The Glory of Kantakashoshini

Verse 1 (skanda.7.317.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि देवीं कंटकशोषिणीम्। उत्तरेण देवकुलाद्दक्षिणेनोन्नतात्स्थितात्

īśvara uvāca| tato gacchenmahādevi devīṁ kaṁtakaśoṣiṇīm| uttareṇa devakulāddakṣiṇenonnatātsthitāt

Ishvara said: Then, O great Goddess, one should go to the Goddess Kantakashoshini, situated to the north of Devakula and to the south of Unnata.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.317.2)

तस्योत्पत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु ह्येकमनाः प्रिये। उन्नताद्दक्षिणे भागे यजंते द्विजसत्तमाः

tasyotpattiṁ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇu hyekamanāḥ priye| unnatāddakṣiṇe bhāge yajaṁte dvijasattamāḥ

I shall tell of her origin; listen, O beloved, with single-minded attention. In the region south of Unnata, the best of the twice-born perform sacrifices.

Verse 3 (skanda.7.317.3)

भृगुरत्रिर्मरीचिश्च भरद्वाजोऽथ कश्यपः। कण्वो मंकिश्च सावर्णिर्जातूकर्ण्यस्तथैव च

bhṛguratrirmarīciśca bharadvājo'tha kaśyapaḥ| kaṇvo maṁkiśca sāvarṇirjātūkarṇyastathaiva ca

Bhrigu, Atri, Marichi, Bharadvaja, then Kashyapa, Kanva, Manki, Savarni, and Jatukarnya as well—

Verse 4 (skanda.7.317.4)

वत्सश्चैव वसिष्ठश्च पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः। मनुर्यमोऽङ्गिरा विष्णुः शातातपपराशरौ

vatsaścaiva vasiṣṭhaśca pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ| manuryamo'ṅgirā viṣṇuḥ śātātapaparāśarau

—Vatsa, Vasishtha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Manu, Yama, Angiras, Vishnu, Shatatapa, and Parashara—

Verse 5 (skanda.7.317.5)

शांडिल्यः कौशिकश्चैव गौतमो गार्ग्य एव च। दाल्भ्यश्च शौनकश्चैव शाकल्यो गालवस्तथा

śāṁḍilyaḥ kauśikaścaiva gautamo gārgya eva ca| dālbhyaśca śaunakaścaiva śākalyo gālavastathā

—Shandilya, Kaushika, Gautama, Gargya, Dalbhya, Shaunaka, Shakalya, and Galava—

Verse 6 (skanda.7.317.6)

जाबालिर्मुद्गलश्चैव ऋष्यशृंगो विभांडकः। विश्वामित्रः शतानंदो जह्नुर्विश्वावसुस्तथा

jābālirmudgalaścaiva ṛṣyaśṛṁgo vibhāṁḍakaḥ| viśvāmitraḥ śatānaṁdo jahnurviśvāvasustathā

—Jabali, Mudgala, Rishyashringa, Vibhandaka, Vishvamitra, Shatananda, Jahnu, and Vishvavasu—

Verse 7 (skanda.7.317.7)

एते चान्ये च मुनयो यजंते विविधैर्मखैः। यज्ञवाटं च निर्माय ऋषितोयातटे शुभे

ete cānye ca munayo yajaṁte vividhairmakhaiḥ| yajñavāṭaṁ ca nirmāya ṛṣitoyātaṭe śubhe

—these and other sages perform sacrifices with various rites, having constructed a sacrificial enclosure on the auspicious bank of the Rishitoya.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.317.8)

देवगन्धर्वनृत्यैश्च वेणुवीणानिनादितम्। वेदध्वनितघोषेण यज्ञहोमाग्निहोत्रजैः

devagandharvanṛtyaiśca veṇuvīṇānināditam| vedadhvanitaghoṣeṇa yajñahomāgnihotrajaiḥ

