Third Skandha · Chapter 20
Sourceव्यास उवाच इतिवादिनि भूपाले केरलाधिपतौ तदा । प्रत्युवाच महाभाग युधाजिदपि पार्थिवः ॥ १ ॥ नीतिरेषा महीपाल यद्ब्रवीति भवानिह । समाजे पार्थिवानां वै सत्यवाग्विजितेन्द्रियः ॥ २ ॥ योग्येषु वर्तमानेषु कन्यारत्नं कुलोद्वह । अयोग्योऽर्हति भूपाल न्यायोऽयं तव रोचते ॥ ३ ॥ भागं सिंहस्य गोमायुर्भोक्तुमर्हति वा कथम् । तथा सुदर्शनोऽयं वै कन्यारत्नं किमर्हति ॥ ४ ॥ बलं वेदो हि विप्राणां भूभुजां चापजं बलम् । किमन्याय्यं महाराज ब्रवीम्यहमिहाधुना ॥ ५ ॥ बलं शुल्कं यथा राज्ञां विवाहे परिकीर्तितम् । बलवानेव गृह्णातु नाबलस्तु कदाचन ॥ ६ ॥ तस्मात्कन्यापणं कृत्वा नीतिरत्र विधीयताम् । अन्यथा कलहः कामं भविष्यति महीभुजाम् ॥ ७ ॥ एवं विवादे संवृत्ते राज्ञां तत्र परस्परम् । आहूतस्तु सभामध्ये सुबाहुर्नृपसत्तमः ॥ ८ ॥ समाहूय नृपाः सर्वे तमूचुस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः । राजन्नीतिस्त्वया कार्या विवाहेऽत्र समाहिता ॥ ९ ॥ किं ते चिकीर्षितं राजंस्तद्वदस्व समाहितः । पुत्र्याः प्रदानं कस्मै ते रोचते नृप चेतसि ॥ १० ॥ सुबाहुरुवाच पुत्र्या मे मनसा कामं वृतः किल सुदर्शनः । मया निवारितोऽत्यर्थं न सा प्रत्येति मे वचः ॥ ११ ॥ किं करोमि सुताया मे न वशे वर्तते मनः । सुदर्शनस्तथैकाकी सम्प्राप्तोऽस्ति निराकुलः ॥ १२ ॥ व्यास उवाच सम्पन्ना भूभुजः सर्वे समाहूय सुदर्शनम् । ऊचुः समागतं शान्तमेकाकिनमतन्द्रिताः ॥ १३ ॥ राजपुत्र महाभाग केनाहूतोऽसि सुव्रत । एकाकी यः समायातः समाजे भूभृतामिह ॥ १४ ॥ न वै सैन्यं न सचिवा न कोशो न बृहद्बलम् । किमर्थञ्च समायातस्तत्त्वं ब्रूहि महामते ॥ १५ ॥ युद्धकामा नृपतयो वर्तन्तेऽत्र समागमे । कन्यार्थं सैन्यसम्पन्नाः किं त्वं कर्तुमिहेच्छसि ॥ १६ ॥ भ्राता ते सुबलः शूरः सम्प्राप्तोऽस्ति जिघृक्षया । युधाजिच्च महाबाहुः साहाय्यं कर्तुमागतः ॥ १७ ॥ गच्छ वा तिष्ठ राजेन्द्र याथातथ्यमुदाहृतम् । त्वयि सैन्यविहीने च यथेष्टं कुरु सुव्रत ॥ १८ ॥ सुदर्शन उवाच न बलं न सहायो मे न कोशो दुर्गसंश्रयः । न मित्राणि न सौहार्दी न नृपा रक्षका मम ॥ १९ ॥ अत्र स्वयंवरं श्रुत्वा द्रष्टुकाम इहागतः । स्वप्ने देव्या प्रेरितोऽस्मि भगवत्या न संशयः ॥ २० ॥ नान्यच्चिकीर्षितं मेऽद्य मामाह जगदीश्वरी । तया यद्विहितं तच्च भविताऽद्य न संशयः ॥ २१ ॥ न शत्रुरस्ति संसारे कोऽप्यत्र जगतीश्वराः । सर्वत्र पश्यतो मेऽद्य भवानीं जगदम्बिकाम् ॥ २२ ॥ यः करिष्यति शत्रुत्वं मया सह नृपात्मजाः । शास्ता तस्य महाविद्या नाहं जानामि शत्रुताम् ॥ २३ ॥ यद्भावि तद्वै भविता नान्यथा नृपसत्तमाः । का चिन्ता ह्यत्र कर्तव्या दैवाधीनोऽस्मि सर्वथा ॥ २४ ॥ देवभूतमनुष्येषु सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा । सर्वेषां तत्कृता भक्तिर्नान्यथा नृपसत्तमाः ॥ २५ ॥ सा यं चिकीर्षते भूपं तं करोति नृपाधिपाः । निर्धनं वा नरं कामं का चिन्ता वै तदा मम ॥ २६ ॥ तामृते परमां शक्तिं ब्रह्मविष्णुहरादयः । न शक्ताः स्पन्दितुं देवाः का चिन्ता मे तदा नृपाः ॥ २७ ॥ अशक्तो वा सशक्तो वा यादृशस्तादृशस्त्वहम् । तदाज्ञया नृपाद्यैव सम्प्राप्तोऽस्मि स्वयंवरे ॥ २८ ॥ सा यदिच्छति तत्कुर्यान्मम किं चिन्तनेन वै । नात्र शंका प्रकर्तव्या सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम् ॥ २९ ॥ जये पराजये लज्जा न मेऽत्राण्वपि पार्थिवाः । भगवत्यास्तु लज्जास्ति तदधीनोऽस्मि सर्वथा ॥ ३० ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तस्य तदाकर्ण्य वचनं राजसत्तमाः । ऊचुः परस्परं प्रेक्ष्य निश्चयज्ञा नराधिपाः ॥ ३१ ॥ सत्यमुक्तं त्वया साधो न मिथ्या कर्हिचिद्भवेत् । तथाप्युज्जयनीनाथस्त्वां हन्तुं परिकाङ्क्षति ॥ ३२ ॥ त्वत्कृते न दयादिष्टा त्वां ब्रवीमो महामते । यद्युक्तं तत्त्वया कार्यं विचार्य मनसाऽनघ ॥ ३३ ॥ सुदर्शन उवाच सत्यमुक्तं भवद्भिश्च कृपावद्भिः सुहृज्जनैः । किं ब्रवीमि पुनर्वाक्यमुक्त्वा नृपतिसत्तमाः ॥ ३४ ॥ न मृत्युः केनचिद्भाव्यः कस्यचिद्वा कदाचन । दैवाधीनमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् ॥ ३५ ॥ स्ववशोऽयं न जीवोऽस्ति स्वकर्मवशगः सदा । तत्कर्म त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं विद्वद्भिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥ ३६ ॥ सञ्चितं वर्तमानञ्च प्रारब्धञ्च तृतीयकम् । कालकर्मस्वभावैश्च ततं सर्वमिदं जगत् ॥ ३७ ॥ न देवो मानुषं हन्तुं शक्तः कालागमं विना । हतं निमित्तमात्रेण हन्ति कालः सनातनः ॥ ३८ ॥ यथा पिता मे निहतः सिंहेनामित्रकर्षणः । तथा मातामहोऽप्येवं युद्धे युधाजिता हतः ॥ ३९ ॥ यत्नकोटिं प्रकुर्वाणो हन्यते दैवयोगतः । जीवेद्वर्षसहस्राणि रक्षणेन विना नरः ॥ ४० ॥ नाहं बिभेमि धर्मिष्ठाः कदाचिच्च युधाजितः । दैवमेव परं मत्वा सुस्थितोऽस्मि सदा नृपाः ॥ ४१ ॥ स्मरणं सततं नित्यं भगवत्याः करोम्यहम् । विश्वस्य जननी देवी कल्याणं सा करिष्यति ॥ ४२ ॥ पूर्वार्जितं हि भोक्तव्यं शुभं वाप्यशुभं तथा । स्वकृतस्य च भोगेन कीदृक्शोको विजानताम् ॥ ४३ ॥ स्वकर्मफलयोगेन प्राप्य दुःखमचेतनः । निमित्तकारणे वैरं करोत्यल्पमतिः किल ॥ ४४ ॥ न तथाऽहं विजानामि वैरं शोकं भयं तथा । निःशङ्कमिह सम्प्राप्तः समाजे भूभृतामिह ॥ ४५ ॥ एकाकी द्रष्टुकामोऽहं स्वयंवरमनुत्तमम् । भविष्यति च यद्भाव्यं प्राप्तोऽस्मि चण्डिकाज्ञया ॥ ४६ ॥ भगवत्याः प्रमाणं मे नान्यं जानामि संयतः । तत्कृतञ्च सुखं दुःखं भविष्यति च नान्यथा ॥ ४७ ॥ युधाजित्सुखमाप्नोतु न मे वैरं नृपोत्तमाः । यः करिष्यति मे वैरं स प्राप्स्यति फलं तथा ॥ ४८ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तास्ते तथा तेन सन्तुष्टा भूभुजः स्थिताः । सोऽपि स्वमाश्रमं प्राप्य सुस्थितः सम्बभूव ह ॥ ४९ ॥ अपरेऽह्नि शुभे काले नृपाः सम्मन्त्रिताः किल । सुबाहुना नृपेणाथ रुचिरे वै स्वमण्डपे ॥ ५० ॥ दिव्यास्तरणयुक्तेषु मञ्चेषु रचितेषु च । उपविष्टाश्च राजानः शुभालङ्करणैर्युताः ॥ ५१ ॥ दिव्यवेषधराः कामं विमानेष्वमरा इव । दीप्यमानाः स्थितास्तत्र स्वयंवरदिदृक्षया ॥ ५२ ॥ इति चिन्तापराः सर्वे कदा साप्यागमिष्यति । भाग्यवन्तं नृपश्रेष्ठं श्रुतपुण्यं वरिष्यति ॥ ५३ ॥ यदा सुदर्शनं दैवात्स्रजा सम्भूषयेदिह । विवादो वै नृपाणां च भविता नात्र संशयः ॥ ५४ ॥ इत्येवं चिन्त्यमानास्ते भूपा मञ्चेषु संस्थिताः । वादित्रघोषः सुमहानुत्थितो नृपमण्डपे ॥ ५५ ॥ अथ काशीपतिः प्राह सुतां स्नातां स्वलङ्कृताम् । मधूकमालासंयुक्तां क्षौमवासोविभूषिताम् ॥ ५६ ॥ विवाहोपस्करैर्युक्तां दिव्यां सिन्धुसुतोपमाम् । चिन्तापरां सुवसनां स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः ॥ ५७ ॥ उत्तिष्ठ पुत्रि सुनसे करे धृत्वा शुभां स्रजम् । व्रज मण्डपमध्येऽद्य समाजं पश्य भूभुजाम् ॥ ५८ ॥ गुणवान् रूपसम्पन्नः कुलीनश्च नृपोत्तमः । तव चित्ते वसेद्यस्तु तं वृणुष्व सुमध्यमे ॥ ५९ ॥ देशदेशाधिपाः सर्वे मञ्चेषु रचितेषु च । संविष्टाः पश्य तन्वङ्गि वरयस्व यथारुचि ॥ ६० ॥ व्यास उवाच तं तथा भाषमाणं वै पितरं मितभाषिणी । उवाच वचनं बाला ललितं धर्मसंयुतम् ॥ ६१ ॥ शशिकलोवाच नाहं दृष्टिपथे राज्ञां गमिष्यामि पितः किल । कामुकानां नरेशानां गच्छन्त्यन्याश्च योषितः ॥ ६२ ॥ धर्मशास्त्रे श्रुतं तात मयेदं वचनं किल । एक एव वरो नार्या निरीक्ष्यः स्यान्न चापरः ॥ ६३ ॥ सतीत्वं निर्गतं तस्या या प्रयाति बहूनथ । सङ्कल्पयन्ति ते सर्वे दृष्ट्वा मे भवतात्त्विति ॥ ६४ ॥ स्वयंवरे स्रजं धृत्वा यदागच्छति मण्डपे । सामान्या सा तदा जाता कुलटेवापरा वधूः ॥ ६५ ॥ वारस्त्री विपणे गत्वा यथा वीक्ष्य नरांस्थितान् । गुणागुणपरिज्ञानं करोति निजमानसे ॥ ६६ ॥ नैकभावा यथा वेश्या वृथा पश्यति कामुकम् । तथाऽहं मण्डपे गत्वा कुर्वे वारस्त्रिया कृतम् ॥ ६७ ॥ वृद्धैरेतैः कृतं धर्मं न करिष्यामि साम्प्रतम् । पत्नीव्रतं तथा कामं चरिष्येऽहं धृतव्रता ॥ ६८ ॥ सामान्या प्रथमं गत्वा कृत्वा सङ्कल्पितं बहु । वृणोति चैकं तद्वद्वै वृणोमि कथमद्य वै ॥ ६९ ॥ सुदर्शनो मया पूर्वं वृतः सर्वात्मना पितः । तमृते नान्यथा कर्तुमिच्छामि नृपसत्तम ॥ ७० ॥ विवाहविधिना देहि कन्यादानं शुभे दिने । सुदर्शनाय नृपते यदीच्छसि शुभं मम ॥ ७१ ॥
vyāsa uvāca itivādini bhūpāle keralādhipatau tadā | pratyuvāca mahābhāga yudhājidapi pārthivaḥ || 1 || nītireṣā mahīpāla yadbravīti bhavāniha | samāje pārthivānāṃ vai satyavāgvijitendriyaḥ || 2 || yogyeṣu vartamāneṣu kanyāratnaṃ kulodvaha | ayogyo'rhati bhūpāla nyāyo'yaṃ tava rocate || 3 || bhāgaṃ siṃhasya gomāyurbhoktumarhati vā katham | tathā sudarśano'yaṃ vai kanyāratnaṃ kimarhati || 4 || balaṃ vedo hi viprāṇāṃ bhūbhujāṃ cāpajaṃ balam | kimanyāyyaṃ mahārāja bravīmyahamihādhunā || 5 || balaṃ śulkaṃ yathā rājñāṃ vivāhe parikīrtitam | balavāneva gṛhṇātu nābalastu kadācana || 6 || tasmātkanyāpaṇaṃ kṛtvā nītiratra vidhīyatām | anyathā kalahaḥ kāmaṃ bhaviṣyati mahībhujām || 7 || evaṃ vivāde saṃvṛtte rājñāṃ tatra parasparam | āhūtastu sabhāmadhye subāhurnṛpasattamaḥ || 8 || samāhūya nṛpāḥ sarve tamūcustattvadarśinaḥ | rājannītistvayā kāryā vivāhe'tra samāhitā || 9 || kiṃ te cikīrṣitaṃ rājaṃstadvadasva samāhitaḥ | putryāḥ pradānaṃ kasmai te rocate nṛpa cetasi || 10 || subāhuruvāca putryā me manasā kāmaṃ vṛtaḥ kila sudarśanaḥ | mayā nivārito'tyarthaṃ na sā pratyeti me vacaḥ || 11 || kiṃ karomi sutāyā me na vaśe vartate manaḥ | sudarśanastathaikākī samprāpto'sti nirākulaḥ || 12 || vyāsa uvāca sampannā bhūbhujaḥ sarve samāhūya sudarśanam | ūcuḥ samāgataṃ śāntamekākinamatandritāḥ || 13 || rājaputra mahābhāga kenāhūto'si suvrata | ekākī yaḥ samāyātaḥ samāje bhūbhṛtāmiha || 14 || na vai sainyaṃ na sacivā na kośo na bṛhadbalam | kimarthañca samāyātastattvaṃ brūhi mahāmate || 15 || yuddhakāmā nṛpatayo vartante'tra samāgame | kanyārthaṃ sainyasampannāḥ kiṃ tvaṃ kartumihecchasi || 16 || bhrātā te subalaḥ śūraḥ samprāpto'sti jighṛkṣayā | yudhājicca mahābāhuḥ sāhāyyaṃ kartumāgataḥ || 17 || gaccha vā tiṣṭha rājendra yāthātathyamudāhṛtam | tvayi sainyavihīne ca yatheṣṭaṃ kuru suvrata || 18 || sudarśana uvāca na balaṃ na sahāyo me na kośo durgasaṃśrayaḥ | na mitrāṇi na sauhārdī na nṛpā rakṣakā mama || 19 || atra svayaṃvaraṃ śrutvā draṣṭukāma ihāgataḥ | svapne devyā prerito'smi bhagavatyā na saṃśayaḥ || 20 || nānyaccikīrṣitaṃ me'dya māmāha jagadīśvarī | tayā yadvihitaṃ tacca bhavitā'dya na saṃśayaḥ || 21 || na śatrurasti saṃsāre ko'pyatra jagatīśvarāḥ | sarvatra paśyato me'dya bhavānīṃ jagadambikām || 22 || yaḥ kariṣyati śatrutvaṃ mayā saha nṛpātmajāḥ | śāstā tasya mahāvidyā nāhaṃ jānāmi śatrutām || 23 || yadbhāvi tadvai bhavitā nānyathā nṛpasattamāḥ | kā cintā hyatra kartavyā daivādhīno'smi sarvathā || 24 || devabhūtamanuṣyeṣu sarvabhūteṣu sarvadā | sarveṣāṃ tatkṛtā bhaktirnānyathā nṛpasattamāḥ || 25 || sā yaṃ cikīrṣate bhūpaṃ taṃ karoti nṛpādhipāḥ | nirdhanaṃ vā naraṃ kāmaṃ kā cintā vai tadā mama || 26 || tāmṛte paramāṃ śaktiṃ brahmaviṣṇuharādayaḥ | na śaktāḥ spandituṃ devāḥ kā cintā me tadā nṛpāḥ || 27 || aśakto vā saśakto vā yādṛśastādṛśastvaham | tadājñayā nṛpādyaiva samprāpto'smi svayaṃvare || 28 || sā yadicchati tatkuryānmama kiṃ cintanena vai | nātra śaṃkā prakartavyā satyametadbravīmyaham || 29 || jaye parājaye lajjā na me'trāṇvapi pārthivāḥ | bhagavatyāstu lajjāsti tadadhīno'smi sarvathā || 30 || vyāsa uvāca iti tasya tadākarṇya vacanaṃ rājasattamāḥ | ūcuḥ parasparaṃ prekṣya niścayajñā narādhipāḥ || 31 || satyamuktaṃ tvayā sādho na mithyā karhicidbhavet | tathāpyujjayanīnāthastvāṃ hantuṃ parikāṅkṣati || 32 || tvatkṛte na dayādiṣṭā tvāṃ bravīmo mahāmate | yadyuktaṃ tattvayā kāryaṃ vicārya manasā'nagha || 33 || sudarśana uvāca satyamuktaṃ bhavadbhiśca kṛpāvadbhiḥ suhṛjjanaiḥ | kiṃ bravīmi punarvākyamuktvā nṛpatisattamāḥ || 34 || na mṛtyuḥ kenacidbhāvyaḥ kasyacidvā kadācana | daivādhīnamidaṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṅgamam || 35 || svavaśo'yaṃ na jīvo'sti svakarmavaśagaḥ sadā | tatkarma trividhaṃ proktaṃ vidvadbhistattvadarśibhiḥ || 36 || sañcitaṃ vartamānañca prārabdhañca tṛtīyakam | kālakarmasvabhāvaiśca tataṃ sarvamidaṃ jagat || 37 || na devo mānuṣaṃ hantuṃ śaktaḥ kālāgamaṃ vinā | hataṃ nimittamātreṇa hanti kālaḥ sanātanaḥ || 38 || yathā pitā me nihataḥ siṃhenāmitrakarṣaṇaḥ | tathā mātāmaho'pyevaṃ yuddhe yudhājitā hataḥ || 39 || yatnakoṭiṃ prakurvāṇo hanyate daivayogataḥ | jīvedvarṣasahasrāṇi rakṣaṇena vinā naraḥ || 40 || nāhaṃ bibhemi dharmiṣṭhāḥ kadācicca yudhājitaḥ | daivameva paraṃ matvā susthito'smi sadā nṛpāḥ || 41 || smaraṇaṃ satataṃ nityaṃ bhagavatyāḥ karomyaham | viśvasya jananī devī kalyāṇaṃ sā kariṣyati || 42 || pūrvārjitaṃ hi bhoktavyaṃ śubhaṃ vāpyaśubhaṃ tathā | svakṛtasya ca bhogena kīdṛkśoko vijānatām || 43 || svakarmaphalayogena prāpya duḥkhamacetanaḥ | nimittakāraṇe vairaṃ karotyalpamatiḥ kila || 44 || na tathā'haṃ vijānāmi vairaṃ śokaṃ bhayaṃ tathā | niḥśaṅkamiha samprāptaḥ samāje bhūbhṛtāmiha || 45 || ekākī draṣṭukāmo'haṃ svayaṃvaramanuttamam | bhaviṣyati ca yadbhāvyaṃ prāpto'smi caṇḍikājñayā || 46 || bhagavatyāḥ pramāṇaṃ me nānyaṃ jānāmi saṃyataḥ | tatkṛtañca sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhaviṣyati ca nānyathā || 47 || yudhājitsukhamāpnotu na me vairaṃ nṛpottamāḥ | yaḥ kariṣyati me vairaṃ sa prāpsyati phalaṃ tathā || 48 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktāste tathā tena santuṣṭā bhūbhujaḥ sthitāḥ | so'pi svamāśramaṃ prāpya susthitaḥ sambabhūva ha || 49 || apare'hni śubhe kāle nṛpāḥ sammantritāḥ kila | subāhunā nṛpeṇātha rucire vai svamaṇḍape || 50 || divyāstaraṇayukteṣu mañceṣu raciteṣu ca | upaviṣṭāśca rājānaḥ śubhālaṅkaraṇairyutāḥ || 51 || divyaveṣadharāḥ kāmaṃ vimāneṣvamarā iva | dīpyamānāḥ sthitāstatra svayaṃvaradidṛkṣayā || 52 || iti cintāparāḥ sarve kadā sāpyāgamiṣyati | bhāgyavantaṃ nṛpaśreṣṭhaṃ śrutapuṇyaṃ variṣyati || 53 || yadā sudarśanaṃ daivātsrajā sambhūṣayediha | vivādo vai nṛpāṇāṃ ca bhavitā nātra saṃśayaḥ || 54 || ityevaṃ cintyamānāste bhūpā mañceṣu saṃsthitāḥ | vāditraghoṣaḥ sumahānutthito nṛpamaṇḍape || 55 || atha kāśīpatiḥ prāha sutāṃ snātāṃ svalaṅkṛtām | madhūkamālāsaṃyuktāṃ kṣaumavāsovibhūṣitām || 56 || vivāhopaskarairyuktāṃ divyāṃ sindhusutopamām | cintāparāṃ suvasanāṃ smitapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ || 57 || uttiṣṭha putri sunase kare dhṛtvā śubhāṃ srajam | vraja maṇḍapamadhye'dya samājaṃ paśya bhūbhujām || 58 || guṇavān rūpasampannaḥ kulīnaśca nṛpottamaḥ | tava citte vasedyastu taṃ vṛṇuṣva sumadhyame || 59 || deśadeśādhipāḥ sarve mañceṣu raciteṣu ca | saṃviṣṭāḥ paśya tanvaṅgi varayasva yathāruci || 60 || vyāsa uvāca taṃ tathā bhāṣamāṇaṃ vai pitaraṃ mitabhāṣiṇī | uvāca vacanaṃ bālā lalitaṃ dharmasaṃyutam || 61 || śaśikalovāca nāhaṃ dṛṣṭipathe rājñāṃ gamiṣyāmi pitaḥ kila | kāmukānāṃ nareśānāṃ gacchantyanyāśca yoṣitaḥ || 62 || dharmaśāstre śrutaṃ tāta mayedaṃ vacanaṃ kila | eka eva varo nāryā nirīkṣyaḥ syānna cāparaḥ || 63 || satītvaṃ nirgataṃ tasyā yā prayāti bahūnatha | saṅkalpayanti te sarve dṛṣṭvā me bhavatāttviti || 64 || svayaṃvare srajaṃ dhṛtvā yadāgacchati maṇḍape | sāmānyā sā tadā jātā kulaṭevāparā vadhūḥ || 65 || vārastrī vipaṇe gatvā yathā vīkṣya narāṃsthitān | guṇāguṇaparijñānaṃ karoti nijamānase || 66 || naikabhāvā yathā veśyā vṛthā paśyati kāmukam | tathā'haṃ maṇḍape gatvā kurve vārastriyā kṛtam || 67 || vṛddhairetaiḥ kṛtaṃ dharmaṃ na kariṣyāmi sāmpratam | patnīvrataṃ tathā kāmaṃ cariṣye'haṃ dhṛtavratā || 68 || sāmānyā prathamaṃ gatvā kṛtvā saṅkalpitaṃ bahu | vṛṇoti caikaṃ tadvadvai vṛṇomi kathamadya vai || 69 || sudarśano mayā pūrvaṃ vṛtaḥ sarvātmanā pitaḥ | tamṛte nānyathā kartumicchāmi nṛpasattama || 70 || vivāhavidhinā dehi kanyādānaṃ śubhe dine | sudarśanāya nṛpate yadīcchasi śubhaṃ mama || 71 ||
English translation
1. Vyasa said O Noble minded one! The king Yudhajit replied to the address of the king of Keral, thus
2-3. O King! You are truthful and have restrained your passions. What you have told just now in this assembly of kings is all correct and approved by morality. O best of the kings! You are born of a high family; you better say how can this take place that when so many fit persons are present here to become the bridegroom, can an unworthy person take away the offer?
4. As a jackal never becomes fit to enjoy what are the dues of a lion, so this Sudars’ana is also unfit to acquire this bride elect.
5. The Brahmanas have the Vedas as their strength; the Ksattriya kings take bows and arrows to be their source of strength; this is ordained everywhere. Therefore O King! What wrong have I done in my statement. Kindly explain.
6-7. The power of the kings is the befitting money given to the parents of a bride; according to this, the strongest man is to acquire the bride, a jewel. The Ksattriyas that are weak can never acquire that. Make this the rule in this marriage. This earth is fit to be enjoyed by the heroes only and not by the cowards and intriguing persons. Otherwise quarrels are sure to ensue amongst the kings.
8. The dispute thus arose in that Svayamvara hall; and the king Subahu was called in.
9. The kings that could see the reality of things then addressed the king Subahu. “O king! You are requested to establish a golden rule in this marriage ceremony.
10. What is your object in calling this Svayamvara. Better give it out after a mature consideration. Please be explicit whom have you intended to give over your daughter in this marriage?”
11-12. Subahu said “My daughter has mentally selected Sudars’ana; I prevented her repeatedly from doing this; but she did not accept my word. What shall I do now? The mind of my daughter now is not at her will. Sudars’ana, too, though uninvited, has come here singly and is residing calmly, without any signs of disturbance in his mind.”
13-14. Vyasa said Then the chief kings all invited Sudars’ana there; Sudars’ana, too, came there quietly, and the princes, seeing his quiet nature, asked him, “O one, engaged in practising vows! Who has invited you here? Why have you come here singly, in this assembly of kings?
15. You have no force, no ministers, no help, no wealth, and no army. O intelligent! Then explain why have you come here alone?
16. In this assembly of kings you see that the powerful monarchs are ready to fight with each other for the sake of this princess. What do
you intend to do under those circumstances?
17. Your brother, too, is come here to have the princess; he has got his army and is also marked with his strength and valor. The powerful Yudhajit has come here also to help him.
18. O observer of good vows! Seeing you without any army, we have narrated to you all the facts. Now think and do accordingly. If you please, remain here or go anywhere else.”
19-20. Sudars’ana replied “True, I have no army, no help, no wealth, no forts, no friends or no kings to protect me. Hearing that Svayamvara will be held here, I have come here to witness it. But there is one particularity here; it is this The Devi Bhagavati has ordered me in my dream to come here. Under Her command I have come here; there is no doubt in this.
21. I have got no other object in view; I have obeyed what the Bhagavati BhuvanesVari has ordered me to do. Today will happen, no doubt, what She has ordained.
22-23. O kings! I am seeing everywhere the Supreme Goddess Bhagavati Bhavani. Therefore there is no enemy of mine in this world; but he who will turn out an enemy of mine, will be duly punished by the Maha Vidya Maha Maya. I do not know what is enmity?
24. O kings! What is inevitable will surely come to pass. There will be nothing otherwise. I am always depending on Fate, Destiny. What is
the use, then, in thinking what will be the result?
25. Everywhere in the Devas, in the spirits, in men, in all the beings, the Devi’s power is existent; it cannot be otherwise.
26. O kings! Whenever She wishes. She makes kings, masters of wealth or devoid of wealth. What is, then, the use of bothering my head in this?
27. When even the Gods Brahma, Visnu, and Mahes’a without Her presence, become powerless enough to move their hands or feet, then why shall I be anxious for the result?
28. O kings! Whether I am unable or able or an ordinary person, you have nothing to consider; I have come here in this assembly hall under the command of the Supreme Bhagavati.
29-30. What She has willed. She will do that. I am not to care for that. O high minded ones! You need not be afraid at all in this. I have told you all truth. Victory or defeat, I feel no shame in either of them. For I am always under the control of Bhagavati; therefore if there be any shame here, it is all Hers.”
31-33. Vyasa said Hearing thus his words, and seeing that his mind is firmly devoted to Bhagavati, the kings saw each other and said thus “O Sudars’ana! What you have said is quite true; it is never otherwise; still Yudhajit, the king of Ujjain is intent on killing you. O intelligent! O sinless! we have all come to know that there is
no trace of evil in you. We were all overcome with pity for you; hence we have informed you; now think and do the needful?”
34. Sudars’ana said, “You are all kind and large hearted; what you all have said is quite true. What shall I tell you, being a minor as yet!
35. O kings! No one can cause the death of another. All this world, moving and unmoving, is under the control of Fate.
36-38. No soul is independent; every one is under the effects of one’s own Karma. The Pundits that have realised the Truth, say that Karma is of three kinds. Accumulated, Present, and Prarabdha? This whole world is due to Kala (Time), Karma (action) and Svabhava (Nature); unless the proper time comes, even the Devas cannot kill men. The men are killed on account of some cause, immediate; but the Great Time is the real Destroyer.
39. My father, though a destroyer of many others, was himself killed by a lion and my mother’s father was slain by Yudhajit in the battle.
40. The Jivas, though caring hard to preserve their lives, are killed by Fate in spite of all their cares; and they live thousand years though there is none to protect them.
41. O religious kings! I do not fear a bit from Yudhajit. I consider Fate as the Supreme and I therefore remain always undisturbed, calm and quiet.
42. Daily and constantly I remember Bhagavati, Who is the Mother of all this Universe. She will look after my welfare.
43. Behold! One will have certainly to bear the burden of one’s past Karma, whether it be good or it be bad; one’s own actions must bear their fruits. Then why shall he be sorry, who has come to know this?
44. The less intelligent deluded persons, on getting pain from their own actions, turn out enemies on very trifling matters.
45. I do not grieve nor do I fear on account of such enemies. I am staying here in this assembly of kings, cool-minded.
46. Under the order of Chandika, I have come here to see this Svayamvara; whatever is inevitable will surely come to pass.
47. The words of the Bhagavati are the best proof; I do not know any other. My mind is entirely given up to Her. There will be nothing otherwise than what She has ordained; whether it is good or whether it is bad.
48. O kings! Let Yudhajit remain in peace. I have no enmity with him. He, who will deal inimically with me, will certainly reap his reward. There is not the least doubt in this.”
49. Vyasa said O king! When Sudars’ana addressed them thus, all the kings became very glad and they all remained there for the
Svayamvara. Sudars’ana, too, went to his camp and remained also calm and quiet.
50. Next day the king Subahu invited all the kings present in his city to their respective seats in the Svayamvara hall.
51. The princes and kings, decorated with best ornaments, came and took their seats on their respective platforms, covered with valuable carpets of best workmanship.
52. The kings then looked like the celestial Devas, wearing divine ornaments and apparels, blazing with the lustrous light of gems, and remained to see the Svayamvara affair.
53. Every one there had this foremost thought in his mind when will the princess, the bride elect, would come there; and who will be the man so fortunate as to be blessed with garlands offered by her (as a token of selection of the bridegroom)!
54. If, accidentally, she offers the garland to Sudars’ana in this Svayamvara assembly, then will ensue, no doubt, desperate struggles amongst the kings.
55. While they were thus meditating, sounds of drums were loudly sounded.
56-58. Then Subahu, the king of Benares, went to her daughter and found that S’as’ikala had just taken her bath and put on her silken
clothes, and adorned herself with various ornaments and sweet garlands. Thus, dressed in complete marriage dress, she began to shine like another Goddess Laksmi, the Goddess of wealth. The king, on seeing his daughter dressed in silken cloth, afflicted with anxious thoughts, just smiled and said, “Child! Rise and take the beautiful garlands by your hands and go to the the Svayamvara hall and just look at the assembly of kings.
59. O lean bodied one! Whoever, well-qualified, beautiful, and of noble birth, amongst the kings is reigning in your mind, better select him.
60. O graceful! The kings from various quarters are adorning their respective seats; better go and see and select whomever you like.”
61. Vyasa said When Subahu had spoken thus, S’as’ikala, who generally talked little, replied with sweet sonorous words, impregnated with religious truth.
62. “Father! I won’t go before the kings who are inspired by lust; women like me never go there; it is those that are dissolute that attend those places.
63. Father! I have heard from the religious texts that women should cast their glances on their husbands only and not on any other.
64. The woman that goes to many persons is mentally claimed by all; each of them contemplates strongly “Let this woman be mine.” Thus her chastity is destroyed.
65-66. Desirous of selecting her husband, when the woman holding in her hands, the garland for her would-be-husband, goes to the Svayamvara hall, then she turns out like an ordinary unchaste woman. As a prostitute going to a public shop looks on many persons and judges of their merits and demerits according to her own power of judgment, the maid that goes in the Svayamvara hall does exactly the same.
67. How can I behave myself in the hall of the assembly of kings like a prostitute, who does not attach her feelings firmly on a single individual but glances constantly at many lustful persons.
68. Though this system of Svayamvara is approved by the elderly persons, I am not going to follow that now. I will take the vow of a chaste woman and act up to that doctrine as perfectly.
69. I will never be able to act like an ordinary woman going in the Svayamvara hall, mentally determining many and finally selecting one.
70. Father! From the very beginning I have given myself up to Sudars’ana in mind, word and deed. I have not the least inclination to leave him and select another in his stead.
71. O King! If you want to have my welfare, then give your daughter on an auspicious day and in an auspicious lagna to Sudars’ana, according to the prescribed rites.”
Thus ends the 20th Chapter on the Svayamvara hall and the kings’ conversation there in S’rimad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24745, revision 75599 (2016-08-03T12:21:04Z). 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/bk03ch20.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.