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.'
गजाश्च तुरगाः सर्वे दुर्बला भक्ष्यवर्जिताः । जाताः स्युर्नात्र संदेहः शत्रुणा परिपीडिताः
'All the elephants and horses, deprived of proper food, will become weak, no doubt, being tormented by the enemy.'
सेवका मम सर्वे ते शत्रूणां वशवर्तिनः । दुःखिता एव जाताः स्युः पालिता ये मया पुरा ॥ धनं मे सुदुराचारैरसद्व्ययपरैः परैः । द्यूतासवभुजिष्यादिस्थाने स्यात्प्रापितं किल
'All my servants are now under the control of the enemies; those whom I once protected will surely be miserable. My wealth will be squandered by those of evil conduct, addicted to improper expenditures, gambling, and drinking.'
कोशक्षयं करिष्यन्ति व्यसनैः पापबुद्धयः । न पात्रदाननिपुणा म्लेच्छास्ते मन्त्रिणोऽपि मे
'They will bring about the depletion of the treasury through their vices, these wicked-minded ones. Even my ministers, being foreigners, are not skilled in giving to the deserving.'
इति चिन्तापरो राजा वृक्षमूलस्थितो यदा । तदाजगाम वैश्यस्तु कश्चिदार्तिपरस्तथा
Thus, as the king, absorbed in worry, sat at the root of a tree, a certain merchant, also afflicted by distress, arrived there.
नृपेण पुरतो दृष्टः पार्श्वे तत्रोपवेशितः । पप्रच्छ तं नृपः कोऽसि कुत एवागतो वनम्
Seeing him, the king had him sit nearby and asked, 'Who are you? From where have you come to this forest?'
कोऽसि कस्माच्च दीनोऽसि हरितः शोकपीडितः । ब्रूहि सत्यं महाभाग मैत्री साप्तपदी मता
'Who are you, and why are you so miserable, pale, and afflicted by sorrow? Tell me the truth, O fortunate one; friendship is established by walking seven steps together.'
व्यास उवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं राज्ञस्तमुवाच विशोत्तमः । उपविश्य स्थिरो भूत्वा मत्वा साधुसमागमम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing the king’s words, the best of the wise addressed him. Sitting down firmly, recognizing the meeting as auspicious—
वैश्य उवाच। मित्राहं वैश्यजातीयः समाधिर्नाम विश्रुतः । धनवान्धर्मनिपुण: सत्यवागनसूयकः
The Vaiśya said: I am a friend, born in the merchant caste, known by the name Samādhi. I am wealthy, skilled in righteousness, truthful in speech, and not deceitful.
पुत्रदारैर्निरस्तोऽहं धनलुब्धैरसाधुभिः । “कृपणेति मिषं कृत्वा त्यक्त्वा मायां सुदुस्त्यजाम्” स्वजनेन च संत्यक्तः प्राप्तोऽस्मि वनमाशु वै
I have been cast out by my own sons and wife, greedy for wealth and unrighteous. Calling me 'wretched' falsely, they abandoned me, along with that most difficult-to-renounce attachment. Forsaken by my own people, I have quickly come to this forest.
कोऽसि त्वं भाग्यवान्भासि कथयस्व प्रियाधुना । राजोवाच। सुरथो नाम राजाऽहं दस्युभिः पीडितोऽभवम्
Who are you, who appear so fortunate? Please tell me now, dear one. The king said: I am a king named Suratha, oppressed by bandits.
प्राप्तोऽस्मि गतराज्योऽत्र मंत्रिभिः परिवंचितः । दिष्ट्या त्वमत्र मित्रं मे मिलितोऽसि विशोत्तम
Deprived of my kingdom, deceived by ministers, I have come here. By good fortune, O best of the wise, you have become my friend here.
सुखेन विहरिष्यावो वनेऽत्र शुभपादपे । शोकं त्यज महाबुद्धे स्वस्थो भव विशोत्तम
Let us live happily here in the forest, beneath these auspicious trees. Abandon sorrow, O great-minded one, and be at ease, O best of the wise.
"अत्रैव च यथाकामं सुखं तिष्ठ मया सह । " वैश्य उवाच। कुटुम्बं मे निरालंबं मया हीनं सुदुःखितम् । भविष्यति च चिन्तार्तं व्याधिशोकोपतापितम्
"Here, as you wish, stay happily with me." The Vaiśya said: My family, left without support and deprived of me, will be greatly distressed, afflicted by anxiety, disease, and sorrow.
भार्यादेहे सुखं नो वा पुत्रदेहे न वा सुखम् । इति चिन्तातुरं चेतो न मे शाम्यति भूमिप
There is no happiness for me in my wife’s body, nor in my son’s. Thus, my mind, tormented by worry, does not find peace, O king.
कदा द्रक्ष्ये सुतं भार्यां गृहं स्वजनमेव च । स्वस्थं न मन्मनो राजन्गृहचिन्ताकुलं भृशम्
When will I see my son, my wife, my home, and my own people? My mind is not at ease, O king, being greatly disturbed by thoughts of home.
राजोवाच। यैर्निरस्तोऽसि पुत्राद्यैरसद्वृत्तैः सुबालिशैः । तान्दृष्ट्वा किं सुखं तेऽद्य भविष्यति महामते
The king said: Those sons and others, who have cast you out with wicked conduct and foolishness—what happiness would you have today, O wise one, seeing them again?
हितकारी वरः शत्रुर्दुःखदाः सुहृदः कुतः । तस्मात्स्थिरं मनः कृत्वा विहरस्व मया सह
An enemy who does good is better; where are friends who bring sorrow? Therefore, steady your mind and dwell here with me.
वैश्य उवाच। मनो मे न स्थिरं राजन्भवत्यद्य सुदुःखितम् । चिन्तयाऽत्र कुटुम्बस्य दुस्त्यजस्य दुरात्मभिः
The Vaiśya said: My mind is not steady, O king, and is greatly troubled today, thinking of my family, so hard to abandon, though they are wicked.
राजोवाच। ममापि राज्यजं दुःखं दुनोति किल मानसम् । पृच्छावोऽद्य मुनिं शांतं शोकनाशनमौषधम्
The king said: Sorrow born of the loss of my kingdom also torments my mind. Today, let us ask the peaceful sage, the remedy for the destruction of sorrow.
व्यास उवाच। इति कृत्वा मतिं तौ तु राजा वैश्यश्च जग्मतुः । मुनिं तौ विनयोपेतौ प्रष्टुं शोकस्य कारणम्
Vyāsa said: Thus deciding, the king and the merchant went. Approaching the sage with humility, they sought to ask the cause of their sorrow.