Chapter XLVII
On Manasâ’s story
1-25 Nârâyana said :– O Nârada! I have now narrated the anecdote of Sasthî as stated in the Vedas. Now hear the anecdote of Mangala Chandî, approved of by the Vedas and respected by the literary persons. The Chandî, that is very skilled in all auspicious works and who is the most auspicious of all good things, is Mangal Chandîkâ. Or the Chandî who is an object of worship of Mangala (Mars), the son of earth and the bestower of desires is Mangala Chandîkâ. Or the Chandî who is an object of worship of Mangala of the family of Manu who was the ruler of the whole world composed of seven islands and the bestower of all desires is Mangala Chandî. Or it may be that the Mûla Prakriti, the Governess, the Ever Gracious Durgâ assumed the form of Mangala Chandî and has become the Ista Devatâ of women. When there was the fight with Tripurâsura, this Mangala Chandî, higher than the highest was first worshipped by Mahâdeva, stimulated by Visnu, on a critical moment. O Brâhmin! While the fighting was going on, a Daitya threw out of anger one car on Mahâdeva and as that car was about to fall on Him, Brahmâ and Visnu gave a good advice when Mahâdeva began to praise Durgâ Devî at once. Durgâ Devî that time assuming the form of Mangala Chandî appeared and said “no fear no fear” Bhagavân Visnu will be Thy Carrier buffalo. I will be also Thy S’akti in the action and Hari, full of Mâyâ, will also help Thee. Thou better slayest the enemy that dispossessed the Devas. O Child! Thus saying, the Devî Mangala Chandî disappeared and She became the S’akti of Mahâ Deva. Then with the help of the weapon given by Visnu, the Lord of Umâ killed the Asura. When the Daitya fell, the Devas and Risis began to chant hymns to Mahâdeva with devotion and with their heads bent low. From the sky, a shower of flowers fell instantaneously on Mahâ Deva’s head. Brahmâ and Visnu became glad and gave their best wishes to Him. Then ordered by Brahmâ and Visnu, S’ankara bathed joyously. Then He began to worship with devotion the Devî Mangala Chandî with pâdya, Arghya, Âchamanîya and various clothings. Flowers, sandal paste, various goats, sheep, buffaloes, bisons, birds, garments, ornaments, garlands, Pâyasa (a preparation of rice, ghee, milk and sugar), Pistaka, honey, wine, and various fruits were offered in the worship. Dancing, music, with instruments and the chanting of Her name and other festivals commenced. Reciting the Dhyân as in Mâdhyandina, Mahâdeva offered everything, pronouncing the principal Radical Mantra, “Om Hrîm S’rîm Klîm Sarvapujye Devî Mangala Chandîke Hum Phat Svâhâ” is the twenty-one lettered Mantra of Mangala Chandî. During worship, the Kalpa Vriksa, the tree yielding all desires, must be worshipped. O Nârada! By repeating the Mantra ten lakhs of times, the Mantra Siddhi (success in realising the Deity inherent in the Mantra) comes. Now I am saying about the Dhyânam of Mangal Chandî as stated in the Vedas and as approved by all. Listen. “O Devî Mangala Chandîke! Thou art sixteen years old; Thou art ever youthful; Thy lips are like Bimba fruits, Thou art of good teeth and pure. Thy face looks like autumnal lotus; Thy colour is like white champakas; Thy eyes resemble blue lilies; Thou art the Preserver of the world and thou bestowest all sorts of prosperity. Thou art the Light in this dark ocean of the world. So I meditate on Thee.” This is the Dhyânam. Now hear the stotra, which Mahâdeva recited before Her.
26-37. Mahâdeva said :– Protect me, Protect me, O Mother! O Devî Mangal Chandîke! Thou, the Destroyer of difficulties! Thou givest joy and good. Thou art clever in giving delight and fortune. Thou the bestower of all bliss and prosperity! Thou, the auspicious, Thou art Mangala Chandîkâ. Thou art Mangalâ, worthy of all good, Thou art the auspicious of all auspicious; Thou bestowest good to the good persons. Thou art worthy to be worshipped on Tuesday (the Mangala day); Thou art the Deity, desired by all. The King Mangala, born of Manu family always worships Thee. Thou, the presiding Devî of Mangala; Thou art the repository of all the good that are in this world. Thou, the Bestower of the auspicious Moksa. Thou, the best of all; Thou, the respository of all good; Thou makest one cross all the Karmas; the people worship Thee on every Tuesday; Thou bestowest abundance of Bliss to all. Thus praising Mangala Chandîkâ with this stotra, and worshipping on every Tuesday, S’ambhu departed. The Devî Sarva Mangalâ was first worshipped by Mahâdeva. Next she was worsh ipped by the planet Mars; then by the King Mangala; then on every Tuesday by the ladies of every household. Fifthly she was worshipped by all men, desirous of their welfare. So in every universe Mangal Chandîkâ, first worshipped by Mahâdeva, came to be worshipped by all. Next she came to be worshipped everywhere, by the Devas, Munis, Mânavas, Manus. O Muni! He who hears with undivided attention this stotra of the Devî Mangala Chandîkâ, finds no evils anywhere. Rather all good comes to him. Day after day he gets sons and grandsons and so his prosperity gets increased, yea, verily increased!
38-58. Nârâyana said :– O Nârada! Thus I narrated to you the stories of Sasthî and Mangala Chandîkâ, according to the Vedas. Now hear the story of Manasâ that I heard from the mouth of Dharama Deva.
Manasâ is the mind-born daughter of Maharsi Kas’yapa; hence she is named Manasâ; or it may be She who plays with the mind is Manasâ. Or it may be She who meditates on God with her mind and gets rapture in Her meditation of God is named Manasâ. She finds pleasure in Her Own Self, the great devotee of Visnu, a Siddha Yoginî. For three Yugas She worshipped S’rî Krisna and then She became a Siddha Yoginî. S’rî Krisna, the Lord of the Gopîs, seeing the body of Manasâ lean and thin due to austerities, or seeing her worn out like the Muni Jarat Kâru called her by the name of Jarat Kâru. Hence Her name has come also to be Jarat Kâru. Krisna, the Ocean of Mercy, gave her out of kindness, Her desired boon; She worshipped Him and S’rî Krisna also worshipped Her. Devî Manasâ is known in the Heavens, in the abode of the Nâgas (serpents), in earth, in Brahmâloka, in all the worlds as of very fair colour, beautiful and charming. She is named Jagad Gaurî as she is of a very fair colour in the world. Her other name is S’aivî and she is the disciple of S’iva. She is named Vaisnavî as she is greatly devoted to Visnu. She saved the Nâgas in the Snake Sacrifice performed by Pariksit, she is named Nages’varî and Nâga Bhaginî and She is capable to destroy the effects of poison. She is called Visahari. She got the Siddha yoga from Mahâdeva; hence She is named Siddha Yoginî; She got from Him the great knowledge, so she is called Mahâ Jñanayutâ, and as she got Mritasamjîvanî (making alive the dead) she is known by the name of Mritasanjîvanî. As the great ascetic is the mother of the great Muni Âstîk, she is known in the world as Âstîka mâtâ. As She is the dear wife of the great high-souled Yogi Muni Jarat Kâru, worshipped by all, she is called as Jarat Kârupriya, Jaratkâru, Jagadgaurî, Manasâ, Siddha Yoginî, Vaisnavî, Nâga Bhaginî, S’aivi, Nages’varî, Jaratkârupriyâ, Âstikamâtâ, Visahari, and Mahâ Jñanayutâ; these are the twelve names of Manasâ, worshipped everywhere in the Universe. He who recites these twelve names while worshipping Manasâ Devî, he or any of his family has no fear of snakes. If there be any fear of snakes in one’s bed, if the house be infested with snakes or if one goes to a place difficult for fear of snakes or if one’s body be encircled with snakes, all the fears are dispelled, if one reads this stotra of Manasâ. There is no doubt in this. The snakes run away out of fear from the sight of him who daily recites the Manasâ stotra. Ten lakhs of times repeating the Manasâ mantra give one man success in the stotra. He can easily drink poison who attains success in this stotra. The snakes become his ornaments; they carry him even on their backs. He who is a great Siddha can sit on a seat of snakes and can sleep on a bed of snakes. In the end he sports day and night with Visnu.
Here ends the Forty-seventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on Manasâ’s story in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
