तस्याः पुत्रः कथं व्यासः सती स्वभवने स्थिता । ईदृशी सा कथं राज्ञा पुनः शन्तनुना वृता
How did Vyasa, her son, come to be, while she remained in her own house? How was she, such as she was, again chosen by King Shantanu?
तस्यां पुत्रावुभौ जातौ तत्त्वं कथय सुव्रत । विस्तरेण महाभाग कथां परमपावनीम्
Tell us the truth about the two sons born to her, O steadfast one. Relate in detail, O most fortunate, the supremely purifying story.
उत्पत्तिं वद व्यासस्य सत्यवत्यास्तथा पुनः । श्रोतुकामाः पुनः सर्वे ऋषयः संशितव्रताः
Speak of the birth of Vyasa and again of Satyavati. All the sages, firm in their vows, wish to hear it once more.
सूत उवाच प्रणम्य परमां शक्तिं चतुर्वर्गप्रदायिनीम् । आदिशक्तिं वदिष्यामि कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम्
Suta said: After bowing to the supreme Power, the bestower of the four aims of life, I shall speak of the primordial Power and narrate the auspicious ancient tale.
यस्योच्चारणमात्रेण सिद्धिर्भवति शाश्वती । व्याजेनापि हि बीजस्य वाग्भवस्य विशेषतः
By merely uttering her name, eternal success is attained, especially through the seed syllable of Vagbhava, even indirectly.
सम्यक् सर्वात्मना सर्वैः सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये । स्मर्तव्या सर्वथा देवी वाञ्छितार्थप्रदायिनी
For the fulfillment of all desires and purposes, the Goddess, who grants all wished-for things, should always be remembered wholeheartedly by all.
राजोपरिचरो नाम धार्मिकः सत्यसङ्गरः । चेदिदेशपतिः श्रीमान् बभूव द्विजपूजकः
There was a king named Rajoparichara, righteous and steadfast in truth, lord of the Cedi land, illustrious and devoted to the worship of Brahmins.
तपसा तस्य तुष्टेन विमानं स्फाटिकं शुभम् । दत्तमिन्द्रेण तत्तस्मै सुन्दरं प्रियकाम्यया
Pleased by his austerity, Indra gave him a splendid crystal palace, beautiful and desired for pleasure.
तेनारूढस्तु सर्वत्र याति दिव्येन भूपतिः । न भूमावुपरिस्थोऽसौ तेनोपरिचरो वसुः
Mounted upon it, the king traveled everywhere in his divine chariot; thus, Rajoparichara Vasu was not bound to the earth.
विख्यातः सर्वलोकेषु धर्मनित्यः स भूपतिः । तस्य भार्या वरारोहा गिरिका नाम सुन्दरी
Renowned throughout all worlds, that king was ever devoted to dharma. His wife, of exquisite form, was named Girika, a beautiful woman.
पुत्राश्चास्य महावीर्याः पञ्चासन्नमितौजसः । पृथग्देशेषु राजानः स्थापितास्तेन भूभुजा
He had sons of great valor, five in number, equal in strength. The king established them as rulers in separate lands.
वसोस्तु पत्नी गिरिका कामान् काले न्यवेदयत् । ऋतुकालमनुप्राप्ता स्नाता पुंसवने शुचिः
Vasu's wife Girika, when the time was right, expressed her desire. Having bathed and purified herself, she was ready for conception.
तदहः पितरश्चैनमूचुर्जहि मृगानिति । तच्छुत्वा चिन्तयामास भार्यामृतुमतीं तथा
On that day, his ancestors told him, 'Go hunt animals.' Hearing this, he thought of his wife, who was in her fertile period.
पितृवाक्यं गुरुं मत्वा कर्तव्यमिति निश्चितम् । चचार मृगयां राजा गिरिकां मनसा स्मरन्
Considering the words of his ancestors as authoritative and certain to be followed, the king went hunting, remembering Girika in his mind.
वने स्थितः स राजर्षिश्चित्ते सस्मार भामिनीम् । अतीव रूपसम्पन्नां साक्षाच्छ्रियमिवापराम्
While staying in the forest, the royal sage recalled the radiant woman in his heart, exceedingly endowed with beauty, like another goddess of fortune.
