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.
व्यास उवाच निबोध नृपतिश्रेष्ठ वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः । निमिशापात्तनुं त्यक्त्वा पुनर्जातो महाद्युतिः
Vyāsa said: Listen, O best of kings. Vasiṣṭha, the son of Brahma, after relinquishing the body taken from Nimi, was born again, shining greatly.
मित्रावरुणयोर्यस्मात्तस्मात्तन्नाम विश्रुतम् । मैत्रावरुणिरित्यस्मिँल्लोके सर्वत्र पार्थिव
Because he was born from Mitra and Varuṇa, he became widely known by that name; in this world, O king, he is everywhere called Maitrāvaruṇi.
राजोवाच कस्माच्छप्तः स धर्मात्मा राज्ञा ब्रह्मात्मजो मुनिः । चित्रमेतन्मुनिं लग्नो राज्ञः शापोऽतिदारुणः
The king said: For what reason was that righteous sage, the son of Brahma, cursed by a king? It is astonishing that such a terrible curse befell a sage from a king.
अनागसं मुनिं राजा किमसौ शप्तवान्मुने । कारणं वद धर्मज्ञ तस्य शापस्य मूलतः
Why did the king curse the blameless sage, O wise one? Tell me, knower of dharma, the root cause of that curse.
व्यास उवाच कारणं तु मया प्रोक्तं तव पूर्वं विनिश्चितम् । संसारोऽयं त्रिभिर्व्याप्तो राजन्मायागुणैः किल
Vyāsa said: O king, I have already explained the reason to you before. This world is pervaded by the three guṇas of Māyā.
धर्मं करोतु भूपालश्चरन्तु तापसास्तपः । सर्वेषां तु गुणैर्विद्धं नोज्ज्वलं तद्भवेदिह
Let kings perform dharma, let ascetics practice austerity; yet, when all are pierced by the guṇas, that does not shine forth here.
कामक्रोधाभिभूताश्च राजानो मुनयस्तथा । लोभाहङ्कारसंयुक्ताश्चरन्ति दुश्चरं तपः
Kings and sages, overpowered by desire and anger, and filled with greed and pride, undertake severe austerities.
यजन्ति क्षत्रिया राजन् रजोगुणसमावृताः । ब्राह्मणास्तु तथा राजन् न कोऽपि सत्त्वसंयुतः
O king, Kṣatriyas perform sacrifices enveloped in rajas, and so do Brāhmaṇas; but no one is endowed with pure sattva.
ऋषिणासौ निमिः शप्तस्तेन शप्तो मुनिः पुनः । दुःखाद्दुःखतरं प्राप्तावुभावपि विधेर्बलात्
By that sage, Nimi was cursed, and in turn, the sage was also cursed by him; both, by the force of destiny, experienced suffering greater than before.
द्रव्यशुद्धिः क्रियाशुद्धिर्मनसः शुद्धिरुज्ज्वला । दुर्लभा प्राणिनां भूप संसारे त्रिगुणात्मके
Purity of substance, purity of action, and the brilliance of purity of mind are rare among living beings, O king, in this world of three guṇas.
पराशक्तिप्रभावोऽयं नोल्लंघ्यः केनचित्क्वचित् । यस्यानुगृहमिच्छेत्सा मोचयत्येव तं क्षणात्
The power of the Supreme Energy cannot be transgressed by anyone, anywhere; whoever she wishes to favor, she instantly liberates.
महान्तोऽपि न मुच्यन्ते हरिब्रह्महरादयः । पामरा अपि मुच्यन्ते यथा सत्यव्रतादयः
Even the great ones—Hari, Brahma, Hara, and others—are not freed, but even common people are liberated, as were Satyavrata and others.
तस्यास्तु हृदयं कोऽपि न वेत्ति भुवनत्रये । तथापि भक्तवश्येयं भवत्येव सुनिश्चितम्
No one in the three worlds knows her heart; yet, it is certain that she is always subject to devotion.
तस्मात्तद्भक्तिरास्थेया दोषनिर्भूलनाय च । रागदम्भादियुक्ता चेत्सा भक्तिर्नाशिनी भवेत्
Therefore, that devotion should be cultivated for the removal of faults; but if that devotion is joined with attachment, hypocrisy, and the like, it becomes destructive.
इक्ष्याकुकुलसम्भूतो निमिर्नाम नराधिपः । रूपवान् गुणसम्पन्नो धर्मज्ञो लोकरञ्जकः
There was a king named Nimi, born in the lineage of Ikṣvāku, handsome, endowed with virtues, knower of dharma, and beloved by the people.
सत्यवादी दानपरो याजको ज्ञानवाच्छुचिः । द्वादशस्तनयो धीमान्प्रजापालनतत्परः
He was truthful, generous, a performer of sacrifices, wise in knowledge, pure, the twelfth son, intelligent, and devoted to the protection of his subjects.
पुरं निवेशयामास गौतमाश्रमसन्निधौ । जयन्तपुरसंज्ञं तु ब्राह्मणानां हिताय सः
He established a city near the hermitage of Gautama, naming it Jayantapura, for the welfare of the Brahmins.
बुद्धिस्तस्य समुत्पन्ना यजेयमिति राजसी । यज्ञेन बहुकालेन दक्षिणासंयुतेन च
A royal thought arose in him: 'Let me perform a sacrifice,' with abundant offerings and generous gifts, over a long period.
इस्वाकुं पितरं पृष्ट्वा यज्ञकार्याय पार्थिवः । कारयामास सम्भारं यथोद्दिष्टं महात्मभिः
Having consulted his father Ikshvaku about the sacrificial rites, the king arranged all the necessary materials as prescribed by the great sages.
भृगुमङ्गिरसं चैव वामदेवं च गौतमम् । वसिष्ठं च पुलस्त्यं च ऋचीकं पुलहं क्रतुम्
He invited Bhrigu, Angiras, Vamadeva, Gautama, Vasishta, Pulastya, Richika, Pulaha, and Kratu.