मृते पुत्रेऽतिदुःखार्ता जाता सत्यवती तदा । कारयामास पुत्रस्य प्रेतकार्याणि मन्त्रिभिः
When her son died, Satyavatī was overwhelmed with grief; she had the funeral rites for her son performed by the ministers.
भीष्ममाह तदैकान्ते वचनं चातिदुःखिता । राज्यं कुरु महाभाग पितुस्ते शन्तनोः सुत
In solitude, Bhīṣma was addressed by her, greatly distressed: 'Take up the kingdom, O fortunate one, you are the son of Śantanu, your father.'
भ्रातुर्भार्यां गृहाण त्वं वंशञ्च परिरक्षय । यथा न नाशमायाति ययातेर्वंश इत्युत
'Take your brother's wife and preserve the lineage, so that the dynasty does not perish, just as the lineage of Yayāti was preserved.'
भीष्म उवाच प्रतिज्ञा मे श्रुता मातः पित्रर्थे या मया कृता । नाहं राज्यं करिष्यामि न चाहं दारसंग्रहम्
Bhīṣma said: 'Mother, you have heard the vow I made for my father; I will not rule the kingdom, nor will I take a wife.'
सूत उवाच तदा चिन्तातुरा जाता कथं वंशो भवेदिति । नालसाद्धि सुखं मह्यं समुत्पन्ने ह्यराजके
The charioteer said: At that time, she became anxious, wondering how the lineage would continue; happiness was not possible for me when the kingdom was without a ruler.
गाङ्गेयस्तामुवाचेदं मा चिन्तां कुरु भामिनि । पुत्रं विचित्रवीर्यस्य क्षेत्रजं चोपपादय
Gāṅgeya said to her: 'Do not worry, O beautiful one; produce a son for Vicitravīrya by means of a kṣetraja.'
कुलीनं द्विजमाहूय वध्वा सह नियोजय । नात्र दोषोऽस्ति वेदेऽपि कुलरक्षाविधौ किल
Call a noble Brahmin and appoint him together with the wives; there is no fault in this, even according to the Vedas, for the protection of the lineage.
पौत्रं चैवं समुत्पाद्य राज्यं देहि शुचिस्मिते । अहं च पालयिष्यामि तस्य शासनमेव हि
Thus producing a grandson, grant him the kingdom, O pure-smiling one; I will indeed govern according to his command.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कानीनं स्वसुतं मुनिम् । जगाम मनसा व्यासं द्वैपायनमकल्मषम्
Hearing his words, she thought in her mind of her own son, the sage Vyāsa, the sinless son of Kānīna.
स्मृतमात्रस्ततो व्यास आजगाम स तापसः । कृत्वा प्रणामं मात्रेऽथ संस्थितो दीप्तिमान्मुनिः
As soon as she remembered, Vyāsa, that ascetic, came; after bowing to his mother, the radiant sage stood there.
भीष्मेण पूजितः कामं सत्यवत्या च मानितः । तस्थौ तत्र महातेजा विधूमोऽग्निरिवापरः
Honored by Bhīṣma and duly respected by Satyavatī, that great and radiant sage stood there like a smokeless fire.
तमुवाच मुनिं माता पुत्रमुत्पादयाधुना । क्षेत्रे विचित्रवीर्यस्य सुन्दरं तव वीर्यजम्
His mother said to the sage, 'Now beget a son, beautiful and born of your energy, in the field of Vicitravīrya.'
व्यासः श्रुत्वा वचो मातुराप्तवाक्यममन्यत । ओमित्युक्त्वा स्थितस्तत्र ऋतुकालमचिन्तयत्
Vyāsa, hearing his mother's words, considered her command; saying 'Om,' he stood there, reflecting on the proper time.
अम्बिका च यदा स्नाता नारी ऋतुमती तदा । सङ्गं प्राप्य मुनेः पुत्रमसूतान्धं महाबलम्
When Ambikā, having bathed and being in her season, united with the sage, she bore a mighty son who was blind from birth.
जन्मान्धं च सुतं वीक्ष्य दुःखिता सत्यवत्यपि । द्वितीयां च वधूमाह पुत्रमुत्पादयाशु वै
Seeing her son born blind, even Satyavatī was distressed; she told the second bride, 'Quickly beget a son.'
ऋतुकालेऽथ सम्प्राप्ते व्यासेन सह सङ्गता । तथा चाम्बालिका रात्रौ गर्भं नारी दधार सा
When her season came, Ambālikā united with Vyāsa at night, and that woman conceived.
सोऽपि पाण्डुः सुतो जातो राज्ययोग्यो न सम्मतः । पुत्रार्थे प्रेरयामास वर्षान्ते च पुनर्वधूम्
That son, Pāṇḍu, was born, fit for kingship but not accepted; for the sake of a son, she again sent the bride at the year's end.
आहूय च ततो व्यासं सम्प्रार्थ्य मुनिसत्तमम् । प्रेषयामास रात्रौ सा शयनागारमुत्तमम्
Then, summoning Vyāsa and earnestly requesting the best of sages, she sent her at night to the finest bedchamber.
न गता च वधूस्तत्र प्रेष्या सम्प्रेषिता तया । तस्यां च विदुरो जातो दास्यां धर्मांशतः शुभः
But the bride did not go; instead, a maidservant was sent by her, and from that maid, Vidura was born, righteous and virtuous.
एवं व्यासेन ते पुत्रा धृतराष्ट्रादयस्त्रयः । उत्पादिता महावीरा वंशरक्षणहेतवे
Thus, by Vyāsa, those three sons—Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the others—were begotten, great heroes for the protection of the lineage.
एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं तस्य वंशसमुद्भवम् । व्यासेन रक्षितो वंशो भ्रातृधर्मविदानघाः
All this has been told to you—the origin of that lineage; the line was preserved by Vyāsa, who knew the law of brothers and was sinless.
मनुकृतं देवीस्तवनम् नारद उवाच नारायण धराधार सर्वपालनकारण । भवतोदीरितं देवीचरितं पापनाशनम्
Nārada said: O Nārāyaṇa, support of the earth, cause of all protection, the deeds of the Goddess you have spoken destroy all sin.
मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु सा देवी यत्स्वरूपिणी । यदाकारेण कुरुते प्रादुर्भावं महेश्वरी
In every age of Manu, that Goddess, in her own form, manifests in whatever shape the great Lady chooses.
तान्नः सर्वान्समाख्याहि देवीमाहात्म्यमिश्रितान् । यथा च येन येनेह पूजिता संस्तुतापि हि
Tell us all of them, those mixed with the glories of the Goddess—how and by whom she was worshipped and praised here.
मनोरथान्पूरयति भक्तानां भक्तवत्सला । तन्नः शुभूषमाणानां देवीचरितमुत्तमम्
She, who is devoted to her devotees, fulfills the wishes of the faithful; tell us, for our welfare, the supreme deeds of the Goddess.
वर्णयस्व कृपासिन्धो येनाप्नोति सुखं महत् । श्रीनारायण उवाच आकर्णय महर्षे त्वं चरितं पापनाशनम्
Describe them, ocean of compassion, by which one attains great happiness. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Listen, O great sage, to the deeds that destroy sin.
भक्तानां भक्तिजननं महासम्पत्तिकारकम् । जगद्योनिर्महातेजा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
The origin of devotion for devotees, the source of great prosperity, the womb of the universe, the supreme radiance—Brahma, the grandfather of the worlds.
आविरासीन्नाभिपद्माद्देवदेवस्य चक्रिणः । स चतुर्मुख आसाद्य प्रादुर्भावं महामते
He appeared from the lotus arising from the navel of the Lord of gods, the wielder of the discus; and, O wise one, having attained four faces, he manifested.
मनुं स्वायम्भुवं नाम जनयामास मानसात् । स मानसो मनुः पुत्रो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः
He mentally produced Manu, named Svayambhuva; that mind-born Manu was the son of Brahma, the supreme lord.
शतरूपां च तत्पत्नीं जज्ञे धर्मस्वरूपिणीम् । स मनुः क्षीरसिन्धोश्च तीरे परमपावने
He also generated Śatarūpā, his wife, embodying righteousness; that Manu, on the most pure shore of the ocean of milk,