Bhagavatapurana 6.14: atha caturdaśo'dhyāyaḥ

6.14.1

/0 śrīparīkṣiduvāca
rajastamaḥsvabhāvasya brahman vṛtrasya pāpmanaḥ /
nārāyaṇe bhagavati kathamāsīddṛḍhā matiḥ //

Śrī Parīkṣit said: / O brāhmaṇa, how was it that Vṛtra, whose nature was passionate and ignorant and who was sinful, / possessed a steadfast mind in the Lord Nārāyaṇa?

1. King Parikshit said:— O holy sage, how is it that the sinful Vritra, by nature constituted of Rajas and Tamas, got strong faith in (devotion to) the Almighty Lord Narayana?

6.14.2

devānāṃ śuddhasattvānāmṛṣīṇāṃ cāmalātmanām /
bhaktirmukundacaraṇe na prāyeṇopajāyate //

Even among the gods of pure sattva and the seers of spotless self, / devotion to the feet of Mukunda generally does not arise.

2. Devotion to the feet of Sri Mukunda is not generally engendered even in the gods constituted of pure satva and in the Rishis who have a pure mind and heart (whose mind and heart are pure). 3. Here (in the world) creatures are as numerous as the particles of dust on earth (of earth); among them a few human beings and such others work for righteousness’ sake (endeavour to do right and attain heaven, or, high blessings).

6.14.3

rajobhiḥ samasaṅkhyātāḥ pārthivairiha jantavaḥ /
teṣāṃ ye kecanehante śreyo vai manujādayaḥ //

Living beings here on earth are as numerous as the particles of dust upon the earth; / of them, only a few strive for what is truly beneficial, such as humans and others.

6.14.4

prāyo mumukṣavasteṣāṃ kecanaiva dvijottama /
mumukṣūṇāṃ sahasreṣu kaścin mucyeta sidhyati //

Of those, O best of the twice-born, scarcely any desire liberation; / among thousands of those seeking liberation, perhaps one is liberated and attains perfection.

4. Generally, O great Brahmin (of Brahmins), very few of them seek after Moksha; out of thousands that are desirous of Moksha but one really feels renunciation (no attachment to house, etc). and attains true knowledge (of Paramatman).

6.14.5

muktānāmapi siddhānāṃ nārāyaṇaparāyaṇaḥ /
sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣvapi mahāmune //

Even among the liberated and the perfected, one who is wholly devoted to Nārāyaṇa / and whose self is deeply tranquil is exceedingly rare, even among millions, O great sage.

5. Even among the crores of those, O great sage, that become free from attachments and obtain the light of truth, it is rare to find one who is absolutely devoted to Narayana and has gained serenity of mind.

6.14.6

vṛtrastu sa kathaṃ pāpaḥ sarvalokopatāpanaḥ /
itthaṃ dṛḍhamatiḥ kṛṣṇa āsīt saṅgrāma ulbaṇe //

How then did that sinful Vṛtra, who tormented all the worlds, / have such a firm mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa in the fierce battle?

6. Then how did the sinful Vritra, who harassed all the worlds, come to cherish such strong devotion to Krishna in the midst of the raging battle?

6.14.7

atra naḥ saṃśayo bhūyāñ chrotuṃ kautūhalaṃ prabho /
yaḥ pauruṣeṇa samare sahasrākṣamatoṣayat //

On this point we have great doubt, and a curiosity to hear, O lord, / regarding him who pleased the thousand-eyed [Indra] with his prowess in combat.

7. In this matter, great is our doubt, and great our curiosity to hear of (to know) the reason, O powerful preceptor, of Vritra who, by his heroism in battle, rejoiced the thousand-eyed Indra.

6.14.8

/0 śrīsūta uvāca
parīkṣito 'tha sampraśnaṃ bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ /
niśamya śraddadhānasya pratinandya vaco 'bravīt //

Śrī Sūta said: / Hearing the inquiry of Parīkṣit, the faithful inquirer, / the blessed son of Bādarāyaṇa applauded his words and spoke.

8. Suta said:— Thereupon the worshipful son of Badarayana heard his query and congratulated Parikshit, full of faith, on his interesting question and said as follows:—

6.14.9

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājannitihāsamimaṃ yathā /
śrutaṃ dvaipāyanamukhān nāradāddevalādapi //

Śrī Śuka said: / Listen attentively, O king, to this ancient narrative as it was heard / from the mouth of Dvaipāyana, and also from Nārada and Devala.

9. Sri Suka said:— Listen, O king, with attention, to this (following) Itihasa as it was received through the lips of Dwaipayana, Narada and also Devala.

6.14.10

āsīdrājā sārvabhaumaḥ śūraseneṣu vai nṛpa /
citraketuriti khyāto yasyāsīt kāmadhuṅ mahī //

There was a sovereign king among the Śūrasenas, O king, / renowned as Citraketu, for whom the earth yielded all desires.

10. In the Surasena country there was an emperor, O king, celebrated and known as Chitraketu, to whom the earth yielded every thing desired.

6.14.11

tasya bhāryāsahasrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi daśābhavan /
sāntānikaścāpi nṛpo na lebhe tāsu santatim //

He had ten thousand wives, / yet though capable of procreation, the king obtained no offspring through them.

11. He had a crore of wives; though himself fit to have an issue he had none by them.

6.14.12

rūpaudāryavayojanma vidyaiśvaryaśriyādibhiḥ /
sampannasya guṇaiḥ sarvaiścintā bandhyāpaterabhūt //

Endowed with beauty, generosity, youth, noble birth, learning, sovereignty, fortune, and all good qualities, / anxiety gripped him as the husband of barren wives.

12. Though endowed with all the qualities of beauty, generosity, youth, high pedigree, learning, power, wealth, glory, etc. he was full of anxiety because he was the husband of barren women.

6.14.13

na tasya sampadaḥ sarvā mahiṣyo vāmalocanāḥ /
sārvabhaumasya bhūśceyamabhavan prītihetavaḥ //

Neither all his riches, nor his fair-eyed queens, / nor this earth over which he was sovereign, were causes of joy to him.

13. And all his riches, his beautiful queens and this earth (empire) failed to make the emperor happy.

6.14.14

tasyaikadā tu bhavanamaṅgirā bhagavān ṛṣiḥ /
lokān anucarannetān upāgacchadyadṛcchayā //

Once, however, the blessed seer Aṅgiras, / wandering through these worlds, came to his palace by chance.

14. On a certain occasion, however, the worshipful sage Angiras going about these worlds, came by chance to his palace. 15. According to rules he rose from his seat and with other ceremonies of worship he honoured the sage; and when the sage had accepted his hospitality and was comfortably seated, the king with a quiet heart and mind sat down beside him.

6.14.15

taṃ pūjayitvā vidhivat pratyutthānārhaṇādibhiḥ /
kṛtātithyamupāsīdat sukhāsīnaṃ samāhitaḥ //

Having duly honored him by rising to greet him, presenting offerings, and the like, / and having extended hospitality to him as he sat comfortably, the king sat near him with a collected mind.

6.14.16

maharṣistamupāsīnaṃ praśrayāvanataṃ kṣitau /
pratipūjya mahārāja samābhāṣyedamabravīt //

The great seer, honoring him in return as he sat beside him bowing in humility to the ground, / addressed him, O great king, and said this:

16. O great king, the great sage also commended the king, that modestly sat on the bare ground near him and, addressing himself to him, said this (as follows).

6.14.17

/0 aṅgirā uvāca
api te 'nāmayaṃ svasti prakṛtīnāṃ tathātmanaḥ /
yathā prakṛtibhirguptaḥ pumān rājā ca saptabhiḥ //

Aṅgiras said: / Is all well with your health and welfare, as well as with your subjects and yourself? / For just as an individual self is protected by its seven bodily elements, a king is protected by the seven constituent limbs of the state.

17. Angiras said:— Art thou hale and healthy? Are thy prakritis prosperous? A king also is like a jeeva protected by the seven prakritis.

6.14.18

ātmānaṃ prakṛtiṣvaddhā nidhāya śreya āpnuyāt /
rājñā tathā prakṛtayo naradevāhitādhayaḥ //

A person, placing his self securely in the bodily elements, attains well-being; / and similarly the constituents of the state, having their cares entrusted to the lord of men, [prosper] through the king.

18. A king ought to entrust himself directly into the hands of his Prakritis and enjoy the regal prosperity; so also the Prakritis having their grievances redressed by their king should find happiness.

6.14.19

api dārāḥ prajāmātyā bhṛtyāḥ śreṇyo 'tha mantriṇaḥ /
paurā jānapadā bhūpā ātmajā vaśavartinaḥ //

Are your wives, subjects, ministers, servants, guilds, and counselors, / the citizens, countryside folk, vassal kings, and sons obedient to your will?

19. Are thy wives, subjects (children), ministers, servants, guilds, councillors, citizens, subjects at large, tributary princes and sons-all obedient to thee?

6.14.20

yasyātmānuvaśaścet syāt sarve tadvaśagā ime /
lokāḥ sapālā yacchanti sarve balimatandritāḥ //

If a ruler's own self is under control, all these remain under his control; / and all the worlds, along with their guardians, unweariedly offer tribute.

20. All these are subservient to that person who has his mind well under control; the worlds and their protectors and all are wakeful to pay their tribute to him.

6.14.21

ātmanaḥ prīyate nātmā parataḥ svata eva vā /
lakṣaye 'labdhakāmaṃ tvāṃ cintayā śabalaṃ mukham //

Does your self not find satisfaction in itself, either from others or from within? / I observe that you have not obtained your desire, for your face is clouded with anxiety.

21. Art thou not pleased with thyself? I perceive thee as not having accomplished thy wish through thyself or through others and thy face is discoloured (pale) with anxiety.

6.14.22

evaṃ vikalpito rājan viduṣā munināpi saḥ /
praśrayāvanato 'bhyāha prajākāmastato munim //

Thus questioned, O king, by the wise sage, / he, desiring offspring and bowing down in humility, spoke to the sage.

22. Thus questioned in detail by the sage full of insight, O king, Chitraketu, bent with devotion and prompted by his desire for an issue, spoke to the sage as follows.

6.14.23

/0 citraketuruvāca
bhagavan kiṃ na viditaṃ tapojñānasamādhibhiḥ /
yogināṃ dhvastapāpānāṃ bahirantaḥ śarīriṣu //

Citraketu said: / O venerable one, what can remain unknown, externally or internally, regarding embodied beings, / to yogins whose sins have been destroyed by asceticism, knowledge, and absorption?

23. Chitraketu said:— O worshipful one, is there anything, either within or without the embodied creatures, that cannot be perceived by virtue of tapas, wisdom and concentration, by Yogins who are cleansed of all sin?

6.14.24

tathāpi pṛcchato brūyāṃ brahmannātmani cintitam /
bhavato viduṣaścāpi coditastvadanujñayā //

Even so, prompted by your inquiry and with your permission, O brāhmaṇa, / I shall speak of the anxiety in my heart to you, though you are all-knowing.

24. Still, O worshipful One, I should with thy permission tell even thee who knowest it, when thou askest me, what anxiety is in my heart.

6.14.25

lokapālairapi prārthyāḥ sāmrājyaiśvaryasampadaḥ /
na nandayanty aprajaṃ māṃ kṣuttṛṭkāmamivāpare //

Possessions of sovereign empire, desirable even to the guardians of the world, / bring no delight to me who am childless, just as other things bring no joy to one tormented by hunger and thirst.

25. The imperial wealth and powers envied even by protectors of the world do not bring delight to me for want of an issue, just as things other than food and drink do not satisfy the hungry and thirsty.

6.14.26

tataḥ pāhi mahābhāga pūrvaiḥ saha gataṃ tamaḥ /
yathā tarema duṣpāraṃ prajayā tadvidhehi naḥ //

Therefore protect me, O fortunate one, who have fallen into darkness along with my ancestors; / arrange for us in such a way that we may cross that impassable darkness by means of offspring.

26. Therefore, O blessed One, be pleased to afford protection, so that we may by means of an issue get out of the impassable darkness into which we with our fathers have fallen: be pleased to grant us that boon?

6.14.27

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
ity arthitaḥ sa bhagavān kṛpālurbrahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ /
śrapayitvā caruṃ tvāṣṭraṃ tvaṣṭāramayajadvibhuḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Thus implored, that powerful and compassionate son of Brahmā, / having cooked a sacrificial offering sacred to Tvaṣṭṛ, sacrificed to Tvaṣṭṛ.

27. Sri Suka said:— Thus entreated the worshipful and merciful sage, son of Brahma, caused Charu to be cooked intended for Twasthtri and the great sage performed the worship of Twashtri.

6.14.28

jyeṣṭhā śreṣṭhā ca yā rājño mahiṣīṇāṃ ca bhārata /
nāmnā kṛtadyutistasyai yajñocchiṣṭamadāddvijaḥ //

To her who was the eldest and chief among the queens of the king, O descendant of Bharata, / named Kṛtadyuti, the twice-born gave the remnant of the sacrificial offering.

28. His foremost queen, by age and qualities, was Kritadyuti by name and to her, O Bharata, the Brahmin gave the remainder of the sacrificial offerings.

6.14.29

athāha nṛpatiṃ rājan bhavitaikastavātmajaḥ /
harṣaśokapradastubhyamiti brahmasuto yayau //

Then he said to the monarch: “O king, you will have one son / who will bring you joy and sorrow.” Having said this, the son of Brahmā departed.

29. And then, O king, the sage told the emperor "One son will be born to thee and he will be the cause of thy joy and grief," and instantly the son of Brahma went away.

6.14.30

sāpi tatprāśanādeva citraketoradhārayat /
garbhaṃ kṛtadyutirdevī kṛttikāgnerivātmajam //

And Queen Kṛtadyuti, merely by consuming that offering, / conceived seed from Citraketu, just as Kṛttikā conceived the son of Agni.

30. And (by virtue of eating that) that queen Kritadyuti conceived and bore in her womb a son to Chitraketu, even as Kritika bore a son to Agni.

6.14.31

tasyā anudinaṃ garbhaḥ śuklapakṣa ivoḍupaḥ /
vavṛdhe śūraseneśa tejasā śanakairnṛpa //

Her fetus grew day by day with radiance, slowly, O king, / like the moon in the bright fortnight, O lord of the Śūrasenas.

31. The child in the womb developed from day to day gradually by virtue of the emperor's greatness, just as the moon waxes in the bright half of the month.

6.14.32

atha kāla upāvṛtte kumāraḥ samajāyata /
janayan śūrasenānāṃ śṛṇvatāṃ paramāṃ mudam //

Then, when the time arrived, a prince was born, / bringing supreme delight to the Śūrasenas who heard the news.

32. In due course, when proper time came, a son was born to the extreme joy of all the people of Surasena country who heard of the news.

6.14.33

hṛṣṭo rājā kumārasya snātaḥ śuciralaṅkṛtaḥ /
vācayitvāśiṣo vipraiḥ kārayāmāsa jātakam //

Delighted, bathed, pure, and adorned, the king,
causing the brāhmaṇas to recite blessings, had the birth-rites performed for the boy.

33. The joyous king bathed, adorned himself, and piously made the brahmins pronounce benediction and perform the rite of Jataka (birth) for his son.

6.14.34

tebhyo hiraṇyaṃ rajataṃ vāsāṃsy ābharaṇāni ca /
grāmān hayān gajān prādāddhenūnāmarbudāni ṣaṭ //

To them he gave gold, silver, garments, and ornaments,
villages, horses, elephants, and six hundred million cows.

34. He gave them gold, silver, clothes and ornaments, villages, horses, elephants and six billions of cows.

6.14.35

vavarṣa kāmān anyeṣāṃ parjanya iva dehinām /
dhanyaṃ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṃ kumārasya mahāmanāḥ //

He showered the desires of other living beings as a raincloud does,
[seeking] what brought fortune, renown, and long life to the child, high-minded as he was.

35. The liberal king showered also on other people whatever they desired like the cloud that rains for the benefit of creatures. He distributed gifts which would bring the child wealth, glory and long life.

6.14.36

kṛcchralabdhe 'tha rājarṣestanaye 'nudinaṃ pituḥ /
yathā niḥsvasya kṛcchrāpte dhane sneho 'nvavardhata //

Then, toward that son obtained with great difficulty, the royal sage, his father,
felt his affection increase day by day, just as a destitute man's toward wealth won with hardship.

36. The affection of the father, the saintly king, towards his hard-won son grew great from day to day, just as the love of a poor man does for his hard-earned money.

6.14.37

mātustvatitarāṃ putre sneho mohasamudbhavaḥ /
kṛtadyuteḥ sapatnīnāṃ prajākāmajvaro 'bhavat //

The mother's love for her son, born of delusion, was even greater;
while for Kṛtadyuti's co-wives, a fever of desire for offspring arose.

37. But the mother's affection for the son was so great as to take away all judgment from her; and her co-wives fell into (a bad) fever of desire for an issue.

6.14.38

citraketoratiprītiryathā dāre prajāvati /
na tathānyeṣu sañjajñe bālaṃ lālayato 'nvaham //

The excessive affection that Citraketu had for the wife who bore a child
did not arise similarly toward the others, as he fondled the infant day after day.

38. As he fondled his child from day to day his affection for his other queens did not grow so intensely as it did towards the queen that bore him a son.

6.14.39

tāḥ paryatapyannātmānaṃ garhayantyo 'bhyasūyayā /
ānapatyena duḥkhena rājñaścānādareṇa ca //

They burned with grief, reproaching themselves out of envy,
owing to the sorrow of childlessness and the king's neglect.

39. They were very much distressed and reproached themselves through envy and also through the grief of childlessness and the indifference of the king too.

6.14.40

dhig aprajāṃ striyaṃ pāpāṃ patyuścāgṛhasammatām /
suprajābhiḥ sapatnībhirdāsīmiva tiraskṛtām //

“Fie upon a childless, wretched woman, unapproved in the house by her husband,
slighted like a maidservant by co-wives rich in sons!

40. "Fie, Fie", on a childless woman, the sinful one and not beloved at home (of the husband), and treated with contempt like a servant-maid by her co-wives blessed with children.

6.14.41

dāsīnāṃ ko nu santāpaḥ svāminaḥ paricaryayā /
abhīkṣṇaṃ labdhamānānāṃ dāsyā dāsīva durbhagāḥ //

What torment indeed do maidservants have, who by serving their master
constantly receive honor, whereas we unfortunate ones are like maidservants to a maidservant?”

41. What affliction could there be to servants-maid by doing service to the master, since they frequently receive honours and presents? On the other hand we are miserable and unhappy like a servant of the servant.

6.14.42

evaṃ sandahyamānānāṃ sapatnyāḥ putrasampadā /
rājño 'sammatavṛttīnāṃ vidveṣo balavān abhūt //

Thus consuming themselves at their co-wife's fortune in having a son,
and their behavior being disregarded by the king, a fierce hatred arose in them.

42. As they burned with jealousy at the fortune of their co-wife in having had a child and became disagreeable to the king by their existence, their keen hatred waxed strong.

6.14.43

vidveṣanaṣṭamatayaḥ striyo dāruṇacetasaḥ /
garaṃ daduḥ kumārāya durmarṣā nṛpatiṃ prati //

Their minds destroyed by hatred, cruel-hearted women,
intolerant toward the king, gave poison to the child.

43. The women through hatred lost their good sense and developed cruel feelings in their hearts, and, in their inappeasable hatred of the king administered poison to the child.

6.14.44

kṛtadyutirajānantī sapatnīnāmaghaṃ mahat /
supta eveti sañcintya nirīkṣya vyacaradgṛhe //

Kṛtadyuti, unaware of her co-wives' terrible sin,
thinking merely that he was asleep, looked at him and walked about the house.

44. Kritadyuti did not know the horrible action of her co-wives and as she looked at it thought that the child was only sleeping; so she was busy going about in the house.

6.14.45

śayānaṃ suciraṃ bālamupadhārya manīṣiṇī /
putramānaya me bhadre iti dhātrīmacodayat //

Considering that the boy had been lying asleep for a very long time, the wise woman
urged the nurse: “Bring my son to me, good woman!”

45. Then thinking that the child had been sleeping too long, the intelligent queen ordered the nurse to bring her the child, saying, 'bring me my son, good woman'.

6.14.46

sā śayānamupavrajya dṛṣṭvā cottāralocanam /
prāṇendriyātmabhistyaktaṃ hatāsmīty apatadbhuvi //

Going up to the sleeping child and seeing his eyes rolled upward,
abandoned by his vital breaths, senses, and soul, she fell to the earth, crying: “I am ruined!”

46. Approaching the child lying in bed and finding its eyes _wide open_ without their lustere and devoid of all life and breath, she

fell on the ground crying "I am undone."

6.14.47

tasyāstadākarṇya bhṛśāturaṃ svaraṃ ghnantyāḥ karābhyāmura uccakairapi /
praviśya rājñī tvarayātmajāntikaṃ dadarśa bālaṃ sahasā mṛtaṃ sutam //

Hearing her voice exceedingly distressed as she struck her chest loudly with both hands,
the queen entered in haste to her child and suddenly saw her young son dead.

47. Hearing that sorrowful shout of the nurse who violently beat her breast with both her hands the queen hastened in to the side of the child and found it had a sudden death.

6.14.48

papāta bhūmau parivṛddhayā śucā mumoha vibhraṣṭaśiroruhāmbarā //

She fell upon the earth in heightened grief;
her hair and garments falling away, she fainted.

48. Under overpowering grief she fell down on the ground and swooned away with her locks of hair and clothes falling in disorder.

6.14.49

tato nṛpāntaḥpuravartino janā narāśca nāryaśca niśamya rodanam /
āgatya tulyavyasanāḥ suduḥkhitās tāśca vyalīkaṃ ruruduḥ kṛtāgasaḥ //

Then the people dwelling in the king's inner apartments, both men and women, hearing the wailing,
came together, sharing the calamity, deeply afflicted; and those who had committed the crime wept falsely.

49. Then, hearing the wailing, the people in the palace and the harem, men and women, came in, equally shared in the grief and were much distressed while those too that had done the evil work pretended to wail also.

6.14.50

śrutvā mṛtaṃ putramalakṣitāntakaṃ vinaṣṭadṛṣṭiḥ prapatan skhalan pathi /
snehānubandhaidhitayā śucā bhṛśaṃ vimūrcchito 'nuprakṛtirdvijairvṛtaḥ //

Hearing that his son was dead from an unseen cause of death, his sight failing, falling and stumbling on the road,
greatly swooning with grief intensified by the bond of affection, followed by his ministers, he was surrounded by the brāhmaṇas.

50. Hearing of the son's death by unknown hands the king could not see, tumbled and fell in the way and, in grief that increased beyond measure through his affection, fell into a deep swoon accompanied by his Prakritis and surrounded by Brahmins.

6.14.51

papāta bālasya sa pādamūle mṛtasya visrastaśiroruhāmbaraḥ /
dīrghaṃ śvasan bāṣpakaloparodhato niruddhakaṇṭho na śaśāka bhāṣitum //

He fell at the feet of the dead child, his hair and garments disheveled;
sighing deeply, choked by a surge of tears, with throat obstructed, he could not speak.

51. He dropped down at the feet of the dead child, his hair and clothes falling in disorder; sighing heavily and long, with his throat chocked with tears, he could not utter any word.

6.14.52

patiṃ nirīkṣyoruśucārpitaṃ tadā mṛtaṃ ca bālaṃ sutamekasantatim /
janasya rājñī prakṛteśca hṛdrujaṃ satī dadhānā vilalāpa citradhā //

Seeing her husband plunged then into vast grief, and the dead boy, her son, the sole descendant,
the chaste woman, bearing the heart-ache of her people and subjects, lamented in diverse ways:

52. On seeing her lord immersed in great grief and the child, the one thread and one son of the family, dead, and the affliction of the people and Prakritis, the chaste queen in her unbearable pain of heart began to pour out her lamentations in various ways.

6.14.53

stanadvayaṃ kuṅkumapaṅkamaṇḍitaṃ niṣiñcatī sāñjanabāṣpabindubhiḥ /
vikīrya keśān vigalatsrajaḥ sutaṃ śuśoca citraṃ kurarīva susvaram //

Bathing her two breasts, adorned with saffron paste, with tear-drops mixed with collyrium,
scattering her hair from which garlands slipped, she grieved for her son in various sweet-sounding cries, like an osprey.

53. Bathing with her tears mixed with collyrium her breasts adorned with Kumkuma and sandal, with dishevelled hair from which flowers dropped down, she lamented the child in appropriate and wonderful ways and tones like the bird Kurari.

6.14.54

aho vidhātastvamatīva bāliśo yastvātmasṛṣṭyapratirūpamīhase /
pare nu jīvaty aparasya yā mṛtir viparyayaścet tvamasi dhruvaḥ paraḥ //

“Ah, Creator! You are exceedingly childish, you who endeavor in a manner contrary to your own creation!
If the death of one occurs while another lives, if there is such reversal, you are surely an enemy.

54. Alas! O maker, Thou art quite void of sense; for Thou workest against Thy own creation, as is proved by the death of the younger when the older member is alive; but if Thou be of a contrary nature Thou art certainly the constant foe (of all creatures).

6.14.55

na hi kramaścediha mṛtyujanmanoḥ śarīriṇāmastu tadātmakarmabhiḥ /
yaḥ snehapāśo nijasargavṛddhaye svayaṃ kṛtaste tamimaṃ vivṛścasi //

If indeed there is no fixed sequence of death and birth here for embodied beings, let that be through their own actions.
Yet this noose of affection made by you for the increase of your own creation—that very thing you sever!

55. If there be no order in respect of birth and death of Jeevas, let it be so on account of their own Karma; but this tie of affection is of Thy own creation for the prosperity of Thy creation and that too Thou cuttest off.

6.14.55.p1

tvaṃ tāta nārhasi ca māṃ kṛpaṇāmanāthāṃ $ tyaktuṃ vicakṣva pitaraṃ tava śokataptam &

You ought not, darling child, to abandon me, helpless and forlorn; look at your father, scorched with sorrow.

56. O child! O darling! it is not fit for thee to abandon me poor and helpless; look at thy father burning with grief; with thy help we would surely get over that gloom which is not passable for the childless; do not go away far off with the merciless Yama.

6.14.56

añjastarema bhavatāprajadustaraṃ yad % dhvāntaṃ na yāhy akaruṇena yamena dūram //

Through you we would easily cross that darkness so hard for the childless to traverse; do not depart far with pitiless Yama!

6.14.56.p2

uttiṣṭha tāta ta ime śiśavo vayasyās $ tvāmāhvayanti nṛpanandana saṃvihartum &

Arise, darling child! These children, your playmates, are calling you, O prince, to play together.

57. Arise, O darling! here are these children thy mates; they call thee, O prince, to play with thee; thou hast slept long indeed; indeed thou art very, very hungry; come, eat, suck thy mother's breast; end the griefs of us and all of thy kith and kin.

6.14.56.p3

uttiṣṭha tāta ta ime śiśavo vayasyās $ tvāmāhvayanti nṛpanandana saṃvihartum &

Arise, darling child! These children, your playmates, are calling you, O prince, to play together.

6.14.57

suptaściraṃ hy aśanayā ca bhavān parīto % bhuṅkṣva stanaṃ piba śuco hara naḥ svakānām //

For you have slept long, and you are seized by hunger; eat, drink my breast, remove the griefs of us, your own folk!

6.14.57.p2

nāhaṃ tanūja dadṛśe hatamaṅgalā te $ mugdhasmitaṃ muditavīkṣaṇamānanābjam &

My fortune ruined, O son, I do not see your lotus face with its charming smile and joyful gaze.

58. I did not, O son! being unfortunate, see thy sweet smile, cheerful looks and lotus-like face; hast thou gone to the other world from which thou wilt not return, carried away by the merciless one? Thy charming, lisping accents I do not hear.

6.14.57.p3

nāhaṃ tanūja dadṛśe hatamaṅgalā te $ mugdhasmitaṃ muditavīkṣaṇamānanābjam &

My fortune ruined, O son, I do not see your lotus face with its charming smile and joyful gaze.

6.14.58

kiṃ vā gato 'sy apunaranvayamanyalokaṃ % nīto 'ghṛṇena na śṛṇomi kalā giraste //

Or have you gone to another world without return, taken by the merciless one? I hear no more your sweet, inarticulate words.

6.14.59

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
vilapantyā mṛtaṃ putramiti citravilāpanaiḥ /
citraketurbhṛśaṃ tapto muktakaṇṭho ruroda ha //

Śrī Śuka said:
As she was thus lamenting for her dead son with varied lamentations,
Citraketu, intensely tormented, wept aloud with open throat.

59. Sri Suka said:— Along with his queen thus bewailing in unspeakable ways her dead child, Chitraketu also in his unbearable grief began to wail aloud.

6.14.60

tayorvilapatoḥ sarve dampatyostadanuvratāḥ /
ruruduḥ sma narā nāryaḥ sarvamāsīdacetanam //

As the couple wailed, all their attendants,
both men and women, wept; the entire place became unconscious [with grief].

60. When the couple was thus given to wailing all those that were attached to them, men and women, wept aloud; and all seemed to be lifeless.

6.14.61

evaṃ kaśmalamāpannaṃ naṣṭasaṃjñamanāyakam /
jñātvāṅgirā nāma ṛṣirājagāma sanāradaḥ //

Knowing him thus fallen into despondency, bereft of awareness, like one without a protector,
the sage named Aṅgiras arrived accompanied by Nārada.

61. Knowing that every body had come to this wretched plight without consciousness and had none to lead them, the sage Angiras with Narada went thither.