मंत्रित्वे चक्रतुश्चेच्छामस्मिन्मर्त्यौ द्विजोत्तमौ। विभ्राजपुत्रस्त्वेकोभूद्ब्रह्मदत्त इति स्मृतः
Desiring the position of minister, those two excellent Brahmins among mortals, sons of Vibhrāja, became ministers in this matter; one was known as Brahmadatta.
मंत्रिपुत्रौ तथा चैव पुंडरीकसुबालकौ। ब्रह्मदत्तोभिषिक्तस्तु कांपिल्ये नगरोत्तमे
The two ministers' sons were Puṇḍarīka and Subāla; Brahmadatta was consecrated as king in the excellent city of Kampilya.
पंचालराजो विक्रांतः श्राद्धकृत्पितृवत्सलः। योगवित्सर्वजंतूनां चित्तवेत्ताभवत्तदा
The valiant king of the Panchalas, devoted to his ancestors and performer of śrāddha, was at that time a knower of yoga, understanding the minds of all beings.
तस्य राज्ञोभवद्भार्या सुदेवस्यात्मजा तदा। सन्नतिर्नाम विख्याता कपिलायाभवत्पुरा
That king then had a wife, the daughter of Sudeva, renowned as Sannati, who formerly belonged to Kapila's lineage.
पितृकार्ये नियुक्तत्वादभवद्ब्रह्मवादिनी। तया चकार सहितः स राज्यं राजनंदनः
Because she was engaged in duties toward her ancestors, she became learned in the Vedas; with her, the king's son ruled the kingdom.
कदाचिद्गतउद्यानं तया सह स पार्थिवः। ददर्श कीटमिथुनमनंगकलहान्वितम्
Once, that king went to a garden together with her, and saw a pair of insects engaged in a quarrel of love.
पिपीलिकामधोवक्त्रां पुरतः कीटकामुकः। पंचबाणाभितप्तांगः सगद्गदमुवाच ह
The male insect, standing before the female with her mouth downward, her body scorched by the arrows of Kāma, spoke to her in a faltering voice.
न त्वया सदृशी लोके कामिनी विद्यते क्वचित्। मध्ये क्षीणातिजघना बृहद्वक्त्रातिगामिनी
Nowhere in the world is there a lover like you; slender in the middle, with a very broad mouth, you move with great grace.
सुवर्णवर्णसदृशी सद्वक्त्रा चारुहासिनी। आलक्ष्यते च वदनं गुडशर्करवत्सलं
Your color resembles gold, your face is beautiful and smiling; your mouth appears, O beloved, as sweet as jaggery and sugar.
भोक्ष्यसे मयि भुक्ते त्वं स्नासि स्नाते तथा मयि। प्रोषिते मयि दीना त्वं क्रुद्धे च भयचंचला
When I eat, you eat; when I bathe, you bathe as well; when I am away, you are sorrowful, and when I am angry, you are restless with fear.
किमर्थं वद कल्याणि सदाधोवदनास्थिता। सा तमाह ज्वलत्कोपा किमालपसि रे शठ
Tell me, O lovely one, why do you always keep your face downward? She, burning with anger, replied: 'Why do you speak thus, O deceitful one?'
त्वया मोदकचूर्णं तु मां विहायापि भक्षितम्। प्रादास्त्वं तदतिक्रम्य मामन्यस्यै समन्मथः
You ate the sweetmeat powder, leaving me aside; you gave it away, and then, disregarding me, you became enamored with another.
पिपीलक उवाच। त्वत्सादृश्यान्मया दत्तमन्यस्यै वरवर्णिनि। तदेकमपराधं मे क्षंतुमर्हसि भामिनि
The ant said: Because she resembled you, O fair-complexioned one, I gave it to another; you should forgive me this one offense, O beautiful one.
नैवं पुनः करिष्यामि त्यज कोपं च सुस्तनि। स्पृशामि पादौ सत्येन प्रणतस्य प्रसीद मे
I will not do so again; give up your anger, O lovely-breasted one. I touch your feet in truth—be gracious to me, who am bowed before you.
रुष्टायां त्वयि सुश्रोणि मृत्युर्मे पुरतो भवेत्। तुष्टायां त्वयि वामोरु पूर्णाः सर्वमनोरथाः
If you are angry, O beautiful-hipped one, death stands before me; if you are pleased, O lovely-thighed one, all my desires are fulfilled.
