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Mahābhārata • Parva 1 (Ādiparva) • Adhyāya 9

Ādiparva Adhyāya 9

आदिपर्व • अध्यायः 9

Ādiparva Adhyāya 9 of the classical Mahābhārata with 23 verses.

Total: 23 Verses • Citations: MBh 1.9.1–23 • 250 Lexicon Terms
तेषु तत्रोपविष्टेषु ब्राह्मणेषु समन्ततः । रुरुश्चुक्रोश गहनं वनं गत्वा सुदुःखितः ॥
English Translation
Sauti replied : While the noble Brahmanas were sitting round the dead body, Ruru, much aggrieved, retired into a deep forest and wept aloud.
शोकेनाभिहतः सोऽथ विलपन्करुणं बहु । अब्रवीद्वचनं शोचन्प्रियां चिन्त्य प्रमद्वराम् ॥
English Translation
Overwhelmed with grief, he indulged in much piteous lamentations. Remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he thus lamented in grief,
शेते सा भुवि तन्वङ्गी मम शोकविवर्धिनी । बान्धवानां च सर्वेषां किं नु दुःखमतः परम् ॥
English Translation
“Alas! The slender-bodied beauty who increases my grief, is now lying on the bare ground. What can be more painful than this to all her friends!
यदि दत्तं तपस्तप्तं गुरवो वा मया यदि । सम्यगाराधितास्तेन संजीवतु मम प्रिया ॥
English Translation
If ever I have bestowed charity, if ever I have observed penances, if ever I have showed respect to my superiors, let the merits of these acts restore to life my beloved one.
यथा जन्मप्रभृति वै यतात्माहं धृतव्रतः । प्रमद्वरा तथाद्यैव समुत्तिष्ठतु भामिनी ॥
English Translation
If ever I have controlled my passions from my birth, if ever I have stuck to my vows, let the beautiful Pramadvara rise from the ground.”
अभिधत्से ह यद्वाचा रुरो दुःखेन तन्मृषा । न तु मर्त्यस्य धर्मात्मन्नायुरस्ति गतायुषः ॥
English Translation
The Devaduta said: O Ruru, the words that you are uttering in grief can have no effect; for, O noble-minded (Rishi), one belonging to this world, whose days are run out, cannot come back to life again.
गतायुरेषा कृपणा गन्धर्वाप्सरसोः सुता । तस्माच्छोके मनस्तात मा कृथास्त्वं कथंचन ॥
English Translation
This poor child of the Gandharva and the Apsara has her days run out; therefore, O child, do not give yourself up to grief.
उपायश्चात्र विहितः पूर्वं देवैर्महात्मभिः । तं यदीच्छसि कर्तुं त्वं प्राप्स्यसीमां प्रमद्वराम् ॥
English Translation
The great deities, however, have provided beforehand a means. If you comply with it, you may get back your Pramadvara.
क उपायः कृतो देवैर्ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन खेचर । करिष्ये तं तथा श्रुत्वा त्रातुमर्हति मां भवान् ॥
English Translation
Ruru said: O messenger of heaven, (tell me) what means have been provided beforehand by the deities. Tell me in full, so that I may comply with it. You should save me.
आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छस्व कन्यायै भृगुनन्दन । एवमुत्थास्यति रुरो तव भार्या प्रमद्वरा ॥
English Translation
The Devaduta said : O Descendant of Bhrigu, give up half of your own life to your bride and O Ruru, your Pramadvara will then rise from the ground.
आयुषोऽर्धं प्रयच्छामि कन्यायै खेचरोत्तम । शृङ्गाररूपाभरणा उत्तिष्ठतु मम प्रिया ॥
English Translation
Ruru said: O best of heaven's messengers, 1 give up half of my life to my bride. Let my beloved one rise in the beautiful form decked with ornaments.
ततो गन्धर्वराजश्च देवदूतश्च सत्तमौ । धर्मराजमुपेत्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषताम् ॥
English Translation
Sauti said: The king of the Gandharvas and the greatly qualified messenger of heaven, both went to the Deity Dharma and addressed him thus :
धर्मराजायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोर्भार्या प्रमद्वरा । समुत्तिष्ठतु कल्याणी मृतैव यदि मन्यसे ॥
English Translation
"O king Dharma, if it please you, let the beautiful bride of Ruru, Pramadvara, who is dead, rise up endued with a half of Ruru's life.”
प्रमद्वरा रुरोर्भार्या देवदूत यदीच्छसि । उत्तिष्ठत्वायुषोऽर्धेन रुरोरेव समन्विता ॥
English Translation
The Dharmaraja said : "O messenger of heaven, if it be your wish, let the bride of Ruru Pramadvara, rise up endued with a half of Ruru's life.
एवमुक्ते ततः कन्या सोदतिष्ठत्प्रमद्वरा । रुरोस्तस्यायुषोऽर्धेन सुप्तेव वरवर्णिनी ॥
English Translation
Sauti said : When Dharma thus spoke, the beautiful Pramadvara, the betrothed bride of Ruru, rose up as from a slumber, with a half of Ruru's life.
एतद्दृष्टं भविष्ये हि रुरोरुत्तमतेजसः । आयुषोऽतिप्रवृद्धस्य भार्यार्थेऽर्धं ह्रसत्विति ॥
English Translation
It was seen afterwards that the bestowal of a half of his own life to resuscitate his bride by Ruru of long life, led to a curtailment of his own life.
तत इष्टेऽहनि तयोः पितरौ चक्रतुर्मुदा । विवाहं तौ च रेमाते परस्परहितैषिणौ ॥
English Translation
Thereupon their fathers gladly married them off with due rites and the couple passed their days devoted to each other.
स लब्ध्वा दुर्लभां भार्यां पद्मकिञ्जल्कसप्रभाम् । व्रतं चक्रे विनाशाय जिह्मगानां धृतव्रतः ॥
English Translation
Thus having obtained a wife, difficult to be obtained, who was beautiful and bright as the filaments of the lotus, the Rishi of hard austerities (Ruru) made a vow to destroy the serpent race.
स दृष्ट्वा जिह्मगान्सर्वांस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः । अभिहन्ति यथासन्नं गृह्य प्रहरणं सदा ॥
English Translation
Whenever he saw a snake, he was filled with great anger and he always killed it with a weapon.
स कदाचिद्वनं विप्रो रुरुरभ्यागमन्महत् । शयानं तत्र चापश्यड्डुण्डुभं वयसान्वितम् ॥
English Translation
One day, the Brahmana, Ruru entered into a very large forest. He saw an old Dundubha snake lying on the ground.
तत उद्यम्य दण्डं स कालदण्डोपमं तदा । अभ्यघ्नद्रुषितो विप्रस्तमुवाचाथ डुण्डुभः ॥
English Translation
Thereupon with the intention of killing it, Ruru raised his staff in anger, A staff like the staff of Death. The Dundubha then said to the angry Brahmana.
नापराध्यामि ते किंचिदहमद्य तपोधन । संरम्भात्तत्किमर्थं मामभिहंसि रुषान्वितः ॥
English Translation
"O Rishi, I have done you no harm. Why should you kill me in anger?"
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