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Part of: श्रीदुर्गासप्तशती

प्रथमोऽध्यायः · मधुकैटभवध

Chapter 1 · The slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha

Durga Saptashati, chapter 1: Madhu and Kaitabha are slain

108 verses Audio will be added later

About this stotra

Madhu-Kaitabha-vadha, the slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha, is the first chapter of the Durga Saptashati, the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana. Its colophon places it within that Purana's account of the Savarni Manvantara.

By tradition the Saptashati is read as three episodes (carita). This chapter makes up the first episode, whose deity is Mahakali. Chapters 2 to 4 form the middle episode, and chapters 5 to 13 the final one.

King Suratha, who has lost his kingdom, and Samadhi, a merchant thrown out by his family, meet at the hermitage of the sage Medhas and ask why their minds still cling to what has hurt them. The sage answers by telling them of Mahamaya and her first deed. At the end of an age, while Vishnu lies in yogic sleep, the asuras Madhu and Kaitabha attack Brahma. Brahma praises Yoganidra, the goddess as Vishnu's sleep, and Vishnu wakes and kills them both.

How the chapter is laid out

It opens with the viniyoga, a meditation on Mahakali and a salutation to Chandika. Then come 104 mantras in the Gita Press count: 14 'said' lines, 24 half-verses and 66 verses, followed by the colophon. Brahma's hymn at mantras 1.70 to 1.87 is also recited on its own as the Tantrokta Ratri Suktam. The 'Om aiṃ' at the start and 'aiṃ Om' at the end are recitation additions.

If you are reading it for the first time

Read the meanings once, then recite slowly, half a verse to a breath. Take care with:

  • शेषम्, विष्णोः: for ṣ, curl the tongue tip back; ś is softer.
  • खड्गं, खड्गिनी: say ḍg as one cluster, with no vowel slipped in.
  • ह्रीः: h and r together, not 'hiri'.
  • महास्मृतिः: the final visarga ends in a soft echo, close to 'hi'.

Our team wrote these meanings from the Sanskrit. The page shows whether a scholar has reviewed them.

ॐ प्रथमचरित्रस्य ब्रह्मा ऋषिः, महाकाली देवता, गायत्री छन्दः, नन्दा शक्तिः, रक्तदन्तिका बीजम्, अग्निस्तत्त्वम्, ऋग्वेदः स्वरूपम्, श्रीमहाकालीप्रीत्यर्थे प्रथमचरित्रजपे विनियोगः।

oṃ prathamacaritrasya brahmā ṛṣiḥ, mahākālī devatā, gāyatrī chandaḥ, nandā śaktiḥ, raktadantikā bījam, agnistattvam, ṛgvedaḥ svarūpam, śrīmahākālīprītyarthe prathamacaritrajape viniyogaḥ |

This is the viniyoga, the formal statement spoken before the recitation begins. Om. For the first episode of the Saptashati, the seer is Brahma and the deity is Mahakali. The metre is Gayatri, the power (śakti) is Nanda, the seed (bīja) is Raktadantika, the element is fire, and its nature is the Rigveda. It is applied to the recitation of the first episode, to please Shri Mahakali.

ॐ खड्गं चक्रगदेषुचापपरिघाञ्छूलं भुशुण्डीं शिरः शङ्खं संदधतीं करैस्त्रिनयनां सर्वाङ्गभूषावृताम्। नीलाश्मद्युतिमास्यपाददशकां सेवे महाकालिकां यामस्तौत्स्वपिते हरौ कमलजो हन्तुं मधुं कैटभम्॥

oṃ khaḍgaṃ cakragadeṣucāpaparighāñchūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṃ śiraḥ śaṅkhaṃ saṃdadhatīṃ karaistrinayanāṃ sarvāṅgabhūṣāvṛtām | nīlāśmadyutimāsyapādadaśakāṃ seve mahākālikāṃ yāmastautsvapite harau kamalajo hantuṃ madhuṃ kaiṭabham ||

I worship Mahakali. In her hands she holds a sword, a discus, a mace, arrows, a bow, an iron club (parigha), a trident, a bhuśuṇḍī, a severed head and a conch. She has three eyes and ornaments on every limb. She shines like a blue gem, and she has ten faces and ten feet. She is the one whom Brahma, born from the lotus, praised while Vishnu slept, so that Madhu and Kaitabha might be killed.

ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै

oṃ namaścaṇḍikāyai

Om. Salutation to Chandika.

ॐ ऐं मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥

oṃ aiṃ mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ||

Om aiṃ. Markandeya said: (aiṃ is a seed syllable added at the start of the recitation.)

सावर्णिः सूर्यतनयो यो मनुः कथ्यतेऽष्टमः। निशामय तदुत्पत्तिं विस्तराद् गदतो मम॥

sāvarṇiḥ sūryatanayo yo manuḥ kathyate'ṣṭamaḥ | niśāmaya tadutpattiṃ vistarād gadato mama ||

Savarni, the son of the Sun, is called the eighth Manu. Listen carefully as I tell you in detail how he came to be.

