Chapter 47 - On Manasā’s story

1-25 Nārāyaṇa said :-- O Nārada! I have now narrated the anecdote of Ṣaṣṭhī as stated in the Vedas. Now hear the anecdote of Mangala Caṇḍī, approved of by the Vedas and respected by the literary persons. The Caṇḍī, that is very skilled in all auspicious works and who is the most auspicious of all good things, is Mangal Caṇḍīkā. Or the Caṇḍī who is an object of worship of Mangala (Mars), the son of earth and the bestower of desires is Mangala Caṇḍīkā. Or the Caṇḍī who is an object of worship of Mangala of the family of Manu who was the ruler of the whole world composed of seven islands and the bestower of all desires is Mangala Caṇḍī. Or it may be that the Mūla Prakriti, the Governess, the Ever Gracious Durgā assumed the form of Mangala Caṇḍī and has become the Iṣṭa Devatā of women. When there was the fight with Tripurāsura, this Mangala Caṇḍī, higher than the highest was first worshipped by Mahādeva, stimulated by Viṣṇu, on a critical moment. O Brāhmin! While the fighting was going on, a Daitya threw out of anger one car on Mahādeva and as that car was about to fall on Him, Brahmā and Viṣṇu gave a good advice when Mahādeva began to praise Durgā Devī at once. Durgā Devī that time assuming the form of Mangala Caṇḍī appeared and said “no fear no fear” Bhagavān Viṣṇu will be Thy Carrier buffalo. I will be also Thy Śakti in the action and Hari, full of Māyā, will also help Thee. Thou better slayest the enemy that dispossessed the Devas. O Child! Thus saying, the Devī Mangala

Chandī disappeared and She became the Śakti of Mahā Deva. Then with the help of the weapon given by Viṣṇu, the Lord of Umā killed the Asura. When the Daitya fell, the Devas and Ṛṣis began to chant hymns to Mahādeva with devotion and with their heads bent low. From the sky, a shower of flowers fell instantaneously on Mahā Deva’s head. Brahmā and Viṣṇu became glad and gave their best wishes to Him. Then ordered by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, Śaṅkara bathed joyously. Then He began to worship with devotion the Devī Mangala Caṇḍī with pādya, Arghya, Ācamanīya and various clothings. Flowers, sandal paste, various goats, sheep, buffaloes, bisons, birds, garments, ornaments, garlands, Pāyasa (a preparation of rice, ghee, milk and sugar), Piṣṭaka, honey, wine, and various fruits were offered in the worship. Dancing, music, with instruments and the chanting of Her name and other festivals commenced. Reciting the Dhyān as in Mādhyandina, Mahādeva offered everything, pronouncing the principal Radical Mantra, “Om Hrīm Śrīm Klīm Sarvapujye Devī Mangala Caṇḍīke Hum Phaṭ Svāhā” is the twenty-one lettered Mantra of Mangala Caṇḍī. During worship, the Kalpa Vrikṣa, the tree yielding all desires, must be worshipped. O Nārada! By repeating the Mantra ten lakhs of times, the Mantra Siddhi (success in realising the Deity inherent in the Mantra) comes. Now I am saying about the Dhyānam of Mangal Caṇḍī as stated in the Vedas and as approved by all. Listen. “O Devī Mangala Caṇḍīke! Thou art sixteen years old; Thou art ever youthful; Thy lips are like Bimba fruits, Thou art of good teeth and pure. Thy face looks like autumnal lotus; Thy colour is like white champakas; Thy eyes resemble blue lilies; Thou art the Preserver of the world and thou bestowest all sorts of prosperity. Thou art the Light in this dark ocean of the world. So I meditate on Thee.” This is the Dhyānam. Now hear the stotra, which Mahādeva recited before Her.

26-37. Mahādeva said :-- Protect me, Protect me, O Mother! O Devī Mangal Caṇḍīke! Thou, the Destroyer of difficulties! Thou givest joy and good. Thou art clever in giving delight and fortune. Thou the bestower of all bliss and prosperity! Thou, the auspicious, Thou art Mangala Caṇḍīkā. Thou art Mangalā, worthy of all good, Thou art the auspicious of all auspicious; Thou bestowest good to the good persons. Thou art worthy to be worshipped on Tuesday (the Mangala day); Thou art the Deity, desired by all. The King Mangala, born of Manu family always worships Thee. Thou, the presiding Devī of Mangala; Thou art the repository of all the good that are in this world. Thou, the Bestower of the auspicious Mokṣa. Thou, the best of all; Thou, the respository of all good; Thou makest one cross all the Karmas; the people worship Thee on every Tuesday; Thou bestowest abundance of Bliss to all. Thus praising Mangala Caṇḍīkā with this stotra, and worshipping on every

Tuesday, Śambhu departed. The Devī Sarva Mangalā was first worshipped by Mahādeva. Next she was worsh ipped by the planet Mars; then by the King Mangala; then on every Tuesday by the ladies of every household. Fifthly she was worshipped by all men, desirous of their welfare. So in every universe Mangal Caṇḍīkā, first worshipped by Mahādeva, came to be worshipped by all. Next she came to be worshipped everywhere, by the Devas, Munis, Mānavas, Manus. O Muni! He who hears with undivided attention this stotra of the Devī Mangala Caṇḍīkā, finds no evils anywhere. Rather all good comes to him. Day after day he gets sons and grandsons and so his prosperity gets increased, yea, verily increased!

38-58. Nārāyaṇa said :-- O Nārada! Thus I narrated to you the stories of Ṣaṣṭhī and Mangala Caṇḍīkā, according to the Vedas. Now hear the story of Manasā that I heard from the mouth of Dharama Deva.

Manasā is the mind-born daughter of Maharṣi Kaśyapa; hence she is named Manasā; or it may be She who plays with the mind is Manasā. Or it may be She who meditates on God with her mind and gets rapture in Her meditation of God is named Manasā. She finds pleasure in Her Own Self, the great devotee of Viṣṇu, a Siddha Yoginī. For three Yugas She worshipped Śrī Kṛṣṇa and then She became a Siddha Yoginī. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the Gopīs, seeing the body of Manasā lean and thin due to austerities, or seeing her worn out like the Muni Jarat Kāru called her by the name of Jarat Kāru. Hence Her name has come also to be Jarat Kāru. Kṛṣṇa, the Ocean of Mercy, gave her out of kindness, Her desired boon; She worshipped Him and Śrī Kṛṣṇa also worshipped Her. Devī Manasā is known in the Heavens, in the abode of the Nāgas (serpents), in earth, in Brahmāloka, in all the worlds as of very fair colour, beautiful and charming. She is named Jagad Gaurī as she is of a very fair colour in the world. Her other name is Śaivī and she is the disciple of Śiva. She is named Vaiṣṇavī as she is greatly devoted to Viṣṇu. She saved the Nāgas in the Snake Sacrifice performed by Pariksit, she is named Nageśvarī and Nāga Bhaginī and She is capable to destroy the effects of poison. She is called Viṣahari. She got the Siddha yoga from Mahādeva; hence She is named Siddha Yoginī; She got from Him the great knowledge, so she is called Mahā Jñanayutā, and as she got Mritasamjīvanī (making alive the dead) she is known by the name of Mritasañjīvanī. As the great ascetic is the mother of the great Muni Āstīk, she is known in the world as Āstīka mātā. As She is the dear wife of the great high-souled Yogi Muni Jarat Kāru, worshipped by all, she is called as Jarat

Kārupriya, Jaratkāru, Jagadgaurī, Manasā, Siddha Yoginī, Vaiṣṇavī,

Nāga Bhaginī, Śaivi, Nageśvarī, Jaratkārupriyā, Āstikamātā, Viṣahari, and Mahā Jñanayutā; these are the twelve names of Manasā, worshipped everywhere in the Universe. He who recites these twelve names while worshipping Manasā Devī, he or any of his family has no fear of snakes. If there be any fear of snakes in one’s bed, if the house be infested with snakes or if one goes to a place difficult for fear of snakes or if one’s body be encircled with snakes, all the fears are dispelled, if one reads this stotra of Manasā. There is no doubt in this. The snakes run away out of fear from the sight of him who daily recites the Manasā stotra. Ten lakhs of times repeating the Manasā mantra give one man success in the stotra. He can easily drink poison who attains success in this stotra. The snakes become his ornaments; they carry him even on their backs. He who is a great Siddha can sit on a seat of snakes and can sleep on a bed of snakes. In the end he sports day and night with Viṣṇu.

Here ends the Forty-seventh Chapter of the Ninth Book on Manasā’s story in the Mahā Purāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.