Devibhagavatapurana 9.18: aṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ | śaṅkhacūḍena saha tulasyāḥ saṅgativarṇanam

9.18.1

nārāyaṇa uvāca |
tulasī parituṣṭā ca suṣvāpa hṛṣṭamānasā |
navayauvanasampannā vṛṣadhvajavarāṅganā ||

9.18.2

cikṣepa pañcabāṇaśca pañcabāṇāṃśca tāṃ prati |
puṣpāyudhena sā dagdhā puṣpacandanacarcitā ||

9.18.3

pulakāṅkitasarvāṅgī kampitāraktalocanā |
kṣaṇaṃ sā śuṣkatāṃ prāpa kṣaṇaṃ mūrcchāmavāpa ha ||

9.18.4

kṣaṇamudvignatāṃ prāpa kṣaṇaṃ tandrāṃ sukhāvahām |
kṣaṇaṃ ca dahanaṃ prāpa kṣaṇaṃ prāpa prasannatām ||

9.18.5

kṣaṇaṃ sā cetanāṃ prāpa kṣaṇaṃ prāpa viṣaṇṇatām |
uttiṣṭhantī kṣaṇaṃ talpād gacchantī nikaṭe kṣaṇam ||

9.18.6

bhramantī kṣaṇamudvegānnivasantī kṣaṇaṃ punaḥ |
kṣaṇameva samudvegātsuṣvāpa punareva sā ||

9.18.7

puṣpacandanatalpaṃ ca tad babhūvātikaṇṭakam |
viṣahāri sukhaṃ divyaṃ sundaraṃ ca phalaṃ jalam ||

9.18.8

nilayaṃ ca bilākāraṃ sūkṣmavastraṃ hutāśanaḥ |
sindūrapatrakaṃ caiva vraṇatulyaṃ ca duḥkhadam ||

9.18.9

kṣaṇaṃ dadarśa tandrāyāṃ suveṣaṃ puruṣaṃ satī |
sundaraṃ ca yuvānaṃ ca sasmitaṃ rasikeśvaram ||

9.18.10

candanokṣitasarvāṅgaṃ ratnabhūṣaṇabhūṣitam |
āgacchantaṃ mālyavantaṃ pibantaṃ tanmukhāmbujam ||

9.18.11

kathayantaṃ ratikathāṃ bruvantaṃ madhuraṃ muhuḥ |
sambhuktavantaṃ talpe ca samāśliṣyantamīpsitam ||

9.18.12

punareva tu gacchantamāgacchantaṃ ca sannidhau |
yāntaṃ kva yāsi prāṇeśa tiṣṭhatyevamuvāca sā ||

9.18.13

punaśca cetanāṃ prāpya vilalāpa punaḥ punaḥ |
evaṃ sā yauvanaṃ prāpya tasthau tatraiva nārada ||

9.18.14

śaṅkhacūḍo mahāyogī jaigīṣavyānmanoharam |
kṛṣṇamantraṃ ca samprāpya kṛtvā siddhaṃ tu puṣkare ||

9.18.15

kavacaṃ ca gale baddhvā sarvamaṅgalamaṅgalam |
brahmaṇaśca varaṃ prāpya yatte manasi vāñchitam ||

9.18.16

ājñayā brahmaṇaḥ so'pi badarīṃ ca samāyayau |
āgacchantaṃ śaṅkhacūḍaṃ dadarśa tulasī mune ||

9.18.17

navayauvanasampannaṃ kāmadevasamaprabham |
śvetacampakavarṇābhaṃ ratnabhūṣaṇabhūṣitam ||

9.18.18

śaratpārvaṇacandrāsyaṃ śaratpaṅkajalocanam |
ratnasāravinirmāṇavimānasthaṃ manoharam ||

9.18.19

ratnakuṇḍalayugmena gaṇḍasthalavirājitam |
pārijātaprasūnānāṃ mālāvantaṃ ca susmitam ||

9.18.20

kastūrīkuṅkumāyuktaṃ sugandhicandanānvitam |
sā dṛṣṭvā sannidhāvenaṃ mukhamācchādya vāsasā ||

9.18.21

sasmitā taṃ nirīkṣantī sakaṭākṣaṃ punaḥ punaḥ |
babhūvātinamramukhī navasaṅgamalajjitā ||

9.18.22

śaradinduvinindyaikasvamukhenduvirājitā |
amūlyaratnanirmāṇayāvakāvalisaṃyutā ||

9.18.23

maṇīndrasāranirmāṇakvaṇanmañjīrarañjitā |
dadhatī kabarībhāraṃ mālatīmālyasaṃyutam ||

9.18.24

amūlyaratnanirmāṇamakarākṛtikuṇḍalā |
citrakuṇḍalayugmena gaṇḍasthalavirājitā ||

9.18.25

ratnendrasārahāreṇa stanamadhyasthalojjvalā |
ratnakaṅkaṇakeyūraśaṅkhabhūṣaṇabhūṣitā ||

9.18.26

ratnāṅgulīyakairdivyairaṅgulyāvalirājitā |
dṛṣṭvā tāṃ lalitāṃ ramyāṃ suśīlāṃ sundarīṃ satīm ||

9.18.27

uvāsa tatsamīpe tu madhuraṃ tāmuvāca saḥ |
śaṅkhacūḍa uvāca |
kā tvaṃ kasya ca kanyā ca dhanyā mānyā ca yoṣitām ||

“O Proud One! O Auspicious One! Who are you? Whose daughter are you? You look fortunate and blessed among women. I am your silent slave. Talk with me.”

9.18.28

kā tvaṃ mānini kalyāṇi sarvakalyāṇadāyini |
maunībhūte kiṅkare māṃ sambhāṣāṃ kuru sundari ||

That beautiful eyed Tulasî, full of love, replied to S’ankhachûda with smiling countenance and face bent low:-- “I am the daughter of the great king Vrisadhvaja. I have come to this forest for tapasyâ and am engaged in this. Who are you? What business have you to talk with me? You can go away wherever you like. I have heard in the S’âstras that persons born of a noble family never speak with ladies of a respectable family in privacy.

9.18.29

ityevaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā sakāmā vāmalocanā |
sasmitā namravadanā sakāmaṃ tamuvāca sā ||

9.18.30

tulasyuvāca |
dharmadhvajasutāhaṃ ca tapasyāyāṃ tapovane |
tapasvinyahaṃ tiṣṭhāmi kastvaṃ gaccha yathāsukham ||

9.18.31

kāminīṃ kulajātāṃ ca rahasyekākinīṃ satīm |
na pṛcchati kule jāta ityevaṃ me śrutau śrutam ||

Only those that are lewd, void of any knowledge in the Dharma S’âstras, void of the Vedic knowledge and who are not Kulînas, like to speak with women in privacy. And those woman, too, that look externally beautiful but very passionate and the Death of males, who are sweet tongued but filled with venom in their hearts, those who are sweet externally but like a sword internally, those that are always bent in achieving their own selfish ends and those that become obedient to their husbands for their own selfish ends otherwise behaving as they like, those that are filled inside with dirty things and outside looking pleasant in their faces and eyes, whose characters are pronounced as defiled, what intelligent, learned and noble-minded man can trust them? Those women do not discriminate who are their friends or who are their enemies; they want always new persons. Whenever they see a man well dressed, they want to satisfy their own passions. And they pretend with great care that they are very chaste. They are the vessels of passion; they always attract the minds of others and they are very enthusiastic in satisfying their own lust. They verbally shew that they want other men to go away but at hearts, feelings for intercourse remain preponderant; whenever they see their paramours in private, they laugh and become very glad but externally their shame, knows no bounds. When they do not have their intercourses with their paramours, they become self-conceited;

their bodies burn with anger and they begin to quarrel. When their passions are satisfied fully, they become glad and when there is a deficiency in that, they become sorrowful. For the sake of good and sweet food and cold drinks, they want beautiful young persons, qualified and humorous. They consider witty young persons clever in holding intercourses, more dearly than their sons. And if that beloved one becomes incapable or aged, then he is considered as an enemy. Quarrels and anger then ensue. They devour these men as serpents eat rats. They are boldness personified and they are the source of all evils and vices. Even Brahmâ, Visnu and Mahes’a remain deluded before them. They cannot find out any clue of their minds. They are the greatest obstacle in the path of tapasyâ and the closed doors for liberation. Devotion to Hari cannot reach those women. They are the repositories of Mâyâ and they hold men fast by iron chains in this word. They are like magicians and false like dreams. They enchant others by external beauty; their lower parts are very ugly and filled with excrements, faeces, of foul scent and very unholy and smeared with blood. The Creator Bhagavân has created them as such, the Mâyâ to the Mâyâvis and the venom to those who want liberation, and as invisible to those that want to have them.” Thus saying Tulasî stopped. O Nârada! S’ankhachûda, then smilingly addressed her as follows:-- “O Devî! What you have spoken is not wholly false;

partly it is true and partly it is false. Now hear. The Creator has created this all-enchanting female form into two parts. One is praiseworthy and the other is not. He has created Laksmî, Sarasvatî, Durgâ, Sâvitrî and Râdhâ and others as the primary causes of creation; so there are the prime creations: Those women that are born of their parts, are auspicious, glorious and much praiseworthy. S’atarûpâ, Devahûtî, Svadhâ, Svâhâ, Daksinâ Chhâyâvatî, Rohinî, Varunânî, S’achî, the wife of Kuvera, Diti, Aditi, Lopâmudrâ, Anasûyâ, Kautabhî (Kotarî), Tulasî, Ahalyâ, Arundhatî, Menâ, Tarâ, Mandodarî, Damayantî, Vedavatî, Gangâ, Manasâ, Pusti, Tusti, Smriti, Medhâ, Kâlikâ, Vasundharâ, Sasthî, Mangalachandî, Mûrti, wife of Dharma. Svasti, S’raddhâ; S’ânti, Kânti, Ksânti, Nidrâ, Tandrâ, Ksudhâ, Pipâsâ, Sandhyâ, Râtri, Divâ, Sampatti, Dhriti, Kîrtî, Krîyâ, S’obhâ, Prabhâ, S’ivâ, and other women born of the Prime Prakritis, all are excellent in every Yuga. The prostitutes of the heavens are also born of the above women in their parts and parts of parts. They are not praiseworthy in the universe; they are all regarded as unchaste women. Those women that are of Sâttva Gunas are all excellent and endowed with influence. In the universe they are good, chaste and praiseworthy. This is not false. The Pandits declare them excellent. Those that are of Râjo Gunas, and Tâmo Gunas are not so praiseworthy. Those women that are of Râjo Gunas are known as middling.

They are always fond of enjoyments, yield to them, and always ready to achieve their own ends. These women are generally insincere, delusive, and outside the pale of religious duties. Therefore they are generally unchaste. The Pandits consider them as middling. Those women that are of Tâmo Gunas are considered as worst. Those born of noble families, can never speak with other wives in a private place or when they are alone. By Brahmâ’s command I have come to you. O Fair One! I will marry you now according to the Gandharba method. My name is S’ankhachûda. The Devas fly away from me out of terror. Before I was the intimate S’akhâ (friend) of S’rî Hari, by the name of Sudâmâ. Now, by Râdhikâ’s curse I am born in the family of the Dânavas. I was a Pârisad (attendant) of S’rî Krisna and the chief of the eight Gopas. Now, by Râdhikâ’s curse I am born as S’ankhachûda, the Indra of the Dânavas. By S’rî Krisna’s grace and by His mantra, I am Jâtismarâ (know of my past births). You, too, are Jâtismarâ Tulasî. S’rî Krisna enjoyed you before. By Râdhikâ’s anger, you are now born in Bhârata. I was very eager to enjoy you then; out of Râdhikâ’s fear I could not.”

9.18.32

lampaṭo'satkule jāto dharmaśāstrārthavarjitaḥ |
yenāśrutaḥ śruterarthaḥ sa kāmīcchati kāminīm ||

9.18.33

āpātamadhurāṃ mattāmantakāṃ puruṣasya tām |
viṣakumbhākārarūpāmamṛtāsyāṃ ca santatam ||

9.18.34

hṛdaye kṣuradhārābhāṃ śaśvanmadhurabhāṣiṇīm |
svakāryapariniṣpattyai tatparā satataṃ ca tām ||

9.18.35

kāryārthe svāmivaśagāmanyathaivāvaśāṃ sadā |
svāntarmalinarūpāṃ ca prasannavadanekṣaṇām ||

9.18.36

śrutau purāṇe yāsāṃ ca caritramatidūṣitam |
tāsu ko viśvasetprājñaḥ prajñāvāṃśca durāśayaḥ ||

9.18.37

tāsāṃ ko vā ripurmitraṃ prārthayanti navaṃ navam |
dṛṣṭvā suveṣaṃ puruṣamicchanti hṛdaye sadā ||

9.18.38

bāhye svārthaṃ satītvaṃ ca jñāpayantī prayatnataḥ |
śaśvatkāmā ca rāmā ca kāmādhārā manoharā ||

9.18.39

bāhye chalātkhedayantī svāntarmaithunamānasā |
kāntaṃ hasantī rahasi bāhye'tīva sulajjitā ||

9.18.40

māninī maithunābhāve kopanā kalahāṅkurā |
suprītā bhūrisambhogātsvalpamaithunaduḥkhitā ||

9.18.41

sumiṣṭānnācchītatoyādākāṅkṣantī ca mānase |
sundaraṃ rasikaṃ kāntaṃ yuvānaṃ guṇinaṃ sadā ||

9.18.42

sutātparamabhisnehaṃ kurvatī rasikopari |
prāṇādhikaṃ priyatamaṃ sambhogakuśalaṃ priyam ||

9.18.43

paśyantī riputulyaṃ ca vṛddhaṃ vā maithunākṣamam |
kalahaṃ kurvatī śaśvattena sārdhaṃ sukopanā ||

9.18.44

vācayā bhakṣayantī taṃ sarpa ākhumivolbaṇam |
duḥsāhasasvarūpā ca sarvadoṣāśrayā sadā ||

9.18.45

brahmaviṣṇuśivādīnāṃ duḥsādhyā moharūpiṇī |
tapomārgārgalā śaśvanmokṣadvārakapāṭikā ||

9.18.46

harerbhaktivyavahitā sarvamāyākaraṇḍikā |
saṃsārakārāgāre ca śaśvannigaḍarūpiṇī ||

9.18.47

indrajālasvarūpā ca mithyā ca svapnarūpiṇī |
bibhratī bāhyasaundaryamadho'ṅgamatikutsitam ||

9.18.48

nānāviṇmūtrapūyānāmādhāraṃ malasaṃyutam |
durgandhidoṣasaṃyuktaṃ raktāraktamasaṃskṛtam ||

9.18.49

māyārūpā māyināṃ ca vidhinā nirmitā purā |
viṣarūpā mumukṣūṇāmadṛśyāpyabhivāñchatām ||

9.18.50

ityuktvā tulasī taṃ tu virarāma ca nārada |
sasmitaḥ śaṅkhacūḍaśca pravaktumupacakrame ||

9.18.51

śaṅkhacūḍa uvāca |
tvayā yatkathitaṃ devi na ca sarvamalīkakam |
kiñcitsatyamalīkaṃ ca kiñcinmatto niśāmaya ||

9.18.52

nirmitaṃ dvividhaṃ dhātrā strīrūpaṃ sarvamohanam |
kṛtvā rūpaṃ vāstavaṃ ca praśasyaṃ cāpraśaṃsitam ||

9.18.53

lakṣmīḥ sarasvatī durgā sāvitrī rādhikādikā |
sṛṣṭisūtrasvarūpā ca ādyā sṛṣṭirvinirmitā ||

9.18.54

etāsāmaṃśarūpaṃ ca strīrūpaṃ vāstavaṃ smṛtam |
tatpraśasyaṃ yaśorūpaṃ sarvamaṅgalakārakam ||

9.18.55

śatarūpā devahūtī svadhā svāhā ca dakṣiṇā |
chāyāvatī rohiṇī ca varuṇānī śacī tathā ||

9.18.56

kuberasya ca patnī yāpyaditiśca ditistathā |
lopāmudrānasūyā ca koṭabhī tulasī tathā ||

9.18.57

ahalyārundhatī menā tārā mandodarī tathā |
damayantī vedavatī gaṅgā ca manasā tathā ||

9.18.58

puṣṭistuṣṭiḥ smṛtirmedhā kālikā ca vasundharā |
ṣaṣṭhī maṅgalacaṇḍī ca mūrtiśca dharmakāminī ||

9.18.59

svastiḥ śraddhā ca śāntiśca kāntiḥ kṣāntistathā parā |
nidrā tandrā kṣutpipāsā sandhyā rātridināni ca ||

9.18.60

sampattirdhṛtikīrtī ca kriyā śobhā prabhā śivā |
yatstrīrūpaṃ ca sambhūtamuttamaṃ tu yuge yuge ||

9.18.61

kalākalāṃśarūpaṃ ca svarveśyādikameva ca |
tadapraśasyaṃ viśveṣu puṃścalīrūpameva ca ||

9.18.62

sattvapradhānaṃ yadrūpaṃ tadyuktaṃ ca prabhāvataḥ |
taduttamaṃ ca viśveṣu sādhvīrūpaṃ praśaṃsitam ||

9.18.63

tadvāstavaṃ ca vijñeyaṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ |
rajorūpaṃ tamorūpaṃ kalāsu vividhaṃ smṛtam ||

9.18.64

madhyamā rajasaścāṃśāstāstu bhogeṣu lolupāḥ |
sukhasambhogavaśyāśca svakārye niratāḥ sadā ||

9.18.65

kapaṭā mohakāriṇyo dharmārthavimukhāḥ sadā |
rajorūpasya sādhvītvamato naivopajāyate ||

9.18.66

idaṃ madhyamarūpaṃ ca pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ |
tamorūpaṃ durnivāryamadhamaṃ tadvidurbudhāḥ ||

9.18.67

na pṛcchati kule jātaḥ paṇḍitaśca parastriyam |
nirjane nirjale vāpi rahasyapi parastriyam ||

9.18.68

āgacchāmi tvatsamīpamājñayā brahmaṇo'dhunā |
gāndharveṇa vivāhena tvāṃ grahīṣyāmi śobhane ||

9.18.69

ahameva śaṅkhacūḍo devavidrāvakārakaḥ |
danuvaṃśyo viśeṣeṇa sudāmāhaṃ hareḥ purā ||

9.18.70

ahamaṣṭasu gopeṣu gopo'pi pārṣadeṣu ca |
adhunā dānavendro'haṃ rādhikāyāśca śāpataḥ ||

9.18.71

jātismaro'haṃ jānāmi kṛṣṇamantraprabhāvataḥ |
jātismarā tvaṃ tulasī sambhuktā hariṇā purā ||

9.18.72

tvameva rādhikākopājjātāsi bhārate bhuvi |
tvāṃ sambhoktumutsuko'haṃ nālaṃ rādhābhayāttataḥ ||

Thus saying, S’ankhachûda stopped. Then Tulasî gladly and smilingly replied:-- “Such persons (like you) are famous in this world; good women desire such husbands. Really, I am now defeated by you in argument. The man who is conquered by woman is very impure and blamed by the community. The Pitri Lokas, the Deva Lokas, and the Gandharba Loka, too, look upon men, overpowered by women, as mean, despicable. Even father, mother, brother, etc., hate them mentally. It is said in the Vedas that the impurities during birth and death are expiated by a ten days observances for the Brâhmanas, by twelve days observances for the Ksattriyas, by fifteen days observances for the Vais’yas and by one month’s observances for the S’ûdras and other low castes. But the impurity of the man who is conquered by women cannot be expiated by any other means except (his dead body) being burned in the funeral pyre. The Pitris never accept willingly the pindas and offerings of water (Tarpanas) offered by the women-conquered men. So much so that the Devas even hesitate to accept flowers, water, etc., offered by them on their names. Those whose hearts are entirely subdued by men, do not acquire any fruits from their knowledge, Tapasyâ, Japam, fire sacrifices, worship, learning and fame. I tested you to ascertain your strength in learning. It is highly advisable to choose one’s husband by examining his merits and defects. Sin equivalent to the murder of a Brâhmin is committed if one gives in marriage one’s daughter to one void of all qualifications, to an old man, to one who is ignorant, to a poor, illiterate, diseased, ugly, very angry, very harsh, lame, devoid of limbs, deaf, dumb, inanimate like, and who is impotent. If one gives in marriage a daughter to a young man of good character, learned, well qualified and of a peaceful temper, one acquires the fruits of performing ten horse sacrifices. If one nourishes a daughter and sells her out of greed for money, one falls to the Kumbhîpâka hell. That sinner drinks the urine and eats the excrements of that daughter, remaining in that hell. For a period equal to the fourteen Indra’s life-periods they are bitten by worms and crows. At the expiry of this period, they will have to be born in this world of men as diseased persons. In their human births they will have to earn their livelihood by selling flesh and carrying flesh.”

9.18.73

ityevamuktvā sa pumānvirarāma mahāmune |
sasmitaṃ tulasī tuṣṭā pravaktumupacakrame ||

9.18.74

tulasyuvāca |
evaṃvidho budho nityaṃ viśveṣu ca praśaṃsitaḥ |
kāntamevaṃvidhaṃ kāntā śaśvadicchati kāmataḥ ||

9.18.75

tvayāhamadhunā satyaṃ vicāreṇa parājitā |
sa ninditaścāpyaśuciryaḥ pumāṃśca striyā jitaḥ ||

9.18.76

nindanti pitaro devā bāndhavāḥ strījitaṃ naram |
strījitaṃ manasā mātā pitā bhrātā ca nindati ||

9.18.77

śuddho vipro daśāhena jātake mṛtake yathā |
bhūmipo dvādaśāhena vaiśyaḥ pañcadaśāhataḥ ||

9.18.78

śūdro māsena vedeṣu mātṛvaddhīnasaṅkaraḥ |
aśuciḥ strījitaḥ śuddhyeccitādahanakālataḥ ||

9.18.79

na gahṇantīcchayā tasya pitaraḥ piṇḍatarpaṇam |
na gahṇantyeva devāśca tasya puṣpajalādikam ||

9.18.80

kiṃ vā jñānena tapasā japahomaprapūjanaiḥ |
kiṃ vidyayā ca yaśasā strībhiryasya mano hṛtam ||

9.18.81

vidyāprabhāvajñānārthaṃ mayā tvaṃ ca parīkṣitaḥ |
kṛtvā parīkṣāṃ kāntasya vṛṇoti kāminī varam ||

9.18.82

varāya guṇahīnāya vṛddhāyājñānine tathā |
daridrāya ca mūrkhāya rogiṇe kutsitāya ca ||

9.18.83

atyantakopayuktāya vātyantadurmukhāya ca |
paṅgave cāṅgahīnāya cāndhāya badhirāya ca ||

9.18.84

jaḍāya caiva mūkāya klībatulyāya pāpine |
brahmahatyāṃ labhetso'pi svakanyāṃ pradadāti yaḥ ||

9.18.85

śāntāya guṇine caiva yūne ca viduṣe'pi ca |
sādhave ca sutāṃ dattvā daśayajñaphalaṃ labhet ||

9.18.86

yaḥ kanyāpālanaṃ kṛtvā karoti yadi vikrayam |
vikretā dhanalobhena kumbhīpākaṃ sa gacchati ||

9.18.87

kanyāmūtraṃ purīṣaṃ ca tatra bhakṣati pātakī |
kṛmibhirdaṃśitaḥ kākairyāvadindrāścaturdaśa ||

9.18.88

tadante vyādhisaṃyuktaḥ sa labhejjanma niścitam |
vikrīṇāti māṃsabhāraṃ vahatyeva divāniśam ||

Thus saying, when Tulasî stopped, Brahmâ appeared on the scene and addressed S’ankachûda:-- O S’ankhachûda! Why are you spending uselessly your time in vain talks with Tulasî? Marry her soon by the Gandharba method. As you are a gem amongst males, so She is a gem amongst females. It is a very happy union between a humorous lover and a humorous beloved. O King! Who despises the great happiness when it is at one’s hand! He who forsakes the pleasure is worse than a beast in this world. O Tulasî! And what for are you testing the nobly qualified person who is the tormentor of the Devas, Asuras and Dânavas. O Child! As Laksmî Devî is of Nârâyana, as Râdhikâ is of Krisna; as is My Sâvîtrî, as Bhava’s is Bhavânî, as Boar's is Earth, as Yajña’s is Daksînâ, Atri’s Anasûyâ, Gautama’s Ahalyâ, Moon’s Rohinî, Brihaspati’s Târâ, Manu’s S’atarûpâ, Kandarpa’s Rati, Kas’yapa’s Aditi, Vas’istha’s Arundhatî, Karddama’s Devahûti, Fire’s Svâhâ, Indra’s S’achî, Ganes’a’s Pusti, Skanda’s Devasenâ, and Dharma’s Mûrti, so let you be the dear wife of S’ankhachûda. Let you remain with S’ankhachûda, beautiful as he is, for a long time, and enjoy with him in various places as you like. When S’ankhachûda will quit his mortal frame, you would go to Goloka and enjoy easily with the two-armed S’rî Krisna, and in Vaikuntha with the four-armed Krisna and with great gladness.
Here ends the Eighteenth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the union of S’ankhachûda with Tulasî in the Mahâpurânam S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.

9.18.89

ityevamuktvā tulasī virarāma taponidhe |
brahmovāca |
kiṃ karoṣi śaṅkhacūḍa saṃvādamanayā saha ||

9.18.90

gāndharveṇa vivāhena tvaṃ cāsyā grahaṇaṃ kuru |
puruṣeṣvasi ratnaṃ tvaṃ strīṣu ratnaṃ tviyaṃ satī ||

9.18.91

vidagdhāyā vidagdhena saṅgamo guṇavānbhavet |
nirvirodhasukhaṃ rājan ko vā tyajati durlabham ||

9.18.92

yo'virodhasukhatyāgī sa paśurnātra saṃśayaḥ |
kiṃ parīkṣasi tvaṃ kāntamīdṛśaṃ guṇinaṃ sati ||

9.18.93

devānāmasurāṇāṃ ca dānavānāṃ vimardakam |
yathā lakṣmīśca lakṣmīśe yathā kṛṣṇe ca rādhikā ||

9.18.94

yathā mayi ca sāvitrī bhavānī ca bhave yathā |
yathā dharā varāhe ca dakṣiṇā ca yathādhvare ||

9.18.95

dyathātreranasūyā ca damayantī yathā nale |
rohiṇī ca yathā candre yathā kāme ratiḥ satī ||

9.18.96

yathāditiḥ kaśyape ca vasiṣṭhe'rundhatī sakhī |
yathāhalyā gautame ca devahūtiśca kardame ||

9.18.97

yathā bṛhaspatau tārā śatarūpā manau yathā |
yathā ca dakṣiṇā yajñe yathā svāhā hutāśane ||

9.18.98

yathā śacī mahendre ca yathā puṣṭirgaṇeśvare |
devasenā yathā skande dharme bhūrtiryathā satī ||

9.18.99

saubhāgyā supriyā tvaṃ ca śaṅkhacūḍe tathā bhava |
anena sārdhaṃ suciraṃ sundareṇa ca sundari ||

9.18.100

sthāne sthāne vihāraṃ ca yathecchaṃ kuru santatam |
paścātprāpyasi goloke śrīkṛṣṇaṃ punareva ca |
caturbhujaṃ ca vaikuṇṭhe śaṅkhacūḍe mṛte sati ||

9.18.100.c1

iti śrīmaddevībhāgavate mahāpurāṇe'ṣṭādaśasāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ navamaskandhe śaṅkhacūḍena saha tulasyāḥ saṅgativarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭādaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||