भीष्म उवाच इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं ब्रह्मर्षिः सुमहातपाः। प्रातिष्ठत शुकः सिद्धिं हित्वा दोषांश्चतुर्विधान्॥
Bhishma said “Having spoken in this way, the twice-born Rishi of austere penances, viz., Shuka, lived on his success, renouncing the four sorts of faults.
तमो हृष्टविधं हित्वा जहौ पञ्चविधं रजः। ततः सत्त्वं जहौ धीमांस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
Renouncing also the eight kinds of Tamas, he dismissed the five kinds of Rajas. Gifted with great intelligence, he the renounced the attribute of Sattva. All this seemed extremely wonderful.
ततस्तस्मिन् पदे नित्ये निर्गुणे लिङ्गवर्जिते। ब्रह्मणि प्रत्यतिष्ठत् स विधूमोऽग्निरिव ज्वलन्॥
He then lived in that eternal station which is shorn of attributes, freed from every indication, that is, in Brahma, shining like a smokeless fire.
उल्कापाता दिशा दाहो भूमिकम्पस्तथैव च। प्रादुर्भूतः क्षणे तस्मिंस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
Meteors began to shoot. The points of the horizon seemed to be ablaze. The Earth trembled. All these phenomena seemed extremely wonderful.
दुमाः शाखाश्च मुमुचुः शिखराणि च पर्वताः। निर्घातशब्दैश्च गिरिहिमवान् दीर्यतीव ह॥
The trees began to throw off their branches and the mountains their summits. Loud peals were heard that seemed to rive the Himavat mountains.
न बभासे सहस्रांशुर्न जज्वाल च पावकः। ह्रदाश्च सरितश्चैव चुक्षुभुः सागरास्तथा॥
The Sun seemed at that moment to be shorn of effulgence. Fire refused to burn forth. The lakes and rivers and seas were all moved.
ववर्ष वासवस्तोयं रसवच्च सुगन्धि च। ववौ समीरणश्चापि दिव्यगन्धवहः शुचिः॥
Vasava poured showers of rain of excellent taste and smell. A pure breeze began to blow, carrying excellent taste and smell. A pure breeze began to blow, carrying excellent perfumes.
स शृङ्गे प्रथमे दिव्ये हिमवन्मेरुसम्भवे। संश्लिष्टे श्वेतपीते द्वे रुक्मरूप्यमये शुभे॥
Shuka, as he went through the sky, saw two beautiful summits, one belonging to Himavat and another to Meru. These were side by side with each other. One of them was made of gold and was, therefore, yellow; the other was white, being made of silver.
शतयोजनविस्तारे तिर्यगूर्वं च भारत। उदीची दिशमास्थाय रुचिरे संददर्श ह॥
Each of them, O Bharata, was a hundred Yojanas in height and of the same breath. Indeed, as Shuka went towards the north, he beheld those two beautiful summits,
सोऽविशङ्केन मनसा तदैवाभ्यपतच्छुकः। ततः पर्वतशृङ्गे द्वे सहसैव द्विधाकृते॥
With a fearless heart he dashed against those two summits that were close to each other. Unable to bear the force, the summits were suddenly rent in two parts.
अदृश्येतां महाराज तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्। ततः पर्वत शृङ्गाभ्यां सहसैव विनिःसृतः॥ न च प्रतिजघानास्य स गति पर्वतोत्तमः। ततो महानभूच्छब्दो दिवि सर्वदिवौकसाम्॥
The spectacle, O monarch, was extremely wonderful to look at. Shuka pierced through those summits, for they were unable to stop his onward course. At this a loud noise was made in heaven by the dwellers thereof.
गन्धर्वाणामृषीणां च ये च शैलनिवासिनः। दृष्ट्वा शुकमतिक्रान्तं पर्वतं च द्विधाकृतम्॥ साधु साध्विति तत्रासीन्नादः सर्वत्र भारत।
The Gandharvas and the Rishis also and others who lived in that mountain sent up loud cheers at the sight of the mountain being rent in two and Shuka passing through it. Indeed, O Bharata, a loud noise was heard everywhere at that moment, saying,-Excellent, Excellent.
स पूज्यमानो देवैश्च गन्धर्वैर्ऋषिभिस्तथा।॥ यक्षराक्षससंघेश्च विद्याधरगणैस्तथा।
He was worshipped by the Gandharvas and the Rishis, by Yakhas and Rakshasas, and by all tribes of the Vidyadharas.
दिव्यैः पुष्पैः समाकीर्णमन्तरिक्षं समन्ततः॥ आसीत् किल महाराज शुकाभितपने तदा।
The entire sky became covered with celestial flowers showered from heaven at that moment when Shuka thus cut through that impenetrable barrier, O king.
ततो मन्दाकिनी रम्यामुपरिष्टादभिव्रजन्॥ शुको ददर्श धर्मात्मा पुष्पितदुमकाननाम्।
The pious Shuka then saw from a high region the extremely beautiful celestial river Mandakini, running below through a region adorned by many flowering groves and forests.
तस्यां क्रीडन्त्यभिरतास्ते चैवाप्सरसां गणाः॥ शून्याकारं निराकाराः शुकं दृष्ट्वा विवाससः।
In these waters many beautiful Apsaras were playing. Seeing Shuka who was bodiless, those naked aerial beings felt no shame.
तं प्रक्रामन्तमाज्ञाय पिता स्नेहसमन्वितः॥ उत्तमा गतिमास्थाय पृष्ठतोऽनुससार ह।
Learning that Shuka had undertaken his great journey, his father Vyasa, filled with affection, followed him behind along the same aerial path.
शुकस्तु मारुतादूर्ध्वं गति कृत्वान्तरिक्षगाम्॥ दर्शयित्वा प्रभावं स्वं ब्रह्मभूतोऽभवत् तदा।
Meanwhile Shuka, passing through thai region of the sky which is above the region of the wind, showed his Yoga-power and identified himself with Brahma.
महायोगगतिं त्वन्यां व्यासोत्थाय महातपाः॥ निमेषान्तरमात्रेण शुकाभिपतनं ययौ।
Following the subtile path of high Yoga, Vyasa of austere penances, reached within the twinkling of the eye that place whence Shuka first started.
स ददर्श द्विधा कृत्वा पर्वताग्रं शुकं गतम्॥ शशंसुर्ऋषयस्तत्र कर्म पुत्रस्य तत् तदा।
Proceeding along the same way, Vyasa saw the mountain summit rent in two parts and through which Shuka has passed. Meeting the Island-born ascetic, the Rishis began to describe to him the achievements of his own.
ततः शुकेति दीर्पण शब्देनाक्रन्दितस्तदा॥ स्वयं पित्रा स्वरेणोच्चैस्त्रील्लोकाननुनाद्य वै।
Vyasa, however, began to lament, loudly naming his son and causing the three worlds to resound with the noise he made.
शुकः सर्वगतो भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुखः। :॥ प्रत्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भो शब्देनानुनादयन्।
Meanwhile, the pious Shuka, who had entered all things, had become the soul of all things, and had acquired omnipresence, answered his fathers by uttering the monosyllable BHO in the form of an echo.
तत एकाक्षरं नादं भोरित्येव समीरयन्॥ प्रत्याहरज्जगत् सर्वमुच्चैः स्थावरजङ्गमम्।
Thereat, the entire universe of mobile and immobile creatures, uttering the monosyllable BHO, echoed the answer of Shuka.
ततः प्रभृति चाद्यापि शब्दानुच्चारितान् पृथक्॥ गिरिगह्वरपृष्ठेषु व्याहरन्ति शुकं प्रति।
Thereforward, when sounds are made in mountain-caves or on mountain-breasts, the latter, as if in answer to Shuka, still echo them.
अन्तर्हितः प्रभावं तु दर्शयित्वा शुकस्तदा॥ गुणान् संत्यज्य शब्दादीन् पदमभ्यगमत् परम्।
Having renounced all the attributes of sound, etc., and showing his Yoga-power in the manner of his disappearance, Shuka in this way acquired the highest station.
महिमानं तु तं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रस्यामिततेजसः॥ निषसाद गिरिप्रस्थे पुत्रमेवानुचिन्तयन्।
Seeing that glory and power of his son of immeasurable energy, Vyasa sat down on the breast of the mountain and began to think of his son sorrowfully.
ततो मन्दाकिनीतीरे क्रीडन्तोऽप्सरसां गणाः॥ आसाद्य तमृषि सर्वाः सम्भ्रान्ता गतचेतसः।
Seeing the Rishi seated there, the Apsaras who were sporting on the banks of the celestial river Mandakini, became all moved with shame and dispirited.
जले निलिल्यिरे काश्चित् काश्चिद् गुल्मान् प्रपेदिरे।।२९ वसनान्याददुः काश्चित् तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिसत्तमम्।
Some of them, to hide their nakedness, plunged into the river, and some entered the groves hard by, and some quickly took up their clothes, at seeing the Rishi.
तां मुक्ततां तु विज्ञाय मुनिः पुत्रस्य वै तदा।॥ सक्ततामात्मनश्चैव प्रीतोऽभूद् व्रीडितश्च ह॥
Seeing these movements, the Rishi understood that his son had been liberated from all attachments, but that he himself was not freed therefrom. At this he became filled with both joy and shame.
तं देवगन्धर्ववृतो महर्षिगणपूजितः। पिनाकहस्तो भगवानभ्यागच्छत शंकरः॥
As Vyasa was seated there, the auspicious god Shiva, armed with trident, surrounded on all sides by many gods and Gandharvas and worshipped of all the great Rishis, came there.
तमुवाच महादेवः सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः। पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तं कृष्णद्वैपायनं तदा॥
Consoling the Island-born Rishi who was burning with grief on account of his son, Mahadeva said these words to him
अग्नेर्भूमेरपां वायोरन्तरिक्षस्य चैव ह। वीर्येण सदृशः पुत्रः पुरा मत्तस्त्वया वृतः॥
You had formerly solicited from me a son endued with the energy of Fire, of Water, of Wind, and of Ether.
स तथालक्षणो जातस्तपसा तव सम्भृतः। मम चैव प्रसादेन ब्रह्मतेजोमयः शुचिः॥
Procreated by your penances, the son that was born to you was of that very sort. Proceeding from my favour, he was pure and full of Brahma-energy.
स गतिं परमां प्राप्तो दुष्प्रापामजितेन्द्रियैः। दैवतैरपि विप्रर्षे तं त्वं किमनुशोचसि॥
He has acquired the highest end-an end that is, which none can acquire who has not completely mastered his senses, nor by even any of the gods, why then, O twice-born Rishi, do you grieve for that son?
यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयो यावत् स्थास्यन्ति सागराः। तावत् तवाक्षया कीर्तिः सपुत्रस्य भविष्यति॥
As long as the hills will last, as long as the ocean will last, so long will the fame of your son continue.
छायां स्वपुत्रसदृशी सर्वतोऽनपगां सदा। द्रक्ष्यसे त्वं च लोकेऽस्मन् मत्प्रसादान्महामुने॥
Through my favour, O great Rishi, you will see in this world a shadowy form resembling your son, moving by the side and never leaving you for a single moment!
सोऽनुनीतो भगवता स्वयं रुद्रेण भारत। छायां पश्यन् समावृत्तः स मुनिः परया मुदा॥
Thus favoured by the illustrious Rudra himself, O Bharata, the Rishi saw a shadow of his son by his side. He came back from that place, filled with joy at this.
इति जन्म गतिश्चैव शुकस्य भरतर्षभ। विस्तरेण समाख्याता यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥
I have now told you, O chief of Bharata's race, everything regarding the birth and life of Shukra about which you had asked me.
एतदाचष्ट मे राजन् देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा। व्यासश्चैव महायोगी संजल्पेषु पदे पदे॥
The celestial Rishi Narada and the great Yogin Vyasa had again and again told all this to me in days of yore when the subject was suggested in course of conversation.
इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं मोक्षधर्मोपसंहितम्। धारयेद् यः शमपरः स गच्छेत् परमां गतिम्॥
That person devoted to tranquillity who hears this sacred history directly connected with the subject of Liberation is sure to acquire the highest end.