Brahmanda Purana — Uttara Bhaga — Chapter 5

BndP 3 5.1

श्रीगणेशाय नमः । अथ श्रीललितोपाख्यानं प्रारभ्यते । चतुर्भुजे चन्द्रकलावतंसे कुचोन्नते कुङ्कुमरागशोणे । पुण्ड्रेक्षुपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाणहस्ते नमस्ते जगदेकमातः

śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ / atha śrīlalitopākhyānaṃ prārabhyate / caturbhuje candrakalāvataṃse kuconnate kuṅkumarāgaśoṇe / puṇḍrekṣupāśāṅkuśapuṣpabāṇahaste namaste jagadekamātaḥ

Salutation to Śrī Gaṇeśa. Now the sacred narrative of Lalitā is begun. O you of four arms, wearing the crescent moon as ornament, with high breasts, red with the hue of saffron, holding in your hands the sugarcane bow, the noose, the goad and the flower-arrows: salutation to you, sole mother of the world!

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.2

अस्तु नः श्रेयसे नित्यं वस्तु वामाङ्गसुन्दरम् । यतस्तृतीयो विदुषां तृतीयस्तु परं महः

astu naḥ śreyase nityaṃ vastu vāmāṅgasundaram / yatastṛtīyo viduṣāṃ tṛtīyastu paraṃ mahaḥ

May that eternal reality, beautiful in its left half, be for our welfare — whence (comes) the third of the wise; and the third is the supreme radiance.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.3

अगस्त्यो नाम देवर्षिर्वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः । सर्वसिद्धान्तसारज्ञो ब्रह्मानन्दरसात्मकः

agastyo nāma devarṣirvedavedāṅgapāragaḥ / sarvasiddhāntasārajño brahmānandarasātmakaḥ

There was a divine sage named Agastya, who had mastered the Vedas and the auxiliary sciences, who knew the essence of all doctrines, whose very self was the savour of the bliss of Brahman.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.4

चचाराद्भुतहेतूनि तीर्थान्यायतनानि च । शैलारण्यापगामुख्यान्सर्वाञ्जनपदानपि

cacārādbhutahetūni tīrthānyāyatanāni ca / śailāraṇyāpagāmukhyānsarvāñjanapadānapi

He travelled to holy fords and shrines of wondrous efficacy, and to all the regions, chiefly mountains, forests and rivers.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.5

तेषु तेष्वखिलाञ्जन्तूनज्ञानतिमिरावृतान् । शिश्नोदरपरान्दृष्ट्वा चिन्तयामास तान्प्रति

teṣu teṣvakhilāñjantūnajñānatimirāvṛtān / śiśnodaraparāndṛṣṭvā cintayāmāsa tānprati

Seeing in each of them all creatures wrapped in the darkness of ignorance and devoted (only) to sex and belly, he pondered concerning them.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.6

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य चरतो वसुधामिमाम् । प्राप्तमासीन्महापुण्यं काञ्चीनगरमुत्तमम्

tasya cintayamānasya carato vasudhāmimām / prāptamāsīnmahāpuṇyaṃ kāñcīnagaramuttamam

As he thus pondered and wandered over this earth, the excellent, greatly holy city of Kāñcī was reached.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.7

तत्र वारणशैलेनद्रमेकाम्रनिलयं शिवम् । कामाक्षीं करिदोषध्नीमपूजयदथात्मवान्

tatra vāraṇaśailenadramekāmranilayaṃ śivam / kāmākṣīṃ karidoṣadhnīmapūjayadathātmavān

There the self-possessed one then worshipped Śiva, whose abode is the single mango tree on the Elephant Hill, and Kāmākṣī, destroyer of the elephant's fault.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.8

लोकहेतोर्दयार्द्रस्य धीमतश्चिन्तनो मुहुः । चिरकालेन तपसा तोषितो ऽभूज्जनार्दनः

lokahetordayārdrasya dhīmataścintano muhuḥ / cirakālena tapasā toṣito 'bhūjjanārdanaḥ

Janārdana was gratified, after long time, by the austerity of that wise one, moist with compassion for the sake of the world, whose thought was fixed (on him) again and again.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.9

हयग्रीवां तनुं कृत्वा साक्षाच्चिन्मात्रविग्रहाम् । शङ्खचक्राक्षवलयपुस्तकोज्ज्वलबाहुकाम्

hayagrīvāṃ tanuṃ kṛtvā sākṣāccinmātravigrahām / śaṅkhacakrākṣavalayapustakojjvalabāhukām

