श्रुत्वा वाणीं परमविशदां व्योमजां श्रोत्ररम्यां सर्वेषां वै प्रकृतिविषये भक्तिभावश्च जातः । चक्रुः सर्वे द्विजमुनिगणाः पूजनं भक्तियुक्ता- स्तस्याः कामं निखिलफलदं चागमोक्तं मुनीन्द्राः
Having heard that supremely clear, celestial, and delightful voice, devotion arose in all regarding the Primal Nature; and all the twice-born sages, filled with devotion, performed worship of Her as prescribed in the scriptures, which bestows all desired fruits.
युधाजिद्वीरसेनयोर्युद्धार्थं सज्जीभवनम् जनमेजय उवाच श्रुतो वै हरिणा क्लृप्तो यज्ञो विस्तरतो द्विज । महिमानं तथाम्बाया वद विस्तरतो मम
Janamejaya said: O twice-born, I have heard in detail of the sacrifice performed by Hari and also of the glory of the Mother. Tell me of it in detail.
श्रुत्वा देव्याश्चरित्रं वै कुर्वे मखमनुत्तमम् । प्रसादात्तव विप्रेन्द्र भविष्यामि च पावनः
Having heard the deeds of the Goddess, I shall perform an excellent sacrifice; by your grace, O best of Brahmins, I too shall become purified.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि देव्याश्चरितमुत्तमम् । इतिहासं पुराणञ्च कथयामि सुविस्तरम्
Vyasa said: Listen, O King, I shall recount the supreme deeds of the Goddess; I will narrate the ancient history and Purana in full detail.
कोसलेषु नृपश्रेष्ठः सूर्यवंशसमुद्भवः । पुष्यपुत्रो महातेजा ध्रुवसन्धिरिति स्मृतः
In Kosala there was a foremost king, born of the Solar dynasty, the illustrious son of Pushya, known as Dhruvasandhi.
धर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धश्च वर्णाश्रमहिते रतः । अयोध्यायां समृद्धायां राज्यं चक्रे शुचिव्रतः
Righteous and true to his word, devoted to the welfare of the social orders and stages of life, he ruled the prosperous city of Ayodhya, observing pure vows.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चान्ये तथा द्विजाः । स्वां स्वां वृत्तिं समास्थाय तद्राज्ये धर्मतोऽभवन्
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and other twice-born, each engaged in their own proper duties, lived righteously in his kingdom.
न चौराः पिशुना धूर्तास्तस्य राज्ये च कुत्रचित् । दम्भाः कृतघ्ना मूर्खाश्च वसन्ति किल मानवाः
In his realm, there were no thieves, slanderers, or cheats anywhere; it is said that deceitful, ungrateful, or foolish people did not dwell among men.
एवं वै वर्तमानस्य नृपस्य कुरुसत्तम । द्वे पत्न्यौ रूपसम्पन्ने ह्यासतुः कामभोगदे
Thus, while that king was ruling, O best of Kurus, he had two wives, both endowed with beauty and bestowers of pleasure.
मनोरमा धर्मपत्नी सुरूपाऽतिविचक्षणा । लीलावती द्वितीया च साऽपि रूपगुणान्विता
Manorama, the chief wife, was beautiful and exceedingly wise; Lilavati, the second, was also endowed with beauty and virtues.
विजहार सपत्नीभ्यां गृहेषूपवनेषु च । क्रीडागिरौ दीर्घिकासु सौधेषु विविधेषु च
He sported with both wives in the palaces, gardens, pleasure hills, ponds, and various mansions.
मनोरमा शुभे काले सुषुवे पुत्रमुत्तमम् । सुदर्शनाभिधं पुत्रं राजलक्षणसंयुतम्
At an auspicious time, Manorama gave birth to an excellent son, named Sudarshana, endowed with royal marks.
लीलावत्यपि तत्पत्नी मासेनैकेन भामिनी । सुषुवे सुन्दरं पुत्रं शुभे पक्षे दिने तथा
Lilavati, his other wife, also gave birth to a handsome son within a month, on an auspicious day in a bright fortnight.
चकार नृपतिस्तत्र जातकर्मादिकं द्वयोः । ददौ दानानि विप्रेभ्यः पुत्रजन्मप्रमोदितः
The king performed the birth rites and other ceremonies for both, and, delighted at the birth of his sons, gave gifts to the Brahmins.
प्रीतिं तयोः समां राजा चकार सुतयोर्नृप । नृपश्चकार सौहार्देष्वन्तरं न कदाचन
The king showed equal affection to both his sons, and never made any distinction between them in his heart.
चूडाकर्म तयोश्चक्रे विधिना नृपसत्तमः । यथाविभवमेवासौ प्रीतियुक्तः परन्तपः
The best of kings performed the cūḍā-karma ceremony for both of them according to proper rites, with affection and in a manner befitting his wealth.
कृतचूडौ सुतौ कामं जह्रतुर्नृपतेर्मनः । क्रीडमानावुभौ कान्तौ लोकानामनुरञ्जकौ
With their hair-tonsure ceremony completed, the two handsome sons delighted the king’s heart as they played together, charming all the people.
तयोः सुदर्शनो ज्येष्ठो लीलावत्याः सुतः शुभः । शत्रुजित्संज्ञकः कामं चाटुवाक्यो बभूव ह
Of the two, the elder was Sudarśana, the auspicious son of Līlāvatī, who was called Śatrujit and was sweet-spoken by nature.
नृपतेः प्रीतिजनको मञ्जुवाक्चारुदर्शनः । प्रजानां वल्लभः सोऽभूत्तथा मन्त्रिजनस्य वै
He, pleasing to the king, gentle in speech and beautiful in appearance, became beloved of the people and also of the ministers.
तथा तस्मिन्नृपः प्रीतिञ्चकार गुणयोगतः । मन्दभाग्यान्मन्दभावो न तथा वै सुदर्शने
Thus, the king showed affection to him because of his virtues, but not so much to Mandabhāga, who was of lesser fortune and disposition.
एवं गच्छति काले तु ध्रुवसन्धिर्नृपोत्तमः । जगाम वनमध्येऽसौ मृगयाभिरतः सदा
As time passed in this way, King Dhruvasandhi, ever fond of hunting, went into the forest.
निघ्नन्मृगान् रुरून्कम्बून्सूकरान्गवयाञ्छशान् । महिषाञ्छरभान्खड्गांश्चिक्रीड नृपतिर्वने
There, the king sported in the forest, killing deer, antelopes, boars, wild oxen, hares, buffaloes, sarabhas, and rhinoceroses.
क्रीडमाने नृपे तत्र वने घोरेऽतिदारुणे । उदतिष्ठन्निकुञ्जात्तु सिंहः परमकोपनः
While the king was thus sporting in that dreadful and terrifying forest, a very enraged lion emerged from a thicket.
राज्ञा शिलीमुखेनादौ विद्धः क्रोधवशं गतः । दृष्ट्वाग्रे नृपतिं सिंहो ननाद मेघनिःस्वनः
Struck first by the king’s arrow and overcome by anger, the lion, seeing the king before him, roared with a sound like thunder.
कृत्वा चोर्ध्वं स लाङ्गूलं प्रसारितबृहत्सटः । हन्तुं नृपतिमाकाशादुत्पपातातिकोपनः
Raising its tail and spreading its great mane, the furious lion leapt from the sky, intent on killing the king.
नृपतिस्तरसा वीक्ष्य दधारासिं करे तदा । वामे चर्म समादाय स्थितः सिंह इवापरः
Seeing this, the king swiftly took up his sword in his hand and, taking his shield in his left, stood firm like another lion.
सेवकास्तस्य ये सर्वे तेऽपि बाणान्पृथक्पृथक् । अमुञ्चन्कुपिताः कामं सिंहोपरि रुषान्विताः
All his attendants, filled with anger, also shot arrows separately at the lion, enraged as they were.
हाहाकारो महानासीत्सम्प्रहारश्च दारुणः । उत्पपात ततः सिंहो नृपस्योपरि दारुणः
A great outcry arose, and a fierce battle took place; then the dreadful lion leapt upon the king.
तं पतन्तं समालोक्य खड्गेनाभ्यहनन्नृपः । सोऽपि क्रूरैर्नखाग्रैश्च तत्रागत्य विदारितः
Seeing the lion falling upon him, the king struck with his sword, but the lion, coming near, tore him with its cruel claws.
स नखैराहतो राजा पपात च ममार वै । चुक्रुशुः सैनिकास्ते तु निर्जघ्नुर्विशिखैस्तदा
Struck by the lion’s claws, the king fell and died; the soldiers cried out and then killed the lion with arrows.