Tenth Skandha · Chapter 3
Sourceसूतउवाच एवं समुपदिश्यायं देवर्षिः परमः स्वराट् । जगाम ब्रह्मणो लोकं स्वैरचारी महामुनिः ॥ १ ॥ गते मुनिवरे विन्ध्यश्चिन्तां लेभेऽनपायिनीम् । नैव शान्तिं स लेभे च सदान्तःकृतशोचनः ॥ २ ॥ कथं किं त्वत्र मे कार्यं कथं मेरुं जयाम्यहम् । नैव शान्तिं लभे नापि स्वास्थ्यं मे मानसे भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥ (धिगुत्साहं च मानं च धिङ्मे कीर्तिं च धिक्कुलम्) धिग्बलं मे पौरुषं धिक् स्मृतं पूर्वैर्महात्मभिः । एवं चिन्तयमानस्य विन्ध्यस्य मनसि स्फुटम् ॥ ४ ॥ प्रादुर्भूता मतिः कार्ये कर्तव्ये दोषकारिणी । मेरुप्रदक्षिणां कुर्वन्नित्यमेव दिवाकरः ॥ ५ ॥ सग्रहर्क्षगणोपेतः सदा दृप्यत्ययं नगः । तस्य मार्गस्य संरोधं करिष्यामि निजैः करैः ॥ ६ ॥ तदा निरुद्धो द्युमणिः परिक्रामेत्कथं नगम् । एवं मार्गे निरुद्धे तु मया दिनकरस्य च ॥ ७ ॥ भग्नदर्पो दिव्यनगो भविष्यति विनिश्चयम् । एवं निश्चित्य विन्ध्याद्रिः खं स्पृशन् ववृधे भुजैः ॥ ८ ॥ महोन्नतैः शृङ्गवरैः सर्वं व्याप्य व्यवस्थितः । कदोदेष्यति भास्वांस्तं रोधयिष्याम्यहं कदा ॥ ९ ॥ एवं सञ्चिन्तयानस्य सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी । प्रभातं विमलं जज्ञे दिशो वितिमिराः करैः ॥ १० ॥ कुर्वन्स निर्गतो भानुरुदयायोदये गिरौ । प्रकाशते स्म विमलं नभो भानुकरैः शुभैः ॥ ११ ॥ विकासं नलिनी भेजे मीलनं च कुमुद्वती । स्वानि कार्याणि सर्वे च लोकाः समुपतस्थिरे ॥ १२ ॥ हव्यं कव्यं भूतबलिं देवानां च प्रवर्धयन् । प्राह्णापराह्णमध्याह्नविभागेन त्विषां पतिः ॥ १३ ॥ एवं प्राचीं तथाग्नेयीं समाश्वास्य वियोगिनीम् । ज्वलन्तीं चिरकालीनविरहादिव कामिनीम् ॥ १४ ॥ भास्करोऽथ कृशानोश्च दिशं नूनं विहाय च । याम्यां गन्तुं ततस्तूर्णं प्रतस्थे कमलाकरः ॥ १५ ॥ न शशाकाग्रतो गन्तुं ततोऽनूरुर्व्यजिज्ञपत् । अनूरुरुवाच भानो मानोन्नतो विन्ध्यो निरुध्य गगनं स्थितः ॥ १६ ॥ स्पर्धते मेरुणा प्रेप्सुस्त्वद्दत्तां च प्रदक्षिणाम् । सूत उवाच अनूरुवाक्यमाकर्ण्य सविता ह्यास चिन्तयन् ॥ १७ ॥ अहो गगनमार्गोऽपि रुध्यते चातिविस्मयः । प्रायः शूरो न किं कुर्यादुत्पथे वर्त्मनि स्थितः ॥ १८ ॥ निरुद्धो नो वाजिमार्गो दैवं हि बलवत्तरम् । राहुबाहुग्रहव्यग्रो यः क्षणं नावतिष्ठते ॥ १९ ॥ स चिरं रुद्धमार्गोऽपि किं करोति विधिर्बली । एवं च मार्गे संरुद्धे लोकाः सर्वे च सेश्वराः ॥ २० ॥ नान्वविन्दन्त शरणं कर्तव्यं नान्वपद्यत । चित्रगुप्तादयः सर्वे कालं जानन्ति सूर्यतः ॥ २१ ॥ संरुद्धो विन्ध्यगिरिणा अहो दैवविपर्ययः । यदा निरुद्धः सविता गिरिणा स्पर्धया तदा ॥ २२ ॥ नष्टः स्वाहास्वधाकारो नष्टप्रायमभूज्जगत् । एवं च पाश्चिमा लोका दाक्षिणात्यास्तथैव च ॥ २३ ॥ निद्रामीलितचक्षुष्का निशामेव प्रपेदिरे । प्राञ्चस्तथोत्तराहाश्च तीक्ष्णतापप्रतापिताः ॥ २४ ॥ मृता नष्टाश्च भग्नाश्च विनाशमभजन् प्रजाः । हाहाभूतं जगत्सर्वं स्वधाकव्यविवर्जितम् । देवाः सेन्द्राः समुद्विग्नाः किं कुर्म इतिवादिनः ॥ २५ ॥ इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे देवीमाहात्म्ये विन्ध्योपाख्यानवर्णनं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ३ ॥
sūtauvāca evaṃ samupadiśyāyaṃ devarṣiḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ | jagāma brahmaṇo lokaṃ svairacārī mahāmuniḥ || 1 || gate munivare vindhyaścintāṃ lebhe'napāyinīm | naiva śāntiṃ sa lebhe ca sadāntaḥkṛtaśocanaḥ || 2 || kathaṃ kiṃ tvatra me kāryaṃ kathaṃ meruṃ jayāmyaham | naiva śāntiṃ labhe nāpi svāsthyaṃ me mānase bhavet || 3 || (dhigutsāhaṃ ca mānaṃ ca dhiṅme kīrtiṃ ca dhikkulam) dhigbalaṃ me pauruṣaṃ dhik smṛtaṃ pūrvairmahātmabhiḥ | evaṃ cintayamānasya vindhyasya manasi sphuṭam || 4 || prādurbhūtā matiḥ kārye kartavye doṣakāriṇī | merupradakṣiṇāṃ kurvannityameva divākaraḥ || 5 || sagraharkṣagaṇopetaḥ sadā dṛpyatyayaṃ nagaḥ | tasya mārgasya saṃrodhaṃ kariṣyāmi nijaiḥ karaiḥ || 6 || tadā niruddho dyumaṇiḥ parikrāmetkathaṃ nagam | evaṃ mārge niruddhe tu mayā dinakarasya ca || 7 || bhagnadarpo divyanago bhaviṣyati viniścayam | evaṃ niścitya vindhyādriḥ khaṃ spṛśan vavṛdhe bhujaiḥ || 8 || mahonnataiḥ śṛṅgavaraiḥ sarvaṃ vyāpya vyavasthitaḥ | kadodeṣyati bhāsvāṃstaṃ rodhayiṣyāmyahaṃ kadā || 9 || evaṃ sañcintayānasya sā vyatīyāya śarvarī | prabhātaṃ vimalaṃ jajñe diśo vitimirāḥ karaiḥ || 10 || kurvansa nirgato bhānurudayāyodaye girau | prakāśate sma vimalaṃ nabho bhānukaraiḥ śubhaiḥ || 11 || vikāsaṃ nalinī bheje mīlanaṃ ca kumudvatī | svāni kāryāṇi sarve ca lokāḥ samupatasthire || 12 || havyaṃ kavyaṃ bhūtabaliṃ devānāṃ ca pravardhayan | prāhṇāparāhṇamadhyāhnavibhāgena tviṣāṃ patiḥ || 13 || evaṃ prācīṃ tathāgneyīṃ samāśvāsya viyoginīm | jvalantīṃ cirakālīnavirahādiva kāminīm || 14 || bhāskaro'tha kṛśānośca diśaṃ nūnaṃ vihāya ca | yāmyāṃ gantuṃ tatastūrṇaṃ pratasthe kamalākaraḥ || 15 || na śaśākāgrato gantuṃ tato'nūrurvyajijñapat | anūruruvāca bhāno mānonnato vindhyo nirudhya gaganaṃ sthitaḥ || 16 || spardhate meruṇā prepsustvaddattāṃ ca pradakṣiṇām | sūta uvāca anūruvākyamākarṇya savitā hyāsa cintayan || 17 || aho gaganamārgo'pi rudhyate cātivismayaḥ | prāyaḥ śūro na kiṃ kuryādutpathe vartmani sthitaḥ || 18 || niruddho no vājimārgo daivaṃ hi balavattaram | rāhubāhugrahavyagro yaḥ kṣaṇaṃ nāvatiṣṭhate || 19 || sa ciraṃ ruddhamārgo'pi kiṃ karoti vidhirbalī | evaṃ ca mārge saṃruddhe lokāḥ sarve ca seśvarāḥ || 20 || nānvavindanta śaraṇaṃ kartavyaṃ nānvapadyata | citraguptādayaḥ sarve kālaṃ jānanti sūryataḥ || 21 || saṃruddho vindhyagiriṇā aho daivaviparyayaḥ | yadā niruddhaḥ savitā giriṇā spardhayā tadā || 22 || naṣṭaḥ svāhāsvadhākāro naṣṭaprāyamabhūjjagat | evaṃ ca pāścimā lokā dākṣiṇātyāstathaiva ca || 23 || nidrāmīlitacakṣuṣkā niśāmeva prapedire | prāñcastathottarāhāśca tīkṣṇatāpapratāpitāḥ || 24 || mṛtā naṣṭāśca bhagnāśca vināśamabhajan prajāḥ | hāhābhūtaṃ jagatsarvaṃ svadhākavyavivarjitam | devāḥ sendrāḥ samudvignāḥ kiṃ kurma itivādinaḥ || 25 || iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ daśamaskandhe devīmāhātmye vindhyopākhyānavarṇanaṃ nāma tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ || 3 ||
English translation
1-16. Suta said O Risis! Thus advising, the Devarsi, the great Jhani and Muni going wherever he likes, went to the Brahmaloka. After the Muni had gone, the Bindhya became immersed in great anxiety and becoming always very sorrowful, could not get peace. What shall I do now so as to overthrow Meru? Until I do that, I won't be able to get the peace of my mind or my health. The highsouled persons always praised me for my enthusiasm and energy. Fie to my energy, honour, fame and family! Fie to my strength and heroism! O Risis! With all these cogitations in his mind, Bindhya came finally to this crooked conclusion “Daily the Sun, stars and planets circumambulate round the Sumeru; hence Sumeru is always so arrogant; now if I can resist the Sun's course in the heavens by my peaks. He will not be able to circumambulate round the Sumeru. If I can do this, certainly I will be able to curb the Sumeru in his pride.” Thus coming to a conclusion, Bindhya raised his arms that were the peaks high up to the heavens and blocking the passage in the Heavens, remained so and passed that night with great uneasiness and difficulty, thinking when the Sun would rise and he would obstruct His passage. At last, when the morning broke out, all the quarters were clear. The Sun, destroying the darkness, rose in Udaya Giri. The sky looked clear with His rays; the lotus, seeing Him, blew out with joy; while the excellent white water-lilies, at the bereavement of the Moon, contracted their leaves and closed as if at the separation of one's lover, gone to a distant place. The people began to do their own works on the appearance of the day; the worship of the gods, the offerings to the Gods, the Homas and the offerings to the Piths were set a going on (in the morning, afternoon and evening respectively). The Sun marched on in His course. He divided the day into three parts, morning, midday, and afternoon.
First of all he consoled the eastern quarter which seemed like a woman suffering from the bereavement of her lover; then he
consoled the south eartern corner; then as He wanted to go quickly towards the south, His horses could not go further. The charioteer Aruna, seeing this, informed the Sun what had happened.
17. Aruna spoke “O Sun! The Bindhya has become very jealous of the Sumeru as You circumambulate round the Sumeru Mountain daily. He has risen very high and obstructed your course in the Heavens, hoping that you would circumambulate round him. He is thus vying with the Sumeru Mountain.”
18-26. Suta said O Risis! Hearing the words of Aruna, the charioteer, the Sun began to think thus “Oh! The Bindhya is going to obstruct My course! What can a great hero not do, when he is in the wrong path? Oh! My horses' motions are stopped to-day! The fate is the strongest of all (Because Bindhya is strong today by Daiva, therefore he is doing this). Even when eclipsed by Rahu (the ascending node) I do not stop for a moment even; and now obstructed in My passage, I am waiting here for a long time. The Daiva is powerful; what can I do?” The Sun's course having been thus obstructed, all from the Gods to the lowest became helpless and could not make out what to do. Chitragupta and others ascertain their time through the Sun's course; and that Sun is now rendered motionless by the Bindhya mountain! What a great adverse fate is this! When the Sun was thus obstructed by the Bindhya out of his arrogance, the sacrifices to the Devas, the offerings to the Pitris all were stopped; the world was going to rack and ruin. The people that lived on the west and south had their nights prolonged and they remained asleep. The people of the east and the north were scorched by the strong rays of the Sun and some of them died; some of them lost their health and so forth. The whole earth became devoid of S'raddhas and worships and a cry of universal distress arose on all sides. Indra and the other Devas became very anxious and began to think what they should do at that moment.
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Tenth Book on the obstruction of the Sun's course by the Bindhya Mountain in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 31951, revision 201149 (2019-05-07T23:32:55Z). 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/bk10ch03.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.