12.311
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
sa labdhvā paramaṃ devādvaraṃ satyavatīsutaḥ। araṇīṃ tvatha saṅgṛhya mamanthāgnicikīrṣayā ॥12-311-1॥
Having received the supreme boon from the god, the son of Satyavatī took the fire-stick and then churned it, wishing to produce fire. (12-311-1)
atha rūpaṃ paraṃ rājan bibhratīṃ svena tejasā. ghṛtācīṃ nāmāpsarasam apaśyad bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ॥12-311-2॥
Then, O king, the venerable sage saw the apsaras named Ghritachi, bearing a supreme form by her own splendor. (12-311-2)
ṛṣir apsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasā kāmamohitaḥ। abhavad bhagavān vyāso vane tasmin yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-311-3॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, the venerable Vyāsa, upon suddenly seeing the celestial nymph in that forest, became overcome by desire. (12-311-3)
sā ca kṛtvā tadā vyāsaṃ kāmasaṃvignamānasam। śukī bhūtvā mahārāja ghṛtācī samupāgamat ॥12-311-4॥
And then, O great king, Ghṛtācī, having made Vyāsa's mind agitated by desire, became a female parrot and approached him. (12-311-4)
sa tām apsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā rūpeṇānyena saṃvṛtām। śarīrajena anugataḥ sarva-gātra-atigena ha ॥12-311-5॥
He saw that apsaras, who was covered by another form, and, overcome by bodily desire that surpassed all his limbs, he indeed followed her. (12-311-5)
sa tu dhairyeṇa mahatā nigṛhṇan hṛcchayam muniḥ। na śaśāka niyantuṃ tad vyāsaḥ pravisṛtaṃ manaḥ ॥ bhāvitvāc caiva bhāvasya ghṛtācyā vapuṣā hṛtaḥ ॥12-311-6॥
But he, the sage Vyāsa, though restraining his heart's desire with great fortitude, was not able to control his mind, which had become spread out. Indeed, because of being influenced by feeling, he was carried away by the form of Ghṛtācī. (12-311-6)
yatnānniyacchatas tasya muner agnicikīrṣayā। araṇyām eva sahasā tasya śukram avāpatat ॥12-311-7॥
While the sage was restraining himself with effort, desiring to produce fire, suddenly his semen fell upon the araṇi (fire-stick). (12-311-7)
so'aviśaṅkena manasā tathaiva dvijasattamaḥ। araṇīṃ mamantha brahmarṣistasyāṃ jajñe śuko nṛpa ॥12-311-8॥
He, the best of the twice-born, with a mind free from doubt, churned the fire-stick in the same way; from that, O king, the brahma-ṛṣi Śuka was born. (12-311-8)
śukre nirmathyamāne tu śuko jajñe mahātapāḥ। paramarṣirmahāyogī araṇīgarbhasambhavaḥ ॥12-311-9॥
But as the fire-stick was being churned, Śuka, the great ascetic, supreme seer, and great yogi, was born from the womb of the fire-stick. (12-311-9)
yathādhvare samiddho'gnirbhāti havyamupāttavān। tathārūpaḥ śuko jajñe prajvalanniva tejasā ॥12-311-10॥
Just as the kindled fire shines in the sacrifice after receiving the oblation, so the parrot was born with such a form, blazing as if with brilliance. (12-311-10)
bibhratpituśca kauravya rūpavarṇamanuttamam। babhau tadā bhāvitātmā vidhūmo'gniriva jvalan ॥12-311-11॥
O Kauravya, bearing the unsurpassed form and complexion of his father, at that time the purified-souled one shone, blazing like a smokeless fire. (12-311-11)
taṃ gaṅgā saritāṃ śreṣṭhā merupṛṣṭhe janeśvara। svarūpiṇī tadābhyetya snāpayāmāsa vāriṇā ॥12-311-12॥
O lord of men, then Gaṅgā, the best of rivers, in her own form, having approached him on the back of Meru, bathed him with water. (12-311-12)
antarikṣācca kauravya daṇḍaḥ kṛṣṇājinaṃ ca ha। papāta bhuvi rājendra śukasya arthe mahātmanaḥ ॥12-311-13॥
O descendant of Kuru, the staff and the black antelope skin also fell from the sky to the ground, O king, for the sake of the great-souled Śuka. (12-311-13)
