कथं त्यक्त्वाद्य मे कार्यमुद्यतो गन्तुमाशु वै । न ते युक्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठ यदुत्सृज्य मखं मम
How can I abandon my duty today, being ready to proceed? It is not proper for you, O best of twice-born, to leave my sacrifice unfinished.
गन्तासि धनलोभेन लोभाकुलितचेतनः । निवारितोऽपि राज्ञा स जगामेन्द्रमखं गुरुः
You are departing out of greed for wealth, your mind disturbed by desire; though restrained by the king, the guru went to Indra's sacrifice.
राजापि विमना भूत्वा गौतमं प्रत्यपूजयत् । इयाज हिमवत्पार्श्वे सागरस्य समीपतः
The king, disheartened, then honored Gautama and performed the sacrifice near the Himalayas, beside the ocean.
दक्षिणा बहुला दत्ता विप्रेभ्यो मखकर्मणि । निमिना पञ्चसाहस्री दीक्षा तत्र कृता नृप
Abundant gifts were given to the Brahmins in the sacrificial rites; by Nimi, a consecration of five thousand years was undertaken there, O king.
ऋत्विजः पूजिताः कामं धनैर्गोभिर्मुदा युताः । शक्रयज्ञसमाप्ते तु पञ्चवर्षशतात्मके
The officiating priests were honored as desired, with wealth and cattle, accompanied by joy; and after the completion of Indra's sacrifice, which lasted five hundred years,
आजगाम वसिष्ठस्तु राज्ञः सत्रदिदृक्षया । आगत्य संस्थितस्तत्र दर्शनार्थं नृपस्य च
Vasiṣṭha arrived, wishing to witness the royal sacrificial session; having come, he stood there for the sake of seeing the king.
तदा राजा प्रसुप्तस्तु निद्रयापहृतो ्भृशम् । नासौ प्रबोधितो भृत्यैर्नागतस्तु मुनिं नृपः
At that time, the king was deeply taken by sleep and carried away by slumber; he was not awakened by his attendants, nor did the king come to meet the sage.
वसिष्ठस्य ततो मन्युः प्रादुर्भूतोऽवमानतः । अदर्शनान्निमेस्तत्र चुकोप मुनिसत्तमः
Then, anger arose in Vasiṣṭha due to disrespect; because he was not seen there, the eminent sage became enraged.
शापं च दत्तवांस्तस्मै राज्ञे मन्युवशं गतः । यस्मात्त्वं मां गुरुं त्यक्त्वा कृत्वान्यं गुरुमात्मनः
Overcome by anger, he pronounced a curse upon the king: 'Since you have abandoned me, your guru, and made another your guru,
दीक्षितोऽसि बलान्मन्द मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव । वारितोऽपि मया तस्माद्विदेहस्त्वं भविष्यसि
'You have been initiated forcibly, O dull-witted king, disregarding me; though I forbade you, therefore you shall become bodiless.'
पतत्विदं शरीरं ते विदेहो भव भूपते । व्यास उवाच इति तद्व्याहृतं श्रुत्वा राज्ञस्तु परिचारकाः
'Let this body of yours fall, O king; become bodiless.' Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, the king's attendants
सद्यः प्रबोधयामासुर्मुनिमाहुः प्रकोपितम् । कुपितं तं समागत्य राजा विगतकल्मषः
Immediately awakened him and informed him that the sage was enraged; coming together to the angry sage, the king, freed from impurity,
उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं हेतुगर्भं च युक्तिमत् । . मम दोषो न धर्मज्ञ गतस्त्वं तृष्णयाऽऽकुलः
Spoke gentle words, filled with reason and appropriateness: 'The fault is not mine, O knower of dharma; you were overcome by thirst and agitation.'
हित्वा मां यजमानं वै प्रार्थितोऽपि मया भृशम् । न लज्जसे द्विजश्रेष्ठ कृत्वा कर्म जुगुप्सितम्
'You abandoned me, the sacrificer, though I earnestly requested you; you feel no shame, O best of twice-born, having performed a blameworthy act.'
सन्तोषे ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ जानन्धर्मस्य निश्चयम् । पुत्रोऽसि ब्रह्मणः साक्षाद्वेदवेदाङ्गवित्तमः
'In contentment, O best of Brāhmaṇas, knowing the certainty of dharma, you are the son of Brahmā himself, most learned in the Vedas and their branches.'
न वेत्सि विप्रधर्मस्य गतिं सूक्ष्मां दुरत्ययाम् । आत्मदोषं मयि ज्ञात्वा मृषा मां शस्तुमिच्छसि
'You do not know the subtle, difficult path of a Brāhmaṇa's dharma; recognizing your own fault in me, you wish to reproach me falsely.'
त्याज्यस्तु सुजनैः क्रोधश्चण्डालादधिको यतः । वृथा क्रोधपरीतेन मयि शापः प्रपातितः
'Anger should be abandoned by good people, for it is worse than a caṇḍāla; in vain, under the sway of anger, you have cast a curse upon me.'
तवापि च पतत्वद्य देहोऽयं क्रोधसंयुतः । एवं शप्तो मुनी राज्ञा राजा च मुनिना तथा
'Your body too shall fall today, filled with anger; thus the sage was cursed by the king, and the king likewise by the sage.'
परस्परं प्राप्य शापं दुःखितौ तौ बभूवतुः । वसिष्ठस्त्वतिचिन्तार्तो ब्रह्माणं शरणं गतः
Having received curses from each other, both became distressed; Vasiṣṭha, overwhelmed by anxiety, sought refuge in Brahmā.
निवेदयामास तथा शापं भूपकृतं महत् । वसिष्ट उवाच राज्ञा शप्तोऽस्मि देहोऽयं पतत्वद्य तवेति वै
He reported the great curse inflicted by the king in this way: Vasiṣṭha said, 'I have been cursed by the king: "Let your body fall today."'
किं करोमि पितः प्राप्यं कष्टं कायप्रपातजम् । अन्यदेहसमुत्पत्तौ जनकं वद साम्प्रतम्
'Father, what shall I do, having received this hardship of bodily fall? Tell me now, at the arising of another body, who will be my father.'
तथा मे देहसंयोगः पूर्ववत्समपद्यताम् । यादृशं ज्ञानमेतस्मिन्देहे तत्रास्तु तत्पितः
'Let my union with the body be as before; and whatever knowledge is in this body, let it be there, O father.'
समर्थोऽसि महाराज प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि । वसिष्ठस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच तं सुतम्
O great king, you are capable; you ought to show your favor. Hearing the words of Vasiṣṭha, Brahmā spoke to his son:
मित्रावरुणयोस्तेजस्त्वं प्रविश्य स्थिरो भव । तस्मादयोनिजः काले भविता त्वं न संशयः
Enter into the energy of Mitra and Varuṇa and become steadfast. Therefore, in due time, you will be born without a womb—of this there is no doubt.
पुनर्देहं समासाद्य धर्मयुक्तो भविष्यसि । भूतात्मा वेदवित्कामं सर्वज्ञः सर्वपूजितः
Having obtained a body again, you will be righteous, possessed of the essence of beings, a knower of the Veda, fulfilling desires, all-knowing, and honored by all.
एवमुक्तस्तदा पित्रा प्रययौ वरुणालयम् । कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं प्रीत्या प्रणम्य च पितामहम्
Thus addressed by his father, he then went to the abode of Varuṇa, having joyfully circumambulated and bowed to the Grandfather.
विवेश स तयोर्देहे मित्रावरुणयोः किल । जीवांशेन वसिष्ठोऽथ त्यक्त्वा देहमनुत्तमम्
He entered, it is said, into the bodies of Mitra and Varuṇa; then Vasiṣṭha, with a portion of his life, abandoned his excellent body.
कदाचित्तूर्वशी राजन्नागता वरुणालयम् । यदृच्छया वरारोहा सखीगणसमावृता
Once, O king, Urvaśī, of excellent form, happened to come to the abode of Varuṇa, surrounded by her group of companions.
दृष्ट्वा तामप्सरां दिव्यां रूपयौवनसंयुताम् । जातौ कामातुरौ देवौ तदा तामूचतुर्नृप
Seeing that divine apsaras, endowed with beauty and youth, the two gods became overcome with desire and then spoke to her, O king.
विवशौ चारुसर्वाङ्गीं देवकन्यां मनोरमाम् । आवां त्वमनवद्याङ्गि वरयस्व समाकुलौ
Helpless, the two addressed the lovely, charming daughter of the gods: 'O faultless one, choose us both, for we are agitated because of you.'