Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 196

MBh 2 196.1

वैशम्पायन उवाच भूय एव महाभाग्यं कथ्यतामित्यब्रवीत् पाण्डवः॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca bhūya eva mahābhāgyaṃ kathyatāmityabravīt pāṇḍavaḥ||

Vaishampayana said : The Pandavas again said, “Tell us again of the greatness (of the Kshatriyas).

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

MBh 2 196.2

अथाचष्ट मार्कण्डेयो महाराज वृषदर्भसेदुकनामानौ राजानौ नीतिमार्गरतावस्त्रोपास्त्रकृतिनौ॥

athācaṣṭa mārkaṇḍeyo mahārāja vṛṣadarbhasedukanāmānau rājānau nītimārgaratāvastropāstrakṛtinau||

Markandeya said, "O great king, there were two kings, named Vrishadarbha and Seduka. Both of them were learned in the precepts of morality and skillful in the weapons of offence and defence.

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

MBh 2 196.3

सेदुको वृषदर्भस्य बालस्यैव उपांशुव्रतमभ्यजानात् कुप्यमदेयं ब्राह्मणस्य॥

seduko vṛṣadarbhasya bālasyaiva upāṃśuvratamabhyajānāt kupyamadeyaṃ brāhmaṇasya||

Seduka knew that Vrishadarbha had from his boyhood a mental vow, namely that he would never give no other metal to a Brahmana except gold and silver.

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

MBh 2 196.4

अथ तं सेदुकं ब्राह्मणः कश्चिद् वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न आशिषं दत्त्वा गुर्वर्थी भिक्षितवान्॥

atha taṃ sedukaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ kaścid vedādhyayanasampanna āśiṣaṃ dattvā gurvarthī bhikṣitavān||

Once upon a time, a Brahmana having completed his study of the Vedas, came to Seduka; and uttering a benediction upon him he begged (wealth for his preceptor);

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

MBh 2 196.5

अश्वसहस्रं मे भवान् ददात्विति तं सेदुको ब्राह्मणमब्रवीत्॥

aśvasahasraṃ me bhavān dadātviti taṃ seduko brāhmaṇamabravīt||

Saying “Give me one thousand horses." Seduka spoke to the Brahmana,

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

MBh 2 196.6

नास्ति सम्भवो गुर्वर्थं दातुमिति॥

nāsti sambhavo gurvarthaṃ dātumiti||

"It is not possible for me to give you this for your preceptor.

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

MBh 2 196.7

स त्वं गच्छ वृषदर्भसकाशम्। राजा परमधर्मज्ञो ब्राह्मण तं भिक्षस्व। स ते दास्यति तस्यैतदुपांशुव्रतमिति॥

sa tvaṃ gaccha vṛṣadarbhasakāśam| rājā paramadharmajño brāhmaṇa taṃ bhikṣasva| sa te dāsyati tasyaitadupāṃśuvratamiti||

Therefore go to Vrishadarbha; he is, O Brahmana, a (very) virtuous king; go and beg of him. He will give you, for it is his vow."

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

MBh 2 196.8

अथ ब्राह्मणो वृषदर्भसकाशं गत्वा अश्वसहस्रमयाचत्। स राजा तं कशेनाताडयत्॥ तं ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीत्। किं हिस्यनागसं मामिति॥

atha brāhmaṇo vṛṣadarbhasakāśaṃ gatvā aśvasahasramayācat| sa rājā taṃ kaśenātāḍayat|| taṃ brāhmaṇo'bravīt| kiṃ hisyanāgasaṃ māmiti||

Thereupon the Brahmana went TO Vrishadarbha and begged one thousand horses. That king (however) struck him with a whip. Then the Brahmana said, "I am innocent, why do you strike me thus?”

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

MBh 2 196.9

एवमुक्त्वा तं शपन्तं राजाऽऽह। विप्र कि यो न ददाति तुभ्यमुताहोस्विद् ब्राह्मण्यमेतत्॥

evamuktvā taṃ śapantaṃ rājā''ha| vipra ki yo na dadāti tubhyamutāhosvid brāhmaṇyametat||

Having said this, he was going to curse the king, when the latter said,” Do you curse him who does not give you what you ask? Is this the conduct proper in a Brahmana?”

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

MBh 2 196.10

ब्राह्मण उवाच राजाधिराज तव समीपं सेदुकेन प्रेषितो भिक्षितुमागतः। तेनानुशिष्टेन मया त्वं भिक्षितोऽसि॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca rājādhirāja tava samīpaṃ sedukena preṣito bhikṣitumāgataḥ| tenānuśiṣṭena mayā tvaṃ bhikṣito'si||

Brahmana said : O king of kings, sent to you by Seduka I came to you to beg. For your bad conduct, I am going to curse you.

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

MBh 2 196.11

राजोवाच पूर्वाह्ने ते दास्यामि यो मेऽद्य बलिरागमिष्यति। यो हन्यते कशया कथं मोघं क्षेपणं तस्य स्यात्॥

rājovāca pūrvāhne te dāsyāmi yo me'dya balirāgamiṣyati| yo hanyate kaśayā kathaṃ moghaṃ kṣepaṇaṃ tasya syāt||

The king said : I shall now give by whatever tribute comes to me before the morning is expired. How can I send away a man empty-handed who has been whipped by me?

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

MBh 2 196.12

इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणाय दैवसिकामुत्पत्तिं प्रादात्। अधिकस्याश्वसहस्रस्य मूल्यमेवादादिति॥

ityuktvā brāhmaṇāya daivasikāmutpattiṃ prādāt| adhikasyāśvasahasrasya mūlyamevādāditi||

Markandeya said : Having said this, he gave the Brahmana whatever came to him that day which was not more than the value of one thousand horses.

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