01.167
Library: Story of Vashishtha's grandson.
gandharva uvāca॥
The gandharva said.
tato dṛṣṭvāśramapadaṃ rahitaṃ taiḥ sutairmuniḥ। nirjagāma suduḥkhārtaḥ punarevāśramāttataḥ ॥1-167-1॥
Seeing the hermitage deserted by his sons, the sage, overwhelmed with grief, once again left the hermitage.
so'paśyat saritaṃ pūrṇāṃ prāvṛṭkāle navāmbhasā। vṛkṣān bahuvidhān pārtha vahantīṃ tīrajān bahūn ॥1-167-2॥
He saw, O Pārtha, the river filled with fresh water in the rainy season, carrying many kinds of trees, many of which had grown on the bank.
atha cintāṃ samāpede punaḥ pauravanandana। ambhasyasyā nimajjeyamiti duḥkhasamanvitaḥ ॥1-167-3॥
Then the descendant of Paurava again became lost in thought, filled with sorrow, thinking, 'I might sink in this water.'
tataḥ pāśais tad-ātmānaṃ gāḍhaṃ baddhvā mahāmuniḥ। tasyā jale mahānadyā nimamajja suduḥkhitaḥ॥1-167-4॥
Then the great sage, having tightly bound himself with those bonds, very sorrowful, sank into the water of her great river.
atha chittvā nadī pāśāṃs tasyāribalamardana। samasthaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ kṛtvā vipāśaṃ samavāsṛjat ॥1-167-5॥
Then, having cut the river fetters, the destroyer of enemy's strength completely placed the sage and released him at the Vipāśā river.
uttatāra tataḥ pāśair vimuktaḥ sa mahānṛṣiḥ। vipāśeti ca nāmāsyā nadyāś cakre mahānṛṣiḥ॥1-167-6॥
Freed from the bonds, the great sage rose up and named this river 'Vipāśā'.
śoke buddhiṃ tataś cakre na ca ekatra vyatiṣṭhata| so'gacchat parvatāṃś caiva saritaś ca sarāṃsi ca ॥1-167-7॥
Overcome by grief, he resolved in his mind, but could not stay in one place; so he wandered among the mountains, rivers, and lakes.
tataḥ sa punarevarṣirnadīṃ haimavatīṃ tadā। caṇḍagrāhavatīṃ dṛṣṭvā tasyāḥ srotasyavāpatat ॥1-167-8॥
Then, the sage once again, seeing the Haimavati river filled with fierce crocodiles, fell into its current.
sā tam agnisamaṃ vipram anucintya saridvarā। śatadhā vidrutā yasmāc chatadrur iti viśrutā ॥1-167-9॥
The best of rivers, having considered the sage who was equal to fire, split herself into a hundred streams; therefore, she is known as 'Śatadru'.
tataḥ sthalagataṃ dṛṣṭvā tatrāpyātmānamātmanā। martuṃ na śakyamityuktvā punarevāśramaṃ yayau ॥1-167-10॥
Then, seeing that he had gone to land, and perceiving himself there as well, he said, "It is not possible to die," and again he went back to the hermitage.
vadhvādṛśyantyānugata āśramābhimukho vrajan। atha śuśrāva saṅgatyā vedādhyayana-niḥsvanam ॥ pṛṣṭhataḥ paripūrṇārthaiḥ ṣaḍbhir-aṅgair-alaṅkṛtam ॥1-167-11॥
As he proceeded towards the hermitage, following the unseen bride, he then heard from behind, in company, the sound of Vedic recitation, perfectly adorned with the six limbs and full of meaning.
anuvrajati ko nveṣa māmityeva ca so'bravīt। ahaṃ tvadṛśyatī nāmnā taṃ snuṣā pratyabhāṣata ॥ śakterbhāryā mahābhāga tapoyuktā tapasvinī ॥1-167-12॥
He asked, "Who is this following me?" Thus he spoke. I, named Tvadṛśyatī, his daughter-in-law, addressed him. She is the wife of Śakti, most fortunate, endowed with austerity, an ascetic woman.
vasiṣṭha uvāca॥
Vasiṣṭha said.
putri kasyaiṣa sāṅgasya vedasyādhyayanasvanaḥ। purā sāṅgasya vedasya śakteriva mayā śrutaḥ ॥1-167-13॥
O daughter, whose is this sound of study of the sāṅga Veda? In earlier times, I heard the sound of study of the sāṅga Veda like the sound of power.
adṛśyantyuvāca॥
He said to those who were not seen.
ayaṃ kukṣau samutpannaḥ śaktergarbhaḥ sutasya te। samā dvādaśa tasyeha vedānabhyasato mune ॥1-167-14॥
O sage, this embryo of Śakti, your son, arose in the womb and here studied the Vedas for twelve years.
gandharva uvāca॥
The gandharva said.
evam-uktas-tato hṛṣṭo vasiṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhabhāg-ṛṣiḥ। asti santānam-ity-uktvā mṛtyoḥ pārtha nyavartata ॥1-167-15॥
Thus addressed, the delighted sage Vasiṣṭha, having declared "There is progeny," caused Death to turn back, O Pārtha.
tataḥ pratinivṛttaḥ sa tayā vadhvā sahānagha। kalmāṣapādam āsīnaṃ dadarśa vijane vane ॥1-167-16॥
Then, O sinless one, he returned with the bride and saw Kalmashapada sitting alone in the forest.
sa tu dṛṣṭvaiva taṃ rājā kruddha utthāya bhārata। āviṣṭo rakṣasogreṇa iyeṣāttuṃ tataḥ sma tam ॥1-167-17॥
But as soon as he saw him, the king, enraged, rose up, O Bhārata, possessed by the fierce demon, and then indeed sought to kill him.
adṛśyantī tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā krūrakarmāṇam agrataḥ। bhayasaṃvignayā vācā vasiṣṭham idam abravīt ॥1-167-18॥
But, remaining unseen, upon seeing him performing cruel deeds ahead, she, with a voice trembling with fear, spoke these words to Vasiṣṭha.
asau mṛtyur ivogreṇa daṇḍena bhagavan nitaḥ। pragṛhītena kāṣṭhena rākṣasaḥ abhyeti bhīṣaṇaḥ॥1-167-19॥
O venerable one, that terrible demon, like death with a fierce staff, approaches here, having seized a stick.
taṃ nivārayituṃ śakto nānyo'sti bhuvi kaścana। tvadṛte'dya mahābhāga sarvavedavidāṃ vara ॥1-167-20॥
O greatly fortunate one, best among all knowers of the Vedas, today, except for you, there is no one else on earth who is able to restrain him.
trāhi māṃ bhagavan pāpād asmād dāruṇa-darśanāt। rakṣaḥ attum iha hi āvām nūnam etat cikīrṣati॥1-167-21॥
O Lord, protect me from sin and from this terrible sight. The demon surely wishes to devour both of us here.
