एतन्निशम्य वचनं गर्गाचार्यो मुनेस्तदा । विचार्य सर्वं तद्धेतुं ज्योतिर्विद्वाचमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, the sage Garga, after considering everything, spoke the cause according to the science of astrology.
गर्ग उवाच। मुने नैवापराधस्ते न मातुर्न कुलस्य च । रेवत्यंतं तु गण्डान्तं पुत्रदौःशील्यकारणम्
Garga said: O sage, neither you nor your wife nor your family is at fault; the cause of your son's wickedness lies in the unfavorable period of Revati.
दुष्टे काले यतो जन्म पुत्रस्य तव भो मुने । तेनैव तव दुःखाय नान्यो हेतुर्मनागपि
Because your son was born at an inauspicious time, O sage, it is for this reason alone that you suffer; there is no other cause, not even a little.
तद्दुःखशांतये ब्रह्मञ्जगतां मातरं शिवाम् । समाराधय यत्नेन दुर्गां दुर्गतिनाशिनीम्
To bring an end to this suffering, O Brahmin, worship with effort the auspicious Mother of the worlds, Durgā, the destroyer of misfortune.
गर्गस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋतवाक् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । रेवतीं तु शशापासौ व्योम्नः पततु रेवती
Hearing Garga's words, Ṛtavāk, overcome with anger, cursed Revatī: 'Let Revatī fall from the sky!'
दत्ते शापे तु तेनाथ पूष्णो भं च पपात खात् । कुमुदाद्रौ भासमानं सर्वलोकस्य पश्यतः
When he uttered this curse, the star of Pūṣā also fell from the sky, shining on Mount Kumuda before the eyes of all the worlds.
ख्यातो रैवतकश्चाभूत्तत्पातात्कुमुदाचल: । अतीव रमणीयश्च ततः प्रभृति सोऽप्यभूत्
Thus, Raivataka became renowned, and from his fall, Kumuda Mountain arose; from that time onward, it too became exceedingly beautiful.
दत्त्वा शापं च रेवत्यै गर्गोक्तविधिना मुनिः । समाराध्यांबिकां देवीं सुखसौभाग्यभागभूत्
Having pronounced a curse upon Revati, the sage, following Garga’s instructions, worshipped the Goddess Ambika and attained happiness and good fortune.
स्कन्द उवाच। रेवत्यृक्षस्य यत्तेजस्तस्माज्जाता तु कन्यका । रूपेणाप्रतिमा लोके द्वितीया श्रीरिवाभवत्
Skanda said: From the radiance of Revata’s constellation, a maiden was born, unparalleled in beauty in the world, appearing as if she were a second goddess of fortune.
अथ तां प्रमुचः कन्यां रेवतीकांतिसंभवाम् । दृष्ट्वा नाम चकारास्या रेवतीति मुदा मुनिः
Then, seeing that maiden, radiant with Revati’s splendor, the sage joyfully named her Revati.
निन्येऽथ स्वाश्रमे चैनां पोषयामास धर्मतः । ब्रह्मर्षिः प्रमुचो नाम कुमुदाद्रौ सुतामिव
Thereafter, the great sage Pramucha raised her righteously in his own hermitage, as if she were his own daughter, on Kumuda Mountain.
अथ कालेन च प्रौढां दृष्ट्वा तां रूपशालिनीम् । स मुनिश्चिन्तयामास कोऽस्या योग्यो वरो भवेत्
Then, as she matured and became endowed with beauty, the sage began to ponder who would be a suitable husband for her.
बहुधाऽन्वेषयंस्तस्या नाससादोचितं पतिम् । ततोग्निशालां संविश्य मुनिस्तुष्टाव पावकम्
Though he searched in many ways, he could not find a worthy husband for her; so, entering the fire-sanctuary, the sage praised Agni.
कन्यावरं तदाशंसत्प्रीतस्तमपि हव्यवाट् । धर्मिष्ठो बलवान्वीरः प्रियवागपराजितः
Then, pleased, the fire-god granted the maiden a boon: her husband would be righteous, strong, heroic, eloquent, and unconquered in speech.
दुर्दमो भविता भर्ता मुनेऽस्याः पृथिवीपतिः । इति श्रुत्वा वचो वह्नेः प्रसन्नोभून्मुनिस्तदा
He will be Durdama, a king, difficult to subdue, and her husband—so spoke Agni; hearing this, the sage was gladdened.
दैवादाखेटकव्याजात्तत्क्षणादागतो नृपः । दुर्दमो नाम मेधावी तस्याश्रमपदं मुनेः
By divine arrangement, at that very moment, a king named Durdama, wise and intelligent, arrived at the sage’s hermitage under the pretext of hunting.
पुत्रो विक्रमशीलस्य बलवान् वीर्यवत्तरः । कालिन्दीजठरे जातः प्रियव्रतकुलोद्भवः
He was the son of Vikramashila, powerful and full of valor, born in the womb of Kalindi, and descended from the lineage of Priyavrata.
मुनेराश्रममाविश्य तमदृष्वातक महामुनिम् । आमंत्र्य तां प्रिये चेति रेवतीं पृष्टवान्नृपः
Entering the sage’s hermitage and not seeing the great sage, the king greeted Revati and asked her affectionately,
राजोवाच। महर्षिर्भगवानस्मादाश्रमात्व्त गतः प्रिये । तत्पादौ द्रष्टुमिच्छामि वद कल्याणि तत्त्वतः
The king said: O beloved, the venerable sage has left the hermitage; I wish to see his feet. Tell me truly, O auspicious one, where he has gone.
कन्योवाच। अग्निशालामुपगतो महाराज महामुनिः । निश्चक्रामाश्रमात्तूर्णं राजाप्याकर्ण्य तद्वचः
The maiden said: O great king, the great sage has gone to the fire-sanctuary. Hearing her words, the king quickly departed from the hermitage.
तथाऽग्निशालाद्वारस्थं राजानं दुर्दमं मुनिः । राजलक्षणसंयुक्तमपश्यत्प्रश्रयानतम्
Thus, standing at the doorway of the fire-sanctuary, the sage saw King Durdama, adorned with royal marks and humbly bowing.
प्रणनाम च तं राजा मुनिः शिष्यमुवाच ह । गौतमानीयतामर्घ्यमर्घ्ययोग्योऽस्ति भूपतिः
The king bowed to him, and the sage said to his disciple: Gautama, bring the arghya; this king is worthy of the welcoming offering.
आगतश्चिरकालेन जामातेति विशेषतः । इत्युक्त्वार्घ्यं ददौ तस्मै सोपि जग्राह चिन्तयन्
He has come after a long time, especially as a prospective son-in-law. Saying this, he offered the arghya, which the king accepted thoughtfully.
मुनिरासनमासीनं गृहीतार्घ्यं च भूपतिम् । आशीर्भिरभिनंद्याथ कुशलं चाप्यपृच्छत
The sage then honored the king, who had received the arghya and was seated, with blessings and inquired about his well-being.
अपि तेऽनामयं राजन्बले कोशे सुहृत्सु च । भृत्येऽमात्ये पुरे देशे तथात्मनि जनाधिप
O King, is everything well with your army, treasury, friends, servants, ministers, city, country, and with yourself?
भार्याऽस्ति ते कुशलिनी यतः सात्रैव तिष्ठति । अतो न पृच्छाम्यस्यास्ते चान्यासां कुशलं वद ॥ राजोवाच। भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन सर्वत्रानामयं मम । एतत्कुतूहलं ब्रह्मन्मद्भार्या काsत्र विद्यते
Your wife is well, for she is here itself; therefore I do not ask about her. Tell me about the welfare of your other wives. The King said: O venerable one, by your grace, all is well with me everywhere. But, O Brahmin, I am curious—which of my wives is here?
ऋषिरुवाच। रेवती नाम ते भार्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि । विद्यतेsत्र कथं पत्नी तां न वेत्सि महीपते
The sage said: Your wife named Revati, unrivaled in beauty on earth, is here. O King, how is it that you do not know your own wife?
राजोवाच। सुभद्राद्यास्तु या भार्या मम सन्ति गृहे विभो । जानामि तास्तु भगवन्न वै जानामि रेवतीम्
The King said: O lord, I know all my wives, such as Subhadra and the others, who are in my house, but I do not know Revati.
ऋषिरुवाच। प्रियेति सांप्रतं राजंस्त्वयोक्ता या महामते । सा विस्मृता क्षणादेव या ते श्लाघ्यतमा प्रिया ॥ राजोवाच। त्वयोक्तं यन्मृषा तन्नो तथैवामन्त्रिता मया । मुने दुष्टो न मे भावः कोपं मा कर्तुमर्हसि
The sage said: O wise King, the one whom you just now called 'dear' has been forgotten by you in a moment, though she was your most cherished beloved. The King said: What you said is not false; I addressed her just as you did. O sage, my mind is not wicked; you should not be angry.
ऋषिरुवाच। राजन्नुक्तं त्वया सत्यं न भावो दूषितस्तव । वह्निना प्रेरितेनेत्थं भवता 'व्याहृतं वचः
The sage said: O King, what you have said is true; your mind is not corrupted. By the prompting of Agni, such unspoken words came from you.