श्रियं दिशतु वः शंभोः श्यामः कण्ठो मनोभुवा ।
अङ्कस्थपार्वतीदृष्टिपाशैरिव विवेष्टितः ॥ १ ॥
śriyaṃ diśatu vaḥ śaṃbhoḥ śyāmaḥ kaṇṭho manobhuvā |
aṅkasthapārvatīdṛṣṭipāśairiva viveṣṭitaḥ || 1 ||
May Śiva, Neelakantha, the one with the dark neck, whom Kamadeva has captivated through Pārvatī who lies in his embrace…may Śiva give you prosperity.
संध्यानुत्तोत्सवे ताराः करेणोद्धूय विघ्नजित् ।
सीत्कारसीकरैरन्याः कल्पयन्निव पातु वः ॥ २ ॥
saṃdhyānuttotsave tārāḥ kareṇoddhūya vighnajit |
sītkārasīkarairanyāḥ kalpayanniva pātu vaḥ || 2 ||
May that remover of obstacles, who after sweeping away the stars with his trunk in the joy of his dance, creates others with the stay from his hissing mouth…may he protect you.
प्रणम्य वाचं निःशेषपदार्थोद्योतदीपिकाम् ।
बृहत्कथायाः सारस्य संग्रहं रचयाम्यहम् ॥ ३ ॥
praṇamya vācaṃ niḥśeṣapadārthodyotadīpikām |
bṛhatkathāyāḥ sārasya saṃgrahaṃ racayāmyaham || 3 ||
My salutations to the Vāk-Devi, the Devi of Speech, the lamp that illuminates the world…with this I compose this collection which contains the essence of the Bṛhat-Kathā.
Navrātri is over!
The fast was successful, even more than I thought. I gave up coffee and tea as well, and this time was easier than the last time around. I slept well, woke in time, did my yog and spent the day with a good amount of energy at my disposal – all from fruits and water!
Now that the fast is done, it is time to go full-steam ahead for the rest of the year. A lot of plans to work on, and a lot of work to accomplish.
And also, a new series, the first three padas of which are mentioned at the beginning of this blog. I will soon be starting the कथासरित्सागर ( Kathāsaritsāgara series), which is huge (may take a year or two). Wish me luck!
The last two parts in the Devi Mahātmayam series: