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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 57

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 57

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 57

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 57 of the classical Mahābhārata with 57 verses.

Total: 57 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.57.1–57 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 2 of 2 (Verses 27 shown)
नागलोके यदि ब्रह्मन्न शक्ये कुण्डले मया । प्राप्तुं प्राणान्विमोक्ष्यामि पश्यतस्ते द्विजोत्तम ॥
English Translation
Utanka said If, O Brahmana, the ear-rings be not recovered by me from the regions of the Nagas, I shall renounce my life-breaths before your eyes, O foremost of twice-born persons.
यदा स नाशकत्तस्य निश्चयं कर्तुमन्यथा । वज्रपाणिस्तदा दण्डं वज्रास्त्रेण युयोज ह ॥
English Translation
Vaishmpayana said When the thunder-armed Indra could not divert Utanka from his purpose, he united the latter's walking staff with the force of thunder.
ततो वज्रप्रहारैस्तैर्दार्यमाणा वसुंधरा । नागलोकस्य पन्थानमकरोज्जनमेजय ॥
English Translation
Then, O Janamejaya, the Earth, opening with those strokes having the force of thunder, gave way to the (nether) regions inhabited by the Nagas.
स तेन मार्गेण तदा नागलोकं विवेश ह । ददर्श नागलोकं च योजनानि सहस्रशः ॥
English Translation
By that path Utanka entered the world of Nagas. He saw that that region lying thousands of Yojanas on all sides.
प्राकारनिचयैर्दिव्यैर्मणिमुक्ताभ्यलंकृतैः । उपपन्नं महाभाग शातकुम्भमयैस्तथा ॥
English Translation
Indeed, O blessed one, it had many walls made of pure gold and decked with jewels and gems.
वापीः स्फटिकसोपाना नदीश्च विमलोदकाः । ददर्श वृक्षांश्च बहून्नानाद्विजगणायुतान् ॥
English Translation
There were many flue tanks of water furnished with flights of stair-cases made of pure crystal, and many rivers of clear and transparent water. He saw also many trees with various species of birds perching on them.
तस्य लोकस्य च द्वारं ददर्श स भृगूद्वहः । पञ्चयोजनविस्तारमायतं शतयोजनम् ॥
English Translation
That perpetuator of Bhrigu's race saw the gate of that region which was full five Yojanas high and a hundred Yojanas in width.
नागलोकमुत्तङ्कस्तु प्रेक्ष्य दीनोऽभवत्तदा । निराशश्चाभवत्तात कुण्डलाहरणे पुनः ॥
English Translation
Seeing the regions of the Nagas, Utanka became very dispirited. Indeed, he despaired of getting back the ear-rings.
तत्र प्रोवाच तुरगस्तं कृष्णश्वेतवालधिः । ताम्रास्यनेत्रः कौरव्य प्रज्वलन्निव तेजसा ॥
English Translation
Then there appeared to him a black horse with a white tail. His face and eyes were of a coppcry colour, O you of Kuru's race, and he secmed to blaze forth with energy.
धमस्वापानमेतन्मे ततस्त्वं विप्र लप्स्यसे । ऐरावतसुतेनेह तवानीते हि कुण्डले ॥
English Translation
Addressing Uttanka, he said, 'Do you blew into the Apana duct of my body. You will then, O learned Brahmana, get back your ear-rings which have been taken away by a descendant of Airvata's race.
मा जुगुप्सां कृथाः पुत्र त्वमत्रार्थे कथंचन । त्वयैतद्धि समाचीर्णं गौतमस्याश्रमे तदा ॥
English Translation
Do not hate to do my order, O son. You did it often at the hermitage of Gautama in former days.
कथं भवन्तं जानीयामुपाध्यायाश्रमं प्रति । यन्मया चीर्णपूर्वं च श्रोतुमिच्छामि तद्ध्यहम् ॥
English Translation
Utanka said How did I know you in the asylum of my preceptor? Indeed, I wish to hear how I did in those days what you order me to do now.
गुरोर्गुरुं मां जानीहि ज्वलितं जातवेदसम् । त्वया ह्यहं सदा वत्स गुरोरर्थेऽभिपूजितः ॥
सततं पूजितो विप्र शुचिना भृगुनन्दन । तस्माच्छ्रेयो विधास्यामि तवैवं कुरु मा चिरम् ॥
इत्युक्तः स तथाकार्षीदुत्तङ्कश्चित्रभानुना । घृतार्चिः प्रीतिमांश्चापि प्रजज्वाल दिधक्षया ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by the god of fire, Uttanka did as he was ordered. The deity then, pleased with him, blazed up for consuming everything.
ततोऽस्य रोमकूपेभ्यो ध्मायमानस्य भारत । घनः प्रादुरभूद्धूमो नागलोकभयावहः ॥
English Translation
From the pores of his body, O Bharata, on account of his very nature, a thick smoke came out threatening terrors to the world of Nagas.
तेन धूमेन सहसा वर्धमानेन भारत । नागलोके महाराज न प्रज्ञायत किंचन ॥
English Translation
With that powerful and wide-spreading smoke, O Bharata, everything became covered with darkness, so that nothing, O king, could any longer be seen in the world of the Nagas.
हाहाकृतमभूत्सर्वमैरावतनिवेशनम् । वासुकिप्रमुखानां च नागानां जनमेजय ॥
English Translation
Cries of woe were heard throughout the place of the Airavatas, uttered by the Nagas headed by Vasuki, O Janamejaya.
न प्रकाशन्त वेश्मानि धूमरुद्धानि भारत । नीहारसंवृतानीव वनानि गिरयस्तथा ॥
English Translation
Covered by that smoke, the places could no longer be seen, O Bharata. These resembled forests and hills overwhelmed by a thick frost.
ते धूमरक्तनयना वह्नितेजोभितापिताः । आजग्मुर्निश्चयं ज्ञातुं भार्गवस्यातितेजसः ॥
English Translation
With eyes that were red on account of that smoke and afflicted by the energy of the god of fire, the Nagas came out of their palaces to the greet son of Bhrigu's race for determining what was the matter.
श्रुत्वा च निश्चयं तस्य महर्षेस्तिग्मतेजसः । संभ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे पूजां चक्रुर्यथाविधि ॥
English Translation
Having heard what the matter was from that ascetic of incomparable energy, all the Nagas, with fear depicted on their eyes, offered him their adorations according to due forms.
सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो नागा वृद्धबालपुरोगमाः । शिरोभिः प्रणिपत्योचुः प्रसीद भगवन्निति ॥
English Translation
Indeed, all the Nagas placing the old and the young ones before them, bowed to him with their heads and joining their hands addressed him, saying, 'Be pleased with us, O holy one.'
प्रसाद्य ब्राह्मणं ते तु पाद्यमर्घ्यं निवेद्य च । प्रायच्छन्कुण्डले दिव्ये पन्नगाः परमार्चिते ॥
English Translation
Having pleased that Brahmana and offered him water to wash his feet and the ingredients of the Arghya (for honouring him), the Nagas gave him those celestial and highly-adored earrings.
ततः संपूजितो नागैस्तत्रोत्तङ्कः प्रतापवान् । अग्निं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा जगाम गुरुसद्म तत् ॥
English Translation
Thus honoured by them, Utanka of great prowess, going round the god of fire, started for the hermitage of his preceptor,
स गत्वा त्वरितो राजन्गौतमस्य निवेशनम् । प्रायच्छत्कुण्डले दिव्ये गुरुपत्न्यै तदानघ ॥
English Translation
Indeed, going quickly to Gautama's hermitage, O king, he presented those earrings to the wife of his preceptor, O sinless one.
एवं महात्मना तेन त्रीँल्लोकाञ्जनमेजय । परिक्रम्याहृते दिव्ये ततस्ते मणिकुण्डले ॥
English Translation
It was thus, O Janamejaya, that the great Utanka, having wandered through the three worlds, fetched, those jewelled ear-rings (for his preceptor's wife).
एवंप्रभावः स मुनिरुत्तङ्को भरतर्षभ । परेण तपसा युक्तो यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥
English Translation
Of such prowess, O chief of Bharata's race, was the ascetic Utanka. So austere were the penances with which he was gifted. I have thus told you what you had asked me.
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