Mahabharata, Book 14, Section XXIXआश्वमेधिकपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 14.29.

29Sanskrit adhyāya 14.29 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

ब्राह्मण उवाच।
गन्धान्न जिघ्रामि रासान्न वेद्मि
रूपं न पश्यामि न च स्पृशामि।
न चापि शब्दान्विविधाञ्शृणोमि
न चापि सङ्कल्पमुपैमि कञ्चित्।।
अर्थानिष्टान्कामयते स्वभावः
सर्वान्द्वेष्यान्प्रद्विषते स्वभावः।
कामद्वेषानुद्भवतः स्वभावा-
त्प्राणापानौ जन्तुदेहान्निवेश्य।।
तेभ्यश्चान्यांस्तेषु नित्यांश्च भावा-
न्भूतात्मानं अक्षयेऽहं शरीरे।
तस्मिंस्तिष्ठन्नास्मि सक्तः कथंचि-
त्कामक्रोधाभ्यां जरया मृत्युना च।।
अकामयानस्य च सर्वकामा-
नविद्विषाणस्य च सर्वदोषान्।
न मे स्वभावेषु भवन्ति लेपा-
स्तोयस्य बिन्दोरिव पुष्करेषु।।
नित्यस्य चैतस्य भवन्ति नित्या
निरीक्ष्यमाणस्य बहून्स्वभावान्।
न सज्जते कर्मसु भोगजालं
दिवीव सूर्यस्य मयूखजालम्।।
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्।
अध्वर्युयतिसंवादं तं निबोध यशस्विनि।।
प्रोक्ष्यमाणं पशुं दृष्ट्वा यज्ञकर्मण्यथाब्रवीत्।
यतिरध्वर्युमासीनो हिंसोयमिति कुत्सयन्।।
तमध्वर्युः प्रत्युवाच नायं छागो विनश्यति।
श्रेयसा योक्ष्यते जन्तुर्यज्ञाच्छ्रुतिरियं तथा।।
यो ह्यस्य पार्थिवो भागः पृथिवीं स गमिष्यति।
यदस्य वारिजं किञ्चिदपस्तत्सम्प्रवेक्ष्यति।।
सूर्यं चक्षुर्दिशः श्रोत्रे प्राणोऽस्य दिवमेव च।
आगमे वर्तमानस्य नमे दोषोस्ति कश्चन।।
यतिरुवाच।
प्राणैर्वियोगे च्छागस्य यदि श्रेयः प्रपश्यसि।
छागार्थे वर्तते यज्ञो भवतः किं प्रयोजनम्।।
अनु त्वां मन्यते माता अनु त्वां मन्यते पिता।
मन्त्रविज्ञानमुन्नीय परिवर्ते विशेषतः।।
एवमेवानुमन्येरंस्तान्भवान्द्रष्टुमर्हति।
तेषामनुमतिं श्रुत्वा शक्या कर्तुं विचारणा।।
अध्वर्युरुवाच।
प्राणा अप्यस्य च्छागस्य प्रापितास्ते स्वयोनिषु।
शरीरं केवलं शिष्टं निश्चेष्टमिति मे मतिः।।
इन्धनस्य तु तुल्येन शरीरेणि विचेतसा।
हिंसा हि यष्टुकामानामिन्धनं पशुसंज्ञितम्।।
अहिंसा सर्वधर्माणामिति वृद्धानुशासनम्।
यदहिंस्रं भवेत्कर्म तत्कार्यमिति विद्महे।।
अहिंसेति प्रतिज्ञेयं यदि वक्ष्याम्यतः परम्।
शक्यं बहुविधं वक्तुं भवता कार्यदूषणम्।।
अहिंसा सर्वभूतानां नित्यमस्मासु रोचते।
प्रत्यक्षतः साधयामो न परोक्षमुपास्महे।।
अध्वर्यरुवाच।
भूमेर्गन्धगुणान्भुङ्क्ष्व पिबस्यापोमयान्रसान्।
ज्योतिषां पश्यते रूपं स्पृशस्यनिलजान्गुणान्।।
शृणोष्याकाशजाञ्शब्दान्मनसा मन्यसे मतिम्।
सर्वाण्येतानि भूतानि प्राणा इति च मन्यसे।।
प्राणादाने निवृत्तोसि हिंसायां वर्तते भवान्।
नास्ति चेष्टा विना हिंसां किं वा त्वं मन्यसे द्विज।।
यतिरुवाच।
अक्षरं च क्षरं चैव द्वैधीभावोऽयमात्मनः।
अक्षरं तत्र सद्भावः स्वभावः क्षर उच्यते।।
प्राणो जिह्वा मनः सत्त्वं सद्भावो रजसा सह।
भावैरेतैर्विमुक्तस्य निर्द्वन्द्वस्य निराशिषः।।
समस्य सर्वभूतेषु निर्ममस्य जितात्मनः।
समन्तात्परिमुक्तस्य न भयं विद्यते क्वचित्।।
अध्वर्युरुवाच।
सद्भिरेवेह संवादः कार्यो मतिमतांवर।
भवतो हि मतं श्रुत्वा प्रतिभाति मतिर्मम।।
भगवन्भगवद्बुद्ध्या प्रतिबुद्धो ब्रवीम्यहम्।
व्रतं मन्त्रकृतं कर्तुर्नापराधोस्ति मे द्विज।।
ब्राह्मण उवाच।
उपपत्त्या यतिस्तूष्णीं वर्तमानस्ततः परम्।
अध्वर्युरपि निर्मोहः प्रचचार महामखे।।
एवमेतादृशं मोक्षं सुसूक्ष्मं ब्राह्मणा विदुः।
विदित्वा चानुतिष्ठन्ति क्षेत्रज्ञेनार्थदर्शिना।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आश्वमेदिकपर्वणि
अनुगीतापर्वणि एकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः।। 29 ।।

English Ganguli

"'"The Brahmana said, 'In this connection is cited the ancient story, O lady, of the discourse between Kartaviryya and the Ocean. There was a king of the name of Kartaviryya-Arjuna who was endued with a thousand arms. He conquered, with his bow, the Earth, extending to the shores of the ocean. It has been heard by us that, once on a time, as he was walking on the shores of the sea, proud of his might, he showered hundreds of shafts on that vast receptacle of waters. The Ocean, bowing down unto him, said, with joined hands,—"Do not, O hero, shoot thy shafts (at me)! Say, what shall I do to thee. With these mighty arrows shot by thee, those creatures which have taken shelter in me are being killed, O tiger among kings. Do thou, O lord, grant them security."

"'"'Arjuna said, "If any wielder of the bow exists that is equal to me in battle, and that would stand against me in the field, do thou name him to me!"

"'"'The Ocean said, "If thou hast heard, O king, of the great Rishi Jamadagni, his son is competent to duly receive thee as a guest."—Then that king proceeded, filled with great wrath. Arrived at that retreat, he found Rama himself. With his kinsmen he began to do many acts that were hostile to Rama, and caused much trouble to that high-souled hero. Then the energy, which was immeasurable of Rama blazed forth, burning the troops of the foe, O lotus-eyed one. Taking up his battle-axe, Rama suddenly put forth his power, and hacked that thousand-armed hero, like a tree of many branches. Beholding him slain and prostrated on the earth, all his kinsmen, uniting together, and taking up their darts, rushed at Rama, who was then seated, from all sides. Rama also, taking up his bow and quickly ascending on his car, shot showers of arrows and chastised the army of the king. Then, some of the Kshatriyas, afflicted with the terror of Jamadagni's son, entered mountain-fastnesses, like deer afflicted by the lion. Of them that were unable, through fear of Rama, to discharge the duties ordained for their order, the progeny became Vrishalas owing to their inability to find Brahmanas.[81] In this way Dravidas and Abhiras and Pundras, together with the Savaras, became Vrishalas through those men who had Kshatriya duties assigned to them (in consequence of their birth), falling away (from those duties). Then the Kshatriyas that were begotten by the Brahmanas upon Kshatriya women that had lost their heroic children, were repeatedly destroyed by Jamadagni's son. The slaughter proceeded one and twenty times. At its conclusion a bodiless voice, sweet and proceeding from heaven, and which was heard by all people, spoke to Rama, "O Rama, O Rama, desist! What merit it dost thou see, O son, in thus destroying repeatedly these inferior Kshatriyas?"[82] In this way, O blessed dame, his grandsires, headed by Richika, addressed that high-souled one, saying. "Do thou desist." Rama, however, unable to forgive the slaughter of his sire, replied unto those Rishis saying, "It behoves you not to forbid me." The Pitris then said, "O foremost of all victorious men, it behoves thee not to slay these inferior Kshatriyas. It is not proper that thyself, being a Brahmana, should slay these kings."'"'"