ताडनात्ताडनं दुष्टे न कुर्वंति महाजनाः । आक्रुष्टा नैव कुप्यंति इति धर्मस्य संस्थितिः
'The noble do not strike in return, O wicked one; even when abused, they do not become angry—such is the foundation of righteousness.'
त्वयाहं घातितः पापे निर्दोषस्तपसान्वितः । एवमुक्त्वा स धर्मात्मा सुनीथां पापचारिणीम्
'By you, O sinful one, I have been struck, though faultless and devoted to austerity.' Having spoken thus, that righteous soul ceased from anger towards Sunīthā, the wrongdoer.
विरराम महाक्रोधाज्ज्ञात्वा नारीं निवर्तितः । ततः सा पापमोहाद्वा बाल्याद्वा तमिहैव च
He desisted, knowing her to be a woman, out of great anger; then, whether from sinful delusion or childishness, she—
समुवाच महात्मानं सुशंखं तपसि स्थितम् । त्रैलोक्यवासिनां तातो ममैव परिघातकः
Addressed the great-souled Suśankha, who was engaged in austerity: 'O father, among the dwellers of the three worlds, you alone are my destroyer.'
असतो घातयेन्नित्यं सत्यान्स परिपालयेत् । नैव दोषो भवेत्तस्य महापुण्येन वर्तयेत्
He should always strike down the wicked and protect the truthful; there is no fault in him for this, for he acts with great merit.
एवमुक्त्वा गता सा तु पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । मया हि ताडितस्तात गंधर्वतनयो वने
Having spoken thus, she went and said to her father: 'Father, I was struck in the forest by the son of a Gandharva.'
तपस्तपन्सदैकांते कामक्रोधविवर्जितः । स मामुवाच धर्मात्मा क्रोधरागसमन्वितः
Practicing austerity in solitude, free from desire and anger, that righteous-souled one, though filled with anger and passion, spoke to me.
ताडयेन्नैव ताडंतं क्रोशंतं नैव क्रोशयेत् । इत्युवाच स मां तात तन्मे त्वं कारणं वद
'One should not strike one who strikes, nor shout at one who shouts,' thus he spoke to me, father; tell me the reason for this.
एवमुक्तः स वै मृत्युः सुनीथां द्विजसत्तमाः । किंचिन्नोवाच धर्मात्मा प्रश्नप्रत्युत्तरं ततः
Thus addressed, O best of twice-born, Death did not say anything further to Sunitha, the righteous-souled, in response to her question.
वनं प्राप्ता पुनः सा हि सुशंखो यत्र संस्थितः । कराघातैस्ततो दौष्ट्याद्घातितस्तपतां वरः
She returned again to the forest where Sushankha was staying; then, out of malice, she struck that best of ascetics with her hands.
सुशंखस्ताडितो विप्रा मृत्योश्चैव हि कन्यया । ततः क्रुद्धो महातेजाः शशाप तनुमध्यमाम्
O Brahmins, Sushankha was struck by Death's daughter; then, enraged and full of great energy, he cursed the slender-waisted maiden.
निर्दोषो हि यतो दुष्टे त्वयैव परिताडितः । अहमत्र वने संस्थस्तस्माच्छापं ददाम्यहम्
'Since you, though wicked, have struck me who am without fault and dwelling in the forest, therefore I lay a curse upon you here.'
गार्हस्थ्यं च समास्थाय सह भर्त्रा यदा शृणु । पापाचारमयः पुत्रो देवब्राह्मणनिंदकः
'When you enter household life with your husband, listen: a son will be born to you, full of sinful conduct, a reviler of gods and Brahmins.'
सर्वपापरतो दुष्टे तव गर्भे भविष्यति । एवं शप्त्वा गतः सोपि तप एव समाश्रितः
'Devoted to all evil, O wicked one, he will be in your womb.' Having thus cursed her, he too departed, taking up austerities.
गते तस्मिन्महाभागे सा सुनीथा गृहं गता । समाचष्ट महात्मानं पितरं तप्तमानसा
When that great-souled one had departed, Sunitha went home, her mind troubled, and reported everything to her noble father.
यथा शप्ता तदा तेन गंधर्वतनयेन सा । तत्सर्वं संश्रुतं तेन मृत्युना परिभाषितम्
She told her father all that had happened, how she had been cursed by the Gandharva's son, and all that Death had said.
कस्मात्कृतस्त्वयाघातस्तपति दोषवर्जिते । युक्तं नैव कृतं पुत्रि सत्यस्यैव हि ताडनम्
'Why did you strike the ascetic, who was free from fault? O daughter, it was not right to strike one who is truthful.'
एवमाभाष्य धर्मात्मा मृत्युः परमदुःखितः । बभूव स हि तत्तस्यादिष्टमेवं विचिंतयन्
Having spoken thus, the righteous-souled Death became deeply distressed, pondering over what had thus been ordained for her.
सूत उवाच- अत्रिपुत्रो महातेजा अंगो नाम प्रतापवान् । एकदा तु गतो विप्रा नंदनं प्रति स द्विजः
The Sūta said: The mighty and illustrious son of Atri, named Anga, once went, O Brahmins, towards Nandana.
तत्र दृष्ट्वा देवराजं तमिंद्रं पाकशासनम् । अप्सरसां गणैर्युक्तं गंधर्वैः किन्नरैस्तथा
There he saw the king of the gods, Indra, the slayer of Vritra, surrounded by hosts of Apsarases, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras.
गीयमानं गीतगैश्च सुस्वरैः सप्तकैस्तथा । वीज्यमानं सुगंधैश्च व्यजनैः सर्व एव सः
He saw him being sung to by singers with sweet voices in seven notes, and fanned by all with fragrant fans.
योषिद्भी रूपयुक्ताभिश्चामरैर्हंसगामिभिः । छत्रेण हंसवर्णेन चंद्रबिंबानुकारिणा
By women endowed with beauty, with chowries borne by swans, and with a parasol white as a swan and resembling the disc of the moon.
राजमानं सहस्राक्षं सर्वाभरणभूषितम् । कामक्रीडागतं देवं दृष्टवानमितौजसम्
He beheld the thousand-eyed king, adorned with every ornament, the god radiant with immeasurable energy, engaged in pleasures of love.
तस्य पार्श्वे महाभागां पौलोमीं चारुमंगलाम् । रूपेण तेजसा चैव तपसा च यशस्विनीम्
At his side was the illustrious Paulomī, auspicious and beautiful, renowned for her beauty, brilliance, austerity, and fame.
सौभाग्येन विराजंतीं पातिव्रत्येन तां सतीम् । तया सह सहस्राक्षः स रेमे नंदने वने
She shone with good fortune and fidelity, a devoted wife; with her, the thousand-eyed one delighted in the Nandana grove.
तस्य लीलां समालोक्य अंगश्चैव द्विजोत्तमः । धन्यो वै देवराजोऽयमीदृशैः परिवारितः
Observing his play, O best of twice-born, Aṅga thought: 'Truly blessed is the king of the gods, surrounded by such splendor.'
अहोऽस्य तपसो वीर्यं येन प्राप्तं महत्पदम् । यदा ममेदृशः पुत्रः सर्वलोकप्रधारकः
Ah, such is the power of his austerity, by which he attained this exalted state! If only I had such a son, the sustainer of all worlds.
भवेत्तदा महत्सौख्यं प्राप्स्यामीह न संशयः । इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा त्वरमाणो गृहागतः
Then I would surely attain great happiness here—of this there is no doubt. Immersed in such thoughts, he hurried home.
सूत उवाच- अथ त्वंगो महातेजा दृष्ट्वा इंद्रस्य संपदम् । भोगं चैव विलासं च लीलां तस्य महात्मनः
Sūta said: Then Aṅga, of great brilliance, having seen Indra's prosperity, his enjoyment, his pleasures, and the play of that great soul—
कथं मे इंद्र सदृशः पुत्रः स्याद्धर्मसंयुतः । चिंतयित्वा क्षणं चैव अंगो धर्मभृतां वरः
He thought for a moment: 'How might I have a son like Indra, endowed with righteousness?' Thus pondered Aṅga, foremost among the virtuous.