हर्षेण महताविष्टस्तमुवाच जनार्दनम् । दासोहं तव देवेश शंखचक्रगदाधर
Filled with great joy, he spoke to Janārdana: 'I am your servant, O Lord of gods, bearer of conch, discus, and mace.'
वरं मे दातुकामोसि देहि त्वं वंशजं सुतम् । दिवि शक्रो यथाऽभाति सर्वतेजः समन्वितः
You wish to grant me a boon; give me a son born in my lineage, endowed with all brilliance, shining in heaven like Indra.
तादृशं देहि मे पुत्रं सर्वलोकस्य रक्षकम् । सर्वदेवप्रियं देव ब्रह्मण्यं धर्मपंडितम्
Grant me such a son, a protector of all the worlds, beloved of all the gods, O Lord, devoted to Brahman and learned in righteousness.
दातारं ज्ञानसंपन्नं धर्मतेजः समन्वितम् । त्रैलोक्यरक्षकं कृष्ण सत्यधर्मानुपालकम्
A generous giver, endowed with wisdom, possessed of the radiance of righteousness, O Krishna, protector of the three worlds, upholder of true dharma.
यज्वनामुत्तमं चैकं शूरं त्रैलोक्यभूषणम् । ब्रह्मण्यं वेदविद्वांसं सत्यसंधं जितेंद्रियम्
The foremost among sacrificers, a hero, an ornament of the three worlds, devoted to Brahman, learned in the Vedas, steadfast in truth, and master of his senses.
अजितं सर्वजेतारं विष्णुं तेजःसमप्रभम् । वैष्णवं पुण्यकर्तारं पुण्यजं पुण्यलक्षणम्
Unconquered, conqueror of all, shining with the brilliance of Vishnu, devoted to Vishnu, doer of meritorious deeds, born of merit, and marked by virtue.
शांतं तु तपसोपेतं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् । वेदज्ञं योगिनां श्रेष्ठं भवतो गुणसंनिभम्
Peaceful, endowed with austerity, expert in all the scriptures, knower of the Vedas, foremost among yogis, resembling your own virtues.
ईदृशं देहि मे पुत्रं दातुकामो यदा वरम् । श्रीवासुदेव उवाच- एभिर्गुणैः समोपेतस्तव पुत्रो भविष्यति
Grant me such a son, when you are ready to bestow a boon. Shri Vasudeva said: Your son will be endowed with these qualities.
अत्रिवंशस्य वै धर्ता विश्वस्यास्य महामते । तेजसा यशसा पुण्यैः पितरं चोद्धरिष्यति
He will be the sustainer of the lineage of Atri, O wise one, and by his energy, fame, and merit, he will uplift his father.
उद्धरिष्यति यः सत्यैः पितरं च पितामहम् । भवान्यास्यति मे स्थानं तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्
He who will truly uplift both his father and grandfather will attain my abode, that supreme place of Vishnu.
इत्युक्त्वा देवदेवेशस्तमंगं प्रति स द्विज । कस्यचित्पुण्यवीर्यस्य पुण्यां कन्यां विवाहय
Having spoken thus, the Lord of gods addressed him: Marry a virtuous maiden, the daughter of one endowed with merit.
तस्यामुत्पादय सुतं शुभं पुण्यावह प्रियम् । स भविष्यति धर्मात्मा मत्प्रसादान्महामते
Beget upon her a good son, bringer of merit and dear to you; by my grace, O wise one, he will be righteous in soul.
सर्वज्ञः सर्ववेत्ता च यादृशो वांछितस्त्वया । एवं वरं ततो दत्वा अंतर्धानं गतो हरिः
All-knowing, knower of everything, just as you desire; having thus granted the boon, Hari disappeared.
ऋषय ऊचुः- शप्ता गंधर्वपुत्रेण सुशंखेन महात्मना । तस्य शापात्कथं जाता किं किं कर्म कृतं तया
The sages said: Cursed by Suśaṅkha, the great-souled son of a Gandharva—how did she come to be so by his curse, and what deeds did she perform?
सा लेभे कीदृशं पुत्रं तस्य शापाद्द्विजोत्तम । सुनीथायाश्च चरितं त्वं नो विस्तरतो वद
What kind of son did she obtain as a result of his curse, O best of twice-born? Tell us in detail the story of Sunīthā.
सूत उवाच- सुशंखेनापि तेनैव सा शप्ता तनुमध्यमा । पितुः स्थानं गता सा तु सुनीथा दुःखपीडिता
Sūta said: By that very Suśaṅkha she was cursed, slender-waisted; Sunīthā, afflicted by sorrow, went to her father's abode.
पितरं चात्मनश्चैव चरितं च प्रकाशितम् । श्रुतवान्सोपि धर्मात्मा मृत्युः सत्यवतां वर
She revealed the deeds of her father and herself; and that righteous one, Death, foremost among the truthful, heard it.
तामुवाच सुनीथां तु सुतां शप्तां महात्मना । भवत्या दुष्कृतं पापं धर्म तेजः प्रणाशनम्
He addressed Sunīthā, his daughter, who had been cursed, with great soul: 'By you, sinful misdeed was committed, destroying your righteousness and radiance.'
कस्मात्कृतं महाभागे सुशांतस्य हि ताडनम् । विरुद्धं सर्वलोकस्य भवत्या परिकल्पितम्
Why did you do this, O highly fortunate one? The striking of Suśānta, who is peaceful, is an act opposed to all the worlds, conceived by you.
कामक्रोधविहीनं तं सुशांतं धर्मवत्सलम् । तपोमार्गे विलीनं च परब्रह्मणि संस्थितम्
That Suśānta, free from desire and anger, devoted to righteousness, absorbed in the path of austerity, established in the Supreme Brahman.
तमेवघातयेद्यो वै तस्य पापं शृणुष्व हि । पापात्मा जायते पुत्रः किल्बिषं लभते बहु
If one strikes him in return, listen to the sin that follows: a sinful soul is born as his son and he accrues much evil.
ताडंतं ताडयेद्यो वै क्रोशंतं क्रोशयेत्पुनः । तस्य पापं स वै भुंक्ते ताडितस्य न संशयः
He who strikes one who strikes, or shouts at one who shouts, surely partakes of the sin of the one struck—there is no doubt of this.
स वै शांतः स जितात्मा ताडयंतं न ताडयेत् । निर्दोषं प्रति येनापि ताडनं च कृतं सुते
He is truly peaceful and self-controlled who does not strike back at one who strikes, even if, O child, some harm has been done to him without fault.
पश्चान्मोहेन पापेन निर्दोषेऽपि च ताडयेत् । निर्दोषं प्रति येनापि हृद्रोगः क्रियते वृथा
If, later, out of delusion or sin, one strikes even the innocent, then, even without cause, he brings heartache upon the blameless.
निर्दोषं ताडयेत्पश्चान्मोहात्पापेन केनचित् । स पापी पापमाप्नोति निर्दोषस्य शरीरजम्
If, out of delusion or by some sin, one strikes the innocent, that sinner incurs the sin arising from the body of the blameless.
निर्दोषो घातयेत्तं वै ताडंतं पापचेतसम् । पुनरुत्थाय वेगेन साहसात्पापचेतनम्
If the innocent, rising up with force, kills the one who strikes with evil intent, then, by such boldness, the evil-minded is slain.
पापकर्तुश्च यत्पापं निर्दोषं प्रति गच्छति । ताडनं नैव तस्माद्वै कार्यं दोषवतोऽपि च
Whatever sin the wrongdoer commits against the innocent, that sin returns to him; therefore, one should not strike even the guilty.
दुष्कृतं च महत्पुत्रि त्वयैव परिपालितम् । शप्ता तेनापि याद्यैव तस्मात्पुण्यं समाचर
O daughter, you have preserved a great misdeed, and for that you have been cursed; therefore, now perform virtuous acts.
सतां संगं समासाद्य सदैव परिवर्तय । योगध्यानेन ज्ञानेन परिवर्तय नंदिनि
Always seek the company of the virtuous, and turn yourself toward good; transform yourself, Nandini, through yoga, meditation, and knowledge.
सतां संगो महापुण्यो बहुश्रेयो विधायकः । बाले पश्य सुदृष्टांतं सतां संगस्य यद्गुणम्
Association with the virtuous is supremely meritorious and brings great benefit; O child, observe well the example of the virtues gained by such company.