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?
एवं पृष्टो धर्मराजः सर्वं प्राह यथार्थवत् तत्कर्मणां गतिं सर्वाम् अशेषेण न्यवेदयत्
Thus questioned, Dharmarāja explained everything truthfully; he revealed the entire course of actions, without omission.
विहितस्य न कुर्वन्ति ये कदाचिद् अतिक्रमम् न ते पश्यन्ति निरयं कदाचिद् अपि मानवाः
Those who never transgress what is ordained, they never see hell, not even once, O humans.
न मानयन्ति ये शास्त्रं नाचारं न बहुश्रुतान् विहितातिक्रमं कुर्युर् ये ते नरकगामिनः
Those who do not respect scripture, proper conduct, or the learned, and who commit forbidden acts, are destined for hell.
स तु श्रुत्वा धर्मवाक्यं हर्षणः पुनर् अब्रवीत्
Having heard the words of dharma, Harṣaṇa joyfully spoke again.
पिता त्वाष्ट्रो भीषणश् च माता विष्टिश् च भीषणा भ्रातरश् च महात्मानो येन ते शान्तबुद्धयः
The father is Tvaṣṭṛ, fierce; the mother is Viṣṭi, also formidable; and the brothers are great-souled, by whom your mind has been pacified.
सुरूपाश् च भविष्यन्ति निर्दोषा मङ्गलप्रदाः तन् मे कर्म वदस्वाद्य तत्कर्तास्मि सुरोत्तम
They will become beautiful, faultless, and bestowers of auspiciousness. Tell me now that action, O best of gods, for I will perform it.
अन्यथा तान् न गच्छेयम् इत्य् उक्तः प्राह धर्मराट् हर्षणं शुद्धबुद्धिं तं हर्षणो ऽसि न संशयः
Otherwise, I would not reach them. Thus addressed, the king of dharma spoke: 'Harṣaṇa, your mind is pure; you are indeed Harṣaṇa, without doubt.'
बहवः स्युः सुताः केचिन् नैव ते कुलतन्तवः एक एव सुतः कश्चिद् येन तद् ध्रियते कुलम्
There may be many sons, but not all continue the family line; it is only one son by whom the family is sustained.
कुलस्याधारभूतो यो यः पित्रोः प्रियकारकः यः पूर्वजान् उद्धरति स पुत्रस् त्व् इतरो गदः
He who is the foundation of the family, who acts lovingly toward his parents, who uplifts his ancestors, is a son; the other is merely a disease.
यस्मात् त्वयानुरूपं मे प्रोक्तं मातामह प्रियम् तस्मात् त्वं गौतमीं गच्छ स्नात्वा नियतमानसः
Because you have spoken appropriately and pleasingly to me, O maternal grandfather, therefore, go to Gautamī after bathing, with a disciplined mind.