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.'
श्रुत्वा वाचं प्रजाभर्तुः प्रीतः प्रोवाच लोमशः । धन्योऽसि राजंस्ते भक्तिर्जाता त्रैलोक्यमातरि
Hearing the king's words, Lomaśa, pleased, said: 'You are blessed, O king; devotion to the Mother of the Three Worlds has arisen in you.'
सुरासुरनराराध्या या परा जगदम्बिका । तस्यां चेद्भक्तिरुत्पन्ना कार्यसिद्धिर्भविष्यति
'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.'
अतस्त्वां श्रावयिष्यामि श्रीमद्भागवतं नृप । यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण न किंचिदपि दुर्लभम्
'Therefore, O king, I will recite to you the glorious Bhāgavata. By merely hearing it, nothing is unattainable.'
इत्युक्त्वा सुदिने ब्रह्मन्कथारंभमथाकरोत् । पंचकृत्वः स शुश्राव विधिवद्भार्यया सह
Having said this, on an auspicious day, the sage began the narration. He listened to it five times, properly, together with his wife.
समाप्तिदिवसे राजा पुराणं च मुनिं तथा । पूजयामास धर्मात्मा मुदा परमया युतः
On the day of completion, the righteous king, filled with great joy, worshipped both the Purāṇa and the sage.
हुत्वा नवार्णमंत्रेण भोजयित्वा कुमारिकाः । वाडवांश्च सपत्नीकान्दक्षिणाभिरतोषयत्
He offered oblations with the Navārṇa mantra, fed maidens and married couples, and satisfied them with gifts.
अथ कालेन कियता भगवत्याः प्रसादतः । गर्भं दधार सा राज्ञी लोककल्याणकारकम्
Then, after some time, by the grace of the Goddess, the queen conceived a child destined for the welfare of the world.
पुण्येऽथ समये प्राप्ते ग्रहैः सुस्थानसंगतैः । सर्वमंगलसंपन्ने रेवती सुषुवे सुतम्
When the auspicious time arrived, with the planets in favorable positions and all signs of good fortune present, Revati gave birth to a son.
श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्य जननं स्नात्वा राजा मुदान्वितः । स सुवर्णांभसा चक्रे जातकर्मादिकाः क्रियाः
Hearing of his son's birth, the king, filled with joy, bathed and performed the birth rites with water mixed with gold.
यथाविधि च दानानि दत्त्वा विप्रानतोषयत् । कृतोपनयनं राजा सांगान्वेदानपाठयत्
He duly gave gifts and pleased the Brahmins; after performing the initiation ceremony, he had the complete Vedas taught to his son.