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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 122

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 122

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 122

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 122 of the classical Mahābhārata with 56 verses.

Total: 56 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.122.1–56 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । अङ्गेषु राजा द्युतिमान्वसुहोम इति श्रुतः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said “Regarding it is cited the following old story. There was among the Angas a highly effulgent king called Vasuhoma.
स राजा धर्मनित्यः सन्सह पत्न्या महातपाः । मुञ्जपृष्ठं जगामाथ देवर्षिगणपूजितम् ॥
English Translation
That king was always engaged in acts of piety, and accompanied by his wife he always practised the austerest penances. He went to the spot called Munjaprishtha highly respected by the Pitris and the celestial Rishis.
तत्र शृङ्गे हिमवतो मेरौ कनकपर्वते । यत्र मुञ्जवटे रामो जटाहरणमादिशत् ॥
English Translation
There, on that peak of Himavat, near the golden mountain of Meru. Rama, sitting under the shade of a well-known banian, had tied his matted locks together.
तदाप्रभृति राजेन्द्र ऋषिभिः संशितव्रतैः । मुञ्जपृष्ठ इति प्रोक्तः स देशो रुद्रसेवितः ॥
English Translation
From that time, O king, the spot, which is a favourite resort of Rudra, passed by the naine of Munjaprishtha among Rishis of rigid vows.
स तत्र बहुभिर्युक्तः सदा श्रुतिमयैर्गुणैः । ब्राह्मणानामनुमतो देवर्षिसदृशोऽभवत् ॥
English Translation
Living there, king Vasuhoma acquired many pious attributes and, having gained the regard of the Brahmanas, came to be regarded as a celestial Rishi in holiness.
तं कदाचिददीनात्मा सखा शक्रस्य मानितः । अभ्यागच्छन्महीपालो मान्धाता शत्रुकर्शनः ॥
English Translation
One day, that grinder of enemies, that friend of Shakra, viz., king Mandhata of great soul, came to Vasuhoma on his mountain retreat.
सोऽभिसृत्य तु मान्धाता वसुहोमं नराधिपम् । दृष्ट्वा प्रकृष्टं तपसा विनयेनाभ्यतिष्ठत ॥
English Translation
Arrived there, and seeing king Vasuhoma of austere penances, stood humbly before the latter.
वसुहोमोऽपि राज्ञो वै गामर्घ्यं च न्यवेदयत् । अष्टाङ्गस्य च राज्यस्य पप्रच्छ कुशलं तदा ॥
English Translation
Vasuhoma offered his guest water to wash his feet, and the Arghya consisting of the usual articles, and enquired of him about the wellbeing or otherwise of his kingdom consisting of seven limbs.
सद्भिराचरितं पूर्वं यथावदनुयायिनम् । अपृच्छद्वसुहोमस्तं राजन्किं करवाणि ते ॥
English Translation
After this, Vasuhoma addressed his royal guest who strictly followed the conduct of the righteous men of old, saying,-What, О king, shall I do for you.
सोऽब्रवीत्परमप्रीतो मान्धाता राजसत्तमम् । वसुहोमं महाप्राज्ञमासीनं कुरुनन्दन ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, O delighter of the Kurus, Mandhatri, that best of kings, highly pleased, answered the greatly wise Vasuhoma seated at his ease, in the following words.
बृहस्पतेर्मतं राजन्नधीतं सकलं त्वया । तथैवौशनसं शास्त्रं विज्ञातं ते नराधिप ॥
English Translation
Mandhatri said You have, O king, studied all the doctrines of Brihaspati! O best of men, you know also the doctrines laid down by Ushanas.
तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि दण्ड उत्पद्यते कथम् । किं वापि पूर्वं जागर्ति किं वा परममुच्यते ॥
English Translation
I wish to know what is the origin of Punishment? What also is said to be its end?
कथं क्षत्रियसंस्थश्च दण्डः संप्रत्यवस्थितः । ब्रूहि मे सुमहाप्राज्ञ ददाम्याचार्यवेतनम् ॥
English Translation
How Came Punishment to depend upon the Kshatriya? Tell me all this, O you of great wisdom. I approach you as a disciple ready to give you the tuition fee.
शृणु राजन्यथा दण्डः संभूतो लोकसंग्रहः । प्रजाविनयरक्षार्थं धर्मस्यात्मा सनातनः ॥
English Translation
Vasuhoma said Listen, O king, as to how Punishment, that upholder of the world, sprang up. It is the soul of righteousness, and eternal, and was created for preserving the proper government of all creatures.
ब्रह्मा यियक्षुर्भगवान्सर्वलोकपितामहः । ऋत्विजं नात्मना तुल्यं ददर्शेति हि नः श्रुतम् ॥
English Translation
We have heard that once upon a time, the Grandfather of all the worlds, viz., the divine Brahmana, desiring to celebrate a sacrifice, could not find a priest equally qualified like himself.
स गर्भं शिरसा देवो वर्षपूगानधारयत् । पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु स गर्भः क्षुवतोऽपतत् ॥
English Translation
Therefore, he once conceived in his brain and held the foetus there for many long years. After a thousand years, the great god sneezed. In that act, the foetus dropped from his head.
स क्षुपो नाम संभूतः प्रजापतिररिंदम । ऋत्विगासीत्तदा राजन्यज्ञे तस्य महात्मनः ॥
English Translation
The divine being, O chastiser of foes, who was thus born from Brahman passed by the name of Kshupa. Highly powerful be became a lord of creatures. That Kshupa officiated as priest, O king, in the sacrifice of the highsouled Grandfather.
तस्मिन्प्रवृत्ते सत्रे तु ब्रह्मणः पार्थिवर्षभ । हृष्टरूपप्रचारत्वाद्दण्डः सोऽन्तर्हितोऽभवत् ॥
English Translation
Upon the commencement of that sacrifice, of Brahman, O best of kings, punishment disappeared on account of the visible form that the Grandfather was then obliged to assume.
तस्मिन्नन्तर्हिते चाथ प्रजानां संकरोऽभवत् । नैव कार्यं न चाकार्यं भोज्याभोज्यं न विद्यते ॥
English Translation
Punishment having disappeared, a great confusion arose among all creatures. There was no longer any distinction between what should be done and what should not. All difference, again, between clean and unclean food disappeared.
पेयापेयं कुतः सिद्धिर्हिंसन्ति च परस्परम् । गम्यागम्यं तदा नासीत्परस्वं स्वं च वै समम् ॥
English Translation
Men could not distinguish between what drink was allowable and what drink was not. All creatures began to injure one another. There were no restraints about the union of the sexes. All idea of property disappeared.
परस्परं विलुम्पन्ते सारमेया इवामिषम् । अबलं बलिनो जघ्नुर्निर्मर्यादमवर्तत ॥
English Translation
All creatures began to rob, snatching meat from one another. The strong began to kill the weak. Nobody cared the least for his neighbour.
ततः पितामहो विष्णुं भगवन्तं सनातनम् । संपूज्य वरदं देवं महादेवमथाब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
Then, having adored the divine and eternal Vishnu, the grandfather addressed that great boon-giving god, saying,-You should, O Keshava, show mercy on the present occasion. Let it be so ordained by you that the confusion that has already set in may disappear.
अत्र साध्वनुकम्पां वै कर्तुमर्हसि केवलम् । संकरो न भवेदत्र यथा वै तद्विधीयताम् ॥
ततः स भगवान्ध्यात्वा चिरं शूलजटाधरः । आत्मानमात्मना दण्डमसृजद्देवसत्तमः ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, that foremost of gods, armed with an enormous Shula, thinking for some time, converted his ownself into the form of Punishment.
तस्माच्च धर्मचरणां नीतिं देवीं सरस्वतीम् । असृजद्दण्डनीतिः सा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता ॥
English Translation
From that form, having Righteousness for its legs, the goddess Sarasvati created Dandaniti (Science of Punishment) which very soon became celebrated all over the world.
भूयः स भगवान्ध्यात्वा चिरं शूलवरायुधः । तस्य तस्य निकायस्य चकारैकैकमीशरम् ॥
English Translation
Thereafter the great god armed with a huge Shula, having again reflected for sometime, appointed a few among the gods as the rulers of their respective classes.
देवानामीश्वरं चक्रे देवं दशशतेक्षणम् । यमं वैवस्वतं चापि पितॄणामकरोत्पतिम् ॥
English Translation
It was then that he made the divine Indra of a thousand eyes the king of gods. Yama the son of Vivasvat was made the lord of the departed manes.
धनानां रक्षसां चापि कुबेरमपि चेश्वरम् । पर्वतानां पतिं मेरुं सरितां च महोदधिम् ॥
English Translation
Kubera was made the lord of riches and of all the Rakshasas. Meru was made the king of the mountains, and Oceans was made the lord of the rivers.
अपां राज्ये सुराणां च विदधे वरुणं प्रभुम् । मृत्युं प्राणेश्वरमथो तेजसां च हुताशनम् ॥
English Translation
The powerful Varuna was made the lord of the waters and of the Asuras. Death was made the lord of life and of all living creatures, and Fire was made the chief of all things possessed of energy.
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