Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततः स विदितो राज्ञः प्रविश्य गृहमुत्तमम् पूजितो राक्षसेन्द्रेण निषसादासनोत्तमे
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Conducted into a spacious apartment, Gautama was introduced to the king of the Rakshasas. Adored by the latter, he sat on an excellent seat.
पृष्टश्च गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायं ब्रह्मचारिकम् न तत्र व्याजहारान्यद्गोत्रमात्रादृते द्विजः
M. N. Dutt: The king asked him about his caste and his practices, his study of the Vedas and his observance of the Brahmacharya vow. The Brahmana, however, without answering the other questions, only stated his name and caste.
Supplementary Passages:
12.165.2 After 2ab, D7 S (G3.4 absent) ins.: *438 पृष्टो राज्ञा स नाज्ञासीद्गोत्रमात्रमथाब्रवीत्
ब्रह्मवर्चसहीनस्य स्वाध्यायविरतस्य च गोत्रमात्रविदो राजा निवासं समपृच्छत
M. N. Dutt: Having ascertained only the name and the caste of his guest, and finding that he was shorn of Brahmanic splendour and Vedic studies, the king next enquired about the country of his residence.
क्व ते निवासः कल्याण किंगोत्रा ब्राह्मणी च ते तत्त्वं ब्रूहि न भीः कार्या विश्रमस्व यथासुखम्
M. N. Dutt: The Rakshasa said.mom Where is your residence, O blessed one, and to what race does your wife belong? Tell us truly. Do not fear Trust us without anxiety.
गौतम उवाच मध्यदेशप्रसूतोऽहं वासो मे शबरालये शूद्रा पुनर्भूर्भार्या मे सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
M. N. Dutt: Gautama said I belong by birth to the Middle country. I live in a village of hunters. I have married a Shudra woman who had been a widow. What I tell you is the truth.
भीष्म उवाच ततो राजा विममृशे कथं कार्यमिदं भवेत् कथं वा सुकृतं मे स्यादिति बुद्ध्यान्वचिन्तयत्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The king then began to think as to what he should do. Indeed, the king began to think how he might acquire merit.
अयं वै जननाद्विप्रः सुहृत्तस्य महात्मनः संप्रेषितश्च तेनायं काश्यपेन ममान्तिकम्
M. N. Dutt: He said to himself,-This man is by birth a Brahmana. He is, again, a friend of the great Rajadharman. He has been sent to me by that son of Kashyapa.
तस्य प्रियं करिष्यामि स हि मामाश्रितः सदा भ्राता मे बान्धवश्चासौ सखा च हृदयंगमः
M. N. Dutt: I must do as my friend desires me. He is very intimate with me. He is my brother, and a dear relative. He is, indeed a friend, of my heart.
कार्त्तिक्यामद्य भोक्तारः सहस्रं मे द्विजोत्तमाः तत्रायमपि भोक्ता वै देयमस्मै च मे धनम्
M. N. Dutt: On this day of the month of Kartika, a thousand Brahmanas of the highest order are to be entertained in my house. This Gautama also shall be entertained with them and I shall give wealth to him too.
Supplementary Passages:
12.165.9 After 9, K5 V1 B Da1 Dn1.n3 D2.3.5.8 ins.: *439 स चाद्य दिवसः पुण्यो ह्यतिथिश्चायमागतः संकल्पितं चैव धनं किं विचार्यमतः परम्
ततः सहस्रं विप्राणां विदुषां समलंकृतम् स्नातानामनुसंप्राप्तमहतक्षौमवाससाम्
M. N. Dutt: Just about this time a thousand Brahmanas, endued with great learning, with bodies purified by baths and adorned with sandalpaste and flowers, and clad in long robes of linen, came there.
तानागतान्द्विजश्रेष्ठान्विरूपाक्षो विशां पते यथार्हं प्रतिजग्राह विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
M. N. Dutt: The Rakshasa king Virupaksha, O monarch, received the guests, as they came, duly and according to the rites sanctioned in the scriptures.
बृस्यस्तेषां तु संन्यस्ता राक्षसेन्द्रस्य शासनात् भूमौ वरकुथास्तीर्णाः प्रेष्यैर्भरतसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: By the order of the king, skins were spread out of them. The royal servants then, O best of the Bharatas, spread mats of Kusha grass on the ground.
तासु ते पूजिता राज्ञा निषण्णा द्विजसत्तमाः व्यराजन्त महाराज नक्षत्रपतयो यथा
AI Translation: Those best of Brahmins, honored by the king, sat down there, shining like the lords of the constellations, great king.
Supplementary Passages:
12.165.13 After 13ab, K5 V1 B Da1 Dn1.n3 D2.3.5.8 ins.: *440 तिलदर्भोदकेनाथ अर्चिता विधिवद्द्विजाः विश्वेदेवाः सपितरः साग्नयश्चोपकल्पिताः विलिप्ताः पुष्पवन्तश्च सुप्रचाराः सुपूजिताः
ततो जाम्बूनदाः पात्रीर्वज्राङ्का विमलाः शुभाः वरान्नपूर्णा विप्रेभ्यः प्रादान्मधुघृताप्लुताः
AI Translation: Then he gave to the Brahmins, in pure and auspicious golden vessels marked with a thunderbolt, filled with excellent food, and flooded with honey and ghee.
तस्य नित्यं तथाषाढ्यां माघ्यां च बहवो द्विजाः ईप्सितं भोजनवरं लभन्ते सत्कृतं सदा
AI Translation: For him, on the full moon days of Āṣāḍha and Māgha, many brahmins always receive the best food they desire, honored with respect.
विशेषतस्तु कार्त्तिक्यां द्विजेभ्यः संप्रयच्छति शरद्व्यपाये रत्नानि पौर्णमास्यामिति श्रुतिः
AI Translation: Especially on the full moon day of Kartika, he gives to the Brahmins. The Veda says that at the end of the autumn, one should give jewels on the full moon day.
सुवर्णं रजतं चैव मणीनथ च मौक्तिकम् वज्रान्महाधनांश्चैव वैडूर्याजिनराङ्कवान्
AI Translation: Gold, silver, gems, pearls, diamonds, great wealth, lapis lazuli, and deer-marked.
रत्नराशीन्विनिक्षिप्य दक्षिणार्थे स भारत ततः प्राह द्विजश्रेष्ठान्विरूपाक्षो महायशाः
AI Translation: Having deposited heaps of jewels for the sake of Dakshina, O descendant of Bharata, Then Virupaksha, the highly illustrious one, spoke to the best of Brahmins,
गृह्णीत रत्नान्येतानि यथोत्साहं यथेष्टतः येषु येषु च भाण्डेषु भुक्तं वो द्विजसत्तमाः तान्येवादाय गच्छध्वं स्ववेश्मानीति भारत
M. N. Dutt: He also said to them, O Bharata, these words—Taking those golden plates, and vessels which you have used for your dinner, go away, O foremost of Brahmanas.
इत्युक्तवचने तस्मिन्राक्षसेन्द्रे महात्मनि यथेष्टं तानि रत्नानि जगृहुर्ब्राह्मणर्षभाः
M. N. Dutt: When these words were uttered by the great Rakshasa chief, those foremost of Brahmanas, took as much wealth as each desired.
ततो महार्हैस्ते सर्वे रत्नैरभ्यर्चिताः शुभैः ब्राह्मणा मृष्टवसनाः सुप्रीताः स्म तदाभवन्
M. N. Dutt: Adored with those rich jewels and gems, those best of Brahmanas, clad in excellent robes, were filled with delight.
ततस्तान्राक्षसेन्द्रश्च द्विजानाह पुनर्वचः नानादिगागतान्राजन्राक्षसान्प्रतिषिध्य वै
AI Translation: Then the lord of the demons again spoke to the brahmins: "Having restrained the demons who had come from various directions, the king said:"
अध्यैकदिवसं विप्रा न वोऽस्तीह भयं क्वचित् राक्षसेभ्यः प्रमोदध्वमिष्टतो यात माचिरम्
AI Translation: O Brahmanas, for one day, you have no fear from anywhere. Rejoice, go to your desired destination without delay.
ततः प्रदुद्रुवुः सर्वे विप्रसंघाः समन्ततः गौतमोऽपि सुवर्णस्य भारमादाय सत्वरः
M. N. Dutt: Then, leaving that place, the Brahmanas, went away in all directions quickly. Gautama also, having taken up a heavy quantity of gold immediately, went away.
कृच्छ्रात्समुद्वहन्वीर न्यग्रोधं समुपागमत् न्यषीदच्च परिश्रान्तः क्लान्तश्च क्षुधितश्च ह
M. N. Dutt: Carrying the load with difficulty, he reached the former banian tree. He sat down, fatigued, worn out, and hungry.
ततस्तमभ्यगाद्राजन्राजधर्मा खगोत्तमः स्वागतेनाभ्यनन्दच्च गौतमं मित्रवत्सलः
M. N. Dutt: While Gautama was taking rest there, that best of birds, viz., Rajadharman, O king, came there. Devoted to friends, he gladdened Gautama by welcoming him.
तस्य पक्षाग्रविक्षेपैः क्लमं व्यपनयत्खगः पूजां चाप्यकरोद्धीमान्भोजनं चाप्यकल्पयत्
M. N. Dutt: By flapping his wings he began to fan his guest and remove his fatigue. Highly intelligent as he was, he adored Gautama and made arrangements for his food.
Supplementary Passages:
12.165.27 After 27, D4 ins.: *441 निष्पत्रः शयने तस्मिन्पर्यतप्यत दुष्टधीः On the other hand, after 27, D7 S (G3.4 absent) ins.: *442 ततस्तौ संविदं कृत्वा खगेन्द्रद्विजसत्तमौ न्यषीदतां महाराज न्यग्रोधे विपुले तथा गौतमश्चिन्तयामास रात्रौ तस्य समीपतः
स भुक्तवान्सुविश्रान्तो गौतमोऽचिन्तयत्तदा हाटकस्याभिरूपस्य भारोऽयं सुमहान्मया गृहीतो लोभमोहाद्वै दूरं च गमनं मम
M. N. Dutt: Having eaten and refreshed himself, Gautama began to think,—Heavy is the load which I have taken of bright gold, actuated by covetousness and folly. I have a long way to travel. I have no food by which I can live on Imy way.
न चास्ति पथि भोक्तव्यं प्राणसंधारणं मम किं कृत्वा धारयेयं वै प्राणानित्यभ्यचिन्तयत्
AI Translation: And there is nothing to eat on the way to sustain my life. What should I do to sustain my life?' He thought.
ततः स पथि भोक्तव्यं प्रेक्षमाणो न किंचन कृतघ्नः पुरुषव्याघ्र मनसेदमचिन्तयत्
AI Translation: Then, on the way, he saw nothing to eat. The ungrateful tiger, the best of men, thought this in his mind:
अयं बकपतिः पार्श्वे मांसराशिः स्थितो मम इमं हत्वा गृहीत्वा च यास्येऽहं समभिद्रुतम्
M. N. Dutt: Ungrateful as he was, O foremost of men, he thus thought.-This prince of cranes, so large and having a heap of flesh, is by my side. Killing and bagging him, I shall leave this place and go away quickly.