Critical Edition
अर्जुन उवाच राज्ञा कल्माषपादेन गुरौ ब्रह्मविदां वरे कारणं किं पुरस्कृत्य भार्या वै संनियोजिता
M. N. Dutt: Arjuna said : Why did the king Kalmashapada command his to do to his preceptor, that foremost of all men learned in the Vedas?
Supplementary Passages:
1.173.1 Before arjunaḥ, T1 G2-4 ins.: *1795 गन्धर्वः पुनश्चैव महातेजा विश्वामित्रजिघांसया अग्निं संभृतवान्घोरं शाक्तेयः सुमहातपाः वासिष्ठसंभृतश्चाग्निर्विश्वामित्रहितैषिणा तेजसा वह्नितुल्येन ग्रस्तः स्कन्देन धीमता
जानता च परं धर्मं लोक्यं तेन महात्मना अगम्यागमनं कस्माद्वसिष्ठेन महात्मना कृतं तेन पुरा सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि पृच्छतः
AI Translation: And by him, the great-souled one, the highest Dharma was known, which is the basis of the world. Why did the great-souled Vashishtha commit the sin
Supplementary Passages:
1.173.2 After 2cd, N T1 G1-3 ins.: *1796 अधर्मिष्ठं वसिष्ठेन कृतं चापि पुरा सखे T1 G2.3 cont.: *1797 तत्र मे संशयो जातः कार्याकार्यविनिश्चये
गन्धर्व उवाच धनंजय निबोधेदं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि वसिष्ठं प्रति दुर्धर्षं तथामित्रसहं नृपम्
M. N. Dutt: The Gandharva said : O Dhananjaya, O irrepressible hero, listen to me as I answer the question you have asked me in respect of Vasishtha and that chastiser of foes the king (Kalmashapada).
कथितं ते मया पूर्वं यथा शप्तः स पार्थिवः शक्तिना भरतश्रेष्ठ वासिष्ठेन महात्मना
M. N. Dutt: O best of the Bharata race, I have told you how the king Kalmashapada was cursed by Shakti, the illustrious son of Vasishtha.
स तु शापवशं प्राप्तः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः निर्जगाम पुराद्राजा सहदारः परंतपः
M. N. Dutt: Thus coming under the influence of that curse, that chastiser of foes, the king with his eyes whirling in anger came out of the city with his wife.
अरण्यं निर्जनं गत्वा सदारः परिचक्रमे नानामृगगणाकीर्णं नानासत्त्वसमाकुलम्
AI Translation: Having gone to the forest, to the uninhabited place, he wandered with his wife, Filled with herds of various animals, filled with various beings,
नानागुल्मलताच्छन्नं नानाद्रुमसमावृतम् अरण्यं घोरसंनादं शापग्रस्तः परिभ्रमन्
AI Translation: Covered with various bushes and creepers, surrounded by various trees, Wandering in the forest with a terrible roar, seized by a curse,
स कदाचित्क्षुधाविष्टो मृगयन्भक्षमात्मनः ददर्श सुपरिक्लिष्टः कस्मिंश्चिद्वननिर्झरे ब्राह्मणीं ब्राह्मणं चैव मैथुनायोपसंगतौ
M. N. Dutt: One day becoming very much oppressed with exceeding hunger, he searched for some food. He saw in a certain solitary wood.
तौ समीक्ष्य तु वित्रस्तावकृतार्थौ प्रधावितौ तयोश्च द्रवतोर्विप्रं जगृहे नृपतिर्बलात्
AI Translation: Seeing them, the two were frightened and fled, having accomplished their purpose. And of those two fleeing, the king forcibly seized the brahmin.
दृष्ट्वा गृहीतं भर्तारमथ ब्राह्मण्यभाषत शृणु राजन्वचो मह्यं यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि सुव्रत
AI Translation: Seeing her husband seized, the brahmin woman spoke: "Listen to my words, O king, O one of good vows, what I shall tell you:
आदित्यवंशप्रभवस्त्वं हि लोकपरिश्रुतः अप्रमत्तः स्थितो धर्मे गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः
AI Translation: You are born in the solar dynasty, renowned throughout the world, Devoted to the practice of Dharma, engaged in serving your elders.
Supplementary Passages:
1.173.11 After 11, D4 marg. sec. m. ins.: *1798 वैष्णवोऽसि महीपाल रविवंशविवर्धन येन त्वया पुरा विष्णुस्तोषितः शुभकर्मणा आत्मनं तृणवत्कृत्वा जीवितं हरयेऽर्पितम् तदासि रक्षितस्त्वं वै विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना
शापं प्राप्तोऽसि दुर्धर्ष न पापं कर्तुमर्हसि ऋतुकाले तु संप्राप्ते भर्त्रास्म्यद्य समागता
AI Translation: You have received a curse, O invincible one, you should not do evil. But when the time of my season has come, I have come to my husband today.
अकृतार्था ह्यहं भर्त्रा प्रसवार्थश्च मे महान् प्रसीद नृपतिश्रेष्ठ भर्ता मेऽयं विसृज्यताम्
AI Translation: My husband has not fulfilled his purpose, and I am pregnant. Be gracious, best of kings, and let my husband be released.
एवं विक्रोशमानायास्तस्याः स सुनृशंसकृत् भर्तारं भक्षयामास व्याघ्रो मृगमिवेप्सितम्
AI Translation: Thus, while she was crying out like this, that cruel one ate her husband, like a tiger eats a deer, which it desires.
तस्याः क्रोधाभिभूताया यदश्रु न्यपतद्भुवि सोऽग्निः समभवद्दीप्तस्तं च देशं व्यदीपयत्
AI Translation: The tears that fell on the ground from her who was overcome by anger became a blazing fire and illuminated that place.
ततः सा शोकसंतप्ता भर्तृव्यसनदुःखिता कल्माषपादं राजर्षिमशपद्ब्राह्मणी रुषा
AI Translation: Then, afflicted with grief and sorrow over her husband's misfortune, the Brahmin woman angrily cursed King Kalmashapada:
यस्मान्ममाकृतार्थायास्त्वया क्षुद्र नृशंसवत् प्रेक्षन्त्या भक्षितो मेऽद्य प्रभुर्भर्ता महायशाः
AI Translation: O cruel one, you have eaten my lord, my husband of great fame, while I was looking on, though I was of no use to you.
तस्मात्त्वमपि दुर्बुद्धे मच्छापपरिविक्षतः पत्नीमृतावनुप्राप्य सद्यस्त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितम्
AI Translation: Therefore, you, who are of evil mind, will be afflicted by my curse, and having obtained a wife who is dead, will immediately give up your life.
Supplementary Passages:
1.173.18 After 18, D4 (marg. sec. m.) T2 G4 (marg.).5 ins.: *1799 तेन प्रसाद्यमाना सा प्रसादमकरोत्तदा
यस्य चर्षेर्वसिष्ठस्य त्वया पुत्रा विनाशिताः तेन संगम्य ते भार्या तनयं जनयिष्यति स ते वंशकरः पुत्रो भविष्यति नृपाधम
M. N. Dutt: Will unite himself with your wife to beget a son . O worst of kings, that son will be the perpetuator of your race.
एवं शप्त्वा तु राजानं सा तमाङ्गिरसी शुभा तस्यैव संनिधौ दीप्तं प्रविवेश हुताशनम्
M. N. Dutt: Having thus cursed him, that blessed lady of the Angirasa race entered the blazing fire in his very presence.
वसिष्ठश्च महाभागः सर्वमेतदपश्यत ज्ञानयोगेन महता तपसा च परंतप
M. N. Dutt: O chastiser of foes, the illustrious Vasishtha immediately know all this by his great asceticism and spiritual sight.
Supplementary Passages:
1.173.21 After 21, K0.2 ins.: *1800 न चाप्यत्र महाबाहो अधर्मः प्रतिपद्यते ब्राह्मणो यदपत्यं हि प्रार्थितः संप्रयच्छति यदा तु कामतो गच्छेत्परनारीं नरो नृप तदास्य परदारोक्तमधर्मस्य फलं भवेत् अपकल्कस्तु राजेन्द्र निस्तीर्यैतद्द्विजोत्तमः नान्यतो भरतश्रेष्ठ स हि लोकगुरुर्यतः
मुक्तशापश्च राजर्षिः कालेन महता ततः ऋतुकालेऽभिपतितो मदयन्त्या निवारितः
M. N. Dutt: After long time the royal sage (Kalmashapada) became freed from the curse. And (then one day) he went to his wife Madayanti in her season, but she prevented him.
न हि सस्मार नृपतिस्तं शापं शापमोहितः देव्याः सोऽथ वचः श्रुत्वा स तस्या नृपसत्तमः तं च शापमनुस्मृत्य पर्यतप्यद्भृशं तदा
AI Translation: The king did not remember that curse, being deluded by the curse. Then, having heard the words of the queen, that best of kings and remembering that curse, was greatly afflicted.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजा वसिष्ठं संन्ययोजयत् स्वदारे भरतश्रेष्ठ शापदोषसमन्वितः
M. N. Dutt: O best of kings, recollecting the curse, he was very sorry for what he had done. It was for this reason and on account of the Brahmani's curse the king appointed Vasishtha to beget a son on his wife.
Supplementary Passages:
1.173.24 After 24, D4 (marg. sec. m.) T2 G2.5.6 (om. line 5) ins.: *1801 यदा कल्माषपादस्तु राक्षसत्वमवाप सः तदा वसिष्ठः कुरुणा यज्ञार्थे संवृतोऽभवत् यदा कल्माषपादस्तु राक्षसत्वं विसृष्टवान् तदा तेनैव राज्ञा तु वसिष्ठः संवृतोऽभवत् एवं वसिष्ठो युष्माकं पुरोधाः संवृतोऽभवत्