How Worship of the Gods Removes All Calamity

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.9.36.1)

सावित्र्युवाच । धर्मराज महाभाग वेदवेदाङ्गपारग । नानापुराणेतिहासे यत्सारं तत्प्रदर्शय

sāvitryuvāca | dharmarāja mahābhāga vedavedāṅgapāraga | nānāpurāṇetihāse yatsāraṁ tatpradarśaya

Savitri said: O most fortunate Dharmaraja, master of the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences! Show me the essence contained within the various Puranas and Itihasas.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.9.36.2)

सर्वेषु सारभूतं यत्सर्वेष्टं सर्वसम्मतम् । कर्मच्छेदबीजरूपं प्रशस्तं सुखदं नृणाम्

sarveṣu sārabhūtaṁ yatsarveṣṭaṁ sarvasammatam | karmacchedabījarūpaṁ praśastaṁ sukhadaṁ nṛṇām

That which is the essence within all of them, desired by all, accepted by all — the very seed that severs karma, excellent and a source of happiness for men —

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.9.36.3)

सर्वप्रदं च सर्वेषां सर्वमङ्गलकारणम् । भयं दुःखं न पश्यन्ति येन वै सर्वमानवाः

sarvapradaṁ ca sarveṣāṁ sarvamaṅgalakāraṇam | bhayaṁ duḥkhaṁ na paśyanti yena vai sarvamānavāḥ

— that which grants everything to all, the cause of every auspiciousness, by which all men truly cease to see fear or sorrow —

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.9.36.4)

कुण्डानि ते न पश्यन्ति तेषु नैव पतन्ति च । न भवेद्येन जन्मादि तत्कर्म वद साम्प्रतम्

kuṇḍāni te na paśyanti teṣu naiva patanti ca | na bhavedyena janmādi tatkarma vada sāmpratam

— they do not see the hell-pits, nor do they fall into them; and that by which birth and rebirth cease altogether — please tell me that practice now.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.9.36.5)

किमाकाराणि कुण्डानि तानि वा निर्मितानि च । के च केनैव रूपेण तत्र तिष्ठन्ति पापिनः

kimākārāṇi kuṇḍāni tāni vā nirmitāni ca | ke ca kenaiva rūpeṇa tatra tiṣṭhanti pāpinaḥ

What is the shape of the hell-pits, and of what are they made? And who are the sinners, and in what form do they dwell there?

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.9.36.6)

स्वदेहे भस्मसाद्भूते याति लोकान्तरं नरः । केन देहेन वा भोगं करोति च शुभाशुभम्

svadehe bhasmasādbhūte yāti lokāntaraṁ naraḥ | kena dehena vā bhogaṁ karoti ca śubhāśubham

When a man's body has been reduced to ashes, he goes to another world — with what body, then, does he experience the fruit of good and evil?

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.9.36.7)

सुचिरं क्लेशभोगेन कथं देहो न नश्यति । देहो वा किंविधो ब्रह्मंस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि

suciraṁ kleśabhogena kathaṁ deho na naśyati | deho vā kiṁvidho brahmaṁstanme vyākhyātumarhasi

How does the body not perish, despite enduring suffering for so long a time? O Brahman, what kind of body is it? Please explain this to me.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.9.36.8)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । सावित्रीवचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मराजो हरिं स्मरन् । कथां कथितुमारेभे कर्मबन्धनिकृन्तनीम्

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | sāvitrīvacanaṁ śrutvā dharmarājo hariṁ smaran | kathāṁ kathitumārebhe karmabandhanikṛntanīm

Sri Narayana said: Having heard Savitri's words, Dharmaraja, remembering Hari, began to relate the account that severs the bonds of karma.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.9.36.9)

धर्मराज उवाच । वत्से चतुर्षु वेदेषु धर्मेषु संहितासु च । पुराणेष्वितिहासेषु पाञ्चरात्रादिकेषु च

dharmarāja uvāca | vatse caturṣu vedeṣu dharmeṣu saṁhitāsu ca | purāṇeṣvitihāseṣu pāñcarātrādikeṣu ca

Dharmaraja said: My child, in the four Vedas, in the dharma-shastras and the Samhitas; in the Puranas, the Itihasas, and the Pancharatra texts and the like;

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.9.36.10)

अन्येषु धर्मशास्त्रेषु वेदाङ्गेषु च सुव्रते । सर्वेष्टं सारभूतं च पञ्चदेवानुसेवनम्

anyeṣu dharmaśāstreṣu vedāṅgeṣu ca suvrate | sarveṣṭaṁ sārabhūtaṁ ca pañcadevānusevanam

— O faithful one, and in other dharma-shastras and the Vedangas — that which is desired by all, the very essence, is the devoted worship of the five gods.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.9.36.11)

जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिशोकसन्तापनाशनम् । सर्वमङ्गलरूपं च परमानन्दकारणम्

janmamṛtyujarāvyādhiśokasantāpanāśanam | sarvamaṅgalarūpaṁ ca paramānandakāraṇam

This worship destroys birth, death, old age, disease, grief, and torment; it is itself the form of all auspiciousness, and the cause of supreme bliss.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.9.36.12)

कारणं सर्वसिद्धीनां नरकार्णवतारणम् । भक्तिवृक्षाङ्कुरकरं कर्मवृक्षनिकृन्तनम्

kāraṇaṁ sarvasiddhīnāṁ narakārṇavatāraṇam | bhaktivṛkṣāṅkurakaraṁ karmavṛkṣanikṛntanam

It is the cause of every siddhi, the means of crossing the ocean of hell; it sprouts the seedling of the tree of devotion, and it fells the tree of karma.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.9.36.13)

विमोक्षसोपानमिदमविनाशपदं स्मृतम् । सालोक्यसार्ष्टिसारूप्यसामीप्यादिप्रदं शुभम्

vimokṣasopānamidamavināśapadaṁ smṛtam | sālokyasārṣṭisārūpyasāmīpyādipradaṁ śubham

This is remembered as the staircase of liberation, the imperishable state; it is auspicious, bestowing salokya, sarshti, sarupya, samipya, and the like — the various grades of nearness to the divine.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.9.36.14)

कुण्डानि यमदूतैश्च रक्षितानि सदा शुभे । न हि पश्यन्ति स्वप्ने च पञ्चदेवार्चका नराः

kuṇḍāni yamadūtaiśca rakṣitāni sadā śubhe | na hi paśyanti svapne ca pañcadevārcakā narāḥ

O auspicious one, the hell-pits are ever guarded by Yama's messengers; but men who worship the five gods never see them, even in a dream.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.9.36.15)

देवीभक्तिविहीना ये ते पश्यन्ति ममालयम् । यान्ति ये हरितीर्थं वा श्रयन्ति हरिवासरम्

devībhaktivihīnā ye te paśyanti mamālayam | yānti ye haritīrthaṁ vā śrayanti harivāsaram

Those devoid of devotion to the Goddess behold my abode. But those who go to Hari's sacred waters, or who observe the day of Hari (Ekadashi) —

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.9.36.16)

प्रणमन्ति हरिं नित्यं हर्यर्चां कल्पयन्ति च । न यान्ति तेऽपि घोरां च मम संयमिनीं पुरीम्

praṇamanti hariṁ nityaṁ haryarcāṁ kalpayanti ca | na yānti te'pi ghorāṁ ca mama saṁyaminīṁ purīm

— who daily bow to Hari and set up his image for worship — they too do not go to my dreadful city of Samyamani.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.9.36.17)

त्रिसन्धिपूता विप्राश्च शुद्धाचारसमन्विताः । निवृत्तिं नैव लप्स्यन्ति देवीसेवां विना नराः

trisandhipūtā viprāśca śuddhācārasamanvitāḥ | nivṛttiṁ naiva lapsyanti devīsevāṁ vinā narāḥ

