यत्स्वयं स्वसुतं हन्तुमुद्यतः कुलपांसनः । धिक्चाण्डाल किमेतत्ते पापकर्म चिकीर्षितम्
'He, a disgrace to his lineage, is about to kill his own son! Fie, O outcaste! What is this wicked act you intend to do?'
हत्वा सुतं धनं प्राप्य किं सुखं ते भविष्यति । आत्मा वै जायते पुत्र अङ्गाद्वै वेदभाषितम्
'Having killed your son to obtain wealth, what happiness will you gain? The son is indeed born from oneself, as declared in the Veda.'
तत्कथं पापबुद्धे त्वमात्मानं हन्तुमिच्छसि । एवं कोलाहले तत्र जाते कुशिकनन्दनः
'So how, O wicked-minded one, do you wish to kill your own self?' As such an uproar arose there, the son of Kuśika approached.
समीपं नृपतेर्गत्वा तमुवाच दयापरः । विश्वामित्र उवाच - राजन्नमुं शुनःशेपं रुदन्तं भृशदुःखितम्
Approaching the king, full of compassion, Viśvāmitra spoke: 'O King, this Śunaḥśepa, weeping and greatly afflicted—'
क्रतुस्ते भविता पूर्णो रोगनाशश्च सर्वथा । दयासमं नास्ति पुण्यं पापं हिंसासमं नहि
'Your sacrifice will be fulfilled, and all disease destroyed; there is no merit equal to compassion, and no sin equal to violence.'
रागिणां रोचनार्थाय नोदनेयं विचारय । आत्मदेहस्य रक्षार्थं परदेहनिकृन्तनम्
'Do not consider killing another's body for the sake of your own pleasure or protection; for the sake of protecting one's own body, one should not destroy another's.'
न कर्तव्यं महाराज सर्वतः शुभमिच्छता । दयया सर्वभूतेषु सन्तुष्टो येन केन च
O king, one who desires auspiciousness in every way should not act; being satisfied by compassion towards all beings, in whatever manner.
सर्वेन्द्रियोपशान्त्या च तुष्यत्याशु जगत्पतिः । आत्मवत्सर्वभूतेषु चिन्तनीयं नृपोत्तम
When all the senses are calmed and one is content, the Lord of the world is quickly pleased; O best of kings, one should consider all beings as oneself.
जीवितव्यं प्रियं नूनं सर्वेषां सर्वदा किल । त्वमिच्छसि सुखं कर्तुं देहे हत्वा त्वमुं द्विजम्
Indeed, everyone always wishes to live and to have what is dear; you desire to bring happiness to yourself by killing this twice-born in his body.
कथं नेच्छेदसौ देहं रक्षितुं स्वसुखास्पदम् । पूर्वजन्मकृतं वैरं नानेन सह ते नृप
Why would he not wish to protect his body, which is the seat of his own happiness? There is no enmity from previous births between him and you, O king.
येनामुं हन्तुकामस्त्वं द्विजपुत्रं निरागसम् । यो यं हन्ति विना वैरं स्वकामः सततं पुनः
You wish to kill this innocent son of a Brahmin; whoever kills another without enmity, only for his own desire, again and again—
हन्तारं हन्ति तं प्राप्य जननं जननान्तरे । जनकोऽस्य सुदुष्टात्मा येनासौ ते समर्पितः
Upon encountering the killer in another birth, he kills him; his father, whose mind is exceedingly wicked, delivered him to you.
स्वात्मजो धनलोभेन पापाचारः सुदुर्मतिः । एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा यद्येकोऽपि गयां व्रजेत्
His own son, out of greed for wealth, acts sinfully and with evil intent; many sons are to be desired, for if even one goes to Gaya—
यजेत चाश्वमेधेन नीलं वा वृषमुत्सृजेत् । देशमध्ये च यः कश्चित्पापकर्म समाचरेत्
One should perform an Ashvamedha sacrifice or release a black bull; whoever commits sinful acts in the midst of the land—
षष्ठांशस्तस्य पापस्य राजा भुङ्क्ते न संशयः । निषेधनीयो राज्ञासौ पापं कर्तुं समुद्यतः
The king certainly enjoys a sixth part of his sin; there is no doubt. He who is intent on committing sin must be restrained by the king.
न निषिद्धस्त्वया कस्मात्पुत्रं विक्रेतुमुद्यतः । सूर्यवंशे समुत्पन्नस्त्रिशङ्कुतनयः शुभः
Why did you not restrain him, who was about to sell his son? Born in the solar dynasty, the virtuous son of Trishanku—
आर्यस्त्वनार्यवत्कर्म कर्तुमिच्छसि पार्थिव । मोचनान्मुनिपुत्रस्य करणाद्वचनस्य मे
You, noble one, wish to act like a non-noble, O king; by freeing the sage's son and following my words—
तव देहे सुखं राजन् भविष्यत्यविचारणात् । पिता ते शापयोगेन चाण्डालत्वमुपागतः
Happiness will come to you in your body, O king, without hesitation; your father, by the power of a curse, has attained the state of a Chandala.
मयासौ तेन देहेन स्वर्लोकं प्रापितः किल । तेनैव प्रीतियोगेन कुरु मे वचनं नृप
By me, with that body, he was indeed brought to the heavenly world; therefore, out of affection, O king, follow my words.
मुञ्चैनं बालकं दीनं रुदन्तं भृशमातुरम् । याचितोऽसि मया नूनं यज्ञेऽस्मिन् राजसूयके
Release this wretched child, who is crying and greatly afflicted; you have certainly been entreated by me in this royal sacrifice.
प्रार्थनाभङ्गजं दोषं कथं त्वं नावबुध्यसे । प्रार्थितं सर्वदा देयं मखेऽस्मिन्नृपसत्तम
How do you not perceive the fault arising from breaking a request? Whatever is requested should always be given, O best of kings, in this sacrifice.
अन्यथा पापमेव स्यात्तव राजन्न संशयः । व्यास उवाच - इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा कौशिकस्य नृपोतमः
Otherwise, O king, there will certainly be sin for you, without doubt. Vyasa said: Thus, having heard the words of Kaushika, the best among kings—
प्रत्युवाच महाराज कौशिकं मुनिसत्तमम् । जलोदरेण गाधेय दुःखितोऽहं भृशं मुने
He replied, O great king, to Kaushika, the foremost of sages: 'O sage, I am greatly distressed by dropsy, O descendant of Gadhi.'
तस्मान्न मोचयाम्येनमन्यत्प्रार्थय कौशिक । न त्वया विग्रहः कार्यः कार्येऽस्मिन्मम सर्वथा
Therefore, I will not release him; ask for something else, O Kaushika. You should not quarrel with me at all regarding this matter.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राज्ञो विश्वामित्रोऽतिकोपनः । बभूव दुःखसन्तप्तो वीक्ष्य दीनं द्विजात्मजम्
Hearing the king's words, Viśvāmitra became exceedingly angry, afflicted with sorrow as he looked upon the distressed son of the twice-born.
वसिष्ठविश्वामित्रपणवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - रुदन्तं बालकं वीक्ष्य विश्वामित्रो दयातुरः । शुनःशेपमुवाचेदं गत्वा पार्श्वेऽतिदुःखितम्
Vyāsa said: Seeing the boy weeping, Viśvāmitra was moved by compassion; approaching the deeply troubled Śunaḥśepa, he spoke these words.
मन्त्रं प्रचेतसः पुत्र मयोक्तं मनसा स्मरन् । जपतस्तव कल्याणं भविष्यति ममाज्ञया
Remember in your mind the mantra I have spoken, the son of Pracetas; reciting it, by my command, you will attain auspiciousness.
विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा शुनःशेपः शुचाऽऽकुलः । मन्त्रं जजाप मनसा कौशिकोक्तं स्फुटाक्षरम्
Hearing Viśvāmitra's words, Śunaḥśepa, overwhelmed by grief, mentally recited the mantra spoken by Kauśika, with clear syllables.
जपतस्तत्र तस्याशु प्रचेतास्तु कृपाकरः । प्रादुर्बभूव सहसा प्रसन्नो नृप बालके
As he recited there, Pracetas, full of compassion, suddenly appeared, pleased with the boy, O king.
दृष्ट्वा तमागतं सर्वे विस्मयं परमं गताः । तुष्टुवुर्वरुणं देवं मुदिता दर्शनेन ते
Seeing him arrive, all were struck with great wonder; delighted by the sight, they praised the god Varuṇa.