Scriptures

Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 2 • CHAPTER 3
Ch 3 Verse 1-2 Verse
Sanskrit Text
२.३ तृतीयोऽध्यायः । प्रतीयसकाशाच्छन्तनुजन्मवर्णनम् । ऋषय ऊचुः । उत्पत्तिस्तु त्वया प्रोक्ता व्यासस्यामिततेजसः । सत्यवत्यास्तथा सूत विस्तरेण त्वयानघ ॥ १ ॥ तथाप्येकस्तु सन्देहश्चित्तेऽस्माकं तु संस्थितः । न निवर्तति धर्मज्ञ कथितेन त्वयानघ ॥ २ ॥
English Translation
The Ṛṣis said :-- “O Sinless Sūta! You have described to us in detail the birth of Vyāsa, of unrivalled fire, and of Satyavatī; but we have one great doubt in our minds though, O Knower of Dharma! which is not being removed by your words.
Ch 3 Verse 3-4 Verse
Sanskrit Text
माता व्यासस्य या प्रोक्ता नाम्ना सत्यवती शुभा । सा कथं नृपतिं प्राप्ता शन्तनुं धर्मवित्तमम् ॥ ३ ॥ निषादपुत्रीं स कथं धृतवान्नृपतिः स्वयम् । धर्मिष्ठः पौरवो राजा कुलहीनामसंवृताम् ॥ ४ ॥
English Translation
O Sinless one! First, as regards the mother of Vyāsa, the all auspicious Satyavatī, we have this doubt how she came to be united to the virtuous Śantanu? The king Śantanu, of the family of Puru is a greatly religious man; how could he have married Satyavatī knowing her to be a fisherman’s daughter and born of a low family?
Ch 3 Verse 5 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शन्तनोः प्रथमा पत्नी का ह्यभूत्कथयाधुना । भीष्मः पुत्रोऽथ मेधावी वसोरंशः कथं पुनः ॥ ५ ॥
English Translation
Now say who was the first wife of Śantanu and how Bhīsma, the intelligent son of Śantanu came to be born of the parts of Vasu?
Ch 3 Verse 6-7 Verse
Sanskrit Text
त्वया प्रोक्तं पुरा सूत राजा चित्राङ्गदः कृतः । सत्यवत्याः सुतो वीरो भीष्मेणामिततेजसा ॥ ६ ॥ चित्राङ्गदे हते वीरे कृतस्तदनुजस्तथा । विचित्रवीर्यनामासौ सत्यवत्याः सुतो नृपः ॥ ७ ॥
English Translation
O Sūta! You have told before that Bhīsma, of indomitable valour, made the Satyavatī’s son, the brave Citrāṅgada, king; and subsequent to his death made his younger brother Vicītravīrya king.
Ch 3 Verse 8 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ज्येष्ठे भीष्मे स्थिते पूर्वं धर्मिष्ठे रूपवत्यपि । कृतवान्स कथं राज्यं स्थापितस्तेन जानता ॥ ८ ॥
English Translation
But when the elder brother Bhīsma, the greatly religious and beautiful was present, how was it that Citrāṅgada and Vicītravīrya having been installed by Bhīsma himself could have reigned.”
Ch 3 Verse 9 Verse
Sanskrit Text
मृते विचित्रवीर्ये तु सत्यवत्यतिदुःखिता । वधूभ्यां गोलकौ पुत्रौ जनयामास सा कथम् ॥ ९ ॥
English Translation
Again on the demise of Vicītravīrya, Satyavatī became very much grieved and got two sons born of her two son’s wives by Vedavyāsa?
Ch 3 Verse 10-11 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कथं राज्यं न भीष्माय ददौ सा वरवर्णिनी । न कृतस्तु कथं तेन वीरेण दारसङ्ग्रहः ॥ १० ॥ अधर्मस्तु कृतः कस्माद्व्यासेनामिततेजसा । ज्येष्ठेन भ्रातृभार्यायां पुत्रावुत्पादिताविति ॥ ११ ॥
English Translation
How can we explain this fact? Why did she do this? Why did she not give to Bhīsma the kingdom? Why did Bhīsma not marry? And how was it that the elder brother Vyāsa Deva, of indomitable valour, did such an irreligious act as to beget two (Goloka) sons from the wives of the brothers?
Ch 3 Verse 12 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पुराणकर्ता धर्मात्मा स कथं कृतवान्मुनिः । सेवनं परदाराणां भ्रातुश्चैव विशेषतः ॥ १२ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa composed the Purāṇas and knew everything of religion; how then did he go to other’s wives, especially, of his brother’s wives?
Ch 3 Verse 13 Verse
Sanskrit Text
जुगुप्सितमिदं कर्म स कथं कृतवान्मुनिः । शिष्टाचारः कथं सूत वेदानुमितिकारकः ॥ १३ ॥
English Translation
O Sūta! Why did Vyāsa Deva do such a hateful act, in spite of his being a Muni? The actions of Vedas are inferred from their subsequent good conducts; how can this act of Vyāsa be calculated as one amongst them?
Ch 3 Verse 14 Verse
Sanskrit Text
व्यासशिष्योऽसि मेधाविन् सन्देहं छेत्तुमर्हसि । श्रोतुकामा वयं सर्वे धर्मक्षेत्रे कृतक्षणाः ॥ १४ ॥
English Translation
O Intelligent one! You are the disciple of Vyāsa; therefore you are the best man to solve our doubts. We all of this Dharmakshettra Naimiṣāraṇya are very eager to hear this.
Ch 3 Verse 15 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सूत उवाच । इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो महाभिष इति स्मृतः । सत्यवान्धर्मशीलश्च चक्रवर्ती नृपोत्तमः ॥ १५ ॥
English Translation
At this Sūta said :-- In ancient days there reigned a king named Mahābhiṣa, in the family of Ikṣāku endowed with all the qualities of a great king; he was the foremost of all the kings, truthful and religious.
Ch 3 Verse 16 Verse
Sanskrit Text
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण वाजपेयशतेन च । तोषयामास देवेन्द्रं स्वर्गं प्राप महामतिः ॥ १६ ॥
English Translation
That highly intelligent king performed thousand horse-sacrifices (Asva medhas) one hundred Vājapeya sacrifices and thereby satisfied Indra, the king of the Devas and went to Heavens.
Ch 3 Verse 17 Verse
Sanskrit Text
एकदा ब्रह्मसदनं गतो राजा महाभिषः । सुराः सर्वे समाजग्मुः सेवनार्थं प्रजापतिम् ॥ १७ ॥
English Translation
Once, on an occasion, that king went to the abode of Brahmā; the other gods also went there to serve Prajāpati.
Ch 3 Verse 18-19 Verse
Sanskrit Text
गङ्गा महानदी तत्र संस्थिता सेवितुं विभुम् । तस्या वासः समुद्धूतं मारुतेन तरस्विना ॥ १८ ॥ अधोमुखाः सुराः सर्वे न विलोक्यैव तां स्थिताः । राजा महाभिषस्तां तु निःशङ्कः समपश्यत ॥ १९ ॥
English Translation
The great river, Gaṅgā Devī, too, assuming the feminine form, went to Brahmā to serve him. Now, in the interval, violent winds arose and the clothing of Gaṅgā Devī went off; at this the Devas did not look at her; rather kept their faces downwards; but the king Mahābhiṣa continued gazing at her.
Ch 3 Verse 20 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सापि तं प्रेमसंयुक्तं नृपं ज्ञातवती नदी । दृष्ट्वा तौ प्रेमसंयुक्तौ निर्लज्जौ काममोहितौ ॥ २० ॥
English Translation
Gaṅgā also came to know the king and that he had become attached to her.
Ch 3 Verse 21 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ब्रह्मा चुकोप तौ तूर्णं शशाप च रुषान्वितः । मर्त्यलोकेषु भूपाल जन्म प्राप्य पुनर्दिवम् ॥ २१ ॥
English Translation
Brahmā, seeing that both of them are love-stricken and are shameless, became angry and cursed them immediately :-- O king! you better take your birth again in the human world and practise great meritorious deeds and come again to this Heaven.
Ch 3 Verse 22 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पुण्येन महताविष्टस्त्वमवाप्स्यसि सर्वथा । गङ्गां तथोक्तवान्ब्रह्मा वीक्ष्य प्रेमवतीं नृपे ॥ २२ ॥
English Translation
Thus saying, Brahmā looked at Gaṅgā, who was attached to the king, and addressed her :-- “You too better go to the human world and become his wife.”
Ch 3 Verse 23 Verse
Sanskrit Text
विमनस्कौ तु तौ तूर्णं निःसृतौ ब्रह्मणोऽन्तिकात् । स नृपांश्चिन्तयित्वाथ भूर्लोके धर्मतत्परान् ॥ २३ ॥
English Translation
Both of them, the king as well as Gaṅgā, came out of Brahmā’s abode, very much grieved in their hearts.
Ch 3 Verse 24-25 Verse
Sanskrit Text
प्रतीपं चिन्तयामास पितरं पुरुवंशजम् । एतस्मिन्समये चाष्टौ वसवः स्त्रीसमन्विताः ॥ २४ ॥ वसिष्ठस्याश्रमं प्राप्ता रममाणा यदृच्छया । पृथ्वादीनां वसूनां च मध्ये कोऽपि वसूत्तमः ॥ २५ ॥
English Translation
king Mahābhiṣa thought of coming to this world and reflected on the kings thereof and settled to make the king Pratīpa of Puru’s family his father. At this time the eight Vasus with their wives wandering in various places and enjoying as they liked came to the hermitage of Vaśiṣṭha.
Ch 3 Verse 26 Verse
Sanskrit Text
द्यौर्नामा तस्य भार्याथ नन्दिनीं गां ददर्श ह । दृष्ट्वा पतिं सा पप्रच्छ कस्येयं धेनुरुत्तमा ॥ २६ ॥
English Translation
Amongst the aforesaid eight Vasus Prithu and others, one Vasu Dyau’s wife seeing Nandini, the sacrificial cow (Kāmadhenu) of Vaśiṣṭha asked her husband :--
Ch 3 Verse 27-28 Verse
Sanskrit Text
द्यौस्तामाह वसिष्ठस्य गौरियं शृणु सुन्दरि । दुग्धमस्याः पिबेद्यस्तु नारी वा पुरुषोऽथ वा ॥ २७ ॥ अयुतायुर्भवेन्नूनं सदैवागतयौवनः । तच्छ्रुत्वा सुन्दरी प्राह मृत्युलोकेऽस्ति मे सखी ॥ २८ ॥
English Translation
“Whose is this excellent cow that I see? Vasu then replied as follows :-- “ O Beautiful one! This is Vaśiṣṭha’s cow. Whoever, be he a man or woman drinks her milk gets his longevity extended to ten thousand years and his youth never ends.” Hearing this, the Vasu’s wife said :--
Ch 3 Verse 29-30 Verse
Sanskrit Text
उशीनरस्य राजर्षेः पुत्री परमशोभना । तस्या हेतोर्महाभाग सवत्सां गां पयस्विनीम् ॥ २९ ॥ आनयस्वाश्रमं श्रेष्ठं नन्दिनीं कामदां शुभाम् । यावदस्याः पयः पीत्वा सखी मम सदैव हि ॥ ३० ॥
English Translation
:-- “There is a very beautiful comrade (Sakhī) of mine, the daughter of the Rajarsī-Uśīna in the world, of auspicious qualities. O Mahābhāga! Kindly bring to me from Vaśiṣṭha’s hermitage that auspicious sacrificial milch cow Nandini together with her calf that yields all desires; my Sakhī will then drink her milk and be thereby free from disease, old age and become the chief amongst all mankind.
Ch 3 Verse 31-32 Verse
Sanskrit Text
मानुषेषु भवेदेका जरारोगविवर्जिता । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या द्यौर्जहार च नन्दिनीम् ॥ ३१ ॥ अवमन्य मुनिं दान्तं पृथ्वाद्यैः सहितोऽनघः । हृतायामथ नन्दिन्यां वसिष्ठस्तु महातपाः ॥ ३२ ॥
English Translation
Hearing thus, his wife’s word, the Vasu Dyau, though sinless, stole away together with Prithu and the other Vasus the cow Nandini in utter defiance to the self-controlled Muni Vaśiṣṭha. When the cow Nandini had been stolen, the great ascetic Vaśisṭha came quickly to the hermitage with abundance of fruits.
Ch 3 Verse 33-35 Verse
Sanskrit Text
आजगामाश्रमपदं फलान्यादाय सत्वरः । नापश्यत यदा धेनुं सवत्सां स्वाश्रमे मुनिः ॥ ३३ ॥ मृगयामास तेजस्वी गह्वरेषु वनेष्वपि । नासादिता यदा धेनुश्चुकोपातिशयं मुनिः ॥ ३४ ॥ वारुणिश्चापि विज्ञाय ध्यानेन वसुभिर्हृताम् । वसुभिर्मे हृता धेनुर्यस्मान्मामवमन्य वै ॥ ३५ ॥
English Translation
Muni Vaśiṣṭha, not finding, in his hermitage, his cow with her calf, searched for her in many forests and caves; but he, the son of Varuṇa, could not find out his cow even after prolonged searches; he, then, took recourse to meditation and came to know that the Vasus had stolen the cow and became angry.
