तत् तत् पालयितुं राज्यं प्रसादं कर्तुम् अर्हसि । अप्रार्थितोपपन्नानां त्यागो ऽर्थानां तु नोचितः
Therefore, you ought to show favor by protecting that kingdom; it is not proper to abandon wealth that has come unasked.
इति सम्प्रार्थितो राजा तद् अङ्गीकृत्य तद्वचः । सर्वसागरचिह्नायास् स बभूव पतिर् भुवः
Thus entreated, the king accepted their words and became the lord of the earth marked by all the oceans.
समश् शान्तमना मौनी वीतरागो विमत्सरः । कार्यकार्यैककरणरतिर् आहितविस्मयः
He was impartial, peaceful in mind, silent, free from passion and envy, devoted only to what should and should not be done, and filled with wonder.
पातालतलनष्टानां सागराकारकारिणाम् । पितामहानां गङ्गाम्बु शुश्रावोत्तारणक्षमम्
He heard that the water of the Ganges was capable of delivering the ancestors who had perished in the netherworld, those who had become like the ocean in form.
तदा किल स्वर्गनदी वहति स्म न भूतले । पितॄणां दुर्लभस् सो ऽभूत् तेन गङ्गाजलाञ्जलिः
At that time, indeed, the heavenly river did not flow upon the earth; thus, an offering of Ganges water was difficult for the ancestors to obtain.
भगीरथेनाथ महीम् अवतारयितुं दिवः । गङ्गां गृहीतो नियमस् तदा प्रभृति भूभृता
Then, Bhagiratha undertook a vow to bring the Ganges down from heaven to earth, and from that time, the kings have followed this observance.
ततो राज्यं परित्यज्य मन्त्रिणां भूपतिश् शमी । तपसे कार्यकार्येहो जगाम गहनं वनम्
Then, having renounced the kingdom at the counsel of his ministers, the king went to the dense forest for the sake of ascetic practice and to discern what should and should not be done.
तत्र वर्षसहस्रैस् स समाराध्य पुनः पुनः । ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं जह्नुं भुवि गङ्गाम् अयोजयत्
There, over thousands of years, he repeatedly worshipped Brahma, Shankara, and Jahnu, and caused the Ganga to descend to earth.
ततः प्रभृत्य् अमलतरङ्गभङ्गिनी जगत्पतेश् शशिविशदाङ्गसङ्गिनी । नभस्तलान् निपतति गां त्रिमार्गगा महात्मनाम् इव बहुपुण्यसन्ततिः
From that time onward, the Ganga—whose waves are pure and whose flow is immaculate, shining like the moon and touching the limbs of the Lord of the universe—descends from the sky to the earth along three paths, like the abundant lineage of merit among the great-souled.
स्फुरत्तरङ्गभङ्गिनी स्वफेनपुञ्जहासिनी प्रसन्नपुण्यमञ्जरी द्रुतेव धर्मसन्ततिः । भगीरथे महीपतौ यशःप्रचारवीथिका तदादि सा त्रिमार्गगा महीतले बभूव ह
With waves that shimmer and break, laughing with clusters of its own foam, a clear and auspicious stream, swift as the flow of righteousness, the threefold Ganga became, from that time, the celebrated path of fame on earth for King Bhagiratha.
एताम् अवष्टभ्य दृशं भगीरथधिया वृताम् । समस् स्वस्थो यथाप्राप्तं कार्यम् आहर शान्तधीः
With this vision, inspired by the resolve of Bhagiratha, remain calm and composed, and, with a tranquil mind, accomplish whatever task comes to you.
इदं पूर्वं परित्यज्य क्रोडीकृत्य ततस् स्वयम् । शान्तम् आत्मनि तिष्ठ त्वं शिखिध्वज इवाचलः
Having abandoned what came before and gathered it within yourself, remain peaceful in your own being, like Shikhidhvaja, unmoving as a mountain.
को ऽसौ शिखिध्वजो नाम कथं वा लब्धवान् पदम् । एतत् कथय मे ब्रह्मन् भूयो बोधाभिवृद्धये
Who is this Shikhidhvaja by name, and how did he attain that state? Tell me this, O Brahman, once again, for the further increase of my understanding.
द्वापरे ऽभवतां पूर्वम् इदानीं च भविष्यतः । तेनैव सन्निवेशेन दम्पती स्निग्धनागरौ
In the Dvapara age, they were before, and now they will be again—those same two, as husband and wife, affectionate and skilled in the ways of love.
यत् पूर्वम् आसीद् भगवंस् तद् इदानीं तथैव हि । भविष्यति किमर्थं वै वद मे वदतां वर
O venerable one, that which was before is exactly the same now; why should it be otherwise in the future? Tell me, best of speakers.
जगन्निर्माणनियतेर् अस्या ब्राह्म्यास् स्वसंविदः । ईदृश्य् एव स्थितिर् नित्यम् अनिवार्या स्वभावजा
This is the unchanging order of creation of the universe, arising from the divine self-awareness; such is its perpetual, inevitable, and natural state.
यद् अन्यद् बहुशो भूत्वा पुनर् भवति भूरिशः । अभूत्वैव भवत्य् अन्यत् पुनश् च न भवत्य् अलम्
That which, having existed many times, arises again and again, also ceases to exist and becomes something else, and then again ceases—enough of this.
अन्यत् प्राक्सन्निवेशस्य सादृश्येन स्फुरत्य् अलम् । अन्यत् प्राक्सन्निवेशार्धसादृश्येन विवल्गति
Something else appears with a resemblance to a previous arrangement; another arises with only a partial similarity to a former state.
सदृश्यो विषमाश् चैव यथा सरसि वीचयः । ता एवान्याश् च दृश्यन्ते व्यवस्थास् संसृतौ तथा
Just as waves in a lake are both similar and dissimilar, so too are the patterns seen in the cycle of existence.
तस्माद् राघव भूयो ऽपि वक्ष्यमाणो नरेश्वरः । भविष्यति महातेजास् तद्वृत्तान्तम् इमं शृणु
Therefore, Raghava, the king who will be described again will arise, endowed with great brilliance; listen to this account.
द्वापरे पूर्वम् अभवद् अतीते सप्तमे मनौ । चतुर्युगे चतुर्थे तु सर्गे ऽस्मिन् वारणाकुले
In the past Dvapara age, during the seventh Manu, and in the fourth age of fourfold cycles, in this creation filled with elephants,
जम्बुद्वीपे प्रशान्तस्य विन्ध्यस्यादूरसंस्थिते । मालवानां पुरे श्रीमाञ् शिखिध्वज इतीश्वरः
On Jambudvipa, near the peaceful Vindhya mountains, in the city of the Malavas, there was a glorious king named Shikhidhvaja.
धैर्यौदार्यदयायुक्तः क्षमाशमदमान्वितः । शूरश् शुभसमाचारो मानी गुणगणाकरः
He was endowed with courage, generosity, and compassion; possessed of forbearance, self-restraint, and control of the senses; heroic, of virtuous conduct, proud, and a repository of all noble qualities.
आहर्ता सर्वयज्ञानां जेता सर्वधनुष्मताम् । कर्ता सकलकार्याणां भर्तापूर्ववपुर् भुवः
He was the performer of all sacrifices, the conqueror of all warriors, the accomplisher of every task, and the first sovereign of the earth.
पेशलस् स्निग्धमधुरो विदग्धः प्रीतनागरः । सुन्दरश् शीलसुभगः प्रतापी धर्मवत्सलः
He was charming, gentle, and sweet-spoken; clever and beloved in the city; handsome, blessed with good character, radiant, and devoted to righteousness.
वेदिता विदितार्थानां दाता सकलसम्पदाम् । भोक्ता संसङ्गरहितस् सुश्रोता सकलश्रुतेः
He was the knower of all meanings, the giver of every wealth, the enjoyer free from attachment, and an excellent listener to all teachings.
स भोगौघान् अनादृत्य स्त्रैणं तृणवद् उत्सृजन् । पितरि स्वर्गम् आपन्ने बाल एवोत्तमौजसा
He disregarded all pleasures, casting aside sensuality as straw; when his father attained heaven, even as a boy, he possessed supreme vigor.
कृत्वा षोडशवर्षात्मा कृत्वा दिग्विजयं वशी । नूनं सौराज्यसम्पत्त्या भूमण्डलम् अयोजयत्
Having reached sixteen years of age and subdued the quarters, he surely united the whole earth under his imperial sovereignty.
अतिष्ठद् विगताशङ्कं पालयन् धर्मतः प्रजाः । धीमान् स मन्त्रिभिस् सार्धं यशसा शुक्लयन् दिशः
He ruled without fear, protecting his subjects righteously; wise, together with his ministers, he spread his fame in all directions.
अथ गच्छत्सु वर्षेषु वसन्ते प्रोल्लसत्य् अलम् । पुष्पेषु जृम्भमाणेषु स्फुरत्सु शशिरश्मिषु
Then, as the years passed, in spring, when the flowers blossomed abundantly and the moonbeams shimmered brightly—