Varaha Purana — Chapter 94

VrP 94.94

श्रीवराह उवाच । अथ विद्युत्प्रभो दैत्यस्तथा दूतो विसर्जितः । देव्याः सकाशं गत्वाऽसौ तामुवाच सुमध्यमाम् प्रणम्य प्रयतो भूत्वा कुमारीशतसंकुलाम् । आस्थाने विनयापन्नस्ततो वचनमब्रवीत् विद्युत्प्रभ उवाच । देवि पूर्वमृषिस्त्वासीदादिसर्गे कसंभवः । सखा सारस्वतो जातः सुपार्श्वो नाम वै विभुः तस्याभवन्महातेजाः सिन्धुद्वीपः प्रतापवान् । स हि तीव्रं तपस्तेपे माहिष्मत्यां पुरोत्तमे कुर्वतस्तु तपो घोरं निराहारस्य शोभने । आद्या तु विप्रचित्तेस्तु सुता सुरसुतोपमा । माहिष्मतीति विख्याता रूपेणासदृशी भुवि सा सखीभिः परिवृता विहरन्ती यदृच्छया । आगता मन्दरद्रोणीं तत्रापश्यत् तपोवनम् । मुनेरम्बरसंज्ञस्य विविधद्रुममालिनम् लतागृहैस्तु विविधैर्वकुलैर्लकुचैस्तथा । चन्दनैः स्पन्दनैः शालैः सरलैरुपशोभितम् । विचित्रवनखण्डैश्च भूषितं तु महात्मनः दृष्ट्वाश्रमपदं रम्यं सासुरी कन्यका शुभम् । माहिष्मती वरारोहा चिन्तयामास भामिनी भीषयित्वाहमेनं तु तापसं त्वाश्रमे स्वयम् । तिष्ठामि क्रीडती सार्धं सखीभिः परमार्चिता एवं संचिन्त्य सा देवी महिषी संबभूव ह । सखीभिः सह विश्वेशि तीक्ष्णश्रृङ्गाग्रधारिणी तमृषिं भीषितुं ताभिः सह गत्वा वरानना । असौ बिभीषितस्ताभिस्तां ज्ञात्वा ज्ञानचक्षुषा । आसुरीं क्रोधसंपन्नः शशाप शुभलोचनाम् यस्माद् भीषयसे मां त्वं महिषीरूपधारिणी । अतो भव महिष्येव पापकर्मे शतं समाः एवमुक्ता ततः सा तु सखीभिः सह वेपती । पादयोर्न्यपतत् तस्य शापान्तं कुरु जल्पती तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा स मुनिः करुणान्वितः । शापान्तमकरोत् तस्या वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह अनेनैव स्वरूपेण पुत्रमेकं प्रसूय वै । शापान्तो भविता भद्रे मद्वाक्यं न मृषा भवेत् एवमुक्ता गता सा तु नर्मदातीरमुत्तमम् । यत्र तेपे तपो घोरं सिन्धुद्वीपो महातपाः तत्र चेन्दुमती नाम दैत्यकन्याऽतिरूपिणी । सा दृष्टा तेन मुनिना विवस्त्रा मज्जती जले चस्कन्द स मुनिः शुक्रं शिलाद्रोण्यां महातपाः । तच्च माहिष्मती दृष्ट्वा दिव्यगन्धि सुगन्धि च । ततः सखीरुवाचेदं पिबामीदं जलं शुभम् एवमुक्त्वा तु सा पीत्वा तच्छुक्रं मुनिसंभवम् । प्राप्ता गर्भं मुनेर्बीजात् सुषाव च तदा सतो तस्याः पुत्रोऽभवद् धीमान् महाबलपराक्रमः । महिषेति स्मृतो नाम्ना ब्रह्मवंशविवर्धनः । स त्वां वरयते देवि देवसैन्यविमर्दनः स सुरानपि जित्वाऽऽजौ त्रैलोक्यं च तवानघे । दास्यते देवि सुप्रोतस्तव सर्वं महासुरः । तस्यात्मोपप्रदानेन कुरु देवि महत् कृतम् एवमुक्ता तदा देवी तेन दूतेन शोभना । जहास परमा देवी वाक्यं नोवाच किञ्चन तस्या हसन्त्या दूतोऽसौ त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । ददर्श कुक्षौ संभ्रान्तस्तत्क्षणात् समपद्यत ततो देव्याः प्रतीहारी जया नामातितेजना । देव्या हृदि स्थितं वाक्यमुवाच तनुमध्यमा जया उवाच । कन्यार्थी वदते यद्धि तत्त्वया समुदीरितम् । यदि नाम व्रतं चास्याः कौमारं सार्वकालिकम् । अपि चान्याः कुमार्योऽत्र सन्ति देव्याः पदानुगाः तासामेकाऽपि नो लभ्या किमु देवी स्वयं शुभा । याहि दूत त्वरन् मा ते किञ्चिदन्यद् भविष्यति एवमुक्तो गतो दूतस्तावद् व्योम्नि महामुनिः । आयातो नारदस्तूर्णं नृत्यन्नुच्चैर्महातपाः दिष्ट्या दिष्ट्येति वदतस्तां देवीं शुभलोचनाम् । उपविष्टो जगादाथ आसने परमेऽर्चितः प्रणम्य देवीं सर्वेशीमुवाच च महातपाः । देवि देवैरहं प्रीतैः