Skandapurana 1.4.45
English (machine translation) 1.4.45
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Nārada said:
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Then, for the protection of this sacred ford, O victorious one,
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listen to how goddesses were established by me after propitiating them.
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Just as the supreme Lord, the Self, is pervasive in all beings,
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even so the eternal Prakṛti, the supreme Goddess, is pervasive.
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Through Her favor, one obtains power, vigor, and all prosperities;
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and thus, O son of Pṛthā, that Sovereign Goddess resides in all beings,
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as intellect, modesty, nourishment, shame, contentment, peace, forgiveness, longing,
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faith, and consciousness, the power born of counsel, zeal, and regal majesty.
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She alone is ever for bondage and She alone for liberation;
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having propitiated Her, Indra and others attain sovereignty.
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And those base ones who do not acknowledge Śakti and despise Her,
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even lords of yogins fall manifestly, like those born in Kāśī.
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Formerly, indeed, in Vārāṇasī, perfected lords of yogins,
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having disdained Śakti, suffered a fall once again.
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Therefore, this Śakti must ever and always be worshipped by an embodied being;
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pleased, She grants desires; enraged, She destroys in an instant.
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And that supreme Prakṛti exists in many divisions;
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among them, the great goddesses who were established here—listen [about them]:
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Four great Śaktis are stationed in the four directions;
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Siddhāmbikā in the east was established by Guha.
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At the beginning of the universe, She is celebrated as born from Mūlaprakṛti;
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because She was worshipped by the perfected ones, She is therefore Siddhāmbikā.
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Likewise in the south is Tārā, established by me,
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because, for the deliverance of the gods, She resorted to the Tortoise,
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possessed by whom the Tortoise, the teacher of the world, rescued the Vedas;
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and, with his body possessed by Her, a wise man will slay the Buddhists,
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by the millions, the sinners who destroy the path of the Vedas.
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Having propitiated Her, this Daughter of the Mountain was brought by me;
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surrounded by very fierce goddesses numbering in crores,
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resorting to the southern direction, She stays out of respect for me.
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Likewise in the west resides the auspicious goddess Bhāskarā,
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possessed by whom the orbs of all the stars,
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with the Sun foremost, shine and swiftly go and come.
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This is that very Śakti of great power, shining, O son of the Kurus;
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propitiated by me, She was brought from the celestial cauldron and stays here;
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surrounded continually by crores of crores, She protects the western direction.
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Likewise in the north resides the goddess Yoganandinī;
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formerly having issued forth from the body of the supreme Prakṛti,
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the Four Sanas attained yoga when looked upon with Her pure gaze.
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And that goddess, Yogīśvarī, was well pleased by Sanaka and the others;
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propitiated by me, She was brought here from the cosmic egg's cauldron;
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surrounded by yoginīs, She resides in the northern direction.
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Thus these four great Śaktis are always present;
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worshipped, they always grant desires; enraged, they are capable of destruction.
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And then nine Durgās were brought by me; listen to them:
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The supreme goddess named Tripurā, by whom formerly Sthāṇu...
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possessed by whom, Sthāṇu, the Lord of the universe, reduced Tripura to ashes.
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Therefore the blessed Hara addressed her as Tripurā,
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and praised her himself; for that reason she is worthy of worship even by the worlds.
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Having propitiated her, she was brought by me from the Amareśvara mountain.
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She, who grants the desires of devotees, is situated near Bhaṭṭāditya.
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And another is Kolambā, the eternal great Śakti,
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possessed by whom Keśava, in the form of a boar, lifted up the earth.
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Therefore she was praised, worshipped, and called Kolambā by Viṣṇu.
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And that goddess, O Pārtha, was propitiated by me with the yoga of devotion.
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Dwelling on the Vārāha mountain, she was brought [here], and she spoke to me:
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“Wherever I always dwell, O Nārada, out of compassion for supplicants,
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there must be a well inhabited by Rudrāṇī.
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For without that well, I have no pleasure anywhere.
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Therefore, O twice-born, dig the best of wells yourself right here.”
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When spoken to thus by the goddess, O Pārtha, then by the root of a darbha grass,
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a well was dug by me, wherein Rudrāṇī manifestly shone forth in the well.
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Then having bathed and recited [mantras] there, the gods were propitiated by me.
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Then the divine Kolambā, the sovereign lady of the universe, was worshipped.
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Then the well-pleased goddess spoke to me as I bowed down:
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“I shall always abide here, brought to gracious favor by you.
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And whatever mortals, having bathed in this well, especially on the eighth day of Māgha,
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shall worship me, I will destroy their wrongdoing.
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The well containing all sacred fords, situated in the forest of all seasons,
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near Meru, belonging to Rudrāṇī, is indeed this very well.
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Far more than at Prayāga, Gaṅgā, and especially at Gayā,
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a ritual ablution in this well is proclaimed by me, O Nārada, to bear greater fruit.
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Therefore, at your word, O rich in austerity, I have settled here.
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Together with Guha, I shall unweariedly protect this sacred lake.
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And those who, having worshipped Kumāreśa, worship me,
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I, accompanied by sixty crores of goddesses, shall grant their desires.”
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Nārada said:
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Addressed thus by the pleased goddess at that time, O Pārtha,
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I, delighted, replied to Kolambā, the mother of the universe:
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“Here, O goddess, you are the mother, the origin of this hidden sacred field.
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Vain is the pilgrimage of those who do not worship you here.
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And this holy lake will attain renown by your name.
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You are the sovereign lady of this lake, and likewise the sovereign lady of this sacred ford.”
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Having thus performed prolonged austerity, the auspicious one was installed by me.
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Therefore, this Great Durgā should be constantly worshipped by wise men.
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And the third, stationed in that direction, was installed by me
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and by Guha; the majesty of this Kapāleśī was described before.
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Blessed are those best of men who constantly behold her
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after worshipping Kapāleśvara, because she is the universal power.
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Thus these three Durgās are situated in the eastern direction.
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In the western [direction], I shall proclaim the three most excellent Durgās.
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The goddess Suvarṇākṣī, who protects the cosmic egg,
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having been propitiated, that goddess was established by me in this sacred ford.
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And those who bow to her and worship her with devotion,
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by them she has been worshipped alongside thirty-three crores of goddesses.
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Another Great Durgā established [there] is Carcitā;
she was brought from the depths of Rasātala by me with great devotion.
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She is to be worshipped and meditated upon by those who desire heroism;
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she bestowed heroism on many gods and Daiteyas.
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This very Great Durgā will, through her valour, liberate the best of heroes, Śūdraka,
when bound by thieves in the future, in the Kali [age].
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Then, having worshipped her, he will attain supremacy among heroes,
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and assailing his enemies headed by Kālasena, he will slay them.
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Therefore she should always be propitiated by men desiring heroism,
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that Great Durgā Carcitā, who is stationed in the western direction.
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Likewise, Trailokyavijayā is stationed in this third direction,
by worshipping whom the husband of Rohiṇī attained victory in the three worlds.
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Brought by me from the world of Soma and worshipped, she always bestows victory.
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Thus are these in the west. Hear now of those in the north.
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And in the north are three goddesses, chief among them being Ekavīrā. // 55
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The goddess who is called Ekavīrā is directly worshipped by Śiva.
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Possessed by her, this Lord of Ghosts dissolves the entire universe. // 56
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By the power of primordial Ekavīrā, having burned the worlds to ashes,
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upon the completion of eleven yugas, he was astonished amidst the ashes. // 57
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Such indeed is Ekavīrā, this eternal Śakti.
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Worshipped and propitiated, she grants every desired thing to mortals. // 58
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Brought from the world of Brahmā by me, she is to be propitiated here, O descendant of Bharata.
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Even the chanting of her name, they know, destroys the wicked. // 59
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The second, named Harasiddhi, is goddess Durgā of mighty power.
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Propitiated and brought here by me from Śīkottara, O son of Pāṇḍu: // 1.2.47.60
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When, while staying at Śīkottara, Rudra was besought by Pārvatī,
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the compassionate one taught the mantra of the Ḍākinī to the goddess. // 61
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Then, deluded by the power of the mantra, the virtuous Daughter of the Mountain
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attacked Bhava himself and drank his flesh and blood. // 62
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Then, from the body of Rudra, she came forth, the destroyer of affliction,
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Harasiddhi, the great Durgā, skilled in great mantras. // 63
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That thousand-armed goddess attacked, overpowered,
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and liberated Giriśa, and then laid a curse upon her. // 64
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From that time forward she is celebrated in the world as Harasiddhi.
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Surrounded by sixty crores of goddesses, she is worshipped by the gods. // 65
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Having propitiated her who destroys all faults, Sugrīva and the others...
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became immensely powerful and destroyers of the host of Ḍākinīs. // 66
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Therefore, one should worship her with mind, speech, and physical actions.
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Ḍākinīs and other [spirits] do not creep near Harasiddhi. // 67
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Situated in the northeast corner is the third, Caṇḍikā, the ninth.
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Even the Lord of Speech would not reach the end in describing her. // 68
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She who of old issued forth from the body of Pārvatī,
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slew the great demons Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa, and devoured them in wrath. // 69
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One hundred akṣauhiṇīs, as well as both Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa,
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did not even fill one mouthful of hers; how could she be measured? For such she is! // 1.2.47.70
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She alone, being thirsty, also drank the blood of the Andhakas,
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and thereupon the blessed Bhava destroyed Andhaka. // 71
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And she, having drunk the blood originating from the Raktabījas,
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offered to the goddess [him] whose blood was drunk by Cāmuṇḍā. // 72
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She is satisfied even with a bow from her devotees, O descendant of Bharata,
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and by crores of tens of millions of sinful Daityas. // 73
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And an auspicious, holy pool of this goddess was prepared by me,
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where, merely by touch, one obtains the fruit of all sacred fords. // 74
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The perfection of Hara, the perfection of the gods, and the perfection of dharma, O descendant of Bharata—
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manifold perfection is obtained in this sacred ford by those devoted to Caṇḍikā. // 75
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And whoever worships the goddess, whether with little or with much,
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to him Kātyāyanī, surrounded by hundreds of crores, bestows prosperity. // 76
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Thus these great Durgās are stationed here in the nine sacred fords,
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as well as the four directional goddesses; they are to be worshipped daily by those desiring good fortune. // 77
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Especially during the Navarātra in the month of Āśvina,
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having fasted, or eating once a day, one should worship these goddesses // 78
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with offerings, cakes, food offerings, libations, and fragrant incenses.
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They maintain his protection along the streets, at three-way intersections, and at crossroads. // 79
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Ghosts, spirits, piśācas, and the like do not cause distress;
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calamities quickly flee away; the yoginīs bring him joy. // 1.2.47.80
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One who desires a son obtains sons; one who desires wealth obtains wealth;
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one afflicted by disease is freed from disease; one who is bound is freed from bondage. // 81
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A man or woman who shows devotion to them with faith
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attains all the desires that they contemplate in mind. // 82
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These goddesses are wish-granting cows and like wish-fulfilling gems,
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and wish-granting creepers for their devotees; indeed, they are the ninefold manifestation here. // 83
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Likewise, here, to the south of Harasiddhi, is Bhūtamātā.
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I will tell you her incomparable māhātmya in brief: // 84
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Formerly, it is said, the wise Guha, on the holy bank of the Sarasvatī...
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was anointed to the sovereign lordship over spirits, ghosts, and piśācas.
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And he restrained all spirits within proper bounds,
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the blessed Guha, having granted them this food out of compassion:
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“Whatever is offered without mantras, and whatever is done outside the Veda,
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without faith, and in anger—that will be for your satisfaction.”
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Then with this portion they all rejoiced.
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After some time, [whether] done with faith or without faith,
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those very spirits devoured the merit, overpowering the deities.
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Then those gods, afflicted by hunger, reported this to Guha.
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Hearing that, Guha became enraged, like Kāla [himself].
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From the middle of his lotus-brow as he was enraged, a certain [form] came forth:
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A woman garlanded with flames, very terrible to behold, having twelve eyes.
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Bowing to him, she said: “Lord, I am your Śakti.
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Quickly command me to my duty: what desired task shall I perform for you?”
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Skanda said:
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“Transgressing my command, by these sinful hordes of spirits,
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everything given by humans is consumed at will by the vile ones.
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Therefore quickly bring them within proper bounds.
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A hundred crores of goddesses will follow you, auspicious one.”
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Then, having said “So be it,” and surrounded by goddesses at that time,
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mounting a peacock, Guha’s Śakti went forth.
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Reaching a forest of lotuses, she saw the multitudes of spirits,
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and approaching them, the goddess struck them down with various weapons.
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Then the ghosts, piśācas, and others, being slain in the great battle,
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propitiated that goddess in various guises, like most wretched folk,
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some in the guise of brahmins, and with the words of ascetics,
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dancing [and crying] again and again: “O lotus-eyed goddess, be gracious!”
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Then, pleased, that goddess said to them: “Choose [a boon] as you wish!”
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They said to her: “Protect us, O ruler, become the Mother of Spirits!
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We shall never abandon the boundary established by Skanda.
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And to those who thus gratify you, grant boons forever.”
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The holy Goddess said:
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“Those who on the new moon day of Vaiśākha gratify me in this way,
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Linked texts (1)
- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit