Devi Bhagwat Purana – Chapter 7: Glory and Teachings

Glory and Teachings

After the defeat of Shumbha and Nishumbha, peace returned to the three worlds. Goddess Durga had granted fearlessness to her devotees, and the gods rejoiced and praised her. Now was the time to sing the glory of the Goddess and reflect on the moral lessons derived from this story.

Praise and Glory of Goddess Durga

The assembly of gods, filled with joy, bowed at the feet of Goddess Durga. Their faces shone with gratitude in their hearts. The sound of conches, bells, and mridangas echoed from all directions. The atmosphere was filled with devotion and reverence. All the gods, in one voice, began to sing the praise of the Goddess – "O Mother Durga, you are strength, you are intellect, you are knowledge, you are the sustainer of this world. You have liberated us from fear by destroying demons like Shumbha and Nishumbha."

Indra, with folded hands, prayed to the Goddess, "O Mother, your glory is immeasurable. We are incapable of describing your virtues. Please always grant us fearlessness with your grace and bestow upon us the strength to walk the path of righteousness." Hearing the praise of the gods, Goddess Durga was pleased and said in a sweet voice, "O gods, I am extremely pleased to see your love and devotion. Whosoever devotee worships me with a true heart, I will surely fulfill their desires. I will always be ready to protect righteousness."

Importance of Devotion

Goddess Durga explained the importance of devotion to the gods. She said that true devotion is not a show, but love and surrender arising from the heart. The person who serves God selflessly is surely liberated. She gave the example of Narada Muni, who was always immersed in the devotion of Lord Vishnu and experienced bliss chanting Narayan-Narayan. Devotion is the path that connects man to God and liberates him from the sorrows of the world. True devotion leads to knowledge and destroys ignorance.

The Goddess further said, "The coordination of knowledge, action, and devotion is the essence of life. Liberation is not achieved by knowledge alone; it is also necessary to perform actions. And actions should be colored with devotion. Only then will the action be fruitful, and man will attain supreme bliss." She also said that there is no place for ego in devotion. Ego distances man from God. Therefore, one should always remain humble and simple.

Moral Lessons from the Story

This story from the Devi Bhagavata Purana teaches us many moral lessons. It teaches us that no matter how powerful evil may be, truth ultimately triumphs. Goddess Durga proved by destroying powerful demons like Shumbha and Nishumbha that strength is necessary to protect righteousness. This story also teaches us that we should never be arrogant. Shumbha and Nishumbha were arrogant about their strength and prosperity, which led to their end. This story inspires us to serve others selflessly. Goddess Durga destroyed the demons for the welfare of the gods and humans. Her selfless service inspires us to have love and compassion for all humankind.

Listening to, reading, and contemplating this story removes all the sufferings of a person and brings him happiness, peace, and prosperity. The Devi Bhagavata Purana shows us the right way to live life and helps us attain dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.