Critical Edition
जनमेजय उवाच पितामहस्य मे यज्ञे धर्मपुत्रस्य धीमतः यदाश्चर्यमभूत्किंचित्तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: Janamejaya said. You should tell me of any wonderful incident which took place in the sacrifice of my grandsire.
वैशंपायन उवाच श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल महदाश्चर्यमुत्तमम् अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे निवृत्ते यदभूद्विभो
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said Hear, O chief of kings, of a most wonderful event which took place, O powerful monarch, at the conclusion of that great Horse-Sacrifice.
तर्पितेषु द्विजाग्र्येषु ज्ञातिसंबन्धिबन्धुषु दीनान्धकृपणे चापि तदा भरतसत्तम
AI Translation: When the best of Brahmins were satisfied, and the relatives, kinsmen and friends, and the poor, blind and destitute, O best of Bharatas,
घुष्यमाणे महादाने दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत पतत्सु पुष्पवर्षेषु धर्मराजस्य मूर्धनि
AI Translation: When the great gift was being proclaimed in all directions, O descendant of Bharata, When showers of flowers fell on the head of Dharmaraja,
बिलान्निष्क्रम्य नकुलो रुक्मपार्श्वस्तदानघ वज्राशनिसमं नादममुञ्चत विशां पते
AI Translation: Having emerged from the hole, Nakula, with golden sides, O sinless one, emitted a sound like a thunderbolt, O lord of the people.
सकृदुत्सृज्य तं नादं त्रासयानो मृगद्विजान् मानुषं वचनं प्राह धृष्टो बिलशयो महान्
AI Translation: Having emitted that sound once, frightening the deer and birds, The bold one, the great one dwelling in the hole, spoke in human words:
सक्तुप्रस्थेन वो नायं यज्ञस्तुल्यो नराधिपाः उञ्छवृत्तेर्वदान्यस्य कुरुक्षेत्रनिवासिनः
AI Translation: O kings, this sacrifice is not equal to a prastha of barley, of the generous one who lives in Kurukshetra and follows the practice of begging.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा नकुलस्य विशां पते विस्मयं परमं जग्मुः सर्वे ते ब्राह्मणर्षभाः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these words of the mongoose, o king, all those foremost of Brahmanas became stricken with wonder.
ततः समेत्य नकुलं पर्यपृच्छन्त ते द्विजाः कुतस्त्वं समनुप्राप्तो यज्ञं साधुसमागमम्
M. N. Dutt: Approaching the mongoose, they then asked him, saying, 'Whence have you come to this sacrifice this resort of the good and the pious?
किं बलं परमं तुभ्यं किं श्रुतं किं परायणम् कथं भवन्तं विद्याम यो नो यज्ञं विगर्हसे
M. N. Dutt: What is the extent of your power? What you learning? And what your refuge? How should we know you who thus censure this our sacrifice?
अविलुप्यागमं कृत्स्नं विधिज्ञैर्याजकैः कृतम् यथागमं यथान्यायं कर्तव्यं च यथाकृतम्
M. N. Dutt: Without having disregarded any portion of the scriptures, everything that should be done has been done here according to the scriptures and according to reason, with the help of various sacrificial rites.
पूजार्हाः पूजिताश्चात्र विधिवच्छास्त्रचक्षुषा मन्त्रपूतं हुतश्चाग्निर्दत्तं देयममत्सरम्
M. N. Dutt: Those who are deserving of adoration, have been duly adored here according to the way pointed out by the scriptures. Libations have bcen poured on the sacred fire with the help of proper Mantras. That which should be given, has been given away without pride.
तुष्टा द्विजर्षभाश्चात्र दानैर्बहुविधैरपि क्षत्रियाश्च सुयुद्धेन श्राद्धैरपि पितामहाः
M. N. Dutt: The twice-born class have been pleased with gifts of various kinds. The Kshatriyas have been pleased with battles fought according to just methods. The grandfathers have been pleased with Sharaddhas,
पालनेन विशस्तुष्टाः कामैस्तुष्टा वरस्त्रियः अनुक्रोशैस्तथा शूद्रा दानशेषैः पृथग्जनाः
M. N. Dutt: The Vaishyas have been pleased by the protection offered to them, and many foremost of women have been pleased by accomplishing their desires. The Shudras have been pleased b y kind speeches, and others with the residue of the profuse wealth collected on the spot.
ज्ञातिसंबन्धिनस्तुष्टाः शौचेन च नृपस्य नः देवा हविर्भिः पुण्यैश्च रक्षणैः शरणागताः
M. N. Dutt: Kinsmen and relatives have been pleased by the purity of conduct shown by our king. The celestials have been pleased by libations of clarified butter and acts of merit, and dependents and followers by protection.
यदत्र तथ्यं तद्ब्रूहि सत्यसंध द्विजातिषु यथाश्रुतं यथादृष्टं पृष्टो ब्राह्मणकाम्यया
M. N. Dutt: That, therefore, which is true, do you truly declare to these Brahmanas. Indeed, do you declare what is according to the scriptures and to actual experience, asked by the Brahmanas who are eager to know.
श्रद्धेयवाक्यः प्राज्ञस्त्वं दिव्यं रूपं बिभर्षि च समागतश्च विप्रैस्त्वं तत्त्वतो वक्तुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: Your words are creditable. You are wise. You have have, also, a celestial form. You have come into the midst of learned Brahmanas. You should explain yourself.'
इति पृष्टो द्विजैस्तैः स प्रहस्य नकुलोऽब्रवीत् नैषानृता मया वाणी प्रोक्ता दर्पेण वा द्विजाः
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by those twice-born persons, the mungoose, siniling, answered them as follows. “You twice-born ones, the words I have uttered are not false. Neither have I spoken them from pride.
यन्मयोक्तमिदं किंचिद्युष्माभिश्चाप्युपश्रुतम् सक्तुप्रस्थेन वो नायं यज्ञस्तुल्यो नराधिपाः उञ्छवृत्तेर्वदान्यस्य कुरुक्षेत्रनिवासिनः
M. N. Dutt: You have all heard what I have said. You foremost of twice-born persons, this sacrifice is not equal in merit to the gift of a prastha of powdered barley.
इत्यवश्यं मयैतद्वो वक्तव्यं द्विजपुंगवाः शृणुताव्यग्रमनसः शंसतो मे द्विजर्षभाः
M. N. Dutt: Forsooth, I should say this, O focmost of Brahmanas. Listen to me with rapt attention as I truly describe to you what took place.
अनुभूतं च दृष्टं च यन्मयाद्भुतमुत्तमम् उञ्छवृत्तेर्यथावृत्तं कुरुक्षेत्रनिवासिनः
M. N. Dutt: Wonderful and excellent was the event that happened. It was seen by me and its consequences were felt by me. The incident relates to a liberal Brahmana living in Kurukshetra in the observance of the Unchcha VOW.
स्वर्गं येन द्विजः प्राप्तः सभार्यः ससुतस्नुषः यथा चार्धं शरीरस्य ममेदं काञ्चनीकृतम्
M. N. Dutt: On account of that incident he attained to Heaven, O twice-born ones, along with his wife and son and daughter-in-law. And in consequence of what then took place half my body became changed into gold.