Shloka 7
अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति
Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence
आरोहन् दमयंश्लैव क्रीडंश्न॒ परिधावति । (ततश्न राक्षसान् सर्वान् पिशाचांश्व रिपून् रणे । मुष्टियुद्धेन ताजञ्जित्वा ऋषीनाराधयत् तदा ।। कश्चिद् दितिसुतस्तं तु हन्तुकामो महाबल: । वध्यमानांस्तु दैतेयानमर्षी त॑ं समभ्ययात् ।। तमागतं प्रहस्यैव बाहुभ्यां परिगृह् च । दृढे चाब॒ध्य बाहुभ्यां पीडयामास त॑ तदा ।। मर्दितो न शशाकास्य मोचितुं बलवत्तया | प्राक्रोशद् भैरवं तत्र द्वारेभ्यो नि:सृतं त्वसूक् ।। तेन शब्देन वित्रस्ता मृगा: सिंहादयो गणा: । सुखुवुश्च शकृन्मूत्रमा श्रमस्थाश्न सुखुवु: ।। निरसुं जानुभि: कृत्वा विससर्ज च सो5पतत् । त॑ दृष्टवा विस्मयं चक्कु: कुमारस्य विचेष्टितम् ।। नित्यकालं वध्यमाना दैतेया राक्षसै: सह । कुमारस्य भयादेव नैव जग्मुस्तदाश्रमम् ।।) ततोसस््य नाम चक्रुस्ते कण्वाश्रमनिवासिन:,फिर वह सबका दमन करते हुए उनकी पीठपर चढ़ जाता और क्रीड़ा करते हुए उन्हें सब ओर दौड़ाता हुआ दौड़ता था। वहाँ सब राक्षस और पिशाच आदि शत्रुओंको युद्धमें मुष्टिप्रहारके द्वारा परास्त करके वह राजकुमार ऋषि-मुनियोंकी आराधनामें लगा रहता था। एक दिन कोई महाबली दैत्य उसे मार डालनेकी इच्छासे उस वनमें आया। वह उसके द्वारा प्रतिदिन सताये जाते हुए दूसरे दैत्योंकी दशा देखकर अमर्षमें भरा हुआ था। उसके आते ही राजकुमारने हँसकर उसे दोनों हाथोंसे पकड़ लिया और अपनी बाँहोंमें दृढ़तापूर्वक कसकर दबाया। वह बहुत जोर लगानेपर भी अपनेको उस बालकके चंगुलसे छुड़ा न सका, अतः भयंकर स्वरसे चीत्कार करने लगा। उस समय दबावके कारण उसकी इन्द्रियोंसे रक्त बह चला। उसकी चीत्कारसे भयभीत हो मृग और सिंह आदि जंगली जीव मल-मूत्र करने लगे तथा आश्रमपर रहनेवाले प्राणियोंकी भी यही दशा हुई। दुष्यन्तकुमारने घुटनोंसे मार- मारकर उस दैत्यके प्राण ले लिये; तत्पश्चात् उसे छोड़ दिया। उसके हाथसे छूटते ही वह दैत्य गिर पड़ा। उस बालकका यह पराक्रम देखकर सब लोगोंको बड़ा विस्मय हुआ। कितने ही दैत्य और राक्षस प्रतिदिन उस दुष्यन्तकुमारके हाथों मारे जाते थे। कुमारके भयसे ही उन्होंने कण्वके आश्रमपर जाना छोड़ दिया। यह देख कण्वके आश्रममें रहनेवाले ऋषियों ने उसका नया नामकरण किया--
vaiśampāyana uvāca | ārohan damayaṁś caiva krīḍan paridhāvati | tataś ca rākṣasān sarvān piśācāṁś ca ripūn raṇe | muṣṭiyuddhena tāñ jitvā ṛṣīn ārādhayat tadā || kaścid ditisutas taṁ tu hantukāmo mahābalaḥ | vadhyamānāṁs tu daiteyān amarṣī taṁ samabhyayāt || tam āgataṁ prahasyāiva bāhubhyāṁ parigṛhya ca | dṛḍhe cābadhya bāhubhyāṁ pīḍayāmāsa taṁ tadā || mardito na śaśākāsya mocituṁ balavattayā | prākrośad bhairavaṁ tatra dvārebhyo niḥsṛtaṁ tv asṛk || tena śabdena vitrastā mṛgāḥ siṁhādayo gaṇāḥ | śakṛn-mūtraṁ prasuṣuvuḥ āśramasthāś ca te tathā || nirasuṁ jānubhiḥ kṛtvā visasarja ca so ’patat | taṁ dṛṣṭvā vismayaṁ cakruḥ kumārasya viceṣṭitam || nityakālaṁ vadhyamānā daiteyā rākṣasaiḥ saha | kumārasya bhayād eva naiva jagmus tadāśramam || tato ’sya nāma cakrus te kaṇvāśramanivāsinaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The boy would climb upon them, subdue them, and, playing, make them run about in every direction. Then, having defeated all the rākṣasas and piśācas—enemies in battle—by bare‑fisted combat, the prince devoted himself to serving and pleasing the sages. One day a mighty son of Diti, intent on killing him, came to that forest, enraged at the plight of the daityas who were being continually harassed. As soon as he arrived, the prince laughed, seized him with both arms, and bound him fast, crushing him in a powerful embrace. Though he strained with all his strength, he could not free himself from the child’s grip; he screamed terribly, and from his openings blood flowed. At that cry, deer, lions, and other wild creatures were terrified and voided urine and feces; the beings dwelling in the hermitage were likewise shaken. Striking him with his knees, the prince took the daitya’s life and then released him; once let go, the demon fell. Seeing this, all were astonished at the boy’s prowess. Daityas and rākṣasas were being slain day after day, and out of fear of the prince they ceased to approach Kaṇva’s hermitage. Observing this, the sages residing in Kaṇva’s āśrama gave the boy a new name.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Strength is portrayed as dharmic when used to protect the peaceful and uphold the sanctity of the hermitage. The prince’s power is not mere aggression; after defeating hostile beings, he turns to honoring the sages, showing that true kṣatriya vigor is joined to reverence for ṛṣis and the protection of righteous life.
A powerful daitya (son of Diti) comes to kill the boy who has been defeating rākṣasas and piśācas near Kaṇva’s hermitage. The boy laughs, seizes him, crushes him in an embrace, and kills him with knee-strikes. The terrifying scream frightens animals and hermitage-dwellers. After this, demons avoid the āśrama, and the sages decide to give the boy a new name (leading into the naming episode).