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.
तया नवीनया वीरो भार्यया सहितोऽनिशम् । यथासुखं स बुभुजे विषयान्मनसः प्रियान्
With his new wife, the hero enjoyed, day and night, all the pleasures dear to his heart as he wished.
धर्माचारेण पुण्यात्मा सत्यपुण्यमतिः सदा । सत्ययामितया सत्या सुमत्याराधितो बभौ
With righteous conduct, always possessing a pure and truthful mind, he shone, honored by Satyā, the virtuous and wise.
निरस्ता तेन सा चित्रा विचित्रा वरवर्णिनी । स्वैरिणी गुणसंसर्गधर्मविद्वेषिणी ततः
Rejected by him, that remarkable and beautiful woman, of excellent complexion, became independent, hostile to virtue, and averse to the company of the good.
भ्रमते जारसंयुक्ता मुक्ताचारा गतत्रपा । सा पापरतसंयुक्ता रक्ता दूती विकर्मणि
She wandered, joined with lovers, behaving freely, without shame; she was engaged in sinful acts, attached to a messenger, and intent on wicked deeds.
कुशला कुट्टिनीकर्म कलासु त्वन्ययोषिताम् । गृहभंगमसौ चक्रे वक्रेण मनसा हिता
Skilled in the work of a procuress and the arts of other women, she caused the ruin of households, acting with a crooked mind for her own benefit.
साध्वीं नारीं समाहूय पापवाक्यैश्च नोदयेत् । नर्मलोभकथाकेलि प्रत्ययोत्पत्तिहेतुभिः
Summoning a virtuous woman, she would incite her with sinful words—using playful talk, stories of greed, and amusements as means to create trust.
मनांसि चालयेत्पापा पुरुषाणां च योषिताम् । साधूनां सा स्त्रियो भव्याः परेभ्यः प्रतिपादयेत्
That sinful woman would disturb the minds of men and women, and deliver good and noble women to others.
कारयत्येव कपटं धर्मग्रामविवर्जनम् । एवं वर्षशतं भुक्त्वा पश्चाद्वेश्याविधिस्थिता
She would always practice deceit, abandoning the path of righteousness; thus, after enjoying a hundred years, she remained in the state of a courtesan.
कालेन निधनं प्राप्ता सततं पापनिश्चया । जाता तव गृहे पुत्री दिव्यादेवीति सा सुता
In time, constantly intent on sin, she met her end; she was then born in your house as a daughter, known as Divyādevī, your own child.
सुंदरी रूपसंपन्ना पुरा दृष्टेन नोदिता । नारद उवाच-। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दिवोदासोऽतिविस्मितः । उवाच राजा मधुरं जातूकर्णं मुनिं वचः
Beautiful and endowed with grace, she was not awakened by her previous sight; Narada said: Thus, hearing these words, Divodāsa was greatly astonished, and the king spoke sweetly to the sage Jātūkarṇa.