The Story of Indumati and the Power of the Bracelet

Verse 1 (skanda.7.37.1)

॥ देव्युवाच ॥ किमर्थं कंकणं देव क्षिप्यते लवणांभसि ॥ तस्या पुण्यं न पूर्वोक्तं यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि

|| devyuvāca || kimarthaṁ kaṁkaṇaṁ deva kṣipyate lavaṇāṁbhasi || tasyā puṇyaṁ na pūrvoktaṁ yathāvadvaktumarhasi

The Goddess said: "For what reason, O god, is a bracelet cast into the salt sea? Its merit was not explained before; you should tell it as it truly is."

Verse 2 (skanda.7.37.2)

के मंत्राः किं विधानं तत्कस्मिन्काले महत्फलम् ॥ किं पुराभूच्च तद्वृत्तं भगवन्कंकणाश्रितम्

ke maṁtrāḥ kiṁ vidhānaṁ tatkasminkāle mahatphalam || kiṁ purābhūcca tadvṛttaṁ bhagavankaṁkaṇāśritam

"What mantras, what procedure, at what time does it bear great fruit? And what, O Lord, was that account of old connected with the bracelet?"

Verse 3 (skanda.7.37.3)

॥ ईश्वर उवाच ॥ आसीत्पुरा महीपालो बृहद्रथ इति श्रुतः ॥ तस्य भार्याऽभवत्साध्वी नाम्ना चेंदुमती प्रिया

|| īśvara uvāca || āsītpurā mahīpālo bṛhadratha iti śrutaḥ || tasya bhāryā'bhavatsādhvī nāmnā ceṁdumatī priyā

Ishvara said: "Long ago there was a king known by the name Brihadratha; his wife was a virtuous, beloved lady named Indumati."

Verse 4 (skanda.7.37.4)

न देवी न च गन्धर्वी नासुरी न च किंनरी ॥ तादृग्रूपा महादेवि यादृशी सा सुमध्यमा

na devī na ca gandharvī nāsurī na ca kiṁnarī || tādṛgrūpā mahādevi yādṛśī sā sumadhyamā

"Neither a goddess, nor a Gandharva woman, nor an Asuri, nor a Kinnari, O great goddess, possessed such beauty as that slender-waisted one had."

Verse 5 (skanda.7.37.5)

शीलरूपगुणोपेता नित्यं सा तु पतिवता ॥ सर्वयोषिद्गुणैर्युक्ता यथा साध्वी ह्यरुन्धती

śīlarūpaguṇopetā nityaṁ sā tu pativatā || sarvayoṣidguṇairyuktā yathā sādhvī hyarundhatī

"Endowed with good character, beauty, and virtues, she was ever devoted to her husband, possessed of all the qualities of womankind, like the virtuous Arundhati."

Verse 6 (skanda.7.37.6)

प्रधान हस्रस्य सौभाग्यमदगर्विता ॥ न विना स तया रेमे मुहूर्त्तमपि पार्थिवः

pradhāna hasrasya saubhāgyamadagarvitā || na vinā sa tayā reme muhūrttamapi pārthivaḥ

Foremost among the king's many queens, proud with the pride of her good fortune, the king would not take pleasure even for a moment apart from her.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.37.7)

एकदा तस्यराजर्षेरर्द्धासनगता सती॥ यावत्तिष्ठति राजेंद्रमृषिस्तावदुपागतः॥ कण्वो नाम महातेजास्तपस्वी वेदपारगः

ekadā tasyarājarṣerarddhāsanagatā satī|| yāvattiṣṭhati rājeṁdramṛṣistāvadupāgataḥ|| kaṇvo nāma mahātejāstapasvī vedapāragaḥ

One day, the chaste queen, seated on half the throne of that royal sage — while she remained there with the king, a sage arrived, one of great splendour, an ascetic learned in the Vedas, named Kanva.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.37.8)

तमागतमथो दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय पार्थिवः॥ पूजां कृत्वा यथान्यायं दत्त्वा चार्घ्यमनुत्तमम्

tamāgatamatho dṛṣṭvā sahasotthāya pārthivaḥ|| pūjāṁ kṛtvā yathānyāyaṁ dattvā cārghyamanuttamam

Seeing him arrive, the king rose up at once, and, offering worship according to rule, gave him the most excellent arghya (guest-offering).

Verse 9 (skanda.7.37.9)

सुखासीनं ततो मत्वा विश्रांतं मुनिपुंगवम्॥ आपृच्छत्कुशलं राजा स सर्वं चान्वमोदयत्

sukhāsīnaṁ tato matvā viśrāṁtaṁ munipuṁgavam|| āpṛcchatkuśalaṁ rājā sa sarvaṁ cānvamodayat

Then, believing the foremost of sages to be comfortably seated and rested, the king inquired after his welfare, and the sage approved of all that was offered.

Verse 10 (skanda.7.37.10)

ततो धर्मकथां चक्रे स ऋषिर्नृपसन्निधौ

tato dharmakathāṁ cakre sa ṛṣirnṛpasannidhau

Then that sage told a tale of dharma in the presence of the king.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.37.11)

ततः कथावसाने सा भार्या तस्य महीपतेः ॥ अब्रवीदमृतं वाक्यं कृतांजलिपुटा सती

tataḥ kathāvasāne sā bhāryā tasya mahīpateḥ || abravīdamṛtaṁ vākyaṁ kṛtāṁjalipuṭā satī

Then, at the end of the tale, that wife of the king, the chaste lady, with joined palms, spoke this nectar-like word.

Verse 12 (skanda.7.37.12)

॥ इन्दुमत्युवाच ॥ त्वं वेत्सि भगवन्सर्वमतीतानागतं विभो ॥ पृच्छे त्वां कौतुकाविष्टा तस्मात्त्वं क्षंतुमर्हसि ॥

|| indumatyuvāca || tvaṁ vetsi bhagavansarvamatītānāgataṁ vibho || pṛcche tvāṁ kautukāviṣṭā tasmāttvaṁ kṣaṁtumarhasi ||

Indumati said: "O Lord, O Master, you know all things past and future; filled with curiosity, I ask you — therefore you should forgive me for asking."

Verse 13 (skanda.7.37.13)

अन्यदेहोद्भवं कर्म मम सर्वं प्रकीर्त्तय ॥ ईदृशं मम सौभाग्यं पतिर्देवसुतोपमः

anyadehodbhavaṁ karma mama sarvaṁ prakīrttaya || īdṛśaṁ mama saubhāgyaṁ patirdevasutopamaḥ

"Declare to me all the deeds arising in my former body; tell why such is my good fortune, and why my husband is like the son of a god."

Verse 14 (skanda.7.37.14)

सौभाग्यं पतिदेवत्वं शीलं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्॥ किं प्रभावो व्रतस्यैष उताहोपोषितस्य वा

saubhāgyaṁ patidevatvaṁ śīlaṁ trailokyaviśrutam|| kiṁ prabhāvo vratasyaiṣa utāhopoṣitasya vā

"This good fortune, this reverence toward my husband as my deity, this character renowned throughout the three worlds — is it the power of some vow, or of a fast undertaken?"

Verse 15 (skanda.7.37.15)

दानस्य वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ यन्मे सौभाग्यमुत्तमम्॥ वशो राजा महाबाहुर्मम वाक्यानुगः सदा ॥

dānasya vā muniśreṣṭha yanme saubhāgyamuttamam|| vaśo rājā mahābāhurmama vākyānugaḥ sadā ||

"Or of some gift, O foremost of sages — that my good fortune is so supreme, that the mighty-armed king is subject to me and ever follows my word?"

Verse 16 (skanda.7.37.16)

एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि मे

etanme sarvamācakṣva paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi me

"Tell me all of this — for I am filled with the greatest curiosity."

Verse 17 (skanda.7.37.17)

॥ सूत उवाच ॥ तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ध्यात्वा च सुचिरं मुनिः ॥ अब्रवीत्प्रहसन्वाक्यं कण्वो वेदविदां वरः

|| sūta uvāca || tasyāstadvacanaṁ śrutvā dhyātvā ca suciraṁ muniḥ || abravītprahasanvākyaṁ kaṇvo vedavidāṁ varaḥ

Suta said: Having heard her words, and having meditated for a long while, the sage Kanva, best of the knowers of the Veda, spoke this word, smiling.

Verse 18 (skanda.7.37.18)

॥ कण्व उवाच ॥ शृणु राज्ञि प्रवक्ष्यामि अन्यदेहोद्भवं तव ॥ न रोषश्च त्वया कार्यो लज्जा वापि सुमध्यमे

|| kaṇva uvāca || śṛṇu rājñi pravakṣyāmi anyadehodbhavaṁ tava || na roṣaśca tvayā kāryo lajjā vāpi sumadhyame

Kanva said: "Listen, O queen, I shall tell you of what arose in your former body; you should feel neither anger nor shame, O slender-waisted one."

Verse 19 (skanda.7.37.19)

त्वमासीदन्यदेहे तु आभीरी पंचभर्तृका ॥ सौराष्ट्रविषये हीना देवं सोमेश्वरं गता

tvamāsīdanyadehe tu ābhīrī paṁcabhartṛkā || saurāṣṭraviṣaye hīnā devaṁ someśvaraṁ gatā

"In your former body you were a cowherd woman (Abhiri) with five husbands, of low standing in the Saurashtra country, who went to the god Someshvara."

Verse 20 (skanda.7.37.20)

ततः स्नातुं प्रविष्टा च सागरे लवणांभसि ॥ हता कल्लोलमालाभिर्विह्वलत्वमुपागता

tataḥ snātuṁ praviṣṭā ca sāgare lavaṇāṁbhasi || hatā kallolamālābhirvihvalatvamupāgatā

"Then you entered to bathe in the salt sea; struck by the succession of waves, you became overwhelmed."

Verse 21 (skanda.7.37.21)

तव हस्ताच्च्युतं तत्र हैमं कंकणमेव च ॥ नष्टं समुद्रसलिले पश्चात्तापस्तु ते स्थितः

tava hastāccyutaṁ tatra haimaṁ kaṁkaṇameva ca || naṣṭaṁ samudrasalile paścāttāpastu te sthitaḥ

"There, from your hand, slipped a golden bracelet, and it was lost in the ocean's waters; afterward, remorse remained with you."

Verse 22 (skanda.7.37.22)

अथ कालेन महता पंचत्वं त्वमुपागता ॥ दशार्णाधिपतेर्गेहे ततो जातासि सुन्दरि

atha kālena mahatā paṁcatvaṁ tvamupāgatā || daśārṇādhipatergehe tato jātāsi sundari

"Then, after a great length of time, you met death; O beautiful one, you were then born in the house of the king of Dasharna."

Verse 23 (skanda.7.37.23)

बृहद्रथेन चोढासि कंकणस्य प्रभा वतः॥ न व्रतं न तपो दानं त्वया चीर्णं पुरा शुभे

bṛhadrathena coḍhāsi kaṁkaṇasya prabhā vataḥ|| na vrataṁ na tapo dānaṁ tvayā cīrṇaṁ purā śubhe

"By the power of that bracelet, you were wedded by Brihadratha; O auspicious one, you had performed no vow, no austerity, no gift in the past."

Verse 24 (skanda.7.37.24)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा सा विशालाक्षी त्रपयाऽधो मुखी तथा ॥ आसीत्तूष्णीं तदा देवी श्रुत्वा वाक्यं च तादृशम्

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ yanmāṁ tvaṁ paripṛcchasi || tacchrutvā sā viśālākṣī trapayā'dho mukhī tathā || āsīttūṣṇīṁ tadā devī śrutvā vākyaṁ ca tādṛśam

"This is all told to you, as you asked me." Hearing that, the wide-eyed queen, out of shame, bowed her face down; the queen became silent, having heard such words.

Verse 25 (skanda.7.37.25)

एवं निवेद्य स मुनी राजपत्नीं वरानने ॥ जगाम भवनं स्वं च आमंत्र्य वसुधाधिपम्

evaṁ nivedya sa munī rājapatnīṁ varānane || jagāma bhavanaṁ svaṁ ca āmaṁtrya vasudhādhipam

Having thus informed the king's wife, O fair-faced one, that sage, taking leave of the lord of the earth, went to his own dwelling.

Verse 26 (skanda.7.37.26)

ज्ञात्वा फलं कंकणस्य मुनेस्तस्य प्रभावतः ॥ गत्वा सोमेश्वरं देवं स्नात्वा च लवणांभसि

jñātvā phalaṁ kaṁkaṇasya munestasya prabhāvataḥ || gatvā someśvaraṁ devaṁ snātvā ca lavaṇāṁbhasi

Having learnt, through that sage's power, the fruit of that bracelet, she went to the god Someshvara, and, bathing in the salt sea—

Verse 27 (skanda.7.37.27)

प्राक्षिपत्कंकणं तत्र प्रतिवर्षं महाप्रभे ॥ ततो देवत्वमापन्ना प्रभावात्तस्य भामिनि

prākṣipatkaṁkaṇaṁ tatra prativarṣaṁ mahāprabhe || tato devatvamāpannā prabhāvāttasya bhāmini

"—cast a bracelet there every year, O greatly radiant one; and thereafter, O fair lady, through its power she attained divinity."

Verse 28 (skanda.7.37.28)

ईश्वर उवाच ॥ एष प्रभावः सुमहान्कंकणस्य प्रकीर्तितः ॥ सर्वकामप्रदो देवि सर्वपापप्रणाशनः

īśvara uvāca || eṣa prabhāvaḥ sumahānkaṁkaṇasya prakīrtitaḥ || sarvakāmaprado devi sarvapāpapraṇāśanaḥ

Ishvara said: "O goddess, this is the great power of the bracelet, thus declared — it grants all desires and destroys all sin."