Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 29

MBh 9 29.1

भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु संशितात्मा यतव्रतः। सहस्रमेकपादेन ततो ध्याने व्यतिष्ठत॥

bhīṣma uvāca evamukto mataṅgastu saṃśitātmā yatavrataḥ| sahasramekapādena tato dhyāne vyatiṣṭhata||

Bhishma said Thus addressed by Indra, Matanga refused to hear what he was commanded. On the other hand, with regulated vows and purified soul, he practised austerer penances by standing on one foot for a thousand years, being deeply engaged in Yoga-meditation.

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

MBh 9 29.2

तं सहस्रावरे काले शक्रो द्रष्टुमुपागमत्। तदेव च पुनर्वाक्यमुवाच बलवृत्रहा॥

taṃ sahasrāvare kāle śakro draṣṭumupāgamat| tadeva ca punarvākyamuvāca balavṛtrahā||

After a thousand years had passed away, Shakra once more came to see him. Indeed the destroyer of Vala and Vritra laid to him the same words.

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

MBh 9 29.3

मतङ्ग उवाच इदं वर्षसहस्रं वै ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः। अतिष्ठमेकपादेन ब्राह्मण्यं प्राप्नुयां कथम्॥

mataṅga uvāca idaṃ varṣasahasraṃ vai brahmacārī samāhitaḥ| atiṣṭhamekapādena brāhmaṇyaṃ prāpnuyāṃ katham||

Matanga said I have passed these thousand years, standing on one foot, with soul engaged in meditation and in the observance of the vow of celibacy. Why is it that I have not yet succeeded in acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana?

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

MBh 9 29.4

शक्र उवाच चण्डालयोनौ जातेन नावाप्यं वै कथंचन। अन्यं कामं वृणीष्व त्वं मा वृथा तेऽस्त्वयं श्रमः॥ एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु भृशं शोकपरायणः। अध्यतिष्ठद्गयां गत्वा सोऽङ्गुष्ठेन शतं समाः॥

śakra uvāca caṇḍālayonau jātena nāvāpyaṃ vai kathaṃcana| anyaṃ kāmaṃ vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ mā vṛthā te'stvayaṃ śramaḥ|| evamukto mataṅgastu bhṛśaṃ śokaparāyaṇaḥ| adhyatiṣṭhadgayāṃ gatvā so'ṅguṣṭhena śataṃ samāḥ||

Shakra said One born as a Chandala cannot, by any means, acquire the dignity of a Brahmana. Do you, therefore, name some other boon so that all this labour of yours may not prove futile! Thus addressed by the king of the celestials, Matanga became filled with grief. He went to Gaya, and passed there a century of years, standing all the while on one foot.

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

MBh 9 29.5

सुदुर्वहं वहन् योगं कृशो धमनिसंततः। त्वगस्थिभूतो धर्मात्मा स पपातेति नः श्रुतम्॥

sudurvahaṃ vahan yogaṃ kṛśo dhamanisaṃtataḥ| tvagasthibhūto dharmātmā sa papāteti naḥ śrutam||

On account of the observance of such Yoga which was extremely difficult to bear, he became very much emaciated and his arteries and veins became swollen and visible. He was reduced to only skin and bones. We have heard that righteous person, while practising those austerities at Gaya, dropped down on the ground from sheer exhaustion.

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

MBh 9 29.6

तं पतन्तमभिदुत्य परिजग्राह वासवः। वराणामीश्वरो दाता सर्वभूतहिते रतः॥

taṃ patantamabhidutya parijagrāha vāsavaḥ| varāṇāmīśvaro dātā sarvabhūtahite rataḥ||

Seeing him falling down the lord and giver of boons, engaged in the behoof of all creatures viz., Vasava, speedily came to that spot and held him fast.

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

MBh 9 29.7

शक्र उवाच मतङ्ग ब्राह्मणत्वं ते विरुद्धमिह दृश्यते। ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्लभतरं संवृतं परिपन्थिभिः॥

śakra uvāca mataṅga brāhmaṇatvaṃ te viruddhamiha dṛśyate| brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhataraṃ saṃvṛtaṃ paripanthibhiḥ||

Shakra said It seems, O Matanga , that the dignity of a Brahmana which you seek is illsuited to you. That dignity is incapable of being acquired by you. Indeed in your case, it is beset with many dangers.

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

MBh 9 29.8

पूजयन् सुखपाप्नोति दुःखमाप्नोत्यपूजयन्। ब्राह्मणः सर्वभूतानां योगक्षेमसमर्पिता॥

pūjayan sukhapāpnoti duḥkhamāpnotyapūjayan| brāhmaṇaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ yogakṣemasamarpitā||

A person by adoring a Brahmana acquires happiness; while by abstaining from such worship, he gets grief and misery. The Brahmana is as regards all creatures, the giver of what they prize or covet and the protector of what they already have.

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

MBh 9 29.9

ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽनुतृप्यन्ते पितरो देवतास्तथा। ब्राह्मणः सर्वभूतानां मतङ्ग पर उच्यते॥

brāhmaṇebhyo'nutṛpyante pitaro devatāstathā| brāhmaṇaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ mataṅga para ucyate||

It is through the Brahmanas that the departed manes and the deities become pleased. The Brahmana, O Matanga, is said to be the foremost of all created Beings. The Brahmana grants all objects which are desired and in the way they are desired.

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

MBh 9 29.10

ब्राह्मणः कुरुते तद्धि यथा यद् यच्च वाञ्छति। बह्वीस्तु संविशन् योनीर्जायमानः पुनः पुनः॥

brāhmaṇaḥ kurute taddhi yathā yad yacca vāñchati| bahvīstu saṃviśan yonīrjāyamānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ||

Passing through numberless orders of being and undergoing repeated rebirths, one succeeds in some subsequent birth in acquiring the dignity of a Brahmana.

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

MBh 9 29.11

पर्याये तात कस्मिंश्चिद् ब्राह्मण्यमिह विन्दति। तदुत्सृज्येह दुष्प्रापं ब्राह्मण्यमकृतात्मभिः॥

paryāye tāta kasmiṃścid brāhmaṇyamiha vindati| tadutsṛjyeha duṣprāpaṃ brāhmaṇyamakṛtātmabhiḥ||

That dignity is really incapable of being obtained by persons of impure souls. Do you, therefore, relinquish the idea Do you name some other boon. The particular boon which you seek is incapable of being granted to you.

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

MBh 9 29.12

मतङ्ग उवाच अन्यं वरं वृणीष्व त्वं दुर्लभोऽयं हि ते वरः। किं मां तुदसि दुःखार्तं मृतं मारयसे च माम्॥

mataṅga uvāca anyaṃ varaṃ vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ durlabho'yaṃ hi te varaḥ| kiṃ māṃ tudasi duḥkhārtaṃ mṛtaṃ mārayase ca mām||

Matanga said Stricken as I am with grief, why, O Shakra, do you afflict me further? You are striking one that is already dead, by this conduct. I do not pity you who having acquired the dignity of a Brahmana fail to retain it.

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

MBh 9 29.13

त्वां तु शोचामि यो लब्वा ब्राह्मण्यं न बुभूषसे। ब्राह्मण्यं यदि दुष्प्रापं त्रिभिर्वर्णैः शतक्रतो॥ सुदुर्लभं सदावाप्य नानुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः। यः पापेभ्यः पापतमस्तेषामधम एव सः॥

tvāṃ tu śocāmi yo labvā brāhmaṇyaṃ na bubhūṣase| brāhmaṇyaṃ yadi duṣprāpaṃ tribhirvarṇaiḥ śatakrato|| sudurlabhaṃ sadāvāpya nānutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ| yaḥ pāpebhyaḥ pāpatamasteṣāmadhama eva saḥ||

Those who having won the dignity of a Brahmana that, like wealth, is so difficult to acquire, do not seek to keep it up, must be considered as the most wretched in this world. Indeed, they are the most sinful of all creatures.

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

MBh 9 29.14

ब्राह्मण्यं यो न जानीते धनं लब्वेव दुर्लभम्। दुष्प्रापं खलु विप्रत्वं प्राप्तं दुरनुपालनम्॥

brāhmaṇyaṃ yo na jānīte dhanaṃ labveva durlabham| duṣprāpaṃ khalu vipratvaṃ prāptaṃ duranupālanam||

Forsooth, the dignity of a Brahmana is highly difficult to attain, and being attained, is difficult to maintain, it is capable of removing every sort of grief. Alas, having got it men do not always seek to keep it up.

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

MBh 9 29.15

दुरावापमवाप्यैतन्नानुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः। एकारामो ह्यहं शक्र निर्द्वन्द्वो निष्परिग्रहः॥

durāvāpamavāpyaitannānutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ| ekārāmo hyahaṃ śakra nirdvandvo niṣparigrahaḥ||

When even such persons are considered as Brahmanas, why is it that I, who am pleased with my own self, who am superior to all pairs of opposites, who am dissociated from all worldly objects, who am observant of the duty of mercy towards all creatures and of selfcontrol of conduct, should be considered worthy of that dignity?

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

MBh 9 29.16

अहिंसादममास्थाय कथं नार्हामि विप्रताम्। दैवं तु कथमेतद् वै यदहं मातृदोषतः॥

ahiṃsādamamāsthāya kathaṃ nārhāmi vipratām| daivaṃ tu kathametad vai yadahaṃ mātṛdoṣataḥ||

not How unfortunate I am, O Purandara, that through the sin of my mother I have been reduced to this plight, although I am not unrighteous in my conduct?

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

MBh 9 29.17

एतामवस्थां सम्प्राप्तो धर्मज्ञः सन् पुरंदर। नूनं दैवं न शक्यं हि पौरुषेणातिवर्तितुम्॥

etāmavasthāṃ samprāpto dharmajñaḥ san puraṃdara| nūnaṃ daivaṃ na śakyaṃ hi pauruṣeṇātivartitum||

Forsooth, Destiny is incapable of being warded off or conquered by individual exertion since, O lord, I am unable to acquire, despite these.persistent attempts of mine the object for the acquisi.ion of which I am trying.

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

MBh 9 29.18

यदर्थे यत्नवानेव न लभे विप्रतां विभो। एवंगते तु धर्मज्ञ दातुमर्हसि मे वरम्।॥

yadarthe yatnavāneva na labhe vipratāṃ vibho| evaṃgate tu dharmajña dātumarhasi me varam|||

When such is the case, O righteous one, you should grant me some other boon if, indeed, I have become worthy of your favour or if I have a little of merit!

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

MBh 9 29.19

भीष्म उवाच यदि तेऽमनुग्राह्यः किंचिद् वा सुकृतं मम। वृणीष्वेति तदा प्राह ततस्तं बलवृत्रहा॥

bhīṣma uvāca yadi te'manugrāhyaḥ kiṃcid vā sukṛtaṃ mama| vṛṇīṣveti tadā prāha tatastaṃ balavṛtrahā||

Bhishma said The destroyer of Vala and Vritra then said to him Do you name the boon! Thus urged by the great Indra, Matanga said the following words

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

MBh 9 29.20

मतङ्ग उवाच चोदितस्तु महेन्द्रेण मतङ्गः प्राब्रवीदिदम्। यथा कामविहारी स्यां कामरूपी विहङ्गमः॥

mataṅga uvāca coditastu mahendreṇa mataṅgaḥ prābravīdidam| yathā kāmavihārī syāṃ kāmarūpī vihaṅgamaḥ||

Matanga said Gifted with the power of assuming any form at will, let me be able to journey through the skies and let me enjoy whatever pleasures I may wish for. And let me also have the willing worship of both Brahmanas and Kshatriyas.

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

MBh 9 29.21

ब्रह्मक्षत्राविरोधेन पूजां च प्राप्नुयामहम्। यथा ममाक्षया कीर्तिर्भवेच्चापि पुरंदर॥

brahmakṣatrāvirodhena pūjāṃ ca prāpnuyāmaham| yathā mamākṣayā kīrtirbhaveccāpi puraṃdara||

I bow to you by bending my head, O god! You should do that also by which my fame, O Purandara, may live eternally in the world!

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

MBh 9 29.22

शक्र उवाच कर्तुमर्हसि तद् देव शिरसा त्वां प्रसादये। छन्दोदेव इति ख्यातः स्त्रीणां पूज्यो भविष्यसि॥

śakra uvāca kartumarhasi tad deva śirasā tvāṃ prasādaye| chandodeva iti khyātaḥ strīṇāṃ pūjyo bhaviṣyasi||

Shakra said You will be celebrated as the deity of a particular measure of verse and you will get the worship of all women. Your fame, O son, shall become peerless in the three worlds.

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

MBh 9 29.23

कीर्तिश्च तेऽतुला वत्स त्रिषु लोकेषु यास्यति। एवं तस्मै वरं दत्त्वा वासवोऽन्तरधीयत॥

kīrtiśca te'tulā vatsa triṣu lokeṣu yāsyati| evaṃ tasmai varaṃ dattvā vāsavo'ntaradhīyata||

Having granted him these boons, Vasava disappeared there and then. Matanga also renouncing his lifebreaths, acquired a high place.

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

MBh 9 29.24

प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा मतङ्गोऽपि सम्प्राप्तः स्थानमुत्तमम्। एवमेतत् परं स्थानं ब्राह्मण्यं नाम भारत। तच्च दुष्प्रापमिह वै महेन्द्रवचनं यथा॥

prāṇāṃstyaktvā mataṅgo'pi samprāptaḥ sthānamuttamam| evametat paraṃ sthānaṃ brāhmaṇyaṃ nāma bhārata| tacca duṣprāpamiha vai mahendravacanaṃ yathā||

You may thus see, O Bharata that the dignity of a Brahmana is very high. That dignity is incapable of being acquired here as said by the great Indra himself.

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