Mahabharata, Book 14, Section LVIIआश्वमेधिकपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 14.57.

57Sanskrit adhyāya 14.57 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

वैशम्पायन उवाच।
स तं दृष्ट्वा तथाभूतं राजानं घोरदर्शनम्।
दीर्घश्मश्रुधरं नॄणां शोणितेन समुक्षितम्।।
चकार न व्यथां विप्रो राजा त्वेनमथाब्रवीत्।
प्रत्युत्थाय महातेजा भयकर्ता यमोपमः।।
दिष्ट्या त्वमसि कल्याण षष्ठे काले ममान्तिकम्।
भक्ष्यं मृगयमाणस्य सम्प्राप्तो द्विजसत्तम।।
उदङ्ग उवाच।
राजन्गुर्वर्थिनं विद्धि चरन्तं मामिहागतम्।
न च गुर्वर्थमुद्युक्तं हिंस्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः।।
राजोवाच।
षष्ठे काले ममाहारो विहितो द्विजसत्तम।
न शक्यस्त्वं समुत्स्रष्टुं क्षुधितेन मयाऽद्य वै।।
उदङ्क उवाच।
एवमस्तु महाराजि समयः क्रियतां तु मे।
गुर्वर्थमभिनिर्वर्त्य पुनरेष्यामि ते वशम्।।
संश्रुतश्च मया योऽर्थो गुरवे राजसत्तम।
त्वदधीनः स राजेन्द्र तं त्वां भिक्षे नरेश्वर।।
ददासि विप्रमुख्येभ्यस्त्वं हि रत्नानि नित्यदा।
दाता च त्वं नरव्याघ्र पात्रभूतः क्षिताविह।
पात्रं प्रतिग्रहे चापि विद्धि मां नृपसत्तम।।
उपाहृत्य गुरोरर्थं त्वदायत्तमरिंदम।
समयेनेह राजेन्द्र पुनरेष्यामि ते वशम्।।
सत्यं ते प्रतिजानामि नात्र मिथ्या कथञ्चन।
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा।।
सौदास उवाच।
यदि मत्तस्तवायत्तो गुर्वर्थः कृत एव सः।
यदि चास्ति प्रतिग्राह्यं साम्प्रतं तद्वदस्व मे।।
उदङ्क उवाच।
प्रतिग्राह्यो मतो मे त्वं सदैव पुरुषर्षभ।
सोहं त्वामनुसम्प्राप्तो भिक्षितुं मणिकुण्डले।।
सौदास उवाच।
पत्न्यास्ते मम विप्रर्षे उचिते मणिकुण्डले।
वरयार्थं त्वमन्यं वै तं ते दास्यामि सुव्रत।।
उदङ्ग उवाच।
अलं ते व्यपदेशेन प्रमाणं यदि ते वयम्।
प्रयच्छ कुण्डले मह्यं सत्यवाग्भव पार्थिव।।
वैशम्पायन उवाच।
इत्युक्तस्त्वब्रवीद्राजा तमुदङ्कं पुनर्वचः।
गच्छ मद्वचनाद्देवीं ब्रूहि देहीति सत्तम।।
सैवमुक्ता त्वया नूनं मद्वाक्येन शुचिव्रता।
प्रदास्यति द्विजश्रेष्ठ कुण्डले ते न संशयः।।
उदङ्क उवाच।
क्व पत्नी भवतः शक्या मया द्रष्टुं नरेश्वर।
स्वयं वाऽपि भवान्पत्नीं किमर्थं नोपसर्पति।।
सौदास उवाच।
तां द्रक्ष्यति भवानद्य कास्मिंश्चिद्वननिर्झरे।
षष्ठे काले न हि मया सा शक्या द्रष्टुमद्य वै।।
वैशम्पायन उवाच।
उदङ्कस्तु तथोक्तः स जगाम भरतर्षभ।
मदयन्तीं च दृष्ट्वा स ज्ञापयत्स्वप्रयोजनम्।।
सौदासवचनं श्रुत्वा ततः सा पृथुलोचना।
प्रत्युवाच महावुद्धिमुदङ्कं जनमेजय।।
एवमेतन्महाब्रह्मन्नानृतं वदसेऽनघ।
अभिज्ञानं तु किञ्चित्त्वं समानयितुमर्हसि।।
इमे हि दिव्ये मणिकुण्डले मे
देवाश्च यक्षाश्च महर्षयश्च।
तैस्तैरुपायैरपहर्तुकामा-
श्छिद्रेषु नित्यं परितर्कयन्ति।।
निक्षिप्तमेतद्भुवि पन्नगास्तु
रत्नं समासाद्य परामृशेयुः।
यक्षास्तथोच्छिष्टधृतं सुराश्च
निद्रावशाद्वा परिधर्षयेयुः।।
छिद्रेष्वेतेष्विमे नित्यं ह्रियते द्विजसत्तम।
देवराक्षसनागानामप्रमत्तेनि धार्यते।।
एते दिवापि भासेते रात्रौ च द्विजसत्तम।
नक्तं नक्षत्रताराणां प्रभामाक्षिप्य वर्ततः।।
एते ह्यामुच्य भगन्क्षुत्पिपासाभयं कुतः।
विषाग्निश्वापदेभ्यश्च भयं जातु न विद्यते।।
ह्रस्वेन चैते आमुक्ते भवतो ह्रस्वके तदा।
अनुरूपेण चामुक्ते जायेते तत्प्रमाणके।।
एवंविधे ममैते वै कुण्डले परमार्चिते।
त्रिषु लोकेषु विज्ञाते तदभिज्ञानमानय।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते आश्वमेधिकपर्वणि
अनुगीतापर्वणि सप्तपञ्चाशोऽध्यायः।। 57 ।।

English Ganguli

"Vaisampayana said, 'Beholding the king, who had become so, of frightful mien, wearing a long beard smeared with the blood of human beings, the Brahmana Utanka, O king, did not become agitated. That monarch of great energy, inspiring terror in every breast and looking like a second Yama, rising up, addressed Utanka, saying,—"By good luck, O best of Brahmanas, thou hast come to me at the sixth hour of the day when I am in search of food."

"'Utanka said, "O king, know that I have come hither in course of my wanderings for the sake of my preceptor. The wise have said that while one is employed for the sake of one's preceptor, one should not be injured."

"'The king said, "O best of Brahmanas, food has been ordained for me at the sixth hour of the day. I am hungry. I cannot, therefore, allow thee to escape today."

"'Utanka said, "Let it be so, O king. Let this compact be made with me. After I have ceased to wander for my preceptor, I shall once more come and place myself within thy power. It has been heard by me, O best of kings, that the object I seek for my preceptor is under thy control, O monarch. Therefore, O ruler of men, I solicit thee for it. Thou daily givest many foremost of gems unto superior Brahmanas. Thou art a giver, O chief of men, from whom gifts may be accepted, know that I too am a worthy object of charity present before thee, O best of kings. Having accepted from thee in gift that object for my preceptor which is under thy control, I shall, O king, in consequence of my compact, once more come back to thee and place myself under thy power. I assure thee truly of this. There is no falsehood in this. Never before have I spoken anything untrue, no, not even in jest. What shall I say then of other occasions?"

"'Saudasa said, "If the object thou seekest for thy preceptor is capable of being placed in thy hands by me, if I be regarded as one from whom a gift may be accepted, do thou then say what that object is."

"'Utanka said, "O foremost of men, O Saudasa, in my estimation thou art a worthy person from whom gifts may be accepted. I have, therefore, come to thee for begging of thee the jewelled ear-rings (worn by thy queen)."

"'Saudasa said, "Those jewelled ear-rings, O learned and regenerate Rishi, belong to my wife. They should be asked from her. Do thou, therefore, solicit some other thing from me. I shall give it to thee, O thou of excellent vows."

"'Utanka said, "If we be regarded as any authority, do thou cease then to urge this pretext. Do thou give those jewelled ear-rings to me. Be thou truthful in speech, O king."'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the king once more addressed Utanka and said unto him, "Do thou, at my word, go to my venerable queen, O best of men, and ask her, saying,—Give!—She of pure vows, thus solicited by thee, will certainly, at my command, give thee, O foremost of regenerate persons, those jewelled ear-rings of hers without doubt."

"'Utanka said, "Whither, O ruler of men, shall I be able to meet thy queen? Why dost thou not thyself go to her?"

"'Saudasa said, "Thou wilt find her today in the vicinity of a foremost fountain. I cannot see her today as the sixth hour of the day has come."'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, Utanka, O chief of Bharata's race, then left that spot. Beholding Madayanti, he informed her of his object. Hearing the command of Saudasa, that lady of large eyes replied unto the highly intelligent Utanka, O Janamejaya, in these words: "It is even so, O regenerate one. Thou shouldst, however, O sinless one, assure me that thou dost not say what is untrue. It behoves thee to bring me some sign from my husband. These celestial ear-rings of mine, made of costly gems, are such that the deities and Yakshas and great Rishis always watch for opportunities for bearing them away. If placed at any time on the Earth, this costly article would then be stolen by the Nagas. If worn by one who is impure in consequence of eating, it would then be taken away by the Yakshas. If the wearer falls asleep (without taking care of these precious ear-rings) the deities would then take them away. O best of Brahmanas, these ear-rings are capable of being taken away, when such opportunities present themselves, by deities and Rakshasas and Nagas, if worn by a heedless person. O best of regenerate ones, these ear-rings, day and night, always produce gold. At night, they shine brightly, attracting the rays of stars and constellations. O holy one, if worn by any one, he would be freed from hunger and thirst and fear of every kind. The wearer of these ear-rings is freed also from the fear of poison and fire and every kind of danger. If worn by one of short stature, these become short. If worn by one of tall stature, these grow in size. Even of such virtues are these ear-rings of mine. They are praised and honoured everywhere. Indeed, they are known over the three worlds. Do thou, therefore, bring me some sign (from my husband)."'"