इक्ष्वाकुवंशवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच - संशयोऽयं महान् ब्रह्मन् वर्तते मम मानसे । ब्रह्मलोकं गतो राजा रेवतीसंयुतः स्वयम्
Janamejaya said: A great doubt arises in my mind, O Brahmin: the king went to Brahmaloka together with Revati by his own will.
मया पूर्वं श्रुतं कृत्स्नं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः कथान्तरे । ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मविच्छान्तो ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नुयात्
I have previously heard in other stories from Brahmins that a Brahmin, having realized Brahman, attains Brahmaloka.
राजा कथं गतस्तत्र रेवतीसंयुतः स्वयम् । सत्यलोकेऽतिदुष्प्रापे भूर्लोकादिति संशयः
How did the king himself, together with Revati, go there—to Satyaloka, which is extremely difficult to reach from the world of mortals? This is my doubt.
मृतः स्वर्गमवाप्नोति सर्वशास्त्रेषु निर्णयः । (मानुषेण तु देहेन ब्रह्मलोके गतिः कथम् । ) स्वर्गात्पुनः कथं लोके मानुषे जायते गतिः
It is established in all scriptures that one who dies attains heaven; but how can one reach Brahmaloka with a human body? And how does one return from heaven to be born again among humans?
एतन्मे संस्ययं विद्वंश्छेत्तुमर्हसि साम्प्रतम् । यथा राजा गतस्तत्र प्रष्टुकामः प्रजापतिम्
O learned one, you should now resolve this doubt of mine: how did the king go there, desiring to question the Lord of Creatures?
व्यास उवाच - मेरोस्तु शिखरे राजन् सर्वे लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः । इन्द्रलोको वह्निलोको या च संयमिनी पुरी
Vyasa said: O king, on the summit of Meru are established all the worlds: the world of Indra, the world of Agni, and the city called Samyamini.
तथैव सत्यलोकश्च कैलासश्च तथा पुनः । वैकुण्ठश्च पुनस्तत्र वैष्णवं पदमुच्यते
Likewise, Satyaloka, Kailasa, and again Vaikuntha are there; that place is called the Vaishnava abode.
यथार्जुनः शक्रलोके गतः पार्थो धनुर्धरः । पञ्चवर्षाणि कौन्तेयः स्थितस्तत्र सुरालये
Just as Arjuna, the son of Kunti and wielder of the bow, went to the world of Indra and stayed there for five years in the abode of the gods,
मानुषेणैव देहेन वासवस्य च सन्निधौ । तथैवान्येऽपि भूपालाः ककुत्स्थप्रमुखाः किल
with his human body, in the presence of Vasava—so too did other kings, headed by Kakutstha, indeed.
स्वर्लोकगतयः पश्चाद्दैत्याश्चापि महाबलाः । जित्वेन्द्रसदनं प्राप्य संस्थितास्तत्र कामतः
After going to the heavenly worlds, the mighty Daityas, having conquered the abode of Indra, also remained there as they wished.
महाभिषः पुरा राजा ब्रह्मलोकं गतः स्वराट् । आगच्छन्तीं नृपो गङ्गामपश्यच्चातिसुन्दरीम्
Long ago, King Mahabhisha, sovereign of the earth, went to Brahmaloka and saw the exceedingly beautiful Ganga as she was coming.
वायुनाम्बरमस्यास्तु दैवादपहृतं नृप । किञ्चिन्नग्ना नृपेणाथ दृष्टा सा सुन्दरी तथा
By fate, the wind removed her garment, and the king saw that beautiful lady, Ganga, almost naked.
स्मितं चकार कामार्तः सा च किञ्चिज्जहास वै । ब्रह्मणा तौ तदा दृष्टौ शप्तौ जातौ वसुन्धराम्
Desire-stricken, he smiled; she too laughed a little. Brahmā saw them both and cursed them, so they were born upon the earth.
वैकुण्ठेऽपि सुराः सर्वे पीडिता दैत्यदानवैः । गत्वा हरिं जगन्नाथमस्तुवन्कमलापतिम्
Even in Vaikuṇṭha, all the gods were afflicted by the demons and giants; they went to Hari, Lord of the Universe, and praised the Lotus-eyed One.
सन्देहो नात्र कर्तव्यः सर्वथा नृपसत्तम । गम्याः सर्वेऽपि लोकाः स्युर्मानवानां नराधिप
O best of kings, there should be no doubt about this: all worlds are accessible to humans, O ruler of men.
अवश्यं कृतपुण्यानां तापसानां नराधिप । पुण्यसद्भाव एवात्र गमने कारणं नृप
Certainly, O king, for those who have performed virtuous deeds and ascetics, the presence of merit is the cause for attaining those worlds.
तथैव यजमानानां यज्ञेन भावितात्मनाम् । जनमेजय उवाच - रेवतो रेवतीं कन्यां गृहीत्वा चारुलोचनाम्
Likewise, for those who perform sacrifices and whose minds are purified by yajña. Janamejaya said: Revata took Revati, his daughter with beautiful eyes.
ब्रह्मलोकं गतः पश्चात्किं कृतं तेने भूभुजा । ब्रह्मणा किं समादिष्टं कस्मै दत्ता सुता पुनः
Afterwards, he went to Brahmaloka; what did that king do there? What did Brahmā command, and to whom was the daughter given again?
तत्सर्वं विस्तराद्बह्मन् कथय त्वं ममाधुना । व्यास उवाच - निशामय महीपाल राजा रेवतकः किल
Tell me all this in detail now, O Brahman. Vyāsa said: Listen, O king, Revataka was the ruler.
पुत्र्या वरं परिप्रष्टुं ब्रह्मलोकं गतो यदा । आवर्तमाने गान्धर्वे स्थितो लब्धक्षणः क्षणम्
When he went to Brahmaloka to ask for a husband for his daughter, he remained for a moment, waiting for an opportunity, as the Gandharva music was playing.
शृण्वन्नतृप्यद्धृष्टात्मा सभायां तु सकन्यकः । समाप्ते तत्र गान्धर्वे प्रणम्य परमेश्वरम्
Hearing it, he was insatiable and bold in spirit, sitting in the assembly with his daughter. When the Gandharva music ended, he bowed to the Supreme Lord.
दर्शयित्वा सुतां तस्मै स्वाभिप्रायं न्यवेदयत् । राजोवाच - वरं कथय देवेश कन्येयं मम पुत्रिका
He showed his daughter to Him and expressed his intention. The king said: Tell me, Lord of gods, whom should I give this daughter of mine to?
देया कस्मै मया ब्रह्मन् प्रष्टुं त्वां समुपागतः । बहवो राजपुत्रा मे वीक्षिताः कुलसम्भवाः
To whom should I give her, O Brahman? I have come to ask you. Many princes of noble lineage have been considered by me.
तदाज्ञापय सर्वज्ञ योग्यं राजसुतं वरम् । कुलीनं बलवन्तं च सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्
Therefore, O all-knowing one, command me regarding the suitable prince, one who is noble, strong, and endowed with all qualities.
दातारं धर्मशीलं च राजपुत्रं समादिश । व्यास उवाच - तदाकर्ण्य जगत्कर्ता वचनं नृपतेस्तदा
Direct me to a prince who is generous and righteous in conduct. Vyāsa said: Hearing the king's words, the Creator of the world then—
तमुवाच हसन्वाक्यं दृष्ट्वा कालस्य पर्ययम् । ब्रह्मोवाच - राजपुत्रास्त्वया राजन् वरा ये हृदये कृताः
He spoke to him with a smile, seeing the passage of time. Brahmā said: O king, the princes whom you had chosen in your heart—
ग्रस्ताः कालेन ते सर्वे सपितृपौत्रबान्धवाः । सप्तविंशतिमोऽद्यैव द्वापरस्तु प्रवर्तते
All of them, along with their fathers, sons, and relatives, have been consumed by time. Today is the twenty-seventh, and the Dvāpara era has begun.
वंशजास्ते मृताः सर्वे पुरी दैत्यैर्विलुण्ठिता । सोमवंशोद्भवस्तत्र राजा राज्यं प्रशास्ति हि
All your descendants have died, and the city has been plundered by demons. There, a king born of the Soma dynasty now rules.
उग्रसेन इति ख्यातो मथुराधिपतिः किल । ययातिवंशसम्भूतो राजा माथुरमण्डले
He is known as Ugrasena, the lord of Mathurā. Born in the lineage of Yayāti, he is the king in the region of Mathurā.
उग्रसेनात्मजः कंसः सुरद्वेषी महाबलः । दैत्यांशः पितरं सोऽपि कारागारं न्यवेशयत्
Ugrasena's son is Kaṃsa, a powerful enemy of the gods, a portion of a demon. He imprisoned his own father.