महामायानुभावेन यथा मन्वन्तराधिपः। स बभूव महाभागः सावर्णिस्तनयो रवेः॥

mahāmāyānubhāvena yathā manvantarādhipaḥ | sa babhūva mahābhāgaḥ sāvarṇistanayo raveḥ ||

Hear also how, through the power of Mahamaya, that illustrious son of the Sun became the lord of a Manvantara, an age of Manu.

स्वारोचिषेऽन्तरे पूर्वं चैत्रवंशसमुद्भवः। सुरथो नाम राजाभूत्समस्ते क्षितिमण्डले॥

svārociṣe'ntare pūrvaṃ caitravaṃśasamudbhavaḥ | suratho nāma rājābhūtsamaste kṣitimaṇḍale ||

Long ago, in the age of the Manu Svarochisha, there was a king named Suratha, born in the line of Chaitra. He ruled over the whole earth.

तस्य पालयतः सम्यक् प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान्। बभूवुः शत्रवो भूपाः कोलाविध्वंसिनस्तदा॥

tasya pālayataḥ samyak prajāḥ putrānivaurasān | babhūvuḥ śatravo bhūpāḥ kolāvidhvaṃsinastadā ||

He cared for his people well, as if they were his own children. At that time some kings known as the Kolavidhvamsis became his enemies.

तस्य तैरभवद् युद्धमतिप्रबलदण्डिनः। न्यूनैरपि स तैर्युद्धे कोलाविध्वंसिभिर्जितः॥

tasya tairabhavad yuddhamatiprabaladaṇḍinaḥ | nyūnairapi sa tairyuddhe kolāvidhvaṃsibhirjitaḥ ||

Suratha's army was very strong, and he went to war with them. The Kolavidhvamsis were weaker than he was, yet they beat him in battle.

ततः स्वपुरमायातो निजदेशाधिपोऽभवत्। आक्रान्तः स महाभागस्तैस्तदा प्रबलारिभिः॥

tataḥ svapuramāyāto nijadeśādhipo'bhavat | ākrāntaḥ sa mahābhāgastaistadā prabalāribhiḥ ||

He went back to his own city and was left ruling only his home country. Even there those powerful enemies attacked the noble king.

अमात्यैर्बलिभिर्दुष्टैर्दुर्बलस्य दुरात्मभिः। कोशो बलं चापहृतं तत्रापि स्वपुरे ततः॥

amātyairbalibhirduṣṭairdurbalasya durātmabhiḥ | kośo balaṃ cāpahṛtaṃ tatrāpi svapure tataḥ ||

The king was now weak. In his own city his powerful, wicked and scheming ministers seized his treasury and his army.

ततो मृगयाव्याजेन हृतस्वाम्यः स भूपतिः। एकाकी हयमारुह्य जगाम गहनं वनम्॥

tato mṛgayāvyājena hṛtasvāmyaḥ sa bhūpatiḥ | ekākī hayamāruhya jagāma gahanaṃ vanam ||

Stripped of his power, the king rode off alone on horseback into a dense forest, on the pretext of going hunting.

स तत्राश्रममद्राक्षीद् द्विजवर्यस्य मेधसः। प्रशान्तश्वापदाकीर्णं मुनिशिष्योपशोभितम्॥

sa tatrāśramamadrākṣīd dvijavaryasya medhasaḥ | praśāntaśvāpadākīrṇaṃ muniśiṣyopaśobhitam ||

There he came upon the hermitage of Medhas, the finest of brahmins. Even the wild beasts there lived in peace, and the sage's disciples lent the place its grace.

तस्थौ कंचित्स कालं च मुनिना तेन सत्कृतः। इतश्चेतश्च विचरंस्तस्मिन्मुनिवराश्रमे॥

tasthau kaṃcitsa kālaṃ ca muninā tena satkṛtaḥ | itaścetaśca vicaraṃstasminmunivarāśrame ||

The sage received him with honour, and the king stayed there for some time, wandering here and there about the great sage's hermitage.

सोऽचिन्तयत्तदा तत्र ममत्वाकृष्टचेतनः। मत्पूर्वैः पालितं पूर्वं मया हीनं पुरं हि तत्॥

so'cintayattadā tatra mamatvākṛṣṭacetanaḥ | matpūrvaiḥ pālitaṃ pūrvaṃ mayā hīnaṃ puraṃ hi tat ||

While he was there, the feeling of 'mine' tugged at his mind, and he began to think: “The city my forefathers once protected is now lost to me.

मद्भृत्यैस्तैरसद्वृत्तैर्धर्मतः पाल्यते न वा। न जाने स प्रधानो मे शूरहस्ती सदामदः॥

madbhṛtyaistairasadvṛttairdharmataḥ pālyate na vā | na jāne sa pradhāno me śūrahastī sadāmadaḥ ||

Are those ill-behaved servants of mine ruling it rightly or not? I do not know. And my chief elephant, brave and always in rut,

मम वैरिवशं यातः कान् भोगानुपलप्स्यते। ये ममानुगता नित्यं प्रसादधनभोजनैः॥

mama vairivaśaṃ yātaḥ kān bhogānupalapsyate | ye mamānugatā nityaṃ prasādadhanabhojanaiḥ ||

has fallen into my enemies' hands. What comforts will he have there? The men who always followed me for my favour, my money and my food

अनुवृत्तिं ध्रुवं तेऽद्य कुर्वन्त्यन्यमहीभृताम्। असम्यग्व्ययशीलैस्तैः कुर्वद्भिः सततं व्ययम्॥

anuvṛttiṃ dhruvaṃ te'dya kurvantyanyamahībhṛtām | asamyagvyayaśīlaistaiḥ kurvadbhiḥ satataṃ vyayam ||

are surely serving other kings today. And those people, careless spenders that they are, will keep on spending,

संचितः सोऽतिदुःखेन क्षयं कोशो गमिष्यति। एतच्चान्यच्च सततं चिन्तयामास पार्थिवः॥

saṃcitaḥ so'tiduḥkhena kṣayaṃ kośo gamiṣyati | etaccānyacca satataṃ cintayāmāsa pārthivaḥ ||

until the treasury I built up with such hardship is drained away.” These thoughts, and others like them, kept running through the king's mind.

तत्र विप्राश्रमाभ्याशे वैश्यमेकं ददर्श सः। स पृष्टस्तेन कस्त्वं भो हेतुश्चागमनेऽत्र कः॥

tatra viprāśramābhyāśe vaiśyamekaṃ dadarśa saḥ | sa pṛṣṭastena kastvaṃ bho hetuścāgamane'tra kaḥ ||

Near the brahmin's hermitage he saw a man of the merchant class (vaiśya). The king asked him, “Who are you? What brings you here?

सशोक इव कस्मात्त्वं दुर्मना इव लक्ष्यसे। इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य भूपतेः प्रणयोदितम्॥

saśoka iva kasmāttvaṃ durmanā iva lakṣyase | ityākarṇya vacastasya bhūpateḥ praṇayoditam ||

Why do you look so sorrowful, so troubled?” Hearing these kind words from the king,

प्रत्युवाच स तं वैश्यः प्रश्रयावनतो नृपम्॥

pratyuvāca sa taṃ vaiśyaḥ praśrayāvanato nṛpam ||

the merchant bowed humbly and answered him.

वैश्य उवाच॥

vaiśya uvāca ||

The merchant said:

समाधिर्नाम वैश्योऽहमुत्पन्नो धनिनां कुले॥

samādhirnāma vaiśyo'hamutpanno dhanināṃ kule ||

My name is Samadhi. I am a merchant, born into a wealthy family.

पुत्रदारैर्निरस्तश्च धनलोभादसाधुभिः। विहीनश्च धनैर्दारैः पुत्रैरादाय मे धनम्॥

putradārairnirastaśca dhanalobhādasādhubhiḥ | vihīnaśca dhanairdāraiḥ putrairādāya me dhanam ||

My wicked wife and sons drove me out, greedy for my wealth. They took my money, and I was left without wealth, without wife and without sons.

वनमभ्यागतो दुःखी निरस्तश्चाप्तबन्धुभिः। सोऽहं न वेद्मि पुत्राणां कुशलाकुशलात्मिकाम्॥

vanamabhyāgato duḥkhī nirastaścāptabandhubhiḥ | so'haṃ na vedmi putrāṇāṃ kuśalākuśalātmikām ||

Cast off even by the relatives I trusted, I came to this forest in grief. Living here, I have no word of whether my sons are well or not,

प्रवृत्तिं स्वजनानां च दाराणां चात्र संस्थितः। किं नु तेषां गृहे क्षेममक्षेमं किं नु साम्प्रतम्॥

pravṛttiṃ svajanānāṃ ca dārāṇāṃ cātra saṃsthitaḥ | kiṃ nu teṣāṃ gṛhe kṣemamakṣemaṃ kiṃ nu sāmpratam ||

and no news of my own people or my wife. Is all well at their home now, or has some trouble come to them?

कथं ते किं नु सद्वृत्ता दुर्वृत्ताः किं नु मे सुताः॥

kathaṃ te kiṃ nu sadvṛttā durvṛttāḥ kiṃ nu me sutāḥ ||

How are they? Are my sons living rightly, or have they gone astray?

राजोवाच॥

rājovāca ||

The king said:

यैर्निरस्तो भवाँल्लुब्धैः पुत्रदारादिभिर्धनैः॥

yairnirasto bhavā~llubdhaiḥ putradārādibhirdhanaiḥ ||

Your sons, your wife and the rest, greedy for money, threw you out.

तेषु किं भवतः स्नेहमनुबध्नाति मानसम्॥

teṣu kiṃ bhavataḥ snehamanubadhnāti mānasam ||

Why does your heart still hold on to them with love?

वैश्य उवाच॥

vaiśya uvāca ||

The merchant said:

एवमेतद्यथा प्राह भवानस्मद्गतं वचः॥

evametadyathā prāha bhavānasmadgataṃ vacaḥ ||

What you say about me is quite true.

