Sixth Skandha · Chapter 22
Sourceयशोवत्युवाच प्रातरुत्थाय तन्वङ्गी चलिता च सखीयुता । चामरैर्वीज्यमाना सा रक्षिता बहुरक्षिभिः ॥ १ ॥ सायुधैश्चातिसन्नद्धैः सहिता वरवर्णिनी । क्रीडार्थमत्र राजेन्द्र सम्प्राप्ता नलिनीं शुभाम् ॥ २ ॥ अहमप्यनया सार्धं गङ्गातीरे समागता । अप्सरोभिः समेता च कमलैः क्रीडमानया ॥ ३ ॥ एकावली तथा चाहं जाते क्रीडापरे यदा । सहसैव तदायातो दानवो बलसंयुतः ॥ ४ ॥ कालकेतुरिति ख्यातो राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्युतः । परिघासिगदाचापबाणतोमरपाणिभिः ॥ ५ ॥ दृष्टा चैकावली तेन रूपयौवनशालिनी । द्वितीया कामपत्नीव क्रीडमाना सुपङ्कजैः ॥ ६ ॥ मयोक्तैकावली राजन् कोऽयं दैत्यः समागतः । गच्छावो रक्षपालानां मध्ये पङ्कजलोचने ॥ ७ ॥ विमृश्यैव सखी चाहं त्वरयैव गते भयात् । मध्ये वै सैनिकानां तु सायुधानां नृपात्मज ॥ ८ ॥ कालकेतुस्तु तां दृष्ट्वा मोहिनीं मदनातुरः । गदां गुर्वी गृहीत्वा तु धावमानः समागतः ॥ ९ ॥ रक्षकान्दूरतः कृत्वा जग्राहाम्बुजलोचनाम् । त्रस्तां वेपथुसंयुक्तां क्रन्दमानां कृशोदरीम् ॥ १० ॥ त्यजैनां मां गृहाणेति मया चोक्तोऽपि दानवः । न मां जग्राह कामार्तस्तां गृहीत्वा विनिःसृतः ॥ ११ ॥ तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति भाषन्तो रक्षकास्तं महाबलम् । प्रतिषिध्य तु संग्रामं चक्रुर्विस्मयकारकम् ॥ १२ ॥ तस्यापि राक्षसाः क्रूराः सर्वतः शस्त्रपाणयः । युयुधू रक्षकैः सार्धं स्वामिकार्ये कृतोद्यमाः ॥ १३ ॥ संग्रामस्तु तदा जातः कालकेतोस्तथा रणे । निहत्य रक्षकान्सर्वान्गृहीत्वैनां महाबलः ॥ १४ ॥ युक्तो राक्षससैन्येन निर्जगाम पुरं प्रति । वीक्ष्य तां रुदतीं बालां गृहीता दानवेन तु ॥ १५ ॥ पृष्ठतोऽहं गता तत्र यत्र नीता सखी मम । विक्रोशन्ती यथा सा मां पश्येदिति पदानुगा ॥ १६ ॥ सापि मामागतां वीक्ष्य किञ्चित्स्वस्थाभवत्तदा । गताहं तत्समीपे तु तामाभाष्य पुनः पुनः ॥ १७ ॥ सा मां प्राप्यातिदुःखार्ता स्तम्भस्वेदसमाकुला । कण्ठे गृहीत्वा मां भूप रुरोद भृशदुःखिता ॥ १८ ॥ स मामाह कालकेतुः प्रीतिपूर्वमिदं वचः । समाश्वासय भीतां त्वं सखीं चञ्चललोचनाम् ॥ १९ ॥ प्राप्तं ममाद्य नगरं देवलोकसमं प्रिये । दासोऽस्मि तव रत्या हि कस्मात्क्रन्दसि कातरा ॥ २० ॥ कथयैनां सखीं तेऽद्य स्वस्था भव सुलोचने । इत्युक्त्वा मां सखीपार्श्वे समारोप्य रथोत्तमे ॥ २१ ॥ जगाम तरसा दुष्टः पुरे स्वस्य मनोहरे । सैन्येन महता युक्तः प्रफुल्लवदनाम्बुजः ॥ २२ ॥ एकावली तथा मां च संस्थाप्य धवले गृहे । राक्षसान् गृहरक्षार्थं कल्पयामास कोटिशः ॥ २३ ॥ द्वितीये दिवसे सोऽथ मामुवाच रहो नृप । प्रबोधय सखीं बालां शोचन्तीं विरहातुराम् ॥ २४ ॥ पत्नी मे भव सुश्रोणि सुखं भुङ्क्षव यथेप्सितम् । राज्यं त्वदीयं चन्द्रास्ये सेवकोऽहं सदा तव ॥ २५ ॥ पुनरुक्तं मया वाक्यं श्रुत्वा तद्भाषितं खरम् । नाहं क्षमाप्रियं वक्तुं त्वमेनां कथय प्रभो ॥ २६ ॥ इत्युक्ते वचने दुष्टो मदनक्षतमानसः । उवाच विनयादेनां सखीं क्षामोदरीं प्रियाम् ॥ २७ ॥ कृशोदरि त्वया मन्त्रो निक्षिप्तोऽस्ति ममोपरि । तेन मे हृदयं कान्ते हृतं ते वशतां गतम् ॥ २८ ॥ तेनाहं तव दासोऽद्य कृतोऽस्मीति विनिश्चयः । भज मां कामबाणेन पीडितं विवशं भृशम् ॥ २९ ॥ यौवनं याति रम्भोरु चञ्चलं दुर्लभं तदा । सफलं कुरु कल्याणि पतिं मां परिरभ्य च ॥ ३० ॥ एकावल्युवाच पित्राहं कल्पिता पूर्वं दातुं राजसुताय वै । हैहयस्तु महाभाग स मया मनसा वृतः ॥ ३१ ॥ कथमन्यं भजे कान्तं त्यक्त्वा धर्मं सनातनम् । कन्याधर्मं विहायाद्य वेत्सि शास्त्रविनिश्चयम् ॥ ३२ ॥ यस्मै दद्यात्पिता कामं कन्या तं पतिमाप्नुयात् । परतन्त्रा सदा कन्या न स्वातन्त्र्यं कदाचन ॥ ३३ ॥ इत्युक्तोऽपि तया पापी विरराम न मोहितः । न मुमोच विशालाक्षीं मां च पार्श्वस्थितां तथा ॥ ३४ ॥ पातालविवरे तस्य पुरं परमसङ्कटे । राक्षसै रक्षितं दुर्गं मण्डितं परिखावृतम् ॥ ३५ ॥ तत्र तिष्ठति दुःखार्ता सखी मे प्राणवल्लभा । तेनाहं विरहेणात्र रारटीमि सुदुःखिता ॥ ३६ ॥ एकवीर उवाच कथं त्वमत्र सम्प्राप्ता पुरात्तस्य दुरात्मनः । विस्मयो मे महानत्र तत्त्वं ब्रूहि वरानने ॥ ३७ ॥ त्वया च कथितं वाक्यं सन्दिग्धं भाति भामिनि । हैहयार्थे कल्पिता सा पित्रेति मम साम्प्रतम् ॥ ३८ ॥ हैहयो नाम राजाहं नान्योऽस्ति पृथिवीपतिः । मदर्थे कथिता सा किं सखी तव सुलोचना ॥ ३९ ॥ एतन्मे संशयं सुभ्रु छेत्तुमर्हसि भामिनि । अहं तामानयिष्यामि तं हत्वा राक्षसाधमम् ॥ ४० ॥ स्थानं दर्शय मे तस्य यदि जानासि सुव्रते । राज्ञे निवेदितं किं वा तत्पित्रे चातिदुःखिता ॥ ४१ ॥ यस्यैषा वल्लभा पुत्री न किं जानाति तां हृताम् । नोद्यमः किं कृतस्तेन ततो मोचनहेतवे ॥ ४२ ॥ बन्दीकृतां सुतां ज्ञात्वा कथं तिष्ठति सुस्थिरः । असमर्थो नृपः किं वा कारणं ब्रूहि सत्वरम् ॥ ४३ ॥ त्वया मेऽपहृतं चेतो गुणानुक्त्वा ह्यमानुषान् । सख्याः पङ्कजपत्राक्षि कृतः कामवशो भृशम् ॥ ४४ ॥ कदा पश्यामि तां कान्तां मोचयित्वातिसङ्कटात् । इति मे हृदयं चाद्य करोत्यतिमनोरथम् ॥ ४५ ॥ ब्रूहि मे गमनोपायं पुरे तस्यातिदुर्गमे । कथं त्वमागता तस्मात्सङ्कटादत्र तद्वद ॥ ४६ ॥ यशोवत्युवाच बालभावान्मया मन्त्रो भगवत्या विशांपते । प्राप्तोऽस्ति ब्राह्मणात्सिद्धात्सबीजध्यानपूर्वकः ॥ ४७ ॥ तत्रावस्थितया राजन् मया चित्ते विचारितम् । आराधयामि सततं चण्डिकां चण्डविक्रमाम् ॥ ४८ ॥ सा देवी सेविता कामं बन्धमोक्षं करिष्यति । भक्तानुकम्पिनी शक्तिः समर्था सर्वसाधने ॥ ४९ ॥ या विश्वं सृजते शक्त्या पालयत्येव सा पुनः । कल्पान्ते संहरत्येव निराकारा निराश्रया ॥ ५० ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा देवीं विश्वेश्वरीं शिवाम् । ध्यात्वा रक्ताम्बरां सौम्यां सुरक्तनयनां हृदि ॥ ५१ ॥ संस्मृत्य मनसा रूपं मन्त्रजाप्यपराभवम् । उपासिता मया देवी मासमेकं समाधिना ॥ ५२ ॥ स्वप्ने मम समायाता भक्तिभावेन तोषिता । मामाहामृतया वाचा किं सुप्तासीति चण्डिका ॥ ५३ ॥ उत्तिष्ठ याहि तरसा गङ्गातीरं मनोहरम् । आगमिष्यति तत्रासौ हैहयो नृपपुङ्गवः ॥ ५४ ॥ एकवीरो महाबाहुः सर्वशत्रुविमर्दनः । दत्तात्रेयेण मन्मन्त्रो महाविद्याभिधः परः ॥ ५५ ॥ दत्तोऽस्मै सोऽपि सततं मामुपास्तेऽतिभक्तितः । मय्यासक्तमतिर्नित्यं मम पूजापरायणः ॥ ५६ ॥ मामेव सर्वभूतेषु ध्यायन्नास्ते च मत्परः । स ते दुःखविनाशं वै करिष्यति महामतिः ॥ ५७ ॥ मासुतो विहरंस्तत्र तव त्राता भविष्यति । हत्वा तं राक्षसं घोरं मोचयिष्यति मानिनीम् ॥ ५८ ॥ एकावलीमेकवीरः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः । पश्चात्सैव पतिः कार्यस्त्वया राजसुतः शुभः ॥ ५९ ॥ इत्युक्त्वान्तर्दधे देवी प्रबुद्धाहं तदैव हि । कथितं स्वप्नवृत्तान्तं देव्याश्चाराधनं तथा ॥ ६० ॥ प्रसन्नवदना जाता श्रुत्वा सा कमलेक्षणा । विशेषेण च सन्तुष्टा मामुवाच शुचिस्मिता ॥ ६१ ॥ गच्छ तत्र त्वरायुक्ता कुरु कार्यं मम प्रिये । सत्यवाक्या भगवती सावां मोक्षं विधास्यति ॥ ६२ ॥ इत्याज्ञप्ता तया चाहं सख्या वै प्रेमयुक्तया । मत्वोपसरणं युक्तं तस्मात्स्थानात्तदा नृप ॥ ६३ ॥ चालिताहं ततः शीघ्रं महादेवीप्रसादतः । मार्गज्ञानं शीघ्रगतिर्मया प्राप्ता नृपात्मज ॥ ६४ ॥ इत्येतत्कथितं सर्वं कारणं मम दुःखजम् । कस्त्वं कस्य सुतश्चेति वद वीर यथा तथा ॥ ६५ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठस्कन्धे हैहयैकवीराय यशोवत्यैकावलीमोचनाय देवीस्वप्नवर्णनं नाम द्वाविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २२ ॥
yaśovatyuvāca prātarutthāya tanvaṅgī calitā ca sakhīyutā | cāmarairvījyamānā sā rakṣitā bahurakṣibhiḥ || 1 || sāyudhaiścātisannaddhaiḥ sahitā varavarṇinī | krīḍārthamatra rājendra samprāptā nalinīṃ śubhām || 2 || ahamapyanayā sārdhaṃ gaṅgātīre samāgatā | apsarobhiḥ sametā ca kamalaiḥ krīḍamānayā || 3 || ekāvalī tathā cāhaṃ jāte krīḍāpare yadā | sahasaiva tadāyāto dānavo balasaṃyutaḥ || 4 || kālaketuriti khyāto rākṣasairbahubhiryutaḥ | parighāsigadācāpabāṇatomarapāṇibhiḥ || 5 || dṛṣṭā caikāvalī tena rūpayauvanaśālinī | dvitīyā kāmapatnīva krīḍamānā supaṅkajaiḥ || 6 || mayoktaikāvalī rājan ko'yaṃ daityaḥ samāgataḥ | gacchāvo rakṣapālānāṃ madhye paṅkajalocane || 7 || vimṛśyaiva sakhī cāhaṃ tvarayaiva gate bhayāt | madhye vai sainikānāṃ tu sāyudhānāṃ nṛpātmaja || 8 || kālaketustu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā mohinīṃ madanāturaḥ | gadāṃ gurvī gṛhītvā tu dhāvamānaḥ samāgataḥ || 9 || rakṣakāndūrataḥ kṛtvā jagrāhāmbujalocanām | trastāṃ vepathusaṃyuktāṃ krandamānāṃ kṛśodarīm || 10 || tyajaināṃ māṃ gṛhāṇeti mayā cokto'pi dānavaḥ | na māṃ jagrāha kāmārtastāṃ gṛhītvā viniḥsṛtaḥ || 11 || tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti bhāṣanto rakṣakāstaṃ mahābalam | pratiṣidhya tu saṃgrāmaṃ cakrurvismayakārakam || 12 || tasyāpi rākṣasāḥ krūrāḥ sarvataḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ | yuyudhū rakṣakaiḥ sārdhaṃ svāmikārye kṛtodyamāḥ || 13 || saṃgrāmastu tadā jātaḥ kālaketostathā raṇe | nihatya rakṣakānsarvāngṛhītvaināṃ mahābalaḥ || 14 || yukto rākṣasasainyena nirjagāma puraṃ prati | vīkṣya tāṃ rudatīṃ bālāṃ gṛhītā dānavena tu || 15 || pṛṣṭhato'haṃ gatā tatra yatra nītā sakhī mama | vikrośantī yathā sā māṃ paśyediti padānugā || 16 || sāpi māmāgatāṃ vīkṣya kiñcitsvasthābhavattadā | gatāhaṃ tatsamīpe tu tāmābhāṣya punaḥ punaḥ || 17 || sā māṃ prāpyātiduḥkhārtā stambhasvedasamākulā | kaṇṭhe gṛhītvā māṃ bhūpa ruroda bhṛśaduḥkhitā || 18 || sa māmāha kālaketuḥ prītipūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ | samāśvāsaya bhītāṃ tvaṃ sakhīṃ cañcalalocanām || 19 || prāptaṃ mamādya nagaraṃ devalokasamaṃ priye | dāso'smi tava ratyā hi kasmātkrandasi kātarā || 20 || kathayaināṃ sakhīṃ te'dya svasthā bhava sulocane | ityuktvā māṃ sakhīpārśve samāropya rathottame || 21 || jagāma tarasā duṣṭaḥ pure svasya manohare | sainyena mahatā yuktaḥ praphullavadanāmbujaḥ || 22 || ekāvalī tathā māṃ ca saṃsthāpya dhavale gṛhe | rākṣasān gṛharakṣārthaṃ kalpayāmāsa koṭiśaḥ || 23 || dvitīye divase so'tha māmuvāca raho nṛpa | prabodhaya sakhīṃ bālāṃ śocantīṃ virahāturām || 24 || patnī me bhava suśroṇi sukhaṃ bhuṅkṣava yathepsitam | rājyaṃ tvadīyaṃ candrāsye sevako'haṃ sadā tava || 25 || punaruktaṃ mayā vākyaṃ śrutvā tadbhāṣitaṃ kharam | nāhaṃ kṣamāpriyaṃ vaktuṃ tvamenāṃ kathaya prabho || 26 || ityukte vacane duṣṭo madanakṣatamānasaḥ | uvāca vinayādenāṃ sakhīṃ kṣāmodarīṃ priyām || 27 || kṛśodari tvayā mantro nikṣipto'sti mamopari | tena me hṛdayaṃ kānte hṛtaṃ te vaśatāṃ gatam || 28 || tenāhaṃ tava dāso'dya kṛto'smīti viniścayaḥ | bhaja māṃ kāmabāṇena pīḍitaṃ vivaśaṃ bhṛśam || 29 || yauvanaṃ yāti rambhoru cañcalaṃ durlabhaṃ tadā | saphalaṃ kuru kalyāṇi patiṃ māṃ parirabhya ca || 30 || ekāvalyuvāca pitrāhaṃ kalpitā pūrvaṃ dātuṃ rājasutāya vai | haihayastu mahābhāga sa mayā manasā vṛtaḥ || 31 || kathamanyaṃ bhaje kāntaṃ tyaktvā dharmaṃ sanātanam | kanyādharmaṃ vihāyādya vetsi śāstraviniścayam || 32 || yasmai dadyātpitā kāmaṃ kanyā taṃ patimāpnuyāt | paratantrā sadā kanyā na svātantryaṃ kadācana || 33 || ityukto'pi tayā pāpī virarāma na mohitaḥ | na mumoca viśālākṣīṃ māṃ ca pārśvasthitāṃ tathā || 34 || pātālavivare tasya puraṃ paramasaṅkaṭe | rākṣasai rakṣitaṃ durgaṃ maṇḍitaṃ parikhāvṛtam || 35 || tatra tiṣṭhati duḥkhārtā sakhī me prāṇavallabhā | tenāhaṃ viraheṇātra rāraṭīmi suduḥkhitā || 36 || ekavīra uvāca kathaṃ tvamatra samprāptā purāttasya durātmanaḥ | vismayo me mahānatra tattvaṃ brūhi varānane || 37 || tvayā ca kathitaṃ vākyaṃ sandigdhaṃ bhāti bhāmini | haihayārthe kalpitā sā pitreti mama sāmpratam || 38 || haihayo nāma rājāhaṃ nānyo'sti pṛthivīpatiḥ | madarthe kathitā sā kiṃ sakhī tava sulocanā || 39 || etanme saṃśayaṃ subhru chettumarhasi bhāmini | ahaṃ tāmānayiṣyāmi taṃ hatvā rākṣasādhamam || 40 || sthānaṃ darśaya me tasya yadi jānāsi suvrate | rājñe niveditaṃ kiṃ vā tatpitre cātiduḥkhitā || 41 || yasyaiṣā vallabhā putrī na kiṃ jānāti tāṃ hṛtām | nodyamaḥ kiṃ kṛtastena tato mocanahetave || 42 || bandīkṛtāṃ sutāṃ jñātvā kathaṃ tiṣṭhati susthiraḥ | asamartho nṛpaḥ kiṃ vā kāraṇaṃ brūhi satvaram || 43 || tvayā me'pahṛtaṃ ceto guṇānuktvā hyamānuṣān | sakhyāḥ paṅkajapatrākṣi kṛtaḥ kāmavaśo bhṛśam || 44 || kadā paśyāmi tāṃ kāntāṃ mocayitvātisaṅkaṭāt | iti me hṛdayaṃ cādya karotyatimanoratham || 45 || brūhi me gamanopāyaṃ pure tasyātidurgame | kathaṃ tvamāgatā tasmātsaṅkaṭādatra tadvada || 46 || yaśovatyuvāca bālabhāvānmayā mantro bhagavatyā viśāṃpate | prāpto'sti brāhmaṇātsiddhātsabījadhyānapūrvakaḥ || 47 || tatrāvasthitayā rājan mayā citte vicāritam | ārādhayāmi satataṃ caṇḍikāṃ caṇḍavikramām || 48 || sā devī sevitā kāmaṃ bandhamokṣaṃ kariṣyati | bhaktānukampinī śaktiḥ samarthā sarvasādhane || 49 || yā viśvaṃ sṛjate śaktyā pālayatyeva sā punaḥ | kalpānte saṃharatyeva nirākārā nirāśrayā || 50 || iti sañcintya manasā devīṃ viśveśvarīṃ śivām | dhyātvā raktāmbarāṃ saumyāṃ suraktanayanāṃ hṛdi || 51 || saṃsmṛtya manasā rūpaṃ mantrajāpyaparābhavam | upāsitā mayā devī māsamekaṃ samādhinā || 52 || svapne mama samāyātā bhaktibhāvena toṣitā | māmāhāmṛtayā vācā kiṃ suptāsīti caṇḍikā || 53 || uttiṣṭha yāhi tarasā gaṅgātīraṃ manoharam | āgamiṣyati tatrāsau haihayo nṛpapuṅgavaḥ || 54 || ekavīro mahābāhuḥ sarvaśatruvimardanaḥ | dattātreyeṇa manmantro mahāvidyābhidhaḥ paraḥ || 55 || datto'smai so'pi satataṃ māmupāste'tibhaktitaḥ | mayyāsaktamatirnityaṃ mama pūjāparāyaṇaḥ || 56 || māmeva sarvabhūteṣu dhyāyannāste ca matparaḥ | sa te duḥkhavināśaṃ vai kariṣyati mahāmatiḥ || 57 || māsuto viharaṃstatra tava trātā bhaviṣyati | hatvā taṃ rākṣasaṃ ghoraṃ mocayiṣyati māninīm || 58 || ekāvalīmekavīraḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ | paścātsaiva patiḥ kāryastvayā rājasutaḥ śubhaḥ || 59 || ityuktvāntardadhe devī prabuddhāhaṃ tadaiva hi | kathitaṃ svapnavṛttāntaṃ devyāścārādhanaṃ tathā || 60 || prasannavadanā jātā śrutvā sā kamalekṣaṇā | viśeṣeṇa ca santuṣṭā māmuvāca śucismitā || 61 || gaccha tatra tvarāyuktā kuru kāryaṃ mama priye | satyavākyā bhagavatī sāvāṃ mokṣaṃ vidhāsyati || 62 || ityājñaptā tayā cāhaṃ sakhyā vai premayuktayā | matvopasaraṇaṃ yuktaṃ tasmātsthānāttadā nṛpa || 63 || cālitāhaṃ tataḥ śīghraṃ mahādevīprasādataḥ | mārgajñānaṃ śīghragatirmayā prāptā nṛpātmaja || 64 || ityetatkathitaṃ sarvaṃ kāraṇaṃ mama duḥkhajam | kastvaṃ kasya sutaśceti vada vīra yathā tathā || 65 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ ṣaṣṭhaskandhe haihayaikavīrāya yaśovatyaikāvalīmocanāya devīsvapnavarṇanaṃ nāma dvāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 22 ||
English translation
1-10. Yas’ovati spoke O King! One day Ekavali got up early in the morning and went to the banks of the Ganges, accompanied by her companions; they began to fan her with a chowrie. The armed guards accompanied her. Slowly she went where there were the lotuses in order to sport with them. I, too, went with her playing with the lotuses to the banks of the Ganges and both of us began to play with lotuses with the Apsaras. When both of us were deeply engaged in the play, then one powerful Danava, named Kalaketu, came up there suddenly with many Raksasas armed with parighas, swords, clubs, bows, arrows and tomaras and many other weapons. Ekavali was playing with the best lotuses when Kalaketu saw her in that state, blooming with beauty and youth as if like Rati, the Goddess of Love. O King! I then spoke to Ekavali “Look! Who is this Daitya that has come here unexpectedly; O Lotus-eyed One! Let us go into the central part of our armed guards.” O King! My companion and myself consulting thus, went out of fear immediately into the centre of the armed guards. Kalaketu was seized with the arrows of Cupid, and no sooner he looked at that beautiful young lady than he, with a very big club in his hand, hurriedly came to us, drove away the guards, and took away my lotus eyed companion, of thin waist. Then the young lady, helpless, began to tremble and cried aloud.
