Manu's Hymn to the Goddess

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.10.1.1)

नारद उवाच । नारायण धराधार सर्वपालनकारण । भवतोदीरितं देवीचरितं पापनाशनम् ॥

nārada uvāca nārāyaṇa dharādhāra sarvapālanakāraṇa bhavatodīritaṁ devīcaritaṁ pāpanāśanam

Narada said: O Narayana, sustainer of the earth, cause of the protection of all — this sin-destroying deed of the Goddess that you have related to me...

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.10.1.2)

मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु सा देवी यत्स्वरूपिणी । यदाकारेण कुरुते प्रादुर्भावं महेश्वरी ॥

manvantareṣu sarveṣu sā devī yatsvarūpiṇī yadākāreṇa kurute prādurbhāvaṁ maheśvarī

In every manvantara, whatever her true form is, in that very form does the great Goddess Maheshvari take manifest birth.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.10.1.3)

तान्नः सर्वान्समाख्याहि देवीमाहात्म्यमिश्रितान् । यथा च येन येनेह पूजिता संस्तुतापि हि ॥

tānnaḥ sarvānsamākhyāhi devīmāhātmyamiśritān yathā ca yena yeneha pūjitā saṁstutāpi hi

Relate to us in full all those manifestations, blended with the greatness of the Goddess — how, and by whom, she has been worshipped and praised.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.10.1.4)

मनोरथान्पूरयति भक्तानां भक्तवत्सला । तन्नः शुभूषमाणानां देवीचरितमुत्तमम् ॥

manorathānpūrayati bhaktānāṁ bhaktavatsalā tannaḥ śubhūṣamāṇānāṁ devīcaritamuttamam

She who is affectionate to her devotees fulfills their heart's desires — to us who long to hear it, relate that supreme conduct of the Goddess.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.10.1.5)

वर्णयस्व कृपासिन्धो येनाप्नोति सुखं महत् । श्रीनारायण उवाच । आकर्णय महर्षे त्वं चरितं पापनाशनम् ॥

varṇayasva kṛpāsindho yenāpnoti sukhaṁ mahat śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca ākarṇaya maharṣe tvaṁ caritaṁ pāpanāśanam

Describe it, O ocean of compassion, by which one obtains great happiness. Shri Narayana said: Listen, O great sage, to this sin-destroying account.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.10.1.6)

भक्तानां भक्तिजननं महासम्पत्तिकारकम् । जगद्योनिर्महातेजा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥

bhaktānāṁ bhaktijananaṁ mahāsampattikārakam jagadyonirmahātejā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ

It generates devotion in devotees and bestows great prosperity. Brahma — the womb of the universe, of great splendor, the grandsire of all worlds —

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.10.1.7)

आविरासीन्नाभिपद्माद्देवदेवस्य चक्रिणः । स चतुर्मुख आसाद्य प्रादुर्भावं महामते ॥

āvirāsīnnābhipadmāddevadevasya cakriṇaḥ sa caturmukha āsādya prādurbhāvaṁ mahāmate

— arose from the lotus-navel of the God of gods, the wielder of the discus. He, four-faced, having attained manifestation, O great-minded one —

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.10.1.8)

मनुं स्वायम्भुवं नाम जनयामास मानसात् । स मानसो मनुः पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः ॥

manuṁ svāyambhuvaṁ nāma janayāmāsa mānasāt sa mānaso manuḥ putro brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ

— begot from his mind a son named Manu Svayambhuva. That mind-born Manu was the son of Brahma, the Supreme Lord.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.10.1.9)

शतरूपां च तत्पत्नीं जज्ञे धर्मस्वरूपिणीम् । स मनुः क्षीरसिन्धोश्च तीरे परमपावने ॥

śatarūpāṁ ca tatpatnīṁ jajñe dharmasvarūpiṇīm sa manuḥ kṣīrasindhośca tīre paramapāvane

And he begot Shatarupa, who embodied dharma, as Manu's wife. That Manu, on the supremely sacred shore of the Ocean of Milk —

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.10.1.10)

देवीमाराधयामास महाभाग्यफलप्रदाम् । मूर्तिं च मृण्मयीं तस्या विधाय पृथिवीपतिः ॥

devīmārādhayāmāsa mahābhāgyaphalapradām mūrtiṁ ca mṛṇmayīṁ tasyā vidhāya pṛthivīpatiḥ

— worshipped the Goddess, giver of the fruit of great fortune. And that lord of the earth, having fashioned a clay image of her —

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.10.1.11)

उपासते स्म तां देवीं वाग्भवं स जपन् रहः । निराहारो जितश्वासो नियमव्रतकर्शितः ॥

upāsate sma tāṁ devīṁ vāgbhavaṁ sa japan rahaḥ nirāhāro jitaśvāso niyamavratakarśitaḥ

— worshipped that Goddess in seclusion, repeating the Vagbhava mantra, fasting, his breath controlled, emaciated by rules and vows.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.10.1.12)

एकपादेन सन्तिष्ठन् धरायामनिशं स्थिरः । शतवर्षं जितः कामः क्रोधस्तेन महात्मना ॥

ekapādena santiṣṭhan dharāyāmaniśaṁ sthiraḥ śatavarṣaṁ jitaḥ kāmaḥ krodhastena mahātmanā

Standing motionless on one foot upon the earth continuously for a hundred years, that great soul conquered desire and anger.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.10.1.13)

