शाश्वत्पिबति शान्तिश्च विष्णुभक्तिरसामृतम् । जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिशोकसंतापनाशनम्
He eternally drinks the nectar of peace, the ambrosia of devotion to Viṣṇu, which destroys birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow, and distress.
अथ षष्टितमोऽध्यायः नारायण उवाच शाचोस्तोत्रं समाकर्ण्य परितुष्टो बृहस्पतिः । उवाच मधुरं शान्तः कान्तामिन्द्रस्य नारद
Chapter Sixty. Nārāyaṇa said: Having heard the hymn of lamentation, Bṛhaspati was greatly pleased; calm, he spoke sweetly to Indra’s beloved, O Nārada.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच त्यज वत्से भयं सर्व भयं किं ते मयि स्थिते । यथा कचस्य पत्नी मे तथा त्वमपि शोभने
Bṛhaspati said: Child, abandon all fear; what is there to fear while I am present? Just as Kacā was my wife, so too, O beautiful one, you shall be.
यथा पुत्रश्तथा शिष्यो न भेदः पुत्रशिष्ययोः । तर्पणे पितृदाने च पालने परितोषणो
Just as a son, so too a disciple—there is no difference between son and disciple in offering libations to ancestors, in giving, in caring for, and in satisfying them.
यथाऽग्निदाता पुत्रश्च तथा शिष्यश्च निश्चितम् । इतीदं कण्वशाखायामुवाच कमलोद्भवः
Just as the giver of fire is a son, so too, certainly, is a disciple. Thus, in the Kaṇva branch, the Lotus-born one has declared.
पिता माता गुरुर्भार्या शिशुश्चानाथबान्धवाः । एते पुंसां नित्यपोष्या इत्याह कमलोद्भवः
Father, mother, teacher, wife, child, and helpless relatives—these, for men, are always to be maintained, so says the Lotus-born one.
यश्चैतांश्च न पुष्णाति भस्मान्तं तस्य सूतकम् । दैवे पित्र्ये न कर्मार्हः मोऽपीत्याह महेश्वरः
He who does not support these, his impurity lasts until death; he is not fit for divine or ancestral rites, nor even for eating, so declares Maheśvara.
कुरुते नरबुर्द्धि च मातरं पितरं गुरुम् । अयशस्तस्य सर्वत्र विध्न एव पदे पदे
If a man neglects his mother, father, or teacher, he is disgraced everywhere, and obstacles arise for him at every step.
संपन्मत्तो यः करोति स्वगुरोश्च पराभवम् । अचिनात्सर्वनाशाश्च भवेत्तस्य सुनिश्चितम्
He who, intoxicated by wealth, brings about the downfall of his own teacher, certainly brings about his own total destruction.
मां च दृष्टवा सभामध्ये नोत्तसथौ पाकशासनः । तत्फलं भुज्यते साक्षात्सद्यः पश्य च सांप्रतम्
Indra, having seen me in the midst of the assembly, did not rise; he now directly experiences the result of that, see it at this very moment.
अहं करोमि मोक्षं च तव रक्षां सुनिश्चितम् । शासितुं रक्षितुं शक्तः स एव सुरुच्यते
I will grant you liberation and certainly protect you; only he who is able to govern and protect is truly esteemed among the gods.
न पश्यति सतीत्वं च हृच्छुद्धायाश्च योषितः । यन्मानसे विकल्पश्च तस्य धर्मश्च नश्यति
He who does not recognize the chastity and purity of a woman’s heart—whatever doubt arises in his mind, his righteousness is destroyed.
भविष्यति प्रभावस्ते दुर्गायाश्च समः सति । लक्ष्मीसमा प्रतिष्ठा च यशस्तद्यशसा समम्
Your power will be equal to that of Durgā, your position like that of Lakṣmī, and your fame will be equal to her fame.
सौभाग्यं राधिकातुल्यं तत्समं प्रेमभर्तरि । तत्तुल्यं गौरवं मान्यं प्रीतिः प्राधान्यमीश्वरे
Your good fortune will be like Rādhikā’s, your love for your husband equal to hers, your honor and respect will be like hers, and your affection and prominence before the Lord will be the same.
रोहिण्याश्च समापेक्षा पूज्या च भारतीसमा । शुद्धा निरुपमा शश्वत्सावित्रीसदृशी सदा
You will be regarded like Rohiṇī, worshipped like Bhāratī, pure, incomparable, and always like Sāvitrī.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र आगतो नहृषाच्चरः । उवाच वचनं भीतो वाक्पतेर्गोंचरे ततः
Meanwhile, there arrived a messenger of Nahusha; frightened, he spoke these words to the lord of speech in the presence of the cowherd sage.
दूत उवाच उत्तिष्ठ देवि शीघ्रं त्वं गच्छस्व नहुषं प्रति । क्रीडां कर्तु च रहसि रम्ये नन्दनकानने
The messenger said: Arise quickly, O goddess, go to Nahusha; play with him in secret in the delightful Nandana grove.
दूतस्य वचनं श्रुतवा तमुवाच बृहस्पतिः । कम्पितावयवः कोपाद्रक्तपङ्कजलोचनः
Hearing the messenger’s words, Bṛhaspati, his limbs trembling with anger and his eyes bloodshot, spoke to him.
गुरुरुवाच नहुषं वद गत्वा त्वं शचीं चे द्भोक्तुमिच्छसि । अपूर्व यानमारुह्य निशायामागमिष्यसि
The guru said: Go and tell Nahusha—if you wish to enjoy Shachi, you will come at night riding an unprecedented vehicle.
सप्तर्षीणां च स्कन्धे च दत्वा स्वशिविकां शुभाम् । तामारुह्य सुवेषश्च गमनं कर्तुमर्हसि
Placing your auspicious palanquin upon the shoulders of the Seven Sages, mount it, dress splendidly, and proceed on your journey.
वाक्पतेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा गत्वोवाच नृपं तदा । दूतस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्योवाच किंकरम्
Hearing the words of the eloquent one, the messenger went and spoke to the king; after hearing the messenger’s words, the king laughed and said to his attendant:
गच्छ गच्छ त्वरन् गच्छ सप्तर्षीञ्छीघ्रमानय । उपायं च करिष्यामि तैः सार्धं साप्रतं चर
Go, go, hurry, go! Quickly bring the Seven Sages. I will make arrangements; act promptly together with them.
नृपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा गत्वा दूतस्तदन्तिसम् । उवाच सर्वांस्तत्रैव यथोक्तं नहुषेण च
Hearing the king’s command, the messenger went to the sages and conveyed to them exactly what Nahusha had said.
दूतस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ययुः सप्तर्षयो मुदा । राजा दृष्ट्वा च तान्सर्वान्ननामोवाच सादरम्
Hearing the messenger’s words, the Seven Sages joyfully went; the king, seeing them all, respectfully bowed and spoke.
नहुष उवाच यूयं च ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा ज्वलन्तो ब्रह्मतेजसा । ब्रह्मणः मदृशाः सर्वे सततं भक्तवत्सलाः
Nahusha said: You are sons of Brahma, blazing with Brahman’s radiance; all of you are ever devoted to those like me.
नारायणपराः शश्वच्छुद्धसत्तवस्वरूपिणः । मोहमात्सर्यहीनाश्च दर्पाहंकारवर्जिताः
Always devoted to Narayana, of pure sattva nature, free from delusion and envy, devoid of pride and ego.
नारायणसमाः सर्वे तेजसा यशसा सदा । गुणेन कृपया प्रेम्णा वरदानेन निश्चितम्
All of you are equal to Narayana in brilliance and fame, certainly in virtue, compassion, love, and the granting of boons.
इत्युक्तवा प्रणतो राजा तुष्टाव च रुरोद च । दृष्टवा ते कातरं भूपमूचुः परहितैषिणः
Having spoken thus, the king bowed, praised them, and wept; seeing the king distressed, those desiring the welfare of others spoke.
ऋषय ऊचुः वरं पृणीष्व हे वत्स यत्ते मनसि वाञ्छितम् । सर्वं दातुं वयं शक्ता नासार्ध्य नश्च किंचन
The sages said: Choose a boon, dear one, whatever you desire in your heart; we are able to grant everything—nothing is difficult or lacking for us.
इन्द्रत्वं वा मनुत्वं वा चिरायुर्वा ततः परम् । सप्तद्धीपेश्वरत्वं चाप्यतीव सुचिरं सुखम्
Whether it is the position of Indra, Manu, long life beyond compare, or sovereignty over the seven continents, or exceedingly long and happy life—