Devi Bhagvatam 3:16:1:60

MAHĀKĀLI DHYANAM

Meditation on Mahākāli

From the Devī Mahātmyam [Mārkendeya Purana]

Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.

Om khaḍgaṁ chakra-gadeṣu-chāpa-parighāñ

chūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṁ śiraḥ

śaṅkhaṁ saṃda-dhatīṁ karai-stri-nayanāṁ

sarvāṅga-bhūṣāvṛitām

Nīlāśma-dyutimāsya pāda-daśakāṁ

seve Mahākālikāṁ

yāmastaut-svapite harau kamalajo

hantuṁ madhuṁ kaiṭabham.

Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.

Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.

Om, holding a scimitar, disk, mace, arrows and bow, lance, club, a skull and a conch shell in Her ten hands. The three-eyed goddess, Her body covered with ornaments, Her countenance with the brilliance of blue diamonds, with ten limbs. We offer our service to Mahākāli, She who Brahma praised for protection from the demons Madhu and Kaitava, when Vishnu was in sleep.

Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.

Book 3/Chapter 16/1:60

On the glory of the Devî

1.  Vyâsa said :-- After gaining the victory in the battle, the king Yudhâjit returned to the city of Ayodhyâ with his huge army and asked where are Sudars’ana and Manoramâ:  He wanted to kill Sudars’ana.

2.  He repeatedly exclaimed “Where are they gone?” and sent his servants

on their search.  Then, on an auspicious day, he installed his daughter’s son on the throne.

3.  Maharsi Vas’istha was engaged as the priest; he and the other ministers began to chant the auspicious hymns of the Atharvaveda and with the jars, filled with water, and consecrated by these hymns, installed S’atrûjit on the throne.

4.  O best of the Kurus!  Conch shells resounded; drums, bherîs and tûriyas, resounded; and great festivals and rejoicings took place in the city.

5.  The reciting of the Vedic mantrams by the Brâhmans, the chanting of hymns by the bards and the auspicious acclamation of Victory to the new king resounded the whole city of Ayodhyâ with joy.

6.  When the new king S’atrûjit ascended on the throne, the subjects were filled with joy; everywhere hymns were sung; drums were resound.  At this Ayodhyâ looked as fresh as ever.

7-8.  O King!  Though there were thus great rejoicings and festivals, yet some good persons were found that remembered Sudars’ana and gave vent to this feeling of sorrow, thus :-- “Alas!  Where has that prince gone:  Where has that chaste queen Manoramâ gone with her son:  Oh!  The enemies have killed his father for greed of kingdom.”

9.  The saints with their views impartial, thus rendered uneasy, sorry, began to pass away their time there subject to S’atrûjit.

10.  After installing duly his daughter’s son on the throne and after having made over the charge of the kingdom to the wise councillors, Yudhâjit turned towards his own city.

11-12.  Afterwards Yudhâjit heard that Sudars’ana was staying in the hermitage with the Munis.  He started at once for Chitrakûta and went quickly to Durdars’a, the chief of the city of Sringavera, being accompanied by Bala, the chief of the Nîsâdas.

13-15.  Hearing that Yudhâjit was coming there with his army, Manoramâ began to think that his son was a minor and became very sorrowful, distressed and terrified.  Then she with tears in her eyes addressed the Muni thus :-- “Yudhâjit is coming here; what shall I do and whither shall I go:  He has slain my father, and has installed his daughter’s son on the throne.  Still he is not satisfied and he is now coming with his army here to kill my minor child.”

16-21.  O Lord!  In days of yore, I heard that the Pândavas, when they went to the forest, lived in the holy hermitage of the Munis with Draupadî.  One day the five brethren went a hunting, and the beautiful Draupadî stayed without any fear with other maid servants in the hermitage where there was the chanting of the Vedas by Dhaumya, Attri, Gâlava, Paila, Jâvâli, Gautama, Bhrigu, Chyavana, Kanva of the Atrigotra, Jatu, Kratu, Vîtihotra, Sumantu, Yajñadatt, Vatsala, Râs'âsana, Kahoda, Yavakrî, Yajñakrit, Kratu and other holy high souled Risis like Bhâradvâja and others.

22-23.  While the five great heroes Arjuna and others, the destroyers of their enemies, were roaming in the forests, Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu came with his army to the hermitage, hearing the reciting of the Vedic hymns.

24.  Hearing thus, that king quickly descended from the chariot so that he might have a sight of these holy maharsis.

25-27.  Accompanied by two attendants only, he approached to the Munis and, finding them engaged in the study of the Vedas, waited there with folded hands for an opportunity.  O Lord!  When the king Jayadratha on entering the hermitage took his seat, the wives of the Munis came there to see the king and began to enquire “Who is this person?”

28.  With the wives of the Munis came there also the beautiful Draupadî.  Jayadratha looked upon Draupadî as if she were the second goddess Laksmî.

29-30.  Looking at that lovely royal daughter who looked like the Deva girls Jayadratha asked the Maharsi Dhaumya, “Who is this beautiful lotus eyed lady:  Whose wife is she and who is her father:  What is her name:  Oh!  From her beautiful appearance it seems that the goddess S’achî has come down on earth.”

31.  This fair woman is shining like the celestial nymph Rambhâ surrounded by the Raksasis or like the beautiful creeper Lavangalatika encircled by thorny trees.

32.  O good ones!  Tell truly whose beloved is she:  O Brâhmins!  It seems that she is the wife of some king, not the wife of a Muni.

33.  Dhaumya said :-- “O king of Sindhu!  She is the daughter of Pânchâla; her name is Draupadî; she is the wife of the Pândavas; they are residing in this forest, having got rid of their fears.”

34.  Jayadratha said “Where have those powerful Pândavas of great prowess gone now?  Are they dwelling in this forest, free from fears?”

35.  Dhaumya said :-- “The five Pândavas have gone out on hunting, ascended on a chariot.  They will return at noon with their game.”

36-37.  Hearing the Muni's words Jayadratha got up, and going near to Draupadî, bowed down to her and said :-- “O Fair One!  Is there everything well with you:  Where have your husbands gone:  To-day it is eleven years that you are residing in the forest.”

38.  Draupadî then said :-- “O prince!  Let all be well with you, wait here for a short while; the Pândavas are coming quickly.”

39.  While Draupadî thus spoke, that powerful king, being overpowered with greed and avarice, stole her away, disregarding all the Munis present there.

40-42.  O Lord!  The wise should never trust anybody; if on anybody he places his trust, he will surely come to grief.  For example, see the case of the king Bali.  Bali, the son of Virochana, and the grandson of Prahlâda, was prosperous, devoted to his religion, true to his promise, performer of sacrifices, generous, always giving protection to and liked by the saints and a great warrior.  His mind never turned to any irreligious subject and he performed ninety nine Yajñas with full Daksinâs (remunerations).

43-44.  But the Bhagavân Visnu, who is all full of Sâttvic purity and who is never affected with passions and changeless, who is always worshipped by the Yogis, He, in the form of a dwarf in his Vâmana incarnation as the son of Kas'yapa Risi, to serve the Devas, stole away his whole seagirt earth and kingdom deceitfully on hypocritical pretext.

45.  O Lord!  I heard that the son of Virochana was a generous large hearted king.  He truly resolved to give what was wanted; but Visnu behaved with him deceitfully to serve the cause of Indra.

46.  When the pure, Sâttvik Visnu could assume this dwarf incarnation to bring about the hindrance to Bali’s Yajña, what wonder is that other ordinary mortals would practise things like that?

47.  Therefore never trust on any body in any way.  Lord!  Where there are greed and avarice, reigning in one’s heart, what fear can he have to perpetrate any evil deed?

48-49.  O Muni!  It is through avarice that men commit sinful deeds; they do not care what good or bad will happen to them in the next world.  Thoroughly overpowered by greed, they take away in mind, word and deed other’s things; and thus they become fallen.

50-51.  Lo!  Human beings always worship the Gods for wealth; but the Devas do not give them wealth instantly; they give them these things through others by making them carry on trade, make gifts, or shew their strength or by making them steal.

52.  The Vais’yas worship the Gods simply because they think they will be highly prosperous and therefore they sell many things as grains, cloth and the like.

53.  O Controlled one!  Is there not the desire to take away the other’s property in this act of merchandise:  Certainly there is.  Besides the merchants, when they find that when people are in urgent need of buying articles from them, expect that the price of those articles might run higher.

54.  O Muni!  Thus everyone is anxious to take away other’s properties.  How, then, can we trust them?

55.  Those who are clouded by greed and delusion, their going to places of pilgrimages, their making charities, their reciting the Vedas, all are rendered useless.  Though they go to the holy places, etc., still these things bear no fruits to them, as if they have not done these things at all.

56.  Therefore O Enlightened one!  You make Yudhâjit go back to his own place.  Then I will be able to remain here, like Sîtâ, with my son.

57-58.  On Manoramâ's thus speaking to the Muni, the fiery Maharsi went to

Yudhâjit and said :-- “O King!  You better go back to your own place or anywhere else you like.  The son of Manoramâ is a minor; that queen is very much grieved; she cannot come to you now.”

59.  Yudhâjit said “O peaceful ones!  Kindly cease showing this impudence and give me Manoramâ.  I will never go away leaving her.  If you do not give her easily, I will take her away by force.”

60.  The Risis said “O King!  If there be any strength in you, you can take away Manoramâ by force; but the result will be similar to that when the King Visvâmitra wanted to take away the heavenly cow by force from the hermitage of Vas'istha.”

Thus ends the Sixteenth Chapter on the glory of the Devî and the going of the King Yudhâjit to the hermitage of Bhâradvâja, to kill Sudars’ana, in the the 3rd Adhyâya of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 3:15:1:61

MAHĀKĀLI DHYANAM

Meditation on Mahākāli

From the Devī Mahātmyam [Mārkendeya Purana]

Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.

Om khaḍgaṁ chakra-gadeṣu-chāpa-parighāñ

chūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṁ śiraḥ

śaṅkhaṁ saṃda-dhatīṁ karai-stri-nayanāṁ

sarvāṅga-bhūṣāvṛitām

Nīlāśma-dyutimāsya pāda-daśakāṁ

seve Mahākālikāṁ

yāmastaut-svapite harau kamalajo

hantuṁ madhuṁ kaiṭabham.

Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.

Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.

Om, holding a scimitar, disk, mace, arrows and bow, lance, club, a skull and a conch shell in Her ten hands. The three-eyed goddess, Her body covered with ornaments, Her countenance with the brilliance of blue diamonds, with ten limbs. We offer our service to Mahākāli, She who Brahma praised for protection from the demons Madhu and Kaitava, when Vishnu was in sleep.

Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.

Book 3/Chapter 15/1:61

On the battle between Yudhâjit and Vîrasena

1.  Vyâsa said :-- O king!  When the war was declared, the two kings, excited by greed and anger, took up arms; and a dreadful encounter ensued.

2.  On one side the king Yudhâjit of long arms, surrounded by his own army, with bows and arrows came ready to fight.

3.  On the other hand, the fiery Vîrasena, the second God of the Devas appeared in the battle, following a true Ksattriya custom, on behalf his daughter’s son.

4.  Then that truthful king Vîrasena, seeing Yudhâjit in battle, became very angry and hurled arrows on him, as a cloud rains on the mountain tops.

5.  On being covered, as it were, by the sharp and swift arrows, sharpened on a stone slab hurled at him by Vîrasena, Yudhâjit, too, quickly, shot arrows at Vîrasena and cut off all his arrows.

6.  O King!  A dreadful fight then ensued between the cavalries, the warriors on the elephants; and the Devas, men, and Munis began to witness this terrible battle with wonder and astonishment.  Birds, vultures and crows, desirous to eat the flesh of the dead soldiers, flew in the air.

7.  Blood of elephants, horses and warriors, the bodies that lay dead, flowed in torrents awfully like rivers in that deadly battle ground.  The torrent of blood excited fear amongst those who came to see it, as the river Vaitarani on the way to hell (the Lord of Death) is very fearful to the sinners.

8.  The human skulls were driven ashore by the current and they look like so many hollow shells of gourds scattered there for the play of the boys on the banks of the Jumnâ.

9.  When any warrior lay dead on the field, the vultures began to fly about in the air for devouring his flesh.  It seemed then that the soul of the warrior beholding his beautiful body tried to reenter into his body, though he thought that it had become very inaccessible to him.

10.  Some warriors on being slain in the battle instantly arose in a celestial car to the heavens and was seen addressing the celestial nymph, who came already within his embrace, thus “O one of beautiful thighs.  Behold!  how my beautiful body is lying on the earth below!”

11.  Another warrrior thus slain got up in the heavens on a celestial car, came in possession of a celestial nymph and when he was sitting with her in the car, his former wife in the earth made herself a sati and burnt herself up in the funeral pyre, thus got a celestial body, came up to the heavens; and that chaste virtuous woman drew away perforce her own husband away from that celestial nymph.

12.  Two warriors, went up, slew each other and lay down dead at the same time.  They went up in the heavens at the same time and there began quarrel with each other and fight with their weapons for one and the same celestial nymph.

13.  Some hero got in the heavens a nymph more lovely and beautiful than himself and he thus became very much attached and devoted her.  He began to describe his own heroic qualities and also to copy dotedly the qualities of his lover so that she might remain faithfully attached to him.

14.  The dust, arising from the dreadful encounter of the soldiers in battle field, rose up in the air and covered the sun.  It appeared night.  After a while that dust became absorbed in the blood below, and the sun appeared very red, reflected with the colour of the blood.

15.  Some Brahmachârî fought in the battle and was slain.  He went up to the heavens; instantly a lovely eyed Devakanyâ, a celestial nymph desired to select him as bridegroom with great devotion.  But that clever man did not accept the offer, thinking that his vow of Brahmacharya would be thus broken.

16-17.  O King!  Thus when the battle was deadly, the king Yudhâjit shot a sharp, dreadful arrow at Vîrasena and severed his head from body.  Vîrasena lay dead on the battle field and his army was routed.  The soldiers fled away from the battle.

18-19.  Hearing that her father was slain in the battle, Manoramâ became very terrified and anxious.  She then began to think that the vicious wicked king Yudhâjit will surely slay her son, for kingdom's sake and to satisfy his enmity with her father.

20.  What shall I do now?  My father is slain in the battle.  My husband is no more.  My child is a minor to-day.  Where shall I go?

21.  Greed is very sinful; who is there that cannot be bought over by love of gold?  And what vicious act can there be, that cannot be done when actuated by covetousness?

 22.  A greedy man does not hesitate to kill his father, mother, spiritual guide, friends and others.  There is no doubt in this.

23.  It is the inordinate love of worldly things that makes a man eat what is held unclean in society, that makes a man approach a woman who is unapproachable, and it is greed that makes a man discard his own religion and become an apostate.

24.  In this city I find none so powerful as I can remain there under his shelter and be able to rear up my child.

25.  What can I do if the king Yudhâjit slay my son?  There is none in this world who can save me, and, counting on whose shelter, I can stay here without any anxiety.

26.  And this my co-rival wife Lîlâvatî will always practise enmity with me.  She will never shew mercy on my son.

27.  When Yudhâjit will arrive in this city, I will never be able to go out of it and he will to-day put my son in the prison on the pretext that he is a minor.

28-29.  I heard that, in days of yore, Indra entered into the womb of his pregnant step mother with a small thunderbolt in his hand and divided the foetus into seven parts with that weapon, again each of these seven into seven parts again, thus the forty nine Maruts were born in the Heavens.

30-31.  I heard also that in ancient times one queen gave poison to destroy the foetus in the womb of her rival wife.  When the child came out of the womb, he was celebrated by the name of Sagara (with poison) in this earth.

32.  The husband was alive, and still his queen Kaikeyi banished the eldest son of his king, S’rî Râmchandra to the forest; and the king Das’aratha sacrificed his life for that very reason.

33.  The ministers no doubt wanted before to install my son as the king; but now they are not independent; they have now yielded themselves to the king Yudhâjit.

34.  There is no brother of mine powerful enough to release me from my bondage; I see I have fallen into a great difficulty by the combination of unforeseen circumstances.

35.  Though the success depends on Fate, still one should make an earnest effort.  If one does not make any effort, fate also remains asleep.  I will therefore soon make out a plan to save my son.

36-38.  O King!  Thinking thus, that woman Manoramâ called in private the best and very respectable minister Vidalla, who was intelligent and expert in everything, and holding the hands of her son and weeping, said humbly in a depressed spirit “O Minister!  My father is slain in the battle field, this my son is a minor, and Yudhâjit is a powerful king; consider all these and tell me what I should do now?”

39-40.  The venerable minister Vidalla then said to the queen Manoramâ “It is never advisable for us to stay here.  Soon we will go into the forests of Benares.  There I have got my powerful uncle Subâhu.  He is prosperous and has got a strong army.  He will protect us.”

41.  “I will make the pretext that I am become very anxious for the king and therefore I am going out to see the king Yudhâjit and will go out of the city in my chariot.  There is no doubt in this.”

42-43.  Hearing, thus, the Vidalla's words, the queen Manoramâ went to Lîlâvatî and said “O faireyed!  To-day I am going to see the father Yudhâjit.” Thus saying, she went out of the city in a chariot, accompanied by her son, attendants and Vidalla.

44-45.  Grieved at the loss of her father, fearful, distressed, and fatigued, Manoramâ saw Yudhâjit and performed the cremation of her father Vîrasena; and, trembling with fear, got to the banks of the Ganges after two days’ swift journey.

46-48.  There the robbers, the Nisâdas plundered all their riches and took the chariot and went away.  Manoramâ had only her clothings, that she wore, left to her.  She began to weep, and, holding the hands of her attendant, went to the Ganges shore, and being afraid crossed the river on a raft and went to the Chitrakûta mountain.

49.  That terrified Devî went to the hermitage of Bhâradvâja as early as possible.  There she saw the ascetics and was relieved of her fear.

50.  Bhâradvâja asked, “O lotus eyed!  Who are you and whose wife are you?  Why have you taken so much trouble to come here?  Answer all these truly.”

51.  “O beautiful one!  are you a Devî or a human being?  your son is a very minor.  Why have you come in this dense forest?  It seems, as if you are deprived of your kingdom.”

52.  Thus asked by the best of the Munis, the beautiful Manoramâ became very much afflicted with grief and began to weep; she could not speak anything herself and ordered Vidalla to inform the Muni all what had happened.

53-54.  Vidalla then said :-- There was a king of Kosala, named Dhruvasandhi.  She is  the legal wife of that king.  Her name is Manoramâ.  That powerful king of the Solar Dynasty was killed by a lion in a forest.  This boy Sudars’ana is his son.

55.  The father of this Manoramâ was very religious.  He died fighting for the cause of his daughter's son.  Now the present queen has become much afraid and has therefore come to this wild forest.

56.  The son of this woman is now a minor; he is now taking your refuge.  O best of the Munis!  Protect them.

57.  To give protection to any distressed person is to acquire merits higher than performing a sacrifice.  Therefore to protect one who is very much afflicted with fear and who is helpless will have still higher merits.

58.  Bhâradvâja said :-- “O beautiful one!  Remain in this hermitage without any fear; rear up your son here.  O auspicious one!  There is no cause of fear here from your enemies.

59.  Better nourish and support your child.  Your son will surely be a king and if you remain in this hermitage, no sorrow or grief will overtake you.”

60.  Vyâsa said :-- When the great Muni Bhâradvâja said thus, the queen Manoramâ became peaceful.  The Muni gave them a cottage to live in and there they dwelt without any sorrow.

61.  Thus Manoramâ dwelt obediently with her maid servant, liked by all.  Vidalla also remained there and Manoramâ began to nourish her child.

Here ends the Fifteenth chapter on the Devî Mâhâtmya and the battle between Yudhâjit and Vîrasena and the going away of Manoramâ to the forest in the 3rd Adhyâya of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 3:14:1:53

MAHĀKĀLI DHYANAM

Meditation on Mahākāli

From the Devī Mahātmyam [Mārkendeya Purana]

Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.

Om khaḍgaṁ chakra-gadeṣu-chāpa-parighāñ

chūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṁ śiraḥ

śaṅkhaṁ saṃda-dhatīṁ karai-stri-nayanāṁ

sarvāṅga-bhūṣāvṛitām

Nīlāśma-dyutimāsya pāda-daśakāṁ

seve Mahākālikāṁ

yāmastaut-svapite harau kamalajo

hantuṁ madhuṁ kaiṭabham.

Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.

Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.

Om, holding a scimitar, disk, mace, arrows and bow, lance, club, a skull and a conch shell in Her ten hands. The three-eyed goddess, Her body covered with ornaments, Her countenance with the brilliance of blue diamonds, with ten limbs. We offer our service to Mahākāli, She who Brahma praised for protection from the demons Madhu and Kaitava, when Vishnu was in sleep.

Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.

Book 3/Chapter 14/1:53

On the narration of the glories of the Devî

1-2.    Janamejaya spoke :-- O Dvîja!    I have heard in detail the Devî Yajña, performed by S’rî Visnu.    Now describe Her Glory and glorious deeds.    After hearing these, the Devî’s glorious deeds, I will also perform that, the best of all sacrifices.    Thereby I will no doubt be pure through your favour. 

3.    Vyâsa said :-- O king!    Hear, I am describing to you the history of the most auspicious mighty deeds of the Devî, according to the Purânas. 

4-5.    In days of yore, there reigned in the country of Kosala, the king Dhruvasandhi of the Solar Dynasty.    He was the son of Puspa and celebrated on account of his great prowess.    He was truthful, religious, engaged in doing good to his subjects, obeying the laws of the four castes and Âs’ramas.    He being pure, performed his regal duties in the flourishing city of Ayodhyâ. 

6.    The Brâhmanas, Ksattriyas, Vais'yas, and S’ûdras and other good persons all lived religiously under his rule, each abiding by his own profession. 

7.    No thieves, cheats, cunning persons, vain and arrogant persons, treacherous and illiterate men were allowed to remain in his kingdom. 

8.    O host of Kurus!    Thus ruling virtuously, the king had two wives, both of them young, fair and beautiful and well able to give delights and enjoyments to the king. 

9.    The first and lovely wife was Manoramâ, and the second was Lîlâvatî.    Both of them were exceedingly handsome, intelligent and qualified. 

10.    The king enjoyed much with them in palaces, gardens, romantic hills, lakes, and various beautiful mansions. 

11.    In the auspicious moment, Manoramâ gave birth to a beautiful child, endowed with all royal qualifications.    The child was named, in due course, Sudars’ana. 

12.    Next within one month, his second wife the fair Lîlâvatî in the auspicious fortnight and in the auspicious day, gave birth to an excellent child. 

13.    The King then performed the Jâta-Karma (ceremonies on the birth of a child) and being very glad, made lots of presents, wealth, etc.  , to the Brâhmanas. 

14.    The King shewed affection equally to the two children; never he made any distinction between them. 

15.    The king, the tormenter of the foes, was very glad and performed duly the chudâ karana ceremony according to his position and wealth. 

16.    The sight of these two sons delighted very much the people.    Now seeing these Kritachûdas, and playing, the king was merged in the ocean of pleasure. 

17-18.    Sudars'ana was the eldest; but Satrujit, the second beautiful son by Lîlâvatî was of sweet and persuasive speech.    His beautiful figure and sweet words gave very much delight to the king, and for these qualities, the child Satrujit turned out also a favourite of the people and ministers. 

19.    The king could not show so much affection to the unfortunate Sudars’ana as he showed to Satrujit. 

20-21.    Thus some days having passed, one day the king Dhruvasandhi went out on an hunting expedition to the forest.    He killed in the forest many deer, Ruru (a kind of deer), elephants, boar, hare, buffaloes, rhinoceros, camels and amused himself very much with this hunting affair. 

22-23.    While he was hunting thus, a lion got very much enraged, and, from a bush, suddenly jumped and came upon the king.    That king of the beasts was already struck with arrows; now seeing the king in front, he loudly roared. 

24-25.    He angrily lifted his long tail high up in the air and, puffing up his manes, jumped up high in the air to attack and to take the life of the king.    Seeing this, instantly the king took sword in his right hand and shield in his left and stationed himself like another lion before him. 

26.    The king's followers, one and all, angrily shot arrows on the lion. 

27.    Then a loud uproar ensued; and all began to hurl arrows as best as they could.    But, after all, that dangerous lion fell upon the king. 

28-29.    Seeing thus, the king struck him with his sword, but the lion also tore asunder the king, with his sharp nails.    The king thus struck by the lion, fell on the spot and died.    The soldiers cried aloud and killed the lion with arrows. 

30.    Thus both the king and lion lay dead on the spot; and the soldiers turned back to the palace and gave all the informations to the royal ministers. 

31.    When the munis heard the demise of the king, they went to the forest, performed the burning of the dead body of the king. 

32.    The Maharsi Vas’istha performed duly on the same spot, all the funeral ceremonies, thus ensuring the king the safe journey to the next world. 

33.    All the subjects and the citizens and the Muni Vas’istha counselled each other to install Sudars’ana on the throne as the king. 

34-35.    The minister-in-chief as well as the other members proposed that as Sudars’ana is the son of the legal wife, calm and quiet, beautiful and endowed with all the royal qualifications, he is fit for the throne.    Maharsi Vas’istha said, the royal son, though not attained to proper age is still religious; therefore he is really fit be installed as king on the royal throne. 

36.    When the wise aged ministers thus decided, Yudhâjit, the king of Ujjain, on hearing the decision hastened to the spot. 

37.    He was the father of Lîlâvatî; on hearing the demise of his son-in-law he came there, so that his daughter’s son might get the kingdom. 

38.    Next, Vîrasena, the king of the country of Kalinga and the father of Manoramâ, came there also with the object that his daughter’s son Sudars’ana be the Emperor. 

39.    The two kings, accompanied respectively by their own army and soldiers, began to counsel with the aged ministers, each trying so that his daughter’s son may get the throne. 

40.    Yudhâjit made the question :-- “Who is the eldest of the two sons?   Is it always the case that the eldest will inherit the kingdom?   Will not the youngest ever be able to acquire it?  ”

41.    Vîrasena said :-- O king!    He who is the son of the legal wife inherits the kingdom; this I have heard from the learned who are proficient in the knowledge of the S’âstras. 

42.    Hearing Vîrasena, Yudhâjit repeated “Sudars’ana is not so qualified with royal qualifications and other matters as this son of the late king, Satrujit.    How can then Sudars’ana inherit the throne?  ”

43.    O King!    Then quarrels ensued amongst the two kings.    Now, at this critical juncture, who is able to solve their doubts? 

44.    Yudhâjit then addressed the ministers :-- “You all are prompted by selfish ends; you want to acquire a good deal of money by making Sudars’ana the king. 

45-46.    I have come to know by your gestures and postures that your decision is to the above affect.    After all, as Satrujit possesses many more qualifications than Sudars’ana, he has more claims to the throne; and therefore he is fit to occupy the throne and no other.    Morever, let me see as long as I live who can set aside the claims of a qualified prince, in possession of an army, and put forward the claims of a prince who has no

qualifications it all. 

47.    I am ready to fight and I will tear the earth into two pieces by my sword.    What more have you to say on this?  ”

48.    Hearing this, Vîrasena addressed Yudhâjit “I see the two boy’s intelligence the same.    You are intelligent; kindly mention where is the difference?  ”

49.    O king!    The two kings quarrelling with each other, remained there; the subjects and the Risis, seeing this, were very anxious. 

50.    Hundreds of tributary princes wanting that the two kings might be

involved into quarrels with each other, came to the spot, with their soldiers, though they had to undergo great hardships in doing so. 

51.    Many aborigines, from the inhabitants of Sringaverpur, hearing the demise of the late king, also appeared on the scene with the sole object to plunder. 

52.    The two princes are minors; and hearing their parties at war with each other, many robbers from various adjoining countries came also there.

53.    Thus when the war broke out between the two kings, the great confusion and tumult across within the kingdoms; on the other hand, Yudhâjit and Vîrasena both became ready to fight. 

Thus ends the Fourteenth Chapter on the narration of the glories of the Devî and the death of the Kosala king Dhruva Sandhi in the 3rd Adhayâya of S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda