स्त्रीधर्मः पूर्वमेवायं निर्मितो मुनिभिः सदा। सहधर्मचरी भर्तुरेका एकस्य चोच्यते
The duty of women was established long ago by sages: always to be a companion in righteousness to her husband, and it is said to be for one man only.
एको हि भर्ता नारीणां कौमार इति लौकिकः। आपत्सु च नियोगेन भर्तुर्नार्याः परः स्मृतः
It is customary that a woman has only one husband in her youth; but in times of distress, by prescribed rule, another may be considered her husband.
गच्छेत न तृतीयं तु तस्या निष्कृतिरुच्यते। चतुर्थे पतिता नारी पञ्चमे वर्धकी भवेत्
She should not go to a third; that is said to be her atonement. With a fourth, a woman is fallen; with a fifth, she becomes a prostitute.
एवं गते धर्मपथे न वृणे बहुपुंस्कताम्। अलोकाचरितात्त्समात्कथं मुच्येय सङ्करात्
Thus, following the path of righteousness, I do not choose polyandry; how then shall I be freed from the confusion caused by acting against custom?
अनावृताः पुरा नार्यो ह्यासञ्शुध्यन्ति चार्तवे। सकृदुक्तं त्वया नैतन्नाधर्मस्ते भविष्यति
In ancient times, women were unrestrained and purified at the seasonal period; since you have asked only once, this will not be unrighteous for you.
यदि मे पतयः पञ्च रतिमिच्छामि तैर्मिथः। कौमारं च भवेत्सर्वैः संगमे संगमे च मे
If I have five husbands and desire pleasure with them, let my youth be preserved with each union.
पतिशुश्रूषया चैव सिद्धिः प्राप्ता मया पुरा। भोगेच्छा च मया प्राप्ता स च भोगश्च मे भवेत्
By serving my husband, I have attained success before; I have gained the desire for enjoyment, and that enjoyment shall be mine.
रतिश्च भद्रे सिद्धिश्च न भजेते परस्परम्। भोगानाप्स्यसि सिद्धिं च योगेन च महत्त्वताम्
Pleasure and success, O gentle one, do not coexist; you will obtain both enjoyment and accomplishment through yoga and greatness.
अन्यदेहान्तरे चैव रूपभाग्यगुणान्विता। पञ्चभिः प्राप्य कौमारं महाभागा भविष्यसि
In another body, endowed with beauty, fortune, and virtues, you will attain youth with five, and become greatly blessed.
गच्छ गङ्गाजलस्था च नरं पश्यसि यं शुभे। तमानय ममाभ्याशं सुरराजं शुचिस्मिते
Go, O lovely one, and while standing in the waters of the Ganga, bring to me the man you see there, the king of the gods, O pure-smiling one.
इत्युक्ता विश्वरूपेण रुद्रं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम्। जगाम गङ्गामुद्दिश्य पुण्यां त्रिपथगां नदीम्
Thus addressed by Vishvarupa, she circumambulated Rudra and went toward the sacred river Ganga, the triple-flowing stream.
पुरा वै नैमिशारण्ये देवाः सत्रमुपासते। तत्र वैवस्वतो राजञ्शामित्रमकरोत्तदा
Once, in the Naimisha forest, the gods were performing a sacrificial session; there, O king, Vaivasvata made peace with Shamitri.
ततो यमो दीक्षितस्तत्र राज- न्नामारयत्कंचिदपि प्रजानाम्। ततः प्रजास्ता बहुला बभूवुः कालातिपातान्मरणप्रहीणाः
Then Yama, consecrated there, did not take the life of any beings; as a result, the creatures became numerous, and with the passage of time, death ceased.
सोमश्च शक्रो वरुणः कुबेरः साध्या रुद्रा वसवोऽथाश्विनौ च। प्रजापतिर्भुवनस्य प्रणेता समाजग्मुस्तत्र देवास्तथाऽन्ये
Soma, Shakra, Varuna, Kubera, the Sadhyas, Rudras, Vasus, and the Ashvins, along with Prajapati, the lord of the world, and other gods, all assembled there.
ततोऽब्रुवँल्लोकगुरुं समेता भयात्तीव्रान्मानुषाणां विवृद्ध्या। तस्माद्भयादुद्विजन्तः सुखेप्सवः प्रयाम सर्वे शरणं भवन्तम्
Then, gathered together, they addressed the teacher of the worlds, fearful because of the great increase of humans; out of fear, desiring happiness, we all come to you for refuge.
किं वो भयं मानुषेभ्यो यूयं सर्वे यदाऽमराः। मा वो मर्त्यसकाशाद्वै भयं भवितुमर्हति
What fear do you have from humans, when you are all immortals? No fear should arise for you from mortals.
मर्त्या अमर्त्याः संवृत्ता न विशेषोऽस्ति कश्चन। अविशेषादुद्विजन्तो विशेषार्थमिहागताः
Mortals and immortals have become alike; there is no distinction at all. Disturbed by this lack of difference, they have come here seeking distinction.
वैवस्वतो व्यापृतः सत्रहेतो- स्तेन त्विमे न म्रियन्ते मनुष्याः। तस्मिन्नेकाग्रे कृतसर्वकार्ये तत एषां भवितैवान्तकालः
Vaivasvata is engaged in the sacrifice; for this reason, these humans do not die. When he, intent on a single purpose, has completed all his tasks, then their time of death will surely come.
वैवस्वतस्यैव तनुर्विभक्ता वीर्येण युष्माकमुत प्रवृद्धा। सैषामन्तो भविता ह्यन्तकाले न तत्र वीर्यं भविता नरेषु
It is only a portion of Vaivasvata that has manifested, and it has grown strong through your energy. That end will come for them at the appointed time; then, among men, your power will not prevail.
ततस्तु ते पूर्वजदेववाक्यं श्रुत्वा जग्मुर्यत्र देवा यजन्ते। समासीनास्ते समेता महाबला भागीरथ्यां ददृशुः पुण्डरीकम्
Then, having heard the words of the ancient gods, they went to the place where the gods perform sacrifice. Gathered together, those mighty ones sat and saw a lotus on the Bhagirathi.
दृष्ट्वा च तद्विस्मितास्ते बभूवु- स्तेषामिन्द्रस्तत्र शूरो जगाम। सोऽपश्यद्योषामथ पावकप्रभां यत्र देवी गङ्गा सततं प्रसूता
Seeing that, they were amazed; among them, Indra, the valiant one, went forward. There he saw a maiden, radiant like fire, where the goddess Ganga is ever born.
सा तत्र योषा रुदती जलार्थिनी गङ्गां देवीं व्यवगाह्य व्यतिष्ठत्। तस्याश्रुबिन्दुः पतितो जले य- स्तत्पद्ममासीदथ तत्र काञ्चनम्
There, that maiden, weeping and longing for water, entered the goddess Ganga and stood there. A tear of hers fell into the water, and at that spot a golden lotus appeared.
तदद्भुतं प्रेक्ष्य वज्री तदानी- मपृच्छत्तां योषितमन्तिकाद्वै। का त्वं भद्रे रोदिषि कस्य हेतो- र्वाक्यं तथ्यं कामयेऽहं ब्रवीहि
Beholding that wonder, Indra, wielder of the thunderbolt, then asked that maiden nearby: 'Who are you, good lady, and why do you weep? Tell me the truth—I wish to hear it.'
त्वं वेत्स्यसे मामिह याऽस्मि शक्र यदर्थं चाहं रोदिमि मन्दभाग्या। आगच्छ राजन्पुरतो गमिष्ये द्रष्टाऽसि तद्रोदिमि यत्कृतेऽहम्
'You will know who I am here, O Shakra, and why I, unfortunate, am weeping. Come, O king, before me—I will go, and you will see for what reason I weep.'
तां गच्छन्तीमन्वगच्छत्तदानीं सोऽपश्यदारात्तरुणं दर्शनीयम्। सिद्धासनस्थं युवतीसहायं क्रीडन्तमक्षैर्गिरिराजमूर्ध्नि
As she went, he followed her, and then saw from afar a handsome young man, seated in the posture of accomplishment, playing dice with maidens on the summit of the mountain king.
तमब्रवीद्देवराजो ममेदं त्वं विद्धि विद्वन्भुवनं वशे स्थितम्। ईशोऽहस्मीति समन्युरब्रवी- द्दृष्ट्वा तमक्षैः सुभृशं प्रमत्तम्
The king of the gods said to him: 'Know that this world is under my control, O wise one. I am the lord!'—so he spoke, angered, seeing him deeply absorbed in dice.
क्रुद्धं च शक्रं प्रसमीक्ष्य देवो जहाय शक्रं च शैरुदैक्षत। संस्तम्भितोऽभूदथ देवराज- स्तेनेक्षितः स्थाणुरिवावतस्थे
Seeing Shakra angry, the god abandoned him and looked at Shakra with a fierce gaze. Then, fixed in place by the king of the gods' look, he stood motionless like a pillar.
यदा तु पर्याप्तमिहास्य क्रीडया तदा देवीं रुदतीं तामुवाच। आनीयतामेष यतोऽहमारा- न्नैनं दर्पः पुनरप्याविशेत
But when his play had gone on long enough, he spoke to the weeping goddess: 'Bring him here, for I am weary; let pride not enter him again.'
ततः शक्रः स्पृष्टमात्रस्तया तु स्रस्तैरङ्गैः पतितोऽभूद्धरण्याम्। तमब्रवीद्भगवानुग्रतेजा मैवं पुनः शक्र कृथाः कथंचित्
Then, as Shakra was touched by her, his limbs slackened and he fell to the ground. The blessed one of fierce energy said to him: 'Never act thus again, Shakra, in any way.'
निवर्तयैनं च महाद्रिराजं बलं च वीर्यं च तवाप्रमेयम्। छिद्रस्य चैवाविश मध्यमस्य यत्रासते त्वद्विधाः सूर्यभासः
'Restrain him, O great mountain king, for your strength and power are immeasurable. Enter the opening of the middle one, where those like you, shining like the sun, dwell.'