एकवीराख्यानवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच संशयोऽयं महानत्र जातमात्रः शिशुस्तथा । मुक्तः केन गृहीतोऽसावेकाकी विजने वने
The tale of Ekavira
का गतिस्तस्य बालस्य जाता सत्यवतीसुत । व्याघ्रसिंहादिभिर्हिंस्रैर्गृहीतो नातिबालकः
Janamejaya said: A great doubt arises here—how was this newborn child, released and alone in the desolate forest, taken and by whom?
व्यास उवाच लक्ष्मीनारायणौ तस्मात्स्थानाच्च चलितौ यदा । तदैव तत्र चम्पाख्यः प्राप्तो विद्याधरः किल
O son of Satyavati, what became of that boy? Was he not seized by tigers, lions, or other wild beasts, being so young?
विमानवरमारूढः कामिन्या सहितो नृप । मदनालसया कामं क्रीडमानो यदृच्छया
Vyasa said: When Lakshmi and Narayana departed from that place, at that very moment, a Vidyadhara named Campaka arrived there.
विलोक्य तं शिशुं भूमावेकाकिनमनुत्तमम् । देवपुत्रप्रतीकाशं रममाणं यथासुखम्
The king, accompanied by his beloved, mounted on a splendid aerial chariot, was playing, overcome by passion, and happened to arrive there by chance.
विमानात्तरसोत्तीर्य चम्पकस्तं शिशु जवात् । जग्राह च मुदं प्राप निधिं प्राप्य यथाधनः
Seeing that excellent child alone on the ground, resembling a son of the gods and happily playing, Campaka was filled with joy, as one who finds a treasure.
गृहीत्वा चम्पकः प्रादाद्देव्यै तं मदनोपमम् । मदनालसायै तं बालं जातमात्रं मनोहरम्
Campaka took the boy, who was as enchanting as the god of love, and gave him to the goddess, who was languid with desire, the beautiful newborn child.
सा गृहीत्वा शिशुं प्रेम्णा सरोमाञ्चा सविस्मया । मुखं चुचुम्ब बालस्य कृत्वा तु हृदये भृशम्
She took the child with love, her body thrilled and filled with wonder; she kissed the boy's face and held him closely to her heart.
आलिङ्गितश्चुम्बितश्च तयासौ प्रीतिपूर्वकम् । उत्सङ्गे च कृतस्तन्व्या पुत्रभावेन भारत
Embraced and kissed by her with affection, the slender lady placed the boy on her lap as if he were her own son, O Bharata.
कृत्वाङ्के तौ समारूढौ विमानं दम्पती मुदा । पतिं पप्रच्छ चार्वङ्गी प्रहस्य मदनालसा
Having seated both of them on her lap, the delighted couple boarded the celestial chariot; the lovely-limbed, love-struck lady smiled and questioned her husband.
कस्यायं बालकः कान्त त्यक्तः केन च कानने । पुत्रोऽयं मम देवेन दत्तस्त्र्यम्बकपाणिना
"Dearest, whose child is this, and who abandoned him in the forest? Has this son been given to me by the god, by the hand of Tryambaka (Shiva)?"
चम्पक उवाच प्रिये गत्वाद्य पृच्छेयं शक्रं सर्वज्ञमाशु वै । देवो वा दानवो वापि गन्धर्वो वा शिशुः किल
Campaka said: "Beloved, I will go today and quickly ask Indra, the all-knowing, whether this child is a god, a demon, or a gandharva."
तेनाज्ञप्तः करिष्यामि पुत्रं प्राप्तं वनादमुम् । अपृष्ट्वा नैव कर्तव्यं कार्यं किञ्चिन्मया ध्रुवम्
"When I am instructed by him, I will act regarding this boy found in the forest; without asking, I must certainly not do anything."
इत्युक्त्वा तां गृहीत्वा तं विमानेनाथ चम्पकः । ययौ शक्रपुरं तूर्णं हर्षेणोत्फुल्ललोचनः
Having said this, Campaka took her and the boy in the chariot and swiftly went to Indra's city, his eyes wide with joy.
प्रणम्य पादयोः प्रीत्या चम्पकस्तु शचीपतिम् । निवेद्य बालकं प्राह कृताञ्जलिपुटः स्थितः
Campaka, with devotion, bowed at the feet of Indra, lord of Shachi, and, standing with folded hands, presented the boy and spoke.
देवदेव मया लब्धस्तीर्थे परमपावने । कालिन्दीतमसासङ्गे बालकोऽयं स्मरप्रभः
"O Lord of gods, I have found this radiant boy at the most sacred confluence of the Kalindi and Tamasa rivers."
कस्यायं बालकः कान्तः कथं त्यक्तः शचीपते । आज्ञा चेत्तव देवेश कुर्वेऽहं बालकं सुतम्
"O Lord of Shachi, whose beautiful child is this, and how was he abandoned? If you permit, O Lord of gods, I wish to make this boy my son."
अतीव सुन्दरो बालः प्रियाया वल्लभः सुतः । कृत्रिमस्तु सुतः प्रोक्तो धर्मशास्त्रेषु सर्वथा
"The boy is exceedingly handsome, a beloved son for my dear wife; but a son acquired in this way is always called an adopted son in the scriptures."
इन्द्र उवाच पुत्रोऽयं वासुदेवस्य वाजिरूपधरस्य ह । हैहयोऽयं महाभाग लक्ष्म्यां जातः परन्तपः
Indra said: "This is the son of Vāsudeva, who took the form of a horse; this noble Haihaya was born from Lakshmi, O subduer of foes."
उत्पादितो भगवता कार्यार्थं किल बालकः । दातुं नृपतये नूनं ययातितनयाय च
"This boy was produced by the Lord for a specific purpose: to be given to a king, indeed to the son of Yayāti."
हरिणा प्रेरितः सोऽद्य राजा परमधार्मिकः । आगमिष्यति पुत्रार्थं तीर्थे तस्मिन्मनोरमे
"Today, prompted by Hari, that supremely righteous king will come to that delightful holy place seeking a son."
तावत्त्वं गच्छ तत्रैव गृहीत्वा बालकं शुभम् । यावन्न याति नृपतिर्ग्रहीतुं हरिणेरितः
"Therefore, go there at once, taking the auspicious boy, before the king arrives, sent by Hari, to claim him."
गत्वा तत्र विमुञ्चैनं विलम्बं मा कृथा वर । अदृष्ट्वा बालकं राजा दुःखितश्च भविष्यति
"Go there and release him; do not delay, O best one. If the king does not see the boy, he will be sorrowful."
तस्माच्चम्पक मुञ्चैनं राजा प्राप्नोतु पुत्रकम् । एकवीरेति नाम्नायं ख्यातः स्यात् पृथिवीतले
"Therefore, Campaka, release him so that the king may receive the child; he will be known on earth by the name Ekavīra."
व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा चम्पकस्त्वरयान्वितः । जगाम पुत्रमादाय स्थले तस्मिन्महीपते
Vyāsa said: Hearing those words, Campaka, filled with urgency, went to that place with his son, O King.
मुमोच बालकं तत्र यत्र पूर्वं स्थितो ह्यभूत् । आरुह्य स्वविमानं तु ययौ स्वाश्रममण्डलम्
There he set the boy down where he had previously been, then, boarding his own aerial chariot, he returned to his hermitage.
तदैव कमलाकान्तो लक्ष्म्या सह जगद्गुरुः । विमानवरमारूढो जगाम नृपतिं प्रति
At that very moment, the Lord beloved of Lakṣmī, the preceptor of the world, mounted a splendid aerial chariot with Lakṣmī and went towards the king.
दृष्टस्तदा तेन नृपेण विष्णुः समुत्तरंस्तत्र विमानमुख्यात् । जहर्ष राजा हरिदर्शनेन पपात भूमौ खलु दण्डवच्च
Then, the king saw Viṣṇu above, in the foremost of aerial chariots; the king rejoiced at the sight of Hari and fell to the ground in full prostration.
उत्तिष्ठ वत्सेति हरिः पतन्त- माश्वासयद्भूमिगतं स्वभक्तम् । सोऽप्युत्सुको वासुदेवं पुरःस्थं तुष्टाव भक्त्या मुखरीकृतोऽथ
Hari comforted his devotee, who lay on the ground, saying, 'Rise, child!' As the king, eager and with devotion, stood before Vāsudeva, he began to praise him with heartfelt words.
देवाधिदेवाखिललोकनाथ कृपानिधे लोकगुरो रमेश । मन्दस्य मे ते किल दर्शनं य- त्सुदुर्लभं योगिजनैरलभ्यम्
O Lord of gods, master of all worlds, ocean of compassion, teacher of the world, Lord of Lakṣmī! It is by your grace that I, so unworthy, have seen you—an encounter rare even for yogis.