Mahabharata, Book 1, Section CCXXXVI: Khandava-daha Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.236.

236Sanskrit adhyāya 1.236 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

वैशंपायन उवाच।
ततः समुद्रे तीर्थानि दक्षिमे भरतर्षभः।
अभ्यगच्छत्सुपुण्यानि सोभितानि तपस्विभिः।।
वर्जयन्ति स्म तीर्तानि तत्र पञ्च सम तापसाः।
अवकीर्णानि यान्यासन्पुरस्तात्तु तपस्विभिः।।
अगस्त्यतीर्थं सौभद्रं पौलोमं च सुपावनम्।
कारन्धमं प्रसन्नं च महमेधफलं च तत्।।
भारद्वाजस्य तीर्थं तु पापप्रशमनं महत्।
एतानि पञ्च तीर्थानि ददर्श कुरुसत्तमः।।
विविक्तान्युपलक्ष्याथ तानि तीर्थानि पाण्डवः।
दृष्ट्वा च वर्ज्यमानानि मुनिभिर्धर्मबुद्धिभिः।।
तपस्विनस्ततोऽपृच्छत्प्राञ्जलिः कुरुनन्दनः।
तीर्थानीमानि वर्ज्यन्ते किमर्थं ब्रह्मवादिभिः।।
तापसा ऊचुः।
ग्राहाः पञ्च वसन्त्येषु हरन्ति च तपोधनान्।
तत एतानि वर्ज्यन्ते तीर्थानि कुरुनन्दन।।
वैशंपायन उवाच।
तेषां श्रुत्वा महाबाहुर्वार्यमाणस्तपोधनैः।
जगाम तानि तीर्थानि द्रष्टुं पुरुषसत्तमः।।
ततः सौभद्रमासाद्य महर्षेस्तीर्थमुत्तमम्।
विगाह्य सहसा शूरः स्नानं चक्रे परन्तपः।।
अथ तं पुरुषव्याघ्रमन्तर्जलचरो महान्।
जग्राह चरणे ग्राहः कुन्तीपुत्रं धनञ्जयम्।।
स तमादाय कौन्तेयो विस्फुरन्तं जलेचरम्।
उदतिष्ठन्महाबाहुर्बलेन बलिनां वरः।।
उत्कृष्ट एव ग्राहस्तु सोऽर्जुनेन यशस्विना।
बभूव नारी कल्याणी सर्वाभरणभूषइता।।
दीप्यमाना श्रिया राजन्दिव्यरूपा मनोरमा।
तदद्भुतं महद्दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः।।
तां स्त्रियं परमप्रीत इदं वचनमब्रवीत्।
का वै त्वमसि कल्याणिकुतो वाऽसि जलेचरी।।
किमर्थं च महत्पापमिदं कृतवती पुरा।
वर्गोवाच।
अप्सराऽस्मि महाबाहो देवारण्यविहारिणी।।
इष्टा धनपतेर्नित्यं वर्गा नाम महाबल।
मम सख्यश्चतस्रोऽन्याः सर्वाः कामगमाः शुभाः।।
ताभिः सार्धं प्रयाताऽस्मि लोकपालनिवेशनम्।
ततः पश्यामहे सर्वा ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम्।।
रूपवन्तमधीयानमेकमेकान्तचारिणम्।
तस्यैव तपसा राजंस्तद्वयं तेजसा वृतम्।।
आदित्य इव तं देशं इत्वं सर्व व्यकाशयत्।
तस्य दृष्ट्वा तपस्तादृग्रूपचाद्भुतमुत्तमम्।।
अवतीर्णाः स्म तं देशं तपोविघ्नचिकीर्षया।
अहं च सौरभेयी च समीची बुद्बुदा लता।।
यौगपद्येन तं विप्रमभ्यगच्छाम भारत।
गायन्त्योऽथहसन्त्यश्च लोभयित्वा च तं द्विजं।।
स च नास्मासु कृतवान्मनो वीर कथंचन।
नाकम्पत महातेजाः स्थितस्तपसि निर्मले।।
सोऽशपत्कुपितोऽस्मांस्तु ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियर्षभ।
ग्राहभूता जले यूयं चरिष्यथ शतं समाः।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
अर्जुनवनवासपर्वणि
षट्त्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः।। 236 ।।

English Ganguli

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Mandapala then addressed his children, saying, ‘I had spoken unto Agni for the safety of you all. The illustrious deity had assured me that he would grant my wish. At those words of Agni, and knowing the virtuous disposition of your mother, as also the great energy that is in yourselves, I came not here earlier. Therefore, ye sons, do not harbour in your hearts any resentment towards me. Ye are all Rishis acquainted with the Vedas. Even Agni knoweth you well.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Having given such assurances unto his sons, the Brahmana Mandapala took with him his wife and sons, and leaving that region, went away to some other country.

“It was thus that the illustrious god of fierce rays, having grown in strength consumed the forest of Khandava with the help of Krishna and Arjuna, for the good of the world. And Agni having drunk several rivers of fat and marrow, became highly gratified, and showed himself to Arjuna. Then Purandara, surrounded by the Maruts, descended from the firmament and addressing Partha and Kesava said, ‘Ye have achieved a feat that a celestial even could not. Ask ye each a boon that is not obtainable by any man. I have been gratified with you.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Then Partha asked from Indra all his weapons. At this Sakra of great splendour, having fixed the time for giving them, said, ‘When the illustrious Madhava becomes pleased with thee, then, O son of Pandu, I will give thee all my weapons! O prince of Kuru’s race, I shall know when the time cometh. Even for thy austere asceticism I will give thee all my weapons of fire and all my Vayavya weapons, and thou also wilt accept them all of me.’ Then Vasudeva asked that his friendship with Arjuna might be eternal. The chief of the celestials granted unto the intelligent Krishna the boon he desired. And having granted these boons unto Krishna and Arjuna, the lord of the Maruts, accompanied by the celestials, ascended to heaven, having also spoken to Hutasana (one whose food is sacrificial butter). Agni also, having burnt that forest with its animals and birds for five and ten days, became gratified and ceased to burn. Having eaten flesh in abundance and drunk fat and blood, he became highly gratified, and addressing Achyuta and Arjuna said, ‘I have been gratified by you two tigers among men. At my command, ye heroes, ye shall be competent to go wheresoever ye choose!’ Thus addressed by the illustrious Agni, Arjuna and Vasudeva and the Danava Maya also—these three,—having wandered a little at last sat themselves down on the delightful banks of a river.’”

END OF ADI PARVA