Having made his body horse-necked, in visible presence a form of pure consciousness alone, with arms radiant with conch, discus, rosary and book,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.10

पूरयित्रीं जगत्कृत्स्नं प्रभया देहजातया । प्रादुर्बभूव पुरतो मुनेरमिततेजसा

pūrayitrīṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ prabhayā dehajātayā / prādurbabhūva purato muneramitatejasā

(a form) filling the whole world with the radiance born of its body, (Viṣṇu) became manifest before the sage with measureless splendour.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.11

तं दृष्ट्वानन्दभरितः प्रणम्य च मुहुर्मुहुः । विनयावनतो भूत्वा सन्तुष्टाव जगत्पतिम्

taṃ dṛṣṭvānandabharitaḥ praṇamya ca muhurmuhuḥ / vinayāvanato bhūtvā santuṣṭāva jagatpatim

Seeing him, filled to the brim with joy, and bowing again and again, bent low in humility, he praised the Lord of the world.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.12

अथोवाच जगन्नाथस्तुष्टो ऽस्मि तपसा तव । वरं वरय भद्रं ते भविता भूसुरोत्तमः

athovāca jagannāthastuṣṭo 'smi tapasā tava / varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te bhavitā bhūsurottamaḥ

Then the Lord of the world said: "I am pleased with your austerity. Choose a boon; blessings upon you; you shall become the foremost of brahmins."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.13

इति पृष्टो भगवता प्रोवाच मुनिसत्तमः । यदि तुष्टो ऽसि भगवन्निमे पामरजन्तवः

iti pṛṣṭo bhagavatā provāca munisattamaḥ / yadi tuṣṭo 'si bhagavannime pāmarajantavaḥ

Asked thus by the Blessed One, the best of sages said: "If you are pleased, O Lord — these lowly creatures,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.14

केनोपायेन मुक्ताः स्युरेतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि । इति पृष्टो द्विजेनाथ देवदेवो जनार्दनः

kenopāyena muktāḥ syuretanme vaktumarhasi / iti pṛṣṭo dvijenātha devadevo janārdanaḥ

by what means may they be liberated? This you should tell me." Asked thus by the brahmin, then the god of gods, Janārdana, (said):

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.17

एष एव पुरा प्रश्नः शिवेन चरितो मम । अयमेव कृतः प्रश्नो ब्रह्मणा तु ततः परम् ॥ ब्न्द्प्_३,५।१५ ॥ कृतो दुर्वाससा पश्चाद्भवता तु ततः परम् ॥ ब्न्द्प्_३,५।१६ ॥ भवद्भिः सर्वभूतानां गुरुभूतैर्महात्मभिः । ममोपदेशो लोकेषु प्रथितो ऽस्तु वरो मम

eṣa eva purā praśnaḥ śivena carito mama / ayameva kṛtaḥ praśno brahmaṇā tu tataḥ param // bndp_3,5.15 // kṛto durvāsasā paścādbhavatā tu tataḥ param // bndp_3,5.16 // bhavadbhiḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ gurubhūtairmahātmabhiḥ / mamopadeśo lokeṣu prathito 'stu varo mama

"This very question was formerly put to me by Śiva; this same question was asked by Brahmā after that; then afterwards by Durvāsas, and after that by you. Let my teaching be spread abroad in the worlds by you great souls, who have become the teachers of all beings — that is my boon."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.20

अहमादिर्हि भूतानामादिकर्ता स्वयं प्रभुः । सृष्टिस्थितिलयानां तु सर्वेषामपि कारकः ॥ ब्न्द्प्_३,५।१८ ॥ त्रिमूर्तिस्त्रिगुणातीतो गुणहीनो गुणाश्रयः ॥ ब्न्द्प्_३,५।१९ ॥ इच्छाविहारो भूतात्मा प्रधानपुरुषात्मकः । एवं भूतस्य मे ब्रह्मंस्त्रिजगद्रूपधारिणः

ahamādirhi bhūtānāmādikartā svayaṃ prabhuḥ / sṛṣṭisthitilayānāṃ tu sarveṣāmapi kārakaḥ // bndp_3,5.18 // trimūrtistriguṇātīto guṇahīno guṇāśrayaḥ // bndp_3,5.19 // icchāvihāro bhūtātmā pradhānapuruṣātmakaḥ / evaṃ bhūtasya me brahmaṃstrijagadrūpadhāriṇaḥ

"For I am the origin of beings, the first maker, the Lord himself; and I am the doer of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of all things. I am of three forms, beyond the three guṇas, without guṇas, the support of the guṇas; sporting at will, the Self of beings, consisting of pradhāna and puruṣa. Of me who am such, O brahmin, who bear the form of the three worlds,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.21

द्विधाकृतमभूद्रूपं प्रधान पुरुषात्मकम् । मम प्रधानं यद्रूपं सर्वलोकगुणात्मकम्

dvidhākṛtamabhūdrūpaṃ pradhāna puruṣātmakam / mama pradhānaṃ yadrūpaṃ sarvalokaguṇātmakam

the form was made twofold, consisting of pradhāna and puruṣa. That form of mine which is pradhāna consists of all the worlds and the guṇas;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.22

अपरं यद्गुणातीतं परात्परतरं महत् । एवमेव तयोर्ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते ते उभे किमु

aparaṃ yadguṇātītaṃ parātparataraṃ mahat / evameva tayorjñātvā mucyate te ubhe kimu

the other, which is beyond the guṇas, is greater than the greatest, vast. Knowing of these two in just this way, one is released — how much more (by knowing) both of them?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.23

तपोभिश्चिरकालोत्थैर्यमैश्च नियमैरपि । त्यागैर्दुष्कर्मनाशान्ते मुक्तिराश्वेव लभ्यते

tapobhiścirakālotthairyamaiśca niyamairapi / tyāgairduṣkarmanāśānte muktirāśveva labhyate

By austerities kept up over long time, and by restraints and observances, and by renunciations, when evil karma has been destroyed, liberation is obtained quickly.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.24

यद्रूपं यद्गुणयुतं तद्गुण्यैक्येन लभ्यते । अन्यत्सर्वजगद्रूपं कर्मभोगपराक्रमम्

yadrūpaṃ yadguṇayutaṃ tadguṇyaikyena labhyate / anyatsarvajagadrūpaṃ karmabhogaparākramam

Whatever form is joined with a guṇa, that is obtained through union with that guṇa; the other is the form of the whole world, whose exertion is karma and enjoyment.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.27

कर्मभिर्लभ्यते तच्च तत्त्यागेनापि लभ्यते । दुस्तरस्तु तयोस्त्यागः सकलैरपि तापस ॥ ब्न्द्प्_३,५।२५ ॥ अनपायं च सुगमं सदसत्कर्मगोचरम् ॥ ब्न्द्प्_३,५।२६ ॥ आत्मस्थेन गुणेनैव सता चाप्यसतापिवा । आत्मैक्येनैव यज्ज्ञानं सर्वसिद्धिग्रदायकम्

karmabhirlabhyate tacca tattyāgenāpi labhyate / dustarastu tayostyāgaḥ sakalairapi tāpasa // bndp_3,5.25 // anapāyaṃ ca sugamaṃ sadasatkarmagocaram // bndp_3,5.26 // ātmasthena guṇenaiva satā cāpyasatāpivā / ātmaikyenaiva yajjñānaṃ sarvasiddhigradāyakam

And that is obtained by works, and it is also obtained by renouncing them; but the renunciation of those two is hard to accomplish, even for all (people), O ascetic. And free from failure, easy to reach, ranging over both good and bad karma: it is the knowledge that comes through oneness with the Self alone, by means of the guṇa that resides in the Self, whether existent or non-existent — that grants every attainment.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.28

वर्णत्रयविहीनानां पापिष्ठानां नृणामपि । यद्रूपध्यानमात्रेण दुष्कृतं सुकृतायते

varṇatrayavihīnānāṃ pāpiṣṭhānāṃ nṛṇāmapi / yadrūpadhyānamātreṇa duṣkṛtaṃ sukṛtāyate

Even for men who lack the three varṇas, who are utterly sinful, by the mere meditation on whose form evil deeds turn into good deeds —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.29

येर्ऽचयन्ति परां शक्तिं विधिनाविधिनापि वा । न ते संसारिणो नूनं मुक्ता एव न संशयः

yer'cayanti parāṃ śaktiṃ vidhināvidhināpi vā / na te saṃsāriṇo nūnaṃ muktā eva na saṃśayaḥ

those who worship that supreme Śakti, whether according to rule or without rule, are surely not bound to transmigration; they are liberated indeed, there is no doubt.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.30

शिवो वा यां समाराध्य ध्यानयोगबलेन च । ईश्वरः सर्वसिद्धानामर्द्धनारीश्वरो ऽभवत्

śivo vā yāṃ samārādhya dhyānayogabalena ca / īśvaraḥ sarvasiddhānāmarddhanārīśvaro 'bhavat

Or (consider) Śiva: having propitiated her, and by the power of meditation and yoga, he became the lord of all attainments, Ardhanārīśvara.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.31

अन्ये ऽब्जप्रमुखा देवाः सिद्धास्तद्ध्यानवैभवात् । तस्मादशेषलोकानां त्रिपुराराधनं विना

anye 'bjapramukhā devāḥ siddhāstaddhyānavaibhavāt / tasmādaśeṣalokānāṃ tripurārādhanaṃ vinā

Other gods, headed by the lotus-born, became accomplished through the might of meditation on her. Therefore, for all the worlds without exception, without the worship of Tripurā

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.32

न स्तो भोगापवर्गौं तु यौगपद्येन कुत्रचित् । तन्मनास्तद्गतप्राणस्तद्याजी तद्गतेहकः

na sto bhogāpavargauṃ tu yaugapadyena kutracit / tanmanāstadgataprāṇastadyājī tadgatehakaḥ

enjoyment and release do not exist simultaneously anywhere. With mind on her, breath given over to her, sacrificing to her, with efforts directed to her,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.33

तादात्म्येनैव कर्माणि कुर्वन्मुक्तिमवाप्स्यसि । एतद्रहस्यमाख्यातं सर्वेषां हितकाम्यया

tādātmyenaiva karmāṇi kurvanmuktimavāpsyasi / etadrahasyamākhyātaṃ sarveṣāṃ hitakāmyayā

performing your acts in identity with her alone, you will attain liberation. This secret has been declared out of the wish for the welfare of all.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.34

सन्तुष्टेनैव तपसा भवतो मुनिसत्तम । देवाश्च मुनयः सिद्धा मानुषाश्च तथापरे । त्वन्मुखांभोजतो ऽवाप्यसिद्धिं यान्तु परात्पराम्

santuṣṭenaiva tapasā bhavato munisattama / devāśca munayaḥ siddhā mānuṣāśca tathāpare / tvanmukhāṃbhojato 'vāpyasiddhiṃ yāntu parātparām

"(I am) well pleased by your austerity, O best of sages. Let the gods, the sages, the Siddhas, and others too, human beings, obtain from your lotus-mouth and attain the attainment that is higher than the highest."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

BndP 3 5.35

इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हयग्रीवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः । प्रणिपत्य पुनर्वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनम्

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā hayagrīvasya śārṅgiṇaḥ / praṇipatya punarvākyamuvāca madhusūdanam

Having heard that speech of his, of Hayagrīva the bearer of the horn-bow, he bowed down and spoke a further word to the slayer of Madhu.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.36

भगवन्कीदृशं रूपं भवता यत्पुरोदितम् । किंविहारं किंप्रभावमेतन्मे वक्तुमर्हसि

bhagavankīdṛśaṃ rūpaṃ bhavatā yatpuroditam / kiṃvihāraṃ kiṃprabhāvametanme vaktumarhasi

"O Lord, of what sort is that form which was spoken of by you before? What is its sport, what its power? This you ought to tell me."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.37

हयग्रीव उवाच एष्ॐऽशभूतो देवर्षे हयग्रीवो ममापरः । श्रोतुमिच्छसियद्यत्त्वं तत्सर्वं वक्तुमर्हति

hayagrīva uvāca eṣoṃ'śabhūto devarṣe hayagrīvo mamāparaḥ / śrotumicchasiyadyattvaṃ tatsarvaṃ vaktumarhati

Hayagrīva said: "This other Hayagrīva of mine, O sage of the gods, has come to be a portion (of me); whatever you wish to hear, he is fit to tell all of it."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.38

इत्यादिश्य जगन्नाथो हयग्रीवं तपोधनम् । पुरतः कुम्भजातस्य मुनेरन्तरधाद्धरिः

ityādiśya jagannātho hayagrīvaṃ tapodhanam / purataḥ kumbhajātasya munerantaradhāddhariḥ

Having thus instructed Hayagrīva, rich in austerity, Hari, the lord of the world, vanished from before the sage who was born from a pot.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

BndP 3 5.39

ततस्तु विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा तपोधनः । हयग्रीवेण मुनिना स्वाश्रमं प्रत्यपद्यत

tatastu vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā tapodhanaḥ / hayagrīveṇa muninā svāśramaṃ pratyapadyata

Then the one rich in austerity, filled with amazement, the hair of his body bristling, went to his own hermitage together with the sage Hayagrīva.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition