Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् संवादं भरतश्रेष्ठ शल्मलेः पवनस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said-'Regarding it is cited, O chief of the Bharatas, the old discourse between Shalmali and Pavana.
Supplementary Passages:
12.150 Before the ref., K3-5 V1 B Da Dn1.n3 D2-5.8 ins.: *397 युधिष्ठिर उवाच बलिनः प्रत्यमित्रस्य नित्यमासन्नवर्तिनः उपकारापकाराभ्यां समर्थस्योद्यतस्य च मोहाद्विकत्थनामात्रैरसारोऽल्पबलो लघुः वाग्भिरप्रतिरूपाभिरभिद्रुह्य पितामह आत्मनो बलमास्थाय कथं वर्तेत मानवः आगच्छतोऽतिक्रुद्धस्य तस्योद्धरणकाम्यया
हिमवन्तं समासाद्य महानासीद्वनस्पतिः वर्षपूगाभिसंवृद्धः शाखास्कन्धपलाशवान्
M. N. Dutt: There was a huge (Shalmali) tree on one of the peaks of Himavat. Having grown for many hundred years, he had spread out his branches wide around. His trunk also was huge and his twigs and leaves were numberless.
तत्र स्म मत्ता मातङ्गा धर्मार्ताः श्रमकर्शिताः विश्रमन्ति महाबाहो तथान्या मृगजातयः
M. N. Dutt: Under his shade elephants, exhausted and covered with temporal juice and sweat, used to rest, and as also many other animals.
Supplementary Passages:
12.150.3 After 3ab, D4 ins.: *398 या वराहमृगशार्दूलपतत्रिगणसंकुलाः
नल्वमात्रपरीणाहो घनच्छायो वनस्पतिः शुकशारिकसंघुष्टः फलवान्पुष्पवानपि
M. N. Dutt: The circumference of his trunk was four hundred cubits, and the shade of his branches and leaves was dense. Laden with flowers and fruits, it was the abode of numberless parrots male and female.
Supplementary Passages:
12.150.4 After 4, D9 ins.: *399 तं कदाचिन्मुनिर्दृष्ट्वा नारदो विस्मितोऽब्रवीत् धन्यस्त्वमेक एवासि शाल्मले वायुवल्लभः
सार्थिका वणिजश्चापि तापसाश्च वनौकसः वसन्ति वासान्मार्गस्थाः सुरम्ये तरुसत्तमे
M. N. Dutt: While travelling, caravans of merchants and traders, and ascetics living in the forest, used to rest under the shade of that charming king of the forest.
तस्या ता विपुलाः शाखा दृष्ट्वा स्कन्धांश्च सर्वतः अभिगम्याब्रवीदेनं नारदो भरतर्षभ
AI Translation: Seeing her great branches and trunks all around, Nārada approached her and said to her, O bull among the Bharatas:
अहो नु रमणीयस्त्वमहो चासि मनोरमः प्रीयामहे त्वया नित्यं तरुप्रवर शल्मले
AI Translation: O you who are so delightful, O you who are so charming, We always delight in you, O best of trees, O śalmali.
सदैव शकुनास्तात मृगाश्चाधस्तथा गजाः वसन्ति तव संहृष्टा मनोहरतरास्तथा
M. N. Dutt: O charming tree, beautiful birds of various kinds, and elephants and other animals gladly live on your branches and under their shade.
तव शाखा महाशाख स्कन्धं च विपुलं तथा न वै प्रभग्नान्पश्यामि मारुतेन कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Your branches, O wide-branched king of the forest, are lofty and majestic as huge is your trunk! I never see any of them broken by the god of wind.
Supplementary Passages:
12.150.9 After 9 M2 ins. *400 सर्वावासस्य सद्भावात्सौहृदाच्चाभिरक्षति
किं नु ते मारुतस्तात प्रीतिमानथ वा सुहृत् त्वां रक्षति सदा येन वनेऽस्मिन्पवनो ध्रुवम्
M. N. Dutt: Is it, O child, because that Wind-god is pleased with you and is your friend so that he protects you always in these woods?
विवान्हि पवनः स्थानाद्वृक्षानुच्चावचानपि पर्वतानां च शिखराण्याचालयति वेगवान्
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious Pavana of great speed and force unfixes the tallest and strongest trees, and even mountain summits.
शोषयत्येव पातालं विवान्गन्धवहः शुचिः ह्रदांश्च सरितश्चैव सागरांश्च तथैव ह
M. N. Dutt: That sacred carrier of perfumes, blowing at his pleasure dries up rivers, lakes and seas, including the very nether region.
त्वां संरक्षेत पवनः सखित्वेन न संशयः तस्माद्बहलशाखोऽसि पर्णवान्पुष्पवानपि
M. N. Dutt: Forsooth, Pavana protects you out of friendship. It is, therefore, that, though possessed of numberless branches, you have still leaves and flowers.
इदं च रमणीयं ते प्रतिभाति वनस्पते यदिमे विहगास्तात रमन्ते मुदितास्त्वयि
M. N. Dutt: O king of the forest, this your hue is delightful since these birds, O child, filled with joy, sport on your twigs and branches.
एषां पृथक्समस्तानां श्रूयते मधुरः स्वरः पुष्पसंमोदने काले वाशतां सुमनोहरम्
M. N. Dutt: When you put forth your blossoms, the sweet notes of all these dwellers of your branches are heard separately when they sing their melodious songs.
तथेमे मुदिता नागाः स्वयूथकुलशोभिनः घर्मार्तास्त्वां समासाद्य सुखं विन्दन्ति शल्मले
M. N. Dutt: Again, O Shalmali, these most beautiful elephants, bathed in sweat and indulging in cries (of joy), approach you and enjoy happiness here.
तथैव मृगजातीभिरन्याभिरुपशोभसे तथा सार्थाधिवासैश्च शोभसे मेरुवद्द्रुम
M. N. Dutt: Similarly various other animals living in the woods, also adorn you. Indeed, O tree, you appear beautiful even like the mountains of Meru, peopled by all creatures.
ब्राह्मणैश्च तपःसिद्धैस्तापसैः श्रमणैरपि त्रिविष्टपसमं मन्ये तवायतनमेव ह
M. N. Dutt: Resorted to also by Brahmanas endued with ascetic success, by others engaged in penances, and by Yatis devoted to meditation this your region, I think, is like the celestial region itself.
बन्धुत्वादथ वा सख्याच्छल्मले नात्र संशयः पालयत्येव सततं भीमः सर्वत्रगोऽनिलः
M. N. Dutt: Narada said Forsooth, O Shalmali, the dreadful and irresistible god of wind always protects you friendliness.
न्यग्भावं परमं वायोः शल्मले त्वमुपागतः तवाहमस्मीति सदा येन रक्षति मारुतः
M. N. Dutt: It seems, O Shalmali, that a close intimacy exists between you and the Wind. It seems, you have said him these words, viz.,-I. am yours-and it is, therefore, that the Wind-god protects you.
न तं पश्याम्यहं वृक्षं पर्वतं वापि तं दृढम् यो न वायुबलाद्भग्नः पृथिव्यामिति मे मतिः
M. N. Dutt: I do not see the tree or mountain or palace in this world which may not, I think, be broken by the Wind.
त्वं पुनः कारणैर्नूनं शल्मले रक्ष्यसे सदा वायुना सपरीवारस्तेन तिष्ठस्यसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: Forsooth, you stand here with all your branches and twigs and leaves, simply because, O Shalmali, you are protected by the Wind for some reason or reasons (unknown to us)!
शल्मलिरुवाच न मे वायुः सखा ब्रह्मन्न बन्धुर्न च मे सुहृत् परमेष्ठी तथा नैव येन रक्षति मानिलः
M. N. Dutt: The Wind, O twice-born one, is either my friend nor companion nor well-wisher. Nor is he iny great Creator that he should protect me.
मम तेजोबलं वायोर्भीममपि हि नारद कलामष्टादशीं प्राणैर्न मे प्राप्नोति मारुतः
M. N. Dutt: My terrific energy and power, O Narada, are the greater than the Wind's. In sooth, the strength of the Wind is only an eighteenth part of mine.
आगच्छन्परमो वायुर्मया विष्टम्भितो बलात् रुजन्द्रुमान्पर्वतांश्च यच्चान्यदपि किंचन
M. N. Dutt: When the Wind blows fearfully, tearing up trees and mountains and other things, I abate his strength by displaying mine.
स मया बहुशो भग्नः प्रभञ्जन्वै प्रभञ्जनः तस्मान्न बिभ्ये देवर्षे क्रुद्धादपि समीरणात्
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, the Wind that breaks many things has himself been again and agair broken by me. Therefore, O celestial Rishi, I am not afraid of him even when he comes in fury.
नारद उवाच शल्मले विपरीतं ते दर्शनं नात्र संशयः न हि वायोर्बलेनास्ति भूतं तुल्यबलं क्वचित्
M. N. Dutt: Narada said-O Shalmali, what you think seems to be quite the reverse of truth. There is no doubt in this. There is no created thing which is so strong as the Wind.
इन्द्रो यमो वैश्रवणो वरुणश्च जलेश्वरः न तेऽपि तुल्या मरुतः किं पुनस्त्वं वनस्पते
M. N. Dutt: Even Indra, Yama, Vaishravana, of Varuna the king of the waters, is not equal to the god of wind in might. What to speak of you who are only a tree.
यद्धि किंचिदिह प्राणि शल्मले चेष्टते भुवि सर्वत्र भगवान्वायुश्चेष्टाप्राणकरः प्रभुः
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious Wind-god is always the root of all the acts of creatures in this world, since it is he that is the giver of life.
एष चेष्टयते सम्यक्प्राणिनः सम्यगायतः असम्यगायतो भूयश्चेष्टते विकृतो नृषु
M. N. Dutt: When the god does his work properly, he makes all living creatures live at their ease. When, however, he does it improperly, calamities visit the Earth.
स त्वमेवंविधं वायुं सर्वसत्त्वभृतां वरम् न पूजयसि पूज्यं तं किमन्यद्बुद्धिलाघवात्
M. N. Dutt: What else can it be but weakness of understanding which induces you not to adore the god of wind, that foremost of beings in the universe, and worthy of adoration.
असारश्चासि दुर्बुद्धे केवलं बहु भाषसे क्रोधादिभिरवच्छन्नो मिथ्या वदसि शल्मले
M. N. Dutt: You are worthless and of a wicked understanding, you are but making an idleboast. Your intelligence being confounded by anger and other passions, you indulge in untruths, O Shalmali.
मम रोषः समुत्पन्नस्त्वय्येवं संप्रभाषति ब्रवीम्येष स्वयं वायोस्तव दुर्भाषितं बहु
M. N. Dutt: I am certainly angry with you, for your giving vent to such words. I shall myself communicate to the Windgod all these derogatory words of yours.
चन्दनैः स्पन्दनैः शालैः सरलैर्देवदारुभिः वेतसैर्बन्धनैश्चापि ये चान्ये बलवत्तराः
M. N. Dutt: Chandanas, Syandanas, Shalas, Saralas, Devadarus, Vetasas and Dhanvanas and other noble trees that are far stronger than you, have never, you of wicked understanding, spoken such evil words against the Wind.
तैश्चापि नैवं दुर्बुद्धे क्षिप्तो वायुः कृतात्मभिः ते हि जानन्ति वायोश्च बलमात्मन एव च
M. N. Dutt: All of them are cognisant of the power of the Wind as also the power that each of them possesses. For these reasons those foremost of trees respectfully salute that god.
तस्मात्ते वै नमस्यन्ति श्वसनं द्रुमसत्तमाः त्वं तु मोहान्न जानीषे वायोर्बलमनन्तकम्
AI Translation: Therefore, the best of trees bow to you, O wind, But you, through delusion, do not know the infinite strength of the wind.
Supplementary Passages:
12.150.36 After 36, K3.5 V1 B Da Dn1.n3 D2.3.5.8 ins.: *401 एष तस्माद्गमिष्यामि सकाशं मातरिश्वनः