Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 32

MBh 9 32.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद। त्वत्तोऽहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि धर्मे भरतसत्तम॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca pitāmaha mahāprājña sarvaśāstraviśārada| tvatto'haṃ śrotumicchāmi dharme bharatasattama||

Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom, O you who are conversant with all branches of knowledge, I wish to hear you discourse on topics connected with duty and Virtue.

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

MBh 9 32.2

शरणागतं ये रक्षन्ति भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम्। किं तस्य भरतश्रेष्ठ फलं भवति तत्त्वतः॥

śaraṇāgataṃ ye rakṣanti bhūtagrāmaṃ caturvidham| kiṃ tasya bharataśreṣṭha phalaṃ bhavati tattvataḥ||

Tell me truly, O chief of Bharata's race, what the merits are of those persons who grant protection to living creatures of the four castes when these pray for protection.

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

MBh 9 32.3

इदं शृणु महाप्राज्ञ धर्मपुत्र महायशः। इतिहासं पुरावृत्तं शरणार्थे महाफलम्॥

idaṃ śṛṇu mahāprājña dharmaputra mahāyaśaḥ| itihāsaṃ purāvṛttaṃ śaraṇārthe mahāphalam||

Bhisham said: O Dharma's son of great wisdom and widespread fame, listen to this old, history regarding the great merit of granting protection to others when protection is humbly sought.

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

MBh 9 32.4

प्रपात्यमान: श्येनेन कपोतः प्रियदर्शनः। वृषदर्भ महाभागं नरेन्द्रं शरणं गतः॥

prapātyamāna: śyenena kapotaḥ priyadarśanaḥ| vṛṣadarbha mahābhāgaṃ narendraṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ||

Once on a time, a beautiful pigeon, pursued by a hawk dropped down from the skies and sought the protection of the highly blessed king Vrishadarbha.

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

MBh 9 32.5

स तं दृष्ट्वा विशुद्धात्मा त्रासादङ्कमुपागतम्। आश्वास्याश्वसिहीत्याह न तेऽस्ति भयमण्डज॥

sa taṃ dṛṣṭvā viśuddhātmā trāsādaṅkamupāgatam| āśvāsyāśvasihītyāha na te'sti bhayamaṇḍaja||

The pure-souled, king beholding the pigeon take refuge in his lap from fear, comforted him, saying, Be comforted, O bird! You have no fear!

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

MBh 9 32.6

भयं ते सुमहत् कस्मात् कुत्र किं वा कृतं त्वया। येन त्वमिह सम्प्राप्तो विसंज्ञो भ्रान्तचेतनः॥

bhayaṃ te sumahat kasmāt kutra kiṃ vā kṛtaṃ tvayā| yena tvamiha samprāpto visaṃjño bhrāntacetanaḥ||

Whence have you taken such great fright? What and where have you done it in consequence of which you have lost your senses in fear and are more dead than alive?

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

MBh 9 32.7

नवनीलोत्पलापीडचारुवर्ण सुदर्शन। दाडिमाशोकपुष्पाक्ष मा त्रसस्वाभयं तव॥

navanīlotpalāpīḍacāruvarṇa sudarśana| dāḍimāśokapuṣpākṣa mā trasasvābhayaṃ tava||

Your colour, O beautiful bird, resembles that of a fresh blown blue lotus. Your eyes are of the hue of the pomegranate or the Ashoka flower! Do not fear, I command you, be comforted!

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

MBh 9 32.8

मत्सकाशमनुप्राप्तं न त्वां कश्चित् समुत्सहेत्। मनसा ग्रहणं कर्तुं रक्षाध्यक्षपुरस्कृतम्॥

matsakāśamanuprāptaṃ na tvāṃ kaścit samutsahet| manasā grahaṇaṃ kartuṃ rakṣādhyakṣapuraskṛtam||

When you have sought my protection, know that no one will have the courage to even think of catching you, who have such a protector to take care of your body.

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

MBh 9 32.9

काशिराज्यं तदद्यैव त्वदर्थं जीवितं तथा। त्यजेयं भव विश्रब्धः कपोत न भयं तव॥

kāśirājyaṃ tadadyaiva tvadarthaṃ jīvitaṃ tathā| tyajeyaṃ bhava viśrabdhaḥ kapota na bhayaṃ tava||

I shall, for your sake give up today the very kingdom of the Kashis and, if necessary my life too! Be comforted, therefore, do no fear, O pigeon.

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

MBh 9 32.10

श्येन उवाच ममैतद् विहितं भक्ष्यं च राजंस्त्रातुमर्हसि। अतिक्रान्तं च प्राप्तं च प्रयत्नाच्चोपपादितम्॥

śyena uvāca mamaitad vihitaṃ bhakṣyaṃ ca rājaṃstrātumarhasi| atikrāntaṃ ca prāptaṃ ca prayatnāccopapāditam||

The hawk said This bird has been ordained to be my food. You should not, O king, protect him from me! I have pursued this bird and have got him. Indeed, with great exertion have I got at him at last.

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

MBh 9 32.11

मासं च रुधिरं चास्य मज्जा मेदश्च मे हितम्। परितोषकरो ह्येष मम मास्याग्रतो भव॥

māsaṃ ca rudhiraṃ cāsya majjā medaśca me hitam| paritoṣakaro hyeṣa mama māsyāgrato bhava||

His flesh and blood and marrow and fat will be of great good to me. This bird will be the means of pleasing me greatly. Do not, O king place yourself between him and me in this way.

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

MBh 9 32.12

तृष्णा मे बाधतेऽत्युग्रा क्षुधा निर्दहतीव माम्। मुञ्चैनं न हि शक्ष्यामि राजन् मन्दयितुं क्षुधाम्॥

tṛṣṇā me bādhate'tyugrā kṣudhā nirdahatīva mām| muñcainaṃ na hi śakṣyāmi rājan mandayituṃ kṣudhām||

I have been possessed by a terrible thirst and hunger is knawing my bowels, Release the bird and cast him off. I am unable to bear the pains of hunger any longer.

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

MBh 9 32.13

मया ह्यनुसृतो ह्येष मत्पक्षनखविक्षतः। किंचिदुच्छ्वासनिःश्वासं न राजन् गोप्तुमर्हसि॥

mayā hyanusṛto hyeṣa matpakṣanakhavikṣataḥ| kiṃciducchvāsaniḥśvāsaṃ na rājan goptumarhasi||

I pursued him as my prey. See, his body is bruised and torn by me with my wings and talons. Look his breath has become very weak. You should not, O king, protect him from me!

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

MBh 9 32.14

यदि स्वविषये राजन् प्रभुस्त्वं रक्षणे नृणाम्। खेचरस्य तृषार्तस्य न त्वं प्रभुरथोत्तम॥

yadi svaviṣaye rājan prabhustvaṃ rakṣaṇe nṛṇām| khecarasya tṛṣārtasya na tvaṃ prabhurathottama||

In the exercise of that power which properly belongs to you, you are indeed, competent to interfere in protecting human beings when sought to be destroyed by human beings. But you have no power over a skyranging bird stricken with thirst.

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

MBh 9 32.15

यदि वैरिषु भृत्येषु स्वजनव्यवहारयोः। विषयेष्विन्द्रयाणां च आकाशे मा पराक्रम॥

yadi vairiṣu bhṛtyeṣu svajanavyavahārayoḥ| viṣayeṣvindrayāṇāṃ ca ākāśe mā parākrama||

Your power may extend over your enemies, your servants, your relatives, the disputes that take place between your subjects. Indeed it may extend over every part of your dominions and over also your own senses. Your power, however, does, not extend over the sky.

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

MBh 9 32.16

प्रभुत्वं हि पराक्रम्य सम्यक् पक्षहरेषु ते। यदि त्वमिह धर्मार्थी मामपि द्रष्टुमर्हसि॥

prabhutvaṃ hi parākramya samyak pakṣahareṣu te| yadi tvamiha dharmārthī māmapi draṣṭumarhasi||

Displaying your prowess over such enemies as act against your wishes, you may establish your rule over them. Your rule, however, does not extend over the skyranging birds. Indeed if you have been desirous of acquiring merit (by protecting this pigeon), It is your duty to look at me also!

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

MBh 9 32.17

भीष्म उवाच श्रुत्वा श्येनस्य तद् वाक्यं राजर्षिविस्मयं गतः। सम्भाव्य चैनं तद्वाक्यं तदर्थी प्रत्यभाषत॥

bhīṣma uvāca śrutvā śyenasya tad vākyaṃ rājarṣivismayaṃ gataḥ| sambhāvya cainaṃ tadvākyaṃ tadarthī pratyabhāṣata||

Bhishma said Hearing these words of the hawk, the royal sage became stricken with wonder. Without disregarding these words of his, the king, desirous of attending to his comforts, replied to him, saying the following words.

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

MBh 9 32.18

राजोवाच गोवृषो वा वराहो वा मृगो वा महिषोऽपि वा। त्वदर्थमद्य क्रियतां क्षुधाप्रशमनाय ते॥

rājovāca govṛṣo vā varāho vā mṛgo vā mahiṣo'pi vā| tvadarthamadya kriyatāṃ kṣudhāpraśamanāya te||

The king said Let a bovine bull or boar or deer or buffalo be dressed today for your sake! Do you satisfy your hunger on such food today.

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

MBh 9 32.19

शरणागतं न त्यजेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम्। न मुञ्चति ममाङ्गानि द्विजोऽयं पश्य वै द्विज॥

śaraṇāgataṃ na tyajeyamiti me vratamāhitam| na muñcati mamāṅgāni dvijo'yaṃ paśya vai dvija||

Never to leave one who has sought my protection is my firm vow. See, O bird, this bird does not leave my lap!

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

MBh 9 32.20

श्येन उवाच न वराहं न चोक्षाणं न चान्यान् विविधान् द्विजान्। भक्षयामि महाराज किमन्यायेन तेन मे॥ यस्तु मे विहितो भक्ष्यः स्वयं देवैः सनातनः। श्येनाः कपोतान् खादन्ति स्थितिरेषा सनातनी॥

śyena uvāca na varāhaṃ na cokṣāṇaṃ na cānyān vividhān dvijān| bhakṣayāmi mahārāja kimanyāyena tena me|| yastu me vihito bhakṣyaḥ svayaṃ devaiḥ sanātanaḥ| śyenāḥ kapotān khādanti sthitireṣā sanātanī||

The hawk said I do not, O king, eat the flesh of the boar or the ox or of any of the various kinds of fowl. What need have I of food of this or that kind? My business is with that food which has been eternally ordained for beings of my order? Hawks feed on pigeons. This is the eternal ordinance.

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

MBh 9 32.21

उशीनर कपोते तु यदि स्नेहस्तवानघ। ततस्त्वं मे प्रयच्छाद्य स्वमांसं तुलया धृतम्॥

uśīnara kapote tu yadi snehastavānagha| tatastvaṃ me prayacchādya svamāṃsaṃ tulayā dhṛtam||

O sinless Ushinara, if you feel such affection for this pigeon do you then give me flesh from your own body, of weight equal to that of this pigeon.

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

MBh 9 32.22

राजोवाच महाननुग्रहो मेऽघ यस्त्वमेवमिहात्थ माम्। बाढमेव करिष्यामीत्युक्त्वासौ राजसत्तमः॥ उत्कृत्योत्कृत्य मांसानि तुलया समतोलयत्। अन्तःपुरे ततस्तस्य स्त्रियो रत्नविभूषिताः॥ हाहाभूता विनिष्क्रान्ताः श्रुत्वा परमदुःखिताः। तासां रुदितशब्देन मन्त्रिभृत्यजनस्य च॥

rājovāca mahānanugraho me'gha yastvamevamihāttha mām| bāḍhameva kariṣyāmītyuktvāsau rājasattamaḥ|| utkṛtyotkṛtya māṃsāni tulayā samatolayat| antaḥpure tatastasya striyo ratnavibhūṣitāḥ|| hāhābhūtā viniṣkrāntāḥ śrutvā paramaduḥkhitāḥ| tāsāṃ ruditaśabdena mantribhṛtyajanasya ca||

The king said Great is the favour you show me today by speaking to me thus. Yes, I shall do what you bid. Having said this that best of kings began to cut off his own flesh and weigh it in a balance against the pigeon. Meanwhile in the inner apartments of the palace, the queen adorned with jewels and gems, hearing what was taking place, uttered exclamations of woe and came out, stricken with grief.

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

MBh 9 32.23

बभूव सुमहान् नादो मेघगम्भीरनि:स्वनः। निरुद्धं गगनं सर्वं शुभं मेघैः समन्ततः॥

babhūva sumahān nādo meghagambhīrani:svanaḥ| niruddhaṃ gaganaṃ sarvaṃ śubhaṃ meghaiḥ samantataḥ||

On account of those cries of the ladies as also of the ministers and servants a noise deep as the muttering of the clouds arose in the palace. The sky that had been very clear became covered with thick clouds on all sides.

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

MBh 9 32.24

मही प्रचलिता चासीत् तस्य सत्येन कर्मणा। स राजा पार्श्वतश्चैव बाहुभ्यामूरुतश्च यत्॥ तानि मांसानि संच्छिद्य तुलां पूरयतेऽशनैः। तथापि च समस्तेन कपोतेन बभूव ह॥

mahī pracalitā cāsīt tasya satyena karmaṇā| sa rājā pārśvataścaiva bāhubhyāmūrutaśca yat|| tāni māṃsāni saṃcchidya tulāṃ pūrayate'śanaiḥ| tathāpi ca samastena kapotena babhūva ha||

The Earth began to tremble, as the consequence of that act of truth which the monarch did. The king began to cut off the flesh from his sides from his arms, and from his thighs, and quickly fill one of the scales for weighing it against the pigeon. For all that, the pigeon continued to weigh heavier.

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

MBh 9 32.25

अस्थिभूतो यदा राजा निर्मासो रुधिरस्रवः। तुलां ततः समारूढः स्वं मांसक्षयमुत्सृजन्॥

asthibhūto yadā rājā nirmāso rudhirasravaḥ| tulāṃ tataḥ samārūḍhaḥ svaṃ māṃsakṣayamutsṛjan||

When at last the king became a skeleton of bones, without any flesh, and covered with blood he wished to give up his whole body and, therefore, ascended the scale in which he had placed the flesh that he had previously cut off.

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

MBh 9 32.26

ततः सेन्द्रास्त्रयो लोकास्तं नरेन्द्रमुपस्थिताः। भेर्यश्चाकाशगैस्तत्र वादिता देवदुन्दुभिः॥

tataḥ sendrāstrayo lokāstaṃ narendramupasthitāḥ| bheryaścākāśagaistatra vāditā devadundubhiḥ||

At that time, the three worlds, headed by Indra, came to that spot for seeing him. Celestial kettledrums and various other drums were struck and played upon by invisible beings belonging to the sky.

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

MBh 9 32.27

अमृतेनावसिक्तश्च वृषदर्भो नरेश्वरः। दिव्यैश्च सुसुखैर्माल्यैरभिवृष्टः पुनः पुनः॥

amṛtenāvasiktaśca vṛṣadarbho nareśvaraḥ| divyaiśca susukhairmālyairabhivṛṣṭaḥ punaḥ punaḥ||

King Vrishadarbha was bathed in a shower of nectar that was poured upon him. Garlands of celestials flowers, of sweet fragrance and touch, were also showered upon him copiously again and again.

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

MBh 9 32.28

देवगन्धर्वसंघातैरप्सरोभिश्च सर्वतः। नृत्तश्चैवोपगीतश्च पितामह इव प्रभुः॥

devagandharvasaṃghātairapsarobhiśca sarvataḥ| nṛttaścaivopagītaśca pitāmaha iva prabhuḥ||

The deities and Gandharvas and Apsaras in large bands began to sing and dance around him even as they sing and dance around the Grandfather Brahman.

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

MBh 9 32.29

हेमप्रसादसम्बाधं मणिकाञ्चनतोरणम्। स वैदूर्यमणिस्तम्भं विमानं समधिष्ठितः॥

hemaprasādasambādhaṃ maṇikāñcanatoraṇam| sa vaidūryamaṇistambhaṃ vimānaṃ samadhiṣṭhitaḥ||

The king then ascended a celestial car that excelled a mansion made entirely of gold, that had arches made of gold and gems and that was adorned with columns made of lapis lazuli.

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

MBh 9 32.30

स राजर्षिर्गत: स्वर्ग कर्मणा तेन शाश्वतम्। शरणागतेषु चैवं त्वं कुरु सर्वं युधिष्ठिर॥

sa rājarṣirgata: svarga karmaṇā tena śāśvatam| śaraṇāgateṣu caivaṃ tvaṃ kuru sarvaṃ yudhiṣṭhira||

Through the merit of his act the royal sage Shivi proceeded to eternal Heaven. Do you also, O Yudhishthira, act thus towards those who seek your protection.

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

MBh 9 32.31

भक्तानामनुरक्तानामाश्रितानां च रक्षिता। दयावान् सर्वभूतेषु परत्र सुखमेधते॥

bhaktānāmanuraktānāmāśritānāṃ ca rakṣitā| dayāvān sarvabhūteṣu paratra sukhamedhate||

He who protects those who are devoted to him those who are attached to him from love and affection and those who depend upon him, and who has mercy for all creatures succeeds in acquiring great happiness hereafter.

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

MBh 9 32.32

साधुवृत्तो हि यो राजा सवृत्तमनुतिष्ठति। किं न प्राप्तं भवेत् तेन सव्याजेनेह कर्मणा॥

sādhuvṛtto hi yo rājā savṛttamanutiṣṭhati| kiṃ na prāptaṃ bhavet tena savyājeneha karmaṇā||

That king who is of righteous conduct and who is observant of honesty and integrity, succeeds by his acts of sincerity in acquiring every valuable reward.

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

MBh 9 32.33

स राजर्षेर्विशुद्धात्मा धीरः सत्यपराक्रमः। काशीनामीश्वरः ख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कर्मणा॥

sa rājarṣerviśuddhātmā dhīraḥ satyaparākramaḥ| kāśīnāmīśvaraḥ khyātastriṣu lokeṣu karmaṇā||

The royal sage Shivi, of pure soul and gifted with great wisdom and unbaffled prowess, that king of the Kashis, became celebrated over the three worlds for his virtuous deeds.

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

MBh 9 32.34

योऽप्यन्यः कारयेदेवं शरणागतरक्षणम्। सोऽपि गच्छेत तामेव गतिं भरतसत्तमा॥

yo'pyanyaḥ kārayedevaṃ śaraṇāgatarakṣaṇam| so'pi gaccheta tāmeva gatiṃ bharatasattamā||

Anybody who would protect in the same way a seeker for protection, would certainly acquire the same happy end, best of the Bharatas.

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

MBh 9 32.35

इदं वृत्तं हि राजर्षेवृषदर्भस्य कीर्तयन्। पूतात्मा वै भवेल्लोके शृणुयाद् यश्च नित्यशः॥

idaṃ vṛttaṃ hi rājarṣevṛṣadarbhasya kīrtayan| pūtātmā vai bhavelloke śṛṇuyād yaśca nityaśaḥ||

He who recites this history of the royal sage Vrishadarbha is sure to become purged of every sin, and the person who hears this history recited by another is sure to acquire the same result.

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