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女神頌 (The Devi Mahatmya)
第一章 默根達(dá)亞(Makendeya)說(shuō)：第八個(gè)天神(Manu)叫薩梵利(Savarni)，是太陽(yáng)神蘇利耶(Surya)之子。我要告訴你們他是如何出世的。由于摩訶摩耶(Mahamaya)的恩賜，(Manvantara)之王成為蘇利耶之子。 從前有個(gè)叫蘇羅達(dá)(Suratha)的國(guó)王在地上統(tǒng)治，他愛(ài)民如子。有一次他受到敵人襲擊，要用武力攻占他的城邦。蘇羅達(dá)跟他們戰(zhàn)斗得十分激烈。但最后都被敵方那些邪惡的國(guó)王和大臣打敗，被迫離開(kāi)自己的國(guó)土。他悲痛莫名，騎著馬，一直往森林走去。入了森林，他看見(jiàn)有座婆羅門(mén)的道院，許多門(mén)人在那里讀經(jīng)。里面那位婆羅門(mén)的圣人還熱情地招待國(guó)王進(jìn)去坐坐。 國(guó)王在道院里坐立難安，左右徘徊。他被那種「我執(zhí)」所操蹤，于是想：「多悲慘??！我統(tǒng)治的王國(guó)被人占領(lǐng)，從前忠心于我的大臣，現(xiàn)在都服侍新朝。我在位的時(shí)候，子民都很高興，不知他們現(xiàn)在的生活過(guò)得怎樣。現(xiàn)在他們都要受外邦人統(tǒng)治。我的財(cái)富也都落入敵人之手！」國(guó)王想到這些事情，便不覺(jué)悲從中來(lái)。 在道院里，國(guó)王看見(jiàn)一個(gè)吠舍(Vaisya商人階級(jí))，于是向他問(wèn)道：「請(qǐng)告訴我你是誰(shuí)？在這里做甚么？」那吠舍回答說(shuō)：「我的名字叫三摩地(Samadhi)，本來(lái)生長(zhǎng)在一個(gè)富貴之家?？墒俏冶秽従域_去了家財(cái)，之后，妻子兒女都離棄我。由于不名一文，我只好來(lái)到森林。我現(xiàn)在心中充滿(mǎn)了痛苦，也不知妻兒子女過(guò)得怎樣，甚至他們是生是死都不知道?！箛?guó)王說(shuō)：「在你窮途末路的時(shí)候，妻兒子女都離開(kāi)了你，那你為甚么還要這樣眷戀他們呢？」那吠舍回答說(shuō)：「王??！你說(shuō)的一點(diǎn)不錯(cuò)，其實(shí)我也是知道的，但我能怎么辦呢？我心里還是愛(ài)他們??！人的思想就是這樣，就算我的妻子兒女不好，把我驅(qū)逐，我還是愛(ài)他們的，我真的是一點(diǎn)辦法也沒(méi)有?！? 默根達(dá)亞說(shuō)：跟著國(guó)王和那位吠舍便一同前去拜見(jiàn)住在道院中的圣人。他們?cè)谑ト嗣媲跋鹿?，然后?guó)王虔敬的向圣人提出如下的問(wèn)題：「尊貴的圣者！我想向你請(qǐng)益一下，我失去了我的國(guó)土，現(xiàn)在已是一無(wú)所有，但我仍然對(duì)我所失去的，包括我的妻兒子女魂?duì)繅?mèng)縈。尊貴的圣者??！為甚么我會(huì)這樣？而這位吠舍先生因失去了財(cái)產(chǎn)，便被家人離棄?？墒撬F(xiàn)在仍然日日夜夜的掛念妻子兒女。我倆都是同一類(lèi)人，都是懷著極大的哀傷，也一樣的執(zhí)迷不悟，圣者??！求你用你的智慧，去除我們的無(wú)明?！? 圣人說(shuō)：「王啊！每一種生物都有他的智慧。有些動(dòng)物日間是盲的，有些動(dòng)物夜間是盲的，有些日間夜間都看得清楚，而人則只在日間才能見(jiàn)物。然而所有這些都擁有相同的智慧。那是甚么智慧？為何有這樣的差別？且看那燈蛾撲火！且看人類(lèi)怎樣像燈蛾撲火般追求感官的事物！兩者之間又有何區(qū)別呢？盡管智愚不同，所有生物其實(shí)都是為了填飽肚子而掙扎。他們都被操縱在摩訶摩耶的大能之下，充滿(mǎn)了謬見(jiàn)！由于摩訶摩耶的力量，這個(gè)世界才能運(yùn)作。由于摩訶摩耶的力量，所有生物都受到痛苦，由于摩訶摩耶的力量，所有生物都享受悅樂(lè)，這是毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)的。就算是飽學(xué)之士也被摩耶的力量支配，充滿(mǎn)了謬見(jiàn)。摩訶摩耶是宇宙的創(chuàng)造者，動(dòng)者與不動(dòng)者。如果得她歡喜，她便會(huì)給人類(lèi)以永恒的救贖。摩訶摩耶是一切束縛與解脫的因由。她便是一切，她統(tǒng)治著所有的王！」 國(guó)王說(shuō)：「尊貴的圣者??！這位摩耶女神是誰(shuí)？她是如何出世的？她竟然能造出這樣的奇跡，我真想知道關(guān)于她的一切?！故ト苏f(shuō)：「她是永恒的，她是最高力量的顯現(xiàn)，她遍及一切。關(guān)于她如何出世有好幾個(gè)故事。她是為了諸神的福祉才出世的。天地初開(kāi)，摩訶毗濕奴(Mahavishnu)還在熟睡的時(shí)候，從毗濕奴的耳垢出現(xiàn)了兩個(gè)邪魔，叫蠻毒(Madhu)和卡塔巴(Kaitaba)。他們跑到梵天婆羅摩(Brahma)那里去，當(dāng)時(shí)婆羅摩正從毗濕奴肚臍的蓮花中出來(lái)，兩個(gè)邪魔便想趁機(jī)把婆羅摩吃掉。婆羅摩看見(jiàn)毗濕奴正在睡覺(jué)，再?zèng)]有誰(shuí)可助他脫離危難。為了使摩訶毗濕奴快些醒來(lái)，婆羅摩便向太初之母(Adimaya)禱告。這位宇宙之母是整個(gè)宇宙的支持者，是所有世界中最高的女神，是一切的創(chuàng)造者、持護(hù)者和毀滅者。 婆羅摩說(shuō)：『女神啊！你是Svaha, Svadha和Vashatkara！你是Nada, Ardhamatra和Savitri！你是這個(gè)世界的支持。你獨(dú)力創(chuàng)造了這個(gè)宇宙。你持護(hù)著整個(gè)宇宙。你是Mahavidya, Mahamaya, Mahamedha, Mahasmriti和Mahamoha！請(qǐng)喚醒毗濕奴來(lái)拯救我。你是Prakriti，你有三種狀態(tài)(Gunus)，你是繁榮昌盛，你是和平與慈悲。你有無(wú)數(shù)的武器。你是美麗又可怖的。你是偉大者之中最偉大者。女神?。∧憔驮诿恳惶?，我還能說(shuō)甚么呢？毗濕奴原來(lái)是可幫助我的，可是他現(xiàn)在睡著了。請(qǐng)你把他喚醒，請(qǐng)你把無(wú)明放在那些阿修羅(Asura)之中，因?yàn)槲业纳形ｋU(xiǎn)??！」 圣人說(shuō)：「婆羅摩這樣禱告的時(shí)候，摩訶摩耶便從四面八方進(jìn)入毗濕奴的身體。她張開(kāi)毗濕的眼睛，打開(kāi)他的思想，還伸展他的雙手與四肢。那位三界之中偉大的主，拿著他的武器站起來(lái)，輝煌無(wú)比。他看見(jiàn)面前有兩個(gè)可怕的惡魔，他們具有非常強(qiáng)大的力量，而且非常邪惡。而這時(shí)，這兩個(gè)惡魔正要吞吃婆羅摩。毗濕奴和他們戰(zhàn)斗了五千年。這時(shí)摩訶摩耶便用她的力量使這兩個(gè)邪魔心里迷惑，使他們陷入無(wú)明。兩個(gè)邪魔便向毗濕奴說(shuō)：『毗濕奴，你可以向我們要求一個(gè)愿望。毗濕奴說(shuō)：『那你們就立即被我殺死吧！」 圣人說(shuō)：「那兩個(gè)邪魔看見(jiàn)周?chē)颊也坏經(jīng)]有水的地方，便說(shuō)：『好吧，如果在沒(méi)有水的地方，你便可以把我們殺死?！慌衽阉麄冓s到他的大腿上，那里正好沒(méi)有水，然后用飛環(huán)把他們的頭砍掉。王啊！這便是摩訶摩耶出世的故事。跟著我還要說(shuō)關(guān)于她的其它故事?！? THE DEVI-MAHATMYAM 700 Slokas on Sri Durg from MarkaNDeya PuraaNa According to legend, Durga sat on the tip of a needle for nine days, doing a severe penance to destroy the evil Asura Mahisha. On the first three days, she meditated as Herself, the next three days as Mahalakshmi and the last three days as Sarasvati. It is, however, a long tradition that one reads the devi-bhagavatam or the devi mahatmyam (Durga saptasati, 700 verses on Durga) during this period. Devi bhagavatam notes that Rama meditated and fasted for nine days after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. There are numerous such incidents on how people's wishes were granted. The reading of Devi Maahaatmyam during Navaraatri is to be done follows: \ Chapter 1 (Madhu kaitabha samhaara) is to be read for 1st day, \ ch 2 thru 4 (Mahishhasura samhaara) to be read on 2nd day, \ ch 5 and 6 (Dhuumralochana vadha) on the 3rd day, \ ch 7 (Chanda Munda vadha) on 4th day, \ ch 8(Rakta biija samhaara) on 5th day, \ ch 9 and 10 (Shumbha Nishumbha vadha) on 6th day, \ ch 11(Praise of Narayani) on 7th day, \ ch 12 (Phalastuti) on 8th day, \ ch 13 (Blessings to Suratha and the Merchant)on 9th day \ ch 14 (aparaadha xamaapaNa) on 10th day \ {CHAPTER 1} {The slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha} Meditation of Mahakali I resort to Mahakali, who has ten faces, ten legs and holds in her hands the sword, disc, mace, arrows, bow, club, spear, missile, human head and conch, who is three-eyed, adorned with ornaments on all her limbs, and luminous like a blue jewel, and whom Brahma extolled in order to destroy Madhu and Kaitabha, when Vishnu was in (mystic) sleep. Markandeya said ( to his disciple Krasustuki Bhaguri): 1-3. Savarni, {footnote： Savarni was so called because he was the son of Savarna, Surya's wife. He became King Suratha in the second (Svarocisa) manvantara.} son of Surya, is called the eighth Manu. Listen , while I describe in detail about his birth, how Savarni, illustrious son of Surya, became the lord of the (eighth) Manvantara \footnote{One cycle of creation is divided into fourteen manvantaras. The period ruled over by one Manu is called a Manvantara. There are, therefore, fourteen Manus as follows: Svayambhuva, Svarocisa, Uttama, Tamasa, Raivata, Caksusa, Vaivasvata, Savarni, Daksha-savarni, Brahma-savarni, Dharma-savarni, Rudra-savarni, Deva-savarni, and Indra-savarni. } by the grace of Mahamaya { footnote： One of the names of the Divine Mother. }. 4-5. In former times there was a king named Suratha, born of the Chitra dynasty, ruling over the whole world in the period of Svarocisa. He protected his subjects dul6y like his own children. At that time the kings, who were the destroyers of the c, became his enemies. 6-7. He, the wielder of powerful weapons, fought a battle with the destroyers of Kolas, but was defeated by them though they were a small force. Then he returned to his own city, and ruled over his won country. Then that illustrious king was attacked by those powerful enemies. 8-9. Even in his own city, the king, (now) bereft of strength, was robbed of his treasury and army by his own powerful, vicious and evil-disposed ministers. Thereafter, deprived of this sovereignty, the king left alone on horse-back for a dense forest, under the pretext of hunting. 10-11. He saw there the hermitage of Medhas- the supreme among the twice-born - inhabited by wild animals which were peaceful, and graced by the disciples of the sage. Entertained by the sage, Suratha spent some time moving about in the hermitage of the great sage. 12-16. There then overcome with attachment, he fell into the thought, 'I do not know whether the capital (which was) well guarded by my ancestors and recently deserted by me is being guarded righteously or not by my servants of evil conduct. I do not know what enjoyments my chief elephant, heroic and always elated, and now fallen into the hands of my foes, will get. Those who were my constant followers and received favor, riches and food from me, now certainly pay homage to other kings. The treasure which I gathered with great care will be squandered by those constant spendthrifts, who are addicted to improper expenditures.' 17-19. The king was continually thinking of these and other things. Near the hermitage of the Brahamana he saw a merchant, and asked him: 'Ho! Who are you? What is the reason for your coming here? Wherefore do you appear as if afflicted with grief and depressed in mind?' Hearing this speech of the king, uttered in a friendly spirit, the merchant bowed respectfully and replied to the king. The merchant said: 20-25. 'I am a merchant named Samadhi, born in a wealthy family. I have been cast out by my sons and wife, who are wicked through greed of wealth. My wife and sons have misappropriated my riches, and made me devoid of wealth. Cast out by my trusted kinsmen, I have come to the forest grief-stricken. Dwelling here, I do not know anything as regards good of bad of my sons, kinsmen and wife. At present is welfare or ill-luck theirs at home? How are they? Are my sons living good or evil lives?' The king said: 26-28. 'Why is your mind affectionately attached to those covetous folk, your sons, wife and others, who have deprived you of your wealth?' The merchant said: 29-34. 'This very thought has occurred to me, just as you have uttered it. What can I do? My mind does not become hard; it bears deep affection to those very persons who have driven me out in their greed for wealth, abandoning love for a father and attachment to one's master and kinsmen. I do not comprehend although, I know it. O noble hearted king, how it is that the mind is prone to love even towards worthless kinsmen. On account of them I heave heavy sighs and feel dejected. What can I do since my mind does not become hard towards those unloving ones? Markandeya said: 35-38. Then O Brahmana, the merchant Samadhi and the noble king together approached the sage (Medhas); and after observing the etiquette worthy of him and as was proper, they sat down and conversed (with him ) on some topics. The king said: 39-45. 'Sir, I wish to ask you one thing. Be pleased to reply to it. Without the control of my intellect, my mind is afflicted with sorrow. Though I have lost the kingdom, like an ignorant manthough I know it- I have an attachment to all the paraphernalia of my kingdom. How is this, O best of sages? And this merchant has been disowned by this children, wife and servants, and forsaken by his own people; still he is inordinately affectionate towards them. Thus both he and I, drawn by attachment towards objects whose defects we do know, are exceedingly unhappy. How this happens, then, sir, that though we are aware of it, this delusion comes? This delusion besets me as well as him, blinded as we are in respect of discrimination.' The Rishi said: 46-49. Sir, every being has the knowledge of objects perceivable by the senses. And object of sense reaches it in various ways. Some beings are blind by day, and others are blind by night; some beings have equal sight both by day and night. Human beings are certainly endowed with knowledge, but they are not the only beings ( to be so endowed), for cattle, birds, animals and other creatures also cognize (objects of senses). 50-58. The knowledge that men have, birds and beasts too have; and what they have men also possess; and the rest (like eating and sleeping) is common to both of them. Look at these birds, which though they possess knowledge, and are themselves distressed by hunger are yet, because of the delusion, engaged in dropping grains into the beaks of their young ones. Human beings are, O tiger among men, attached to their children because of greed for return help. Do you not see this? Even so men are hurled into the whirlpool of attachment, the pit of delusion, through the power of Mahamaya ( the Great Illusion), who makes the existence of the world possible. Marvel not at this. this Mahamaya is the Yoganidra, of Vishnu, the Lord of the world. It is by her the world is deluded. Verily she, the Bhagavati, the Mahamaya forcibly drawing the minds of even the wise, throws them into delusion. She creates this entire universe, both moving and unmoving. It is she who, when propitious, becomes a boon-giver to human beings for their final liberation. She is the supreme knowledge, the cause of final liberation, and eternal; she is the cause of the bondage of transmigration and the sovereign over all lords. The king said: 59-62. 'Venerable sir, who is that Devi whom you call Mahamaya? How did she come into being, and what is her sphere of action, O Brahmana? What constitutes her nature? What is her form? Wherefrom did she originate? All that I wish to hear from you, O you supreme among the knowers of Brahman.' The Rishi said: 63-71. She is eternal, embodied as the universe. By her all this is pervaded. Nevertheless she incarnates in manifold ways; hear it from me. When she manifests herself in order to accomplish the purposes of the devas, she is said to be born in the world, though she is eternal. At the end of a kalpa when the universe was one ocean( with the waters of the deluge) and the adorable Lord Vishnu stretched out on Sesa and took the mystic slumber, tow terrible asuras, the well-known Madhu and Kaitabha, sprung into being from the dirt of Vishnu's ears, sought to slay Brahma; Brahma, the father of beings, was sitting in the lotus( that came out) from Vishnu's navel. Seeing these two fierce asuras and Janardhana asleep, and with a view to awakening Hari, (Brahma) with concentrated mind extolled Yoganidra, dwelling in Hari's eyes. The resplendent Lord Brahma extolled the incomparable Goddess of Vishnu, Yoganidra, the queen of cosmos, the supporter of the worlds, the cause of the sustentation and dissolution alike (of the universe). 72-74. Brahma said: 'You are Svaha and Svadha. You are verily the Vasatkara and embodiment of Svara. You are the nectar. O eternal and imperishable One, you are the embodiment of the threefold mantra. You are half a matra, though eternal. You are verily that which cannot be uttered specifically. You are Savitri and the supreme Mother of the devas. 75-77. 'By you this universe is borne, by you this world is created. By you it is protected, O Devi and you always consume it at the end. O you who are (always) of the form of the whole world, at the time of creation you are of the form of the creative force, at the time of sustentation you are of the form of the protective power, and at the time of the dissolution of the world, you are of the form of the destructive power. You are the supreme knowledge as well as the great nescience, the great intellect and contemplation, as also the great delusion, the great devi as also the great asuri. 78-81. ' You are the primordial cause of everything, bringing into force the three qualities. You are the dark night of periodic dissolution. You are the great night of final dissolution, and the terrible night of delusion. You are the goddess of good fortune, the ruler, modesty, intelligence characterized by knowledge, bashfulness, nourishment, contentment, tranquility and forbearance. Armed with sword, spear, club, discus, conch , bow, arrows, slings and iron mace, you are terrible( and at the same time) you are pleasing, yea more pleasing than all the pleasing things and exceedingly beautiful. You are indeed the supreme Isvari, beyond the high and low. 82-87. 'And whatever of wherever a thing exists, conscient( real) or non-conscient (unreal), whatever power all that possesses is yourself. O you who are the soul of everything, how can I extol you (more than this)? By you, even he who creates, sustains and devours the world, is put to sleep. Who is here capable of extolling you? Who is capable of praising you, who have made all of us- Vishnu, myself and Shiva- take our embodied forms? O Devi, being lauded thus, bewitch these two unassailable asuras Madhu and Kaitabha with your superior powers. Let Vishnu, the Master of the world, be quickly awakened from sleep and rouse up his nature to slay these two great asuras.' The Rishi said: 88-95. There, the Devi of delusion extolled thus by Brahma, the creator, in order to awaken Vishnu for the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha, drew herself out from His eyes, mouth, nostrils, arms, heart and breast, and appeared in the sight of Brahma of inscrutable birth. Janardana, Lord of the universe, quitted by her, rose up from His couch on the universal ocean, and saw those two evil(asuras), Madhu and Kaitabha, of exceeding heroism and power, with eyes red in anger, endeavoring to devour Brahma. Thereupon the all-pervading Bhagavan Vishnu got up and fought with the asuras for five thousand years, using his own arms as weapons. And they, frenzied with their exceeding power, and deluded by Mahamaya, exclaimed to Vishnu, 'Ask a boon from us.' Bhagavan(Vishnu) said: 96-98. 'If you are satisfied with me, you must both be slain by me now. What need is there of any other boon here? My choice is this much indeed.' The Rishi said: 99-101. Those two(asuras), thus bewitched (by Mahamaya), gazing then at the entire world turned into water, told Bhagavan, the lotus eyed One, 'Slay us at the spot where the earth is not flooded with water.' The Rishi said: 102-104. Saying 'Be it so', Bhagavan(Vishnu), the great wielder of conch, discus and mace, took them on His loins and there severed their heads with His discus. Thus she (Mahamaya) herself appeared when praised by Brahma. Now listen again the glory of this Devi. I tell you. Here ends the first chapter called 'The slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha' of Devi mahatmya in Markandeya purana, during the period of Savarni, the Manu. |
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