Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच स कथं काञ्चनष्ठीवी सृञ्जयस्य सुतोऽभवत् पर्वतेन किमर्थं च दत्तः केन ममार च
M. N. Dutt: How did the son as Srinjaya become Suvarnashthivin? Why also did Parvata give Srinjaya that child? And why did he die?
यदा वर्षसहस्रायुस्तदा भवति मानवः कथमप्राप्तकौमारः सृञ्जयस्य सुतो मृतः
M. N. Dutt: When all those men lived for a thousand years, why did Srinjaya's son die in infancy?
उताहो नाममात्रं वै सुवर्णष्ठीविनोऽभवत् तथ्यं वा काञ्चनष्ठीवीत्येतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्
M. N. Dutt: Or, was he in name only Suvarnashthivin? How also did he come to be so! I wish to know all this?
वासुदेव उवाच अत्र ते कथयिष्यामि यथा वृत्तं जनेश्वर नारदः पर्वतश्चैव प्रागृषी लोकपूजितौ
M. N. Dutt: Krishna said 'I will recount, О king, the incidents as they took place. There are two Rishis foremost in the world, named Narada and Parvata.
मातुलो भागिनेयश्च देवलोकादिहागतौ विहर्तुकामौ संप्रीत्या मानुष्येषु पुरा प्रभू
AI Translation: The maternal uncle and nephew, having come from the world of the gods, wishing to enjoy themselves in human form, O Lord, in the past,
हविःपवित्रभोज्येन देवभोज्येन चैव ह नारदो मातुलश्चैव भागिनेयश्च पर्वतः
AI Translation: By the food of the sacrificial fire and the food of the gods, Nārada, the maternal uncle, and the nephew Parvata,
तावुभौ तपसोपेताववनीतलचारिणौ भुञ्जानौ मानुषान्भोगान्यथावत्पर्यधावताम्
M. N. Dutt: Both of them endued with great ascetic merit, they wandered over the Earth living on food taken by human beings.
प्रीतिमन्तौ मुदा युक्तौ समयं तत्र चक्रतुः यो भवेद्धृदि संकल्पः शुभो वा यदि वाशुभः अन्योन्यस्य स आख्येयो मृषा शापोऽन्यथा भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Filled with joy and cherishing great affection for each other, they entered into an agreement that whatever wish, good or bad, would be entertained by one, should be disclosed to the other, but if one happens to act otherwise, he should be visited by the other's curse.
तौ तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय महर्षी लोकपूजितौ सृञ्जयं श्वैत्यमभ्येत्य राजानमिदमूचतुः
M. N. Dutt: Coming at that understanding, those two great Rishis, worshipped of all the worlds, repaired to King Srinjaya the son of Shitya and said to him?
आवां भवति वत्स्यावः कंचित्कालं हिताय ते यथावत्पृथिवीपाल आवयोः प्रगुणीभव तथेति कृत्वा तौ राजा सत्कृत्योपचचार ह
M. N. Dutt: We two, for your well-being shall live with you for a few days. O lord of Earth, do you satisfy all our wants duly! The king, saying,-So be it, began to treat them hospitably.
ततः कदाचित्तौ राजा महात्मानौ तथागतौ अब्रवीत्परमप्रीतः सुतेयं वरवर्णिनी
AI Translation: Then one day the king, the great-souled one, said to the two Tathagatas: "This daughter of mine, of excellent complexion, is very much pleased."
एकैव मम कन्यैषा युवां परिचरिष्यति दर्शनीयानवद्याङ्गी शीलवृत्तसमन्विता सुकुमारी कुमारी च पद्मकिञ्जल्कसंनिभा
AI Translation: "This one daughter of mine will serve both of you, " "who is beautiful, faultless in body, endowed with good character and conduct, " "who is delicate, a maiden, resembling a lotus filament."
परमं सौम्य इत्युक्तस्ताभ्यां राजा शशास ताम् कन्ये विप्रावुपचर देववत्पितृवच्च ह
AI Translation: The king, who was addressed as "most gentle one", ordered them, "Daughters, serve the Brahmins as you would serve the gods and your father."
