Devi Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 9 — Chapter 49

DB 9 49.1

सुरभ्युपाख्यानवर्णनम् नारद उवाच का वा सा सुरभिर्देवी गोलोकादागता च या । तज्जन्मचरितं ब्रह्मञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि यत्नतः

surabhyupākhyānavarṇanam nārada uvāca kā vā sā surabhirdevī golokādāgatā ca yā | tajjanmacaritaṃ brahmañchrotumicchāmi yatnataḥ

An account of the story of Surabhi. Nārada said: Who then was that goddess Surabhi, who came from Goloka? O brahman, I wish earnestly to hear the story of her birth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.2

श्रीनारायणाय उवाच गवामधिष्ठातृदेवी गवामाद्या गवां प्रसूः । गवां प्रधाना सुरभिर्गोलोके सा समुद्भवा

śrīnārāyaṇāya uvāca gavāmadhiṣṭhātṛdevī gavāmādyā gavāṃ prasūḥ | gavāṃ pradhānā surabhirgoloke sā samudbhavā

Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The goddess who presides over cows, the first of cows, the mother of cows, the foremost of cows, is Surabhi; she arose in Goloka.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.3

सर्वादिसृष्टेश्चरितं कथयामि निशामय । बभूव तेन तज्जन्म पुरा वृन्दावने वने

sarvādisṛṣṭeścaritaṃ kathayāmi niśāmaya | babhūva tena tajjanma purā vṛndāvane vane

I shall relate the story of the creation of the first of all; listen. Thereby her birth came about long ago in the forest of Vṛndāvana.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.4

एकदा राधिकानाथो राधया सह कौतुकी । गोपाङ्गनापरिवृतः पुण्यं वृन्दावनं ययौ

ekadā rādhikānātho rādhayā saha kautukī | gopāṅganāparivṛtaḥ puṇyaṃ vṛndāvanaṃ yayau

Once the lord of Rādhikā, playful, went with Rādhā, surrounded by the gopī women, to holy Vṛndāvana.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.5

सहसा तत्र रहसि विजहार स कौतुकात् । बभूव क्षीरपानेच्छा तस्य स्वेच्छामयस्य च

sahasā tatra rahasi vijahāra sa kautukāt | babhūva kṣīrapānecchā tasya svecchāmayasya ca

There, all at once, in a secret place, he sported out of playfulness. And a desire to drink milk arose in him whose will is self-determined.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.6

ससृजे सुरभिं देवीं लीलया वामपार्श्वतः । वत्सयुक्तां दुग्धवतीं वत्सो नाम मनोरथः

sasṛje surabhiṃ devīṃ līlayā vāmapārśvataḥ | vatsayuktāṃ dugdhavatīṃ vatso nāma manorathaḥ

In play he created from his left side the goddess Surabhi, together with a calf and giving milk; the calf was named Manoratha.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.7

दृष्ट्वा सवत्सां श्रीदामा नवभाण्डे दुदोह च । क्षीरं सुधातिरिक्तं च जन्ममृत्युजराहरम्

dṛṣṭvā savatsāṃ śrīdāmā navabhāṇḍe dudoha ca | kṣīraṃ sudhātiriktaṃ ca janmamṛtyujarāharam

Seeing her with her calf, Śrīdāmā milked (her) into a new vessel — milk surpassing nectar, which removes birth, death, and old age.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.8

तदुत्थं च पयः स्वादु पपौ गोपीपतिः स्वयम् । सरो बभूव पयसां भाण्डविस्रंसनेन च

tadutthaṃ ca payaḥ svādu papau gopīpatiḥ svayam | saro babhūva payasāṃ bhāṇḍavisraṃsanena ca

And the lord of the gopīs himself drank that sweet milk that came from her; and from the spilling of the vessel a lake of milk came to be.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.9

दीर्घं च विस्तृतं चैव परितः शतयोजनम् । गोलोकेऽयं प्रसिद्धश्च सोऽपि क्षीरसरोवरः

dīrghaṃ ca vistṛtaṃ caiva paritaḥ śatayojanam | goloke'yaṃ prasiddhaśca so'pi kṣīrasarovaraḥ

