Sixth Skandha · Chapter 28
Sourceनारद उवाच निशामय मुनिश्रेष्ठ गदतो मम सत्कथाम् । मायाबलं सुदुर्ज्ञेयं मुनिभिर्योगवित्तमैः ॥ १ ॥ मायया मोहितं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तमजया दुर्विभाव्यया ॥ २ ॥ कदाचित्सत्यलोकाद्वै श्वेतद्वीपे मनोहरे । गतोऽहं दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी हरेरद्भुतकर्मणः ॥ ३ ॥ वादयन्महतीं वीणां स्वरतानविभूषिताम् । गायत्रं गायमानस्तु साम सप्तस्वरान्वितम् ॥ ४ ॥ दृष्टो मया देवदेवश्चक्रपाणिर्गदाधरः । कौस्तुभोद्भासितोरस्को मेघश्यामश्चतुर्भुजः ॥ ५ ॥ पीताम्बरपरीधानो मुकुटाङ्गदराजितः । लक्ष्म्या सह विलासिन्या क्रीडमानो मुदा युतः ॥ ६ ॥ वीक्ष्य मां कमला देवी गतान्तर्धानमन्तिकात् । सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्ना सर्वभूषणभूषिता ॥ ७ ॥ नारीणां प्रवरा कान्ता रूपयौवनगर्विता । सुप्रिया वासुदेवस्य वरचामीकरप्रभा ॥ ८ ॥ अन्तर्गृहं गता दृष्ट्वा सिन्धुजां व्यञ्जनान्विताम् । मया पृष्टो देवदेवो वनमाली जगत्प्रभुः ॥ ९ ॥ भगवन्देवदेवेश पद्मनाभ सुरारिहन् । कथं च मा गता दृष्ट्वा मामागच्छन्तमन्तिकात् ॥ १० ॥ नाहं विटो न वा धूर्तः तापसोऽहं जगद्गुरो । जितेन्द्रियो जितक्रोधो जितमायो जनार्दन ॥ ११ ॥ नारद उवाच निशम्य वचनं किञ्चिद्गर्वयुक्तं जनार्दनः । उवाच मां स्मितं कृत्वा वीणावन्मधुरां गिरम् ॥ १२ ॥ विष्णुरुवाच नारदैवंविधा नीतिर्न स्थातव्यं कदाचन । पतिं विनान्यसानिध्ये कस्यचिद्योषया क्वचित् ॥ १३ ॥ माया सुदुर्जया विद्वन् योगिभिर्जितमारुतैः । सांख्यविद्भिर्निराहारैस्तापसैश्च जितेन्द्रियैः ॥ १४ ॥ देवैश्च मुनिशार्दूल यत्त्वयोक्तं वचोऽधुना । जितमायोऽस्मि गीतज्ञ नैवं वाच्यं कदाचन ॥ १५ ॥ नाहं शिवो न वा ब्रह्मा जेतुं तां प्रभवोऽप्यजाम् । मुनयः सनकाद्याश्च कस्त्वं केऽन्ये क्षमा जये ॥ १६ ॥ देवदेहं नृदेहं वा तिर्यग्देहमथापि वा । बिभृयाद्यः शरीरं च स कथं तां जयेदजाम् ॥ १७ ॥ त्रियुतस्तां कथं मायां जेतुं शक्तः पुमाम्भवेत् । वेदविद्योगविद्वापि सर्वज्ञो विजितेन्द्रियः ॥ १८ ॥ कालोऽपि तस्या रूपं हि रूपहीनः स्वरूपकृत् । तद्वशे वर्तते देही विद्वान्मूर्खोऽथ मध्यमः ॥ १९ ॥ कालः करोति धर्मज्ञं कदाचिद्विकलं पुनः । स्वभावात्कर्मतो वापि दुर्ज्ञेयं तस्य चेष्टितम् ॥ २० ॥ नारद उवाच इत्युक्त्वा विरतो विष्णुरहं विस्मयमानसः । तमब्रवं जगन्नाथं वासुदेवं सनातनम् ॥ २१ ॥ रमापते कथंरूपा माया सा कीदृशी पुनः । कियद्बला क्व संस्थाना कस्याधारा वदस्व मे ॥ २२ ॥ द्रष्टुकामोऽस्मि तां मायां दर्शयाशु महीधर । ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तां सम्यक्प्रसादं कुरु मापते ॥ २३ ॥ विष्णुरुवाच त्रिगुणा साखिलाधारा सर्वज्ञा सर्वसम्मता । अजेयानेकरूपा च सर्वं व्याप्य स्थिता जगत् ॥ २४ ॥ दिदृक्षा यदि ते चित्ते नारदारोहणं कुरु । गरुडे मत्समेतोऽद्य गच्छावोऽन्यत्र साम्प्रतम् ॥ २५ ॥ दर्शयिष्यामि ते मायां दुर्जयामजितात्मभिः । दृष्ट्वा तां ब्रह्मपुत्र त्वं विषादे मा मनः कृथाः ॥ २६ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवो मां सस्मार विनतासुतम् । स्मृतमात्रस्तु गरुडस्तदागाद्धरिसन्निधौ ॥ २७ ॥ आगतं गरुडं वीक्ष्य आरुरोह जनार्दनः । समारोप्य च मां पृष्ठे गमनाय कृतादरः ॥ २८ ॥ चलितो विनतापुत्रो वैकुण्ठाद्वायुवेगवान् । प्रेरितो यत्र कृष्णेन गन्तुकामेन काननम् ॥ २९ ॥ महावनानि दिव्यानि सरांसि सरितस्तथा । पुरग्रामाकरादींश्च खेटखर्वटगोव्रजान् ॥ ३० ॥ मुनीनामाश्रमान् रम्यान् वापीश्च सुमनोहराः । पल्वलानि विशालानि ह्रदान् पङ्कजभूषितान् ॥ ३१ ॥ मृगाणां च वराहाणां वृन्दान्यप्यवलोक्य च । गतावावां कान्यकुब्जसमीपं गरुडासनौ ॥ ३२ ॥ तत्र रम्यं सरो दिव्यं दृष्टं पङ्कजमण्डितम् । हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णं चक्रवाकोपशोभितम् ॥ ३३ ॥ नानावर्णैः प्रफुल्लैश्च पङ्कजैरुपरञ्जितम् । शुचि मिष्टजलं भृङ्गयूथनादविराजितम् ॥ ३४ ॥ मामाह भगवान् वीक्ष्य तडागं परमाद्भुतम् । स्पर्धकं चोदधेः क्षीरं मिष्टं वारि विशेषतः ॥ ३५ ॥ श्रीभगवानुवाच पश्य नारद गम्भीरं सरः सारसनादितम् । सर्वत्र पङ्कजैश्छन्नं स्वच्छनीरप्रपूरितम् ॥ ३६ ॥ अत्र स्नात्वा गमिष्यावः कान्यकुब्जं पुरोत्तमम् । इत्युक्त्वा गरुडादाशु मामुत्तार्य व्यतारयत् ॥ ३७ ॥ विहस्य भगवांस्तत्र जग्राह मम तर्जनीम् । स्तुवन्सरोवरं भूयस्तीरे मामनयत्प्रभुः ॥ ३८ ॥ विश्रम्य तटभागे तु स्निग्धच्छाये मनोहरे । मामुवाच मुने स्नानं कुरु त्वं विमले जले ॥ ३९ ॥ पश्चादहं करिष्यामि तडागेऽस्मिन्सुपावने । साधूनामिव चेतांसि जलानि निर्मलानि च ॥ ४० ॥ सुरभीणि परागैस्तु पङ्कजानां विशेषतः । इत्युक्तोऽहं भगवता मुक्त्वा वीणां मृगाजिनम् ॥ ४१ ॥ स्नानाय कृतधीस्तीरे गतः प्रेमसमन्वितः । पादौप्रक्षाल्य हस्तौच शिखां बद्ध्वा कुशग्रहम् ॥ ४२ ॥ कृत्वाऽऽचम्य शुचिस्तोये स्नातवानस्मि तज्जले । यदा तस्मिज्जले रम्ये स्नातोऽहं पश्यतो हरेः ॥ ४३ ॥ विहाय पौरुषं रूपं प्राप्तः स्त्रीत्वमनुत्तमम् । हरिर्गृहीत्वा वीणां मे तथा कृष्णाजिनं शुभम् ॥ ४४ ॥ आरुह्य गरुडं तूर्णं जगाम स्वगृहं क्षणात् । ततोऽहं स्त्रीत्वमापन्नश्चारुभूषणभूषितः ॥ ४५ ॥ तत्क्षणान्मनसो जाता पूर्वदेहस्य विस्मृतिः । विस्मृतोऽसौ जगन्नाथो महती विस्मृता पुनः ॥ ४६ ॥ सम्प्राप्य मोहिनीरूपं तडागान्निर्गतो बहिः । अपश्यं नलिनीजुष्टं सरस्तद्विमलोदकम् ॥ ४७ ॥ किमेतदिति मनसाकरवं विस्मयं मुहुः । एवं चिन्तयमानस्य नारीरूपधरस्य मे ॥ ४८ ॥ सहसा दृक्पथं प्राप्तस्तत्र तालध्वजो नृपः । गजाश्वरथवृन्दैश्च संवृतो रथसंस्थितः ॥ ४९ ॥ युवा भूषणसंवीतो देहवानिव मन्मथः । वीक्ष्य मां भूपतिस्तत्र दिव्यभूषणभूषिताम् ॥ ५० ॥ राकाचन्द्रमुखीं योषां विस्मयं परमं गतः । पप्रच्छ कासि कल्याणि कस्य पुत्री सुरस्य वा ॥ ५१ ॥ मानुषस्य च वा कान्ते गन्धर्वस्योरगस्य च । एकाकिनी कथं बाला रूपयौवनभूषिता ॥ ५२ ॥ विवाहिताथ कन्या वा सत्यं वद सुलोचने । किं पश्यसि सुकेशान्ते तडागेऽस्मिन्सुमध्यमे ॥ ५३ ॥ चिकीर्षितं पिकालापे ब्रूहि मन्मथमोहिनि । भुङ्क्षव भोगान्मरालाक्षि मया सह कृशोदरि । वाञ्छितान्मनसा नूनं कृत्वा मां पतिमुत्तमम् ॥ ५४ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठस्कन्धे नारदेन स्वस्त्रीत्वप्राप्तिवर्णनं नामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २८ ॥
nārada uvāca niśāmaya muniśreṣṭha gadato mama satkathām | māyābalaṃ sudurjñeyaṃ munibhiryogavittamaiḥ || 1 || māyayā mohitaṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam | brahmādistambaparyantamajayā durvibhāvyayā || 2 || kadācitsatyalokādvai śvetadvīpe manohare | gato'haṃ darśanākāṅkṣī hareradbhutakarmaṇaḥ || 3 || vādayanmahatīṃ vīṇāṃ svaratānavibhūṣitām | gāyatraṃ gāyamānastu sāma saptasvarānvitam || 4 || dṛṣṭo mayā devadevaścakrapāṇirgadādharaḥ | kaustubhodbhāsitorasko meghaśyāmaścaturbhujaḥ || 5 || pītāmbaraparīdhāno mukuṭāṅgadarājitaḥ | lakṣmyā saha vilāsinyā krīḍamāno mudā yutaḥ || 6 || vīkṣya māṃ kamalā devī gatāntardhānamantikāt | sarvalakṣaṇasampannā sarvabhūṣaṇabhūṣitā || 7 || nārīṇāṃ pravarā kāntā rūpayauvanagarvitā | supriyā vāsudevasya varacāmīkaraprabhā || 8 || antargṛhaṃ gatā dṛṣṭvā sindhujāṃ vyañjanānvitām | mayā pṛṣṭo devadevo vanamālī jagatprabhuḥ || 9 || bhagavandevadeveśa padmanābha surārihan | kathaṃ ca mā gatā dṛṣṭvā māmāgacchantamantikāt || 10 || nāhaṃ viṭo na vā dhūrtaḥ tāpaso'haṃ jagadguro | jitendriyo jitakrodho jitamāyo janārdana || 11 || nārada uvāca niśamya vacanaṃ kiñcidgarvayuktaṃ janārdanaḥ | uvāca māṃ smitaṃ kṛtvā vīṇāvanmadhurāṃ giram || 12 || viṣṇuruvāca nāradaivaṃvidhā nītirna sthātavyaṃ kadācana | patiṃ vinānyasānidhye kasyacidyoṣayā kvacit || 13 || māyā sudurjayā vidvan yogibhirjitamārutaiḥ | sāṃkhyavidbhirnirāhāraistāpasaiśca jitendriyaiḥ || 14 || devaiśca muniśārdūla yattvayoktaṃ vaco'dhunā | jitamāyo'smi gītajña naivaṃ vācyaṃ kadācana || 15 || nāhaṃ śivo na vā brahmā jetuṃ tāṃ prabhavo'pyajām | munayaḥ sanakādyāśca kastvaṃ ke'nye kṣamā jaye || 16 || devadehaṃ nṛdehaṃ vā tiryagdehamathāpi vā | bibhṛyādyaḥ śarīraṃ ca sa kathaṃ tāṃ jayedajām || 17 || triyutastāṃ kathaṃ māyāṃ jetuṃ śaktaḥ pumāmbhavet | vedavidyogavidvāpi sarvajño vijitendriyaḥ || 18 || kālo'pi tasyā rūpaṃ hi rūpahīnaḥ svarūpakṛt | tadvaśe vartate dehī vidvānmūrkho'tha madhyamaḥ || 19 || kālaḥ karoti dharmajñaṃ kadācidvikalaṃ punaḥ | svabhāvātkarmato vāpi durjñeyaṃ tasya ceṣṭitam || 20 || nārada uvāca ityuktvā virato viṣṇurahaṃ vismayamānasaḥ | tamabravaṃ jagannāthaṃ vāsudevaṃ sanātanam || 21 || ramāpate kathaṃrūpā māyā sā kīdṛśī punaḥ | kiyadbalā kva saṃsthānā kasyādhārā vadasva me || 22 || draṣṭukāmo'smi tāṃ māyāṃ darśayāśu mahīdhara | jñātumicchāmi tāṃ samyakprasādaṃ kuru māpate || 23 || viṣṇuruvāca triguṇā sākhilādhārā sarvajñā sarvasammatā | ajeyānekarūpā ca sarvaṃ vyāpya sthitā jagat || 24 || didṛkṣā yadi te citte nāradārohaṇaṃ kuru | garuḍe matsameto'dya gacchāvo'nyatra sāmpratam || 25 || darśayiṣyāmi te māyāṃ durjayāmajitātmabhiḥ | dṛṣṭvā tāṃ brahmaputra tvaṃ viṣāde mā manaḥ kṛthāḥ || 26 || ityuktvā devadevo māṃ sasmāra vinatāsutam | smṛtamātrastu garuḍastadāgāddharisannidhau || 27 || āgataṃ garuḍaṃ vīkṣya āruroha janārdanaḥ | samāropya ca māṃ pṛṣṭhe gamanāya kṛtādaraḥ || 28 || calito vinatāputro vaikuṇṭhādvāyuvegavān | prerito yatra kṛṣṇena gantukāmena kānanam || 29 || mahāvanāni divyāni sarāṃsi saritastathā | puragrāmākarādīṃśca kheṭakharvaṭagovrajān || 30 || munīnāmāśramān ramyān vāpīśca sumanoharāḥ | palvalāni viśālāni hradān paṅkajabhūṣitān || 31 || mṛgāṇāṃ ca varāhāṇāṃ vṛndānyapyavalokya ca | gatāvāvāṃ kānyakubjasamīpaṃ garuḍāsanau || 32 || tatra ramyaṃ saro divyaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ paṅkajamaṇḍitam | haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇaṃ cakravākopaśobhitam || 33 || nānāvarṇaiḥ praphullaiśca paṅkajairuparañjitam | śuci miṣṭajalaṃ bhṛṅgayūthanādavirājitam || 34 || māmāha bhagavān vīkṣya taḍāgaṃ paramādbhutam | spardhakaṃ codadheḥ kṣīraṃ miṣṭaṃ vāri viśeṣataḥ || 35 || śrībhagavānuvāca paśya nārada gambhīraṃ saraḥ sārasanāditam | sarvatra paṅkajaiśchannaṃ svacchanīraprapūritam || 36 || atra snātvā gamiṣyāvaḥ kānyakubjaṃ purottamam | ityuktvā garuḍādāśu māmuttārya vyatārayat || 37 || vihasya bhagavāṃstatra jagrāha mama tarjanīm | stuvansarovaraṃ bhūyastīre māmanayatprabhuḥ || 38 || viśramya taṭabhāge tu snigdhacchāye manohare | māmuvāca mune snānaṃ kuru tvaṃ vimale jale || 39 || paścādahaṃ kariṣyāmi taḍāge'sminsupāvane | sādhūnāmiva cetāṃsi jalāni nirmalāni ca || 40 || surabhīṇi parāgaistu paṅkajānāṃ viśeṣataḥ | ityukto'haṃ bhagavatā muktvā vīṇāṃ mṛgājinam || 41 || snānāya kṛtadhīstīre gataḥ premasamanvitaḥ | pādauprakṣālya hastauca