jegīyante sma gandharvā nanṛtuś cāpsarogaṇāḥ। devadundubhayaś caiva prāvādyanta mahāsvanāḥ ॥12-311-14॥
The Gandharvas sang, and the groups of Apsarases danced; the divine drums too were sounded with a great noise. (12-311-14)
viśvāvasuś ca gandharvas tathā tumburu-nāradau। hāhāhūhū ca gandharvau tuṣṭuvuḥ śukasambhavam ॥12-311-15॥
Viśvāvasu, the Gandharva, as well as Tumburu and Nārada, and the Gandharvas Hāhā and Hūhū, praised the one born from Śuka. (12-311-15)
tatra śakrapurogāś ca lokapālāḥ samāgatāḥ। devā devarṣayaś caiva tathā brahmarṣayo'pi ca ॥12-311-16॥
There, with Indra at the forefront, the guardians of the worlds assembled; the gods, the divine sages, and also the brahma-sages gathered as well. (12-311-16)
divyāni sarvapuṣpāṇi pravavarṣātra mārutaḥ। jaṅgamaṃ sthāvaraṃ caiva prahṛṣṭamabhavajjagat ॥12-311-17॥
Here, the wind caused all divine flowers to rain down; both moving and non-moving beings, indeed, the entire world became delighted. (12-311-17)
taṃ mahātmā svayaṃ prītyā devyā saha mahādyutiḥ। jātamātraṃ muneḥ putraṃ vidhinopānayattadā ॥12-311-18॥
Then, the greatly radiant great-souled one himself, together with the goddess and with affection, initiated the just-born son of the sage according to the rite. (12-311-18)
tasya deveśvaraḥ śakro divyamadbhutadarśanam। dadau kamaṇḍaluṃ prītyā devavāsāṃsi cābhibho ॥12-311-19॥
Śakra, the lord of the gods, with a divine and wonderful appearance, affectionately gave him a water-pot and divine garments, saying, "O mighty one." (12-311-19)
haṁsāś ca śatapatrāś ca sārasāś ca sahasraśaḥ। pradakṣiṇam avartanta śukāś cāṣāś ca bhārata ॥12-311-20॥
O Bhārata, swans, lotus-birds, cranes by the thousands, as well as parrots and crows, were circling clockwise. (12-311-20)
āraṇeyas tathā divyaṃ prāpya janma mahādyutiḥ। tatraiva uvāsa medhāvī vratacārī samāhitaḥ ॥12-311-21॥
Thus, the son of Aruṇa, having attained a divine birth and great splendor, dwelt there, wise, devoted to vows, and composed. (12-311-21)
utpannamātraṃ taṃ vedāḥ sarahasyaḥ sasaṅgrahāḥ। upatastthurmahārāja yathāsya pitaraṃ tathā ॥12-311-22॥
O great king, as soon as he was born, the Vedas, along with their secrets and collections, attended upon him just as they did upon his father. (12-311-22)
bṛhaspatiṃ tu vavre sa vedavedāṅgabhāṣyavit। upādhyāyaṃ mahārāja dharmamevānucintayan ॥12-311-23॥
But he chose Bṛhaspati, the knower of the Veda, Vedāṅga, and commentaries, as his preceptor, O great king, reflecting only upon dharma. (12-311-23)
so'dhītya vedānakhilānsarahasyānsasaṅgrahān। itihāsaṃ ca kārtsnyena rājaśāstrāṇi cābhibho ॥12-311-24॥
O mighty one, having studied all the Vedas along with their secrets and compilations, as well as the history and the treatises on kingship in their entirety, he (did so). (12-311-24)
gurave dakṣiṇāṃ dattvā samāvṛtto mahāmuniḥ। ugraṃ tapaḥ samārebhe brahmacārī samāhitaḥ ॥12-311-25॥
Having given the offering to his teacher, the great sage, having completed his studies, undertook intense austerities, being a concentrated celibate student. (12-311-25)
devatānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca bālye'pi sa mahātapāḥ। saṃmantraṇīyo mānyaś ca jñānena tapasā tathā ॥12-311-26॥
Even in his childhood, he, the great ascetic, was to be consulted and respected by the deities and sages alike, due to his knowledge and austerity. (12-311-26)
na tvasya ramate buddhirāśrameṣu narādhipa। triṣu gārhasthyamūleṣu mokṣadharmānudarśinaḥ ॥12-311-27॥
But, O king, his mind does not take pleasure in the āśramas; for one who observes the dharma of liberation, the three roots of householdership do not attract the intellect. (12-311-27)
