स तार्यमाणो यमुनां मामुपेत्याब्रवीत्तदा। सान्त्वपूर्वं मुनिश्रेष्ठः कामार्तो मधुरं वचः। उक्त्वा जन्म कुलं मह्यं नासि दाशसुतेति च
As I was ferrying him across the Yamuna, he approached me and spoke, O best of sages, words sweet and gentle, driven by desire. He told me my birth and lineage, and said, 'You are not the daughter of a fisherman.'
तमहं शापभीता च पितुर्भीता च भारत। वरैरसुलभैरुक्ता न प्रत्याख्यातुमुत्सहे
Afraid of a curse and fearful of my father, O Bharata, I could not refuse him, though he asked for difficult boons.
प्रेक्ष्य तांस्तु महाभागान्पारावारे ऋषीन्स्थितान्। यमुनातीरविन्यस्तान्प्रदीप्तानिव पावकान्
I saw those illustrious sages standing on the far shore, placed along the banks of the Yamuna, shining like blazing fires.
पुरस्तादरुणश्चैव तरुणः संप्रकाशते। येनैषा ताम्रवस्त्रेव द्यौः कृता प्रविजृम्भिता
In front, the young sun shone forth, by which the sky, draped in red garments, seemed to be fully expanded.
उक्तमात्रो मया तत्र नीहारमसृजत्प्रभुः। पराशरः सत्यधृतिर्द्वीपे च यमुनाम्भसि
As soon as I spoke there, the mighty sage Parashara, steadfast in truth, created a mist on the island in the waters of the Yamuna.
अभिभूय स मां बालां तेजसा वशमानयत्। तमसा लोकमावृत्य नौगतामेव भारत
Overpowering me, a young girl, with his energy, he brought me under his control, covering the world in darkness, as if I were a boat, O Bharata.
मत्स्यगन्धो महानासीत्पुरा मम जुगुप्सितः। तमपास्य शुभं गन्धमिमं प्रादात्स मे मुनिः
I once had a strong fishy odor, which was repulsive to me; but the sage removed it and gave me this pleasant fragrance.
ततो मामाह स मुनिर्गर्भमुत्सृज्य मामकम्। द्वोपेऽस्या एव सरितः कन्यैव त्वं भविष्यसि
Then the sage told me, after I had conceived his child, 'On this very island of the river, you shall remain a maiden.'
कन्यात्वं च ददौ प्रीतः पुनर्विद्वांस्तपोधनः। तस्य वीर्यमहं दृष्ट्वा तथा युक्तं महात्मनः
Gladly, the wise ascetic granted me perpetual maidenhood; seeing the power of that great soul, I was amazed and distressed.
विस्मिता व्यथिता चैव प्रादामात्मानमेव च। ततस्तदा महात्मा स कन्यायां मयि भारत। प्रहृष्टोऽजनयत्पुत्रं द्वीप एव पराशरः
Astonished and troubled, I surrendered myself; then, O Bharata, that great soul, delighted, begot a son in me, on the island, Parashara.
पाराशर्यो महायोगी स बभूव महानृषिः। कन्यापुत्रो मम पुरा द्वैपायन इति श्रुतः
That son of Parashara became a great yogi and a mighty sage; my son, born of a maiden, was known as Dvaipayana.
यो व्यस्य वेदांश्चतुरस्तपसा भगवानृषिः। लोके व्यासत्वमापेदे कार्ष्ण्यात्कृष्णत्वमेव च
That blessed sage, who divided the four Vedas through austerity, attained the status of Vyasa in the world, and, because of his dark complexion, was called Krishna.
सत्यवादी शमपरस्तपस्वी दग्धकिल्बिषः। सद्योत्पन्नः स तु महान्सह पित्रा ततो गतः
Truthful, self-controlled, ascetic, and free from sin, he was born instantly, and then departed together with his father.
स नियुक्तो मया व्यक्तं त्वया चाप्रतिमद्युतिः। भ्रातुः क्षेत्रेषु कल्याणमपत्यं जनयिष्यति
He was clearly appointed by me and by you, O one of unmatched splendor, to produce good offspring in the fields of your brother.
स हि मामुक्तवांस्तत्र स्मरेः कृच्छ्रेषु मामिति। तं स्मरिष्ये महाबाहो यदि भीष्म त्वमिच्छसि
He told me there, 'Remember me in times of hardship.' I will remember him, O mighty-armed Bhishma, if you desire.
तव ह्यनुमते भीष्म नियतं स महातपाः। विचित्रवीर्यक्षेत्रेषु पुत्रानुत्पादयिष्यति
With your consent, Bhishma, that great ascetic will surely beget sons in the fields of Vichitravirya.
महर्षेः कीर्तने तस्य भीष्मः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्। `देशकालौ च जानासि क्रियतामर्थसिद्धये
At the mention of that great sage, Bhishma, with joined palms, said, 'You know the proper place and time; let it be done for the fulfillment of the purpose.'
अर्थमर्थानुबन्धं च धर्मं धर्मानुबन्धनम्। कामं कामानुबन्धं च विपरीतान्पृथक्पृथक्
The purpose, its connection to other purposes, righteousness, its connection to righteousness, desire, its connection to desire, and their opposites, each separately.
यो विचिन्त्य धिया धीरो व्यवस्यति स बुद्धिमान्। तदिदं धर्मयुक्तं च हितं चैव कुलस्य नः
He who, reflecting with intelligence, decides with resolve—he is truly wise; and this which is bound to righteousness and beneficial to our family.
उक्तं भवत्या यच्छ्रेयस्तन्मह्यं रोचते भृशम्
What you have spoken for our welfare greatly pleases me.
कृष्णद्वैपायनं काली चिन्तयामास वै मुनिम्। स वेदान्विब्रुवन्धीमान्मातुर्विज्ञाय चिन्तितम्
Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the sage, considered his mother Kālī’s thoughts; that wise one, knowing her mind, appeared while expounding the Vedas.
प्रादुर्बभूवाविदितः क्षणेन कुरुनन्दन। तस्मै पूजां ततः कृत्वा सुताय विधिपूर्वकम्
He manifested there, unseen, in a moment, O joy of the Kurus; after that, she performed the proper rites of worship for her son.
परिष्वज्य च बाहुभ्यां प्रस्रवैरभ्यषिञ्चत। मुमोच बाष्पं दाशेयी पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा चिरस्य तु
Embracing him with her arms, she bathed him with flowing tears; seeing her son after so long, the daughter of Daśa shed tears.
तामद्भिः परिषिच्यार्तां महर्षिरभिवाद्य च। मातरं पूर्वजः पुत्रो व्यासो वचनमब्रवीत्
Sprinkling her, who was distressed, with water, and offering her respects, the great sage, her eldest son Vyāsa, spoke these words to his mother.
भवत्या यदभिप्रेतं तदहं कर्तुमागतः। शाधि मां धर्मतत्त्वज्ञे करवाणि प्रियं तव
What you desire, for that I have come; command me, knower of righteousness, and I will do what pleases you.
तस्मै पूजां ततोऽकार्षीत्पुरोधाः परमर्षये। स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिमन्मन्त्रपूर्वकम्
Then the officiating priest performed worship for that supreme sage; and he accepted it according to proper rite and mantra.
पूजितो मन्त्रपूर्वं तु विधिवत्प्रीतिमाप सः। तमासनगतं माता पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्ययम्
Thus worshipped with mantras and proper rites, he was pleased; and as he sat, his mother asked after his unchanging welfare.
सत्यवत्यथ वीक्ष्यैनमुवाचेदमनन्तरम्। मातापित्रोः प्रजायन्ते पुत्राः साधारणाः कवे
Then Satyavatī, seeing him, immediately spoke: 'O sage, sons are born equally from both mother and father.'
तेषां पिता यथा स्वीमी तथा माता न संशयः। विधानविहितः स त्वं यथा मे प्रथमः सुतः
As the father is their own, so too is the mother, without doubt; by ordinance you are my eldest son.
विचित्रवीर्यो ब्रह्मर्षे तथा मेऽवरजः सुतः। यथैव पितृतो भीष्मस्तथा त्वमपि मातृतः
O brāhmaṇa sage, Vicitravīrya is likewise my younger son; as Bhīṣma is from the father, so you are from the mother.