11-22. Seeing this, I spoke to the Danava Leave her and take me. The passionate Danava did not take me but he went away, taking my companion. The guards exclaimed “Wait, wait; don’t fly away with the girl; we are giving you a good lesson.” Thus saying, they made the powerful Danavas stop and both the parties engaged in a very terrible conflict, astounding to all. The followers of the Danavas, more cruel and all fully armed began at once to fight with great
enthusiasm for their Master’s cause. Kalaketu himself began to fight afterwards terribly and killed the guards. He, then, with his followers, carried away my companion towards his own city. I, too, followed my companion, when I saw her thus carried away by the Danava and crying out of fear. I also walked crying aloud by those tracks as would enable my Sakhi to see me. She, too, seeing me, became somewhat consoled. Crying out repeatedly I approached her. She was already very distressed and when she saw me, she clasped me closely around my neck, perspiring and stunned and, becoming more distressed, cried aloud. Kalaketu then showed his liking for me and told that my quick-eyed companion was very afraid and that I might comfort her. He told me thus “O Dear! My city is like the Deva’s abodes; you will soon be able to go there. From today I become your slave, bound by love. Do not cry thus distressedly; be comforted.” In these words he told me to comfort my dear companion. Thus speaking, that villain made both of us mount on the beautiful chariot and making us sit by his sides went gladly and quickly to his own beautiful palace, followed by his army.
23-30. That Demon placed both of us in a beautiful house white washed and mirror-like and kept hundreds and thousands of Raksasas to watch and protect us. On the second day he called me in private “Your companion is very much distressed on the bereavement from her father and mother and is lamenting; make her understand and console her.” He told me to speak the following words to my companion “O One of beautiful hips! Be my wife and enjoy as you like. O One with a face beautiful like the Moon! This kingdom is yours; ever I am your obedient slave.” Hearing his unbearable harsh words I said “O Lord! I will not be able to speak her these words, disagreeable to her. You better speak this yourself.” When I spoke thus, that wicked Danava struck by the arrows of Cupid began to speak gently to my dear companion of thin belly, thus “O Dear One! Today you have successfully cast on me the Vasikarana Mantra (one of the Tantrik processes by which a lover is
made to come under subjection); O Beloved! Therefore it is that my heart is stolen and so much brought under your subjection; this has converted me into a veritable slave of yours; then know this as certain that I am your slave; O Sweet One!
I am very much troubled by the Cupid’s arrows and I am semi¬ unconscious; therefore O Lean-bellied One! Worship me. O One of beautiful thighs! This youth is a very rare and transient thing; O Auspicious One! Now embrace me as your husband and make your youth a veritable success.”
31-36. Ekavali said “O Fortunate One! My father wanted to hand me over to a prince named Haihaya; I also mentally adopted him as my husband. You are certainly aware of the S’astras; how can I now abandon the eternal religion and the virtue of a woman and take up another husband. The girl must accept him to whom the father betrothes. The girl is under every circumstances dependent. Never do they get any independence.” Though Ekavali said thus, the vicious Daitya struck by Cupid’s arrows, did not desist and did not leave me and that larged-eyed companion. His city lies in Patala and is a very dangerous place; always it is guarded by Raksasas and surrounded by a moat; inside is built a beautiful and strong fort. Now my dear companion, the queen of my heart, is staying there with a grievous heart and I am here wandering hither and thither very much troubled on account of her bereavements.
37-46. Ekavira said “O Beautiful-faced One! How have you been able to get away from the city of that wicked demon and how have you been able to come here? I am perfectly at my wit’s end. Say quickly all these. O Proud One! I doubt your words; the father of your dear companion resolved to give his daughter to Haihaya in marriage; now I am that Haihaya. I am the King by that name, on this
earth; there is no other King by the name of Haihaya. Is it that your dear companion is meant for me? O Bhamini (passionate woman)! Remove my doubts; I will kill that villain Raksasa and bring just now your dear companion; there is no doubt in this. O One of good vows! Shew me that place, if it be known to you. Has anybody informed her father that She is suffering from so many troubles? Has her father come to know that her daughter has been stolen and carried away? And has he made any effort to rescue her from the hands of that villain Raksasa? Is it that the King is calm and quiet, knowing that his daughter has been kept in prison? Or is it that he is unable to free her from bondage? Say quickly all these things before me. O Lotus¬ eyed One! You have captivated my mind by describing the extraordinary qualities of your dear companion and have made me passionate too. Alas! When will it be that I will free my beautiful beloved from the greatest perilous situation and shall see her face and her eyes, beaming with joy. O Sweet-speaking One! Say, by what means I can go to that impassable city. How have you been able to come from there?”
47-63. Yas’ovati said O King! In my early age I got the Mantram of the Devi Bhagavati with its seed Mantram (mystic syllable involving in it the power connoted by the Devi) and how to meditate it. While I was in the Danava’s place I thought out that at that juncture I would worship the powerful Chandika who gives instantaneously one’s own desires. If I worship that S’akti, That fructifies all desires. That is all mercy to Her Bhaktas, certainly She will free my dear companion from this her bondage. Though She is really without form, yet She, without anybody’s help, by Her own force. She is creating, preserving, and at the end of the Kalpa, destroying this Universe.
Oh! She is very wonderful indeed! Thus thinking I began to meditate that auspicious red-robed and red-eyed Devi, the Lady of the Universe, and recollected mentally Her form and repeated silently Her Vija Mantram. When I meditated thus for merely one month, Chandika Devi became, through my devotion, manifest to me in my
dreams and began to speak in sweet nectar-like words “You are now asleep; go quickly to the beautiful banks of the Ganges. The enemy destroyer, the powerful Ekavira, the greatest of all the kings, will come there. Dattatreya, the Great Lord of the Munis, has given him my Mantra named Mahavidya; the King also constantly worships me devotedly with that. His mind is constantly attached to Me and he constantly worships Me. What more to say than this fact that the king, extremely devoted to Me, meditates on Me as the internal controller of all beings. That intelligent son of Laksmi will come for sport to the banks of the Ganges and will remove all your sorrows. That king Ekavira, versed in all the S’astras will kill the Raksasas in a dreadful battle and will rescue EkavalT. So now you pay heed to my word.” Lastly, She told me that my companion should marry that beautiful King, endowed with all auspicious qualifications. Thus saying. She disappeared and I instantly woke up. Then I informed my lotus-eyed dear Sakhi all the details of my dream as well my worshipping the Devi; hearing this, her lotus-face beamed with joy and gladness. That sweet-smiling EkavalT very gladly told me, “O dear Companion! Go at once for our success. That truth-speaking BhagavatT Ambika DevT will release us from our bondage.” O King! When my dear companion ordered me thus, I thought it proper, as also dictated to me in my dream, to go out and soon I did it. O King! Due to the grace of the Great DevT, I came to know the way and I also got the quick motion. Thus I have described to you the cause of my sorrow. O Hero! Who are you, whose son are you? Speak truly to me.
Here ends the Twenty-second Chapter in the Sixth Book on the narration to Haihaya the stealing away of EkavalT in S’rT Mad DevT Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 53176, revision 118182 (2017-08-23T21:10:39Z). 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/bk06ch22.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.