महाभारतम् — ३.१२६

युधिष्ठिर उवाच ।

मान्धाता राजशार्दूलस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः ।
कथं जातो महाब्रह्मन्यौवनाश्वो नृपोत्तमः ।
कथं चैतां परां काष्ठां प्राप्तवानमितद्युतिः ॥

M N Dutt Yudhishthira said: O great Brahmana, how was born that excellent king, that foremost of monarchs, the son of Yuvanashva, Mandhata, celebrated over the three worlds?

३.१२६.२

यस्य लोकास्त्रयो वश्या विष्णोरिव महात्मनः ।
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं चरितं तस्य धीमतः ॥

३.१२६.३

यथा मान्धातृशब्दश्च तस्य शक्रसमद्युतेः ।
जन्म चाप्रतिवीर्यस्य कुशलो ह्यसि भाषितुम् ॥

M N Dutt I am desirous to hear all about the life and achievements of that intelligent king. I should also like to hear when and how his name became Mandhata, belonging as it did to the greatly effulgent Indra and how that matchlessly powerful hero was born, you are greatly-skilled in the art of narrating all events, (narrate all this to me).

लोमश उवाच ।

३.१२६.४

शृणुष्वावहितो राजन्राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः ।
यथा मान्धातृशब्दो वै लोकेषु परिगीयते ॥

M N Dutt Lomasha said: O king, hear with attention how the name of Mandhata, that high-souled king, came to be famous all over the world.

३.१२६.५

इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो युवनाश्वो महीपतिः ।
सोऽयजत्पृथिवीपाल क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः ॥

M N Dutt The king Yuvanashva was born in the race of Ikshvaku. O ruler of earth, he performed many sacrifices in which Dakshinas (gifts) were large.

३.१२६.६

अश्वमेधसहस्रं च प्राप्य धर्मभृतां वरः ।
अन्यैश्च क्रतुभिर्मुख्यैर्विविधैराप्तदक्षिणैः ॥

M N Dutt That foremost of all virtuous men, performed one thousand horse-sacrifices. He also performed many other sacrifices in which Dakshinas were in abundance.

३.१२६.७

अनपत्यस्तु राजर्षिः स महात्मा दृढव्रतः ।
मन्त्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं वननित्यो बभूव ह ॥

M N Dutt But that royal sage had no son and therefore that high-souled and greatly vow-observing king made over to his ministers the duties of the state and went to live in the forest.

३.१२६.८

शास्त्रदृष्टेन विधिना संयोज्यात्मानमात्मना ।
पिपासाशुष्कहृदयः प्रविवेशाश्रमं भृगोः ॥

M N Dutt That high-souled king devoted himself to the pursuits, enjoined in the Shastras; and one day, O king, that monarch was much afflicted with observing a fast.

३.१२६.९

तामेव रात्रिं राजेन्द्र महात्मा भृगुनन्दनः ।
इष्टिं चकार सौद्युम्नेर्महर्षिः पुत्रकारणात् ॥

३.१२६.१०

संभृतो मन्त्रपूतेन वारिणा कलशो महान् ।
तत्रातिष्ठत राजेन्द्र पूर्वमेव समाहितः ।
यत्प्राश्य प्रसवेत्तस्य पत्नी शक्रसमं सुतम् ॥

३.१२६.११

तं न्यस्य वेद्यां कलशं सुषुपुस्ते महर्षयः ।
रात्रिजागरणश्रान्ताः सौद्युम्निः समतीत्य तान् ॥

M N Dutt Having been much fatigued by keeping up nights, those great Rishis placed that jar on the altar and went to sleep.

३.१२६.१२

शुष्ककण्ठः पिपासार्तः पानीयार्थी भृशं नृपः ।
तं प्रविश्याश्रमं श्रान्तः पानीयं सोऽभ्ययाचत ॥

M N Dutt The king was suffering from thirst, his palate was dry and he was eagerly looking for water. Entering the hermitage, greatly tired as he was, he asked for water.

३.१२६.१३

तस्य श्रान्तस्य शुष्केण कण्ठेन क्रोशतस्तदा ।
नाश्रौषीत्कश्चन तदा शकुनेरिव वाशितम् ॥

M N Dutt With fatigue and with a perched throat, he cried in a feeble voice which resembled like the inarticulate notes of a bird. Therefore none heard his voice.

३.१२६.१४

ततस्तं कलशं दृष्ट्वा जलपूर्णं स पार्थिवः ।
अभ्यद्रवत वेगेन पीत्वा चाम्भो व्यवासृजत् ॥

M N Dutt Thereupon the king, seeing the jar filled with water, quickly ran towards it. He drank the water and put the jar down.

३.१२६.१५

स पीत्वा शीतलं तोयं पिपासार्तो महीपतिः ।
निर्वाणमगमद्धीमान्सुसुखी चाभवत्तदा ॥

M N Dutt That intelligent king, who was very thirsty, drank that cool water; his thirst being quenched he became greatly happy.

३.१२६.१६

ततस्ते प्रत्यबुध्यन्त ऋषयः सनराधिपाः ।
निस्तोयं तं च कलशं ददृशुः सर्व एव ते ॥

M N Dutt Those ascetic Rishis then awoke from their sleep and all of them saw that the water of the jar was gone.

३.१२६.१७

कस्य कर्मेदमिति च पर्यपृच्छन्समागताः ।
युवनाश्वो मयेत्येव सत्यं समभिपद्यत ॥

M N Dutt The assembled all together and asked one another who had done this. Then Yuvanashva told the truth saying, “It was done by me.”

३.१२६.१८

न युक्तमिति तं प्राह भगवान्भार्गवस्तदा ।
सुतार्थं स्थापिता ह्यापस्तपसा चैव संभृताः ॥

M N Dutt The illustrious son of Bhrigu then said to hirn, O royal sage, O greatly powerful one, "It was not proper. This was kept with the object that a son may be born to you. It was endued with ascetic virtue. Having performed severe asceticism, I infused the virtue of my religious acts in this water, so that a son might be born to you.

३.१२६.१९

मया ह्यत्राहितं ब्रह्म तप आस्थाय दारुणम् ।
पुत्रार्थं तव राजर्षे महाबलपराक्रम ॥

M N Dutt The illustrious son of Bhrigu then said to hirn, O royal sage, O greatly powerful one, "It was not proper. This was kept with the object that a son may be born to you. It was endued with ascetic virtue. Having performed severe asceticism, I infused the virtue of my religious acts in this water, so that a son might be born to you.

३.१२६.२०

महाबलो महावीर्यस्तपोबलसमन्वितः ।
यः शक्रमपि वीर्येण गमयेद्यमसादनम् ॥

M N Dutt O king, a son would have been bom to you would have been greatly strong, courageous, endued with the prowess of asceticism and who by his might would have even sent Indra to the abode of Yama. It was thus that this water was prepared by me. By drinking this water, O king, you have done what was not proper.

३.१२६.२१

अनेन विधिना राजन्मयैतदुपपादितम् ।
अब्भक्षणं त्वया राजन्नयुक्तं कृतमद्य वै ॥

M N Dutt O king, a son would have been bom to you would have been greatly strong, courageous, endued with the prowess of asceticism and who by his might would have even sent Indra to the abode of Yama. It was thus that this water was prepared by me. By drinking this water, O king, you have done what was not proper.

३.१२६.२२

न त्वद्य शक्यमस्माभिरेतत्कर्तुमतोऽन्यथा ।
नूनं दैवकृतं ह्येतद्यदेवं कृतवानसि ॥

M N Dutt It is impossible now to turn back the incident which happened. What you have done was certainly ordained by Fate,

३.१२६.२३

पिपासितेन याः पीता विधिमन्त्रपुरस्कृताः ।
आपस्त्वया महाराज मत्तपोवीर्यसंभृताः ।
ताभ्यस्त्वमात्मना पुत्रमेवंवीर्यं जनिष्यसि ॥

३.१२६.२४

विधास्यामो वयं तत्र तवेष्टिं परमाद्भुताम् ।
यथा शक्रसमं पुत्रं जनयिष्यसि वीर्यवान् ॥

३.१२६.२५

ततो वर्षशते पूर्णे तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः ।
वामं पार्श्वं विनिर्भिद्य सुतः सूर्य इवापरः ॥

M N Dutt When one hundred years passed away, a son, as effulgent as the sun, came out by rising the left side of that high-souled king. The greatly effulgent child came out, but king Yuvanashva did not die, it was no doubt a great wonder.

३.१२६.२६

निश्चक्राम महातेजा न च तं मृत्युराविशत् ।
युवनाश्वं नरपतिं तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

M N Dutt When one hundred years passed away, a son, as effulgent as the sun, came out by rising the left side of that high-souled king. The greatly effulgent child came out, but king Yuvanashva did not die, it was no doubt a great wonder.

३.१२६.२७

ततः शक्रो महातेजास्तं दिदृक्षुरुपागमत् ।
प्रदेशिनीं ततोऽस्यास्ये शक्रः समभिसंदधे ॥

३.१२६.२८

मामयं धास्यतीत्येवं परिभाष्टः स वज्रिणा ।
मान्धातेति च नामास्य चक्रुः सेन्द्रा दिवौकसः ॥

३.१२६.२९

प्रदेशिनीं शक्रदत्तामास्वाद्य स शिशुस्तदा ।
अवर्धत महीपाल किष्कूणां च त्रयोदश ॥

३.१२६.३०

वेदास्तं सधनुर्वेदा दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि चेश्वरम् ।
उपतस्थुर्महाराज ध्यातमात्राणि सर्वशः ॥

M N Dutt O great king, the whole of the sacred learning together with the holy science of arms was acquired by that greatly intelligent boy by the simple and unassisted power of his thought.

३.१२६.३१

धनुराजगवं नाम शराः शृङ्गोद्भवाश्च ये ।
अभेद्यं कवचं चैव सद्यस्तमुपसंश्रयन् ॥

३.१२६.३२

सोऽभिषिक्तो मघवता स्वयं शक्रेण भारत ।
धर्मेण व्यजयल्लोकांस्त्रीन्विष्णुरिव विक्रमैः ॥

M N Dutt O descendant of Bharata, the bow, celebrated all over the world by the name of Ajagava and a large number of arrows made of horn, also an impenetrable armour, all came to him on the same day. He was installed on the throne by Indra himself and he then conquered the three worlds in righteous way, as once Vishnu did by three steps.

३.१२६.३३

तस्याप्रतिहतं चक्रं प्रावर्तत महात्मनः ।
रत्नानि चैव राजर्षिं स्वयमेवोपतस्थिरे ॥

M N Dutt The wheel of that high-souled king's car was irresistible in its course. Gems and jewels came to that royal sage of their own accord.

३.१२६.३४

तस्येयं वसुसंपूर्णा वसुधा वसुधाधिप ।
तेनेष्टं विविधैर्यज्ञैर्बहुभिः स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः ॥

M N Dutt O ruler of earth, this is the region which (once) belonged to him. It abounds in great wealth. He performed may sacrifices in which gifts were in abundance.

३.१२६.३५

चितचैत्यो महातेजा धर्मं प्राप्य च पुष्कलम् ।
शक्रस्यार्धासनं राजल्लब्धवानमितद्युतिः ॥

M N Dutt O king, that great, powerful and immeasurably effulgent king erected many sacred piles and performed greatly pious deeds, by which he obtained the privilege of sitting at Indra's side.

३.१२६.३६

एकाह्ना पृथिवी तेन धर्मनित्येन धीमता ।
निर्जिता शासनादेव सरत्नाकरपत्तना ॥

M N Dutt That intelligent king conquered and ruled with virtuous laws the earth with cities and with the sea, the abode of gems.

३.१२६.३७

तस्य चित्यैर्महाराज क्रतूनां दक्षिणावताम् ।
चतुरन्ता मही व्याप्ता नासीत्किंचिदनावृतम् ॥

M N Dutt O great king, the sacrificial grounds prepared by him were to be found all over the earth. There is not a single spot which is not marked with it.

३.१२६.३८

तेन पद्मसहस्राणि गवां दश महात्मना ।
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महाराज दत्तानीति प्रचक्षते ॥

M N Dutt O great king, that greatly powerful king is said to have given away to the Brahmanas ten thousand Padmas and kine.

३.१२६.३९

तेन द्वादशवार्षिक्यामनावृष्ट्यां महात्मना ।
वृष्टं सस्यविवृद्ध्यर्थं मिषतो वज्रपाणिनः ॥

M N Dutt When there was a draught extending for twelve years, disregarding the wielder of thunder, he caused rain to fall for the growth of crops.

३.१२६.४०

तेन सोमकुलोत्पन्नो गान्धाराधिपतिर्महान् ।
गर्जन्निव महामेघः प्रमथ्य निहतः शरैः ॥

M N Dutt The greatly powerful king of Gandhara, born in the Lunar dynasty, was terrible like the roaring clouds. Those that foolishly attacked him with arrows were immediately killed by him.

३.१२६.४१

प्रजाश्चतुर्विधास्तेन जिता राजन्महात्मना ।
तेनात्मतपसा लोकाः स्थापिताश्चापि तेजसा ॥

M N Dutt O king, that intelligent king protected the four orders of the people and by virtue of his asceticism and religious rites the world was kept from harm by that greatly powerful king.

३.१२६.४२

तस्यैतद्देवयजनं स्थानमादित्यवर्चसः ।
पश्य पुण्यतमे देशे कुरुक्षेत्रस्य मध्यतः ॥

M N Dutt This is the place where he, as effulgent as the sun, performed sacrifices to the celestials. Look as it. Yonder it is in the middle of Kurukshetra.

३.१२६.४३

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं मान्धातुश्चरितं महत् ।
जन्म चाग्र्यं महीपाल यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

M N Dutt O ruler of earth, I have thus narrated to you all the great history of Mandhata, the manner in which he was born, a birth which was surely wonderful.”

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