The Sacred
Scripture of great Epic
Sree
Mahabharatam:
The Mahabharata
Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasatranslated by
Sreemaan Brahmasri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Book 1 (Adiparva)
Book
1
Chapter 81
1 [v]
evaṃ sa nāhuṣo rājā yayātiḥ putram īpsitam
rājye 'bhiṣicya mudito vānaprastho 'bhavan muniḥ
2 uṣitvā ca vanevāsaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ saha saṃśritaḥ
phalamūlāśano dānto yathā svargam ito gataḥ
3 sa gataḥ suravāsaṃ taṃ nivasan muditaḥ sukham
kālasya nātimahataḥ punaḥ śakreṇa pātitaḥ
4 nipatan pracyutaḥ svargād aprāpto medinī talam
sthita āsīd antarikṣe sa tadeti śrutaṃ mayā
5 tata eva punaś cāpi gataḥ svargam iti śrutiḥ
rājñā vasumatā sārdham aṣṭakena ca vīryavān
pratardanena śibinā sametya kila saṃsadi
6 [j]
karmaṇā kena sa divaṃ punaḥ prāpto mahīpatiḥ
sarvam etad aśeṣeṇa śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ
kathyamānaṃ tvayā vipra viprarṣigaṇasaṃnidhau
7 devarājasamo hy āsīd yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ
vardhanaḥ kuruvaṃśasya vibhāvasu samadyutiḥ
8 tasya vistīrṇayaśasaḥ satyakīrter mahātmanaḥ
caritaṃ śrotum icchāmi divi ceha ca sarvaśaḥ
9 [v]
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yayāter uttarāṃ kathām
divi ceha ca puṇyārthāṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśinīm
10 yayātir nāhuṣo rājā pūruṃ putraṃ kanīyasam
rājye 'bhiṣicya muditaḥ pravavrāja vanaṃ tadā
11 anteṣu sa vinikṣipya putrān yadupurogamān
phalamūlāśano rājā vane saṃnyavasac ciram
12 saṃśitātmā jitakrodhas tarpayan pitṛdevatāḥ
agnīṃś ca vidhivaj juhvan vānaprasthavidhānataḥ
13 atithīn pūjayām āsa vanyena haviṣā vibhuḥ
śiloñcha vṛttim āsthāya śeṣānna kṛtabhojanaḥ
14 pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ sa evaṃvṛttir abhūn nṛpaḥ
abbhakṣaḥ śaradas triṃśad āsīn niyatavān manāḥ
15 tataś ca vāyubhakṣo 'bhūt saṃvatsaram atandritaḥ
pañcāgnimadhye ca tapas tepe saṃvatsaraṃ nṛpaḥ
16 ekapādasthitaś cāsīt ṣaṇ māsān anilāśanaḥ
puṇyakīrtis tataḥ svargaṃ jagāmāvṛtya rodasī
SECTION LXXXI
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, 'After some length of
time, O best of monarchs, Devayani of the fairest complexion went into the same
woods for purposes of pleasure. And accompanied by Sarmishtha with her thousand
maids she reached the same spot and began to wander freely. And waited upon by
all those companions she felt supremely happy. And sporting with light hearts,
they began drinking the honey in flowers, eating various kinds of fruit and
biting some. And just at that time, king Yayati, the son of Nahusha, again came
there tired and thirsty, in course of his wanderings, in search of deer. And
the king saw Devayani and Sarmishtha, and those other maidens also, all decked
with celestial ornaments and full of voluptuous languor in consequence of the
flower-honey they drank. And Devayani of sweet smiles, unrivalled for beauty
and possessed of the fairest complexion amongst them all, was reclining at her
ease. And she was waited upon by Sarmishtha who was gently kneading her feet."And Yayati seeing all this, said, 'O amiable ones, I would ask you both your names and parentage. It seems that these two thousand maids wait on you two.' 'Hearing the monarch, Devayani then answered, 'Listen to me, O best of men. Know that I am the daughter of Sukra, the spiritual guide of the Asuras. This my companion is my waiting-maid. She attendeth on me wherever I go. She is Sarmishtha, the daughter of the Asura king Vrishaparvan.'
"Yayati then asked, 'I am curious to know why is this thy companion of fair eye-brows, this maiden of the fairest complexion, the daughter of the Asura chief thy waiting-maid!' Devayani replied, 'O best of king, everything resulteth from Fate. Knowing this also to be the result of Fate, wonder not at it. Thy feature and attire are both like a king's. Thy speech also is fair and correct as that of the Vedas. Tell me thy name, whence thou art and whose son also.'
"The monarch replied, 'During my vow of Brahmacharya, the whole Vedas entered my ears. I am known as Yayati, a king's son and myself a king.' Devayani then enquired, 'O king, what hast thou come here for? Is it to gather lotuses or to angle or to hunt?' Yayati said, 'O amiable one, thirsty from the pursuit of deer, I have come hither in search of water. I am very much fatigued. I await but your commands to leave this spot.'
"Devayani answered, 'With my two thousand damsels and my waiting-maid Sarmishtha, I wait but your commands. Prosperity to thee. Be thou my friend and lord.'
"Yayati, thereupon, replied, 'Beautiful one, I do not deserve thee. Thou art the daughter of Sukra far superior to me. Thy father cannot bestow thee even on a great king.' To this Devayani replied, 'Brahmanas had before
p. 178
this been united with the Kshatriyas, and Kshatriyas with Brahmanas. Thou art the son of a Rishi and thyself a Rishi. Therefore, O son of Nahusha, marry me.' Yayati, however, replied, 'O thou of the handsomest features, the four orders have, indeed, sprung from one body. But their duties and purity are not the same, the Brahmana being truly superior to all.' Devayani answered, 'This hand of mine hath never been touched before by any man save thee. Therefore, do I accept thee for my lord. How, indeed, shall any other man touch my hand which had before been touched by thyself who art a Rishi? Yayati then said, 'The wise know that a Brahmana is more to be avoided than an angry snake of virulent poison, or a blazing fire of spreading flames.' Devayani then told the monarch, 'O bull amongst men, why dost thou, indeed, say that Brahmana should be more avoided than an angry snake of virulent poison or a blazing fire of spreading flames?' The monarch answered, 'The snake killeth only one. The sharpest weapon slayeth but a single person. The Brahmana, when angry destroyeth whole cities and kingdoms! Therefore, O timid one, do I deem a Brahmana as more to be avoided than either. I cannot hence wed thee, O amiable one, unless thy father bestoweth thee on me. Devayani then said, 'Thou art, indeed, chosen by me. And, O king, it is understood that thou wilt accept me if my father bestoweth me on thee. Thou needst not fear to accept my poor self bestowed on thee. Thou dost not, indeed, ask for me.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, Devayani quickly sent a maidservant to her father. The maid represented to Sukra everything as it had happened. And as soon as he had heard all, Bhargava came and saw Yayati. And beholding Bhargava come, Yayati worshipped and adored that Brahmana, and stood with joined palms in expectation of his commands.'
"And Devayani then said, 'This O father, is the son of Nahusha. He took hold of my hand, when I was in distress. I bow to thee. Bestow me upon him. I shall not wed any other person in the world.' Sukra exclaimed, 'O thou of splendid courage, thou hast, indeed, been accepted as her lord by this my dear daughter. I bestow her on thee. Therefore, O son of Nahusha, accept her as thy wife.'
"Yayati then said, 'I solicit the boon, O Brahmana, that by so doing, the sin of begetting a half-breed might not touch me.' Sukra, however, assured him by saying, 'I shall absolve thee from the sin. Ask thou the boon that thou desirest. Fear not to wed her. I grant thee absolution. Maintain virtuously thy wife--the slender-waisted Devayani. Transports of happiness be thine in her company. This other maiden, Vrishaparvan's daughter, Sarmishtha should ever be regarded by thee. But thou shall not summon her to thy bed.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sukra, Yayati then walked round the Brahmana. And the king then went through the auspicious
p. 179
ceremony of marriage according to the rites of the scriptures. And having received from Sukra this rich treasure of the excellent Devayani with Sarmishtha and those two thousand maidens, and duly honoured also by Sukra himself and the Asuras, the best of monarchs, then, commanded by the high-souled Bhargava, returned to his capital with a joyous heart.'"
Book
1
Chapter 82
1 [v]
svargataḥ sa tu rājendro nivasan deva sadmani
pūjitas tridaśaiḥ sādhyair marudbhir vasubhis tathā
2 devalokād brahmalokaṃ saṃcaran puṇyakṛd vaśī
avasat pṛthivīpālo dīrghakālam iti śrutiḥ
3 sa kadā cin nṛpaśreṣṭho yayātiḥ śakram āgamat
kathānte tatra śakreṇa pṛṣṭaḥ sa pṛthivīpatiḥ
4 [ṣakra]
yadā sa pūrus tava rūpeṇa rājañ; jarāṃ gṛhītvā pracacāra bhūmau
tadā rājyaṃ saṃpradāyaiva tasmai; tvayā kim uktaḥ kathayeha satyam
5 [y]
gaṅgāyamunayor madhye kṛtsno 'yaṃ viṣayas tava
madhye pṛthivyās tvaṃ rājā bhrātaro 'ntyādhipās tava
6 akrodhanaḥ krodhanebhyo viśiṣṭas; tathā titikṣur atitikṣor viśiṣṭaḥ
amānuṣebhyo mānuṣāś ca pradhānā; vidvāṃs tathaivāviduṣaḥ pradhānaḥ
7 ākruśyamāno nākrośen manyur eva titikṣataḥ
ākroṣṭāraṃ nirdahati sukṛtaṃ cāsya vindati
8 nāruṃ tudaḥ syān na nṛśaṃsavādī; na hīnataḥ param abhyādadīta
yayāsya vācā para udvijeta; na tāṃ vaded ruśatīṃ pāpalokyam
9 aruṃ tudaṃ puruṣaṃ rūkṣavācaṃ; vāk kaṇṭakair vitudantaṃ manuṣyān
vidyād alakṣmīkatamaṃ janānāṃ; mukhe nibaddhāṃ nirṛtiṃ vahantam
10 sadbhiḥ purastād abhipūjitaḥ syāt; sadbhis tathā pṛṣṭhato rakṣitaḥ syāt
sadāsatām ativādāṃs titikṣet; satāṃ vṛttaṃ cādadītārya vṛttaḥ
11 vāk sāyakā vadanān niṣpatanti; yair āhataḥ śocati rārty ahāni
parasya vā marmasu ye patanti; tān paṇḍito nāvasṛjet pareṣu
12 na hīdṛśaṃ saṃvananaṃ triṣu lokeṣu vidyate
yathā maitrī ca bhūteṣu dānaṃ ca madhurā ca vāk
13 tasmāt sāntvaṃ sadā vācyaṃ na vācyaṃ paruṣaṃ kva cit
pūjyān saṃpūjayed dadyān na ca yācet kadā cana
SECTION LXXXII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati then, on
returning to his capital which was like unto the city of Indra, entered his
inner apartments and established there his bride Devayani. And the monarch,
directed by Devayani, established Vrishaparvan's daughter Sarmishtha in a
mansion especially erected near the artificial woods of Asokas in his
gardens. And the king surrounded Vrishaparvan's daughter Sarmishtha with a
thousand maids and honoured her by making every arrangement for her food and
garments. But it was with Devayani that the royal son of Nahusha sported like a
celestial for many years in joy and bliss. And when her season came, the fair
Devayani conceived. And she brought forth as her first child a fine boy. And
when a thousand years had passed away, Vrishaparvan's daughter Sarmishtha
having attained to puberty saw that her season had come. She became anxious and
said to herself, 'My season hath arrived. But I have not yet chosen a husband.
O, what hath happened, what should I do? How am I to obtain the fruition of my
wishes? Devayani hath become mother. My youth is doomed to pass away in vain.
Shall I choose him also for my husband whom Devayani hath chosen? This is,
indeed, my resolve: that monarch should give me a son. Will not the virtuous
one grant me a private interview?'"Vaisampayana continued, 'While Sarmishtha was thus busy with her thoughts, the king wandering listlessly came to that very wood of Asokas, and beholding Sarmishtha before him, stood there in silence. Then Sarmishtha of sweet smiles seeing the monarch before her with nobody to witness what might pass, approached him and said with joined palms, 'O son of Nahusha, no one can behold the ladies that dwell in the inner apartments of Soma, of Indra, of Vishnu, of Yama, of Varuna, and of thee! Thou knowest, O king, that I am both handsome and well-born. I solicit thee, O king! My season hath arrived. See that it goeth not in vain.'
"Yayati answered, 'Well do I know that honour of birth is thine, born as thou art in the proud race of the Danavas. Thou art also gifted with beauty. I do not, indeed, see even the speck of a fault in thy feature. But Usanas commanded me, while I was united with Devayani, that never should Vrishaparvan's daughter he summoned to my bed.'
p. 180
"Sarmishtha then said, 'It hath been said, O king, that it is not sinful to lie on the occasion of a joke, in respect of women sought to be enjoyed, on occasions of marriage, in peril of immediate death and of the loss of one's whole fortune. Lying is excusable on these five occasions. O king, it is not true that he is fallen who speaks not the truth when asked. Both Devayani and myself have been called hither as companions to serve the same purpose. When, therefore, thou hadst said that you wouldst confine thyself to one only amongst as, that was a lie thou hadst spoken.' Yayati replied, 'A king should ever be a model in the eyes of his people. That monarch certainly meets with destruction who speaks an untruth. As for myself, I dare not speak an untruth even if the greatest loss threatens me!' Sarmishtha answered, 'O monarch, one may look upon her friend's husband as her own. One's friend's marriage is the same as one's own. Thou hast been chosen by my friend as her husband. Thou art as much my husband, therefore.' Yayati then said, 'It is, indeed my vow always to grant what one asketh. As thou askest me, tell me then what I am to do.' Sarmishtha then said, 'Absolve me, O king, from sin. Protect my virtue. Becoming a mother by thee, let me practise the highest virtue in this world. It is said, O king, that a wife, a slave, and a son can never earn wealth for themselves. What they earn always belongeth to him who owneth them. I am, indeed, the slave of Devayani. Thou art Devayani's master and lord. Thou art, therefore, O king, my master and lord as much as Devayani's! I solicit thee! O, fulfil my wishes!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sarmishtha, the monarch was persuaded into the truth of all she spoke. He therefore, honoured Sarmishtha by protecting her virtue. And they passed some time together. And taking affectionate farewell of each other, they then parted, each returning to whence he or she had come.
"And it came to pass that Sarmishtha of sweet smiles and fair eyebrows conceived in consequence of that connection of hers with that best of monarchs. And, O king, that lotus-eyed lady then in due course of time brought forth a son of the splendour of a celestial child and of eyes like-lotus-petals.'"
Book
1
Chapter 83
1 [īndra]
sarvāṇi karmāṇi samāpya rājan; gṛhān parityajya vanaṃ gato 'si
tat tvāṃ pṛcchāmi nahuṣasya putra; kenāsi tulyas tapasā yayāte
2 [y]
nāhaṃ devamanuṣyeṣu na gandharvamaharṣiṣu
ātmanas tapasā tulyaṃ kaṃ cit paśyāmi vāsava
3 [ī]
yadāvamaṃsthāḥ sadṛśaḥ śreyasaś ca; pāpīyasaś cāvidita prabhāvaḥ
tasmāl lokā antavantas taveme; kṣīṇe puṇye patitāsy adya rājan
4 [y]
surarṣigandharvanarāvamānāt; kṣayaṃ gatā me yadi śakra lokāḥ
iccheyaṃ vai suralokād vihīnaḥ; satāṃ madhye patituṃ devarāja
5 [ī]
satāṃ sakāśe patitāsi rājaṃś; cyutaḥ pratiṣṭhāṃ yatra labdhāsi bhūyaḥ
evaṃ viditvā tu punar yayāte; na te 'vamānyāḥ sadṛśaḥ śreyasaś ca
6 [v]
tataḥ prahāyāmara rājajuṣṭān; puṇyāṁl lokān patamānaṃ yayātim
saṃprekṣya rājarṣivaro 'ṣṭakas tam; uvāca sad dharmavidhānagoptā
7 kas tvaṃ yuvā vāsavatulyarūpaḥ; svatejasā dīpyamāno yathāgniḥ
patasy udīrṇāmbudharāndha kārāt khāt; khecarāṇāṃ pravaro yathārkaḥ
8 dṛṣṭvā ca tvāṃ sūryapathāt patantaṃ; vaiśvānarārka dyutim aprameyam
kiṃ nu svid etat patatīti sarve; vitarkayantaḥ parimohitāḥ smaḥ
9 dṛṣṭvā ca tvāṃ viṣṭhitaṃ devamārge; śakrārka viṣṇupratima prabhāvam
abhyudgatās tvāṃ vayam adya sarve; tattvaṃ pāte tava jijñāsamānāḥ
10 na cāpi tvāṃ dhṛṣṇumaḥ praṣṭum agre; na ca tvam asmān pṛcchasi ye vayaṃ smaḥ
tat tvāṃ pṛcchāmaḥ spṛhaṇīya rūpaṃ; kasya tvaṃ vā kiṃnimittaṃ tvam āgāḥ
11 bhayaṃ tu te vyetu viṣādamohau; tyajāśu devendra samānarūpa
tvāṃ vartamānaṃ hi satāṃ sakāśe; nālaṃ prasoḍhuṃ balahāpi śakraḥ
12 santaḥ pratiṣṭhā hi sukhacyutānāṃ; satāṃ sadaivāmara rājakalpa
te saṃgatāḥ sthavara jaṅgameśāḥ; pratiṣṭhitas tvaṃ sadṛśeṣu satsu
13 prabhur agniḥ pratapane bhūmir āvapane prabhuḥ
prabhuḥ sūryaḥ prakāśitve satāṃ cābhyāgataḥ prabhuḥ
SECTION LXXXIII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'When Devayani of
sweet smiles heard of the birth of this child, she became jealous, and O
Bharata, Sarmishtha became an object of her unpleasant reflections. And
Devayani, repairing to her, addressed her thus, 'O thou of fair eye-brows, what
sin is this thou hast committed by yielding to the influence of lust?'
Sarmishtha replied, 'A certain Rishi of virtuous soul and fully
conversant with the Vedas came top. 181
me. Capable of granting boons he was solicited by me to grant my wishes that were based on considerations of virtue. O thou of sweet smiles, I would not seek the sinful fulfilment of my desires. I tell thee truly that this child of mine is by that Rishi!' Devayani answered, 'It is all right if that be the case, O timid one! But if the lineage, name, and family of that Brahmana be known to thee, I should like to hear them.' Sarmishtha replied, 'O thou of sweet smiles, in asceticism and energy, that Rishi is resplendent like the Sun himself. Beholding him, I had not, any need to make these enquiries--' Devayani then said, 'If this is true, if indeed, thou hast obtained thy child from such a superior Brahmana, then, O Sarmishtha, I have no cause of anger.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having thus talked and laughed with each other, they separated, Devayani returning to the palace with the knowledge imparted to her by Sarmishtha. And, O king, Yayati also begot on Devayani two sons called Yadu and Turvasu, who were like Indra and Vishnu. And Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, became through the royal sage the mother of three sons in all, named Drahyu, Anu, and Puru.
"And, O king, it so came to pass that one day Devayani of sweet smiles, accompanied by Yayati, went into a solitary part of the woods, (in the king's extensive park). And there she saw three children of celestial beauty playing with perfect trustfulness. And Devayani asked in surprise, 'Whose children are they, O king, who are so handsome and so like unto the children of the celestials? In splendour and beauty they are like thee, I should think.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Devayani without waiting for a reply from the king, asked the children themselves, 'Ye children, what is your lineage? Who is your father? Answer me truly. I desire to know all.' Those children then pointed at the king (with their forefingers) and spoke of Sarmishtha as their mother.
"And having so said, the children approached the king to clasp his knees. But the king dared not caress them in the presence of Devayani. The boys then left the place, and made towards their mother, weeping in grief. And the king, at this conduct of the boys, became very much abashed. But Devayani, marking the affection of the children for the king learnt the secret and addressing Sarmishtha, said, 'How hast thou dared to do me an injury, being, as thou art, dependent on me? Dost thou not fear to have recourse once more to that Asura custom of thine?'
"Sarmishtha said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, all that I told thee of a Rishi is perfectly true. I have acted rightly and according to the precepts of virtue, and therefore, do I not fear thee. When thou hadst chosen the king for thy husband, I, too, chose him as mine. O beautiful one, a friend's husband is, according to usage, one's own husband as well. Thou art the daughter of a Brahmana and, therefore, deservest my worship and regard.
p. 182
[paragraph continues] But dost thou not know that this royal sage is held by me in greater esteem still?'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Devayani then, hearing those words of hers, exclaimed, O king, thus, 'Thou hast wronged me, O monarch! I shall not live here any longer.' And saying this, she quickly rose, with tearful eyes, to go to her father. And the king was grieved to see her thus, and alarmed greatly, followed in her foot-steps, endeavouring to appease her wrath. But Devayani, with eyes red with anger, would not desist. Speaking not a word to the king, with eyes bathed in tears, she soon reached the side of her father Usanas, the son of Kavi. And beholding her father, she stood before him, after due salutations. And Yayati also, immediately after, saluted and worshipped Bhargava.'
"And Devayani said, 'O father, virtue hath been vanquished by vice. The low have risen, and the high have fallen. I have been offended again by Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan. Three sons have been begotten upon her by this king Yayati. But, O father, being luckless I have got only two sons! O son of Bhrigu, this king is renowned for his knowledge of the precepts of religion. But, O Kavya, I tell thee that he hath deviated from the path of rectitude.'
"Sukra, hearing all this, said, 'O monarch, since thou hast made vice thy beloved pursuit, though fully acquainted with the precepts of religion, invincible decrepitude shall paralyse thee!' Yayati answered, 'Adorable one, I was solicited by the daughter of the Danava king to fructify her season. I did it from a sense of virtue and not from other motives. That male person, who being solicited by a woman in her season doth not grant her wishes, is called, O Brahmana, by those conversant with the Vedas, a slayer of the embryo. He who, solicited in secret by a woman full of desire and in season, goeth not in unto her, loseth virtue and is called by the learned a killer of the embryo, O son of Bhrigu, for these reasons, and anxious to avoid sin, I went into Sarmishtha.' Sukra then replied, 'Thou art dependent on me. Thou shouldst have awaited my command. Having acted falsely in the matter of thy duty, O son of Nahusha, thou hast been guilty of the sin of theft.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yayati, the son of Nahusha, thus cursed by the angry Usanas, was then divested of his youth and immediately overcome by decrepitude. And Yayati said, 'O son of Bhrigu, I have not yet been satiated with youth or with Devayani. Therefore, O Brahmana, be graceful unto me so that decrepitude might not touch me.' Sukra then answered, 'I never speak an untruth. Even now, O king, art thou attacked by decrepitude. But if thou likest, thou art competent to transfer this thy decrepitude to another.' Yayati said, 'O Brahmana, let it be commanded by thee that that son of mine who giveth me his youth shall enjoy my kingdom, and shall achieve both virtue and fame.' Sukra replied, 'O son of Nahusha, thinking of me thou mayst transfer this thy decrepitude
p. 183
to whomsoever thou likest. That son who shall give thee his youth shall become thy successor to the throne. He shall also have long life, wide fame, and numerous progeny!'"
Book
1
Chapter 84
1 [y]
ahaṃ yayātir nahuṣasya putraḥ; pūroḥ pitā sarvabhūtāvamānāt
prabhraṃśitaḥ surasiddharṣilokāt; paricyutaḥ prapatāmy alpapuṇyaḥ
2 ahaṃ hi pūrvo vayasā bhavadbhyas; tenābhivādaṃ bhavatāṃ na prayuñje
yo vidyayā tapasā janmanā vā; vṛddhaḥ sa pūjyo bhavati dvijānām
3 [āsṭaka]
avādīś ced vayasā yaḥ sa vṛddha; iti rājan nābhyavadaḥ kathaṃ cit
yo vai vidvān vayasā san sma vṛddhaḥ; sa eva pūjyo bhavati dvijānām
4 [y]
pratikūlaṃ karmaṇāṃ pāpam āhus; tad vartate 'pravaṇe pāpalokyam
santo 'satāṃ nānuvartanti caitad; yathā ātmaiṣām anukūla vādī
5 abhūd dhanaṃ me vipulaṃ mahad vai; viceṣṭamāno nādhigantā tad asmi
evaṃ pradhāryātma hite niviṣṭo; yo vartate sa vijānāti jīvan
6 nānābhāvā bahavo jīvaloke; daivādhīnā naṣṭaceṣṭādhikārāḥ
tat tat prāpya na vihanyeta dhīro; diṣṭaṃ balīya iti matvātma buddhyā
7 sukhaṃ hi jantur yadi vāpi duḥkhaṃ; daivādhīnaṃ vindati nātma śaktyā
tasmād diṣṭaṃ balavan manyamāno; na saṃjvaren nāpi hṛṣyet kadā cit
8 duḥkhe na tapyen na sukhena hṛṣyet; samena varteta sadaiva dhīraḥ
diṣṭaṃ balīya iti manyamāno; na saṃjvaren nāpi hṛṣyet kadā cit
9 bhaye na muhyāmy aṣṭakāhaṃ kadā cit; saṃtāpo me mānaso nāsti kaś cit
dhātā yathā māṃ vidadhāti loke; dhruvaṃ tathāhaṃ bhaviteti matvā
10 saṃsvedajā aṇḍajā udbhidāś ca; sarīsṛpāḥ kṛmayo 'thāpsu matsyāḥ
tathāśmānas tṛṇakāṣṭhaṃ ca sarvaṃ; diṣṭa kṣaye svāṃ prakṛtiṃ bhajante
11 anityatāṃ sukhaduḥkhasya buddhvā; kasmāt saṃtāpam aṣṭakāhaṃ bhajeyam
kiṃ kuryāṃ vai kiṃ ca kṛtvā na tapye; tasmāt saṃtāpaṃ varjayāmy apramattaḥ
12 [āsṭaka]
ye ye lokāḥ pārthivendra pradhānās; tvayā bhuktā yaṃ ca kālaṃ yathā ca
tan me rājan brūhi sarvaṃ yathāvat; kṣetrajñavad bhāṣase tvaṃ hi dharmān
13 [y]
rājāham āsam iha sārvabhaumas; tato lokān mahato ajayaṃ vai
tatrāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ; tato lokaṃ param asmy abhyupetaḥ
14 tataḥ purīṃ puruhūtasya ramyāṃ; sahasradvārāṃ śatayojanāyatām
adhyāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ; tato lokaṃ param asmy abhyupetaḥ
15 tato divyam ajaraṃ prāpya lokaṃ; prajāpater lokapater durāpam
tatrāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ; tato lokaṃ param asmy abhyupetaḥ
16 devasya devasya niveśane ca; vijitya lokān avasaṃ yatheṣṭam
saṃpūjyamānas tridaśaiḥ samastais; tulyaprabhāva dyutir īśvarāṇām
17 tathāvasaṃ nandane kāmarūpī; saṃvatsarāṇām ayutaṃ śatānām
sahāpsarobhir viharan puṇyagandhān; paśyann nagān puṣpitāṃś cārurūpān
18 tatrasthaṃ māṃ deva sukheṣu saktaṃ; kāle 'tīte mahati tato 'timātram
dūto devānām abravīd ugrarūpo; dhvaṃsety uccais triḥ plutena svareṇa
19 etāvan me viditaṃ rājasiṃha; tato bhraṣṭo 'haṃ nandanāt kṣīṇapuṇyaḥ
vāco 'śrauṣaṃ cāntarikṣe surāṇām; anukrośāc chocatāṃ mānavendra
20 aho kaṣṭaṃ kṣīṇapuṇyo yayātiḥ; pataty asau puṇyakṛt puṇyakīrtiḥ
tān abruvaṃ patamānas tato 'haṃ; satāṃ madhye nipateyaṃ kathaṃ nu
21 tair ākhyātā bhavatāṃ yajñabhūmiḥ; samīkṣya caināṃ tvaritam upāgato 'smi
havir gandhaṃ deśikaṃ yajñabhūmer; dhūmāpāṅgaṃ pratigṛhya pratītaḥ
SECTION LXXXIV
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati, then,
overcome with decrepitude, returned to his capital and summoning his eldest son
Yadu who was also the most accomplished, addressed him thus, 'Dear child, from
the curse of Kavya called also Usanas, decrepitude and wrinkles and whiteness
of hair have come over me. But I have not been gratified yet with the enjoyment
of youth. Do thou, O Yadu, take this my weakness along with my decrepitude. I
shall enjoy with thy youth. And when a full thousand years will have elapsed,
returning to thee thy youth, I shall take back my weakness with this
decrepitude!'"Yadu replied, 'There are innumerable inconveniences in decrepitude, in respect of drinking and eating. Therefore, O king, I shall not take thy decrepitude. This is, indeed, my determination. White hair on the head, cheerlessness and relaxation of the nerves, wrinkles all over the body, deformities, weakness of the limbs, emaciation, incapacity to work, defeat at the hands of friends and companions--these are the consequences of decrepitude. Therefore, O king, I desire not to take it. O king, thou hast many sons some of whom are dearer to thee. Thou art acquainted with the precepts of virtue. Ask some other son of thine to take thy decrepitude.
"Yayati replied, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son, but thou givest me not thy youth. Therefore, thy children shall never be kings.' And he continued, addressing another son of his, 'O Turvasu, take thou this weakness of mine along with my decrepitude. With thy youth, O son, I like to enjoy the pleasure of life. After the lapse of a full thousand years I shall give back to thee thy youth, and take back from thee my weakness and decrepitude.'
"Turvasu replied, 'I do not like decrepitude, O father, it takes away all appetites and enjoyments, strength and beauty of person, intellect, and even life.' Yayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou givest me not thy youth! Therefore, O Turvasu, thy race shall be extinct. Wretch, thou shall be the king of those whose practices and precepts are impure, amongst whom men of inferior blood procreate children upon women of blue blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who hesitate not to appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices are those of birds and beasts, who are sinful, and non-Aryan.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati, having thus cursed his son Turvasu, then, addressed Sarmishtha's son Drahyu thus, 'O Drahyu, take thou for a thousand
p. 184
years my decrepitude destructive of complexion and personal beauty and give me thy youth. When a thousand years have passed away, I shall return thee thy youth and take back my own weakness, and decrepitude.' To this Drahyu replied, 'O king, one that is decrepit can never enjoy elephants and cars and horses and women. Even his voice becometh hoarse. Therefore, I do not desire (to take) thy decrepitude.' Yayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou refusest to give me thy youth. Therefore, thy most cherished desires shall never be fulfilled. Thou shalt be king only in name, of that region where there are no roads for (the passage of) horses and cars and elephants, and good vehicles, and asses, and goats and bullocks, and palanquins; where there is swimming only by rafts and floats.' Yayati next addressed Anu and said, 'O Anu, take my weakness and decrepitude. I shall with thy youth enjoy the pleasures of life for a thousand years.' To this Anu replied, 'Those that are decrepit always eat like children and are always impure. They cannot pour libations upon fire in proper times. Therefore, I do not like to take thy decrepitude.' Yayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, thou givest not thy youth. Thou findest so many faults in decrepitude. Therefore, decrepitude shall overcome thee! And, O Anu, thy progeny also as soon as they attain to youth, shall die. And thou shalt also not be able to perform sacrifices before fire.'
"Yayati at last turned to his youngest child, Puru, and addressing him said, 'Thou art, O Puru, my youngest son! But thou shall be the first of all! Decrepitude, wrinkles, and whiteness of hair have come over me in consequence of the curse of Kavya called also Usanas. I have not yet however, been satiated with my youth. O Puru, take thou this my weakness and decrepitude! With thy youth I shall enjoy for some years the pleasures of life. And when a thousand years have passed away, I shall give back to thee thy youth and take back my own decrepitude.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by the king, Puru answered with humility, 'I shall do, O monarch, as thou bidest me. I shall take, O king, thy weakness and decrepitude. Take thou my youth and enjoy as thou listest the pleasures of life. Covered with thy decrepitude and becoming old, I shall, as thou commandest, continue to live, giving thee my youth.' Yayati then said, 'O Puru, I have been gratified with thee. And being gratified, I tell thee that the people in thy kingdom shall have all their desires fulfilled.'
"And having said this, the great ascetic Yayati, then thinking of Kavya, transferred his decrepitude unto the body of the high-souled Puru.'"
Book
1
Chapter 85
1 [ā]
yadāvaso nandane kāmarūpī; saṃvatsarāṇām ayutaṃ śatānām
kiṃ kāraṇaṃ kārtayugapradhāna; hitvā tattvaṃ vasudhām anvapadyaḥ
2 [y]
jñātiḥ suhṛt svajano yo yatheha; kṣīṇe vitte tyajyate mānavair hi
tathā tatra kṣīṇapuṇyaṃ manuṣyaṃ; tyajanti sadyaḥ seśvarā devasaṃghāḥ
3 [ā]
kathaṃ tasmin kṣīṇapuṇyā bhavanti; saṃmuhyate me 'tra mano 'timātram
kiṃ viśiṣṭāḥ kasya dhāmopayānti; tad vai brūhi kṣetravit tvaṃ mato me
4 [y]
imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ te patanti; lālapyamānā naradeva sarve
te kaṅkagomāyu balāśanārthaṃ; kṣīṇā vivṛddhiṃ bahudhā vrajanti
5 tasmād etad varjanīyaṃ nareṇa; duṣṭaṃ loke garhaṇīyaṃ ca karma
ākhyātaṃ te pārthiva sarvam etad; bhūyaś cedānīṃ vada kiṃ te vadāmi
6 [ā]
yadā tu tān vitudante vayāṃsi; tathā gṛdhrāḥ śitikaṇṭhāḥ pataṃgāḥ
kathaṃ bhavanti katham ābhavanti; na bhaumam anyaṃ narakaṃ śṛṇomi
7 [y]
ūrdhvaṃ dehāt karmaṇo jṛmbhamāṇād; vyaktaṃ pṛthivyām anusaṃcaranti
imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ te patanti; nāvekṣante varṣapūgān anekān
8 ṣaṣṭiṃ sahasrāṇi patanti vyomni; tathā aśītiṃ parivatsarāṇi
tān vai tudanti prapatataḥ prapātaṃ; bhīmā bhaumā rākṣasās tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrāḥ
9 [ā]
yad enasas te patatas tudanti; bhīmā bhaumā rākṣasās tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrāḥ
kathaṃ bhavanti katham ābhavanti; kathaṃ bhūtā garbhabhūtā bhavanti
10 [y]
asraṃ retaḥ puṣpaphalānupṛktam; anveti tad vai puruṣeṇa sṛṣṭam
sa vai tasyā raja āpadyate vai; sa garbhabhūtaḥ samupaiti tatra
11 vanaspatīṃś cauṣadhīś cāviśanti; apo vāyuṃ pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣam
catuṣpadaṃ dvipadaṃ cāpi sarvam; evaṃ bhūtā garbhabhūtā bhavanti
12 [ā]
anyad vapur vidadhātīha garbha; utāho svit svena kāmena yāti
āpadyamāno narayonim etām; ācakṣva me saṃśayāt prabravīmi
13 śarīradehādi samucchrayaṃ ca; cakṣuḥ śrotre labhate kena saṃjñām
etat tattvaṃ sarvam ācakṣva pṛṣṭaḥ; kṣetrajñaṃ tvāṃ tāta manyāma sarve
14 [y]
vāyuḥ samutkarṣati garbhayonim; ṛtau retaḥ puṣparasānupṛktam
sa tatra tanmātra kṛtādhikāraḥ; krameṇa saṃvardhayatīha garbham
15 sa jāyamāno vigṛhīta gātraḥ; ṣaḍ jñānaniṣṭhāyatano manuṣyaḥ
sa śrotrābhyāṃ vedayatīha śabdaṃ; sarvaṃ rūpaṃ paśyati cakṣuṣā ca
16 ghrāṇena gandhaṃ jihvayātho rasaṃ ca; tvacā sparśaṃ manasā veda bhāvam
ity aṣṭakehopacitiṃ ca viddhi; mahātmanaḥ prāṇabhṛtaḥ śarīre
17 [ā]
yaḥ saṃsthitaḥ puruṣo dahyate vā; nikhanyate vāpi nighṛṣyate vā
abhāva bhūtaḥ sa vināśam etya; kenātmānaṃ cetayate purastāt
18 [y]
hitvā so 'sūn suptavan niṣṭhanitvā; purodhāya sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ ca
anyāṃ yoniṃ pavanāgrānusārī; hitvā dehaṃ bhajate rājasiṃha
19 puṇyāṃ yoniṃ puṇyakṛto vrajanti; pāpāṃ yoniṃ pāpakṛto vrajanti
kīṭāḥ pataṃgāś ca bhavanti pāpā; na me vivakṣāsti mahānubhāva
20 catuṣpadā dvipadāḥ ṣaṭpadāś ca; tathā bhūtā garbhabhūtā bhavanti
ākhyātam etan nikhilena sarvaṃ; bhūyas tu kiṃ pṛcchasi rājasiṃha
21 [ā]
kiṃsvit kṛtvā labhate tāta lokān; martyaḥ śreṣṭhāṃs tapasā vidyayā vā
tan me pṛṣṭaḥ śaṃsa sarvaṃ yathāvac; chubhāṁl lokān yena gacchet krameṇa
22 [y]
tapaś ca dānaṃ ca śamo damaś ca; hrīr ārjavaṃ sarvabhūtānukampā
naśyanti mānena tamo 'bhibhūtāḥ; puṃsaḥ sadaiveti vadanti santaḥ
23 adhīyānaḥ paṇḍitaṃ manyamāno; yo vidyayā hanti yaśaḥ pareṣām
tasyāntavantaś ca bhavanti lokā; na cāsya tad brahma phalaṃ dadāti
24 catvāri karmāṇy abhayaṃkarāṇi; bhayaṃ prayacchanty ayathā kṛtāni
mānāgnihotram uta mānamaunaṃ; mānenādhītam uta mānayajñaḥ
25 na mānyamāno mudam ādadīta; na saṃtāpaṃ prāpnuyāc cāvamānāt
santaḥ sataḥ pūjayantīha loke; nāsādhavaḥ sādhubuddhiṃ labhante
26 iti dadyād iti yajed ity adhīyīta me vratam
ity asminn abhayāny āhus tāni varjyāni nityaśaḥ
27 yenāśrayaṃ vedayante purāṇaṃ; manīṣiṇo mānasamānabhaktam
tan niḥśreyas taijasaṃ rūpam etya; parāṃ śāntiṃ prāpnuyuḥ pretya ceha
SECTION LXXXV
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'The excellent
monarch Yayati, the son of Nahusha, having received Puru's youth, became
exceedingly gratified. And with it he once more began to indulge in his
favourite pursuits to the full extent of his desires and to the limit of his
powers, according to seasons, so as to derive the greatest pleasure therefrom.
And, O king, in nothing that he did, he acted against the precepts of his
religion as behoved him well. He gratified the gods by his sacrifices; the pitris,
by Sraddhas; the poor, by his charities; all excellent Brahmanas, by
fulfilling their desires; all persons entitled to the rites of hospitality,
with food and drink; the Vaisyas, by protection; and the Sudras, by kindness.
And the king repressed all criminals by proper punishments. And Yayati,
gratifying all sections of his subjects, protected them virtuously like another
Indra. And the monarch possessed of the prowess of a lion, with youth and every
object of enjoyment under control, enjoyed unlimited happiness without
transgressing the precepts of religion. And the king became very happy in thus
being able to enjoy all the excellent objects of his desires. And he was only
sorry when he thought that those thousand years would come to an end. And
having obtained youth for a thousand years, the king acquainted with the
mysteries of time, and watching proper Kalas and Kashthas sported
with (the celestial damsel) Viswachi, sometimes in the beautiful garden of
Indra, sometimes in Alaka (the city of Kuvera), and sometimes on the summit of
the mountain Meru on the north. And when the virtuous monarch saw that the
thousand years were full, he summoned his son, Puru, and addressed him thus, 'O
oppressor of foes, with thy youth, O son, I have enjoyed the pleasures of life,
each according to its season to the full extent of my desires, to the limit of
my powers. Our desires, however, are never gratified by indulgence. On the
other hand, with indulgence, they only flame up like fire with libations of
sacrificial butter. If a single person were owner of everything on Earth--all
her yields of paddy and barley, her silver, gold, and gems, her animals and
women, he would not still be content. Thirst of enjoyment, therefore, should be
given up. Indeed, true happiness belongeth to them that have cast off their
thirst for worldly objects--a thirst which is difficult to be thrown off by the
wicked and the sinful, which faileth not with the failing life, and which is
truly the fatal disease of man. My heart hath for a full thousand years been
fixed upon the objects of desires. My thirst for these, however, increaseth day
by day without abating. Therefore, I shall cast it off, and fixing my mind on Brahma
I shall pass the rest of my days with the innocent deer in the forest
peacefully and with no heart for any worldly objects. And O Puru, I have been
exceedingly gratified with thee!p. 186
[paragraph continues] Prosperity be thine! Receive back this thy youth! Receive thou also my kingdom. Thou art, indeed, that son of mine who has done me the greatest services.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Yayati, the son of Nahusha, received back his decrepitude. And his son Puru received back his own youth. And Yayati was desirous of installing Puru, his youngest son, on the throne. But the four orders, with the Brahmanas at their head, then addressed the monarch thus, 'O king, how shall thou bestow thy kingdom on Puru, passing over thy eldest son Yadu born of Devayani, and, therefore, the grandson of the great Sukra? Indeed, Yadu is thy eldest son; after him hath been born Turvasu; and of Sarmishtha's sons, the first is Drahyu, then Anu and then Puru. How doth the youngest deserve the throne, passing all his elder brothers over? This we represent to thee! O, conform to virtuous practice.'
"Yayati then said, 'Ye four orders with Brahmanas at their head, hear my words as to why my kingdom should not be given to my eldest son. My commands have been disobeyed by my eldest son, Yadu. The wise say that he is no son who disobeyeth his father. That son, however, who doth the bidding of his parents, who seeketh their good, who is agreeable to them, is indeed, the best of sons. I have been disregarded by Yadu and by Turvasu, too. Much I have been disregarded by Drahyu and by Anu also. By Puru alone hath my word been obeyed. By him have I been much regarded. Therefore, the youngest shall be my heir. He took my decrepitude. Indeed, Puru is my friend. He did what was so agreeable to me. It hath also been commanded by Sukra himself, the son of Kavi, that, that son of mine who should obey me will become king after me and bring the whole Earth under his sway. I, therefore, beseech thee, let Puru be installed on the throne.'
"The people then said, 'True it is, O king, that, that son who is accomplished and who seeketh the good of his parents, deserveth prosperity even if he be the youngest. Therefore, doth Puru, who hath done the good, deserve the crown. And as Sukra himself hath commanded it, we have nothing to say to it.'
"Vaisampayana continued., 'The son of Nahusha, thus addressed by the contented people, then installed his son, Puru, on the throne. And having bestowed his kingdom on Puru, the monarch performed the initiatory ceremonies for retiring into the woods. And soon after he left his capital, followed by Brahmanas and ascetics.
"The sons of Yadu are known by the name of the Yadavas: while those of Turvasu have come to be called the Yavanas. And the sons of Drahyu are the Bhojas, while those of Anu, the Mlechchhas. The progeny of Puru, however, are the Pauravas, amongst whom, O monarch, thou art born, in order to rule for a thousand years with thy passions under complete control.'"
Book
1
Chapter 86
1 [ā]
caran gṛhasthaḥ katham eti devān; kathaṃ bhikṣuḥ katham ācārya karmā
vānaprasthaḥ satpathe saṃniviṣṭo; bahūny asmin saṃprati vedayanti
2 [y]
āhūtādhyāyī guru karma svacodyaḥ; pūrvotthāyī caramaṃ copaśāyī
mṛdur dānto dhṛtimān apramattaḥ; svādhyāyaśīlaḥ sidhyati brahma cārī
3 dharmāgataṃ prāpya dhanaṃ yajeta; dadyāt sadaivātithīn bhojayec ca
anādadānaś ca parair adattaṃ; saiṣā gṛhasthopaniṣat purāṇī
4 svavīryajīvī vṛjinān nivṛtto; dātā parebhyo na paropatāpī
tādṛṅ muniḥ siddhim upaiti mukhyāṃ; vasann araṇye niyatāhāra ceṣṭaḥ
5 aśilpa jīvī nagṛhaś ca nityaṃ; jitendriyaḥ sarvato vipramuktaḥ
anoka sārī laghur alpacāraś; caran deśān ekacaraḥ sa bhikṣuḥ
6 rātryā yayā cābhijitāś ca lokā; bhavanti kāmā vijitāḥ sukhāś ca
tām eva rātriṃ prayatena vidvān; araṇyasaṃstho bhavituṃ yatātmā
7 daśaiva pūrvān daśa cāparāṃs tu; jñātīn sahātmānam athaika viṃśam
araṇyavāsī sukṛte dadhāti; vimucyāraṇye svaśarīradhātūn
8 [ā]
katisvid eva munayo maunāni kati cāpy uta
bhavantīti tad ācakṣva śrotum icchāmahe vayam
9 [y]
araṇye vasato yasya grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ
grāme vā vasato 'raṇyaṃ sa muniḥ syāj janādhipa
10 [ā]
kathaṃsvid vasato 'raṇye grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ
grāme vā vasato 'raṇyaṃ kathaṃ bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ
11 [y]
na grāmyam upayuñjīta ya āraṇyo munir bhavet
tathāsya vasato 'raṇye grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ
12 anagnir aniketaś ca agotra caraṇo muniḥ
kaupīnācchādanaṃ yāvat tāvad icchec ca cīvaram
13 yāvat prāṇābhisaṃdhānaṃ tāvad icchec ca bhojanam
tathāsya vasato grāme 'raṇyaṃ bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ
14 yas tu kāmān parityajya tyaktakarmā jitendriyaḥ
ātiṣṭheta munir maunaṃ sa loke siddhim āpnuyāt
15 dhautadantaṃ kṛttanakhaṃ sadā snātam alaṃkṛtam
asitaṃ sitakarmasthaṃ kas taṃ nārcitum arhati
16 tapasā karśitaḥ kṣāmaḥ kṣīṇamāṃsāsthi śoṇitaḥ
yadā bhavati nirdvandvo munir maunaṃ samāsthitaḥ
atha lokam imaṃ jitvā lokaṃ vijayate param
17 āsyena tu yadāhāraṃ govan mṛgayate muniḥ
athāsya lokaḥ pūrvo yaḥ so 'mṛtatvāya kalpate
SECTION LXXXVI
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'King Yayati, the
son of Nahusha, having thus installed his dear son on the throne, became
exceedingly happy, and entered into the woods to lead the life of a hermit. And
having lived for some time into forest in the company of Brahmanas, observing
many rigid vows, eating fruits and roots, patiently bearing privations of all
sorts, the monarch at last ascended to heaven. And having ascended to heaven he
lived there in bliss. But soon, however, he was hurled down by Indra. And it
hath been heard by me, O king, that, though hurled from heaven, Yayati, without
reaching the surface of the Earth, stayed in the firmament. I have heard that
some time after he again entered the region of the celestials in company with
Vasuman, Ashtaka, Pratarddana, and Sivi.'"Janamejaya said, 'I desire to hear from thee in detail why Yayati, having first obtained admission into heaven, was hurled therefrom, and why also he gained re-admittance. Let all this, O Brahmana, be narrated by thee in the presence of these regenerate sages. Yayati, lord of Earth, was, indeed, like the chief of the celestials. The progenitor of the extensive race of the Kurus, he was of the splendour of the Sun. I desire to hear in full the story of his life both in heaven and on Earth, as he was illustrious, and of world-wide celebrity and of wonderful achievements.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Indeed, I shall recite to thee the excellent story of Yayati's adventures on Earth and in heaven. That story is sacred and destroyeth the sins of those that hear it.
"King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, having installed his youngest son, Puru, on the throne after casting his sons with Yadu for their eldest amongst the Mlechchhas, entered the forest to lead the life of a hermit. And the king eating fruits and roots lived for some time in the forest. Having his mind and passions under complete control, the king gratified by sacrifices the Pitris and the gods. And he poured libations of clarified butter upon the fire according to the rites prescribed for those leading the Vanaprastha mode of life. And the illustrious one entertained guests and strangers with the fruit of the forest and clarified butter, while he himself supported life by gleaning scattered corn seeds. And the king; led this sort of life for a full thousand years. And observing the vow of silence and with mind under complete control he passed one full year, living upon air alone and without sleep. And he passed another year practising the severest austerities in the midst of four fires around and the Sun overhead. And, living upon air alone, he stood erect upon one leg for six months. And the king of sacred deeds ascended to heaven, covering heaven as well as the Earth (with the fame of his achievements).'"
Book
1
Chapter 87
1 [ā]
kataras tv etayoḥ pūrvaṃ devānām eti sātmyatām
ubhayor dhāvato rājan sūryā candramasor iva
2 [y]
aniketo gṛhastheṣu kāmavṛtteṣu saṃyataḥ
grāma eva vasan bhikṣus tayoḥ pūrvataraṃ gataḥ
3 aprāpya dīrgham āyus tu yaḥ prāpto vikṛtiṃ caret
tapyeta yadi tat kṛtvā caret so 'nyat tatas tapaḥ
4 yad vai nṛśaṃsaṃ tad apathyam āhur; yaḥ sevate dharmam anarthabuddhiḥ
asvo 'py anīśaś ca tathaiva rājaṃs; tadārjavaṃ sa samādhis tadāryam
5 [ā]
kenāsi dūtaḥ prahito 'dya rājan; yuvā sragvī darśanīyaḥ suvarcāḥ
kuta āgataḥ katarasyāṃ diśi tvam; utāho svit pārthivaṃ sthānam asti
6 [y]
imaṃ bhaumaṃ narakaṃ kṣīṇapuṇyaḥ; praveṣṭum urvīṃ gaganād viprakīrṇaḥ
uktvāhaṃ vaḥ prapatiṣyāmy anantaraṃ; tvaranti māṃ brāhmaṇā lokapālāḥ
7 satāṃ sakāśe tu vṛtaḥ prapātas; te saṃgatā guṇavantaś ca sarve
śakrāc ca labdho hi varo mayaiṣa; patiṣyatā bhūmitale narendra
8 [ā]
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ mā prapata prapātaṃ; yadi lokāḥ pārthiva santi me 'tra
yady antarikṣe yadi vā divi śritāḥ; kṣetrajñaṃ tvāṃ tasya dharmasya manye
9 [y]
yāvat pṛthivyāṃ vihitaṃ gavāśvaṃ; sahāraṇyaiḥ paśubhiḥ parvataiś ca
tāval lokā divi te saṃsthitā vai; tathā vijānīhi narendra siṃha
10 [ā]
tāṃs te dadāmi mā prapata prapātaṃ; ye me lokā divi rājendra santi
yady antarikṣe yadi vā divi śritās; tān ākrama kṣipram amitrasāha
11 [y]
nāsmad vidho 'brāhmaṇo brahmavic ca; pratigrahe vartate rājamukhya
yathā pradeyaṃ satataṃ dvijebhyas; tathādadaṃ pūrvam ahaṃ narendra
12 nābrāhmaṇaḥ kṛpaṇo jātu jīved; yā cāpi syād brāhmaṇī vīra patnī
so 'haṃ yadaivākṛta pūrvaṃ careyaṃ; vivitsamānaḥ kim u tatra sādhu
13 [pratardana]
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ spṛhaṇīya rūpa; pratardano 'haṃ yadi me santi lokāḥ
yady antarikṣe yadi vā divi śritāḥ; kṣetrajñaṃ tvāṃ tasya dharmasya manye
14 [y]
santi lokā bahavas te narendra; apy ekaikaḥ sapta saptāpy ahāni
madhu cyuto ghṛtapṛktā viśokās; te nāntavantaḥ pratipālayanti
15 [pr]
tāṃs te dadāmi mā prapata prapātaṃ; ye me lokās tava te vai bhavantu
yady antarikṣe yadi vā divi śritās; tān ākrama kṣipram apetamohaḥ
16 [y]
na tulyatejāḥ sukṛtaṃ kāmayeta; yogakṣemaṃ pārthiva pārthivaḥ san
daivādeśād āpadaṃ prāpya vidvāṃś; caren nṛśaṃsaṃ na hi jātu rājā
17 dharmyaṃ mārgaṃ cetayāno yaśasyaṃ; kuryān nṛpo dharmam avekṣamāṇaḥ
na madvidho dharmabuddhiḥ prajānan; kuryād evaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ māṃ yathāttha
18 kuryām apūrvaṃ na kṛtaṃ yad anyair; vivitsamānaḥ kim u tatra sādhu
bruvāṇam evaṃ nṛpatiṃ yayātiṃ; nṛpottamo vasu manābravīt tam
SECTION LXXXVII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'While that king of
kings dwelt in heaven--the home of the celestials, he was reverenced by the
gods, the Sadhyas, the Maruts, and the Vasus. Of sacred
deeds, and mind under complete control, the monarch used to repair now and then
from the abode of the celestials unto the region of Brahman. And it hath been
heard by me that he dwelt for a long time in heaven."One day that best of kings, Yayati, went to Indra and there in course of conversation the lord of Earth was asked by Indra as follows:
'What didst thou say, O king, when thy son Puru took thy decrepitude on Earth and when thou gavest him thy kingdom?'
"Yayati answered, 'I told him that the whole country between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna was his. That is, indeed, the central region of the Earth, while the out-lying regions are to be the dominions of thy brothers. I also told him that those without anger were ever superior to those under its sway, those disposed to forgive were ever superior to the unforgiving. Man is superior to the lower animals. Among men again the learned are superior to the un-learned. If wronged, thou shouldst not wrong in return. One's wrath, if disregarded, burneth one's own self; but he that regardeth it not taketh away all the virtues of him that exhibiteh it. Never shouldst thou pain others by cruel speeches. Never subdue thy foes by despicable means; and never utter such scorching and sinful words as may torture others. He that pricketh as if with thorns men by means of hard and cruel words, thou must know, ever carrieth in his mouth the Rakshasas. Prosperity and luck fly away at his very sight. Thou shouldst ever keep the virtuous before thee as thy models; thou shouldst ever with retrospective eye compare thy acts with those of the virtuous; thou shouldst ever disregard the hard words of the wicked. Thou shouldst ever make the conduct of the wise the model upon which thou art to act thyself. The man hurt by the arrows of cruel speech hurled from one's lips, weepeth day and night. Indeed, these strike at the core of the body. Therefore the wise never fling these arrows at others. There is nothing in the three worlds by which thou canst worship and adore the deities better than by kindness, friendship, charity and sweet speeches unto all. Therefore, shouldst thou always utter words that soothe, and not those that scorch. And thou shouldst regard those that deserve, thy regards, and shouldst always give but never beg!"'
Book
1
Chapter 88
1 [vas]
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ vasu manā rauśadaśvir; yady asti loko divi mahyaṃ narendra
yady antarikṣe prathito mahātman; kṣetrajñaṃ tvāṃ tasya dharmasya manye
2 [y]
yad antarikṣaṃ pṛthivī diśaś ca; yat tejasā tapate bhānumāṃś ca
lokās tāvanto divi saṃsthitā vai; te nāntavantaḥ pratipālayanti
3 [vas]
tāṃs te dadāmi pata mā prapātaṃ; ye me lokās tava te vai bhavantu
krīṇīṣvaināṃs tṛṇakenāpi rājan; pratigrahas te yadi samyak praduṣṭaḥ
4 [y]
na mithyāhaṃ vikrayaṃ vai smarāmi; vṛthā gṛhītaṃ śiśukāc chaṅkamānaḥ
kuryāṃ na caivākṛta pūrvam anyair; vivitsamānaḥ kim u tatra sādhu
5 [vas]
tāṃs tvaṃ lokān pratipadyasva rājan; mayā dattān yadi neṣṭaḥ krayas te
ahaṃ na tān vai pratigantā narendra; sarve lokās tava te vai bhavantu
6 [ṣibi]
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ śibir auśīnaro 'haṃ; mamāpi lokā yadi santīha tāta
yady antarikṣe yadi vā divi śritāḥ; kṣetrajñaṃ tvāṃ tasya dharmasya manye
7 [y]
na tvaṃ vācā hṛdayenāpi vidvan; parīpsamānān nāvamaṃsthā narendra
tenānantā divi lokāḥ śritās te; vidyudrūpāḥ svanavanto mahāntaḥ
8 [ṣ]
tāṃs tvaṃ lokān pratipadyasva rājan; mayā dattān yadi neṣṭaḥ krayas te
na cāhaṃ tān pratipatsyeha dattvā; yatra gatvā tvam upāsse ha lokān
9 [y]
yathā tvam indra pratimaprabhāvas; te cāpy anantā naradeva lokāḥ
tathādya loke na rame 'nyadatte; tasmāc chibe nābhinandāmi dāyam
10 [ā]
na ced ekaikaśo rājaṁl lokān naḥ pratinandasi
sarve pradāya bhavate gantāro narakaṃ vayam
11 [y]
yad arhāya dadadhvaṃ tat santaḥ satyānṛśaṃsyataḥ
ahaṃ tu nābhidhṛṣṇomi yatkṛtaṃ na mayā purā
12 [ā]
kasyaite pratidṛśyante rathāḥ pañca hiraṇmayāḥ
uccaiḥ santaḥ prakāśante jvalanto 'gniśikhā iva
13 [y]
yuṣmān ete hi vakṣyanti rathāḥ pañca hiraṇmayāḥ
uccaiḥ santaḥ prakāśante jvalanto 'gniśikhā iva
14 [ā]
ātiṣṭhasva rathaṃ rājan vikramasva vihāyasā
vayam apy anuyāsyāmo yadā kālo bhaviṣyati
15 [y]
sarvair idānīṃ gantavyaṃ sahasvargajito vayam
eṣa no virajāḥ panthā dṛśyate deva sadmanaḥ
16 [v]
te 'dhiruhya rathān sarve prayātā nṛpasattamāḥ
ākramanto divaṃ bhābhir dharmeṇāvṛtya rodasī
17 [ā]
ahaṃ manye pūrvam eko 'smi gantā; sakhā cendraḥ sarvathā me mahātmā
kasmād evaṃ śibir auśīnaro 'yam; eko 'tyagāt sarvavegena vāhān
18 [y]
adadād deva yānāya yāvad vittam avindata
uśīnarasya putro 'yaṃ tasmāc chreṣṭho hi naḥ śibiḥ
19 dānaṃ tapaḥ satyam athāpi dharmo hrīḥ; śrīḥ kṣamā saumya tathā titikṣā
rājann etāny apratimasya rājñaḥ; śibeḥ sthitāny anṛśaṃsasya buddhyā
evaṃvṛtto hrīniṣedhaś ca yasmāt; tasmāc chibir atyagād vai rathena
20 [v]
athāṣṭakaḥ punar evānvapṛcchan; mātāmahaṃ kautukād indrakalpam
pṛcchāmi tvāṃ nṛpate brūhi satyaṃ; kutaś ca kasyāsi sutaś ca kasya
kṛtaṃ tvayā yad dhi na tasya kartā; loke tvadanyaḥ kṣatriyo brāhmaṇo vā
21 [y]
yayātir asmi nahuṣasya putraḥ; pūroḥ pitā sārvabhaumas tv ihāsam
guhyam arthaṃ māmakebhyo bravīmi; mātāmaho 'haṃ bhavatāṃ prakāśaḥ
22 sarvām imāṃ pṛthivīṃ nirjigāya; prasthe baddhvā hy adadaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ
medhyān aśvān ekaśaphān surūpāṃs; tadā devāḥ puṇyabhājo bhavanti
23 adām ahaṃ pṛthivīṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ; pūrṇām imām akhilāṃ vāhanasya
gobhiḥ suvarṇena dhanaiś ca mukhyais; tatrāsan gāḥ śatam arbudāni
24 satyena me dyauś ca vasuṃdharā ca; tathaivāgnir jvalate mānuṣeṣu
na me pṛthā vyāhṛtam eva vākyaṃ; satyaṃ hi santaḥ pratipūjayanti
sarve ca devā munayaś ca lokāḥ; satyena pūjyā iti me manogatam
25 yo naḥ svargajitaḥ sarvān yathāvṛttaṃ nivedayet
anasūyur dvijāgrebhyaḥ sa labhen naḥ salokatām
26 [v]
evaṃ rājā sa mahātmā hy atīva; svair dauhitrais tārito 'mitrasāhaḥ
tyaktvā mahīṃ paramodārakarmā; svargaṃ gataḥ karmabhir vyāpya pṛthvīm
SECTION LXXXVIII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Alter this Indra
again asked Yayati, 'Thou didst retire into the woods, O king, after
accomplishing all thy duties. O Yayati, son of Nahusha, I would ask thee to
whom thou art equal in ascetic austerities.' Yayati answered, 'O Vasava, I do
not, in the matter of ascetic austerities, behold my equal among men, the
celestials, the Gandharvas, and the great Rishis.' Indra then
said, 'O monarch, because thou disregardest those that are thy superiors, thy
equals, and even thy inferiors, without, in fact, knowing their real merits,
thy virtues have suffered diminution and thou must fall from heaven.' Yayati
then said, 'O Sakra, if, indeed, my virtues have really sustained diminution
and I must on that account fall down from heaven, I desire, O chief of the
celestials, that I may at least fall among the virtuous and the honest.' Indra
replied, 'O king, thou shall fall among those that are virtuous and wise, and
thou shall acquire also much renown. And after this experience of thine, O
Yayati, never again disregard those that are thy superiors or even thy equals.'"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon this, Yayati fell from the region of the celestials. And as he was falling, he was beheld by that foremost of royal sages, viz., Ashtaka, the protector of his own religion. Ashtaka beholding him, enquired, 'Who art thou, O youth of a beauty equal to that of Indra, in splendour blazing as the fire, thus falling from on high? Art thou that foremost of sky-ranging bodies--the sun--emerging from, dark masses of clouds? Beholding thee falling from the solar course, possessed of immeasurable energy and the splendour of fire or the sun, every one is curious as to what it is that is so falling, and is, besides, deprived of consciousness! Beholding thee in the path of the celestials, possessed of energy like that of Sakra, or Surya, or Vishnu, we have approached thee to ascertain the truth. If thou hast first asked us who we were, we would never have been guilty of the incivility of asking thee first. We now ask thee who thou art and why thou approachest hither. Let thy fears be dispelled; let thy woes and afflictions cease. Thou art now in the presence of the virtuous and the wise. Even Sakra himself--the slayer of Vala--cannot here do thee any injury. O thou of the prowess of the chief of the celestials, the wise and the virtuous are the support of their brethren in grief. Here there are none but the wise and virtuous like thee assembled together. Therefore, stay thou here in peace. Fire alone hath power to give heat. The Earth alone hath power to infuse life into the seed. The sun alone hath power to illuminate everything. So the guest alone hath power to command the virtuous and the wise.'"
Book
1
Chapter 89
1 [j]
bhagavañ śrotum icchāmi pūror vaṃśakarān nṛpān
yad vīryā yādṛśāś caiva yāvanto yat parākramāḥ
2 na hy asmiñ śīlahīno vā nirvīryo vā narādhipaḥ
prajā virahito vāpi bhūtapūrvaḥ kadā cana
3 teṣāṃ prathitavṛttānāṃ rājñāṃ vijñānaśālinām
caritaṃ śrotum icchāmi vistareṇa tapodhana
4 [v]
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi
pūror vaṃśadharān vīrāñ śakra pratimatejasaḥ
5 pravīreśvara raudrāśvās trayaḥ putrā mahārathāḥ
pūroḥ pauṣṭhyām ajāyanta pravīras tatra vaṃśakṛt
6 manasyur abhavat tasmāc chūraḥ śyenī sutaḥ prabhuḥ
pṛthivyāś caturantāyā goptā rājīvalocanaḥ
7 subhrūḥ saṃhanano vāgmī sauvīrī tanayās trayaḥ
manasyor abhavan putrāḥ śūrāḥ sarve mahārathāḥ
8 raudrāśvasya maheṣvāsā daśāpsarasi sūnavaḥ
yajvāno jajñire śūrāḥ prajāvanto bahuśrutāḥ
sarve sarvāstravidvāṃsaḥ sarve dharmaparāyaṇāḥ
9 ṛcepur atha kakṣepuḥ kṛkaṇepuś ca vīryavān
sthaṇḍile pūrvanepuś ca sthalepuś ca mahārathaḥ
10 tejepur balavān dhīmān satyepuś cendra vikramaḥ
dharmepuḥ saṃnatepuś ca daśamo deva vikramaḥ
anādhṛṣṭi sutās tāta rājasūyāśvamedhinaḥ
11 matināras tato rājā vidvāṃś carceputo 'bhavat
matināra sutā rājaṃś catvāro 'mitavikramāḥ
taṃsur mahān atiratho druhyuś cāpratimadyutiḥ
12 teṣāṃ taṃsur mahāvīryaḥ pauravaṃ vaṃśam udvahan
ājahāra yaśo dīptaṃ jigāya ca vasuṃdharām
13 ilinaṃ tu sutaṃ taṃsur janayām āsa vīryavān
so 'pi kṛtsnām imāṃ bhūmiṃ vijigye jayatāṃ varaḥ
14 rathaṃtaryāṃ sutān pañca pañca bhūtopamāṃs tataḥ
ilino janayām āsa duḥṣantaprabhṛtīn nṛpa
15 duḥṣantaṃ śūra bhīmau ca prapūrvaṃ vasum eva ca
teṣāṃ jyeṣṭho 'bhavad rājā duḥṣanto janamejaya
16 duḥṣantād bharato jajñe vidvāñ śākuntalo nṛpaḥ
tasmād bharata vaṃśasya vipratasthe mahad yaśaḥ
17 bharatas tisṛṣu strīṣu nava putrān ajījanat
nābhyanandanta tān rājā nānurūpā mamety uta
18 tato mahadbhiḥ kratubhir ījāno bharatas tadā
lebhe putraṃ bharadvājād bhumanyuṃ nāma bhārata
19 tataḥ putriṇam ātmānaṃ jñātvā pauravanandanaḥ
bhumanyuṃ bharataśreṣṭha yauvarājye 'bhyaṣecayat
20 tatas tasya mahīndrasya vitathaḥ putrako 'bhavat
tataḥ sa vitatho nāma bhumanyor abhavat sutaḥ
21 suhotraś ca suhotā ca suhaviḥ suyajus tathā
puṣkariṇyām ṛcīkasya bhumanyor abhavan sutāḥ
22 teṣāṃ jyeṣṭhaḥ suhotras tu rājyam āpa mahīkṣitām
rājasūyāśvamedhādyaiḥ so 'yajad bahubhiḥ savaiḥ
23 suhotraḥ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ bubhuje sāgarāmbarām
pūrṇāṃ hastigavāśvasya bahuratnasamākulām
24 mamajjeva mahī tasya bhūri bhārāvapīḍitā
hastyaśvarathasaṃpūrṇā manuṣyakalilā bhṛśam
25 suhotre rājani tadā dharmataḥ śāsati prajāḥ
caityayūpāṅkitā cāsīd bhūmiḥ śatasahasraśaḥ
pravṛddhajanasasyā ca sahadevā vyarocata
26 aikṣvākī janayām āsa suhotrāt pṛthivīpateḥ
ajamīḍhaṃ sumīḍhaṃ ca purumīḍhaṃ ca bhārata
27 ajamīḍho varas teṣāṃ tasmin vaṃśaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ
ṣaṭ putrān so 'py ajanayat tisṛṣu strīṣu bhārata
28 ṛkṣaṃ bhūminy atho nīlī duḥṣanta parameṣṭhinau
keśiny ajanayaj jahnum ubhau ca janarūpiṇau
29 tatheme sarvapāñcālā duḥṣanta parameṣṭhinoḥ
anvayāḥ kuśikā rājañ jahnor amitatejasaḥ
30 janarūpiṇayor jyeṣṭham ṛkṣam āhur janādhipam
ṛkṣāt saṃvaraṇo jajñe rājan vaṃśakaras tava
31 ārkṣe saṃvaraṇe rājan praśāsati vasuṃdharām
saṃkṣayaḥ sumahān āsīt prajānām iti śuśrumaḥ
32 vyaśīryata tato rāṣṭraṃ kṣayair nānāvidhais tathā
kṣun mṛtyubhyām anāvṛṣṭyā vyādhibhiś ca samāhatam
abhyaghnan bhāratāṃś caiva sapatnānāṃ balāni ca
33 cālayan vasudhāṃ caiva balena caturaṅgiṇā
abhyayāt taṃ ca pāñcālyo vijitya tarasā mahīm
akṣauhiṇībhir daśabhiḥ sa enaṃ samare 'jayat
34 tataḥ sadāraḥ sāmātyaḥ saputraḥ sasuhṛjjanaḥ
rājā saṃvaraṇas tasmāt palāyata mahābhayāt
35 sindhor nadasya mahato nikuñje nyavasat tadā
nadī viṣayaparyante parvatasya samīpataḥ
tatrāvasan bahūn kālān bhāratā durgamāśritāḥ
36 teṣāṃ nivasatāṃ tatra sahasraṃ parivatsarān
athābhyagacchad bharatān vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
37 tam āgataṃ prayatnena pratyudgamyābhivādya ca
arghyam abhyāharaṃs tasmai te sarve bhāratās tadā
nivedya sarvam ṛṣaye satkāreṇa suvarcase
38 taṃ samām aṣṭamīm uṣṭaṃ rājā vavre svayaṃ tadā
purohito bhavān no 'stu rājyāya prayatāmahe
om ity evaṃ vasiṣṭho 'pi bhāratān pratyapadyata
39 athābhyaṣiñcat sāmrājye sarvakṣatrasya pauravam
viṣāṇa bhūtaṃ sarvasyāṃ pṛthivyām iti naḥ śrutam
40 bharatādhyuṣitaṃ pūrvaṃ so 'dhyatiṣṭhat purottamam
punar balibhṛtaś caiva cakre sarvamahīkṣitaḥ
41 tataḥ sa pṛthivīṃ prāpya punar īje mahābalaḥ
ājamīḍho mahāyajñair bahubhir bhūridakṣiṇaiḥ
42 tataḥ saṃvaraṇāt saurī suṣuve tapatī kurum
rājatve taṃ prajāḥ sarvā dharmajña iti vavrire
43 tasya nāmnābhivikhyātaṃ pṛthivyāṃ kurujāṅgalam
kurukṣetraṃ sa tapasā puṇyaṃ cakre mahātapāḥ
44 aśvavantam abhiṣvantaṃ tathā citrarathaṃ munim
janamejayaṃ ca vikhyātaṃ putrāṃś cāsyānuśuśrumaḥ
pañcaitān vāhinī putrān vyajāyata manasvinī
45 abhiṣvataḥ parikṣit tu śabalāśvaś ca vīryavān
abhirājo virājaś ca śalmalaś ca mahābalaḥ
46 uccaiḥśravā bhadra kāro jitāriś cāṣṭamaḥ smṛtaḥ
eteṣām anvavāye tu khyātās te karmajair guṇaiḥ
47 janamejayādayaḥ sapta tathaivānye mahābalāḥ
parikṣito 'bhavan putrāḥ sarve dharmārthakovidāḥ
48 kakṣasenogra senau ca citrasenaś ca vīryavān
indrasenaḥ suṣeṇaś ca bhīmasenaś ca nāmataḥ
49 janamejayasya tanayā bhuvi khyātā mahābalāḥ
dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ prathamajaḥ pāṇḍur bāhlīka eva ca
50 niṣadhaś ca mahātejās tathā jāmbūnado balī
kuṇḍodaraḥ padātiś ca vasātiś cāṣṭamaḥ smṛtaḥ
sarve dharmārthakuśalāḥ sarve bhūtihite ratāḥ
51 dhṛtarāṣṭro 'tha rājāsīt tasya putro 'tha kuṇḍikaḥ
hastī vitarkaḥ krāthaś ca kuṇḍalaś cāpi pañcamaḥ
haviḥ śravās tathendrābhaḥ sumanyuś cāparājitaḥ
52 pratīpasya trayaḥ putrā jajñire bharatarṣabha
devāpiḥ śaṃtanuś caiva bāhlīkaś ca mahārathaḥ
53 devāpis tu pravavrāja teṣāṃ dharmaparīpsayā
śaṃtanuś ca mahīṃ lebhe bāhlīkaś ca mahārathaḥ
54 bharatasyānvaye jātāḥ sattvavanto mahārathāḥ
devarṣikalpā nṛpate bahavo rājasattamāḥ
55 evaṃvidhāś cāpy apare devakalpā mahārathāḥ
jātā manor anvavāye aila vaṃśavivardhanāḥ
SECTION LXXXIX
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Yayati said, 'I am Yayati, the son of
Nahusha and the father of Puru. Cast off from the region of the celestials and
of Siddhas and Rishis for having disregarded every creature, I am
falling down, my righteousness having sustained diminution. In years I am older
than you; therefore, I have not saluted you first. Indeed, the Brahmanas always
reverence him who is older in years or superior in learning or in ascetic
merit.'"Ashtaka then replied, 'Thou sayest, O monarch, that he who is older in years is worthy of regard. But it is said that he is truly worthy of worship who is superior in learning and ascetic merit.'
"Yayati replied to this, 'It is said that sin destroyeth the merits of four virtuous acts. Vanity containeth the element of that which leadeth to hell. The virtuous never follow in the footsteps of the vicious. They act in such a way that their religious merit always increaseth. I myself had great religious merit, but all that, however, is gone. I will scarcely be able to regain it even by my best exertions. Beholding my fate, he that is bent upon (achieving) his own good, will certainly suppress vanity. He who having acquired great wealth performeth meritorious sacrifices, who having acquired all kinds of learning remaineth humble, and who having studied the entire Vedas devoteth himself to asceticism with a heart withdrawn from all mundane enjoyments, goeth to heaven. None should exult in having acquired great wealth. None should be vain of having studied the entire Vedas. In the world men are of different dispositions. Destiny is supreme. Both power and exertion are all fruitless. Knowing Destiny to be all-powerful, the wise, whatever their portions may be, should neither exult nor grieve. When creatures know that their weal and woe are dependent on Destiny and not on their own exertion or power, they should neither grieve nor exult, remembering that Destiny is all powerful. The wise should ever live contented, neither grieving at woe nor exulting at weal. When Destiny is supreme, both grief and exultation are unbecoming. O Ashtaka, I never suffer myself to be overcome by fear, nor do I ever entertain grief, knowing for certain that I shall be in the world what the great disposer of all hath ordained. Insects and worms, all oviparous creatures, vegetable existences, all crawling animals, vermin, the fish in the water, stones, grass, wood--in fact, all created things, when they are freed from the effects of their acts, are united with the Supreme Soul. Happiness and misery are both transient. Therefore, O Ashtaka, why should I grieve? We can never know how we are to act in order to avoid misery. Therefore, none should grieve for misery.'
"Possessed of every virtue, king Yayati who was the maternal grandfather of Ashtaka, while staying in the welkin, at the conclusion of his
p. 191
speech, was again questioned by Ashtaka. The latter said, 'O king of kings, tell me, in detail, of all those regions that thou hast visited and enjoyed, as well as the period for which thou hast enjoyed each. Thou speakest of the precepts of religion even like the clever masters acquainted with the acts and sayings of great beings!' Yayati replied, 'I was a great king on Earth, owning the whole world for my dominion. Leaving it, I acquired by dint of religious merit many high regions. There I dwelt for a full thousand years, and then I attained to a very high region the abode of Indra, of extraordinary beauty having a thousand gates, and extending over a hundred yojanas all round. There too, I dwelt a full thousand years and then attained to a higher region still. That is the region of perfect beatitude, where decay never exists, the region, viz., that of the Creator and the Lord of Earth, so difficult of attainment. There also I dwelt for a full thousand years, and then attained to another very high region viz., that of the god of gods (Vishnu) where, too, I had lived in happiness. Indeed, I dwelt in various regions, adored by all the celestials, and possessed of prowess and splendour equal unto those of the celestials themselves. Capable of assuming any form at will, I lived for a million years in the gardens of Nandana sporting with the Apsaras and beholding numberless beautiful trees clad in flowery vesture and sending forth delicious perfume all round. And after many, many years had elapsed, while still residing there in enjoyment of perfect beatitude, the celestial messenger of grim visage, one day, in a loud and deep voice, thrice shouted to me--Ruined! Ruined! Ruined!--O lion among kings, this much do I remember. I was then fallen from Nandana, my religious merits gone! I heard in the skies, O king, the voices of the celestials exclaiming in grief,--Alas! What a misfortune! Yayati, with his religious merits destroyed, though virtuous and of sacred deeds, is falling!--And as I was falling, I asked them loudly, 'Where, ye celestials, are those wise ones amongst whom I am to fall?' They pointed out to me this sacred sacrificial region belonging to you. Beholding the curls of smoke blackening the atmosphere and smelling the perfume of clarified butter poured incessantly upon fire, and guided thereby, I am approaching this region of yours, glad at heart that I come amongst you.'"
Book
1
Chapter 90
1 [j]
śrutas tvatto mayā vipra pūrveṣāṃ saṃbhavo mahān
udārāś cāpi vaṃśe 'smin rājāno me pariśrutāḥ
2 kiṃ tu laghv arthasaṃyuktaṃ priyākhyānaṃ na mām ati
prīṇāty ato bhavān bhūyo vistareṇa bravītu me
3 etām eva kathāṃ divyām āprajā patito manoḥ
teṣām ājananaṃ puṇyaṃ kasya na prītim āvahet
4 sad dharmaguṇamāhātmyair abhivardhitam uttamam
viṣṭabhya lokāṃs trīn eṣāṃ yaśaḥ sphītam avasthitam
5 guṇaprabhāva vīryaujaḥ sattvotsāhavatām aham
na tṛpyāmi kathāṃ śṛṇvann amṛtāsvāda saṃmitām
6 [v]
śṛṇu rājan purā samyaṅ mayā dvaipāyanāc chrutam
procyamānam idaṃ kṛtsnaṃ svavaṃśajananaṃ śubham
7 dakṣasyāditiḥ
aditer vivasvān
vivasvato manuḥ
manor ilā
ilāyāḥ purūravāḥ
purūravasa āyuḥ
āyuṣo nahuṣaḥ
nahuṣasya yayātiḥ
8 yayāter dve bhārye babhūvatuḥ
uśanaso duhitā deva yānī vṛṣaparvaṇaś ca duhitā śarmiṣṭhā nāma
atrānuvaṃśo bhavati
9 yaduṃ ca turvasuṃ caiva deva yānī vyajāyata
druhyuṃ cānuṃ ca pūruṃ ca śarmiṣṭhā vārṣaparvaṇī
10 tatra yador yādavāḥ
pūroḥ pauravāḥ
11 pūror bhāryā kausalyā nāma
tasyām asya jajñe janamejayo nāma
yas trīn aśvamedhān ājahāra
viśvajitā ceṣṭvā vanaṃ praviveśa
12 janamejayaḥ khalv anantāṃ nāmopayeme mādhavīm
tasyām asya jajñe prācinvān
yaḥ prācīṃ diśaṃ jigāya yāvat sūryodayāt
tatas tasya prācinvatvam
13 prācinvān khalv aśmakīm upayeme
tasyām asya jajñe saṃyātiḥ
14 saṃyātiḥ khalu dṛṣadvato duhitaraṃ varāṅgīṃ nāmopayeme
tasyām asya jajñe ahaṃ pātiḥ
15 ahaṃ pātis tu khalu kṛtavīryaduhitaram upayeme bhānumatīṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe sārvabhaumaḥ
16 sārvabhaumaḥ khalu jitvājahāra kaikeyīṃ sunandāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe jayatsenaḥ
17 jayatsenaḥ khalu vaidarbhīm upayeme suṣuvāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe arācīnaḥ
18 arācīno 'pi vaidarbhīm evāparām upayeme maryādāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe mahābhaumaḥ
19 mahābhaumaḥ khalu prāsenajitīm upayeme suyajñāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe ayuta nāyī
yaḥ puruṣamedhānām ayutam ānayat
tad asyāyuta nāyitvam
20 ayutanāyī khalu pṛthuśravaso duhitaram upayeme bhāsāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe akrodhanaḥ
21 akrodhanaḥ khalu kālinīṃ karaṇḍuṃ nāmopayeme
tasyām asya jajñe devātithiḥ
22 devātithiḥ khalu vaidehīm upayeme maryādāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe ṛcaḥ
23 ṛcaḥ khalv āṅgeyīm upayeme sudevāṃ nāma
tasyāṃ putram ajanayad ṛkṣam
24 ṛkṣaḥ khalu takṣaka duhitaram upayeme jvālāṃ nāma
tasyāṃ putraṃ matināraṃ nāmotpādayām āsa
25 matināraḥ khalu sarasvatyāṃ dvādaśa vārṣikaṃ satram ājahāra
26 nivṛtte ca satre sarasvaty abhigamya taṃ bhartāraṃ varayām āsa
tasyāṃ putram ajanayat taṃsuṃ nāma
27 atrānuvaṃśo bhavati
28 taṃsuṃ sarasvatī putraṃ matinārād ajījanat
ilinaṃ janayām āsa kālindyāṃ taṃsur ātmajam
29 ilinas tu rathaṃtaryāṃ duḥṣantādyān pañca putrān ajanayat
30 duḥṣantaḥ khalu viśvāmitra duhitaraṃ śakuntalāṃ nāmopayeme
tasyām asya jajñe bharataḥ
tatra ślokau bhavataḥ
31 mātā bhastrā pituḥ putro yena jātaḥ sa eva saḥ
bharasva putraṃ duḥṣanta māvamaṃsthāḥ śakuntalām
32 reto dhāḥ putra unnayati naradeva yamakṣayāt
tvaṃ cāsya dhātā garbhasya satyām āha śakuntalā
33 tato 'sya bharatatvam
34 bharataḥ khalu kāśeyīm upayeme sārvasenīṃ sunandāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe bhumanyuḥ
35 bhumanyuḥ khalu dāśārhīm upayeme jayāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe suhotraḥ
36 suhotraḥ khalv ikṣvākukanyām upayeme suvarṇāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe hastī
ya idaṃ hāstinapuraṃ māpayām āsa
etad asya hāstinapuratvam
37 hastī khalu traigartīm upayeme yaśodharāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe vikuṇṭhanaḥ
38 vikuṇṭhanaḥ khalu dāśārhīm upayeme sudevāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe 'jamīḍhaḥ
39 ajamīḍhasya caturviṃśaṃ putraśataṃ babhūva kaikeyyāṃ nāgāyāṃ gāndharyāṃ vimalāyām ṛkṣāyāṃ ceti
pṛthakpṛthag vaṃśakarā nṛpatayaḥ
tatra vaṃśakaraḥ saṃvaraṇaḥ
40 saṃvaraṇaḥ khalu vaivasvatīṃ tapatīṃ nāmopayeme
tasyām asya jajñe kuruḥ
41 kuruḥ khalu dāśārhīm upayeme śubhāṅgīṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe viḍūrathaḥ
42 viḍūrathas tu māgadhīm upayeme saṃpriyāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe 'rugvān nāma
43 arugvān khalu māgadhīm upayeme 'mṛtāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe parikṣit
44 parikṣit khalu bāhudām upayeme suyaśāṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe bhīmasenaḥ
45 bhīmasenaḥ khalu kaikeyīm upayeme sukumārīṃ nāma
tasyām asya jajñe paryaśravāḥ
yam āhuḥ pratīpaṃ nāma
46 pratīpaḥ khalu śaibyām upayeme sunanddāṃ nāma
tasyāṃ putrān utpādayām āsa devāpiṃ śaṃtanuṃ bāhlīkaṃ ceti
47 devāpiḥ khalu bāla evāraṇyaṃ praviveśa
śaṃtanus tu mahīpālo 'bhavat
atrānuvaṃśo bhavati
48 yaṃ yaṃ karābhyāṃ spṛśati jīrṇaṃ sa sukham aśnute
punar yuvā ca bhavati tasmāt taṃ śaṃtanuṃ viduḥ
49 tad asya śaṃtanutvam
50 śaṃtanuḥ khalu ganāṃ bhāgīrathīm upayeme
tasyām asya jajñe devavrataḥ
yam āhur bhīṣma iti
51 bhīṣmaḥ khalu pituḥ priyacikīrṣayā satyavatīm udavahan mātaram
yām āhur gandhakālīti
52 tasyāṃ kānīno garbhaḥ parāśarād dvaipāyanaḥ
tasyām eva śaṃtanor dvau putro babhūvatuḥ
citrāṅgado vicitravīryaś ca
53 tayor aprāptayauvana eva citrāṅgado gandharveṇa hataḥ
vicitravīryas tu rājā samabhavat
54 vicitravīryaḥ khalu kausalyātmaje 'mbikāmbālike kāśirāja duhitarāv upayeme
55 vicitravīryas tv anapatya eva videhatvaṃ prāptaḥ
56 tataḥ satyavatī cintayām āsa
dauḥṣanto vaṃśa ucchidyate iti
57 sā dvaipāyanam ṛṣiṃ cintayām āsa
58 sa tasyāḥ purataḥ sthitaḥ kiṃ karavāṇīti
59 sā tam uvāca
bhrātā tavānapatya eva svaryāto vicitravīryaḥ
sādhv apatyaṃ tasyotpādayeti
60 sa param ity uktvā trīn putrān utpādayām āsa dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ pāṇḍuṃ viduraṃ ceti
61 tatra dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rājñaḥ putraśataṃ babhūva gāndhāryāṃ varadānād dvaipāyanasya
62 teṣāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāṇāṃ catvāraḥ pradhānā babhūvur duryodhano duḥśāsano vikarṇaś citraseneti
63 pāṇḍos tu dve bhārye babhūvatuḥ kuntī mādrī cety ubhe strīratne
64 atha pāṇḍur mṛgayāṃ caran maithuna gatam ṛṣim apaśyan mṛgyāṃ vartamānam
tathaivāpluta manāsādita kāmarasam atṛptaṃ bāṇenābhijaghāna
65 sa bāṇaviddhovāca pāṇḍum
caratā dharmam iyaṃ yena tvayābhijñena kāmarasasyāham anavāptakāmaraso 'bhihatas tasmāt tvam apy etām avasthām āsādyānavāpta kāmarasaḥ pañcatvam āpsyasi kṣipram eveti
66 sa vivarṇarūpaḥ pāṇḍuḥ śāpaṃ pariharamāṇo nopāsarpata bhārye
67 vākyaṃ covāca
svacāpalyād idaṃ prāptavān aham
śṛṇomi ca nānapatyasya lokā santīti
68 sā tvaṃ madarthe putrān utpādayeti kuntīm uvāca
69 sā tatra putrān utpādayām āsa dharmād yudhiṣṭhiraṃ mārutād bhīmasenaṃ śakrād arjunam iti
70 sa tāṃ hṛṣṭarūpaḥ pāṇḍur uvāca
iyaṃ te sapatnyanapatyā
sādhv asyām apatyam utpādyatām iti
71 saivam astv ity uktaḥ kuntyā
72 tato mādryām aśvibhyāṃ nakula sahadevāv utpāditau
73 mādrīṃ khalv alaṃkṛtāṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍur bhāvaṃ cakre
74 sa tāṃ spṛṣṭvaiva videhatvaṃ prāptaḥ
75 tatrainaṃ citāsthaṃ mādrī samanvāruroha
76 uvāca kuntīm
yamayor āryayāpramattayā bhavitavyam iti
77 tatas te pañca pāṇḍavāḥ kuntyā sahitā hāstinapuram ānīya tāpasair bhīṣmasya vidurasya ca niveditāḥ
78 tatrāpi jatu gṛhe dagdhuṃ samārabdhā na śakitā vidura mantritena
79 tataś ca hiḍimbam antarā hatvaika cakrāṃ gatāḥ
80 tasyām apy ekacakrāyāṃ bakaṃ nāma rākṣasaṃ hatvā pāñcāla nagaram abhigatāḥ
81 tasmād draupadīṃ bhāryām avindan svaviṣayaṃ cājagmuḥ kuśalinaḥ
82 putrāṃś cotpādayām āsuḥ
prativindhyaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
suta somaṃ vṛkodaraḥ
śrutakīrtim arjunaḥ
śatānīkaṃ nakulaḥ
śrutakarmāṇaṃ sahadeveti
83 yudhiṣṭhiras tu govāsanasya śaibyasya devikāṃ nāma kanyāṃ svayaṃvare lebhe
tasyāṃ putraṃ janayām āsa yaudheyaṃ nāma
84 bhīmaseno 'pi kāśyāṃ baladharāṃ nāmopayeme vīryaśulkām
tasyāṃ putraṃ sarvagaṃ nāmotpādayām āsa
85 arjunaḥ khalu dvāravatīṃ gatvā bhaginīṃ vāsudevasya subhadrāṃ nāma bhāryām udavahat
tasyāṃ putram abhimanyuṃ nāma janayām āsa
86 nakulas tu caidyāṃ kareṇuvatīṃ nāma bhāryām udavahat
tasyāṃ putraṃ niramitraṃ nāmājanayat
87 sahadevo 'pi mādrīm eva svayaṃvare vijayāṃ nāmopayeme
tasyāṃ putram ajanayat suhotraṃ nāma
88 bhīmasenas tu pūrvam eva hiḍimbāyāṃ rākṣasyāṃ ghaṭotkacaṃ nāma putraṃ janayām āsa
89 ity eta ekādaśa pāṇḍavānāṃ putrāḥ
90 virāṭasya duhitaram uttarāṃ nāmābhimanyur upayeme
tasyām asya parāsur garbho 'jāyata
91 tam utsaṅgena pratijagrāha pṛthā niyogāt puruṣottamasya vāsudevasya
ṣāṇmāsikaṃ garbham aham enaṃ jīvayiṣyāmīti
92 saṃjīvayitvā cainam uvāca
parikṣīṇe kule jāto bhavatv ayaṃ parikṣin nāmeti
93 parikṣit tu khalu mādravatīṃ nāmopayeme
tasyām asya janamejayaḥ
94 janamejayāt tu vapuṣṭamāyāṃ dvau putrau śatānīkaḥ śaṅkuś ca
95 śatānīkas tu khalu vaidehīm upayeme
tasyām asya jajñe putro 'śvamedha dattaḥ
96 ity eṣa pūror vaṃśas tu pāṇḍavānāṃ ca kīrtitaḥ
pūror vaṃśam imaṃ śrutvā sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate
SECTION XC
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Ashtaka said, 'Capable of assuming any
form at will, thou hast lived for a million years in the gardens of Nandana.
For what cause, O foremost of those that flourished in the Krita age,
hast thou been compelled to leave that region and come hither?' Yayati
answered, 'As kinsmen, friends, and relatives forsake, in this world, those
whose wealth disappearsp. 192
so, in the other world, the celestials with Indra as their chief, forsake him who hath lost his righteousness.' Ashtaka said, 'I am extremely anxious to know how in the other world men can lose virtue. Tell me also, O king, what regions are attainable by what courses of action. Thou art acquainted, I know, with the acts and sayings of great beings."
"Yayati answered, 'O pious one, they that speak of their own merits are doomed to suffer the hell called Bhauma. Though really emaciated and lean, they appear to grow on Earth (in the shape of their sons and grandsons) only to become food for vultures, dogs, and jackals. Therefore, O king, this highly censurable and wicked vice should be repressed. I have now, O king, told thee all. Tell me what more I shall say.'
"Ashtaka said, 'When life is destroyed with age, vultures, peacocks, insects, and worms eat up the human body. Where doth man then reside? How doth he also come back to life? I have never heard of any hell called Bhauma on Earth!'
"Yayati answered, 'After the dissolution of the body, man, according to his acts, re-entereth the womb of his mother and stayeth there in an indistinct form, and soon after assuming a distinct and visible shape reappeareth in the world and walketh on its surface. This is that Earth-hell (Bhauma) where he falleth, for he beholdeth not the termination of his existence and acteth not towards his emancipation. Some dwell for sixty thousand years, some, for eighty-thousand years in heaven, and then they fall. And as they fall, they are attacked by certain Rakshasas in the form of sons, grandsons, and other relatives, that withdraw their hearts from acting for their own emancipation.'
"Ashtaka asked, 'For what sin are beings, when they fall from heaven, attacked by these fierce and sharp-toothed Rakshasas? Why are they not reduced to annihilation? How do they again enter the womb, furnished with senses?'
"Yayati answered, 'After falling from heaven, the being becometh a subtile substance living in water. This water becometh the semen whence is the seed of vitality. Thence entering the mother's womb in the womanly season, it developeth into the embryo and next into visible life like the fruit from the flower. Entering trees, plants, and other vegetable substances, water, air, earth, and space, that same watery seed of life assumeth the quadrupedal or bipedal form. This is the case with all creatures that you see.'
"Ashtaka said, 'O tell me, I ask thee because I have my doubts. Doth a being that hath received a human form enter the womb in its own shape or in some other? How doth it also acquire its distinct and visible shape, eyes and ears and consciousness as well? Questioned by me, O, explain it all! Thou art, O father, one acquainted with the acts and sayings of great beings.' Yayati answered, 'According to the merits of one's acts, the being that in a subtile form co-inheres in the seed that is dropped into
p. 193
the womb is attracted by the atmospheric force for purposes of re-birth. It then developeth there in course of time; first it becomes the embryo, and is next provided with the visible physical organism. Coming out of the womb in due course of time, it becometh conscious of its existence as man, and with his ears becometh sensible of sound; with his eyes, of colour and form; with his nose, of scent; with his tongue, of taste; by his whole body, of touch; and by his mind, of ideas. It is thus, O Ashtaka, that the gross and visible body developeth from the subtile essence.'
"Ashtaka asked, 'After death, the body is burnt, or otherwise destroyed. Reduced to nothing upon such dissolution, by what principle is one revived?' Yayati said, 'O lion among kings, the person that dies assumes a subtil form; and retaining consciousness of all his acts as in a dream, he enters some other form with a speed quicker than that of air itself. The virtuous attain to a superior, and the vicious to an inferior form of existence. The vicious become worms and insects. I have nothing more to say, O thou of great and pure soul! I have told thee how beings are born, after development of embryonic forms, as four-footed, six-footed creatures and others with more feet. What more wilt thou ask me?'
"Ashtaka said, 'How, O father, do men attain to those superior regions whence there is no return to earthly life? Is it by asceticism or by knowledge? How also can one gradually attain to felicitous regions? Asked by me, O answer it in full.'
"Yayati answered, 'The wise say that for men there are seven gates through which admission may be gained into Heaven. There are asceticism, benevolence, tranquillity of mind, self-command, modesty, simplicity, and kindness to all creatures. The wise also say that a person loseth all these in consequence of vanity. That man who having acquired knowledge regardeth himself as learned, and with his learning destroyed the reputation of others, never attaineth to regions of indestructible felicity. That knowledge also doth not make its possessor competent to attain to Brahma. Study, taciturnity, worship before fire, and sacrifices, these four remove all fear. When, however, these are mixed with vanity, instead of removing it, they cause fear. The wise should never exult at (receiving) honours nor should they grieve at insults. For it is the wise alone that honour the wise; the wicked never act like the virtuous. I have given away so much--I have performed so many sacrifices,--I have studied so much,--I have observed these vows,--such vanity is the root of fear. Therefore, thou must not indulge in such feelings. Those learned men who accept as their support the unchangeable, inconceivable Brahma alone that ever showereth blessings on persons virtuous like thee, enjoy perfect peace here and hereafter.'"
The Sacred
Scripture of great Epic Sree
Mahabharatam:
The Mahabharata in Sanskrit
Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasatranslated by
Sreemaan Brahmasri Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Book 1 (Adiparva)
chapter 91
Book
1
Chapter 91
1 [v]
ikṣvākuvaṃśaprabhavo rājāsīt pṛthivīpatiḥ
mahābhiṣa iti khyātaḥ satyavāk satyavikramaḥ
2 so 'śvamedha sahasreṇa vājapeyaśatena ca
toṣayām āsa devendraṃ svargaṃ lebhe tataḥ prabhuḥ
3 tataḥ kadā cid brahmāṇam upāsāṃ cakrire surāḥ
tatra rājarṣayo āsan sa ca rājā mahābhiṣaḥ
4 atha gaṅgā saricchreṣṭhā samupāyāt pitāmaham
tasyā vāsaḥ samudbhūtaṃ mārutena śaśiprabham
5 tato 'bhavan suragaṇāḥ sahasāvāṅmukhās tadā
mahābhiṣas tu rājarṣir aśaṅko dṛṣṭavān nadīm
6 apadhyāto bhagavatā brahmaṇā sa mahābhiṣaḥ
uktaś ca jāto martyeṣu punar lokān avāpsyasi
7 sa cintayitvā nṛpatir nṛpān sarvāṃs tapodhanān
pratīpaṃ rocayām āsa pitaraṃ bhūri varcasam
8 mahābhiṣaṃ tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā nadī dhairyāc cyutaṃ nṛpam
tam eva manasādhyāyam upāvartat sarid varā
9 sā tu vidhvastavapuṣaḥ kaśmalābhihataujasaḥ
dadarśa pathi gacchantī vasūn devān divaukasaḥ
10 tathārūpāṃś ca tān dṛṣṭvā papraccha saritāṃ varā
kim idaṃ naṣṭarūpāḥ stha kac cit kṣemaṃ divaukasām
11 tām ūcur vasavo devāḥ śaptāḥ smo vai mahānadi
alpe 'parādhe saṃrambhād vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā
12 vimūḍhā hi vayaṃ sarve pracchannam ṛṣisattamam
saṃdhyāṃ vasiṣṭham āsīnaṃ tam atyabhisṛtāḥ purā
13 tena kopād vayaṃ śaptā yonau saṃbhavateti ha
na śakyam anyathā kartuṃ yad uktaṃ brahmavādinā
14 tvaṃ tasmān mānuṣī bhūtvā sūṣva putrān vasūn bhuvi
na mānuṣīṇāṃ jaṭharaṃ praviśemāśubhaṃ vayam
15 ity uktā tān vasūn gaṅgā tathety uktvābravīd idam
martyeṣu puruṣaśreṣṭhaḥ ko vaḥ kartā bhaviṣyati
16 [vasavah]
pratīpasya suto rājā śaṃtanur nāma dhārmikaḥ
bhavitā mānuṣe loke sa naḥ kartā bhaviṣyati
17 [gangā]
mamāpy evaṃ mataṃ devā yathāvad ata mānaghāḥ
priyaṃ tasya kariṣyāmi yuṣmākaṃ caitad īpśitam
18 [vasavah]
jātān kumārān svān apsu prakṣeptuṃ vai tvam arhasi
yathā nacira kālaṃ no niṣkṛtiḥ syāt trilokage
19 [g]
evam etat kariṣyāmi putras tasya vidhīyatām
nāsya moghaḥ saṃgamaḥ syāt putra hetor mayā saha
20 [vasavah]
turīyārdhaṃ pradāsyāmo vīryasyaikaikaśo vayam
tena vīryeṇa putras te bhavitā tasya cepsitaḥ
21 na saṃpatsyati martyeṣu punas tasya tu saṃtatiḥ
tasmād aputraḥ putras te bhaviṣyati sa vīryavān
22 [v]
evaṃ te samayaṃ kṛtvā gaṅgayā vasavaḥ saha
jagmuḥ prahṛṣṭamanaso yathā saṃkalpam añjasā
SECTION XCI
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Ashtaka said, 'Those cognisant of the
Vedas differ in opinion as to how the followers of each of the four modes of
life, viz., Grihasthas, Bhikshus, Brahmacharins, and Vanaprashthas,
should conduct themselves in order to acquire religious merit.""Yayati answered, 'These are what a Brahmacharin must do. While dwelling in the abode of his preceptor, he must receive lessons only when his preceptor summons him to do so; he must attend to the service of his preceptor without waiting for the latter's command; he must rise from his bed before his preceptor riseth, and go to bed after his preceptor hath gone to bed. He must be humble, must have his passions under complete control, must be patient, vigilant, and devoted to studies. It is then only that he can achieve success. It hath been said in the oldest Upanishad that a grihastha, acquiring wealth by honest means, should perform sacrifices; he should always give something in charity, should perform the rites of hospitality unto all arriving at his abode, and should never use anything without giving a portion thereof to others. A Muni, without search for woods, depending on his own vigour, should abstain from all vicious acts, should give away something in charity, should never inflict pain on any creature. It is then only that he can achieve success. He, indeed, is a true Bhikshu who doth not support himself by any manual arts, who possesseth numerous accomplishments, who hath his passions under complete control, who is unconnected with worldly concerns, who sleepeth not under the shelter of a householder's roof, who is without wife, and who going a little way every day, travelleth over a large extent of the country. A learned man should adopt the Vanaprastha mode of life after performance of the necessary rites, when he hath been able to control his appetites for enjoyment and desire of acquiring valuable possessions. When one dieth in the woods while leading the Vanaprastha mode of life, he maketh his ancestors and the successors, numbering ten generations including himself, mix with the Divine essence.'
"Ashtaka asked, 'How many kinds of Munis are there (observers of the vow of the silence)?'
"Yayati answered, 'He is, indeed, a Muni who, though dwelling in the woods, hath an inhabited place near, or who, though dwelling in an inhabited place, hath the woods near.'
"Ashtaka enquired what is meant by Muni.' Yayati replied, 'A Muni withdrawing himself from all worldly objects liveth in the woods. And though he might never seek to surround himself with those objects that are procurable in an inhabited place, he might yet obtain them all by virtue of his ascetic power. He may truly be said to dwell in the woods having
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an inhabited place near to himself. Again a wise man withdrawn from all earthly objects, might live in a hamlet leading the life of a hermit. He may never exhibit the pride of family, birth or learning. Clad in the scantiest robes, he may yet regard himself as attired in the richest vestments. He may rest content with food just enough for the support of life. Such a person, though dwelling in an inhabited place, liveth yet in the woods.
"The person again, who, with passions under complete control, adopteth the vow of silence, refraining from action and entertaining no desire, achieveth success. Why shouldst thou not, indeed, reverence the man who liveth on clean food, who refraineth from ever injuring others, whose heart is ever pure, who stands in the splendour of ascetic attributes, who is free from the leaden weight of desire, who abstaineth from injury even when sanctioned by religion? Emaciated by austerities and reduced in flesh, marrow and blood, such a one conquereth not only this but the highest world. And when the Muni sits in yoga meditation, becoming indifferent to happiness and misery, honour and insult, he then leaveth the world and enjoyeth communion with Brahma. When the Muni taketh food like wine and other animals, i. e., without providing for it beforehand and without any relish (like a sleeping infant feeding on the mother's lap), then like the all-pervading spirit he becometh identified with the whole universe and attaineth to salvation.'"
Book
1
Chapter 92
1 [v]
tataḥ pratīpo rājā sa sarvabhūtahite rataḥ
niṣasāda samā bahvīr gaṅgātīragato japan
2 tasya rūpaguṇopetā gaṅgā śrīr iva rūpiṇī
uttīrya salilāt tasmāl lobhanīyatamākṛtiḥ
3 adhīyānasya rājarṣer divyarūpā manasvinī
dakṣiṇaṃ śālasaṃkāśam ūruṃ bheje śubhānanā
4 pratīpas tu mahīpālas tām uvāca manasvinīm
karavāṇi kiṃ te kalyāṇi priyaṃ yat te 'bhikāṅkṣitam
5 [strī]
tvām ahaṃ kāmaye rājan kuruśreṣṭha bhajasva mām
tyāgaḥ kāmavatīnāṃ hi strīṇāṃ sadbhir vigarhitaḥ
6 [pr]
nāhaṃ parastriyaṃ kāmād gaccheyaṃ varavarṇini
na cāsavarṇāṃ kalyāṇi dharmyaṃ tad viddhi me vratam
7 [strī]
nāśreyasy asmi nāgamyā na vaktavyā ca karhi cit
bhaja mmāṃ bhajamānāṃ tvaṃ rājan kanyāṃ varastriyam
8 [pr]
mayātivṛttam etat te yan māṃ codayasi priyam
anyathā pratipannaṃ māṃ nāśayed dharmaviplavaḥ
9 prāpya dakṣiṇam ūruṃ me tvam āśliṣṭā varāṅgane
apatyānāṃ snuṣāṇāṃ ca bhīru viddhy etad āsanam
10 savyataḥ kāminī bhāgas tvayā sa ca vivarjitaḥ
tasmād ahaṃ nācariṣye tvayi kāmaṃ varāṅgane
11 snuṣā me bhava kalyāṇi putrārthe tvāṃ vṛṇomy aham
snuṣāpekṣaṃ hi vāmoru tvam āgamya samāśritā
12 [strī]
evam apy astu dharmajña saṃyujyeyaṃ sutena te
tvadbhaktyaiva bhajiṣyāmi prakhyātaṃ bhārataṃ kulam
13 pṛthivyāṃ pārthivā ye ca teṣāṃ yūyaṃ parāyaṇam
guṇā na hi mayā śakyā vaktuṃ varṣaśatair api
kulasya ye vaḥ prathitās tat sādhutvam anuttamam
14 sa me nābhijanajñaḥ syād ācareyaṃ ca yad vibho
tat sarvam eva putras te na mīmāṃseta karhi cit
15 evaṃ vasantī putre te vardhayiṣyāmy ahaṃ priyam
putraiḥ puṇyaiḥ priyaiś cāpi svargaṃ prāpsyati te sutaḥ
16 [v]
tathety uktvā tu sā rājaṃs tatraivāntaradhīyata
putra janma pratīkṣaṃs tu sa rājā tad adhārayat
17 etasminn eva kāle tu pratīpaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ
tapas tepe sutasyārthe sabhāryaḥ kurunandana
18 tayoḥ samabhavat putro vṛddhayoḥ sa mahābhiṣaḥ
śāntasya jajñe saṃtānas tasmād āsīt sa śaṃtanuḥ
19 saṃsmaraṃś cākṣayāṁl lokān vijitān svena karmaṇā
puṇyakarmakṛd evāsīc chaṃtanuḥ kuru sattama
20 pratīpaḥ śaṃtanuṃ putraṃ yauvanasthaṃ tato 'nvaśāt
purā māṃ strī samabhyāgāc chaṃtano bhūtaye tava
21 tvām āvrajed yadi rahaḥ sā putra varavarṇinī
kāmayānābhirūpāḍhyā divyā strī putrakāmyayā
sā tvayā nānuyoktavyā kāsi kasyāsi vāṅgane
22 yac ca kuryān na tat kāryaṃ praṣṭavyā sā tvayānagha
manniyogād bhajantīṃ tāṃ bhajethā ity uvāca tam
23 evaṃ saṃdiśya tanayaṃ pratīpaḥ śaṃtanuṃ tadā
sve ca rājye 'bhiṣicyainaṃ vanaṃ rājā viveśa ha
24 sa rājā śaṃtanur dhīmān khyātaḥ pṛthvyāṃ dhanurdharaḥ
babhūva mṛgayā śīlaḥ satataṃ vanagocaraḥ
25 sa mṛgān mahiṣāṃś caiva vinighnan rājasattamaḥ
gaṅgām anucacāraikaḥ siddhacāraṇasevitām
26 sa kadā cin mahārāja dadarśa paramastriyam
jājvalyamānāṃ vapuṣā sākṣāt padmām iva śriyam
27 sarvānavadyāṃ sudatīṃ divyābharaṇabhūṣitām
sūkṣmāmbaradharām ekāṃ padmodara samaprabhām
28 tāṃ dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭaromābhūd vismito rūpasaṃpadā
pibann iva ca netrābhyāṃ nātṛpyata narādhipaḥ
29 sā ca dṛṣṭvaiva rājānaṃ vicarantaṃ mahādyutim
snehād āgatasauhārdā nātṛpyata vilāsinī
30 tām uvāca tato rājā sāntvayañ ślakṣṇayā girā
devī vā dānavī vā tvaṃ gandharvī yadi vāpsarāḥ
31 yakṣī vā pannagī vāpi mānuṣī vā sumadhyame
yā vā tvaṃ suragarbhābhe bhāryā me bhava śobhane
32 etac chrutvā vaco rājñaḥ sasmitaṃ mṛdu valgu ca
vasūnāṃ samayaṃ smṛtvā abhyagacchad aninditā
33 uvāca caiva rājñaḥ sā hlādayantī mano girā
bhaviṣyāmi mahīpāla mahiṣī te vaśānugā
34 yat tu kuryām ahaṃ rājañ śubhaṃ vā yadi vāśubham
na tad vārayitavyāsmi na vaktavyā tathāpriyam
35 evaṃ hi vartamāne 'haṃ tvayi vatsyāmi pārthiva
vāritā vipriyaṃ coktā tyajeyaṃ tvām asaṃśayam
36 tatheti rājñā sā tūktā tadā bharatasattama
praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe prāpya taṃ pārthivottamam
37 āsādya śaṃtanus tāṃ ca bubhuje kāmato vaśī
na praṣṭavyeti manvāno na sa tāṃ kiṃ cid ūcivān
38 sa tasyāḥ śīlavṛttena rūpaudāryaguṇena ca
upacāreṇa ca rahas tutoṣa jagatīpatiḥ
39 divyarūpā hi sā devī gaṅgā tripathagā nadī
mānuṣaṃ vigrahaṃ śrīmat kṛtvā sā varavarṇinī
40 bhāgyopanata kāmasya bhāryevopasthitābhavat
śaṃtano rājasiṃhasya devarājasamadyuteḥ
41 saṃbhogasnehacāturyair hāva lāsyair manoharaiḥ
rājānaṃ ramayām āsa yathā reme tathaiva saḥ
42 sa rājā ratisaktatvād uttamastrī guṇair hṛtaḥ
saṃvatsarān ṛtūn māsān na bubodha bahūn gatān
43 ramamāṇas tayā sārdhaṃ yathākāmaṃ janeśvaraḥ
aṣṭāv ajanayat putrāṃs tasyām amara varṇinaḥ
44 jātaṃ jātaṃ ca sā putraṃ kṣipaty ambhasi bhārata
prīṇāmi tvāham ity uktvā gaṅgā srotasy amajjayat
45 tasya tan na priyaṃ rājñaḥ śaṃtanor abhavat tadā
na ca tāṃ kiṃ canovāca tyāgād bhīto mahīpatiḥ
46 atha tām aṣṭame putre jāte prahasitām iva
uvāca rājā duḥkhārtaḥ parīpsan putram ātmanaḥ
47 mā vadhīḥ kāsi kasyāsi kiṃ hiṃsasi sutān iti
putraghni sumahat pāpaṃ mā prāpas tiṣṭha garhite
48 [strī]
putra kāmana te hanmi putraṃ putravatāṃ vara
jīrṇas tu mama vāso 'yaṃ yathā sa samayaḥ kṛtaḥ
49 ahaṃ gaṅgā jahnusutā maharṣigaṇasevitā
devakāryārtha siddhyartham uṣiṭāhaṃ tvayā saha
50 aṣṭame vasavo devā mahābhāgā mahaujasaḥ
vasiṣṭha śāpadoṣeṇa mānuṣatvam upāgatāḥ
51 teṣāṃ janayitā nānyas tvadṛte bhuvi vidyate
madvidhā mānuṣī dhātrī na caivāstīha kā cana
52 tasmāt taj jananī hetor mānuṣatvam upāgatā
janayitvā vasūn aṣṭau jitā lokās tvayākṣayāḥ
53 devānāṃ samayas tv eṣa vasūnāṃ saṃśruto mayā
jātaṃ jātaṃ mokṣayiṣye janmato mānuṣād iti
54 tat te śāpād vinirmuktā āpavasya mahātmanaḥ
svasti te 'stu gamiṣyāmi putraṃ pāhi mahāvratam
55 eṣa paryāya vāso me vasūnāṃ saṃnidhau kṛtaḥ
matprasūtaṃ vijānīhi gaṅgā dattam imaṃ sutam
SECTION XCII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Ashtaka asked, 'Who amongst these, O
king, both exerting constantly like the Sun and the Moon, first attaineth to
communion with Brahma, the ascetic or the man of knowledge?'"Yayati answered, 'The wise, with the help of the Vedas and of Knowledge, having ascertained the visible universe to be illusory, instantly realises the Supreme Spirit as the sole existent independent essence. While they that devote themselves to Yoga meditation take time to acquire the same knowledge, for it is by practice alone that these latter divest themselves of the consciousness of quality. Hence the wise attain to salvation first. Then again if the person devoted to Yoga find not sufficient time in one life to attain success, being led astray by the attractions of the world, in his next life he is benefited by the progress already achieved, for he devoteth himself regretfully to the pursuit of success. But the man of knowledge ever beholdeth the indestructible unity, and, is, therefore, though steeped in worldly enjoyments, never affected by them at heart. Therefore, there is nothing to impede his salvation. He, however, who faileth to attain to knowledge, should yet devote himself to piety as dependent on action (sacrifices &c.). But he that devoteth himself to such
p. 196
piety, moved thereto by desire of salvation, can never achieve success. His sacrifices bear no fruit and partake of the nature of cruelty. Piety which is dependent on action that proceedeth not from the desire of fruit, is, in case of such men Yoga itself.'
"Ashtaka said, 'O king, thou lookest like a young man; thou art handsome and decked with a celestial garland. Thy splendour is great! Whence dost thou come and where dost thou go? Whose messenger art thou? Art thou going down into the Earth?'
"Yayati said, 'Fallen from heaven upon the loss of all my religious merits, I am doomed to enter the Earth-hell. Indeed, I shall go there after I have finished my discourse with you. Even now the regents of the points of the universe command me to hasten thither. And, O king, I have obtained it as a boon from Indra that though fall I must upon the earth, yet I should fall amidst the wise and the virtuous. Ye are all wise and virtuous that are assembled here.'
"Ashtaka said, 'Thou art acquainted with everything. I ask thee, O king, are there any regions for myself to enjoy in heaven or in the firmament? If there be, then, thou shalt not fall, though falling.'
"Yayati answered, 'O king, there are as many regions for thee to enjoy in heaven even as the number of kine and horses on Earth with the animals in the wilderness and on the hills.'
"Ashtaka said, 'If there are worlds for me to enjoy, as fruits of my religious merits, in heaven, O king, I give them all unto thee. Therefore, though falling, thou shalt not fall. O, take thou soon all those, wherever they be, in heaven or in the firmament. Let thy sorrow cease.'
"Yayati answered, 'O best of kings, a Brahma-knowing Brahmana alone can take in gift, but not one like ourselves. And, O monarch, I myself have given away to Brahmanas as one should. Let no man who, is not a Brahmana and let not the wife of a learned Brahmana ever live in infamy by accepting gifts. While on earth, I ever desired to perform virtuous acts. Having never done so before, how shall I now accept a gift?'
"Pratardana who was amongst them asked, 'O thou of the handsomest form, I am Pratardana by name. I ask thee if there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my religious merits, in heaven or the firmament? Answer me, thou art acquainted with everything.'
"Yayati said, 'O king, numberless worlds, full of felicity, effulgent like the solar disc, and where woe can never dwell, await thee. If thou dwellest in each but for seven days, they would not yet be exhausted.'
"Pratardana said, 'These then I give unto thee. Therefore, though falling, thou must not fall. Let the worlds that are mine be thine, whether they be in the firmament or heaven. O, soon take them. Let thy woes cease.'
"Yayati answered, 'O monarch, no king of equal energy should ever desire to receive as gift the religious merits of another king acquired by Yoga austerities. And no king who is afflicted with calamity through the fates should,
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if wise, act in a censurable way. A king keeping his eye fixed for ever on virtue should walk along the path of virtue like myself and, knowing what his duties are, should not act so meanly as thou directest. When others desirous of acquiring religious merits do not accept gifts, how can I do what they themselves do not? On the conclusion of this speech, that best of kings, Yayati, was then addressed by Vasumat in the following words.'"
Book
1
Chapter 93
[ṣamtanu]
āpavo nāma ko nv eṣa vasūnāṃ kiṃ ca duṣkṛtam
yasyābhiśāpāt te sarve mānuṣīṃ tanum āgatāḥ
2 anena ca kumāreṇa gaṅgā dattena kiṃ kṛtam
yasya caiva kṛtenāyaṃ mānuṣeṣu nivatsyati
3 īśānāḥ sarvalokasya vasavas te ca vai kṛtam
mānuṣeṣūdapadyanta tan mamācakṣva jāhnavi
4 [v]
saivam uktā tato gaṅgā rājānam idam abravīt
bhartāraṃ jāhnavī devī śaṃtanuṃ puruṣarṣabham
5 yaṃ lebhe varuṇaḥ putraṃ purā bharatasattama
vasiṣṭho nāma sa muniḥ khyāta āpava ity uta
6 tasyāśramapadaṃ puṇyaṃ mṛgapakṣigaṇānvitam
meroḥ pārśve nagendrasya sarvartukusumāvṛtam
7 sa vāruṇis tapas tepe tasmin bharatasattama
vane puṇyakṛtāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ svādumūlaphalodake
8 dakṣasya duhitā yā tu surabhīty atigarvitā
gāṃ prajātā tu sā devī kaśyapād bharatarṣabha
9 anugrahārthaṃ jagataḥ sarvakāmadughāṃ varām
tāṃ lebhe gāṃ tu dharmātmā homadhenuṃ sa vāruṇiḥ
10 sā tasmiṃs tāpasāraṇye vasantī munisevite
cacāra ramye dharmye ca gaur apetabhayā tadā
11 atha tad vanam ājagmuḥ kadā cid bharatarṣabha
pṛthv ādyā vasavaḥ sarve devadevarṣisevitam
12 te sadārā vanaṃ tac ca vyacaranta samantataḥ
remire ramaṇīyeṣu parvateṣu vaneṣu ca
13 tatraikasya tu bhāryā vai vasor vāsava vikrama
sā carantī vane tasmin gāṃ dadarśa sumadhyamā
yā sā vasiṣṭhasya muneḥ sarvakāmadhug uttamā
14 sā vismayasamāviṣṭā śīladraviṇa saṃpadā
dive vai darśayām āsa tāṃ gāṃ govṛṣabhekṣaṇa
15 svāpīnāṃ ca sudogdhrīṃ ca suvāladhi mukhāṃ śubhām
upapannāṃ guṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ śīlenānuttamena ca
16 evaṃguṇasamāyuktāṃ vasave vasu nandinī
darśayām āsa rājendra purā pauravanandana
17 dyaus tadā tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvaiva gāṃ gajendrendra vikrama
uvāca rājaṃs tāṃ devīṃ tasyā rūpaguṇān vadan
18 eṣā gaur uttamā devi vāruṇer asitekṣaṇe
ṛṣes tasya varārohe yasyedaṃ vanam uttamam
19 asyāḥ kṣīraṃ piben martyaḥ svādu yo vai sumadhyame
daśavarṣasahasrāṇi sa jīvet sthirayauvanaḥ
20 etac chrutvā tu sā devī nṛpottama sumadhyamā
tam uvācānavadyāṅgī bhartāraṃ dīptatejasam
21 asti me mānuṣe loke naradevātmajā sakhī
nāmnā jinavatī nāma rūpayauvana śālinī
22 uśīnarasya rājarṣeḥ satyasaṃdhasya dhīmataḥ
duhitā prathitā loke mānuṣe rūpasaṃpadā
23 tasyā hetor mahābhāga savatsāṃ gāṃ mamepsitām
ānayasvāmara śreṣṭha tvaritaṃ puṇyavardhana
24 yāvad asyāḥ payaḥ pītvā sā sakhī mama mānada
mānuṣeṣu bhavatv ekā jarā rogavivarjitā
25 etan mama mahābhāga kartum arhasy anindita
priyaṃ priyataraṃ hy asmān nāsi me 'nyat kathaṃ cana
26 etac chrutvā vacas tasyā devyāḥ priyacikīrṣayā
pṛthv ādyair bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ dyaus tadā tāṃ jahāra gām
27 tayā kamalapatrākṣyā niyukto dyaus tadā nṛpaḥ
ṛṣes tasya tapas tīvraṃ na śaśāka nirīkṣitum
hṛtā gauḥ sā tadā tena prapātas tu na tarkitaḥ
28 athāśramapadaṃ prāptaḥ phalāny ādāya vāruṇiḥ
na cāpaśyata gāṃ tatra savatsāṃ kānanottame
29 tataḥ sa mṛgayām āsa vane tasmiṃs tapodhanaḥ
nādhyagacchac ca mṛgayaṃs tāṃ gāṃ munir udāradhīḥ
30 jñātvā tathāpanītāṃ tāṃ vasubhir divyadarśanaḥ
yayau krodhavaśaṃ sadyaḥ śaśāpa ca vasūṃs tadā
31 yasmān me vasavo jahrur gāṃ vai dogdhrīṃ suvāladhim
tasmāt sarve janiṣyanti mānuṣeṣu na saṃśayaḥ
32 evaṃ śaśāpa bhagavān vasūṃs tān munisattamaḥ
vaśaṃ kopasya saṃprāpta āpavo bharatarṣabha
33 śaptvā ca tān mahābhāgas tapasy eva mano dadhe
evaṃ sa śaptavān rājan vasūn aṣṭau tapodhanaḥ
mahāprabhāvo brahmarṣir devān roṣasamanvitaḥ
34 athāśramapadaṃ prāpya taṃ sma bhūyo mahātmanaḥ
śaptāḥ sma iti jānanta ṛṣiṃ tam upacakramuḥ
35 prasādayantas tam ṛṣiṃ vasavaḥ pārthivarṣabha
na lebhire ca tasmāt te prasādam ṛṣisattamāt
āpavāt puruṣavyāghra sarvadharmaviśāradāt
36 uvāca ca sa dharmātmā sapta yūyaṃ dharādayaḥ
anusaṃvatsarāc chāpamokṣaṃ vai samavāpsyatha
37 ayaṃ tu yatkṛte yūyaṃ mayā śaptāḥ sa vatsyati
dyaus tadā mānuṣe loke dīrghakālaṃ svakarmaṇā
38 nānṛtaṃ tac cikīrṣāmi yuṣmān kruddho yad abruvam
na prajāsyati cāpy eṣa mānuṣeṣu mahāmanāḥ
39 bhaviṣyati ca dharmātmā sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ
pituḥ priyahite yuktaḥ strī bhogān varjayiṣyati
evam uktvā vasūn sarvāñ jagāma bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
40 tato mām upajagmus te samastā vasavas tadā
ayācanta ca māṃ rājan varaṃ sa ca mayā kṛtaḥ
jātāñ jātān prakṣipāsmān svayaṃ gaṅge tvam ambhasi
41 evaṃ teṣām ahaṃ samyak śaptānāṃ rājasattama
mokṣārthaṃ mānuṣāl lokād yathāvat kṛtavaty aham
42 ayaṃ śāpād ṛṣes tasya eka eva nṛpottama
dyau rājan mānuṣe loke ciraṃ vatsyati bhārata
43 etad ākhyāya sā devī tatraivāntaradhīyata
ādāya ca kumāraṃ taṃ jagāmātha yathepsitam
44 sa tu devavrato nāma gāṅgeya iti cābhavat
dvināmā śaṃtanoḥ putraḥ śaṃtanor adhiko guṇaiḥ
45 śaṃtanuś cāpi śokārto jagāma svapuraṃ tataḥ
tasyāhaṃ kīrtayiṣyāmi śaṃtanor amitān guṇān
46 mahābhāgyaṃ ca nṛpater bhāratasya yaśasvinaḥ
yathetihāso dyutimān mahābhāratam ucyate
SECTION XCIII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vasumat said, 'I am Vasumat, the son of
Oshadaswa. I would ask thee, O king, whether there are any worlds for me to
enjoy as fruits of my religious merits, in heaven or the firmament. Thou art, O
high-souled one, acquainted with all holy regions.'"Yayati answered, 'There are as many regions for thee to enjoy in heaven as the number of places in the firmament, the Earth and the ten points of the universe illumined by the Sun.'
"Vasumat then said, 'I give them to thee. Let those regions that are for me be thine. Therefore, though falling, thou shall not fall. If to accept them as gift be improper for thee, then, O monarch, buy them for a straw?'
"Yayati answered, 'I do not remember having ever bought and sold anything unfairly. This has never been done by other kings. How shall I therefore do it?'
"Vasumat said, 'If buying them, O king, be regarded by thee as improper, then take them as gilt from me. For myself I answer that I will never go to those regions that are for me. Let them, therefore, be thine.'
"Sivi then addressed the king thus, I am, O king, Sivi by name, the son of Usinara. O father, are there in the firmament or in heaven any worlds for me to enjoy? Thou knowest every region that one may enjoy as the fruit of his religious merit.'
"Yayati said, 'Thou hast never, by speech or in mind, disregarded the honest and the virtuous that applied to thee. There are infinite worlds for thee to enjoy in heaven, all blazing like lightning.' Sivi then said, 'If thou regardest their purchase as improper, I give them to thee. Take them all, O king! I shall never take them, viz., those regions where the wise never feel the least disquiet.'
Yayati answered, 'O Sivi, thou hast indeed, obtained for thyself, possessed of the prowess of Indra, infinite worlds. But I do not desire to enjoy regions given to me by others. Therefore, I accept not thy gift.'
"Ashtaka then said, 'O king, each of us has expressed his desire to give thee worlds that each of us has acquired by his religious merits. Thou acceptest not them. But leaving them for thee, we shall descend into the Earth-hell.'
p. 198
"Yayati answered, 'Ye all are truth-loving and wise. Give me that which I deserve. I shall not be able to do what I have never done before.'
"Ashtaka then said, 'Whose are those five golden cars that we see? Do men that repair to these regions of everlasting bliss ride in them?'
"Yayati answered, 'Those five golden cars displayed in glory, and blazing as fire, would indeed, carry you to regions of bliss.'
"Ashtaka said, 'O king, ride on those cars thyself and repair to heaven. We can wait. We follow thee in time.'
"Yayati said, 'We can now all go together. Indeed, all of us have conquered heaven. Behold, the glorious path to heaven becomes visible."
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then all those excellent monarchs riding in those cars set out for heaven for gaining admittance into it, illuminating the whole firmament by the glory of their virtues.'
"Then Ashtaka, breaking the silence asked, 'I had always thought that Indra was my especial friend, and that I, of all others, should first obtain admittance into heaven. But how is it that Usinara's son, Sivi hath already left us behind?'
"Yayati answered, 'This Usinara's son had given all he possessed for attaining to the region of Brahman. Therefore, is he the foremost among us. Besides, Sivi's liberality, asceticism, truth, virtue, modesty, forgiveness, amiability, desire of performing good acts, have been so great that none can measure them!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, Ashtaka, impelled by curiosity, again asked his maternal grandfather resembling Indra himself, saying, 'O king, I ask thee, tell me truly, whence thou art, who thou art, and whose son? Is there any other Brahmana or Kshatriya who hath done what thou didst on earth?' Yayati answered, 'I tell thee truly, I am Yayati, the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. I was lord of all the Earth. Ye are my relatives; I tell thee truly, I am the maternal grandfather of you all. Having conquered the whole earth, I gave clothes to Brahmanas and also a hundred handsome horses fit for sacrificial offering. For such acts of virtue, the gods became propitious to those that perform them. I also gave to Brahmanas this whole earth with her horses and elephants and kine and gold all kinds of wealth, along with a hundred Arbudas of excellent milch cows. Both the earth and the firmament exist owing to my truth and virtue; fire yet burneth in the world of men owing to my truth and virtue. Never hath a word spoken by me been untrue. It is for this that the wise adore Truth. O Ashtaka, all I have told thee, Pratardana, and Vasumat, is Truth itself. I know it for certain that the gods and the Rishis and all the mansions of the blessed are adorable only because of Truth that characteriseth them all. He that will without malice duly read unto good Brahmanas his account of our ascension to heaven shall himself attain to the same worlds with us.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'It was thus that the illustrious king Yayati of
p. 199
high achievements, rescued by his collateral descendants, ascended to heaven, leaving the earth and covering the three worlds with the fame of his deeds.'"
Book
1
Chapter 94
1 [v]
sa evaṃ śaṃtanur dhīmān devarājarṣisatkṛtaḥ
dharmātmā sarvalokeṣu satyavāg iti viśrutaḥ
2 damo dānaṃ kṣamā buddhir hrīr dhṛtis teja uttamam
nityāny āsan mahāsattve śaṃtanau puruṣarṣabhe
3 evaṃ sa guṇasaṃpanno dharmārthakuśalo nṛpaḥ
āsīd bharata vaṃśasya goptā sādhu janasya ca
4 kambugrīvaḥ pṛthu vyaṃso mattavāraṇavikramaḥ
dharma eva paraḥ kāmād arthāc ceti vyavasthitaḥ
5 etāny āsan mahāsattve śaṃtanau bharatarṣabha
na cāsya sadṛśaḥ kaś cit kṣatriyo dharmato 'bhavat
6 vartamānaṃ hi dharme sve sarvadharmavidāṃ varam
taṃ mahīpā mahīpālaṃ rājarājye 'bhyaṣecayan
7 vītaśokabhayābādhāḥ sukhasvapnavibodhanāḥ
prati bhārata goptāraṃ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ
8 śaṃtanu pramukhair gupte loke nṛpatibhis tadā
niyamāt sarvavarṇānāṃ brahmottaram avartata
9 brahma paryacarat kṣatraṃ viśaḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ
brahmakṣatrānuraktāś ca śūdrāḥ paryacaran viśaḥ
10 sa hāstinapure ramye kurūṇāṃ puṭabhedane
vasan sāgaraparyantām anvaśād vai vasuṃdharām
11 sa devarājasadṛśo dharmajñaḥ satyavāg ṛjuḥ
dānadharmatapo yogāc chriyā paramayā yutaḥ
12 arāgadveṣasaṃyuktaḥ somavat priyadarśanaḥ
tejasā sūryasaṃkāśo vāyuvegasamo jave
antakapratimaḥ kope kṣamayā pṛthivīsamaḥ
13 vadhaḥ paśuvarāhāṇāṃ tathaiva mṛgapakṣiṇām
śaṃtanau pṛthivīpāle nāvartata vṛthā nṛpaḥ
14 dharmabrahmottare rājye śaṃtanur vinayātmavān
samaṃ śaśāsa bhūtāni kāmarāgavivarjitaḥ
15 devarṣipitṛyajñārtham ārabhyanta tadā kriyāḥ
na cādharmeṇa keṣāṃ cit prāṇinām abhavad vadhaḥ
16 asukhānām anāthānāṃ tiryagyoniṣu vartatām
sa eva rājā bhūtānāṃ sarveṣām abhavat pitā
17 tasmin kurupatiśreṣṭhe rājarājeśvare sati
śritā vāg abhavat satyaṃ dānadharmāśritaṃ manaḥ
18 sa samāḥ ṣoḍaśāṣṭau ca catasro 'ṣṭau tathāparāḥ
ratim aprāpnuvan strīṣu babhūva vanagocaraḥ
19 tathārūpas tathācāras tathā vṛttas tathā śrutaḥ
gāṅgeyas tasya putro 'bhūn nāmnā devavrato vasuḥ
20 sarvāstreṣu sa niṣṇātaḥ pārthiveṣv itareṣu ca
mahābalo mahāsattvo mahāvīryo mahārathaḥ
21 sa kadā cin mṛgaṃ viddhvā gaṅgām anusaran nadīm
bhāgīrathīm alpajalāṃ śaṃtanur dṛṣṭavān nṛpaḥ
22 tāṃ dṛṣṭvā cintayām āsa śaṃtanuḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ
syandate kiṃ nv iyaṃ nādya saricchreṣṭhā yathā purā
23 tato nimittam anvicchan dadarśa sa mahāmanāḥ
kumāraṃ rūpasaṃpannaṃ bṛhantaṃ cārudarśanam
24 divyam astraṃ vikurvāṇaṃ yathā devaṃ puraṃdaram
kṛtsnāṃ gaṅgāṃ samāvṛtya śarais tīkṣṇair avasthitam
25 tāṃ śarair āvṛtāṃ dṛṣṭvā nadīṃ gaṅgāṃ tad antike
abhavad vismito rājā karma dṛṣṭvātimānuṣam
26 jātamātraṃ purā dṛṣṭaṃ taṃ putraṃ śaṃtanus tadā
nopalebhe smṛtiṃ dhīmān abhijñātuṃ tam ātmajam
27 sa tu taṃ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā mohayām āsa māyayā
saṃmohya tu tataḥ kṣipraṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata
28 tad adbhutaṃ tadā dṛṣṭvā tatra rājā sa śaṃtanuḥ
śaṅkamānaḥ sutaṃ gaṅgām abravīd darśayeti ha
29 darśayām āsa taṃ gaṅgā bibhratī rūpam uttamam
gṛhītvā dakṣiṇe pāṇau taṃ kumāram alaṃkṛtam
30 alaṃkṛtām ābharaṇair arajo 'mbaradhāriṇīm
dṛṣṭapūrvām api satīṃ nābhyajānāt sa śaṃtanuḥ
31 [g]
yaṃ putram aṣṭamaṃ rājaṃs tvaṃ purā mayy ajāyithāḥ
sa te 'yaṃ puruṣavyāghra nayasvainaṃ gṛhāntikam
32 vedān adhijage sāṅgān vasiṣṭhād eva vīryavān
kṛtāstraḥ parameṣvāso devarājasamo yudhi
33 surāṇāṃ saṃmato nityam asurāṇāṃ ca bhārata
uśanā veda yac chāstram ayaṃ tad veda sarvaśaḥ
34 tathaivāṅgirasaḥ putraḥ surāsuranamaskṛtaḥ
yad veda śāstraṃ tac cāpi kṛtsnam asmin pratiṣṭhitam
tava putre mahābāhau sāṅgopāṅgaṃ mahātmani
35 ṛṣiḥ parair anādhṛṣyo jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān
yad astraṃ veda rāmaś ca tad apy asmin pratiṣṭhitam
36 maheṣvāsam imaṃ rājan rājadharmārthakovidam
mayā dattaṃ nijaṃ putraṃ vīraṃ vīra gṛhān naya
37 [v]
tayaivaṃ samanujñātaḥ putram ādāya śaṃtanuḥ
bhrājamānaṃ yathādityam āyayau svapuraṃ prati
38 pauravaḥ svapuraṃ gatvā puraṃdara puropamam
sarvakāmasamṛddhārthaṃ mene ātmānam ātmanā
pauraveṣu tataḥ putraṃ yauvarājye 'bhyaṣecayat
39 pauravāñ śaṃtanoḥ putraḥ pitaraṃ ca mahāyaśāḥ
rāṣṭraṃ ca rañjayām āsa vṛttena bharatarṣabha
40 sa tathā saha putreṇa ramamāṇo mahīpatiḥ
vartayām āsa varṣāṇi catvāry amitavikramaḥ
41 sa kadā cid vanaṃ yāto yamunām abhito nadīm
mahīpatir anirdeśyam ājighrad gandham uttamam
42 tasya prabhavam anvicchan vicacāra samantataḥ
sa dadarśa tadā kanyāṃ dāśānāṃ devarūpiṇīm
43 tām apṛcchat sa dṛṣṭvaiva kanyām asitalocanām
kasya tvam asi kā cāsi kiṃ ca bhīru cikīrṣasi
44 sābravīd dāśakanyāsmi dharmārthaṃ vāhaye tarīm
pitur niyogād bhadraṃ te dāśarājño mahātmanaḥ
45 rūpamādhurya gandhais tāṃ saṃyuktāṃ devarūpiṇīm
samīkṣya rājā dāśeyīṃ kāmayām āsa śaṃtanuḥ
46 sa gatvā pitaraṃ tasyā varayām āsa tāṃ tadā
paryapṛcchat tatas tasyāḥ pitaraṃ cātmakāraṇāt
47 sa ca taṃ pratyuvācedaṃ dāśarājo mahīpatim
jātamātraiva me deyā varāya varavarṇinī
hṛdi kāmas tu me kaś cit taṃ nibodha janeśvara
48 yadīmāṃ dharmapatnīṃ tvaṃ mattaḥ prārthayase 'nagha
satyavāg asi satyena samayaṃ kuru me tataḥ
49 samayena pradadyāṃ te kanyām aham imāṃ nṛpa
na hi me tvatsamaḥ kaś cid varo jātu bhaviṣyati
50 [ṣ]
śrutvā tava varaṃ dāśavyavasyeyam ahaṃ na vā
dātavyaṃ cet pradāsyāmi na tv adeyaṃ kathaṃ cana
51 [dāṣa]
asyāṃ jāyeta yaḥ putraḥ sa rājā pṛthivīpatiḥ
tvad ūrdhvam abhiṣektavyo nānyaḥ kaś cana pārthiva
52 [v]
nākāmayata taṃ dātuṃ varaṃ dāśāya śaṃtanuḥ
śarīrajena tīvreṇa dahyamāno 'pi bhārata
53 sa cintayann eva tadā dāśakanyāṃ mahīpatiḥ
pratyayād dhāstina puraṃ śokopahatacetanaḥ
54 tataḥ kadā cic chocantaṃ śaṃtanuṃ dhyānam āsthitam
putro devavrato 'bhyetya pitaraṃ vākyam abravīt
55 sarvato bhavataḥ kṣemaṃ vidheyāḥ sarvapārthivāḥ
tat kimartham ihābhīkṣṇaṃ pariśocasi duḥkhitaḥ
dhyāyann iva ca kiṃ rājan nābhibhāṣasi kiṃ cana
56 evam uktaḥ saputreṇa śaṃtanuḥ pratyabhāṣata
asaṃśayaṃ dhyānaparaṃ yathā māttha tathāsmy uta
57 apatyaṃ nas tvam evaikaḥ kule mahati bhārata
anityatā ca martyānām ataḥ śocāmi putraka
58 kathaṃ cit tava gāṅgeya vipattau nāsti naḥ kulam
asaṃśayaṃ tvam evaikaḥ śatād api varaḥ sutaḥ
59 na cāpy ahaṃ vṛthā bhūyo dārān kartum ihotsahe
saṃtānasyāvināśāya kāmaye bhadram astu te
anapatyataika putratvam ity āhur dharmavādinaḥ
60 agnihotraṃ trayo vedā yajñāś ca sahadakṣiṇāḥ
sarvāṇy etāny apatyasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm
61 evam eva manuṣyeṣu syāc ca sarvaprajāsv api
yad apatyaṃ mahāprājña tatra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ
eṣā trayī purāṇānām uttamānāṃ ca śāśvatī
62 tvaṃ ca śūraḥ sadāmarṣī śastranityaś ca bhārata
nānyatra śastrāt tasmāt te nidhanaṃ vidyate 'nagha
63 so 'smi saṃśayam āpannas tvayi śānte kathaṃ bhavet
iti te kāraṇaṃ tāta duḥkhasyoktam aśeṣataḥ
64 tatas tat kāraṇaṃ jñātvā kṛtsnaṃ caivam aśeṣataḥ
devavrato mahābuddhiḥ prayayāv anucintayan
65 abhyagacchat tadaivāśu vṛddhāmātyaṃ pitur hitam
tam apṛcchat tadābhyetya pitus tac chokakāraṇam
66 tasmai sa kurumukhyāya yathāvat paripṛcchate
varaṃ śaśaṃsa kanyāṃ tām uddiśya bharatarṣabha
67 tato devavrato vṛddhaiḥ kṣatriyaiḥ sahitas tadā
abhigamya dāśarājānaṃ kanyāṃ vavre pituḥ svayam
68 taṃ dāśaḥ pratijagrāha vidhivat pratipūjya ca
abravīc cainam āsīnaṃ rājasaṃsadi bhārata
69 tvam eva nāthaḥ paryāptaḥ śaṃtanoḥ puruṣarṣabha
putraḥ putravatāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi te vacaḥ
70 ko hi saṃbandhakaṃ ślāghyam īpsitaṃ yaunam īdṛśam
atikrāman na tapyeta sākṣād api śatakratuḥ
71 apatyaṃ caitad āryasya yo yuṣmākaṃ samo guṇaiḥ
yasya śukrāt satyavatī prādurbhūtā yaśasvinī
72 tena me bahuśas tāta pitā te parikīrtitaḥ
arhaḥ satyavatīṃ voḍhuṃ sarvarājasu bhārata
73 asito hy api devarṣiḥ pratyākhyātaḥ purā mayā
satyavatyā bhṛśaṃ hy arthī sa āsīd ṛṣisattamaḥ
74 kanyāpitṛtvāt kiṃ cit tu vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha
balavat sapatnatām atra doṣaṃ paśyāmi kevalam
75 yasya hi tvaṃ sapatnaḥ syā gandharvasyāsurasya vā
na sa jātu sukhaṃ jīvet tvayi kruddhe paraṃtapa
76 etāvān atra doṣo hi nānyaḥ kaś cana pārthiva
etaj jānīhi bhadraṃ te dānādāne paraṃtapa
77 evam uktas tu gāṅgeyas tad yuktaṃ pratyabhāṣata
śṛṇvatāṃ bhūmipālānāṃ pitur arthāya bhārata
78 idaṃ me matam ādatsva satyaṃ satyavatāṃ vara
naiva jāto na vājāta īdṛśaṃ vaktum utsahet
79 evam etat kariṣyāmi yathā tvam anubhāṣase
yo 'syāṃ janiṣyate putraḥ sa no rājā bhaviṣyati
80 ity uktaḥ punar evātha taṃ dāśaḥ pratyabhāṣata
cikīrṣur duṣkaraṃ karma rājyārthe bharatarṣabha
81 tvam eva nāthaḥ paryāptaḥ śaṃtanor amitadyuteḥ
kanyāyāś caiva dharmātman prabhur dānāya ceśvaraḥ
82 idaṃ tu vacanaṃ saumya kāryaṃ caiva nibodha me
kaumārikāṇāṃ śīlena vakṣyāmy aham ariṃdama
83 yat tvayā satyavaty arthe satyadharmaparāyaṇa
rājamadhye pratijñātam anurūpaṃ tavaiva tat
84 nānyathā tan mahābāho saṃśayo 'tra na kaś cana
tavāpatyaṃ bhaved yat tu tatra naḥ saṃśayo mahān
85 tasya tan matam ājñāya satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ
pratyajānāt tadā rājan pituḥ priyacikīrṣayā
86 [devavrata]
dāśarājanibodhedaṃ vacanaṃ me nṛpottama
śṛṇvatāṃ bhūmipālānāṃ yad bravīmi pituḥ kṛte
87 rājyaṃ tāvat pūrvam eva mayā tyaktaṃ narādhipa
apatyahetor api ca karomy eṣa viniścayam
88 adya prabhṛti me dāśabrahmacaryaṃ bhaviṣyati
aputrasyāpi me lokā bhaviṣyanty akṣayā divi
89 [v]
tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā saṃprahṛṣṭatanū ruhaḥ
dadānīty eva taṃ dāśo dharmātmā pratyabhāṣata
90 tato 'ntarikṣe 'psaraso devāḥ sarṣigaṇās tathā
abhyavarṣanta kusumair bhīṣmo 'yam iti cābruvan
91 tataḥ sa pitur arthāya tām uvāca yaśasvinīm
adhiroha rathaṃ mātar gacchāvaḥ svagṛhān iti
92 evam uktvā tu bhīṣmas tāṃ ratham āropya bhāminīm
āgamya hāstinapuraṃ śaṃtanoḥ saṃnyavedayat
93 tasya tad duṣkaraṃ karma praśaśaṃsur narādhipāḥ
sametāś ca pṛthak caiva bhīṣmo 'yam iti cābruvan
94 tad dṛṣṭvā duṣkaraṃ karmakṛtaṃ bhīṣmeṇa śaṃtanuḥ
svacchandamaraṇaṃ tasmai dadau tuṣṭaḥ pitā svayam
SECTION XCIV
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Janamejaya said, 'O adorable one, I
desire to hear the histories of those kings who were descended from Puru. O
tell me of each as he was possessed of prowess and achievements. I have,
indeed, heard that in Puru's line there was not a single one who was wanting in
good behaviour and prowess, or who was without sons. O thou of ascetic wealth,
I desire to hear the histories in detail of those famous monarchs endued with
learning and all accomplishments.'"Vaisampayana said, 'Asked by thee, I shall tell thee all about the heroic-kings in Puru's line, all equal unto Indra in prowess, possessing great affluence and commanding the respect of all for their accomplishments.
"Puru had by his wife Paushti three sons, Pravira, Iswara, and Raudraswa, all of whom were mighty car-warriors. Amongst them, Pravira was the perpetuator of the dynasty. Pravira had by his wife Suraseni a son named Manasyu. And the latter of eyes like lotus-petals had his sway over the whole Earth bounded by the four seas. And Manasyu had for his wife Sauviri. And he begat upon her three sons called Sakta, Sahana, and Vagmi. And they were heroes in battle and mighty car-warriors. The intelligent and virtuous Kaudraswa begat upon the Apsara Misrakesi ten sons who were all great bowmen. And they all grew up into heroes, performing numerous sacrifices in honour of the gods. And they all had sons, were learned in all branches of knowledge and ever devoted to virtue. They are Richeyu, and Kaksreyu and Vrikeyu of great prowess; Sthandileyu, and Vaneyu, and Jaleyu of great fame; Tejeyu of great strength and intelligence; and Satyeyu of the prowess of Indra; Dharmeyu, and Sannateyu the tenth of the prowess of the celestials. Amongst them all, Richeyu became the sole monarch of the whole earth and was known by the name of Anadhrishti. And in prowess he was like unto Vasava amongst the celestials. And Anadhristi had a son of the name of Matinara who became a famous and virtuous king and performed the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice. And Matinara had four sons of immeasurable prowess, viz., Tansu, Mahan, Atiratha, and Druhyu of immeasurable glory. (Amongst them, Tansu of great prowess became the perpetrator of Puru's line). And he subjugated the whole earth and acquired great fame and splendour. And Tansu begat a son of great prowess named Ilina. And he became the foremost of all conquerors and brought the whole world under his subjection. And Ilina begat upon his wife Rathantara five sons with Dushmanta at their
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head, all equal in might unto the five elements. They were Dushmanta, Sura, Bhima, Pravasu, and Vasu. And, O Janamejaya, the eldest of them, Dushmanta, became king. And Dushmanta had by his wife Sakuntala an intelligent son named Bharata who became king. And Bharata gave his name to the race of which he was the founder. And it is from him that the fame of that dynasty hath spread so wide. And Bharata begat upon his three wives nine sons in all. But none of them were like their father and so Bharata was not at all pleased with them. Their mothers, therefore, became angry and slew them all. The procreation of children by Bharata, therefore, became vain. The monarch then performed a great sacrifice and through the grace of Bharadwaja obtained a son named Bhumanyu. And then Bharata, the great descendant of Puru, regarding himself as really possessing a son, installed, O foremost one of Bharata's race, that son as his heir-apparent. And Bhumanyu begat upon his wife, Pushkarini six sons named Suhotra, Suhotri, Suhavih, Sujeya, Diviratha and Kichika. The eldest of them all, Suhotra, obtained the throne and performed many Rajasuyas and horse-sacrifices. And Suhotra brought under his sway the whole earth surrounded by her belt of seas and full of elephants, kine and horses, and all her wealth of gems of gold. And the earth afflicted with the weight of numberless human beings and elephants, horses, and cats, was, as it were, about to sink. And during the virtuous reign of Suhotra the surface of the whole earth was dotted all over with hundreds and thousands, of sacrificial stakes. And the lord of the earth, Suhotra, begat, upon his wife Aikshaki three sons, viz., Ajamidha, Sumidha, and Purumidha. The eldest of them, Ajamidha, was the perpetuator of the royal line. And he begat six sons,--Riksha was born of the womb of Dhumini, Dushmanta and Parameshthin, of Nili, and Jahnu, Jala and Rupina were born in that of Kesini. All the tribes of the Panchalas are descended from Dushmanta and Parameshthin. And the Kushikas are the sons of Jahnu of immeasurable prowess. And Riksha who was older than both Jala and Rupina became king. And Riksha begat Samvarana, the perpetuator of the royal line. And, O king, it hath been heard by us that while Samvarana, the son of Riksha, was ruling the earth, there happened a great loss of people from famine, pestilence, drought, and disease. And the Bharata princes were beaten by the troops of enemies. And the Panchalas setting out to invade the whole earth with their four kinds of troops soon brought the whole earth under their sway. And with their ten Akshauhinis the king of the Panchalas defeated the Bharata prince. Samvarana then with his wife and ministers, sons and relatives, fled in fear, and took shelter in the forest on the banks of the Sindhu extending to the foot of the mountains. There the Bharatas lived for a full thousand years, within their fort. And after they had lived there a thousand years, one day the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha approached the exiled Bharatas, who, on going out, saluted the Rishi and worshipped him by the offer of Arghya.
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[paragraph continues] And entertaining him with reverence, they represented everything unto that illustrious Rishi. And after he was seated on his seat, the king himself approached the Rishi and addressed him, saying, 'Be thou our priest, O illustrious one! We will endeavour to regain our kingdom.' And Vasishtha answered the Bharatas by saying, 'Om' (the sign of consent). It hath been heard by us that Vasishtha then installed the Bharata prince in the sovereignty of all the Kshatriyas on earth, making by virtue of his Mantras this descendant of Puru the veritable horns of the wild bull or the tusks of the wild elephants. And the king retook the capital that had been taken away from him and once more made all monarchs pay tribute to him. The powerful Samvarana, thus installed once more in the actual sovereignty of the whole earth, performed many sacrifices at which the presents to the Brahmanas were great.
"Samvarana begat upon his wife, Tapati, the daughter of Surya, a son named Kuru. This Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, and therefore, he was installed on the throne by his people. It is after his name that the field called Kuru-jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to asceticism, he made that field (Kurukshetra) sacred by practising asceticism there. And it has been heard by us that Kuru's highly intelligent wife, Vahini, brought forth five sons, viz., Avikshit, Bhavishyanta, Chaitraratha, Muni and the celebrated Janamejaya. And Avikshit begat Parikshit the powerful, Savalaswa, Adhiraja, Viraja, Salmali of great physical strength, Uchaihsravas, Bhangakara and Jitari the eighth. In the race of these were born, as the fruit of their pious acts seven mighty car-warriors with Janamejaya at their head. And unto Parikshit were born sons who were all acquainted with (the secrets of) religion and profit. And they were named Kakshasena and Ugrasena, and Chitrasena endued with great energy, and Indrasena and Sushena and Bhimasena. And the sons of Janamejaya were all endued with great strength and became celebrated all over the world. And they were Dhritarashtra who was the eldest, and Pandu and Valhika, and Nishadha endued with great energy, and then the mighty Jamvunada, and then Kundodara and Padati and then Vasati the eighth. And they were all proficient in morality and profit and were kind to all creatures. Among them Dhritarashtra became king. And Dhritarashtra had eight sons, viz., Kundika, Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha the fifth, Havihsravas, Indrabha, and Bhumanyu the invincible, and Dhritarashtra had many grandsons, of whom three only were famous. They were, O king, Pratipa, Dharmanetra, Sunetra. Among these three, Pratipa became unrivalled on earth. And, O bull in Bharata's race, Pratipa begat three sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu, and the mighty car-warrior Valhika. The eldest Devapi adopted the ascetic course of life, impelled thereto by the desire of benefiting his brothers. And the kingdom was obtained by Santanu and the mighty car-warrior Valhika.
"O monarch, besides, there were born in the race of Bharata numberless
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other excellent monarchs endued with great energy and like unto the celestial Rishis themselves in virtue and ascetic power. And so also in the race of Manu were born many mighty car-warriors like unto the celestials themselves, who by their number swelled the Aila dynasty into gigantic proportions.'"
Book
1
Chapter 95
1 [v]
tato vivāhe nirvṛtte sa rājā śaṃtanur nṛpaḥ
tāṃ kanyāṃ rūpasaṃpannāṃ svagṛhe saṃnyaveśayat
2 tataḥ śāṃtanavo dhīmān satyavatyām ajāyata
vīraś citrāṅgado nāma vīryeṇa manujān ati
3 athāparaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ satyavatyāṃ punaḥ prabhuḥ
vicitravīryaṃ rājānaṃ janayām āsa vīryavān
4 aprāptavati tasmiṃś ca yauvanaṃ bharatarṣabha
sa rājā śaṃtanur dhīmān kāladharmam upeyivān
5 svargate śaṃtanau bhīṣmaś citrāṅgadam ariṃdamam
sthāpayām āsa vai rājye satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ
6 sa tu citrāṅgadaḥ śauryāt sarvāṃś cikṣepa pārthivān
manuṣyaṃ na hi mene sa kaṃ cit sadṛśam ātmanaḥ
7 taṃ kṣipantaṃ surāṃś caiva manuṣyān asurāṃs tathā
gandharvarājo balavāṃs tulyanāmābhyayāt tadā
tenāsya sumahad yuddhaṃ kurukṣetre babhūva ha
8 tayor balavatos tatra gandharvakurumukhyayoḥ
nadyās tīre hiraṇvatyāḥ samās tisro 'bhavad raṇaḥ
9 tasmin vimarde tumule śastravṛṣṭiṃ samākule
māyādhiko 'vadhīd vīraṃ gandharvaḥ kurusattamam
10 citrāṅgadaṃ kuruśreṣṭhaṃ vicitraśarakārmukam
antāya kṛtvā gandharvo divam ācakrame tataḥ
11 tasmin nṛpatiśārdūle nihate bhūri varcasi
bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavo rājan pretakāryāṇy akārayat
12 vicitravīryaṃ ca tadā bālam aprāptayauvanam
kururājye mahābāhur abhyaṣiñcad anantaram
13 vicitravīryas tu tadā bhīṣmasya vacane sthitaḥ
anvaśāsan mahārāja pitṛpaitāmahaṃ padam
14 sa dharmaśāstrakuśalo bhīṣmaṃ śāṃtanavaṃ nṛpaḥ
pūjayām āsa dharmeṇa sa cainaṃ pratyapālayat
SECTION XCV
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, I have
now heard from thee this great history of my ancestors. I had also heard from
thee about the great monarchs that were born in this line. But I have not been
gratified, this charming account being so short. Therefore, be pleased, O
Brahmana, to recite the delightful narrative just in detail commencing from
Manu, the lord of creation. Who is there that will not be charmed with such an
account, as it is sacred? The fame of these monarchs increased by their wisdom,
virtue, accomplishments, and high character, hath so swelled as to cover the
three worlds. Having listened to the history, sweet as nectar, of their
liberality, prowess, physical strength, mental vigour, energy, and
perseverance, I have not been satiated!'"Vaisampayana said, 'Hear then, O monarch, as I recite in full the auspicious account of thy own race just as I had heard it from Dwaipayana before.
"Daksha begat Aditi, and Aditi begat Vivaswat, and Vivaswat begat Manu, and Manu begat Ha and Ha begat Pururavas. And Pururavas begat Ayus, and Ayus begat Nahusha, and Nahusha begat Yayati. And Yayati had two wives, viz., Devayani, the daughter of Usanas, and Sarmishtha the daughter of Vrishaparvan. Here occurs a sloka regarding (Yayati's) descendants, 'Devayani gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu; and Vrishaparvan's daughter, Sarmishtha gave birth to Druhyu, Anu, and Puru., And the descendants of Yadu are the Yadavas and of Puru are the Pauravas. And Puru had a wife of the name of Kausalya, on whom he begat a son named Janamejaya who performed three horse-sacrifices and a sacrifice called Viswajit. And then he entered into the woods. And Janamejaya had married Ananta, the daughter of Madhava, and begat upon her a son called Prachinwat. And the prince was so called because he had conquered all the eastern countries up to the very confines of the region where the Sun rises. And Prachinwat married Asmaki, a daughter of the Yadavas and begat upon her a son named Sanyati. And Sanyati married Varangi, the daughter of Drishadwata and begat upon her a son named Ahayanti. And Ahayanti married Bhanumati, the daughter of Kritavirya and begat upon her a son named Sarvabhauma. And Sarvabhauma married Sunanda, the daughter of the Kekaya prince, having obtained her by force. And
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he begat upon her a son named Jayatsena, who married Susrava, the daughter of the Vidarbha king and begat upon her Avachina, And Avachina also married another princess of Vidarbha, Maryada by name. And he begat on her a son named Arihan. And Arihan married Angi and begat on her Mahabhauma. And Mahabhauma married Suyajna, the daughter of Prasenajit. And of her was born Ayutanayi. And he was so called because he had performed a sacrifice at which the fat of an Ayuta (ten thousands) of male beings was required. And Ayutanayi took for a wife Kama, the daughter of Prithusravas. And by her was born a son named Akrodhana, who took to wife Karambha, the daughter of the king of Kalinga. And of her was born Devatithi, and Devatithi took for his wife Maryada, the princess of Videha. And of her was born a son named Arihan. And Arihan took to wife Sudeva, the princess of Anga, and upon her he begat a son named Riksha. And Riksha married Jwala, the daughter of Takshaka, and he begat upon her a son of the name of Matinara, who performed on the bank of Saraswati the twelve years' sacrifice said to be so efficacious. On conclusion of the sacrifice, Saraswati appeared in person before the king and chose him for husband. And he begat upon her a son named Tansu. Here occurs a sloka descriptive of Tansu's descendants.
"Tansu was born of Saraswati by Matinara. And Tansu himself begat a son named Ilina on his wife, the princess Kalingi.
"Ilina begat on his wife Rathantari five sons, of whom Dushmanta was the eldest. And Dushmanta took to wife Sakuntala, the daughter of Viswamitra. And he begat on her a son named Bharata. Here occurs two slokas about (Dushmanta's) descendants.
"The mother is but the sheath of flesh in which the father begets the son. Indeed the father himself is the son. Therefore, O Dushmanta, support thy son and insult not Sakuntala. O god among men, the father himself becoming the son rescueth himself from hell. Sakuntala hath truly said that thou art the author of this child's being.
"It is for this (i.e., because the king supported his child after hearing the above speech of the celestial messenger) that Sakuntala's son came to be called Bharata (the supported). And Bharata married Sunanda, the daughter of Sarvasena, the king of Kasi, and begat upon her the son named Bhumanyu. And Bhumanyu married Vijaya, the daughter of Dasarha. And he begat upon her a son Suhotra who married Suvarna, the daughter of Ikshvaku. To her was born a son named Hasti who founded this city, which has, therefore, been called Hastinapura. And Hasti married Yasodhara, the princess of Trigarta. And of her was born a son named Vikunthana who took for a wife Sudeva, the princess of Dasarha. And by her was born a son named Ajamidha. And Ajamidha had four wives named Raikeyi, Gandhari, Visala and Riksha. And he begat on them two thousand and four hundred sons. But amongst them all, Samvarana became the perpetuator of the dynasty. And Samvarana took for his wife
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[paragraph continues] Tapati, the daughter of Vivaswat. And of her was born Kuru, who married Subhangi, the princess of Dasarha. And he begat on her a son named Viduratha, who took to wife Supriya, the daughter of the Madhavas. And he begat upon her a son named Anaswan. And Anaswan married Amrita, the daughter of the Madhavas. And of her was born a son named Parikshit, who took for his wife Suvasa, the daughter of the Vahudas, and begat upon her a son named Bhimasena. And Bhimasena married Kumari, the princess of Kekaya and begat upon her Pratisravas whose son was Pratipa. And Pratipa married Sunanda, the daughter of Sivi, and begat upon her three sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu and Valhika. And Devapi, while still a boy, entered the woods as a hermit. And Santanu became king. Here occurs a sloka in respect of Santanu.
"Those old men that were touched by this monarch not only felt an indescribable sensation of pleasure but also became restored to youth. Therefore, this monarch was called Santanu.
"And Santanu married Ganga, who bore him a son Devavrata who was afterwards called Bhishma. And Bhishma, moved by the desire of doing good to his father, got him married to Satyavati who was also called Gandhakali. And in her maidenhood she had a son by Parasara, named Dwaipayana. And upon her Santanu begat two other sons named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. And before they attained to majority, Chitrangada had been slain by the Gandharvas. But Vichitravirya became king, and married the two daughters of the king of Kasi, named Amvika and Amvalika. But Vichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati began to think as to how the dynasty of Dushmanta might be perpetuated. Then she recollected the Rishi Dwaipayana. The latter coming before her, asked, 'What are thy commands?' 'She said, 'Thy brother Vichitravirya hath gone to heaven childless. Beget virtuous children for him.' Dwaipayana, consenting to this, begat three children, viz., Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. King Dhritarashtra had a hundred sons by his wife, Gandhari in consequence of the boon granted by Dwaipayana. And amongst those hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, four became celebrated. They are Duryodhana, Duhsasana, Vikarna, and Chitrasena. And Pandu had two jewels of wives, viz., Kunti, also called Pritha, and Madri. One day Pandu, while out a-hunting, saw a deer covering its mate. That was really a Rishi in the form of a deer. Seeing the deer in that attitude, he killed it with his arrows, before its desire was gratified. Pierced with the king's arrow, the deer quickly changed its form and became a Rishi, and said unto Pandu, 'O Pandu, thou art virtuous and acquainted also with the pleasure derived from the gratification of one's desire. My desire unsatisfied, thou hast slain me! Therefore, thou also, when so engaged and before thou art gratified, shalt die!' Pandu, hearing this curse, became pale, and from that time would not go in unto his wives. And he told them these words, 'Through my own fault, I have been cursed! But I have heard that for
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the childless there are no regions hereafter.' Therefore, he solicited Kunti to have offspring raised for him. And Kunti said, 'Let it be', So she raised up offspring. By Dharma she had Yudhishthira; by Maruta, Bhima: and by Sakra, Arjuna. And Pandu, well-pleased with her, said, 'This thy co-wife is also childless. Therefore, cause her also to bear children.' Kunti saying, 'So be it,' imparted unto Madri the mantra of invocation. And on Madri were raised by the twin Aswins, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. And (one day) Pandu, beholding Madri decked with ornaments, had his desire kindled. And, as soon as he touched her, he died. Madri ascended the funeral pyre with her lord. And she said unto Kunti, 'Let these twins of mine be brought up by thee with affection.' After some time those five Pandavas were taken by the ascetics of the woods to Hastinapura and there introduced to Bhishma and Vidura. And after introducing them, the ascetics disappeared in the very sight of all. And after the conclusion of the speech of those ascetics, flowers were showered down upon the spot, and the celestial drums also were beaten in the skies. The Pandavas were then taken (by Bhishma). They then represented the death of their father and performed his last honours duly. And as they were brought up there, Duryodhana became exceedingly jealous of them. And the sinful Duryodhana acting like Rakshasa tried various means to drive them away. But what must be can never be frustrated. So all Duryodhana's efforts proved futile. Then Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to Varanavata, and they went there willingly. There an endeavour was made to burn them to death; but it proved abortive owing to the warning counsels of Vidura. After that the Pandavas slew Hidimva, and then they went to a town called Ekachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of Vaka and then went to Panchala. And there obtaining Draupadi for a wife they returned to Hastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace and begat children. And Yudhishthira begat Prativindhya; Bhima, Sutasoma; Arjuna, Srutakriti; Nakula, Satanika; and Sahadeva, Srutakarman. Besides these, Yudhishthira, having obtained for his wife Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe, in a self-choice ceremony, begat upon her a son named Yaudheya. And Bhima also obtaining for a wife Valandhara, the daughter of the king of Kasi, offered his own prowess as dower and begat upon her a son named Sarvaga. And Arjuna also, repairing to Dwaravati, brought away by force Subhadra. the sweet-speeched sister of Vasudeva, and returned in happiness to Hastinapura. And he begat upon her a son named Abhimanyu endued with all accomplishments and dear to Vasudeva himself. And Nakula obtaining for his wife Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, begat upon her a son named Niramitra. And Sahadeva also married Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a self-choice ceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. And Bhimasena had some time before begat upon Hidimva a son named Ghatotkacha. These are the eleven sons
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of the Pandavas. Amongst them all, Abhimanyu was the perpetuator of the family. He married Uttara, the daughter of Virata, who brought forth a dead child whom Kunti took up on her lap at the command of Vasudeva who said, 'I will revive this child of six months.' And though born before time, having been burnt by the fire of (Aswatthaman's weapon) and, therefore, deprived of strength and energy he was revived by Vasudeva and endued with strength, energy and prowess. And after reviving him, Vasudeva said, 'Because this child hath been born in an extinct race, therefore, he shall be called Parikshit'. And Parikshit married Madravati, thy mother, O king, and thou art born to her, O Janamejaya! Thou hast also begotten two sons on thy wife Vapushtama, named Satanika and Sankukarna. And Satanika also hath begotten one son named Aswamedhadatta upon the princess of Videha.
"Thus have I, O king, recited the history of the descendants of Puru and of the Pandavas. This excellent, virtue-increasing, and sacred history should ever be listened to by vow-observing Brahmanas, by Kshatriyas devoted to the practices of their order and ready to protect their subjects; by Vaisyas with attention, and by Sudras with reverence, whose chief occupation is to wait upon the three other orders. Brahmanas conversant in the Vedas and other persons, who with attention and reverence recite this sacred history or listen to it when recited, conquer the heavens and attain to the abode of the blessed. They are also always respected and adored by the gods, Brahamanas, and other men. This holy history of Bharata hath been composed by the sacred and illustrious Vyasa. Veda-knowing Brahmanas and other persons who with reverence and without malice hear it recited, earn great religious merits and conquer the heavens. Though sinning, they are not disregarded by any one. Here occurs a sloka, 'This (Bharata) is equal unto the Vedas: it is holy and excellent. It bestoweth wealth, fame, and life. Therefore, it should be listened to by men with rapt attention.'"
Book
1
Chapter 96
1 [v]
hate citrāṅgade bhīṣmo bāle bhrātari cānagha
pālayām āsa tad rājyaṃ satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ
2 saṃprāptayauvanaṃ paśyan bhrātaraṃ dhīmatāṃ varam
bhīṣmo vicitravīryasya vivāhāyākaron matim
3 atha kāśipater bhīṣmaḥ kanyās tisro 'psaraḥ samāḥ
śuśrāva sahitā rājan vṛṇvatīr vai svayaṃvaram
4 tataḥ sa rathināṃ śreṣṭho rathenaikena varma bhṛt
jagāmānumate mātuḥ purīṃ vārāṇasīṃ prati
5 tatra rājñaḥ samuditān sarvataḥ samupāgatān
dadarśa kanyās tāś caiva bhīṣmaḥ śaṃtanunandanaḥ
6 kīrtyamāneṣu rājñāṃ tu nāmasv atha sahasraśaḥ
bhīṣmaḥ svayaṃ tadā rājan varayām āsa tāḥ prabhuḥ
7 uvāca ca mahīpālān rājañ jaladaniḥsvanaḥ
ratham āropya tāḥ kanyā bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ
8 āhūya dānaṃ kanyānāṃ guṇavadbhyaḥ smṛtaṃ budhaiḥ
alaṃkṛtya yathāśakti pradāya ca dhanāny api
9 prayacchanty apare kanyāṃ mithunena gavām api
vittena kathitenānye balenānye 'numānya ca
10 pramattām upayānty anye svayam anye ca vindate
aṣṭamaṃ tam atho vittavivāhaṃ kavibhiḥ smṛtam
11 svayaṃvaraṃ tu rājanyāḥ praśaṃsanty upayānti ca
pramathya tu hṛtām āhur jyāyasīṃ dharmavādinaḥ
12 tā imāḥ pṛthivīpālā jihīrṣāmi balād itaḥ
te yatadhvaṃ paraṃ śaktyā vijayāyetarāya vā
sthito 'haṃ pṛthivīpālā yuddhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ
13 evam uktvā mahīpālān kāśirājaṃ ca vīryavān
sarvāḥ kanyāḥ sa kauravyo ratham āropayat svakam
āmantrya ca sa tān prāyāc chīghraṃ kanyāḥ pragṛhya tāḥ
14 tatas te pārthivāḥ sarve samutpetur amarṣitāḥ
saṃspṛśantaḥ svakān bāhūn daśanto daśanac chadān
15 teṣām ābharaṇāny āśu tvaritānāṃ vimuñcatām
āmuñcatāṃ ca varmāṇi saṃbhramaḥ sumahān abhūt
16 tārāṇām iva saṃpāto babhūva janamejaya
bhūṣaṇānāṃ ca śubhrāṇāṃ kavacānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
17 savarmabhir bhūṣaṇais te drāg bhrājadbhir itas tataḥ
sakrodhāmarṣa jihmabhrū sakaṣāya dṛśas tathā
18 sūtopakḷptān rucirān sadaśvodyata dhūr gatān
rathān āsthāya te vīrāḥ sarvapraharaṇānvitāḥ
prayāntam ekaṃ kauravyam anusasrur udāyudhāḥ
19 tataḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ teṣāṃ tasya ca bhārata
ekasya ca bahūnāṃ ca tumulaṃ lomaharṣaṇam
20 te tv iṣūn daśasāhasrāṃs tasmai yugapad ākṣipan
aprāptāṃś caiva tān āśu bhīṣmaḥ sarvāṃs tadācchinat
21 tatas te pārthivāḥ sarve sarvataḥ parivārayan
vavarṣuḥ śaravarṣeṇa varṣeṇevādrim ambudāḥ
22 sa tad bāṇamayaṃ varṣaṃ śarair āvārya sarvataḥ
tataḥ sarvān mahīpālān pratyavidhyat tribhis tribhiḥ
23 tasyāti puruṣān anyāṁl lāghavaṃ rathacāriṇaḥ
rakṣaṇaṃ cātmanaḥ saṃkhye śatravo 'py abhyapūjayan
24 tān vinirjitya tu raṇe sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ
kanyābhiḥ sahitaḥ prāyād bhārato bhāratān prati
25 tatas taṃ pṛṣṭhato rājañ śālvarājo mahārathaḥ
abhyāhanad ameyātmā bhīṣmaṃ śāṃtanavaṃ raṇe
26 vāraṇaṃ jaghane nighnan dantābhyām aparo yathā
vāśitām anusaṃprāpto yūthapo balināṃ varaḥ
27 strī kāmatiṣṭha tiṣṭheti bhīṣmam āha sa pārthivaḥ
śālvarājo mahābāhur amarṣeṇābhicoditaḥ
28 tataḥ sa puruṣavyāghro bhīṣmaḥ parabalārdanaḥ
tad vākyākulitaḥ krodhād vidhūmo 'gnir iva jvalan
29 kṣatradharmaṃ samāsthāya vyapetabhayasaṃbhramaḥ
nivartayām āsa rathaṃ śālvaṃ prati mahārathaḥ
30 nivartamānaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā rājānaḥ sarva eva te
prekṣakāḥ samapadyanta bhīṣma śālva samāgame
31 tau vṛṣāv iva nardantau balinau vāśitāntare
anyonyam abhivartetāṃ balavikrama śālinau
32 tato bhīṣmaṃ śāṃtanavaṃ śaraiḥ śatasahasraśaḥ
śālvarājo naraśreṣṭhaḥ samavākirad āśugaiḥ
33 pūrvam abhyarditaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīṣmaṃ śālvena te nṛpāḥ
vismitāḥ samapadyanta sādhu sādhv iti cābhruvan
34 lāghavaṃ tasya te dṛṣṭvā saṃyuge sarvapārthivāḥ
apūjayanta saṃhṛṣṭā vāgbhiḥ śālvaṃ narādhipāḥ
35 kṣatriyāṇāṃ tadā vācaḥ śrutvā parapuraṃjayaḥ
kruddhaḥ śāṃtanavo bhīṣmas tiṣṭha tiṣṭhety abhāṣata
36 sārathiṃ cābravīt kruddho yāhi yatraiṣa pārthivaḥ
yāvad enaṃ nihanmy adya bhujaṃgam iva pakṣirāṭ
37 tato 'straṃ vāruṇaṃ samyag yojayām āsa kauravaḥ
tenāśvāṃś caturo 'mṛdnāc chālva rājño narādhipa
38 astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya śālvarājñaḥ sa kauravaḥ
bhīṣmo nṛpatiśārdūla nyavadhīt tasya sārathim
astreṇa cāpy athaikena nyavadhīt turagottamān
39 kanyā hetor naraśreṣṭha bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavas tadā
jitvā visarjayām āsa jīvantaṃ nṛpasattamam
tataḥ śālvaḥ svanagaraṃ prayayau bharatarṣabha
40 rājāno ye ca tatrāsan svayaṃvaradidṛkṣavaḥ
svāny eva te 'pi rāṣṭrāṇi jagmuḥ parapuraṃjaya
41 evaṃ vijitya tāḥ kanyā bhīṣmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ
prayayau hāstinapuraṃ yatra rājā sa kauravaḥ
42 so 'cireṇaiva kālena atyakrāman narādhipa
vanāni saritaś caiva śailāṃś ca vividhadrumān
43 akṣataḥ kṣapayitvārīn saṃkhye 'saṃkhyeyavikramaḥ
ānayām āsa kāśyasya sutāḥ sāgaragāsutaḥ
44 snuṣā iva sa dharmātmā bhaginya iva cānujāḥ
yathā duhitaraś caiva pratigṛhya yayau kurūn
45 tāḥ sarvā guṇasaṃpannā bhrātā bhrātre yavīyase
bhīṣmo vicitravīryāya pradadau vikramāhṛtāḥ
46 satāṃ dharmeṇa dharmajñaḥ kṛtvā karmātimānuṣam
bhrātur vicitravīryasya vivāhāyopacakrame
satyavatyā saha mithaḥ kṛtvā niścayam ātmavān
47 vivāhaṃ kārayiṣyantaṃ bhīṣmaṃ kāśipateḥ sutā
jyeṣṭhā tāsām idaṃ vākyam abravīd dhi satī tadā
48 mayā saubhapatiḥ pūrvaṃ manasābhivṛtaḥ patiḥ
tena cāsmi vṛtā pūrvam eṣa kāmaś ca me pituḥ
49 mayā varayitavyo 'bhūc chālvas tasmin svayaṃvare
etad vijñāya dharmajña tatas tvaṃ dharmam ācara
50 evam uktas tayā bhīṣmaḥ kanyayā vipra saṃsadi
cintām abhyagamad vīro yuktāṃ tasyaiva karmaṇaḥ
51 sa viniścitya dharmajño brāhmaṇair vedapāragaiḥ
anujajñe tadā jyeṣṭām ambāṃ kāśipateḥ sutām
52 ambikāmbālike bhārye prādād bhrātre yavīyase
bhīṣmo vicitravīryāya vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā
53 tayoḥ pāṇiṃ gṛhītvā sa rūpayauvana darpitaḥ
vicitravīryo dharmātmā kāmātmā samapadyata
54 te cāpi bṛhatī śyāme nīlakuñcita mūrdhaje
raktatuṅga nakhopete pīnaśreṇi payodhare
55 ātmanaḥ pratirūpo 'sau labdhaḥ patir iti sthite
vicitravīryaṃ kalyāṇaṃ pūjayām āsatus tu te
56 sa cāśvi rūpasadṛśo deva sattvaparākramaḥ
sarvāsām eva nārīṇāṃ cittapramathano 'bhavat
57 tābhyāṃ saha samāḥ sapta viharan pṛthivīpatiḥ
vicitravīryas taruṇo yakṣmāṇaṃ samapadyata
58 suhṛdāṃ yatamānānām āptaiḥ saha cikitsakaiḥ
jagāmāstam ivādityaḥ kauravyo yamasādanam
59 pretakāryāṇi sarvāṇi tasya samyag akārayat
rājño vicitravīryasya satyavatyā mate sthitaḥ
ṛtvigbhiḥ sahito bhīṣmaḥ sarvaiś ca kurupuṃgavaiḥ
SECTION XCVI
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'There was a king
known by the name of Mahabhisha born in the race of Ikshvaku. He was the lord
of all the earth, and was truthful (in speech) and of true prowess. By a
thousand horse-sacrifices and a hundred Rajasuyas he had gratified the
chief of the celestials and ultimately attained to heaven."One day the celestials had assembled together and were worshipping Brahman. Many royal sages and king Mahabhisha also were present on the spot. And Ganga, the queen of rivers, also came there to pay her adorations to the Grandsire. And her garments white as the beams of the
p. 207
moon was displaced by the action of the wind. And as her person became exposed, the celestials bent down their heads. But the royal sage Mahabhisha rudely stared at the queen of rivers. And Mahabhisha was for this cursed by Brahman, who said, 'Wretch, as thou hast forgotten thyself at the sight of Ganga, thou shalt be re-born on earth. But thou shall again and again attain to these regions. And she, too, shall be born in the world of men and shall do thee injuries. But when thy wrath shall be provoked, thou shalt then be freed from my curse.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'King Mahabhisha then recollecting all the monarchs and ascetics on earth, wished to be born as son to Pratipa of great prowess. And the queen of rivers, too, seeing king Mahabhisha lose his firmness, went away, thinking of him wishfully. And on her way, she saw those dwellers in heaven, the Vasus, also pursuing the same path. And the queen of rivers beholding them in the predicament, asked them, 'Why look ye so dejected? Ye dwellers in heaven, is everything right with you?' Those celestials, the Vasus, answered her, saying, 'O queen of rivers, we have been cursed, for a venial fault, by the illustrious Vasishtha in anger. The foremost of excellent Rishis, Vasishtha, had been engaged in his twilight adorations and seated as he was, he could not be seen by us. We crossed him in ignorance. Therefore, in wrath he hath cursed us, saying, Be ye born among men!' It is beyond our power to frustrate what hath been said by that utterance of Brahma. Therefore, O river, thyself becoming a human female make us the Vasus, thy children. O amiable one, we are unwilling to enter the womb of any human female.' Thus addressed, the queen of rivers told them, 'Be it so and asked them, 'On earth, who is that foremost of men whom ye will make your father?'
"The Vasus replied, 'On earth, unto Pratipa shall be born a son, Santanu, who will be a king of world-wide fame.' Ganga then said, 'Ye celestials, that is exactly my wish which ye sinless ones have expressed. I shall, indeed, do good to that Santanu. That is also your desire as just expressed.' The Vasus then said, 'It behoveth thee to throw thy children after birth, into the water, so that, O thou of three courses (celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean) we may be rescued soon without having to live on earth for any length of time.' Ganga then answered, 'I shall do what ye desire. But in order that his intercourse with me may not be entirely fruitless, provide ye that one son at least may live.' The Vasus then replied, 'We shall each contribute an eighth part of our respective energies With the sum thereof, thou shall have one son according to thy and his wishes. But this son shall not begat any children on earth. Therefore, that son of thine endued with great energy, shall be childless.'
"The Vasus, making this arrangement with Ganga, went away without Waiting to the place they liked.'"
Book
1
Chapter 97
1 [v]
tataḥ satyavatī dīnā kṛpaṇā putragṛddhinī
putrasya kṛtvā kāryāṇi snuṣābhyāṃ saha bhārata
2 dharmaṃ ca pitṛvaṃśaṃ ca mātṛvaṃśaṃ ca māninī
prasamīkṣya mahābhāgā gāṅgeyaṃ vākyam abravīt
3 śaṃtanor dharmanityasya kauravyasya yaśasvinaḥ
tvayi piṇḍaś ca kīrtiś ca saṃtānaṃ ca pratiṣṭhitam
4 yathā karma śubhaṃ kṛtvā svargopagamanaṃ dhruvam
yathā cāyur dhruvaṃ satye tvayi dharmas tathā dhruvaḥ
5 vettha dharmāṃś ca dharmajña samāsenetareṇa ca
vividhās tvaṃ śrutīr vettha vettha vedāṃś ca sarvaśaḥ
6 vyavasthānaṃ ca te dharme kulācāraṃ ca lakṣaye
pratipattiṃ ca kṛcchreṣu śukrāṅgirasayor iva
7 tasmāt subhṛśam āśvasya tvayi dharmabhṛtāṃ vara
kārye tvāṃ viniyokṣyāmi tac chrutvā kartum arhasi
8 mama putras tava bhrātā vīryavān supriyaś ca te
bāla eva gataḥ svargam aputraḥ puruṣarṣabha
9 ime mahiṣyau bhrātus te kāśirājasute śubhe
rūpayauvana saṃpanne putra kāme ca bhārata
10 tayor utpādayāpatyaṃ saṃtānāya kulasya naḥ
manniyogān mahābhāga dharmaṃ kartum ihārhasi
11 rājye caivābhiṣicyasva bhāratān anuśādhi ca
dārāṃś ca kuru dharmeṇa mā nimajjīḥ pitāmahān
12 tathocyamāno mātrā ca suhṛdbhiś ca paraṃtapaḥ
pratyuvāca sa dharmātmā dharmyam evottaraṃ vacaḥ
13 asaṃśayaṃ paro dharmas tvayā mātar udāhṛtaḥ
tvam apatyaṃ prati ca me pratijñāṃ vettha vai parām
14 jānāsi ca yathāvṛtthaṃ śulka hetos tvad antare
sa satyavati satyaṃ te pratijānāmy ahaṃ punaḥ
15 parityajeyaṃ trailokyaṃ rājyaṃ deveṣu vā punaḥ
yad vāpy adhikam etābhyāṃ na tu satyaṃ kathaṃ cana
16 tyajec ca pṛthivī gandham āpaś ca rasam ātmanaḥ
jyotis tathā tyajed rūpaṃ vāyuḥ sparśaguṇaṃ tyajet
17 prabhāṃ samutsṛjed arko dhūmaketus tathoṣṇatām
tyajec chabdam athākāśaḥ somaḥ śītāṃśutāṃ tyajet
18 vikramaṃ vṛtrahā jahyād dharmaṃ jahyāc ca dharmarāṭ
na tv ahaṃ satyam utsraṣṭuṃ vyavaseyaṃ kathaṃ cana
19 evam uktā tu putreṇa bhūri draviṇa tejasā
mātā satyavatī bhīṣmam uvāca tadanantaram
20 jānāmi te sthitiṃ satye parāṃ satyaparākrama
icchan sṛjethās trīṁl lokān anyāṃs tvaṃ svena tejasā
21 jānāmi caiva satyaṃ tan madarthaṃ yad abhāṣathāḥ
āpad dharmam avekṣasva vaha paitāmahīṃ dhuram
22 yathā te kulatantuś ca dharmaś ca na parābhavet
suhṛdaś ca prahṛṣyeraṃs tathā kuru paraṃtapa
23 lālapyamānāṃ tām evaṃ kṛpaṇāṃ putragṛddhinīm
dharmād apetaṃ bruvatīṃ bhīṣmo bhūyo 'bravīd idam
24 rājñi dharmān avekṣasva mā naḥ sarvān vyanīnaśaḥ
satyāc cyutiḥ kṣatriyasya na dharmeṣu praśasyate
25 śaṃtanor api saṃtānaṃ yathā syād akṣayaṃ bhuvi
tat te dharmaṃ pravakṣyāmi kṣātraṃ rājñi sanātanam
26 śrutvā taṃ pratipadyethāḥ prājñaiḥ saha purohitaiḥ
āpad dharmārthakuśalair lokatantram avekṣya ca
SECTION XCVII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said. 'There was a king of
the name of Pratipa, who was kind to all creatures. He spent many years in
ascetic penances at the source of the river Ganga. The accomplished and lovely
Ganga, one day, assuming the form of a beautiful female, and rising from the
waters, made up to the monarch. The celestial maiden, endued with ravishing
beauty, approached the royal sage engaged in ascetic austerities, and sat upon
his right thigh that was, for manly strength, a veritable Sala tree.
When the maiden of handsome face had so sat upon his lap, the monarch said unto
her, 'O amiable one, what dost thou desire? What shall I do?' The damsel
answered, 'I desire thee, O king, for my husband! O foremost one of the Kurus,
be mine! To refuse a woman coming of her own accord is never applauded by the
wise.' Pratipa answered, 'O thou of the fairest complexion, moved by lust, I
never go in unto others' wives or women that are not of my order. This, indeed,
is my virtuous vow.' The maiden rejoined, 'I am not inauspicious or ugly. I am
every way worthy of being enjoyed. I am a celestial maiden of rare beauty; I
desire thee for my husband. Refuse me not, O king.' To this Pratipa answered,
'I am, 'O damsel, abstaining from that course to which thou wouldst incite me.
If I break my vow, sin will overwhelm and kill me. O thou of the fairest complexion,
thou hast embraced me, sitting on my right thigh. But, O timid one, know that
this is the seat for daughters and daughters-in-law. The left lap is for the
wife, but thou hast not accepted that. Therefore, O best of women, I cannot
enjoy thee as an object of desire. Be my daughter-in-law. I accept thee for my
son!'"The damsel then said, 'O virtuous one, let it be as thou sayest. Let me be united with thy son. From my respect for thee, I shall be a wife of the celebrated Bharata race. Ye (of the Bharata race) are the refuge of all the monarchs on earth! I am incapable of numbering the virtues of this race even within a hundred years. The greatness and goodness of many celebrated monarchs of this race are limitless. O lord of all, let it be understood now that when I become thy daughter-in-law, thy son shall not be able to judge of the propriety of my acts. Living thus with thy son, I shall do good to him and increase his happiness. And he shall finally attain to heaven in consequence of the sons I shall bear him, and of his virtues and good conduct.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, having said so, the celestial damsel disappeared then and there. And the king, too, waited for the birth of his son in order to fulfil his promise.'
"About this time Pratipa, that light of the Kuru race, that bull amongst Kshatriyas, was engaged, along with his wife, in austerities from desire of
p. 209
offspring. And when they had grown old, a son was born unto them. This was no other than Mahabhisha. And the child was called Santanu because he was born when his father had controlled his passions by ascetic penances. And the best of Kurus, Santanu, knowing that region of indestructible bliss can be acquired by one's deeds alone, became devoted to virtue. When Santanu grew up into a youth, Pratipa addressed him and said, 'Some time ago, O Santanu, a celestial damsel came to me for thy good. If thou meetest that fair-complexioned one in secret and if she solicit thee for children, accept her as thy wife. And, O sinless one, judge not of the propriety or impropriety of her action and ask not who she is, or whose or whence, but accept her as thy wife at my command!'" Vaisampayana continued, 'Pratipa, having thus commanded his son Santanu and installed him on his throne, retired into the woods. And king Santanu endued with great intelligence and equal unto Indra himself in splendour, became addicted to hunting and passed much of his time in the woods. And the best of monarchs always slew deer and buffaloes. And one day, as he was wandering along the bank of the Ganges, he came upon a region frequented by Siddhas and Charanas. And there he saw a lovely maiden of blazing beauty and like unto another Sri herself; of faultless and pearly teeth and decked with celestial ornaments, and attired in garments of fine texture that resembled in splendour the filaments of the lotus. And the monarch, on beholding that damsel, became surprised, and his raptures produced instant horripilation. With steadfast gaze he seemed to be drinking her charms, but repeated draughts failed to quench his thirst. The damsel also beholding the monarch of blazing splendour moving about in great agitation, was moved herself and experienced an affection for him. She gazed and gazed and longed to gaze on him evermore. The monarch then in soft words addressed her and said, 'O slender-waisted one, be thou a goddess or the daughter of a Danava, be thou of the race of the Gandharvas, or Apsaras, be thou of the Yakshas or the Nagas, or be thou of human origin, O thou of celestial beauty, I solicit thee to be my wife!'"
Book
1
Chapter 98
1 [bhs]
jāmadagnyena rāmeṇa pitur vadham amṛṣyatā
kruddhena ca mahābhāge haihayādhipatir hataḥ
śatāni daśa bāhūnāṃ nikṛttāny arjunasya vai
2 punaś ca dhanur ādāya mahāstrāṇi pramuñcatā
nirdagdhaṃ kṣatram asakṛd rathena jayatā mahīm
3 evam uccāvacair astrair bhārgaveṇa mahātmanā
triḥ saptakṛtvaḥ pṛthivī kṛtā niḥkṣatriyā purā
4 tataḥ saṃbhūya sarvābhiḥ kṣatriyābhiḥ samantataḥ
utpāditāny apatyāni brāhmaṇair niyatātmabhiḥ
5 pāṇigrāhasya tanaya iti vedeṣu niścitam
dharmaṃ manasi saṃsthāpya brāhmaṇāṃs tāḥ samabhyayuḥ
loke 'py ācarito dṛṣṭaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ punar bhavaḥ
6 athotathya iti khyāta āsīd dhīmān ṛṣiḥ purā
mamatā nāma tasyāsīd bhāryā paramasaṃmitā
7 utathyasya yavīyāṃs tu purodhās tridivaukasām
bṛhaspatir bṛhat tejā mamatāṃ so 'nvapadyata
8 uvāca mamatā taṃ tu devaraṃ vadatāṃ varam
antarvatnī ahaṃ bhrātrā jyeṣṭhenāramyatām iti
9 ayaṃ ca me mahābhāga kukṣāv eva bṛhaspate
autathyo vedam atraiva ṣaḍaṅgaṃ pratyadhīyata
10 amogharetās tvaṃ cāpi nūnaṃ bhavitum arhasi
tasmād evaṃgate 'dya tvam upāramitum arhasi
11 evam uktas tayā samyag bṛhat tejā bṛhaspatiḥ
kāmātmānaṃ tadātmānaṃ na śaśāka niyacchitum
12 saṃbabhūva tataḥ kāmī tayā sārdham akāmayā
utsṛjantaṃ tu taṃ retaḥ sa garbhastho 'bhyabhāṣata
13 bhos tāta kanyasa vade dvayor nāsty atra saṃbhavaḥ
amoghaśukraś ca bhavān pūrvaṃ cāham ihāgataḥ
14 śaśāpa taṃ tataḥ kruddha evam ukto bṛhaspatiḥ
utathya putraṃ garbhasthaṃ nirbhartsya bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
15 yasmāt tvam īdṛśe kāle sarvabhūtepsite sati
evam āttha vacas tasmāt tamo dīrghaṃ pravekṣyasi
16 sa vai dīrghatamā nāma śāpād ṛṣir ajāyata
bṛhaspater bṛhat kīrter bṛhaspatir ivaujasā
17 saputrāñ janayām āsa gautamādīn mahāyaśāḥ
ṛṣer utathyasya tadā saṃtānakulavṛddhaye
18 lobhamohābhibhūtās te putrās taṃ gautamādayaḥ
kāṣṭhe samudre prakṣipya gaṅgāyāṃ samavāsṛjan
19 na syād andhaś ca vṛddhaś ca bhartavyo 'yam iti sma te
cintayitvā tataḥ krūrāḥ pratijagmur atho gṛhān
20 so 'nusrotas tadā rājan plavamāna ṛṣis tataḥ
jagāma subahūn deśān andhas tenoḍupena ha
21 taṃ tu rājā balir nāma sarvadharmaviśāradaḥ
apaśyan majjana gataḥ srotasābhyāśam āgatam
22 jagrāha cainaṃ dharmātmā baliḥ satyaparākramaḥ
jñātvā cainaṃ sa vavre 'tha putrārthaṃ manujarṣabha
23 saṃtānārthaṃ mahābhāga bhāryāsu mama mānada
putrān dharmārthakuśalān utpādayitum arhasi
24 evam uktaḥ sa tejasvī taṃ tathety uktavān ṛṣiḥ
tasmai sa rājā svāṃ bhāryāṃ sudeṣṇāṃ prāhiṇot tadā
25 andhaṃ vṛddhaṃ ca taṃ matvā na sā devī jagāma ha
svāṃ tu dhātreyikāṃ tasmai vṛddhāya prāhiṇot tadā
26 tasyāṃ kākṣīvad ādīn sa śūdrayonāv ṛṣir vaśī
janayām āsa dharmātmā putrān ekādaśaiva tu
27 kākṣīvad ādīn putrāṃs tān dṛṣṭvā sarvān adhīyataḥ
uvāca tam ṛṣiṃ rājā mamaita iti vīryavāḥ
28 nety uvāca maharṣis taṃ mamaivaita iti bruvan
śūdrayonau mayā hīme jātāḥ kākṣīvad ādayaḥ
29 andhaṃ vṛddhaṃ ca māṃ matvā sudeṣṇā mahiṣī tava
avamanya dadau mūḍhā śūdrāṃ dhātreyikāṃ hi me
30 tataḥ prasādayām āsa punas tam ṛṣisattamam
baliḥ sudeṣṇāṃ bhāryāṃ ca tasmai tāṃ prāhiṇot punaḥ
31 tāṃ sa dīrghatamāṅgeṣu spṛṣṭvā devīm athābravīt
bhaviṣyati kumāras te tejasvī satyavāg iti
32 tatrāṅgo nāma rājarṣiḥ sudeṣṇāyām ajāyata
evam anye maheṣvāsā brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyā bhuvi
33 jātāḥ paramadharmajñā vīryavanto mahābalāḥ
etac chrutvā tvam apy atra mātaḥ kuru yathepsitam
SECTION XCVIII
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'The maiden then,
hearing those soft and sweet words of the smiling monarch, and remembering her
promise to the Vasus, addressed the king in reply. Of faultless features, the
damsel sending a thrill of pleasure into the heart by every word she uttered,
said, 'O king, I shall become thy wife and obey thy commands. But, O monarch,
thou must not interfere with me in anything I do, be it agreeable or
disagreeable. Nor shall thou ever address me unkindly. As long as thou shalt
behavep. 210
kindly I promise to live with thee. But I shall certainly leave thee the moment thou interferest with me or speakest to me an unkind word.' The king answered, 'Be it so.' And thereupon the damsel obtaining that excellent monarch, that foremost one of the Bharata race for her husband, became highly pleased. And king Santanu also, obtaining her for his wife, enjoyed to the full the pleasure of her company. And adhering to his promise, he refrained from asking her anything. And the lord of earth, Santanu, became exceedingly gratified with her conduct, beauty, magnanimity, and attention to his comforts. And the goddess Ganga also, of three courses (celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean) assuming a human form of superior complexion and endued with celestial beauty, lived happily as the wife of Santanu, having as the fruit of her virtuous acts, obtained for her husband, that tiger among kings equal unto Indra himself in splendour. And she gratified the king by her attractiveness and affection, by her wiles and love, by her music and dance, and became herself gratified. And the monarch was so enraptured with his beautiful wife that months, seasons, and years rolled on without his being conscious of them. And the king, while thus enjoying himself with his wife, had eight children born unto him who in beauty were like the very celestials themselves. But, O Bharata, those children, one after another, as soon as they were born, were thrown into the river by Ganga who said, 'This is for thy good.' And the children sank to rise no more. The king, however, could not be pleased with such conduct. But he spoke not a word about it lest his wife should leave him. But when the eighth child was born, and when his wife as before was about to throw it smilingly into the river, the king with a sorrowful countenance and desirous of saving it from destruction, addressed her and said, 'Kill it not! Who art thou and whose? Why dost thou kill thy own children? Murderess of thy sons, the load of thy sins is great!'" His wife, thus addressed, replied, 'O thou desirous of offspring, thou hast already become the first of those that have children. I shall not destroy this child of thine. But according to our agreement, the period of my stay with thee is at an end. I am Ganga, the daughter of Jahnu. I am ever worshipped by the great sages; I have lived with thee so long for accomplishing the purposes of the celestials. The eight illustrious Vasus endued with great energy had, from Vasishtha's curse, to assume human forms. On earth, besides thee, there was none else to deserve the honour of being their begetter. There is no woman also on earth except one like me, a celestial of human form, to become their mother. I assumed a human form to bring them forth. Thou also, having become the father of the eight Vasus, hast acquired many regions of perennial bliss. It was also agreed between myself and the Vasus that I should free them from their human forms as soon as they would be born. I have thus freed them from the curse of the Rishi Apava. Blest be thou; I leave thee, O king! But rear thou this child of rigid vows. That I should live with thee so
p. 211
long was the promise I gave to the Vasus. And let this child be called Gangadatta.'"
Book
1
Chapter 99
1 [bhs]
punar bharata vaṃśasya hetuṃ saṃtānavṛddhaye
vakṣyāmi niyataṃ mātas tan me nigadataḥ śṛṇu
2 brāhmaṇo guṇavān kaś cid dhanenopanimantryatām
vicitravīryakṣetreṣu yaḥ samutpādayet prajāḥ
3 [v]
tataḥ satyavatī bhīṣmaṃ vācā saṃsajjamānayā
vihasantīva savrīḍam idaṃ vacanam abravīt
4 satyam etan mahābāho yathā vadasi bhārata
viśvāsāt te pravakṣyāmi saṃtānāya kulasya ca
na te śakyam anākhyātum āpad dhīyaṃ tathāvidhā
5 tvam eva naḥ kule dharmas tvaṃ satyaṃ tvaṃ parā gatiḥ
tasmān niśamya vākyaṃ me kuruṣva yad anantaram
6 dharmayuktasya dharmātman pitur āsīt tarī mama
sā kadā cid ahaṃ tatra gatā prathamayauvane
7 atha dharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ paramarṣiḥ parāśaraḥ
ājagāma tarīṃ dhīmāṃs tariṣyan yamunāṃ nadīm
8 sa tāryamāṇo yamunāṃ mām upetyābravīt tadā
sāntvapūrvaṃ muniśreṣṭhaḥ kāmārto madhuraṃ bahu
9 tam ahaṃ śāpabhītā ca pitur bhītā ca bhārata
varair asulabhair uktā na pratyākhyātum utsahe
10 abhibhūya sa māṃ bālāṃ tejasā vaśam ānayat
tamasā lokam āvṛtya nau gatām eva bhārata
11 matsyagandho mahān āsīt purā mama jugupsitaḥ
tam apāsya śubhaṃ gandham imaṃ prādāt sa me muniḥ
12 tato mām āha sa munir garbham utsṛjya māmakam
dvīpe 'syā eva saritaḥ kanyaiva tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi
13 pārāśaryo mahāyogī sa babhūva mahān ṛṣiḥ
kanyā putro mama purā dvaipāyana iti smṛtaḥ
14 yo vyasya vedāṃś caturas tapasā bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
loke vyāsatvam āpede kārṣṇyāt kṛṣṇatvam eva ca
15 satyavādī śama paras tapasvī dagdhakilbiṣaḥ
sa niyukto mayā vyaktaṃ tvayā ca amitadyute
bhrātuḥ kṣetreṣu kalyāṇam apatyaṃ janayiṣyati
16 sa hi mām uktavāṃs tatra smareḥ kṛtyeṣu mām iti
taṃ smariṣye mahābāho yadi bhīṣma tvam icchasi
17 tava hy anumate bhīṣma niyataṃ sa mahātapāḥ
vicitravīryakṣetreṣu putrān utpādayiṣyati
18 maharṣeḥ kīrtane tasya bhīṣmaḥ prāñjalir abravīt
dharmam arthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca trīn etān yo 'nupaśyati
19 artham arthānubandhaṃ ca dharmaṃ dharmānubandhanam
kāmaṃ kāmānubandhaṃ ca viparītān pṛthak pṛthak
yo vicintya dhiyā samyag vyavasyati sa buddhimān
20 tad idaṃ dharmayuktaṃ ca hitaṃ caiva kulasya naḥ
uktaṃ bhavatyā yac chreyaḥ paramaṃ rocate mama
21 tatas tasmin pratijñāte bhīṣmeṇa kurunandana
kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ kālī cintayām āsa vai munim
22 sa vedān vibruvan dhīmān mātur vijñāya cintitam
prādurbabhūvāviditaḥ kṣaṇena kurunandana
23 tasmai pūjāṃ tadā dattvā sutāya vidhipūrvakam
pariṣvajya ca bāhubhyāṃ prasnavair abhiṣicya ca
mumoca bāṣpaṃ dāśeyī putraṃ dṛṣṭvā cirasya tam
24 tām adbhiḥ pariṣicyārtāṃ maharṣir abhivādya ca
mātaraṃ pūrvajaḥ putro vyāso vacanam abravīt
25 bhavatyā yad abhipretaṃ tad ahaṃ kartum āgataḥ
śādhi māṃ dharmatattvajñe karavāṇi priyaṃ tava
26 tasmai pūjāṃ tato 'kārṣīt purodhāḥ paramarṣaye
sa ca tāṃ pratijagrāha vidhivan mantrapūrvakam
27 tam āsanagataṃ mātā pṛṣṭvā kuśalam avyayam
satyavaty abhivīkṣyainam uvācedam anantaram
28 mātāpitroḥ prajāyante putrāḥ sādhāraṇāḥ kave
teṣāṃ pitā yathā svāmī tathā mātā na saṃśayaḥ
29 vidhātṛvihitaḥ sa tvaṃ yathā me prathamaḥ sutaḥ
vicitravīryo brahmarṣe tathā me 'varajaḥ sutaḥ
30 yathaiva pitṛto bhīṣmas tathā tvam api mātṛtaḥ
bhrātā vicitravīryasya yathā vā putra manyase
31 ayaṃ śāṃtanavaḥ satyaṃ pālayan satyavikramaḥ
buddhiṃ na kurute 'patye tathā rājyānuśāsane
32 sa tvaṃ vyapekṣayā bhrātuḥ saṃtānāya kulasya ca
bhīṣmasya cāsya vacanān niyogāc ca mamānagha
33 anukrośāc ca bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ rakṣaṇāya ca
ānṛśaṃsyena yad brūyāṃ tac chrutvā kartum arhasi
34 yavīyasas tava bhrātur bhārye surasutopame
rūpayauvana saṃpanne putra kāme ca dharmataḥ
35 tayor utpādayāpatyaṃ samartho hy asi putraka
anurūpaṃ kulasyāsya saṃtatyāḥ prasavasya ca
36 [vy]
vettha dharmaṃ satyavati paraṃ cāparam eva ca
yathā ca tava dharmajñe dharme praṇihitā matiḥ
37 tasmād ahaṃ tvan niyogād dharmam uddiśya kāraṇam
īpsitaṃ te kariṣyāmi dṛṣṭaṃ hy etat purātanam
38 bhrātuḥ putrān pradāsyāmi mitrā varuṇayoḥ samān
vrataṃ caretāṃ te devyau nirdiṣṭam iha yan mayā
39 saṃvatsaraṃ yathānyāyaṃ tataḥ śuddhe bhaviṣyataḥ
na hi mām avratopetā upeyāt kā cid aṅganā
40 [s]
yathā sadyaḥ prapadyeta devī garbhaṃ tathā kuru
arājakeṣu rāṣṭreṣu nāsti vṛṣṭir na devatāḥ
41 katham arājakaṃ rāṣṭraṃ śakyaṃ dhārayituṃ prabho
tasmād garbhaṃ samādhatsva bhīṣmas taṃ vardhayiṣyati
42 [vy]
yadi putraḥ pradātavyo mayā kṣipram akālikam
virūpatāṃ me sahatām etad asyāḥ paraṃ vratam
43 yadi me sahate gandhaṃ rūpaṃ veṣaṃ tathā vapuḥ
adyaiva garbhaṃ kausalyā viśiṣṭaṃ pratipadyatām
44 [v]
samāgamanam ākāṅkṣann iti so 'ntarhito muniḥ
tato 'bhigamya sā devī snuṣāṃ rahasi saṃgatām
dharmyam arthasamāyuktam uvāca vacanaṃ hitam
45 kausalye dharmatantraṃ yad bravīmi tvāṃ nibodha me
bharatānāṃ samucchedo vyaktaṃ madbhāgyasaṃkṣayāt
46 vyathitāṃ māṃ ca saṃprekṣya pitṛvaṃśaṃ ca pīḍitam
bhīṣmo buddhim adān me 'tra dharmasya ca vivṛddhaye
47 sā ca buddhis tavādhīnā putri jñātaṃ mayeti ha
naṣṭaṃ ca bhārataṃ vaṃśaṃ punar eva samuddhara
48 putraṃ janaya suśroṇi devarājasamaprabham
sa hi rājyadhuraṃ gurvīm udvakṣyati kulasya naḥ
49 sā dharmato 'nunīyaināṃ kathaṃ cid dharmacāriṇīm
bhojayām āsa viprāṃś ca devarṣīn atithīṃs tathā
SECTION XCIX
(Sambhava
Parva continued)
"Santanu asked, 'What was the fault of
the Vasus and who was Apava, through whose curse the Vasus had to be born among
men? What also hath this child of thine, Gangadatta, done for which he shall
have to live among men? Why also were the Vasus, the lords of the three worlds,
condemned to be born amongst men? O daughter of Jahnu, tell me all.'"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the celestial daughter of Jahnu, Ganga, then replied unto the monarch, her husband, that bull amongst men, saying, 'O best of Bharata's race, he who was obtained as son by Varuna was called Vasishtha, the Muni who afterwards came to be known as Apava. He had his asylum on the breast of the king of mountains called Meru. The spot was sacred and abounded with birds and beasts. And there bloomed at all times of the year flowers of every season. And, O best of Bharata's race, that foremost of virtuous men, the son of Varuna, practised his ascetic penances in those woods abounding with sweet roots and water.
"Daksha had a daughter known by the name of Surabhi, who, O bull of Bharata's race, for benefiting the world, brought forth, by her connection with Kasyapa, a daughter (Nandini) in the form of a cow. That foremost of all kine, Nandini, was the cow of plenty (capable of granting every desire). The virtuous son of Varuna obtained Nandini for his Homa rites. And Nandini, dwelling in that hermitage which was adored by Munis, roamed about fearlessly in those sacred and delightful woods.
"One day, O bull of Bharata's race, there came into those woods adored by the gods and celestial Rishis, the Vasus with Prithu at their head. And wandering there with their wives, they enjoyed themselves in those delightful woods and mountains. And as they wandered there, the slender-waisted wife of one of the Vasus, O thou of the prowess of Indra, saw in those woods Nandini, the cow of plenty. And seeing that cow possessing the wealth of all accomplishments, large eyes, full udders, fine tail, beautiful hoofs, and every other auspicious sign, and yielding much milk, she showed the animal to her husband Dyu. O thou of the prowess of the first of elephants, when Dyu was shown that cow, he began to admire her several qualities and addressing his wife, said, 'O black-eyed girl of fair thighs, this excellent cow belongeth to that Rishi whose is this delightful asylum. O slender-waisted one, that mortal who drinketh the sweet milk of this cow remaineth in unchanged youth for ten thousand years.' O best of monarchs, hearing this, the slender-waisted goddess of faultless features
p. 212
then addressed her lord of blazing splendour and said, 'There is on earth a friend of mine, Jitavati by name, possessed of great beauty and youth. She is the daughter of that god among men, the royal sage Usinara, endued with intelligence and devoted to truth. I desire to have this cow, O illustrious one, with her calf for that friend of mine. Therefore, O best of celestials, bring that cow so that my friend drinking of her milk may alone become on earth free from disease and decrepitude. O illustrious and blameless one, it behoveth thee to grant me this desire of mine. There is nothing that would be more agreeable to me.' On hearing these words of his wife, Dyu, moved by the desire of humouring her, stole that cow, aided by his brothers Prithu and the others. Indeed, Dyu, commanded by his lotus-eyed wife, did her bidding, forgetting at the moment the high ascetic merits of the Rishi who owned her. He did not think at the time that he was going to fall by committing the sin of stealing the cow.
"When the son of Varuna returned to his asylum in the evening with fruits he had collected, he beheld not the cow with her calf there. He began to search for them in the woods, but when the great ascetic of superior intelligence found not his cow on search, he saw by his ascetic vision that she had been stolen by the Vasus. His wrath was instantly kindled and he cursed the Vasus, saying, 'Because the Vasus have stolen my cow of sweet milk and handsome tail, therefore, shall they certainly be born on earth!'
"O thou bull of Bharata's race, the illustrious Rishi Apava thus cursed the Vasus in wrath. And having cursed them, the illustrious one set his heart once more on ascetic meditation. And after that Brahmarshi of great power and ascetic wealth had thus in wrath cursed the Vasus, the latter, O king, coming to know of it, speedily came into his asylum. And addressing the Rishi, O bull among kings, they endeavoured to pacify him. But they failed, O tiger among men, to obtain grace from Apava--that Rishi conversant, with all rules of virtue. The virtuous Apava, however, said, 'Ye Vasus, with Dhava and others, ye have been cursed by me. But ye shall be freed from my curse within a year of your birth among men. But he for whose deed ye have been cursed by me he, viz., Dyu, shall for his sinful act, have to dwell on earth for a length of time. I shall not make futile the words I have uttered in wrath. Dyu, though dwelling on Earth, shall not beget children. He shall, however, be virtuous and conversant with the scriptures. He shall be an obedient son to his father, but he shall have to abstain from the pleasure of female companionship.'
"Thus addressing the Vasus, the great Rishi went away. The Vasus then together came to me. And, O king, the begged of me the boon that as soon as they would be born, I should throw them into the water. And, O best of kings, I did as they desired, in order to free them from their earthly life. And O best of kings, from the Rishi's curse, this one only, viz., Dyu, himself, is to live on earth for some time.'
p. 213
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this, the goddess disappeared then and there. And taking with her the child, she went away to the region she chose. And that child of Santanu was named both Gangeya and Devavrata and excelled his father in all accomplishments.
"Santanu, after the disappearance of his wife, returned to his capital with a sorrowful heart. I shall now recount to thee the many virtues and the great good fortune of the illustrious king Santanu of the Bharata race. Indeed, it is this splendid history that is called the Mahabharata.'"
Book
1
Chapter 100
1 [v]
tataḥ satyavatī kāle vadhūṃ snātām ṛtau tadā
saṃveśayantī śayane śanakair vākyam abravīt
2 kausalye devaras te 'sti so 'dya tvānupravekṣyati
apramattā pratīkṣainaṃ niśīthe āgamiṣyati
3 śvaśrvās tad vacanaśrutvā śayānā śayane śubhe
sācintayat tadā bhīṣmam anyāṃś ca kurupuṃgavān
4 tato 'mbikāyāṃ prathamaṃ niyuktaḥ satyavāg ṛṣiḥ
dīpyamāneṣu dīpeṣu śayanaṃ praviveśa ha
5 tasya kṛṣṇasya kapilā jaṭā dīpte ca locane
babhrūṇi caiva śmaśrūṇi dṛṣṭvā devī nyamīlayat
6 saṃbabhūva tayā rātrau mātuḥ priyacikīrṣayā
bhayāt kāśisutā taṃ tu nāśaknod abhivīkṣitum
7 tato niṣkrāntam āsādya mātāputram athābravīt
apy asyāṃ guṇavān putra rājaputro bhaviṣyati
8 niśamya tad vaco mātur vyāsaḥ paramabuddhimān
provācātīndriya jñāno vidhinā saṃpracoditaḥ
9 nāgāyuga samaprāṇo vidvān rājarṣisattamaḥ
mahābhāgo mahāvīryo mahābuddhir bhaviṣyati
10 tasya cāpi śataṃ putrā bhaviṣyanti mahābalāḥ
kiṃ tu mātuḥ sa vaiguṇyād andha eva bhaviṣyati
11 tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā mātāputram athābravīt
nāndhaḥ kurūṇāṃ nṛpatir anurūpas tapodhana
12 jñātivaṃśasya goptāraṃ pitṝṇāṃ vaṃśavardhanam
dvitīyaṃ kuruvaṃśasya rājānaṃ dātum arhasi
13 sa tatheti pratijñāya niścakrāma mahātapāḥ
sāpi kālena kausalyā suṣuve 'ndhaṃ tam ātmajam
14 punar eva tu sā devī paribhāṣya snuṣāṃ tataḥ
ṛṣim āvāhayat satyā yathāpūrvam aninditā
15 tatas tenaiva vidhinā maharṣis tām apadyata
ambālikām athābhyāgād ṛṣiṃ dṛṣṭvā ca sāpi tam
viṣaṇṇā pāṇḍusaṃkāśā samapadyata bhārata
16 tāṃ bhītāṃ pāṇḍusaṃkāśāṃ viṣaṇṇāṃ prekṣya pārthiva
vyāsaḥ satyavatī putra idaṃ vacanam abravīt
17 yasmāt pāṇḍutvam āpannā virūpaṃ prekṣya mām api
tasmād eṣa sutas tubhyaṃ pāṇḍur eva bhaviṣyati
18 nāma cāsya tad eveha bhaviṣyati śubhānane
ity uktvā sa nirākrāmad bhagavān ṛṣisattamaḥ
19 tato niṣkrāntam ālokya satyā putram abhāṣata
śaśaṃsa sa punar mātre tasya bālasya pāṇḍutām
20 taṃ mātā punar evānyam ekaṃ putram ayācata
tatheti ca maharṣis tāṃ mātaraṃ pratyabhāṣata
21 tataḥ kumāraṃ sā devī prāptakālam ajījanat
pāṇḍuṃ lakṣaṇasaṃpannaṃ dīpyamānam iva śriyā
tasya putrā maheṣvāsā jajñire pañca pāṇḍavāḥ
22 ṛtukāle tato jyeṣṭhāṃ vadhūṃ tasmai nyayojayat
sā tu rūpaṃ ca gandhaṃ ca maharṣeḥ pravicintya tam
nākarod vacanaṃ devyā bhayāt surasutopamā
23 tataḥ svair bhūṣaṇair dāsīṃ bhūṣayitvāpsara upamām
preṣayām āsa kṛṣṇāya tataḥ kāśipateḥ sutā
24 dāsī ṛṣim anuprāptaṃ pratyudgamyābhivādya ca
saṃviveśābhyanujñātā satkṛtyopacacāra ha
25 kāmopabhogena tu sa tasyāṃ tuṣṭim agād ṛṣiḥ
tayā sahoṣito rātriṃ maharṣiḥ prīyamāṇayā
26 uttiṣṭhann abravīd enām abhujiṣyā bhaviṣyasi
ayaṃ ca te śubhe garbhaḥ śrīmān udaram āgataḥ
dharmātmā bhavitā loke sarvabuddhimatāṃ varaḥ
27 sa jajñe viduro nāma kṛṣṇadvaipāyanātmajaḥ
dhṛtarāṣṭrasya ca bhrātā pāṇḍoś cāmitabuddhimān
28 dharmo vidura rūpeṇa śāpāt tasya mahātmanaḥ
māṇḍavyasyārtha tattvajñaḥ kāmakrodhavivarjitaḥ
29 sa dharmasyānṛṇo bhūtvā punar mātrā sametya ca
tasyai garbhaṃ samāvedya tatraivāntaradhīyata
30 evaṃ vicitravīryasya kṣetre dvaipāyanād api
jajñire devagarbhābhāḥ kuruvaṃśavivardhanāḥ
SECTION C
(Sambhava
Parva continued )
"Vaisampayana said, 'The monarch
Santanu, the most adored of the gods and royal sages, was known in all the
worlds for his wisdom, virtues, and truthfulness (of speech). The qualities of
self-control, liberality, forgiveness, intelligence, modesty, patience and
superior energy ever dwelt in that bull among men, viz., Santanu, that
great being endued with these accomplishments and conversant with both religion
and profit, the monarch was at once the protector of the Bharata race and all
human beings. His neck was marked with (three) lines, like a conch-shell; his
shoulders were broad, and he resembled in prowess an infuriated elephant. It
would seem that all the auspicious signs of royalty dwelt in his person,
considering that to be their fittest abode. Men, seeing the behaviour of that
monarch of great achievements came to know that virtue was ever superior to
pleasure and profit. These were the attributes that dwelt in that great
being--that bull among men--Santanu. And truly there was never a king like
Santanu. All the kings of the earth, beholding him devoted to virtue, bestowed
upon that foremost of virtuous men the title of King of kings. And all the
kings of the earth during the time of that lord-protector of the Bharata race,
were without woe and fear and anxiety of any kind. And they all slept in peace,
rising from bed every morning after happy dreams. And owing to that monarch of
splendid achievements resembling Indra himself in energy, all the kings of the
earth became virtuous and devoted to liberality, religious acts and sacrifices.
And when the earth was ruled by Santanu and other monarchs like him, the
religious merits of every order increased very greatly. The Kshatriyas served
the Brahmanas; the Vaisyas waited upon the Kshatriyas, and the Sudras adoring
the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas, waited upon the Vaisyas. And Santanu residing
in Hastinapura, the delightful capital of the Kurus, ruled the whole earth
bounded by seas. He was truthful and guileless, and like the king of the
celestials himself conversant with the dictates of virtue. And from the
combination in him of liberality, religion and asceticism, he acquired a great
good fortune. He was free from anger and malice, and was handsomep. 214
in person like Soma himself. In splendour he was like the Sun and in impetuosity of valour like Vayu. In wrath he was like Yama, and in patience like the Earth. And, O king, while Santanu ruled the earth, no deer, boars, birds, or other animals were needlessly slain. In his dominions the great virtue of kindness to all creatures prevailed, and the king himself, with the soul of mercy, and void of desire and wrath, extended equal protection unto all creatures. Then sacrifices in honour of the gods, the Rishis, and Pitris commenced, and no creature was deprived of life sinfully. And Santanu was the king and father of all--of those that were miserable and those that had no protectors, of birds and beasts, in fact, of every created thing. And during the rule of the best of Kurus--of that king of kings--speech became united with truth, and the minds of men were directed towards liberality and virtue. And Santanu, having enjoyed domestic felicity for six and thirty years, retired into the woods.
"And Santanu's son, the Vasu born of Ganga, named Devavrata resembled Santanu himself in personal beauty, in habits and behaviour, and in learning. And in all branches of knowledge worldly or spiritual his skill was very great. His strength and energy were extraordinary. He became a mighty car-warrior. In fact he was a great king.
"One day, while pursuing along the banks of the Ganges a deer that he had struck with his arrow, king Santanu observed that the river had become shallow. On observing this, that bull among men, viz., Santanu, began to reflect upon this strange phenomenon. He mentally asked why that first of rivers ran out so quickly as before. And while seeking for a cause, the illustrious monarch beheld that a youth of great comeliness, well-built and amiable person, like Indra himself, had, by his keen celestial weapon, checked the flow of the river. And the king, beholding this extraordinary feat of the river Ganga having been checked in her course near where that youth stood, became very much surprised. This youth was no other than Santanu's son himself. But as Santanu had seen his son only once a few moments after his birth, he had not sufficient recollection to identify that infant with the youth before his eyes. The youth, however, seeing his father, knew him at once, but instead of disclosing himself, he clouded the king's perception by his celestial powers of illusion and disappeared in his very sight.
"King Santanu, wondering much at what he saw and imagining the youth to be his own son then addressed Ganga and said, 'Show me that child.' Ganga thus addressed, assuming a beautiful form, and holding the boy decked with ornaments in her right arm, showed him to Santanu. And Santanu did not recognise that beautiful female bedecked with ornaments and attired in fine robes of white, although he had known her before. And Ganga said, 'O tiger among men, that eighth son whom thou hadst some time before begat upon me is this. Know that this excellent child is conversant with all weapons, O monarch, take him now. I have reared
p. 215
him with care. And go home, O tiger among men, taking him with thee. Endued with superior intelligence, he has studied with Vasishtha the entire Vedas with their branches. Skilled in all weapons and a mighty bowman, he is like Indra in battle. And, O Bharata, both the gods and the Asuras look upon him with favour. Whatever branches of knowledge are known to Usanas, this one knoweth completely. And so is he the master of all those Sastras that the son of Angiras (Vrihaspati) adored by the gods and the Asuras, knoweth. And all the weapons known to the powerful and invincible Rama, the son of Jamadagni are known to this thy illustrious son of mighty arms. O king of superior courage, take this thy own heroic child given unto thee by me. He is a mighty bowman and conversant with the interpretation of all treatises on the duties of a king.' Thus commanded by Ganga, Santanu took his child resembling the Sun himself in glory and returned to his capital. And having reached his city that was like unto the celestial capital, that monarch of Puru's line regarded himself greatly fortunate. And having summoned all the Pauravas together, for the protection of his kingdom he installed his son as his heir-apparent. And O bull of Bharata's race, the prince soon gratified by his behaviour his father and the other members of the Paurava race: in fact, all the subjects of the kingdom. And the king of incomparable prowess lived happily with that son of his.
"Four years had thus passed away, when the king one day went into the woods on the bank of the Yamuna. And while the king was rambling there, he perceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction. And the monarch, impelled by the desire of ascertaining the cause, wandered hither and thither. And in course of his ramble, he beheld a black-eyed maiden of celestial beauty, the daughter of a fisherman. The king addressing her, said, 'Who art thou, and whose daughter? What dost thou do here, O timid one?' She answered, 'Blest be thou! I am the daughter of the chief of the fishermen. At his command, I am engaged for religious merit, in rowing passengers across this river in my boat.' And Santanu, beholding that maiden of celestial form endued with beauty, amiableness, and such fragrance, desired her for his wife. And repairing unto her father, the king solicited his consent to the proposed match. But the chief of the fishermen replied to the monarch, saying, 'O king, as soon as my daughter of superior complexion was born, it was of course, understood that she should be bestowed upon a husband. But listen to the desire I have cherished all along in my heart. O sinless one, thou art truthful: if thou desirest to obtain this maiden as a gift from me, give, me then this pledge. If, indeed, thou givest the pledge, I will of course bestow my daughter upon thee for truly I can never obtain a husband for her equal to thee.'
"Santanu, hearing this, replied, 'When I have heard of the pledge thou askest, I shall then say whether I would be able to grant it. If it is capable of being granted, I shall certainly grant it. Otherwise how shall I
p. 216
grant it.' The fisherman said, 'O king, what I ask of thee is this: the son born of this maiden shall be installed by thee on thy throne and none else shall thou make thy successor.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Bharata, when Santanu heard this, he felt no inclination to grant such a boon, though the fire of desire sorely burnt him within. The king with his heart afflicted by desire returned to Hastinapura, thinking all the way of the fisherman's daughter. And having returned home, the monarch passed his time in sorrowful meditation. One day, Devavrata approaching his afflicted father said, 'All is prosperity with thee; all chiefs obey thee; then how is it that thou grievest thus? Absorbed in thy own thoughts, thou speakest not a word to me in reply. Thou goest not out on horse-back now; thou lookest pale and emaciated, having lost all animation. I wish to know the disease thou sufferest from, so that I may endeavour to apply a remedy.' Thus addressed by his son, Santanu answered, 'Thou sayest truly, O son, that I have become melancholy. I will also tell thee why I am so. O thou of Bharata's line, thou art the only scion of this our large race. Thou art always engaged in sports of arms and achievements of prowess. But, O son, I am always thinking of the instability of human life. If any danger overtake thee, O child of Ganga, the result is that we become sonless. Truly thou alone art to me as a century of sons. I do not, therefore, desire to wed again. I only desire and pray that prosperity may ever attend thee so that our dynasty may be perpetuated. The wise say that he that hath one son hath no son. Sacrifices before fire and the knowledge of the three Vedas yield, it is true, everlasting religious merit, but all these, in point of religious merit, do not, come up to a sixteenth part of the religious merit attainable on the birth of a son. Indeed, in this respect, there is hardly any difference between men and the lower animals. O wise one, I do not entertain a shadow of doubt that one attains to heaven in consequence of his having begotten a son. The Vedas which constitute the root of the Puranas and are regarded as authoritative even by the gods, contain numerous proof of this. O thou of Bharata's race, thou art a hero of excitable temper, who is always engaged in the exercise of arms. It is very probable that thou wilt be slain on the field of battle. If it so happen, what then will be the state of the Bharata dynasty, It is this thought that hath made me so melancholy. I have now told thee fully the causes of my sorrow.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Devavrata who was endued with great intelligence, having ascertained all this from the king, reflected within himself for a while. He then went to the old minister devoted to his father's welfare and asked him about the cause of the king's grief. O bull of Bharata's race, when the prince questioned the minister, the latter told him about the boon that was demanded by the chief of the fishermen in respect of his daughter Gandhavati. Then Devavrata, accompanied by many Kshatriya chiefs of venerable age, personally repaired to the chief of the fishermen
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and begged of him his daughter on behalf of the king. The chief of the fishermen received him with due adorations, and, O thou of Bharata's race, when the prince took his seat in the court of the chief, the latter addressed him and said, 'O bull among the Bharatas, thou art the first of all wielders of weapons and the only son of Santanu. Thy power is great. But I have something to tell thee. If the bride's father was Indra himself, even then he would have to repent of rejecting such an exceedingly honourable and desirable proposal of marriage. The great man of whose seed this celebrated maiden named Satyavati was born, is, indeed, equal to you in virtue. He hath spoken to me on many occasions of the virtues of thy father and told me that, the king alone is worthy of (marrying) Satyavati. Let me tell you that I have even rejected the solicitations of that best of Brahmarshis--the celestial sage Asita--who, too, had often asked for Satyavati's hand in marriage. I have only one word to say on the part of this maiden. In the matter of the proposed marriage there is one great objection founded on the fact of a rival in the person of a co-wife's son. O oppressor of all foes, he hath no security, even if he be an Asura or a Gandharva, who hath a rival in thee. There is this only objection to the proposed marriage, and nothing else. Blest be thou! But this is all I have to say in the matter of the bestowal or otherwise, of Satyavati.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O thou of Bharata's race, Devavrata, having heard these words, and moved by the desire of benefiting his father thus answered in the hearing of the assembled chiefs, 'O foremost of truthful men, listen to the vow I utter! The man has not been or will not be born, who will have the courage to take such a vow! I shall accomplish all that thou demandest! The son that may be born of this maiden shall be our king.' Thus addressed, the chief of the fishermen, impelled by desire of sovereignty (for his daughter's son), to achieve the almost impossible, then said, 'O thou of virtuous soul, thou art come hither as full agent on behalf of thy father Santanu of immeasurable glory; be thou also the sole manager on my behalf in the matter of the bestowal of this my daughter. But, O amiable one, there is something else to be said, something else to be reflected upon by thee. O suppressor of foes, those that have daughters, from the very nature of their obligations, must say what I say. O thou that art devoted to truth, the promise thou hast given in the presence of these chiefs for the benefit of Satyavati, hath, indeed, been worthy of thee. O thou of mighty arms, I have not the least doubt of its ever being violated by thee. But I have my doubts in respect of the children thou mayst beget.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, the son of Ganga, devoted to truth, having ascertained the scruples of the chief of the fishermen, then said, moved thereto by the desire of benefiting his father, 'Chief of fishermen, thou best of men, listen to what I say in the presence of these assembled kings. Ye kings, I have already relinquished my right to the throne, I shall now settle the matter of my children. O fisherman, from this day
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[paragraph continues] I adopt the vow of Brahmacharya (study and meditation in celibacy). If I die sonless, I shall yet attain to regions of perennial bliss in heaven!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon these words of the son of Ganga, the hair on the fisherman's body stood on end from glee, and he replied, 'I bestow my daughter!' Immediately after, the Apsaras and the gods with diverse tribes of Rishis began to rain down flowers from the firmament upon the head of Devavrata and exclaimed, 'This one is Bhishma (the terrible).' Bhishma then, to serve his father, addressed the illustrious damsel and said, 'O mother, ascend this chariot, and let us go unto our house.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this, Bhishma helped the beautiful maiden into his chariot. On arriving with her at Hastinapura, he told Santanu everything as it had happened. And the assembled kings, jointly and individually, applauded his extraordinary act and said, 'He is really Bhishma (the terrible)!' And Santanu also, hearing of the extraordinary achievements of his son, became highly gratified and bestowed upon the high-souled prince the boon of death at will, saying, 'Death shall never come to thee as long as thou desirest to live. Truly death shall approach thee, O sinless one, having first obtained thy command.'"
( I humbly pay my salutations to the lotus feet of Sreemaan Brahmasri K M Ganguli ji
for the collection)
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