श्रवणादेव सततं पुंस्त्वमस्य भविष्यति । इत्युक्त्वा च तिरोधानं गच्छतःस्म शिवेश्वरौ
Simply by hearing, he will regain manhood always—so spoke Śiva and Pārvatī, and then they vanished from sight.
वसिष्ठस्तां दिशं नत्वा समागत्याश्रमं निजम् । समाहूय च सुद्युम्नं देव्याराधनमादिशत्
Vasiṣṭha, bowing in that direction, returned to his own hermitage, and, summoning Sudyumna, instructed him to worship the Goddess.
आश्विनस्य सिते पक्षे संपूज्य जगदंबिकाम् । नवरात्रविधानेन श्रावयामास भूपतिम्
In the bright fortnight of Āśvina, he worshipped the Mother of the Universe according to the rite of Navarātra, and had the king listen to it.
श्रुत्वा भक्त्यापि सुद्युम्नः श्रीमद्भागवतामृतम् । प्रणम्याभ्यर्च्य च गुरुं लेभे पुंस्त्वं निरंतरम्
Sudyumna, hearing the divine nectar of the Bhāgavata with devotion, bowed and worshipped his guru, and obtained uninterrupted manhood.
राज्यासनेऽभिषिक्तस्तु वसिष्ठेन महर्षिणा । भुवं शशास धर्मेण प्रजाश्चैवानुरंजयन्
Consecrated on the royal throne by the great sage Vasiṣṭha, he ruled the earth righteously, delighting his subjects.
ईजे च विविधैर्यज्ञैः संपूर्णवरदक्षिणैः । पुत्रेषु राज्यं संदिश्य प्राप देव्याः सलोकताम्
He performed various sacrifices with abundant gifts, entrusted the kingdom to his sons, and attained the same world as the Goddess.
इति कथितमशेषं सेतिहासं च विप्रा यदि पठति सुभक्त्या मानवो वा शृणोति । स इह सकलकामान्प्राप्य देव्याः प्रसादात्परममृतमथान्ते याति देव्याः सलोकम्
Thus, O brāhmaṇas, whoever reads or hears this entire story with devotion, attains all desires here by the grace of the Goddess, and at the end reaches her world and the supreme nectar.
अथ चतुर्थोऽध्यायः सूत उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा कथां दिव्यां विचित्रां कुंभसंभवः । शुश्रूषुः पुनराहेदं विशाखं विनयान्वितः
Sūta said: Having heard this wondrous and divine tale, Kumbhasaṃbhava, eager to listen further, humbly addressed Viśākha again.
अगस्त्य उवाच। देवसेनापते . देव विचित्रेयं श्रुता कथा । पुनरन्यच्च माहात्म्यं वद भागवतस्य मे
Agastya said: O commander of the gods, I have heard this marvelous story; now tell me further about the greatness of the Bhāgavata.
स्कन्द उवाच। मित्रावरुणसंभूत मुने शृणु कथामिमाम् । यत्रैकदेश महिमा प्रोक्ता भागवतस्य तु
Skanda said: O sage, listen to this story, born from Mitra and Varuṇa, in which a portion of the glory of the Bhāgavata is told.
वर्ण्यते धर्मविस्तारो गायत्रीमधिकृत्य च । गायत्र्या महिमा यत्र तद्भागवतमिष्यते
Here is described the expanse of dharma, centering on the Gāyatrī; the greatness of Gāyatrī is recounted, and that is considered Bhāgavata.
भगवत्या इदं यस्मात्तस्माद्भागवतं विदुः । ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवाराध्या परा भगवती हि सा
Because this belongs to the Goddess, it is known as Bhāgavata; for she, the supreme Goddess, is worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva.
ऋतवागिति विख्यातो मुनिरासीन्महामतिः । तस्य पुत्रोऽभवत्काले गण्डान्ते पौष्णभान्तिमे
A sage of great wisdom named Ṛtavāk was renowned; in due time, he had a son at the end of Pauṣṇa.
स तस्य जातकर्मादि क्रियाश्चक्रे यथाविधि । चूडोपनयनादींश्च संस्कारानपि सोऽकरोत्
He performed for him the birth rites and other ceremonies as prescribed, and also the rituals such as tonsure and initiation.
यत आरभ्य जातोऽसौ पुत्रस्तस्य महात्मनः । तत एवाथ स मुनिः शोकरोगाकुलोऽभवत्
From the time that son was born to that great-souled sage, the sage became afflicted with grief and illness.
रोषलोभपरीतात्मा तथा मातापि तस्य च । बहुरागार्दिता नित्यं शुचा दुःखीकृता भृशम्
His mind, and likewise the mother’s, became overwhelmed by anger and greed; she, filled with many attachments, was constantly distressed and deeply sorrowful.
ऋतवाक्स मुनिश्चिन्तामवाप भृशदुःखितः । किमेततत्कारणं जातं पुत्रो मेऽत्यंतदुर्मतिः
The sage Ṛtavāk, greatly troubled, fell into anxiety: 'Why has my son become so utterly wicked?'
कस्यचिन्मुनिपुत्रस्य बलात्पत्नीं जहार च । मेने शिक्षां पितुर्नासौ न च मातुर्विमूढधीः
By force, he abducted the wife of another sage’s son; he paid no heed to his father’s teaching, nor to his mother’s, his mind deluded.
ततो विषण्णचित्तस्तु ऋतवागब्रवीदिदम् । अपुत्रता वरं नॄणां न कदाचित्कुपुत्रता
Then, with a heart full of sorrow, Ṛtavāk spoke these words: For men, it is better to have no son at all than to have a wicked son.
पितॄन्कुपुत्रः स्वर्यातान्निरये पातयत्यपि । यावज्जीवेत्सदा पित्रोः केवलं दुःखदायकः
An evil son causes his ancestors to fall from heaven into hell; as long as he lives, he brings only suffering to his parents.
पित्रोर्दुःखाय धिग्जन्म कुपुत्रस्य च पापिनः । सुहृदां नोपकाराय नापकाराय वैरिणाम्
The birth of a sinful son brings misery to his parents; he does no good to friends, nor does he harm enemies.
धन्यास्ते मानवा लोके सुपुत्रो यद्गृहे स्थितः । परोपकारशीलश्च पितुर्मातुः सुखावहः
Blessed are those people in whose house a good son dwells, who is devoted to helping others and brings happiness to his father and mother.
कुपुत्रेण कुलं नष्टं कुपुत्रेण हतं यशः । कुपुत्रेणेह चामुत्र दुःखं निरययातनाः
By a wicked son, the family is destroyed, reputation is ruined, and both here and hereafter, suffering and torments of hell are endured.
कुपुत्रेणान्वयो नष्टो जन्म नष्टं कुभार्यया । कुभोजनेन दिवसः कुमित्रेण सुखं कुतः
By a wicked son, the lineage is lost; by a bad wife, birth is wasted; by bad food, the day is ruined; with a false friend, how can there be happiness?
स्कन्द उवाच। एवं दुष्टस्य पुत्रस्य दुष्टैराचरणैर्मुनिः । तप्यमानोऽनिशं काले गत्वा गर्गमपृच्छत
Skanda said: Thus, tormented day and night by the evil conduct of his wicked son, the sage went to Garga and asked him.
ऋतवागुवाच। भगवंस्त्वामहं प्रष्टुमिच्छामि वद तत्प्रभो । ज्योतिःज्ञास्त्रस्य चाचार्य पुत्रदौःशील्यकारणम्
Ṛtavāk said: O venerable one, I wish to ask you—please tell me, O master, what is the cause of my son's wickedness, according to the science of astrology?
गुरुशुश्रूषया वेदा अधीता विधिवन्मया । ब्रह्मचारिव्रतं तीर्त्वा विवाहो विधिवत्कृतः
By serving my teacher, I have studied the Vedas properly; I have observed the vow of celibacy and performed marriage according to the prescribed rites.
भार्यया सह गार्हस्थ्यधर्मश्चानुष्ठितोऽनिशम् । पंचयज्ञविधानं च मयाऽकारि यथाविधि
With my wife, I have always practiced the duties of a householder, and I have performed the five daily sacrifices as prescribed.
नरकाद्बिभ्यता विप्र न तु कामसुखेच्छया । गर्भाधानं च विधिवत्पुत्रप्राप्त्यै मया कृतम्
Out of fear of hell, not out of desire for pleasure, I performed the rite of conception according to the rules, in order to obtain a son.
पुत्रोऽयं मम दोषेण मातुर्दोषेण वा मुने । जातो दुःखावहः पित्रोर्दुःशीलो बंधुशोकदः
This son of mine, by my fault or by his mother's, O sage, has been born as a source of sorrow, wicked in conduct, and a cause of grief to his relatives.