तस्य स्वसा विष्टिर् इति भीषणा पापरूपिणी तां कन्यां सविता कस्मै ददामीति मतिं दधे
His sister is Viṣṭi, fearsome and of sinful form; Savitṛ considered to whom he should give this daughter in marriage.
यस्मै यस्मै दातुकामः सूर्यो लोकगुरुः प्रभुः तच् छ्रुत्वा भीषणा चेति किं कुर्मो भार्ययानया एवं तु वर्तमाने सा पितरं प्राह दुःखिता
Desiring to give her to someone, the Sun, lord and teacher of the worlds, pondered; hearing that she was fearsome, people said, 'What shall we do with such a wife?' Thus, as this situation continued, she sorrowfully spoke to her father.
बालाम् एव पिता यस् तु दद्यात् कन्यां सुरूपिणे स कृतार्थो भवेल् लोके न चेद् दुष्कृतवान् पिता
A father who gives his young daughter to a worthy man attains fulfillment in this world; if not, the father is considered sinful.
चतुर्थाद् वत्सराद् ऊर्ध्वं यावन् न दशमात्ययः तावद् विवाहः कन्यायाः पित्रा कार्यः प्रयत्नतः
After the fourth year and before the tenth, the father should diligently arrange the marriage of his daughter.
श्रीमते विदुषे यूने कुलीनाय यशस्विने उदाराय सनाथाय कन्या देया वराय वै
A maiden should be given to a worthy suitor—prosperous, learned, youthful, of good family, renowned, noble, and with guardians.
एतच् चेद् अन्यथा कुर्यात् पिता स निरयी सदा धर्मस्य साधनं कन्या विदुषाम् अपि भास्कर
If a father acts otherwise, he is always condemned to hell; even for the learned, the giving of a maiden is the means of righteousness, O Bhāskara.
नरकस्येव मूर्खाणां कामोपहतचेतसाम् एकतः पृथिवी कृत्स्ना सशैलवनकानना
For the foolish whose minds are overcome by desire, hell awaits; on one side is the entire earth with its mountains, forests, and groves.
स्वलंकृतोपाधिहीना सुकन्या चैकतः स्मृता विक्रीणीते यश् च कन्याम् अश्वं वा गां तिलान् अपि
On the other side is a well-adorned, unblemished maiden; whoever sells a maiden, or even a horse, cow, or sesame seeds—
न तस्य रौरवादिभ्यः कदाचिन् निष्कृतिर् भवेत् विवाहातिक्रमः कार्यो न कन्यायाः कदाचन
For him, there is never any atonement from Raurava and other hells; the transgression of marriage should never be committed regarding a maiden.
तस्मिन् कृते यत् पितुः स्यात् पापं तत् केन कथ्यते यावल् लज्जां न जानाति यावत् क्रीडति पांशुभिः
Who can describe the sin that accrues to the father in such a case? As long as she does not know modesty and plays with dust,
तावत् कन्या प्रदातव्या नो चेत् पित्रोर् अधोगतिः पितुः स्वरूपं पुत्रः स्याद् यः पिता पुत्र एव सः
So long should the maiden be given in marriage; otherwise, the parents fall to a lower state. The son is the very form of the father; he who is the father is indeed the son.
आत्मनः सुखितां लोके को न कुर्यात् करोति च यत् कन्यायां पिता कुर्याद् दानं पूजनम् ईक्षणम्
Who would not make his own child happy in this world? Whatever a father does for his daughter—giving, honoring, or looking after her—
यत् कृतं तत् कृतं विद्यात् तासु दत्तं तद् अक्षयम् यद् दत्तं तासु कन्यासु तद् आनन्त्याय कल्पते
Whatever is done should be considered as done; what is given to them is imperishable. Whatever is given to such maidens is considered to lead to endless merit.
पुत्रेषु चैव पौत्रेषु को न कुर्यात् सुखं रवे करोति यः कन्यकानां स संपद्भाजनं भवेत्
Who would not bring happiness to sons and grandsons? Whoever brings joy to maidens becomes the recipient of prosperity.
एवं तां वादिनीं कन्यां विष्टिं प्रोवाच भास्करः
Thus, to that argumentative maiden Viṣṭi, Bhāskara spoke.
किं करोमि न गृह्णाति त्वां कश्चिद् भीषणाकृतिम् कुलं रूपं वयो वित्तं विद्यां वृत्तं सुशीलताम्
What can I do? No one accepts you, for you have a terrifying appearance. Lineage, beauty, age, wealth, learning, conduct, and good character—
मिथः पश्यन्ति संबन्धे विवाहे स्त्रीषु पुंसु च अस्मासु सर्वम् अप्य् अस्ति विना तव गुणैः शुभे किं करोमि क्व दास्यामि वृथा मां धिक् करोषि किम्
In relationships and marriage, whether among women or men, all these qualities are present in us, except for yours, O auspicious one. What can I do? Where shall I give you? You reproach me in vain—why?
एवम् उक्त्वा पुनस् तां च विष्टिं प्रोवाच भास्करः
Having spoken thus, Bhāskara again addressed Viṣṭi.
यस्मै कस्मै च दातव्या त्वं वै यद्य् अनुमन्यसे दीयसे ऽद्य मया विष्टे अनुजानीहि मां ततः
To whomever you are to be given, if you consent, you shall be given by me today, O Viṣṭi. Approve me for that.
पितरं प्राह सा विष्टिर् भर्ता पुत्रा धनं सुखम् आयू रूपं च संप्रीतिर् जायते प्राक्तनानुगम्
Viṣṭi spoke to her father: 'A husband, sons, wealth, happiness, lifespan, beauty, and affection arise according to previous actions.'
यत् पुरा विहितं कर्म प्राणिना साध्व् असाधु वा फलं तदनुरोधेन प्राप्यते ऽपि भवान्तरे
Whatever action was performed previously by a living being, whether good or bad, its result is obtained accordingly, even in another existence.
स्वदोष एव तत् पित्रा परिहर्तव्य आदरात् तादृग् एव फलं तु स्याद् यादृग् आचरितं पुरा
One's own fault must be carefully avoided by the father; the fruit will be just as the previous conduct was.
तस्मात् तद्दानसंबन्धं स्ववंशानुगतं पिता करोति शेषं दैवेन यद् भाव्यं तद् भविष्यति
Therefore, the father establishes the connection of giving according to his own lineage; the rest is determined by fate—whatever is destined will occur.
तच् छ्रुत्वा दुहितुर् वाक्यं त्वष्टुः पुत्राय भीषणाम् विश्वरूपाय तां प्रादाद् विष्टिं लोकभयंकरीम्
Hearing his daughter's words, Tvaṣṭṛ gave the terrifying Viṣṭi, who causes fear in the world, to his son Viśvarūpa.
विश्वरूपो ऽपि तद्वच् च भीषणो भीषणाकृतिः एवं मिथः संचरतोः शीलरूपसमानयोः
Viśvarūpa, likewise, was terrifying and had a frightening appearance; thus, as they lived together, their character and form were alike.
प्रीतिः कदाचिद् वैषम्यं दंपत्योर् अभवन् मिथः गण्डो नामाभवत् पुत्रो ह्य् अतिगण्डस् तथैव च
Sometimes there was affection, sometimes discord between the couple; their son was named Gaṇḍa, and another was called Ati-gaṇḍa.
रक्ताक्षः क्रोधनश् चैव व्ययो दुर्मुख एव च तेभ्यः कनीयान् अभवद् धर्षणो नाम पुण्यभाक्
Red-eyed, wrathful, wasteful, and ill-tempered—among them, the youngest was named Dharṣaṇa, a recipient of merit.
सुतः सुशीलः सुभगः शान्तः शुद्धमतिः शुचिः स कदाचिद् यमगृहं द्रष्टुं मातुलम् अभ्यगात्
A son, virtuous, fortunate, peaceful, pure-minded, and clean, once went to visit his maternal uncle in Yama's abode.
स ददर्श बहूञ् जन्तून् स्वर्गस्थान् इव दुःखिनः स मातुलं तु पप्रच्छ नत्वा धर्मं सनातनम्
He saw many creatures, suffering as if in heaven, and after bowing, he questioned his maternal uncle about the eternal law.
क इमे सुखिनस् तात पच्यन्ते नरके च के
Father, who are those happy ones, and who are those being cooked in hell?