Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.201
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3.201.1
भूय एव महाभाग्यं कथ्यतामित्यब्रवीत् पाण्डवो मार्कण्डेयम् । अथाचष्ट मार्कण्डेयः । अष्टकस्य वैश्वामित्रेरश्वमेधे सर्वे राजानः प्रागच्छन् ॥ ३.२०१.१ ॥
Then the Pāṇḍava said again to Mārkaṇḍeya, "Tell of the great fortune once more." Then Mārkaṇḍeya related: at the horse sacrifice of Aṣṭaka, son of Viśvāmitra, all the kings came forth.
3.201.2
भ्रातरश्चास्य प्रतर्दनो वसुमनाः शिबिरौशीनर इति । स च समाप्तयज्ञो भ्रातृभिः सह रथेन प्रायात् । ते च नारदमागच्छन्तमभिवाद्यारोहतु भवान् रथमित्यब्रुवन् ॥ ३.२०१.२ ॥
His brothers were Pratardana, Vasumanas, and Śibi, son of Uśīnara. Having finished the sacrifice, he set out in his chariot with his brothers. Greeting Nārada as he approached, they said, "Please, sir, mount the chariot."
3.201.3
तांस्तथेत्युक्त्वा रथमारुरोह । अथ तेषामेकः सुरर्षिं नारदमब्रवीत् । प्रसाद्य भगवन्तं किंचि- दिच्छेयं प्रष्टुमिति ॥ ३.२०१.३ ॥
Saying "So be it," he accepted their request and mounted the chariot. Then one of them said to the divine sage Nārada, "Venerable one, having pleased you, I wish to ask you something."
3.201.4
पृच्छेत्यब्रवीदृषिः । सोऽब्रवीदायुष्मन्तः सर्व- गुणप्रमुदिताः । अथायुष्मन्तं स्वर्गस्थानं चतुर्भि- र्यातव्यं स्यात् कोऽवतरेत् । अयमष्टकोऽवतरेदित्यब्रवीदृषिः ॥ ३.२०१.४ ॥
"Ask," the sage said. He replied, "Long-lived ones, delighted in every virtue—when the long-lived one must go to the heavenly realm with four companions, who should descend?" The sage said, "Let this Aṣṭaka descend."
3.201.6
किं कारणमित्यपृच्छत् । अथाचष्टाष्टकस्य गृहे मया उषितं स मां रथेनानुप्रावहदथापश्यमनेकानिगोसहस्राणि वर्णशो विविक्तानि तमहमपृच्छं कस्येमे गाव इति सोऽब्रवीत् । मया निसृष्टा इत्येतास्तेनैव स्वयं श्लाघति कथितेन । एषोऽवतरेदथ त्रिभिर्यातव्यं साम्प्रतं कोऽवतरेत् ।
प्रतर्दन इत्यब्रवीदृषिः । तत्र किं कारणं प्रत- र्दनस्यापि गृहे मयोषितं स मां रथेनानुप्रावहत् ॥ ३.२०१.६ ॥
"What is the reason?" he asked. Then he told: "While I dwelt in Aṣṭaka's house, he carried me on his chariot. Then I saw thousands of cows, separated by colour. I asked him, 'Whose are these cows?' He said, 'They were released by me.' Thus he boasts of himself by his own telling. This one should descend; then he must be gone with three. Now who should descend?" The sage said, "Pratardana." What is the reason there? While I dwelt also in Pratardana's house, he carried me on his chariot.
3.201.7
अथैनं ब्राह्मणोऽभिक्षेताश्वं मे ददातु भवान् निवृत्तो दास्यामीत्यब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणं त्वरितमेव दीयतामित्यब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणस्त्वरितमेव स ब्राह्मणस्यैवमुक्त्वा दक्षिणं पार्श्वमददत् ॥ ३.२०१.७ ॥
Then a brahmin begged a horse from him. "Let you give it to me; I will give it back when I return," he said. The brahmin said, "Give it quickly." Having said thus to the brahmin, he gave the right side.
3.201.8
अथान्योऽप्यश्वार्थी ब्राह्मण आगच्छत् । तथैव चैनमुक्त्वा वामपार्ष्णिमभ्यदादथ प्रायात् पुनरपि चान्योऽप्यश्वार्थी ब्राह्मण आगच्छत् त्वरितोऽथ तस्मै अपनह्य वामं धुर्यमददत् ॥ ३.२०१.८ ॥
Then another brahmin seeking a horse came. Speaking to him in the same way, he gave the left hind leg; then the brahmin went away. Again another brahmin seeking a horse came, in haste; having unyoked it, he gave him the left yoke-horse.
3.201.9
अथ प्रायात् पुनरन्य आगच्छदश्वार्थी ब्राह्मण- स्तमब्रवीदतियातो दास्यामि त्वरितमेव मे दीयतामित्यब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणस्तस्मै दत्त्वाश्वं रथधुरं गृह्णता व्याहृतं ब्राह्मणानां साम्प्रतं नास्ति किंचिदिति ॥ ३.२०१.९ ॥
Then he went away, and again another brahmin seeking a horse came. He said to him, 'I will give it to the one who has gone past; let it be given to me quickly.' The brahmin, having given him the horse, said to the one holding the chariot-yoke, 'For brahmins there is nothing at present.'
3.201.10
य एष ददाति चासूयति च तेन व्याहृतेन तथावतरेत् । अथ द्वाभ्यां यातव्यमिति कोऽव- तरेत् ॥ ३.२०१.१० ॥
He who gives and also envies should descend by that spoken word in just that way. Then it is said one should go with two; who should descend?
3.201.11
वसुमना अवतरेदित्यब्रवीदृषिः ॥ ३.२०१.११ ॥
'Let Vasumanas descend,' said the sage.
3.201.12
किं कारणमित्यपृच्छदथाचष्ट नारदः । अहं परिभ्रमन् वसुमनसो गृहमुपस्थितः ॥ ३.२०१.१२ ॥
"What is the reason?" he asked. Then Nārada explained: "Wandering about, I arrived at the house of Vasumanas."
3.201.13
स्वस्तिवचनमासीत् पुष्परथस्य प्रयोजनेन तमहमन्वगच्छं स्वस्तिवाचितेषु ब्राह्मणेषु रथो ब्राह्मणानां दर्शितः ॥ ३.२०१.१३ ॥
There was a blessing-recitation for Puṣparatha's sake, and I followed him for that purpose. Among the brahmins who had recited the blessings, the chariot was shown to the brahmins.
3.201.14
तमहं रथं प्राशंसमथ राजाब्रवीद्भगवता रथः प्रशस्तः । एष भगवतो रथ इति ॥ ३.२०१.१४ ॥
I praised that chariot. Then the king said, "This chariot has been praised by the venerable one; it is the chariot of the venerable one."
3.201.16
अथ कदाचित् पुनरप्यहमुपस्थितः पुनरेव च रथप्रयोजनमासीत् । सम्यगयमेष भगवत इत्येवं राजाब्रवीदिति पुनरेव तृतीयं स्वस्तिवाचनं समभावयमथ राजा ब्राह्मणानां दर्शयन् मामभि प्रेक्ष्याब्रवीत् । अथो भगवता पुष्परथस्य स्वस्ति- वाचनानि सुष्ठु सम्भावितानि एतेन द्रोहवचनेनावतरेत् ।
अथैकेन यातव्यं स्यात् कोऽवतरेत् पुनर्नारद आह शिबिर्यायादहमवतरेयमत्र किं कारण- मित्यब्रवीत् । असावहं शिबिना समो नास्मि यतो ब्राह्मणः कश्चिदेनमब्रवीत् ॥ ३.२०१.१६ ॥
Then at one time I arrived again, and again there was need of a chariot. The king said, "This is rightly the chariot of the venerable one." Then for a third time I had the blessing-recitation performed. Then the king, showing me to the brahmins and looking at me, said: "The blessing-recitations for the venerable Puṣparatha have been well honored. Let him descend by this hostile word." Then, if only one were to go, who should descend? Nārada asked again; "Let Śibi go, I will descend; what is the reason here?" He said: "I am not equal to Śibi; therefore a brahmin said this to him."
3.201.17
शिबे अन्नार्थ्यस्मीति तमब्रवीच्छिविः किं क्रियतामाज्ञापयतु भवानिति ॥ ३.२०१.१७ ॥
"O Śibi, I am seeking food." Śibi said to him, "What shall be done? Let your honour command."
3.201.18
अथैनं ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीद् य एष ते पुत्रो बृहद्गर्भो नाम एष प्रमातव्य इति तमेनं संस्कुरु अन्नं चोप- पादय ततोऽहं प्रतीक्ष्य इति । ततः पुत्रं प्रमाथ्य संस्कत्य विधिना साधयित्वा पाश्यामर्पयित्वा शिरसा प्रतिगृह्य ब्राह्मणममृगयत् ॥ ३.२०१.१८ ॥
Then the brahmin said to him, "This son of yours, named Bṛhadgarbha, is to be slain. Prepare him, cook food, and then I shall wait." Then, having slain the son, having duly prepared him, and having completed the rite, placing him on a dish and offering him, he took him upon his head and searched for the brahmin.
3.201.19
अथास्य मृगयमाणस्य कश्चिदाचष्ट एव ते ब्राह्मणो नगरं प्रविश्य दहति ते गृहं कोशागारमायुधागारं स्त्र्यगारमश्वशालां हस्तिशालां च क्रुद्ध इति ॥ ३.२०१.१९ ॥
As he searched, someone told him, "Your brahmin has entered the city and in anger is burning your house, the treasury, the armoury, the women's quarters, the stable, and the elephant-house."
3.201.20
अथ शिबिस्तथैवाविकृतमुखवर्णो नगरं प्रविश्य ब्राह्मणं तमब्रवीत् सिद्धं भगवन्नन्नमिति ब्राह्मणो न किंचिद्व्याजहार विस्मयादधोमुखश्चासीत् ॥ ३.२०१.२० ॥
Then Śibi, his face and complexion unchanged, entered the city in the same way and said to that brahmin, "Venerable one, the food is ready." The brahmin said nothing; in astonishment he stood with his face downcast.
3.201.21
ततः प्रासादयद् ब्राह्मणं भगवन् भुज्यतामिति । मुहूर्तादुद्वीक्ष्य शिबिमब्रवीत् ॥ ३.२०१.२१ ॥
Then, pleasing the brahmin, he said, "Revered sir, please eat." After a moment, looking up, he said to Śibi:
3.201.22
त्वमेवैतदशानेति तत्राह तथेति शिबिस्तथैवा- विमना महित्वा कपालमभ्युद्धार्य भोक्तुमैच्छत् ॥ ३.२०१.२२ ॥
"You yourself eat this," he said there. Śibi said, "So be it," and, undisturbed in mind, with dignity, lifting up the bowl, he wished to eat.
3.201.23
अथास्य ब्राह्मणो हस्तमगृह्णात् । अब्रवीच्चैनं जितक्रोधोऽसि न ते किञ्चिदपरित्याज्यं ब्राह्मणार्थे ब्राह्मणोऽपि तं महाभागं सभाजयत् ॥ ३.२०१.२३ ॥
Then the brahmin seized his hand and said to him, "You have conquered anger; for a brahmin nothing of yours is beyond giving." The brahmin also honored that greatly fortunate man.
3.201.24
स ह्युद्वीक्षमाणः पुत्रमपश्यदग्रे तिष्ठन्तं देव- कुमारमिव पुण्यगन्धान्वितमलङ्कृतं सर्वं च तमर्थं विधाय ब्राह्मणोऽन्तरधीयत ॥ ३.२०१.२४ ॥
For, looking up, he saw his son standing before him, like a celestial youth, endowed with a sacred fragrance and adorned. Having accomplished all that, the brahmin vanished.
3.201.25
तस्य राजर्षेर्विधाता तेनैव वेषेण परीक्षार्थमागत इति तस्मिन्नन्तर्हिते अमात्या राजानमूचुः । किं प्रेप्सुना भवता इदमेवं जानता कृतमिति ॥ ३.२०१.२५ ॥
The creator of that royal sage had come in that very form to test him. When he had vanished, the ministers said to the king, "Knowing all this, what did you wish for when you did this?"
3.201.26
शिबिरुवाच ।
नैवाहमेतद् यशसे ददानि
न चार्थहेतोर्न च भोगतृष्णया ।
पापैरनासेवित एष मार्ग
इत्येवमेतत् सकलं करोमि ॥ ३.२०१.२६ ॥
Śibi said: I do not give this for fame, nor for the sake of wealth, nor from craving for enjoyment. This is a path not followed by the wicked; thus I do all of this in just this way.
3.201.27
सद्भिः सदाध्यासितं तु प्रशस्तं ।
तस्मात् प्रशस्तं श्रयते मतिर्मे ।
एतन्महाभाग्यवरं शिबेस्तु ।
तस्मादहं वेद यथावदेतत् ॥ ३.२०१.२७ ॥
The path always practised and praised by the good is the most excellent; therefore my mind turns to it. This supreme great fortune of Śibi is the best; therefore I know it rightly.