Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 1.11
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1.11.1
सखा बभूव मे पूर्वं खगमो नाम वै द्विजः ।
भृशं संशितवाक्तात तपोबलसमन्वितः ॥ १.११.१ ॥
Long ago my friend was a brahmin named Khagama, dear son, sharp of speech and endowed with the power of asceticism.
1.11.2
स मया क्रीडता बाल्ये कृत्वा तार्णं भुजंगमम् ।
अग्निहोत्रे प्रसक्तस्तु भीषितः प्रमुमोह वै ॥ १.११.२ ॥
Playing in my childhood, I made a snake of grass, and he, intent upon the fire-offering, was frightened and truly fainted.
1.11.3
लब्ध्वा स च पुनः संज्ञां मामुवाच तपोधनः ।
नर्दहन्निव कोपेन सत्यवाक्संशितव्रतः ॥ १.११.३ ॥
Regaining consciousness, that ascetic, as if burning with anger, spoke to me, truthful in speech and firm in his sharp vows.
1.11.4
यथावीर्यस्त्वया सर्पः कृतोऽयं मद्बिभीषया ।
तथावीर्यो भुजंगस्त्वं मम शापाद्भविष्यसि ॥ १.११.४ ॥
As powerful as the snake you made to frighten me, so powerful a serpent you shall become through my curse.
1.11.5
तस्याहं तपसो वीर्यं जानन्नासं तपोधन ।
भृशमुद्विग्नहृदयस्तमवोचमहं तदा ॥ १.११.५ ॥
I did not know the power of his asceticism, O rich in austerity; my heart was deeply troubled, and so I spoke to him then.
1.11.6
प्रणतः संभ्रमाच्चैव प्राञ्जलिः पुरतः स्थितः ।
सखेति हसतेदं ते नर्मार्थं वै कृतं मया ॥ १.११.६ ॥
Bowing in alarm and standing before him with joined palms, I said smiling, 'Friend'; this I did only as a joke with you.
1.11.7
क्षन्तुमर्हसि मे ब्रह्मञ्शापोऽयं विनिवर्त्यताम् ।
सोऽथ मामब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा भृशमुद्विग्नचेतसम् ॥ १.११.७ ॥
O brahmin, you should forgive me; let this curse be withdrawn. Then, seeing me greatly agitated in mind, he spoke to me.
1.11.8
मुहुरुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य सुसंभ्रान्तस्तपोधनः ।
नानृतं वै मया प्रोक्तं भवितेदं कथंचन ॥ १.११.८ ॥
Sighing repeatedly and hotly, the ascetic-rich one, deeply agitated, said: What I have spoken is not false; this will surely come to pass somehow.
1.11.9
यत्तु वक्ष्यामि ते वाक्यं शृणु तन्मे तपोधन ।
श्रुत्वा च हृदि ते वाक्यमिदमस्तु सदाऽनघ ॥ १.११.९ ॥
Now listen from me to the word I am about to speak to you, O ascetic-rich one. And, O sinless one, having heard it, may this word of mine always remain in your heart.
1.11.10
उत्पत्स्यति रुरुर्नाम प्रमतेरात्मजः शुचिः ।
तं दृष्ट्वा शापमोक्षस्ते भविता नचिरादिव।
एवमुक्तस्तु तेनाहमुरगत्वमवाप्तवान् ॥ १.११.१० ॥
Ruru by name, the pure son of Pramati, will be born. On seeing him, your release from the curse will come, and not long from now. Thus addressed by him, I obtained the state of a serpent.
1.11.11
स त्वं रुरुरिति ख्यातः प्रमतेरात्मजोऽपि च ।
स्वरूपं प्रतिपद्याहमद्य वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥ १.११.११ ॥
You are that very one, known as Ruru, and also the son of Pramati. Now, resuming my own form, today I will tell you what is beneficial.
1.11.12
स डौण्डुभं परित्यज्य रूपं विप्रर्षभस्तदा ।
स्वरूपं भास्वरं भूयः प्रतिपेदे महायशाः ॥ १.११.१२ ॥
Then that bull among brahmins, of great fame, having abandoned the form of Ḍuṇḍubha, once again attained his own radiant form.
1.11.13
इदं चोवाच वचनं रुरुमप्रतिमौजसम् ।
अहिंसा परमो धर्मः सर्वप्राणभृतां वर ॥ १.११.१३ ॥
And he spoke these words to Ruru of matchless vigour: non-violence is the supreme duty among all living beings.
1.11.14
तस्मात्प्राणभृतः सर्वान्न हिंस्याद्ब्राह्मणः क्वचित् ।
ब्राह्मणः सौम्य एवेह भवतीति परा श्रुतिः ॥ १.११.१४ ॥
Therefore a brahmin should never harm any living being; here the brahmin is indeed gentle, so runs the supreme scripture.
1.11.15
वेदवेदाङ्गविन्नाम सर्वभूताभयप्रदः ।
अहिंसा सत्यवचनं क्षमा चेति विनिश्चितम् ॥ १.११.१५ ॥
He who knows the Vedas and their limbs, who is named the giver of fearlessness to all beings—non-violence, truthful speech and forbearance: these are settled as the marks of such a one.
1.11.16
ब्राह्मणस्य परो धर्मो वेदानां धारणापि च ।
क्षत्रियस्य हि यो धर्मः स नेहेष्येत वै तव ॥ १.११.१६ ॥
The highest duty of a brahmin is the mastery of the Vedas; but the duty proper to a kshatriya should not be what you desire here.
1.11.17
दण्डधारणमुग्रत्वं प्रजानां परिपालनम् ।
तदिदं क्षत्रियस्यासीत्कर्म वै शृणु मे रुरो ॥ १.११.१७ ॥
Bearing the rod of punishment, fierceness, and the protection of subjects—this was the work of a kshatriya. Hear me, O Ruru.
1.11.18
जनमेजयस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिन्सर्पाणां हिंसनं पुरा ।
परित्राणं च भीतानां सर्पाणां ब्राह्मणादपि ॥ १.११.१८ ॥
In this sacrifice of Janamejaya the serpents were slain formerly; and the frightened serpents were also saved, even by a brahmin.
1.11.19
तपोवीर्यबलोपेताद्वेदवेदाङ्गपारगात् ।
आस्तीकाद्द्विजमुख्याद्वै सर्पसत्रे द्विजोत्तम ॥ १.११.१९ ॥
By Āstīka, endowed with the strength of austerity and valour, who had gone beyond the Vedas and their limbs, the foremost of the twice-born — at the snake sacrifice, O best of the twice-born.