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.
अद्य पृष्टो मया वह्निः कोऽस्या भर्त्ता भविष्यति । तेनोक्तं दुर्दमो राजा भविताऽस्याः पतिर्ध्रुवम्
Today I asked Agni, 'Who will be her husband?' He replied, 'King Durdama will certainly be her husband.'
तदादत्स्व मया दत्तामिमां कन्यां महीपते । प्रियेत्यामंत्रिता पूर्वं मा विचारं कुरुष्व भोः
Therefore, O King, accept this maiden whom I give to you. She was previously addressed as 'dear'; do not hesitate, O King.
श्रुत्वैतत्सोऽभवत्तूष्णीं चिंतयन्मुनिभाषितम् । वैवाहिकं विधिं तस्य मुनिः कर्तुं समुद्यतः
Hearing this, he became silent, reflecting on the sage's words. The sage prepared to perform the marriage ceremony for him.
अथोद्यतं विवाहाय दृष्ट्वा कन्याऽब्रवीन्मुनिम् । रेवत्यृक्षे विवाहो मे तात कर्तुं त्वमर्हसि
Then, seeing the preparations for marriage, the maiden spoke to the sage: 'Father, you should perform my marriage under the Revati constellation.'
ऋषिरुवाच । वत्से विवाहयोग्यानि सत्यन्यर्क्षाणि भूरिशः । रेवत्यां कथमुद्वाहः पौष्णभं न दिवि स्थितम्
The sage said: '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?'
कन्योवाच। रेवत्यृक्षं विना कालो ममोद्वाहोचितो न हि । अतः संप्रार्थयाम्येतद्विवाहं पौष्णभे कुरु
The maiden said: '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.'
ऋषिरुवाच। ऋतवाङ्मुनिना पूर्वं रेवतीभं निपातितम् । भान्तरे चेन्न ते प्रीतिर्विवाहः स्यात्कथं तव
The sage said: '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?'
कन्योवाच। तपः किं तप्तवानेक ऋतवागेव केवलम् । भवता किं तपो नेदृक्तप्तं वाक्कायमानसः
The maiden said: 'Did Ṛtavāk perform austerities, or was it only his words? Have you not performed such austerity with speech, body, and mind?'
जगत्स्रष्टुं समर्थस्त्वं वेद्म्यहं ते तपोबलम् । रेवत्यृक्षं दिवि स्थाप्य ममोद्वाहं पितः कुरु
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.
ऋषिरुवाच। एवं भवतु भद्रं ते यथैव त्वं ब्रवीषि माम् । त्वत्कृते सोममार्गेऽहं स्थापयाम्यद्य पौष्णभम्
The sage 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.'
स्कन्द उवाच। एवमुक्त्वा मुनिस्तूर्णं पौष्णभं स्वतपोबलात् । यथापूर्वं तथा चक्रे सोममार्गे घटोद्भव
Skanda said: Having spoken thus, the sage swiftly, by his own power of austerity, restored the Puṣya constellation to its former place on the lunar path, O Ghaṭodbhava.
रेवतीनाम्नि नक्षत्रे विवाहविधिना मुनिः । रेवतीं प्रददौ राज्ञे दुर्द्दमाय महात्मने
Under the Revati constellation, the sage gave Revati in marriage, according to the proper rites, to King Durdama, the great-souled one.
कृत्वा विवाहं कन्याया मुनी राजानमब्रवीत् । किं तेऽभिलषितं वीर वद तत्पूरयाम्यहम्
After performing the marriage of his daughter, the sage said to the king: 'O hero, tell me what you desire; I will fulfill it.'
राजोवाच। मनोः स्वायंभुवस्याहं वंशे जातोऽस्मि हे मुने । मन्वन्तराधिपं पुत्रं त्वत्प्रसादाच्च कामये
The king said: '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.'
मुनिरुवाच। यद्येषा कामना तेऽस्ति देव्या आराधनं कुरु । भविष्यत्येव ते पुत्रो मनुर्मन्वंतराधिपः
The sage said: 'If this is your wish, then worship the Goddess. You will surely have a son, a Manu, lord of a Manvantara.'
देवीभागवतं नाम पुराणं यत्तु पंचमम् । पंचकृत्वस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा लप्स्यसे ऽभिमतं सुतम्
'If you hear the fifth Purāṇa, called the Devī Bhāgavata, five times, you will obtain the son you desire.'
रेवत्या रैवतो नाम पंचमो भविता मनुः । वेदविच्छास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञो धर्मवानपराजितः
'Revata's daughter Revati will bear a son named Raivata, the fifth Manu, who will be learned in the Vedas and scriptures, knower of truth, righteous, and unconquered.'
पितृपैतामहं राज्यं चकार स महामतिः । पालयामास धर्मात्मा प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान्
That wise king ruled the kingdom inherited from his father and grandfather, and, being righteous, protected his subjects like his own sons.
एकदा लोमशो नाम महात्मा मुनिरागतः । प्रणिपत्य तमभ्यर्च्य प्रांजलिश्चाब्रवीन्नृपः
Once, a great sage named Lomaśa arrived. The king greeted him with reverence, worshipped him, and, with joined palms, spoke.
राजोवाच। भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन श्रोतुमिच्छामि भो मुने । देवी भागवतं नाम पुराणं पुत्रलिप्सया
The king said: 'O venerable one, by your grace, I wish to hear the Purāṇa called Devī Bhāgavata, desiring a son.'