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Brahmavaivarta Purana Prakrti Khanda Chapter 1
Description of Prakpti and particles there of
Narada said— Durga, the mother of Ganes’a, Radha, LaksmI, Sarasvatl and Savitr! are known as the five goddesses of Prakrti. The creation is dependent on them.
О best of the intellectuals, who is the creator of this Prakrti or its fonn and could it be described? How has it been described as five fold? You kindly enlighten me on their life story, the methods of their adoration and the one who incarnated at instance of these goddesses.
Narayana said—О son who could be competent enough to described details about the formation of each one of them. Still I am going to tell you whatever I have heard from the mouth of Dharma.
The word Prakrti means the goddess who can resort to the creation. In the Vedas the word pra stands for Sattvaguna and word kr stands for Rajoguna while the word ti stands for Tamogiina. Therefore, the one in whom all the three gunas are enshrined and is all powerful one, is known as Prakrti.
In the initial meaning the word pra is known for the creation and krti is used for that what is created. Therefore, the eternal force which is responsible for the creation of the universe in enabled Prakrti.
At the time of creation she, in combination with the eternal Brahman, appeared in two forms. The one who is created out of the right side is given the name of Purusa and the one who emerges out of her left side is given the name of Prakrit.
She is the illusion of that form of Brahman which is eternal everlasting. He is like the power of the fire, which always remains inherent with the same.
O Narada, therefore, the great yogis do not consider any difference between and the men and the women. They look at them as the form of Brahman.
О Brahman, Isvarl, the miila-prakrti has been created of her own sweet-will as per the desire of lord Krishna.
At his command she takes to five fold form for the purpose of creation. Or in order to bestow her grace over her devotees, she takes to a definite form.
Durga the mother of Ganes’a, is the beloved of lord Siva. She is the fonn of Brahman and is NarayanI, the illusion of Visnu as well, who is adored by Brahma, Visnu, sages and Manus always. She happens to be the family deity and is the form of eternal Brahman. She is the bestower of glory, welfare, dharma, fortune, truth, merits and salvation. She also run ones the misery.
She always engaged in protecting the people who take refuge in her. She is illustrious and is considered to be the family deity.
She is all powerful and bestows prowess on Siva always. She is also the one who grants success.
She is also known for granting, intelligence, sleep, hunger, thirst, shade, glory, illusion, consciousness, satisfaction, preservation and Laksmi (riches). These are all the goddesses which bestow their grace and form part of lord Krishna.
Sruti is treated to be possessing the best of qualities out of all these and has been described in the Agaman. She is the endless one and possesses endless qualities. Now you listen to her other forms.
Padma is the other s’akti of lord Visnu who is blissful, bestower of all the riches and possesses all of them.
She is extremely beautiful, self disciplined, extremely peaceful, quiet humble and is bestower of welfare to all. She is free from the sins of greed, passions, attraction, anger, intoxication and pride. She bestows her grace on all his devotees and she loved lord Hail By nature, she is eternal and chaste and is the beloved of the lord. She is sweet spoken and very dear to the lord.
She bestows enough of harvest and like Laks ml who always think of the welfare of all and serve lord Visnu in Vaikuntha.
When she remains in the heaven, she is known as SvargalaksmT, when she resides with the kings she is known as RajalaksmI, When she resides with the house-holders she is known as Grhalaks ml.
She happens to be the glory of all the kings, is quite charming and happens to be the lustre of the kings as well as the noble souls.
She pervades the business community as the business and the quarrels with the quarrelsome people. She is quite compassionate, mother of the devotees and bestowers her grace on them.
О sage, she is unstable like the lightening and protects the riches of her devotees. Without her the entire universe looks as dead.
Tlius I have spoken about the second force according to the description of the Vedas. She is adorable by all. Now I am going to tell you the qualities of the other Goddess.
Sarasvati is known to be the speech of the lord besides being his wisdom, intellectual and knowledge.
She bestows the best of intelligence to the noble people besides granting them the wisdom for creating poetry, illustriousness and bestows the creative imagination to the people.
She is the one, who can bestow all the knowledge. She removes all the doubts, is a thinker and composer of all the texts.
She bestow the knowledge of playing on musical instruments with several tunes. She happens to be the subject of intelligence and speech in all the creatures. Without her the entire universe would seem to be deaf and dumb. Her hand is always raised in Vyakhyana-mudrcl. She is of peaceful appearance and hold a vina and book in her hands.
She is sinless quite humble and is the beloved of lord Siva. She is of white complexion resembling the snow, sandal-paste, lotus flowers and the moon. She is adored with a necklace of white gems and always recites the name of Krsna, she is always engaged in tapas and also bestows on people the reward for their tapas. She is like an ascetic and bestower of success always.
After describing her according to the sastras. I now describe the fourth goddess. You listen to me. She is the creator of all the Vedas their subsidiary texts, the science of meters, the sandhva-vandana and the hymns beside the tantras.
She has taken to this form for the welfare of the twice-born. She is always engaged in recitation, she is like an ascetic, has the lustre of Brahman and bestows all the Samskaras. She is known by the name of Savitri or Gayatri. She is the beloved of Brahma.
All the sacred places aspire to have an audience with her or to touch her. She has the crystal like lustre, possesses pure form of sattva, is blissful, eternal, everlasting, the form of eternal Brahman and is the one who grants the Kaivalyapada or the highest position. She possesses the lustre of Brahman and is adorable. О Narada the entire universe gets purified with a particle of dust from her feet.
Thus I have described four types of goddesses. Now I speak about the fifth one she is in the form of five pranas and is the beloved of lord Krsna. She is the foremost of all the goddesses. She is extremely beautiful, quite fortunate, proud, glorious and adorn the left side of lord Krishna.
She equates with eternal Brahman by means of her glory. She is the endless one, the mother of all, eternal, blissful, fortunate, adored by all and happens to be the one who organises the divine dance of lord Krishna.
She is the one who enhances the glory of divine dance of lord Krsna, she is the goddess of divine dance and resides in the music and dance, though she is the resident of Goloka. She appears in the form of a cowherdesses, is all blissful, patient but some times takes to the wild fonn.
She is devoid of all the three gunas, invisible, unattached, having her own fonn, sometime indifferent and without pride. She takes 4to a definite form to shower her grace over her devotee. The goddess in adored by the wise people according to the provisions of the Vedas and can know about her after deep meditation. Thus thousands of the best of the sages and the gods meditate upon her to achiever her.
She is clad in the blue divine garments and is adorned with all the ornaments emitting lustre of crores of the moons. She is filled with all the glory and takes to a definite fonn for the sake of her devotees.
She is the goddess who bestows the deep devotion of lord Krsna to her devotees which is the best of all the treasures. She appears as the daughter of Vrsabhanu.
At the time of the incarnation of Varaha, the earth was purified with the touch of her feet. The gods like Brahma are unable to have an audience with her but the same goddess is seen in the Bharatavarsa everywhere.
О sage having been bom of the gems of a female, she resides in the chest of lord Krsna as the lightening resides in the dark clouds in the sky. In the earlier times Brahma meditated upon her in order to have a look at the nail of her toe for sixty thousands years.
But he could not have an audience with her even in dream. Then what could be said about her appearing in person as a result of the same tapas. Brahma could see her again and again in the Vrindavana forest.
Thus I have described all the five goddesses and the one who has the name of Radha. This goddess has many divisions based on her Amsas.
Her form is available in the form of the woman in the universe. These five goddesses are known as the complete ones in all respects. Now I going to highlight the major divisions of these goddesses. You please listen to me. The Ganga which purifies the entire universe is the form of their past. She emerged out of the feet of lord Vis nu and served as a fire for the destroying the sins.
The Gaiiga bestows salvation to those who look at her, touch her, bathe in her water or drink her water. She serves as a beautiful step for reaching the Goloka.
She has a pure form and is the best of all the three rivers. She appears like the pearls in the matted locks of hair over the head of Siva.
She helps in accomplishing the tapas of the sages. She is purified like the moon, the white lotus or the milk. She is devoid of lord Narayana. TulasI (holy basil) is considered to be the foremost article of Prakrti. The caste lady is like the ornaments of Visnu. She always resides under the feet of lord Visnu. О sage, all the noble deeds like tapas
She (tulasi) is the essence of the flowers, purified, meritorious and one achieves salvation by looking at her or touching her.
In the age of Kali she serves as the dry wood for burning the sins. The entire earth gets purified with the touch of her feet.
Even the holy places get purified with her touch or looking at her. All the good deeds bear no fruit in the universe without her.
By her grace alone the truth seekers achieve salvation. She fulfils the desires of all her devotees. In Bharata being a tree, she serves as a kalpavrksha.
She emerged over the soil of Bharata for the rescue of the people here. She happens to be the great goddess of the people. Manasa is an other goddess of the nature. She happens to be the mind born daughter of the sage Kas’yapa therefore she is called Manasa. She is beloved pupil of lord Siva, possesses all the knowledge and happens to be the sister of the serpent Ananta.
She is adored by the Nagas, the beautiful one, NagavahinI and is surround by the serpent ganas. Adorned with all the serpent ornaments, she is known as SiddhayoginI, welling over the Nagas, the devotee of lord Visnu, the form of lord Visnu, is always devoted in the adoration of Visnu, is the form of tapas and is the bestower of the reward for performing tapas. She performed tapas for three lakhs of years for lord Hari.
She is the best of the female ascetics in Bharata and is adorable wife of Jaratkaru, learn out of the rays of Siva and Krsna, she is the deity of all the serpent mantras. She is illumined by the eternal lustre and always remains engrossed in the dhyana of Brahman.
She happens to be the wife of Jaratkaru who was bom of the particles of Krsna and Siva and is the mother of the sage Astlka. О Narada one of the prominent particles of Prakrti is known by the name of Devasena.
She is considered to be the best of the matrkas and is also known as the Sasthldevl. She takes care of the children of the universe.
She is an ascetic and a devotee of lord Visnu, besides the wife of Karttikeya. Because she is the sixth part of Prakrti, she has been given the name Sasthi.
She is the mid-wife and bestows sons and grandsons to the people of the universe. She resides with her husband as a beautiful damsel. For the children she is an old Yogini and people adore her during all the twelve months.
She is adorned in the labour room on the sixth or the twenty-first day of the birth of the child. This type of worship is the cause of all welfares.
She always regulates everything’s, she is eternal and beyond consumption. She always has the form of mother, is quite compassionate and always provide protection.
She protects the children not only in the water, land and sky but also in the dreams. Another prominent particle of Prakrti is known by the name of Mangalachandi.
The goddess emerged out of the root of Prakrti and bestows all the types of welfare on the people, she happens to be the form of welfare and at the time of destruction, she turns herself into terrific form. That is why she has been given the name of Mangalacandl she is adored by the people on every Tuesday.
The ladies adore her with great devotion with five fold offerings, by which they received the fruits in the form of sons, grandsons, wealth, divinity, fame and the other auspicious things.
Getting pleased she removes the grieved, misery, sin, ailments, pain from all the ladies fulfilling from desires.
But as Mahesvari, when annoyed she can destroy the entire universe in a moment. The goddess Kali is considered to be the chief particle of the Prakrti, she has lotus like eyes.
The goddess Kali emerged from the forehead of goddess Durga during the battle between Sumbha and Nisumbha, she is considered to be a part of Durga as well, she is comparable to her in virtues and the lustre.
She has a divine beautiful body emitting the lustre of crores of sons, she has the best of the forces, possesses great prowess, bestower of all the success, a great yoginl and is the devotee of lord Krsna. Goddess Kali is comparable to lord Krsna in the virtues and the prowess.
She is the eternal goddess and because of her everlasting devotion towards lord Krsna, she has the black complexioned. She can reduce the entire universe to ashes by her breathing alone. That is why her fight with the demons is only a battle play.
When adored she bestows dharma, artha, kama and moksa. That is why she is adorned by Brahma besides all the gods, the sages, the Manus and the human beings. The earth goddess is considered to be a part of Prakrti, the entire universe is lodged over her. She is the bestower of greenery, food products and other eatables.
She is the time of gems, is filled with gems and is the base of all the gems. All the kings and the people adore her offering prayers to her at the same time. She had taken to this form in order to provide living to all the people.
She is the bestower of all the riches. Without her no one in the universe can have a base to live on. О sage, I have described about the rays of Prakrti and the goddesses who have emerged out of the same. Now I speak you about the other goddesses. Svaha happens to be the wife of god of fire and is adorable in all the three worlds. Without her the gods cannot enjoy the share of their sacrifice.
There are two wives of yajna called daksina and dlksa who are adored everywhere. Without them all the sacrifices remain incomplete in the universe.
Svadha, happens to be the wife of the manes who is adored by the sages, the Manus and the people at large. Without her no rites for the manes can be performed.
The goddess Svasti happens to be the wife of the wind-god who is adored in the universe. Without her there can be no give and take in the universe. Pusti happens to be the spouse of Ganapati who is adored on earth. Without her the husband and wife become quite lean and thin.
Tusti happens to be the spouse of Ananta the great serpent. She is adored by the people daily. Without her the people remain dissatisfied.
Sampatti happens to be the wife of Isana and is adored by the people daily. Without her the people of the world are devoid of riches.
Dhrti happens to be the wife of Kapila and the people welcome her everywhere. Without her the people of the world remain impatient.
Ksama happens to be the wife of Yama. She is a good nature goddess and is quite chaste and adorable. Without her the people get intoxicated and terrific.
Rati happens to be the wife of the god of love, the chaste lady is the goddess of love-sport. Without her, the people cannot indulge in conjugal pleasures.
Mukti happens to be the wife of Satya, the lady is loved by the people who adore her. Without her, the people wander without companion.
Daya. (compassion) happens to be the wife of Moha. The Chaste lady is adorable and loved by the people. Without her the people become heartless.
О sage, Pratistha (glory) happens to be the wife of Punya she is adored by the people. Without her, even the living people seems as dead.
The wife of Sukarma happens to be the Klrti (glory). She is quite fortunate and is adorable. Without her the universe gets devoid of glory.
Kriya happens to be the wife of Udyoga, all the people agree with the adorable goddess. О Narada without her the universe seems upset.
Mithya happens to be the wife of adharma. The wicked people adore this great goddess. Without her the entire universe seems to be of no consequence.
In the Satyayuga the goddess had disappeared. In the Tretayuga, she emerged in a tiny form. In the Dvapam, she was squeezed with shame but in the age of Kali, she pervades everywhere and lives with arrogance, she roams about from house to house with her brother named Kapata (Deceit).
SusTla has two wives named Santi and Lajja. О Narada, without them the entire universe gets intoxicated. The Jnana has intelligence (Buddhi), Medha and Smrti as three wives. Without homa, the entire universe acts foolishly and appears like the dead.
Murti happens to be the wife of Dharma and possess beautiful glory which impresses everyone. Without them the entire universe and the great soul becomes baseless. Patronising her only, LaksmI is adored everywhere. She has two forms named Murti and Sri. She is adorable, graceful and worshipped by all.
Nidra happens to be the wife of Rudra or Kalagni. The same Ratri provides rest to the entire universe with her illusion.
There are three wives of Kala (time) who are known as sandhya, Ratri and the Day, without them even Brahma is unable to provide the counting cf the day and time.
Tne greed has two wives named hunger and thirst who have considerable following in the universe. Because of them the entire universe remains in agony.
The Tejas has two wives, named Prabha and Dahika because of whom the creator is unable to make the creation.
The fever has two wives named old age and death who are the daughters of Kala (time). Without them, the entire arrangement of the universe made by the creator would come to a stand-still.
O son of a Brahmana, Tandara (drowsiness) happens to be the daughter of Nidra (sleep) and the wife of Sukha (pleasure). Both of them are pervading the universe created by Brahma.
О sage, Sraddha and Bhakti are the two respectable wives of Vairagya because of whom the entire universe achieves salvation.
Aditi happens to be the mother of file gods, Surabhi happens to be the mother of cows, while Dili happens to be the mother of the Daityas. Similarly KadrO, Vinata and Danu happen to be the rays of Prakrti and are quite useful otherwise. Thus there are several other goddesses who happens to be the rays of Prakrti which I am going to narrate.
RohinI happens to be the wife of the moon. Sanjna happens to be the wife of Sruya. Satarupa happens to be the wife of Manu, SacI is the wife of indra.
Tara is the wife of Brhaspati and the name of the wife of Vasistha is Arundhal. Ahalya happens to be the wife of Gautama and Anusiiya happens to be the wife of Atri.
Devaluiti happens to be the wife of Kardama and Prasuti happens to be wife of Daksa. The mind bom daughter of the manes was known as Menaka who happens to be the mother of Parvatl.
Similarly Lopamudra happens to be the wife of К rib «га. Ahiiti, VarunanI, Yama’s wife, Vindhyavall, the wife of Bali, Kunti, DamayantI, Yasoda, the chaste DevakI, Gandharl, DraupadI, Saivya, Savitri the wife of Satyavan, the mother of Radhika, Kalavatl the wife of Vrsabhanu, MandodarT, Kausalya, Subhadra, Kaikeyl, Revatl, Satyabhama, Kalindl, Laksmana, Mitravinda, NagnajitI, Jambavatl, RukimanI, Slta, who herself is the form of Laksmi, Yojanagandha, the mother of Vyasa.
Usa the daughter of Bana, her friend Citralekha, Prabhavatl, Bhanumatl, The chaste Mayavatl, Renuka the mother of Bhargava (Parasurama), RohinI the mother of Balarama and the sister of Sri Krsna, Ekanaiisa the form of Durga are the rays of the Prakrti.
Similarly several rays of Prakrti are spread over the Bharatavarsa. Besides such of the goddess, are known as village goddess who are also considered to be the rays of Prakrti.
All the ladies in the universe could be considered to be the rays of Prakrti. Therefore by insulting them one insults the nature.
On who adores a Brahmana lady having her husband and son alive offering her the clothes, ornaments and sandal-paste, he actually adores the nature.
The one who adores the eight year old Brahmana girl offering her the clothes and ornaments, he actually adores the nature.
All the women of the world whether they belong to high, middle or lower class are the rays of the Prakrti. Out of these, those who possess the saitva-amsa are quite chaste and good nature and are considered to be the best. These who are inclined towards the worldly pleasures, they represent the rajas part of the nature and are called middle type. Those who devote themselves to their own tasks, enjoying all the pleasures, they could be the ladies which emerge from the tamas part of the nature and are considered to be the degraded ones. Those of the ladies whose race and caste are not known and those who speak harsh words and move according to their own sweet-will and are always engaged in quarrel.
The wicked women of the earth and the whores of the heaven are created out of the tamas part of nature and they are called degraded women.
Thus I have narrated to you the five parts of the nature. All these ladies are adored in the Bharatavarsa.
The second part of Prakrti happens to be Durga who relieves one of all the miseries. She was adored first of all by the king Suratha. Thereafter lord Rama adored her for the killing of Ravana.
Thereafter the mother of the universe was adored in all the three lokas. For the destruction of the demons she appeared from womb of the wife of Daksha.
Thereafter she listened to the denouncing of her husband in the yajfia of Daksa and she end her life. She was reborn from the womb of Mena, the wife of Himavan. She was married to lord Siva.
О Narada, lord Krsna was himself bom as Ganesa and Skanda was born out of the rays of Visnu. Both of them came to be known as the sons of Siva.
The king Mangala initially adored LaksmI who was subsequently adored by all the people of the universe.
Savitri was first adored by Bhakti. Thereafter she was adored by all the people of the Universe.
Brahma adored Sarasvatl first of all and thereafter all the sages and gods besides the humans, adored her.
On the full moon day of Karttika, lord Krsna adored Radha in the divine dance in Goloka.
Thereafter all the cowherds and cowherdesses, besides all the children’s and the cows, were adored by the people as the illusion of Lord Vishnu.
Thereafter Brahma and other gods beside the sages and humans, adored her with devotion.
On the earth, however, Radha was first adored at the advice of lord Siva by the humans.
Thereafter at the command of the great soul, all the people of the three worlds besides the gods, adored her with great devotion.
О sage, thus all the rays emerged out of the nature and were adored in Bharata as the village goddesses.
Thus I have spoken to you all the details about the noble conduct of the Prakrti according to the scriptures. Now you tell me what else do you want to listen from me.
