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.
सम्प्राप्तोऽहं महाभाग ज्ञात्वा तां दुःखितां सतीम् । आश्वासिता मयात्यर्थं भीष्मेण च महात्मना
I arrived, O illustrious one, knowing her to be sorrowful and virtuous; I comforted her greatly, along with the great-souled Bhīṣma.
विचित्रवीर्यस्त्वपरो वीर्यवान्पृथिवीपतिः । कृतो भीष्मेण भ्राता वै स्त्रीराज्यविमुखेन ह
Vicitravīrya, another brother, powerful and lord of the earth, was made king by Bhīṣma, who was averse to the rule of women.
काशिराजसुते रम्ये विजित्य पृथिवीपतीन् । भीष्मेणानीय स्वबलात्कन्यके द्वे समर्पिते
Bhīṣma, conquering the kings of the earth, brought the two beautiful daughters of the king of Kāśī by force and gave them to him.
सत्यवत्यै शुभे काले विवाहः परिकल्पितः । भ्रातुर्विचित्रवीर्यस्य तदाहं सुखितोऽभवम्
At an auspicious time, a marriage was arranged for Satyavatī; for my brother Vicitravīrya, then I was happy.
पुनः सोऽपि मृतो भ्राता यक्ष्मणा पीडितो भृशम् । अनपत्यो युवा धन्वी माता मे दुःखिताभवत्
Again, that brother died, afflicted greatly by consumption; he was young, childless, and a bowman; my mother became sorrowful.
काशिराजसुते द्वे तु मृतं दृष्ट्वा पतिं तदा । पतिव्रताधर्मपरे भगिन्यौ सम्बभूवतुः
The two daughters of the king of Kāśī, seeing their husband dead, then became devoted to the dharma of chastity, both sisters.
ते ऊचतुः सतीं श्वश्रूं रुदतीं भृशदुःखिताम् । पतिना सहगामिन्यौ भविष्यावो हुताशने
They said to their mother-in-law, Sati, who was weeping and deeply distressed: 'We will follow our husband and enter the fire together with him.'
पुत्रेण सह ते श्वश्रु स्वर्गे गत्वाथ नन्दने । सुखेन विहरिष्यावः पतिना सह संयुते
With your son, O mother-in-law, we shall go to heaven, to Nandana, and there enjoy happiness united with our husband.
निवारिते तदा मात्रा वध्वौ तस्मान्महोद्यमात् । स्नेहभावं समाश्रित्य भीष्मस्य वचनात्तदा
Then, when their mother restrained the two brides from that great resolve, out of affection and following Bhishma's advice,
गाङ्गेयेन च मात्रा मे सम्मन्त्र्य च परस्परम् । कृत्वौर्ध्वदैहिकं सर्वं संस्मृतोऽहं गजाह्वये
After Ganga's son and my mother had consulted together, and all the funeral rites were performed, I was remembered at Gajahvaya.