{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/db/bk07ch30.htm","path":"hin/db/bk07ch30.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk07ch30.htm","text":"THE SEVENTH BOOK\nChapter XXX\nOn the birth of Gaur\u00ee, the seats of the Deity, and the distraction of S\u2019iva\n1-12. Vy\u00e2sa said :--O King! They went to the forest and fixed their seats on the slope of the Him\u00e2lay\u00e2n mountain and engaged them-\nselves in repeating silently the seed Mantra of Mah\u00e2 M\u00e2y\u00e2 and thus practised their austerities. O King! One hundred thousand years passed in the meditation of the Par\u00e2 S\u2019akti. The Dev\u00ee, pleased, became visible to them. Her form was three-eyed, and of the form of Existence, Intelligence and Bliss (Sachhid\u00e2nanda); She was filled with mercy. In Her one hand there was the noose, in another hand, goad; in another hand there was the sign bidding her devotees discard all fear, and in the other hand She was ready to offer boons. The good-natured Munis, seeing this Form of the World Mother began to praise Her. \u201cO Dev\u00ee! Thou art existing separately in every gross body; we bow down to Thee. Thou art existing wholly (cosmically) in all the gross bodies; we bow down to Thee. O Parames\u2019var\u00ee! Thou art existing separately in every subtle body; we bow down to Thee; Thou art existing universally in all the subtle bodies; we bow down to Thee, Thou art existing separately in all the causal bodies wherein all the Linga Dehas (subtle bodies) are interwoven; we bow down to Thee. Thou art existing universally in all the causal bodies; we bow down to Thee. Thou art of the nature of the unchangeable Brahm\u00e2, the receptacle of all the J\u00eevas and thus residest in all the bodies; so we bow down to Thee. Thou art of the nature of \u00c2tman, the Goal of all the beings; we bow again and spin to Thee.\u201d Thus the pure-natured Daksa and the other Munis praised Her with voice, choked with feelings of intense devotion and bowed down to Her feet. Then the Dev\u00ee, pleased, spoke to them in a cuckoo voice. \u201cO Highly Fortunate Ones! I am ever ready to grant boons; so ask what you desire.\u201d O King! Hearing thus, they asked that Hari and Hara both regain their former natural states and be united respectively with their S\u2019aktis, Laksm\u00ee and Gaur\u00ee. Daksa again asked :-- \u201cO Dev\u00ee! Let your birth be in my family. O Mother! I will, no doubt, consider myself as having then realised the fulfilment of my life. So, O Parames\u2019var\u00ee! Speak by Thy own mouth how Thy worship, Japam, meditation will be conducted as well the various fit places where they would be performed.\u201d\n13-16. The Dev\u00ee said :-- \u201cThe insult shown towards my S\u2019aktis has led to this calamitous state of Hari and Hara. So they should not repeat such crime. Now, by My favour, they will regain their health and, of the two S\u2019aktis, one will be born in your family and the other will take Her birth in the Ksiroda S\u00e2gara, the ocean of milk. Hari and Hara will get back their S\u2019aktis, when I will send them the chief Mantra. The chief Mantra of Mine is the said Mantra of M\u00e2y\u00e2; this is always sweet to Me; so worship this Mantra and make Japam of this. The Form that you are seeing before you, this is My Bhuvanes\u2019var\u00ee form (that of the Goddess\nof the Universe), or worship My Vir\u00e2t (cosmic) form; or Sachchid\u00e2nanda form. The whole world is my place of worship; so you can meditate on Me and worship Me always and in all places.\u201d\n17-23. Vy\u00e2sa said :-- When the Bhuvanes\u2019var\u00ee Dev\u00ee living in the Mani Dv\u00eepa thus giving Her reply, went away, Daksa and other Munis all went to Brahm\u00e2 and informed him with great earnestness of everything that happened. O King! Thus Hari and Hara both became devoid of their haughtiness and got back their previous natures by the Grace of the Supreme Deity and were thus enabled to perform their functions as before. Then, on a certain time, the Dev\u00ee Bhagavat\u00ee, the Fiery Nature of the Par\u00e2 S\u2019akti, took Her birth in the house of the Praj\u00e2pati Daksa. O King! Everywhere in the Trilokas, great festivities were held. All the Devas became glad and showered flowers. The Dundubhis of the Devas were sounded by the hands and made very grave sounds. The pure-minded saints were gladdened; the Sun\u2019s rays looked purer and cleaner; the rivers were elated with joy and began to flow in their channels. When the World-auspicious Dev\u00ee, the Destroyer of the birth and death of the J\u00eevas took Her birth, everything looked propitious. The wise Munis named Her \u201cSat\u00ee\u201d as She was of the nature of Par\u00e2 Brahm\u00e2 and Truth Herself. The Praj\u00e2pati Daksa handed over the Dev\u00ee, who was before the S\u2019akti of Mah\u00e2deva, to that Deva of the Devas, Mah\u00e2deva. Due to the misfortune of Daksa, the daughter of Daksa burnt Herself in a blazing fire.\n24-25. Janamejaya said :-- \u201cO Munis! You have made me now hear a very inauspicious word. How can such a great thing of the nature of the Highest Intelligence come to be burnt up in a fire! The mere recollecting of Whose Name dispels the terrible danger of the burning up by the fire of Sams\u00e2ra, how can She be burnt up by fire, I am extremely eager to hear; kindly describe that to me in detail.\u201d\n26-37. Vy\u00e2sa said :-- O King! Hear. I am describing to you the ancient history of the burning of Sat\u00ee. Once on a time, the famous Risi Durv\u00e2s\u00e2 went to the bank of the river Jamb\u00fb and saw the Dev\u00ee there. There he remained with his senses controlled and began to repeat silently the root Mantra of M\u00e2y\u00e2. Then the Goddess of the Immortals, the Bhagavat\u00ee was pleased and gave the Muni a beautiful garland as Her Pras\u00e2da that was on Her neck, that emitted the sweet fragrance of Makaranda (juice of flowers; Jasamine). Whereon the bees were about to cluster. The Maharsi took it quickly and placed it on his head. He then hurriedly went to see the Mother to the place where Sat\u00ee\u2019s Father,\nthe Praj\u00e2pati Daksa was staying and bowed down to the feet of the Sat\u00ee. The Praj\u00e2pati then asked him :-- \u201cO Lord! Whose extraordinary garland is this? How have you got this enchanting garland, rare to the mortals on this earth!\u201d The eloquent Maharsi Durv\u00e2s\u00e2 then spoke to him with tears of love flowing from his eyes :-- \u201cO Praj\u00e2pati! I have got this beautiful garland that has no equal, as the Pras\u00e2da (favour) of the Dev\u00ee.\u201d The Praj\u00e2pati asked that garland then from him. He, too, thinking that there was nothing in the three worlds that cannot be given to the devotee of the S\u2019akti, gave that garland to the Praj\u00e2pati. He took that on his head; then placed it on the nice bed that was prepared in the bed-room of the couple. Being excited by the sweet fragrant smell of that garland in the night, the Praj\u00e2pati engaged in a sexual intercourse! O King! Due to that animal action, the bitter enmity arose in his mind towards S\u2019ankara and His Sat\u00ee. He then began to abuse S\u2019iva. O King! For that offence, the Sat\u00ee resolved to quit her body that was born of Daksa, to preserve the prestige of the San\u00e2tan Darma of devotion to Her Husband and burnt Her body by the fire arising out of Yoga.\n38. Janamejaya said :-- \u201cO Muni! What did Mah\u00e2 Deva do, thus pained by the bereavement from His consort dearer than His life, when the Sat\u00ee\u2019s body was thus consumed.\u201d\n39-50. Vy\u00e2sa said :-- O King! I am unable to describe what happened afterwards. O King! Out of the fire of anger of S\u2019iva, the Pralaya seemed to threaten the three worlds. V\u00eerabhadra came into existence with hosts of Bhadra K\u00e2l\u00ees, ready to destroy the three worlds. Brahm\u00e2 and the other Devas took refuge to S\u2019ankara. Though Mah\u00e2deva lost everything on Sat\u00ee\u2019s departure, He, the Ocean of Mercy, destroyed the sacrifice of Daksa, cut off his head and instead placed the head of a goat, brought him back to life and thus made the Gods free from all fears. He, the Deva of the Devas, then became very much distressed and going to the place of sacrifice, began to weep in great sorrow. He saw that the body of the Intelligent Sat\u00ee was being burnt in the fire of the Chit\u00e2. He cried aloud :-- Oh my Sat\u00ee! Oh My Sat\u00ee! And taking Her body on His neck, began to roam in different countries, like a mad man. Seeing that, Brahm\u00e2 and the other Devas became very anxious and Bhagav\u00e2n Visnu cut off the body to pieces by His arrows. Wherever the parts fell, S\u2019ankara remained there in so many different forms. He then said to the Devas :-- Whoever will worship, with deep devotion in these places, the Bhagavat\u00ee, will have nothing left unattained. The Highest Mother will remain close to them there. The persons that will make Puras\u2019charana (the repetition) of the Mantrams, especially the M\u00e2y\u00e2 V\u00eeja (the root Mantra of M\u00e2y\u00e2), their Mantrams will become, no\ndoubt, fructified and become incarnate. O King! Thus saying, the Mah\u00e2deva, being very much distressed for Sat\u00ee\u2019s departure, passed His time in those places, making Japam, Dhy\u00e2nam and taking to Sam\u00e2dhi.\n51-52. Janamejaya said :-- Where, in what places the several parts of the Sat\u00ee fell? What are the names of those Siddhap\u00eethas? And what is their number? Kindly describe these in detail, O Great Muni! No doubt I will highly consider myself blessed by hearing these words from your blessed mouth.\n53-102. Vy\u00e2sa said :-- O King! I will now describe those P\u00eethas (Sacred places), the mere hearing of which destroys all the sins of men. Hear. I describe duly those places where the persons desiring to get lordly powers and to attain success ought to worship and meditate on the Dev\u00ee. O Mah\u00e2r\u00e2ja! The face of Gaur\u00ee fell in K\u00e2s\u2019\u00ee; She is well known there by the name Vis\u2019\u00e2l\u00e2ks\u00ee; that which fell in Naimis\u00e2ranya became known by the name of Linga Dh\u00e2rin\u00ee. This Mah\u00e2 M\u00e2y\u00e2 is known in Pray\u00e2g (Allahabad) by the name of Lalit\u00e2 Dev\u00ee; in Gandha M\u00e2dan, by the name of K\u00e2muk\u00ee; in the southern M\u00e2nasa, by Kumud\u00e2; in the northern M\u00e2nasa, by Visvak\u00e2m\u00e2, the Yielder of all desires; in Gomanta, by Gomat\u00ee and in the mountain of Mandara, She became known by the name of K\u00e2mach\u00e2rin\u00ee. The Dev\u00ee is known in Chaitraratha, by the name of of Madotkat\u00e2; in Hastin\u00e2pura, by Jayant\u00ee; in K\u00e2nyakubja by the name of Gaur\u00ee; in the Malaya Mountain, by Rambh\u00e2; in the Ek\u00e2mrap\u00eetha, by K\u00eertimat\u00ee, in Vis\u2019ve, by the name of Vis\u2019ves\u2019var\u00ee; in Puskara, by the name of Puruh\u00fbt\u00e2. She is known as Sanm\u00e2rga D\u00e2yin\u00ee in the Ked\u00e2ra P\u00eetha; as Mand\u00e2, in the top of the Him\u00e2lay\u00e2s; and as Bhadrakarnik\u00e2 in Gokarna. She is known as Bhav\u00e2n\u00ee in Sthanes\u2019vara, as Vilvapatrik\u00e2 in Vilvake; as M\u00e2dhavi in S\u2019r\u00ees\u2019aila; as Bhadr\u00e2 in Bhadres\u2019vara. She is known as Jar\u00e2 in Var\u00e2ha S\u2019aila; as Kamal\u00e2 in Kamal\u00e2laya; as Rudran\u00ee in Rudra Kot\u00ee; as K\u00e2l\u00ee in K\u00e2lanjara; She is known as Mah\u00e2 Dev\u00ee in S\u2019\u00e2lagr\u00e2ma, as Jalapriy\u00e2 in S\u2019ivalingam; as Kapil\u00e2 in Mah\u00e2lingam, as Mukutes\u2019var\u00ee in M\u00e2kota. As Kumar\u00ee in M\u00e2y\u00e2pur\u00ee, as Lalit\u00e2mbik\u00e2 in Sant\u00e2n\u00e2; as Mangal\u00e2 in Gay\u00e2 Ksetra, as Vimal\u00e2 in Purusottama. As Utpal\u00e2ks\u00ee in Sahasr\u00e2ksa; as Mahotpal\u00e2 in Hirany\u00e2ksa; as Amogh\u00e2ks\u00ee in the Vip\u00e2s\u00e2 river; as P\u00e2tal\u00e2 in Pundra Vardhana. As N\u00e2r\u00e2yan\u00ee in Sup\u00e2rs\u2019va, as Rudra Sundar\u00ee in Trik\u00fbta; as Vipul\u00e2 Dev\u00ee in Vipul\u00e2; as Kaly\u00e2n\u00ee in Malay\u00e2chala. As Ekav\u00eer\u00e2, in Sahy\u00e2dri; as Chandrik\u00e2 in Haris\u2019chandra; as Raman\u00e2 in R\u00e2ma T\u00eertha; as Mrig\u00e2vat\u00ee in the Yamun\u00e2. As Kotiv\u00ee in\nKotat\u00eertha; as Sugandh\u00e2 in M\u00e2dhavavana; as Trisandhy\u00e2 in the God\u00e2var\u00ee; as Ratipriy\u00e2 in Gang\u00e2dv\u00e2ra. As S\u2019ubh\u00e2nand\u00e2 in S\u2019iva Kundam, as Nandin\u00ee in Dev\u00eek\u00e2tata; as Rukmin\u00ee in Dv\u00e2ravat\u00ee; as R\u00e2dh\u00e2 in Brind\u00e2vana. As Devak\u00ee in Mathur\u00e2; as Parames\u2019var\u00ee in P\u00e2t\u00e2la; as S\u00eet\u00e2 in Chitrakuta; as Vindhy\u00e2dhiv\u00e2sin\u00ee in the Vindhy\u00e2 range. O King! As Mah\u00e2laksm\u00ee in the sacred place of Karav\u00eera, as Um\u00e2 Dev\u00ee in Vin\u00e2yaka; as \u00c2rogy\u00e2 in Vaidy\u00e2n\u00e2tha; as Mahes\u2019var\u00ee in Mah\u00e2k\u00e2la. As Abhay\u00e2 in all the Usna t\u00eerthas, as Nitamb\u00e2 in the Vindhy\u00e2 mountain; as M\u00e2ndav\u00ee in M\u00e2ndavya; as Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 in M\u00e2hes\u2019var\u00eep\u00fbra. As Prachand\u00e2 in Chhagalanda, as Chandik\u00e2 in Amarakantaka; as Var\u00e2roh\u00e2 in Somes\u2019vara; as Puskar\u00e2vat\u00ee in Prabh\u00e2sa. As Devam\u00e2t\u00e2 in Sarasvat\u00ee; as Par\u00e2v\u00e2r\u00e2 in Samudrtata; as Mah\u00e2bh\u00e2g\u00e2 in Mah\u00e2lay\u00e2, as Pingales\u2019var\u00ee in Payosn\u00ee. As Simhik\u00e2 in Kritas\u2019aucha; as Atis\u2019\u00e2nk\u00e2r\u00ee in K\u00e2rtika; as Lol\u00e2 in Utpal\u00e2vartaka; as Subhadr\u00e2 in S'ona Sangam. As the Mother Laksm\u00ee in Siddhavana; as Anang\u00e2 in Bh\u00e2rat\u00e2s\u2019rama; as Vis\u2019vamukh\u00ee in J\u00e2landhara; as T\u00e2r\u00e2 in the Kiskindhya mountain. As Pust\u00ee in Devad\u00e2ru Vana; as Medh\u00e2 in K\u00e2s\u2019m\u00eeramandalam; as Bh\u00eem\u00e2 in Him\u00e2dri; as Tust\u00eei in Vis\u2019ves\u2019vara Ksetra. As S\u2019uddh\u00ee in Kap\u00e2lamochana; as M\u00e2t\u00e2 in K\u00e2y\u00e2varohana; as Dhar\u00e2 in S\u2019ankhoddh\u00e2ra; as Dhrit\u00ee in Pind\u00e2raka; as Kal\u00e2 in Chandrabh\u00e2g\u00e2 river; as S\u2019ivadh\u00e2rin\u00ee in Achchoda; as Amrit\u00e2 in Ven\u00e2; as Urvas\u2019\u00ee in Vadar\u00ee. As medicines in Uttara Kuru; as Kus\u2019odak\u00e2 in Kus\u2019adv\u00eepa; as Manmath\u00e2 in Hemak\u00fbta; as Satyav\u00e2din\u00ee in Kumuda. As Vandan\u00eey\u00e2 in As\u2019vattha; as Nidhi in the Vais\u2019ravan\u00e2laya; as G\u00e2yatr\u00ee in the mouth of the Vedas; as P\u00e2rvat\u00ee near to S\u2019iva. As Indr\u00e2ni in the Devalokas; as Sarasvat\u00ee in the face of Brahm\u00e2; as Prabh\u00e2 (lustre) in the Solar disc; as Vaisnav\u00ee with the M\u00e2trik\u00e2s. She is celebrated as Arundhat\u00ee amongst the Sat\u00ees, the chaste women and as Tilottam\u00e2 in the midst of the R\u00e2m\u00e2s. Again this Mah\u00e2dev\u00ee of the nature of the Great Intelligence (Samvid) is always existent in the form of S\u2019akti named Brahmakal\u00e2 in the hearts of all the embodied beings. O Janamejaya! Thus I have mentioned to you the one hundred and eight p\u00eethas (sacred places or seats of the Deity) and as many Dev\u00ees. Thus are mentioned all the seats of the Dev\u00ees and along with that, the chief places in India (the world). He who hears these excellent one hundred and eight names of the Dev\u00ee as well as Her seats, gets himself freed from all sins and goes to the Loka of the Dev\u00ee. O Janamejaya! His heart gets purified and is rendered blessed, no doubt, who duly makes j\u00e2tr\u00e2 (sojourn) to all these seats of the Deity, performs S\u2019r\u00e2ddhas, offers peace-offerings to the Pitris and worships with the highest devotion the Goddess and asks frequently the pardon of the World Mother. O King! After worship, one should\nfeed the Br\u00e2hmanas, well dressed virgins (Kum\u00e2r\u00ees) and Vatukas with good eatables. All the tribes whether they be Ch\u00e2nd\u00e2las, know them all to be of the nature of the Dev\u00ee and therefore they should be worshipped. Never one is to accept any donation or gifts (Pratigrahas) in these seats of the Dev\u00ee. The saintly persons should make Purascharanas (repeat the names of their own deities, attended with burnt offerings, oblations, etc.) of their own Mantrams with all their might in all these places and should never be miserly in their expenses on this account. He who starts to these sacred places, with devoted hearts filled with love, finds his Pitris in the higher and greater Brahm\u00e2 Loka for one thousand Kalpas and he gets the highest knowledge, crosses the ocean of the world and becomes free. Many a people have attained success by repeating these one hundred and eight names of the Deity. Any place wherein are kept those names, embodied in a book, becomes free from such dangers as plague, cholera or any misapprehensions from planetary Deities and so forth. Nothing remains to be attained by these persons who repeat these one hundred and eight names. That man, devoted to the Dev\u00ee, certainly attains blessedness. That saintly person becomes of the nature of the Dev\u00ee. The Devas bow down and worship him when they behold him! What then need be said that the saints would worship him! The Pitris become pleased and get their good ends when these one hundred and eight names are read with devotion. These places are, as it were, Intelligence personified (Chinmaya) and places ready to yield freedom from bondage. Therefore, O King! Intelligent men should take their shelter in these places. O King! Whatever secrets and other deeper secrets about the Great Goddess you asked to know from me, I described to you. What more do you want to hear. Say.\nHere ends the Thirtieth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the birth of Gaur\u00ee, the seats of the Deity, and the distraction of S\u2019iva in the Mah\u00e2pur\u00e2nam S\u2019r\u00ee Mad Dev\u00ee Bh\u00e2gavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vy\u00e2sa.\nNote :-- The number one hundred and eight is a holy number, got by taking the half of 216,000, the number of breaths inhaled by a child in the womb who promises to take the name of God at his every breath or by taking one-eighth of 864,000, the number of seconds in a day. The two zeros are then dropped. Thus the number signifies the one who fulfils one\u2019s promise.","title":"The Devi Bhagavatam: The Seventh Book: Chapter 30","type":"page"}