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.
सा सत्यवति संपश्य धर्मं सत्यपरायणे। यथा न जह्यां सत्यं च न सीदेच्च कुलं हि नः
O Satyavati, consider dharma, devoted to truth, so that I do not abandon truth and our lineage does not perish.
ततः सत्यवती भीष्मं वाचा संसज्जमानया। विहसन्तीव सव्रीडमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Then Satyavati, with words mingled with modesty and a smile, spoke this to Bhishma.
सत्यमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। विश्वासात्ते प्रवक्ष्यामि सन्तानाय कुलस्य नः
What you say is true, O mighty-armed Bharata; trusting you, I will speak for the sake of our lineage.
न ते शक्यमनाख्यातुमापद्धर्मं तथाविधम्। त्वमेव नः कुले धर्मस्त्वं सत्यं त्वं परा गतिः
Such a dharma in distress cannot be revealed to you; you alone are dharma in our family, you are truth, you are the supreme refuge.
यत्त्वं वक्ष्यसि तत्कार्यमस्माभिरिति मे मतिः।' तस्मान्निशम्य सत्यं मे कुरुष्व यदनन्तरम्। `शृणु भीष्म वचो मह्यं धर्मार्थसहितं हितम्
Whatever you say, that shall be done by us—this is my resolve; therefore, hearing my truth, do what follows. Hear, Bhishma, my words, which are beneficial and joined with dharma and artha.
न च विस्रम्भकथितं भवान्सूचितुमर्हति। यस्तु राजा वसुर्नाम श्रुतस्ते भरतर्षभ
You should not disclose what is spoken in confidence; but you have heard of the king named Vasu, O bull among Bharatas.
तस्य शुक्लादहं मत्स्या धृता कुक्षौ पुरा किल। मातरं मे जलाद्धृत्वा दाशः परमधर्मवित्
Once, I was carried in the womb as a fish by his white queen; my mother was taken from the water by a fisherman, who was supremely righteous.
मां तु स्वगृहमानीय दुहितृत्वेऽभ्यकल्पयत्। धर्मयुक्तः स धर्मेण पिता चासीत्ततो मम
Bringing me to his own house, he raised me as his daughter; he was righteous, and thus became my father by dharma.
धर्मयुक्तस्य धर्मार्थं पितुरासीत्तरी मम। सा कदाचिदहं तत्र गता प्रथमयौवनम्
For the sake of dharma, my father, who was righteous, had a boat; once, I went there in the prime of youth.
अथ धर्मविदां श्रेष्ठः परमर्षिः पराशरः। आजगाम तरीं धीमांस्तरिष्यन्यमुनां नदीम्
Then, the foremost among knowers of dharma, the great sage Parashara, came to that boat, intending to cross the Yamuna river.