Chapter I
On the story of Svâyambhuva Manu
1-6. Nârada said :– O Nârâyana! O Thou, the Supporter of this whole world! The Preserver of all! Thou hast described the glorious characters of the Devî, that take away all the sins. Kindly describe now to me the several forms that the Devî assumed in every Manvantara in this world as well as Her Divine Greatness. O Thou, full of mercy! Describe also how and by whom She was worshipped and praised; how She, so kind to the devotees, having been thus pleased, fulfilled their desires. I am very eager to hear these, the very best and blissful characters of the Devî. S’rî Nârâyana said :– Hear, O Maharsi! The glories and greatness of the Devî Bhagavatî leading to the devotion of the devotees, capable of giving all sorts of wealth and destroying all sins. From the navel lotus of Visnu, the holder of the Chakra (discus), was born Brahmâ, the Creator of this universe, the great Energetic One, and the Grand Sire of all the worlds.
7-14. The four faced Brahmâ, on being born, produced from His mind Svâyambhuva Manu and his wife S’atarûpâ, the embodiment of all virtues. For this very reason, Svâyambbuva Manu has been known as the mind-born son of Brahmâ. Svâyambhuva Manu got from Brahmâ the task to create and multiply; he made an earthen image of the Devî Bhagavatî, the Bestower of all fortunes, on the beach of the sanctifying Ksîra Samudra (ocean of milk) and he engaged himself in worshipping Her and began to repeat the principal mystic mantra of Vâgbhava (the Deity of Speech). Thus engaged in worship, Svâyambhuva Manu conquered by and by his breath and food and observed Yama, Niyama and other vows and became lean and thin. For one hundred years he remained standing always on one leg and became successful in controlling his six passions lust, anger, etc. He meditated on the feet of that Âdyâ S’akti (the Primordial S’akti) so much that he became inert like a vegetable or mineral matter. By his Tapas the Devî, the World Mother appeared before him and said :– “O King! Ask divine boons from Me.” Hearing these joyous words, the King wanted his long cherished and heart-felt boon, so very rare to the Devas.
15-22. Manu said :– O Large eyed Devî! Victory to Thee, residing in the hearts of all! O Thou honoured, worshipped! O Thou! the Upholdress of the world! O Thou, the Auspicious of all auspicious!
By Thy Gracious Look, it is that the Lotus born has been able to create the worlds; Visnu is perserving and Rudra Deva is destroying in a minute. By Thy command it is that Indra, the Lord of S’achî, has got the charge of controlling the three Lokas; and Yama, the Lord of the departed, is awarding fruits and punishing according, to their merits or demerits, the deceased ones. O Mother! By Thy Grace, Varuna, the holder of the noose, has become the lord of all aquatic creatures and is preserving them; and Kuvera, the lord of the Yaksas, has become the lord of wealth. Agni (fire), Nairrit, Vâyu (wind), Îs’âna and Ananta Deva are Thy parts and have grown by Thy power. Then, O Devî! If Thou desirest to grant me my desired boon, then, O Thou! the Auspicious One! Let all the great obstacles to my work of procreating in this universe and increasing my dominions die away. And if anybody worships this great Vâgbhava Mantra or anybody hears with devotion this history or makes others hear this, they all shall be crowned with success and enjoyment and Mukti be easy to them.
23-24. Specially they would get the power to remember their past lives, acquire eloquence in speaking, all round beauty, success in obtaining knowledge, success in their deeds and especially in the increase of their posterity and children. O Bhagavatî! This is what I want most.
Here ends the First Chapter of the Tenth Book on the story of Svâyambhuva Manu in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Chapter II
On the conversation between Nârada and the Bindhya Mountain
1-6. The Devî said :– “O King! O Mighty armed One! All these I grant unto you. Whatever you have asked for, I give them to you. I am very much pleased with your hard Tapasyâ and with your Japam of the Vâgbhava Mantra. Know Me that My power is infallible in killing the Lords of the Daityas. O Child! Let your kingdom be free from enemies and let your prosperity be increased. Let your devotion be fixed on Me and in the end you will verily get Nirvâna Mukti.” O Nârada! Thus granting the boon to the highsouled Manu the Great Devî disappeared before him and went to the Bindhya Range. O Devarsi! This Bindhya mountain increased in height so much so that it was well nigh on the way to prevent the course of the Sun when it was arrested by Mahârsi Agastya, born of a kumbha (water jar). The younger sister of Visnu, Varades’varî, is staying here as Bindhyavâsinî. O Best of the Munis! This Devî is an object of worship of all.
7-8. Saunaka and the other Risis said :– O Sûta! Who is that Bindhya Mountain? And why did He intend to soar high up to the Heavens to resist the Sun’s course? And why was it that Agastya, the son of Mitrâvaruna quietened that rising mountain? Kindly describe all these in detail.
9-15. O Saint! We are not as yet satisfied with hearing the Glories of the Devî, the ambrosial nectar, that have come out of your mouth. Rather our thirst has been increased. Sûta said :– O Risis! There was the Bindhya Mountain, highly honoured and reckoned as the chief of the mountains on the earth. It was covered with big forests and big trees. Creeping plants and shrubs flowered these and it looked very beautiful. On it were roaming deer, wild boars, buffaloes, monkeys, hares, foxes, tigers and bears, stout and cheerful, with full vigour and all very merrily. The Devas, Gandharbhas, Apsarâs, and Kinnaras come here and bathe in its rivers; all sorts of fruit trees can be seen here. On such a beautiful Bindhya Mountain, came there one day the ever joyful Devarsi Nârada on his voluntary tour round the world. Seeing the Mahârsi Nârada, the Bindhya Mountain got up and worshipped him with pâdya and arghya and gave him a very good Âsana to sit. When the Muni took his seat and found himself happy, the Mountain began to speak.
16-17. Bindhya said :– “O Devarsi! Now be pleased to say whence you are coming; your coming here is so very auspicious! My house is sanctified today by your coming. O Deva! Your wandering is, like the Sun, the cause of inspiring the beings with freedom from fear. So, O Nârada! Kindly give out your intention as to your coming here which seems rather wonderful.”
18-28. Nârada said :– “O Bindhya! O Enemy of Indra! (Once the mountains had a very great influence. Indra cut off their wings and so destroyed their influence. Hence the mountains are enemies of Indra). I am coming from the Sumeru Mountain. There I saw the nice abodes of Indra, Agni, Yama, and Varuna. There I saw the houses of these Dikpâlas (the Regents of the several quarters), which abound in objects of all sorts of enjoyments.” Thus saying, Nârada gave out a heavy sigh. Bindhya, the king of mountains, seeing the Muni heaving a long sigh, asked him again with great eagerness, “O Devarsi! Why have you heaved such a long sigh? Kindly say.” Hearing this, Nârada said :– “O Child! Hear the cause why I sighed. See! The Himâlayâ Mountain is the father of Gaurî and the father-in-law of Mahâdeva; therefore he is the most worshipped of all the mountains. The Kailâs’a Mountain again, is the residence of Mahâdeva; hence that is also worshipped and chanted as capable of destroying all the sins. So the Nisadha, Nîla, and Gandhamâdana and other mountains are worshipped at their own places. What more than this, that the Sumeru Mountain, round whom the thousand-rayed Sun, the Soul of the universe, circumambulates along with the planets and stars, thinks himself the supreme and greatest amongst the mountains, “I am the supreme; there is none like me in the three worlds.” Remembering this self-conceit of Sumeru, I sighed so heavily. O Bindhya! We are asceties and though we have no need to discuss these things, yet by way of conversation I have told this to you. Now I go to my own abode.”
Here ends the Second Chapter of the Tenth Book on the conversation between Nârada and the Bindhya Mountain in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
