The Greatness of Mahalakshmi

Verse 1 (skanda.6.85.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः। माधव्याः पद्मया दत्तो यः शापस्तस्य यत्फलम् ॥ परिणामोद्भवं सर्वं श्रुतमस्माभिरद्य तत्

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ mādhavyāḥ padmayā datto yaḥ śāpastasya yatphalam pariṇāmodbhavaṁ sarvaṁ śrutamasmābhiradya tat

The sages said: "We have now heard in full the fruit that came, in the end, from the curse that Padma (Lakshmi) laid upon Madhavi."

Verse 2 (skanda.6.85.2)

तेन यत्कमला शप्ता ब्राह्मणेन महात्मना ॥ सा कथं गज वक्त्राऽथ पुनर्जाता शुभानना

tena yatkamalā śaptā brāhmaṇena mahātmanā sā kathaṁ gaja vaktrā'tha punarjātā śubhānanā

"That Kamala who was cursed by the great brahmin and became elephant-faced—how did she then again become fair-faced? Tell us this."

Verse 3 (skanda.6.85.3)

सूत उवाच। शापेन तस्य विप्रस्य तत्क्षणादेव सा द्विजाः ॥ गजवक्त्रा समुत्पन्ना महाविस्मयकारिणी

sūta uvāca śāpena tasya viprasya tatkṣaṇādeva sā dvijāḥ gajavaktrā samutpannā mahāvismayakāriṇī

Suta said: O brahmins, by that brahmin's curse she instantly became elephant-faced, an event that caused the greatest astonishment.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.85.4)

सा प्रोक्ता हरिणा तिष्ठ किञ्चित्कालांतरे शुभे ॥ अनेनैव तु रूपेण यावत्स्याद्द्वापरक्षयः

sā proktā hariṇā tiṣṭha kiñcitkālāṁtare śubhe anenaiva tu rūpeṇa yāvatsyāddvāparakṣayaḥ

Hari said to her: "O gracious one, remain for some time in this very form, until the Dvapara age comes to its end."

Verse 5 (skanda.6.85.5)

ततोऽहं मेदिनीपृष्ठे ह्यवतीर्य समुद्रजे ॥ तपः शक्त्या करिष्यामि भूयस्त्वां तु शुभाननाम्

tato'haṁ medinīpṛṣṭhe hyavatīrya samudraje tapaḥ śaktyā kariṣyāmi bhūyastvāṁ tu śubhānanām

"Then, O daughter of the ocean, I shall descend to the earth and, through the power of austerity, make you fair-faced once again."

Verse 6 (skanda.6.85.6)

अवज्ञायाथ सा तस्य तद्वाक्यं शार्ङ्गधन्विनः ॥ शुभास्यत्वकृते तेपे तपस्तीव्रं सुहर्षिता

avajñāyātha sā tasya tadvākyaṁ śārṅgadhanvinaḥ śubhāsyatvakṛte tepe tapastīvraṁ suharṣitā

But she, disregarding those words of the bearer of the Sharnga bow, took up fierce austerity herself, joyfully, in order to regain her fair face.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.85.7)

एतत्क्षेत्रं समासाद्य त्रिकालं स्नानमाचरत्॥ ब्रह्माणं तोषयामास दिवारात्रिमतंद्रिता

etatkṣetraṁ samāsādya trikālaṁ snānamācarat brahmāṇaṁ toṣayāmāsa divārātrimataṁdritā

Arriving at this sacred place, she bathed thrice daily and, tirelessly, day and night, worked to please Brahma.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.85.8)

तामुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा वर्षांते तुष्टिमागतः ॥ वरं प्रार्थय तुष्टोऽहं तव केशववल्लभे

tāmuvāca tato brahmā varṣāṁte tuṣṭimāgataḥ varaṁ prārthaya tuṣṭo'haṁ tava keśavavallabhe

Then, at the end of a year, Brahma, well pleased, said to her: "O beloved of Keshava, I am satisfied with you; ask for a boon."

Verse 9 (skanda.6.85.9)

लक्ष्मीरुवाच। गजास्याहं कृता देव शापं दत्त्वा सुदारुणम् ॥ ब्राह्मणेन सुक्रुद्धेन कस्मिश्चित्कारणांतरे

lakṣmīruvāca gajāsyāhaṁ kṛtā deva śāpaṁ dattvā sudāruṇam brāhmaṇena sukruddhena kasmiścitkāraṇāṁtare

Lakshmi said: "O Lord, a certain brahmin, greatly angered over some other matter, gave me a most dreadful curse and made me elephant-faced."

Verse 10 (skanda.6.85.10)

तस्मात्तद्रूपिणीं भूयो मां कुरुष्व पितामह ॥ यदि मे तुष्टिमापन्नो नान्यत्किंचिद्वृणोम्यहम्

tasmāttadrūpiṇīṁ bhūyo māṁ kuruṣva pitāmaha yadi me tuṣṭimāpanno nānyatkiṁcidvṛṇomyaham

"Therefore, O Grandsire, if you are pleased with me, restore me again to that former form; I ask for nothing else."

Verse 11 (skanda.6.85.11)

ब्रह्मोवाच। भविष्यति शुभं वक्त्रं मत्प्रसादादसंशयम् ॥ तव भद्रे विशेषेण तस्मात्त्वं स्वगृहं व्रज

brahmovāca bhaviṣyati śubhaṁ vaktraṁ matprasādādasaṁśayam tava bhadre viśeṣeṇa tasmāttvaṁ svagṛhaṁ vraja

Brahma said: "O gracious one, by my grace your face shall surely become fair once more, especially so; therefore go now to your own abode."

Verse 12 (skanda.6.85.12)

महत्त्वं ते मया दत्तमद्यप्रभृति शोभने ॥ महालक्ष्मीति ते नाम तस्मादत्र भविष्यति

mahattvaṁ te mayā dattamadyaprabhṛti śobhane mahālakṣmīti te nāma tasmādatra bhaviṣyati

"O splendid one, from this day I have conferred greatness upon you; therefore your name here shall be Mahalakshmi."

Verse 13 (skanda.6.85.13)

गजवक्त्रां नरो यस्त्वां पूजयिष्यति भक्तितः ॥ स गजाधिपतिर्भूपो भविष्यति च भूतले

gajavaktrāṁ naro yastvāṁ pūjayiṣyati bhaktitaḥ sa gajādhipatirbhūpo bhaviṣyati ca bhūtale

"Whatever man worships you with devotion in your elephant-faced form shall become, on earth, a king who is lord of elephants."

Verse 14 (skanda.6.85.14)

द्वितीयादिवसे यस्त्वां महालक्ष्मीरिति ब्रुवन् ॥ श्रीसूक्तेन सुभक्त्याऽथ देवि संपूजयिष्यति

dvitīyādivase yastvāṁ mahālakṣmīriti bruvan śrīsūktena subhaktyā'tha devi saṁpūjayiṣyati

"O goddess, whoever on the second lunar day, invoking you as 'Mahalakshmi,' worships you well with true devotion through the Shri Sukta,"

Verse 15 (skanda.6.85.15)

सप्तजन्मांतराण्येव न भविष्यति सोऽधनः॥ एवमुक्त्वा चतुर्वक्त्रो विरराम ततः परम्

saptajanmāṁtarāṇyeva na bhaviṣyati so'dhanaḥ evamuktvā caturvaktro virarāma tataḥ param

"-- shall never be poor through seven successive births." Having said this, the four-faced Brahma fell silent.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.85.16)

साऽपि हृष्टा गता देवी यत्र तिष्ठति केशवः

sā'pi hṛṣṭā gatā devī yatra tiṣṭhati keśavaḥ

That goddess too, rejoicing, went to the place where Keshava dwelt.