Scriptures

Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 7 • CHAPTER 1
Ch 1 Verse 1 Verse
Sanskrit Text
७.१ प्रथमोऽध्यायः । दक्षप्रजापतिवर्णनम् । सूत उवाच - श्रुत्वैतां तापसाद्दिव्यां कथां राजा मुदान्वितः । व्यासं पप्रच्छ धर्मात्मा परीक्षितसुतः पुनः ॥ १ ॥
English Translation
Sūta said :-- Glad to hear the excellent divine stories of the Solar and Lunar races, the virtuous King Janamejaya, the son of Parīkṣit, again asked :--
Ch 1 Verse 2-4 Verse
Sanskrit Text
जनमेजय उवाच - स्वामिन् सूर्यान्वयानां च राज्ञां वंशस्य विस्तरम् । तथा सोमान्वयानां च श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि सर्वथा ॥ २ ॥ कथयानघ सर्वज्ञ कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । चरितं भूपतीनां च विस्तराद्वंशयोर्द्वयोः ॥ ३ ॥ ते हि सर्वे पराशक्तिभक्ता इति मया श्रुतम् । देवीभक्तस्य चरितं शृण्वन्कोऽस्ति विरक्तिभाक् ॥ ४ ॥
English Translation
“O Lord! I am now very eager to hear the increase of the two lines of Kings. O Sinless One! You know everything. So kindly describe, in detail, the pure histories, capable to destroy sins, of the kings and their characters. The kings of the Lunar and the Solar races were great Bhaktas of the Highest Śakti, Śrī Bhagavatī Devī; this I have heard. O Muni! Who wants not to hear further on the glorious anecdotes of the Bhaktas of the Śrī Devī?”
Ch 1 Verse 5 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इति राजर्षिणा पृष्टो व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । तमुवाच मुनिश्रेष्ठः प्रसन्नवदनो मुनिः ॥ ५ ॥
English Translation
When the Rājarṣi asked thus, the Muni Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyan, the son of Satyavatī began to narrate gladly the several deeds of the Kings.
Ch 1 Verse 6 Verse
Sanskrit Text
व्यास उवाच - निशामय महाराज विस्तराद्गदतो मम । सोमसूर्यान्वयानां च तथान्येषां समुद्भवम् ॥ ६ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said: O King! I am now narrating to you in detail the origin, etc., of the Lunar and the Solar dynasties as well as of other kings in their connection. Hear attentively.
Ch 1 Verse 7-8 Verse
Sanskrit Text
विष्णोर्नाभिसरोजाद्वै ब्रह्माभूच्चतुराननः । तपस्तप्त्वा समाराध्य महादेवीं सुदुर्गमाम् ॥ ७ ॥ तया दत्तवरो धाता जगत्कर्तुं समुद्यतः । नाशकन्मानुषीं सृष्टिं कर्तुं लोकपितामहः ॥ ८ ॥
English Translation
The four-faced Brahmā sprang from the navel of Viṣṇu; engaged in practising Tapasyā, he began to worship the Mahā Devī Durgā, extremely hard to conceive. Mahā Devī, pleased at his worship, granted boon to Brahmā; Brahmā, the Grandsire of all the Lokas on thus getting the boon, became ready to create the world; but he could not create all on a sudden the human beings.
Ch 1 Verse 9-10 Verse
Sanskrit Text
विचिन्त्य बहुधा चित्ते सृष्ट्यर्थं चतुराननः । न विस्तारं जगामाशु रचितापि महात्मना ॥ ९ ॥ (ससर्ज मानसान्पुत्रान्सप्तसङ्ख्यान्प्रजापतिः) मरीचिरङ्गिरात्रिश्च वसिष्ठः पुलहः क्रतुः । पुलस्त्यश्चेति विख्याताः सप्तैते मानसाः सुताः ॥ १० ॥
English Translation
Though the creation was eternally fashioned by the Pramātmā Bhagavatī, the four-faced Brahmā thinking over in his mind variously, could not quickly spread it out and accomplish it as a veritable fact. Therefore He, the Prajāpati, first created mentally the seven mind-born sons. These were known by the names of Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vaiśiṣṭha.
Ch 1 Verse 11-13 Verse
Sanskrit Text
रुद्रो रोषात्समुत्पन्नोऽप्युत्सङ्गान्नारदोऽभवत् । दक्षोऽङ्गुष्ठात्तथान्येऽपि मानसाः सनकादयः ॥ ११ ॥ वामाङ्गुष्ठाद्दक्षपत्नी जाता सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी । वीरिणी नाम विख्याता पुराणेषु महीपते ॥ १२ ॥ असिक्नीति च नाम्ना सा यस्यां जातोऽथ नारदः । देवर्षिप्रवरः कामं ब्रह्मणो मानसः सुतः ॥ १३ ॥
English Translation
Next sprang Rudra from the anger of Prajāpati, Nārada from his lap; Dakṣa from his right thumb. Thus Sanaka and the other Ṛṣis were also his mind-born sons. O King! The wife of Dakṣa was born from the left thumb of Prajāpati; this all-beautiful daughter is well known in all the Purāṇas by the name of Vīriṇī and Asiknī. Nārada, the chief of the Devarṣis, was born, on some other occasion in her womb.
Ch 1 Verse 14-16 Verse
Sanskrit Text
जनमेजय उवाच - अत्र मे संशयो ब्रह्मन् यदुक्तं भवता वचः । वीरिण्यां नारदो जातो दक्षादिति महातपाः ॥ १४ ॥ कथं दक्षस्य पत्न्यां तु वीरिण्यां नारदो मुनिः । जातो हि ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो धर्मज्ञस्तापसोत्तमः ॥ १५ ॥ विचित्रमिदमाख्यातं भवता नारदस्य च । दक्षाज्जन्मास्य भार्यायां तद्वदस्व सविस्तरम् ॥ १६ ॥
English Translation
Janamejaya said :-- “O Brāhmāṇ! A great doubt arises in me to hear that the great ascetic Nārada was born of Dakṣa in the womb of Vīriṇī. The Muni Nārada indeed, was the son of Brahmā; moreover be was the foremost of the ascetics and especially endowed with the knowledge of Dharma; how, then, can he be born of the womb of the Daksha’s wife Vīriṇī. Well, if that be so, then describe, in detail, that wonderful story of the birth of Nārada in the womb of Vīriṇī.
Ch 1 Verse 17 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पूर्वदेहः कथं मुक्तः शापात्कस्य महामना । नारदेन बहुज्ञेन कस्माज्जन्म कृतं मुने ॥ १७ ॥
English Translation
O Muni! Under whose curse, the high-souled Nārada though very wise, had to leave his first body and be born again.”
Ch 1 Verse 18-19 Verse
Sanskrit Text
व्यास उवाच - ब्रह्मणासौ समादिष्टो दक्षः सृष्ट्यर्थमादितः । प्रजाः सृजेति सुभृशं वृद्धिहेतोः स्वयम्भुवा ॥ १८ ॥ ततः पञ्चसहस्रांश्च जनयामास वीर्यवान् । दक्षः प्रजापतिः पुत्रान् वीरिण्यां बलवत्तरान् ॥ १९ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- O King, Brahmā, the Self-born, with a view to create offspring, ordered first Dakṣa :-- “Go and multiply innumerable children for the increase of the world.” Thus ordered by his father the Prajāpati Dakṣa produced five thousand powerful and heroic sons in the womb of Vīriṇī.
Ch 1 Verse 20-22 Verse
Sanskrit Text
दृष्ट्वा तान्नारदः पुत्रान्सर्वान्वर्धयिषून्प्रजाः । उवाच प्रहसन्वाचं देवर्षिः कालनोदितः ॥ २० ॥ भुवः प्रमाणमज्ञात्वा स्रष्टुकामाः प्रजाः कथम् । लोकानां हास्यतां यूयं गमिष्यथ न संशयः ॥ २१ ॥ पृथिव्या वै प्रमाणं तु ज्ञात्वा कार्यः समुद्यमः । कृत्तोऽसौ सिद्धिमायाति नान्यथेति विनिश्चयः ॥ २२ ॥
English Translation
Seeing all the sons of Dakṣa, desirous to multiply, the Devarṣi Nārada urged on, as it were, by Fate, began to laugh at them. How do you desire to multiply when you know not the dimensions and capacity of earth; so you will, no doubt, be put to ridicule and laughter. Rather, if you proceed on work, knowing beforehand the earth’s capacity, your efforts will be fruitful. Otherwise, your attempt will no doubt, end in failure.
Ch 1 Verse 23 Verse
Sanskrit Text
बालिशा बत यूयं वै यदज्ञात्वा भुवस्तलम् । समुद्यताः प्रजाः कर्तुं कथं सिद्धिर्भविष्यति ॥ २३ ॥
English Translation
Alas! You are awfully illiterate! Not knowing the dimensions of the world, you are ready to multiply your progeny; how, then, can you meet with success!
Ch 1 Verse 24 Verse
Sanskrit Text
व्यास उवाच - नारदेनैवमुक्तास्ते हर्यश्वा दैवयोगतः । अन्योन्यमूचुः सहसा सम्यगाह मुनिः किल ॥ २४ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- O King! Hearing, all on a sudden, these words, Haryaśva and other sons began to speak with each other, “What this Muni has told, is very true. Let us then ascertain the earth’s dimensions; we can easily multiply afterwards.”
Ch 1 Verse 25-27 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ज्ञात्व प्रमाणमुर्व्यास्तु सुखं स्रक्ष्यामहे प्रजाः । इति सञ्चिन्त्य ते सर्वे प्रयाताः प्रेक्षितुं भुवः ॥ २५ ॥ तलं सर्वं परिज्ञातुं वचनान्नारदस्य च । प्राच्यां केचिद्गताः कामं दक्षिणस्यां तथापरे ॥ २६ ॥ प्रतीच्यामुत्तरस्यां तु कृतोत्साहाः समन्ततः । दक्षः पुत्रान्गतान्दृष्ट्वा पीडितस्तु शुचा भृशम् ॥ २७ ॥
English Translation
Thus saying, they all went out to reconnoitre the earth. Thus excited at Nārada’s words, some went eastward, some southwards, some towards the north and some went to west all simultaneously and, as they liked, to make a survey of the earth. When the sons went away, Dakṣa became exceedingly sorry on their absence.
Ch 1 Verse 28-31 Verse
Sanskrit Text
अन्यानुत्पादयामास प्रजार्थं कृतनिश्चयः । तेऽपि तत्रोद्यताः कर्तुं प्रजार्थमुद्यमं सुताः ॥ २८ ॥ नारदः प्राह तान्दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं यद्वचनं मुनिः । बालिशा बत यूयं वै यदज्ञात्वा भुवः किल ॥ २९ ॥ प्रमाणं तु प्रजाः कर्तुं प्रवृत्ताः केन हेतुना । श्रुत्वा वाक्यं मुनेस्तेऽपि मत्वा सत्यं विमोहिताः ॥ ३० ॥ जग्मुः सर्वे यथापूर्वं भ्रातरश्चलितास्तथा । तान्सुतान्प्रस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा दक्षः कोपसमवितः ॥ ३१ ॥
English Translation
Bent again on multiplying, he begat other sons; those sons again wanted to procreate. Seeing them, Nārada again laughed and said :--Alas! What fools are you! Not knowing the dimensions of the earth, why are you ready to procreate? They were deluded by Nārada’s words, took them as true, and went out as their elder brothers did. Not being able to see those sons, Prajāpati Dakṣa became very sorrowful for them and cursed Nārada in rage.
Ch 1 Verse 32-33 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शशाप नारदं कोपात् पुत्रशोकसमुद्भवात् । दक्ष उवाच - नाशिता मे सुता यस्मात् तस्मान्नाशमवाप्नुहि ॥ ३२ ॥ पापेनानेन दुर्बुद्धे गर्भवासं व्रजेति च । पुत्रो मे भव कामं त्वं यतो मे भ्रंशिताः सुताः ॥ ३३ ॥
English Translation
Dakṣa said :-- “O Evil-minded One! You have destroyed my sons; so be yourself destroyed; you will have to be born in the womb for your sin in causing the death of my sons; you have caused my sons to go abroad; so you must be born as my son.”
Ch 1 Verse 34 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इति शप्तस्ततो जातो वीरिण्यां नारदो मुनिः । षष्टिर्भूयोऽसृजत्कन्या वीरिण्यामिति नः श्रुतम् ॥ ३४ ॥
English Translation
Thus cursed by Dakṣa, Nārada had to take his birth in the womb of Vīriṇī. I heard also that the Prajāpati Dakṣa begat afterwards sixty daughters in her womb.
Ch 1 Verse 35-38 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शोकं विहाय पुत्राणां दक्षः परमधर्मवित् । तासां त्रयोदश प्रादात्कश्यपाय महात्मने ॥ ३५ ॥ दश धर्माय सोमाय सप्तविंशति भूपते । द्वे चैव भृगवे प्रादाच्चतस्रोऽरिष्टनेमिने ॥ ३६ ॥ द्वे चैवाङ्गिरसे कन्ये तथैवाङ्गिरसे पुनः । तासां पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च देवाश्च दानवास्तथा ॥ ३७ ॥ जाता बलसमायुक्ताः परस्परविरोधकाः । रागद्वेषान्विताः सर्वे परस्परविरोधिनः । सर्वे मोहावृताः शूरा ह्यभवन्नतिमायिनः ॥ ३८ ॥
Sanskrit Colophon
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां सप्तमस्कन्धे सोमसूर्यवंशवर्णने दक्षप्रजापतिवर्णनं नाम प्रथोमोऽध्यायः ॥ ७.१॥
English Translation
O King! Dakṣa, the great knower of Dharma, then gave up the sorrows for his sons and married his thirteen daughters to the high-souled Kaśyapa, ten daughters to Dharma, twenty-seven daughters to the Moon, two to Bhṛgu, four to Aṛṣṭanemi, two to Kriśāśva and the remaining two to Aṅgirā. Their sons and grandsons, the Devas and Dānavas, became powerful but antagonistic towards each other. All of them were heroes and very Māyāvis; so, deluded by their greed and jealousy, they quarrelled amongst each other. Here ends the First Chapter in the Seventh Book on the beginning of the narrative of the Solar and the Lunar lines of kings in the Mahā Purāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.