Ch 14 Verse 1 Verse

Sanskrit Text

१.१४ चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः । व्यासेन गृहस्थधर्मवर्णनम् । सूत उवाच । दृष्ट्वा तामसितापाङ्गीं व्यासश्चिन्तापरोऽभवत् । किं करोमि न मे योग्या देवकन्येयमप्सराः ॥ १ ॥

English Translation

Sūta said :-- O Maharṣis! (Now hear the main topic). Seeing the dark-blue lady looking askance at him, Vyāsa Deva thought :-- “Indeed! What is to be done now? This Devakanyā Apsarā Ghritācī is not fit for my household.”

Ch 14 Verse 2 Verse

Sanskrit Text

एवं चिन्तयमानं तु दृष्ट्वा व्यासं तदाप्सराः । भयभीता हि सञ्जाता शापं मा विसृजेदयम् ॥ २ ॥

English Translation

Then, seeing Vyāsa Deva thus thoughtful, the Apsarā thought that the Muni might curse her and got terrified.

Ch 14 Verse 3 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सा कृत्वाथ शुकीरूपं निर्गता भयविह्वला । कृष्णस्तु विस्मयं प्राप्तो विहङ्गीं तां विलोकयन् ॥ ३ ॥

English Translation

Confounded by terror, she assumed the form of a Śūka bird and fled away; Vyāsa, too, became greatly surprised to see her in the form of a bird.

Ch 14 Verse 4 Verse

Sanskrit Text

कामस्तु देहे व्यासस्य दर्शनादेव सङ्गतः । मनोऽतिविस्मितं जातं सर्वगात्रेषु विस्मितः ॥ ४ ॥

English Translation

The moment Vyāsa saw the extraordinary beautiful form of Ghritācī, the Cupid entered then, into his body, and his mind was filled with the thought of sweet feminine form and was gladdened and all his body was thrilled with pleasure so that the hairs of the body stood on their ends.

Ch 14 Verse 5 Verse

Sanskrit Text

स तु धैर्येण महता निगह्णन्मानसं मुनिः । न शशाक नियन्तुं च स व्यासः प्रसृतं मनः ॥ ५ ॥

English Translation

Muni Vyāsa Deva tried his best and exerted his power of patience to its utmost, but failed to control his restless mind to enjoy the woman. Though he was very energetic, and he tried repeatedly to control his heart, enchanted with the beautiful form of Ghritācī, yet he could not, as due to a state of things pre-ordained by God, control his mind.

Ch 14 Verse 6 Verse

Sanskrit Text

बहुशो गृह्यमाणं च घृताच्या मोहितं मनः । भावित्वान्नैव विधृतं व्यासस्यामिततेजसः ॥ ६ ॥

English Translation

At this state, when he was rubbing the fire sticks to get the sacred fire, the two pieces of wood used in kindling the fire, his seed (semen) fell upon the Araṇī (the two pieces of wood used in kindling the sacred fire).

Ch 14 Verse 7 Verse

Sanskrit Text

मन्धनं कुर्वतस्तस्य मुनेरग्निचिकीर्षया । अरण्यामेव सहसा तस्य शुक्रमथापतत् ॥ ७ ॥

English Translation

But he did not take any notice of that, and he went on rubbing the firesticks when arose from that Araṇī the wonderfully beautiful form of Śūka deva, looking like a second Vyāsa.

Ch 14 Verse 8 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सोऽविचिन्त्य तथा पातं ममन्थारणिमेव च । तस्माच्छुकः समुद्भूतो व्यासाकृतिमनोहरः ॥ ८ ॥

English Translation

This boy, born of Araṇī fuel, looked there brilliant like the blazing fire of the sacrificial place, whereon oblations of ghee are poured.

Ch 14 Verse 9 Verse

Sanskrit Text

विस्मयं जनयन्बालः सञ्जातस्तदरण्यजः । यथाध्वरे समिद्धोऽग्निर्भाति हव्येन दीप्तिमान् ॥ ९ ॥

English Translation

Seeing that son,Vyāsa Deva was struck with great wonder and thought thus :-- “What is this? How is it that my son is born without any woman.”

