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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 142

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 142

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 142

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 142 of the classical Mahābhārata with 45 verses.

Total: 45 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.142.1–45 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
अथ वृक्षस्य शाखायां विहंगः ससुहृज्जनः । दीर्घकालोषितो राजंस्तत्र चित्रतनूरुहः ॥
English Translation
In one of the branches of that tree, a pigeon having beautiful feather, o king, lived for many years with his family.
तस्य काल्यं गता भार्या चरितुं नाभ्यवर्तत । प्राप्तां च रजनीं दृष्ट्वा स पक्षी पर्यतप्यत ॥
English Translation
That morning his wife had gone out in quest of food but had not yet come back. Seeing the approach of night and his wife still not returning, the bird began be bewail, saying
वातवर्षं महच्चासीन्न चागच्छति मे प्रिया । किं नु तत्कारणं येन साद्यापि न निवर्तते ॥
English Translation
O, what a great storm and a terrible shower took place to-day! Alas, you have come not come back yet, O dear wife! Woe is on me, what must be the cause of her not returning yet.
अपि स्वस्ति भवेत्तस्याः प्रियाया मम कानने । तया विरहितं हीदं शून्यमद्य गृहं मम ॥
English Translation
In cverything right with that dear wife of mine in the forest? Separated from her, this my home appears to me void.
यदि सा रक्तनेत्रान्ता चित्राङ्गी मधुरस्वरा । अद्य नाभ्येति मे कान्ता न कार्यं जीवितेन मे ॥
English Translation
If that dear wife of mine, having red eyes, variegated plumes, and sweet voice, does not return to-day, my life itself will have no value.
पतिधर्मरता साध्वी प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी । सा हि श्रान्तं क्षुधार्तं च जानीते मां तपस्विनी ॥
अनुरक्ता हिता चैव स्निग्धा चैव पतिव्रता । यस्य वै तादृशी भार्या धन्यः स मनुजो भुवि ॥
भार्या हि परमो नाथः पुरुषस्येह पठ्यते । असहायस्य लोकेऽस्मिँल्लोकयात्रासहायिनी ॥
English Translation
It is said that the wife is the richest treasure of her husband. In this world the wife is the only companion of her husband in all the worldly affairs.
तथा रोगाभिभूतस्य नित्यं कृच्छ्रगतस्य च । नास्ति भार्यासमं किंचिन्नरस्यार्तस्य भेषजम् ॥
English Translation
One, who is suffered from disease and surrounded with many troubles, his wife is the best of panaceas and good medicine in sickness of that person.
नास्ति भार्यासमो बन्धुर्नास्ति भार्यासमा गतिः । नास्ति भार्यासमो लोके सहायो धर्मसाधनः ॥
English Translation
There is no friend like wife. There is no refuge better than the wife. There is no better associate in the world than the wife in acts undertaken for the acquisition of religious merit.
एवं विलपतस्तस्य द्विजस्यार्तस्य तत्र वै । गृहीता शकुनघ्नेन भार्या शुश्राव भारतीम् ॥
न सा स्त्रीत्यभिभाषा स्याद्यस्या भर्ता न तुष्यति । अग्निसाक्षिकमप्येतद्भर्ता हि शरणं स्त्रियः ॥
इति संचिन्त्य दुःखार्ता भर्तारं दुःखितं तदा । कपोती लुब्धकेनाथ यत्ता वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
Having thought thus, the she-pigeon, stricken with woe, and encaged by the fowler, thus spoke to her woe-stricken husband.
हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते श्रेयः श्रुत्वा च कुरु तत्तथा । शरणागतसंत्राता भव कान्त विशेषतः ॥
English Translation
I shall say what is now good for you. Hearing me follow my advice, O dear husband, be you the rescuer of a suppliant.
एष शाकुनिकः शेते तव वासं समाश्रितः । शीतार्तश्च क्षुधार्तश्च पूजामस्मै प्रयोजय ॥
English Translation
This fowler lies here by your house stricken with cold and hunger. Treat him hospitably.
यो हि कश्चिद्द्विजं हन्याद्गां वा लोकस्य मातरम् । शरणागतं च यो हन्यात्तुल्यं तेषां च पातकम् ॥
English Translation
The sin that a person commits by killing a Brahmana or that mother of the world, viz., a cow, is equal to what one commits by allowing suppliant to die.
यास्माकं विहिता वृत्तिः कापोती जातिधर्मतः । सा न्याय्यात्मवता नित्यं त्वद्विधेनाभिवर्तितुम् ॥
English Translation
You are endued with the knowledge of self. You should, therefore, follow that course which has been ordained for us as pigeons on account of our birth.
यस्तु धर्मं यथाशक्ति गृहस्थो ह्यनुवर्तते । स प्रेत्य लभते लोकानक्षयानिति शुश्रुम ॥
English Translation
We have heard that the house-holder who practises virtue according to his abilities, acquires hereafter endless regions of bliss.
स त्वं संतानवानद्य पुत्रवानपि च द्विज । तत्स्वदेहे दयां त्यक्त्वा धर्मार्थौ परिगृह्य वै । पूजामस्मै प्रयुङ्क्ष्व त्वं प्रीयेतास्य मनो यथा ॥
English Translation
You have sons. You have progeny. O bird, casting off all love for your own body, therefore, and for acquiring virtue and profit, adore this fowler so that he may be pleased.
इति सा शकुनी वाक्यं क्षारकस्था तपस्विनी । अतिदुःखान्विता प्रोच्य भर्तारं समुदैक्षत ॥
English Translation
The amiable she-pigeon, laden with sorrow, and casting her eyes upon her husband from the fowler's cage within which she had been put, said these words to him.
स पत्न्या वचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मयुक्तिसमन्वितम् । हर्षेण महता युक्तो बाष्पव्याकुललोचनः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Hearing these words of morality and reason spoken by his wife, the pigeon was filled with great delight and his eyes were bathed in tears of joy.
तं वै शाकुनिकं दृष्ट्वा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा । पूजयामास यत्नेन स पक्षी पक्षिजीविनम् ॥
English Translation
Seeing that fowler whose profession was to kill birds, the pigeon honoured him scrupulously according to scriptural rites.
उवाच च स्वागतं ते ब्रूहि किं करवाण्यहम् । संतापश्च न कर्तव्यः स्वगृहे वर्तते भवान् ॥
English Translation
Addressing him, he said,-You are welcome to-day. Tell me what I shall do for you. You should not repent. This is your home.
तद्ब्रवीतु भवान्क्षिप्रं किं करोमि किमिच्छसि । प्रणयेन ब्रवीमि त्वां त्वं हि नः शरणागतः ॥
English Translation
Tell me quickly what I am to do and what is your pleasure. I ask you this in good spirit, for you have sought protection of us.
शरणागतस्य कर्तव्यमातिथ्यमिह यत्नतः । पञ्चयज्ञप्रवृत्तेन गृहस्थेन विशेषतः ॥
English Translation
One should, with diligence do the duties of hospitality towards a person who seeks shelter. Indeed, one is particularly bound to do so if he leads the life of a house-holder that consists of the five sacrifices.
पञ्चयज्ञांस्तु यो मोहान्न करोति गृहाश्रमी । तस्य नायं न च परो लोको भवति धर्मतः ॥
English Translation
If one, while living like a house-holder, does, not from want of judgement, celebrate the five sacrifices, one loses, as laid down in the scriptures, both this and the next world.
तद्ब्रूहि त्वं सुविस्रब्धो यत्त्वं वाचा वदिष्यसि । तत्करिष्याम्यहं सर्वं मा त्वं शोके मनः कृथाः ॥
English Translation
Tell me then clearly and confidently what your wishes are. I will accomplish them all. Do not think of grieving.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शकुनेर्लुब्धकोऽब्रवीत् । बाधते खलु मा शीतं हिमत्राणं विधीयताम् ॥
English Translation
Hearing these words of the bird, the fowler replied to him, saying,-I am benumbed with cold. Just make arrangements for warming me.
एवमुक्तस्ततः पक्षी पर्णान्यास्तीर्य भूतले । यथाशुष्काणि यत्नेन ज्वलनार्थं द्रुतं ययौ ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, the bird collected a number of dry leaves on the ground, and taking a leaf in his beaks quickly went away for fetching fire.
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