Third Skandha · Chapter 19
Sourceव्यास उवाच भर्त्रा साऽभिहिता बालां पुत्रीं कृत्वाङ्कसंस्थिताम् । उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं समाश्वास्य शुचिस्मिताम् ॥ १ ॥ किं वृथा सुदति त्वं हि विप्रियं मम भाषसे । पिता ते दुःखमाप्नोति वाक्येनानेन सुव्रते ॥ २ ॥ सुदर्शनोऽतिदुर्भाग्यो राज्यभ्रष्टो निराश्रयः । बलकोशविहीनश्च परित्यक्तस्तु बान्धवैः ॥ ३ ॥ मात्रा सह वनं प्राप्तः फलमूलाशनः कृशः । न ते योग्यो वरोऽयं वै वनवासी च दुर्भगः ॥ ४ ॥ राजपुत्राः कृतप्रज्ञा रूपवन्तः सुसम्मताः । तवार्हाः पुत्रि सन्त्यन्ये राजचिह्नैरलङ्कृताः ॥ ५ ॥ भ्राताऽस्य वर्तते कान्तः स राज्यं कोसलेषु वै । करोति रूपसम्पन्नः सर्वलक्षणसंयुतः ॥ ६ ॥ अन्यच्च कारणं सुभ्रु शृणु यच्च यथा श्रुतम् । युधाजित्सततं तस्य वधकामोऽस्ति भूमिपः ॥ ७ ॥ दौहित्रः स्थापितस्तेन राज्ये कृत्वाऽतिसङ्गरम् । वीरसेनं नृपं हत्वा सम्मन्त्र्य सचिवैः सह ॥ ८ ॥ भारद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्तं हन्तुकामः सुदर्शनम् । मुनिना वारितः पश्चाज्जगाम निजमन्दिरम् ॥ ९ ॥ शशिकलोवाच मातर्ममेप्सितः कामं वनस्थोऽपि नृपात्मजः । शर्यातिवचनेनैव सुकन्या च पतिव्रता ॥ १० ॥ च्यवनञ्च यथा प्राप्य पतिशुश्रूषणे रता । भर्तृशुश्रूषणं स्त्रीणां स्वर्गदं मोक्षदं तथा ॥ ११ ॥ अकैतवकृतं नूनं सुखदं भवति स्त्रियाः । भगवत्या समादिष्टं स्वप्ने वरमनुत्तमम् ॥ १२ ॥ तमृतेऽहं कथं चान्यं संश्रयामि नृपात्मजम् । मच्चित्तभित्तौ लिखितो भगवत्या सुदर्शनः ॥ १३ ॥ तं विहाय प्रियं कान्तं करिष्येऽहं न चापरम् । व्यास उवाच प्रत्यादिष्टाऽथ वैदर्भी तया बहुनिदर्शनैः ॥ १४ ॥ भर्तारं सर्वमाचष्ट पुत्र्योक्तं वचनं भृशम् । विवाहस्य दिनादर्वागाप्तं श्रुतसमन्वितम् ॥ १५ ॥ द्विजं शशिकला तत्र प्रेषयामास सत्वरम् । यथा न वेद मे तातस्तथा गच्छ सुदर्शनम् ॥ १६ ॥ भारद्वाजाश्रमे ब्रूहि मद्वाक्यात्तरसा विभो । पित्रा मे सम्भृतः कामं मदर्थेन स्वयंवरः ॥ १७ ॥ आगमिष्यन्ति राजानो बलयुक्ता ह्यनेकशः । मया त्वं वै वृतश्चित्ते सर्वथा प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ॥ १८ ॥ भगवत्या समादिष्टः स्वप्ने मम सुरोपम । विषमद्मि हुताशे वा प्रपतामि प्रदीपिते ॥ १९ ॥ वरये त्वदृते नान्यं पितृभ्यां प्रेरिताऽपि वा । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा संवृतस्त्वं मया वरः ॥ २० ॥ भगवत्याः प्रसादेन शर्मावाभ्यां भविष्यति । आगन्तव्यं त्वयात्रैव दैवं कृत्वा परं बलम् ॥ २१ ॥ यदधीनं जगत्सर्वं वर्तते सचराचरम् । भगवत्या यदादिष्टं न तन्मिथ्या भविष्यति ॥ २२ ॥ यद्वशे देवताः सर्वा वर्तन्ते शङ्करादयः । वक्तव्योऽसौ त्वया ब्रह्मन्नेकान्ते वै नृपात्मजः ॥ २३ ॥ यथा भवति मे कार्यं तत्कर्तव्यं त्वयानघ । इत्युक्त्वा दक्षिणां दत्त्वा मुनिर्व्यापारितस्तया ॥ २४ ॥ गत्वा सर्वं निवेद्याशु तत्र प्रत्यागतो द्विजः । सुदर्शनस्तु तज्ज्ञात्वा निश्चयं गमने तदा ॥ २५ ॥ चकार मुनिना तेन प्रेरितः परमादरात् । व्यास उवाच गमनायोद्यतं पुत्रं तमुवाच मनोरमा ॥ २६ ॥ वेपमानाऽतिदुःखार्ता जातत्रासाऽश्रुलोचना । कुत्र गच्छसि पुत्राद्य समाजे भूभृतां किल ॥ २७ ॥ एकाकी कृतवैरश्च किं विचिन्त्य स्वयंवरे । युधाजिद्धन्तुकामस्त्वां समेष्यति महीपतिः ॥ २८ ॥ न तेऽन्योऽस्ति सहायश्च तस्मान्मा व्रज पुत्रक । एकपुत्रातिदीनास्मि तवाधारा निराश्रया ॥ २९ ॥ नार्हसि त्वं महाभाग निराशां कर्तुंमद्य माम् । पिता ते निहतो येन सोऽपि तत्रागतो नृपः ॥ ३० ॥ एकाकिनं गतं तत्र युधाजित्त्वां हनिष्यति । सुदर्शन उवाच भवितव्यं भवत्येव नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३१ ॥ आदेशाच्च जगन्मातुर्गच्छाम्यद्य स्वयंवरे । मा शोकं कुरु कल्याणि क्षत्रियाऽसि वरानने ॥ ३२ ॥ न बिभेमि प्रसादेन भगवत्या निरन्तरम् । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा रथमारुह्य गन्तुकामं सुदर्शनम् ॥ ३३ ॥ दृष्ट्वा मनोरमा पुत्रमाशीर्भिश्चान्वमोदयत् । अग्रतस्तेऽम्बिका पातु पार्वती पातु पृष्ठतः ॥ ३४ ॥ पार्वती पार्श्वयोः पातु शिवा सर्वत्र साम्प्रतम् । वाराही विषमे मार्गे दुर्गा दुर्गेषु कर्हिचित् । कालिका कलहे घोरे पातु त्वां परमेश्वरी ॥ ३५ ॥ मण्डपे तत्र मातङ्गी तथा सौम्या स्वयंवरे । भवानी भूपमध्ये तु पातु त्वां भवमोचनी ॥ ३६ ॥ गिरिजा गिरिदुर्गेषु चामुण्डा चत्वरेषु च । कामगा काननेष्वेवं रक्षतु त्वां सनातनी ॥ ३७ ॥ विवादे वैष्णवी शक्तिरवतात्त्वां रघूद्वह । भैरवी चरणे सौम्य शत्रूणां वै समागमे ॥ ३८ ॥ सर्वदा सर्वदेशेषु पातु त्वां भुवनेश्वरी । महामाया जगद्धात्री सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी ॥ ३९ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा माता वेपमाना भयाकुला । उवाचाहं त्वया सार्धमागमिष्यामि सर्वथा ॥ ४० ॥ निमिषार्धं विना त्वां वै नाहं स्थातुमिहोत्सहे । सहैव नय मां वत्स यत्र ते गमने मतिः ॥ ४१ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा निःसृता माता धात्रेयीसंयुता तदा । विप्रैर्दत्ताशिषः सर्वे निर्ययुर्हर्षसंयुताः ॥ ४२ ॥ वाराणस्यां ततः प्राप्तो रथेनैकेन राघवः । ज्ञातः सुबाहुना तत्र पूजितश्चार्हणादिभिः ॥ ४३ ॥ निवेशार्थं गृहं दत्तमन्नपानादिकं तथा । सेवकं समनुज्ञाप्य परिचर्यार्थमेव च ॥ ४४ ॥ मिलितास्त्वथ राजानो नानादेशाधिपाः किल । युधाजिदपि सम्प्राप्तो दौहित्रेण समन्वितः ॥ ४५ ॥ करूषाधिपतिश्चैव तथा मद्रेश्वरो नृपः । सिन्धुराजस्तथा वीरो योद्धा माहिष्मतीपतिः ॥ ४६ ॥ पाञ्चालः पर्वतीयश्च कामरूपोऽतिवीर्यवान् । कार्णाटश्चोलदेशीयो वैदर्भश्च महाबलः ॥ ४७ ॥ अक्षौहिणी त्रिषष्टिश्च मिलिता संख्यया तदा । वेष्टिता नगरी सा तु सैन्यैः सर्वत्र संस्थितैः ॥ ४८ ॥ एते चान्ये च बहवः स्वयंवरदिदृक्षया । मिलितास्तत्र राजानो वरवारणसंयुताः ॥ ४९ ॥ अन्योन्यं नृपपुत्रास्त इत्यूचुर्मिलितास्तदा । सुदर्शनो नृपसुतो ह्यागतोऽस्ति निराकुलः ॥ ५० ॥ एकाकी रथमारुह्य मात्रा सह महामतिः । विवाहार्थमिहायातः काकुत्स्थः किं नु साम्प्रतम् ॥ ५१ ॥ एतान् राजसुतांस्त्यक्त्वा ससैन्यान्सायुधानथ । किमेनं राजपुत्री सा वरिष्यति महाभुजम् ॥ ५२ ॥ युधाजिदथ राजेशस्तानुवाच महीपतीन् । अहमेनं हनिष्यामि कन्यार्थे नात्र संशयः ॥ ५३ ॥ केरलाधिपतिः प्राह तं तदा नीतिसत्तमः । नात्र युद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं राजन्निच्छास्वयंवरे ॥ ५४ ॥ बलेन हरणं नास्ति नात्र शुल्कस्वयंवरः । कन्येच्छयाऽत्र वरणं विवादः कीदृशस्त्विह ॥ ५५ ॥ अन्यायेन त्वया पूर्वमसौ राज्यात्प्रवासितः । दौहित्रायार्पितं राज्यं बलवन्नृपसत्तम ॥ ५६ ॥ काकुत्स्थोऽयं महाभाग कोसलाधिपतेः सुतः । कथमेनं राजपुत्रं हनिष्यसि निरागसम् ॥ ५७ ॥ लप्स्यसे तत्फलं नूनमनयस्य नृपोत्तम । शास्तास्ति कश्चिदायुष्मञ्जगतोऽस्य जगत्पतिः ॥ ५८ ॥ धर्मो जयति नाधर्मः सत्यं जयति नानृतम् । मानयं कुरु राजेन्द्र त्यज पापमतिं किल ॥ ५९ ॥ दौहित्रस्तव सम्प्राप्तः सोऽपि रूपसमन्वितः । राज्ययुक्तस्तथा श्रीमान्कथं तं न वरिष्यति ॥ ६० ॥ अन्ये राजसुताः कामं वर्तन्ते बलवत्तराः । कन्यास्वयंवरे कन्या स्वीकरिष्यति साम्प्रतम् ॥ ६१ ॥ वृते तथा विवादः कः प्रवदन्तु महीभुजः । परस्परं विरोधोऽत्र न कर्तव्यो विजानता ॥ ६२ ॥
vyāsa uvāca bhartrā sā'bhihitā bālāṃ putrīṃ kṛtvāṅkasaṃsthitām | uvāca vacanaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ samāśvāsya śucismitām || 1 || kiṃ vṛthā sudati tvaṃ hi vipriyaṃ mama bhāṣase | pitā te duḥkhamāpnoti vākyenānena suvrate || 2 || sudarśano'tidurbhāgyo rājyabhraṣṭo nirāśrayaḥ | balakośavihīnaśca parityaktastu bāndhavaiḥ || 3 || mātrā saha vanaṃ prāptaḥ phalamūlāśanaḥ kṛśaḥ | na te yogyo varo'yaṃ vai vanavāsī ca durbhagaḥ || 4 || rājaputrāḥ kṛtaprajñā rūpavantaḥ susammatāḥ | tavārhāḥ putri santyanye rājacihnairalaṅkṛtāḥ || 5 || bhrātā'sya vartate kāntaḥ sa rājyaṃ kosaleṣu vai | karoti rūpasampannaḥ sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutaḥ || 6 || anyacca kāraṇaṃ subhru śṛṇu yacca yathā śrutam | yudhājitsatataṃ tasya vadhakāmo'sti bhūmipaḥ || 7 || dauhitraḥ sthāpitastena rājye kṛtvā'tisaṅgaram | vīrasenaṃ nṛpaṃ hatvā sammantrya sacivaiḥ saha || 8 || bhāradvājāśramaṃ prāptaṃ hantukāmaḥ sudarśanam | muninā vāritaḥ paścājjagāma nijamandiram || 9 || śaśikalovāca mātarmamepsitaḥ kāmaṃ vanastho'pi nṛpātmajaḥ | śaryātivacanenaiva sukanyā ca pativratā || 10 || cyavanañca yathā prāpya patiśuśrūṣaṇe ratā | bhartṛśuśrūṣaṇaṃ strīṇāṃ svargadaṃ mokṣadaṃ tathā || 11 || akaitavakṛtaṃ nūnaṃ sukhadaṃ bhavati striyāḥ | bhagavatyā samādiṣṭaṃ svapne varamanuttamam || 12 || tamṛte'haṃ kathaṃ cānyaṃ saṃśrayāmi nṛpātmajam | maccittabhittau likhito bhagavatyā sudarśanaḥ || 13 || taṃ vihāya priyaṃ kāntaṃ kariṣye'haṃ na cāparam | vyāsa uvāca pratyādiṣṭā'tha vaidarbhī tayā bahunidarśanaiḥ || 14 || bhartāraṃ sarvamācaṣṭa putryoktaṃ vacanaṃ bhṛśam | vivāhasya dinādarvāgāptaṃ śrutasamanvitam || 15 || dvijaṃ śaśikalā tatra preṣayāmāsa satvaram | yathā na veda me tātastathā gaccha sudarśanam || 16 || bhāradvājāśrame brūhi madvākyāttarasā vibho | pitrā me sambhṛtaḥ kāmaṃ madarthena svayaṃvaraḥ || 17 || āgamiṣyanti rājāno balayuktā hyanekaśaḥ | mayā tvaṃ vai vṛtaścitte sarvathā prītipūrvakam || 18 || bhagavatyā samādiṣṭaḥ svapne mama suropama | viṣamadmi hutāśe vā prapatāmi pradīpite || 19 || varaye tvadṛte nānyaṃ pitṛbhyāṃ preritā'pi vā | manasā karmaṇā vācā saṃvṛtastvaṃ mayā varaḥ || 20 || bhagavatyāḥ prasādena śarmāvābhyāṃ bhaviṣyati | āgantavyaṃ tvayātraiva daivaṃ kṛtvā paraṃ balam || 21 || yadadhīnaṃ jagatsarvaṃ vartate sacarācaram | bhagavatyā yadādiṣṭaṃ na tanmithyā bhaviṣyati || 22 || yadvaśe devatāḥ sarvā vartante śaṅkarādayaḥ | vaktavyo'sau tvayā brahmannekānte vai nṛpātmajaḥ || 23 || yathā bhavati me kāryaṃ tatkartavyaṃ tvayānagha | ityuktvā dakṣiṇāṃ dattvā munirvyāpāritastayā || 24 || gatvā sarvaṃ nivedyāśu tatra pratyāgato dvijaḥ | sudarśanastu tajjñātvā niścayaṃ gamane tadā || 25 || cakāra muninā tena preritaḥ paramādarāt | vyāsa uvāca gamanāyodyataṃ putraṃ tamuvāca manoramā || 26 || vepamānā'tiduḥkhārtā jātatrāsā'śrulocanā | kutra gacchasi putrādya samāje bhūbhṛtāṃ kila || 27 || ekākī kṛtavairaśca kiṃ vicintya svayaṃvare | yudhājiddhantukāmastvāṃ sameṣyati mahīpatiḥ || 28 || na te'nyo'sti sahāyaśca tasmānmā vraja