प्रेषितोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम् विजिता देवि दैत्येन महिषाख्येन निर्जराः । त्वां गृहीतुं प्रयत्नं स कृतवान् देवि दैत्यराट् एवमुक्तोऽस्मि देवैस्त्वां बोधयामि वरानने । स्थिरीभूता महादेवि तं दैत्यं प्रतिघातय उक्त्वैवान्तर्हितः सद्यो नारदः स्वेच्छया ययौ । देवी च कन्यास्ताः सर्वाः सन्नह्यन्तामुवाच ह ततः कन्या महाभागाः सर्वास्ता देविशासनात् । बभूवुर्घोररूपिण्यः खङ्गचर्मधनुर्धराः । संग्रामहेतोः संतस्थुर्दैत्यविध्वंसनाय ताः तावद् दैत्यबलं सर्वं मुक्त्वा देवचमूं द्रुतम् । आययौ यत्र तद् देव्याः संनद्धं स्त्रीबलं महत् ततस्ता युयुधुः कन्या दानवैः सह दर्पिताः । क्षणेन तद् बलं ताभिश्चतुरङ्गं निपातितम् शिरांसि तत्र केषांचिच्छिन्नानि पतितानि च । अपरेषां विदार्योरः क्रव्यादाः पान्ति शोणितम् अन्ये कबन्धभूतास्तु ननृतुर्दैत्यनायकाः । एवं क्षणेन ते सर्वे विध्वस्ताः पापचेतसः । अपरे विद्रुताः सर्वे यत्रासौ महिषासुरः ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं यथा दैत्यबलं महत् । एवं तदाकुलं दृष्ट्वा महिषो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । सेनापते किमेतद्धि बलं भग्नं ममाग्रतः ततो यज्ञहनुर्नामा दैत्यो हस्तिस्वरूपवान् । उवाच भग्नमेतद्धि कुमारीभिः समन्ततः ततो दुद्राव महिषस्ताः कन्याः शुभलोचनाः । गदामादाय तरसा कन्या दुद्राव वेगवान् यत्र तिष्ठति सा देवी देवगन्धर्वपूजिता । तत्रैव सोऽसुरः प्रायाद् यत्र देवी व्यवस्थिता । सा च दृष्ट्वा तमायान्तं विंशद्धस्ता बभूव ह धनुः खङ्गं तथा शक्तिं शरान् शूलं गदां तथा । परशुं डमरुं चैव तथा घण्टां विशालिनीम् । शतघ्नीं मुद्गरं घोरं भुशुण्डीं कुन्तमेव च मुसलं च तथा चक्रं भिन्दिपालं तथैव च । दण्डं पाशं ध्वजं चैव पद्मं चेति च विंशतिः भूत्वा विंशभुजा देवी सिंहमास्थाय दंशिता । सस्मार रुद्रं देवेशं रौद्रं संहारकारणम् ततो वृषध्वजः साक्षाद् रुद्रस्तत्रैव आययौ । तया प्रणम्य विज्ञप्तः सर्वान् दैत्यान् जयाम्यहम् त्वयि सन्निधिमात्रे तु देवदेव सनातन । एवमुक्त्वाऽसुरान् सर्वान् जिगाय परमेश्वरी मुक्तवा तमेकं महिषं शेषं हत्वा तमभ्ययात् । यावद् देवी ततः साऽपि तां दृष्ट्वा सोऽपि दुद्रुवे क्वचिद् युध्यति दैत्येन्द्रः क्वचिच्चैव पलायति । क्वचित् पुनर्मृधं चक्रे क्वचित् पुनरुपारमत् एवं वर्षहस्त्राणि दश तस्य तया सह । दिव्यानि विगतानि स्युर्युध्यतस्तस्य शोभने । बभ्राम सकलं त्वाजौ ब्रह्माण्डं भीतमानसम् ततः कालेन महता शतश्रृङ्गे महागिरौ । पद्भ्यामाक्रम्य शूलेन निहतो दैत्यसत्तमः शिरश्चिच्छेद खङ्गेन तत्र चान्तःस्थितः पुमान् । निर्गत्य विगतः स्वर्गं देव्याः शस्त्रनिपातनात् ततो देवगणाः सर्वे महिषं वीक्ष्य निर्जितम् । सब्रह्मका स्तुतिं चक्रुर्देव्यास्तुष्टेन चेतसा देवा ऊचुः । नमो देवि महाभागे गम्भीरे भीमदर्शने । जयस्थे स्थितिसिद्धान्ते त्रिनेत्रे विश्वतोमुखि विद्याविद्ये जये याज्ये महिषासुरमर्दिनि । सर्वगे सर्वदेवेशि विश्वरूपिणि वैष्णवि वीतशोके ध्रुवे देवि पद्मपत्रशुभेक्षणे । शुद्धसत्त्वव्रतस्थे च चण्डरूपे विभावरि ऋद्धिसिद्धिप्रदे देवि विद्येऽविद्येऽमृते शिवे । शांकरी वैष्णवी ब्राह्मी सर्वदेवनमस्कृते घण्टाहस्ते त्रिशूलास्त्रे महामहिषमर्दिनि । उग्ररूपे विरूपाक्षि महामायेऽमृतस्त्रवे सर्वसत्त्वहिते देवि सर्वसत्त्वमये ध्रुवे । विद्यापुराणशिल्पानां जननी भूतधारिणी सर्वदेवरहस्यानां सर्वसत्त्ववतां शुभे । त्वमेव शरणं देवि विद्येऽविद्ये श्रियेऽम्बिके । विरूपाक्षि तथा क्षान्ति क्षोभितान्तर्जलेऽविले नमोऽस्तु ते महादेवि नमोऽस्तु परमेश्वरि । नमस्ते सर्वदेवानां भावनित्येऽक्षयेऽव्यये शरणं त्वां प्रपद्यन्ते ये देवि परमेश्वरि । न तेषां जायते किञ्चिदशुभं रणसङ्कटे यश्च व्याघ्रभये घोरे चौरराजभये तथा । स्तबवमेनं सदा देवि पठिष्यति यतात्मवान् निगडस्थोऽपि यो देवि त्वां स्मरिष्यति मानवः । सोऽपि बन्धैर्विमुक्तस्ते सुसुखं वसते सुखी श्रीवराह उवाच । एवं स्तुता तदा देवी देवैः प्रणतिपूर्वकम् । उवाच देवान् सुश्रोणी वृणुध्वं वरमुत्तमम् देवा ऊचुः । देवि स्तोत्रमिदं ये हि पठिष्यन्ति तवानघे । सर्वकामसमापन्नान् कुरु देवि स नो वरः एवमस्त्विति तान् देवानुक्त्वा देवी पराऽपरा । विससर्ज ततो देवान् स्वयं तत्रैव संस्थिता एतद् द्वितीयं यो जन्म वेद देव्या धराधरे । स वीतशोको विरजाः पदं गच्छत्यनामयम्

śrīvarāha uvāca | atha vidyutprabho daityastathā dūto visarjitaḥ | devyāḥ sakāśaṃ gatvā'sau tāmuvāca sumadhyamām praṇamya prayato bhūtvā kumārīśatasaṃkulām | āsthāne vinayāpannastato vacanamabravīt vidyutprabha uvāca | devi pūrvamṛṣistvāsīdādisarge kasaṃbhavaḥ | sakhā sārasvato jātaḥ supārśvo nāma vai vibhuḥ tasyābhavanmahātejāḥ sindhudvīpaḥ pratāpavān | sa hi tīvraṃ tapastepe māhiṣmatyāṃ purottame kurvatastu tapo ghoraṃ nirāhārasya śobhane | ādyā tu vipracittestu sutā surasutopamā | māhiṣmatīti vikhyātā rūpeṇāsadṛśī bhuvi sā sakhībhiḥ parivṛtā viharantī yadṛcchayā | āgatā mandaradroṇīṃ tatrāpaśyat tapovanam | munerambarasaṃjñasya vividhadrumamālinam latāgṛhaistu vividhairvakulairlakucaistathā | candanaiḥ spandanaiḥ śālaiḥ saralairupaśobhitam | vicitravanakhaṇḍaiśca bhūṣitaṃ tu mahātmanaḥ dṛṣṭvāśramapadaṃ ramyaṃ sāsurī kanyakā śubham | māhiṣmatī varārohā cintayāmāsa bhāminī bhīṣayitvāhamenaṃ tu tāpasaṃ tvāśrame svayam | tiṣṭhāmi krīḍatī sārdhaṃ sakhībhiḥ paramārcitā evaṃ saṃcintya sā devī mahiṣī saṃbabhūva ha | sakhībhiḥ saha viśveśi tīkṣṇaśrṛṅgāgradhāriṇī tamṛṣiṃ bhīṣituṃ tābhiḥ saha gatvā varānanā | asau bibhīṣitastābhistāṃ jñātvā jñānacakṣuṣā | āsurīṃ krodhasaṃpannaḥ śaśāpa śubhalocanām yasmād bhīṣayase māṃ tvaṃ mahiṣīrūpadhāriṇī | ato bhava mahiṣyeva pāpakarme śataṃ samāḥ evamuktā tataḥ sā tu sakhībhiḥ saha vepatī | pādayornyapatat tasya śāpāntaṃ kuru jalpatī tasyāstad vacanaṃ śrutvā sa muniḥ karuṇānvitaḥ | śāpāntamakarot tasyā vākyaṃ cedamuvāca ha anenaiva svarūpeṇa putramekaṃ prasūya vai | śāpānto bhavitā bhadre madvākyaṃ na mṛṣā bhavet evamuktā gatā sā tu narmadātīramuttamam | yatra tepe tapo ghoraṃ sindhudvīpo mahātapāḥ tatra cendumatī nāma daityakanyā'tirūpiṇī | sā dṛṣṭā tena muninā vivastrā majjatī jale caskanda sa muniḥ śukraṃ śilādroṇyāṃ mahātapāḥ | tacca māhiṣmatī dṛṣṭvā divyagandhi sugandhi ca | tataḥ sakhīruvācedaṃ pibāmīdaṃ jalaṃ śubham evamuktvā tu sā pītvā tacchukraṃ munisaṃbhavam | prāptā garbhaṃ munerbījāt suṣāva ca tadā sato tasyāḥ putro'bhavad dhīmān mahābalaparākramaḥ | mahiṣeti smṛto nāmnā brahmavaṃśavivardhanaḥ | sa tvāṃ varayate devi devasainyavimardanaḥ sa surānapi jitvā''jau trailokyaṃ ca tavānaghe | dāsyate devi suprotastava sarvaṃ mahāsuraḥ | tasyātmopapradānena kuru devi mahat kṛtam evamuktā tadā devī tena dūtena śobhanā | jahāsa paramā devī vākyaṃ novāca kiñcana tasyā hasantyā dūto'sau trailokyaṃ sacarācaram | dadarśa kukṣau saṃbhrāntastatkṣaṇāt samapadyata tato devyāḥ pratīhārī jayā nāmātitejanā | devyā hṛdi sthitaṃ vākyamuvāca tanumadhyamā jayā uvāca | kanyārthī vadate yaddhi tattvayā samudīritam | yadi nāma vrataṃ cāsyāḥ kaumāraṃ sārvakālikam | api cānyāḥ kumāryo'tra santi devyāḥ padānugāḥ tāsāmekā'pi no labhyā kimu devī svayaṃ śubhā | yāhi dūta tvaran mā te kiñcidanyad bhaviṣyati evamukto gato dūtastāvad vyomni mahāmuniḥ | āyāto nāradastūrṇaṃ nṛtyannuccairmahātapāḥ diṣṭyā diṣṭyeti vadatastāṃ devīṃ śubhalocanām | upaviṣṭo jagādātha āsane parame'rcitaḥ praṇamya devīṃ sarveśīmuvāca ca mahātapāḥ | devi devairahaṃ prītaiḥ preṣito'smi tavāntikam vijitā devi daityena mahiṣākhyena nirjarāḥ | tvāṃ gṛhītuṃ prayatnaṃ sa kṛtavān devi daityarāṭ evamukto'smi devaistvāṃ bodhayāmi varānane | sthirībhūtā mahādevi taṃ daityaṃ pratighātaya uktvaivāntarhitaḥ sadyo nāradaḥ svecchayā yayau | devī ca kanyāstāḥ sarvāḥ sannahyantāmuvāca ha tataḥ kanyā mahābhāgāḥ sarvāstā deviśāsanāt | babhūvurghorarūpiṇyaḥ khaṅgacarmadhanurdharāḥ | saṃgrāmahetoḥ saṃtasthurdaityavidhvaṃsanāya tāḥ tāvad daityabalaṃ sarvaṃ muktvā devacamūṃ drutam | āyayau yatra tad devyāḥ saṃnaddhaṃ strībalaṃ mahat tatastā yuyudhuḥ kanyā dānavaiḥ saha darpitāḥ | kṣaṇena tad balaṃ tābhiścaturaṅgaṃ nipātitam śirāṃsi tatra keṣāṃcicchinnāni patitāni ca | apareṣāṃ vidāryoraḥ kravyādāḥ pānti śoṇitam anye kabandhabhūtāstu nanṛturdaityanāyakāḥ | evaṃ kṣaṇena te sarve vidhvastāḥ pāpacetasaḥ | apare vidrutāḥ sarve yatrāsau mahiṣāsuraḥ tato hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ yathā daityabalaṃ mahat | evaṃ tadākulaṃ dṛṣṭvā mahiṣo vākyamabravīt | senāpate kimetaddhi balaṃ bhagnaṃ mamāgrataḥ tato yajñahanurnāmā daityo hastisvarūpavān | uvāca bhagnametaddhi kumārībhiḥ samantataḥ tato dudrāva mahiṣastāḥ kanyāḥ śubhalocanāḥ | gadāmādāya tarasā kanyā dudrāva vegavān yatra tiṣṭhati sā devī devagandharvapūjitā | tatraiva so'suraḥ prāyād yatra devī vyavasthitā | sā ca dṛṣṭvā tamāyāntaṃ viṃśaddhastā babhūva ha dhanuḥ khaṅgaṃ tathā śaktiṃ śarān śūlaṃ gadāṃ tathā | paraśuṃ ḍamaruṃ caiva tathā ghaṇṭāṃ viśālinīm | śataghnīṃ mudgaraṃ ghoraṃ bhuśuṇḍīṃ kuntameva ca musalaṃ ca tathā cakraṃ bhindipālaṃ tathaiva ca | daṇḍaṃ pāśaṃ dhvajaṃ caiva padmaṃ ceti ca viṃśatiḥ bhūtvā viṃśabhujā devī siṃhamāsthāya daṃśitā | sasmāra rudraṃ deveśaṃ raudraṃ saṃhārakāraṇam tato vṛṣadhvajaḥ sākṣād rudrastatraiva āyayau | tayā praṇamya vijñaptaḥ sarvān daityān jayāmyaham tvayi sannidhimātre tu devadeva sanātana | evamuktvā'surān sarvān jigāya parameśvarī muktavā tamekaṃ mahiṣaṃ śeṣaṃ hatvā tamabhyayāt | yāvad devī tataḥ sā'pi tāṃ dṛṣṭvā so'pi dudruve