Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच अत्रैव कीर्त्यते सद्भिर्ब्राह्मणस्वाभिमर्शने नृगेण सुमहत्कृच्छ्रं यदवाप्तं कुरूद्वह
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Regarding it, O perpetuator of Kuru race, is recited by the righteous the narrative of the great calamity that befell king Nriga on account of his taking what had belonged to a Brahmana.
निविशन्त्यां पुरा पार्थ द्वारवत्यामिति श्रुतिः अदृश्यत महाकूपस्तृणवीरुत्समावृतः
M. N. Dutt: Sometime before, certain youths of Yudu's race, while searching for water, came to a large well covered with grass and creepers.
प्रयत्नं तत्र कुर्वाणास्तस्मात्कूपाज्जलार्थिनः श्रमेण महता युक्तास्तस्मिंस्तोये सुसंवृते
AI Translation: Those who make an effort to get water from that well, being greatly afflicted by fatigue, in that well which is well covered,
ददृशुस्ते महाकायं कृकलासमवस्थितम् तस्य चोद्धरणे यत्नमकुर्वंस्ते सहस्रशः
AI Translation: They saw him in the form of a frog, of great body, And thousands of them tried to pull him out.
प्रग्रहैश्चर्मपट्टैश्च तं बद्ध्वा पर्वतोपमम् नाशक्नुवन्समुद्धर्तुं ततो जग्मुर्जनार्दनम्
M. N. Dutt: Resembling a very hill in size, the lizard was sought to be freed by cords and leather tongs. Not succeeding in their attempts, the youths then went to Janardana.
खमावृत्योदपानस्य कृकलासः स्थितो महान् तस्य नास्ति समुद्धर्तेत्यथ कृष्णे न्यवेदयन्
M. N. Dutt: Addressing him they said— Covering the entire space of a well, there is a very large lizard to be seen. Despite our best efforts we have not succeeded in rescuing it from that plight. This was what they said to Krishna.
स वासुदेवेन समुद्धृतश्च; पृष्टश्च कामान्निजगाद राजा नृगस्तदात्मानमथो न्यवेदय;त्पुरातनं यज्ञसहस्रयाजिनम्
M. N. Dutt: Madhava spoke Vasudeva then went there and took out the lizard and questioned it as who it was. The lizard said that it was the soul of king Nriga who had flourished in days of yore and who had celebrated many sacrifices.
तथा ब्रुवाणं तु तमाह माधवः; शुभं त्वया कर्म कृतं न पापकम् कथं भवान्दुर्गतिमीदृशीं गतो; नरेन्द्र तद्ब्रूहि किमेतदीदृशम्
M. N. Dutt: To the lizard that said those words "You had done many pious deeds. You committed no sin. Why then, O king, have you come by such a distressful end? Do you explain what is this and why has it been caused?"
शतं सहस्राणि शतं गवां पुनः; पुनः शतान्यष्ट शतायुतानि त्वया पुरा दत्तमितीह शुश्रुम; नृप द्विजेभ्यः क्व नु तद्गतं तव
M. N. Dutt: We have heared that you did repeatedly make gifts to the Brahmanas numerable kine. Why, therefore, have you come by this end.
नृगस्ततोऽब्रवीत्कृष्णं ब्राह्मणस्याग्निहोत्रिणः प्रोषितस्य परिभ्रष्टा गौरेका मम गोधने
M. N. Dutt: Nriga then replied to Krishna, saying, On one occasion a cow belonging to a Brahmana who regularly adored his domestic fire, escaping from the owner's house while he was absent from home, entered my flock.
गवां सहस्रे संख्याता तदा सा पशुपैर्मम सा ब्राह्मणाय मे दत्ता प्रेत्यार्थमभिकाङ्क्षता
M. N. Dutt: The keepers of my cattle included that cow in their list of a thousand. In time that cow was given away by me to a Brahmana, wishing for liappiness in heaven.
अपश्यत्परिमार्गंश्च तां यां परगृहे द्विजः ममेयमिति चोवाच ब्राह्मणो यस्य साभवत्
M. N. Dutt: The true owner, returning home, sought for his lost cow and at last found it in the house of another. Finding her, the owner said, “This cow is mine."
तावुभौ समनुप्राप्तौ विवदन्तौ भृशज्वरौ भवान्दाता भवान्हर्तेत्यथ तौ मां तदोचतुः
M. N. Dutt: The other person contested his claim, till both, growing wroth came to me. Addressing me, one of them said, You gave this cow. The other one said You have robbed me of this cow because she is inine.
शतेन शतसंख्येन गवां विनिमयेन वै याचे प्रतिग्रहीतारं स तु मामब्रवीदिदम्
AI Translation: "By exchanging a hundred cows with a hundred cows, I asked for a recipient. He said this to me:"
देशकालोपसंपन्ना दोग्ध्री क्षान्तातिवत्सला स्वादुक्षीरप्रदा धन्या मम नित्यं निवेशने
AI Translation: One who is endowed with place and time, who is a milch cow, patient, and very affectionate, Who gives sweet milk, and is blessed, may always dwell in my house.
कृशं च भरते या गौर्मम पुत्रमपस्तनम् न सा शक्या मया हातुमित्युक्त्वा स जगाम ह
AI Translation: The cow who nourishes my son, though he is thin, I cannot give her up. Having said this, he went away.
ततस्तमपरं विप्रं याचे विनिमयेन वै गवां शतसहस्रं वै तत्कृते गृह्यतामिति
M. N. Dutt: I then begged the other Brahmana offering him an exchange, and saying-Do you take a hundred thousand kine for this one cow.
ब्राह्मण उवाच न राज्ञां प्रतिगृह्णामि शक्तोऽहं स्वस्य मार्गणे सैव गौर्दीयतां शीघ्रं ममेति मधुसूदन
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana, however, replied to me saying I do not accept gifts from Kshatriyas. I am able to support myself without aid. Do you then forthwith, give me that very cow which was mine. Thus, O slayer of Madhu, did that Brahmana speak to me.
रुक्ममश्वांश्च ददतो रजतं स्यन्दनांस्तथा न जग्राह ययौ चापि तदा स ब्राह्मणर्षभः
M. N. Dutt: I then offered to make gifts to him of gold and silver and horses and cars. That foremost of Brahmanas refused to accept any of these gifts and departed.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु चोदितः कालधर्मणा पितृलोकमहं प्राप्य धर्मराजमुपागमम्
M. N. Dutt: Meanwhile, urged by Time's irresistible power, I had to depart from this world. Going to the region of the departed manes I was taken before Yama the king of the dead.
यमस्तु पूजयित्वा मां ततो वचनमब्रवीत् नान्तः संख्यायते राजंस्तव पुण्यस्य कर्मणः
M. N. Dutt: Adoring me duly, Yama addressed me saying-The end cannot be determined, O king, of your righteous deeds.
अस्ति चैव कृतं पापमज्ञानात्तदपि त्वया चरस्व पापं पश्चाद्वा पूर्वं वा त्वं यथेच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: There is, however, a little sin which was unconsciously committed by you. Do you suffer the punishment for that sin now or afterwards as you like.
रक्षितास्मीति चोक्तं ते प्रतिज्ञा चानृता तव ब्राह्मणस्वस्य चादानं त्रिविधस्ते व्यतिक्रमः
M. N. Dutt: You had sworn that you would protect (all persons in the enjoyment of their own). This oath of yours was not rigidly kept by you. You took also what belonged to a Brahmana. This has been the twofold sin, you have perpetrated.
पूर्वं कृच्छ्रं चरिष्येऽहं पश्चाच्छुभमिति प्रभो धर्मराजं ब्रुवन्नेवं पतितोऽस्मि महीतले
M. N. Dutt: I answered, saying-I shall first suffer the distress of punishment, and when that is over, I shall enjoy the happiness that is in store for me, O lord! After I had said these words to the king of the dead, I dropped down on the Earth.
अश्रौषं प्रच्युतश्चाहं यमस्योच्चैः प्रभाषतः वासुदेवः समुद्धर्ता भविता ते जनार्दनः
M. N. Dutt: Though fallen down I still could hear the words that Yama said to me very loudly. Those words were-Janardana the son of Vasudeva, will save you.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रान्ते क्षीणे कर्मणि दुष्कृते प्राप्स्यसे शाश्वताँल्लोकाञ्जितान्स्वेनैव कर्मणा
M. N. Dutt: Upon the completion of a full thousand years, when your sin will be dissipated you shall then attain to many regions of unending happiness that have been acquired by you through your own pious deeds.
कूपेऽऽत्मानमधःशीर्षमपश्यं पतितं च ह तिर्यग्योनिमनुप्राप्तं न तु मामजहात्स्मृतिः
M. N. Dutt: Falling down I found myself, with head downwards, within this well changed into a creature of the intermediate order, Memory, however, did not leave me.
त्वया तु तारितोऽस्म्यद्य किमन्यत्र तपोबलात् अनुजानीहि मां कृष्ण गच्छेयं दिवमद्य वै
M. N. Dutt: By you I have been saved today. What else can it testify than the power of your penances? Let me have your permission, O Krishna. I wish to ascend to the celestial region.
अनुज्ञातः स कृष्णेन नमस्कृत्य जनार्दनम् विमानं दिव्यमास्थाय ययौ दिवमरिंदम
M. N. Dutt: Permitted then by Krishna, king Nriga bowed his head to him and then mounted a celestial car and went to Heaven.
ततस्तस्मिन्दिवं प्राप्ते नृगे भरतसत्तम वासुदेव इमं श्लोकं जगाद कुरुनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: After Nriga had thus proceeded to the celestial region, O best of the Bharatas, Vasudeva recited this Verse, O delighter, of the Kurus.
ब्राह्मणस्वं न हर्तव्यं पुरुषेण विजानता ब्राह्मणस्वं हृतं हन्ति नृगं ब्राह्मणगौरिव
M. N. Dutt: No one should knowingly misappropriate anything belonging to a a Brahmana. The property of Brahmana, if take, destroys the taker even as the Brahmana's cow destroyed king Nriga!
सतां समागमः सद्भिर्नाफलः पार्थ विद्यते विमुक्तं नरकात्पश्य नृगं साधुसमागमात्
M. N. Dutt: I tell you, again O Partha, that a meeting with the good never proves furtile. See king Nriga was rescued from Hell through a meeting of his with one that is good.
प्रदानं फलवत्तत्र द्रोहस्तत्र तथाफलः अपचारं गवां तस्माद्वर्जयेत युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: As a gift yields merit, so an act of spoliation brings on to demerit. Hence also, O Yudhishthira one should avoid doing any injury to kine.