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."
न च तीर्थे तपस्तप्तं सेविता न च साधवः । न द्विजाः पूजिता द्रव्यैस्तेन जातोऽस्मि दुष्टधीः
"I did not perform austerities at holy places, nor did I serve the good; I did not honor Brahmins with wealth—therefore I have become wicked-minded."
वर्तन्ते मुनिपुत्राश्च वेदशास्त्रार्थपारगाः । अहं सुमूढः सञ्जातो दैवयोगेन केनचित्
"The sons of sages are present, accomplished in the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures; but I have become utterly deluded by some fate."
न जानामि तपस्तप्तुं किं करोमि सुसाधनम् । मिथ्यायं मेऽत्र सङ्कल्पो न मे भाग्यं शुभं किल
"I do not know how to perform austerity—what good thing can I do? My resolve here is false; surely I have no good fortune."
दैवमेव परं मन्ये धिक्पौरुषमनर्थकम् । वृथा श्रमकृतं कार्यं दैवाद्भवति सर्वथा
"I consider fate supreme; shame on human effort, which is fruitless. Action done with effort is in vain; everything happens only by fate."
ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च शक्राद्याः किल देवताः । कालस्य वशगाः सर्वे कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः
"Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and the gods beginning with Indra—all are subject to Time, for Time is indeed insurmountable."
एवंविधान्वितर्कांस्तु कुर्वाणोऽहर्निशं द्विजः । स्थितस्तत्राश्रमे तीरे जान्हव्याः पावने स्थले
Thus, constantly entertaining such thoughts day and night, the twice-born remained there in the hermitage, on the pure bank of the Jāhnavī.
विरक्तः स तु सञ्जातः स्थितस्तत्राश्रमे द्विजः । कालातिवाहनं शान्तश्चकार विजने वने
That twice-born one, having become detached, remained in that hermitage, calmly passing the time in the lonely forest.
एवं स्थितस्य तु वने विमलोदके वै वर्षाणि तत्र नवपञ्च गतानि कामम् । नाराधनं न च जपं न विवेद मन्त्रं कालातिवाहनमसौ कृतवान् वने वै
Thus residing in the forest with pure water, fifteen years passed there as he wished; he did not engage in worship, nor recitation, nor did he know any mantra—he simply passed the time in the forest.
जानाति तस्य विततं व्रतमेव लोकः सत्यं वदत्यपि मुनिः किल नामजातम् । जातं यशश्च सकलेषु जनेषु कामं सत्यव्रतोऽयमनिशं न मृषाभिभाषी
People knew only of his extensive vow; even the sage truly spoke only his name and lineage. His fame had indeed arisen among all people: 'This Satyavrata never utters a false word, day or night.'
तत्रैकदा तु मृगयां रममाण एव प्राप्तो निषादनिशठो धृतचापबाणः । क्रीडन् वनेऽतिविपुले यमतुल्यदेहः क्रूराकृतिर्हननकर्मणि चातिदक्षः
Once, while enjoying the hunt there, a Nishada—skilled with bow and arrow, fierce in form, with a body like Yama, and highly adept at killing—arrived, playing in the vast forest.
तेनातिकृष्टेन शरेण विद्धः कोलः किरातेन धनुर्धरेण । पलायमानो भयविह्वलश्च मुनेः समीपं विद्रुतो जगाम
By that hunter, wielding a bow, a boar was struck with a sharp arrow; terrified and trembling with fear, the boar fled and ran to the sage's presence.
विकंपमानो रुधिरार्द्रदेहो यदा जगामाश्रममण्डलं वै । कालस्तदातीव दयार्द्रभावं प्राप्तो मुनिस्तत्र समीक्ष्य दीनम्
Trembling, his body wet with blood, when the boar reached the area of the hermitage, the sage, seeing the pitiable creature, was overcome with deep compassion.
अग्रे व्रजन्तं रुधिरार्द्रदेहं दृष्ट्वा मुनिः सूकरमाशु विद्धम् । दयाभिवेशादतिकम्पमानः सारस्वतं बीजमथोच्चचार
Seeing the boar, its body wet with blood, coming before him, the sage, filled with compassion and trembling greatly, spontaneously uttered the Sarasvata seed-syllable.
अज्ञातपूर्वं च तथाश्रुतञ्च दैवान्मुखे वै समुपागतञ्च । न ज्ञातवान्बीजमसौ विमूढो ममज्ज शोके स मुनिर्महात्मा
That seed-syllable, never before known or heard, came to his mouth by divine will; the sage, bewildered, did not recognize it and, overwhelmed by grief, was plunged into sorrow.
कोलः प्रविश्याश्रममण्डलं तद् गतो निकुञ्जे प्रविलीय गूढम् । अप्राप्तमार्गो दृढनिर्विण्णचेताः प्रवेपमानः शरपीडितत्वात्
The boar, entering the hermitage grounds, slipped away into a thicket and hid himself; his path undetected, his mind utterly despondent, he trembled from the pain of the arrow.
ततः क्षणादाकरणान्तकृष्टं चापं दधानोऽतिकरालदेहः । प्राप्तस्तदन्ते स च मृग्यमाणो निषादराजः किल काल एव
Then, in a moment, the Nishada king—his body exceedingly fierce, holding his drawn bow—arrived at the end of the search, seeking his quarry.
दृष्ट्वा मुनिं तत्र कुशासने स्थितं नाम्ना तु सत्यव्रतमद्वितीयम् । व्याधः प्रणम्य प्रमुखे स्थितोऽसौ पप्रच्छ कोलः क्व गतो द्विजेश
Seeing the sage Satyavrata seated there on a bed of kusha grass, the hunter approached, bowed before him, and standing in front, asked, 'O lord of the twice-born, where has the boar gone?'
जानामि तेऽहं सुव्रतं प्रसिद्धं तेनाद्य पृच्छे मम बाणविद्धः । क्षुधार्दितं मे सकलं कुटुम्बं विभर्तुकामः किल आगतोऽस्मि
I know your renowned vow, O virtuous one; therefore I ask you today. My family, struck by hunger, must be supported, and I have come here with my arrow-wounded prey.
वृत्तिर्ममैषा विहिता विधात्रा नान्याऽस्ति विप्रेन्द्र ऋतं ब्रवीमि । भर्तव्यमेवेह कुटुम्बमञ्जसा केनाप्युपायेन शुभाशुभेन
This is the livelihood ordained for me by the Creator; there is no other, O best of Brahmins, I speak the truth. My family must be supported here, by whatever means, whether auspicious or not.
सत्यं ब्रवीत्वद्य सत्यव्रतोऽसि क्षुधातुरो वर्तते पोष्यवर्गः । क्वासो गतः सूकरो बाणविद्धः पृच्छाम्यहं वाडव ब्रूहि तूर्णम्
Speak the truth today, for you are Satyavrata. My dependents are tormented by hunger. Where is that boar, struck by my arrow? I ask you, O sage—tell me quickly.