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.
सत्यलोकं जगामाशु हंसारूढः प्रतापवान् । विश्वामित्रोऽप्यगात्तूर्णं वसिष्ठः स्वाश्रमं गतः
The glorious lotus-born swiftly went to Satyaloka, riding a swan. Vishvamitra also departed quickly, and Vasistha returned to his own hermitage.
मिथः स्नेहं ततः कृत्वा प्रजापत्युपदेशतः । मैत्रावरुणिनाप्येवं कृतं युद्धमकारणम्
Afterwards, following the instruction of Prajapati, they established mutual affection. In the same way, Maitravaruni also engaged in a causeless conflict with Kaushika.
कौशिकेन समं भूप दुःखदं च परस्परम् । को नाम मानवो लोके देवो वा दानवोऽपि वा
O king, together with Kaushika, they caused each other suffering. Who in this world—man, god, or even demon—
अहङ्कारजयं कृत्वा सर्वदा सुखभाग्भवेत् । तस्माद्राजंश्चित्तशुद्धिर्महतामपि दुर्लभा
Having conquered pride, would always enjoy happiness? Therefore, O king, purity of mind is difficult to attain even for the great.
यत्नेन साधनीया सा तद्विहीनं निरर्थकम् । तीर्थं दानं तपः सत्यं यत्किञ्चिद्धर्मसाधनम्
It must be cultivated with effort; without it, all pilgrimage, charity, austerity, truth, or any religious practice is fruitless.
(श्रद्धात्र त्रिविधा प्रोक्ता सात्त्विकी राजसी तथा । तामसी सर्वदेहेषु देहिनां धर्मकर्मसु ॥ सात्त्विकी दुर्लभा लोके यथोक्तफलदा सदा । तदर्धफलदा प्रोक्ता राजसी विधिसंयुता ॥ तामसी त्वफला राजन्न तु कीर्तिकरी पुनः । कामक्रोधाभिभूतानां जनानां नृपसत्तम ॥) वासनारहितं कृत्वा तच्चित्तं श्रवणादिना । तीर्थादिषु वसेन्नित्यं देवीपूजनतत्परः
Making the mind free from desires through hearing and the like, one should always reside at holy places, devoted to the worship of the Goddess, reciting her names, praising her virtues, and meditating on her lotus feet, afflicted by the fear of Kali's faults.
देवीनामानि वचसा गृह्णंस्तस्या गुणान्स्तुवन् । ध्यायंस्तस्याः पदाम्भोजं कलिदोषभयार्दितः
For one who acts thus, there is never any fear from Kali; even a sinner is easily liberated from worldly existence.
एवं तु कुर्वतस्तस्य न कदाचित्कलेर्भयम् । अनायासेन संसारान्मुच्यते पातकी जनः
For one who acts in this way, there is never any fear from the age of Kali; even a sinner is freed from worldly existence without difficulty.
वसिष्ठस्य मैत्रावरुणिरितिनामवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच मैत्रावरुणिरित्युक्तं नाम तस्य मुनेः कथम् । वसिष्ठस्य महाभाग ब्रह्मणस्तनुजस्य ह
Janamejaya said: Why is that sage, the illustrious son of Brahma, called Maitrāvaruṇi? How did Vasiṣṭha receive this name?
किमसौ कर्मतो नाम प्राप्तवान् गुणतस्तथा । ब्रूहि मे वदतांश्रेष्ठ कारणं तस्य नामजम्
What deed or quality caused him to obtain this name? O best of speakers, tell me the reason for the origin of that name.