किं मे गृहेण वित्तेन भार्यया च सुरूपया । विरागमनसः कामं गुणातीतस्य पार्थिव
What use are a house, wealth, or a beautiful wife to me, O king, whose mind is detached and who has transcended the qualities?
चिन्त्यसे विविधाकारं नानारागसमाकुलम् । दम्भोऽयं किल ते भाति विमुक्तोऽस्मीति भाषसे
You are concerned with various forms, filled with many attachments; this is mere pretension, for you claim to be liberated.
कदाचिच्छत्रुजा चिन्ता धनजा च कदाचन । कदाचित्सैन्यजा चिन्ता निश्चिन्तोऽसि कदा नृप
Sometimes you worry about enemies, sometimes about wealth, sometimes about armies; O king, when are you truly free from care?
वैखानसा ये मुनयो मिताहारा जितव्रताः । तेऽपि मुह्यन्ति संसारे जानन्तोऽपि ह्यसत्यताम्
Even the Vaikhānasa sages, who eat moderately and have mastered vows, become deluded in worldly life, though they know its falsity.
तव वंशसमुत्थानां विदेहा इति भूपते । कुटिलं नाम जानीहि नान्यथेति कदाचन
O king, those born in your lineage are called 'Videha'; know that this name is crooked, and it is never otherwise.
विद्याधरो यथा मूर्खो जन्मान्धस्तु दिवाकरः । लक्ष्मीधरो दरिद्रश्च नाम तेषां निरर्थकम्
Just as a Vidyādhara is ignorant, a person born blind is the sun, or a wealthy man is poor, their names are meaningless.
तव वंशोद्भवा ये ये श्रुताः पूर्वे मया नृपाः । विदेहा इति विख्याता नामतः कर्मतो न ते
All the kings of your lineage whom I have heard of before are renowned as 'Videha' by name, but not by their deeds.
निमिनामाभवद्राजा पूर्वं तव कुले नृप । यज्ञार्थं स तु राजर्षिर्वसिष्ठं स्वगुरुं मुनिम्
Nimi, named as king, was once in your family, O king; for the sake of a sacrifice, that royal sage invited his own guru, the sage Vasiṣṭha.
निमन्त्रयामास तदा तमुवाच नृपं मुनिः । निमन्त्रितोऽस्मि यज्ञार्थं देवेन्द्रेणाधुना किल
At that time, he invited him, and the sage said to the king: 'I have now been invited by Indra for a sacrifice.'
कृत्वा तस्य मखं पूर्णं करिष्यामि तवापि वै । तावत्कुरुष्व राजेन्द्र सम्भारं तु शनैः शनैः
'After completing his sacrifice, I will perform yours as well; meanwhile, O king, gradually prepare the materials.'
इत्युक्त्या निर्ययौ सोऽथ महेन्द्रयजने मुनिः । निमिरन्यं गुरुं कृत्वा चकार मखमुत्तमम्
Having said this, the sage departed for Indra's sacrifice; Nimi appointed another guru and performed a great sacrifice.
तच्छ्रुत्वा कुपितोऽत्यर्थं वसिष्ठो नृपतिं पुनः । शशाप च पतत्वद्य देहस्ते गुरुलोपक
Hearing of this, Vasiṣṭha became extremely angry and cursed the king: 'Your body will fall today for neglecting your guru.'
राजापि तं शशापाथ तवापि च पतत्वयम् । अन्योन्यशापात्पतितौ तावेव च मया श्रुतम्
The king also cursed him: 'Yours too shall fall.' Both fell by each other's curse; this is what I have heard.
विदेहेन च राजेन्द्र कथं शप्तो गुरुः स्वयम् । विनोद इव मे चित्ते विभाति नृपसत्तम
O king, how did the guru himself become cursed by Videha? This shines in my mind like a diversion, O best of kings.
जनक उवाच सत्यमुक्तं त्वया नात्र मिथ्या किञ्चिदिदं मतम् । तथापि शृणु विप्रेन्द्र गुरुर्मम सुपूजितः
Janaka said: 'What you have spoken is true; there is nothing false in this opinion. Still, listen, O best of Brahmins, my guru was greatly honored.'
