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.'
दिव्यज्ञानेन दृष्टं हि दृष्टमात्रेण ते वपुः
It is by divine knowledge that your form was perceived at the very moment I saw you.
प्रणयग्रहणार्थाय वक्ष्येव वासवि तच्छृणु। बर्हिषद इति ख्याताः पितरः सोमपास्तुते
For the sake of accepting affection, I will tell you this, O Vāsavī, listen: The Pitṛs known as Barhiṣads, O Soma-drinker, are renowned.
तेषां त्वं मानसी कन्या अच्छोदा नाम विश्रुता। अच्छोदं नाम तद्दिव्यं सरो यस्मात्समुत्थितम्
You are their mind-born daughter, famed as Acchodā, because you arose from that divine lake named Acchoda.
त्वया न दृष्टपूर्वास्तु पितरस्ते कदाचन। संभूता मनसा तेषां पितॄन्स्वान्नाभिजानती
You have never before seen your fathers; born from their mind, you do not know your own Pitṛs.
सा त्वन्यं पितरं वव्रे स्वानतिक्रम्य तान्पितॄन्। नाम्ना वसुरिति ख्यातं मनुपुत्रं दिवि स्थितम्
She chose another as her father, forsaking her own Pitṛs, namely Vasu by name, a son of Manu, renowned and dwelling in heaven.
अद्रिकाऽप्सरसा युक्तं विमाने दिवि विष्ठितम्। सा तेन व्यभिचारेण मनसा कामचारिणी
He was united with Adrikā, an apsaras, residing in a celestial chariot in heaven; by that mental transgression, she, moved by desire, acted thus.
पितरं प्रार्थयित्वाऽन्यं योगाद्भष्टा पपात सा। अपश्यत्पतमाना सा विमानत्रयमन्तिकात्
Having desired another father, through the power of yoga she fell from heaven; as she was falling, she saw from near the three celestial chariots.
त्रसरेणुप्रमाणांस्तांस्तत्रापश्यत्स्वकान्पितॄन्। सुसूक्ष्मानपरिव्यक्तानङ्गैरङ्गेष्विवाहितान्
There she saw her own Pitṛs, as small as particles of dust, extremely subtle, indistinct, with bodies barely perceptible, as if joined limb to limb.
तातेति तानुवाचार्ता पतन्ती सा ह्यधोमुखी। तैरुक्ता सा तु माभैषीस्तेन सा संस्थिता दिवि
Falling headlong, she cried out to them in distress, 'Father!' They told her, 'Do not fear,' and thus she remained in heaven.
ततः प्रसादयामास स्वान्पितॄन्दीनया गिरा। तामूचुः पितरः कन्यां भ्रैष्टश्वर्यां व्यतिक्रमात्
Then she began to propitiate her fathers with humble words; the Pitṛs said to their daughter, 'You have lost your sovereignty by transgression.'