Devi Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 8 — Chapter 11

DB 8 11.1

भुवनकोशवर्णने भारतवर्षवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच भारताख्ये च वर्षेऽस्मिन्नहमादिजपूरुषः । तिष्ठामि भवता चैव स्तवनं क्रियतेऽनिशम्

bhuvanakośavarṇane bhāratavarṣavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca bhāratākhye ca varṣe'sminnahamādijapūruṣaḥ | tiṣṭhāmi bhavatā caiva stavanaṃ kriyate'niśam

The description of Bhāratavarṣa, within the description of the sphere of the worlds. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: And in this continent named Bhārata I abide as the primordial Person, and by you praise is offered ceaselessly.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.2

नारद उवाच ॐ नमो भगवते उपशमशीलायोपरतानात्म्याय नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय ऋषिऋषभाय नरनारायणाय परमहंसपरमगुरवे आत्मारामाधिपतये नमो नम इति । कर्तास्य सर्गादिषु यो न बध्यते न हन्यते देहगतोऽपि दैहिकैः । द्रष्टुर्न दृश्यस्य गुणैर्विदूष्यते तस्मै नमोऽसक्तविविक्तसाक्षिणे

nārada uvāca oṃ namo bhagavate upaśamaśīlāyoparatānātmyāya namo'kiñcanavittāya ṛṣiṛṣabhāya naranārāyaṇāya paramahaṃsaparamagurave ātmārāmādhipataye namo nama iti | kartāsya sargādiṣu yo na badhyate na hanyate dehagato'pi daihikaiḥ | draṣṭurna dṛśyasya guṇairvidūṣyate tasmai namo'saktaviviktasākṣiṇe

Nārada said: Om, homage to the Lord, whose nature is tranquility, who has turned away from what is not the Self; homage to him who is the wealth of those who have nothing, to the bull among sages, to Nara-Nārāyaṇa, the supreme teacher of the supreme renunciants, to the lord of those who take their delight in the Self, homage, homage. He who is the maker of this (world) in its creation and the rest, who is not bound, who is not slain by bodily things though he has entered a body, who as the seer is not sullied by the qualities of the seen — to him, the unattached, separate witness, homage.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.3

इदं हि योगेश्वरयोगनैपुणं हिरण्यगर्भो भगवाञ्जगाद यत् । यदन्तकाले त्वयि निर्गुणे मनो भक्त्या दधीतोज्झितदुष्कलेवरः

idaṃ hi yogeśvarayoganaipuṇaṃ hiraṇyagarbho bhagavāñjagāda yat | yadantakāle tvayi nirguṇe mano bhaktyā dadhītojjhitaduṣkalevaraḥ

For this is the mastery in yoga of the Lord of yogins, which the Lord Hiraṇyagarbha declared: that at the time of the end one should fix the mind with devotion upon you, the qualityless, having cast off this wretched body.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.4

यथैहिकामुष्मिककामलम्पटः सुतेषु दारेषु धनेषु चिन्तयन् । शङ्केत विद्वान् कुकलेवरात्यया- द्यस्तस्य यत्नः श्रम एव केवलम्

yathaihikāmuṣmikakāmalampaṭaḥ suteṣu dāreṣu dhaneṣu cintayan | śaṅketa vidvān kukalevarātyayā- dyastasya yatnaḥ śrama eva kevalam

Whereas one who is greedy for the pleasures of this world and the next, brooding over sons, wives and wealth — (whereas) the wise man should be wary because of the destruction of this vile body — whatever effort such a man makes is nothing but toil.

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

DB 8 11.5

तन्नः प्रभो त्वं कुकलेवरार्पितां त्वं माययाहं ममतामधोक्षज । भिन्द्याम येनाशु वयं सुदुर्भिदां विधेहि योगं त्वयि नः स्वभावजम्

tannaḥ prabho tvaṃ kukalevarārpitāṃ tvaṃ māyayāhaṃ mamatāmadhokṣaja | bhindyāma yenāśu vayaṃ sudurbhidāṃ vidhehi yogaṃ tvayi naḥ svabhāvajam

Therefore, O Lord, O Adhokṣaja, grant us that yoga in you which arises from our own nature, by which we may quickly break the 'I' and the 'mine' — so very hard to break — that has been fastened by your māyā upon this vile body.

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

DB 8 11.6

एवं स्तौति सदा देवं नारायणमनामयम् । नारदो मुनिशार्दूलः प्रज्ञाताखिलसारदृक्

evaṃ stauti sadā devaṃ nārāyaṇamanāmayam | nārado muniśārdūlaḥ prajñātākhilasāradṛk

Thus does Nārada, the tiger among sages, who discerns the essence of all that is known, ever praise the god Nārāyaṇa, who is free from affliction.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.7

अस्मिन् वै भारते वर्षे सरिच्छैलास्तु सन्ति हि । तान्प्रवक्ष्यामि देवर्षे शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः

asmin vai bhārate varṣe saricchailāstu santi hi | tānpravakṣyāmi devarṣe śṛṇuṣvaikāgramānasaḥ

In this Bhāratavarṣa there are indeed rivers and mountains; these I shall proclaim, O divine sage — listen with a one-pointed mind.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.8

मलयो मङ्गलप्रस्थो मैनाकश्च त्रिकूटकः । ऋषभः कूटकः कोल्लः सह्यो देवगिरिस्तथा

malayo maṅgalaprastho mainākaśca trikūṭakaḥ | ṛṣabhaḥ kūṭakaḥ kollaḥ sahyo devagiristathā

Malaya, Maṅgalaprastha, Maināka and Trikūṭaka; Ṛṣabha, Kūṭaka, Kolla, Sahya and likewise Devagiri;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.9

ऋष्यमूकश्च श्रीशैलो व्यङ्कटाद्रिर्महेन्द्रकः । वारिधारश्च विन्ध्यश्च मुक्तिमानृक्षपर्वतः

ṛṣyamūkaśca śrīśailo vyaṅkaṭādrirmahendrakaḥ | vāridhāraśca vindhyaśca muktimānṛkṣaparvataḥ

and Ṛṣyamūka, Śrīśaila, Vyaṅkaṭādri, Mahendraka, Vāridhāra, Vindhya, Muktimān and Ṛkṣa mountain;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.10

पारियात्रस्तथा द्रोणश्चित्रकूटगिरिस्तथा । गोवर्धनो रैवतकः ककुभो नीलपर्वतः

pāriyātrastathā droṇaścitrakūṭagiristathā | govardhano raivatakaḥ kakubho nīlaparvataḥ

Pāriyātra and Droṇa, and likewise Citrakūṭa mountain; Govardhana, Raivataka, Kakubha, Nīla mountain;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.11

गौरमुखश्चेन्द्रकीलो गिरिः कामगिरिस्तथा । एते चान्येऽप्यसंख्याता गिरयो बहुपुण्यदाः भुवनकोशवर्णने भारतवर्षवर्णनं नामैकादशोऽध्यायः

gauramukhaścendrakīlo giriḥ kāmagiristathā | ete cānye'pyasaṃkhyātā girayo bahupuṇyadāḥ bhuvanakośavarṇane bhāratavarṣavarṇanaṃ nāmaikādaśo'dhyāyaḥ

Gauramukha, Indrakīla mountain, and likewise Kāmagiri: these and other countless mountains bestow abundant merit. — The eleventh chapter, called the description of Bhāratavarṣa within the description of the sphere of the worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.12

एतदुत्पन्नसरितः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । पानावगाहनस्नानदर्शनोत्कीर्तनैरपि

etadutpannasaritaḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | pānāvagāhanasnānadarśanotkīrtanairapi

The rivers that rise from these are by hundreds and by thousands; by drinking (of them), by immersion, by bathing, by seeing (them), and even by uttering (their names) —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.13

नाशयन्ति च पापानि त्रिविधानि शरीरिणाम् । ताम्रपर्णी चन्द्रवशा कृतमाला वटोदका

nāśayanti ca pāpāni trividhāni śarīriṇām | tāmraparṇī candravaśā kṛtamālā vaṭodakā

and they destroy the threefold sins of embodied beings. (The rivers are:) Tāmraparṇī, Candravaśā, Kṛtamālā, Vaṭodakā,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.14

वैहायसी च कावेरी वेणा चैव पयस्विनी । तुङ्गभद्रा कृष्णवेणा शर्करावर्तका तथा

vaihāyasī ca kāverī veṇā caiva payasvinī | tuṅgabhadrā kṛṣṇaveṇā śarkarāvartakā tathā

and Vaihāyasī, Kāverī, Veṇā, and Payasvinī, Tuṅgabhadrā, Kṛṣṇaveṇā, and likewise Śarkarāvartakā,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.15

गोदावरी भीमरथी निर्विन्ध्या च पयोष्णिका । तापी रेवा च सुरसा नर्मदा च सरस्वती

godāvarī bhīmarathī nirvindhyā ca payoṣṇikā | tāpī revā ca surasā narmadā ca sarasvatī

Godāvarī, Bhīmarathī, and Nirvindhyā, Payoṣṇikā, Tāpī, Revā, and Surasā, Narmadā, and Sarasvatī,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.16

चर्मण्वती च सिन्धुश्च अन्धशोणौ महानदौ । ऋषिकुल्या त्रिसामा च वेदस्मृतिर्महानदी

carmaṇvatī ca sindhuśca andhaśoṇau mahānadau | ṛṣikulyā trisāmā ca vedasmṛtirmahānadī

and Carmaṇvatī, and Sindhu, the two great rivers Andha and Śoṇa, Ṛṣikulyā and Trisāmā, and the great river Vedasmṛti,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.17

कौशिकी यमुना चैव मन्दाकिनी दृषद्वती । गोमती सरयू रोधवती सप्तवती तथा

kauśikī yamunā caiva mandākinī dṛṣadvatī | gomatī sarayū rodhavatī saptavatī tathā

Kauśikī and Yamunā, Mandākinī, Dṛṣadvatī, Gomatī, Sarayū, Rodhavatī, and likewise Saptavatī,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.18

सुषोमा च शतद्रुश्च चन्द्रभागा मरुद्वृधा । वितस्ता च असिक्नी च विश्वा चेति प्रकीर्तिताः

suṣomā ca śatadruśca candrabhāgā marudvṛdhā | vitastā ca asiknī ca viśvā ceti prakīrtitāḥ

and Suṣomā, and Śatadru, Candrabhāgā, Marudvṛdhā, and Vitastā, and Asiknī, and Viśvā — thus they are proclaimed.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.19

अस्मिन्वर्षे लब्धजन्मपुरुषैः स्वस्वकर्मभिः । शुक्ललोहितकृष्णाख्यैर्दिव्यमानुषनारकाः

asminvarṣe labdhajanmapuruṣaiḥ svasvakarmabhiḥ | śuklalohitakṛṣṇākhyairdivyamānuṣanārakāḥ

In this region, for the men who have obtained birth (here), through their own respective deeds — called white, red, and black — divine, human, and hellish

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.20

भवन्ति विविधा भोगाः सर्वेषां च निवासिनाम् । यथा वर्णविधानेनापवर्गो भवति स्फुटम्

bhavanti vividhā bhogāḥ sarveṣāṃ ca nivāsinām | yathā varṇavidhānenāpavargo bhavati sphuṭam

various enjoyments arise, and for all the inhabitants, just as by the ordinance of the classes release plainly comes about.

