ॐ बालार्कमण्डलाभासां चतुर्बाहुं त्रिलोचनाम् ।
पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतीर्धारयन्तीं शिवां भजे ॥
oṃ bālārkamaṇḍalābhāsāṃ caturbāhuṃ trilocanām |
pāśāṅkuśavarābhītīrdhārayantīṃ śivāṃ bhaje ||
Meaning Meditation verse — I worship the auspicious Goddess (Śivā), radiant like the orb of the rising morning sun, four-armed and three-eyed, bearing the noose (pāśa) and goad (aṅkuśa) and showing the boon-granting (vara) and fear-dispelling (abhaya) gestures.
ॐ ऋषिरुवाच ॥ १३.१॥
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca || 13.1||
Meaning Oṃ. The sage (Ṛṣi Medhas) said:
एतत्ते कथितं भूप देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।
एवं प्रभावा सा देवी ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥ १३.२॥
etatte kathitaṃ bhūpa devīmāhātmyamuttamam |
evaṃ prabhāvā sā devī yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat || 13.2||
Meaning O King, this supreme glory of the Goddess (Devī-māhātmya) has been narrated to you. Such is the power of that Goddess, by whom this whole world is sustained.
विद्या तथैव क्रियते भगवद्विष्णुमायया ।
तया त्वमेष वैश्यश्च तथैवान्ये विवेकिनः ॥ १३.३॥
vidyā tathaiva kriyate bhagavadviṣṇumāyayā |
tayā tvameṣa vaiśyaśca tathaivānye vivekinaḥ || 13.3||
Meaning By that very Viṣṇu-māyā of the Lord, knowledge too is brought about (as is delusion). By her, you, this merchant, and likewise other discerning ones —
मोह्यन्ते मोहिताश्चैव मोहमेष्यन्ति चापरे ।
तामुपैहि महाराज शरणं परमेश्वरीम् ॥ १३.४॥
mohyante mohitāścaiva mohameṣyanti cāpare |
tāmupaihi mahārāja śaraṇaṃ parameśvarīm || 13.4||
Meaning — are deluded, have been deluded, and others yet will be deluded. O great King, take refuge in Her, the Supreme Goddess (Parameśvarī).
आराधिता सैव नृणां भोगस्वर्गापवर्गदा ॥ १३.५॥
ārādhitā saiva nṛṇāṃ bhogasvargāpavargadā || 13.5||
Meaning When duly worshipped, that same Goddess bestows upon men enjoyment (bhoga), heaven (svarga), and final liberation (apavarga).
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥ १३.६॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca || 13.6||
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सुरथः स नराधिपः ॥ १३.७॥
iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā surathaḥ sa narādhipaḥ || 13.7||
Meaning Having heard these words of his (the sage), that King Suratha, the ruler of men —
प्रणिपत्य महाभागं तमृषिं शंसितव्रतम् ।
निर्विण्णोऽतिममत्वेन राज्यापहरणेन च ॥ १३.८॥
praṇipatya mahābhāgaṃ tamṛṣiṃ śaṃsitavratam |
nirviṇṇo'timamatvena rājyāpaharaṇena ca || 13.8||
Meaning — bowed to that greatly blessed sage of praiseworthy vows; grown detached through excessive attachment and through the seizure of his kingdom,
जगाम सद्यस्तपसे स च वैश्यो महामुने ।
सन्दर्शनार्थमम्बाया नदीपुलिनसंस्थितः ॥ १३.९॥
jagāma sadyastapase sa ca vaiśyo mahāmune |
sandarśanārthamambāyā nadīpulinasaṃsthitaḥ || 13.9||
Meaning O great sage, he at once went forth to perform austerity, and so did that merchant; and to obtain the vision of the Mother (Ambā), they took their stand on a river's sandbank.
स च वैश्यस्तपस्तेपे देवीसूक्तं परं जपन् ।
तौ तस्मिन् पुलिने देव्याः कृत्वा मूर्तिं महीमयीम् ॥ १३.१०॥
sa ca vaiśyastapastepe devīsūktaṃ paraṃ japan |
tau tasmin puline devyāḥ kṛtvā mūrtiṃ mahīmayīm || 13.10||
Meaning And that merchant performed austerity, reciting the supreme Devī-sūkta. The two of them, on that sandbank, having fashioned an earthen image of the Goddess —
अर्हणां चक्रतुस्तस्याः पुष्पधूपाग्नितर्पणैः ।
निराहारौ यताहारौ तन्मनस्कौ समाहितौ ॥ १३.११॥
arhaṇāṃ cakratustasyāḥ puṣpadhūpāgnitarpaṇaiḥ |
nirāhārau yatāhārau tanmanaskau samāhitau || 13.11||
Meaning — worshipped her with flowers, incense, fire-offering, and libations. Fasting, or restrained in diet, with minds fixed on her and fully concentrated —
ददतुस्तौ बलिं चैव निजगात्रासृगुक्षितम् ।
एवं समाराधयतोस्त्रिभिर्वर्षैर्यतात्मनोः ॥ १३.१२॥
dadatustau baliṃ caiva nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam |
evaṃ samārādhayatostribhirvarṣairyatātmanoḥ || 13.12||
Meaning — the two also offered oblation sprinkled with blood drawn from their own limbs. Thus, as the two self-controlled ones worshipped for three years —
परितुष्टा जगद्धात्री प्रत्यक्षं प्राह चण्डिका ॥ १३.१३॥
parituṣṭā jagaddhātrī pratyakṣaṃ prāha caṇḍikā || 13.13||
Meaning — Caṇḍikā, the Supporter of the world, well pleased, appeared before them in visible form and spoke.
देव्युवाच ॥ १३.१४॥
devyuvāca || 13.14||
Meaning The Goddess said:
यत्प्रार्थ्यते त्वया भूप त्वया च कुलनन्दन ।
मत्तस्तत्प्राप्यतां सर्वं परितुष्टा ददामि तत् ॥ १३.१५॥
yatprārthyate tvayā bhūpa tvayā ca kulanandana |
mattastatprāpyatāṃ sarvaṃ parituṣṭā dadāmi tat || 13.15||
Meaning O King, and O delight of your family (merchant), whatever is prayed for by you both — receive it all from me; well pleased, I grant it to you.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥ १३.१६॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca || 13.16||
ततो वव्रे नृपो राज्यमविभ्रंश्यन्यजन्मनि ।
अत्रैव च निजं राज्यं हतशत्रुबलं बलात् ॥ १३.१७॥
tato vavre nṛpo rājyamavibhraṃśyanyajanmani |
atraiva ca nijaṃ rājyaṃ hataśatrubalaṃ balāt || 13.17||
Meaning Then the king chose a kingdom that would not perish even in another birth, and, in this very life, his own kingdom regained by force with the enemies' might destroyed.
सोऽपि वैश्यस्ततो ज्ञानं वव्रे निर्विण्णमानसः ।
ममेत्यहमिति प्राज्ञः सङ्गविच्युतिकारकम् ॥ १३.१८॥
so'pi vaiśyastato jñānaṃ vavre nirviṇṇamānasaḥ |
mametyahamiti prājñaḥ saṅgavicyutikārakam || 13.18||
Meaning That merchant too, his mind turned to detachment, chose knowledge — the wise one chose that which removes the attachment bound up in the notions of 'mine' and 'I'.
देव्युवाच ॥ १३.१९॥
devyuvāca || 13.19||
Meaning The Goddess said:
स्वल्पैरहोभिर्नृपते स्वं राज्यं प्राप्स्यते भवान् ॥ १३.२०॥
svalpairahobhirnṛpate svaṃ rājyaṃ prāpsyate bhavān || 13.20||
Meaning O King, in but a few days you shall regain your own kingdom.
हत्वा रिपूनस्खलितं तव तत्र भविष्यति ॥ १३.२१॥
hatvā ripūnaskhalitaṃ tava tatra bhaviṣyati || 13.21||
Meaning Having slain your foes, it shall there become unshakably (steadfastly) yours.
मृतश्च भूयः सम्प्राप्य जन्म देवाद्विवस्वतः ॥ १३.२२॥
mṛtaśca bhūyaḥ samprāpya janma devādvivasvataḥ || 13.22||
Meaning And after death, obtaining birth once again from the god Vivasvān (the Sun) —
सावर्णिको नाम मनुर्भवान् भुवि भविष्यति ॥ १३.२३॥
sāvarṇiko nāma manurbhavān bhuvi bhaviṣyati || 13.23||
Meaning — you shall become upon this earth the Manu named Sāvarṇika (Sāvarṇi).
वैश्यवर्य त्वया यश्च वरोऽस्मत्तोऽभिवाञ्छितः ॥ १३.२४॥
vaiśyavarya tvayā yaśca varo'smatto'bhivāñchitaḥ || 13.24||
Meaning O best of merchants, and the boon that has been desired by you from me —
तं प्रयच्छामि संसिद्ध्यै तव ज्ञानं भविष्यति ॥ १३.२५॥
taṃ prayacchāmi saṃsiddhyai tava jñānaṃ bhaviṣyati || 13.25||
Meaning — that I grant for your complete perfection; knowledge (of Truth) shall be yours.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॥ १३.२६॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca || 13.26||
इति दत्त्वा तयोर्देवी यथाभिलषितं वरम् ॥ १३.२७॥
iti dattvā tayordevī yathābhilaṣitaṃ varam || 13.27||
Meaning Thus, having granted the two of them the boon as each desired, the Goddess —
बभूवान्तर्हिता सद्यो भक्त्या ताभ्यामभिष्टुता ।
एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः ॥ १३.२८॥
babhūvāntarhitā sadyo bhaktyā tābhyāmabhiṣṭutā |
evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ || 13.28||
Meaning — extolled with devotion by them both, at once vanished from sight. Thus, having obtained the boon from the Goddess, Suratha, the bull among Kṣatriyas —
सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः ॥ १३.२९॥
sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ || 13.29||
Meaning — obtaining birth from the Sun, will become the Manu named Sāvarṇi.
एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः ।
सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः ॥ क्लीं ॐ ॥
evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ |
sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ || klīṃ oṃ ||
Meaning (Closing repetition —) this repeats the second half of 13.28 and 13.29, now sealed with the seed-syllables: thus, having obtained the boon from the Goddess, Suratha the bull among Kṣatriyas, taking birth from the Sun, will become the Manu Sāvarṇi. Klīṃ Oṃ.
॥ इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये
सुरथवैश्ययोर्वरप्रदानं नाम त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १३॥
|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe sāvarṇike manvantare devīmāhātmye
surathavaiśyayorvarapradānaṃ nāma trayodaśo'dhyāyaḥ || 13||
Meaning Thus ends the thirteenth chapter, “The Boons to Suratha and the Merchant”, of the Devī Māhātmya in the Sāvarṇika Manvantara of the Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa.
उवाच ६, अर्धश्लोकाः ११, श्लोकाः १२, एवम् २९, एवमादितः ॥ ७००॥
uvāca 6, ardhaślokāḥ 11, ślokāḥ 12, evam 29, evamāditaḥ || 700||
Meaning The count of this chapter’s mantras: speaker lines (uvāca) 6, half-verses 11, verses 12 — 29 in all, 700 from the beginning.
समस्ता उवाचमन्त्राः ५७, अर्धश्लोकाः ४२, श्लोकाः ५३५, अवदानानि ६६ ॥
samastā uvācamantrāḥ 57, ardhaślokāḥ 42, ślokāḥ 535, avadānāni 66 ||
Meaning (Grand total of the whole Saptaśatī) — altogether there are 57 dialogue-mantras ('uvāca'), 42 half-verses, 535 full verses, and 66 avadānas — portions counted separately (as distinct oblations in the homa) — together making up the full 700.
