01.038
Library: Gauramukha informs the King of Shringi’s curse. He expresses his repentance and his ministers make preparation to save him.
śṛṅgyuvāca॥
Śṛṅgi spoke:
yadyetatsāhasaṃ tāta yadi vā duṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam। priyaṃ vāpyapriyaṃ vā te vāguktā na mṛṣā mayā ॥1-38-1॥
Dear, if this rash act or wrong deed has been done, whether it is pleasant or unpleasant to you, I have not spoken falsely.
naivānyathedaṃ bhavitā pitareṣa bravīmi te। nāhaṃ mṛṣā prabravīmi svaireṣvapi kutaḥ śapan ॥1-38-2॥
I assure you, O ancestors, that this will not be otherwise. I do not speak falsehood, even in private, how could I while swearing?
śamīka uvāca॥
Śamīka spoke:
jānāmyugraprabhāvaṃ tvāṃ putra satyagiraṃ tathā। nānṛtaṃ hyuktapūrvaṃ te naitanmithyā bhaviṣyati ॥1-38-3॥
I am aware of your formidable power and your commitment to truth, my son. What you have spoken before has never been false, and this will not be false either.
pitrā putro vayaḥstho'pi satataṃ vācya eva tu। yathā syādguṇasaṃyuktaḥ prāpnuyācca mahadyaśaḥ ॥1-38-4॥
A father should always advise his son, even if he is grown-up, so that he may develop virtues and achieve great fame.
kiṁ punarbāla eva tvaṁ tapasā bhāvitaḥ prabho। vardhate ca prabhavatāṁ kopo'tīva mahātmanām ॥1-38-5॥
O lord, even as a child, you were cultivated by penance. The anger of the powerful great souls grows exceedingly.
so'haṁ paśyāmi vaktavyaṁ tvayi dharmabhṛtāṁ vara। putratvaṁ bālatāṁ caiva tavāvekṣya ca sāhasam ॥1-38-6॥
I see that you, the best among the upholders of dharma, are to be spoken to, considering your sonship, childhood, and boldness.
sa tvaṁ śamayuto bhūtvā vanyamāhāramāharan। cara krodhamimaṁ tyaktvā naivaṁ dharmaṁ prahāsyasi ॥1-38-7॥
You, endowed with calmness, should gather wild food and move on, abandoning this anger, so that you do not forsake your duty.
krodho hi dharmaṃ harati yatīnāṃ duḥkhasañcitam। tato dharmavihīnānāṃ gatiriṣṭā na vidyate ॥1-38-8॥
Anger destroys the virtue that ascetics accumulate through suffering. Therefore, those who lack virtue do not have a desired path.
śama eva yatīnām hi kṣamiṇāṃ siddhikārakaḥ। kṣamāvatāmayaṃ lokaḥ paraścaiva kṣamāvatām ॥1-38-9॥
Calmness is truly the cause of success for ascetics and the forgiving. This world and the next belong to those who are patient.
tasmāccarethāḥ satataṃ kṣamāśīlo jitendriyaḥ। kṣamayā prāpsyase lokānbrahmaṇaḥ samanantarān ॥1-38-10॥
Therefore, always conduct yourself with forgiveness and self-control. Through forgiveness, you will reach the realms close to Brahma.
mayā tu śamam āsthāya yat śakyaṃ kartum adya vai। tat kariṣye'dya tātāhaṃ preṣayiṣye nṛpāya vai ॥1-38-11॥
I will indeed do today what is possible by resorting to peace, O father, and I will send it to the king.
mama putreṇa śapto'si bālenākṛtabuddhinā। mamemāṃ dharṣaṇāṃ tvattaḥ prekṣya rājannamarṣiṇā ॥1-38-12॥
You have been cursed by my son, a boy of undeveloped intellect. O king, having witnessed this insult from you, the intolerant one could not bear it.
sūta uvāca॥
Sūta said:
evamādiśya śiṣyaṃ sa preṣayāmāsa suvrataḥ। parikṣite nṛpataye dayāpanno mahātapāḥ ॥1-38-13॥
After instructing his disciple in this manner, the virtuous sage, filled with compassion, sent him to King Parikshit, the great ascetic.
saṃdiśya kuśalapraśnaṃ kāryavṛttāntameva ca। śiṣyaṃ gaurmukhaṃ nāma śīlavantaṃ samāhitam ॥1-38-14॥
After instructing the disciple named Gaurmukha, who was virtuous and attentive, about the welfare inquiry and business matters, the tasks were set in motion.
so'bhigamya tataḥ śīghraṃ narendraṃ kuruvardhanam। viveśa bhavanaṃ rājñaḥ pūrvaṃ dvāḥsthairniveditaḥ ॥1-38-15॥
He quickly approached King Kuruvardhana and entered the palace after being announced by the gatekeepers.
pūjitaśca narendreṇa dvijo gauramukhastataḥ। ācakhyau pariviśrānto rājñe sarvamaśeṣataḥ ॥ śamīkavacanaṃ ghoraṃ yathoktaṃ mantrisaṃnidhau ॥1-38-16॥
After being worshipped by the king, the Brahmin Gauramukha, having rested, narrated everything completely to the king, including the terrible words of Śamīka, as they were said, in the presence of the ministers.
śamīko nāma rājendra viṣaye vartate tava। ṛṣiḥ paramadharmātmā dāntaḥ śānto mahātapāḥ ॥1-38-17॥
In your kingdom, O King, there exists a sage named Śamīka, who is of supreme virtue, self-controlled, peaceful, and a great ascetic.
tasya tvayā naravyāghra sarpaḥ prāṇairviyojitaḥ। avasakto dhanuṣkoṭyā skandhe bharatasattama ॥ kṣāntavāṃstava tatkarma putrastasya na cakṣame ॥1-38-18॥
O best of the Bharatas, the snake was deprived of life by you, O tiger among men, as it hung by the bow's end on the shoulder. Your son forgave that act, but his son could not tolerate it.
tena śapto'si rājendra piturajñātamadya vai। takṣakaḥ saptarātreṇa mṛtyuste vai bhaviṣyati ॥1-38-19॥
You have been cursed by him, O King, without your father's knowledge, today indeed. Takshaka will bring about your death in seven days.
tatra rakṣāṃ kuruṣveti punaḥ punarathābravīt। tadanyathā na śakyaṃ ca kartuṃ kenacidapyuta ॥1-38-20॥
There, he repeatedly said, 'Provide protection there.' Otherwise, it is not possible for anyone to do it.
na hi śaknoti saṃyantuṃ putraṃ kopasamanvitam। tato'ham preṣitastena tava rājan hitārthinā ॥1-38-21॥
He cannot control his son who is filled with anger, so I have been sent by him for your welfare, O king.
iti śrutvā vaco ghoraṃ sa rājā kurunandanaḥ। paryatapyata tatpāpaṃ kṛtvā rājā mahātapāḥ ॥1-38-22॥
Upon hearing those terrible words, the king, a descendant of Kuru, deeply regretted the sin he had committed, showing great penitence.
taṃ ca maunavratadharaṃ śrutvā munivaraṃ tadā। bhūya evābhavadrājā śokasantaptamānasaḥ ॥1-38-23॥
Upon hearing the great sage who held a vow of silence, the king once again became deeply saddened.
anukrośātmatāṃ tasya śamīkasyāvadhārya tu। paryatapyata bhūyo'pi kṛtvā tatkilbiṣaṃ muneḥ ॥1-38-24॥
Realizing the compassionate nature of Śamīka, he felt remorse once more for the sin he had committed against the sage.
na hi mṛtyuṃ tathā rājā śrutvā vai so'nvatapyata. aśocadamara-prakhyo yathā kṛtveha karma tat ॥1-38-25॥
The king, upon hearing about death, indeed felt regret. However, he did not grieve, appearing like an immortal, as if he had accomplished that deed here.
tatastaṃ preṣayāmāsa rājā gauramukhaṃ tadā। bhūyaḥ prasādaṃ bhagavānkarotviti mameti vai ॥1-38-26॥
Then the king sent Gauramukha, saying, "May the Lord bestow his grace again, indeed this is mine."
tasmiṁśca gatamātre vai rājā gauramukhe tadā। mantribhirmantrayāmāsa saha saṁvignamānasaḥ ॥1-38-27॥
At that time, when Gauramukha had just arrived, the king, feeling anxious, consulted with his ministers.
niścitya mantribhiścaiva sahito mantratattvavit। prāsādaṃ kārayāmāsa ekastambhaṃ surakṣitam ॥1-38-28॥
After consulting with his ministers and being well-versed in the essence of counsel, he ordered the construction of a well-protected palace supported by a single pillar.
rakṣāṃ ca vidadhe tatra bhiṣajaś cauṣadhāni ca। brāhmaṇān siddhamantrāṃś ca sarvato vai nyaveśayat ॥1-38-29॥
He ensured protection by arranging for physicians and medicines, and stationed Brahmins skilled in mantras all around.
rājakāryāṇi tatrasthaḥ sarvāṇyevākarocca saḥ। mantribhiḥ saha dharmajñaḥ samantātparirakṣitaḥ ॥1-38-30॥
He, being well-versed in dharma, performed all the royal duties there, well-protected by the ministers all around.
prāpte tu divase tasminsaptame dvijasattama। kāśyapo'bhyāgamadvidvāṃstaṃ rājānaṃ cikitsitum ॥1-38-31॥
On the seventh day, O esteemed sage, the wise Kashyapa arrived to attend to the king.
śrutaṃ hi tena tadabhūdadya taṃ rājasattamam। takṣakaḥ pannagaśreṣṭho neṣyate yamasādanam ॥1-38-32॥
It was reported to him that today Takshaka, the foremost of serpents, will take the noble king to the realm of Yama.
taṁ daṣṭaṁ pannagēndreṇa kariṣye'hamapajvaram. tatra me'rthaśca dharmaśca bhavitēti vicintayan ॥1-38-33॥
Thinking thus, I will cure the one bitten by the king of serpents of fever. Therein lies my purpose and duty.
taṁ dadarśa sa nāgendrastakṣakaḥ kāśyapaṁ pathi| gacchantamekamanasaṁ dvijo bhūtvā vayotigaḥ ॥1-38-34॥
Takshaka, the king of serpents, noticed the aged Brahmin Kashyapa on his path, who was proceeding with a focused mind.
tamabravītpannagendraḥ kāśyapaṃ munipuṅgavam। kva bhavāṃstvarito yāti kiṃ ca kāryaṃ cikīrṣati ॥1-38-35॥
The king of serpents asked Kashyapa, the eminent sage, where he was hastening to and what task he intended to undertake.
kāśyapa uvāca॥
Kashyapa spoke.
nṛpaṃ kurukulotpannaṃ parikṣitamariṃdamam। takṣakaḥ pannagaśreṣṭhastejasādya pradhakṣyati ॥1-38-36॥
Today, Takshaka, the foremost of serpents, will burn King Parikshit, who was born in the Kuru dynasty and is known as the subduer of enemies, with his fiery power.
taṁ daṣṭaṁ pannagēndreṇa tēnāgnisamatējasā. pāṇḍavānāṁ kulakaraṁ rājānamamitāujasam ॥1-38-37॥
He, who was bitten by the king of serpents with fire-like brilliance, was the benefactor of the Pandavas' family and a king of immeasurable energy.
gacchāmi saumya tvaritaṃ sadyaḥ kartumapajvaram ॥1-38-37॥
I am going quickly, gentle one, to immediately provide relief from the fever.
takṣaka uvāca॥
Takshaka spoke.
ahaṁ sa takṣako brahmaṁstaṁ dhakṣyāmi mahīpatim। nivartasva na śaktastvaṁ mayā daṣṭaṁ cikitsitum ॥1-38-38॥
I am Takshaka, O Brahman, and I will burn the king. Turn back, for you are not capable of healing someone bitten by me.
kāśyapa uvāca॥
Kashyapa spoke.
ahaṁ taṁ nṛpatiṁ nāga tvayā daṣṭamapajvaram। kariṣya iti me buddhirvidyābalamupāśritaḥ ॥1-38-39॥
I intend to cure the king bitten by you, serpent, from fever, relying on the power of knowledge.
