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Ninth Skandha · Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Unit 234 of 318Ninth Skandha · Chapter 17Ninth Skandha · Chapter 171 source entries

Ninth Skandha · Chapter 17

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श्रीनारायण उवाच धर्मध्वजस्य पत्‍नी माधवीति च विश्रुता । नृपेण सार्धं सारामे रेमे च गन्धमादने ॥ १ ॥ शय्यां रतिकरीं कृत्वा पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिताम् । चन्दनालिप्तसर्वाङ्‌गीं पुष्पचन्दनवायुना ॥ २ ॥ स्त्रीरत्‍नमतिचार्वङ्‌गी रत्‍नभूषणभूषिता । कामुकी रसिका सृष्टा रसिकेन च संयुता ॥ ३ ॥ सुरते विरतिर्नास्ति तयोः सुरतिविज्ञयोः । गतं देववर्षशतं न ज्ञातं च दिवानिशम् ॥ ४ ॥ ततो राजा मतिं प्राप्य सुरताद्विरराम च । कामुकी सुन्दरी किञ्चिन्न च तृप्तिं जगाम सा ॥ ५ ॥ दधार गर्भं सा सद्यो दैवादब्दशतं सती । श्रीगर्भा श्रीयुता सा च सम्बभूव दिने दिने ॥ ६ ॥ शुभे क्षणे शुभदिने शुभयोगे च संयुते । शुभलग्ने शुभांशे च शुभस्वामिग्रहान्विते ॥ ७ ॥ कार्तिकीपूर्णिमायां तु सितवारे च पाद्मज । सुषाव सा च पद्मांशां पद्मिनीं तां मनोहराम् ॥ ८ ॥ शरत्पार्वणचन्द्रास्यां शरत्पङ्‌कजलोचनाम् । पक्वबिम्बाधरोष्ठीं च पश्यन्तीं सस्मितां गृहम् ॥ ९ ॥ हस्तपादतलारक्तां निम्ननाभिं मनोरमाम् । तदधस्त्रिवलीयुक्तां नितम्बयुगवर्तुलाम् ॥ १० ॥ शीते सुखोष्णसर्वाङ्‌गीं ग्रीष्मे च सुखशीतलाम् । श्यामां सुकेशीं रुचिरां न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डलाम् ॥ ११ ॥ पीतचम्पकवर्णाभां सुन्दरीष्वेव सुन्दरीम् । नरा नार्यश्च तां दृष्ट्वा तुलनां दातुमक्षमाः ॥ १२ ॥ तेन नाम्ना च तुलसीं तां वदन्ति मनीषिणः । सा च भूयिष्ठमानेन योग्या स्त्री प्रकृतिर्यथा ॥ १३ ॥ सर्वैर्निषिद्धा तपसे जगाम बदरीवनम् । तत्र देवाब्दलक्षं च चकार परमं तपः ॥ १४ ॥ मनसा नारायणः स्वामी भवितेति च निश्चिता । ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपाः शीते तोयवस्त्रा च प्रावृषि ॥ १५ ॥ आसनस्था वृष्टिधाराः सहन्तीति दिवानिशम् । विंशत्सहस्रवर्षं च फलतोयाशना च सा ॥ १६ ॥ त्रिंशत्सहस्रवर्षं च पत्राहारा तपस्विनी । चत्वारिंशत्सहस्राब्दं वाय्वाहारा कृशोदरी ॥ १७ ॥ ततो दशसहस्राब्दं निराहारा बभूव सा । निर्लक्ष्यां चैकपादस्थां दृष्ट्वा तां कमलोद्‍भवः ॥ १८ ॥ समाययौ वरं दातुं परं बदरिकाश्रमम् । चतुर्मुखं च सा दृष्ट्वा ननाम हंसवाहनम् ॥ १९ ॥ तामुवाच जगत्कर्ता विधाता जगतामपि । ब्रह्मोवाच वरं वृणीष्व तुलसि यत्ते मनसि वाच्छितम् ॥ २० ॥ हरिभक्तिं हरेर्दास्यमजरामरतामपि । तुलस्युवाच शृणु तात प्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मे मनसि वाञ्छितम् ॥ २१ ॥ सर्वज्ञस्यापि पुरतः का लज्जा मम साम्प्रतम् । अहं तु तुलसी गोपी गोलोकेऽहं स्थिता पुरा ॥ २२ ॥ कृष्णप्रिया किंकरी च तदंशा तत्सखी प्रिया । गोविन्दरतिसम्भुक्तामतृप्तां मां च मूर्च्छिताम् ॥ २३ ॥ रासेश्वरी समागत्य ददर्श रासमण्डले । गोविन्दं भर्त्सयामास मां शशाप रुषान्विता ॥ २४ ॥ याहि त्वं मानवीं योनिमित्येवं च शशाप ह । मामुवाच स गोविन्दो मदंशं च चतुर्भुजम् ॥ २५ ॥ लभिष्यसि तपस्तप्त्वा भारते ब्रह्मणो वरात् । इत्येवमुक्त्वा देवेशोऽप्यन्तर्धानं चकार सः ॥ २६ ॥ देव्या भिया तनुं त्यक्त्वा प्राप्तं जन्म गुरो भुवि । अहं नारायणं कान्तं शान्तं सुन्दरविग्रहम् ॥ २७ ॥ साम्प्रतं तं पतिं लब्धुं वरये त्वं च देहि मे । ब्रह्मदेव उवाच सुदामा नाम गोपश्च श्रीकृष्णाङ्‌गसमुद्‍भवः ॥ २८ ॥ तदंशश्चातितेजस्वी लेभे जन्म च भारते । साम्प्रतं राधिकाशापाद्दनुवंशसमुद्‍भवः ॥ २९ ॥ शङ्‌खचूडेति विख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये न च तत्समः । गोलोके त्वां पुरा दृष्ट्वा कामोन्मथितमानसः ॥ ३० ॥ विलम्भितुं न शशाक राधिकायाः प्रभावतः । स च जातिस्मरस्तस्मात्सदामाभूच्च सागरे ॥ ३१ ॥ जातिस्मरा त्वमपि सा सर्वं जानासि सुन्दरि । अधुना तस्य पत्‍नी त्वं सम्भविष्यसि शोभने ॥ ३२ ॥ पश्चान्नारायणं शान्तं कान्तमेव वरिष्यसि । शापान्नारायणस्यैव कलया दैवयोगतः ॥ ३३ ॥ भविष्यसि वृक्षरूपा त्वं पूता विश्वपावनी । प्रधाना सर्वपुष्पेषु विष्णुप्राणाधिका भवेः ॥ ३४ ॥ त्वया विना च सर्वेषां पूजा च विफला भवेत् । वृन्दावने वृक्षरूपा नाम्ना वृन्दावनीति च ॥ ३५ ॥ त्वत्पत्रैर्गोपिगोपाश्च पूजयिष्यन्ति माधवम् । वृक्षाधिदेवीरूपेण सार्धं कृष्णेन सन्ततम् ॥ ३६ ॥ विहरिष्यसि गोपेन स्वच्छन्दं मद्वरेण च । इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा सस्मिता हृष्टमानसा ॥ ३७ ॥ प्रणनाम च ब्रह्माणं तं च किञ्चिदुवाच सा । तुलस्युवाच यथा मे द्विभुजे कृष्णे वाञ्छा च श्यामसुन्दरे ॥ ३८ ॥ सत्यं ब्रवीमि हे तात न तथा च चतुर्भुजे । अतृप्ताहं च गोविन्दे दैवाच्छृङ्‌गारभङ्‌गतः ॥ ३९ ॥ गोविन्दस्यैव वचनात्प्रार्थयामि चतुर्भुजम् । त्वत्प्रसादेन गोविन्दं पुनरेव सुदुर्लभम् ॥ ४० ॥ ध्रुवमेव लभिष्यामि राधाभीतिं प्रमोचय । ब्रह्यदेव उवाच गृहाण राधिकामन्त्रं ददामि षोडशाक्षरम् ॥ ४१ ॥ तस्याश्च प्राणतुल्या त्वं मद्वरेण भविष्यसि । शृङ्‌गारं युवयोर्गोप्यं न ज्ञास्यति च राधिका ॥ ४२ ॥ राधासमा त्वं सुभगे गोविन्दस्य भविष्यसि । इत्येवमुक्त्वा दत्त्वा च देव्या वै षोडशाक्षरम् ॥ ४३ ॥ मन्त्रं चैव जगद्धाता स्तोत्रं च कवचं परम् । सर्वं पूजाविधानं च पुरश्चर्याविधिक्रमम् ॥ ४४ ॥ परां शुभाशिषं चैव पूजां चैव चकार सा । बभूव सिद्धा सा देवी तत्प्रसादाद्रमा यथा ॥ ४५ ॥ सिद्धं मन्त्रेण तुलसी वरं प्राप यथोदितम् । बुभुजे च महाभोगं यद्विश्वेषु च दुर्लभम् ॥ ४६ ॥ प्रसन्नमनसा देवी तत्याज तपसः क्लमम् । सिद्धे फले नराणां च दुःखं च सुखमुत्तमम् ॥ ४७ ॥ भुक्त्या पीत्वा च सन्तुष्टा शयनं च चकार सा । तल्पे मनोरमे तत्र पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिते ॥ ४८ ॥

