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.
पप्रच्छात्र कुतः प्राप्तः कस्त्वं चिंतापरः कथम् । कथयस्व यथाकामं संवृत्तं कारणं त्विह
He asked, 'From where have you come here? Who are you, so absorbed in thought? Tell me freely the reason for your coming here, whatever it may be.'
किमागमनकृत्यं ते ब्रूहि कार्यं मनोगतम् । करिष्ये वांछितं काममसाध्यमपि यत्तव
'What is the purpose of your coming? Speak your wish, whatever is on your mind. I will fulfill your desired wish, even if it is difficult to accomplish.'
राजोवाच। सुरथो नाम राजाऽहं शत्रुभिश्च पराजितः । त्यक्त्वा राज्यं गृहं भार्यामहं ते शरणं गतः
The king said: 'I am a king named Suratha, defeated by enemies. Having abandoned my kingdom, home, and wife, I have come to you for refuge.'
यदाज्ञापयसे ब्रह्मंस्तदहं भक्तितत्परः । करिष्यामि न मे त्राता त्वदन्यः पृथिवीतले
'Whatever you command, O holy one, that I will do with utmost devotion. There is no protector for me on this earth other than you.'
शत्रुभ्यो मे भयं घोरं प्राप्तोऽस्म्यद्य तवांतिकम् । त्रायस्व मुनिशार्दूल शरणागतवत्सल
'I have come to you today, gripped by terrible fear of my enemies. Protect me, O best of sages, you who are compassionate to those who seek refuge.'
ऋषिरुवाच। निर्भयं वस राजेंद्र नात्र ते शत्रवः किल । आगमिष्यंति बलिनो निश्चयं तपसो बलात्
The sage said: 'Live here without fear, O king; your enemies are not here. Powerful ones will come, certainly, by the force of their austerity.'
नात्र हिंसा प्रकर्तव्या वनवृत्त्या नृपोत्तम । कर्तव्यं जीवनं शस्तैर्नीवारफलमूलकैः
'No violence should be committed here, O best of kings, according to the way of the forest. Life should be maintained by wholesome fruits, grains, and roots.'
व्यास उवाच। इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा निर्भयः स नृपस्तदा । उवासाश्रम एवासौ फलमूलाशनः शुचिः
Vyasa said: Hearing these words, the king became fearless, and remained in the hermitage, pure, sustaining himself on fruits and roots.
कदाचित्स नृपस्तत्र वृक्षच्छायां समाश्रितः । चिन्तयामास चिंतार्तो गृह एव गताशयः
Once, as the king sat there under the shade of a tree, troubled by worry, his mind turned back toward his home.
राज्यं मे शत्रुभिः प्राप्तं म्लेच्छैः पापरतैः सदा । संपीडिताः स्युर्लोकास्तैर्दुराचारैर्गतत्रपैः
'My kingdom has been seized by enemies, by wicked, impure people. The people will surely be oppressed by those shameless ones of evil conduct.'