Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 86

MBh 9 86.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच उक्ताः पितामहेनेह सुर्णस्य विधानतः। विस्तरेण प्रदानस्य ये गुणाः श्रुतिलक्षणाः॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca uktāḥ pitāmaheneha surṇasya vidhānataḥ| vistareṇa pradānasya ye guṇāḥ śrutilakṣaṇāḥ||

Yudhishthira said You have, O grandfather described to me fully the merits of the gift of gold according to the ordinances laid down in the scriptures and the Veda.

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

MBh 9 86.2

यत्तु कारणमुत्पत्तेः सुवर्णस्य प्रकीर्तितम्। स कथं तारकः प्राप्तो निधनं तद् ब्रवीहि मे॥

yattu kāraṇamutpatteḥ suvarṇasya prakīrtitam| sa kathaṃ tārakaḥ prāpto nidhanaṃ tad bravīhi me||

You have also described the origin of gold. Do you tell me now how Taraka met with destruction.

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

MBh 9 86.3

उक्तं स देवतानां हि अवध्य इति पार्थिव। कथं तस्याभवन्मृत्युर्विस्तरेण प्रकीर्तय॥

uktaṃ sa devatānāṃ hi avadhya iti pārthiva| kathaṃ tasyābhavanmṛtyurvistareṇa prakīrtaya||

You have, said, O king, that Asura had become unslayable by the gods. Do you tell me fully how his destruction was brought about.

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

MBh 9 86.4

एतादिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं त्वत्तः कुरुकुलोद्वह। कात्स्येन तारकवधं परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥

etādicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tvattaḥ kurukulodvaha| kātsyena tārakavadhaṃ paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me||

Operpetuator of Kuru's race, I wish to hear this from you, I mean the details of Taraka's destruction. Great is my curiosity to hear the narrative.

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

MBh 9 86.5

भीष्म उवाच विपन्नकृत्या राजेन्द्र देवता ऋषयस्तथा। कृत्तिकाश्चोदयामासुरपत्यभरणाय वै॥

bhīṣma uvāca vipannakṛtyā rājendra devatā ṛṣayastathā| kṛttikāścodayāmāsurapatyabharaṇāya vai||

Bhishma said The gods and the Rishis, O king reduced to great distress, urged the six Krittikas to rear that child.

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

MBh 9 86.6

न देवतानां काचिद्धि समर्था जातवेदसः। एता हि शक्तास्तं गर्भं संधारयितुमोजसा॥

na devatānāṃ kāciddhi samarthā jātavedasaḥ| etā hi śaktāstaṃ garbhaṃ saṃdhārayitumojasā||

Amongst the celestial ladies there were none, except these, who could by their power, bear the seed of Agni in their wombs.

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

MBh 9 86.7

षण्णां तासां ततः प्रीत: पावको गर्भधारणात्। स्वेन तेजोविसर्गेण वीर्येण परमेण च॥

ṣaṇṇāṃ tāsāṃ tataḥ prīta: pāvako garbhadhāraṇāt| svena tejovisargeṇa vīryeṇa parameṇa ca||

The god of fire became highly pleased with those goddesses for their readiness to sustain the conception caused by the seed of Agni which was gifted with his own great power.

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

MBh 9 86.8

तास्तु षट् कृत्तिका गर्भे पुपुषुर्जातवेदसः। षट्सु वर्त्मसु तेजोऽन्गेः सकलं निहितं प्रभो॥

tāstu ṣaṭ kṛttikā garbhe pupuṣurjātavedasaḥ| ṣaṭsu vartmasu tejo'ngeḥ sakalaṃ nihitaṃ prabho||

When the energy of Agni, O king, was divided into six parts and placed within the channels, the six Krittikas began to nourish the portion that each held in her womb.

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

MBh 9 86.9

ततस्ता वर्धमानस्य कुमारस्य महात्मनः। तेजसाभिपरीताङ्ग्यो न क्वचिच्छम लेभिरे॥

tatastā vardhamānasya kumārasya mahātmanaḥ| tejasābhiparītāṅgyo na kvacicchama lebhire||

As the great Kumara, however, began to grow within their wombs their bodies being possessed by his energy, they could not get peace anywhere.

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

MBh 9 86.10

ततस्तेजःपरीताङ्ग्यः सर्वाः काल उपस्थिते। समं गर्भे सुषुविरे कृत्तिकास्तं नरर्षभ॥

tatastejaḥparītāṅgyaḥ sarvāḥ kāla upasthite| samaṃ garbhe suṣuvire kṛttikāstaṃ nararṣabha||

Filled with energy as their bodies were, the time at last came for delivery. All of them, it so happened, O prince of men, delivered simultaneously.

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

MBh 9 86.11

ततस्तं षडधिष्ठानं गर्भमेकत्वमागतम्। पृथिवी प्रतिजग्राह कार्तस्वरसमीपतः॥

tatastaṃ ṣaḍadhiṣṭhānaṃ garbhamekatvamāgatam| pṛthivī pratijagrāha kārtasvarasamīpataḥ||

Though held in six different wombs, yet when all the parts, as they came out, united into one. The goddess Earth held the child, taking it up from a mass of gold.

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

MBh 9 86.12

स गर्भो दिव्यसंस्थानो दीप्तिमान् पावकप्रभः। दिव्यं शरवणं प्राप्य ववृधे प्रियदर्शनः॥

sa garbho divyasaṃsthāno dīptimān pāvakaprabhaḥ| divyaṃ śaravaṇaṃ prāpya vavṛdhe priyadarśanaḥ||

Indeed, the child, possessed of a beautiful form, shone like the god of Fire. Of beautiful features, he began to grow in a charming forest of reeds.

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

MBh 9 86.13

ददृशुः कृत्तिकास्तं तु बालमर्कसमद्युतिम्। जातस्नेहाच्च सौहार्दात् पुपुषुः स्तन्यविस्रवैः॥

dadṛśuḥ kṛttikāstaṃ tu bālamarkasamadyutim| jātasnehācca sauhārdāt pupuṣuḥ stanyavisravaiḥ||

The six Krittikas saw that child of theirs loO king like the morning Sun. Filled with affection for him, indeed, loving him very much, they began to rear him with their milk.

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

MBh 9 86.14

अभवत् कार्तिकेयः स त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे। स्कन्नत्वात् स्कन्दतां प्राप्तो गुहावासाद् गुहोऽभवत्।।

abhavat kārtikeyaḥ sa trailokye sacarācare| skannatvāt skandatāṃ prāpto guhāvāsād guho'bhavat||

On account of his having been born of the Krittikas and reared by them, he was known in the three worlds by the name of Kartikeya. Having originated from the seed which had fallen off from Rudra he was named Skanda, and because of his birth in a solitary forest of reeds he was called Guha.

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

MBh 9 86.15

ततो देवास्त्रयस्त्रिंशद् दिशश्च सदिगीश्वराः। रुद्रो धाता च विष्णुश्च यमः पूषार्यमा भगः॥ अंशो मित्रश्च साध्याश्च वासवो वसवोऽश्विनौ। आपो वायुर्नभश्चन्द्रो नक्षत्राणि ग्रहा रविः॥ पृथग्भूतानि चान्यानि यानि देवार्पणानि वै। आजग्मुस्तेऽद्भुतुं द्रष्टुं कुमारं ज्वलनात्मजम्॥

tato devāstrayastriṃśad diśaśca sadigīśvarāḥ| rudro dhātā ca viṣṇuśca yamaḥ pūṣāryamā bhagaḥ|| aṃśo mitraśca sādhyāśca vāsavo vasavo'śvinau| āpo vāyurnabhaścandro nakṣatrāṇi grahā raviḥ|| pṛthagbhūtāni cānyāni yāni devārpaṇāni vai| ājagmuste'dbhutuṃ draṣṭuṃ kumāraṃ jvalanātmajam||

The thirtythree gods, the points of the compass together with their presiding deities, and Rudra, Dhatri, Vishnu, Yama, Pushan, Aryaman, Bhaga, Angsha Mitra, the Sadhyas, Vasava, the Vasus, the Ashvins, the Waters, the Wind, the Firmament, Chandramas and all the Constellations and the Planets and the Sun, and all the Richs and Samans and Yajushes in their embodied forms, came there to see that wonderful child who was the son of the god of Fire.

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

MBh 9 86.16

ऋषयस्तुष्टुवुश्चैव गन्धर्वाश्च जगुस्तथा। षडाननं कुमारं तु द्विषडक्षं द्विजप्रियम्॥

ṛṣayastuṣṭuvuścaiva gandharvāśca jagustathā| ṣaḍānanaṃ kumāraṃ tu dviṣaḍakṣaṃ dvijapriyam||

The Rishis sang hymns of praise and the Gandharvas sang in honour of that child called Kumara of six heads, twelve eyes, and greatly devoted to the Brahmanas.

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

MBh 9 86.17

पीनांसं द्वादशभुजं पावकादित्यवर्चसम्। शयानं शरगुल्मस्थं दृष्ट्वा देवाः सहर्षिभिः॥ लेभिरे परमं हर्ष मेनिरे चासुरं हतम्। ततो देवाः प्रियाण्यस्य सर्व एव समाहरन्॥

pīnāṃsaṃ dvādaśabhujaṃ pāvakādityavarcasam| śayānaṃ śaragulmasthaṃ dṛṣṭvā devāḥ saharṣibhiḥ|| lebhire paramaṃ harṣa menire cāsuraṃ hatam| tato devāḥ priyāṇyasya sarva eva samāharan||

His shoulders were broad, and he had twelve arms, and the splendour of his body resembled that of fire and Aditya. As he lay stretched on a clump of heath, the gods with the Rishis, seeing him, became filled with great joy and considered the great Asura as already Killed. The celestials then began to bring him various kinds of toys and articles that could amuse him.

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

MBh 9 86.18

क्रीडत: क्रीडनीयानि ददुः पक्षिगणाश्च ह। सुपर्णोऽस्य ददौ पुत्रं मयूरं चित्रबर्हिणम्॥

krīḍata: krīḍanīyāni daduḥ pakṣigaṇāśca ha| suparṇo'sya dadau putraṃ mayūraṃ citrabarhiṇam||

As he played like a child, various sorts of toys and birds were given to him. Garuda of excellent feathers gave to him a child of his, viz., a peacock having plumes of variegated colour.

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

MBh 9 86.19

राक्षसाश्च ददुस्तस्मै वराहमहिषावभौ। कुक्वुटं चाग्निसंकाशं प्रददावरुणः स्वयम्॥

rākṣasāśca dadustasmai varāhamahiṣāvabhau| kukvuṭaṃ cāgnisaṃkāśaṃ pradadāvaruṇaḥ svayam||

The Rakshasas gave to him a boar and a buffalo. Aruna himself gave him cock of fiery splendour.

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

MBh 9 86.20

चन्द्रमाः प्रददौ मेषमादित्यो रुचिरां प्रभाम्। गवां माता च गा देवी ददौ शतसहस्रशः॥

candramāḥ pradadau meṣamādityo rucirāṃ prabhām| gavāṃ mātā ca gā devī dadau śatasahasraśaḥ||

The Moon gave him a sheep, and the Sun gave him some dazzling rays of his. The mother of all kine, viz., Surabhi, gave him kine by hundreds and thousands.

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

MBh 9 86.21

छागमग्निर्गुणापेतमिला पुष्पफलं बहु। सुधन्वा शकटं चैव रथं चामितकूबरम्॥

chāgamagnirguṇāpetamilā puṣpaphalaṃ bahu| sudhanvā śakaṭaṃ caiva rathaṃ cāmitakūbaram||

Agni gave him a goat having many good qualities. Ila gave him profuse flowers and fruits. Sudhanvan gave him a riding chariot and a car of the great Kubera.

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

MBh 9 86.22

वरुणो वारुणान् दिव्यान् सगजान् प्रददौ शुभान्। सिंहान् सुरेन्द्रो व्याघ्रांश्च द्विपानन्यांश्च पक्षिणः॥ श्वापदांश्च बहून् घोरांश्छत्राणि विविधानि च। राक्षसासुरसंघाश्च अनुजग्मुस्तमीश्वरम्॥

varuṇo vāruṇān divyān sagajān pradadau śubhān| siṃhān surendro vyāghrāṃśca dvipānanyāṃśca pakṣiṇaḥ|| śvāpadāṃśca bahūn ghorāṃśchatrāṇi vividhāni ca| rākṣasāsurasaṃghāśca anujagmustamīśvaram||

Varuna gave him many auspicious and good products of the Ocean, with some elephants. The king of the celestials gave him lions and tigers and pards and various kinds of the birds of the air, and inany terrible beasts of prey and many umbrellas also. Many Rakshasas and Asuras began to follow that powerful child.

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

MBh 9 86.23

वर्धमानं तु तं दृष्ट्वा प्रार्थयामास तारकः। उपायैर्बहुभिर्हन्तुं नाशकच्चापि तं विभुम्॥

vardhamānaṃ tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā prārthayāmāsa tārakaḥ| upāyairbahubhirhantuṃ nāśakaccāpi taṃ vibhum||

Seeing the son of Agni grow up, Taraka sought, by various means, to bring about his destruction, but could not do anything to that powerful deity.

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

MBh 9 86.24

सैनापत्येन तं देवाः पूजयित्वा गुहालयम्। शशंसुर्विप्रकारं तं तस्मै तारककारितम्॥

saināpatyena taṃ devāḥ pūjayitvā guhālayam| śaśaṃsurviprakāraṃ taṃ tasmai tārakakāritam||

The gods in time invested Agni's son born a solitary forest with the command of their arıy. And they also informed him of the oppressions made upon them by the Asura Taraka.

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

MBh 9 86.25

स विवृद्धो महावीर्यो देवसेनापतिः प्रभुः। जघानामोघया शक्त्या दानवं तारकं गुहः॥

sa vivṛddho mahāvīryo devasenāpatiḥ prabhuḥ| jaghānāmoghayā śaktyā dānavaṃ tārakaṃ guhaḥ||

The commanderinchief of the celestial army grew up and became possessed of great energy and power. In time Guha killed Taraka, with his irresistible dart.

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

MBh 9 86.26

तेन तस्मिन् कुमारेण क्रीडता निहतेऽसुरे। सुरेन्द्रः स्थापितो राज्ये देवानां पुनरीश्वरः॥

tena tasmin kumāreṇa krīḍatā nihate'sure| surendraḥ sthāpito rājye devānāṃ punarīśvaraḥ||

Indeed, Kumara killed the Asura as easily as if in sport. Having brought about the destruction of Taraka the reestablished the king of the celestials in his sovereignty of the three worlds.

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

MBh 9 86.27

स सेनापतिरेवाथ बभौ स्कन्दः प्रतापवान्। ईशो गोप्ता च देवानां प्रियकृच्छङ्करस्य च॥

sa senāpatirevātha babhau skandaḥ pratāpavān| īśo goptā ca devānāṃ priyakṛcchaṅkarasya ca||

Gifted with mighty power, the celestial general shone in beauty and splendour. The powerful Skanda became the protector of the celestials and did what was agreeable to Shankara.

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

MBh 9 86.28

हिरण्यमूर्तिर्भगवानेष एव च पावकिः। सदा कुमारो देवानां सैनापत्यमवाप्तवान्॥

hiraṇyamūrtirbhagavāneṣa eva ca pāvakiḥ| sadā kumāro devānāṃ saināpatyamavāptavān||

The illustrious son of Pavaka had a golden form. Indeed, Kumara is always the leader of the celestial arms.

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

MBh 9 86.29

तस्मात् सुवर्णं मङ्गल्यं रत्नमक्षय्यमुत्तमम्। सहजं कार्तिकेयस्य वह्नस्तेजः परं मतम्॥

tasmāt suvarṇaṃ maṅgalyaṃ ratnamakṣayyamuttamam| sahajaṃ kārtikeyasya vahnastejaḥ paraṃ matam||

Gold is the powerful energy of the god of fire and was born with Kartikeya. Hence is gold highly sacred, valuable, and excellent and has unending merit.

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

MBh 9 86.30

एवं रामाय कौरव्य वसिष्ठोऽकथयत् पुरा। तस्मात् सुवर्णदानाय प्रयतस्व नराधिप॥

evaṃ rāmāya kauravya vasiṣṭho'kathayat purā| tasmāt suvarṇadānāya prayatasva narādhipa||

Thus, O son of Kuru's race, did Vasishtha recite formerly this topic to Rama of Bhrigu's race. Do you, therefore, O king of men, try to make gifts of gold.

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

MBh 9 86.31

रामः सुवर्णं दत्त्वा हि विमुक्तः सर्वकिल्विषैः। त्रिविष्टपे महत् स्थानमवापासुलभं नरैः॥

rāmaḥ suvarṇaṃ dattvā hi vimuktaḥ sarvakilviṣaiḥ| triviṣṭape mahat sthānamavāpāsulabhaṃ naraiḥ||

By making gifts of gold, Rama became purged of all his sins, and finally acquired a high place in Heaven that is unattainable by other men.

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