Devibhagavatapurana 2.1: prathamo'dhyāyaḥ | mastyagandhotpattivarṇanam

2.1.1

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ |
āścaryakarametatte vacanaṃ garbhahetukam |
sandeho'tra samutpannaḥ sarveṣāṃ nastapasvinām ||

2.1.2

mātā vyāsasya medhāvinnāmnā satyavatīti ca |
vivāhitā purā jñātā rājñā śantanunā yathā ||

2.1.3

tasyāḥ putraḥ kathaṃ vyāsaḥ satī svabhavane sthitā |
īdṛśī sā kathaṃ rājñā punaḥ śantanunā vṛtā ||

2.1.4

tasyāṃ putrāvubhau jātau tattvaṃ kathaya suvrata |
vistareṇa mahābhāga kathāṃ paramapāvanīm ||

2.1.5

utpattiṃ vada vyāsasya satyavatyāstathā punaḥ |
śrotukāmāḥ punaḥ sarve ṛṣayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||

2.1.6

sūta uvāca |
praṇamya paramāṃ śaktiṃ caturvargapradāyinīm |
ādiśaktiṃ vadiṣyāmi kathāṃ paurāṇikīṃ śubhām ||

Sûta said:-- I bow down with devotion to the Highest Primordial Force, the bestower of the four fold aims of existence of human life, who grants to all, their desires when so prayed by the help of the Vâgbhava Vîjamantra with their heart and soul, for the success of all their desires. The above vîja is so potent in its effect that even pronounced very lightly, even under a pretext, it grants all siddhis. So the Devî should be remembered by all means; and now saluting Her, I begin my narration of the auspicious Purânic events. In days gone by there reigned a king, named Uparichara; he ruled over the Chedi country and respected the Brâhmins; he was truthful and very religious. Indra, the lord of the Devas, became very pleased by his asceticism and presented him an auspicious celestial car (going in the air) made of pearls, and crystals, helping him in doing what he liked best. Mounting on that divine chariot, that religious king used to go everywhere; he never remained on earth; he used to remain always in the atmosphere and therefore be had his name as “Uparichara Vasu” (moving in the upper regions). He had a very beautiful wife, named Girikâ; and five powerful sons, of indomitable vigour, were born to him.
The king give separate kingdoms to each of his sons and made them kings. Once on an occasion, Girikâ, the wife of the Uparichara Vasu, after her bath after the menstruation and becoming pure came to the king and informed him of her desire to get a son; but that very day his Pitris (ancestors) requested him also to kill deer, etc., for their Srâddha (solemn obsequies performed in honour of the manes of deceased ancestors). Hearing the Pitris, the king of Chedi became somewhat anxious for his menstruous wife; but thinking his Pitris words more powerful and more worthy to be obeyed, went out on an hunting expedition to kill deer and other animals, with the thought of his wife Girikâ in his breast. Then while he was in the forest, he remembered his Girikâ, who was equal in her beauty and loveliness to Kamalâ, and the emission of semen virile took place. He kept this semen on the leaf of a banyan tree and thought “How the above semen be not futile; my semen cannot remain unfruitful; my wife has just now passed her menstruous condition; I will send this semen to my dear wife.” Thus thinking the time ripe, he closed the semen under the leaves of the banyan tree and charging it with the mantra power (some power) addressed a falcon close by thus:-- “O highly fortunate one! Take this my semen virile and go to my palace. O Beautiful one! Do this my work: take this semen virile and go quick to my palace and hand it over to my wife Girikâ for to-day is her menstruation period.”

2.1.7

yasyoccāraṇamātreṇa siddhirbhavati śāśvatī |
vyājenāpi hi bījasya vāgbhavasya viśeṣataḥ ||

2.1.8

samyak sarvātmanā sarvaiḥ sarvakāmārthasiddhaye |
smartavyā sarvathā devī vāñchitārthapradāyinī ||

2.1.9

rājoparicaro nāma dhārmikaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ |
cedideśapatiḥ śrīmān babhūva dvijapūjakaḥ ||

2.1.10

tapasā tasya tuṣṭena vimānaṃ sphāṭikaṃ śubham |
dattamindreṇa tattasmai sundaraṃ priyakāmyayā ||

2.1.11

tenārūḍhastu sarvatra yāti divyena bhūpatiḥ |
na bhūmāvuparistho'sau tenoparicaro vasuḥ ||

2.1.12

vikhyātaḥ sarvalokeṣu dharmanityaḥ sa bhūpatiḥ |
tasya bhāryā varārohā girikā nāma sundarī ||

2.1.13

putrāścāsya mahāvīryāḥ pañcāsannamitaujasaḥ |
pṛthagdeśeṣu rājānaḥ sthāpitāstena bhūbhujā ||

2.1.14

vasostu patnī girikā kāmān kāle nyavedayat |
ṛtukālamanuprāptā snātā puṃsavane śuciḥ ||

2.1.15

tadahaḥ pitaraścainamūcurjahi mṛgāniti |
tacchrutvā cintayāmāsa bhāryāmṛtumatīṃ tathā ||

2.1.16

pitṛvākyaṃ guruṃ matvā kartavyamiti niścitam |
cacāra mṛgayāṃ rājā girikāṃ manasā smaran ||

2.1.17

vane sthitaḥ sa rājarṣiścitte sasmāra bhāminīm |
atīva rūpasampannāṃ sākṣācchriyamivāparām ||

2.1.18

tasya retaḥ pracaskanda smaratastāṃ ca kāminīm |
vaṭapatre tu tadrājā skannamātraṃ samākṣipat ||

2.1.19

idaṃ vṛthā pariskannaṃ reto vai na bhavetkatham |
ṛtukālaṃ ca vijñāya matiṃ cakre nṛpastadā ||

2.1.20

amoghaṃ sarvathā vīryaṃ mama caitanna saṃśayaḥ |
priyāyai preṣayāmyetaditi buddhimakalpayat ||

2.1.21

śukraprasthāpane kālaṃ mahiṣyāḥ prasamīkṣya saḥ |
abhimantryātha tadvīryaṃ vaṭaparṇapuṭe kṛtam ||

2.1.22

pārśvasthaṃ śyenamābhāṣya rājovāca dvijaṃ prati |
gṛhāṇedaṃ mahābhāga gaccha śīghraṃ gṛhaṃ mama ||

2.1.23

matpriyārthamidaṃ saumya gṛhītvā tvaṃ gṛhaṃ naya |
girikāyai prayacchāśu tasyāstvārtavamadya vai ||

2.1.24

sūta uvāca |
ityuktvā pradadau parṇaṃ śyenāya nṛpasattamaḥ |
sa gṛhītvotpapātāśu gaganaṃ gativittamaḥ ||

Sûta said:-- “O Risis! Thus saying, the king gave that leaf with the virile therein to the falcon, who is capable of going quick in the air, took it and immediately rose high up in the air.

2.1.25

gacchantaṃ gaganaṃ śyenaṃ dhṛtvā cañcupuṭe puṭam |
tamapaśyadathāyāntaṃ khagaṃ śyenastathāparaḥ ||

Another falcon, seeing this one flying in the air with leaf in his beak, considered it to be some piece of flesh and fell upon him. Immediately a gallant fighting ensued between the two birds with their beaks.

2.1.26

āmiṣaṃ sa tu vijñāya śīghramabhyadravatkhagam |
tuṇḍayuddhamathākāśe tāvubhau sampracakratuḥ ||

2.1.27

yuddhyatorapatadretastajjāpi yamunāmbhasi |
khagau tau nirgatau kāmaṃ puṭake patite tadā ||

While the fighting was going on, that leaf with semen virile fell down from their beaks on the waters of the Jumnâ river. Then the two faIcons flew away as they liked.

2.1.28

etasminsamaye kācidadrikā nāma cāpsarāḥ |
brāhmaṇaṃ samanuprāptaṃ sandhyāvandanatatparam ||

O Risis! While the two falcons were fighting with each other, one Apsarâ (celestial nymph) named Adrikâ came to a Brâhmin, who was performing his Sandhyâ Bandanam on the banks of the Jumnâ. That beautiful woman began to bathe in the waters and took a plunge for playing sports and caught hold of the feet of the Brâhmana. The Dvija, engaged in Prânâyâma (deep breathing exercise), saw that the woman had amorous intentions, and cursed her, saying:-- “As you have interrupted me in my meditation, so be a fish.”
Adrikâ, one of the best Apsarâs, thus cursed, assumed the form of a fish Safari and spent her days in the Jumnâ waters. When the semen virile of Uparichara Vasu fell from the beak of the falcon, that fish Adrikâ came quickly and ate that and became pregnant. When ten months passed, a fisherman came there and caught in a net that fish Adrikâ. When the fish's belly was torn asunder, two human beings instantly came out the the womb. One was a lovely boy and the other a beautiful girl. The fisherman was greatly astonished to see this. He went and informed the king of that place who was Uparichara Vasu that the boy and the girl were born of the womb of a fish. The king also was greatly surprised and accepted the boy who seemed auspicious. This Vasu's son was highly energetic and powerful, truthful and religious like his father and became famous by the name of the king Matsyarâj. Uparichara Vasu gave away the girl to the fisherman. This girl was named Kâli and she became famous by the name of Matsyodarî. The smell of the fish came out of her body and she was named also Matsyagandhâ. Thus the auspicious Vasu's daughter remained and grew in that fisherman's house.
The Risis said:-- The beautiful Apsarâ, cursed by the Muni, turned into fish; she was afterwards cut asunder and eaten up by the fisherman. Very well! What happened afterwards to that Apsarâ? How was she freed of that curse? and how did she go back to the Heavens?
Thus questioned by the Risis, Sûta spoke as follows:-- When the Apsarâ was first cursed by the Muni, she was greatly astonished; she began to weep and cry like one greatly distressed and afterwards began to praise him. The Brâhmin, seeing her weeping, took pity on her and said:-- “O good one! Don't weep; I am telling you how your curse will expire. As an effect of having incurred my wrath, you will be born as a fish and when you will give birth to two human children, you will be freed of your curse.”
The Brâhmin having spoken thus, Adrikâ got a fish-body in the waters of the Jumnâ. Afterwards she gave birth to two human children and became freed of the curse when she, quitting the fish form assumed the divine form and went up to the Heavens. O Risis! The beautiful girl Matsyagandhâ thus took her birth and was nourished in the fisherman's house and grew up there. When the extraordinarily lovely girl of Vasu, Matsyagandhâ attained her youth, she continued to do all the household duties of the fisherman and remained there.
Thus ends the first chapter of the Second Skandha on the birth of Matsyagandhâ in the Mahâpurâna S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

2.1.29

kurvantī jalakeliṃ sā jale magnā cacāra sā |
jagrāha caraṇaṃ nārī dvijasya varavarṇinī ||

2.1.30

prāṇāyāmaparaḥ so'tha dṛṣṭvā tāṃ kāmacāriṇīm |
śaśāpa bhava matsyī tvaṃ dhyānavighnakarī yataḥ ||

2.1.31

sā śaptā vipramukhyena babhūva yamunācarī |
śapharī rūpasampannā hyadrikā ca varāpsarāḥ ||

2.1.32

śyenapādaparibhraṣṭaṃ tacchukramatha vāsavī |
jagrāha tarasābhyetya sādrikā matsyarūpiṇī ||

2.1.33

atha kālena kiyatā matsyīṃ tāṃ matsyajīvanaḥ |
samprāpte daśame māsi babandha tāṃ manoramām ||

2.1.34

udaraṃ vidadārāśu sa tasyā matsyajīvanaḥ |
yugmaṃ viniḥsṛtaṃ tasmādudarānmānuṣākṛti ||

2.1.35

bālaḥ kumāraḥ subhagastathā kanyā śubhānanā |
dṛṣṭvāścaryamidaṃ so'tha vismayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ ||

2.1.36

rājñe nivedayāmāsa putrau dvau tu jhaṣodbhavau |
rājāpi vismayāviṣṭaḥ sutaṃ jagrāha taṃ śubham ||

2.1.37

sa matsyo nāma rājāsau dhārmikaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ |
vasuputro mahātejāḥ pitrā tulyaparākramaḥ ||

2.1.38

kālikā vasunā dattā tarasā jalajīvine |
nāmnā kālīti vikhyātā tathā matsyodarīti ca ||

2.1.39

matsyagandheti nāmnā vai gaṇena samajāyata |
vivardhamānā dāśasya gṛhe sā vāsavī śubhā ||

2.1.40

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ |
adrikā muninā śaptā matsyī jātā varāpsarāḥ |
vidāritā ca dāśena mṛtā ca bhakṣitā punaḥ ||

2.1.41

kiṃ babhūva punastasyā apsarāyā vadasva tat |
śāpasyāntaṃ kathaṃ sūta kathaṃ svargamavāpa sā ||

2.1.42

sūta uvāca |
śaptā yadā sā muninā vismitā sambabhūva ha |
stutiṃ cakāra viprasya dīneva rudatī tadā ||

2.1.43

dayāvānbrāhmaṇaḥ prāha tāṃ tadā rudatīṃ striyam |
mā śokaṃ kuru kalyāṇi śāpāntaṃ te vadāmyaham ||

2.1.44

matkrodhaśāpayogena matsyayoniṃ gatā śubhe |
mānuṣau janayitvā tvaṃ śāpamokṣamavāpsyasi ||

2.1.45

ityuktā tena sā prāpa matsyadehaṃ nadījale |
bālakau janayitvā sā mṛtā muktā ca śāpataḥ ||

2.1.46

santyajya rūpaṃ matsyasya divyarūpamavāpya ca |
jagāmāmaramārgaṃ ca śāpānte varavarṇinī ||

2.1.47

evaṃ jātā varā putrī matsyagandhā varānanā |
putrīva pālyamānā sā dāśagehe vyavardhata ||

2.1.48

matsyagandhā tadā jātā kiśorī cātisuprabhā |
tasya kāryāṇi kurvāṇā vāsavī cātisuprabhā ||

2.1.48.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīyaskandhe mastyagandhotpattivarṇanaṃ nāma prathamo'dhyāyaḥ ||