Canto
3
Chapter 22: The marriage of Kardama Muni and Devahûti
(1) Maitreya said: 'After the sage this way had described the greatness of the virtues and activities of Emperor Manu did he fall silent. The Emperor feeling somewhat embarrassed about it then addressed him. (2) Manu said: 'Lord Brahmâ created you people, in your being connected in penance, knowledge and yoga and being turned away from sense gratification, after his own image, to his own interest expanding himself into the form of the Vedas. (3) To protect that created he, the thousand legged father, us as his thousands of arms; so that the brahmins are called his heart and the kshatriyas [the rulers] his arms. (4) Therefore do the brahmins and the kshatriyas factually protect one another as well as themselves, just as godhead, he imperishable who is both cause and effect, protects them. (5) By just seeing you all my doubts resolved, the way you, supreme one, personally, lovingly explained what the duty of a king is to his subjects. (6) It is my good fortune o powerful one, that I could see you, who cannot easily be seen by those who are not acting to the soul; it is my good fortune that my head could touch the dust of your feet that bring all the blessing. (7) I am lucky to have been granted the great favor of receiving your speech; what good fortune to have received with open ears the pure of those words! (8) O sage, your honor, be pleased yourself to listen to the prayer of this humble person whose mind is worried out of affection for his daughter. (9) This daughter of mine, the sister of Priyavrata and Uttânapâda, is seeking a husband suitable qua age, character and good qualities. (10) The moment she heard about your noble character, learning, appearance, youth and virtues from Nârada Muni, she fixed her mind upon you. (11) Therefore, please accept her, o best of the twiceborn; she is offered by me believing that she is in every way suitable to take charge of your household. (12) To deny what in fact came of its own accord is not commendable, not even for one who is free from attachment to sensual pleasure, not to mention one addicted. (13) One who rejects [such an] an offering and [rather] begs from a miser, will see his reputation with the people ruined, and his honor destroyed in neglect. (14) O wise man, I heard that you were preparing to get married and hence have not taken the vow of perpetual celibacy; then please accept my offer [naishthhika-brahmacârîs vow for lifelong celibacy, upakurvâna-brahmacârîs do so up to a certain age].'
(15) The rishi replied: 'I am very well willing to get married and your daughter has not promised herself to anyone; properly answering to both these preconditions we can perform the rituals of marriage. (16) Let that desire of your daughter, which is recognized by scriptural authority, be fulfilled, o King; who, in fact, would not adore your daughter, who by her bodily luster alone outshines her ornaments. (17) Didn't Vis'vâvasu [a Gandharva, a heavenly being], who saw her playing on the roof of the palace when she was chasing her ball, infatuated fall down from his high position with a mind stupefied? (18) What wise man would not welcome her who came of her own accord as the beloved daughter of Manu and sister of Uttânapâda, that gem of womanhood not found by the ones who missed the feet of the goddess? (19) Therefore I will accept the chaste girl as long as she may bear from the semen of my body, on the condition that I thereafter take up the duties of service as done by the best of the perfected ones [the paramahamsas] and all that I, nonenvious, will consider to be to the word of the Lord. (20) To me, is the highest authority the Supreme unlimited One, the Lord of the fathers of mankind [the Prajâpatis], from whom this wonderful creation emanated, in whom it will dissolve and by whom it presently exists.'
(21) Maitreya said: 'He, o great warrior, spoke this much only and became silent with his thoughts on Vishnu's lotus, seizing, with a beautiful smile on his face, the mind of a captivated Devahûti. (22) After Manu had confirmed the decision taken by the queen and as well was certain of his daughter's mind about him, gave he, extremely pleased, her away who was an equal with as many good qualities. (23) S'atarûpâ, the empress, lovingly gave in dowry valuable presents like ornaments, clothes and household articles to the bride and bridegroom. (24) The emperor relieved of the responsibility of giving his daughter to a suitable man then embraced her with his two arms and an agitated mind full of anxiety. (25) Unable to part from her he shed tears, over and over drenching his daughter's hair with the water from his eyes uttering: 'O dear mother, my dearest daughter!'