kvacid yudhyati daityendraḥ kvaciccaiva palāyati | kvacit punarmṛdhaṃ cakre kvacit punarupāramat evaṃ varṣahastrāṇi daśa tasya tayā saha | divyāni vigatāni syuryudhyatastasya śobhane | babhrāma sakalaṃ tvājau brahmāṇḍaṃ bhītamānasam tataḥ kālena mahatā śataśrṛṅge mahāgirau | padbhyāmākramya śūlena nihato daityasattamaḥ śiraściccheda khaṅgena tatra cāntaḥsthitaḥ pumān | nirgatya vigataḥ svargaṃ devyāḥ śastranipātanāt tato devagaṇāḥ sarve mahiṣaṃ vīkṣya nirjitam | sabrahmakā stutiṃ cakrurdevyāstuṣṭena cetasā devā ūcuḥ | namo devi mahābhāge gambhīre bhīmadarśane | jayasthe sthitisiddhānte trinetre viśvatomukhi vidyāvidye jaye yājye mahiṣāsuramardini | sarvage sarvadeveśi viśvarūpiṇi vaiṣṇavi vītaśoke dhruve devi padmapatraśubhekṣaṇe | śuddhasattvavratasthe ca caṇḍarūpe vibhāvari ṛddhisiddhiprade devi vidye'vidye'mṛte śive | śāṃkarī vaiṣṇavī brāhmī sarvadevanamaskṛte ghaṇṭāhaste triśūlāstre mahāmahiṣamardini | ugrarūpe virūpākṣi mahāmāye'mṛtastrave sarvasattvahite devi sarvasattvamaye dhruve | vidyāpurāṇaśilpānāṃ jananī bhūtadhāriṇī sarvadevarahasyānāṃ sarvasattvavatāṃ śubhe | tvameva śaraṇaṃ devi vidye'vidye śriye'mbike | virūpākṣi tathā kṣānti kṣobhitāntarjale'vile namo'stu te mahādevi namo'stu parameśvari | namaste sarvadevānāṃ bhāvanitye'kṣaye'vyaye śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapadyante ye devi parameśvari | na teṣāṃ jāyate kiñcidaśubhaṃ raṇasaṅkaṭe yaśca vyāghrabhaye ghore caurarājabhaye tathā | stabavamenaṃ sadā devi paṭhiṣyati yatātmavān nigaḍastho'pi yo devi tvāṃ smariṣyati mānavaḥ | so'pi bandhairvimuktaste susukhaṃ vasate sukhī śrīvarāha uvāca | evaṃ stutā tadā devī devaiḥ praṇatipūrvakam | uvāca devān suśroṇī vṛṇudhvaṃ varamuttamam devā ūcuḥ | devi stotramidaṃ ye hi paṭhiṣyanti tavānaghe | sarvakāmasamāpannān kuru devi sa no varaḥ evamastviti tān devānuktvā devī parā'parā | visasarja tato devān svayaṃ tatraiva saṃsthitā etad dvitīyaṃ yo janma veda devyā dharādhare | sa vītaśoko virajāḥ padaṃ gacchatyanāmayam

The Blessed Boar said: Now the Daitya Vidyutprabha, having been thus dispatched as envoy, went into the presence of the goddess and spoke to that slender-waisted one. Having bowed and become composed, in the assembly-hall thronged with hundreds of maidens, filled with modesty, he then spoke these words. Vidyutprabha said: "O goddess, formerly, in the first creation, there was a sage born of Ka (Brahmā), a friend, born of Sarasvatī, the mighty one named Supārśva. From him was born the greatly splendid, majestic Sindhudvīpa. He performed fierce austerity in Māhiṣmatī, best of cities. While he was performing dreadful austerity, taking no food, O lovely one — now there was the eldest daughter of Vipracitti, like the daughter of a god, famed as Māhiṣmatī, unmatched on earth in beauty. Surrounded by her companions, roaming at will, she came to a valley of Mandara and there saw the penance-grove of