CHAPTER – 75
Markandeya said: – The Fifth Manu is spoken of as Raivata, O Brahman; hear of his birth in detail. I shall relate it to you. (1) O thou possessor of the eight good qualities of kindness, &c, there was a Rishi known as Ritavak; of him the high-souled one, who was sonless, was born a son in the (sign of the) star Revati. (2) He performed according to the law all his sacraments commencing with that of Jatakarma (or the birth ceremony) and likewise Upanayana, and he too, O Muni became a bad character. (3) From the time when this one was born that Rishi, the most superior among Munis, was overtaken by a lingering and enduring disease. (4) His mother, laid up with leprosy and other diseases, was subjected to extreme suffering, and his father being sad thus thought (within himself). (5) “What is this?” And then that exceedingly evil-minded son of his took away the wife of another Muni’s son who was attached to him. (6)
Then Ritavaka uttered with a heavy mind: – “Sonlessness of men is better than the possessor of bad sons. (7) A bad son always causes pain to the heart of the father and of the mother, and brings down (to the lower regions) his ancestors stationed in heaven. (8) He is of no good to friends, nor of any satisfaction to the manes; he is a source of misery to his father; the birth of such an evil-doer is to be lamented. (9) Blessed are they whose sons are after the mind of all the world, the workers of good unto men and of a quiet disposition, and devoted to virtuous works. (10) Our life is unhappy, and bad, and not tending towards the next world, but tending towards hell, and not heaven, owing to its connection with an evil son. (11) He causes humiliation to friends, and glorification to those who wish us ill, and also brings on old age and infirmity on the father before his time; a bad son surely does all this.” (12)
Markandeya said: – That Muni, with his heart burnt by the conduct of this bad son, asked Garga the cause of all this. (13)
Ritavak said: – By me were the Vedas of old duly learnt from Subrata; having finished (the study of) the Vedas, I took unto me a wife in accordance with the injunctions of the law. (14) And by me have all sacrificial works, works, that are ordained in the Sranta Sutras, as also those by the Smritis, as also the sacrifices to fire, – been performed with my wife (as help mate); O great Muni! none of my works has been imperfectly done till now. (15) According to the law of producing progeny, not under the influence of lust but for the sake of a son, has this one been begotten by me, who was afraid of (the hell) called Put. (16) Such is this one (my son); O Muni, is it for his own fault, or through any guilt of mine, that he has become the source of misery to us and the giver of pain to my friends by his bad character. (17)
Garga said: – O most superior Muni, this thy son is born within the sphere of the star Revati; therefore has he become a source of thy misery, for he is born in an evil time. (18) There is no wrong due to thee, or to his mother, or to thy family; the cause of his evil disposition is his coming to this world within the sphere of the star Revati. (19)
Ritavak said: – As this evil disposition of my only son is due to the influence of the star Revati, may that Revati therefore even fall (from her orbit). (20)
Markandeya said: – In this way on the curse being uttered by him, the star Revati fell (from her orbit) in the presence of all the world whose hearts were over-powered by wonder. (21) The Revati star also fell on all sides of the mountain Kumuda, all of a sudden illumined the forests, the caves and the streamlets. (22) On account of that fall the mountain Kumuda also became known as Raivataka, the most pleasant mountain on all the earth. (23) The loveliness that was of that star became the lake Pankajini: – from it was born then a maiden most charming on account of her beauty. (24) O Bhagura! seeing that maiden, born of the loveliness of Revati, the Muni Pramucha gave her the name of Revati. (25) That possesser of the eight good qualities of kindness, &c., Pramucha, even in this great mountain, brought up this girl born in the vicinity of his own hermitage. (26) That Muni, seeing that maiden endowed with great beauty, come to youth, thought (within himself) who shall be the lord of this (girl)?
(27) O Muni! Thinking in this way a long time elapsed, and yet the great Muni did not come
across a bridegroom worthy of her. (28) Then to enquire of the god of fire about her bridegroom that Muni Pramucha entered the place of sacrificial fire, and to him thus questioning the eater of sacrificial offerings (i.e., the god of fire) said. (29) “The lord of the earth, Durgama by name, mighty of strength and energy, of pleasant speech and devoted to the law, shall become the husband of this one.” (30)
Markandeya said: – Afterwards, O Muni, that lord of men, the wise Durgama, born of the race of Priyavrata, and mighty of strength and valour, the son of Vikramashila, born in the womb of Kalindi, came, in course of a hunting expedition, to his hermitage. (31-32) That lord of the earth, entering the hermitage and seeing her of slender limbs, calling her as his dear one, asked about that Rishi. (33)
The King said: – Where has the most superior Muni, the possessor of the six great qualities, the Bhagas, gone from this hermitage; I desire to salute him here, therefore tell me this, O thou graceful one. (34)
Markandeya said: – The Brahmin, who had gone to the place of the sacrificial fires, hearing those his words, as also his addressing her as the dear one, came out in haste. (35) That Muni saw the great-souled king, possessed of all the signs of the lord of men, and bending before him in reverence. (36) One seeing him then he addressed his disciple Gautama thus – “Gautama, bring soon due offerings for this lord of the world. (37) On the one hand this one is a king come after a long time, on the other hand he is my son-in-law, therefore it is my opinion that he is worthy of especial offerings. (38)
Markandeya said: – Then that king began to think upon the cause of his being (spoken of as) the son-in-law, and could not decide it; therefore the king accepted that offering in silence.
(39) The great Muni welcomed that lord of kings, who had taken his seat and had accepted the offering and said: – “Is everything well with thy home, (40) O lord of men, with thy treasury, with thy army, with thy friends and feudatories, thy servants and courtiers and likewise with thy ownself on which are all these established. (41) Thy wife also is well; I do not ask therefore of her, who lives here; are thy other wives well? (42)
The King said: – O thou of good vows! through thy mercy there is no bad news concerning any one belonging to me. But I am curious, O Muni, to know who is here my wife. (43)
The Rishi said: – That excellent woman Revati, the possessor of the six good qualities, and who is most beautiful in all the three worlds, is thy wife; dost thou not know her, O king? (44)
The King said: – Subhadra, the daughter of Shanta, the daughter of Kaberi, O lord, and also Sujata the daughter of Surashtra, and Kadamva the daughter of Barutha, Bipatha, and also Nandini, I know as my wives living in my home, O thou twice-born one. O thou possessor of the six great qualities, the Bhagas, I do not know who this Revati is. (45-46)
The Rishi said: – That one of superior colour who has just been spoken to by thee as the dear one, O lord of earth, has this wife of thine, worthy of all praise, been forgotten by thee?
(47)
The King said: – Truly has this been spoken by me, but O Muni, my motive was not bad. In this case it is not meet that thou, O revered one, should be angry with me – I beseech thee for it. (48)
The Rishi said: – Thou sayest truly, O lord of earth, thy meaning is not evil; O lord of men, thou didst say this moved by the god of fire. (49) The great god of fire (lit, the carrier of the sacrificial offerings) having been asked by me as – who shall be the husband of this one, by him was it said even this day that thou, O revered one, shalt be (her husband). (50) Therefore accept, O lord of men, this maiden given unto thee by me. She has also been addressed by thee as the dear one, then why dost thou hesitate? (lit think of it in thy mind) (51)
Markandeya said: – Then this lord of the earth, being thus spoken to by him, became speechless; the Rishi also made himself ready to perform her marriage rites. (52) That maiden, with her face cast down by modesty, spoke a few words to him, her father, who was making preparations, for the marriage. (53) “Father if thou art full of love for me then it is meet,
that thou shouldst show me this favour that being gracious towards me thou shalt perform my marriage at the time of the star Revati. (54)
The Rishi said: – The star Revati, existing in conjunction with the moon; exists not, O thou good one! There are other stars, O thou whose eye brows are excellent, fit (to preside over) thy marriage. (55)
The Maiden said: – “It seems to me, father, that without him, the time of my marriage shall be fruitless. How shall the marriage of one like myself be performed at a fruitless time.” (56) The performer of penances, well known by the name of Ritavak, became angry with Revati, and by him thus angry was the star destroyed. (57) And by me also has it been promised to this one that this one, with intoxicating glance, shall be thy wife. If thou dost not desire marriage, a great difficulty has presented itself to me. (58)
The Maiden said: – What penances have been practised by that Muni Ritavak, such as have not been practised by thee, my father? Am I then the daughter of an inferior Brahmana? (59)
The Rishi said: – Thou art not, my girl, the daughter of an inferior Brahmana, nor even of the performers of penances; thou art my daughter, who is capable of creating other gods. (66)
The Maiden said: – If my father be one who has attained the virtues of penance, then why is not marriage performed in that star, having previously set it in the bright firmament. (61)
The Rishi said: – So be it then for thy good, O thou good one – Be pleased, for thy sake I shall again establish the star Revati on the orbit of the moon. (62)
Markandeya said: – Then O thou superior Brahmana, by the power of his penances the great Muni made the star Revati, as before, joined with the moon. (63) And having performed the marriage of the daughter, according to the law, and to the accompaniment of sacred formulas, being filled with delight he again thus spoke to the son-in-law. (64) “O governor of the earth, say, what shall I give thee as thy marriage present; I shall give thee even things that are most hard to get; the power of my penances is invincible”. (65)
The King said: – I am born of the descendants of the Swayambhuva Manu, O Muni; I pray that I may have, by thy favour, a son who shall be the lord of the Manwantara. (66)
The Rishi said: – This thy desire shall come to pass. Thy son, O ruler of the world, shall be Manu and shall enjoy all the earth, and shall also be righteous.
Markandeya said: – Then taking her the king went to his own city; and from her, Revati, was born a son, the Manu Revati. (63) He was invested with all the virtues, and was unconquerable by men, and knew all the sciences, and was versed in the knowledge of the meaning of the Vedas and other scriptures. (69) Hear with undivided attention, O Brahman, O Muni, from me relating the gods, the lord of the gods, the earthly kings, &c. (70) O thou twice-born one, in that (Manwantara) the Sumedhas, the Bhupatis, the Vaikuntas, the Amitabhas, were the gods, each divided into fourteen classes. (71) The lord of these four classes, Bibhu, by name, was the enjoyer of a hundred sacrifice. (72) In the Manwantara of the Manu Revata Hiranyaroma, Vedasri, Urdhavahu, similarly others, -Vedavahu, Sudhama, and also Parjjanya, the great Muni Vashista, the possesser of the six good qualities of kindness, &c., and who had gone to the utmost limits of the Vedas and the Vedantas these were the seven primal Rishis. (74) Balabandhu, Mahabirya, Suyastavya, and likewise others, Satyaka, &c., were the sons of the Manu Revata. (75) The Manus, ending with Revata, who have been related to you by me, are all, with the exception of the Manu Swarochisha, the descendants of Swayambhuva Manu. (76)