समानीय शुनःशेपं सचिवः कार्यतत्परः । राज्ञे निवेदयामास पशुयोग्यं द्विजात्मजम्
Having brought Śunaḥśepa, the minister devoted to his duty presented the Brāhmaṇa boy, fit for the sacrifice, to the king.
राजातिमुदितस्तेन विप्रानानीय सर्वतः । कारयामास सम्भारान्यज्ञार्थं वेदवित्तमान्
The king, exceedingly pleased, summoned Brāhmaṇas from all sides and arranged all the necessary materials for the sacrifice, with those learned in the Vedas.
प्रारब्धे तु मखे तत्र विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । बद्धं दृष्ट्वा शुनःशेपं निषिषेध नृपं तदा
When the sacrifice had begun, the great sage Vishvamitra, seeing Shunahshepa bound, forbade the king at that moment.
राजन्मा साहसं कार्षीर्मुञ्चैनं द्विजबालकम् । प्रार्थयाम्यहमायुष्मन् सुखं तेऽद्य भविष्यति
O King, do not commit this rash act; release this young Brahmin. I beseech you, O blessed one, today happiness will be yours.
क्रन्दत्ययं शुनःशेपः करुणा मां दुनोत्यपि । दयावान्भव राजेन्द्र कुरु मे वचनं नृप
Shunahshepa is crying; his sorrow pains me deeply. Be compassionate, O king of kings, heed my words for the child's sake.
परदेहस्य रक्षायै स्वदेहं ये दयापराः । ददति क्षत्रियाः पूर्वं स्वर्गकामाः शुचिव्रताः
For the protection of another's body, those Kshatriyas who are devoted to compassion have formerly given their own bodies, desiring heaven and observing pure vows.
त्वं स्वदेहस्य रक्षार्थं हंसि द्विजसुतं बलात् । पापं मा कुरु राजेन्द्र दयावान् भव बालके
You, for the sake of protecting your own body, are forcibly killing the Brahmin's son. Do not commit this sin, O king of kings; be compassionate to the boy.
सर्वेषां सदृशी प्रीतिर्देहे वेत्सि स्वयं नृप । मुञ्चैनं बालकं तस्मात्प्रमाणं यदि मे वचः
You know yourself that affection for one's own body is equal in all. Therefore, release this boy, if my words hold authority.
व्यास क्त्वच अनादृत्य च तद्वाक्यं राजा दुःखातुरो भृशम् । न मुमोच मुनिस्तस्मै चूकोपातीव तापसः
Disregarding those words, the king, greatly afflicted by sorrow, did not release him; the sage became extremely angry.
उपदेशं ददौ तस्मै शुनःशेपाय कौशिकः । मन्त्रं पाशधरस्याथ दयावान्वेदवित्तमः
Kausika then gave instruction to Shunahshepa, the most compassionate and learned in the Vedas, teaching him the mantra of the one who holds the noose.
शुनःशेपोऽपि तं मन्त्रमसकृद्वधकर्शितः । स्तुतस्वरेण चुक्रोश संस्मरन्वरुणं भृशम्
Shunahshepa, repeatedly tormented by the threat of death, recited that mantra in a melodious voice, remembering Varuna intensely.
स्तुवन्तं मुनिपुत्रं तं ज्ञात्वा वै यादसां पतिः । तत्रागत्य शुनःशेपं मुमोच करुणार्णवः
Knowing the sage's son was praising him, the lord of the waters came there and released Shunahshepa, overflowing with compassion.
रोगहीनं नृपं कृत्वा वरुणः स्वगृहं ययौ । विश्वामित्रस्तु तं पुत्रं कृतवान्मोचितं मृतेः
Making the king free from disease, Varuna returned to his own abode; Vishvamitra then accepted him as his son, freed from death.
न कृतं वचनं राज्ञा कौशिकस्य महात्मनः । रोषं दधार मनसा राजोपरि स गाधिजः
The king did not obey the words of the great-souled Kausika; the son of Gadhi harbored anger in his mind toward the king.
एकस्मिन्समये राजा हयारूढो वनं गतः । सूकरं हन्तुकामस्तु मध्याह्ने कौशिकीतटे
Once, the king, mounted on a horse, went to the forest, wishing to kill a boar at midday on the bank of the Kausiki.
वृद्धब्राह्मणवेषेण विश्वामित्रेण वञ्चितः । सर्वस्वं प्रार्थितं तस्य गृहीतं राज्यमद्भुतम्
Deceived by Vishvamitra in the guise of an old Brahmin, all his possessions were requested and his wondrous kingdom was seized.
पीडितोऽसौ हरिश्चन्द्रो यजमानो यतो भृशम् । वसिष्ठः कौशिकं प्राह वने प्राप्तं यदृच्छया
Harishchandra, the sacrificer, was greatly afflicted; Vashishtha spoke to Kausika, who had arrived in the forest by chance.
क्षत्रियाधम दुर्बुद्धे वृथा ब्राह्मणवेषभृत् । बकधर्म वृथा किं त्वं गर्वं वहसि दाम्भिक
O lowest of Kshatriyas, evil-minded, wearing the garb of a Brahmin in vain, you follow the conduct of a crane; why do you bear pride, hypocrite?
कस्मात्त्वया नृपश्रेष्ठो यजमानो ममाप्यसौ । अपराधं विना जाल्म गमितो दुःखमद्भुतम्
Why has this best of kings, my sacrificer, been led by you, wretch, into such wondrous suffering without any fault?
बकध्यानपरो यस्मात्तस्मात्त्वं वै बको भव । इति शप्तो वसिष्ठेन कौशिकः प्राह तं पुनः
Since you are absorbed in the meditation of a crane, therefore you shall become a crane; thus cursed by Vashishtha, Kausika spoke to him again.
त्वमप्याडिर्भवायुष्मन् बकोऽहं यावदेव हि । व्यास उवाच एवं परस्परं दत्त्वा शापं तौ क्रोधपीडितौ
You too, O long-lived one, shall become a heron, and I a crane, for just as long. Vyasa said: Thus, afflicted by anger, the two gave each other a curse.
अण्डजौ तरसा जातौ सरस्याडीबकौ मुनी । एकस्मिन्पादपे नीडं कृत्वासौ बकरूपभाक्
The two sages, born from eggs by force, became a heron and a crane in the lake; one, taking the form of a crane, made a nest on a tree.
विश्वामित्रः स्थितस्तत्र दिव्ये सरसि मानसे । अन्यस्मित्पादपे कृत्वा वसिष्ठो नीडमुत्तमम्
Vishvamitra stood there in the divine lake Manasa; Vasistha made an excellent nest on another tree.
आडीरूपधरस्तस्थावन्योन्यं द्वेषतत्परौ । दिने दिने तौ संग्रामं चक्रतुः क्रोधसंयुतौ
Assuming the forms of a heron and a crane, intent on mutual enmity, the two, filled with anger, fought every day.
दुःखदं सर्वलोकानां क्रन्दमानावुभौ भृशम् । चञ्चुपक्षप्रहारैस्तु नखाघातैः परस्परम्
Causing suffering to all beings, both cried out loudly, striking each other with beaks, wings, and claws.
जघ्नतू रुधिरक्लिनौ पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ । एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि पक्षिरूपधरौ मुनी
They struck each other, stained with blood, like two blossoming kimshuka trees; thus, for many years, the sages remained in bird form.
स्थितौ तत्र महाराज शापपाशेन यन्त्रितौ । राजोवाच कथं मुक्तौ मुनिश्रेष्ठौ शापाद्वसिष्ठकौशिकौ
There they stayed, O great king, bound by the fetters of the curse. The king said: How were the best of sages, Vasistha and Kaushika, released from the curse?
तन्ममाचक्ष्व विप्रर्षे परं कौतूहलं हि मे । व्यास उवाच युध्यमानाब्वुभौ दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः
Tell me that, O best of sages, for I am greatly curious. Vyasa said: Seeing both of them fighting,
तत्राजगामानिमिषैर्वृतः सर्वैर्दयापरैः । तावाश्वास्य जगत्कर्ता युद्धतो विनिवार्य च
Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, came there, surrounded by the compassionate, sleepless ones. Comforting them, the creator of the world restrained them from fighting.
शापं संमोचयामास तयोः क्षिप्तं परस्परम् । ततो जग्मुः सुराः सर्वे स्वानि धिष्ण्यानि पद्मभूः
He released them from the curse they had cast upon each other. Then all the gods, along with the lotus-born, returned to their own abodes.