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.
राजातिविस्मितः पादौ प्रणनाम रुजातुरः । बद्धाञ्जलिपुटो देवं तुष्टाव पुरतः स्थितम्
The king, greatly astonished and afflicted by pain, bowed at his feet; with hands joined, he praised the god standing before him.
हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच - देवदेव कृपासिन्धो पापात्माहं सुमन्दधीः । कृतापराधः कृपणः पावितः परमेष्ठिना
Hariścandra said: O god of gods, ocean of mercy, I am sinful and dull-witted; having committed offense, wretched, I am purified by the Supreme Lord.
मया ते पुत्रकामेन दुःखसंस्थेन हेलनम् । कृतं क्षमाप्यं प्रभुणा कोऽपराधः सुदुर्मतेः
Out of desire for a son, in the midst of suffering, I acted negligently towards you; forgive me, O Lord, what offense is there from one of such poor understanding?
अर्थी दोषं न जानाति तस्मात्पुत्रार्थिना मया । वञ्चितस्त्वं देवदेव भीतेन नरकाद्विभो
A supplicant does not recognize fault; therefore, desiring a son, I deceived you, O god of gods, out of fear of hell, O Lord.
अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गो नैव च नैव च । भीतोऽहं तेन वाक्येन तस्मात्ते हेलनं कृतम्
One without a son has no destiny, nor heaven, nor anything else; frightened by that statement, I acted negligently towards you.
नाज्ञस्य दूषणं चिन्त्यं नूनं ज्ञानवता विभो । दुःखितोऽहं रुजाक्रान्तो वञ्चितः स्वसुतेन ह
The fault of the ignorant should not be considered, O Lord, by the wise; I am afflicted by pain, deceived by my own son.
न जानेऽहं महाराज पुत्रो मे क्व गतः प्रभो । वञ्चयित्वा वने भीतो मरणान्मां कृपानिधे
I do not know, O great king, where my son has gone, O Lord; having deceived me in the forest, he fled from death, O ocean of mercy.
प्रययौ द्रविणं दत्वा गृहीतो द्विजबालकः । यज्ञोऽयं क्रीतपुत्रेण प्रारब्धस्तव तुष्टये
Having given wealth, the twice-born boy was taken; this sacrifice was begun with the purchased son for your satisfaction.
दर्शनं तव सम्प्राप्य गतं दुःखं ममाद्भुतम् । जलोदरकृतं सर्वं प्रसन्ने त्वयि साम्प्रतम्
Having attained your sight, my wondrous suffering is gone; all caused by dropsy is now ended, as you are pleased.
व्यास उवाच - इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राज्ञो रोगातुरस्य च । दयावान्देवदेवेशः प्रत्युवाच नृपोत्तमम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words of the king, afflicted by disease, the compassionate Lord of gods replied to the foremost king.
वरुण उवाच - मुञ्च राजञ्छुनःशेपं स्तुवन्तं मां भृशातुरम् । यज्ञोऽयं परिपूर्णस्ते रोगमुक्तो भवात्मना
Varuṇa said: Release Śunaḥśepa, O king, who praises me and is greatly afflicted; your sacrifice is fulfilled, and you are freed from disease.
इत्युक्त्वा वरुणस्तूर्णं राजानं विरुजं तथा । चकार पश्यतां तत्र सदस्यानां सुसंस्थितम्
Having spoken thus, Varuṇa swiftly made the king free from disease, in the presence of the well-seated assembly.
विमुक्तोऽसौ द्विजः पाशाद्वरुणेन महात्मना । जयशब्दस्ततस्तत्र सञ्जातो मखमण्डपे
That twice-born was released from Varuṇa’s noose by the great soul; then, a cry of victory arose in the sacrificial pavilion.
राजा प्रमुदितः सद्यो रोगान्मुक्तः सुदारुणात् । यूपान्मुक्तः शुनःशेपो बभूवातीव संस्थितः
The king, immediately joyful, was freed from his severe illness; Śunaḥśepa was released from the sacrificial posts and stood there, greatly composed.
राजा त्विमं मखं पूर्णं चकार विनयान्वितः । शुनःशेपस्तदा सभ्यानित्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः
The king, with humility, completed the full sacrifice; at that time, Śunaḥśepa addressed the assembly, with hands joined in reverence.
भो भोः सभ्या सुधर्मज्ञाः ब्रुवन्तु धर्मनिर्णयम् । वेदशास्त्रानुसारेण यथार्थवादिनः किल
O noble assembly, you who know dharma well, declare the determination of dharma, speaking truthfully according to the Vedas and scriptures.
पुत्रोऽहं कस्य सर्वज्ञाः पिता के कोऽग्रतः परम् । भवतां वचनात्तस्य शरणं प्रव्रजाम्यहम्
O all-knowing ones, whose son am I? Who is my father, who stands foremost? By your words, I shall seek refuge with him.
इत्युक्ते वचने तत्र सभ्याः प्रोचुः परस्परम् । सभ्या ऊचूः - अजीगर्तस्य पुत्रोऽयं कस्यान्यस्य भवेदसौ
When these words were spoken, the assembly discussed among themselves: 'He is the son of Ajīgarta; how could he be the son of another?'
अङ्गादङ्गात्समुद्भूतः पालितस्तेन भक्तितः । अन्यस्य कस्य पुत्रोऽसौ प्रभवेदिति निश्चयः
Born from Aṅga and nurtured by him with devotion, how could he be the son of anyone else? This is the determination.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वामदेवस्तु तानुवाच सभासदः । विक्रीतस्तेन तातेन द्रव्यलोभात्सुतः किल
Hearing this, Vāmadeva spoke to the assembly: 'This son was sold by his father, out of greed for wealth.'