विक्रयार्थं महाभाग क्रन्दमानो भृशातुरः । क्रन्दमानं गृहीत्वैनं निर्गताहं गतत्रपा
For the sake of sale, O great one, though he was crying and greatly distressed; taking the crying boy, I went out, my shame gone.
तदा सत्यव्रतो मार्गे मामुद्वीक्ष्य भृशातुराम् । पप्रच्छ स च राजर्षिः कस्माद्रोदिति बालकः
Then Satyavrata saw me on the road, greatly troubled; and that royal sage asked, 'Why is the boy crying?'
तदाहं तमुवाचेदं वचनं मुनिसत्तम । विक्रयार्थं नीयतेऽसौ बालकोऽद्य मया नृप
Then I said these words to him, O best of sages: 'This boy is being taken by me today for sale, O king.'
श्रुत्वा मे वचनं राजा दयार्द्रहृदयस्ततः । मामुवाच गृहं याहि गृहीत्वैनं कुमारकम्
Hearing my words, the king, his heart full of compassion, said to me, 'Go home, taking this boy with you.'
भोजनार्थे कुमाराणामामिषं विहितं तव । प्रापयिष्याम्यहं नित्यं यावन्मुनिसमागमः
'For the sake of feeding your children, I will provide you with meat every day until the sage returns.'
अहन्यहनि भूपालो वृक्षेऽस्मिन्मृगसूकरान् । विन्यस्य याति हत्वासौ प्रत्यहं दययान्वितः
Day by day, the king, out of compassion, would kill deer and wild boar on this tree, and leave them for us.
तेनैव बालकाः कान्त पालिता वृजिनार्णवात् । वसिष्ठेनाथ शप्ताऽसौ भूपतिर्मम कारणात्
By that very king, O beloved, the children were protected from the ocean of misfortune; then, because of me, Vasiṣṭha cursed him.
कस्मिंश्चिद्दिवसे मांसं न प्राप्तं तेन कानने । हता दोग्ध्री वसिष्ठस्य तेनासौ कुपितो मुनिः
On a certain day, meat was not obtained by him in the forest; the cow of Vasiṣṭha was killed, and thus the sage became angry.
त्रिशङ्कुरिति भूपस्य कृतं नाम महात्मना । कुपितेन वधाद्धेतोश्चाण्डालश्च कृतो नृपः
Triśaṅku became the name of the king, given by the great-souled sage; out of anger and for the sake of killing, the king was made an outcaste.
तेनाहं दुःखिता जाता तस्य दुःखेन कौशिक । श्वपचत्वमसौ प्राप्तो मत्कृते नृपनन्दनः
Because of this, O Kauśika, I became distressed by his suffering; for my sake, the king's son attained the state of a dog-eater.
येन केनाप्युपायेन भवता नृपतेः किल । तस्माद्रक्षा प्रकर्तव्या तपसा प्रबलेन ह
By whatever means possible, you must protect the king; therefore, you should undertake powerful austerity for his sake.
व्यास उवाच - इति भार्यावचः श्रुत्वा कौशिको मुनिसत्तमः । तामाह कामिनीं दीनां सान्त्वपूर्वमरिन्दम
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words of his wife, Kauśika, the foremost sage, spoke to the sorrowful lady, offering her gentle consolation.
विश्वामित्र उवाच - मोचयिष्यामि तं शापान्नृपं कमललोचने । उपकारः कृतो येन कान्ताराद्रक्षितासि वै
Viśvāmitra said: I will free the king from the curse, O lotus-eyed one; because he helped you, protecting you from the forest.
विद्यातपोबलेनाहं करिष्ये दुःखसंक्षयम् । इत्याश्वास्य प्रियां तत्र कौशिकः परमार्थवित्
With the power of knowledge, austerity, and strength, I will bring an end to his suffering; thus, Kauśika, knower of the highest truth, comforted his beloved there.
चिन्तयामास नृपतेः कथं स्याद्दुःखनाशनम् । संविमृश्य मुनिस्तत्र जगाम यत्र पार्थिवः
He began to contemplate how the king's suffering might be ended; after deliberating, the sage went to where the king was.
त्रिशङ्कुः पक्वणे दीनः संस्थितः श्वपचाकृतिः । आगच्छन्तं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा विस्मितोऽसौ नराधिपः
Triśaṅku, miserable and in the form of a dog-eater, was staying in the cremation ground; seeing the sage approaching, the king was astonished.
दण्डवन्निपपातोर्व्यां पादयोस्तरसा मुनेः । गृहीत्वा तं करे भूपं पतितं कौशिकस्तदा
He quickly fell prostrate on the ground at the feet of the sage; Kauśika then took the fallen king by the hand.
उत्थाप्योवाच वचनं सान्त्वपूर्वं द्विजोत्तमः । मत्कृते त्वं महीपाल शप्तोऽसि मुनिना यतः
Raising him up, the best of twice-born spoke words of gentle consolation: 'Because of me, O king, you were cursed by the sage.'
वाञ्छितं ते करिष्यामि ब्रूहि किं करवाण्यहम् । राजोवाच - मया सम्प्रार्थितः पूर्वं वसिष्ठो मखहेतवे
I will accomplish your desire; tell me, what shall I do? The king said: Formerly, I requested Vasiṣṭha for the sake of a sacrifice.
मां याजय मुनिश्रेष्ठ करोमि मखमुत्तमम् । यथेष्टं कुरु विप्रेन्द्र यथा स्वर्गं व्रजाम्यहम्
O best of sages, let me be consecrated; I will perform the supreme sacrifice. Do as you wish, O chief of Brahmins, so that I may go to heaven.
अनेनैव शरीरेण शक्रलोकं सुखालयम् । कोपं कृत्वा वसिष्ठोऽसौ मामाहेति सुदुर्मते
With this very body, I wish to reach the abode of Indra, the place of happiness; Vasiṣṭha, angry, spoke harshly to me, O wicked-minded one.
मानुषेण हि देहेन स्वर्गवासः कुतस्तव । पुनर्मयोक्तो भगवान्स्वर्गलुब्धेन चानघ
How can you reside in heaven with a human body? Again, I spoke to the venerable one, desiring heaven, O sinless one.
अन्यं पुरोहितं कृत्वा यक्ष्येऽहं यज्ञमुत्तमम् । तदा तेनैव शप्तोऽहं चाण्डालो भव पामर
Having appointed another priest, I will perform the supreme sacrifice; then, by him, I was cursed: 'Become an outcaste, O wretch.'
इत्येतत्कथितं सर्वं कारणं शापसम्भवम् । मम दुःखविनाशाय समर्थोऽसि मुनीश्वर
Thus, all this has been told—the cause of the curse; O lord of sages, you are able to destroy my suffering.
इत्युक्त्वा विररमासौ राजा दुःखरुजार्दितः । कौशिकोऽपि निराकर्तुं शापं तस्य व्यचिन्तयत्
Having spoken thus, the king, tormented by pain and sorrow, fell silent; Kauśika also pondered how to remove his curse.
वरुणकृपया शैव्यायां पुत्रोप्तत्तिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - विचिन्त्य मनसा कृत्यं गाधिसूनुर्महातपाः । प्रकल्प्य यज्ञसम्भारान्मुनीनामन्त्रयत्तदा
By the grace of Varuṇa: The description of the son born to Śaivyā. Vyāsa said: Having considered in his mind what should be done, the great ascetic son of Gādhi arranged the materials for a sacrifice and then summoned the sages.
मुनयस्तं मखं ज्ञात्वा विश्वामित्रनिमन्त्रिताः । नागताः सर्व एवैते वसिष्ठेन निवारिताः
The sages, having learned of that sacrifice and invited by Viśvāmitra, did not come at all, for they were restrained by Vasiṣṭha.
गाधिसूनुस्तदाज्ञाय विमनाश्चातिदुःखितः । आजगामाश्रमं तत्र यत्रासौ नृपतिः स्थितः
The son of Gādhi, realizing this, became dejected and deeply distressed; he went to the hermitage where that king was staying.
तमाह कौशिकः क्रुद्धो वसिष्ठेन निवारिताः । नागताः ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे यज्ञार्थं नृपसत्तम
Kauśika, angered, said to him: 'All the Brahmins, restrained by Vasiṣṭha, have not come for the sacrifice, O best of kings.'
पश्य मे तपसः सिद्धिं यथा त्वां सुरसद्मनि । प्रापयामि महाराज वाञ्छितं ते करोम्यहम्
Behold the power of my austerity, O great king, as I send you to the abode of the gods; I shall grant you your desire.