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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 96

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 96

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 96

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 96 of the classical Mahābhārata with 16 verses.

Total: 16 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.96.1–16 • 250 Lexicon Terms
कोऽसौ नकुलरूपेण शिरसा काञ्चनेन वै । प्राह मानुषवद्वाचमेतत्पृष्टो वदस्व मे ॥
English Translation
Janamejaya said Who was that mungoose with a golden head, which said all those words in a human voice? Asked by me, do you tell me this.
एतत्पूर्वं न पृष्टोऽहं न चास्माभिः प्रभाषितम् । श्रूयतां नकुलो योऽसौ यथा वागस्य मानुषी ॥
English Translation
You did not ask me before and, therefore, I did not tell you, Hear as I tell you who that mungoose was and why he could assume a human voice.
श्राद्धं संकल्पयामास जमदग्निः पुरा किल । होमधेनुस्तमागाच्च स्वयं चापि दुदोह ताम् ॥
English Translation
Formerly, the Rishi Jamadagni desired to perform a Shraddha. His Homa-Cow came to him and the Rishi milked her himself.
तत्क्षीरं स्थापयामास नवे भाण्डे दृढे शुचौ । तच्च क्रोधः स्वरूपेण पिठरं पर्यवर्तयत् ॥
English Translation
He then placed the milk in a vessel which was new, durable, and pure. The deity Dharma, assuming the form of anger, entered that vessel of milk.
जिज्ञासुस्तमृषिश्रेष्ठं किं कुर्याद्विप्रिये कृते । इति संचिन्त्य दुर्मेधा धर्षयामास तत्पयः ॥
English Translation
Indeed, Dharma desirous of determining what that foremost of Rishis would do when seeing some injury done to him. Having thought thus, Dharma spoiled that milk.
तमाज्ञाय मुनिः क्रोधं नैवास्य चुकुपे ततः । स तु क्रोधस्तमाहेदं प्राञ्जलिर्मूर्तिमान्स्थितः ॥
English Translation
Knowing that the spoiler of his milk was Anger, the ascetic was not at all enraged with him. Anger, then, assuming the form of a Brahmana lady, showed him self to the Rishi.
जितोऽस्मीति भृगुश्रेष्ठ भृगवो ह्यतिरोषणाः । लोके मिथ्याप्रवादोऽयं यत्त्वयास्मि पराजितः ॥
English Translation
Indeed, Anger, finding that he had been vanquished by that foremost one of Bhrigu's race, addressed him, saying, 'O chief of Bhrigu's race, I have been conquered by you. There is a saying among men that the Bhrigus are very wrathful. I now find that that saying is false, since I have been subdued by you. was
सोऽहं त्वयि स्थितो ह्यद्य क्षमावति महात्मनि । बिभेमि तपसः साधो प्रसादं कुरु मे विभो ॥
English Translation
You are endued with a powerful soul. You are endued with forgiveness. I stand here today, acknowledging your sway. I fear your penances, O righteous one! Do you, O powerful Rishi, show me favour.
साक्षाद्दृष्टोऽसि मे क्रोध गच्छ त्वं विगतज्वरः । न ममापकृतं तेऽद्य न मन्युर्विद्यते मम ॥
English Translation
I have seen you, O Anger, in your embodied form. Go you wherever you like, without any anxiety. You have not done me any injury today. I have no grudge against you.
यानुद्दिश्य तु संकल्पः पयसोऽस्य कृतो मया । पितरस्ते महाभागास्तेभ्यो बुध्यस्व गम्यताम् ॥
English Translation
Those for whom I had kept this milk are the highly blessed Pitris. Present yourself before them and ascertain their intentions.
इत्युक्तो जातसंत्रासः स तत्रान्तरधीयत । पितॄणामभिषङ्गात्तु नकुलत्वमुपागतः ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, stricken with fear, Anger vanished from the sight of the Rishi. Through the curse of the Pitris he became a mungoose.
स तान्प्रसादयामास शापस्यान्तो भवेदिति । तैश्चाप्युक्तो यदा धर्मं क्षेप्स्यसे मोक्ष्यसे तदा ॥
English Translation
He then began to please the Pitris in order to bring about an end of his curse. By them he was told these words ;-By speaking disrespectfully of Dharma you shall attain to the end of your curse.'
तैश्चोक्तो यज्ञियान्देशान्धर्मारण्यानि चैव ह । जुगुप्सन्परिधावन्स यज्ञं तं समुपासदत् ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by them, he wandered over places where sacrifices were performed and over other sacred placed, employed in censuring great sacrifices. It was he who came to the great sacrifice of king Yudhishthira.
धर्मपुत्रमथाक्षिप्य सक्तुप्रस्थेन तेन सः । मुक्तः शापात्ततः क्रोधो धर्मो ह्यासीद्युधिष्ठिरः ॥
English Translation
Dispraising the son of Dharma by a reference to the prastha of powdered barley, Anger became freed from his curse, for Yudhishthira (as Dharma's son) was Dharma's self.
एवमेतत्तदा वृत्तं तस्य यज्ञे महात्मनः । पश्यतां चापि नस्तत्र नकुलोऽन्तर्हितस्तदा ॥
English Translation
This is what took place in the sacrifice of that great king. The mungoose disappeared there in out very presence.
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