![Stone sculpture of Devi Durga 30 Jan 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Stone_sculpture_of_Devi_Durga_30_Jan_2018.jpg)
The Devi Bhagavata Purana ( sa, देवी भागवतपुराणम्, '), also known as the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavata Purana or simply ''Devi Bhagavatam'', is one of the eighteen
Mahapuranas of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. Composed in
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
by
Veda Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
. The text is considered as a major purana for
Devi
Devī (; Sanskrit: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.
The conce ...
worshippers. It promotes ''
bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
'' (devotion) towards
Mahadevi
Mahadevi ( sa, महादेवी, ), also referred to as Adi Parashakti, Adi Shakti, and Abhaya Shakti, is the supreme goddess in the Shaktism sect of Hinduism. According to this tradition, all Hindu goddesses are considered to be manifesta ...
, integrating themes from the Shaktadvaitavada tradition (syncretism of
Samkhya
''Samkhya'' or ''Sankya'' (; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: ') is a Dualism (Indian philosophy), dualistic Āstika and nāstika, school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, ''purusha, puruṣa' ...
and
Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...
. literally, the path of nondualistic Shakti).
The purana consists of twelve cantos (sections) with 318 chapters. Along with ''
Devi Mahatmya
The ''Devi Mahatmya'' or ''Devi Mahatmyam'' ( sa, देवीमाहात्म्यम्, devīmāhātmyam, Glory of the Goddess) is a Hindu philosophical text describing the Goddess as the supreme power and creator of the universe. It is ...
'', it is one of the most important works in
Shaktism
Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, al ...
, a tradition within
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
that reveres
Devi
Devī (; Sanskrit: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.
The conce ...
or
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
(Goddess) as the primordial creator of the universe and the
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
(ultimate truth and reality). It celebrates the divine feminine as the origin of all existence, the creator, the preserver and the destroyer of everything, as well as the one who empowers spiritual liberation. While all major Puranas of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
mention and revere the Goddess, this text centers around her as the primary divinity. The underlying philosophy of this text is
Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...
-style
monism
Monism attributes oneness or singleness (Greek: μόνος) to a concept e.g., existence. Various kinds of monism can be distinguished:
* Priority monism states that all existing things go back to a source that is distinct from them; e.g., i ...
combined with devotional worship of
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
(feminine power).It is believed that this was spoken by
Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
to King
Janamejaya
Janamejaya ( sa, जनमेजय) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period. Along with his father and predecessor Parikshit, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic hymns i ...
, the son of
Parikshit
Parikshit ( sa, परीक्षित्, ) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th-10th centuries BCE). Along with his son and successor, Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, ...
.
Nomenclature
The title of the text, ''Srimad Devi Bhagavata'', is composed of two words, which together mean "devotees of the blessed Devi".
*
'Srimad' (or
'Srimat', Sanskrit श्रीमत्) means 'radiant', 'holy', 'splendid', or 'glorious', and is an
honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...
religious title.
**'
Sri
Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific.
The word is widely used in South and Southeast Asian languages such as Marathi, Malay (including Indonesian and Malaysian), Javanes ...
' (or
'Shri' or
'Shree', Sanskrit श्री) means 'Prosperity'. Goddess
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
referred to as 'Sri'. Also Supreme goddess
Tripura Sundari
Tripura Sundari (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरा सुन्दरी, IAST: Tripura Sundarī), also known as Rajarajeshwari, Shodashi, Kamakshi, and Lalita is a Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of supreme goddess Mahadevi m ...
called as 'Sri mata'.
*
'
Devi
Devī (; Sanskrit: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.
The conce ...
' (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for '
goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...
'; the masculine form is
''deva''. The terms ''Devi'' and ''Deva'' are Sanskrit terms found in Vedic literature of 2nd millennium BCE, wherein Devi is feminine and Deva is masculine. Monier Williams translates it as "heavenly, divine, terrestrial things of high excellence, exalted, shining ones".
*
Bhagavata
The Bhagavata tradition, also called Bhagavatism, refers to an ancient religious sect that traced its origin to the region of Mathura. After its syncretism with the Brahmanical tradition of Vishnu, Bhagavatism became a pan-Indian tradition ...
' (or
'Bhagavatam' or
'Bhagavat,
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
भागवत) means "devotee of the blessed Devi." In devi Bhagavata purana God or Bhagavan connotation as the supreme goddess.
*
'
Purana' (Sanskrit पराण) means 'ancient' or 'old' (or 'old traditional history').
It also means 'complete' and 'completing'
in the sense that a Purana 'completes the
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
'.
**
'Maha' (Sanskrit महत) means 'great', 'large', or 'vast'.
History
![A Saraswati Statue in park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/A_Saraswati_Statue_in_park.jpg)
The ''Srimad Devi Bhagavata Mahapurana'' has been variously dated. A few scholars suggest an early date, such as Ramachandran who suggested that the text was composed before the 6th-century CE. However, this early date has not found wide support, and most scholars to date it between the 9th and the 14th century. Rajendra Hazra suggests 11th or 12th century, while Lalye states that the text began taking form in the late centuries of the 1st millennium, was expanded over time, and its first complete version existed in the 11th century. Tracy Pintchman dates the text to between 1000 and 1200 CE.
The last ten chapters (31 to 40) of the seventh canto consist of 507 verses, a part which has often circulated as an independent handout just like the ''
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
'' of the ''Mahabharata'' circulates independently. The handout from Book 7 of this Purana is called ''Devi Gita''. This handout may have been composed with the original text, or it might be a later interpolation, states C Mackenzie Brown. He suggests that this portion of the text was probably composed by the 13th century and may be later but before the 16th century.
The ninth canto of the ''Srimad Devi Bhagavata Mahapurana'' contains many verses that reference ''Mlecchas'' (barbarians) and ''Yavanas'' (foreigners). These words may just refer to hill tribes, but the details contained in the description of ''Mlecchas'' within these verses, state some scholars such as Hazra, that the writer of these parts knew about Islam and its spread in India, leading scholars date these parts of the ninth book to 12th to 15th century compared to the older core of the ninth book.
The ''Devi Bhagavata Mahapurana'' is not the earliest Indian text that celebrates the divine feminine, the 6th-century ''
Devi Mahatmya
The ''Devi Mahatmya'' or ''Devi Mahatmyam'' ( sa, देवीमाहात्म्यम्, devīmāhātmyam, Glory of the Goddess) is a Hindu philosophical text describing the Goddess as the supreme power and creator of the universe. It is ...
'' embedded in ''
Markandeya Purana
The ''Markandeya Purana'' ( sa, मार्कण्डेय पुराण; IAST: ) is a Sanskrit text of Hinduism, and one of the eighteen major Puranas. The text's title Markandeya refers to a sage in Hindu History, who is the central char ...
'' asserts the goddess to be supreme, and multiple archaeological evidence in different parts of India such as
Mathura
Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...
and
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
suggests that the concept of divine feminine was in existence by about the 2nd-century CE. Both ''Devi Mahatmya'' and ''Devi Bhagavata Purana'' have been very influential texts of the Shakta tradition, asserting the supremacy of the female and making goddess a figure of devotional (
bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
) appeal.
This text – along with all Puranas, all
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
and the ''
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
'' – is attributed to sage
Veda Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
in the Hindu tradition.
Characters
Avatars of Devi
This table shows the Notable incarnations of Devi mentioned in purana.
Notable devotees
This table shows the devotees of the Goddess according to the purana.
Content and Structure
The theosophy in the text, state Foulston and Abbott, is an encyclopedic mix of ancient history, metaphysics and
bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
. This history, states C Mackenzie Brown, is of the same type found in other Puranas, about the perpetual cycle of conflict between the good and the evil, the gods and the demons. These legends build upon and extend the ancient Hindu history, such as those found in the ''Mahabharata''. However, this Purana's legends refocus the legends around the divine feminine, integrate a devotional theme to goddesses, and the Devi is asserted in this text to be the eternal truth, the eternal source of all of universe, the eternal end of everything, the ''nirguna'' (without form) and the ''saguna'' (with form), the supreme unchanging reality (Purusha), the phenomenal changing reality (Prakriti), as well as the soul within each living being.
Stated authorship and purpose
![Sage Vyasa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Sage_Vyasa.jpg)
From
Swami Vijnanananda
Swami Vijnanananda (born Hariprasanna Chattopadhyaya; 30 October 1868 – 25 April 1938) was an Indian monk of Ramakrishna order, born in an upper-class family near Dakshineswar, and was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. He was an engineer and ...
translation:
Puranic characteristics
As a Mahapurana
There are two Bhagavatas in Hindu puranic literature. One is Vishnu
Bhagavata
The Bhagavata tradition, also called Bhagavatism, refers to an ancient religious sect that traced its origin to the region of Mathura. After its syncretism with the Brahmanical tradition of Vishnu, Bhagavatism became a pan-Indian tradition ...
and other is Devi Bhagavata. There are some doubts between genuine of these two puranas, as an example in Uma Samhita of
Shiva Purana
The ''Shiva Purana'' is one of eighteen major texts of the ''Purana'' genre of Sanskrit texts in Hinduism, and part of the Shaivism literature corpus. It primarily revolves around the Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati, but references and reve ...
Mentioned Srimad Devi Bhagavatam as fifth
Mahapurana called Srimad Bhagavatam. Also in Devi Bhagavatam itself called Srimad Bhagavata Purana.
From J. L. Shastri'a translation:
As per Ashtadash Puran Darpan by Jwala Prasad, Devi Bhagavatam narrates prakriti aspect and its complied by Vyasa.
As mentioned in the
Matsya Purana
The ''Matsya Purana'' (IAST: Matsya Purāṇa) is one of the eighteen major Puranas (Mahapurana), and among the oldest and better preserved in the Puranic genre of Sanskrit literature in Hinduism. The text is a Vaishnavism text named after the h ...
, the Bhagavata Purana is contain 18,000 slokas and begins with the Gayatri and glorifies the Sarasvata Kalpa. Vyasa mentions in Devi Bhagavatam that it was composed in Sarasvata Kalpa.
From
Swami Vijnanananda
Swami Vijnanananda (born Hariprasanna Chattopadhyaya; 30 October 1868 – 25 April 1938) was an Indian monk of Ramakrishna order, born in an upper-class family near Dakshineswar, and was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. He was an engineer and ...
translation:
Five characteristics
As a Sattvic Shakta Purana the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam has five characteristics.
From
Swami Vijnanananda
Swami Vijnanananda (born Hariprasanna Chattopadhyaya; 30 October 1868 – 25 April 1938) was an Indian monk of Ramakrishna order, born in an upper-class family near Dakshineswar, and was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. He was an engineer and ...
translation:
Sholaks / Verses
Srimad Devi Bhagavatam consists of 12 cantos with 318 chapters. Although the number of original
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
shloka
Shloka or śloka ( sa, श्लोक , from the root , Macdonell, Arthur A., ''A Sanskrit Grammar for Students'', Appendix II, p. 232 (Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 1927). in a broader sense, according to Monier-Williams's dictionary, is ...
s is stated to be 18,000 by the Devi Bhagavata itself. The actual text, in different versions, is close.
Cantos
First Canto
![Durga Mahisasuramardini](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Durga_Mahisasuramardini.JPG)
Consisting of 20 chapters, The first book (''skandha'') like other major Puranas, states Rocher, presents the outline, the structure of contents, and describes how in the mythical Naimisha forest, the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' was first recited among the sages. It also asserts that all of Reality was initially ''nirguna'' (without form, shape or attributes; in other words, there was nothingness except Truth). However, asserts the text, this ''nirguna'' Reality was a ''Bhagavati'' (woman), and she manifested herself as three ''Shaktis'' - Sattviki (truth, creative action), Rajasi (passion, aimless action) and Tamasi (delusion, destructive action). Its also include:
* Details about the Purana
* Devi Killing Madhu and Kaitabha
*Suta narrate the story of
Hayagriva
Hayagriva, also spelled Hayagreeva ( sa, हयग्रीव IAST , ), is a Hindu deity, the horse-headed avatar of Vishnu. The purpose of this incarnation was to slay a danava also named Hayagriva (A descendant of Kashyapa and Danu), who ...
*The penance of
Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
, and boon granted by
Lord Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
*The story of King Sudyumna being turned into a woman and her prayers to the Goddess and the Goddess granting her a place at Her Lotus Feet
* Birth of
Shuka
Shuka ( sa, शुक , also Shukadeva ) is a rishi (sage) in Hinduism. He is the son of the sage Vyasa and the main narrator of the scripture ''Bhagavata Purana''. Most of the ''Bhagavata Purana'' consists of Shuka reciting the story to the ...
deva and visit to Mithila to meet King Janaka.
SDB 01.02.03 original Sanskrit:
Fifteen chapter in 1st canto Supreme Devi reveals her true identity to god
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
lying on a banyan leaf. its also mentioned that half stanza which revealed by supreme goddess is the seed of Bhagavata Purana.
Second Canto
Consisting of 12 chapters, This canto is short, and historical. It weaves in the characters well known in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'', states Rocher, and introduces in the key characters that appear in remaining books of the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana''.Its also include:
* Birth of
Krishna Dvaipayana
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
* Birth of
Pandava
The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledg ...
s
* On the
Kurukshetra War
The Kurukshetra War ( sa, कुरुक्षेत्र युद्ध ), also called the Mahabharata War, is a war described in the ''Mahabharata ( sa, महाभारत )''. The conflict arose from a dynastic succession struggle be ...
* Death of
Parikshit
Parikshit ( sa, परीक्षित्, ) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th-10th centuries BCE). Along with his son and successor, Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, ...
Third Canto
Consisting of 30 chapters,This canto mentioned the Glory of Devi
Bhuvaneshvari
Bhuvaneshvari (Sanskrit: भुवनेश्वरी, IAST: ''Bhuvaneśvarī'') is a Hindu goddess. She is the fourth amongst the ten Mahavidya goddesses in Shaktism, and one of the highest aspects of ''Mahadevi''. She is identified as Adi Par ...
and her worship, At the Beginning of the universe
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
,
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
and
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
see Goddess reside in Manidvipa and praise her and also weaves in legends from the well known epic the
Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
.
* Description about the secondary creation
*
Trimurti
The Trimūrti (; Sanskrit: त्रिमूर्ति ', "three forms" or "trinity") are the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified as a triad of de ...
going towards the heavens on the celestial car
* Fight between Yudhâjit and Vîrasena
* Details about
Navaratri
Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is ob ...
festival and
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
's performing the Navarâtra ceremony
SDB 03.03.52 original Sanskrit:
SDB 03.30.35 original Sanskrit:
Fourth Canto
Consisting of 25 chapters, this fourth canto presents more legends, including those of interaction between avatars of
Hari
Hari ( sa, हरि) is among the primary epithets of the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, meaning 'the one who takes away' (sins). It refers to the one who removes darkness and illusion, the one who removes all obstacles to spiritual progress ...
,
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
and
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
,
Kashyapa
Kashyapa ( sa, कश्यप}, ) is a revered Vedas, Vedic Sage (philosophy), sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancien ...
birth as
Vasudeva
According to Hindu scriptures, Vasudeva (Sanskrit: वसुदेव, IAST: ''Vasudeva''), also called Anakadundubhi, (''anakas'' and ''dundubhis'' both refer to ''drums'', after the musicians who played these instruments at the time of his b ...
, but also introduces tantric themes and presents yoga meditation.
* The questions put by Janamejaya regarding Krishna's incarnation
* Details about Nara and Narayana
* The fight between the Risis and
Prahlada
Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu mythology. He is known for his staunch devotion towards the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by slaying his wicked fa ...
* Description about several avatars of Vishnu
* Explain about Devi's Highest Supremacy
SDB 04.02.04:05 original Sanskrit:
Fifth Canto
![Bhuvaneshwari temple in the Mysore Palace grounds](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Bhuvaneshwari_temple_in_the_Mysore_Palace_grounds.jpg)
Consisting of 35 chapters, The Canto mentioned glory devi (Devi Mahatmya), Fight between Goddess
Durga
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around co ...
and
Mahishasura
Mahishasura is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in literature to be a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of Mahisi (Buffalo) and the great-grandson of Brahmarshi Kashyapa. He was ultim ...
, Killing
Sumbha and Nisumbha
In the Devi Mahatmya, Sumbha (शुम्भ) and Nisumbha (निशुम्भ), were two ''asuras'' that confronted, and were ultimately slain by Kaushiki; an avatar of Devi Chandi.
In the Devi Mahatmyam
The story of Sumbha and Nisumbha be ...
and other demons.
* Story of
Mahishasura
Mahishasura is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in literature to be a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of Mahisi (Buffalo) and the great-grandson of Brahmarshi Kashyapa. He was ultim ...
and the origin of goddess Mahalakshmi
* The conquest of the Heavens by Shumba - Nishumbha and Birth of Devi
Kaushiki
Kaushiki ( sa, कौशिकी, lit=woman of the cell, translit=Kauśikī,) is a Hindu goddess, a deity who emerged from the sheath of Parvati. She was created before Parvati's conflict with the asura brothers Sumbha and Nisumbha, and was also ...
Sixth Canto
Consisting of 31 chapters, The sixth book continue these legends, states Rocher, with half of the chapters focussed on the greatness of Goddess, how male gods are befuddled by problems, how they run to her for help, and how she solves them because she is enlightened knowledge. The text presents the feminine to whom all masculine deities are subordinate and dependent on. Its also include
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
killing of
Vritra
Vritra () is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi (Sanskrit: ', li ...
.
Seventh Canto
![Goddess Parvati and her son Ganesha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Goddess_Parvati_and_her_son_Ganesha.jpg)
Consisting of 40 chapters, The seventh canto of the ''Srimad Devi-Bhagavatam'' shifts towards more philosophy, asserting its version of the essence of the Vedas. This book contains the philosophical text called ''Devi Gita'', or the "Song of the Goddess". The Goddess explains she is the
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
that created the world, asserting the Advaita premise that spiritual liberation occurs when one fully comprehends the identity of one's soul and the Brahman. This knowledge, asserts the Goddess, comes from detaching self from the world and meditating on one's own soul.Chapter 28 of the seventh book contain the story of Durgamasur and his annihilation by goddess Sivaa (Parvati) in her form of
Shakambhari
Shakambhari (Sanskrit: शाकम्भरी, IAST: Śākambharī), also referred to as Shatakshi, is a goddess of nourishment. She is regarded to be an incarnation of Mahadevi, and identified with both Lakshmi and Durga in Hinduism. Aft ...
.
= Festivals and culture
=
This canto, states Rocher, also includes sections on festivals related to Devi, pilgrimage information and ways to remember her. Her relationship with Shiva and the birth of
Skanda is also briefly mentioned in the 7th book. The last ten chapters (31 to 40) of the canto 7 is the famous and philosophical ''Devi Gita'', which often circulates in the Hindu tradition as a separate text.
Eighth Canto
Consisting of 24 chapters, The eighth book of the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' incorporates one of the five requirements of Puranic-genre of Hindu texts, that is a theory of the geography of the earth, planets and stars, the motion of sun and moon, as well as explanation of time and the Hindu calendar. Its include:
* In the beginning of creation
Manu (Hinduism)
Manu ( sa, मनु) is a term found as various meanings in Hinduism. In early texts, it refers to the archetypal man, or to the first man (Protoplast (religion), progenitor of humanity). The Sanskrit term for 'human', मानव (Internat ...
praise Devi and Lord taking
Varaha
Varaha ( sa, वराह, , "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu.
Varaha is most commonly associated with the lege ...
avatar
* Divisions of Bhu Mandala with Seven islands
* Various avatars of Vishnu worship in
Jambudvīpa
Jambudvīpa ( sa, जम्बुद्वीप; Pali: Jambudīpa) is a name often used to describe the territory of Greater India in Ancient Indian sources.
The term is based on the concept of '' dvīpa'', meaning "island" or "continent" ...
* Description of the movement of the Moon and other planets.
