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—
अथापि सर्वसिद्धित्वं सर्वैश्वर्य सुदुर्लभम् । मुक्तिं वा हरिभक्तिं वा तपसा या सुदुर्लभा
Or even complete attainment, the most rare sovereignty over all, or liberation, or devotion to Hari, which is difficult to obtain even by austerity—
किमीप्सितं ते हे वत्स ब्रूहि नः सांप्रतं मुदा । सर्व तुम्यं प्रदायैव यास्यामस्तपसे मुदा
What do you desire, dear one? Tell us now with joy. Having granted you everything, we will gladly return to our austerities.
युगलक्षसमं यच्च क्षणं कृष्णार्चनं विना । तद्दिनं दुर्दिनं यत्तद्ध्यानसेवनवर्जितम्
Any moment, even as brief as a yuga, spent without worshipping Krishna, is a wretched day—one devoid of meditation and service.
विना तत्सेवनं यो हि विषयान्यं च वाञ्छति । विषमत्ति प्रणाशाय विहायामृतमीप्सितम्
Whoever, forsaking that service, desires other objects, consumes poison for their own destruction, abandoning the nectar they should seek.
ब्रह्मा शिवश्च धर्मश्च विष्णुश्चापि महान्विराट् । गणेशश्च दिनेशश्च शषेश्च सनकादयः
Brahma, Shiva, Dharma, the great and vast Vishnu, Ganesha, the Sun, the Moon, and Sanaka and the others—
एते यच्चरणम्भोजं ध्यायन्तेऽहर्निशं मुदा । जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिहरं तन्निरता वयम्
All these, day and night, joyfully meditate upon those lotus feet which remove birth, death, old age, and disease; we too are devoted to them.
तेषां च वचनं श्रृत्वा तानुवाच नृपेश्वरः । स लज्जितो नम्रवक्त्र मायामोहितमानसः
Hearing their words, the lord of kings replied to them, his face lowered in shame, his mind bewildered by illusion and delusion.
नहष उवाच सर्व दातुं समर्थाश्च यूयं च भक्तवत्सलाः । अधुना देहि (दत्त) मे तूर्णं शचीदानमभीप्सितम्
Nahuṣa said: You are all capable of granting everything, and you are devoted to your devotees; now, quickly grant me the gift of Śacī that I desire.
सप्तर्षिवाहनं कान्तं शचीच्छति महासती । एतदेव मम वरं निष्पन्नं कुरुताचिनम्
The great and virtuous Śacī desires the beloved vehicle of the Seven Sages; let this alone be my boon—make it come to pass for me.
नहुषस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मुनयश्च परस्परम् । मत्युच्चैर्जहसुः सर्वे कौतुकेन च नारद
Hearing the words of Nahuṣa, the sages all laughed loudly among themselves, O Nārada, amused by the situation.