२७ सप्तव िंशदशकः - शताक्ष्य तारः
27 saptavimshadashakah' - shataakshyavataarah'
Incarnation as hundred eyed goddess.
(There was an Asura called Durgama, who got by doing
penance, from Brahma all mantras both in the Vedas and
outside it. Due to losing the Vedas as well as the mantras,
human beings became weak and hence the devas did not
get any offerings. They went and hid themselves in caves and
forests. Due to thirst all of them reached the Himalayas and
started praying to the Goddess. You shed tears from your
hundred eyes for nine days. All the water bodies of world
were filled with water. The Asura came to war with you and
he was killed. Due to his chanting of Vedas and giving up his
life in front of you, he got salvation. The people got back the
Vedas.This story is told in chapter number 28 of the seventh
book of Devi Bhagawatham.)
दै त्यः पुरा कश्चन दु र्गमाख्यः
प्रसाददतात्पद्मभवात्तपोदभः ।
अवैददकं वैददकमप्यर्ृह्णान्
मन्त्रं समस्तं दददवषज्जयैषी ॥ २७-१॥
daityah' puraa kashchana durgamaakhyah'
prasaaditaatpadmabhavaattapobhih' .
avaidikam vaidikamapyagri'hnaan
mantram samastam divishajjayaishee .. 27-1..
1.In olden times an asura named Durgama, with a desire to
win over all the devas, got all the mantras which were in the
Vedas and also those outside the Vedas from Brahma by
performing penance and making him happy.
The devi is beginning to tell the story of her incarnation as
shatakshi and shaakambari. As an introduction she started to
tell the story of an asura called durgaman. He wished to
defeat the devas, and for that he did severe penance for
1000 years without taking any food. Brahma was pleased and
appeared before him. The asura requested brahma to confer
on him all the mantras included in the vedas and also all the
mantras not in the vedas. Brahma granted that boon to him.
In olden times, there was a great Dānava named Durgama: he was very cruel.
He, the the son of Ruru, was born in the family of Hiraṇyākṣa. Once be thought
within himself thus :-- “The Munis offer offerings by Mantras as determined in
the Vedas. And the Devas, eating the clarified butter (ghee) of these offerings,
get nurtured and strengthened. The Vedas is the strength of the Devas; if the
Vedas be destroyed, the Devas also would be destroyed. Thus it is advisable to
destroy the Vedas. (There is no other easy way.)”
Thus thinking, he went to the Himālayās to perform tapasyā. He began to
meditate on Brahmā in the space of his heart, and, taking air only, passed away
his time. [Mark here that all the Devas reside in space, a magnitude of the
Fourth Dimension.] He practised hard tapasyā for one thousand years and the
Devas and the Asuras and all the Lokas were agitated by the power of his Tejas
(fiery lustre). Then the Bhagavān, the four-faced Brahmā, became pleased with
him and mounting on his carrier, the Swan came up there to grant him the
boon. Brahmā told clearly to the Demon, who was sitting in Samādhi with his
eyes closed, “Let all be well with you; now ask what you desire? Satisfied with
your tapasyā, I have come to grant you the boon.” Hearing thus, the Demon
got up from his Samādhi and worshipping Him duly, said :-- “O Lord of the
Devas! Give me all the Vedas. O Maheśvara! Let all the Vedic Mantrams, that
are found in the three worlds, with the Brāhmaṇas and the Devas, come to me
and give me such strength as would enable me to conquer the Devas.”
Hearing this, the God Brahmā, the author of the four Vedas, replied, “Let it be
as you wish,” and went away.
वेदे र्ृहीते दददतजेन दवप्राः
श्रुदतस्थिरा दवस्मृतवेदमन्त्राः ।
सान्ध्यादन कमाग ण्यदप नैव चक्ुः
दिदतस्त्ववेदाध्ययना बभूव ॥ २७-२॥
vede gri'heete ditijena vipraah'
shrutisthiraa vismri'tavedamantraah' .
saandhyaani karmaanyapi naiva chakruh'
kshitistvavedaadhyayanaa babhoova .. 27-2..
2.When the Vedas were learnt by the asura, the Brahmins
who were thorough in Vedas, completely forgot the veda
mantras they had learnt. They did not do rituals of dawn,
noon and dusk. Due to which the knowledge of the Vedas
disappeared from the earth.
The brahmanas were the ones who used to regularly chant
the vedas. When the asura snatched all the veda mantras
from brahma by deceit, the brahmanas forgot all the
mantras. Devotional service should be performed during
dawn, afternoon and dusk. Once they forgot all the veda
mantras, the brahmanas were unable perform their
devotional duties. This way they stopped chanting the
mantras even at dusk. The earth was devoid of the sound of
the vedas. Teaching and learning of the vedas stopped
completely.
From that time, the Brāhmaṇas forgot all about the Vedas. So bathing,
Sandhyā, daily Homas, Śrāddha, sacrifice, and Japam and other rites and
performances, all became extinct.
हृतेषु मन्त्रेष्वस्थिलेषु पूजा-
यज्ञादद भूमौ न कृतं मनुष्ैः ।
सुरा अशक्तास्तदलाभस्थिन्ना
दै त्येन युद्धे बदलना दजताश्च ॥ २७-३॥
hri'teshu mantreshvakhileshu poojaa-
yajnyaadi bhoomau na kri'tam manushyaih' .
suraa ashaktaastadalaabhakhinnaa
daityena yuddhe balinaa jitaashcha .. 27-3..
3.Due to all the mantras being stolen from earth, worship
and yajnas were not done by human beings. Due to the non-
availability of the offerings the devas became sad and weak.
They were defeated by that strong asura in war.
All the vedic and non vedic mantras were in the hands of the
asura. With that humans forgot all those mantras. Because of
which they could not perform devotional service, like yagyas.
It is the devotional services done by humans that sustain the
devas and give them strength. When the services stopped,
the devas became very tired; due to which they became
weak. Seeing the opportrunity, durgaman the asura, attacked
swargaloka. A terrible war took place. The devas were
defeated in the war.
Then a cry of universal distress arose on the surface of this wide earth; the
Brāhmins began to say to each other :-- “How has this happened! How has this
come to pass! Now what are we to do? Where have the Vedas disappeared.”
Thus when great calamities befell on the earth, the Devas became gradually
weaker and weaker, not getting their share of the sacrificial Havis. At this time,
that Demon attacked the city of Amarāvatī.
त्यक्त्वा ददवं ते दर्ररर्ह्वरे षु
दनलीय वषाग दि बहूदन दनन्ुः ।
वृष्टेरभावाद्धरिी च शुष्क-
जलाशया तषगदनपीदिताऽभूत् ॥ २७-४॥
tyaktvaa divam te girigahvareshu
nileeya varshaani bahooni ninyuh' .
vri'sht'erabhaavaaddharanee cha shushka-
jalaashayaa tarshanipeed'itaa'bhoot .. 27-4..
4.They(devas) all deserted the heavens, and went and hid in
caves in the mountains, and spent several years there. All the
waterbodies on earth, due to lack of rain,started to dry up,
and suffered a lot due to great thirst.
On winning the war, that asura along with his followers,
entered heaven. The devas left the place immediately. They
stayed hidden in caves in the mountains. It is indra’s duty to
provide the earth with rains. When indra and the devas ran
away from heaven, there was nobody to act like the rain
giver. Due to lack of rains, the water bodies on earth dried
up. All the living creatures suffered due to thirst.
When offerings of clarified butter are offered to the Fire, those get
transferred to the Sun (Sūryaloka) and get transformed as rains. So
when the Homa ceremonies disappeared, there was the scarcity of
rain. The earth became quite dry and not a drop of water was found
anywhere. The wells, tanks, pools, rivers all were dried up. And this
state of “no rains” lasted one hundred years. Countless people,
hundreds and thousands of cows, buffaloes and other beasts went to
the jaws of death. The dead bodies of persons remained in heaps in
every house; persons would not be found to perform their burning
ceremonies.
सवे तृषाताग श्च दहमादिमेत्य
त्ां ध्यानपूजानुदतदभभगजन्तः ।
प्रसादयामासुरनेककोदि-
ब्रह्माण्डकर्त्रीमस्थिलादतगहन्त्रीम् ॥ २७-५॥
sarve tri'shaartaashcha himaadrimetya
tvaam dhyaanapoojaanutibhirbhajantah' .
prasaadayaamaasuranekakot'i-
brahmaand'akartreemakhilaartihantreem .. 27-5..
5. All those people suffering from thirst, went to the
Himalayas, and using meditation, worship, and praise served
you and pleased you, who had created several hundred
crores of universes and one who destroys all sorrow.
Because of no rain everybody was parched cos of thirst; they
went to the Himalayas and immediately began to worship
devi. Some meditated on devi, some praised devi, and some
others worshipped devi. Why would the devi, who is the
creater of 1000’s of universe, find it difficult to help them?-
she has no problem at all. Devi has the capability and she is
also very compassionate. The devi was pleased by their
worship and meditation.
दृष्टा दयािाग दिशता त्मेदभः
कृपाश्रुवषैनगवरार्त्रमुर्व्ाग म् ।
जलाशयान्पूिगजलां श्चकर्ग
जनाः शतािीत्यदभधां ददु स्ते ॥ २७-६॥
dri'sht'aa dayaardraakshishataa tvamebhih'
kri'paashruvarshairnavaraatramurvyaam .
jalaashayaanpoornajalaamshchakartha
janaah' shataaksheetyabhidhaam daduste .. 27-6..
6.You whose hundred eyes were wet with mercy, were seen
by them. You shed such tears for nine nights continuously,
she filled up all the water bodies with those tears of mercy.
The people decided to call her “Shathakshi (hundred eyed
one)”.
Devi appeared in front of these devotees with a body filled
with 1000’s of eyes. That is why devi was called shatakshi.
From these eyes of devi, for 9 days tears of compassion
flowed. Because of this rain of compassion, all the water
bodies on the earth got filled.
When the Brāhmaṇas, thus praised and chanted the hymns of Maheśvarī, She
created innumerable eyes within Her body and became visible. Her colour was
dark-blue (colour of the fourth dimension, space) like heaps of collyrium (eye-
paint); eyes like the blue lotuses and expanded; breasts hard, regularly
elevated round and so fleshy that they touched each other; four handed; with
Her right hand, holding arrows; on the under hand holding lotus; on the
upper-left hand holding a great bow and on the lower hand, carrying
vegetables, fruits, flower and roots with abundance of juice, destroying hunger,
thirst and fever. She was the Essence of all Beauty, lovely, luminous like the
thousand Suns, and the ocean of mercy. That Upholder of the Universe,
showed Her form and began to shed waters from Her eyes. For nine nights
continuously, the heavy rains poured down out of the waters flowing from Her
eyes. Seeing the misery of all the people, out of pity, She showered incessantly
tears from Her eyes; and all the people and medicines were satisfied. What
more than this, out of those tears, the rivers began to flow.
िुत्पीदितानां च चराचरािां
सवगर्त्र नानादवधमन्नदमष्टम् ।
स्वादू दन मूलादन फलादन चादाः
शाकम्भरीदत प्रदर्ता ततोऽभूः ॥ २७-७॥
kshutpeed'itaanaam cha charaacharaanaam
sarvatra naanaavidhamannamisht'am .
svaadooni moolaani phalaani chaadaah'
shaakambhareeti prathitaa tato'bhooh' .. 27-7..
7.Then you gave various desirable types of food as well as
very tasty fruits and roots to all the beings which were
suffering due to hunger. And because of that from that day
you became famous as Shakambari(Nourisher using herbs).
Due to lack of rains for a very long time, all the living
creatures were starved and was leading a miserable life. With
the overflowing compassion of shataakshi devi this misery
was sorted out. What was needed immediately was the
removal of everybody’s hunger-for that devi provided them
with enough food. Devi gave them lots of fruits and
vegetables. From that day onwards devi became famous as
shaakambhari’. ‘Shaaka’ means vegetables. The provider of a
lot of food shaakambhari.
Hearing these words of the Devas and the Brāhmins, the Auspicious One gave
them the vegetables, delicious fruits and roots to them that were on Her Hand,
for their eating. After She was prayed, She gave to men sufficient quantity of
various articles of juicy food and to the beasts, grass, etc., until new crops
came out. O King, from that day She became famous by the name of
Śākambharī (because She nourished all by vegetables, etc.)
दै त्यस्तु दवज्ञाय समस्तमस्त्र-
शस्त्रैः ससैन्ः प्रहरन् वपुस्ते ।
रिाङ्गिे सायकदवद्धर्ार्त्रः
सशब्दमुर्व्ाां तरुवत्पपात ॥ २७-८॥
daityastu vijnyaaya samastamastra-
shastraih' sasainyah' praharan vapuste .
ranaangane saayakaviddhagaatrah'
sashabdamurvyaam taruvatpapaata .. 27-8..
8.When the Asura came to know of everything, he attacked
you with a shower of arrows and other weapons. In the
battlefield after being pierced by your arrows, with a loud
noise fell on the earth like a huge, felled tree.
As the asuras had the knowledge of the vedas with them,
they did not experience any difficulties. Seeing the entire
world suffering, the asuras were rejoicing. It stared raining
suddenly on earth. Also the living beings quenched their
thirst and satisfied their hunger. The asura, durgama, saw all
this, and came all ready, with his army, to fight the devi. a
frightful war took place. Due to the injuries caused by devi’s
arrows he fell down in the battlefield.
The Demon Durgama heard all from the messengers and started out to fight
with his weapons and army. The terrible fight, then, followed between the Devī
and the Dānavas. At this moment, came, out of the body of the Devī, the
principal Śaktis (forces incarnate). At this time, the enemy of the Devas,
Durgama, came in front and first fought with the Śaktis. The fight grew to such
a terrible extent that, within ten days, all the Akṣauhiṇī troops were destroyed.
So much so as the blood of the dead soldiers began to flow in torrents like
rivers. When the fatal eleventh day arrive the Dānava, wearing red clothes on
his waist, red garlands on his neck and annointing his body all over with red
sandal paste, celebrated a very grand festivity and mounted on his chariot and
went out to fight. With the strenuous effort, he defeated all the Śaktis and
placed his chariot before the Devī. Then a terrible fight ensued for two
Praharas (six hours). The hearts of all shivered with horror. At this time, the
Devī shot fifteen very awful arrows at the Dānava. His four horses (Vāhanas)
were pierced by Her four arrows; the charioteer was pierced by one arrow; his
two eyes were pierced by two arrows; his arms by two arrows, his flag by one
arrow and his heart was pierced by five arrows. He then left his body before
the Devī, vomitting blood. The vital spirit, the luminous counterpart, emitting
from his body, merged in the space-like body of the Devī. The three worlds,
then, assumed a peaceful appearance when that greatly powerful Dānava was
killed.
स चासुरात्मा िलु वेदमन्त्रान्
दचरं पठं स्त्वामदभवीिमािः ।
र्तायुरादवश्य परात्मदन त्-
य्यवाप मुस्थक्तं दमषतां सुरािाम् ॥ २७-९॥
sa chaasuraatmaa khalu vedamantraan
chiram pat'hamstvaamabhiveekshamaanah' .
gataayuraavishya paraatmani tva-
ayyavaapa muktim mishataam suraanaam .. 27-9..
9. As that Asura had been chanting the vedic manthras for a
long time, when he renounced his body, as the devas
watched, he merged into the divine you and attained
salvation.
In order to defeat the devas, the asura had kept all the veda
manthras with him. At that time probably that asura used to
chant the veda manthras regularly-might have achieved that
purity. He died because he saw the devi in front of him.
Because of these 2 reasons the asura was eligible for
salvation. The fact that the devas were watching, was
ignored, and he got salvation. The moment devi’s arrow
pierced the asuras chest, he left this world and entered into
the realm of salvation.
वेदान्हहृतानब्जभवानने त्ं
पुनश्च दनदिप्य जर्त्सुरिाम् ।
कृत्ा नुता दे वर्िैनगरैश्च
तुष्टा दतरोऽभूः करुिािग नेर्त्रा ॥ २७-१०॥
vedaanhri'taanabjabhavaanane tvam
punashcha nikshipya jagatsurakshaam .
kri'tvaa nutaa devaganairnaraishcha
tusht'aa tiro'bhooh' karunaardranetraa .. 27-10..
10.Then you reinstated the stolen Vedas onto Brahma’s face,
And protected the universe, and you were praised by the
Devas and human beings. You became very happy and
disappeared with mercy filled eyes.
The vedas that were stolen by the asura, devi reinstated to
brahma’s face. And in this way devi protected the earth from
a major calamity. The devas and the human beings prayed to
devi with lots of devotion. Devi blessed everybody and
disappeared.
भक्तस्य वै दु र्गदतनादशनी त्ं
सुिप्रदा दु र्गमहस्थन्त्र मातः ।
दु र्ेदत नाम्ना दवददता च लोके
दवदचर्त्ररूपास्तव दे दव लीलाः ॥ २७-११॥
bhaktasya vai durgatinaashinee
tvam sukhapradaa durgamahantri maatah' .
durgeti naamnaa viditaa cha loke
vichitraroopaastava devi leelaah' .. 27-11..
11.Oh mother, the destroyer of Durgama, you are the only
one who can destroy the bad fate of your devotees. You are
the one who gives pleasure, you are the one who is well
known as Durga. hey devi! your divine play are wonderful.
It has been explained earlier that devi is the one who
removes all miseries of her devotees. Here the story of how,
to protect her devotees she killed durgaman the asura, is
mentioned. Actually more than the devas, devi actually
blessed the asuras. She helped the asura, who was the enemy
of the devas to attain salvation while the devas looked on.
The devas will still be embroiled in the vicioius cycle of
sadness and happiness. The problems of the asuras finished
with this. Yes, it was a blessing devi’s destruction. These are
all devi’s divine plays.
Because she killed durgaman the asura, devi became famous
as durga. It also means, the one who removes all the miseries
of her devotees.
कोऽप्यस्थस्त दचत्ते मम दु र्गमोऽयं
ज्ञातस्त्वया नैव मया तु दे दव ।
यः सन्ततं िुह्यदत मे तमाशु
संहृत्य मां रि नमो नमस्ते ॥ २७-१२॥
ko'pyasti chitte mama durgamo'yam
jnyaatastvayaa naiva mayaa tu devi .
yah' santatam druhyati me tamaashu
samhri'tya maam raksha namo namaste .. 27-12..
12.In my mind there lives a Durgaman. Though you know
him, I cannot recognise him. He is always troubling me.
Please Destroy him fast and protect me.
My salutations to you.
The poet is getting ready to conclude the chapter. Devi
incarnated as shataakshi to kill durgaman the asura. The poet
is telling the devi that in his heart also there is an asura called
durgaman-the one who is destroying the vedas. He prays
and requests the devi to destroy that asura within him and
restore permanently the vedas- wisdom- in him.
This completes the 27th chapter
