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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 117

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 117

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 117

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 117 of the classical Mahābhārata with 45 verses.

Total: 45 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.117.1–45 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । निदर्शनकरं लोके सज्जनाचरितं सदा ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the following ancient history. That history is considered as one of the greatest precedent amongst good and wisemen.
अस्यैवार्थस्य सदृशं यच्छ्रुतं मे तपोवने । जामदग्न्यस्य रामस्य यदुक्तमृषिसत्तमैः ॥
English Translation
That history is connected with the present subject. I heard it in the asylum of Rama the son of Jamadagni, recited by many foremost of Rishis.
वने महति कस्मिंश्चिदमनुष्यनिषेविते । ऋषिर्मूलफलाहारो नियतो नियतेन्द्रियः ॥
English Translation
In a certain large forest uninhabited by human beings, there lived an ascetic upon fruits and roots, practising rigid vows and with his senses under restraint.
दीक्षादमपरः शान्तः स्वाध्यायपरमः शुचिः । उपवासविशुद्धात्मा सततं सत्पथे स्थितः ॥
English Translation
Observing strict regulations and selfrestraint, of great and pure soul, always making Vedic recitations, and of heart purified by facts, he treated all creatures with goodness.
तस्य संदृश्य सद्भावमुपविष्टस्य धीमतः । सर्वसत्त्वाः समीपस्था भवन्ति वनचारिणः ॥
English Translation
Highly intelligent, as he was, as he sat on his seat, the goodness of his conduct having been known to all the creatures that dwelt in that forest, they used to approach him with affection.
सिंहव्याघ्राः सशरभा मत्ताश्चैव महागजाः । द्वीपिनः खड्गभल्लूका ये चान्ये भीमदर्शनाः ॥
ते सुखप्रश्नदाः सर्वे भवन्ति क्षतजाशनाः । तस्यर्षेः शिष्यवच्चैव न्यग्भूताः प्रियकारिणः ॥
English Translation
Dreadful lions and tigers, infuriate elephants of huge body, leopards, rhinoceroses, bears, and other dreadful animals, living upon blood, used to come to the Rishi and question him politely. Indeed, all of them behaved towards him like disciples and slaves and always did what was agreeable to him.,
दत्त्वा च ते सुखप्रश्नं सर्वे यान्ति यथागतम् । ग्राम्यस्त्वेकः पशुस्तत्र नाजहाच्छ्वा महामुनिम् ॥
English Translation
Coming to him they made enquiries, and then went away to their respective habitations. One domestic animal, however, resided there permanently, never, leaving the ascetic at any time.
भक्तोऽनुरक्तः सततमुपवासकृशोऽबलः । फलमूलोत्कराहारः शान्तः शिष्टाकृतिर्यथा ॥
English Translation
He was greatly attached to the saint. Weak and emaciated with fasts, he lived upon fruits and roots and water, and was tranquil and of inoffensive character.
तस्यर्षेरुपविष्टस्य पादमूले महामुनेः । मनुष्यवद्गतो भावः स्नेहबद्धोऽभवद्भृशम् ॥
English Translation
Lying at the feet of that great Rishi as the latter sat, the dog, with a humane heart, become greatly attached to him for the affection with which he was treated.
ततोऽभ्ययान्महावीर्यो द्वीपी क्षतजभोजनः । श्वार्थमत्यन्तसंदुष्टः क्रूरः काल इवान्तकः ॥
English Translation
One day a very strong leopard came there, leaving upon blood. Of a cruel nature and always delighted at the prospect of prey, the dreadful animal looked like a second Yama.
लेलिह्यमानस्तृषितः पुच्छास्फोटनतत्परः । व्यादितास्यः क्षुधाभग्नः प्रार्थयानस्तदामिषम् ॥
English Translation
Licking the corners of his mouth with the tongue, and lashing his tail furiously, the leopard came there, stricken with hunger and thirst, with wide open jaws, desirous of catching the dog as his prey.
तं दृष्ट्वा क्रूरमायान्तं जीवितार्थी नराधिप । प्रोवाच श्वा मुनिं तत्र यत्तच्छृणु महामते ॥
English Translation
Seeing that dreadful animal coming, O king, the dog, in fear of his life, spoke to the ascetic as follows. Listen to them, O king!-
श्वशत्रुर्भगवन्नत्र द्वीपी मां हन्तुमिच्छति । त्वत्प्रसादाद्भयं न स्यात्तस्मान्मम महामुने ॥
English Translation
O Rishi, this leopard is an enemy of the dogs, It wishes to kill me. O great sage, do you so act that all my fears from this animal may be removed through your favour. O you of mighty arms, forsooth, you are omniscient.
न भयं द्वीपिनः कार्यं मृत्युतस्ते कथंचन । एष श्वरूपरहितो द्वीपी भवसि पुत्रक ॥
English Translation
The sage said You shall have no fear of death from leopards any longer! Let your natural from disappear and be you a leopard, O son!
ततः श्वा द्वीपितां नीतो जाम्बूनदनिभाकृतिः । चित्राङ्गो विस्फुरन्हृष्टो वने वसति निर्भयः ॥
English Translation
Thereat, the dog was metamorphosed into a leopard with skin bright as gold. With stripes on his body and with huge teeth, thenceforth he began to live in that forest fearlessly.
ततोऽभ्ययान्महारौद्रो व्यादितास्यः क्षुधान्वितः । द्वीपिनं लेलिहद्वक्त्रो व्याघ्रो रुधिरलालसः ॥
English Translation
Sometime after, there came into that asylum a dreadful and hungry tiger with mouth wide open. Licking the corners of his mouth with the tongue, and eagerly desirous of drinking blood, that tiger began to approach the animal that had been metamorphosed into a leopard.
व्याघ्रं दृष्ट्वा क्षुधाभग्नं दंष्ट्रिणं वनगोचरम् । द्वीपी जीवितरक्षार्थमृषिं शरणमेयिवान् ॥
English Translation
Seeing the hungry tiger of dreadful teeth approach that forest, the leopard sought the Rishi's protection for saving his life.
ततः संवासजं स्नेहमृषिणा कुर्वता सदा । स द्वीपी व्याघ्रतां नीतो रिपुभिर्बलवत्तरः । ततो दृष्ट्वा स शार्दूलो नाभ्यहंस्तं विशां पते ॥
English Translation
The sage, who had great affection for the leopard for its living in the same place with him, immediately transformed his leopard into a tiger powerful for all enemies.
स तु श्वा व्याघ्रतां प्राप्य बलवान्पिशिताशनः । न मूलफलभोगेषु स्पृहामप्यकरोत्तदा ॥
English Translation
The tiger seeing a beast of his own species did not injure him, O king. Having in course of time been metamorphosed into a powerful tiger living upon flesh and blood, the dog, abstained from his former food of fruits and roots.
यथा मृगपतिर्नित्यं प्रकाङ्क्षति वनौकसः । तथैव स महाराज व्याघ्रः समभवत्तदा ॥
English Translation
Indeed, from that time, O king, the transformed tiger lived, living upon the other animals of the forest, like a true king of beasts.
व्याघ्रस्तूटजमूलस्थस्तृप्तः सुप्तो हतैर्मृगैः । नागश्चागात्तमुद्देशं मत्तो मेघ इवोत्थितः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Gratified with the flesh of killed beasts, the dog metamorphosed into a tiger, slept at his ease. One day as he lay on the yard of the asylum, an infuriate elephant came there, resembling a cloud.
प्रभिन्नकरटः प्रांशुः पद्मी विततमस्तकः । सुविषाणो महाकायो मेघगम्भीरनिस्वनः ॥
English Translation
Possessed of a huge stature, and rent cheeks, and having signs of the louts of his body, and with broad frontal globes, the animal had huge tusks and a voice deep as the muttering of the clouds.
तं दृष्ट्वा कुञ्जरं मत्तमायान्तं मदगर्वितम् । व्याघ्रो हस्तिभयात्त्रस्तस्तमृषिं शरणं ययौ ॥
English Translation
Seeing that infuriate elephant, proud of his strength, approach him, the tiger, moved with fear, sought refuge with the Rishi.
ततोऽनयत्कुञ्जरतां तं व्याघ्रमृषिसत्तमः । महामेघोपमं दृष्ट्वा तं स भीतोऽभवद्गजः ॥
English Translation
Thereupon that foremost of sages transformed the tiger into an elephant. Seeing an animal of his own species, the real elephant, huge as a mass of clouds, became afraid.
ततः कमलषण्डानि शल्लकीगहनानि च । व्यचरत्स मुदा युक्तः पद्मरेणुविभूषितः ॥
English Translation
The Rishi's elephant then, covered with the filaments of lotus, dived gladly into lakes abounding with lotuses and walked by their banks filled with rabbit holes.
कदाचिद्रममाणस्य हस्तिनः सुमुखं तदा । ऋषेस्तस्योटजस्थस्य कालोऽगच्छन्निशानिशम् ॥
English Translation
Sufficient time passed away in this way. One day as the elephant was gladly passing along the vicinity of the asylum, there came before him a maned lion born in a mountain cave and accustomed to kill elephants.
अथाजगाम तं देशं केसरी केसरारुणः । गिरिकन्दरजो भीमः सिंहो नागकुलान्तकः ॥
English Translation
Sufficient time passed away in this way. One day as the elephant was gladly passing along the vicinity of the asylum, there came before him a maned lion born in a mountain cave and accustomed to kill elephants.
तं दृष्ट्वा सिंहमायान्तं नागः सिंहभयाकुलः । ऋषिं शरणमापेदे वेपमानो भयातुरः ॥
English Translation
Seeing the lion coming, the Rishi's elephant, from fear of life, began to tremble and sought refuge with the sage,
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