सूत उवाच । वदतस्तत्समुद्दिश्य यद्वत्सस्य महात्मनः
Sūta said: Speaking thus, referring to that great soul—
पुरा मे वसमानस्य पुरतोऽत्र पितुर्गृहे
Long ago, while I was living here in my father's house—
वहमानो युवावस्थां द्वादशार्कसमद्युतिः
Passing through my youth, radiant as twelve suns—
मत्पित्रा स तदा दृष्टस्ततो भक्त्याऽभिवादितः
At that time, my father saw him and greeted him with devotion.
स्वागतं तव विप्रेंद्र कुतस्त्वमिह चागतः
"Welcome to you, best of Brāhmins! From where have you come here?"
कर्तुमिच्छाम्यनुष्ठानं शुश्रूषां चेत्करोषि मे
"I wish to perform a rite, if you are willing to serve me."
धन्योऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि यस्त्वं मे गृहमागतः
"I am blessed, I am favored, for you have come to my house."
एवमुक्ताथ मामाह स पिता द्विजसत्तमाः ६.२९.
Having spoken thus, my father then addressed me, O best of Brāhmins.
ततोऽहं विनयोपेतस्तस्य कृत्यानि कृत्स्नशः
Then, with humility, I performed all his tasks completely.
राजर्षीणां पुराणानां देवदानवरक्षसाम्
These were the tasks of ancient royal sages, gods, demons, and rākṣasas.
एकदा तु मया पृष्टः कथांते प्राप्य कौतुकम्
Once, at the end of a story, curiosity arose in me and I asked him:
भगवन्सुकुमारं ते शरीरं प्रथमं वयः
Revered one, your body was delicate and you were in your early youth.
कथं सर्वं धरापृष्ठं ससमुद्रं निरीक्षितम्
How did you observe the entire surface of the earth, along with the oceans?
त्वया ये कीर्तिता द्वीपाः समुद्राः पर्वतास्तथा
The islands, oceans, and mountains you have described—
अत्र कौतूहलं जातमश्रद्धेयं वचस्तथा
This has aroused my curiosity, and your words seem incredible.
तपसः किं प्रभावोऽयं किं वा मंत्रपराक्रमः
Is this the power of austerity, or the might of mantras?
किं वा देवप्रसादस्तु तवौषधिकृतोऽथवा
Or is it the favor of the gods, or perhaps the effect of some herb?
अथ मां स मुनिः प्राह विहस्य मुनिसत्तमाः ६.२९.
Then that sage, the best among sages, smiled and spoke to me.
सदाहमष्टसंयुक्तं सहस्रं शिवसन्निधौ
I always performed a thousand eightfold acts in the presence of Śiva.
त्रिकालं तेन मे जातं सुस्थिरं यौवनं मुने
Because of this, O sage, my youth became firm and enduring at all times.
मम वर्षसहस्राणि बहूनि प्रयुतानि च
Many thousands and tens of thousands of years have passed for me.
अत्र ते कीर्तयिष्यामि विस्तरेण महामते
I will now recount this to you in detail, O wise one.
अहं हि ब्राह्मणो नाम्ना वत्सः ख्यातो महीतले
Indeed, I am a brāhmaṇa named Vatsa, known upon the earth.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मेनका च वराप्सराः
At that very time, Menakā, the foremost of apsarases,
सा गता भ्रममाणाथ काम्यकंनाम तद्वनम्
She, wandering about, went to the forest called Kāmyaka.
यत्रास्ते मुनिशार्दूलो देवरात इति स्मृतः
There dwells the tiger among sages, known as Devarāta.
उपविष्टो नदीतीरे देवतार्च्चापरायणः
Seated on the riverbank, devoted to the worship of the gods,
अथ सा पश्यतस्तस्य विवस्त्रा प्राविशज्जलम् ॥ ६.२९.
then, as he watched, she entered the water unclothed.
अथ तस्य मुनींद्रस्य रेतश्चस्कन्द तत्क्षणात्
At that very moment, the sage's seed was released.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्ता सारंगी सुपिपासिता
Meanwhile, Sārāṅgī, extremely thirsty, arrived there.