Chapter 13: The Bestowing of Boons to Suratha and Vaisya
The Rishi said: I have now narrated to you, O King, this
sublime poem on the glory of the Devi. The Devi is endowed with such majestic
power. By her this world is upheld. Knowledge is similarly conferred by her,
the illusive power of Bhagavan Vishnu. By her, you, this merchant and other men
of discrimination, are being deluded; and others were deluded (in the past),
and will be deluded (in the future). O great King, take refuge in her, the supreme
Isvari. She indeed when worshipped bestows on men enjoyment, heaven and final
release (from transmigration).
Markandeya said (to his disciple Bhaguri): O great sage,
King Suratha who had become despondent consequent on his excessive attachment
and the deprivation of his kingdom, and the merchant, having heard this story
prostrated before the illustrious Rishi of sever penances and immediately
repaired to perform austerities. Both the king and the merchant, in order to
obtain a vision of Amba, stationed themselves on the sand-bank of a river and
practised penances, chanting the supreme Devi-sukta (hymn to the Devi).
Having made an earthen image of the Devi on the sands of the
river, they both worshipped her with flowers, incense, sacred fire and libation
of water. Now abstaining from food, and now restraining in their food, with
their minds on her and with concentration, they both offered sacrifices
sprinkled with blood drawn from their own bodies. When they, with controlled
minds propitiated her thus for three years, Chandika, the upholder of the
world, was well pleased and spoke to them in visible form.
The Devi said: What you solicit, O King, and you, the
delight of your family, receive all that from me. Well-pleased I bestow those
boons to you both. . Markandeya said: Then the King chose a kingdom,
imperishable even in another life, and in this life itself, restoration of his
own kingdom wherein the power of his enemies is destroyed by force. Then the
wise merchant also, whose mind was full of dispassion for the world, chose the
knowledge, which removes the attachment (in the form of) ‘mine’ and ‘I’. The
Devi said: O King, after slaying your foes in a few days, you shall obtain your
own kingdom and it shall last with you there.‘And, when you are dead, you shall
gain another birth from the Deva Vivasvat (Sun), and shall be a Manu on earth
by name Savarni. And, O the best of merchants, I grant you the boon, which you
have desired of me. (Supreme) knowledge shall be yours, for your
self-realization. Markandeya said: Having thus granted them both the boon that
they desired, the Devi disappeared forthwith, as they were extolling her with
devotion. Having thus gained the boon from the Devi, Suratha, the foremost of
Kshatriyas, shall obtain a new birth through Surya and shall be the eighth Manu
named Savarni
Here ends the thirteenth chapter called ‘The bestowing of
boons to Suratha and Vaisya’ of Devi-Mahatmya in Markandeya-Purana, during the
period of Savarni, the Manu. Here ends the Devi-Mahatmya of 700 Mantras.
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