Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच भगवन्कर्मणा केन सुद्युम्नो वसुधाधिपः संसिद्धिं परमां प्राप्तः श्रोतुमिच्छामि तं नृपम्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O holy sage, by what acts did king Sudyumna gain the highest success? (I wish to hear the king.)
व्यास उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् शङ्खश्च लिखितश्चास्तां भ्रातरौ संयतव्रतौ
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said 'In this matter is also cited this old history. There were two brothers, viz., Shankha and Likhita of rigid vows.
तयोरावसथावास्तां रमणीयौ पृथक्पृथक् नित्यपुष्पफलैर्वृक्षैरुपेतौ बाहुदामनु
M. N. Dutt: The two brothers had two separate beautiful houses. Situate by the bank of the river called Vahuda, both of those houses were decorated with trees always bearing flowers and fruits.
ततः कदाचिल्लिखितः शङ्खस्याश्रममागमत् यदृच्छयापि शङ्खोऽथ निष्क्रान्तोऽभवदाश्रमात्
M. N. Dutt: Once on a time Likhita come to the house of his brother Shankha. At that time, however, Shankha had left his asylum with no fixed purpose.
सोऽभिगम्याश्रमं भ्रातुः शङ्खस्य लिखितस्तदा फलानि शातयामास सम्यक्परिणतान्युत
M. N. Dutt: Arrived at the asylum of his brother, Shankha, Likhita plucked many ripe fruits.
तान्युपादाय विस्रब्धो भक्षयामास स द्विजः तस्मिंश्च भक्षयत्येव शङ्खोऽप्याश्रममागमत्
M. N. Dutt: Getting them the Rishi Likhita began to eat them without feeling any pinch of conscience. While thus eating Shankha returned to his hermitage.
भक्षयन्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा शङ्खो भ्रातरमब्रवीत् कुतः फलान्यवाप्तानि हेतुना केन खादसि
M. N. Dutt: Seeing him eating, Shankha addressed his brother, saying,-Whence have these fruits been got and for why are you eating them?
सोऽब्रवीद्भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठमुपस्पृश्याभिवाद्य च इत एव गृहीतानि मयेति प्रहसन्निव
M. N. Dutt: Approaching his elder brother and saluting him, Likhita smilingly replied, saying,—I have taken them even from this hermitage.
तमब्रवीत्तदा शङ्खस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः स्तेयं त्वया कृतमिदं फलान्याददता स्वयम् गच्छ राजानमासाद्य स्वकर्म प्रथयस्व वै
M. N. Dutt: Filled with great anger, Shankha said to him,—You have committed theft by taking yourself these fruits.
Supplementary Passages:
12.24.9 After 9, B3 (marg.) ins.: *28 लिखितोऽथ तदा गत्वा भ्रातुर्वाक्येन चोदितः सुद्युम्नविषयं राजन्नुवाचेदं सुदुःखितः
अदत्तादानमेवेदं कृतं पार्थिवसत्तम स्तेनं मां त्वं विदित्वा च स्वधर्ममनुपालय शीघ्रं धारय चौरस्य मम दण्डं नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: Knowing me for a thief and following your duty of order, do you punish me O king, like a thief.
इत्युक्तस्तस्य वचनात्सुद्युम्नं वसुधाधिपम् अभ्यगच्छन्महाबाहो लिखितः संशितव्रतः
M. N. Dutt: Thus commanded by his brother, the highly blessed Likhita of rigid vows proceeded to king Sudyumna.
सुद्युम्नस्त्वन्तपालेभ्यः श्रुत्वा लिखितमागतम् अभ्यगच्छत्सहामात्यः पद्भ्यामेव नरेश्वरः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing from his gate-keepers that Likhita had come, king Sudyumna, with his counsellors, went out (for receiving him.)
तमब्रवीत्समागत्य स राजा ब्रह्मवित्तमम् किमागमनमाचक्ष्व भगवन्कृतमेव तत्
AI Translation: The king approached him and said to the best knower of Brahman: "Please tell me the purpose of your visit, O Blessed One. That is all that is to be done.
एवमुक्तः स विप्रर्षिः सुद्युम्नमिदमब्रवीत् प्रतिश्रौषि करिष्येति श्रुत्वा तत्कर्तुमर्हसि
AI Translation: Thus addressed, the brahmin sage said this to Sudyumna: "Having heard, 'I promise to do it,' you should do it."
अनिसृष्टानि गुरुणा फलानि पुरुषर्षभ भक्षितानि मया राजंस्तत्र मां शाधि माचिरम्
AI Translation: O bull among men, the fruits that were not given by the preceptor, I ate them, O king. There, punish me quickly.
सुद्युम्न उवाच प्रमाणं चेन्मतो राजा भवतो दण्डधारणे अनुज्ञायामपि तथा हेतुः स्याद्ब्राह्मणर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men, I ate some fruits that had not given me by my elder brother. Do you, o king, punish me for it forthwith, Sudyumna answered,-If the king be considered to wield the rod of chastisement, he come. should be regarded, O foremost of Brahmanas, as equally competent to pardon.
स भवानभ्यनुज्ञातः शुचिकर्मा महाव्रतः ब्रूहि कामानतोऽन्यांस्त्वं करिष्यामि हि ते वचः
M. N. Dutt: Purged in sin, you of high vows, consider yourself as pardoned. Tell me now what else do you wish. I shall certainly accomplish those your commands.'
व्यास उवाच छन्द्यमानोऽपि ब्रह्मर्षिः पार्थिवेन महात्मना नान्यं वै वरयामास तस्माद्दण्डादृते वरम्
M. N. Dutt: “Thus honoured by the great king, the Rishi Likhita, however, did not ask for any other favour.
ततः स पृथिवीपालो लिखितस्य महात्मनः करौ प्रच्छेदयामास धृतदण्डो जगाम सः
M. N. Dutt: Then that king caused the two hands of the high-souled Likhita to be cut off, whereupon the latter, bearing the punishment, went away.
स गत्वा भ्रातरं शङ्खमार्तरूपोऽब्रवीदिदम् धृतदण्डस्य दुर्भुद्धेर्भगवन्क्षन्तुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Returning to his brother Shankha, Likhita, in great agony said,-'You should now pardon this wretched man who has been duly punished (for what he did)'.
शङ्ख उवाच न कुप्ये तव धर्मज्ञ न च दूषयसे मम धर्मस्तु ते व्यतिक्रान्तस्ततस्ते निष्कृतिः कृता
M. N. Dutt: Shankha said "I am not angry with you nor have you injured me, O foremost of all persons conversant with duties. Your virtue, however, had deteriorated. I have saved you from that plight.
Supplementary Passages:
12.24.21 After 21ab, S ins.: *29 सुनिर्मलं कुलं ब्रह्मन्नस्मिञ्जगति विश्रुतम्
स गत्वा बाहुदां शीघ्रं तर्पयस्व यथाविधि देवान्पितॄनृषींश्चैव मा चाधर्मे मनः कृथाः
M. N. Dutt: Proceed forthwith to the river Vahuda and please duly, with oblations of water, the gods, Rishis, and the Pitris, and never again think of sin.
Supplementary Passages:
12.24.22 After 22, S ins.: *30 ब्रह्महत्यां सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्वङ्गनागमम् महान्ति पातकान्याहुः संयोगं चैव तैः सह न स्तेयसदृशं ब्रह्मन्महापातकमस्त्युत जगत्यस्मिन्महाभाग ब्रह्महत्यासमं हि तत् सर्वपातकिनां ब्रह्मन्दण्डः शारीर उच्यते तस्करस्य विशेषेण नान्यो दण्डो विधीयते ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वापि वैश्यः शूद्रोऽथ वा द्विजः सर्वे कामकृते पापे हन्तव्या न विचारणा राजभिर्धृतदण्डा वै कृत्वा पापानि मानवाः निर्मलाः स्वर्गमायान्ति सन्तः सुकृतिनो यथा उद्धृतं नः कुलं ब्रह्मन्राज्ञा दण्डे धृते त्वयि
व्यास उवाच तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शङ्खस्य लिखितस्तदा अवगाह्यापगां पुण्यामुदकार्थं प्रचक्रमे
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these words of Shankha, Likhita performed his ablutions in the sacred river and began to perform the water-rite.
प्रादुरास्तां ततस्तस्य करौ जलजसंनिभौ ततः स विस्मितो भ्रातुर्दर्शयामास तौ करौ
M. N. Dutt: Thereat, two hands, like two lotuses, appeared at the extremities of his stumps. Stricken with wonder he returned to his brother and showed him the two hands.
ततस्तमब्रवीच्छङ्खस्तपसेदं कृतं मया मा च तेऽत्र विशङ्का भूद्दैवमेव विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: Shankha said All this has been done by me through my penances! Do not be surprised at it. Providence is the instrument here.
लिखित उवाच किं नु नाहं त्वया पूतः पूर्वमेव महाद्युते यस्य ते तपसो वीर्यमीदृशं द्विजसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Likhita answered: O you of great splendour, why did you not purify me at first, when, O best of Rishis, such was the power of your penances?
शङ्ख उवाच एवमेतन्मया कार्यं नाहं दण्डधरस्तव स च पूतो नरपतिस्त्वं चापि पितृभिः सह
M. N. Dutt: Shankha said I should not have acted otherwise. I am not your punisher. The king has been himself purified as also yourself, along with the Pitris.
व्यास उवाच स राजा पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ श्रेष्ठो वै तेन कर्मणा प्राप्तवान्परमां सिद्धिं दक्षः प्राचेतसो यथा
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa said That king, O eldest son of Pandu, became great by this act and obtained the greatest success like the lord Daksha himself.
एष धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां प्रजानां परिपालनम् उत्पथेऽस्मिन्महाराज मा च शोके मनः कृथाः
M. N. Dutt: Such is the duty of Kshatriyas, viz., the ruling of subjects. Any other, O king, would be considered as a wrong path for them. Do not grieve.
भ्रातुरस्य हितं वाक्यं शृणु धर्मज्ञसत्तम दण्ड एव हि राजेन्द्र क्षत्रधर्मो न मुण्डनम्
M. N. Dutt: O best of all persons conversant with duty, listen to the wholesome words of this your brother. Holding the rod of chastisement, O king, is the duty of kings and not the shaving of the head. more