Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Saptashati)

महामायानुभावेन यथा मन्वन्तराधिपः । स बभूव महाभागः सावर्णिस्तनयो रवेः

By the power of the Great Māyā, Sāvarṇi, the illustrious son of the Sun, became the lord of the Manvantara.

स्वारोचिषे ऽन्तरे पूर्वं चैत्रवंशसमुद्भवः । सुरथो नाम राजाभूत् समस्ते क्षितिमण्डले

In the previous Svārociṣa Manvantara, there was a king named Suratha, born in the lineage of Chaitra, who ruled over the entire earth.

तस्य पालयतः सम्यक् प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान् । बभूवुः शत्रवो भूपाः कोलाविध्वंसिनस्तथा

While he was properly protecting his subjects as if they were his own sons, hostile kings arose—destroyers of his realm.

तस्य तैरभवद् युद्धमतिप्रबलदण्डिनः । न्यूनैरपि स तैर्युद्धे कोलाविध्वंसिभिर्जितः

A battle occurred between him, who wielded great power, and those destroyers of his realm; though they were fewer, he was defeated by them in that fight.

ततः स्वपुरमायातो निजदेशाधिपो ऽभवत् । आक्रान्तः स महाभागस्तैस्तदा प्रबलारिभिः

Then he returned to his own city and became the lord of his own land, but even there, that illustrious one was beset by those powerful enemies.

अमात्यैर्बलिभिर्दुष्टैर्दुर्बलस्य दुरात्मभिः । कोषो बलञ्चापहृतं तत्रापि स्वपुरे ततः

By wicked ministers and powerful men, the treasury and the army of the weak king were seized by those of evil intent, even within his own city.

ततो मृगयाव्याजेन हृतस्वाम्यः स भुपतिः । एकाकी हयमारुह्य जगाम गहनं वनम्

Then, under the pretext of hunting, that king, deprived of his kingdom, mounted a horse alone and went into the dense forest.

स तत्राश्रममद्राक्षीद् द्विजवर्यस्य मेधसः । प्रशान्तश्वापदाकीर्णं मुनिश्ष्योपशोभितम्

There he saw the hermitage of the illustrious sage Medhas, peaceful and adorned by disciples, where wild beasts roamed without fear.

तस्थौ कञ्चित् स कालञ्च मुनिना तेन सत्कृतः । इतश्चैतश्च विचरंस्तस्मिन् मुनिवराश्रमे

He stayed there for some time, honored by the sage, and wandered here and there within that great sage’s hermitage.

सो ऽचिन्तयत् तदा तत्र ममत्वाकृष्टचेतनः । मत्पूर्वैः पालितं पूर्वं मया हीनं पुरं हि तत् । मद्भृत्यैस्तैरसद्वृत्तैर्धर्मतः पाल्यते न वा

There, his mind drawn by attachment, he thought: 'That city, once protected by my ancestors and formerly by me, is now lost. My servants, corrupted in conduct, may or may not protect it righteously.'

न जाने स प्रधानो मे शूरहस्ती सदामदः । मम वैरिवशं यातः कान् भोगानुपलप्स्यते

'I do not know if my chief minister, always proud and skilled in battle, now under the power of my enemy, will enjoy any pleasures.'

ये ममानुगता नित्यं प्रसादधनभोजनैः । अनुवृत्तिं ध्रुवं ते ऽद्य कुर्वन्त्यन्यमहीभृताम्

Those who have always followed me with gifts, wealth, and food, today they surely serve the interests of other kings.

असम्यग्व्ययशीलैस्तैः कुर्वद्भिः सततं व्ययम् । संचितः सो ऽतिदुः खेन क्षयं कोशो गमिष्यति

By their constant reckless spending and improper habits, the treasury, amassed with great difficulty, will soon be exhausted.

एतच्चान्यच्च सततं चिन्तयामास पार्थिवः । तत्र विप्राश्रमाभ्यासे वैश्यमेकं ददर्श सः

The king kept thinking about this and other matters, and there, near the hermitage of the brahmins, he saw a merchant.

स पृष्टस्तेन कस्त्वं भोः हेतुश्चागमने ऽत्र कः । सशोक इव कस्मात्त्वं दुर्मना इव लक्ष्यसे

He asked him, 'Who are you, sir, and what is the reason for your coming here? Why do you appear so sorrowful and troubled in mind?'

इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य भूपतेः प्रणयोदितम् । प्रत्युवाच स तं वैश्यः प्रश्रयावनतो नृपम्

Hearing these kindly spoken words of the king, the merchant, bowing respectfully, replied to him.

समाधिर्नाम वैश्यो ऽहमुत्पन्नो धनिनां कुले । पुत्रदारैर्निरस्तश्च धनलोभादसाधुभिः

I am a merchant named Samadhi, born in a wealthy family, but cast out by my sons and wife, who, driven by greed for wealth, acted unrighteously.

विहीनश्च धनैर्दारैः पुत्रैरादाय मे धनम् । वनमभ्यागतो दुः खी निरस्तश्चाप्तबन्धुभैः

Deprived of wealth, wife, and sons, having had my property taken from me, I have come to the forest, sorrowful and abandoned by my relatives and friends.

सो ऽहं न वेद्मि पुत्राणां कुशलाकुशलात्मिकाम् । प्रवृत्तिं स्वजनानाञ्च दाराणाञ्चात्र संस्थितः

Here, I do not know whether my sons are faring well or ill, nor do I know the condition of my family and wife.

किं नु तेषां गृहे क्षेममक्षेमं किं नु साम्प्रतम् । कथं ते किं नु सद्वृत्ताः दुर्वृत्ताः किं नु मे सुताः

Is there well-being or misfortune in their home now? How are they? Are my sons of good conduct or bad?

यैर्निरस्तो भवांल्लुब्धैः पुत्रदारादिभिर्धनैः । तेषु किं भवतः स्नेहमनुबध्नाति मानसम्

Those greedy ones—my sons, wife, and others—who cast you out for the sake of wealth, does your mind still feel affection for them?

एवमेतद्यथा प्राह भवानस्मद्गतं वचः । किं करोमि न बध्नाति मम निष्ठुरतां मनः

It is just as you have said, your words reflect my own thoughts; but what can I do? My mind does not become hard-hearted.

यैः सन्त्यज्य पितृस्नेहं धनलुब्धैर्निराकृतः । पतिस्वजनहार्दं च हार्दि तेष्वेव मे मनः

Though I was rejected by those greedy for wealth, who abandoned their filial affection, still my heart remains attached to them—my wife, family, and kin.

किमेतन्नाभिजानामि जानन्नपि महामते । यत्प्रेमप्रवणं चित्तं विगुणेष्वपि बन्धुषु

O wise one, I do not understand this, even though I know it: why does the mind remain inclined with affection toward relatives, even when they are unworthy?

तेषां कृते मे निः श्वासो दौर्मनस्यं च जायते । करोमि किं यन्न मनस्तेष्वप्रीतिषु निष्ठुरम्

Because of them, I sigh and feel distress; what can I do, since my mind is not harsh toward those who show me no affection?

ततस्तौ सहितौ विप्र तं मुनिं समुपस्थितौ । समाधिर्नाम वैश्यो ऽसौ स च पार्थिवसत्तमः

Then, O Brahmin, the two of them together approached that sage—one was a merchant named Samadhi, and the other, the best of kings.

कृत्वा तु तौ यथान्यायं यथार्हं तेन संविदम् । उपविष्टौ कथाः काश्चिच्चक्रतुर्वैश्य-पार्थिवौ

Having properly greeted him as was fitting, the merchant and the king sat down and began to converse on various topics.

भगवंस्त्वामहं प्रष्टुमिच्चाम्येकं वदस्व तत् । दुः खाय यन्मे मनसः स्वचित्तायत्ततां विना

Revered sir, I wish to ask you something—please tell me this: why does my mind remain attached to sorrow, even though it is not under my control?

ममत्वं गतराज्यस्य राज्याङ्गेष्वखिलेष्वपि । जानतो ऽपि यथाज्ञस्य किमेतन्मुनिसत्तम

Even though I have lost my kingdom and all its parts, why does the sense of 'mine' persist in me, as if I were ignorant, though I know the truth, O best of sages?