Durga Saptashati is a Hindu religious text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Durga Saptashati is also known as the Devi Mahatmyam, Chandi Patha (चण्डीपाठः) and contains 700 verses, arranged into 13 chapters.

The thirteenth chapter of Durga Saptashati is based on “the bestowing of boons to Suratha and Vaisya”.

 

Durga Saptashati Chapter 13 – The Bestowing of Boons to Suratha and Vaisya

॥ध्यानम्॥

ॐ बालार्कमण्डलाभासां चतुर्बाहुं त्रिलोचनाम्।
पाशाङ्कुशवराभीतीर्धारयन्तीं शिवां भजे॥

“ॐ” ऋषिरुवाच॥१॥

एतत्ते कथितं भूप देवीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्।
एवंप्रभावा सा देवी ययेदं धार्यते जगत्॥२॥

विद्या तथैव क्रियते भगवद्विष्णुमायया।
तया त्वमेष वैश्यश्च तथैवान्ये विवेकिनः॥३॥

मोह्यन्ते मोहिताश्चैव मोहमेष्यन्ति चापरे।
तामुपैहि महाराज शरणं परमेश्वरीम्॥४॥

आराधिता सैव नृणां भोगस्वर्गापवर्गदा॥५॥

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥६॥

इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सुरथः स नराधिपः॥७॥

प्रणिपत्य महाभागं तमृषिं शंसितव्रतम्।
निर्विण्णोऽतिममत्वेन राज्यापहरणेन च॥८॥

जगाम सद्यस्तपसे स च वैश्यो महामुने।
संदर्शनार्थमम्बाया नदीपुलिनसंस्थितः॥९॥

स च वैश्यस्तपस्तेपे देवीसूक्तं परं जपन्।
तौ तस्मिन पुलिने देव्याः कृत्वा मूर्तिं महीमयीम्॥१०॥

अर्हणां चक्रतुस्तस्याः पुष्पधूपाग्नितर्पणैः।
निराहारौ यताहारौ तन्मनस्कौ समाहितौ॥११॥

ददतुस्तौ बलिं चैव निजगात्रासृगुक्षितम्।
एवं समाराधयतोस्त्रिभिर्वर्षैर्यतात्मनोः॥१२॥

परितुष्टा जगद्धात्री प्रत्यक्षं प्राह चण्डिका॥१३॥

देव्युवाच॥१४॥

यत्प्रार्थ्यते त्वया भूप त्वया च कुलनन्दन।
मत्तस्तत्प्राप्यतां सर्वं परितुष्टा ददामि तत्॥१५॥

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥१६॥

ततो वव्रे नृपो राज्यमविभ्रंश्यन्यजन्मनि।
अत्रैव च निजं राज्यं हतशत्रुबलं बलात्॥१७॥

सोऽपि वैश्यस्ततो ज्ञानं वव्रे निर्विण्णमानसः।
ममेत्यहमिति प्राज्ञः सङ्गविच्युतिकारकम्॥१८॥

देव्युवाच॥१९॥

स्वल्पैरहोभिर्नृपते स्वं राज्यं प्राप्स्यते भवान्॥२०॥

हत्वा रिपूनस्खलितं तव तत्र भविष्यति॥२१॥

मृतश्च भूयः सम्प्राप्य जन्म देवाद्विवस्वतः॥२२॥

सावर्णिको नाम* मनुर्भवान् भुवि भविष्यति॥२३॥

वैश्यवर्य त्वया यश्च वरोऽस्मत्तोऽभिवाञ्छितः॥२४॥

तं प्रयच्छामि संसिद्ध्यै तव ज्ञानं भविष्यति॥२५॥

मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥२६॥

इति दत्त्वा तयोर्देवी यथाभिलषितं वरम्॥२७॥

बभूवान्तर्हिता सद्यो भक्त्या ताभ्यामभिष्टुता।
एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः॥२८॥

सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः॥२९॥

एवं देव्या वरं लब्ध्वा सुरथः क्षत्रियर्षभः
सूर्याज्जन्म समासाद्य सावर्णिर्भविता मनुः॥क्लीं ॐ॥

इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे सावर्णिके मन्वन्तरे देवीमाहात्म्ये
सुरथवैश्ययोर्वरप्रदानं नाम त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः॥१३॥

 

Meaning – Durga Saptashati Chapter 13

The Rishi said : I have now narrated to you, O King, this sublime poem on the glory of the Devi. The Devi is endowed with such majestic power. By her this world is upheld. Knowledge is similarly conferred by her, the illusive power of Bhagavan Vishnu. By her, you, this merchant and other men of discrimination, are being deluded; and others were deluded (in the past), and will be deluded (in the future). O great King, take refuge in her, the supreme Isvari. She indeed when worshipped bestows on men enjoyment, heaven and final release (from transmigration).

Markandeya said (to his disciple Bhaguri), ‘O great sage, King Suratha who had become despondent consequent on his excessive attachment and the deprivation of his kingdom, and the merchant, having heard this story prostrated before the illustrious Rishi of sever penances and immediately repaired to perform austerities. Both the king and the merchant, in order to obtain a vision of Amba, stationed themselves on the sand-bank of a river and practised penances, chanting the supreme Devi-sukta (hymn to the Devi). Having made an earthen image of the Devi on the sands of the river, they both worshipped her with flowers, incense, sacred fire and libation of water. Now abstaining and restraining themselves from their food, with their minds devoted to  her with utmost concentration, they both offered sacrifices sprinkled with blood drawn from their own bodies. When they, with controlled minds had propitiated her for three years, Chandika, the upholder of the world, was, thus, well pleased and spoke to them in visible form.’

The Devi said : ‘What you solicit, O King, and you, the delight of your family, receive all that from me. Well-pleased I bestow those boons to you both.’

Markandeya said, ‘Then the King chose a kingdom, imperishable even in another life, and in this life itself, restoration of his own kingdom wherein the power of his enemies is destroyed by force. Then the wise merchant also, whose mind was full of dispassion for the world, chose the knowledge, which removes the attachment (in the form of) ‘mine’ and ‘I’.’

The Devi said : ‘O King, after slaying your foes in a few days, you shall obtain your own kingdom and it shall last with you there. And, when you are dead, you shall gain another birth from the Deva Vivasvat (Sun), and shall be a Manu on earth by name Savarni. And, O the best of merchants, I grant you the boon, which you have desired of me. (Supreme) knowledge shall be yours, for your self-realization.’

Markandeya said, ‘Having thus granted them both the boon that they desired, the Devi disappeared forthwith, as they were extolling her with devotion. Gaining the boon from the Devi, Suratha, the foremost of Kshatriyas, was destined to obtain a new birth through Surya and should be the eighth Manu named Savarni.’

Here ends the thirteenth chapter called ‘The bestowing of boons to Suratha and Vaisya’ of Devi-Mahatmya in Markandeya-Purana, during the period of Savarni, the Manu. Here ends the Devi-Mahatmya of 700 Mantras.

 

Back to Home Durga Saptashati

Chapter 1 – Slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha

Chapter 2 – Slaughter of the Armies of Mahishasura

Chapter 3 – Slaying of Mahishasura

Chapter 4 – Devi Stuti

Chapter 5 – Devi’s Conversation with the Messenger

Chapter 6 – Slaying of Dhumralochana

Chapter 7 – Slaying of Chanda and Munda

Chapter 8 – Slaying of Raktabija

Chapter 9 – Slaying of Nishumbha

Chapter 10 – Slaying of Shumbha

Chapter 11 – Hymn to Narayani

Chapter 12 – Eulogy of Merits

Chapter 13 – Bestowing of Boons to Suratha and Vaisya