Special Call Prof. Jay L. Garfield Commemorative Volume · Submissions Open
Announcements Newsletters About Us Contact
Search
MBh
Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 139

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 139

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 139

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 139 of the classical Mahābhārata with 95 verses.

Total: 95 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.139.1–95 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 2 of 4 (Verses 30 shown)
उलूकपक्षध्वजिभिर्देवतायतनैर्वृतम् । लोहघण्टापरिष्कारं श्वयूथपरिवारितम् ॥
English Translation
There were temples of gods on all sides bearing emblems of owls and other birds. Resounding with the sound of iron bells, the hamlet was filled with dogs standing or lying on every side.
तत्प्रविश्य क्षुधाविष्टो गाधेः पुत्रो महानृषिः । आहारान्वेषणे युक्तः परं यत्नं समास्थितः ॥
English Translation
Stricken with hunger and engaged in search after food, the great Rishi Vishvamitra entered that hamlet and tried his level best to find something to eat.
न च क्वचिदविन्दत्स भिक्षमाणोऽपि कौशिकः । मांसमन्नं मूलफलमन्यद्वा तत्र किंचन ॥
English Translation
Though the son of Kushila begged again and again, yet he could not get any meat or rice or fruit or root or any other kind of food.
अहो कृच्छ्रं मया प्राप्तमिति निश्चित्य कौशिकः । पपात भूमौ दौर्बल्यात्तस्मिंश्चण्डालपक्कणे ॥
English Translation
The then, exclaiming-Alas, great is my suffering!-dropped down from weakness in that hamlet of the Chandalas.
चिन्तयामास स मुनिः किं नु मे सुकृतं भवेत् । कथं वृथा न मृत्युः स्यादिति पार्थिवसत्तम ॥
English Translation
The sage began to reflect, aside,-What is best for me to do now?-Indeed, O best of kings, he then thought oniy of the means by which he could avoid immediate death.
स ददर्श श्वमांसस्य कुतन्तीं विततां मुनिः । चण्डालस्य गृहे राजन्सद्यः शस्त्रहतस्य च ॥
English Translation
He saw, O king, a huge piece of flesh, of a dog that had recently been killed with a weapon, spread on the floor of a Chandala's hut.
स चिन्तयामास तदा स्तेयं कार्यमितो मया । न हीदानीमुपायोऽन्यो विद्यते प्राणधारणे ॥
English Translation
The sage thought and decided that he should steal that meat. And he said to himself, I have no means now of keeping up my life.
आपत्सु विहितं स्तेयं विशिष्टसमहीनतः । परं परं भवेत्पूर्वमस्तेयमिति निश्चयः ॥
English Translation
Theft is sanctioned in an hour of distress for even a great man. It will not divest him of his eminence. Even a Brahmana for saving his life may do it. This is certain.
हीनादादेयमादौ स्यात्समानात्तदनन्तरम् । असंभवादाददीत विशिष्टादपि धार्मिकात् ॥
English Translation
First of all one should steal from a degraded person. Failing such a person one may steal from one's equal. Failing an equal, one may steal from even a great and virtuous man.
सोऽहमन्तावसानानां हरमाणः परिग्रहात् । न स्तेयदोषं पश्यामि हरिष्याम्येतदामिषम् ॥
English Translation
I shall then, at this time when my life itself is almost gone, steal this meat. I do not see sin in such theft. I shall, therefore, steal this haunch of dog's meat.
एतां बुद्धिं समास्थाय विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । तस्मिन्देशे प्रसुष्वाप पतितो यत्र भारत ॥
English Translation
Having thus resolved this resolution, the great sage Vishvamitra lay down for sleep where the Chandala was.
स विगाढां निशां दृष्ट्वा सुप्ते चण्डालपक्कणे । शनैरुत्थाय भगवान्प्रविवेश कुटीमठम् ॥
English Translation
Seeing sometime after that the night had advanced and that the whole Chandala hamlet were in sleep, the holy Vishvamitra, quietly rising up, entered that hut.
स सुप्त एव चण्डालः श्लेष्मापिहितलोचनः । परिभिन्नस्वरो रूक्ष उवाचाप्रियदर्शनः ॥
English Translation
The Chandala who was the owner of it, with eyes covered with pleghm, was lying like one asleep. Of disagreeable look, he said these harsh words in a broken and discordant voice.
कः कुतन्तीं घट्टयति सुप्ते चण्डालपक्कणे । जागर्मि नावसुप्तोऽस्मि हतोऽसीति च दारुणः ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said Who is there, busy with opening up the latch? The whole Chandala hamlet is asleep. I, however, am awake and not asleep. Whoever you are, you are about to be killed!-These were the harsh words that met the sage's ears.
विश्वामित्रोऽहमित्येव सहसा तमुवाच सः । सहसाभ्यागतभयः सोद्वेगस्तेन कर्मणा ॥
चण्डालस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । शयनादुपसंभ्रान्त इयेषोत्पतितुं ततः ॥
English Translation
Hearing these words of that great Rishi of pure soul the Chandala rose up in fear from his bed and approached the sage.
स विसृज्याश्रु नेत्राभ्यां बहुमानात्कृताञ्जलिः । उवाच कौशिकं रात्रौ ब्रह्मन्किं ते चिकीर्षितम् ॥
English Translation
Clasping his hands from respect and with eyes bathed in tears, he addressed Kushika's son, saying,-What do you seek here in the night, O Brahmana?
विश्वामित्रस्तु मातङ्गमुवाच परिसान्त्वयन् । क्षुधितोऽहं गतप्राणो हरिष्यामि श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
Conciliating the Chandala, Vishvamitra said, I am greatly hungry and about to die of starvation. I wise to take away that haunch of dog's meat.
अवसीदन्ति मे प्राणाः स्मृतिर्मे नश्यति क्षुधा । स्वधर्मं बुध्यमानोऽपि हरिष्यामि श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
My life is on the point of departure. Hunger has sullied my Vedic learning. I am weak and have lost my senses. I have no scruple about pure and impure food. Although I know it is sinful still I wish to take away that haunch of dog's meat.
अटन्भैक्षं न विन्दामि यदा युष्माकमालये । तदा बुद्धिः कृता पापे हरिष्यामि श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
After I had failed to secure any alms, having wandered from house to house in this your hamlet, I determined to perpetrate this sinful act of taking away this haunch of dog's meat.
तृषितः कलुषं पाता नास्ति ह्रीरशनार्थिनः । क्षुद्धर्मं दूषयत्यत्र हरिष्यामि श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
Being hungry I have become sinful. One who seeks food has no shame. It is hunger which is actuating me to commit this sin. It is for this that I wish to take away that haunch of dog's meat.
अग्निर्मुखं पुरोधाश्च देवानां शुचिपाद्विभुः । यथा स सर्वभुग्ब्रह्मा तथा मां विद्धि धर्मतः ॥
English Translation
Fire is the mouth of the gods. He is also their priest. He should, therefore, take nothing save pure and clean things. At times, however, that great god becomes a consuiner of everythings. Know that I have now become like him.
तमुवाच स चण्डालो महर्षे शृणु मे वचः । श्रुत्वा तथा समातिष्ठ यथा धर्मान्न हीयसे ॥
मृगाणामधमं श्वानं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः । तस्याप्यधम उद्देशः शरीरस्योरुजाघनी ॥
English Translation
Hear, O regenerate Rishi, What I say to you about your duty. The wise say that a dog is impurer than a jackal. The haunch, again, of a dog is impurer then any other part of his body.
नेदं सम्यग्व्यवसितं महर्षे कर्म वैकृतम् । चण्डालस्वस्य हरणमभक्ष्यस्य विशेषतः ॥
English Translation
This is not wise resolution of yours, therefore, O great Rishi, this act, this theft of what belongs to a Chandala this theft, moreover of impure food, is not right.
साध्वन्यमनुपश्य त्वमुपायं प्राणधारणे । न मांसलोभात्तपसो नाशस्ते स्यान्महामुने ॥
English Translation
Blessed to you, do you look out for some other means for keeping your life. O great sage, let not your penances suffer destruction for this your strong desire for dog's meat.
जानतोऽविहितो मार्गो न कार्यो धर्मसंकरः । मा स्म धर्मं परित्याक्षीस्त्वं हि धर्मविदुत्तमः ॥
English Translation
Knowing as you do the duties sanctioned in the scriptures, you should not do a act which leads to a confusion of duties. Do not renounce righteousness, for you are the foremost of all pious persons.
विश्वामित्रस्ततो राजन्नित्युक्तो भरतर्षभ । क्षुधार्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं पुनरेव महामुनिः ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, O king, the great Rishi Vishvamitra, stricken with hunger, O foremost of Bharata's race, once more said,-A long time has passed away without my having taken any food, I do not see any means again for keeping up my life.
निराहारस्य सुमहान्मम कालोऽभिधावतः । न विद्यतेऽभ्युपायश्च कश्चिन्मे प्राणधारणे ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, O king, the great Rishi Vishvamitra, stricken with hunger, O foremost of Bharata's race, once more said,-A long time has passed away without my having taken any food, I do not see any means again for keeping up my life.
येन तेन विशेषेण कर्मणा येन केनचित् । अभ्युज्जीवेत्सीदमानः समर्थो धर्ममाचरेत् ॥
English Translation
One should, when he is about to die, keep up his life by any means in his power without judging of their charter. Afterwards, when able, he should seek the acquisition of merit.
← Previous (Ch. 1466) Full Table of Contents Next (Ch. 1468) →