Sixth Skandha · Chapter 17
Sourceजनमेजय उवाच कथं ताश्च स्त्रियः सर्वा भृगूणां दुःखसागरात् । मुक्ता वंशः पुनस्तेषां ब्राह्मणानां स्थिरोऽभवत् ॥ १ ॥ हैहयैः किं कृतं कार्यं हत्वा तान्ब्राह्मणानपि । क्षत्रियैर्लोभसंयुक्तैः पापाचारैर्वदस्व तत् ॥ २ ॥ न तृप्तिरस्ति मे ब्रह्मन् पिबतस्ते कथामृतम् । पावनं सुखदं नॄणां परलोके फलप्रदम् ॥ ३ ॥ व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । यथा स्त्रियस्तु ता मुक्ता दुःखात्तस्माद्दुरत्ययात् ॥ ४ ॥ भृगुपत्न्यो यदा राजन् हिमवन्तं गिरिं गताः । भयत्रस्ता विभग्नाशा हैहयैः पीडिता भृशम् ॥ ५ ॥ गौरीं तत्र तु संस्थाप्य मृण्मयीं सरितस्तटे । उपोषणपराश्चक्रुर्निश्चयं मरणं प्रति ॥ ६ ॥ स्वप्ने गत्वा तदा देवी प्राह ताः प्रमदोत्तमाः । युष्मासु मध्ये कस्याश्चिद्भविता चोरुजः पुमान् ॥ ७ ॥ मदंशशक्तिसम्भिन्नः स वः कार्यं विधास्यति । इत्यादिश्य पराम्बा सा पश्चादन्तर्हिताभवत् ॥ ८ ॥ जागृतास्तु ततः सर्वा मुदमापुर्वराङ्गनाः । काचित्तासां भयोद्विग्ना कामिनी चतुरा भृशम् ॥ ९ ॥ दधार चोरुणैकेन गर्भं सा कुलवृद्धये । पलायनपरा दृष्टा क्षत्रियैर्ब्राह्मणी यदा ॥ १० ॥ विह्वला तेजसा युक्ता तदा ते दुद्रुवुर्भृशम् । गृह्यतां वध्यतां नारी सगर्भा याति सत्वरा ॥ ११ ॥ इति ब्रुवन्तः सम्प्राप्ताः कामिनीं खड्गपाणयः । सा भयार्ता तु तान्दृष्ट्वा रुरोद समुपागतान् ॥ १२ ॥ गर्भस्य रक्षणार्थं सा चुक्रोशातिभयातुरा । रुदतीं मातरं श्रुत्वा दीनां प्राणविवर्जिताम् ॥ १३ ॥ निराधारां क्रन्दमानां क्षत्रियैर्भृशतापिताम् । गृहीतामिव सिंहेन सगर्भां हरिणीं यथा ॥ १४ ॥ साश्रुनेत्रां वेपमानां सङ्क्रुध्य बालकस्तदा । भित्त्वोरुं निर्जगामाशु गर्भः सूर्य इवापरः ॥ १५ ॥ मुष्णन्दृष्टीः क्षत्रियाणां तेजसा बालकः शुभः । दर्शनाद्बालकस्याशु सर्वे जाता विलोचनाः ॥ १६ ॥ बभ्रमुर्गिरिदुर्गेषु जन्मान्धा इव क्षत्रियाः । चिन्तितं मनसा सर्वैः किमेतदिति साम्प्रतम् ॥ १७ ॥ सर्वे चक्षुर्विहीना यज्जाता स्म बालदर्शनात् । ब्राह्मण्यास्तु प्रभावोऽयं सतीव्रतबलं महत् ॥ १८ ॥ क्षणाद्वामोघसङ्कल्पाः किं करिष्यन्तिदुःखिताः । इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा नेत्रहीना निराश्रयाः ॥ १९ ॥ ब्राह्मणीं शरणं जग्मुर्हैहया गतचेतसः । प्रणेमुस्तां भयत्रस्तां कृताञ्जलिपुटाश्च ते ॥ २० ॥ ऊचुश्चैनां भयोद्विग्नां दृष्ट्यर्थं क्षत्रियर्षभाः । प्रसीद सुभगे मातः सेवकास्ते वयं किल ॥ २१ ॥ कृतापराधा रम्भोरु क्षत्रियाः पापबुद्धयः । दर्शनात्तव तन्वङ्गि जाताः सर्वे विलोचनाः ॥ २२ ॥ मुखं ते नैव पश्यामो जन्मान्धा इव भामिनि । अद्भुतं ते तपो वीर्यं किं कुर्मः पापकारिणः ॥ २३ ॥ शरणं ते प्रपन्नाः स्मो देहि चक्षूंषि मानदे । अन्धत्वं मरणादुग्रं कृपां कर्तुं त्वमर्हसि ॥ २४ ॥ पुनर्दृष्टिप्रदानेन सेवकान्क्षत्रियान्कुरु । उपरम्य च गच्छेम सहिताः पापकर्मणः ॥ २५ ॥ अतः परं न कर्तव्यमीदृशं कर्म कर्हिचित् । भार्गवाणां तु सर्वेषां सेवकाः स्मो वयं किल ॥ २६ ॥ अज्ञानाद्यत्कृतं पापं क्षन्तव्यं तत्त्वयाधुना । वैरं नातः परं क्वापि भृगुभिः क्षत्रियैः सह ॥ २७ ॥ कर्तव्यं शपथैः सम्यग्वर्तितव्यं तु हैहयैः । सपुत्रा भव सुश्रोणि प्रणताः स्मो वयं च ते ॥ २८ ॥ प्रसादं कुरु कल्याणि न द्विष्यामः कदाचन । व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणी विस्मयान्विता ॥ २९ ॥ तानाह प्रणतान्दुःस्थानाश्वास्य गतलोचनान् । गृहीता न मया दृष्टिर्युष्माकं क्षत्रियाः किल ॥ ३० ॥ नाहं रुषान्विता सत्यं कारणं शृणुताद्य यत् । अयं च भार्गवो नूनमूरुजः कुपितोऽद्य वः ॥ ३१ ॥ चक्षूंषि तेन युष्माकं स्तम्भितानि रुषावता । स्वबन्धून्निहताञ्ज्ञात्वा गर्भस्थानपि क्षत्रियैः ॥ ३२ ॥ अनागसो धर्मपरांस्तापसान्धनकाम्यया । गर्भानपि यदा यूयं भृगूनघ्नंस्तु पुत्रकाः ॥ ३३ ॥ तदायमूरुणा गर्भो मया वर्षशतं धृतः । षडङ्गश्चाखिलो वेदो गृहीतोऽनेन चाञ्जसा ॥ ३४ ॥ गर्भस्थेनापि बालेन भृगुवंशविवृद्धये । सोऽपि पितृवधान्नूनं क्रोथेद्धो हन्तुमिच्छति ॥ ३५ ॥ भगवत्याः प्रसादेन जातोऽयं मम बालकः । तेजसा यस्य दिव्येन चक्षूंषि मुषितानि वः ॥ ३६ ॥ तस्मादौर्वं सुतं मेऽद्य याचध्वं विनयान्विताः । प्रणिपातेन तुष्टोऽसौ दृष्टिं वः प्रतिमोक्ष्यति ॥ ३७ ॥ व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या हैहयास्तुष्टुवुश्च तम् । प्रणेमुर्विनयोपेता ऊरुजं मुनिसत्तमम् ॥ ३८ ॥ स सन्तुष्टो बभूवाथ तानुवाच विचक्षुषः । गच्छध्वं स्वगृहान्भूपा ममाख्यानकृतं वचः ॥ ३९ ॥ अवश्यम्भाविभावास्ते भवन्ति देवनिर्मिताः । नात्र शोकस्तु कर्तव्यः पुरुषेण विजानता ॥ ४० ॥ पूर्ववदृषयः सर्वे प्राप्नुवन्तु यथासुखम् । व्रजन्तु विगतक्रोधा भवनानि यथासुखम् ॥ ४१ ॥ इति तेन समादिष्टा हैहयाः प्राप्तलोचनाः । और्वमामन्त्र्य जग्मुस्ते सदनानि यथारुचि ॥ ४२ ॥ ब्राह्मणी तं सुतं दिव्यं गृहीत्वा स्वाश्रमं गता । पालयामास भूपाल तेजस्विनमतन्द्रिता ॥ ४३ ॥ एवं ते कथितं राजन् भृगूणां तु विनाशनम् । लोभाविष्टैः क्षत्रियैश्च यत्कृतं पातकं किल ॥ ४४ ॥ जनमेजय उवाच श्रुतं मया महत्कर्म क्षत्रियाणाञ्च दारुणम् । कारणं लोभ एवात्र दुःखदश्चोभयोस्तु सः ॥ ४५ ॥ किञ्चित्प्रष्टुमिहेच्छामि संशयं वासवीसुत । हैहयास्ते कथं नाम्ना ख्याता भुवि नृपात्मजाः ॥ ४६ ॥ यदोस्तु यादवाः कामं भरताद्भारतास्तथा । हैहयः कोऽपि राजाभूत्तेषां वंशे प्रतिष्ठितः ॥ ४७ ॥ तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कारणं करुणानिधे । हैहयास्ते कथं जाताः क्षत्रियाः केन कर्मणा ॥ ४८ ॥ व्यास उवाच हैहयानां समुत्पत्तिं शृणु भूप सविस्तराम् । पुरातनीं सुपुण्यां च कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् ॥ ४९ ॥ कस्मिंश्चित्समये भूप सूर्यपुत्रः सुशोभनः । रेवन्तेति च विख्यातो रूपवानमितप्रभः ॥ ५० ॥ [http://puranastudy.freeoda.com/pur_index3/uchchaish.htm उच्चैःश्रव]समारुह्य हयरत्नं मनोहरम् । जगाम विष्णुसदनं वैकुण्ठं भास्करात्मजः ॥ ५१ ॥ भगवद्दर्शनाकांक्षी हयारूढो यदागतः । हयस्थस्तु तदा दृष्टो लक्ष्म्यासौ रविनन्दनः ॥ ५२ ॥ रमा वीक्ष्य हयं दिव्यं भ्रातरं सागरोद्भवम् । रूपेण विस्मिता तस्य तस्थौ स्तम्भितलोचना ॥ ५३ ॥ भगवानपि तं दृष्ट्वा हयारूढं मनोहरम् । आगच्छन्तं रमां विष्णुः पप्रच्छ प्रणयात्प्रभुः ॥ ५४ ॥ कोऽयमायाति चार्वङ्गि हयारूढ इवापरः । स्मरतेजस्तनुः कान्ते मोहयन्भुवनत्रयम् ॥ ५५ ॥ प्रेक्षमाणा तदा लक्ष्मीस्तच्चित्ता दैवयोगतः । नोवाच वचनं किञ्चित्पृष्टापि च पुनः पुनः ॥ ५६ ॥ व्यास उवाच अश्वासक्तमतिं वीक्ष्य कामिनीमतिमोहिताम् । पश्यन्तीं परमप्रेम्णा चञ्चलाक्षीं च चञ्चलाम् ॥ ५७ ॥ तामाह भगवान्कुद्धः किं पश्यसि सुलोचने । मोहिता च हरिं दृष्ट्वा पृष्टा नैवाभिभाषसे ॥ ५८ ॥ सर्वत्र रमसे यस्माद्रमा तस्माद्भविष्यसि । चञ्चलत्वाच्चलेत्येवं सर्वथैव न संशयः ॥ ५९ ॥ प्राकृता च यथा नारी नूनं भवति चञ्चला । तथा त्वमपि कल्याणि स्थिरा नैव कदाचन ॥ ६० ॥ त्वं हयं मत्समीपस्था समीक्ष्य यदि मोहिता । वडवा भव वामोरु मर्त्यलोकेऽतिदारुणे ॥ ६१ ॥ इति शप्ता रमा देवी हरिणा दैवयोगतः । रुरोद वेपमाना सा भयभीतातिदुःखिता ॥ ६२ ॥ तमुवाच रमानाथ शङ्किता चारुहासिनी । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं स्वपतिं विनयान्विता ॥ ६३ ॥ देवदेव जगन्नाथ करुणाकर केशव । स्वल्पेऽपराधे गोविन्द कस्माच्छापं ददासि मे ॥ ६४ ॥ न कदाचिन्मया दृष्टः क्रोधस्ते हीदृशः प्रभो । क्व गतस्ते मयि स्नेहः सहजो न तु नश्वरः ॥ ६५ ॥ वज्रपातस्तु शत्रौ वै कर्तव्यो न सुहृज्जने । सदाहं वरयोग्या ते शापयोग्या कथं कृता ॥ ६६ ॥ प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यामि गोविन्द पश्यतोऽद्य तवाग्रतः । कथं जीवे त्वया हीना विरहानलतापिता ॥ ६७ ॥ प्रसादं कुरु देवेश शापादस्मात्सुदारुणात् । कदा मुक्ता समीपं ते प्राप्नोमि सुखदं विभौ ॥ ६८ ॥ हरिरुवाच यदा ते भविता पुत्रः पृथिव्यां मत्समः प्रिये । तदा मां प्राप्य तन्वङ्गि सुखिता त्वं भविष्यसि ॥ ६९ ॥
janamejaya uvāca kathaṃ tāśca striyaḥ sarvā bhṛgūṇāṃ duḥkhasāgarāt | muktā vaṃśaḥ punasteṣāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ sthiro'bhavat || 1 || haihayaiḥ kiṃ kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ hatvā tānbrāhmaṇānapi | kṣatriyairlobhasaṃyuktaiḥ pāpācārairvadasva tat || 2 || na tṛptirasti me brahman pibataste kathāmṛtam | pāvanaṃ sukhadaṃ nṝṇāṃ paraloke phalapradam || 3 || vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi kathāṃ pāpapraṇāśinīm | yathā striyastu tā muktā duḥkhāttasmādduratyayāt || 4 || bhṛgupatnyo yadā rājan himavantaṃ giriṃ gatāḥ | bhayatrastā vibhagnāśā haihayaiḥ pīḍitā bhṛśam || 5 || gaurīṃ tatra tu saṃsthāpya mṛṇmayīṃ saritastaṭe | upoṣaṇaparāścakrurniścayaṃ maraṇaṃ prati || 6 || svapne gatvā tadā devī prāha tāḥ pramadottamāḥ | yuṣmāsu madhye kasyāścidbhavitā corujaḥ pumān || 7 || madaṃśaśaktisambhinnaḥ sa vaḥ kāryaṃ vidhāsyati | ityādiśya parāmbā sā paścādantarhitābhavat || 8 || jāgṛtāstu tataḥ sarvā mudamāpurvarāṅganāḥ | kācittāsāṃ bhayodvignā kāminī caturā bhṛśam || 9 || dadhāra coruṇaikena garbhaṃ sā kulavṛddhaye | palāyanaparā dṛṣṭā kṣatriyairbrāhmaṇī yadā || 10 || vihvalā tejasā yuktā tadā te dudruvurbhṛśam | gṛhyatāṃ vadhyatāṃ nārī sagarbhā yāti satvarā || 11 || iti bruvantaḥ samprāptāḥ kāminīṃ khaḍgapāṇayaḥ | sā bhayārtā tu tāndṛṣṭvā ruroda samupāgatān || 12 || garbhasya rakṣaṇārthaṃ sā cukrośātibhayāturā | rudatīṃ mātaraṃ śrutvā dīnāṃ prāṇavivarjitām || 13 || nirādhārāṃ krandamānāṃ kṣatriyairbhṛśatāpitām | gṛhītāmiva siṃhena sagarbhāṃ hariṇīṃ yathā || 14 || sāśrunetrāṃ vepamānāṃ saṅkrudhya bālakastadā | bhittvoruṃ nirjagāmāśu garbhaḥ sūrya ivāparaḥ || 15 || muṣṇandṛṣṭīḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ tejasā bālakaḥ śubhaḥ | darśanādbālakasyāśu sarve jātā vilocanāḥ || 16 || babhramurgiridurgeṣu janmāndhā iva kṣatriyāḥ | cintitaṃ manasā sarvaiḥ kimetaditi sāmpratam || 17 || sarve cakṣurvihīnā yajjātā sma bāladarśanāt | brāhmaṇyāstu prabhāvo'yaṃ satīvratabalaṃ mahat || 18 || kṣaṇādvāmoghasaṅkalpāḥ kiṃ kariṣyantiduḥkhitāḥ | iti sañcintya manasā netrahīnā nirāśrayāḥ || 19 || brāhmaṇīṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmurhaihayā gatacetasaḥ | praṇemustāṃ bhayatrastāṃ kṛtāñjalipuṭāśca te || 20 || ūcuścaināṃ bhayodvignāṃ dṛṣṭyarthaṃ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ | prasīda subhage mātaḥ sevakāste vayaṃ kila || 21 || kṛtāparādhā rambhoru kṣatriyāḥ pāpabuddhayaḥ | darśanāttava tanvaṅgi jātāḥ sarve vilocanāḥ || 22 || mukhaṃ te naiva paśyāmo janmāndhā iva bhāmini | adbhutaṃ te tapo vīryaṃ kiṃ kurmaḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ || 23 || śaraṇaṃ te prapannāḥ smo dehi cakṣūṃṣi mānade | andhatvaṃ maraṇādugraṃ kṛpāṃ kartuṃ tvamarhasi || 24 || punardṛṣṭipradānena sevakānkṣatriyānkuru | uparamya ca gacchema sahitāḥ pāpakarmaṇaḥ || 25 || ataḥ paraṃ na kartavyamīdṛśaṃ karma karhicit | bhārgavāṇāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ sevakāḥ smo vayaṃ kila || 26 || ajñānādyatkṛtaṃ pāpaṃ kṣantavyaṃ tattvayādhunā | vairaṃ nātaḥ paraṃ kvāpi bhṛgubhiḥ kṣatriyaiḥ saha || 27 || kartavyaṃ śapathaiḥ samyagvartitavyaṃ tu haihayaiḥ | saputrā