गुणरूपसमायुक्ता सुशीला चारुमंगला । दिव्यादेवीति विख्याता रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि ३७ (द्र. पद्मपुराण [https://sa.wikisource.org/s/fwm भूमिखण्ड, अध्यायः ८५.५४])। पित्रा त्वालोकिता सा तु रूपलावण्यसंयुता । स तां दृष्ट्वा दिवोदासो दिव्यां देवीं सुतां तदा
Endowed with virtues and beauty, of noble character and auspicious, she was famed as Divyādevī, unrivaled in beauty on earth.
कस्मै च दीयते कन्या सुवराय महात्मने । इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा समालोक्य नरोत्तमः
Her father beheld her, endowed with beauty and charm; seeing his divine daughter Divyādevī, Divodāsa then wondered:
रूपदेशस्य राजानं सम्यग्ज्ञात्वा महीपतिः । चित्रसेनं महात्मानं समाहूय ततो नृपः
Knowing well the king of that region, the wise king summoned the great-souled Citraseṇa.
कन्यां ददौ दिवोदासश्चित्रसेनाय धीमते । तस्या विवाहकालस्य संप्राप्ते समये नृप
Divodāsa gave his daughter to the intelligent Citraseṇa; when the time for her marriage arrived, O king,
मृतोऽसौ चित्रसेनस्तु कालधर्मेण वै किल । दिवोदासश्च धर्मात्मा चिंतयामास भूपतिः
Citraseṇa died, indeed, by the law of time; and Divodāsa, righteous king, began to ponder.
ब्राह्मणांश्च समाहूय पप्रच्छ नृपनंदन । अस्या विवाहकाले तु चित्रसेनो दिवं गतः
Summoning the brāhmaṇas, the king’s son asked them: 'At the time of her marriage, Citraseṇa has gone to heaven.'
अस्यास्तु कीदृशं कर्म भविष्यति ब्रुवंतु मे । ब्राह्मण उवाच-। विवाहो जायते राजन्कन्यायास्तु विधानतः
'What should be done in her case? Tell me,' he said. The brāhmaṇa spoke: 'Marriage is to be performed for the maiden according to ordinance.'
पतिर्मृत्युं प्रयात्येव यो वा त्यागं करोति च । महाधिव्याधिना भीतस्त्यागं कृत्वा प्रयाति च
'If the husband dies, or abandons her, or departs out of fear of great disease, having renounced, he goes away.'
प्रव्राजितो भवेद्राजन्धर्मशास्त्रेषु दृश्यते । तस्यां रजस्वलायां च अन्यः पतिर्विधीयते
'If he becomes a renunciant, O king, as seen in the scriptures of dharma, and if she is in her period, another husband is prescribed for her.'
विवाहं तु प्रधानेन पिता कुर्यान्न संशयः । एवं राजन्समादिष्टं धर्मशास्त्रे शुभैर्जनैः
'The father should perform the marriage with a principal man—there is no doubt; thus, O king, it is enjoined in the dharma-śāstra by the virtuous.'
विवाहः क्रियतामस्या इत्यूचुस्ते द्विजोत्तमाः । दिवोदासश्च धर्मात्मा ब्राह्मणैस्तु प्रणोदितः
'Let her marriage be performed,' so said the best of the twice-born; and Divodāsa, righteous king, was urged by the brāhmaṇas.
विवाहार्थं महाराज मानसं कृतवान्नृप । पुनर्दत्ता प्रदानेन दिव्यादेवी नृपोत्तम
For the sake of marriage, O great king, the king made up his mind; Divyādevī was again given in marriage, O best of kings.
पुष्पसेनाय पुण्याय तस्मै राज्ञे महात्मने । मृत्युधर्मं गतो राजा विवाहसमयेऽपि सः
To Puṣpasena, the virtuous and great-souled king, she was given; her former husband had died even at the time of marriage.
यदा यदा महाभागो दिव्यादेव्याश्च भूपतिः । करोति स पितोद्योगं विवाहस्यातिदुःखितः
Whenever the blessed king, father of Divyādevī, undertook the efforts for her marriage, he was exceedingly distressed.
भर्तापि म्रियते काले प्राप्तलग्नस्तदा तदा । एकविंशतिभर्तारः कालेकाले मृतास्ततः
Her husband too died in due course, each time at the appointed moment; thus, twenty-one husbands died one after another.
ततो राजा महादुःखी संजातः ख्यातविक्रमः । समालोक्य तमाहूय मंत्रिभिः सह निश्चलः
Then the king, renowned for his valor, became deeply afflicted with sorrow; seeing this, he summoned his ministers and remained steadfast.
स्वयंवरे महाबुद्धिं चकार पृथिवीपतिः । अथ तेन समाहूता राजानो विविधा नृपाः
The lord of the earth, possessing great wisdom, arranged a svayamvara; then, at his invitation, various kings and rulers assembled.
स्वयंवरार्थं वै तस्या बहवो धर्मतत्पराः । तस्यास्तु रूपसंक्षुब्धा मृत्युना प्रेषिता नृपाः
Many kings, intent on righteousness, came for her svayamvara; but, agitated by her beauty and sent by death, those kings—
संग्रामं चक्रिरे मूढा मृतास्तेऽथ परस्परम् । एवं तेषां क्षयो जातः क्षत्त्रियाणां नरेश्वर
Foolish, they engaged in battle with one another and perished; thus, O lord of men, destruction befell those Kshatriyas.
दिव्यादेवी च दुःखार्ता रुरोद करुणं ततः । बालामालोक्य तां राजा रुदंतीं चातिदुःखिताम्
The divine lady, overwhelmed by grief, wept bitterly; seeing the young girl crying and deeply distressed, the king—
पुरोधसं च धर्मज्ञं ज्ञानवंतं तपस्विनम् । जातूकर्णं प्रणम्यादौ विनयान्वितकंधरः
With humility and bowed head, first saluted Jatukarṇa—the wise, learned, and ascetic priest.
दिवोदास उवाच-। कथयस्व प्रसादेन किमेतस्याहि पातकम् । दिव्यादेव्यास्तु मे पुत्र्या यदेतच्चेष्टितं कृतम्
Divodāsa said: 'Out of your grace, tell me—what is the fault of this girl? What action has my daughter, the divine lady, committed?'
जातूकर्ण उवाच-। तस्यास्तु चेष्टितं वीर दिव्यादेव्या वदाम्यहम् । पूर्वजन्मकृतं सर्वं तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
Jatukarṇa said: 'O hero, I shall tell you the deeds of the divine lady; listen to me as I recount all that was done in her previous birth.'
आस्ते वाराणसी पुण्या नगरी पापनाशिनी । तस्यामास्ते महाप्राज्ञः सुवीरो नाम नामतः
There is the holy city of Varanasi, destroyer of sin; in that city lived a wise man named Suvīra.
वैश्यजात्यां समुत्पन्नो धनधान्यसमाकुलः । तस्य भार्या महाप्राज्ञ चित्रानाम सुविस्मृता
Born in the merchant caste, he was surrounded by wealth and grain; his wife, renowned for her wisdom, was named Citrā.
कुलाचारं परित्यज्य दुराचारेण वर्तते । न मन्यते हि भर्तारं रौद्रकृत्ये च वर्तते
Abandoning the conduct of her family, she behaved wickedly; she did not respect her husband and engaged in cruel deeds.
पुण्यकार्यविहीना तु पापं चरति दुर्मतिः । भर्तारं भर्त्सते नित्यं स्वैरिणी कलहप्रिया
Devoid of virtuous acts, she committed sin with an evil mind; always scolding her husband, she was unchaste and fond of quarrels.
नित्यं परगृहे वास निरता भ्रमतेऽधिकम् । परच्छिद्रं समापश्येद्दुष्टाभूतेषु सर्वदा
Constantly dwelling in others' houses, she wandered excessively; she always sought out the faults of others, having become corrupt.
साधुनिंदारता पापा बहुहास्यकरी सदा । कुसंगतिरता वाचा दुराचारजनप्रिया
Sinful, she delighted in criticizing the virtuous and was always given to much laughter; she loved bad company and, with her words, pleased those of evil conduct.
धूर्ताधर्मजनद्वेषकरी चानृतभाषिणी । विज्ञायैवं सुवीरोऽस्या उपयेमे ततोऽपराम्
She hated honest people and the righteous, spoke falsely, and, being thus, Suvīra married another woman.