एकदा कश्यपः श्रीमान्यज्ञार्थं धेनुमाहरत् । याचितोऽयं बहुविधं न ददौ धेनुमुत्तमाम्
Once, the illustrious Kashyapa, for the sake of a sacrifice, asked for a cow; though entreated in many ways, he did not give the excellent cow.
वरुणस्तु ततो गत्वा ब्रह्माणं जगतः प्रभुम् । प्रणम्योवाच दीनात्मा स्वदुःखं विनयान्वितः
Then Varuna, going to Brahma, the Lord of the world, bowed and spoke with a distressed heart, humbly telling of his own suffering.
किं करोमि महाभाग मत्तोऽसौ न ददाति गाम् । शापो मया विसृष्टोऽस्मै गोपालो भव मानुषे
"What shall I do, O greatly fortunate one? He does not give me the cow. I have pronounced a curse upon him: 'Become a cowherd among men.'"
भार्ये द्वे अपि तत्रैव भवेतां चातिदुःखिते । यतो वत्सा रुदन्त्यत्र मातृहीनाः सुदुःखिताः
"Let both his wives also be there, exceedingly afflicted, for here the calves, deprived of their mothers, are crying in great distress."
मृतवत्सादितिस्तस्माद्भविष्यति धरातले । कारागारनिवासा च तेनापि बहुदुःखिता
"Therefore, there will be the killing of their calves on earth, and by dwelling in prison, they too will suffer greatly."
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य यादोनाथस्य पद्मभूः । समाहूय मुनिं तत्र तमुवाच प्रजापतिः
Vyasa said: Hearing the words of that lord of the Yadus, the lotus-born one summoned the sage there and the Lord of creatures spoke to him.
कस्मात्त्वया महाभाग लोकपालस्य धेनवः । हृताः पुनर्न दत्ताश्च किमन्यायं करोषि च
"Why, O greatly fortunate one, have you taken the cows of the guardian of the world and not returned them? Why do you act unjustly?"
जानन् न्यायं महाभाग परवित्तापहारणम् । कृतवान्कथमन्यायं सर्वज्ञोऽसि महामते
"Knowing the law, O greatly fortunate one, that taking another's property is wrong, how have you done this injustice? You are all-knowing and of great wisdom."
अहो लोभस्य महिमा महतोऽपि न मुञ्चति । लोभं नरकदं नूनं पापाकरमसम्मतम्
"Ah, such is the power of greed—it does not release even the great. Greed surely leads to hell and is condemned as sinful."
कश्यपोऽपि न तं त्यक्तुं समर्थः किं करोम्यहम् । सर्वदैवाधिकस्तस्माल्लोभो वै कलितो मया
"Even Kashyapa was not able to abandon it—what can I do? Therefore, I have reckoned greed as always stronger than the gods."
धन्यास्ते मुनयः शान्ता जितो यैर्लोभ एव च । वैखानसैः शमपरैः प्रतिग्रहपराङ्मुखैः
"Blessed are those sages who are peaceful, who have conquered greed, who are Vaikhanasas devoted to tranquility and who turn away from accepting gifts."
संसारे बलवाञ्छत्रुर्लोभोऽमेध्योऽवरः सदा । कश्यपोऽपि दुराचारः कृतस्नेहो दुरात्मना
"In worldly existence, the enemy greed is always strong, unclean, and base; even Kashyapa, acting wrongly, formed attachment with a wicked mind."
ब्रह्मापि तं शशापाथ कश्यपं मुनिसत्तमम् । मर्यादारक्षणार्थं हि पौत्रं परमवल्लभम्
Even Brahma cursed the eminent sage Kashyapa, his most beloved grandson, for the sake of preserving proper boundaries.
अंशेन त्वं पृथिव्यां वै प्राप्य जन्म यदोः कुले । भार्याभ्यां संयुतस्तत्र गोपालत्वं करिष्यसि
By a portion of yourself, you will take birth on earth in the lineage of Yadu, and there, united with two wives, you will assume the role of a cowherd.
व्यास उवाच एवं शप्तः कश्यपोऽसौ वरुणेन च ब्रह्मणा । अंशावतरणार्थाय भूभारहरणाय च
Vyasa said: Thus Kashyapa was cursed by Varuna and Brahma, for the purpose of partial incarnation and for removing the burden of the earth.
तथा दित्यादितिः शप्ता शोकसन्तप्तया भृशम् । जाता जाता विनश्येरंस्तव पुत्रास्तु सप्त वै
Likewise, Aditi was cursed by Diti, who was greatly afflicted by sorrow, so that your seven sons would perish as soon as they were born.
जनमेजय उवाच कस्माद्दित्या च भगिनी शप्तेन्द्रजननी मुने । कारणं वद शापे च शोकस्तु मुनिसत्तम
Janamejaya said: Why did Aditi, the sister and mother of Indra, receive a curse, O sage? Tell me the cause of the curse and the sorrow, O eminent sage.
सूत उवाच पारीक्षितेन पृष्टस्तु व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । राजानं प्रत्युवाचेदं कारणं सुसमाहितः
Suta said: Vyasa, son of Satyavati, was questioned by Parikshit, and he carefully explained the cause to the king.
व्यास उवाच राजन् दक्षसुते द्वे तु दितिश्चादितिरुत्तमे । कश्यपस्य प्रिये भार्ये बभूवतुरुरुक्रमे
Vyasa said: O king, Daksha's two daughters, Diti and Aditi, both excellent, became the beloved wives of Kashyapa, the great sage.
अदित्यां मघवा पुत्रो यदाभूदतिवीर्यवान् । तदा तु तादृशं पुत्रं चकमे दितिरोजसा
When Maghavan, a son of Aditi, was born with extraordinary strength, Diti then desired to have such a powerful son herself.
पतिमाहासितापाङ्गी पुत्रं मे देहि मानद । इन्द्रख्यबलं वीरं धर्मिष्ठं वीर्यवत्तमम्
With a smiling glance, she said to her husband: Grant me a son, O giver of honor, a hero equal in strength to Indra, righteous and most powerful.
तामुवाच मुनिः कान्ते स्वस्था भव मयोदिते । व्रतान्ते भविता तुभ्यं शतक्रतुसमः सुतः
The sage replied to her, O beautiful one, remain composed as I have spoken; at the end of your vow, a son equal to Shatakratu will be born to you.
सा तथेति प्रतिश्रुत्य चकार व्रतमुत्तमम् । निषिक्तं मुनिना गर्भं बिभ्राणा सुमनोहरम्
She promised, 'So be it,' and undertook the excellent vow, bearing the delightful embryo implanted by the sage.
भूमौ चकार शयनं पयोव्रतपरायणा । पवित्रा धारणायुक्ता बभूव वरवर्णिनी
Absorbed in the vow of subsisting on milk, she made her bed on the ground; adorned with purity and self-restraint, she became radiant in beauty.
एवं जातः सुसंपूर्णो यदा गर्भोऽतिवीर्यवान् । शुभ्रांशुमतिदीप्ताङ्गीं दितिं दृष्ट्वा तु दुःखिता
When the embryo, full and exceedingly strong, was thus formed, Aditi, seeing Diti's shining and radiant form, became distressed.
मघवत्सदृशः पुत्रो भविष्यति महाबलः । दित्यास्तदा मम सुतस्तेजोहीनो भवेत्किल
A son equal to Maghavan, of great strength, will be born to Diti; then my own son will surely be deprived of his brilliance.
इति चिन्तापरा पुत्रमिन्द्रं चोवाच मानिनी । शत्रुस्तेऽद्य समुत्पन्नो दितिगर्भेऽतिवीर्यवान्
Absorbed in such thoughts, the proud Aditi spoke to her son Indra: Today, your enemy has arisen in Diti's womb, exceedingly powerful.
उपायं कुरु नाशाय शत्रोरद्य विचिन्त्य च । उत्पत्तिरेव हन्तव्या दित्या गर्भस्य शोभन
Devise a means for the destruction of the enemy today, considering carefully; the birth itself of Diti's embryo, O splendid one, must be prevented.
वीक्ष्य तामसितापाङ्गीं सपत्नीभावमास्थिताम् । दुनोति हृदये चिन्ता सुखमर्मविनाशिनी
Seeing her with dark, sidelong glances, established in the state of a rival wife, anxiety arose in the heart, destroying the joy of the body.
राजयक्ष्मेव संवृद्धो नष्टो नैव भवेद्रिपुः । तस्मादङ्कुरितं हन्याद्बुद्धिमानहितं किल
Like a disease of the king's body, the enemy, once grown, cannot be destroyed; therefore, the wise must destroy what has sprouted, for it is harmful.