Harivamsha — Chapter 16
HV 16.1
सगालवस्य चरितं कण्डरीकस्य चैव ह ब्रह्मदत्ततृतीयानां योगिनां ब्रह्मचारिणाम् ॥ ह्व्_१५।६८ श्राद्धे प्रतिष्ठितो लोकः श्राद्धाद् योगः प्रवर्तते । हन्त ते वर्तयिष्यामि श्राद्धस्य फलम् उत्तमम् ब्रह्मदत्तेन यत् प्राप्तं सप्तजातिषु भारत
sagālavasya caritaṃ kaṇḍarīkasya caiva ha brahmadattatṛtīyānāṃ yogināṃ brahmacāriṇām // HV_15.68 śrāddhe pratiṣṭhito lokaḥ śrāddhād yogaḥ pravartate | hanta te vartayiṣyāmi śrāddhasya phalam uttamam brahmadattena yat prāptaṃ saptajātiṣu bhārata
The story of Gālava together with Kaṇḍarīka, and of Brahmadatta as the third — of those yogins who were celibate students. // The world rests upon the śrāddha; from the śrāddha yoga proceeds. Come, I shall relate to you the supreme fruit of the śrāddha, that which was obtained by Brahmadatta through seven births, O Bhārata.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 16.4
तत एव हि धर्मस्य बुद्धिर् निर्वर्तते शनैः पीडयाप्य् अथ धर्मस्य कृते श्राद्धे पुरानघ ॥ ह्व्_१६।२ यत् प्राप्तं ब्राह्मणैः पूर्वं तन् निबोध नरोत्तम । ततो ऽहं नातिधर्मिष्ठान् कुरुक्षेत्रे पितृव्रतान् सनत्कुमारनिर्दिष्टान् अपश्यं सप्त वै द्विजान् ॥ ह्व्_१६।३ दिव्येन चक्षुषा तेन यान् उवाच पुरा विभुः । वाग्दुष्टः क्रोधनो हिंस्रः पिशुनः कविर् एव च खसृमः पितृवर्ती च नामभिः कर्मभिस् तथा
tata eva hi dharmasya buddhir nirvartate śanaiḥ pīḍayāpy atha dharmasya kṛte śrāddhe purānagha // HV_16.2 yat prāptaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ pūrvaṃ tan nibodha narottama | tato 'haṃ nātidharmiṣṭhān kurukṣetre pitṛvratān sanatkumāranirdiṣṭān apaśyaṃ sapta vai dvijān // HV_16.3 divyena cakṣuṣā tena yān uvāca purā vibhuḥ | vāgduṣṭaḥ krodhano hiṃsraḥ piśunaḥ kavir eva ca khasṛmaḥ pitṛvartī ca nāmabhiḥ karmabhis tathā
For from that very source the understanding of dharma slowly comes about; and even when a śrāddha is performed under compulsion for the sake of dharma, O sinless one — // learn, best of men, what was thereby obtained by brahmins of old. Then in Kurukṣetra I saw seven brahmins, not overly devoted to dharma, who kept the vow to the ancestors and had been pointed out by Sanatkumāra, // with that divine eye — those whom the mighty one had formerly named: Vāgduṣṭa, Krodhana, Hiṃsra, Piśuna, Kavi, Khasṛma, and Pitṛvartī, (so called) by names and likewise by their deeds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 16.5
कौशिकस्य सुतास् तात शिष्या गार्ग्यस्य भारत पितर्य् उपरते सर्वे व्रतवन्तस् तदाभवन्
kauśikasya sutās tāta śiṣyā gārgyasya bhārata pitary uparate sarve vratavantas tadābhavan
They were sons of Kauśika, dear one, pupils of Gārgya, O Bhārata; when their father had passed away they all then took up the vow.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.6
नियोगात् ते गुरोस् तस्य गां दोग्ध्रीं समकालयन् समानवत्सां कपिलां सर्वे न्यायागतां तदा
niyogāt te guros tasya gāṃ dogdhrīṃ samakālayan samānavatsāṃ kapilāṃ sarve nyāyāgatāṃ tadā
At the command of that teacher of theirs, they all then drove along a milk-cow, a tawny one with a calf of like colour, that had been acquired by lawful means.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.7
तेषां पथि क्षुधार्तानां बाल्यान् मोहाच् च भारत क्रूरा बुद्धिः समभवत् तां गां वै हिंसितुं तदा
teṣāṃ pathi kṣudhārtānāṃ bālyān mohāc ca bhārata krūrā buddhiḥ samabhavat tāṃ gāṃ vai hiṃsituṃ tadā
As they were afflicted by hunger on the road, O Bhārata, out of childishness and confusion a cruel thought then arose in them: to kill that cow.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.8
तान् कविः खसृमश् चैव याचेते नेति वै तदा न चाशक्यन्त ते ताभ्यां तदा वारयितुं द्विजाः
tān kaviḥ khasṛmaś caiva yācete neti vai tadā na cāśakyanta te tābhyāṃ tadā vārayituṃ dvijāḥ
Kavi and Khasṛma both begged them, saying 'No!' — but those brahmins could not then be restrained by the two.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.9
पितृवर्ती तु यस् तेषां नित्यं श्राद्धाह्निको द्विजः स सर्वान् अब्रवीद् भ्रातॄन् कोपाद् धर्मसमन्वितः
pitṛvartī tu yas teṣāṃ nityaṃ śrāddhāhniko dvijaḥ sa sarvān abravīd bhrātṝn kopād dharmasamanvitaḥ
But he among them who was Pitṛvartī, a brahmin constant in the daily śrāddha, said to all his brothers, in anger and possessed of dharma:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.10
यद्य् अवश्यं प्रकर्तव्या पितॄन् उद्दिश्य साध्व् इमां प्रकुर्वीमहि गां सम्यक् सर्व एव समाहिताः
yady avaśyaṃ prakartavyā pitṝn uddiśya sādhv imāṃ prakurvīmahi gāṃ samyak sarva eva samāhitāḥ
"If it must inevitably be done, let us all, with minds concentrated, properly make of this cow a good (offering), designating it for the ancestors."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.11
एवम् एषा च गौर् धर्मं प्राप्स्यते नात्र संशयः पितॄन् अभ्यर्च्य धर्मेण नाधर्मो ऽस्मिन् भविष्यति
evam eṣā ca gaur dharmaṃ prāpsyate nātra saṃśayaḥ pitṝn abhyarcya dharmeṇa nādharmo 'smin bhaviṣyati
"Thus this cow too will attain dharma — of that there is no doubt; having honoured the ancestors lawfully, there will be no unrighteousness in this."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.12
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा च ते सर्वे प्रोक्षयित्वा च गां ततः पितृभ्यः कल्पयित्वैनाम् उपयुज्यन्त भारत
tathety uktvā ca te sarve prokṣayitvā ca gāṃ tataḥ pitṛbhyaḥ kalpayitvainām upayujyanta bhārata
And all of them said "So be it," and then, having sprinkled the cow (with water) and consecrated her for the ancestors, they made use of (ate) her, O Bhārata.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.13
उपयुज्य च गां सर्वे गुरोस् तस्य न्यवेदयत् शार्दूलेन हता धेनुर् वत्सो ऽयं गृह्यताम् इति आर्जवात् स तु वत्सं तं प्रतिजग्राह वै द्विजः
upayujya ca gāṃ sarve guros tasya nyavedayat śārdūlena hatā dhenur vatso 'yaṃ gṛhyatām iti ārjavāt sa tu vatsaṃ taṃ pratijagrāha vai dvijaḥ
And having consumed the cow, they all reported to their teacher: "The milch-cow was killed by a tiger; let this calf be taken." And out of straightforwardness that brahmin accepted the calf.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.14
मिथ्योपचर्य ते तं तु गुरुम् अन्यायतो द्विजाः कालेन समयुज्यन्त सर्व एवायुषः क्षये
mithyopacarya te taṃ tu gurum anyāyato dvijāḥ kālena samayujyanta sarva evāyuṣaḥ kṣaye
But those brahmins, having thus dealt falsely and improperly with their teacher, in time all met (their end) at the exhaustion of their lifespan.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.15
ते वै हिंस्रतया क्रूरा अनार्यत्वाद् गुरोस् तदा उग्रा हिंसाविहाराश् च सप्ताजायन्त सोदराः लुब्धकस्यात्मजास् तात बलवन्तो मनस्विनः
te vai hiṃsratayā krūrā anāryatvād guros tadā ugrā hiṃsāvihārāś ca saptājāyanta sodarāḥ lubdhakasyātmajās tāta balavanto manasvinaḥ
Cruel through their violent nature, and because of their ignoble conduct toward the teacher, they were then born as seven brothers, fierce and taking pleasure in violence, sons of a hunter, my dear, strong and spirited.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.16
पितॄन् अभ्यर्च्य धर्मेण प्रोक्षयित्वा च गां तदा स्मृतिः प्रत्यवमर्शश् च तेषां जात्यन्तरे ऽभवत्
pitṝn abhyarcya dharmeṇa prokṣayitvā ca gāṃ tadā smṛtiḥ pratyavamarśaś ca teṣāṃ jātyantare 'bhavat
Because they had honoured the ancestors according to dharma and had sprinkled the cow then, memory and recollection (of the past) arose in them in that other birth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.17
जाता व्याधा दशार्णेषु सप्त धर्मविचक्षणाः स्वधर्मनिरताः सर्वे लोभानृतविवर्जिताः
jātā vyādhā daśārṇeṣu sapta dharmavicakṣaṇāḥ svadharmaniratāḥ sarve lobhānṛtavivarjitāḥ
Born among the Daśārṇas as seven hunters skilled in dharma, all devoted to their own duty, free from greed and falsehood.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.18
तावन् मात्रं प्रकुर्वन्ति यावता प्राणधारणम् शेषं धर्मपराः कालम् अनुध्यान्ति स्वकर्म तत्
tāvan mātraṃ prakurvanti yāvatā prāṇadhāraṇam śeṣaṃ dharmaparāḥ kālam anudhyānti svakarma tat
They do (kill) only so much as suffices to sustain life; devoted to dharma, for the remaining time they reflect upon that deed of theirs.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.19
नामधेयानि चाप्य् एषाम् इमान्य् आसन् नराधिप निर्वैरो निर्वृतः क्षान्तो निर्मन्युः कृतिर् एव च वैधसो मातृवर्ती च व्याधाः परमधार्मिकाः
nāmadheyāni cāpy eṣām imāny āsan narādhipa nirvairo nirvṛtaḥ kṣānto nirmanyuḥ kṛtir eva ca vaidhaso mātṛvartī ca vyādhāḥ paramadhārmikāḥ
And these were their names, O lord of men: Nirvaira, Nirvṛta, Kṣānta, Nirmanyu, and Kṛti, Vaidhasa and Mātṛvartin — hunters, supremely righteous.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.20
तैर् एवम् उषितैस् तात हिंसाधर्मपरैर् वने माता च पूजिता वृद्धा पिता च परितोषितः
tair evam uṣitais tāta hiṃsādharmaparair vane mātā ca pūjitā vṛddhā pitā ca paritoṣitaḥ
While they dwelt thus in the forest, my dear, given to the violent way of life, their aged mother was honoured and their father was fully satisfied.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.21
यदा माता पिता चैव संयुक्तौ कालधर्मणा तदा धनूंषि ते त्यक्त्वा वने प्राणान् अवासृजन्
yadā mātā pitā caiva saṃyuktau kāladharmaṇā tadā dhanūṃṣi te tyaktvā vane prāṇān avāsṛjan
When their mother and father were joined with the law of time (died), then, casting away their bows, they gave up their lives in the forest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.22
शुभेन कर्मणा तेन जाता जातिस्मरा मृगाः त्रासोद्वेगेन संविग्ना रम्ये कालंजरे गिरौ
śubhena karmaṇā tena jātā jātismarā mṛgāḥ trāsodvegena saṃvignā ramye kālaṃjare girau
By that meritorious deed they were born as deer remembering their former births, agitated with fear and alarm, on the lovely Mount Kālañjara.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.23
उन्मुखो नित्यवित्रस्तः स्तब्धकर्णो विलोचनः पण्डितो घस्मरो नादी नामभिस् ते ऽभवन् मृगाः
unmukho nityavitrastaḥ stabdhakarṇo vilocanaḥ paṇḍito ghasmaro nādī nāmabhis te 'bhavan mṛgāḥ
Unmukha, Nityavitrasta, Stabdhakarṇa, Vilocana, Paṇḍita, Ghasmara and Nādin — such were those deer by name.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.24
तम् एवार्थम् अनुध्यान्तो जातिस्मरणसंभवम् आसन् वनेचराः क्षान्ता निर्द्वन्द्वा निष्परिग्रहाः
tam evārtham anudhyānto jātismaraṇasaṃbhavam āsan vanecarāḥ kṣāntā nirdvandvā niṣparigrahāḥ
Reflecting on just that matter which arose from the memory of their births, they lived as forest-dwellers, patient, free of the pairs of opposites, without possessions.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.25
ते सर्वे शुभकर्माणः सधर्माणो वनेचराः मरुं साध्य जहुः प्राणांल् लघ्वाहारास् तपस्विनः
te sarve śubhakarmāṇaḥ sadharmāṇo vanecarāḥ maruṃ sādhya jahuḥ prāṇāṃl laghvāhārās tapasvinaḥ
All those forest-dwellers of good deeds and shared dharma, eating little, ascetics, accomplished the marut (fast unto death) and gave up their lives.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 16.26
तेषां मरुं साधयतां पदस्थानानि भारत तथैवाद्यापि दृश्यन्ते गिरौ कालञ्जरे ऽच्युत
teṣāṃ maruṃ sādhayatāṃ padasthānāni bhārata tathaivādyāpi dṛśyante girau kālañjare 'cyuta
The places of the footprints of those who accomplished the marut, O Bhārata, are seen even today just so on Mount Kālañjara, O Acyuta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.27
कर्मणा तेन ते तात शुभेनाशुभवर्जिताः शुभाच् छुभतरां योनिं चक्रवाकत्वम् आगताः
karmaṇā tena te tāta śubhenāśubhavarjitāḥ śubhāc chubhatarāṃ yoniṃ cakravākatvam āgatāḥ
By that meritorious deed, my dear, freed of demerit, they came from a good womb to a better one: the state of being cakravāka birds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.29
शुभे देशे सरिद्द्वीपे सप्तैवासञ् जलौकसः त्यक्त्वा सहचरीधर्मं मुनयो धर्मचारिणः ॥ ह्व्_१६।२८ निःस्पृहो निर्ममः क्षान्तो निर्द्वंद्वो निष्परिग्रहः । निर्वृत्तिर् निभृतश् चैव शकुना नामतः स्मृताः ॥ ते ब्रह्मचारिणः सर्वे शकुना धर्मचारिणः । निराहारा जहुः प्राणांस् तपोयुक्ताः सरित्तटे ॥ अथ ते सोदरा जाता हंसा मानसचारिणः । जातिस्मराः सुसंबद्धाः सप्तैव ब्रह्मचारिणः ॥ विप्रयोनौ यतो मोहान् मिथ्योपचरितो गुरुः । तिर्यग्योनौ ततो जाताः संसारे परिबभ्रमुः ॥ यदा तु पितृकार्यार्थः कृतः स्वार्थे व्यवस्थितैः । ततो ज्ञानं च जातिं च ते हि प्रापुर् गुणोत्तरम् । सुमना मुनिः सुवाक् शुद्धः पञ्चमश् छिद्रदर्शनः सुनेत्रश् च स्वतन्त्रश् च शकुना नामतः स्मृताः
śubhe deśe sariddvīpe saptaivāsañ jalaukasaḥ tyaktvā sahacarīdharmaṃ munayo dharmacāriṇaḥ // HV_16.28 niḥspṛho nirmamaḥ kṣānto nirdvaṃdvo niṣparigrahaḥ | nirvṛttir nibhṛtaś caiva śakunā nāmataḥ smṛtāḥ || te brahmacāriṇaḥ sarve śakunā dharmacāriṇaḥ | nirāhārā jahuḥ prāṇāṃs tapoyuktāḥ sarittaṭe || atha te sodarā jātā haṃsā mānasacāriṇaḥ | jātismarāḥ susaṃbaddhāḥ saptaiva brahmacāriṇaḥ || viprayonau yato mohān mithyopacarito guruḥ | tiryagyonau tato jātāḥ saṃsāre paribabhramuḥ || yadā tu pitṛkāryārthaḥ kṛtaḥ svārthe vyavasthitaiḥ | tato jñānaṃ ca jātiṃ ca te hi prāpur guṇottaram | sumanā muniḥ suvāk śuddhaḥ pañcamaś chidradarśanaḥ sunetraś ca svatantraś ca śakunā nāmataḥ smṛtāḥ
In a pleasant place, on a river-island, the seven were water-dwellers, sages of righteous conduct, having given up the way of consorts. [16.28] Niḥspṛha, Nirmama, Kṣānta, Nirdvandva, Niṣparigraha, Nirvṛtti and Nibhṛta — such are recorded as the names of those birds. All those birds were celibate and of righteous conduct; fasting, given to austerity, they gave up their lives on the river bank. Then those brothers were born as geese moving on Lake Mānasa, remembering their births, well bound together, the seven celibates. Because, in the brahmin birth, out of delusion the teacher had been dealt with falsely, therefore they were born in animal wombs and wandered about in the round of rebirth. But when the duty toward the ancestors was performed by those who were (also) intent on their own advantage, thereby they obtained both knowledge and a birth superior in qualities. Sumanas, Muni, Suvāk, Śuddha, fifth Chidradarśana, Sunetra and Svatantra — such are recorded as the names of those birds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
HV 16.30
पञ्चमः पञ्चिकस् तत्र सप्तजातिष्व् अजायत षष्ठस् तु कण्डरीको ऽभूद् ब्रह्मदत्तस् तु सप्तमः
pañcamaḥ pañcikas tatra saptajātiṣv ajāyata ṣaṣṭhas tu kaṇḍarīko 'bhūd brahmadattas tu saptamaḥ
There the fifth was born as Pañcika in the seven births; the sixth became Kaṇḍarīka, and the seventh Brahmadatta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.31
तेषां तु तपसा तेन सप्तजातिकृतेन वै योगस्य चाभिनिर्वृत्त्या प्रतिभानाच् च शोभनात्
teṣāṃ tu tapasā tena saptajātikṛtena vai yogasya cābhinirvṛttyā pratibhānāc ca śobhanāt
But by that austerity of theirs performed through seven births, and by the full attainment of yoga, and through their fine insight —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.32
पूर्वजातिषु यद् ब्रह्म श्रुतं गुरुकुलेषु वै तथैव तत्स्थितं ब्रह्म संसारेष्व् अपि वर्तताम्
pūrvajātiṣu yad brahma śrutaṃ gurukuleṣu vai tathaiva tatsthitaṃ brahma saṃsāreṣv api vartatām
— the sacred lore that had been heard in former births in the teachers' households, that very lore remained established (with them) even as they passed through their rounds of rebirth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.34
ते ब्रह्मचारिणः सर्वे विहङ्गाः कामचारिणः योगधर्मम् अनुध्यान्तो विहरन्ति स्म तत्र ह ॥ ह्व्_१६।३३ मानसं तु सरः प्राप्य हंसा भूत्वा जलौकसः । तेषां तत्र विहङ्गानां चरतां सहचारिणाम् नीपानाम् ईश्वरो राजा विभ्राजः पौरवान्वयः
te brahmacāriṇaḥ sarve vihaṅgāḥ kāmacāriṇaḥ yogadharmam anudhyānto viharanti sma tatra ha // HV_16.33 mānasaṃ tu saraḥ prāpya haṃsā bhūtvā jalaukasaḥ | teṣāṃ tatra vihaṅgānāṃ caratāṃ sahacāriṇām nīpānām īśvaro rājā vibhrājaḥ pauravānvayaḥ
All of them were celibate students, birds moving at will, and they roamed there meditating on the law of yoga. Having reached the Mānasa lake, they became swans dwelling in the water. While those birds, companions to one another, were moving about there, the lord of the Nīpas, King Vibhrāja, of the Paurava line—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.35
विभ्राजमानो वपुषा प्रभावेन समन्वितः श्रीमान् अन्तःपुरवृतो वनं तत् प्रविवेश ह
vibhrājamāno vapuṣā prabhāvena samanvitaḥ śrīmān antaḥpuravṛto vanaṃ tat praviveśa ha
—shining in body, endowed with power, glorious, surrounded by his harem, entered that forest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
HV 16.36
स्वतन्त्रश् चक्रवाकस् तु स्पृहयाम् आस तं नृपम् दृष्ट्वायान्तं श्रियोपेतं भवेयम् अहम् ईदृशः
svatantraś cakravākas tu spṛhayām āsa taṃ nṛpam dṛṣṭvāyāntaṃ śriyopetaṃ bhaveyam aham īdṛśaḥ
But the free (independent) ruddy goose, seeing him coming, attended by splendour, envied that king: "Might I become such a one!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition