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Devi Bhagavatam (Devi
Puranam)
Chapter VI
On granting the As’vins the right to drink the Soma juice
1-3. Janamejaya said :-- “O Muni! How did Maharsi Chyavana make these twin
Devas drink Soma and how his words came out to be true. Human strength is
insignificant compared to Indra's strength. Indra forbade the physicians,
the As'vins, to drink the Soma juice. How then could the Muni give the right
thereof. This is very wonderful. Therefore, O Thou, devoted to Dharma! O
Lord! Describe in detail the doings of this Maharsi Chyavana. I am very
anxious to hear it.”
4-10. Vyâsa said :-- O King! In that famous sacrifice of the King S’aryâti,
Chyavana Risi did wonderful feats. O Bharata! I am now narrating to you his
entirely wonderful character. Hear it attentively. Maharsi Chyavana,
illustrious like the Devas, began to enjoy with a cheerful mind and
gladdened heart, with his beautiful wife Sukanyâ who was like a Deva Kanyâ.
Now, once on an occasion, the wife of S'aryati became very anxious and
trembling said to her husband weeping :-- “O King! You have betrothed your
daughter to the blind Muni Chyavana; now it is your duty to go and enquire
whether the daughter is living or is dead. O Lord! What is my beautiful
daughter doing with that husband. Please go just now to the Muni's Âs'rama
and see about it. O Râjarsi! I always burn in pain and agony when I think of
her. She must have become very lean and thin due to the troubles of Tapasyâ;
please bring her quickly here to my presence. She is suffering an
everlasting pain from having an aged blind husband; and it is quite likely
she has become very lean and thin, I am anxious, therefore, to see my
daughter lean and thin who is wearing barks of trees as her dress.”
11. S'aryâti said :-- “O broad-eyed One! I am going gladly just now to see
my dear daughter and that Muni of severe vows.”
12-25. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Thus saying to his wife, distressed with
sorrow, the King S'aryâti mounted on his chariot and quickly went towards
the Âs’rama of the Chyavana Muni. On reaching there, he saw the Maharsi
Chyavana like a Deva's son. Seeing his body like that of Deva, the King
became bewildered and began to think thus :-- “What! Has my daughter done
such an ugly act, blameable in the society! That Muni was very calm and
quiet, penniless and very old; my daughter, perhaps, being overpowered with
passion, killed him and has taken, no doubt, another husband. It is indeed
difficult to control the God of Love, armed with his flowery bow: the period
of youth is moreover very hard to conquer. So this daughter impelled by lust
has thrown a dreadful stigma on the clear name of the family of the great
Manu. Fie on him whose daughter in this world is of a vicious character! It
seems that daughters are born for the expiation of all the sins committed by
their fathers. But what an unjust act have I committed for my own selfish
ends? It is highly incumbent on every father to betroth his daughter with
every care possible to a bridegroom suitable in every respect; but I did not
do it and now have got the fruits equivalent to my doing. If I kill my
daughter, vicious and unchaste, I will incur sin due to killing a woman and
moreover my daughter. I am the cause of this stain on Muni's line of
descent. On the one hand, the scandal on one is very powerful; and the
affection for a daughter is strong on the other. What am I to do now?” The
King became merged in deep thoughts. At this time Sukanyâ accidentally saw
her father thus drowned in anxious thoughts. Seeing him, Sukanyâ instantly
came to her father's side and asked the King in sweet affectionate words. O
King! How is it that your face has become so pale with anxious thoughts,
seeing the Muni sitting in front of you, a young man with lotus-eyes. O
Father! What are you thinking? You belong to the famous Manu's family;
besides, you are a high-minded man; you ought not to be sad so suddenly;
come quickly and bow your head down before my husband.
26. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing thus the daughter's words, the King
became impatient with anger and began to speak to her :--
27-36. O Daughter! Where is that aged blind ascetic Muni Chyavana and who is
this youth intoxicated with lust? A great doubt has arisen in my mind. O
Vicious Soul! Have you slain that Chyavana Muni and engaged yourself in such
a sinful act? O You, a Disgrace to your family! Have you accepted another
husband out of your desire of lust? My mind has became very much troubled on
not seeing that Muni in this Âs'rama. O vicious One! Now I don't see the
Muni; but instead of him, I see this bright person. And thus it is on
account of your sinful behaviour that my mind is drowned in the ocean of
cares. Then hearing her father's words, Sukanyâ smiled and gladly took him
at once to her husband and said :-- “O Father! He is your son-in-law; He is
the same Chyavana Muni; there is no doubt here. The twin As'vins have given
him this beautiful lustre and lotus-like eyes. The two As'vini Kumâras came
accidentally to my Âsrama and out of mercy no doubt they have made Chyavana
such a nice young man. O King! I am not your that daughter that will do a
vicious act as you think, beguiled by this beautiful form of the Muni.
Father! Bow down before the Chyavana Muni. Ask him and he will tell you
everything.” Hearing thus the daughter's words, the King went instantly to
the Muni and bowed down before him and asked him affectionately thus :--
37-38. The King said :-- “O Son of Bhrigu! How have you got your eyes back?
Where has your old age gone? Kindly narrate all your details as early as
possible. O Brâhmana! Seeing your exquisitely beautiful form, a great doubt
has arisen in me; so tell me everything in detail; I will be very glad, no
doubt.”
39-45. Chyavana said :-- “O King! The two As'vins, the physicians of the
Gods, came here on their own account and have done me this good out of their
mercy. Owing to the benefit thus received, I have granted them the boon that
I will make them drink the Soma juice in the Agnistoma Yajña of the King
S'aryâti. Thus I have got these beautiful eyes and the new youth; therefore,
O King! Collect yourself and sit in the holy sacrificial seat.” When the
Brâhmin Chyavana Muni spoke thus, the King S'aryâti and his dear wife sat
with greatest pleasure and began to talk on auspicious topics with the high-souled
Muni. Then the Bhârgava consoled the King and said I will perform your
sacrifice; please collect all the necessary materials. I have promised to
the As'vins that certainly I will make them drink the Soma juice. Therefore,
O King! I will have to carry that out in your sacrifice. O King! If Indra be
angry, I will stop him by my Tapas force and in the Agnistoma Yajña I will
make the As'vins drink Soma.
46-58. Vyâsa said :-- O King! S'aryâti, the lord of the earth, then gladly
approved the proposals of Chyavana Muni. The King then shewed respects to
the Muni and, with a pleasant attitude of mind, returned to his city with
his wife, all the while talking of the Muni on the way. On a good auspicious
day he, possessed of enormous wealth and prosperity prepared an excellent
place for the performance of the sacrifice. The Muni Chyavana then invited
Vas'istha and other respectable Munis and initiated the King S'aryâti for
the performance of the sacrifice. At the commencement of the sacrifice,
Indra and the other Devas and the two As'vins all came to the sacrifice to
drink Soma. Seeing the As'vins, Indra became afraid and asked the other
Devas, “Why have the As'vins come here?” They are the physicians and,
therefore, never fit to drink Soma. Who has brought them hither at this
great Agnistoma Sacrifice? The Devas remained all silent. Chyavana Muni then
became ready to offer Soma to the As'vins and Indra immediately stopped him
saying :-- They are already prohibited to drink Soma as a sacrificial share;
so do not accept the vessel of Soma for them. Chyavana then said :-- “O Lord
of S'achî! These are the Sûrya's sons; tell, then, truly why these are
rendered unfit to drink Soma. They are not of mixed blood; they are born of
the legal wife of Sûrya Deva. O Lord of the Devas! What is the fault then,
of the As'vins, the physicians, that they be prohibited to drink Soma juice.
Please reply. O Indra! This point must be settled by all the Devas here. I
have promised to make them drink the Soma juice in this sacrifice. To keep
my word I have initiated the King in this sacrifice. I will have my word
fulfilled; there is no doubt in this. O Indra! They have given me my youth
and bestowed my eyes and have done me great good. I will also do good to
them to my best.”
59. Indra said :-- “The Devas have appointed these Devas their Physicians;
therefore they are looked down upon in the society; so they are unfit to
drink Soma. You need not make them drink Soma.”
60-61. Chyavana spoke :-- “O Indra! You have adulterated yourself with
Ahalyâ; why are you, then, giving vent to your anger thus in vain. You have
treacherously murdered Vritrâsura; it is quite inappropriate for a vicious
person like you to say that the As'vins cannot have the right to drink Soma.
This is quite impossible.” O King! On the springing of this dispute, no body
spoke to Indra. The illustrious Bhârgava, then, made them accept the Soma
juice.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Seventh Book on granting the As'vins the
right to drink the Soma juice in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam,
of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Chapter VII
On the twin As’vins drinking the Soma Cup
1-2. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When the vessel filled with the Soma juice was
given to the two As'vins, Indra became very angry and showing his strength,
spoke thus to the Muni Chyavana. O Brâhmana! Never will you be able to endow
him with such a high honour. When you have shewn towards me your enmity, I
will kill you, no doubt, exactly like Vis'varûpa.
3-4. Chyavana said :-- “O Indra! Do not insult the two highsouled As'vins.
They have given me beauty, youth and lustre and made me look like a second
Deva. O Lord of the Devas! Just as the other Devas can take the vessel of
Soma excluding you, so the two powerful As'vins can do the same towards
you.”
5. Indra said :-- “They are the physicians; so they cannot in any way have
the right to accept the Soma cup. I will just now sever your head.”
6-29. Vyâsa said :-- O Ornament to the race of Bharata! At these words of
Indra, the Muni made the As'vins accept the Soma cup, thus highly insulting,
as it were, Indra and not taking any notice of his words. When the two
As'vins accepted the cup with a desire to drink the Soma thereof, the
powerful Indra saw it and said :-- “If you make them drink Soma out of your
own necessity, I will hurl thunderbolt on your head exactly in the same way
as I did towards Vis'varûpa.”
The Muni became violently angry at this and made the As'vins drink the Soma
according to due rites and ceremonies. Indra, too, angrily hurled
thunderbolt on him in the presence of all the Devas. The weapon shed lustre
like million Suns. Seeing the thunderbolt hurled on him, the powerful Muni
made the Indra's thunderbolt stand stock still by virtue of his Tapas. The
powerful Muni then adopted black magic to kill Indra and offered oblations
of clarified butter and grains, purified by Mantrams, in the Fire. By the
Tapas of Chyavana, of unbounded lustre, there sprang from the sacrificial
hearth Krityâ (A female deity to whom sacrifices are offered for destructive
and magical purposes). And out of Krityâ originated a very strong person,
very cruel and of huge body, a great Demon. The horrible Demon, named Mada,
was terrifying to all the beings. His body was huge like a mountain, teeth
very sharp and terrible. Four teeth were hundred Yojanas long each, and his
other teeth were ten Yojanas long. His arms were like mountains, very long
and fierce; tongue, horrible, rough and so very long that it reached up to
the heavens. His throat was like a mountain peak hard and of a furious
appearance; nails resembled tiger's, hairs horrible. His body was jet black
like lamp black; face very terrible, eyes bright like the conflagration fire
and awful. One of his jaws touched the ground and the other touched the
heaven. Thus was born the Demon, named Mada, of huge form. Looking at him,
the Devas became suddenly frightened; Indra, too, got very much terrified at
the sight of him and did not want to have any more fight. The Demon
swallowed Indra's thunderbolt, looked at the sky, and stood up as if to
swallow at once the whole Universe. He became infuriated with rage and
pursued Indra to devour him. Seeing this, the Devas cried aloud :-- “Alas!
We are slain.” Indra had his arms disabled by Mantrams and so he could not
hurl his thunderbolt though he wanted to do so. The Lord of the Devas, then,
with thunderbolt in his hand, looked on the Demon as Death personified and
remembered his Guru, skilled in the knowledge which is the proper time to
perform a certain thing. The liberal-minded Brihaspati knowing the time of
imminent danger, and that he is remembered by Indra, at once came to the
spot. He then judged what to do in the present crisis and told Indra :-- “O
Indra! This cannot be averted even by Mantrams; what to speak of
thunderbolt! This powerful Asura Mada has arisen from the sacrificial hearth
by virtue of the Tapas of the Chyavana Muni. The Muni's power is especially
felt here. O Lord of the Devas! Nobody, You, I, nor any other Deva will be
able to resist him. Know this. Even Brahmâ cannot thwart the anger of one
who is devoted to the S'akti, the Highest Force; Chyavana is the Bhakta of
the Highest S'akti. So no other body is able to defeat him. He is the man
himself to take back the Krityâ that he has originated. There is no doubt in
this. So it is better for you now to take the shelter of the Muni.”
30-52. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing thus from his Guru, Indra went to the
Muni and bowed down shuddering, before him. “O Muni! Forgive me and stop the
Asura from his intention to slay the Devas. O All knowing One! Be pleased, I
will keep your words. O Bhârgava! The two As'vins will, from this day, have
the right to drink the Some juice. This I speak out to you in truth. O
Brâhmana! Be graciously pleased unto me. O Ascetic! Your intention will
never be baffled. Especially I know you to be a knower of Dharma; so, you
will never be able to make your word swerve from truth. The two As'vins
will, by your grace, be able to drink always the Soma cup; and the King
S'aryâti's fame will also know no bounds. O Muni! Know that what I have done
is simply to test your prowess in Tapas. O Brâhmana! Now do this favour to
me and take back your, this Demon Mada, sprung from your sacrificial hearth
and thus do good to all the Devas. There is no doubt in this.” Thus spoken
piteously by Indra, Chyavana, who knew the Highest Reality, drew back within
himself the anger arising from the enmity with Indra. Then the Maharsi
Chyavana consoled the Devas that were very much perplexed and anxious out of
terror of the Demon named Mada and divided the Asura into four parts (1)
female sex, (2) drinking, (3) gambling and (4) hunting animals. When Mada
was thus divided into four parts, the terror stricken Devas felt themselves
relieved and saved and got consoled. Chyavana then placed the Devas in their
respective stations and completed the sacrifice. As last, the religious
Bhârgava made first Indra and then the two As'vins drink the Soma Cups. O
King! Thus Chyavana had the As'vins their Soma Cups by virtue of his power
of Tapas. Thence the tank with the sacrificial post Yûpa became famous and
the Muni's Âs'rama also was renowned and honoured in all respects. The King
S'aryâti, too, became very glad at this sacrifice and completing the
sacrifice returned with his ministers to his city. The Manu's son, the
powerful religious King S'aryâti governed his kingdom, free from any
obstacles or other enemies. He had one son named Ânarta; and Ânarta had a
son named Revata born to him.
Revata built the city of Kus'asthalî in the midst of the ocean and began to
live there. He enjoyed all the things in the countries named Ânarta and
others. Revata had one hundred sons of whom Kakudmi was the eldest and of
pure character. He had one daughter very beautiful named Revatî, endowed
with all auspicious qualities. When the daughter reached a marriageable age,
the King began to think where he
could get a prince of a good noble family. That powerful King began to
govern his people Ânartas, with his headquarters at the Raivata hill. “Whom
to betroth this daughter,” the King thought and settled that he would go to
Brahmâ and ask him, the venerable omniscient Prajâpati, worshipped by the
Devas. Thus the King went with his daughter Revatî to the Brahmaloka. There
the Devas, Yajñas, Vedas, mountains, oceans and rivers all were shining with
luminous bodies. There the eternal Risis, Siddhas, Gandharbas, Pannagas and
Châranas were singing hymns to Brahmâ, standing with folded hands.
Here ends the Seventh Chapter of the Seventh Book on the twin As'vins
drinking the Soma Cup in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of
18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
1-5. Janamejaya said :-- “O Brâhmanâ! The King was a Ksattriya; how could he
go himself with his daughter Revatî to the Brahmâloka (the abode of Brahmâ)?
I entertain a great doubt on this point. I heard of yore while conversing
about matters connected with the Brâhmins, that the Brâhmin only who was
self-restrained and the knower of Brahmân could alone go to the Brahmâloka.
The Satyaloka is very hard for the worldly people to go; so I doubt how the
king could have gone with Revatî from the Bhûrloka to the Satyaloka. Man,
when he discards his body, can go to the Heavens. So is recited in all the
S'âstras. How then, people, while, in their human bodies can go to the
Brahmâloka. So cut asunder my doubts how the King Revata could go to the
Brahmâloka to ask the Prajâpati on certain matters.”
6-16. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! On the top of the mountain Sumeru, are located
the Indra's heavens called Amarâvati (the abode of the Immortals) the
Samyamanî city of Yama, the Satyaloka, the Vahniloka, the Kailâsa, Vaikuntha
the abode of Visnu, and others. The great archer Arjuna, the son of Prithâ,
went to the Indraloka and spent five years there. In ancient times, the
Kings Kakutstha and others went to Indraloka, in their human bodies. Even
the powerful Daityas used to conquer the Indraloka and resided there at
their will and pleasure. In ancient times, when the sovereign of the earth,
the King Mahâbhisa went to the Brahmâloka, the most beautiful Gangâ also was
coming to the Brahmâloka. On the way the King saw Her. O King! Accidentally
at that time her clothings were cast aside by the wind; the King saw her
partly in her naked state, and, overpowered with lust, smiled; Gangâ also
smiled. Seeing the states of them, Brahmâ instantly cursed them; and they
had to come in this world and take their births. All the Devas, when
oppressed by the Dânavas, went to Vaikuntha and sang hymns to Hari, the Lord
of Kamalâ. O King! Men can go to all the Lokas; in fact those high-souled
men that perform Yajñas or severe asceticism and thus have acquired great
merits, those performers of Sacrifices and ascetics surely go to the
Heavens. O King! It is only the abundance of good merits that is the only
cause of going to Heavens. So you ought not to entertain any doubts on
this.”
17-18. Janamejaya said :-- “O Muni! The King Revata went with his daughter
Revatî to the Brahmâloka; but what did he do when he went there? What did
Brahmâ order him? And to whom did the King betroth his daughter, when
ordered by Brahmâ? O Brâhmana! Speak out all these in details to me now.”
19-21. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! Hear. When the King went to Brahmâloka to ask
about the proper bridegroom of his daughter, there was going on singing and
music; so he waited a while to find an opportunity when the assembly would
have a leisure; but he was so very pleased with music that he could not
desist from hearing it till the end. When the music was finished, the King
bowed down to Brahmâ and shewed him his daughter and informed Him of his
intention.”
22-26. The King said :-- “O Deva! This good daughter is mine; now kindly say
who will be her bridegroom. O Brahmâ! To whom shall I betroth this daughter?
I have come to you to ask on this point I have searched for many princes and
seen also a good many of them and none of them is to my liking and so my
mind is not at rest. O Lord of the Devas! Therefore I have come to you.
Kindly select one bridegroom for her. He is to be a Kulîn (of good family),
powerful, religious, liberal, and a prince endowed with all auspicious
qualities. This is my prayer.” Vyâsa said :-- O King! Brahmâ, the
lotus-born, the Creator of the world, hearing these words, laughed, thinking
that a very long interval had passed away. He then said :--
27-43. O King! The princes that you thought would become the bridegroom of
your daughter, all died; their sons and grandsons and their friends even
have all passed away. The twenty-seventh Manvantara of the Dvâpara Yuga is
now going on; so none of the princes of your family are now existing. The
Daityas sacked your city. Now Ugrasena, the King of Mathurâ, is reigning in
that place. He belongs to the illustrious lunar family of Yayâti. His son,
the powerful Kansa, born of a Dânava, began to do injuries always to the
Devas; he threw his own father to the prison. Becoming very haughty, he
began to govern himself the countries of other kings and began to tyrranise
over the subjects. O King. The Earth became so much troubled by the armies
of the wicked Demon Kings, that She became quite unable to bear further
loads. So She went to seek refuge to Brahmâ. Brahmâ and the other Devas then
began to say :-- “O Earth! To remove your burden the lotus-eyed Nârâyanâ
will incarnate Himself as part incarnation in the form of S'rî Krisna. He
who is Nârâyanâ practised in ancient times, as the son of Dharma, a very
severe asceticism, in company with his brother Nara in the sacred hermitage
of Badari. Now this very Deva is born in the great family of Yadu in the
womb of Devakî by Vasudeva and is now celebrated by the name of Vâsudeva. O
King! He has slain that vicious wicked Kansa and has installed Ugrasena in
his place. The very powerful Jarâsandha, the vicious King of Magadha, is the
father-in-law of Kansa. On hearing the death of his son-in-law, he became
infuriated with rage, came to Mathurâ, and raged a terrible war. Vâsudeva
defeated in a battle that Jarâsandha, proud of his mighty valour. Though
defeated, Jarâsandha sent Kâlayavana with his host of army to fight again
with Krisna. Bhâgavan Vâsudeva, when he heard that the King of Yavanas
arrived, sent away all the members of his family and the Yâdavas to Dvârkâ
and began to wait with his brother Balarâma for the Yavana King. Then he
went alone to the camp of Yavana and led him away to a mountain cave where
was sleeping the King Muchu Kunda and had then the Yavana King slain by
Muchukunda. Krisna then went to Dvârkâ. The city of Dvârkâ was then a
dilapidated condition. Krisna brought together the artists and got built
exquisitely the beautiful palaces, forts, and markets and stalls, etc., and
so added to the beauty of the place. That Vâsudeva, of mighty prowess, thus
improving the city, made Ugrasena the King of that place; and Krisna is now
waiting there with his friends. His elder brother Baladeva, the carrier of
the plough, is celebrated. Thus he with Musala in his hands is a great
warrior and the part incarnation of Ananta Deva. He is the fit bridegroom of
your daughter. So give your daughter in marriage, without any delay,
according to the rules of the marriage ceremony to Sankarsana Balabhadra.
After giving your daughter marriage, go to the hermitage of Badari and
practise tapasyâ. That sacred retreat is the (park) recreation ground of the
Devas, holy and yielding to human beings the objects of their desires.
44-46. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! Thus ordered by the lotus-born Brahmâ, the
King went to Dvârkâ with his daughter. Reaching there he gave over his all
auspicious daughter in marriage to Bala Deva duly according to the rules and
regulations. At last, according to Brahmâ's injunction, he became engaged in
severe austerities in the Badarikâs'ram and, when the time of death arrived,
left off his mortal coil on the banks of the river and went to the world of
Gods.”
47-48. Janamejaya said :-- “O Bhagavân! You have uttered one wonderful
thing. One hundred and eight Yugas passed away when the King of Revata with
his daughter was deeply absorbed in hearing music in the Brahmâloka yet
neither the good King nor the daughter did get sufficiently old. How could
this be! How could they have lived so long! Were their longevities ordained
to be such a long period!”
49-56. Vyâsa said :-- “O King! The Brahmâloka is not touched by any vice nor
sin; old age, hunger, thirst or fear of death nothing exists there; nor is
there any other cause by which weariness comes. So what doubt there can be
that the people there will be long-lived, free from old age and death! When
the King S'aryâti went up to the Heavens, his sons were all destroyed by the
Râksasas; those that remained, they, terrified left Kus'asthalî and fled on
all sides. Vaivasvata Manu sneezed; owing to that, came out of his nose one
powerful son; his name was Iksâku. He spread the Solar dynasty and became
celebrated. Getting excellent initiation from the Maharsi Nârada, he began
to meditate the Devî constantly and practised severe tapasyâ for the spread
of his race. O King! Iksâku had one hundred sons; Vikuksi was the eldest; he
was powerful and endowed with great strength. Iksâku became king and lived
in Ayodhyâ. He sent his fifty sons, the powerful S'akuni and others to
Uttarâpatha (Eastern) provinces for governing those countries. That high-souled
monarch sent also other eight sons to govern the countries in the South.
(Western). O King! He kept the remaining two sons by his side for his own
service.”
Here ends the Eighth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the story of the King
Revata and the spread of the Solar dynasty in the Mahâpuranam S'rî Mad Devî
Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Chapter IX
On the story of Kâkutstha and the origin of Mândhâtâ
1-11. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Once on a time, the time for Astaka S'râddha
(the funeral ceremony in honour of the departed) arrived. Seeing this, the
King Iksâku ordered his son Vikuksi :-- “O Child! Go immediately to the
forest and bring carefully pure sanctified meat for the S'râddha purposes;
see, that there be no neglect of duty.” Thus ordered, Vikuksi instantly went
to the forest equipped with arms. He hunted in the forest lots of boars,
pigs, deer, and hare. But he was so very tired with his journey in the
forest and got so hungry that he forgot everything about the Astaka S'râddha
and ate one hare there in the forest. The remaining excellent meat he
brought and handed over to his father. When that meat was brought to be
sprinkled for purification, the family priest Vas'istha, on seeing it, at
once came to know that some portion had already been eaten and it was the
remaining part. The leavings of food are not fit for the sprinkling
purposes; this is the S'âstric rule. Vas'istha informed the King of this
defect in the food. In accordance with the Guru's advice, the King coming to
know thus the violation of the rule by his son, became very angry and
banished his son from his kingdom. The prince became known from that time as
Sa'sâda; he did not become the least sorry for his father's anger; he went
to the forest and gladly remained there. He gladly passed his time absorbed
in religion and sustained his life on forest fruits and roots. After
sometime when his father died, he inherited his kingdom. On becoming the
King of Ayodhyâ, S'as'âda had only one son; he became famous in the three
lokas by the name of Kakutstha. He was known also by other names Indravâha
and Puranjaya.
12. Janamejaya said :-- “O Holy One! How and why was the prince named
Kakutstha. Why was he known by the two other names? Speak all this to me.”
13-14. Vyâsa said :-- O King! When S'as'âda went to the Heavens Kakutstha
became king. That religious king then began to govern the country of his
father and grandfather with an authority supported by a powerful arm. At
this time the Devas suffered a defeat from the Dânavas and took refuge to
Visnu, the Infallible and the Lord of the three worlds. The eternal great
Visnu full of intelligence and bliss then addressed the Devas.
15-16. Visnu said :-- “O Devas! Go and pray to the King S'as'âda. He will be
your ally and kill all the Demons. That King is religious; especially he is
a worshipper of the Highest S'akti. He is a good archer and will come to
help you. His strength is immense.”
17-18. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Indra and the other Devas hearing the nectar
like words of Hari went to Ayodhyâ, to Kakutstha, the son of S'as'âda.
Seeing the Devas at his palace, the king worshipped them duly and with great
care and he asked them why they had come there.
19-20. The King said :-- “O Devas! When you have favoured me by your
presence here, I am blessed and sanctified; my life is crowned with success.
Say what I can do for you; I will carry it out even if it be very hard for
me to perform.”
21-22. The Devas said :-- “O Prince! Please help and back us and defeat the
Daityas, invincible by the Devas and form an alliance with Indra. O King! By
the grace of the Highest S'akti, you have nothing unattained anywhere; so we
have come to you by the order of Visnu.”
23-41. The King said :-- “O Devas! I can back you and become your ally if
Indra carries me on his back in the time of war. I will fight now with the
Daityas for the Devas; but I will go to the battle-field on Indra's back;
this I speak to you truly.” Vyâsa said :-- O King! The Devas then spoke to
Indra :-- “O Lord of S'achi! It is now your bounden duty to do this; so
quitting shame, be a carrier to this King.” Indra got ashamed very much, but
being requested frequently by Hari, at last assumed the appearance of a bull
like the great Bull of S'iva. The King mounted on that bull to go to the
war; he fought while taking his seat on the hump on the shoulders of the
bull (Kakud); therefore he was named Kakutstha. The King was carried by
Indra on his back hence he was named Indravâha; he conquered the Dânavas in
battle; hence he was called Puranjaya. The powerful King defeated the
Dânavas and gave away all their wealth to the Devas. He bade farewell to the
Devas and returned to his own kingdom. Thus the alliance was formed with
Indra. O King! Kakutstha became very celebrated on this earth; his
descendants became kings and were known as Kakutsthas and were all very
famous here on this Earth. Kakutstha had one powerful son, named Kâkutstha
by his legal wife; Kâkutstha had the son Prithu, of mighty prowess. Prithu
was the part incarnation personified of Visnu, and worshipper of the feet of
the Supreme S'akti. His son was Visvarandhi; he became king and governed the
kingdom. His son was Chandra; he came to be king, governed his subjects and
multiplied very much his issues. Yuvanâs'va was one of his sons; he was very
powerful and spirited. S'avanta was the son of Yuvanâs'va; he was very
religious. He built a nice city named S'âvantî like the Paradise of Indra.
Brihadas'va was the son of the high-souled S'âvanta; he had a son
Kuvalayâs'va. He became the Lord of the earth by the power of his arms. He
killed Dhundu Dânava; so he was very much celebrated by the name of
Dhundumâra. His son was Dridhâs'va; he governed the earth; His son was
S'rîmân Haryas'va. His son was Nikumbha; he became the King. Nikumbha had
his son Varhanâs'va. Kris'âs'va was his son. His son was the powerful
Parasenajit; his son's prowess knew no bounds. Parasenajit had the fortunate
son Yauvanâs'va. O fortunate One! The son of Yauvanas'va was S'rîmân
Mândhâtâ; he became the Lord of the Earth and for the satisfaction of the
Devî Bhagavatî had one thousand and eight palaces built in Benares and in
the other chief places of pilgrimages. Mâudhâtâ was not born of his mother's
womb but was born in the belly of his father. Then the ministers tore
asunder the belly of his father and got him out.
42-43. Janamejaya said :-- O fortunate One! What you said was never seen nor
heard ever before since. This sort of birth is highly improbable. How was
that beautiful son born in the belly of his father? Describe this in detail
and satisfy my curiosity.
44-49. Vyâsa said :-- O King! The King Yauvanâs'va had one hundred queens;
yet he had no issues. The King always thought much about his son. Once the
King, sorry and desirous of a son, went to the holy retreats of the Risis.
On arriving there, he began frequently to respire heavily before the
ascetics. The Risis became filled with pity on seeing his sorrowful
condition. O King! The Brâhmins that said to him :-- O King! Why are you
thus sorrowful and distressed? What is your sorrow that is troubling your
heart? Speak truly. We will surely redress your grievance.
50-54. Yauvanâs'va said :-- “O Munis! I have got the kingdom wealth,
excellent horses, one hundred illustrious chaste wives. I have no enemies in
the three worlds; no one is stronger than me. All the Kings and ministers
are obedient to my call. But O Ascetics! I have no son; this my sonless
state is the only cause of my pain and sorrow. It has marred all my
happiness. See! The persons that have no son cannot in any way go to
Heavens. Therefore I am always being pained for this. You all are ascetics;
you have taken great pains to learn the essence of the Veda S'âstras. So
kindly order me what sacrifice is fit for me to have a son. O Ascetics! If
you feel any pity for me, kindly perform this good work for me.”
55-65. Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing the words of the King they were all
filled with pity; and, with fulness of mind, made him to perform the
sacrifice whose presiding deity was Indra. For the sake of the King, that he
may get a son born to him, they had a jar filled with water by the Brâhmins
and purified and charged that jar with the Vedic Mantrams. The King got
thirsty in the night and entered in the sacrificial ground; seeing the
Brâhmins asleep, the King himself drank that water, surcharged with the
Mantram. The Brâhmins consecrated and kept that water apart, according to
due rules, surcharging with Mantrams, for the wife of the King; but the
King, getting thirsty, himself drank that water unconsciously. Next morning
the Brâhmins seeing the jar of water empty, were startled very much with
fear; the Brâhmins then asked the King :-- Who drank the water? When they
came to know that the King himself drank the water, the Munis thought this
to he an act of Daiva (Fate) and completing the sacrifice returned to their
abodes. Then the King became pregnant by the power of the sacrificial
Mantrams. After some time, the son became fully developed. Then the King's
ministers, cutting his right bowel, got the son out. Out of the God's favour,
the King did not die. When the ministers were troubled with the thought
whose milk the child will suck, then Indra spoke out the child would drink (Mân-Dhâtâ)
my forefinger and gave his finger into the child's mouth. For that reason
his name was Mândhâtâ. Thus I have described in detail the origin of
Mândhâtâ.
Here ends the Ninth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the story of Kakutstha
and the origin of Mândhâtâ in S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam the Mahâ Purânam, of
18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.
Chapter X
On the story of Satyavrata
1-11. Vyasa said :-- O King! That King Mândhâtâ, true to his promise,
conquered one after another the whole world and became the paramount
sovereign of all the other emperors and got the title “Sârvabhauma”
(Sovereign of all the earth). O King! What more to speak of Mândhâtâ's
influence at that time than this that all the robbers, struck with his
terror, all fled to the mountain caves. For this reason, Indra gave him the
title “Trasadasyu.” He married Bindumatî, the daughter of S'as'avindu. Her
limbs were proportioned and perfect and so she was very beautiful. Mândhâtâ
had by that wife two sons :-- (1) the famous Purukutstha and (2) Muchukunda.
Purukutstha had his son Anaranya; this prince was celebrated by the name of
Brihadas'va. He was very religious and deeply devoted to his father. His son
was Haryas'va; he was religious and knew the Highest Reality. His son was
Tridhanvâ; his son was Aruna. Aruna's son was Satyavrata; he was very
avaricious, lustful, wicked and wilful. Once on an occasion that vicious
prince, overpowered by lust, stole away the wife of one Brâhmin and so
created an hindrance in his marriage. O King! The Brâhmins, united in a
body, came to the King Aruna, bewailing and lamenting and uttered repeatedly
:-- Alas! We are ruined! The King addressed to the grieved subjects, the
Brâhmins :-- “O Brâhmins! What harm has been done to you by my son.”
Hearing thus the good words of the King, the Dvijas, versed in the Vedas,
repeatedly blessed him and said :-- O King! You are the foremost of the
powerful. So your son is like you. Today he has forcibly stolen away during
the marriage ceremony a Brâhmin daughter already given over in marriage.
12-36. Vyasa said :-- O King! The highly religious King hearing the words of
the Brâhmins, took them to be true and said to his son :-- “O One of evil
understanding! You have rendered to-day your name useless by perpetrating
this evil act. O Vicious One! Get away from my house! O Sinner! You will
never be able to live in my territory!” Seeing his father angry, Satyavrata
repeatedly said :-- Father! Where shall I go? He said :-- “Live with the
Chandalas. You have stolen a Brâhmin's wife and so has acted like a Chândala.
Go and live with them happily. O Disgrace to your family! I don't like to
get issues through you: you have obliterated this family's name. So, O
Sinner! go wherever you like.” Hearing the the words from his angry father,
Satyavrata instantly quitted the house and went to the Chândâlas. The
prince, wearing his coat of armour and holding bows and arrows, began to
spend away his time with the Chândâlas; but he could not get out of his
breast his feeling of sympathy and mercy. When he was banished by his
liberal minded angry father the Guru Vas'istha instigated the King to the
above purpose. Satyavrata was therefore angry with Vas'istha, inasmuch as
he, versed the Dharma S'âstras, did not dissuade the father from banishing
his son. His father, then, owing to some inexplicable cause, quitted the
city and, for the sake of his son, went to the forest to practise
austerities. O King! Owing to that sinful act, Indra did not rain at all in
his kingdom for twelve years. O King! Just then Vis'vâmitra, too, keeping
his wife and children in that kingdom, began to practise severe austerities
on the banks of the river Kaus'ikî. The beautiful wife of Kus'ika then fell
into great trouble how she could maintain the family. All the children,
pained with hunger, began to cry, begging for Nibâr rice food. The chaste
wife of Kaus'ika became very much troubled seeing all this. She thought,
seeing the children hungry, “Where am I to go now and from whom to beg, and
what to do, inasmuch as the King was not then staying in the Kingdom. The
husband is not also near; so who would protect my children? The boys are
incessantly crying. Fie therefore to my life!” She thought also thus :-- “My
husband left me in this penniless state; we are suffering for want of money.
He does not know these, though he is quite able. Save my husband, who else
will support my sons? They will all die now of starvation. I might sell one
of my sons, whatever I get out of that, I can support the others; this is
now my highest duty. I ought not to do otherwise and kill all my children;
so I will now sell one of my sons to support the others.” Thus hardening her
mind, she went out, tying the child by a rope round his neck. The Muni's
wife, for the sake of the other children, fastened the middle son by a cord
and got out of her house. The prince Satyavrata saw her distressed with pain
and sorrow and asked :-- “O Beautiful One! What are you now going to do? Who
are you? This boy is crying; Why have you tied him by a rope round his neck?
O Fair One! Speak out truly to me the cause of all this.”
37-38. The wife said :-- “O Prince! I am the wife of Vis'vâmitra. These are
my sons. I am now going, for want of food, to sell one of these out of my
own accord. O King! My husband has gone away to practise tapasyâ; I do not
know where he has gone. There is no food in the house; so I will sell one to
support the other sons.”
39-56. Satyavrata said :-- “O Chaste One! Save your children. I will bring
to you your articles of food from the forest till your husband does not come
here. Daily I will fasten some food on a tree close by your Âs'rama. This I
speak truly.” The wife of Vis'vâmitra, hearing these words of the prince,
freed the child of the fastening and took him to her Âs'rama. The child was
named afterwards as Gâlaba, due to his being fastened by the neck. He became
a great Risi afterwards. The Vis'vâmitra's wife then felt great pleasure in
her home, surrounded by her children. Filled with regard, and mercy,
Satyavrata duly performed his task and provided daily the family of
Vis'vâmitra with their food. He used to hunt wild boars, deer, buffaloes,
etc., and used to take their flesh to the place where used to dwell the wife
of Vis'vâmitra and the children and tie that up to an adjoining tree. The
Risi's wife used to give those to her children. Thus getting excellent food,
she felt very happy. Now when the King Aruna went for tapasyâ to the forest,
the Muni Vas'istha carefully guarded the Ayodhyâ city, and the palace and
the household. Satyavrata, too, used to sustain his livelihood daily by
hunting, accordig to his father's order; and abiding by Dharma, lived in the
forest outside the city. Satyavrata cherished always in his heart, for some
cause, a feeling of anger towards Vas'istha. When his father banished his
religious son, Vas'istha did not prevent his father. This is the cause of
Satyavrata's anger. Marriage does not become valid until seven footsteps are
trodden (a ceremony); so the stealing away of a girl within that period is
not equivalent to stealing away a Brâhmin's wife. The virtuous Vas'istha
knew that; yet he did not prevent the King. One day the prince did not find
anything for hunting; he saw in the forest the cow of Vas'istha giving milk.
Very much distressed by hunger, the King killed the cow like a dacoit,
partly out of anger and partly out of delusion. He fastened part of the
flesh to that tree for the wife of Vis'vâmitra and the remainder he ate
himself. O One of good vows! The Vis'vâmitra's wife did not know that to be
beef and thought it to be deer's and so fed her sons with that. Now when
Vas'istha came to know that his cow had been killed, he was inflamed with
anger and spoke to Satyavrata “O Vicious One! What a heinous crime have you
committed, like a Pis'âcha, by killing the cow? For the killing of the cow,
the stealing of a Brâhmin's wife and the fiery anger of your father, for
these three crimes, let there come out on your head three S'ankus or three
marks of leprosy as the signs for your crimes. From this day you will be
widely known by the name of Tris'anku and you will show your Pis'âcha form
to all the beings.”
57. Vyâsa said : -- O King! The prince Satyavrata thus cursed by Vais'istha
remained in that retreat and practised severe tapasyâ.
58. But he got from a Muni's son the excellent Mantram of the Highest
auspicious Devî Bhagavatî and became merged in the contemplation of that.
Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the story of Satyavrata
in the Mahâpurânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi
Veda Vyâsa.
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