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.'
भ्रष्टैश्वर्या स्वदोषेण पतसि त्वं शुचिस्मिते। यैरारभन्ते कर्माणि शरीरैरिह देवताः
'You have lost your sovereignty by your own fault, O fair-smiling one, and so you fall. The gods here perform actions with bodies.'
तैरेव तत्कर्मफलं प्राप्नुवन्ति स्म देवताः। मनुष्यास्त्वन्यदेहेन शुभाशुभमिति स्थितिः
'By those very bodies, the gods obtain the fruits of those actions; but humans, through another body, experience good or evil—such is the order.'
सद्यः फलन्ति कर्माणि देवत्वे प्रेत्य मानुषे। तस्मात्त्वं पतसे पुत्रि प्रेत्यत्वं प्राप्स्यसे फलम्
Actions bear fruit immediately among the gods, but after death among humans; therefore, my daughter, you will fall and receive the result after death.
पितृहीना तु कन्या त्वं वसोर्हि त्वं सुता मता। मत्स्ययोनौ समुत्पन्ना सुताराज्ञो भविष्यसि
You are a maiden without a father, considered the daughter of Vasu; born from the womb of a fish, you will become the daughter of a king.
अद्रिका मत्स्यरूपाऽभूद्गङ्गायमनुसङ्गमे। पराशरस्य दायादं त्वं पुत्रं जनयिष्यसि
Adrikā, in the form of a fish, met with the river Ganga; you will bear a son for Parāśara, who will be his heir.
यो वेदमेकं ब्रह्मर्षिश्चतुर्धा विबजिष्यति। महाभिषक्सुतस्यैव शन्तनोः कीर्तिवर्धनम्
He, a brahmarshi, will divide the single Veda into four; the son of the great physician, he will increase the fame of Śantanu.
ज्येष्ठं चित्राङ्गदं वीरं चित्रवीरं च विश्रुतम्। एतान्सूत्वा सुपुत्रांस्त्वं पुनरेव गमिष्यसि
You will give birth to the eldest, the heroic Citrāngada, and the renowned Citravīrya; after bearing these noble sons, you will depart again.
व्यतिक्रमात्पितॄणां च प्राप्स्यसे जन्म कुत्सितम्। अस्यैव राज्ञस्त्वं कन्या ह्यद्रिकायां भविष्यसि
Because of transgressing the ancestors, you will obtain a lowly birth; you will be the daughter of this very king, born from Adrikā.
अष्टाविंशे भवित्री त्वं द्वापरे मत्स्ययोनिजा। एवमुक्ता पुरा तैस्त्वं जाता सत्यवती शुभा
In the twenty-eighth Dvāpara, you will be born from the womb of a fish; thus spoken by them in ancient times, you were born as the auspicious Satyavatī.
अद्रिकेत्यभिविख्याता ब्रह्मशापाद्वराप्सरा। मीनभावमनुप्राप्ता त्वं जनित्वा गता दिवम्
Known as Adrikā, a celestial nymph by Brahma's curse, you took the form of a fish, and after giving birth, you returned to heaven.