Special Call Prof. Jay L. Garfield Commemorative Volume · Submissions Open
Announcements Newsletters About Us Contact
Search
MBh
Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 141

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 141

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 141

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 141 of the classical Mahābhārata with 28 verses.

Total: 28 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.141.1–28 • 250 Lexicon Terms
पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद । शरणं पालयानस्य यो धर्मस्तं वदस्व मे ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom, O you who are a master of scriptures, tell me what the merit is of one who supports a person seeking his protection.
महान्धर्मो महाराज शरणागतपालने । अर्हः प्रष्टुं भवांश्चैव प्रश्नं भरतसत्तम ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Great is the merit, O king, in supporting a suppliant. It is worthy of you, O best of the Bharatas, to ask such a question.
नृगप्रभृतयो राजन्राजानः शरणागतान् । परिपाल्य महाराज संसिद्धिं परमां गताः ॥
English Translation
Those great kings of yore, viz., Shivi and others, o king, acquired supreme heavenly bliss by having supported suppliants.
श्रूयते हि कपोतेन शत्रुः शरणमागतः । पूजितश्च यथान्यायं स्वैश्च मांसैर्निमन्त्रितः ॥
English Translation
We have heard that a pigeon received reverentially a suppliant enemy according to due rites and even fed him with his own flesh.'
कथं कपोतेन पुरा शत्रुः शरणमागतः । स्वमांसैर्भोजितः कां च गतिं लेभे स भारत ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said How, indeed, did a pigeon in days of yore feed a suppliant enemy with his own flesh? What end, O Bharata, did he win by such conduct.
शृणु राजन्कथां दिव्यां सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम् । नृपतेर्मुचुकुन्दस्य कथितां भार्गवेण ह ॥
English Translation
Listen, O king, to this most Beautiful story which cleanses the hearer of every sin, and which Bhrigu's son (Rama) had recited to king Muchukunda.
इममर्थं पुरा पार्थ मुचुकुन्दो नराधिपः । भार्गवं परिपप्रच्छ प्रणतो भरतर्षभ ॥
English Translation
This very question, O son of Pritha, had been put humbly to Bhrigu's son by Muchukunda.
तस्मै शुश्रूषमाणाय भार्गवोऽकथयत्कथाम् । इयं यथा कपोतेन सिद्धिः प्राप्ता नराधिप ॥
English Translation
The son of Bhrigu described this story to him of how a pigeon, O king, won success.
धर्मनिश्चयसंयुक्तां कामार्थसहितां कथाम् । शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्गदतो मे महाभुज ॥
English Translation
The sage said O mighty-armed king, listen to me as I describe to you this story containing lessons of Virtue, profit, and Desire.
कश्चित्क्षुद्रसमाचारः पृथिव्यां कालसंमतः । चचार पृथिवीं पापो घोरः शकुनिलुब्धकः ॥
English Translation
A wicked and dreadful fowler, resembling the Destroyer himself, used in days of yore to wander through the great wilderness.
काकोल इव कृष्णाङ्गो रूक्षः पापसमाहितः । यवमध्यः कृशग्रीवो ह्रस्वपादो महाहनुः ॥
English Translation
He was black as a raven and his eyes were blood red. He looked like Yama himself. He had long legs, short feet, large mouth, and protruding cheeks.
नैव तस्य सुहृत्कश्चिन्न संबन्धी न बान्धवः । स हि तैः संपरित्यक्तस्तेन घोरेण कर्मणा ॥
English Translation
He had no friend, no relative, no kinsman. He had been discarded by them all for the exceedingly cruel life he led.
स वै क्षारकमादाय द्विजान्हत्वा वने सदा । चकार विक्रयं तेषां पतंगानां नराधिप ॥
