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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 124

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 124

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 124

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 124 of the classical Mahābhārata with 70 verses.

Total: 70 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.124.1–70 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 2 of 3 (Verses 30 shown)
ततः प्रीतोऽभवद्राजा प्रह्रादो ब्रह्मवादिने । तथेत्युक्त्वा शुभे काले ज्ञानतत्त्वं ददौ तदा ॥
English Translation
At this answer, king Prahlada became pleased with that Brahmavadin. Saying,-So be it!-he availed of a favourable opportunity for delivering to the Brahma the truths of knowledge.
ब्राह्मणोऽपि यथान्यायं गुरुवृत्तिमनुत्तमाम् । चकार सर्वभावेन यद्वत्स मनसेच्छति ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana duly treated Prahlada as a disciple should his preceptor, and began with his whole heart to do what Prahlada wished.
पृष्टश्च तेन बहुशः प्राप्तं कथमरिंदम । त्रैलोक्यराज्यं धर्मज्ञ कारणं तद्ब्रवीहि मे ॥
English Translation
Many a time the Brahmana enquired, saying,O chastiser of enemies by what means have you been able to acquire the sovereignty of the three worlds? Tell me, O pious king, what those means are!-Prahlada, O king, answered the question of the Brahmana.
नासूयामि द्विजश्रेष्ठ राजास्मीति कदाचन । कव्यानि वदतां तात संयच्छामि वहामि च ॥
English Translation
Prahlada said I do not, O twice-born one, feel any pride for my being a king, nor do I entertain any hostile feeling towards the Brahmanas! On the other hand, I accept and follow the policy they describe to me based upon the teachings of Shukra.
ते विस्रब्धाः प्रभाषन्ते संयच्छन्ति च मां सदा । ते मा कव्यपदे सक्तं शुश्रूषुमनसूयकम् ॥
English Translation
Full confident they say to me what they wish to say, and restrain me from unrighteous or improper courses. I am ever obedient to the teachings of Shukra. I wait upon and serve the Brahmanas and my elders. I bear no malice.
धर्मात्मानं जितक्रोधं संयतं संयतेन्द्रियम् । समाचिन्वन्ति शास्तारः क्षौद्रं मध्विव मक्षिकाः ॥
English Translation
I am of righteous soul. I have conquered anger. I am self-controlled, and all my senses are under restraint. Those twice-born ones that are my instructors give me wholesome advice like bees dropping honey into the cells of their comb.
सोऽहं वागग्रपिष्टानां रसानामवलेहिता । स्वजात्यानधितिष्ठामि नक्षत्राणीव चन्द्रमाः ॥
English Translation
I taste the ambrosia dropped by those learned men, and like the Moon among the stars I live among the members of my family.
एतत्पृथिव्याममृतमेतच्चक्षुरनुत्तमम् । यद्ब्राह्मणमुखे कव्यमेतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रवर्तते ॥
English Translation
Even listening to the teachings of Shukra from the lips of Brahmanas and following them in practise, is this nectar on Earth, even this is the clearest eye.
एतावच्छ्रेय इत्याह प्रह्रादो ब्रह्मवादिनम् । शुश्रूषितस्तेन तदा दैत्येन्द्रो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
The good of a man consists in these, Thus said Prahlada to that utterer of Brahma. Served dutifully by him, the chief of the Asuras once more said,-O foremost of twice-born ones, I am highly pleased with you for your dutiful conduct towards me. Ask of me the boon you wish, blessed be you, for I shall grant you what you will ask.
यथावद्गुरुवृत्त्या ते प्रीतोऽस्मि द्विजसत्तम । वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते प्रदातास्मि न संशयः ॥
English Translation
The good of a man consists in these, Thus said Prahlada to that utterer of Brahma. Served dutifully by him, the chief of the Asuras once more said,-O foremost of twice-born ones, I am highly pleased with you for your dutiful conduct towards me. Ask of me the boon you wish, blessed be you, for I shall grant you what you will ask.
कृतमित्येव दैत्येन्द्रमुवाच स च वै द्विजः । प्रह्रादस्त्वब्रवीत्प्रीतो गृह्यतां वर इत्युत ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana answered the king of the Asuras saying,-Very well. I will obey you.-Prahlada, pleased with him, said,-Take what you wish.
यदि राजन्प्रसन्नस्त्वं मम चेच्छसि चेद्धितम् । भवतः शीलमिच्छामि प्राप्तुमेष वरो मम ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana said for. If, O king, you have been pleased with me and if you wish to do what is agreeable to me, I wish then to acquire your behaviour? This is the boon that I pray
ततः प्रीतश्च दैत्येन्द्रो भयं चास्याभवन्महत् । वरे प्रदिष्टे विप्रेण नाल्पतेजायमित्युत ॥
English Translation
At this, though pleased, Prahlada became stricken with a great fear. Indeed when this boon was indicated by the Brahmana, the Asura king thought that the solicitor could not be an ordinary person.
एवमस्त्विति तं प्राह प्रह्रादो विस्मितस्तदा । उपाकृत्य तु विप्राय वरं दुःखान्वितोऽभवत् ॥
English Translation
Wondering much, Prahlada at last said,-Let it be so!-Having, however, granted the boon, the Asura king became filled with grief.
दत्ते वरे गते विप्रे चिन्तासीन्महती ततः । प्रह्रादस्य महाराज निश्चयं न च जग्मिवान् ॥
English Translation
Having received the boon, the Brahmana went away, but Prahlada, O king, was stricken with a deep anxiety and knew not what to do.
तस्य चिन्तयतस्तात छायाभूतं महाद्युते । तेजो विग्रहवत्तात शरीरमजहात्तदा ॥
तमपृच्छन्महाकायं प्रह्रादः को भवानिति । प्रत्याह ननु शीलोऽस्मि त्यक्तो गच्छाम्यहं त्वया ॥
English Translation
While the Asura king sat brooding over the matter, a flame of light came out of his person. It had a shadowy form of great effulgence and huge proportions. Prahlada asked the form, saying,-Who are You?-The form answered, saying-—I am the embodiment of your conduct. Renounced by you I am going away.
तस्मिन्द्विजवरे राजन्वत्स्याम्यहमनिन्दितम् । योऽसौ शिष्यत्वमागम्य त्वयि नित्यं समाहितः । इत्युक्त्वान्तर्हितं तद्वै शक्रं चान्वविशत्प्रभो ॥
English Translation
I shall henceforth, O king, dwell in that blameless and foremost of Brahmanas who had become your devoted disciple!-Having said these words, the form vanished and soon after entered the body of Shakra.
तस्मिंस्तेजसि याते तु तादृग्रूपस्ततोऽपरः । शरीरान्निःसृतस्तस्य को भवानिति चाब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
After the disappearance of that form, another of similar form issued out of Prahlada's body. The Daitya king addressing it, said,-Who are you?
धर्मं प्रह्राद मां विद्धि यत्रासौ द्विजसत्तमः । तत्र यास्यामि दैत्येन्द्र यतः शीलं ततो ह्यहम् ॥
English Translation
The form answered, saying,-Know me, O Prahlada, for the embodiment of Righteousness, I shall go there where that foremost of Brahmanas is, for, o king of the Daityas, I reside there where Conduct lives!
ततोऽपरो महाराज प्रज्वलन्निव तेजसा । शरीरान्निःसृतस्तस्य प्रह्रादस्य महात्मनः ॥
English Translation
Upon the disappearance of Righteousness, a third highly effulgent form, O monarch, issued out of the body of the great Prahlada.
को भवानिति पृष्टश्च तमाह स महाद्युतिः । सत्यमस्म्यसुरेन्द्राग्र्य यास्येऽहं धर्ममन्विह ॥
English Translation
Asked by Prahlada as to who he was, that highly effulgent form answered, sayingKnow, O king of the Daityas, that I am Truth. I shall leave you, following the way of Righteousness!
तस्मिन्ननुगते धर्मं पुरुषे पुरुषोऽपरः । निश्चक्राम ततस्तस्मात्पृष्टश्चाह महात्मना । वृत्तं प्रह्राद मां विद्धि यतः सत्यं ततो ह्यहम् ॥
English Translation
After Truth had left Prahlada, following Righteousness, another great person issued out of Prahlada's body. Asked by the Daitya king, the mighty being answered, being answered, I am the embodiment of good works. Know, O Prahlada, that I live there were the Truth lives!
तस्मिन्गते महाश्वेतः शरीरात्तस्य निर्ययौ । पृष्टश्चाह बलं विद्धि यतो वृत्तमहं ततः । इत्युक्त्वा च ययौ तत्र यतो वृत्तं नराधिप ॥
English Translation
After this one had left Prahlada, another being come out, giving vent to loud and deep cries. Addressed by Prahlada, he answered,-Know that I am Power. I live there where good works are.
ततः प्रभामयी देवी शरीरात्तस्य निर्ययौ । तामपृच्छत्स दैत्येन्द्रः सा श्रीरित्येवमब्रवीत् ॥
उषितास्मि सुखं वीर त्वयि सत्यपराक्रमे । त्वया त्यक्ता गमिष्यामि बलं यत्र ततो ह्यहम् ॥
English Translation
The Daitya king asked her and she answered him saying that she was the embodiment of Prosperity, adding,-I lived in you, O hero, O you of prowess incapable of being baffled. Renounced by you, I shall follow Power.
ततो भयं प्रादुरासीत्प्रह्रादस्य महात्मनः । अपृच्छत च तां भूयः क्व यासि कमलालये ॥
English Translation
The great Prahlada, stricken with fear, once more asked the goddess, saying,-Where do you go, O goddess, O you that live amid lotuses?
त्वं हि सत्यव्रता देवी लोकस्य परमेश्वरी । कश्चासौ ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठस्तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥
English Translation
You are ever devoted to truth, O goddess, and you are the foremost of deities. Who is that foremost of Brahmanas? I wish to know the truth!
स शक्रो ब्रह्मचारी च यस्त्वया चोपशिक्षितः । त्रैलोक्ये ते यदैश्वर्यं तत्तेनापहृतं प्रभो ॥
English Translation
The goddess of Prosperity said Practising the vow of Brahmacharya, that Brahmana who was instructed by you was Shakra. O foremost one, he robbed you of that sovereignty which you had over the three worlds.
शीलेन हि त्वया लोकाः सर्वे धर्मज्ञ निर्जिताः । तद्विज्ञाय महेन्द्रेण तव शीलं हृतं प्रभो ॥
English Translation
O Righteous one, it was by your conduct that you had reduced the three worlds to subjection. Knowing this the king of the gods robbed you of your conduct!
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