Adhyaya 13

Verse 1

श्रीशुक उवाच निमिरिक्ष्वाकुतनयो वसिष्ठमवृतर्त्विजम् । आरभ्य सत्रं सोऽप्याह शक्रेण प्राग्वृतोऽस्मि भो: ॥ १ ॥

Śrī Śukadeva said: King Nimi, the son of Ikṣvāku, having begun a sacrificial session, requested the great sage Vasiṣṭha to serve as chief priest. Vasiṣṭha replied, “O King Nimi, I have already accepted that very post in a sacrifice begun by Lord Indra.”

Verse 2

तं निर्वर्त्यागमिष्यामि तावन्मां प्रतिपालय । तूष्णीमासीद् गृहपति: सोऽपीन्द्रस्याकरोन्मखम् ॥ २ ॥

“After completing the yajña for Indra, I shall return; until then, please wait for me.” Nimi, the patron of the rite, remained silent, and Vasiṣṭha performed the sacrifice for Lord Indra.

Verse 3

निमिश्चलमिदं विद्वान् सत्रमारभतात्मवान् । ऋत्विग्भिरपरैस्तावन्नागमद् यावता गुरु: ॥ ३ ॥

Mahārāja Nimi, knowing this life to be unsteady and being self-realized, did not wait long for Vasiṣṭha; he began the satra sacrifice with other priests.

Verse 4

शिष्यव्यतिक्रमं वीक्ष्य तं निर्वर्त्यागतो गुरु: । अशपत् पतताद् देहो निमे: पण्डितमानिन: ॥ ४ ॥

Seeing his disciple’s transgression, the guru Vasiṣṭha returned after completing the sacrifice and cursed: “May the body of Nimi, who fancies himself learned, fall at once.”

Verse 5

निमि: प्रतिददौ शापं गुरवेऽधर्मवर्तिने । तवापि पतताद् देहो लोभाद्धर्ममजानत: ॥ ५ ॥

Nimi countercursed his guru, who had strayed into adharma: “Out of greed for gifts from the king of heaven you have lost dharmic discernment; therefore your body too shall fall.”

Verse 6

इत्युत्ससर्ज स्वं देहं निमिरध्यात्मकोविद: । मित्रावरुणयोर्जज्ञे उर्वश्यां प्रपितामह: ॥ ६ ॥

Having spoken thus, Nimi, expert in spiritual knowledge, gave up his body. Vasiṣṭha also left his body, yet he was born again from the semen discharged by Mitra and Varuṇa upon seeing Urvaśī.

Verse 7

गन्धवस्तुषु तद् देहं निधाय मुनिसत्तमा: । समाप्ते सत्रयागे च देवानूचु: समागतान् ॥ ७ ॥

During the yajña, the greatest sages preserved the body Nimi had left behind in fragrant substances; and when the satra-yajña ended, they petitioned the assembled devas.

Verse 8

राज्ञो जीवतु देहोऽयं प्रसन्ना: प्रभवो यदि । तथेत्युक्ते निमि: प्राह मा भून्मे देहबन्धनम् ॥ ८ ॥

If you are pleased with this sacrifice and truly have the power, please restore Mahārāja Nimi to life in this very body. The demigods agreed, but Nimi said, “Do not bind me again in the prison of a material body.”

Verse 9

यस्य योगं न वाञ्छन्ति वियोगभयकातरा: । भजन्ति चरणाम्भोजं मुनयो हरिमेधस: ॥ ९ ॥

Māyāvādīs, fearful of separation, generally do not wish to accept a body; but the sage-devotees, whose intelligence is filled with service to Hari, are unafraid. They worship the Lord’s lotus feet and use the body for transcendental loving service.

Verse 10

देहं नावरुरुत्सेऽहं दु:खशोकभयावहम् । सर्वत्रास्य यतो मृत्युर्मत्स्यानामुदके यथा ॥ १० ॥

I do not wish to accept a material body, for it brings distress, lamentation, and fear; everywhere its death is certain—like a fish in water, ever anxious from fear of death.

Verse 11

देवा ऊचु: विदेह उष्यतां कामं लोचनेषु शरीरिणाम् । उन्मेषणनिमेषाभ्यां लक्षितोऽध्यात्मसंस्थित: ॥ ११ ॥

The demigods said: Let Mahārāja Nimi live without a material body. Established in spiritual existence, let him be perceived by embodied beings through the opening and closing of the eyes, and, as he desires, let him be manifest or unmanifest.

Verse 12

अराजकभयं नृणां मन्यमाना महर्षय: । देहं ममन्थु: स्म निमे: कुमार: समजायत ॥ १२ ॥

Thereafter, fearing the people’s danger from lawless rule, the great sages churned Mahārāja Nimi’s material body, and from it a son was born.

Verse 13

जन्मना जनक: सोऽभूद् वैदेहस्तु विदेहज: । मिथिलो मथनाज्जातो मिथिला येन निर्मिता ॥ १३ ॥

Because he was born in an extraordinary manner, the son became known as Janaka; and because he arose from his father’s lifeless body, he was called Vaideha. Since he was produced by the churning of his father’s material frame, he was named Mithila; and because King Mithila founded a city, that city came to be called Mithilā.

Verse 14

तस्मादुदावसुस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभून्नन्दिवर्धन: । तत: सुकेतुस्तस्यापि देवरातो महीपते ॥ १४ ॥

O King Parīkṣit, from Mithila came a son named Udāvasu; from Udāvasu came Nandivardhana; from Nandivardhana came Suketu; and from Suketu came Devarāta.

Verse 15

तस्माद् बृहद्रथस्तस्य महावीर्य: सुधृत्पिता । सुधृतेर्धृष्टकेतुर्वै हर्यश्वोऽथ मरुस्तत: ॥ १५ ॥

From Devarāta came a son named Bṛhadratha; from Bṛhadratha came Mahāvīrya, who became the father of Sudhṛti. Sudhṛti’s son was known as Dhṛṣṭaketu; from Dhṛṣṭaketu came Haryaśva; and from Haryaśva came Maru.

Verse 16

मरो: प्रतीपकस्तस्माज्जात: कृतरथो यत: । देवमीढस्तस्य पुत्रो विश्रुतोऽथ महाधृति: ॥ १६ ॥

The son of Maru was Pratīpaka, and the son of Pratīpaka was Kṛtaratha. From Kṛtaratha came Devamīḍha; from Devamīḍha came Viśruta; and from Viśruta came Mahādhṛti.

Verse 17

कृतिरातस्ततस्तस्मान्महारोमा च तत्सुत: । स्वर्णरोमा सुतस्तस्य ह्रस्वरोमा व्यजायत ॥ १७ ॥

From Mahādhṛti was born Kṛtirāta; from Kṛtirāta was born Mahāromā. From Mahāromā came Svarṇaromā, and from Svarṇaromā was born Hrasvaromā.

Verse 18

तत: शीरध्वजो जज्ञे यज्ञार्थं कर्षतो महीम् । सीता शीराग्रतो जाता तस्मात् शीरध्वज: स्मृत: ॥ १८ ॥

Then from Hrasvaromā was born a son named Śīradhvaja, also known as Janaka. While plowing the earth for the sake of yajña, from the very front of his plow Sītādevī appeared; therefore he was remembered as Śīradhvaja.

Verse 19

कुशध्वजस्तस्य पुत्रस्ततो धर्मध्वजो नृप: । धर्मध्वजस्य द्वौ पुत्रौ कृतध्वजमितध्वजौ ॥ १९ ॥

Śīradhvaja’s son was Kuśadhvaja, and Kuśadhvaja’s son was King Dharmadhvaja. Dharmadhvaja had two sons, Kṛtadhvaja and Mitadhvaja.

Verse 20

कृतध्वजात् केशिध्वज: खाण्डिक्यस्तु मितध्वजात् । कृतध्वजसुतो राजन्नात्मविद्याविशारद: ॥ २० ॥ खाण्डिक्य: कर्मतत्त्वज्ञो भीत: केशिध्वजाद्‍द्रुत: । भानुमांस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूच्छतद्युम्नस्तु तत्सुत: ॥ २१ ॥

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, from Kṛtadhvaja was born Keśidhvaja, and from Mitadhvaja was born Khāṇḍikya. Kṛtadhvaja’s son was learned in spiritual knowledge, while Khāṇḍikya knew the truth of Vedic ritual works; fearing Keśidhvaja, he fled. Keśidhvaja’s son was Bhānumān, and Bhānumān’s son was Śatadyumna.

Verse 21

कृतध्वजात् केशिध्वज: खाण्डिक्यस्तु मितध्वजात् । कृतध्वजसुतो राजन्नात्मविद्याविशारद: ॥ २० ॥ खाण्डिक्य: कर्मतत्त्वज्ञो भीत: केशिध्वजाद्‍द्रुत: । भानुमांस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूच्छतद्युम्नस्तु तत्सुत: ॥ २१ ॥

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, from Kṛtadhvaja was born Keśidhvaja, and from Mitadhvaja was born Khāṇḍikya. Kṛtadhvaja’s son was learned in spiritual knowledge, while Khāṇḍikya knew the truth of Vedic ritual works; fearing Keśidhvaja, he fled. Keśidhvaja’s son was Bhānumān, and Bhānumān’s son was Śatadyumna.

Verse 22

शुचिस्तुतनयस्तस्मात् सनद्वाज: सुतोऽभवत् । ऊर्जकेतु: सनद्वाजादजोऽथ पुरुजित्सुत: ॥ २२ ॥

Śatadyumna’s son was named Śuci. From Śuci was born Sanadvāja, and from Sanadvāja came Ūrjaketu. Ūrjaketu’s son was Aja, and Aja’s son was Purujit.

Verse 23

अरिष्टनेमिस्तस्यापि श्रुतायुस्तत्सुपार्श्वक: । ततश्चित्ररथो यस्य क्षेमाधिर्मिथिलाधिप: ॥ २३ ॥

The son of Purujit was Ariṣṭanemi, and his son was Śrutāyu. Śrutāyu begot Supārśvaka, and Supārśvaka begot Citraratha. Citraratha’s son was Kṣemādhi, who became the king of Mithilā.

Verse 24

तस्मात् समरथस्तस्य सुत: सत्यरथस्तत: । आसीदुपगुरुस्तस्मादुपगुप्तोऽग्निसम्भव: ॥ २४ ॥

Kṣemādhi’s son was Samaratha, and his son was Satyaratha. Satyaratha begot Upaguru, and Upaguru begot Upagupta, said to be a partial manifestation of the fire-god, Agni.

Verse 25

वस्वनन्तोऽथ तत्पुत्रो युयुधो यत् सुभाषण: । श्रुतस्ततो जयस्तस्माद् विजयोऽस्माद‍ृत: सुत: ॥ २५ ॥

Upagupta’s son was Vasvananta; Vasvananta’s son was Yuyudha. Yuyudha begot Subhāṣaṇa, and Subhāṣaṇa begot Śruta. Śruta’s son was Jaya, from whom came Vijaya; and Vijaya’s son was Ṛta.

Verse 26

शुनकस्तत्सुतो जज्ञे वीतहव्यो धृतिस्तत: । बहुलाश्वो धृतेस्तस्य कृतिरस्य महावशी ॥ २६ ॥

Ṛta’s son was Śunaka; Śunaka’s son was Vītahavya. Vītahavya’s son was Dhṛti, and Dhṛti’s son was Bahulāśva. Bahulāśva’s son was Kṛti, and his son was Mahāvaśī.

Verse 27

एते वै मैथिला राजन्नात्मविद्याविशारदा: । योगेश्वरप्रसादेन द्वन्द्वैर्मुक्ता गृहेष्वपि ॥ २७ ॥

O King, all these rulers of Mithilā were fully versed in knowledge of the spiritual self. By the grace of the Yogīśvara, even while living at home, they were freed from the dualities of material existence and remained liberated.