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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 258

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 258

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 258

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 258 of the classical Mahābhārata with 76 verses.

Total: 76 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.258.1–76 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 2 of 3 (Verses 30 shown)
कुक्षिसंधारणाद्धात्री जननाज्जननी स्मृता । अङ्गानां वर्धनादम्बा वीरसूत्वेन वीरसूः ॥
English Translation
For having borne him in her womb the mother is the son's Dhatri. For having been the principal cause of his birth, she is his Janani. For having reared his young limbs, she is called Amva. For giving birth to a child possessed of courage, she is called Virasu.
शिशोः शुश्रूषणाच्छुश्रूर्माता देहमनन्तरम् । चेतनावान्नरो हन्याद्यस्य नासुषिरं शिरः ॥
English Translation
For nursing and loO king after the son, she is called Shushru. The mother is one's own body. What rational man is there who would kill his mother to whose care only his own head did not lie on the street like a dry gourd?
दम्पत्योः प्राणसंश्लेषे योऽभिसंधिः कृतः किल । तं माता वा पिता वेद भूतार्थो मातरि स्थितः ॥
English Translation
When husband and wife unite themselves for procreation, the desire for a son is cherished by both, but about its fruition more depends upon the mother than on the father.
माता जानाति यद्गोत्रं माता जानाति यस्य सः । मातुर्भरणमात्रेण प्रीतिः स्नेहः पितुः प्रजाः ॥
English Translation
The mother knows the family in which the son is born and the father who has begotten him. From the time of conception the mother beings to show affection to her child and find joy in him. On the other hand, the Scriptures hold that the issue belong to the father only.
पाणिबन्धं स्वयं कृत्वा सहधर्ममुपेत्य च । यदि याप्यन्ति पुरुषाः स्त्रियो नार्हन्ति याप्यताम् ॥
English Translation
If men, after taking wives and pledging themselves to acquire religious merit without being dissociated from them, seek union with other people's wives, they then cease to deserve respect.
भरणाद्धि स्त्रियो भर्ता पात्याच्चैव स्त्रियाः पतिः । गुणस्यास्य निवृत्तौ तु न भर्ता न पतिः पतिः ॥
English Translation
The husband, because he maintains the wife, is called Bharta, and he is called Pati, because he protects her. When he fails to discharge these two functions, he ceases to both Bhartri and Pati.
एवं स्त्री नापराध्नोति नर एवापराध्यति । व्युच्चरंश्च महादोषं नर एवापराध्यति ॥
English Translation
Then again woman can commit no fault. It is man only who commits commits faults. By committing an act of adultery, the man only becomes sullied with sin.
स्त्रिया हि परमो भर्ता दैवतं परमं स्मृतम् । तस्यात्मना तु सदृशमात्मानं परमं ददौ । सर्वकार्यापराध्यत्वान्नापराध्यन्ति चाङ्गनाः ॥
English Translation
It has been said that the husband is the highest object with the wife and the highest god to her. My mother resigned her sacred person to one who came to her in the shape of hcr own husband.
यश्चनोक्तो हि निर्देशः स्त्रिया मैथुनतृप्तये । तस्य स्मारयतो व्यक्तमधर्मो नात्र संशयः ॥
English Translation
Then again the sinfulness is evident of Indra himself who made the recollection of the request that had been made to him in days of yore by woman. There is no doubt that my mother is sinless.
यावन्नारीं मातरं च गौरवे चाधिके स्थिताम् । अवध्यां तु विजानीयुः पशवोऽप्यविचक्षणाः ॥
English Translation
She whom I have been ordered to kill is a woman. That woman is again my own mother. She occupies, therefore, a place of greater respect. The very beasts which are irrational, know that the mother should not be killed.
देवतानां समावायमेकस्थं पितरं विदुः । मर्त्यानां देवतानां च स्नेहादभ्येति मातरम् ॥
English Translation
The father must be known to be a combination of all the gods together. The mother, however, is a combination of all mortal creatures and all the gods.
एवं विमृशतस्तस्य चिरकारितया बहु । दीर्घः कालो व्यतिक्रान्तस्ततस्तस्यागमत्पिता ॥
English Translation
On account of his habit of reflecting long before acting, Gautama's son Chirakarin, by thinking thus, passed a long time. After many days, his father Gautama came back.
मेधातिथिर्महाप्राज्ञो गौतमस्तपसि स्थितः । विमृश्य तेन कालेन पत्न्याः संस्थाव्यतिक्रमम् ॥
English Translation
Gifted with great wisdom, Medhatithi of Gautama's race. Practising penances, returned, convinced, after having meditated for that long time, of the impropriety of the punishment he had ordered to be inflicted upon his wife.
सोऽब्रवीद्दुःखसंतप्तो भृशमश्रूणि वर्तयन् । श्रुतधैर्यप्रसादेन पश्चात्तापमुपागतः ॥
English Translation
Burning with grief and shedding profuse tears, for repentance had come to hiin on account of the wholesome effects of that calmness of temper which is caused by a knowledge of the scriptures, he said:-
आश्रमं मम संप्राप्तस्त्रिलोकेशः पुरंदरः । अतिथिव्रतमास्थाय ब्राह्मणं रूपमास्थितः ॥
English Translation
The lord of the three worlds, viz., Purandara, came to my asylum, in the guise of a Brahmana asking for hospitality.
समया सान्त्वितो वाग्भिः स्वागतेनाभिपूजितः । अर्घ्यं पाद्यं च न्यायेन तयाभिप्रतिपादितः ॥
English Translation
He was received by me with becoming words, and welcomed and presented in due form with water to wash his feet and the usual offerings of the Arghya. I also gave him the rest he had asked for.
परवत्यस्मि चाप्युक्तः प्रणयिष्ये नयेन च । अत्र चाकुशले जाते स्त्रियो नास्ति व्यतिक्रमः ॥
English Translation
I further told him that I had acquired a protector in him, I thought that such conduct on my part would make him treat me as a friend. When, however, not-withstanding all this, he misbehaved himself, my wife Ahalya could not be considered to have committed any sin.
एवं न स्त्री न चैवाहं नाध्वगस्त्रिदशेश्वरः । अपराध्यति धर्मस्य प्रमादस्त्वपराध्यति ॥
English Translation
It seems that neither my wife, nor myself, nor Indra himself who while passing through the firmament had seen my wife, could he held to have committed any sin. The blame really is the result of the carelessness of my Yoga power.
ईर्ष्याजं व्यसनं प्राहुस्तेन चैवोर्ध्वरेतसः । ईर्ष्यया त्वहमाक्षिप्तो मग्नो दुष्कृतसागरे ॥
English Translation
The sages have said that all calamities originate from envy, which, in its turn, springs from mistaken judgement. By that envy, also, I have been dragged from where I was plunged into an ocean of sin.
हत्वा साध्वीं च नारीं च व्यसनित्वाच्च शासिताम् । भर्तव्यत्वेन भार्यां च को नु मां तारयिष्यति ॥
English Translation
Alas, I have killed a woman,-a woman who is again my wife-one, who, on account of her sharing her husband's misfortunes passed by the name of Vasita, one, who was called Bharya owing to my obligation for maintaining her, Who is there who can save me from this sin ?
अन्तरेण मयाज्ञप्तश्चिरकारी ह्युदारधीः । यद्यद्य चिरकारी स्यात्स मां त्रायेत पातकात् ॥
English Translation
Acting carelessly I ordered the great Chirakarin! If on the present occasion he proves true to his name then may he save me from this sin.
चिरकारिक भद्रं ते भद्रं ते चिरकारिक । यद्यद्य चिरकारी त्वं ततोऽसि चिरकारिकः ॥
English Translation
Twice blessed be the man who thinks long before he acts! One man who thinks long before he acts is surely possessed of great intelligence. Such a man never offends in an act.
त्राहि मां मातरं चैव तपो यच्चार्जितं मया । आत्मानं पातकेभ्यश्च भवाद्य चिरकारिकः ॥
English Translation
Save me, and your mother, and the penances I have won, as also your own self, from grave sins:-Be you truly a Chirakarika to-day!
सहजं चिरकारित्वं चिरप्राज्ञतया तव । सफलं तत्तवाद्यास्तु भवाद्य चिरकारिकः ॥
English Translation
Ordinarily, on account of your great wisdom you take a long time for reflection before performing any act. Let not you conduct be otherwise to-day! Be you a true Chirakarika to-day.
चिरमाशंसितो मात्रा चिरं गर्भेण धारितः । सफलं चिरकारित्वं कुरु त्वं चिरकारिक ॥
English Translation
Your mother had expected you coming for a long time. For a long time did she carry you in her womb. O Chirakarika, let your habit of reflecting long before acting yield beneficial results to-day!
चिरायते च संतापाच्चिरं स्वपिति वारितः । आवयोश्चिरसंतापादवेक्ष्य चिरकारिक ॥
English Translation
Perhaps, my son Chirakarika is delaying today, anticipating the sorrow it would cause me! Perhaps, he is sleeping over that order, bearing it in his heart. Perhaps, he is delaying, anticipating the grief it would cause both him and me, and thinking upon the circumstances of the case!-
एवं स दुःखितो राजन्महर्षिर्गौतमस्तदा । चिरकारिं ददर्शाथ पुत्रं स्थितमथान्तिके ॥
English Translation
Repenting in this way, O king, the great Rishi Guatama then saw his son Chirakarin sitting near him.
चिरकारी तु पितरं दृष्ट्वा परमदुःखितः । शस्त्रं त्यक्त्वा ततो मूर्ध्ना प्रसादायोपचक्रमे ॥
English Translation
Seeing his father return to their house, the son Chirakarin, laden with grief, cast away the weapon and bowing his head began to pacify Gautama.
गौतमस्तु सुतं दृष्ट्वा शिरसा पतितं भुवि । पत्नीं चैव निराकारां परामभ्यगमन्मुदम् ॥
English Translation
Seeing his son prostrated before him with bent head, and seeing also his wife almost petrified with shame, the Rishi became filled with great joy.
न हि सा तेन संभेदं पत्नी नीता महात्मना । विजने चाश्रमस्थेन पुत्रश्चापि समाहितः ॥
English Translation
From the time the great Rishi, living in that solitary hermitage did not live separately from his wife or his careful son.
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