Devi Bhagvatam 2:12:1:64

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 2/Chapter 12/1:64

On the birth of Âstika

1-4.  Sûta said :-- Hearing these words of the king, Vyâsa Deva, the son Satyavatî addressed to him before the assembly, thus :-- “O king!  I am now reciting to you a Bhâgavata Purâna, holy, wonderful, filled with many anecdotes, and leading to auspicious results; listen.  Before I made my son S'uka study this Purâna; O king!  I will now recite before you that highest Purâna, with all the secrets contained therein.  I have extracted this from all the Âgamas; it brings in Dharma (religion), Artha (wealth), Kâma (fructification of desires) and Moksa (liberation); hearing this gives always happiness and good results.

5-6.  At this Janamejaya said :-- “O Lord!  Whose son is this Muni Âstika?  Why did he come as an obstacle in my Sarpa Yajña (sacrifice of snakes)?  And what object had he in preserving the snakes?  O highly fortunate one!  Kindly describe all this in detail; after this recite the Purâna, also, in detail to me.”

7-18.  Vyâsa Deva said :-- “O king!  In former days there lived a Muni named Jaratkâru.  He always remained in the path of peace; and did not marry.  Once he saw, in a cave in a forest, his fathers and forefathers pendant.  They spoke to Jaratkâru thus :-- “O son!  Marry; we will thereby be greatly pleased; if there be a son of good character born to you, we all will be freed from all troubles and we would then able to go to Heavens.”

Hearing this Jaratkâru said :-- “O Forefathers!  If I get a girl of my name, without begging and asking and if she be entirely obedient to me, I will marry and lead a householder's life; thus I have spoken truly to you.” Thus saying to his forefathers, Jaratkâru went on tour to the holy places.

Now it happened so, that at that very time Kadru, the mother of snakes cursed her sons, saying “May you be burnt by fire.” The matters of this incident run as follows :-- “At that moment Kadru and Vinatâ, the two co-wives of Kas'yapa saw the horses yoked in the chariot of the sun and thus argued with each other :-- Kadru, seeing the sun's horse, first asked Vinatâ “O good one!  Tell me soon, what is the colour of this horse?” Vinatâ said :-- “O auspicious one!  What do you think?” I said, the colour of the horse is white; you also better say before hand what is its colour?  We will then lay a wager (and challenge).  Kadru said :-- “O Smiling one!  I think the the horse is black.  Now come; let us challenge; whoever will be defeated will become the slave of the other.”

Thus saying, Kadru told her sons that were obedient :-- “Cover by your bodies all the pores of the body of the horse of the chariot of the Sun, so it may look black; go and do it.” At this some snakes replied “That cannot be.” Kadru then cursed them saying :-- “Let you fall on the sacrificial fire of Janamejaya.” Then the other snakes tried to please their mother and coiled round the back of that horse so that the horse began to look black.  Kadru and Vinatâ, the two co-wives went together and saw the horse.  Vinatâ saw it black and became very sorry.

19-21.  Now, Garuda, Vinatâ's son, very powerful and devourer of snakes was passing that way and seeing his mother very distressed asked her :-- “O Mother!  Why do you look so very sorry?  It seems as if you are weeping.  Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun and I myself are your two sons living.  Fie to us that, while we are living, you will have to suffer pains.  O beautiful one!  If mother suffers while the son is living, then what use is there in having such a son?  So, O Mother, give out the cause of your grief and I will remove it at once.”

22-31.  Hearing this Vinatâ said :-- “O son!  What shall I say to you of my misery; I am now become the slave of my rival wife.  By some pretext she defeated me and is now telling me to carry her on my back.  O son!  For this reason I am sorry.” Hearing these words of the mother, Garuda said :-- “Very well I will carry her on my shoulders wherever she wishes to go.  O auspicious one!  You need not be sorry; I will remove all your cares.

Vyâsa Deva said :-- Thus spoken to by Garuda, Vinatâ went to Kadru.  At that time the highly powerful Garuda went there also to free his mother of her slavery and carried Kadru with all her sons on his back to the other side of the ocean.  When Garuda went across the ocean, Garuda spoke to Kadru :-- “O mother!  I bow down to thee; kindly say how my mother can be freed of your slavery.  Hearing this Kadru said :-- “O son!  If you can bring to-day by your sheer force nectar from the Deva loka and give it to my sons then you will be able to free your helpless mother.  When Kadru said so, the highly powerful Vinatâ's son, Garuda immediately went to the abode of Indra and, fighting hard, stole away the jar of nectar and brought and gave it to Kadru and freed his mother Vinatâ from the slavery of Kadru.

In the meantime, the snakes went for their bath, after which they would drink the nectar.  Indra stole away that jar which contained nectar.  O king!  Thus, by the sheer strength of arms of Garuda Vinatâ was freed of her slavery.  On the other hand, when the snakes returned from their bath and found that there was no jar of nectar, they began to lick the Kusa grass over which the jar of nectar was kept, thinking that they would thereby get some drops of  nectar which might have trickled over; and the result was that by the sharp edges of kusa grasses, the tongues of all the snakes were cut asunder into two; hence the snakes are called Dvijihva.

32-36.  The snake Vâsuki and others, whom Kadru, the mother of snakes, cursed, went to Brahmâ and took his refuge and informed all of the cause of their terror, the curse from their mother; when Brahmâ spoke to them :-- “Go and give the sister of Vâsuki, named Jaratkâru, in marriage to the great Muni Jarat Kâru, (both of the same name).  In her womb, a son named Âstika will be born; and he will certainly deliver you from your difficulties.  Hearing those beneficial words of Brahmâ, Vâsuki went to the forest and requested humbly the great Muni Jarat Kâru to accept in marriage her own sister when the Muni, knowing the girl to be of his name, spoke out thus :-- “But when your

sister will act against my wishes, I will forsake her at once.”

37-46.  Under these conditions, the Muni married her.  And Vâsuki, after giving her sister in marriage according to her own wishes to the Muni, returned to her own abode.  O Tormentor of foes!  Then the Muni Jaratkâru built a white hut of leaves in that great forest and began to pass his days happily in enjoyment with his wife.

Once, on an occasion, after he had taken his dinner he slept and told his wife not to awaken him under any circumstances and fell fast asleep.  The beautiful sister of Vâsuki sat by his side.  When the evening time came and the sun began to set, the Vâsuki's sister Jaratkâru became afraid at the thought that the evening Sandhya might not be performed by the Muni and thought thus :-- “What am I to do now?  My heart finds not rest if I do not awaken him; and if I awaken him, he will forsake me at once.  Now if I do not awaken him, the evening will pass away to no purpose.  Whatever it be, if he quits me or if my death ensues, that is better than the non-observance of Dharma; for when Dharma is destroyed, hell ensues.

Thus thinking, the girl awakened him saying :-- “O One of good vows!  It is evening time; so get up; etc.” The Muni got up in great anger and addressed his wife :-- “When you have disturbed my sleep, I now go away from you; you also better go to your brother's house.” When the Muni said so, Vâsuki's sister spoke out, trembling :-- “O One of indomitable lustre!  How will the object be served for which my brother has given me in marriage with you.”

47-50.  The Muni then spoke firmly to his wife Jaratkâru :-- “That is within your womb.” Jaratkâru then, forsaken by the Muni, went to the abode of Vâsuki.  When her brother Vâsuki asked her about her son, she said :-- “The Muni has forsaken me, saying that the son is within your womb.” At this Vâsuki trusted; and said :-- “The Muni won't ever tell lies” and gave shelter to his sister.  O Kurusattama!  After some time, a famous boy named the Muni Âstika was born.

51-56.  O king!  That Muni boy, the knower of truth, had desisted you from your sacrifice of snakes for the preservation of his mother's family.  It is well and good, befitting you, that you respected the words of the Muni Âstika, born of Yâyâvara family and the cousin of Vâsuki.

O Mighty-armed!  Let all auspiciousness come to you; you have heard the whole Mahâbhârata and gave away lots of things in charities.  You have worshipped innumerable Munis.  But, O king!  Though you have done so many good things, yet your father has not attained heaven and you have not been able to sanctify your family.  So, O king Janamejaya!  Now install a capacious temple of the Devî with the highest devotion; then all your desires will be fulfilled.  The all auspicious Devî, the Giver of all desires, makes the kingdoms more stable and increases the family, if She be always worshipped with the highest devotion.

57-64.  O king!  You better perform duly the Devîmakha Yajña Yotistoma and others, pleasing to the Devî, and hear the great Purâna S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam, filled with accounts of the glorious deeds of the Devî.

I will make you hear now that Divine Purâna, filled with various sentiments, highly sanctifying and capable to carry one across this ocean of world.

O king!  There is no other subject in this world worthy to be heard than the above Purâna and there is no other thing to be worshipped then the lotus feet of the Devî.

O king!  Those are certainly fortunate, those are intelligent and blessed, in whose hearts of love and devotion reign always the Devî Bhagavatî.  O illustrious scion of Bharata's family!  Know them to the always afflicted with troubles who do not worship in this world the great Mother Mahâmâyâ.

O king!  Who is there that will not worship Her when Brahmâ and all the Devas are always engaged in Her devotional service.  O king!  He who hears always this Purâna gets all his desires fulfilled; in former days Bhagavatî Herself spoke this excellent Purâna to Visnu.  O king!  Your heart will be appeased and become peaceful when you hear this; and, as a result of your hearing this Purânam, all your ancestors will attain endless Heavenly life.

Thus ends the Twelfth Chapter of the Second Skandha on the birth of Âstika in the Mahâpurânam S'rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa. Here ends as well the Second Book.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 2:11:1:65

Book 2/Chapter 11/1:65

On the Sarpa Yajña

1-4.  Sûta said :-- “O Munis!  seeing now the king lifeless, and his son a mere boy, the ministers themselves performed all his funeral ceremonies.  First they burned the king on the banks of the Ganges without uttering any Mantra, as his death was an accidental one due to snake bite, afterwards they had an effigy of the king made of kus’a grass and placed it on a funeral pyre and burned it, with sandal and scented wood.  The priest then performed and completed his funeral obsequies, repeating duly the Vedic mantras, and distributed various things in charities to the Brâhmins, together with sufficient quantity of gold, and varieties of food and clothings so that the king may attain heaven.

5-7.  Next, on an auspicious moment, the ministers installed the boy prince on the throne that gladdened the hearts of the subjects and all the populace of the city, towns, and villages acknowledged the boy prince Janamejaya, endowed with all royal qualities as their king.  The Dhâtreyi gave all instructions to the king about his duties.  The boy prince  gradually grew in years and became endowed with great intellect.

8-15.  When Janamejaya became eleven years old, the family priest initiated him duly with the Gâyatrî mantra and he also studied it duly.  Then Kripâ chârya taught him perfectly the science of archery (Dhanurveda) as Dronâchârya taught Arjuna and Paras'urâma taught Karna.  Janamejaya learnt by and by all the sciences and became very powerful and indomitable to his enemies as he was skilled in the science of archery, he was similarly in the other branches of the Vedas.  Truthful, self-controlled, religious, the king Janamejaya acquired full knowledge in the Dhârmas'âstras (philosophies and law books) and Arthas'âstras (economics) and governed his kingdom like the Dharma's son Yudhisthira.

The king of Kâs'î gave his all-auspicious daughter Vapustamâ in marriage to the king Janamejaya wearing golden coat of armour.  The king Janamejaya, with the beautiful Vapus'amâ casting side-long looks, looked very happy as was the king Vichîtravîrya, when he got for his wife the daughter of Kâshirâj and also when Arjuna got his Subhadrâ.  Then the king began to enjoy his lotus-eyed Vapustamâ in forest, and gardens like S’atakratu and S’achî.  The able ministers conducted satisfactorily the reins of government; and the subjects, well governed passed away their time with cheerful hearts.

16-32.  In the meanwhile, a Muni, named Uttanka, being much troubled by Taksaka, thought who could help him in his taking revenge on Taksak and, seeing the king Parîksit's son the king Janamejaya a proper person came to Hastinâ to the king and spoke out thus :-- “O good king!  Thou dost not know when to do a thing that ought to be done; Thou art doing at present what ought not to be done; and thou art not doing what should be done now.  There is nothing of anger or energy within Thee; Thou dost things as a child does; so Thou dost not know the meaning of the S’âstras nor dost Thou know Thy former enemy; so what shall I pray before Thee?”

Hearing this Janamejaya said :-- “O highly fortunate one!  I do not know who is my enemy; what wrong is there to be redressed?  please speak out what I am to do.”

Uttanka said :-- “O king!  the wicked Taksak killed Thy father; ask about the death of Thy father from Thy councillors.” Hearing these words, the king Janamejaya asked his ministers; they replied “Thy father died out of the snake Taksaka's bite.” Then the king spoke :-- “The cause of my father's death is the Brâhmin's curse; what is the fault of Taksaka in this matter; please say.” Uttanka said :-- It was Taksaka that gave abundance of wealth to Kâs'yapa who was coming to cure Thy father of Taksaka's poison and made him desist from his purpose; so O king!  Is not that Taksaka, then, Thy father's great enemy and his slayer?

O King!  In former days, when Pramadvarâ, the dearest wife of the Muni Ruru, died of snake bite in her unmarried state, Ruru made her alive again.  But Ruru made then the promise “whichever serpent will see, I will take away its life by striking it with a club.”

O King!  Thus making the resolve, he began to kill snakes wherever he found with his club, and thus, in his course of travel all round the earth, he saw within a forest an aged terrible water-snake (Dhonda serpent) and immediately lifted his club to kill it and angrily struck a blow on it, when the snake replied :-- “O Brâhmana!  Why are you striking me thus?  I have not caused any offence to you.”

Ruru said :-- “O serpent!  My dearest wife died of snake bite; since then I have made this resolve, under great provocation and sorrow, to kill snakes.”

Hearing thus, the water-snake Dundubha replied :-- “I do not bite; those who bite are a different class of snakes; simply on account of my bearing a body similar to them that you will strike me is not quite proper.” Hearing these beautiful humane words from the mouth of a serpent, Ruru asked :-- “Who are you?  Why have you become this Dundubha snake?”

33-45.  The snake replied :-- “O Brâhmana!  I was formerly a Brâhman; there was a friend of mine named Khyâs, very religious, truthful and self-controlled.  Once he was staying in his Agnihotra room and I foolishly terrified him much by placing before him an artificial snake created by me of the leaves of trees.  He became so much bewildered with fear and shuddered so terribly that he at length cursed me saying :-- “O one of blunt intellect!  As you have terrified me by this snake, having no poison, so you better be a snake of that type.” Immediately I turned into a snake and when I much entreated that Brâhmana, his anger abated a little and he said again :-- “O snake!  Pramati's son Ruru will no doubt free you of this curse.”

I am that snake; and you are also that Ruru; now hear my words in conformity with Dharma.  The highest Dharma of the Brâhmana, is non-killing.  There is no doubt in this.  The wise Brâhmanas ought to show mercy to all.  No harm or killing is to he committed anywhere except in Yajña (sacrifice); killing is only allowed in a Yajña; for at the sacrifice, the animal killed attains the highest goal; hence killing in sacrifice is not reckoned as an act of killing.

Uttanka said :-- That Brâhmana was then freed of the serpent body; and Ruru, too, desisted from killing since then.  O King!  Ruru gave life back to that girl and married her but even then, remembering the former enmity he killed the snakes.

But, O chief of Bharata's family!  Thou art staying without any care, without any anger to the snakes and without any revenge to the previous wrong.  O king of kings!  Thy father died high up in the air without any bath or charity due to be done at the time of death.  So rescue thy father by killing his enemies, the snakes.  That son is dead, though living, who does not consider the act of his father's enemy as inimical.  Until Thou dost kill the snakes, Thy father's enemies, Thy father's hell life will not be freed.  O king!  Now remember the wrong done to Thy father and perform the sacrifice to the Great Mother, denominated as the Sarpa Yajña (the sacrifice of snakes).

46-55.  Sûta said :-- Hearing the words of Uttanka, the king Janamejaya sadly wept and shed tears, and thought within himself :-- “Alas!  Fie to me!  I am a great stupid; hence I feel myself proud but in vain.  Where can his honour be whose father, bitten by a snake, has gone down to hell. 

Now I will, no doubt, commence the Sarpa Yajña and ensure the destruction of all the snakes in the blazing sacrificial fire and thus deliver my father from hell.” Thus coming to a conclusion, he called all his ministers and said :-- “O ministers!  Better make arrangements duly for a great sacrifice.  Have a suitable holy site on the banks of the Ganges, selected and measured by the Brâhmanas and have a beautiful sacrificial hall built up on one hundred pillars and prepare a sacrificial altar within this.  O Ministers!  When all these preliminaries will be completed, I will commence with great eclat the great Sarpa Yajña (sacrifice of snakes).

In that Yajña, the snake Taksak will be the animal victim; and Uttanka, the great Muni, will be the sacrificial priest; so invite early the all-knowing Brâhmanas, versed in the Vedas.  Thus at the command of the king, the able ministers collected all the materials of the  sacrifice and prepared a big sacrificial altar.

When the oblations were offered on the sacrificial fire, calling on the snakes, Taksak became greatly distressed with fear and took refuge of Indra saying “Save my life”.  Indra, then, gave hopes to Taksaka, trembling with fear, and made him sit on his Âsana, encouraged him with words “No fear”.  O!  snake do not fear any more.

56-65.  The Muni Uttanka, seeing that Taksak had taken Indra's protection and that Indra had given him hopes of “no fear”, called on Taksaka with Indra to come to fire with an anxious heart; Taksak, then, seeing no other way, took refuge of the greatly religious Âstik, the son of the Muni Jarat Kâru, born of the family of Yâyâvara.

The Muni's son Âstik came to the sacrificial hall and chanted hymns in praise of Janamejaya; the king, too, seeing the Muni boy greatly learned worshipped him and said :-- “What for have you come?  I will give you what you desire.”

Hearing this, Âstika prayed :-- “O highly enlightened one!  Let you desist from this sacrifice.”

The truthful king, prayed thus again and again, stopped the Sarpa Yajña to keep the Muni's word.  Vais'ampâyana then recited the whole Mahâbhârata to the king to cheer up his heart.  But the king, hearing the whole Mahâbhârata could not find peace and asked Veda Vyâsa “how can I get peace; my mind is constantly being burned with sorrow; say what am I to do?  I am very miserable; hence my father Parîksit the son of Abhimanyu has died an unnatural death.  O lucky one!  See that a Ksattriya's death in a deadly battlefield or in an ordinary battle is praiseworthy; even his death in his own house, if followed up according to natural laws and Vidhis (rules) is commendable; but my father did not die such a death; under the Brâhmana's curse why did he, quite senseless, quit his life high up in the air?  O son of Satyavatî!  Now advise me so that my father who is now in hell can again go up to the heavens, and that my heart may find its way to peace.”

Thus ends the Eleventh Chapter of the Second Skandha on the “Sarpa Yajña” in the Mahâpurâna S’rîmad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 2:9:1:51

Book 2/Chapter 9/1:51

On the account of Ruru

1-17.  Parîksit said :-- When the Muni Ruru went to his room to sleep, his mind having become perturbed with passion, his father Pramati seeing him sorrowful, asked him :--

“O Ruru!  Why do you look so absent minded?” Ruru was passionate then; so he said to his father :-- “I saw a girl named Pramadvarâ in the hermitage of Sthûlakes'a; I wish that she might become my wife.” Hearing this,  Pramati went immediately to the hermitage of Sthûlakes'a, and pleased him by various conversations and asked for her beautiful daughter when

Sthûlakes'a promised that he would give her daughter in marriage on an auspicious day.

Then both the high-souled persons Pramati and Sthûlakes'a began to work in cooperation and make arrangements for marriage ceremony and collected various articles in that hermitage when the fair eyed girl Pramadvarâ, while playing in the courtyard in the house, trod on a serpent and was bitten by it and consequently died.

Seeing then Pramadvarâ dead, all the Munis of the place assembled and cried and wept with sorrowful hearts, when a great tumultuous uproar ensued.  Though the life departed from Pramadvarâ’s body, yet seeing the brilliant lustre of her lifeless body lying on the ground, her nourisher and father Sthûlakes'a became very sorry and wept aloud.

Hearing this cry of his, Ruru came there to see what had happened and perceived the girl, though lifeless, yet seeming alive and lying on the ground.  Seeing Sthûlakes'a and other Risis weeping, Ruru went out from that place and with a grievous heart, began to cry aloud.  “Alas!  Fate has certainly sent this serpent as the cause of all my miseries and to mar all my happiness.  Alas!  What am I to do now? Where to go?   When my beloved has fallen unto the jaws of death, I do not want to live any longer, bereft of my wife.  Oh!  What an unfortunate creature I am?   I have not been able to embrace this beautiful darling of mine.  I am deprived of kissing her face and marrying her.  Alas!  Fie to my human birth!  Let my life get out just now in as much as I could not, out of mere shame, throw myself on the burning pyre along with my beloved!

Oh!  When death comes not to the sorrowful person, even when prayed for,

how then can I expect divine happiness in this world?

So let me now drop myself down in a lake or enter in to a burning fire or drink venom or strangle myself by tieing rope round my neck!”

18-31.  Thus Ruru wailed much on the bank of the river and long reflecting in his mind found out a way and thought what would be the advantage in death?   “Rather an irretrievable sin would be incurred in committing suicide; and my father and mother would be sorry.  Seeing me commit suicide, my bad luck and enemies will be gladdened; there is no manner of doubt; in this.  What benefit will my beloved gain if I commit suicide or if I be distressed for her bereavement.  Suppose I die, even then my beloved will not become mine in the next world; so there are many faults in my committing suicide but there is no fault if I preserve my life.”

Thus coming to a conclusion Ruru bathed, performed Âchaman and became pure.  He then took water in his hand and said :-- “Whatever good works, worshipping the gods, etc., that I have done and if I have performed, with devotion, the service to my preceptors and teachers and superiors, homa ceremonies, Japam, tapasyâ, if I have studied all the Vedas and if I have recited Gâyatri and worshipped the Sun then let my beloved have life and get up as an outcome of my Punyam.  If my beloved does not get back her life, I will certainly quit my life.” Thus saying, he worshipped the Devas mentally and threw that water of his hands on the ground.

Thus Ruru, with a sorrowful heart, was weeping.  The Deva's messenger came down and said :-- “O Brâhman!  Don't make this bold attempt; how can your beloved get back her life?   The life-period of this beautiful girl, born of Gandharva's sperm and Apsarâ's ovum is now exhausted; now look for another beautiful woman.  O one of very dull understanding!  Why are you crying in vain?   Where is the affection between you and this girl; she died in an unmarried state (without marrying you).”

At this Ruru said :-- “O Deva messenger!  I won't marry any other lady, whether my beloved gets back her life or does not get back her life; in case

she does not regain this life, I will also forego my life at this instant.” At this greatest importunity of Ruru, the Deva messenger became glad and spoke the following truthful beneficent yet beautiful words :--

32-51.  “O Brâhmana!  I will suggest one way to you; kindly hear.  The Devas ordained this long, long ago.  You can give up your half life period, and with that you can make this girl alive soon.”

Ruru said :-- “O Deva messenger!  I give half my life-period to this girl; there is no doubt in this.  Let my beloved get back her life soon and get up.”

The king said :-- O Ministers!  At this time Visvâvasu, knowing that his daughter Pramadvarâ is dead, descended from the Heavens in a celestial car and came to the place; then the Gandharva king and the Deva messenger both went to Yama, the Dharmarâj, and spoke thus :-- “O Dharmarâj!  This Visvâvasu's daughter Pramadvarâ, the wife of Ruru, the Risis' son was bitten by a snake and has now come to your place.  The Dvija Ruru is now desirous to quit his life; so, O Sun's son!  Now let the girl again get her life through the influence of Ruru's brahmacharya (purity) as a consequence of his giving away half his life period for the girl.”

Dharma said :-- “O Deva messenger!  if you want to make the girl alive again, let her get life as a consequence of half the life-period of Ruru being subtracted.  Go immediately and give the girl to Ruru.”

The king said :-- “O Ministers!  Yama having said thus to the Deva messenger, he went away immediately and made Pramadvarâ alive and handed her over to Ruru.  Thus, on an auspicious day, Ruru married her.  Thus the Risis' daughter Pramadvarâ though fallen dead, got again her life by proper means.

So, O Councillors!  to save life, one should resort one's best duty according to the S’âstras, by the use of gems, mantras, and herbs and plants.”

Thus speaking to the ministers, the king Parîksit had a fine building of seven floors in height erected, placed the principal guards around it and stationed also the most powerful men well versed in the knowledge of mani (gems), mantrams, and plants for protection and immediately ascended to this building.  To appease the wrath of the Muni S’ringî, the king sent the Muni named Gaurmukha to him and requested him repeatedly “Let the crime of the humble devotee be forgiven.” Then, for self preservation, the king brought from all sides the Brâhmanas, who are perfect in their knowledge and application of the mantras.  The minister's son placed the elephants in proper places so that nobody can ascend to the top of the building; what more can be said than the fact that even air could not find entrance there when once ordered “no admission” what to speak of others! 

The king Parîksit remained there and counted the number of days of the serpent Taksaka's coming there; he performed his bath, Sandhyâ

Bandanams and fooding; even he consulted with his ministers and governed his kingdom from there.

O Risis!  At this time a Brâhman named Kas'yapa, versed in the mantras, heard of the curse of the king and thought that he would get abundant wealth if he could free the king from Taksaka's poison and proposed to himself that he would go to the place where the cursed king Parîksit was staying with the Brâhmanas.

Pondering thus, the Brâhmana went out of his house, on the expectation of wealth from the king.

Thus ends the ninth chapter of the second Skandha on the account of Ruru in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 2:8:1:49

Book 2/Chapter 8/1:49

On the extinction of the family of Yadu and on the anecdote of Parîksit

1-23.  Sûta said :-- On the third day after the Pândavas had returned to Hastinâpur, the king Dhritarâstra was burnt up together with Gândhari and Kunti, by the conflagration of fire in the forest.  Sanjaya went away at that time, leaving Dhritarâstra in the forest, on a tour on pilgrimage.  The king Yudhisthira heard all this from Nârada and was very sorry.

Now after thirty six years after the Kuru family had become extinct, all the descendants of Yadu in the Prabhâs tîrtha were destroyed by the Brâhmana's curse.  The high-souled descendants of Yadu, intoxicated by drinking wine, fought against each other and were extirpated in the presence of Krisna and Balarâm.  Balarâm then quitted his mortal coil; the lotus-eyed Bhagavân Krisna quitted his life, struck by the arrows of

a hunter, to pay respect to a Brâhmin's curse.  Vasudeva heard of Hari's quitting his mortal coil, and meditated the Goddess of the Universe within his heart and left his holy life.  Arjuna became very sorry; he went to Prabhâsa and performed the funeral obsequies of all duly.  Seeing the dead body of Hari, Arjuna collected fuel and burnt his body together with his eight principal wives; he burnt also Balarâm's body with that of his wife Revatî.

Arjuna, then, went to the Dvârakâ city and removed all the inhabitants of the city when the whole Dwârkâ city of Vâsudeva was drowned in the waters of the ocean.  While Arjuna was taking all the persons with him after getting out of Dwârkâ, he felt himself very weak on the way; and therefore a band of robbers, known by the name of Âbhîras plundered all the wealth of all the wives of Krisna.  Arjuna, of indomitable valour, after his arrival at Indraprastha made Vajra, Aniruddha's son, the king of the place.

Then the highly powerful Arjuna informed Vyâsa of his powerlessness when Vyâsa said :--“O highly intelligent one!  When Hari and you will reincarnate in another Yuga, then your heroic strength will again be manifested.  Hearing all these words, Prithâ's son Arjuna returned to Hastinâ with a sorrowful heart and informed everything to Yudhisthira, the Dharmarâja.  Hearing the extinction of the Yâdavas and Hari's quitting His mortal coil, Yudhisthira wanted to go to the Himâlayâs.  He installed Parîksit, Uttarâ's son who was then thirty six years old on the throne and went out of his palace in company of his brothers, and Draupadi to the forests of the Himâlayâs.

Thus the Pândavas, Prîtha's son, reigned for thirty six years in Hastinâ and quitted their mortal coils in the Himâlayâs.  Here the greatly religious sage-king Parîksit governed with vigilance all his subjects for sixty years. 

After this, Parîksit went once on an hunting expedition to a dense forest and shot a deer.  He then searched for the deer and it became noon and he felt very thirsty, hungry, quite fatigued with his body, perspiring, when he saw a Muni merged in meditation; he asked the Muni “Where can water be had?” But the Muni held at that time the vow of silence; so he did not answer anything.   Seeing this, the thirsty king, influenced by Kali, became angry and raised a dead serpent by the fore-end of his bow and coiled it round the Muni's neck.  Even thus coiled with a snake round his neck the Muni remained as before motionless in his state of enlightenment and spoke nothing.  The king also returned home.

24-49.  Then the Muni's son, born from the cow's womb, S’ringî, a great ascetic, a fiery devotee of Mahâs'akti, heard of the above event, while he was playing in the forest.  His friends spoke to him :-- “O Muni!  Some body has now enclosed a dead serpent around the neck of your father.” Hearing their words, S’ringî became very angry and taking water in his hands, cursed thus :-- “He who has coiled to-day a dead serpent around my father's neck, let that villain be bitten by the serpent Taksak within one week from this day”.

One disciple of the Muni then went to the king in his house and informed him of the Muni's curse.  Abhimanyu's son Parîksit heard of the curse pronounced by a Brâhmin, and knowing infallible, spoke to the aged councillors :--

"O Ministers!  Certainly it is through my fault that I have been cursed by a Brâhmin's son.  Now find out and settle what is to be done though the persons versed in the Vedas say that death is inevitable under these circumstances; yet the wise ones should try their best to thwart this according to the S’âstras.

Many sages who are the advocates of taking steps to redress any act, say that all the actions of wise persons are fructified by proper means; their solution does not remain unsolved.

Therefore I am saying that the powers of manis, mantrams and herbs (osadhis) are indescribable; if applied duly, do you think that they will bear no fruit in this case?

I heard that when a Muni's wife died out of snake-bite, the Muni gave away the half of his life to his wife Apsarâ and made her alive again.  It is not proper for the learned to depend on the maxim that what is inevitable must come to pass; one must try one's best to act for the living present. 

O Ministers!  Have you seen any person in the Heavens or in the world who remains idle, depending on fate alone?

The Sannyâsins have renounced the world; but they must have to go to the houses of the house-holders, whether they be invited or not invited.  

See again.  Supposing that the food of a person is brought to him unasked and suppose it is thrown into the mouth by some one, can you conceive that food would go down into the belly, from the mouth without one's effort?

Therefore one should exert one's own prowess from the very outset; though the intelligent ones should be satisfied with the thought “What can be done?  It is not ordained in my fate.”

When Parîksit said thus, the ministers asked :-- “Which Muni made his dead wife alive again, by giving her half his own life?  And how did his wife die?  Kindly describe all these in detail to me.”

The king said :-- Bhrigu Muni had a very beautiful wife Pulomâ.  In her womb the world renowned Chyavana Muni was born.  Sukanyâ, the daughter of S’aryâti was the wife of Chyavana.  In her womb was born a beautiful son named Pramati; he was very famous.  Pramati had his famous beautiful wife Pratâpî.  In her womb was born the great ascetic son Ruru.

At this time a person named Sthûlakes'a, a religious truthful man of great name, was practising tapasyâ.  O Ministers!  In the meanwhile, the chief Apsarâ Menakâ held sexual intercourse with Visvâvasu Gandharva on the banks of a river and became pregnant.  She went out from that place to the hermitage of Sthûlakes'a on the river bank and gave birth to a very beautiful daughter.  Seeing this girl quite an orphan and very beautiful, the Muni Sthûlakes'a began to rear up her and named her Pramadvarâ. 

This all auspicious girl Pramadvarâ attained youth in due course when the Muni Ruru saw her and became smitten with passion.

Thus ends the eighth chapter of the Second Skandha on the extinction of the family of Yadu and on the anecdote of Parîksit in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgâvatam of 18,000 verses.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 2:7:1:68

Book 2/Chapter 7/1:68

On shewing the departed ones

1-33.  Sûta said :-- The chaste Draupadi was the common wife of all the five very beautiful sons of Kunti; and she bore five sons, one to every husband. 

Arjuna had one wife more; she was Subhadrâ, the sister of S’rî Krisna.  By the order of S’rî Krisna, Arjuna stole her away (took her by force).  The great hero Abhimanyu was born of Subhadrâ.  This Abhimanyu and the five sons of Draupadi were killed in battle.

Abhimanyu's wife Uttarâ was the charming daughter of the king Virât.   She gave birth to one dead child, after all the boys, the descendants of the family were extinct.  The above child died out of the arrows of As'vatthâmâ.  The extraordinarily powerful S’rî Krisna Himself made alive again this his sister's dead grandson.  As this son was born after the family had become extinct, he became known in the world by the name of Parîksit.

When the sons were all destroyed, Dhritarâstra became very sorry, and, tormented by the arrow-like words of Bhîma, remained in the kingdom of the Pândavas.  Gândharî, too, exceedingly distressed on the bereavement of the sons, remained there also.  Yudhisthira, day and night, served Dhritarâstra and Gândhâri.  The greatly religious Vidura always used to console, by the advice of Yudhisthira, his brother Dhritarâstra, who possessed the eye of wisdom and he remained by his brother's side. 

Dharma`s son Yudhisthira used to serve his uncle Dhritarâstra in such a way as he might forget the pain of the death of his sons.  But Bhîma used to pierce his heart by his arrow-like words that he pronounced so loud as to reach the ears of the old king Dhritarâstra.  Bhîma used to-say :-- “In the battle field I killed all the sons, of the wicked blind king (Dhritarâstra) and it was I that sucked well and drunk, full to the brim, the blood of the heart of Duhs'âsana.  Now this blind king eats shamelessly like a crow and a dog, the mass of food (Pinda) given by me, and thus is bearing uselessly the burden of life.  Daily Bhîma used to tell, thus, harsh words to him; whereas the

religious Yudhîsthira used to console him, saying “Bhîma is a quite illiterate brute” and so forth.

The king Dhritarâstra remained there with a grieved heart for eighteen years; the one day he proposed to the Dharma's son Yudhîsthira about his intention to dwell in forest thus :-- “To-day I wish to perform Tarpanas in the names my sons.  True it is, that Bhîma performed the funeral obsequies of them all; but, having in view of the former enmity, he did not do anything for my sons.  If you give me some money, I will, then,perform the funeral obsequies of my sons and then retire to the forest to perform tapasyâ that I can go to Heaven.” Vidura also asked Yudhîsthira privately pay to Dhritarâshtra the sum that he wanted; Yudhîsthira also intended to pay the required money.

Then Yudhîsthira, the lord of the world called his younger brothers and addressed them as follows :-- “O highly fortunate ones!  Our revered uncle is desirous to perform the funeral obsequies of his sons; so we will have to give him some money for the purpose.”

Hearing these words of his elder brother of indomitable valour, Pavana's son, the mighty armed Bhîma became very angry and spoke out follows :-- “O highly lucky one!  Is it that we will have to give wealth for the spiritual benefit of Duryodhana and others?  What a great stupidity can there be than the fact that such a malevolent blind king is deriving so great happiness at your hands?  O Ârya!  It is by your bad counsel that we suffered endless troubles in the forest and the extremely good Draupadi was brought before the public in the hall by Duhs'âsana.  O one of good vows!  It is for your satisfaction alone that we, though we were very mighty, had to remain in the house of Matsya Râj Virât as servants.  Had you not been our elder brother and not been addicted to the gambling, would it have been possible I, who killed Jarâsandha, would have been a cook to Virât Râj!  Never we had been put to so great a trouble!  Never would the mighty armed Arjuna, the Vâsava's son, have acted the part of an actress (a dancer), dressing himself in a female garb, under the name Vrihannalâ.  Alas!  What more painful could there be by assuming a human birth that the hands of Arjuna, that wielded always the Gândîva bow, would have worn bracelets befitting a woman?  I would have been happy then had I, seeing the braid of hair on Arjuna's head and the collyrium in his eyes, cut off the head of Dhritarâstra!

O Lord of the earth!  Without asking you, I set fire on the house, named Jatugriha (a lachouse, as built by Duryodhana in order to burn up the Pândavas) and therefore the vicious Virochana, who wanted to burn us, was himself burnt up.  Again, O Lord of men!  similarly, without asking you, I slew Kichaka; this is now the one thing I regret that I could not have killed in the same way the sons of Dhritarâstra before the public hall.  O king of kings!  It was simply your stupidity that you liberated Duryodhana and other sons, the great enemies of the Gandarbhas, when they had been imprisoned by them.  Again to-day you are willing to give wealth for the spiritual benefit of those Duryodhana and others!  But, O Lord of the earth, I would never give wealth, even if you request me specially to do this.

Thus saying, Bhîma went away.  Dharma's son Yudhisthira then consulted with the other three brothers and gave abundance of wealth to Dhritarâstra.  With this sum, the Ambikâ's son Dhritarâstra duly performed the Srâdh ceremony of his sons and gave away lots of things to the Brâhmanas.  The king Dhritarâstra, thus performing all the funeral obsequies, became ready to go early to the forest with Gândhârî, Kunti and Vidura.  By the help of Sanjaya, the highly intelligent Dhritarâstra became informed of the roads of the forest, and then went out of the house.  Sûrasena's daughter Kunti, though stopped by her sons, followed them.  Bhîma and other Kauravas went along with them weeping up to the banks of the Ganges and thence returned to Hastinâpura.

33-57.  The ascetics went to the auspicious S’atayûpa hermitage on the banks of the Ganges and building a hut practised tapasyâ with their hearts concentrated.  Thus six years elapsed when Yudhisthira, troubled by their bereavements, said to his younger brothers :-- “ I dreamt that our mother Kunti got very lean and thin.  Now my mind wants bitterly to see mother, uncle, aunt, the high souled Vidura and the highly intelligent Sanjaya.  If you approve, I want to go to there.” Then the five brothers, Pându's sons, became desirous to see Kunti, and taking with them Draupadî, Subhadrâ, Uttarâ, and other persons went to the Satayûpa hermitage and saw the persons there; but not seeing Vidura, Yudhisthira asked :-- “Where is Vidura?” Hearing this Dhritarâstra said :-- “Vidura has taken up Vairâgyam (dispassion) and has gone alone to a solitary place and is meditating in his heart the eternal Brahmâ.”

Next day while the king Yudhisthira was walking along the banks of the Ganges, he saw in the forest Vidura, engaged in his vow and become lean and thin by his tapasyâ; he then exclaimed :-- “I am the king Yudhisthira; I am saluting you.” The holy Vidura heard and remained motionless like a log of wood.

Within an instant a wonderful halo came out of Vidura's face and entered the mouth of Yudhisthira, both of them being Dharma's parts.  Vidura then died; Yudhisthira expressed great sorrow.  When the Vidura's body was going to be set on fire, a celestial voice was heard :--“O king!  He was very wise; so he ought not to be burnt; you can go away as you like.” Hearing this, Yudhisthira bathed in the pure Ganges and returned to the As'rama and informed everything in detail to Dhritarâstra.

While the Pândavas were staying in the hermitage with the other inhabitants of the city, Vedavyâsa, Nârada, and other high-souled Munis came there to Yudhisthira.  Kunti then spoke to the auspicious Vyâsa :-- “O Krisna!  I saw my son Karna, only just when he was born; my mind is being very much tormented for him; so, O great ascetic!  Show him once to me.  O highly fortunate One!  You alone can do this; so O Lord!  Satisfy my heart’s desire.”

Gândhârî said :-- “O Muni!  I did not see while Duryodhan went to battle; so, O Muni!  Show me Duryodhana with his younger brothers.” Subhadrâ said :-- “O Omniscient one!  I want very much to see the great hero Abhimanyu, dearer to me than my life even; O great ascetic!  Show him once to me.”

58-68.  Sûta said :-- Satyavatî's son Vyâsa Deva, hearing their words, held Prânâyama (deep breathing exercise) and meditated on the eternal Devî, the force of Brahmâ.  When the evening time came, the Muni invited Yudhisthira and all others to the banks of the Ganges.  He then bathed in the Ganges and began to chant hymns in praise of the Devî Brahmâmayî Prakriti, resting on the Purusa, the Dweller in the Mani Dvîpa, with attributes, at the same time transcending them, thus :-- “O Devî!  When Brahmâ was not, Visnu was not, Mahes'vara was not, nor when existing lndra, Varuna, Kuvera, Yama, and Agnî, Thou alone existed then; my salutation to Thee.

When there existed not water, Vâyu, ether, earth and their Gunas, taste, smell, etc., when there were no senses, mind, Buddhi, Ahamkâra; when there existed no Sun, Moon nor anything, Thou alone existed then; so, O Devî!  I bow down again and again to Thee.  O Mother!  Thou holdest all these visible Jîva lokas in the cosmic Hiranyagarbha; again Thou bringest this Hiranyagarbha, the sum-total of Linga Sarîras (the subtle bodies), with the Gunas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas to a state of equilibrium named Sâmyâvasthâ and remainest quite independent and apart for a Kalpa period.  At that time even those that are possessed of the power of great discrimination and dispassion cannot fathom Thy nature.  O Mother!  These persons are praying to me to see their dead ones; but I am quite incapable to do that.  So kindly shew them their departed ones early.” 

While Vyâsa praised thus the Devî, the Devî Mahâmâyâ, the Lady of the Universe, of the nature of Universal Consciousness called all the departed ones from the Heavens and showed them to their relatives.  Then Kunti, Gândhârî, Subhadrâ, Uttarâ, and the Pandavas became very glad to see their relatives come to them again. Vyâsa, of indomitable valour, again remembering Mahâmâyâ, bade good bye to the departed ones; it seemed then, a great magic had occurred.  The Pandavas and the Munis bade good bye to each other and went to their respective places.  The king Yudhisthira talked on the way about Vyâsa and ultimately came to Hastinâ.

Thus ends the seventh chapter of the Second Skandha on shewing the departed ones in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda 

Devi Bhagvatam 2:6:1:71

Book 2/Chapter 6/1:71

On the birth of the Pândavas

1-12.  Sûta said :—Thus S’antanu married Satyavatî; two sons were born to her and they died in course of time.  Out of Vyâsa Deva's semen, Dhritarâstra was born.   Ambikâ Devî, the mother of Dhritarâstra closed her eyes on seeing Veda Vyâsa; hence Dhritarâstra was born blind.

Seeing Dhritarâstra blind, Satyavatî asked Vyâsa to go to Ambâlikâ (Pându's mother); the princess Ambâlikâ, mother of Pându turned pale at the sight of Vyâsa; hence her son became of a pale colour out of Vyâsa's wrath.  Hence the name of the son was Pându.

Next the maid servant, expert in the science of amorous pleasures, satisfied Vyâsa; hence her son Vidura was born of Dharma's part and became truthful and holy.

Though Pându was younger, the ministers installed him on the throne.  Dhritarâstra could not become king, as he was blind.  By the permission of Bhîsma the powerful Pându obtained the sovereignty; and the intelligent Vidura became his minister.  Dhritarâstra had two wives Gândhâri and Sauvali; this Sauvali was Vaishyâ; she was engaged in the household affairs.  The king Pându had two wives, too; the first was Kunti, the daughter of Sûrasena; and the other was Mâdri, the daughter of the Madra king.  Gândhâri gave birth to one hundred beautiful sons; Vais'yâ Sauvali gave birth to one beautiful son named Yuyutsu.  While Kunti was a virgin, she gave birth, through the medium of the Sun, the lovely Karna; next she became the wife of Pându. 

Hearing this, the Risis said :-- “O Muni Sûta!  What are you saying ?  First

Kunti brought forth a child and afterwards she was married to Pându; this is wonderful, indeed!  How was Karna, born of Kunti, unmarried?  and how came Kunti to be married afterwards?  describe all these in detail.”

13-35.  Sûta then said :-- “O Dvija!  While Sûrasena's daughter Kunti was a virgin girl, the king Kuntibhoja asked for Kunti that she might become her girl and Sûrasena gave her to the king Kuntibhoja who brought up this beautifully smiling girl.  He put to her the service of Agni of Agnihotra.  Once, on an occassion, Durvâsâ Muni, engaged in the vow, lasting for four months, came there; Kunti served him during that period; the Muni became greatly pleased and gave her a very auspicious, mantra, by virtue of which any Deva, when called upon by that mantra will come to Kunti and satisfy her desires.

When the Muni went away, Kunti, remaining in her house, wanted to test the accuracy of the mantra and asked within herself “What Devatâ to call upon.” Seeing the God Sûrya had arisen in the sky, Kunti uttered the Mantra and invoked him.  The Sun, then, assuming an excellent human form, came down from the Heavens and appeared before Kunti in the same room.  Seeing the Deva Sun, Kunti became greatly surprised and began to shudder and instantly became endowed with the inherent natural quality of passion (had menstruation).  The beautiful-eyed Kunti, with folded palm; spoke to Sûrya Deva standing before :-- “I am highly pleased to-day seeing Thy form;

now go back to Thy sphere.”

Sûrya Deva said :-- “O Kunti!  What for you called me, by virtue of the Mantra?  Calling me, why do you not worship me, standing before you?  O beautiful blue one!  Seeing you, I have become passionate; so come to me.  By means of the mantra, you have made me your subservient so take me for intercourse.”

Hearing this, Kunti said :-- “O Witness of all!  O knower of Dharma!  You know that I am a virgin girl.  O Suvrata!  I bow down to you; I am a family daughter; so do not speak ill to me.” Sûrya then said :-- “If I go away in vain, I will be an object of great shame, and, no doubt, will be laughed amongst the gods; So, O Kunti!  If you do not satisfy me, I will immediately curse you and the Brâhmin who has given you this mantra.  O Beautiful one!  If you satisfy me, your virginity will remain; nobody will come to know and there will be born a son to you, exactly like me.” Thus saying Sûrya Deva enjoyed the bashful Kunti, with her mind attracted towards him; He granted her the desired boons and went away.

The beautiful Kunti became pregnant and began to remain in a house, under great secrecy.  Only the dear nurse knew that; her mother or any other person was quite unaware of the fact.  In time, a very beautiful son like the second Sun and Kârtikeya, decked with a lovely Kavacha coat of mail and two ear-rings, was born there.  Then the nurse caught hold of the hand of the bashful Kunti and said :-- “O Charming one!  What care can you possibly have as long as I am living.”

Kunti then, placed the son in a box and said :-- “O son!  What shall I do?  Being afraid of shame, I am leaving you, though you are dear to me as my life itself!  I am exceedingly fortunate that I am casting aside this all auspicious son.  May the attributeless Bhâgavatî Ambikâ, the World Mother and the Lady of all, endowed with attributes, protect Thee!  May Kâtyâyani, the giver of all desires, feed you with Her milk!  Alas!  I am quitting you, born of Sûrya’s semen in this solitary forest like a vitiated wanton woman.  I do not know, when shall I see your lotus like beautiful face, dearest to me like myself.  Alas!  I never worshipped in my former birth S’ivânî, the mother of the three worlds; I never meditated Her lotus like feet, the Giver of all happiness; hence I am so very unfortunate.  O Dear son!  I must perform great tapasyâ to expiate for this terrible sin, that I knowingly commit in relinquishing you in the forest.”

36-48.  Sûta said :-- Thus saying to the son within the casket, Kunti gave over that to the hands of her nurse, terrified, lest some one might see her.  Kunti then bathed and remained with a fearful heart in her father's house.  A carpenter (charioteer?) named Adhiratha got accidentally that casket floating in the Ganges.  The carpenter's wife Râdhâ, prayed for the son and nourished him under her care.  Thus nourished in the carpenter's house, the famous Kunti's son Karna became a very powerful warrior.

The king Pându then married Kunti in a Svayamvara, a marriage in which the girl chooses her husband from among a number of suitors, assembled together.  And the all auspicious daughter of the king of Madra became also the second wife of Pându.

Once, on an occasion, the powerful Pându, while hunting in the forest killed a Muni, in the form of a deer, engaged in the act of co-habitation, thinking it to be a deer.  The dying Muni became inflated with wrath, cursed Pându :-- “If you co-habit, certainly you will die.” Thus cursed by the Muni, Pându became very sorrowful and abandoned his kingdom and began to live in the forest.  O Munis!  His two wives Kuntî and Mâdrî, followed their husband as chaste women do, to serve him in the forest.  Dwelling in the hermitage of the Munis, Pându listened to the Dharma S’âstras and practised severe penance.  Once while he was listening to the religious discourses of the Munis, he heard unmistakeably the Munis telling that the man who is sonless can never go to the Heavens; so he must get a son somehow or other.  The Pundits declare that the sons born of the father's semen, the sons born of their daughters, the Ksettraja, the Goloka, the Kunda, the Sahoda, the Kânîna, the Krîta, one obtained in the forest, or one offered by another father, unable to nourish his son, all are entitled to inherit the wealth of the father; but the sons, enumerated successively are more and more inferior.

N.B.: Ksettraja - of a son, the off spring of the wife by a kinsman appointed to procreate issue to the husband.  Goloka - Bastard child of a widow.  Kunda - a child born in adultery.  Sahoda - the son of a woman pregnant at the time of marriage.  Kânîna - the son born of a young and unmarried woman.  Krîta – purchased.

49-52.  Hearing this, Pându spoke to the lotus-eyed Kunti to procreate sons for him soon by a great ascetic Muni :-- “By my order, you will not incur any sin in doing this.  I heard that in ancient times the high souled kin Saudâsa got son from Vas'istha.”  Kunti, then spoke to the king :-- “O Lord!  I know one Siddha mantra; it was given to me before by the Muni Durvâsâ.  Whichever Devatâ I will invoke by that Mantra, he will instantly come to my side, controlled by that Mantra.”

53-71.  At the request of the husband, Kuntî invoked Dharma, the best of the Devas; and after being impregnated by him, gave birth to Yudhisthira.  Then she got through Pavana Deva, the son Vrikodara; and through Indra the Lord of the Devas, Arjuna.  Thus, in every year, Kunti gave birth to one son and so in three years she gave birth to three very powerful and mighty sons.

At this Màdri spoke to her husband :-- “O king, the best of the Kurus!  What shall I do now?  Kindly suggest to me the means of procreating sons; O Lord, remove my pain.” Pându asked Kunti for this; Kunti, moved with pity, gave her the mantra, so that she might get one son.  Then the beautiful Mâdrî, invoked the twin As'vin under the advice of her husband and got a pair of twins Nakula and Sahadeva through them.

O Munis!  Thus five Pândavas were born successively in every following year to the wives of Pându by the seed of the Devas.  Once on a time Pându, whose end was drawing nigh became very passionate at the sight of Mâdrî in that solitary hermitage.  He, though forbidden repeatedly by Mâdri, warmly embraced her, as if dictated by the great destroyer, and fell to the ground.  As the creeper falls down when the tree is felled, so Mâdrî dropped on the ground and began to cry violently.  Having heard the wailings of Mâdrî, Kunti and the five sons of Pându came there weeping and crying; a tumult then ensued and the great Munis also appeared on the scene. 

Then those Munis, practising great vows, knew that Pàndu was dead and

performed duly, on the banks of the Ganges, the ceremony of burning the dead.

At that time Mâdri gave over to Kunti the charge of her two sons and followed the Satî practice along with her husband to go to Satyaloka.

The Munis, then, performed Tarpana ceremonies in honour of Pându and Mâdri and took Kunti and the five sons to Hastinâpur.  Knowing that Kunti has come, Bhîsma, Vidura and the relatives of Dhritarâstra within the city, all came to Kunti.  They all asked Kunti :-- “O beautiful one!  Whose are these five sons?” Kunti, then, remembered the curse on Pându and sorrowfully expressed :-- “ These are the Deva's sons born in Kuru family.” In order to convince the people assembled there, Kunti invoked the Devas who came in the celestial space above and said :-- “Yes, these are the sons born of our seeds.” Bhîsma, then, paid respect to the words of the Devas and honoured duly the boys.  Bhîsma then took the five sons and Pându's wife to Hastinâ and gladly nourished them. 

O Munis!  The sons of Prithâ were thus born and nourished by Bhîsma.

Thus ends the sixth chapter of the second Adhyâya on the birth of the Pândavas in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam.

Source:  Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by Swami Vijnanananda