Devi Bhagvatam 4:21:1:54

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 21/1:54

On the killing of the sons of Devakî

1.   Vyâsa said :-- O King!  Thus, in due course, Devakî, the goddess incarnate, being united according to rules with Vâsudeva, became pregnant. 

2-4.   When full ten months were over, a good-looking and beautiful child (male) was first born to Devakî.   Then the good-natured Vâsudeva remembered his promise, and also what is ordained by Heaven; and he spoke to Devakî, the part incarnate of Aditi “O fair-looking!  You know that I saved your life at your marriage by swearing on oath to deliver all your fresh-born children to Kamsa.   Now has come the time to hand over your child to Kamsa.  ”

5.   O good-haired woman!  Now I will hand your this son to Kamsa.   Know Kamsa is very cruel and wicked.   I cannot say what step he will take, urged on by Fate, to kill your child.   O Sweet One!  We have no hands in the matter.   The effects of Karma are exceedingly puzzling.   Ordinary persons cannot know them. 

6.   All persons are subject to Time, the Destroyer, and enjoy the merits or demerits of their past deeds.   The effects of past Karma are fashioned by the Creator; knowing this, allow me to take away your child. 

7.   Devakî said :-- O Lord!  Certainly men have to suffer fully the effects of their past Karmas.   But can that not be upset by residing in holy places, practising penances andasceticism or by making generous gifts?

8-9.   The high minded Maharsis have fixed rules and penances for destroying the sins of past deeds; twelve years’ vow to observe penances can purify one from sins, e.  g.  , Brâhminicide, stealing gold, drinking or stealing the wife of one’s preceptor and many others.

10-11.   O Sinless one!  Will not any one be freed from their sinful effects, if they

observe practices and penances as are ordained by Manu or other Munis? If you don’t accept penances to be sufficiently purificatory, do you mean to say, then, that what the Maharsis, seers, Yâjñavalkya and other promulgators of religious doctrines have uttered, they did so, as an act of dire falsehood and villainy?

12.   O My husband!  “What is in the womb of Fate will surely come to pass,” if this be taken as granted, then the whole Ayurveda (medicinal books) and Mantra vâdas, the science and recitation of mantras or sacred formulae turn out utterly fruitless and false!

13-16.   If all the actions are under the control of Fate, then no effect can come out of any effort; so all efforts are reduced to no effect.   If what is ordained by Heaven is to come to pass then what is the use of taking recourse to any action and Agnistoma sacrifices, etc.  , that are declared to lead to Heavens.   Judge!  If Heaven or Fate you consider all-in-all, then the whole Vedas, the revelations from God’s mouth turn out false; if the Vedas be false, then there is no reason why the whole Dharma will not be destroyed. 

N.  B.   :-- Fate is here denounced. 

17.   Now when it is seen that effects do come out whenever any exertion is made, then you ought to think out carefully and find out some means to avert danger.   Therefore do you judge and find out a good way of preserving the life of this new born baby.   The learned people say that to tell a lie is not a sin, if you can thereby save a life, and have an honest motive for the welfare of all. 

Note :-- Here is a diplomatic statement!

18.   Vâsudeva said :-- O blessed one!  I now tell you what is truth and the matters connected with truth. 

19-20.   Effort, application and manifestation of energy are certainly the duties of man; but their effects are all under the Great Destiny or Fate. 

The Pundits knowing the ancient lore say that there are three kinds of Karma

mentioned in the Purânas and Âgamas :-- First, the Sanchita Karma (done in past births); the Prârabdha Karma, the Karma already done; and the Vartamân Karma (Karma in hand). 

21.   The Karma, auspicious and inauspicious, done in many previous lives and

preserved in seed forms, remains always inherent in a human soul.   Urged on by this Karma, the Jîvas quitting their previous bodies, enjoy Heaven or Hell as effects of these, their own acts. 

22-23.   According to their good or bad works, the Jîvas acquire the higher happy body and enjoy various pleasures in the Heavens, or they take up very painful vicious bodies and suffer various pains in hell. 

24-25.   At the expiry of the above period in Heaven or Hell, when there comes the time of his assuming another body, the Jîva becomes conscious of the subtle body (Linga Deha) and takes his birth again.   When the Linga Deha comes into existence, the part of the Karma done in various previous births that are ripe and ready to yield their fruits, gets attached to the Jîva by God (or Destiny). 

26.   Therefore the collective effect of Karma done in previous births always exists in a Jîva’s body.   O Fair-eyed One!  The effects of Prârabdha Karma, ripened and ready to yield their fruits must have to be experienced by a Jîva, whether happy or unhappy. 

27.   O beautiful young woman!  Penances, performed according to rules, destroy the effect of Karmas that are in hand and are weak (i.  e.  , not yet accumulated strongly as to remain in seed forms).

28.   The Prârabdha Karma, those acts out of all the previous acts done in previous births that are fully mature and ready to yield their fruits, cannot be averted; their effects must have to be experienced and then they can die away; they cannot be expiated by penances or any other remedial measures.   Therefore you must hand over unconditionally your new born babe unto the hands of Kamsa.

29-30.   O Goddess!  I have never done any blameable action, nor have I told any lie.  Therefore do you fulfill your truth and hand over your baby.   O Devakî!  Dharma is the only thing permanent and real in this fleeting world.   Even the births and deaths of high souled persons are subject to the great Destiny.   Therefore the Jîvas ought not to be sorry when there is no help for it. 

31.   O dear one!  What shall I say to you!  Know this much that his life is spent in vain who is lost to Truth.   O beautiful one!  Whose this life is destroyed, what can he expect in the life to come!

32.   Therefore, O Goddess!  Give me your baby and I will hand it over to Kamsa.   If we can observe this truth, we will meet with ample rewards afterwards; there is no doubt in it. 

33.   Where there are pains and pleasures for the Jîvas, there it is highly incumbent on us to do good and meritorious deeds.   If we can act according to Truth, we will certainly get good fruits. 

34.   Vyâsa said :-- Thus addressed by Vâsudeva, the husband of Devakî, who was very much grieved and intelligent, gave over the newly born baby, her whole body

trembling, to the hands of Vâsudeva.

35.   The virtuous Vâsudeva took that baby and went out to the Kamsa’s palace.   On the way, the people, seeing him thus, were very much astonished and began to praise him. 

36-37.   The people said :-- “O people!  See how Vâsudeva is sensible to keep his words!  He is taking his son to hand over to Kamsa.   This truthful and high souled man, free from malice, is going to give up his son to the hands of Kamsa who is the Death Personified.   See his wonderful patience; this man’s life is really high, noble and true.  ”

38.   Vyâsa said :-- O King!  Vâsudeva, thus praised, reached at last the Kamsa’s palace and handed over his newly-born son to Kamsa. 

39-41.   The King Kamsa, too, was very much astonished to see this wonderful patience of Vâsudeva.   Then he held aloft the child and laughed and said :-- “O son of S’ûrasena, you have been blessed today by giving me your son just now.   But the voice from Heaven said that your eighth son will be the cause of my death; this your first son is not my cause of death.   Therefore I will not kill this baby; you can take your baby back to your home. 

O High-minded One!  Let me have your eighth son brought here, when he will be born; I hope you will positively do it.  ”

42.   The cruel and wicked Kamsa returned the child and said :-- “Let this child go back safely to his home.  ”

43-44.   When the king Kamsa said thus, Vâsudeva, the son of S’ûrasena gladly took his child back and came home.   Then the King Kamsa told his ministers that the Heavenly voice told that the eighth son would he the cause of his death; and so there was no necessity to kill that child.   There was no need to incur sin by killing the first child. 

45.   The ministers, hearing the king Kamsa’s those words, began to praise him very much and exclaimed repeatedly “Well done” “Well done.  ” They went away to their respective homes, when ordered to do so by Kamsa. 

46-49.   Now Nârada, the best of the Munis, arrived to Kamsa.   The king Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena, stood up at once and offered him water to wash his mouth and with green grass and rice worshipped him devotedly and enquired of his welfare.   He then asked the Muni about the cause of his untimely arrival there.   The Maharsi Nârada then smilingly and with sweet words repeatedly uttered “Kamsa,” “Kamsa” and then said, O blessed one!  I went perchance to Sumeru Mountain.   There Brahmâ and other gods formed an assembly and were thus thinking out plans that Visnu, the Supreme God, would take His birth in the womb of Devakî, the wife of Vâsudeva to kill Kamsa. 

50.   Now I ask you, you are very expert as a politician; then why have you not killed the son of Vâsudeva? Kamsa said :-- “I will kill the eighth son according to the Heavenly Voice.  ”

51.   Nârada said :-- O King!  Now I understand that you do not understand anything of politics, leading to auspicious or inauspicious results; especially when you are quite ignorant of the Mâyâ of the Devas, then what shall I say to you!

52-53.   The truth is this :-- The warriors, looking after their own welfare, never

overlook the weakest of their foes.   What have you understood when the Heavenly

Voice uttered “the eighth son.  ” It means the children counted from the first and then finished upto eighth; it may mean first, second, third or upto eighth.   Never forego your enemies; then why have you desisted in killing your enemy when you got that enemy in your possession.   Nothing is shewn of you in this act save dire foolishness, and ignorance. 

54.   Thus saying, the Maharsi Nârada vanished quickly.   Kamsa, of little understanding brought back the son of Vâsudeva and killed him by dashing him against a stone and was relieved. 

Note :-- This human body is a microcosm; the universe is the macrocosm.   God resides in the centre and controls the two.   In this human body also live the Devas and the Dânavas.   The left half of the body, the Îdâ side, is the seat of the Devas.   The right half, the Pingalâ side, is the seat of the Dânavas.   In this body war is always going on between the Devas and Dânavas.   Sometimes the Devas get victory; sometimes the Dânavas win.   God is in the centre, the heart and controls the two. 

Here ends the 21st Chapter of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of

18,000 verses composed by Veda Vyâsa, on the killing of the sons of Devakî. 

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda   

Devi Bhagvatam 4:20:1:89

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 20/1:89

On Devakî’s marriage

1-2.   Vyâsa said :-- O Bharata!  I now narrate to you about the relief of the burden of the Earth, the destruction by the Yoga Mâyâ of the armies Kuruksettra and Prabhâsa, the two sacred places, and about the birth, due to the curse of Bhrigu, of the Bhagavân Hari, of unparalleled prowess, under the influence of Mahâmâyâ, in the race of Yadu. 

Now hear. 

3.   Visnu’s taking birth in the world was effected under the circumstances caused by Yoga Mâyâ, to relieve the burden of the Earth; this is my opinion. 

N.   B.   :-- Prabhâsa is a well-known place of pilgrimage near Dvârkâ, in Gujerat. 

4.   O king!  When the Goddess Mahâmâyâ, the Incarnate of the three qualities can make Brahmâ, Visnu and the other Devas dance incessantly as their Internal Controller, then what wonder, that She would appear charming to the other Jîvas and make them dance incessantly, as wooden dolls. 

5.   All the troubles incurred in remaining in the womb, amidst the urine, excreta and tissues, She had brought to bear finally on Visnu by Her ever famous Leelâ (Divine Sport). 

6.   In days of yore, in Râma incarnation, She, That Supreme Goddess made the Gods become monkeys and you know very well already, what amount of trouble Bhagavân Visnu had to undergo by the hard iron chain of bondage, “This is mine, this is I,” etc.  , imposed by Mâyâ. 

7.   The Yogis who want final liberation and who have abandoned all their attachments and who want devotion, they worship the Supreme Goddess of the Universe, the Incarnate of Auspiciousness. 

8.   O king!  Who will not serve Her? A trace of devotion towards Whom effects at once the salvation of the Jîvas. 

9.   If any human being utters simply the name “Bhuvanes’varî” (the Goddess of

Universe) She gives him the three worlds; and if any one cries and utters for help “Save me,” then the Goddess of the Universe, being unable to find anything that She can repay him as a fit recompense for his utterance, becomes Herself indebted to that man. 

10.   O King!  Know Vidyâ (knowledge) and Avidyâ (non-knowledge, spiritual

ignorance, lower knowledge) Her two forms; Vidyâ gives liberation; Avidyâ causes bondage. 

11.   Brahmâ, Visnu, Rudra, all these and their Avatâras are Her instruments and are under Her subjection, as if they are all fastened by a cord. 

12-14.   The Bhagavân Hari sometimes resides in Vaikuntha, sometimes resides in the sea of milk and enjoys pleasures, sometimes fights the powerful Dânavas, sometimes performs extensive sacrificial ceremonies sometimes performs severe asceticism and sometimes takes to deep sleep under the guidance of Yoga Mâyâ.   Thus He never becomes free and independent. 

15-16.   O King!  And like Visnu, Brahmâ, Rudra, the other Gods Indra, Varuna, Yama, Kuvera, Agni, the Sun, Moon and other celestial gods, the Sanaka and other Munis, Vas’istha and other Risis, all are incessantly controlled by the Supreme Goddess, as if they are the dolls in the hands of a playing magician. 

17.   All the Devas are controlled by the noose of Time, just as oxen are brought under control by men, by strings passed within their noses. 

18.   O King!  Pleasure, pain, sleep, lassitude, idleness, and other passions and feelings are always found inherent in every embodied being. 

19-23.   The Devas are written down by authors in their books as not subject to death or decay; this statement is merely nominal and not real; for whoever is always subject to birth, growth, decay and death how can we call him immortal or beyond old age and death?  Why do the Devas get into sorrows, and troubles?  How can they be called gods?  How can one enjoy when one is involved in a trouble?  In this world, it is seen mosquitoes and other insects born from water die after a very short time; so, like these, the Devas at the expiry of their ordained life period, die too.   Then why not the Devas be treated like those insects? Why not shall we term them, “Mortal”?

24-25.   Some human beings live one year; some others live upto one hundred years, the Devas live longer than men; the life of the Prâjâpatî Brahmâ exceeds those of the Devas; Rudra lives longer than Brahmâ; and Visnu lives longer than Rudra.   All these are thus subject by turns to birth, growth, and decay. 

26.   Those who are born, they die; those that die are again born.   Thus O King!  In this world all the Jîvas, no doubt, move round and round like a wheel. 

27.   The Jîvas are deluded by the network of Moha (charms) and thus deluded.   They can never gain final release.   So long as Mâyâ exists in them, their delusion is not destroyed. 

28.   O King!  At the time of creation Brahmâ and all other things came into existence, in due order, and these will duly dissolve at the time of the Great Dissolution (the Pralaya)?

29.   Whatever is the cause of destruction to anybody here, that destroys the body in question.   According to the Will Power of the Supreme Goddess, whatever is created by Brahmâ, no none can undo that.   Know this as perfectly certain. 

30.   Know this the predestined law that the birth, death, old age, diseases, pain or pleasure overtake all the Jîvas according to the prescribed order of Nature; never these laws fail to operate in their actions. 

31.   See!  The Devas that we see with our physical eyes, the Sun and Moon yield

pleasure to all; still they suffer always troubles at the hands of their enemies (i.  e., Râhu and Ketu, i.  e.  , there always take place regularly solar and lunar eclipses, when they are in the ascending and descending modes.  ) This suffering is never removed. 

32.   The son of the Sun (Saturn) is always injurious to people; hence it is termed

“Manda” (bad); the Moon was attacked with consumption and bears stain on his body (spots in the Moon disc).   What to speak of ordinary men? The great men even are subject to the prescribed laws of Fate and Nature. 

33.   The Creator of the world, the four faced Brahmâ is the author of the Vedas and awarder of Intelligence.   He, too, on seeing Sarasvatî, his own daughter, was afflicted with passion. 

34.   When Sati, the wife of S’iva, left off Her mortal coil, Mahâdeva, though He could remove the sorrows of all, was very much moved with passion and greatly afflicted.

 

35.   Then, being burnt very much as it were by the fire of passion, he threw himself down into the water of the river Kâlindî; and the water of that river became blackcoloured, as if burnt by the burning fire of the sorrows of S’iva. 

36-37.   O King!  When Mahâdeva, being infatuated with Kâma, went into the forest of Bhrigu and becoming naked, began to copulate, the ascetic Bhrigu, seeing him in that state, exclaimed “O You are very shameless” and cursed Him thus :-- Let your penis drop off just now.   Mahâdeva, then to satisfy his thirst for passion, began to drink the water of the lake Amrita Vapî, dug by the Dânavas. 

38-39.   Indra, too, the Lord of the Devas, turned into a bull and carried Visnu on his back on the face of the earth.   What to speak where the omniscience and omnipotence disappeared of Bhagavân Visnu, Who is the First of all created beings and possessed of reason, and discrimination?  Oh!  What a great wonder, that He could not know about the golden deer?

40-41.   Judge, O King!  for yourself, the great power of Mâyâ, that even Râma Chandra was deluded by passion, and very much grieved for the separation from his dear wife Sîtâ, and wept much for Her.   Greatly deluded, he began to cry aloud and ask the trees “Where has gone My Sîtâ, the daughter of Janaka? Is she devoured by the rapacious animals? or whether is she stolen by some mischievous person?

42-44.   O Brother Laksmana!  I am being consumed by the fire of separation from my beloved; I will commit suicide now; and you too will die due to the separation from me; our mother, too, would die when they will hear of our deaths; Satrughna, too, will be very much afflicted at our death and will not hold his life.   The mother Sumitrâ, too, will destroy her life, being afflicted with her son’s demise; and then Bharata’s and his mother’s desires will certainly be fulfilled. 

45.   O Sîtâ!  I am very much moved by your separation; where have you gone, leaving me here!  O deer-eyed, O one of thin waist!  come; give life unto me!

46.   What shall I do? Where shall I go? My life is entirely dependent on you, O

daughter of Janaka!  I am your darling!  Now I am very much depressed owing to your separation.   Please come and speak to me words of hope and courage.

 

47.   Though Râma, of unequalled prowess, roamed about weeping from forest to forest, yet he could not find out Sîtâ. 

48-49.   He, who is the Refuge of all the worlds, the lotus-eyed Râma, got entangled into the delusion of Mâyâ and had to take refuge Himself under the monkeys, and with their help, constructed the bridge across the ocean, crossed the ocean and was thus able to kill the valiant warriors Kumbhakarna and Râvana. 

50.   Then Râma got back His Sîtâ before him but suspecting, since she had been stolen by the vicious Râvana, made her take an oath, though it is to, be remembered that Râma was all-knowing. 

51.   O King!  The power of Yoga Mâyâ is very great; what shall I speak of Her great power? This whole cosmos is always urged into activity by Her and thus goes rolling on and on incessantly. 

52.   Thus, in various incarnations, Bhagavân Visnu was always under the influence of previous curse and also under the control of Destiny and had to do various functions incessantly. 

53.   O King!  Now I will speak to you about the birth of S’rî Krisna in the world for serving the purposes of gods, and will narrate His Leelâ. 

54.   In days of yore, on the delightful banks of the river Kâlindî, there was a place,

called Madhuban, where lived a powerful Daitya named Lavana, the son of Madhu. 

55-56.   That wicked Demon was exceedingly arrogant, on getting a boon, and he used to give an enormous amount of trouble to the Dvijas.   Satrughna the younger brother of Laksman, killed that uncontrollable Daitya and built a very beautiful city there and named it Mathurâ. 

57.   The intelligent Satrughna, the destroyer of enemies, installed his two lotus-eyed sons in that kingdom and, when his end came, went to Heaven.

 

58.   Afterwards on the decline of the Solar race, the Yâdavas, born of the race of

Yayâti, occupied that Mathurâ city, giving salvation to all. 

59.   O King!  There reigned in Mathurâ city one Yâdava king, valiant warrior, named S’ûrasena; and he enjoyed all the pleasures Mathurâ. 

60.   Under the curse of Varuna, Vâsudeva took his birth as the son of the renowned S’ûrasena, as the part incarnate of Kas’yapa. 

61.   He took up the profession of a Vais’ya and engaged himself in agriculture.   And on the death of his father, the prosperous and wealthy Ugrasena became the King of Mathurâ.   The powerful Kamsa was the son Ugrasena. 

62.   On the other hand, the King Devaka had a daughter born to him named Devakî, the part incarnate of Aditi.   She under the curse of Varuna, followed Kas’yapa. 

63.   The high souled King Devaka performed the marriage ceremony of his daughter Devakî with Vâsudeva. 

64.   When this marriage ceremony was over, a voice was heard from Heaven, saying :--

O fortunate Kamsa!  The eighth son of this Devakî will take away your life. 

65.   The powerful Kamsa, hearing that voice from Heaven, was surprised and took it to be true and became very anxious. 

66-67.   Kamsa began to argue in his mind.   Once he thought “I would today destroy her; then my death won’t take place; for I can’t see any other way of escape from this difficulty,” again he thought, “She is my sister, daughter of my paternal uncle and therefore fit to be worshipped; how can I kill her!”

68.   Lastly, he came to the final conclusion, thus “She is the cause of my death, though she is my sister, fit to be worshipped; to kill her will not lead me to sin; for it is enjoined by the wise :-- Do even a sin to avert one’s own death.  ”

69.   The sins can be remedied always by penances.   Therefore to save one’s life, by committing even a sinful act, ought to be done by the wise. 

70-71.   The vicious Kamsa thus arguing, holding the scabbard in his hand, drew from it the sword and dragged and caught hold of the newly married handsome woman by her hair to kill her before the presence of the public. 

72.   A cry of universal consternation and distress arose on all sides, seeing Kamsa thus ready to kill Devakî; then the warriors, under Vâsudeva, at once raised their bows and arrows, ready to fight. 

73.   These wonderfully valorous warriors loudly exclaimed to Kamsa, “Leave Devakî at once” “Leave Devakî at once” and then they were finally able out of their mercy to release the Devamâtâ Devakî, from the hold of the vicious Kamsa. 

74.   Deadly battles ensued then between the powerful Kamsa and those valorous

warriors on Vâsudeva’s side. 

75-76.   Seeing the exceedingly terrible battle, the old Yâdavas asked Kamsa to desist from such a battle and advised him thus.   This Devakî is your sister; you ought to pay her respects.   Did you not consider even for a moment that she is as yet a girl.   O Hero!  You ought not to kill her at the time of this joyous marriage ceremony. 

77.   O Valiant Warrior!  The murder of a woman is intolerable!  Destroyer of fame, and most heinous crime!  You should also consider that learned persons ought not to commit such dastardly acts as the murdering of females, depending simply on a voice from heaven, a very ordinary thing!

78.   It may be that some of your Vâsudeva’s enemy has uttered that harmful word,

hiding himself from your sight.   No reason can be shewn contrary to this. 

79.   We are of opinion that to ruin your name and to destroy the house of Vâsudeva, some magician, expert in black magic, your enemy has framed this voice from Heaven. 

80.   O king!  You are a hero; why do you fear the words of a devil.   We firmly believe, there is no doubt, that this is done by your malicious enemy to ruin your name. 

81.   O king!  What is destined to take place, will take place; no one can stand against it otherwise.   Therefore, at this marriage festivity, you ought never to kill this your respected sister. 

82-83.   O King Janamejaya!  Though made to understand thus by the old wise Yâdavas, the king Kamsa did not desist from his purpose; S’rî Vâsudeva, versed in morals, told him “Kamsa!  These three worlds are established on Truth.   I say on Truth that I will hand over to you all my sons, born of the womb of Devakî, no sooner they are born. 

84.   And if I do not deliver to you all those sons, no sooner they are born then all my forefathers will fall down into the hell called Kumbîhpâka.  ”

85-86.   The descendants of Puru, that were present there, hearing his truthful words, praised him repeatedly and told Kamsa “Vâsudeva is a high minded personage; he is surely not to tell a lie.   Therefore, O Thou, blessed one!  Now leave Devakî and be free from committing the murder of woman.  ”

87.   O king!  Thus made to understand by the aged high minded Yâdavas the king

Kamsa accepted the truthful words of Vâsudeva and abandoned his anger. 

88.   Then the Dunduvis and other sounding instruments were sounded; and their sounds filled the place; and all repeatedly uttered jai, jai. 

89.   Then the famous Vâsudeva, the son of S’ûrasena, thus pleased the king Kamsa and freed Devakî; and, surrounded by his relatives, he went quickly without any fear to his own house, accompanied by Devakî. 

Here ends the 20th chapter in the 4th Adhyâya of S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa, on Devakî’s marriage. 

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda  

Devi Bhagvatam 4:19:1:47

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 19/1:47

On chanting the hymns to the Devî

1.   Vyâsa said :-- The Bhagavân Visnu spoke again unto Prajâpati :-- Brâhman!  All these beings fascinated by Mâyâ, cannot know the Real Essence, the Highest Truth. 

2.   We, too, are fascinated by that Mâyâ; and hence we also, being blinded by that, do not at all remember That Highest Eternal Purusa, calm and quiet, the World Teacher, the Highest Self, of the nature of Pure Existence, Intelligence and Bliss. 

3.   O Brahmâ!  I am Visnu, I am Brahmâ, I am Rudra, thus our I-ness ahamkâra has blinded our eyesight; and we are made unable to recognise That Eternal Highest Self. 

4.   As the wooden dolls dance according to the will of the player, the magician, I also am similarly fascinated by the Mâyâ and am thus incessantly rolling about like a dependent man. 

5-6.   O Brahmâ :-- In the beginning of the Kalpa, Mahes’vara, You and I saw the

wonderful unspeakable form and glory of that Highest Self at the time of Râsamandala in the Mâni Dvîpa where there was the Mandâra Tree and the Devas assembled.   Then I also saw that wonderful thing a second time in the Sudhârnava ocean of nectar, and the most wonderful of it is this, that until we were able to See that Form, we did not hear anything of Her before!

7.   Therefore, O Devas!  Today do you all remember that Prime Force, the Highest Self, that all beneficent Force that yields all good and auspicious things; That Very Force will fulfill now all your desires. 

8.   Vyâsa said :-- O king!  No sooner the Bhagavân Hari addressed thus, Brahmâ and the other Devas at once mentally began to meditate on that Eternal Yoga Mâyâ, the Goddess of the Universe. 

9.   Being thus meditated, at once appeared before their eyesight the Devî, the Goddess of the Universe, whose colours were like the blood red Javâ flower, holding in two of Her hands noose, hook, or goad, while the third hand indicated favour and the fourth hand bade all discard every sort of fear. 

10.   As the web comes out of a spider and sparks come out of fire, so this whole

Universe comes out of that Goddess.   We all bow down before Her with our humble hearts, full of devotion. 

11.   We all salute to that Goddess of the Universe, Bhuvanes’varî, under Whose Mâyic force this whole Universe, moving and unmoving, is created; Who is All-Intelligence and the Ocean of Mercy. 

12.   This world appears real to him who is unable to realise Her Real Essence; and the world drops off as unreal no sooner he realises Her Presence.   We all meditate on that All Intelligent Goddess and we all pray to Her that She may grant unto us more strength to meditate Her and Her alone so. 

13.   We all want to know Mahâ Laksmî, we all meditate on the Omnipotent; May the Goddess grant unto us strength to meditate on Her so. 

14.   O Thou, the Remover of the world’s afflictions!  Best Thou pleased unto us; O Thou, kind hearted!  Do this work for us and promote our good.   O Thou, Lord of the Earth!  Dost Thou relieve the burden of the earth by killing these Asuras and bring on our welfare. 

15.   O Thou, Lotus-Eyed!  If Thou dost not show Thy mercy towards the gods, they will never be able to strike their enemies with their weapons in the battlefield.   O Goddess! Thou didst verify the truth of this before, when Thou didst assume the appearance of a Yaksa and utter the following sentences “O Fire!  You burn this blade of grass,” etc.   (in the Kena Talavakâra Upanîsada.  )

16.   O Mother!  Kamsa, Bhauma, Kâlayavana, Kes’î, Jarâsandha, the son of Brihadratha, Vaka, Pûtanâ, Khara, S’âlva and other vicious kings respectively are dwelling on the earth.   Dost Thou better kill them and relieve the burden of the Earth. 

17.   O Lotus-Eyed!  Thou hadst killed those Asuras without any effort that were not slain by Visnu or Mahes’vara and they ended their lives, while they were beholding Thy pleasing countenance. 

18.   O Goddess!  Holding Moon on Her forehead!  These Hari, Hara, Brahmâ and the other gods are unable to move a step without the help of Force; nothing to speak any further, the thousand headed King of Serpents is unable to hold this earth even for a moment, were he not provided with the S’akti of upholding this world. 

19.   Indra said :-- O Bhagavatî!  Would Brahmâ be ever able to create this world without the aid of Sarasvatî!  Would Visnu, the Deva of the Devas, be ever able to preserve it without the aid of Laksmî or would Mahes’vara be ever able, to destroy this world without the help of His Umâ; no, never!  These Devas, the Trinity, are able to take their respective parts in the keeping up of the world simply because they are united with the forces, incarnate in Sarasvatî, etc.  , who are again parts of Thee. 

20.   Visnu said :-- O Vimale!  Were we deprived of Thy Force, the Creator would never have been able to create the world, I would never have been able to preserve it and Mahes’vara would never have been able to destroy.   Therefore O Devî!  Thou alone art reigning as the Supreme Goddess amidst all the glories in the creation, preservation, and destruction of this Universe. 

21-22.   Vyâsa said :-- O king!  Thus praised by the Gods, the Goddess then addressed them :-- O Devas!  Let all anxieties leave you all; I will do what the Devas have desired, even if it be very difficult to do in this world; now explain what is troubling the Goddess Earth. 

23.   The Devas replied :-- The wicked kings are troubling very much this Earth.   She cannot any longer bear their burden; therefore She came crying unto us. 

24.   O Bhuvanes’varî!  Now it is Your duty to remove this load of earth.   O Auspicious One!  Know this, the desire of the gods.

 

25-28.   O Mother!  In days of yore, You have killed the most powerful Dânava named Mahisa, attended by lakhs and lakhs of Dânavas and Daityas; What to speak!  You have slain S’umbha, Nis’umbha, Raktavîja, the very powerful Chanda Munda, Dhumralochana, Durmukha, Duhsana, the strong Karâla and many other cruel Dânavas.   Now, similarly kill the wicked kings, the enemies of the Gods and save the Earth from their heavy loads. 

29.   Vyâsa said :-- Thus addressed by the Devas, the Most Auspicious One, the Devî, whose colour was black and who looked askance, said smiling in a tone, grave and deep, like that of the rumbling of a raincloud. 

30.   O Suras!  I have already thought over how the burden of those wicked kings, the parts incarnate of Asuras, can be removed. 

31.   I will, by My own power, rob them of their powers, of that highly prosperous and affluent Jârasandha, the king of Magadha, and others, the parts incarnate of the wicked Asuras, that are now shining on the Earth. 

32.   O Devas!  You would all better go down and incarnate yourselves as part

incarnations, impregnated with My power, and help thus in the removal of the load of this earth. 

33.   The Deva Prajâpati Maharsi Kas’yapa would first of all go with his his wife and incarnate as Ânaka Dundubhi Vasudeva, in the race of Yadu. 

34.   The Imperishable Bhagavân Visnu will also incarnate as part, owing to the curse of Bhrigu, as the son of Vasudeva. 

35.   O Devas!  I will be born, then, in the womb of Yas’odâ, in Gokula and will

accomplish all the ends of the Gods. 

36.   I will send Visnu from the prison to the Gokula; also I will transfer Anântâ Deva from the womb of Devakî to the womb of Rohinî. 

37.   They two will grow, day by day, by My Force and at the end of the Dvâpara Yuga, will no doubt kill the wicked kings. 

38-39.   Arjuna too, the part incarnate of Indra, will destroy the armies of those kings.  Yudhisthira, the part incarnate of Dharma, Bhîmsena, that of of Vâyu, Nakula and Sahadeva the incarnate of the two A’svins, and Bhîsma, the incarnate of Vasu as the son of the Gangâ, will take their respective births and exhaust their armies. 

40.   O Devas!  Now be calm and quiet and go.   Let the Earth be also calm and quiet; be confident that I will certainly remove the load of this earth. 

41.   I will make the above mentioned Gods as my instruments merely and I will destroy, by My own force, the Ksatriyas in the battlefield of Kuruksettra. 

42.   Malice, jealousy, foul intention, desire, attachment, vanity, covetousness, desire for victory, lust, and fascination are the vices that will destroy the Yâdavas. 

43.   The race of Yadu will end owing to the curse of a Brâhmana.   The Bhagavân also will leave His mortal coil due to a curse.

 

44.   Now go and incarnate in your respective parts, with your wives, in Gokula and Mathurâ, and be helpers in the work of the Lord. 

45-46.   Vyâsa said :-- Saying thus, the Devî the Goddess of the Universe, the Mâyâ Incarnate of the Highest Self disappeared.   The Devas and the Earth went to their respective places.   O king Janamejaya!  the Goddess Earth was pleased with the Devî’s words, and being quiet, remained surrounded with various medicinal plants and creepers. 

47.   Then the subjects felt peace and pleasure, the Brâhmans also grew stronger in

happiness and prosperity, and the Munis became glad and began to perform their

religious acts with fresh zeal and alacrity. 

Here ends the Nineteenth Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, the Mahâ Purânam, on chanting the hymns to the Devî by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda