Bhagavata Purana

आत्मदेवः पुरे तस्मिन् सर्ववेद विशारदः । श्रौतस्मार्तेषु निष्णातो द्वितीय इव भास्करः

In that city lived Atmadeva, thoroughly learned in all the Vedas, expert in both śruti and smṛti, like a second sun.

भिक्षुको वित्तवान् लोके तत्प्रिया धुन्धुली स्मृता । स्ववाक्यस्थापिका नित्यं सुन्दरी सुकुलोद्‌भवा

A beggar, wealthy in the world, his beloved was known as Dhundhuli, always steadfast in her own words, beautiful, and born in a noble family.

लोकवार्तारता क्रूरा प्रायशो बहुजल्पिका । शूरा च गृहकृत्येषु कृपणा कलहप्रिया

She was attached to worldly affairs, cruel, mostly talkative, skilled in household duties, miserly, and fond of quarrels.

एवं निवसतोः प्रेम्णा दंपत्यो रममाणयोः । अर्थाः कामास्तयोरासन् न सुखाय गृहादिकम्

Thus, while the couple lived together in love and enjoyed themselves, their wealth and desires did not bring happiness in their home and other matters.

पश्चात् धर्माः समारब्धाः ताभ्यां संतानहेतवे । गोभूहिरण्यवासांसि दीनेभ्यो यच्छतः सदा

Later, they began to practice dharma for the sake of progeny, always giving cows, land, gold, and garments to the needy.

धनार्धं धर्ममार्गेण ताभ्यां नीतं तथापि च । न पुत्रो नापि वा पुत्री ततश्चिन्तातुरो भृशम्

Half their wealth was spent by them in the path of dharma, yet neither son nor daughter was born, and so they were greatly troubled by anxiety.

एकदा स तु द्विजो दुःखाद् गृहं त्यक्त्वा वनं गतः । मध्याह्ने तृषितो जातः तडागं समुपेयिवान्

Once, that twice-born man, distressed, left his home and went to the forest; at midday, overcome by thirst, he approached a pond.

पीत्वा जलं निषण्णस्तु प्रजादुःखेन कर्शितः । मुहूर्तादपि तत्रैव संन्यासी कश्चित् आगतः

After drinking water, he sat down, emaciated by the sorrow of having no children; after a short while, a certain renunciant arrived there.

दृष्ट्वा पीतजलं तं तु विप्रो यातस्तदन्तिकम् । नत्वा च पादयोस्तस्य निःश्वसन् संस्थितः पुरः

Seeing him, the brāhmaṇa who had drunk water went near him; bowing at his feet, he stood before him, sighing deeply.

यतिरुवाच - कथं रोदिषि विप्र त्वं का ते चिन्ता बलीयसी । वद त्वं सत्वरम् मह्यं स्वस्य दुःखस्य कारणम्

The renunciant said: Why are you weeping, brāhmaṇa? What is this powerful anxiety of yours? Quickly tell me the cause of your sorrow.

ब्राह्मण उवाच - किं ब्रवीमि ऋषे दुःखं पूर्वपापेन संचितम् । मदीयाः पूर्वजास्तोयं कवोष्णं उपभुञ्जते

The brāhmaṇa said: What can I say, O sage, of the sorrow accumulated by past sin? My ancestors drink hot water instead of cool.

मद्दत्तं नैव गृह्णन्ति प्रीत्या देवा द्विजातयः । प्रजादुःखेन शून्योऽहं प्राणान् त्यक्तुं इहागतः

The gods and twice-born do not accept my offerings with pleasure; emptied by the sorrow of having no children, I have come here to give up my life.

धिक् जीवितं प्रजाहीनं धिक् गृहं च प्रजां विना । धिक् धनं चानपत्यस्य धिक्कुलं संततिं विना

Fie on a life without children, fie on a home without offspring; fie on the wealth of one without a son, fie on a lineage without continuity.

पाल्यते या मया धेनुः सा वन्ध्या सर्वथा भवेत् । यो मया रोपितो वृक्षः सोऽपि वन्ध्यत्वमाश्रयेत्

The cow I tend becomes barren in every way; the tree I have planted also becomes fruitless.

यत्फलं मद्‌गृहायातं तच्च शीघ्रं विनश्यति । निर्भाग्यस्यानपत्यस्य किमतो जीवितेन मे

Any fruit that comes to my house quickly perishes; what use is life to me, unfortunate and without a child?

इत्युक्त्वा स रुरोदोच्चैः तत्पार्श्वं दुःखपीडितः । तदा तस्य यतेश्चित्ते करुणाभूत् गरीयसी

Having spoken thus, he wept loudly, afflicted by sorrow at the renunciant's side; then, great compassion arose in the heart of that ascetic.

तद्‌भालाक्षरमालां च वाचमायास योगवान् । सर्वं ज्ञात्वा यतिः पश्चात् विप्रं ऊचे सविस्तरम्

Then, knowing all through his yogic power and the garland of letters on his forehead, the ascetic spoke in detail to the brāhmaṇa.

यतिरुवाच - मुञ्च अज्ञानं प्रजारूपं बलिष्ठा कर्मणो गतिः । विवेकं तु समासाद्य त्यज संसारवासनाम्

The renunciant said: Give up ignorance in the form of longing for children; the course of karma is powerful. Attain discernment and abandon desire for worldly existence.

श्रुणु विप्र मया तेऽद्य प्रारब्धं तु विलोकितम् । सप्तजन्मावधि तव पुत्रो नैव च नैव च

Hear, brāhmaṇa, today I have seen your destiny: for seven lifetimes, you will not have a son, not at all.

संततेः सगरो दुःखं अवाप अङ्‌गः पुरा तथा । रे मुञ्चाद्य कुटुम्बाशां संन्यासे सर्वथा सुखम्

In the past, Sagara suffered for the sake of offspring; so now, give up hope for family—there is happiness in renunciation in every way.

ब्राह्मण उवाच - विवेकेन भवेत्किं मे पुत्रं देहि बलादपि । नो चेत् त्यजाम्यहं प्राणान् त्वदग्रे शोकमूर्छितः

The brāhmaṇa said: Of what use is discernment to me? Give me a son, even by force; otherwise, I will give up my life before you, overwhelmed by grief.

पुत्रादिसुखहीनोऽयं संन्यासः शुष्क एव हि । गृहस्थः सरसो लोके पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः

Renunciation without the happiness of children and the like is truly dry; the householder, surrounded by sons and grandsons, is lively in the world.

इति विप्राग्रहं दृष्ट्वा प्राब्रवीत् स तपोधनः । चित्रकेतुर्गतः कष्टं विधिलेखविमार्जनात्

Seeing the brāhmaṇa's insistence, that ascetic, rich in austerity, spoke: Citraketu suffered hardship by erasing the lines of fate.

न यास्यसि सुखं पुत्रात् यथा दैवहतोद्यमः । अतो हठेन युक्तोऽसि ह्यर्थिनं किं वदाम्यहम्

You will not find happiness from a son, as effort opposed by fate fails; since you are obstinate, what can I say to one so intent on his desire?

तस्याग्रहं समालोक्य फलमेकं स दत्तवान् । इदं भक्षय पत्‍न्या त्वं ततः पुत्रो भविष्यति

Seeing her reluctance, he gave her a single fruit and said, 'Eat this, together with your wife; then you will have a son.'

सत्यं शौचं दया दानं एकभक्तं तु भोजनम् । वर्षावधि स्त्रिया कार्यं तेन पुत्रोऽतिनिर्मलः

Truthfulness, purity, compassion, charity, and eating only once a day—these should be observed by the woman for one year; by this, the son will be exceedingly pure.

एवमुक्त्वा ययौ योगी विप्रस्तु गृहमागतः । पत्‍न्याः पाणौ फलं दत्त्वा स्वयं यातस्तु कुत्रचित्

Having spoken thus, the yogi departed, and the brahmin returned home; he placed the fruit in his wife's hand and then went somewhere himself.

तरुणी कुटिला तस्य सख्यग्रे च रुरोद ह । अहो चिन्ता ममोत्पन्ना फलं चाहं न भक्ष्यये

The young woman, crooked in mind, wept before her friends, saying, 'Oh, I am troubled with anxiety; I will not eat this fruit.'

फलभक्षेण गर्भः स्याद् गर्भेण उदरवृद्धिता । स्वल्पभक्षं ततोऽशक्तिः गृहकार्यं कथं भवेत्

'By eating the fruit, I will conceive; with pregnancy, my belly will grow; eating little, I will lack strength—how then will I manage the household duties?'