दृष्ट्वा दुहितरं काव्यो देवयानीं तपोवने बाहुभ्यां सम्परिष्वज्य दुःखितो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Seeing his daughter Devayānī in the forest hermitage, Kāvya embraced her with his arms and, sorrowful, spoke these words.
आत्मदोषैर् नियच्छन्ति सर्वे दुःखसुखे जनाः मन्ये दुश्चरितं ते ऽस्ति तस्येयं निष्कृतिः कृता
All people experience happiness and sorrow due to their own faults; I think you have committed a misdeed, and this is the expiation for it.
निष्कृतिर् वास्तु वा मास्तु शृणुष्वावहितो मम शर्मिष्ठया यदुक्तास्मि दुहित्रा वृषपर्वणः
Whether there is expiation or not, listen carefully to what I was told by Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan.
सत्यं किलैतत्सा प्राह दैत्यानामस्मि गायना एवं हि मे कथयति शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी
Truly, she said this: 'I am the singer of the Daityas.' Thus Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, spoke to me.
वचनं तीक्ष्णपरुषं क्रोधरक्तेक्षणा भृशम् स्तुवतो दुहितासि त्वं याचतः प्रतिगृह्णतः
With eyes reddened by anger, she spoke harsh and cutting words: 'You are the daughter of one who praises, of one who begs and receives.'
सुताहं स्तूयमानस्य ददतो ऽप्रतिगृह्णतः इति मामाह शर्मिष्ठा दुहिता वृषपर्वणः क्रोधसंरक्तनयना दर्पपूर्णानना ततः
'I am the daughter of one who is praised, who gives but does not receive.' Thus Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, said to me, her eyes bloodshot with anger and her face full of pride.
यद्यहं स्तुवतस्तात दुहिता प्रतिगृह्णतः प्रसादयिष्ये शर्मिष्ठाम् इत्युक्ता हि सखी मया
'If I am the daughter of one who is praised, and you are the daughter of one who receives, then I will appease Śarmiṣṭhā.' Thus my friend spoke to me.
वृषपर्वैव तद्वेद शक्रो राजा च नाहुषः अचिन्त्यं ब्रह्म निर्द्वंद्वम् ऐश्वरं हि बलं मम
Vṛṣaparvan himself knows this, as do Śakra and King Nahusha; my power is divine, beyond duality, and inconceivable like Brahman.
यः परेषां नरो नित्यम् अतिवादांस्तितिक्षति देवयानि विजानीहि तेन सर्वमिदं जितम्
O Devayānī, know that the man who always endures the harsh words of others conquers all this world.
यः समुत्पतितं क्रोधं निगृह्णाति हयं यथा स यन्तेत्युच्यते सद्भिर् न यो रश्मिषु लम्बते
He who restrains rising anger as a horse is held by the reins is called a charioteer by the wise, not one who merely holds the reins.
यः समुत्पतितं क्रोधम् अक्रोधने नियच्छति देवयानि विजानीहि तेन सर्वमिदं जितम्
O Devayānī, know that he who subdues rising anger with non-anger conquers all this world.
यः समुत्पतितं कोपं क्षमयैव निरस्यति यथोरगस्त्वचं जीर्णां स वै पुरुष उच्यते
He who dispels rising wrath with forgiveness, just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin, is truly called a man.
यस्तु भावयते धर्मं यो ऽतिमात्रं तितिक्षति यश्च तप्तो न तपति भृशं सो ऽर्थस्य भाजनम्
He who contemplates righteousness, who endures beyond measure, and who, though afflicted, does not greatly suffer—he is a vessel for prosperity.
यो यजेदश्वमेधेन मासि मासि शतं समाः यस्तु कुप्येन्न सर्वस्य तयोरक्रोधनो वरः
One who performs a hundred horse sacrifices every month for years, and one who never becomes angry with anyone—the one free from anger is superior between the two.
ये कुमाराः कुमार्यश्च वैरं कुर्युरचेतसः नैतत्प्राज्ञस्तु कुर्वीत विदुस्ते न बलाबलम्
Boys and girls who are thoughtless may harbor enmity; but the wise should not do so, for they understand strength and weakness.
वेदाहं तात बालापि कार्याणां तु गतागतम् क्रोधे चैवातिवादे वा कार्यस्यापि बलाबले
I know, dear one, even as a child, the coming and going of actions, and in anger or in excessive speech, the strength and weakness of action.
शिष्यस्याशिष्यवृत्तं हि न क्षन्तव्यं बुभूषुणा असत्संकीर्णवृत्तेषु वासो मम न रोचते
A disciple's undisciplined conduct should not be tolerated by one who seeks virtue; nor do I find pleasure in dwelling among those of bad and mixed behavior.
पुंसो ये नाभिनन्दन्ति वृत्तेनाभिजनेन च न तेषु निवसेत्प्राज्ञः श्रेयोर्थी पापबुद्धिषु
Those who do not honor a man for his conduct or lineage—the wise, seeking what is good, should not dwell among such wicked-minded people.
ये नैनमभिजानन्ति वृत्तेनाभिजनेन च तेषु साधुषु वस्तव्यं स वासः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते
Where people recognize a man for his conduct and lineage, there among the virtuous one should dwell; that dwelling is said to be the best.
तन्मे मथ्नाति हृदयम् अग्निकल्पमिवारणम् वाग्दुरुक्तं महाघोरं दुहितुर्वृषपर्वणः
That harsh and terrible speech of Vṛṣaparvan's daughter burns my heart, as fire kindled in wood.
न ह्य् अतो दुष्करं मन्ये तात लोकेष्वपि त्रिषु यः सपत्नश्रियं दीप्तां हीनश्रीः पर्युपासते
Nowhere in the three worlds, dear one, do I think there is anything more difficult than one who, lacking prosperity, serves a rival's blazing fortune.
ततः काव्यो भृगुश्रेष्ठः समन्युरुपगम्य ह वृषपर्वाणम् आसीनम् इत्युवाचाविचारयन्
Then Kāvya, the foremost of Bhṛgus, approached Vṛṣaparvan, who was seated, with a mind full of anger, and spoke to him after due consideration.
नाधर्मश्चरितो राजन् सद्यः फलति गौर् इव शनैरावर्त्यमानस्तु मूलान्यपि निकृन्तति
Unrighteousness, O king, does not yield fruit at once, like a cow; but slowly, as it turns, it even cuts off the roots.
यदि नात्मनि पुत्रेषु न चेत्पश्यति नप्तृषु पापमाचरितं कर्म त्रिवर्गमतिवर्तते
If one does not see the evil deed in oneself, one's sons, or grandsons, that act surpasses the three aims of life.
फलत्येवं ध्रुवं पापं गुरुभुक्तमिवोदरे यदा घातयसे विप्रं कचमाङ्गिरसं तदा
Sin surely bears fruit, just as food eaten by a teacher does in the belly; when you killed the Brāhmaṇa Kaca, the son of Aṅgiras, so it was.
अपापशीलं धर्मज्ञं शुश्रूषुं मद्गृहे रतम् वधादनर्हतस्तस्य वधाच्च दुहितुर्मम
He was of blameless conduct, a knower of righteousness, eager to serve, devoted in my house—unworthy of death; and my daughter as well, for her killing.
वृषपर्वन्निबोध त्वं त्यक्ष्यामि त्वां सबान्धवम् स्थातुं त्वद्विषये राजन् न शक्नोमि त्वया सह
Know this, Vṛṣaparvan: I will abandon you and your kin. I cannot remain in your realm, O king, nor stay with you.
अद्यैवमभिजानामि दैत्यं मिथ्याप्रलापिनम् यतस्त्वमात्मनोदीर्णां दुहितां किमुपेक्षसे
Today I recognize the demon as a false speaker, for you neglect your own daughter, though she is afflicted.
नावद्यं न मृषावादं त्वयि जानामि भार्गव त्वयि सत्यं च धर्मश्च तत्प्रसीदतु मां भवान्
I know in you, Bhārgava, neither blame nor falsehood; in you are truth and righteousness—may you be gracious to me.
अद्यास्मानपहाय त्वम् इतो यास्यसि भार्गव समुद्रं सम्प्रवेक्ष्यामि नान्यदस्ति परायणम्
Today, Bhārgava, if you abandon us and depart from here, I will enter the ocean; there is no other refuge for me.