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Mahābhārata • Parva 14 (Aśvamedhikaparva) • Adhyāya 93

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 93

अश्वमेधिकपर्व • अध्यायः 93

Aśvamedhikaparva Adhyāya 93 of the classical Mahābhārata with 94 verses.

Total: 94 Verses • Citations: MBh 14.93.1–94 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 4 (Verses 30 shown)
हन्त वो वर्तयिष्यामि दानस्य परमं फलम् । न्यायलब्धस्य सूक्ष्मस्य विप्रदत्तस्य यद्द्विजाः ॥
English Translation
The Mungoose continued : O twice-born ones, I shall presently tell you what the excellent fruit was of the gift, made by a Brahmana, of a very little measure (of powdered barley) acquired by fair means.
धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे धर्मज्ञैर्बहुभिर्वृते । उञ्छवृत्तिर्द्विजः कश्चित्कापोतिरभवत्पुरा ॥
English Translation
On that righteous spot of ground known by the name of Kurukshetra, which is the habitation of many righteous persons, there lived a Brahmana observing the Unchcha vow. That mode of living is like that of the pigeon.
सभार्यः सह पुत्रेण सस्नुषस्तपसि स्थितः । वधूचतुर्थो वृद्धः स धर्मात्मा नियतेन्द्रियः ॥
English Translation
He lived there with his wife and son and daughter-in-law and practiced penances. Of righteous soul and with senses completely controlled, he adopted the mode of living which is followed by a parrot.
षष्ठे काले तदा विप्रो भुङ्क्ते तैः सह सुव्रतः । षष्ठे काले कदाचिच्च तस्याहारो न विद्यते । भुङ्क्तेऽन्यस्मिन्कदाचित्स षष्ठे काले द्विजोत्तमः ॥
कपोतधर्मिणस्तस्य दुर्भिक्षे सति दारुणे । नाविद्यत तदा विप्राः संचयस्तान्निबोधत । क्षीणौषधिसमावायो द्रव्यहीनोऽभवत्तदा ॥
काले कालेऽस्य संप्राप्ते नैव विद्येत भोजनम् । क्षुधापरिगताः सर्वे प्रातिष्ठन्त तदा तु ते ॥
English Translation
When the habitual hours came for eating, the Brahmana had nothing to eat. This happened day after day. All the members of his family were stricken with hunger but were obliged to pass the days as best they could.
उञ्छंस्तदा शुक्लपक्षे मध्यं तपति भास्करे । उष्णार्तश्च क्षुधार्तश्च स विप्रस्तपसि स्थितः । उञ्छमप्राप्तवानेव सार्धं परिजनेन ह ॥
English Translation
One day, in the month of Jyaishtha, while the Sun was in the meridian, the Brahman was engaged, in picking up grains of corn. Afflicted by heat and hunger, he was practicing this penance.
स तथैव क्षुधाविष्टः स्पृष्ट्वा तोयं यथाविधि । क्षपयामास तं कालं कृच्छ्रप्राणो द्विजोत्तमः ॥
अथ षष्ठे गते काले यवप्रस्थमुपार्जयत् । यवप्रस्थं च ते सक्तूनकुर्वन्त तपस्विनः ॥
कृतजप्याह्विकास्ते तु हुत्वा वह्निं यथाविधि । कुडवं कुडवं सर्वे व्यभजन्त तपस्विनः ॥
अथागच्छद्द्विजः कश्चिदतिथिर्भुञ्जतां तदा । ते तं दृष्ट्वातिथिं तत्र प्रहृष्टमनसोऽभवन् ॥
तेऽभिवाद्य सुखप्रश्नं पृष्ट्वा तमतिथिं तदा । विशुद्धमनसो दान्ताः श्रद्धादमसमन्विताः ॥
अनसूयवो गतक्रोधाः साधवो गतमत्सराः । त्यक्तमाना जितक्रोधा धर्मज्ञा द्विजसत्तमाः ॥
सब्रह्मचर्यं स्वं गोत्रं समाख्याय परस्परम् । कुटीं प्रवेशयामासुः क्षुधार्तमतिथिं तदा ॥
इदमर्घ्यं च पाद्यं च बृसी चेयं तवानघ । शुचयः सक्तवश्चेमे नियमोपार्जिताः प्रभो । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते मया दत्ता द्विजोत्तम ॥
English Translation
Here is some clean Saktu acquired by lawful means, O powerful one! Given by us, O foremost of twice-born persons, do you accept it.
इत्युक्तः प्रतिगृह्याथ सक्तूनां कुडवं द्विजः । भक्षयामास राजेन्द्र न च तुष्टिं जगाम सः ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by them, that Brahmana accepted the Kudava (twelve double handfuls) of powdered barley which was offered to him and ate it all. But his hunger, O king, was not satisfied with what he ate.
स उञ्छवृत्तिः तं प्रेक्ष्य क्षुधापरिगतं द्विजम् । आहारं चिन्तयामास कथं तुष्टो भवेदिति ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana while observing the Unchcha vow, seeing that his guest's hunger was still unsatisfied, began to think of what other food he could place before him for pleasing him.
तस्य भार्याब्रवीद्राजन्मद्भागो दीयतामिति । गच्छत्वेष यथाकामं संतुष्टो द्विजसत्तमः ॥
English Translation
Then his wife said to him. Let my share be given to him! Let this foremost of twice-born persons be pleased and let him then go wherever he will.
इति ब्रुवन्तीं तां साध्वीं धर्मात्मा स द्विजर्षभः । क्षुधापरिगतां ज्ञात्वा सक्तूंस्तान्नाभ्यनन्दत ॥
English Translation
Knowing that his chaste wife who said so, was herself stricken with hunger, that best of Brahmanas could not approve of her share of the powdered barley being given to the guest.
जानन्वृद्धां क्षुधार्तां च श्रान्तां ग्लानां तपस्विनीम् । त्वगस्थिभूतां वेपन्तीं ततो भार्यामुवाच ताम् ॥
अपि कीटपतंगानां मृगाणां चैव शोभने । स्त्रियो रक्ष्याश्च पोष्याश्च नैवं त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि ॥
अनुकम्पितो नरो नार्या पुष्टो रक्षित एव च । प्रपतेद्यशसो दीप्तान्न च लोकानवाप्नुयात् ॥
इत्युक्ता सा ततः प्राह धर्मार्थौ नौ समौ द्विज । सक्तुप्रस्थचतुर्भागं गृहाणेमं प्रसीद मे ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, she answered him, saying, O twice-born one, our religions acts and wealth are united. Do you take a fourth of this barley! Indeed, be pleased with me.
सत्यं रतिश्च धर्मश्च स्वर्गश्च गुणनिर्जितः । स्त्रीणां पतिसमाधीनं काङ्क्षितं च द्विजोत्तम ॥
English Translation
Truth, pleasure, religious merit, and Heaven, as acquirable by good qualities, of women, as also all the objects of their desire, O foremost of twice-born ones, depend on the husband.
ऋतुर्मातुः पितुर्बीजं दैवतं परमं पतिः । भर्तुः प्रसादात्स्त्रीणां वै रतिः पुत्रफलं तथा ॥
English Translation
In the production of children the mother contributes her blood. The father contributes his sced. The husband is the highest deity of the wife. Through the favour of the husband, women get both pleasure and offspring as the reward.
पालनाद्धि पतिस्त्वं मे भर्तासि भरणान्मम । पुत्रप्रदानाद्वरदस्तस्मात्सक्तून्गृहाण मे ॥
English Translation
You are my Pati (lord) for the protection you give me. You are my Bhartri for the means of sustenance you give me. You are, again, boon-giver to me one account of your having presented me a son. Do you, therefore, take my share of the barley and give it to the guest.
जरापरिगतो वृद्धः क्षुधार्तो दुर्बलो भृशम् । उपवासपरिश्रान्तो यदा त्वमपि कर्शितः ॥
English Translation
Overcome by decrepitude, you are of advanced years. Afflicted by hunger, you are greatly weakened. Worn out with fasts, you are very much emaciated.
इत्युक्तः स तया सक्तून्प्रगृह्येदं वचोऽब्रवीत् । द्विज सक्तूनिमान्भूयः प्रतिगृह्णीष्व सत्तम ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed by her, he took her share of the powdered barley and addressing his guest, said, 'O twice-bom one, O best of men, do you accept this quantity of powdered barley as well.
स तान्प्रगृह्य भुक्त्वा च न तुष्टिमगमद्द्विजः । तमुञ्छवृत्तिरालक्ष्य ततश्चिन्तापरोऽभवत् ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana, having accepted that quantity, immediately ate it up, but his hunger was not yet satisfied. Secing him ungratified, the Brahmana in the observance of the Unchcha vow became thoughtful.
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