01.064
Library: Description of the forest in which Kanwa’s hermitage was located.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana spoke:
tato mṛgasahasrāṇi hatvā vipulavāhanaḥ। rājā mṛgaprasaṅgena vanamanyadviveśa ha ॥1-64-1॥
Then, the king, after hunting thousands of deer with his great chariot, entered another forest in pursuit of more game.
eka evottamabalaḥ kṣutpipāsāsamanvitaḥ। sa vanasyāntamāsādya mahadīriṇamāsadat ॥1-64-2॥
A man of great strength, though afflicted by hunger and thirst, reached the edge of the forest and came upon a vast desert.
taccāpyatītya nṛpatiruttamāśramasaṃyutam। manaḥprahlādajananaṃ dṛṣṭikāntamatīva ca ॥ śītamārutasaṃyuktaṃ jagāmānyaṃmahadvanam ॥1-64-3॥
After crossing that, the king proceeded to another vast forest, which was home to an excellent hermitage. It was a place that delighted the mind, was extremely pleasing to the eyes, and was accompanied by a refreshing breeze.
puṣpitaiḥ pādapaiḥ kīrṇamatīva sukhaśādvalam। vipulaṃ madhurārāvairnāditaṃ vihagaistathā ॥1-64-4॥
The lawn, adorned with flowering trees, is very pleasant and filled with the sweet sounds of birds.
pravṛddhaviṭapairvṛkṣaiḥ sukhacchāyaiḥ samāvṛtam। ṣaṭpadāghūrṇitalataṃ lakṣmyā paramayā yutam ॥1-64-5॥
The place was enveloped by trees with grown branches providing pleasant shade, adorned with creepers swaying with bees, and endowed with supreme beauty.
nāpuṣpaḥ pādapaḥ kaścinnāphalo nāpi kaṇṭakī| ṣaṭpadairvāpyanākīrṇastasminvai kānane'bhavat ॥1-64-6॥
In that forest, every tree had flowers and fruits, none were thorny, and all were surrounded by bees.
vihagairnāditaṃ puṣpairalaṅkṛtam atīva ca। sarvartukusumairvṛkṣairatīva sukhaśādvalam ॥ manoramaṃ maheṣvāso viveśa vanamuttamam ॥1-64-7॥
The great archer entered the beautiful forest, which was resounding with birds, adorned with flowers, and had a very pleasant lawn with trees and flowers of all seasons.
mārutāgalitāstatra drumāḥ kusumaśālinaḥ। puṣpavṛṣṭiṃ vicitrāṃ sma vyasṛjaṃste punaḥ punaḥ ॥1-64-8॥
There, the trees laden with flowers, swayed by the wind, repeatedly showered a varied rain of blossoms.
divaspṛśo'tha saṅghuṣṭāḥ pakṣibhir madhurasvaraiḥ। virejuḥ pādapās tatra vicitrakusumāṃbarāḥ ॥1-64-9॥
The trees, touching the sky, resounded with the sweet sounds of birds, and shone with a variety of flowers.
teṣāṃ tatra pravāleṣu puṣpabhārāvanāmiṣu। ruvanti rāvaṃ vihagāḥ ṣaṭpadaiḥ sahitā mṛdu ॥1-64-10॥
In that place, where the sprouts bend under the weight of flowers, the birds softly chirp along with the bees.
tatra pradeśāṃśca bahūnkusumotkara maṇḍitān। latāgṛhaparikṣiptānmanasaḥ prītivardhanān ॥ sampaśyans mahātejā babhūva muditastadā ॥1-64-11॥
There, the greatly radiant one saw many regions adorned with clusters of flowers and surrounded by bowers, which enhanced the pleasure of the mind, and he became joyful then.
parasparāśliṣṭaśākhaiḥ pādapaiḥ kusumācitaiḥ। aśobhata vanaṃ tattairemahendradhvajasaṃnibhaiḥ ॥1-64-12॥
The forest appeared beautiful with trees whose branches were intertwined with each other, laden with flowers, resembling the flags of great Indra.
sukhaśītaḥ sugandhī ca puṣpareṇuvaho'nilaḥ। parikrāmanvane vṛkṣānupaitīva riraṃsayā ॥1-64-13॥
The cool and fragrant breeze, laden with flower pollen, seems to wander through the forest, as if yearning to embrace the trees.
evaṅguṇasamāyuktaṃ dadarśa sa vanaṃ nṛpaḥ। nadīkacchodbhavaṃ kāntamucchritadhvajasaṃnibham ॥1-64-14॥
The king saw the beautiful forest, which was endowed with qualities and originated from the river bank, resembling a raised flag.
prekṣamāṇo vanaṃ tattu suprahṛṣṭavihaṅgamam। āśramapravaraṃ ramyaṃ dadarśa ca manoramam ॥1-64-15॥
He saw the beautiful and charming hermitage in the forest, which was filled with very happy birds.
nānāvṛkṣasamākīrṇaṃ samprajvalitapāvakam। yatibhirvālakhilyaiśca vṛtaṃ munigaṇānvitam ॥1-64-16॥
The place was filled with various trees and a blazing fire, surrounded by ascetics and Vālakhilyas, and accompanied by groups of sages.
agnyāgāraiśca bahubhiḥ puṣpasaṃstara saṃstṛtam। mahākacchairbṛhadbhiśca vibhrājitam atīva ca ॥1-64-17॥
The place was adorned with numerous fire-houses and flower-spreads, and was magnificently illuminated by large and grand canopies.
mālinīm abhito rājan nadīṃ puṇyāṃ sukhodakām। naika-pakṣigaṇākīrṇāṃ tapovanamanoramām ॥ tatra vyālamṛgān saumyān paśyan prītim avāpa saḥ ॥1-64-18॥
O King, around the sacred and pleasant-watered Malini river, which is filled with many flocks of birds and is as charming as a hermitage, he found delight in observing the gentle wild animals there.
taṃ cāpy atirathaḥ śrīmān āśramaṃ pratyapadyata। devalokapratīkāśaṃ sarvataḥ sumanoharam ॥1-64-19॥
The glorious great charioteer reached the hermitage, which was delightful everywhere and resembled the world of gods.
nadīmāśramasaṃśliṣṭāṃ puṇyatoyāṃ dadarśa saḥ। sarvaprāṇabhṛtāṃ tatra jananīmiva viṣṭhitām ॥1-64-20॥
He saw the river, which was joined with the hermitage and had sacred water, standing there like the mother of all living beings.
sacakravākapulināṃ puṣpaphenapravāhinīm। sakiṃnaragaṇāvāsāṃ vānararkṣaniṣevitām ॥1-64-21॥
The river, with its sandbanks inhabited by chakravaka birds and flowing with flower-like foam, is the dwelling place of kinnara groups and is frequented by monkeys and bears.
puṇyasvā'dhyāyasaṅghuṣṭāṃ pulinairupaśobhitām। mattavāraṇaśārdūlabhujagendraniṣevitām ॥1-64-22॥
The place was vibrant with the sound of sacred studies, beautifully adorned by sandbanks, and frequented by intoxicated elephants, tigers, and serpents.
nadīmāśramasambaddhāṃ dṛṣṭvāśramapadaṃ tathā। cakārābhipraveśāya matiṃ sa nṛpatistadā ॥1-64-23॥
The king, upon seeing the hermitage by the river, decided to enter it.
alaṅkṛtaṃ dvīpavatyā mālinyā ramyatīrayā। naranārāyaṇasthānaṃ gaṅgayevopaśobhitam ॥1-64-24॥
The place of Nara and Nārāyaṇa is beautifully adorned by the island, the garlanded one, and the charming bank, much like it is by the Ganges.
mattabarhiṇasaṅghuṣṭaṃ praviveśa mahadvanam ॥1-64-24॥
He entered the great forest, which was echoing with the cries of intoxicated peacocks.
tats caitrarathaprakhyaṃ samupetya nareśvaraḥ। atīva guṇasampannamanirdeśyaṃ ca varcasā ॥ maharṣiṃ kāśyapaṃ draṣṭumatha kaṇvaṃ tapodhanam ॥1-64-25॥
The king, having reached a place resembling Chaitraratha, which was extremely virtuous and indescribable in its splendor, went to see the great sages Kashyapa and Kanva, who were rich in penance.
rathinīmaśvasambādhāṃ padātigaṇasaṅkulām। avasthāpya vanadvāri senāmidamuvāca saḥ ॥1-64-26॥
He stationed the army, which was crowded with chariots and horses and filled with foot soldiers, at the forest gate and then spoke.
muniṁ virajasaṁ draṣṭuṁ gamiṣyāmi tapodhanam। kāśyapaṁ sthīyatāmatra yāvadāgamanaṁ mama ॥1-64-27॥
I am going to see the pure sage Kashyapa, the ascetic. Please stay here until I return.
tad vanaṃ nandanaprakhyam āsādya manujeśvaraḥ। kṣutpipāse jahau rājā harṣaṃ cāvāpa puṣkalam ॥1-64-28॥
The king, upon reaching the forest resembling the celestial Nandana, was relieved of hunger and thirst and experienced great joy.
sāmātyo rājaliṅgāni so'panīya narādhipaḥ। purohitasahāyaśca jagāmāśramamuttamam ॥ didṛkṣustatra tamṛṣiṃ taporāśimathāvyayam ॥1-64-29॥
The king, accompanied by his ministers and the priest, removed his royal insignia and went to the excellent hermitage, eager to see the sage who was a treasure of penance and imperishable.
brahmalokapratīkāśamāśramaṃ so'bhivīkṣya ca। ṣaṭpadodgītasaṅghuṣṭaṃ nānādvija gaṇāyutam ॥1-64-30॥
He saw the hermitage that looked like the world of Brahma, resonating with the humming of bees and filled with many kinds of birds.
ṛco bahvṛcamukhyaiśca prēryamāṇāḥ padakramaiḥ। śuśrāva manujavyāghrō vitatēṣviha karmasu ॥1-64-31॥
The noble man, known as the tiger among men, listened to the verses inspired by the chief of many hymns and the sequence of words, amidst the widespread activities here.
yajñavidyāṅgaviddhiśca kramadbhiśca kramānapi। amitātmabhiḥ suniyataiḥ śuśubhe sa tadāśramaḥ ॥1-64-32॥
The hermitage was resplendent with scholars of sacrificial rituals and those who followed the steps, along with individuals of boundless spirit and self-discipline.
atharvavedapravarāḥ pūgayājñika saṃmatāḥ। saṃhitāmīrayanti sma padakramayutāṃ tu te ॥1-64-33॥
The eminent scholars of Atharvaveda, known as Pūgayājñika, are approved and they recite the collection in the prescribed word order.
śabdasaṁskārasaṁyuktaṁ bruvadbhiścāparairdwijaiḥ| nāditaḥ sa babhau śrīmānbrahmaloka ivāśramaḥ ॥1-64-34॥
The hermitage, filled with the refined sounds of the twice-born speaking, resounded gloriously like the world of Brahma.
yajñasaṁskāravidbhiśca kramaśikṣā viśāradaiḥ। nyāyatattvārthavijñānasampannairvedapāragaiḥ ॥1-64-35॥
The rituals were conducted by experts in sacrificial rites, learned scholars proficient in the sequence of teachings, and those who have mastered the Vedas, possessing deep understanding of justice and truth.
nānāvākyasamāhārasamavāyaviśāradaiḥ। viśeṣakāryavidbhiśca mokṣadharmaparāyaṇaiḥ ॥1-64-36॥
The text refers to individuals who are experts in compiling and combining various statements, knowledgeable about special duties, and devoted to the principles of liberation.
sthāpanākṣepasiddhāntaparamārthajñatāṃ gataiḥ। lokāyatikamukhyaiśca samantādanunāditam ॥1-64-37॥
The knowledge of the ultimate truth regarding establishment, objection, and conclusion was attained and was echoed all around by the leaders of the materialists.
tatra tatra ca viprendrānniyatānsaṁśitavratān। japahomaparaānsiddhāndadarśa paravīrahā ॥1-64-38॥
In various places, the slayer of enemy heroes saw the disciplined brahmins, firm in their vows, engaged in chanting and sacrificial rituals, who were perfected ones.
āsanāni vicitrāṇi puṣpavanti mahīpatiḥ। prayatnopahitāni sma dṛṣṭvā vismayamāgamat ॥1-64-39॥
The king was amazed to see the various flowered seats that were carefully arranged.
devatāyatanānāṃ ca pūjāṃ prekṣya kṛtāṃ dvijaiḥ। brahmalokasthamātmānaṃ mene sa nṛpasattamaḥ ॥1-64-40॥
Upon witnessing the rituals conducted by the Brahmins at the divine temples, the noble king perceived himself as residing in the realm of Brahma.
sa kāśyapatapoguptamāśramapravaraṃ śubham। nātṛpyatprekṣamāṇo vai tapodhanagaṇairyutam ॥1-64-41॥
He observed the excellent and auspicious hermitage, protected by Kashyapa's penance, and was not satisfied, as it was filled with groups of ascetics.
sa kāśyapasyāyatanaṃ mahāvrataiḥ vṛtaṃ samantādṛṣibhistapodhanaiḥ। viveśa sāmātyapurohito'rihā; viviktamatyarthamanoharaṃ śivam ॥1-64-42॥
He, the enemy-slayer, entered the solitary and extremely charming abode of Kashyapa, which was surrounded by sages and ascetics with great vows, along with his ministers and priests.
