प्राग् आसीन् नृपतिः श्रीमान् आग्नीध्र इति विश्रुतः नगरे कामदमनस् तस्याथ तनयः शुचिः
Long ago there was a renowned king named Āgnīdhra, prosperous in the city of Kāmadamana; he had a son who was pure.
धर्मारामः क्षमाशीलः पितृशुश्रूषणे रतः प्रजानुरञ्जको दक्षः श्रुतिशास्त्रकृतश्रमः
He delighted in righteousness, was patient by nature, devoted to serving his father, skilled in pleasing his subjects, and diligent in the study of the Vedas and scriptures.
पितास्य त्व् अकरोद् यत्नं विवाहाय न चैच्छत तं पिता प्राह किम् इति नेच्छसे दारसंग्रहम्
His father made efforts to arrange his marriage, but he did not wish for it. The father asked him, 'Why do you not desire to take a wife?'
सर्वम् एतत् सुखार्थं हि वाञ्छन्ति मनुजाः किल सुखमूला हि दाराश् च तस्मात् तं त्वं समाचर
Indeed, all people desire these things for the sake of happiness; wives are the root of happiness, so you should do this.
स पितुर् वचनं श्रुत्वा तूष्णीम् आस्ते च गौरवात् मुहुर् मुहुस् तं च पिता चोदयाम् आस भो द्विजाः
Hearing his father's words, he remained silent out of respect; again and again, the father urged him, O brāhmaṇas.
अथासौ पितरं प्राह तात नामानुरूपता मया समाश्रिता व्यक्ता वैष्णवी परिपालिनी
Then he spoke to his father: 'Father, I have embraced a name and conduct befitting a Vaiṣṇava, which is clearly protective.'
तं पिता प्राह संगम्य नैष धर्मो ऽस्ति पुत्रक न विधारयितव्या स्यात् पुरुषेण विपश्चिता
The father, having approached him, said: 'This is not the proper way, my son; a wise man should not maintain this.'
कुरु मद्वचनं पुत्र प्रभुर् अस्मि पिता तव मा निमज्ज कुलं मह्यं नरके संततिक्षयात्
Do as I say, my son, for I am your father and lord; do not plunge my lineage into hell by ending the family line.
स हि तं पितुर् आदेशं श्रुत्वा प्राह सुतो वशी प्रीतः संस्मृत्य पौराणीं संसारस्य विचित्रताम्
He, having heard his father's command, spoke as an obedient and pleased son, recalling the ancient tales and the manifold diversity of worldly existence.
शृणु तात वचो मह्यं तत्त्ववाक्यं सहेतुकम् नामानुरूपं कर्तव्यं सत्यं भवति पार्थिव
Listen, father, to my words—truthful and reasoned speech. One must act in accordance with one's name; this is indeed true, O king.
मया जन्मसहस्राणि जरामृत्युशतानि च प्राप्तानि दारसंयोगवियोगानि च सर्वशः
By me, thousands of births and hundreds of old ages and deaths have been experienced, as well as unions and separations with wives, in every way.
तृणगुल्मलतावल्लीसरीसृपमृगद्विजाः पशुस्त्रीपुरुषाद्यानि प्राप्तानि शतशो मया
As grass, shrubs, creepers, vines, reptiles, beasts, birds, animals, women, men, and others, I have obtained hundreds of such forms.
गणकिंनरगन्धर्वविद्याधरमहोरगाः यक्षगुह्यकरक्षांसि दानवाप्सरसः सुराः
Hosts of Kinnaras, Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, great serpents, Yakshas, Guhyakas, Rakshasas, Danavas, Apsaras, and gods—
नदीश्वरसहस्रं च प्राप्तं तात पुनः पुनः सृष्टस् तु बहुशः सृष्टौ संहारे चापि संहृतः
Thousands of river-lords, too, have been attained by me, father, again and again. I have been created many times in creation, and destroyed in dissolution as well.
दारसंयोगयुक्तस्य तातेदृङ् मे विडम्बना इतस् तृतीये यद् वृत्तं मम जन्मनि तच् छृणु कथयामि समासेन तीर्थमाहात्म्यसंभवम्
For one joined in marriage, father, such is my mockery. Now, hear what happened in my third birth; I will tell you briefly, the origin of the greatness of the holy place.
अतीत्य जन्मानि बहूनि तात नृदेवगन्धर्वमहोरगाणाम् विद्याधराणां खगकिंनराणां जातो हि वंशे सुतपा महर्षिः
Having passed through many births, father, among humans, gods, Gandharvas, great serpents, Vidyadharas, birds, and Kinnaras, I was born in the lineage of Sutapa, the great sage.
ततो महाभूद् अचला हि भक्तिर् जनार्दने लोकपतौ मधुघ्ने व्रतोपवासैर् विविधैश् च भक्त्या संतोषितश् चक्रगदास्त्रधारी
Then, unwavering devotion arose in me for Janardana, the lord of the world, the slayer of Madhu. Through various vows and fasts, with devotion, I pleased him, the wielder of the discus and mace.
तुष्टो ऽभ्यगात् पक्षिपतिं महात्मा विष्णुः समारुह्य वरप्रदो मे प्राहोच्चशब्दं व्रियतां द्विजाते वरो हि यं वाञ्छसि तं प्रदास्ये
Satisfied, the great-souled Vishnu, bestower of boons, arrived mounted on the lord of birds and spoke aloud to me: 'Choose, O twice-born, whatever boon you desire; I will grant it.'
ततो ऽहम् ऊचे हरिम् ईशितारं तुष्टो ऽसि चेत् केशव तद् वृणोमि या सा त्वदीया परमा हि माया तां वेत्तुम् इच्छामि जनार्दनो ऽहम्
Then I said to Hari, the ruler: 'If you are pleased, O Kesava, then I choose this—your supreme Māyā. I wish to know her, O Janardana.'
अथाब्रवीन् मे मधुकैटभारिः किं ते तया ब्रह्मन् मायया वै धर्मार्थकामानि ददानि तुभ्यं पुत्राणि मुख्यानि निरामयत्वम्
Then the slayer of Madhu and Kaitabha spoke to me: 'What will you do with her, O Brahman? Through Māyā, I grant you dharma, wealth, and pleasure, chief sons, and freedom from disease.'
ततो मुरारिं पुनर् उक्तवान् अहं भूयो ऽर्थधर्मार्थजिगीषितैव यत् माया तवेमाम् इह वेत्तुम् इच्छे ममाद्य तां दर्शय पुष्कराक्ष
Then I spoke again to Murāri: 'I desire only to know your Māyā here, which strives for wealth and dharma. Show her to me today, O lotus-eyed one.'
पूर्वं सुरर्षिर् द्विज नारदाख्यो ब्रह्मात्मजो ऽभून् मम भक्तियुक्तः तेनापि पूर्वं भवता यथैव संतोषितो भक्तिमता हि तद्वत्
Previously, O twice-born, the divine sage named Nārada, son of Brahmā, was devoted to me. By him also, as by you, I was pleased through devotion, just as you have pleased me.
वरं च दत्तं गतवान् अहं च स चापि वव्रे वरम् एतद् एव निवारितो माम् अतिमूढभावाद् भवान् यथैवं वृतवान् वरं च
A boon was granted, and he departed; and he too chose this very boon. He was restrained by me, for his excessive delusion, just as you have chosen, and a boon was granted.
ततो मयोक्तो ऽम्भसि नारद त्वं मायां हि मे वेत्स्यसि संनिमग्नः ततो निमग्नो ऽम्भसि नारदो ऽसौ कन्या बभौ काशिपतेः सुशीला
Then I said: 'Nārada, you will know my Māyā, immersed in water.' Then Nārada, immersed in water, appeared as the beautiful daughter of the king of Kāśī.
तां यौवनाढ्याम् अथ चारुधर्मिणे विदर्भराज्ञस् तनयाय वै ददौ स्वधर्मणे सो ऽपि तया समेतः सिषेव कामान् अतुलान् महर्षिः
That youthful maiden, endowed with noble qualities, was given to the son of the king of Vidarbha, who followed his own duty. United with her, the great sage enjoyed incomparable pleasures.
स्वर्गे गते ऽसौ पितरि प्रतापवान् राज्यं क्रमायातम् अवाप्य हृष्टः विदर्भराष्ट्रं परिपालयानः पुत्रैः सपौत्रैर् बहुभिर् वृतो ऽभूत्
When his father went to heaven, the valiant one obtained the kingdom in due course, rejoicing. Governing the land of Vidarbha, surrounded by many sons and grandsons, he was content.
अथाभवद् भूमिपतेः सुधर्मणः काशीश्वरेणाथ समं सुयुद्धम् तत्र क्षयं प्राप्य सपुत्रपौत्रं विदर्भराट् काशिपतिश् च युद्धे
Then there was a great and righteous battle between the king of the earth and the lord of Kāśī; in that fight, both the king of Vidarbha and the king of Kāśī, along with their sons and grandsons, met their destruction.
ततः सुशीला पितरं सपुत्रं ज्ञात्वा पतिं चापि सपुत्रपौत्रम् पुराद् विनिःसृत्य रणावनिं गता दृष्ट्वा सुशीला कदनं महान्तम्
Thereafter, Suśīlā, realizing that her father and his sons, as well as her husband with his sons and grandsons, had perished, left the city and went to the battlefield; seeing the great carnage, Suśīlā was overwhelmed.
भर्तुर् बले तत्र पितुर् बले च दुःखान्विता सा सुचिरं विलप्य जगाम सा मातरम् आर्तरूपा भ्रातॄन् सुतान् भ्रातृसुतान् सपौत्रान्
Amidst the armies of her husband and father, she was filled with grief; after lamenting for a long time, she, distressed in appearance, went to her mother, to her brothers, sons, nephews, and grandsons.
भर्तारम् एषा पितरं च गृह्य महाश्मशाने च महाचितिं सा कृत्वा हुताशं प्रददौ स्वयं च यदा समिद्धो हुतभुग् बभूव
Taking her husband and father, she built a great funeral pyre in the vast cremation ground, and offered them to the blazing fire; when the sacrificial fire was kindled, she herself entered it.