Chapter 20 - The Birth of Suvrata

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Hari said:

1-2. O brāhmaṇa, I am pleased by this meritorious penance of yours, and also by your truthfulness; and I am also pleased by the holy hymn of praise. Choose a boon. O you illustrious one, I shall grant you the boon that you have (i.e. cherish) in your mind. I shall fulfil (i.e. satisfy) whatever desire you entertain.

Somaśarman said:

3. O Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu), first, with a pleased mind, grant me a boon much desired by me, if you have good (i.e. great) pity for me.

4. Getting birth after birth (i.e. in every existence) I shall be devoted to you. Show me the highest, stable place, giving (me) salvation.

5-Sa. O Keśava, (give me) a son, who will emancipate his family, who will be endowed with divine characteristics, who will be always intensely devoted to Viṣṇu, who will sustain (i.e. continue) my family, who will know everything and grant everything, who will be endowed with the lustre of penance, who will always protect and honour gods, brāhmaṇas and (other) people, who will be pious, who will be a donor and will be mature in intellect due to knowledge. Give me such a son, (and) remove my poverty. May it be so certainly (lit. there is no doubt). I choose this boon.

Hari said:

8b-11. O best brāhmaṇa, may it be so. Undoubtedly it will take place. By my favour, may you have a good son, who would emancipate your family. You will enjoy divine and human boons here (i.e. in this world). Perceiving great, virtuous happiness due to your son, you will, O brāhmaṇa, not see (i.e. experience) unhappiness as long as you live. You wil be a donor, an enjoyer and will appreciate merits. There is no doubt about this. You will meet with death at a sacred place (and) will obtain the highest position.

12. Thus having granted a boon to that brāhmaṇa dear to him, the lord vanished. He was seen as (though seen) in a dream.

13-21. Then that best brāhmaṇa Somaśarman, (accompanied) with (his wife) Sumanā, gave auspicious gifts at the great and purifying sacred place Amarakaṇṭaka, on the auspicious bank of Revā, giving merit. When a very long time of that Somaśarman passed (i.e. when he thus passed a long time), he bathed at the confluence of Kapilā and Revā and set out. In front of him the brāhmaṇa saw a white elephant, which was very bright, beautiful, divine, of a profuse ichor, and of charming (i.e. auspicious) marks, with his body looking beautiful on account of many ornaments, and endowed with great grace. Both his temples shone with red lead and saffron. (He saw the elephant) whose ears were having blue lotuses on them, and which was having a banner and a staff. On the elephant was seated a divine, very bright man, who was endowed with divine marks, and who was adorned with all ornaments, who had put on divine flowers and who was besmeared with divine sandal. The best (brāhmaṇa, Samaśarman) saw him to be very pleasing like the moon, and endowed with an umbrella and chowries, and going, after having mounted the elephant (i.e. being carried by the elephant). (He saw the man) who was very auspiciously being praised by Siddhas, bards and Gandharvas. Seeing that beautiful, excellent elephant and the man with divine characteristics, Somaśarman, with his mind full of amazement, reflected:

22-27. “Who is this, of a divine body and a good vow, going after having reached (i.e. along) the path?’ When, thinking like this, Somaśarman came to his house, (he saw) the divine charming form entering (through) the door of his house. Full of great joy, the religious-minded, best brāhmaṇa, Somaśarman, quickly went to his house; but when he went upto the door ofhis house he did not see him, (but instead) the very intelligent one (saw) charming divine, fragrant flowers fallen in the courtyard (of his house). Seeing this courtyard besmeared with auspicious, fragrant sandal and saffron, and with dūrvā grass and sacred rice grains, he, thus amazed, and reflecting repeatedly, saw Sumanā with divine and auspicious excellence.

Somaśarmana said:

28. Who gave (you) these divine ornaments, (this) fortune in the form an excellent dress, and decoration (in the form) of garments and ornaments?

29. O good one, then, without any apprehension tell me the reason.

Thus speaking to his wife, the best brāhmaṇa ceased (speaking).

Sumanā said:

30-31. O my husband, listen. Someone best among the gods, mounted upon a white elephant, adorned with divine ornaments, with his body smeared with divine sandal, endowed with divine wonders, had come. I do not know which deity he was (who was) served by brāhmaṇas and Gandharvas.

32-38a. He, who was being praised by gods, Gandharvas and bards, had come. With him were ladies who were endowed with auspicious forms, with beauty and excellent dresses, with charm due to all ornaments, and all with their desires satisfied. In front of them the illustrious man filled our quadrangle with gems and is (therefore) endowed with all charm. Then I was placed on an auspicious seat by brāhmaṇas. All of them gave me garments, ornaments and decorations. They all consecrated me with auspicious Vedic hymns and meritorious songs from the sacred texts, and they again disappeared. O best brāhmaṇa, all of them (being) around me, again said: “We shall always dwell in your house. O you auspicious one, always remain undefiled along with your husband.” Speaking thus, they all left. Thus only (i.e. this much only is what) I saw.

38b-45a. The very intelligent one, having heard the account told by her, again reflected: ‘What is this brought about by the lord?’ Thus thinking the very wise Somaśarman engaged himself in the religious duties of a brāhmaṇa. That illustrious Sumanā observing a vow became pregnant from him. That respectable lady then looked more beautiful due to that embryo. She was endowed with the flame of lustre as she was having that bright son (in her womb). She, due to (the efficacy of) her penance, gave birth to a son resembling a god. At that time divine drums resounded in the sky. Great gods blew conches, Gandharvas sang charming songs; and indeed all the celestial nymphs danced at that time. Then the calm, best brāhmaṇa, Brahmā, having come there with gods, named him (i.e. the boy) Suvrata. Having named him, all the gods of great prowess left.

45b-57. When the gods had left, the best brāhmaṇa Somaśarman performed rites like the birth-rite (of the boy). When the illustrious son Suvrata, brought into existence by gods, was born, there was great prosperity in his house mixed with (i.e. full of) wealth and grains; and also (there were) elephants, buffaloes and cows, gold and jewels. The house of that Somaśarman shone as the house of Kubera shone with heaps of wealth. The best brāhmaṇa performed rites like meditation (and other) auspicious deeds. The brāhmaṇa, full of many merits went on a pilgrimage. The intelligent one, endowed with knowledge and merit, gave there auspicious gifts. With great joy he celebrated the marriage of the son. The son’s sons, virtuous and endowed with good signs, were born. They were endowed with truthfulness, righteousness and penance. Somaśarman performed all auspicious rites of (i.e. about) them; and the illustrious one was happy with their grandsons. He enjoyed all pleasures and was without (i.e. free from) old age and diseases. His body was as (if) he was twenty-five years old. That very wise Somaśarman was lustrous like the sun. That noble, respectable lady Sumanā also shone with pious and auspicious (things), with sons and grandsons, and with vows and restraints. With auspicious vows like (being very loyal to) the husband, the large-eyed one shone excellently. She was (so much) endowed with youth that she was as it were sixteen year old.

58-60. The magnanimous, righteous, very prosperous, charming and auspicious couple was delighted and full of joy. O best brāhmaṇas, thus was their behaviour full of auspicious practices. I shall now tell you the observance of the vows by Suvrata (and) how he (obtained bliss) by having propitiated Nārāyaṇa Anāmaya (i.e. Viṣṇu).