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,
शिवस्तत्र समागत्य पाराशर्यमबोधयत् । व्यास शोकं मा कुरु त्वं पुत्रस्ते योगवित्तमः
Shiva appeared there and instructed Parashara's son: 'Vyasa, do not grieve; your son is foremost in yoga.'
परमां गतिमापन्नो दुर्लभां चाकृतात्मभिः । तस्य शोको न कर्तव्यस्त्वयाशोकं विजानता
He has attained the supreme state, rare for those who have not mastered themselves; you, who understand freedom from sorrow, should not mourn for him.
कीर्तिस्ते विपुला जाता तेन पुत्रेण चानघ । व्यास उवाच न शोको याति देवेश किं करोमि जगत्पते
Your fame has become great through that son, O sinless one. Vyasa said: 'Yet, O Lord of gods, my sorrow does not depart; what can I do, Lord of the world?'
अतृप्ते लोचने मेऽद्य पुत्रदर्शनलालसे । महादेव उवाच छायां द्रक्ष्यसि पुत्रस्य पार्श्वस्थां सुमनोहराम्
Today my eyes remain unsatisfied, longing to see my son. Mahadeva said: 'You will see the beautiful shadow of your son standing nearby.'
तां वीक्ष्य मुनिशार्दूल शोकं जहि परन्तप । सूत उवाच तदा ददर्श व्यासस्तु छायां पुत्रस्य सुप्रभाम्
Beholding that shadow, O tiger among sages, abandon your grief, O scorcher of foes. Suta said: Then Vyasa saw the radiant shadow of his son.
दत्त्वा वरं हरस्तस्मै तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । अन्तर्हिते महादेवे व्यासः स्वाश्रममभ्यगात्
Having granted the boon, Hara vanished there; with Mahadeva disappeared, Vyasa returned to his hermitage.
शुकस्य विरहेणापि तप्तः परमदुःखितः
Even with Shuka's absence, he was scorched by grief, suffering greatly.
धृतराष्ट्रादीनामुत्पत्तिवर्णनम् ऋषय ऊचुः शुकस्तु परमां सिद्धिमाप्तवान्देवसत्तमः । किं चकार ततो व्यासस्तन्नो ब्रूहि सविस्तरम्
The account of the birth of Dhritarashtra and others. The sages said: 'Shuka, O best of gods, attained the highest perfection; what did Vyasa do afterward? Tell us in detail.'
सूत उवाच शिष्या व्यासस्य येऽप्यासन्वेदाभ्यासपरायणाः । आज्ञामादाय ते सर्वे गताः पूर्वं महीतले
Suta said: The disciples of Vyasa, devoted to the study of the Vedas, all received his command and departed earlier onto the earth.
असितो देवलश्चैव वैशम्पायन एव च । जैमिनिश्च सुमन्तुश्च गताः सर्वे तपोधनाः
Asita, Devala, Vaishampayana, Jaimini, and Sumantu—all those ascetics departed.