(26-27) After asking and receiving permission to take leave of him, the best of sages, did he, the Emperor with his wife mount his chariot and, along with his retinue, start out for his capital, enjoying the tranquil scenery of the beautiful hermitages so pleasant for the sages on both the banks of the river the Sarasvatî. (28) Overjoyed of knowing who was arriving, were the subjects of Brahmâvarta coming forth to greet him with songs, praise and instrumental music. (29-30) The city, which had all kinds of wealth, was named Barhishmatî, after the hairs of the shaking body of Lord Boar that had fallen down and had turned into the evergreen colored kus'a- and kâs'a grass [grasses used for sitting places and mats] by which the sages defeated the disturbers of the sacrifices to the by them worshiped Lord Vishnu. (31) Having spread that kus'a and kâs'a grass had the greatly fortunate Manu created a seat in worship of the Lord of sacrifice [Vishnu] from whom he had achieved his position on earth. (32) Entering the city of Barhishmatî where he till then had lived, went the powerful one into his palace that defeated the threefold miseries [of body, mind and outer nature]. (33) Along with his wife and subjects enjoyed he not disturbed by others life's pleasures and was he praised for his reputation of piety, for he was in his heart very drawn to listen with his wives each morning to the celestial musicians and the talks about the Lord. (34) Though absorbed in the deluding oneness of matter, was Svâyambhuva Manu as a saint; being a supreme devotee of the Lord could his material enjoyments not lead him astray. (35) He didn't spend his hours in vain with his to the end of his days spending his life with the hearing and contemplating, recording and discussing of the topics of Lord Vishnu. (36) His thus transcending the three destinations [according the modes, see Gîtâ ch.18] in being connected with the topics of Vâsudeva, made His era last for the time of seventy-one mahâyugas. (37) How can the miseries pertaining to the body, the mind, the [natural and supernatural] powers and other men and living beings, o Vidura, ever trouble one who lives under the shelter of the Lord? (38) He [Manu], who was always for the welfare of all living beings, formulated, on request of the sages, the many kinds of duties of the status orientations [varnas and âs'ramas, the vocations and agegroups] beneficial to human society. (39) This is what I could tell you about the wonderful character of Manu the first emperor, whose reputation is worth the description. Now please listen to how his daughter [Devahûti] flourished.
Second Edition, loaded July 15, 2006.
Source texts:
The Marriage of Kardama Muni and Devahûti
Maitreya said: 'After the sage this way had described the greatness of the virtues and activities of Emperor Manu did he fall silent. The Emperor feeling somewhat embarrassed about it then addressed him.S'rî Maitreya said: After describing the greatness of the Emperor's manifold qualities and activities, the sage became silent, and the Emperor, feeling modesty, addressed him as follows. (Vedabase)
Manu said: ' Lord Brahmâ created you people, in your being connected in penance, knowledge and yoga and being turned away from sense gratification, after his own image, to his own interest expanding himself into the form of the Vedas.
Manu replied: To expand himself in Vedic knowledge, Lord Brahmâ, the personified Veda, from his face created you, the brâhmanas, who are full of austerity, knowledge and mystic power and are averse to sense gratification. (Vedabase)
To protect that created he, the thousand legged father, us as his thousands of arms; so that the brahmins are called his heart and the kshatriyas [the rulers] his arms.
For the protection of the brâhmanas, the thousand-legged Supreme Being created us, the kshatriyas, from His thousand arms. Hence the brâhmanas are said to be His heart and the kshatriyas His arms. (Vedabase)
Therefore do the brahmins and the kshatriyas factually protect one another as well as themselves, just as godhead, he imperishable who is both cause and effect, protects them.
That is why the brâhmanas and kshatriyas protect each other, as well as themselves; and the Lord Himself, who is both the cause and effect and is yet immutable, protects them through each other. (Vedabase)
By just seeing you all my doubts resolved, the way you, supreme one, personally, lovingly explained what the duty of a king is to his subjects.
