Devi Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 3 — Chapter 2

DB 3 2.1

ब्रह्मादीनाङ्गतिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच यत्त्वया च महाबाहो पृष्टोऽहं कुरुसत्तम । तान्प्रश्नान्नारदः प्राह मया पृष्टो मुनीश्वरः

brahmādīnāṅgativarṇanam vyāsa uvāca yattvayā ca mahābāho pṛṣṭo'haṃ kurusattama | tānpraśnānnāradaḥ prāha mayā pṛṣṭo munīśvaraḥ

The description of the destiny of Brahmā and the others. Vyāsa said: What you have asked me, O mighty-armed, best of the Kurus — those very questions Nārada, lord of sages, answered when asked by me.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.2

नारद उवाच व्यास किं ते ब्रवीम्यद्य पुराऽयं संशयो मम । उत्पन्नो हृदयेऽत्यर्थं संदेहासारपीडितः तृतीयस्कन्धे ब्रह्मादीनाङ्गतिवर्णनं नाम द्वितीयोऽध्यायः

nārada uvāca vyāsa kiṃ te bravīmyadya purā'yaṃ saṃśayo mama | utpanno hṛdaye'tyarthaṃ saṃdehāsārapīḍitaḥ tṛtīyaskandhe brahmādīnāṅgativarṇanaṃ nāma dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ

Nārada said: Vyāsa, what shall I tell you today? Long ago this doubt of mine arose in my heart most intensely, and I was afflicted by the hail-shower of uncertainty. (Thus) the second chapter, called "The description of the going of Brahmā and the others," in the third book.

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

DB 3 2.3

गत्वाऽहं पितरं स्थाने ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् । अपृच्छं यत्त्वया पृष्टं व्यासाद्य प्रश्नमुत्तमम्

gatvā'haṃ pitaraṃ sthāne brahmāṇamamitaujasam | apṛcchaṃ yattvayā pṛṣṭaṃ vyāsādya praśnamuttamam

Going to my father Brahmā of unmeasured might in his own abode, I asked (him) that very question, the excellent one, which you have now asked, Vyāsa.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.4

पितः कुतः समुत्पन्नं ब्रह्माण्डमखिलं विभो । भवत्कृतेन वा सम्यक् किं वा विष्णुकृतं त्विदम्

pitaḥ kutaḥ samutpannaṃ brahmāṇḍamakhilaṃ vibho | bhavatkṛtena vā samyak kiṃ vā viṣṇukṛtaṃ tvidam

"Father, from what has this whole cosmic egg arisen, O mighty one? Or was it rightly made by you, or was it indeed made by Viṣṇu?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.5

रुद्रकृतं वा विश्वात्मन् ब्रूहि सत्यं जगत्पते । आराधनीयः कः कामं सर्वोत्कृष्टश्च कः प्रभुः

rudrakṛtaṃ vā viśvātman brūhi satyaṃ jagatpate | ārādhanīyaḥ kaḥ kāmaṃ sarvotkṛṣṭaśca kaḥ prabhuḥ

Or was it made by Rudra, O Soul of the universe? Tell (me) the truth, O Lord of the world. Who is to be worshipped at will, and who is the Lord surpassing all?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.6

तत्सर्वं वद मे ब्रह्मन्सन्देहांश्छिन्धि चानघ । निमग्नो ह्यस्मि संसारे दुःखरूपेऽनृतोपमे

tatsarvaṃ vada me brahmansandehāṃśchindhi cānagha | nimagno hyasmi saṃsāre duḥkharūpe'nṛtopame

Tell me all that, O Brahmā, and cut off my doubts, O sinless one; for I am sunk in this cycle of existence, which is of the nature of suffering and like a falsehood.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.7

सन्देहान्दोलितं चेतो न प्रशाम्यति कुत्रचित् । न तीर्थेषु न देवेषु साधनेष्वितरेषु च

sandehāndolitaṃ ceto na praśāmyati kutracit | na tīrtheṣu na deveṣu sādhaneṣvitareṣu ca

The mind, tossed by doubts, finds no peace anywhere—not in sacred fords, not among the gods, nor in the other means (of practice).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.8

अविज्ञाय परं तत्त्वं कुतः शान्तिः परन्तप । विकीर्णं बहुधा चित्तं नैकत्र स्थिरतां व्रजेत्

avijñāya paraṃ tattvaṃ kutaḥ śāntiḥ parantapa | vikīrṇaṃ bahudhā cittaṃ naikatra sthiratāṃ vrajet

Without having known the supreme reality, whence comes peace, O scorcher of foes? The thought, scattered in many directions, does not attain steadiness in any one place.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.9

कं स्मरामि यजे कं वा कं व्रजाम्यर्चयामि कम् । स्तौमि कं नाभिजानामि देव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरम्

kaṃ smarāmi yaje kaṃ vā kaṃ vrajāmyarcayāmi kam | staumi kaṃ nābhijānāmi deva sarveśvareśvaram

