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 9/1:57
On the Fight between the Rishis and Pralhada
1. Vyâsa said :-- After performing duly his
religious rites there, the son of Hiranya Kas'ipu saw before him an unbrageous
peepul tree.
2-3. There he saw along with the feathers of
vultures, the terrible, sharpened under a stone, various glittering arrows,
arrayed in due order; and he was surprised to think who could have kept such
arrows, well guarded in this very holy hermitage of the Risis.
4-5. While Prahlâda was thus meditating in his
mind, he saw before him, wearing the skin of a black antelope, the two sons of
Dharma, the two Munis Nara Nârâyana, loaded on their heads with high clots of
hairs. Before them were placed the two white bows
named S'ârngam and Âjagavam, (Pinâka) the bows of Visnu and S'iva respectively,
bearing their qualified marks, as well as their two inexhaustible big quivers.
6-10. The Lord of the Daityas, then, saw those two
blessed ones, the two Risis Nara Nârâyana, the two sons of Dharma, deeply
absorbed in meditation. Seeing this, he became very much enraged, his
eyes became red, and he began to address them thus :-
O two Ascetics! Has vain arrogance possessed your mind to
destroy religion? It is never seen nor even
heard, that the practice of severe asceticism and the holding of the bows and
arrows, were carried into effect simultaneously by one man in any of the Four
Ages. These two are contradictory things. That
may be worthy in the Kali Yuga?
This asceticism is
fit for the Brâhmanas; why, then are the bows and arrows held by you? There is
an irreconcilable difference between the holding of clotted hairs on the head
and the holding in the hand of the bows and arrows. Therefore, do you practice religious rites,
with feelings befitting your divine positions!
11. Vyâsa said :-- O Descendant of Bharata! On hearing thus the Prahlâda's words, the Nara
Risi said :-- O Lord of the Daityas! What
matters it to you? Why do you, for nothing, trouble yourself with our tapasyâ.
12. An able man can accomplish any thing. It is
widely known in the three worlds, that we are able to accomplish these two
things contemporaneously. O thou of weak understanding!
13. In the battle field as well as in asceticism,
we can shew our prowess. What have you got to do with us in these
matters? The road before you is unobstructed, you can go wherever you like; why
do you brag of your own merits?
14. You are very dull and stupid; what can you
understand of a Brâhmanic glory that is very rare and attained with great
difficulty? Those that want happiness need not meddle with the Brâhmanas.
15-16. Prahlâda said :-- Blunt headed and vain
braggarts are you! When I am present in this
Tîrtha, I who am the upholder of Dharma, I won`t allow you to practise any irreligious
things here! O Ascetics! Better show me your skill in fight to-day.
17-18. Vyâsa said :-- O king! The Risi Nara on hearing his words replied
:-- Give us battle if you are so desirous.
O wretched amongst the Asuras! In to-day's battle, I will knock your head
down, and then you shall never in future desire to fight with anybody.
19-20. Vyâsa said :-- On hearing these words, the
chief of the Daityas was very much angry and promised to conquer these two self
controlled Risi ascetics, Nara Nârâyana by any means whatsoever.
21-22. Vyâsa said :-- Thus saying, the Daitya took up
his bow and quickly stretched it with arrow and the bow string made a terrible
noise. Then Nara, too, too up with anger his bows and
began to shoot arrows at Prahlâda lots of sharpened arrows and weapons.
23. The lord of the Daityas quickly selected the
arrows, glittering like gold, and with them tore asunder the arrows thrown by
Nara. Nara, seeing his arrows, cut asunder, became
infuriated with anger and began to hurl as quickly lots of other arrows.
24. Prahlâda then cut asunder with arrows, of
quick velocity, the Nara's weapons and struck violently on the breast of Nara. Nara,
too, with anger pierced the arms of Prahlâda with five quick arrows.
25. Indra and the other Devas came on their
respective aeroplanes to see their fight and began to give cheers sometimes to
Nara and sometime to Prahlâda from above the skies.
26. The Lord of the Daityas taking up his bow,
began out of furious anger to hurl various weapons on
Nara as incessantly as clouds give rain over the mountain peaks.
The Nara Muni now
became very much exhausted and weary, being struck with Prahlâda's arrows.