Now I have resolved all my doubts simply by meeting you, for Your Lordship has very kindly and clearly explained the duty of a king who desires to protect his subjects. (Vedabase)
It is my good fortune o powerful one, that I could see you, who cannot easily be seen by those who are not acting to the soul; it is my good fortune that my head could touch the dust of your feet that bring all the blessing.
It is my good fortune that I have been able to see you, for you cannot easily be seen by persons who have not subdued the mind or controlled the senses. I am all the more fortunate to have touched with my head the blessed dust of your feet. (Vedabase)
I am lucky to have been granted the great favor of receiving your speech; what good fortune to have received with open ears the pure of those words!
I have fortunately been instructed by you, and thus great favor has been bestowed upon me. I thank God that I have listened with open ears to your pure words. (Vedabase)
O sage, your honor, be pleased yourself to listen to the prayer of this humble person whose mind is worried out of affection for his daughter.
O great sage, graciously be pleased to listen to the prayer of my humble self, for my mind is troubled by affection for my daughter. (Vedabase)
This daughter of mine, the sister of Priyavrata and Uttânapâda, is seeking a husband suitable qua age, character and good qualities.
My daughter is the sister of Priyavrata and Uttânapâda. She is seeking a suitable husband in terms of age, character and good qualities. (Vedabase)
The moment she heard about your noble character, learning, appearance, youth and virtues from Nârada Muni, she fixed her mind upon you.
The moment she heard from the sage Nârada of your noble character, learning, beautiful appearance, youth and other virtues, she fixed her mind upon you. (Vedabase)
Therefore, please accept her, o best of the twiceborn; she is offered by me believing that she is in every way suitable to take charge of your household.
Therefore please accept her, O chief of the brâhmanas, for I offer her with faith and she is in every respect fit to be your wife and take charge of your household duties. (Vedabase)
To deny what in fact came of its own accord is not commendable, not even for one who is free from attachment to sensual pleasure, not to mention one addicted.
To deny an offering that has come of itself is not commendable even for one absolutely free from all attachment, much less one addicted to sensual pleasure. (Vedabase)
One who rejects [such an] an offering and [rather] begs from a miser, will see his reputation with the people ruined, and his honor destroyed in neglect.
One who rejects an offering that comes of its own accord but later begs a boon from a miser thus loses his widespread reputation, and his pride is humbled by the neglectful behavior of others. (Vedabase)
O wise man, I heard that you were preparing to get married and hence have not taken the vow of perpetual celibacy; then please accept my offer [naishthhika-brahmacârîs vow for lifelong celibacy, upakurvâna-brahmacârîs do so up to a certain age].'
Svâyambhuva Manu continued: O wise man, I heard that you were prepared to marry. Please accept her hand, which is being offered to you by me, since you have not taken a vow of perpetual celibacy. (Vedabase)
The rishi replied: 'I am very well willing to get married and your daughter has not promised herself to anyone; properly answering to both these preconditions we can perform the rituals of marriage.
The great sage replied: Certainly I have a desire to marry, and your daughter has not yet married or given her word to anyone. Therefore our marriage according to the Vedic system can take place. (Vedabase)
Let that desire of your daughter, which is recognized by scriptural authority, be fulfilled, o King; who, in fact, would not adore your daughter, who by her bodily luster alone outshines her ornaments.
Let your daughter's desire for marriage, which is recognized in the Vedic scriptures, be fulfilled. Who would not accept her hand? She is so beautiful that by her bodily luster alone she excels the beauty of her ornaments. (Vedabase)
Didn't Vis'vâvasu [a Gandharva, a heavenly being], who saw her playing on the roof of the palace when she was chasing her ball, infatuated fall down from his high position with a mind stupefied?
I have heard that Vis'vâvasu, the great Gandharva, his mind stupefied with infatuation, fell from his airplane after seeing your daughter playing with a ball on the roof of the palace, for she was indeed beautiful with her tinkling ankle bells and her eyes moving to and fro. (Vedabase)
What wise man would not welcome her who came of her own accord as the beloved daughter of Manu and sister of Uttânapâda, that gem of womanhood not found by the ones who missed the feet of the goddess?
