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.
कामिनी तं मुनिं प्राह मृदुपूर्वमिदं वचः । कन्याहं द्विजशार्दूल भुक्त्वा गन्तासि कामतः
The maiden gently spoke these words to the sage: 'I am a virgin, O foremost of Brāhmaṇas; after enjoying me as you wish, you will depart.'
अमोघवीर्यस्त्वं ब्रह्मन् का गतिर्मे भवेदिति । पितरं किं ब्रवीम्यद्य सगर्भा चेद्भवाम्यहम्
'O Brāhmaṇa, your potency is unfailing—what will become of me? What shall I say to my father if I become pregnant?'
त्वं गमिष्यसि भुक्त्वा मां किं करोमि वदस्व तत् । पराशर उवाच कान्तेऽद्य मत्प्रियं कृत्वा कन्यैव त्वं भविष्यसि
You will depart after enjoying me; tell me, what should I do then?
वृणीष्व च वरं भीरु यं त्वमिच्छसि भामिनि । सत्यवत्युवाच यथा मे पितरौ लोके न जानीतो हि मानद
Choose a boon, O timid one, whichever you desire, O beautiful lady.
कन्याव्रतं न मे हन्यात्तथा कुरु द्विजोत्तम । पुत्रश्च त्वत्समः कामं भवेदद्भुतवीर्यवान्
Let my vow of maidenhood not be broken; grant this, O best of twice-born. May my son be equal to you, possessing wondrous strength.
गन्धोऽयं सर्वदा मे स्याद्यौवनं च नवं नवम् । पराशर उवाच शृणु सुन्दरि पुत्रस्ते विष्ण्वंशसम्भवः शुचिः
May this fragrance always remain with me, and my youth be ever fresh and renewed.
भविष्यति च विख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये वरवर्णिनि । केनचित्कारणेनाहं जातः कामातुरस्त्वयि
Listen, O beautiful one: your son, born of the lineage of Vishnu, will be pure and renowned throughout the three worlds.
कदापि च न सम्मोहो भूतपूर्वो वरानने । दृष्ट्वा चाप्सरसां रूपं सदाहं धैर्यमावहम्
For some reason, I have become infatuated with you; never before, O lovely-faced one, have I lost composure, even upon seeing the forms of apsaras.
दैवयोगेन वीक्ष्य त्वां कामस्य वशगोऽभवम् । तत्किञ्चित्कारणं विद्धि दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम्
By divine arrangement, seeing you, I became subject to desire; know that this is due to some cause, for destiny is hard to overcome.
दृष्ट्वाहं चातिदुर्गन्धां त्वां कथं मोहमाप्नुयाम् । पुराणकर्ता पुत्रस्ते भविष्यति वरानने
Seeing you, who were once of very unpleasant scent, how could I have become deluded? Your son, O beautiful one, will be the composer of the Purāṇas.
वेदविद्भागकर्ता च ख्यातश्च भुवनत्रये । सूत उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तां वशं यातां भुक्त्वा स मुनिसत्तमः
He will be a knower of the Vedas, a divider of their branches, and famed throughout the three worlds.
जगाम तरसा स्नात्वा कालिन्दीसलिले मुनिः । सापि सत्यवती जाता सद्यो गर्भवती सती
Having spoken thus, the best of sages, after enjoying her, departed swiftly, bathing in the waters of the Kālindī.
सुषुवे यमुनाद्वीपे पुत्रं काममिवापरम् । जातमात्रस्तु तेजस्वी तामुवाच स्वमातरम्
Satyavatī immediately became pregnant, and on the island in the Yamunā, she gave birth to a son, as if another embodiment of desire.
तपस्येव मनः कृत्वा विविशे चातिवीर्यवान् । गच्छ मातर्यथाकामं गच्छाम्यहमतः परम्
As soon as he was born, the radiant child addressed his mother, having set his mind on asceticism.
तपः कर्तुं महाभागे दर्शयिष्यामि वै स्मृतः । मातर्यदा भवेत्कार्यं तव किञ्चिदनुत्तमम्
Go, mother, as you wish; I will now depart to perform austerities. Whenever you have some important need, remember me, and I will appear.
स्मर्तव्योऽहं तदा शीघ्रमागमिष्यामि भामिनि । स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि त्यक्त्वा चिन्तां सुखं वस
At that time, O beautiful one, recall me, and I will come swiftly. Farewell to you; I depart. Abandon worry and live happily.
इत्युक्त्वा निर्ययौ व्यासः सापि पित्रन्तिकं गता । द्वीपे न्यस्तस्तया बालस्तस्माद्द्वैपायनोऽभवत्
Having spoken thus, Vyāsa departed, and she went to her father's presence. Because the child was placed on the island, he became known as Dvaipāyana.
जातमात्रो जगामाशु वृद्धिं विष्ण्वंशयोगतः । तीर्थे तीर्थे कृतस्तानश्चचार तप उत्तमम्
Immediately upon birth, he grew rapidly, due to the power of Vishnu's lineage. He performed supreme austerities at various sacred places.
एवं द्वैपायनो जज्ञे सत्यवत्यां पराशरात् । चकार वेदशाखाश्च प्राप्तं ज्ञात्वा कलेर्युगम्
Thus, Dvaipāyana was born from Parāśara and Satyavatī. He arranged the branches of the Vedas, knowing the arrival of the Kali age.
वेदविस्तारकरणाद्व्यासनामाभवन्मुनिः । पुराणसंहिताश्चक्रे महाभारतमुत्तमम्
Because he expanded the Vedas, the sage became known as Vyāsa. He composed the Purāṇas and the great Mahābhārata.