Whom shall I remember, whom shall I sacrifice to, to whom shall I go, whom shall I honour, whom shall I praise? I do not know, O god, the Lord of all lords."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.10

ततो मां प्रत्युवाचेदं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । मया सत्यवतीसूनो कृते प्रश्ने सुदुस्तरे

tato māṃ pratyuvācedaṃ brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ | mayā satyavatīsūno kṛte praśne sudustare

Then, when this very hard question had been put by me, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, answered me thus, O son of Satyavatī.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.11

ब्रह्मोवाच किं ब्रवीमि सुताद्याहं दुर्बोधं प्रश्नमुत्तमम् । त्वयाशक्यं महाभाग विष्णोरपि सुनिश्चयात्

brahmovāca kiṃ bravīmi sutādyāhaṃ durbodhaṃ praśnamuttamam | tvayāśakyaṃ mahābhāga viṣṇorapi suniścayāt

Brahmā said: What, my son, shall I say today to this excellent question, hard to understand? It is beyond your power, O greatly fortunate one—indeed, from certain knowledge, beyond even Viṣṇu's.

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

DB 3 2.12

रागी कोऽपि न जानाति संसारेऽस्मिन्महामते । विरक्तश्च विजानाति निरीहो यो विमत्सरः

rāgī ko'pi na jānāti saṃsāre'sminmahāmate | viraktaśca vijānāti nirīho yo vimatsaraḥ

No one who is passionate knows it in this world, O great-minded one; but one who is detached knows it—he who is without craving and without envy.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.13

एकार्णवे पुरा जाते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे भूतमात्रे समुत्पन्ने सञ्जज्ञे कमलादहम्

ekārṇave purā jāte naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame bhūtamātre samutpanne sañjajñe kamalādaham

Formerly, when all had become one ocean, when the standing and moving (creatures) had perished, when only the elements had come into being, I was born from a lotus.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.14

नापश्यं तरणिं सोमं न वृक्षान्न च पर्वतान् । कर्णिकायां समाविष्टश्चिन्तामकरवं तदा

nāpaśyaṃ taraṇiṃ somaṃ na vṛkṣānna ca parvatān | karṇikāyāṃ samāviṣṭaścintāmakaravaṃ tadā

I saw neither the sun nor the moon, nor trees, nor mountains; seated on the pericarp (of the lotus), I then fell to pondering:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.15

कस्मादहं समुद्भूतः सलिलेऽस्मिन्महार्णवे । को मे त्राता प्रभुः कर्ता संहर्ता वा युगात्यये

kasmādahaṃ samudbhūtaḥ salile'sminmahārṇave | ko me trātā prabhuḥ kartā saṃhartā vā yugātyaye

"From what have I arisen in this water, in this great ocean? Who is my protector, my lord, my maker, or my destroyer at the end of the age?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.16

न च भूर्विद्यते स्पष्टा यदाधारं जलं त्विदम् । पङ्कजं कथमुत्पन्नं प्रसिद्धं रूढियोगयोः

na ca bhūrvidyate spaṣṭā yadādhāraṃ jalaṃ tvidam | paṅkajaṃ kathamutpannaṃ prasiddhaṃ rūḍhiyogayoḥ

And no earth is plainly to be found which might be the support of this water. How then has this 'mud-born' (lotus) arisen, well known both by conventional usage and by etymology?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.17

पश्याम्यद्यास्य पङ्कं तं मूलं वै पङ्कजस्य च । भविष्यति धरा तत्र मूलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः

paśyāmyadyāsya paṅkaṃ taṃ mūlaṃ vai paṅkajasya ca | bhaviṣyati dharā tatra mūlaṃ nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ

Now I shall look for that mud of it, the root of the lotus indeed; there, at the root, there will be earth—of this there is no doubt."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.18

उत्तरन्सलिले तत्र यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम् । अन्वेषमाणो धरणीं नावाप तां यदा तदा

uttaransalile tatra yāvadvarṣasahasrakam | anveṣamāṇo dharaṇīṃ nāvāpa tāṃ yadā tadā

Swimming down there in the water for a full thousand years, searching for the earth, when he did not find it, then—

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.19

तपस्तपेति चाकाशे वागभूदशरीरिणी । ततो मया तपस्तप्तं पद्मे वर्षसहस्रकम्

tapastapeti cākāśe vāgabhūdaśarīriṇī | tato mayā tapastaptaṃ padme varṣasahasrakam

There was a bodiless voice in the sky (saying) "Practise austerity!" Then austerity was practised by me on the lotus for a thousand years.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.20

सृजेति पुनरुद्भूता वाणी तत्र श्रुता मया । विमूढोऽहं तदाकर्ण्य कं सृजामि करोमि किम्

sṛjeti punarudbhūtā vāṇī tatra śrutā mayā | vimūḍho'haṃ tadākarṇya kaṃ sṛjāmi karomi kim

Again a voice arose there, heard by me: "Create!" Hearing that I was bewildered: whom am I to create, what am I to do?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.21

तदा दैत्यावपि प्राप्तौ दारुणौ मधुकैटभौ । ताभ्यां विभीषितश्चाहं युद्धाय मकरालये

tadā daityāvapi prāptau dāruṇau madhukaiṭabhau | tābhyāṃ vibhīṣitaścāhaṃ yuddhāya makarālaye

Then too the two terrible demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha arrived, and I was frightened by those two (who came) for battle in the ocean.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.22

ततोऽहं नालमालम्ब्य वारिमध्यमवातरम् । तदा तत्र मया दृष्टः पुरुषः परमाद्भुतः

tato'haṃ nālamālambya vārimadhyamavātaram | tadā tatra mayā dṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaḥ paramādbhutaḥ

Then, grasping the lotus-stalk, I descended into the midst of the waters; and there I beheld a Person, utterly wondrous.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.23

मेघश्यामशरीरस्तु पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः । शेषशायी जगन्नाथो वनमालाविभूषितः

meghaśyāmaśarīrastu pītavāsāścaturbhujaḥ | śeṣaśāyī jagannātho vanamālāvibhūṣitaḥ

His body dark as a cloud, clad in yellow, four-armed, lying upon Śeṣa, the Lord of the world, adorned with a garland of forest flowers,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.24

शङ्खचक्रगदापद्माद्यायुधैः सुविराजितः । तमद्राक्षं महाविष्णुं शेषपर्यङ्कशायिनम्

śaṅkhacakragadāpadmādyāyudhaiḥ suvirājitaḥ | tamadrākṣaṃ mahāviṣṇuṃ śeṣaparyaṅkaśāyinam

resplendent with his weapons — conch, discus, mace, lotus and the rest: him I saw, the great Viṣṇu, lying on the couch that is Śeṣa,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.25

योगनिद्रासमाक्रान्तमविस्पन्दिनमच्युतम् । शयानं तं समालोक्य भोगिभोगोपरि स्थितम्

yoganidrāsamākrāntamavispandinamacyutam | śayānaṃ taṃ samālokya bhogibhogopari sthitam

overcome by yoga-sleep, motionless, the imperishable one. Seeing him lying there, resting upon the coils of the serpent,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.26

चिन्ता ममाद्भुता जाता किं करोमीति नारद । मया स्मृता तदा देवी स्तुता निद्रास्वरूपिणी

cintā mamādbhutā jātā kiṃ karomīti nārada | mayā smṛtā tadā devī stutā nidrāsvarūpiṇī

an extraordinary anxiety arose in me — "What am I to do?", O Nārada. Then the Goddess was called to mind by me and praised, she whose very form is that sleep.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.27

देहान्निर्गत्य सा देवी गगने संस्थिता शिवा । अवितर्क्यशरीरा सा दिव्याभरणमण्डिता

dehānnirgatya sā devī gagane saṃsthitā śivā | avitarkyaśarīrā sā divyābharaṇamaṇḍitā

Going forth from his body, that Goddess, the auspicious one, took her stand in the sky, her body beyond conceiving, decked with divine ornaments.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.28

विष्णोर्देहं विहायाशु विरराज नभःस्थिता । उदतिष्ठदमेयात्मा तया मुक्तो जनार्दनः

viṣṇordehaṃ vihāyāśu virarāja nabhaḥsthitā | udatiṣṭhadameyātmā tayā mukto janārdanaḥ

Swiftly leaving Viṣṇu's body she shone, standing in the heavens; and Janārdana, of immeasurable self, released by her, rose up.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.29

पंचवर्षसहस्राणि कृतवान् युद्धमुत्तमम् । तदा विलोकितौ दैत्यौ हरिणा विनिपातितौ

paṃcavarṣasahasrāṇi kṛtavān yuddhamuttamam | tadā vilokitau daityau hariṇā vinipātitau

For five thousand years he waged a mighty battle; then the two demons were seen struck down by Hari.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.30

उत्सङ्गं विमलं कृत्वा तत्रैव निहतौ च तौ । रुद्रस्तत्रैव सम्प्राप्तो यत्रावां संस्थितावुभौ

utsaṅgaṃ vimalaṃ kṛtvā tatraiva nihatau ca tau | rudrastatraiva samprāpto yatrāvāṃ saṃsthitāvubhau

Making his lap clean, there itself those two were slain; and Rudra arrived at that very place where we two were standing.

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

DB 3 2.31

त्रिभिः संवीक्षितास्मामिः स्वस्था देवी मनोहरा । संस्तुता परमा शक्तिरुवाचास्मानवस्थितान्

tribhiḥ saṃvīkṣitāsmāmiḥ svasthā devī manoharā | saṃstutā paramā śaktiruvācāsmānavasthitān

Gazed upon by us three, the Goddess, self-possessed and lovely, the supreme Śakti, being praised, spoke to us as we stood there,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.32

कृपावलोकनैः कृत्वा पावनैर्मुदितानथ । देव्युवाच काजेशाः स्वानि कार्याणि कुरुध्वं समतन्द्रिताः

kṛpāvalokanaiḥ kṛtvā pāvanairmuditānatha | devyuvāca kājeśāḥ svāni kāryāṇi kurudhvaṃ samatandritāḥ

having first made (us) glad with purifying looks of compassion. The Goddess said: O lords of action, perform your own tasks, all of you unwearied.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.33

सृष्टिस्थितिविशिष्टानि हतावेतौ महासुरौ । कृत्वा स्वानि निकेतानि वसध्वं विगतज्वराः

sṛṣṭisthitiviśiṣṭāni hatāvetau mahāsurau | kṛtvā svāni niketāni vasadhvaṃ vigatajvarāḥ

(your tasks) which are distinguished as creation and preservation — these two great asuras have been slain; making your own abodes, dwell free of anxiety.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.34

प्रजाश्चतुर्विधाः सर्वाः सृजध्वं स्वविभूतिभिः । ब्रह्मोवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्याः पेशलं सुखदं मृदु

prajāścaturvidhāḥ sarvāḥ sṛjadhvaṃ svavibhūtibhiḥ | brahmovāca tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasyāḥ peśalaṃ sukhadaṃ mṛdu

Create all the four kinds of creatures by your own powers. Brahmā said: Hearing that speech of hers, graceful, pleasant and gentle,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.35

अब्रूम तामशक्तिः स्मः कथं कुर्मस्त्विमाः प्रजाः । न मही वितता मातः सर्वत्र विततं जलम्

abrūma tāmaśaktiḥ smaḥ kathaṃ kurmastvimāḥ prajāḥ | na mahī vitatā mātaḥ sarvatra vitataṃ jalam

we said to her: "We are without the power (for it). How shall we make these creatures? The earth is not spread out, O Mother; everywhere water is spread out.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.36

न भूतानि गुणाश्चापि तन्मात्राणीन्द्रियाणि च । तदाकर्ण्य वचोऽस्माकं शिवा जाता स्मितानना

na bhūtāni guṇāścāpi tanmātrāṇīndriyāṇi ca | tadākarṇya vaco'smākaṃ śivā jātā smitānanā

There are no elements, nor the qualities, nor the subtle essences, nor the senses." Hearing that speech of ours, the auspicious one became smiling-faced.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.37

झटित्येवागतं तत्र विमानं गगनाच्छुभम् । सोवाचास्मिन्सुराः कामं विशध्वं गतसाध्वसाः

jhaṭityevāgataṃ tatra vimānaṃ gaganācchubham | sovācāsminsurāḥ kāmaṃ viśadhvaṃ gatasādhvasāḥ

In an instant a shining aerial car came there from the sky. She said: "Gods, enter into this freely, your fear gone.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.38

विमाने ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशा दर्शयाम्यद्य चाद्भुतम् । तन्निशम्य वचस्तस्या ओमित्युक्त्वा पुनर्वयम्

vimāne brahmaviṣṇvīśā darśayāmyadya cādbhutam | tanniśamya vacastasyā omityuktvā punarvayam

Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Īśa, (seated) in the car, I shall show you today a marvel." Hearing that speech of hers, we then said "Om", and

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.39

समारुह्योपविष्टाः स्मो विमाने रत्नमण्डिते । मुक्तादामसुसंवीते किङ्किणीजालशब्दिते

samāruhyopaviṣṭāḥ smo vimāne ratnamaṇḍite | muktādāmasusaṃvīte kiṅkiṇījālaśabdite

having climbed up we sat down in that car adorned with jewels, well draped with strings of pearls, ringing with a net of little bells,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.40

सुरसद्मनिभे रम्ये त्रयस्तत्राविशङ्किताः । सोपविष्टांस्ततो दृष्ट्वा देव्यस्मान्विजितेन्द्रियान्

surasadmanibhe ramye trayastatrāviśaṅkitāḥ | sopaviṣṭāṃstato dṛṣṭvā devyasmānvijitendriyān

delightful, like the mansion of the gods — we three there, without hesitation. Then, seeing us seated, us who had conquered our senses, the Goddess

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 3 2.41

स्वशक्त्या तद्विमानं वै नोदयामास चाम्बरे

svaśaktyā tadvimānaṃ vai nodayāmāsa cāmbare

by her own power drove that car up into the sky.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition