Chapter 88 - Greatness of Aṃbāvṛddhā

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The sages said:

1-3. O son of Sūta, four deities were enumerated by you, viz. Camatkārī, Mahitthā, Mahālakṣmī and another deity, the fourth one Aṃbāvrddhā.

Of them, three have been described in detail. The fourth one Aṃbāvrddhā has not been described. O son of Sūta, state the power of this deity. Who instituted her Yātrā (religious procession). Mention everything in detail.

Sūta said:

4. This goddess of Suras, namely Aṃbāvṛddhā is the divine power of austerity. May it be listened from me how she came to be established here formerly.

5. When this city was built by King Camatkāra, a man of meritorious soul, he installed these four deities in consultation with and advice of Brāhmaṇas for the protection of the city.

6. This king had two daughters, one by the name Aṃbā and the other named Vṛddhā. Both of them were endowed with beauty and excellent virtues.

7. Both of them were married to the king of Kāśī, in accordance with the injunctions laid down in the Gṛhyasūtras and in the presence of Devas, Brāhmaṇas and the holy Fire, O excellent Brāhmaṇa.

8. Once upon a time the king of Kāśī had to fight a great battle with the Kālayavanas (dark-complexioned Barbarians).

9. Though the king of Kāśī was endowed with great prowess, he was killed in the battle along with his servants, armies and vehicles by those terrible ones who had obtained boons from Hara.

10-11. Aṃbā and Vṛddhā were reduced to the miserable state of widowhood. They went to the holy place of Hāṭakeśvara, the bestower of all desired things. They endeavoured to propitiate the goddess. They observed auspicious Vratas for the destruction of the enemies of their husband.

12. For more than a hundred years, the goddess of Suras did not become pleased. They got disgusted and detached from the world. They wished to destroy their bodies.

13-14. O Brāhmaṇas, they recited the Mantras of the Kṣurikā Sūkta of the Ātharvaṇa Veda. They cut off their flesh devoutly inspiring and sanctifying them with the Mantras and performed Homa in the well-kindled holy fire.

Thereupon a deity with four arms and splendid countenance rose up from the fire-pit.

15. The lady was clad in white garments and she resembled the early morning sun in lustre. Another lady of excellent eyes and countenance also rose up. She resembled molten gold in lustre.

16. She rose up from the fire-pit holding a sword. She was terrifying. This other lady too was a highly frightening Śakti.

17. They said, “Let the boon cherished in the heart be requested for, even if it be very difficult to attain.”

The two (queens) said:

18. Our beloved husband, the valorous king of Kāśī, has been killed in battle by the ferocious Kālayavanas.

19. O great goddesses, something should be done so that their destruction can be effected undoubtedly with your favour.

20. Further, both of you should eagerly stay here for the protection of your own city. This is the task (boon) thought of by us.

21. On hearing their words, both the deities said “So be it” and merged into that pit.

22. In the meantime, innumerable mothers (goddesses), thousands of them of many forms, rose up from that Kuṇḍa.

(The different kinds of beings that arose from that fire-pit are described below:)

23. One set had the faces of elephants and another had those of horses. Others had the faces of dogs and still others those of birds and goats.

24. Others had human faces but the bodies were those of lower animals. Some had three heads, some five heads and others even ten heads.

25. The faces of some of these beings were in different parts of the bodies. Some had faces in their privy parts; others in their breasts; yet others stood with faces at the sides; a few others had faces on the back.

26. Some had only a single hand; others two hands; still others had five hands; a few others had even twenty hands; others were devoid of hands.

27. There were beings with many feet as well as those devoid of feet; there were single-footed and half-footed ones; some were terribly hideous with faces down.

28. There were single-eyed ones, two-eyed and others manyeyed. Some of them rode on elephants and others on horses.

29. Still others were riding on bulls, monkeys, lions, goats, tigers and pythons. Similarly some were seated on alligators, horses, donkeys etc. There were some seated on birds.

30. There were thousands seated on tortoises, cocks, serpents etc. They were gesticulating, howling and singing. Laughing, dancing and sporting about mutually, they proceeded ahead.

31. There were many beings with hairs raised up, hairs covering the bodies and some having no hair at all. Others had long hairs, some with hairs like those of hordes and a few with various peculiar types of hairs.

32. There were terribly hideous beings with short teeth, long teeth and peculiar types of teeth. Others were frightening with elephant teeth and teeth like steel.

33. There were many beings with ears hanging loosely down; others with peculiar ears; still others with ears like a winnowing basket. There were spike-eared, many-eared, ugly-eared and excellent-eared beings.

34. There were single-clothed and many-clothed beings; others were without clothes; still others had hides as coverings or rags used to cover nakedness.

35. There were terrible beings with swords, arrows and javelins in their hands. Others had nooses in their hands and a few others with spears and bows in their hands, beings with tridents, mallets and Bhuśuṇḍīs adorning their hands.

36. Then these beings heard the commands of the two goddesses and were highly delighted. They proceeded towards the place where dark-complexioned ones were staying.

37-38. On seeing the army of the goddesses with hideous forms and ugly countenances (advancing) all those (Kālayavanas) became afraid with gloomy faces. While they fled here and there, they were ruthlessly swallowed by those deities.

39. The entire kingdom of those wicked-souled ones including children and old people as well as women were quickly swallowed by those deities.

40. After de-populating and exterminating the entire territory, O excellent Brāhmaṇas, all of them joyously returned to their original abodes.

41-42. Then they bowed down with humility to those two deities and requested loudly: “All those Kālayavanas have been killed along with their sons, kinsmen and cattle. The entire realm though vast has been rendered waste. Now some food may be given to us for our satisfaction. Similarly some place may be assigned to us for residence.

The Devīs said:

43. The foetus of those pregnant women in the mortal world who go to sleep in dim light at the time of dusk may be taken by you quickly as your prey.

44. The foetus of these women too have been given to you all: Those who cry and lament and rush to places where three roads and four roads meet. Let it be eaten by you.

45. If women move about, sport about or sleep after being Ucchiṣṭa (i.e. without washing the mouth after taking food), the foetus of all those women have been assigned as food unto you all.

46. If there is a case of Ucchiṣṭa (rennants [remnants?] of food etc.) in the lying-in-chamber, that child has been assigned to you as food.

47. If Ṣaṣṭhījāgara (i.e. worship of Durgā and remaining awake on the sixth day after nativity) is not performed for any child, that child is undoubtedly given to you as food.

48. If the fire kept in the lying-in-chamber becomes extinguished, the child therein shall be assigned to you as your meal.

49. If the lying-in-chamber is left devoid of auspicious things, the boy who stays there is assigned to you for your meal.

50. All the children who sleep under the open sky at dusk are given over to you as prey.

51. If at the end of a year when the birthday falls no auspicious rites are performed, the body of that child has been assigned to you.

52. If after anointing the body with oil a man does not take bath, he is undoubtedly given over to you as food.

53. If a man is Ucchiṣṭa (polluted by remainings of food) and he stands in the centre of the quadrangle, he should be eaten by you all unhesitatingly.

54. A man who is deluded by lust and cohabits with a woman in her monthly course, one who goes to bed naked or takes bath in the nude, should be eaten quickly.

55. A man of deluded intellect who takes his bath at night facing the South and one who lies down on the bed thus should also be eaten quickly.

56. One who urinates or defecates with face towards the North at night and towards the South during the day should be eaten.

57. One who eats fried flour mixed with curds at the beginning of night or carnally approaches a low caste woman should be eaten quickly.

Sūta said:

58. On being told thus by the two goddesses those beings surrounded them with delighted minds and stood thus.

59. In the meantime the valorous king Camatkāra built for them a palatial mansion similar to the Kailāsa peak.

60. Ever since then those two holy deities of great prosperity, known as Aṃbā and Vṛddhā are always alert in guarding the city.

61. A man who gets up early in the morning and sees their countenances does not meet with misfortunes for the period of a whole year.

62. On happy occasions and festivities, a devotee should worship them at the beginning or at the close of the same. He never faces misfortune on the earth.

63. During pilgrimages, a man should perform the rite of adoration for those two. He attains the desired benefit and returns home quickly.

64-65. One who always offers oblation on the eighth or fourteenth lunar day to them, shall attain the desired things here and good goal hereafter.

One who is endowed with faith and worships them on the Mahānavamī day shall be free from risks and difficulties.