Long and broad, a hundred yojanas all around — this is famed in Goloka, and it is the lake of milk.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.10

गोपिकानां च राधायाः क्रीडावापी बभूव सा । रत्नेन्द्ररचिता पूर्णं भूता चापीश्वरेच्छया

gopikānāṃ ca rādhāyāḥ krīḍāvāpī babhūva sā | ratnendraracitā pūrṇaṃ bhūtā cāpīśvarecchayā

That became a pleasure-pond for the gopīs and for Rādhā, made of the best of jewels and filled completely by the Lord's will.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.11

बभूव कामधेनूनां सहसा लक्षकोटयः । यावन्तस्तत्र गोपाश्च सुरभ्या लोमकूपतः

babhūva kāmadhenūnāṃ sahasā lakṣakoṭayaḥ | yāvantastatra gopāśca surabhyā lomakūpataḥ

All at once there came to be lakhs and crores of wish-fulfilling cows from the pores of Surabhi's hair — as many as there were cowherds there.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.12

तासां पुत्राश्च बहवः सम्बभूवुरसंख्यकाः । कथिता च गवां सृष्टिस्तया च पूरितं जगत्

tāsāṃ putrāśca bahavaḥ sambabhūvurasaṃkhyakāḥ | kathitā ca gavāṃ sṛṣṭistayā ca pūritaṃ jagat

And their sons, many and countless, came into being. Thus the creation of cows has been told, and by her the world was filled.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.13

पूजां चकार भगवान् सुरभ्याश्च पुरा मुने । ततो बभूव तत्पूजा त्रिषु लोकेषु दुर्लभा

pūjāṃ cakāra bhagavān surabhyāśca purā mune | tato babhūva tatpūjā triṣu lokeṣu durlabhā

The Lord long ago performed the worship of Surabhi, O sage; from then her worship, hard to obtain in the three worlds, came into being.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.14

दीपान्वितापरदिने श्रीकृष्णस्याज्ञया हरेः । बभूव सुरभिः पूज्या धर्मवक्त्रादिदं श्रुतम्

dīpānvitāparadine śrīkṛṣṇasyājñayā hareḥ | babhūva surabhiḥ pūjyā dharmavaktrādidaṃ śrutam

On the day after Dīpāvalī, by the command of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, of Hari, Surabhi became worthy of worship; this was heard from the mouth of Dharma.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.15

ध्यानं स्तोत्रं मूलमन्त्रं यद्यत्यूजाविधिक्रमम् । वेदोक्तं च महाभाग निबोध कथयामि ते

dhyānaṃ stotraṃ mūlamantraṃ yadyatyūjāvidhikramam | vedoktaṃ ca mahābhāga nibodha kathayāmi te

The meditation, the hymn, the root mantra, and whatever is the sequence of the rite of worship, as declared in the Veda — learn it, O greatly fortunate one; I shall tell you.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.16

ॐ सुरभ्यै नम इति मन्त्रस्तस्याः षडक्षरः । सिद्धो लक्षजपेनैव भक्तानां कल्पपादपः

oṃ surabhyai nama iti mantrastasyāḥ ṣaḍakṣaraḥ | siddho lakṣajapenaiva bhaktānāṃ kalpapādapaḥ

"Oṃ, homage to Surabhi" — that is her six-syllable mantra, made effective by just a lakh of recitations, a wish-granting tree for devotees.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.17

ध्यानं यजुर्वेदगीतं तस्याः पूजा च सर्वतः । ऋद्धिदा वृद्धिदा चैव मुक्तिदा सर्वकामदा

dhyānaṃ yajurvedagītaṃ tasyāḥ pūjā ca sarvataḥ | ṛddhidā vṛddhidā caiva muktidā sarvakāmadā

Her meditation is sung in the Yajurveda, and her worship in every respect gives prosperity, gives increase, gives liberation, and grants all desires.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.18

लक्ष्मीस्वरूपां परमां राधासहचरीं पराम् । गवामधिष्ठातृदेवीं गवामाद्यां गवां प्रसूम्

lakṣmīsvarūpāṃ paramāṃ rādhāsahacarīṃ parām | gavāmadhiṣṭhātṛdevīṃ gavāmādyāṃ gavāṃ prasūm

(I worship her who is) the very form of Lakṣmī, supreme, Rādhā's companion, highest, the presiding goddess of cows, the first of cows, the mother of cows,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.19

पवित्ररूपां पूतां च भक्तानां सर्वकामदाम् । यया पूतं सर्वविश्वं तां देवीं सुरभिं भजे

pavitrarūpāṃ pūtāṃ ca bhaktānāṃ sarvakāmadām | yayā pūtaṃ sarvaviśvaṃ tāṃ devīṃ surabhiṃ bhaje

whose form is pure and who is purified, granting all desires to devotees — by whom the whole universe is made pure: that goddess Surabhi I worship.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.20

घटे वा धेनुशिरसि बन्धस्तम्भे गवामपि । शालग्रामे जलाग्नौ वा सुरभिं पूजयेद् द्विजः

ghaṭe vā dhenuśirasi bandhastambhe gavāmapi | śālagrāme jalāgnau vā surabhiṃ pūjayed dvijaḥ

In a pot, or on a cow's head, or on the tethering-post of cows, in a śālagrāma, in water or in fire — there a twice-born may worship Surabhi.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.21

दीपान्वितापरदिने पूर्वाह्ने भक्तिसंयुतः । यः पूजयेच्च सुरभिं स च पूज्यो भवेद्भुवि

dīpānvitāparadine pūrvāhne bhaktisaṃyutaḥ | yaḥ pūjayecca surabhiṃ sa ca pūjyo bhavedbhuvi

He who, filled with devotion, worships Surabhi in the forenoon on the day after Dīpāvalī, he too becomes worthy of worship on earth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.22

एकदा त्रिषु लोकेषु वाराहे विष्णुमायया । क्षीरं जहार सुरभिश्चिन्तिताश्च सुरादयः

ekadā triṣu lokeṣu vārāhe viṣṇumāyayā | kṣīraṃ jahāra surabhiścintitāśca surādayaḥ

Once, in the Vārāha (kalpa), by Viṣṇu's māyā, Surabhi withdrew the milk in the three worlds, and the gods and others grew anxious.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.23

ते गत्वा ब्रह्मलोके च ब्रह्माणं तुष्टुवुस्तदा । तदाज्ञया च सुरभिं तुष्टाव पाकशासनः

te gatvā brahmaloke ca brahmāṇaṃ tuṣṭuvustadā | tadājñayā ca surabhiṃ tuṣṭāva pākaśāsanaḥ

They went to Brahmā's world and then praised Brahmā; and at his command the chastiser of Pāka (Indra) praised Surabhi.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.24

पुरन्दर उवाच नमो देव्यै महादेव्यै सुरभ्यै च नमो नमः । गवां बीजस्वरूपायै नमस्ते जगदम्बिके

purandara uvāca namo devyai mahādevyai surabhyai ca namo namaḥ | gavāṃ bījasvarūpāyai namaste jagadambike

Purandara said: Homage to the goddess, the great goddess, and to Surabhi homage, homage; to her who is the very seed-form of cows, homage to you, O mother of the world.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.25

नमो राधाप्रियायै च पद्मांशायै नमो नमः । नमः कृष्णप्रियायै च गवां मात्रे नमो नमः

namo rādhāpriyāyai ca padmāṃśāyai namo namaḥ | namaḥ kṛṣṇapriyāyai ca gavāṃ mātre namo namaḥ

Homage to her who is dear to Rādhā, and homage, homage to her who is a portion of Padmā; homage to her who is dear to Kṛṣṇa, and to the mother of cows homage, homage.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.26

कल्पवृक्षस्वरूपायै सर्वेषां सततं परे । क्षीरदायै धनदायै बुद्धिदायै नमो नमः

kalpavṛkṣasvarūpāyai sarveṣāṃ satataṃ pare | kṣīradāyai dhanadāyai buddhidāyai namo namaḥ

To her whose own form is the wish-fulfilling tree for all beings always, O supreme one — to the giver of milk, the giver of wealth, the giver of intelligence, homage, homage!