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca dharmadhvajasya pat‍nī mādhavīti ca viśrutā | nṛpeṇa sārdhaṃ sārāme reme ca gandhamādane || 1 || śayyāṃ ratikarīṃ kṛtvā puṣpacandanacarcitām | candanāliptasarvāṅ‌gīṃ puṣpacandanavāyunā || 2 || strīrat‍namaticārvaṅ‌gī rat‍nabhūṣaṇabhūṣitā | kāmukī rasikā sṛṣṭā rasikena ca saṃyutā || 3 || surate viratirnāsti tayoḥ surativijñayoḥ | gataṃ devavarṣaśataṃ na jñātaṃ ca divāniśam || 4 || tato rājā matiṃ prāpya suratādvirarāma ca | kāmukī sundarī kiñcinna ca tṛptiṃ jagāma sā || 5 || dadhāra garbhaṃ sā sadyo daivādabdaśataṃ satī | śrīgarbhā śrīyutā sā ca sambabhūva dine dine || 6 || śubhe kṣaṇe śubhadine śubhayoge ca saṃyute | śubhalagne śubhāṃśe ca śubhasvāmigrahānvite || 7 || kārtikīpūrṇimāyāṃ tu sitavāre ca pādmaja | suṣāva sā ca padmāṃśāṃ padminīṃ tāṃ manoharām || 8 || śaratpārvaṇacandrāsyāṃ śaratpaṅ‌kajalocanām | pakvabimbādharoṣṭhīṃ ca paśyantīṃ sasmitāṃ gṛham || 9 || hastapādatalāraktāṃ nimnanābhiṃ manoramām | tadadhastrivalīyuktāṃ nitambayugavartulām || 10 || śīte sukhoṣṇasarvāṅ‌gīṃ grīṣme ca sukhaśītalām | śyāmāṃ sukeśīṃ rucirāṃ nyagrodhaparimaṇḍalām || 11 || pītacampakavarṇābhāṃ sundarīṣveva sundarīm | narā nāryaśca tāṃ dṛṣṭvā tulanāṃ dātumakṣamāḥ || 12 || tena nāmnā ca tulasīṃ tāṃ vadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | sā ca bhūyiṣṭhamānena yogyā strī prakṛtiryathā || 13 || sarvairniṣiddhā tapase jagāma badarīvanam | tatra devābdalakṣaṃ ca cakāra paramaṃ tapaḥ || 14 || manasā nārāyaṇaḥ svāmī bhaviteti ca niścitā | grīṣme pañcatapāḥ śīte toyavastrā ca prāvṛṣi || 15 || āsanasthā vṛṣṭidhārāḥ sahantīti divāniśam | viṃśatsahasravarṣaṃ ca phalatoyāśanā ca sā || 16 || triṃśatsahasravarṣaṃ ca patrāhārā tapasvinī | catvāriṃśatsahasrābdaṃ vāyvāhārā kṛśodarī || 17 || tato daśasahasrābdaṃ nirāhārā babhūva sā | nirlakṣyāṃ caikapādasthāṃ dṛṣṭvā tāṃ kamalod‍bhavaḥ || 18 || samāyayau varaṃ dātuṃ paraṃ badarikāśramam | caturmukhaṃ ca sā dṛṣṭvā nanāma haṃsavāhanam || 19 || tāmuvāca jagatkartā vidhātā jagatāmapi | brahmovāca varaṃ vṛṇīṣva tulasi yatte manasi vācchitam || 20 || haribhaktiṃ harerdāsyamajarāmaratāmapi | tulasyuvāca śṛṇu tāta pravakṣyāmi yanme manasi vāñchitam || 21 || sarvajñasyāpi purataḥ kā lajjā mama sāmpratam | ahaṃ tu tulasī gopī goloke'haṃ sthitā purā || 22 || kṛṣṇapriyā kiṃkarī ca tadaṃśā tatsakhī priyā | govindaratisambhuktāmatṛptāṃ māṃ ca mūrcchitām || 23 || rāseśvarī samāgatya dadarśa rāsamaṇḍale | govindaṃ bhartsayāmāsa māṃ śaśāpa ruṣānvitā || 24 || yāhi tvaṃ mānavīṃ yonimityevaṃ ca śaśāpa ha | māmuvāca sa