ब्रह्मवादी पराक्रान्तः शत्रुभिर् युधि दुर्दमः आहर्ता चाग्निहोत्रस्य यज्ञानां च महीपतिः
He was a speaker of Brahman, unconquerable in valor, indomitable in battle by his enemies, the performer of Agnihotra, and lord of sacrifices, O king.
सत्यवादी पुण्यमतिः सम्यक्संवृतमैथुनः अतीव त्रिषु लोकेषु यशसाप्रतिमः सदा
He spoke the truth, had a virtuous mind, was perfectly restrained in sexual conduct, and was always unrivaled in fame throughout the three worlds.
तं ब्रह्मवादिनं शान्तं धर्मज्ञं सत्यवादिनम् उर्वशी वरयाम् आस हित्वा मानं यशस्विनी
That tranquil speaker of Brahman, knower of dharma, and truth-teller was chosen by the illustrious Urvashi, who set aside her pride.
तया सहावसद् राजा दश वर्षाणि पञ्च च षट् पञ्च सप्त चाष्टौ च दश चाष्टौ च भो द्विजाः
With her, the king dwelled for ten years, five, six, five, seven, eight, ten, and again eight, O twice-born ones.
वने चैत्ररथे रम्ये तथा मन्दाकिनीतटे अलकायां विशालायां नन्दने च वनोत्तमे
In the delightful forest of Caitraratha, on the bank of the Mandakini, in the vast city of Alaka, and in the excellent Nandana forest as well.
उत्तरान् स कुरून् प्राप्य मनोरमफलद्रुमान् गन्धमादनपादेषु मेरुशृङ्गे तथोत्तरे
Reaching the northern Kurus, with their pleasing fruit trees, at the foot of Gandhamadana, and on the northern summit of Meru.
एतेषु वनमुख्येषु सुरैर् आचरितेषु च उर्वश्या सहितो राजा रेमे परमया मुदा
In these foremost forests, frequented by the gods, the king enjoyed supreme delight together with Urvashi.
देशे पुण्यतमे चैव महर्षिभिर् अभिष्टुते राज्यं स कारयाम् आस प्रयागे पृथिवीपतिः
In the most sacred land, praised by great sages, the lord of the earth established his kingdom at Prayaga.
एवंप्रभावो राजासीद् ऐलस् तु नरसत्तमः उत्तरे जाह्नवीतीरे प्रतिष्ठाने महायशाः
Thus was the illustrious king, the descendant of Ila, endowed with such greatness, dwelling at Pratishthana on the northern bank of the Ganga.
ऐलपुत्रा बभूवुस् ते सप्त देवसुतोपमाः गन्धर्वलोके विदिता आयुर् धीमान् अमावसुः
His sons, seven in number and equal to the sons of the gods, became renowned in the world of the Gandharvas: Ayu, the wise Amavasu,
विश्वायुश् चैव धर्मात्मा श्रुतायुश् च तथापरः दृढायुश् च वनायुश् च बह्वायुश् चोर्वशीसुताः
Vishvayu, righteous of soul, Shrutayu, another, Dridhayu, Vanayu, and Bahvayu—all sons of Urvashi.
अमावसोस् तु दायादो भीमो राजाथ राजराट् श्रीमान् भीमस्य दायादो राजासीत् काञ्चनप्रभः
The heir of Amavasu was King Bhima, lord of kings, and the illustrious heir of Bhima was King Kanchanaprabha.
विद्वांस् तु काञ्चनस्यापि सुहोत्रो ऽभून् महाबलः सुहोत्रस्याभवज् जह्नुः केशिन्या गर्भसंभवः
The learned and mighty Suhotra was the son of Kanchana; from Suhotra was born Jahnu, conceived in Keshini.
आजह्रे यो महत् सत्त्रं सर्पमेधं महामखम् पतिलोभेन यं गङ्गा पतित्वेन ससार ह
He performed the great sacrificial session, the mighty serpent-offering; out of desire for her husband, Ganga flowed forth as a woman.
नेच्छतः प्लावयाम् आस तस्य गङ्गा तदा सदः स तया प्लावितं दृष्ट्वा यज्ञवाटं समन्ततः
Though he did not wish it, Ganga flooded his sacrificial hall at that time; seeing his sacrificial enclosure inundated on all sides by her,
सौहोत्रिर् अशपद् गङ्गां क्रुद्धो राजा द्विजोत्तमाः एष ते विफलं यत्नं पिबन्न् अम्भः करोम्य् अहम्
Suhotra, angered, cursed Ganga, O best of twice-born: 'I will make your effort fruitless by drinking up your water.'
अस्य गङ्गे ऽवलेपस्य सद्यः फलम् अवाप्नुहि जह्नुराजर्षिणा पीतां गङ्गां दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः
'For this arrogance, O Ganga, immediately receive its result!' When the great sages saw that Ganga had been drunk up by King Jahnu,
उपनिन्युर् महाभागां दुहितृत्वेन जाह्नवीम् युवनाश्वस्य पुत्रीं तु कावेरीं जह्नुर् आवहत्
They offered the blessed Jahnavi to him as a daughter; and Jahnu accepted Kaveri, the daughter of Yuvanashva.
युवनाश्वस्य शापेन गङ्गार्धेन विनिर्गता कावेरीं सरितां श्रेष्ठां जह्नोर् भार्याम् अनिन्दिताम्
By the curse of Yuvanāśva, Ganga departed halfway and entered the most excellent river Kaveri, the blameless wife of Jahnu.
जह्नुस् तु दयितं पुत्रं सुनद्यं नाम धार्मिकम् कावेर्यां जनयाम् आस अजकस् तस्य चात्मजः
Jahnu begot upon Kaveri, his beloved and virtuous wife, a righteous son named Sunanda; and Ajaka was the son of that Sunanda.
अजकस्य तु दायादो बलाकाश्वो महीपतिः बभूव मृगयाशीलः कुशस् तस्यात्मजो ऽभवत्
Ajaka’s heir was Balākāśva, a king fond of hunting; Kuśa, his son, was born to him.
कुशपुत्रा बभूवुर् हि चत्वारो देववर्चसः कुशिकः कुशनाभश् च कुशाम्बो मूर्तिमांस् तथा
Kuśa had four sons endowed with divine splendor: Kuśika, Kuśanābha, Kuśāmba, and Mūrtimān.
बल्लवैः सह संवृद्धो राजा वनचरः सदा कुशिकस् तु तपस् तेपे पुत्रम् इन्द्रसमं प्रभुः
Kuśika, always dwelling in the forest and raised among cowherds, practiced austerities, desiring a son equal to Indra in power.
लभेयम् इति तं शक्रस् त्रासाद् अभ्येत्य जज्ञिवान् पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे वै ततः शक्रो ह्य् अपश्यत
Thinking, 'May I obtain such a son,' Indra, out of fear, approached him; when a thousand years were completed, then Indra beheld him.
अत्युग्रतपसं दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः समर्थः पुत्रजनने स्वयम् एवास्य शाश्वतः
Seeing him engaged in extremely severe austerities, Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, himself, capable of granting a son, became his eternal benefactor.
पुत्रार्थं कल्पयाम् आस देवेन्द्रः सुरसत्तमः स गाधिर् अभवद् राजा मघवान् कौशिकः स्वयम्
For the sake of a son, the best of gods, Indra, arranged that he himself would be born as the son; thus, Maghavan himself became King Gādhi, the son of Kuśika.
पौरा यस्याभवद् भार्या गाधिस् तस्याम् अजायत गाधेः कन्या महाभागा नाम्ना सत्यवती शुभा
Gādhi’s wife was Paurā; from her, Gādhi was born. Gādhi’s highly fortunate daughter, named Satyavatī, was auspicious.
तां गाधिः काव्यपुत्राय ऋचीकाय ददौ प्रभुः तस्याः प्रीतः स वै भर्ता भार्गवो भृगुनन्दनः
Gādhi gave that Satyavatī to Ṛcīka, the son of Kavya, as his wife; pleased, her husband, the Bhārgava and descendant of Bhṛgu, accepted her.
पुत्रार्थं साधयाम् आस चरुं गाधेस् तथैव च उवाचाहूय तां भार्याम् ऋचीको भार्गवस् तदा
Desiring a son, Ṛcīka prepared a sacrificial oblation for Gādhi as well; then, calling his wife, the Bhārgava Ṛcīka spoke to her.
उपयोज्यश् चरुर् अयं त्वया मात्रा स्वयं शुभे तस्यां जनिष्यते पुत्रो दीप्तिमान् क्षत्रियर्षभः
'O auspicious one, you must use this oblation yourself and with your mother; from you will be born a radiant son, a foremost Kshatriya.'