Rambha Tells Sunitha of Anga's Boon

Verse 1 (padma.2.35.1)

रंभोवाच- ब्रह्मा अव्यक्तसंभूतस्तस्माज्जज्ञे प्रजापतिः । अत्रिर्नाम स धर्मात्मा तस्य पुत्रो महामनाः

raṁbhovāca- brahmā avyaktasaṁbhūtastasmājjajñe prajāpatiḥ atrirnāma sa dharmātmā tasya putro mahāmanāḥ

Rambha said: From the unmanifest arose Brahma, and from him was born the Prajapati named Atri, that righteous soul; this is his great-minded son.

Verse 2 (padma.2.35.2)

अंगो नाम अयं भद्रे नंदनं वनमागतः । इंद्रस्य संपदं दृष्ट्वा लीलातेजसमुत्तमाम्

aṁgo nāma ayaṁ bhadre naṁdanaṁ vanamāgataḥ iṁdrasya saṁpadaṁ dṛṣṭvā līlātejasamuttamām

'O auspicious one, this one's name is Anga; he has come to the Nandana forest, having beheld the excellent splendor and glory of Indra's prosperity.'

Verse 3 (padma.2.35.3)

कृता स्पृहा अनेनापि इंद्रस्य सदृशे पदे । ईदृशो हि यदा पुत्रो मम स्याद्धर्मसंयुतः

kṛtā spṛhā anenāpi iṁdrasya sadṛśe pade īdṛśo hi yadā putro mama syāddharmasaṁyutaḥ

'He too conceived a longing for a station equal to Indra's, [thinking]: If I too could have such a son, endowed with dharma—'

Verse 4 (padma.2.35.4)

सुश्रेयो मे भवेज्जन्म यशः कीर्ति समन्वितम् । आराधितो हृषीकेशस्तपोभिर्नियमैस्तथा

suśreyo me bhavejjanma yaśaḥ kīrti samanvitam ārādhito hṛṣīkeśastapobhirniyamaistathā

'—then my birth would become truly excellent, endowed with fame and renown.' Thus, worshipping Hrishikesha through austerity and observances,

Verse 5 (padma.2.35.5)

सुप्रसन्ने हृषीकेशे वरं याचितवानयम् । इंद्रस्य सदृशं पुत्रं विष्णुतेजः पराक्रमम्

suprasanne hṛṣīkeśe varaṁ yācitavānayam iṁdrasya sadṛśaṁ putraṁ viṣṇutejaḥ parākramam

'when Hrishikesha was well pleased, he begged this boon: Give me a son like Indra, endowed with the splendor and might of Vishnu,'

Verse 6 (padma.2.35.6)

वैष्णवं सर्वपापघ्नं देहि मे मधुसूदन । दत्तवान्स तदा पुत्रमीदृशं सर्वधारकम्

vaiṣṇavaṁ sarvapāpaghnaṁ dehi me madhusūdana dattavānsa tadā putramīdṛśaṁ sarvadhārakam

'—devoted to Vishnu, destroyer of all sin, O Madhusudana.' Then the Lord granted him such a son, one who would become the sustainer of all.

Verse 7 (padma.2.35.7)

तदाप्रभृति विप्रेंद्रः पुण्यां कन्यां प्रपश्यति । यथा त्वं चारुसर्वांगी तथायं परिपश्यति

tadāprabhṛti vipreṁdraḥ puṇyāṁ kanyāṁ prapaśyati yathā tvaṁ cārusarvāṁgī tathāyaṁ paripaśyati

'From that very time this best of brahmins has been seeking a holy maiden; even as you are lovely in every limb, so it is such a one that he seeks.'

Verse 8 (padma.2.35.8)

एनं गच्छ वरारोहे अस्मात्पुत्रो भविष्यति । पुण्यात्मा पुण्यधर्मज्ञो विष्णुतेजः पराक्रमः

enaṁ gaccha varārohe asmātputro bhaviṣyati puṇyātmā puṇyadharmajño viṣṇutejaḥ parākramaḥ

'Go to him, O fair-hipped one; from him a son shall be born to you — meritorious of soul, knower of righteous dharma, endowed with Vishnu's splendor and might.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.35.9)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं तथाहं पृच्छिता त्वया । अयं भर्ता भवत्यर्हो भवेदेव न संशयः

etatte sarvamākhyātaṁ tathāhaṁ pṛcchitā tvayā ayaṁ bhartā bhavatyarho bhavedeva na saṁśayaḥ

'All this I have told you, as you asked me; this man will be a husband worthy of you — it shall surely come to pass, without doubt.'

Verse 10 (padma.2.35.10)

सुशंखस्यापि यः शापो वृथा सोऽपि भविष्यति । अस्माज्जाते महाभागे पुत्रे धर्मप्रचारिणि

suśaṁkhasyāpi yaḥ śāpo vṛthā so'pi bhaviṣyati asmājjāte mahābhāge putre dharmapracāriṇi

'Even the curse of Sushankha shall then come to nothing; O greatly fortunate one, when from this union a son who spreads dharma is born,'

Verse 11 (padma.2.35.11)

भविष्यसि सुखी भद्रे सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम् । सुक्षेत्रे कृषिकारस्तु बीजं वपति तत्परः

bhaviṣyasi sukhī bhadre satyaṁ satyaṁ vadāmyaham sukṣetre kṛṣikārastu bījaṁ vapati tatparaḥ

'—you shall become happy, O auspicious one; I speak to you nothing but the truth. Just as a diligent farmer sows seed in good soil,'

Verse 12 (padma.2.35.12)

स तथा भुंजते देवि यथा बीजं तथा फलम् । अन्यथा नैव जायेत तत्सर्वं सदृशं भवेत्

sa tathā bhuṁjate devi yathā bījaṁ tathā phalam anyathā naiva jāyeta tatsarvaṁ sadṛśaṁ bhavet

'—so does he reap exactly as the seed was, O goddess; it could never be otherwise, for the fruit always corresponds to the seed.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.35.13)

अयमेष महाभागस्तपस्वी पुण्यवीर्यवान् । अस्य वीर्यात्समुत्पन्नो अस्यैवगुणसंपदा

ayameṣa mahābhāgastapasvī puṇyavīryavān asya vīryātsamutpanno asyaivaguṇasaṁpadā

'This is that same greatly fortunate ascetic, endowed with holy vigor; from his very seed, and from the wealth of his own virtues, shall be born—'

Verse 14 (padma.2.35.14)

युक्तः पुत्रो महातेजाःसर्वदेहभृतां वरः । भविष्यति महाभाग्यो युक्तात्मा योगतत्ववित्

yuktaḥ putro mahātejāḥsarvadehabhṛtāṁ varaḥ bhaviṣyati mahābhāgyo yuktātmā yogatatvavit

'—a son of such great splendor, foremost among all embodied beings; he shall be greatly fortunate, disciplined in soul, and a knower of the truth of yoga.'

Verse 15 (padma.2.35.15)

एवं हि वाक्यं तु निशम्य बाला रंभाप्रियोक्तं शिवदायकं तत् । विचिंत्य बुद्ध्येह सुनीथया तदा तत्त्वार्थमेतत्परिसत्यमेव हि

evaṁ hi vākyaṁ tu niśamya bālā raṁbhāpriyoktaṁ śivadāyakaṁ tat viciṁtya buddhyeha sunīthayā tadā tattvārthametatparisatyameva hi

Having thus heard this auspicious word spoken by her beloved friend Rambha, the maiden Sunitha pondered it in her mind and found it to be wholly true.