कृष्ण कोऽयं जरासन्धः किंवीर्यः किम्पराक्रमः। यस्त्वां स्पृष्ट्वाऽग्निसदृशं न दग्धः शलभो यथा
Krishna, who is this Jarasandha? What is his strength, what his prowess, that, having touched you—like fire—he was not burned, like a moth?
शृणु राजञ्जरासन्धो यद्वीर्यो यत्पराक्रमः। यथा चोपेक्षितोऽस्माभिर्बहुशः कृतविप्रियः
Hear, O King, of Jarasandha’s strength and valor, and how he, having often wronged us, was long disregarded by us.
अक्षौहिणीनां तिसृणां पतिः समरदर्पितः। राजा बृहद्रथो नाम मगधाधिपतिर्बली
He is the lord of three akshauhinis, proud in battle, the mighty king named Brihadratha, ruler of Magadha.
रूपवान्वीर्यसम्पन्नः श्रीमानतुलविक्रमः। नित्यं दीक्षाङ्किततनुः शतक्रतुरिवापरः
Handsome, endowed with valor, glorious, unequalled in might, his body ever marked by vows, he is like another Indra.
तेजसा सूर्यसङ्काशः क्षमया पृथिवीसमः। यश्चान्तकसमः क्रोधे श्रिया वैश्रवणोपमः
In brilliance he is like the sun, in forbearance like the earth; in wrath he is like Death, and in wealth he is like Kubera.
स्वराज्यं कारयामास मगधेषु गिरिव्रजे'। तस्याभिजनसंयुक्तैर्गणैर्भरतसत्तम। व्याप्तेयं पृथिवी सर्वा सूर्यस्येव गभस्तिभिः
He established his own sovereignty in Magadha, at Girivraja; with his noble allies, O best of Bharatas, he spread his power over all the earth, like the sun with its rays.
स काशिराजस्य सुते यमजे भरतर्षभः। उपयेमे महावीर्यो रूपद्रविणसंयुते। तयोश्चकार समयं मिथः स पुरुषर्षभः
That mighty man, O bull among the Bharatas, married the twin daughters of the king of Kashi, both endowed with beauty and wealth; and he made a mutual agreement with them.
नातिवर्तिष्य इत्येवं पत्नीभ्यां सन्निधौ तदा। स ताभ्यां शुशुभे राजा पत्नीभ्यां वसुधाधिपः
In their presence, he vowed never to violate that agreement; and the king, lord of the earth, shone with his two wives.
प्रियाम्भामनुरूपाभ्यां करेणुभ्यामिव द्विपः। तयोर्मध्यगतश्चापि रराज वसुधाधिपः
Like an elephant with two fitting and beloved female companions, the lord of the earth shone, standing between his two wives.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये मूर्तिमानिव सागरः। विषयेषु निमग्रस्य तस्य यौवनमत्यगात्
Like the ocean embodied between the Ganga and Yamuna, so, immersed in his domains, his youth passed away.
न च वंशकरः पुत्रस्तस्याजायत कश्चन। मङ्गलैर्बभिर्होमैः पुत्रकामाभिरिष्टिभिः
Yet no son was born to him to continue his lineage, though he performed auspicious rites, sacrifices, and ceremonies desiring a child.
नाससाद नृपश्रेष्ठः पुत्रं कुलविवर्धनम्। स भार्याभ्यां च सहितो निर्वेदमगमद्धृशम्
The best of kings did not obtain a son to increase his family; together with his wives, he fell into deep despair.
राज्यं चापि परित्यज्य तपोवनमथाश्रयत्। ' वार्यमाणः प्रकृतिभिर्नृपभक्त्या विशाम्पते
He renounced his kingdom and then took refuge in the forest of ascetics, though his subjects tried to dissuade him out of loyalty.
अथ काक्षीवतः पुत्रं गौतमस्य महात्मनः।। शुश्राव तपसि श्रेष्ठमुदारं चण्डकौशिकम्
Then he heard of the noble Canda Kaushika, the illustrious son of Kakshivat and Gautama, foremost in asceticism.
यदृच्छयाऽऽगतं तं तु वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितम्। पत्नीभ्यां सहितो राजा सर्वयत्नैरतोषयत्
That sage, who had arrived there by chance and was dwelling at the foot of a tree, the king, accompanied by his wives, sought to please by every means.
बृहद्रथं च स ऋषिर्यथावच्चाभ्यनन्दत। ' उपविष्टः स तेनाथ अनुज्ञातो महात्मना
And that sage duly welcomed Brihadratha; seated with him, the great-souled one gave his permission.
तमपृच्छत्तदा विप्रः किमागमनमित्यथ। विप्रैरनुगतस्यैव पत्नीभ्यां सहितस्य च
Then the sage asked him, 'What is the reason for your coming?' as the king, accompanied by his wives and followed by brahmins, sat before him.
स उवाच मुनिं राजा भगवन्नास्ति मे सुतः। अपुत्रस्य तु राज्येन वृद्धत्वे किं प्रयोजनम्
The king said to the sage, 'Revered one, I have no son; what use is a kingdom in old age to one without a child?'
सोऽहं तपश्चरिष्यामि पत्नीभ्यां सहितो वने। नाप्रजस्य मुने किर्तिः स्वधा चैवाक्षया भवेत्। एवमुक्तः स राज्ञा तु मुनिः कारुण्यमागतः
'Therefore, I shall undertake asceticism in the forest with my wives; for one without a son, O sage, neither fame nor lasting offerings remain.' Thus addressed by the king, the sage was moved to compassion.
तमब्रवीत्सत्यधृतिः सत्यवागृषिसत्तमः। परितुष्टोऽस्मि राजेन्द्र वरं वरय सुव्रत
The truthful and steadfast sage, best among rishis, said to him, 'I am pleased with you, O king of kings; choose a boon, O virtuous one.'
ततः सभार्यः प्रणतस्तमुवाच बृहद्रथः। पुत्रदर्शननैराश्याद्बाष्पसन्दिग्धया गिरा
Then Brihadratha, together with his wives, bowed and spoke to him, his voice choked with tears from the hopelessness of seeing a son.
भगवन् राज्यमुत्सृज्य प्रस्थितस्य तपोवनम्। किं वरेणाल्पभाग्यस्य किं राज्येनाप्रजस्य मे
'Revered one, having abandoned my kingdom and set out for the forest of ascetics, what use is a boon to one so unfortunate, or a kingdom to one without a son?'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा मुनिर्ध्यानमगमन्क्षुभितेन्द्रियः। तस्यैव चाम्रवृक्षस्य छायायां समुपाविशत
Hearing this, the sage entered into meditation, his senses disturbed, and sat down in the shade of that very mango tree.
तस्योपविष्टस्य मुनेरुत्सङ्गे निपपात ह। अवानमशुकादष्टमेकमाम्रफलं किल
As the sage sat there, a single ripe mango fruit, stung by a wasp, fell down onto his lap.
तत्प्रगृह्य मुनिश्रेष्ठो हृदयेनाभिमन्त्र्य च। राज्ञे ददावप्रतिमं पुत्रसम्प्राप्तिकारणम्
Taking it up, the foremost of sages, after consecrating it with his heart, gave it to the king as an incomparable means for obtaining a son.
उवाच च महाप्राज्ञस्तं राजानं महामुनिः। गच्छ राजन्कृतार्थोऽसि निवर्तस्व नराधिप
And the great sage, full of wisdom, said to the king, 'Go, O king, your desire is fulfilled; return, O ruler of men.'
एष ते तनयो राजन्मा तपेह तपोवने। प्रजाः पालय धर्मेण एव धर्मो महीक्षिताम्
'This will be your son, O king; do not perform austerities here in the forest. Rule your people with righteousness, for that is the true duty of kings.'
यजस्व विविधैर्यज्ञैरिन्द्रं तर्पय चेन्दुना। पुत्रं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्य तत आश्रममाव्रज
'Perform various sacrifices and satisfy Indra with offerings; after establishing your son in the kingdom, then come to the hermitage.'
अष्टौ वरान्प्रयच्छामि तव पुत्रस्य पार्थिव। ब्रह्मण्यत्वमजेयत्वं युद्धेषु च तथा मतिः
O king, I grant eight boons to your son: devotion to Brahmins, invincibility, wisdom in battle,
प्रियातिथेयतां चैव दीनानामन्ववेक्षणम्। तथा बलं च सुभहल्लोके कीर्ति च शाश्वतीम्
also hospitality to guests, compassion for the distressed, great strength, lasting fame in the world,