putraka | ekaputrātidīnāsmi tavādhārā nirāśrayā || 29 || nārhasi tvaṃ mahābhāga nirāśāṃ kartuṃmadya mām | pitā te nihato yena so'pi tatrāgato nṛpaḥ || 30 || ekākinaṃ gataṃ tatra yudhājittvāṃ haniṣyati | sudarśana uvāca bhavitavyaṃ bhavatyeva nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 31 || ādeśācca jaganmāturgacchāmyadya svayaṃvare | mā śokaṃ kuru kalyāṇi kṣatriyā'si varānane || 32 || na bibhemi prasādena bhagavatyā nirantaram | vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā rathamāruhya gantukāmaṃ sudarśanam || 33 || dṛṣṭvā manoramā putramāśīrbhiścānvamodayat | agrataste'mbikā pātu pārvatī pātu pṛṣṭhataḥ || 34 || pārvatī pārśvayoḥ pātu śivā sarvatra sāmpratam | vārāhī viṣame mārge durgā durgeṣu karhicit | kālikā kalahe ghore pātu tvāṃ parameśvarī || 35 || maṇḍape tatra mātaṅgī tathā saumyā svayaṃvare | bhavānī bhūpamadhye tu pātu tvāṃ bhavamocanī || 36 || girijā giridurgeṣu cāmuṇḍā catvareṣu ca | kāmagā kānaneṣvevaṃ rakṣatu tvāṃ sanātanī || 37 || vivāde vaiṣṇavī śaktiravatāttvāṃ raghūdvaha | bhairavī caraṇe saumya śatrūṇāṃ vai samāgame || 38 || sarvadā sarvadeśeṣu pātu tvāṃ bhuvaneśvarī | mahāmāyā jagaddhātrī saccidānandarūpiṇī || 39 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā taṃ tadā mātā vepamānā bhayākulā | uvācāhaṃ tvayā sārdhamāgamiṣyāmi sarvathā || 40 || nimiṣārdhaṃ vinā tvāṃ vai nāhaṃ sthātumihotsahe | sahaiva naya māṃ vatsa yatra te gamane matiḥ || 41 || ityuktvā niḥsṛtā mātā dhātreyīsaṃyutā tadā | viprairdattāśiṣaḥ sarve niryayurharṣasaṃyutāḥ || 42 || vārāṇasyāṃ tataḥ prāpto rathenaikena rāghavaḥ | jñātaḥ subāhunā tatra pūjitaścārhaṇādibhiḥ || 43 || niveśārthaṃ gṛhaṃ dattamannapānādikaṃ tathā | sevakaṃ samanujñāpya paricaryārthameva ca || 44 || militāstvatha rājāno nānādeśādhipāḥ kila | yudhājidapi samprāpto dauhitreṇa samanvitaḥ || 45 || karūṣādhipatiścaiva tathā madreśvaro nṛpaḥ | sindhurājastathā vīro yoddhā māhiṣmatīpatiḥ || 46 || pāñcālaḥ parvatīyaśca kāmarūpo'tivīryavān | kārṇāṭaścoladeśīyo vaidarbhaśca mahābalaḥ || 47 || akṣauhiṇī triṣaṣṭiśca militā saṃkhyayā tadā | veṣṭitā nagarī sā tu sainyaiḥ sarvatra saṃsthitaiḥ || 48 || ete cānye ca bahavaḥ svayaṃvaradidṛkṣayā | militāstatra rājāno varavāraṇasaṃyutāḥ || 49 || anyonyaṃ nṛpaputrāsta ityūcurmilitāstadā | sudarśano nṛpasuto hyāgato'sti nirākulaḥ || 50 || ekākī rathamāruhya mātrā saha mahāmatiḥ | vivāhārthamihāyātaḥ kākutsthaḥ kiṃ nu sāmpratam || 51 || etān rājasutāṃstyaktvā sasainyānsāyudhānatha | kimenaṃ rājaputrī sā variṣyati mahābhujam || 52 || yudhājidatha rājeśastānuvāca mahīpatīn | ahamenaṃ haniṣyāmi kanyārthe nātra saṃśayaḥ || 53 || keralādhipatiḥ prāha taṃ tadā nītisattamaḥ | nātra yuddhaṃ prakartavyaṃ rājannicchāsvayaṃvare || 54 || balena haraṇaṃ nāsti nātra śulkasvayaṃvaraḥ | kanyecchayā'tra varaṇaṃ vivādaḥ kīdṛśastviha || 55 || anyāyena tvayā pūrvamasau rājyātpravāsitaḥ | dauhitrāyārpitaṃ rājyaṃ balavannṛpasattama || 56 || kākutstho'yaṃ mahābhāga kosalādhipateḥ sutaḥ | kathamenaṃ rājaputraṃ haniṣyasi nirāgasam || 57 || lapsyase tatphalaṃ nūnamanayasya nṛpottama | śāstāsti kaścidāyuṣmañjagato'sya jagatpatiḥ || 58 || dharmo jayati nādharmaḥ satyaṃ jayati nānṛtam | mānayaṃ kuru rājendra tyaja pāpamatiṃ kila || 59 || dauhitrastava samprāptaḥ so'pi rūpasamanvitaḥ | rājyayuktastathā śrīmānkathaṃ taṃ na variṣyati || 60 || anye rājasutāḥ kāmaṃ vartante balavattarāḥ | kanyāsvayaṃvare kanyā svīkariṣyati sāmpratam || 61 || vṛte tathā vivādaḥ kaḥ pravadantu mahībhujaḥ | parasparaṃ virodho'tra na kartavyo vijānatā || 62 ||
English translation
1-2. Vyasa said After the king Subahu had spoken thus, the Queen nnade her daughter S’as’ikala, who had always sweet smiles on her lips sit on her lap and after consoling her with sweet words, began to say “O fair eyed! You always practise vows and other religious performances; why are you, then, speaking these unpleasant words? The King has heard all what you wanted to say and has been very sorry.
3-5. That Sudars'ana is very unfortunate, deprived of his kingdom, helpless, void of wealth and army, abandoned by his friends, exiled with his mother in the forest, subsisting on roots and fruits, lean and thin. Thus he is not worthy of becoming the husband of yours. There are many learned, beautiful, approved of all, qualified with all royal marks, princes fit to become your husband. They all will come in this Svayamvara.
6. There is one brother of this Sudars'ana, who is endowed with all kingly qualifications, beautiful, and qualified in various other ways. He is the king of the Kosala country.
7. There is another point worth consideration; please hear it. The King Yudhajit is trying his best to kill Sudars'ana on a befitting opportunity.
8. He already counselled with his ministers and killed in a desperate fight the king Virasena and installed his daughter’s son on the
throne.
9. Even he came up so far as the hermitage of Bharadvaja to kill Sudars'ana; afterwards he was prevented by the Munis from doing so then he returned home.”
10-11. S’as’ikala replied “Mother! That prince, though staying in the forest, is approved of by me; under the advice S’aryati, the chaste Sukanya married Chyavana Muni and served her husband all along; so I will marry this king’s son and will always be engaged in serving him. The women are able to attain heaven and emancipation, if they serve their husbands; therefore if we be sincere in serving our husbands, we will no doubt be happy.
12. I have seen in my dream that the Goddess Bhagavati has ordained him to be my husband; how can I now accept any other body as my husband than him?
13. The Devi Bhuvanes’vari has pictured his frame firmly in my heart; I will never be able to leave my dearest beautiful husband and to contract marriage with any other person.”
14. Vyasa said Thus the mother, the daughter of the King of Videha, found many signs and at last desisted. She then reported to the King all the words of S’as’ikala.
15-16. When S’as’ikala, on the day before the marriage day, became very anxious and, sent in a great hurry, one trustworthy Brahmin, versed in the Vedas to the hermitage of Bharadvaja with this
message “O Brahman, go in such a way to Sudars’ana, as my father be not able to know about it and tell Sudars'ana all my words.
17-18. My father has called in for my marriage a Svayambara ceremony; many powerful kings will attend with their armies; O Deva! The Goddess Bhagavati has ordered me in dream and accordingly I, with full gladness of my heart, have become yours already in my heart.
19. Rather I will take poison or I will jump in a blazing fire, than I can obey my father’s and mother’s words and marry another.
20. By my mind, word, and deed, I have selected you my husband; and pleasure and happiness is sure to attend on us by the blessings of the Bhagavati.
21. Please depend unto Her, at Whose command this whole universe, moving and unmoving is resting, unto that Great Destiny and come to this place without fail.
22. What the Goddess, whose commands S’ankara all the other Devas obey, has ordered, can never turn out false.
23. O Brahmin! You the foremost amongst the virtuous; do therefore call on that King’s son in privacy and speak out all there to him. What shall I say more to you. Do all that my object may be fullfilled.”
24. Thus saying, she gave the Brahmin his Daksina and sent him to Sudars’ana. He went there and reported all the matter duly to him and quickly returned back.
25. On coming to know all this, Sudars’ana determined to start; and the Maharsi Bharadvaja, with gladness, sent him.
26. Vyasa said Seeing her son ready to start, the mother Manorama became very sorry and, trembling and shedding tears, thus spoke to her son.
27-28. “Sudars’ana! Where are you going now? How do you dare to go there in the Svayamvara alone, where are present kings and all your terrible enemies. O Son! You are as yet a boy. The King Yudhajit will certainly go there with the object of killing you; there will then is no other body to help you. So you should never go to that place.
29. You are my only son; I am very poor and helpless; I have no other to lean upon than you; therefore you ought not to throw me in despair at this moment.
30. See Sudars’ana! The King Yudhajit who had slain my father, that uncontrollable king will come there; if you go there alone, he will certainly kill you.”
31. Sudars'ana replied “Mother! What is inevitable will certainly come to pass; there is no need to discuss further on the subject. I will go at
the command of the World Mother to that assembly hall Svayamvara.
32. O Auspicious one! Do not give vent to sorrow; I do fear none by the grace of the Bhagavati.”
33. Vyasa said Thus saying, Sudars’ana mounted on his chariot and was ready to start. Seeing this Manorama began to bless him and so cheer him.
34-37. O Son! Let Ambika Devi protect your front; Padmalochana protect your back; Parvati, your two sides; S’iva Devi, all around you; Varahi, in dreadful paths; Durga, in royal forts, Kalika, in terrible fights; ParamesVari, in the platform hall; Matamgi, in the Svayamvara hall; Bhavani, the Avertress of world, amidst the kings; Girija, in mountain passes; Chamunda, in the sacrificial ground, and let the eternal Kamaga, protect you in the forests.
38. O Descendant of Raghu family! Let the Vaisnavi force protect you in quarrels; let BhairavT protect you in battles and amongst your enemies.
39. O Son! Let the Maha Maya Jagaddhatri BhuvanesVari protect you everywhere and at all times.
40. Vyasa said Then Manorama, speaking thus to him, trembled with fear and again said “O Sudars’ana, I will also accompany you; there will not be otherwise.
41. I will never be able to remain anywhere without you and even for the twinkling of an eye. O Son, carrry me thither where you are desiring to go.”
42. Thus saying, his mother with her attendants was ready to start. The Brahmanas pronounced their blessings. All then went out.
43. Sudars’an, the descendant of the Raghu family, mounted then alone on his chariot and reached Benares. There the King Subahu, hearing that he had come, welcomed him and worshipped him with various presents.
44. He gave him, the house for his residence, and made arrangements for his food and drink and other necessary requirements and gave order to his servants to wait on the prince.
45. Then, from various quarters, the kings assembled together; and Yudhajit, too, came there accompanied by his daughter’s son, S’atrujit.
46-48. The King of Karusa, the King of Madra, the King of Sindhu, the King of Mahismati, the valiant warriors, the King of Panchala, the kings of the mountainous tract, the King of Karnat, the powerful King of Kamarupa, the King of Chola, and the very powerful King of Vidarbhas with 180 Aksauhini soldiers all arrived and assembled there. Benares was then crowded all over with soldiers and soldiers.
49. Many other kings came there on their beautiful elephants to witness the Svayamvara ceremony.
50. Then the princes began to talk amongst them “The King’s son Sudars’ana, too, had come there and is staying unconfused and calm.
51. Is it that the high minded Sudars’ana, born of the Kakutstha family, had come there on a chariot, helpless, to marry?
52. Can it be that the princess will overlook these Kings with soldiers and weapons, and select the long armed Sudars’ana?”
53. Then the King Yudhajit addressed all the other kings “I will slay Sudars’ana for the sake of the daughter; there is no doubt in this.”
54-55. Hearing Yudhajit's words, the king of Keral, the foremost of those who know morals, began to say “O king! In this Ichchha svayamvara, it is not proper to fight. Here there will be no marriage for the prowess; there is no arrangement fixed to steal away the bride elect by force; here the bride will select of her own free choice; what cause can then there crop up here for quarrels?
56. Before, you had driven him out of his kingdom; and though you are the superior king, you have taken his kingdom by force and installed your daughter’s son on the throne.
57. O King! This Sudars’an is born of the Kakutstha family and the son of the King of Kosala. Why would you kill this innocent boy?
58. O Long lived! Better be sure that there is some God of this Universe; He is governing all; and if you commit anything wrongful know that you will get the fruit of that due to you; there is no doubt it this.
59. O King! There is victory everywhere of the Truth and Dharma, always you find Adharma and Falsehood defeated. Therefore dost thou forsake your evil and mean intentions and pacify your vile mind.
60. Your daughter's son is also present here; he is beautiful and prosperous and is reigning a kingdom. Why will not that bride elect him as bridegroom?
61-62. Consider again that there are many other powerful princes and kings in this Svayamvara; the princess may select them also. Therefore let all the kings assembled here say that if the selection of the bridegroom be performed in that way, what cause of a quarrel can there crop up? Knowing all these, you ought not to quarrel here.”
Thus ends the Nineteenth Chapter on the going to the Svayamvara assembly of Sudars’ana and the other kings in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24744, revision 75597 (2016-08-03T12:16:20Z). 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/bk03ch19.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.