Ch 3 Verse 36 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तस्मात्सर्वे जनिष्यन्ति मानुषेषु न संशयः । एवं शशाप धर्मात्मा वसूंस्तान्वारुणिः स्वयम् ॥ ३६ ॥
English Translation
He expressed :-- “When the Vasus have stolen this my cow in utter defiance to my self, they must be born amongst men.”
Ch 3 Verse 37 Verse
Sanskrit Text
श्रुत्वा विमनसः सर्वे प्रययुर्दुःखिताश्च ते । शप्ताः स्म इति जानन्त ऋषिं तमुपचक्रमुः ॥ ३७ ॥
English Translation
When the religious Varuṇa’s son Vaśiṣṭha thus cursed the Vasus, they became very sorry and absent-minded; all of them went to Vaśiṣṭha’s hermitage and saw him there; they began to supplicate him as much as they could; and took refuge under him.
Ch 3 Verse 38-39 Verse
Sanskrit Text
प्रसादयन्तस्तमृषिं वसवः शरणं गताः । मुनिस्तानाह धर्मात्मा वसून्दीनान्पुरःस्थितान् ॥ ३८ ॥ अनुसंवत्सरं सर्वे शापमोक्षमवाप्स्यथ । येनेयं विहृता धेनुर्नन्दिनी मम वत्सला ॥ ३९ ॥
English Translation
Seeing the Vasus standing before him in an extremely distressed condition, the virtuous Muni Vaśiṣṭha said :-- “You all will be free from the curse within one year; but the Vasu Dyau will dwell amongst men for a long, long period as he had stolen direct my Nandini with her calf.”
Ch 3 Verse 40 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तस्माद्द्यौर्मानुषे देहे दीर्घकालं वसिष्यति । ते शप्ताः पथि गच्छन्तीं गङ्गां दृष्ट्वा सरिद्वराम् ॥ ४० ॥
English Translation
While the Vasus, thus cursed, were returning, they saw on the way the chief river Gaṅgā Devī also cursed and therefore distressed; all of them bowed down to her simultaneously and said:
Ch 3 Verse 41-42 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ऊचुस्तां प्रणताः सर्वे शप्तां चिन्तातुरां नदीम् । भविष्यामो वयं देवि कथं देवाः सुधाशनाः ॥ ४१ ॥ मानुषाणां च जठरे चिन्तेय महती हि नः । तस्मात्त्वं मानुषी भूत्वा जनयास्मान्सरिद्वरे ॥ ४२ ॥
English Translation
“O Devī! A serious thought is troubling our minds, how can we, who live on nectar, take our birth in human wombs; so, O best river! You better be a woman and give birth to us.
Ch 3 Verse 43 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शन्तनुर्नाम राजर्षिस्तस्य भार्या भवानघे । जाताञ्जाताञ्जले चास्मान्निक्षिपस्व सुरापगे ॥ ४३ ॥
English Translation
O Sinless one! You better be the wife of the sage King Śantanu and no sooner we be born of your womb, kindly throw us in the river Gaṅgā (your water). If you do thus, O Gaṅgā we will certainly be freed of our curse.”
Ch 3 Verse 44-45 Verse
Sanskrit Text
एवं शापविनिर्मोक्षो भविता नात्र संशयः । तथेत्युक्ताश्च ते सर्वे जग्मुर्लोकं स्वकं पुनः ॥ ४४ ॥ गङ्गापि निर्गता देवी चिन्त्यमाना पुनः पुनः । महाभिषो नृपो जातः प्रतीपस्य सुतस्तदा ॥ ४५ ॥
English Translation
Gaṅgā Devī replied “Well; that will be.” Thus spoken, the Vasus went to their respective places; and Gaṅgā Devī, too, thinking on the subject again and again, went out of that place. At this time Mahābhiṣa became born as a son of the king Pratīpa and became known as Śantanu.
Ch 3 Verse 46-47 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शन्तनुर्नाम राजर्षिर्धर्मात्मा सत्यसङ्गरः । प्रतीपस्तु स्तुतिं चक्रे सूर्यस्यामिततेजसः ॥ ४६ ॥ तदा च सलिलात्तस्मान्निःसृता वरवर्णिनी । दक्षिणं शालसङ्काशमूरुं भेजे शूभानना ॥ ४७ ॥
English Translation
He was exceedingly religious and true to his promise. One day while the King Pratīpa was praising the Sūrya Devī (the sun) of unequalled energy, Gaṅgā Devī assumed an extraordinarily beautiful feminine form and came out of the waters and sat on the right thigh, resembling like a sāl tree, of the king Pratīpa.
Ch 3 Verse 48 Verse
Sanskrit Text
अङ्के स्थितां स्त्रियं चाह मा पृष्ट्वा किं वरानने । ममोरावास्थितासि त्वं किमर्थं दक्षिणे शुभे ॥ ४८ ॥
English Translation
The sage king Pratīp spoke out to the lady sitting on his right thigh, thus :-- “O beautiful faced one! Why, unasked, have you sat on my auspicious right thigh?”
Ch 3 Verse 49 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सा तमाह वरारोहा यदर्थं राजसत्तम । स्थितात्म्यङ्के कुरुश्रेष्ठ कामयानां भजस्व माम् ॥ ४९ ॥
English Translation
The lovely Gaṅgā then replied :-- “Hear why I have sat here. O best of Kurus! O king! Becoming attached to you, I have sat on your thigh; so please accept me.”
Ch 3 Verse 50 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तामवोचदथो राजा रूपयौवनशालिनीम् । नाहं परस्त्रियं कामाद्गच्छेयं वरवर्णिनीम् ॥ ५० ॥
English Translation
At this the king Pratīpa spoke to the beautiful lady, full of youth and beauty, “I never go, simply out of passion to another’s wife.
Ch 3 Verse 51 Verse
Sanskrit Text
स्थिता दक्षिणमूरुं मे त्वमाश्लिष्य च भामिनि । अपत्यानां स्नुषाणां च स्थानं विद्धि शुचिस्मिते ॥ ५१ ॥
English Translation
There is another point; you have sat on my right thigh; that is the seat of sons and son’s wives; so, when my desired son will be born, you will then, be my son’s wife.
Ch 3 Verse 52 Verse
Sanskrit Text
स्नुषा मे भव कल्याणि जाते पुत्रेऽतिवाञ्छिते । भविष्यति च मे पुत्रस्तव पुण्यान्न संशयः ॥ ५२ ॥
English Translation
And certainly, by your good will, my son will be born.” The lady, of divine form, said, Well; that will be done! and went away.
Ch 3 Verse 53-55 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तथेत्युक्त्वा गता सा वै कामिनी दिव्यदर्शना । राजा चापि गृहं प्राप्तश्चिन्तयंस्तां स्त्रियं पुनः ॥ ५३ ॥ ततः कालेन कियता जाते पुत्रे वयस्विनि । वनं जिगमिषू राजा पुत्रं वृत्तान्तमूचिवान् ॥ ५४ ॥ वृत्तान्तं कथयित्वा तु पुनरूचे निजं सुतम् । यदि प्रयाति सा बाला त्वां वने चारुहासिनी ॥ ५५ ॥
English Translation
The king returned to his palace, thinking of the lady. After some time, he had a son born to him and when the son attained his teens, the king desired to lead a forest life and communicated this matter to his son. He said also, if the aforesaid beautifully smiling girl comes to you to marry, then marry her.
Ch 3 Verse 56 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कामयाना वरारोहा तां भजेथा मनोरमाम् । न प्रष्टव्या त्वया कासि मन्नियोगान्नराधिप ॥ ५६ ॥
English Translation
And I am also ordering you not to question her anything “who are you” and so forth. If you take her as your legal wife, you will certainly be happy.
Ch 3 Verse 57-60 Verse
Sanskrit Text
धर्मपत्नीं च तां कृत्वा भविता त्वं सुखी किल । सूत उवाच । एवं सन्दिश्य तं पुत्रं भूपतिः प्रीतमानसः ॥ ५७ ॥ दत्त्वा राज्यश्रियं सर्वां वनं राजा विवेश ह । तत्रापि च तपस्तप्त्वा समाराध्य पराम्बिकाम् ॥ ५८ ॥ जगाम स्वर्गं राजासौ देहं त्यक्त्वा स्वतेजसा । राज्यं प्राप महातेजाः शन्तनुः सार्वभौमिकम् ॥ ५९ ॥ प्रजां वै पालयामास धर्मदण्डो महीपतिः ॥ ६० ॥
Sanskrit Colophon
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीयस्कन्धे प्रतीपसकाशाच्छन्तनुजन्मवर्णनं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥ २.३॥
English Translation
Thus saying to his son, the king Pratīpa handed over all his kingdom to his son and gladly retired into the forest. The king practised tapasyā in the forest and worshipped Ambikā; on quitting his mortal coil, he went by his sheer merit to the Heavens. The highly energetic king Śantanu, on getting his kingdom, began to administer justice according to the laws of Dharma and governed his subjects. Thus ends the third Chapter of the Second Skandha on the description of the curse on Gaṅgā, Mahābhiṣa and Vasus in the Māhapurāṇam Śrimaddevībhāgavatam of 18,000 verses.