महाभारतम् — १३.२७

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

M N Dutt The old hero was lying on a bed coveted by heroes, in expectation of that sacred moment when he could take leave of his body. Many great Rishis had come there for seeing that foremost one of Bharata's race.

१३.२७.४

अत्रिर्वसिष्ठोऽथ भृगुः पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः ।
अङ्गिरा गौतमोऽगस्त्यः सुमतिः स्वायुरात्मवान् ॥

१३.२७.५

विश्वामित्रः स्थूलशिराः संवर्तः प्रमतिर्दमः ।
उशना बृहस्पतिर्व्यासश्च्यवनः काश्यपो ध्रुवः ॥

१३.२७.६

दुर्वासा जमदग्निश्च मार्कण्डेयोऽथ गालवः ।
भरद्वाजश्च रैभ्यश्च यवक्रीतस्त्रितस्तथा ॥

१३.२७.७

स्थूलाक्षः शकलाक्षश्च कण्वो मेधातिथिः कृशः ।
नारदः पर्वतश्चैव सुधन्वाथैकतो द्वितः ॥

M N Dutt There Sthulaksha, Shavalaksha, Kanwa, Medhatithi, Krishi, Narada, Parvata, Sudhanwan, Ekata and Dwita.

१३.२७.८

नितंभूर्भुवनो धौम्यः शतानन्दोऽकृतव्रणः ।
जामदग्न्यस्तथा रामः काम्यश्चेत्येवमादयः ।
समागता महात्मानो भीष्मं द्रष्टुं महर्षयः ॥

M N Dutt There also Nitambhu Bhuvana, Dhaumya, Shatananda, Akritavrana, Rama the son of Jamadagni and Kacha.

१३.२७.९

तेषां महात्मनां पूजामागतानां युधिष्ठिरः ।
भ्रातृभिः सहितश्चक्रे यथावदनुपूर्वशः ॥

M N Dutt All these great Rishis came there for seeing Bhishma lying on his bed of arrows. Yudhishthira with his brothers duly adored those great Rishis who had come there, one after another in proper order. Receiving that were were adoration, those foremost of Rishis sat themselves down and began to converse with one another.

१३.२७.१०

ते पूजिताः सुखासीनाः कथाश्चक्रुर्महर्षयः ।
भीष्माश्रिताः सुमधुराः सर्वेन्द्रियमनोहराः ॥

१३.२७.११

भीष्मस्तेषां कथाः श्रुत्वा ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम् ।
मेने दिविस्थमात्मानं तुष्ट्या परमया युतः ॥

१३.२७.१२

ततस्ते भीष्ममामन्त्र्य पाण्डवांश्च महर्षयः ।
अन्तर्धानं गताः सर्वे सर्वेषामेव पश्यताम् ॥

१३.२७.१३

तानृषीन्सुमहाभागानन्तर्धानगतानपि ।
पाण्डवास्तुष्टुवुः सर्वे प्रणेमुश्च मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

१३.२७.१४

प्रसन्नमनसः सर्वे गाङ्गेयं कुरुसत्तमाः ।
उपतस्थुर्यथोद्यन्तमादित्यं मन्त्रकोविदाः ॥

१३.२७.१५

प्रभावात्तपसस्तेषामृषीणां वीक्ष्य पाण्डवाः ।
प्रकाशन्तो दिशः सर्वा विस्मयं परमं ययुः ॥

१३.२७.१६

महाभाग्यं परं तेषामृषीणामनुचिन्त्य ते ।
पाण्डवाः सह भीष्मेण कथाश्चक्रुस्तदाश्रयाः ॥

M N Dutt Thinking of the high blessedness and power of those Rishis, the Pandava princes began to discourse on the subject with their grandfather Bhishma.

१३.२७.१७

कथान्ते शिरसा पादौ स्पृष्ट्वा भीष्मस्य पाण्डवः ।
धर्म्यं धर्मसुतः प्रश्नं पर्यपृच्छद्युधिष्ठिरः ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said After that conversation was over, the pious Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, touched Bhishma's feet with his head and then resumed his questions about morality and virtue.

१३.२७.१८

के देशाः के जनपदा आश्रमाः के च पर्वताः ।
प्रकृष्टाः पुण्यतः काश्च ज्ञेया नद्यः पितामह ॥

M N Dutt Yudhishthira said Which countries, which provinces, which hermitages, which mountains, and which rivers, O grandfather, are the foremost in sancity.

भीष्म उवाच ।

१३.२७.१९

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
शिलोञ्छवृत्तेः संवादं सिद्धस्य च युधिष्ठिर ॥

M N Dutt Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old conversation between a Brahmana in the observance of the Shila and the Unccha vows, O Yudhishthira, and a Rishi crowned with ascetic merits.

१३.२७.२०

इमां कश्चित्परिक्रम्य पृथिवीं शैलभूषिताम् ।
असकृद्द्विपदां श्रेष्ठः श्रेष्ठस्य गृहमेधिनः ॥

M N Dutt Once on a time, a foremost person, having travelled over this entire Earth adorned with mountains, arrived at last in the house of a foremost person living like a householder in accordance with the shila vow. The latter welcomed his guest with due rites. Received with such hospitality, the happy Rishi passed the night happily in the house of his host.

१३.२७.२१

शिलवृत्तेर्गृहं प्राप्तः स तेन विधिनार्चितः ।
कृतकृत्य उपातिष्ठत्सिद्धं तमतिथिं तदा ॥

M N Dutt The next morning the Brahmana in the observance of the Shila vow, having finished all his morning acts and rites and purified himself duly, gladly approached his guest crowned with ascetic success.

१३.२७.२२

तौ समेत्य महात्मानौ सुखासीनौ कथाः शुभाः ।
चक्रतुर्वेदसंबद्धास्तच्छेषकृतलक्षणाः ॥

M N Dutt Meeting with each other and seated at their ease, the two began to take on agreeable subjects of the Vedas and the Upanishads.

१३.२७.२३

शिलवृत्तिः कथान्ते तु सिद्धमामन्त्र्य यत्नतः ।
प्रश्नं पप्रच्छ मेधावी यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

M N Dutt Towards the conclusion of the discourse, the Brahmana in the observance of the Shila vow respectfully addressed the Rishi crowned with success. Gifted with intelligence, he put this very question which you, O Yudhishthira have put to me.

शिलवृत्तिरुवाच ।

१३.२७.२४

के देशाः के जनपदाः केऽऽश्रमाः के च पर्वताः ।
प्रकृष्टाः पुण्यतः काश्च ज्ञेया नद्यस्तदुच्यताम् ॥

M N Dutt Yudhishthira said Which countries, which provinces, which hermitages, which mountains, and which rivers, O grandfather, are the foremost in sancity.

सिद्ध उवाच ।

१३.२७.२५

ते देशास्ते जनपदास्तेऽऽश्रमास्ते च पर्वताः ।
येषां भागीरथी गङ्गा मध्येनैति सरिद्वरा ॥

M N Dutt The Rishi said Those countries, those provinces, those retreats, and those mountains, should be considered as the foremost in sanctity through which or by the side of which that foremost of all rivers viz., Bhagirathi, flows.

१३.२७.२६

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण यज्ञैस्त्यागेन वा पुनः ।
गतिं तां न लभेज्जन्तुर्गङ्गां संसेव्य यां लभेत् ॥

M N Dutt The end which a creature can attain by penances by Brahmacharyya by sacrifices or by practising Renunciation, one is sure to attain by only living by the side of the Bhagirathi and bathing in its sacred waters.

१३.२७.२७

स्पृष्टानि येषां गाङ्गेयैस्तोयैर्गात्राणि देहिनाम् ।
न्यस्तानि न पुनस्तेषां त्यागः स्वर्गाद्विधीयते ॥

M N Dutt Those creatures whose bodies have been sprinkled with the sacred waters of Bhagirathi or whose bones have been laid in that sacred stream, have not to fall away from heaven at any time.

१३.२७.२८

सर्वाणि येषां गाङ्गेयैस्तोयैः कृत्यानि देहिनाम् ।
गां त्यक्त्वा मानवा विप्र दिवि तिष्ठन्ति तेऽचलाः ॥

M N Dutt Those men, O learned Brahmana, who use the waters of Bhagirathi in all their acts surely go to heaven after death.

१३.२७.२९

पूर्वे वयसि कर्माणि कृत्वा पापानि ये नराः ।
पश्चाद्गङ्गां निषेवन्ते तेऽपि यान्त्युत्तमां गतिम् ॥

M N Dutt Even those men who, having committed various sinful deeds in the first part of their lives, live in after years by the side of Ganga, succeed in attaining to a very superior end.

१३.२७.३०

स्नातानां शुचिभिस्तोयैर्गाङ्गेयैः प्रयतात्मनाम् ।
व्युष्टिर्भवति या पुंसां न सा क्रतुशतैरपि ॥

M N Dutt Hundreds of sacrifices cannot yield that merit which men of controlled souls are capable of acquiring by bathing in the sacred waters of Ganga.

१३.२७.३१

यावदस्थि मनुष्यस्य गङ्गातोयेषु तिष्ठति ।
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गं प्राप्य महीयते ॥

M N Dutt A person is respected and adored in the celestial region for as long a period as his bones lie in the channel of Ganga.

१३.२७.३२

अपहत्य तमस्तीव्रं यथा भात्युदये रविः ।
तथापहत्य पाप्मानं भाति गङ्गाजलोक्षितः ॥

M N Dutt Even as the Sun, when he rises at the dawn of day, shines, having removed the darkness of night, likewise the person who has bathed in the waters of Ganga is seen to shine, purged of all his sins.

१३.२७.३३

विसोमा इव शर्वर्यो विपुष्पास्तरवो यथा ।
तद्वद्देशा दिशश्चैव हीना गङ्गाजलैः शुभैः ॥

M N Dutt The countries and the points of the compass which are destitute of the sacred waters of Ganga are like nights without the moon or trees without flowers. Indeed a world without Ganga is like the different castes and modes of life when they are shorn of virtue or like sacrifices without Soma.

१३.२७.३४

वर्णाश्रमा यथा सर्वे स्वधर्मज्ञानवर्जिताः ।
क्रतवश्च यथासोमास्तथा गङ्गां विना जगत् ॥

M N Dutt The countries and the points of the compass which are destitute of the sacred waters of Ganga are like nights without the moon or trees without flowers. Indeed a world without Ganga is like the different castes and modes of life when they are shorn of virtue or like sacrifices without Soma.

१३.२७.३५

यथा हीनं नभोऽर्केण भूः शैलैः खं च वायुना ।
तथा देशा दिशश्चैव गङ्गाहीना न संशयः ॥

M N Dutt Forsooth countries and points of the compass which are without Ganga are like the sky without the sun or the Earth without mountains, or the etherial region without air.

१३.२७.३६

त्रिषु लोकेषु ये केचित्प्राणिनः सर्व एव ते ।
तर्प्यमाणाः परां तृप्तिं यान्ति गङ्गाजलैः शुभैः ॥

M N Dutt All the creatures in the three worlds, if served with the sacred waters of Ganga, derive a pleasure the like of which they cannot derive from any other source.

१३.२७.३७

यस्तु सूर्येण निष्टप्तं गाङ्गेयं पिबते जलम् ।
गवां निर्हारनिर्मुक्ताद्यावकात्तद्विशिष्यते ॥

M N Dutt He who drinks Ganga water which has been heated by the Sun's rays, derives merit much greater than that which belongs to the vow of living upon the wheat or grains or other corn picked up from cowdung.

१३.२७.३८

इन्दुव्रतसहस्रं तु चरेद्यः कायशोधनम् ।
पिबेद्यश्चापि गङ्गाम्भः समौ स्यातां न वा समौ ॥

M N Dutt It cannot be said whether, he who performs a thousand Chandrayana rites for purifying his body and he who drinks the water of Ganga, are equal.

१३.२७.३९

तिष्ठेद्युगसहस्रं तु पादेनैकेन यः पुमान् ।
मासमेकं तु गङ्गायां समौ स्यातां न वा समौ ॥

M N Dutt It cannot be said whether one who stands for a thousand years on one foot and one who lives for only a month by the side of Ganga are equal.

१३.२७.४०

लम्बेतावाक्शिरा यस्तु युगानामयुतं पुमान् ।
तिष्ठेद्यथेष्टं यश्चापि गङ्गायां स विशिष्यते ॥

M N Dutt One who lives permanently by the side of Ganga is superior in merit to one who lives for ten thousand cycles with head hanging downwards.

१३.२७.४१

अग्नौ प्राप्तं प्रधूयेत यथा तूलं द्विजोत्तम ।
तथा गङ्गावगाढस्य सर्वं पापं प्रधूयते ॥

M N Dutt As cotton, when it comes into contact with fire, is burnt off without a residue, so the sins of the person that has bathed in Ganga become perfectly consumed.

१३.२७.४२

भूतानामिह सर्वेषां दुःखोपहतचेतसाम् ।
गतिमन्वेषमाणानां न गङ्गासदृशी गतिः ॥

M N Dutt There is no end superior to Ganga for those creatures who, with hearts afflicted by sorrow, seek to attain to ends which may remove that sorrow of theirs.

१३.२७.४३

भवन्ति निर्विषाः सर्पा यथा तार्क्ष्यस्य दर्शनात् ।
गङ्गाया दर्शनात्तद्वत्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥

M N Dutt As snakes become shorn of their poison as soon as they see Garuda, so one becomes purged of all his sins as soon as he sees the sacred river Ganga.

१३.२७.४४

अप्रतिष्ठाश्च ये केचिदधर्मशरणाश्च ये ।
तेषां प्रतिष्ठा गङ्गेह शरणं शर्म वर्म च ॥

M N Dutt They who do not enjoy fame for virtue and they who are addicted to deeds of sinfulness, have Ganga for their fame, their protection, their means of safety their refuge or cover.

१३.२७.४५

प्रकृष्टैरशुभैर्ग्रस्ताननेकैः पुरुषाधमान् ।
पततो नरके गङ्गा संश्रितान्प्रेत्य तारयेत् ॥

M N Dutt Many wretched men who commit various sins of a heinous nature, when they are about to sink into hell, are rescued by Ganga in the next world.

१३.२७.४६

ते संविभक्ता मुनिभिर्नूनं देवैः सवासवैः ।
येऽभिगच्छन्ति सततं गङ्गामभिगतां सुरैः ॥

M N Dutt They, O foremost of intelligent men, who plunge every day in the sacred waters of Ganga, become the equals of great Munis and the very deities headed by Indra.

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