What wise man would not welcome her, the very ornament of womanhood, the beloved daughter of Svâyambhuva Manu and sister of Uttânapâda? Those who have not worshiped the gracious feet of the goddess of fortune cannot even perceive her, yet she has come of her own accord to seek my hand. (Vedabase)
Therefore I will accept the chaste girl as long as she may bear from the semen of my body, on the condition that I thereafter take up the duties of service as done by the best of the perfected ones [the paramahamsas] and all that I, nonenvious, will consider to be to the word of the Lord.
Therefore I shall accept this chaste girl as my wife, on the condition that after she bears semen from my body, I shall accept the life of devotional service accepted by the most perfect human beings. That process was described by Lord Vishnu. It is free from envy. (Vedabase)
To me, is the highest authority the Supreme unlimited One, the Lord of the fathers of mankind [the Prajâpatis], from whom this wonderful creation emanated, in whom it will dissolve and by whom it presently exists.'
The highest authority for me is the unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom this wonderful creation emanates and in whom its sustenance and dissolution rest. He is the origin of all Prajâpatis, the personalities meant to produce living entities in this world. (Vedabase)
Maitreya said: 'He, o great warrior, spoke this much only and became silent with his thoughts on Vishnu's lotus, seizing, with a beautiful smile on his face, the mind of a captivated Devahûti.
S'rî Maitreya said: O great warrior Vidura, the sage Kardama said this much only and then became silent, thinking of his worshipable Lord Vishnu, who has a lotus on His navel. As he silently smiled, his face captured the mind of Devahûti, who began to meditate upon the great sage. (Vedabase)
After Manu had confirmed the decision taken by the queen and as well was certain of his daughter's mind about him, gave he, extremely pleased, her away who was an equal with as many good qualities.
After having unmistakably known the decision of the Queen, as well as that of Devahûti, the Emperor most gladly gave his daughter to the sage, whose host of virtues was equaled by hers. (Vedabase)
S'atarûpâ, the empress, lovingly gave in dowry valuable presents like ornaments, clothes and household articles to the bride and bridegroom.
Empress S'atarûpâ lovingly gave most valuable presents, suitable for the occasion, such as jewelry, clothes and household articles, in dowry to the bride and bridegroom. (Vedabase)
The emperor relieved of the responsibility of giving his daughter to a suitable man then embraced her with his two arms and an agitated mind full of anxiety.
Thus relieved of his responsibility by handing over his daughter to a suitable man, Svâyambhuva Manu, his mind agitated by feelings of separation, embraced his affectionate daughter with both his arms. (Vedabase)
Text 25:
Unable to part from her he shed tears, over and over drenching his daughter's hair with the water from his eyes uttering: 'O dear mother, my dearest daughter!'
The Emperor was unable to bear the separation of his daughter. Therefore tears poured from his eyes again and again, drenching his daughter's head as he cried, "My dear mother! My dear daughter. (Vedabase)!"
After asking and receiving permission to take leave of him, the best of sages, did he, the Emperor with his wife mount his chariot and, along with his retinue, start out for his capital, enjoying the tranquil scenery of the beautiful hermitages so pleasant for the sages on both the banks of the river the Sarasvatî.
After asking and obtaining the great sage's permission to leave, the monarch mounted his chariot with his wife and started for his capital, followed by his retinue. Along the way he saw the prosperity of the tranquil seers' beautiful hermitages on both the charming banks of the Sarasvatî, the river so agreeable to saintly persons. (Vedabase)
Overjoyed of knowing who was arriving, were the subjects of Brahmâvarta coming forth to greet him with songs, praise and instrumental music.
Overjoyed to know of his arrival, his subjects came forth from Brahmâvarta to greet their returning lord with songs, prayers and musical instruments. (Vedabase)
The city, which had all kinds of wealth, was named Barhishmatî, after the hairs of the shaking body of Lord Boar that had fallen down and had turned into the evergreen colored kus'a- and kâs'a grass [grasses used for sitting places and mats] by which the sages defeated the disturbers of the sacrifices to the by them worshiped Lord Vishnu.
The city of Barhishmatî, rich in all kinds of wealth, was so called because Lord Vishnu's hair dropped there from His body when He manifested Himself as Lord Boar. As He shook His body, this very hair fell and turned into blades of evergreen kus'a grass and kâs'a [another kind of grass used for mats], by means of which the sages worshiped Lord Vishnu after defeating the demons who had interfered with the performance of their sacrifices. (Vedabase)
Having spread that kus'a and kâs'a grass had the greatly fortunate Manu created a seat in worship of the Lord of sacrifice [Vishnu] from whom he had achieved his position on earth.
Manu spread a seat of kus'as and kâs'as and worshiped the Lord, the Personality of Godhead, by whose grace he had obtained the rule of the terrestrial globe. (Vedabase)
Entering the city of Barhishmatî where he till then had lived, went the powerful one into his palace that defeated the threefold miseries [of body, mind and outer nature].
Having entered the city of Barhishmatî, in which he had previously lived, Manu entered his palace, which was filled with an atmosphere that eradicated the three miseries of material existence. (Vedabase)
Along with his wife and subjects enjoyed he not disturbed by others life's pleasures and was he praised for his reputation of piety, for he was in his heart very drawn to listen with his wives each morning to the celestial musicians and the talks about the Lord.
Emperor Svâyambhuva Manu enjoyed life with his wife and subjects and fulfilled his desires without being disturbed by unwanted principles contrary to the process of religion. Celestial musicians and their wives sang in chorus about the pure reputation of the Emperor, and early in the morning, every day, he used to listen to the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a loving heart. (Vedabase)
Though absorbed in the deluding oneness of matter, was Svâyambhuva Manu as a saint; being a supreme devotee of the Lord could his material enjoyments not lead him astray.
Thus Svâyambhuva Mahu was a saintly king. Although absorbed in material happiness, he was not dragged to the lowest grade of life, for he always enjoyed his material happiness in a Krishna conscious atmosphere. (Vedabase)
He didn't spend his hours in vain with his to the end of his days spending his life with the hearing and contemplating, recording and discussing of the topics of Lord Vishnu.
Consequently, although his duration of life gradually came to an end, his long life, consisting of a Manvantara era, was not spent in vain, since he ever engaged in hearing, contemplating, writing down and chanting the pastimes of the Lord. (Vedabase)
His thus transcending the three destinations [according the modes, see Gîtâ ch.18] in being connected with the topics of Vâsudeva, made His era last for the time of seventy-one mahâyugas.
He passed his time, which lasted seventy-one cycles of the four ages [71 x 4.320.000 years], always thinking of Vâsudeva and always engaged in matters regarding Vâsudeva. Thus he transcended the three destinations. (Vedabase)
How can the miseries pertaining to the body, the mind, the [natural and supernatural] powers and other men and living beings, o Vidura, ever trouble one who lives under the shelter of the Lord?
Therefore, O Vidura, how can persons completely under the shelter of Lord Krishna in devotional service be put into miseries pertaining to the body, the mind, nature, and other men and living creatures? (Vedabase)
He [Manu], who was always for the welfare of all living beings, formulated, on request of the sages, the many kinds of duties of the status orientations [varnas and âs'ramas, the vocations and agegroups] beneficial to human society.
In reply to questions asked by certain sages, he [Svâyambhuva Manu], out of compassion for all living entities, taught the diverse sacred duties of men in general and the different varnas and âs'ramas. (Vedabase)
This is what I could tell you about the wonderful character of Manu the first emperor, whose reputation is worth the description. Now please listen to how his daughter flourished [Devahûti].
I have spoken to you of the wonderful character of Svâyambhuva Manu, the original king, whose reputation is worthy of description. Please hear as I speak of the flourishing of his daughter Devahûti. (Vedabase)
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ISBN: o-91277-27-7
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