Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 9
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupāda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)
(see
also the
pdf for this chapter)
Chapter 1: King Sudyumna Becomes a Woman
9.1.1
śrī-rājovāca
manvantarāṇi sarvāṇi
tvayoktāni śrutāni me
vīryāṇy ananta-vīryasya
hares tatra kṛtāni ca
śrī-rājā uvāca — King Parīkṣit said; manvantarāṇi — all about the periods of the various Manus; sarvāṇi — all of them; tvayā — by you; uktāni — have been described; śrutāni — have been listened to; me — by me; vīryāṇi — wonderful activities; ananta-vīryasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potency; hareḥ — of the Supreme Lord, Hari; tatra — in those manvantara periods; kṛtāni — which have been performed; ca — also.
TRANSLATION
King Parīkṣit said: My lord, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have elaborately described all the periods of the various Manus and, within those periods, the wonderful activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has unlimited potency. I am fortunate to have heard all of this from you.
9.1.2-3
yo 'sau satyavrato nāma
rājarṣir draviḍeśvaraḥ
jñānaḿ yo 'tīta-kalpānte
lebhe puruṣa-sevayā
sa vai vivasvataḥ putro
manur āsīd iti śrutam
tvattas tasya sutāḥ proktā
ikṣvāku-pramukhā nṛpāḥ
yaḥ asau — he who was known; satyavrataḥ — Satyavrata; nāma — by the name; rāja-ṛṣiḥ — the saintly king; draviḍa-īśvaraḥ — the ruler of the Draviḍa countries; jñānam — knowledge; yaḥ — one who; atīta-kalpa-ante — at the end of the period of the last Manu, or at the end of the last millennium; lebhe — received; puruṣa-sevayā — by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
saḥ — he; vai — indeed; vivasvataḥ — of Vivasvān; putraḥ — son; manuḥ āsīt — became the Vaivasvata Manu; iti — thus; śrutam — I have already heard; tvattaḥ — from you; tasya — his; sutāḥ — sons; proktāḥ — have been explained; ikṣvāku-pramukhāḥ — headed by Ikṣvāku; nṛpāḥ — many kings.
TRANSLATION
Satyavrata, the saintly king of Draviḍadeśa who received spiritual knowledge at the end of the last millennium by the grace of the Supreme, later became Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Vivasvān, in the next manvantara [period of Manu]. I have received this knowledge from you. I also understand that such kings as Ikṣvāku were his sons, as you have already explained.
9.1.4
teṣāḿ vaḿśaḿ pṛthag brahman
vaḿśānucaritāni ca
kīrtayasva mahā-bhāga
nityaḿ śuśrūṣatāḿ hi naḥ
teṣām — of all those kings; vaḿśam — the dynasties; pṛthak — separately; brahman — O great brāhmaṇa (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); vaḿśa-anucaritāni ca — and their dynasties and characteristics; kīrtayasva — kindly describe; mahā-bhāga — O greatly fortunate one; nityam — eternally; śuśrūṣatām — who are engaged in your service; hi — indeed; naḥ — of ourselves.
TRANSLATION
O greatly fortunate Śukadeva Gosvāmī, O great brāhmaṇa, kindly describe to us separately the dynasties and characteristics of all those kings, for we are always eager to hear such topics from you.
9.1.5
ye bhūtā ye bhaviṣyāś ca
bhavanty adyatanāś ca ye
teṣāḿ naḥ puṇya-kīrtīnāḿ
sarveṣāḿ vada vikramān
ye — all of whom; bhūtāḥ — have already appeared; ye — all of whom; bhaviṣyāḥ — will appear in the future; ca — also; bhavanti — are existing; adyatanāḥ — at present; ca — also; ye — all of whom; teṣām — of all of them; naḥ — unto us; puṇya-kīrtīnām — who were all pious and celebrated; sarveṣām — of all of them; vada — kindly explain; vikramān — about the abilities.
TRANSLATION
Kindly tell us about the abilities of all the celebrated kings born in the dynasty of Vaivasvata Manu, including those who have already passed, those who may appear in the future, and those who exist at present.
9.1.6
śrī-sūta uvāca
evaḿ parīkṣitā rājñā
sadasi brahma-vādinām
pṛṣṭaḥ provāca bhagavāñ
chukaḥ parama-dharma-vit
śrī-sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; evam — in this way; parīkṣitā — by Mahārāja Parīkṣit; rājñā — by the King; sadasi — in the assembly; brahma-vādinām — of all the great saintly experts in Vedic knowledge; pṛṣṭaḥ — having been asked; provāca — answered; bhagavān — the most powerful; śukaḥ — Śuka Gosvāmī; parama-dharma-vit — the most learned scholar in religious principles.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī said: When Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the greatest knower of religious principles, was thus requested by Mahārāja Parīkṣit in the assembly of all the scholars learned in Vedic knowledge, he then proceeded to speak.
9.1.7
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrūyatāḿ mānavo vaḿśaḥ
prācuryeṇa parantapa
na śakyate vistarato
vaktuḿ varṣa-śatair api
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; śrūyatām — just hear from me; mānavaḥ vaḿśaḥ — the dynasty of Manu; prācuryeṇa — as expansive as possible; parantapa — O King, who can subdue your enemies; na — not; śakyate — one is able; vistarataḥ — very broadly; vaktum — to speak; varṣa-śataiḥ api — even if he does so for hundreds of years.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O King, subduer of your enemies, now hear from me in great detail about the dynasty of Manu. I shall explain as much as possible, although one could not say everything about it, even in hundreds of years.
9.1.8
parāvareṣāḿ bhūtānām
ātmā yaḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ
sa evāsīd idaḿ viśvaḿ
kalpānte 'nyan na kiñcana
para-avareṣām — of all living entities, in higher or lower statuses of life; bhūtānām — of those who have taken material bodies (the conditioned souls); ātmā — the Supersoul; yaḥ — one who is; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; paraḥ — transcendental; saḥ — He; eva — indeed; āsīt — was existing; idam — this; viśvam — universe; kalpa-ante — at the end of the millennium; anyat — anything else; na — not; kiñcana — anything whatsoever.
TRANSLATION
The transcendental Supreme Person, the Supersoul of all living entities, who are in different statuses of life, high and low, existed at the end of the millennium, when neither this manifested cosmos nor anything else but Him existed.
9.1.9
tasya nābheḥ samabhavat
padma-koṣo hiraṇmayaḥ
tasmiñ jajñe mahārāja
svayambhūś catur-ānanaḥ
tasya — of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); nābheḥ — from the navel; samabhavat — generated; padma-koṣaḥ — a lotus; hiraṇmayaḥ — known as Hiraṇmaya, or golden; tasmin — on that golden lotus; jajñe — appeared; mahārāja — O King; svayambhūḥ — one who is self-manifested, who takes birth without a mother; catuḥ-ānanaḥ — with four heads.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, from the navel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead was generated a golden lotus, on which the four-faced Lord Brahmā took his birth.
9.1.10
marīcir manasas tasya
jajñe tasyāpi kaśyapaḥ
dākṣāyaṇyāḿ tato 'dityāḿ
vivasvān abhavat sutaḥ
marīciḥ — the great saintly person known as Marīci; manasaḥ tasya — from the mind of Lord Brahmā; jajñe — took birth; tasya api — from Marīci; kaśyapaḥ — Kaśyapa (took birth); dākṣāyaṇyām — in the womb of the daughter of Mahārāja Dakṣa; tataḥ — thereafter; adityām — in the womb of Aditi; vivasvān — Vivasvān; abhavat — took birth; sutaḥ — a son.
TRANSLATION
From the mind of Lord Brahmā, Marīci took birth, and from the semen of Marīci, Kaśyapa appeared from the womb of the daughter of Dakṣa Mahārāja. From Kaśyapa, by the womb of Aditi, Vivasvān took birth.
9.1.11-12
tato manuḥ śrāddhadevaḥ
saḿjñāyām āsa bhārata
śraddhāyāḿ janayām āsa
daśa putrān sa ātmavān
ikṣvāku-nṛga-śaryāti-
diṣṭa-dhṛṣṭa-karūṣakān
nariṣyantaḿ pṛṣadhraḿ ca
nabhagaḿ ca kaviḿ vibhuḥ
tataḥ — from Vivasvān; manuḥ śrāddhadevaḥ — the Manu named Śrāddhadeva; saḿjñāyām — in the womb of Saḿjñā (the wife of Vivasvān); āsa — was born; bhārata — O best of the Bhārata dynasty; śraddhāyām — in the womb of Śraddhā (the wife of Śrāddhadeva); janayām āsa — begot; daśa — ten; putrān — sons; saḥ — that Śrāddhadeva; ātmavān — having conquered his senses;
ikṣvāku-nṛga-śaryāti-diṣṭa-dhṛṣṭa-karūṣakān — named Ikṣvāku, Nṛga, Śaryāti, Diṣṭa, Dhṛṣṭa and Karūṣaka; nariṣyantam — Nariṣyanta; pṛṣadhram ca — and Pṛṣadhra; nabhagam ca — and Nabhaga; kavim — Kavi; vibhuḥ — the great.
TRANSLATION
O King, best of the Bhārata dynasty, from Vivasvān, by the womb of Saḿjñā, Śrāddhadeva Manu was born. Śrāddhadeva Manu, having conquered his senses, begot ten sons in the womb of his wife, Śraddhā. The names of these sons were Ikṣvāku, Nṛga, Śaryāti, Diṣṭa, Dhṛṣṭa, Karūṣaka, Nariṣyanta, Pṛṣadhra, Nabhaga and Kavi.
9.1.13
aprajasya manoḥ pūrvaḿ
vasiṣṭho bhagavān kila
mitrā-varuṇayor iṣṭiḿ
prajārtham akarod vibhuḥ
aprajasya — of he who had no son; manoḥ — of Manu; pūrvam — formerly; vasiṣṭhaḥ — the great saint Vasiṣṭha; bhagavān — powerful; kila — indeed; mitrā-varuṇayoḥ — of the demigods named Mitra and Varuṇa; iṣṭim — a sacrifice; prajā-artham — for the sake of getting sons; akarot — executed; vibhuḥ — the great person.
TRANSLATION
Manu at first had no sons. Therefore, in order to get a son for him, the great saint Vasiṣṭha, who was very powerful in spiritual knowledge, performed a sacrifice to satisfy the demigods Mitra and Varuṇa.
9.1.14
tatra śraddhā manoḥ patnī
hotāraḿ samayācata
duhitrartham upāgamya
praṇipatya payovratā
tatra — in that sacrifice; śraddhā — Śraddhā; manoḥ — of Manu; patnī — the wife; hotāram — to the priest performing the yajña; samayācata — begged properly; duhitṛ-artham — for a daughter; upāgamya — coming near; praṇipatya — offering obeisances; payaḥ-vratā — who was observing the vow of drinking only milk.
TRANSLATION
During that sacrifice, Śraddhā, Manu's wife, who was observing the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk, approached the priest offering the sacrifice, offered obeisances to him and begged for a daughter.
9.1.15
preṣito 'dhvaryuṇā hotā
vyacarat tat samāhitaḥ
gṛhīte haviṣi vācā
vaṣaṭ-kāraḿ gṛṇan dvijaḥ
preṣitaḥ — being told to execute the sacrifice; adhvaryuṇā — by the ṛtvik priest; hotā — the priest in charge of offering oblations; vyacarat — executed; tat — that (sacrifice); samāhitaḥ — with great attention; gṛhīte haviṣi — upon taking the clarified butter for the first oblation; vācā — by chanting the mantra; vaṣaṭ-kāram — the mantra beginning with the word vaṣaṭ; gṛṇan — reciting; dvijaḥ — the brāhmaṇa.
TRANSLATION
Told by the chief priest "Now offer oblations," the person in charge of oblations took clarified butter to offer. He then remembered the request of Manu's wife and performed the sacrifice while chanting the word "vaṣaṭ."
9.1.16
hotus tad-vyabhicāreṇa
kanyelā nāma sābhavat
tāḿ vilokya manuḥ prāha
nātituṣṭamanā gurum
hotuḥ — of the priest; tat — of the yajña; vyabhicāreṇa — by that transgression; kanyā — a daughter; ilā — Ilā; nāma — by the name; sā — that daughter; abhavat — was born; tām — unto her; vilokya — seeing; manuḥ — Manu; prāha — said; na — not; atituṣṭamanāḥ — very much satisfied; gurum — unto his guru.
TRANSLATION
Manu had begun that sacrifice for the sake of getting a son, but because the priest was diverted by the request of Manu's wife, a daughter named Ilā was born. Upon seeing the daughter, Manu was not very satisfied. Thus he spoke to his guru, Vasiṣṭha, as follows.
9.1.17
bhagavan kim idaḿ jātaḿ
karma vo brahma-vādinām
viparyayam aho kaṣṭaḿ
maivaḿ syād brahma-vikriyā
bhagavan — O my lord; kim idam — what is this; jātam — born; karma — fruitive activities; vaḥ — of all of you; brahma-vādinām — of you, who are expert in chanting the Vedic mantras; viparyayam — deviation; aho — alas; kaṣṭam — painful; mā evam syāt — thus it should not have been; brahma-vikriyā — this opposite action of the Vedic mantras.
TRANSLATION
My lord, all of you are expert in chanting the Vedic mantras. How then has the result been opposite to the one desired? This is a matter for lamentation. There should not have been such a reversal of the results of the Vedic mantras.
9.1.18
yūyaḿ brahma-vido yuktās
tapasā dagdha-kilbiṣāḥ
kutaḥ sańkalpa-vaiṣamyam
anṛtaḿ vibudheṣv iva
yūyam — of all you; brahma-vidaḥ — completely in awareness of the Absolute Truth; yuktāḥ — self-controlled and well balanced; tapasā — by dint of austerity and penances; dagdha-kilbiṣāḥ — all kinds of material contamination having been burnt out; kutaḥ — then how; sańkalpa-vaiṣamyam — discrepancy in the matter of determination; anṛtam — false promise, false statement; vibudheṣu — in the society of the demigods; iva — or.
TRANSLATION
You are all self-controlled, well balanced in mind, and aware of the Absolute Truth. And because of austerities and penances you are completely cleansed of all material contamination. Your words, like those of the demigods, are never baffled. Then how is it possible that your determination has failed?
9.1.19
niśamya tad vacas tasya
bhagavān prapitāmahaḥ
hotur vyatikramaḿ jñātvā
babhāṣe ravi-nandanam
niśamya — after hearing; tat vacaḥ — those words; tasya — of him (Manu); bhagavān — the most powerful; prapitāmahaḥ — the great-grandfather Vasiṣṭha; hotuḥ vyatikramam — discrepancy on the part of the hotā priest; jñātvā — understanding; babhāṣe — spoke; ravi-nandanam — unto Vaivasvata Manu, son of the sun-god.
TRANSLATION
The most powerful great-grandfather Vasiṣṭha, after hearing these words of Manu, understood the discrepancy on the part of the priest. Thus he spoke as follows to the son of the sun-god.
9.1.20
etat sańkalpa-vaiṣamyaḿ
hotus te vyabhicārataḥ
tathāpi sādhayiṣye te
suprajāstvaḿ sva-tejasā
etat — this; sańkalpa-vaiṣamyam — discrepancy in the objective; hotuḥ — of the priest; te — your; vyabhicārataḥ — from deviating from the prescribed purpose; tathā api — still; sādhayiṣye — I shall execute; te — for you; su-prajāstvam — a very nice son; sva-tejasā — by my own prowess.
TRANSLATION
This discrepancy in the objective is due to your priest's deviation from the original purpose. However, by my own prowess I shall give you a good son.
9.1.21
evaḿ vyavasito rājan
bhagavān sa mahā-yaśāḥ
astauṣīd ādi-puruṣam
ilāyāḥ puḿstva-kāmyayā
evam — thus; vyavasitaḥ — deciding; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; bhagavān — the most powerful; saḥ — Vasiṣṭha; mahā-yaśāḥ — very famous; astauṣīt — offered prayers; ādi-puruṣam — unto the Supreme Person, Lord Viṣṇu; ilāyāḥ — of Ilā; puḿstva-kāmyayā — for the transformation into a male.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, after the most famous and powerful Vasiṣṭha made this decision, he offered prayers to the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, to transform Ilā into a male.
9.1.22
tasmai kāma-varaḿ tuṣṭo
bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
dadāv ilābhavat tena
sudyumnaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ
tasmai — unto him (Vasiṣṭha); kāma-varam — the desired benediction; tuṣṭaḥ — being pleased; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality; hariḥ īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller, the Lord; dadau — gave; ilā — the girl, Ilā; abhavat — became; tena — because of this benediction; sudyumnaḥ — by the name Sudyumna; puruṣa-ṛṣabhaḥ — a nice male.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, being pleased with Vasiṣṭha, gave him the benediction he desired. Thus Ilā was transformed into a very fine male named Sudyumna.
9.1.23-24
sa ekadā mahārāja
vicaran mṛgayāḿ vane
vṛtaḥ katipayāmātyair
aśvam āruhya saindhavam
pragṛhya ruciraḿ cāpaḿ
śarāḿś ca paramādbhutān
daḿśito 'numṛgaḿ vīro
jagāma diśam uttarām
saḥ — Sudyumna; ekadā — once upon a time; mahārāja — O King Parīkṣit; vicaran — touring; mṛgayām — for hunting; vane — in the forest; vṛtaḥ — accompanied; katipaya — a few; amātyaiḥ — by ministers or associates; aśvam — upon a horse; āruhya — riding; saindhavam — born in the Sindhupradeśa;
pragṛhya — holding in hand; ruciram — beautiful; cāpam — bow; śarān ca — and arrows; parama-adbhutān — very wonderful, uncommon; daḿśitaḥ — wearing armor; anumṛgam — behind the animals; vīraḥ — the hero; jagāma — went toward; diśam uttarām — the north.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, that hero Sudyumna, accompanied by a few ministers and associates and riding on a horse brought from Sindhupradeśa, once went into the forest to hunt. He wore armor and was decorated with bows and arrows, and he was very beautiful. While following the animals and killing them, he reached the northern part of the forest.
9.1.25
sukumāra-vanaḿ meror
adhastāt praviveśa ha
yatrāste bhagavāñ charvo
ramamāṇaḥ sahomayā
sukumāra-vanam — the forest known as Sukumāra; meroḥ adhastāt — at the foot of Mount Meru; praviveśa ha — he entered; yatra — wherein; āste — was; bhagavān — the most powerful (demigod); śarvaḥ — Lord Śiva; ramamāṇaḥ — engaged in enjoyment; saha umayā — with Umā, his wife.
TRANSLATION
There in the north, at the bottom of Mount Meru, is a forest known as Sukumāra where Lord Śiva always enjoys with Umā. Sudyumna entered that forest.
9.1.26
tasmin praviṣṭa evāsau
sudyumnaḥ para-vīra-hā
apaśyat striyam ātmānam
aśvaḿ ca vaḍavāḿ nṛpa
tasmin — in that forest; praviṣṭaḥ — having entered; eva — indeed; asau — he; sudyumnaḥ — Prince Sudyumna; para-vīra-hā — who could very well subdue his enemies; apaśyat — observed; striyam — female; ātmānam — himself; aśvam ca — and his horse; vaḍavām — a mare; nṛpa — O King Parīkṣit.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, as soon as Sudyumna, who was expert in subduing enemies, entered the forest, he saw himself transformed into a female and his horse transformed into a mare.
9.1.27
tathā tad-anugāḥ sarve
ātma-lińga-viparyayam
dṛṣṭvā vimanaso 'bhūvan
vīkṣamāṇāḥ parasparam
tathā — similarly; tat-anugāḥ — the companions of Sudyumna; sarve — all of them; ātma-lińga-viparyayam — the transformation of their sex into the opposite; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; vimanasaḥ — morose; abhūvan — they became; vīkṣamāṇāḥ — looking over; parasparam — one another.
TRANSLATION
When his followers also saw their identities transformed and their sex reversed, they were all very morose and just looked at one another.
9.1.28
śrī-rājovāca
katham evaḿ guṇo deśaḥ
kena vā bhagavan kṛtaḥ
praśnam enaḿ samācakṣva
paraḿ kautūhalaḿ hi naḥ
śrī-rājā uvāca — Mahārāja Parīkṣit said; katham — how; evam — this; guṇaḥ — quality; deśaḥ — the country; kena — why; vā — either; bhagavan — O most powerful; kṛtaḥ — it was so done; praśnam — question; enam — this; samācakṣva — just deliberate; param — very much; kautūhalam — eagerness; hi — indeed; naḥ — our.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: O most powerful brāhmaṇa, why was this place so empowered, and who made it so powerful? Kindly answer this question, for I am very eager to hear about this.
9.1.29
śrī-śuka uvāca
ekadā giriśaḿ draṣṭum
ṛṣayas tatra suvratāḥ
diśo vitimirābhāsāḥ
kurvantaḥ samupāgaman
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā — once upon a time; giriśam — Lord Śiva; draṣṭum — to see; ṛṣayaḥ — very saintly persons; tatra — in that forest; su-vratāḥ — highly elevated in spiritual power; diśaḥ — all directions; vitimira-ābhāsāḥ — having been cleared of all darkness whatsoever; kurvantaḥ — doing so; samupāgaman — arrived.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī answered: Great saintly persons who strictly observed the spiritual rules and regulations and whose own effulgence dissipated all the darkness of all directions once came to see Lord Śiva in that forest.
9.1.30
tān vilokyāmbikā devī
vivāsā vrīḍitā bhṛśam
bhartur ańkāt samutthāya
nīvīm āśv atha paryadhāt
tān — all the saintly persons; vilokya — seeing them; ambikā — mother Durgā; devī — the goddess; vivāsā — because she was naked; vrīḍitā — ashamed; bhṛśam — highly; bhartuḥ — of her husband; ańkāt — from the lap; samutthāya — getting up; nīvīm — breast; āśu atha — very quickly; paryadhāt — covered with cloth.
TRANSLATION
When the goddess Ambikā saw the great saintly persons, she was very much ashamed because at that time she was naked. She immediately got up from the lap of her husband and tried to cover her breast.
9.1.31
ṛṣayo 'pi tayor vīkṣya
prasańgaḿ ramamāṇayoḥ
nivṛttāḥ prayayus tasmān
nara-nārāyaṇāśramam
ṛṣayaḥ — all the great saintly persons; api — also; tayoḥ — of both of them; vīkṣya — seeing; prasańgam — engagement in sexual matters; ramamāṇayoḥ — who were enjoying in that way; nivṛttāḥ — desisted from going further; prayayuḥ — immediately departed; tasmāt — from that place; nara-nārāyaṇa-āśramam — to the āśrama of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.
TRANSLATION
Seeing Lord Śiva and Pārvatī engaged in sexual affairs, all the great saintly persons immediately desisted from going further and departed for the āśrama of Nara-Nārāyaṇa.
9.1.32
tad idaḿ bhagavān āha
priyāyāḥ priya-kāmyayā
sthānaḿ yaḥ praviśed etat
sa vai yoṣid bhaved iti
tat — because; idam — this; bhagavān — Lord Śiva; āha — said; priyāyāḥ — of his dear wife; priya-kāmyayā — for the pleasure; sthānam — place; yaḥ — anyone who; praviśet — will enter; etat — here; saḥ — that person; vai — indeed; yoṣit — female; bhavet — shall become; iti — thus.
TRANSLATION
Thereupon, just to please his wife, Lord Śiva said, "Any male entering this place shall immediately become a female!"
9.1.33
tata ūrdhvaḿ vanaḿ tad vai
puruṣā varjayanti hi
sā cānucara-saḿyuktā
vicacāra vanād vanam
tataḥ ūrdhvam — from that time onward; vanam — forest; tat — that; vai — in particular; puruṣāḥ — males; varjayanti — do not enter; hi — indeed; sā — Sudyumna in the form of a woman; ca — also; anucara-saḿyuktā — accompanied by his companions; vicacāra — walked; vanāt vanam — within the forest from one place to another.
TRANSLATION
Since that time, no male had entered that forest. But now King Sudyumna, having been transformed into a female, began to walk with his associates from one forest to another.
9.1.34
atha tām āśramābhyāśe
carantīḿ pramadottamām
strībhiḥ parivṛtāḿ vīkṣya
cakame bhagavān budhaḥ
atha — in this way; tām — her; āśrama-abhyāśe — in the neighborhood of his āśrama; carantīm — loitering; pramadā-uttamām — the best of beautiful women who excite sex; strībhiḥ — by other women; parivṛtām — surrounded; vīkṣya — seeing her; cakame — desired sex; bhagavān — the most powerful; budhaḥ — Budha, the son of the moon and predominating deity of the planet known as Budha, or Mercury.
TRANSLATION
Sudyumna had been transformed into the best of beautiful women who excite sexual desire and was surrounded by other women. Upon seeing this beautiful woman loitering near his āśrama, Budha, the son of the moon, immediately desired to enjoy her.
9.1.35
sāpi taḿ cakame subhrūḥ
somarāja-sutaḿ patim
sa tasyāḿ janayām āsa
purūravasam ātmajam
sā — Sudyumna, transformed into a woman; api — also; tam — unto him (Budha); cakame — desired sex; su-bhrūḥ — very beautiful; somarāja-sutam — unto the son of the king of the moon; patim — as her husband; saḥ — he (Budha); tasyām — in her womb; janayām āsa — begot; purūravasam — named Purūravā; ātma-jam — a son.
TRANSLATION
The beautiful woman also desired to accept Budha, the son of the king of the moon, as her husband. Thus Budha begot in her womb a son named Purūravā.
9.1.36
evaḿ strītvam anuprāptaḥ
sudyumno mānavo nṛpaḥ
sasmāra sa kulācāryaḿ
vasiṣṭham iti śuśruma
evam — in this way; strītvam — femininity; anuprāptaḥ — having achieved in that way; sudyumnaḥ — the male named Sudyumna; mānavaḥ — the son of Manu; nṛpaḥ — the king; sasmāra — remembered; saḥ — he; kula-ācāryam — the familial spiritual master; vasiṣṭham — the most powerful Vasiṣṭha; iti śuśruma — I have heard it (from reliable sources).
TRANSLATION
I heard from reliable sources that King Sudyumna, the son of Manu, having thus achieved femininity, remembered his familial spiritual master, Vasiṣṭha.
9.1.37
sa tasya tāḿ daśāḿ dṛṣṭvā
kṛpayā bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ
sudyumnasyāśayan puḿstvam
upādhāvata śańkaram
saḥ — he, Vasiṣṭha; tasya — of Sudyumna; tām — that; daśām — condition; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; kṛpayā — out of mercy; bhṛśa-pīḍitaḥ — being very much aggrieved; sudyumnasya — of Sudyumna; āśayan — desiring; puḿstvam — the maleness; upādhāvata — began to worship; śańkaram — Lord Śiva.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing Sudyumna's deplorable condition, Vasiṣṭha was very much aggrieved. Desiring for Sudyumna to regain his maleness, Vasiṣṭha again began to worship Lord Śańkara [Śiva].
9.1.38-39
tuṣṭas tasmai sa bhagavān
ṛṣaye priyam āvahan
svāḿ ca vācam ṛtāḿ kurvann
idam āha viśāmpate
māsaḿ pumān sa bhavitā
māsaḿ strī tava gotrajaḥ
itthaḿ vyavasthayā kāmaḿ
sudyumno 'vatu medinīm
tuṣṭaḥ — being pleased; tasmai — unto Vasiṣṭha; saḥ — he (Lord Śiva); bhagavān — the most powerful; ṛṣaye — unto the great sage; priyam āvahan — just to please him; svām ca — his own; vācam — word; ṛtām — true; kurvan — and keeping; idam — this; āha — said; viśāmpate — O King Parīkṣit;
māsam — one month; pumān — male; saḥ — Sudyumna; bhavitā — will become; māsam — an other month; strī — female; tava — your; gotra-jaḥ — disciple born in your disciplic succession; ittham — in this way; vyavasthayā — by settlement; kāmam — according to desire; sudyumnaḥ — King Sudyumna; avatu — may rule; medinīm — the world.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, Lord Śiva was pleased with Vasiṣṭha. Therefore, to satisfy him and to keep his own word to Pārvatī, Lord Śiva said to that saintly person, "Your disciple Sudyumna may remain a male for one month and a female for the next. In this way he may rule the world as he likes."
9.1.40
ācāryānugrahāt kāmaḿ
labdhvā puḿstvaḿ vyavasthayā
pālayām āsa jagatīḿ
nābhyanandan sma taḿ prajāḥ
ācārya-anugrahāt — by the mercy of the spiritual master; kāmam — desired; labdhvā — having achieved; puḿstvam — maleness; vyavasthayā — by this settlement of Lord Śiva; pālayām āsa — he ruled; jagatīm — the whole world; na abhyanandan sma — were not satisfied with; tam — to the king; prajāḥ — the citizens.
TRANSLATION
Thus being favored by the spiritual master, according to the words of Lord Śiva, Sudyumna regained his desired maleness every alternate month and in this way ruled the kingdom, although the citizens were not satisfied with this.
9.1.41
tasyotkalo gayo rājan
vimalaś ca trayaḥ sutāḥ
dakṣiṇā-patha-rājāno
babhūvur dharma-vatsalāḥ
tasya — of Sudyumna; utkalaḥ — by the name Utkala; gayaḥ — by the name Gaya; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; vimalaḥ ca — and Vimala; trayaḥ — three; sutāḥ — sons; dakṣiṇā-patha — of the southern part of the world; rājānaḥ — kings; babhūvuḥ — they became; dharma-vatsalāḥ — very religious.
TRANSLATION
O King, Sudyumna had three very pious sons, named Utkala, Gaya and Vimala, who became the kings of the Dakṣiṇā-patha.
9.1.42
tataḥ pariṇate kāle
pratiṣṭhāna-patiḥ prabhuḥ
purūravasa utsṛjya
gāḿ putrāya gato vanam
tataḥ — thereafter; pariṇate kāle — when the time was ripe; pratiṣṭhāna-patiḥ — the master of the kingdom; prabhuḥ — very powerful; purūravase — unto Purūravā; utsṛjya — delivering; gām — the world; putrāya — unto his son; gataḥ — departed; vanam — to the forest.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, when the time was ripe, when Sudyumna, the king of the world, was sufficiently old, he delivered the entire kingdom to his son Purūravā and entered the forest.
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