Devi Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 1 — Chapter 1
DB 1 1.1
ॐ सर्वचैतन्यरूपां तां आद्यां विद्यां च धीमहि । बुद्धिं या नः प्रचोदयात् प्रथमस्कन्धे शौनकप्रश्नो नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः
oṃ sarvacaitanyarūpāṃ tāṃ ādyāṃ vidyāṃ ca dhīmahi | buddhiṃ yā naḥ pracodayāt prathamaskandhe śaunakapraśno nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ
Om. Let us meditate on that primordial Wisdom whose form is all consciousness — may she impel our intellect. In the first book, the first chapter, called "Śaunaka's Question."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.2
शौनक उवाच - सूत सूत महाभाग धन्योऽसि पुरुषर्षभ । यदधीतास्त्वया सम्यक् पुराणसंहिताः शुभाः
śaunaka uvāca - sūta sūta mahābhāga dhanyo'si puruṣarṣabha | yadadhītāstvayā samyak purāṇasaṃhitāḥ śubhāḥ
Śaunaka said: Sūta, Sūta, greatly fortunate one, you are blessed, O bull among men, in that you have thoroughly studied the auspicious collections of the Purāṇas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.3
अष्टादश पुराणानि कृष्णेन मुनिनानघ । कथितानि सुदिव्यानि पठितानि त्वयानघ
aṣṭādaśa purāṇāni kṛṣṇena muninānagha | kathitāni sudivyāni paṭhitāni tvayānagha
The eighteen Purāṇas, O sinless one, were recited by the sage Kṛṣṇa (Dvaipāyana), most divine, and they have been studied by you, O sinless one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.4
पञ्चलक्षणयुक्तानि सरहस्यानि मानद । त्वया ज्ञातानि सर्वाणि व्यासात्सत्यवतीसुतात्
pañcalakṣaṇayuktāni sarahasyāni mānada | tvayā jñātāni sarvāṇi vyāsātsatyavatīsutāt
Endowed with the five characteristics, together with their secrets, O giver of honour — all of them have been learned by you from Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.5
अस्माकं पुण्ययोगेन प्राप्तस्त्वं क्षेत्रमुत्तमम् । दिव्यं विश्वसनं पुण्यं कलिदोषविवर्जितम्
asmākaṃ puṇyayogena prāptastvaṃ kṣetramuttamam | divyaṃ viśvasanaṃ puṇyaṃ kalidoṣavivarjitam
By the coming together of our merits you have reached this excellent place — divine, trustworthy, holy, free from the faults of the Kali age.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.6
समाजोऽयं मुनीनां हि श्रोतुकामोऽस्ति पुण्यदाम् । पुराणसंहितां सूत ब्रूहि त्वं नः समाहितः
samājo'yaṃ munīnāṃ hi śrotukāmo'sti puṇyadām | purāṇasaṃhitāṃ sūta brūhi tvaṃ naḥ samāhitaḥ
This assembly of sages indeed wishes to hear the merit-bestowing collection of the Purāṇa; Sūta, recite it to us with concentrated mind.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.7
दीर्घायुर्भव सर्वज्ञ तापत्रयविवर्जितः । कथयाद्य महाभाग पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम्
dīrghāyurbhava sarvajña tāpatrayavivarjitaḥ | kathayādya mahābhāga purāṇaṃ brahmasammitam
May you be long-lived, O all-knowing one, free from the three afflictions; recite now, O greatly fortunate one, the Purāṇa that is equal to the Veda.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.8
श्रोत्रेन्द्रिययुताः सूत नराः स्वादविचक्षणाः । न शृण्वन्ति पुराणानि वञ्चिता विधिना हि ते
śrotrendriyayutāḥ sūta narāḥ svādavicakṣaṇāḥ | na śṛṇvanti purāṇāni vañcitā vidhinā hi te
O Sūta, men who possess the organ of hearing and are discerning in taste, yet do not listen to the Purāṇas — they have surely been cheated by fate.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.9
यथा जिह्वेन्द्रियाह्लादः षड्रसैः प्रतिपद्यते । तथा श्रोत्रेन्द्रियाह्लादो वचोभिः सुधियां स्मृतः
yathā jihvendriyāhlādaḥ ṣaḍrasaiḥ pratipadyate | tathā śrotrendriyāhlādo vacobhiḥ sudhiyāṃ smṛtaḥ
Just as the delight of the organ of taste is obtained through the six flavours, so, for the wise, the delight of the organ of hearing is held to come through words.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.10
अश्रोत्राः फणिनः कामं मुह्यन्ति हि नभोगुणैः । सकर्णा ये न शृण्वन्ति तेऽप्यकर्णाः कथं न च
aśrotrāḥ phaṇinaḥ kāmaṃ muhyanti hi nabhoguṇaiḥ | sakarṇā ye na śṛṇvanti te'pyakarṇāḥ kathaṃ na ca
Serpents, though earless, are indeed bewildered at will by the qualities of sound; and those who have ears yet do not listen — how are they not also earless?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.11
अतः सर्वे द्विजाः सौम्य श्रोतुकामाः समाहिताः । वर्तन्ते नैमिषारण्ये क्षेत्रे कलिभयार्दिताः
ataḥ sarve dvijāḥ saumya śrotukāmāḥ samāhitāḥ | vartante naimiṣāraṇye kṣetre kalibhayārditāḥ
Therefore all these twice-born ones, O gentle one, wishing to hear and with attentive minds, dwell in the Naimiṣa forest, that sacred place, tormented by fear of the Kali age.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.12
येन केनाप्युपायेन कालातिवाहनं स्मृतम् । व्यसनैरिह मूर्खाणां बुधानां शास्त्रचिन्तनैः
yena kenāpyupāyena kālātivāhanaṃ smṛtam | vyasanairiha mūrkhāṇāṃ budhānāṃ śāstracintanaiḥ
By one means or another the passing of time is contrived: here, for fools by vices, for the wise by reflection on the scriptures.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.13
शास्त्राण्यपि विचित्राणि जल्पवादयुतानि च । त्रिविधानि पुराणानि शास्त्राणि विविधानि च । विताण्डाच्छलयुक्तानि गर्वामर्षकराणि च । नानार्थवादयुक्तानि हेतुमन्ति बृहन्ति च
śāstrāṇyapi vicitrāṇi jalpavādayutāni ca | trividhāni purāṇāni śāstrāṇi vividhāni ca | vitāṇḍācchalayuktāni garvāmarṣakarāṇi ca | nānārthavādayuktāni hetumanti bṛhanti ca
The scriptures too are various and full of disputatious argument; the Purāṇas are of three kinds, and the scriptures of many kinds — furnished with cavilling and quibbling, producing pride and impatience, filled with manifold argumentative statements, provided with reasons, and vast.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 1 1.14
सात्त्विकं तत्र वेदान्तं मीमांसा राजसं मतम् । तामसं न्यायशास्त्रं च हेतुवादाभियन्त्रितम्
sāttvikaṃ tatra vedāntaṃ mīmāṃsā rājasaṃ matam | tāmasaṃ nyāyaśāstraṃ ca hetuvādābhiyantritam
Among these, Vedānta is sāttvika; Mīmāṃsā is held to be rājasa; and the Nyāya scripture, controlled by argumentation from reasons, is tāmasa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.15
तथैव च पुराणानि त्रिगुणानि कथानकैः । कथितानि त्वया सौम्य पञ्चलक्षणवन्ति च
tathaiva ca purāṇāni triguṇāni kathānakaiḥ | kathitāni tvayā saumya pañcalakṣaṇavanti ca
And just so, the Purāṇas, of the three qualities, with their narratives, have been recited by you, O gentle one, possessing the five characteristics.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.16
तत्र भागवतं पुण्यं पञ्चमं वेदसम्मितम् । कथितं यत्त्वया पूर्वं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्
tatra bhāgavataṃ puṇyaṃ pañcamaṃ vedasammitam | kathitaṃ yattvayā pūrvaṃ sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam
Among them, the holy Bhāgavata, the fifth, equal to the Veda, was formerly recited by you, endowed with all the characteristics.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.17
उद्देशमत्रेण तदा कीर्तितं परमाद्भुतम् । मुक्तिप्रदं मुमुक्षूणां कामदं धर्मदं तथा
uddeśamatreṇa tadā kīrtitaṃ paramādbhutam | muktipradaṃ mumukṣūṇāṃ kāmadaṃ dharmadaṃ tathā
At that time that supremely wondrous (work) was proclaimed only by way of summary indication — granting liberation to those who seek it, granting desires, and granting dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.18
विस्तरेण तदाख्याहि पुराणोत्तममादरात् । श्रोतुकामा द्विजाः सर्वे दिव्यं भागवतं शुभम्
vistareṇa tadākhyāhi purāṇottamamādarāt | śrotukāmā dvijāḥ sarve divyaṃ bhāgavataṃ śubham
Now relate it at length with care, that best of Purāṇas; all the twice-born wish to hear the divine and auspicious Bhāgavata.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.19
त्वं तु जानासि धर्मज्ञ पौराणीं संहितां किल । कृष्णोक्तां गुरुभक्तत्वात् सम्यक् सत्त्वगुणाश्रयः
tvaṃ tu jānāsi dharmajña paurāṇīṃ saṃhitāṃ kila | kṛṣṇoktāṃ gurubhaktatvāt samyak sattvaguṇāśrayaḥ
You indeed know, O knower of dharma, the Purāṇic collection spoken by Kṛṣṇa (Dvaipāyana), fully, through your devotion to your teacher, being a refuge of the quality of sattva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.20
श्रुतान्यन्यानि सर्वज्ञ त्वन्मुखान्निःसृतानि च । नैव तृप्तिं व्रजामोऽद्य सुधापानेऽमरा यथा
śrutānyanyāni sarvajña tvanmukhānniḥsṛtāni ca | naiva tṛptiṃ vrajāmo'dya sudhāpāne'marā yathā
The other (Purāṇas) that have issued from your mouth we have heard, O all-knowing one; yet even now we come to no satisfaction, like the immortals drinking nectar.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.21
धिक्सुधां पिबतां सूत मुक्तिर्नैव कदाचन । पिबन्भागवतं सद्यो नरो मुच्येत सङ्कटात्
dhiksudhāṃ pibatāṃ sūta muktirnaiva kadācana | pibanbhāgavataṃ sadyo naro mucyeta saṅkaṭāt
Fie on nectar! For those who drink it, O Sūta, there is never liberation; but a man, drinking the Bhāgavata, would at once be freed from distress.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.22
सुधापाननिमित्तं यत् कृता यज्ञाः सहस्रशः । न शान्तिमधिगच्छामः सूत सर्वात्मना वयम्
sudhāpānanimittaṃ yat kṛtā yajñāḥ sahasraśaḥ | na śāntimadhigacchāmaḥ sūta sarvātmanā vayam
For the sake of drinking nectar thousands of sacrifices were performed, (yet) we do not attain peace, O Sūta, with our whole being.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.23
मखानां हि फलं स्वर्गः स्वर्गात्प्रच्यवनं पुनः । एवं संसारचक्रेऽस्म्निन् भ्रमणं च निरन्तरम्
makhānāṃ hi phalaṃ svargaḥ svargātpracyavanaṃ punaḥ | evaṃ saṃsāracakre'smnin bhramaṇaṃ ca nirantaram
For the fruit of sacrifices is heaven, and from heaven a falling away again; thus in this wheel of transmigration there is ceaseless wandering.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.24
विना ज्ञानेन सर्वज्ञ नैव मुक्तिः कदाचन । भ्रमतां कालचक्रेऽत्र नराणां त्रिगुणात्मके
vinā jñānena sarvajña naiva muktiḥ kadācana | bhramatāṃ kālacakre'tra narāṇāṃ triguṇātmake
Without knowledge, O all-knowing one, there is never release for people wandering here in this wheel of time made of the three qualities.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 1 1.25
अतः सर्वरसोपेतं पुण्यं भागवतं वद । पावनं मुक्तिदं गुह्यं मुमुक्षूणां सदा प्रियम्
ataḥ sarvarasopetaṃ puṇyaṃ bhāgavataṃ vada | pāvanaṃ muktidaṃ guhyaṃ mumukṣūṇāṃ sadā priyam
Therefore recite the meritorious Bhāgavata, endowed with every flavour, purifying, granting release, secret, ever dear to those who desire liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition