Matsya Purana — Chapter 20
MtP 20.1
कथं कौशिकदायादाः प्राप्तास्ते योगमुत्तमम् पञ्चभिर्जन्मसम्बन्धैः कथं कर्मक्षयो भवेत्
kathaṃ kauśikadāyādāḥ prāptāste yogamuttamam pañcabhirjanmasambandhaiḥ kathaṃ karmakṣayo bhavet
How did those heirs of Kauśika attain the highest yoga? How could the destruction of (their) karma come about through the connection of five births?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.2
कौशिको नाम धर्मात्मा कुरुक्षेत्रे महानृषिः नामतः कर्मतस्तस्य सुतान्सप्त निबोधत
kauśiko nāma dharmātmā kurukṣetre mahānṛṣiḥ nāmataḥ karmatastasya sutānsapta nibodhata
There was a great sage named Kauśika, righteous of soul, in Kurukṣetra. Learn of his seven sons by name and by deed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.3
श्वसृपः क्रोधनो हिंस्रः पिशुनः कविरेव च वाग्दुष्टः पितृवर्ती च गर्गशिष्यास्तदाभवन्
śvasṛpaḥ krodhano hiṃsraḥ piśunaḥ kavireva ca vāgduṣṭaḥ pitṛvartī ca gargaśiṣyāstadābhavan
Śvasṛpa, Krodhana, Hiṃsra, Piśuna, and Kavi, Vāgduṣṭa, and Pitṛvartī — they then became pupils of Garga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.4
पितर्युपरते तेषाम् अभूद्दुर्भिक्षमुल्बणम् अनावृष्टिश्च महती सर्वलोकभयंकरी
pitaryuparate teṣām abhūddurbhikṣamulbaṇam anāvṛṣṭiśca mahatī sarvalokabhayaṃkarī
When their father had passed away, there came a terrible famine and a great drought, causing fear to all the world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.5
गर्गादेशाद्वने दोग्ध्रीं रक्षन्तस्ते तपोधनाः खादामः कपिलामेतां वयं क्षुत्पीडिता भृशम्
gargādeśādvane dogdhrīṃ rakṣantaste tapodhanāḥ khādāmaḥ kapilāmetāṃ vayaṃ kṣutpīḍitā bhṛśam
By Garga's instruction those (brothers) rich in austerity were guarding a milk-cow in the forest: "We are severely tormented by hunger — let us eat this tawny cow."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.6
इति चिन्तयतां पापं लघुः प्राह तदानुजः यद्यवश्यमियं वध्या श्राद्धरूपेण योज्यताम्
iti cintayatāṃ pāpaṃ laghuḥ prāha tadānujaḥ yadyavaśyamiyaṃ vadhyā śrāddharūpeṇa yojyatām
As they were pondering that sin, the youngest of them, the little one, said: "If she must inevitably be killed, let her be employed in the form of a śrāddha."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.7
श्राद्धे नियोज्यमानेयं पापात्त्रास्यति नो ध्रुवम् एव कुर्वित्यनुज्ञातः पितृवर्ती तदानुजैः
śrāddhe niyojyamāneyaṃ pāpāttrāsyati no dhruvam eva kurvityanujñātaḥ pitṛvartī tadānujaiḥ
"If she is employed in a śrāddha, she will surely save us from the sin." "Do just so" — thus authorized by his younger brothers, Pitṛvartī...
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.8
चक्रे समाहितः श्राद्धम् उपयुज्य च तां पुनः द्वौ दैवे भ्रातरौ कृत्वा पित्रे त्रीनप्यनुक्रमात्
cakre samāhitaḥ śrāddham upayujya ca tāṃ punaḥ dvau daive bhrātarau kṛtvā pitre trīnapyanukramāt
...with concentrated mind performed the śrāddha, and having used her (for the offering), making two of his brothers (represent the deities) at the divine (portion) and three in turn for the father,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.9
तथैकमतिथिं कृत्वा श्राद्धदः स्वयमेव तु चकार मन्त्रवच्छ्राद्धं स्मरन्पितृपरायणः
tathaikamatithiṃ kṛtvā śrāddhadaḥ svayameva tu cakāra mantravacchrāddhaṃ smaranpitṛparāyaṇaḥ
and likewise making one a guest, the giver of the śrāddha himself performed the śrāddha according to the mantras, remembering (them), wholly devoted to the ancestors.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.10
विना गवा वत्सको ऽपि गुरवे विनिवेदितः व्याघ्रेण निहता धेनुर् वत्सो ऽयं प्रतिगृह्यताम्
vinā gavā vatsako 'pi gurave viniveditaḥ vyāghreṇa nihatā dhenur vatso 'yaṃ pratigṛhyatām
Even without the cow, the calf too was presented to the teacher: "The cow has been killed by a tiger; let this calf be accepted."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.11
एवं सा भक्षिता धेनुः सप्तभिस्तैस्तपोधनैः वैदिकं बलमाश्रित्य क्रूरे कर्मणि निर्भयाः
evaṃ sā bhakṣitā dhenuḥ saptabhistaistapodhanaiḥ vaidikaṃ balamāśritya krūre karmaṇi nirbhayāḥ
Thus that cow was eaten by those seven rich in austerity, who, relying on the power of the Veda, were unafraid in a cruel deed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.12
ततः कालावकृष्टास्ते व्याधा दाशपुरे ऽभवन् जातिस्मरत्वं प्राप्तास्ते पितृभावेन भाविताः
tataḥ kālāvakṛṣṭāste vyādhā dāśapure 'bhavan jātismaratvaṃ prāptāste pitṛbhāvena bhāvitāḥ
Then, drawn on by time, they became hunters in Dāśapura; they attained recollection of their births, being affected by their devotion to the ancestors.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.13
यत्कृतं क्रूरकर्मापि श्राद्धरूपेण तैस्तदा तेन ते भवने जाता व्याधानां क्रूरकर्मिणाम्
yatkṛtaṃ krūrakarmāpi śrāddharūpeṇa taistadā tena te bhavane jātā vyādhānāṃ krūrakarmiṇām
Because the cruel deed that they then did was done in the form of a śrāddha, by that they were born in the house of hunters, doers of cruel deeds;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.14
पितॄणां चैव माहात्म्याज् जाता जातिस्मरास्तु ते ते तु वैराग्ययोगेन आस्थायानशनं पुनः
pitṝṇāṃ caiva māhātmyāj jātā jātismarāstu te te tu vairāgyayogena āsthāyānaśanaṃ punaḥ
and by the greatness of the ancestors they were born remembering their births. And they, by the practice of dispassion, again undertaking a fast (died),
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.15
जातिस्मराः सप्त जाता मृगाः कालञ्जरे गिरौ नीलकण्ठस्य पुरतः पितृभावानुभाविताः
jātismarāḥ sapta jātā mṛgāḥ kālañjare girau nīlakaṇṭhasya purataḥ pitṛbhāvānubhāvitāḥ
and were born as seven deer on Mount Kālañjara, remembering their births, before Nīlakaṇṭha, imbued with devotion to the ancestors.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.16
तत्रापि ज्ञानवैराग्यात् प्राणानुत्सृज्य धर्मतः लोकैर् अवेक्ष्यमाणास्ते तीर्थान्ते ऽनशनेन तु
tatrāpi jñānavairāgyāt prāṇānutsṛjya dharmataḥ lokair avekṣyamāṇāste tīrthānte 'naśanena tu
There too, out of knowledge and dispassion, giving up their breaths in accordance with dharma, while people looked on, at the edge of a sacred ford, by fasting —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.17
मानसे चक्रवाकास्ते संजाताः सप्त योगिनः नामतः कर्मतः सर्वाञ् छृणुध्वं द्विजसत्तमाः
mānase cakravākāste saṃjātāḥ sapta yoginaḥ nāmataḥ karmataḥ sarvāñ chṛṇudhvaṃ dvijasattamāḥ
they were born as seven cakravāka birds on Lake Mānasa, yogins. Hear of them all by name and by deed, O best of the twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.18
सुमनाः कुमुदः शुद्धश् छिद्रदर्शी सुनेत्रकः सुनेत्रश्चांशुमांश्चैव सप्तैते योगपारगाः
sumanāḥ kumudaḥ śuddhaś chidradarśī sunetrakaḥ sunetraścāṃśumāṃścaiva saptaite yogapāragāḥ
Sumanas, Kumuda, Śuddha, Chidradarśī, Sunetraka, Sunetra, and Aṃśumān — these seven were masters who had gone to the far shore of yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.19
योगभ्रष्टास्त्रयस्तेषां बभ्रमुश् चाल्पचेतनाः दृष्ट्वा विभ्राजमानं तम् उद्याने स्त्रीभिरन्वितम्
yogabhraṣṭāstrayasteṣāṃ babhramuś cālpacetanāḥ dṛṣṭvā vibhrājamānaṃ tam udyāne strībhiranvitam
Three of them fell away from yoga and wandered astray, being of little understanding, when they saw him shining in splendour in a garden, surrounded by women,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.20
क्रीडन्तं विविधैर्भावैर् महाबलपराक्रमम् पञ्चालान्वयसम्भूतं प्रभूतबलवाहनम्
krīḍantaṃ vividhairbhāvair mahābalaparākramam pañcālānvayasambhūtaṃ prabhūtabalavāhanam
playing with manifold sports, (a man) of great strength and valour, born in the lineage of the Pañcālas, possessed of abundant forces and vehicles.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.21
राज्यकामो ऽभवच्चैकस् तेषां मध्ये जलौकसाम् पितृवर्ती च यो विप्रः श्राद्धकृत् पितृवत्सलः
rājyakāmo 'bhavaccaikas teṣāṃ madhye jalaukasām pitṛvartī ca yo vipraḥ śrāddhakṛt pitṛvatsalaḥ
One among those leeches came to desire kingship; and (there was) the brahmin devoted to the ancestors, a performer of the śrāddha, affectionate to the fathers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 20.22
अपरौ मन्त्रिणौ दृष्ट्वा प्रभूतबलवाहनौ मन्त्रित्वे चक्रतुश्चेच्छाम् अस्मिन्मर्त्ये द्विजोत्तमाः
aparau mantriṇau dṛṣṭvā prabhūtabalavāhanau mantritve cakratuścecchām asminmartye dvijottamāḥ
The other two, seeing (the king's) two ministers possessed of abundant forces and vehicles, formed the wish to be ministers in this mortal (world), O best of the twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.23
तन्मध्ये ये तु निष्कामास् ते बभूवुर् द्विजोत्तमाः विभ्राजपुत्रस्त्वेको ऽभूद् ब्रह्मदत्त इति स्मृतः
tanmadhye ye tu niṣkāmās te babhūvur dvijottamāḥ vibhrājaputrastveko 'bhūd brahmadatta iti smṛtaḥ
But those among them who were free of desire became the best of the twice-born; and one became the son of Vibhrāja, known as Brahmadatta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.24
मन्त्रिपुत्रौ तथा चोभौ कण्डरीकसुबालकौ ब्रह्मदत्तो ऽभिषिक्तः सन् पुरोहितविपश्चिता
mantriputrau tathā cobhau kaṇḍarīkasubālakau brahmadatto 'bhiṣiktaḥ san purohitavipaścitā
And the two (others became) the two sons of the ministers, Kaṇḍarīka and Subālaka. Brahmadatta, having been consecrated by the learned family priest,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.25
पञ्चालराजो विक्रान्तः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः योगवित्सर्वजन्तूनां रुतवेत्ताभवत्तदा
pañcālarājo vikrāntaḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ yogavitsarvajantūnāṃ rutavettābhavattadā
(became) the king of the Pañcālas, valorous, skilled in all the sciences; he was then a knower of yoga and one who understood the cries of all creatures.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.26
तस्य राज्ञो ऽभवद्भार्या देवलस्यात्मजा शुभा संनतिर्नाम विख्याता कपिला याभवत्पुरा
tasya rājño 'bhavadbhāryā devalasyātmajā śubhā saṃnatirnāma vikhyātā kapilā yābhavatpurā
That king had a wife, the auspicious daughter of Devala, well known by the name Saṃnati, who formerly had been Kapilā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.27
पितृकार्ये नियुक्तत्वाद् अभवद्ब्रह्मवादिनी तया चकार सहितः स राज्यं राजनन्दनः
pitṛkārye niyuktatvād abhavadbrahmavādinī tayā cakāra sahitaḥ sa rājyaṃ rājanandanaḥ
Because she had been engaged in the rite for the ancestors, she became a speaker of the Veda; together with her that delight of kings ruled the kingdom.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.28
कदाचिदुद्यानगतस् तया सह स पार्थिवः ददर्श कीटमिथुनम् अनङ्गकलहाकुलम्
kadācidudyānagatas tayā saha sa pārthivaḥ dadarśa kīṭamithunam anaṅgakalahākulam
Once, that ruler, having gone to the garden with her, saw a pair of insects agitated by a lovers' quarrel.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.29
पिपीलिकामनुनयन् परितः कीटकामुकः पञ्चबाणाभितप्ताङ्गः सगद्गदमुवाच ह
pipīlikāmanunayan paritaḥ kīṭakāmukaḥ pañcabāṇābhitaptāṅgaḥ sagadgadamuvāca ha
The amorous male insect, coaxing the female ant all around, his limbs scorched by the Five-Arrowed one, spoke with a faltering voice:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.30
न त्वया सदृशी लोके कामिनी विद्यते क्वचित् मध्यक्षामातिजघना बृहद्वक्षो ऽभिगामिनी
na tvayā sadṛśī loke kāminī vidyate kvacit madhyakṣāmātijaghanā bṛhadvakṣo 'bhigāminī
"There is nowhere in the world a lover comparable to you, slender in the waist, with ample hips, broad-chested, and coming forward (to meet me);
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.31
सुवर्णवर्णा सुश्रोणी मञ्जूक्ता चारुहासिनी सुलक्ष्यनेत्ररसना गुडशर्करवत्सला
suvarṇavarṇā suśroṇī mañjūktā cāruhāsinī sulakṣyanetrarasanā guḍaśarkaravatsalā
of golden colour, with fine buttocks, sweetly spoken, charmingly smiling, with clearly marked eyes and tongue, fond of molasses and sugar.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.32
भोक्ष्यसे मयि भुक्ते त्वं स्नासि स्नाते तथा मयि प्रोषिते सति दीना त्वं क्रुद्धे ऽपि भयचञ्चला
bhokṣyase mayi bhukte tvaṃ snāsi snāte tathā mayi proṣite sati dīnā tvaṃ kruddhe 'pi bhayacañcalā
You will eat when I have eaten, you bathe when I have bathed; when I am away you are wretched, and when I am angry you tremble with fear.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.33
किमर्थं वद कल्याणि सरोषवदना स्थिता सा तमाह सकोपा तु किम् आलपसि मां शठ
kimarthaṃ vada kalyāṇi saroṣavadanā sthitā sā tamāha sakopā tu kim ālapasi māṃ śaṭha
Tell me, good lady, why do you stand with an angry face?" But she, full of wrath, said to him: "Why do you talk to me, rogue?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.34
त्वया मोदकचूर्णं तु मां विहाय विनेष्यता प्रदत्तं समतिक्रान्ते दिने ऽन्यस्याः समन्मथ
tvayā modakacūrṇaṃ tu māṃ vihāya vineṣyatā pradattaṃ samatikrānte dine 'nyasyāḥ samanmatha
On a day now past you, meaning to lead me astray, passed me over and gave the sweetmeat-powder to another, O lustful one!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 20.35
त्वत्सादृश्यान्मया दत्तम् अन्यस्यै वरवर्णिनि तदेकमपराधं मे क्षन्तुमर्हसि भामिनि
tvatsādṛśyānmayā dattam anyasyai varavarṇini tadekamaparādhaṃ me kṣantumarhasi bhāmini
"Because of her likeness to you, O lady of lovely colour, I gave it to another; you ought to forgive me that single offence, O passionate one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.36
नैतदेवं करिष्यामि पुनः क्वापीह सुव्रते स्पृशामि पादौ सत्येन प्रसीद प्रणतस्य मे
naitadevaṃ kariṣyāmi punaḥ kvāpīha suvrate spṛśāmi pādau satyena prasīda praṇatasya me
I shall never do such a thing again anywhere here, O you of good vows; I touch your feet in truth — be gracious to me, who bow before you."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.37
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सा प्रसन्नाभवत्ततः आत्मानम् अर्पयामास मोहनाय पिपीलिका
iti tadvacanaṃ śrutvā sā prasannābhavattataḥ ātmānam arpayāmāsa mohanāya pipīlikā
Hearing that speech of his, she then became pleased, and the female ant offered herself for love-making.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 20.38
ब्रह्मदत्तो ऽप्यशेषं तं ज्ञात्वा विस्मयम् आगमत् सर्वसत्त्वरुतज्ञत्वात् प्रसादाच् चक्रपाणिनः
brahmadatto 'pyaśeṣaṃ taṃ jñātvā vismayam āgamat sarvasattvarutajñatvāt prasādāc cakrapāṇinaḥ
Brahmadatta too, having understood the whole of it, was filled with wonder—since he knew the cries of all creatures by the grace of the discus-bearer.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition