स्मृतमात्रस्तु मात्रा वै ज्ञात्वा भावं मनोगतम् । तरसैवागतश्चाहं नगरं नागसाह्वयम्
As soon as my mother remembered me and understood her inner feeling, I quickly arrived at the city called Nagasahvaya.
प्रणम्य मातरं मूर्ध्ना संस्थितोऽथ कृताञ्जलिः । तामब्रवं सुतप्ताङ्गीं पुत्रशोकेन कर्शिताम्
Bowing my head to my mother, I stood there with joined palms and spoke to her, whose body was scorched and emaciated by grief for her son.
मातस्त्वया किमाहूतो मनसाहं तपस्विनि । आज्ञापय महत्कार्ये दासोऽस्मि करवाणि किम्
'Mother, why have you called me in your mind, O austere one? Command me in this great matter—what shall I do? I am your servant.'
त्वं मे तीर्थं परं मातर्देवश्च प्रथितः परः । आगतश्चिन्तितश्चात्र ब्रूहि कृत्यं तव प्रियम्
'You are my supreme holy place, mother, and renowned as the highest deity. I have come, as you wished and thought of me; tell me your cherished task.'
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वाहं स्थितस्तत्र मातुरग्रे यदा मुने । तदा सा मामुवाचेदं पश्यन्ती भीष्ममन्तिके
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, I stood there before my mother, O sage, and then she addressed me, glancing at Bhishma nearby.
पुत्र तेऽद्य मृतो भ्राता पीडितो राजयक्ष्मणा । तेनाहं दुःखिता जाता वंशच्छेदभयादिह
'My son, today your brother has died, afflicted by a royal disease. Because of this, I am distressed here, fearing the extinction of our lineage.'
तस्मात्त्वमद्य मेधाविन् मयाहूतः समाधिना । गाङ्गेयस्य मतेनात्र पाराशर्यार्थसिद्धये
'Therefore, O wise one, I have called you today through meditation, with Ganga's son consenting, to fulfill the purpose of the son of Parashara.'
कुलं स्थापय नष्टं त्वं शन्तनोर्नामकारणात् । रक्ष मां दुःखतः कृष्ण वंशच्छेदोद्भवाद्द्रुतम्
'Restore the lost lineage of Shantanu for the sake of his name. Protect me, O Krishna, from sorrow and the imminent extinction of our line.'
काशिराजसुते भार्ये भ्रातुस्तव यवीयसः । साधोर्विचित्रवीर्यस्य रूपयौवनभूषिते
'The wives of your younger brother, daughters of the king of Kashi, are virtuous and adorned with beauty and youth, the spouses of Vichitravirya.'
ताभ्यां सङ्गम्य मेधाविन् पुत्रोत्पादनकं कुरु । रक्षस्व भारतं वंशं नात्र दोषोऽस्ति कर्हिचित्
'Unite with those two, O wise one, to beget sons. Preserve the Bharata lineage—there is no fault in this at any time.'
व्यास उवाच इति मातुर्वचः श्रुत्वा जातश्चिन्तातुरो ह्यहम् । लज्जयाऽऽकुलचित्तस्तामब्रवं विनयानतः
Vyasa said: Hearing my mother's words, I became troubled with anxious thoughts, and, my mind disturbed by shame, I spoke to her, bowing humbly.
मातः पापाधिकं कर्म परदाराभिमर्शनम् । ज्ञात्वा धर्मपथं सम्यक्करोमि कथमादरात्
'Mother, to approach another's wife is a most sinful act. Knowing the path of righteousness, how can I do this with respect?'
तथा यवीयसो भ्रातुर्वधूः कन्या प्रकीर्तिता । व्यभिचारं कथं कुर्यामधीत्य निगमानहम्
'Moreover, the wife of my younger brother is regarded as a maiden. How can I commit such a transgression, having studied the scriptures?'
अन्यायेन न कर्तव्यं सर्वथा कुलरक्षणम् । न तरन्ति हि संसारात्पितरः पापकारिणः
'By no means should the protection of the lineage be done unjustly, for fathers who commit sin do not cross over from this world.'
लोकानामुपदेष्टा यः पुराणानां प्रवर्तकः । स कथं कुत्सितं कर्म ज्ञात्वा कुर्यान्महाद्भुतम्
How could he, who is the teacher of the worlds and the promoter of the ancient scriptures, knowingly perform a reprehensible deed? This is truly astonishing.
पुनरुक्तो ह्यहं मात्रा रुदत्या भृशमन्तिके । पुत्रशोकातितप्ता या वंशरक्षणकाम्यया
Again, I was urged by my mother, who was weeping intensely nearby, tormented by the grief of her son and desiring to preserve the lineage.
पाराशर्य न ते दोषो वचनान्मम पुत्रक । गुरूणां वचनं तथ्यं सदोषमपि मानवैः
O son of Parāśara, you are not at fault, for you acted on my words; the words of elders, even if flawed, are to be followed by people.
कर्तव्यमविचार्यैव शिष्टाचारप्रमाणतः । वचनं कुरु मे पुत्र न ते दोषोऽस्ति मानद
One must act without hesitation, guided by the conduct of the virtuous; therefore, my son, do as I say—there is no fault in you, O bestower of honor.
पुत्रस्य जननं कृत्वा सुखिनी कुरु मातरम् । विशेषेण तु सन्तप्तां मग्नां शोकार्णवे सुत
By begetting a son, make your mother happy, especially as she is deeply afflicted and submerged in an ocean of sorrow, O child.
इति तां ब्रुवतीं श्रुत्वा तदा सुरनदीसुतः । मामुवाच विशेषज्ञः सूक्ष्मधर्मस्य निर्णये
Hearing her speak thus, the son of the river goddess then addressed me, being one skilled in discerning subtle righteousness.
द्वैपायन विचारोऽत्र न कर्तव्यस्त्वयानघ । मातुर्वचनमादाय विहरस्व यथासुखम्
"O sinless one, Dvaipāyana, you should not deliberate here; accept your mother's words and act as you please."
व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मातुश्च प्रार्थनं तथा । निःशङ्कोऽहं तदा जातः कार्ये तस्मिञ्जुगुप्सिते
Vyāsa said: Hearing his words and my mother's request, I then became free of doubt regarding that censured act.
अम्बिकायां प्रवृत्तोऽहमृतुमत्यां मुदा निशि । मयि विमनसायां तु तापसे कुत्सिते भृशम्
At night, I approached Ambikā, who was in her season, with joy; but she, seeing the ascetic, was greatly disturbed.
शप्ता मया सा सुश्रोणी प्रसङ्गे प्रथमे तदा । अन्धस्ते भविता पुत्रो यतो नेत्रे निमीलिते
At that first encounter, I cursed that beautiful-hipped woman: 'Since you closed your eyes, your son will be blind.'
द्वितीयेऽह्नि मुनिश्रेष्ठ पृष्टो मात्रा रहः पुनः । भविष्यति सुतः पुत्र काशिराजसुतोदरे
On the second day, O best of sages, when my mother again asked me in private, I said, 'A son will be born in the womb of the daughter of the king of Kāśī.'
मयोक्ता जननी तत्र व्रीडानम्रमुखेन ह । विनेत्रो भविता पुत्रो मातः शापान्ममैव हि
There, I told my mother, whose face was lowered in shame, 'Mother, due to my curse, your son will be blind.'
तया निर्भर्त्सितस्तत्र कठोरवचसा मुने । कथं पुत्र त्वया शप्ता पुत्रस्तेऽन्धो भविष्यति
There, I was harshly reproached by her with stern words: 'How could you curse your own son, so that he will be blind?'
; व्यासस्वकीयमोहवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच वासवी चकिता जाता श्रुत्वा मे वाक्यमीदृशम् । दाशेयी मामुवाचेदं पुत्रार्थे भृशमातुरा
Vyāsa said: Vāsavī became startled upon hearing my words; the daughter of a servant, distressed for the sake of a son, spoke to me thus.
अम्बालिका वधूर्धन्या काशिराजसुता सुत । भार्या विचित्रवीर्यस्य विधवा शोकसंयुता
Ambālikā, the virtuous bride, daughter of the king of Kāśī, was the wife of Vicitravīrya and now a widow, afflicted by sorrow.
सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्ना रूपयौवनशालिनी । तस्यां जनय सङ्गं त्वं कृत्वा पुत्रं सुसम्मतम्
She was endowed with all auspicious marks, possessing beauty and youth; unite with her and beget a son who will be well-accepted.