Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छन्ति दानानि विविधानि च दातृप्रतिग्रहीत्रोर्वा को विशेषः पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yuthishthira said People are seen to make various kinds of gifts to the Brahmanas. What, however, is the difference, O grandfather, between the giver and the receiver?
भीष्म उवाच साधोर्यः प्रतिगृह्णीयात्तथैवासाधुतो द्विजः गुणवत्यल्पदोषः स्यान्निर्गुणे तु निमज्जति
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The Brahmana accepts gifts from him who is righteous, and from him who is sinful. If the giver happens to be virtuous, the receiver commits little sin. If, on the other hand, the giver happens to be impious, the receiver sinks in hell.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् वृषादर्भेश्च संवादं सप्तर्षीणां च भारत
M. N. Dutt: Regarding it is cited an old history of the conversation between Vrishadarbhi and the seven Rishis, O Bharata.
कश्यपोऽत्रिर्वसिष्ठश्च भरद्वाजोऽथ गौतमः विश्वामित्रो जमदग्निः साध्वी चैवाप्यरुन्धती
AI Translation: Kashyapa, Atri, Vasishtha, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Vishvamitra, Jamadagni, and the virtuous Arundhati.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.4 For 4, T3 subst.: *418 काश्यपोऽत्रिर्भरद्वाजो विश्वामित्रोऽथ गौतमः जमदग्निर्वसिष्ठश्च साध्वी चैवाप्यरुन्धती
सर्वेषामथ तेषां तु गण्डाभूत्कर्मकारिका शूद्रः पशुसखश्चैव भर्ता चास्या बभूव ह
AI Translation: And of all of them, Gandā became the one who performed the rites. And a Śūdra, a companion of animals, became her husband.
ते वै सर्वे तपस्यन्तः पुरा चेरुर्महीमिमाम् समाधिनोपशिक्षन्तो ब्रह्मलोकं सनातनम्
M. N. Dutt: Kashyapa and others, formerly, observed the austeresi penances and roved over the world, desirous of acquiring the eternal region of Brahman by the help of Yogameditation.
अथाभवदनावृष्टिर्महती कुरुनन्दन कृच्छ्रप्राणोऽभवद्यत्र लोकोऽयं वै क्षुधान्वितः
M. N. Dutt: About that time, O delighter of the Kurus, there took place a severe drought. Stricken with hunger, the whole world of living creiures become greatly weak.
कस्मिंश्चिच्च पुरा यज्ञे याज्येन शिबिसूनुना दक्षिणार्थेऽथ ऋत्विग्भ्यो दत्तः पुत्रो निजः किल
M. N. Dutt: At a sacrifice which had been performed formerly by Shibi's son, he had given away to the Ritviks a son of his as the sacrificial present.
तस्मिन्कालेऽथ सोऽल्पायुर्दिष्टान्तमगमत्प्रभो ते तं क्षुधाभिसंतप्ताः परिवार्योपतस्थिरे
M. N. Dutt: About this time, longlived as the prince was, he died of starvation. The Rishis named, afflicted with hunger, approached the dead prince and sat encircling him.
याज्यात्मजमथो दृष्ट्वा गतासुमृषिसत्तमाः अपचन्त तदा स्थाल्यां क्षुधार्ताः किल भारत
AI Translation: Then, O best of sages, seeing the son of Yajna dead, they cooked him in a pot, being afflicted by hunger, O descendant of Bharata.
निराद्ये मर्त्यलोकेऽस्मिन्नात्मानं ते परीप्सवः कृच्छ्रामापेदिरे वृत्तिमन्नहेतोस्तपस्विनः
AI Translation: Those who seek their own welfare in this world of mortals, the ascetics, for the sake of food, have adopted a difficult livelihood.
अटमानोऽथ तान्मार्गे पचमानान्महीपतिः राजा शैब्यो वृषादर्भिः क्लिश्यमानान्ददर्श ह
AI Translation: Wandering along that road, the king saw the men being cooked by the king of the Śibis, the king Vṛṣādarbhi, who was suffering.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.12 After 12, T3 ins.: *419 प्रतिग्रहनिमित्तं वै प्रत्युवाच स तान्नृपः
वृषादर्भिरुवाच प्रतिग्रहस्तारयति पुष्टिर्वै प्रतिगृह्णताम् मयि यद्विद्यते वित्तं तच्छृणुध्वं तपोधनाः
M. N. Dutt: The acceptance of a gift will immediately relieve you all. Do you, therefore, accept a gift for the maintenance of your bodies! you ascetics having penances for wealth, listen to me as I declare what wealth I have.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.13 After 13ab, T3 ins.: *420 तस्माद्ददामि वो वित्तं तद्गृह्णीध्वं तपोधनाः
प्रियो हि मे ब्राह्मणो याचमानो; दद्यामहं वोऽश्वतरीसहस्रम् एकैकशः सवृषाः संप्रसूताः; सर्वेषां वै शीघ्रगाः श्वेतलोमाः
M. N. Dutt: That Brahmana who solicits me is ever dear to me. Indeed I shall give you a thousand kine of white hair, foremost in speed, each accompanied by a bull, and each having a wellborn calf, and, therefore, giving milk.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.14 After 14ab, D10 T G ins.: *421 धेनूनां ददाम्ययुतं समग्रम् After 14, D10 T2.3 G1.3.4 ins.: *422 मनोजवान्प्रददाम्यर्बुदानि
कुलंभराननडुहः शतंशता;न्धुर्याञ्शुभान्सर्वशोऽहं ददानि पृथ्वीवाहान्पीवरांश्चैव ताव;दग्र्या गृष्ट्यो धेनवः सुव्रताश्च
M. N. Dutt: I shall also give you a thousand bulls of white colour and of the best species and capable of carrying heavy loads. I shall also give you a large number of kine, of good nature, the foremost of their kind, all fat, and each of which, having brought forth her first calf, is quick with her second.
वरान्ग्रामान्व्रीहियवं रसांश्च; रत्नं चान्यद्दुर्लभं किं ददानि मा स्माभक्ष्ये भावमेवं कुरुध्वं; पुष्ट्यर्थं वै किं प्रयच्छाम्यहं वः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Vrishadarbha said Tell me what else I shall give of foremost villages, of grain, of barley, and of even the rarer and more precious jewels. Do not seek to eat this food that is inedible. Tell me what should I give you for the maintenance of your bodies.
ऋषय ऊचुः राजन्प्रतिग्रहो राज्ञो मध्वास्वादो विषोपमः तज्जानमानः कस्मात्त्वं कुरुषे नः प्रलोभनम्
M. N. Dutt: The Rishis said O king, to accept gifts from a monarch is very sweet at first but it is poison in the end. Knowing this well, why do you, O king, tempt us then with these offers?
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.17 After 17, D10 T G ins.: *423 दशसूनासमश्चक्री दशचक्रिसमो ध्वजी दशध्वजिसमा वेश्या दशवेश्यासमो नृपः दशसूनासहस्राणि यो वाहयति सैनिकः तेन तुल्यो भवेद्राजा घोरस्तस्य प्रतिग्रहः
क्षत्रं हि दैवतमिव ब्राह्मणं समुपाश्रितम् अमलो ह्येष तपसा प्रीतः प्रीणाति देवताः
M. N. Dutt: The body of the Brahmana is the divine field. By penance, it is purified. Then again, by pleasing the Brahmana, one pleases the celestials.
अह्नापीह तपो जातु ब्राह्मणस्योपजायते तद्दाव इव निर्दह्यात्प्राप्तो राजप्रतिग्रहः
M. N. Dutt: If a Brahmana accepts the gifts made to him by the king, he loses, by such acceptance, the merit that he would otherwise win by a his penances, they day. Indeed, such acceptance destroys that merit as a burning fire destroys a wilderness.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.19 For 19ab, D4.5 (second time). 6-10 subst.: *424 यदहोभिः सुबहुभिः संचितं परमं तपः
कुशलं सह दानेन राजन्नस्तु सदा तव अर्थिभ्यो दीयतां सर्वमित्युक्त्वा ते ततो ययुः
M. N. Dutt: May you be happy, O king, as the result of the gifts you make to those who solicit you. Saying these words to them, they left that place, proceeding by another way,
अपक्वमेव तन्मांसमभूत्तेषां च धीमताम् अथ हित्वा ययुः सर्वे वनमाहारकाङ्क्षिणः
AI Translation: That meat of theirs, O wise ones, was not cooked. Then, desiring food, all of them left and went to the forest.
ततः प्रचोदिता राज्ञा वनं गत्वास्य मन्त्रिणः प्रचीयोदुम्बराणि स्म दानं दातुं प्रचक्रमुः
M. N. Dutt: After this, urged by their master, the ministers of the king, entered those woods and plucking certain figs tried to give them away to those Rishis.
उदुम्बराण्यथान्यानि हेमगर्भाण्युपाहरन् भृत्यास्तेषां ततस्तानि प्रग्राहितुमुपाद्रवन्
M. N. Dutt: The offers of king filled some of those figs with gold and mixing them with others tried to induce those ascetics to accept thein.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.23 For 23cd, D10 S subst.: *425 दृष्ट्वा फलानि मुनयस्ते ग्रहीतुमुपाद्रवन्
गुरूणीति विदित्वाथ न ग्राह्याण्यत्रिरब्रवीत् न स्म हे मूढविज्ञाना न स्म हे मन्दबुद्धयः हैमानीमानि जानीमः प्रतिबुद्धाः स्म जागृमः
M. N. Dutt: Atri took up some of those figs, and finding them heavy refused to take them. He said, We are not shorn of knowledge. We are not fools.
इह ह्येतदुपादत्तं प्रेत्य स्यात्कटुकोदयम् अप्रतिग्राह्यमेवैतत्प्रेत्य चेह सुखेप्सुना
M. N. Dutt: We know that there is gold within these figs. We have our senses about us. Indeed, we are awake instead of being asleep. If accepted in this world, those will yield bitter results hereafter. He who seeks happiness both in this world and in the next, should never accept these.
वसिष्ठ उवाच शतेन निष्कं गणितं सहस्रेण च संमितम् यथा बहु प्रतीच्छन्हि पापिष्ठां लभते गतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Vasishtha said If we accept even one gold coin, it will be counted as a hundred or even a thousand. If, therefor, we accept many coins, we shall surely attain to an unhappy end in the next world.
कश्यप उवाच यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः सर्वं तन्नालमेकस्य तस्माद्विद्वाञ्शमं व्रजेत्
M. N. Dutt: Kashyapa said All the paddy and barley on Earth, all the gold and animals and women that are in the world, are incapable of satisfying the desire of a single person. Hence, a wise man should, removing cupidity, adopt tranquillity.
भरद्वाज उवाच उत्पन्नस्य रुरोः शृङ्गं वर्धमानस्य वर्धते प्रार्थना पुरुषस्येव तस्य मात्रा न विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: Bharadvaja said The horns of a Ruru, when they first appear, begin to grow with the growth of the animal. The cupidity of man is like this. It has no limit.
गौतम उवाच न तल्लोके द्रव्यमस्ति यल्लोकं प्रतिपूरयेत् समुद्रकल्पः पुरुषो न कदाचन पूर्यते
M. N. Dutt: Gautama said All the objects which exist in the world cannot satisfy even a single person. Man is like the ocean, for he can never be filled (i.e., satisfied)
विश्वामित्र उवाच कामं कामयमानस्य यदा कामः समृध्यते अथैनमपरः कामस्तृष्णा विध्यति बाणवत्
M. N. Dutt: Vishvamitra said When one desire cherished by a person becomes satisfied, there originates immediately another whose satisfaction sought and which pierces him like an arrow.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.30 After 30, T G ins.: *426 अत्रिः न जातु कामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते
जमदग्निरुवाच प्रतिग्रहे संयमो वै तपो धारयते ध्रुवम् तद्धनं ब्राह्मणस्येह लुभ्यमानस्य विस्रवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Jamadagni said Abstention from accepting gifts supports penances as their root. Acceptance however, destroys that.
अरुन्धत्युवाच धर्मार्थं संचयो यो वै द्रव्याणां पक्षसंमतः तपःसंचय एवेह विशिष्टो द्रव्यसंचयात्
M. N. Dutt: Arundhati said Some people hold that things of the world may be stored for spending them upon the acquisition of virtue. I think, however, that the acquisition of virtue is better than that of riches.
गण्डोवाच उग्रादितो भयाद्यस्माद्बिभ्यतीमे ममेश्वराः बलीयांसो दुर्बलवद्बिभेम्यहमतः परम्
M. N. Dutt: Ganda said When these my lords, who are gifted with great energy, are so very much afraid of this when seems to be a great terror, weak as I am, I fear it the more.
पशुसख उवाच यद्वै धर्मे परं नास्ति ब्राह्मणास्तद्धनं विदुः विनयार्थं सुविद्वांसमुपासेयं यथातथम्
M. N. Dutt: Pashusakha said The value of virtue is very superior, There is nothing superior to it. That wealth is known to the Brahmanas. I wait upon them as their servant, only for learning to prize that wealth.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.34 After the ref., T3 ins.: *427 यथा चरन्ति विद्वांसस्तथा धर्मपरायणाः तदेव विदुषा कार्यमात्मनो हितमिच्छता
ऋषय ऊचुः कुशलं सह दानाय तस्मै यस्य प्रजा इमाः फलान्युपधियुक्तानि य एवं नः प्रयच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: The Rishis said May he be, as the result of the gifts he makes, who is king of the people of this land. Let his gift bear fruit who has sent these fruit s to us, enclosing gold within them.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.35 After the ref., Dn2 D10 ins.: *428 यस्य स्याद्विभवोत्कण्ठा तृष्णा यस्याधिका भवेत् विनयात्स समृद्धार्थान्समुपासीत यत्नतः For 35ab, T2 G M subst.: *429 कश्मलाधमदानाय प्रतियत्नाः प्रजाधमाः
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्त्वा हेमगर्भाणि हित्वा तानि फलानि ते ऋषयो जग्मुरन्यत्र सर्व एव धृतव्रताः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Having said these words, those Rishis of steadfast vows, abandoning the figs having gold within them, left that place and proceeded where they liked.
Supplementary Passages:
13.94.36 After 36, T1.2 G ins.: *430 अथ ते मन्त्रिणः सर्वे राजानमिदमब्रुवन्
मन्त्रिणः ऊचुः उपधिं शङ्कमानास्ते हित्वेमानि फलानि वै ततोऽन्येनैव गच्छन्ति विदितं तेऽस्तु पार्थिव
M. N. Dutt: The ministers said O king, coming to know of the existence of gold within the figs, the Rishis have departed. Let this be known to you.
इत्युक्तः स तु भृत्यैस्तैर्वृषादर्भिश्चुकोप ह तेषां संप्रतिकर्तुं च सर्वेषामगमद्गृहम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Thus addressed by his ministers, king Vrishadarbhi became stricken with anger against all those Rishis. Indeed, to take vengeance upon them, the king entered his own apartment.
स गत्वाहवनीयेऽग्नौ तीव्रं नियममास्थितः जुहाव संस्कृतां मन्त्रैरेकैकामाहुतिं नृपः
M. N. Dutt: Practising the austerest of penances, he poured on his sacred fire libations of clarified butter, accompanying each with Mantras uttered by him.
तस्मादग्नेः समुत्तस्थौ कृत्या लोकभयंकरी तस्या नाम वृषादर्भिर्यातुधानीत्यथाकरोत्
M. N. Dutt: From that fire there then originated, as the outcome of the incantation, a form capable of striking every one with fear. Vrishadarbhi named her as Yatudhani.
सा कृत्या कालरात्रीव कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थिता वृषादर्भिं नरपतिं किं करोमीति चाब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: That form which had originated from the incantations of the king, loO king as dreadful as the Last Night, appeared with joined hands before the king. Addressing king Vrishadarbhi, she said, What shall I do?
वृषादर्भिरुवाच ऋषीणां गच्छ सप्तानामरुन्धत्यास्तथैव च दासीभर्तुश्च दास्याश्च मनसा नाम धारय
M. N. Dutt: Vrishadarbhi said Go and follow the seven Rishis, as also Arundhati, and the husband of their maidservant, and the maid-servant herself, and understand what the meanings are of their names.
ज्ञात्वा नामानि चैतेषां सर्वानेतान्विनाशय विनष्टेषु यथा स्वैरं गच्छ यत्रेप्सितं तव
M. N. Dutt: Having learnt their names, do you kill all of them. After killing them you may go wherever you like.
सा तथेति प्रतिश्रुत्य यातुधानी स्वरूपिणी जगाम तद्वनं यत्र विचेरुस्ते महर्षयः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Saying, So be it. The who had been named Yatudhani, in her proper form, went to that forest in which the great Rishis, travelled in search of food.