17 saptadaśadaśakaḥ - sudarśanakosalaprāptiḥ१७ सप्तदशदशकः - सुदशशनकोसलप्राप्प्तः 17 saptadashadashakah'-sudarshanakosalapraaptih' -getting of Kosala by Sudarshana.

 

17 saptadaśadaśakaḥ  -    sudarśanakosalaprāptiḥ
yudhājitaṃ śatrujitaṃ ca hatvā raṇāṅgaṇasthā nutibhiḥ prasannā .
subāhumukhyānanugṛhya bhaktān sarveṣu paśyatsu tirodadhātha .. 17-1..

pṛṣṭo nṛpān prāha sudarśanastān dṛṣṭā bhavadbhiḥ khalu sarvaśaktā .
yā nirguṇā yogibhirapyadṛśyā dṛśyā ca bhaktaiḥ saguṇā vinītaiḥ .. 17-2..

yā rājasīdaṃ sṛjatīva śaktiryā sātvikī pālayatīva viśvam .
yā tāmasī saṃharatīva sarvaṃ sadvastu saivānyadasatsamastam .. 17-3..

bhaktārtihantrī karuṇāmayī sā bhaktadruhāṃ bhītikarī prakāmam .
vasan bharadvājatapovanānte cirāya mātrā saha tāṃ bhaje'ham .. 17-4..

tāmeva bhaktyā bhajateha bhuktimuktipradāmastu śubhaṃ sadā vaḥ .
śrutvedamānamramukhāstatheti sammantrya bhūpāśca tato nivṛttāḥ .. 17-5..

sudarśano mātṛvadhūsametaḥ subāhumāpṛchya rathādhirūḍhaḥ .
purīmayodhyāṃ praviśan pureva sītāpatistoṣayati sma sarvān .. 17-6..

līlāvatīṃ prāpya vimātaraṃ ca natvā viṣaṇṇāṃ hataputratātām .
saduktibhiḥ karmagatīḥ prabodhya sa sāntvayāmāsa maheśi bhaktaḥ .. 17-7..

janeṣu paśyatsu sudarśano'tra tvāṃ pūjayitvā guruṇā'bhiṣiktaḥ .
rājye tvadīyaṃ gṛhamāśu kṛtvā pūjāvidhānādi ca saṃvṛdhatta .. 17-8..

tasmin nṛpe tvatsadanāni kṛtvā janāḥ pratigrāmamapūjayaṃstvām .
kāśyāṃ subāhuśca tathā'karotte sarvatra petuḥ karuṇākaṭākṣāḥ .. 17-9..

na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena na yogasāṅkhyādivicintayā ca .
na ca vratenāpi sukhānubhūtirbhaktyaiva martyaḥ sukhameti mātaḥ .. 17-10..

nāhaṃ subāhuśca sudarśanaśca na me bharadvājamuniḥ śaraṇyaḥ .
guruḥ suhṛdbandhurapi tvameva maheśvari tvāṃ satataṃ namāmi .. 17-11..

१७ सप्तदशदशकः - सुदशशनकोसलप्राप्प्तः

17 saptadashadashakah'-sudarshanakosalapraaptih'

-getting of Kosala by Sudarshana.

( Sudarshana along with his new wife reached his kingdom

and became the king there. This is described in chapter 25 of

book 3 of Devi Bhagawatham)

युधाजितं शत्रुजितं च हत्वा

रणाङ्गणस्था नुजतज िः प्रसन्ना ।

सुबाहुमुख्याननुगृह्य क्तान्

सर्वेषु पश्यत्सु जतरोदधाथ ॥ १७-१॥

yudhaajitam shatrujitam cha hatvaa

ranaanganasthaa nutibhih' prasannaa .

subaahumukhyaananugri'hya bhaktaan

sarveshu pashyatsu tirodadhaatha .. 17-1..

1.Having killed Yudhajith and Shatrujith in the battlefield, you

were pleased with the prayers that was chanted in the battle

field, after blessing Subahu and other devotees, you

disappeared from there while everyone was seeing.

The yudhajith, who screamed that he would kill sudarshana

in the battlefield, was killed. Also his daughter’s son,

Shatrujith - sudarshana’s step-mother’s son-that is his step

brother-was also killed. Yudhajith had planned to get

shatrujith married to Shashikala. Their reluctance and enimity

towards devi destroyed them. subahu prayed to the devi with

full devotion. After blessing all the devotees devi

disappeared.

पृष्टो नृपान् प्राह सु दशशनस्तान्

दृष्टा र्वद्भिः खलु सर्वशशक्ता ।

या जनगुशणा योजगज रप्यदृश्या

दृश्या च क्ततिः सगुणा जर्वनीततिः ॥ १७-२॥

pri'sht'o nri'paan praaha sudarshanastaan

dri'sht'aa bhavadbhih' khalu sarvashaktaa .

yaa nirgunaa yogibhirapyadri'shyaa

dri'shyaa cha bhaktaih' sagunaa vineetaih' .. 17-2..

2.When questioned Sudarasana told the kings, “The goddess

you saw in front of you, is the all powerful one. That devi

who does not have any form cannot be seen even by the

Yogis. But when she takes a form, then devotees who are

humble can see her.

The kings who were present there did not have any

resentment nor closeness to yudhajith or sudarshana.

Without taking part in anything they were witness to

everything. After the devi disappeared they asked

sudarshana,” who is this devi”? Sudarshana told them the

importance of devi. Devi is saguna and nirguna. Nirguna devi

is not visible to even yogis. The devotees can see the saguna

devi. Devi appeared in front of non-devotees like shatrujith

and yudhajith. But they could not understand the devi-only

people who are humble can understand.

या रािसीदं सृ ितीर्व शद्क्तर्

या साद्त्वकी पालयतीर्व जर्वश्वम् ।

या तामसी संहरतीर्व सर्वं

सद्वस्तु सतर्वान्यदसत्समस्तम् ॥ १७-३॥

yaa raajaseedam sri'jateeva shaktir

yaa saatvikee paalayateeva vishvam .

yaa taamasee samharateeva sarvam

sadvastu saivaanyadasatsamastam .. 17-3..

3. It looks like some passionate power(rajasic shakti) has

created this world. It also looks like that the world is

protected by the power of goodness. It looks like the power

of ignorance, appears to destroy everything. That essence is

the Goddess and all other things that are there, is different

from her.

Devi is nirguna and saguna also; to the yogis she is nirguna

and to the bhaktas she is saguna: it is the same devi that

creates this world. It is devi only who is preserving it and

protecting it. In the ocean she creates water-waves-foam-

bubbles. Within minutes she preserves it and merges it with

her. Creating water-waves-foam is a common exercise for

her. Water does not create anything. Be it foam-bubbles-

waves all are water only. Nothing new is born from water.

Devi is creating the world is similar to that. Nothing has been

born that is different from Devi, nor will it ever be born. the

object-the good object-that can be said exists in the 3

worlds, is Devi only. It looks like water creates wave foam and

bubbles. Same way we feel devi creates this universe. We feel

that The nirguna devi takes the rajoguna form and creates,

takes the sattva guna form and protects and takes the tamo

guna form and causes destruction. Devi only creates; the

object for creation also is devi; the foundation of creation

also is devi.

   क्ताजतशहन्त्री करुणामयी सा

   क्तद्रुहां ीजतकरी प्रकामम् ।

र्वसन् रद्वाितपोर्वनान्ते

जचराय मात्रा सह तां िेऽहम् ॥ १७-४॥

bhaktaartihantree karunaamayee saa

bhaktadruhaam bheetikaree prakaamam .

vasan bharadvaajatapovanaante

chiraaya maatraa saha taam bhaje'ham .. 17-4..

4.The Goddess who is full of mercy removes the problems of

her devotees, creates great fear in those who trouble her

devotees. Ever since I came to stay in bhardwaja muni’s

ashrama with my mother, I have been praying to her.

Devi is full of compassion, she is always trying to destroy the

desire for material things in her devotees. She does not spare

people who trouble her devotees. We just saw this in the city

of kashi. Subahu, sudarshana and others got the blessings of

devi. Yudhajith and his followers were destroyed. In his

childhood, while sudarshana was staying in Bharadwaj muni’s

ashram, he started praying to devi. He always chanted ‘kleem

kleem’, devi’s kaamarajmantram . (check dashakam 15). That

chanting was fruitful.

तामेर्व क्त्या ितेह ुद्क्त-

मुद्क्तप्रदामस्तु शु ं सदा र्विः ।

श्रुत्वेदमानम्रमुखास्तथेजत

सम्मन्त्र्य ूपाश्च ततो जनर्वृत्ािः ॥ १७-५॥

taameva bhaktyaa bhajateha bhukti-

muktipradaamastu shubham sadaa vah' .

shrutvedamaanamramukhaastatheti

sammantrya bhoopaashcha tato nivri'ttaah' .. 17-5..

5.She is the one who grants you good life and also salvation

and so pray to that devi with complete devotion from now

on. May you always get good things. Hearing this the kings

bowed their head and humbly told him, “We will do”, and

returned.

Sudarshana gave correct answer to the questions asked by

the kings. They saw the influence and mercy of devi directly,

they also heard about from sudarshana. In front of him they

bowed their head in all humility. They all left for their

respective kingdoms by giving a firm answer that they would

pray to devi in future.

सुदशशनो मातृर्वधूसमेतिः

सुबाहुमापृछ्य रथाजधरूढिः ।

पुरीमयोध्ां प्रजर्वशन् पुरेर्व

सीतापजतस्तोषयजत स्म सर्वाश न् ॥ १७-६॥

sudarshano maatri'vadhoosametah'

subaahumaapri'chhya rathaadhirood'hah' .

pureemayodhyaam pravishan pureva

seetaapatistoshayati sma sarvaan .. 17-6..

6.Sudarshana along with his mother and bride, took leave of

Subahu, got onto his chariot, and entered the city of

Ayodhya like how the husband of Sita entered long ago,

made every one happy.

Sudarshana bid adieu to subahu and proceeded to the

kingdom of kosala-along with his bride shashikala and his

mother Manorama. He got onto the chariot and reached the

kingdom of ayodhya. Long ago, when sri rama, after killing

ravana, along with sita and Lakshmana, reached ayodhaya,

the people of ayodhya were extremely happy. on seeing

sudarshana return, who had gone in his childhood, the

people were very happy.

लीलार्वतीं प्राप्य जर्वमातरं च

नत्वा जर्वषण्ां हतपुत्रताताम् ।

सदु द्क्तज िः कमशगतीिः प्रबोध्

स सान्त्र्त्वयामास महे जश क्तिः ॥ १७-७॥

leelaavateem praapya vimaataram cha

natvaa vishannaam hataputrataataam .

saduktibhih' karmagateeh' prabodhya

sa saantvayaamaasa maheshi bhaktah' .. 17-7..

7.Oh great goddess he who was your devotee, sought

Leelavathi, whose father and son were killed and who was

grieving and did not have any support, saluted her, consoled

her by telling ,the way of karma in this world.

The first thing Sudarshana did was to go and pay his respects

to Manorama’s co-wife, Leelavati. Long ago Sri Rama on

returning from the forest went and paid respect to Kaikeyi-

similarly Sudarshana did. Kaikeya was Sri Rama’s offender.

Here Leelavati had not done offence. Now what is the

situation of that mother? - Dhruvasandhi who was her

husband was killed many years ago. Now her father

Yudhajith and son Shatrujith both were killed. Leelavati was

in a situation like what Manorama was long ago, when

Veerasena died. Sudarshana was behaving very sensibly and

humbly towards Leelavathi. Nobody can predict what will

happen to them and when. Face any situation with courage-

only this as humans we can do. He said like this to Leelavati,

and with devotion. Sudarshana’s good behaviour and kind

words reduced Leelavati’s grief.

िनेषु पश्यत्सु सुदशशनोऽत्र

त्वां पूिजयत्वा गुरुणाऽज जषक्तिः ।

राज्ये त्वदीयं गृहमाशु कृत्वा

पूिाजर्वधानाजद च संव्यधत् ॥ १७-८॥

janeshu pashyatsu sudarshano'tra

tvaam poojayitvaa gurunaa'bhishiktah' .

raajye tvadeeyam gri'hamaashu kri'tvaa

poojaavidhaanaadi cha samvyadhatta .. 17-8..

8.Then Sudarsana worshipped the Goddess, in front of all the

people. Thus, he was crowned by the Guru. With speed got a

temple constructed for you. He also laid out a plan for the

procedure of your worship.

With the death of Shathrujith, the kingdom of Kosala was

without a king. Sudarshana only was supposed to have been

the king. He gathered all the people of the kingdom and

conducted a Devi puja. After that, Rajaguru Vasishta crowned

him the king. He got a temple for the Devi constructed in his

kingdom. He got regular pujas performed there. During the

autumnal Navaratri he conducted special pujas. Performing

Navaratri puja by adhering to all the rituals, guarantees the

blessings of devi.

 Becaused during his childhood in the ashrama, he used to

regularly chant the kaamrajmantram-‘kleem kleem’-he got all

that he desired-he easily got back his kingdom, he got a very

devoted wife also. Devi transforms a weak person into a very

strong person was already mentioned earlier (check 11th

dashakam 8th shloka), sudarshana’s story is a very good

example. This is the story of devi’s influence and mercy.

तद्स्मन् नृपे त्वत्सदनाजन कृत्वा

िनािः प्रजतग्राममपूियंस्त्वाम्

काश्यां सुबाहुश्च तथाऽकरोत्े

सर्वशत्र पेतुिः करुणाकटाक्ािः ॥ १७-९॥

tasmin nri'pe tvatsadanaani kri'tvaa

janaah' pratigraamamapoojayamstvaam .

kaashyaam subaahushcha tathaa'karotte

sarvatra petuh' karunaakat'aakshaah' .. 17-9..

9.Under his rule people constructed temples for Devi even in

villages and worshipped devi very religiously. Subahu did the

same in the city of Kashi. Everywhere Your merciful sight was

flowing.

When a king is a devotee of Devi, then the citizens of that

kingdom also turn out to be staunch devotees of Devi. They

went from village to village conducting pujas on Devi. Same

was the situation in the kingdom of Kashi. Devi’s merciful

blessings were always flowing.

न कमशणा न प्रिया धनेन

न योगसाङ्ख्ख्याजदजर्वजचन्तया च ।

न च व्रतेनाजप सुखानु ूजतर्

 क्त्यतर्व मर्त्शिः सुखमेजत मातिः ॥ १७-१०॥

na karmanaa na prajayaa dhanena

na yogasaankhyaadivichintayaa cha .

na cha vratenaapi sukhaanubhootir

bhaktyaiva martyah' sukhameti maatah' .. 17-10..

10. We may not experience pleasure by doing a lot of good

work, nor by creating children, nor by acquiring or earning

wealth, nor by practicing yoga or studying philosophy, nor

by observing fasts and rituals. Oh mother! man can acquire

happiness only by true devotion towards you.

For a person who has no devotion everything is useless,

everything is full of sadness. Otherwise, for a devotee

everything is pleasurable. Devotion with love is the best.

नाहं सुबाहुश्च सु दशशनश्च

न मे रद्वािमुजनिः शरण्यिः ।

गुरुिः सुहृद्बन्धुरजप त्वमेर्व

महे श्वरर त्वां सततं नमाजम ॥ १७-११॥

naaham subaahushcha sudarshanashcha

na me bharadvaajamunih' sharanyah' .

guruh' suhri'dbandhurapi tvameva

maheshvari tvaam satatam namaami .. 17-11.

11. I am not Subahu nor am I Sudarshana, nor do I have

anybody to take refuge in like Sage Bharadwaja. Oh

Maheshwari! you are my only Guru, friend and relative.

I always am saluting you.

Subahu was a devotee of devi. Because Sudarshana was

fortunate to take refuge in Sage Bhardwaj he too became a

devotee. The poet reminds devi that he did not get such

opportunities-friend, relative and guru everything for him is

devi only. He requests devi to bless him accordingly.

Devi bhagvatham 3rd skandam, chapters 14-25, the story of

sudarshana has been explained here.

Thus ends the 17th chapter