surathavaiśyayorvarapradāna
Durga Saptashati Chapter 13 in English
Suratha-Vaiśyayor Varapradāna · The Granting of Boons to Suratha and the Merchant · 23 verses
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Chapter Summary
The closing chapter returns to the frame story and completes the Saptashati at exactly seven hundred verses. Having told the whole Devi Mahatmya, the sage Medhas bids King Suratha take refuge in the supreme Goddess, by whose Maya all beings are deluded and who, worshipped, grants enjoyment, heaven and liberation. The king and the merchant Samadhi go to a riverbank, fashion an earthen image of the Devi, and worship her with flowers, fire and self-restraint for three years, even offering bali sprinkled with their own blood. Pleased, Chandika appears in person and offers each a boon: Suratha — still bound to the world — chooses the return of his kingdom, imperishable in a future life, and is promised that he shall become the Savarni Manu, born of the Sun; the merchant, free of attachment, chooses the knowledge (jnana) that dissolves all 'I' and 'mine'. Granting both, the Goddess vanishes — and so ends the Devi Mahatmya.
Dhyāna (meditation)
oṃ bālārkamaṇḍalābhāsāṃ caturbāhuṃ trilocanām | pāśāṅkuśavarābhītirdhārayantīṃ śivāṃ bhaje ||
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oṃ ṛṣiruvāca etatte kathitaṃ bhūpa devīmāhātmyamuttamam | evaṃ prabhāvā sā devī yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat ||
oṃ ṛṣiruvāca etatte kathitaṃ bhūpa devīmāhātmyamuttamam evaṃ prabhāvā sā devī yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat
Meaning(Om. The Rishi said:) 'This supreme glory of the Devi (Devi Mahatmya) has been related to you, O King. Such is the power of that Devi by whom this world is upheld.
vidyā tathaiva kriyate bhagavadviṣṇumāyayā | tayā tvameṣa vaiśyaśca tathaivānye vivekinaḥ ||
vidyā tathaiva kriyate bhagavadviṣṇumāyayā tayā tvameṣa vaiśyaśca tathaivānye vivekinaḥ
MeaningAnd knowledge (vidya) too is likewise brought about by the Maya of the Lord Vishnu. By her, you, and this merchant, and likewise others, the discerning —
mohyante mohitāścaiva mohameṣyanti cāpare | tāmupaihi mahārāja śaraṇaṃ parameśvarīm ||
mohyante mohitāścaiva mohameṣyanti cāpare tāmupaihi mahārāja śaraṇaṃ parameśvarīm
Meaningare deluded; (others) have been deluded, and yet others shall come to delusion. O great king, approach her, the supreme Ishwari, for refuge.
ārādhitā saiva nṛṇāṃ bhogasvargāpavargadā ||
ārādhitā saiva nṛṇāṃ bhogasvargāpavargadā
MeaningShe herself, when worshipped, becomes the giver to men of enjoyment, heaven and liberation (bhoga, svarga and apavarga).'
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā surathaḥ sa narādhipaḥ ||
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā surathaḥ sa narādhipaḥ
Meaning(Markandeya said:) Having heard these words of his (the sage's), Suratha, that ruler of men,
praṇipatya mahābhāgaṃ tamṛṣiṃ saṃśitavratam | nirviṇṇo'timamatvena rājyāpaharaṇena ca ||
praṇipatya mahābhāgaṃ tamṛṣiṃ saṃśitavratam nirviṇṇo'timamatvena rājyāpaharaṇena ca
Meaningbowing to the highly blessed sage of firm vows — dejected by excessive attachment and by the seizure of his kingdom —
jagāma sadyastapase sa ca vaiśyo mahāmune | sandarśanārthamambāyā nadīpulinamāsthitaḥ ||
jagāma sadyastapase sa ca vaiśyo mahāmune sandarśanārthamambāyā nadīpulinamāsthitaḥ
Meaningwent at once to (perform) austerity; and that merchant too, O great sage, took his stand on the sandbank of a river to obtain a vision of Amba (the Mother).
sa ca vaiśyastapastepe devīsūktaṃ paraṃ japan | tau tasmin puline devyāḥ kṛtvā mūrtiṃ mahīmayīm ||
sa ca vaiśyastapastepe devīsūktaṃ paraṃ japan tau tasmin puline devyāḥ kṛtvā mūrtiṃ mahīmayīm
MeaningAnd the merchant performed austerity, reciting the supreme Devi-sukta (hymn). The two, having made on that sandbank an earthen image of the Devi,
arhaṇāṃ cakratustasyāḥ puṣpadhūpāgnitarpaṇaiḥ | nirāhārau yatātmānau tanmanaskau samāhitau ||
arhaṇāṃ cakratustasyāḥ puṣpadhūpāgnitarpaṇaiḥ nirāhārau yatātmānau tanmanaskau samāhitau
Meaningoffered worship to her with flowers, incense, fire-offering and libations; abstaining from food, self-restrained, their minds fixed on her, concentrated,
dadatustau baliṃ caiva nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam | evaṃ samārādhayatostribhirvarṣairyatātmanoḥ ||
dadatustau baliṃ caiva nijagātrāsṛgukṣitam evaṃ samārādhayatostribhirvarṣairyatātmanoḥ
Meaningthe two also offered bali (sacrificial offering) sprinkled with blood from their own bodies. As the two self-restrained ones thus worshipped her for three years,
parituṣṭā jagaddhātrī pratyakṣaṃ prāha caṇḍikā ||
parituṣṭā jagaddhātrī pratyakṣaṃ prāha caṇḍikā
MeaningChandika, the Supporter of the world, well pleased, spoke to them in her visible presence:
devyuvāca yatprārthyate tvayā bhūpa tvayā ca kulanandana | mattastatprāpyatāṃ sarvaṃ parituṣṭā dadāmite ||
devyuvāca yatprārthyate tvayā bhūpa tvayā ca kulanandana mattastatprāpyatāṃ sarvaṃ parituṣṭā dadāmite
Meaning(The Devi said:) 'What is prayed for by you, O King, and by you, O delight of your family — receive all that from me; well pleased, I grant it to you.'
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tato vavre nṛpo rājyamavibhraṃśyanyajanmani | atraiva ca nijaṃ rājyaṃ hataśatrubalaṃ balāt ||
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tato vavre nṛpo rājyamavibhraṃśyanyajanmani atraiva ca nijaṃ rājyaṃ hataśatrubalaṃ balāt
Meaning(Markandeya said:) Then the king chose a kingdom imperishable in another birth, and, here itself, his own kingdom — with the strength of his foes destroyed by force.
so'pi vaiśyastato jñānaṃ vavre nirviṇṇamānasaḥ | mametyahamiti prājñaḥ saṅgavicyutikārakam ||
so'pi vaiśyastato jñānaṃ vavre nirviṇṇamānasaḥ mametyahamiti prājñaḥ saṅgavicyutikārakam
MeaningAnd that merchant too, dispassionate of mind, the wise one, chose knowledge (jnana) — that which causes the falling away of attachment to the notions of 'mine' and 'I'.
devyuvāca svalpairahobhirnṛpate svaṃ rājyaṃ prāpsyate bhavān ||
devyuvāca svalpairahobhirnṛpate svaṃ rājyaṃ prāpsyate bhavān
Meaning(The Devi said:) 'O King, in a few days you shall obtain your own kingdom.
hatvā ripūnaskhalitaṃ tava tatra bhaviṣyati ||
hatvā ripūnaskhalitaṃ tava tatra bhaviṣyati
MeaningHaving slain your foes, it shall be yours there, unfailing.
mṛtaśca bhūyaḥ samprāpya janma devādvivasvataḥ ||
mṛtaśca bhūyaḥ samprāpya janma devādvivasvataḥ
MeaningAnd, dying, obtaining birth again from the god Vivasvan (Surya),
sāvarṇiko manurnāma bhavānbhuvi bhaviṣyati ||
sāvarṇiko manurnāma bhavānbhuvi bhaviṣyati
Meaningyou shall become on earth a Manu named Savarni.
vaiśyavarya tvayā yaśca varo'smatto'bhivāñchitaḥ ||
vaiśyavarya tvayā yaśca varo'smatto'bhivāñchitaḥ
MeaningAnd, O best of merchants, the boon desired by you from me —
taṃ prayacchāmi saṃsiddhyai tava jñānaṃ bhaviṣyati ||
taṃ prayacchāmi saṃsiddhyai tava jñānaṃ bhaviṣyati
Meaningthat I grant for your fulfilment: to you shall come knowledge (jnana).'
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti dattvā tayordevī yathābhilaṣitaṃ varam ||
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti dattvā tayordevī yathābhilaṣitaṃ varam
Meaning(Markandeya said:) Having thus given to the two the boon as each desired, the Devi
babhūvāntarhitā sadyo bhaktyā tābhyāmabhiṣṭutā | evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ||
babhūvāntarhitā sadyo bhaktyā tābhyāmabhiṣṭutā evaṃ devyā varaṃ labdhvā surathaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ
Meaningvanished at once, praised in devotion by the two. Thus, having obtained the boon from the Devi, Suratha, the bull among kshatriyas,
sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ ||
sūryājjanma samāsādya sāvarṇirbhavitā manuḥ
Meaningobtaining birth from the Sun, shall become the (eighth) Manu, Savarni.