The Account of Chakshusha Manu

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.10.9.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । अथातः श्रूयतां चित्रं देवीमाहाक्त्यमुत्तमम् । अङ्गपुत्रेण मनुना यथाऽऽप्तं राज्यमुत्तमम् ॥

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca athātaḥ śrūyatāṁ citraṁ devīmāhāktyamuttamam aṅgaputreṇa manunā yathā''ptaṁ rājyamuttamam

Shri Narayana said: Now hear this wondrous, supreme greatness of the Goddess — how by Manu, the son of Anga, an excellent kingdom was obtained.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.10.9.2)

अङ्गस्य राज्ञः पुत्रोऽभूच्चाक्षुषो मनुरुत्तमः । षष्ठः सुपुलहं नाम ब्रह्मर्षिं शरणं गतः ॥

aṅgasya rājñaḥ putro'bhūccākṣuṣo manuruttamaḥ ṣaṣṭhaḥ supulahaṁ nāma brahmarṣiṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ

Chakshusha, the excellent sixth Manu, was the son of King Anga. He took refuge in the brahmarshi Pulaha.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.10.9.3)

ब्रह्मर्षे त्वामहं प्राप्तः शरणं प्रणतार्तिहन् । शाधि मां किङ्करंस्वामिन् येनाहं प्राप्नुयां श्रियम् ॥

brahmarṣe tvāmahaṁ prāptaḥ śaraṇaṁ praṇatārtihan śādhi māṁ kiṅkaraṁsvāmin yenāhaṁ prāpnuyāṁ śriyam

'O brahmarshi, remover of the suffering of those who bow to you, I have come to you for refuge. Instruct me, your servant, O lord, so that I may attain prosperity —'

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.10.9.4)

मेदिन्याश्चाधिपत्यं मे स्याद्यथावदखण्डितम् । अव्याहतं भुजबलं शस्त्रास्त्रनिपुणं क्षमम् ॥

medinyāścādhipatyaṁ me syādyathāvadakhaṇḍitam avyāhataṁ bhujabalaṁ śastrāstranipuṇaṁ kṣamam

'— may sovereignty over the earth be mine, complete and unbroken, my arm's strength unhindered, skilled and capable in weapons and missiles —'

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.10.9.5)

सन्ततिश्चिरकालीनाप्यखण्डं वय उत्तमम् । अन्तेऽपवर्गलाभश्च स्यात्तथोपदिशाद्य मे ॥

santatiścirakālīnāpyakhaṇḍaṁ vaya uttamam ante'pavargalābhaśca syāttathopadiśādya me

'— a long-enduring, unbroken and excellent life-span, and at the end, the attainment of liberation as well — instruct me in this today.'

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.10.9.6)

इत्येवं वचनं तस्य मनोः कर्णपथेऽभवत् । प्रत्युवाच मुनिः श्रीमान् देव्याः संराधनं परम् ॥

ityevaṁ vacanaṁ tasya manoḥ karṇapathe'bhavat pratyuvāca muniḥ śrīmān devyāḥ saṁrādhanaṁ param

Thus these words of Manu reached the sage's ears; and that glorious sage replied concerning the supreme worship of the Goddess.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.10.9.7)

राजन्नाकर्णय वचो मम श्रोत्रसुखं महत् । शिवामाराधयाद्य त्वं तत्प्रसादादिदं भवेत् ॥

rājannākarṇaya vaco mama śrotrasukhaṁ mahat śivāmārādhayādya tvaṁ tatprasādādidaṁ bhavet

'O king, listen to my words, greatly pleasing to the ear. Worship Shiva, the Goddess, today; by her grace, this shall come to pass.'

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.10.9.8)

चाक्षुष उवाच । कीदृगाराधनं देव्यास्तस्याः परमपावनम् । केनाकारेण कर्तव्यं कारुण्याद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥

cākṣuṣa uvāca kīdṛgārādhanaṁ devyāstasyāḥ paramapāvanam kenākāreṇa kartavyaṁ kāruṇyādvaktumarhasi

Chakshusha said: 'What kind of worship of the Goddess is that supremely purifying one? In what manner is it to be performed? Out of compassion, please tell me.'

