मया चास्य प्रतिज्ञातं यद्यस्मत्कन्या या काचिद्भगवंतं वरयति तत्कन्याच्छंदे नाहं परिपंथानं करिष्यामीत्याकर्ण्य सर्वा एव ताः कन्याः सानुरागाः सप्रमदाः करेणव इव मृगयूथपतिं तमृषिमहमहमिकया वरयांबभूवुरूचुश्च
And I have promised him: whichever of our daughters chooses the venerable one, I will not oppose her choice. Hearing this, all the daughters, with affection and excitement, like female elephants toward the leader of their herd, eagerly sought to choose the sage and spoke out.
अलं भगिन्योहमिमं वृणोमि वृणोम्यहं नैष तवानुरूपः । ममैष भर्त्ता विधिनैव सृष्टस्सृष्टाहमस्योपशमं प्रयाहि
Enough, sister, I choose him, I choose him! He is not suited for you. He is my husband, created by destiny, and I am created for him. Go and find peace.
वृतो मयायं प्रथमं मयायं गृहं विशन्नेव विहन्यसे किम् । मया मयोतिक्षितिपात्मजानां तदर्थमत्यर्थकलिर्बभूव
I have chosen him first; I have chosen him! Why do you hinder me as he enters my home? Because of me, because of me! Among the king's daughters, a great quarrel arose for that reason.
यदा मुनिस्ताभिरतीवहार्दाद्वृतस्स कन्याभिरनिंद्यकीर्तिः । तदा स कन्याधिकृतो नृपाय यथावदाचष्ट विनम्रमूर्त्तिः
When the sage, of flawless reputation, was chosen with great affection by the maidens, he, having authority over the daughters, respectfully informed the king as appropriate.
श्रीपराशर उवाच । तदवगमात्किंकिमेतत्कथमेतत्किं किं करोमि किं मयाभिहितमित्याकुलमतिरनिच्छन्नपि कथमपि राजानुमेने
Śrī Parāśara said: Upon understanding this, 'What is this? How has this happened? What should I do? What should I say?'—the king, distressed and unwilling, somehow gave his consent.
कृतानुरूपविवाहश्च महर्षिस्सकला एव ताः कन्यास्स्वमाश्रममनयत्
The great sage, having married all the daughters appropriately, led them all to his own hermitage.
तत्र चाऽशेषशिल्पकल्पप्रणेतारं धातारमिवान्यं विश्वकर्माणमाहूय सकलकन्यानामेकैकस्याः प्रोत्फुल्लपंकजाः कूजत्कलहंसकारंडवादिविहंगमाभिरामजलाशयास्सोपधानाः । सावकाशास्साधुशय्यापरिच्छदाः प्रासादाः क्रियंतामित्यादिदेश
There, summoning another Viśvakarman, the originator of all arts and crafts, he ordered: 'Let splendid palaces be built for each daughter, furnished with soft bedding, delightful lotus ponds with singing swans, cranes, and other birds, pleasant surroundings, and fine amenities.'
तच्च तथैवानुष्ठितमश्षोशिल्पविशेषाचार्यस्त्वष्टा दर्शितवान्
And so it was done; Tvaṣṭā, the master of special arts, demonstrated his skill.
ततः परमर्षिणा सौभरिणाज्ञप्तस्तेषु गृहेष्वनिवार्यानंदकुंदमहानिधिरासांचक्रे
Then, by the command of the supreme sage Saubhari, an inexhaustible treasure of joy was established in those houses.
ततोऽनवरतेन भक्ष्यभोज्यलेह्याद्युपभोगैरागतानुगतभृत्यादीनहर्निशमश्षोगृहेषु ताः क्षितीशदुहितरो भोजयामासुः
Thereafter, with a constant supply of food, delicacies, sweets, and other enjoyments, the king's daughters, along with their attendants, were served day and night in those splendid houses.
एकदा तु दुहितृस्नेहाकृष्टहृदयस्स महीपतिरतिदुःखितास्ता उत सुखिता वा इति विचिंत्य तस्य महर्षेराश्रमसमीपमुपेत्य स्फुरदंशुमालाललामां स्फटिकमयप्रासादमालामतिरम्योपवनजलाशयां ददर्श
Once, the king, his heart drawn by affection for his daughters, wondered whether they were unhappy or happy, and approached the sage's hermitage. He saw a radiant row of crystal palaces, adorned with shining garlands, and delightful gardens and lotus ponds.
प्रविश्य चैकं प्रासादमात्मजां परिष्वज्य कृतासनपरिग्रहः प्रवृद्धस्नेहनयनांबुगर्भनयनोब्रवीत्
Entering one palace, embracing his daughter, and taking a seat, his eyes filled with tears of affection, he spoke.
अप्यत्र वत्से भवत्यास्सुखमुत किंचिदसुखमपि ते महर्षिस्स्नेहवानुत न स्मर्यतेस्मद्गृहवास इत्युक्ता तं तनया पितरमाह
'My dear, are you happy here, or is there any discomfort? Is the sage affectionate, or do you not remember living in our house?' Thus questioned, the daughter replied to her father.
तातातिरमणीयः प्रासादोत्रातिमनोज्ञमुपवनमेते कलवाक्यविहंगमाभिरुताः प्रोत्फुल्लपद्माकरजलाशयाः मनोनुकूलभक्ष्यभोज्यानुलेपनवस्त्रभूषणादिभोगो मृदूनि शयनासनानि सर्वसंपत्समेतं मे गार्हस्थ्यम्
'Father, this palace is very charming, the gardens are exceedingly delightful, the birds sing sweetly, the lotus ponds are blooming, the food, delicacies, ointments, garments, ornaments, and all comforts are pleasing, the beds and seats are soft. My household life is complete in every way.'
तथापि केन वा जन्मभूमिर्न स्मर्यते
Still, who does not remember their birthplace?
त्वत्प्रसादादिदमश्षोमतिशोभनम्
All this splendor here is due to your favor.
किं त्वेकं ममैतद्दुःखकारणं यदस्मद्गृहान्महर्षिरयम्मद्भर्त्ता न विष्क्रामति ममैव केवलमतिप्रीत्या समीपपरिवर्त्तिनीनामन्यासामस्मद्भगिनीनाम्
Yet there is one cause of sorrow for me: that this great sage, my husband, does not leave our house out of special affection only for me, while he does visit the other wives, my sisters.
एवं च मम सोदर्योतिदुःखिता इत्येवमतिदुःखकारणमित्युक्तस्तया द्वितीयं प्रासादमुपेत्य स्वतनयां परिष्वज्योपविष्टस्तथैव पृष्टवान्
Thus, when she said, 'My co-wife is exceedingly distressed,' and explained this as the cause of her great sorrow, he went to a second palace, embraced his own daughter there, sat down, and questioned her in the same way.
तयापि च सर्वमेतत्तत्प्रासादाद्युपभोगसुखं भृशमाख्यातं ममैव केवलमतिप्रीत्या पार्श्वपरिवर्त्तिनीनामन्यासामस्मद्भगिनीनामित्येवमादिश्रुत्वा समस्तप्रासादेषु राजा प्रविवेश तनयां तनयां तथैवावृच्छत्
She too described in detail all the pleasures and comforts she enjoyed in that palace, saying, 'Out of special affection only for me, he stays near me and not with the other wives, my sisters.' Hearing this from each, the king entered all the palaces and questioned each daughter in the same way.
सर्वाभिश्च ताभिस्तथैवाभिहितः परितोषविस्मयनिर्भरविवशहृदयो भगवंतं सौभरिमेकांतावस्थितमुपेत्य कृतपूजोब्रवीत्
And all of them spoke to him in the same manner; his heart, overwhelmed with satisfaction and wonder, approached the venerable Saubhari, who was alone, and after offering worship, he spoke:
दृष्टस्ते भगवन् सुमहानेष सिद्धिप्रभावो नैवंविधमन्यस्य कस्यचिदस्माभिर्विभूतिभिर्विलसितमुपलक्षितं यदेतद्भगवतस्तपसः फलमित्यभिपूज्य तमृषिं तत्रैव तेन ऋषिवर्येण सह किंचित्कालमभिमतोपभोगान् बुभुजे स्वपुरं च जगाम
O venerable one, I have witnessed your immense power of accomplishment; never have I seen such prosperity displayed by anyone else. This, I understand, is the fruit of your austerity. Honoring the sage, he remained there for some time, enjoying the pleasures he desired together with that best of sages, and then returned to his own city.
कालेन गच्छता तस्य तासु राजतनयासु पुत्रशतं सार्धमभवत्
As time passed, he had a hundred sons with those royal daughters.
अनुदिनानुरूढस्नेहप्रसरश्च स तत्रातीवममताकृष्टहृदयोऽभवत्
Day by day, his affection grew deeper, and his heart became intensely attached by love.
अप्येतेऽस्मत्पुत्राः कलभाषिणः पद्भ्यां गच्छेयुः अप्येते यौवनिनो भवेयुः अपि कृतदारानेतान् पश्येयमप्येषां पुत्रा भवेयुः अप्येतत्पुत्रान्पुत्रसमन्वितान्पश्यामीत्यादिमनोरथाननुदिनं कालसंपत्तिप्रवृद्धानुपेक्ष्यैतच्चिंतयामास
Will these sons of mine, who now babble like calves, ever walk on their own feet? Will they reach youth? Will I see them married? Will they have sons? Will I see my sons surrounded by their own sons? Such thoughts, growing daily with the passage of time, he began to ponder, neglecting all else.
अहो मे मोहस्यातिविस्तारः
Alas, how vast is the expanse of my delusion!
मनोरथानां न समाप्तिरस्ति वर्षायुतेनाप्यथ वापि लक्षैः । पूर्णेषुपूर्णेषु मनोरथानामुत्पत्तयस्संति पुनर्नवानाम्
There is no end to desires, not even in ten thousand years or a hundred thousand; even when some are fulfilled, new desires arise again and again.
पद्भ्यां गता यौवनिनश्च जाता दारैश्च संयोगमिताः प्रसूताः । दृष्टाः सुतास्तत्तनयप्रसूतिं द्रष्टुं पुनर्वांच्छति मेंऽतरात्मा
Even when they walk on their own feet, reach youth, are united with wives, and have children, seeing my sons, my inner self still longs to see the birth of their sons.
द्रक्ष्यामि तेषामिति चेत्प्रसूतिं मनोरथो मे भविता ततोन्यः । पूर्णेपि तत्राप्यपरस्य जन्म निवार्यते केन मनोरथस्य
If I think, 'I will see their children,' then another desire will arise; even if that is fulfilled, yet another will be born—by whom can the arising of desires be prevented?
आमृत्युतो नैव मनोरथानामंतोस्ति विज्ञातमिदं मयाद्य । मनोरथासक्तिपरस्य चित्तं न जायते वै परमार्थसंगि
I have now realized that desires do not end even with death; the mind attached to desires does not attain true reality.
स मे समाधिर्जलवासमित्रमत्स्यस्य संगात्सहसैव नष्टः । परिग्रहस्संगकृतो मयायं परिग्रहोत्था च ममातिलिप्सा
My meditation, gained through the company of water-dwelling fish, was suddenly lost; this attachment I have created, and from this attachment, my excessive craving has arisen.