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.27

शुभायै च सुभद्रायै गोप्रदायै नमो नमः । यशोदायै कीर्तिदायै धर्मदायै नमो नमः

śubhāyai ca subhadrāyai gopradāyai namo namaḥ | yaśodāyai kīrtidāyai dharmadāyai namo namaḥ

To the auspicious one, and to the greatly blessed one, to the giver of cows, homage, homage! To the giver of fame, to the giver of renown, to the giver of dharma, homage, homage!

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.28

स्तोत्रश्रवणमात्रेण तुष्टा हृष्टा जगत्प्रसूः । आविर्बभूव तत्रैव ब्रह्मलोके सनातनी

stotraśravaṇamātreṇa tuṣṭā hṛṣṭā jagatprasūḥ | āvirbabhūva tatraiva brahmaloke sanātanī

Merely by hearing the hymn, the Mother of the world, pleased and delighted, the eternal one, appeared right there in the Brahma-world.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.29

महेन्द्राय वरं दत्त्वा वाञ्छितं चापि दुर्लभम् । जगाम सा च गोलोकं ययुर्देवादयो गृहम्

mahendrāya varaṃ dattvā vāñchitaṃ cāpi durlabham | jagāma sā ca golokaṃ yayurdevādayo gṛham

Having granted to great Indra the boon he wished for, hard to obtain as it was, she went to Goloka, and the gods and the rest went home.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.30

बभूव विश्वं सहसा दुग्धपूर्णं च नारद । दुग्धं घृतं ततो यज्ञस्ततः प्रीतिः सुरस्य च

babhūva viśvaṃ sahasā dugdhapūrṇaṃ ca nārada | dugdhaṃ ghṛtaṃ tato yajñastataḥ prītiḥ surasya ca

And suddenly the world became filled with milk, O Nārada; from milk (came) ghee, from that the sacrifice, and from that the gods' satisfaction.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.31

इदं स्तोत्रं महापुण्यं भक्तियुक्तश्च यः पठेत् । स गोमान् धनवांश्चैव कीर्तिमान्पुत्रवांस्तथा

idaṃ stotraṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ bhaktiyuktaśca yaḥ paṭhet | sa gomān dhanavāṃścaiva kīrtimānputravāṃstathā

Whoever, endowed with devotion, recites this hymn of great merit, he becomes rich in cows and in wealth, and famous, and blessed with sons.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.32

स स्नातः सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वयज्ञेषु दीक्षितः । इह लोके सुखं भुक्त्वा यात्यन्ते कृष्णमन्दिरे

sa snātaḥ sarvatīrtheṣu sarvayajñeṣu dīkṣitaḥ | iha loke sukhaṃ bhuktvā yātyante kṛṣṇamandire

He (counts as) bathed in all sacred fords and consecrated in all sacrifices; having enjoyed happiness in this world, at the end he goes to Kṛṣṇa's abode.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

DB 9 49.33

सुचिरं निवसेत्तत्र करोति कृष्णसेवनम् । न पुनर्भवनं तत्र ब्रह्मपुत्रो भवेत्ततः

suciraṃ nivasettatra karoti kṛṣṇasevanam | na punarbhavanaṃ tatra brahmaputro bhavettataḥ

He dwells there for a very long time, performing service to Kṛṣṇa; there is no rebirth there, and thereafter he becomes a son of Brahmā.

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

DB 9 49.49

सुरभ्युपाख्यानवर्णनं नामेकोनपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः

surabhyupākhyānavarṇanaṃ nāmekonapañcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ

(Thus ends) the forty-ninth chapter, called "The Account of the Story of Surabhi."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition