Standing at the doorway of his sacred fire-sanctuary, the venerable sage beheld King Durdama approaching. The king, adorned with the marks of royalty, bowed humbly before the sage, paying his respects. Observing this, the sage turned to his disciple and said, “Gautama, bring the arghya—the welcoming offering. This king is deserving of such honor.” He continued, “It is after a long time that he has come, and especially now, as a prospective son-in-law.” With these words, the sage himself offered the arghya, which King Durdama accepted with thoughtful reverence. Once the king had received the offering and was seated comfortably, the sage honored him with words of blessing and inquired kindly about his well-being. “O King,” he asked, “is everything well with your army, your treasury, your friends, servants, ministers, your city, your country, and with you yourself?” Then, noting the presence of the king’s wife, the sage added, “Your wife is well, for she is here with us—I need not ask about her. But tell me, how are your other wives?” The king replied respectfully, “O venerable one, by your grace, all is well with me everywhere. But, O Brahmin, I am curious—which of my wives is here?” The sage answered, “Your wife named Revati, whose beauty is unrivaled on earth, is here. O King, how is it that you do not know your own wife?” The king said, “O lord, I know all my wives—Subhadra and the others—who are in my house, but I do not know Revati.” The sage then spoke, “O wise King, the one you just now called ‘dear’ has been forgotten by you in a moment, though she was your most cherished beloved.” The king replied honestly, “What you say is not false; I addressed her just as you did. O sage, my mind is not wicked; please do not be angry.” The sage reassured him, “O King, what you have said is true; your mind is not corrupted. By the prompting of Agni, such unspoken words came from you. Today I asked Agni, ‘Who will be her husband?’ and Agni replied, ‘King Durdama will certainly be her husband.’ Therefore, O King, accept this maiden whom I give to you. She was previously addressed as ‘dear’; do not hesitate.” Hearing these words, King Durdama fell silent, reflecting deeply on what the sage had said. The sage began preparations for the marriage ceremony. As the arrangements were being made, the maiden Revati approached her father and said, “Father, you should perform my marriage under the Revati constellation.” The sage replied, “Child, there are many auspicious constellations suitable for marriage, but how can your wedding be performed under the Revati constellation, which is not present in the sky?” Revati answered, “Without the Revati constellation, the time is not proper for my marriage. Therefore, I request you to perform the wedding under the constellation of Puṣya.” The sage explained, “Previously, the constellation Revati was cast down from the sky by the sage Ṛtavāk. If you are not pleased with another, how can your marriage take place?” Revati then asked, “Did Ṛtavāk perform austerities, or was it only his words? Have you not performed such austerity with speech, body, and mind?” She continued, “I know your power of austerity, for you are able to create the universe. Place the Revati constellation in the sky and perform my marriage, father.” The sage smiled and said, “So be it, good fortune to you, as you have spoken to me. For your sake, I will today place the Puṣya constellation on the lunar path.” Skanda narrates that, having spoken thus, the sage, by his own power of austerity, swiftly restored the Puṣya constellation to its rightful place on the lunar path. Under the auspicious Revati constellation, the sage then gave his daughter Revati in marriage to King Durdama, following the proper rites. After the marriage was performed, the sage said to the king, “O hero, tell me what you desire; I will fulfill it.” The king replied, “O sage, I am born in the lineage of Svāyambhuva Manu. By your grace, I desire a son who will be the lord of a Manvantara.” The sage said, “If this is your wish, then worship the Goddess. You will surely have a son, a Manu, lord of a Manvantara. If you hear the fifth Purāṇa, called the Devī Bhāgavata, five times, you will obtain the son you desire. Revata’s daughter Revati will bear a son named Raivata, the fifth Manu, who will be learned in the Vedas and scriptures, a knower of truth, righteous, and unconquered.” Thus blessed, the wise king ruled the kingdom inherited from his father and grandfather, protecting his subjects with righteousness, as if they were his own children. One day, the great sage Lomaśa arrived at the court. The king received him with reverence, worshipped him, and with joined palms, spoke, “O venerable one, by your grace, I wish to hear the Purāṇa called Devī Bhāgavata, desiring a son.” Pleased by the king’s words, Lomaśa said, “You are blessed, O king; devotion to the Mother of the Three Worlds has arisen in you. She who is the supreme Mother of the world, worshipped by gods, demons, and humans—if devotion to her has arisen, your aim will be accomplished. Therefore, O king, I will recite to you the glorious Bhāgavata. By merely hearing it, nothing is unattainable.” On an auspicious day, the sage began his narration. The king, together with his wife, listened to it five times, with full attention and reverence. When the recitation was completed, the righteous king, filled with great joy, worshipped both the Purāṇa and the sage. He offered oblations with the sacred Navārṇa mantra, fed maidens and married couples, and gave them gifts, ensuring their satisfaction. In due course, by the grace of the Goddess, Queen Revati conceived a child destined for the welfare of the world. When the auspicious moment arrived, with all the planets in favorable positions and every sign of good fortune present, Revati gave birth to a son. Upon hearing of his son’s birth, the king was filled with joy. He bathed and performed the birth rites with water mixed with gold. He gave gifts generously and pleased the Brahmins; then, after the initiation ceremony, he ensured that his son was taught the complete Vedas, preparing him for a life of wisdom and righteousness.