the sage named Ambara, garlanded with trees of many kinds, adorned with many bowers of creepers, with vakula and lakuca trees, with sandal, spandana, śāla and sarala trees, and adorned with varied stretches of woodland belonging to that high-souled one. Seeing that delightful, auspicious hermitage, that asura maiden, the fair-hipped Māhiṣmatī, the passionate one, thought: 'Having frightened this ascetic, I myself will stay in the hermitage, playing with my companions, highly honoured.' Thinking thus, that goddess became a she-buffalo, together with her companions, O mistress of the universe, bearing sharp horn-tips. Going with them, the fair-faced one, to frighten that sage — he, being frightened by them, knew her by the eye of knowledge to be an asura woman, and filled with anger cursed the fair-eyed one: 'Since you frighten me, taking the form of a she-buffalo, therefore become a she-buffalo indeed, O doer of evil deeds, for a hundred years.' Thus addressed, she, trembling together with her companions, fell at his feet, saying, 'Set a term to the curse.' Hearing her words, the sage, filled with compassion, set a term to her curse and spoke these words: 'In this very form having borne one son, there will be an end of the curse, O fair one; let my word not be false.' Thus addressed she went to the excellent bank of the Narmadā, where the greatly ascetic Sindhudvīpa was performing dreadful austerity. And there was a daitya maiden named Indumatī, exceedingly beautiful; she was seen by that sage bathing naked in the water. That greatly ascetic sage shed his seed in a rock-hollow. And Māhiṣmatī, seeing that, divinely fragrant and sweet-smelling, then said to her companions: 'I shall drink this auspicious water.' Having said this and drunk that seed arisen from the sage, she conceived from the sage's seed and then, O good one, gave birth. Her son was wise, of great strength and prowess, remembered by the name Mahiṣa, increaser of Brahmā's line. He, crusher of the armies of the gods, seeks you in marriage, O goddess. Having conquered the gods too in battle, that great asura, well pleased, will give the three worlds and all that is his to you, O sinless goddess. By the giving of yourself to him, O goddess, accomplish a great deed." Thus addressed by that envoy, the auspicious supreme goddess laughed and said not a word. As she laughed, that envoy saw the three worlds with all that moves and does not move within her belly; bewildered, he in that instant collapsed. Then the goddess's exceedingly splendid doorkeeper named Jayā, the slender-waisted, spoke the words that were in the goddess's heart. Jayā said: "What you have uttered is what one seeking a maiden says. But her vow of maidenhood is for all time. And there are other maidens here, followers in the goddess's steps: not even one of them is to be had — how much less the auspicious