Brahmananda Purana Part 9

Today is the Ninth Night of The Divine Mother's Nine Nights -

Day 9 - The last among the nine forms of mother Durga is Siddhidatri. She is capable of giving all sorts of occult powers. According to Markandeya Purana there are eight types of these powers - Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Isitwa and Vasitwa. And according to Brahmavaivarta Purana, Sri Krsna Janma Khanda, the number is eighteen as given under-

The mother Siddhidatri is competent enough to give all Siddhis to the strivers and her devotees. According to Devi Purana the Lord Siva acquired these powers only by the grace of this goddess alone. Only due to her grace the Lord Siva became Ardhanariswara. The mother Siddhidatri is four-armed. Her vehicle is lion. She is seated on a lotus flower. She holds a Cakra in her right lower hand and a mace in the upper. In the left lower hand there is a conch and in her upper left hand a lotus flower. On the ninth day of Navaratra Puja she is worshipped. This day in a prescribed manner and with his full faith the Sadhaka acquires all Siddhis. There remains nothing unattainable in the universe. He develops competency to conquer the whole universe.

It is the duty of every person to always try to propitiate mother Siddhidatri and earn her favor. By her grace only a devotee crosses the ocean of miseries and remaining quite untainted, enjoying all worldly pleasure attains Moksa in the end.

Among nine Durgas Siddhidatri is the last. After having worshipped the eight Durgas in an appropriate manner on the ninth day devotees undertake her worship. After the completion of Siddhidatri's worship the devotees and strivers get their desires mundane or otherworldly fulfilled. But the main thing is this that there remains no such desire in a favorite devotee of Siddhidatri which he may want to fulfill. Such a devotee transcends all material desires and necessities. Spiritually he moves in the divine abode of the Devi and always drinks the nectar of her favor. He becomes completely devoid of lust and enjoyment. The absolute nearness of the goddess becomes the only aim of his actions. After acquiring this position there remains nothing for him to require.


Below is a part translation of one of my favourite sacred texts - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmanda_Purana
http://www.astrojyoti.com/brahmanandapurana-9.htm

Brahmananda Purana - 9


11. Hence, starting with the ocean and extending as far as the netherworlds, we shall split the earth and dig it. We shall enter the netherworlds and search for the horse.

12. Having decided thus, all those sons of Sagara, of cruel resolve, dug the earth everywhere beginning with the seashore.

13. Being dug by them, the earth became greatly excited and cried aloud. On seeing their activity, all living beings cried in distress.

14. After digging the Bharata subcontinent and casting it off on the ground, they united a thousand Yojanas of the earth to the ocean.

15. Digging the earth upto the netherworlds, the sons of the king saw the horse grazing in the netherworlds.

I6. Delighted very much they gathered together and laughed out of contentment. Some of them danced with great joy.

17-21. They saw the noble-souled Kapila of brilliant lustre who was very old; who was seated in the lotusposture, with his eyes fixed yet at the tip of his nose, who had kept the head and neck straight and long; who had kept the chest projecting forward, who was shining with his own splendour radiating all round in full like a lamp placed in a windless spot; whose body was full of perfect knowledge shining within himself; whose mind was engaged in abstract meditation; who appeared like the motionless ocean; who was duly engaged in the yogic exercise; whose mind was engrossed in what should be meditated upon; who was the most excellent among leading Yogins and who looked like the fire with its clusters of flames extinguished. On seeing him staying there, they consulted one another about him for a short while. For a short while, they underwent excessive agitation.

22-23. Thinking that it was he who stole the horse, the evil-minded sons of' Sagara, induced by the God of death, surrounded Kapila, the excellent sage. Encircling him they said, " This is the thief: There is no doubt about it. This evil-minded robber of the horse deserves to be killed by us".

Jaimini said :

24-27a. " All those Sagaras whose intellect had become deluded and whose death was imminent, suddenly molested the sage who was sitting like an ordinary person.

Then sage Kapila who had never been dejected in mind, was overwhelmed with wrath, because he lead been upset due to the break in his abstract meditation. He was agitated. Assailed by those evilminded ones, the unassailable sage Kapila became agitated. He assumed a huge size like the fire that increases in size at the end of the Kalpa on account of the gusts of wind.

27b-30a. The fire of anger arising out of his body as vast and majestic as the ocean, burst forth like the Samkarshana fire issuing from the poison of Sesha out to burn down the netherworlds. His anger was further kindled by the recollection of attack. The sage who had a lustre similar to that of a wheel of fire ( i.e. whirling fire ) opened his eyes. Then for a moment, O king, his eyes became extremely red and shone like the Sun and the Moon simultaneously appearing in the sky at dawn.

30b-35. He looked at the princes with rolling eyes gravely, like the God of annihilation at the close of ( Kalpa ) period. Sparks and flames of fire suddenly emerged from the eyes of that infuriated sage and spread all round in various directions continuously, like the sparks of Kalagni ( destructive fire at the time of final annihilation ). The sparks of fire of the Sage's anger pervaded the quarters all round, with columns of smoke projecting forward and emitting floods of sparks frequently.

The sparks emanating from his eyes like the poisonous flames with the cavity of the belly of a python, shone like the flames of the Vadavafire ( submarine fire ) of the violent ocean.

The fire of anger, O great king, that pervaded the spaces in the quarters by means of its flames, enveloped the firmament and burned the sons of Sagara.

36. The world became enveloped by the clusters of flames of fire and smoke whirling round and round on account of the angry ( i.e. violent ) blasts of wind that blew with a loud report. It became filled with the dusts of the earth too, that were blown up excessively. Hence, the world became too much afflicted.

37. All round, the fire appeared to be scraping the firmament by means of its flames struck by the velocity of wind. It immediately burned down completely the sons of the king who were the enemies of the Suras.

38. Even as all the worlds were watching, the fire of Kapila's anger reduced the Sagaras to ashes completely, sparing only the horse.

39. Thus the sons of Sagara, of sinful mind, were burned suddenly on account of that fire of anger like the dry trees that get consumed in the forest conflagration.

40. On seeing the annihilation of those evil-minded Sagaras, the Devas spoke to one another in wonder, along with the Sages.

41-42. Oh, the ultimate bad result of those persons who have committed terrible sins has not been delayed. Indeed, in this world, men of wicked souls have to meet with a bad end. These wicked and cruel minded persons, huge in size like mountains, have suddenly and forcibly perished like dry grass in fire.

43. They had caused anxiety and torture to all living beings. They were extremely censured by good men throughout their lives. Fortunately, they have met with their destruction.

44. Which man can attain happiness in this world after committing an inauspicious action that is censured by the worlds and that causes harassment to others? 45. These sinners had made all living beings cry aloud. They have now been struck dead by means of brahmadanda ( the punishing rod of a brahmana ). Hence, on account of their own evil actions, they have gone to hell where they will be spending many many years.

46. Hence, only good actions should be performed by intelligent persons. The other type of actions censured by the world should be cast off far away ( i.e. completely avoided ).

47. As long as one is alive, one should strive for the attainment of final beatitude. This should be done by one who knows what is good for him. One should not harm or injure any one, as life is transitory.

48. This body is nonpermanent. Riches are extremely fickle. The entire worldly existence is utterly worthless. How may the learned one believe ( otherwise )?" 49. Even as the leading Suras and sages were telling one another thus, the sons of Sagara perished after becoming the fuel to the fire of the anger of the sage.

50. The sons of Sagara whose bodies were burnt down suddenly, ( as if ) paralysed the earth with their ashes and instantaneously fell into hell due to their sinful deeds.

51. After burning those sons of Sagara entirely, the fire arising from his anger was on the point of burning all the worlds suddenly in a moment.

52. The Devas who became frightened gathered together and stood by in the firmament. Being desireous of suppressing the fire of anger, they eulogised the noble-souled sage."

Recovery of the Sacrificial Horse:

Jaimini said:" It behoves you, O Leading Brahmana, to restrain immediately this Fire of anger. If not, the entire universe is likely to be burnt by it untimely. Your greatness has been seen. The whole world including the mobile and the immobile beings has been pervaded by this fire of your anger. Forbear, please restrain this anger, O leading Brahmana. Obeisance to you."

On being eulogised thus, the saintly Kapila, immediately controlled the extremely terrible fire of anger. Thereupon, the entire universe including the mobile and the immobile beings became calm. Devas and the ascetics became free from distress.

In the meantime, the saintly Rishi Narada, O King, casually went to Ayodhya from the Devaloka ( the world of the Devas ).

On seeing that Narada had arrived, Sagara worshipped him perfectly in accordance with the injunctions of the scriptures, with Arghya, Padya and other materials of worship.

Accepting that honour and worship, Narada sat on the exalted seat and spoke these words, O King, to Sagara the tiger among kings.

Narada said : " Your sons who had gone to take horse around the, world, O excellent king, have been struck down by the curse of a Brahmana. All of them have perished.

Your sacrificial horse, O King, that was being guarded by all of them was taken somewhere in the heaven without being noticed by anyone, as ordained by fate.

They began to search for the lost horse all over the earth. For a long time, O king, they did not get any information of its whereabouts.

Thereupon, they decided to search for the horse underneath the earth. Beginning earnestly, those Sagaras dug up the surface of the earth.

While digging the earth, O King, they saw the horse in Patala ( Netherworlds ) and near it they saw the great sage Kapila, the leading Yogin.

On seeing him, they committed a sinful deed. All of then being urged by Kala (God of death), saying "This is the robber of the horse", they made Kapila sufficiently infuriated.

Thereupon, your sons perished with their bodies as fuel to the fire emanating from his eyes and caused by his anger, the fire that burned the quarters.

You need not grieve over them. It does not behoove you to grieve over them, O leading King, because they were cruel, of sinful conduct and were creating troubles and impediments to all people. Retain your courage as your asset .

---- ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ----

Thus Ends the Nine Nights of the Mother - Happy Navratris !!

She will come again soon!





जय श्री जगदम्बा माता!