MAHĀKĀLI DHYANAM
Meditation on Mahākāli
From the Devī Mahātmyam [Mārkendeya Purana]
Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.
Om khaḍgaṁ chakra-gadeṣu-chāpa-parighāñ
chūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṁ śiraḥ
śaṅkhaṁ saṃda-dhatīṁ karai-stri-nayanāṁ
sarvāṅga-bhūṣāvṛitām
Nīlāśma-dyutimāsya pāda-daśakāṁ
seve Mahākālikāṁ
yāmastaut-svapite harau kamalajo
hantuṁ madhuṁ kaiṭabham.
Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.
Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.
Om, holding a scimitar, disk, mace, arrows and bow, lance, club, a skull and a conch shell in Her ten hands. The three-eyed goddess, Her body covered with ornaments, Her countenance with the brilliance of blue diamonds, with ten limbs. We offer our service to Mahākāli, She who Brahma praised for protection from the demons Madhu and Kaitava, when Vishnu was in sleep.
Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.
Book 4/Chapter 12/1:58
On Bhrigu's curse and the dialogue between Shukracharya and the Daityas
1. Vyâsa said :-- O king! On seeing Visnu killing his wife, and thus committing
a
dreadful atrocious
act, the Bhagavân Bhrigu was very sorry and began to tremble with anger and
addressed Madhusûdana thus.
2. Bhrigu said :-- O Visnu! You have done an extremely sinful act. O
intelligent one! Knowing it, you have
done so; what a great wonder! Nobody
dreams of the murder of this Brâhman’s daughter; and you have committed it in
deed, black and white.
3. O Deva!
The Mahârsis declare you to be Sâttvic, engaged in preservation; Brahmâ
to be Râjasic (creator) and S’ambhu S’iva to be Tâmasic (destroyer). Why
then is the contrary thing visible in this case?
4. Why have you become Tâmasic? Why have you done
this heinous crime? O Visnu! The females
are never to be killed; this is a known fact; then why have you killed this woman
without any fault.
5-6. You have done a very execrable act. What
shall I do to you? It is mete that I would curse you. O
Great Sinner! You have pained me very
much and made me very weary. I will not curse Indra. You
always assume a deceitful appearance and behave like a black cruel serpent;
your mind is all full of wickedness; I will curse you.
7. O Janârdana.
Those Munis who call you Sâttvic
are fools; I have seen today that your ways are exceptionally vicious and
Tâmasic.
8. O Visnu!
I curse you now to take frequent births, suffer very frequently in
different wombs, in the earth and thus suffer the pains of remaining in the
wombs.
9. O king!
Therefore whenever religion subsides in the world, Bhagavân Visnu incarnates frequently
in this human world, due to the curse of Bhrigu.
10. The king said :-- O best of the Munis! Did that Mahâtmâ Bhrigu again marry and lead
a householder’s life when his wife was thus killed by the lustrous disc Sudars’ana.
11. Vyâsa said :-- O king! The sacrificer Bhrigu angrily cursed Hari and
next took that severed head and quickly placed it over the body as before and
said :--
12-14. O Devî!
Visnu has slain you today; I will make you regain your life just now. If I
am acquainted with all the Dharmas and if I have practised these in my life and
if I have spoken truth always, then dost thou regain your life by my religious
merit. Let all the Devas witness my power and
strength. If I know the True, if I have studied all the Vedas
and if I have realised the Knowledge of the Vedas, then I, sprinkling your body
with this cold water, charged with my mantras, will revive you.
15. Vyâsa said :-- O king! Sprinkled by the water by Bhrigu, his wife
regained her life and rose up at once and felt herself glad and smiled.
16. All the persons and living creatures seeing
her stand, as if awoken from her sleep, at once exclaimed from all sides ? well done, well done!? thanked Bhrigu and his wife very much and
highly praised them.
17. Thus seeing the fair complexioned wife regain
her life through Bhrigu, Indra and all the Devas were very much struck with
wonder.
NOTE :-- Thought
power and inhalation of some medicines might have revived her.
18. Indra then adressed the Devas :-- Now the
mother of S’ukra has regained her life through Bhrigu; but when S’ukrâchârya
will receive the mantra after his severe tapasyâ, we do not
know what terrible harm; he would do to us!
19. Vyâsa said :-- O king! Though the deep sleep that overtook Indra had
now left him, yet he became very unhappy, remembering the severe asceticism of
S’ukra’s tapasyâ and his receiving mantras.
20. Thinking over deeply in his mind, Indra called
his daughter Jayantî and spoke to her with affection.
21-22. Go! Daughter! I have given thee over to the ascetic Kâvya. Do
this service for me, go to Kâvya and help him in his asceticism and bring him
under your control. By whatever acts the Muni be pleased, dost
thou do at once and please him in every way and thus remove my fear.
23. The large-eyed beautiful Jayantî, hearing her
father’s words, went to the hermitage and there saw the Risi inhaling or
drinking the smoke.
24. On seeing the body of the ascetic, and remembering
her father’s words she brought the leaves of the plantain trees and began to
fan him.
25. The intelligent Jayantî with no excitement
used to bring the pure, clear, cool, and well scented water and place it, with
great devotion, before the sage for his drinking.
NOTE: Here Indra
bribed by giving away his daughter.
26. When the sun was over his head, she used to
prepare some protection, with her clothes, from the sun and thus made the shade
for him. Thus, in various ways, did she begin to serve
the Muni, herself remaining steady in her religion?
27. She brought sweet and ripe fruits proper
according to the S’âstras and used to place them before him for his repast.
28. In the performance of his daily duties, she
used to collect the Kus’a grass of the span of thumb and fore finger, and
flowers, white and yellow and placed them before him.
29. For the Muni’s bedding to lie down and sleep,
she used to gather soft, green leaves and with them she used to keep his bed
ready; and when the Muni laid himself down, she used to fan him gently.
30. Never did she exhibit for fear of curse, any
gesture or posture calculated to disturb his mind.
31. The sweet-tongued, thin lady used to praise
S’ukrâchârya in pleasing and
favourable terms.
32. When the Muni awoke, she placed water before
him to wash his face and hands. Thus serving the Muni, did she stay in the
hermitage.
33. The fear stricken Indra used to send
messengers to fathom the mind of that self controlled Muni.
34. Thus did Jayantî serve for good many years the
Muni, being void of anger and observing duly her
celibacy.
35. In this way one thousand years passed duly,
the God Mahâdeva was very pleased and addressed S’ukrâchârya that He had come
to give him boons that he desire.
36-37. The God Mahâdeva said :-- Whatever there
exists in this universe, whatever you see with your eyes and whatever cannot be
described in words, you will be the lord of
all these and the conqueror of all.
There is no doubt in this. You
cannot be killed by any creature; you will be the ruler of all beings and will
be reckoned as the best of theBrâhmanas.
38-39. Vyâsa said :-- The God Mahâdeva disappeared
then and there, after granting him the boons.
Then S’ukrâchârya saw Jayantî and
said to her :-- O lady of beautiful hips!
Who and whose daughter art thou? What is the desire in your mind? What for you have come here? O one of
beautiful thighs! what is your duty?
40. O beautiful eyed! I am very pleased with all that you have done
for me. What do you want? O one of good vows! Ask boons from me; I will grant them even if
they be difficult.
41. On hearing this, Jayantî’s face became bright
with joy; she said :-- whatever I desire, you know that
already by force of your Tapasyâ.
42. The Kâvya said :-- Your mental desires I know;
still mention them yourself
particularly; I will
do good to you in any way you like; I am pleased with your services.
43-44. Jayantî said :-- O Brâhmin! I am the daughter of Indra and I am the
younger of my brother Jayanta. Father has given me over to you; I now like to
live with you. Kindly fulfil my desires now. O
blessed one! You better take me and
enjoy me according to Dharma. This is my desire.
45. S’ukrâchârya said :-- O thou of large and
handsome hips! Better enjoy with me for ten
years, according to your liking, without being visible to anybody.
46-48. Vyâsa said :-- Thus saying, S’ukrâchârya went
to his home and, according to religious observances, married Jayantî and lived
with her for ten years under the shade of
Mâyâ and unobserved by anybody. On the other hand, the Daityas, hearing that S’ukrâchârya
returned home successful getting his desired Mantra, were very glad and went to
his house to pay their respects to him. But S’ukra was then living with Jayantî; hence
the Asuras could not see him.
49. Then they got very much dejected, sorry and
were drooped in spirits; they searched for him again and again.
50. Not being able to see S’ukra under the shade
of Mâyâ, the Daityas were very sorry and got afraid and then returned to their
own residences.
51. On the other hand, the Devas, knowing that
S’ukra was holding intercourses with Jayantî, Indra, the God of Devas, spoke to
the Deva Guru Brihaspatî. O Guru!
Advise us what to do under the present circumstances and relieve us from the impending
difficulties.
52. O Brâhmana.
Better go today to the Dânavas
and do that by which our honour may be maintained. You
better put the Dânavas under some charm by your magical spell and think and do
good to us.
53. On hearing Indra’s words and knowing that
S’ukra is now enjoying with Jayantî, Brihaspatî went to the Dânavas, putting on
the appearance of S’ukrâchârya.
54. Going to the Demons, he called on them very
politely and sweetly. The Asuras said that S’ukrâchârya had come in
presence of them.
55. The Demons were very glad and bowed down
before S’ukrâchârya and could not make out that he was the false S’ukrâchârya,
under the mâyic charm of Brihaspatî.
56. Then the false S’ukrâchârya asked the welfare
of the Daityas and said :-- I went so long for your good; I performed severe
tapasyâ and satisfied the God S’ambhu and acquired from him the Mantra, the
sacred knowledge, and that I will frankly explain to you.
57. On hearing this, the Demons were very pleased
and, knowing that the Guru had been successful, were filled with joy.
58. They saluted him with joy and began to live
quietly and freely and without pains, having got rid of fear from the Devas.
Here ends the twelfth
Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâpurânam of
18,000 verses by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa on Bhrigu’s curse and the dialogue between
S’ukrâchârya and the Daityas.
Source: Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda
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