Chapter 13: The Granting of Boons to Suratha and the Merchant

ṛṣir uvāca

13.1 The seer said:

etat te kathitaṁ bhūpa Devīmāhātmyam uttamam

13.2 “Thus have I related to you, O king, this supreme glorification of the Devī:

evamprabhāvā sā Devī yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat
vidyā tathaiva kriyate bhagavadviṣṇumāyayā

13.3 Such is the splendor of the Devī, by whom the world is upheld, and such is the knowledge fashioned by the blessed Viṣṇumāyā.

tayā tvam eṣa vaiśyaś ca tathaivānye vivekinaḥ
mohyante mohitāś caiva moham eṣyanti cāpare

13.4 By Her are you and this merchant and other thoughtful people deluded, just as others have been and will be deluded.

tām upaihi mahārāja śaraṇam parameśvarīm
ārādhitā saiva nṛṇāṁ bhogasvargāpavargadā

13.5 O great king, take refuge in Her, the Supreme Sovereign. When worshiped, She truly confers enjoyment, heaven, and final liberation on humanity.”

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca

13.6 Mārkaṇḍeya said:

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā surathaḥ sa narādhipaḥ
praṇipatya mahābhāgaṁ tam ṛṣiṁ saṁśitavratam

13.7 Hearing his words, Suratha the king bowed in reverence to the illustrious seer of steadfast austerities.

nirviṇṇo ’timamatvena rājyāpaharaṇena ca
jagāma sadyas tapase sa ca vaiśyo mahāmune

13.8 Despondent over excessive attachment and the loss of his kingdom, he went at once to practice austerities, O great sage, and so did the merchant,

sandarśanārtham ambāyā nadīpulinasaṁsthitaḥ
sa ca vaiśyas tapas tepe Devīsūktam paraṁ japan

13.9 that they might obtain a vision of the Mother. The king and the merchant settled on a riverbank and engaged in spiritual practice, chanting the supreme hymn to the Devī.

tau tasmin puline Devyāḥ kṛtvā mūrtiṁ mahīmayīm
arhaṇāṁ cakratus tasyāḥ puṣpadhūpāgnitarpaṇaiḥ

13.10 When they had fashioned an earthen image Of Her on the riverbank, the two of them worshiped The Devī with flowers, incense, fire, and libations of water.

nirāhārau yatāhārau tanmanaskau samāhitau
dadatus tau baliṁ caiva nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam

13.11 Now fasting, now restraining their senses, with minds constant in concentration, they made offerings sprinkled with the blood of their own bodies.

evaṁ samārādhayatos tribhir varṣair yatātmanoḥ
parituṣṭā jagaddhātrī pratyakṣaṁ prāha Caṇḍikā

13.12 When they had worshiped Her in this way with self- restraint for three years, Caṇḍikā, The Support Of The Universe, Was Well Pleased. She Appeared Before Them And Spoke.

Devy uvāca

13.13 The Devī Said:

yat prārthyate tvayā bhūpa tvayā ca kulanandana

13.14 “That which you desire, O king, and you, the delight of your family,

mat tas tat prāpyatāṁ sarvaṁ parituṣṭā dadāmi tat

13.15 receive all that from Me. Well pleased, I will grant it.”

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca

13.16 Mārkaṇḍeya said:

tato vavre nṛpo rājyam avibhraṁśyanyajanmani
atra caiva nijaṁ rājyaṁ hataśatrubalaṁ balāt

13.17 Thereupon the king chose a kingdom imperishable even in another lifetime and also his own kingdom here, to be reclaimed by force from his enemies’ control.

so ’pi vaiśyas tato jñānaṁ vavre nirviṇṇamānasaḥ
mametyaham iti prājñaḥ saṅgavicyutikārakam

13.18 And then the wise merchant, dispassionate in mind, chose that knowledge which severs attachment from “I” and “mine.”

Devy Uvāca

13.19 The Devī Said:

svalpair ahobhir nṛpate svarājyaṁ prāpsyate bhavan

13.20 “In a few days, O king, you will reclaim your own kingdom.

hatvā ripūn askhalitaṁ tava tatra bhaviṣyati

13.21 When your enemies are slain, thenceforth it will assuredly be yours.

mṛtaś ca bhūyaḥ samprāpya janma devād vivasvataḥ

13.22 And after your death you will obtain another birth from the sun god Vivasvat.

sāvarṇiko nāma manur bhavān bhuvi bhaviṣyati

13.23 Dwelling on earth, you will become the lord of the age, the manu named Sāvarṇi.

vaiśyavarya tvayā yaś ca varo ’smatto ’bhivāñchitaḥ

13.24 And the boon that you, O best of merchants, desire,

tam prayacchāmi saṁsiddhyai tava jñānam bhaviṣyati

13.25 that do I grant you. The knowledge that leads to final liberation shall be yours.”

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca

13.26 Mārkaṇḍeya said:

iti datvā tayor Devī yathābhilaṣitaṁ varam
babhūvāntarhitā sadyo bhaktyā tābhyām abhiṣṭutā

13.27 When She had given each his desired boon, The Devī, lovingly praised by both of them, vanished at once.

evaṁ Devyā varaṁ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ
sūryāj janma samāsādya sāvarṇir bhavitā manuḥ

13.28 Thus, having received The Devī’s Boon, Suratha, the best of sovereigns will obtain birth from the sun god and will become the manu named Sāvarṇi,

sāvarṇir bhavitā manuḥ klīṁ OṀ

13.29 will become the manu named Sāvarṇi. Klīm OṀ.

srīsaptaśatīDevīmāhātmyaṁ samāptam

The Devīmāhātmya of seven hundred verses is concluded.

OṀ tat sat OṀ