Essence Of Devi Bhagavatha Purana

Physical Manifestation of Maha Devi to Vishnu

Veda Vyasa had by now known Suka’s confirmed views on marriage and commended Suka’s reading the Great Purana of Maha Bhagavata written by himself in which the process of Creation of Universe was described in detail. In the Purana, he gave the illustration of Lord Vishnu providing solace by Maya Maha Sakti when Vishnu found Himself as a small child at the time of Pralaya or Universal Dissolution.

The Lord was floating on water on a banyan tree leaf wondering   as to how He was brought in that state and who could have done so? A resonant Celestial Voice was heard in a half stanza saying: ‘All this being witnessed is my doing and there is nothing else eternal’. Even as Maha Vishnu was wondering what was heard, He found a mass of radiance on the skies gradually taking the form of a vision in full manifestation of Maha Bhagavati in the form of Maha Lakshmi with divine robes and ornaments, four arms with conchshell, disc, lotus and mace. She was floating on the Ocean waters along with Her personified Co-Sakties and Vibhuties on either side viz. Rati, Bhuti, Buddhi, Mati, Kirti, Smriti, Dhriti, Sraddha, Medha, Svadha, Svaha, Kshudha, Nidri, Daya, Gari, Tulsi, Pusti, Kshama, Lajja and so on. Maha Vishnu was astonished as never before and with folded hands kept on reciting the incomplete stanza that She was Eternal and nothing else! Maha Lakshmi addressed Vishnu and said that each time there were Universal Dissolutions herebefore, the same scenario happened and there were unifications of His and Hers but He had not realised as He was under the spell of Maha Maya which was Her’s again. She further said that Her physical Manifestaion at present was unreal as She had none, but a Supreme Force as an amorphous, unknown, everlasing, unborn, all pervading and omniscient Energy. She commanded Vishnu to create Brahma and Siva- each one to create and destroy- and represent the two Gunas of Rajas and Tamas and thus re-start the cycle of life and death under the cover of Maya and that Vishnu should promote Satvika Guna and  handle the delicate task of safeguarding and preserving the entire Universe as also protecting ‘Dharma’ ( Virtue) and ‘Nyaya’ ( Justice). Further on, the process of creation of Demi- Gods, Sages, and human beings and other species followed and so did the formation of Societies and Principles of Dharmas, Varnashramas, and stages of human life and so on. By inference, Veda Vyasa said that the established practices commended the insitution of marriages, of the duties of Grihasta ( Householder ) and ‘karma kanda’, followed by retirement, Sanyasa and finally attainment of Salvation- all in a gradual process step by step. An adamant Suka was still not relenting in his attitude and Veda Vyasa suggested Suka’s visit to Mithilapura and meet King Janaka for his advice as he had  ‘Jeevan Mukti’ ( Salvation while alive).