Mahabharata, Book 13, Section IIIअनुशासनपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 13.3.

3Sanskrit adhyāya 13.3 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
प्रज्ञाश्रुताभ्यां वृत्तेन शीलेन च यथा भवान्।
गुणैश्च विविधैः सर्वैर्वयसा च समन्वितः।।
भवान्विशिष्टो बुद्ध्या च प्रज्ञया तपसा तथा।
`सर्वेषामेव जातानां सतामेतन्न संशयः।।'
तस्माद्भवन्तं पृच्छामि धर्मं धर्मभृतांवर।
नान्यस्त्वदन्यो लोकेषु प्रष्टव्योस्ति नराधिप।।
क्षत्रियो यदि वा वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तम।
ब्राह्मण्यं प्राप्नुयाद्येन तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि।।
`ब्राह्मण्यं यदि दुष्प्रापं त्रिभिर्वर्णैर्नराधिप।'
तपसा वा सुमहता कर्मणा वा श्रुतेन वा।
ब्राह्मण्यमथ चेदिच्छेत्कथं शक्यं पितामह।।
भीष्म उवाच।
ब्राह्मण्यमतिदुष्प्राप्यं वर्णैः क्षत्रादिभिस्त्रिभिः।
परं हि सर्वभूतानां स्थानमेतद्युधिष्ठिर।।
बह्विस्तु संसरन्योनीर्जायमानः पुनःपनः।
पर्याये तात कस्मिंश्चिद्ब्राह्मणो नाम जायते।।
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्।
मतङ्गस्य च संवादं गर्दभ्याश्च युधिष्ठिर।।
द्विजातेः कस्यचित्तात तुल्यवर्णः सुतस्त्वभूत्।
मतङ्गो नाम नाम्नाऽऽसीत्सर्वैः समुदितो गुणैः।।
स यज्ञकारः कौन्तेय पित्रोत्सृष्टः परंतप।
प्रायाद्गर्दभयुक्तेन रथेनाप्याशुगामिना।।
स बालं गर्दभं राजन्वहन्तं मातुरन्तिके।
निरविध्यत्प्रतोदेन नासिकायां पुनःपुनः।।
तं दृश्य नसि निर्भिन्नं गर्दभी पुत्रगृद्धिनी।
उवाच मा शुचः पुत्र चण्डालस्त्वाभिविध्यति।।
ब्राह्मणो दारुणो नास्ति मैत्रो ब्राह्मण उच्यते।
आचार्यः सर्वभूतानां शास्ता किं प्रहरिष्यति।।
अयं तु पापप्रकृतिर्बाले न कुरुते दयाम्।
स्वयोनिं मानयत्येष भावो भावं नियच्छति।।
एतच्छ्रुत्वा मतङ्गस्तु दारुणं रासभीवचः।
अवतीर्य रथात्तूर्णं रासभीं प्रत्यभाषत।।
ब्रूहि रासभि कल्याणि माता मे येन दूषिता।
केन मां वेत्सि चण्डालं ब्राह्मण्यं केन मेऽनशत्।
तत्त्वेनैतन्महाप्राज्ञे ब्रूहि सर्वमशेषतः।।
गर्दभ्युवाच।
ब्राह्मण्यां वृषलेन त्वं मत्तायां नापितेन ह।
जातस्त्वमसि चण्डालो ब्राह्मण्यं तेन तेऽनशत्।।
एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु प्रतिप्रायाद्गृहं पुनः।
तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य पिता वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्।।
यस्त्वं यज्ञार्थसंसिद्धौ नियुक्तो गुरुकर्मणि।
कस्मात्प्रतिनिवृत्तोसि कच्चिन्न कुशलं तव।।
मतङ्ग उवाच।
अन्त्ययोनिरयोनिर्वा कथं स कुशली भवेत्।
कुशलं तु कुतस्तस्य यस्येयं जननी पितः।।
ब्राह्मण्यां वृषलाञ्जातं पितर्वेदयते हि माम्।
अमानुषी गर्दभीयं तस्मात्तप्स्ये तपो महत्।।
एवमुक्त्वा स पितरं प्रतस्थे कृतनिश्चयः।
ततो गत्वा महारण्यमतपत्सुमहत्तपः।।
ततः स तापयामास विबुधांस्तपसाऽन्वितः।
मतङ्गः सुसुखं प्रेप्सुः स्थानं सुचरितादपि।।
तं तथा तपसा युक्तमुवाच हरिवाहनः।
मतङ्ग तप्स्यसे किं त्वं भोगानुत्सृज्य मानुषान्।।
वरं ददामि ते हन्त वृणीष्व त्वं यदिच्छसि।
यच्चाप्यवाप्यं हृदि ते सर्वं तद्ब्रूहि मा चिरम्।।
मतङ्ग उवाच।
ब्राह्मण्यं कामयानोऽहमिदमारब्धवांस्तपः।
गच्छेयं तदवाप्येह वर एष वृतो मया।।
भीष्म उवाच।
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं तमुवाच पुरदरः।
मतङ्ग दुर्लभमिदं विप्रत्वं प्रार्थ्यते त्वया।।
ब्राह्मण्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमप्राप्यमकृतात्मभिः।
विनशिष्यसि दुर्बुद्धे तदुपारम मा चिरम्।।
श्रेष्ठं यत्सर्वभूतेषु तपो यदतिवर्तते।
तदग्र्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमचिराद्विनशिष्यसि।।
देवतासुरमर्त्येषु यत्पवित्रं परं स्मृतम्।
चण्डालयोनौ जातेन न तत्प्राप्यं कथञ्चन।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते अनुशासनपर्वणि
दानधर्मपर्वणि तृतीयोऽध्यायः।। 3 ।।

English Ganguli

"'Yudhishthira said, "If, O prince, Brahmanahood be so difficult of attainment by the three classes (Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras), how then did the high souled Viswamitra, O king, though a Kshatriya (by birth), attain to the status of a Brahmana? I desire to know this, O sire. Therefore, do thou truly relate this matter to me. That powerful man, O sire, by virtue of his austerities, destroyed in a moment the hundred sons of the high-souled Vasishtha. While under the influence of anger, he created numerous evil spirits and Rakshasas of mighty vigour and resembling the great destroyer Kala himself. The great and learned race of Kusika, numbering hundreds of regenerate sages and belauded by the Brahmanas, was founded in this world of men by him. Sunasepha of austere penances, the son of Richika, having been sought to be slain as an animal in the great sacrifice of Amvarisha, obtained his deliverance through Viswamitra. Harischandra, having pleased the gods at a sacrifice, became a son of the wise Viswamitra. For not having honoured their eldest brother Devarat, whom Viswamitra got as a son from the gods, the other fifty brothers of his were cursed, and all of them became Chandalas. Trisanku, the son of Ikshwaku, through the curse of Vasishtha became a Chandala, and when abandoned by his friends, and remaining suspended with his head downwards in the lower regions, was translated to heaven at the pleasure of Viswamitra. Viswamitra had a large river, by name Kausika, that was frequented by celestial Rishis. This sacred and auspicious stream was frequented by the gods and regenerate Rishis. For disturbing his devotions, the famous celestial nymph Rambha of fine bracelets, was cursed and metamorphosed into a rock. Through fear of Viswamitra the glorious Vasishtha, in olden times, binding himself with creepers, threw himself down into a river and again rose released from his bonds. In consequence of this, that large and sacred river become thenceforth celebrated by the name of Vipasa.[3] He prayed to the glorious and puissant Indra who was pleased with him and absolved him from a curse.[4] Remaining on the northern side of the firmament, he sheds his lustre from a position in the midst of the seven regenerate Rishis,[5] and Dhruva the son of Uttanpada[6]. These are his achievements as well as many others. O descendant of Kuru, as they were performed by a Kshatriya, my curiosity has been roused in this matter. Therefore, O foremost one of Bharata's race, do thou relate this matter to me truly. How without casting off his corporeal frame and taking another tenement of flesh could he become a Brahmana? Do thou, O sire, truly relate this matter to me as thou hast related to me the story of Matanga. Matanga was born as a Chandala,[7] and could not attain to Brahmanahood, (with all his austerities) but how could this man attain to the status of a Brahmana?"'"