Bhagavatapurana 9.3: atha tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ

9.3.1

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
śaryātirmānavo rājā brahmiṣṭhaḥ sambabhūva ha /
yo vā aṅgirasāṃ satre dvitīyamaharūcivān //

Śrī Śuka said:
Śaryāti, the son of Manu, was a king exceedingly devoted to Brahman,
who indeed recited the second day of the sacrificial session of the Aṅgirases.

1. Sri Suka said:—Saryati, a king of Manu's race, was (D. became) a great scholar in the Vedic lore and it was he who, in the great sacrifice of Angiras, explained the ritualistic course of the second day.

9.3.2

sukanyā nāma tasyāsīt kanyā kamalalocanā /
tayā sārdhaṃ vanagato hyagamac cyavanāśramam //

He had a lotus-eyed daughter named Sukanyā.
Accompanied by her, he went to the forest and arrived at the hermitage of Cyavana.

2. He had a very beautiful daughter named Sukanya. Accompanied by her he went to the forest and thence repaired indeed to the hermitage of Chyavana.

9.3.3

sā sakhībhiḥ parivṛtā vicinvantyaṅghripān vane /
valmīkarandhre dadṛśe khadyote iva jyotiṣī //

Surrounded by her female companions, examining the trees in the forest,
she saw within an anthill two lights resembling fireflies.

3. Surrounded by her maids she sauntered, examining the trees in the forest; then, in the hole of an ant-hill, she saw two lights like two fire-flies.

9.3.4

te daivacoditā bālā jyotiṣī kaṇṭakena vai /
avidhyan mugdhabhāvena susrāvāsṛk tato bahiḥ //

Impelled by fate, the young girl pierced those two lights with a thorn
in her childish innocence; blood then flowed out from there.

4. Impelled by providence, the girl in her childishness pierced with a thorn, it is said, those two lights and from them flowed out blood profusely.

9.3.5

śakṛnmūtranirodho 'bhūt sainikānāṃ ca tatkṣaṇāt /
rājarṣistamupālakṣya puruṣān vismito 'bravīt //

Instantly there occurred a stoppage of stool and urine among the soldiers.
Noticing that, the royal sage, filled with wonder, said to his men:

5. That very moment all the men in his army had their lower passages obstructed (they could not make water or answer calls of nature) and the saintly king observed this (them in that plight) and in astonishment said to his men.

9.3.6

apyabhadraṃ na yuṣmābhirbhārgavasya viceṣṭitam /
vyaktaṃ kenāpi nastasya kṛtamāśramadūṣaṇam //

"Has no wrong been committed by you against the descendant of Bhṛgu?
Clearly, an offense has been done to his hermitage by someone among us."

6. "Have you done any wrong or given offence to the sage of Bhargava race? Certainly by some one amongst us the hermitage is profaned."

9.3.7

sukanyā prāha pitaraṃ bhītā kiñcit kṛtaṃ mayā /
dve jyotiṣī ajānantyā nirbhinne kaṇṭakena vai //

Terrified, Sukanyā said to her father, "Something was done by me:
not knowing, I pierced two glowing lights with a thorn."

7. Trembling with fear Sukanya said to her father, "Something was done by me with a thorn: two lights were pierced through by me in ignorance".

9.3.8

duhitustadvacaḥ śrutvā śaryātirjātasādhvasaḥ /
muniṃ prasādayāmāsa valmīkāntarhitaṃ śanaiḥ //

Hearing these words of his daughter, Śaryāti was seized with fear
and gently appeased the sage concealed within the anthill.

8. Startled to hear what his daughter said, Saryāti slowly tried to apologise to (appease) the sage who lay concealed in the ant-hill.

9.3.9

tadabhiprāyamājñāya prādādduhitaraṃ muneḥ /
kṛcchrān muktastamāmantrya puraṃ prāyāt samāhitaḥ //

Knowing his intent, he gave his daughter to the sage;
released from difficulty, he took leave of him and returned to his city with composed mind.

9. Perceiving his (the sage's) mind the king bestowed his daughter on the sage; having thus got out of the scrape, and with his leave, the king returned to the city with a peaceful mind (V. D. with his attendants).

9.3.10

sukanyā cyavanaṃ prāpya patiṃ paramakopanam /
prīṇayāmāsa cittajñā apramattānuvṛttibhiḥ //

Having obtained Cyavana, an exceedingly wrathful husband,
Sukanyā, understanding his mind, pleased him with vigilant and devoted service.

10. Having obtained the very irascible sage Chyavana for her husband, Sukanya perceived his heart and pleased him with her obedient behaviour and her great carefulness.

9.3.11

kasyacit tv atha kālasya nāsatyāv āśramāgatau /
tau pūjayitvā provāca vayo me dattamīśvarau //

Then, after some time, the two Nāsatyas came to the hermitage;
honoring them, he said, "Grant me youth, O two lords.

11. Sometime thereafter the Aswins visited his hermitage; he honoured them and said, "O gods, favour me with youthfulness".

9.3.12

grahaṃ grahīṣye somasya yajñe vāmapyasomapoḥ /
kriyatāṃ me vayorūpaṃ pramadānāṃ yadīpsitam //

I will take a cup of soma for the two of you at the sacrifice, even though you do not drink soma;
let such youth and beauty be made for me as is desired by women."

12. "I shall bear you the cup of Soma in sacrifice, though as gods you have no share therein. Be pleased to confer upon me that youth and that beauty which is most desired of women".

9.3.13

bāḍhamityūcaturvipramabhinandya bhiṣaktamau /
nimajjatāṃ bhavān asmin hrade siddhavinirmite //

"Very well," said the two best of physicians, congratulating the brahmin;
"let your honor dive into this pond created by the Siddhas."

13. Pleased with the brahmin said they, the foremost among Physicians, to him, "Do thou plunge into this pool created by Siddhas".

9.3.14

ityukto jarayā grasta deho dhamanisantataḥ /
hradaṃ praveśito 'śvibhyāṃ valīpalitavigrahaḥ //

Thus addressed, his body seized by old age, covered with veins,
his form wrinkled and gray-haired, he was led into the pool by the two Aśvins.

14. After they said so (thus instructed), Chyavana who was worn out with age, covered with mere veins, with a forbidding appearance for his wrinkles and grey hair, was made to plunge into the pool along with the Aswins.

9.3.15

puruṣāstraya uttasthurapīvyā vanitāpriyāḥ /
padmasrajaḥ kuṇḍalinastulyarūpāḥ suvāsasaḥ //

Three men emerged, exceedingly handsome and charming to women,
wearing lotus garlands and earrings, of identical form and splendidly dressed.

15. Three persons emerged, very beautiful and captivating to women; they wore lotus (golden) wreaths and ear-rings, and were of the same form and complexion and clad in rich apparel. 16. Finding them all alike and brilliant like the sun, and unable to distinguish her husband, the beautiful and chaste Sukanya sought Aswins themselves as her protectors.

9.3.16

tān nirīkṣya varārohā sarūpān sūryavarcasaḥ /
ajānatī patiṃ sādhvī aśvinau śaraṇaṃ yayau //

Seeing them identical in form and radiant as the sun, the fair-hipped woman,
not knowing her husband, the chaste wife took refuge with the Aśvins.

9.3.17

darśayitvā patiṃ tasyai pātivratyena toṣitau /
ṛṣimāmantrya yayaturvimānena triviṣṭapam //

Having shown her husband to her, pleased by her devotion to her husband,
they took leave of the sage and departed in an aerial chariot for heaven.

17. Pleased with her constancy, they showed her who her husband was; and, taking leave of the sage, they set off to the celestial regions in their heavenly car (being praised for their gift).

9.3.18

yakṣyamāṇo 'tha śaryātiścyavanasyāśramaṃ gataḥ /
dadarśa duhituḥ pārśve puruṣaṃ sūryavarcasam //

Now Śaryāti, wishing to perform a sacrifice, went to Cyavana's hermitage
and saw beside his daughter a man radiant as the sun.

18. Then on a certain occasion, intending to perform a sacrifice and (to invite his daughter and son-in-law) Saryati journeyed to the hermitage of Chyavana and there he saw, by the side of his daughter, a person glowing like the sun.

9.3.19

rājā duhitaraṃ prāha kṛtapādābhivandanām /
āśiṣaścāprayuñjāno nātiprītimanā iva //

The king said to his daughter, who had bowed at his feet,
not bestowing blessings upon her, as though displeased in his heart:

19. When she bowed to him at his feet, the king did not pronounce his benediction and spoke to his daughter as if he was not satisfied (with her).

9.3.20

cikīrṣitaṃ te kimidaṃ patistvayā pralambhito lokanamaskṛto muniḥ /
yat tvaṃ jarāgrastamasatyasammataṃ vihāya jāraṃ bhajase 'mumadhvagam //

"What is this that you intended to do? Your husband, the sage honored by the world, has been betrayed by you,
in that you have abandoned him, seized by old age and regarded as untruthful, to consort with this paramour, a traveler on the road!

20. "What is it that thou hast proposed to do? Thou hast deceived thy husband, the sage worshipped by the world: thou waitest upon a paramour, a way-farer, O unchaste woman, abandoning thy aged husband not to thy liking.

9.3.21

kathaṃ matiste 'vagatānyathā satāṃ kulaprasūte kuladūṣaṇaṃ tv idam /
bibharṣi jāraṃ yadapatrapā kulaṃ pituśca bhartuśca nayasyadhastamaḥ //

How has your mind strayed from the path of the virtuous? Born in an exalted lineage, this is a stain upon the family!
Because you shamelessly maintain a paramour, you are dragging down both your father's and your husband's family to the lowest darkness!"

21. "How did your mind and heart become so wicked, O child born in the family of the righteous? This is indeed an ugly stain on the family, since thou keepest a paramour who feels no sense of shame; thou makest the race of thy father and that of thy husband fall into the dark hell".

9.3.22

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ pitaraṃ smayamānā śucismitā /
uvāca tāta jāmātā tavaiṣa bhṛgunandanaḥ //

To her father who was speaking thus, smiling with a pure smile,
she said, "Father, this son of Bhṛgu is your son-in-law."

22. To the father who was talking thus, the daughter of sweet smiles smiled and said, "O father, he is thy own son-in-law, the joy of Bhrigu race".

9.3.23

śaśaṃsa pitre tat sarvaṃ vayorūpābhilambhanam /
vismitaḥ paramaprītastanayāṃ pariṣasvaje //

She related everything to her father—the obtaining of youth and beauty;
astonished and exceedingly delighted, he embraced his daughter.

23. And she related to her father all, — how he got beauty and youthfulness. Astonished and most delighted (at it) he embraced his daughter.

9.3.24

somena yājayan vīraṃ grahaṃ somasya cāgrahīt /
asomaporapyaśvinoścyavanaḥ svena tejasā //

Making the heroic king sacrifice with soma, Cyavana took a draught of soma
by his own spiritual power, even for the two Aśvins who did not drink soma.

24. Chyavana enabled the heroic king to perform the Soma sacrifice and, by virtue of his own powers, bore the cup of Soma to Aswins even though they had till then no share therein.

9.3.25

hantuṃ tamādade vajraṃ sadyo manyuramarṣitaḥ /
savajraṃ stambhayāmāsa bhujamindrasya bhārgavaḥ //

Intolerant and immediately enraged, Indra raised the thunderbolt to slay him;
with the thunderbolt [in hand], the descendant of Bhṛgu paralyzed Indra's arm.

25. At once Indra, who is easily angered, took up in wrath his Vajra to kill him; but Bhargava petrified Indra's arm with the Vajra.

9.3.26

anvajānaṃstataḥ sarve grahaṃ somasya cāśvinoḥ /
bhiṣajāv iti yat pūrvaṃ somāhutyā bahiṣkṛtau //

Thereupon all of them consented to a draught of soma for the two Aśvins as well,
who had previously been excluded from the soma offering on the ground that they were physicians.

26. Thereupon all (the gods) gave their consent to Asvins' having a share in Soma offerings though as physicians they were formerly excluded (from it).

9.3.27

uttānabarhirānarto bhūriṣeṇa iti trayaḥ /
śaryāterabhavan putrā ānartādrevato 'bhavat //

Uttānabarhis, Ānarta, and Bhūriṣeṇa were the three / sons born to Śaryāti. From Ānarta came Revata.

27. Saryati had three sons, named Uttanabarhis, Anarta and Bhurishena; of Anartha Revata was born.

9.3.28

so 'ntaḥsamudre nagarīṃ vinirmāya kuśasthalīm /
āsthito 'bhuṅkta viṣayān ānartādīn arindama //

He built the city of Kuśasthalī within the ocean / and, dwelling there, ruled over the regions of Ānarta and others, O subduer of foes.

28. He built a city called Kusasthali in the middle of the sea; and, occupying it, O Vanquisher of enemies, he ruled Anartas and other territories.

9.3.29

tasya putraśataṃ jajñe kakudmijyeṣṭhamuttamam /
kakudmī revatīṃ kanyāṃ svāmādāya vibhuṃ gataḥ //

A hundred sons were born to him, of whom Kakudmin was the eldest and best. / Taking his daughter Revatī, Kakudmin went to the Lord [Brahmā],

29. & 30. He had a hundred excellent sons of whom Kakudmin was the eldest. Kakudmin (V. Raivata) with his daughter Revati went to the four-faced Brahma, to enquire as to who was the worthy husband for her; (for) Brahmaloka was then left open; as music was then going on there, he found no interval (no opportunity to address Brahma) and so stayed he there for a minute.

9.3.30

putryā varaṃ paripraṣṭuṃ brahmalokamapāvṛtam /
āvartamāne gāndharve sthito 'labdhakṣaṇaḥ kṣaṇam //

to Brahmaloka, which is uninhibited, in order to ask for a groom for his daughter. / As a Gandharva musical performance was underway, he waited for a moment, finding no opportunity.

9.3.31

tadanta ādyamānamya svābhiprāyaṃ nyavedayat /
tac chrutvā bhagavān brahmā prahasya tamuvāca ha //

At its end, bowing down to the primeval Lord, he made his intention known. / Hearing that, the Lord Brahmā laughed and said to him:

31. When it stopped he bowed to Brahma (the First Man) and made known to him what he wanted; on hearing him, the worshipful Brahma laughed out and said to him.

9.3.32

aho rājan niruddhāste kālena hṛdi ye kṛtāḥ /
tat putrapautranapt-ṇāṃ gotrāṇi ca na śṛṇmahe //

"O King, those whom you held in your heart have all been destroyed by time. / We do not even hear the names of the lineages of their sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons.

32. "O king, all those whom thou dost think of were long ago swallowed up by time; we do not hear even the gotras (names) of their great-grandsons, or their grandsons or their sons. [O faultless mortal, as you came here and for a while listened to the music unworthy of thy ears ages have rolled over thee].

9.3.33

kālo 'bhiyātastriṇava caturyugavikalpitaḥ /
tadgaccha devadevāṃśo baladevo mahābalaḥ //

A span of time measured by twenty-seven sets of four yugas has passed away. / Therefore go; Baladeva, possessing great might, is a portion of the God of gods.

33. & 34. "Time calculated to be twenty-seven times the four yugas put together has elapsed; so get thee gone; there is now Balarama of great strength, an amsa of Hari; O king, on that foremost man bestow this jewel of thy daughter.

9.3.34

kanyāratnamidaṃ rājan nararatnāya dehi bhoḥ /
bhuvo bhārāvatārāya bhagavān bhūtabhāvanaḥ //

O King, give this jewel of a maiden to that jewel among men. / For the purpose of lifting the earth's burden, the Lord, creator of all beings,

35. "To reduce the burden of the earth, the glorious Lord, creator of all beings, to sing whose name is very meritorious, has appeared in the world directly in His own amsa". Thus commanded and having bowed to Brahma, the king returned to his city already abandoned by his brothers who, afraid of Yakshas, had fled to different quarters.

9.3.35

avatīrṇo nijāṃśena puṇyaśravaṇakīrtanaḥ /
ityādiṣṭo 'bhivandyājaṃ nṛpaḥ svapuramāgataḥ /
tyaktaṃ puṇyajanatrāsādbhrātṛbhirdikṣv avasthitaiḥ //

whose hearing and glorification are purifying, has descended with His own portion." / Having been thus instructed, the king bowed to the unborn [Brahmā] and returned to his city, / which had been abandoned by his brothers who had dispersed in all directions out of fear of Yakṣas.

9.3.36

sutāṃ dattvānavadyāṅgīṃ balāya balaśāline /
badaryākhyaṃ gato rājā taptuṃ nārāyaṇāśramam //

Having given his daughter of flawless limbs to the mighty Bala, / the king went to Nārāyaṇa's hermitage named Badarī to perform austerities.

36. The king gave his beautiful daughter to the powerful Balarama and retired to the hermitage of NaraNarayana called Badari to perform Tapas.