पितुः सङ्गं परित्यज्य त्वं वनं गन्तुमिच्छसि । मृगैः सह सुसम्बन्धो भविता ते न संशयः
Abandoning your father's company, you wish to go to the forest; you will have close association with the animals, without doubt.
महाभूतानि सर्वत्र निःसङ्गः क्व भविष्यसि । आहारार्थं सदा चिन्ता निश्चिन्तः स्याः कथं मुने
The great elements are everywhere; where will you be free from attachment? There will always be concern for food; how will you be carefree, O sage?
दण्डाजिनकृता चिन्ता यथा तव वनेऽपि च । तथैव राज्यचिन्ता मे चिन्तयानस्य वा न वा
Just as you have worries about your staff and deer-skin even in the forest, so I have worries about the kingdom, whether I think of them or not.
विकल्पोपहतस्त्वं वै दूरदेशमुपागतः । न मे विकल्पसन्देहो निर्विकल्पोऽस्मि सर्वथा
You, afflicted by doubt, have come from a distant land; but I have no doubt or uncertainty, I am entirely free from all wavering.
सुखं स्वपिमि विप्राहं सुखं भुञ्जामि सर्वथा । न बद्धोऽस्मीति बुद्ध्याहं सर्वदैव सुखी मुने
O Brahmin, I sleep happily, I eat happily in every way; I am never bound in my mind, and always content, O sage.
त्वं तु दुःखी सदैवासि बद्धोऽहमिति शङ्कया । इति शङ्कां परित्यज्य सुखी भव समाहितः
But you are always unhappy, troubled by the thought 'I am bound'; abandon this doubt and be happy, steadfast in mind.
देहोऽयं मम बन्धोऽयं न ममेति च मुक्तता । तथा धनं गृहं राज्यं न ममेति च निश्चयः
This body is bondage, and liberation is the conviction 'it is not mine'; likewise, wealth, house, and kingdom—liberation is the certainty 'these are not mine.'
सूत उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य शुकः प्रीतमनाभवत् । आपृच्छ्य तं जगामाशु व्यासस्याश्रममुत्तमम्
Sūta said: Hearing his words, Śuka became joyful; taking leave of him, he quickly went to Vyāsa's excellent hermitage.
आगच्छन्तं सुतं दृष्ट्वा व्यासोऽपि सुखमाप्तवान् । आलिङ्ग्याघ्राय मूर्धानं पप्रच्छ कुशलं पुनः
Seeing his son approaching, Vyāsa too felt happiness; embracing him and smelling his head, he again asked about his welfare.
स्थितस्तत्राश्रमे रम्ये पितुः पार्श्वे समाहितः । वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्नः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः
He stayed in that delightful hermitage, attentive at his father's side, accomplished in Vedic study and expert in all scriptures.
जनकस्य दशां दृष्ट्वा राज्यस्थस्य महात्मनः । स निर्वृतिं परां प्राप्य पितुराश्रमसंस्थितः
Observing the state of Janaka, the great-souled king, he attained supreme contentment while residing in his father's hermitage.
पितॄणां सुभगा कन्या पीवरी नाम सुन्दरी । शुकश्चकार पत्नीं तां योगमार्गस्थितोऽपि हि
Among the fortunate daughters of the Pitṛs was the beautiful Pīvarī; Śuka took her as his wife, even while established in the path of yoga.
स तस्यां जनयामास पुत्रांश्चतुर एव हि । कृष्णं गौरप्रभं चैव भूरिं देवश्रुतं तथा
He begot four sons by her: Kṛṣṇa, Gauraprabha, Bhūri, and Devaśruta.
कन्यां कीर्तिं समुत्पाद्य व्यासपुत्रः प्रतापवान् । ददौ विभ्राजपुत्राय त्वणुहाय महात्मने
The illustrious son of Vyāsa produced a daughter named Kīrti, and gave her to Vibhrāja's son, the great-souled Aṇuhā.
अणुहस्य सुतः श्रीमान्ब्रह्मदत्तः प्रतापवान् । ब्रह्मज्ञः पृथिवीपालः शककन्यासमुद्भवः
Aṇu's son was the glorious Brahmadatta, powerful, knower of Brahman, ruler of the earth, born of a Śaka maiden.