अनया पितृभक्त्या ते जितोहं दैवतैः सह । ममापराधं त्वं सर्वं क्षंतुमर्हसि सत्तम
By your devotion to your father, you have conquered me along with the gods. O noble one, you ought to forgive all my offenses.
वरं वरय भद्रं ते दुर्लभं च ददाम्यहम् । विष्णुशर्मा तदोवाच देवराजं तथागतम्
Choose a boon, may auspiciousness be yours; I will grant you even what is difficult to obtain. Then Viṣṇuśarmā spoke to the king of the gods who had thus arrived.
विप्रतेजो महेंद्रेद्रं असह्यं देवदैवतैः । पितृभक्तस्य देवेश दुःसहं सर्वथा विभो
The power of a brāhmin is unbearable even for Indra and the divine gods; O lord of the gods, the devotion of one to his father is utterly insurmountable, O mighty one.
तेजोभंगो न कर्त्तव्यो ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । पुत्रपौत्रैः समस्तैस्तु ब्रह्मविष्णुहरान्पुनः
The brilliance of great-souled brāhmins must never be diminished; with their sons and grandsons, they again destroy Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Hara.
नाशयंते न संदेहो यदि रुष्टा द्विजोत्तमाः । नागच्छेद्यद्भवानद्य तदा राज्यमनुत्तमम्
There is no doubt that if the best of twice-born are angered, they bring destruction; if you do not come today, then your unrivaled kingdom will not endure.
आत्मतपः प्रभावेण अन्यस्मै त्वं महात्मने । दातुकामस्तु संजातो रोषपूर्णेन चक्षुषा
By the power of his own austerity, he has become eager to grant a boon to another great soul, his eyes filled with wrath.
भवानद्य समायातो वरं दातुमिहेच्छसि । अमृतं देहि देवेंद्र पितृभक्तिं तथाचलाम्
You have come here today wishing to grant a boon; O Indra, give me immortality and unwavering devotion to my father.
एवंविधं वरं देहि यदि तुष्टोसि शत्रुहन् । एवं ददामि पुण्यं ते वरं चामृतसंयुतम्
Grant such a boon, O destroyer of enemies, if you are pleased; thus I give you a blessed boon, accompanied by immortality.
एवमाभाष्य तं विप्रममृतं दत्तवान्स्वयम् । सकुंभं दत्तवांस्तस्मै प्रीयमाणेन चात्मना
Having spoken thus, he personally gave the brāhmin immortality; he gave him a full vessel, pleased in his own heart.
अचला ते भवेद्विप्र भक्तिः पितरि सर्वदा । एवमाभाष्य तं विप्रं विसृज्य च सहस्रदृक्
O brāhmin, your devotion to your father will always remain steadfast; having spoken thus to the brāhmin, the thousand-eyed one departed.
प्रसन्नोभूच्च तद्दृष्ट्वा विप्रतेजः सुदुःसहम् । विष्णुशर्मा ततो गत्वा पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Seeing that, he became pleased, for the brāhmin's power was exceedingly formidable; then Viṣṇuśarmā went and spoke to his father.
तात इंद्रात्समानीतममृतं व्याधिनाशनम् । अनेनापि महाभाग नीरुजो भव सर्वदा
Father, I have brought nectar from Indra, which destroys disease; by this, O blessed one, may you always be free from illness.
अमृतेन त्वमद्यैव परां तृप्तिमवाप्नुहि । एतद्वाक्यं महच्छ्रुत्वा शिवशर्मा सुतस्य हि
Today itself, may you attain supreme satisfaction through the nectar; hearing these great words from his son, Śivaśarmā—
सुतान्सर्वान्समाहूय प्रीयमाणेन चेतसा । पितृभक्ताः सुता यूयं मद्वाक्यपरिपालकाः
He called all his sons together, his heart filled with joy; 'You are devoted to your father, O sons, and you uphold my words.'
वरं वृणुध्वं सुप्रीताः पुत्रका दुर्लभं भुवि । एवमाभाषितं तस्य शुश्रुवुः सर्वसंमताः
Choose a boon, O beloved sons, something rare upon earth; thus addressed by him, they listened, all esteemed.
ते सर्वे तु समालोच्य पितरं प्रत्यथाब्रुवन् । अस्माकं जीवताम्माता गता या यममंदिरम्
All of them, after deliberating, replied to their father: 'While our mother was alive, she departed for the abode of Yama.'
नीरुजा भवनाद्देवी प्रसादात्तव सुव्रता । भवान्पिता इयं माता जन्मजन्मांतरे पितः
By your grace, O virtuous one, the lady of the house has become free from illness; you are our father, she is our mother, and you have been our father through many births.
वयं सुता भवेमेति सर्वे पुण्यकृतस्तथा । शिवशर्मोवाच- अद्यैवापि मृता माता भवतां पुत्रवत्सला
May we always be your sons, and likewise all who perform virtuous deeds.' Śivaśarmā said: 'Even today, your mother, affectionate to her sons, has died.'
जीवमाना सुहृष्टा सा एष्यते नात्र संशयः । एवमुक्ते शुभे वाक्ये ऋषिणा शिवशर्मणा
She will return alive and joyful—of this there is no doubt. When these auspicious words were spoken by the sage Shivaśarman,
तेषां माता समायाता प्रहृष्टा वाक्यमब्रवीत् । एतदर्थं समुत्पन्नं सुवीर्यं तनयं सुतम्
their mother arrived, delighted, and spoke these words: 'For this purpose, a son of great strength has been born.'
नराः सत्पुत्रमिच्छंति कुलवंशप्रभावकम् । स्त्रियो लोके महाभागाः सुपुण्याः पुण्यवत्सलाः
Men desire a worthy son, one who brings glory to the family line. In this world, blessed women, full of merit and love for virtue,
सुतमिच्छंति सर्वत्र पुण्यांगं पुण्यसाधकम् । कुक्षिं यस्या गतो गर्भः सुपुण्यः परिवर्त्तते
always wish for a son who is virtuous and the accomplisher of good deeds. When a meritorious embryo enters a woman's womb, great merit is set in motion.
पुण्यान्पुत्रान्प्रसूयेत सा नारी पुण्यभागिनी । कुलाचारं कुलाधारं पितृमातृप्रतारकम्
A woman endowed with merit gives birth to virtuous sons—upholders of family tradition, the foundation of the lineage, and the honor of their father and mother.
विना पुण्यैः कथं नारी संप्राप्नोति सुतोत्तमम् । न जाने कीदृशैः पुण्यैरेष भर्ता सुपुण्यभाक्
Without merit, how could a woman obtain an excellent son? I do not know by what merits this husband is so greatly blessed.
संजातो धर्मवीर्योपि धर्मात्मा धर्मवत्सलः । यस्य वीर्यान्मया प्राप्ता यूयं पुत्रास्ततोधिकाः
He was born with the strength of righteousness, devoted to virtue and loving righteousness. By his power I have obtained you, sons, who are even greater.
एवं पुण्यप्रभावोयं भवंतः पुण्यवत्सलाः । मम पुत्रास्तु संजाताः पितृभक्तिपरायणाः
Such is the power of merit—therefore, you are all devoted to virtue. My sons have been born, devoted to honoring their father.
अहो लोकेषु पुण्यैश्च सुपुत्रः परिलभ्यते । एकैकशोधिकाः पंच मया प्राप्ता महाशयाः
Indeed, in the worlds, a good son is obtained through merit. I have gained five noble sons, each surpassing the other.
यज्वानः पुण्यशीलाश्च तपस्तेजः पराक्रमाः । एवं संवर्धितास्ते तु तया मात्रा पुनः पुनः
They are sacrificers, virtuous in conduct, possessing ascetic power, brilliance, and valor. Thus, they have been raised again and again by their mother.
हर्षेण महताविष्टाः प्रणेमुर्मातरं सुताः । पुत्रा ऊचुः- सुपुण्यैः प्राप्यते माता सन्माता सुपिता किल
Filled with great joy, the sons bowed to their mother and said: 'A mother is obtained by great merit, a true mother and a worthy father indeed.'
भवती पुण्यकृन्माता नो भाग्यैस्तु प्रवर्तिता । यस्या गर्भोदरं प्राप्य सुपुण्यैश्च प्रवर्द्धिताः
'You are a mother who performs meritorious deeds, not merely led by fortune. Having entered your womb and been raised with merit,'