bhava suśroṇi praṇatāḥ smo vayaṃ ca te || 28 || prasādaṃ kuru kalyāṇi na dviṣyāmaḥ kadācana | vyāsa uvāca iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā brāhmaṇī vismayānvitā || 29 || tānāha praṇatānduḥsthānāśvāsya gatalocanān | gṛhītā na mayā dṛṣṭiryuṣmākaṃ kṣatriyāḥ kila || 30 || nāhaṃ ruṣānvitā satyaṃ kāraṇaṃ śṛṇutādya yat | ayaṃ ca bhārgavo nūnamūrujaḥ kupito'dya vaḥ || 31 || cakṣūṃṣi tena yuṣmākaṃ stambhitāni ruṣāvatā | svabandhūnnihatāñjñātvā garbhasthānapi kṣatriyaiḥ || 32 || anāgaso dharmaparāṃstāpasāndhanakāmyayā | garbhānapi yadā yūyaṃ bhṛgūnaghnaṃstu putrakāḥ || 33 || tadāyamūruṇā garbho mayā varṣaśataṃ dhṛtaḥ | ṣaḍaṅgaścākhilo vedo gṛhīto'nena cāñjasā || 34 || garbhasthenāpi bālena bhṛguvaṃśavivṛddhaye | so'pi pitṛvadhānnūnaṃ krotheddho hantumicchati || 35 || bhagavatyāḥ prasādena jāto'yaṃ mama bālakaḥ | tejasā yasya divyena cakṣūṃṣi muṣitāni vaḥ || 36 || tasmādaurvaṃ sutaṃ me'dya yācadhvaṃ vinayānvitāḥ | praṇipātena tuṣṭo'sau dṛṣṭiṃ vaḥ pratimokṣyati || 37 || vyāsa uvāca tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasyā haihayāstuṣṭuvuśca tam | praṇemurvinayopetā ūrujaṃ munisattamam || 38 || sa santuṣṭo babhūvātha tānuvāca vicakṣuṣaḥ | gacchadhvaṃ svagṛhānbhūpā mamākhyānakṛtaṃ vacaḥ || 39 || avaśyambhāvibhāvāste bhavanti devanirmitāḥ | nātra śokastu kartavyaḥ puruṣeṇa vijānatā || 40 || pūrvavadṛṣayaḥ sarve prāpnuvantu yathāsukham | vrajantu vigatakrodhā bhavanāni yathāsukham || 41 || iti tena samādiṣṭā haihayāḥ prāptalocanāḥ | aurvamāmantrya jagmuste sadanāni yathāruci || 42 || brāhmaṇī taṃ sutaṃ divyaṃ gṛhītvā svāśramaṃ gatā | pālayāmāsa bhūpāla tejasvinamatandritā || 43 || evaṃ te kathitaṃ rājan bhṛgūṇāṃ tu vināśanam | lobhāviṣṭaiḥ kṣatriyaiśca yatkṛtaṃ pātakaṃ kila || 44 || janamejaya uvāca śrutaṃ mayā mahatkarma kṣatriyāṇāñca dāruṇam | kāraṇaṃ lobha evātra duḥkhadaścobhayostu saḥ || 45 || kiñcitpraṣṭumihecchāmi saṃśayaṃ vāsavīsuta | haihayāste kathaṃ nāmnā khyātā bhuvi nṛpātmajāḥ || 46 || yadostu yādavāḥ kāmaṃ bharatādbhāratāstathā | haihayaḥ ko'pi rājābhūtteṣāṃ vaṃśe pratiṣṭhitaḥ || 47 || tadahaṃ śrotumicchāmi kāraṇaṃ karuṇānidhe | haihayāste kathaṃ jātāḥ kṣatriyāḥ kena karmaṇā || 48 || vyāsa uvāca haihayānāṃ samutpattiṃ śṛṇu bhūpa savistarām | purātanīṃ supuṇyāṃ ca kathāṃ pāpapraṇāśinīm || 49 || kasmiṃścitsamaye bhūpa sūryaputraḥ suśobhanaḥ | revanteti ca vikhyāto rūpavānamitaprabhaḥ || 50 || [http://puranastudy.freeoda.com/pur_index3/uchchaish.htm uccaiḥśrava]samāruhya hayaratnaṃ manoharam | jagāma viṣṇusadanaṃ vaikuṇṭhaṃ bhāskarātmajaḥ || 51 || bhagavaddarśanākāṃkṣī hayārūḍho yadāgataḥ | hayasthastu tadā dṛṣṭo lakṣmyāsau ravinandanaḥ || 52 || ramā vīkṣya hayaṃ divyaṃ bhrātaraṃ sāgarodbhavam | rūpeṇa vismitā tasya tasthau stambhitalocanā || 53 || bhagavānapi taṃ dṛṣṭvā hayārūḍhaṃ manoharam | āgacchantaṃ ramāṃ viṣṇuḥ papraccha praṇayātprabhuḥ || 54 || ko'yamāyāti cārvaṅgi hayārūḍha ivāparaḥ | smaratejastanuḥ kānte mohayanbhuvanatrayam || 55 || prekṣamāṇā tadā lakṣmīstaccittā daivayogataḥ | novāca vacanaṃ kiñcitpṛṣṭāpi ca punaḥ punaḥ || 56 || vyāsa uvāca aśvāsaktamatiṃ vīkṣya kāminīmatimohitām | paśyantīṃ paramapremṇā cañcalākṣīṃ ca cañcalām || 57 || tāmāha bhagavānkuddhaḥ kiṃ paśyasi sulocane | mohitā ca hariṃ dṛṣṭvā pṛṣṭā naivābhibhāṣase || 58 || sarvatra ramase yasmādramā tasmādbhaviṣyasi | cañcalatvāccaletyevaṃ sarvathaiva na saṃśayaḥ || 59 || prākṛtā ca yathā nārī nūnaṃ bhavati cañcalā | tathā tvamapi kalyāṇi sthirā naiva kadācana || 60 || tvaṃ hayaṃ matsamīpasthā samīkṣya yadi mohitā | vaḍavā bhava vāmoru martyaloke'tidāruṇe || 61 || iti śaptā ramā devī hariṇā daivayogataḥ | ruroda vepamānā sā bhayabhītātiduḥkhitā || 62 || tamuvāca ramānātha śaṅkitā cāruhāsinī | praṇamya śirasā devaṃ svapatiṃ vinayānvitā || 63 || devadeva jagannātha karuṇākara keśava | svalpe'parādhe govinda kasmācchāpaṃ dadāsi me || 64 || na kadācinmayā dṛṣṭaḥ krodhaste hīdṛśaḥ prabho | kva gataste mayi snehaḥ sahajo na tu naśvaraḥ || 65 || vajrapātastu śatrau vai kartavyo na suhṛjjane | sadāhaṃ varayogyā te śāpayogyā kathaṃ kṛtā || 66 || prāṇāṃstyakṣyāmi govinda paśyato'dya tavāgrataḥ | kathaṃ jīve tvayā hīnā virahānalatāpitā || 67 || prasādaṃ kuru deveśa śāpādasmātsudāruṇāt | kadā muktā samīpaṃ te prāpnomi sukhadaṃ vibhau || 68 || hariruvāca yadā te bhavitā putraḥ pṛthivyāṃ matsamaḥ priye | tadā māṃ prāpya tanvaṅgi sukhitā tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi || 69 ||
English translation
1-3. Janamejaya said “Munis! How did the Bhargava wives cross this endless sea of troubles and how was the family of Bhrigu re¬ established on the surface of this earth? And what did the greedy Haihayas, the vilest of the Ksattriyas, do after they killed the Bhargavas? Describe all these in detail and satisfy my curiosity. O Thou, Ocean of austerities! I am not satisfied with the drink of your nectar like words, very holy and leading to happiness in this world and to good merits in the next.”
4-28. Vyasa said O King! I will now narrate to you the sin destroying virtuous story how the Bhargava wives crossed their great hardships and the ocean of troubles, very difficult to cross. The Bhargava wives, when they were very much harassed by the Haihayas, went to the Himalayas, overwhelmed with terror and disappointment. There on that mountain they erected an earthen image of S’ri Gauri Devi by the banks of the Ganges and worshipped Her and, firmly resolved to die, began to fast. The Devi Jagadambika appeared to those religious women in their dreams and said “A son will be born of My essence to one of you from one of her thighs; that son will redress all your wants.” Thus speaking, the Devi Bhagavati disappeared. Those women when they woke up were very glad; one of them that appeared very clever, becoming very much anxious out of the fear of the Ksattriyas; preserved the foetus in one of her thighs for the propagation of the family. Her body became luminous; she then fled, overwhelmed with terror. The Ksattriyas, seeing that Brahmani, came quickly upon her and said “See! This pregnant Bhargava wife is flying away hastily; seize her and take away her life.” Thus saying, all of them raised their axes, and pursued her. Then that woman seeing them coming, wept out of fear. She cried, out of terror, for the preservation of the child in her
womb; and the child seeing her mother helpless and distressed, trembling with fear and with tears in her eyes having no one to protect her and awfully oppressed by the Ksattriyas as if a pregnant deer has been attacked by a lion and is crying about, angrily burst out of the thigh of his mother, and quickly came out like a second Sun. That good looking boy took away the power of sight of those Ksattriyas by his brilliant lustrous light; no sooner the Haihayas saw that boy than they got blind. Like those that are born blind; they then began to roam in the caves of mountains and thought within themselves, what an evil turn of Fate had overtaken them! They thought thus “Oh! The mere sight of that boy has turned us blind; what a great wonder is this! Certainly this is due to the influence of the Brahmini wife; this is, no doubt, the great effect of her virtue of chastity. We have greatly oppressed the Bhargava women. They have become very sorry and distressed; now we cannot tell what more evils do these women, of true resolve, inflict on us!” Thus pondering, those Ksattriyas deprived of their eyes, helpless, and their minds bewildered, took refuge of those Brahmin ladies. The ladies, seeing them again come, were the more terrified; but those Ksattriyas bowed down before them with folded hands for the restoration of their sights and said “O Mother! We are your servants. Be gracious unto us. O Auspicious Ones! We are vicious Ksattriyas; O Mothers! What an amount of offence we have committed to you. O Beautiful Ones! We have become blind, no sooner we have seen you. O Angry Ones! No more we can see your lotus-like faces, as if we are born blind; O Mother! The spirit of your asceticism is so very wonderful! We are sinners; therefore by no means we can get our sight; therefore we have taken refuge unto you all; better give us back our eyesight and preserve our honour. O Mother! Blindness is more dreadful than death; therefore do you show your mercy on us. Be pleased unto us and restore our eyesights and make us your slaves; no sooner we get back our sights, we will cease from these vicious acts and go to our homes. In future, we will never commit such heinous acts; from today we all become servants of the Bhargavas and we will serve them. Forgive all our sins that we committed unconsciously; we promise that, in
future, there will no more be any enmity between the Bhargavas and Ksattriyas. O good-looking Ones! You pass your days happily with your sons; we ever bow down before you. O Auspicious Ones! Be graciously pleased unto us; no more we will cherish any inimical feelings towards you.”
29-44. Vyasa said O King! The Bhargava lady heard their words and was thunderstruck and seeing those Ksattriyas bowing down before her, blind and distressed, consoled them and said, “O Ksattriyas! I have not taken away your sights nor am I displeased in any way with you. Now hear what is the real cause. This child of Bhargava, born of my thigh, is exceedingly angry towards you and has therefore made your eyesight still and to no purpose. For the greed of wealth, you have slain the close relatives of this boy, those that were quite innocent and virtuous ascetics and you have slain their children that were in their mothers’ wombs; this boy has come to know all those things. O children! When you were slaying the children of the Bhargavas in their mothers’ wombs, I then bore within my thighs this child for one hundred years. This son of mine though as yet in the womb, has mastered all the Vedas within so very short a time for the propagation of the Bhargava clan. Now this Bhargava son is infuriated with anger for your slaying his father and is now ready to kill you all. My son! Whose divine effulgence has destroyed your eyesights, is born of grace of the Highest Goddess, the Bhagavati Bhuvanes’vari; therefore do not consider this boy as an ordinary being. Now bow down with humility before this my son Aurvya (born from the thighs); this son may be pleased by your bowing down and may restore you your eyesights.
Vyasa said:-- O King! Hearing thus the words of the Brahmin lady, the Haihayas began to praise the boy with hymns. With great humility, they bowed down to the best of the Munis, born of the thighs. The Risi Aurvya, then, became pleased and spoke thus to the
Haihayas who were deprived of their eyesights “Better go back to your own homes. O Kings! And read these following words derived from my this story. Whatever is inevitable and created by the hands of gods must come to pass. Knowing this, no one ought to be sorrowful on any such matters. Let you all regain your eyesights as before and forego your anger and go to your own homes respectively at your own will. Let the Risis, too, get peace and happiness as before.” When the Maharsi Aurvya ordered thus, the Haihayas got back their eyesights and went at their leisure to their own homes; on the other hand the Brahmin lady went to her own hermitage, with her Divine-spirited child and began to nourish him. O King! Thus I have described to you the story of the killing of the Bhargavas and how the Ksattriyas, actuated by greed, did so very vicious acts.
45-48. Janamejaya said “O Ascetic! Hearing this exceedingly heart-rending act of the Ksattriyas, I come to know, that greed is the sole cause of it and both the parties had suffered so much, simply out of this insatiable greed. O King of Munis! I want to ask you one more question in regard to this point. How the sons of the Kings came to be known Haihayas in this world? Amongst the Ksattriyas, some are called Yadavas for they ware descended from the family of Yadu; some were known as Bharata, for they were descended from Bharata. But was some king named Haihaya born before in their family or were they known as such on account of other actions? I desire to hear of it. Kindly describe this to me and oblige.”
49-56. Vyasa said O King! I am describing in detail to you of the origin of the Haihayas. Hear. The sins are destroyed and the merits accrue on hearing this story. O King! Once on a time Revanta, the son of the Sun, very beautiful and of boundless lustre, was going to Visnu in Vaikuntha, mounted on the beautiful Uchchais’rava, the jewel of the horses. When he was going on horseback with a desire
to see the God Visnu, the Goddess Laksmi saw that child of the Sun. The Goddess Laksmi, born out of the churning of the ocean, on looking at the beautiful appearance of her brother Horse, also born out of the churning of the ocean, became very much astonished and steadily gazed on him. The Bhagavan Visnu, capable to show both favour and disfavour, saw the beautiful Revanta, of good figure, coming on horseback; and lovingly asked Laksmi “O Beautiful One! Who is coming here on horseback, as it were, enchanting to the three worlds!” At that time, the Goddess Laksmi was accidentally looking intently on the horse; so she did not reply, though repeatedly asked by the Bhagavan.
57-68. The Laksmi Devi, always restless, was very much intent on the horse and was enchanted and She was looking steadily with great affection on the horse. Seeing this, the Bhagavan became angry and said “O Beautiful-eyed One! What you are looking at so intently? Are you so much enchanted with the sight of the horse that you are not speaking to me a single word, though I am repeatedly asking you so often! You lovingly dwell on all the objects; hence your name is Rama; your mind is also very restless, therefore you would be known as Chanchala Devi (the restless Devi). O Auspicious One! You are restless like ordinary women; you can never stay steadily for a certain time at any one place. While sitting before Me, you are enchanted with the sight of a horse; then you be born as a mare in that world of men, full of dreadful troubles, on the surface of the earth. The Goddess Laksmi became very much affrightened at the sudden curse given by Hari, a matter as it were ordained by the Devas, and began to cry aloud, shuddering with pain and sorrows. Laksmi Devi, then of sweet smiles, frightened, bowed down with great humility to her own lord Narayana and said thus O Deva of the Devas! O Govinda! You are the Lord of this world and the Ocean of mercy. O Kes’ava! Why have you inflicted on me so dreadful a curse for such a minor fault of mine! O Lord! I never saw you before so very angry; Alas! Where has now gone that affection, so natural
and undying, that you showed towards me! O Lord! It is not proper to hurl a thunderbolt on one’s own relations; but it is advisable to cast it on the enemies. I am always fit for receiving boons from you. Why have you made me now an object, fit for curse. O Govinda! I will quit this life in Your presence. I will never be able to live, separated from You. O Lord! Be graciously pleased and say when shall I be free from this dreadful curse and regain Your happy companion?
69. The Bhagavan said “O Devi! When you will get a son in the world like me, you will no doubt come again to be my companion.”
Here ends the Seventeenth Chapter on the continuance of the family of Bhrigu in the Sixth Book in the Mahapuranam, S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 33263, revision 400685 (2024-02-16T05:15:24Z). 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/bk06ch17.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.