Devibhagavatapurana 9.41: ekacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ | śrīlakṣmyupākhyānavarṇanam

9.41.1

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca |
hariṃ dhyātvā harirbrahman jagāma brahmaṇaḥ sabhām |
bṛhaspatiṃ puraskṛtya sarvaiḥ suragaṇaiḥ saha ||

9.41.2

śīghraṃ gatvā brahmalokaṃ dṛṣṭvā ca kamalodbhavam |
praṇemurdevatāḥ sarvāḥ sahendrā guruṇā saha ||

9.41.3

vṛttāntaṃ kathayāmāsa surācāryo vidhiṃ prati |
prahasyovāca tacchrutvā mahendraṃ kamalāsanaḥ ||

Brihaspati, the Âchârya of the Devas, then communicated all to Brahmâ. Hearing this, He smiled and spoke, addressing Indra:-- O Indra! You have been born in My race; nay, you are My grandson; the Ârya Brihaspati is your Guru; you yourself are the ruler of the Devas and you are very wise and sagacious; the mother of your father is the powerful Daksa, a great Visnu Bhakta. How is it, then that when the three sides of the family are pure, one would turn out so haughty and arrogant! Whose mother is so much devoted to her husband, whose father, mother’s father and mother’s brother are self-controlled and of pure Sattva Guna, he is not expected to be so very haughty! Every man may be guilty to Hari for the three faults:-- For some fault due to that of his father, or of his mother’s father, or of Guru, the Spiritual Teacher. Bhagavân Nârâyana, resides in this great holy temple of our this physical body controlling the hearts of all. At whatever moment, S’rî Nârâyana quits this temple-body, at that moment this body becomes dead. I myself am the mind; S’ankara is the Knowledge, Visnu is the vital breaths, Bhagavatî Durgâ is the intelligence (Buddhi), sleep, etc., the powers of Prakriti; when these are being reflected on by the Âtman, Jîva is formed with a body for enjoyment called Bhoga S’arîrabhrit. When a king departs, his attendants also follow him; so when this Âtman departs from this temple of body, his attendants mind, buddhi, etc., instantly depart from this body and follow the Âtman. O Indra! We all, are verily, the parts of S’rî Krisna. I myself, S’iva, Ananta Deva, Visnu, Dharma, Mahâ Virât, you all are His parts and entirely devoted to Him. And you have shown contempt for His flower. Bhagavân S’ankara, the Lord of the Bhûtas, worshipped the lotus-feet of S’rî Krisna with that flower. The Risi Durvâsâ gave you that flower. But you showed disrespect to it. The flower, Pârijâta, after being offered at the lotus-feet of Krisna, should be placed on the head of an Immortal; His worship is to be done first; and it is the foremost amongst the Devas. So you are now being afflicted by the inevitable course of Fate; Fate is the most powerful of all. Who can save that unlucky man against whom Fate has turned? Seeing that you have rejected the flower offered to S’rî Krisna, S’rî Laksmî Devî has left you out of anger. Now come with Me and with your family priest Brihaspati to Vaikuntha and worship the Lord of Laksmî; then by His grace you may get back your Heavens. Thus saying, Brahmâ with Indra and all the other Devas, went to the Eternal Purusa, Bhagavân Nârâyana and saw that He was full of Fire and Energy like one hundred koti summer midday Suns, yet perfectly cool and calm. He has no beginning, and no end, nor any middle. He is Infinite. The four-armed Pârisadas, Sarasvatî, the four Vedas, and the Ganges, all were surrounding Him. Seeing Him, Brahmâ and the other Devas bowed down with devotion and began to chant hymns to Him with tears in their eyes. Brahmâ, then, informed Him of everything when all the Devas, dispossessed of their places, began to weep before Him. Nârâyana saw that the Devas were very afraid and much distressed. They had no jewel ornaments as before, no vehicles (Vâhanas), nor the Daivic splendour as before, not that brillance; always fearful. Then Nârâyana, the Destroyer of fear, seeing the Devas in that state, addressed Brahmâ and the other Devas:-- O Brâhman! O Devas! Discard all fears. What fear can overcome you? I am here. I will give you again the immoveable prosperous Râjya Laksmî (the Laksmî of the kings).

9.41.4

brahmovāca |
vatsa madvaṃśajāto'si prapautro me vicakṣaṇaḥ |
bṛhaspateśca śiṣyastvaṃ surāṇāmadhipaḥ svayam ||

9.41.5

mātāmahaśca dakṣaste viṣṇubhaktaḥ pratāpavān |
kulatrayaṃ yasya śuddhaṃ kathaṃ so'haṅkṛto bhavet ||

9.41.6

mātā pativratā yasya pitā śuddho jitendriyaḥ |
mātāmaho mātulaśca kathaṃ so'haṅkṛto bhavet ||

9.41.7

janaḥ paitṛkadoṣeṇa doṣānmātāmahasya ca |
gurudoṣāttribhirdoṣairharidoṣī bhaved dhruvam ||

9.41.8

sarvāntarātmā bhagavān sarvadeheṣvavasthitaḥ |
yasya dehātsa prayāti sa śavastatkṣaṇaṃ bhavet ||

9.41.9

mano'hamindriyeśaṃ ca jñānarūpo hi śaṅkaraḥ |
viṣṇuprāṇā ca prakṛtirbuddhirbhagavatī satī ||

9.41.10

nidrādayaḥ śaktayaśca tāḥ sarvāḥ prakṛteḥ kalāḥ |
ātmanaḥ pratibimbaśca jīvo bhogaśarīrabhṛt ||

9.41.11

ātmanīśe gate dehātsarve yānti sasambhramāḥ |
yathā vartmani gacchantaṃ naradevamivānugāḥ ||

9.41.12

ahaṃ śivaśca śeṣaśca viṣṇurdharmo mahāvirāṭ |
yūyaṃ yadaṃśā bhaktāśca tatpuṣpaṃ nyakkṛtaṃ tvayā ||

9.41.13

śivena pūjitaṃ pādapadmaṃ puṣpeṇa yena ca |
tatra durvāsasā dattaṃ daivena nyakkṛtaṃ tvayā ||

9.41.14

tatpuṇyaṃ mastake yasya kṛṣṇapādābjapracyutam |
sarveṣāṃ ca surāṇāṃ ca tatpūjāpurato bhavet ||

9.41.15

daivena vañcitastvaṃ hi daivaṃ ca balavattaram |
bhāgyahīnaṃ janaṃ mūḍhaṃ ko vā rakṣitumīśvaraḥ ||

9.41.16

sā śrīrgatādhunā kopātkṛṣṇanirmālyavarjanāt |
adhunā gaccha vaikuṇṭhaṃ mayā ca guruṇā saha ||

9.41.17

niṣevya tatra śrīnāthaṃ śriyaṃ prāpsyati madvarāt |
evamuktvā ca sa brahmā sarvaiḥ suragaṇaiḥ saha ||

9.41.18

tatra gatvā parabrahma bhagavantaṃ sanātanam |
dṛṣṭvā tejaḥsvarūpaṃ taṃ prajvalantaṃ svatejasā ||

9.41.19

grīṣmamadhyāhnamārtaṇḍaśatakoṭisamaprabham |
śāntamanādimadhyāntaṃ lakṣyīkāntamanantakam ||

9.41.20

caturbhujaiḥ pārṣadaiśca sarasvatyā yutaṃ prabhum |
bhaktyā caturbhirvedaiśca gaṅgayā pariveṣṭitam ||

9.41.21

taṃ praṇemuḥ surāḥ sarve mūrdhnā brahmapurogamāḥ |
bhaktinamrāḥ sāśrunetrāstuṣṭuvuḥ parameśvaram ||

9.41.22

vṛttāntaṃ kathayāmāsa svayaṃ brahmā kṛtāñjaliḥ |
rurudurdevatāḥ sarvāḥ svādhikārāccutāśca tāḥ ||

9.41.23

sa dadarśa suragaṇaṃ vipadgrastaṃ bhayākulam |
ratnabhūṣaṇaśūnyaṃ ca vāhanādivivarjitam ||

9.41.24

śobhāśūnyaṃ hataśrīkaṃ niṣprabhaṃ sabhayaṃ param |
uvāca kātaraṃ dṛṣṭvā bhayabhītivibhañjanaḥ ||

9.41.25

śrībhagavānuvāca |
mā bhairbrahman he surāśca bhayaṃ kiṃ vo mayi sthite |
dāsyāmi lakṣmīmacalāṃ paramaiśvaryavardhinīm ||

9.41.26

kiñca madvacanaṃ kiñcicchrūyatāṃ samayocitam |
hitaṃ satyaṃ sārabhūtaṃ pariṇāmasukhāvaham ||

But for the present, I give you some advice proper for this moment. Listen. There are endless universes where exist innumerable persons. All of them are under Me. So know verily, that I am under them also. My devotees regard Me as the Highest. They know no other than Me; they are fearless; so I do not remain in that house where My devotees are dissatisfied. I instantly quit that house with Laksmî. Durvâsâ Risi is born in part of S’ankara. He is highly devoted to Me. He is a pakkâ Vaisnava. He cursed you and, as a matter of fact, I and Laksmî instantly left your house.
Laksmî does not reside in that house where conch shells are not blown, where there are no Tulasî trees, where there is no worship of S’iva and S’ivâ, where the Brâhmanas are not fed. O Brâhman! O Devas! Where I and My Bhaktas are blamed, Mahâ Laksmî becomes greatly displeased. She instantly goes away out of that house. Laksmî does not stay even for a moment in that house where the stupid person, without any devotion for me, takes his food on the Harivâsara Ekâdas’î day (the eleventh day of the moon’s wane or increase) or on My anniversary birthday. If anybody sells My name or his own daughter, where the guests are not served, Laksmî quits that house instantly and goes away.
(Note:-- That Guru is the Real Guru, who, being capable, imparts the name of God to worthy persons without taking any fee at all.)
If the son of an unchaste woman be a Brâhmana, he and the husband of an unchaste woman are great sinners. If anybody goes to such a person’s house or eats the food of a S’ûdra during a Srâddha ceremony, Laksmî becomes very angry and vacates that house. Being a Brâhmin, if one burns a S’ûdra’s corpse, one becomes very wretched and the vilest of the Brâhmins. Laksmî never stays for a moment more in that house. Being a Brâhmin, if he be a S’ûdra’s cook and drives oxen, Laksmî fears to drink water there and quits his house. Being a Brâhmin, if his heart be unholy, if he be cruel, envies others and blames persons, if he officiates as a priest for the S’ûdra, Laksmî Devî never stays in his house. The World-Mother never stays even for a moment in his house who eats at the house of one who marries an unmarried girl twelve years old in whom menstruation has commenced. He who cuts grass by his nails, or writes on the ground with his nails, or from whose house a Brâhmana guest goes back disappointed, Laksmî never stays in his house. If any Brâhmana eats food at the early sunrise, sleeps during the day or engages in a sexual intercourse during the day, Laksmî never stays in his house. Laksmî slips away from that Brâhmana who is devoid of Âchâra (rules of conduct), who accepts gifts from S’ûdras, from him who remains uninitiated in his Mantram. The ignorant man who sleeps naked and with his feet wet, who laughs always, and always talks at random on disconnected subjects like a mad man, is forsaken at once by Laksmî. Laksmî becomes angry and goes away from the house of that man who applies oil all over his body first and then touches the bodies of others and always makes some sounding noise on several parts of his body. If any Brâhmana forsakes observing vows, fastings, the Sandhyâ ceremony, purity and devotion to Visnu, Kamalâ (Laksmî) does not remain in his house any longer. If anybody blames always the Brâhmanas and shews his hatred always towards the Brâhmanas, if he does injury to the animals, and if he does not indulge in his heart anything of pity, kindness, Laksmî, the Mother of the Worlds, quits him. O Lotus-born! But where Hari is worshipped and Hari’s Name is chanted, Laksmî, the Mother of all auspiciousness, remains there. Laksmî remains where the glories of S’rî Krisna and His Bhaktas are sung.

9.41.27

janāścāsaṅkhyaviśvasthā madadhīnāśca santatam |
yathā tathāhaṃ madbhaktaparādhīno'svatantrakaḥ ||

9.41.28

yaṃ yaṃ ruṣṭo hi madbhakto matparo hi niraṅkuśaḥ |
tadgṛhe'haṃ na tiṣṭhāmi padmayā saha niścitam ||

9.41.29

durvāsāḥ śaṅkarāṃśaśca vaiṣṇavo matparāyaṇaḥ |
tacchāpādāgato'haṃ ca salakṣmīko hi vo gṛhāt ||

9.41.30

yatra śaṅkhadhvanirnāsti tulasī na śivārcanam |
na bhojanaṃ ca viprāṇāṃ na padmā tatra tiṣṭhati ||

9.41.31

madbhaktānāṃ ca me nindā yatra brahman bhavetsurāḥ |
mahāruṣṭā mahālakṣmīstato yāti parābhavam ||

9.41.32

madbhaktihīno yo mūḍho bhuṅkte yo harivāsare |
mama janmadine vāpi yāti śrīstadgṛhādapi ||

9.41.33

mannāmavikrayī yaśca vikrīṇāti svakanyakām |
yatrātithirna bhuṅkte ca matpriyā yāti tadgṛhāt ||

9.41.34

yo vipraḥ puṃścalīputro mahāpāpī ca tatpatiḥ |
pāpino yo gṛhaṃ yāti śūdraśrāddhānnabhojakaḥ ||

9.41.35

mahāruṣṭā tato yāti mandirātkamalālayā |
śūdrāṇāṃ śavadāhī ca bhāgyahīno dvijādhamaḥ ||

9.41.36

yāti ruṣṭā tadgṛhācca devāḥ kamalavāsinī |
śūdrāṇāṃ sūpakārī yo brāhmaṇo vṛṣavāhakaḥ ||

9.41.37

tattoyapānabhītā ca kamalā yāti tadgṛhāt |
aśuddhahṛdayaḥ krūro hiṃsako nindako dvijaḥ ||

9.41.38

brāhmaṇaḥ śūdrayājī ca yāti devī ca tadgṛhāt |
avīrānnaṃ ca yo bhuṅkte tasmādyāti jagatprasūḥ ||

9.41.39

tṛṇaṃ chinatti nakharaistairvā yo vilikhenmahīm |
nirāśo brāhmaṇo yatra tadgṛhādyāti matpriyā ||

9.41.40

sūryodaye dvijo bhuṅkte divāsvāpī ca brāhmaṇaḥ |
divā maithunakārī ca yastasmādyāti matpriyā ||

9.41.41

ācārahīno vipro yo yaśca śūdrapratigrahī |
adīkṣito hi yo mūḍhastasmādvai yāti matpriyā ||

9.41.42

snigdhapādaśca nagno hi yaḥ śete jñānadurbalaḥ |
śaśvadvadati vācālo yāti sā tadgṛhātsatī ||

9.41.43

śirasnātastu tailena yo'nyāṅgaṃ samupaspṛśet |
svāṅgaṃ ca vādayedvādyaṃ ruṣṭā sā yāti tadgṛhāt ||

9.41.44

vratopavāsahīno yaḥ sandhyāhīno'śucirdvijaḥ |
viṣṇubhaktivihīnastu tasmādyāti ca matpriyā ||

9.41.45

brāhmaṇaṃ nindayedyo hi taṃ ca yo dveṣṭi santatam |
jīvahiṃsro dayāhīno yāti sarvaprasūstataḥ ||

9.41.46

yatra yatra harerarcā harerutkīrtanaṃ tathā |
tatra tiṣṭhati sā devī sarvamaṅgalamaṅgalā ||

9.41.47

yatra praśaṃsā kṛṣṇasya tadbhaktasya pitāmaha |
sā ca kṛṣṇapriyā devī tatra tiṣṭhati santatam ||

9.41.48

yatra śaṅkhadhvaniḥ śaṅkhaḥ śilā ca tulasīdalam |
tatsevā vandanaṃ dhyānaṃ tatra sā paritiṣṭhati ||

Laksmî always remains there with the greatest gladness where conch-shells are blown, where there are conchsells, the S’âlagrâma stone, the Tulasî leaves and the service and meditation of Laksmî are daily done.
Where the phallic emblem of S’iva is worshipped, and His glories sung, where S’rî Durgâ is worshipped and Her glories are sung, Laksmî, the Dweller in the Lotus, remains there. Where the Brâhmanas are honoured and they are gladly feasted, where all the Devas are worshiped; the chaste Laksmî, the Lotus-faced, remains there. Thus saying to the Devas, the Lord of Laksmî said:-- O Devî! Go without any any delay to the Ksiroda Ocean and incarnate there in part. He then addressed Brahmâ and said:-- “O Lotus-born! You also better go there and churn the Ksiroda Ocean; when Laksmî will arise, give her to the Devas.” O Devarsi! Thus saying, the Lord Kamalâ went to His inner compartment. On the other hand the Devas, after a long time, reached the shores of the Ksiroda Ocean. The Devas and the Daityas then made the Golden Mountain (the Sumeru) the churning rod, the Deva Kurma (the tortoise), the churning pot and Ananta Deva (the thousand headed serpent) the churning cord and began to churn the ocean. While churning was going on, by and by arose Dhanvantarî, Amrita (the nectar), the horse Uchchaihs’ravâ, various other invaluable jewels that were desired, the elephant Airâvata and the beautiful eyed Laksmî. Visnupriyâ, S’rî Laksmî Devî, no sooner She got up from the ocean, she, the chaste woman, presented on the neck of Nârâyana, of beautiful appearance, the Lord of all, Who slept on the Ksiroda ocean the garland (indicative of accepting Him for her bridegroom). Then Brahmâ and Mahes’vara and the other Devas gladly worshipped Her and chanted hymns. At this time Laksmî Devî being pleased, cast a favourable glance towards the homes of the Devas, in order to free them from their curse. Then, by the grace of Mahâ Laksmî and by the granting of the boon by Brahmâ, the Devas got back their own possessions from the hands of the Daityas. O Nârada! Thus I have described to you the story of Laksmî Devî, the Essence of all Essences, and very pleasant to hear. Now what more do you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Forty-first Chapter of the Ninth Book on the churning of the ocean and on the appearing of Laksmî in the Mahâ Purânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

9.41.49

śivaliṅgārcanaṃ yatra tasya cotkīrtanaṃ śubham |
durgārcanaṃ tadguṇāśca tatra padmanivāsinī ||

9.41.50

viprāṇāṃ sevanaṃ yatra teṣāṃ ca bhojanaṃ śubham |
arcanaṃ sarvadevānāṃ tatra padmamukhī satī ||

9.41.51

ityuktvā ca surānsarvān ramāmāha ramāpatiḥ |
kṣīrodasāgare janma kalayākalayeti ca ||

9.41.52

ityuktvā tāṃ jagannātho brahmāṇaṃ punarāha ca |
mathitvā sāgaraṃ lakṣmīṃ devebhyo dehi padmaja ||

9.41.53

ityuktvā kamalākānto jagāmāntaḥpuraṃ mune |
devāścireṇa kālena yayuḥ kṣīrodasāgaram ||

9.41.54

manthānaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā kūrmaṃ kṛtvā ca bhājanam |
kṛtvā śeṣaṃ manthapāśaṃ mamanthurasurāḥ surāḥ ||

9.41.55

dhanvantariṃ ca pīyūṣamuccaiḥśravasamīpsitam |
nānāratnaṃ hastiratnaṃ prāpurlakṣmīṃ sudarśanam ||

9.41.56

vanamālāṃ dadau sā ca kṣīrodaśāyine mune |
sarveśvarāya ramyāya viṣṇave vaiṣṇavī satī ||

9.41.57

devaiḥ stutā pūjitā ca brahmaṇā śaṅkareṇa ca |
dadau dṛṣṭiṃ suragṛhe brahmaśāpavimocanāt ||

9.41.58

prāpurdevāḥ svaviṣayaṃ daityagrastaṃ bhayaṅkaram |
mahālakṣmīprasādena varadānena nārada ||

9.41.59

ityevaṃ kathitaṃ sarvaṃ lakṣmyupākhyānamuttamam |
sukhadaṃ sārabhūtaṃ ca kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi ||

9.41.59.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ navamaskandhe śrīlakṣmyupākhyānavarṇanaṃ nāmaikacatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ ||