Description of the Agitation of Tripura

Verse 1 (skanda.5.182.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञी वचनमब्रवीत् । प्रसादं कुरु विप्रेन्द्र गृह्ण दानं यथेप्सितम्

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājñī vacanamabravīt | prasādaṁ kuru viprendra gṛhṇa dānaṁ yathepsitam

Sri Markandeya said: Having heard Narada's words, the queen said, 'O lord of brahmins, show favor, accept a gift as you desire.'

Verse 2 (skanda.5.182.2)

सुवर्णमणिरत्नानि वस्त्राणि विविधानि च । तत्ते दारयामि विप्रेन्द्र यच्चान्यदपि दुर्लभम्

suvarṇamaṇiratnāni vastrāṇi vividhāni ca | tatte dārayāmi viprendra yaccānyadapi durlabham

'Gold, jewels, gems, and garments of many kinds — these, O lord of brahmins, I give to you, and whatever else, however rare, you desire.'

Verse 3 (skanda.5.182.3)

राज्ञ्यास्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । अन्येषां दीयतां भद्रे ये द्विजाः क्षीणवृत्तयः

rājñyāstu vacanaṁ śrutvā nārado vākyamabravīt | anyeṣāṁ dīyatāṁ bhadre ye dvijāḥ kṣīṇavṛttayaḥ

Having heard the queen's words, Narada said, 'O good lady, let this be given to other brahmins — to those whose livelihood is meager.'

Verse 4 (skanda.5.182.4)

वयं तु सर्वसम्पन्ना भक्तिग्राह्याः सदैव हि । इत्युक्ता सा तदा राज्ञी वेदवेदाङ्गपारगान्

vayaṁ tu sarvasampannā bhaktigrāhyāḥ sadaiva hi | ityuktā sā tadā rājñī vedavedāṅgapāragān

'We, however, are possessed of everything; we are to be won only through devotion, always indeed.' Thus addressed, the queen then summoned brahmins learned in the Vedas and Vedangas,

Verse 5 (skanda.5.182.5)

आहूय ब्राह्मणान्निःस्वान्दातुं समुपचक्रमे । यत्किंचिन्नारदेनोक्तं दानसौभाग्यवर्धनम्

āhūya brāhmaṇānniḥsvāndātuṁ samupacakrame | yatkiṁcinnāradenoktaṁ dānasaubhāgyavardhanam

and calling those destitute brahmins, began to give them gifts; whatever Narada had said about giving that increases fortune,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.182.6)

तेन दानेन मे नित्यं प्रीयेतां हरिशङ्करौ । ततो राज्ञी च सा प्राह नारदं मुनिपुंगवम्

tena dānena me nityaṁ prīyetāṁ hariśaṅkarau | tato rājñī ca sā prāha nāradaṁ munipuṁgavam

'By this gift may Hari and Shankara ever be pleased with me' — so saying, she gave the gift. Then that queen spoke to Narada, foremost of sages.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.182.7)

राज्ञ्युवाच - दानं दत्तं त्वयोक्तं यद्भर्तृकर्मपरं हि तत् । आजन्मजन्म मे भर्ता भवेद्बाणो द्विजोत्तम

rājñyuvāca - dānaṁ dattaṁ tvayoktaṁ yadbhartṛkarmaparaṁ hi tat | ājanmajanma me bhartā bhavedbāṇo dvijottama

The queen said: 'The gift given at your word is indeed devoted to my husband's welfare. O best of brahmins, may Bana be my husband birth after birth.'

Verse 8 (skanda.5.182.8)

नान्यो हि दैवतं तात मुक्त्वा बाणं द्विजोत्तम । तेन सत्येन मे भर्ता जीवेच्च शरदां शतम्

nānyo hi daivataṁ tāta muktvā bāṇaṁ dvijottama | tena satyena me bhartā jīvecca śaradāṁ śatam

'For me, O father, there is no deity other than Bana, O best of brahmins. By this truth, may my husband live a hundred autumns.'

Verse 9 (skanda.5.182.9)

नान्यो धर्मो भवेत्स्त्रीणां दैवतं हि पतिर्यथा । तथापि तव वाक्येन दानं दत्तं यथाविधि

nānyo dharmo bhavetstrīṇāṁ daivataṁ hi patiryathā | tathāpi tava vākyena dānaṁ dattaṁ yathāvidhi

'There is no other dharma for women, for the husband alone is their deity; even so, at your word, this gift has been duly given.'

Verse 10 (skanda.5.182.10)

स्वकं कर्म करिष्यामो भर्तारं प्रति मानद । ब्रह्मर्षे गच्छ चेदानीं त्वमाशीर्वादः प्रदीयताम्

svakaṁ karma kariṣyāmo bhartāraṁ prati mānada | brahmarṣe gaccha cedānīṁ tvamāśīrvādaḥ pradīyatām

'O honored one, we shall perform our own duty toward our husband. O brahmarshi, go now, and grant your blessing.'

Verse 11 (skanda.5.182.11)

तथेति तामनुज्ञाप्य नारदो नृपसत्तम । सर्वासां मानसं हृत्वा अन्यतः कृतमानसः

tatheti tāmanujñāpya nārado nṛpasattama | sarvāsāṁ mānasaṁ hṛtvā anyataḥ kṛtamānasaḥ

O best of kings, saying 'so be it' and taking leave of her, Narada stole away the hearts of all of them, his own mind now turned elsewhere,

Verse 12 (skanda.5.182.12)

जगामादर्शनं विप्रः पूज्यमानस्तु खेचरैः । ततो गतमनस्कास्ता भर्तारं प्रति भारत

jagāmādarśanaṁ vipraḥ pūjyamānastu khecaraiḥ | tato gatamanaskāstā bhartāraṁ prati bhārata

and, honored by the celestial wanderers of the sky, that brahmin vanished from sight. Then, O descendant of Bharata, those queens' minds became distracted with regard to their husband,

Verse 13 (skanda.5.182.13)

विवर्णा निष्प्रभा जाता नारदेन विमोहिताः

vivarṇā niṣprabhā jātā nāradena vimohitāḥ

and, bewildered by Narada, they became pale and lost their lustre.