govindo madaṃśaṃ ca caturbhujam || 25 || labhiṣyasi tapastaptvā bhārate brahmaṇo varāt | ityevamuktvā deveśo'pyantardhānaṃ cakāra saḥ || 26 || devyā bhiyā tanuṃ tyaktvā prāptaṃ janma guro bhuvi | ahaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ kāntaṃ śāntaṃ sundaravigraham || 27 || sāmprataṃ taṃ patiṃ labdhuṃ varaye tvaṃ ca dehi me | brahmadeva uvāca sudāmā nāma gopaśca śrīkṛṣṇāṅ‌gasamud‍bhavaḥ || 28 || tadaṃśaścātitejasvī lebhe janma ca bhārate | sāmprataṃ rādhikāśāpāddanuvaṃśasamud‍bhavaḥ || 29 || śaṅ‌khacūḍeti vikhyātastrailokye na ca tatsamaḥ | goloke tvāṃ purā dṛṣṭvā kāmonmathitamānasaḥ || 30 || vilambhituṃ na śaśāka rādhikāyāḥ prabhāvataḥ | sa ca jātismarastasmātsadāmābhūcca sāgare || 31 || jātismarā tvamapi sā sarvaṃ jānāsi sundari | adhunā tasya pat‍nī tvaṃ sambhaviṣyasi śobhane || 32 || paścānnārāyaṇaṃ śāntaṃ kāntameva variṣyasi | śāpānnārāyaṇasyaiva kalayā daivayogataḥ || 33 || bhaviṣyasi vṛkṣarūpā tvaṃ pūtā viśvapāvanī | pradhānā sarvapuṣpeṣu viṣṇuprāṇādhikā bhaveḥ || 34 || tvayā vinā ca sarveṣāṃ pūjā ca viphalā bhavet | vṛndāvane vṛkṣarūpā nāmnā vṛndāvanīti ca || 35 || tvatpatrairgopigopāśca pūjayiṣyanti mādhavam | vṛkṣādhidevīrūpeṇa sārdhaṃ kṛṣṇena santatam || 36 || vihariṣyasi gopena svacchandaṃ madvareṇa ca | ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā sasmitā hṛṣṭamānasā || 37 || praṇanāma ca brahmāṇaṃ taṃ ca kiñciduvāca sā | tulasyuvāca yathā me dvibhuje kṛṣṇe vāñchā ca śyāmasundare || 38 || satyaṃ bravīmi he tāta na tathā ca caturbhuje | atṛptāhaṃ ca govinde daivācchṛṅ‌gārabhaṅ‌gataḥ || 39 || govindasyaiva vacanātprārthayāmi caturbhujam | tvatprasādena govindaṃ punareva sudurlabham || 40 || dhruvameva labhiṣyāmi rādhābhītiṃ pramocaya | brahyadeva uvāca gṛhāṇa rādhikāmantraṃ dadāmi ṣoḍaśākṣaram || 41 || tasyāśca prāṇatulyā tvaṃ madvareṇa bhaviṣyasi | śṛṅ‌gāraṃ yuvayorgopyaṃ na jñāsyati ca rādhikā || 42 || rādhāsamā tvaṃ subhage govindasya bhaviṣyasi | ityevamuktvā dattvā ca devyā vai ṣoḍaśākṣaram || 43 || mantraṃ caiva jagaddhātā stotraṃ ca kavacaṃ param | sarvaṃ pūjāvidhānaṃ ca puraścaryāvidhikramam || 44 || parāṃ śubhāśiṣaṃ caiva pūjāṃ caiva cakāra sā | babhūva siddhā sā devī tatprasādādramā yathā || 45 || siddhaṃ mantreṇa tulasī varaṃ prāpa yathoditam | bubhuje ca mahābhogaṃ yadviśveṣu ca durlabham || 46 || prasannamanasā devī tatyāja tapasaḥ klamam | siddhe phale narāṇāṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca sukhamuttamam || 47 || bhuktyā pītvā ca santuṣṭā śayanaṃ ca cakāra sā | talpe manorame tatra puṣpacandanacarcite || 48 ||

English translation

1-19. S’n Narayana said O Narada! The wife of Dharmadhvaja was Madhavi. Going to the Gandhamadan mountain, She began to enjoy, with great gladness, the pleasures with the king Dharmadhvaja. The bed was prepared, strewn with flowers and scented with sandal-paste. She smeared all over her body with sandal-paste. The flowers and cool breeze in contact with the sweet scent of sandal-paste began to cool the bodies. Madhavi was the jewel amongst women. Her whole body was very elegant. Besides it was adorned all over with jewel ornaments. As she was humorous, so the king was very expert in that respect. It seemed as if the Creator created especially for Dharmadhvaja, the humorous lady Madhavi expert in amorous affairs. Both of them were skilled in amorous sports. So no one did like to desist from amorous enjoyments. One hundred divine years passed in this way, day and night passed unnoticed. The king then got back his consciousness and desisted from his amorous embraces. But the lustful woman did not find herself satisfied. However, by the Deva’s influence, she became pregnant and conceived for one hundred years. In the womb there was the incarnation of Laksmi; and the body’s lustre increased day by day. Then, on an auspicious day, on an auspicious moment, auspicious Yoga, auspicious Lagna, auspicious Amsa, and on an auspicious combination of planetary rulers and their houses, she delivered on the full moon night of the month of Kartik one beautiful daughter, the incarnation in part of Laksmi. The face of the baby looked like the autumnal moon; Her two eyes resembled autumnal lotuses and her upper and lower lips looked beautiful like ripe Bimba fruits. The daughter began, no sooner it was born, to look on all sides of the lying-in-room. The palm and lower part of feet were red. The navel was deep and below that there were three wrinkles. Her loins were circular. Her body was hot in the winter and cold in the summer and pleasant to touch. Her hairs on the head were hanging like the roots of the fig tree. Her colour was bright like

Champaka; She was a jewel amongst women. Men and women cannot compare her beauty. The holy wise men named Her Tulasi. As soon as she was born, she looked of the female sex, full in every way. Though prevented repeatedly by all. She went to the forest of Badari for practising Tapasya. There she practised hard Tapasya for one lakh divine years. Her main object was to get Narayana for her husband. In summer she practise Panchatapa (surrounded by fire on four sides and on the top); in the winter she remained in water and in the rainy season she remained in the open air and endured the showers of the rain, twenty thousand years. She passed away thus in eating fruits and water. For thirty thousand years she subsisted only on the leaves of trees. When the forty thousandth year came, she subsisted only on air and her body became thinner and thinner day by day. Then for ten thousand years afterwards she left eating anything whatsoever and without any aim, stood on only one leg. At this time the lotus-born Brahma, seeing this, appeared there to grant her boons. On seeing Him, Tulasi immediately bowed down to Brahma, the Four-faced One riding on His vehicle, the Swan. [Note: - - The vehicle theory of the Devas came from Egypt. The Devas were without vehicles at first and were faced half-beasts. Then they were rendered men and their vehicles were fancied as beasts. The face of the Durga Devi was thought of as that of a tiger.]

20. He then addressed her and said “O Tulasi! Ask a boon that you like. Whether it be devotion to Hari, servantship to Hari, freedom from old age or freedom from death, I will grant that to you.”

21-27. Tulasi said “Father! I now say you my mind. Hear. What is the use of hiding away my views out of fear or shame to One who knows everything reigning in One’s Heart.

I am Tulasi Gopi (cowherdess); I used to dwell before in the Goloka.

I was a dear she-servant of Radhika, the beloved of Krisna. I was also born of Her in part, Her Sakhis (female attendants) used to love me. Once in Rasa Mandalam I was enjoyed by Govinda; but I was not satiated and while I was lying down in an unconscious state, Radha, the Governess-in-chief of the Rasa circle, came there and saw me in that state. She rebuked Gobinda and, out of anger, cursed me ‘Go at once and be born as a human being.’ At this Govinda spoke to me ‘If you go and practise Tapas in Bharata, Brahma will get pleased and He will grant you boon. When you will get Narayana, the Four-armed, born of Me in part as your husband.’ O Father! Thus speaking, S’ri Krisna disappeared out of sight. Out of Radha’s fear, I quitted my body and am now born in this world. Now grant me this boon that I get the peaceful, lovely, beautiful Nara for my husband.”

28-37. Brahma said “O Child Tulasi! The Gopa (cowherd)

Sudama was born of S’ri Krisna’s body. At the present time he is very energetic. He too, under the curse of Radha, has come and taken his birth amongst the Danavas. He is named S’ankha Chuda. No one is equal to him in strength. In Goloka, when he saw you before, he was overpowered with passion for you. Only out of Radha’s influence, he could not embrace you. That Sudama is Jatismara (knows all about his previous births); and you, too, are Jati Smara. There is nothing unknown to you. O Beautiful One! You will now be his wife. Afterwards you will get Narayana, the Beautiful and Lovely for your husband. Thus under the curse of Narayana, you will be transformed into the world purifying Tulasi tree. You will be the foremost amongst the flowers and will be dearer to Narayana than His life. No one’s worship will be complete without Thee as leaf. You will remain as a tree in Bindraban and you will be widely known as Vrindabani. The Gopas and Gopis will worship Madhava with Your leaves. Being the Presiding Deity of the Tulasi tree, you will always enjoy the company of Krisna, the best of the Gopas.” O Narada!

Thus bearing Brahma’s words, the Devi Tulasi became very glad. Smile appeared in her face. She then bowed down to the Creator and said

38-40. “O Father! I speak now truly to Thee that I am not as devoted to the four-armed Narayana as I am devoted to S’yama Sundara, the two-armed. For my intercourse with Govinda S’ri Krisna was suddenly interrupted and my desire was not gratified. It is because of S’ri Govinda’s words that I prayed for the four-armed. Now it appears certain that by Thy grace I will get again my Govinda, very hard to be attained. But, O Father! Do this that I be not afraid of Radha.”

41-48. Brahma said:-- “O Child! I now give you the sixteen lettered Radha mantra to you. By Her Grace you will be dear to Radha as Her life. Radhika will not be able to know anything of your secret dealings. O Fortunate! You will be dear to Govinda like Radha.” Thus saying, Brahma, the Creator of the world, gave her the sixteen lettered Radha mantra, stotra, Kavacha and mode of worship and puras’charana and He blessed her. Tulasi, then, engaged herself in worshipping Radha, as directed. By the boon of Brahma, Tulasi attained Siddhi (success) like Laksmi. Out of the power of the Siddha mantra. She got her desired boon. She became fortunate in getting various pleasures, hard to be attained in this world. Her mind became quiet. All the toils of Tapasya disappeared. When one gets the fruit of one’s labour, all the troubles then transform to happiness. She then finished her food and drink and slept on a beautiful bed strewn with flowers and scented with sandal paste.

Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Tulasi in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24505, revision 75089 (2016-07-25T03:12:58Z). 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/bk09ch17.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.