65 - The Discourse 

Narada said - О virtuous one, О lord I have listened to the best of the stotra, kavacha and everything else, which is sweeter than nectar. Now I would like to know the result of performing puja and the time-frame in which one achieves the result. 

Narayana said - One should perform the Jagarana (whole night awakening) during the Ardra constellation. In the Uttara constellation, one should perform worship and in the Shravana constellation, the performance should end. 

In case one performed the adoration of the goddess in the ninth day of the moon in Ardra constellation, one achieves the reward for the worship of the goddess for a hundred years. 

By worshipping the goddess in Mula constellation, one achieves the reward of Naramedha sacrifice; by performing in the Uttara constellation one achieves the merit of: sacrifice; in the Shravana constellation by sending off the goddess, one achieves riches, sons and grandsons. There is no doubt about it.

By worshipping her, one gets the merit of going down the entire globe. О Narada, in case the relevant constellation is not immediately available, one should adore goddess Parvati on the ninth day and continue the adoration for a fortnight, ending it in the tenth moon day. In such a case one achieves the merit of performing Ashvamedha sacrifice. 

The intellectuals should offer sacrifice on the seventh day of the moon, performing puja of the goddess because on the eighth day of the moon, the performing of the single puja has been prescribed and not the sacrifice. If one offers sacrifice on the eighth day of the moon, he invites misfortunes; therefore, the intellectuals should offer sacrifice with devotion on the ninth day of the moon. 

О best of the Brahmanas, the goddess Durga is pleased with the offering of the sacrifice and by offering yajna a person does not attract the sin of killing an animal. 

The one who gives away the animals for sacrifice, its donor, the killer, the one who feeds the animal, its protector, the one who maintains it, all these do not attract the sin of killing in sacrifice. The one who kills the animals is called the killer of the same. This has been prescribed in the Vedas which is not applicable in this case; therefore, the Vaishnavas adore the goddess Vaishnavi alone. 

Thus, the king Suratha adored the goddess for lull one year holding the kavacha in his neck and started adoring the great goddess. 

Thereafter getting pleased with the recitation of the stotra by the king, the goddess was pleased and she appeared before him in person.  The king saw the goddess before him shining like the sun of the summer season emitting rays. 

In the disk of the tejas, she appeared in the form of the lustre, having all the virtues, nirguna, the best, charming, the one who moved at will, merciful and the one who showered her compassion over her devotees. The king adored her bowing in reverence. 

Getting immensely pleased with his prayer the goddess smiling gracefully looked at the king and lovingly spoke to him. 

Durga said - О king, if you ask for an audience with me if you are desirous of riches, the same will be granted by me at once 

О graceful one, you will overcome all your enemies and be victorious over them ruling the country without any interruption. Thereafter you will become the eighth Savarni Manu, 

О best of the humans, I impart the divine knowledge to you as a result of which you will become the slave of lord Krishna. 

Because such a foolish fellow who having an audience with me, aspires for the riches, he acts under the influence of illusion and getting deprived of the nectar he seems like consuming poison. 

All the things starting from Brahma to the straw are perishable. Lord Krishna alone is everlasting, truthful, eternal Brahmana and Nirguna. 

Thus, I happen to be the energy of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and other gods and am everlasting, beyond measure, both visible and invisible and the best, always moving at will. 

I happen to be Ishvari, Mulaprakruti, everlasting, the form of all and the cause of all the causes and the seed of everyone. 

In the sacred forest of Vrundavana, in the Goloka, Rasamandala, I perform as Radhika, the beloved of lord Krishna. 

I am Durga, Vishnumaya, the best intelligence of the gods, Lakshmi of Vaikuntha, the great goddess, Sarasvati and Savitri the mother of Vedas, Brahmani of Brahmaloka, Ganga, Tulasi and the goddess earth. 

I appear on earth in various forms of the woman. О king, lord Krishna has created me from the moving of his eyebrows, because the one who created Mahavirat with the moving of his eye-brows, in the hair-pits of the same Krishna all the globes reside. They are all artificial and innumerable, the same eternal lord is adored by everyone always. 

The land with seven islands surrounded by seven oceans is called the earth, the Patala and other seven regions are located under the earth and those above the earth are the seven lokas named as the heaven and others. Similarly, various types of globes were created by Brahma and in each such globe, the gods like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva reside. 

But Krishna happens to be lord of all. He is the best and full of all knowledge. Lord Krishna is considered to be the essence of the Vedas, vratas, holy places, tapas, gods and virtues.  Therefore, the one who is deprived of this adoration, his life is of no consequence.

With the touch of devotees of lord Krishna even the holy places get sanctified and the one who recites his mantra overcomes death. 

Because with the acceptance of his mantra alone one becomes Narayana himself without performing japam, tapas and visiting holy places. 

He redeems a hundred generations of his maternal grand-father’s side and a thousand generations of his father. Thereafter he proceeds to Goloka. 

О best of the humans, this is the knowledge which is the essence of all and I have told you the same. After the expiry of a manvantara you will achieve the adoration of the lord, because after the expiry of crores of kalpas, the karmas do not vanish unless one faces the results of the good or bad deeds performed by him. 

On whomsoever I shower my grace he achieves the spotless and infallible devotion of lord Krishna; the others get all the riches which disappear like a morning dream. 

O son, thus I have imparted the knowledge to you and now you can go anywhere you like. Thus, speaking the goddess disappeared from the scene. The king also got back his kingdom and bowing in reverence to the goddess, reached his abode. О son, thus I have narrated to you the best of the story of goddess Durga.