यथा खे च तथा शुद्धो भविष्यति सुतस्तंव
"Just as the sky is pure, so too shall your son become pure."
तेजसा तस्य लोकांस्त्रीन्यशः प्राप्स्यति केवलम्
By his radiance, he will attain the three worlds, but only fame.
अरणिं त्वथ संगृह्य ममन्थाग्निचिकीर्षया
Then, taking the arani stick, he churned it, desiring to produce fire.
घृताचीं नामाप्सरसं ददर्श भगवान्नृषिः
The blessed sage beheld Ghṛtācī, the celestial nymph.
अभवद्भगवान्व्यासो वने तस्मिन्मुनीश्वर
In that forest, the blessed Vyāsa was present, O best of sages.
शुकीभूया महारम्या घृताची समुपागमत्
Ghṛtācī, having assumed the form of a parrot, approached, exceedingly lovely.
स्मरराजेनानुगतः सर्वगात्रातिगेन ह
She was followed by the god of love, affecting all her limbs.
न शशाक नियन्तुं तं व्यासः प्रविसृतं मनः
Vyāsa could not restrain his mind, which had been set loose.
हृतम् यत्नान्नियच्छतश्चापि मुने एतञ्चिकीर्षया
Though he tried with effort to control it, O sage, it was carried away by that desire.
शुक्रे निर्मथ्यमाने ऽस्यां शुको जज्ञे महातपाः
As the arani stick was being churned, Śuka, the great ascetic, was born.
यथैव हि समिद्धो ऽग्निर्भाति हव्यमुपात्तवान्
Just as kindled fire shines forth, having received the sacrificial offering,
बिभ्रञ्चित्रं च विप्रेन्द्र रूपवर्णमनुत्तमम्
He bore a wondrous and unsurpassed form and complexion, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
अभ्येत्य स्नापयामास वारिणा स्वेन नारद
Having approached, Nārada bathed him with his own water.
जगीयन्त च गन्धर्वा ननृतुञ्चाप्सरोगणाः
The Gandharvas sang, and the hosts of Apsarases danced.
विश्वावसुश्च गन्धर्वस्तथा तुंबुरुनारदौ
Viśvāvasu the Gandharva, as well as Tumburu and Nārada, were present.
तत्र शक्रपुरोगाश्च लोकपालाः समागताः
There, the guardians of the worlds, headed by Indra, assembled.
दिव्यानि सर्वपुष्पाणि प्रववर्ष च मारुतः
The wind poured down all kinds of divine flowers.
तं महात्मा स्वयं प्रीत्या देव्या सह महाद्युतिः
That great-souled, radiant one, together with the goddess, joyfully attended him.
तस्य देवेश्वरः शक्तो दिव्यमद्भुतदर्शनम्
The lord of the gods, endowed with power and wondrous divine form, attended him.
हंसाश्च शतपत्राश्च सारसाश्च सहस्रशः
Thousands of swans, lotuses, and cranes were present.
आरणे यस्तदा दिव्यं प्राप्य जन्म महामुनिः
At that time, the great sage, having attained a divine birth in the forest,
उत्पन्नमात्रं तं वेदाः सरहस्याः ससंग्रहाः
As soon as he was born, the Vedas, with their secrets and collections, became manifest to him.
बृहस्पतिं स वव्रे च वेदवेदाङ्गभाष्यवित्
He chose Bṛhaspati, the knower of the Vedas, Vedāṅgas, and their commentaries, as his teacher.
सो ऽधीत्य वेदानखिलान्सरहस्यान्ससंग्रहान्
He studied all the Vedas, their secrets, and their collections.
गुरवे दक्षिणां दत्त्वा समावृत्तो महामुनिः
Having given the teacher’s fee to his guru, the great sage completed his studies.
देवतानामृषीणां च बाल्ये ऽपि सुमहातपाः
Even in childhood, he was possessed of great austerity among gods and sages.
न त्वस्य रमते बुद्धि राश्रमेषु मुनीश्वर
But, O best of sages, his mind did not delight in the hermitages.
स मोक्षमनुचिन्त्यैव शुकः पितरमभ्यगात्
Thinking only of liberation, Śuka approached his father.
मोक्षधर्मेषु कुशलो भगवान् प्रब्रवीतु मे
He said, 'O blessed one, skilled in the dharmas of liberation, please teach me.'
शृत्वा पुत्रस्य वचनं परमर्षिरुवाच तम्
Hearing his son’s words, the supreme sage spoke to him.