Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् अङ्गेषु राजा द्युतिमान्वसुहोम इति श्रुतः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said “Regarding it is cited the following old story. There was among the Angas a highly effulgent king called Vasuhoma.
स राजा धर्मनित्यः सन्सह पत्न्या महातपाः मुञ्जपृष्ठं जगामाथ देवर्षिगणपूजितम्
M. N. Dutt: That king was always engaged in acts of piety, and accompanied by his wife he always practised the austerest penances. He went to the spot called Munjaprishtha highly respected by the Pitris and the celestial Rishis.
तत्र शृङ्गे हिमवतो मेरौ कनकपर्वते यत्र मुञ्जवटे रामो जटाहरणमादिशत्
M. N. Dutt: There, on that peak of Himavat, near the golden mountain of Meru. Rama, sitting under the shade of a well-known banian, had tied his matted locks together.
तदाप्रभृति राजेन्द्र ऋषिभिः संशितव्रतैः मुञ्जपृष्ठ इति प्रोक्तः स देशो रुद्रसेवितः
M. N. Dutt: From that time, O king, the spot, which is a favourite resort of Rudra, passed by the naine of Munjaprishtha among Rishis of rigid vows.
स तत्र बहुभिर्युक्तः सदा श्रुतिमयैर्गुणैः ब्राह्मणानामनुमतो देवर्षिसदृशोऽभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Living there, king Vasuhoma acquired many pious attributes and, having gained the regard of the Brahmanas, came to be regarded as a celestial Rishi in holiness.
तं कदाचिददीनात्मा सखा शक्रस्य मानितः अभ्यागच्छन्महीपालो मान्धाता शत्रुकर्शनः
M. N. Dutt: One day, that grinder of enemies, that friend of Shakra, viz., king Mandhata of great soul, came to Vasuhoma on his mountain retreat.
सोऽभिसृत्य तु मान्धाता वसुहोमं नराधिपम् दृष्ट्वा प्रकृष्टं तपसा विनयेनाभ्यतिष्ठत
M. N. Dutt: Arrived there, and seeing king Vasuhoma of austere penances, stood humbly before the latter.
वसुहोमोऽपि राज्ञो वै गामर्घ्यं च न्यवेदयत् अष्टाङ्गस्य च राज्यस्य पप्रच्छ कुशलं तदा
M. N. Dutt: Vasuhoma offered his guest water to wash his feet, and the Arghya consisting of the usual articles, and enquired of him about the wellbeing or otherwise of his kingdom consisting of seven limbs.
सद्भिराचरितं पूर्वं यथावदनुयायिनम् अपृच्छद्वसुहोमस्तं राजन्किं करवाणि ते
M. N. Dutt: After this, Vasuhoma addressed his royal guest who strictly followed the conduct of the righteous men of old, saying,-What, О king, shall I do for you.
सोऽब्रवीत्परमप्रीतो मान्धाता राजसत्तमम् वसुहोमं महाप्राज्ञमासीनं कुरुनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed, O delighter of the Kurus, Mandhatri, that best of kings, highly pleased, answered the greatly wise Vasuhoma seated at his ease, in the following words.
बृहस्पतेर्मतं राजन्नधीतं सकलं त्वया तथैवौशनसं शास्त्रं विज्ञातं ते नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: Mandhatri said You have, O king, studied all the doctrines of Brihaspati! O best of men, you know also the doctrines laid down by Ushanas.
तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि दण्ड उत्पद्यते कथम् किं वापि पूर्वं जागर्ति किं वा परममुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: I wish to know what is the origin of Punishment? What also is said to be its end?
कथं क्षत्रियसंस्थश्च दण्डः संप्रत्यवस्थितः ब्रूहि मे सुमहाप्राज्ञ ददाम्याचार्यवेतनम्
M. N. Dutt: How Came Punishment to depend upon the Kshatriya? Tell me all this, O you of great wisdom. I approach you as a disciple ready to give you the tuition fee.
वसुहोम उवाच शृणु राजन्यथा दण्डः संभूतो लोकसंग्रहः प्रजाविनयरक्षार्थं धर्मस्यात्मा सनातनः
M. N. Dutt: Vasuhoma said Listen, O king, as to how Punishment, that upholder of the world, sprang up. It is the soul of righteousness, and eternal, and was created for preserving the proper government of all creatures.
ब्रह्मा यियक्षुर्भगवान्सर्वलोकपितामहः ऋत्विजं नात्मना तुल्यं ददर्शेति हि नः श्रुतम्
M. N. Dutt: We have heard that once upon a time, the Grandfather of all the worlds, viz., the divine Brahmana, desiring to celebrate a sacrifice, could not find a priest equally qualified like himself.
स गर्भं शिरसा देवो वर्षपूगानधारयत् पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु स गर्भः क्षुवतोऽपतत्
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, he once conceived in his brain and held the foetus there for many long years. After a thousand years, the great god sneezed. In that act, the foetus dropped from his head.
स क्षुपो नाम संभूतः प्रजापतिररिंदम ऋत्विगासीत्तदा राजन्यज्ञे तस्य महात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: The divine being, O chastiser of foes, who was thus born from Brahman passed by the name of Kshupa. Highly powerful be became a lord of creatures. That Kshupa officiated as priest, O king, in the sacrifice of the highsouled Grandfather.
तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते सत्रे तु ब्रह्मणः पार्थिवर्षभ हृष्टरूपप्रचारत्वाद्दण्डः सोऽन्तर्हितोऽभवत्
M. N. Dutt: Upon the commencement of that sacrifice, of Brahman, O best of kings, punishment disappeared on account of the visible form that the Grandfather was then obliged to assume.
तस्मिन्नन्तर्हिते चाथ प्रजानां संकरोऽभवत् नैव कार्यं न चाकार्यं भोज्याभोज्यं न विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: Punishment having disappeared, a great confusion arose among all creatures. There was no longer any distinction between what should be done and what should not. All difference, again, between clean and unclean food disappeared.
पेयापेयं कुतः सिद्धिर्हिंसन्ति च परस्परम् गम्यागम्यं तदा नासीत्परस्वं स्वं च वै समम्
M. N. Dutt: Men could not distinguish between what drink was allowable and what drink was not. All creatures began to injure one another. There were no restraints about the union of the sexes. All idea of property disappeared.
परस्परं विलुम्पन्ते सारमेया इवामिषम् अबलं बलिनो जघ्नुर्निर्मर्यादमवर्तत
M. N. Dutt: All creatures began to rob, snatching meat from one another. The strong began to kill the weak. Nobody cared the least for his neighbour.
ततः पितामहो विष्णुं भगवन्तं सनातनम् संपूज्य वरदं देवं महादेवमथाब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Then the grandfather, having worshipped the eternal Lord Vishnu, having worshipped the bestower of boons, the great god, said to him,
अत्र साध्वनुकम्पां वै कर्तुमर्हसि केवलम् संकरो न भवेदत्र यथा वै तद्विधीयताम्
AI Translation: Here, you should only be kind and compassionate. Please arrange it so that there is no confusion here.
Supplementary Passages:
12.122.23 After 23ab, D7 S (G3 missing) Cv ins.: *279 अयं विष्णुः सखा तुभ्यं धर्मस्य परिरक्षणे त्वं हि सर्वविधानज्ञः सत्त्वानां त्वं गतिः परा
ततः स भगवान्ध्यात्वा चिरं शूलजटाधरः आत्मानमात्मना दण्डमसृजद्देवसत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed, that foremost of gods, armed with an enormous Shula, thinking for some time, converted his ownself into the form of Punishment.
Supplementary Passages:
12.122.24 After 24ab, D7 S (G3 missing) Cv ins.: *280 देवदेवो महादेवः कारणं जगतः परम् ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रसहितः सर्वैश्च स सुरासुरैः लोकसंधारणार्थं च लोकसंकरनाशनम्
तस्माच्च धर्मचरणां नीतिं देवीं सरस्वतीम् असृजद्दण्डनीतिः सा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता
M. N. Dutt: From that form, having Righteousness for its legs, the goddess Sarasvati created Dandaniti (Science of Punishment) which very soon became celebrated all over the world.
भूयः स भगवान्ध्यात्वा चिरं शूलवरायुधः तस्य तस्य निकायस्य चकारैकैकमीशरम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereafter the great god armed with a huge Shula, having again reflected for sometime, appointed a few among the gods as the rulers of their respective classes.
देवानामीश्वरं चक्रे देवं दशशतेक्षणम् यमं वैवस्वतं चापि पितॄणामकरोत्पतिम्
M. N. Dutt: It was then that he made the divine Indra of a thousand eyes the king of gods. Yama the son of Vivasvat was made the lord of the departed manes.
धनानां रक्षसां चापि कुबेरमपि चेश्वरम् पर्वतानां पतिं मेरुं सरितां च महोदधिम्
M. N. Dutt: Kubera was made the lord of riches and of all the Rakshasas. Meru was made the king of the mountains, and Oceans was made the lord of the rivers.
अपां राज्ये सुराणां च विदधे वरुणं प्रभुम् मृत्युं प्राणेश्वरमथो तेजसां च हुताशनम्
M. N. Dutt: The powerful Varuna was made the lord of the waters and of the Asuras. Death was made the lord of life and of all living creatures, and Fire was made the chief of all things possessed of energy.
रुद्राणामपि चेशानं गोप्तारं विदधे प्रभुः महात्मानं महादेवं विशालाक्षं सनातनम्
M. N. Dutt: The powerful Ishana the great and eternal Mahadeva, of three eyes, was made the king of the Rudras.
Supplementary Passages:
12.122.30 After 30, D7 S (G3 missing) ins.: *281 दश चैकं च ये रुद्रास्तस्यैते मूर्तिसंभवाः नानारूपधरो देवः स एव भगवाञ्शिवः
वसिष्ठमीशं विप्राणां वसूनां जातवेदसम् तेजसां भास्करं चक्रे नक्षत्राणां निशाकरम्
M. N. Dutt: Vashishtha was made the king of the Brahmanas, and Jatavedas was made the chief of the Vasus. Surya was made the lord of all luminous bodies and Chandramas was made the lord of Stars and constellations,
वीरुधामंशुमन्तं च भूतानां च प्रभुं वरम् कुमारं द्वादशभुजं स्कन्दं राजानमादिशत्
M. N. Dutt: Anshumat was made the chief of all herbs, and the powerful and foremost of deities, viz., Kumara or Skanda, having twelve arms, was made the lord of all the spirits and ghosts.
कालं सर्वेशमकरोत्संहारविनयात्मकम् मृत्योश्चतुर्विभागस्य दुःखस्य च सुखस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Time, containing the seeds of both origin and destruction was made the lord of all creatures, as also of the four parts of Death viz., weapons, diseases, Yama, and acts, and, lastly of grief and joy.
ईश्वरः सर्वदेहस्तु राजराजो धनाधिपः सर्वेषामेव रुद्राणां शूलपाणिरिति श्रुतिः
M. N. Dutt: The Shrutis say that the great god Mahadeva, the lord of lords, O king, armed with Shula, is the lord of the Rudras.
Supplementary Passages:
12.122.34 After 34, D7 S (G3 missing) ins.: *282 ईश्वरश्चेतनः कर्ता पुरुषः कारणं शिवः विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा शशी सूर्यः शक्रो देवाश्च सान्वयाः ज्ञानात्मकः शिवो ह्येव एतेषामपि कारणम् सृजते ग्रसते चैव तमोभूतमिदं यथा अप्रज्ञातं जगत्सर्वं तदा ह्येको महेश्वरः
तमेकं ब्रह्मणः पुत्रमनुजातं क्षुपं ददौ प्रजानामधिपं श्रेष्ठं सर्वधर्मभृतामपि
M. N. Dutt: The rod of punishment was given to Brahmana's latest-born son, viz., Kshupa, the lord of all creatures and the foremost of the virtuous.
महादेवस्ततस्तस्मिन्वृत्ते यज्ञे यथाविधि दण्डं धर्मस्य गोप्तारं विष्णवे सत्कृतं ददौ
M. N. Dutt: Upon the completion of that sacrifice according to due rites, Mahadeva after making proper reverence handed over Punishment, that protector of Righteousness, to Vishnu.
विष्णुरङ्गिरसे प्रादादङ्गिरा मुनिसत्तमः प्रादादिन्द्रमरीचिभ्यां मरीचिर्भृगवे ददौ
M. N. Dutt: Vishnu gave it to Angiras, and Angiras, that foremost of ascetics, handed it over to Indra and Marichi. Marichi gave it to Bhrigu.
भृगुर्ददावृषिभ्यस्तु तं दण्डं धर्मसंहितम् ऋषयो लोकपालेभ्यो लोकपालाः क्षुपाय च
M. N. Dutt: Bhrigu gave that rod intended for the protection of righteousness to all the Rishis. The Rishis gave it to the Regents of the quarters, and the Regents made it over again to Kshupa.
क्षुपस्तु मनवे प्रादादादित्यतनयाय च पुत्रेभ्यः श्राद्धदेवस्तु सूक्ष्मधर्मार्थकारणात् तं ददौ सूर्यपुत्रस्तु मनुर्वै रक्षणात्मकम्
M. N. Dutt: Kshupa then handed it over to Manu the son of Surya. The god of Shraddhas (viz., Manu), gave it to his sons for the sake of true righteousness and riches.
विभज्य दण्डः कर्तव्यो धर्मेण न यदृच्छया दुर्वाचा निग्रहो बन्धो हिरण्यं बाह्यतःक्रिया
M. N. Dutt: Punishment should be meted out with discrimination, guided by righteousness and not by caprice. It is intended for checking the wicked. Fines and confiscation are intended for creating terror, and not for replenishing the king's treasury.
व्यङ्गत्वं च शरीरस्य वधो वा नाल्पकारणात् शरीरपीडास्तास्तास्तु देहत्यागो विवासनम्
M. N. Dutt: The wounding of one's body or the infliction of death should not be made for trivial causes. The infliction of physical pain by various means, hurling from tops of mountains, and punishment also, should not be guided by similar causes.
आनुपूर्व्या च दण्डोऽसौ प्रजा जागर्ति पालयन् इन्द्रो जागर्ति भगवानिन्द्रादग्निर्विभावसुः
AI Translation: And the rod, in due order, protects the subjects, keeping awake. Indra keeps awake, the blessed one, from Indra Agni, the illuminator.
अग्नेर्जागर्ति वरुणो वरुणाच्च प्रजापतिः प्रजापतेस्ततो धर्मो जागर्ति विनयात्मकः
AI Translation: Varuna watches over Agni, and Prajapati over Varuna, and from Prajapati Dharma, the embodiment of discipline, watches.
धर्माच्च ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो व्यवसायः सनातनः व्यवसायात्ततस्तेजो जागर्ति परिपालयन्
AI Translation: From Dharma, the eternal son of Brahma, came Vyasa. From Vyasa came Tejas, who watches over and protects.
ओषध्यस्तेजसस्तस्मादोषधिभ्यश्च पर्वताः पर्वतेभ्यश्च जागर्ति रसो रसगुणात्तथा
AI Translation: From the herbs comes the power, and from the herbs the mountains. From the mountains comes the watchful essence, and from the essence the quality of essence.
जागर्ति निरृतिर्देवी ज्योतींषि निरृतेरपि वेदाः प्रतिष्ठा ज्योतिर्भ्यस्ततो हयशिराः प्रभुः
AI Translation: The goddess Nirriti is awake, and the luminaries are also of Nirriti. The Vedas are the foundation of the luminaries, and from them the lord Hayashira.
ब्रह्मा पितामहस्तस्माज्जागर्ति प्रभुरव्ययः पितामहान्महादेवो जागर्ति भगवाञ्शिवः
AI Translation: From him, the grandfather Brahma, the imperishable lord, watches over. From the grandfather, the great god Shiva, the blessed one watches over.
विश्वेदेवाः शिवाच्चापि विश्वेभ्यश्च तथर्षयः ऋषिभ्यो भगवान्सोमः सोमाद्देवाः सनातनाः
AI Translation: The Viśvedevas from Śiva, and the sages from the Viśvedevas, The sages from the Viśvedevas, and the eternal gods from Soma.
देवेभ्यो ब्राह्मणा लोके जाग्रतीत्युपधारय ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च राजन्या लोकान्रक्षन्ति धर्मतः स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव क्षत्रियेभ्यः सनातनम्
M. N. Dutt: After the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas are piously protecting all creatures. The universe, consisting of mobile and immobile creatures, is kept awake by the Kshatriyas.
प्रजा जाग्रति लोकेऽस्मिन्दण्डो जागर्ति तासु च सर्वसंक्षेपको दण्डः पितामहसमः प्रभुः
M. N. Dutt: Creatures are kept awake in this world, and Punishment is awake is among them. Effulgent like the Grandfather himself, Punishment keeps together and maintains everything.
जागर्ति कालः पूर्वं च मध्ये चान्ते च भारत ईश्वरः सर्वलोकस्य महादेवः प्रजापतिः
AI Translation: O descendant of Bharata, Time is awake before, in the middle, and at the end. The Lord, the great god, the creator of all beings,
देवदेवः शिवः शर्वो जागर्ति सततं प्रभुः कपर्दी शंकरो रुद्रो भवः स्थाणुरुमापतिः
AI Translation: The Lord of the gods, Śiva, Śarva, the Lord, is always awake. The matted-haired one, Śaṅkara, Rudra, Bhava, Sthāṇu, the Lord of Umā,
इत्येष दण्डो विख्यात आदौ मध्ये तथावरे भूमिपालो यथान्यायं वर्तेतानेन धर्मवित्
M. N. Dutt: Thus Punishment also keeps awake in the beginning, the middle and the end. A virtuous king should duly rule, guided by Punishment.
भीष्म उवाच इतीदं वसुहोमस्य शृणुयाद्यो मतं नरः श्रुत्वा च सम्यग्वर्तेत स कामानाप्नुयान्नृपः
M. N. Dutt: The person who listens to this teaching of Vasuhoma, and having listened to it behaves according to its trend, is sure to acquire the fruition of all his desires.
इति ते सर्वमाख्यातं यो दण्डो मनुजर्षभ नियन्ता सर्वलोकस्य धर्माक्रान्तस्य भारत
M. N. Dutt: I have now, O foremost of men, told you everything as to who punishment is, that restrainer of the universe which is governed by righteousness.
Supplementary Passages:
12.122.55 After 55, D7 S (G3 missing) ins.: *283 वसुहोमाच्छ्रुतं राज्ञा मान्धात्रा भूभृता पुरा मयापि कथितं पुण्यमाख्यानं प्रथितं तथा