अग्रिष्वात्ता बहिर्षदोऽनग्रयः साग्नयश्व ये । तेभेयः स्वधा सुते जज्ञ मैनां वैधारिणीं तथा
The Agniṣvāttas, Bahirṣads, Anagnis, and Sāgnis—these, along with Svadhā, gave birth to Mainā and Vaidhāriṇī.
ते उबे ब्रह्मवादिन्यौ योगिन्यौ चाप्युभे द्रिज । उत्तमज्ञानसम्पन्ने सर्व्वैः समुदितैर्गुणौः
Both were learned in Brahman, both were yoginīs, O twice-born; endowed with supreme knowledge and all virtues.
इत्येषा दक्षकन्यानां कथितापत्यसन्ततिः । श्वद्धावान् संस्मरन्नेताम् अनपत्यो न जायते
Thus is recounted the progeny of Dakṣa's daughters; whoever remembers this lineage with faith does not remain childless.
श्रीपराशर उवाच प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ मनोः स्वायंभुवस्य तु । द्वौ पुत्रौ तु महावीर्यौ धर्मज्ञौ कथितौ तव ॥ १,११.
Śrī Parāśara said: Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, the two mighty and righteous sons of Svāyambhuva Manu, have been described to you.
तयोरुत्तानपादस्य सुरुच्यामुत्तमः सुतः । अभीष्टायामभूद्ब्रह्यन्पितुरत्यन्तवल्लभः ॥ १,११.
Of these, Uttānapāda had a son named Uttama by Suruci, his beloved wife, who was exceedingly dear to his father.
सुनीतिर्नाम या राज्ञस्तस्यासीन्महिषी द्विज । स नाति प्रीतिमांस्तस्यामभूद्यस्या ध्रुवः सुतः ॥ १,११.
The king's queen named Sunīti, O twice-born, was not greatly favored by him; her son was Dhruva.
राजासनस्थितस्याङ्कं पितुर्भ्रतरमाश्रितम् । दृष्ट्वोत्तमं ध्रुव श्चक्रे तमारोढुं मनोरथम् ॥ १,११.
Dhruva saw his father's brother's son, Uttama, seated on the king's lap, and wished in his heart to climb up as well.
प्रत्यक्षं भूपतिस्तस्याः सुरुच्या नाभ्यनन्दत । प्रणयेनागतं पुत्रमुत्संगारोहणोत्सुकम् ॥ १,११.
The king, present there, did not welcome his son, who had come with affection and eagerness to climb onto his lap.
सपत्नी तनयं दृष्ट्वा तमङ्कारोहणोत्सुकम् । स्वपुत्रं च तथारूढं सुरुचिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १,११.
Suruci, seeing her co-wife's son eager to climb onto the lap, and her own son already seated there, spoke these words.
क्रियते किं वृथा वत्स महानेष मनोरथः । अन्यस्त्रीगर्भजातेन ह्यसंभूय ममोदरे ॥ १,११.
Why do you desire in vain, child, such a great wish? One born from another woman cannot attain what is not conceived in my womb.
उत्तमोत्तममप्राप्यमविवेको हि वाञ्छसि । सत्यं सुतस्त्वमप्यस्य किं तु न त्वं मया धृतः ॥ १,११.
You desire the highest, which is unattainable; you lack discernment. Truly, you are also his son, but you were not borne by me.
एतद्राजासनं सर्व भूभृत्संश्रयकेतनम् । योग्यं ममैव पुत्रस्य किमात्मा क्लिश्यतेत्वया ॥ १,११.
This royal seat, the refuge of all kings, is fit only for my son. Why do you trouble yourself?
उच्चैर्मनोरथस्तेयं मत्पुत्रस्येव किं वृथा । सुनीत्यामात्मनो जन्म किं त्वया नावगम्यते ॥ १,११.
Your wish is lofty, just as my son's, but why in vain? Do you not realize that you were born from Suniti?
श्रीपराशर वाच उत्सृज्य पितरं बालस्तच्छ्रुत्वा मातृभाषितम् । जगाम कुपितो मातुर्निजाया द्विजमन्दिरम् ॥ १,११.
Śrī Parāśara said: Hearing these words spoken by his stepmother, the boy, angry, left his father and went to his own mother's dwelling.
तं दृष्ट्वा कुपितं पुत्रमीषत्प्रस्फुरिताधरम् । सुनीतिरङ्कमारोप्य मैत्रेयेदमभाषत ॥ १,११.
Seeing her son angry, his lower lip slightly trembling, Suniti took him onto her lap and spoke to him, O Maitreya.
वत्स कः कोपहेतुस्ते कश्च त्वां नाभि नन्दति । कोवजानाति पितरं वत्स यस्तेपराध्यति ॥ १,११.
Child, what is the cause of your anger? Who has not welcomed you? Who, O child, would blame your father, who has wronged you?
श्रीपराशर वाच इत्युक्तः सकलं मात्रे कथयामास तद्यथा । सुरुचिः प्राह भूपालप्रत्यक्षमतगर्विता ॥ १,११.
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus addressed, he told his mother everything as it happened—how Suruci, proud, spoke before the king.
विनिश्वस्येति कथिते तस्मिन्पुत्रेण दुर्मनाः । श्वसक्षामेक्षणा दीना सुनीतिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १,११.
Hearing this from her son, Suniti, distressed, sighed deeply, her eyes filled with tears, and spoke these words.
सुनीतिरुवाच सुरुचिः सत्यमाहेदं मन्दभाग्योसिःपुत्रक । न हि पुण्यवतां वत्स सपत्नैरेव मुच्यते ॥ १,११.
Suniti said: Suruci has spoken the truth, my son; you are unfortunate. Indeed, O child, the virtuous are not freed from co-wives.
नोद्वेगस्तात कर्तव्यः कृतं यद्भवता पुरा । तत्कोपहर्तु शक्नोति दातुं कश्चाकृतं त्वया ॥ १,११.
Do not be disturbed, dear one, by what has been done in the past. Who can give or take away what you have not done?
तत्त्वया नात्र कर्तव्यं दुःखं तद्वाक्यसम्भवम् ॥ १,११.
Therefore, you should not let sorrow arise in you because of those words.
राजासनं राजच्छत्रं वराश्चावरवारणाः । यस्य पुण्यानि तस्यैते मत्वैतच्छांम्य पुत्रक ॥ १,११.
The royal throne, the royal umbrella, boons, and elephants—these belong to the one whose merit is great. Understand this, my son, and be at peace.
अन्यजन्मकृतैः पुण्यैः सुरुच्या सुरुचिर्नृपः । भार्येति प्रोच्यते चान्यां मद्विधा पुण्यवर्जिता ॥ १,११.
By the merit of deeds in previous births, Suruci became the king's wife, while another like me, lacking merit, is called otherwise.
पुण्योपचयसंपन्नस्तस्याः पुत्रस्तथोत्तमः । मम पुत्रस्तथा जातः स्वल्पपुण्यो ध्रुवो भवान् ॥ १,११.
Her son, endowed with accumulated merit, is thus Uttama; my son, Dhruva, was born with little merit.
तथापि दुःखं न भवान् कर्तुमर्हसि पुत्रक । यस्य यावत्स तेनैव स्वेन तुष्यति मानवः ॥ १,११.
Even so, my child, you ought not to make yourself unhappy; a person should be content with whatever is his, as long as it lasts.
यदि ते दुःखमत्यर्थं सुरुच्या वचसाभवत् । तत्पुण्योपचये यत्नं कुरु सर्वफलप्रदे ॥ १,११.
If you have been greatly distressed by Suruci's words, then strive for the accumulation of merit, which bestows all results.
सुशीलो भव धर्मात्मा मैत्रः प्राणिहिते रतः । निम्नं यथापः प्रवणाः पात्रमायान्ति सम्पदः ॥ १,११.
Be virtuous, devoted to righteousness, friendly, and intent on the welfare of living beings; just as water flows downward, so too do riches come to one who is worthy.
ध्रुव उवाच अम्ब यत्त्वमिदं प्रात्थ प्रशमाय वचो मम । नैतद्दुर्वाचसा भिन्ने हृदये मम तिष्ठति ॥ १,११.
Dhruva said: Mother, though you have spoken these words to calm me, they do not remain in my heart, which has been wounded by harsh speech.
सोऽहं तथा यतिष्यामि यथा सर्वोत्तमोत्तमम् । स्थानं प्राप्स्याम्यशोषाणां जगतामभि पूजितम् ॥ १,११.
Therefore, I shall strive in such a way that I attain the highest and most excellent position, honored by all the worlds and never fading.
सुरुचिर्दयिता राज्ञस्तस्या जातोस्मि नोदरात् । प्रभावं पश्य मेंब त्वं वृद्धस्यापि तवोदरे ॥ १,११.
Suruci is the king's beloved, but I was not born from her womb; mother, see my power, though I was born even from your aged womb.