युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथं व्यासस्य धर्मात्मा शुको जज्ञे महातपाः। सिद्धिं च परमां प्राप्तस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, how the great Shuka of austere penances took birth as the son of Vyasa, and how did he succeed in acquiring the highest success?
कस्यां चोत्पादयामास शुकं व्यासस्तपोधनः। न ह्यस्य जननी विद्मं जन्म चायं महात्मनः॥
Upon what woman did Vyasa, having asceticism for his wealth, beget that son of his? We do not know who was Shuka's mother, nor do we know anything of the birth of that great ascetic.
कथं च बालस्य सत: सूक्ष्मजाने गता मतिः। यथा नान्यस्य लोकेऽस्मिन् द्वितीयस्येह कस्यचित्॥
How was it that, when he was a mere boy, his mind became bent to the knowledge of the subtile? Indeed, in this world no second person can be seen in whom such marks could be seen at so early an age.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण महामते। न हि मे तृप्तिरस्तीह शृण्वतोऽमृतमुत्तमम्॥
I wish to hear all this in full, you of great intelligence. I am never satiated with hearing your excellent and nectar-like words.
माहात्म्यमात्मयोगं च विज्ञानं च शुकस्य ह। यथावदानुपूर्येण तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Tell me, grandfather, in their due order, of the greatness, and the knowledge of Shuka and of his union with the (Supreme) Soul!
भीष्म उवाच न हायनैर्न पलितैर्न वित्तैर्न न बन्धुभिः। ऋषयश्चक्रिरे धर्म योऽनूचानः स नो महान्॥
The Rishis did not make merit depend upon years of decrepitude or riches or friends. They said that he amongst them was great who studied the Vedas.
तपोमूलमिदं सर्वं यन्मां पृच्छसि पाण्डवः तदिन्द्रियाणि संयम्य तपो भवति नान्यथा॥
All this that you have asked has penances for its root. That penance, again, O son of Pandu, originates from the subjugation of the senses.
इन्द्रियाणां प्रसङ्गेन दोषमृच्छत्यसंशयम्। संनियम्य तु तान्येव सिद्धिमाप्नोति मानवः॥
Forsooth, one incurs fault by letting loose his senses. It is only by controlling them that one succeeds in acquiring success.
अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य वाजपेयशतस्य च। योगस्य कलया तात न तुल्यं विद्यते फलम्॥
The merit of a thousand Horse-sacrifices or a hundred Vajapeyas is not equal to even a sixteenth part of the merit of Yoga.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि जन्मयोगफलं तथा। शुकस्याश्यां गतिं चैव दुर्विदामकृतात्मभिः॥
I shall, now, recite to you the circumstances of Shuka's birth, the fruits he acquired of his penances, and the foremost end he achieved. These are the topics which persons of uncleansed souls cannot understand.
मेरुशृङ्गे किल पुरा कर्णिकारवनायुते। विजहार महादेवो भीमैर्भूतगणैर्वृतः॥
Once on a time on the summit of Meru adorned with Karnikara flowers, Mahadeva sported, in company of his followers, the terrible spirits.
शैलराजसुता चैव देवी तत्राभवत् पुरा। तत्र दिव्यं तपस्तेपे कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा॥
The daughter of the king of mountains, viz., the goddess Parvati, was also there. There near that summit, the Island-born (Vyasa) practised extraordinary austerities.
योगेनात्मानमाविश्य योगधर्मपरायणः। धारयन् स तपस्तेपे पुत्रार्थं कुरुसत्तम॥
O best of the Kuru, given to the practices of Yoga, the great ascetic, withdrawing himself by Yoga into his own soul, and engaged in concentration, practised many austerities for the sake of a son.
अग्नेर्भूमेरपां वायोरन्तरिक्षस्य वा विभो। धैर्येण सम्मितः पुत्रो मम भूयादिति स्म ह॥
The prayer he offered to the great God was,-~O powerful one, let me have a son that will have the might of Fire and Earth and Weather and Wind and Ether.
संकल्पेनाथ योगेन दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः। वरयामास देवेशमास्थितस्तप उत्तमम्॥
Engaged in the austerest of penances the Island-born Rishi begged of that great God, who cannot be approached by persons of impure souls, by his Yoga.
अतिष्ठन्मारुताहारः शतं किल समाः प्रभुः। आराधयन्महादेवं बहुरूपमुमापतिम्॥
The powerful Vyasa remained there for a hundred years, living on air alone, engaged in worshipping many formed Mahadeva, the lord ofUma.
तत्र ब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव सर्वे राजर्षयस्तथा। लोकपालाश्च लोकेशं साध्याश्च बहुभिः सह।॥ आदित्याश्चैव रुद्राश्च दिवाकरनिशाकरौ। वसवो मरुतश्चैव सागरा: सरितस्तथा॥ अश्विनौ देवगन्धर्वास्तथा नारदपर्वतौ। विश्वावसुश्च गन्धर्वः सिद्धाश्चाप्सरसस्तथा॥
There were all the twice-born Rishis and royal sages and the Regents of the world and the Sadhyas along with the Vasus, and the Adityas, the Rudras, and the Sun and the Moon, and the Maruts, and the Oceans, and the rivers, and the Ashvins, the Deities, the Gandharvas, and Narada, and Parvata, and the Gandharva Vishvavasu, and the Siddhas, and the Apsaras.
तत्र रुद्रो महादेवः कर्णिकारमयीं शुभाम्। धारयाणः स्रज भाति ज्योत्स्नामिव निशाकरः॥
There Mahadeva, called also Rudra, sat, adorned with an excellent garland of Karnikara flowers, and effulgent like the Moon with his rays.
तस्मिन् दिव्ये वने रम्ये देवदेवर्षिसंकुले। आस्थितः परमं योगमृषिः पुत्रार्थपच्युतः॥
In those delightful and celestial forests populous with gods and heavenly Rishis, the great Rishi remained, engaged in high Yogacontemplation, for getting a son.
न चास्य हीयते प्राणो न ग्लानिरुपजायते। त्रयाणामपि लोकानां तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
His strength suffered no decrease, nor did he feel any pain. There at the three worlds were much surprised.
जटाश्च तेजसा तस्य वैश्वानरशिखोपमाः। प्रज्वलन्त्यः स्म दृश्यन्ते युक्तस्यामिततेजसः॥
While the Rishi, gifted with immeasurable energy, sat in Yoga, his mattered locks, on account of his energy, were seen to blaze like flames of fire.
मार्कण्डेयो हि भगवानेतदाख्यातवान् मम! स देवचरितानीह कथयामास मे सदा॥
I heard to this from the illustrious Markandeya. He used always to recite to me the acts of the gods.
एता अद्यापि कृष्णस्य तपसा तेन दीपिताः। अग्निवर्णा जटास्तात प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः॥
It is for this that the matted locks of the great Vyasa, thus enblazed by his energy on that occasion, seem to this day to be gifted with the hue of fire.
एवंविधेन तपसा तस्य भक्त्या च भारत। महेश्वरः प्रसन्नात्मा चकार मनसा मतिम्॥
Pleased with such penances and such devotion, O Bharata, of the Rishi, the great God resolved to grant him his wish.
उवाच चैवं भगवांस्त्र्यम्बकः प्रहसन्निव। एवंविधस्ते तनयो द्वैपायन भविष्यति॥
Smiling with pleasure, the three-eyed god addressed him and said,-O Island-born one, you will have a son after your heart.
यथा ह्यग्निर्यथा वायुर्यथा भूमिर्यथा जलम्। यथा च खं तथा शुद्धो भविता ते सुतो महान्॥
Endued with greatness, he shall be as pure as Fire, as Wind, as Earth, as Water, and as Space.
तद्भावभावी तबुद्धिस्तदात्मा तदपाश्रयः। तेजसाऽऽवृत्य लोकांस्त्रीन् यशःप्राप्स्यति ते सुतः।।२९।
He will be conscious of his being Brahma's self ; his understanding and soul shall be devoted to Brahma, and he shall completely depend upon Brahma so as to be at one with.