Adhyaya 127

Verse 1

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत तीर्थयात्रापर्वमें लोमशती र्थयात्राके प्रसंगमें मान्धातोपाख्यानविषयक एक सौ छब्बीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ १२६ ॥/ (दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके १६ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ४८३ “लोक हैं) &++#+० (0) अल अर सप्तविशर्त्याधिकशततमो<5 ध्याय: सोमक और जन्तुका उपाख्यान युधिछिर उवाच कथं वीर्य: स राजाभूत्‌ सोमको वदतां वर । कर्माण्यस्य प्रभावं च श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ महर्ष! राजा सोमकका बल-पराक्रम कैसा था? मैं उनके कर्म और प्रभावका यथार्थ वर्णन सुनना चाहता हूँ

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O best of speakers, what was the valor of that king Somaka like? I wish to hear, in truth and in full, of his deeds and of the power of his influence.”

Verse 2

लोगश उवाच युधिष्ठिरासीन्रपति: सोमको नाम धार्मिक: । तस्य भार्याशतं राजन्‌ सदृशीनामभूत्‌ तदा,लोमशजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! सोमक नामसे प्रसिद्ध एक धर्मात्मा राजा राज्य करते थे। उनकी सौ रानियाँ थीं। वे सभी रूप-अवस्था आदिदमें प्रायः एक समान थीं

Lomaśa said: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, there once ruled a righteous king named Somaka. O king, at that time he had a hundred wives, all of them much alike in appearance and condition.”

Verse 3

स वै यत्नेन महता तासु पुत्र महीपति: । कंचिन्नासादयामास कालेन महता हापि,परंतु दीर्घकालतक महान्‌ प्रयत्न करते रहनेपर भी वे अपनी उन रानियोंके गर्भसे कोई पुत्र न प्राप्त कर सके

Though the king exerted himself with great effort, even over a long span of time, he did not succeed in obtaining any son from those queens.

Verse 4

कदाचित्‌ तस्य वृद्धस्य घटमानस्य यत्नतः । जन्तुर्नाम सुतस्तस्मिन्‌ स्त्रीशते समजायत,राजा सोमक वृद्धावस्थामें भी इसके लिये निरन्तर यत्नशील थे; अत: किसी समय उनकी सौ स्ट्रियोंमेंसे किसी एकके गर्भसे एक पुत्र उत्पन्न हुआ, जिसका नाम था जन्तु

Once, as that aged king continued striving with great effort, a son was born to him among his hundred wives. The child was named Jantu.

Verse 5

त॑ जातं मातर: सर्वा: परिवार्य समासत । सततं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कामभोगान्‌ विशाम्पते,राजन! उसके जन्म लेनेके पश्चात्‌ सभी माताएँ काम-भोगकी ओरसे मुँह मोड़कर सदा उसी बच्चेके पास उसे सब ओरसे घेरकर बैठी रहती थीं

When the child was born, all the mothers gathered around and sat enclosing him on every side. Turning their backs on sensual pleasures, they remained constantly near the infant—O lord of the people—making him their sole and steady concern.

Verse 6

ततः पिपीलिका जन्‍्तुं कदाचिददशत्‌ स्फिचि । स दष्टो व्यनदन्नादं तेन दुःखेन बालक:,एक दिन एक चींटीने जन्तुके कटिभागमें डँस लिया। चींटीके काटनेपर उसकी पीड़ासे विकल हो जन्तु सहसा रोने लगा

Then, once, an ant bit the little creature on the buttock. Bit thus, the child cried out loudly, overwhelmed by that pain.

Verse 7

ततस्ता मातर: सर्वा: प्राक्रोशन्‌ भृशदु:खिता: । प्रवार्य जन्तुं सहसा स शब्दस्तुमुलो5भवत्‌,इससे उसकी सब माताएँ भी सहसा जनन्‍्तुके शरीरसे चींटीको हटाकर अत्यन्त दुखी हो जोर-जोरसे रोने लगीं। उनके रोदनकी वह सम्मिलित ध्वनि बड़ी भयंकर प्रतीत हुई

Then all his mothers, overwhelmed with intense grief, cried out loudly. Having quickly brushed the tiny creature away from the child’s body, their collective wailing rose into a tumultuous, dreadful sound.

Verse 8

तमार्तनादं सहसा शुआ्राव स महीपति: । अमात्यपर्षदो मध्ये उपविष्ट: सहर्त्विजा

The king suddenly heard that cry of distress. At that moment he was seated in the midst of his ministers and council, together with the officiating priests.

Verse 9

उस समय राजा सोमक पुरोहितके साथ मन्त्रियोंकी सभामें बैठे थे। उन्होंने अकस्मात्‌ वह आर्तनाद सुना ।। ततः प्रस्थापयामास किमेतदिति पार्थिव: । तस्मै क्षत्ता यथावृत्तमाचचक्षे सुतं प्रति,सुनकर राजाने “यह क्या हो गया?” इस बातका पता लगानेके लिये द्वारपालको भेजा। द्वारपालने लौटकर राजकुमारसे सम्बन्ध रखनेवाली पूर्वोक्त घटनाका यथावत्‌ वृत्तान्त कह सुनाया

At that time King Somaka was seated in the council of ministers with his royal priest. He suddenly heard that cry of distress. So the ruler sent an attendant to find out, asking, “What is this?” The chamberlain returned and reported in full, exactly as it had happened, the events concerning the prince.

Verse 10

त्वरमाण: स चोत्थाय सोमक: सह मन्त्रिभि: । प्रविश्यान्त:पुरं पुत्रमाश्चासयदरिंदम:,तब शत्रुदमन राजा सोमकने मन्त्रियोंसहित उठकर बड़ी उतावलीके साथ अन्तःपुरमें प्रवेश किया और पुत्रको आश्वासन दिया

Then King Somaka, in haste, rose at once with his ministers and entered the inner apartments. There he reassured his son—the subduer of foes—offering comfort and steadiness in a moment of anxiety.

Verse 11

बेटेको सान्त्वना देकर राजा अन्तःपुरसे बाहर निकले और पुरोहित तथा मन्त्रियोंके साथ पुनः मन्त्रणा-गृहमें जा बैठे

After consoling the children, the king came out of the inner apartments. Then, accompanied by the family priest and his ministers, he returned once more to the council-chamber and took his seat—turning from private grief to public responsibility and deliberation.

Verse 12

सोमक उवाच धिगस्त्विहैकपुत्रत्वमपुत्रत्वं वरं भवेत्‌ । नित्यातुरत्वाद्‌ भूतानां शोक एवैकपुत्रता

Somaka said: “Fie on having only a single son in this world; it would be better to have no son at all. For beings are ever exposed to affliction, and when there is only one child, that very ‘one-son-ness’ becomes nothing but sorrow.”

Verse 13

उस समय सोमकने कहा--इस संसारमें किसी पुरुषके एक ही पुत्रका होना धिक्‍्कारका विषय है। एक पुत्र होनेकी अपेक्षा तो पुत्रहीन रह जाना ही अच्छा है। एक ही संतान हो तो सब प्राणी उसके लिये सदा आकुल-व्याकुल रहते हैं, अतः एक पुत्रका होना शोक ही है ।। इदं भार्याशतं ब्रह्मन्‌ परीक्ष्य सदृशं प्रभो । पुत्रार्थिना मया वोढं न तासां विद्यते प्रजा,ब्रह्मन! मैंने अच्छी तरह जाँच-बूझकर पुत्रकी इच्छासे अपने योग्य सौ स्त्रियोंके साथ विवाह किया, किंतु उनके कोई संतान नहीं हुई

Somaka said: “In this world, having only a single son is a matter for reproach; it is better to remain childless than to have just one. When there is only one child, all beings are forever anxious on his account; therefore a lone son becomes a cause of grief. O Brahman, after careful consideration I married a hundred suitable wives, desiring sons; yet none of them has borne me offspring.”

Verse 14

एक: कथंचिदुत्पन्नः पुत्रो जन्तुरयं मम । यतमानासु सर्वासु कि नु दुः:खमत: परम्‌,यद्यपि मेरी सभी रानियाँ संतानके लिये यत्नशील थीं, तथापि किसी तरह मेरे यही एक पुत्र उत्पन्न हुआ, जिसका नाम जन्तु है। इससे बढ़कर दुःख और क्‍या हो सकता है?

Somaka said: “Though all my queens strove earnestly for offspring, only one son was somehow born to me—this creature, Jantu. What sorrow could be greater than this?”

Verse 15

वयश्नलू समतीतं मे सभार्यस्य द्विजोत्तम | आसां प्राणा: समायत्ता मम चात्रैकपुत्रके,द्विजश्रेष्ठ! मेरी तथा इन रानियोंकी अधिक अवस्था बीत गयी, किंतु अभीतक मेरे और उन पत्नियोंके प्राण केवल इस एक पुत्रमें ही बसते हैं

Somaka said: “O best of twice-born sages, my youth has passed away, and so has that of my wives. Yet the very life-breath of those queens—and mine as well—still rests entirely upon this single son of mine.”

Verse 16

स्यात्तु कर्म तथा युक्त येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्‌ । महता लघुना वापि कर्मणा दुष्करेण वा,क्या कोई ऐसा उपयोगी कर्म हो सकता है जिससे मेरे सौ पुत्र हो जायँ। भले ही वह कर्म महान्‌ हो, लघु हो अथवा अत्यन्त दुष्कर हो

Somaka said: “Is there any such efficacious rite or course of action by which I might obtain a hundred sons? Let it be great or small—yes, even exceedingly difficult—if only it can bring about that end.”

Verse 17

ऋत्विगुवाच अस्ति चैतादृशं कर्म येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्‌ । यदि शक्नोषि तत्‌ कर्तुमथ वक्ष्यामि सोमक,पुरोहितने कहा--सोमक! ऐसा कर्म है जिससे तुम्हें सौ पुत्र हो सकते हैं। यदि तुम उसे कर सको तो बताऊँगा

The family priest said, “There is indeed such a rite—an act by which a hundred sons may be obtained. If you are capable of performing it, then, Somaka, I shall tell you.”

Verse 18

सोमक उवाच कार्य वा यदि वाकार्य येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्‌ । कृतमेवेति तद्‌ विद्धि भगवान्‌ प्रब्रवीतु मे,सोमकने कहा--भगवन्‌! आप वह कर्म मुझे बताइये जिससे सौ पुत्र हो सकते हैं। वह करनेयोग्य हो या न हो, मेरेद्वारा उसे किया हुआ ही जानिये

Somaka said: “O venerable one, tell me the act by which a hundred sons may be obtained. Whether it is proper to do or improper, know it as already done by me—only declare it to me.”

Verse 19

ऋत्विगुवाच यजस्व जन्तुना राजंस्त्वं मया वितते क्रतौ । ततः पुत्रशतं श्रीमद्‌ भविष्यत्यचिरेण ते,पुरोहितने कहा--राजन्‌! मैं एक यज्ञ आरम्भ करवाऊँगा, उसमें तुम अपने पुत्र जन्तुकी आहुति देकर यजन करो। इससे शीघ्र ही तुम्हें सौ परम सुन्दर पुत्र प्राप्त होंगे

The officiating priest said: “O King, perform the sacrifice in the rite I have set in motion, offering Jantu as the oblation. Then, before long, a splendid hundred sons will be born to you.”

Verse 20

वपायां हूयमानायां धूममाप्राय मातर: । ततस्ता: सुमहावीर्याञ्जनयिष्यन्ति ते सुतान्‌,जिस समय उसकी चर्बीकी आहुति दी जायगी उस समय उसके धूएँको सूँघ लेनेपर सब माताएँ (गर्भवती हो) आपके लिये अत्यन्त पराक्रमी पुत्रोंको जन्म देंगी

Somaka said: “When the offering of fat is poured into the fire, the mothers, by inhaling that smoke, will conceive, and then will bear for you sons of exceedingly great valor.”

Verse 21

आपका पुत्र जन्तु पुनः: अपनी माताके ही पेटसे उत्पन्न होगा। उस समय उसकी बायीं पसलीमें एक सुनहरा चिह्न होगा

Somaka said: “Your son, Jantu, will be born again from his own mother’s womb. When he is born, there will be a golden mark on his left side (rib).”

Verse 23

तस्यामेव तु ते जन्तुर्भविता पुनरात्मज: । उत्तरे चास्य सौवर्ण लक्ष्म पारश्व भविष्यति

“In that very woman, your departed child will be born again as your own son. And on his right side there will appear a golden mark of auspicious fortune.”

Verse 127

इति श्रीमहाभारते वनपर्वणि तीर्थयात्रापर्वणि लोमशतीर्थयात्रायां जन्तूपाख्याने सप्तविंशत्यधिकशततमो<ध्याय:

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Vana Parva—specifically in the Tīrtha-yātrā Parva, in Lomāśa’s account of the pilgrimage—ends the chapter called the “Tale of Jantu,” the one hundred and twenty-seventh chapter.

Verse 131

सान्त्वयित्वा तु त॑ पुत्र निष्क्रम्यान्त:पुरान्रूप: । ऋत्विजा सहितो राजन्‌ सहामात्य उपाविशत्‌

Having consoled that son, the king went out from the inner apartments. Then, O King, accompanied by the officiating priests (ṛtvij) and together with his ministers, he took his seat in assembly.