सचक्रवाकपुलिनां पुष्पफेनप्रवाहिनीम्। सकिन्नरगणावासां वारनर्क्षनिषेविताम्
Adorned with sandbanks where chakravaka birds gather, its waters flowing with flowers and foam, inhabited by hosts of kinnaras, frequented by elephants and bears.
पुण्यस्वाध्यायसंघुष्टा पुलिनैरुपशोभिताम्। मत्तवारणशार्दूलभुजगेन्द्रनिषेविताम्
Resounding with the auspicious recitation of sacred study, beautified by its banks, frequented by intoxicated elephants, tigers, and mighty serpents.
तस्यास्तीरे भगवतः काश्यपस्य महात्मनः। आश्रमप्रवरं रम्यं महर्षिगणसेवितम्
On its shore was the splendid hermitage of the venerable and great-souled Kashyapa, attended by groups of great sages.
नदीमाश्रमसंबद्धां दृष्ट्वाश्रमपदं तथा। चकाराभिप्रवेशाय मतिं स नृपतिस्तदा
Seeing the hermitage joined to the river in this way, the king then resolved to enter that hermitage.
अलङ्कृतं द्वीपवत्या मालिन्या रम्यतीरया। नरनारायणस्थानं गङ्गयेवोपशोभितम्
Adorned by the island Malini with its delightful banks, that place of Nara and Narayana shone like the Ganga.
मत्तबर्हिणसंघुष्टं प्रविवेश महद्वनम्। तत्स चैत्ररथप्रख्यं समुपेत्य नरर्षभः
Entering the great forest resounding with the cries of intoxicated peacocks, that bull among men approached a place resembling Chaitraratha.
अतीव गुणसंपन्नमनिर्देश्यं च वर्चसा। महर्षिं काश्यपं द्रष्टुमथ कण्वं तपोधनम्
Endowed with great qualities and indescribable brilliance, he went to see the sage Kashyapa and the ascetic Kanva.
ध्वजिनीमश्वसंबाधां पदातिगजसङ्कुलाम्। अवस्थाप्य वनद्वारि सेनामिदमुवाच सः
Stationing his army, crowded with horses, foot soldiers, and elephants, at the forest's edge, he spoke these words to them.
मुनिं विरजसं द्रष्टुं गमिष्यामि तपोधनम्। काश्यपं स्थीयतामत्र यावदागमनं मम
I will go to see the sage, pure and ascetic, Kashyapa; remain here until I return.
तद्वनं नन्दनप्रख्यमासाद्य मनुजेश्वरः।। क्षुत्पिपासे जहौ राजा मुदं चावाप पुष्कलाम्
Having reached that forest, resembling Nandana, the lord of men cast off hunger and thirst and attained great joy.
सामात्यो राजलिङ्गानि सोपनीय नराधिपः। पुरोहितसहायश्च जगामाश्रममुत्तमम्
Accompanied by his ministers, bearing royal insignia, and with his priest as companion, the king went to the excellent hermitage.
दिदृक्षुस्तत्र तमृषिं तपोराशिमथाव्ययम्। ब्रह्मलोकप्रतीकाशमाश्रमं सोऽभिवीक्ष्य ह। षट्पदोद्गीतसंघुष्टं नानाद्विजगणायुतम्
Desiring to see that sage, the inexhaustible store of austerity, he beheld the hermitage, resembling the world of Brahma, resounding with the hum of bees and filled with various groups of twice-born.
विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयनो राजा प्रीतो बभूवह। ऋचो बह्वृचमुख्यैश्च प्रेर्यमाणाः पदक्रमैः। शुश्राव मनुजव्याघ्रो विततेष्विह कर्मसु
With eyes wide in wonder, the king was delighted; he heard the tiger among men recitations of Rig verses by the foremost Bahvrichas, performed in proper sequence, as the rituals were underway.
यज्ञविद्याङ्गविद्भिश्च यजुर्विद्भिश्च शोभितम्। मधुरैः सामगीतैश्च ऋषिभिर्नियतव्रतैः
The hermitage was adorned by those skilled in sacrificial rites and the limbs of Vedic knowledge, by knowers of the Yajurveda, and by sages of disciplined vows singing sweet Sama hymns.
भारुण्डसामगीताभिरथर्वशिरसोद्गतैः। यतात्मभिः सुनियतैः शुशुभे स तदाश्रमः
That hermitage shone with those of controlled selves, well-disciplined, singing the Bharunda Sama and Atharva hymns.
अथर्ववेदप्रवराः पूगयज्ञियसामगाः। संहितामीरयन्ति स्म पदक्रमयुतां तु ते
Foremost Atharva Veda reciters, singers of the Puga and Yajniya Samans, chanted the Samhitas accompanied by the proper sequence of words.
शब्दसंस्कारसंयुक्तर्ब्रुवद्भिश्चापरैर्द्विजैः। नादितः स बभौ श्रीमान्ब्रह्मलोक इवापरः
With other twice-born ones uttering words adorned with proper sound and intonation, that glorious place resounded, appearing like another world of Brahma.
यज्ञसंस्तरविद्भिश्च क्रमशिक्षाविशारदैः। न्यायतत्त्वात्मविज्ञानसंपन्नैर्वेदपारगैः
With those skilled in sacrificial bedding, well-versed in the order of ritual, and endowed with knowledge of the essence of logic and the self, accomplished in the Vedas.
नानावाक्यसमाहारसमवायविशारदैः। विशेषकार्यविद्भिश्च मोक्षधर्मपरायणैः
By those skilled in the assembly of diverse arguments, by those who know the specifics of actions, and who are devoted to the doctrines of liberation and righteousness,
स्तापनाक्षेपसिद्धान्तपरमार्थज्ञतां गतैः। शब्दच्छन्दोनिरुक्तज्ञैः कालज्ञानविशारदैः
By those who have attained knowledge of the ultimate truth through establishing, refuting, and concluding doctrines, by those versed in grammar, metrics, etymology, and by those expert in the science of time,
द्रव्यकर्मगुणज्ञैश्च कार्यकारणवेदिभिः। पक्षिवानररुतज्ञैश्च व्यासग्रन्थसमाश्रितैः
By those who know substances, actions, and qualities, who discern causes and effects, who understand the cries of birds and monkeys, and who rely upon Vyāsa’s treatises,
नानाशास्त्रेषु मुख्यैश्च शुश्राव स्वनमीरितम्। लोकायतिकमुख्यैश्च समन्तादनुनादितम्
He heard his own fame proclaimed in various principal scriptures, and echoed all around by the foremost of materialist philosophers.
तत्रतत्र च विप्रेन्द्रान्नियतान्संशितव्रतान्। जपहोमपरान्विप्रान्ददर्श परवीरहा
Here and there he saw eminent Brāhmaṇas, steadfast in their vows, devoted to recitation and offering, O destroyer of enemy heroes.
आसनानि विचित्राणि रुचिराणि महीपतिः। प्रयत्नोपहितानि स्म दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमागमत्
The king saw seats of wondrous and pleasing design, carefully arranged, and was filled with amazement.
देवतायतनानां च प्रेक्ष्य पूजां कृतां द्विजैः। ब्रह्मलोकस्थमात्मानं मेने स नृपसत्तमः
Observing the worship performed by the twice-born at the shrines of the gods, that best of kings considered himself as if dwelling in the world of Brahmā.
स काश्यपतपोगुप्तमाश्रमप्रवरं शुभम्। नातृप्यत्प्रेक्षमाणो वै तपोवनगुणैर्युतम्
He could not be satisfied gazing upon that excellent and auspicious hermitage, protected by Kāśyapa’s austerities and endowed with the virtues of the forest of penance.
स काश्यपस्यायतनं महाव्रतै- र्वृतं समान्तादृषिभिस्तपोधनैः। विवेश सामात्यपुरोहितोऽरिहा विविक्तमत्यर्थमनोहरं शुभम्
He entered Kāśyapa’s abode, surrounded on all sides by great sages rich in austerity, together with his ministers and priests, O subduer of foes, a secluded, exceedingly charming, and auspicious place.
ततो गच्छन्महाबाहुरेकोऽमात्यान्विसृज्य तान्। नापश्यच्चाश्रमे तस्मिंस्तमृषिं संशितव्रतम्
Then, as he went on, the mighty-armed one, having sent away his ministers, did not see that sage of firm vows in the hermitage.
सोऽपश्यमानस्तमृषिं शून्यं दृष्ट्वा तथाऽऽश्रमम्। उवाच क इहेत्युच्चैर्वनं सन्नादयन्निव
Not seeing the sage and finding the hermitage empty, he called out loudly, as if making the forest resound, 'Who is here?'
श्रुत्वाऽथ तस्य तं शब्दं कन्या श्रीरिव रूपिणी। निश्चक्रामाश्रमात्तस्मात्तापसीवेषधारिणी
Hearing his voice, a maiden, radiant as the goddess of fortune herself, emerged from the hermitage, dressed in the garb of an ascetic.