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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 253

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 253

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 253

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 253 of the classical Mahābhārata with 52 verses.

Total: 52 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.253.1–52 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । तुलाधारस्य वाक्यानि धर्मे जाजलिना सह ॥
English Translation
Regarding it is cited the old conversation of Tuladhara with Jajali on the subject of virtue. There was once a Brahmana named Jajali who lived in a certain forest, like a forest-recluse.
वने वनचरः कश्चिज्जाजलिर्नाम वै द्विजः । सागरोद्देशमागम्य तपस्तेपे महातपाः ॥
English Translation
Practising austere penances, he proceeded at a certain time towards the sea-shore, and arrived there began to practise the most austere penances.
नियतो नियताहारश्चीराजिनजटाधरः । मलपङ्कधरो धीमान्बहून्वर्षगणान्मुनिः ॥
English Translation
Observing many vows and restraints his food restricted by fast, his body clad in rags and skins, bearing matted locks on his head, his entire body smeared with filth and clay, the intelligent Brahmana passed many years there, speechless.
स कदाचिन्महातेजा जलवासो महीपते । चचार लोकान्विप्रर्षिः प्रेक्षमाणो मनोजवः ॥
English Translation
Highly energetic that regenerate ascetic, O king, while living within the waters, travelled through all the worlds with the speed of the mind, desirous of seeing all things.
स चिन्तयामास मुनिर्जलमध्ये कदाचन । विप्रेक्ष्य सागरान्तां वै महीं सवनकाननाम् ॥
English Translation
Having seen the whole Earth bounded by the ocean and adorned with rivers and lakes and forests, the ascetic one day, while sitting under the water, began to think thus:न मया सदृशोऽस्तीह लोके स्थावरजङ्गमे।
न मया सदृशोऽस्तीह लोके स्थावरजङ्गमे । अप्सु वैहायसं गच्छेन्मया योऽन्यः सहेति वै ॥
English Translation
In this world of mobile and immobile creatures there is none who can equal me! Who can travel with me among the stars and planets in the sky and live again within the waters!
स दृश्यमानो रक्षोभिर्जलमध्येऽवदत्ततः । अब्रुवंश्च पिशाचास्तं नैवं त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि ॥
English Translation
Unseen by the Rakshasas while he said this to himself, the Pishachas said to him,-You should not say so!
तुलाधारो वणिग्धर्मा वाराणस्यां महायशाः । सोऽप्येवं नार्हते वक्तुं यथा त्वं द्विजसत्तम ॥
English Translation
There is a man named Tuladhara highly illustrious and doing the business of buying and selling, Even he, O best of twice-born ones, is not worthy of saying such words as you say!
इत्युक्तो जाजलिर्भूतैः प्रत्युवाच महातपाः । पश्येयं तमहं प्राज्ञं तुलाधारं यशस्विनम् ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by those beings, Jajali of austere penances replied to them, saying,-I shall see that famous Tuladhara who is endued with such wisdom!
इति ब्रुवाणं तमृषिं रक्षांस्युद्धृत्य सागरात् । अब्रुवन्गच्छ पन्थानमास्थायेमं द्विजोत्तम ॥
English Translation
When the Rishi said this, those superhuman beings raised him from the sea, and said to him,-best of twice-born one, go along this road!
इत्युक्तो जाजलिर्भूतैर्जगाम विमनास्तदा । वाराणस्यां तुलाधारं समासाद्याब्रवीद्वचः ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by those beings, Jajali went onwards with a depressed heart. Arrived at Baranasi he met Tuladhara whom he addressed thus.
किं कृतं सुकृतं कर्म तात जाजलिना पुरा । येन सिद्धिं परां प्राप्तस्तन्नो व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥
English Translation
Yudhisthira said What, O sire, are those difficult feats which Jajali had performed before for which he had acquired such great success? You should describe them to me.
अतीव तपसा युक्तो घोरेण स बभूव ह । नद्युपस्पर्शनरतः सायं प्रातर्महातपाः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Jajali had practised penances of the severest austerities. He used to perform ablutions morning and cvening.
अग्नीन्परिचरन्सम्यक्स्वाध्यायपरमो द्विजः । वानप्रस्थविधानज्ञो जाजलिर्ज्वलितः श्रिया ॥
English Translation
Carefully serving his fires, he was given to the study of the Vedas. Well conversant with the duties laid down for hermits, Jajali, seemed to shine with effulgence.
सत्ये तपसि तिष्ठन्स न च धर्ममवैक्षत । वर्षास्वाकाशशायी स हेमन्ते जलसंश्रयः ॥
English Translation
He continued to live in the forest, performing penances, But he never took himself for one who had acquired any merit by his acts. During the rains he slept under the open sky. In auturnn he sat in water.
वातातपसहो ग्रीष्मे न च धर्ममविन्दत । दुःखशय्याश्च विविधा भूमौ च परिवर्तनम् ॥
English Translation
In summer he exposed himself to the sun and the wind. Still he never took himself for one who had acquired any merit by such acts. He used to sleep on various sorts of painful beds and also on the naked earth.
ततः कदाचित्स मुनिर्वर्षास्वाकाशमास्थितः । अन्तरिक्षाज्जलं मूर्ध्ना प्रत्यगृह्णान्मुहुर्मुहुः ॥
English Translation
On one occasion that ascetic, while standing under the sky during the rainy season, received on his head repeated showers froin the clouds.
अथ तस्य जटाः क्लिन्ना बभूवुर्ग्रथिताः प्रभो । अरण्यगमनान्नित्यं मलिनो मलसंयुताः ॥
English Translation
He had to pass through the forests again and again. Partly with exposure to the rains and partly with the filth they caught, the locks of that pure Rishi became entangled and intertwined with one another.
स कदाचिन्निराहारो वायुभक्षो महातपाः । तस्थौ काष्ठवदव्यग्रो न चचाल च कर्हिचित् ॥
English Translation
At one time abstaining entirely from food and living upon air alone, that great ascetic, stood in the forest like a wooden post Unmoved at heart, he stood there, without once moving an inch.
तस्य स्म स्थाणुभूतस्य निर्विचेष्टस्य भारत । कुलिङ्गशकुनौ राजन्नीडं शिरसि चक्रतुः ॥
English Translation
While he stood there unmoved like a wooden post, О Bharata, a pair of Kulinga birds, O king, built their nest on his head.
स तौ दयावान्विप्रर्षिरुपप्रैक्षत दम्पती । कुर्वाणं नीडकं तत्र जटासु तृणतन्तुभिः ॥
English Translation
Filled with pity, the great Rishis allowed those birds in building their nest among his matted locks with pieces of grass.
यदा स न चलत्येव स्थाणुभूतो महातपाः । ततस्तौ परिविश्वस्तौ सुखं तत्रोषतुस्तदा ॥
English Translation
And as the ascetic stood there like a wooden post, the two birds lived on his head happily and confidingly.
अतीतास्वथ वर्षासु शरत्काल उपस्थिते । प्राजापत्येन विधिना विश्वासात्काममोहितौ ॥
English Translation
The rainy season passed away and autumn set in. Actuated by desire, the couple approached each other according to the law of the Creator, and with perfect confidence laid their eggs, O king, on the head of that Rishi.
तत्रापातयतां राजञ्शिरस्यण्डानि खेचरौ । तान्यबुध्यत तेजस्वी स विप्रः संशितव्रतः ॥
बुद्ध्वा च स महातेजा न चचालैव जाजलिः । धर्मे धृतमना नित्यं नाधर्मं स त्वरोचयत् ॥
English Translation
Of rigid vows and endued with energy, the ascetic knew it. Knowing even what the birds had done, Jajali did not move. Bent strongly upon acquiring merit, no act involving the slightest injury to others could meet with his approval.
अहन्यहनि चागम्य ततस्तौ तस्य मूर्धनि । आश्वासितौ वै वसतः संप्रहृष्टौ तदा विभो ॥
English Translation
Going away and returning every day from, and to his head, the birds happily and trustfully lived there, O powerful king.
अण्डेभ्यस्त्वथ पुष्टेभ्यः प्रजायन्त शकुन्तकाः । व्यवर्धन्त च तत्रैव न चाकम्पत जाजलिः ॥
English Translation
When in the course of time the eggs became mature and young ones came out, they began to grow up in that nest, for Jajali moved not in the least.
स रक्षमाणस्त्वण्डानि कुलिङ्गानां यतव्रतः । तथैव तस्थौ धर्मात्मा निर्विचेष्टः समाहितः ॥
English Translation
Firmly observing his vows, the righteous Rishi continued to hold and protect those eggs by standing on that very spot perfectly motionless and immersed in Yoga meditation.
ततस्तु कालसमये बभूवुस्तेऽथ पक्षिणः । बुबुधे तांश्च स मुनिर्जातपक्षाञ्शकुन्तकान् ॥
English Translation
In course of time the young ones grew and became endued with wings. The Muni knew that the young Kulingas had grown up so.
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