पूर्णचंद्रोपमं वक्त्रं स्वादेमृतरसोपमम्। निर्भरं पिब सुश्रोणि कामासक्तस्य मे सदा
O beautiful-hipped one, always drink fully from my face, which is like the full moon and as sweet as nectar, for I am ever attached to love.
एतन्मत्वा शुभे कार्या सर्वदा तु कृपा मयि। इति सा वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रसन्ना चाभवत्ततः
Understanding this, you should always show compassion to me in auspicious deeds. Hearing these words, she then became pleased.
आत्मानमर्पयामास मोहनाय पिपीलिका। ब्रह्मदत्तोपि तत्सर्वं ज्ञात्वा सस्मयमाहसत्
The ant offered herself for enchantment, and Brahmadatta, knowing all this, smiled gently.
सर्वसत्वरुतज्ञानी प्रभावात्पूर्वकर्मणः। भीष्म उवाच। कथं सर्वरुतज्ञोभूद्ब्रह्मदत्तो नराधिपः
He knew the speech of all beings due to the power of his previous actions. Bhishma said: How did King Brahmadatta become one who knows the speech of all beings?
तच्चापि चाभवत्कुत्र चक्रवाकचतुष्टयं। तन्मे कथय सर्वज्ञ कुले कस्य च सुव्रतम्
Where and how did that group of four chakravaka birds come to be? Tell me, O all-knowing one, in whose family and of what virtue?
पुलस्त्य उवाच। तस्मिन्नेव पुरे जाताश्चक्रवाका अथो नृप
Pulastya said: In that very city, O king, the chakravaka birds were born.
वृद्धद्विजस्य दायादा विप्रा जातिस्मरा बुधाः। धृतिमांस्तत्त्वदर्शी च विद्यावर्णस्तपोधिकः
They were the sons of an aged Brahmin, wise, remembering their past births, steadfast, perceivers of truth, learned, of noble character, and devoted to austerity.
नामतः कर्मतश्चैव सुदरिद्रस्य ते सुताः। तपसे बुद्धिरभवत्तेषां वै द्विजजन्मनां
By name and by deed, they were the sons of the very poor man; and, being twice-born, their minds turned toward asceticism.
यास्यामः परमां सिद्धिमूचुस्ते द्विजसत्तमाः। तत्तेषां वचनं श्रुत्वा सुदरिद्रो महातपाः
The best of the twice-born said, 'We will attain the highest perfection.' Hearing their words, Sudaridra, the great ascetic,
उवाच दीनया वाचा किमेतदिति पुत्रकाः। अधर्म एष वः पुत्रा पिता तानित्युवाच ह
spoke with a distressed voice, 'What is this, my sons? This is unrighteous, my sons,' their father said to them.
वृद्धं पितरमुत्सृज्य दरिद्रं वनवासिनम्। क्व नु धर्मोत्र भविता मां त्यक्त्वा गतिमेव च
'Abandoning your old, poor, forest-dwelling father—where is righteousness in this? What will become of me, once you have left?'
ऊचुस्ते कल्पिता वृत्तिस्तव तात वचश्शृणु। व्रतमेतत्पुरा राज्ञः स ते दास्यति पुष्कलं
They said, 'A livelihood has been arranged for you, father; listen to our words. This vow was formerly that of a king; he will give you abundant wealth.'
धनं ग्राम सहस्राणि प्रभाते पठतस्तव। कुरुक्षेत्रे तु ये विप्रा व्याधा दशपुरे तु ये
'He will give you wealth, thousands of villages, when you recite in the morning. The Brahmins at Kurukshetra and the hunters at Dashapura—'
कालंजरे मृगा भूताश्चक्रवाकास्तु मानसे। इत्युक्त्वा पितरं जग्मुस्ते वनं तपसे पुनः
'The animals at Kalanjara, and the chakravaka birds at Manasa—' Saying this, they again went to the forest for asceticism, leaving their father.
वृद्धोपि स द्विजो राजन्जगाम स्वार्थसिद्धये। अणुहो नाम वैभ्राजः पञ्चालाधिपतिः पुरा
Even though old, that Brahmin, O king, went to accomplish his own purpose. Once, there was a king named Anuha, lord of the Panchalas.