अधस्यात्तस्य छायायां सुखासीनो नराधिपः। मधुगन्धैश्च संयुक्तं पुष्पगन्धमनोहरम्
Seated comfortably beneath its shade, the king enjoyed the sweet fragrance of flowers mixed with the scent of honey.
वायुना प्रेर्यमाणस्तु धूम्राय मुदमन्वगात्। `भार्यां चिन्तयमानस्य मन्मथाग्निरवर्धत।' तस्य रेतः प्रचस्कन्द चरतो गहने वने
Stirred by the wind, he felt joy; as he thought of his wife, the fire of love grew within him, and his seed spilled as he wandered in the dense forest.
स्कन्नमात्रं च तद्रेतो वृक्षपत्रेण भूमिपः। प्रतिजग्राह मिथ्या मे न पतेद्रेत इत्युत
As soon as the seed spilled, the king caught it with a leaf, saying, 'Let my seed not fall in vain.'
अङ्गुलीयेन शुक्लस्य रक्षां च विदधे नृपः। अशोकस्तबकै रक्तैः पल्लवैश्चाप्यबन्धयत्
With his ring, the king protected the white seed and tied it with red ashokas and tender leaves.
इदं मिथ्या परिस्कन्नं रेतो मे न भवेदिति। ऋतुश्च तस्याः पत्न्या मे न मोघः स्यादिति प्रभुः
Saying, 'Let this spilled seed not be wasted,' and, 'Let my wife's fertile period not be fruitless,' the lord—
संचिन्त्यैवं तदा राजा विचार्य च पुनःपुनः। अमोघत्वं च विज्ञाय रेतसो राजसत्तमः
Thus reflecting, the king considered again and again, and, realizing the seed would not be wasted, the foremost among kings—
शुक्रप्रस्थापने कालं महिष्या प्रसमीक्ष्य वै। अभिमन्त्र्याथ तच्छुक्रमारात्तिष्ठन्तमाशुगम्
Observing the proper time for the emission of seed by his wife, he consecrated that seed, which was ready to depart swiftly.
सूक्ष्मधर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञो गत्वा श्येनं ततोऽब्रवीत्। मत्प्रियार्थमिदं सौम्य शुक्रं मम गृहं नय
Knowing the subtle truth of righteousness and purpose, he approached the hawk and said: 'For my beloved's sake, gentle one, carry this seed to my house.'
गृहीत्वा तत्तदा श्येनस्तूर्णमुत्पत्य वेगवान्
Then the hawk, taking it, swiftly soared up with great speed.
जवं परममास्थाय प्रदुद्राव विहंगमः। तमपश्यदथायान्तं श्येनं श्येनस्तथाऽपरः
Assuming utmost swiftness, the bird flew rapidly; but then, another hawk saw him approaching.
अभ्यद्रवच्च तं सद्यो दृष्ट्वैवामिषशङ्कया। तुण्डयुद्धमथाकाशे तावुभौ संप्रचक्रतुः
At once, suspecting flesh, that other hawk rushed at him; and in the sky, the two engaged in a beak-fight.
युद्ध्यतोरपतद्रेतस्तच्चापि यमुनाम्भसि। तत्राद्रिकेति विख्याता ब्रह्मशापाद्वराप्सरा
As they fought, the seed fell and landed in the waters of the Yamuna; there, a celestial nymph named Adrika, cursed by Brahma, was known.
मीनभावमनुप्राप्ता बभूव यमुनाचरी। श्येनपादपरिभ्रष्टं तद्वीर्यमथ वासवम्
Having taken the form of a fish, she moved in the Yamuna; that seed, fallen from the hawk's claws, was then seized by her with force, she being a fish in form.
जग्राह तरसोपेत्य साऽद्रिका मत्स्यरूपिणी। कदाचिदपि मत्सीं तां बबन्धुर्मत्स्यजीविनः
That Adrika, in the form of a fish, seized it with speed; and at some time, the fishermen caught that fish.
मासे च दशमे प्राप्ते तदा भरतसत्तम।। उज्जह्रुरुदरात्तस्याः स्त्रीं पुमांसं च मानुषौ
When the tenth month arrived, O best of Bharatas, from her belly they extracted a woman and a man, both human.
आश्चर्यभूतं तद्गत्वा राज्ञेऽथ प्रत्यवेदयन्। काये मत्स्या इमौ राजन्संभूतौ मानुषाविति
Amazed by this, they went and reported to the king: 'O king, from the body of a fish, these two humans have been born.'
तयोः पुमांसं जग्राह राजोपरिचरस्तदा। स मत्स्यो नाम राजासीद्धार्मिकः सत्यसङ्गरः
Of the two, King Uparicara Vasu then took the male; that king, named Matsya, was righteous and true to his word.
साऽप्सरा मुक्तशापा च क्षणेन समपद्यत। या पुरोक्ता भगवता तिर्यग्योनिगता शुभा
That apsara, freed from her curse, at once regained her divine form—she who had previously been mentioned by the blessed one as having entered an animal birth.
मानुषौ जनयित्वा त्वं शापमोक्षमवाप्स्यसि। ततः साजनयित्वा तौ विशस्ता मत्स्यघातिभिः
'Having given birth to two humans, you will be released from the curse.' Thus, after bearing them, she was killed by the fishermen.
संत्यज्य मत्स्यरूपं सा दिव्यं रूपमवाप्य च। सिद्धर्षिचारणपथं जगामाथ वराप्सराः
Abandoning her fish form, she attained her celestial appearance and, as a splendid apsara, went to the path of the Siddhas, Rishis, and Charanas.
सा कन्या दुहिता तस्या मत्स्या मत्स्यसगन्धिनी। राज्ञा दत्ता च दाशाय कन्येयं ते भवत्विति
That daughter of the fish, fragrant as a fish, was given by the king to Dasa, saying, 'Let this maiden be yours.'
रूपसत्वसमायुक्ता सर्वैः समुदिता गुणैः। सा तु सत्यवती नाम मत्स्यघात्यभिसंश्रयात्
Endowed with beauty, character, and all virtues, she was called Satyavati, due to her association with the fishermen.
आसीत्सा मत्स्यगन्धैव कंचित्कालं शुचिस्मिता। शुश्रूषार्थं पितुर्नावं वाहयन्तीं जले च ताम्
For some time, that pure-smiling Satyavati bore the scent of fish; serving her father, she would row his boat upon the water.
तीर्थयात्रां परिक्रामन्नपश्यद्वै पराशरः। अतीव रूपसंपन्नां सिद्धानामपि काङ्क्षिताम्
While journeying on pilgrimage, Parashara beheld her on the water—she was exceedingly beautiful, desired even by the perfected beings.
दृष्ट्वैव स च तां धीमांश्चकमे चारुहासिनीम्। दिव्यां तां वासवीं कन्यां रम्भोरूं मुनिपुङ्गवः
As soon as he saw her, that wise sage desired the lovely-smiling maiden, the divine daughter of Vāsava, whose thighs were like plantain stems.
संभवं चिन्तयित्वा तां ज्ञात्वा प्रोवाच शक्तिजः। क्व कर्णधारो नौर्येन नीयते ब्रूहि भामिनि
Considering her origin and recognizing her, the son of Śakti spoke: 'Fair one, where is the helmsman by whom this boat is being steered? Tell me.'
अनपत्यस्य दाशस्य सुता तत्प्रियकाम्यया। सहस्रजनसंपन्ना नौर्मया वाह्यते द्विज
She replied, 'O twice-born, this boat, filled with a thousand people, is steered by me, the daughter of the boatman, for the sake of pleasing my father who has no sons.'
शोभनं वासवि शुभे किं चिरायसि वाह्यताम्। कलशं भविता भद्रे सहस्रार्धेन संमितम्
O beautiful Vāsavī, O auspicious one, why do you delay? Let the boat be rowed. O gentle one, the fare will be a pot filled to half with a thousand coins.
मत्स्यगन्धा तथेत्युक्त्वा नावं वाहयतां जले
Matsyagandhā, saying 'So be it,' began to row the boat upon the water.
वीक्षमाणं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा प्रोवाचेदं वचस्तदा। मत्स्यगन्धेति मामाहुर्दाशराजसुतां जनाः
Seeing the sage gazing at her, she then spoke these words: 'People call me Matsyagandhā, the daughter of the boatman king.'