Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच उक्तं पितामहेनेदं गवां दानमनुत्तमम् विशेषेण नरेन्द्राणामिति धर्ममवेक्षताम्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said You have, O grandfather, expounded to me the highly meritorious gift of kine. In the case of kings performing their duties, that gift is most meritorious.
Supplementary Passages:
13.83.1 Before the ref., T2 ins.: *385 नमः सर्वसहाभ्यश्चेत्यभिधाय दिने दिने नमस्करोति गोभ्यो यः स सुखं याति तत्पथम् While M1-3 ins. before the ref.: *386 वैशंपायन उवाच एवं श्रुत्वा परं पुण्यं गवां दानमनुत्तमम् धर्मराजः प्रहृष्टात्मा कौरवं पुनरब्रवीत्
राज्यं हि सततं दुःखमाश्रमाश्च सुदुर्विदाः परिवारेण वै दुःखं दुर्धरं चाकृतात्मभिः भूयिष्ठं च नरेन्द्राणां विद्यते न शुभा गतिः
M. N. Dutt: Sovereignty is always painful. It is incapable of being borne by persons of impure souls. Generally kings fail to acquire auspicious ends.
पूयन्ते तेऽत्र नियतं प्रयच्छन्तो वसुंधराम् पूर्वं च कथिता धर्मास्त्वया मे कुरुनन्दन
M. N. Dutt: By always making, however, gifts of earth, they succeed in purifying themselves. You have, O prince of Kuru's race, describe to me many duties.
एवमेव गवामुक्तं प्रदानं ते नृगेण ह ऋषिणा नाचिकेतेन पूर्वमेव निदर्शितम्
M. N. Dutt: You have described to me the gifts of kine formerly made by king Nriga. The Rishi Nachiketa, in ancient times, had described the merits of this act.
Supplementary Passages:
13.83.4 For 4cd, D2 subst.: *387 निदर्शितं पूर्वमेव ऋषिणा नासिकेतुना
वेदोपनिषदे चैव सर्वकर्मसु दक्षिणा सर्वक्रतुषु चोद्दिष्टं भूमिर्गावोऽथ काञ्चनम्
M. N. Dutt: The Vedas and the Upanishads also have laid down that in all sacrifices, in fact, in all sorts of religious rites, the sacrificial present should be earth or kine or gold.
तत्र श्रुतिस्तु परमा सुवर्णं दक्षिणेति वै एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं पितामह यथातथम्
M. N. Dutt: The Shrutis, however, declare that of all presents, gold is very superior and is, indeed, the best. I wish, O grandfather, to hear you describe truly this subject.
किं सुवर्णं कथं जातं कस्मिन्काले किमात्मकम् किं दानं किं फलं चैव कस्माच्च परमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: What is gold? How did it spring up? When did it come into existence? What is its essence? Who is its presiding god? What are its fruits. Why is it considered as the foremost of all things?
कस्माद्दानं सुवर्णस्य पूजयन्ति मनीषिणः कस्माच्च दक्षिणार्थं तद्यज्ञकर्मसु शस्यते
M. N. Dutt: Why do wise men applaud the gift of gold? Why is gold considered as the best of presents in all sacrifices?
कस्माच्च पावनं श्रेष्ठं भूमेर्गोभ्यश्च काञ्चनम् परमं दक्षिणार्थे च तद्ब्रवीहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Why also is gold considered as a purifier superior to earth itself and kine? Why, indeed, is it considered so superior as a sacrificial present? Do you, O grandfather, describe to me all this.
भीष्म उवाच शृणु राजन्नवहितो बहुकारणविस्तरम् जातरूपसमुत्पत्तिमनुभूतं च यन्मया
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Listen, O king, with rapt attention to me as I recite to you in detail the circumstances connected with the origin of gold as understood by me.
पिता मम महातेजाः शंतनुर्निधनं गतः तस्य दित्सुरहं श्राद्धं गङ्गाद्वारमुपागमम्
M. N. Dutt: When my highly energetic father Shantanu died, I proceeded to Gangadvara for performing his Shraddha.
तत्रागम्य पितुः पुत्र श्राद्धकर्म समारभम् माता मे जाह्नवी चैव साहाय्यमकरोत्तदा
M. N. Dutt: Arrived there I began the Shraddha of my father. My mother Janhavi coming there, gave me great assistance.
ततोऽग्रतस्तपःसिद्धानुपवेश्य बहूनृषीन् तोयप्रदानात्प्रभृति कार्याण्यहमथारभम्
M. N. Dutt: Inviting many ascetics crowned with success and making them take their seats before me, I began the preliminary rites consisting of gifts of water and of other things.
तत्समाप्य यथोद्दिष्टं पूर्वकर्म समाहितः दातुं निर्वपणं सम्यग्यथावदहमारभम्
M. N. Dutt: Having with concentrated mind performed all preliminary rites as laid down in the scriptures, I began to duly offer the obsequial cake.
ततस्तं दर्भविन्यासं भित्त्वा सुरुचिराङ्गदः प्रलम्बाभरणो बाहुरुदतिष्ठद्विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: I then saw, O king, that a beautiful arm, adorned with armlets and other ornaments, rose a up, piercing the ground, through the blades of Kusha grass which I had spread.
तमुत्थितमहं दृष्ट्वा परं विस्मयमागमम् प्रतिग्रहीता साक्षान्मे पितेति भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that arm rise from the ground, I became stricken with wonder. Indeed, O chief of Bharata's race, I thought that my father had come himself for accepting the cake I was about to offer.
ततो मे पुनरेवासीत्संज्ञा संचिन्त्य शास्त्रतः नायं वेदेषु विहितो विधिर्हस्त इति प्रभो पिण्डो देयो नरेणेह ततो मतिरभून्मम
AI Translation: Then again I had the idea, having thought about it according to the scriptures: "This method is not prescribed in the Vedas, O Lord, it is said that the hand is not to be used." "Then I had the idea: ""The ball should be given here by a man."""
साक्षान्नेह मनुष्यस्य पितरोऽन्तर्हिताः क्वचित् गृह्णन्ति विहितं त्वेवं पिण्डो देयः कुशेष्विति
AI Translation: The fathers of a man do not disappear anywhere in this world. But it is said that the ball of rice should be offered on the kuśa grass.
ततोऽहं तदनादृत्य पितुर्हस्तनिदर्शनम् शास्त्रप्रमाणात्सूक्ष्मं तु विधिं पार्थिव संस्मरन्
AI Translation: Then, disregarding the indication of my father's hand, I remembered the subtle procedure from the authority of the scriptures, O king.
ततो दर्भेषु तत्सर्वमददं भरतर्षभ शास्त्रमार्गानुसारेण तद्विद्धि मनुजर्षभ
AI Translation: Then, O bull among men, I gave all that to the darbha grass, in accordance with the path of the scriptures. Know this, O bull among men.
ततः सोऽन्तर्हितो बाहुः पितुर्मम नराधिप ततो मां दर्शयामासुः स्वप्नान्ते पितरस्तदा
AI Translation: Then that arm disappeared, O king, from my father. Then my father showed me in a dream,
प्रीयमाणास्तु मामूचुः प्रीताः स्म भरतर्षभ विज्ञानेन तवानेन यन्न मुह्यसि धर्मतः
AI Translation: Delighted, they said to me, "We are pleased, bull of the Bharata lineage. By this knowledge of yours, you are not confused about dharma.
त्वया हि कुर्वता शास्त्रं प्रमाणमिह पार्थिव आत्मा धर्मः श्रुतं वेदाः पितरश्च महर्षिभिः
AI Translation: For you, O king, who are acting in accordance with the scriptures, the self, righteousness, the Vedas, and the ancestors are the supreme authorities, along with the great sages.
साक्षात्पितामहो ब्रह्मा गुरवोऽथ प्रजापतिः प्रमाणमुपनीता वै स्थितिश्च न विचालिता
AI Translation: The grandfather himself, Brahma, and the preceptors, the Prajapatis, The authority is presented, and the state is not altered.
तदिदं सम्यगारब्धं त्वयाद्य भरतर्षभ किं तु भूमेर्गवां चार्थे सुवर्णं दीयतामिति
AI Translation: O bull among the Bharatas, you have begun this properly today. But for the sake of the earth and the cows, gold should be given.
एवं वयं च धर्मश्च सर्वे चास्मत्पितामहाः पाविता वै भविष्यन्ति पावनं परमं हि तत्
AI Translation: Thus we and the Dharma and all our forefathers will be purified, for that is the supreme purifier.
दश पूर्वान्दश परांस्तथा संतारयन्ति ते सुवर्णं ये प्रयच्छन्ति एवं मे पितरोऽब्रुवन्
AI Translation: They liberate ten generations of ancestors and ten generations of descendants. Those who give gold, my ancestors have told me,
ततोऽहं विस्मितो राजन्प्रतिबुद्धो विशां पते सुवर्णदानेऽकरवं मतिं भरतसत्तम
AI Translation: Then, O king, O lord of the people, I was amazed and awoke, O best of the Bharatas, and made up my mind to give gold.
इतिहासमिमं चापि शृणु राजन्पुरातनम् जामदग्न्यं प्रति विभो धन्यमायुष्यमेव च
AI Translation: And listen to this ancient history of the past, O king, Of Jamadagni's son, O Lord, which is auspicious and conducive to longevity.
जामदग्न्येन रामेण तीव्ररोषान्वितेन वै त्रिःसप्तकृत्वः पृथिवी कृता निःक्षत्रिया पुरा
AI Translation: By Jamadagni's son Rama, who was filled with intense anger, The earth was made devoid of kshatriyas three times seven times in the past.
ततो जित्वा महीं कृत्स्नां रामो राजीवलोचनः आजहार क्रतुं वीरो ब्रह्मक्षत्रेण पूजितम्
AI Translation: Then, having conquered the entire earth, the lotus-eyed Rama, the hero, performed a sacrifice honored by the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas.
वाजिमेधं महाराज सर्वकामसमन्वितम् पावनं सर्वभूतानां तेजोद्युतिविवर्धनम्
AI Translation: The horse sacrifice, O great king, endowed with all desires, Purifying all beings, increasing splendor and radiance,
विपाप्मापि स तेजस्वी तेन क्रतुफलेन वै नैवात्मनोऽथ लघुतां जामदग्न्योऽभ्यगच्छत
AI Translation: Even though he was free from sin and radiant, due to the fruit of that sacrifice, Jāmadagnya did not attain lightness of body.
स तु क्रतुवरेणेष्ट्वा महात्मा दक्षिणावता पप्रच्छागमसंपन्नानृषीन्देवांश्च भार्गवः
AI Translation: Having performed a great sacrifice, the great-souled one, endowed with gifts, asked the sages and gods who had come to him, Bhārgava.
पावनं यत्परं नॄणामुग्रे कर्मणि वर्तताम् तदुच्यतां महाभागा इति जातघृणोऽब्रवीत्
AI Translation: "The most purifying for men, when engaged in a terrible deed, " "That should be told, O blessed ones," said he, full of compassion.
Supplementary Passages:
13.83.35 For 35ef, S subst.: *388 प्रत्युवाच ततस्तेषां वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः V1 B Dn D1.2.4.6-9 ins. after 35: D5 after 3: D10 after 34ab: *389 राम विप्राः सत्क्रियन्तां वेदप्रामाण्यदर्शनात् भूयश्च विप्रर्षिगणाः प्रष्टव्याः पावनं प्रति ते यद्ब्रूयुर्महाप्राज्ञास्तच्चैव समुदाचर ततो वसिष्ठं देवर्षिमगस्त्यमथ कश्यपम् तमेवार्थं महातेजाः पप्रच्छ भृगुनन्दनः जाता मतिर्मे विप्रेन्द्राः कथं पूयेयमित्युत केन वा कर्मयोगेन प्रदानेनेह केन वा यदि वोऽनुग्रहकृता बुद्धिर्मां प्रति सत्तमाः प्रब्रूत पावनं किं मे भवेदिति तपोधनाः ऋषय ऊचुः गाश्च वित्तं च भूमिं च दत्त्वेह भृगुनन्दन पापकृन्मुच्यते मर्त्य इति भार्गव शुश्रुम अन्यद्दानं तु विप्रर्षे श्रूयतां पावनं महत् दिव्यमत्यद्भुताकारमपत्यं जातवेदसः दग्ध्वा लोकान्पुरा वीर्यात्संभूतमिह शुश्रुम सुवर्णमिति विख्यातं तद्ददत्सिद्धिमेष्यसि ततोऽब्रवीद्वसिष्ठस्तं भगवान्संशितव्रतः शृणु राम यथोत्पन्नं सुवर्णमनलप्रभम् यत्फलं चास्य विहितं दाने परमिहोच्यते सुवर्णं येन यस्माच्च यथा च गुणवत्तरम् तन्निबोध महाबाहो सर्वं निगदतो मम अग्नीषोमात्मकमिदं सुवर्णं विद्धि निश्चये अजोऽग्निर्वरुणो मेषः सूर्योऽश्व इति दर्शनम् कुञ्जराश्च स्मृता नागा महिषाश्चासुरा इति कुक्कुटाश्च वराहाश्च राक्षसा भृगुनन्दन इडा गावः पयः सोमो भूमिरित्येव च श्रुतिः जगत्सर्वं विनिर्मथ्य तेजोराशिः समुत्थितः सुवर्णमेभ्यो विप्रर्षे रत्नं परममुत्तमम् एतस्मात्कारणाद्देवा गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः मनुष्याश्च पिशाचाश्च प्रयता धारयन्ति तत् मुकुटैरङ्गदयुतैरलंकारैः पृथग्विधैः सुवर्णविकृतैस्तत्र विराजन्ते भृगूत्तम तस्मात्सर्वपवित्रेभ्यः पवित्रं परमं स्मृतम् भूमेर्गोभ्योऽथ रत्नेभ्यस्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ पृथिवीं गाश्च दत्त्वेह यच्चान्यदपि किंचन विशिष्यते सुवर्णस्य दानं परमकं विभो अक्षयं पावनं चैव सुवर्णममरद्युते प्रयच्छ द्विजमुख्येभ्यः पावनं ह्येतदुत्तमम् सुवर्णमेव सर्वासु दक्षिणासु विधीयते सुवर्णं ये प्रयच्छन्ति सर्वदास्ते भवन्त्युत
वसिष्ठ उवाच देवतास्ते प्रयच्छन्ति सुवर्णं ये ददत्युत अग्निर्हि देवताः सर्वाः सुवर्णं च तदात्मकम्
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, they who make gifts of gold are considered as givers of celestials. Agni is all the deities in one, and gold has Agni for its essence.
तस्मात्सुवर्णं ददता दत्ताः सर्वाश्च देवताः भवन्ति पुरुषव्याघ्र न ह्यतः परमं विदुः
M. N. Dutt: Hence it is that the person who makes gift of gold gives away all the celestials. Hence, O king, there is no gift higher than the gift of gold.
भूय एव च माहात्म्यं सुवर्णस्य निबोध मे गदतो मम विप्रर्षे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वर
M. N. Dutt: Vashishtha said Hear once more, O twice born Rishi, as I describe the superiority of gold, O foremost of all wielders weapons.
मया श्रुतमिदं पूर्वं पुराणे भृगुनन्दन प्रजापतेः कथयतो मनोः स्वायंभुवस्य वै
M. N. Dutt: I heard this formerly in the Purana, O son of Bhrigu's race. It represents the speech of Prajapati himself.
शूलपाणेर्भगवतो रुद्रस्य च महात्मनः गिरौ हिमवति श्रेष्ठे तदा भृगुकुलोद्वह
AI Translation: of the noble-souled Lord Śūlapāṇi, Rudra, on the best of mountains, the Himalayas, then, O upholder of the Bhṛgu lineage,
देव्या विवाहे निर्वृत्ते रुद्राण्या भृगुनन्दन समागमे भगवतो देव्या सह महात्मनः ततः सर्वे समुद्विग्ना भगवन्तमुपागमन्
AI Translation: When the marriage of the Goddess was over, O son of Bhrigu, when the great-souled Lord was united with the Goddess, then all of them, being distressed, approached the Lord.
ते महादेवमासीनं देवीं च वरदामुमाम् प्रसाद्य शिरसा सर्वे रुद्रमूचुर्भृगूद्वह
AI Translation: Having propitiated the seated Maheśvara and the bestower of boons, the goddess Umā, all of them bowed their heads and said to Rudra, O descendant of Bhṛgu.
अयं समागमो देव देव्या सह तवानघ तपस्विनस्तपस्विन्या तेजस्विन्यातितेजसः अमोघतेजास्त्वं देव देवी चेयमुमा तथा
AI Translation: This is the meeting of the god with the goddess, O sinless one, of the ascetic with the ascetic, of the radiant one with the very radiant one, You are of unfailing radiance, O god, and this goddess Uma is also so.
अपत्यं युवयोर्देव बलवद्भविता प्रभो तन्नूनं त्रिषु लोकेषु न किंचिच्छेषयिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: The offspring that will result from a union like this, will, forsooth, O illustrious deity, be gifted with very great might. Indeed, powerful lord, that offspring will consume all things in the three worlds without leaving a residue.
तदेभ्यः प्रणतेभ्यस्त्वं देवेभ्यः पृथुलोचन वरं प्रयच्छ लोकेश त्रैलोक्यहितकाम्यया अपत्यार्थं निगृह्णीष्व तेजो ज्वलितमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Do you then, O lord of all the universe, O you having large eyes, grant to these celestials prostrated before you, a boon from desire of benefiting the three worlds.
Supplementary Passages:
13.83.45 After 45e, N (D3 missing) ins.: *390 तेजः परमकं विभो त्रैलोक्यसारौ हि युवां लोकं संतापयिष्यथ तदपत्यं हि युवयोर्देवानभिभवेद्ध्रुवम् न हि ते पृथिवी देवी न च द्यौर्न दिवं प्रभो वीर्यं धारयितुं शक्ताः समस्ता इति नो मतिः तेजःप्रभावान्निर्दग्धं न स्यात्सर्वमिदं जगत् तस्मात्प्रसादं भगवन्कर्तुमर्हसि नः प्रभो न देव्याः संभवेत्पुत्रो भवतः सुरसत्तम धैर्यादेव निगृह्णीष्व
इति तेषां कथयतां भगवान्गोवृषध्वजः एवमस्त्विति देवांस्तान्विप्रर्षे प्रत्यभाषत
M. N. Dutt: To the deities that said so, the holy Mahadeva having the bull for his sign, O twiceborn Rishi, answered, saying, So be it!
इत्युक्त्वा चोर्ध्वमनयत्तद्रेतो वृषवाहनः ऊर्ध्वरेताः समभवत्ततःप्रभृति चापि सः
AI Translation: Having said this, the bull-riding one took that semen upwards. From then on, he became one who emits semen upwards.
रुद्राणी तु ततः क्रुद्धा प्रजोच्छेदे तथा कृते देवानथाब्रवीत्तत्र स्त्रीभावात्परुषं वचः
AI Translation: Then Rudrani, angry at the destruction of her offspring, spoke harsh words to the gods, out of her feminine nature.
यस्मादपत्यकामो वै भर्ता मे विनिवर्तितः तस्मात्सर्वे सुरा यूयमनपत्या भविष्यथ
M. N. Dutt: Since you have opposed my lord in procreating an offspring when he was desirous of procrcating one upon me, as the result of this act, you celestials, you all shall become sonless.
प्रजोच्छेदो मम कृतो यस्माद्युष्माभिरद्य वै तस्मात्प्रजा वः खगमाः सर्वेषां न भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, since you have opposed the birth of an offspring from me, therefore, you shall have no offspring of your own When this curse was imprecated.
पावकस्तु न तत्रासीच्छापकाले भृगूद्वह देवा देव्यास्तथा शापादनपत्यास्तदाभवन्
M. N. Dutt: O perpetuator of Bhrigu's race, the deity of fire was not there. It is on account of this curse of the goddess that the deities have become childless.
रुद्रस्तु तेजोऽप्रतिमं धारयामास तत्तदा प्रस्कन्नं तु ततस्तस्मात्किंचित्तत्रापतद्भुवि
M. N. Dutt: Rudra begged them, held in himself his energy of incomparable power. A small quantity, however, that came out o this body dropped on the Earth.
तत्पपात तदा चाग्नौ ववृधे चाद्भुतोपमम् तेजस्तेजसि संपृक्तमेकयोनित्वमागतम्
M. N. Dutt: That seed, falling on the Earth, leaped into a burning fire and there began to grow most wonderfully.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः असुरस्तारको नाम तेन संतापिता भृशम्
AI Translation: At that very time, the gods, led by Shakra, were greatly tormented by the asura named Tāraka.
आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा मरुतोऽथाश्विनावपि साध्याश्च सर्वे संत्रस्ता दैतेयस्य पराक्रमात्
AI Translation: The Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Maruts, and the Ashvins, and all the Sadhyas were terrified by the valor of the Daitya.
स्थानानि देवतानां हि विमानानि पुराणि च ऋषीणामाश्रमाश्चैव बभूवुरसुरैर्हृताः
M. N. Dutt: All the regions of the celestials, their beautiful cars, and their palaces, and the asylums of the Rishis, we.e snatched away by the Asuras.
ते दीनमनसः सर्वे देवाश्च ऋषयश्च ह प्रजग्मुः शरणं देवं ब्रह्माणमजरं प्रभुम्
M. N. Dutt: Then the celestials and the Rishis, with depressed hearts, sought the protection of the illustrious and powerful Brahman of unfading glory.
Supplementary Passages:
13.83.57 After 57, T1 ins.: *391 वरेण्यं वरदं देवं स्तोतुमारेभिरे प्रभुम्