किं करोमि न बध्नाति मम निष्ठुरतां मनः। यैः संत्यज्य पितृस्नेहं धनलुब्धैर्निराकृतः॥

kiṃ karomi na badhnāti mama niṣṭhuratāṃ manaḥ | yaiḥ saṃtyajya pitṛsnehaṃ dhanalubdhairnirākṛtaḥ ||

But what can I do? My mind will not harden. My sons gave up their love for their father and, greedy for money, drove me away.

पतिस्वजनहार्दं च हार्दि तेष्वेव मे मनः। किमेतन्नाभिजानामि जानन्नपि महामते॥

patisvajanahārdaṃ ca hārdi teṣveva me manaḥ | kimetannābhijānāmi jānannapi mahāmate ||

My wife gave up her love for her husband, and my kin gave up their warmth. Yet my heart is fond of those very people. Wise one, I know all this, and still I cannot understand what it is

यत्प्रेमप्रवणं चित्तं विगुणेष्वपि बन्धुषु। तेषां कृते मे निःश्वासो दौर्मनस्यं च जायते॥

yatpremapravaṇaṃ cittaṃ viguṇeṣvapi bandhuṣu | teṣāṃ kṛte me niḥśvāso daurmanasyaṃ ca jāyate ||

that makes my heart lean in love toward kin who have no goodness in them. I sigh for them, and my spirits sink.

करोमि किं यन्न मनस्तेष्वप्रीतिषु निष्ठुरम्॥

karomi kiṃ yanna manasteṣvaprītiṣu niṣṭhuram ||

They have no love for me, yet my mind will not turn hard toward them. What am I to do?

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ||

Markandeya said:

ततस्तौ सहितौ विप्र तं मुनिं समुपस्थितौ॥

tatastau sahitau vipra taṃ muniṃ samupasthitau ||

Then, O brahmin, the two of them went together to the sage.

समाधिर्नाम वैश्योऽसौ स च पार्थिवसत्तमः। कृत्वा तु तौ यथान्यायं यथार्हं तेन संविदम्॥

samādhirnāma vaiśyo'sau sa ca pārthivasattamaḥ | kṛtvā tu tau yathānyāyaṃ yathārhaṃ tena saṃvidam ||

Samadhi the merchant and that best of kings greeted the sage in the proper manner, as was fitting, and spoke with him.

उपविष्टौ कथाः काश्चिच्चक्रतुर्वैश्यपार्थिवौ॥

upaviṣṭau kathāḥ kāściccakraturvaiśyapārthivau ||

Then the merchant and the king sat down and began to talk.

राजोवाच॥

rājovāca ||

The king said:

भगवंस्त्वामहं प्रष्टुमिच्छाम्येकं वदस्व तत्॥

bhagavaṃstvāmahaṃ praṣṭumicchāmyekaṃ vadasva tat ||

Revered sir, there is one thing I want to ask you. Please explain it to me.

दुःखाय यन्मे मनसः स्वचित्तायत्ततां विना। ममत्वं गतराज्यस्य राज्याङ्गेष्वखिलेष्वपि॥

duḥkhāya yanme manasaḥ svacittāyattatāṃ vinā | mamatvaṃ gatarājyasya rājyāṅgeṣvakhileṣvapi ||

My mind is not under my control, and that brings me grief. I have lost my kingdom, yet I am still attached to every part of it: the treasury, the army, the servants.

जानतोऽपि यथाज्ञस्य किमेतन्मुनिसत्तम। अयं च निकृतः पुत्रैर्दारैर्भृत्यैस्तथोज्झितः॥

jānato'pi yathājñasya kimetanmunisattama | ayaṃ ca nikṛtaḥ putrairdārairbhṛtyaistathojjhitaḥ ||

Best of sages, I know better, yet I am like someone who does not know. Why is that? And this man too was wronged by his sons and abandoned by his wife and servants.

स्वजनेन च संत्यक्तस्तेषु हार्दी तथाप्यति। एवमेष तथाहं च द्वावप्यत्यन्तदुःखितौ॥

svajanena ca saṃtyaktasteṣu hārdī tathāpyati | evameṣa tathāhaṃ ca dvāvapyatyantaduḥkhitau ||

His own people have left him, and still he loves them dearly. So he and I are both deeply unhappy.

दृष्टदोषेऽपि विषये ममत्वाकृष्टमानसौ। तत्किमेतन्महाभाग यन्मोहो ज्ञानिनोरपि॥

dṛṣṭadoṣe'pi viṣaye mamatvākṛṣṭamānasau | tatkimetanmahābhāga yanmoho jñāninorapi ||

We have seen the faults in these things, yet attachment drags our minds back to them. Noble sir, how is it that we two, who understand, are still deluded?

ममास्य च भवत्येषा विवेकान्धस्य मूढता॥

mamāsya ca bhavatyeṣā vivekāndhasya mūḍhatā ||

Why is there in him and in me this folly of someone blind to discernment?

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

ज्ञानमस्ति समस्तस्य जन्तोर्विषयगोचरे॥

jñānamasti samastasya jantorviṣayagocare ||

Every living creature has knowledge of the things its senses can reach.

