हाहाकारं महत्कृत्वा रुरोद वरवर्णिनी । केन मे लक्षणोपेतो हृतो बालः सुलक्षणः
Uttering a great cry of distress, the beautiful woman wept: 'By whom has my auspicious, well-marked, virtuous child been taken?'
तपसा दानयज्ञैश्च नियमैर्दुष्करैः सुतः । संप्राप्तो हि मया वत्स कष्टैश्च दारुणैः पुनः
'Through austerity, gifts, sacrifices, and difficult vows, O dear one, I obtained this son by great and harsh efforts.'
दत्तात्रेयेण पुण्येन संतुष्टेन महात्मना । दत्तः पुत्रो हृतः केन रुरोद करुणान्विता
'Given by the virtuous and satisfied great-souled Dattātreya, my son—who has taken him away?' she wept, filled with compassion.
हा पुत्र वत्स मे तात हा बालगुणमंदिर । क्वासि केनापनीतोसि मम शब्दः प्रदीयताम्
'Alas, my son, my dear, my child, O treasure-house of boyish virtues! Where are you? By whom have you been taken? Let my voice reach you.'
सोमवंशस्य सर्वस्य भूषणोसि न संशयः । केन त्वमपनीतोसि मम प्राणैः समन्वितः
'You are the ornament of the entire Soma dynasty, without doubt. By whom have you been taken, you who are as dear to me as my own life?'
राजसुलक्षणैर्दिव्यैः संपूर्णः कमलेक्षणः । केनाद्यापहृतो वत्सः किं करोमि क्व याम्यहम्
'Endowed with all royal and divine marks, lotus-eyed one, by whom have you been taken today, O child? What shall I do? Where shall I go?'
स्फुटं जानाम्यहं कर्म ह्यन्यजन्मनि यत्कृतम् । न्यासनाशः कृतः कस्य तस्मात्पुत्रो हृतो मम
'I clearly know this is the result of some deed done in another birth. Whose trust did I violate, that my son has been taken from me?'
किं वा छलं कृतं कस्य पूर्वजन्मनि पापया । कर्मणस्तस्य वै दुःखमनुभुंजामि नान्यथा
'Or what deceit did I commit against someone in a previous life? Surely I am now experiencing the suffering from that deed—there is no other reason.'
रत्नापहारिणी जाता पुत्ररत्नं हृतं मम । तस्माद्दैवेन मे दिव्य अनौपम्य गुणाकरः
'Having become a thief of jewels, my jewel of a son has been taken from me. Therefore, by fate, my divine, incomparable treasure of virtues is lost.'
किं वा वितर्कितो विप्रः कर्मणस्तस्य वै फलम् । प्राप्तं मया न संदेहः पुत्रशोकान्वितं भृशम्
'Or perhaps a brāhmaṇa was wronged—this is the fruit of that deed. I have surely received it, overwhelmed as I am by grief for my son.'
किं वा शिशुविरोधश्च कृतो जन्मांतरे मया । तस्य पापस्य भुंजामि कर्मणः फलमीदृशम्
'Or perhaps I opposed a child in a former birth—now I suffer the result of that sinful act.'
याचमानस्य चैवाग्रे वैश्वदेवस्य कर्मणः । किं वापि नार्पितं चान्नं व्याहृतीभिर्हुतं द्विजैः
'Or perhaps, when a Vaiśvadeva ritual was performed, I did not offer food to a supplicant, nor was it offered by the brāhmaṇas with the sacred utterances.'
एवं सुदेवमानाच्च स्वर्भानोस्तनया तदा । इंदुमती महाभाग शोकेन करुणाकुला
Thus, from her deep love for her son, the noble Indumatī, daughter of Svarbhānu, was overcome with grief and compassion.
पतिता मूर्च्छिता शोकाद्विह्वलत्वं गता सती । निःश्वासान्मुंचमाना सा वत्सहीना यथा हि गौः
Falling down, fainting from sorrow, she became distraught, sighing deeply, like a cow bereft of her calf.
आयू राजा स शोकेन दुःखेन महतान्वितः । बालं श्रुत्वा हृतं तं तु धैर्यं तत्याज पार्थिवः
King Āyu, overwhelmed by great sorrow and grief, upon hearing that his child had been taken, abandoned his composure.
तपसश्च फलं नास्ति नास्ति दानस्य वै फलम् । यस्मादेवं हृतः पुत्रस्तस्मान्नास्ति न संशयः
There is no fruit from austerity, nor is there any reward from giving; since my son has been taken in this way, there is no doubt about it.
दत्तात्रेयः प्रसादेन वरं मे दत्तवान्पुरा । अजेयं च जयोपेतं पुत्रं सर्वगुणान्वितम्
By the grace of Dattātreya, a boon was once granted to me: a son, unconquerable and endowed with victory, possessing all virtues.
तस्य वरप्रदानस्य कथं विघ्नो ह्यजायत । इति चिंतापरो राजा दुःखितः प्रारुदद्भृशम्
How did an obstacle arise to the granting of that boon? Thus, the king, absorbed in thought and afflicted, lamented intensely.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे नाहुषाख्याने षडधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and sixth chapter in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the Padma Purāṇa, in the story of Vena, the greatness of the Guru's holy place, the account of Cyavana, and the tale of Nāhuṣa.
कुंजल उवाच- अथासौ नारदः स्वर्गादायुराजानमागतः । आगत्य कथयामास कस्माद्राजन्प्रशोचसे
Kuñjala said: Then Nārada, coming from heaven, approached King Āyu; having arrived, he asked, 'Why, O king, do you grieve?'
पुत्रापहरणं तेऽद्य क्षेमं जातं महामते । देवादीनां महाराज एवं ज्ञात्वा तु मा शुचः
The abduction of your son today has turned out well, O wise one; O great king, knowing thus, do not grieve.
सर्वज्ञः सगुणो भूत्वा सर्वविज्ञानसंयुतः । सर्वकलाभिसंपूर्ण आगमिष्यति ते सुतः
Your son, becoming all-knowing and possessed of virtues, endowed with all knowledge and complete in every art, will return to you.
येनाप्यपहृतस्तेऽद्य बालो देवगुणोपमः । आत्मगेहे महाराज कालो नीतो न संशयः
Though today your child, equal to the qualities of the gods, has been taken, O king, he has been led to his own home by Time, without doubt.
तस्याप्यंतं स वै कर्त्ता महावीर्यो महाबलः । स त्वामभ्येष्यते भूप शिवस्य सुतया सह
He, of great strength and valor, will accomplish his purpose; he will approach you, O king, together with the daughter of Śiva.
इंद्रोपेंद्रसमः पुत्रो भविष्यति स्वतेजसा । इंद्रत्वं भोक्ष्यते सोऽपि निजैश्च पुण्यकर्मभिः
Your son will, by his own brilliance, become equal to Indra and Upendra; he too will enjoy the position of Indra through his own virtuous deeds.
एवमाभाष्य राजानमायुं देवर्षिसत्तमः । जगाम सहसा तस्य पश्यतः सानुगस्य ह
Having spoken thus to the king Āyu, the eminent sage among the gods departed suddenly, as he watched, along with his attendants.
गते तस्मिन्महाभागे नारदे देवसंमिते । आयुरागत्य तां राज्ञीं तत्सर्वं विन्यवेदयत्
When that illustrious Nārada, esteemed among the gods, had departed, Āyu went and reported everything to the queen.
दत्तात्रेयेण यो दत्तः पुत्रो देववरोत्तमः । स वै राज्ञि कुशल्यास्ते विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादतः
The son granted by Dattātreya, the foremost among divine boons, dwells safely with the queen, by the grace of Viṣṇu.
येनाप्यसौ हृतः पुत्रः सगुणो मे वरानने । शिरस्तस्य गृहीत्वा तु पुनरेवागमिष्यति
Though that virtuous son of mine was taken, O beautiful one, he will return again, bringing the head of the one who took him.
इत्याह नारदो भद्रे मा कृथाः शोकमेव च । त्यज चैनं महामोहं कार्यधर्मविनाशनम्
Thus Nārada said, 'O blessed one, do not indulge in sorrow; abandon this great delusion, which destroys the proper course of duty.'