Shloka 57
Atithi-satkāra and the Consolation of Wise Counsel (अतिथिसत्कारः प्रज्ञानवचनस्य च पराश्वासनम्)
दक्षस्य या वै दुहितर: षष्टिरासंस्ताभ्य: कश्यपाय त्रयोदश प्रादाद् दश धर्माय दश मनवे सप्तविंशतिमिन्दवे तासु तुल्यासु नक्षत्राख्यां गतासु सोमो रोहिण्यामभ्यधिकं प्रीतिमानभूत्ू ततस्ता: शिष्टा: पत्न्य ईरष्यावित्य: पितु:ः: समीपं गत्वेममर्थ शशंसुर्भगवन्नस्मासु तुल्यप्रभावासु सोमो रोहिणीं प्रत्यधिक॑ं भजतीति सोडब्रवीद् यक्ष्मैनमाविश्येतेति दक्षशापात् सोम॑ राजानं यक्ष्मा विवेश स यक्ष्मणा<विष्टो दक्षमगाद् दक्षश्नैनमब्रवीज्न सम॑ वर्तयसीति तत्रर्षय: सोममन्रुवन् क्षीयसे यक्ष्मणा पश्चिमायां दिशि समुद्रे हिरण्यसरस्तीर्थ तत्र गत्वा आत्मानमभिषेचयस्वेत्यथागच्छत् सोमस्तत्र हिरण्यसरस्तीर्थ गत्वा चात्मन: सेचनमकरोत् स्नात्वा चात्मानं पाप्मनो मोक्षयामास तत्र चावभासितस्तीर्थे यदा सोमस्तदा प्रभूति च तीर्थ तत् प्रभासमिति नाम्ना ख्यातं बभूव,प्रजापति दक्षके साठ कन्याएँ थीं। उनमेंसे तेरहका विवाह उन्होंने कश्यपजीके साथ कर दिया। दस कन्याएँ धर्मको, दस मनुको और सत्ताईस कन्याएँ चन्द्रमाको दे डालीं। उन सत्ताईस कन्याओंकी नक्षत्र नामसे प्रसिद्धि हुई। यद्यपि वे सब-की-सब एक समान रूपवती थीं तो भी चन्द्रमा सबसे अधिक रोहिणीपर ही प्रेम करने लगे। यह देख शेष पत्नियोंके मनमें ईर्ष्या हुई और उन्होंने पिताके समीप जाकर यह बात बतायी--'भगवन्! हम सब बहिनोंका प्रभाव एक-सा है तो भी चन्द्रदेव रोहिणीपर ही अधिक स्नेह रखते हैं।' यह सुनकर दक्षने कहा--“इनके भीतर यक्ष्माका प्रवेश होगा।” इस प्रकार ब्राह्मण दक्षके शापसे राजा सोमके शरीरमें यक्ष्माने प्रवेश किया। यक्ष्मासे ग्रस्त होकर राजा सोम प्रजापति दक्षके पास गये। रोषका कारण पूछनेपर दक्षने उनसे कहा--'तुम अपनी सभी पत्रनियोंके प्रति समान बर्ताव नहीं करते हो, उसीका यह दण्ड है।” वहाँ दूसरे ऋषियोंने सोमसे कहा--“तुम यक्ष्मासे क्षीण होते चले जा रहे हो। अतः पश्चिम दिशामें समुद्रके तटपर जो हिरण्यसर नामक तीर्थ है, वहाँ जाकर अपने-आपको स्नान कराओ।” तब सोमने हिरण्यसर तीर्थमें जाकर वहाँ स्नान किया। स्नान करके उन्होंने अपने-आपको पापसे छुड़ाया। उस तीर्थमें वे दिव्य प्रभासे प्रभासित हो उठे थे, इसलिये उसी समयसे वह स्थान प्रभासतीर्थके नामसे विख्यात हो गया
dakṣasya yā vai duhitaraḥ ṣaṣṭir āsan tābhyaḥ kaśyapāya trayodaśa prādād daśa dharmāya daśa manave saptaviṃśatim indave | tāsu tulyāsu nakṣatrākhyāṃ gatāsu somo rohiṇyām abhyadhikaṃ prītimān abhūt | tataḥ tāḥ śiṣṭāḥ patnya īrṣyāvitāḥ pituḥ samīpaṃ gatvemam arthaṃ śaśaṃsuḥ—bhagavan asmāsu tulyaprabhāvāsu somo rohiṇīṃ pratyadhikaṃ bhajatīti | so ’bravīd—yakṣmā enam āviśyeteti | dakṣaśāpāt somaṃ rājānaṃ yakṣmā viveśa | sa yakṣmaṇāviṣṭo dakṣam agād; dakṣaś cainam abravīt—na samaṃ vartayasīti | tatrarṣayaḥ somam ūcuḥ—kṣīyase yakṣmaṇā; paścimāyāṃ diśi samudre hiraṇyasaras-tīrthaṃ tatra gatvā ātmānam abhiṣecayasveti | athāgacchat somaḥ; tatra hiraṇyasaras-tīrthaṃ gatvā cātmanaḥ secanam akarot | snātvā cātmānaṃ pāpmanaḥ mokṣayāmāsa | tatra cāvabhāsitaṃ tīrthaṃ yadā somaḥ; tadāprabhṛti ca tat tīrthaṃ prabhāsam iti nāmnā khyātaṃ babhūva ||
Dakṣa had sixty daughters. Of them he gave thirteen in marriage to Kaśyapa, ten to Dharma, ten to Manu, and twenty-seven to the Moon (Soma). Those twenty-seven became famed by the name ‘Nakṣatras’. Though all were equally endowed, Soma’s affection grew excessive toward Rohiṇī. The remaining wives, stirred by jealousy, went to their father and reported: ‘Revered one, though we are equal in worth, Soma favors Rohiṇī beyond measure.’ Hearing this, Dakṣa declared, ‘May consumption (yakṣmā) enter him.’ By Dakṣa’s curse, yakṣmā seized King Soma. Afflicted, Soma approached Dakṣa; and Dakṣa told him the cause: ‘You do not treat your wives with equality.’ Then the sages advised Soma: ‘You are wasting away from yakṣmā. Go to the western sea, to the sacred ford called Hiraṇyasaras, and bathe there, consecrating yourself.’ Soma went to that Hiraṇyasaras-tīrtha, performed the purificatory bathing, and by bathing freed himself from sin and affliction. Because Soma shone there with a divine radiance, from that time onward the tīrtha became renowned by the name Prabhāsa. Ethically, the episode frames partiality and neglect of fairness in relationships as a breach of dharma that invites suffering, while repentance and disciplined purification restore balance.
तामिन्द्र उवाच गच्छ नहुषस्त्वया वाच्योथ<पूर्वेण मामृषियुक्तेन यानेन त्वमधिरूढ
Educational Q&A
Dharma requires fairness and equal regard where equality is owed; partiality born of attachment harms others and rebounds as suffering. When wrongdoing is recognized, disciplined remedial action—guided by the wise and enacted through purifying practice—restores order and well-being.
Dakṣa marries his daughters to various beings, including twenty-seven to Soma. Soma favors Rohiṇī, provoking the others’ complaint. Dakṣa curses Soma with yakṣmā; Soma wastes away, is admonished for unequal conduct, and is directed by sages to bathe at Hiraṇyasaras by the western sea. After bathing, Soma is freed, and the place becomes famed as Prabhāsa due to his radiance there.