Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 13.67
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13.67.1
पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद ।
त्वत्तोऽहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि धर्मं भरतसत्तम ॥ १३.६७.१ ॥
Grandfather, greatly wise, expert in all the scriptures! Best of the Bharatas, I wish to hear dharma from you.
13.67.2
शरणागतं ये रक्षन्ति भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम् ।
किं तस्य भरतश्रेष्ठ फलं भवति तत्त्वतः ॥ १३.६७.२ ॥
What, truly, is the fruit for those who protect the fourfold multitude of beings, and those who have come for refuge, best of the Bharatas?
13.67.3
इदं शृणु महाप्राज्ञ धर्मपुत्र महायशः ।
इतिहासं पुरावृत्तं शरणार्थं महाफलम् ॥ १३.६७.३ ॥
Listen to this, greatly wise son of Dharma, of great fame: an ancient story of an event concerning refuge, of great fruit.
13.67.4
प्रपात्यमानः श्येनेन कपोतः प्रियदर्शनः ।
वृषदर्भं महाभागं नरेन्द्रं शरणं गतः ॥ १३.६७.४ ॥
A dove, pleasant to behold, being pursued by a hawk, came for refuge to the fortunate king Vṛṣadarbha.
13.67.5
स तं दृष्ट्वा विशुद्धात्मा त्रासादङ्कमुपागतम् ।
आश्वास्याश्वसिहीत्याह न तेऽस्ति भयमण्डज ॥ १३.६७.५ ॥
Seeing it, come to his lap in fear, the pure-hearted king reassured it: "Take heart, egg-born one; there is no fear for you."
13.67.6
भयं ते सुमहत्कस्मात्कुत्र किं वा कृतं त्वया ।
येन त्वमिह सम्प्राप्तो विसंज्ञो भ्रान्तचेतनः ॥ १३.६७.६ ॥
Why is your fear so very great? From whom, where, or what have you done, by which you have come here bewildered, with a confused mind?
13.67.7
नवनीलोत्पलापीड चारुवर्ण सुदर्शन ।
दाडिमाशोकपुष्पाक्ष मा त्रसस्वाभयं तव ॥ १३.६७.७ ॥
You who wear a garland of fresh dark-blue lotuses, of lovely hue and fair appearance, with eyes like pomegranate and aśoka blossoms — do not be afraid; there is fearlessness for you.
13.67.8
मत्सकाशमनुप्राप्तं न त्वां कश्चित्समुत्सहेत् ।
मनसा ग्रहणं कर्तुं रक्षाध्यक्षपुरस्कृतम् ॥ १३.६७.८ ॥
No one would dare, even in thought, to seize you, who have come into my presence and been placed under the protection of the guardian of the realm.
13.67.9
काशिराज्यं तदद्यैव त्वदर्तं जीवितं तथा ।
त्यजेयं भव विस्रब्धः कपोत भयं तव ॥ १३.६७.९ ॥
Today I would give up the kingdom of Kāśi and my very life for your sake. Be at ease, O dove; let your fear be gone.
13.67.10
ममैतद्विहितं भक्ष्यं न राजंस्त्रातुमर्हसि ।
अतिक्रान्तं च प्राप्तं च प्रयत्नाच्चोपपादितम् ॥ १३.६७.१० ॥
This food has been appointed for me, O king; you ought not to protect it. What was lost and what has been obtained, I have procured through my effort.
13.67.11
मांसं च रुधइरं चास्य मज्जा मेदश्च मे हितम् ।
परितोषकरो ह्येष मम माऽस्याग्रतो भव ॥ १३.६७.११ ॥
Its flesh, blood, marrow and fat are beneficial to me; these alone bring me contentment. Do not stand in front of it.
13.67.12
तृष्णा मे बाधतेऽत्युग्रा क्षुधा निर्दहतीव माम् ।
मुञ्चैनं नहि शक्ष्यामि राजन्मन्दयितुं क्षुधाम् ॥ १३.६७.१२ ॥
My thirst, most fierce, torments me; hunger burns me as if I were on fire. Release him, O king; I shall not be able to appease my hunger.
13.67.13
मया ह्यनुसृतो ह्येष मत्पक्षनखविक्षतः ।
किञ्चिदुच्छ्वासनिःश्वासं न राजन्गोप्तुमर्हसि ॥ १३.६७.१३ ॥
Pursued by me and wounded by the nails of my wings, this bird — you ought not, O king, to protect even a little of its breath.
13.67.14
यदि स्वविषये राजन्प्रभुस्त्वं रक्षणे नृणाम् ।
खेचरस्य तृषार्तस्य न त्वं प्रभुरथोत्तम ॥ १३.६७.१४ ॥
If you are lord in your own realm over the protection of men, O king — you are not lord of this sky-goer, afflicted with hunger and thirst, O best of men.
13.67.15
यदि वैरिषु भृत्येषु स्वजनव्यवहारयोः ।
विषयेष्विन्द्रियाणां च आकाशे मा पराक्रम ॥ १३.६७.१५ ॥
If you have power over enemies, over servants, over the dealings with your kinsmen and over the objects of the senses, do not display your might in the sky.
13.67.16
प्रभुत्वं हि पराक्रम्य सम्यक् पक्षहरेषु ते ।
यदि त्वमिह धर्मार्थी मामपि द्रष्टुमर्हसि ॥ १३.६७.१६ ॥
Your lordship is rightly exercised by valour over those who strip wings. If you here seek dharma and what is good, you ought to look upon me as well.
13.67.17
श्रुत्वा श्येनस्य तद्वाक्यं राजर्षिर्विस्मयं गतः ।
सम्भाव्य चैनं तद्वाक्यं तदर्थी प्रत्यभाषत ॥ १३.६७.१७ ॥
Having heard that speech of the hawk, the royal sage was amazed. Pondering that speech, and desiring its purpose, he answered him.
13.67.18
गोवृषो वा वराहो वा मृगो वा महिषोपि वा ।
त्वदथर्मद्य क्रियतां क्षुधाप्रशमनाय ते ॥ १३.६७.१८ ॥
Let a bull of cattle, or a boar, or a deer, or even a buffalo, today be prepared for you, to allay your hunger.
13.67.19
शरणागतं न त्यजेयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् ।
न मुञ्चति ममाङ्गानि द्विजोऽयं पश्य वै द्विज ॥ १३.६७.१९ ॥
I will never abandon one who has come for refuge; this vow is firmly fixed in me. This twice-born bird is not letting go of my limbs—look, O bird.
13.67.20
न वराहं न चोक्षाणं न चान्यान्विविधान्द्विजान् ।
भक्षयामि महाराज किमन्नाद्येन तेन मे ॥ १३.६७.२० ॥
I do not eat boar, nor bull, nor any of the various other twice-born birds. What use, great king, is that food to me?
13.67.21
यस्तु मे विहितो भक्ष्यः स्वयं देवैः सनातनः ।
श्येनाः कपोतान्खादन्ति स्तितिरेषा सनातनी ॥ १३.६७.२१ ॥
The food ordained for me by the gods themselves, eternal—hawks eat pigeons. This is the eternal rule.
13.67.22
उशीनर कपोते तु यदि स्नेहस्तवानघ ।
ततस्त्वं मे प्रयच्छाद्य स्वमांसं तुलया धृतम् ॥ १३.६७.२२ ॥
O Uśīnara, if you have affection for the pigeon, O sinless one, then now give me your own flesh, weighed on a scale.
13.67.23
महाननुग्रहो मेऽद्य यस्त्वमेवमिहात्थ माम् ।
बाढमेव करिष्यामीत्युक्त्वाऽसौ राजसत्तमः ॥ १३.६७.२३ ॥
Today your asking me thus is a great favour to me. Saying, 'Very well, I shall do exactly that,' that best of kings—
13.67.24
उत्कृत्योत्कृत्य मांसानि तुलया समतोलयत् ।
अन्तःपुरे ततस्तस्य स्त्रियो रत्नविभूषिताः ॥ १३.६७.२४ ॥
Again and again he cut off pieces of flesh and weighed them on the scale. Then the women of his inner palace, adorned with jewels—
13.67.25
हाहाभूता विनिष्क्रान्ताः श्रुत्वा परमदुःखिताः ।
तासां रुदितशब्देन मन्त्रिभृत्यजनस्य च ॥ १३.६७.२५ ॥
His queens, crying out in dismay and deeply grieved, came out on hearing the sound of weeping, and so did the ministers and servants.
13.67.26
बभूव सुमहान्नादो मेघगम्भीरनिःस्वनः ।
निरुद्धं गगनं सर्वं व्यभ्रं मेघैः समन्ततः ॥ १३.६७.२६ ॥
A very great sound arose, deep as the roar of thunderclouds, and the whole sky, which had been cloudless, was on all sides covered with clouds.
13.67.27
मही प्रचलिता चासीत्तस्य सत्येन कर्मणा ॥ १३.६७.२७ ॥
And the earth trembled because of his deed of truth.
13.67.28
स राजा पार्श्वतश्चैव बाहुभ्यामूरुतश्च यत् ।
तानि मांसानि सञ्छिद्य तुलां पूरयतेऽशनैः।
तथापि न समस्तेन कपोतेन बभूव ह ॥ १३.६७.२८ ॥
That king cut flesh from his sides, from his arms and from his thighs, and filled the scale with pieces; yet it did not match the dove.
13.67.29
अस्थिभूतो यदा राजा निर्मांसो रुधिरस्रवः ।
तुलां ततः समारूढः स्वं मांसक्षयमुत्सृजन् ॥ १३.६७.२९ ॥
When the king was reduced to bone, without flesh and streaming with blood, he then mounted the scale, offering up the loss of his own flesh.
13.67.30
ततः सेन्द्रास्त्रयो लोकास्तं नरेन्द्रमुपस्थिताः ।
र्भर्यश्चाकाशगैस्तत्र वादिता देवदुन्दुभिः ॥ १३.६७.३० ॥
Then the three worlds, together with Indra, came before that lord of men; and the Ṛbhus and the sky-wanderers sounded divine drums there.
13.67.31
अमृतेनावसिक्तश्च वृषदर्भो नरेश्वरः ।
दिव्यैश्च सुसुखैर्माल्यैरभिवृष्टः पुनःपुनः ॥ १३.६७.३१ ॥
Vṛṣadarbha, lord of men, sprinkled with nectar, was showered again and again with divine and most delightful garlands.
13.67.32
देवगन्धर्वसन्घातैरप्सरोभिश्च सर्वतः ।
नृत्तश्चैवोपगीतश्च पितामह इव प्रभुः ॥ १३.६७.३२ ॥
Surrounded on all sides by throngs of gods and gandharvas and apsarases, dancing and singing, the lord shone like the grandfather.
13.67.33
हेमप्रासादसम्बाधं मणिकाञ्चनतोरणम् ।
सवैडूर्यमणिस्तम्भं विमानं समधिष्ठितः ॥ १३.६७.३३ ॥
He mounted an aerial palace crowded with golden mansions, with gateways of gems and gold and pillars of lapis and gems.
13.67.34
स राजर्षिर्गतः स्वर्गं कर्मणा तेन शाश्वतम् ।
शरणागतेषु चैवं त्वं कुरु सर्वं युधिष्ठिर ॥ १३.६७.३४ ॥
That royal sage went to eternal heaven by that deed. So too, Yudhiṣṭhira, do everything for those who seek your refuge.
13.67.35
भक्तानामनुरक्तानामाश्रितानां च रक्षिता ।
दयावान्सर्वभूतेषु परत्र सुखमेधते ॥ १३.६७.३५ ॥
The king who protects devotees, loyal followers and dependents, and who is compassionate toward all beings, thrives in happiness in the next world.
13.67.36
साधुवृत्तो हि यो राजा सद्वृत्तमनुतिष्ठति ।
किं न प्राप्तं भवेत्तेनि स्वव्याजेनेह कर्मणा ॥ १३.६७.३६ ॥
For what would not be obtained by a king of good conduct who follows righteous conduct, through his own deed here, by his own pretext of virtue?
13.67.37
स राजर्षिर्विशुद्धात्मा धीरः सत्यपराक्रमः ।
काशीनामीश्वरः ख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कर्मणा ॥ १३.६७.३७ ॥
That royal sage, pure of soul, steadfast, of true valour, became famed in the three worlds through his deeds as lord of the Kāśīs.
13.67.38
योऽप्यन्यः कारेयदेवं शरणागतरक्षणम् ।
सोपि गच्छेत तामेव गतिं भरतसत्तम ॥ १३.६७.३८ ॥
Whoever else, like the son of Kāreya, protects those who have taken refuge, he too shall attain that very same state, best of the Bharatas.
13.67.39
इदं वृत्तं हि राजर्षे वृषदर्भस्य कीर्तयन् ।
पूतात्मा वै भवेल्लोके शृणुयाद्यश्च नित्यशः ॥ १३.६७.३९ ॥
O royal sage, one who recounts this conduct of Vṛṣadarbha, and who hears it constantly, becomes pure of soul in the world.