Mahabharata — Volume I (Dutt edition) — Chapter 36

MBh 1 36.1

शौनक उवाच आख्याता भुजगास्तात वीर्यवन्तो दुरासदाः। शापं तं तेऽभिविज्ञाय कृतवन्तः किमुत्तरम्॥

śaunaka uvāca ākhyātā bhujagāstāta vīryavanto durāsadāḥ| śāpaṃ taṃ te'bhivijñāya kṛtavantaḥ kimuttaram||

Shaunaka said: O child, you have told us of many greatly powerful and unconquerable serpents. What did they do after hearing of the curse?

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.2

सौतिरुवाच तेषां तु भगवाञ्च्छेषः कदूं त्यक्त्वा महायशाः। उग्रं तपः समातस्थे वायुभक्षो यतव्रतः॥

sautiruvāca teṣāṃ tu bhagavāñccheṣaḥ kadūṃ tyaktvā mahāyaśāḥ| ugraṃ tapaḥ samātasthe vāyubhakṣo yatavrataḥ||

Sauti said: Illustrious and famous Shesha, having left (his mother) Kadru, practised austere penances, living on air and rigidly observing vows.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.3

गन्धमादनमासाद्य बदर्यां च तपोरतः। गोकर्णे पुष्करारण्ये तथा हिमवतस्तटे॥

gandhamādanamāsādya badaryāṃ ca taporataḥ| gokarṇe puṣkarāraṇye tathā himavatastaṭe||

He practised his penances, going to Gandhamadana, Badari, Gokarna, the forest of Pushkara and the foot of the Himalayas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.4

तेषु तेषु च पुण्येषु तीर्थेष्वायतनेषु च। एकान्तशीलो नियतः सततं विजितेन्द्रियः॥

teṣu teṣu ca puṇyeṣu tīrtheṣvāyataneṣu ca| ekāntaśīlo niyataḥ satataṃ vijitendriyaḥ||

He passed his days in these sacred places, rigidly observing his vows, completely controlling his passions and concentrating his mind.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.5

तप्यमानं तपो घोरं तं ददर्श पितामहः। संशुष्कमांसत्वक्स्नायुं जटाचीरधरं मुनिम्॥

tapyamānaṃ tapo ghoraṃ taṃ dadarśa pitāmahaḥ| saṃśuṣkamāṃsatvaksnāyuṃ jaṭācīradharaṃ munim||

The Grandsire saw him with knotted hair, clad in rags, his flesh, skin and sinews dried up owing to the austere penances he was practising.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.6

तमब्रवीत्सत्यधृतिं तप्यमानं पितामहः। किमिदं कुरुषे शेष प्रजानां स्वस्ति वै कुरु॥

tamabravītsatyadhṛtiṃ tapyamānaṃ pitāmahaḥ| kimidaṃ kuruṣe śeṣa prajānāṃ svasti vai kuru||

The Grandsire, addressing that penancepractising ascetic, said, “O Shesha, what are you doing? let the welfare of the worlds also engage your thoughts.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.7

त्वं हि तीव्रण तपसा प्रजास्तापयसेऽनघ। ब्रूहि कामं च मे शेष यस्ते हृदि व्यवस्थितः॥

tvaṃ hi tīvraṇa tapasā prajāstāpayase'nagha| brūhi kāmaṃ ca me śeṣa yaste hṛdi vyavasthitaḥ||

O sinless one, you are giving pain to all creatures by your austere penances. O Shesha, tell me the desire of your mind."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.8

शेष उवाच सोदर्या मम सर्वे हि भ्रातरो मन्दचेतसः। सह तै!त्सहे वस्तुं तद्भवाननुमन्यताम्॥

śeṣa uvāca sodaryā mama sarve hi bhrātaro mandacetasaḥ| saha tai!tsahe vastuṃ tadbhavānanumanyatām||

Shesha said: My brothers are all of wicked hearts. I do not wish to live with them. Kindly sanction this.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.9

अभ्यसूयन्ति सततं परस्परममित्रवत्। ततोऽहं तप आतिष्ठं नैतान्पश्येयमित्युत॥

abhyasūyanti satataṃ parasparamamitravat| tato'haṃ tapa ātiṣṭhaṃ naitānpaśyeyamityuta||

They are jealous of one another like great enemies. I am, therefore, engaged in penances. I shall not even see them.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.10

न मर्षयन्ति ससुतां सततं विनतां च ते। अस्माकं चापरो भ्राता वैनतेयोऽन्तरिक्षगः॥

na marṣayanti sasutāṃ satataṃ vinatāṃ ca te| asmākaṃ cāparo bhrātā vainateyo'ntarikṣagaḥ||

They never show any kindness for Vinata and her son, who is our other brother, the bird of the air.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.11

तं च द्विषन्ति सततं स चापि बलवत्तरः। वरप्रदानात्स पितुः कश्यपस्य महात्मनः॥

taṃ ca dviṣanti satataṃ sa cāpi balavattaraḥ| varapradānātsa pituḥ kaśyapasya mahātmanaḥ||

They always envy him. He too is much stronger than (all of us), owing to the boon granted by our father, the illustrious and noble Kashyapa.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.12

सोऽहं तपः समास्थाय मोक्ष्यामीदं कलेवरम्। कथं मे प्रेत्यभावेऽपि न तैः स्यात्सहसंगमः॥

so'haṃ tapaḥ samāsthāya mokṣyāmīdaṃ kalevaram| kathaṃ me pretyabhāve'pi na taiḥ syātsahasaṃgamaḥ||

Therefore, I am practising penances and I shall cast off this body of mine, so that I may not any association with them even after death.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.13

सौतिरुवाच तमेवं वादिनं शेषं पितामह उवाच ह। जानामि शेष सर्वेषां भ्रातृणां ते विचेष्टितम्॥

sautiruvāca tamevaṃ vādinaṃ śeṣaṃ pitāmaha uvāca ha| jānāmi śeṣa sarveṣāṃ bhrātṛṇāṃ te viceṣṭitam||

Sauti said : When Shesha thus spoke, the Grandsire told him, "O Shesha, I know the character of your brothers.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.14

मातुश्चाप्यपराधाद्वै भ्रातृणां ते महद्भयम्। कृतोऽत्र परिहारश्च पूर्वमेव भुजंगम॥

mātuścāpyaparādhādvai bhrātṛṇāṃ te mahadbhayam| kṛto'tra parihāraśca pūrvameva bhujaṃgama||

(And I know also) their great danger owing to their offence against their mother. O snake, a remedy has been already provided by me.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.15

भ्रातृणां तव सर्वेषां न शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि। वृणीष्व च वरं मत्तः शेष यत्तेऽभिकांक्षितम्॥

bhrātṛṇāṃ tava sarveṣāṃ na śokaṃ kartumarhasi| vṛṇīṣva ca varaṃ mattaḥ śeṣa yatte'bhikāṃkṣitam||

You should not grieve for your brothers. O Shesha, whatever you desire to possess, ask it from me.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.16

दास्यामि हि वरं तेऽद्य प्रीतिर्मेपरमा त्वयि। दिष्ट्या बुद्धिश्च ते धर्मे निविष्टा पन्नगोत्तम। भूयो भूयश्च ते बुद्धिर्धर्मे भवतु सुस्थिरा॥

dāsyāmi hi varaṃ te'dya prītirmeparamā tvayi| diṣṭyā buddhiśca te dharme niviṣṭā pannagottama| bhūyo bhūyaśca te buddhirdharme bhavatu susthirā||

I am highly pleased with you and I shall grant you a boon today. O best of snakes, it is very good that your heart has been set on virtue. Let your heart be more and more firmly set on virtue."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.17

शेष उवाच एषः एव वरो देव कांक्षितो मे पितामह। धर्मे मे रमतां बुद्धिः शमे तपसि चेश्वर॥

śeṣa uvāca eṣaḥ eva varo deva kāṃkṣito me pitāmaha| dharme me ramatāṃ buddhiḥ śame tapasi ceśvara||

Shesha said: Odivine Grandsire, O lord of all, I ask this boon. Let my heart always delight in virtue and in blessed penances.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.18

ब्रह्मोवाच प्रीतोऽस्यनेन ते शेष दमेन च शमेन च। त्वया त्विदं वचः कार्यं मन्नियोगात्प्रजाहितम्॥ त्वं शेष सम्यक्

brahmovāca prīto'syanena te śeṣa damena ca śamena ca| tvayā tvidaṃ vacaḥ kāryaṃ manniyogātprajāhitam|| tvaṃ śeṣa samyak

Brahma said :: O Shesha, I am highly pleased with your self-denial and love of peace. By my command let the following act be done by you for the good of all creatures.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.19

इमां महीं शैलवनोपपन्नां ससागरग्रामविहारपत्तनाम्। चलितां यथावत् संगृह्य तिष्ठस्व यथाऽचला स्यात्॥

imāṃ mahīṃ śailavanopapannāṃ sasāgaragrāmavihārapattanām| calitāṃ yathāvat saṃgṛhya tiṣṭhasva yathā'calā syāt||

Bearing properly and well, this earth which is so very unsteady, towns retreats and seas, with all her mountains and forests with her O Shesha, remain in the way as she may be steady.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.20

शेष उवाच महीपतिर्भूतपतिर्जगत्पतिः। तथा महीं धारयिताऽस्मि निश्चला प्रयच्छतां मे शिरसि प्रजापते॥

śeṣa uvāca mahīpatirbhūtapatirjagatpatiḥ| tathā mahīṃ dhārayitā'smi niścalā prayacchatāṃ me śirasi prajāpate||

Shesha said: O divine lord of all creatures, O granter of boons, O lord of the earth,O the lord of every created thing, O the lord of the universe, I shall hold the earth steady, as you command. O Prajapati, place it upon my head.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.21

ब्रह्मोवाच अधो महीं गच्छ भुजंगमोत्तम स्वयं तवैषा विवरं प्रदास्यति। इमां धरां धारयता त्वया हि मे महत्प्रियं शेषकृतं भविष्यति॥

brahmovāca adho mahīṃ gaccha bhujaṃgamottama svayaṃ tavaiṣā vivaraṃ pradāsyati| imāṃ dharāṃ dhārayatā tvayā hi me mahatpriyaṃ śeṣakṛtaṃ bhaviṣyati||

Brahma said: O best of snakes, go underneath the earth. She herself will make a passage for you. O Shesha, you will certainly do what is highly valued by me by holding the earth (on your head.)

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.22

सौतिरुवाच तथैव कृत्वा विवरं प्रविश्य स प्रभुर्भुवो भुजगवराग्रजः स्थितः। बिभर्ति देवीं शिरसा महीमिमां समुद्रनेमिं परिगृह्य सर्वतः॥

sautiruvāca tathaiva kṛtvā vivaraṃ praviśya sa prabhurbhuvo bhujagavarāgrajaḥ sthitaḥ| bibharti devīṃ śirasā mahīmimāṃ samudranemiṃ parigṛhya sarvataḥ||

Sauti said: The elder brother of the king of the snakes, entering into a hole, went to the other side of the earth. He held that goddess (earth) with her belt of seas all around her.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.23

ब्रह्मोवाच शेषोऽसि नागोत्तम धर्मदेवो महीमिमां धारयसे यदेकः। अनन्तभोगैः परिगृह्य सर्वां यथाऽहमेवं बलभिद्यथा वा॥

brahmovāca śeṣo'si nāgottama dharmadevo mahīmimāṃ dhārayase yadekaḥ| anantabhogaiḥ parigṛhya sarvāṃ yathā'hamevaṃ balabhidyathā vā||

Brahma said: O Shesha, O best of snakes, you are the Dharma, because you hold the earth alone with your infinite hoods, with every thing on her, what I myself and Indra can do.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.24

सौतिरुवाच अधोभूमौ वसत्येवं नागोऽनन्तः प्रतापवान्। धारयन्वसुधामेकः शासनाद्ब्रह्मणो विभुः॥

sautiruvāca adhobhūmau vasatyevaṃ nāgo'nantaḥ pratāpavān| dhārayanvasudhāmekaḥ śāsanādbrahmaṇo vibhuḥ||

Sauti said: Thus does the snake, Shesha, the greatly powerful lord Ananta, lives underneath the earth, alone supporting the world at the command of Brahma.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 1 36.25

सुपर्णं च सहायं वै भगवानमरोत्तमः। प्रादादनन्ताय तदा वैनतेयं पितामहः॥

suparṇaṃ ca sahāyaṃ vai bhagavānamarottamaḥ| prādādanantāya tadā vainateyaṃ pitāmahaḥ||

Then the Grandsire, the illustrious lord of the immortals, gave Suparna (Garuda), the son of Vinata as Ananta's help.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)