Mahabharata — Volume III (Dutt edition) — Chapter 256
MBh 3 256.1
राम उवाच प्रत्यक्षमेतल्लोकानां सर्वेषामेव भाविनि। यथाशक्त्या मया युद्धं कृतं वै पौरुषं परम्॥
rāma uvāca pratyakṣametallokānāṃ sarveṣāmeva bhāvini| yathāśaktyā mayā yuddhaṃ kṛtaṃ vai pauruṣaṃ param||
Bhishma said In the very sight of all these persons O maiden, I have done better, according to the best of my power, and displayed my highest prowess.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.2
न चैवमपि शक्नोमि भीष्मं शस्त्रभृतां वरम्। विशेषयितुमत्यर्थमुत्तमास्त्राणि दर्शयन्॥
na caivamapi śaknomi bhīṣmaṃ śastrabhṛtāṃ varam| viśeṣayitumatyarthamuttamāstrāṇi darśayan||
And yet I have been unable to gain any superiority over Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, though I have exerted to the very of my power.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.3
एषा मे परमा शक्तिरेतन्मे परमं बलम्। यथेष्टं गम्यतां भद्रे किमन्यद् वा करोमि ते॥
eṣā me paramā śaktiretanme paramaṃ balam| yatheṣṭaṃ gamyatāṃ bhadre kimanyad vā karomi te||
This (which you have seen) is my highest might, this is greatest strength. Go whiter you like, O blessed lady. What else can I do for you?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.4
भीष्ममेव प्रपद्यस्व न तेऽन्या विद्यते गतिः। निर्जितो ह्यस्मि भीष्मेण महास्त्राणि प्रमुञ्चता॥
bhīṣmameva prapadyasva na te'nyā vidyate gatiḥ| nirjito hyasmi bhīṣmeṇa mahāstrāṇi pramuñcatā||
Take refuge even with Bhishma himself; there exists no other for you. I am vanquished by Bhishma on account of his using such mighty weapons.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.5
एवमुक्त्वा ततो रामो विनिःश्वस्य महामनाः। तूष्णीमांसीत् ततः कन्या प्रोवाच भृगुनन्दनम्॥
evamuktvā tato rāmo viniḥśvasya mahāmanāḥ| tūṣṇīmāṃsīt tataḥ kanyā provāca bhṛgunandanam||
Then the high-souled Rama, having thus spoken, fetched a deep sign and remained silent. Then that maiden spoke to the descendant of Bhrigu.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.6
भगवन्नेवमेवैतद् यथाऽऽहं भगवांस्तथा। अजेयो युधि भीष्मोऽयमपि देवरुदारधीः॥
bhagavannevamevaitad yathā''haṃ bhagavāṃstathā| ajeyo yudhi bhīṣmo'yamapi devarudāradhīḥ||
"O holy one, it is even as your holy self has said. This Bhishma, of varied intelligence, is invincible in battle even by the very gods.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.7
यथाशक्ति यथोत्साहं मम कार्यं कृतं त्वया। अनिवार्य रणे वीर्यमस्त्राणि विविधानि च।॥
yathāśakti yathotsāhaṃ mama kāryaṃ kṛtaṃ tvayā| anivārya raṇe vīryamastrāṇi vividhāni ca|||
To the best of your power and to the best of your energy you have accomplished my work, and in this battle you have shown irresistible might and diverse kinds of weapons.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.8
न चैव शक्यते युद्धे विशेषयितुमन्ततः। न चाहमेनं यास्यामि पुनर्भीष्मं कथंचन॥ गमिष्यामि तु तत्राहं यत्र भीष्मं तपोधन। समरे पातयिष्यामि स्वयमेव भृगूद्वह॥
na caiva śakyate yuddhe viśeṣayitumantataḥ| na cāhamenaṃ yāsyāmi punarbhīṣmaṃ kathaṃcana|| gamiṣyāmi tu tatrāhaṃ yatra bhīṣmaṃ tapodhana| samare pātayiṣyāmi svayameva bhṛgūdvaha||
You have yet been unable to show any superiority (over Bhishma). As for me I shall not go again to this Bhishma. Thither, however, shall I repair, where, O you whose wealth is asceticism, I shall be able myself to (obtain the means to fell down in battle this Bhishma, O you the perpetuator of the race of Bhrigu."
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.9
एवमुक्त्वा ययौ कन्या रोषव्याकुललोचना। तापस्ये धृतसंकल्या सा मे चिन्तयती वधम्॥
evamuktvā yayau kanyā roṣavyākulalocanā| tāpasye dhṛtasaṃkalyā sā me cintayatī vadham||
Having spoken thus, that maid went away with eyes agitated with wrath, and intending to bring about my death she firmly resolved to practice asceticism,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.10
ततो महेन्द्रं सह तैर्मुनिभिर्भृगुसत्तमः। यथाऽऽगतं तथा सोऽगान्मामुपामन्त्र्य भारत॥
tato mahendraṃ saha tairmunibhirbhṛgusattamaḥ| yathā''gataṃ tathā so'gānmāmupāmantrya bhārata||
Then that foremost one among Bhrigu's defendants, accompanied by those ascetics, departed, after bidding me farewell for the mountain of Mahendra, O Bharata, whence he had come.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.11
ततो रथं समारुह्य स्तूयमानो द्विजातिभिः। प्रविश्य नगरं मात्रे सत्यवत्यै न्यवेदयम्॥
tato rathaṃ samāruhya stūyamāno dvijātibhiḥ| praviśya nagaraṃ mātre satyavatyai nyavedayam||
Thereupon, sending my chariot, and praised by the twice-born, I entered the city and immediately informed Satyavati, my mother,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.12
यथावृत्तं महाराज सा च मां प्रत्यनन्दत। पुरुषांश्चादिशं प्राज्ञान् कन्यावृत्तान्तकर्मणि॥
yathāvṛttaṃ mahārāja sā ca māṃ pratyanandata| puruṣāṃścādiśaṃ prājñān kanyāvṛttāntakarmaṇi||
Every thing as it had happened, O great king, and she (in her turn) uttered words and congratulations to me. I then appointed intelligent and wise men to watch the proceedings of that maiden.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.13
दिवसे दिवसे ह्यस्या गतिजल्पितचेष्टितम्। प्रत्याहरंश्च मे युक्ताः स्थिताः प्रियहिते सदा॥
divase divase hyasyā gatijalpitaceṣṭitam| pratyāharaṃśca me yuktāḥ sthitāḥ priyahite sadā||
Day after day, they went and learnt whatever she did, being devoted and always stationed at their duty, and brought them to me, always their well-wisher.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.14
यदैव हि वनं प्रायात् सा कन्या तपसे धृता। तदैव व्यतितो दीनो गतचेता इवाभवम्॥
yadaiva hi vanaṃ prāyāt sā kanyā tapase dhṛtā| tadaiva vyatito dīno gatacetā ivābhavam||
Even at the time when that maiden went to the woods best on practicing asceticism, I became melancholy and poorly with pain.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.15
न हि मां क्षत्रियः कश्चिद् वीर्येण व्यजयद् युधि। ऋते ब्रह्मविदस्तात तपसा संशितव्रतात्॥
na hi māṃ kṣatriyaḥ kaścid vīryeṇa vyajayad yudhi| ṛte brahmavidastāta tapasā saṃśitavratāt||
No Kshatriya has ever by mere prowess vanquished me in battle, except one acquainted with Brahma, O my son and observant of vows and austerities.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.16
अपि चैतन्मया राजन् नारदेऽपि निवेदितम्। व्यासे चैव तथा कार्यं तौ चोभौ मामवोचताम्॥
api caitanmayā rājan nārade'pi niveditam| vyāse caiva tathā kāryaṃ tau cobhau māmavocatām||
I then informed even Narada, O king, and also Vyasa of the doings (of that daughter of the king of Kashi), and both of them said to me.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.17
न विषादस्त्वया कार्यो भीष्म काशिसुतां प्रति। दैवं पुरुषकारेण को निवर्तितुमुत्सहेत्॥
na viṣādastvayā kāryo bhīṣma kāśisutāṃ prati| daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa ko nivartitumutsahet||
"O Bhishma, you need not be depressed on account of the daughter of Kashi. Who can have the power to alter the course of destiny by individual resolution?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.18
सा कन्या तु महाराज प्रविश्याश्रममण्डलम्। यमुनातीरमाश्रित्य तपस्तेपेऽतिमानुषम्।॥
sā kanyā tu mahārāja praviśyāśramamaṇḍalam| yamunātīramāśritya tapastepe'timānuṣam|||
That maiden, O great king, having entered the pale of a secluded pot, began practicing austerities of superhuman endurance, on the banks of the Yamuna,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.19
निराहारा कृशा सक्षा जटिला मलपङ्किनी। षण्मासान् वायुभक्षा च स्थाणुभूता तपोधना॥ यमुनाजलमाश्रित्य संवत्सरमथापरम्। उदवासं निराहारा पारयामास भाविनी॥
nirāhārā kṛśā sakṣā jaṭilā malapaṅkinī| ṣaṇmāsān vāyubhakṣā ca sthāṇubhūtā tapodhanā|| yamunājalamāśritya saṃvatsaramathāparam| udavāsaṃ nirāhārā pārayāmāsa bhāvinī||
And she remained in the water of the Yamuna for one year, and another year, that lady remained fasting without food. Without food and emaciated, rough skined, and bronzed, with matted locks, and begrimed with the mud (of the river), that lady, whose wealth consisted in asceticism, remained fixed and motionless for six months, her only food being the air.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.20
शीर्णपणेन चैकेन पारयामास सा परम्। संवत्सरं तीव्रकोपा पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठिता॥
śīrṇapaṇena caikena pārayāmāsa sā param| saṃvatsaraṃ tīvrakopā pādāṅguṣṭhāgradhiṣṭhitā||
And after this she broke her fast by eating a single dry leaf, and then she the great river on one foot fire with indignation as she was.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.21
एवं द्वादश वर्षाणि तापयामास रोदसी। निवर्त्यमानापि च सा ज्ञातिभि:व शक्यते॥
evaṃ dvādaśa varṣāṇi tāpayāmāsa rodasī| nivartyamānāpi ca sā jñātibhi:va śakyate||
And thus she continued for twelve years (her austerities) and made the heaven not. Nor could she be made to desist from the course by her relatives.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.22
ततोऽगमद् वत्सभूमि सिद्धचारणसेविताम्। आश्रमं पुण्यशीलानां तापसानां महात्मनाम्॥
tato'gamad vatsabhūmi siddhacāraṇasevitām| āśramaṃ puṇyaśīlānāṃ tāpasānāṃ mahātmanām||
Then she went to Vatsabhumi, resorted to by Siddhas and Charanas, and the retreat of high-souled ascetics of pious deeds.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.23
तत्र पुण्येषु तीर्थेषु साऽऽप्लुताङ्गी दिवानिशम्। व्यचरत् काशिकन्या सा यथाकामविचारिणी॥
tatra puṇyeṣu tīrtheṣu sā''plutāṅgī divāniśam| vyacarat kāśikanyā sā yathākāmavicāriṇī||
And there, in the sacred waters of pilgrimages, she bathed herself night and day, and that daughter of the lord of Kashi roamed about, fierce as she was, according to her desire.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.24
नन्दाश्रमे महाराज तथोलकाश्रमे शुभे। च्यवनस्याश्रमे चैव ब्रह्मणः स्थान एव च॥
nandāśrame mahārāja tatholakāśrame śubhe| cyavanasyāśrame caiva brahmaṇaḥ sthāna eva ca||
Proceeding next to the hermitage of Narada, and then to the auspicious hermitage of Uluka, and to that of Chyavana, and even to the sacred spot of Brahma,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.25
प्रयागे देवजयने देवारण्येषु चैव ह। भोगवत्यां महाराज कौशिकस्याश्रमे तथा॥
prayāge devajayane devāraṇyeṣu caiva ha| bhogavatyāṃ mahārāja kauśikasyāśrame tathā||
And to Prayaga, the sacrificial spot of the gods, and to the forest sacred to the gods and to Bhogavati, O monarch, as also to the hermitage of Kaushika,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.26
माण्डव्यस्याश्रमे राजन् दिलीपस्याश्रमे तथा। रामहदे च कौरव्य पैलगर्गस्य चाश्रमे॥
māṇḍavyasyāśrame rājan dilīpasyāśrame tathā| rāmahade ca kauravya pailagargasya cāśrame||
And to the hermitage of Mandvya O king, as also to the hermitage of Dilipa to the (sacred) water of Rama's lake, O Kauravya, and to the hermitage of Pailagarga,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.27
एतेषु तीर्थेषु तदा काशिकन्या विशाम्पते। आप्लावयत गात्राणि व्रतमास्थाय दुष्करम्॥
eteṣu tīrtheṣu tadā kāśikanyā viśāmpate| āplāvayata gātrāṇi vratamāsthāya duṣkaram||
In these sacred places of pilgrimages that maiden of Kashi, O lord of earth, bathed her body, and all this while practicing the austerities difficult of performance.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.28
तामव्रवीच्च कौरव्य मम माता जले स्थिता। किमर्थं क्लिश्यसे भद्रे तथ्यमेव वदस्व मे॥
tāmavravīcca kauravya mama mātā jale sthitā| kimarthaṃ kliśyase bhadre tathyameva vadasva me||
(One day) my mother, (Ganga) while in the waters, spoke these words, O Kaurava why do you take so much pains, O blessed one! Tell me the truth.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.29
सैनामथाब्रवीद् राजन् कृताञ्जलिरनिन्दिता। भीष्मेण समरे रामो निर्जितश्चारुलोचने।॥
saināmathābravīd rājan kṛtāñjaliraninditā| bhīṣmeṇa samare rāmo nirjitaścārulocane|||
She then spoke, of whom no one can speak evil, with hands folded to my mother “O faireyed one, Rama has been vanquished in battle by Bhishma.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.30
कोऽन्यस्तमुत्सहेज्जेतुमुद्यतेषु महीपतिः। साहं भीष्मविनाशाय तपस्तप्स्ये सुदारुणम्॥
ko'nyastamutsahejjetumudyateṣu mahīpatiḥ| sāhaṃ bhīṣmavināśāya tapastapsye sudāruṇam||
Who else, though a lord of earth, can attempt to vanquish him when he stands forward with his arrows? And I am practicing these sever austerities for the destruction of Bhishma.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.31
विचरामि महीं देवि यथा हन्यामहं नृपम्। एतद् व्रतफलं देवि परमस्मिन् यथा हि मे॥
vicarāmi mahīṃ devi yathā hanyāmahaṃ nṛpam| etad vrataphalaṃ devi paramasmin yathā hi me||
I wander about in the earth, O goddess, with the one purpose of obtaining the means of death of that king, and this is the vow I have taken, O goddess, in everything else that I do.”
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.32
ततोऽब्रवीत् सागरगा जिह्यं चरसि भाविनि। नैष कामोऽनवद्याङ्गि शक्यः प्राप्तुं त्वयाऽबले॥
tato'bravīt sāgaragā jihyaṃ carasi bhāvini| naiṣa kāmo'navadyāṅgi śakyaḥ prāptuṃ tvayā'bale||
Thereupon the ocean, going (Ganga my mother) spoke: “O lady, you are acting crookedly. O faultless one, this object of yours you shall not be able to attain, O weak one.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.33
यदि भीष्मविनाशाय काश्ये चरसि वै व्रतम्। व्रतस्था च शरीरं त्वं यदि नाम विमोक्ष्यसि।॥
yadi bhīṣmavināśāya kāśye carasi vai vratam| vratasthā ca śarīraṃ tvaṃ yadi nāma vimokṣyasi|||
O daughter of Kashi, if you hold to this vow for the destruction of Bhishma, and even if you take leave of your body while performing these austerities.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.34
नदी भविष्यसि शुभे कुटिला वार्षिकोदका। दुस्तीर्था न तु विज्ञेया वार्षिकी नाष्टमासिकी॥
nadī bhaviṣyasi śubhe kuṭilā vārṣikodakā| dustīrthā na tu vijñeyā vārṣikī nāṣṭamāsikī||
You shall be turned to a tortuous river, O fair one, with water (only in the rains. Your water shall be inaccessible and unknown, and (as you shall be) with water only during the rainy season, you shall be dry for eight months (in the year);
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.35
भीमग्राहवती घोरा सर्वभूतभयङ्करी। एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन् काशिकन्यां न्यवर्तत॥ माता मम महाभागा स्मयमानेव भाविनी। कदाचिदष्टमे मासि कदाचिद् दशमे तथा। न प्राश्नीतोदकमिप पुनः सा वरवर्णिनी॥
bhīmagrāhavatī ghorā sarvabhūtabhayaṅkarī| evamuktvā tato rājan kāśikanyāṃ nyavartata|| mātā mama mahābhāgā smayamāneva bhāvinī| kadācidaṣṭame māsi kadācid daśame tathā| na prāśnītodakamipa punaḥ sā varavarṇinī||
Filled with dreadful alligators and yourself dreadful, and inspiring terror in all creatures." Having thus spoken, O king, my mother, that lady of great fortune pretending to smile, dismissed the daughter of Kashi. Thereupon that highly fair one did not even drink water, sometimes for eight months and sometimes for ten months.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.36
सा वत्सभूमि कौरव्य तीर्थलोभात् ततस्ततः। पतिता परिधावन्ती पुनः काशिपतेः सुता॥
sā vatsabhūmi kauravya tīrthalobhāt tatastataḥ| patitā paridhāvantī punaḥ kāśipateḥ sutā||
And the daughter of the king of Kashi, o Kauravya, on account of her love of pilgrimage came to Vatsabhumi, and there she fell down and began to run down (as a river.)
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.37
सा नदी वत्सभूम्यां तु प्रथिताम्बेति भारत। वार्षिकी चाहबहुला दुस्तीर्था कुटिला तथा॥
sā nadī vatsabhūmyāṃ tu prathitāmbeti bhārata| vārṣikī cāhabahulā dustīrthā kuṭilā tathā||
And O Bharata, it is recorded that the river in Vatsabhumi, was filled with water only during the rains, and abounded in alligators, was difficult to ford and tortuous in her course).
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 3 256.38
सा कन्या तपसा तेन देहार्धेन व्यजायत। नदी च राजन् वत्सेषु कन्या चैवाभवत् तदा॥
sā kanyā tapasā tena dehārdhena vyajāyata| nadī ca rājan vatseṣu kanyā caivābhavat tadā||
O king, by merit of her austerities that maiden became a river by only half her body, while by the other half she remained a maiden in Vatsabhumi, as before.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)