तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः। वारयामास तेजस्वी हुङ्कारेणैव भारत
Seeing him rushing forward, the illustrious sage Vasiṣṭha checked him, O Bhārata, with a mere utterance of 'hum.'
मन्त्रपूतेन च पुनः स तमभ्युक्ष्य वारिणा। मोक्षयामास वै शापात्तस्माद्योगान्नराधिपम्
Then, sprinkling him again with water purified by mantra, he released the king from the curse by his yogic power.
स हि द्वादश वर्षाणि वासिष्ठस्यैव तेजसा। ग्रस्त आसीद्ग्रहेणेव पर्वकाले दिवाकरः
For twelve years, by the power of Vasiṣṭha alone, he had been seized, like the sun eclipsed by a planet at its conjunction.
रक्षसा विप्रमुक्तोऽथ स नृपस्तद्वनं महत्। तेजसा रञ्जयामास न्ध्याभ्रमिव भास्करः
Freed from the demon, the king then illumined that great forest with his radiance, like the sun coloring the evening clouds.
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञामभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः। उवाच नृपतिः काले वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्
Regaining consciousness, he respectfully greeted with joined palms and, at the proper time, addressed the best of sages, Vasiṣṭha.
सौदासोऽहं महाभाग याज्यस्ते मुनिसत्तम। अस्मिन्काले यदिष्टं ते ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते
O illustrious one, I am Saudāsa, whom you have caused to be sacrificed, O best of sages; at this time, if you wish anything, tell me—what shall I do for you?
वृत्तमेतद्यथाकालं गच्छ राज्यं प्रशाधि वै। ब्राह्मणं तु मनुष्येन्द्र माऽवमंस्थाः कदाचन
Conduct yourself according to proper custom and rule the kingdom well; but, O king, never look down upon a Brahmin.
नावमंस्ये महाभाग कदाचिद्ब्राह्मणर्षभान्। त्वन्निदेशे स्थितः सम्यक् पूजयिष्याम्यहं द्विजान्
O most fortunate one, I will never disregard the foremost of Brahmins; remaining under your instruction, I will duly honor the twice-born.
इक्ष्वाकूणां च येनाहमनृणः स्यां द्विजोत्तम। तत्त्वत्तः प्राप्तुमिच्छामि सर्ववेदविदां वर
O best knower of all the Vedas, I wish to obtain from you that by which I may be free of debt to the Ikshvaku lineage, O excellent Brahmin.
अपत्यायेप्सिताय त्वं महिषीं गन्तुमर्हसि। शीलरूपगुणोपेतामिक्ष्वाकुकुलवृद्धये
For the sake of offspring, you should approach the queen, endowed with good conduct, beauty, and virtues, for the increase of the Ikshvaku line.
ददानीत्येव तं तत्र राजानं प्रत्युवाच ह। वसिष्ठः परमेष्वासं सत्यसन्धो द्विजोत्तमः
Then Vasistha, the foremost of twice-born, steadfast in truth and supreme among archers, replied to the king there, saying, 'I will give.'
ततः प्रतिययौ काले वसिष्ठः सह तेन वै। ख्यातां पुरीमिमां लोकेष्वयोध्यां मनुजेश्वर
Thereafter, at the proper time, Vasistha went together with him, O lord of men, to this renowned city in the world, Ayodhya.
तं प्रजाः प्रतिमोदन्त्यः सर्वाः प्रत्युद्गतास्तदा। विपाप्मानं महात्मानं दिवौकस इवेश्वरम्
Then all the people, delighted, came out to meet him—free from sin, great-souled, like the gods welcoming their lord.
सुचिराय मनुष्येन्द्रो नगरीं पुण्यलक्षणाम्। विवेश सहितस्तेन वसिष्ठेन महर्षिणा
After a long time, the king entered that city of auspicious marks, together with the great sage Vasistha.
ददृशुस्तं महीपालमयोध्यावासिनो जनाः। पुरोहितेन सहितं दिवाकरमिवोदितम्
The people of Ayodhya beheld that king, accompanied by his priest, as if the sun had risen.
स च तां पूरयामास लक्ष्म्या लक्ष्मीवतां वरः। अयोध्यां व्योम शीतांशुः शरत्काल इवोदितः
That best among the prosperous filled Ayodhya with splendor, like the autumn moon rising in the sky.
संसक्तिमृष्टपन्थानं पताकाध्वजशोभितम्। मनः प्रह्लादयामास तस्य तत्पुरमुत्तमम्
That excellent city, with its clean, well-trodden roads and adorned with banners and flags, delighted his mind.
तुष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णा सा पुरी कुरुनन्दन। अशोभत तदा तेन शक्रेणेवामरावती
That city, filled with contented and prosperous people, shone at that time by him, O joy of the Kurus, as Amaravati does by Indra.
ततः प्रविष्टे राजर्षौ तस्मिंस्तत्पुरमुत्तमम्। राज्ञस्तस्याज्ञया देवी वसिष्ठमुपचक्रमे
Then, when that royal sage had entered that excellent city, by the king's command, the queen approached Vasistha.
ऋतावथ महर्षिस्तु संबभूव तया सह। देव्या दिव्येन विधिना वसिष्ठः श्रेष्ठभागृषिः
Then, in due season, the great sage Vasistha, best among seers, united with the queen according to divine ordinance.
ततस्तस्यां समुत्पन्ने गर्भे स मुनिसत्तमः। राज्ञाभिवादितस्तेन जगाम मुनिराश्रमम्
When she had conceived, that best of sages, having been respectfully greeted by the king, departed to his hermitage.
दीर्घकालेन सा गर्भं सुषुवे न तु तं यदा। तदा देव्यश्मना कुक्षिं निर्बिभेद यशस्विनी
After a long time, though she bore the child, she did not give birth; then the illustrious queen split her womb with a stone.
ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे स जज्ञे पुरषर्षभः। अश्मको नाम राजर्षिः पौदन्यं यो न्यवेशयत्
Then, in the twelfth year, was born the foremost among princes, a royal sage named Ashmaka, who established Paudanya.
आश्रमस्था ततः पुत्रमदृश्यन्ती व्यजायत। शक्तेः कुलकरं राजन् द्वितीयमिव शक्तिनम्
Then, living in the hermitage, Adrushyanti gave birth to a son, the upholder of Shakti's line, like a second Shakti himself, O king.
जातकर्मादिकास्तस्य क्रियाः स मुनिसत्तमः। पौत्रस्य भरतश्रेष्ठ चकार भगवान्स्वयम्
That best of sages himself performed all the rites for his grandson, O best of the Bharatas, beginning with the birth ceremony.
परासुः स यतस्तेन वसिष्ठः स्थापितो मुनिः। गर्भस्थेन ततो लोके पराशर इति स्मृतः
Because his father had departed, the sage Vasiṣṭha was established as his guardian; and since he was in the womb when this happened, he became known in the world as Parāśara.
अमन्यत स धर्मात्मा वसिष्ठं पितरं मुनिः। जन्मप्रभृति तस्मिंस्तु पितरीवान्ववर्तत
That righteous sage regarded Vasiṣṭha as his father, and from birth onward, he behaved toward him as a son would toward his own father.
स तात इति विप्रर्षिं वसिष्ठं प्रत्यभाषत। मातुः समक्षं कौन्तेय अदृश्यन्त्याः परन्तप
He addressed the sage Vasiṣṭha as 'Father,' O son of Kuntī, in the presence of his mother Adṛśyantī, who was unseen.
तातेति परिपूर्णार्थं तस्य तन्मधुरं वचः। अदृश्यन्त्यश्रुपूर्णाक्षी शृण्वती तमुवाच ह
When he said 'Father' with full meaning, Adṛśyantī, her eyes filled with tears, heard those sweet words and spoke to him.
मा तात ताततातेति ब्रूह्येनं पितरं पितुः। रक्षसा भक्षितस्तात तव तातो वनान्तरे
'Do not call him father, my child; do not address him as your father. Your father was devoured by a Rākṣasa in the forest, my son.'