महाभारतम् — ९.३९

जनमेजय उवाच ।

कथमार्ष्टिषेणो भगवान्विपुलं तप्तवांस्तपः ।
सिन्धुद्वीपः कथं चापि ब्राह्मण्यं लब्धवांस्तदा ॥

M N Dutt Janamejaya said "Why did the worshipful Arshtishena practise the severest of penances? How also did Sindhudvipa acquire the dignity of a Brahmana?

९.३९.२

देवापिश्च कथं ब्रह्मन्विश्वामित्रश्च सत्तम ।
तन्ममाचक्ष्व भगवन्परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥

M N Dutt How also did Devapi, O Brahmana and how did Vishvamitra, O best of men, become Brahmanas. Tell me all this, O worshipful One! Great is my curiosity to hear of all this."

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

९.३९.३

पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्नार्ष्टिषेणो द्विजोत्तमः ।
वसन्गुरुकुले नित्यं नित्यमध्ययने रतः ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said "Formerly, in the Krita age, O king, there was a great Rishi called Arshtishena. Living in his preceptor's house, he attended to his lessons every day.

९.३९.४

तस्य राजन्गुरुकुले वसतो नित्यमेव ह ।
समाप्तिं नागमद्विद्या नापि वेदा विशां पते ॥

M N Dutt Although, O king, he lived long in the residence of his preceptor, he could not master any branch of learning or the Vedas, O monarch.

९.३९.५

स निर्विण्णस्ततो राजंस्तपस्तेपे महातपाः ।
ततो वै तपसा तेन प्राप्य वेदाननुत्तमान् ॥

M N Dutt Greatly disappointed, O king, the great ascetic practised very rigid penances. By his penances he afterwards acquired the mastery of the Vedas which is best of all forms of learning.

९.३९.६

स विद्वान्वेदयुक्तश्च सिद्धश्चाप्यृषिसत्तमः ।
तत्र तीर्थे वरान्प्रादात्त्रीनेव सुमहातपाः ॥

M N Dutt Acquiring great learning and a mastery of the Vedas, that best of Rishis became highly successful in that tirtha. He then conferred three boons on that place.

९.३९.७

अस्मिंस्तीर्थे महानद्या अद्यप्रभृति मानवः ।
आप्लुतो वाजिमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति पुष्कलम् ॥

M N Dutt He said-"From this day, a person, by bathing in this tirtha of the great river Sarasvati, shall reap the great fruit of a horse sacrifice.

९.३९.८

अद्यप्रभृति नैवात्र भयं व्यालाद्भविष्यति ।
अपि चाल्पेन यत्नेन फलं प्राप्स्यति पुष्कलम् ॥

M N Dutt From this day there will be no fear in this tirtha from serpents and wild beasts. By the slightest of endeavours, again, one shall reap great results here."

९.३९.९

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा जगाम त्रिदिवं मुनिः ।
एवं सिद्धः स भगवानार्ष्टिषेणः प्रतापवान् ॥

M N Dutt Having said these words, that energetic Rishi proceeded to heaven. Thus the worshipful Arshtishena became successful.

९.३९.१०

तस्मिन्नेव तदा तीर्थे सिन्धुद्वीपः प्रतापवान् ।
देवापिश्च महाराज ब्राह्मण्यं प्रापतुर्महत् ॥

M N Dutt In that very tirtha, in the Krita age th greatly energetic Sindhudvipa and Devapi also, had acquired the dignity of Brahman-hood.

९.३९.११

तथा च कौशिकस्तात तपोनित्यो जितेन्द्रियः ।
तपसा वै सुतप्तेन ब्राह्मणत्वमवाप्तवान् ॥

M N Dutt Similarly Kushika's ascetic son, having controlled his senses and practised austerities became a Brahmana.

९.३९.१२

गाधिर्नाम महानासीत्क्षत्रियः प्रथितो भुवि ।
तस्य पुत्रोऽभवद्राजन्विश्वामित्रः प्रतापवान् ॥

M N Dutt There was a great Kshatriya, celebrated over the world, by the name of Gadhi. He had a son by the name of Vishvamitra of great prowess.

९.३९.१३

स राजा कौशिकस्तात महायोग्यभवत्किल ।
स पुत्रमभिषिच्याथ विश्वामित्रं महातपाः ॥

९.३९.१४

देहन्यासे मनश्चक्रे तमूचुः प्रणताः प्रजाः ।
न गन्तव्यं महाप्राज्ञ त्राहि चास्मान्महाभयात् ॥

M N Dutt King Kaushika became a great ascetic. Possessed of great ascetic merit, he wished to place his son Vishvamitra on his throne, himself having made up his mind to renounce his body. His subjects, bowing unto him, said-You should not go away, O you of great wisdom and protect us from a great fear.'

९.३९.१५

एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच ततो गाधिः प्रजास्तदा ।
विश्वस्य जगतो गोप्ता भविष्यति सुतो मम ॥

M N Dutt Thus addressed, Gadhi replied to his subjects, saying-"My son will be the protector of the vest universe.

९.३९.१६

इत्युक्त्वा तु ततो गाधिर्विश्वामित्रं निवेश्य च ।
जगाम त्रिदिवं राजन्विश्वामित्रोऽभवन्नृपः ।
न च शक्नोति पृथिवीं यत्नवानपि रक्षितुम् ॥

M N Dutt Having said these words and placed Vishvamitra on the throne, Gadhi, O king ascended heaven and Vishvainitra became king. He could not, however, protect the earth even trying his level best.

९.३९.१७

ततः शुश्राव राजा स राक्षसेभ्यो महाभयम् ।
निर्ययौ नगराच्चापि चतुरङ्गबलान्वितः ॥

M N Dutt The king then heard of the fear of Rakshasa in his kingdom. With his fourfold forces, he went out of his capital.

९.३९.१८

स गत्वा दूरमध्वानं वसिष्ठाश्रममभ्ययात् ।
तस्य ते सैनिका राजंश्चक्रुस्तत्रानयान्बहून् ॥

M N Dutt Having proceeded far on his way, he reached the hermitage of Vashishtha. His troops, O king, caused immense mischief there.

९.३९.१९

ततस्तु भगवान्विप्रो वसिष्ठोऽऽश्रममभ्ययात् ।
ददृशे च ततः सर्वं भज्यमानं महावनम् ॥

M N Dutt The worshipful Brahman Vashishtha, when he came to his hermitage, saw the vast forest devastated.

९.३९.२०

तस्य क्रुद्धो महाराज वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः ।
सृजस्व शबरान्घोरानिति स्वां गामुवाच ह ॥

M N Dutt That best of Rishis, viz., Vashishtha O king, became angry with Vishvamitra. He commanded his own sacrificial cow, saying "Create a number of terrible Shavaras.

९.३९.२१

तथोक्ता सासृजद्धेनुः पुरुषान्घोरदर्शनान् ।
ते च तद्बलमासाद्य बभञ्जुः सर्वतोदिशम् ॥

M N Dutt Thus addressed the cow created a number of men of terrific visages. These fought with the army of Vishvamitra and made a great onslaught.

९.३९.२२

तद्दृष्ट्वा विद्रुतं सैन्यं विश्वामित्रस्तु गाधिजः ।
तपः परं मन्यमानस्तपस्येव मनो दधे ॥

M N Dutt Seeing this, the troops fled away. Regarding ascetic austerities highly efficacious, Vishvamitra, the son of Gadhi made up his mind to practise the same.

९.३९.२३

सोऽस्मिंस्तीर्थवरे राजन्सरस्वत्याः समाहितः ।
नियमैश्चोपवासैश्च कर्शयन्देहमात्मनः ॥

M N Dutt In this best of tirthas of the Sarasvati, O king, he began to emaciate his own body by Vows and fasts.

९.३९.२४

जलाहारो वायुभक्षः पर्णाहारश्च सोऽभवत् ।
तथा स्थण्डिलशायी च ये चान्ये नियमाः पृथक् ॥

M N Dutt He lived on water, air and the fallen leaves of trees. He slept on the naked earth and practised other vows of the ascetics.

९.३९.२५

असकृत्तस्य देवास्तु व्रतविघ्नं प्रचक्रिरे ।
न चास्य नियमाद्बुद्धिरपयाति महात्मनः ॥

M N Dutt The celestials repeatedly attempted for obstructing the observance of his vows. He, however, did not desist from practising his promised vow.

९.३९.२६

ततः परेण यत्नेन तप्त्वा बहुविधं तपः ।
तेजसा भास्कराकारो गाधिजः समपद्यत ॥

M N Dutt Then having practised various austerities with great devotion, the son of Gadhi became effulgent like the Sun himself.

९.३९.२७

तपसा तु तथा युक्तं विश्वामित्रं पितामहः ।
अमन्यत महातेजा वरदो वरमस्य तत् ॥

M N Dutt The boon-giving Brahmana, of great energy, resolved to grant Vishvamitra, when he had succeeded in his ascetic observances, the boon the latter wanted.

९.३९.२८

स तु वव्रे वरं राजन्स्यामहं ब्राह्मणस्त्विति ।
तथेति चाब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा सर्वलोकपितामहः ॥

M N Dutt The boon that Vishvamitra prayed for was that he should be permitted to become a Brahmana. Brahmana, the grandfather of all the worlds, said to him-"So be it.'

९.३९.२९

स लब्ध्वा तपसोग्रेण ब्राह्मणत्वं महायशाः ।
विचचार महीं कृत्स्नां कृतकामः सुरोपमः ॥

M N Dutt Having by his severe penances gained the status of Brahman-hood, the illustrious Vishvamitra, after the fulfillment of his desire, traveled over the whole earth like a god.

९.३९.३०

तस्मिंस्तीर्थवरे रामः प्रदाय विविधं वसु ।
पयस्विनीस्तथा धेनूर्यानानि शयनानि च ॥

९.३९.३१

तथा वस्त्राण्यलंकारं भक्ष्यं पेयं च शोभनम् ।
अददान्मुदितो राजन्पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान् ॥

M N Dutt Distributing various sorts of wealth in that best of tirthas, Rama also gladly gave away milch cows, vehicles, beds, ornaments, food and drink of the best kinds, O king, to many foremost of Brahmanas, after having adored them dully.

९.३९.३२

ययौ राजंस्ततो रामो बकस्याश्रममन्तिकात् ।
यत्र तेपे तपस्तीव्रं दाल्भ्यो बक इति श्रुतिः ॥

M N Dutt Then, O king, Rama proceeded to the hermitage of Vaka which was not very far from where he was, the hermitage in which, as heard by us, Dalvya-vaka had practised the hardest of penances.”

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