भीष्म उवाच पुनर्भरतवंशस्य हेतुं संतानवृद्धये। वक्ष्यामि नियतं मातस्तन्मे निगदतः शृणु॥ ब्राह्मणो गुणवान् कश्चिद् धनेनोपनिमन्त्र्यताम्। विचित्रवीर्यक्षेत्रेषु यः समुत्पादयेत् प्रजाः॥
Bhishma said: O mother, listen to me, I shall point out the means by which the Bharata dynasty may be perpetuated. Let an accomplished Brahmana be invited with the offer of wealth; let him beget offspring on the wives of Vichitravirya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः सत्यवती भीष्मं वाचा संसजमानया। विहसन्तीव सनीडमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said : Then Satyavati thus spoke to Bhishma, smiling softly and speaking in bashful voice.
सत्यवती उवाच सत्यमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। विश्वासात् ते प्रवक्ष्यामि संतानाय कुलस्य नः॥
Satyavati said : O descendant of the Bharata race, what you say is true. From my confidence in you, I shall now point my confidence in you, I shall now point out the means of perpetuating our dynasty.
न ते शक्यमनाख्यातुमापद्धर्मं तथाविधम्। त्वमेव नः कुले धर्मस्त्वं सत्यं त्वं परा गतिः॥
You shall not be able to reject it, learned as you are in the practices permitted in the time of distress. You are Virtue, you are Truth.
तस्मानिशम्य सत्यं मे कुरुष्व यदनन्तरम्। धर्मयुक्तस्य धर्मार्थं पितुरासीत् तरी मम॥
Therefore, hearing what I say, do what is proper. My father was a virtuous man and for virtue's sake he had kept a boat (for crossing people.)
सा कदाचिदहं तत्र गता प्रथमयौवनम्। अथ धर्मविदां श्रेष्ठः परमर्षिः पराशरः॥ आजगाम तरी धीमांस्तरिष्यन् यमुना नदीम्। स तार्यमाणो यमुनां मामुपेत्याब्रवीत् तदा॥ सान्त्वपूर्वं मुनिश्रेष्ठः कामार्तो मधुरं वचः। उक्तं जन्म कुलं मह्यमस्मि दाशसुतेत्यहम्॥
In the prime of my youth, I went one day to ply that boat. It so happened that the great and wise Rishi Parashara, the foremost of all virtuous men, came on my boat for crossing the Yamuna. As I was taking him across the river, that best of Rishis became full of desire and began to address me in soft words.
तमहं शापभीता च पितुर्भीता च भारत। वरैरसुलभैरुक्ता न प्रत्याख्यातुमुत्सहे॥
O descendant of Bharata, I was afraid of my father, but I was also greatly afraid of the Rishi's curse. Therefore, having got from him a great boon, I could not refuse his request.
अभिभूय स मां बालां तेजसा वशमानयत्। तमसा लोकमावृत्य नौगतामेव भारत॥ मत्स्यगन्धो महानासीत् पुरा मम जुगुप्सितः। तमपास्य शुभं गन्धमिमं प्रादात् स मे मुनिः॥
O descendant of the Bharata race, he overpowered me, a mere girl, by his great effulgence and he also enveloped the region with a thick fog. There was in my body a revolting odour of fish before, but the Rishi dispelled it and gave me my this fragrance.
ततो मामाह स मुनिर्गर्भमुत्सृज्य मामकम्। द्वीपेऽस्या एव सरितः कन्यैव त्वं भविष्यसि॥
The Rishi told me, "After bringing forth this child on the island of this river, you will remain a virgin."
पाराशर्यो महायोगी स बभूव महानृषिः। कन्यापुत्रो मम पुरा द्वैपायन इति श्रुतः॥
The son of Parashara, thus born of me in my maiden-hood, has becomes great ascetic, named Dvaipayana.
यो व्यस्य वेदांश्चतुरस्तपसा भगवानृषिः। लोके व्यासत्वमापेदे कार्यात् कृष्णत्वमेव च॥
That illustrious Rishi, having divided by his ascetic power the Vedas into four parts, has become known on earth as Vyasa and for his black colour as Krishna.
सत्यवादी शमपरस्तपस्वी दग्धकिल्बिषः। समुत्पन्नः स तु महान् सह पित्रा ततो गतः॥
He is truthful, free from passions and a great ascetic who has destroyed all his sins; he went away with his great father as soon as he was born.
स नियुक्तो मया व्यक्तं त्वया चाप्रतिमद्युतिः। भ्रातुः क्षेत्रेषु कल्याणमपत्यं जनयिष्यति॥
Asked by me and also by you, that Rishi of incomparable effulgence will surely beget excellent offspring on the wives of your brother.
स हि मामुक्तवांस्तत्र स्मरेः कृच्छ्रेषु मामिति। तं स्मरिष्ये महाबाहो यदि भीष्म त्वमिच्छसि॥
He told me, "Mother, think of me (mentally call me) when you will be in difficulty. O mighty-armed Bhishma, if you wish, I can now think of him."
तव हनुमते भीष्म नियतं स महातपाः। विचित्रवीर्यक्षेत्रेषु पुत्रानुत्पादयिष्यति॥
O Bhishma if you are willing and if you appoint him, I am sure that great ascetic will beget children on the wives of Vichitravirya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच महर्षेः कीर्तने तस्य भीष्मः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्। धर्ममर्थं च कामं च त्रीनेतान् योऽनुपश्यति॥ अर्थमर्थानुबन्धं च धर्मं धर्मानुबन्धनम्। कामं कामानुबन्धं च विपरीतान् पृथक् पृथक्॥ यो विचिन्त्य धिया धीरो व्यवस्यति स बुद्धिमान्। तदिदं धर्मयुक्तं च हितं चैव कुलस्य नः॥ उक्तं भवत्या यच्छ्रेयस्तन्मह्यं रोचते भृशम्।
Vaishampayana said : When the great Rishi was the mentioned, Bhishma with joined hands said. "That man is truly intelligent who fixes his eyes judiciously on Dharma, Artha and Kama and who, after reflecting with patience, acts in such a way as virtue (Dharma) may lead to future virtue, profit (Artha) to future profit and pleasure (Kama) to future pleasure. Therefore, that which has been said by you and that which, besides being beneficial to us is consistent with virtue, is certainly the best advice and it has my full approval."
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्तस्मिन् प्रतिज्ञाते भीष्मेण कुरुनन्दन॥ कृष्णद्वैपायनं काली चिन्तयामास वै मुनिम्। स वेदान् विब्रुवन् धीमान् मातुर्विज्ञाय चिन्तितम्॥ प्रादुर्बभूवाविदितः क्षणेन कुरुनन्दन। तस्मै पूजां ततः कृत्वा सुताय विधिपूर्वकम्॥ परिष्वज्य च बाहुभ्यां प्रस्रवैरभ्यषिञ्चता मुमोच बाष्पं दाशेयी पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा चिरस्य तु॥
Vaishampayana said : O descendant of the Kuru race, when Bhishma said this, Kali (Satyavati) thought of the Rishi Krishna Dvaipayana Dvaipayana, who was then interpreting the Vedas, came at once to his mother without any body knowing it, as soon as he found that he had been thought of. She (Satyavati), having welcomed her son in all due forms, embraced him with her arms and bathed him with her breast milk. The daughter of the fisherman (Satyavati) shed much tears to see her son after a long time.
तामद्भिः परिषिच्यार्ता महर्षिरभिवाद्य च। मातरं पूर्वज: पुत्रो व्यासो वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Having seen her weep, the great Rishi, Vyasa, her eldest son, washed her (face) with cool water; and bowing to his mother, he said-
भवत्या यदभिप्रेतं तदहं कर्तुमागतः। शाधि मां धर्मतत्त्वज्ञे करवाणि प्रियं तव॥
"O mother, I have come to fulfill your wishes. Therefore, o virtuous lady, command me without delay. I shall accomplish what you desire.”
तस्मै पूजां ततोऽकार्षीत् पुरोधाः परमर्षये। स च तां प्रतिजग्राह विधिवन्मन्त्रपूर्वकम्॥
The priest (of the Bharatas) then worshipped the great Rishi in the proper form and the Rishi accepted the offerings of the worship with uttering the usual Mantras.
पूजितो मन्त्रपूर्वं तु विधिवत् प्रीतिमाप सः। तमासनगतं माता पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्ययम्॥ सत्यवत्यथ वीक्ष्यैनमुवाचेदमनन्तरम्।
Being pleased with the due worship with the proper Mantras, he took his seat. His mother, Satyavati, seeing him conformably seated, asked his welfare and made the usual enquiries.
मातापित्रोः प्रजायन्ते पुत्राः साधारणाः कवे॥ तेषां पिता यथा स्वामी तथा माता न संशयः। विधानविहितः सत्यं यथा मे प्रथमः सुतः॥ विचित्रवीर्यो ब्रह्मर्षे तथा मेऽवरजः सुतः। यथैव पितृतो भीष्मस्तथा त्वमपि मातृतः॥ भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्य यथा वा पुत्र मन्यसे। अयं शान्तनवः सत्यं पालयन् सत्यविक्रमः॥ बुद्धिं न कुरुतेऽपत्ये तथा राज्यानुशासने। स त्वं व्यपेक्षया भ्रातुः संतानाय कुलस्य च॥
She then said, "O Kavi, (learned man), the sons derive their birth from both the father and the mother. There is no doubt that their proprietors are both the father and the mother. You are my eldest son according to the ordinances. O Brahmarshi, Vichitravirya was my youngest son. As he was the brother of Bhishma by father's side, so you are by the mother's side. This is my opinion, I do not know what is your opinion, I do not know what is your opinion. This Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, who is devoted to truth, does not, for the sake of truth, wish to beget children or to rule the kingdom.
भीष्मस्य चास्य वचनानियोगाच्च ममानघ। अनुक्रोशाच भूतानां सर्वेषां रक्षणाय च॥ आनृशंस्याच यद् ब्रूयां तच्छुत्वा कर्तुमर्हसि। यवीयसस्तव भ्रातुर्भार्ये सुरसुतोपमे॥ रूपयौवनसम्पन्ने पुत्रकामे च धर्मतः। तयोरुत्पादयापत्यं समर्थो ह्यसि पुत्रक॥ अनुरूपं कुलस्यास्य संतत्याः प्रसवस्य च।
"Therefore, O sinless one, for the sake of the affection you bear for your brother (Vichitravirya), for the sake of perpetuating the dynasty of Shantanu, for the sake of Bhishma and my request. For the sake of the kindness you bear for all creatures, for the sake of the protection of people and for the sake of the liberality of your heart you should do what I say. Your younger brother has left two young wives, like the daughters of the celestials. They possess beauty and youth and they wish to have sons from the desire of getting virtue. O son, therefore, beget on them sons worthy of our dynasty and for the continuance of our line."
व्यास उवाच वेत्थ धर्मं सत्यवति परं चापरमेव च॥ तथा तव महाप्राज्ञे धर्मे प्रणिहिता मतिः। तस्मादहं त्वन्नियोगाद् धर्ममुद्दिश्य कारणम्॥ ईप्सितं ते करिष्यामि दृष्टं ह्येतत् सनातनम्। भ्रातुः पुत्रान् प्रदास्यामि मित्रावरुणयोः समान्॥
Vyasa said: O (mother) Satyavati, you know what is virtue, both as regards this world and the next. O lady of great wisdom, your mind is also fixed on virtue. Therefore, making virtue my motive, I shall, at your command, do what you desire, knowing (as I do) that this practice is conformable to the true and eternal religion. I shall produce for my brother sons that will be like Yama and Varuna.
व्रतं चरेतां ते देव्यौ निर्दिष्टमिह यन्मया। संवत्सरं यथान्यायं ततः शुद्धे भविष्यतः॥ न हि मामव्रतोपेता उपेयात् काचिदङ्गना।
Therefore, let the ladies observe the vow I indicate for one full year. They will be then purified. No woman must come to me without having observed a rigid vow.
सत्यवत्युवाच सद्यो यथा प्रपद्येते देव्यौ गर्भं तथा कुरु॥ अराजकेषु राष्ट्रेषु प्रजानाथा विनश्यति। नश्यन्ति च क्रियाः सर्वा नास्ति वृष्टिर्न देवता॥
Satyavati said : Take such steps as the ladies may conceive today. The people perish in a kingdom where there is anarchy. Sacrifices and other holy acts are destroyed, the rains and the celestial disappear from that place.
कथं चाराजकं राष्ट्र शक्यं धारयितुं प्रभो। तस्माद् गर्भ समाधत्स्व भीष्मः संवर्धयिष्यति॥
O Lord, how can a kingdom be protected without a king? Therefore, see that the ladies conceive. Bhishma will watch over the children in their womb.
व्यास उवाच यदि पुत्रः प्रदातव्यो मया भ्रातुरकालिकः। विरूपतां मे सहतां तयोरेतत् परं व्रतम्॥
Vyasa said: If I am to produce sons for my brother so unseasonably then let the ladies tolerate my ugliness. That will be to them a great penance.
यदि मे सहते गन्धं रूपं वेषं तथा वपुः। अद्यैव गर्भ कौसल्या विशिष्टं प्रतिपद्यताम्॥
If the princess of Kosalya (Ambika) can bear my strong odour, my ugly and grim visage, my attire and body, she will then conceive an excellent son.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा व्यासः सत्यवतीं तदा। शयने सा च कौसल्या शुचिवस्त्रा ह्यलंकृता॥ समागमनमाका दिति सोऽन्तर्हितो मुनिः। ततोऽभिगम्य सा देवी स्नुषां रहसि संगताम्॥ धर्म्यमर्थसपायुक्तमुवाच वचनं हितम्। कौसल्ये धर्मतन्त्रं त्वां यद् ब्रवीमि निबोध तत्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having thus spoken to Satyavati, the greatly effulgent Vyasa said to her, “Let the princess of Kosalya adorned with ornaments wait for me in her bed room in clear attire. (so saying) he (immediately) disappeared. Satyavati then went to her daughter-in-law and in private, spoke to her these words of beneficial and virtuous import, “O princess of Kosalya, hear what I say. It is consistent with virtue.
भरतानां समुच्छेदो व्यक्तं मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात्। व्यथितां मां च सम्प्रेक्ष्य पितृवंशं च पीडितम्॥ भीष्मो बुद्धिमदान्मह्यं कुलस्यास्य विवृद्धये। सा च बुद्धिस्त्वय्यधीना पुत्रि प्रापय मां तथा॥ नष्टं च भारतं वंशं पुनरेव समुद्धर। पुत्रं जनय सुश्रोणि देवराजसमप्रभम्॥ स हि राज्यधुरं गुर्वीमुद्वक्ष्यति कुलस्य नः।
On account of my bad fate, the Bharata dynasty has become extinct. Seeing me grieved and the extinction of his paternal line. The wise Bhishma, with the desire of perpetuating our race has made to me a suggestion. But, O daughter, its accomplishment depends on you. Accomplish it and restore the lost line of the Bharatas. O beautiful girl, bring forth a son as effulgent as the king of the celestials. He will bear the heavy burden of our this hereditary kingdom.
सा धर्मतोऽनुनीयैनां कथंचिद् धर्मचारिणीम्। भोजयामास विप्रांश्च देवर्षीनतिथींस्तथा॥
She (Satyavati,) having succeeded somehow in getting the consent of that virtuous lady to her proposal which was consistent to religion, fed Brahmanas, Devarshis and guests.