नारद उवाच- उपविष्टः स योगींद्र पुनः प्राह तपोधनम् । गृहे पुरुष ते वत्स दारभृत्येषु सर्वदा
Nārada said: Once seated, the lord of yogis again addressed the ascetic: 'O child, is everything well in your house, among wife and servants, always?'
क्षेममस्ति महाभाग पुण्यकर्मसु चाग्निषु । निरामयोऽसि चांगेषु धर्मं पालयसे सदा
Is all well, O fortunate one, with your sacred rites and 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 wise one again addressed the Brahmin: What dear wish, what cherished desire shall I fulfill for you, O best of twice-born?
नारद उवाच- एवं संभाष्य तं विप्रं विरराम शुभं वचः । ततो विप्रो महाभागो वसिष्ठं मुनिपुंगवम्
Nārada said: Having thus spoken to the Brahmin, he ceased his auspicious words; then the fortunate Brahmin addressed Vasiṣṭha, foremost of sages.
स होवाच महात्मानं वसिष्ठं तपतां वरम् । भगवञ्छ्रूयतां वाक्यं विच्छेदय द्विजोत्तम
He spoke to the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, foremost among ascetics: O revered one, please listen to my words; dispel my doubts, O best of Brahmins.
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? This is my doubt, O father; tell me, from what sin does it come?
महामोहेन संमुग्धः प्रियया बोधितो द्विज । तयाहं प्रेषितस्तात तव पार्श्वं समागतः
Deluded by great ignorance, I was instructed by my beloved; sent by her, O father, I have come to your presence.
तत्सर्वं हि समाचक्ष्व सर्वसंदेहनाशकम् । मुक्तिदाता भव स्वत्वं ममसंसारबंधनात्
Tell me everything that dispels all doubts; be the giver of liberation, and free 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 five kinds of relationships exist for a person.
तेते सुमनसा प्रोक्ताः पूर्वमेव तवाग्रतः । ऋणसंबंधिनः सर्वे ते कुपुत्रा द्विजोत्तम
These, O noble one, were previously described to you; all are bound by debts, and are bad sons, O best of Brahmins.
पुत्रस्य लक्षणं पुण्यं तवाग्रे प्रवदाम्यहम् । पुण्यप्रसक्तो यस्यात्मा सत्यधर्मरतः सदा
I will declare to you the auspicious qualities of a son: One whose soul is devoted to virtue, always engaged in truth and dharma.
शुद्धिमाञ्ज्ञानसंपन्नस्तपस्वी वाग्विदां वरः । सर्वकर्मसुसंवीतो वेदाध्ययनतत्परः
Pure, endowed with knowledge, ascetic, foremost among speakers, accomplished in all actions, and devoted to study of the Vedas.
सर्वशास्त्रप्रवेदी च देवब्राह्मणपूजकः । याज्ञिकः सर्वयज्ञानां दाता त्यागी प्रियंवदः
He is learned in all scriptures, worshipper of gods and Brahmins, performer of sacrifices, giver in all rites, renouncer, and one who speaks kindly.
विष्णुध्यानपरो नित्यं शांतोदांतः सुहृत्सदा । पितृमातृपरो नित्यं सर्वस्वजनवत्सलः
Always devoted to meditation on Vishnu, peaceful and self-controlled, ever a friend; constantly attentive to father and mother, affectionate to all his kin.
कुलस्य तारको विद्वान्स्वकुलं परिपोषकः । एवंगुणैस्तु संयुक्तः सुपुत्रः सुखदायकः
A savior of his lineage, wise, nourisher of his own family; endowed with such qualities, a good son brings happiness.
अन्ये संबंधयुक्ताश्च शोकसंतापकारकाः । उदासीनेन किं कार्यं फलहीनेन तेऽनघ
Others, though related, bring sorrow and distress; what use is there for one indifferent, O sinless one, whose actions bear no fruit?
आयांति यांति ते सर्वे दुःखं दत्वा सुदारुणम् । पुत्ररूपेण ते सर्वे संसारे द्विजसत्तम
All of them come and go, causing severe suffering; in the form of sons, they all bring pain in worldly life, O best of twice-born.
पूर्वजन्मकृतं कर्म यत्त्वया परिपालितम् । तत्सर्वं हि प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतामद्भुतं पुनः
The deeds performed by you in previous births, which you have maintained, I will recount all of them; listen again to this wondrous tale.
भवाञ्छूद्रो महाप्राज्ञ पूर्वजन्मनि नान्यथा । कृषिकर्त्ता ज्ञानहीनो महालोभेन संयुतः
You were a Shudra, O wise one, in a previous birth, not otherwise; a farmer, lacking knowledge, possessed of great greed.
एकभार्यः सदा द्वेषी बहुपुत्रो ह्यदत्तवान् । धर्मं नैव विजानासि सत्यं च परिनिष्ठितम्
Having one wife, always hostile, father of many sons, yet not a giver; you did not understand dharma nor the established truth.
दानं नैव त्वया दत्तं शास्त्रं नैव परिश्रुतम् । कृतं नैव त्वया तीर्थं न च यात्रा महामते
You never gave charity, nor listened to scripture; you did not undertake pilgrimages nor journeys, O great-minded one.
एवं कृतस्त्वया विप्र कृषिमार्गः पुनःपुनः । पशूनां पालनं पूर्वंग च्छंश्चैव द्विजोत्तम
Thus, O Brahmin, you repeatedly followed the path of agriculture; formerly, you tended cattle and goats, O best of twice-born.
महिषीणां तथाश्वीनां पालनं च पुनःपुनः । एवं पूर्वं कृतं कर्म त्वयैव च द्विजोत्तम
You also repeatedly tended buffaloes and horses; such actions were performed by you in the past, O best of Brahmins.
विपुलं तु धनं तद्वल्लोभेन परिसंचितम् । तस्य व्ययस्तु पुण्येन न कृतस्तु त्वया कदा
A great amount of wealth was accumulated by you through greed; its expenditure for merit was never made by you.
पात्रे दानं न दत्तं हि दृष्ट्वा वा दुर्बलं च तत् । कृषिं कृत्वा न दत्तं तु भवता धनमेव हि
Charity was not given to the worthy, even seeing their weakness; after farming, you kept the wealth for yourself.
गोमयं हि त्विदं सर्वं पशूनां संचयं च वै । विक्रयित्वा धनं विप्र संचितं विपुलं त्वया
All this cow dung and the collection of cattle, indeed, was sold by you, O Brahmin, and a great wealth was amassed.
तक्रं घृतं तथा क्षीरं विक्रीतं सततं दधि । दुष्कालश्चिंतितो विप्र मोहितो विष्णुमायया
Buttermilk, ghee, and milk were constantly sold, as was curd; you worried about hard times, O Brahmin, deluded by Vishnu's illusion.
कृत्वा महार्घमेवैतद्धनं ब्राह्मणसत्तम । निर्दयेन त्वया दानं न दत्तं तु तदा किल
Having made this wealth exceedingly valuable, O foremost Brahmin, you never gave charity, acting without compassion.
देवानां पूजनं विप्र भवता न कृतं सदा । पर्वाणि प्राप्य विप्रेभ्यो द्रव्यं नैव समर्पितम्
Worship of the gods was never performed by you, O Brahmin; even upon festivals, you did not offer gifts to Brahmins.
श्राद्धकालं च संप्राप्य श्रद्धया न कृतं त्वया । भार्या वदति ते साध्वी दिनमध्ये समागते
When the time for ancestral rites arrived, you did not perform them with faith; your virtuous wife speaks to you in the midst of the day.