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Mahābhārata • Parva 9 (Śalyaparva) • Adhyāya 52

Śalyaparva Adhyāya 52

शल्यपर्व • अध्यायः 52

Śalyaparva Adhyāya 52 of the classical Mahābhārata with 22 verses.

Total: 22 Verses • Citations: MBh 9.52.1–22 • 250 Lexicon Terms
प्रजापतेरुत्तरवेदिरुच्यते; सनातना राम समन्तपञ्चकम् । समीजिरे यत्र पुरा दिवौकसो; वरेण सत्रेण महावरप्रदाः ॥
English Translation
The Rishis said "O Rama, this Samantapanchaka the eternal northern alter of Brahman the Lord of all crcatures. There the celestials, the givers of great boons, performed in days of yore a great sacrifice.
पुरा च राजर्षिवरेण धीमता; बहूनि वर्षाण्यमितेन तेजसा । प्रकृष्टमेतत्कुरुणा महात्मना; ततः कुरुक्षेत्रमितीह पप्रथे ॥
English Translation
That foremost of royal sages, viz., the great, intelligent and energetic Kuru, had cultivated this field for many years. Hence it came to be called Kurukshetra (the field of Kuru)!"
किमर्थं कुरुणा कृष्टं क्षेत्रमेतन्महात्मना । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं कथ्यमानं तपोधनाः ॥
English Translation
Rama said “Why did the great Kuru cultivated this field? I desire to have this described by you, you Rishis of great penances."
पुरा किल कुरुं राम कृषन्तं सततोत्थितम् । अभ्येत्य शक्रस्त्रिदिवात्पर्यपृच्छत कारणम् ॥
किमिदं वर्तते राजन्प्रयत्नेन परेण च । राजर्षे किमभिप्रेतं येनेयं कृष्यते क्षितिः ॥
इह ये पुरुषाः क्षेत्रे मरिष्यन्ति शतक्रतो । ते गमिष्यन्ति सुकृताँल्लोकान्पापविवर्जितान् ॥
अवहस्य ततः शक्रो जगाम त्रिदिवं प्रभुः । राजर्षिरप्यनिर्विण्णः कर्षत्येव वसुंधराम् ॥
आगम्यागम्य चैवैनं भूयो भूयोऽवहस्य च । शतक्रतुरनिर्विण्णं पृष्ट्वा पृष्ट्वा जगाम ह ॥
English Translation
Shakra repeatedly come to him and repeatedly receiving the same reply went away and ridiculed him. Kuru, however, was not at all depressed.
यदा तु तपसोग्रेण चकर्ष वसुधां नृपः । ततः शक्रोऽब्रवीद्देवान्राजर्षेर्यच्चिकीर्षितम् ॥
English Translation
Seeing the king till the soil with great perseverance, Shakra summoned the celestials and informed them of the king's work.
तच्छ्रुत्वा चाब्रुवन्देवाः सहस्राक्षमिदं वचः । वरेण च्छन्द्यतां शक्र राजर्षिर्यदि शक्यते ॥
यदि ह्यत्र प्रमीता वै स्वर्गं गच्छन्ति मानवाः । अस्माननिष्ट्वा क्रतुभिर्भागो नो न भविष्यति ॥
आगम्य च ततः शक्रस्तदा राजर्षिमब्रवीत् । अलं खेदेन भवतः क्रियतां वचनं मम ॥
English Translation
If only by dying there men were to come to heaven, without having performed sacrifices to us, our very existence will be imperilled'Thus spoken to, Shakra returned to that royal saint and. said-Do not work any more! Act according to my words!
मानवा ये निराहारा देहं त्यक्ष्यन्त्यतन्द्रिताः । युधि वा निहताः सम्यगपि तिर्यग्गता नृप ॥
English Translation
If only by dying there men were to come to heaven, without having performed sacrifices to us, our very existence will be imperilled'Thus spoken to, Shakra returned to that royal saint and. said-Do not work any more! Act according to my words!
ते स्वर्गभाजो राजेन्द्र भवन्त्विति महामते । तथास्त्विति ततो राजा कुरुः शक्रमुवाच ह ॥
English Translation
Those men that will die here, having fasted with all their senses awake, and those that will die here in battle, shall, O king, come to heaven.
ततस्तमभ्यनुज्ञाप्य प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना । जगाम त्रिदिवं भूयः क्षिप्रं बलनिषूदनः ॥
English Translation
They shall enjoy the blessings of heaven, O king!'-Thus addressed, king Kuru answered Shakra, saying-'So be it!'-Taking Kuru's leave, the slayer of Vala, viz., Shakra, then, with a glad heart speedily returned to heaven.
एवमेतद्यदुश्रेष्ठ कृष्टं राजर्षिणा पुरा । शक्रेण चाप्यनुज्ञातं पुण्यं प्राणान्विमुञ्चताम् ॥
English Translation
Thus, O foremost of Yadu's race, that royal sage had, formerly cultivated this plain and Shakra had promised great merit to those that would give up their lives here.
अपि चात्र स्वयं शक्रो जगौ गाथां सुराधिपः । कुरुक्षेत्रे निबद्धां वै तां शृणुष्व हलायुध ॥
पांसवोऽपि कुरुक्षेत्राद्वायुना समुदीरिताः । अपि दुष्कृतकर्माणं नयन्ति परमां गतिम् ॥
सुरर्षभा ब्राह्मणसत्तमाश्च; तथा नृगाद्या नरदेवमुख्याः । इष्ट्वा महार्हैः क्रतुभिर्नृसिंह; संन्यस्य देहान्सुगतिं प्रपन्नाः ॥
तरन्तुकारन्तुकयोर्यदन्तरं; रामह्रदानां च मचक्रुकस्य । एतत्कुरुक्षेत्रसमन्तपञ्चकं; प्रजापतेरुत्तरवेदिरुच्यते ॥
English Translation
The space between the Tarantuka and the Arantuka and the lakes of Rama and Chamachakra is known Kurukshetra. Samantapanchaka is called the northern (sacrificial) alter of Brahman, the Lord of all creatures.
शिवं महत्पुण्यमिदं दिवौकसां; सुसंमतं स्वर्गगुणैः समन्वितम् । अतश्च सर्वेऽपि वसुंधराधिपा; हता गमिष्यन्ति महात्मनां गतिम् ॥
English Translation
This place endued with all virtues is auspicious and highly sacred, and is much respected by the celestials. It is for this that Kshatriyas slain in battle here obtain sacred and blissful regions.
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