Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु संशितात्मा यतव्रतः अतिष्ठदेकपादेन वर्षाणां शतमच्युत
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Thus addressed by Indra, Matanga of restrained vows and wellcontrolled soul, stood for a century of years on one foot, O you of unfading glory.
तमुवाच ततः शक्रः पुनरेव महायशाः मतङ्ग परमं स्थानं प्रार्थयन्नतिदुर्लभम्
AI Translation: Then the very illustrious Shakra spoke to him again: "O Matanga, you are asking for the supreme and very difficult to obtain position."
Supplementary Passages:
13.29.2 After 2ab, N (V1 missing) ins.: *251 ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्लभं तात प्रार्थयानो न लप्स्यसे
मा कृथाः साहसं पुत्र नैष धर्मपथस्तव अप्राप्यं प्रार्थयानो हि नचिराद्विनशिष्यसि
AI Translation: Do not be rash, my son. This is not the path of righteousness for you. For one who desires what is unattainable perishes soon.
Supplementary Passages:
13.29.3 After 3ab, N (V1 missing) ins.: *252 न हि शक्यं त्वया प्राप्तुं ब्राह्मण्यमिह दुर्मते
मतङ्ग परमं स्थानं वार्यमाणो मया सकृत् चिकीर्षस्येव तपसा सर्वथा न भविष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: I am repeatedly forbidding you. By trying, however, to attain that high dignity by the help of your penances, despite my repeated admonitions, you are sure to meet with destruction.
तिर्यग्योनिगतः सर्वो मानुष्यं यदि गच्छति स जायते पुल्कसो वा चण्डालो वा कदाचन
M. N. Dutt: From a brute life one gains the status of humanity. If born as a human being, he is sure to be born as a Pukkasha or a Chandala.
पुंश्चलः पापयोनिर्वा यः कश्चिदिह लक्ष्यते स तस्यामेव सुचिरं मतङ्ग परिवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: Verily, one having taken birth in that sinful caste, viz., Pulkasa, one, O Matanga, has to wander in it for a very long time.
ततो दशगुणे काले लभते शूद्रतामपि शूद्रयोनावपि ततो बहुशः परिवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: Passing a period of one thousand years in that order one is next born as a Shudra. In the Shudra order, again, one has to wander for a long time.
ततस्त्रिंशद्गुणे काले लभते वैश्यतामपि वैश्यतायां चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: After thirty thousand years one is born as a Vaishya. There in that order, one has to pass a very long time.
ततः षष्टिगुणे काले राजन्यो नाम जायते राजन्यत्वे चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते
AI Translation: Then, after sixty times that period, he becomes a warrior. And he remains a warrior for a long time.
ततः षष्टिगुणे काले लभते ब्रह्मबन्धुताम् ब्रह्मबन्धुश्चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते
AI Translation: Then, after sixty times that period, he attains the state of a kinsman of Brahman. And a kinsman of Brahman wanders there for a long time.
ततस्तु द्विशते काले लभते काण्डपृष्ठताम् काण्डपृष्ठश्चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते
AI Translation: Then, after two hundred years, he attains the state of a Kaṇḍapṛṣṭha. And the Kaṇḍapṛṣṭha wanders there for a long time
Supplementary Passages:
13.29.11 After 11ab, T1 ins.: *253 सर्वस्त्रीषु प्रवृत्ताश्च ये च वेदबहिष्कृताः काण्डपृष्ठास्तु ते ज्ञेयाः सर्वकर्मबहिष्कृताः
ततस्तु त्रिशते काले लभते द्विजतामपि तां च प्राप्य चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: After thirty thousand years one is born as a Vaishya. There in that order, one has to pass a very long time.
ततश्चतुःशते काले श्रोत्रियो नाम जायते श्रोत्रियत्वे चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते
AI Translation: Then, after four hundred years, he is born as a Śrotriya. And as a Śrotriya, he wanders there for a long time.
तदैव क्रोधहर्षौ च कामद्वेषौ च पुत्रक अतिमानातिवादौ तमाविशन्ति द्विजाधमम्
M. N. Dutt: While wandering in that existence, joy and grief, desire and hatred vanity and evil speech, scck to enter into him and make a wretch of him.
तांश्चेज्जयति शत्रून्स तदा प्राप्नोति सद्गतिम् अथ ते वै जयन्त्येनं तालाग्रादिव पात्यते
M. N. Dutt: If he succeeds in subjugating those foes, he then acquires a high end. If, on the other hand, those enemies succeed in subjugating him, he falls down from that high position like a person falling down on the ground from the high top of a palmyra tree.
मतङ्ग संप्रधार्यैतद्यदहं त्वामचूचुदम् वृणीष्व काममन्यं त्वं ब्राह्मण्यं हि सुदुर्लभम्
M. N. Dutt: Knowing this for certain, O Matanga that I say to you do you name some other boon, for the status of a Brahmana is incapable of being acquired by you.