13.022
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
na bibheti kathaṁ sā strī śāpasya paramadyuteḥ। kathaṁ nivṛtto bhagavāṁstadbhavānprabravītu me ॥13-22-1॥
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)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
aṣṭāvakro'nvapṛcchat tāṃ rūpaṃ vikuruṣe katham। na cānṛtaṃ te vaktavyaṃ brūhi brāhmaṇakāmyayā ॥13-22-2॥
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)
stryuvāca॥
The woman said.
dyāvāpṛthivīmātraiṣā kāmyā brāhmaṇasattama। śṛṇuṣvāvahitaḥ sarvaṃ yadidaṃ satyavikrama ॥13-22-3॥
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)
uttarāṃ māṃ diśaṃ viddhi dṛṣṭaṃ strī-cāpalaṃ ca te। avyutthānena te lokā jitāḥ satya-parākrama ॥13-22-4॥
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)
jijñāseyaṁ prayuktā me sthirīkartuṁ tavānagha। sthavirāṇām api strīṇāṁ bādhate maithunajvaraḥ ॥13-22-5॥
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)
tuṣṭaḥ pitāmahas te 'dya tathā devāḥ savāsavāḥ। sa tvaṃ yena ca kāryeṇa samprāpto bhagavān iha ॥13-22-6॥
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)
preṣitastena vipreṇa kanyā-pitrā dvija-ṛṣabha। tavo-upadeśaṃ kartuṃ vai tac ca sarvaṃ kṛtaṃ mayā ॥13-22-7॥
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)
kṣemī gamiṣyasi gṛhāñśramaś ca na bhaviṣyati। kanyāṃ prāpsyasi tāṃ vipra putriṇī ca bhaviṣyati ॥13-22-8॥
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)
kāmyayā pṛṣṭavāṁstvaṁ māṁ tato vyāhṛtamuttaram। anatikramaṇīyaiṣā kṛtsnairlokaistribhiḥ sadā ॥13-22-9॥
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)
gacchasva sukṛtaṃ kṛtvā kiṃ vā anyat śrotum icchasi। yāvat bravīmi viprarṣe aṣṭāvakra yathā tatham ॥13-22-10॥
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)
ṛṣiṇā prasāditā cāsmi tava hetor dvijarṣabha। tasya saṁmānanārthaṁ me tvayi vākyaṁ prabhāṣitam ॥13-22-11॥
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)
śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasyāḥ sa vipraḥ prāñjaliḥ sthitaḥ। anujñātastayā cāpi svagṛhaṃ punarāvrajat ॥13-22-12॥
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)
gṛham āgamya viśrāntaḥ svajanaṃ pratipūjya ca। abhyagacchata taṃ vipraṃ nyāyataḥ kurunandana ॥13-22-13॥
O delight of the Kurus, after coming home, resting, and duly honoring his own people, he then properly approached that brāhmaṇa. (13-22-13)
pṛṣṭaś ca tena vipreṇa dṛṣṭaṃ tv etan nidarśanam। prāha vipraṃ tadā vipraḥ suprītenāntarātmanā ॥13-22-14॥
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)
bhavatāhamanujñātaḥ prasthito gandhamādanam। tasya cottarato deśe dṛṣṭaṃ taddaivataṃ mahat ॥13-22-15॥
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)
tayā cāhamanujñāto bhavāṁścāpi prakīrtitaḥ। śrāvitaścāpi tadvākyaṁ gṛhamabhyāgataḥ prabho ॥13-22-16॥
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)
tamuvāca tato vipraḥ pratigṛhṇīṣva me sutām। nakṣatratithisaṃyoge pātraṃ hi paramaṃ bhavān ॥13-22-17॥
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)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
aṣṭāvakras tathety uktvā pratigṛhya ca tāṃ prabho। kanyāṃ paramadharmātmā prītimāṃś cābhavat tadā ॥13-22-18॥
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)
kanyāṃ tāṃ pratigṛhyaiva bhāryāṃ paramaśobhanām। uvāsa muditastatra āśrame sve gatajvaraḥ ॥13-22-19॥
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)