सा तु कन्या तथेत्युक्त्वा पितरं धर्मचारिणी यथानिदेशं राज्ञस्तौ सत्कृत्योपचचार ह
M. N. Dutt: The pious princess, saying,-So be it-began to serve them in obedience to her father's command.
तस्यास्तथोपचारेण रूपेणाप्रतिमेन च नारदं हृच्छयस्तूर्णं सहसैवान्वपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: Her dutiful services and her peerless beauty very soon created love in Narada's heart.
ववृधे च ततस्तस्य हृदि कामो महात्मनः यथा शुक्लस्य पक्षस्य प्रवृत्तावुडुराट्छनैः
M. N. Dutt: That tender feeling began to grow in the heart of the great saint, like the moon gradually increasing in the light fortnight.
न च तं भागिनेयाय पर्वताय महात्मने शशंस मन्मथं तीव्रं व्रीडमानः स धर्मवित्
M. N. Dutt: The virtuous Narada, however, out of shame, could not give out that burning love to his sister's son the high-souled Parvata.
तपसा चेङ्गितेनाथ पर्वतोऽथ बुबोध तत् कामार्तं नारदं क्रुद्धः शशापैनं ततो भृशम्
M. N. Dutt: By his ascetic power, as also by signs, Parvata understood all. Excited with rage, the latter thereupon made up his mind to curse the love-stricken Narada.
कृत्वा समयमव्यग्रो भवान्वै सहितो मया यो भवेद्धृदि संकल्पः शुभो वा यदि वाशुभः
AI Translation: Having made the agreement with me, you should be free from distraction. Whatever thought arises in the heart, whether good or bad,
अन्योन्यस्य स आख्येय इति तद्वै मृषा कृतम् भवता वचनं ब्रह्मंस्तस्मादेतद्वदाम्यहम्
AI Translation: That is said to be the other's. That is false. O Brahman, you have spoken thus. Therefore, I am telling you this.
न हि कामं प्रवर्तन्तं भवानाचष्ट मे पुरा सुकुमार्यां कुमार्यां ते तस्मादेष शपाम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: You did not tell me before that your heart has been stricken with the beauty of the maiden Sukumari, I shall, therefore, curse you.
ब्रह्मवादी गुरुर्यस्मात्तपस्वी ब्राह्मणश्च सन् अकार्षीः समयभ्रंशमावाभ्यां यः कृतो मिथः
M. N. Dutt: You are a Brahmacharin. You are my preceptor. You are an ascetic and a Brahmana. Yet you have broken the agreement you had made with me.
शप्स्ये तस्मात्सुसंक्रुद्धो भवन्तं तं निबोध मे सुकुमारी च ते भार्या भविष्यति न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: Filled with anger I shall, for this, curse even you. Listen to me. This Sukumari shall, forsooth, become your wife.
वानरं चैव कन्या त्वां विवाहात्प्रभृति प्रभो संद्रक्ष्यन्ति नराश्चान्ये स्वरूपेण विनाकृतम्
M. N. Dutt: From the time of your marriage, however, O powerful one, both she and all men shall see you a monkey, for your real features having disappeared, you will appear like a monkey to all.
स तद्वाक्यं तु विज्ञाय नारदः पर्वतात्तदा अशपत्तमपि क्रोधाद्भागिनेयं स मातुलः
AI Translation: Hearing those words, Narada, from the mountain, The maternal uncle, in anger, cursed his sister.
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्येन च दमेन च युक्तोऽपि धर्मनित्यश्च न स्वर्गवासमाप्स्यसि
AI Translation: Even though you are devoted to austerities, celibacy, truth, self-control, and righteousness, you will not attain heavenly abode.
तौ तु शप्त्वा भृशं क्रुद्धौ परस्परममर्षणौ प्रतिजग्मतुरन्योन्यं क्रुद्धाविव गजोत्तमौ
M. N. Dutt: Filled with anger and feelings of vengeance, they thus cursed each other like a pair of infuriate elephants.
पर्वतः पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां विचचार महामुनिः पूज्यमानो यथान्यायं तेजसा स्वेन भारत
M. N. Dutt: From that time the great Parvata began to wander over the Earth, respected as he deserved, O Bharata, for his own power.
अथ तामलभत्कन्यां नारदः सृञ्जयात्मजाम् धर्मेण धर्मप्रवरः सुकुमारीमनिन्दिताम्
M. N. Dutt: Narada then, that best of Brahmanas, duly married Srinjaya's daughter, the faultless Sukumari.
सा तु कन्या यथाशापं नारदं तं ददर्श ह पाणिग्रहणमन्त्राणां प्रयोगादेव वानरम्
AI Translation: That girl, as per the curse, saw that Nārada and due to the recitation of the marriage mantras, she saw a monkey.
सुकुमारी च देवर्षिं वानरप्रतिमाननम् नैवावमन्यत तदा प्रीतिमत्येव चाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: The princess, however, saw Narada exactly as he had been. Indeed, just after the last of the wedding Mantras had been recited, Sukumari saw the celestial Rishi to have a face like that of a monkey. She, however, did not for that disregard her husband. On the other hand, she bestowed her love on him.
उपतस्थे च भर्तारं न चान्यं मनसाप्यगात् देवं मुनिं वा यक्षं वा पतित्वे पतिवत्सला
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, that chaste princess, devoted herself entirely to her husband and did not in her heart even desire any one else among the gods, Munis and Yakshas for a husband.
ततः कदाचिद्भगवान्पर्वतोऽनुससार ह वनं विरहितं किंचित्तत्रापश्यत्स नारदम्
M. N. Dutt: One day, as the illustrious Parvata, while wandering about entered a solitary forest, he saw Narada there.
ततोऽभिवाद्य प्रोवाच नारदं पर्वतस्तदा भवान्प्रसादं कुरुतां स्वर्गादेशाय मे प्रभो
M. N. Dutt: Bowing to him, Parvata said,-Favour me by permitting me, O powerful one, to go to heaven.
तमुवाच ततो दृष्ट्वा पर्वतं नारदस्तदा कृताञ्जलिमुपासीनं दीनं दीनतरः स्वयम्
AI Translation: Then, seeing him, Narada said to him: "Seated with folded hands, dejected, more dejected than himself,
त्वयाहं प्रथमं शप्तो वानरस्त्वं भविष्यसि इत्युक्तेन मया पश्चाच्छप्तस्त्वमपि मत्सरात् अद्यप्रभृति वै वासं स्वर्गे नावाप्स्यसीति ह
AI Translation: You cursed me first, saying, 'You will become a monkey.' And I, in turn, cursed you out of jealousy, saying, 'From now on, you will not attain residence in heaven.'
तव नैतद्धि सदृशं पुत्रस्थाने हि मे भवान् निवर्तयेतां तौ शापमन्योऽन्येन तदा मुनी
AI Translation: This is not proper for you, for you are in the place of my son. Then those two sages withdrew their curses from each other.
श्रीसमृद्धं तदा दृष्ट्वा नारदं देवरूपिणम् सुकुमारी प्रदुद्राव परपत्यभिशङ्कया
M. N. Dutt: Seeing her husband possessed of celestial forin shining with beauty, Sukumari fled from him taking him, to be somebody other than her husband.
तां पर्वतस्ततो दृष्ट्वा प्रद्रवन्तीमनिन्दिताम् अब्रवीत्तव भर्तैष नात्र कार्या विचारणा
M. N. Dutt: Seeing the beautiful princess flying away from her husband, Parvata addressed her, saying,-He is your husband. Do not entertain any scruple.
ऋषिः परमधर्मात्मा नारदो भगवान्प्रभुः तवैवाभेद्यहृदयो मा ते भूदत्र संशयः
M. N. Dutt: He is the illustrious and powerful Rishi Narada, that foremost of virtuous persons. He is your husband entirely devoted to you. Do not cherish any doubt.
सानुनीता बहुविधं पर्वतेन महात्मना शापदोषं च तं भर्तुः श्रुत्वा स्वां प्रकृतिं गता पर्वतोऽथ ययौ स्वर्गं नारदोऽथ ययौ गृहान्
M. N. Dutt: Assured in various ways be the great Parvata and informed also of the curse on her husband the princess regained the calmness of men. Then Parvata proceeded to heaven and Narada to his home.'
प्रत्यक्षकर्मा सर्वस्य नारदोऽयं महानृषिः एष वक्ष्यति वै पृष्टो यथा वृत्तं नरोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious Rishi Narada, who himself did so, is here, O best of men, asked by you, he will tell you everything that took place."