तेजोमयी दुराधर्षा सर्वदेवमयीश्वरी । उवाचाङ्गतनूजं तं प्रसन्ना ललिताक्षरम्
Radiant, unassailable, the sovereign of all the gods, she spoke graciously in gentle words to the son of Aṅga.
देव्युवाच पृथिवीपाल ते यत्स्याच्चिन्तितं परमं वरम् । तद् ब्रूहि सम्प्रदास्यामि तपसा ते सुतोषिता
The Goddess said: O protector of the earth, whatever supreme boon you have in mind, speak it; pleased by your austerity, I shall grant it.
चाक्षुष उवाच जानासि देवदेवेशि यत्प्रार्थ्यं मनसेप्सितम् । अन्तर्यामिस्वरूपेण तत्सर्वं देवपूजिते
Cākṣuṣa said: O Goddess, Lord of the gods, you know whatever is desired in the mind and sought for; you, worshipped by the gods, know all this through your form as the indwelling controller.
तथापि मम भाग्येन जातं यत्तव दर्शनम् । ब्रवीमि देवि मे देहि राज्यं मन्वन्तराश्रितम्
Yet, by my good fortune, your vision has appeared to me; therefore, O Goddess, I speak—grant me the kingdom for the duration of a manvantara.
देव्युवाच दत्तं मन्वन्तरस्यास्य राज्यं राजन्यसत्तम । पुत्रा महाबलास्ते च भविष्यन्ति गुणाधिकाः
The Goddess said: The kingdom of this manvantara is granted to you, O best of kings; your sons will be mighty and endowed with great virtues.
राज्यं निष्कण्टकं भावि मोक्षोऽन्ते चापि निश्चितः । एवं दत्त्वा परं देवी मनवे वरमुत्तमम्
Your kingdom will be free from obstacles, and liberation at the end is certain; thus, having granted this supreme boon to Manu, the Goddess—
जगामादर्शनं सद्यस्तेन भक्त्या च संस्तुता । सोऽपि राजा मनुः षष्ठः प्रसादात्तु तदाश्रयात्
—at once became invisible, praised with devotion; and that king Manu, the sixth, by her grace and refuge—
बभूव मनुमान्योऽसौ सार्वभौमसुखैर्वृतः । पुत्रास्तस्य बलोद्युक्ताः कार्यभारसहादृताः
—became honored as Manu, surrounded by all the enjoyments of a universal monarch; his sons were powerful, ready for action, and capable of bearing responsibilities.
देवीभक्ताश्च शूराश्च महाबलपराक्रमाः । अन्यत्र माननीयाश्च महाराज्यसुखास्पदाः
They were devoted to the Goddess, heroic, and possessed of great strength and valor; elsewhere, they were respected and sources of the happiness of a great kingdom.
एवं च चाक्षुषमनुर्देव्याराधनतः प्रभुः । बभूव मनुवर्योऽसौ जगामान्ते शिवापदम्
Thus, Cākṣuṣa Manu, through worship of the Goddess, became a distinguished Manu; at the end, he attained the auspicious state of liberation.
सुरथनृपतिवृमत्तवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच सप्तमो मनुराख्यातो मनुर्वैवस्वतः प्रभुः । श्राद्धदेवः परानन्दभोक्ता मान्यस्तु भूभुजाम्
Description of King Suratha's Boon. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: The seventh Manu is known as Vaivasvata Manu, the lord; Śrāddhadeva, enjoyer of supreme bliss, honored among kings.
स च वैवस्वतमनुः परदेव्याः प्रसादतः । तथा तत्तपसा चैव जातो मन्वन्तराधिपः
And this Vaivasvata Manu, by the grace of the Supreme Goddess and through his austerity, became the ruler of the manvantara.
अष्टमो मनुराख्यातः सावर्णिः प्रथितः क्षितौ । स जन्मान्तर आराध्य देवीं तद्वरलाभतः
The eighth Manu is called Sāvarṇi, renowned on earth; in a previous birth, he worshipped the Goddess and obtained her boon.
जातो मन्वन्तरपतिः सर्वराजन्यपूजितः । महापराक्रमी धीरो देवीभक्तिपरायणः
He was born as the lord of the manvantara, honored by all kings, of great valor and courage, devoted to the worship of the Goddess.
नारद उवाव कथं जन्मान्तरे तेन मनुनाराधनं कृतम् । देव्याः पृथिव्युद्भवायास्तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि
Nārada said: How did he, in a previous birth, worship the Goddess for the sake of becoming Manu? Please tell me this, O you who are worthy to relate it.
श्रीनारायण उवाच चैत्रवंशसमुद्भूतो राजा स्वारोचिषेऽन्तरे । सुरथो नाम विख्यातो महाबलपराक्रमः
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Born in the lineage of Caitra during the Svārociṣa manvantara, there was a king named Suratha, famed for his great strength and valor.
गुणग्राही धनुर्धारी मान्यः श्रेष्ठः कविः कृती । धनसंग्रहकर्ता च दाता याचकमण्डले
He was appreciative of virtues, an archer, honored, the best among poets, accomplished, a gatherer of wealth, and a giver to those who asked.
अरीणां मर्दनो मानी सर्वास्त्रकुशलो बली । तस्यैकदा बभूवुस्ते कोलाविध्वंसिनो नृपाः
He was a crusher of enemies, proud, skilled in all weapons, and strong; but once, there arose against him kings who destroyed his clan.
शत्रवः सैन्यसहिताः परिवार्येनमूर्जिताः । रुरुधुर्नगरीं तस्य राज्ञो मानधनस्य हि
His enemies, together with their armies, surrounded him with force and besieged the city of that king, proud of his honor and wealth.
तदा स सुरथो नाम राजा सैन्यसमावृतः । निर्ययौ नगरात्स्वीयात्सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणः
Then King Suratha, surrounded by his army, went out from his own city, determined to destroy all his enemies.
तदा स समरे राजा सुरथः शत्रुभिर्जितः । अमात्यैर्मन्त्रिभिश्चैव तस्य कोशगतं धनम्
Then, in battle, King Suratha was defeated by his enemies; his ministers and counselors took all the wealth from his treasury.
हृतं सर्वमशेषेण तदातप्यत भूमिपः । निष्कासितश्च नगरात्स राजा परमद्युतिः
All his riches were completely seized, and the king, radiant in splendor, was expelled from his city.
जगामाश्वमथारुह्य मृगयामिषतो वनम् । एकाकी विजनेऽरण्ये बभ्रामोद्भ्रान्तमानसः
Mounting his horse, he went into the forest, seeking game; alone in the desolate wilderness, he wandered, his mind disturbed.
मुनेः कस्यचिदागत्य स्वाश्रमं शान्तमानसः । प्रशान्तजन्तुसंयुक्तं मुनिशिष्यगणैर्युतम्
Coming to the peaceful hermitage of a certain sage, filled with tranquil creatures and surrounded by groups of the sage’s disciples, he arrived.
उवास कञ्चित्कालं स राजा परमशोभने । आश्रमे मुनिवर्यस्य दीर्घदृष्टेः सुमेधसः
That king of great splendor stayed for some time in the hermitage of the eminent sage Sumedhas, who possessed far-reaching vision.
एकदा स महीपालो मुनिं पूजावसानके । काले गत्वा प्रणम्याशु पप्रच्छ विनयान्वितः
One day, the king approached the sage at the end of his worship, bowed quickly, and respectfully asked him a question.
मुने मम मनोदुःखं बाधते चाधिसम्भवम् । ज्ञाततत्त्वस्य भूदेव निष्प्रज्ञस्य च सन्ततम्
O sage, sorrow arising in my mind troubles me constantly, even though I know the truth and have no heirs, O lord of the earth.
शत्रुभिर्निर्जितस्यापि हृतराज्यस्य सर्वशः । तथापि तेषु मनसि ममत्वं जायते स्फुटम्
Even though I have been conquered by enemies and my entire kingdom has been taken, still, attachment to them arises clearly in my mind.
किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि कथं शर्म लभे मुने । त्वदनुग्रहमाशासे वद वेदविदां वर
What should I do? Where should I go? How can I find peace, O sage? I seek your grace—tell me, best of those who know the Vedas.
मुनिरुवाच आकर्णय महीपाल महाश्चर्यकरं परम् । देवीमाहात्म्यमतुलं सर्वकामप्रदं परम्
The sage said: Listen, O king, to the supreme and wondrous account, the incomparable greatness of the Goddess, who grants all desires.