Mahabharata, Book 1, Section XLVI: Astika Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.46.

46Sanskrit adhyāya 1.46 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

सौतिरुवाच।
एतच्छ्रुत्वा जरत्कारुर्भृशं शोकपरायणः।
उवाच तान्पितॄन्दुःखाद्बाष्पसंदिग्धया गिरा।।
जरत्कारुरुवाच।
मम पूर्वे भवन्तो वै पितरः सपितामहाः।
तद्ब्रूत यन्मया कार्यं भवतां प्रियकाम्यया।।
अहमेव जरत्कारुः किल्बिषी भवतां सुतः।
ते दण्डं धारयत मे दुष्कृतेरकृतात्मनः।।
पितर ऊचुः।
पुत्र दिष्ट्याऽसि संप्राप्त इमं देशं यदृच्छया।
किमर्थं च त्वया ब्रह्मन्न कृतो दारसङ्ग्रहः।।
जरत्कारुरुवाच।
ममायं पितरो नित्यं हृद्यर्थः परिवर्तते।
ऊर्ध्वरेताः शरीरं वै प्रापयेयममुत्र वै।।
न दारान्वै करिष्येऽहमिति मे भावितं मनः।
एवं दृष्ट्वा तु भवतः शकुन्तानिव लम्बतः।।
मया निवर्तिता बुद्धिर्ब्रह्मचर्यात्पितामहाः।
करिष्ये वः प्रियं कामं निवेक्ष्येऽहमसंशयम्।।
सनाम्नीं यद्यहं कन्यामुपलप्स्ये कदाचन।
भविष्यति च या काचिद्भैक्ष्यवत्स्वयमुद्यता।।
प्रतिग्रहीता तामस्मि न भरेयं च यामहम्।
एवंविधमहं कुर्यां निवेशं प्राप्नुयां यदि।
अन्यथा न करिष्येऽहं सत्यमेतत्पितामहाः।।
तत्र चोत्पत्स्यते जन्तुर्भवतां तारणाय वै।
शाश्वताश्चाव्ययाश्चैव तिष्ठन्तु पितरो मम।।
सौतिरुवाच।
एवमुक्त्वा तु स पितॄंश्चचार पृथिवी मुनिः।
न च स्म लभते भार्यां वृद्धोऽयमिति शानक।।
यदा निर्वेदमापन्नः पितृभिश्चोदिस्तथा।
तदाऽरण्यं स गत्वोच्चैश्चुक्रोश भृशदुःखितः।।
सत्वरण्यगतः प्राज्ञः पितॄणा हितकाम्यया।
उवाच कन्यां याचामि तिस्रो वाचः शनैरिमाः।।
यानि भूतानि सन्तीह स्थावराणि चराणि च।
अन्तर्हितानि वा यानि तानि शृण्वन्तु मे वचः।।
उग्रे तपसि वर्तन्तं पितरश्चोदयन्ति माम्।
निविशस्वेति दुःखार्ताः सन्तानस्य चिकीर्षया।।
निवेशायाखिलां भूमिं कन्याभैक्ष्यं चरामि भोः।
दरिद्रो दुःखशीलश्च पितृभिः सन्नियोजितः।।
यस्य कन्याऽस्ति भूतस्य ये मयेह प्रकीर्तिताः।
ते मे कन्यां प्रयच्छन्तु चरतः सर्वतोदिशम्।।
मम कन्या सनाम्नी या भैक्ष्यवच्चोदिता भवेत्।
भरेयं चैव यां नाहं तां मे कन्यां प्रयच्छत।।
ततस्ते पन्नगा ये वै जरत्कारौ समाहिताः।
तामादाय प्रवृत्तिं ते वासुकेः प्रत्यवेदयन्।।
तेषां श्रुत्वा स नागेन्द्रस्तां कन्यां समलङ्कृताम्।
प्रगृह्यारण्यमगमत्समीपं तस्य पन्नगः।।
तत्र तां भैक्ष्यवत्कन्यां प्रादात्तस्मै महात्मने।
नागेन्द्रो वासुकिर्ब्रह्मन्न स तां प्रत्यगृह्णत।।
असनामेति वै मत्वा भरणे चाविचारिते।
मोक्षभावे स्थितश्चापि मन्दीभूतः परिग्रहे।।
ततो नाम स कन्यायाः पप्रच्छ भृगुनन्दन।
वासुकिं भरणं चास्या न कुर्यामित्युवाच ह।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
आस्तीकपर्वणि षट्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः।। 46 ।।

English Ganguli

“Sauti said. ‘Jaratkaru, hearing all this, became excessively dejected. And from sorrow he spoke unto those Pitris in words obstructed by tears.’ And Jaratkaru said, ‘Ye are even my fathers and grand-fathers gone before. Therefore, tell me what I must do for your welfare. I am that sinful son of yours, Jaratkaru! Punish me for my sinful deeds, a wretch that I am.’

“The Pitris replied, saying, ‘O son, by good luck hast thou arrived at this spot in course of thy rambles. O Brahmana, why hast thou not taken a wife?’

“Jaratkaru said. ‘Ye Pitris, this desire hath always existed in my heart that I would, with vital seed drawn up, carry this body to the other world. My mind hath been possessed with the idea that I would not take a wife. But ye grandsires, having seen you hanging like birds, I have diverted my mind from the Brahmacharya mode of life. I will truly do what you like. I will certainly marry, if ever I meet with a maiden of my own name. I shall accept her who, bestowing herself of her own accord, will be as aims unto me, and whom I shall not have to maintain. I shall marry if I get such a one; otherwise, I shall not. This is the truth, ye grandsires! And the offspring that will be begot upon her shall be your salvation. And ye Pitris of mine, ye shall live for ever in blessedness and without fear.’

‘Sauti continued, ‘The Muni, having said so unto the Pitris, wandered over the earth again. And, O Saunaka, being old, he obtained no wife. And he grieved much that he was not successful. But directed (as before) by his ancestors, he continued the search. And going into the forest, he wept loudly in great grief. And having gone into the forest, the wise one, moved by the desire of doing good to his ancestors, said, ‘I will ask for a bride,’ distinctly repeating these words thrice. And he said, ‘Whatever creatures are here, mobile and immobile, so whoever there be that are invisible, O, hear my words! My ancestors, afflicted with grief, have directed me that am engaged in the most severe penances, saying, ‘Marry thou for (the acquisition of) a son.’ ‘O ye, being directed by my ancestors, I am roaming in poverty and sorrow, over the wide world for wedding a maiden that I may obtain as alms. Let that creature, amongst those I have addressed, who hath a daughter, bestow on me that am roaming far and near. Such a bride as is of same name with me, to be bestowed on me as alms, and whom, besides, I shall not maintain, O bestow on me!’ Then those snakes that had been set upon Jaratkaru track, ascertaining his inclination, gave information to Vasuki. And the king of the snakes, hearing their words, took with him that maiden decked with ornaments, and went into the forest unto that Rishi. And, O Brahmana, Vasuki, the king of the snakes, having gone there, offered that maiden as alms unto that high-souled Rishi. But the Rishi did not at once accept her. And the Rishi, thinking her not to be of the same name with himself, and seeing that the question of her maintenance also was unsettled, reflected for a few moments, hesitating to accept her. And then, O son of Bhrigu, he asked Vasuki the maiden’s name, and also said unto him, ‘I shall not maintain her.’”