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.
कालेन कियता तत्र नारदस्योपदेशतः । ज्ञानं परमकं प्राप्य योगमार्गमनुत्तमम्
After some time, by Nārada's instruction, he attained supreme knowledge and the unsurpassed path of yoga.
पुत्रे राज्यं निधायाथ गतो बदरिकाश्रमम् । मायाबीजोपदेशेन तस्य ज्ञानं निरर्गलम्
Having entrusted the kingdom to his son, he went to the Badarikā hermitage; through the teaching of the seed of Māyā, his knowledge became unobstructed.
नारदस्य प्रसादेन जातं सद्यो विमुक्तिदम् । कैलासशिखरे रम्ये त्यक्त्वा सङ्गं पितुः शुकः
By Nārada's grace, immediate liberation was attained; Śuka, abandoning attachment to his father, in the delightful peak of Kailāsa.
ध्यानमास्थाय विपुलं स्थितः सङ्गपराङ्मुखः । उत्पपात गिरेः शृङ्गात्सिद्धिं च परमां गतः
He took up deep meditation, turning away from attachment, and rose from the mountain peak, attaining supreme accomplishment.
आकाशगो महातेजा विरराज यथा रविः । गिरेः शृङ्गं द्विधा जातं शुकस्योत्पतने तदा
Moving through the sky, radiant with great energy, he shone like the sun; at Śuka's ascent, the mountain peak split in two.
उत्पाता बहवो जाताः शुकश्चाकाशगोऽभवत् । अन्तरिक्षे यथा वायुः स्तूयमानः सुरर्षिभिः
Many omens appeared, and Śuka moved through the sky; in the atmosphere like the wind, praised by the divine sages.
तेजसातिविराजन्वै द्वितीय इव भास्करः । व्यासस्तु विरहाक्रान्तः क्रन्दन्पुत्रेति चासकृत्
Radiant with extraordinary brilliance, like a second sun, Vyasa, overwhelmed by separation, repeatedly cried out, 'My son!'
गिरेः शृङ्गे गतस्तत्र शुको यत्र स्थितोऽभवत् । क्रन्दमानं तदा दीनं व्यासं मत्वा श्रमाकुलम्
He reached the mountain peak where the parrot had remained; seeing Vyasa distressed and exhausted, the parrot perceived his sorrowful cries.
सर्वभूतगतः साक्षी प्रतिशब्दमदात्तदा । तत्राद्यापि गिरेः शृङ्गे प्रतिशब्दः स्फुटोऽभवत्
Present as a witness in all beings, the parrot then echoed Vyasa's cries; even today, a clear echo resounds on that mountain peak.
रुदन्तं तं समालक्ष्य व्यासं शोकसमन्वितम् । पुत्र पुत्रेति भाषन्तं विरहेण परिप्लुतम्
Observing Vyasa weeping, overcome with grief, calling out 'Son, son!' and submerged in the pain of separation,