Adhyaya 124

Verse 1

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत तीर्थयात्रापर्चमें लोमशती'र्थयात्राप्रसंगमें युकन्योपाख्यानविषयक एक सौ तेईसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ १२३ ॥। (दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके २ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल २६ श्लोक हैं) #::73:.7 #::3:.7 (0) हि २ 7 चतुर्विशर्त्याधेकशततमो< ध्याय: शर्यातिके यज्ञमें च्यवनका इन्द्रपर कोप करके वज्ञको स्तम्भित करना और उसे मारनेके लिये मदासुरको उत्पन्न करना लोगश उवाच ततः शुश्राव शर्यातिर्वयस्थं च्यवनं कृतम्‌ । सुद्ृष्ट: सेनया सार्धमुपायाद्‌ भार्गवाश्रमम्‌

Lomaśa said: Then King Śaryāti heard that the sage Cyavana had been restored to youthful vigor. Greatly pleased by this good fortune, he set out with his army and approached the Bhārgava hermitage.

Verse 2

च्यवनं च सुकन्यां च दृष्टवा देवसुताविव । रेमे सभार्य: शर्याति: कृत्स्नां प्राप्प महीमिव

Seeing Cyavana and Sukanyā thriving like the sons of the gods, King Śaryāti—together with his queen—rejoiced greatly, as though he had obtained sovereignty over the entire earth.

Verse 3

ऋषिणा सत्कृतस्तेन सभार्य: पृथिवीपति: । उपोपविष्ट: कल्याणी: कथाश्षक्रे मनोरमा:

Thus honored by the sage, the king—lord of the earth—sat down together with his wife. The sage then spoke auspicious, heart-delighting tales to him. Seeing Cyavana and Sukanyā living happily like divine youths, King Śaryāti was filled with great joy, as though he had obtained sovereignty over the whole earth; and Cyavana, having respectfully received the king along with his queens, sat near him and conversed in wholesome and pleasing discourse.

Verse 4

अथीैनं भार्गवो राजन्नुवाच परिसान्त्वयन्‌ । याजयिष्यामि राजंस्त्वां सम्भारानवकल्पय

Then the Bhārgava sage, consoling him, said: “O King, I shall have you perform a sacrifice. Make ready the requisite materials.”

Verse 5

ततः परमसंदहृष्ट: शर्यातिरवनीपति: । च्यवनस्य महाराज तदू वाक्यं प्रत्यपूजयत्‌,महाराज! यह सुनकर राजा शर्याति बड़े प्रसन्न हुए और उन्होंने च्यवन मुनिके उस वचनकी बड़ी सराहना की

Then King Śaryāti, the lord of the earth, became exceedingly delighted. He warmly welcomed and honored the words spoken by the sage Cyavana, paying due respect to wise counsel and ascetic authority.

Verse 6

प्रशस्ते5हनि यज्ञीये सर्वकामसमृद्धिमत्‌ । कारयामास शर्यातिर्यज्ञायतनमुत्तमम्‌

On an auspicious day fit for sacrificial rites, King Śaryāti had an excellent sacrificial enclosure constructed—one endowed with every desired prosperity.

Verse 7

तत्रैनं च्यवनो राजन्‌ याजयामास भार्गव: । अद्भुतानि च तत्रासन्‌ यानि तानि निबोध मे,राजन! भृगुपुत्र च्यवनने उस यज्ञमण्डपमें राजासे यज्ञ करवाया। उस यज्ञमें जो अद्भुत बातें हुई थीं, उन्हें मुझसे सुनो

There, O King, the Bhārgava sage Cyavana officiated and had him perform the sacrifice. And in that sacrificial enclosure, wondrous events occurred—listen from me, O King, to what they were.

Verse 8

अगृलह्लाच्च्यवन: सोममश्रिनोर्देवयोस्तदा । तमिन्द्रो वारयामास गृह्नानं स तयोग्रहम्‌

At that time the great sage Cyavana took in his hand the allotted share of Soma to offer it to the two divine Aśvin twins. As he was taking up that portion for them, Indra tried to restrain the sage—objecting to their receiving a Soma share—thus setting up a conflict between established privilege and the sage’s insistence on rightful inclusion.

Verse 9

इन्द्र उवाच उभावेतौ न सोमार्हौ नासत्याविति मे मति: । भिषजोौ दिवि देवानां कर्मणा तेन नाहत:

Indra said: “In my considered judgment, these two Nāsatyas (the Aśvin twins) are not entitled to drink the Soma in a sacrifice. For they serve as physicians to the gods in heaven; and because of that professional activity, their eligibility for Soma in the rite is, in my view, impaired.”

Verse 10

च्यवन उवाच महोत्साहौ महात्मानौ रूपद्रविणवत्तरौ । यौ चक्रतुर्मा मघवन्‌ वृन्दारकमिवाजरम्‌

Cyavana said: “O Maghavan (Indra), those two Aśvin twins are of great energy and noble spirit, and they excel in beauty and wealth. It is they who made me, as it were like a god of heaven, endowed with a divine form and freed from old age. Therefore, why should they not have the right to receive a share of Soma in the sacrifice—who, besides you and the other gods, could deny it? O Purandara, regard these Aśvins too as gods.”

Verse 11

ऋते त्वां विबुधांश्वान्यान्‌ कथं वै नाहत: सवम्‌ | अश्रिनावपि देवेन्द्र देवौ विद्धि पुरंदर

Cyavana said: “O Devendra, apart from you and the other gods, how could anyone have remained unharmed after striking down the sacrifice? Know that the Aśvins too are gods, O Purandara. Since they are spirited, wise, and foremost in beauty—and since it is they who restored to me a divine, ageless form—why should they not have the right to a share of Soma in the sacrifice? Therefore, regard the Aśvinīkumāras as deities as well.”

Verse 12

इन्द्र वाच चिकित्सकौ कर्मकरौ कामरूपसमन्वितौ । लोके चरन्तौ मर्त्यानां कथं सोममिहाहत:

Indra said: “These two are physicians and attendants who move about among mortals, even assuming forms at will. How, then, can they be entitled to drink Soma here in this sacrifice?”

Verse 13

लोगश उवाच एतदेव यदा वाक्यमाम्रेडयति देवराट्‌ । अनादृत्य ततः शक्रं ग्रह जग्राह भार्गव:

Lomaśa said: When the lord of the gods, Indra, kept repeating those very words again and again, the Bhārgava sage Cyavana, disregarding Śakra, seized the Soma-offering portion to allot it to the Aśvin twins.

Verse 14

ग्रहीष्यन्तं तु तं सोममश्रिनोरुत्तमं तदा । समीक्ष्य बलभिद्‌ देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्‌

But just then, as he was about to seize that Soma—supreme and radiant—Balabhid, the god who shatters strength, observed him and spoke these words.

Verse 15

उस समय देववैद्योंके लिये उत्तम सोमरस ग्रहण करते देख इन्द्रने च्यवन मुनिसे इस प्रकार कहा-- ।।

Seeing the finest Soma being taken for the divine physicians, Indra addressed the sage Cyavana: “If you yourself take Soma on behalf of the Aśvins, I will hurl at you my unrivalled, terrifying thunderbolt, O Brahmin.”

Verse 16

एवमुक्त: स्मयन्निन्द्रमभिवीक्ष्य स भार्गव: । जग्राह विधिवत्‌ सोममश्रिभ्यामुत्तमं ग्रहम्‌

When Indra had spoken thus, the Bhārgava sage Cyavana, smiling and looking toward Indra, duly took up the Soma—an excellent libation-cup—for the Aśvin twins.

Verse 17

ततोअस्मै प्राहरद्‌ वज्ज॑ घोररूपं शचीपति: । तस्य प्रहरतो बाहुं स्तम्भयामास भार्गव:

Then Indra, Śacī’s lord, hurled at him a dreadful thunderbolt. But as Indra was striking, the Bhārgava sage Cyavana restrained him and immobilized Indra’s arm.

Verse 18

त॑ स्तम्भयित्वा च्यवनो जुहुवे मन्त्रतो5नलम्‌ । कृत्यार्थी सुमहातेजा देवं हिंसितुमुद्यत:

Having immobilized them, the mighty sage Cyavana poured oblations into the fire with the prescribed mantras. Burning with the intent to accomplish a hostile rite, he was preparing to bring forth a kṛtyā—set on harming the god Indra.

Verse 19

ततः कृत्याथ संजज्ञे मुनेस्तस्य तपोबलात्‌ । मदो नाम महावीर्यों बृहत्कायो महासुर:

Then, by the power of that sage’s austerities, a kṛtyā came into existence—an immensely valorous great demon named Mada, huge of body and formidable in might.

Verse 20

शरीर यस्य निर्देप्टमशक्‍्यं तु सुरासुरै: । तस्यास्थमभवद्‌ घोरं तीक्ष्णाग्रदशनं महत्‌

Lomaśa said: “His body could not be described even by the gods and the asuras. Yet his mouth was terrifying—vast, with sharp-pointed teeth.”

Verse 21

हनुरेका स्थिता त्वस्य भूमावेका दिवं गता । चतस्त्रश्नायता दंष्टा योजनानां शतं शतम्‌

Lomaśa said: “One of his jaws rested upon the earth, while the other rose up to the heavens. His four extended tusks each measured a hundred yojanas.”

Verse 22

च्यवन ऋषिके तपोबलसे वहाँ कृत्या प्रकट हो गयी। उस कृत्याके रूपमें महापराक्रमी विशालकाय महादैत्य मदका प्रादुर्भाव हुआ। जिसके शरीरका वर्णन देवता तथा असुर भी नहीं कर सकते। उस असुरका विशाल मुख बड़ा भयंकर था। उसके आगेके दाँत बड़े तीखे दिखायी देते थे। उसका ठोड़ीसहित नीचेका ओषछ्ठ धरतीपर टिका हुआ था और दूसरा स्वर्गलोकतक पहुँच गया था। उसकी चार दाढ़ें सौ-मौ योजनतक फैली हुई थीं || १९-- २१ || इतरे तस्य दशना बभूवुर्दशयोजना: । प्रासादशिखराकारा: शूलाग्रसमदर्शना:

Lomaśa said: By the power of the sage Cyavana’s austerities, a kṛtyā suddenly manifested there. Taking the form of that rite-born apparition, a mighty, gigantic great demon named Madaka came into being—so vast that even gods and asuras could not adequately describe his body. His enormous mouth was terrifying; his front teeth looked exceedingly sharp. His lower lip, together with his chin, rested upon the earth, while the upper reached up to the heavenly world. Four of his great fangs spread for a hundred yojanas, and his other teeth were each ten yojanas long—shaped like the pinnacles of palaces, their tips appearing as sharp as spear-points.

Verse 23

बाहू पर्वतसंकाशावायतावयुतं समौ | नेत्रे रविशशिप्रख्ये वकत्रं कालाग्निसंनिभम्‌

Lomaśa said: “His two arms looked like mountains—vast and outstretched, equal in measure, each extending ten thousand yojanas. His eyes blazed like the sun and the moon, and his mouth seemed like the fire at the end of time.”

Verse 24

लेलिहज्जिह्नया वक्‍त्रं विद्युच्चपललोलया । व्यात्ताननो घोरदृष्टिग्रसन्निव जगद्‌ बलात्‌

With a flickering tongue, restless and wavering like lightning, he kept licking his gaping mouth. His jaws were stretched wide, his gaze terrifying; he looked as though he would forcibly swallow the entire world. Enraged, that demon thundered so dreadfully that the whole realm seemed to resound, and he rushed forward to devour Indra.

Verse 25

स भक्षयिष्यन्‌ संक्रुद्ध: शतक्रतुमुपाद्रवत्‌ । महता घोररूपेण लोकाउञ्छब्देन नादयन्‌

Enraged and intent on devouring him, the demon rushed at Śatakratu (Indra). Assuming a vast and terrifying form, he filled the worlds with a thunderous roar.

Verse 124

इति श्रीमहाभारते वनपर्वणि तीर्थयात्रापर्वणि लोमशतीर्थयात्रायां सौकन्ये चतुर्विशत्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय:

Thus ends the one-hundred-and-twenty-fourth chapter of the Vana Parva of the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the section on pilgrimage (Tīrtha-yātrā Parva), in the narrative of Lomāśa’s pilgrimage, in the episode concerning Sukanyā.