जात्याश्रितं च राजेन्द्र तत्रापि शृणु धर्मवित् आश्रमाणि च चत्वारि कर्मद्वाराणि मानद
O king, listen also to what pertains to birth; O knower of dharma, there are four stages of life, and action is their gateway, O bestower of honor.
चतुर्णाम् आश्रमाणां च गार्हस्थ्यं पुण्यदं स्मृतम् तस्माद् भुक्तिश् च मुक्तिश् च भवतीति मतिर् मम
Of the four stages of life, the householder stage is considered the most meritorious; therefore, both enjoyment and liberation arise from it—this is my view.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा तु जनको याज्ञवल्क्यश् च बुद्धिमान् वरुणं पूजयित्वा तु पुनर् वचनम् ऊचतुः
Hearing this, Janaka and the wise Yājñavalkya, after worshipping Varuṇa, again spoke these words.
को देशः किं च तीर्थं स्याद् भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् तद् वदस्व सुरश्रेष्ठ सर्वज्ञो ऽसि नमो ऽस्तु ते
What is the place, and what is the sacred site that grants enjoyment and liberation? Tell us that, O best of gods; you are all-knowing—our salutations to you.
पृथिव्यां भारतं वर्षं दण्डकं तत्र पुण्यदम् तस्मिन् क्षेत्रे कृतं कर्म भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नृणाम्
On earth, Bhārata is the land, and Daṇḍaka therein is holy; in that field, actions performed grant enjoyment and liberation to people.
तीर्थानां गौतमी गङ्गा श्रेष्ठा मुक्तिप्रदा नृणाम् तत्र यज्ञेन दानेन भोगान् मुक्तिम् अवाप्स्यति
Among sacred waters, the Gautamī Gaṅgā is supreme, granting liberation to people; there, by sacrifice and charity, one attains both enjoyment and liberation.
याज्ञवल्क्यश् च जनको वाचं श्रुत्वा ह्य् अपांपतेः वरुणेन ह्य् अनुज्ञातौ स्वपुरीं जग्मतुस् तदा
Yājñavalkya and Janaka, having heard the words of Varuṇa, were permitted by him and then returned to their own city.
अश्वमेधादिकं कर्म चकार जनको नृपः याजयाम् आस विप्रेन्द्रो याज्ञवल्क्यश् च तं नृपम्
King Janaka performed sacrifices such as the Aśvamedha; the illustrious brāhmaṇa Yājñavalkya officiated for that king.
गङ्गातीरं समाश्रित्य यज्ञान् मुक्तिम् अवाप राट् तथा जनकराजानो बहवस् तत्र कर्मणा
Dwelling on the bank of the Gaṅgā, the king attained liberation through sacrifices; likewise, many kings named Janaka attained it there through action.
मुक्तिं प्रापुर् महाभागा गौतम्याश् च प्रसादतः ततः प्रभृति तत् तीर्थं जनस्थानेति विश्रुतम्
The greatly fortunate attained liberation by the grace of the Gautamī; from then on, that sacred place became known as Janasthāna.
जनकानां यज्ञसदो जनस्थानं प्रकीर्तितम् चतुर्योजनविस्तीर्णं स्मरणात् सर्वपापनुत्
The sacrificial hall of the Janakas is called Janasthāna, extending four yojanas; by merely remembering it, all sins are destroyed.
तत्र स्नानेन दानेन पितॄणां तर्पणेन तु तीर्थस्य स्मरणाद् वापि गमनाद् भक्तिसेवनात्
There, by bathing, giving gifts, offering oblations to ancestors, by remembering the sacred place, by going there, or by devoted service,
सर्वान् कामान् अवाप्नोति मुक्तिं च समवाप्नुयात्
One attains all desires and also obtains liberation.
अरुणा वरुणा चैव नद्यौ पुण्यतरे शुभे तयोश् च संगमः पुण्यो गङ्गायां मुनिसत्तम
The rivers Aruṇā and Varuṇā are most holy and auspicious; their confluence in the Gaṅgā, O best of sages, is supremely sacred.
तदुत्पत्तिं शृणुष्वेह सर्वपापविनाशिनीम् कश्यपस्य सुतो ज्येष्ठ आदित्यो लोकविश्रुतः
Now listen here to the origin of that which destroys all sins: the eldest son of Kashyapa, the Sun, renowned throughout the worlds.
त्रैलोक्यचक्षुस् तीक्ष्णांशुः सप्ताश्वो लोकपूजितः तस्य पत्नी उषा ख्याता त्वाष्ट्री त्रैलोक्यसुन्दरी
He is the eye of the three worlds, sharp-rayed, drawn by seven horses, honored by all; his wife is famed as Ushā, daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ, the most beautiful in the three worlds.
भर्तुः प्रतापतीव्रत्वम् असहन्ती सुमध्यमा चिन्तयाम् आस किं कृत्यं मम स्याद् इति भामिनी
Unable to endure the intense heat of her husband, that slender-waisted, radiant lady pondered, 'What should I do?'
तस्याः पुत्रौ महाराज्ञौ मनुर् वैवस्वतो यमः यमुना च नदी पुण्या शृणु विस्मयकारणम्
Her sons are the great kings Manu Vaivasvata and Yama; and the holy river Yamunā—now hear the cause for wonder.
साकरोद् आत्मनश् छायाम् आत्मरूपेण यत्नतः ताम् अब्रवीत् ततश् चोषा त्वं च मत्सदृशी भव
She carefully created her own shadow, in her own form; then Ushā said to her, 'Become like me.'
भर्तारं त्वम् अपत्यानि पालयस्व ममाज्ञया यावद् आगमनं मे स्यात् पत्युस् तावत् प्रिया भव
'By my command, care for my husband and children; until I return, be a beloved wife to my husband.'
नाख्यातव्यं त्वया क्वापि अपत्यानां तथा प्रिये तथेत्य् आह च सा छाया निर्जगाम गृहाद् उषा
'Do not reveal this to anyone, especially regarding the children, dear one.' Chāyā replied, 'So be it,' and Ushā departed from the house.
इत्य् उक्त्वा सा जगामाशु शान्तं रूपम् अभीप्सती सा गत्वोषा गृहं त्वष्टुः पित्रे सर्वं न्यवेदयत् त्वष्टापि चकितः प्राह तां सुतां सुतवत्सलः
Having said this, she swiftly went, desiring a peaceful form; Ushā went to the house of Tvaṣṭṛ, her father, and told him everything. Tvaṣṭṛ, startled and affectionate toward his daughter, spoke to her.
नैतद् युक्तं भर्तृमत्या यत् स्वैरेण प्रवर्तनम् अपत्यानां कथं वृत्तिर् भर्तुर् वा सवितुस् तव बिभेमि भद्रे शिष्टो ऽहं भर्तुर् गेहं पुनर् व्रज
'This is not proper for a married woman, to act independently; how will your children and your husband, the Sun, fare? I am afraid, dear one. I am restrained—return again to your husband's house.'
एवम् उक्ता तु पित्रा सा नेत्य् उक्त्वा वै पुनः पुनः उत्तरं च कुरोर् देशं जगाम तपसे त्वरा
Thus addressed by her father, she repeatedly refused, and then went with haste to the northern land of the Kurus to practice austerity.
तत्र तेपे तपस् तीव्रं वडवारूपधारिणी दुष्प्रेक्षं तं स्वकं कान्तं ध्यायन्ती निश्चला उषा
There, taking the form of a mare, Ushā performed severe austerities, her mind fixed on her beloved, the Sun, whom she could not bear to see.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तात छाया चोषास्वरूपिणी पत्यौ सा वर्तयाम् आस अपत्यान्य् अथ जज्ञिरे
Meanwhile, O dear one, Chāyā, taking Ushā's form, lived with her husband, and children were born.
सावर्णिश् च शनिश् चैव विष्टिर् या दुष्टकन्यका सा छाया वर्तयाम् आस वैषम्येणैव नित्यशः
Sāvarṇi and Śani, and Viṣṭi, the wicked daughter—these were Chāyā's children, whom she always treated with partiality.
स्वेष्व् अपत्येषु चोषाया यमस् तत्र चुकोप ह वैषम्येणाथ वर्तन्तीं छायां तां मातरं तदा
Among Ushā's own children, Yama became angry at Chāyā, his mother, because she showed favoritism.
ताडयाम् आस पादेन दक्षिणाशापतिर् यमः पुत्रदौर्जन्यसंक्षोभाच् छाया वैवस्वतं यमम्
Yama, lord of the southern quarter, struck Chāyā with his foot, agitated by the injustice shown to him as a son by Chāyā.
शशाप पाप ते पादो विशीर्यतु ममाज्ञया विशीर्णचरणो दुःखाद् रुदन् पितरम् अभ्यगात् सवित्रे तं तु वृत्तान्तं न्यवेदयद् अशेषतः
She cursed, 'May your foot fall off by my command, you sinner!' His foot withered, and, weeping in pain, he went to his father, Savitṛ, and told him everything.