four hands noose, goad and signs granting boons and “no fear.” They are dressed like Śrī Devī and reside here always. Next to this comes the eighteenth enclosure wall built of Navaratna (the nine jewels). It is many yojanas wide. This enclosure wall is superior to all others and it is higher also.

On the four sides there exist innumerable houses, tanks, reservoirs, all built of Navaratna; these belong to the Devīs, the presiding Deities of Āmnāyas (that which is to be studied or learnt by heart; the Vedas). The ten Mahā Vidyās, Kālī, Tārā, etc., of Śrī Devī and the Mahābhedās, that is, their all the Avatāras all dwell here with their respective Āvaraṇas, Vāhanas and ornaments. All the Avatāras of Śrī Devī for the killing of the Daityas and for showing favour to the devotees live here. They are Paśaṃkuśeśvarī, Bhuvaneśvarī, Bhairavī, Kapāla Bhuvaneśvarī, Aṃkuśa Bhuvaneśvarī, Pramāda bhuvaneśvarī, Śrī Krodha Bhuvaneśvarī, Tripuṭāśvārūdhā, Nityaklinnā, Annapurnā, Tvaritā, and the other avatāras of Bhuvaneśvarī, and Kālī, Tārā and the other Mahāvidyās are known as Mahāvidyās.

They live here with their Āvaraṇa Devatās, Vāhanas, and ornaments respectively. (Note :-- The Āvaraṇa Deities are the attendant Deities.) Here live also the seven Koṭis of Devīs presiding over the Mahā Mantras, all brilliant and fair like the Koṭi Suns. O King! Next to this enclosure wall comes the chief and crowning palace of Śrī Devī, built of Chintāmaṇi gems. All the articles within this are built of Cintāmani gems.

Within this palace are seen hundreds and thousands of pillars. Some of these pillars are built of Sūryakāntamaṇi, some are built of Candrakānta maṇi, and some are built of Vidyutkānta maṇi. O King! The lustre and brilliance of these pillars is so strong that no articles within this palace are visible to the eye. (Note :-- The face of the Goddess Kālī is so bright that it appears like a shadow, i.e., black.) Here ends the Eleventh Chapter on the description of the enclosure walls built of Padmarāga maṇi, etc., of the Maṇi Dvīpa in the Mahāpurāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.