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.
ये निःस्पृहास्ते विषयैरपेता- स्तेषां त्वदीयं खलु दर्शनं स्यात् । आशापरोऽहं भगवन्ननन्त योग्यो न ते दर्शने देवदेव
Those who are free from desire and detached from sense objects may indeed behold you; but I, O infinite Lord, am full of longing and not worthy to see you, O God of gods.
इति स्तुतस्तेन नृपेण विष्णु- स्तमाह वाक्येन सुधामयेन । वृणीष्व राजन् मनसेप्सितं ते ददामि तुष्टस्तपसा तवेति
Thus praised by the king, Viṣṇu spoke to him in words sweet as nectar: 'Choose, O king, whatever you desire in your heart; pleased with your austerity, I shall grant it.'
ततो नृपस्तं प्रणिपत्य पादयोः प्रोवाच विष्णुं पुरतः स्थितं च । तपस्तु तप्तं हि मया सुतार्थे पुत्रं ददस्वात्मसमं मुरारे
Then the king, bowing at his feet, addressed Viṣṇu, who stood before him: 'I have performed austerities for the sake of a son; O slayer of Mura, grant me a son equal to yourself.'
श्रुत्वा नृपप्रार्थितमादिदेव- स्तमाह राजानममोघवाक्यम् । ययातिसूनो व्रज तत्र तीर्थे कलिन्दकन्यातमसाप्रसङ्गे
Hearing the king's request, the primeval Lord spoke unfailing words to him: 'O son of Yayāti, go to that sacred place where the Yamunā meets the Tamasā.'
मयाद्य पुत्रस्तु यथेप्सितस्ते तत्रैव मुक्तोऽस्त्यमितप्रभावः । लक्ष्म्याः प्रसूतो मम वीर्यजश्च कृतस्तवार्थेऽथ गृहाण राजन्
'Today, your desired son, endowed with immeasurable power, is there, liberated by me. Born of Lakṣmī and generated by my energy, he has been created for your sake; take him, O king.'
श्रुत्वा हरेर्वाक्यमतीव मृष्टं सन्तुष्टचित्तः प्रबभूव राजा । हरिस्तु दत्त्वेति वरं जगाम वैकुण्ठलोकं रमया युतश्च
Hearing Hari's exceedingly pleasing words, the king became deeply satisfied. Hari, having granted the boon, departed to Vaikuṇṭha with Ramā.
गते हरौ सोऽथ ययातिसूनु- र्ययावनुद्धातरथेन राजा । प्रेमान्वितस्तत्र सुतोऽस्ति यत्र वचो निशम्येति जनार्दनस्य
After Hari departed, the son of Yayāti, the king, joyfully rode in a swift chariot to the place where his son was, as instructed by Janārdana.
स तत्र गत्वातिमनोहरं तं ददर्श बालं भुवि खेलमानम् । मुखे निवेश्यैककरेण कृत्वा श्लक्ष्णं पदाङ्गुष्ठमनन्यसत्त्वः
Arriving there, he saw the exceedingly beautiful boy playing on the ground, holding his big toe gently in his mouth with one hand, absorbed in himself.
तं वीक्ष्य पुत्रं मदनस्वरूपं नारायणांशं कमलाप्रसूतम् । हरिप्रभावं हरिवर्मनामा हर्षप्रफुल्लाननपङ्कजोऽभूत्
Seeing his son, who was the very image of love, a portion of Nārāyaṇa, born of Lakṣmī, and radiant with Hari's glory, the king's lotus face blossomed with joy; he named him Harivarman.
गृह्णन् सुवेगात् करपङ्कजाभ्यां बभूव प्रेमार्णवमग्नदेहः । मूर्धन्युपाघ्राय मुदान्वितोऽसौ ननन्द राजा सुतमालिलिङ्ग
Taking him swiftly in his lotus hands, the king's body was immersed in an ocean of love. Smelling his son's head with delight, he embraced him and rejoiced.