सत्यमुक्तं त्वया भद्रे सर्वसंदेहनाशनम् । तथा हि वंशमिच्छंति साधवः सत्यपंडिताः
"What you have said, O good lady, is true and removes all doubts; indeed, the virtuous and wise desire a lineage."
यथा पुत्रस्य चिंता मे न धनस्य तथा प्रिये । येनकेनाप्युपायेन पुत्रमुत्पादयाम्यहम्
"Just as I am concerned for a son and not for wealth, O beloved, by any means I will produce a son."
सुमनोवाच- पुत्रेण लोकाञ्जयति पुत्रस्तारयते कुलम् । सुपुत्रेण महाभाग पितामाता प्रजीवतः
Sumanā said: "With a son, one conquers the worlds; a son uplifts the family. O greatly fortunate one, with a good son, the ancestors and parents truly live on."
एकः पुत्रो वरः कांत बहुभिर्निर्गुणैस्तु किम् । एकस्तारयते वंशमन्ये संतापकारकाः
"One son is better, O lovely one; what use are many who lack virtue? One alone uplifts the lineage; others only bring distress."
पूर्वमेव मया प्रोक्तमन्ये संबंधभागिनः । पुण्येन प्राप्यते पुत्रः पुण्येन प्राप्यते कुलम्
"I have already said before: others are merely related by connection; a son is obtained by merit, and a family is obtained by merit."
सुगर्भः प्राप्यते पुण्यैर्दुर्मृत्युः पातकैस्तथा । सुखानां निचयं कांत सत्यमेव वदाम्यहम्
"A good womb is obtained through merit, and untimely death through sin; the accumulation of happiness, O beloved, I truly declare to you."
ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्येन तपसा नित्यवर्तनैः । दानेन नियमैश्चापि क्षमा शौचेन वल्लभ
By celibacy, by truthfulness, by austerity, by constant observances, by giving, and by self-restraint, as well as by forgiveness and purity, O beloved—
अहिंसया च शक्त्या वाऽस्तेयेनापि प्रवर्तते । एतैर्दशभिरंगैश्च धर्ममेवं प्रसूयते
And also by non-violence to the best of one's ability, and by not stealing, one proceeds; by these ten limbs, thus, dharma is produced.
संपूर्णो जायते धर्म अंगैर्गर्भो यथोदरे । धर्मं सृजति धर्मात्मा त्रिविधेनैव कर्मणा
Dharma becomes complete through its limbs, just as an embryo in the womb; the one whose nature is dharma creates dharma by threefold action.
तस्य धर्मः प्रसन्नात्मा पुण्य सौख्यं प्रयच्छति । यंयं चिंतयते प्राज्ञस्तंतं प्राप्नोति दुर्लभम्
His dharma, with a serene mind, bestows virtue and happiness; whatever the wise man contemplates, he attains, even if it is difficult to obtain.
देवशर्म्मोवाच- सर्वं देवि समाख्यातं धर्माख्यं ज्ञानमुत्तमम् । कथं पुत्रमहं विंद्यां वैष्णवं गुणसंयुतम्
Devaśarman said— O goddess, all the supreme knowledge called dharma has been explained; how can I obtain a son endowed with Vaishnava qualities?
वद त्वं मे महाभागे यदि जानासि सुव्रते । धर्ममार्गस्त्वया सर्व्वः पितुः प्राप्तः पुरानघे
Tell me, O highly fortunate one, if you know, O virtuous lady; the entire path of dharma was formerly obtained by you from your father, O sinless one.
ममैतद्विदितं कांते भवती ब्रह्मवादिनी । च्यवनस्य प्रसादेन विष्णोस्तुष्टस्य ते पुरा
O beloved, this is known to me: you are a speaker of Brahman; formerly, by the grace of Cyavana and the satisfaction of Viṣṇu, you received it.
सुमनोवाच- वसिष्ठं गच्छ धर्मज्ञ तं प्रार्थय महामुनिम् । तस्मात्प्राप्स्यसि तं पुत्रं धर्मज्ञं धर्मवत्सलम्
Sumanā said— Go to Vasiṣṭha, O knower of dharma, and beseech that great sage; from him you will obtain a son devoted to dharma and loving righteousness.
एवमुक्ते तया वाक्ये देवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः । करिष्ये तव कल्याणि मतमेवं न संशयः
Thus addressed by her, Devaśarman, the best of twice-born, said: 'O auspicious one, I will do exactly as you say, without doubt.'
एवमुक्त्वा जगामासौ देवशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः । वसिष्ठं सर्ववेत्तारं दीप्यंतं तपतां वरम्
Having spoken thus, Devaśarman, the best of twice-born, went to Vasiṣṭha, the knower of all, shining, the foremost of ascetics.
गंगातीरे स्थितं पुण्यमासनस्थं द्विजोत्तमम् । तेजोज्वालासमाकीर्णं द्वितीयमिव भास्करम्
He saw the most excellent twice-born, seated in a holy place on the bank of the Ganges, surrounded by a blaze of energy, like a second sun.
राजमानं महात्मानं ब्रह्मसिंहं द्विजोत्तमम् । भक्त्या प्रणम्य स मुनिं दंडवत्तं पुनःपुनः
Radiant, great-souled, a lion among Brahmins, the best of twice-born—he bowed to that sage with devotion, again and again, in full prostration.
तमुवाच महातेजा ब्रह्मसूनुरकल्मषम् । उपविशासने पुण्ये सुखेन सुमहामते
That son of Brahma, full of great energy, spoke to him, free from sin: 'Sit on this holy seat, O supremely wise one, at ease.'
नारद उवाच- उपविष्टः स योगींद्र पुनः प्राह तपोधनम् । गृहे पुरुष ते वत्स दारभृत्येषु सर्वदा
Nārada said— When he was seated, that lord of yogis again addressed the ascetic: 'O child, is all well in your house, with your wife and servants always?'
क्षेममस्ति महाभाग पुण्यकर्मसु चाग्निषु । निरामयोऽसि चांगेषु धर्मं पालयसे सदा
Is all well, O highly fortunate one, with your meritorious rites and your sacred fires? Are you free from illness in your limbs? Do you always uphold dharma?
एवमुक्त्वा महाप्राज्ञः पुनः प्राह महीसुरम् । किं करोमि प्रियं कामं सुप्रियं ते द्विजोत्तम
Having spoken thus, the highly wise one again addressed the best of Brahmins: 'What dear wish, what most cherished thing, shall I do for you, O best of twice-born?'
नारद उवाच- एवं संभाष्य तं विप्रं विरराम शुभं वचः । ततो विप्रो महाभागो वसिष्ठं मुनिपुंगवम्
Nārada said— Thus having spoken to that Brahmin, he ceased his auspicious words; then the highly fortunate Brahmin addressed Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of sages.
स होवाच महात्मानं वसिष्ठं तपतां वरम् । भगवञ्छ्रूयतां वाक्यं विच्छेदय द्विजोत्तम
He spoke to the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of ascetics: 'O lord, please listen to my words, O best of twice-born.'
दारिद्र्यं केन भावेन पुत्रसौख्यं कथं नहि । एतन्मे संशयं तात कस्मात्पापाद्वदस्व मे
By what cause does poverty arise, and why is there no happiness from sons? O father, tell me the reason for this doubt of mine—what sin is the cause of it?
महामोहेन संमुग्धः प्रियया बोधितो द्विज । तयाहं प्रेषितस्तात तव पार्श्वं समागतः
Deluded by great ignorance, I was awakened by my beloved, O twice-born one. Sent by her, O father, I have come to your presence.
तत्सर्वं हि समाचक्ष्व सर्वसंदेहनाशकम् । मुक्तिदाता भव स्वत्वं ममसंसारबंधनात्
Please explain all this, which dispels every doubt. Be the giver of liberation to me from the bondage of worldly existence.
वसिष्ठ उवाच- पुत्रा मित्रास्तथा भ्राता अन्ये स्वजनबांधवाः । पंचभेदास्तु संबंधाः पुरुषस्य भवंति ते
Vasiṣṭha said: Sons, friends, brothers, and other relatives—these are five kinds of relationships that a person has.
तेते सुमनसा प्रोक्ताः पूर्वमेव तवाग्रतः । ऋणसंबंधिनः सर्वे ते कुपुत्रा द्विजोत्तम
All these, O best of the twice-born, have already been described to you as being bound by debts; they are all bad sons.
पुत्रस्य लक्षणं पुण्यं तवाग्रे प्रवदाम्यहम् । पुण्यप्रसक्तो यस्यात्मा सत्यधर्मरतः सदा
Now I shall tell you, in your presence, the characteristics of a good son: one whose soul is devoted to virtue and who always delights in truth and righteousness.