Sixth Skandha · Chapter 18
Sourceजनमेजय उवाच इति शप्ता भगवता सिन्धुजा कोपयोगतः । कथं सा वडवा जाता रेवन्तेन च किं कृतम् ॥ १ ॥ कस्मिन्देशेऽब्धिजा देवी वडवारूपधारिणी । संस्थितैकाकिनी बाला परोषित्पतिका यथा ॥ २ ॥ कालं कियन्तमायुष्मन् वियुक्ता पतिना रमा । संस्थिता विजनेऽरण्ये किं कृतं च तया पुनः ॥ ३ ॥ समागमं कदा प्राप्ता वासुदेवस्य सिन्धुजा । पुत्रः कथं तया प्राप्तो नारायणवियुक्तया ॥ ४ ॥ एतद्वृत्तान्तमार्येश कथयस्व सविस्तरम् । श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि विप्रेन्द्र कथाख्यानमनुत्तमम् ॥ ५ ॥ सूत उवाच इति पृष्टस्तदा व्यासः परीक्षित्तनयेन वै । कथयामास भो विप्राः कथामेतां सुविस्तराम् ॥ ६ ॥ व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । पावनीं सुखदां कर्णे विशदाक्षरसंयुताम् ॥ ७ ॥ रेवन्तस्तु रमां दृष्ट्वा शप्ता देवेन कामिनीम् । भयार्तः प्रययौ दूरात्प्रणम्य जगतां पतिम् ॥ ८ ॥ पितुः सकाशं त्वरितो वीक्ष्य कोपं जगत्पतेः । निवेदयामास कथां भास्कराय स शापजाम् ॥ ९ ॥ दुःखिता सा रमा देवी प्रणम्य जगदीश्वरम् । आज्ञप्ता मानुषं लोकं प्राप्ता कमललोचना ॥ १० ॥ सूर्यपत्न्या तपस्तप्तं यत्र पूर्वं सुदारुणम् । तत्रैव सा ययावाशु वडवारूपधारिणी ॥ ११ ॥ कालिन्दीतमसासङ्गे सुपर्णाक्षस्य चोत्तरे । सर्वकामप्रदे स्थाने सुरम्यवनमण्डिते ॥ १२ ॥ तत्र स्थिता महादेवं शङ्करं वाञ्छितप्रदम् । दध्यौ चैकेन मनसा शूलिनं चन्द्रशेखरम् ॥ १३ ॥ पञ्चाननं दशभुजं गौरीदेहार्धधारिणम् । कर्पूरगौरदेहाभं नीलकण्ठं त्रिलोचनम् ॥ १४ ॥ व्याघ्राजिनधरं देवं गजचर्मोत्तरीयकम् । कपालमालाकलितं नागयज्ञोपवीतिनम् ॥ १५ ॥ सागरस्य सुता कृत्वा हयीरूपं मनोहरम् । तस्मिंस्तीर्थे रमादेवी चकार दुश्चरं तपः ॥ १६ ॥ ध्यायमाना परं देवं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रिता । दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु गतं तत्र महीपते ॥ १७ ॥ ततस्तुष्टो महादेवो वृषारूढस्त्रिलोचनः । प्रत्यक्षोऽभून्महेशानः पार्वतीसहितः प्रभुः ॥ १८ ॥ तत्रैत्य सगणः शम्भुस्तामाह हरिवल्लभाम् । तपस्यन्तीं महाभागामश्विनीरूपधारिणीम् ॥ १९ ॥ किं तपस्यसि कल्याणि जगन्मातर्वदस्व मे । सर्वार्थदः पतिस्तेऽस्ति सर्वलोकविधायकः ॥ २० ॥ हरिं त्यक्त्वाद्य मां कस्मात्स्तौषि देवि जगत्पतिम् । वासुदेवं जगन्नाथं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् ॥ २१ ॥ वेदोक्तं वचनं कार्यं नारीणां देवता पतिः । नान्यस्मिन्सर्वथा भावः कर्तव्यः कर्हिचित्क्वचित् ॥ २२ ॥ पतिशुश्रूषणं स्त्रीणां धर्म एव सनातनः । यादृशस्तादृशः सेव्यः सर्वथा शुभकाम्यया ॥ २३ ॥ नारायणस्तु सर्वेषां सेव्यो योग्यः सदैव हि । तं त्यक्त्वा देवदेवेशं किं मां ध्यायसि सिन्धुजे ॥ २४ ॥ लक्ष्मीरुवाच आशुतोष महेशान शप्ताहं पतिना शिव । मां समुद्धर देवेश शापादस्माद्दयानिधे ॥ २५ ॥ तदोक्तं हरिणा शम्भो शापानुग्रहकारणम् । विज्ञप्तेन मया कामं दयायुक्तेन विष्णुना ॥ २६ ॥ यदा ते भविता पुत्रस्तदा शापस्य मोक्षणम् । भविष्यति च वैकुण्ठवासस्ते कमलालये ॥ २७ ॥ इत्युक्ताहं तपस्तप्तुमागतास्मि तपोवने । आराधितो मया देव त्वं सर्वार्थप्रदायकः ॥ २८ ॥ पतिसङ्गं विना पुत्रं देवदेव लभे कथम् । स तु तिष्ठति वैकुण्ठे त्यक्त्वा वामामनागसम् ॥ २९ ॥ वरं मे देहि देवेश यदि तुष्टोऽसि शङ्कर । तव तस्य द्विधा भावो नास्ति नूनं कदाचन ॥ ३० ॥ मयैतद्गिरिजाकान्त ज्ञातं पत्युः पुरो हर । यस्त्वं योऽसौ पुनर्योऽसौ स त्वं नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥ ३१ ॥ एकत्वं च मया ज्ञात्वा मया ते स्मरणं कृतम् । अन्यथा मम दोषस्त्वामाश्रयन्त्या भवेच्छिव ॥ ३२ ॥ शिव उवाच कथं ज्ञातस्त्वया देवि मम तस्य च सुन्दरि । ऐक्यभावो हरेर्नूनं सत्यं मे वद सिन्धुजे ॥ ३३ ॥ एकत्वं च न जानन्ति देवाश्च मुनयस्तथा । ज्ञानिनो वेदतत्त्वज्ञाः कुतर्कोपहताः किल ॥ ३४ ॥ मद्भक्ता वासुदेवस्य निन्दका बहवस्तथा । विष्णभक्तास्तु बहवो मम निन्दापरायणाः ॥ ३५ ॥ भवन्ति कालभेदेन कलौ देवि विशेषतः । कथं ज्ञातस्त्वया भद्रे दुर्ज्ञेयो ह्यकृतात्मभिः ॥ ३६ ॥ सर्वथा त्वैक्यभावस्तु हरेर्मम च दुर्लभः । व्यास उवाच इति सा शम्भुना पुष्टा तुष्टेन हरिवल्लभा ॥ ३७ ॥ वृत्तान्तं तस्य विज्ञातं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे । शिवं प्रति रमा तत्र प्रसन्नवदना भृशम् ॥ ३८ ॥ लक्ष्मीरुवाच एकदा देवदेवेश विष्णुर्ध्यानपरो रहः । दृष्टो मया तपः कुर्वन्पद्मासनगतो यदा ॥ ३९ ॥ तदाहं विस्मिता देवं तमपृच्छं पतिं किल । प्रबुद्धं सुप्रसन्नं च ज्ञात्वा विनयपूर्वकम् ॥ ४० ॥ देवदेव जगन्नाथ यदाहं निर्गतार्णवात् । मथ्यमानात्सुरैर्दैत्यैः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मादिभिः प्रभो ॥ ४१ ॥ वीक्षिताश्च मया सर्वे पतिकामनया तदा । वृतस्त्वं सर्वदेवेभ्यः श्रेष्ठोऽसीति विनिश्चयात् ॥ ४२ ॥ त्वं कं ध्यायसि सर्वेश संशयोऽयं महान्मम । प्रियोऽसि कैटभारे मे कथयस्व मनोगतम् ॥ ४३ ॥ विष्णुरुवाच शृणु कान्ते प्रवक्ष्यामि यं ध्यायामि सुरोत्तमम् । आशुतोषं महेशानं गिरिजावल्लभं हृदि ॥ ४४ ॥ कदाचिद्देवदेवो मां ध्यायत्यमितविक्रमः । ध्यायाम्यहं च देवेशं शङ्करं त्रिपुरान्तकम् ॥ ४५ ॥ शिवस्याहं प्रियः प्राणः शङ्करस्तु तथा मम । उभयोरन्तरं नास्ति मिथः संसक्तचेतसोः ॥ ४६ ॥ नरकं यान्ति ते नूनं ये द्विषन्ति महेश्वरम् । भक्ता मम विशालाक्षि सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम् ॥ ४७ ॥ इत्युक्तं देवदेवेन विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । एकान्ते किल पृष्टेन मया शैलसुताप्रिय ॥ ४८ ॥ तस्मात्त्वां वल्लभं विष्णोर्ज्ञात्वा ध्यातवती ह्यहम् । तथा कुरु महेशान यथा मे प्रियसङ्गमः ॥ ४९ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति श्रियो वचः श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच महेश्वरः । तामाश्वास्य प्रियैर्वाक्यैर्यथार्थं वाक्यकोविदः ॥ ५० ॥ स्वस्था भव पृथुश्रोणि तुष्टोऽहं तपसा तव । समागमस्ते पतिना भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ ५१ ॥ अत्रैव हयरूपेण भगवाञ्जगदीश्वरः । आगमिष्यति ते कामं पूर्णं कर्तुं मयेरितः ॥ ५२ ॥ तथाहं प्रेरयिष्यामि तं देवं मधुसूदनम् । यथासौ हयरूपेण त्वामेष्यति मदातुरः ॥ ५३ ॥ पुत्रस्ते भविता सुभ्रु नारायणसमः क्षितौ । भविष्यति स भूपालः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः ॥ ५४ ॥ सुतं प्राप्य महाभागे त्वं तेन पतिना सह । गन्तासि देवि वैकुण्ठं प्रिया तस्य भविष्यसि ॥ ५५ ॥ एकवीरेति नाम्नासौ ख्यातिं यास्यति ते सुतः । तस्मात्तु हैहयो वंशो भुवि विस्तारमेष्यति ॥ ५६ ॥ परं तु विस्मृतासि त्वं हृदिस्थां परमेश्वरीम् । मदान्धा मत्तचित्ता च तेन ते फलमीदृशम् ॥ ५७ ॥ अतस्तद्दोषशान्त्यर्थं हृदिस्थां परदेवताम् । शरणं याहि सर्वात्मभावेन जलधेः सुते ॥ ५८ ॥ अन्यथा तव चित्तं तु कथं गच्छेद्धयोत्तमे । व्यास उवाच इति दत्त्वा वरं देव्यै भगवाञ्छैलजापतिः ॥ ५९ ॥ अन्तर्धानं गतः साक्षादुमया सहितः शिवः । सापि तत्रैव चार्वङ्गी संस्थिता कमलासना ॥ ६० ॥ ध्यायन्ती चरणाम्भोजं देव्याः परमशोभनम् । देवासुरशिरोरत्ननिघृष्टनखमण्डलम् ॥ ६१ ॥ प्रेमगद्गदया वाचा तुष्टाव च मुहुर्मुहुः । प्रतीक्षमाणा भर्तारं हयरूपधरं हरिम् ॥ ६२ ॥
janamejaya uvāca iti śaptā bhagavatā sindhujā kopayogataḥ | kathaṃ sā vaḍavā jātā revantena ca kiṃ kṛtam || 1 || kasmindeśe'bdhijā devī vaḍavārūpadhāriṇī | saṃsthitaikākinī bālā paroṣitpatikā yathā || 2 || kālaṃ kiyantamāyuṣman viyuktā patinā ramā | saṃsthitā vijane'raṇye kiṃ kṛtaṃ ca tayā punaḥ || 3 || samāgamaṃ kadā prāptā vāsudevasya sindhujā | putraḥ kathaṃ tayā prāpto nārāyaṇaviyuktayā || 4 || etadvṛttāntamāryeśa kathayasva savistaram | śrotukāmo'smi viprendra kathākhyānamanuttamam || 5 || sūta uvāca iti pṛṣṭastadā vyāsaḥ parīkṣittanayena vai | kathayāmāsa bho viprāḥ kathāmetāṃ suvistarām || 6 || vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu rājan pravakṣyāmi kathāṃ paurāṇikīṃ śubhām | pāvanīṃ sukhadāṃ karṇe viśadākṣarasaṃyutām || 7 || revantastu ramāṃ dṛṣṭvā śaptā devena kāminīm | bhayārtaḥ prayayau dūrātpraṇamya jagatāṃ patim || 8 || pituḥ sakāśaṃ tvarito vīkṣya kopaṃ jagatpateḥ | nivedayāmāsa kathāṃ bhāskarāya sa śāpajām || 9 || duḥkhitā sā ramā devī praṇamya jagadīśvaram | ājñaptā mānuṣaṃ lokaṃ prāptā kamalalocanā || 10 || sūryapatnyā tapastaptaṃ yatra pūrvaṃ sudāruṇam | tatraiva sā yayāvāśu vaḍavārūpadhāriṇī || 11 || kālindītamasāsaṅge suparṇākṣasya cottare | sarvakāmaprade sthāne suramyavanamaṇḍite || 12 || tatra sthitā mahādevaṃ śaṅkaraṃ vāñchitapradam | dadhyau caikena manasā śūlinaṃ candraśekharam || 13 || pañcānanaṃ daśabhujaṃ gaurīdehārdhadhāriṇam | karpūragauradehābhaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ trilocanam || 14 || vyāghrājinadharaṃ devaṃ gajacarmottarīyakam | kapālamālākalitaṃ nāgayajñopavītinam || 15 || sāgarasya sutā kṛtvā hayīrūpaṃ manoharam | tasmiṃstīrthe ramādevī cakāra duścaraṃ tapaḥ || 16 || dhyāyamānā paraṃ devaṃ vairāgyaṃ samupāśritā | divyaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu gataṃ tatra mahīpate || 17 || tatastuṣṭo mahādevo vṛṣārūḍhastrilocanaḥ | pratyakṣo'bhūnmaheśānaḥ pārvatīsahitaḥ prabhuḥ || 18 || tatraitya sagaṇaḥ śambhustāmāha harivallabhām | tapasyantīṃ mahābhāgāmaśvinīrūpadhāriṇīm || 19 || kiṃ tapasyasi kalyāṇi jaganmātarvadasva me | sarvārthadaḥ patiste'sti sarvalokavidhāyakaḥ || 20 || hariṃ tyaktvādya māṃ kasmātstauṣi devi jagatpatim | vāsudevaṃ jagannāthaṃ bhuktimuktipradāyakam || 21 || vedoktaṃ vacanaṃ kāryaṃ nārīṇāṃ devatā patiḥ | nānyasminsarvathā bhāvaḥ kartavyaḥ karhicitkvacit || 22 || patiśuśrūṣaṇaṃ strīṇāṃ dharma eva sanātanaḥ | yādṛśastādṛśaḥ sevyaḥ sarvathā śubhakāmyayā || 23 || nārāyaṇastu sarveṣāṃ sevyo yogyaḥ sadaiva hi | taṃ tyaktvā devadeveśaṃ kiṃ māṃ dhyāyasi sindhuje || 24 || lakṣmīruvāca āśutoṣa maheśāna śaptāhaṃ patinā śiva | māṃ samuddhara deveśa śāpādasmāddayānidhe || 25 || tadoktaṃ hariṇā śambho śāpānugrahakāraṇam | vijñaptena mayā kāmaṃ dayāyuktena viṣṇunā || 26 || yadā te bhavitā putrastadā śāpasya mokṣaṇam | bhaviṣyati ca vaikuṇṭhavāsaste kamalālaye || 27 || ityuktāhaṃ tapastaptumāgatāsmi tapovane | ārādhito mayā deva tvaṃ sarvārthapradāyakaḥ || 28 || patisaṅgaṃ vinā putraṃ devadeva labhe katham | sa tu tiṣṭhati vaikuṇṭhe tyaktvā vāmāmanāgasam || 29 || varaṃ me dehi deveśa yadi tuṣṭo'si śaṅkara | tava tasya dvidhā bhāvo nāsti nūnaṃ kadācana || 30 || mayaitadgirijākānta jñātaṃ patyuḥ puro hara | yastvaṃ yo'sau punaryo'sau sa tvaṃ nāstyatra saṃśayaḥ || 31 || ekatvaṃ ca mayā jñātvā mayā te smaraṇaṃ kṛtam | anyathā mama doṣastvāmāśrayantyā bhavecchiva || 32 || śiva uvāca kathaṃ jñātastvayā devi mama tasya ca sundari | aikyabhāvo harernūnaṃ satyaṃ me vada sindhuje || 33 || ekatvaṃ ca na jānanti devāśca munayastathā | jñānino vedatattvajñāḥ kutarkopahatāḥ kila || 34 || madbhaktā vāsudevasya nindakā bahavastathā | viṣṇabhaktāstu bahavo mama nindāparāyaṇāḥ || 35 || bhavanti kālabhedena kalau devi viśeṣataḥ | kathaṃ jñātastvayā bhadre durjñeyo hyakṛtātmabhiḥ || 36 || sarvathā tvaikyabhāvastu harermama ca durlabhaḥ | vyāsa uvāca iti sā śambhunā puṣṭā tuṣṭena harivallabhā || 37 || vṛttāntaṃ tasya vijñātaṃ pravaktumupacakrame | śivaṃ prati ramā tatra prasannavadanā bhṛśam || 38 || lakṣmīruvāca ekadā devadeveśa viṣṇurdhyānaparo rahaḥ | dṛṣṭo mayā tapaḥ kurvanpadmāsanagato yadā || 39 || tadāhaṃ vismitā devaṃ tamapṛcchaṃ patiṃ kila | prabuddhaṃ suprasannaṃ ca jñātvā vinayapūrvakam || 40 || devadeva jagannātha yadāhaṃ nirgatārṇavāt | mathyamānātsurairdaityaiḥ sarvairbrahmādibhiḥ prabho || 41 || vīkṣitāśca mayā sarve patikāmanayā tadā | vṛtastvaṃ sarvadevebhyaḥ śreṣṭho'sīti viniścayāt || 42 || tvaṃ kaṃ dhyāyasi sarveśa saṃśayo'yaṃ mahānmama | priyo'si kaiṭabhāre me kathayasva manogatam || 43 || viṣṇuruvāca śṛṇu kānte pravakṣyāmi yaṃ dhyāyāmi surottamam | āśutoṣaṃ maheśānaṃ girijāvallabhaṃ hṛdi || 44 || kadāciddevadevo māṃ dhyāyatyamitavikramaḥ | dhyāyāmyahaṃ ca deveśaṃ śaṅkaraṃ tripurāntakam || 45 || śivasyāhaṃ priyaḥ prāṇaḥ śaṅkarastu tathā mama | ubhayorantaraṃ nāsti mithaḥ saṃsaktacetasoḥ || 46 || narakaṃ yānti te nūnaṃ ye dviṣanti maheśvaram | bhaktā mama viśālākṣi satyametadbravīmyaham || 47 || ityuktaṃ devadevena viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | ekānte kila pṛṣṭena mayā śailasutāpriya || 48 || tasmāttvāṃ vallabhaṃ viṣṇorjñātvā dhyātavatī hyaham | tathā kuru maheśāna yathā me priyasaṅgamaḥ || 49 || vyāsa uvāca iti śriyo vacaḥ śrutvā pratyuvāca maheśvaraḥ | tāmāśvāsya priyairvākyairyathārthaṃ vākyakovidaḥ || 50 || svasthā bhava pṛthuśroṇi tuṣṭo'haṃ tapasā tava | samāgamaste patinā bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 51 || atraiva hayarūpeṇa bhagavāñjagadīśvaraḥ | āgamiṣyati te kāmaṃ pūrṇaṃ kartuṃ mayeritaḥ || 52 || tathāhaṃ prerayiṣyāmi taṃ devaṃ madhusūdanam | yathāsau hayarūpeṇa tvāmeṣyati madāturaḥ || 53 || putraste bhavitā subhru nārāyaṇasamaḥ kṣitau | bhaviṣyati sa bhūpālaḥ sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ || 54 || sutaṃ prāpya mahābhāge tvaṃ tena patinā saha | gantāsi devi vaikuṇṭhaṃ priyā tasya bhaviṣyasi || 55 || ekavīreti nāmnāsau khyātiṃ yāsyati te sutaḥ | tasmāttu haihayo vaṃśo bhuvi vistārameṣyati || 56 || paraṃ tu vismṛtāsi tvaṃ hṛdisthāṃ parameśvarīm | madāndhā mattacittā ca tena te phalamīdṛśam || 57 || atastaddoṣaśāntyarthaṃ hṛdisthāṃ paradevatām | śaraṇaṃ yāhi sarvātmabhāvena jaladheḥ sute || 58 || anyathā tava cittaṃ tu kathaṃ gaccheddhayottame | vyāsa uvāca iti dattvā varaṃ devyai bhagavāñchailajāpatiḥ || 59 || antardhānaṃ gataḥ sākṣādumayā sahitaḥ śivaḥ | sāpi tatraiva cārvaṅgī saṃsthitā kamalāsanā || 60 || dhyāyantī caraṇāmbhojaṃ devyāḥ paramaśobhanam | devāsuraśiroratnanighṛṣṭanakhamaṇḍalam || 61 || premagadgadayā vācā tuṣṭāva ca muhurmuhuḥ | pratīkṣamāṇā bhartāraṃ hayarūpadharaṃ harim || 62 ||
English translation
1-5. Janamejaya said How did the Goddess Laksmi, the daughter of the ocean, come to be born as a mare, when cursed by the Bhagavan in His moment of anger, and what did Revanta do at that time? In what country was the Devi born as a mare and how did She pass Her time alone like one whose husband had gone abroad. O Muni! How long and in what forest unfrequented by persons did she pass her time, thus deprived of the companion of her husband and what did she do at that time? When was she reconciled with her husband Vasudeva? and how did she get a son, when she lived in a state of separation from her husband. O best of Aryas! I am very curious to hear this excellent story. So describe this in full details to me.
6. Suta said O Risis! Thus questioned by Janamejaya, the Dvaipayan Muni began to recite the story in its full details.
7-24. Vyasa said:-0 King! I will now describe to you the pleasing story of the Puranas in a clear distinct language; hear. Revanta, the son of the Sun, became terrified to see Vasudeva, the Deva of the Devas cursing the Laksmi Devi and, after bowing down to Janardan, the Lord of the world, went off. Seeing the anger of Visnu, the Lord of the world, he went quickly to his father and informed him of the curse delivered by Narayana to the Goddess Laksmi. And the Laksmi Devi, the lotus-eyed, thus cursed, got the permission of Narayana and with a grieved heart bowed down to him and came down to the world of mortals. She took the form of a mare and went to the spot where the wife of the Sun (named Chchaya) practised her asceticism in ancient times. The place was the confluence of the
river Kalindi and the Tamasa, and decorated with lovely forests and trees situated north of the mountain named Suparnaksa, yielding all desires. There she meditated with her whole heart the auspicious Mahadeva S’ankara, the Giver of all desires, thus That Mahadeva is holding the Tris’ula (the trident) on his arms; His forehead is adorned with beautiful cooling semi-Moon; He has five faces, each face having three eyes; His throat is coloured blue; He has ten arms; His body is white like camphor; He wears a tiger’s skin; His upper garment is of elephant’s skin; and snakes are his holy thread; He is holding the one-half of the body of Gauri and his neck is adorned with garlands of human skulls. The Goddess Laksmi, the daughter of the ocean, assuming the form of a mare, thus practised severe asceticism in that place of pilgrimage. O King! With a feeling of intense dispassion (Vairagyam) towards the worldly things. She spent the divine one thousand years in the meditation of Mahadeva, the God of the Gods. After that period, the Highest Lord Mahadeva, mounting on His bull, came there with His consort Parvati and appeared before the Laksmi Devi, perceptible by his eyes.
Appearing thus with His host of His own persons. He then spoke to Laksmi, dear to Hari, now practising ascetism in the form of a mare, “O Auspicious One! You are the Mother of this whole Universe and your Husband is the Creator of these worlds and is capable to give all desires. Why are You, then, practising asceticism, when He is present? What is the cause of this? O Devi! Why are You praising hymns to me, instead of to Vasudeva S’ri Hari, Who is capable to yield enjoyments and final liberation, and Who is the Preserver and the Lord of this world. O Devi! Work should be done according to the authority of the Vedas; it is stated in the Vedas that the husband is the lord of a woman; therefore it is never advisable to fix one’s mind entirely on another person. The eternal Dharma of women is to serve their husbands; whether the husband be a saint or a sinner, the woman, desirous of her welfare, should serve her husband in every way. O Daughter of the Ocean! Your husband Narayana is fit to be served by all and He is capable to yield all desires. Why are you then worshipping Me, and leaving the Lord of the Goloka, the Deva of the Devas.”
25-32. Laksmi said O Deva of the Devas! O Seat of Auspiciousness! I know that You are soon pleased with Your servant. My husband has cursed me. O Ocean of mercy! Kindly save me from this curse. O S’ambhu! When I informed my husband of my mental agonies, graciously and mercifully He then pointed out how I might be freed of this curse thus “O Kamale! When Your son will be born, then You will be freed of this curse and will, no doubt, come back and live in this Heaven of Vaikuntha.” Thus spoken, I have come in this hermitage to make tapas and to worship Thee, knowing that Thou art the Bhagavan, the Lord of Bhavani, the Lord of all and the Giver of all desires. O Lord of the Devas! How can I get a son without the intercourse of My husband? Though I am guiltless, my husband has forsaken me and is living in Vaikuntha. O MahesVara! Thou art doing good to all persons; and if Thou art pleased with me, then grant me a boon. O Lord! I know full well that there is no distinction between Him and Thee. O Lord of Girija! This truth I have come to learn from my husband. O Hara! You are the same thing that He is and what is He is the same as You; there is not the least doubt in this. O Thou, full of auspiciousness! Recognising the Sameness without any distinction between Him and Thee, I am meditating on Thee. Had it been otherwise, then I would certainly have been guilty when I take Thy refuge and meditate on Thee.
33-36. S’ankara said “O Devi, the daughter of the Ocean! Tell truly before me how you have been able to realise the identity between Him and Me. The Devas, Munis and the Maharsis, versed in the Vedas, get their understandings baffled by wrong argumentations and never realise the identity without any difference between us. Almost everywhere you will perceive that many of my devotees blame me. Specially in this Kali Yuga due to the influence of Time, this happens to a very great extent in many cases. O Auspicious One! Let that go! How have you come to know this matter, which is
difficult even for the liberal-minded persons to comprehend. Know that this perception of the identity between me and Hari is very rare.”
37-38. Vyasa said O King! When Mahadeva asked thus with great pleasure, the Devi Kamala, the darling of Hari, gladly replied the essence of the matter to Mahadeva.
39-43. Laksmi said “O Deva of the Devas! One day Bhagavan Visnu, seated in the Padmasana posture, was immersed in deep meditation. I was very much astonished at this. When His meditation was over and when He was in a pleasant mood, I asked Him with great humility, O Deva of the Devas! I know that You are the Lord of the world and Master of this whole Universe; when Brahma and the other Devas were united and churned the great ocean, I came out of the waters and looked all around to know who is the superior one whom I can select as my husband and then, thinking You as the superior to all the Devas, I accepted You as my husband. Now whose meditation You are doing again? A great doubt has thus occurred in my mind. O Lord! You are my most Beloved; now disclose to me your innermost desire and thought.”
44-49. Visnu said:-- “O Beloved! Hear now, whom I am meditating. I am meditating in the lotus of My heart that Mahadeva MahesVara, the Highest of all the Devas. Mahadeva, the Deva of the Devas, of indomitable prowess, sometimes meditates on Me and sometimes I meditate on the Lord of the Deva, S’ankara, the Destroyer of Tripura I am dear to S’iva as his life is dear to him and S’ankara is similarly dear to me. The hearts of us both are attached to each other in the most secret way possible; therefore there is not the least difference betwixt us both. O large-eyed One! Those men who being my devotees hate S’ankara, certainly go to hell. I speak this very truly unto you.” O Mahes’vara! When I asked him this question when he
was all alone, that Deva of the Devas, the Highest Visnu thus said to me. Therefore I am meditating on You, knowing that You are His beloved. O Mahes’a! Now find out means by which I can mix with My husband.
50-59. Vyasa said O King! Mahadeva, skilled in speech, hearing thus the words of Laksmi, consoled Her with sweet words and said - “O Beautiful! Be peaceful; I am pleased with Your tapasya; soon You will come in contact with Your husband. There is not the least doubt in this. When I will send the Bhagavan, the Lord of the world. He will come before you in the shape of a horse, to satisfy your desires. I will send the Madhusudana, the Deva of the Devas, in such a manner, as he will come in the form of a horse, passionately attached to you. O One of good eye brows! Thus you will get a son equivalent to Narayana; and the son will be the King on this earth and will be undoubtedly worshipped by all. O fortunate One! After you get your son, you will go to Vaikuntha with Narayana and will reside there as His Beloved. Your son will be famed by the name of Ekavira; and from him will propagate the Haihaya dynasty on the earth. O Kamale! You were blind by prosperity, and, becoming passionate, you forgot the Devi ParamesVari, residing in your heart. Therefore you have experienced such a result. Therefore, to expiate that sin, take Her refuge by all means. O Devi! If your heart remained attached to the Highest Devi the blissful Bhagavati, your heart would never have got attached to the Uchchais’rava horse. Vyasa said O King! Thus granting boons to Laksmi Devi, He with his consort Lima vanished away in her presence.
60-62. Kamala Devi, lovely in all respects, whose toe nails are always rubbed by the gems on the coronets of the Devas, began to meditate on the lotus-feet of Ambika and in expectation of his beloved Hah, in the shape of a horse, praised and chanted hymns
frequently to the Highest Goddess, in words choked with feelings of intense love.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the origin of the Haihaya Dynasty in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 33264, revision 86854 (2016-10-24T01:45:16Z). 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/bk06ch18.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.