गमनाय मतिं चक्रे राजा हैमाचलं प्रति । षट्त्रिंशद्वार्षिकं राज्ये स्थापयित्वोत्तरासुतम्
The king resolved to depart for the golden mountain, installing his son, the son of Uttarā, on the throne for thirty-six years.
निर्जगाम वनं राजा द्रौपद्या भ्रातृभिः सह । षट्त्रिंशच्चैव वर्षाणि कृत्वा राज्यं गजाह्वये
The king went to the forest with Draupadī and his brothers, having ruled at Hastināpura for thirty-six years.
गत्वा हिमाचले षट् ते जहुः प्राणान्पृथासुताः । परीक्षिदपि राजर्षिः प्रजाः सर्वाः सुधार्मिकः
Reaching the Himalayas, the six sons of Pṛthā gave up their lives; and Parīkṣit, the royal sage, righteously protected all the people.
अपालयच्च राजेन्द्रः षष्टिवर्षाण्यतन्द्रितः । बभूव मृगयाशीलो जगाम च वनं महत्
That king, untiring, ruled for sixty years; he became fond of hunting and entered the great forest.
विद्धं मृगं विचिन्वानो मध्याह्ने भूपतिः स्वयम् । तृषितश्च परिश्रान्तः क्षुधितश्चोत्तरासुतः
While searching for a wounded deer at midday, the king himself, the son of Uttarā, became thirsty, exhausted, and hungry.
राजा घर्मेण सन्तप्तो ददर्श मुनिमन्तिके । ध्याने स्थितं मुनिं राजा जलं पप्रच्छ चातुरः
Oppressed by heat, the king saw a sage nearby; the wise king saw the sage absorbed in meditation and asked him for water.
नोवाच किञ्चिन्मौनस्थश्चुकोप नृपतिस्तदा । मृतं सर्पं तदादाय धनुष्कोट्या तृषातुरः
The sage, remaining silent, did not reply; then the king, tormented by thirst, took a dead snake with the tip of his bow.
कलिनाविष्टचित्तस्तु कण्ठे तस्य न्यवेशयत् । आरोपिते तथा सर्पे नोवाच मुनिसत्तमः
His mind seized by Kali, he placed the snake on the sage’s neck; even when the snake was thus placed, the excellent sage did not speak.
न चचाल समाधिस्थो राजापि स्वगृहं गतः । तस्य पुत्रोऽतितेजस्वी गविजातो महातपाः
Absorbed in meditation, he did not move, and the king returned to his own house; the sage’s son, born of a cow and possessing great austerity,
महाशक्तोऽथ शुश्राव क्रीडमानो वनान्तिके । मित्राण्याहुश्च तत्पुत्रं पितुः कण्ठे तवाधुना
Mighty and powerful, while playing near the forest, heard from his friends, ‘Your father now has a snake on his neck.’
लम्भितोऽस्ति मृतः सर्पः केनापीति मुनीश्वर । तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा चुकोपातिशयं तदा
O great sage, someone said, 'A dead snake has been thrown upon him.' Hearing their words, he became extremely angry.
शशाप नृपतिं क्रुद्धो गृहीत्वाशु करे जलम् । पितुः कण्ठेऽद्य मे येन विनिक्षिप्तो मृतोरगः
Enraged, he took water in his hand and cursed the king, saying, 'By whom a dead snake was placed on my father's neck today—'
तक्षकः सप्तरात्रेण तं दशेत्पापपूरुषम् । मुनेः शिष्योऽथ राजानं समुपेत्य गृहे स्थितम्
'Takshaka will bite that sinful man within seven nights.' Then the sage's disciple approached the king, who was staying in his house.
शापं निवेदयामास मुनिपुत्रेण चार्पितम् । अभिमन्युसुतः श्रुत्वा शापं दत्तं द्विजेन वै
He reported to the king the curse pronounced by the sage's son. Hearing that the curse had been given by the brahmin,
अनिवार्यं च विज्ञाय मन्त्रिवृद्धानुवाच ह । शप्तोऽहं द्विजरूपेण मम द्वेषादसंशयम्
The son of Abhimanyu, realizing it was unavoidable, addressed his elder ministers: 'I have been cursed by a brahmin, surely out of enmity.'
किं विधेयं मयामात्या उपायश्चिन्त्यतामिह । मृत्युः किलानिवार्योऽसौ वदन्ति वेदवादिनः
'What should I do, O ministers? Consider some means here. For death, they say, is inevitable according to the Vedic teachers.'
यत्नस्तथापि शास्त्रोक्तः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा बुधैः । उपायवादिनः केचित्प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
'Still, effort prescribed by scripture must always be made by the wise. Some thinkers say that means should be sought.'
विज्ञोपायेन सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि नेतरस्य च । मणिमन्त्रौषधीनां वै प्रभावाः खलु दुर्विदः
'With proper means, tasks are accomplished, not otherwise. The powers of jewels, mantras, and herbs are indeed hard to know.'
न भवेदिति किं तैस्तु मणिमद्भिः सुसाधितैः । सर्पदष्टा पुरा भार्या मुनेः सञ्जीविता मृता
'If nothing can be done by those who possess well-prepared jewels, then why did a sage's wife, once bitten by a snake and dead, return to life?'
दत्त्वार्धमायुषस्तेन मुनिना सा वराप्सराः । भवितव्ये न विश्वासः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा बुधैः
'That celestial nymph was revived by the sage, giving half his own life. Yet, when fate is strong, the wise should never trust it.'
प्रत्यक्षं तत्र दृष्टान्तं पश्यन्तु सचिवाः किल । दिवि कोऽपि पृथिव्यां वा दृश्यते पुरुषः क्वचित्
'Let the ministers see this example directly. Is there anyone seen in heaven or on earth who escapes fate?'
दैवे मतिं समाधाय यस्तिष्ठेत्तु निरुद्यमः । विरक्तस्तु यतिर्भूत्वा भिक्षार्थं याति सर्वथा
'Fixing his mind on destiny, one should remain without effort; or, becoming detached, a mendicant goes everywhere for alms.'
गृहस्थानां गृहे काममाहूतो वाथवान्यथा । यदृच्छयोपपन्नं च क्षिप्तं केनापि वा मुखे
'In the houses of householders, whether invited or otherwise, whatever comes by chance or is placed in the mouth by someone—'
उद्यमेन विना चास्यादुदरे संविशेत्कथम् । प्रयत्नश्चोद्यमे कार्यो यदा सिद्धिं न याति चेत्
'How could food enter the stomach without effort? Effort must be made, for if success does not come, then—'
तदा दैवं स्थितं चेति चित्तमालम्बयेद्बुधः । मन्त्रिण ऊचुः को मुनिर्येन दत्त्वार्धमायुषो जीविता प्रिया
'Then one should rely on destiny, so say the wise.' The ministers said: 'Which sage revived his beloved by giving half his life?'
कथं मृता महाराज तन्नो ब्रूहि सविस्तरम् । राजोवाच भृगोर्भार्या वरारोहा पुलोमा नाम सुन्दरी
'How did she die, O great king? Tell us this in detail.' The king said: 'The wife of Bhrigu, beautiful and of lovely form, was named Puloma.'
तस्यां तु च्यवनो नाम मुनिर्जातोऽतिविश्रुतः । च्यवनस्य च शर्यातेः सुकन्या नाम सुन्दरी
'From her was born the renowned sage named Cyavana. Cyavana's daughter by Sharyati was the beautiful Sukanya.'
तस्यां जज्ञे सुतः श्रीमान्प्रमतिर्नाम विश्रुतः । प्रमतेस्तु प्रिया भार्या प्रतापी नाम विश्रुता
'From her was born a famous and prosperous son named Pramati. Pramati's beloved wife was the renowned Pratapi.'
रुरुर्नाम सुतो जातस्तथा परमतापसः । तस्मिंश्च समये कश्चित्स्थूलकेशश्च विश्रुतः
A son named Ruru was born, a supreme ascetic; and at that time, there was also a renowned sage named Sthulakesha.
बभूव तपसा युक्तो धर्मात्मा सत्यसम्मतः । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे मान्या मेनका च वराप्सराः
He was devoted to austerity, righteous, and esteemed for his truthfulness; meanwhile, the honored and excellent apsaras Menaka—