Vayu Purana

पूजान्तु विपुलां कृत्वा देवी पुत्रानयाचत। पुनः पुनरथागम्य बहुशः पुत्रकारणात् ।। ३०.

Having performed a great worship, the queen requested sons, and repeatedly returned many times for the sake of sons.

न प्रयच्छति पुत्रांस्तु निकुम्भः कारणेन तु। राजा यदि तत् क्रुध्येत ततः किञ्चित् प्रवर्त्तते ।। ३०.

Nikumbha does not grant sons, for a reason; if the king becomes angry about this, then something occurs.

अथ दीर्घेण कालेन क्रोधो राजानमाविशत्। भूतं त्विदं महाद्वारि नगराणां प्रयच्छति ।। ३०.

Then, after a long time, anger entered the king; indeed, he grants a being at the great gate of the cities.

प्रीत्या वरांश्च शतशो न किञ्चित्तु प्रवर्त्तते। मामकैः पूज्यते नित्यं नगर्यां मम चैव तु ।। ३०.

Out of affection, he gives boons by the hundreds, but nothing else happens; he is worshipped always by my people in my city as well.

तत्रार्च्चितश्च बहुशो देव्या मे तत्र कारणात् । न ददाति च पुत्रं मे कृतघ्नो बहुभोजनः ।। ३०.

There, he was worshipped many times by my queen for that reason; yet he does not give me a son, the ungrateful one who eats much food.

अतो नार्हति पूजान्तु मत्सकाशात् कथञ्चन। तस्मात्तु नाशयिष्यामि तस्य स्थानं दुरात्मनः ।। ३०.

Therefore, he does not deserve worship from me in any way; thus, I will destroy the place of that wicked one.

एवं तु सविनिश्चित्य दुरात्मा राज किल्बिषी। स्थानं गणपतेस्तस्य नाशयामास दुर्मतिः ।। ३०.

Thus, having firmly resolved, the wicked king, sinful in mind, destroyed the abode of Gaṇapati with evil intent.

भग्नमायतनं दृष्ट्वा राजानमगमत् प्रभुः। यस्मादृतेऽपराधं मे त्वया स्थानं विना शितम् ।। ३०.

Seeing the temple broken, the Lord approached the king: 'Except for an offense against me, you have destroyed the place without cause.'

अकस्मात् तु पुरी शून्या भवित्री ते नराधिप। ततस्तेन तु शापेन शून्या वाराणसी तथा ।। ३०.

'Suddenly, your city will become empty, O ruler of men; thus, by that curse, Vārāṇasī also became empty.'

शप्तां पुरीं निकुम्भस्तु महादेवमथानयत्। शून्यां पुरीं महादेवो निर्म्ममे परमात्मना ।। ३०.

Nikumbha, having cursed the city, then led it to Mahādeva; Mahādeva, the Supreme Self, made the city empty.

तुल्यां देवविभूत्यास्तु देव्याश्चैव महात्मनः। रमते तत्र वै देवी रममाणे महेश्वरः ।। ३०.

Equal in divine splendor to the great-souled goddess, the goddess delights there, as does Maheśvara when she delights.

न रतिं तत्र वै देवी लभते गृहविस्मयात्। देव्याः क्रीडार्थमीशानो देवो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। ३०.

The goddess does not find pleasure there, due to the wonder of the house; for the sake of the goddess’s play, the Lord then spoke.

नाहं वेश्म विमोक्ष्यामि अविमुक्तं हि मे गृहम्। प्रहस्यैनामथोवाच अविमुक्तं हि मे गृहम् ।। ३०.

'I will not leave the house, for Avimukta is my home.' Smiling, he said to her, 'Avimukta is indeed my home.'

नाहं देवि गमिष्यामि गच्छस्वेह रमाम्यहम्। तस्मात्तदविमुक्तं हि प्रोक्तं देवेन वै स्वयम् ।। ३०.

'I will not go, O goddess; you may go, I will remain here and delight.' Therefore, that is called Avimukta, as declared by the Lord himself.

एवं वाराणसी शप्ता अविमुक्तं च कीर्त्तितम्। यस्मिन् वसति वै देवः सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः। युगेषु त्रिषु धर्मात्मा सह देव्या महेश्वरः ।। ३०.

Thus Vārāṇasī was cursed, and Avimukta was proclaimed; where the god dwells, honored by all gods, in the three ages, the righteous Maheśvara with the goddess.

अन्तर्द्धानं कलौ याति तत्पुरन्तु महात्मनः। अन्तर्हिते पुरे तस्मिन् पुरी सा वसते पुनः ।। ३०.

In the Kali age, that city of the great-souled one becomes invisible; when that city disappears, it again dwells elsewhere.

एवं वाराणसी शप्ता निवेशं पुनरागता। भद्रश्रेण्यस्य पुत्राणां शतमुत्तमधन्विनाम् ।। ३०.

Thus Varanasi, having been cursed, returned to its settlement; a hundred excellent archers, the sons of Bhadrasrenya, came there.

हत्वा निवेशयामास दिवोदासो नराधिपः। भद्रश्रेण्यस्य राज्यन्तु हृतन्तेन बलीयसा ।। ३०.

Having slain them, King Divodasa established his settlement; thus he seized the kingdom of Bhadrasrenya by force.

भद्रश्रेण्यस्य पुत्रस्तु दुर्दमो नाम नामतः। दिवोदासेन बालेति घृणया स विवर्जितः ।। ३०.

Bhadrasrenya's son was named Durdama; because he was a child, Divodasa, out of compassion, spared him.

दिवोदासादॄषद्वत्यां वीरो जज्ञे प्रतर्द्दनः। तेन पुत्रेण बालेन प्रहृतं तस्य वै पुनः ।। ३०.

From Divodasa and Rishadvati was born a heroic son, Pratardana; by that son, while still a boy, the kingdom was attacked again.

वैरस्यान्तं महाराज्ञा तदा तेन विधत्सता। प्रतर्द्दनस्य पुत्रौ द्वौ वत्सो गर्गश्च विश्रुतः ।। ३०.

At that time, the great king brought an end to the enmity; Pratardana had two famous sons, Vatsa and Garga.

वत्सपुत्रो ह्यलर्कस्तु सन्नतिस्तस्य चात्मजः । अलर्कं प्रति राजर्षिर्गीतश्लोकौ पुरातनौ ।। ३०.

Vatsa's son was Alarka, and Sannati was his own son; regarding Alarka, the royal sage composed two ancient verses.

षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च। युवा रूपेण सम्पन्नो ह्यलर्कः काशिसत्तमः ।। ३०.

For sixty thousand and sixty hundred years, Alarka, the best of the Kashi, remained youthful in appearance.

लोपामुद्रा प्रसादेन परमायुरवाप्तवान् ।। ३०.

By the grace of Lopamudra, he attained the highest span of life.

शापस्यान्ते महाबाहुर्हत्वा क्षेमकराक्षसम्। रम्यामावासयामास पुरीं वाराणसीं नृपः ।। ३०.

At the end of the curse, the mighty-armed king, having slain the demon Kṣemakara, made the delightful city of Varanasi his abode.

सन्नतेरपि दायादः सुनीथो नाम धार्मिकः। सुनीथस्य तु दायादः सुकेतुर्नाम धार्म्मिकः ।। ३०.

Sannati also had an heir named Sunitha, who was righteous; Sunitha's heir was Suketu, also righteous.

सुकेतुतनयश्चापि धर्मकेतुरिति श्रुतिः। धर्मकेतोस्तु दायादः सत्यकेतुर्महारथः ।। ३०.

Suketu's son was known as Dharmaketu; Dharmaketu's heir was Satyaketu, a mighty charioteer.

सत्यकेतुसुतश्चापि विभुर्नाम प्रजेश्वरः। सुविभुस्तु विभोः पुत्रः सुकुमारस्ततः स्मृतः ।। ३०.

Satyaketu's son was Vibhu, lord of the people; Suvibhu was Vibhu's son, and from him came Sukumara.

सुकुमारस्य पुत्रस्तु धृष्टकेतुः स धार्म्मिकः। धुष्टकेतोस्तु दायादो वेणुहोत्रः प्रजेश्वरः ।। ३०.

Sukumara's son was Dhṛṣṭaketu, who was righteous; Dhṛṣṭaketu's heir was Veṇuhotra, lord of the people.