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.
सर्वविद्यानिधिर्जातौ धर्मिष्ठोऽस्त्रविदां वरः । धर्मस्य वक्ता कर्त्ता च रैवतो नाम वीर्यवान्
Raivata, born as the repository of all knowledge, righteous, foremost among masters of weapons, speaker and doer of dharma, and powerful, was his name.
नियुक्तवानथ ब्रह्मा रैवतं मानवे पदे । मन्वन्तराधिपः श्रीमान्गां शशास स धर्मतः
Then Brahma appointed Raivata to the position of Manu; as the illustrious ruler of the Manvantara, he governed righteously.
इत्थं देव्याः प्रभावोऽयं संक्षेपेणोपवर्णितः । पुराणस्य च माहात्म्यं को वक्तुं विस्तरात्क्षमः
Thus, the power of the Goddess has been briefly described; who is capable of narrating the greatness of the Purana in full detail?
सूत उवाच। कुंभयोनिस्तु माहात्म्यं विधिं भागवतस्य च । श्रुत्वा कुमारं चाभ्यर्च्य स्वाश्रमं पुनराययौ
Suta said: Having heard the greatness and procedure of the Bhagavata from the womb-born one, and having worshipped Kumara, he returned again to his own hermitage.
इदं मया भागवतस्य विप्रा माहात्म्यमुक्तं भवतां समक्षम् । शृणोति भक्त्या पठतीह भोगान्भुक्त्वाऽखिलान्मुक्तिमुपैति चांते
O Brahmins, I have spoken to you the greatness of the Bhagavata; whoever listens or recites it here with devotion, after enjoying all pleasures, attains liberation at the end.
अथ पञ्चमोऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः। सूत सूत महाभाग श्रुतं माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामः पुराणश्रवणे विधिम्
The sages said: O Suta, O most fortunate one, we have heard the supreme greatness; now we wish to hear the procedure for listening to the Purana.
सूत उवाच। श्रूयतां मुनयः सर्वे पुराणश्रवणे विधिम् । नराणां शृण्वतां येन सिद्धिः स्यात्सार्वकामिकी
Suta said: Listen, O sages, to the procedure for hearing the Purana, by which those who listen attain fulfillment of all desires.
आदौ दैवज्ञमाहूय मुहूर्तं कल्पयेत्सुधीः । आरभ्य शुचिमासं तु मासषट्कं शुभावहम्
First, summon an astrologer and determine an auspicious time; beginning in a pure month, let it continue for six months, bringing auspiciousness.
हस्ताश्विमूलपुष्यर्क्षे ब्रह्ममैत्रेन्दुवैष्णवे । सत्तिथौ शुभवारे च पुराणश्रवणं शुभम्
Under the stars Hasta, Ashwini, Mula, Pushya, Brahma, Maitra, Indu, and Vaishnava, on auspicious days and times, the hearing of the Purana is auspicious.
गुरुभाद्वेद४वेदा४ब्ज१शरां५गा६ब्धि४गुणैः४क्रमात् । धर्माप्तिरिन्दिराप्राप्तिः कथासिद्धिः परं सुखम्
By the qualities of Guru, Bhadra, Veda, Abja, Sharanga, Abhidhiguṇa, in sequence, one attains dharma, prosperity, success in the narrative, and supreme happiness.