Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.116
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12.116.1
न सन्ति कुलजा यत्र सहायाः पार्थिवस्य तु ।
अकुलीनाश्च कर्तव्या न वा भरतसत्तम् ॥ १२.११६.१ ॥
Where a king has no well-born helpers, O best of the Bhāratas, should men of low birth be employed, or not?
12.116.2
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
निदर्शनं परं लोके सज्जनाचरितं सदा ॥ १२.११६.२ ॥
Here too they recount this ancient story, a supreme illustration in the world, always practised by good people.
12.116.3
अस्यैवार्थस्य सदृशं यच्छ्रुतं मे तपोवने ।
जामदग्न्यस्य रामस्य यदुक्तमृषिसत्तमैः ॥ १२.११६.३ ॥
Similar to this very matter is what I heard in the forest of asceticism, which the best of sages told about Rāma, son of Jamadagni.
12.116.4
वने महति कस्मिंश्चिदमनुष्यनिषेविते ।
ऋषिर्मूलफलाहारो नियतो नियतेन्द्रियः ॥ १२.११६.४ ॥
In a great forest, frequented by no humans, there lived a sage who fed on roots and fruits, self-controlled, with restrained senses.
12.116.5
दीक्षादमपरिश्रान्तः स्वाध्यायपरमः शुचिः ।
उपवासविशुद्धात्मा सततं सत्पथे स्थितः ॥ १२.११६.५ ॥
Weary with initiatory vows and self-restraint, supremely devoted to Vedic study, pure, his soul cleansed by fasting, he remained constantly established on the good path.
12.116.6
तस्य संदृश्य सद्भावमुपविष्टस्य धीमतः ।
सर्वे सत्वाः समीपस्था भवन्ति वनचारिणः ॥ १२.११६.६ ॥
Seeing the good disposition of that wise man as he sat, all the creatures roaming the forest would come and stand near him.
12.116.7
सिंहा व्याघ्राः सशरभा मत्ताश्चैव महागजाः ।
द्वीपिनः खङ्गभल्लूका ये चान्ये भीमदर्शनाः ॥ १२.११६.७ ॥
Lions, tigers, śarabhas, maddened great elephants, leopards, rhinoceroses and bears, and others terrible to behold.
12.116.8
ते सुखप्रश्नदाः सर्वे भवन्ति क्षतजाशनाः ।
तस्यर्षेः शिष्यवच्चैव चित्तज्ञाः प्रियकारिणः ॥ १२.११६.८ ॥
All of them become askers of kindly inquiries and eaters of blood, yet like the sage's disciples they know his mind and do what pleases him.
12.116.9
उक्त्वा च ते सुखप्रश्नं सर्वे यान्ति यथासुखम् ।
ग्राम्यस्त्वेकः पशुस्तत्र नाजहात्स महामुनिम् ॥ १२.११६.९ ॥
Having spoken their kindly words, all of them go away at ease wherever they wish; but one domestic animal there did not leave that great sage.
12.116.10
भक्तोऽनुरक्तः सततमुपवासकृशोऽबलः ।
फलमूलोत्तराहारः शान्तः शिष्टाकृतिर्यथा ॥ १२.११६.१० ॥
He was devoted and attached, constantly emaciated and weak from fasting, eating fruit and roots as his last food, calm, with the bearing of a well-bred man.
12.116.11
तस्यर्षेरुपविष्टस्य पादमूले महामतेः ।
मनुष्यवद्गतो भावं स्नेहबद्धोऽभवद्भृशम् ॥ १२.११६.११ ॥
Seated at the feet of that great-minded sage, it took on a human-like disposition and became very much bound by affection.
12.116.12
ततोऽभ्ययान्महारौद्रो द्वीपी क्षतजभोजनः ।
श्वार्थमत्यर्थमुद्धुष्टः क्रूरः कालइवान्तकः ॥ १२.११६.१२ ॥
Then the leopard, fiercely terrible and blood-eating, roaring loudly for the sake of a dog, cruel as Time, as Death the ender, rushed toward them.
12.116.13
लेलिह्यमानस्तृषितः पुच्छास्फोटनतत्परः ।
व्यादितास्यः क्षुधाः भुग्नः प्रार्थयानस्तदामिषम् ॥ १२.११६.१३ ॥
Licking his lips, thirsty, intent on lashing his tail, mouth gaping, tormented by hunger and cowering, longing for that flesh.
12.116.14
दृष्ट्वा तं क्रूरमायान्तं जीवितार्थी नराधिप ।
प्रोवाच श्वा मुनिं तत्र तच्छृणुष्व विशांपते ॥ १२.११६.१४ ॥
Seeing that cruel one approaching, O lord of men, the dog desiring life spoke there to the sage. Hear that, O lord of the people.
12.116.15
श्वशत्रुर्भगवन्नेष द्वीपी मां हन्तुमिच्छति ।
त्वत्प्रसादाद्भयं न स्यादस्मान्मम महामुने।
तथा कुरु महाबाहो सर्वज्ञस्त्वं न संशयः ॥ १२.११६.१५ ॥
Revered sir, this leopard, the enemy of dogs, wants to kill me. Great sage, by your grace may I have no fear of him. Mighty-armed one, do so; you are all-knowing, there is no doubt.
12.116.16
स मुनिस्तस्य विज्ञाय भावज्ञो भयकारणम् ।
रुतज्ञः सर्वसत्वानां तमैश्वर्यसमन्वितः ॥ १२.११६.१६ ॥
That sage, understanding his feeling and the cause of his fear, knowing the speech of all beings and endowed with power, did so.
12.116.17
न भयं द्वीपिनः कार्यं मृत्युतस्ते कथंचन ।
एष श्वरूपरहितो द्वीपी भवसि पुत्रक ॥ १२.११६.१७ ॥
Child, you should have no fear of the leopard in any way regarding death; freed from the form of a dog, you shall become a leopard.
12.116.18
ततः श्वा द्वीपितां नीतो जाम्बूनदनिभाकृति ।
चित्राङ्गो विस्फुरद्दंष्ट्रो वने वसति निर्भयः ॥ १२.११६.१८ ॥
Then the dog was brought to the state of a leopard, golden in form, variegated in limb, with gleaming fangs, and now dwells fearless in the forest.
12.116.19
तं दृष्ट्वा संमुखे द्वीपी आत्मनः सदृशं पशुम् ।
अविरुद्धस्ततस्तस्य क्षणेन समपद्यत ॥ १२.११६.१९ ॥
Seeing him face to face, the leopard, a beast like itself, at once became unopposed to him in an instant.
12.116.20
ततोऽभ्ययान्महारौद्रो व्यादितास्यः क्षुधान्विः ।
द्वीपिनं लेलिहन्वक्रं व्याघ्रो रुधिरलालसः ॥ १२.११६.२० ॥
Then the very dreadful tiger, mouth gaping, seized with hunger and craving blood, rushed at the leopard, licking its face.
12.116.21
व्याघ्रं दृष्ट्वा क्षुधा भुग्नं दंष्ट्रिणं वनचारिणम् ।
द्वीपि जीवितरक्षार्थमृषिं शरणमेयिवान् ॥ १२.११६.२१ ॥
Seeing the tiger, weakened by hunger, fanged and roaming the forest, the leopard, to save its life, sought refuge with the sage.
12.116.22
ततः संवासजं स्नेहमृषिणा कुर्वता तदा ।
स द्वीपी व्याघ्रतां नीतो रिपुभ्यो बलवत्तरः ॥ १२.११६.२२ ॥
Then the sage, showing affection born of their living together, that leopard was brought to the state of a tiger, stronger than its enemies.
12.116.23
ततोऽदृष्ट्वा स शार्दूलो नाभ्यघ्नत्तं विशांपते ।
स तु श्चा व्याघ्रतां प्राप्य बलवान्पिशिताशनः ॥ १२.११६.२३ ॥
Then, O lord of men, that tiger, not recognizing him, did not attack him. But the dog, having attained the state of a tiger, became strong and a flesh-eater.
12.116.24
न मूलफलभोगेषु स्पृहामप्यकरोत्तदा ।
यथा मृगपतिर्नित्यं प्रकाङ्क्षति वनौकसः।
तथैव स महाराज व्याघ्रः समभवत्तदा ॥ १२.११६.२४ ॥
Then he did not even desire the enjoyment of roots and fruits. As the lord of beasts always desires the forest-dwellers, so, O great king, the tiger then came to be.