भर्तुर्वाक्यं निशम्यैवं राज्ञी इंदुमती ततः । हर्षेणापि समाविष्टा पुत्रस्यागमनं प्रति
Hearing her husband's words, Queen Indumatī was filled with joy at the prospect of her son's return.
यथोक्तं देवऋषिणा तत्तथैव भविष्यति । दत्तात्रेयेण मे दत्तस्तनपो ह्यजरामरः
As spoken by the divine sage, so it will be; the son granted to me by Dattātreya is indeed ageless and immortal.
भविष्यति न संदेहः प्रतिभात्येनमेव हि । इत्येवं चिंतयित्वा तु ननाम द्विजपुंगवम्
There will be no doubt about what will happen, for it appears to me just so; having thought thus, he bowed to the foremost of the twice-born.
नमोस्तु तस्मै परिसिद्धिदाय अत्रेः सुपुत्राय महात्मने च । यस्य प्रसादेन मया सुपुत्रः प्राप्तः सुधीरः सुगुणः सुपुण्यः
Salutations to him, the bestower of supreme accomplishment, the noble son of Atri, the great-souled one, by whose grace I have obtained a son—steadfast, virtuous, and supremely meritorious.
एवमुक्त्वा तु सा देवी विरराम सुदुःखिता । आगमिष्यंतमाज्ञाय नहुषं तनयं पुनः
Having spoken thus, that goddess, greatly afflicted, became silent, knowing that her son Nahuṣa would come again.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने गुरुतीर्थमाहात्म्ये च्यवनचरित्रे नाहुषाख्याने सप्तोत्तरशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the one hundred and seventh chapter, called 'The Story of Nahuṣa' in the narrative of Cyavana, in the account of the holy place of the Guru, in the tale of Vena, in the Bhūmikhaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
कुंजल उवाच- ब्रह्मपुत्रो महातेजा वशिष्ठस्तपतां वरः । नहुषं तं समाहूय इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Kunjala said: The son of Brahma, the radiant Vasiṣṭha, foremost among ascetics, summoned Nahuṣa and spoke these words.
वनं गच्छ स्वशीघ्रेण वन्यमानय पुष्कलम् । समाकर्ण्य मुनेर्वाक्यं नहुषो वनमाययौ
Go swiftly to the forest and bring abundant forest produce; hearing the sage’s command, Nahuṣa went to the forest.
तत्र किंचित्सुवृत्तांतं शुश्राव नहुषो बलः । अयमेष स धर्मात्मा नहुषो नाम वीर्यवान्
There, Nahuṣa heard a certain remarkable story: 'This is that righteous Nahuṣa by name, powerful and virtuous.'
आयोः पुत्रो महाप्राज्ञो बाल्यान्मात्रा वियोजितः । अस्यैवातिवियोगेन आयुभार्या प्ररोदिति
The wise son of Āyu, separated from his mother since childhood; because of this great separation, Āyu’s wife weeps.
अशोकसुंदरी तेपे तपः परमदुष्करम् । कदा पश्यति सा देवी पुत्रमिंदुमती शुभा
Aśokasundarī performed extremely difficult austerities; when will that auspicious goddess Indumatī see her son?
नाहुषं नाम धर्मज्ञं हृतं पूर्वं तु दानवैः । तपस्तेपे निरालंबा शिवस्य तनया वरा
Nahuṣa by name, knower of dharma, was formerly taken away by the Dānavas; the daughter of Śiva, noble and unsupported, performed austerities.
अशोकसुंदरी बाला आयुपुत्रस्य कारणात् । अनेनापि कदा सा हि संगता तु भविष्यति
Aśokasundarī, still a girl, because of her son Āyu; when will she be united with him by this means?
एवं सांसारिकं वाक्यं दिवि चारणभाषितम् । शुश्राव स हि धर्मात्मा नहुषो विभ्रमान्वितः
Thus, this worldly speech, spoken by celestial bards, was heard by that righteous Nahuṣa, who was filled with wonder.
स गत्वा वन्यमादाय वशिष्ठस्याश्रमं प्रति । वन्यं निवेद्य धर्मात्मा वशिष्ठाय महात्मने
He went, gathered the forest produce, and returned to Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage; presenting the forest goods, the righteous one offered them to the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
बद्धांजलिपुटोभूत्वा भक्त्या नमितकंधरः । तमुवाच महाप्राज्ञं वशिष्ठं तपतां वरम्
With hands joined in reverence, head bowed in devotion, he addressed the wise Vasiṣṭha, foremost among ascetics.
भगवञ्छ्रूयतां वाक्यमपूर्वं चारणेरितम् । एष वै नहुषो नाम्ना आयुपुत्रो वियोजितः
Revered one, may you hear these unprecedented words spoken by the celestial bard: this is Nahuṣa by name, son of Āyu, separated from his mother.
मात्रा सह सुदुःखैस्तु इंदुमत्या हि दानवैः । शिवस्य तनया बाला तपस्तेपे सुदुश्चरम्
Along with his mother Indumatī, he suffered great sorrow at the hands of the Dānavas; the daughter of Śiva, still a girl, performed extremely difficult austerities.
निमित्तमस्य धीरस्य नहुषस्येति वै गुरो । एवमाभाषितं तैस्तु तत्सर्वं हि मया श्रुतम्
This steadfast Nahuṣa is the reason, O teacher; thus it was spoken by them, and all this I have heard.
कोसावायुः स धर्मात्मा कासा त्विंदुमती शुभा । अशोकसुंदरी कासा नहुषेति क उच्यते
Who is this Āyu, the righteous one? Who is this auspicious Indumatī? Who is Aśokasundarī? And who is called Nahuṣa?
एतन्मे संशयं जातं तद्भवांश्छेत्तुमर्हति । अन्यः कोपि महाप्राज्ञः कुत्रासौ नहुषेति च
This doubt has arisen in me; you should resolve it. Who else, O most wise one, is this Nahusha, and where is he?
तत्सर्वं तात मे ब्रूहि कारणांतरमेव हि । वशिष्ठ उवाच- आयु राजा स धर्मात्मा सप्तद्वीपाधिपो बली
Tell me all this, dear father, and also any other reason. Vashishtha said: That king was Ayu, righteous and powerful, lord of the seven islands.
भार्या इंदुमती तस्य सत्यरूपा यशस्विनी । तस्यामुत्पादितः पुत्रो भवान्वै गुणमंदिरम्
His wife was Indumati, famed for her truthfulness and virtue. From her, you were born, a repository of all good qualities.
आयुना राजराजेन सोमवंशस्य भूषणम् । हरस्य कन्या सुश्रोणी गुणरूपैरलंकृता
By Ayu, the king of kings, you were produced as the ornament of the lunar dynasty. The daughter of Hara, with beautiful hips, adorned with virtues and beauty—
अशोकसुंदरी नाम्ना सुभगा चारुहासिनी । तस्य हेतोस्तपस्तेपे निरालंबा तपोवने
She was named Ashokasundari, fortunate and lovely with a charming smile. For your sake, she performed austerities, unsupported, in the forest of penance.
तस्या भर्ता भवान्सृष्टो धात्रा योगेन निश्चितः । गंगायास्तीरमाश्रित्य ध्यानयोग समाश्रिता
You were created by the Creator as her husband, through the power of yoga, certainly. Residing on the bank of the Ganga, she engaged in meditation and yoga.
हुंडश्च दानवेंद्रो यो दृष्ट्वा चैकाकिनीं सतीम् । तपसा प्रज्वलंतीं च सुभगां कमलेक्षणाम्
There, Hunda, the lord of the Danavas, seeing her alone, steadfast, blazing with ascetic power, and blessed with lotus-like eyes—
रूपौदार्यगुणोपेतां कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः । तां बभाषेऽन्तिकं गत्वा मम भार्या भवेति च
Endowed with beauty, nobility, and virtues, tormented by the arrows of desire, he approached her and said, 'Become my wife.'
एवं सा तद्वचः श्रुत्वा तमुवाच तपस्विनी । मा हुंड साहसं कार्षीर्मा जल्पस्व पुनः पुनः
Hearing his words, the ascetic woman replied to him, 'O Hunda, do not act violently; do not speak thus again and again.'
अप्राप्याहं त्वया वीर परभार्या विशेषतः । दैवेन मे पुरा सृष्ट आयुपुत्रो महाबलः
'I am unattainable by you, hero, especially as I am another's wife. By fate, my powerful son, born of Ayu, has already been ordained for me.'