ādiparva - Chapter-12

 

आदिपर्व - ādiparva

अध्यायः – 12  ::Chapter-12 

Shlokas	No. of Shlokas
वैशम्पायन उवाच। धृतराष्ट्राभ्यनुज्ञातः स्वबाहुविजितं धनम्। भीष्माय सत्यवत्यै च मात्रे चोपजहार सः॥ 1 विदुराय च वै पाण्डुः प्रेषयामास तद्धनम्। सुहृदश्चापि धर्मात्मा धनेन समतर्पयत्॥ 2 ततः सत्यवतीं भीष्मं कौसल्यां च यशस्विनीम्। शुभैः पाण्डुर्जितैरर्थैस्तोषयामास भारत॥ 3 ननन्द माता कौसल्या तमप्रतिमतेजसम्। जयन्तमिव पौलोमी परिष्वज्य नर्षभम्॥ 4 संप्रयुक्तस्तु कुन्त्या च माद्र्या च भरतर्षभ। जिततन्द्रिस्तदा पाण्डुर्बभूव वनगोचरः॥ 5 हित्वा प्रासादनिलयं शुभानि शयनानि च। अरण्यनित्यः सततं बभूव मृगयापरः॥ 6 स चरन्दक्षिणं पार्श्वं रम्यं हिमवतो गिरः। उवास गिरिपृष्ठेषु महाशालवनेषु च॥ 7 रराज कुन्त्या माद्र्या च पाण्डुः सह वने चरन्। करेण्वोरिव मध्यस्थः श्रीमान्पौरन्दरो गजः॥ 8 भारतं सह भार्याभ्यां खङ्गबाणधनुर्धरम्। विचित्रकवचं वीरं परमास्त्रविदं नृपम्। देवोऽयमित्यमन्यन्त चरन्तं वनवासिनः॥ 9 तस्य कामांश्च भोगांश्च नरा नित्यमतन्द्रिताः। उपजह्रुर्वनान्तेषु धृतराष्ट्रेण चोदिताः॥ 10	10 (757)
Vaisampayana said, 'Pandu, following Dhritarashtra's command, shared the wealth he gained through his strength with Bhishma, their grandmother Satyavati, and their mothers. He also sent part of his wealth to Vidura. The virtuous Pandu pleased his other relatives with similar gifts. Satyavati, Bhishma, and the princes of Kosala were all delighted by the offerings that Pandu made from his hard-won riches. Particularly, Ambalika, when she embraced her son of unmatched strength, felt as joyful as the queen of heaven embracing Jayanta.  Not long after that, O noble descendant of Bharat, Pandu, having overcome laziness, set out into the forest with his two wives, Kunti and Madri. Leaving behind his splendid palace with its comfortable beds, he decided to live in the woods, dedicating his time to hunting deer. He settled in a lovely, hilly area filled with tall sala trees, on the southern slope of the Himavan mountains, roaming freely.  The handsome Pandu, along with his two wives, moved through those woods like the mighty Airavata with two she-elephants. The forest dwellers, seeing this heroic prince of Bharat with his wives, armed with a sword, bow, and arrows, dressed in splendid armor, and skilled in various weapons, viewed him as a god among them. And following Dhritarashtra's orders, the people worked diligently to provide Pandu with every pleasure and enjoyment during his time in seclusion.'
अथ पारशवीं कन्यां देवलस्य महीपतेः रूपयौवन संपन्नां स शुश्रावापगा सुतः1 ततस्तु वरयित्वा ताम आनाय्य पुरुषर्षभः विवाहं कारयाम आस विदुरस्य महामतेः2 तस्यां चॊत्पादयाम आस विदुरः कुरुनन्दनः पुत्रान विनयसंपन्नान आत्मनः सदृशान गुणैः 3	3 (760)
In the meantime, Bhishma learned that King Devaka had a daughter blessed with youth and beauty, born to a Sudra wife. He brought her from her father’s home and married her to the wise Vidura. Together, they had many children, each resembling Vidura in their skills and knowledge.
वैशम्पायन उवाच। राजा पाण्डुर्महारण्यॆ मृगव्यालनिषॆवितॆ। तत्र मैथुनकालस्थं ददर्श मृगयूथपम्॥ 1 ततस्तं च मृगीं चैव रुक्मपुङ्खैः सुपत्रिभिः। निर्बिभेद शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पाण्डुः पञ्चभिराशुगैः॥ 2 स च राजन्महातेजा ऋषिपुत्रस्तपोधनः। भार्यया सह तेजस्वी मृगरूपेण सङ्गतः॥ 3 स संयुक्तस्तया मृग्या मानुषीं वाचमीरयन् गिरम। क्षणेन पतितो भूमौ विललापाकुलेन्द्रियः॥ 4 मृग उवाच। काममन्युवशं प्राप्ता बुद्ध्यन्तरगता अपि। वर्जयन्ति नृशंसानि पापेष्वपि रता नराः॥ 5 न विधिं ग्रसते प्रज्ञा प्रज्ञां तु ग्रसते विधिः। विधिपर्यागतानर्थान्प्रज्ञावान्प्रतिपद्यते॥ 6 शस्वद्धर्मात्मनां मुख्ये कुले जातस्य भारत। कामलोभाभिभूतस्य कथं ते चलिता मतिः॥ 7 पाण्डुरुवाच। शत्रूणां या वधे वृत्तिः सा मृगाणां वधे स्मृता। राज्ञां मृग न मां मोहात्त्वं गर्हयितुमर्हसि॥ 8 अच्छद्मनाऽमायया च मृगाणां वध इष्यते। स एव धर्मो राज्ञां तु तद्धि त्वं किं नु गर्हसे॥ 9 अगस्त्यः सत्रमासीनश्चकार मृगयामृषिः। आरण्यान्सर्वदैवत्यान्मृगान्प्रोक्ष्य महावने॥ 10 प्रमाणदृष्टधर्मेण कथमस्मान्विगर्हसे। अगस्त्यस्याभिचारेण युष्माकं विहितो वधः॥ 11 न रिपून्वै समुद्दिश्य विमुञ्चन्ति नराः शरान्। रन्ध्र एषां विशेषेण वधकालः प्रशस्यते॥ 12 प्रमत्तमप्रमत्तं वा विवृतं घ्नन्ति चौजसा। उपायैर्विविधैस्तीक्ष्णैः कस्मान्मृग विगर्हसे॥ 13 मृग उवाच। नाहं घ्न्तं मृगन्राजन्विगर्हे चात्मकारणात्। मैथुनं तु प्रतीक्ष्यं मे त्वयेहाद्यानृशंस्यतः॥ 14 सर्वभूतहिते काले सर्वभूतेप्सिते तथा। को हि विद्वान्मृगं हन्याच्चरन्तं मैथुनं वने॥ 15 अस्यां मृग्यां च राजेन्द्र हर्षान्मैथुनमाचरम्। पुरुषार्थफलं कर्तुं तत्त्वया विफलीकृतम्॥ 16 पौरवाणां महाराज तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम्। वंशे जातस्य कौरव्य नानुरूपमिदं तव॥ 17 नृशंसं कर्म सुमहत्सर्वलोकविगर्हितम्। अस्वर्ग्यमयशस्यं चाप्यधर्मिष्ठं च भारत॥ 18 स्त्रीभोगानां विशेषज्ञः शास्त्रधर्मार्थतत्त्ववित्। नार्हस्त्वं सुरसङ्काश कर्तुमस्वर्ग्यमीदृशम्॥ 19 त्वया नृशंसकर्तारः पापाचाराश्च मानवाः। निग्राह्याः पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ त्रिवर्गपरिवर्जिताः॥ 20 किं कृतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ मामिहानागसं घ्नतः। मुनिं मूलफलाहारं मृगवेषधरं नृप॥ 21 वसमानमरण्येषु नित्यं शमपरायणम्। त्वयाऽहं हिंसितो यस्मात्तस्मात्त्वामप्यनागसः॥ 22 द्वयोर्नृशंसकर्तारमवशं काममोहितम्। जीवितान्तकरो भावो मैथुने समुपैष्यति॥ 23 अहं हि किंदमो नाम तपसा भावितो मुनिः। व्यपत्रपन्मनुष्याणां मृग्यां मैथुनमाचरम्॥ 24 मृगो भत्वा मृगैः सार्धं चरामि गहने वने। न तु ते ब्रह्महत्येयं भविष्यत्यविजानतः॥ 25 मृगरूपधरं हत्वा मामेवं काममोहितम्। अस्य तु त्वं फलं मूढ प्राप्स्यसीदृशमेव हि॥ 26 प्रियया सह संवासं प्राप्य कामविमोहितः। त्वमप्यस्यामवस्थायां प्रेतलोकं गमिष्यसि॥ 27 अन्तकाले हि संवासं यया गन्तासि कान्तया। प्रेतराजपुरं प्राप्तं सर्वभूतदुरत्ययम्। भक्त्या मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ सैव त्वाऽनुगमिष्यति॥ 28 वर्तमानः सुखे दुःखं यथाऽहं प्रापितस्त्वया। तथा त्वां च सुखं प्राप्तं दुःखमभ्यागमिष्यति॥ 29 वैशम्पायन उवाच। एवमुक्त्वा सुदुःखार्तो जीवितात्स व्यमुच्यत। मृगः पाण्डुश्च दुःखार्तः क्षणेन समपद्यत॥ ॥ 30	30 (790)
Vaisampayana said, 'O king, one day Pandu was wandering in the woods on the southern slopes of the Himavat, which were filled with deer and fierce wild animals. He spotted a large deer, which appeared to be the leader of the herd, mating with its partner. Seeing this, the king shot both of them with five sharp and swift arrows, adorned with golden feathers. But, O king, that was no ordinary deer; it was the son of a sage, known for his great asceticism, who had taken the form of a deer while enjoying intimacy. Struck by Pandu's arrows during his moment of union, he fell to the ground, crying like a man and began to weep sorrowfully.  The deer then spoke to Pandu, saying, 'O king, even those who are slaves to lust and anger, lacking reason and engaged in sin, wouldn’t do such a cruel thing. Individual judgment cannot override the law; the law takes precedence over individual judgment. The wise do not approve of actions that go against the law. You, O Bharata, belong to a lineage known for its virtue. How is it that even you, overtaken by desire and anger, have lost your reason?'  Upon hearing this, Pandu replied, 'O deer, kings treat hunting your kind the same way they treat defeating enemies. So, you should not scold me out of ignorance. Animals like you are hunted openly or stealthily. This is how kings operate. Why then do you blame me? Previously, the sage Agastya, while performing a grand sacrifice, hunted deer and offered them to the gods. You have been killed following such established practice. So why do you chastise me? Agastya even performed special sacrifices with the fat of the deer.'  "The deer then spoke, 'O king, men do not shoot their arrows at their foes when they are not ready. There is a fitting time for conflict, after declaring war. Killing at that moment is not to be condemned.' Pandu replied, 'It is known that men kill deer in many ways without considering if the creatures are alert or unaware. So, dear deer, why do you criticize me?'  The deer continued, 'O king, I did not fault you for taking a life, but rather for acting so harshly. You should have waited until my mating was done. What wise and virtuous person would harm a deer engaged in such an important act? Mating is a natural pleasure for all beings and brings good. I was with my partner, fulfilling my desires, but your actions have destroyed that. O king of the Kurus, with your noble lineage, this act is unworthy of you. O Bharata, such cruelty deserves condemnation, infamy, and sin, leading straight to hell. You know the joys of mating and the lessons of morality. As a celestial being, you must not commit acts that lead to ruin. O noble king, it is your duty to correct those who are cruel, who abandon righteousness, wealth, and joy as taught in sacred texts. What have you accomplished, O finest of men, by killing me, who posed no threat to you?"  O king, I am a hermit who lives on fruits and roots, though I appear as a deer. I was peacefully living in the woods with all creatures. Yet you have killed me, and I will curse you for this. Because you have shown cruelty to a pair of lovers, death will surely come to you the moment you feel the stirrings of desire. I am Kindama, a hermit of great spiritual merit. I was with this deer because my sense of modesty prevented me from such actions in human society. In the form of a deer, I wander the deep woods among my kind.  You have killed me without realizing I am a Brahmin, so the sin of killing a Brahmin is not yours. But foolish man, having taken my life while I was disguised as a deer, your fate will mirror mine. When you approach your wife with lust, bearing your touch as I did mine, you will find yourself in the realm of spirits. And that wife, with whom you share intimacy at your death, will follow you to the underworld with love and respect. You have caused me sorrow while I was joyful; may sorrow find you in your moments of happiness.  Vaisampayana continued, 'After speaking these words, the deer, overwhelmed with grief, passed away; and Pandu was also consumed by sorrow at this sight.'"
वैशम्पायन उवाच। तं व्यतीतमतिक्रम्य राजा स्वमिव बान्धवम्। सभार्यः शॊकदुःखार्तः पर्यदॆवयदातुरः ॥1 पाण्डुरुवाच। सतामपि कुलॆ जाताः कर्मणा बत दुर्गतिम्। प्राप्नुवन्त्यकृतात्मानः कामजालविमॊहिताः॥2 शश्वद्धर्मात्मना जातॊ बाल ऎव पिता मम। जीवितान्तमनुप्राप्तः कामात्मैवॆति नः श्रुतम्॥3 तस्याद्य व्यसनॆ बुद्धिः संजातॆयं ममाधमा। त्यक्तस्य दॆवैरनयात् मृगयायां परिधावत:॥4 मॊक्षमेव व्यवस्यामि बन्धॊ हि व्यसनं महत्। सुवृत्तिमनुवर्तिष्यॆ तामहं पितुरव्ययाम्॥5 वैशम्पायन उवाच। ऎवमुक्त्वा सुदुःखार्तॊ निःश्वासपरमॊ नृपः अवॆक्षमाणः कुन्तीं च माद्रीं च समभाषत॥6 कौसल्या विदुरः क्षत्ता राजा च सह बन्धुभिः आर्या सत्यवती भीष्म: तॆ च राजपुरॊहिताः7 ब्राह्मणाश्च  महात्मानः सॊमपाः संशितव्रताः पौरवृद्धाश्च यॆ तत्र निवसन्त्यस्मदाश्रयाः प्रसाद्य सर्वॆ वक्तव्याः पाण्डुः प्रव्रजितॊ वनम्॥8 निशम्य वचनं भर्तु: वनवासॆ धृतात्मनः तत्समं वचनं कुन्ती माद्री च समभाषताम्॥9 अन्यॆऽपि ह्याश्रमाः सन्ति यॆ शक्या भरतर्षभ आवाभ्यां धर्मपत्नीभ्यां सह तप्त्वा तपॊ महत् त्वमेव भविता सार्थः स्वर्गस्यापि न संशयः॥10 प्रणिधायॆन्द्रियग्रामं भर्तृलॊकपरायणॆ त्यक्तकामसुखॆ ह्यवां तप्स्यावॊ विपुलं तपः॥11 यदि आवां महाप्राज्ञ त्यक्ष्यसि त्वं विशांपतॆ अद्यैवावां प्रहास्यावॊ जीतिवं नात्र संशयः॥12 पाण्डुरुवाच। यदि व्यवसितं ह्येतद् युवयॊर्धर्मसंहितम् स्ववृत्तिमनुवर्तिष्यॆ तामहं पितुरव्ययाम्॥13 त्यक्ताग्राम्यसुखाचारम् तप्यमानॊ महत् तपः वल्कली फलमूलाशी चरिष्यामि महावनॆ॥14 अग्निं जुह्वन्नुभौ कालौ उभौ कालावुपस्पृशन् कृशः परिमिताहार: चीरचर्म जटाधरः॥15 वैशम्पायन उवाच। इत्येवमुक्त्वा भार्यॆ तॆ राजा कौरववंशजः ततश्चूडामणिं निष्कम् अङ्गदॆ कुण्डलानि च॥16 वासांसि च महार्हाणि स्त्रीणामाभरणानि च प्रदाय सर्वं विप्रॆभ्यः पाण्डुः पुनरभाषत॥17 गत्वा नागपुरं वाच्यं पाण्डुः प्रव्रजितॊ वनम् अर्थं कामं सुखं चैव रतिं च परमात्मिकाम् ॥18 प्रतस्थॆ सर्वमुत्सृज्य सभार्यः कुरुपुंगवः ततस्त्स्यानुयातार: तॆ चैव परिचारकाः॥19 श्रुत्वा भरत सिंहस्य विविधाः करुणा गिरः भीममार्तस्वरं कृत्वा हाहॆति परिचुक्रुशुः॥20 उष्णमश्रुविमुञ्चन्त: तं विहाय महीपतिम् ययुर्नागपुरं तूर्णं सर्वमादाय तद् धनम्॥21 श्रुत्वा च तॆभ्य: तत् सर्वं यथावृत्तं महावनॆ धृतराष्ट्रॊ नरश्रॆष्ठः पाण्डुमेवान्वशॊचत॥22 राजपुत्रस्तु कौरव्यः पाण्डुर्मूलफलाशनः जगाम सह भार्याभ्यां ततॊ नागसतं गिरिम्॥23 स चैत्ररथमासाद्य वारिषॆणमतीत्य च हिमवन्तमतिक्रम्य प्रययौ गन्धमादनम्॥24 रक्ष्यमाणॊ महाभूतैः सिद्धैश् च परमर्षिभिः उवास स तदा राजा समॆषु विषमॆषु च॥25 इन्द्रद्युम्न सरः प्राप्य हंसकूटमतीत्य च शतशृङ्गॆ महाराज तापसः समतप्यत॥26	26 (816)
Vaisampayana said, 'After the deer died, King Pandu, along with his wives, was deeply saddened and wept heartily. He cried out, 'The wicked, even if born into good families, are led astray by their own desires, and suffer the consequences of their actions. I have learned that my father, begotten by the virtuous Santanu, passed away young, simply because he succumbed to his passions. It was from this lustful king that the honorable Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana, known for his truthfulness, was born. Even though I am a son of such a being, my heart is wicked and I find myself wandering through the forests in pursuit of deer. Oh, the gods have truly abandoned me! I will seek salvation. The greatest barriers to salvation are the desires for children and worldly concerns. I will adopt the path of Brahmacharya and follow in my father's everlasting footsteps.'  Vaisampayana continued, 'Having expressed his sorrow, the king sighed and looked at his two wives, Kunti and Madri. He said to them, 'Let my mother, the princess of Kosala, along with Vidura, our friends, the wise Satyavati, Bhishma, our family priests, the respected Soma-drinking Brahmanas with strict vows, and all the elder citizens who depend on us, be informed—after due preparation—that Pandu has retired to the woods to live an ascetic life.'  Upon hearing her husband’s commitment to asceticism, both Kunti and Madri responded, 'O noble scion of the Bharata lineage, there are many other ways of life you could choose, where you could endure great penances with us, your devoted wives, and thus attain salvation for your body and gain heaven.' Together with our lord, we will give up all our desires and luxuries for his sake, embracing strict self-discipline. O king, wise one, if you abandon us, we will truly leave this world today.' Pandu responded, 'If your choice is truly virtuous, then I will join you on the eternal path of my ancestors. Leaving behind the comforts of city life, dressed in tree bark and living on fruits and roots, I will wander in the deep forests, practicing the harshest austerities. I will bathe in the morning and evening and perform rituals. By eating very little, I will wear rags and have tangled hair. Enduring heat and cold, ignoring hunger and thirst, I will live a life of severe asceticism in solitude, dedicating myself to meditation; I will eat whatever fruits, ripe or unripe, I find. I will offer prayers and offerings to my ancestors and the gods with my words, water, and wild fruits. I will avoid and harm no one in the woods, nor my relatives or city dwellers. Until I leave this body, I will follow the strict rules of the Vanaprastha scriptures, always striving for even stricter practices they might suggest.'  Vaisampayana went on, 'The Kuru king, after speaking to his wives, generously gave away the large jewel from his crown, his gold necklace, bracelets, large earrings, precious robes, and all the jewelry of his wives to the Brahmanas. He then called his attendants and instructed them, saying, 'Return to Hastinapura and announce to everyone that Pandu and his wives have gone into the forest, abandoning wealth, desires, happiness, and even their carnal pleasures.'  Hearing the king's heartbreaking words, his followers cried out, 'Oh, we are lost!' With tears streaming down their faces, they hurried back to Hastinapura, taking the riches meant for charity with them. When Dhritarashtra, the best of men, learned from them about everything that had happened in the woods, he mourned for his brother. He was overwhelmed by sorrow and found little joy in his beds, seats, and meals.  Meanwhile, Kuru prince Pandu, after sending away his attendants, along with his two wives, foraged for fruits and roots as they traveled to the Nagasata mountains. From there, he went to Chaitraratha, crossed the Kalakuta mountains, and eventually reached Gandhamadana after traversing the Himavat mountains. Surrounded by great spirits, Siddhas, and wise sages, Pandu lived, O king, at times on flat lands and at times on the mountain slopes. He then journeyed to the Indradyumna lake, crossed the Hansakuta mountains, and finally arrived at the peak of Shata-sringa (mountain with a hundred peaks), where he devoted himself to harsh ascetic practices.'"

  

इति श्री जयसंहिते आदिपर्वणि द्वादशोऽध्यायः॥

 

Ādiparva Chapter-11

Ādiparva Chapter-13