01.036
Library: Shringi comes to know about the episode of King Parikshit placing dead snake on his father's neck.
शौनक उवाच॥
Śaunaka spoke:
जरत्कारुरिति प्रोक्तं यत्त्वया सूतनन्दन। इच्छाम्येतदहं तस्य ऋषेः श्रोतुं महात्मनः ॥१-३६-१॥
O son of Suta, I wish to hear about the sage Jaratkaru, the great soul, as you have mentioned.
किं कारणं जरत्कारोर्नामैतत्प्रथितं भुवि। जरत्कारुनिरुक्तं त्वं यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥१-३६-२॥
What is the reason for the name of Jaratkaru being renowned in the world? You should properly explain the etymology of Jaratkaru.
सूत उवाच॥
Sūta said:
जरेति क्षयमाहुर्वै दारुणं कारुसञ्ज्ञितम्। शरीरं कारु तस्यासीत्तत्स धीमाञ्शनैः शनैः ॥१-३६-३॥
Old age is described as a terrible decay known as the artisan. His body was that of an artisan, and he, being wise, moved slowly and steadily.
क्षपयामास तीव्रेण तपसेत्यत उच्यते। जरत्कारुरिति ब्रह्मन्वासुकेर्भगिनी तथा ॥१-३६-४॥
It is said that Jaratkaru, the sister of Vasuki, destroyed through intense penance. Thus, O Brahman, she is known.
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा शौनकः प्राहसत्तदा। उग्रश्रवसमामन्त्र्य उपपन्नमिति ब्रुवन् ॥१-३६-५॥
Upon being addressed in this manner, the virtuous Śaunaka spoke to Ugraśravas, acknowledging that it was indeed appropriate.
सूत उवाच॥
Sūta said:
अथ कालस्य महतः स मुनिः संशितव्रतः। तपस्यभिरतो धीमान्न दारानभ्यकाङ्क्षत ॥१-३६-६॥
Then, after a long time, that wise sage, who was firm in his vows and engaged in penance, did not desire to marry.
स ऊर्ध्वरेतास्तपसि प्रसक्तः; स्वाध्यायवान्वीतभयक्लमः सन्। चचार सर्वां पृथिवीं महात्मा; न चापि दारान्मनसाप्यकाङ्क्षत् ॥१-३६-७॥
He, a great soul with upward-flowing energy, was deeply engaged in penance and self-study, free from fear and fatigue. He wandered the entire earth and did not even think of desiring a wife.
ततोऽपरस्मिन्सम्प्राप्ते काले कस्मिंश्चिदेव तु। परिक्षिदिति विख्यातो राजा कौरववंशभृत् ॥१-३६-८॥
Then, at another time, somewhere, King Parikshit, known as the bearer of the Kaurava dynasty, appeared.
यथा पाण्डुर्महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरवरो भुवि। बभूव मृगयाशीलः पुरास्य प्रपितामहः ॥१-३६-९॥
Just as Pandu, the mighty-armed and the best archer on earth, was once fond of hunting, so was his great-grandfather in ancient times.
मृगान्विध्यन्वराहांश्च तरक्षून्महिषांस्तथा। अन्यांश्च विविधान्वन्यांश्चचार पृथिवीपतिः ॥१-३६-१०॥
The king roamed the land, hunting deer, boars, jackals, buffaloes, and various other wild animals.
स कदाचिन्मृगं विद्ध्वा बाणेन नतपर्वणा। पृष्ठतो धनुरादाय ससार गहने वने ॥१-३६-११॥
Once, he shot a deer with a bent-jointed arrow and, taking his bow from behind, ventured into the dense forest.
यथा हि भगवान्रुद्रो विद्ध्वा यज्ञमृगं दिवि। अन्वगच्छद्धनुष्पाणिः पर्यन्वेषंस्ततस्ततः ॥१-३६-१२॥
Just as the revered Rudra, after piercing the sacrificial animal in the sky, pursued it with his bow in hand, searching everywhere.
न हि तेन मृगो विद्धो जीवन्गच्छति वै वनम्। पूर्वरूपं तु तन्नूनमासीत्स्वर्गगतिं प्रति ॥ परिक्षितस्तस्य राज्ञो विद्धो यन्नष्टवान्मृगः ॥१-३६-१३॥
The deer, once pierced by him, does not survive to reach the forest. It was certainly a sign of the previous form leading towards the heavenly path. King Parikshit, whose deer was lost after being pierced.
दूरं चापहृतस्तेन मृगेण स महीपतिः। परिश्रान्तः पिपासार्त आससाद मुनिं वने ॥१-३६-१४॥
The king was led far away by the deer. Tired and thirsty, he came upon a sage in the forest.
गवां प्रचारेष्वासीनं वत्सानां मुखनिःसृतम्। भूयिष्ठमुपयुञ्जानं फेनमापिबतां पयः ॥१-३६-१५॥
In the pastures where the cows grazed, the calves drank the milk abundantly, utilizing the foam that came from their mouths.
तमभिद्रुत्य वेगेन स राजा संशितव्रतम्। अपृच्छद्धनुरुद्यम्य तं मुनिं क्षुच्छ्रमान्वितः ॥१-३६-१६॥
The king, steadfast in his vows, swiftly approached the sage, raising his bow, and asked him, as he was afflicted by hunger and fatigue.
भो भो ब्रह्मन्नहं राजा परिक्षिदभिमन्युजः। मया विद्धो मृगो नष्टः कच्चित्त्वं दृष्टवानसि ॥१-३६-१७॥
O Brahmin, I am King Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu. I have lost a deer that I pierced. Have you seen it, by any chance?
स मुनिस्तस्य नोवाच किञ्चिन्मौनव्रते स्थितः। तस्य स्कन्धे मृतं सर्पं क्रुद्धो राजा समासजत् ॥१-३६-१८॥
The sage, maintaining his vow of silence, did not respond. In anger, the king placed a dead snake on the sage's shoulder.
धनुष्कोट्या समुत्क्षिप्य स चैनं समुदैक्षत। न च किञ्चिदुवाचैनं शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम् ॥१-३६-१९॥
He lifted him up with the end of the bow, looked at him, and did not say anything, whether it was auspicious or inauspicious.
स राजा क्रोधमुत्सृज्य व्यथितस्तं तथागतम्। दृष्ट्वा जगाम नगरमृषिस्त्वास्ते तथैव सः ॥१-३६-२०॥
The king, having abandoned his anger and feeling distressed, went to the city after seeing the sage who remained there as he was.
तरुणस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूत्तिग्मतेजा महातपाः। शृङ्गी नाम महाक्रोधो दुष्प्रसादो महाव्रतः ॥१-३६-२१॥
His young son was named Śṛṅgī, who was sharp in brilliance, performed great penance, was known for his great anger, was difficult to appease, and was committed to a great vow.
स देवं परमीशानं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्। ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थे वै काले काले सुसंयतः ॥ स तेन समनुज्ञातो ब्रह्मणा गृहमेयिवान् ॥१-३६-२२॥
He, devoted to the welfare of all beings, approached the supreme lord, Brahma, with great restraint at every moment. With Brahma's permission, he became a householder.
सख्योक्तः क्रीडमानेन स तत्र हसता किल। संरम्भी कोपनोऽतीव विषकल्प ऋषेः सुतः ॥ ऋषिपुत्रेण नर्मार्थं कृशेन द्विजसत्तम ॥१-३६-२३॥
Addressed by a friend while playing, he was laughing there. The sage's son, extremely angry and irritable like poison, jested with the thin one, O best of the twice-born.
तेजस्विनस्तव पिता तथैव च तपस्विनः। शवं स्कन्धेन वहति मा शृङ्गिन्गर्वितो भव ॥१-३६-२४॥
Your brilliant father, who is also an ascetic, carries the corpse on his shoulder. Do not be proud, O horned one.
व्याहरत्स्वृषिपुत्रेषु मा स्म किञ्चिद्वचो वदीः। अस्मद्विधेषु सिद्धेषु ब्रह्मवित्सु तपस्विषु ॥१-३६-२५॥
Do not utter a word among the sons of sages, especially among those like us who are perfected, knowers of Brahman, and ascetics.
क्व ते पुरुषमानित्वं क्व ते वाचस्तथाविधाः। दर्पजाः पितरं यस्त्वं द्रष्टा शवधरं तथा ॥१-३६-२६॥
Where is your manliness, and where are those words of yours, born of arrogance? You, who are supposed to be wise, are now like a bearer of a corpse to your father.
