Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CXLVIIशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.147.

147Sanskrit adhyāya 12.147 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

भीष्म उवाच।
ततो गतो शाकुनिके कपोती प्राह दुःखिता।
संस्मृत्य सा च भर्तारं रुदती शोककर्शिता।।
नाहं ते विप्रियं कान्त कदाचिदपि संस्मरे।
सर्वाऽपि विधवा नारी बहुपुत्राऽपि शोचते।।
शोच्या भवति बन्धूनां पतिहीना तपस्विनी।
लालिताऽहं त्वया नित्यं बहुमानाच्च पूजिता।।
वचनैर्मधुरैः स्निग्धैरसंक्लिष्टमनोहरैः।
कन्दरेषु च शैलानां नदीनां निर्झरेषु च।।
द्रुमाग्रेषु च रम्येषु रमिताऽहं त्वया सह।
आकाशगमने चैव विहृताऽहं त्वया सुखम्।
रमामि स्म पुरा कान्त तन्मे नास्त्यद्य मे प्रिय।।
मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं भ्राता मितं सुतः।
अमितस्य हि दातारं भर्तारं का न पूजयेत्।।
नास्ति भर्तृसमो नाथो नास्ति भर्तृसमं सुखम्।
विसृज्य धनसर्वस्वं भर्ता वै शरणं स्त्रियाः।।
न कार्यमिह मे नाथ जीवितेन त्वया विना।
पतिहीना तु का नारी सती जीवितुमुत्सहेत्।।
एवं विलप्य बहुधा करुणं सा सुदुःखिता।
पतिव्रता संप्रदीप्तं प्रविवेश हुताशनम्।।
ततश्चित्राङ्गदधरं भर्तारं साऽन्वपद्यत।
विमानस्थं सुकृतिभिः पूज्यमानं महात्मभिः।।
चित्रमाल्याम्बरधरं सर्वाभरणभूषितम्।।
विमानशतकोटीभिरावृतं पुण्यकर्मभिः।।
ततः स्वर्गं गतः पक्षी विमानवरमास्थितः।
कर्मणा पूजितस्तत्र रेमे स सह भार्यया।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
आपद्धर्मपर्वणि सप्तचत्वारिंशदधिकशततमोऽध्यायः।। 147।।

English Ganguli

"'Bhishma said, "The fowler, seeing the pigeon fall into the fire, became filled with compassion and once more said, 'Alas, cruel and senseless that I am, what have I done! I am certainly a mean wretch! Great will be my sin for everlasting years!' Indulging in such self-reproaches he began to say, repeatedly, 'I am unworthy of credit. My understanding is wicked. I am ever sinful in my resolves. Alas, abandoning all kinds of honourable occupation, I have become a fowler. A cruel wretch that I am, without doubt, this high-souled pigeon, by laying down his own life, has read me a grave lesson. Abandoning wives and sons, I shall certainly cast off my very life-breaths that are so dear. The high-souled pigeon has taught me that duty. From this day, denying every comfort to my body, I shall wear it out even as a shallow tank in the season of summer. Capable of bearing hunger, thirst, and penances, reduced to emaciation, and covered with visible veins all over, I shall, by diverse kinds of practise such vows as have a reference to the other world. Alas, by giving up his body, the pigeon has shown the worship that should be paid to a guest. Taught by his example, I shall henceforth practise righteousness. Righteousness is the highest refuge (of all creatures). Indeed, I shall practise such righteousness as has been seen in the righteous pigeon, that foremost of all winged creatures.' Having formed such a resolution and said these words, that fowler, once of fierce deeds, proceeded to make an unreturning tour of the world,[436] observing for the while the most rigid vows. He threw away his stout staff, his sharp-pointed iron-stick, his nets and springs, and his iron cage, and set at liberty the she-pigeon that he had seized and immured."'"