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Part of: श्रीदुर्गासप्तशती

त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः · सुरथवैश्ययोर्वरप्रदान

Chapter 13 · Boons to Suratha and the merchant

Durga Saptashati, chapter 13: boons to king and merchant

32 verses Audio will be added later

About this stotra

This is the thirteenth and last chapter of the Durga Saptashati, the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana. Its colophon places the story in the section on the Savarni Manvantara. According to tradition, this chapter completes the recitation of the seven hundred mantras.

How the story closes

In chapter 1, King Suratha, who had lost his kingdom, and a merchant named Samadhi, whose own family had thrown him out, met at the hermitage of the sage Medhas. Both were still bound to the people they had lost. The sage told them the Devi's three stories. Now he tells them that this delusion too is her work, and that they should take refuge in her. The two make an earthen image on a riverbank and spend three years in tapas. The Devi appears. The king asks for his kingdom back, and for a kingdom in another birth that cannot be lost. The merchant asks for the knowledge that frees one from 'I' and 'mine'. She grants both, and says that Suratha will later be born as the Manu Savarni.

These boons belong to the story. We translate what the text says, and nothing here is a promise from us.

Structure and reading

A meditation verse on the Devi comes first, then 29 mantras by the Gita Press count. The last verse is said again with klīṃ oṃ to close. Go slowly and watch these sounds:

  • अविभ्रंश्यन्यजन्मनि avibhraṃśyanyajanmani: a long word; take it as a-vi-bhraṃ-śya-nya-ja-nma-ni.
  • निजगात्रासृगुक्षितम् nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam: सृ has the vowel ṛ, not "ru"; keep the kṣ clear.
  • शंसितव्रतम् śaṃsitavratam: श first, then स.
  • क्लीं klīṃ: k and l joined, ending in the anusvāra.

The meaning on this page was written by our team directly from the Sanskrit. Whether a scholar has reviewed it is shown on the page.

ॐ बालार्कमण्डलाभासां चतुर्बाहुं त्रिलोचनाम्। पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतीर्धारयन्तीं शिवां भजे॥

oṃ bālārkamaṇḍalābhāsāṃ caturbāhuṃ trilocanām | pāśāṅkuśavarābhītīrdhārayantīṃ śivāṃ bhaje ||

I worship the auspicious Devi (śivā). She glows like the disc of the rising sun. She has four arms and three eyes. She holds a noose and a goad, and her other two hands show the gestures of granting boons and of 'do not fear'.

ॐ ऋषिरुवाच॥

oṃ ṛṣiruvāca ||

Om. The sage said:

एतत्ते कथितं भूप देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। एवंप्रभावा सा देवी ययेदं धार्यते जगत्॥

etatte kathitaṃ bhūpa devīmāhātmyamuttamam | evaṃprabhāvā sā devī yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat ||

O king, I have told you this excellent account of the Devi's greatness. Such is the power of the Devi by whom this world is upheld.

विद्या तथैव क्रियते भगवद्विष्णुमायया। तया त्वमेष वैश्यश्च तथैवान्ये विवेकिनः॥

vidyā tathaiva kriyate bhagavadviṣṇumāyayā | tayā tvameṣa vaiśyaśca tathaivānye vivekinaḥ ||

In the same way, she who is the Maya of the blessed Vishnu also brings about knowledge. Through her, you, this merchant, and other discerning people too

मोह्यन्ते मोहिताश्चैव मोहमेष्यन्ति चापरे। तामुपैहि महाराज शरणं परमेश्वरीम्॥

mohyante mohitāścaiva mohameṣyanti cāpare | tāmupaihi mahārāja śaraṇaṃ parameśvarīm ||

are deluded now, have been deluded before, and others will be deluded in time to come. Great king, go to her, Parameshvari, the supreme Devi, for refuge.

आराधिता सैव नृणां भोगस्वर्गापवर्गदा॥

ārādhitā saiva nṛṇāṃ bhogasvargāpavargadā ||

Worshipped, she alone gives people the enjoyments of this life, heaven, and final freedom.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ||

Markandeya said:

इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सुरथः स नराधिपः॥

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā surathaḥ sa narādhipaḥ ||

Hearing these words of the sage, King Suratha

प्रणिपत्य महाभागं तमृषिं शंसितव्रतम्। निर्विण्णोऽतिममत्वेन राज्यापहरणेन च॥

praṇipatya mahābhāgaṃ tamṛṣiṃ śaṃsitavratam | nirviṇṇo'timamatvena rājyāpaharaṇena ca ||

bowed low to that noble sage, whose vows were praised by all. His heart had grown weary, through his excessive sense of 'mine' and the loss of his kingdom.

जगाम सद्यस्तपसे स च वैश्यो महामुने। संदर्शनार्थमम्बाया नदीपुलिनसंस्थितः॥

jagāma sadyastapase sa ca vaiśyo mahāmune | saṃdarśanārthamambāyā nadīpulinasaṃsthitaḥ ||

He left at once to undertake tapas, O great sage, and so did the merchant. Hoping for a sight of the Mother, he settled on the sandbank of a river.

स च वैश्यस्तपस्तेपे देवीसूक्तं परं जपन्। तौ तस्मिन् पुलिने देव्याः कृत्वा मूर्तिं महीमयीम्॥

sa ca vaiśyastapastepe devīsūktaṃ paraṃ japan | tau tasmin puline devyāḥ kṛtvā mūrtiṃ mahīmayīm ||

The merchant, too, practised tapas, chanting the supreme Devi Sukta. On that sandbank the two of them made an image of the Devi out of earth

अर्हणां चक्रतुस्तस्याः पुष्पधूपाग्नितर्पणैः। निराहारौ यताहारौ तन्मनस्कौ समाहितौ॥

arhaṇāṃ cakratustasyāḥ puṣpadhūpāgnitarpaṇaiḥ | nirāhārau yatāhārau tanmanaskau samāhitau ||

and worshipped her with flowers, incense, fire offerings and libations of water. At times fasting, at times eating very little, with their minds fixed on her and gathered,

ददतुस्तौ बलिं चैव निजगात्रासृगुक्षितम्। एवं समाराधयतोस्त्रिभिर्वर्षैर्यतात्मनोः॥

dadatustau baliṃ caiva nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam | evaṃ samārādhayatostribhirvarṣairyatātmanoḥ ||

they also offered her bali sprinkled with blood from their own bodies. When they had worshipped her in this way, with self-control, for three years,

परितुष्टा जगद्धात्री प्रत्यक्षं प्राह चण्डिका॥

parituṣṭā jagaddhātrī pratyakṣaṃ prāha caṇḍikā ||

Chandika, who upholds the world, was well pleased. She appeared before them in person and spoke.

देव्युवाच॥

devyuvāca ||

The Devi said:

यत्प्रार्थ्यते त्वया भूप त्वया च कुलनन्दन। मत्तस्तत्प्राप्यतां सर्वं परितुष्टा ददामि तत्॥

yatprārthyate tvayā bhūpa tvayā ca kulanandana | mattastatprāpyatāṃ sarvaṃ parituṣṭā dadāmi tat ||

O king, and you, the joy of your family: whatever each of you asks for, receive it all from me. I am well pleased, and I give it.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ||

Markandeya said:

ततो वव्रे नृपो राज्यमविभ्रंश्यन्यजन्मनि। अत्रैव च निजं राज्यं हतशत्रुबलं बलात्॥

tato vavre nṛpo rājyamavibhraṃśyanyajanmani | atraiva ca nijaṃ rājyaṃ hataśatrubalaṃ balāt ||

Then the king made his choice: a kingdom that would never be lost, in another birth, and in this very life his own kingdom back, taken by force, with his enemies' power broken.

सोऽपि वैश्यस्ततो ज्ञानं वव्रे निर्विण्णमानसः। ममेत्यहमिति प्राज्ञः सङ्गविच्युतिकारकम्॥

so'pi vaiśyastato jñānaṃ vavre nirviṇṇamānasaḥ | mametyahamiti prājñaḥ saṅgavicyutikārakam ||

Then the merchant, wise, his mind turned away from the world, asked for knowledge: the knowledge that cuts the attachment born of 'mine' and 'I'.

देव्युवाच॥

devyuvāca ||

The Devi said:

स्वल्पैरहोभिर्नृपते स्वं राज्यं प्राप्स्यते भवान्॥

svalpairahobhirnṛpate svaṃ rājyaṃ prāpsyate bhavān ||

O king, in just a few days you will regain your own kingdom.

हत्वा रिपूनस्खलितं तव तत्र भविष्यति॥

hatvā ripūnaskhalitaṃ tava tatra bhaviṣyati ||

You will slay your enemies, and there it will stay yours, unshaken.

मृतश्च भूयः सम्प्राप्य जन्म देवाद्विवस्वतः॥

mṛtaśca bhūyaḥ samprāpya janma devādvivasvataḥ ||

And after death you will be born again, of the god Vivasvan, the Sun,

सावर्णिको नाम मनुर्भवान् भुवि भविष्यति॥

sāvarṇiko nāma manurbhavān bhuvi bhaviṣyati ||

and you will be the Manu named Savarnika on earth.

वैश्यवर्य त्वया यश्च वरोऽस्मत्तोऽभिवाञ्छितः॥

vaiśyavarya tvayā yaśca varo'smatto'bhivāñchitaḥ ||

And you, best of merchants, the boon you have wished for from me,

तं प्रयच्छामि संसिद्ध्यै तव ज्ञानं भविष्यति॥

taṃ prayacchāmi saṃsiddhyai tava jñānaṃ bhaviṣyati ||

I grant it. Knowledge will be yours, for your final fulfilment.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ||

Markandeya said:

इति दत्त्वा तयोर्देवी यथाभिलषितं वरम्॥

iti dattvā tayordevī yathābhilaṣitaṃ varam ||

Having given the two of them the boons they longed for,

बभूवान्तर्हिता सद्यो भक्त्या ताभ्यामभिष्टुता। एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः॥

babhūvāntarhitā sadyo bhaktyā tābhyāmabhiṣṭutā | evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ||

the Devi, praised by them with devotion, vanished at once. Having received this boon from the Devi, Suratha, foremost of kshatriyas,

सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः॥

sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ ||

will be born of the Sun and become the Manu Savarni.

एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः। सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः॥ क्लीं ॐ॥

evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ | sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ || klīṃ oṃ ||

Having received this boon from the Devi, Suratha, foremost of kshatriyas, will be born of the Sun and become the Manu Savarni. Klīṃ Om. (The verse is said a second time here to close the recitation.)

॥ इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये सुरथवैश्ययोर्वरप्रदानं नाम त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः॥

|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye surathavaiśyayorvarapradānaṃ nāma trayodaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||

Here ends the thirteenth chapter, called ‘The Granting of Boons to Suratha and the Merchant’, of the Devi Mahatmya, in the account of the Savarni Manvantara in the Shri Markandeya Purana.