कथासरित्सागरः — नवविंशस्तरङ्गः

नवविंशस्तरङ्गः ।

ततो राजा पुनर्गत्वा वेतालं शिंशपाग्रतः ।
स त्रिविक्रमसेनस्तं प्राप्यांसारोपितं व्यधात् ॥

Summary AI Then King Trivikramasena went back to the śiṃśapā tree, reached the vetāla, and having caught him, placed him upon his shoulder.

१२.२९.२

आयान्तं तं च राजानं स वेतालो ऽब्रवीत्पथि ।
राजन्साधुः सुसत्त्वस्त्वं तदपूर्वां कथां शृणु ॥

Summary AI As the King was returning, the vetāla said to him on the way, 'O King, you are a noble and truly courageous man; therefore, listen to a marvelous story.'

१२.२९.३

बभूव पूर्वं कुसुमपुराख्यनगरेश्वरः ।
पृथ्वीतले ऽस्मिन्धरणीवराहो नाम भूपतिः ॥

Summary AI Formerly, on this earth, there was a king named Dharaṇīvarāha, who was the lord of the city called Kusumpura.

१२.२९.४

तस्य ब्राह्मणभूयिष्ठे राष्ट्रे ब्रह्मस्थलाभिधः ।
अग्रहारो ऽभवत्तत्र विष्णुस्वामीत्यभूद्द्विजः ॥

Summary AI In his kingdom, which was mostly inhabited by brāhmaṇas, there was a land-grant named Brahmasthala, where a brāhmaṇa named Viṣṇusvāmin lived.

१२.२९.५

तस्यानुरूपा भार्याभूद्यथा स्वाहा हविर्भुजः ।
तस्यां च तस्य चत्वारः क्रमादुत्पेदिरे सुताः ॥

Summary AI He had a worthy wife, just as Svāhā is to Agni, and from her, four sons were born to him in succession.

१२.२९.६

अधीतवेदेषूत्क्रान्तशैशवेषु च तेषु सः ।
विष्णुस्वामी दिवं प्रायाद्भार्ययानुगतस्तया ॥

Summary AI When those sons had studied the Vedas and passed their childhood, Viṣṇusvāmin died and went to heaven, followed by his wife.

१२.२९.७

ततस्ते तत्र तत्पुत्राः सर्वे ऽप्यानाय्य दुःस्थिताः ।
गोत्रजैर्हृतसर्वस्वा मन्त्रयांचक्रिरे मिथः ॥

Summary AI Then, all those sons, having been deprived of all their property by their kinsmen and left in a miserable state, consulted among themselves.

१२.२९.८

नास्तीह गतिरस्माकं तद्व्रजामो वयं न किम् ।
इतो मातामहगृहं ग्रामं यञ्जस्थलाभिधम् ॥

Summary AI 'We have no means of livelihood here; therefore, why should we not go from here to our maternal grandfather's house in the village named Yajñasthala?'

१२.२९.९

एतदेव विनिश्चित्य प्रस्थिता भैक्ष्यभोजनाः ।
मातामहगृहं प्रापुस्ते ऽथ तद्बहुभिर्दिनैः ॥

Summary AI Having decided this, they set out, subsisting on alms, and after many days, they reached their maternal grandfather's house.

१२.२९.१०

तत्र मातामहाभावान्मातुलैर्दत्तसंश्रयाः ।
भुञ्जानास्तद्गृहे तस्थुः स्वाध्यायाभ्यासतत्पराः ॥

Summary AI Since their grandfather was dead, they were given shelter by their maternal uncles, and they lived in their house, eating there and devoting themselves to Vedic study.

१२.२९.११

कालक्रमाच्च तेषां ते मातुलानामकिंचनाः ।
अवज्ञापात्रतां जग्मुर्भोजनाच्छादनादिषु ॥

Summary AI In the course of time, being penniless, they became objects of contempt to their uncles regarding food, clothing, and other necessities.

१२.२९.१२

ततः स्वजनसंस्फूर्जदवमानहतात्मनाम् ।
तेषां रहः सचिन्तानां ज्येष्ठो भ्राताब्रवीदिदम् ॥

Summary AI Then, as they sat in private, worried and their spirits crushed by the contempt shown by their own kin, the eldest brother said this.

१२.२९.१३

भो भ्रातरः किं क्रियते सर्वमाचेष्टते विधिः ।
न शक्यं पुरुषस्येह क्वचित्किंचित्कदाचन ॥

Summary AI 'O brothers, what can be done? Fate ordains everything; nothing is possible for a man anywhere at any time by his own effort.'

१२.२९.१४

अहं ह्युद्वेगतो भ्राम्यन्प्राप्तो ऽद्य पितृकानने ।
विपन्नस्थितमद्राक्षं त्रस्ताङ्गं पुरुषं भुवि ॥

Summary AI 'While wandering in agitation today, I reached the cemetery and saw a man lying dead on the ground with his limbs distorted.'

१२.२९.१५

अचिन्तयं च दृष्ट्वा तमहं तां स्पृहयन्गतिम् ।
धन्यो ऽयमेवं विश्रान्तो दुःखभारं विमुच्य यः ॥

Summary AI 'Seeing him, I longed for his state and thought, "Blessed is this man, who has cast off the burden of sorrow and is thus at rest."'

१२.२९.१६

इति संचिन्त्य तत्कालं कृत्वा मरणनिश्चयम् ।
वृक्षाग्रसङ्गिना पाशेनात्मानमुदलम्बयम् ॥

Summary AI 'Thinking thus, I immediately resolved to die and hung myself with a noose attached to the top of a tree.'

१२.२९.१७

यावच्च मे विसंज्ञस्य तदा निर्यान्ति नासवः ।
तावत्त्रुटितपाशो ऽत्र पतितो ऽस्मि महीतले ॥

Summary AI 'But while I was unconscious and my life-breaths had not yet departed, the noose broke, and I fell here upon the earth.'

१२.२९.१८

लब्धसंज्ञश्च केनापि पुंसा क्षिप्रात्कृपालुना ।
आश्वास्यमानमात्मानमपश्यं पटमारुतैः ॥

Summary AI 'Regaining consciousness, I found myself being quickly revived by some compassionate man fanning me with the air from a cloth.'

१२.२९.१९

सखे कथय विद्वानप्येवं कं प्रति खिद्यसे ।
सुखं हि सुकृताद्दुःखं दुःकृतादेति नान्यतः ॥

Summary AI 'He said, "Friend, tell me, why do you, though wise, grieve so? Indeed, happiness comes from merit and sorrow from sin; it comes from no other source."'

१२.२९.२०

दुःखाद्यदि तवोद्वेगः सुकृतं तत्समाचर ।
कथं तु नारकं दुःखमात्मत्यागेन वाञ्छसि ॥

Summary AI '"If you are distressed by sorrow, then perform virtuous deeds. Why do you desire the agonies of hell by committing suicide?"'

१२.२९.२१

इत्युक्त्वा मां समाश्वास्य स च क्वापि गतः पुमान् ।
अहं चेहागतस्त्यक्त्वा तादृशं मरणोद्यमम् ॥

Summary AI Having spoken thus and comforted me, that man disappeared; and I, abandoning such an attempt at suicide, have come here.

१२.२९.२२

तदेवं नेच्छति विधौ न मर्तुमपि लभ्यते ।
इदानीं च तनुं तीर्थे तपसा दाहयाम्यहम् ॥

Summary AI When Fate does not desire it, death cannot be attained. Therefore, I shall now consume my body through penance at a tīrtha.

१२.२९.२३

येन निर्धनतादुःखभागी न स्यामहं पुनः ।
इत्युक्तवन्तं ज्येष्ठं तं कनिष्ठा भ्रातरो ऽब्रुवन् ॥

Summary AI "So that I may never again suffer the misery of poverty." To the eldest brother who spoke thus, the younger brothers replied.

१२.२९.२४

अर्थैर्विना कथं प्राज्ञो ऽप्यार्य दुःकेन बाध्यसे ।
किं न वेत्सि यदर्थानां शरदभ्रचला गतिः ॥

Summary AI "O noble brother! Why are you, despite being wise, tormented by grief for lack of wealth? Do you not know that the course of riches is as fleeting as autumnal clouds?"

१२.२९.२५

आहृत्य रक्ष्यमाणापि यत्नेनान्तविरागिणी ।
असन्मैत्री च वेश्या च श्रीश्च कस्य कदा स्थिरा ॥

Summary AI "The friendship of the wicked, a courtesan, and Fortune—though acquired and guarded with effort—are inherently prone to desertion. To whom have they ever remained stable?"

१२.२९.२६

तदुद्योगेन स गुणः को ऽप्युपार्ज्यो मनस्विना ।
आनीयन्ते हटाद्बद्ध्वा येनार्थहरिणा मुहुः ॥

Summary AI "Therefore, a wise man should exert effort to acquire some skill by which the deer-like riches are repeatedly captured by force."

१२.२९.२७

इत्युक्तो भ्रातृभिर्धैर्यं क्षणाज्ज्येष्ठो ऽवलम्ब्य सः ।
उवाच को गुणस्तादृगर्जनीयो भवेदिति ॥

Summary AI Addressed thus by his brothers, the eldest regained his courage in a moment and asked, "What kind of skill should be acquired?"

१२.२९.२८

ततो विचित्य सर्वे ते वदन्ति स्म परस्परम् ।
विचिन्त्य पृथ्वीं विज्ञानं किंचिच्छिक्षामहे वयम् ॥

Summary AI Then, after deliberating, they said to one another, "Let us travel the earth and learn some specialized science."

१२.२९.२९

निश्चित्यैतच्च संकेतस्थानमुक्त्वा समागमे ।
एकैकशस्ते चत्वारश्चतस्रः प्रययुर्दिशः ॥

Summary AI Having decided this and agreed upon a rendezvous for their return, the four brothers set out individually in the four directions.

१२.२९.३०

याति काले च मिलितास्ते संकेतनिकेतने ।
किं केन शिक्षितमिति भ्रातरो ऽन्योन्यमब्रुवन् ॥

Summary AI As time passed, they met at the appointed place. The brothers asked one another, "What science has been mastered by whom?"

१२.२९.३१

अथात्रैको ऽब्रवीदीदृग्विज्ञानं शिक्षितं मया ।
येनास्थिशकलं प्राप्य प्राणिनो यस्य कस्यचित् ॥

Summary AI Then one of them said, "I have learned a science whereby, having obtained a bone fragment of any creature..."

१२.२९.३२

उत्पादयाम्यहं तस्मिन्मांसं तदुचितं क्षणात् ।
एतत्तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा द्वितीयस्तेष्वभाषत ॥

Summary AI "...I can instantly produce appropriate flesh upon it." Hearing his words, the second among them spoke.

१२.२९.३३

अहं तत्रैव संजातमांसे ऽस्थिशकले किल ।
जाने जनयितुं लोमत्वचं तत्प्राणिसंभवि ॥

Summary AI "Upon that bone fragment where the flesh has been produced, I know how to create the skin and hair belonging to that creature."

१२.२९.३४

ततस्तृतीयो ऽप्यवदज्जाने तत्रैव चास्म्यहम् ।
तत्प्रान्यवयवान्स्रष्टुं जातत्वङ्मांसलोमनि ॥

Summary AI Then the third one said, "I am able to create the limbs of that creature upon the frame where the skin, flesh, and hair have been formed."

१२.२९.३५

चतुर्थश्च ततो ऽवादीदुत्पन्नावयवाकृतिम् ।
तमेव प्राणिनं प्रानैर्युक्तं कर्तुमवैम्यहम् ॥

Summary AI And then the fourth said, "I know how to endow that very creature, whose limbs and form have been produced, with life."

१२.२९.३६

एवमुक्त्वा मिथः स्वस्वविज्ञानप्रथनाय ते ।
चत्वारो ऽप्यस्थिखण्डाय प्रययुर्भ्रातरो ऽटवीम् ॥

Summary AI Having spoken thus, the four brothers went to the forest to find a bone fragment to demonstrate their respective sciences to each other.

१२.२९.३७

तत्र सिंहस्य ते प्रापुरस्थिखण्डं विधेर्वशात् ।
अविज्ञातविशेषाश्च गृह्नन्ति स्म तथैव तत् ॥

Summary AI There, by the power of Fate, they found a bone of a lion. Not recognizing the species, they took it up just as it was.

१२.२९.३८

एकश्च तत्समुचितैस्ततो मांसैरयोजयत् ।
द्वितीयो ऽजनयत्तस्य तद्वत्त्वग्लोमसंहतीः ॥

Summary AI Then one of them covered it with appropriate flesh. The second, likewise, produced the integument of skin and hair for it.

१२.२९.३९

तृतीयश्चाखिलैरङ्गैस्तद्योग्यैस्तदपूरयत् ।
चतुर्थश्च ददौ तस्य सिंहीभूतस्य जीवितम् ॥

Summary AI The third completed it with all the suitable limbs. And the fourth gave life to that creature which had now become a lion.

१२.२९.४०

उदतिष्ठदथोद्धूतसटाभारो ऽतिभैरवः ।
स दंष्ट्रासंकटमुखः सिंहः खरनखाङ्कुशः ॥

Summary AI Then there arose an extremely terrifying lion with a tossing mass of mane, a mouth crowded with fangs, and sharp claws like hooks.

१२.२९.४१

धावित्वा च स्वनिर्मातॄंस्तानेव चतुरो ऽपि सः ।
अवधीत्केसरी तृप्तो विवेश च वनं ततः ॥

Summary AI After running, the lion killed all four of its creators, and then, being satisfied, entered the forest.

१२.२९.४२

एवं ते सिंहनिर्माणदोषान्नष्टा द्विजातयः ।
दुष्टं हि जन्तुमुत्थाप्य कस्यात्मनि सुखं भवेत् ॥

Summary AI Thus, those dvijātis perished due to the fault of creating a lion; for who can find happiness within themselves after raising a wicked beast?

१२.२९.४३

इत्थं चोपार्जितो यत्नाद्गुणो ऽपि विधुरे विधौ ।
संपत्तये न न परं जायते तु विपत्तये ॥

Summary AI Similarly, when fate is adverse, even a skill acquired with great effort does not lead to prosperity, but rather results only in misfortune.

१२.२९.४४

मूले ह्यविकृते दैवे सिक्ते प्रज्ञानवारिणा ।
नयालवालः फलति प्रायः पौरुषपादपः ॥

Summary AI When fate, the root, remains uncorrupted and is watered with wisdom, the tree of human effort, rooted in the trench of policy, generally bears fruit.

१२.२९.४५

इति तस्यां निशि मार्गे वेतालेनांसतः कथां तेन ।
आख्याय स त्रिविक्रमसेनो राजा पुनर्जगदे ॥

Summary AI Having told this story on the road that night while on the shoulder, the vetāla spoke again to King Trivikramasena.

१२.२९.४६

राजंस्तेष्वपराध्यति चतुर्षु कस्तत्र सिंहनिर्माणे ।
यन्न्यवधीत्तत्कॢप्तो वद समयः सो ऽत्र पूर्वस्ते ॥

Summary AI O King! Among those four, who is the one at fault in the creation of the lion? Answer this, for the previous condition agreed upon by you still holds.

१२.२९.४७

इति वेतालाच्छ्रुत्वा राजा सो ऽचिन्तयद्विमौनस्य ।
इच्छति गन्तुमयं मे यात्वानेष्याम्यमुं भूयः ॥

Summary AI Hearing this from the vetāla, the King thought that the creature wanted him to break his silence so he could leave; therefore, he decided to go and bring him back again.

१२.२९.४८

इति हृदि निश्चित्य स तं महीपतिः प्रत्युवाच वेतालम् ।
यस्तस्य जीवदायी सिंहस्य स पापभाक्तेषु ॥

Summary AI Having decided thus in his heart, the King replied to the vetāla that among them, the one who gave life to the lion is the one who bears the sin.

१२.२९.४९

प्राणिविशेषमबुद्ध्वा मांसत्वग्लोमगात्रनिर्माणम् ।
युक्तिबलात्तु कृतं यैस्तेषां दोषो ऽस्ति नाज्ञानात् ॥

Summary AI Those who constructed the flesh, skin, hair, and limbs through the power of logic without knowing which specific animal it was, are not at fault due to their ignorance.

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