That place resounded with the dances of gods and Gandharvas, with the sounds of flute and vina, with the loud chanting of Vedic recitation, and with sounds arising from the sacrificial oblations, the homa, and the fire-offering.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.317.9)

धूपैः समावृतं सर्वमाज्यगंधिभिरर्चितम्। शोभितं मुनिभिर्दिव्यैश्चातुर्वेद्यैर्द्विजोत्तमैः

dhūpaiḥ samāvṛtaṁ sarvamājyagaṁdhibhirarcitam| śobhitaṁ munibhirdivyaiścāturvedyairdvijottamaiḥ

The whole place was enveloped in incense, worshipped with the fragrance of ghee, and adorned by divine sages, best of the twice-born, versed in the four Vedas.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.317.10)

एवंविधं प्रदेशं तु दृष्ट्वा दैत्या महाबलाः। समुद्रमध्यादायाता यज्ञविध्वंसहेतवे

evaṁvidhaṁ pradeśaṁ tu dṛṣṭvā daityā mahābalāḥ| samudramadhyādāyātā yajñavidhvaṁsahetave

Seeing such a region, mighty Daityas came from the midst of the ocean for the purpose of destroying the sacrifice.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.317.11)

मायाविनो महाकायाः श्यामवर्णा महोदराः। लंबभ्रूश्मश्रुनासाग्रा रक्ताक्षा रक्तमूर्धजाः

māyāvino mahākāyāḥ śyāmavarṇā mahodarāḥ| laṁbabhrūśmaśrunāsāgrā raktākṣā raktamūrdhajāḥ

They were illusion-wielders, of huge bodies, dark-complexioned, big-bellied, with long eyebrows, beards, and nose-tips, red-eyed, and red-haired.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.317.12)

यज्ञं समागताः सर्वे दैत्याश्चैव वरानने। तान्दृष्ट्वा मुनयः सर्वे रौद्ररूपान्भयंकरान्

yajñaṁ samāgatāḥ sarve daityāścaiva varānane| tāndṛṣṭvā munayaḥ sarve raudrarūpānbhayaṁkarān

O fair-faced one, all those Daityas came to the sacrifice. Seeing them in their fearsome, terrible forms, all the sages—

Verse 13 (skanda.7.317.13)

केचिन्निपतिता भूमौ तथान्ये ऽग्नौ स्रुचीकराः। पत्नीशालां समाविष्टा हविर्धानं तथा परे

kecinnipatitā bhūmau tathānye'gnau srucīkarāḥ| patnīśālāṁ samāviṣṭā havirdhānaṁ tathā pare

—some fell to the ground; others, still holding the sacrificial ladle, fled into the fire-hall; some entered the wives' pavilion, and others the storehouse of oblations.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.317.14)

ऋत्विजस्तु सदोमध्ये स्थिता वाचंयमास्तथा

ṛtvijastu sadomadhye sthitā vācaṁyamāstathā

But the officiating priests remained standing in the midst of the sacrificial hall, silent, restraining their speech.

Verse 15 (skanda.7.317.15)

एवं देवि यदा वृत्तं मुनीनां च महात्मनाम्। तदाध्वर्युर्महातेजा धैर्यमालम्ब्य सादरः

evaṁ devi yadā vṛttaṁ munīnāṁ ca mahātmanām| tadādhvaryurmahātejā dhairyamālambya sādaraḥ

O Goddess, when this had happened among the great-souled sages, then the Adhvaryu priest, of great splendor, respectfully taking hold of courage—

Verse 16 (skanda.7.317.16)

अग्निहोत्रं हविष्यं च हविर्विन्यस्य मन्त्रवित्। सुसमिद्धं जुहावाग्निं रक्षसां नाशहेतवे

agnihotraṁ haviṣyaṁ ca havirvinyasya mantravit| susamiddhaṁ juhāvāgniṁ rakṣasāṁ nāśahetave

—the one versed in mantras, having placed the Agnihotra oblation into the fire, offered oblation into the well-kindled flame for the destruction of the demons.

Verse 17 (skanda.7.317.17)

हुते हविषि देवेशि तत्क्षणादेव चोत्थिता। शक्तिः शक्तित्रिशूलाढ्या चर्महस्ता महोज्ज्वला

hute haviṣi deveśi tatkṣaṇādeva cotthitā| śaktiḥ śaktitriśūlāḍhyā carmahastā mahojjvalā

O Devesi, when the oblation was offered, at that very instant there arose a Power, armed with spear and trident, shield in hand, greatly resplendent.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.317.18)

तया ते निहता दैत्या यज्ञविध्वंसकारिणः। ततस्तां विविधैः स्तोत्रैर्मुनयस्तुष्टुवुस्तदा

tayā te nihatā daityā yajñavidhvaṁsakāriṇaḥ| tatastāṁ vividhaiḥ stotrairmunayastuṣṭuvustadā

By her, those Daityas bent on destroying the sacrifice were slain. Then the sages praised her with various hymns.

Verse 19 (skanda.7.317.19)

प्रसन्ना भूयसी देवी तानृषीन्प्रत्युवाच ह। वरं वृणुध्वं मुनयो दास्यामि वरमुत्तमम्

prasannā bhūyasī devī tānṛṣīnpratyuvāca ha| varaṁ vṛṇudhvaṁ munayo dāsyāmi varamuttamam

The Goddess, greatly pleased, then spoke to those sages: 'Choose a boon, O sages; I shall grant you an excellent boon.'

Verse 20 (skanda.7.317.20)

ऋषय ऊचुः। कृतं वै सकलं कार्यं यज्ञा नो रक्षितास्त्वया। यदि देयो वरोऽस्माकं त्वया चासुरमर्द्दिनि

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ| kṛtaṁ vai sakalaṁ kāryaṁ yajñā no rakṣitāstvayā| yadi deyo varo'smākaṁ tvayā cāsuramarddini

The sages said: Truly, the whole task is accomplished; our sacrifice has been protected by you. If a boon is indeed to be given to us by you, O slayer of Asuras—

Verse 21 (skanda.7.317.21)

अस्मिन्स्थाने सदा तिष्ठ मुनीनां हितकाम्यया। कंटकाः शोषिता दैत्यास्तेन कंटकशोषिणी। अद्यप्रभृति नामास्तु तेन देवि सदा त्विह

asminsthāne sadā tiṣṭha munīnāṁ hitakāmyayā| kaṁtakāḥ śoṣitā daityāstena kaṁtakaśoṣiṇī| adyaprabhṛti nāmāstu tena devi sadā tviha

—remain forever in this place, out of desire for the welfare of sages. Since the thorn-like Daityas were withered away by you, therefore, O Goddess, from today let your name here forever be Kantakashoshini, 'the witherer of thorns.'

Verse 22 (skanda.7.317.22)

ईश्वर उवाच। एवं भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा सा देव्यन्तर्हिता तदा। अष्टम्यां वा नवम्यां वा पूजयिष्यति मानवः

īśvara uvāca| evaṁ bhaviṣyatītyuktvā sā devyantarhitā tadā| aṣṭamyāṁ vā navamyāṁ vā pūjayiṣyati mānavaḥ

Ishvara said: Having said, 'So it shall be,' that Goddess then became invisible. Whatever man worships her on the eighth or the ninth lunar day—

Verse 23 (skanda.7.317.23)

राक्षसेभ्यः पिशाचेभ्यो भयं तस्य न जायते। प्राप्नुयात्परमां सिद्धिं मानवो नात्र संशयः

rākṣasebhyaḥ piśācebhyo bhayaṁ tasya na jāyate| prāpnuyātparamāṁ siddhiṁ mānavo nātra saṁśayaḥ

—no fear arises for him from Rakshasas or Pishachas. That man obtains the highest accomplishment — in this there is no doubt.