Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 70

MBh 9 70.1

भीष्म उवाच अत्रैव कीर्त्यते सद्भिाह्मणस्वाभिमर्शने। नृगेण सुमहत् कृच्छ्रे यदवाप्तं कृरूद्वह।॥

bhīṣma uvāca atraiva kīrtyate sadbhiāhmaṇasvābhimarśane| nṛgeṇa sumahat kṛcchre yadavāptaṃ kṛrūdvaha|||

Bhishma said Regarding it, O perpetuator of Kuru race, is recited by the righteous the narrative of the great calamity that befell king Nriga on account of his taking what had belonged to a Brahmana.

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

MBh 9 70.2

निविशन्त्यां पुरा पार्थ द्वारवत्यामिति श्रुतिः। अदृश्यत महाकूपस्तृणवीरुत्समावृतः॥

niviśantyāṃ purā pārtha dvāravatyāmiti śrutiḥ| adṛśyata mahākūpastṛṇavīrutsamāvṛtaḥ||

Sometime before, certain youths of Yudu's race, while searching for water, came to a large well covered with grass and creepers.

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

MBh 9 70.3

प्रयत्नं तत्र कुर्वाणास्तस्मात् कूपाज्जलार्थिनः। श्रमेण महत. युक्तास्तस्मिंस्तोये सुसंवृते॥ ददृशुस्ते महाकायं कृकलासमवस्थितम्। तस्य चोद्धरणे यत्नमकुर्वंस्ते सहस्रशः॥

prayatnaṃ tatra kurvāṇāstasmāt kūpājjalārthinaḥ| śrameṇa mahata. yuktāstasmiṃstoye susaṃvṛte|| dadṛśuste mahākāyaṃ kṛkalāsamavasthitam| tasya coddharaṇe yatnamakurvaṃste sahasraśaḥ||

Desirous of drawing water from it, they worked hard for removing the creepers they covered its mouth. After the mouth had been cleaned, they saw within the well a very large lizard living within it. The youths nade strong and repeated efforts for rescuing the lizard from that plight.

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

MBh 9 70.4

प्रग्रहैश्चर्मपट्टैश्च तं बद्ध्वा पर्वतोपमम्। नाशक्नुवन् समुद्धर्तुं ततो जग्मुर्जनार्दनम्॥

pragrahaiścarmapaṭṭaiśca taṃ baddhvā parvatopamam| nāśaknuvan samuddhartuṃ tato jagmurjanārdanam||

Resembling a very hill in size, the lizard was sought to be freed by cords and leather tongs. Not succeeding in their attempts, the youths then went to Janardana.

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

MBh 9 70.5

खमावृत्योदपानस्य कृकलासः स्थितो महान्। तस्य नास्ति समुद्धर्तेत्येतत् कृष्णे न्यवेदयन्॥

khamāvṛtyodapānasya kṛkalāsaḥ sthito mahān| tasya nāsti samuddhartetyetat kṛṣṇe nyavedayan||

Addressing him they said— Covering the entire space of a well, there is a very large lizard to be seen. Despite our best efforts we have not succeeded in rescuing it from that plight. This was what they said to Krishna.

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

MBh 9 70.6

माधव उवाच स वासुदेवेन समुद्धृतश्च पृष्टश्च कार्यं निजगाद राजा। नृगस्तदाऽऽत्मानमथो न्यवेदयत् पुरातनं यज्ञसहस्रयाजिनम्॥

mādhava uvāca sa vāsudevena samuddhṛtaśca pṛṣṭaśca kāryaṃ nijagāda rājā| nṛgastadā''tmānamatho nyavedayat purātanaṃ yajñasahasrayājinam||

Madhava spoke Vasudeva then went there and took out the lizard and questioned it as who it was. The lizard said that it was the soul of king Nriga who had flourished in days of yore and who had celebrated many sacrifices.

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

MBh 9 70.7

तथा ब्रुवाणं तु तमाह माधवः शुभं त्वया कर्म कृतं न पापकम्। कथं भवान् दुर्गतिमीदृशीं गतो नरेन्द्र तद् ब्रूहि किमेतदीदृशम्॥

tathā bruvāṇaṃ tu tamāha mādhavaḥ śubhaṃ tvayā karma kṛtaṃ na pāpakam| kathaṃ bhavān durgatimīdṛśīṃ gato narendra tad brūhi kimetadīdṛśam||

To the lizard that said those words "You had done many pious deeds. You committed no sin. Why then, O king, have you come by such a distressful end? Do you explain what is this and why has it been caused?"

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

MBh 9 70.8

शतं सहस्राणि गवां शतं पुन: पुनः शतान्यष्टशतायुतानिा त्वया पुरा दत्तमितीह शुश्रुम नृप द्विजेभ्यः क्व तु तद् गतं तव॥

śataṃ sahasrāṇi gavāṃ śataṃ puna: punaḥ śatānyaṣṭaśatāyutāniā tvayā purā dattamitīha śuśruma nṛpa dvijebhyaḥ kva tu tad gataṃ tava||

We have heared that you did repeatedly make gifts to the Brahmanas numerable kine. Why, therefore, have you come by this end.

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

MBh 9 70.9

नृगस्ततोऽब्रवीत् कृष्णं ब्राह्मणस्याग्निहोत्रिणः। प्रोषितस्य परिभ्रष्टा गौरेका मम गोधने॥

nṛgastato'bravīt kṛṣṇaṃ brāhmaṇasyāgnihotriṇaḥ| proṣitasya paribhraṣṭā gaurekā mama godhane||

Nriga then replied to Krishna, saying, On one occasion a cow belonging to a Brahmana who regularly adored his domestic fire, escaping from the owner's house while he was absent from home, entered my flock.

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

MBh 9 70.10

गवां सहस्र संख्याता तदा सा पशुपैर्मम। सा ब्राह्मणाय दत्ता प्रेत्यार्थमभिकाइक्षता॥

gavāṃ sahasra saṃkhyātā tadā sā paśupairmama| sā brāhmaṇāya dattā pretyārthamabhikāikṣatā||

The keepers of my cattle included that cow in their list of a thousand. In time that cow was given away by me to a Brahmana, wishing for liappiness in heaven.

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

MBh 9 70.11

मे अपश्यत् परिमार्गश्च तां गां परगृहे द्विजः। ममेयमिति चोवाच ब्राह्मणो यस्य साभवत्॥

me apaśyat parimārgaśca tāṃ gāṃ paragṛhe dvijaḥ| mameyamiti covāca brāhmaṇo yasya sābhavat||

The true owner, returning home, sought for his lost cow and at last found it in the house of another. Finding her, the owner said, “This cow is mine."

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

MBh 9 70.12

तावुभौ समनुप्राप्तौ विवदन्तो भृशज्वरौ। भवान् दाता भवान् हर्तेत्यथ तौ मामवोचताम्॥

tāvubhau samanuprāptau vivadanto bhṛśajvarau| bhavān dātā bhavān hartetyatha tau māmavocatām||

The other person contested his claim, till both, growing wroth came to me. Addressing me, one of them said, You gave this cow. The other one said You have robbed me of this cow because she is inine.

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

MBh 9 70.13

शतेन शतसंख्येन गवां विनिमयेन वै। याचे प्रतिग्रहीतारं स तु मामब्रवीदिदम्॥ देशकालोपसम्पन्ना दोग्ध्री शान्तातिवत्सला। स्वादुक्षीरप्रदा धन्या मम नित्यं निवेशने॥ कृतं च भरते सा गौर्मम पुत्रमपस्तनम्। न सा शक्या मया दातुमित्युक्त्वा स जगाम ह॥१६

śatena śatasaṃkhyena gavāṃ vinimayena vai| yāce pratigrahītāraṃ sa tu māmabravīdidam|| deśakālopasampannā dogdhrī śāntātivatsalā| svādukṣīrapradā dhanyā mama nityaṃ niveśane|| kṛtaṃ ca bharate sā gaurmama putramapastanam| na sā śakyā mayā dātumityuktvā sa jagāma ha||16

I then begged the Brahmana to whom I had given that cow, to return the gift in exchange for hundreds and hundreds of other kine. Without yielding to my earnest solicitation, he addressed me saying, The cow I have got is well suited to time and place. She gives profuse inilk, besides being very quiet and very fond of us. The milk she gives is very sweet. She is lauded in my house. She is nourishing, besides, a weak child of mine that has just been born. I cannot, therefore, part with her. Having said these words, the Brahmana went away.

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

MBh 9 70.14

ततस्तमपरं विप्रं याचे विनिमयेन वै। गवां शतसहस्रं हि तत्कृते गृह्यतामिति॥

tatastamaparaṃ vipraṃ yāce vinimayena vai| gavāṃ śatasahasraṃ hi tatkṛte gṛhyatāmiti||

I then begged the other Brahmana offering him an exchange, and saying-Do you take a hundred thousand kine for this one cow.

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

MBh 9 70.15

न राज्ञां प्रतिगृह्णामि शक्तोऽहं स्वस्य मार्गणे। सैव गौर्दीयतां शीघ्रं ममेति मधुसूदन॥

na rājñāṃ pratigṛhṇāmi śakto'haṃ svasya mārgaṇe| saiva gaurdīyatāṃ śīghraṃ mameti madhusūdana||

The Brahmana, however, replied to me saying I do not accept gifts from Kshatriyas. I am able to support myself without aid. Do you then forthwith, give me that very cow which was mine. Thus, O slayer of Madhu, did that Brahmana speak to me.

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

MBh 9 70.16

रुक्ममश्वांश्च ददतो रजतस्यन्दनांस्तथा। न जग्राह ययौ चापि तदा स ब्राह्मणर्षभः॥

rukmamaśvāṃśca dadato rajatasyandanāṃstathā| na jagrāha yayau cāpi tadā sa brāhmaṇarṣabhaḥ||

I then offered to make gifts to him of gold and silver and horses and cars. That foremost of Brahmanas refused to accept any of these gifts and departed.

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

MBh 9 70.17

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु चोदितः कालधर्मणा। पितृलोकमहं प्राप्य धर्मराजमुपागमम्॥

etasminneva kāle tu coditaḥ kāladharmaṇā| pitṛlokamahaṃ prāpya dharmarājamupāgamam||

Meanwhile, urged by Time's irresistible power, I had to depart from this world. Going to the region of the departed manes I was taken before Yama the king of the dead.

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

MBh 9 70.18

यमस्तु पूजयित्वा मां ततो वचनमब्रवीत्। नान्तः संख्यायते राजंस्तव पुण्यस्य कर्मणः॥

yamastu pūjayitvā māṃ tato vacanamabravīt| nāntaḥ saṃkhyāyate rājaṃstava puṇyasya karmaṇaḥ||

Adoring me duly, Yama addressed me saying-The end cannot be determined, O king, of your righteous deeds.

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

MBh 9 70.19

अस्ति चैव कृतं पापमज्ञानात् तदपि त्वया। चरस्व पापं पश्चाद् वा पूर्वं वा त्वं यथेच्छसि॥

asti caiva kṛtaṃ pāpamajñānāt tadapi tvayā| carasva pāpaṃ paścād vā pūrvaṃ vā tvaṃ yathecchasi||

There is, however, a little sin which was unconsciously committed by you. Do you suffer the punishment for that sin now or afterwards as you like.

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

MBh 9 70.20

रक्षितास्मीति चोक्तं ते प्रतिज्ञा चानृता तव। ब्राह्मणस्वस्य चादानं द्विविधस्ते व्यतिक्रमः॥

rakṣitāsmīti coktaṃ te pratijñā cānṛtā tava| brāhmaṇasvasya cādānaṃ dvividhaste vyatikramaḥ||

You had sworn that you would protect (all persons in the enjoyment of their own). This oath of yours was not rigidly kept by you. You took also what belonged to a Brahmana. This has been the twofold sin, you have perpetrated.

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

MBh 9 70.21

पूर्वं कृच्छ्रे चरिष्येऽहं पश्चाच्छुभमिति प्रभो। धर्मराजं ब्रुवन्नेवं पतितोऽस्मि महीतले॥

pūrvaṃ kṛcchre cariṣye'haṃ paścācchubhamiti prabho| dharmarājaṃ bruvannevaṃ patito'smi mahītale||

I answered, saying-I shall first suffer the distress of punishment, and when that is over, I shall enjoy the happiness that is in store for me, O lord! After I had said these words to the king of the dead, I dropped down on the Earth.

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

MBh 9 70.22

अश्रौषं पतितश्चाहं यमस्योच्चैः प्रभाषतः। वासुदेवः समुद्धर्ता भविता ते जनार्दनः॥

aśrauṣaṃ patitaścāhaṃ yamasyoccaiḥ prabhāṣataḥ| vāsudevaḥ samuddhartā bhavitā te janārdanaḥ||

Though fallen down I still could hear the words that Yama said to me very loudly. Those words were-Janardana the son of Vasudeva, will save you.

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

MBh 9 70.23

पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रान्ते क्षीणे कर्मणि दुष्कृते। प्राप्स्यसे शाश्वतान्लोकाञ्जितान् स्वेनैव कर्मणा।।२६

pūrṇe varṣasahasrānte kṣīṇe karmaṇi duṣkṛte| prāpsyase śāśvatānlokāñjitān svenaiva karmaṇā||26

Upon the completion of a full thousand years, when your sin will be dissipated you shall then attain to many regions of unending happiness that have been acquired by you through your own pious deeds.

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

MBh 9 70.24

कूपेऽऽत्मानमधःशीर्षमपश्यं पतितश्च ह। तिर्यग्योनिमनुप्राप्तं न च मामजहात् स्मृतिः॥

kūpe''tmānamadhaḥśīrṣamapaśyaṃ patitaśca ha| tiryagyonimanuprāptaṃ na ca māmajahāt smṛtiḥ||

Falling down I found myself, with head downwards, within this well changed into a creature of the intermediate order, Memory, however, did not leave me.

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

MBh 9 70.25

त्वया तु तारितोऽस्म्यद्य किमन्यत्र तपोबलात्। अनुजानीहि मां कृष्ण गच्छेयं दिवमद्य वै॥

tvayā tu tārito'smyadya kimanyatra tapobalāt| anujānīhi māṃ kṛṣṇa gaccheyaṃ divamadya vai||

By you I have been saved today. What else can it testify than the power of your penances? Let me have your permission, O Krishna. I wish to ascend to the celestial region.

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

MBh 9 70.26

अनुज्ञात: स कृष्णेन नमस्कृत्य जनार्दनम्। दिव्यमास्थाय पन्थानं ययौ दिवमरिंदमः॥

anujñāta: sa kṛṣṇena namaskṛtya janārdanam| divyamāsthāya panthānaṃ yayau divamariṃdamaḥ||

Permitted then by Krishna, king Nriga bowed his head to him and then mounted a celestial car and went to Heaven.

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

MBh 9 70.27

ततस्तस्मिन् दिवं याते नृगे भरतसत्तम। वासुदेव इमं श्लोकं जगाद कुरुनन्दन॥

tatastasmin divaṃ yāte nṛge bharatasattama| vāsudeva imaṃ ślokaṃ jagāda kurunandana||

After Nriga had thus proceeded to the celestial region, O best of the Bharatas, Vasudeva recited this Verse, O delighter, of the Kurus.

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

MBh 9 70.28

ब्राह्मणस्वं न हर्तव्यं पुरुषेण विजानता। ब्राह्मणस्वं हृतं हन्ति नृगं ब्राह्मणगौरिव॥

brāhmaṇasvaṃ na hartavyaṃ puruṣeṇa vijānatā| brāhmaṇasvaṃ hṛtaṃ hanti nṛgaṃ brāhmaṇagauriva||

No one should knowingly misappropriate anything belonging to a a Brahmana. The property of Brahmana, if take, destroys the taker even as the Brahmana's cow destroyed king Nriga!

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

MBh 9 70.29

सतां समागमः सद्भिर्नाफलः पार्थ विद्यते। विमुक्तं नरकात् पश्य नृगं साधुसमागमात्॥

satāṃ samāgamaḥ sadbhirnāphalaḥ pārtha vidyate| vimuktaṃ narakāt paśya nṛgaṃ sādhusamāgamāt||

I tell you, again O Partha, that a meeting with the good never proves furtile. See king Nriga was rescued from Hell through a meeting of his with one that is good.

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

MBh 9 70.30

प्रदानफलवत् तत्र द्रोहस्तत्र तथाफलः। अपचारं गवां तस्माद् वर्जयेत युधिष्ठिर।॥

pradānaphalavat tatra drohastatra tathāphalaḥ| apacāraṃ gavāṃ tasmād varjayeta yudhiṣṭhira|||

As a gift yields merit, so an act of spoliation brings on to demerit. Hence also, O Yudhishthira one should avoid doing any injury to kine.

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