परित्यजति वत्साध्य यध्येतन्न भवांस्तपः । त्यक्ष्याम्यहमिह प्राणांस्ततो वै पश्यतस्तव ॥ १,१२.
If you, my dear one, abandon this austerity, then I will not give up my life here before your eyes.
श्रीपराशर उवाच तां प्रलापवतीमेवं बाष्पाकुलविलोचनाम् । समाहितमना विष्णौ पश्यन्नपि न दृष्टवान् ॥ १,१२.
Śrī Parāśara said: Though she was weeping and speaking incoherently, her eyes filled with tears, he, with his mind fixed on Viṣṇu, did not look at her, even while seeing her.
वत्स वत्स सुघोराणि रक्षांस्येतानि भीषणे । वनेऽभ्युद्यतशस्त्राणीः समायान्त्यपगम्यताम् ॥ १,१२.
My child, my child, these terrible and fearsome demons, armed with weapons, are approaching in the forest; go away from here.
इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ साथ रक्षांस्याविर्बभुस्ततः । अभ्युद्यतोग्रशस्त्राणि ज्वालामालाकुलैर्मुखैः ॥ १,१२.
Having said this, she departed, and then the demons appeared, brandishing fierce weapons, their faces wreathed in blazing flames.
ततो नादानतीवोग्रन्राजपुत्रस्य ते पुरः । मुमुचुर्दीप्तशस्त्राणि भ्रामयन्तो निशाचराः ॥ १,१२.
Then, right before the prince, the night-wandering demons, whirling their flaming weapons, released them with a dreadful roar.
शिवाश्च शतशो नेदुः सज्वालाः कवलैर्मुखैः । त्रासाय तस्य बालस्य योगयुक्तस्य सर्वदा ॥ १,१२.
Hundreds of jackals howled, their mouths filled with blazing flames, to terrify that boy who was always absorbed in yoga.
हन्यतां दन्यतामेष छिद्यतां छिद्यतामयम् । भक्ष्यतां भक्ष्यतां चाय मित्युचुस्ते निशाचराः ॥ १,१२.
Let him be struck, let him be struck down! Cut him, cut him! Eat him, eat him!—so cried the night-wandering demons.
ततो नानाविधान्नादान् सिंहोष्ट्रमकराननाः । त्रासाय राजपुत्रस्य नेदुस्ते रजनीचराः ॥ १,१२.
Then the night-wandering demons, with faces like lions, camels, and crocodiles, made various terrifying noises to frighten the prince.
रक्षांसि तानि ते नादाः शिवास्तान्यायुधानि च । गोविन्दासक्तचित्तस्य ययुर्नन्द्रियगोचरम् ॥ १,१२.
But those demons, their howls, the jackals, and their weapons, did not enter the awareness of the one whose mind was absorbed in Govinda.
एकाग्रचेताः सततं विष्णुमेवात्मसंश्रयम् । दृष्टवान् पृथिवीनाथपुत्रो नान्यं कथञ्चन ॥ १,१२.
With his mind always one-pointed, seeing Viṣṇu alone as his refuge, the prince saw nothing else at all.
ततः सर्वासु मायासु विलीनासु पुनः सुराः । संक्षोभं परमं जग्मुस्तत्पराभवशङ्किताः ॥ १,१२.
Then, when all those illusions had vanished, the gods again became greatly disturbed, fearing defeat.
ते समेत्य जगद्योनिमनादिनिधनं हरिम् । शरण्यं शरणं यातास्तपसा तस्य तापिताः ॥ १,१२.
They gathered together and approached Hari, the source of the universe, without beginning or end, the refuge of all, distressed by his austerities.
देवा ऊचुः देवदेव जगन्नाथ परेश पुरुषोत्तम । ध्रुवस्य तपसा तप्तास्त्वां वयं शरणं गताः ॥ १,१२.
The gods said: O God of gods, Lord of the universe, Supreme Lord, Best of Men, afflicted by Dhruva's austerities, we have come to you for refuge.
दिने दिने कलालेशैः शशाङ्क पूर्यते यथा । तथायं तपसा देव प्रयात्यृद्धिमहर्निंशम् ॥ १,१२.
Just as the moon is filled day by day with portions of its digits, so too, O God, does he grow in power day and night through his austerities.
औतानपादितपसा वयमित्थं जनार्दन । भीतास्त्वां शरणं यातास्तपसस्तं निवर्तय ॥ १,१२.
O Janārdana, through the austerities of the son of Uttānapāda, we have become fearful and have come to you for refuge; please make him turn back from his austerities.
नविद्मः किं स शक्रत्वं सूर्यत्वं किमभीप्सति । वित्तपाम्बुपसोमानां साभिलाषः पदेषु किम् ॥ १,१२.
We do not know whether he desires the position of Indra, or of the Sun, or wishes for the realms of the gods of wealth, water, or the moon.
तदस्माकं प्रसीदेश हृदयाच्छल्यमुद्धर । उत्तानपादतनयं तपसः सन्निवर्तय ॥ १,१२.
O Lord, be gracious to us; remove the thorn from our hearts, and turn the son of Uttānapāda away from his austerities.
श्रीभगवानुवाच नेन्द्रत्वं न च सूर्यत्वं नैवाम्बुपधनेशताम् । प्रार्थयत्येष यं कामं तं करोम्यखिलं सुरा ॥ १,१२.
The Blessed Lord said: He does not seek the position of Indra, nor that of Sūrya, nor lordship over the waters; whatever desire he has, O gods, I shall fulfill it entirely.
यात देवा यथाकाम स्वस्थानं विगतज्वराः । निवर्तयाम्यहं बालं तपस्यासक्तमानसम् ॥ १,१२.
Go, O gods, as you wish, to your own abodes, free from distress; I myself shall turn the boy, whose mind is absorbed in austerity, away from his penance.
श्रीपराशर उवाच इत्युक्ता देवदेवेन प्रणम्य त्रिदशास्ततः । प्रययुः स्वानि धिष्ण्यानि शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः ॥ १,१२.
Parāśara said: Thus addressed by the Lord of gods, the deities, led by Śatakratu, bowed and departed to their own realms.
भगवानपि सर्वात्मा तन्मयत्वेन तोषितः । गत्वा ध्रुवमुवाचेदं चतुर्भुजवपुर्हरिः ॥ १,१२.
The Lord, the soul of all, pleased by Dhruva's devotion, went to him; Hari, in his four-armed form, spoke these words.
श्रीभगवानुवाच औत्तानपादे भद्रं ते तपसा परितोषितः । वरदोहमनुप्राप्तो वरं वरय सुव्रत ॥ १,१२.
The Blessed Lord said: O son of Uttānapāda, blessings upon you; you have pleased me with your austerity. I have come as the giver of boons; choose a boon, O steadfast one.
ब्राह्यार्थनिरपेक्षं ते मयि चित्तं यदा हितम् । तुष्टोहं भवतस्तेन तद्वृणीष्व वरं परम् ॥ १,१२.
Because your mind is fixed in me, indifferent to worldly aims, I am pleased with you; therefore, ask for the highest boon.
पराशर उवाच श्रुत्वेत्थं गदितं तस्य देवदेवस्य बालकः । उन्मीलिताक्षो ददृशे ध्यानदृष्टं हरिं पुरः ॥ १,१२.
Parāśara said: Hearing these words from the Lord of gods, the boy opened his eyes and saw Hari, whom he had beheld in meditation, standing before him.
शङ्खचक्रगदाशार्ङ्गवरासिधरमच्युतम् । किरीटिनं समालोक्य जगाम शिरसा महीम् ॥ १,१२.
Seeing Acyuta, adorned with conch, discus, mace, bow, and sword, crowned, Dhruva bowed his head to the earth.
रोमाञ्चिताङ्गः सहसा साध्वसं परमं गतः । स्तवाय देवदेवस्य स चक्रे मानसं ध्रुवः ॥ १,१२.
His body thrilled, suddenly seized by great awe, Dhruva composed a hymn in his mind to the Lord of gods.
किं वदामि स्तुतावस्य केनोक्तेनास्य संस्तुतिः । इत्याकुल मतिर्देवं तमेव शरणं ययौ ॥ १,१२.
What shall I say in praise? By what words can I offer a hymn to him? Thus confused in mind, he sought refuge in the very Lord.
ध्रुव उवाच भगवन्यदि मे तोषं तपसा परमं गतः । स्तोतुं तदहमिच्छामि वरमेनं प्रयच्छ मे ॥ १,१२.
Dhruva said: O Lord, if you are truly pleased with my austerity, grant me this boon: let me have the ability to praise you.
(ब्रह्माद्यौर्यस्य वेदज्ञैर्ज्ञायते यस्य नो गतिः । तं त्वां कथमहं देव स्तोतुं शक्रोमि बालकः । त्वद्भक्तिप्रवणं ह्येतत्परमेश्वर मे मनः । स्तोतुं प्रवृत्तं त्वत्पादौ तत्र प्रज्ञां प्रयच्च मे) श्रीपराशर उवाच शङ्खप्रान्तेन गोविन्दस्तं पस्पर्श कृताञ्जलिम् । उत्तानपादतनयं द्विजवर्य जगत्पतिः ॥ १,१२.
O Lord, you are known by the Vedas to Brahmā and others, yet your path is unknown; how can I, a mere boy, praise you? My mind is devoted to you, O Supreme Lord, and wishes to praise your feet; grant me wisdom for this purpose. Parāśara said: Govinda touched the son of Uttānapāda, who had joined his palms, with the tip of his conch, O best of twice-born.
अथ प्रसन्नवदनः स क्षणान्नृपनन्दनः । तुष्टाव प्रणतो भूत्वा भूतधातारमच्युतम् ॥ १,१२.
Then, with a joyful face, the prince, having bowed, praised Acyuta, the sustainer of beings.