दयावान्गोभिलस्त्वाह देवदत्तं सुदुःखितम् । मूर्खो भूत्वा सुतस्ते वै विद्वानपि भविष्यति
Moved by compassion, Gobhila said to Devadatta, who was deeply distressed: 'Your son, though he becomes foolish, will also become wise.'
इति दत्तवरः सोऽथ मुदितोऽभूद्द्विजर्षभः । इष्टिं समाप्य विप्रान्वै विससर्ज यथाविधि
Having received this boon, the foremost of twice-born was delighted; completing the ritual, he dismissed the Brahmins according to proper procedure.
कालेन कियता तस्य भार्या रूपमती सती । गर्भं दधार काले सा रोहिणी रोहिणीसमा
After some time, his wife, who was beautiful and virtuous, conceived; at the proper time, she, like Rohini, bore a child.
गर्भाधानादिकं कर्म चकार विधिवद्द्विजः । पुंसवनविधानञ्च शृङ्गारकरणं तथा
The twice-born performed the rites of conception and related ceremonies according to tradition, including the ritual for producing a male child and acts of adornment.
सीमन्तोन्नयनञ्चैव कृतं वेदविधानतः । ददौ दानानि मुदितो मत्वेष्टिं सफलां तथा
He also performed the ceremony of parting the hair as prescribed in the Vedas, joyfully gave gifts, and considered the ritual to have borne fruit.
शुभेऽह्नि सुषुवे पुत्रं रोहिणी रोहिणीयुते । दिने लग्ने शुभेऽत्यर्थं जातकर्म चकार सः
On an auspicious day, Rohini gave birth to a son, with Rohini's qualities; at a highly favorable time and ascendant, he performed the birth rites.
पुत्रदर्शनकं कृत्वा नामकर्म चकार च । उतथ्य इति पुत्रस्य कृतं नाम पुराविदा
After seeing his son, he performed the naming ceremony; the name 'Utathya' was given to the son according to ancient tradition.
स चाष्टमे तथा वर्षे शुभे वै शुभवासरे । तस्योपनयनं कर्म चकार विधिवत्पिता
Then, in the eighth year, on an auspicious day and occasion, his father performed the sacred thread ceremony for him according to tradition.
वेदमध्यापयामास गुरुस्तं वै व्रते स्थितम् । नोच्चचार तथोतथ्यः संस्थितो मुग्धवत्तदा
The teacher instructed him in the Vedas as he observed the vow, but Utathya did not recite, remaining silent like one bewildered.
बहुधा पाठितः पित्रा न दधार मतिं शठः । मूढवत्तिष्ठतेऽत्यर्थं तं शुशोच पिता तदा
Though his father repeatedly taught him, the stubborn boy did not grasp the lessons; he stood as if dull-witted, and his father grieved for him.
एवं कुर्वन्सदाऽभ्यासं जातो द्वादशवार्षिकः । न वेद विधिवत्कर्तुं सन्ध्यावन्दनकं विधिम्
Despite constant practice, when he reached twelve years of age, he could not properly perform the prescribed Vedic rituals or the Sandhya prayers.
मूर्खोऽभूदिति लोकेषु गता वार्ताऽतिविस्तरा । ब्राह्मणेषु च सर्वेषु तापसेष्वितरेषु च
News spread widely among the people that he had become foolish; among all Brahmins and other ascetics as well.
जहास लोकस्तं विप्रं यत्र तत्र गतं मुने । पिता माता निनिन्दाथ मूर्खं तमतिभर्त्सयन्
Wherever the sage went, people laughed at him; his father and mother reproached him, harshly scolding their foolish son.
निन्दितोऽथ जनैः कामं पितृभ्यामथ बान्धवैः । वैराग्यमगमद्विप्रो जगाम वनमप्यसौ
Criticized by people, by his parents, and by relatives, the Brahmin developed dispassion and even went to the forest.
अन्धो वरस्तथा पङ्गुर्न मूर्खस्तु वरः सुतः । इत्युक्तोऽसौ पितृभ्यां वै विवेश काननं प्रति
His parents said, 'A blind or lame son is preferable, but a foolish son is not a blessing'; thus, he entered the forest.
गंगातीरे शुभे स्थाने कृत्वोटजमनुत्तमम् । वन्यां वृत्तिं च सङ्कल्प्य स्थितस्तत्र समाहितः
On the bank of the Ganges, at a beautiful spot, he built a fine hut; resolving to live on forest produce, he stayed there with focused mind.
नियमं च परं कृत्वा नासत्यं प्रब्रवीम्यहम् । स्थितस्तत्राश्रमे रम्ये ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतो हि सः
Having undertaken strict discipline, he declared, 'I will not speak untruth'; he remained in that pleasant hermitage, observing the vow of celibacy.
सत्यव्रताख्यानवर्णनम् लोमश उवाच न वेदाध्ययनं किञ्चिज्जानाति न जपं तथा । ध्यानं न देवतानाञ्च न चैवाराधनं तथा
The narration of Satyavrata begins. Lomasha said: He knows nothing of Vedic study, nor of recitation; neither meditation on deities nor their worship.
नासनं वेद विप्रोऽसो प्राणायामं तथा पुनः । प्रत्याहारं तु नो वेद भूतशुद्धिञ्च कारणम्
That Brahmin did not know the posture for worship, nor the practice of breath control; he also did not know withdrawal of the senses or the rite of elemental purification.
न मन्त्रकीलकं जाप्यं गायत्रीञ्च न वेद सः । शौचं स्नानविधिञ्चैव तथाचमनकं पुनः
He did not know the mantra's seal, nor the recitation, nor the Gāyatrī; he also did not know the rules for purity, bathing, or sipping water.
प्राणाग्निहोत्रं नो वेद बलिदानं न चातिथिम् । न सन्ध्यां समिधो होमं विवेद च तथा मुनिः
He did not know the fire-offering with breath, nor the giving of offerings, nor hospitality to guests; nor did the sage know the twilight worship, the kindling of sacred sticks, or the fire ritual.
सोऽकरोत्प्रातरुत्थाय यत्किञ्चिद्दन्तधावनम् । स्नानं च शूद्रवत्तत्र गंगायां मन्त्रवर्जितम्
Rising in the morning, he would clean his teeth in some manner, and bathe in the Gaṅgā like a Śūdra, without reciting any mantras.
फलान्यादाय वन्यानि मध्यान्हेऽपि यदृच्छया । भक्ष्याभक्ष्यपरिज्ञानं न जानाति शठस्तथा
He would gather wild fruits and, even at midday, eat as he pleased; the deceitful one did not know the distinction between what should or should not be eaten.
सत्यं ब्रूते स्थितस्तत्र नानृतं वदते पुनः । जनैः सत्यतपा नाम कृतमस्य द्विजस्य वै
He spoke the truth while staying there, and never uttered falsehood; people called this twice-born one 'truthful and austere.'
नाहितं कस्यचित्कुर्यान्न तथाऽविहितं क्वचित् । सुखं स्वपिति तत्रैव निर्भयश्चिन्तयन्निति
He would not harm anyone, nor do anything forbidden anywhere; he slept peacefully there, without fear, reflecting thus.
कदा मे मरणं भावि दुःखं जीवामि कानने । जीवितं धिक्च मूर्खस्य तरसा मरणं ध्रुवम्
"When will my death come? I live in misery in this forest; shame on the life of a fool—death is certainly better."
दैवेनाहं कृतो मूर्खो नान्योऽत्र कारणं मम । प्राप्य चैवोत्तमं जन्म वृथा जातं ममाधुना
"By fate I have become a fool; there is no other cause for me. Having attained this excellent birth, now it has become wasted."
यथा वन्ध्या सुरूपा च यथा वा निष्फलो द्रुमः । अदुग्धदोहा धेनुश्च तथाऽहं निष्फलः कृतः
"Just as a beautiful barren woman, or a fruitless tree, or a cow that gives no milk, so I have become useless."
किं नु निन्दाम्यहं दैवं नूनं कर्म ममेदृशम् । न दत्तं पुस्तकं कृत्वा ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने
"Why should I blame fate? Surely my actions are like this. I did not give a book, having made it, to a great-souled Brahmin."
न वै विद्या मया दत्ता पूर्वजन्मनि निर्मला । तेनाहं कर्मयोगेन शठोऽस्मि च द्विजाधमः
"In a previous life I did not give pure knowledge; therefore, by the force of karma, I am now a deceitful and lowly twice-born."