{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/db/bk01ch20.htm","path":"hin/db/bk01ch20.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk01ch20.htm","text":"THE FIRST BOOK\nChapter XX\nOn Vy\u00e2sa doing his duties\n1-8. The Risis said :-- \u201cO S\u00fbta! What did Veda Vy\u00e2sa do, when the highest Yogi S\u2019\u00fbka, Deva-like, acquired all the excellent supernatural powers? Kindly describe all these in detail.\u201d\nHearing this question, S\u00fbta spoke :-- O Rishis! Vy\u00e2sa already had with him many disciples Asita, Devala, Vais'amp\u00e2yana, Jaimini, Sumantu and others, all engaged in the study of the Vedas. After their studies were over, they all went out to propagate Dharma on the earth. Then Vy\u00e2sa , seeing that the disciples went to the earth and his son S\u2019\u00fbka Deva had got to the next world, became very much distressed with sorrow and wanted to go to some other place. He then decided to go to his birth place and went to the banks of the Ganges and there remembered his auspicious mother Satyavat\u00ee, forsaken by him before, very sorrowful, and the daughter of a fisherman. He then quitted that heaven-like mountain, the source of all happiness and came to his own birth place. Reaching the island where he was born, he enquired the whereabouts of the beautiful faced, the fisherman's daughter as well the wife of a king. The fishermen replied that their king had given her in marriage to the king S'antanu. Then the king of fishermen, seeing Vy\u00e2sa there, gladly worshipped him and gave him a cordial welcome and spoke with folded palms, thus :--\n9-16. O Muni! When I have become so fortunate as to see you, rare even to the Devas, then my birth has been sanctified today and you have purified my family. O Br\u00e2hmin! Kindly say what for have you come?\nMy wife, son and all my riches and every other thing that I have are at your disposal. Thus hearing the history of his mother Satyavat\u00ee, Vy\u00e2sa erected an \u00c2s\u2019rama on the beautiful banks of the river Sarasvat\u00ee and remained there in tapasy\u00e2 with an enlightened mind.\nSome time elapsed when the highly energetic S\u2019antanu got through his wife Satyavat\u00ee two sons. Vy\u00e2sa Deva considered them as his two brothers and became very glad, though he himself used to live in the forest. The first son of the king S\u2019antanu was Chitr\u00e2ngada, endowed with all auspicious qualities, exceedingly beautiful, and tormenting his foes; the second son was Vichitra-v\u00eerya; he was endowed with all qualities. The king S\u2019antanu became very happy to get these children. S\u2019antanu had one son before through his wife Gang\u00e2; he was a great hero and very powerful; and the two sons of Satyavat\u00ee were equally powerful. The high souled S\u2019antanu now seeing the three sons, all endowed with all auspicious qualities, began to think that the Devas were incapable to defeat him.\n17-34. After some time, the religious S\u2019antanu quitted his worn-out body as a man quits his clothes worn out in due time. After the king S\u2019antanu had ascended the Heavens, the energetic Bh\u00ees'ma performed duly his funeral obsequies and gave various things in charity to the Br\u00e2hmanas. He did not accept the kingdom himself; but placed Chitr\u00e2ngada on the throne and became known by the name of Devavrata (truthful in vow like the Devas). The pure souled Chitr\u00e2ngada, born of Satyavat\u00ee became so much powerful by sheer force of his arms, and became so great a hero that the enemies felt endless troubles. Now once on an occasion, the greatly powerful Chitr\u00e2ngada, surrounded by a great army, went on an hunting excursion to the forest in quest of rur\u00fb deer, etc., when the Gandarbha Chitr\u00e2ngada, seeing the king on the way, alighted from his chariot.\nO ascetics! A fierce battle then ensued for three years on that sacred and wide expanse Kuruksettra between the two heroes, both equally powerful. In the battle, the king Chitr\u00e2ngada, the son of S\u2019antanu was slain by the Gandarbha Chitr\u00e2ngada and went up to Heavens. Bh\u00ees\u2019ma, born of the womb of Gang\u00e2, hearing the above news, expressed his sorrows and, being surrounded by the ministers completed all the funeral obsequies and installed Vichitrav\u00eerya on the throne. The beautiful Satyavat\u00ee became very much agitated by the death of her son; but when the ministers and the highsouled spiritual teachers consoled her, she became glad when she saw that her youngest son became king. Vy\u00e2sa Deva, too, felt himself glad to hear that his youngest brother had been made king. After some time when the all auspicious, Satyavat\u00ee's son Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya attained his youth,\nBh\u00ees\u2019ma began to think of his marriage. At this time the king of K\u00e2s\u00ee (K\u00e2s'\u00eer\u00e2j) called an assembly Svayamvara (where the kings are invited and the bride selects the bridegroom) for the marriage of her three daughters, endowed with all auspicious qualities, at one and the same time. Thousands and thousands of kings and princes from various countries were invited there in the assembly; and, worshipped duly, they went and decorated the hall. At that time the highly energetic fiery Bh\u00ees\u2019ma alone, mounting on his chariot, attacked the infantry and cavalry, and defeated all the kings assembled there, and perforce carried away the three daughters of K\u00e2s'\u00eer\u00e2j and took them to Hastin\u00e2pur. Bh\u00ees\u2019ma behaved towards those three daughters as if they were mothers, sisters or daughters and informed Satyavat\u00ee without any delay of everything that had happened.\n35-39. Then he called for the astrologers and Br\u00e2hmins, versed in the Vedas and enquired about the auspicious day for their marriage. When the day was fixed and when every preparation was made, the religious Bh\u00ees\u2019ma wanted Vichitrav\u00eerya to marry them. At this time, the eldest daughter, beautiful-eyed spoke out modestly to the Gang\u00e2's son Bh\u00ees\u2019ma :-- \u201cO Gang\u00e2's son, the illustrious son of your family and the best of the Kurus! You are the best knower of Dharma; therefore what more shall I say to you. In the Svayamvara assembly I mentally selected S'\u00e2lva and it struck me that he, too, looked on me with a very loving heart towards me. So, O tormentor of foes! Now do what is fit for that sacred family; O Gang\u00e2's son! Not only you are extraordinarily powerful but you are also the foremost of the religious. S\u00e2lva mentally wanted to marry me; now do as you like.\u201d\n40-44. When the eldest daughter spoke thus, Bh\u00ees\u2019ma asked the aged Br\u00e2hmanas, ministers and his mother \u201cWhat ought to be done now\u201d and, taking the opinions of all, spoke to that daughter :-- \u201cO beautiful one! You can go wherever you like.\u201d Thus saying, Bh\u00ees\u2019ma released her. Then the beautiful daughter of K\u00e2s\u00eer\u00e2j went to the house of S\u00e2lvar\u00e2j and expressed to him her heart's desire :-- \u201cO great king! Knowing me attached to yourself, Bh\u00ees\u2019ma has quitted me according to the laws of Dharma; I have therefore come to you now; marry me. O best of the kings! I will be your legal wife, for already I used to think you as my husband and you, too, must have thought me your wife.\u201d\n45-47. S'\u00e2lva replied as follows :-- \u201cO beautiful one! When Bh\u00ees\u2019ma caught hold of your arm before me and took you to his chariot, then I won't marry you. You can say yourself what intelligent man can marry a woman touched by another? Therefore I won't marry you, though\nBh\u00ees\u2019ma has quitted you, in the light of another.\u201d Hearing these words of S\u2019\u00e2lva, the daughter of K\u00e2s\u00eer\u00e2j wept bitterly; yet S\u2019\u00e2lva quitted her. Therefore, finding no other way, she went back to Bh\u00ees\u2019ma weeping, and said as follows :--\n48-50. O great warrior! S\u2019\u00e2lva did not consent to marry me, as you first took me to the chariot and afterwards left me. So, O Mah\u00e2bh\u00e2ga! You better look to Dharma and marry me, as you know best what is Dharma. If you do not marry me, I will certainly quit my life. Hearing her words Bh\u00ees\u2019ma said :-- O beautiful one! How can I accept you, when your mind has become attached towards another. So, O fair one! You better go back soon to your own father with a calm, clear mind. When Bh\u00ees\u2019ma said thus, that daughter of K\u00e2s\u00eer\u00e2j did not go back, out of sheer shame, to her father's house, but went to a forest and in a greatly solitary place of pilgrimage began to practise asceticism.\n51-56. Now the other two daughters of K\u00e2s\u00eer\u00e2j, beautiful and all auspicious Amb\u00e2lik\u00e2 and Ambik\u00e2 became the wives of the king Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya. Thus the powerful king Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya began to enjoy various pleasures in the palace and in the gardens and thus passed his time. For full nine years the king Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya enjoyed the sexual pleasures and became attacked with consumption and fell into the jaws of death. Hearing the death news of her son Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya, Satyavat\u00ee became very sorry and surrounded by her ministers, performed his funeral obsequies. Then she spoke privately to Bh\u00ees\u2019ma with a grievous heart :-- \u201cO highly fortunately son! now you better govern your father's kingdom and see that the family of Yay\u00e2ti does not become extinct. So better take your brother's wife and try your best to continue your family line.\n57-74. Bh\u00ees\u2019ma then said :-- \"O Mother! Did you not hear of the promise that I already made before my father? So I cannot ever marry and govern the kingdom.\u201d Hearing these words of Bh\u00ees\u2019ma, Satyavat\u00ee became anxious. She began to think as follows :-- \u201cHow now the continuity of the family be kept! And it is not advisable to remain idle when the kingdom has become kingless; no happiness can be derived in this state.\u201d Thus thinking, she became exceedingly distressed; then the Gang\u00e2's son, Bh\u00ees\u2019ma spoke to her :-- \u201cO respected one! Do not worry your mind with cares; now take steps so as to secure a son from Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya's wife. Call some best Br\u00e2hmin, born of a good family and unite him with Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya's wife. There is no fault, as far as I know, in doing thus to keep up the family line. O sweet smiling one! Thus having begotten the grandson, give him this kingdom; I will also obey his commands.\u201d Hearing these reasonable words of Bh\u00ees\u2019ma, Satyavat\u00ee remem\nbered her own son, the sinless Vy\u00e2sa Deva, who was born to her during her virginity. As soon as Vy\u00e2sa was remembered, he, the great ascetic and effulgent like the sun, came there and bowed down to his mother. The highly energetic Vy\u00e2sa was then worshipped duly by Bh\u00ees\u2019ma and welcome by Satyavat\u00ee and began to rest there like a smokeless fire. The mother Satyavat\u00ee then spoke to the chief Muni :-- \u201cO son! Now procreate a beautiful son from your sperm and the ovum of Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya's wife.\u201d Hearing the mother's words, Vy\u00e2sa considered them as Veda's injunction and thought they must be obeyed and promised before her that he must obey and and fulfil her orders. He remained there, waiting for the menstruation period. When the due period of menstruation arrived, Ambik\u00e2 bathed and had a sexual intercourse with Vy\u00e2sa and begot a very powerful son, but a blind one (since she closed her eyes at the sight of Vy\u00e2sa during her intercourse). Seeing the son born blind Satyavat\u00ee became exceedingly sorry; she, then, asked her other son's wife :-- \u201cGo soon and get a son born of you in the aforesaid manner.\u201d When the menstruation period arrived, Amb\u00e2lik\u00e2 during the night time went to Vy\u00e2sa and mixed and became pregnant. In due time a son was born; that child became of a very pale colour; so Satyavat\u00ee thought the new child, too, unfit for the kingdom; therefore at the end of the year again asked her son's wife Amb\u00e2lik\u00e2 to go to Vy\u00e2sa . She asked Vy\u00e2sa also for the same purpose and sent Amb\u00e2lik\u00e2 to his bed room. But Amb\u00e2lik\u00e2 became afraid, and could not go herself but sent her maid servant for the purpose. Thus from the womb of the maid servant the high souled Vidura was born, having Dharma's parts and the most auspicious towards all. Thus Vy\u00e2sa begot three very powerful sons Dhritar\u00e2stra, Pandu and Vidura for the continuity of the family line. O sinless Maharsis! Thus I have described to you how my Guru Vy\u00e2sa Deva, who knows well all the Dharmas, kept up the continuity of his family and how he begot sons in the womb of his brother Vich\u00eetrav\u00eerya's wives, according to the laws of Dharma, to keep up a family.\nThus ends the twentieth chapter of the 1st Skandha as well as the first Skandha on Vy\u00e2sa doing his duties in the Mah\u00e2pur\u00e2nam S'r\u00ee Dev\u00ee Bh\u00e2gavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vy\u00e2sa .","title":"The Devi Bhagavatam: The First Book: Chapter 20","type":"page"}