मुह्यन्निव महामोहैर्ग्लानश्चलितमानसः । वेपमानस्ततस्त्वंगो दूयमानः समागतः
As if overcome by great delusion, weakened and his mind unsettled, his body trembled and he was tormented, coming together there.
तामालोक्य विशालाक्षीं मृत्युकन्यां यशस्विनीम् । अथोवाच महात्मा स सुनीथां चारुहासिनीम्
Beholding her, the wide-eyed, illustrious daughter of Death, the great-souled one then spoke to Sunīthā, the beautiful-smiling maiden.
का त्वं कस्य वरारोहे सखीभिः परिवारिता । केन कार्येण संप्राप्ता केन त्वं प्रेषिता वनम्
Who are you, O lovely one, surrounded by companions? For what purpose have you come, and by whom have you been sent to this forest?
तवांगं सुंदरं सर्वमत्र भाति महावने । समाचक्ष्व ममाद्यैव प्रसादसुमुखी भव
Your entire form shines beautifully here in this great forest; tell me today, O gracious-faced one, and be favorable to me.
मायामोहेन संमुग्धस्तस्याः कर्म न विंदति । मार्गणैर्मन्मथस्यापि परिविद्धो महामुनिः
Bewildered by the illusion of Māyā, he could not discern her actions; even the great sage was pierced by the arrows of Kāma.
एवंविधं महद्वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य महामतेः । नोवाच किंचित्सा विप्रं समालोक्य सखीमुखम्
Hearing such great words from the wise one, she said nothing to the brāhmaṇa, but looked at the face of her companion.
रंभां च प्रेरयामास सुनीथा संज्ञया सखीम् । समुवाच ततो रंभा सादरं तं द्विजं प्रति
Sunīthā, by a gesture, directed Rambhā, her companion; then Rambhā respectfully addressed the brāhmaṇa.
इयं कन्या महाभागा मृत्योश्चापि महात्मनः । सुनीथाख्या प्रसिद्धेयं सर्वलक्षणसंपदा
This maiden, most fortunate, is the renowned Sunīthā, daughter of the great-souled Death, endowed with all auspicious marks.
पतिमन्विच्छती बाला धर्मवंतं तपोनिधिम् । शांतं दांतं महाप्राज्ञं वेदविद्याविशारदम्
The young girl seeks a husband who is righteous, a treasury of austerity, peaceful, self-controlled, greatly wise, and skilled in Vedic knowledge.
एवंविधं महद्वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य महामुनिः । तामुवाच ततस्त्वंगो रंभामप्सरसां वराम्
Hearing such great words, the great sage then spoke to Rambhā, the foremost among apsarases.
मया चाराधितो विष्णुः सर्वविश्वमयो हरिः । तेन दत्तो वरो मह्यं पुत्राख्यः सर्वसिद्धिदः
I have worshipped Viṣṇu, Hari who pervades the entire universe; by him, I have been granted a boon named 'son,' which bestows all accomplishments.
तन्निमित्तमहं भद्रे सुतार्थं नित्यमेव च । कस्यचित्पुण्यवीर्यस्य कन्यामेकां प्रचिंतये
For that purpose, O gentle one, I always contemplate a maiden for the sake of a son, one belonging to someone of virtuous merit.
सदैवाहं न पश्यामि सुभार्यां सत्यमीदृशीम् । इयं धर्मस्य वै कन्या धर्माचारा वरानना
I have never seen a truly virtuous wife like this; she is indeed the daughter of Dharma, with noble conduct and a beautiful face.
मामेवं हि भजत्वेषा यदि कान्तमिहेच्छति । यं यमिच्छेदियं बाला तं ददामि न संशयः
Let her choose me if she desires a beloved; whoever this young girl wishes, I will give her to him, without doubt.
अदेयं देयमित्याह अस्याः संगमकारणात् । एकमेवं त्वया देयं श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तम
It is said, 'What is not to be given, what is to be given,' for the sake of union with her; but only one thing must be given by you—listen, O best of twice-born.
रंभोवाच- विप्रेंद्र त्वं शृणुष्वेह प्रतिज्ञां वच्मि सांप्रतम् । एषा नैव त्वया त्याज्या धर्मपत्नी तवैव हि
Rambhā said: O chief of brāhmaṇas, listen here to my vow, which I now declare: she must never be abandoned by you; she is indeed your lawful wife.
अस्या दोषो गुणो नैव ग्राह्य एव त्वया कदा । इत्यर्थे प्रत्ययं विप्र प्रत्यक्षं परिदर्शय
You should never accept either a fault or a virtue in her; O Brahmin, to confirm this, show direct evidence.
स्वहस्तं देहि विप्रेंद्र सत्यप्रत्ययकारकम् । एवमस्तु मया दत्तो ह्यस्या हस्तो न संशयः
Give your own hand, O foremost of Brahmins, as a sign of truth and trust; thus, I have given her hand—there is no doubt.
सूत उवाच- एवं संबधिकं कृत्वा सत्यप्रत्ययकारकम् । गांधर्वेण विवाहेन सुनीथामुपयेमिवान्
Sūta said: In this way, after making the connection and establishing trust in the truth, he married Sunīthā by the Gāndharva rite.
तस्मै दत्वा सुनीथां तां रंभा हृष्टेन चेतसा । सा तां चामंत्रयित्वा वै गता गेहं स्वकं पुनः
Having given Sunīthā to him, Rambhā, with a joyful heart, after bidding her farewell, returned again to her own home.
प्रहृष्टचेतसः सख्यः स्वस्थानं परिजग्मिरे । गतासु तासु सर्वासु सखीषु द्विजसत्तमः
Her delighted friends also returned to their own places; when all the companions had departed, the best of twice-born men—
रेमे त्वंगस्तया सार्धं प्रियया भार्यया सह । तस्यामुत्पाद्य तनयं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्
He enjoyed happiness with his beloved wife, Sunīthā; from her, he begot a son endowed with all auspicious marks.
चकार नाम तस्यैव वेनाख्यं तनयस्य हि । ववृधे स महातेजाः सुनीथातनयस्तदा
He gave that son the name Vena; that son of Sunīthā, possessing great energy, grew up at that time.
वेदशास्त्रमधीत्यैव धनुर्वेदं गुणान्वितम् । सर्वासामपि मेधावी विद्यानां पारमेयिवान्
Having studied the Vedas and scriptures, and the Dhanurveda with its qualities, he became the most intelligent among all, mastering every branch of knowledge.
अंगस्य तनयो वेनः शिष्टाचारेण वर्तते । स वेनो ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठः क्षत्त्राचारपरोऽभवत्
Vena, the son of Aṅga, followed the conduct of the virtuous; O best of Brahmins, that Vena was devoted to the practices of the Kṣatriyas.
दिवि चेंद्रो यथा भाति सर्वतेजःसमन्वितः । भात्येवं तु महाप्राज्ञः स्वबलेन पराक्रमैः
Just as Indra shines in heaven, endowed with all brilliance, so too did that great and wise one shine by his own strength and valor.
चाक्षुषस्यांतरे प्राप्ते वैवस्वतसमागते । प्रजापालं विना लोके प्रजाः सीदंति सर्वदा
When the interval of the Cākṣuṣa Manu had passed and the era of Vaivasvata arrived, the people always suffered in the world without a protector.
ऋषयो धर्मतत्त्वज्ञाः प्रजाहेतोस्तपोधनाः । व्यचिंतयन्महीपालं धर्मज्ञं सत्यपंडितम्
The seers, knowers of the essence of dharma, rich in austerity for the sake of the people, contemplated a king who was wise in dharma and truly learned.
तं वेनमेव ददृशुः संपन्नं लक्षणैर्युतम् । प्राजापत्ये पदे पुण्ये अभ्यषिंचन्द्विजोत्तमाः
They saw Vena himself, endowed with auspicious marks, and the excellent twice-born installed him in the sacred office of Prajāpati.
अभिषिक्ते महाभागे त्वंगपुत्रे तदा नृपे । ते प्रजापतयः सर्वे जग्मुश्चैव तपोवनम्
When the noble son of Aṅga was anointed king, all the Prajāpatis departed for the forest of austerities.