śikhāṃ baddhvā kuśagraham || 42 || kṛtvā''camya śucistoye snātavānasmi tajjale | yadā tasmijjale ramye snāto'haṃ paśyato hareḥ || 43 || vihāya pauruṣaṃ rūpaṃ prāptaḥ strītvamanuttamam | harirgṛhītvā vīṇāṃ me tathā kṛṣṇājinaṃ śubham || 44 || āruhya garuḍaṃ tūrṇaṃ jagāma svagṛhaṃ kṣaṇāt | tato'haṃ strītvamāpannaścārubhūṣaṇabhūṣitaḥ || 45 || tatkṣaṇānmanaso jātā pūrvadehasya vismṛtiḥ | vismṛto'sau jagannātho mahatī vismṛtā punaḥ || 46 || samprāpya mohinīrūpaṃ taḍāgānnirgato bahiḥ | apaśyaṃ nalinījuṣṭaṃ sarastadvimalodakam || 47 || kimetaditi manasākaravaṃ vismayaṃ muhuḥ | evaṃ cintayamānasya nārīrūpadharasya me || 48 || sahasā dṛkpathaṃ prāptastatra tāladhvajo nṛpaḥ | gajāśvarathavṛndaiśca saṃvṛto rathasaṃsthitaḥ || 49 || yuvā bhūṣaṇasaṃvīto dehavāniva manmathaḥ | vīkṣya māṃ bhūpatistatra divyabhūṣaṇabhūṣitām || 50 || rākācandramukhīṃ yoṣāṃ vismayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ | papraccha kāsi kalyāṇi kasya putrī surasya vā || 51 || mānuṣasya ca vā kānte gandharvasyoragasya ca | ekākinī kathaṃ bālā rūpayauvanabhūṣitā || 52 || vivāhitātha kanyā vā satyaṃ vada sulocane | kiṃ paśyasi sukeśānte taḍāge'sminsumadhyame || 53 || cikīrṣitaṃ pikālāpe brūhi manmathamohini | bhuṅkṣava bhogānmarālākṣi mayā saha kṛśodari | vāñchitānmanasā nūnaṃ kṛtvā māṃ patimuttamam || 54 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ ṣaṣṭhaskandhe nāradena svastrītvaprāptivarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ || 28 ||
English translation
1-11. Narada said O Thou whose only wealth consists in asceticism! I am now describing to you all those good stories; hear attentively. O Muni! This Maya and Her Power are incomprehensible even by those who are the foremost amongst the Yogins. This whole Universe, moving and non-moving, from Brahma to the blade of grass, is enchanted by that Unborn and Incomprehensible Maya; therefore no one can escape from the hands of that Maya. One day I wanted to see Hari, of wonderful deeds, and went out with lute in my hand from Satyaloka, to the lovely SVeta Dvipa (the residence of Visnu) singing the beautiful Sama hymns in tune with the seven Svaras. I saw there Gadadhara, the Deva of the Devas, with four arms holding disc in one of his hands. He resembled a newly-formed rain-cloud of S’yanna colour. He was illumined with the lustre of the Kaustubha jewel in his breast. He was wearing an yellow apparel.
