Vyasa's Austerity for a Son

Verse 1 (12.331.1)

कथं व्यासस्य धर्मात्मा शुको जज्ञे महातपाः । सिद्धिं च परमां प्राप्तस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

kathaṃ vyāsasya dharmātmā śuko jajñe mahātapāḥ | siddhiṃ ca paramāṃ prāptastanme brūhi pitāmaha

"How was the righteous Shuka, of great austerity, born to Vyasa, and how did he reach the highest perfection? Tell me that, grandsire."

Verse 2 (12.331.2)

कस्यां चोत्पादयामास शुकं व्यासस्तपोधनः । न ह्यस्य जननीं विद्मो जन्म चाग्र्यं महात्मनः ॥

kasyāṃ cotpādayāmāsa śukaṃ vyāsastapodhanaḥ | na hyasya jananīṃ vidmo janma cāgryaṃ mahātmanaḥ

"Of whom did the ascetic Vyasa beget Shuka? We do not know the mother of this great soul, nor the manner of his lofty birth."

Verse 3 (12.331.3)

कथं च बालस्य सतः सूक्ष्मज्ञाने रता मतिः । यथा नान्यस्य लोकेऽस्मिन्द्वितीयस्येह कस्यचित् ॥

kathaṃ ca bālasya sataḥ sūkṣmajñāne ratā matiḥ | yathā nānyasya loke'smindvitīyasyeha kasyacit

"And how did his mind, while he was still a child, come to delight in subtle knowledge, as no other in this world has ever done?"

Verse 4 (12.331.4)

एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण महामते । न हि मे तृप्तिरस्तीह शृण्वतोऽमृतमुत्तमम् ॥

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ vistareṇa mahāmate | na hi me tṛptirastīha śṛṇvato'mṛtamuttamam

"I wish to hear this at length, O man of great mind; I am never satisfied with hearing this best of nectars."

Verse 5 (12.331.5)

माहात्म्यमात्मयोगं च विज्ञानं च शुकस्य ह । यथावदानुपूर्व्येण तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

māhātmyamātmayogaṃ ca vijñānaṃ ca śukasya ha | yathāvadānupūrvyeṇa tanme brūhi pitāmaha

"Tell me, grandsire, in due order and as it truly was, of Shuka's greatness, his union with the Self, and his wisdom."

Verse 6 (12.331.6)

न हायनैर्न पलितैर्न वित्तैर्न च बन्धुभिः । ऋषयश्चक्रिरे धर्मं योऽनूचानः स नो महान् ॥

na hāyanairna palitairna vittairna ca bandhubhiḥ | ṛṣayaścakrire dharmaṃ yo'nūcānaḥ sa no mahān

The sages did not make greatness in dharma depend on years, on grey hair, on wealth or on kinsmen. Among us, the one who is learned in the Vedas is the great one.

Verse 7 (12.331.7)

तपोमूलमिदं सर्वं यन्मां पृच्छसि पाण्डव । तदिन्द्रियाणि संयम्य तपो भवति नान्यथा ॥

tapomūlamidaṃ sarvaṃ yanmāṃ pṛcchasi pāṇḍava | tadindriyāṇi saṃyamya tapo bhavati nānyathā

All this that you ask me about, son of Pandu, has austerity as its root, and austerity comes only by restraining the senses, and in no other way.

Verse 8 (12.331.8)

इन्द्रियाणां प्रसङ्गेन दोषमृच्छत्यसंशयम् । संनियम्य तु तान्येव सिद्धिमाप्नोति मानवः ॥

indriyāṇāṃ prasaṅgena doṣamṛcchatyasaṃśayam | saṃniyamya tu tānyeva siddhimāpnoti mānavaḥ

By giving way to the senses a man undoubtedly falls into fault; by restraining those same senses fully he attains perfection.

Verse 9 (12.331.9)

अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य वाजपेयशतस्य च । योगस्य कलया तात न तुल्यं विद्यते फलम् ॥

aśvamedhasahasrasya vājapeyaśatasya ca | yogasya kalayā tāta na tulyaṃ vidyate phalam

Dear child, the fruit of a thousand horse-sacrifices and a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices is not equal to a single fraction of yoga.

Verse 10 (12.331.10)

अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि जन्मयोगफलं तथा । शुकस्याग्र्यां गतिं चैव दुर्विदामकृतात्मभिः ॥

atra te vartayiṣyāmi janmayogaphalaṃ tathā | śukasyāgryāṃ gatiṃ caiva durvidāmakṛtātmabhiḥ

On this I will tell you of the birth of Shuka and the fruit of yoga, and of his highest end, which is hard to grasp for those whose selves are unformed.

Verse 11 (12.331.11)

मेरुशृङ्गे किल पुरा कर्णिकारवनायुते । विजहार महादेवो भीमैर्भूतगणैर्वृतः ॥

meruśṛṅge kila purā karṇikāravanāyute | vijahāra mahādevo bhīmairbhūtagaṇairvṛtaḥ

Long ago, it is said, on a peak of Meru covered with a grove of karnikara trees, Mahadeva roamed, surrounded by hosts of fearsome spirits.

Verse 12 (12.331.12)

शैलराजसुता चैव देवी तत्राभवत्पुरा । तत्र दिव्यं तपस्तेषे कृष्णद्वैपायनः प्रभुः ॥

śailarājasutā caiva devī tatrābhavatpurā | tatra divyaṃ tapasteṣe kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaḥ prabhuḥ

The goddess, the daughter of the king of mountains, was there too at that time; and there the lord Krishna Dvaipayana performed a divine austerity.

Verse 13 (12.331.13)

योगेनात्मानमाविश्य योगधर्मपरायणः । धारयन्स तपस्तेपे पुत्रार्थं कुरुसत्तम ॥

yogenātmānamāviśya yogadharmaparāyaṇaḥ | dhārayansa tapastepe putrārthaṃ kurusattama

Entering into himself through yoga and devoted to the dharma of yoga, he held to his austerity for the sake of a son, O best of the Kurus.

Verse 14 (12.331.14)

अग्नेर्भूमेरपां वायोरन्तरिक्षस्य वा विभो । वीर्येण संमितः पुत्रो मम भूयादिति स्म ह ॥

agnerbhūmerapāṃ vāyorantarikṣasya vā vibho | vīryeṇa saṃmitaḥ putro mama bhūyāditi sma ha

"Let me have a son equal in vigour to fire, earth, water, wind, or space," he said, O mighty one.

Verse 15 (12.331.15)

संकल्पेनाथ मौनेन दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः । वरयामास देवेशमास्थितस्तप उत्तमम् ॥

saṃkalpenātha maunena duṣprāpamakṛtātmabhiḥ | varayāmāsa deveśamāsthitastapa uttamam

Holding to the highest austerity, with firm resolve and in silence, he sought a boon from the lord of the gods, who is hard to win for those whose selves are unformed.

Verse 16 (12.331.16)

अतिष्ठन्मारुताहारः शतं किल समाः प्रभुः । आराधयन्महादेवं बहुरूपमुमापतिम् ॥

atiṣṭhanmārutāhāraḥ śataṃ kila samāḥ prabhuḥ | ārādhayanmahādevaṃ bahurūpamumāpatim

For a hundred years, it is said, the mighty one stood living on air alone, worshipping Mahadeva, the many-formed lord of Uma.

Verse 17 (12.331.17)

तत्र ब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव सर्वे देवर्षयस्तथा । लोकपालाश्च लोकेशं साध्याश्च वसुभिः सह ॥

tatra brahmarṣayaścaiva sarve devarṣayastathā | lokapālāśca lokeśaṃ sādhyāśca vasubhiḥ saha

There came the brahmin sages and all the divine sages, the guardians of the world, and the Sadhyas together with the Vasus, to the lord of the world.

Verse 18 (12.331.18)

आदित्याश्चैव रुद्राश्च दिवाकरनिशाकरौ । मारुतो मरुतश्चैव सागराः सरितस्तथा ॥

ādityāścaiva rudrāśca divākaraniśākarau | māruto marutaścaiva sāgarāḥ saritastathā

The Adityas and the Rudras, the sun and the moon, Maruta the wind-god and the Maruts, the oceans and the rivers also came.

Verse 19 (12.331.19)

अश्विनौ देवगन्धर्वास्तथा नारदपर्वतौ । विश्वावसुश्च गन्धर्वः सिद्धाश्चाप्सरसां गणाः ॥

aśvinau devagandharvāstathā nāradaparvatau | viśvāvasuśca gandharvaḥ siddhāścāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ

The two Ashvins, the gods and the Gandharvas, Narada and Parvata, the Gandharva Vishvavasu, the Siddhas and the hosts of Apsarases came as well.

Verse 20 (12.331.20)

तत्र रुद्रो महादेवः कर्णिकारमयीं शुभाम् । धारयाणः स्रजं भाति ज्योत्स्नामिव निशाकरः ॥

tatra rudro mahādevaḥ karṇikāramayīṃ śubhām | dhārayāṇaḥ srajaṃ bhāti jyotsnāmiva niśākaraḥ

There Rudra Mahadeva shone, wearing a lovely garland made of karnikara flowers, like the moon in its moonlight.

Verse 21 (12.331.21)

तस्मिन्दिव्ये वने रम्ये देवदेवर्षिसंकुले । आस्थितः परमं योगमृषिः पुत्रार्थमच्युतः ॥

tasmindivye vane ramye devadevarṣisaṃkule | āsthitaḥ paramaṃ yogamṛṣiḥ putrārthamacyutaḥ

In that divine and delightful forest, crowded with gods and divine sages, the unwavering sage abode in supreme yoga for the sake of a son.

Verse 22 (12.331.22)

न चास्य हीयते प्राणो न ग्लानिरुपजायते । त्रयाणामपि लोकानां तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

na cāsya hīyate prāṇo na glānirupajāyate | trayāṇāmapi lokānāṃ tadadbhutamivābhavat

His life-breath did not fail and no weariness came upon him; to all three worlds this seemed a wonder.

Verse 23 (12.331.23)

जटाश्च तेजसा तस्य वैश्वानरशिखोपमाः । प्रज्वलन्त्यः स्म दृश्यन्ते युक्तस्यामिततेजसः ॥

jaṭāśca tejasā tasya vaiśvānaraśikhopamāḥ | prajvalantyaḥ sma dṛśyante yuktasyāmitatejasaḥ

By his splendour his matted locks became like the flames of a fire, and they were seen blazing on that yoked man of boundless radiance.

Verse 24 (12.331.24)

मार्कण्डेयो हि भगवानेतदाख्यातवान्मम । स देवचरितानीह कथयामास मे तदा ॥

mārkaṇḍeyo hi bhagavānetadākhyātavānmama | sa devacaritānīha kathayāmāsa me tadā

The blessed Markandeya told me this; he related to me then the deeds of the gods.

Verse 25 (12.331.25)

एता अद्यापि कृष्णस्य तपसा तेन दीपिताः । अग्निवर्णा जटास्तात प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः ॥

etā adyāpi kṛṣṇasya tapasā tena dīpitāḥ | agnivarṇā jaṭāstāta prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

Even today, dear child, the fire-coloured matted locks of that great soul, lit by his austerity, still shine.

Verse 26 (12.331.26)

एवंविधेन तपसा तस्य भक्त्या च भारत । महेश्वरः प्रसन्नात्मा चकार मनसा मतिम् ॥

evaṃvidhena tapasā tasya bhaktyā ca bhārata | maheśvaraḥ prasannātmā cakāra manasā matim

Pleased in spirit by such austerity and by his devotion, O Bharata, Maheshvara made up his mind to grant him a boon.

Verse 27 (12.331.27)

ततस्तस्य महादेवो दर्शयामास साम्बिकः । उवाच चैवं भगवांस्त्र्यम्बकः प्रहसन्निव । एवंविधस्ते तनयो द्वैपायन भविष्यति ॥

tatastasya mahādevo darśayāmāsa sāmbikaḥ | uvāca caivaṃ bhagavāṃstryambakaḥ prahasanniva | evaṃvidhaste tanayo dvaipāyana bhaviṣyati

Then Mahadeva, together with Ambika, showed himself to him. And the blessed three-eyed lord said to him with a smile: "Such a son will be yours, O Dvaipayana."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote) round the first line, which Wikisource sets off as an inserted line; corrected भगवांख्यम्बकः → भगवांस्त्र्यम्बकः (misprint in Wikisource; CE tryambakaḥ). Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage 12.310.026d*0789_01 (not in its main text); lines 2-3 are CE 12.310.27.

Verse 28 (12.331.28)

यथा ह्यग्निर्यथा वायुर्यथा भूमिर्यथा जलम् । यथाऽऽकाशस्तथा शुद्धो भविता ते सुतो महान् ॥

yathā hyagniryathā vāyuryathā bhūmiryathā jalam | yathā''kāśastathā śuddho bhavitā te suto mahān

"As fire is pure, as wind, as earth, as water, as space, so pure and great will your son be."

Note on the text: Corrected यथाऽऽकारास्तथा → यथाऽऽकाशस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource: the list of elements needs space, ākāśa; CE has यथा च खं तथा, same sense). भविता ते सुतो महान् is a recension variant of CE bhaviṣyati suto mahān, kept.

Verse 29 (12.331.29)

तद्भावभावी तद्बुद्धिस्तदाऽऽत्मा तदपाश्रयः । तेजसाऽऽवृत्य लोकांस्त्रीन्यशः प्राप्स्यति ते सुतः ॥

tadbhāvabhāvī tadbuddhistadā''tmā tadapāśrayaḥ | tejasā''vṛtya lokāṃstrīnyaśaḥ prāpsyati te sutaḥ

"Intent on that state, with his mind fixed on it, his self one with it and resting on it alone, your son will cover the three worlds with his radiance and win fame."