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.
ततः प्रसादयामास पुनस्तमृषिसत्तमम्। बलिः सुदेष्णां स्वां भार्यां तस्मै स प्राहिणोत्पुनः
Then Bali again sought to please the eminent sage, and once more sent his own wife Sudeṣṇā to him.
तां स दीर्घतमाङ्गेषु स्पृष्ट्वा देवीमथाब्रवीत्। भविष्यन्ति कुमारास्ते तेजसाऽऽदित्यवर्चसः
Touching the limbs of the queen, the sage spoke: 'You will have sons radiant with the brilliance of the sun.'
अङ्गो वङ्गः कलिङ्गश्च पुण्ड्रः सुह्मश्च ते सुताः। तेषां देशाः समाख्याताः स्वनामकथिता भुवि
Aṅga, Vaṅga, Kaliṅga, Puṇḍra, and Suhma will be your sons; their lands are named after them, and their names are renowned on earth.
अङ्गस्याङ्गोऽभवद्देशो वङ्गो वङ्गस्य च स्मृतः। कलिङ्गविषयश्चैव कलिङ्गस्य च स स्मृतः
Aṅga became the land of Aṅga, Vaṅga is remembered as the land of Vaṅga, and Kaliṅga's territory is known as Kaliṅga.
पुण्ड्रस्य पुण्ड्राः प्रख्याताः सुह्माः सुह्मस्य च स्मृताः। एवं बलेः पुरा वंशः प्रख्यातो वै महर्षिजः
Puṇḍra's land is famed as Puṇḍra, and Suhma's as Suhma; thus, the lineage of Bali, born of the great sage, became renowned.
एवमन्ये महेष्वासा ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रिया भुवि। जाताः परमधर्मज्ञा वीर्यवन्तो महाबलाः। एतच्छ्रुत्वा त्वमप्यत्र मातः कुरु यथेप्सितम्
In this way, other mighty archers, Kṣatriyas, were born from Brāhmaṇas on earth, knowing supreme dharma, possessing great strength and valor. Hearing this, mother, you too may do as you wish here.
पुनर्भरतवंशस्य हेतुं सन्तानवृद्धये। वक्ष्यामि नियतं मातस्तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
I will now recount the cause for the continuation of the Bharata lineage; mother, listen to me as I speak.
ब्राह्मणो गुणवान्कश्चिद्धनेनोपनिमन्त्र्यताम्। विचित्रवीर्यक्षेत्रेषु यः समुत्पादयेत्प्रजाः
Let a virtuous Brāhmaṇa be invited with wealth, who can beget offspring in the fields of Vicitravīrya.
भीष्मस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा धर्महेत्वर्थसंहितम्। माता सत्यवती भीष्मं पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत
Hearing Bhīṣma's words, which were based on righteousness and purpose, mother Satyavatī again addressed Bhīṣma.
औचथ्यमधिकृत्येदमङ्गं च यदुदाहृतम्। पौराणी श्रुतिरित्येषा प्राप्तकालमिदं कुरु
Regarding the case of Aucathya and what was cited about Aṅga, this ancient tradition is authoritative; now is the proper time to act.
त्वं हि पुत्र कुलस्यास्य ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठश्च भारत। यथा च ते पितुर्वाक्यं मम कार्यं तथाऽनघ
You, O Bhārata, are the eldest and best of this lineage; just as you obey your father's words, so too fulfill my request, O sinless one.
मम पुत्रस्तव भ्राता यवीयान्सुप्रियश्च ते। बाल एव गतः स्वर्गं भारतो भरतर्षभ
My son, your younger brother, dearly beloved to you, has departed for heaven while still a child, O bull among the Bharatas.
इमे महिष्यौ तस्येह काशिराजसुते उभे। रूपयौवनसंपन्ने पुत्रकामे च भारत
Here are both wives of the son of the king of Kashi, O Bharata, endowed with beauty and youth, and desiring sons.
धर्म्यमेतत्परं ज्ञात्वा सन्तानाय कुलस्य च। आभ्यां मम नियोगात्तु धर्मं चरितुमर्हसि
Knowing this to be the highest righteousness for the continuation of the lineage, you ought to act according to my instruction with these two, for the sake of dharma.
असंशयं परो धर्मस्त्वयाः मातः प्रकीर्तितः। त्वमप्येतां प्रतिज्ञां तु वेत्थ या मयि वर्तते
Mother, you have spoken of the supreme dharma without doubt; you also know the vow that binds me.
अमरत्वस्य वा हेतोस्त्रैलोक्यसदनस्य वा। उत्सृजेयमहं प्राणान्न तु सत्यं कथंचन
For the sake of immortality or the abode of the three worlds, I would abandon my life, but never truth, under any circumstance.
जानामि त्वयि धर्मज्ञ सत्यं सत्यपराक्रम। इच्छंस्त्वमिह लोकांस्त्रीन्सृजेरन्यानरिन्दम
I know you to be righteous, steadfast in truth and valor; if you wish, you could create the three worlds here, O best of kings.
यथा तु नः कुलं चैव धर्मश्च न पराभवेत्। सुहृदश्च प्रहृष्टाः स्युस्तथा त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि
You should act so that our lineage and dharma are not defeated, and our friends are delighted.
त्वमेव कुलवृद्धासि गौरवं तु परं त्वयि। सोपायं कुलसन्ताने वक्तुमर्हसि नः परम्
You alone are the elder of the lineage, and the highest honor rests with you; you ought to declare to us the proper means for the continuation of the family.
स्त्रियो हि परमं गुह्यं धारयन्ति सदा कुले। पुरुषांश्चैव मायाभिर्बह्वीभिरुपगृह्णते
Women always hold the deepest secrets within the family, and with many arts, they influence men.