Critical Edition
मार्कण्डेय उवाच भूय एव तु माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणानां निबोध मे वैन्यो नामेह राजर्षिरश्वमेधाय दीक्षितः तमत्रिर्गन्तुमारेभे वित्तार्थमिति नः श्रुतम्
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : Hear from me again of the great glory of the Brahmanas. We have heard that a royal sage Vainya by name was engaged in celebrating the horse-sacrifice and that Atri was prepared to go to him for alms. But at last actuated by religious motives he abandoned his desire for riches.
भूयोऽथ नानुरुध्यत्स धर्मव्यक्तिनिदर्शनात् संचिन्त्य स महातेजा वनमेवान्वरोचयत् धर्मपत्नीं समाहूय पुत्रांश्चेदमुवाच ह
M. N. Dutt: After much deliberation (as to what he should do) that highly energetic (sage) became desirous of living in the forests and calling his wedded wife and sons together spoke to them thus
प्राप्स्यामः फलमत्यन्तं बहुलं निरुपद्रवम् अरण्यगमनं क्षिप्रं रोचतां वो गुणाधिकम्
M. N. Dutt: May it be your inclination to go to the forests soon; because (by repairing there) we shall attain the highly blissful and tranquil fulfillment (of our desires).
तं भार्या प्रत्युवाचेदं धर्ममेवानुरुध्यती वैन्यं गत्वा महात्मानमर्थयस्व धनं बहु स ते दास्यति राजर्षिर्यजमानोऽर्थिने धनम्
M. N. Dutt: To this his wife, actuated by virtuous motives, also replied “go to the high-souled Vainya and beg of him immense wealth.
तत आदाय विप्रर्षे प्रतिगृह्य धनं बहु भृत्यान्सुतान्संविभज्य ततो व्रज यथेप्सितम् एष वै परमो धर्मो धर्मविद्भिरुदाहृतः
M. N. Dutt: And having distributed it among the sons and the attendants, you may go whither you like. This is the highest virtue as instanced by men versed in religion.
अत्रिरुवाच कथितो मे महाभागे गौतमेन महात्मना वैन्यो धर्मार्थसंयुक्तः सत्यव्रतसमन्वितः
M. N. Dutt: Atri said: O highly fortunate (wife), I have been told by the noble-minded Gautama that Vainya is religious, conversant with (the principles of the science of) profit and devoted to truth.
किं त्वस्ति तत्र द्वेष्टारो निवसन्ति हि मे द्विजाः यथा मे गौतमः प्राह ततो न व्यवसाम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: But he is surrounded by Brahmanas who are very envious of me. As Gautama has informed me of this I dare not go there.
तत्र स्म वाचं कल्याणीं धर्मकामार्थसंहिताम् मयोक्तामन्यथा ब्रूयुस्ततस्ते वै निरर्थकाम्
M. N. Dutt: For even if I speak these (highly) beneficial and religious words calculated to bring about the fulfillment of one's desires they will oppose me with speeches productive of no good.
गमिष्यामि महाप्राज्ञे रोचते मे वचस्तव गाश्च मे दास्यते वैन्यः प्रभूतं चार्थसंचयम्
M. N. Dutt: But, O highly wise (wife), I relish your proposal and will (therefore) go there. Vainya will bestow on me cows and immense wealth.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवमुक्त्वा जगामाशु वैन्ययज्ञं महातपाः गत्वा च यज्ञायतनमत्रिस्तुष्टाव तं नृपम्
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya continued Saying this, that sage of great devotion, soon repaired to Vainya's sacrifice. And reaching the sacrificial altar he eulogised the king. With noble speeches and then said these words.
Supplementary Passages:
3.183.10 After 10, B D (except D1-3.5) G2 M2 ins.: *907 वाक्यैर्मङ्गलसंयुक्तैः पूजयानोऽब्रवीद्वचः
राजन्वैन्य त्वमीशश्च भुवि त्वं प्रथमो नृपः स्तुवन्ति त्वां मुनिगणास्त्वदन्यो नास्ति धर्मवित्
AI Translation: O king, you are the lord, you are the first king on earth. The groups of sages praise you; there is no one else who knows dharma.
तमब्रवीदृषिस्तत्र वचः क्रुद्धो महातपाः मैवमत्रे पुनर्ब्रूया न ते प्रज्ञा समाहिता अत्र नः प्रथमं स्थाता महेन्द्रो वै प्रजापतिः
M. N. Dutt: Gautama said: O Atri, do you not repeat such (foolish words) again. Your understanding is not yet matured. In this world, Mahendra, the lord of all creatures, is the greatest monarch.
अथात्रिरपि राजेन्द्र गौतमं प्रत्यभाषत अयमेव विधाता च यथैवेन्द्रः प्रजापतिः त्वमेव मुह्यसे मोहान्न प्रज्ञानं तवास्ति ह
M. N. Dutt: O king of kings, thereupon, Atri replied to Gautama “this king is as much the dispenser of our destiny as Indra, the lord of all creatures. Your intellect is clouded with ignorance and you have no sense at (all)."
गौतम उवाच जानामि नाहं मुह्यामि त्वं विवक्षुर्विमुह्यसे स्तोष्यसेऽभ्युदयप्रेप्सुस्तस्य दर्शनसंश्रयात्
AI Translation: Gautama said: I know, I am not confused. You, wanting to express yourself, are confused. You will praise, seeking prosperity, relying on the vision of that.
न वेत्थ परमं धर्मं न चावैषि प्रयोजनम् बालस्त्वमसि मूढश्च वृद्धः केनापि हेतुना
M. N. Dutt: You are not conversant with what is the highest duty nor do feel any need for it. You are ignorant as a child; why then have you grown so old in years?
मार्कण्डेय उवाच विवदन्तौ तथा तौ तु मुनीनां दर्शने स्थितौ ये तस्य यज्ञे संवृत्तास्तेऽपृच्छन्त कथं त्विमौ
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya continued When they were thus quarreling before the Munis who were engaged in the sacrifice, the latter enquired "What is the matter with these two men?
प्रवेशः केन दत्तोऽयमनयोर्वैन्यसंसदि उच्चैः समभिभाषन्तौ केन कार्येण विष्ठितौ
M. N. Dutt: Who did admit them to the court of Vainya? What is it that they are clamouring for?”
ततः परमधर्मात्मा काश्यपः सर्वधर्मवित् विवादिनावनुप्राप्तौ तावुभौ प्रत्यवेदयत्
M. N. Dutt: Then the highly righteous Kashyapa versed in all duties stepping between the disputants inquired of them the cause of their quarrel.
अथाब्रवीत्सदस्यांस्तु गौतमो मुनिसत्तमान् आवयोर्व्याहृतं प्रश्नं शृणुत द्विजपुंगवाः वैन्यो विधातेत्याहात्रिरत्र नः संशयो महान्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, Gautama addressing that assembly of the most exalted sages said. "O the best of Brahmanas, hear the cause of our dispute.
Supplementary Passages:
3.183.19 After 19, S ins.: *908 ततस्तद्गौतमेनोक्तं वाक्यं वैन्यस्य संसदि
श्रुत्वैव तु महात्मानो मुनयोऽभ्यद्रवन्द्रुतम् सनत्कुमारं धर्मज्ञं संशयच्छेदनाय वै
AI Translation: Hearing this, the great sages quickly approached Sanatkumara, the knower of Dharma, to resolve their doubts.
Supplementary Passages:
3.183.20 After 20, S (except M2) ins.: *909 पप्रच्छुः प्रणताः सर्वे ब्रह्माणमिव सोमपाः
स च तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा यथातत्त्वं महातपाः प्रत्युवाचाथ तानेवं धर्मार्थसहितं वचः
M. N. Dutt: The righteous Sanatkumara in order to solve their doubt. And he (Sanatkumara) of great devotional spirit, hearing their their words, addressed them with these words of true religious import..
सनत्कुमार उवाच ब्रह्म क्षत्रेण सहितं क्षत्रं च ब्रह्मणा सह राजा वै प्रथमो धर्मः प्रजानां पतिरेव च स एव शक्रः शुक्रश्च स धाता स बृहस्पतिः
AI Translation: Sanatkumara said: Brahma together with the Kshatriya, and the Kshatriya together with Brahma, The king is the first Dharma, the lord of the people.
Supplementary Passages:
3.183.22 After 22ab, N (except B2 D4.6) ins.: *910 संयुक्तौ दहतः शत्रून्वनानीवाग्निमारुतौ
प्रजापतिर्विराट्सम्राट्क्षत्रियो भूपतिर्नृपः य एभिः स्तूयते शब्दैः कस्तं नार्चितुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: Is there (therefore) anybody who considers himself above worshipping the individual to whom such appellations as 'Prajapati' (the lord of all creatures), 'Virata', 'Emperor', 'Kshatriya' (one who preserves from pain), 'lord of earth,' and 'Monarch', are applied in praise?
पुरायोनिर्युधाजिच्च अभिया मुदितो भवः स्वर्णेता सहजिद्बभ्रुरिति राजाभिधीयते
M. N. Dutt: The monarch is further styled 'the prime cause,' (of social order), 'the conqueror of battles,' (and therefore) the preserver of the (peace), 'the watchman', 'the contented', 'the lord', 'guide to heaven,' 'the easily victorious', 'Vishnu like.'
सत्यमन्युर्युधाजीवः सत्यधर्मप्रवर्तकः अधर्मादृषयो भीता बलं क्षत्रे समादधन्
M. N. Dutt: 'Of effective wrath,' 'the victorious in wars' and 'the introducer of true religion.' The Rishis afraid of committing sins made over the (temporal) powers to the Kshatriyas.
Supplementary Passages:
3.183.25 D2 ins. after 25: D1 (which reads 24-25 after 910*) ins. after 23: *911 पुरा यो ब्रह्मणा सृष्टः प्रजानां परिपालने दुष्टानां निग्रहं कर्ता स च राजाभिधीयते सत्यं मन्युर्दया रक्षा धर्माधर्मविलोकनम् विद्यन्ते यस्य चाराश्च स राजेत्यभिधीयते On the other hand, S ins. after 25: *912 अस्माभिर्ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रं क्षत्रेण ब्रह्म चाव्ययम्
आदित्यो दिवि देवेषु तमो नुदति तेजसा तथैव नृपतिर्भूमावधर्मं नुदते भृशम्
M. N. Dutt: Like the sun among the gods in heaven who destroys darkness by his rays the king among men eradicates sin from the earth.
अतो राज्ञः प्रधानत्वं शास्त्रप्रामाण्यदर्शनात् उत्तरः सिध्यते पक्षो येन राजेति भाषितम्
M. N. Dutt: Therefore by the authority of the Shastras the greatness of the king is established. And I declare for him who has spoken in favour of the king.
Supplementary Passages:
3.183.27 After 27ab, D3 (marg. sec. m.) ins.: *913 अत्रिणा व्याहृतं पूर्वं तत्तथैव न चान्यथा
मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः स राजा संहृष्टः सिद्धे पक्षे महामनाः तमत्रिमब्रवीत्प्रीतः पूर्वं येनाभिसंस्तुतः
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : Then the high minded king, greatly satisfied with the victorious party who first spoke in high terms of him, gladly addressed him with these words.
यस्मात्सर्वमनुष्येषु ज्यायांसं मामिहाब्रवीः सर्वदेवैश्च विप्रर्षे संमितं श्रेष्ठमेव च तस्मात्तेऽहं प्रदास्यामि विविधं वसु भूरि च
M. N. Dutt: 'O Brahmanic sage, as you have styled me the greatest and best of men, here and have compared me with the gods,
दासीसहस्रं श्यामानां सुवस्त्राणामलंकृतम् दश कोट्यो हिरण्यस्य रुक्मभारांस्तथा दश एतद्ददानि ते विप्र सर्वज्ञस्त्वं हि मे मतः
AI Translation: A thousand black female slaves, dressed in fine clothes and adorned, Ten million gold coins and ten loads of gold. I give you all this, O Brahmin, for you are omniscient in my opinion.
तदत्रिर्न्यायतः सर्वं प्रतिगृह्य महामनाः प्रत्याजगाम तेजस्वी गृहानेव महातपाः
M. N. Dutt: And the energetic Atri, thus honored by the king and having rightfully accepted all the wealth returned home.
प्रदाय च धनं प्रीतः पुत्रेभ्यः प्रयतात्मवान् तपः समभिसंधाय वनमेवान्वपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: And having distributed that wealth among his sons, that self-contained sage gladly went to the forests with the view of performing asceticism.