दयावान्ब्राह्मणः प्राह तां तदा रुदतीं स्त्रियम् । मा शोकं कुरु कल्याणि शापान्तं ते वदाम्यहम्
The compassionate brāhmaṇa then spoke to the weeping woman: 'Do not grieve, O blessed one; I will tell you the end of your curse.'
मत्कोधशापयोगेन मत्स्ययोनिं गता शुभे । मानुषौ जनयित्वा त्वं शापमोक्षमवाप्स्यसि
By the power of my angry curse, you have entered the womb of a fish, O auspicious one; after giving birth to two humans, you will be freed from the curse.
इत्युक्ता तेन सा प्राप मत्स्यदेहं नदीजले । बालकौ जनयित्वा सा मृता मुक्ता च शापतः
Thus addressed by him, she took the body of a fish in the river's water; after giving birth to two children, she died and was released from the curse.
सन्त्यज्य रूपं मत्स्यस्य दिव्यरूपमवाप्य च । जगामामरमार्गं च शापान्ते वरवर्णिनी
Abandoning the form of a fish, she regained her divine appearance and, her curse ended, that radiant one went on the path of the immortals.
एवं जाता वरा पुत्री मत्स्यगन्धा वरानना । पुत्रीव पाल्यमाना सा दाशगेहे व्यवर्धत
Thus was born the excellent daughter Matsyagandhā, beautiful-faced; raised as a daughter, she grew up in the house of the fisherman.
मत्स्यगन्धा तदा जाता किशोरी चातिसुप्रभा । तस्य कार्याणि कुर्वाणा वासवी चातिसुप्रभा
Matsyagandhā was then born, a radiant young girl; performing tasks, that Vāsavī was exceedingly bright.
व्यासजन्मवर्णनम् सूत उवाच एकदा तीर्थयात्रायां व्रजन् पाराशरो मुनिः । आजगाम महातेजाः कालिन्द्यास्तटमुत्तमम्
The Birth of Vyāsa Sūta said: Once, during a pilgrimage, the great sage Parāśara, full of energy, came to the excellent bank of the Kālindī river.
निषादमाह धर्मात्मा कुर्वन्तं भोजनं तदा । प्रापयस्व परं पारं कालिन्द्या उडुपेन माम्
He said to the fisherman, who was then preparing food: 'Take me across to the far shore of the Kālindī by boat.'
दाशः श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं कुर्वाणो भोजनं तटे । उवाच तां सुतां बालां मत्स्यगन्धां मनोरमाम्
Hearing the sage's words while preparing food on the bank, the fisherman spoke to his charming young daughter Matsyagandhā.
उडुपेन मुनिं बाले परं पारं नयस्व ह । गन्तुकामोऽस्ति धर्मात्मा तापसोऽयं शुचिस्मिते
'Child, take the sage across to the far shore by boat; this ascetic, pure-smiling one, wishes to go.'
इत्युक्ता सा तदा पित्रा मत्स्यगन्धाथ वासवी । उडुपे मुनिमासीनं संवाहयति भामिनी
Thus instructed by her father, Matsyagandhā, also called Vāsavī, took the sage, seated in the boat, across the river.
व्रजन् सूर्यसुतातोये भावित्वाद्दैवयोगतः । कामार्तस्तु मुनिर्जातो दृष्ट्वा तां चारुलोचनाम्
As they traveled on the waters of the daughter of the Sun, by the will of fate, the sage became filled with desire upon seeing her lovely eyes.
ग्रहीतुकामः स मुनिर्दृष्ट्वा व्यञ्जितयौवनाम् । दक्षिणेन करेणैनामस्पृशद्दक्षिणे करे
Seeing her, whose youth was apparent, the sage wished to take her; with his right hand, he touched her right hand.
तमुवाचासितापाङ्गी स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः । कुलस्य सदृशं वः किं श्रुतस्य तपसश्च किम्
She, dark-eyed, first smiling, spoke these words: 'Is this conduct fitting for your family, for your learning, and for your austerity?'
त्वं वै वसिष्ठदायादः कुलशीलसमन्वितः । किं चिकीर्षसि धर्मज्ञ मन्मथेन प्रपीडितः
You are indeed the heir of Vasiṣṭha, endowed with noble lineage and character; O knower of dharma, why do you, afflicted by desire, intend such an act?
दुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म भुवि ब्राह्मणसत्तम । तत्रापि दुर्लभं मन्ये ब्राह्मणत्वं विशेषतः
Human birth is difficult to obtain on earth, O best of Brāhmaṇas; and among those, I consider Brāhmaṇahood especially rare.
कुलेन शीलेन तथा श्रुतेन द्विजोत्तमस्त्वं किल धर्मविच्च । अनार्यभावं कथमागतोऽसि विप्रेन्द्र मां वीक्ष्य च मीनगन्धाम्
By lineage, by conduct, and by learning, you are indeed the foremost of twice-born, a knower of dharma; O chief of Brāhmaṇas, how have you come to such a base state, looking upon me, a fish-scented woman?
मदीये शरीरे द्विजामोघबुद्धे ॥ शुभं किं समालोक्य पाणिं ग्रहीतुम् । समीपं समायासि कामातुरस्त्वं कथं नाभिजानासि धर्मं स्वकीयम्
O Brāhmaṇa of unwavering mind, what auspicious quality do you see in my body that you wish to take my hand? Driven by desire, you have come near—how do you not recognize your own dharma?
अहो मन्दबुद्धिर्द्विजोऽयं ग्रहीष्य- ञ्जले मग्न एवाद्य मां वै गृहीत्वा । मनो व्याकुलं पञ्चबाणातिविद्धं न कोऽपीह शक्तः प्रतीपं हि कर्तुम्
Alas, this Brāhmaṇa is of dull mind, intent on taking my hand, completely absorbed in me; his mind, pierced by the five arrows of Kāma, is agitated—no one here is able to oppose him.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य सा बाला तमुवाच महामुनिम् । धैर्यं कुरु महाभाग परं पारं नयामि वै
Thinking thus, that maiden spoke to the great sage: 'Compose yourself, O highly fortunate one; I will indeed bring you to the far shore.'
सूत उवाच पराशरस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं हितपूर्वकम् । करं त्यक्त्वा स्थितस्तत्र सिन्धोः पारं गतः पुनः
The Sūta said: Hearing those well-intentioned words, Parāśara released her hand and stood there, having crossed to the other side of the river.
मत्स्यगन्धां प्रजग्राह मुनिः कामातुरस्तदा । वेपमाना तु सा कन्या तमुवाच पुरःस्थितम्
Then, overcome by desire, the sage grasped the fish-scented maiden; trembling, she addressed him, standing before him.
दुर्गन्धाहं मुनिश्रेष्ठ कथं त्वं नोपशङ्कसे । समानरूपयोः कामसंयोगस्तु सुखावहः
'I am foul-smelling, O best of sages—how do you not hesitate? Union of those of equal nature brings happiness.'
इत्युक्तेन तु सा कन्या क्षणमात्रेण भामिनी । कृता योजनगन्धा तु सुरूपा च वरानना
Thus addressed, that radiant maiden, in a moment, was made to possess the fragrance of a yojana and became beautiful, with a lovely face.
मृगनाभिसुगन्धां तां कृत्वा कान्तां मनोहराम् । जग्राह दक्षिणे पाणौ मुनिर्मन्मथपीडितः
Making her fragrant like musk, charming and delightful, the sage, afflicted by desire, took her by the right hand.
ग्रहीतुकामं तं प्राह नाम्ना सत्यवती शुभा । मुने पश्यति लोकोऽयं पिता चैव तटस्थितः
Desiring to be taken, the auspicious Satyavatī spoke to him: 'O sage, the people and my father are watching from the riverbank.'
पशुधर्मो न मे प्रीतिं जनयत्यतिदारुणः । प्रतीक्षस्व मुनिश्रेष्ठ यावद्भवति यामिनी
'A union like that of animals, openly and harshly, does not please me; wait, O best of sages, until night falls.'
रात्रौ व्यवाय उद्दिष्टो दिवा न मनुजस्य हि । दिवासङ्गे महान् दोषः पश्यन्ति किल मानवाः
'Union is prescribed at night, not for humans by day; people indeed see great fault in intercourse during the day.'
कामं यच्छ महाबुद्धे लोकनिन्दा दुरासदा । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या युक्तमुक्तमुदारधीः
'Restrain your desire, O wise one; public censure is hard to endure.' Hearing her fitting and reasonable words,
नीहारं कल्पयामास शीघ्रं पुण्यबलेन वै । नीहारे च समुत्पन्ने तटेऽतितमसा युते
By the power of his merit, he quickly created a mist; as the mist arose, the riverbank became enveloped in deep darkness.