Critical Edition
जनमेजय उवाच कथं कुमारी भगवंस्तपोयुक्ता ह्यभूत्पुरा किमर्थं च तपस्तेपे को वास्या नियमोऽभवत्
AI Translation: Janamejaya said: How did the maiden become one who practiced austerities in the past, O Lord? For what purpose did she practice austerities? What were her vows?
सुदुष्करमिदं ब्रह्मंस्त्वत्तः श्रुतमनुत्तमम् आख्याहि तत्त्वमखिलं यथा तपसि सा स्थिता
AI Translation: This is extremely difficult, O Brahman, to hear from you. Please tell me the truth in its entirety, how she is established in austerities.
वैशंपायन उवाच ऋषिरासीन्महावीर्यः कुणिर्गार्ग्यो महायशाः स तप्त्वा विपुलं राजंस्तपो वै तपतां वरः मानसीं स सुतां सुभ्रूं समुत्पादितवान्विभुः
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said "There a highly illustrious and energetic Rishi, named Kuni-Garga. Having practised the austerest of penances, O king, that best of ascetics, created a fair browed daughter by his desire. Secing her, the celebrated ascetic Kuni-Garga was filled with joy. He renounced his body, O king and then went to heaven.
तां च दृष्ट्वा भृशं प्रीतः कुणिर्गार्ग्यो महायशाः जगाम त्रिदिवं राजन्संत्यज्येह कलेवरम्
AI Translation: Seeing her, the famous Garga, the cripple, was greatly delighted. O king, having abandoned his body here, he went to heaven.
सुभ्रूः सा ह्यथ कल्याणी पुण्डरीकनिभेक्षणा महता तपसोग्रेण कृत्वाश्रममनिन्दिता
AI Translation: She was beautiful, with fine eyebrows, and had eyes like lotus petals. Having performed great and fierce austerities, she made a hermitage.
उपवासैः पूजयन्ती पितॄन्देवांश्च सा पुरा तस्यास्तु तपसोग्रेण महान्कालोऽत्यगान्नृप
AI Translation: She worshipped the ancestors and gods by fasting. O king, a long time passed due to her severe austerities.
सा पित्रा दीयमानापि भर्त्रे नैच्छदनिन्दिता आत्मनः सदृशं सा तु भर्तारं नान्वपश्यत
AI Translation: Though given by her father to her husband, the blameless one did not consent. She did not find a husband equal to herself.
ततः सा तपसोग्रेण पीडयित्वात्मनस्तनुम् पितृदेवार्चनरता बभूव विजने वने
M. N. Dutt: Emaciating her body with austere penances, she began to worship the Pitris and the gods in that solitary forest.
सात्मानं मन्यमानापि कृतकृत्यं श्रमान्विता वार्द्धकेन च राजेन्द्र तपसा चैव कर्शिता
AI Translation: Though considering herself to be self-realised and accomplished, and though afflicted by old age and austerities, O King, she was not able to attain the supreme state.
Supplementary Passages:
9.51.9 After 9b, T G ins.: *297 जगाम वृद्धभावं च कौमारब्रह्मचारिणी
सा नाशकद्यदा गन्तुं पदात्पदमपि स्वयम् चकार गमने बुद्धिं परलोकाय वै तदा
AI Translation: When she was unable to move even a step by herself, she then made up her mind to go to the other world.
मोक्तुकामां तु तां दृष्ट्वा शरीरं नारदोऽब्रवीत् असंस्कृतायाः कन्यायाः कुतो लोकास्तवानघे
M. N. Dutt: Seeing her about to relinquish her body, Narada said to her,"O sinless one, you cannot attain any blissful region since you have not cleansed yourself by the rite of marriage.
एवं हि श्रुतमस्माभिर्देवलोके महाव्रते तपः परमकं प्राप्तं न तु लोकास्त्वया जिताः
M. N. Dutt: O you of great vows, we have heard this in heaven. Great has been your ascetic merit, but you have no claim to blissful regions.
तन्नारदवचः श्रुत्वा साब्रवीदृषिसंसदि तपसोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि पाणिग्राहस्य सत्तमाः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these words of Narada, the old lady went to an assemblage of Rishis and said, 'I shall give him half my penances who will marry ine.'
इत्युक्ते चास्या जग्राह पाणिं गालवसंभवः ऋषिः प्राक्शृङ्गवान्नाम समयं चेदमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: When this was said, the sage named Prāgśṛṅga, born from Gālava, took her hand and said this to him:
समयेन तवाद्याहं पाणिं स्प्रक्ष्यामि शोभने यद्येकरात्रं वस्तव्यं त्वया सह मयेति ह
AI Translation: "At some time, today, I shall touch your hand, O beautiful one, If you will stay with me for one night only."
तथेति सा प्रतिश्रुत्य तस्मै पाणिं ददौ तदा चक्रे च पाणिग्रहणं तस्योद्वाहं च गालविः
AI Translation: Having promised thus, she gave her hand to him then. And Gālava performed the hand-taking ceremony and the marriage.
Supplementary Passages:
9.51.16 After 16b, N (except D9) ins.: *298 यथादृष्टेन विधिना हुत्वा चाग्निं विधानतः
सा रात्रावभवद्राजंस्तरुणी देववर्णिनी दिव्याभरणवस्त्रा च दिव्यस्रगनुलेपना
M. N. Dutt: On the night, she became a handsome young lady robed in celestial dress, decked in celestial ornaments, and smeared with celestial ungucnts and perfumes.
तां दृष्ट्वा गालविः प्रीतो दीपयन्तीमिवात्मना उवास च क्षपामेकां प्रभाते साब्रवीच्च तम्
AI Translation: Seeing her, Gālava was pleased, as if she were illuminating him with her own light. He stayed there for one night, and in the morning she said to him:
यस्त्वया समयो विप्र कृतो मे तपतां वर तेनोषितास्मि भद्रं ते स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु व्रजाम्यहम्
AI Translation: O best of ascetics, you have made a promise to me. By that, I have stayed here. May you be well. May you be safe. I am leaving.
सानुज्ञाताब्रवीद्भूयो योऽस्मिंस्तीर्थे समाहितः वत्स्यते रजनीमेकां तर्पयित्वा दिवौकसः
AI Translation: Having been permitted, he again said: "One who, concentrated, dwells for one night in this tirtha, having satisfied the gods,
चत्वारिंशतमष्टौ च द्वे चाष्टौ सम्यगाचरेत् यो ब्रह्मचर्यं वर्षाणि फलं तस्य लभेत सः एवमुक्त्वा ततः साध्वी देहं त्यक्त्वा दिवं गता
AI Translation: He should practice the four, the eight, and the two, in the proper way. He who practices celibacy for years should attain the fruit of that. Having spoken thus, the virtuous lady then abandoned her body and went to heaven.
ऋषिरप्यभवद्दीनस्तस्या रूपं विचिन्तयन् समयेन तपोऽर्धं च कृच्छ्रात्प्रतिगृहीतवान्
AI Translation: The sage also became distressed, contemplating her form. After some time, he accepted half of his austerities with difficulty.
साधयित्वा तदात्मानं तस्याः स गतिमन्वयात् दुःखितो भरतश्रेष्ठ तस्या रूपबलात्कृतः एतत्ते वृद्धकन्याया व्याख्यातं चरितं महत्
AI Translation: Having accomplished himself, he followed her path. Suffering, best of Bharatas, he was overcome by her beauty and strength. This is the great story of the old maiden that has been explained to you.
Supplementary Passages:
9.51.23 After 23, N (D1 after 22b) ins.: *299 तथैव ब्रह्मचर्यं च स्वर्गस्य च गतिः शुभा
तत्रस्थश्चापि शुश्राव हतं शल्यं हलायुधः तत्रापि दत्त्वा दानानि द्विजातिभ्यः परंतप शुशोच शल्यं संग्रामे निहतं पाण्डवैस्तदा
M. N. Dutt: While there, Baladeva heard of the destruction of Shalya. Having made presents to the Brahmanas there, he bewailed, O destroyer of foes, for Shalya, who had been killed by the Pandavas in battle.
समन्तपञ्चकद्वारात्ततो निष्क्रम्य माधवः पप्रच्छर्षिगणान्रामः कुरुक्षेत्रस्य यत्फलम्
M. N. Dutt: Then having come out of Samantapanchaka, Baladeva enquired at of the Rishis about the results of the battle at Kurukshetra.
ते पृष्टा यदुसिंहेन कुरुक्षेत्रफलं विभो समाचख्युर्महात्मानस्तस्मै सर्वं यथातथम्
M. N. Dutt: Asked by that Yadu's chief about the results of the battle at Kurukshetra, those great ones told him everything as it had taken place.