Mahabharata — Volume VIII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 160
MBh 8 160.1
भीष्म उवाच इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं ब्रह्मर्षिः सुमहातपाः। प्रातिष्ठत शुकः सिद्धिं हित्वा दोषांश्चतुर्विधान्॥
bhīṣma uvāca ityevamuktvā vacanaṃ brahmarṣiḥ sumahātapāḥ| prātiṣṭhata śukaḥ siddhiṃ hitvā doṣāṃścaturvidhān||
Bhishma said “Having spoken in this way, the twice-born Rishi of austere penances, viz., Shuka, lived on his success, renouncing the four sorts of faults.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.2
तमो हृष्टविधं हित्वा जहौ पञ्चविधं रजः। ततः सत्त्वं जहौ धीमांस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
tamo hṛṣṭavidhaṃ hitvā jahau pañcavidhaṃ rajaḥ| tataḥ sattvaṃ jahau dhīmāṃstadadbhutamivābhavat||
Renouncing also the eight kinds of Tamas, he dismissed the five kinds of Rajas. Gifted with great intelligence, he the renounced the attribute of Sattva. All this seemed extremely wonderful.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.3
ततस्तस्मिन् पदे नित्ये निर्गुणे लिङ्गवर्जिते। ब्रह्मणि प्रत्यतिष्ठत् स विधूमोऽग्निरिव ज्वलन्॥
tatastasmin pade nitye nirguṇe liṅgavarjite| brahmaṇi pratyatiṣṭhat sa vidhūmo'gniriva jvalan||
He then lived in that eternal station which is shorn of attributes, freed from every indication, that is, in Brahma, shining like a smokeless fire.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.4
उल्कापाता दिशा दाहो भूमिकम्पस्तथैव च। प्रादुर्भूतः क्षणे तस्मिंस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
ulkāpātā diśā dāho bhūmikampastathaiva ca| prādurbhūtaḥ kṣaṇe tasmiṃstadadbhutamivābhavat||
Meteors began to shoot. The points of the horizon seemed to be ablaze. The Earth trembled. All these phenomena seemed extremely wonderful.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.5
दुमाः शाखाश्च मुमुचुः शिखराणि च पर्वताः। निर्घातशब्दैश्च गिरिहिमवान् दीर्यतीव ह॥
dumāḥ śākhāśca mumucuḥ śikharāṇi ca parvatāḥ| nirghātaśabdaiśca girihimavān dīryatīva ha||
The trees began to throw off their branches and the mountains their summits. Loud peals were heard that seemed to rive the Himavat mountains.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.6
न बभासे सहस्रांशुर्न जज्वाल च पावकः। ह्रदाश्च सरितश्चैव चुक्षुभुः सागरास्तथा॥
na babhāse sahasrāṃśurna jajvāla ca pāvakaḥ| hradāśca saritaścaiva cukṣubhuḥ sāgarāstathā||
The Sun seemed at that moment to be shorn of effulgence. Fire refused to burn forth. The lakes and rivers and seas were all moved.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.7
ववर्ष वासवस्तोयं रसवच्च सुगन्धि च। ववौ समीरणश्चापि दिव्यगन्धवहः शुचिः॥
vavarṣa vāsavastoyaṃ rasavacca sugandhi ca| vavau samīraṇaścāpi divyagandhavahaḥ śuciḥ||
Vasava poured showers of rain of excellent taste and smell. A pure breeze began to blow, carrying excellent taste and smell. A pure breeze began to blow, carrying excellent perfumes.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.8
स शृङ्गे प्रथमे दिव्ये हिमवन्मेरुसम्भवे। संश्लिष्टे श्वेतपीते द्वे रुक्मरूप्यमये शुभे॥
sa śṛṅge prathame divye himavanmerusambhave| saṃśliṣṭe śvetapīte dve rukmarūpyamaye śubhe||
Shuka, as he went through the sky, saw two beautiful summits, one belonging to Himavat and another to Meru. These were side by side with each other. One of them was made of gold and was, therefore, yellow; the other was white, being made of silver.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.9
शतयोजनविस्तारे तिर्यगूर्वं च भारत। उदीची दिशमास्थाय रुचिरे संददर्श ह॥
śatayojanavistāre tiryagūrvaṃ ca bhārata| udīcī diśamāsthāya rucire saṃdadarśa ha||
Each of them, O Bharata, was a hundred Yojanas in height and of the same breath. Indeed, as Shuka went towards the north, he beheld those two beautiful summits,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.10
सोऽविशङ्केन मनसा तदैवाभ्यपतच्छुकः। ततः पर्वतशृङ्गे द्वे सहसैव द्विधाकृते॥
so'viśaṅkena manasā tadaivābhyapatacchukaḥ| tataḥ parvataśṛṅge dve sahasaiva dvidhākṛte||
With a fearless heart he dashed against those two summits that were close to each other. Unable to bear the force, the summits were suddenly rent in two parts.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.11
अदृश्येतां महाराज तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्। ततः पर्वत शृङ्गाभ्यां सहसैव विनिःसृतः॥ न च प्रतिजघानास्य स गति पर्वतोत्तमः। ततो महानभूच्छब्दो दिवि सर्वदिवौकसाम्॥
adṛśyetāṃ mahārāja tadadbhutamivābhavat| tataḥ parvata śṛṅgābhyāṃ sahasaiva viniḥsṛtaḥ|| na ca pratijaghānāsya sa gati parvatottamaḥ| tato mahānabhūcchabdo divi sarvadivaukasām||
The spectacle, O monarch, was extremely wonderful to look at. Shuka pierced through those summits, for they were unable to stop his onward course. At this a loud noise was made in heaven by the dwellers thereof.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.12
गन्धर्वाणामृषीणां च ये च शैलनिवासिनः। दृष्ट्वा शुकमतिक्रान्तं पर्वतं च द्विधाकृतम्॥ साधु साध्विति तत्रासीन्नादः सर्वत्र भारत।
gandharvāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca ye ca śailanivāsinaḥ| dṛṣṭvā śukamatikrāntaṃ parvataṃ ca dvidhākṛtam|| sādhu sādhviti tatrāsīnnādaḥ sarvatra bhārata|
The Gandharvas and the Rishis also and others who lived in that mountain sent up loud cheers at the sight of the mountain being rent in two and Shuka passing through it. Indeed, O Bharata, a loud noise was heard everywhere at that moment, saying,-Excellent, Excellent.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.13
स पूज्यमानो देवैश्च गन्धर्वैर्ऋषिभिस्तथा।॥ यक्षराक्षससंघेश्च विद्याधरगणैस्तथा।
sa pūjyamāno devaiśca gandharvairṛṣibhistathā||| yakṣarākṣasasaṃgheśca vidyādharagaṇaistathā|
He was worshipped by the Gandharvas and the Rishis, by Yakhas and Rakshasas, and by all tribes of the Vidyadharas.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.14
दिव्यैः पुष्पैः समाकीर्णमन्तरिक्षं समन्ततः॥ आसीत् किल महाराज शुकाभितपने तदा।
divyaiḥ puṣpaiḥ samākīrṇamantarikṣaṃ samantataḥ|| āsīt kila mahārāja śukābhitapane tadā|
The entire sky became covered with celestial flowers showered from heaven at that moment when Shuka thus cut through that impenetrable barrier, O king.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.15
ततो मन्दाकिनी रम्यामुपरिष्टादभिव्रजन्॥ शुको ददर्श धर्मात्मा पुष्पितदुमकाननाम्।
tato mandākinī ramyāmupariṣṭādabhivrajan|| śuko dadarśa dharmātmā puṣpitadumakānanām|
The pious Shuka then saw from a high region the extremely beautiful celestial river Mandakini, running below through a region adorned by many flowering groves and forests.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.16
तस्यां क्रीडन्त्यभिरतास्ते चैवाप्सरसां गणाः॥ शून्याकारं निराकाराः शुकं दृष्ट्वा विवाससः।
tasyāṃ krīḍantyabhiratāste caivāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ|| śūnyākāraṃ nirākārāḥ śukaṃ dṛṣṭvā vivāsasaḥ|
In these waters many beautiful Apsaras were playing. Seeing Shuka who was bodiless, those naked aerial beings felt no shame.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.17
तं प्रक्रामन्तमाज्ञाय पिता स्नेहसमन्वितः॥ उत्तमा गतिमास्थाय पृष्ठतोऽनुससार ह।
taṃ prakrāmantamājñāya pitā snehasamanvitaḥ|| uttamā gatimāsthāya pṛṣṭhato'nusasāra ha|
Learning that Shuka had undertaken his great journey, his father Vyasa, filled with affection, followed him behind along the same aerial path.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.18
शुकस्तु मारुतादूर्ध्वं गति कृत्वान्तरिक्षगाम्॥ दर्शयित्वा प्रभावं स्वं ब्रह्मभूतोऽभवत् तदा।
śukastu mārutādūrdhvaṃ gati kṛtvāntarikṣagām|| darśayitvā prabhāvaṃ svaṃ brahmabhūto'bhavat tadā|
Meanwhile Shuka, passing through thai region of the sky which is above the region of the wind, showed his Yoga-power and identified himself with Brahma.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.19
महायोगगतिं त्वन्यां व्यासोत्थाय महातपाः॥ निमेषान्तरमात्रेण शुकाभिपतनं ययौ।
mahāyogagatiṃ tvanyāṃ vyāsotthāya mahātapāḥ|| nimeṣāntaramātreṇa śukābhipatanaṃ yayau|
Following the subtile path of high Yoga, Vyasa of austere penances, reached within the twinkling of the eye that place whence Shuka first started.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.20
स ददर्श द्विधा कृत्वा पर्वताग्रं शुकं गतम्॥ शशंसुर्ऋषयस्तत्र कर्म पुत्रस्य तत् तदा।
sa dadarśa dvidhā kṛtvā parvatāgraṃ śukaṃ gatam|| śaśaṃsurṛṣayastatra karma putrasya tat tadā|
Proceeding along the same way, Vyasa saw the mountain summit rent in two parts and through which Shuka has passed. Meeting the Island-born ascetic, the Rishis began to describe to him the achievements of his own.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.21
ततः शुकेति दीर्पण शब्देनाक्रन्दितस्तदा॥ स्वयं पित्रा स्वरेणोच्चैस्त्रील्लोकाननुनाद्य वै।
tataḥ śuketi dīrpaṇa śabdenākranditastadā|| svayaṃ pitrā svareṇoccaistrīllokānanunādya vai|
Vyasa, however, began to lament, loudly naming his son and causing the three worlds to resound with the noise he made.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.22
शुकः सर्वगतो भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुखः। :॥ प्रत्यभाषत धर्मात्मा भो शब्देनानुनादयन्।
śukaḥ sarvagato bhūtvā sarvātmā sarvatomukhaḥ| :|| pratyabhāṣata dharmātmā bho śabdenānunādayan|
Meanwhile, the pious Shuka, who had entered all things, had become the soul of all things, and had acquired omnipresence, answered his fathers by uttering the monosyllable BHO in the form of an echo.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.23
तत एकाक्षरं नादं भोरित्येव समीरयन्॥ प्रत्याहरज्जगत् सर्वमुच्चैः स्थावरजङ्गमम्।
tata ekākṣaraṃ nādaṃ bhorityeva samīrayan|| pratyāharajjagat sarvamuccaiḥ sthāvarajaṅgamam|
Thereat, the entire universe of mobile and immobile creatures, uttering the monosyllable BHO, echoed the answer of Shuka.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.24
ततः प्रभृति चाद्यापि शब्दानुच्चारितान् पृथक्॥ गिरिगह्वरपृष्ठेषु व्याहरन्ति शुकं प्रति।
tataḥ prabhṛti cādyāpi śabdānuccāritān pṛthak|| girigahvarapṛṣṭheṣu vyāharanti śukaṃ prati|
Thereforward, when sounds are made in mountain-caves or on mountain-breasts, the latter, as if in answer to Shuka, still echo them.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.25
अन्तर्हितः प्रभावं तु दर्शयित्वा शुकस्तदा॥ गुणान् संत्यज्य शब्दादीन् पदमभ्यगमत् परम्।
antarhitaḥ prabhāvaṃ tu darśayitvā śukastadā|| guṇān saṃtyajya śabdādīn padamabhyagamat param|
Having renounced all the attributes of sound, etc., and showing his Yoga-power in the manner of his disappearance, Shuka in this way acquired the highest station.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.26
महिमानं तु तं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रस्यामिततेजसः॥ निषसाद गिरिप्रस्थे पुत्रमेवानुचिन्तयन्।
mahimānaṃ tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā putrasyāmitatejasaḥ|| niṣasāda giriprasthe putramevānucintayan|
Seeing that glory and power of his son of immeasurable energy, Vyasa sat down on the breast of the mountain and began to think of his son sorrowfully.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.27
ततो मन्दाकिनीतीरे क्रीडन्तोऽप्सरसां गणाः॥ आसाद्य तमृषि सर्वाः सम्भ्रान्ता गतचेतसः।
tato mandākinītīre krīḍanto'psarasāṃ gaṇāḥ|| āsādya tamṛṣi sarvāḥ sambhrāntā gatacetasaḥ|
Seeing the Rishi seated there, the Apsaras who were sporting on the banks of the celestial river Mandakini, became all moved with shame and dispirited.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.28
जले निलिल्यिरे काश्चित् काश्चिद् गुल्मान् प्रपेदिरे।।२९ वसनान्याददुः काश्चित् तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिसत्तमम्।
jale nililyire kāścit kāścid gulmān prapedire||29 vasanānyādaduḥ kāścit taṃ dṛṣṭvā munisattamam|
Some of them, to hide their nakedness, plunged into the river, and some entered the groves hard by, and some quickly took up their clothes, at seeing the Rishi.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.29
तां मुक्ततां तु विज्ञाय मुनिः पुत्रस्य वै तदा।॥ सक्ततामात्मनश्चैव प्रीतोऽभूद् व्रीडितश्च ह॥
tāṃ muktatāṃ tu vijñāya muniḥ putrasya vai tadā||| saktatāmātmanaścaiva prīto'bhūd vrīḍitaśca ha||
Seeing these movements, the Rishi understood that his son had been liberated from all attachments, but that he himself was not freed therefrom. At this he became filled with both joy and shame.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.30
तं देवगन्धर्ववृतो महर्षिगणपूजितः। पिनाकहस्तो भगवानभ्यागच्छत शंकरः॥
taṃ devagandharvavṛto maharṣigaṇapūjitaḥ| pinākahasto bhagavānabhyāgacchata śaṃkaraḥ||
As Vyasa was seated there, the auspicious god Shiva, armed with trident, surrounded on all sides by many gods and Gandharvas and worshipped of all the great Rishis, came there.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.31
तमुवाच महादेवः सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः। पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तं कृष्णद्वैपायनं तदा॥
tamuvāca mahādevaḥ sāntvapūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ| putraśokābhisaṃtaptaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ tadā||
Consoling the Island-born Rishi who was burning with grief on account of his son, Mahadeva said these words to him
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.32
अग्नेर्भूमेरपां वायोरन्तरिक्षस्य चैव ह। वीर्येण सदृशः पुत्रः पुरा मत्तस्त्वया वृतः॥
agnerbhūmerapāṃ vāyorantarikṣasya caiva ha| vīryeṇa sadṛśaḥ putraḥ purā mattastvayā vṛtaḥ||
You had formerly solicited from me a son endued with the energy of Fire, of Water, of Wind, and of Ether.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.33
स तथालक्षणो जातस्तपसा तव सम्भृतः। मम चैव प्रसादेन ब्रह्मतेजोमयः शुचिः॥
sa tathālakṣaṇo jātastapasā tava sambhṛtaḥ| mama caiva prasādena brahmatejomayaḥ śuciḥ||
Procreated by your penances, the son that was born to you was of that very sort. Proceeding from my favour, he was pure and full of Brahma-energy.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.34
स गतिं परमां प्राप्तो दुष्प्रापामजितेन्द्रियैः। दैवतैरपि विप्रर्षे तं त्वं किमनुशोचसि॥
sa gatiṃ paramāṃ prāpto duṣprāpāmajitendriyaiḥ| daivatairapi viprarṣe taṃ tvaṃ kimanuśocasi||
He has acquired the highest end-an end that is, which none can acquire who has not completely mastered his senses, nor by even any of the gods, why then, O twice-born Rishi, do you grieve for that son?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.35
यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयो यावत् स्थास्यन्ति सागराः। तावत् तवाक्षया कीर्तिः सपुत्रस्य भविष्यति॥
yāvat sthāsyanti girayo yāvat sthāsyanti sāgarāḥ| tāvat tavākṣayā kīrtiḥ saputrasya bhaviṣyati||
As long as the hills will last, as long as the ocean will last, so long will the fame of your son continue.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.36
छायां स्वपुत्रसदृशी सर्वतोऽनपगां सदा। द्रक्ष्यसे त्वं च लोकेऽस्मन् मत्प्रसादान्महामुने॥
chāyāṃ svaputrasadṛśī sarvato'napagāṃ sadā| drakṣyase tvaṃ ca loke'sman matprasādānmahāmune||
Through my favour, O great Rishi, you will see in this world a shadowy form resembling your son, moving by the side and never leaving you for a single moment!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.37
सोऽनुनीतो भगवता स्वयं रुद्रेण भारत। छायां पश्यन् समावृत्तः स मुनिः परया मुदा॥
so'nunīto bhagavatā svayaṃ rudreṇa bhārata| chāyāṃ paśyan samāvṛttaḥ sa muniḥ parayā mudā||
Thus favoured by the illustrious Rudra himself, O Bharata, the Rishi saw a shadow of his son by his side. He came back from that place, filled with joy at this.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.38
इति जन्म गतिश्चैव शुकस्य भरतर्षभ। विस्तरेण समाख्याता यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥
iti janma gatiścaiva śukasya bharatarṣabha| vistareṇa samākhyātā yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi||
I have now told you, O chief of Bharata's race, everything regarding the birth and life of Shukra about which you had asked me.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.39
एतदाचष्ट मे राजन् देवर्षिर्नारदः पुरा। व्यासश्चैव महायोगी संजल्पेषु पदे पदे॥
etadācaṣṭa me rājan devarṣirnāradaḥ purā| vyāsaścaiva mahāyogī saṃjalpeṣu pade pade||
The celestial Rishi Narada and the great Yogin Vyasa had again and again told all this to me in days of yore when the subject was suggested in course of conversation.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 8 160.40
इतिहासमिमं पुण्यं मोक्षधर्मोपसंहितम्। धारयेद् यः शमपरः स गच्छेत् परमां गतिम्॥
itihāsamimaṃ puṇyaṃ mokṣadharmopasaṃhitam| dhārayed yaḥ śamaparaḥ sa gacchet paramāṃ gatim||
That person devoted to tranquillity who hears this sacred history directly connected with the subject of Liberation is sure to acquire the highest end.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)