goddess herself! Go, envoy, quickly; nothing else will happen for you." Thus addressed, the envoy departed. Meanwhile the great sage Nārada, of great austerity, came swiftly through the sky, dancing and crying loudly "By good fortune! By good fortune!" to that fair-eyed goddess. Then, honoured and seated on an excellent seat, he spoke; the greatly ascetic one bowed to the goddess, mistress of all, and said: "O goddess, I have been sent to you by the pleased gods. O goddess, the immortals have been conquered by the Daitya named Mahiṣa; that Daitya king has made an effort to seize you, O goddess. Thus have I been told by the gods; I inform you, O fair-faced one. Stand firm, O great goddess, and strike down that Daitya." Having spoken, Nārada at once vanished and went off at his own will. And the goddess said to all those maidens, "Arm yourselves!" Then all those greatly blessed maidens, at the goddess's command, became of terrible form, bearing sword, shield and bow, and stood ready for battle, for the destruction of the Daityas. Meanwhile the whole Daitya army, leaving off the host of the gods, came swiftly to where that great armed host of women of the goddess was. Then those maidens fought with the proud Dānavas; in a moment that four-fold force was struck down by them. There the heads of some were cut off and fell; tearing open the chests of others, carrion-eaters drank the blood; other Daitya leaders, become mere trunks, danced. Thus in a moment all those of evil mind were destroyed; the rest all fled to where that Mahiṣa asura was. Then the whole great Daitya army was in an uproar. Seeing it thus in confusion, Mahiṣa spoke: "General, how is it that this force has been broken before me?" Then a Daitya named Yajñahanu, having the form of an elephant, said: "This has been broken on all sides by the maidens." Then Mahiṣa charged at those fair-eyed maidens; taking his mace, swift and violent, he rushed at the maidens. Where that goddess stood, worshipped by gods and gandharvas, to that very place the asura advanced, where the goddess was stationed. And she, seeing him coming, became twenty-handed: bow, sword, and spear-power, arrows, trident, mace, axe and drum, and a huge bell, śataghnī, terrible mallet, bhuśuṇḍī and lance, pestle and discus, and likewise bhindipāla, staff, noose, banner and lotus — thus twenty. Becoming twenty-armed, the goddess, mounted on a lion and armoured, called to mind Rudra, lord of gods, the terrible one, cause of destruction. Then the bull-bannered Rudra himself came there. Bowing, she made her request to him: "I shall conquer all the Daityas, if only you be present, O eternal god of gods." Having said this, the supreme goddess conquered all the asuras; leaving that one, Mahiṣa, as the remainder, having slain (the rest) she advanced upon him. As the goddess (came on), he too, seeing her, fled. Sometimes the lord of Daityas fought, sometimes he fled; sometimes he gave battle again, sometimes he desisted. Thus ten thousand divine years passed for him as he fought with her, O lovely one; and the whole cosmic egg reeled in the battle, its mind terrified. Then, after a great length of time, on the great mountain Śataśṛṅga, that best of Daityas was slain, she pressing him down with her feet and (striking) with the trident. She cut off his head with the sword, and the man who was within, coming out, departed to heaven through the fall of the goddess's weapon. Then all the hosts of gods, seeing Mahiṣa conquered, together with Brahmā made praise of the goddess with pleased minds. The gods said: "Homage, O goddess, greatly blessed, profound, of terrible aspect, abiding in victory, the final doctrine of continuance, three-eyed, facing every way! O knowledge and ignorance, victory, object of sacrifice, crusher of the asura Mahiṣa; all-pervading, mistress of all gods, of universal form, Vaiṣṇavī; free of sorrow, steadfast, O goddess, with auspicious eyes like lotus-petals; abiding in the vow of pure sattva, of fierce form, O night-shining one; giver of prosperity and success, O goddess, knowledge, ignorance, immortal, benign; Śāṃkarī, Vaiṣṇavī, Brāhmī, saluted by all the gods; bell in hand, trident for weapon, crusher of the great buffalo; of fierce form, of odd (or misshapen) eyes, great illusion, streaming nectar; benefactress of all beings, O goddess, consisting of all beings, steadfast; mother of the sciences, the purāṇas and the crafts, upholder of beings; of all the gods' secrets, of all beings, O auspicious one — you alone are the refuge, O goddess, knowledge, ignorance, splendour, Mother; of odd eyes, and patience, O you within whose stirred waters are turbid! Homage be to you, great goddess; homage, supreme mistress; homage to you, eternal in the thought of all the gods, imperishable, unchanging. Those who go to you for refuge, O goddess, supreme mistress — nothing inauspicious befalls them in the straits of battle; and he who, self-controlled, will always recite this hymn in the dread fear of tigers and in fear of thieves and of kings; even the man who is in fetters, O goddess, who will remember you, he too, freed from his bonds, dwells at ease and happy." The Blessed Boar said: Thus praised by the gods with prostrations, the fair-hipped goddess said to the gods: "Choose an excellent boon." The gods said: "O goddess, make those who recite this hymn of yours, O sinless one, possessed of all their desires: that is our boon." Saying "So be it" to those gods, the goddess, both far and near, then dismissed the gods and herself remained there. He who knows this second birth of the goddess, O Earth-bearer, is freed of sorrow, freed of passion, and goes to the state free from ill.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition