महाभारतम् — ३.२८७

जनमेजय उवाच ।

किं तद्गुह्यं न चाख्यातं कर्णायेहोष्णरश्मिना ।
कीदृशे कुण्डले ते च कवचं चैव कीदृशम् ॥

M N Dutt Janamejaya said : What was that secret which the god of hot rays did not give out to Karna? Of what nature were that coat of mail and those two ear-rings? Orighteous one, where did that armour and those two ear-rings of his spring from? O being whose wealth is devotion, I am curious to learn all this. Therefore relate to me all this.

३.२८७.२

कुतश्च कवचं तस्य कुण्डले चैव सत्तम ।
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तन्मे ब्रूहि तपोधन ॥

M N Dutt Janamejaya said : What was that secret which the god of hot rays did not give out to Karna? Of what nature were that coat of mail and those two ear-rings? Orighteous one, where did that armour and those two ear-rings of his spring from? O being whose wealth is devotion, I am curious to learn all this. Therefore relate to me all this.

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

३.२८७.३

अयं राजन्ब्रवीम्येतद्यत्तद्गुह्यं विभावसोः ।
यादृशे कुण्डले चैव कवचं चैव यादृशम् ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said : O king, I am now relating to you the secret of the god having his rays for wealth and also of what sort the armour and the pair of earrings were.

३.२८७.४

कुन्तिभोजं पुरा राजन्ब्राह्मणः समुपस्थितः ।
तिग्मतेजा महाप्रांशुः श्मश्रुदण्डजटाधरः ॥

M N Dutt Formerly, O monarch, there came a highlyenergetic Brahmana to Kuntibhoja. He was tall in stature, wore beard and matted locks, carried a staff in his hand.

३.२८७.५

दर्शनीयोऽनवद्याङ्गस्तेजसा प्रज्वलन्निव ।
मधुपिङ्गो मधुरवाक्तपःस्वाध्यायभूषणः ॥

M N Dutt Was agreeable to look at and of faultless proportions and seemed as if burning in splendour. His complexion was yellow and he spoke sweet words. He was possessed of devotion and he studied the Vedas.

३.२८७.६

स राजानं कुन्तिभोजमब्रवीत्सुमहातपाः ।
भिक्षामिच्छाम्यहं भोक्तुं तव गेहे विमत्सर ॥

M N Dutt That Brahmana of great and excellent devotion said to king Kuntibhoja "O being that is free from pride, I am desirous of eating at your house (the food) obtained as alms.

३.२८७.७

न मे व्यलीकं कर्तव्यं त्वया वा तव चानुगैः ।
एवं वत्स्यामि ते गेहे यदि ते रोचतेऽनघ ॥

M N Dutt I can, if you like it, dwell at your house under the condition that neither you nor your attendants will cross me in any way.

३.२८७.८

यथाकामं च गच्छेयमागच्छेयं तथैव च ।
शय्यासने च मे राजन्नापराध्येत कश्चन ॥

M N Dutt I will go out and come in at my pleasure. And O king, with regard to my food or bed no body shall disturb me."

३.२८७.९

तमब्रवीत्कुन्तिभोजः प्रीतियुक्तमिदं वचः ।
एवमस्तु परं चेति पुनश्चैनमथाब्रवीत् ॥

M N Dutt (Then) Kuntibhoja gladly said these words "be it so and even more than this.” And he told him again thus.

३.२८७.१०

मम कन्या महाब्रह्मन्पृथा नाम यशस्विनी ।
शीलवृत्तान्विता साध्वी नियता न च मानिनी ॥

M N Dutt "O highly wise one, I have a renowned daughter, Pritha by name. That damsel is endowed with good manners, is observant of vows, chaste and self-controlled.

३.२८७.११

उपस्थास्यति सा त्वां वै पूजयानवमन्य च ।
तस्याश्च शीलवृत्तेन तुष्टिं समुपयास्यसि ॥

M N Dutt She, without despising you, will wait on you and minister to your comforts. And you also will be pleased with her (graceful) manners.”

३.२८७.१२

एवमुक्त्वा तु तं विप्रमभिपूज्य यथाविधि ।
उवाच कन्यामभ्येत्य पृथां पृथुललोचनाम् ॥

M N Dutt Saying this and duly worshipping that Brahmana, he (the king) went to his daughter Pritha, endued with large eyes and said to her thus,

३.२८७.१३

अयं वत्से महाभागो ब्राह्मणो वस्तुमिच्छति ।
मम गेहे मया चास्य तथेत्येवं प्रतिश्रुतम् ॥

M N Dutt "This highly fortunate Brahmana, O child, wishes to dwell in my house. I have promised hiin this saying “be it so."

३.२८७.१४

त्वयि वत्से पराश्वस्य ब्राह्मणस्याभिराधनम् ।
तन्मे वाक्यं न मिथ्या त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि कर्हिचित् ॥

M N Dutt O child, you will minister to this Brahimana with great skill. And you will act in such a way as not to belie my words.

३.२८७.१५

अयं तपस्वी भगवान्स्वाध्यायनियतो द्विजः ।
यद्यद्ब्रूयान्महातेजास्तत्तद्देयममत्सरात् ॥

M N Dutt What this highly-energetic, reverend and ascetic twice-born one devoted to the study of the Vedas, asks for, will be given him without and pride.

३.२८७.१६

ब्राह्मणा हि परं तेजो ब्राह्मणा हि परं तपः ।
ब्राह्मणानां नमस्कारैः सूर्यो दिवि विराजते ॥

M N Dutt A Brahmana represents the highest energy and the highest devotion, and it is in virtue of the devoutness of the Brahmanas that the sun shines in the heavens.

३.२८७.१७

अमानयन्हि मानार्हान्वातापिश्च महासुरः ।
निहतो ब्रह्मदण्डेन तालजङ्घस्तथैव च ॥

M N Dutt Disregarding those that deserve honour, the great Asura, Vatapi, as well Talajangha, met with destruction by virtue of the curse of the Brahmanas.

३.२८७.१८

सोऽयं वत्से महाभार आहितस्त्वयि सांप्रतम् ।
त्वं सदा नियता कुर्या ब्राह्मणस्याभिराधनम् ॥

M N Dutt O child, now this highly fortunate one is entrusted to your care. You should be particularly careful in ministering to him.

३.२८७.१९

जानामि प्रणिधानं ते बाल्यात्प्रभृति नन्दिनि ।
ब्राह्मणेष्विह सर्वेषु गुरुबन्धुषु चैव ह ॥

M N Dutt O daughter, I am aware, that since your very infancy you have been ever attentive to the Brahmanas, all your superiors, all the servants, friends, relations, your mothers and myself. You have a proper regard for every one.

३.२८७.२०

तथा प्रेष्येषु सर्वेषु मित्रसंबन्धिमातृषु ।
मयि चैव यथावत्त्वं सर्वमादृत्य वर्तसे ॥

M N Dutt O daughter, I am aware, that since your very infancy you have been ever attentive to the Brahmanas, all your superiors, all the servants, friends, relations, your mothers and myself. You have a proper regard for every one.

३.२८७.२१

न ह्यतुष्टो जनोऽस्तीह पुरे चान्तःपुरे च ते ।
सम्यग्वृत्त्यानवद्याङ्गि तव भृत्यजनेष्वपि ॥

M N Dutt O girl of faultless proportions, on account of your good dealings no one in the city or in the palace, even none of your servants, is displeased with you.

३.२८७.२२

संदेष्टव्यां तु मन्ये त्वां द्विजातिं कोपनं प्रति ।
पृथे बालेति कृत्वा वै सुता चासि ममेति च ॥

M N Dutt I have, therefore, thought you fit for the ministration of the Brahmanas, who as a rule, are of irritable temper. O Pritha, you are a girl (yet) and my daughter by adoption.

३.२८७.२३

वृष्णीनां त्वं कुले जाता शूरस्य दयिता सुता ।
दत्ता प्रीतिमता मह्यं पित्रा बाला पुरा स्वयम् ॥

M N Dutt You have sprung from the race of the Vrishnis and are the beloved daughter of Shura. Formerly, your father himself gladly mmade you over to me.

३.२८७.२४

वसुदेवस्य भगिनी सुतानां प्रवरा मम ।
अग्र्यमग्रे प्रतिज्ञाय तेनासि दुहिता मम ॥

M N Dutt You are the sister of Vasudeva and the foremost of my daughter. You are my daughter in virtue of the promises made by your father that he should give his first born to me.

३.२८७.२५

तादृशे हि कुले जाता कुले चैव विवर्धिता ।
सुखात्सुखमनुप्राप्ता ह्रदाद्ध्रदमिवागता ॥

M N Dutt Born in such a line and brought up in this race, you have like a lotus, transferred from one lake to another, attained to one blissful state from another.

३.२८७.२६

दौष्कुलेया विशेषेण कथंचित्प्रग्रहं गताः ।
बालभावाद्विकुर्वन्ति प्रायशः प्रमदाः शुभे ॥

M N Dutt O beautiful girl, women, especially those that are born in low families, although they are with great difficulty kept under restraint, are generally of deformed character on account of their unripe age.

३.२८७.२७

पृथे राजकुले जन्म रूपं चाद्भुतदर्शनम् ।
तेन तेनासि संपन्ना समुपेता च भामिनी ॥

M N Dutt O Pritha, you have been born in a kingly line and you are gifted with a wonderful beauty. And O girl, you are graced with every accomplishment.

३.२८७.२८

सा त्वं दर्पं परित्यज्य दम्भं मानं च भामिनि ।
आराध्य वरदं विप्रं श्रेयसा योक्ष्यसे पृथे ॥

M N Dutt So, O damsel, O Pritha, giving up your pride, haughtiness and the sense of your high position, you will minister to this Brahmana capable of bestowing boons. In that case you will surely be blessed.

३.२८७.२९

एवं प्राप्स्यसि कल्याणि कल्याणमनघे ध्रुवम् ।
कोपिते तु द्विजश्रेष्ठे कृत्स्नं दह्येत मे कुलम् ॥

M N Dutt By acting in such a way, O auspicious and sinless girl, you will certainly attain to blissfulness. But if you stir up the wrath of this foremost of the twice born ones, he will consume my entire race."

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