प्रधानद्वारमासाद्य शिवतुल्यपराक्रमम्
Approaching the main entrance, possessing prowess equal to Shiva,
शनैश्चर उवाच विष्णुप्रमुखदेवानां मुनीनामनुरोधतः
Shanaishcara said: At the request of the gods led by Vishnu and the sages,
आज्ञां देहि च मां गन्तुं पार्वतीसन्निधिं बुध
Grant me permission, O wise one, to go to Parvati's presence.
विशालाक्ष उवाच मार्गं दातुं न शक्तोऽहं विना मन्मातुराज्ञया
Vishalaksha said: I am not able to grant passage without my mother's command.
इत्युक्त्वाऽभ्यन्तरभ्येत्य प्रेरितः स शिवाज्ञया
Having spoken thus, he entered within, impelled by the command of Shiva.
शनिरभ्यन्तरं गत्वा चानमन्नम्रकन्धरः
Shani, having entered inside, bowed with his neck bent low.
सखीभिः पञ्चभिः शश्वत्सेवितां श्वेतचामरैः
There, served always by five companions with white chowries,
वह्निशुद्धांशुकाधानां रत्नभूषणभूषिताम्
adorned with garments purified by fire and decorated with jeweled ornaments,
नतं सूर्य्यसुतं दृष्ट्वा दुर्गा संभाष्य सत्वरम्
Seeing the bowed son of Surya, Durga quickly addressed him.
पार्वत्युवाच किं न पश्यसि मां साधो बालकं वा ग्रहेश्वर
Parvati said: Why do you not look at me, O holy one, or at the child, O lord of the planets?
शनिरुवाच शुभाशुभं च यत्कर्म कोटिकल्पैर्न लुप्यते
Shani said: The result of good or evil deeds is not destroyed even in millions of aeons.
कर्मणा जायते जन्तुर्ब्रह्मेन्द्रार्य्यममन्दिरे
By karma a being is born, whether in the abodes of Brahma, Indra, Aryaman, or Yama.
कर्मणा नरकं याति वैकुण्ठं याति कर्मणा
By karma one goes to hell, by karma one attains Vaikuntha.
कर्मणा सुन्दरः शश्वद्व्याधियुक्तः स्वकर्मणा
By karma one is always beautiful, or afflicted with disease by one's own deeds.
कर्मणा धनवाँल्लोको दैन्ययुक्तः स्वकर्मणा
By karma a person becomes wealthy, or, by his own deeds, is beset by poverty.
सुभार्यश्च सुपुत्रश्च सुखी शश्वत्स्वकर्मणा
By his own deeds, one has a good wife and good son, and is always happy.
इतिहासं चातिगोप्यं शृणु शङ्करवल्लभे
Now hear a very secret history, O beloved of Shankara.
आबाल्यात्कृष्णभक्तोऽहं कृष्णध्यानैकमानसः
From childhood I have been devoted to Krishna, my mind intent solely on meditation upon Krishna.
पिता ददौ विवाहे तु कन्यां चित्ररथस्य च
My father gave my wife in marriage to Citraratha.
एकदा सा त्वृतुस्नाता सुवेषं स्वं विधाय च
Once, after her ritual bath at the proper season, she adorned herself in her own attire.
हरेः पादं ध्यायमानं पश्यन्ती मदमोहिता
Beholding me, absorbed in meditation on the feet of Hari, she became intoxicated with passion.
शशाप मामपश्यन्तमृतुनाशाच्च कोपतः
Because I did not look at her, she cursed me in anger, causing the destruction of the season.
न दृष्टाऽहं त्वया येन न कृतं ह्यृतुरक्षणम् त्वया दृष्टं च यद्वस्तु मूढ सर्वं विनश्यति
Because I was not seen by you, you did not observe the proper time for conception; and whatever thing is seen by you, O fool, all of it is destroyed.
अहं च विरतो ध्यानात्तोषयंस्तां तदा सतीम्
And I, withdrawing from meditation, then pleased that virtuous woman.
तेन मातर्न पश्यामि किञ्चिद्वस्तु स्वचक्षुषा
For this reason, Mother, I do not look upon anything with my own eyes.
शनैश्चरवचः श्रुत्वा चाहसत्पार्वती मुने
Hearing the words of Śani, Pārvatī laughed, O sage.
नारायण उवाच ईश्वरेच्छावशीभूतं जगदेवेत्युवाच ह
Nārāyaṇa said: The world, being under the control of the will of the Lord, thus spoke.
सा च देवी दैववशा शनिं प्रोवाच कौतुकात्
And that goddess, impelled by fate, addressed Śani out of curiosity.
पार्वत्या वचनं श्रुत्वा शनिर्मेने हृदा स्वयम् यदि बालो मया दृष्टस्तस्य विघ्नो भवेद्ध्रुवम्
Hearing Pārvatī's words, Śani thought in his heart, 'If the boy is seen by me, surely there will be an obstacle for him.'
अन्यथा सुप्रशस्तं च पुरतः स्वात्मरक्षणम् बालं द्रष्टुं मनश्चक्रे न तु तन्मातरं शनिः
Otherwise, it is most auspicious to protect oneself in advance; Śani resolved to see the boy, but not his mother.