प्रसन्ना कस्य वरदा केन प्राप्तं फलं महत् । आराध्य कामदां देवीं कथयस्व कृपानिधे
To whom did the gracious, wish-granting Goddess bestow a great boon, and who, having worshipped her, obtained the supreme fruit? Tell me, O ocean of compassion.
उपासनाविधिं ब्रह्मस्तथा पूजाविधिं वद । विस्तरेण महाभाग होमस्य च विधिं पुनः
Describe in detail the method of worship, O blessed one, as well as the procedure of her adoration, and again the rite of sacrifice.
सूत उवाच। इति भूपवचः श्रुत्वा प्रीतः सत्यवतीसुतः । प्रत्युवाच नृपं कृष्णो महामायाप्रपूजनम्
Suta said: Hearing the king’s words, Satyavati’s son was pleased; Krishna replied to the king about the worship of the Great Maya.
व्यास उवाच। स्वारोचिषेऽन्तरे पूर्वं सुरथो नाम पार्थिवः । बभूव परमोदारः प्रजापालनतत्परः
Vyasa said: In the previous Svārociṣa Manvantara, there was a king named Suratha, exceedingly noble and devoted to the protection of his subjects.
सत्यवादी कर्मपरो ब्राह्मणानां च पूजकः । गुरुभक्तिरतो नित्यं स्वदारगमने रतः
He was truthful, devoted to action, a worshipper of Brahmins, always devoted to his teachers, and attached to his own wife.
दानशीलोsविरोधी च धनुर्वेदैकपारगः । एवं पालयतो राज्यं म्लेच्छाः पर्वतवासिनः
He was generous, free from hostility, and thoroughly skilled in the science of archery; while he ruled the kingdom thus, barbarians dwelling in the mountains—
बलाच्छत्रुत्वमापन्नाः सैन्यं कृत्वा चतुर्विधम् । हस्त्यश्वरथपादातिसहितास्ते मदोत्कटाः
By force became his enemies, assembling a fourfold army; with elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, they, intoxicated with pride,
कोलाविध्वंसिनः प्राप्ताः पृथ्वीग्रहणतत्पराः । सुरथः सैन्यमादाय संमुखः समपद्यत
Arrived, intent on seizing the land, destroying villages; Suratha, taking his army, confronted them directly.
युद्धं समभवद्घोरं तस्य तैरतिदारुणैः । म्लेच्छानां तु बलं स्वल्पं राज्ञस्तद्बलमद्भुतम्
A fierce and terrible battle took place between him and those barbarians; though their force was small and the king’s army was astonishing,
तथापि तैर्जितो युद्धे दैवाद्राजा पराजितः । भग्नश्च स्वपुरं प्राप्तः सुरक्षं दुर्गमंडितम्
Still, by fate, the king was defeated in battle by them; broken, he returned to his city, which was well-protected and fortified.
चिंतयामास मेधावी राजा नीतिविचक्षणः । प्रधानान्विमना दृष्ट्वा शत्रुपक्षसमाश्रितान्
The wise king, skilled in statecraft, began to ponder, seeing his chief ministers unsettled, having taken refuge with the enemy's faction.
स्थानं गृहीत्वा विपुलं परिखादुर्गमंडितम् । कालप्रतीक्षा कर्तव्या किं वा युद्धं वरं मतम्
Having secured a spacious place fortified with moats, should I wait for the right time, or is battle the best course?
मंत्रिणः शत्रुवशगा मंत्रयोग्या न ते किल । किं करोमीति मनसा भूपतिः समचिंतयत्
The ministers, now under the enemy's control, are no longer fit for counsel; the king thought to himself, 'What should I do?'
कदाचित्ते गृहीत्वा मां पापाचाराः पराश्रिताः । शत्रुभ्योऽथ प्रदास्यंति तदा किं वा भविष्यति
If, at any time, those corrupted by evil conduct seize me and hand me over to the enemies, what will happen then?
पापबुद्धिषु विश्वासो न कर्तव्यः कदाचन । किं ते वै प्रकुर्वन्ति ये लोभवशगा नराः
One should never place trust in those of wicked intent; what do those men, driven by greed, truly accomplish?
