Second Skandha · Chapter 2
Sourceसूत उवाच एकदा तीर्थयात्रायां व्रजन् पाराशरो मुनिः । आजगाम महातेजाः कालिन्द्यास्तटमुत्तमम् ॥ १ ॥ निषादमाह धर्मात्मा कुर्वन्तं भोजनं तदा । प्रापयस्व परं पारं कालिन्द्या उडुपेन माम् ॥ २ ॥ दाशः श्रुत्वा मुनेर्वाक्यं कुर्वाणो भोजनं तटे । उवाच तां सुतां बालां मत्स्यगन्धां मनोरमाम् ॥ ३ ॥ उडुपेन मुनिं बाले परं पारं नयस्व ह । गन्तुकामोऽस्ति धर्मात्मा तापसोऽयं शुचिस्मिते ॥ ४ ॥ इत्युक्ता सा तदा पित्रा मत्स्यगन्धाथ वासवी । उडुपे मुनिमासीनं संवाहयति भामिनी ॥ ५ ॥ व्रजन् सूर्यसुतातोये भावित्वाद्दैवयोगतः । कामार्तस्तु मुनिर्जातो दृष्ट्वा तां चारुलोचनाम् ॥ ६ ॥ ग्रहीतुकामः स मुनिर्दृष्ट्वा व्यञ्जितयौवनाम् । दक्षिणेन करेणैनामस्पृशद्दक्षिणे करे ॥ ७ ॥ तमुवाचासितापाङ्गी स्मितपूर्वमिदं वचः । कुलस्य सदृशं वः किं श्रुतस्य तपसश्च किम् ॥ ८ ॥ त्वं वै वसिष्ठदायादः कुलशीलसमन्वितः । किं चिकीर्षसि धर्मज्ञ मन्मथेन प्रपीडितः ॥ ९ ॥ दुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म भुवि ब्राह्मणसत्तम । तत्रापि दुर्लभं मन्ये ब्राह्मणत्वं विशेषतः ॥ १० ॥ कुलेन शीलेन तथा श्रुतेन द्विजोत्तमस्त्वं किल धर्मविच्च । अनार्यभावं कथमागतोऽसि विप्रेन्द्र मां वीक्ष्य च मीनगन्धाम् ॥ ११ ॥ मदीये शरीरे द्विजामोघबुद्धे ॥ शुभं किं समालोक्य पाणिं ग्रहीतुम् । समीपं समायासि कामातुरस्त्वं कथं नाभिजानासि धर्मं स्वकीयम् ॥ १२ ॥ अहो मन्दबुद्धिर्द्विजोऽयं ग्रहीष्य- ञ्जले मग्न एवाद्य मां वै गृहीत्वा । मनो व्याकुलं पञ्चबाणातिविद्धं न कोऽपीह शक्तः प्रतीपं हि कर्तुम् ॥ १३ ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य सा बाला तमुवाच महामुनिम् । धैर्यं कुरु महाभाग परं पारं नयामि वै ॥ १४ ॥ सूत उवाच पराशरस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं हितपूर्वकम् । करं त्यक्त्वा स्थितस्तत्र सिन्धोः पारं गतः पुनः ॥ १५ ॥ मत्स्यगन्धां प्रजग्राह मुनिः कामातुरस्तदा । वेपमाना तु सा कन्या तमुवाच पुरःस्थितम् ॥ १६ ॥ दुर्गन्धाहं मुनिश्रेष्ठ कथं त्वं नोपशङ्कसे । समानरूपयोः कामसंयोगस्तु सुखावहः ॥ १७ ॥ इत्युक्तेन तु सा कन्या क्षणमात्रेण भामिनी । कृता योजनगन्धा तु सुरूपा च वरानना ॥ १८ ॥ मृगनाभिसुगन्धां तां कृत्वा कान्तां मनोहराम् । जग्राह दक्षिणे पाणौ मुनिर्मन्मथपीडितः ॥ १९ ॥ ग्रहीतुकामं तं प्राह नाम्ना सत्यवती शुभा । मुने पश्यति लोकोऽयं पिता चैव तटस्थितः ॥ २० ॥ पशुधर्मो न मे प्रीतिं जनयत्यतिदारुणः । प्रतीक्षस्व मुनिश्रेष्ठ यावद्भवति यामिनी ॥ २१ ॥ रात्रौ व्यवाय उद्दिष्टो दिवा न मनुजस्य हि । दिवासङ्गे महान् दोषः पश्यन्ति किल मानवाः ॥ २२ ॥ कामं यच्छ महाबुद्धे लोकनिन्दा दुरासदा । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या युक्तमुक्तमुदारधीः ॥ २३ ॥ नीहारं कल्पयामास शीघ्रं पुण्यबलेन वै । नीहारे च समुत्पन्ने तटेऽतितमसा युते ॥ २४ ॥ कामिनी तं मुनिं प्राह मृदुपूर्वमिदं वचः । कन्याहं द्विजशार्दूल भुक्त्वा गन्तासि कामतः ॥ २५ ॥ अमोघवीर्यस्त्वं ब्रह्मन् का गतिर्मे भवेदिति । पितरं किं ब्रवीम्यद्य सगर्भा चेद्भवाम्यहम् ॥ २६ ॥ त्वं गमिष्यसि भुक्त्वा मां किं करोमि वदस्व तत् । पराशर उवाच कान्तेऽद्य मत्प्रियं कृत्वा कन्यैव त्वं भविष्यसि ॥ २७ ॥ वृणीष्व च वरं भीरु यं त्वमिच्छसि भामिनि । सत्यवत्युवाच यथा मे पितरौ लोके न जानीतो हि मानद ॥ २८ ॥ कन्याव्रतं न मे हन्यात्तथा कुरु द्विजोत्तम । पुत्रश्च त्वत्समः कामं भवेदद्भुतवीर्यवान् ॥ २९ ॥ गन्धोऽयं सर्वदा मे स्याद्यौवनं च नवं नवम् । पराशर उवाच शृणु सुन्दरि पुत्रस्ते विष्ण्वंशसम्भवः शुचिः ॥ ३० ॥ भविष्यति च विख्यातस्त्रैलोक्ये वरवर्णिनि । केनचित्कारणेनाहं जातः कामातुरस्त्वयि ॥ ३१ ॥ कदापि च न सम्मोहो भूतपूर्वो वरानने । दृष्ट्वा चाप्सरसां रूपं सदाहं धैर्यमावहम् ॥ ३२ ॥ दैवयोगेन वीक्ष्य त्वां कामस्य वशगोऽभवम् । तत्किञ्चित्कारणं विद्धि दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम् ॥ ३३ ॥ दृष्ट्वाहं चातिदुर्गन्धां त्वां कथं मोहमाप्नुयाम् । पुराणकर्ता पुत्रस्ते भविष्यति वरानने ॥ ३४ ॥ वेदविद्भागकर्ता च ख्यातश्च भुवनत्रये । सूत उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तां वशं यातां भुक्त्वा स मुनिसत्तमः ॥ ३५ ॥ जगाम तरसा स्नात्वा कालिन्दीसलिले मुनिः । सापि सत्यवती जाता सद्यो गर्भवती सती ॥ ३६ ॥ सुषुवे यमुनाद्वीपे पुत्रं काममिवापरम् । जातमात्रस्तु तेजस्वी तामुवाच स्वमातरम् ॥ ३७ ॥ तपस्येव मनः कृत्वा विविशे चातिवीर्यवान् । गच्छ मातर्यथाकामं गच्छाम्यहमतः परम् ॥ ३८ ॥ तपः कर्तुं महाभागे दर्शयिष्यामि वै स्मृतः । मातर्यदा भवेत्कार्यं तव किञ्चिदनुत्तमम् ॥ ३९ ॥ स्मर्तव्योऽहं तदा शीघ्रमागमिष्यामि भामिनि । स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि त्यक्त्वा चिन्तां सुखं वस ॥ ४० ॥ इत्युक्त्वा निर्ययौ व्यासः सापि पित्रन्तिकं गता । द्वीपे न्यस्तस्तया बालस्तस्माद्द्वैपायनोऽभवत् ॥ ४१ ॥ जातमात्रो जगामाशु वृद्धिं विष्ण्वंशयोगतः । तीर्थे तीर्थे कृतस्तानश्चचार तप उत्तमम् ॥ ४२ ॥ एवं द्वैपायनो जज्ञे सत्यवत्यां पराशरात् । चकार वेदशाखाश्च प्राप्तं ज्ञात्वा कलेर्युगम् ॥ ४३ ॥ वेदविस्तारकरणाद्व्यासनामाभवन्मुनिः । पुराणसंहिताश्चक्रे महाभारतमुत्तमम् ॥ ४४ ॥ शिष्यानध्यापयामास वेदान्कृत्वा विभागशः । सुमन्तुं जैमिनिं पैलं वैशम्पायनमेव च ॥ ४५ ॥ असितं देवलं चैव शुकं चैव स्वमात्मजम् । सूत उवाच एतच्च कथितं सर्वं कारणं मुनिसत्तमाः ॥ ४६ ॥ सत्यवत्याः सुतस्यापि समुत्पत्तिस्तथा शुभा । संशयोऽत्र न कर्तव्यः सम्भवे मुनिसत्तमाः ॥ ४७ ॥ महतां चरिते चैव गुणा ग्राह्या मुनेरिति । कारणाच्च समुत्पत्तिः सत्यवत्या झषोदरे ॥ ४८ ॥ पराशरेण संयोगः पुनः शन्तनुना तथा । अन्यथा तु मुनेश्चित्तं कथं कामाकुलं भवेत् ॥ ४९ ॥ अनार्यजुष्टं धर्मज्ञः कृतवान्स कथं मुनिः । सकारणेयमुत्पत्तिः कथिताश्चर्यकारिणी ॥ ५० ॥ श्रुत्वा पापाच्च निर्मुक्तो नरो भवति सर्वथा । य एतच्छुभमाख्यानं शृणोति श्रुतिमान्नरः ॥ ५१ ॥ न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति सुखी भवति सर्वदा ॥ ५२ ॥
sūta uvāca ekadā tīrthayātrāyāṃ vrajan pārāśaro muniḥ | ājagāma mahātejāḥ kālindyāstaṭamuttamam || 1 || niṣādamāha dharmātmā kurvantaṃ bhojanaṃ tadā | prāpayasva paraṃ pāraṃ kālindyā uḍupena mām || 2 || dāśaḥ śrutvā munervākyaṃ kurvāṇo bhojanaṃ taṭe | uvāca tāṃ sutāṃ bālāṃ matsyagandhāṃ manoramām || 3 || uḍupena muniṃ bāle paraṃ pāraṃ nayasva ha | gantukāmo'sti dharmātmā tāpaso'yaṃ śucismite || 4 || ityuktā sā tadā pitrā matsyagandhātha vāsavī | uḍupe munimāsīnaṃ saṃvāhayati bhāminī || 5 || vrajan sūryasutātoye bhāvitvāddaivayogataḥ | kāmārtastu munirjāto dṛṣṭvā tāṃ cārulocanām || 6 || grahītukāmaḥ sa munirdṛṣṭvā vyañjitayauvanām | dakṣiṇena kareṇaināmaspṛśaddakṣiṇe kare || 7 || tamuvācāsitāpāṅgī smitapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ | kulasya sadṛśaṃ vaḥ kiṃ śrutasya tapasaśca kim || 8 || tvaṃ vai vasiṣṭhadāyādaḥ kulaśīlasamanvitaḥ | kiṃ cikīrṣasi dharmajña manmathena prapīḍitaḥ || 9 || durlabhaṃ mānuṣaṃ janma bhuvi brāhmaṇasattama | tatrāpi durlabhaṃ manye brāhmaṇatvaṃ viśeṣataḥ || 10 || kulena śīlena tathā śrutena dvijottamastvaṃ kila dharmavicca | anāryabhāvaṃ kathamāgato'si viprendra māṃ vīkṣya ca mīnagandhām || 11 || madīye śarīre dvijāmoghabuddhe || śubhaṃ kiṃ samālokya pāṇiṃ grahītum | samīpaṃ samāyāsi kāmāturastvaṃ kathaṃ nābhijānāsi dharmaṃ svakīyam || 12 || aho mandabuddhirdvijo'yaṃ grahīṣya- ñjale magna evādya māṃ vai gṛhītvā | mano vyākulaṃ pañcabāṇātividdhaṃ na ko'pīha śaktaḥ pratīpaṃ hi kartum || 13 || iti sañcintya sā bālā tamuvāca mahāmunim | dhairyaṃ kuru mahābhāga paraṃ pāraṃ nayāmi vai || 14 || sūta uvāca parāśarastu tacchrutvā vacanaṃ hitapūrvakam | karaṃ tyaktvā sthitastatra sindhoḥ pāraṃ gataḥ punaḥ || 15 || matsyagandhāṃ prajagrāha muniḥ kāmāturastadā | vepamānā tu sā kanyā tamuvāca puraḥsthitam || 16 || durgandhāhaṃ muniśreṣṭha kathaṃ tvaṃ nopaśaṅkase | samānarūpayoḥ kāmasaṃyogastu sukhāvahaḥ || 17 || ityuktena tu sā kanyā kṣaṇamātreṇa bhāminī | kṛtā yojanagandhā tu surūpā ca varānanā || 18 || mṛganābhisugandhāṃ tāṃ kṛtvā kāntāṃ manoharām | jagrāha dakṣiṇe pāṇau munirmanmathapīḍitaḥ || 19 || grahītukāmaṃ taṃ prāha nāmnā satyavatī śubhā | mune paśyati loko'yaṃ pitā caiva taṭasthitaḥ || 20 || paśudharmo na me prītiṃ janayatyatidāruṇaḥ | pratīkṣasva muniśreṣṭha yāvadbhavati yāminī || 21 || rātrau vyavāya uddiṣṭo divā na manujasya hi | divāsaṅge mahān doṣaḥ paśyanti kila mānavāḥ || 22 || kāmaṃ yaccha mahābuddhe lokanindā durāsadā | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasyā yuktamuktamudāradhīḥ || 23 || nīhāraṃ kalpayāmāsa śīghraṃ puṇyabalena vai | nīhāre ca samutpanne taṭe'titamasā yute || 24 || kāminī taṃ muniṃ prāha mṛdupūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ | kanyāhaṃ dvijaśārdūla bhuktvā gantāsi kāmataḥ || 25 || amoghavīryastvaṃ brahman kā gatirme bhavediti | pitaraṃ kiṃ bravīmyadya sagarbhā cedbhavāmyaham || 26 || tvaṃ gamiṣyasi bhuktvā māṃ kiṃ karomi vadasva tat | parāśara uvāca kānte'dya matpriyaṃ kṛtvā kanyaiva tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi || 27 || vṛṇīṣva ca varaṃ bhīru yaṃ tvamicchasi bhāmini | satyavatyuvāca yathā me pitarau loke na jānīto hi mānada || 28 || kanyāvrataṃ na me hanyāttathā kuru dvijottama | putraśca tvatsamaḥ kāmaṃ bhavedadbhutavīryavān || 29 || gandho'yaṃ sarvadā me syādyauvanaṃ ca navaṃ navam | parāśara uvāca śṛṇu sundari putraste viṣṇvaṃśasambhavaḥ śuciḥ || 30 || bhaviṣyati ca vikhyātastrailokye varavarṇini | kenacitkāraṇenāhaṃ jātaḥ kāmāturastvayi || 31 || kadāpi ca na sammoho bhūtapūrvo varānane | dṛṣṭvā cāpsarasāṃ rūpaṃ sadāhaṃ dhairyamāvaham || 32 || daivayogena vīkṣya tvāṃ kāmasya vaśago'bhavam | tatkiñcitkāraṇaṃ viddhi daivaṃ hi duratikramam || 33 || dṛṣṭvāhaṃ cātidurgandhāṃ tvāṃ kathaṃ mohamāpnuyām | purāṇakartā putraste bhaviṣyati varānane || 34 || vedavidbhāgakartā ca khyātaśca bhuvanatraye | sūta uvāca ityuktvā tāṃ vaśaṃ yātāṃ bhuktvā sa munisattamaḥ || 35 || jagāma tarasā snātvā kālindīsalile muniḥ | sāpi satyavatī jātā sadyo garbhavatī satī || 36 || suṣuve yamunādvīpe putraṃ kāmamivāparam | jātamātrastu tejasvī tāmuvāca svamātaram || 37 || tapasyeva manaḥ kṛtvā viviśe cātivīryavān | gaccha mātaryathākāmaṃ gacchāmyahamataḥ param || 38 || tapaḥ kartuṃ mahābhāge darśayiṣyāmi vai smṛtaḥ | mātaryadā bhavetkāryaṃ tava kiñcidanuttamam || 39 || smartavyo'haṃ tadā śīghramāgamiṣyāmi bhāmini | svasti te'stu gamiṣyāmi tyaktvā cintāṃ sukhaṃ vasa || 40 || ityuktvā niryayau vyāsaḥ sāpi pitrantikaṃ gatā | dvīpe nyastastayā bālastasmāddvaipāyano'bhavat || 41 || jātamātro jagāmāśu vṛddhiṃ viṣṇvaṃśayogataḥ | tīrthe tīrthe kṛtastānaścacāra tapa uttamam || 42 || evaṃ dvaipāyano jajñe satyavatyāṃ parāśarāt | cakāra vedaśākhāśca prāptaṃ jñātvā kaleryugam || 43 || vedavistārakaraṇādvyāsanāmābhavanmuniḥ | purāṇasaṃhitāścakre mahābhāratamuttamam || 44 || śiṣyānadhyāpayāmāsa vedānkṛtvā vibhāgaśaḥ | sumantuṃ jaiminiṃ pailaṃ vaiśampāyanameva ca || 45 || asitaṃ devalaṃ caiva śukaṃ caiva svamātmajam | sūta uvāca etacca kathitaṃ sarvaṃ kāraṇaṃ munisattamāḥ || 46 || satyavatyāḥ sutasyāpi samutpattistathā śubhā | saṃśayo'tra na kartavyaḥ sambhave munisattamāḥ || 47 || mahatāṃ carite caiva guṇā grāhyā muneriti | kāraṇācca samutpattiḥ satyavatyā jhaṣodare || 48 || parāśareṇa saṃyogaḥ punaḥ śantanunā tathā | anyathā tu muneścittaṃ kathaṃ kāmākulaṃ bhavet || 49 || anāryajuṣṭaṃ dharmajñaḥ kṛtavānsa kathaṃ muniḥ | sakāraṇeyamutpattiḥ kathitāścaryakāriṇī || 50 || śrutvā pāpācca nirmukto naro bhavati sarvathā | ya etacchubhamākhyānaṃ śṛṇoti śrutimānnaraḥ || 51 || na durgatimavāpnoti sukhī bhavati sarvadā || 52 ||
English translation
1-10. Once on an occasion, the highly energetic Muni Paras'ara went out on pilgrimage and arrived on the banks of the Yamuna, and spoke to the religious fisherman who was taking his food then thus - “O fisherman! Take me on your boat and carry me to the other side of the river.” Hearing this, the fisherman spoke to the beautiful girl Matsyagandha “O beautiful smiling one! This religious ascetic intends to cross the river; so take the boat and carry him to the other bank.” Thus ordered by her father, the exceedingly beautiful Vasu girl Matsyagandha began to steer the boat whereon sat the Muni. Thus while the boat was sliding on the waters of the Yamuna; the Muni Paras'ara saw the beautiful-eyed damsel Matsyagandha and became as if under the command of the great destiny, greatly enamoured of her. He desired to enjoy Matsyagandha, full of youth and beauty and with his right hand caught hold of her left hand; the blue coloured Matsya looking askance spoke out smilingly in the following words:-- O knower of Dharma! What are you going to do, pierced by the arrows of Cupid? What you desire now, is it worthy of your family or your study of the S’astras or worthy of your Tapasya; see, you are born in the line of Vas'istha and you are well known as of good character. O best of Brahmins! You are quite aware that the attaining of a man-birth in this world is very rare; and over and above this the attainment of Brahminhood is, as far as my knowledge goes, particularly difficult.
11-14. O Prince of Brahmins! You are the foremost and best as far as your family, goodness, and learning in the Vedas and other S’astras are concerned; you are well versed in Dharma; how is it, then, that you are going to do this act, not worthy of an Arya, though you see me possessed of this bad smell of fish throughout my body. O one of unbaffled understanding! O best of twice-born! What auspicious sign do you see in my body that you are stricken with
passion on my account that you have caught hold of my hand to enjoy me? Why have you gotten your own Dharma? Thus saying, Matsyagandha thought within herself“Alas! This Brahmin has certainly lost his brains in order to enjoy me; certainly he will be drowned just now in his attempt to enjoy me in this boat; his mind is so much agitated with the arrows of Cupid that no body, it seems, can act against his will.” Thus thinking Matsyagandha spoke again to the Muni “O highly fortunate one! Hold patience! let me first take you to the other side of the river; then you may do as you please.”
15-19. Hearing these reasonable words, the Muni let loose of her hand and took his seat on the boat and gradually got down on the other bank of the river. But the Muni, becoming again extremely passionate caught hold of Matsyagandha; when the young woman spoke to Paras’ara, in front of her, shuddering “O best of Munis! My body is emitting very bad smell; do you not feel this? You know very well that the sexual intercourse between male and female of similar types brings in happiness and comfort.” Thus spoken to, Paras’ara made Matsyagandha emit sweet scent like that of musk to a distance of one Yojana (8 miles) and her body exceedingly lovely and beautiful and, becoming extremely passionate, again caught hold of her right hand.
20-34. Then the auspicious Satyavati addressed Paras’ara Muni, resolved to enjoy her, thus:-- “O Muni! Behold! all are looking at us; my father too, is there on the bank of the Yamuna; so, O Muni! wait till night this beastly act before all is highly unsatisfactory to me. The wise persons declare it a great sin to commit sexual intercourse during day they have ordained night time as the best time of intercourse for men not the day time; the more so that many person's eyes are in this direction. So, O intelligent one! hold on your passion for a while; for the blame pronounced by the public is horrible.” Hearing these reasonable words, the liberal minded
Paras'ara created, by his influence of Tapasya, a dense fog so that both the banks of the Yamuna became covered with darkness. Then Matsyagandha gently spoke to the Muni “O best of Dvijas! I am not as yet married; I am now a girl; you will go away after enjoying me; your semen virile is not fruitless; so Brahman! What will be my fate? If I be pregnant today, what shall I say to my father? and what will be my future state? There is no doubt that, after enjoying me, you will go away; what will I do afterwards; kindly say.” Hearing these words of Matsyagandha, Paras'ara said “O beloved! after you have done my pleasant duty, you will remain a girl as you are now; yet, O timid one! ask from me any boon you like; I will grant it to you.” Satyavati then said “O best Brahman, O giver of one's honour! grant me these things That my father and mother do not know anything of this affair and that my virginity be again as ever the same. Also let an extraordinarily powerful energetic son be born to me like you; let this nice smell continue to remain always in my body and let my youth and beauty remain afresh and increase ever more. Hearing this, Paras'ara said “O beautiful one! a son, very pure and holy, will be born to you, from Narayana's part! his name will be famous in the three worlds. O beautiful one! never before my heart was agitated with such passion. I do not know why I have become so much passionate for you. I saw the unrivalled beauties of Apsaras but I never lost my patience; but seeing you, I have become attracted to you; it must be under the direction of Providence; know it certain that there must be some mysterious cause in this. However Fate is unavoidable to all; otherwise you are full of so bad smell; why shall I be fascinated by your sight? O beautiful one! your son will be famed in the three worlds; will compose the Puranas and will sub¬ divide the Vedas.
Thus saying, the Muni Paras'ara enjoyed Matsyagandha, who became quite submissive; and after bathing in the Yamuna, quickly went away. On the other hand, the chaste Satyavati, too, became pregnant and immediately gave birth on the island of Yamuna to a son beautiful, as if the Second Kamadeva, the god of Love, Kamadeva. No sooner that son, very fiery and highly potent, was
born than he devoted his mind to tapasya and spoke to his own mother Satyavati thus:--“0 Mother! now go wherever you like; I will also go to perform tapasya. O highly fortunate one; No sooner you remember me, I will come to you. O Mother! where you will have any onerous duty, remember me and I will instantly come to you. Let all good be unto you; now I go. Avoid all cares and live happily. Thus saying, Vyasadeva went out. Matsyagandha, too, went back to his father. Vyasa was named also Dvaipayan (born in an island, a Dvipa) in as much as Satyavati gave birth to him in a Dvipa island); and as he was born of Visnu's parts, he grew up no sooner he was born.
The Muni Dvaipayana bathed in every Tirtha and performed the highest asceticism. Thus Dvaipayan Vyasa was born of Paras'ara in Satyavati’s womb. Seeing the advent of Kali Yuga, he adorned the tree of the Vedas with many S’akhas (branches). It is because he expanded the Vedas many S’akhas, that he is denominated also as VedaVyas; he composed eighteen Puranas, Samhitas, the excellent Mahabharat, subdivided the Vedas and made his disciples Sumantu, Jaimini, Paila, Vaisampayan, Asita, Devala and his son S’uka to study them.
Suta said “O Munis! Thus I have described to you the birth of the holy Vyasa, the son of Satyavati and all the causes. O Munis! Do not allow any doubt enter your mind as regards his birth; for it is always advisable to take up only the good things as far as the lives of great persons and Munis are concerned. There must be some extraordinary mysterious cause owing to which Satyavati was born of a fish, and she was first united to Paras'ara and then to Santanu. Otherwise how can one account for the fact of the Muni Paras’ara being so much agitated by passion and why he would behave like a mean low person in the committal of a a grossly blameable act? Now has been spoken the wonderful birth story of Vyasa Deva together with all incidents, and enveloped under the great mystery. If any man hears this holy narrative, he will be freed from sins and will never fall into difficulties and will always be happy.
Thus ends the Second Chapter of the Second Skandha on the birth of Vyasa Deva in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24718, revision 75569 (2016-08-03T10:38:08Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk02ch02.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.