चक्राते च कथां दिव्यां सुपुण्यां पापनाशिनीम् । विष्णुरुवाच- पित्रा तु कुंजलेनापि पृष्ट उज्ज्वल आत्मजः
They began a divine tale, most virtuous and destroyer of sin. Vishnu said: The radiant son was questioned by his father Kunjala.
क्वगतोऽस्यद्य पुत्र त्वं किमपूर्वं त्वया पुनः । तत्र दृष्टं श्रुतं पुण्यं तन्मे कथय नंदन
Where have you gone today, my son? What new thing have you seen? Tell me, Nandana, of any virtuous sights or stories you have encountered.
कुंजलस्य पितुर्वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य स उज्ज्वलः । पितरं प्रत्युवाचाथ भक्त्या नमितकंधरः
Hearing the words of his father Kunjala, Ujjvala, bowing his head in devotion, replied to his father.
प्रणाममकरोन्मूर्ध्ना कथां चक्रे मनोहराम् । उज्ज्वल उवाच- प्लक्षद्वीपं महाभाग नित्यमेव व्रजाम्यहम्
He bowed with his head to the ground and began a delightful tale. Ujjvala said: O greatly fortunate one, I always go to Plaksha-dvipa.
महता उद्यमेनापि आहारार्थं महामते । प्लक्षेद्वीपे महाराज संति देशा अनेकशः
With great effort, O wise one, I go there for food. O great king, there are many regions on Plaksha-dvipa.
पर्वताः सरिदुद्यान वनानि च सरांसि च । ग्रामाश्च पत्तनाश्चान्ये सुप्रजाभिः प्रमोदिताः
There are mountains, rivers, gardens, forests, and lakes; villages and cities filled with happy and virtuous people.
सदा सुखेन संतुष्टा लोका हृष्टा वसंति ते । दानपुण्यजपोपेताः श्रद्धाभावसमन्विताः
The people there always live content and joyful, endowed with charity, virtue, and recitation, and filled with faith and devotion.
प्लक्षद्वीपे महाराज आसीत्पुण्यमतिः सदा । दिवोदासस्तु धर्मात्मा तत्सुतासीदनूपमा
O great king, on Plaksha-dvipa there was always a virtuous-minded man named Divodasa, righteous in soul, and his daughter was Anupama.
गुणरूपसमायुक्ता सुशीला चारुमंगला । दिव्यादेवीति विख्याता रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि
She was endowed with virtue and beauty, of good character and auspicious charm, renowned as Divyadevi, unmatched in beauty on earth.
पित्रा विलोकिता सा तु रूपतारुण्यमंगला । प्रथमे वयसि सा च वर्त्तते चारुमंगला
Her father beheld her, radiant in beauty, youth, and auspiciousness; she was in the prime of her youth, full of charm and grace.
स तां दृष्ट्वा दिवोदासो दिव्यां देवीं सुतां तदा । कस्मै प्रदीयते कन्या सुवराय महात्मने
Seeing his divine daughter Divyadevi, Divodasa wondered: To which worthy and noble soul should this maiden be given?
इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा समालोक्य नरोत्तमः । रूपदेशस्य राजानं समालोक्य महीपतिः
Absorbed in such thoughts, the best of men, the king, looked upon the king of the region of beauty.
चित्रसेनं महात्मानं समाहूय नरोत्तमः । कन्यां ददौ महात्मासौ चित्रसेनाय धीमते
He summoned the noble Citraseṇa, the best of men, and gave his daughter to that wise and noble soul.
तस्या विवाहकाले तु संप्राप्ते समये नृप । मृतोसौ चित्रसेनस्तु कालधर्मेण वै किल
But when the time for her wedding arrived, O king, Citraseṇa died, indeed, by the law of time.
दिवोदासस्तु धर्मात्मा चिंतयामास भूपतिः । सुब्राह्मणान्समाहूय पप्रच्छ नृपनंदनः
The righteous king Divodasa then pondered, and, having summoned the excellent Brahmins, questioned them, O delight of kings.
अस्या विवाहकाले तु चित्रसेनो दिवं गतः । अस्यास्तु कीदृशं कर्म भविष्यति वदंतु मे
At the time of her wedding, Citraseṇa went to heaven. Tell me, what will be the fate of this maiden?
ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः- विवाहो दृश्यते राजन्कन्यायास्तु विधानतः । पतिर्मृत्युं प्रयात्यस्या नोचेत्संगं करोति च
The Brahmins said: O king, the marriage is seen as completed for the maiden according to the rite; but her husband dies and does not unite with her.
महाधिव्याधिना ग्रस्तस्त्यागं कृत्वा प्रयाति च । प्रव्राजितो भवेद्राजन्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते
Afflicted by a great and divine illness, he departs after renouncing her; in the scriptures, O king, it is seen that he becomes a renunciant.
अनुद्वाहितायाः कन्याया उद्वाहः क्रियते बुधैः । न स्याद्रजस्वला यावदन्यः पतिर्विधीयते
Wise men perform the marriage of a maiden who has not been previously married; she does not become menstruous until another husband is appointed.
विवाहं तु विधानेन पिता कुर्यान्न संशयः । एवं राजन्समादिष्टं धर्मशास्त्रं बुधैर्जनैः
The father should arrange the marriage according to prescribed rites, without doubt; thus, O King, the law has been instructed by learned people.
विवाहः क्रियतामस्या इत्यूचुस्ते द्विजोत्तमाः । दिवोदासस्तु धर्मात्मा द्विजवाक्यप्रणोदितः
Let the marriage be performed for her—so spoke the foremost Brahmins; and Divodāsa, righteous in nature, was prompted by their words.
विवाहार्थं महाराज उद्यमं कृतवान्नृप । पुनर्दत्ता तु दानेन दिव्यादेवी द्विजोत्तम
For the purpose of marriage, O great King, the ruler made preparations; and again, by giving her as a gift, the divine lady was bestowed by the foremost Brahmin.
रूपसेनाय पुण्याय तस्मै राज्ञे महात्मने । मृत्युधर्मं गतो राजा विवाहे तु महीपतिः
To Rūpasena, the virtuous and noble king, she was given; but the king, having reached the law of death, died during the marriage.
यदा यदा महाभाग दिव्यादेव्याश्च भूपतिः । भर्ता च म्रियते काले प्राप्ते लग्नस्य सर्वदा
Whenever, O most fortunate one, the husband of Divyādevī, the king, died at the time of the marriage, each and every time.
एकविंशतिभर्तारः काले काले मृताः पितः । ततो राजा महादुःखी संजातः ख्यातविक्रमः
Twenty-one husbands died, one after another, O father; then the king, renowned for his valor, became greatly distressed.
समालोच्य समाहूय समामंत्र्य स मंत्रिभिः । स्वयंवरे महाबुद्धिं चकार पृथिवीपतिः
Having deliberated, summoned, and consulted with his ministers, the wise ruler organized a svayaṃvara.
प्लक्षद्वीपस्य राजानः समाहूता महात्मना । स्वयंवरार्थमाहूतास्तथा ते धर्मतत्पराः
The kings of Plakṣadvīpa were summoned by the great-souled one; they were invited for the svayaṃvara, and were devoted to righteousness.
तस्यास्तु रूपसंमुग्धा राजानो मृत्युनोदिताः । संग्रामं चक्रिरे मूढास्ते मृताः समरांगणे
Captivated by her beauty, the kings, driven by death, fought among themselves, foolishly, and were slain on the battlefield.
एवं तात क्षयो जातः क्षत्रियाणां महात्मनाम् । दिव्यादेवी सुदुःखार्ता गता सा वनकंदरम्
Thus, O father, destruction befell the noble Kṣatriyas; Divyādevī, overwhelmed by great sorrow, went to the forest cave.
रुरोद करुणं बाला दिव्यादेवी मनस्विनी । एवं तात मया दृष्टमपूर्वं तत्र वै तदा
The young and wise Divyādevī wept bitterly; thus, O father, I witnessed there something unprecedented at that time.