English Translation
Taking his nets with him, and killing birds in the forests, he used to sell the meat, О king.
एवं तु वर्तमानस्य तस्य वृत्तिं दुरात्मनः । अगमत्सुमहान्कालो न चाधर्ममबुध्यत ॥
English Translation
Thus working, the wicked wretch lived for many long years without ever understanding the sinfulness of his life.
तस्य भार्यासहायस्य रममाणस्य शाश्वतम् । दैवयोगविमूढस्य नान्या वृत्तिररोचत ॥
English Translation
He was in the habit of sporting with his wife in the forest for many long years in the pursuit of this profession, and stupefied by destiny, he liked no other profession.
ततः कदाचित्तस्याथ वनस्थस्य समुद्गतः । पातयन्निव वृक्षांस्तान्सुमहान्वातसंभ्रमः ॥
English Translation
One day as he was wandering through the forest carrying on his business a great storm took place that shook the trees, almost uprooting them.
मेघसंकुलमाकाशं विद्युन्मण्डलमण्डितम् । संछन्नं सुमुहूर्तेन नौस्थानेनेव सागरः ॥
English Translation
In a moment dense masses of clouds set in the sky, accompanied with lightning and presenting the view of a sea covered with merchant boats and vessels.
वारिधारासमूहैश्च संप्रहृष्टः शतक्रतुः । क्षणेन पूरयामास सलिलेन वसुंधराम् ॥
English Translation
The god of a hundred sacrifices having entered the clouds with a profuse supply of rain, the Earth became flooded with water in a moment.
ततो धाराकुले लोके संभ्रमन्नष्टचेतनः । शीतार्तस्तद्वनं सर्वमाकुलेनान्तरात्मना ॥
English Translation
While the rain fell in torrents, the flower lost his sense from fear. Trembling with cold and stricken with fear, he roamed through the forest.
नैव निम्नं स्थलं वापि सोऽविन्दत विहंगहा । पूरितो हि जलौघेन मार्गस्तस्य वनस्य वै ॥
English Translation
He could not find any elevated spot (which was not under water). The paths of the forest were all under water.
पक्षिणो वातवेगेन हता लीनास्तदाभवन् । मृगाः सिंहा वराहाश्च स्थलान्याश्रित्य तस्थिरे ॥
English Translation
For the force of the rain, many birds dropped down dead on the ground. Securing some elevated spots they had found, lions and bears and to her animals lay down to rest.
महता वातवर्षेण त्रासितास्ते वनौकसः । भयार्ताश्च क्षुधार्ताश्च बभ्रमुः सहिता वने ॥
English Translation
All the dwellers of the forest were stricken with fear for that dreadful storm and rain. Terrified and hungry, they roved through the forest in small and large packs.
स तु शीतहतैर्गात्रैर्जगामैव न तस्थिवान् । सोऽपश्यद्वनषण्डेषु मेघनीलं वनस्पतिम् ॥
ताराढ्यं कुमुदाकारमाकाशं निर्मलं च ह । मेघैर्मुक्तं नभो दृष्ट्वा लुब्धकः शीतविह्वलः ॥
दिशोऽवलोकयामास वेलां चैव दुरात्मवान् । दूरे ग्रामनिवेशश्च तस्माद्देशादिति प्रभो । कृतबुद्धिर्वने तस्मिन्वस्तुं तां रजनीं तदा ॥
English Translation
My house is at a great distance from where I am!-He then thought of passing the night under the shade of that tree.
सोऽञ्जलिं प्रयतः कृत्वा वाक्यमाह वनस्पतिम् । शरणं यामि यान्यस्मिन्दैवतानीह भारत ॥
English Translation
Bowing down to it with clasped hands, he addressed that king of the forest, saying,-I seek refuge with all the gods who have this tree for their resting place.
स शिलायां शिरः कृत्वा पर्णान्यास्तीर्य भूतले । दुःखेन महताविष्टस्ततः सुष्वाप पक्षिहा ॥
English Translation
Having said so, he spread some leaves for a bed, and laid himself down on it, placing his head on a stone. In spite of his being overwhelmed with affliction, the man soon fell asleep.
← Previous (Ch. 1468) Full Table of Contents Next (Ch. 1470) →