तस्य रेतः प्रचस्कन्द स्मरतस्तां च कामिनीम् । वटपत्रे तु तद्राजा स्कन्नमात्रं समाक्षिपत्
His seed was released as he remembered that passionate woman; the king caught it as soon as it fell upon a banyan leaf.
इदं वृथा परिस्कन्नं रेतो वै न भवेत्कथम् । ऋतुकालं च विज्ञाय मतिं चक्रे नृपस्तदा
This seed has been spilled in vain; how can it not be wasted? Realizing it was the fertile time, the king made up his mind.
अमोघं सर्वथा वीर्यं मम चैतन्न संशयः । प्रियायै प्रेषयाम्येतदिति बुद्धिमकल्पयत्
My seed is always effective; of this there is no doubt. He resolved to send it to his beloved.
शुक्रप्रस्थापने कालं महिष्याः प्रसमीक्ष्य सः । अभिमन्त्र्याथ तद्वीर्यं वटपर्णपुटे कृतम्
Observing the time of his queen's fertile period, he sanctified and placed his seed upon a banyan leaf.
पार्श्वस्थं श्येनमाभाष्य राजोवाच द्विजं प्रति । गृहाणेदं महाभाग गच्छ शीघ्रं गृहं मम
Addressing the hawk nearby, the king spoke to the brahmin: 'Take this, O fortunate one, and swiftly go to my house.'
मत्प्रियार्थमिदं सौम्य गृहीत्वा त्वं गृहं नय । गिरिकायै प्रयच्छाशु तस्यास्त्वार्तवमद्य वै
For my sake, gentle one, take this and bring it to my house; quickly give it to Girikā, for today is her fertile time.
सूत उवाच इत्युक्त्वा प्रददौ पर्णं श्येनाय नृपसत्तमः । स गृहीत्वोत्पपाताशु गगनं गतिवित्तमः
Sūta said: Having spoken thus, the best of kings gave the leaf to the hawk; taking it, the swift-flying bird soared into the sky.
गच्छन्तं गगनं श्येनं धृत्वा चञ्चुपुटे पुटम् । तमपश्यदथायान्तं खगं श्येनस्तथापरः
As the hawk flew through the sky, holding the leaf in its beak, another hawk saw it approaching.
आमिषं स तु विज्ञाय शीघ्रमभ्यद्रवत्खगम् । तुण्डयुद्धमथाकाशे तावुभौ सम्प्रचक्रतुः
Recognizing the meat, that bird quickly rushed at the hawk; then, in the sky, the two engaged in a beak-fight.
युद्ध्यतोरपतद्रेतस्तज्जापि यमुनाम्भसि । खगौ तौ निर्गतौ कामं पुटके पतिते तदा
While they fought, the seed fell into the waters of the Yamunā; the two birds flew away as the leaf dropped.
एतस्मिन्समये काचिद्अद्रिका नाम चाप्सराः । ब्राह्मणं समनुप्राप्तं सन्ध्यावन्दनतत्परम्
At that moment, an apsaras named Adrikā, devoted to her twilight prayers, approached the brahmin.
कुर्वन्ती जलकेलिं सा जले मग्ना चचार सा । जग्राह चरणं नारी द्विजस्य वरवर्णिनी
Engaged in water play, she swam submerged; the beautiful woman seized the brahmin's foot.
प्राणायामपरः सोऽथ दृष्ट्वा तां कामचारिणीम् । शशाप भव मत्स्यी त्वं ध्यानविघ्नकरी यतः
Absorbed in breath-control, he saw that lustful one and cursed her: 'Become a fish, since you disturbed my meditation.'
सा शप्ता विप्रमुख्येन बभूव यमुनाचरी । शफरी रूपसम्पन्ना ह्यद्रिका च वराप्सराः
Thus cursed by the foremost brahmin, Adrikā, the excellent apsaras, became a fish in the Yamunā, beautiful and splendid.
श्येनपादपरिभ्रष्टं तच्छुक्रमथ वासवी । जग्राह तरसाभ्येत्य साद्रिका मत्स्यरूपिणी
Then, as the seed fell from the hawk's grasp, Adrikā, now in fish form, swiftly seized it.