13.022
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
न बिभेति कथं सा स्त्री शापस्य परमद्युतेः। कथं निवृत्तो भगवांस्तद्भवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे ॥१३-२२-१॥
How does that woman not fear the curse of the supreme radiance? How was it removed, O Lord? Please tell me that. (13-22-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
अष्टावक्रोऽन्वपृच्छत्तां रूपं विकुरुषे कथम्। न चानृतं ते वक्तव्यं ब्रूहि ब्राह्मणकाम्यया ॥१३-२२-२॥
Aṣṭāvakra asked her, "How do you alter your form? And you must not speak untruth; tell me for the sake of brahman." (13-22-2)
स्त्र्युवाच॥
The woman said.
द्यावापृथिवीमात्रैषा काम्या ब्राह्मणसत्तम। शृणुष्वावहितः सर्वं यदिदं सत्यविक्रम ॥१३-२२-३॥
O best of Brāhmaṇas, this (rite) is as great as heaven and earth, and is desirable; O one of true valor, listen attentively to all this. (13-22-3)
उत्तरां मां दिशं विद्धि दृष्टं स्त्रीचापलं च ते। अव्युत्थानेन ते लोका जिताः सत्यपराक्रम ॥१३-२२-४॥
Know me as the northern direction; you have seen the fickleness of women and your own. By your not rising, your worlds have been conquered, O truly valiant one. (13-22-4)
जिज्ञासेयं प्रयुक्ता मे स्थिरीकर्तुं तवानघ। स्थविराणामपि स्त्रीणां बाधते मैथुनज्वरः ॥१३-२२-५॥
O sinless one, prompted by my desire to understand and to clarify your knowledge, I ask: even old women are afflicted by the fever of sexual desire. (13-22-5)
तुष्टः पितामहस्तेऽद्य तथा देवाः सवासवाः। स त्वं येन च कार्येण सम्प्राप्तो भगवानिह ॥१३-२२-६॥
Today, your grandfather is pleased with you, as are the gods along with Indra. So, for whatever purpose you have come here, the Lord is present. (13-22-6)
प्रेषितस्तेन विप्रेण कन्यापित्रा द्विजर्षभ। तवोपदेशं कर्तुं वै तच्च सर्वं कृतं मया ॥१३-२२-७॥
O best of the twice-born, I was sent by that brāhmaṇa, the girl's father, to carry out your instruction; all that has indeed been done by me. (13-22-7)
क्षेमी गमिष्यसि गृहाञ्श्रमश्च न भविष्यति। कन्यां प्राप्स्यसि तां विप्र पुत्रिणी च भविष्यति ॥१३-२२-८॥
You will go home securely, and there will be no fatigue. You will obtain a maiden, and she will become the wife of a brāhmaṇa and bear a son. (13-22-8)
काम्यया पृष्टवांस्त्वं मां ततो व्याहृतमुत्तरम्। अनतिक्रमणीयैषा कृत्स्नैर्लोकैस्त्रिभिः सदा ॥१३-२२-९॥
You have asked me out of desire, and then I have spoken this answer; this is not to be transgressed by all the three worlds at any time. (13-22-9)
गच्छस्व सुकृतं कृत्वा किं वान्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि। यावद्ब्रवीमि विप्रर्षे अष्टावक्र यथातथम् ॥१३-२२-१०॥
Go after performing a good deed; what else do you wish to hear? O sage among Brāhmaṇas, O Aṣṭāvakra, I have spoken as it is. (13-22-10)
ऋषिणा प्रसादिता चास्मि तव हेतोर्द्विजर्षभ। तस्य संमाननार्थं मे त्वयि वाक्यं प्रभाषितम् ॥१३-२२-११॥
O best of the twice-born, I have been favored by the sage because of you; in order to honor him, I have spoken these words to you. (13-22-11)
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्याः स विप्रः प्राञ्जलिः स्थितः। अनुज्ञातस्तया चापि स्वगृहं पुनराव्रजत् ॥१३-२२-१२॥
But having heard her words, the brāhmaṇa stood with joined palms. Permitted by her, he also returned again to his own house. (13-22-12)
गृहमागम्य विश्रान्तः स्वजनं प्रतिपूज्य च। अभ्यगच्छत तं विप्रं न्यायतः कुरुनन्दन ॥१३-२२-१३॥
O delight of the Kurus, after coming home, resting, and duly honoring his own people, he then properly approached that brāhmaṇa. (13-22-13)
पृष्टश्च तेन विप्रेण दृष्टं त्वेतन्निदर्शनम्। प्राह विप्रं तदा विप्रः सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना ॥१३-२२-१४॥
Having been asked by him, the brāhmaṇa, having seen this example, the brāhmaṇa then, with great satisfaction in his heart, spoke to the brāhmaṇa. (13-22-14)
भवताहमनुज्ञातः प्रस्थितो गन्धमादनम्। तस्य चोत्तरतो देशे दृष्टं तद्दैवतं महत् ॥१३-२२-१५॥
Having been permitted by you, I set out for Gandhamadana. In the region to its north, I saw that great divine being. (13-22-15)
तया चाहमनुज्ञातो भवांश्चापि प्रकीर्तितः। श्रावितश्चापि तद्वाक्यं गृहमभ्यागतः प्रभो ॥१३-२२-१६॥
O lord, by her I was permitted, and you were also mentioned; that statement was made to be heard, and I have arrived home. (13-22-16)
तमुवाच ततो विप्रः प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मे सुताम्। नक्षत्रतिथिसंयोगे पात्रं हि परमं भवान् ॥१३-२२-१७॥
Then the brāhmaṇa said to him: "Accept my daughter at the auspicious conjunction of nakṣatra and tithi, for you are indeed the most worthy person." (13-22-17)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
अष्टावक्रस्तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रतिगृह्य च तां प्रभो। कन्यां परमधर्मात्मा प्रीतिमांश्चाभवत्तदा ॥१३-२२-१८॥
Aṣṭāvakra, having said 'so be it' and having accepted the maiden, O lord, the supremely righteous one then became full of joy. (13-22-18)
कन्यां तां प्रतिगृह्यैव भार्यां परमशोभनाम्। उवास मुदितस्तत्र आश्रमे स्वे गतज्वरः ॥१३-२२-१९॥
Having accepted her, the maiden, as his most beautiful wife, he lived happily there in his own hermitage, free from all distress. (13-22-19)
