हिन्दी
Once Satyakāma Jābāla said to his mother Jabālā: ‘Revered mother, I would like to live with a teacher as a celibate student. What is my lineage?’.
Jabālā said to him: ‘My son, I don’t know what your lineage is. I was very busy serving many people when I was young, and I had you. As this was the situation, I know nothing about your lineage. My name is Jabālā, and your name is Satyakāma. When asked about your lineage, say, “I am Satyakāma Jābāla.”’.
Satyakāma went to Gautama, the son of Haridrumata, and said: ‘Revered sir, I wish to live with you as a celibate. I have come, revered sir, to be your disciple’.
Gautama asked him, ‘O Somya, what is your lineage?’ Satyakāma said: ‘Sir, I do not know what my lineage is. When I asked my mother, she said to me: “I was very busy serving many people when I was young, and I had you. As this was the situation, I know nothing about your lineage. My name is Jabālā, and your name is Satyakāma.” So, sir, I am Satyakāma Jābāla’.
Gautama said to him: ‘No non-brāhmin could speak like this. (Therefore, you must be a brāhmin). O Somya, go and get me some fuel (for the sacrificial fire). I will initiate you (as a brāhmin by presenting you with the sacred thread), as you have not deviated from truth.’ After the initiation, he selected four hundred feeble and famished cows. Addressing Satyakāma, Gautama said, ‘O Somya, take these cows away (and look after them).’ As. Satyakāma was taking them away, he said, ‘I will not come back until there are a thousand of them.’ He lived away for many years until they had become a thousand.
