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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 90

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 90

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 90

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 90 of the classical Mahābhārata with 40 verses.

Total: 40 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.90.1–40 • 250 Lexicon Terms
स प्रविश्य यथान्यायं पाण्डवानां निवेशनम् । पितामहीमभ्यवदत्साम्ना परमवल्गुना ॥
English Translation
Entering the palace of the Pandavas the mighty-armed prince saluted his grandmother in soothing and sweet words.
तथा चित्राङ्गदा देवी कौरव्यस्यात्मजापि च । पृथां कृष्णां च सहिते विनयेनाभिजग्मतुः । सुभद्रां च यथान्यायं याश्चान्याः कुरुयोषितः ॥
English Translation
Then queen Chitrangada, and (Ulupi) the daughter of (the snake) Kauravya, together humbly approached Pritha and Krishna. They then met Subhadra and the other ladies of the Kuru race with due formalities.
ददौ कुन्ती ततस्ताभ्यां रत्नानि विविधानि च । द्रौपदी च सुभद्रा च याश्चाप्यन्या ददुः स्त्रियः ॥
English Translation
Kunti gave them many gems and costly things. Draupadi and Subha 'ra and the other ladies of Kuru's race all made presents to them.
ऊषतुस्तत्र ते देव्यौ महार्हशयनासने । सुपूजिते स्वयं कुन्त्या पार्थस्य प्रियकाम्यया ॥
English Translation
The two ladies took up their residence there, using costly beds and seats, treated with affection and honor by Kunti herself from desire of doing what was agreeable to Partha.
स च राजा महावीर्यः पूजितो बभ्रुवाहनः । धृतराष्ट्रं महीपालमुपतस्थे यथाविधि ॥
English Translation
King Babhruvahana of great energy, duly honored (by Kunti), then inet Dhritarashtra according to due rites.
युधिष्ठिरं च राजानं भीमादींश्चापि पाण्डवान् । उपगम्य महातेजा विनयेनाभ्यवादयत् ॥
English Translation
Going then to king Yudhishthira and Bhima and the other Pandavas the mighty prince of Munipura saluted them all with humility.
स तैः प्रेम्णा परिष्वक्तः पूजितश्च यथाविधि । धनं चास्मै ददुर्भूरि प्रीयमाणा महारथाः ॥
English Translation
They all embraced him with great love and honored him duly. And those powerful carwarrior highly pleased with him, made large gifted of wealth to him.
तथैव स महीपालः कृष्णं चक्रगदाधरम् । प्रद्युम्न इव गोविन्दं विनयेनोपतस्थिवान् ॥
English Translation
The king of Manipura then humbly approached Krishna, that hero armed with the discus and the mace, like a second Pradyumna approaching his father. Krishna gave to the king a very costly and excellent car adorned with gold and to which were yoked excellent horses.
तस्मै कृष्णो ददौ राज्ञे महार्हमभिपूजितम् । रथं हेमपरिष्कारं दिव्याश्वयुजमुत्तमम् ॥
धर्मराजश्च भीमश्च यमजौ फल्गुनस्तथा । पृथक्पृथगतीवैनं मानार्हं समपूजयन् ॥
ततस्तृतीये दिवसे सत्यवत्याः सुतो मुनिः । युधिष्ठिरं समभ्येत्य वाग्मी वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
अद्य प्रभृति कौन्तेय यजस्व समयो हि ते । मुहूर्तो यज्ञियः प्राप्तश्चोदयन्ति च याजकाः ॥
अहीनो नाम राजेन्द्र क्रतुस्तेऽयं विकल्पवान् । बहुत्वात्काञ्चनस्यास्य ख्यातो बहुसुवर्णकः ॥
English Translation
Let the sacrifice be performed in such a way that no limb may become defective. On account of the very large quantity of gold that is required for this sacrifice, it has come to be called the sacrifice of profuse gold.
एवमेव महाराज दक्षिणां त्रिगुणां कुरु । त्रित्वं व्रजतु ते राजन्ब्राह्मणा ह्यत्र कारणम् ॥
English Translation
Do you also, O great king, make the Dakshina of this sacrifice three times of what is enjoined. Let the merit of your sacrifice increase threefold. The Brahimanas competent for the purpose.
त्रीनश्वमेधानत्र त्वं संप्राप्य बहुदक्षिणान् । ज्ञातिवध्याकृतं पापं प्रहास्यसि नराधिप ॥
English Translation
Acquiring the merits then of three HorseSacrifices, each with profuse presents, you shall be freed, O king, from the sin of having killed your kinsmen.
पवित्रं परमं ह्येतत्पावनानां च पावनम् । यदश्वमेधावभृथं प्राप्स्यसे कुरुनन्दन ॥
English Translation
The bath which one performs upon completion of the Horse-Sacrifice, O king, is highly powerful and productive of the highest merit. That merit will be yours, O king of Kuru's race. are
इत्युक्तः स तु तेजस्वी व्यासेनामिततेजसा । दीक्षां विवेश धर्मात्मा वाजिमेधाप्तये तदा । नराधिपः प्रायजत वाजिमेधं महाक्रतुम् ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by Vyasa of incomparable intelligence, the righteous-souled Yudhishthria of great energy underwent the initiation for performance of the Horse-Sacrifice.
तत्र वेदविदो राजंश्चक्रुः कर्माणि याजकाः । परिक्रमन्तः शास्त्रज्ञा विधिवत्साधुशिक्षिताः ॥
English Translation
The priests, well-conversant with the Vedas, did every rite, duly, moving about in all directions. They were all well-trained, and possessed of omniscience.
न तेषां स्खलितं तत्र नासीदपहुतं तथा । क्रमयुक्तं च युक्तं च चक्रुस्तत्र द्विजर्षभाः ॥
English Translation
In nothing was there any deviation from the ordinances, and nothing was done improperly. Those foremost of twice-born persons followed the procedure as laid down as it should be followed in those points about which no directions are given.
कृत्वा प्रवर्ग्यं धर्मज्ञा यथावद्द्विजसत्तमाः । चक्रुस्ते विधिवद्राजंस्तथैवाभिषवं द्विजाः ॥
English Translation
Thosc best of twice-born ones, having first performed the rite called Pravargya otherwise called Dharma, then duly performed the rite of Abhishva, O king.
अभिषूय ततो राजन्सोमं सोमपसत्तमाः । सवनान्यानुपूर्व्येण चक्रुः शास्त्रानुसारिणः ॥
English Translation
Those foremost of Soma-Drinkers, O monarch, extracting the juice of the Soma, then performed the Savana rite, following the injunctions of the scriptures.
न तत्र कृपणः कश्चिन्न दरिद्रो बभूव ह । क्षुधितो दुःखितो वापि प्राकृतो वापि मानवः ॥
English Translation
Among those who came to that sacrifice none could be seen who was cheerless, none who was poor, none who was hungry, none who was plunged into grief, and none that seemed to be vulgar.
भोजनं भोजनार्थिभ्यो दापयामास नित्यदा । भीमसेनो महातेजाः सततं राजशासनात् ॥
English Translation
Bhimasena of great energy, at the command of the king, caused food to be ceaselessly distributed among those who desired to eat.
संस्तरे कुशलाश्चापि सर्वकर्माणि याजकाः । दिवसे दिवसे चक्रुर्यथाशास्त्रार्थचक्षुषः ॥
English Translation
Following the injunctions of the scriptures, priests, well-versed in sacrificial rites of every kind, performed every day all the acts necessary to complete the great sacrifice.
नाषडङ्गविदत्रासीत्सदस्यस्तस्य धीमतः । नाव्रतो नानुपाध्यायो न च वादाक्षमो द्विजः ॥
English Translation
Amongst the Sadasyas of king Yudhishthira of great intelligence there was none who was not a master of the six branches of (Vedic) learning. There was none among them who was not an otserver of vows, none who was not an Upadhaya; none, who was not wellversed in dialectical disputations.
ततो यूपोच्छ्रये प्राप्ते षड्बैल्वान्भरतर्षभ । खादिरान्बिल्वसमितांस्तावतः सर्ववर्णिनः ॥
English Translation
When the time came for erccting the sacrificial stake, O chief of Bharata's race, six stakes were set up which were made of Bilva, six which were made of Khadira, and six which were made of Sarvavarnin.
देवदारुमयौ द्वौ तु यूपौ कुरुपतेः क्रतौ । श्लेष्मातकमयं चैकं याजकाः समकारयन् ॥
English Translation
Two stakes were set up by the priest which were made of Devadaru in that sacrifice of the Kuru king, and one which was made of Shleshmataka.
शोभार्थं चापरान्यूपान्काञ्चनान्पुरुषर्षभ । स भीमः कारयामास धर्मराजस्य शासनात् ॥
English Translation
At the bchest of the king, Bhima caused some other stakes to be set up, for the sake of beauty only which were made of goid.
ते व्यराजन्त राजर्षे वासोभिरुपशोभिताः । नरेन्द्राभिगता देवान्यथा सप्तर्षयो दिवि ॥
English Translation
Adorned with fine cloths supplied by the royal sage, those stakes shone there like Indra and the deities with the seven celestial Rishis standing around them in Heaven.
इष्टकाः काञ्चनीश्चात्र चयनार्थं कृताभवन् । शुशुभे चयनं तत्र दक्षस्येव प्रजापतेः ॥
English Translation
A number of golden bricks were made for making therewith a Chayana. The Chayana made resembled in beauty that which had been made for Daksha, the lord of creatures.
चतुश्चित्यः स तस्यासीदष्टादशकरात्मकः । स रुक्मपक्षो निचितस्त्रिगुणो गरुडाकृतिः ॥
English Translation
The Chayana measured eight and ten cubits and had four stories or lairs. A golden bird, of the shape of Garuda, was then made, having three angles.
ततो नियुक्ताः पशवो यथाशास्त्रं मनीषिभिः । तं तं देवं समुद्दिश्य पक्षिणः पशवश्च ये ॥
English Translation
Following the injunctions of the scriptures, the priests endued with great learning then duly tied to the stakes both animals and birds, assigning each to its particular deity.
ऋषभाः शास्त्रपठितास्तथा जलचराश्च ये । सर्वांस्तानभ्ययुञ्जंस्ते तत्राग्निचयकर्मणि ॥
English Translation
Bulls, possessed of such marks as are mentioned in the scriptures, and aquatic animals were properly tied to the stakes after the rites of the sacrificial fire had been performed.
यूपेषु नियतं चासीत्पशूनां त्रिशतं तथा । अश्वरत्नोत्तरं राज्ञः कौन्तेयस्य महात्मनः ॥
English Translation
In that sacrifice of the great son of Kunti, three hundred animals were tied to the stakes set up, including that foremost of horses.
स यज्ञः शुशुभे तस्य साक्षाद्देवर्षिसंकुलः । गन्धर्वगणसंकीर्णः शोभितोऽप्सरसां गणैः ॥
English Translation
That sacrifice looked greatly beautiful as if adorned with the celestial Rishis, with the Gandharvas singing in chorus and the various tribes of Apsaras dancing in merriment.
स किंपुरुषगीतैश्च किंनरैरुपशोभितः । सिद्धविप्रनिवासैश्च समन्तादभिसंवृतः ॥
English Translation
It teemed, besides, with Kimpurushas and was adorned with Kinnaras. All around it were houses of Brahinanas crowned with ascetic success.
तस्मिन्सदसि नित्यास्तु व्यासशिष्या द्विजोत्तमाः । सर्वशास्त्रप्रणेतारः कुशला यज्ञकर्मसु ॥
English Translation
There were daily seen the disciples of Vyasa, those foremost of twice-born ones, who are compilers of all branches of learning, and well conversant with sacrificial rites.
नारदश्च बभूवात्र तुम्बुरुश्च महाद्युतिः । विश्वावसुश्चित्रसेनस्तथान्ये गीतकोविदाः ॥
English Translation
There was Narada, and there was Tunburu of great splendour. There were Vishvavasu and Chitrasena and others, all of whom were proficient in music.
गन्धर्वा गीतकुशला नृत्तेषु च विशारदाः । रमयन्ति स्म तान्विप्रान्यज्ञकर्मान्तरेष्वथ ॥
English Translation
At intervals of the sacrificial rites, those Gandharvas skilled in music and well-versed in dancing, used to please the Brahmanas who were engaged in the sacrifice.
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