Mahabharata, Book 1, Section LXXXVI: Sambhava Parvaआदिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 1.86.

86Sanskrit adhyāya 1.86 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

अष्टक उवाच।
कतरस्त्वनयोः पूर्वं देवानामेति साम्यताम्।
उभयोर्धावतो राजन्सूर्याचन्द्रमसोरिव।।
ययातिरुवाच।
अनिकेतो गृहस्थेषु कामवृत्तेषु संयतः।
ग्राम एव वसन्भिक्षुस्तयोः पूर्वतरं गतः।।
अप्राप्य दीर्घमायुस्तु यः प्राप्तो विकृतिं चरेत्।
तप्यते यदि तत्कृत्वा चरेत्सोऽन्यत्तपस्ततः।।
पापानां कर्मणां नित्यं बिभीयाद्यस्तु मानवः।
सुखमप्याचरन्नित्यं सोऽत्यन्तं सुखमेधते।।
यद्वै नृशंसं तदसत्यमाहु-
र्यः सेवते धर्ममनर्थबुद्धिः।
अस्वोऽप्यनीशश्च तथैव राजं-
स्तदार्जवं स समाधिस्तदार्यम्।।
अष्टक उवाच।
केनासि हूतः प्रहितोऽसि राज-
न्युवा स्रग्वी दर्शनीयः सुवर्चाः।
कुतऋ आयातः कतरस्यां दिशि त्व-
मुताहोस्वित्पार्थिवं स्थानमस्ति।।
ययातिरुवाच।
त्वरन्ति मां लोकपा ब्राह्मणा ये।।
सतां सकाशे तु वृतः प्रपात-
स्ते सङ्गता गुणवन्तश्च सर्वे।
शक्राच्च लब्धो हि वरो मयैष
पतिष्यता भूमितलं नरेन्द्र।।
अष्टक उवाच।
पृच्छामि त्वां मा प्रपत प्रपातं
यदि लोकाः पार्थिव सन्ति मेऽत्र।
यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि स्थिताः
क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये।।
ययातिरुवाच।
यावत्पृथिव्यां विहितं गवाश्वं
सहारण्यैः पशुभिः पार्वतैश्च।
तावल्लोका दिवि ते संस्थिता वै
तथा विजानीहि नरेन्द्रसिंह।।
अष्टक उवाच।
तांस्ते ददामि मा प्रपत प्रपातं
ये मे लोका दिवि राजेन्द्र सन्ति।
यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिता-
स्तानाक्रम क्षिप्रमपेतमोहः।।
ययातिरुवाच।
नास्मद्विधोऽब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मविच्च
प्रतिग्रहे वर्तते राजमुख्य।
यथा प्रदेयं सततं द्विजेभ्य-
स्तथाऽददं पूर्वमहं नरेन्द्र।।
नाब्राह्मणः कृपणो जातु जीवे-
द्या चाप्यस्याऽब्राह्मणी वीरपत्नी।
सोऽहं नैवाकृतपूर्वं चरेयं
विधित्समानः किमु तत्र साधुः।।
प्रतर्दन उवाच।
पृच्छामि त्वां स्पृहणीयरूप
प्रतर्दनोऽहं यदि मे सन्ति लोकाः।
यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिताः
क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये।।
ययातिरुवाच।
सन्ति लोका बहवस्ते नरेन्द्र
अप्येकैकः सप्तसप्ताप्यहानि।
मधुच्युतो घृतपृक्ता विशोका-
स्ते नान्तवन्तः प्रतिपालयन्ति।।
प्रतर्दन उवाच।
तांस्ते ददानि मा प्रपत प्रपातं
ये मे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु।
यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिता-
स्तानाक्रम क्षिप्रमपेतमोहः।।
ययातिरुवाच।
न तुल्यतेजाः सुकृतं कामयेत
योगक्षेमं पार्थिव पार्थिवः सन्।
दैवादेशादापदं प्राप्य विद्वां-
श्चरेन्नृशंसं न हि जातु राजा।।
धर्म्यं मार्गं यतमानो यशस्यं
कुर्यान्नृपो धर्ममवेक्षमाणः।
न मद्विधो धर्मबुद्धिः प्रजान-
न्कुर्यादेवं कृपणं मां यथाऽत्थ।।
कुर्यादपूर्वं न कृतं यदन्यै-
र्विधित्समानः किमु तत्र साधु।
`धर्माधर्मौ सुविनिश्चित्य सम्य-
क्कार्याकार्येष्वप्रमत्तश्चरेद्यः।।
स वै धीमान्सत्यसन्धः कृतात्मा
राजा भवेल्लोकपालो महिम्ना।
यदा भवेत्संशयो धर्मकार्ये
कामार्थौ वा यत्र विन्दन्ति सम्यक्।।
कार्यं तत्र प्रथमं धर्मकार्यं
यन्नो विरुध्यादर्थकामौ स धर्मः
वैशंपायन उवाच।
ब्रुवाणमेवं नृपतिं ययातिं
नृपोत्तमो वसुमानब्रवीत्तम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आदिपर्वणि
संभवपर्वणि षडशीतितमोऽध्यायः।। 86 ।।

English Ganguli

“Vaisampayana said, ‘King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, having thus installed his dear son on the throne, became exceedingly happy, and entered into the woods to lead the life of a hermit. And having lived for some time into forest in the company of Brahmanas, observing many rigid vows, eating fruits and roots, patiently bearing privations of all sorts, the monarch at last ascended to heaven. And having ascended to heaven he lived there in bliss. But soon, however, he was hurled down by Indra. And it hath been heard by me, O king, that, though hurled from heaven, Yayati, without reaching the surface of the Earth, stayed in the firmament. I have heard that some time after he again entered the region of the celestials in company with Vasuman, Ashtaka, Pratarddana, and Sivi.’

“Janamejaya said, ‘I desire to hear from thee in detail why Yayati, having first obtained admission into heaven, was hurled therefrom, and why also he gained re-admittance. Let all this, O Brahmana, be narrated by thee in the presence of these regenerate sages. Yayati, lord of Earth, was, indeed, like the chief of the celestials. The progenitor of the extensive race of the Kurus, he was of the splendour of the Sun. I desire to hear in full the story of his life both in heaven and on Earth, as he was illustrious, and of world-wide celebrity and of wonderful achievements.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Indeed, I shall recite to thee the excellent story of Yayati’s adventures on Earth and in heaven. That story is sacred and destroyeth the sins of those that hear it.

“King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, having installed his youngest son, Puru, on the throne after casting his sons with Yadu for their eldest amongst the Mlechchhas, entered the forest to lead the life of a hermit. And the king eating fruits and roots lived for some time in the forest. Having his mind and passions under complete control, the king gratified by sacrifices the Pitris and the gods. And he poured libations of clarified butter upon the fire according to the rites prescribed for those leading the Vanaprastha mode of life. And the illustrious one entertained guests and strangers with the fruit of the forest and clarified butter, while he himself supported life by gleaning scattered corn seeds. And the king; led this sort of life for a full thousand years. And observing the vow of silence and with mind under complete control he passed one full year, living upon air alone and without sleep. And he passed another year practising the severest austerities in the midst of four fires around and the Sun overhead. And, living upon air alone, he stood erect upon one leg for six months. And the king of sacred deeds ascended to heaven, covering heaven as well as the Earth (with the fame of his achievements).’”