Vayu Purana

मधुश्रवां मधुकुल्यां दध्याद्याढ्यसरांसि च। सुवर्णदीर्घिकां चैव बहूनन्नादिपर्व्वतान् ।। ४४.

He gave honey-bearing streams, honey-filled channels, lakes rich in curds and other delicacies, golden ponds, and many mountains abounding in food and grain.

भक्ष्यभोज्यफलादींश्च सर्व्वं ब्रह्मा सृजन्ददौ। न याचयध्वं विप्रेन्द्रा अन्यानुक्त्वा ददावजः ।। ४४.

He gave all kinds of food, dishes, fruits, and the like; Brahmā, creating all this, gave it. Do not ask for anything else, O best of Brahmins—having said this, the Unborn one gave.

दत्त्वा ययौ ब्रह्मलोकं नत्वा ह्यादिगदाधरम् । धर्म्मारण्ये तत्र धर्म्मं याजयित्वा ययाचिरे ।। ४४.

Having given, he went to the world of Brahmā, bowing to the one who holds the primeval utterance; there, in the forest of Dharma, after performing the Dharma sacrifice, they stayed for a long time.

धर्म्मयागे च लोभाद्वै प्रतिगृह्य धनादिकम्। ततो ब्रह्मा समागत्य ब्राह्मणांस्ताञ्छशाप ह ।। ४४.

But in the Dharma sacrifice, out of greed, they accepted wealth and the like; then Brahmā himself came and cursed those Brahmins.

कृतवन्तो यतो लोभं मद्दत्तेष्वखिलेष्वपि। तस्मादृणाधिका यूयं भविष्यन्ति सदा द्विजः ।। ४४.

Because you have acted out of greed regarding all the gifts I gave, therefore you will always be burdened with debt, O twice-born ones.

युष्माकं स्याद्वारिवहा नदी पाषाणपर्व्वताः। नद्यादयो वारिवहा मृन्मयाश्च यथा गृहाः ।। ४४.

For you, the rivers will be waterless, the mountains made of stone; the rivers and the like will carry only water, and your houses will be made of clay.

कामधेनुः कल्पवृक्षो मल्लोकमुपतिष्ठताम्। एवं शप्ता ब्रह्मणा ते प्रार्थयन्तोऽब्रुवन्नजम् ।। ४४.

Let the wish-fulfilling cow and the wish-granting tree come to my world; thus cursed by Brahmā, they appealed to the Unborn one.

त्वया यद्दत्तमखिलं तत्सर्वं शापतो गतम्। जीवनार्थं प्रसादं नो भगवान्कर्त्तुमर्हसि ।। ४४.

All that you gave has been lost because of the curse; for the sake of our livelihood, O Lord, you ought to show us favor.

तच्छ्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणान्ब्रह्मा प्रोवाचेदं दयान्वितः। तीर्थोपजीविका यूयमाचन्द्रार्कं भविष्यथ ।। ४४.

Hearing this, Brahmā, filled with compassion, spoke to the Brahmins: 'You shall live by the sacred fords as long as the moon and sun endure.'

लोकाः पुण्या गयायां ये श्राद्धिनो ब्रह्मलोकगाः। युष्मान्ये पूजयिष्यन्ति तैरहं पूजितः सदा ।। ४४.

Those who perform śrāddha in holy Gayā attain the world of Brahmā; those people will honor you, and by them I am always worshipped.

आक्रान्तं दैत्यजठरं धर्म्मेण विरजाद्रिणा। नाभिकूपसमीपे तु देवी या विरजा स्थिता। तत्र पिण्डादिकं कृत्वा त्रिःसप्तकुलमुद्धरेत् ।। ४४.

The demon's belly was subdued by Dharma with the mountain Virajā; near the navel-pit, where the goddess Virajā stands, by offering piṇḍa and the like there, one uplifts twenty-one generations.

महेन्द्रगिरिणा तस्य कृतौ पादौ सुनिश्चलौ। iतत्र पिण्डादिकृत्सप्त कुलान्युद्धरते नरः ।। ४४.

By Mahendra mountain, his feet were firmly fixed; there too, by offering piṇḍa and the like, a man uplifts seven generations.

कथं शिला समुत्पन्ना ययाक्रान्तो गयासुरः । किं रूपं किं च माहात्म्यं तस्याः किं वद नाम च ।। ४५.

How did the stone arise, by which Gayāsura was subdued? What is its form, what is its greatness, and what is its name? Tell me this.

.सनत्कुमार उवाच।। आसीद्धर्म्मो महातेजाः सर्व्वविज्ञानपारगः। विश्वरुपा च तत्पत्नी भर्त्तृव्रतपरायणा ।। ४५.

Sanatkumāra said: There was Dharma, of great splendor, accomplished in all knowledge; and Viśvarūpā, his wife, devoted to her husband and to her vows.

तस्यां धर्म्मव्रतायास्तु कन्या धर्म्मव्रता सती। सर्व्व लक्षणसम्पन्ना लक्ष्मीरिव गुणाधिका ।। ४५.

To her, steadfast in Dharma and vows, was born a daughter, herself devoted to Dharma and vows, adorned with all auspicious marks, surpassing even Lakṣmī in virtues.

तस्यां ये तु गुणा ह्यासंस्ते तिष्ठन्ति जगत्र्त्रये। धर्म्मो धर्म्मव्रतायास्तु त्रिषु लोकेषु मार्गयन् ।। ४५.

The virtues that existed in her remain throughout the three worlds; Dharma, seeking a wife devoted to dharma, searched in all three realms.

नानु रूपं वरं लेभे धर्म्मोऽथ वरसिद्धये। तपः कुरु वरार्थं त्वं तथेत्युक्त्वा वनं ययौ ।। ४५.

Yet Dharma did not obtain a suitable form to gain the boon; he said, 'Perform austerity for the sake of the boon,' and, saying so, went to the forest.

कन्या सा च तपस्तेपे सर्व्वेषां दुष्करञ्च यत्। वायुभक्षा श्वेतकल्पे युगानामयुतं पुरा ।। ४५.

That maiden performed austerities, the most difficult of all, subsisting on air alone, during the white aeon, for ten thousand ages in ancient times.

ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रो मरीचिर्नाम विश्रुतः । पर्य्यटन्पृथिवीं सर्व्वां कन्यारत्नं ददर्श सः ।। ४५.

Marici, the renowned mind-born son of Brahma, while wandering over the whole earth, beheld that jewel among maidens.

रूपयौवनसम्पन्नां परमे तपसि स्थिताम्। पप्रच्छाथ मरीचिस्तां का त्वं कस्यापि तद्वद ।। ४५.

Seeing her endowed with beauty and youth, steadfast in supreme austerity, Marici then asked her, 'Who are you? Whose daughter are you? Tell me that.'

रूपेणानेन मां भीरु विमोहयसि सुव्रते । ब्रह्मात्मजोऽहं विख्यातो मरीचिर्व्वेदपारगः ।। ४५.

With this beauty, O gentle one, you bewilder me, O virtuous lady; I am Marici, famed as the son of Brahma, accomplished in the Vedas.

मरीचेर्व्वचनं श्रुत्वा कन्या प्रोवाच तं मुनिम्। अहं धर्म्मव्रता नाम धर्म्मपुत्री तपोऽन्विता ।। ४५.

Hearing Marici's words, the maiden spoke to that sage: 'I am Dharmavrata by name, the daughter of Dharma, endowed with austerity.'

पतिव्रतार्थं विप्रेन्द्र चरामि परमं तपः। धर्म्मव्रतां मरीचिस्तामुवाच प्रीतिपूर्व्व्कम् ।। ४५.

'For the sake of being a devoted wife, O best of brahmins, I am performing supreme austerity.' Marici, with affection, spoke to Dharmavrata:

पतिव्रता दर्शनान्मे भविष्यसि शुभव्रते। पतिव्रतेच्छया पृथ्वीं विचरामि ह्यहर्निशम् ।। ४५.

'O auspicious lady, by seeing me you will become a devoted wife; I wander the earth day and night, desiring a devoted wife.'

त्वञ्चेत्पतिव्रता जाता भजे त्वां भज मां वरम्। लोके न त्वादृशी कन्या मम तुल्यो न ते वरः ।। ४५.

'If you become a devoted wife, choose me, and I will choose you as my boon; in the world, there is no maiden like you, nor a suitor equal to me.'

धर्म्मव्रते धर्म्मपत्नी तस्मात्त्वं भव मेऽधुना। धर्म्मव्रता मुनिं प्राह धर्म्मं याचय सुव्रत ।। ४५.

'O Dharmavrata, become my wife now, O virtuous one.' Dharmavrata said to the sage, 'Ask Dharma, O virtuous one.'

तच्छ्रुत्वा धर्म्ममगमन्मुनिं धर्मो ददर्श ह। तेजःपुञ्जं वरं नत्वा आसनार्घ्यादिनार्च्चयत् ।। ४५.

Hearing that, the sage went to Dharma and saw him, a mass of brilliance; bowing to him for a boon, he honored him with a seat and water for washing.

किमर्तमागतः पृष्टो मरीचिर्धर्म्ममब्रवीत्। कन्यार्थं भ्रमता पृथ्वी दृष्टा ते कन्यका वरा । मह्यं कन्याञ्च तां देहि श्रेयस्तव भविष्यति ।। ४५.

Asked why he had come, Marici spoke to Dharma: 'While wandering the earth in search of a maiden, I have seen your excellent daughter; give her to me, it will be for your good.'

अर्घ्यादिना समभ्यर्च्य धर्म्मं प्रोचे तथेति तम्। धर्म्मव्रतां समानीय दत्तवांस्तां मरीचये ।। ४५.

After duly honoring Dharma with water and the like, he said, 'So be it,' and, bringing Dharmavrata, gave her to Marici.