भ्रातरं पितरं मित्रं सुहृदं बांधवं तथा । गुरुं पूज्यं द्विजं द्वेष्टि लोभाविष्टः सदा नरः
A man possessed by greed always hates his brother, father, friend, companion, relative, revered teacher, and even a twice-born.
तस्मान्मया न कर्तव्यो विश्वासः सर्वथाऽधुना । मंत्रिवर्गेऽतिपापिष्ठे शत्रुपक्षसमाश्रिते
Therefore, I must not place any trust now in the council of ministers, who are extremely wicked and aligned with the enemy's faction.
इति संचिंत्य मनसा राजा परमदुर्मनाः । एकाकी हयमारुह्य निर्जगाम पुरात्तत्तः
Thinking thus in his mind, the king, deeply distressed, mounted his horse alone and departed from the city.
असहायोऽथ निर्गत्य गहनं वनमाश्रितः । चिन्तयामास मेधावी क्व गंतव्यं मया पुनः
Without companions, he went forth and took refuge in a dense forest; the wise king pondered, 'Where should I go now?'
योजनत्रयमात्रे तु मुनेराश्रममुत्तमम् । ज्ञात्वा जगाम भूपालस्तापसस्य सुमेधसः
Knowing that the excellent hermitage of the sage Sumedhas was just three yojanas away, the king proceeded there.
बहुवृक्षसमायुक्तं नदी पुलिन संश्रितम् । निर्वैरश्वापदाकीर्णं कोकिलारावमंडितम्
It was filled with many trees, situated by the riverbank, free from hostile beasts, and resounded with the calls of cuckoos.
शिष्याध्ययनशब्दाढ्यं मृगयूथशतावृतम् । नीवारान्नसुपक्वाढ्यं सुपुष्पफलपादपम्
Rich with the sounds of disciples studying, surrounded by hundreds of herds of deer, abundant with well-cooked wild rice, and adorned with trees bearing beautiful flowers and fruits.
होमधूमसुगंधेन प्रीतिदं प्राणिनां सदा । वेदध्वनिसमाक्रांतं स्वर्गादपि मनोहरम्
Always pleasing to living beings with the fragrance of sacrificial smoke, pervaded by the sound of the Vedas, more enchanting than heaven itself.
दृष्ट्वा तमाश्रमं राजा बभूवासौ मुदान्वितः । भयं त्यक्त्वा मतिं चक्रे विश्रामाय द्विजाश्रमे
Seeing that hermitage, the king became filled with joy; casting aside fear, he resolved to rest in the hermitage of the twice-born.
आसज्य पादपेऽश्वं तु जगाम विनयान्वितः । दृष्ट्वा तं मुनिमासीनं सालच्छायासु संश्रितम्
Tying his horse to a tree, he approached with humility, and saw the sage seated under the shade of a sala tree.
मृगाजिनासनं शांतं तपसाऽतिकृशं ऋजुम् । अध्यापयंतं शिष्यांश्च वेदशास्त्रार्थदर्शिनम्
Seated on a deer skin, tranquil, emaciated from austerity, upright, teaching his disciples, and perceiving the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures.
रहितं क्रोधलोभाद्यैर्द्वंद्वातीतं विमत्सरम् । आत्मज्ञानरतं सत्यवादिनं शमसंयुतम्
Free from anger, greed, and dualities, without envy, devoted to self-knowledge, truthful in speech, and endowed with tranquility.
तं वीक्ष्य भूपतिर्भूमौ पपात दण्डवत्तदा । तदग्रे ऽश्रुजलापूर्णनयनः प्रेमसंयुतः
Seeing him, the king fell to the ground in reverence, his eyes filled with tears, overcome with love, before the sage.
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते तमुवाच तदा मुनिः । शिष्यो ददौ बृसीं तस्मै गुरुणा नोदितस्तदा
The sage then said to him, 'Arise, arise, blessings to you.' The disciple gave him the seat, though the guru had not instructed him to do so.
उत्थाय नृपतिस्तस्यां समासीनस्तदाज्ञया । अर्घ्यपाद्यार्हणं चक्रे सुमेधा विधिपूर्वकम्
Rising up, the king sat there by his command; Sumedha performed the ritual offering of water for washing the feet and hands, and the customary honors, in accordance with the prescribed rules.