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

DB 8 11.21

एतदेव च वर्षस्य प्राधान्यं कार्यसिद्धितः । वदन्ति मुनयो वेदवादिनः स्वर्गवासिनः

etadeva ca varṣasya prādhānyaṃ kāryasiddhitaḥ | vadanti munayo vedavādinaḥ svargavāsinaḥ

And just this is the pre-eminence of this region, because of the accomplishment of (religious) works; so say the sages who speak of the Vedas and the dwellers in heaven.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.22

अहो अमीषां किमकारि शोभनं प्रसन्न एषां स्विदुत स्वयं हरिः । यैर्जन्म लब्धं नृषु भारताजिरे मुकुन्दसेवौपयिकं स्पृहा हि नः

aho amīṣāṃ kimakāri śobhanaṃ prasanna eṣāṃ sviduta svayaṃ hariḥ | yairjanma labdhaṃ nṛṣu bhāratājire mukundasevaupayikaṃ spṛhā hi naḥ

"Ah, what good deed have these people done, or is Hari himself pleased with them, that they have obtained birth among men in the courtyard of Bhārata, (a birth) fit for the service of Mukunda? Indeed we long for it."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.23

किं दुष्करैर्नः क्रतुभिस्तपोव्रतै- र्दानादिभिर्वा द्युजयेन फल्गुना । न यत्र नारायणपदपङ्कज- स्मृतिः प्रमुष्टातिशयेन्द्रियोत्सवात्

kiṃ duṣkarairnaḥ kratubhistapovratai- rdānādibhirvā dyujayena phalgunā | na yatra nārāyaṇapadapaṅkaja- smṛtiḥ pramuṣṭātiśayendriyotsavāt

"What use to us are our hard-won sacrifices, austerities and vows, or gifts and the rest, or the winning of heaven — a paltry thing — where there is no remembrance of Nārāyaṇa's lotus feet, it being stolen away by the excessive festival of the senses?"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.24

कल्पायुषां स्थानजयात्पुनर्भवा- त्क्षणायुषां भारतभूजयो वरम् । क्षणेन मर्त्येन कृतं मनस्विनः संन्यस्य संयान्त्यभयं पदं हरेः

kalpāyuṣāṃ sthānajayātpunarbhavā- tkṣaṇāyuṣāṃ bhāratabhūjayo varam | kṣaṇena martyena kṛtaṃ manasvinaḥ saṃnyasya saṃyāntyabhayaṃ padaṃ hareḥ

"Better than the winning of a station (in heaven) by those whose life lasts a kalpa — since rebirth follows — is the winning of the land of Bhārata by those whose life lasts a moment; for the thoughtful, renouncing whatever has been done with this mortal moment, go to the fearless state of Hari."

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

DB 8 11.25

न यत्र वैकुण्ठकथासुधापगा न साधवो भागवतास्तदाश्रयाः । न यत्र यज्ञेशमखा महोत्सवाः सुरेशलोकोऽपि न वै स सेव्यताम्

na yatra vaikuṇṭhakathāsudhāpagā na sādhavo bhāgavatāstadāśrayāḥ | na yatra yajñeśamakhā mahotsavāḥ sureśaloko'pi na vai sa sevyatām

"Where there are no rivers of the nectar of talk about Vaikuṇṭha, no holy devotees of the Lord who take refuge in it, where there are no great festivals of sacrifice to the Lord of sacrifices — that place, even the world of the lord of the gods, is surely not to be resorted to."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.26

प्राप्ता नृजातिं त्विह ये च जन्तवो ज्ञानक्रियाद्रव्यकलापसम्भृताम् । न वै यतेरन्न पुनर्भवाय ते भूयो वनौका इव यान्ति बन्धनम्

prāptā nṛjātiṃ tviha ye ca jantavo jñānakriyādravyakalāpasambhṛtām | na vai yateranna punarbhavāya te bhūyo vanaukā iva yānti bandhanam

"And those creatures here who have attained human birth, which is furnished with the whole apparatus of knowledge, ritual action and materials, if they do not strive for the end of rebirth, they go again into bondage, like forest-dwelling (birds caught in a snare)."

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

DB 8 11.27

यैः श्रद्धया बर्हिषि भागशो हवि- र्निरुप्तमिष्टं विधिमन्त्रवस्तुतः । एकः पृथङ्नामभिराहुतो मुदा गृह्णाति पूर्णः स्वयमाशिषां प्रभुः

yaiḥ śraddhayā barhiṣi bhāgaśo havi- rniruptamiṣṭaṃ vidhimantravastutaḥ | ekaḥ pṛthaṅnāmabhirāhuto mudā gṛhṇāti pūrṇaḥ svayamāśiṣāṃ prabhuḥ

"By whom, with faith, the oblation is offered portion by portion on the sacrificial grass, sacrificed according to rite, mantra and material — He, being one, though invoked by separate names, gladly accepts it, himself full, the lord of blessings."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.28

सत्यं दिशत्यर्थितमर्थितो नृणां नैवार्थदो यत्पुनरर्थिता यतः । स्वयं विधत्ते भजतामनिच्छता- मिच्छापिधानं निजपादपल्लवम्

satyaṃ diśatyarthitamarthito nṛṇāṃ naivārthado yatpunararthitā yataḥ | svayaṃ vidhatte bhajatāmanicchatā- micchāpidhānaṃ nijapādapallavam

"Truly, when petitioned He grants to men what is asked; yet He is not (really) a giver of the thing asked, since from that (gift) asking arises again; of His own accord He bestows on those who worship Him, though they do not wish it, His own foot-sprout, which puts an end to (all) wishing."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.29

(यद्यत्र नः स्वर्गसुखावशेषितं स्विष्टस्य पूर्तस्य कृतस्य शोभनम् । तेनाब्जनाभे स्मृतिमज्जन्म नः स्या- द्वर्षे हरिर्भजतां शं तनोति ॥) श्रीनारायण उवाच एवं स्वर्गगता देवाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । प्रवदन्ति च माहात्म्यं भारतस्य सुशोभनम्

(yadyatra naḥ svargasukhāvaśeṣitaṃ sviṣṭasya pūrtasya kṛtasya śobhanam | tenābjanābhe smṛtimajjanma naḥ syā- dvarṣe harirbhajatāṃ śaṃ tanoti ||) śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca evaṃ svargagatā devāḥ siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ | pravadanti ca māhātmyaṃ bhāratasya suśobhanam

"If any residue of the merit of our well-performed sacrifices, public works, and good deeds remains to us here in heaven beyond (our) heavenly happiness, by that may our birth be in the region where there is remembrance of the lotus-navelled one — Hari extends welfare to those who worship (Him)." Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Thus the gods who have gone to heaven, and the Siddhas and the great sages, declare the very glorious greatness of Bhārata.

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

DB 8 11.30

जम्बुद्वीपस्य चाष्टौ हि उपद्वीपाः स्मृताः परे । हयमार्गान्विशोधद्भिः सागरैः परिकल्पिताः

jambudvīpasya cāṣṭau hi upadvīpāḥ smṛtāḥ pare | hayamārgānviśodhadbhiḥ sāgaraiḥ parikalpitāḥ

And eight other subsidiary islands of Jambūdvīpa are recorded; they were formed by the (diggers of the) oceans as they searched out the tracks of the (sacrificial) horse.

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

DB 8 11.31

स्वर्णप्रस्थश्चन्द्रशुक्र आवर्तनरमाणकौ । मन्दरोपाख्यहरिणः पाञ्चजन्यस्तथैव च

svarṇaprasthaścandraśukra āvartanaramāṇakau | mandaropākhyahariṇaḥ pāñcajanyastathaiva ca

Svarṇaprastha, Candraśukra, Āvartana and Ramāṇaka, the one called Mandaropa, Hariṇa, and likewise Pāñcajanya,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.32

सिंहलश्चैव लङ्केति उपद्वीपाष्टकं स्मृतम् । जम्बुद्वीपस्य मानं हि कीर्तितं विस्तरेण च

siṃhalaścaiva laṅketi upadvīpāṣṭakaṃ smṛtam | jambudvīpasya mānaṃ hi kīrtitaṃ vistareṇa ca

and Siṃhala, and Laṅkā — thus the set of eight subsidiary islands is recorded. The measure of Jambūdvīpa has now been told at length.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 8 11.33

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्लक्षादिद्वीपषट्ककम्

ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi plakṣādidvīpaṣaṭkakam

Next I shall describe the six islands beginning with Plakṣa.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition