वटाधःस्थो द्विजश्रेष्ठस्तमुवाच महाशुकम् । को भवान्धर्मवक्ता हि पक्षिरूपेण वर्तते
Beneath the banyan tree, the best of brāhmaṇas spoke to Mahāśuka: 'Who are you, speaker of dharma, dwelling in the form of a bird?'
किं वा देवोऽथ गंधर्वः किं वा विद्याधरो भवान् । कस्य शापादिमां प्राप्तो योनिं कीरस्य पातकीम्
'Are you a god, or a gandharva, or perhaps a vidyādhara? By whose curse have you obtained this sinful birth as a parrot?'
कस्मात्ते ईदृशं ज्ञानं वर्ततेऽतीद्रियं शुक । सुपुण्यस्य तु कस्यापि कस्य वै तपसः फलम्
Why do you possess such extraordinary knowledge, O Śuka, beyond the senses? Whose great merit or austerity has yielded this fruit?
किं वा च्छन्नेन रूपेण अनेनापि महामते । कस्त्वं सिद्धोऽसि देवो वा तन्मे कथय कारणम्
What is the purpose of this concealed form, O wise one? Who are you—are you perfected, or a deity? Tell me the reason for this.
कुंजल उवाच- भोः सिद्ध त्वामहं जाने कुलं ते गोत्रमुत्तमम् । विद्यां तपःप्रभावं च यस्माद्भ्रमसि मेदिनीम्
Kuñjala said: O perfected one, I know you; your lineage and noble ancestry, your knowledge and the power of your austerity, by which you wander the earth.
सर्वं विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि स्वागतं तव सुव्रत । उपविश्यासने पुण्ये छायामाश्रयशीतलाम्
I will tell you everything, O virtuous brāhmaṇa; welcome to you. Sit upon this auspicious seat and rest in the cool shade.
अव्यक्तप्रभवो ब्रह्मा तस्माज्जज्ञे प्रजापतिः । ब्राह्मणस्तु गुणैर्युक्तो भृगुर्ब्रह्मसमो द्विजः
Brahmā, whose origin is unmanifest, was born, and from him came Prajāpati. The brāhmaṇa endowed with virtues is Bhṛgu, equal to Brahmā, O twice-born.
भार्गवो नाम तस्यासीत्सर्वधर्मार्थतत्ववित् । तस्यान्वये भवान्विप्र च्यवनः ख्यातिमान्भुवि
His descendant was named Bhārgava, knower of all dharma and truth. In his lineage, you are known, O brāhmaṇa, as Cyavana, famed upon the earth.
नाहं देवो न गंधर्वो नाहं विद्याधरः पुनः । योहं विप्र प्रवक्ष्यामि तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
I am not a god, nor a gandharva, nor again a vidyādhara. I will tell you who I am, O brāhmaṇa; listen as I speak.
कश्यपस्य कुले जातः कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणसत्तमः । वेदवेदांगतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वकर्मप्रकाशकः
Born in the lineage of Kaśyapa, a certain foremost brāhmaṇa, expert in the Vedas and their branches, illuminating all actions.
विद्याधरेति विख्यातः कुलशीलगुणैर्युतः । राजमानः श्रिया विप्र आचारैस्तपसा तदा
He was renowned as a vidyādhara, endowed with noble lineage, character, and virtues, shining with splendor, O brāhmaṇa, through conduct and austerity.
संबभूवुः सुतास्तस्य विद्याधरस्य ते त्रयः । वसुशर्मा नामशर्मा धर्मशर्मा च ते त्रयः
Three sons were born to that vidyādhara: Vasuśarmā, Nāmaśarmā, and Dharmaśarmā—those three.
तेषामहं धर्मशर्मा कनिष्ठो गुणवर्जितः । वसुशर्मा मम भ्राता वेदशास्त्रार्थकोविदः
Of them, I am Dharmaśarmā, the youngest, lacking in virtues. Vasuśarmā, my brother, is skilled in the meaning of the Vedas and śāstras.
आचारेण सुसंपन्नो विद्यादिसुगुणैः पुनः । नामशर्मा महाप्राज्ञस्तद्वच्चासीद्गुणाधिकः
Nāmaśarmā, endowed with excellent conduct and many virtues, is very wise; likewise, he was superior in qualities.
अहमेको महामूर्खः संजातः शृणु सत्तम । विद्यानामुत्तमं विप्र भावमर्थं शुभं कदा
I alone became a great fool, listen, O noble one. When will I attain the highest state of knowledge, its meaning, and auspiciousness, O brāhmaṇa?
न शृणोमि न वै यामि गुरुगेहमनुत्तमम् । ततस्तु जनको मे तु मामेवं परिचिंतयेत्
I neither listen nor go to the excellent house of the teacher. Therefore, my father would think of me thus.
धर्मशर्मेति पुत्रस्य नामास्य तु निरर्थकम् । संजातः क्षितिमध्ये तु न विद्वान्मे गुणाकरः
The name Dharmaśarmā for his son was meaningless; born upon the earth, I was not learned, nor a repository of virtues.
इति संचिंत्य धर्मात्मा मामुवाच सुदुःखितः । व्रज पुत्र गुरोर्गेहं विद्यार्थं परिसाधय
Thinking thus, the righteous one, greatly distressed, spoke to me: 'Go, son, to the house of the teacher and acquire knowledge.'
एवमाकर्ण्य तत्तस्य पितुर्वाक्यं मयाशुभम् । नाहं तात गमिष्यामि गुरोर्गेहं सुदुःखदम्
Hearing those words of my father, I replied unfavorably: 'Father, I will not go to the teacher's house, which is full of sorrow.'
यत्र वै ताडनं नित्यं भ्रूभंगादि च क्रोशनम् । अन्नं न दृश्यते तत्र कर्मणा शृणुसत्तम
Where there is constant beating, frowning, and shouting, and food is not seen there—such is the work, listen, O noble one.
दिवारात्रौ न निद्रास्ति नास्ति सुखस्य साधनम् । तस्माद्दुःखमयं तात न यास्ये गुरुमंदिरम्
There is no sleep by day or night, nor any means to happiness; therefore, father, I will not go to the teacher’s house, which is full of suffering.
विद्याकार्यं करिष्ये न क्रीडार्थमहमुत्सुकः । भोक्ष्ये स्वप्स्ये प्रसादात्ते करिष्ये क्रीडनं पितः
I will do the work of learning, not eager for play; I will eat, sleep, and play only with your permission, father.
डिंभैः सार्द्धं सुखेनापि दिवारात्रमतंद्रितः । मामुवाच स धर्मात्मा मूढं ज्ञात्वा सुदुःखितः
Even though I stayed day and night without weariness, happily with the other boys, that righteous one, knowing me to be foolish and deeply distressed, spoke to me.
विद्याधर उवाच- मा पुत्र साहसं कार्षीर्विद्यार्थमुद्यमं कुरु । विद्यया प्राप्यते सौख्यं यशः कीर्तिस्तथातुला
The Vidyādhara said: My son, do not act rashly; strive for learning. Through knowledge, happiness, fame, and incomparable glory are attained.
ज्ञानं स्वर्गश्च मोक्षश्च तस्माद्विद्यां प्रसाधय । पूर्वं सुदुःखमूला तु पश्चाद्विद्या सुखप्रदा
Knowledge, heaven, and liberation are gained thereby; therefore, pursue learning. Though at first it is rooted in great suffering, later knowledge brings happiness.
तस्मात्साधय पुत्र त्वं विद्यां गुरुगृहं व्रज । पितुर्वाक्यमकुर्वाणो अहमेवं दिनदिने
Therefore, my son, pursue learning and go to the teacher’s house. Not following my father’s words, I, day by day—
यत्रयत्र स्थितो नित्यमर्थहानिं करोम्यहम् । उपहासः कृतो लोकैर्ममविप्र प्रकुत्सनम्
Wherever I stayed, I always caused loss of wealth; I was mocked by people, O brāhmaṇa, and scorned.
मम लज्जा समुत्पन्ना जीवनाशकरी तदा । विद्यार्थमुद्यतो विप्र कं गुरुं प्रार्थयाम्यहम्
Shame arose in me then, enough to destroy life; desiring knowledge, O brāhmaṇa, I wondered which teacher I should seek.
इति चिंतापरो जातो दुःखशोकसमाकुलः । कथं विद्यामहं जाने कथं विंदाम्यहं गुणान्
Thus, absorbed in thought, overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, I wondered: How shall I gain knowledge? How shall I obtain virtues?
कथं मे जायते स्वर्गः कथं मोक्षं व्रजाम्यहम् । इत्येवं चिंतयन्विप्र वार्द्धक्यमगमं पुनः
How will heaven come to me? How will I attain liberation? Thinking thus, O brāhmaṇa, I again reached old age.