Ninth Skandha · Chapter 16
Sourceश्रीनारायण उवाच लक्ष्मीं तौ च समाराध्य चोग्रेण तपसा मुने । वरमिष्टं च प्रत्येकं सम्प्रापतुरभीप्सितम् ॥ १ ॥ महालक्ष्मीवरेणैव तौ पृथ्वीशौ बभूवतुः । पुण्यवन्तौ पुत्रवन्तौ धर्मध्वजकुशध्वजौ ॥ २ ॥ कुशध्वजस्य पत्नी च देवी मालावती सती । सा सुषाव च कालेन कमलांशां सुतां सतीम् ॥ ३ ॥ सा च भूयिष्ठकालेन ज्ञानयुक्ता बभूव ह । कृत्वा वेदध्वनिं स्पष्टमुत्तस्थौ सूतिकागृहात् ॥ ४ ॥ वेदध्वनिं सा चकार जातमात्रेण कन्यका । तस्मात्तां च वेदवतीं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ॥ ५ ॥ जातमात्रेण सुस्नाता जगाम तपसे वनम् । सर्वैर्निषिद्धा यत्नेन नारायणपरायणा ॥ ६ ॥ एकमन्वन्तरं चैव पुष्करे च तपस्विनी । अत्युग्रां च तपस्यां च लीलया हि चकार सा ॥ ७ ॥ तथापि पुष्टा न क्लिष्टा नवयौवनसंयुता । सुश्राव सा च सहसा सुवाचमशरीरिणीम् ॥ ८ ॥ जन्मान्तरे च ते भर्ता भविष्यति हरिः स्वयम् । ब्रह्मादिभिर्दुराराध्यं पतिं लप्स्यसि सुन्दरि ॥ ९ ॥ इति श्रुत्वा च सा हृष्टा चकार ह पुनस्तपः । अतीव निर्जनस्थाने पर्वते गन्धमादने ॥ १० ॥ तत्रैव सुचिरं तप्त्वा विश्वस्य समुवास सा । ददर्श पुरतस्तत्र रावणं दुर्निवारणम् ॥ ११ ॥ दृष्ट्वा सातिथिभक्त्या च पाद्यं तस्मै ददौ किल । सुस्वादुभूतं च फलं जलं चापि सुशीतलम् ॥ १२ ॥ तच्च भुक्त्वा स पापिष्ठश्चोवास तत्समीपतः । चकार प्रश्नमिति तां का त्वं कल्याणि वर्तसे ॥ १३ ॥ तां दृष्ट्वा स वरारोहां पीनश्रोणिपयोधराम् । शरत्पद्मोत्सवास्यां च सस्मितां सुदतीं सतीम् ॥ १४ ॥ मूर्च्छामवाप कृपणः कामबाणप्रपीडितः । स करेण समाकृष्य शृङ्गारं कर्तुमुद्यतः ॥ १५ ॥ सती चुकोप दृष्ट्वा तं स्तम्भितं च चकार ह । स जडो हस्तपादैश्च किञ्चिद्वक्तुं न च क्षमः ॥ १६ ॥ तुष्टाव मनसा देवीं प्रययौ पद्मलोचनाम् । सा तुष्टा तस्य स्तवनं सुकृतं च चकार ह ॥ १७ ॥ सा शशाप मदर्थे त्वं विनंक्ष्यसि सबान्धवः । स्पृष्टाहं च त्वया कामाद् बलं चाप्यवलोकय ॥ १८ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा सा च योगेन देहत्यागं चकार ह । गङ्गायां तां च संन्यस्य स्वगृहं रावणो ययौ ॥ १९ ॥ अहो किमद्भुतं दृष्टं किं कृतं वानयाधुना । इति सञ्चिन्त्य सञ्चिन्त्य विललाप पुनः पुनः ॥ २० ॥ सा च कालान्तरे साध्वी बभूव जनकात्मजा । सीतादेवीति विख्याता यदर्थे रावणो हतः ॥ २१ ॥ महातपस्विनी सा च तपसा पूर्वजन्मतः । लेभे रामं च भर्तारं परिपूर्णतमं हरिम् ॥ २२ ॥ सम्प्राप तपसाऽऽराध्य दुराराध्यं जगत्पतिम् । सा रमा सुचिरं रेमे रामेण सह सुन्दरी ॥ २३ ॥ जातिस्मरा न स्मरति तपसश्च क्लमं पुरा । सुखेन तज्जहौ सर्वं दुःखं चापि सुखं फले ॥ २४ ॥ नानाप्रकारविभवं चकार सुचिरं सती । सम्प्राप्य सुकुमारं तमतीव नवयौवना ॥ २५ ॥ गुणिनं रसिकं शान्तं कान्तं देवमनुत्तमम् । स्त्रीणां मनोज्ञं रुचिरं तथा लेभे यथेप्सितम् ॥ २६ ॥ पितुः सत्यपालनार्थं सत्यसन्धो रघूद्वहः । जगाम काननं पश्चात्कालेन च बलीयसा ॥ २७ ॥ तस्थौ समुद्रनिकटे सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च । ददर्श तत्र वह्निं च विप्ररूपधरं हरिः ॥ २८ ॥ रामं च दुःखितं दृष्ट्वा स च दुःखी बभूव ह । उवाच किञ्चित्सत्येष्टं सत्यं सत्यपरायणः ॥ २९ ॥ द्विज उवाच भगवच्छ्रूयतां राम कालोऽयं यदुपस्थितः । सीताहरणकालोऽयं तवैव समुपस्थितः ॥ ३० ॥ दैवं च दुर्निवार्यं च न च दैवात्परो बली । जगत्प्रसूं मयि न्यस्य छायां रक्षान्तिकेऽधुना ॥ ३१ ॥ दास्यामि सीतां तुभ्यं च परीक्षासमये पुनः । देवैः प्रस्थापितोऽहं च न च विप्रो हुताशनः ॥ ३२ ॥ रामस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा न प्रकाश्य च लक्ष्मणम् । स्वीकारं वचसश्चक्रे हृदयेन विदूयता ॥ ३३ ॥ वह्निर्योगेन सीताया मायासीतां चकार ह । तत्तुल्यगुणसर्वाङ्गां ददौ रामाय नारद ॥ ३४ ॥ सीतां गृहीत्वा स ययौ गोप्यं वक्तुं निषिध्य च । लक्ष्मणो नैव बुबुधे गोप्यमन्यस्य का कथा ॥ ३५ ॥ एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रामो ददर्श कानकं मृगम् । सीता तं प्रेरयामास तदर्थे यत्नपूर्वकम् ॥ ३६ ॥ संन्यस्य लक्ष्मणं रामो जानक्या रक्षणे वने । स्वयं जगाम तूर्णं तं विव्याध सायकेन च ॥ ३७ ॥ लक्ष्मणेति च शब्दं स कृत्वा च मायया मृगः । प्राणांस्तत्याज सहसा पुरो दृष्ट्वा हरिं स्मरन् ॥ ३८ ॥ मृगदेहं परित्यज्य दिव्यरूपं विधाय च । रत्ननिर्माणयानेन वैकुण्ठं स जगाम ह ॥ ३९ ॥ वैकुण्ठलोकद्वार्यासीत्किङ्करो द्वारपालयोः । पुनर्जगाम तद्द्वारमादेशाद् द्वारपालयोः ॥ ४० ॥ अथ शब्दं च सा श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणेति च विक्लवम् । तं हि सा प्रेरयामास लक्ष्मणं रामसन्निधौ ॥ ४१ ॥ गते च लक्ष्मणे रामं रावणो दुर्निवारणः । सीतां गृहीत्वा प्रययौ लङ्कामेव स्वलीलया ॥ ४२ ॥ विषसाद च रामश्च वने दृष्ट्वा च लक्ष्मणम् । तूर्णं च स्वाश्रमं गत्वा सीतां नैव ददर्श सः ॥ ४३ ॥ मूर्च्छां सम्प्राप सुचिरं विललाप भृशं पुनः । पुनः पुनश्च बभ्राम तदन्वेषणपूर्वकम् ॥ ४४ ॥ कालेन प्राप्य तद्वार्तां गोदावरीनदीतटे । सहायान्वानरात्कृत्वा बबन्ध सागरं हरिः ॥ ४५ ॥ लङ्कां गत्वा रघुश्रेष्ठो जघान सायकेन च । कालेन प्राप्य तं हत्वा रावणं बान्धवैः सह ॥ ४६ ॥ तां च वह्निपरीक्षां च कारयामास सत्वरम् । हुताशस्तत्र काले तु वास्तवीं जानकीं ददौ ॥ ४७ ॥ उवाच छाया वह्निं च रामं च विनयान्विता । करिष्यामीति किमहं तदुपायं वदस्व मे ॥ ४८ ॥ श्रीरामाग्नी ऊचतुः त्वं गच्छ तपसे देवि पुष्करं च सुपुण्यदम् । कृत्वा तपस्या तत्रैव स्वर्गलक्ष्मीर्भविष्यसि ॥ ४९ ॥ सा च तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतप्य पुष्करे तपः । दिव्यं त्रिलक्षवर्षं च स्वर्गलक्ष्मीर्बभूव ह ॥ ५० ॥ सा च कालेन तपसा यज्ञकुण्डसमुद्भवा । कामिनी पाण्डवानां च द्रौपदी द्रुपदात्मजा ॥ ५१ ॥ कृते युगे वेदवती कुशध्वजसुता शुभा । त्रेतायां रामपत्नी च सीतेति जनकात्मजा ॥ ५२ ॥ तच्छाया द्रौपदी देवी द्वापरे द्रुपदात्मजा । त्रिहायणी च सा प्रोक्ता विद्यमाना युगत्रये ॥ ५३ ॥ नारद उवाच प्रियाः पञ्च कथं तस्या बभूवुर्मुनिपुङ्गव । इति मच्चित्तसंदेहं भञ्ज संदेहभञ्जन ॥ ५४ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच लङ्कायां वास्तवी सीता रामं सम्प्राप नारद । रूपयौवनसम्पन्ना छाया च बहुचिन्तया ॥ ५५ ॥ रामाग्न्योराज्ञया तप्तुमुपास्ते शङ्करं परम् । कामातुरा पतिव्यग्रा प्रार्थयन्ती पुनः पुनः ॥ ५६ ॥ पतिं देहि पतिं देहि पतिं देहि त्रिलोचन । पतिं देहि पतिं देहि पञ्चवारं चकार सा ॥ ५७ ॥ शिवस्तत्प्रार्थनां श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य रसिकेश्वरः । प्रिये तव प्रियाः पञ्च भविष्यन्ति वरं ददौ ॥ ५८ ॥ तेन सा पाण्डवानां च बभूव कामिनी प्रिया । इति ते कथितं सर्वं प्रस्तावं वास्तवं शृणु ॥ ५९ ॥ अथ सम्प्राप्य लङ्कायां सीतां रामो मनोहराम् । विभीषणाय तां लङ्कां दत्त्वायोध्यां ययौ पुनः ॥ ६० ॥ एकादशसहस्राब्दं कृत्वा राज्यं च भारते । जगाम सर्वैर्लोकैश्च सार्धं वैकुण्ठमेव च ॥ ६१ ॥ कमलांशा वेदवती कमलायां विवेश सा । कथितं पुण्यमाख्यानं पुण्यदं पापनाशनम् ॥ ६२ ॥ सततं मूर्तिमन्तश्च वेदाश्चत्वार एव च । सन्ति यस्याश्च जिह्वाग्रे सा च वेदवती श्रुता ॥ ६३ ॥ धर्मध्वजसुताख्यानं निबोध कथयामि ते ॥ ६४ ॥
śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca lakṣmīṃ tau ca samārādhya cogreṇa tapasā mune | varamiṣṭaṃ ca pratyekaṃ samprāpaturabhīpsitam || 1 || mahālakṣmīvareṇaiva tau pṛthvīśau babhūvatuḥ | puṇyavantau putravantau dharmadhvajakuśadhvajau || 2 || kuśadhvajasya patnī ca devī mālāvatī satī | sā suṣāva ca kālena kamalāṃśāṃ sutāṃ satīm || 3 || sā ca bhūyiṣṭhakālena jñānayuktā babhūva ha | kṛtvā vedadhvaniṃ spaṣṭamuttasthau sūtikāgṛhāt || 4 || vedadhvaniṃ sā cakāra jātamātreṇa kanyakā | tasmāttāṃ ca vedavatīṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ || 5 || jātamātreṇa susnātā jagāma tapase vanam | sarvairniṣiddhā yatnena nārāyaṇaparāyaṇā || 6 || ekamanvantaraṃ caiva puṣkare ca tapasvinī | atyugrāṃ ca tapasyāṃ ca līlayā hi cakāra sā || 7 || tathāpi puṣṭā na kliṣṭā navayauvanasaṃyutā | suśrāva sā ca sahasā suvācamaśarīriṇīm || 8 || janmāntare ca te bhartā bhaviṣyati hariḥ svayam | brahmādibhirdurārādhyaṃ patiṃ lapsyasi sundari || 9 || iti śrutvā ca sā hṛṣṭā cakāra ha punastapaḥ | atīva nirjanasthāne parvate gandhamādane || 10 || tatraiva suciraṃ taptvā viśvasya samuvāsa sā | dadarśa puratastatra rāvaṇaṃ durnivāraṇam || 11 || dṛṣṭvā sātithibhaktyā ca pādyaṃ tasmai dadau kila | susvādubhūtaṃ ca phalaṃ jalaṃ cāpi suśītalam || 12 || tacca bhuktvā sa pāpiṣṭhaścovāsa tatsamīpataḥ | cakāra praśnamiti tāṃ kā tvaṃ kalyāṇi vartase || 13 || tāṃ dṛṣṭvā sa varārohāṃ pīnaśroṇipayodharām | śaratpadmotsavāsyāṃ ca sasmitāṃ sudatīṃ satīm || 14 || mūrcchāmavāpa kṛpaṇaḥ kāmabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ | sa kareṇa samākṛṣya śṛṅgāraṃ kartumudyataḥ || 15 || satī cukopa dṛṣṭvā taṃ stambhitaṃ ca cakāra ha | sa jaḍo hastapādaiśca kiñcidvaktuṃ na ca kṣamaḥ || 16 || tuṣṭāva manasā devīṃ prayayau padmalocanām | sā tuṣṭā tasya stavanaṃ sukṛtaṃ ca cakāra ha || 17 || sā śaśāpa madarthe tvaṃ vinaṃkṣyasi sabāndhavaḥ | spṛṣṭāhaṃ ca tvayā kāmād balaṃ cāpyavalokaya || 18 || ityuktvā sā ca yogena dehatyāgaṃ cakāra ha | gaṅgāyāṃ tāṃ ca saṃnyasya svagṛhaṃ rāvaṇo yayau || 19 || aho kimadbhutaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ kiṃ kṛtaṃ vānayādhunā | iti sañcintya sañcintya vilalāpa punaḥ punaḥ || 20 || sā ca kālāntare sādhvī babhūva janakātmajā | sītādevīti vikhyātā yadarthe rāvaṇo hataḥ || 21 || mahātapasvinī sā ca tapasā pūrvajanmataḥ | lebhe rāmaṃ ca bhartāraṃ paripūrṇatamaṃ harim || 22 || samprāpa tapasā''rādhya durārādhyaṃ jagatpatim | sā ramā suciraṃ reme rāmeṇa saha sundarī || 23 || jātismarā na smarati tapasaśca klamaṃ purā | sukhena tajjahau sarvaṃ duḥkhaṃ cāpi sukhaṃ phale || 24 || nānāprakāravibhavaṃ cakāra suciraṃ satī | samprāpya sukumāraṃ tamatīva navayauvanā || 25 || guṇinaṃ rasikaṃ śāntaṃ kāntaṃ devamanuttamam | strīṇāṃ manojñaṃ ruciraṃ tathā lebhe yathepsitam || 26 || pituḥ satyapālanārthaṃ satyasandho raghūdvahaḥ | jagāma kānanaṃ paścātkālena ca balīyasā || 27 || tasthau samudranikaṭe sītayā lakṣmaṇena ca | dadarśa tatra vahniṃ ca viprarūpadharaṃ hariḥ || 28 || rāmaṃ ca duḥkhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā sa ca duḥkhī babhūva ha | uvāca kiñcitsatyeṣṭaṃ satyaṃ satyaparāyaṇaḥ || 29 || dvija uvāca bhagavacchrūyatāṃ rāma kālo'yaṃ yadupasthitaḥ | sītāharaṇakālo'yaṃ tavaiva samupasthitaḥ || 30 || daivaṃ ca durnivāryaṃ ca na ca daivātparo balī | jagatprasūṃ mayi nyasya chāyāṃ rakṣāntike'dhunā || 31 || dāsyāmi sītāṃ tubhyaṃ ca parīkṣāsamaye punaḥ | devaiḥ prasthāpito'haṃ ca na ca vipro hutāśanaḥ || 32 || rāmastadvacanaṃ śrutvā na prakāśya ca lakṣmaṇam | svīkāraṃ vacasaścakre hṛdayena vidūyatā || 33 || vahniryogena sītāyā māyāsītāṃ cakāra ha | tattulyaguṇasarvāṅgāṃ dadau rāmāya nārada || 34 || sītāṃ gṛhītvā sa yayau gopyaṃ vaktuṃ niṣidhya ca | lakṣmaṇo naiva bubudhe gopyamanyasya kā kathā || 35 || etasminnantare rāmo dadarśa kānakaṃ mṛgam | sītā taṃ prerayāmāsa tadarthe yatnapūrvakam || 36 || saṃnyasya lakṣmaṇaṃ rāmo jānakyā rakṣaṇe vane | svayaṃ jagāma tūrṇaṃ taṃ vivyādha sāyakena ca || 37 || lakṣmaṇeti ca śabdaṃ sa kṛtvā ca māyayā mṛgaḥ | prāṇāṃstatyāja sahasā puro dṛṣṭvā hariṃ smaran || 38 || mṛgadehaṃ parityajya divyarūpaṃ vidhāya ca | ratnanirmāṇayānena vaikuṇṭhaṃ sa jagāma ha || 39 || vaikuṇṭhalokadvāryāsītkiṅkaro dvārapālayoḥ | punarjagāma taddvāramādeśād dvārapālayoḥ || 40 || atha śabdaṃ ca sā śrutvā lakṣmaṇeti ca viklavam | taṃ hi sā prerayāmāsa lakṣmaṇaṃ rāmasannidhau || 41 || gate ca lakṣmaṇe rāmaṃ rāvaṇo durnivāraṇaḥ | sītāṃ gṛhītvā prayayau laṅkāmeva svalīlayā || 42 || viṣasāda ca rāmaśca vane dṛṣṭvā ca lakṣmaṇam | tūrṇaṃ ca svāśramaṃ gatvā sītāṃ naiva dadarśa saḥ || 43 || mūrcchāṃ samprāpa suciraṃ vilalāpa bhṛśaṃ punaḥ | punaḥ punaśca babhrāma tadanveṣaṇapūrvakam || 44 || kālena prāpya tadvārtāṃ godāvarīnadītaṭe | sahāyānvānarātkṛtvā babandha sāgaraṃ hariḥ || 45 || laṅkāṃ gatvā raghuśreṣṭho jaghāna sāyakena ca | kālena prāpya taṃ hatvā rāvaṇaṃ bāndhavaiḥ saha || 46 || tāṃ ca vahniparīkṣāṃ ca kārayāmāsa satvaram | hutāśastatra kāle tu vāstavīṃ jānakīṃ dadau || 47 || uvāca chāyā vahniṃ ca rāmaṃ ca vinayānvitā | kariṣyāmīti kimahaṃ tadupāyaṃ vadasva me || 48 || śrīrāmāgnī ūcatuḥ tvaṃ gaccha tapase devi puṣkaraṃ ca supuṇyadam | kṛtvā tapasyā tatraiva svargalakṣmīrbhaviṣyasi || 49 || sā ca tadvacanaṃ śrutvā pratapya puṣkare tapaḥ | divyaṃ trilakṣavarṣaṃ ca svargalakṣmīrbabhūva ha || 50 || sā ca kālena tapasā yajñakuṇḍasamudbhavā | kāminī pāṇḍavānāṃ ca draupadī drupadātmajā || 51 || kṛte yuge vedavatī kuśadhvajasutā śubhā | tretāyāṃ rāmapatnī ca sīteti janakātmajā || 52 || tacchāyā draupadī devī dvāpare drupadātmajā | trihāyaṇī ca sā proktā vidyamānā yugatraye || 53 || nārada uvāca priyāḥ pañca kathaṃ tasyā babhūvurmunipuṅgava | iti maccittasaṃdehaṃ bhañja saṃdehabhañjana || 54 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca laṅkāyāṃ vāstavī sītā rāmaṃ samprāpa nārada | rūpayauvanasampannā chāyā ca bahucintayā || 55 || rāmāgnyorājñayā taptumupāste śaṅkaraṃ param | kāmāturā pativyagrā prārthayantī punaḥ punaḥ || 56 || patiṃ dehi patiṃ dehi patiṃ dehi trilocana | patiṃ dehi patiṃ dehi pañcavāraṃ cakāra sā || 57 || śivastatprārthanāṃ śrutvā prahasya rasikeśvaraḥ | priye tava priyāḥ pañca bhaviṣyanti varaṃ dadau || 58 || tena sā pāṇḍavānāṃ ca babhūva kāminī priyā | iti te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ prastāvaṃ vāstavaṃ śṛṇu || 59 || atha samprāpya laṅkāyāṃ sītāṃ rāmo manoharām | vibhīṣaṇāya tāṃ laṅkāṃ dattvāyodhyāṃ yayau punaḥ || 60 || ekādaśasahasrābdaṃ kṛtvā rājyaṃ ca bhārate | jagāma sarvairlokaiśca sārdhaṃ vaikuṇṭhameva ca || 61 || kamalāṃśā vedavatī kamalāyāṃ viveśa sā | kathitaṃ puṇyamākhyānaṃ puṇyadaṃ pāpanāśanam || 62 || satataṃ mūrtimantaśca vedāścatvāra eva ca | santi yasyāśca jihvāgre sā ca vedavatī śrutā || 63 || dharmadhvajasutākhyānaṃ nibodha kathayāmi te || 64 ||
English translation
1-30. S’n Narayana said O Muni! Dharmadhvaja and Kus’adhvaja practised severe tapasyas and worshipped Laksmi. They then got separately their desired boons. By the boon of Maha Laksmi, they became again the rulers of the earth. They acquired great religious merits and they also had their children. The wife of Kus’adhvaja was named Malavati. After a long time, the chaste wife delivered one daughter, born of the parts of Kamala. The daughter, on being born, became full of wisdom. On being born, the baby began to sing clearly the Vedic mantrams from the lying-in-chamber. Therefore She was named Vedavati by the Pundits. She bathed after her birth and became ready to go to the forest to practise severe tapas. Everyone then, tried earnestly to dissuade her, devoted to Narayana, from the enterprise. But she did not listen to anybody. She went to Puskara and practised hard tapasya for one Manvantara. Yet her body did not get lean a bit; rather she grew more plumpy and fatter. By degrees her youth began to show signs in her body; one day she heard an incorporeal voice from the air above, “O Fair One! In your next birth S’ri Hah, adored by Brahma and other gods, will be your husband.” Hearing this, her joy knew no bounds. She went to the solitary caves in the Gandhamadan mountain to practise tapas again. When a long time passed away in this tapasya, one day the irresistible Havana came there as guest. No sooner Vedavati saw the guest, then she gave him, out of devotion to the guest, water to wash feet, delicious fruits, and cool water for his drink. The villain accept the hospitality and sitting there, began to ask “O Auspicious One! Who are you?” Seeing the fair smiling lady, with beautiful teeth, her face blooming like the autumnal lotus, of heavy loins, and of full breast, that villain became passionate. He lost entirely all consciousness and became ready to make violence on Her. Seeing this, the chaste Vedavati, became angry and out of her tapas influence, astounded him and made him insensible to move. He remained motionless like an
inanimate body. He could not move his hands nor feet nor could he speak. That wicked fellow then mentally recited praises to her. And the praise of the Higher S’akti can never go futile. She became pleased and granted him religious merits in the next world. But she also pronounced this curse “That when you have touch my body out of passion, then you will be ruined with your whole family for my sake. Now see my power.” O Narada! Thus saying to Havana, Vedavati left her body by her yogic power. Then Havana took her body and delivered it to the Ganges and he then returned to his own home. But Havana thought over the matter repeatedly and exclaimed, “What wonder have I seen! Oh! What a miracle this lady has wrought!” Havana thus lamented. This Vedavati, of pure character, took her birth afterwards as Sita, the daughter of Janaka. For the sake of this Sita, Havana was ruined with his whole family.
By the religious merits of her previous birth, the ascetic lady got Bhagavan Hah S’ri Hama Chandra, the Fullest of the Full, for her husband and remained for a long time in great enjoyment with the Lord of the world; a thing very difficult to be attained! Though she was a Jatismara (one who knows all about her past lives), she did not feel any pain due to her practising severe austerities in her previous birth; for when the pains end in success, the pains are not then felt at all. Sita, in Her fresh youth enjoyed various pleasures in the company of her husband, handsome, peaceful, humorous and witty, the chief of the Devas, loved by the female sex, well-qualified, and just what she desired. But the all-powerful Time is irresistible; the truthful Hamachandra, the scion of the Haghu’s family, had to keep up the promise made by his father and so he had to go to the forest, ordained by Time. He remained with Sita and Laksmana near the sea. Once the God Fire appeared to Him in the form of a Brahmana. Fire, in a Brahmin-form, saw Hama Chandra morose and became himself mortified. Then the Truthful Fire addressed the truthful Hamachandra “O Bhagavan Hamachandra! I now speak to you how time is now coming to you. Now has come the time when your Sita will be stolen.
31-48. The course of Destiny is irresistible; none else is more powerful than Time, Fate. So give over your Sita, the World Mother to me and keep with you this Chhaya Sita (the shadow Sita; the false Sita). When the time of Sita’s ordeal by fire will take place I will give Her back to you. The Devas united have sent me to you. I am not really a Brahmin; but I am Agni Deva (eater of oblations).” Ramachandra heard Fire and gave his assent. But his heart shattered. He did not speak of this to Laksmana. By the yogic power Agni (Fire) created a Maya Sita. This Maya Sita, O Narada, was perfectly equal to the real Sita. Fire, then, handed this Maya Sita to the hands of Ramachandra. Hutasana (fire) took the real Sita and said, “Never divulge this to any other body” and went away. What to speak of divulging the secret to any other body, Laksmana even could not know it. By this time Rama saw one deer, made of all gold. To bring that deer carefully to her, Sita sent Ramachandra with great eagerness. Putting Sita under Laksmana’s care, in that forest, Rama went himself immediately and pierced the deer by one arrow. That Maya mriga (the deer created by magic powers) on being pierced, cried out “Ha Laksmana!” and seeing Hah before him and remembering the name of Hah, quitted his life. The deer body then vanished; and a divine body made its appearance in its stead. This new body mounting on an aerial car made of jewels, ascended to Vaikuntha. That Mayik (magic) deer was in its previous birth, a servant, of the two gate-keepers of Vaikuntha; but, for the sake of some emergency, he had to take up this Rakhsasa birth. He again became the servant of two door-keepers of Vaikuntha. On the other hand Sita Devi, hearing the cry “Ha Laksmana!” became very distressed and sent Laksmana in search of Rama. No sooner did Laksmana get out of the hermitage, the irresistible Ravana took away Sita gladly to the city of Lanka (Ceylon). Now Ramachandra, seeing Laksmana on the way in the forest, became merged in the ocean of sorrows and without losing any time came hurriedly to the hermitage where he could not find Sita. Instantly he fell unconscious, on the ground; and, after a long time, when he regained his consciousness, he lamented and wandered here and there in search of Her. After some days on the banks of the river Godavari, getting
the information of Sita, he built a bridge across the ocean with the help of His monkey armies. Then he entered with his army into Lanka and slew Havana with arrows with all his friends. When Sita’s ordeal by fire came, Agni (Fire) handed over the real Sita to Ramachandra. The Shadow Sita then humbly addressed Agni and Rama Chandra, “O Lord! What am I to do now? Settle my case.”
49-53. Agni and Ramachandra both of them then said to Chhaya Sita “O Devi! Go to Puskara and practise tapasya there; that place is the giver of religious merits and then you will be the Svarga Laksmi (Laksmi of Heaven).” Hearing this, the Chhaya Sita went and practised tapasya for the three divine lakh years and became Maha Laksmi. This Svarga Laksmi appeared at one time from the sacrificial Kunda (pit). She was known as the daughter of Drupada and became the wife of the five Pandavas. She was Veda Vati, the daughter of Kus’adhvaja in the Satya Yuga; Sita, the wife of Rama and the daughter of Janaka in Treta Yuga; and Draupadi, the daughter of Drupada, in the Dvapara Yuga. As she existed in the Satya, Treta, and Dvapara Yugas, the Three Yugas, hence She is Trihayani.
54. Narada said “O Chief of Munis! O Remover of doubts! Why had Draupadi five husbands? A great doubt has arisen in my mind on this point. Remove my doubt.”
55-63. Narayana said O Devarsi! When, in the city of Lanka, the real Sita came before Rama, then Chhaya Sita, full of youth and beauty, became very anxious. Agni Deva and Ramachandra both told Her to go to Puskara and worship S’amkara. While this Chhaya Sita was practising austerities in Puskara, She became very anxious to get a good husband and asked from MahaDeva the boon “Grant me a husband” and repeated it five times.
S’iva, the chief among the humorous, witty persons, hearing this, said, “O Dear! You will get five husbands” and thus granted her the boon. Therefore She became the dearest wife of the five Pandavas. Now hear other facts. When the war at Lanka was over, S’ri Ramachandra got his own dear wife Sita, and installing Vibhisana on the throne of Lanka, returned to Ayodhya. He ruled for eleven thousand years in Bharata and finally went to Vaikuntha with his all his subjects. Vedavati, the incarnation in part of Laksmi dissolved in the body of Kamala. Thus I have described to you the pure anecdote of Vedavati. Hearing this destroys sins and increases virtue. The four Vedas reigned incarnate, in their true forms, on the lips of Vedavati; hence She was named Vedavati. Thus I have told you the anecdote of the daughter of Kus’adhvaja. Now hear the story of Tulasi, the daughter of Dharmadhvaja.
Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Ninth Book on the incarnation of Maha Laksmi in the house of Kus’adhvaja in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24499, revision 75071 (2016-07-24T06:15:02Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch16.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.