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.
वरं च दत्तवांस्तस्मै तद्वाक्यं यत्तथा कृतम्। अग्निहोत्रेण सहितां स्वाश्रमं तां द्विजोऽनयत् ।। ४५.
He granted him the boon as he had spoken; together with the fire-sacrifice, the brahmin led her to his own hermitage.
रेमे मुनिस्तया सार्द्धं यथा विष्णुः श्रिया सह। पार्व्वत्या च यथा शम्भुः सरस्वत्या यथा ह्यजः ।। ४५.
The sage enjoyed happiness with her, as Vishnu with Shri, as Shambhu with Parvati, as Brahma with Sarasvati.
जज्ञे पुत्रशतं तस्यां मरीचेर्विष्णुनोपमम्। मरीचिः फलपुष्पार्थं वनं गत्वा समागतः ।। ४५.
From her, Marici begot a hundred sons, equal to Vishnu; Marici, having gone to the forest for fruits and flowers, returned.
श्रान्तः कदाचित्तां पत्नीमुवाचेति पतिव्रताम्। भुक्त्वा तु शयनस्थस्य पादसंवाहनं कुरु ।। ४५.
Once, being weary, he spoke to his devoted wife: 'After eating, as I lie down, massage my feet.'
धर्म्मव्रता तथेत्युक्त्वा शयनस्थस्य सा मुनेः। पादसंवाहनं चक्रे घृते नाभ्यज्य तत्परा ।। ४५.
Dharmavrata, having said 'so be it,' began to massage the feet of the sage as he lay down, attentively anointing them with ghee.
निद्रायमाणेऽथ मुनौ ब्रह्मा तं देशमागतः। इत्येष दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्माणं मनसार्च्चयितुं प्रभुम् ।। ४५.
As the sage fell asleep, Brahma arrived at that place; seeing Brahma, she wished in her mind to worship the Lord.
पादसंवाहनं कुर्य्यां किं पूज्योऽयं जगद्गुरुः। इत्याकुला समुत्तस्थौ मत्वा सा तं गुरोर्गुरुम् ।। ४५.
She thought, 'Should I continue massaging the feet, or worship this revered teacher of the world?' Conflicted, she rose, considering him the guru of her own guru.
अर्घ्यपाद्यादिकं दत्त्वा ब्रह्माणं समपूजयत्। सत्कृतायान्तु शय्यायां विश्राममकरोदजः ।। ४५.
Offering water for washing the feet and other honors, she worshipped Brahma; and the Unborn One, being duly respected, rested upon her couch.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे भर्त्ता समुत्तस्थौ च तल्पतः। धर्म्मव्रतामपश्यन्स विप्रः क्रुद्धः शशाप ताम् ।। ४५.
Meanwhile, her husband rose from the bed; seeing Dharmavrata, the sage became angry and cursed her.
पादसंवाहनं त्यक्त्वायस्मादाज्ञां विहाय मे । गतान्यत्र ततः पापाच्छापदग्धा शिला भव ।। ४५.
Because you abandoned the foot massage and disregarded my command, you have gone elsewhere; therefore, out of sin, be turned into a stone, struck by my curse.
भर्त्रा धर्म्मव्रता शप्ता मरीचिं प्राह सा रुषा। शयाने त्वयि संप्राप्ते ब्रह्मा त्वज्जनको गुरुः ।। ४५.
Cursed by her husband, Dharmavrata angrily spoke to Marichi: 'As you lay resting, Brahma—your father and guru—arrived.'
त्वयोत्थाय हि कर्त्तव्यं स्वगुरोः पूजनं सदा। मया तु धर्म्मचारिण्या तव कार्य्ये कृते मुने ।। ४५.
'It is always proper to rise and worship one's own guru; but as a follower of dharma, I was fulfilling your service, O sage.'
अदोषाहं यतः शप्ता तस्माच्छापं ददामि ते। त्वञ्च शापं महादेवाद्भर्त्तः प्राप्स्यस्यसंशयम् ।। ४५.
'I am without fault, yet I have been cursed; therefore, I return a curse to you: O husband, you too shall receive a curse from Mahadeva, without doubt.'
व्याकुलं तं पतिं दृष्ट्वा व्याकुलागात्प्रजापतिम्। नत्वा शयानं ब्रह्माणमग्निं प्रज्वाल्य चेन्धनैः ।। ४५.
Seeing her husband distressed, she, also distressed, went to the Lord of Creatures; bowing to Brahma, who was lying down, she kindled the sacred fire with fuel.
गार्हपत्ये स्थिता चक्रे तपः परमदुष्करम्। तथा शप्तो मरीचिश्च तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ।। ४५.
Standing by the household fire, she undertook severe austerity; likewise, Marichi, having cursed her, performed harsh penance.
पतिव्रतायास्तपसा मरीचेस्तपसा यथा। इन्द्रादयश्च सन्तप्ता गतास्ते शरणं हरिम् ।। ४५.
By the austerity of the devoted wife and by Marichi's penance, even Indra and the other gods were tormented; they sought refuge with Hari.
ऊचुः क्षीराम्बूदौ सुप्तं सन्तप्तास्तपसा हरे। पतिव्रतायाश्च मुनेस्त्रैलोक्यं रक्ष केशव ।। ४५.
Tormented by the penance, they said to Hari, who was sleeping in the ocean of milk: 'O Keshava, protect the three worlds from the penance of the devoted wife and the sage.'
इन्द्रादीनां वचः श्रुत्वा विष्णुर्धर्म्मव्रतां ययौ। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु प्रबुद्धो भगवानजः। ऊचुर्धर्म्मर्वतां देवा अग्निस्थां तां सकेशवाः ।। ४५.
Hearing the words of Indra and the others, Vishnu went to Dharmavrata; at that very moment, the Unborn Lord awoke, and the gods, along with Keshava, addressed Dharmavrata, who was standing in the fire.
अग्निमध्ये तपः कर्त्तुं कस्य शक्तिः पतिव्रते। त्वया कृतं तत्परमं सर्व्वलोकभयङ्करम् ।। ४५.
Who among devoted wives has the power to perform austerity in the midst of fire? What you have done is supreme and terrifying to all the worlds.
वरं वरय धर्म्मज्ञे अस्मत्तो यदभीप्सितम्। विष्ण्वादीनां वचः श्रुत्वा देवान्धर्म्मव्रताब्रवीत् ।। ४५.३७ भर्तृशापमशक्ताहं निवर्त्तयितुमोजसा। दत्तो मरीचिना शापो मह्यं स ह्यपगच्छतु ।। ४५.
Choose a boon, O knower of dharma, whatever you desire from us. Hearing the words of Vishnu and the others, Dharmavrata spoke: 'I do not have the power to remove my husband's curse by my own strength; the curse given to me by Marichi—may it be removed.'