Adhyaya 91

Verse 1

कुंजलौवाच । ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतस्तु सहस्राक्षो यदा पुरा । गौतमस्य प्रियासंगादगम्यागमनं महत्

Kuñjala said: Long ago, when the thousand-eyed one (Indra), overwhelmed by the sin of brahmin-slaying (brahmahatyā), through association with Gautama’s beloved (Ahalyā), committed the great transgression of approaching what must not be approached.

Verse 2

संजातं पातकं तस्य त्यक्तो देवैश्च ब्राह्मणैः । सहस्राक्षस्तपस्तेपे निरालंबो निराश्रयः

A sin arose for him, and he was abandoned by the gods and by the brāhmaṇas. Then Sahasrākṣa (Indra), without support and without refuge, undertook austerities (tapas).

Verse 3

तपोंते देवताः सर्वा ऋषयो यक्षकिन्नराः । देवराजस्य पूजार्थमभिषेकं प्रचक्रिरे

At that sacred seat of austerity, all the Devas—together with the Ṛṣis, the Yakṣas, and the Kinnaras—performed the consecratory abhiṣeka to honor the King of the Gods.

Verse 4

देशं मालवकं नीत्वा देवराजं सुतोत्तम । चक्रे स्नानं महाभाग कुंभैरुदकपूरितैः

O best of sons, having led Devarāja to the land of Mālava, that blessed one performed the bathing rite with pots filled with water.

Verse 5

स्नापितुं प्रथमं नीतो वाराणस्यां स्वयं ततः । प्रयागे तु सहस्राक्ष अर्घतीर्थे ततः पुनः

First he was taken for bathing to Vārāṇasī by his own guidance; then, O Thousand-Eyed One, he was led to Prayāga, and again thereafter to the Arghatīrtha.

Verse 6

पुष्करेण महात्मासौ स्नापितः स्वयमेव हि । ब्रह्मादिभिः सुरैः सर्वैर्मुनिवृंदैर्द्विजोत्तम

That great-souled one was indeed bathed by Puṣkara himself, in the presence of Brahmā and the other Devas, all the deities, and the hosts of sages, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 7

नागैर्वृक्षैर्नागसर्पैर्गंधर्वैस्तु सकिन्नरैः । स्नापितो देवराजस्तु वेदमंत्रैः सुसंस्कृतः

Then the King of the Gods was ceremonially bathed by the Nāgas, the sacred trees, the Nāga-serpents, the Gandharvas, and also the Kinnaras—sanctified by Vedic mantras rightly performed.

Verse 8

मुनिभिः सर्वपापघ्नैस्तस्मिन्काले द्विजोत्तम । शुद्धे तस्मिन्महाभागे सहस्राक्षे महात्मनि

O best of the twice-born, at that time, through sages who destroy all sins—when that most fortunate, great-souled, thousand-eyed one had become purified—this came to pass.

Verse 9

ब्रह्महत्या गता तस्य अगम्यागमनं तथा । ब्रह्महत्या ततो नष्टा अगम्यागमनेन च

The sin of brahma-hatyā—slaying a brāhmaṇa—came upon him, and likewise the sin of approaching a forbidden woman. Thereafter, that brahma-hatyā was destroyed by that very act of approaching the forbidden woman.

Verse 10

पापेन तेन घोरेण सार्द्धमिंद्रस्य भूतले । सुप्रसन्नः सहस्राक्षस्तीर्थेभ्यो हि वरं ददौ

Because of that dreadful sin, and with Indra upon the earth, the thousand-eyed one (Indra), greatly pleased, indeed granted a boon to the sacred tīrthas.

Verse 11

भवंतस्तीर्थराजानो भविष्यथ न संशयः । मत्प्रसादात्पवित्राश्च यस्मादहं विमोक्षितः

You shall indeed become kings among the sacred fords (tīrthas)—of this there is no doubt. By my grace you will be purified, for through you I have been set free.

Verse 12

सुघोरात्किल्बिषादत्र युष्माभिर्विमलैरहम् । एवं तेभ्यो वरं दत्वा मालवाय वरं ददौ

“Here, through you pure ones, I have been freed from a most dreadful sin. Thus, having granted boons to them, he also bestowed a boon upon Mālava.”

Verse 13

यस्मात्त्वया मलं मेऽद्य विधृतं श्रमदायकम् । तस्मात्त्वमन्नपानैश्च धनधान्यैरलंकृतः

Since today you have carried away my filth—an exhausting burden—therefore may you be endowed with food and drink, and adorned with wealth and grain.

Verse 14

भविष्यसि न संदेहो मत्प्रसादान्न संशयः । सुदुःकालैर्विना त्वं तु भविष्यसि सुपुण्यवान्

You will surely prosper—there is no doubt. By my grace, there is no uncertainty. And you, without passing through terrible times, will become greatly meritorious.

Verse 15

एवं तस्मै वरं दत्वा देवराजः पुरंदरः । क्षेत्राणि सर्वतीर्थानि देशो मालवकस्तथा

Thus, having granted him a boon, Purandara, the king of the gods, declared that the sacred holy places—indeed all tīrthas—and the land of Mālava as well would be endowed with sanctity and merit.

Verse 16

आखंडलेन सार्द्धं ते स्वस्थानं प्रतिजग्मिरे । सूत उवाच । तदाप्रभृति चत्वारः प्रयागः पुष्करस्तथा

Together with Ākhaṇḍala (Indra), they returned to their own abode. Sūta said: From that time onward, there are four sacred places—Prayāga, and likewise Puṣkara...

Verse 17

वाराणसी चार्घतीर्थं प्राप्ता राजत्वमुत्तमम्

Vārāṇasī, having reached the sacred ford called Cārgha-tīrtha, obtained the highest sovereignty.

Verse 18

कुंजल उवाच । अस्ति पंचालदेशेषु विदुरो नाम क्षत्रियः । तेन मोहप्रसंगेन ब्राह्मणो निहतः पुराः

Kuñjala said: In the lands of Pañcāla there was a kṣatriya named Vidura. Long ago, through the occasion of delusion, a brāhmaṇa was slain by him.

Verse 19

शिखासूत्रविहीनस्तु तिलकेन विवर्जितः । भिक्षार्थमटतेसोऽपि ब्रह्मघ्नोहं समागतः

Devoid of the śikhā and the sacred thread, and bereft even of a tilaka—though he wanders about seeking alms—he is in truth a slayer of a brāhmaṇa; thus have I come to declare.

Verse 20

ब्रह्मघ्नाय सुरापाय भिक्षा चान्नं प्रदीयताम् । गृहेष्वेवं समस्तेषु भ्रमते याचते पुरा

“Let alms and food be given even to a slayer of a brāhmaṇa, even to a drinker of liquor.” Thus, in former times, he wandered about, begging from every house.

Verse 21

एवं सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु अटित्वैव समागतः । ब्रह्महत्या न तस्यापि प्रयाति द्विजसत्तम

Thus, even after wandering through all the tīrtha and returning, the sin of brahmin-slaying does not depart from him either, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 22

वृक्षच्छायां समाश्रित्यदह्यमानेन चेतसा । संस्थितो विदुरः पापो दुःखशोकसमन्वितः

Taking shelter in the shade of a tree, the sinful Vidura stood there—his mind burning within—overwhelmed with sorrow and grief.

Verse 23

चंद्रशर्मा ततो विप्रो महामोहेन पीडितः । न्यवसन्मागधे देशे गुरुघातकरश्च सः

Then the brāhmaṇa Candraśarmā, afflicted by great delusion, went to dwell in the land of Magadha; and he became one who had slain his own teacher.

Verse 24

स्वजनैर्बंधुवर्गैश्च परित्यक्तो दुरात्मवान् । स हि तत्र समायातो यत्रासौ विदुरः स्थितः

Abandoned by his own people and his circle of relatives, that wicked-minded man went there—indeed, he arrived at the very place where Vidura was staying.

Verse 25

शिखासूत्रविहीनस्तु विप्रलिंगैर्विवर्जितः । तदासौ पृच्छितस्तेन विदुरेण दुरात्मना

Devoid of the topknot and sacred thread, and lacking the outward marks of a brāhmaṇa, he was then questioned by that wicked-minded Vidura.

Verse 26

भवान्को हि समायातोः दुर्भगो दग्धमानसः । विप्रलिंगविहीनस्तु कस्मात्त्वं भ्रमसे महीम्

“Who are you that have come here—unfortunate, with a heart scorched by grief? And why do you wander over the earth, bereft of the marks of a brāhmaṇa?”

Verse 27

विदुरेणोक्तमात्रस्तु चंद्रशर्मा द्विजाधमः । आचष्टे सर्वमेवापि यथापूर्वकृतं स्वकम्

No sooner had Vidura spoken than Candraśarmā—lowest among the twice-born—began to recount everything, exactly as he himself had done before.

Verse 28

पातकं च महाघोरं वसता च गुरोर्गृहे । महामोहगतेनापि क्रोधेनाकुलितेन च

Even the most dreadful sin may be committed by one dwelling in the teacher’s house, when overcome by great delusion and shaken by anger.

Verse 29

गुरोर्घातः कृतः पूर्वं तेन दग्धोस्मि सांप्रतम् । चंद्रशर्मा च वृत्तांतमुक्त्वा सर्वमपृच्छत

“Formerly I committed the killing of my teacher; because of that, I am now being burned in torment.” Having thus related the entire account, Candraśarman asked about all that needed to be known.

Verse 30

भवान्को हि सुदुःखात्मा वृक्षच्छायां समाश्रितः । विदुरेण समासेन आत्मपापं निवेदितम्

Who are you, so deeply afflicted with sorrow, taking refuge in the shade of a tree? In brief, disclose to me the sin that is your own.

Verse 31

अथ कश्चिद्द्विजः प्राप्तस्तृतीयः श्रमकर्षितः । वेदशर्मेति वै नाम बहुपातकसंचयः

Then a certain brāhmaṇa arrived as the third, worn down by toil. His name indeed was Vedaśarman, burdened with an accumulation of many sins.

Verse 32

द्वाभ्यामपि सुसंपृष्टः को भवान्दुःखिताकृतिः । कस्माद्भ्रमसि वै पृथ्वीं वद भावं त्वमात्मनः

Questioned closely by both of them, they asked: “Who are you, wearing the appearance of sorrow? Why do you wander over the earth? Tell us the true condition of your own self.”

Verse 33

वेदशर्मा ततः सर्वमात्मचेष्टितमेव च । कथयामास ताभ्यां वै ह्यगम्यागमनं कृतम्

Then Vedaśarmā told those two everything—indeed, all that had come to pass through his own deeds—saying that an unlawful union had occurred, an approach to one who must not be approached.

Verse 34

धिक्कृतः सर्वलोकैश्च अन्यैः स्वजनबांधवैः । तेन पापेन संलिप्तो भ्रमाम्येवं महीमिमाम्

Condemned by all people—and even by my own kinsmen and relatives—I wander thus upon this earth, stained by that sin.

Verse 35

वंजुलो नाम वैश्योथ सुरापायी समागतः । स गोघ्नश्च विशेषेण तैश्च पृष्टो यथा पुरा

Then a Vaiśya named Vaṃjula arrived, a drinker of intoxicants. He was also, in particular, a slayer of cows; and just as before, he was questioned by them.

Verse 36

तेन आवेदितं सर्वं पातकं यत्पुराकृतम् । तैराकर्णितमन्यैश्च सर्वं तस्यप्रभाषितम्

By him every sin formerly committed was fully confessed; and by them—and by others as well—everything he had spoken was heard.

Verse 37

एवं चत्वारःपापिष्ठा एकस्थानं समागताः । कः कस्यापि न संपर्कं भोजनाच्छादनेन च

Thus those four most sinful ones gathered in one place; yet none of them associated with another—neither by sharing food nor by sharing clothing.

Verse 38

करोति च महाभाग वार्तां चक्रुः परस्परम् । न विशंत्यासने चैके न स्वपंत्येकसंस्तरे

And, O noble one, they conversed with one another. Some would not sit on the same seat, and some would not sleep upon the same bed.

Verse 39

एवं दुःखसमाविष्टा नानातीर्थेषु वै गताः । तेषां तु पापका घोरा न नश्यंति च नंदन

Thus, overwhelmed by suffering, they indeed went to many sacred pilgrimage places; yet their dreadful sins did not perish, O dear one.

Verse 40

सामर्थ्यं नास्ति तीर्थानां महापातकनाशने । विदुराद्यास्ततस्ते तु गताः कालंजरं गिरिम्

The sacred tīrthas have no power to destroy the great sins. Therefore, Vidura and the others went to Mount Kālañjara.