समेतः कामिनीभ्यां तु ययौ तत्पितुराश्रमम् । राजपुत्रीं तथायातां श्रुत्वा प्रेमसमन्वितः
Joined by his beloved companions, he went to his father's hermitage; hearing that the princess had arrived, he was filled with affection.
प्रययौ सम्मुखस्तूर्णं सचिवैः परिवेष्टितः । बहुभिर्दिवसैर्दृष्टा पुत्री सा मलिनाम्बरा
He quickly went to meet her, surrounded by his ministers; after many days, he saw his daughter, clad in soiled garments.
यशोवत्या तु वृत्तान्तः कथितो विस्तरात्पुनः । एकवीरं मिलित्वासौ गृहमानीय चादरात्
Yaśovatī narrated the events in detail; then, having united with Ekavīra, she brought him home with great respect.
पुण्येऽह्नि कारयामास विवाहं विधिपूर्वकम् । पारिबर्हं ततो दत्त्वा सम्पूज्य विधिवत्तदा
On an auspicious day, he arranged the marriage according to proper rites; after giving the customary gifts, he honored them as prescribed.
पुत्रीं विसर्जयामास यशोवत्या समन्विताम् । एवं विवाहे संवृत्ते रमापुत्रो मुदान्वितः
He sent off his daughter, accompanied by Yaśovatī; thus, when the marriage was completed, the son of Ramā was filled with joy.
गृहं प्राप्य बहून्भोगाम्बुभुजे प्रियया समम् । बभूव तस्यां पुत्रस्तु कृतवीर्याभिधः किल । तत्सुतः कार्तवीर्यस्तु वंशोऽयं कथितो मया
Having reached his home, he enjoyed many pleasures together with his beloved; a son was born to her, named Kṛtavīrya; his son was Kārtavīrya—this lineage I have described.
; अम्बिकायाः नियोगात्पुत्रोत्पादनाय गर्भधारणवर्णनम् राजोवाच भगवंस्त्वन्मुखाम्भोजाच्च्युतं दिव्यकथारसम् । न तृप्तिमधिगच्छामि पिबंस्तु सुधया समम्
The king said: O revered one, I never find satisfaction in drinking the nectar-like essence of divine stories that flow from your lotus mouth.
विचित्रमिदमाख्यानं कथितं भवता मम । हैहयानां समुत्पत्तिर्विस्तराद्विस्मयप्रदा
This marvelous account you have narrated to me, the detailed origin of the Haihayas, is truly astonishing.
परं कौतूहलं मेऽत्र यद्विष्णुः कमलापतिः । देवदेवो जगन्नाथः सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारकः
I have a great curiosity about how Viṣṇu, the lord of Lakṣmī, the god of gods, master of the universe, who creates, sustains, and destroys all things—
सोऽप्यश्वभावमापन्नो भगवान्हरिरच्युतः । परतन्त्रः कथं जातः स्वतन्त्रः पुरुषोत्तमः
—how did that supreme, independent Hari, the unchanging one, come to take the form of a horse and become subject to another?
एतन्मे संशयं ब्रह्मञ्छेत्तुमर्हसि साम्प्रतम् । सर्वज्ञस्त्वं मुनिश्रेष्ठ ब्रूहि वृत्तान्तमद्भुतम्
O Brahman, I ask you now to resolve this doubt for me; you are all-knowing, best of sages, tell me this wondrous story.
व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन् प्रवक्ष्यामि सन्देहस्यास्य निर्णयम् । यथा श्रुतं मया पूर्वं नारदान्मुनिसत्तमात्
Vyāsa said: Listen, O King, I will explain the resolution of this doubt, as I heard it long ago from Nārada, the foremost of sages.
ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रो नारदो नाम तापसः । सर्वज्ञः सर्वगः शान्तः सर्वलोकप्रियः कविः
Nārada, the ascetic, is the mind-born son of Brahmā; he is all-knowing, all-pervading, peaceful, beloved by all worlds, and a poet.
स चैकदा मुनिश्रेष्ठो विचरन्पृथिवीमिमाम् । वादयन्महतीं वीणां स्वरतानसमन्विताम्
Once, that foremost sage wandered over this earth, playing a great vīṇā, producing melodious notes.
बृहद्रथन्तरादीनां साम्नां भेदाननेकशः । गायन्गायत्रममृतं सम्प्राप्तोऽथ ममाश्रमम्
Singing the many variations of the Sāma hymns, such as Bṛhad and Rathantara, he arrived at my hermitage, his song like nectar.
शम्याप्रासं महातीर्थं सरस्वत्याः सुपावनम् । निवासं मुनिमुख्यानां शर्मदं ज्ञानदं तथा
He came to Śamyāprāsa, the great holy place, supremely pure on the Sarasvatī, abode of eminent sages, bestowing happiness and knowledge.
तमागतमहं प्रेक्ष्य ब्रह्मपुत्रं महाद्युतिम् । अभ्युत्थानादिकं सर्वं कृतवानर्चनादिकम्
Seeing him arrive, the radiant son of Brahmā, I performed all acts of welcome and worship.
अर्घ्यपाद्यविधिं कृत्वा तस्यासनस्थितस्य च । उपविष्टः समीपेऽहं मुनेरमिततेजसः
Having performed the rites of offering water and washing his feet, and seating him, I sat nearby, beside the sage of boundless brilliance.
दृष्ट्वा विश्रमिणं शान्तं नारदं ज्ञानपारदम् । तमपृच्छमहं राजन् यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयाधुना
Seeing Nārada, tranquil and at rest, a master of knowledge, O King, I questioned him about what you have just asked me.
असारेऽस्मिंस्तु संसारे प्राणिनां किं सुखं मुने । न पश्यामि विनिश्चित्य कदाचित्कुत्रचित्क्वचित्
In this insubstantial world, O sage, what happiness is there for living beings? I do not see any, having considered thoroughly, at any time or place.
द्वीपे जातो जनन्याहं संत्यक्तस्तत्क्षणादपि । अनाश्रयो वने वृद्धिं प्राप्तः कर्मानुसारतः
Born on an island, abandoned by my mother at that very moment, I grew up in the forest without shelter, according to the course of karma.
तपस्तप्तं मया चोग्रं पर्वते बहुवार्षिकम् । पुत्रकामेन देवर्षे शङ्करः समुपासितः
I performed intense austerities for many years on the mountain, O divine sage, desiring a son, and worshipped Śaṅkara.
ततो मया शुकः प्राप्तः पुत्रो ज्ञानवतां वरः । पाठितस्तु मया सम्यग्वेदानां सार आदितः
Then I obtained Śuka, a son, foremost among the wise; I thoroughly taught him the essence of the Vedas from the beginning.
स त्यक्त्वा मां गतः क्वापि रुदन्तं विरहातुरम् । लोकाल्लोकान्तरं साधो वचनात्तव बोधितः
He left me, going somewhere, while I was afflicted by separation and weeping; moving from world to world, O holy one, awakened by your words.
ततोऽहं पुत्रसन्तप्तस्त्यक्त्वा मेरुं महागिरिम् । मातरं मनसा कृत्वा सम्प्राप्तः कुरुजाङ्गलम्
Then, tormented by grief for my son, I left the great mountain Meru, holding my mother in my mind, and arrived at Kurujāṅgala.
पुत्रस्नेहादतितरां कृशाङ्गः शोकसंयुतः । जानन्मिथ्येति संसारं मायापाशनियन्त्रितः
Because of excessive affection for my son, my body became emaciated, filled with sorrow; knowing this world to be false, bound by the snare of illusion.
ततो राज्ञा वृतां ज्ञात्वा मातरं वासवीं शुभाम् । स्थितोऽत्रैवाश्रमं कृत्वा सरस्वत्यास्तटे शुभे
Then, learning that my mother Vāsavī, auspicious, had been chosen by the king, I remained here, establishing an āśrama on the beautiful bank of the Sarasvatī.
शन्तनुः स्वर्गतिं प्राप्तो विधुरा जननी स्थिता । पुत्रद्वययुता साध्वी भीष्मेण प्रतिपालिता
Śantanu attained heaven; the mother Vidhurā remained, accompanied by her two sons, the virtuous woman, protected by Bhīṣma.
चित्राङ्गदः कृतो राजा गङ्गापुत्रेण धीमता । कालेन सोऽपि मे भ्राता मृतः कामसमद्युतिः
Citrāṅgada was made king by the wise son of Gaṅgā; in time, that brother of mine also died, radiant with passion and vigor.
ततः सत्यवती माता निमग्ना शोकसागरे । चित्राङ्गदं मृतं पुत्रं रुरोद भृशमातुरा
Then mother Satyavatī was plunged into the ocean of grief; she wept bitterly for her son Citrāṅgada, who had died.