भेजे स्थावरतां देव्याश्चरणौ चिन्तयन् हृदि । तस्य तत्तपसा देवी प्रादुर्भूता जगन्मयी ॥

bheje sthāvaratāṁ devyāścaraṇau cintayan hṛdi tasya tattapasā devī prādurbhūtā jaganmayī

He took on the stillness of a tree, meditating in his heart on the Goddess's feet. By that austerity of his, the Goddess, whose form is the universe, appeared.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.10.1.14)

उवाच वचनं दिव्यं वरं वरय भूमिप । तत आनन्दजनकं श्रुत्वा वाक्यं महीपतिः ॥

uvāca vacanaṁ divyaṁ varaṁ varaya bhūmipa tata ānandajanakaṁ śrutvā vākyaṁ mahīpatiḥ

She spoke a divine word: 'Choose a boon, O lord of the earth.' Then the king, hearing that joy-giving speech —

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.10.1.15)

वरयामास तान् हृत्स्थान् वरानमरदुर्लभान् । मनुरुवाच । जय देवि विशालाक्षि जय सर्वान्तरस्थिते ॥

varayāmāsa tān hṛtsthān varānamaradurlabhān manuruvāca jaya devi viśālākṣi jaya sarvāntarasthite

— asked for those boons dwelling in his heart, boons hard even for the gods to attain. Manu said: 'Victory to you, O wide-eyed Goddess! Victory to you who dwell within all!'

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.10.1.16)

मान्ये पूज्ये जगद्धात्रि सर्वमङ्गलमङ्गले । त्वत्कटाक्षावलोकेन पद्मभूः सृजते जगत् ॥

mānye pūjye jagaddhātri sarvamaṅgalamaṅgale tvatkaṭākṣāvalokena padmabhūḥ sṛjate jagat

O venerable, worshipped one, sustainer of the world, the auspiciousness of all auspicious things! By the glance of your side-long look, the lotus-born Brahma creates the world.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.10.1.17)

वैकुण्ठः पालयत्येव हरः संहरते क्षणात् । शचीपतिस्त्रिलोक्याश्च शासको भवदाज्ञया ॥

vaikuṇṭhaḥ pālayatyeva haraḥ saṁharate kṣaṇāt śacīpatistrilokyāśca śāsako bhavadājñayā

Vaikuntha protects, Hara destroys in an instant, and the lord of Shachi rules the three worlds — all by your command.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.10.1.18)

प्राणिनः शिक्षयत्येव दण्डेन च परेतराट् । यादसामधिपः पाशी पालनं मादृशामपि ॥

prāṇinaḥ śikṣayatyeva daṇḍena ca paretarāṭ yādasāmadhipaḥ pāśī pālanaṁ mādṛśāmapi

The king of the departed disciplines beings with his rod, and the noose-bearing lord of the waters protects even ones like me —

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.10.1.19)

कुरुते स कुबेरोऽपि निधीनां पतिरव्ययः । हुतभुङ्नैरृतो वायुरीशानः शेष एव च ॥

kurute sa kubero'pi nidhīnāṁ patiravyayaḥ hutabhuṅnairṛto vāyurīśānaḥ śeṣa eva ca

— so too does imperishable Kubera, lord of treasures; and Agni, Nairrita, Vayu, Ishana, and Shesha as well —

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.10.1.20)

त्वदंशसम्भवा एव त्वच्छक्तिपरिबृंहिताः । अथापि यदि मे देवि वरो देयोऽस्ति साम्प्रतम् ॥

tvadaṁśasambhavā eva tvacchaktiparibṛṁhitāḥ athāpi yadi me devi varo deyo'sti sāmpratam

— all are born of a portion of you, sustained by your power. And now, O Goddess, if a boon is to be granted to me at this time —

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.10.1.21)

तदा प्रह्वाः सर्गकार्ये विघ्ना नश्यन्तु मे शिवे । वाग्भवस्यापि मन्त्रस्य ये केचिदुपसेविनः ॥

tadā prahvāḥ sargakārye vighnā naśyantu me śive vāgbhavasyāpi mantrasya ye kecidupasevinaḥ

— then, O auspicious one, let the obstacles in the work of creation perish for me. And whoever are the practitioners of the Vagbhava mantra —

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.10.1.22)

तेषां सिद्धिः सत्वरापि कार्याणां जायतामपि । ये संवादमिमं देवि पठन्ति श्रावयन्ति च ॥

teṣāṁ siddhiḥ satvarāpi kāryāṇāṁ jāyatāmapi ye saṁvādamimaṁ devi paṭhanti śrāvayanti ca

— may their tasks meet swift success. And, O Goddess, those who recite this dialogue or cause it to be heard —

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.10.1.23)

तेषां लोके भुक्तिमुक्ती सुलभे भवतां शिवे । जातिस्मरत्वं भवतु वक्तृत्वं सौष्ठवं तथा ॥

teṣāṁ loke bhuktimuktī sulabhe bhavatāṁ śive jātismaratvaṁ bhavatu vaktṛtvaṁ sauṣṭhavaṁ tathā

— for them, O auspicious one, may enjoyment and liberation become easily attainable in this world. May they have memory of past births, and eloquence and excellence in speech.

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.10.1.24)

ज्ञानसिद्धिः कर्ममार्गसंसिद्धिरपि चास्तु हि । पुत्रपौत्रसमृद्धिश्च जायेदित्येव मे वचः ॥

jñānasiddhiḥ karmamārgasaṁsiddhirapi cāstu hi putrapautrasamṛddhiśca jāyedityeva me vacaḥ

May they attain perfection in knowledge and accomplishment on the path of action, and may there be prosperity of sons and grandsons — such is my word.