Shloka 13
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 178 — Royal Contestants Assemble; Cosmic Witnesses; The Bow Remains Unstrung
सोमान्ते तर्पयामास विपुलेन विशाम्पति: । तस्मिन् नृपतिशार्दूले स्वर्यातेडथ कथंचन,वसिष्ठजीने (पराशरसे) कहा--वत्स! इस पृथ्वीपर कृतवीर्य नामसे प्रसिद्ध एक राजा थे। वे नृपश्रेष्ठ वेदज्ञ भृगुवंशी ब्राह्मणोंक यजमान थे। तात! उन महाराजने सोमयज्ञ करके उसके अन्तमें उन अग्रभोजी भार्गवोंको विपुल धन और धान्य देकर उसके द्वारा पूर्ण संतुष्ट किया। राजाओंमें श्रेष्ठ कृतवीर्यके स्वर्गवासी हो जानेपर उनके वंशजोंको किसी तरह द्रव्यकी आवश्यकता आ पड़ी। भृगुवंशी ब्राह्मणोंके यहाँ धन है, यह जानकर वे सभी राजपुत्र उन श्रेष्ठ भार्गवोंके पास याचक बनकर गये। उस समय कुछ भार्गवोंने अपनी अक्षय धनराशिको धरतीमें गाड़ दिया
somānte tarpayāmāsa vipulena viśāmpatiḥ | tasmin nṛpatiśārdūle svargayāte ’tha kathaṃcana ||
Vasiṣṭha said: “At the conclusion of the Soma-sacrifice, that lord of the people fully satisfied (the Bhārgava priests) with abundant gifts. After that tiger among kings, Kṛtavīrya, had departed to heaven, his descendants, by some turn of circumstance, came to feel a need for wealth. Knowing that the Bhṛgu-line Brahmins possessed riches, the royal sons approached those eminent Bhārgavas as supplicants. At that time, some of the Bhārgavas buried their inexhaustible treasure in the earth.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension around wealth: a king fulfills dharma by completing sacrifice and giving abundant gifts, yet later generations may face scarcity and turn to others’ riches. It also hints at how attachment to wealth can lead to concealment and mistrust, setting the stage for conflict between kṣatriyas and brāhmaṇas.
Kṛtavīrya, after finishing a Soma-sacrifice, richly satisfies the Bhārgava priests. After his death, his descendants become needy and approach the Bhārgavas for wealth. Some Bhārgavas, fearing demands, hide their inexhaustible treasure by burying it in the earth.