Even brahmins purified by the threefold sandhya, endowed with pure conduct — men will never attain liberation without service to the Goddess.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.9.36.18)

स्वधर्मनिरताचाराः स्वधर्मनिरतास्तथा । गच्छन्तो मृत्युलोकं च दुर्दृशा मम किङ्कराः

svadharmaniratācārāḥ svadharmaniratāstathā | gacchanto mṛtyulokaṁ ca durdṛśā mama kiṅkarāḥ

Those devoted in conduct to their own dharma, and likewise devoted to their own dharma — as they pass through the world of death, my servants are scarcely visible to them.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.9.36.19)

भीताः शिवोपासकेभ्यो वैनतेयादिवोरगाः । स्वदूतं पाशहस्तं च गच्छन्तं वारयाम्यहम्

bhītāḥ śivopāsakebhyo vainateyādivoragāḥ | svadūtaṁ pāśahastaṁ ca gacchantaṁ vārayāmyaham

Fearful of Shiva's worshippers, as serpents are fearful of Garuda and the like — I myself restrain my own noose-bearing messenger from approaching them.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.9.36.20)

यास्यन्ति ते च सर्वत्र हरिदासाश्रमं विना । कृष्णमन्त्रोपासकाच्च वैनतेयादिवोरगाः

yāsyanti te ca sarvatra haridāsāśramaṁ vinā | kṛṣṇamantropāsakācca vainateyādivoragāḥ

They — my messengers — go everywhere, except into the hermitage of Hari's servants; and, like serpents fleeing Garuda, they flee from the worshipper of the Krishna-mantra.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.9.36.21)

देवीमन्त्रोपासकानां नाम्नाञ्चैव निकृन्तनम् । करोति नखलेखन्या चित्रगुप्तश्च भीतवत्

devīmantropāsakānāṁ nāmnāñcaiva nikṛntanam | karoti nakhalekhanyā citraguptaśca bhītavat

As for the names of the worshippers of the Devi-mantra, Chitragupta himself, as though frightened, strikes them out with his fingernail from the record of sins.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.9.36.22)

मधुपर्कादिकं तेषां कुरुते च पुनः पुनः । विलङ्घ्य ब्रह्मलोकं च लोकं गच्छन्ति ते सति

madhuparkādikaṁ teṣāṁ kurute ca punaḥ punaḥ | vilaṅghya brahmalokaṁ ca lokaṁ gacchanti te sati

He performs the madhuparka welcome-ceremony for them again and again. O virtuous one, passing even beyond Brahmaloka, they go to that supreme world.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.9.36.23)

दुरितानि च नश्यन्ति येषां संस्पर्शमात्रतः । ते महाभाग्यवन्तो हि सहस्रकुलपावनाः

duritāni ca naśyanti yeṣāṁ saṁsparśamātrataḥ | te mahābhāgyavanto hi sahasrakulapāvanāḥ

Sins are destroyed by their mere touch; they are indeed most fortunate, purifiers of a thousand generations of their lineage.

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.9.36.24)

यथा च प्रज्वलद्वह्नौ शुष्कानि च तृणानि च । प्राप्नोति मोहः सम्मोहं तांश्च दृष्ट्वा च भीतवत्

yathā ca prajvaladvahnau śuṣkāni ca tṛṇāni ca | prāpnoti mohaḥ sammohaṁ tāṁśca dṛṣṭvā ca bhītavat

As dry grass is consumed in a blazing fire, so does delusion itself become utterly confounded, and, as if afraid, flees on seeing them —

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.9.36.25)

कामश्च कामिनं याति लोभक्रोधौ ततः सति । मृत्युः प्रलीयते रोगो जरा शोको भयं तथा

kāmaśca kāminaṁ yāti lobhakrodhau tataḥ sati | mṛtyuḥ pralīyate rogo jarā śoko bhayaṁ tathā

— and desire itself departs from the desirous man; likewise greed and anger, O virtuous one. Death dissolves away, and disease, old age, grief, and fear likewise;

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.9.36.26)

कालः शुभाशुभं कर्म हर्षो भोगस्तथैव च । ये ये न यान्ति तां पीडां कथितास्ते मया सति

kālaḥ śubhāśubhaṁ karma harṣo bhogastathaiva ca | ye ye na yānti tāṁ pīḍāṁ kathitāste mayā sati

— time itself, good and bad karma, joy, and worldly enjoyment likewise. O virtuous one, I have now told you of those who never come to that torment.

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.9.36.27)

शृणु देहविवरणं कथयामि यथागमम् । पृथिवी वायुराकाशस्तेजस्तोयमिति स्फुटम्

śṛṇu dehavivaraṇaṁ kathayāmi yathāgamam | pṛthivī vāyurākāśastejastoyamiti sphuṭam

Now hear the description of the body; I shall tell it according to scripture. Earth, air, ether, fire, and water — these, clearly,

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.9.36.28)

देहिनां देहबीजं च स्रष्टृसृष्टिविधौ परम् । पृथिव्यादिपञ्जभूतैर्यो देहो निर्मितो भवेत्

dehināṁ dehabījaṁ ca sraṣṭṛsṛṣṭividhau param | pṛthivyādipañjabhūtairyo deho nirmito bhavet

— are the very seed of the body for embodied beings, supreme in the Creator's ordinance of creation. The body formed from these five elements, beginning with earth —

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.9.36.29)

स कृत्रिमो नश्वरश्च भस्मसाच्च भवेदिह । बद्धोऽङ्गुष्ठप्रमाणश्च यो जीवः पुरुषः कृतः

sa kṛtrimo naśvaraśca bhasmasācca bhavediha | baddho'ṅguṣṭhapramāṇaśca yo jīvaḥ puruṣaḥ kṛtaḥ

— that body is artificial and perishable, and here it is reduced to ashes. But the soul, bound and thumb-sized, fashioned as the inner person —

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.9.36.30)

बिभर्ति सूक्ष्मं देहं तं तद्रूपं भोगहेतवे । स देहो न भवेद्भस्म ज्वलदग्नौ ममालये

bibharti sūkṣmaṁ dehaṁ taṁ tadrūpaṁ bhogahetave | sa deho na bhavedbhasma jvaladagnau mamālaye

— bears a subtle body of that same form, for the sake of experience. That subtle body does not turn to ash, even in the blazing fire of my abode.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.9.36.31)

जलेन नष्टो देही वा प्रहारे सुचिरं कृते । न शस्त्रेण न वास्त्रेण सुतीक्ष्णकण्टके तथा

jalena naṣṭo dehī vā prahāre suciraṁ kṛte | na śastreṇa na vāstreṇa sutīkṣṇakaṇṭake tathā

The embodied soul is not destroyed by water, nor by being struck for a very long time, neither by weapon nor by missile, nor upon exceedingly sharp thorns;

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.9.36.32)

तप्तद्रवे तप्तलोहे तप्तपाषाण एव च । प्रतप्तप्रतिमाश्लेषे यत्पूर्वपतनेऽपि च

taptadrave taptalohe taptapāṣāṇa eva ca | prataptapratimāśleṣe yatpūrvapatane'pi ca

— nor in boiling liquid, nor upon heated iron, nor upon a burning stone; nor in an embrace with a red-hot image, nor even in a fall from a great height —

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.9.36.33)

न दग्धो न च भग्नः स भुङ्क्ते सन्तापमेव च । कथितो देहवृत्तान्तः कारणं च यथागमम् । कुण्डानां लक्षणं सर्वं बोधाय कथयामि ते

na dagdho na ca bhagnaḥ sa bhuṅkte santāpameva ca | kathito dehavṛttāntaḥ kāraṇaṁ ca yathāgamam | kuṇḍānāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ sarvaṁ bodhāya kathayāmi te

— it is neither burned nor broken; it merely undergoes the suffering. Thus has the account of the body and its cause been told, according to scripture. Now, for your understanding, I shall tell you the complete description of the pits.