पपात सहसा भूमौ ततः क्रुद्धो बृहस्पतिः। तं दृष्ट्वा पतितं शुक्रं शशाप स रुषान्वितः
That seed suddenly fell to the ground; then, Bṛhaspati, enraged at seeing his seed fallen, cursed him in his wrath.
उचथ्यपुत्रं गर्भस्थं निर्भर्त्स्य भगवानृषिः। यन्मां त्वमीदृशे काले सर्वभूतेप्सिते सति
The divine sage rebuked the child of Uchathya in the womb: 'Though all beings desire me at such a time, you have opposed me.'
एवमात्थ वचस्तस्मात्तमो दीर्घं प्रवेक्ष्यसि। स वै दीर्घतमा नाम शापादृषिरजायत
Because you spoke thus, you shall enter into long darkness; and from that curse, the sage was born with the name Dīrghatamas.
बृहस्पतेर्बृहत्कीर्तेर्बृहस्पतिरिवौजसा। जात्यन्धो वेदवित्प्राज्ञः पत्नीं लेभे स विद्यया
Dīrghatamas, though blind from birth, was learned in the Vedas and wise, possessing the glory of Bṛhaspati; by his knowledge, he obtained a wife.
तरुणीं रुपसंपन्नां प्रद्वेषीं नाम ब्राह्मणीम्। स पुत्राञ्जनयामास गौतमादीन्महायशाः
He married a young and beautiful Brahmin woman named Pradveṣī; the illustrious sage begot sons such as Gautama.
ऋषेरुचथ्यस्य तदा सन्तानकुलवृद्धये। धर्मात्मा च महात्मा च वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः
Thus, for the increase of Uchathya's lineage, the righteous and great-souled sage, master of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, was born.
गोधर्मं सौरभेयाच्च सोऽधीत्य निखिलं मुनिः। प्रावर्तत तदा कर्तुं श्रद्धावांस्तमशङ्कया
Having thoroughly learned the duties of cattle and those taught by Saurabheya, the sage, full of faith and without doubt, then began to practice them.
ततो वितथमर्यादं तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिसत्तमाः। क्रुद्धा मोहाभिभूतास्ते सर्वे तत्राश्रमौकसः
Then, seeing him transgressing proper conduct, the eminent sages residing in that hermitage, overcome by anger and delusion, all became enraged.
अहोऽयं भिन्नमर्यादो नाश्रमे वस्तुमर्हति। तस्मादेनं वयं सर्वे पापात्मानं त्यजामहे
"Behold, this one has broken the code of conduct; he does not deserve to dwell in the hermitage. Therefore, let us all abandon this sinful one."
इत्यन्योन्यं समाभाष्य ते दीर्घतमसं मुनिम्। पुत्रलाभाच्च सा पत्नी न तुतोष पतिं तदा
Thus, speaking among themselves about the long-darkened sage, and because she had obtained a son, his wife was not satisfied with her husband at that time.
प्रद्विषन्तीं पतिर्भार्यां किं मां द्वेक्षीति चाब्रवीत्
The husband said to his wife, who was hostile toward him, "Why do you despise me?"
अहं त्वद्भरणाशक्ता जात्यन्धं ससुतं तदा। नित्यकालं श्रमेणार्ता न भरेयं महातपः
"I am unable to support you, a great ascetic, along with your blind son; I am always afflicted by hardship and cannot bear it," she replied.
तस्मास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिः कोपसमन्वितः। प्रत्युवाच ततः पत्नीं प्रद्वेषीं ससुतां तदा
Therefore, hearing those words, the sage, filled with anger, then spoke to his hostile wife, who was with her son.
त्वया दत्तं धनं विप्र नेच्छेयं दुःखकारणम्
"O Brahmin, the wealth you have given—I do not desire it, as it is the cause of sorrow."
यथेष्टं कुरु विप्रेन्द्र न भेरयं पुरा यथा
"Do as you wish, O best of Brahmins; I will not support you as before."
एक एव पतिर्नार्या यावज्जीवं परायणम्। मृते जीवति वा तस्मिन्नापरं प्राप्नुयान्नरम्
"A woman has only one husband as her refuge for life; whether he is dead or alive, she should not seek another man."
अभिगम्य परं नारी पतिष्यति न संशयः। अपतीनां तु नारीणामद्यप्रभृति पातकम्
"If a woman approaches another, she will surely be married (to him); but from this day, for women without husbands, it will be a sin."
यद्यस्ति चेद्धनं सर्वं वृथाभोगा भवन्तु ताः। अकीर्तिः परिवादाश्च नित्यं तासां भवन्तु वै
"Even if they possess all wealth, let their enjoyments be in vain; let disgrace and reproach always be theirs."
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणी भृशकोपिता। गङ्गायां नीयतामेष पुत्रा इत्येवमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, the Brahmin woman, greatly angered, said, "Let this son be taken to the Ganga."
लोभमोहाभिभूतास्ते पुत्रास्तं गौतमादयः। वद्ध्वोडुपे परिक्षिप्य गङ्गायां समवासृजन्
Overcome by greed and delusion, her sons, led by Gautama, bound him, placed him on a raft, and cast him into the Ganga.
कस्मादन्धश्च वृद्धश्च भर्तव्योऽयमिति स्म ते। चिन्तयित्वा ततः क्रूराः प्रतिजग्मुरथो गृहान्
Thinking, "Why should we support this blind and old man?" those cruel ones then returned to their homes.
सोऽनुस्रोतस्तदा विप्रः प्लवमानो यदृच्छया। जगाम सुबहून्देशानन्धस्तेनोडुपेन ह
Then, that Brahmin, floating downstream by chance on the raft, traveled through many lands, though blind.
तं तु राजा बलिर्नाम सर्वधर्मविदां वरः। अपश्यन्मज्जनगतः स्रोतसाऽभ्याशमागतम्
There, King Bali, foremost among those who know all dharma, saw him, immersed in the water and carried near by the current.
जग्राह चैनं धर्मात्मा बलिः सत्यपराक्रमः। ज्ञात्वा चैवं स वव्रेऽथ पुत्रार्थे भरतर्षभ
The righteous and truly valiant Bali took hold of him, and, having learned his story, then granted him a boon for the sake of a son, O bull among the Bharatas.
तं पूजयित्वा राजर्षिर्विश्रान्तं मुनिमब्रवीत्।' सन्तानार्थं महाभाग भार्यासु मम मानद। पुत्रान्धर्मार्थकुशलानुत्पादयितुमर्हसि
After honoring the sage and allowing him to rest, the royal sage spoke: 'O most fortunate one, giver of honor, for the sake of progeny, please beget sons in my wives who are skilled in righteousness and wealth.'
एवमुक्तः स तेजस्वी तं तथेत्युक्तवानृषिः। तस्मैस राजा स्वां भार्यां सुदेष्णां प्राहिणोत्तदा
Thus addressed, the radiant sage replied, 'So be it.' Then the king sent his own wife, Sudeṣṇā, to the sage.
तस्यां काक्षीवदादीन्स शूद्रयोनावृषिस्तदा। जनयामास धर्मात्मा पुत्रानेकादशैव तु
In Sudeṣṇā, the righteous sage then begot eleven sons, including Kākṣīvad and others, but in the womb of a Śūdra woman.
काक्षीवदादीन्पुत्रांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा सर्वानधीयतः। उवाच तमृषिं राजा ममेम इति भारत
Seeing all those sons, Kākṣīvad and the rest, the king, O Bhārata, addressed the sage, saying, 'Are these mine?'
नेत्युवाच महर्षिस्तं ममेम इति चाब्रवीत्। शूद्रयोनौ मया हीमे जाताः काक्षीवदादयः
The great sage replied, 'No, these are not yours. Kākṣīvad and the others were born by me in the womb of a Śūdra woman.'
अन्धं वृद्धं च मां दृष्ट्वा सुदेष्णा महिषी तव। अवमन्य ददौ मूढा शूद्रां धात्रेयिकां मम
Seeing me blind and aged, your queen Sudeṣṇā, foolishly disregarding me, gave me her Śūdra maidservant as a nurse.