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.10.9.9)

मुनिरुवाच । राजन्नाकर्ण्यतां देव्याः पूजनं परमव्ययम् । वाग्भवं बीजमव्यक्तं सञ्जप्यमनिशं तथा ॥

muniruvāca rājannākarṇyatāṁ devyāḥ pūjanaṁ paramavyayam vāgbhavaṁ bījamavyaktaṁ sañjapyamaniśaṁ tathā

The sage said: 'O king, listen to the worship of the Goddess, supremely imperishable. The unmanifest seed-mantra Vagbhava is to be silently repeated without cease —'

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.10.9.10)

त्रिकालं सञ्जपन्मर्त्यो भुक्तिमुक्ती लभेत्तु हि । न बीजं वाग्भवादन्यदस्ति राजन्यनन्दन ॥

trikālaṁ sañjapanmartyo bhuktimuktī labhettu hi na bījaṁ vāgbhavādanyadasti rājanyanandana

'— a mortal who repeats it at the three junctures of the day surely obtains both enjoyment and liberation. There is no seed-mantra other than Vagbhava, O prince —'

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.10.9.11)

जपात्सिद्धिकरं वीर्यबलवृद्धिकरं परम् । एतस्य जापात्पाद्मोऽपि सृष्टिकर्ता महाबलः ॥

japātsiddhikaraṁ vīryabalavṛddhikaraṁ param etasya jāpātpādmo'pi sṛṣṭikartā mahābalaḥ

'— that, through japa, bestows accomplishment, and grants supreme increase of vigor and strength. By the japa of this, even the lotus-born, mighty creator —'

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.10.9.12)

विष्णुर्यज्जपतः सृष्टिपालकः परिकीर्तितः । महेश्वरोऽपि संहर्ता यज्जपादभवन्नृप ॥

viṣṇuryajjapataḥ sṛṣṭipālakaḥ parikīrtitaḥ maheśvaro'pi saṁhartā yajjapādabhavannṛpa

'— Vishnu, by whose japa he is renowned as the preserver of creation; Maheshvara too, by whose japa he became the destroyer, O king —'

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.10.9.13)

लोकपालास्तथान्येऽपि निग्रहानुग्रहक्षमाः । यदाश्रयादभूवंस्ते बलवीर्यमदोद्धताः ॥

lokapālāstathānye'pi nigrahānugrahakṣamāḥ yadāśrayādabhūvaṁste balavīryamadoddhatāḥ

'— and the other guardians of the world likewise, capable of both punishment and favor — by resort to which they became swollen with strength and pride of prowess —'

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.10.9.14)

एवं त्वमपि राजन्य महेशीं जगदम्बिकाम् । समाराध्य महर्द्धिं च लप्स्यसेऽचिरकालतः ॥

evaṁ tvamapi rājanya maheśīṁ jagadambikām samārādhya maharddhiṁ ca lapsyase'cirakālataḥ

'— so you too, O prince, having worshipped the great Goddess Jagadambika, shall attain great prosperity before long.'

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.10.9.15)

एवं स मुनिवर्येण पुलहेन प्रबोधितः । अङ्गपुत्रस्तपस्तप्तुं जगाम विरजां नदीम् ॥

evaṁ sa munivaryeṇa pulahena prabodhitaḥ aṅgaputrastapastaptuṁ jagāma virajāṁ nadīm

Thus instructed by the excellent sage Pulaha, the son of Anga went to perform austerity by the river Viraja.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.10.9.16)

स च तेपे तपस्तीव्रं वाग्भवस्य जपे रतः । बीजस्य पृथिवीपालः शीर्णपर्णाशनो विभुः ॥

sa ca tepe tapastīvraṁ vāgbhavasya jape rataḥ bījasya pṛthivīpālaḥ śīrṇaparṇāśano vibhuḥ

He performed severe austerity, devoted to the japa of the Vagbhava seed-mantra — that mighty protector of the earth, eating withered leaves.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.10.9.17)

प्रथमेऽब्दे पल्लवाशो द्वितीये तोयभक्षणः । तृतीयेऽब्दे पवनभुक् तस्थौ स्थाणुरिवाचलः ॥

prathame'bde pallavāśo dvitīye toyabhakṣaṇaḥ tṛtīye'bde pavanabhuk tasthau sthāṇurivācalaḥ

In the first year he ate only sprouts, in the second he drank only water, in the third he subsisted on air alone, standing motionless like a post.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.10.9.18)

एवं द्वादश वर्षाणि त्यक्ताहारस्य भूभुजः । वाग्भवं जपतो नित्यं मतिरासीच्छुभान्विता ॥

evaṁ dvādaśa varṣāṇi tyaktāhārasya bhūbhujaḥ vāgbhavaṁ japato nityaṁ matirāsīcchubhānvitā

Thus, for twelve years, that king, having abandoned food, ever repeating the Vagbhava mantra, his mind remained filled with auspiciousness.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.10.9.19)

तथा च देव्याः परमं मन्त्रं सज्जपतो रहः । प्रादुरासीज्जगन्माता साक्षाच्छ्रीपरमेश्वरी ॥

tathā ca devyāḥ paramaṁ mantraṁ sajjapato rahaḥ prādurāsījjaganmātā sākṣācchrīparameśvarī

And so, as he silently repeated in solitude that supreme mantra of the Goddess, the Mother of the world appeared directly — Shri Parameshvari herself.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.10.9.20)

तेजोमयी दुराधर्षा सर्वदेवमयीश्वरी । उवाचाङ्गतनूजं तं प्रसन्ना ललिताक्षरम् ॥

tejomayī durādharṣā sarvadevamayīśvarī uvācāṅgatanūjaṁ taṁ prasannā lalitākṣaram

— full of splendor, unassailable, the sovereign composed of all the gods; pleased, she spoke to that son of Anga in sweet syllables.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.10.9.21)

देव्युवाच । पृथिवीपाल ते यत्स्याच्चिन्तितं परमं वरम् । तद् ब्रूहि सम्प्रदास्यामि तपसा ते सुतोषिता ॥

devyuvāca pṛthivīpāla te yatsyāccintitaṁ paramaṁ varam tad brūhi sampradāsyāmi tapasā te sutoṣitā

The Goddess said: 'O protector of the earth, whatever supreme boon you have desired, tell it — I shall grant it, well pleased by your austerity.'

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.10.9.22)

चाक्षुष उवाच । जानासि देवदेवेशि यत्प्रार्थ्यं मनसेप्सितम् । अन्तर्यामिस्वरूपेण तत्सर्वं देवपूजिते ॥

cākṣuṣa uvāca jānāsi devadeveśi yatprārthyaṁ manasepsitam antaryāmisvarūpeṇa tatsarvaṁ devapūjite

Chakshusha said: 'O sovereign of the gods, you know, as the very form of the inner witness, whatever is to be prayed for and desired in the mind — all that, O worshipped one —'

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.10.9.23)

तथापि मम भाग्येन जातं यत्तव दर्शनम् । ब्रवीमि देवि मे देहि राज्यं मन्वन्तराश्रितम् ॥

tathāpi mama bhāgyena jātaṁ yattava darśanam bravīmi devi me dehi rājyaṁ manvantarāśritam

'— even so, since by my good fortune this vision of you has come to pass, I shall speak: O Goddess, grant me a kingdom belonging to a manvantara.'

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.10.9.24)

देव्युवाच । दत्तं मन्वन्तरस्यास्य राज्यं राजन्यसत्तम । पुत्रा महाबलास्ते च भविष्यन्ति गुणाधिकाः ॥

devyuvāca dattaṁ manvantarasyāsya rājyaṁ rājanyasattama putrā mahābalāste ca bhaviṣyanti guṇādhikāḥ

The Goddess said: 'The kingdom of this manvantara is granted, O best of princes. And your sons, of great strength, shall be endowed with excellent virtues.'

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.10.9.25)

राज्यं निष्कण्टकं भावि मोक्षोऽन्ते चापि निश्चितः । एवं दत्त्वा परं देवी मनवे वरमुत्तमम् ॥

rājyaṁ niṣkaṇṭakaṁ bhāvi mokṣo'nte cāpi niścitaḥ evaṁ dattvā paraṁ devī manave varamuttamam

'Your kingdom shall be free of thorns, and at the end liberation too is assured.' Having thus granted this supreme boon to Manu, the Goddess —

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.10.9.26)

जगामादर्शनं सद्यस्तेन भक्त्या च संस्तुता । सोऽपि राजा मनुः षष्ठः प्रसादात्तु तदाश्रयात् ॥

jagāmādarśanaṁ sadyastena bhaktyā ca saṁstutā so'pi rājā manuḥ ṣaṣṭhaḥ prasādāttu tadāśrayāt

— vanished from his sight at once, having been praised by him with devotion. And that king, the sixth Manu, by that grace and by that refuge —

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.10.9.27)

बभूव मनुमान्योऽसौ सार्वभौमसुखैर्वृतः । पुत्रास्तस्य बलोद्युक्ताः कार्यभारसहादृताः ॥

babhūva manumānyo'sau sārvabhaumasukhairvṛtaḥ putrāstasya balodyuktāḥ kāryabhārasahādṛtāḥ

— became honored as Manu, surrounded by pleasures fit for a universal sovereign. His sons, devoted to strength, capable of bearing the burden of their duties —

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.10.9.28)

देवीभक्ताश्च शूराश्च महाबलपराक्रमाः । अन्यत्र माननीयाश्च महाराज्यसुखास्पदाः ॥

devībhaktāśca śūrāśca mahābalaparākramāḥ anyatra mānanīyāśca mahārājyasukhāspadāḥ

— devoted to the Goddess and heroic, of great strength and prowess, honored even elsewhere, the seat of the pleasures of a great kingdom.

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.10.9.29)

एवं च चाक्षुषमनुर्देव्याराधनतः प्रभुः । बभूव मनुवर्योऽसौ जगामान्ते शिवापदम् ॥

evaṁ ca cākṣuṣamanurdevyārādhanataḥ prabhuḥ babhūva manuvaryo'sau jagāmānte śivāpadam

Thus Chakshusha Manu, that lord, through worship of the Goddess, became an excellent Manu, and at the end went to the auspicious abode of Shiva.