Harivamsha — Chapter 12
HV 12.1
ततो हं तस्य वचनान् मार्कण्डेयं समाहितः प्रश्नं तम् एवान्वपृच्छं यन् मे पृष्टः पुरा पिता
tato haṃ tasya vacanān mārkaṇḍeyaṃ samāhitaḥ praśnaṃ tam evānvapṛcchaṃ yan me pṛṣṭaḥ purā pitā
Then, at his word, being attentive, I asked Mārkaṇḍeya that very question which my father had earlier been asked by me.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.2
स माम् उवाच धर्मात्मा मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः भीष्म वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वेन शृणुष्व प्रयतो नघ
sa mām uvāca dharmātmā mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ bhīṣma vakṣyāmi tattvena śṛṇuṣva prayato nagha
That righteous one, Mārkaṇḍeya of great austerity, said to me: "Bhīṣma, I shall tell (it) as it truly is; listen, being restrained, O sinless one."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.3
मयापि हि प्रसादाद् वै दीर्घायुष्ट्वं पितुः प्रभो पितृभक्त्यैव लब्धं च प्राग्लोके परमं यशः
mayāpi hi prasādād vai dīrghāyuṣṭvaṃ pituḥ prabho pitṛbhaktyaiva labdhaṃ ca prāgloke paramaṃ yaśaḥ
"For by me too, indeed, through my father's grace, long life was obtained, and by devotion to the fathers alone (I obtained) the highest fame in the world of old."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.4
सो हं युगस्य पर्यन्ते बहुवर्षसहस्रिके अधिरुह्य गिरिं मेरुं तपो तप्यं सुदुश्चरम्
so haṃ yugasya paryante bahuvarṣasahasrike adhiruhya giriṃ meruṃ tapo tapyaṃ suduścaram
"So I, at the end of an aeon spanning many thousands of years, having climbed Mount Meru, practised austerity very hard to perform."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.5
ततः कदाचित् पश्यामि दिवं प्रज्वाल्य तेजसा विमानं महद् आयान्तम् उत्तरेण गिरेस् तदा
tataḥ kadācit paśyāmi divaṃ prajvālya tejasā vimānaṃ mahad āyāntam uttareṇa gires tadā
"Then at one time I saw, setting the sky ablaze with its brilliance, a great celestial chariot coming then from the north of the mountain."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.6
अपश्यं तत्र चैवाहं शयानं दीप्ततेजसम् अङ्गुष्ठमात्रं पुरुषम् अग्नाव् अग्निम् इवाहितम्
apaśyaṃ tatra caivāhaṃ śayānaṃ dīptatejasam aṅguṣṭhamātraṃ puruṣam agnāv agnim ivāhitam
"And there I saw, lying down, of blazing brilliance, a man the size of a thumb, like fire placed in fire."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.7
सो हं तस्मै नमस् कृत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा प्रभुम् संनिविष्टं विमानस्थं पाद्यार्घ्याभ्यां अपूजयम्
so haṃ tasmai namas kṛtvā praṇamya śirasā prabhum saṃniviṣṭaṃ vimānasthaṃ pādyārghyābhyāṃ apūjayam
"So I, making obeisance to him, bowing with my head to that lord seated (there), stationed in the chariot, honoured him with water for the feet and with an arghya offering."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.8
अपृच्छं चैव दुर्धर्षं विद्याम त्वाम् कथं प्रभो दैवतं ह्य् असि देवानाम् इति मे वर्तते मतिः
apṛcchaṃ caiva durdharṣaṃ vidyāma tvām kathaṃ prabho daivataṃ hy asi devānām iti me vartate matiḥ
"And I asked that unassailable one: 'How may we know you, O lord? For you are the deity of the gods — such is my thought.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.9
स माम् उवाच धर्मात्मा स्मयमान इवानघ न ते तपः सुचरितं येन मां नावबुध्यसे
sa mām uvāca dharmātmā smayamāna ivānagha na te tapaḥ sucaritaṃ yena māṃ nāvabudhyase
"That righteous one said to me, as if smiling, O sinless one: 'Your austerity has not been well performed, since you do not recognise me.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.11
क्षणेनैव प्रमाणं स बिभ्रद् अन्यद् अनुत्तमम् रूपेण न मया कश्चिद् दृष्टपूर्वः पुमान् क्वचित् ॥ ह्व्_१२।१० स माम् उवाच तेजस्वी वाचा मधुरया पुनः । कौतूहलपरिज्ञाने यत् तद् ब्रह्मन् ददामि ते । विद्धि मां ब्रह्मणः पुत्रं मानसं पूर्वजं प्रभो तपोवीर्यात् समुत्पन्नं नारायणगुणात्मकम्
kṣaṇenaiva pramāṇaṃ sa bibhrad anyad anuttamam rūpeṇa na mayā kaścid dṛṣṭapūrvaḥ pumān kvacit // HV_12.10 sa mām uvāca tejasvī vācā madhurayā punaḥ | kautūhalaparijñāne yat tad brahman dadāmi te | viddhi māṃ brahmaṇaḥ putraṃ mānasaṃ pūrvajaṃ prabho tapovīryāt samutpannaṃ nārāyaṇaguṇātmakam
"In an instant he bore another measure (of size), unsurpassed; no man like him in form had ever been seen by me anywhere before. [12.10] That brilliant one spoke to me again with sweet speech: 'What (you seek) in the satisfying of your curiosity, that, O brahmin, I grant you. Know me as the mind-born, first-born son of Brahmā, O lord, arisen from the power of austerity, whose nature is the quality of Nārāyaṇa.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.12
सनत्कुमार इति यः श्रुतो वेदेषु वै पुरा सो स्मि भार्गव भद्रं ते कं कामं करवाणि ते
sanatkumāra iti yaḥ śruto vedeṣu vai purā so smi bhārgava bhadraṃ te kaṃ kāmaṃ karavāṇi te
"I am he who was of old heard of in the Vedas as Sanatkumāra, O Bhārgava; blessings on you—what desire of yours shall I fulfill?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.14
ये त्व् अन्ये ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा यवीयांसस् तु ते मम भ्रातरः सप्त दुर्धर्षा येषां वंशाः प्रतिष्ठिताः ॥ ह्व्_१२।१३ मरीचिर् अत्रिर् भगवान् पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः । अङ्गिराश् च वसिष्ठश् च सप्तैते ब्रह्मणः सुताः । क्रतुर् वसिष्ठः पुलहः पुलस्त्यो त्रिस् तथाङ्गिराः मरीचिस् तु तथा विद्वान् देवगन्धर्वसेविताः । त्रींल् लोकाण् धारयन्तीमान् देवदानवपूजिताः
ye tv anye brahmaṇaḥ putrā yavīyāṃsas tu te mama bhrātaraḥ sapta durdharṣā yeṣāṃ vaṃśāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ // HV_12.13 marīcir atrir bhagavān pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ | aṅgirāś ca vasiṣṭhaś ca saptaite brahmaṇaḥ sutāḥ | kratur vasiṣṭhaḥ pulahaḥ pulastyo tris tathāṅgirāḥ marīcis tu tathā vidvān devagandharvasevitāḥ | trīṃl lokāṇ dhārayantīmān devadānavapūjitāḥ
"But the other sons of Brahmā, who are younger than I, are my seven brothers, hard to assail, whose lineages are established: Marīci, Atri the venerable, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Aṅgiras and Vasiṣṭha—these seven are Brahmā's sons. Kratu, Vasiṣṭha, Pulaha, Pulastya, Atri and Aṅgiras, and likewise the learned Marīci—attended by gods and gandharvas, honored by gods and dānavas, they uphold these three worlds."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.15
वयं तु यतिधर्माण आरोप्यात्मानम् आत्मनि प्रजाधर्मं च कामं च वर्तयामो महामुने
vayaṃ tu yatidharmāṇa āropyātmānam ātmani prajādharmaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca vartayāmo mahāmune
"But we, having the duty of ascetics, having placed the self in the self, carry on the duty of offspring and desire (only thus), O great sage."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 12.16
यथोत्पन्नस् तथैवाहं कुमार इति विद्धि माम् तस्मात् सनत्कुमारेति नामैतन् मे प्रतिष्ठितम्
yathotpannas tathaivāhaṃ kumāra iti viddhi mām tasmāt sanatkumāreti nāmaitan me pratiṣṭhitam
"Know me to be just as I was when born, a boy (kumāra); therefore this name 'Sanatkumāra' is fixed upon me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.17
मद्भक्त्या ते तपश् चीर्णं मम दर्शनकाङ्क्षया एष दृष्टो सि भवता कं कामं करवाणि ते
madbhaktyā te tapaś cīrṇaṃ mama darśanakāṅkṣayā eṣa dṛṣṭo si bhavatā kaṃ kāmaṃ karavāṇi te
"Out of devotion to me your austerity was performed, with the wish to see me. Here I am, seen by you—what desire of yours shall I fulfill?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.18
इत्य् उक्तवन्तं तम् अहं प्रत्यवोचं सनातनम् अनुज्ञातो भगवता प्रीयता तेन भारत
ity uktavantaṃ tam ahaṃ pratyavocaṃ sanātanam anujñāto bhagavatā prīyatā tena bhārata
To him, the eternal one, who had spoken thus, I made reply, being permitted by the lord, who was pleased with me, O Bhārata.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.19
ततो हम् अर्थम् एतं वै तम् अपृच्छं सनातनम् पृष्टः पितॄणां सर्गं च फलं श्राद्धस्य चानघ चिच्छेद संशयं भीष्म स तु देवेश्वरो मम
tato ham artham etaṃ vai tam apṛcchaṃ sanātanam pṛṣṭaḥ pitṝṇāṃ sargaṃ ca phalaṃ śrāddhasya cānagha ciccheda saṃśayaṃ bhīṣma sa tu deveśvaro mama
Then I asked that eternal one about this very matter; and being asked about the creation of the fathers and the fruit of the śrāddha, O sinless one, he, the lord of the gods, cut off my doubt, O Bhīṣma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.20
स माम् उवाच प्रीतात्मा कथान्ते बहुवार्षिके रमे त्वयाहं विप्रर्षे शृणु सर्वं यथातथम्
sa mām uvāca prītātmā kathānte bahuvārṣike rame tvayāhaṃ viprarṣe śṛṇu sarvaṃ yathātatham
He, his heart pleased, said to me at the end of a discourse lasting many years: "I take delight in you, O sage among brahmins; hear it all as it truly is."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.21
देवान् असृजत ब्रह्मा मां यक्ष्यन्तीति भार्गव तम् उत्सृज्य तदात्मानम् अयजंस् ते फलार्थिनः
devān asṛjata brahmā māṃ yakṣyantīti bhārgava tam utsṛjya tadātmānam ayajaṃs te phalārthinaḥ
"Brahmā created the gods, thinking 'they will sacrifice to me,' O Bhārgava; but they, seeking the fruit (for themselves), abandoned him and sacrificed to their own selves."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.22
ते शप्ता ब्रह्मणा मूढा नष्टसंज्ञा विचेतसः न स्म किंचित् प्रजानन्ति ततो लोको व्यमुह्यत
te śaptā brahmaṇā mūḍhā naṣṭasaṃjñā vicetasaḥ na sma kiṃcit prajānanti tato loko vyamuhyata
"Cursed by Brahmā, they became deluded, their awareness lost, senseless; they knew nothing at all, and thereupon the world was bewildered."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.23
ते भूयः प्रणताः सर्वे प्रायाचन्त पितामहम् अनुग्रहाय लोकानां ततस् तान् अब्रवीत् प्रभुः
te bhūyaḥ praṇatāḥ sarve prāyācanta pitāmaham anugrahāya lokānāṃ tatas tān abravīt prabhuḥ
"They all bowed down again and entreated the Grandfather for the favoring of the worlds; then the lord said to them:"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.24
प्रायश्चित्तं चरध्वं वै व्यभिचारो हि वः कृतः पुत्रांश् च परिपृच्छध्वं ततो ज्ञानम् अवाप्स्यथ
prāyaścittaṃ caradhvaṃ vai vyabhicāro hi vaḥ kṛtaḥ putrāṃś ca paripṛcchadhvaṃ tato jñānam avāpsyatha
"'Perform expiation, for a transgression has been committed by you; and question your sons—then you will regain knowledge.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.25
प्रायश्चित्तक्रियार्थं ते पुत्रान् पप्रच्छुर् आर्तवत् तेभ्यस् ते प्रयतात्मानः शशंसुर् तनयास् तदा
prāyaścittakriyārthaṃ te putrān papracchur ārtavat tebhyas te prayatātmānaḥ śaśaṃsur tanayās tadā
"For the sake of performing the expiation they asked their sons, like men in distress; and then those sons, self-controlled, instructed them."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.26
प्रायश्चित्तानि धर्मज्ञा वाङ्मनःकर्मजानि वै शंसन्ति कुशला नित्यं चक्षुष्मन्तो हि तत्त्वतः
prāyaścittāni dharmajñā vāṅmanaḥkarmajāni vai śaṃsanti kuśalā nityaṃ cakṣuṣmanto hi tattvataḥ
"Knowers of dharma, skilled and truly seeing, always declare the expiations that arise from speech, mind and deed."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.27
प्रायश्चित्तार्थतत्त्वज्ञा लब्धसंज्ञा दिवौकसः गम्यतां पुत्रकाश् चेति पुत्रैर् उक्ताश् च ते तदा
prāyaścittārthatattvajñā labdhasaṃjñā divaukasaḥ gamyatāṃ putrakāś ceti putrair uktāś ca te tadā
"The dwellers in heaven, knowing the truth of the meaning of expiation, regained their awareness; and then they were addressed by their sons: 'Go, little sons!'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.28
अभिशप्तास् तु ते देवाः पुत्रवाक्येन तेन वै पितामहम् उपागच्छन् संशयच्छेदनाय वै
abhiśaptās tu te devāḥ putravākyena tena vai pitāmaham upāgacchan saṃśayacchedanāya vai
"But those gods, cursed by that utterance of their sons, went to the Grandfather to have their doubt cut away."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.29
ततस् तान् अब्रवीद् देवो यूयं वै ब्रह्मवादिनः तस्माद् यद् उक्ता यूयं तैस् तत् तथा न तद् अन्यथा
tatas tān abravīd devo yūyaṃ vai brahmavādinaḥ tasmād yad uktā yūyaṃ tais tat tathā na tad anyathā
"Then the god said to them: 'You are indeed speakers of the Veda; therefore what has been said to you by them is so, and not otherwise.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.30
यूयं शरीरकर्तारस् तेषां देवा भविष्यथ ते तु ज्ञानप्रदातारः पितरो वो न संशयः
yūyaṃ śarīrakartāras teṣāṃ devā bhaviṣyatha te tu jñānapradātāraḥ pitaro vo na saṃśayaḥ
"'You gods shall be the makers of their bodies, but they are the givers of knowledge—they are your fathers, there is no doubt.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.31
अन्योन्यपितरो यूयं ते चैवेति निबोधत देवाश् च पितरश् चैव तद् बुध्यध्वं दिवौकसः
anyonyapitaro yūyaṃ te caiveti nibodhata devāś ca pitaraś caiva tad budhyadhvaṃ divaukasaḥ
"'Understand that you are fathers of one another, and they likewise; know this, O dwellers in heaven: (you are both) gods and fathers.'"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.32
ततस् ते पुनर् आगम्य पुत्रान् ऊचुर् दिवौकसः ब्रह्मणा छिन्नसंदेहाः प्रीतिमन्तः परस्परम्
tatas te punar āgamya putrān ūcur divaukasaḥ brahmaṇā chinnasaṃdehāḥ prītimantaḥ parasparam
"Then the dwellers in heaven, their doubt cut away by Brahmā, came back and spoke to their sons, pleased with one another."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.33
यूयं वै पितरो स्माकं यैर् वयं प्रतिबोधिताः धर्मज्ञाः कश् च वः कामः को वरो वः प्रदीयताम् यद् उक्तं चैव युष्माभिस् तत् तथा न तद् अन्यथा
yūyaṃ vai pitaro smākaṃ yair vayaṃ pratibodhitāḥ dharmajñāḥ kaś ca vaḥ kāmaḥ ko varo vaḥ pradīyatām yad uktaṃ caiva yuṣmābhis tat tathā na tad anyathā
"You are indeed our fathers, since it is by you that we were awakened. You know the law: what is your wish? What boon shall be granted to you? And what has been said by you — so it is, not otherwise."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.34
उक्ताश् च यस्माद् युष्माभिः पुत्रका इति वै वयम् तस्माद् भवन्तः पितरो भविष्यन्ति न संशयः
uktāś ca yasmād yuṣmābhiḥ putrakā iti vai vayam tasmād bhavantaḥ pitaro bhaviṣyanti na saṃśayaḥ
"And since we were addressed by you as 'little sons,' therefore you gentlemen shall be (our) fathers — there is no doubt."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.35
यो निष्ट्वा च पितॄन् श्राद्धैः क्रियाः काश्चित् करिष्यति राक्षसा दानवा नागाः फलं प्राप्स्यन्ति तस्य तत्
yo niṣṭvā ca pitṝn śrāddhaiḥ kriyāḥ kāścit kariṣyati rākṣasā dānavā nāgāḥ phalaṃ prāpsyanti tasya tat
"Whoever, having (first) offered to the fathers with śrāddha rites, then performs any (other) rites — the rākṣasas, dānavas and nāgas will obtain that fruit of his."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 12.36
श्राद्धैर् आप्यायिताश् चैव पितरः सोमम् अव्ययम् आप्याय्यमानं युष्माभिर् वर्धयिष्यन्ति नित्यदा
śrāddhair āpyāyitāś caiva pitaraḥ somam avyayam āpyāyyamānaṃ yuṣmābhir vardhayiṣyanti nityadā
"And the fathers, filled up by śrāddhas, will forever increase the imperishable soma, which is (thus) being replenished by you."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.37
श्राद्धैर् आप्यायितः सोमो लोकम् आप्याययिष्यति समुद्रपर्वतवनं जंगमाजंगमैर् वृतम्
śrāddhair āpyāyitaḥ somo lokam āpyāyayiṣyati samudraparvatavanaṃ jaṃgamājaṃgamair vṛtam
"The soma, filled up by śrāddhas, will fill up the world, with its oceans, mountains and forests, encompassed by moving and unmoving (beings)."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.38
श्राद्धानि पुष्टिकामाश् च ये करिष्यन्ति मानवाः तेभ्यः पुष्टिं प्रजाश् चैव दास्यन्ति पितरः सदा
śrāddhāni puṣṭikāmāś ca ye kariṣyanti mānavāḥ tebhyaḥ puṣṭiṃ prajāś caiva dāsyanti pitaraḥ sadā
"And those men who, desiring prosperity, will perform śrāddhas — to them the fathers will always give prosperity and offspring."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.40
श्राद्धे च ये प्रदास्यन्ति त्रीन् पिण्डान् नामगोत्रतः सर्वत्र वर्तमानांस् तान् पितरः सपितामहाः भावयिष्यन्ति सततं श्राद्धदानेन पूजिताः ॥ ह्व्_१२।३९ एवम् आज्ञा कृता पूर्वं ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना । इति तद् वचनं सत्यं भवत्व् अद्य दिवौकसः पुत्राश् च पितरश् चैव वयं सर्वे परस्परम्
śrāddhe ca ye pradāsyanti trīn piṇḍān nāmagotrataḥ sarvatra vartamānāṃs tān pitaraḥ sapitāmahāḥ bhāvayiṣyanti satataṃ śrāddhadānena pūjitāḥ // HV_12.39 evam ājñā kṛtā pūrvaṃ brahmaṇā parameṣṭhinā | iti tad vacanaṃ satyaṃ bhavatv adya divaukasaḥ putrāś ca pitaraś caiva vayaṃ sarve parasparam
"And those who at a śrāddha will offer three balls of rice with name and lineage — the fathers together with the grandfathers, honoured by the giving of the śrāddha, will constantly foster them wherever they are. [HV 12.39] Thus was the command formerly made by Brahmā, the supreme lord." So let that word be true today, O dwellers in heaven: we are all mutually both sons and fathers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 12.41
त एते पितरो देवा देवाश् च पितरस् तथा अन्योन्यपितरो ह्य् एते देवाश् च पितरश् च ह
ta ete pitaro devā devāś ca pitaras tathā anyonyapitaro hy ete devāś ca pitaraś ca ha
These same ones are the fathers (who are) gods, and the gods likewise are fathers; these gods and fathers are indeed fathers of one another.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition