यथा हि पथिकः कश्चिच्छायामाश्रित्य तिष्ठति। विश्रम्य च पुनर्याति तद्वद्भूतसमागमः
Just as a traveler, taking shelter in the shade, rests and then departs again, so too is the meeting of beings.
पुत्र नित्यं जगत्सर्वं तत्रैकः शोचसे कथं। तावत्त्वं शोकमुत्सृज्य मद्वाक्यमनुपालय
My son, since the whole world is always like this, why do you grieve alone? Therefore, abandoning sorrow, follow my words.
शिरस्याघ्राय तं पुत्रमवलिह्य च मूर्द्धनि। शोकेन महताविष्टा बाष्पव्याकुललोचना
Smelling her son's head and licking his crown, overwhelmed by great grief, her eyes filled with tears.
विनिःश्वसंती नागीव दीर्घमुष्णं मुहुर्मुहुः। पुत्रहीनं जगच्छून्यं प्रपश्यंतीव साऽभवत्
Sighing again and again, like a serpent, with long, hot breaths, she seemed to see the world as empty, bereft of her son.
महापंकनिमग्नेव तिष्ठंती चावसीदती। विलप्य नंदिनी पुत्रमुवाचेदं पुनर्वचः
Standing as if sunk in deep mud, sinking down, Nandini, lamenting, spoke these words again to her son.
नास्ति पुत्रसमः स्नेहो नास्तिपुत्रसमं सुखं। नास्ति पुत्रसमा प्रीतिर्नास्ति पुत्रसमा गतिः
There is no affection like that for a son, no happiness like that of a son; there is no joy like that of a son, nor any destiny like that of a son.
अपुत्रस्य जगच्छून्यमपुत्रस्य गृहेऽसुखम्। पुत्रेण लभते लोकमपुत्रो नरकं व्रजेत्
For one without a son, the world is empty; for one without a son, there is no happiness at home; by a son one attains the world, but the sonless goes to hell.
लोको वदति वाक्यानि चंदनं किल शीतलं। पुत्रगात्रपरिष्वंगश्चंदनादतिशीतलः
People say that sandalwood is cool, but the embrace of a son's body is cooler than sandalwood.
इति पुत्रगुणानुक्त्वा निरीक्ष्य च पुनःपुनः। स्वमातरं सखीर्गोपीस्त्वरमाणा च पृच्छति
Thus, having spoken of her son's virtues and gazing again and again at her mother, her friends, and the cowherd women, she asked hurriedly.
यूथस्याग्रे चरंतीं मामाससाद मृगाधिपः। मुक्ताहं तेन शपथैः पुनर्यास्यामि तत्र वै
The lord of the beasts approached me as I walked at the front of the herd; I was released by him through oaths, and I will return there again.
सुतं च मातरं चैव सखीर्द्रष्टुं च गोकुलं। आगता सत्यवाक्येन पुनर्यास्यामि तत्र वै
I have come, by the truth of my words, to see my son, my mother, my friends, and the cowherd village; I will return there again.
मातः क्षमस्व तत्सर्वं दौःशील्यादि कृतं मम। बालस्तवायं दौहित्रः किमत्रान्यद्ब्रवीम्यहं
Mother, forgive all the faults and misdeeds I have committed; this boy is your grandson—what more can I say?
विपुले चंपके मातर्भद्रे सुरभि मानिनि। वसुधारे प्रियानंदे महानंदे घटस्रवे
O noble mothers—Vipula, Campaka, Mātarbhadrā, Surabhi, Mānini, Vasudhārā, Priyānandā, Mahānandā, Ghaṭasravā—
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि यदुक्तं किंचिदप्रियं। तत्क्षमध्वं महाभागा यच्चान्यच्च कृतं मया
Whether through ignorance or knowingly, if I have spoken anything unpleasant, O greatly fortunate ones, please forgive me, and also whatever else I have done.
सर्वाः सर्वगुणोपेताः सर्वा लोकस्य मातरः। सर्वाः सर्वप्रदा नित्यं रक्षध्वं मम बालकं
All of you, endowed with every virtue, mothers of the world, always bestowers of all, protect my child.
अनाथं विकलं दीनं रक्षध्वं मम पुत्रकं। मातृशोकाभिसंतप्तं भगिन्यः पालयिष्यथ
Protect my son, who is helpless, afflicted, and miserable, scorched by the sorrow of his mother, O sisters, you must care for him.
यस्मादनाथमबलं पुत्रवत्पालयिष्यथ। क्षमध्वं च महाभागा यास्यामि सत्यसंश्रयात्
Because you will care for this helpless and powerless one as your own son, O greatly fortunate ones, forgive me, for I am about to depart, relying on truth.
न चिंता महती कार्या सखीभिश्च कथंचन। प्रथमस्यास्य जातस्य स्थितं मरणमग्रतः
No great anxiety should be felt by my friends in any way; for death stands before this firstborn.
श्रुत्वा तु नंदावचनं माता सख्यश्च दुःखिताः। विषादं परमं जग्मुरिदमूचुश्च विस्मिताः
Hearing Nandā’s words, the mother and her friends became distressed; they fell into deep sorrow and, astonished, spoke as follows:
अहोऽत्र महदाश्चर्यं यद्व्याघ्रवचनं त्वया। प्रकर्तुमुद्यतं भीमं नंदा त्वं सत्यवादिनी
Ah, this is a great wonder—that you, Nandā, truthful in speech, are prepared to carry out the dreadful words of the tiger.
शपथैः सत्यवाक्येन वंचयित्वा महाभयं। नाशनीयं प्रयत्नेन न गंतव्यं कथंचन
By oaths and truthful words, having deceived the great danger, one should not, by any means, go to destruction with effort.
नंदे न चैव गंतव्यमधर्मः क्रियते त्वया। यद्बालं स्वसुतं त्यक्त्वा सत्यलोभेन गम्यते
Nandā, you must not go; you are committing unrighteousness by abandoning your own child and departing out of attachment to truth.
अत्र गाथा पुरा प्रोक्ता ऋषिभिर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः। प्राणत्यागे समुत्पन्ने शपथैर्नास्ति पातकं
Here, a verse was formerly spoken by sages versed in Brahman: when the giving up of life arises, there is no sin in breaking oaths.
उक्त्वानृतं भवेद्यत्र प्राणिनां प्राणरक्षणं। अनृतं तत्र सत्यं स्यात्सत्यमप्यनृतं भवेत्
Where speaking untruth preserves the lives of beings, there untruth becomes truth, and truth itself may become untruth.
कामिनीषु विवाहेषु गवां मुक्तौ तथैव च। ब्राह्मणानां विपत्तौ च शपथैर्नास्ति पातकं
In matters of women, in marriage, in the release of cows, and in the calamity of Brāhmaṇas, there is no sin in breaking oaths.
नंदोवाच। परेषां प्राणरक्षार्थं वदाम्येवानृतं वचः। नात्मार्थमुत्सहे वक्तुं जीवितार्थे कथंचन
Nandā said: For the sake of protecting others’ lives, I will indeed speak untruth; but I am unable to speak it for my own sake, even to preserve my life.
एकः संश्लिष्यते गर्भे मरणे भरणे तथा। भुंक्ते चैकः सुखं दुःखमतः सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
Alone one is joined in the womb, alone in death and in bearing burdens; alone one enjoys happiness and sorrow—therefore I speak the truth.
सत्ये प्रतिष्ठिता लोका धर्मः सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः। उदधिस्सत्यवाक्येन मर्यादां न विलंघते
The worlds are established on truth; righteousness is established on truth; the ocean, by the power of truth, does not transgress its bounds.
विष्णवे पृथिवीं दत्वा बलि पातालमाश्रितः। छद्मनापि बलिर्बद्धः सत्यवाक्यं न चात्यजत्
Having given the earth to Viṣṇu, Bali dwells in the netherworld; even by deception Bali was bound, yet he did not abandon his truthful word.
प्रवर्धमानः शैलेंद्रः शतशृंगः समुत्थितः। सत्येन संस्थितो विंध्यः प्रबन्धं नातिवर्तते
The great mountain Vindhya, rising with a hundred peaks, stands firm by truth and does not overstep its limit.