01.058
Library: How Kshatriya race was revived; later danavas and devas took birth on earth.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya spoke:
ya ete kīrtitā brahmanye cānye nānukīrtitāḥ। samyaktāñśrotumicchāmi rājñaścānyānsuvarcasaḥ ॥1-58-1॥
O Brahman, who are these praised ones and others not mentioned? I wish to hear about them properly, and about other illustrious kings.
yadarthamiha sambhūtā devakalpā mahārathāḥ। bhuvi tanme mahābhāga samyagākhyātumarhasi ॥1-58-2॥
O fortunate one, you should properly tell me the purpose for which these god-like great warriors were born on earth.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
rahasyaṁ khalvidaṁ rājandevānāmiti naḥ śrutam। tattu te kathayiṣyāmi namaskṛtvā svayambhuve ॥1-58-3॥
O King, we have indeed heard this secret of the gods. However, I will reveal it to you after offering my salutations to the self-born.
triḥsaptakṛtvaḥ pṛthivīṃ kṛtvā niḥkṣatriyāṃ purā। jāmadagnyastapastepe mahendre parvatottame ॥1-58-4॥
Parashurama, the son of Jamadagni, after ridding the earth of Kshatriyas twenty-one times in the past, performed penance on the great Mahendra mountain.
tadā niḥkṣatriye loke bhārgaveṇa kṛte sati। brāhmaṇānkṣatriyā rājangarbhārthinyo'bhicakramuḥ ॥1-58-5॥
Then, when the world was devoid of kshatriyas due to the actions of Bhargava, the Kshatriya women, desiring offspring, approached the Brahmins, O king.
tābhiḥ saha samāpeturbrahmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ| ṛtāvṛtau naravyāghra na kāmānnānṛtau tathā ॥1-58-6॥
The Brahmins of firm vows arrived together with them, O tiger among men, adhering to truth and conduct, not driven by desires or falsehood.
tebhyastu lebhire garbhānkṣatriyāstāḥ sahasraśaḥ। tataḥ suṣuvire rājankṣatriyānvīryasaṃmatān ॥ kumārāṃśca kumārīśca punaḥ kṣatrābhivṛddhaye ॥1-58-7॥
To them, the Kshatriyas indeed obtained thousands of embryos. Then, O king, they gave birth to valor-approved Kshatriyas, sons and daughters, for the continued growth of the Kshatriya lineage.
evaṃ tadbrāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatraṃ kṣatriyāsu tapasvibhiḥ| jātamṛdhyata dharmeṇa sudīrgheṇāyuṣānvitam ॥ catvāro'pi tadā varṇā babhūvurbrāhmaṇottarāḥ ॥1-58-8॥
Thus, the Kshatriya class, born and nurtured by Brahmins and ascetics, flourished under the principles of dharma, endowed with long life. At that time, all four castes existed with Brahmins being the foremost.
abhyagacchannṛtau nārīṃ na kāmānnānṛtau tathā। tathaivānyāni bhūtāni tiryagyonigatānyapi ॥ ṛtau dārāṃśca gacchanti tadā sma bharatarṣabha ॥1-58-9॥
O best of the Bharatas, beings approach their mates in season, not out of desire, and this is true for other creatures born in lower species as well. In season, they go to their wives.
tato'vardhanta dharmeṇa sahasraśatajīvinaḥ। tāḥ prajāḥ pṛthivīpāla dharmavrataparāyaṇāḥ ॥ ādhibhirvyādhibhiścaiva vimuktāḥ sarvaśo narāḥ ॥1-58-10॥
Then, O protector of the earth, those subjects grew in righteousness, living for hundreds of thousands of years, and were completely free from all mental sufferings and diseases, devoted to the vow of righteousness.
athemāṃ sāgarāpāṅgāṃ gāṃ gajendragatākhilām। adhyatiṣṭhatpunaḥ kṣatraṃ saśailavanakānanām ॥1-58-11॥
Then, this earth, bordered by the ocean and entirely under the control of the elephant, was once again ruled by the kings along with its mountains, forests, and groves.
praśāsati punaḥ kṣatre dharmeṇemāṃ vasundharām। brāhmaṇādyāstadā varṇā lebhire mudamuttamām ॥1-58-12॥
Once again, the kshatriya, ruling the earth with righteousness, brought supreme joy to the brahmins and other castes.
kāmakrodhodbhavāndoṣānnirasya ca narādhipāḥ। daṇḍaṃ daṇḍyeṣu dharmeṇa praṇayanto'nvapālayan ॥1-58-13॥
The kings, by eliminating the faults born of desire and anger, administered justice by punishing the guilty and ensured the protection of their subjects.
tathā dharmapare kṣatre sahasrākṣaḥ śatakratuḥ। svādu deśe ca kāle ca vavarṣāpyāyayanprajāḥ ॥1-58-14॥
Thus, in the field of supreme duty, the thousand-eyed Indra, known as Śatakratu, rained sweetly in the region and at the right time, nourishing all creatures.
na bāla eva mriyate tadā kaścin narādhipaḥ। na ca striyaṃ prajānāti kaścid aprāptayauvanaḥ ॥1-58-15॥
O King, at that time, no child dies, nor does anyone know a woman who has not yet reached her youth.
evam āyuṣmatībhistu prajābhirbhartarṣabha। iyaṃ sāgaraparyantā samāpūryata medinī ॥1-58-16॥
Thus, O best of the Bharatas, this earth, extending to the ocean, was populated by the long-lived subjects.
ījire ca mahāyajñaiḥ kṣatriyā bahudakṣiṇaiḥ। sāṅgopaniṣadānvedānviprāścādhīyate tadā ॥1-58-17॥
The warriors performed great sacrifices with many gifts, and the learned studied the Vedas along with their limbs and Upanishads at that time.
na ca vikrīṇate brahma brāhmaṇāḥ sma tadā nṛpa। na ca śūdrasamābhyāśe vedānucchārayantyuta ॥1-58-18॥
O king, the Brahmins do not sell the sacred knowledge, nor do they recite the Vedas in the presence of Shudras.
kārayantaḥ kṛṣiṃ gobhistathā vaiśyāḥ kṣitāviha| na gāmayuñjanta dhuri kṛśāṅgāścāpyajīvayan ॥1-58-19॥
Here on earth, the merchants engaged in agriculture with cows, but they did not yoke the emaciated cows to the plow and also took care of them.
phenapāṃśca tathā vatsānna duhanti sma mānavāḥ| na kūṭamānairvaṇijaḥ paṇyaṃ vikrīṇate tadā ॥1-58-20॥
Humans did not milk the calves along with the froth. Merchants did not sell goods with false measures at that time.
karmāṇi ca naravyāghra dharmopetāni mānavāḥ| dharmamevānupaśyantaścakrurdharmaparāyaṇāḥ ॥1-58-21॥
O tiger among men, the humans, endowed with righteousness, performed their duties with a focus solely on dharma, being devoted to it.
svakarmaniratāścāsansarve varṇā narādhipa। evaṃ tadā naravyāghra dharmo na hrasate kvacit ॥1-58-22॥
O King, all classes were engaged in their own duties. Thus, O tiger among men, the duty never diminishes anywhere.
kāle gāvaḥ prasūyante nāryaśca bharatarṣabha| phalantyṛtuṣu vṛkṣāśca puṣpāṇi ca phalāni ca ॥1-58-23॥
O best of the Bharatas, in due time, cows give birth and women too. Trees bear flowers and fruits in their seasons.
evaṃ kṛtayuge samyagvartamāne tadā nṛpa। āpūryata mahī kṛtsnā prāṇibhirbahubhirbhṛśam ॥1-58-24॥
During the Krita Yuga, when everything was in perfect order, the earth was abundantly populated with numerous beings, O king.
tataḥ samudite loke mānuṣe bharatarṣabha। asurā jajñire kṣetre rājñāṃ manujapuṅgava ॥1-58-25॥
O best of the Bharatas, when the human world emerged, demons appeared in the realm of kings, O noble one.
ādityairhi tadā daityā bahuśo nirjitā yudhi। aiśvaryādbhraṁśitāścāpi sambabhūvuḥ kṣitāviha ॥1-58-26॥
Indeed, then the demons were defeated many times in battle by the Ādityas and were deprived of their power, thus they came to exist here on earth.
iha devatvam icchanto mānuṣeṣu manasvinaḥ। jajñire bhuvi bhūteṣu teṣu teṣv asurā vibho ॥1-58-27॥
Here, O Lord, the wise ones among humans, desiring divinity, were born on earth among beings; those were the demons.
goṣvaśveṣu ca rājendra kharoṣṭramahiṣeṣu ca। kravyādeṣu ca bhūteṣu gajeṣu ca mṛgeṣu ca ॥1-58-28॥
O King, the presence is in cows, horses, donkeys, camels, buffaloes, carnivorous beings, other beings, elephants, and deer.
jātairiha mahīpāla jāyamānaiśca tairmahī। na śaśākātmanātmānamiyaṃ dhārayituṃ dharā ॥1-58-29॥
O King, here on earth, with those who were born and those being born, the earth itself was unable to support itself.
atha jātā mahīpālāḥ kecidbalasamanvitāḥ। diteḥ putrā danoścaiva tasmāllokādiha cyutāḥ ॥1-58-30॥
Then some powerful kings, born as sons of Diti and Danu, have fallen from this world.
vīryavanto'valiptāste nānārūpadharā mahīm। imāṃ sāgaraparyantāṃ parīyurarimardanāḥ ॥1-58-31॥
The powerful and arrogant warriors, capable of assuming various forms, traversed the earth up to the ocean's edge, destroying their enemies along the way.
brāhmaṇānkṣatriyānvaiśyāñśūdrāṃścaivāpyapīḍayan। anyāni caiva bhūtāni pīḍayāmāsurojasā ॥1-58-32॥
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, as well as other beings, were tormented with strength.
trāsayanto vinighnantastāṁstānbhūtagaṇāṁśca te| viceruḥ sarvato rājanmahīṁ śatasahasraśaḥ ॥1-58-33॥
O king, they roamed the earth in hundreds of thousands, terrifying and annihilating those groups of beings.
āśramasthānmaharṣīṃśca dharṣayantastatastataḥ। abrahmaṇyā vīryamadā mattā madabalena ca ॥1-58-34॥
In the hermitages, the non-religious, intoxicated by their own power and pride, repeatedly harassed the great sages.
evaṃ vīryabalotsiktairbhūriyaṃ tairmahāsuraiḥ। pīḍyamānā mahīpāla brahmāṇamupacakrame ॥1-58-35॥
O King, the earth, oppressed by the great demons who were arrogant with their strength and power, sought the help of Brahma.
na hīmāṃ pavano rājanna nāgā na nagā mahīm। tadā dhārayituṃ śekurākrāntāṃ dānavairbalāt ॥1-58-36॥
At that time, neither the wind, nor the serpents, nor the mountains could support the earth, as it was overwhelmed by the force of the demons, O king.
tato mahī mahīpāla bhārārtā bhayapīḍitā. jagāma śaraṇaṃ devaṃ sarvabhūtapitāmaham ॥1-58-37॥
Then the earth, burdened by the rule of the king and afflicted with fear, sought refuge in the god, the grandfather of all beings.
sā saṁvṛtaṁ mahābhāgairdevadvijamaharṣibhiḥ। dadarśa devaṁ brahmāṇaṁ lokakartāramavyayam ॥1-58-38॥
She, accompanied by the illustrious gods, brahmins, and great sages, beheld the god Brahma, the eternal creator of the universe.
gandharvair apsarobhiś ca bandikarmasu niṣṭhitaiḥ। vandyamānaṃ mudopetair vavande cainam etya sā ॥1-58-39॥
The Gandharvas and Apsaras, skilled in singing praises, joyfully praised him, and she approached and bowed to him.
atha vijñāpayāmāsa bhūmistaṃ śaraṇārthinī। sannidhau lokapālānāṃ sarveṣāmeva bhārata ॥1-58-40॥
Then, O Bharata, the Earth, seeking refuge, appealed to him in the presence of all the protectors of the world.
tatpradhānātmanastasya bhūmeḥ kṛtyaṃ svayambhuvaḥ. pūrvamevābhavad rājann viditaṃ parameṣṭhinaḥ ॥1-58-41॥
The supreme lord had already known the duty of the chief soul of the earth, the self-born, O king.
sraṣṭā hi jagataḥ kasmānna sambudhyeta bhārata। surāsurāṇāṃ lokānāmaśeṣeṇa manogatam ॥1-58-42॥
O Bhārata, why would the creator of the universe not fully comprehend the thoughts of all the worlds, including those of gods and demons?
tamuvāca mahārāja bhūmiṃ bhūmipativibhuḥ। prabhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāmīśaḥ śambhuḥ prajāpatiḥ ॥1-58-43॥
The omnipresent lord of the earth, Shambhu, who is the source and progenitor of all beings, addressed him, saying, 'O great king, the earth.'
yadarthamasi samprāptā matsakāśaṃ vasundhare। tadarthaṃ saṃniyokṣyāmi sarvāneva divaukasaḥ ॥1-58-44॥
O Earth, you have come to me for a purpose, and for that purpose, I will engage all the celestials.
ityuktvā sa mahīṁ devo brahmā rājanvisṛjya ca। ādideśa tadā sarvānvibudhānbhūtakṛtsvayam ॥1-58-45॥
After speaking thus, the god Brahma, having released the earth, commanded all the gods himself, O king, as the creator of beings.
asyā bhūmer nirasituṃ bhāraṃ bhāgaiḥ pṛthakpṛthak। asyām eva prasūyadhvaṃ virodhāyeti cābravīt ॥1-58-46॥
He said, "To remove the burden of this earth, be born separately in parts for opposition in this very place."
tathaiva ca samānīya gandharvāpsarasāṃ gaṇān। uvāca bhagavānsarvānidaṃ vacanamutamam ॥ svairaṃśaiḥ samprasūyadhvaṃ yatheṣṭaṃ mānuṣeṣviti ॥1-58-47॥
Similarly, the Lord gathered the groups of Gandharvas and Apsaras and addressed them with these excellent words: "Procreate freely with your own parts as you desire among humans."
atha śakrādayaḥ sarve śrutvā suragurorvacaḥ। tathyamarthyaṃ ca pathyaṃ ca tasya te jagṛhustadā ॥1-58-48॥
Then all the gods, including Indra, listened to the words of their guru and accepted them as true, beneficial, and wholesome.
atha te sarvaśoṃ'śaiḥ svairgantuṃ bhūmiṃ kṛtakṣaṇāḥ। nārāyaṇamamitraghnaṃ vaikuṇṭhamupacakramuḥ ॥1-58-49॥
Then they, having prepared themselves completely, began their journey to the earth to approach Narayana, the destroyer of enemies, in Vaikuntha.
yaḥ sa cakragadāpāṇiḥ pītavāsāsitaprabhaḥ। padmanābhaḥ surārighnaḥ pṛthucārvañcitekṣaṇaḥ ॥1-58-50॥
He is the one who holds the discus and mace, wears yellow garments, has a dark hue, a lotus at his navel, destroys the enemies of the gods, and possesses broad, charming, curved eyes.
taṁ bhuvaḥ śodhanāyendra uvāca puruṣottamam। aṁśenāvatarasveti tathetyāha ca taṁ hariḥ ॥1-58-51॥
Indra requested the Supreme Person to descend to purify the earth, and Hari agreed to do so by manifesting a part of himself.
