दशकम् 1 दे वि महीम Devi Mahima

         दशकम् 1

       दे वि महीम

      Devi Mahima

 (This is the first chapter of the book and here the poet tells

us about the greatness of the goddess. The Goddess about

whom, he deals with is Parasakthi(the divine power) . She is the

one who grants to gods, devas, human beings asuras , the

power to act. If she does not give power to them, they would

not be able to do anything..Though I am referring to her as

“she” , the poet clearly brings out the fact, that she is neither,

“she “ nor”he”. This is the summary of Chapter IV of book I

of Devi Bhagwat )

यस्मिविदं यत इदं यवददं यदिात्

उत्तीर्णरूपम् अविपश्यवत यत्समस्तम्

नो दृश्यते च िचसां मनश्च दू रे

यद्भावत चाSSवदमहसे प्रर्मावम तिै।।1।।

yasminnidam yata idam yadidam yadasmaat

     utteernaroopamabhipashyati yatsamastam .

no dri'shyate cha vachasaam manasashcha doore

     yadbhaati chaadimahase pranamaami tasmai .. 1-1..

I salute to all the devas to help me, by removing all obstacles,

to write this adaptation of the famous book, Devi Bhagvatham,

written by Ved Vyaas. This Devi Stuti roopam ‘Devi

Narayaneeyam’ consists of 41 chapters and a total of 480

shlokas.

I am beginning this work by saluting that great enlightened

supreme being(aadi mahas). What is aadi mahas? Mahas means

splendour, light. The 1st illusionary light, aadi mahas. The words

like, brahmam, aatma, that are described in the scriptures, is

     this aadi mahas. The yogis who are deep into meditation

     experience this aadi mahas as a bright light.

     Initially it was this aadi mahas that existed as the one and only

     ultimate truth. This world was formed when the light(aadi

     mahas) scattered. The reason, the doer and the foundation was

     this aadi mahas. We assume a rope to be a snake in dim light.

     The cause, doer and foundation of this accidental snake, is the

     rope. All the time there was no snake only a rope. The snake

     was never present. The illusionary snake disappears as soon as

     light is switched on. There is no reaction on the rope that was

     thought to be the illusory snake. How a rope is thought to be a

     snake, same way the universe is an illusion of the aadi mahas.

     As there is nothing different in the rope from the snake, there is

     nothing that is different in the universe from the aadi mahas.

     A rope and a snake are similar in size. But with respect to size

     the universe and aadi mahas are not similar. The universe is

     only 1/4th of the aadi mahas. The remaining 3 parts operates as

     divinity, is what is said in the purush suktam

     पादो᳚ऽस्य॒ विश्ाा॑ िूतावना॑

                          ॒      । वर॒पादा॑ स्या॒मृतं ा॑ वद॒ वि

     paado'sya vishvaa bhootaani . tripaadasyaamri'tam divi .

     (purush suktam, shloka 3)

     The purusha is greater than all the greatness which can be

     expressed by words. His one part has become all these (visible)

     worlds, and his three parts rest in the immortal world of the

     transcendence.

It is the same thing that has been described in the shloka “यदिात्

       उत्तीर्णरूपम् “(yadasmaat utteernaroopam). Aadi mahas can see

       everything without the help of the sense organs. But, nobody

       can visualize that. Tgat is devoid of any characteristics. Even if

       we make our mind and words clean and good, we cannot reach

that splendour or pleasure(mahas). This supreme pleasure

cannot be imagined by the mind or described in words. The

mantras in the Upanishads describe as the ‘inner eye’ or the

‘mind within a mind’

In this way that which is at the same time unavaible to the mind

and indescribable by words, that aadi mahas which is the

reason for everything and the protector of all, the poet awaits

the blessings of that aadi mahas with devotion. The poet firmly

believes if one has that blessing only then can he do any work.

न स्त्री पुमान् न सु रदै त्यनरादयो न

क्लीबं न िूतमवप कमणगुर्ादयश्च

िूमंस्त्वमेि सदनाद्यविकायणनन्तं

सिं त्वया जगवददं विततं वििावत।।2।।

na stree pumaan na suradaityanaraadayo na

   kleebam na bhootamapi karmagunaadayashcha .

bhoomamstvameva sadanaadyavikaaryanantam

   sarvam tvayaa jagadidam vitatam vibhaati .. 1-2..

2. Oh supreme soul, you are neither woman nor man, neither a

ghost or an eunuch, you are devoid of actions or good

qualities. You have no beginning or end and you have no

results. This entire universe glows under your protection.

‘Bhoomaav’ means the supreme soul. In the previous shloka we

heard a sound called ‘aadi mahas’. The words bhoomaav,

brahmam etc are its synonyms. We cannot say ‘What is’ or ‘how

is’ bhoomaav, but we can say how it is not and what it is not.

This is the famous ‘neti, neti-this is not the truth’ path

according to scriptures. If we can obstruct anything that is

disputable in this visible universe, there will be nothing

undisputable to obstruct. Only if there are Unobstructable and

indisputable things, only then will there be some power in the

argument. If we point to each and every one of them asking ‘is

this brahmam’, then the answer from the vedas will be-‘it is not

this’ ‘not this’. But the vedas will never tell that ‘brahmam is not

this’. ‘this is not brahmam’ is the language of the vedas. A deva,

a man, a lady, an eunuch or an asura or a person devoid of

good characteristics, does not mean brahmam. But at the same

time all of them are part of brahmam. It existed even before the

universe was created-that is, it is limitless. All things created

have a result. Brahmam does not have any result. It does not

get exhausted nor does it get destroyed. It is spread all over the

universe. There is nothing that is not under its control in this

universe. The entire universe is wrapped by it. Ishavasya

Upanishad explains this ‘ishavasyamidam sarvam’ (mantram –

1). The above is the meaning. The all powerful form of devi

described in devi bhagavatham is this brahmam. Devi’s

compassion and influence has been described in this book.

रूपम न तेSवप बहुरूपिृदात्तशस्मिर्

नाट्यं तनोवि नटित् खलु विश्रं गे

ििाण वर् ते सरसनाट्यकलाविलीना

ििा अहो सहृदयााः क्षर्िियस्मन्त।।3।।

roopam na te'pi bahuroopabhri'daattashakti-

   rnaat'yam tanoshi nat'avatkhalu vishvarange .

varshaani te sarasanaat'yakalaavileenaa

   bhaktaa aho sahri'dayaa kshanavannayanti .. 1-3..

3. You do not have a form. But like an actor, and with the help

of a lot of powers, assuming several forms, in this universal

stage(jagath mandapam), you enact different characters. Your

ardent devotees enjoy and get involved in that blissful

enactment of yours. They spend their years in minutes. What a

wonder!

An actor, wears several costumes, and enacts several characters,

in different stages(theatres). Whatever costumes he wears and

whatever character he enacts, an actor will always be an actor. A

change in costumes or in the character does not affect the

actor. An actor sometimes acts as a thief or a murder. But he is

not treated as a criminal by the society. Nor does the sins of

having killed or thieved touch him. Still his fans watch his acting

and enjoy. Sometimes he is praised also. A formless brahmam,

takes up a form and enacts many divine plays. For that he wears

several costumes. The props that help him to enact the different

characters are the different shaktis. The svetashwara Upanishad

explains about these shaktis in the following mantra:

परास्य शक्तिर्विर्वधैव श्रूयिे(parāsya śaktirvividhaiva śrūyate)[sve.up.

chap 6 shloka 8]

अस्य परा शक्तिः - asya parā śaktiḥ - His power is far over all |

एव ववववधा च श्रूयते - eva vividhā ca śrūyate - under a thousand

names only men hear of it

His power is far over all, only men hear of it under a thousand names.

Yes, the shaktis are the props needed by the the supreme soul

for enacting the different roles. According to the props there

will be changes in the act and costumes. In this manner the

formless brahmam adorns various forms. This is called

avatarams. Whatever character the brahmam assumes there is

no change in the basic characteristics of brahmam. The acts of

the actor called brahmam, takes place in the collective stage of

the crores of universes. The fans who enjoy his acts, are his

devotees like the devas, man and asuras. The act is always full

of the 9 emotions(navarasa) [shringarahasyakaruna:

roudraveerabhayanaka:

bibhalsaatbhutashantachyE tyE tyE na varasasmrita:]

Nine emotions are Shringara (love/beauty), Hasya (laughter),

Karuna(sorrow), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism/courage), Bhayanaka

(terror/fear), Bibhatsa (disgust), Adbutha (surprise/wonder), Shantha

(peace or tranquility).

Those fans-devotees- who enjoy these acts, are not aware of

the passage of time. 1000’s of years pass off in minutes.

रूपानुसारर खलु नाम ततो बुधैस्त्वं

दे िीवत दे ि इवत चावस वनगद्यमाना,

दे व्ां त्वयीयणस उमा कमलाथ िाग् िा

दे िे तु िण्मुख उमापवतर अच्युतो िा।।4।।

roopaanusaari khalu naama tato budhaistvam

   deveeti deva iti chaasi nigadyamaanaa .

devyaam tvayeeryasa umaa kamalaa'tha vaag vaa

   deve tu shanmukha umaapatirachyuto vaa .. 1-4..

4. prayers dedicated to you is according to the forms assumed

by you. Hence, wise people say that you are a devi or a deva.

When you assume the form of devi(goddess) you are known as

uma(Parvati), kamala (Lakshmi) or saraswati etc and also various

other names. When you assume the form of a deva(god) you

are known as shanmukhan, shiva, or Vishnu etc and also various

other names.

Just as brahmam does not have any forms, it does not have any

specific prayers dedicated to it. But when the need arises it

does take a form, as mentioned in the previous shloka. When a

particular form is accepted then a dedicated prayer is also

formed. Brahmam is neither a man nor woman nor an eunuch,

when it assumes a male form then it is called ‘deva’ and when it

assumes a female form it is called ‘devi’-it is very natural; devi

forms are many. According to the forms, prayers are dedicated

to Parvati, Lakshmi, saraswati etc and various other prayers. The

male form of brahmam is also many. According to the male

forms brahmam is also called subramanium, shiva, Vishnu etc.

whatever character brahmam assumes it is brahmam only.

त्वम् ब्रह्म शस्मिरवप धातृरमेशरुद्ै ाः

ब्रह्माण्ड सग्ण पररपालनसंह्रतीश्च

राज्ञीि कारयवस सु भ्रू वनजाज्ञयैि

ििेष्वनन्यशरर्ेिु कृपािती च II5II

tvam brahma shaktirapi dhaatri'ramesharudraih'

   brahmaand'asargaparipaalanasamhri'teeshcha .

raajnyeeva kaarayasi subhru nijaajnyayaiva

   bhakteshvananyasharaneshu kri'paavatee cha .. 1-5..

5. You are Brahma. You are shakti also. Oh beautiful one! (one

with a well shaped eyebrows)! Like a queen you direct brahma,

shiva and Vishnu to create, destroy and maintain, respectively,

this universe. Also, you support your devotees who cannot

depend on others for support.

It was mentioned earlier that brahmam has no form. This

formless brahmam is imagined by devotees of different

religions with various forms. For example, for the vaishnavaites

Vishnu is the brahmam; for the shaivites shiva is the brahmam;

for those who worship shakti it is the shakti-le this for different

people brahmam is different. Like this different religions

assume different gods and goddesses that they like as

brahmam, and pray to them. This is known as ‘saguno-

upasana’.

Devi bhagavatham is the religious book that glorifies the shakti

form of brahmam. This religious book, devi narayaneeyam, is a

follower of this devi bhagavatham. Hence, please understand in

this book, devi narayaneeyam, that, the words brahmam, &

shakti refers to the same shakti form of brahmam.

How brahmam became devi was already explained before. In

this shloka it is explained that brahmam and devi is one and the

same. Brahmam and are not 2 different things. Shakti is the

visible state of brahmam. The invisible state of shakti is

brahmam. The snake that is coiled up in the earth is brahmam;

the snake that comes to bite is shakti; both are same. The

difference is only in the state. It was mentioned in the 3rd shloka

about the different shakti’s. there it was mentioning about the

passive state of the powers. But, the powers mentioned in this

shloka is not about the passive powers, it is the representation.

In the 3rd shloka the powers were the props that help brahmam

to enact the roles. We must try to understand that in this shloka

it is not telling us about those powers.

When brahmam is in a state of visibility, then it became shakti.

This is the powerful form of devi. This supreme powerful actress

of the universe. One can imagine her as a queen, the officials

enforce this-this the tradition of ruling. As per the imagination

of the powerful form of devi, brahma creates this universe,

Vishnu protects it, and rudra destroys it. ‘Subhru’ means one

with a well shaped brow. The devi has no difficulty in getting

the work done by the trimurthis-she just needs to move her

eye-brows. This is the effect of devi. Devi is the one who shows

mercy on devotees. Very few people in this universe have both,

capabilities and compassion. The all powerful form of devi is a

pot full of capability and compassion. Examples of these will be

shown in this religious book.

माता करोवत तनयस्य कृते शुिावन

कमाण वर् तस्य पतने िृश्मेवत दु ाः खम्

िृद्धौ सुखं च ति कमण न, नावप दु ाः खं

 त्वं ह्येि कमणफलदा जगतां विधारी II6II

maataa karoti tanayasya kri'te shubhaani

    karmaani tasya patane bhri'shameti duh'kham .

vri'ddhau sukham cha tava karma na naapi duh'kham

    tvam hyeva karmaphaladaa jagataam vidhaatree .. 1-6..

6. oh mother! For the sake of the sons you do many good

deeds; you feel extreme sorrow when he experiences a downfall

in his life; at the same time you also feel extremly happy when

he experiences success in his life. You are devoid of any duties

and sadness; you are the only one who protects and directs this

universe, and distributes the rewards for the deeds done.

The all powerful form of devi creates, maintains and annihilates

the universe with the help of the trimurthis. In this sense we can

say that all living things are devi’s children-and devi is the

mother. What is the difference between the other mothers and

devi? I will tell. Other mothers for the benefit of their chidren’s

future do a lot of good deeds. When the children suffer the

mothers feel very sad, at the same time when the children

succeed they feel very happy. These mothers and children are

depended on their deeds, they are tied down by the result of

the deeds done by them in their previous birth. Hence they will

experience sadness and happiness. Devi in the form of mother

is not dependent on past deeds; in fact she is independent of

the deeds done. Devi is not tied down by the results of her

deeds. All living creatures experience the result of their past

deeds due to devi. Hence, those who crave for happiness

should perform good actions and pray to devi.

सिणर ििणवस दयामत एि िृष्ट्ट्या

वसिाः सुबीज इि िृस्मद्धमुपैवत ििाः

दु बीजिद् व्रजवत नाशमिि एि

त्वं वनर्णर्ा न वििमा न च लोकमाताः II7II

sarvatra varshasi dayaamata eva vri'sht'yaa

   siktah' subeeja iva vri'ddhimupaiti bhaktah' .

durbeejavadvrajati naashamabhakta eva

   tvam nirghri'naa na vishamaa na cha lokamaatah' .. 1-7..

7.You shower mercy everywhere. Just like how a good seed

sprouts when it rains, similarly, your devotees also experience

success because of your merciful showers; a non devotee gets

destroyed just as how a bad seed gets destroyed; definite. Oh

mother of the universe, you are not bereft of compassion, you

are also unbiased.

It was mentioned earlier that devi was compassionate. Then

why is it that some are not able to experience her blessings?

Why happiness and sadness are not experienced in the same by

everyone? Is devi biased? Or is it because she is not

compassionate? This shloka gives the answers to the above

questions.

When it rains, some seeds sprout whereas some seeds rot. Here

iit is very clear that the rain is unbiased. Good seeds grow when

they get rain. Bad seeds rot. The rain is common to both type of

seeds. It is the good and bad cells present in the seeds that

cause the growth and failure of sprouting of a seed. Devi is the

universal mother; all living things are her children. Devi’s

compassionate shower falls on everyone the same way. Those

living things who pray to devi and are always shielded by devi

experience her showers of blessings. Those who do not take her

shelter do not experience this.

It is not that devi is not compassionate, she is also unbiased. In

order to experience devi’s blessings one has to take the shelter

of devi, pray to devi. So, living things should be like the good

seed to grow with the blessings showered by devi. Wise

humans should realise this point and do good deeds. Should

take the shelter of devi with all soul.

सिोपरीश्रर वििावत सुधासमुद्-

स्तन्मध्यताः पररिृते विविधैाः सुदुगगाः

छरावयते वरजगतां ििती मर्द्वीपाख्ये

वशिे वनजपदे हसीताननाSSस्ते II8II

sarvopareeshvari vibhaati sudhaasamudra-

   stanmadhyatah' parivri'te vividhaih' sudurgaih' .

chhatraayite trijagataam bhavatee manidvee-

   paakhye shive nijapade hasitaananaa''ste .. 1-8..

8. oh! Eeshwari!, the ocean of nectar shines above everything.

Hey Parvathi! You sit in the middle of your residence, called

manidweepa, with a soft smile on your face, surrounded by

many beautiful forts, sheltering the 3 worlds like an umbrella.

It is mentioned in devi bhagavatham that devi’s place of

residence is manidweepam. The perfect place for vaishnavaites

is vaikunta, for shaivites it is kailasha, for devotees of radha-

krishna it is goloka. Similarly, for shakti devotees it is

manidweepa. This world is outside the universe. The

chintamanigriha is inside 18 strong and beautiful fortresses.

That is where devi is present. The world of manidweepam is

situated in the middle of the ocean of nectar.

To know more about the mani dweepam check chapter 39 of

this book. Devi is all powerful and is in a very auscipious form.

यस्ते पुमानविदधावत महत्त्वमुच्चैर्

यो नाम गायवत श्रृ र्ोवत च ते विलज्जाः

यश्चाSSतनोवत िृशमात्मवनिेदनं ते

स स्वान्यर्ावन विधु नोवत यथा तमोSकणाः II9II

yaste pumaanabhidadhaati mahattvamuchchai-

   ryo naama gaayati shri'noti cha te vilajjah' .

yashchaatanoti bhri'shamaatmanivedanam te

   sa svaanyaghaani vidhunoti yathaa tamo'rkah' .. 1-9..

9. Anybody who describes your greatness in a loud voice, who

without any sense of shyness hears and sings your name,

whoever offers himself totally before you, he(one who

observes devotion) will have his sins destroyed, like how the

sun removes the darkness.

It has been mentioned earlier that that devi is compassionate

and unbiased. This shloka explains the method to please devi

and hence destroy the sins committed by one. Repeatedly talk

about devi’s glories; hear devi’s prayers; praise devi’s prayers;

give oneself up in front of devi with devotion. Whoever

observes all the above things they will be able to destroy their

sins. When the sun rises darkness gets shifted on its own. In the

same way with the help of devotion to devi all the sins will get

destroyed.

Hearing, praising, remembering, service at the lords feet,

worshipping(archanam), salutation(vandanam),

service(daasyam), and offering oneself to a diety(aatmanivedan)

are the 9 different means of devotion that is given in bhagavath

gita. Amongst all the final path is surrendering oneself to the

almighty. It means surrendering in front of your favourite deity.

Then it becomes the duty of that favourite deity to protect that

devotee- in short the devotee is protected.

त्वां वनगुणर्ां च सगुर्ां च पुमान् विरिो

जानावत वकविदवप नो विियेिु सिाः

ज्ञेया िि त्ववमह मे िितापहस्मिम्

िस्मिं ददस्व िरदे पररपावह मां त्वम् II10II

tvaam nirgunaam cha sagunaam cha pumaan virakto

   jaanaati kinchidapi no vishayeshu saktah' .

nyeyaa bhava tvamiha me bhavataapahantreem

   bhaktim dadasva varade paripaahi maam tvam .. 1-10.

10.Those men who are detached from the pleasures of senses,

recognize you as one with and without qualities, whereas those

who are attached are not able to understand you at all. I wish to

understand you here and now. Oh Goddess! who destroys

sorrow of this world, grant me devotion to you and Oh

goddess! who grants boons, please protect me.

It was mentioned in the 5th shloka about the all-powerful form

of devi. Here, the sound form of devi that is visible in the

brahma, that is mentioned here. The quality-less(nirgunna) devi

has no form. The devi with a definite form is quality-

full(sagunna). The wise devotees who are detached from the

pleasures of the sense organs, see devi as both nirgunna and

sagunna. Whereas who are attached to the pleasures provided

by the sense organs do not know anything about devi. He

shows no interest in knowing about it. Even if somebody is

ready to explain, he shows no interest in listening to him. Only

people who have no attachments can understand devi.

The poet wishes that he know more about devi. Only devotees

can know about devi. So, the poet requests devi to convert him

into a devotee. Only if one prays to devi with devotion will they

be free from the sorrows of this world. The poet also knows

that devi is a granter of boons. That is why he is praying to devi.

The poet prays to devi to protect him from all situations.

The 1st chapter describes the glories of devi. Devi is none other

than the brahman mentioned in the vedantic scriptures. The

primary cause of devi, compassion, unbiasedness, her

headquarters, her habit of granting boons, have been described

here.

Thus ends the 1st chapter