His head was beautified with a lustrous crown. Thus the Bhagavan Narayana was playing in amorous movements with the daughter of the ocean, fully capable to give one delight and enjoyment. Seeing me, the lovely Devi Kamala, dear to Vasudeva, full of youth and beauty, decorated with ornaments, endowed with all auspicious signs, superior to all the women, went away at once (to another room) from the presence of Janardana. The breast of Laksmi Devi was becoming visible even through the cloth thrown over it; therefore she went hurriedly to the inner compartment. Seeing this I asked Janardana, the Deva of the Devas, the Lord of the worlds, and holding a garland of forest grown flowers thus:-- “O Bhagavan! O Slayer of Mura! O Padmanabha! Why has Kamala Devi, the Mother of all the Lokas, on seeing me coming here, gone out of Your presence. O Lord of the worlds! I am not a rogue nor a cheat; I have conquered my passions and am become an ascetic; I have conquered even Maya. Therefore O Deva! What is the cause of the departure of the Kamala Devi from here? Kindly explain this to me.”
12-20. Narada said O Dvaipayana! Hearing my words, expressive of my pride, Janardana smiled and spoke to me in words sweet like the sound of a lute “O Narada! The rule in such cases is this The wife of any man whatsoever ought not to stay before any other male outsider than her husband. O Narada! It is very hard to conquer Maya; even those, who by Pranayama have conquered their Prana Vayu, their organs of senses and their food, even those Samkhya Yogins and the Devas are not able to conquer Maya. The words that you have just now uttered that you have conquered Maya are not fit to come out of your mouth; for by your knowledge of music, it seems that you are enchanted with the sounds of the music. Brahma, I, S’iva, and the other Munis, none of us has been able as yet to conquer that Unborn Maya; how, then, can it be possible that you or any other man can conquer that Maya! Any embodied being, be he a Deva, a human being, or a bird, no one is able to conquer that Maya Unborn. Whoever is endowed with the three Gunas, be he a knower of the Vedas, or a Yogin, or conqueror of his passions, or all knowing, is not able to conquer Maya. The Great Time (Kala) though formless, is one form of Maya and fashions this universe. All the JTvas are subservient to this Kala, be he a good literary person, or of a mediocre nature, or an illiterate brute. This Kala sometimes makes even a religious man that knows Dharma confounded and deluded; so you know the nature of Maya is very incomprehensible and Her ways mysterious.” (Note: This Kala is of the fourth dimension, time and space.)
21-23. O Dvaipayana! Thus saying, Visnu stopped. I was greatly astonished and asked that Eternal Vasudeva, the Deva of the Devas, the Lord of the World, “O Lord of Rama! What is the form of Maya? How is She? What is the measure of Her strength? Where She resides? Whose substratum is She? Kindly tell these to me. O Preserver of the Universe! I am greatly desirous to see Maya; Shew
Her to me quickly. O Lord of Rama! I am very eager to know Maya. Be graciously pleased to describe tome the glory of Maya.”
24-36. Visnu said Maya resides everywhere throughout this whole Universe; Her nature consists of the three Gunas; She is the substratum of all; She is omniscient, and acknowledged by all; invisible, and of diverse forms. O Narada! If you want to see Maya, then come quickly and mount with me on Garuda; we both will go elsewhere and I will shew you that Maya, invincible by those who have not conquered themselves. O Son of Brahma! Don’t be depressed when you see Maya. Thus saying, Janardana Hah remembered Garuda and instantly he came to Hah. Janardana mounted on him and gladly made me also get up on his back and took me with Him. In a moment Garuda, went, at his command, with the speed of wind to the forest where the Bhagavan desired to go. Mounting on Garuda we passed and saw on our way beautiful forests, nice lakes, rivers, towns, villages, huts of cultivators, towns close to the mountains, huts for cow-keepers in cowsheds, the beautiful hermitages of the Munis, lovely Jhils, tanks and lakes beautified with big lotuses, flocks of ewes, packs of wild boars, etc., till, at last, we came to a place close to Kanauj. I saw there a beautiful divine tank; nice lotuses blossomed there, spreading their sweet fragrance all around; the bees were making lovely humming noise and ravishing away the minds of men; various flowers, lilies, etc., were beautifying the place; Geese, Karandavas, and Chakravakas and other acquatic fowls were playing with their cackling noise, the water was very sweet like milk; the tank was defying, as it were the ocean. Seeing such a wonderful tank, the Bhagavan told me “O Narada! See, how beautiful is this deep tank with its clear waters, and adorned all over with lotuses! The sweet voiced flamingoes are roaming on the lake making lovely sounds!
37-54. We will bathe in this tank and then go to the city Kanauj. Thus saying, He made me descend quickly from Garuda and He himself also got down. Then the Bhagavan smilingly caught hold of my fore¬ finger and repeatedly praising the glory of the tank took me to its bank. We rested a while on the cool umbrageous beautiful bank when S’ri Bhagavan said “O Muni! Better bathe you first in this tank; next I will bathe in this very holy pool of water. O Narada! Look! Look! How clear crystal-like is the water of this pool like the heart of a saint; see how it smells also fragrantly in contact with the lotuses on it.” When the Bhagavan spoke thus to me; I kept my lute and deer skin aside and gladly went to the edge of the tank. Washing then my hands and feet I tied my hair lock and, taking Kus’a grass, I performed my Achaman and, purifying myself, began to bathe myself in that tank. While I was bathing. Hah was looking at me; by the time I took a dip, I saw that I quitted my male form and got a beautiful female form. Hah took away, then, my deer skin and lute and mounting on Garuda went away in a moment to His own residence. Getting the female form and decorated with excellent ornaments, my memory of my previous male form vanished at once; I forgot all about my famous lute and forgot also Jagannatha, the Deva of the Devas. I then came out of the tank in that enchanting woman form, saw the pool of water filled with clear limpid water and adorned with lotuses. Seeing that, I began to think “What is this?” and I became very much astonished. While I was thus meditating in my woman form, a king, named Taladhvaja, came there, all on a sudden, on a chariot, accompanied by numerous elephants and horses. The King looked like a second Cupid; he was decorated with various ornaments on his various limbs; he was just entering into his youth and he looked very enchanting. The King saw me at once and looking at me decked with divine ornaments and my moon-like face, was greatly astonished and asked me “O Kalyani! Who are you? Are you the daughter of a man or of a Naga (serpent) or of a Gandharva or of a Deva? I see you are now in your youth; why are you alone here? O Lovely-eyed!
Has any fortunate person married you? Or are you still unmarried? Speak all these truly to me. O Fair-haired One! What are you looking at in this tank? O One enchanting, as it were, like the Cupid! What is your desire? Say, O Slanting-eyed! My mind is ravished to hear your cuckoo-like voice. O One of thin waist! Choose me as your husband and enjoy various excellent things as you like.”
Here ends the Twenty-eighth Chapter of the Sixth Book on Narada’s getting the feminine form in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 53182, revision 118188 (2017-08-23T21:21:58Z). 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/bk06ch28.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.