विषयश्च महाभाग याति चैवं पृथक् पृथक्। दिवान्धाः प्राणिनः केचिद्रात्रावन्धास्तथापरे॥

viṣayaśca mahābhāga yāti caivaṃ pṛthak pṛthak | divāndhāḥ prāṇinaḥ kecidrātrāvandhāstathāpare ||

And these things reach each creature in its own way, noble one. Some creatures cannot see by day, and others cannot see at night.

केचिद्दिवा तथा रात्रौ प्राणिनस्तुल्यदृष्टयः। ज्ञानिनो मनुजाः सत्यं किं तु ते न हि केवलम्॥

keciddivā tathā rātrau prāṇinastulyadṛṣṭayaḥ | jñānino manujāḥ satyaṃ kiṃ tu te na hi kevalam ||

Some see equally well by day and by night. It is true that human beings have knowledge, but they are not the only ones.

यतो हि ज्ञानिनः सर्वे पशुपक्षिमृगादयः। ज्ञानं च तन्मनुष्याणां यत्तेषां मृगपक्षिणाम्॥

yato hi jñāninaḥ sarve paśupakṣimṛgādayaḥ | jñānaṃ ca tanmanuṣyāṇāṃ yatteṣāṃ mṛgapakṣiṇām ||

Cattle, birds, deer and all other creatures have knowledge too. What people know, beasts and birds also know,

मनुष्याणां च यत्तेषां तुल्यमन्यत्तथोभयोः। ज्ञानेऽपि सति पश्यैतान् पतङ्गाञ्छावचञ्चुषु॥

manuṣyāṇāṃ ca yatteṣāṃ tulyamanyattathobhayoḥ | jñāne'pi sati paśyaitān pataṅgāñchāvacañcuṣu ||

and what they know, people know. In other ways too the two are alike. Look at these birds: they have knowledge, and yet into their chicks' beaks

कणमोक्षादृतान्मोहात् पीड्यमानानपि क्षुधा। मानुषा मनुजव्याघ्र साभिलाषाः सुतान् प्रति॥

kaṇamokṣādṛtānmohāt pīḍyamānānapi kṣudhā | mānuṣā manujavyāghra sābhilāṣāḥ sutān prati ||

they keep dropping grain out of fond attachment, though they themselves are tormented by hunger. And people, tiger among men, look to their sons with longing,

लोभात्प्रत्युपकाराय नन्वेतान् किं न पश्यसि। तथापि ममतावर्त्ते मोहगर्ते निपातिताः॥

lobhātpratyupakārāya nanvetān kiṃ na paśyasi | tathāpi mamatāvartte mohagarte nipātitāḥ ||

hoping the children will repay them one day. Can you not see this? Even so, all beings are flung into the whirlpool of 'mine', into the pit of delusion,

महामायाप्रभावेण संसारस्थितिकारिणा। तन्नात्र विस्मयः कार्यो योगनिद्रा जगत्पतेः॥

mahāmāyāprabhāveṇa saṃsārasthitikāriṇā | tannātra vismayaḥ kāryo yoganidrā jagatpateḥ ||

by the power of Mahamaya, who keeps the round of worldly life going. So there is nothing here to wonder at. The yogic sleep (Yoganidra) of Vishnu, lord of the world,

महामाया हरेश्चैषा तया सम्मोह्यते जगत्। ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा॥

mahāmāyā hareścaiṣā tayā sammohyate jagat | jñānināmapi cetāṃsi devī bhagavatī hi sā ||

is this Mahamaya of Hari, and by her the whole world is deluded. She is the Devi, the Bhagavati. Even the minds of the wise

बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति। तया विसृज्यते विश्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम्॥

balādākṛṣya mohāya mahāmāyā prayacchati | tayā visṛjyate viśvaṃ jagadetaccarācaram ||

she drags by force and hands over to delusion. She is Mahamaya, and she brings forth this whole universe, all that moves and all that does not.

सैषा प्रसन्ना वरदा नृणां भवति मुक्तये। सा विद्या परमा मुक्तेर्हेतुभूता सनातनी॥

saiṣā prasannā varadā nṛṇāṃ bhavati muktaye | sā vidyā paramā mukterhetubhūtā sanātanī ||

When she is pleased, she grants people the boon that leads to freedom. She is the highest knowledge. She is the cause of liberation, and she is eternal.

संसारबन्धहेतुश्च सैव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरी॥

saṃsārabandhahetuśca saiva sarveśvareśvarī ||

She is also the cause of bondage to worldly life. She alone is the sovereign over all sovereigns.

राजोवाच॥

rājovāca ||

The king said:

भगवन् का हि सा देवी महामायेति यां भवान्॥

bhagavan kā hi sā devī mahāmāyeti yāṃ bhavān ||

Revered sir, who is this Devi you call Mahamaya?

ब्रवीति कथमुत्पन्ना सा कर्मास्याश्च किं द्विज। यत्प्रभावा च सा देवी यत्स्वरूपा यदुद्भवा॥

bravīti kathamutpannā sā karmāsyāśca kiṃ dvija | yatprabhāvā ca sā devī yatsvarūpā yadudbhavā ||

How did she come into being, O brahmin, and what are her deeds? What is her power, what is her nature, and where does she come from?

तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो ब्रह्मविदां वर॥

tatsarvaṃ śrotumicchāmi tvatto brahmavidāṃ vara ||

All this I wish to hear from you, the finest of those who know Brahman.

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

नित्यैव सा जगन्मूर्तिस्तया सर्वमिदं ततम्॥

nityaiva sā jaganmūrtistayā sarvamidaṃ tatam ||

She is eternal. The world is her form, and all of this is pervaded by her.

तथापि तत्समुत्पत्तिर्बहुधा श्रूयतां मम। देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थमाविर्भवति सा यदा॥

tathāpi tatsamutpattirbahudhā śrūyatāṃ mama | devānāṃ kāryasiddhyarthamāvirbhavati sā yadā ||

Even so, she appears in many ways. Hear about it from me. When she appears in order to accomplish the work of the gods,

उत्पन्नेति तदा लोके सा नित्याप्यभिधीयते। योगनिद्रां यदा विष्णुर्जगत्येकार्णवीकृते॥

utpanneti tadā loke sā nityāpyabhidhīyate | yoganidrāṃ yadā viṣṇurjagatyekārṇavīkṛte ||

then people say she was 'born', though she is eternal. At the end of a cosmic age (kalpa), when the whole world had become a single ocean,

आस्तीर्य शेषमभजत्कल्पान्ते भगवान् प्रभुः। तदा द्वावसुरौ घोरौ विख्यातौ मधुकैटभौ॥

āstīrya śeṣamabhajatkalpānte bhagavān prabhuḥ | tadā dvāvasurau ghorau vikhyātau madhukaiṭabhau ||

the Lord Vishnu spread out the serpent Shesha as his bed and entered yogic sleep. Then two terrible asuras, the well-known Madhu and Kaitabha,

विष्णुकर्णमलोद्भूतौ हन्तुं ब्रह्माणमुद्यतौ। स नाभिकमले विष्णोः स्थितो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः॥

viṣṇukarṇamalodbhūtau hantuṃ brahmāṇamudyatau | sa nābhikamale viṣṇoḥ sthito brahmā prajāpatiḥ ||

sprang from the wax of Vishnu's ears and set out to kill Brahma. Brahma, the creator, was seated in the lotus that grows from Vishnu's navel.

दृष्ट्वा तावसुरौ चोग्रौ प्रसुप्तं च जनार्दनम्। तुष्टाव योगनिद्रां तामेकाग्रहृदयस्थितः॥

dṛṣṭvā tāvasurau cograu prasuptaṃ ca janārdanam | tuṣṭāva yoganidrāṃ tāmekāgrahṛdayasthitaḥ ||

He saw the two fierce asuras, and he saw Janardana fast asleep. With his heart fixed on her alone, he praised that Yoganidra.

विबोधनार्थाय हरेर्हरिनेत्रकृतालयाम्। विश्वेश्वरीं जगद्धात्रीं स्थितिसंहारकारिणीम्॥

vibodhanārthāya harerharinetrakṛtālayām | viśveśvarīṃ jagaddhātrīṃ sthitisaṃhārakāriṇīm ||

He praised her so that Hari would wake. She had made her home in Hari's eyes. She is the ruler of the universe and the one who sustains the world. She keeps it in being, and she brings it to its end.

निद्रां भगवतीं विष्णोरतुलां तेजसः प्रभुः॥

nidrāṃ bhagavatīṃ viṣṇoratulāṃ tejasaḥ prabhuḥ ||

She is Vishnu's sleep, the Bhagavati, matchless in her radiance. To her the lord Brahma offered his praise.

ब्रह्मोवाच॥

brahmovāca ||

Brahma said:

त्वं स्वाहा त्वं स्वधा त्वं हि वषट्कारः स्वरात्मिका॥

tvaṃ svāhā tvaṃ svadhā tvaṃ hi vaṣaṭkāraḥ svarātmikā ||

You are svāhā, you are svadhā, you are vaṣaṭ, the calls with which offerings are made to the gods and the ancestors. Your very being is sound.

सुधा त्वमक्षरे नित्ये त्रिधा मात्रात्मिका स्थिता। अर्धमात्रास्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः॥

sudhā tvamakṣare nitye tridhā mātrātmikā sthitā | ardhamātrāsthitā nityā yānuccāryā viśeṣataḥ ||

You are the nectar of immortality. In the eternal syllable Om you abide as its three measures, a, u and m. And you are the eternal half-measure beyond them, which cannot be spoken aloud.

त्वमेव संध्या सावित्री त्वं देवि जननी परा। त्वयैतद्धार्यते विश्वं त्वयैतत्सृज्यते जगत्॥

tvameva saṃdhyā sāvitrī tvaṃ devi jananī parā | tvayaitaddhāryate viśvaṃ tvayaitatsṛjyate jagat ||

You are Sandhya and you are Savitri. Devi, you are the supreme mother. You hold up this universe, and you create this world.

त्वयैतत्पाल्यते देवि त्वमत्स्यन्ते च सर्वदा। विसृष्टौ सृष्टिरूपा त्वं स्थितिरूपा च पालने॥

tvayaitatpālyate devi tvamatsyante ca sarvadā | visṛṣṭau sṛṣṭirūpā tvaṃ sthitirūpā ca pālane ||

Devi, you protect it, and at the end you always take it back into yourself. When it is sent forth, you are its creation. While it is kept, you are its preservation.

