भगवंस्तनयां मे त्वं गुणैः स्वैरेव भूषिताम् । भिक्षां प्रतिगृहाणेमां महर्षे स्वयमुद्यताम् ।। ७.२.
'Revered one, please accept my daughter, adorned with her own virtues, as an offering; O sage, she herself is willing.'
तपश्चरणयुक्तस्य श्रम्यमाणेन्द्रियस्य ते । शुश्रूषणपरा नित्यं भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.२.
'She will always be devoted to serving you, whose senses are restrained by austerity; there is no doubt about this.'
तं ब्रुवाणं तु तद्वाक्यं राजर्षिं धार्मिकं तदा । जिघृक्षुरब्रवीत्कन्यां बाढमित्येव स द्विजः ।। ७.२.
Hearing these words from the righteous royal sage, the twice-born replied, wishing to accept the maiden, 'So be it.'
दत्त्वा स तु यथान्यायं स्वमाश्रमपदं गतः । सापि तत्रावसत्कन्या तोषयन्ती पतिं गुणैः ।। ७.२.
Having duly given her, he returned to his own hermitage; and the maiden stayed there, pleasing her husband with her virtues.
तस्यास्तु शीलवृत्ताभ्यां तुतोष मुनिपुङ्गवः । प्रीतः स तु महातेजा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.२.
The foremost sage was satisfied with her character and conduct; pleased, that illustrious one spoke these words.
परितुष्टो ऽस्मि सुश्रोणि गुणानां सम्पदा भृशम् । तस्माद्देवि ददाम्यद्य पुत्रमात्मसमं तव ।। ७.२.
O fair-hipped lady, I am greatly pleased by the abundance of your virtues; therefore, O goddess, today I shall grant you a son equal to myself.
उभयोर्वंशकर्तारं पौलस्त्य इति विश्रुतम् । यस्मात्तु विश्रुतो वेदस्त्वयैषो ऽध्ययतो मम ।। ७.२.
He will be known as the progenitor of both lineages, renowned as Paulastya; and because this Veda is celebrated as being studied by you, it is now yours from me.
तस्मात्स विश्रवा नाम भविष्यति न संशयः । एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ।। ७.२.
Therefore, he will be named Viśravā, without doubt; thus addressed, that goddess was inwardly overjoyed.
अचिरेणैव कालेनासूत विश्रवसं सुतम् । त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातं यशोधर्मसमन्वितम् ।। ७.२.
In a short time, she gave birth to a son, Viśravas, famed throughout the three worlds, endowed with glory and righteousness.
श्रुतिमान्समदर्शी च व्रताचाररतस्तथा । पितेव तपसा युक्तो ह्यभवद्विश्रवा मुनिः ।। ७.२.
He was learned in the scriptures, impartial in vision, devoted to vows and right conduct; Viśravas the sage became endowed with austerity like his father.
अथ पुत्रः पुलस्त्यस्य विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः । अचिरेणैव कालेन पितेव तपसि स्थितः ।। ७.३.
Then the son of Pulastya, Viśravas, foremost among sages, in a short time became established in austerity like his father.
सत्यवाञ्छीलवाञ्छान्तः स्वाध्यायनिरतः शुचिः । सर्वभोगेष्वसंसक्तो नित्यं धर्मपरायणः ।। ७.३.
Truthful, virtuous, tranquil, devoted to self-study, pure, unattached to all enjoyments, and always devoted to righteousness.
ज्ञात्वा तस्य तु तद्वृत्तं भरद्वाजो महामुनिः । ददौ विश्रवसे भार्यां स्वसुतां देववर्णिनीम् ।। ७.३.
Knowing his conduct, the great sage Bharadvāja gave his own daughter, radiant as a goddess, as a wife to Viśravas.
प्रतिगृह्य तु धर्मेण भरद्वाजसुतां तदा । प्रजान्वेक्षिकया बुद्ध्या श्रेयो ह्यस्य विचिन्तयन् ।। ७.३.
Having duly accepted Bharadvāja's daughter, he, considering what would be best for her offspring, reflected with wisdom.
मुदा परमया युक्तो विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः । स तस्यां वीर्यसम्पन्नमपत्यं परमाद्भुतम् ।। ७.३.
Filled with supreme joy, Viśravas, the foremost sage, begot in her a son endowed with great strength, truly wondrous.
जनयामास धर्मज्ञः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मगुणैर्युतम् । तस्मिञ्जाते तु संहृष्टः सम्बभूव पितामहः ।। ७.३.
That knower of righteousness begot a son endowed with all the qualities of Brahmā; when he was born, the Grandfather was delighted.
दृष्ट्वा श्रेयस्करीं बुद्धिं धनाध्यक्षो भविष्यति । नाम तस्याकरोत्प्रीतः सार्धं देवर्षिभिस्तदा ।। ७.३.
Seeing his auspicious intelligence, the Lord of Wealth, together with the divine sages, joyfully gave him the name.
यस्माद्विश्रवसो ऽपत्यं सादृश्याद्विश्रवा इव । तस्माद्वैश्रवणो नाम भविष्यत्वेष विश्रुतः ।। ७.३.
Because he was the son of Viśravas and resembled Viśravas, he became renowned as Vaiśravaṇa.
स तु वैश्रवणस्तत्र तपोवनगतस्तदा । अवर्धताहुतिहुतो महातेजा यथानलः ।। ७.३.
Then Vaiśravaṇa, possessing great brilliance, dwelling in the forest of austerity, grew like fire fed by offerings.
तस्याश्रमपदस्थस्य बुद्धिर्जज्ञे महात्मनः । चरिष्ये परमं धर्मं धर्मो हि परमा गतिः ।। ७.३.
While residing at his hermitage, that great soul resolved: 'I shall practice the highest righteousness, for righteousness is the supreme goal.'
स तु वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महावने । यन्त्रितो नियमैरुग्रैश्चकार सुमहत्तपः ।। ७.३.
He performed severe austerity for thousands of years in the great forest, restrained by rigorous disciplines, undertaking immense penance.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रान्ते तं तं विधिमकल्पयत् । जलाशी मारुताहारो निराहारस्तथैव च ।। ७.३.
At the end of a thousand years, he established various practices: subsisting on water, living on air, and even fasting completely.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि जग्मुस्तान्येकवर्षवत् । अथ प्रीतो महातेजाः सेन्द्रैः सुरगणैः सह ।। ७.३.
Thus, those thousands of years passed as if a single year; then the greatly radiant one, pleased, together with Indra and the hosts of gods—
गत्वा तस्याश्रमपदं ब्रह्मेदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । परितुष्टो ऽस्मि ते वत्स कर्मणानेन सुव्रत । वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते वरार्हस्त्वं महामते ।। ७.३.
Having gone to his hermitage, Brahmā spoke these words: 'I am pleased with you, my child, for this deed, O steadfast one. Choose a boon, good fortune to you; you are worthy of a boon, O wise one.'
अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणः पितामहमुपस्थितम् । भगवँल्लोकपालत्वमिच्छेयं वित्तरक्षणम् ।। ७.३.
Then Vaiśravaṇa spoke to the assembled Grandfather: 'Lord, I desire the guardianship of wealth, the office of protector of riches.'
अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणं परितुष्टेन चेतसा । ब्रह्मा सुरगणैः सार्धं बाढमित्येव हृष्टवत् ।। ७.३.
Then Brahmā, with a heart well-pleased, said to Vaiśravaṇa, together with the hosts of gods, 'So be it,' joyfully.
अहं वै लोकपालानां चतुर्थं स्रष्टुमुद्यतः ।। ७.३.
I am now intent on creating the fourth among the guardians of the worlds.
यमेन्द्रवरुणानां च पदं यत्तव चेप्सितम् । तद्गच्छ त्वं हि धर्मज्ञ निधीशत्वमवाप्नुहि । शक्राम्बुपयमानां च चतुर्थस्त्वं भविष्यसि ।। ७.३.
The station of Yama, Indra, and Varuṇa which you desire, that you shall attain, knower of righteousness; obtain the lordship over treasures. You shall be the fourth among Śakra, Varuṇa, and Yama.
एतच्च पुष्पकं नाम विमानं सूर्यसन्निभम् । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व यानार्थं त्रिदशैः समतां व्रज ।। ७.३.
And this aerial chariot named Puṣpaka, shining like the sun, accept it for your conveyance, and attain equality with the gods.
स्वस्ति ते ऽस्तु गमिष्यामः सर्व एव यथागतम् । कृतकृत्या वयं तात दत्त्वा तव वरद्वयम् ।। ७.३.
May all be well with you; we shall now depart as we came. Our purpose is fulfilled, dear one, having granted you these two boons.