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.
पुत्रार्थी देवदेवेशं पद्मयोनिं पितामहम्। आराधयामास विभुं तीव्रव्रतपरायणः
Desiring a son, he worshipped the Lord of gods, the lotus-born grandsire, with intense vows and devotion.
ततः कालेन महता तुष्टस्तस्य पितामहः। वरं वरय भद्रं ते हृदयेभीप्सितं नृप
After a long time, the grandsire was pleased with him and said, 'Choose a boon, may it be well with you; ask for what your heart desires, O king.'
अणुह उवाच। पुत्रं मे देहि देवेश महाबलपराक्रमम्। पारगं सर्वविद्यानां धार्मिकं योगिनां वरम्१०० 1.10.
Anuha said: 'Grant me, O Lord of gods, a son of great strength and valor, accomplished in all knowledge, righteous, and foremost among yogis.'
सर्वसत्वरुतज्ञं मे देहि योगिनमात्मजम्। एवमस्त्विति विश्वात्मा तमाह परमेश्वरः
'Grant me a son who knows the speech of all beings and is a yogi.' The Lord of all, the soul of the universe, said to him, 'So be it.'
पश्यतां सर्वभूतानां तत्रैवांतरधीयत। ततः स तस्य पुत्रोभूद्ब्रह्मदत्तः प्रतापवान्
Before the eyes of all beings, he vanished right there; then, his son Brahmadatta, endowed with great prowess, was born.
सर्वसत्वानुकंपी च सर्वसत्वबलाधिकः। सर्वसत्वरुतज्ञश्च सर्वसत्वेश्वरेश्वरः
He was compassionate to all creatures, surpassed all beings in strength, understood the speech of all beings, and was the lord of all lords of beings.
अथ सत्वेन योगात्मा स पिपीलकमागतः। यत्र तत्कीटमिथुनं रममाणमवस्थितम्
Then, united with virtue, the yogic soul approached the ant, where that pair of insects was found engaged in enjoyment.
ततः सा सन्नतिर्दृष्ट्वा प्रहसंतं सुविस्मितं। किमप्याशंकमाना सा तमपृच्छन्नरेश्वरम्
Thereupon, seeing him smiling in amazement, she, suspecting something, questioned the king.
सन्नतिरुवाच। अकस्मादतिहासोयं किमर्थमभवन्नृप। हास्यहेतुं न जानामि यदकाले कृतं त्वया
Sannati said: 'O king, why did you suddenly laugh? I do not know the reason for this laughter, which you made at such a time.'
अवदद्राजपुत्रोसौ तं पिपीलिकभाषितम्। रागवद्विरसोत्पन्नमेतद्धास्यं वरानने
The prince replied to her, 'O lovely-faced one, this laughter arose from the speech of the ant, which was produced out of passion and tastelessness.'