तथा संहृतिरूपान्ते जगतोऽस्य जगन्मये। महाविद्या महामाया महामेधा महास्मृतिः॥

tathā saṃhṛtirūpānte jagato'sya jaganmaye | mahāvidyā mahāmāyā mahāmedhā mahāsmṛtiḥ ||

And at the end you are its dissolution, you who are the world itself. You are great knowledge, great illusion, great intellect and great memory.

महामोहा च भवती महादेवी महासुरी। प्रकृतिस्त्वं च सर्वस्य गुणत्रयविभाविनी॥

mahāmohā ca bhavatī mahādevī mahāsurī | prakṛtistvaṃ ca sarvasya guṇatrayavibhāvinī ||

You are great delusion, the great goddess, the great asurī. You are the primal nature (prakṛti) of all things, and you bring forth the three guṇas: sattva, rajas and tamas.

कालरात्रिर्महारात्रिर्मोहरात्रिश्च दारुणा। त्वं श्रीस्त्वमीश्वरी त्वं ह्रीस्त्वं बुद्धिर्बोधलक्षणा॥

kālarātrirmahārātrirmoharātriśca dāruṇā | tvaṃ śrīstvamīśvarī tvaṃ hrīstvaṃ buddhirbodhalakṣaṇā ||

You are the Night of Time (Kālarātri), the Great Night (Mahārātri) and the dread Night of Delusion (Moharātri). You are Shri, you are the sovereign goddess, you are modesty (hrī), and you are the intellect whose mark is understanding.

लज्जा पुष्टिस्तथा तुष्टिस्त्वं शान्तिः क्षान्तिरेव च। खड्गिनी शूलिनी घोरा गदिनी चक्रिणी तथा॥

lajjā puṣṭistathā tuṣṭistvaṃ śāntiḥ kṣāntireva ca | khaḍginī śūlinī ghorā gadinī cakriṇī tathā ||

You are shyness, nourishment and contentment. You are peace, and you are patience. You carry the sword and the trident. You are fierce, and you bear the mace and the discus.

शङ्खिनी चापिनी बाणभुशुण्डीपरिघायुधा। सौम्या सौम्यतराशेषसौम्येभ्यस्त्वतिसुन्दरी॥

śaṅkhinī cāpinī bāṇabhuśuṇḍīparighāyudhā | saumyā saumyatarāśeṣasaumyebhyastvatisundarī ||

The conch, the bow, arrows, the bhuśuṇḍī and the iron club are your weapons. You are gentle, gentler than the gentlest, more beautiful than every gentle thing there is.

परापराणां परमा त्वमेव परमेश्वरी। यच्च किंचित्क्वचिद्वस्तु सदसद्वाखिलात्मिके॥

parāparāṇāṃ paramā tvameva parameśvarī | yacca kiṃcitkvacidvastu sadasadvākhilātmike ||

You are higher than the high and the low alike. You alone are the supreme goddess. You are the self of all. Whatever thing there is, anywhere, whether real or unreal,

तस्य सर्वस्य या शक्तिः सा त्वं किं स्तूयसे तदा। यया त्वया जगत्स्रष्टा जगत्पात्यत्ति यो जगत्॥

tasya sarvasya yā śaktiḥ sā tvaṃ kiṃ stūyase tadā | yayā tvayā jagatsraṣṭā jagatpātyatti yo jagat ||

the power in all of it is you. How, then, can you be praised? The one who creates the world, protects it and in the end devours it

सोऽपि निद्रावशं नीतः कस्त्वां स्तोतुमिहेश्वरः। विष्णुः शरीरग्रहणमहमीशान एव च॥

so'pi nidrāvaśaṃ nītaḥ kastvāṃ stotumiheśvaraḥ | viṣṇuḥ śarīragrahaṇamahamīśāna eva ca ||

has been put to sleep by you. Who here has the power to praise you? Vishnu, myself and Ishana, that is Shiva,

कारितास्ते यतोऽतस्त्वां कः स्तोतुं शक्तिमान् भवेत्। सा त्वमित्थं प्रभावैः स्वैरुदारैर्देवि संस्तुता॥

kāritāste yato'tastvāṃ kaḥ stotuṃ śaktimān bhavet | sā tvamitthaṃ prabhāvaiḥ svairudārairdevi saṃstutā ||

all took on bodies because of you. So who could ever be able to praise you? Devi, I have praised you in this way, through your own noble powers.

मोहयैतौ दुराधर्षावसुरौ मधुकैटभौ। प्रबोधं च जगत्स्वामी नीयतामच्युतो लघु॥

mohayaitau durādharṣāvasurau madhukaiṭabhau | prabodhaṃ ca jagatsvāmī nīyatāmacyuto laghu ||

Now cast these two invincible asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, into delusion. And let Achyuta, lord of the world, be woken quickly.

बोधश्च क्रियतामस्य हन्तुमेतौ महासुरौ॥

bodhaśca kriyatāmasya hantumetau mahāsurau ||

Rouse him to awareness, so that he may kill these two great asuras.

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

एवं स्तुता तदा देवी तामसी तत्र वेधसा॥

evaṃ stutā tadā devī tāmasī tatra vedhasā ||

Praised in this way by Brahma, the Devi of darkness (tāmasī), the Yoganidra,

विष्णोः प्रबोधनार्थाय निहन्तुं मधुकैटभौ। नेत्रास्यनासिकाबाहुहृदयेभ्यस्तथोरसः॥

viṣṇoḥ prabodhanārthāya nihantuṃ madhukaiṭabhau | netrāsyanāsikābāhuhṛdayebhyastathorasaḥ ||

so that Vishnu would wake and Madhu and Kaitabha would be killed, came out of his eyes, mouth, nose, arms, heart and chest,

निर्गम्य दर्शने तस्थौ ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः। उत्तस्थौ च जगन्नाथस्तया मुक्तो जनार्दनः॥

nirgamya darśane tasthau brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ | uttasthau ca jagannāthastayā mukto janārdanaḥ ||

and stood before Brahma, whose birth is beyond what can be seen. Released by her, Janardana, lord of the world, arose

एकार्णवेऽहिशयनात्ततः स ददृशे च तौ। मधुकैटभौ दुरात्मानावतिवीर्यपराक्रमौ॥

ekārṇave'hiśayanāttataḥ sa dadṛśe ca tau | madhukaiṭabhau durātmānāvativīryaparākramau ||

from his serpent bed on the endless ocean. Then he saw the two of them, Madhu and Kaitabha, evil-hearted and of tremendous strength and valour,

क्रोधरक्तेक्षणावत्तुं ब्रह्माणं जनितोद्यमौ। समुत्थाय ततस्ताभ्यां युयुधे भगवान् हरिः॥

krodharaktekṣaṇāvattuṃ brahmāṇaṃ janitodyamau | samutthāya tatastābhyāṃ yuyudhe bhagavān hariḥ ||

their eyes red with rage, ready to devour Brahma. Rising up, the Lord Hari fought them.

पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि बाहुप्रहरणो विभुः। तावप्यतिबलोन्मत्तौ महामायाविमोहितौ॥

pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi bāhupraharaṇo vibhuḥ | tāvapyatibalonmattau mahāmāyāvimohitau ||

For five thousand years the all-pervading Lord fought them with his bare arms. The two were drunk on their own great strength, and Mahamaya had clouded their minds.

उक्तवन्तौ वरोऽस्मत्तो व्रियतामिति केशवम्॥

uktavantau varo'smatto vriyatāmiti keśavam ||

They said to Keshava, “Ask us for a boon.”

श्रीभगवानुवाच॥

śrībhagavānuvāca ||

The Lord said:

भवेतामद्य मे तुष्टौ मम वध्यावुभावपि॥

bhavetāmadya me tuṣṭau mama vadhyāvubhāvapi ||

If you are truly pleased with me today, then let both of you die at my hands.

किमन्येन वरेणात्र एतावद्धि वृतं मम॥

kimanyena vareṇātra etāvaddhi vṛtaṃ mama ||

What need is there for any other boon? This is all I ask.

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

वञ्चिताभ्यामिति तदा सर्वमापोमयं जगत्॥

vañcitābhyāmiti tadā sarvamāpomayaṃ jagat ||

Tricked in this way, they looked around and saw that the whole world was water.

विलोक्य ताभ्यां गदितो भगवान् कमलेक्षणः। आवां जहि न यत्रोर्वी सलिलेन परिप्लुता॥

vilokya tābhyāṃ gadito bhagavān kamalekṣaṇaḥ | āvāṃ jahi na yatrorvī salilena pariplutā ||

So they said to the lotus-eyed Lord, “Kill us where the earth is not covered by water.”

ऋषिरुवाच॥

ṛṣiruvāca ||

The sage said:

तथेत्युक्त्वा भगवता शङ्खचक्रगदाभृता। कृत्वा चक्रेण वै च्छिन्ने जघने शिरसी तयोः॥

tathetyuktvā bhagavatā śaṅkhacakragadābhṛtā | kṛtvā cakreṇa vai cchinne jaghane śirasī tayoḥ ||

The Lord who bears the conch, discus and mace said, “So be it.” He laid their heads on his thigh and cut them off with his discus.

एवमेषा समुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणा संस्तुता स्वयम्। प्रभावमस्या देव्यास्तु भूयः शृणु वदामि ते॥ ऐं ॐ॥

evameṣā samutpannā brahmaṇā saṃstutā svayam | prabhāvamasyā devyāstu bhūyaḥ śṛṇu vadāmi te || aiṃ oṃ ||

This is how she appeared when Brahma himself praised her. Now listen further to the power of this Devi; I will tell you. Aiṃ Om.

॥ इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये मधुकैटभवधो नाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः॥

|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye madhukaiṭabhavadho nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ ||

Here ends the first chapter, called ‘The Slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha’, of the Devi Mahatmya, in the account of the Savarni Manvantara in the Shri Markandeya Purana.