Bhūmi-khaṇḍa · Chapter 79
Sourceविशालोवाच- शर्मिष्ठा यस्य वै भार्या देवयानी वरानना । सौभाग्यं तत्र वै दृष्टमन्यथा नास्ति भूपते १। तत्कथं त्वं महाभाग अस्याः कार्यवशो भवेः । सपत्नजेन भावेन भवान्भर्ता प्रतिष्ठितः २। ससर्पोसि महाराज भूतले चंदनं यथा । सर्पैश्च वेष्टितो राजन्महाचंदन एव हि ३। तथा त्वं वेष्टितः सर्पैः सपत्नीनामसंज्ञकैः । वरमग्निप्रवेशश्च शिखाग्रात्पतनं वरम् ४। रूपतेजः समायुक्तं सपत्नीसहितं प्रियम् । न वरं तादृशं कांतं सपत्नीविषसंयुतम् ५। तस्मान्न मन्यते कांतं भवंतं गुणसागरम् । राजोवाच- देवयान्या न मे कार्यं शर्मिष्ठया वरानने ६। इत्यर्थं पश्य मे कोशं सत्वधर्मसमन्वितम् । अश्रुबिंदुमत्युवाच- अहं राज्यस्य भोक्त्री च तव कायस्य भूपते ७। यद्यद्वदाम्यहं भूप तत्तत्कार्यं त्वया ध्रुवम् । इत्यर्थे मम देहि स्वं करं त्वं धर्मवत्सल ८। बहुधर्मसमोपेतं चारुलक्षणसंयुतम् । राजोवाच- अन्य भार्यां न विंदामि त्वां विना वरवर्णिनि ९। राज्यं च सकलामुर्वीं मम कायं वरानने । सकोशं भुंक्ष्व चार्वंगि एष दत्तः करस्तव १०। यदेव भाषसे भद्रे तदेवं तु करोम्यहम् । अश्रुबिंदुमत्युवाच- अनेनापि महाभाग तव भार्या भवाम्यहम् ११। एवमाकर्ण्य राजेंद्रो हर्षव्याकुललोचनः । गांधर्वेण विवाहेन ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः १२। उपयेमे सुतां पुण्यां मन्मथस्य नरोत्तम । तया सार्द्धं महात्मा वै रमते नृपनंदनः १३। सागरस्य च तीरेषु वनेषूपवनेषु च । पर्वतेषु च रम्येषु सरित्सु च तया सह १४। रमते राजराजेंद्रस्तारुण्येन महीपतिः । एवं विंशत्सहस्राणि गतानि निरतस्य च १५। भूपस्य तस्य राजेंद्र ययातेस्तु महात्मनः । विष्णुरुवाच- एवं तया महाराजो ययातिर्मोहितस्तदा १६। कंदर्पस्य प्रपंचेन इंद्रस्यार्थे महामते । सुकर्मोवाच- एवं पिप्पल राजासौ ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः १७। तस्या मोहनकामेन रतेन ललितेन च । न जानाति दिनं रात्रिं मुग्धः कामस्य कन्यया १८। एकदा मोहितं भूपं ययातिं कामनंदिनी । उवाच प्रणतं नम्रं वशगं चारुलोचना १९। अश्रुबिंदुमत्युवाच- संजातं दोहदं कांत तन्मे कुरु मनोरथम् । अश्वमेधमखश्रेष्ठं यजस्व पृथिवीपते २०। राजोवाच- एवमस्तु महाभागे करोमि तव सुप्रियम् । समाहूय सुतश्रेष्ठं राज्यभोगे विनिःस्पृहम् २१। समाहूतः समायातो भक्त्यानमितकंधरः । बद्धांजलिपुटो भूत्वा प्रणाममकरोत्तदा २२। तस्याः पादौ ननामाथ भक्त्या नमितकंधरः । आदेशो दीयतां राजन्येनाहूतः समागतः २३। किं करोमि महाभाग दासस्ते प्रणतोस्मि च । राजोवाच- अश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य संभारं कुरु पुत्रक २४। समाहूय द्विजान्पुण्यानृत्विजो भूमिपालकान् । एवमुक्तो महातेजाः पूरुः परमधार्मिकः २५। सर्वं चकार संपूर्णं यथोक्तं तु महात्मना । तया सार्धं स जग्राह सुदीक्षां कामकन्यया २६। अश्वमेधयज्ञवाटे दत्वा दानान्यनेकधा । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महाराज भूरिदानमनंतकम् २७। दीनेषु च विशेषेण ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः । यज्ञांते च महाराजस्तामुवाच वराननाम् २८। अन्यत्ते सुप्रियं बाले किं करोमि वदस्व मे । तत्सर्वं देवि कर्तास्मि साध्यासाध्यं वरानने २९। सुकर्मोवाच- इत्युक्ता तेन सा राज्ञा भूपालं प्रत्युवाच ह । जातो मे दोहदो राजंस्तत्कुरुष्व ममानघ ३०। इंद्रलोकं ब्रह्मलोकं शिवलोकं तथैव च । विष्णुलोकं महाराज द्रष्टुमिच्छामि सुप्रियम् ३१। दर्शयस्व महाभाग यदहं सुप्रिया तव । एवमुक्तस्तयाराजातामुवाचससुप्रियाम् ३२। साधुसाधुवरारोहेपुण्यमेवप्रभाषसे । स्त्रीस्वभावाच्चचापल्यात्कौतुकाच्चवरानने ३३। यत्तवोक्तं महाभागे तदसाध्यं विभाति मे । तत्साध्यं पुण्यदानेन यज्ञेन तपसापि च ३४। अन्यथा न भवेत्साध्यं यत्त्वयोक्तं वरानने । असाध्यं तु भवत्या वै भाषितं पुण्यमिश्रितम् ३५। मर्त्यलोकाच्छरीरेण अनेनापि च मानवः । श्रुतो दृष्टो न मेद्यापि गतः स्वर्गं सुपुण्यकृत् ३६। ततोऽसाध्यं वरारोहे यत्त्वया भाषितं मम । अन्यदेव करिष्यामि प्रियं ते तद्वद प्रिये ३७। देव्युवाच- अन्यैश्च मानुषै राजन्न साध्यं स्यान्न संशयः । त्वयि साध्यं महाराज सत्यंसत्यं वदाम्यहम् ३८। तपसा यशसा क्षात्रै र्दानैर्यज्ञैश्च भूपते । नास्ति भवादृशश्चान्यो मर्त्यलोके च मानवः ३९। क्षात्रं बलं सुतेजश्च त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । तस्मादेवं प्रकर्तव्यं मत्प्रियं नहुषात्मज ४०। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने मातापितृतीर्थवर्णने ययातिचरित्रे एकोनाशीतितमोऽध्यायः ७९।
viśālovāca- śarmiṣṭhā yasya vai bhāryā devayānī varānanā | saubhāgyaṃ tatra vai dṛṣṭamanyathā nāsti bhūpate 1| tatkathaṃ tvaṃ mahābhāga asyāḥ kāryavaśo bhaveḥ | sapatnajena bhāvena bhavānbhartā pratiṣṭhitaḥ 2| sasarposi mahārāja bhūtale caṃdanaṃ yathā | sarpaiśca veṣṭito rājanmahācaṃdana eva hi 3| tathā tvaṃ veṣṭitaḥ sarpaiḥ sapatnīnāmasaṃjñakaiḥ | varamagnipraveśaśca śikhāgrātpatanaṃ varam 4| rūpatejaḥ samāyuktaṃ sapatnīsahitaṃ priyam | na varaṃ tādṛśaṃ kāṃtaṃ sapatnīviṣasaṃyutam 5| tasmānna manyate kāṃtaṃ bhavaṃtaṃ guṇasāgaram | rājovāca- devayānyā na me kāryaṃ śarmiṣṭhayā varānane 6| ityarthaṃ paśya me kośaṃ satvadharmasamanvitam | aśrubiṃdumatyuvāca- ahaṃ rājyasya bhoktrī ca tava kāyasya bhūpate 7| yadyadvadāmyahaṃ bhūpa tattatkāryaṃ tvayā dhruvam | ityarthe mama dehi svaṃ karaṃ tvaṃ dharmavatsala 8| bahudharmasamopetaṃ cārulakṣaṇasaṃyutam | rājovāca- anya bhāryāṃ na viṃdāmi tvāṃ vinā varavarṇini 9| rājyaṃ ca sakalāmurvīṃ mama kāyaṃ varānane | sakośaṃ bhuṃkṣva cārvaṃgi eṣa dattaḥ karastava 10| yadeva bhāṣase bhadre tadevaṃ tu karomyaham | aśrubiṃdumatyuvāca- anenāpi mahābhāga tava bhāryā bhavāmyaham 11| evamākarṇya rājeṃdro harṣavyākulalocanaḥ | gāṃdharveṇa vivāhena yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ 12| upayeme sutāṃ puṇyāṃ manmathasya narottama | tayā sārddhaṃ mahātmā vai ramate nṛpanaṃdanaḥ 13| sāgarasya ca tīreṣu vaneṣūpavaneṣu ca | parvateṣu ca ramyeṣu saritsu ca tayā saha 14| ramate rājarājeṃdrastāruṇyena mahīpatiḥ | evaṃ viṃśatsahasrāṇi gatāni niratasya ca 15| bhūpasya tasya rājeṃdra yayātestu mahātmanaḥ | viṣṇuruvāca- evaṃ tayā mahārājo yayātirmohitastadā 16| kaṃdarpasya prapaṃcena iṃdrasyārthe mahāmate | sukarmovāca- evaṃ pippala rājāsau yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ 17| tasyā mohanakāmena ratena lalitena ca | na jānāti dinaṃ rātriṃ mugdhaḥ kāmasya kanyayā 18| ekadā mohitaṃ bhūpaṃ yayātiṃ kāmanaṃdinī | uvāca praṇataṃ namraṃ vaśagaṃ cārulocanā 19| aśrubiṃdumatyuvāca- saṃjātaṃ dohadaṃ kāṃta tanme kuru manoratham | aśvamedhamakhaśreṣṭhaṃ yajasva pṛthivīpate 20| rājovāca- evamastu mahābhāge karomi tava supriyam | samāhūya sutaśreṣṭhaṃ rājyabhoge viniḥspṛham 21| samāhūtaḥ samāyāto bhaktyānamitakaṃdharaḥ | baddhāṃjalipuṭo bhūtvā praṇāmamakarottadā 22| tasyāḥ pādau nanāmātha bhaktyā namitakaṃdharaḥ | ādeśo dīyatāṃ rājanyenāhūtaḥ samāgataḥ 23| kiṃ karomi mahābhāga dāsaste praṇatosmi ca | rājovāca- aśvamedhasya yajñasya saṃbhāraṃ kuru putraka 24| samāhūya dvijānpuṇyānṛtvijo bhūmipālakān | evamukto mahātejāḥ pūruḥ paramadhārmikaḥ 25| sarvaṃ cakāra saṃpūrṇaṃ yathoktaṃ tu mahātmanā | tayā sārdhaṃ sa jagrāha sudīkṣāṃ kāmakanyayā 26| aśvamedhayajñavāṭe datvā dānānyanekadhā | brāhmaṇebhyo mahārāja bhūridānamanaṃtakam 27| dīneṣu ca viśeṣeṇa yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ | yajñāṃte ca mahārājastāmuvāca varānanām 28| anyatte supriyaṃ bāle kiṃ karomi vadasva me | tatsarvaṃ devi kartāsmi sādhyāsādhyaṃ varānane 29| sukarmovāca- ityuktā tena sā rājñā bhūpālaṃ pratyuvāca ha | jāto me dohado rājaṃstatkuruṣva mamānagha 30| iṃdralokaṃ brahmalokaṃ śivalokaṃ tathaiva ca | viṣṇulokaṃ mahārāja draṣṭumicchāmi supriyam 31| darśayasva mahābhāga yadahaṃ supriyā tava | evamuktastayārājātāmuvācasasupriyām 32| sādhusādhuvarārohepuṇyamevaprabhāṣase | strīsvabhāvāccacāpalyātkautukāccavarānane 33| yattavoktaṃ mahābhāge tadasādhyaṃ vibhāti me | tatsādhyaṃ puṇyadānena yajñena tapasāpi ca 34| anyathā na bhavetsādhyaṃ yattvayoktaṃ varānane | asādhyaṃ tu bhavatyā vai bhāṣitaṃ puṇyamiśritam 35| martyalokāccharīreṇa anenāpi ca mānavaḥ | śruto dṛṣṭo na medyāpi gataḥ svargaṃ supuṇyakṛt 36| tato'sādhyaṃ varārohe yattvayā bhāṣitaṃ mama | anyadeva kariṣyāmi priyaṃ te tadvada priye 37| devyuvāca- anyaiśca mānuṣai rājanna sādhyaṃ syānna saṃśayaḥ | tvayi sādhyaṃ mahārāja satyaṃsatyaṃ vadāmyaham 38| tapasā yaśasā kṣātrai rdānairyajñaiśca bhūpate | nāsti bhavādṛśaścānyo martyaloke ca mānavaḥ 39| kṣātraṃ balaṃ sutejaśca tvayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam | tasmādevaṃ prakartavyaṃ matpriyaṃ nahuṣātmaja 40| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe bhūmikhaṃḍe venopākhyāne mātāpitṛtīrthavarṇane yayāticaritre ekonāśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ 79|
English translation
Viśālā said :
1-2. There (i.e. in that king) only, whose wife is Śarmiṣṭḥā and whose wife is beautiful Devayānī , good fortune is seen. This cannot be false, O king; then O glorious king, how are you fascinated by (the beauty of) this maiden’s body [1] since you are known as a husband having two wives?
3-4a. Like sandal, O king, you are with serpents (around) you. O king, as a great sandal-tree is surrounded by serpents, so you are surrounded by serpents called co-wives.
4b-6a. It is better to enter fire, it is better to fall from (mountain) top, but not good to have the dear husband, possessing handsomeness and lustre, (but) with co-wives—with the poison in the form of co-wives. Therefore she does not prize you, an ocean of mertis, as her lover.
The king said :
6b-7a. O beautiful lady, I have nothing to do with Devayānī, nor with Śarmiṣṭḥā; for this purpose see my treasure full of righteousness.
Aśrubindumatī said :
7b-9a. O king, I shall be the enjoyer ofyour kingdom and your body. O king you will certainly (have to) do whatever I shall tell you to do. For this purposes, O you who love piety, give me your hand endowed with many virtues and having auspicious marks.
The King said :
9b-11a. O you of an excellent complexion, I shall not have any other wife than you. O you beautiful lady, O you lady of charming body, enjoy my entire kingdom with its wealth, so also the whole earth and my body. (In proof of this) I have offered this my hand to you. O good lady, I (shall) do whatever you (will) tell (me).
Aśrubindumatī said :
11b. Just with this (promise), O noble one, I shall be your wife.
12-16a. Hearing this, Yayāti , the lord of the earth, the king of kings, with his eyes full of joy, married by the Gāndharva way that auspicious daughter of Cupid. The noble son of king ( Nahuṣa ) enjoyed with her, on sea-beaches, in forests and parks. The king, lord of kings, youthfully sported with her on mountains and in beautiful rivers. In this way, O best king, that noble king Yayāti passed twenty thousand (years) in sporting with her.
Viṣṇu said :
16b-17a. O very intelligent one, through the fraudulent act of Cupid, that great king Yayāti was thus allured by her for the benefit of Indra at that time.
Sukarman said :
17b-19. O Pippala , that lord of the earth, Yayāti, stupefied by Cupid’s daughter by means of her alluring passion and charming union, was not aware of day or night. Once that daughter of Cupid of charming eyes said to that stupefied, submissive, obedient king Yayāti, who had bowed down:
Aśrubindumatī said :
20. O dear one, a desire is produced (in me); so satisfy (that) desire of me: perform the best sacrifice, viz. Aśvamedha , O lord of the earth.
The king said :
21-24a. O glorious one, let it be so; I shall do what you very much like.
He invited his eldest son, who had no desire to enjoy the kingdom. (The son), when called, came there with his neck (i.e. head) bent with devotion, and joining the palms of his hands, saluted (Yayāti) at that time. With his neck (i.e. head) bent, he also saluted her feet. “O King, give me an order since I, who was called, have come. O noble one, what should I do? I am your servant who has bowed to you.”
The king said :
24b-29. O son, inviting brāhmaṇas , meritorious priests officiating at sacrifices, and kings, make preparations for a horse-sacrifice.
Thus addressed, that very lustrous and highly religious Pūru did everything in full as told by the glorious one. With the daughter of Cupid he took proper initiation (i.e. got himself consecrated for the sacrifice). Yayāti, the lord of the earth, gave various gifts to brāhmaṇas at the place of the sacrifice, so also endless, profuse gifts especially to the poor, O great king; and at the end of the sacrifice he said to that beautiful lady: “O young lady, tell me what else dear to you I should do. O beautiful lady, I shall do all that which is attainable and not attainable.”
Sukarman said :
30-37. Thus addressed by the king, she spoke in reply “O king, a desire is produced in me; O innocent one, do (i.e. satisfy) it. O great king, I desire to see the very pleasing heaven of Indra, of Brahmā , so also of Śiva and of Viṣṇu . O noble one, show (these} to me, if I am very dear to you.” Thus addressed by her, the king said to her who was very dear to him: “O you beautiful one, well, well, you are just saying pious things. O you beautiful lady, I think what you said due to feminine nature, fickleness and curiosity, is unattainable, O noble one. That is attainable by means of pious gifts, sacrifice, and austerities; what you told cannot be attained by any other means, O beautiful lady. You have just said something that is unattainable as it is mixed up (i.e. connected with) religious merit. I have not as yet seen or heard about a very meritorious man who has gone to heaven with his (human) body from the mortal world. Therefore, O you beautiful lady, what you said is unattainable for me. I shall do something else. O dear one tell me that.”
The respectable lady said :
38-40. O king, it is certainly not attainable for other human beings; but it is attainable for you; I am telling the truth (and) truth only. O king, in the mortal world there is no other human being like you in (practising) penance, in fame, in doing valou-rous acts, (giving) gifts and (performing) sacrifices. Everything—the power of a kṣatriya , fire of energy—is established in you. Therefore, O son of Nahuṣa, this (thing) dear to me should be done (by you).
[1]: [1] : The existing reading “kāryavaśo” does not give any sense. It should better be replaced by “kāyavaśo” which we have translated here. (Ed.)
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43123, revision 335538 (2022-04-10T13:10:06Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365171.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.