तस्य पुत्रः सूर्यनिभः सनाज्जात इति श्रुतः धृतव्रतं तथाकर्षन् मृत्युः कालेरितो मुने
Their son, radiant like the sun, was known as Sanājjāta; O sage, Death, prompted by time, took Dhṛtavrata away.
ततः सा बालविधवा बालपुत्रा सुरूपिणी त्रातारं नैव पश्यन्ती गालवाश्रमम् अभ्यगात्
Then she, a young widow with a small child, beautiful in form, finding no protector, went to the hermitage of Gālava.
तस्मै पुत्रं निवेद्याथ स्वैरिणी पापमोहिता सा बभ्राम बहून् देशान् पुंस्कामा कामचारिणी
After entrusting her son to him, she, overcome by sin and desire, wandered many lands, seeking men, indulging her passions.
तत्पुत्रो गालवगृहे वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः जातो ऽपि मातृदोषेण वेश्येरितमतिस् त्व् अभूत्
Her son, though born in Gālava's house and learned in the Vedas and their branches, due to his mother's fault, developed the mind of a courtesan.
जनस्थानम् इति ख्यातं नानाजातिसमावृतम् तत्रासौ पण्यवेषेण अध्यास्ते च मही तथा
He dwelled in a place called Janasthāna, inhabited by people of many kinds, and there, disguised as a merchant, Mahī also lived.
तत्सुतो ऽपि बहून् देशान् परिबभ्राम कामुकः सो ऽपि कालवशात् तत्र जनस्थाने ऽवसत् तदा
Her son too, wandering many lands as a pleasure-seeker, by the force of fate, then resided in Janasthāna.
स्त्रियम् आकाङ्क्षते वेश्यां धृतव्रतसुतो द्विजः मही चापि धनं दातॄन् पुरुषान् समपेक्षते
Dhṛtavrata's son, a twice-born, desired a courtesan woman, while Mahī sought wealth and men who would give her gifts.
मेने न पुत्रम् आत्मीयं स चापि न तु मातरम् तयोः समागमश् चासीद् विधिना मातृपुत्रयोः
He did not consider her his mother, nor did she see him as her son; by fate, there was a union between the two, mother and son.
एवं बहुतिथे काले पुत्रे मातरि गच्छति तयोः परस्परं ज्ञानं नैवासीन् मातृपुत्रयोः
Thus, as much time passed with the son living with the mother, neither of them recognized the other as mother or son.
एवं प्रवर्तमानस्य पितृधर्मेण सन्मतिः आसीत् तस्याप्य् असद्वृत्तेः शृणु नारद चित्रवत्
So, while he continued in this way, a good thought arose in him, though his conduct was improper; listen, O Nārada, to this remarkable tale.
स्वैरस्थित्या वर्तमानो नेदं स परिहातवान् ब्राह्मीं संध्याम् अनुष्ठाय तद् ऊर्ध्वं तु धनार्जनम्
Living as he pleased, he did not neglect the Brahmin's evening prayer; after performing the Brahminical twilight worship, he would then seek wealth.
विद्याबलेन वित्तानि बहून्य् आर्ज्य ददात्य् असौ तथा स प्रातर् उत्थाय गङ्गां गत्वा यथाविधि
By the power of his learning, he earned much wealth and gave it away; thus, rising in the morning, he would go to the Ganges according to rule.
शौचादि स्नानसंध्यादि सर्वं कार्यं यथाक्रमम् कृत्वा तु ब्राह्मणान् नत्वा ततो ऽभ्येति स्वकर्मसु
All acts of purity, bathing, and the observances at dawn and dusk must be performed in due order; having done so and having bowed to the Brahmins, one may then proceed to one's own duties.
प्रातःकाले गौतमीं तु यदा याति विरूपवान् कुष्ठसर्वाङ्गशिथिलः पूयशोणितनिःस्रवः
In the morning, when a deformed man, afflicted with leprosy, with limbs slack and oozing pus and blood, goes to the Gautamī river—
स्नात्वा तु गौतमीं गङ्गां यदा याति सुरूपधृक् शान्तः सूर्याग्निसदृशो मूर्तिमान् इव भास्करः
But when, having bathed in the Gautamī Ganga, he returns, he bears a handsome form, peaceful, radiant like the sun or fire, appearing as if he were the very embodiment of the sun.
एतद् रूपद्वयं स्वस्य नैव पश्यति स द्विजः गालवो यत्र भगवांस् तपोज्ञानपरायणः
This twice-born man does not see either of these forms as his own, where the venerable Galava, devoted to austerity and knowledge, resides.
आश्रित्य गौतमीं देवीं आस्ते च मुनिभिर् वृतः ब्राह्मणो ऽपि च तत्रैव नित्यं तीर्थं समेत्य च
There, taking refuge in the divine Gautamī and surrounded by sages, even a Brahmin, coming daily to that holy place, remains there.
गालवं च नमस्याथ ततो याति स्वमन्दिरम् गङ्गायाः सेवनात् पूर्वं सनाज्जातस्य यद् वपुः
Having bowed to Galava, he then goes to his own dwelling; the body he had before serving the Ganga, from birth, is restored.
स्नानसंध्योत्तरे काले पुनर् यद् अपि तद् द्विजे उभयं तस्य तद् रूपं गालवो नित्यम् एव च
At the time after bathing and the evening rites, again, both those forms appear to that twice-born one, and Galava always observes this.
दृष्ट्वा सविस्मयो मेने किंचिद् अस्त्य् अत्र कारणम् एवं सविस्मयो भूत्वा गालवः प्राह तं द्विजम्
Seeing this, Galava was filled with wonder and thought, 'There must be some reason for this.' Thus astonished, Galava addressed that Brahmin.
गच्छन्तं तु नमस्याथ सनाज्जातं गुरुर् गृहम् आहूय यत्नतो धीमान् कृपया विस्मयेन च
As he was departing, Galava bowed to him and, calling the one born of holy rites to his house with care, the wise teacher, moved by compassion and wonder, spoke.
को भवान् क्व च गन्तासि किं करोषि क्व भोक्ष्यसि किंनामा त्वं क्व शय्या ते का ते भार्या वदस्व मे
Who are you? Where will you go? What do you do? Where will you eat? What is your name? Where is your bed? Who is your wife? Tell me everything.
गालवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणो ऽप्य् आह तं मुनिम्
Hearing Galava's words, the Brahmin also spoke to the sage.
श्वः कथ्यते मया सर्वं ज्ञात्वा कार्यविनिर्णयम्
Tomorrow I will tell you everything, once I have determined what must be done.
एवम् उक्त्वा गालवं तं सनाज्जातो गृहं ययौ भुक्त्वा रात्रौ तया सम्यक् शय्याम् आसाद्य बन्धकीम् उवाच चकितः स्मृत्वा गालवस्य तु यद् वचः
Having thus spoken to Galava, the one born of holy rites went home; after eating well at night with her, he lay down with the courtesan, and, recalling Galava's words, spoke to her in alarm.
त्वं तु सर्वगुणोपेता बन्धक्य् अपि पतिव्रता आवयोः सदृशी प्रीतिर् यावज्जीवं प्रवर्तताम्
You are endowed with all virtues, and though a courtesan, you are faithful to your husband; may our mutual affection continue as long as we live.
तथापि किंचित् पृच्छामि किंनाम्नी त्वं क्व वा कुलम् किं नु स्थानं क्व वा बन्धुर् मम सर्वं निवेद्यताम्
Yet I wish to ask you something: what is your name, what is your family, where is your home, who are your relatives? Tell me everything.
धृतव्रत इति ख्यातो ब्राह्मणो दीक्षितः शुचिः तस्य भार्या मही चाहं मत्पुत्रो गालवाश्रमे
I am known as Dhritavrata, a Brahmin, consecrated and pure; my wife is Mahī, and my son is in Galava's hermitage.
उत्सृष्टो मतिमान् बालः सनाज्जात इति श्रुतः अहं तु पूर्वदोषेण त्यक्त्वा धर्मं कुलागतम् स्वैरिणी त्व् इह वर्ते ऽहं विद्धि मां ब्राह्मणीं द्विज
My intelligent son, abandoned as a child, is known as Sanājjāta. But I, due to a former fault, having abandoned the family dharma, live here as a courtesan by my own will—know me as a Brahmin woman, O twice-born.
तस्यास् तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा मर्मविद्ध इवाभवत् पपात सहसा भूमौ वेश्या तं वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
Hearing her words, he was as if pierced to the core and suddenly fell to the ground; the courtesan then spoke to him.