Ch 14 Verse 10-11 Verse

Sanskrit Text

व्यासस्तु सुतमालोक्य विस्मयं परमं गतः । किमेतदिति सञ्चिन्त्य वरदानाच्छिवस्य वै ॥ १० ॥ तेजोरूपी शुको जातोऽप्यरणीगर्भसम्भवः । द्वितीयोऽग्निरिवात्यर्थं दीप्यमानः स्वतेजसा ॥ ११ ॥

English Translation

Thinking for a while, he came to the conclusion, that this had certainly come to pass as the result of boon granted to him by Śiva. No sooner the fiery Śūka Deva, was born of Araṇī, he looked brilliant, like fire, by his own tejas (spirit).

Ch 14 Verse 12 Verse

Sanskrit Text

विलोकयामास तदा व्यासस्तु मुदितं सुतम् । दिव्येन तेजसा युक्तं गार्हपत्यमिवापरम् ॥ १२ ॥

English Translation

At that time Vyāsa Deva began to look with one steady gaze the blissful form of his son as a second Gārhapatya Fire, brilliant with the Divine fire.

Ch 14 Verse 13 Verse

Sanskrit Text

गङ्गान्तः स्नापयामास समागत्य गिरेस्तदा । पुष्पवृष्टिस्तु खाज्जाता शिशोरुपरि तापसाः ॥ १३ ॥

English Translation

O hermits! The river Ganges came there from the Himalayas and washed all the inner nerves of the child Śūka Deva, by her holy waters and showers of flowers were poured on his head.

Ch 14 Verse 14-15 Verse

Sanskrit Text

जातकर्मादिकं चक्रे व्यासस्तस्य महात्मनः । देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः ॥ १४ ॥ जगुर्गन्धर्वपतयो मुदितास्ते दिदृक्षवः । विश्वावसुर्नारदश्च तुम्बुरुः शुकसम्भवे ॥ १५ ॥

English Translation

Vyāsa Deva next performed all the natal ceremonies of the high-souled child; the celestial drums were sounded and the celestial nymphs began to dance and the lords of the Gandharvas Visvāvasu, Nārada, Tumburu and others began to sing with great joy for the sight of the son.

Ch 14 Verse 16 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तुष्टुवुर्मुदिताः सर्वे देवा विद्याधरास्तथा । दृष्ट्वा व्याससुतं दिव्यमरणीगर्भसम्भवम् ॥ १६ ॥

English Translation

All the Devas and Vidyā Dharas began to chant hymns with gladdened hearts at the sight of the Divine form, the son of Vyāsa, born of araṇī.

Ch 14 Verse 17 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अन्तरिक्षात्पपातोर्व्यां दण्डः कृष्णाजिनं शुभम् । कमण्डलुस्तथा दिव्यः शुकस्यार्थे द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ १७ ॥

English Translation

O twice born ones! Then were dropped down from the sky the divine rod (Daṇḍa), Kamanḍalu, and the antelope skin.

Ch 14 Verse 18 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सद्यः स ववृधे बालो जातमात्रोऽतिदीप्तिमान् । तस्योपनयनं चक्रे व्यासो विद्याविधानवित् ॥ १८ ॥

English Translation

No sooner the extraordinarily brilliant Śūka Deva was born than he grew up, and Vyāsadeva, who is master of endless learning and how to impart them to others, performed the son’s Upanayana ceremony.

Ch 14 Verse 19 Verse

Sanskrit Text

उत्पन्नमात्रं तं वेदाः सरहस्याः ससङ्ग्रहाः । उपतस्थुर्महात्मानं यथास्य पितरं तथा ॥ १९ ॥

English Translation

No sooner the child was born than all the Vedas with all their secrets and epitomes began to flash in the mind of Śūka Deva, as it reigned in Vyāsa Deva.

Ch 14 Verse 20 Verse

Sanskrit Text

यतो दृष्टं शुकीरूपं घृताच्याः सम्भवे तदा । शुकेति नाम पुत्रस्य चकार मुनिसत्तमः ॥ २० ॥

English Translation

O Munis! Bhagavān Vyāsa Deva gave the name of the child as Śūka as during the moment of his birth he saw the form of Ghritācī in the form of the Śuka bird.

Ch 14 Verse 21 Verse

Sanskrit Text

बृहस्पतिमुपाध्यायं कृत्वा व्याससुतस्तदा । व्रतानि ब्रह्मचर्यस्य चकार विधिपूर्वकम् ॥ २१ ॥

English Translation

Śūka then accepted Brihaspati as his guru and began devotedly, with his whole head and heart to perform duly the Brahmacarya vow (the life of studentship and celebacy).

Ch 14 Verse 22-23 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सोऽधीत्य निखिलान्वेदान् सरहस्यान्ससङ्ग्रहान् । धर्मशास्त्राणि सर्वाणि कृत्वा गुरुकुले शुकः ॥ २२ ॥ गुरवे दक्षिणां दत्त्वा समावृत्तो मुनिस्तदा । आजगाम पितुः पार्श्वं कृष्णद्वैपायनस्य च ॥ २३ ॥

English Translation

Muni Śūka remained in the house of his Guru and studied the four Vedas with their secrets and epitomes and all the other Dharma Śāstras and gave Dakṣinā to the Guru duly according to proper rules, and returned home to his father Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyan.

Ch 14 Verse 24 Verse

Sanskrit Text

दृष्ट्वा व्यासः शुकं प्राप्तं प्रेम्णोत्थाय ससम्भ्रमः । आलिलिङ्ग मुहुर्घ्राणं मूर्ध्नि तस्य चकार ह ॥ २४ ॥

English Translation

Seeing his son Śūka, Vyāsadeva got up and received him with great love and honour and embraced him and took the smell of his head.

Ch 14 Verse 25 Verse

Sanskrit Text

पप्रच्छ कुशलं व्यासस्तथा चाध्ययनं शुचि । आश्वास्य स्थापयामास शुकं तत्राश्रमे शुभे ॥ २५ ॥

English Translation

The holy Vyāsa asked about his welfare and about his studies and requested him to stay in that auspicious Āśrama.

Ch 14 Verse 26 Verse

Sanskrit Text

दारकर्म ततो व्यासः शुकस्य पर्यचिन्तयत् । कन्यां मुनिसुतां कान्तामपृच्छदतिवेगवान् ॥ २६ ॥

English Translation

Vyāsa then thought of Śūka’s marriage and he became anxious and began to enquire where a beautiful girl of a Muni can be found.

Ch 14 Verse 27 Verse

Sanskrit Text

शुकं प्राह सुतं व्यासो वेदोऽधीतस्त्वयानघ । धर्मशास्त्राणि सर्वाणि कुरु भार्यां महामते ॥ २७ ॥

English Translation

And he spoke to his son :-- “O highly intelligent one! You have now studied all the Vedas and Dharma Śāstras.

Ch 14 Verse 28 Verse

Sanskrit Text

गार्हस्थ्यं च समासाद्य यज देवान्पितॄनथ । ऋणान्मोचय मां पुत्र प्राप्य दारान्मनोरमान् ॥ २८ ॥

English Translation

Therefore, O sinless one! better marry now. O son! Take a beautiful wife, and leading a householder’s life, worship the Devas and Pitris, and free me from debt.

Ch 14 Verse 29 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अपुत्रस्य गतिर्नास्ति स्वर्गो नैव च नैव च । तस्मात्पुत्र महाभाग कुरुष्वाद्य गृहाश्रमम् ॥ २९ ॥

English Translation

There is no other way of issueless persons; he can never go to heaven; so O highly fortunate son of mine! Now enter into the life of a householder and make me happy.

Ch 14 Verse 30-31 Verse

Sanskrit Text

कृत्वा गृहाश्रमं पुत्र सुखिनं कुरु मां शुक । आशा मे महती पुत्र पूरयस्व महामते ॥ ३० ॥ तपस्तप्त्वा महाघोरं प्राप्तोऽसि त्वमयोनिजः । देवरूपी महाप्राज्ञ पाहि मां पितरं शुक ॥ ३१ ॥

English Translation

O highly intelligent one! I have big expectations from you; now try to fulfill them. O greatly wise Śūka! After a very severe asceticism, I have got you who are verily a Deva born without any womb. I am, therefore, your father; save me.”

Ch 14 Verse 32 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सूत उवाच । इति वादिनमभ्याशे प्राप्तः प्राह शुकस्तदा । विरक्तः सोऽतिरक्तं तं साक्षात्पितरमात्मनः ॥ ३२ ॥

English Translation

When Vyāsa spoke thus to Śūka, making him sit close by, the highly dispassionate Sūka at once made out that his father was terribly attached to the world and replied :--

Ch 14 Verse 33 Verse

Sanskrit Text

शुक उवाच । किं त्वं वदसि धर्मज्ञ वेदव्यास महामते । तत्त्वेन शाधि शिष्यं मां त्वदाज्ञां करवाण्यलम् ॥ ३३ ॥

English Translation

“O knower of Dharma! you have, by the power of your great intelligence, divided Veda into four parts; why are you therefore advising me so now? I am your disciple; so give me true advice. Certainly I will obey your order.”

Ch 14 Verse 34 Verse

Sanskrit Text

व्यास उवाच । त्वदर्थे यत्तपस्तप्तं मया पुत्र शतं समाः । प्राप्तस्त्वं चातिदुःखेन शिवस्याराधनेन च ॥ ३४ ॥

English Translation

At this Vyāsa deva said :-- “O son! I have got you after I had performed very severe tapasyā, for one hundred years, and worshipped Bhagavān Śaṅkara in the sole object of having you.

Ch 14 Verse 35 Verse

Sanskrit Text

ददामि तव वित्तं तु प्रार्थयित्वाथ भूपतिम् । सुखं भुङ्क्ष्व महाप्राज्ञ प्राप्य यौवनमुत्तमम् ॥ ३५ ॥

English Translation

O highly wise one! I will ask some king and will give you sufficient wealth for your family expenses. So that you, having attained this much desired youth, enjoy the householder’s life.”

Ch 14 Verse 36 Verse

Sanskrit Text

शुक उवाच । किं सुखं मानुषे लोके ब्रूहि तात निरामयम् । दुःखविद्धं सुखं प्राज्ञा न वदन्ति सुखं किल ॥ ३६ ॥

English Translation

Hearing these words of the father, Śūka Deva said :-- “O father! Kindly say this to me what pleasure is there in this earth that is not mixed with pain. The happiness, that is mixed with pain, is not called happiness by the wise.

Ch 14 Verse 37 Verse

Sanskrit Text

स्त्रियं कृत्वा महाभाग भवामि तद्वशानुगः । सुखं किं परतन्त्रस्य स्त्रीजितस्य विशेषतः ॥ ३७ ॥

English Translation

O highly fortunate one! when I will marry, I will become certainly submissive to that woman; see then how happiness can be possible to one who is dependent; especially to one, dependent on one’s wife.

Ch 14 Verse 38-39 Verse

Sanskrit Text

कदाचिदपि मुच्येत लोहकाष्ठादियन्त्रितः । पुत्रदारैर्निबद्धस्तु न विमुच्येत कर्हिचित् ॥ ३८ ॥ विण्मूत्रसम्भवो देहो नारीणां तन्मयस्तथा । कः प्रीतिं तत्र विप्रेन्द्र विबुधः कर्तुमिच्छति ॥ ३९ ॥

English Translation

Rather freedom can be obtained one day when one is tied to an iron or wooden pillar; but never freedom will come to that man who is tied by his wife and children. As the body of man is full of urine and faeces, so is the body of the woman.

Ch 14 Verse 40 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अयोनिजोऽहं विप्रर्षे योनौ मे कीदृशी मतिः । न वाञ्छाम्यहमग्रेऽपि योनावेव समुद्भवम् ॥ ४० ॥

English Translation

The more so, when I am born of no womb, how can I find happiness there; not only in this birth, but in my previous birth, too, I had no desire to be born of any womb.

Ch 14 Verse 41 Verse

Sanskrit Text

विट्सुखं किमु वाञ्छामि त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मसुखमद्भुतम् । आत्मारामश्च भूयोऽपि न भवत्यतिलोलुपः ॥ ४१ ॥

English Translation

How can I desire now to enjoy the pleasure of urine and faeces in the face of the bliss of self that has got no other bliss equal to it? The high-souled persons, that find pleasure in their selves, never go after the sensual pleasures of the objects of enjoyments?

Ch 14 Verse 42 Verse

Sanskrit Text

प्रथमं पठिता वेदा मया विस्तारिताश्च ते । हिंसामयास्ते पतिताः कर्ममार्गप्रवर्तकाः ॥ ४२ ॥

English Translation

When I studied first, the Veda in detail, it struck me that the Vedas dealt with the Śāstra of Karma mārga (the way of action); and it is all full of Himsā (injury to others).

Ch 14 Verse 43 Verse

Sanskrit Text

बृहस्पतिर्गुरुः प्राप्तः सोऽपि मग्नो गृहार्णवे । अविद्याग्रस्तहृदयः कथं तारयितुं क्षमः ॥ ४३ ॥

English Translation

Then I took Brihaspati as my Guru to shew me the way to true wisdom; but soon I found that he, too, was attacked with the dreadful disease Avidyā (ignorance) and plunged in the terrible ocean of world, full of Māyā. So it became quite clear to my mind, how could he save me?

Ch 14 Verse 44 Verse

Sanskrit Text

रोगग्रस्तो यथा वैद्यः पररोगचिकित्सकः । तथा गुरुर्मुमुक्षोर्मे गृहस्थोऽयं विडम्बना ॥ ४४ ॥

English Translation

If the physician be diseased himself, how can he effect cures to other diseases? When I am desirous of liberation, how can I get it from a Guru who is himself deeply attached to the world; how can such a one treat my case to free me, from the disease of attachment to this world?

Ch 14 Verse 45-46 Verse

Sanskrit Text

कृत्वा प्रणामं गुरवे त्वत्समीपमुपागतः । त्राहि मां तत्त्वबोधेन भीतं संसारसर्पतः ॥ ४५ ॥ संसारेऽस्मिन्महाघोरे भ्रमणं नभचक्रवत् । न च विश्रमणं क्यापि सूर्यस्येव दिवानिशि ॥ ४६ ॥

English Translation

It would be merely a farce. I bowed down to the Guru and now I am come to you to save me, frightened by this terrible serpent of Samsāra. Day and night the Jīvas travel in this awful wheel of Samsāra, this constellation of Zodiac; they are moving like the Sun and never get any rest. O father! If we discuss about the truth of Ātman, we will at once find that there is no trace of happiness in this Samsāra.

Ch 14 Verse 47 Verse

Sanskrit Text

किं सुखं तात संसारे निजतत्त्वविचारणात् । मूढानां सुखबुद्धिस्तु विट्सु कीटसुखं यथा ॥ ४७ ॥

English Translation

As the worms enjoy pleasures in the midst of faeces, so the ignorant persons find pleasures in this Samsāra.

Ch 14 Verse 48 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अधीत्य वेदशास्त्राणि संसारे रागिणश्च ये । तेभ्यः परो न मूर्खोऽस्ति सधर्मा श्वाश्वसूकरैः ॥ ४८ ॥

English Translation

Those who have studied the Vedas and other Śāstras and yet are attached to the world, are certainly deluded and blind like horses, pigs and dogs; no one is more stupid and ignorant than those persons.

Ch 14 Verse 49 Verse

Sanskrit Text

मानुष्यं दुर्लभं प्राप्य वेदशास्त्राण्यधीत्य च । बध्यते यदि संसारे को विमुच्येत मानवः ॥ ४९ ॥

English Translation

Getting this extremely rare human birth and studying the Vedanta and other Śāstras, if they be attached to this world, then who are the men that will attain freedom? What more wonder can you find in this world than the fact that persons, attached to wives, sons and houses; are denominated as Pundits?

Ch 14 Verse 50 Verse

Sanskrit Text

नातः परतरं लोके क्वचिदाश्चर्यमद्भुतम् । पुत्रदारगृहासक्तः पण्डितः परिगीयते ॥ ५० ॥

English Translation

That man who is not bound by this Samsāra, composed of the three Guṇas of Māyā, is Pundit; that man is intelligent and he has understood the real import of the Śāstras.

Ch 14 Verse 51 Verse

Sanskrit Text

न बाध्यते यः संसारे नरो मायागुणैस्त्रिभिः । स विद्वान्स च मेधावी शास्त्रपारं गतो हि सः ॥ ५१ ॥

English Translation

What use can there be in studying the Śāstras, in vain, that teach how to bind men more firmly in this Samsāra, full of Māyā. That Śāstra ought to be studied, which tells how a man would be liberated.

Ch 14 Verse 52-53 Verse

Sanskrit Text

किं वृथाध्ययनेनात्र दृढबन्धकरेण च । पठितव्यं तदेवाशु मोचयेद्भवबन्धनात् ॥ ५२ ॥ गह्णाति पुरुषं यस्माद्गृहं तेन प्रकीर्तितम् । क्व सुखं बन्धनागारे तेन भीतोऽस्म्यहं पितः ॥ ५३ ॥

English Translation

The house is called "Griha" because it catches hold of a man firmly. So what happiness can you expect from the house which is like a prison? O father! I am therefore afraid.

Ch 14 Verse 54 Verse

Sanskrit Text

येऽबुधा मन्दमतयो विधिना मुषिताश्च ये । ते प्राप्य मानुषं जन्म पुनर्बन्धं विशन्त्युत ॥ ५४ ॥

English Translation

Those Pundits are certainly stupid and they are certainly deceived by the Creator, who having the birth even of men, become again imprisoned.”

Ch 14 Verse 55 Verse

Sanskrit Text

व्यास उवाच । न गृहं बन्धनागारं बन्धने न च कारणम् । मनसा यो विनिर्मुक्तो गृहस्थोऽपि विमुच्यते ॥ ५५ ॥

English Translation

Hearing these words of Śūka, Vyāsa spoke as follows :-- “O Son! The house is never a prison, nor is it the cause of any bondage; the householder whose mind is unattached, can get Mokṣa, in spite of his being such.

Ch 14 Verse 56 Verse

Sanskrit Text

न्यायागतधनः कुर्वन्वेदोक्तं विधिवत्क्रमात् । गृहस्थोऽपि विमुच्येत श्राद्धकृत्सत्यवाक् शुचिः ॥ ५६ ॥

English Translation

Truthful, holy, earning wealth by just means and performing, according to rules the rites and ceremonies, as stated in the Vedas and doing Śrāddhas duly, a householder can certainly get Mokṣa.

Ch 14 Verse 57-58 Verse

Sanskrit Text

ब्रह्मचारी यतिश्चैव वानप्रस्थो व्रतस्थितः । गृहस्थं समुपासन्ते मध्याह्नातिक्रमे सदा ॥ ५७ ॥ श्रद्धया चान्नदानेन वाचा सूनृतया तथा । उपकुर्वन्ति धर्मस्था गृहाश्रमनिवासिनः ॥ ५८ ॥

English Translation

See a man who is a Brahmacāri, who is an ascetic, who is a Vānaprasthī or follows any other method or vow, all have got to worship the householder after mid-day. The religious householder, too; welcomes them all, with sweet words, and gives them food, with great love and respect, and thus does them an amount of good.

Ch 14 Verse 59 Verse

Sanskrit Text

गृहाश्रमात्परो धर्मो न दृष्टो न च वै श्रुतः । वसिष्ठादिभिराचार्यैर्ज्ञानिभिः समुपाश्रितः ॥ ५९ ॥

English Translation

For this reason the householder’s stage is the most excellent of all; and I have not seen or heard of any other Āśrama superior to it. For this reason Vaśiṣṭha and other Ācāryas resorted to householder’s life, in spite of their being endowed with great wisdom O highly fortunate one! If one performs duly the rites and ceremonies of the Vedas, there is nothing that is impracticable to him.

Ch 14 Verse 60 Verse

Sanskrit Text

किमसाध्यं महाभाग वेदोक्तानि च कुर्वतः । स्वर्गं मोक्षं च सज्जन्म यद्यद्वाञ्छति तद्भवेत् ॥ ६० ॥

English Translation

Be it the birth in a good family, or the enjoyment of heavens say, or be it Mokṣa, whatever desires, it is fructifled to success. Also there is no such rule that one will have to remain in one and in the same Āśrama throughout his life.

Ch 14 Verse 61 Verse

Sanskrit Text

आश्रमादाश्रमं गच्छेदिति धर्मविदो विदुः । तस्मादग्निं समाधाय कुरु कर्माण्यतन्द्रितः ॥ ६१ ॥

English Translation

The Pundits who know Dharma say that pupils can go from one Āsrama to another, Therefore, O child! accept Agni (the householder’s fire) and try your best to do unremittingly your duties.

Ch 14 Verse 62 Verse

Sanskrit Text

देवान्पितॄन्मनुष्यांश्च सन्तर्प्य विधिवत्सुत । पुत्रमुत्पाद्य धर्मज्ञ संयोज्य च गृहाश्रमे ॥ ६२ ॥

English Translation

O Son! Enter into a householder’s life and appease the Devas, Pitris and men; procreate sons and enjoy the pleasures of household life.

Ch 14 Verse 63 Verse

Sanskrit Text

त्यक्त्वागृहं वनं गत्वा कर्तासि व्रतमुत्तमम् । वानप्रस्थाश्रमं कृत्वा संन्यासं च ततः परम् ॥ ६३ ॥

English Translation

When old age will come, quit the house and take up the Vānaprasthāshram (the third stage) and go to a forest and perform the excellent vows and then take up the dharma of the Sannyāsa (renunciation of everything).

Ch 14 Verse 64 Verse

Sanskrit Text

इन्द्रियाणि महाभाग मादकानि सुनिश्चितम् । अदारस्य दुरन्तानि पञ्चैव मनसा सह ॥ ६४ ॥

English Translation

O Fortunate one! He who does not take a wife, is certainly maddened by these indomitable five organs of action, five organs of senses and mind.

Ch 14 Verse 65 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तस्माद्दारान्प्रकुर्वीत तज्जयाय महामते । वार्धके तप आतिष्ठेदिति शास्त्रोदितं वचः ॥ ६५ ॥

English Translation

Therefore, the makers of the Śāstras say, that to save one self from the pernicious influences of these vicious senses, one is to take wife during his youth time and then be engaged in performing tapasyā during his old age.

Ch 14 Verse 66-67 Verse

Sanskrit Text

विश्वामित्रो महाभाग तपः कृत्वातिदुश्चरम् । त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि निराहारो जितेन्द्रियः ॥ ६६ ॥ मोहितश्च महातेजा वने मेनकया स्थितः । शकुन्तला समुत्पन्ना पुत्री तद्वीर्यजा शुभा ॥ ६७ ॥

English Translation

O fortunate one! In days of yore, the fiery Rājarṣi Viśvāmitra practised very severe tapasyā without any food for three thousand years, and thought he was very strong and shining like fire, he was fascinated by the charm of the celestial nymph Menakā. And an auspicious daughter was born from the womb of Menakā by Viśvāmitra.

Ch 14 Verse 68 Verse

Sanskrit Text

दृष्ट्वा दाशसुतां कालीं पिता मम पराशरः । कामबाणार्दितः कन्यां तां जग्राहोडुपे स्थितः ॥ ६८ ॥

English Translation

My father Parāśara, though a great ascetic, was struck with Cupid’s arrows at the sight of the daughter of a fisherman, named Kāli and accepted her in the boat.

Ch 14 Verse 69 Verse

Sanskrit Text

ब्रह्मापि स्वसुतां दृष्ट्वा पञ्चबाणप्रपीडितः । धावमानश्च रुद्रेण मूर्च्छितश्च निवारितः ॥ ६९ ॥

English Translation

What more than this, that Brahmā seeing his own daughter Sandhyā was struck by passion and ran after her, when Bhagavān Rudra Deva made him unconscious by his Humkār sound and made Brahmā desist from the attempt.

Ch 14 Verse 70 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तस्मात्त्वमपि कल्याण कुरु मे वचनं हितम् । कुलजां कन्यकां वृत्वा वेदमार्गं समाश्रय ॥ ७० ॥

Sanskrit Colophon

इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां प्रथमस्कन्धे व्यासेन गृहस्थधर्मवर्णनं नाम चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः ॥ १.१४॥

English Translation

So, O fortunate one! Take my word pregnant of good issues and marry a lady, born of a good family, and follow the path presented in the Vedas.” Thus ends the fourteenth Chapter of the 1st Skandha, on the birth of Śūka Deva and the duties of householders in the Mahā Purāṇa Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Vedavyās.