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Mahābhārata • Parva 1 (Ādiparva) • Adhyāya 54

Ādiparva Adhyāya 54

आदिपर्व • अध्यायः 54

Ādiparva Adhyāya 54 of the classical Mahābhārata with 25 verses.

Total: 25 Verses • Citations: MBh 1.54.1–25 • 250 Lexicon Terms
श्रुत्वा तु सर्पसत्राय दीक्षितं जनमेजयम् । अभ्यागच्छदृषिर्विद्वान्कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : Having heard that Janamejaya has been installed in the Snake-sacrifice, the learned Rishi Krishna Dvaipayana went there.
जनयामास यं काली शक्तेः पुत्रात्पराशरात् । कन्यैव यमुनाद्वीपे पाण्डवानां पितामहम् ॥
English Translation
The grandfather of the Pandavas, (Krishna Dvaipayana) was born in an island of the Yamuna, in the womb of the maiden Kali by Shakti's son Parashara.
जातमात्रश्च यः सद्य इष्ट्या देहमवीवृधत् । वेदांश्चाधिजगे साङ्गान्सेतिहासान्महायशाः ॥
English Translation
As soon as born, the illustrious man developed his body by his will alone and mastered the Vedas and the Vedangas and all the histories.
यं नातितपसा कश्चिन्न वेदाध्ययनेन च । न व्रतैर्नोपवासैश्च न प्रसूत्या न मन्युना ॥
English Translation
He achieved that which could not be achieved by asceticism, or by the study of the Vedas, by vows, by fasts, by progeny or by sacrifice.
विव्यासैकं चतुर्धा यो वेदं वेदविदां वरः । परावरज्ञो ब्रह्मर्षिः कविः सत्यव्रतः शुचिः ॥
English Translation
The best of the best Veda-knowing men first divided the Vedas into four parts. He was a great Brahma-knowing Rishi, a great poet, a truthful man, a holy ascetic.
यः पाण्डुं धृतराष्ट्रं च विदुरं चाप्यजीजनत् । शंतनोः संततिं तन्वन्पुण्यकीर्तिर्महायशाः ॥
English Translation
That great Rishi of sacred deeds and great fame, in order to continue the line of Shantanu begot Pandu, Dhritarashtra and Vidura.
जनमेजयस्य राजर्षेः स तद्यज्ञसदस्तदा । विवेश शिष्यैः सहितो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः ॥
English Translation
This illustrious man accompanied by his disciples, learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas, entered the sacrificial grounds of the royal sage Janamejaya.
तत्र राजानमासीनं ददर्श जनमेजयम् । वृतं सदस्यैर्बहुभिर्देवैरिव पुरंदरम् ॥
English Translation
He saw there seated king Janamejaya surrounded by his numerous Sadasya like Indra surrounded by the celestials.
तथा मूर्धावसिक्तैश्च नानाजनपदेश्वरैः । ऋत्विग्भिर्देवकल्पैश्च कुशलैर्यज्ञसंस्तरे ॥
English Translation
He was surrounded by kings of various countries who had undergone the sacred baths and by competent Ritvijas who were like Brahma himself all seated comfortably in the sacrificial grounds.
जनमेजयस्तु राजर्षिर्दृष्ट्वा तमृषिमागतम् । सगणोऽभ्युद्ययौ तूर्णं प्रीत्या भरतसत्तमः ॥
English Translation
The best of the Bharata race, the royal sage Janamejaya, seeing the Rishi approaching, advanced quickly in great joy with all his relatives and followers.
काञ्चनं विष्टरं तस्मै सदस्यानुमते प्रभुः । आसनं कल्पयामास यथा शक्रो बृहस्पतेः ॥
English Translation
The king, with the approval of the Sadasyas, offered a golden seat to the Rishi as did Indra to (his preceptor) Brihaspati.
तत्रोपविष्टं वरदं देवर्षिगणपूजितम् । पूजयामास राजेन्द्रः शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥
English Translation
When the boon-granting and the adored of the celestials, the Rishis (Vyasa) took his seat, the king of kings (Janamejaya) worshipped him according to the ordinances.
पाद्यमाचमनीयं च अर्घ्यं गां च विधानतः । पितामहाय कृष्णाय तदर्हाय न्यवेदयत् ॥
English Translation
The king then offered to his grandfather Krishna (Dvaipayana) in due form water to wash his feet and mouth, Arghya and kine.
प्रतिगृह्य च तां पूजां पाण्डवाज्जनमेजयात् । गां चैव समनुज्ञाय व्यासः प्रीतोऽभवत्तदा ॥
English Translation
Vyasa was much pleased on accepting the offerings from the Pandava Janamejaya and he ordered that the kine should not be slaughtered.
तथा संपूजयित्वा तं यत्नेन प्रपितामहम् । उपोपविश्य प्रीतात्मा पर्यपृच्छदनामयम् ॥
English Translation
Thus having worshipped him the king bowed to his great grandfather. And having seated himself in joy, he asked him about his welfare.
भगवानपि तं दृष्ट्वा कुशलं प्रतिवेद्य च । सदस्यैः पूजितः सर्वैः सदस्यानभ्यपूजयत् ॥
English Translation
The illustrious Rishi, also looked (graciously) at him and asked him about his welfare. He then worshipped the Sadasyas who had already worshipped him.
ततस्तं सत्कृतं सर्वैः सदस्यैर्जनमेजयः । इदं पश्चाद्द्विजश्रेष्ठं पर्यपृच्छत्कृताञ्जलिः ॥
English Translation
Thereupon with joined hands, Janamejaya, with all his Sadasyas, addressed the best of the Brahmanas (Vyasa) thus:
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च भवान्प्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान् । तेषां चरितमिच्छामि कथ्यमानं त्वया द्विज ॥
English Translation
Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, you saw with your own eyes the great deeds of the Kurus and the Pandavas. I desire to hear them narrated by you.
कथं समभवद्भेदस्तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम् । तच्च युद्धं कथं वृत्तं भूतान्तकरणं महत् ॥
English Translation
What was the cause of the quarrel between them? They were all of great deeds and virtuous mind. Why did that great battle, which was the cause of the death of countless men, occur among my grandfathers, their sense being (surely) over-clouded by Fate? O best of Brahmanas, tell me all this in full as they happened.
पितामहानां सर्वेषां दैवेनाविष्टचेतसाम् । कार्त्स्न्येनैतत्समाचक्ष्व भगवन्कुशलो ह्यसि ॥
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा । शशास शिष्यमासीनं वैशंपायनमन्तिके ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : Having heard these words of Janamejaya, Krishna Dvaipayana addressed his disciple Vaishampayana, seated by his side saying,
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च यथा भेदोऽभवत्पुरा । तदस्मै सर्वमाचक्ष्व यन्मत्तः श्रुतवानसि ॥
English Translation
Vyasa said : Repeat, exactly as you heard from me the account of the quarrel between the Kurus and the Pandavas of old.
गुरोर्वचनमाज्ञाय स तु विप्रर्षभस्तदा । आचचक्षे ततः सर्वमितिहासं पुरातनम् ॥
English Translation
Sauti said: That best of Brahmanas, (Vaishampayana), having been thus commanded by his preceptor, recited the whole of that old history,
तस्मै राज्ञे सदस्येभ्यः क्षत्रियेभ्यश्च सर्वशः । भेदं राज्यविनाशं च कुरुपाण्डवयोस्तदा ॥
English Translation
To the king, to the Sadasyas and to all the chiefs and potentates present there. He told them all about the quarrel and the utter extinction of the Kurus and the Pandavas.
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