Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CLXXशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.170.

170Sanskrit adhyāya 12.170 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

गौतमेन स्वस्यानर्हत्वं जानतापि विरूपाक्षेण वकराजगौरवात्प्रदत्तं धनभारमुदूह्य सायं पुनर्बकालयं प्रत्यागमनम्।। 1।।
तत्र परेद्युः स्वभवनं जिगमिषुणा गोतमेन पार्थयार्थं रात्रौ बकवधनिर्धारणम्।। 2।।
भीष्म उवाच॥
ततः स विदितो राज्ञः प्रविश्य गृहमुत्तमम् ।
पूजितो राक्षसेन्द्रेण निषसादासनोत्तमे ॥१॥
पृष्टश्च गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायं ब्रह्मचारिकम् ।
न तत्र व्याजहारान्यद्गोत्रमात्रादृते द्विजः ॥२॥
ब्रह्मवर्चसहीनस्य स्वाध्यायविरतस्य च ।
गोत्रमात्रविदो राजा निवासं समपृच्छत ॥३॥
क्व ते निवासः कल्याण किङ्गोत्रा ब्राह्मणी च ते ।
तत्त्वं ब्रूहि न भीः कार्या विश्रमस्व यथासुखम् ॥४॥
गौतम उवाच॥
मध्यदेशप्रसूतोऽहं वासो मे शबरालये ।
शूद्रा पुनर्भूर्भार्या मे सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥५॥
भीष्म उवाच॥
ततो राजा विममृशे कथं कार्यमिदं भवेत् ।
कथं वा सुकृतं मे स्यादिति बुद्ध्यान्वचिन्तयत् ॥६॥
अयं वै जननाद्विप्रः सुहृत्तस्य महात्मनः ।
सम्प्रेषितश्च तेनायं काश्यपेन ममान्तिकम् ॥७॥
तस्य प्रियं करिष्यामि स हि मामाश्रितः सदा ।
भ्राता मे बान्धवश्चासौ सखा च हृदयङ्गमः ॥८॥
कार्त्तिक्यामद्य भोक्तारः सहस्रं मे द्विजोत्तमाः ।
तत्रायमपि भोक्ता वै देयमस्मै च मे धनम् ॥९॥
ततः सहस्रं विप्राणां विदुषां समलङ्कृतम् ।
स्नातानामनुसम्प्राप्तमहतक्षौमवाससाम् ॥१०॥
तानागतान्द्विजश्रेष्ठान्विरूपाक्षो विशां पते ।
यथार्हं प्रतिजग्राह विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥११॥
बृस्यस्तेषां तु संन्यस्ता राक्षसेन्द्रस्य शासनात् ।
भूमौ वरकुथास्तीर्णाः प्रेष्यैर्भरतसत्तम ॥१२॥
तासु ते पूजिता राज्ञा निषण्णा द्विजसत्तमाः ।
व्यराजन्त महाराज नक्षत्रपतयो यथा ॥१३॥
ततो जाम्बूनदाः पात्रीर्वज्राङ्का विमलाः शुभाः ।
वरान्नपूर्णा विप्रेभ्यः प्रादान्मधुघृताप्लुताः ॥१४॥
तस्य नित्यं तथाषाढ्यां माघ्यां च बहवो द्विजाः ।
ईप्सितं भोजनवरं लभन्ते सत्कृतं सदा ॥१५॥
विशेषतस्तु कार्त्तिक्यां द्विजेभ्यः सम्प्रयच्छति ।
शरद्व्यपाये रत्नानि पौर्णमास्यामिति श्रुतिः ॥१६॥
सुवर्णं रजतं चैव मणीनथ च मौक्तिकम् ।
वज्रान्महाधनांश्चैव वैडूर्याजिनराङ्कवान् ॥१७॥
रत्नराशीन्विनिक्षिप्य दक्षिणार्थे स भारत ।
ततः प्राह द्विजश्रेष्ठान्विरूपाक्षो महायशाः ॥१८॥
गृह्णीत रत्नान्येतानि यथोत्साहं यथेष्टतः ।
येषु येषु च भाण्डेषु भुक्तं वो द्विजसत्तमाः ॥१९॥
तान्येवादाय गच्छध्वं स्ववेश्मानीति भारत ॥१९॥
इत्युक्तवचने तस्मिन्राक्षसेन्द्रे महात्मनि ।
यथेष्टं तानि रत्नानि जगृहुर्ब्राह्मणर्षभाः ॥२०॥
ततो महार्हैस्ते सर्वे रत्नैरभ्यर्चिताः शुभैः ।
ब्राह्मणा मृष्टवसनाः सुप्रीताः स्म तदाभवन् ॥२१॥
ततस्तान्राक्षसेन्द्रश्च द्विजानाह पुनर्वचः ।
नानादिगागतान्राजन्राक्षसान्प्रतिषिध्य वै ॥२२॥
अध्यैकदिवसं विप्रा न वोऽस्तीह भयं क्वचित् ।
राक्षसेभ्यः प्रमोदध्वमिष्टतो यात माचिरम् ॥२३॥
ततः प्रदुद्रुवुः सर्वे विप्रसङ्घाः समन्ततः ।
गौतमोऽपि सुवर्णस्य भारमादाय सत्वरः ॥२४॥
कृच्छ्रात्समुद्वहन्वीर न्यग्रोधं समुपागमत् ।
न्यषीदच्च परिश्रान्तः क्लान्तश्च क्षुधितश्च ह ॥२५॥
ततस्तमभ्यगाद्राजन्राजधर्मा खगोत्तमः ।
स्वागतेनाभ्यनन्दच्च गौतमं मित्रवत्सलः ॥२६॥
तस्य पक्षाग्रविक्षेपैः क्लमं व्यपनयत्खगः ।
पूजां चाप्यकरोद्धीमान्भोजनं चाप्यकल्पयत् ॥२७॥
स भुक्तवान्सुविश्रान्तो गौतमोऽचिन्तयत्तदा ।
हाटकस्याभिरूपस्य भारोऽयं सुमहान्मया ॥२८॥
गृहीतो लोभमोहाद्वै दूरं च गमनं मम ॥२८॥
न चास्ति पथि भोक्तव्यं प्राणसन्धारणं मम ।
किं कृत्वा धारयेयं वै प्राणानित्यभ्यचिन्तयत् ॥२९॥
ततः स पथि भोक्तव्यं प्रेक्षमाणो न किञ्चन ।
कृतघ्नः पुरुषव्याघ्र मनसेदमचिन्तयत् ॥३०॥
अयं बकपतिः पार्श्वे मांसराशिः स्थितो मम ।
इमं हत्वा गृहीत्वा च यास्येऽहं समभिद्रुतम् ॥३१॥ 12.171.35
12-170-2 ब्रह्मधारणमिति ध. पाठः।।
12-170-15 विलिप्ताश्चन्दनेन।।
12-170-25 इष्टतः इष्ट देशम्।।
12-170-30 ततस्तौ संविदमित्यर्धं झ. पाठे नास्ति। तत्र गौतमश्चिन्तयामासेत्यस्य स्थाने स भुक्तवान्सुविश्रान्तो गौतमोऽचिन्तयत्तदा इत्यर्धं वर्तते।।
वर्गः:महाभारतम्/शांतिपर्व

English Ganguli

"'Bhishma said, "Hearing these sweet words, Gautama became filled with wonder. Feeling at the same time a great curiosity, he eyed Rajadharman without being able to withdraw his gaze from him.

"'"Rajadharman said, 'O Brahmana, I am the son of Kasyapa by one of the daughters of (the sage) Daksha. Possessed of great merits, thou art my guest today. Thou art welcome, O foremost of Brahmanas!'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Having offered him hospitality according to the rites laid down in the scriptures, the crane made an excellent bed of the Sala flowers that lay all around. He also offered him several large fishes caught from the deep waters of the Bhagirathi. Indeed, the son of Kasyapa offered, for the acceptance of his guest Gautama a blazing fire and certain large fishes. After the Brahmana had eaten and became gratified, the bird possessing wealth of penances began to fan him with his wings for driving off his fatigue. Seeing his guest seated at his ease, he asked him about his pedigree. The man answered, saying, 'I am a Brahmana known by the name of Gautama,' and then remained silent. The bird gave his guest a soft bed made of leaves and perfumed with many fragrant flowers. Gautama laid himself down on it, and felt great happiness. When Gautama had laid himself down, the eloquent son of Kasyapa, who resembled Yama himself in his knowledge of duties, asked him about the cause of his arrival there. Gautama answered him, saying, 'I am, O large-souled one, very poor. For earning wealth[494] I am desirous of going to the sea.' The son of Kasyapa cheerfully told him: 'It behoveth thee not to feel any anxiety. Thou shalt succeed, O foremost of Brahmanas, and shalt return home with property. The sage Vrihaspati hath spoken of four kinds of means for the acquisition of wealth, viz., inheritance, sudden accession due to luck or the favour of the gods, acquisition by labour, and acquisition through the aid or kindness of friends. I have become thy friend. I cherish good feelings towards thee. I shall, therefore, exert myself in such a way that thou mayst succeed in acquiring wealth.' The night passed away and morning came. Seeing his guest rise cheerfully from bed, the bird addressed him, saying, 'Go, O amiable one, along this very route and thou art sure to succeed. At the distance of about three Yojanas from this place, there is a mighty king of the Rakshasas. Possessed of great strength, his name is Virupaksha, and he is a friend of mine. Go to him, O foremost of Brahmanas! That chief, induced by my request, will, without doubt, give thee as much wealth as thou desirest.' Thus addressed, O king, Gautama cheerfully set out from that place, eating on the way, to his fill, fruits sweet as ambrosia. Beholding the sandal and aloe and birch trees that stood along the road, and enjoying their refreshing shade, the Brahmana proceeded quickly. He then reached the city known by the name of Meruvraja. It had large porches made of stone, and high walls of the same material. It was also surrounded on every side with a trench, and large pieces of rock and engines of many kinds were kept ready on the ramparts. He soon became known to the Rakshasa chief of great intelligence, O king, as a dear guest sent unto him by the chief's friend (the crane). The chief received Gautama very gladly. The king of the Rakshasas then, O Yudhishthira, commanded his attendants, saying, 'Let Gautama be soon brought hither from the gate.' At the command of the king, certain persons, quick as hawks, issued from the splendid palace of their ruler, and proceeding to the gate accosted Gautama. The royal messengers, O monarch, said unto that Brahmana, 'Come quickly, the king desires to see thee. Thou mayst have heard of the king of the Rakshasas, Virupaksha, by name, possessed of great courage. Even he is impatient of seeing thee. Come quickly and tarry not.' Thus addressed, the Brahmana, forgetting his toil in his surprise, ran with the messengers. Beholding the great affluence of the city, he became filled with wonder. Soon he entered the king's palace in the company of the messengers solicitous of obtaining a sight of the king of the Rakshasas."'"