Critical Edition
जनमेजय उवाच कथितो धार्तराष्ट्राणामार्षः संभव उत्तमः अमानुषो मानुषाणां भवता ब्रह्मवित्तम
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said : O utterer of Brahma, you have recited the excellent account of the extraordinary births of the sons of Dhritarashtra on earth, the result of the Rishi grace.
नामधेयानि चाप्येषां कथ्यमानानि भागशः त्वत्तः श्रुतानि मे ब्रह्मन्पाण्डवानां तु कीर्तय
M. N. Dutt: O Brahmana, you have also told me their names according to their order of birth. I have heard all this from you. (Now) tell me all about the Pandavas.
ते हि सर्वे महात्मानो देवराजपराक्रमाः त्वयैवांशावतरणे देवभागाः प्रकीर्तिताः
M. N. Dutt: While reciting the incarnations of the celestials, the Asuras and beings of other classes on earth, you said that the illustrious men, the Pandavas, as powerful as the king of the celestials, were all incarnate portions of the celestials themselves.
तस्मादिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुमतिमानुषकर्मणाम् तेषामाजननं सर्वं वैशंपायन कीर्तय
M. N. Dutt: I desire to hear all about those beings of extraordinary achievements, beginning from the moments of their births. O Vaishampayana, narrate to me all their achievements.
वैशंपायन उवाच राजा पाण्डुर्महारण्ये मृगव्यालनिषेविते वने मैथुनकालस्थं ददर्श मृगयूथपम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : O king, one day Pandu, while roaming in that great forest abounding in deer and other fierce animals, saw a large deer, the leader of its herd, coupling with its mate.
ततस्तां च मृगीं तं च रुक्मपुङ्खैः सुपत्रिभिः निर्बिभेद शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पाण्डुः पञ्चभिराशुगैः
M. N. Dutt: Seeing them, Pandu pierced both with five of his sharp and swift arrows, winged with golden feathers.
स च राजन्महातेजा ऋषिपुत्रस्तपोधनः भार्यया सह तेजस्वी मृगरूपेण संगतः
M. N. Dutt: O king, it was a greatly effulgent ascetic, the son of a Rishi (in the form of that deer) this effulgent man was with his wife who was a deer.
Supplementary Passages:
1.109.7 After 7, G1.2.4 ins.: *1159 मृगो ऋषिर्मृगी भार्या उभौ तौ तपसान्वितौ रेमाते विपिने भूत्वा निरङ्कुशरतेक्षणौ
संसक्तस्तु तया मृग्या मानुषीमीरयन्गिरम् क्षणेन पतितो भूमौ विललापाकुलेन्द्रियः
M. N. Dutt: Wounded by Pandu while with the mate, he fell down on the ground in a moment and uttered cries that were human. He began to weep bitterly.
मृग उवाच काममन्युपरीतापि बुद्ध्यङ्गरहितापि च वर्जयन्ति नृशंसानि पापेष्वभिरता नराः
AI Translation: The deer said: Even those who are overcome by desire and devoid of intelligence avoid cruel acts, but men who delight in evil do not.
न विधिं ग्रसते प्रज्ञा प्रज्ञां तु ग्रसते विधिः विधिपर्यागतानर्थान्प्रज्ञा न प्रतिपद्यते
AI Translation: Wisdom does not swallow the injunction, but the injunction swallows wisdom. Wisdom does not accept the meanings that have been swallowed by the injunction.
शश्वद्धर्मात्मनां मुख्ये कुले जातस्य भारत कामलोभाभिभूतस्य कथं ते चलिता मतिः
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of the Bharata race you are born in a dynasty that has ever been virtuous. How is it that you have lost your reason, over powered by passion.
पाण्डुरुवाच शत्रूणां या वधे वृत्तिः सा मृगाणां वधे स्मृता राज्ञां मृग न मां मोहात्त्वं गर्हयितुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Pandu said : O deer, kings behave in the matter of killing the animals of your species (deer) as they do in the matter of killing their foes. Therefore, you should not, reprove me out of ignorance.
अच्छद्मनामायया च मृगाणां वध इष्यते स एव धर्मो राज्ञां तु तद्विद्वान्किं नु गर्हसे
M. N. Dutt: Animals of your species are killed by open or covert means. This is the practice of kings. Then why do you reprove me?
अगस्त्यः सत्रमासीनश्चचार मृगयामृषिः आरण्यान्सर्वदैवत्यान्मृगान्प्रोक्ष्य महावने
AI Translation: The sage Agastya, while seated in a sacrificial session, practiced hunting. Having sprinkled all the wild animals, which were divine, in the great forest,
प्रमाणदृष्टधर्मेण कथमस्मान्विगर्हसे अगस्त्यस्याभिचारेण युष्माकं वै वपा हुता
AI Translation: How do you reproach us with the Dharma seen by the means of knowledge? By the sorcery of Agastya, your oblations were offered.
मृग उवाच न रिपून्वै समुद्दिश्य विमुञ्चन्ति पुरा शरान् रन्ध्र एषां विशेषेण वधकालः प्रशस्यते
M. N. Dutt: The deer said : Man do not throw their arrows even at their enemies when they are unprepared. There is a time for doing it; to kill at such a time is not censurable.
Supplementary Passages:
1.109.16 After 16ab, S (except G4) ins.: *1160 न रिपूणां समाधानं परीप्सन्ते पुरातनाः
पाण्डुरुवाच प्रमत्तमप्रमत्तं वा विवृतं घ्नन्ति चौजसा उपायैरिषुभिस्तीक्ष्णैः कस्मान्मृग विगर्हसे
M. N. Dutt: Pandu said: It is well known that men kill deer by various means, without (the least) regard whether they are prepared or unprepared; O deer, you should not, therefore, reprove me.
Supplementary Passages:
1.109.17 After 17, K2 ins.: *1161 मैथुनस्थं महाराज यत्त्वं हन्या(त्) ह्यकारणे
मृग उवाच नाहं घ्नन्तं मृगान्राजन्विगर्हे आत्मकारणात् मैथुनं तु प्रतीक्ष्यं मे स्यात्त्वयेहानृशंसतः
M. N. Dutt: The deer said: O king, I do not blame you, because you have killed a deer, or because you have done me an injury. Instead of doing such a cruel act, you should have waited till the completion of my intercourse.
सर्वभूतहिते काले सर्वभूतेप्सिते तथा को हि विद्वान्मृगं हन्याच्चरन्तं मैथुनं वने पुरुषार्थफलं कान्तं यत्त्वया वितथं कृतम्
M. N. Dutt: The intercourse is agreeable to all creatures; it is productive of good to all. What man of learning is there who kills a deer engage in intercourse in the forest?
Supplementary Passages:
1.109.19 After 19cd, N T2 ins.: *1162 अस्यां मृग्यां च राजेन्द्र हर्षान्मैथुनमाचरम्
पौरवाणामृषीणां च तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम् वंशे जातस्य कौरव्य नानुरूपमिदं तव
M. N. Dutt: O great king, being born in the Puru dynasty, ever famous for its pure acts and being a descendant of the Kuru race, you should not have committed such an act.
नृशंसं कर्म सुमहत्सर्वलोकविगर्हितम् अस्वर्ग्यमयशस्यं च अधर्मिष्ठं च भारत
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of the Bharata race, this act is yours is extremely cruel, it deserves universal excretion, it is infamous and sinful and will certainly lead (you) to hell.
स्त्रीभोगानां विशेषज्ञः शास्त्रधर्मार्थतत्त्ववित् नार्हस्त्वं सुरसंकाश कर्तुमस्वर्ग्यमीदृशम्
M. N. Dutt: You are well acquainted with the pleasure of intercourse; you are also learned in the Shastras and the precepts of religion. You are like a celestial, you should not have committed such an act, unworthy of heaven.
त्वया नृशंसकर्तारः पापाचाराश्च मानवाः निग्राह्याः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ त्रिवर्गपरिवर्जिताः
M. N. Dutt: O best of kings, your duty is to chastise those who act cruelly, who are engaged in sinful practices and who are devoid of the precepts of religion (Dharma, Artha and Kama.)
किं कृतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ निघ्नतो मामनागसम् मुनिं मूलफलाहारं मृगवेषधरं नृप वसमानमरण्येषु नित्यं शमपरायणम्
M. N. Dutt: O best of men, O king, what have I done that you have killed me? I am a Rishi who lives on fruits and roots though in the form of a deer! I live in the forest always being disposed to peace. As you have killed me, I shall certainly curse you.
त्वयाहं हिंसितो यस्मात्तस्मात्त्वामप्यसंशयम् द्वयोर्नृशंसकर्तारमवशं काममोहितम् जीवितान्तकरो भाव एवमेवागमिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Cruel as you have been to a couple, death shall certainly overtake you as soon as you will feel the influence of desire.
अहं हि किंदमो नाम तपसाप्रतिमो मुनिः व्यपत्रपन्मनुष्याणां मृग्यां मैथुनमाचरम्
AI Translation: I am the sage named Kīndama, incomparable in asceticism, I was ashamed of having intercourse with a doe.
मृगो भूत्वा मृगैः सार्धं चरामि गहने वने न तु ते ब्रह्महत्येयं भविष्यत्यविजानतः मृगरूपधरं हत्वा मामेवं काममोहितम्
AI Translation: Having become a deer, I wander with deer in the dense forest. But this killing of a brahmin will not happen for you, who are ignorant. Having killed me, who am in the form of a deer, who am thus deluded by desire,
Supplementary Passages:
1.109.27 After 27ab, G1.2.4 ins.: *1163 गजाश्वमहिषादीनां लज्जा नास्ति चतुष्पदाम् लज्जाशङ्काभीतिहीनं मैथुनं परमं सुखम् तत्सुखं द्विपदां नास्ति विद्यते तच्चतुष्पदाम् नृपाणां मृगया धर्मस्तत्रापि न वधः स्मृतः मैथुनासक्तचित्तस्य मृगद्वन्द्वस्य भूमिप
अस्य तु त्वं फलं मूढ प्राप्स्यसीदृशमेव हि प्रियया सह संवासं प्राप्य कामविमोहितः त्वमप्यस्यामवस्थायां प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: When you will go to your dear one, full of desire as was the case with me, you will, at that time, certainly go to the land of the dead.
अन्तकाले च संवासं यया गन्तासि कान्तया प्रेतराजवशं प्राप्तं सर्वभूतदुरत्ययम् भक्त्या मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ सैव त्वामनुयास्यति
M. N. Dutt: Your wife with whom you will join at your last moments will also go with you with reverence and affection to the ever unavoidable land of the dead.
वर्तमानः सुखे दुःखं यथाहं प्रापितस्त्वया तथा सुखं त्वां संप्राप्तं दुःखमभ्यागमिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: As I have been plunged into grief when I was happy, so you will also be afflicted with grief when in happiness.
वैशंपायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा सुदुःखार्तो जीवितात्स व्ययुज्यत मृगः पाण्डुश्च शोकार्तः क्षणेन समपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : Having said this, the deer, affected with grief, gave up his life; and Pandu also was plunged in grief in a moment.