27. Nârâyana then seeing Nara exhausted, became
very much amazed and bolding his unequalled S'ârnga bow, began to quit arrows,
shining with with golden lustre.
28. O Lord of the earth! Then Narâyana and Prahlâda both were desirous
to win the victory, and a terrible fight ensued. The
Devas gladly poured forth flowers on their heads from the skies.
29. The king of the Daityas got very much enraged
and began to hurl arrows with tremendous quickness. Nârâyana, the son of Dharma, immediately cut
asunder those weapons with his very sharp arrow.
30-32. Nârâyana too, threw arrows sharpened under
stones with high velocity and very much troubled the lord of the Daityas, who
now became very much restless.
33-34. The sky was covered over with arrows and
arrows from both the parties and the day looked like the night. Then
the Devas and the Daityas were very much astonished and told each other, ? We never saw before a terrible fight like
this. ?
35. Then the Devarsis, Gandarbhas, Yaksas,
Kinnaras, Pannagas, Vidyâdharas and Châranas were all very much confounded.
36-37. The two Risis Nârada and Parvata came also to
witness their fight; the Devarsi Nârada told the Parvata Risi he never saw
before such a dreadful fight. There were awful battles with Târakâsura and
Vritrâsûra and also the battle between Hari and Madhukaitava; but they were all
inferior and cannot stand in comparison.
38. It seemed that Prahlâda was very powerful;
otherwise how could an equal fight last so long a time with such an
accomplished person, perfect with all the supernatural powers and of such
heroic deeds as Nârâyana.
39-42. Vyâsa said :-- O king! Day and night the Daityas and the ascetic
Nârâyana went on fighting terribly with each other. Then
Nârâyana cut off, with the arrow, the bow of Prahlâda; Prahlâda soon took
another bow; the expert handed Nârâyana quickly broke into two that bow. Thus
though Prahlâda's arrows were repeatedly cut asunder still he began to take up
fresh bows and Nârâyana began to cut them repeatedly.
43-44. Thus, then, when all the bows of Prahlâda were
destroyed, the Daitya Râjâ took up Parigha (iron club), became enraged and
threw it on Nârâyana's arm. The powerful Bhagavân Nârâyana, seeing the
dreadful iron club, cut it asunder with nine arrows and pierced Prahlâda with
ten arrows.
45-47. Then Prahlâda, enraged, threw the iron gadâ on
Nârâyana's thighs. The
exceedingly powerful
Dharma's son was not at all agitated and stood firm like a rock and taking up
arrows quickly cut asunder the iron gadâ of the Daitya. Then
the visitors were much startled.
48-49. Then Prahlâda, intent on killing his enemy,
became very much angry and threw the S’akti darts, spears and missiles
instantly on Nârâyana's thighs with great velocity. Nârâyana
with one arrow cut that easily into seven parts and with seven arrows pierced Prâhladâ.
50. Thus for one thousand Deva years the terrible
fight lasted between Prahlâda and Nârâyana in that hermitage; and the whole
universe was struck with surprise.
51-52. Then Gadâdhara with yellow robes and four
hands quickly came there and called Prahlâda. The
son of Hiranya Kas'ipoo, Prahlâda, seeing the Lord of Laksmi, four armed,
Nârâyana with lotus and disc in His hands come there, bowed low, and, with
folded hands, began to speak to him with great devotion.
53-54. O Deva of the Devas! You are the Lord of the universe and devoted
to your devotees. O Mâdhava!
I have fought for full one hundred Deva years; still I have not not been
able to defeat these ascetics. I do not know why. I am
surprised at it.
55-56. Visnu said :-- O Forgiving One! These two Risis Nara Nârâyana are, the
perfect ascetics, self controlled and born of my Amsas. Therefore you have not been able to defeat
them. What wonder is there! O king!
Better go now to your Pâtâla and keep your steadfast devotion on me. O
Intelligent one! Do not quarrel any more
with these two ascetics.
57. Vyâsa said :-- O king! The Daitya king Prahlâda then advised by
Visnu went out of that place with his Asura followers; and the two Nara
Nârâyanas began again to practise their Tapasyâs.
Here ends the Ninth
Chapter of the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhagâvatam, the Mahâ Purânam; of
18,000 verses, on the fight between the Risis and Prahlâda by
Maharsî Veda Vyâsa.
Source:
Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda
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