Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच यया बुद्ध्या महीपालो भ्रष्टश्रीर्विचरेन्महीम् कालदण्डविनिष्पिष्टस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhisthira said Tell me, O grandfather, by adopting what sort of intelligence may a king, who has been divested of prosperity and crushed by Time's heavy bludgeon, still live on this Earth.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् वासवस्य च संवादं बलेर्वैरोचनस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Vasava and Virochana's son Vali.
पितामहमुपागत्य प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः सर्वानेवासुराञ्जित्वा बलिं पप्रच्छ वासवः
M. N. Dutt: After having defeated all the Assuras, one day Vasava went to the Grandfather and joining his hands bowed to him and enquired after the whereabouts of Vali.
यस्य स्म ददतो वित्तं न कदाचन हीयते तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम्
M. N. Dutt: Tell me, O Brahman, where may I now find that Vali whose wealth continued undiminished even though he used to distribute it as largely as he wished.
स एव ह्यस्तमयते स स्म विद्योतते दिशः स वर्षति स्म वर्षाणि यथाकालमतन्द्रितः तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम्
AI Translation: He alone sets, he alone shines in the directions, He alone showers rains at the proper time, without being lazy. I do not know that Bali, O Brahman, please tell me about
स वायुर्वरुणश्चैव स रविः स च चन्द्रमाः सोऽग्निस्तपति भूतानि पृथिवी च भवत्युत तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम्
M. N. Dutt: He was the god of wind. He was Varuna. He was Surya. He was Soma. He was Agni that used to warm all creatures. He became water. I do not find where he now is. Indeed, O Brahmana, tell me where I may find Vali now.
ब्रह्मोवाच नैतत्ते साधु मघवन्यदेतदनुपृच्छसि पृष्टस्तु नानृतं ब्रूयात्तस्माद्वक्ष्यामि ते बलिम्
M. N. Dutt: Brahman said You should not, O Maghavat, thus enquire after Vali now! One should not, however, speak a falsehood when he is questioned by another. I shall tell you the whereabouts of Vali.
उष्ट्रेषु यदि वा गोषु खरेष्वश्वेषु वा पुनः वरिष्ठो भविता जन्तुः शून्यागारे शचीपते
M. N. Dutt: O husband of Sachi, Vali may now have taken his birth among camels or bulls or asses or horses, and having become the foremost of his species may now be living in an empty room.
शक्र उवाच यदि स्म बलिना ब्रह्मञ्शून्यागारे समेयिवान् हन्यामेनं न वा हन्यां तद्ब्रह्मन्ननुशाधि माम्
M. N. Dutt: Shakra said 'If, O Brahman, I happen to meet with Vali in an empty room, shall I kill him or spare him? Tell me how I shall act!'
ब्रह्मोवाच मा स्म शक्र बलिं हिंसीर्न बलिर्वधमर्हति न्यायांस्तु शक्र प्रष्टव्यस्त्वया वासव काम्यया
M. N. Dutt: Brahma said 'Do not, O Shakra, injure Vali! Vali does not deserve death. You should, on the other hand, O Vasava, seek instruction from him about morality, O Shakra, as you wish,'
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो भगवता महेन्द्रः पृथिवीं तदा चचारैरावतस्कन्धमधिरुह्य श्रिया वृतः
M. N. Dutt: ‘Thus addressed by the divine Creator, Indra travelled over the Earth, seated on Airavata in great splendour.
ततो ददर्श स बलिं खरवेषेण संवृतम् यथाख्यातं भगवता शून्यागारकृतालयम्
M. N. Dutt: He succeeded in meeting with Vali, who, as the Creator had said, was living in an empty room, clothed in the form of an ass.
शक्र उवाच खरयोनिमनुप्राप्तस्तुषभक्षोऽसि दानव इयं ते योनिरधमा शोचस्याहो न शोचसि
M. N. Dutt: 'You are now, O Danava, born as an ass living on chaff. This your birth is certainly a low one. Do you or do you not grieve for it?
अदृष्टं बत पश्यामि द्विषतां वशमागतम् श्रिया विहीनं मित्रैश्च भ्रष्टवीर्यपराक्रमम्
M. N. Dutt: I see what I had never seen before, viz., yourself brought under the control of your enemies, divested of prosperity and friends, and shorn of energy and prowess.
यत्तद्यानसहस्रेण ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः लोकान्प्रतापयन्सर्वान्यास्यस्मानवितर्कयन्
M. N. Dutt: Formerly you used to march through the words, with your train consisting of thousands of carriages and thousands of kinsmen, and to move along, burning, everybody with your splendour and disregarding us all.
त्वन्मुखाश्चैव दैतेया व्यतिष्ठंस्तव शासने अकृष्टपच्या पृथिवी तवैश्वर्ये बभूव ह इदं च तेऽद्य व्यसनं शोचस्याहो न शोचसि
M. N. Dutt: Considering you as their protector the Daityas lived under your sway! Through your power, the Earth used to yield crops without waiting for tillage. To-day, however, I behold you overtaken by this dire calamity! Do you or do you not grieve for this.
यदातिष्ठः समुद्रस्य पूर्वकूले विलेलिहन् ज्ञातिभ्यो विभजन्वित्तं तदासीत्ते मनः कथम्
AI Translation: When you stood on the eastern shore of the ocean, licking it, and divided your wealth among your relatives, what was your mind like then?
यत्ते सहस्रसमिता ननृतुर्देवयोषितः बहूनि वर्षपूगानि विहारे दीप्यतः श्रिया
AI Translation: The celestial women who danced with you, equal to a thousand, For many hundreds of years, while you were shining with glory in the pleasure garden,
सर्वाः पुष्करमालिन्यः सर्वाः काञ्चनसप्रभाः कथमद्य तदा चैव मनस्ते दानवेश्वर
AI Translation: All of them are adorned with garlands of lotuses, all of them are radiant with gold. How is it that your mind, O Lord of the Dānavas, is now and then
छत्रं तवासीत्सुमहत्सौवर्णं मणिभूषितम् ननृतुर्यत्र गन्धर्वाः षट्सहस्राणि सप्तधा
AI Translation: Your umbrella was very large, adorned with jewels, where gandharvas danced in six thousand and seven ways.
यूपस्तवासीत्सुमहान्यजतः सर्वकाञ्चनः यत्राददः सहस्राणामयुतानि गवां दश
AI Translation: The sacrificial post of the sacrificer was very great, all gold, where he gave away ten thousand and ten thousand cows.
Supplementary Passages:
12.216.21 After 21, M7 reads 22ab for the first time, repeating it in its proper place. Ś1 K1.2.4.6 V1 B0.6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 Ds D2.3.5-8 T G1-3.6 Kumbh. ed. ins. after 21: M7, after the first occurrence of 22ab: *636 अनन्तरं सहस्रेण तदासीद्दैत्य का मतिः
यदा तु पृथिवीं सर्वां यजमानोऽनुपर्ययाः शम्याक्षेपेण विधिना तदासीत्किं नु ते हृदि
AI Translation: But when the sacrificer had gone all over the earth, by the rule of throwing the sacrificial grass, what was in your heart then?
न ते पश्यामि भृङ्गारं न छत्रं व्यजनं न च ब्रह्मदत्तां च ते मालां न पश्याम्यसुराधिप
AI Translation: I do not see your water-pot, nor your umbrella, nor your fan, Nor your garland of Brahmadatta, O lord of the Asuras.
Supplementary Passages:
12.216.23 After 23, D7 T G1-3.6 Kumbh. ed. ins.: *637 भीष्म उवाच ततः प्रहस्य स बलिर्वासवेन समीरितम् निशम्य मानगम्भीरं सुरराजमथाब्रवीत् अहो हि तव बालिश्यमिह देवगणाधिप अयुक्तं देवराजस्य तव कष्टमिदं वचः
बलिरुवाच न त्वं पश्यसि भृङ्गारं न छत्रं व्यजनं न च ब्रह्मदत्तां च मे मालां न त्वं द्रक्ष्यसि वासव
M. N. Dutt: Bali said. 'You do not behold now, O Vasava, my jar and umbrella and fans. You do not see also my garland, that was given by the Grandfather.
गुहायां निहितानि त्वं मम रत्नानि पृच्छसि यदा मे भविता कालस्तदा त्वं तानि द्रक्ष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: Those valuable possessions of mine about which you ask are now buried in the darkness of a cave. When my time comes again, you will, forsooth, behold them again.
Supplementary Passages:
12.216.25 After 25, Kumbh. ed. ins.: *638 न जानीषे भवान्सिद्धिं शुभाङ्गस्वरूपरूपिणीम् कालेन भविता सर्वो नात्र गच्छति वासव
न त्वेतदनुरूपं ते यशसो वा कुलस्य वा समृद्धार्थोऽसमृद्धार्थं यन्मां कत्थितुमिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: This conduct of yours, however, does not become your fame or birth. Yourself enjoying prosperity, you wish to mock me that am sunk in adversity.
न हि दुःखेषु शोचन्ति न प्रहृष्यन्ति चर्द्धिषु कृतप्रज्ञा ज्ञानतृप्ताः क्षान्ताः सन्तो मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: They who acquired wisdom, and have won contentment therefrom, they who are of tranquil should, who are virtuous and good among creatures, never grieve in misery nor rejoice in happiness.
त्वं तु प्राकृतया बुद्ध्या पुरंदर विकत्थसे यदाहमिव भावी त्वं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: Guided, however, by a vulgar intelligence, you are bragging, O Purandara. When you will become like me you will not then give vent to speeches like these.'
Supplementary Passages:
12.216.28 After 28, D7 T G1-3.6 Kumbh. ed. ins.: *639 ऐश्वर्यमदमोहेन स त्वं किं नानुबुध्यसे कालेन बुध्यसे राजन्विनिपातेन योजितः