*
Narada
Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...
worship and praises Lord Ananta
* Description about nether worlds and different hells
Ninth Canto
The largest canto is the 9th ''skandha'' Consisting of 50 chapters, which is very similar in structure and content of the ''Prakriti-kanda'' of the ''
Brahmavaivarta Purana
The ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'' ( sa, ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण; ) is a voluminous Sanskrit text and a major Purana (''Maha-purana'') of Hinduism. It is an important Vaishnavism text. This Purana majorly centers aroun ...
''. Both are goddesses-focused, and discuss her theology, but have one difference. The ''Prakriti-kanda'' of the ''
Brahmavaivarta Purana
The ''Brahmavaivarta Purana'' ( sa, ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण; ) is a voluminous Sanskrit text and a major Purana (''Maha-purana'') of Hinduism. It is an important Vaishnavism text. This Purana majorly centers aroun ...
'' also includes many verses which praise Vishnu using various names (incarnations), which re-appear in the 9th book of the ''Devi Bhagavata Purana'' with Vishnu names substituted with Devi names (incarnations). Its also Mentioned
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
as the male form of goddess.
* Description of five forms of Devi
Prakriti
* Manifestation of Shri
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
and Description of First creation (Sarga)
* Birth of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
*
Lakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...
,
Saraswati
Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati.
The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a go ...
and
Ganga (goddess)
Ganga ( sa, गङ्गा or गंगा, Gaṅgā) is the personification of the river Ganges, who is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of purification and forgiveness. Known by many names, Ganga is often depicted as a fair, beautiful wo ...
, mutually curse each other and descend them on Bharatavarsha.
* Description of the period of
Kali Yuga
''Kali Yuga'', in Hinduism, is the fourth and worst of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. It is believed to be the present age, which is ...
.
* Story of Devi
Tulsi
''Ocimum tenuiflorum'', commonly known as holy basil, ''tulsi'' or ''tulasi'', is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the Southeast Asian ...
* Significance and attributes of Bhagavati
Bhuvaneshvari
Bhuvaneshvari (Sanskrit: भुवनेश्वरी, IAST: ''Bhuvaneśvarī'') is a Hindu goddess. She is the fourth amongst the ten Mahavidya goddesses in Shaktism, and one of the highest aspects of ''Mahadevi''. She is identified as Adi Par ...
* Goddess
Mahalakshmi
Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with '' Maya'' ("Illusion"). Al ...
manifests from ocean of Milk
* Description of mantras and songs of praise to Devi
Radha
Radha ( sa, राधा, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. She is the avatar of goddess Lakshmi and is also de ...
and goddess
Durga
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around co ...
.
SDB 09.38.29:31 original Sanskrit:
Tenth Canto
Consisting of 13 chapters, This Canto of the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' is one of the shortest, and integrates ''manavantaras'', another structural requirement for this text to be a major Purana, but wherein the Devi is worshiped in every cosmic time cycle, because she is the greatest, she kills the evil and she nurtures the good.Chapter 13 of the tenth book describes the glory of goddess Bhramri that how in the past she killed the demon
Arunasura In Hindu mythology, Aruna, also called Arunasura, is a malevolent daitya appearing in Shakti tradition. After receiving a boon from Brahma, he invades Devaloka, and captures a number of deities. He is slain by the goddess Bhramari.
Legend
In the c ...
.
* The creation Swayambhu Manu and Description of other Manus.
* Narada describes the greatness of Vindhya who tries to stop the path of
Sun God
A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The ...
.
Eleventh Canto
Consisting of 24 chapters, This canto of the text discusses ''Sadachara'' (virtues) and
Dharma
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
to self as an individual, as belonging to a ''Grama'' (village, community) and to a ''Desha'' (country). The text praises
Sruti and asserts it to be the authoritative source, adding that
Smriti
''Smriti'' ( sa, स्मृति, IAST: '), literally "that which is remembered" are a body of Hindu texts usually attributed to an author, traditionally written down, in contrast to Śrutis (the Vedic literature) considered authorless, that ...
and
Purana
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
s are also sources for guidance. This section is notable for adding that Tantra is also a source of guidance, but only if it does not conflict with the
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
. Verses in the 11th books also describe sources for
Rudraksha
''Rudraksha'' (IAST: ') refers to a stonefruit, the dried stones of which are used as prayer beads by Hindus (especially Shaivas), as well as by Buddhists and Sikhs. When they are ripe, ''rudraksha'' stones are covered by an inedible blue ou ...
as Japa beads, the value of
Tripundra
''Tripundra'' ( sa, त्रिपुण्ड्र ''tripuṇḍra'' "three marks") is a Hindu Shaivite tilaka, and a form of body art with origins in Ancient India. It is also one of the tilakas worn by Smarta Hindus. It consists of three ...
mark on the forehead, five styles of ''Sandhyas'' (reflection, meditation) and five types of
Yajna
Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
s.
Twelfth Canto
The last and 12th canto of the ''Devi-Bhagavatam'' Consisting of 14 chapters, Its describes the Goddess as the mother of the Vedas, she as the ''Adya Shakti'' (primal, primordial power), and the essence of the
Gayatri mantra
The Gāyatrī Mantra, also known as the Sāvitri Mantra, is a highly revered mantra from the '' Rig Veda'' ( Mandala 3.62.10), dedicated to the Vedic deity Savitr. is the name of the Goddess of the Vedic meter in which the verse is composed. ...
. The verses map every syllable of the Gayatri mantra to 1008 names of reverence in the Hindu tradition. These names span a spectrum of historic sages, deities, musical meters, mudras and the glories of the goddesses. Also in Chapter 10 to Chapter 12 Describe the supreme abode of Devi called
Manidvipa
Manidvipa ( sa, मणिद्वीप, lit=island of gems, translit=; ) is the celestial abode of Adi Shakti, the supreme goddess, according to the Shaktism tradition in Hinduism. It is an island situated in the middle of an ocean called the Su ...
which is above
Vaikuntha
Vaikuntha ( sa, वैकुण्ठ, lit=without anxiety, translit=Vaikuṇṭha), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the supreme deity in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An ...
and
Goloka
Goloka ( sa, गोलोक) or Goloka Vrindavan () is the celestial abode of the Hindu god Krishna and his divine consort Radha. In the ''Bhagavata Purana'', Krishna is portrayed as the highest person who resides in Goloka.
According to Gaudiy ...
.
SDB 12.10.03:04 original Sanskrit:
SDB 12.13.27:28 original Sanskrit
Devi Gita
''Main articles:
Devi Gita
The Devi Gita ( sa, देवीगीता, lit=The Song by Goddess, translit=Devīgītā) is an ancient Hindu philosophical text from Devi-Bhagavata Purana, a major text of the Shakta devotees, in the form of dialogue between Mahadevi and king ...
''
The ''Devi Gita'', like the ''Bhagavad Gita'', is a condensed philosophical treatise. It presents the divine female as a powerful and compassionate creator, pervader and protector of the universe. She is, states Brown, presented in the opening chapter of the ''Devi Gita'' as the benign and beautiful world-mother, called ''Bhuvaneshvari'' (literally, ruler of the universe, and the word is feminine). Thereafter, theological and philosophical teachings become the focus of the text, covering chapters 2 to 10 of the ''Devi Gita'' (or, chapters 32 to 40 of this Purana's Book 7). Some of the verses of ''Devi Gita'' are almost identical to the
Devi Upanishad
The ''Devi Upanishad'' (Sanskrit:देवी उपनिषत्), is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism and a text composed in Sanskrit. It is one of the 19 Upanishads attached to the Atharvaveda, and is classified as one of the eight ...
.
{{Quote box
, quote = The soul and the Goddess
y sacred syllable हरीमtranscends,{{refn, group=note, हरीम is pronounced as hrīm, it is a tantric mantra beej, and it identifies a "Shakti".
the distinction of name and named,
beyond all dualities.
It is whole,
infinite being, consciousness and bliss.
One should meditate on that reality,
within the flaming light of consciousness.
Fixing the mind upon me,
as the Goddess transcending all space and time,
One quickly merges with me by realizing,
the oneness of the soul and Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
.
, source = —''Devi Gita'', Transl: Lynn Foulston, Stuart Abbott
''Devibhagavata Purana'', Book 7{{Sfn, Lynn Foulston , Stuart Abbott, 2009, pp=74-75
, bgcolor=#FFE0BB
, align = right
The ''
Devi Gita
The Devi Gita ( sa, देवीगीता, lit=The Song by Goddess, translit=Devīgītā) is an ancient Hindu philosophical text from Devi-Bhagavata Purana, a major text of the Shakta devotees, in the form of dialogue between Mahadevi and king ...
'' frequently explains Shakta ideas by quoting from the ''
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
''.{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, pp=1-3 The Devi is described by the text as a "universal, cosmic energy" resident within each individual, weaving in the terminology of
Samkhya
''Samkhya'' or ''Sankya'' (; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: ') is a Dualism (Indian philosophy), dualistic Āstika and nāstika, school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, ''purusha, puruṣa' ...
school of
Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy encompasses the philosophies, world views and teachings of Hinduism that emerged in Ancient India which include six systems ('' shad-darśana'') – Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta.Andrew Nicholson (20 ...
.{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, pp=1-3 It is suffused with
Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...
ideas, wherein nonduality is emphasized, all dualities are declared as incorrect, and interconnected oneness of all living being's soul with Brahman is held as the liberating knowledge.{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, pp=1-3, 12-17{{Sfn, Tracy Pintchman, 2015, pp=9, 34, 89-90, 131-138{{Sfn, Lynn Foulston, Stuart Abbott, 2009, pp=15-16 However, adds Tracy Pintchman, ''Devi Gita'' incorporates Tantric ideas giving the Devi a form and motherly character rather than the gender-neutral concept of Adi Shankara's Advaita Vedanta.{{Sfn, Tracy Pintchman, 2014, p=9-10
Supreme Goddess describes her gross form in Devi Gita as follows:
{{Blockquote, text=
वरहमा विषणशच रदशच ¦
टशच ईशवरशच सदाशिवः ।
एत पञचमहापरताः पादमल मम सथिताः ॥, source={{Blockquote, text=Brahma, Vishnu, Rudhra, Ishvara and Sadashiva: these are the five great disembodied spirits, who are situated at the base of my feet., source=Devi Gita (Swami Satyānanda Saraswati), Chapter 12, Verse 10
The
Bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
theology of the ''Devi Gita'' part of this Purana may have been influenced by the ''
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
'', and with Vaishnava concepts of loving devotion to
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
found in the ''
Bhagavata Purana
The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...
''. All these texts highlight different types of devotion in a Samkhya philosophy framework.{{Sfn, June McDaniel, 2004, pp=158-161{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, pp=23-25 ''Tamasic Bhakti'' is one, asserts the text, where the devotee prays because he is full of anger, seeks to harm others, induce pain or jealousy to others.{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, pp=23-25 ''Rajasic Bhakti'' is one where the devotee prays not to harm others, but to gain personal advantage, fame or wealth.{{Sfn, June McDaniel, 2004, pp=158-161 ''Sattvic Bhakti'' is the type where the devotee seeks neither advantage nor harm to others but prays to purify himself, renounce any sins and surrender to the ideas embodied as Goddess to liberate himself.
SDB 07.37.11:12 original Sanskrit:
{{Blockquote,
अधना पराभकति त परोचयमाना निबोध म ।
मदगणशरवण नितय मम नापानकीरतनम ॥
कलयाणगणरतनानामाकराया मयि सथिरम ।
चतसो वरतन चव तलधारासम सदा ॥
SDB 07.37.13:14 original Sanskrit:
{{Blockquote,
हतसत ततर को वापि न कदाचिदधबदपि ।
सामीपयसाषटिसायजयसालोकयाना न चषणा ॥
मतसवातोऽधिक किचिननव जानाति करहिचित ।
सवयसवकताभावातततर मोकष न वाछति ॥
''Disciples'' of Swami Vijnanananda translation:
{{Blockquote, text=Now hear attentively about the Para Bhakti that I am now describing to you. He who hears always My Glories and recites My Name and Whose mind dwells always, like the incessant flow of oil, in Me who is the receptacle of all auspicious qualities and Gunas., source=Canto 07, Chapter 37, Verse 11:12
{{Blockquote, text=But he has not the least trace of any desire to get the fruits of his Karma; yea he does not want Samipya, Sarsti, Sayujya, and Salokya and other
forms of liberations! He becomes filled with devotion for Me alone worships Me only; knows nothing higher than to serve Me and he does not want final liberation even., source=Canto 07, Chapter 37, Verse 13:14
Translations
There are several separate translations of Devi Gita.
* Devi Gita - The Song of The Goddess translated by C. Mackenzie Brown
* Devi Gita translated by swami Satyananda Saraswati
* Sri Devi Gita translated by Ramamurthy Natarajan
Philosophy
Vedic Literature
Devi Bhagavatam mentioned number of Vedic mantras connected with observance. In eleventh canto describes certain rites, also Devi is identified with
Yajurveda
The ''Yajurveda'' ( sa, यजुर्वेद, ', from ' meaning "worship", and ''veda'' meaning "knowledge") is the Veda primarily of prose mantras for worship rituals.Michael Witzel (2003), "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in ''The Blackwell C ...
and
Rudra
Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rud ...
. In the ninth canto mentioned various phase powers of Devi. Dhyana stotras of Lakshmi and Svaha are adopted from
Samaveda
The Samaveda (, from ' "song" and ' "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, and part of the scriptures of Hinduism. One of the four Vedas, it is a liturgical text which consists of 1,875 verses. A ...
. Use of Rudrakshas mentioned in ninth canto is supported by the
Sruti.
Upanishad
Devi Bhagavatam adopted some of passages in Upanishad. In seventh canto in purana Devi describe her own form these verses are identical with some verses of
Devi Upanishad
The ''Devi Upanishad'' (Sanskrit:देवी उपनिषत्), is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism and a text composed in Sanskrit. It is one of the 19 Upanishads attached to the Atharvaveda, and is classified as one of the eight ...
. Also in fourth canto some famous expressions of
Taittiriya Upanishad
The Taittirīya Upanishad (Devanagari: तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद्) is a Vedic era Sanskrit text, embedded as three chapters (''adhyāya'') of the Yajurveda. It is a ''mukhya'' (primary, principal) Upanishad, and likely co ...
are used to describe the nature of Devi. The four states of consciousness described in the
Mandukya Upanishad
The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad ( sa, माण्डूक्य उपनिषद्, ) is the shortest of all the Upanishads, and is assigned to Atharvaveda. It is listed as number 6 in the Muktikā canon of 108 Upanishads.
It is in prose, c ...
, are mentioned in 30th chapter of sixth canto.
Samkhya
{{Main, Samkhya
Devi Bhagavatam belong to the Shaktadvaitavada tradition (syncretism of
Samkhya
''Samkhya'' or ''Sankya'' (; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: ') is a Dualism (Indian philosophy), dualistic Āstika and nāstika, school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, ''purusha, puruṣa' ...
and
Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...
. literally, the path of nondualistic Shakti). The duality of Prakriti and Purusha in Samkhya is not accepted by Devi Bhagavatam. In the text prakriti is identified with Parashakti. She is also called Mulaprakriti. The text maintains that the Gunas are of mixing nature and when they pair together they condition each other. This is an adaptation from the Samkhya theory.
Bhakti
''Main articles:
Bhakti
''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...
and
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of ''Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014), ...
''
The Devi Bhagavata Purana adds Para Bhakti (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: दवी) in Devi Gita as the highest level of devotion, states McDaniel, where the devotee seeks neither boon nor liberation but weeps when he remembers her because he loves the Goddess, when he feels her presence everywhere and sees the Goddess in all living beings, he is intoxicated by her ideas and presence.{{Sfn, June McDaniel, 2004, pp=158-161{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, pp=23-25
''From''
Swami Vijnanananda
Swami Vijnanananda (born Hariprasanna Chattopadhyaya; 30 October 1868 – 25 April 1938) was an Indian monk of Ramakrishna order, born in an upper-class family near Dakshineswar, and was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. He was an engineer and ...
translation:
{{Blockquote, text=Now hear attentively about the Para Bhakti that I am now describing to you. He who hears always My Glories and recites My Name and whose mind dwells always, like the incessant flow of oil, in Me who is the receptacle of all auspicious qualities and Gunas. But he has not the least trace of any desire to get the fruits of his Karma; yea he does not want Samipya, Sarshti, Sayujya, and Salokya and other forms of liberations! He becomes filled with devotion for Me alone, worships Me only; knows nothing higher than to serve Me and he does not want final liberation even. He does not like to forsake this idea of Sevya (to be served) and Sevaka (servant who serves). He always meditates on Me with a constant vigilance and actuated by a feeling of Supreme Devotion; he does not think himself separate from Me but rather thinks him self ‘that I am the Bhagavati.' Не considers all the Jivas as Myself and loves Me as he loves himself. He does not make any difference between the Jivas and myself as he finds the same with anybody as he has abandoned all ideas about separateness; he bows down, and worships the Chandalas and all the Jivas., source=Srimad Devi Bhagavatam Seventh Canto, Chapter 37, Verses 11:18
Reception
The verses and ideas in the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'', state Foulston and Abbott, are built on the foundation of the
Upanishads
The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
wherein the nonduality and oneness of
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
and
Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to:
Film
* ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto
* ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo
People
* Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...
(soul) are synthesized.{{Sfn, Lynn Foulston , Stuart Abbott, 2009, pp=75-76{{Sfn, Rocher, 1986, p=170 The text makes references to the philosophy and metaphors used in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
. However, those ideas are reformulated and centered around the Goddess in the ''Devi Bhagavata Purana'', states C Mackenzie Brown, as well as other scholars.{{Sfn, Lynn Foulston , Stuart Abbott, 2009, p=75{{Sfn, Cheever Mackenzie Brown, 1998, p=12-17 In ''Devi Bhagavata'' text, states Tracy Pintchman, the Devi is not only Brahman-Atman (soul, interconnected oneness), she is also the always-changing empirical reality (
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...
).{{Sfn, Tracy Pintchman, 2014, p=29-30
SDB 01.18.41 original Sanskrit:
{{Blockquote, text=
जीवो बरहम सदवाह नातर कारया विचारणा ।
भदबदधिसत ससार वरतमाना परवरतत ॥42 ॥{{Blockquote, text=Jiva is Brahman; I am that Brahman and nothing else; there is nothing to be discussed here. It is owing to the dualities that monism appears not clear and differences between Jiva and Brahman arise., source=Canto 01, Chapter 18, Verse 41
The Goddess, in ''Devi Bhagavata Purana'', is both the source of self-bondage through ''Avidya'' (ignorance) and the source of self-liberation through ''Vidya'' (knowledge), state Foulston and Abbott.{{Sfn, Lynn Foulston , Stuart Abbott, 2009, p=75 She is identical to the Vedic
metaphysical
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...
reality concept of Brahman, the supreme power, the ruler of the universe, the hero, the hidden energy, the power, the bliss innate in everything, according to the text.{{Sfn, Lynn Foulston , Stuart Abbott, 2009, pp=75-76{{Sfn, Tracy Pintchman, 2015, pp=128, 131-138{{Sfn, David Kinsley, 1997, pp=131-134 The Devi, states Kinsley, is identified by this Purana to be all matter, mother earth, the cosmos, all of nature including the primordial.{{Sfn, David Kinsley, 1988, pp=179-180 The Goddess is presented, states Brown, as "the womb of the universe", who observes the actions of her children, nurtures them to discover and realize their true nature, forgive when they make mistakes, be fearsomely terrible to the wicked that threaten her children, and be friend of all souls.{{Sfn, C Mackenzie Brown, 1990, pp=129-130
Cynthia Humes compares the depiction of Goddess in the 6th-century Hindu text ''Devi Mahatmya'', with that in this later ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' text.{{Sfn, Alf Hiltebeitel, Kathleen M. Erndl, 2000, pp=139-140 (Cynthia Humes) Both revere the feminine, states Humes, but there are some important differences.{{Sfn, Alf Hiltebeitel, Kathleen M. Erndl, 2000, pp=139-140 (Cynthia Humes) Nowhere does the ''Devi Mahatmya'' state anything negative about women, and it is explicit in asserting that "all women are portions of the Goddess".{{Sfn, Alf Hiltebeitel, Kathleen M. Erndl, 2000, pp=139-142 (Cynthia Humes) By contrast, states Humes, the portrayal of women in ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' is more complex.{{Sfn, Alf Hiltebeitel, Kathleen M. Erndl, 2000, pp=139-142 (Cynthia Humes) It includes verses critical of the feminine, with the text stating that behavior of woman can be "reckless, foolish, cruel, deceitful" and the like. The ''Devi Bhagavata'' also praises women and describes their behavior can be "heroic, gentle, tenacious, strong" and the like.{{Sfn, Alf Hiltebeitel, Kathleen M. Erndl, 2000, pp=139-142 (Cynthia Humes)
The ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' is an important and historic Shakta Bhakti text, states June McDaniel.{{Sfn, June McDaniel, 2004, pp=158-161
Commentaries and translations
Commentaries
* Studies in Devi Bhagavata - P.G. Layle
*Srimad Devi Bhagavatam with the Tika of Nilakantha
*Discourses on the Devi Bhagavatam - Pt Vidur Prasad Dahal
*The Triumph of the Goddess : The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana
Translations
The Devi Bhagavata Purana has been translated into different languages.
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
*
Mulugu Papayaradhya Mulugu Papayaradhya, also known as Mulugu Papayya and Sangameswara Sastry, (1778–1852) was a Telugu and Sanskrit scholar, preceptor, translator, and writer, known for his translation of the Devi Bhagavatam from Sanskrit into Telugu and for being ...
, an 18th-century Telugu poet, is regarded as the first poet to translate the Devi Bhagavata Purana into
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
.
Tirupati Venkata Kavulu
Tirupati Venkata Kavulu ( Poets Tirupati & Venkata) refers to the Telugu poet duo Divakarla Tirupati Sastry (1872–1919) and Chellapilla Venkata Sastry (1870–1950). These twin poets are acclaimed as the harbingers of modern poetry in Telugu ...
also translated this purana into Telugu language in 1896 entitled ''Devi Bhagavatamu''. They have divided the purana into 6 skandas and themselves published it in 1920.
*Sri Devi Bhagavatham by Acharya Bethavolu Ramabrahmam in 2005
*Sri Devi Bhagavatam translated by Smt. S Rukminamma
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
* Edatore Chandrashekhara Sastry has translated the entire Devi Bhagavatam to Kannada with Sanskrit Text. This was published in 11 volumes at Mysore. (Jayachamarajendra Grantha Ratna Mala - 5)
*Sri Devi Bhagavata by Pavana Sutha
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
* Srimad Devi Bhagavatam translated by Varavoor Shamu Menon and Dr. N. P Unni
* Shrimad Devi Bhagavata published by Aarshasri Publications Co
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
* Devi Bhagavatam published by
[{{Cite book, last=Shukla, first=Harendra, title=શરીમદ દવી ભાગવત, publisher=Shree Harihar Pustakalay Surat, year=, isbn=9789385955785, pages=984]
*Shri Mad Devi Bhagwat Mahapuran by Laxmi prakashan
[{{Cite book, last=Singh, first=Shivjeet, title=Srimad Devi Bhagawat Mahapurana, publisher=SHREE THAKUR PRASAD PUSTAK BHANDAR, year=2012, isbn=325422392541, pages=576]
*Shrimad Devi Bhagavata Purana in Simple Hindi Language by
*A Synopsis of Devi Bhagawat by
*Srimad Devi Bhagawat Mahapurana by Shivjeet Singh
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...
* શરીમદ દવી ભાગવત: Shrimad Devi Bhagavata Purana by Harendra Shukla
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
* Devi Bhagavatam by Navabharat Publishers, Kolkata
Nepali
* Srimad Devi Bhagawat Mahapuran (Nepali) translated by Gaurishankar Vasistha (SRI DURGA SAHITYA BHANDAR, VARANASI)
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
* Devi Bhagavatam - Karthikeyan by Giri Trading Agency private limited
* Sri Devi Bhagavatha 3 parts translated by Durgadoss S.K.Swami and Prema Pirasuram
* Shrimad Devi Bhagavata Purana in Tamil (Set of 2 Volumes) by Vidya Venkataraman
* Sri Devi Bhagavatham by Acharya Bethavolu Ramabrahmam - V.G.S Publishers
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
*
Swami Vijnanananda
Swami Vijnanananda (born Hariprasanna Chattopadhyaya; 30 October 1868 – 25 April 1938) was an Indian monk of Ramakrishna order, born in an upper-class family near Dakshineswar, and was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. He was an engineer and ...
translated the Devi Bhagavatam to English with Sanskrit Text.
* Ramesh Menon translated condensed English version of The Devi Bhagavatam in 2010
*Srimad Devibhagavata Puranam (Sanskrit Text with English Translation in Two Volumes) by Bahadur Sris Chandra
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
* Shrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam: Mutter Natur in Aktion by Michael Stibane
[{{Cite book, last=Stibane, first=Michael, title=Shrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam: Mutter Natur in Aktion, publisher=Alfa-Veda Verlag, year=2020, isbn=978-3945004456]
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
* Девибхагавата-Пурана. В 6 томах (Devi Bhagavata Purana) - Клуб Касталия (Kastalia Club)
In Popular Culture
*
Colors TV
Colors TV is an Indian general entertainment broadcast network owned by Viacom18. The network's programming consists of family dramas, comedies, youth-oriented reality shows, shows on crime and television films.
History
It was launched on 2 ...
launched a mythological series named Jai Jag Janani Maa Durga in 2012 based on Devi-Bhagavata Purana.
*Colors
TV launched a mythological series named
Mahakali — Anth Hi Aarambh Hai
''Mahakaali — Anth Hi Aarambh Hai'' (English: ''Mahakali — The end marks the beginning'' is an Indian (Hindi language) television series that premiered on 22 July 2017 on Colors TV. The show traced the epic story of Goddess Parvati’s meta ...
in 2017 partially based on Devi-Bhagavata Purana
*
Sony Entertainment Television
Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is an Indian Hindi-language general entertainment pay television channel, that was launched on 30 September 1995, and is owned by Culver Max Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese Sony.
SET India's You ...
launched a mythological series named
Vighnaharata Ganesha in 2017 which also portrayed episodes from this text.
*
Dangal TV
Dangal is a Hindi language general entertainment channel. It is a 24 Hours free to air channel.
History
Dangal was the most watched Hindi language channel in U+R category from week 13 of 2019 to week 26 of 2020. It is owned by Enterr10 Televi ...
launched a mythological series named
Devi Adi Parashakti
''Devi Adi Parashakti'' is a mythological television series based on the Hindu texts of the Shiva Purana, the Devi-Bhagavata Purana, the Markandeya Purana, and pan-Indian folktales of the Goddess. The series was created by Siddharth Kumar Tewar ...
in 2020 which is also based on Devi-Bhagavata Purana.
See also
{{col div, colwidth=35em
*''
Devi Mahatmya
The ''Devi Mahatmya'' or ''Devi Mahatmyam'' ( sa, देवीमाहात्म्यम्, devīmāhātmyam, Glory of the Goddess) is a Hindu philosophical text describing the Goddess as the supreme power and creator of the universe. It is ...
''
*''
Markandeya Purana
The ''Markandeya Purana'' ( sa, मार्कण्डेय पुराण; IAST: ) is a Sanskrit text of Hinduism, and one of the eighteen major Puranas. The text's title Markandeya refers to a sage in Hindu History, who is the central char ...
''
*''
Shiva Purana
The ''Shiva Purana'' is one of eighteen major texts of the ''Purana'' genre of Sanskrit texts in Hinduism, and part of the Shaivism literature corpus. It primarily revolves around the Hindu god Shiva and goddess Parvati, but references and reve ...
''
*
Mahadevi
Mahadevi ( sa, महादेवी, ), also referred to as Adi Parashakti, Adi Shakti, and Abhaya Shakti, is the supreme goddess in the Shaktism sect of Hinduism. According to this tradition, all Hindu goddesses are considered to be manifesta ...
{{colend
Notes
{{reflist, group=note
References
{{reflist, 30em
Bibliography
*{{cite book , first=Charles Dillard , last= Collins , title=The Iconography and Ritual of Siva at Elephanta: On Life, Illumination, and Being , url= https://books.google.com/books?id=pQNi6kAGJQ4C&pg=PA36 , year=1988 , publisher=SUNY Press , isbn=978-0-88706-773-0
*{{cite book, author=Philip Lutgendorf, editor=Arvind Sharma, title=The Study of Hinduism, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npCKSUUQYEIC , year=2003, publisher=University of South Carolina Press , isbn=978-1-57003-449-7
*{{cite book, author=Cheever Mackenzie Brown, title=The Devi Gita: The Song of the Goddess: A Translation, Annotation, and Commentary, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=28CIEnZCcqMC, year=1998, publisher=State University of New York Press, isbn=978-0-7914-3939-5
*{{cite book, author=C Mackenzie Brown, title=The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p6KumJp_wNgC, year=1990, publisher=State University of New York Press, isbn=978-0-7914-0364-8
*{{cite book, first = Rosen, last= Dalal, year= 2014, title= Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide, publisher= Penguin, isbn= 978-8184752779, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC
* {{cite book , last1 = Dimmitt , first1 = Cornelia , first2 = J. A. B. , last2 = van Buitenen , title = Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the Sanskrit Puranas , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=re7CR2jKn3QC, publisher = Temple University Press (1st Edition: 1977) , year = 2012 , isbn =978-1-4399-0464-0
*{{cite book, author1=Lynn Foulston , author2=Stuart Abbott, title=Hindu Goddesses: Beliefs and Practices, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XgwVgPx5G5UC, year=2009, publisher=Sussex Academic Press, isbn=978-1-902210-43-8
*{{cite book, author=K P Gietz, display-authors=etal, title=Epic and Puranic Bibliography (Up to 1985) Annoted and with Indexes: Part I: A - R, Part II: S - Z, Indexes, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kgpLBpUCufwC&pg=PA870, year= 1992, publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, isbn=978-3-447-03028-1
*{{cite book, author1=John Stratton Hawley, author2=Donna Marie Wulff , title=Devi: Goddesses of India, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CZrV3kOpMt0C , year=1998, publisher=Motilal Banarsidass , isbn=978-81-208-1491-2
*{{cite book, author1=Alf Hiltebeitel , author2=Kathleen M. Erndl , title=Is the Goddess a Feminist?: The Politics of South Asian Goddesses, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sQJzTr4c-g4C , year = 2000, publisher=New York University Press, isbn=978-0-8147-3619-7
*{{cite book, author=David Kinsley, title=Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HzldwMHeS6IC, year=1988, publisher=University of California Press, isbn=978-0-520-90883-3
*{{cite book, author=David Kinsley, title=Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine: The Ten Mahavidyas, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iob2JIzY9fIC, year=1997, publisher=University of California Press, isbn=978-0-520-91772-9
*{{cite book, last= Klostermaier, first=Klaus K., title=Survey of Hinduism, A: Third Edition, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8CVviRghVtIC , year=2010, publisher=State University of New York Press, isbn=978-0-7914-8011-3
*{{cite book, first= James, last= Lochtefeld, year= 2002, title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1 & 2, publisher= Rosen Publishing, isbn= 978-0823931798, url-access= registration, url= https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch
*{{cite book, author= June McDaniel , title=Offering Flowers, Feeding Skulls, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caeJpIj9SdkC , year =2004, publisher=Oxford University Press, isbn=978-0-19-534713-5
*{{cite book, author=Tracy Pintchman, title=Guests at God's Wedding: Celebrating Kartik among the Women of Benares , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3KcEotmV2MAC, year=2005, publisher=State University of New York Press, isbn=978-0-7914-6595-0
*{{cite book, author=Tracy Pintchman, title=Seeking Mahadevi: Constructing the Identities of the Hindu Great Goddess, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JfXdGInecRIC , year=2014, publisher=State University of New York Press, isbn=978-0-7914-9049-5
*{{cite book, author=Tracy Pintchman, title=The Rise of the Goddess in the Hindu Tradition, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JsDpBwAAQBAJ, year=2015, publisher=State University of New York Press, isbn=978-1-4384-1618-2
*{{Cite book, first=Ludo , last=Rocher, year= 1986, author-link= Ludo Rocher, title= The Puranas, publisher= Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, isbn= 978-3447025225
*{{cite book , last= Wilson , first=H. H. , author-link= Horace Hayman Wilson, title=The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition (Volume 1: Introduction, Book I) , year=1864 , url=https://archive.org/stream/vishnupurnsyst01wils#page/n3/mode/2up , publisher=Read Country Books (reprinted in 2006) , isbn=1-84664-664-2
External links
English Translation of the Devi Bhagavata by Swami Vijnanananda''Devi Bhagavata Purana'' English translationcorrect IAST transliteration and glossary
{{Puranas
{{Hindudharma
Puranas
Shaktism
Hindu philosophy
Sanskrit texts
Religious texts