01.094
Bhishma’s Vow, and the boon from Shantanu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyanaḥ uvāca॥
[वैशम्पायनः (vaiśampāyanaḥ) - Vaiśampāyana; उवाच (uvāca) - said.]
Vaiśampāyana said:
स एवं शन्तनुर्धीमान्देवराजर्षिसत्कृतः। धर्मात्मा सर्वलोकेषु सत्यवागिति विश्रुतः ॥१॥
sa evaṁ śantanuḥ dhīmān devarājarṣi-satkṛtaḥ। dharmātmā sarvalokeṣu satyavāk iti viśrutaḥ ॥1॥
[सः (saḥ) - he; एवम् (evam) - thus; शन्तनुः (śantanuḥ) - Śantanu; धीमान् (dhīmān) - wise; देवराजर्षिसत्कृतः (devarājarṣi-satkṛtaḥ) - honored by gods, kings, and sages; धर्मात्मा (dharmātmā) - righteous; सर्वलोकेषु (sarvalokeṣu) - in all worlds; सत्यवाक् (satyavāk) - truth-speaking; इति (iti) - thus; विश्रुतः (viśrutaḥ) - renowned.]
Thus was Śantanu, wise and honored by gods, kings, and sages, righteous in all the worlds, renowned as a speaker of truth.
दमो दानं क्षमा बुद्धिर्ह्रीर्धृतिस्तेज उत्तमम्। नित्यान्यासन्महासत्त्वे शन्तनौ पुरुषर्षभे ॥२॥
damaḥ dānaṁ kṣamā buddhiḥ hrīḥ dhṛtiḥ tejaḥ uttamam। nityam āsan mahāsattve śantanau puruṣarṣabhe ॥2॥
[दमः (damaḥ) - self-restraint; दानम् (dānam) - generosity; क्षमा (kṣamā) - forgiveness; बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - wisdom; ह्रीः (hrīḥ) - modesty; धृतिः (dhṛtiḥ) - fortitude; तेजः (tejaḥ) - splendor; उत्तमम् (uttamam) - excellent; नित्यम् (nityam) - always; आासन् (āsan) - were present; महासत्त्वे (mahāsattve) - in the great-souled one; शन्तनौ (śantanau) - Śantanu; पुरुषर्षभे (puruṣarṣabhe) - best among men.]
Self-restraint, generosity, forgiveness, wisdom, modesty, fortitude, and supreme splendor were always present in the great-souled Śantanu, the best of men.
एवं स गुणसम्पन्नो धर्मार्थकुशलो नृपः। आसीद्भरतवंशस्य गोप्ता साधुजनस्य च ॥३॥
evaṁ sa guṇasampanno dharmārthakuśalo nṛpaḥ। āsīt bharatavaṁśasya goptā sādhujanasya ca ॥3॥
[एवम् (evam) - thus; सः (saḥ) - he; गुणसम्पन्नः (guṇasampannaḥ) - endowed with virtues; धर्मार्थकुशलः (dharmārthakuśalaḥ) - skilled in righteousness and prosperity; नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king; आसीत् (āsīt) - was; भरतवंशस्य (bharatavaṁśasya) - of the Bharata lineage; गोप्ता (goptā) - protector; साधुजनस्य (sādhujanasya) - of virtuous people; च (ca) - and.]
Thus, the virtuous and righteous king, skilled in dharma and wealth, became the protector of the Bharata lineage and of the virtuous.
कम्बुग्रीवः पृथुव्यंसो मत्तवारणविक्रमः। धर्म एव परः कामादर्थाच्चेति व्यवस्थितः ॥४॥
kambugrīvaḥ pṛthu vyaṁsaḥ matta vāraṇa vikramaḥ। dharma eva paraḥ kāmāt arthāt ca iti vyavasthitaḥ ॥4॥
[कम्बुग्रीवः (kambugrīvaḥ) - conch-like necked; पृथुव्यंसः (pṛthu-vyaṁsaḥ) - broad-chested; मत्तवारणविक्रमः (matta-vāraṇa-vikramaḥ) - with the stride of an intoxicated elephant; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; एव (eva) - alone; परः (paraḥ) - supreme; कामात् (kāmāt) - over desire; अर्थात् (arthāt) - and wealth; च (ca) - and; इति (iti) - thus; व्यवस्थितः (vyavasthitaḥ) - established.]
With a neck like a conch, broad chest, and the gait of a proud elephant, he was firmly established in holding dharma above desire and wealth.
एतान्यासन्महासत्त्वे शन्तनौ भरतर्षभ। न चास्य सदृशः कश्चित्क्षत्रियो धर्मतोऽभवत् ॥५॥
etān āsan mahāsattve śantanau bharatarṣabha। na ca asya sadṛśaḥ kaścit kṣatriyaḥ dharmataḥ abhavat ॥5॥
[एतानि (etāni) - these; आासन् (āsan) - were present; महासत्त्वे (mahāsattve) - in the great-souled one; शन्तनौ (śantanau) - in Śantanu; भरतर्षभ (bharatarṣabha) - O best of the Bharatas; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अस्य (asya) - his; सदृशः (sadṛśaḥ) - equal; कश्चित् (kaścit) - anyone; क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - among kṣatriyas; धर्मतः (dharmataḥ) - in righteousness; अभवत् (abhavat) - was.]
These virtues were present in Śantanu, the great-souled one, O best of the Bharatas; and no kṣatriya equaled him in righteousness.
वर्तमानं हि धर्मे स्वे सर्वधर्मविदां वरम्। तं महीपा महीपालं राजराज्येऽभ्यषेचयन् ॥६॥
vartamānaṁ hi dharme sve sarvadharmavidāṁ varam। taṁ mahīpā mahīpālaṁ rājarājye abhyaṣecayan ॥6॥
[वर्तमानम् (vartamānam) - abiding; हि (hi) - indeed; धर्मे (dharme) - in righteousness; स्वे (sve) - in his own; सर्वधर्मविदाम् (sarvadharmavidām) - of all knowers of dharma; वरम् (varam) - the best; तम् (tam) - him; महीपाः (mahīpāḥ) - kings; महीपालम् (mahīpālam) - lord of the earth; राजराज्ये (rājarājye) - in supreme kingship; अभ्यषेचयन् (abhyaṣecayan) - anointed.]
Seeing him abiding firmly in his own dharma, the best among all knowers of righteousness, the kings anointed him, the lord of the earth, in supreme sovereignty.
वीतशोकभयाबाधाः सुखस्वप्नविबोधनाः। प्रति भारतगोप्तारं समपद्यन्त भूमिपाः ॥७॥
vītaśoka-bhayābādhāḥ sukhasvapna-vibodhanāḥ। prati bhārata-goptāraṁ samapadyanta bhūmipāḥ ॥7॥
[वीत (vīta) - free from; शोक (śoka) - sorrow; भय (bhaya) - fear; आबाधाः (ābādhāḥ) - and afflictions; सुख (sukha) - pleasant; स्वप्न (svapna) - dreams; विबोधनाः (vibodhanāḥ) - awakenings; प्रति (prati) - towards; भारतगोप्तारम् (bhāratagoptāram) - protector of the Bhārata land; समपद्यन्त (samapadyanta) - resorted; भूमिपाः (bhūmipāḥ) - the kings.]
Freed from sorrow, fear, and afflictions, and waking from pleasant dreams, the kings gathered around the protector of the Bhārata land.
शन्तनुप्रमुखैर्गुप्ते लोके नृपतिभिस्तदा। नियमात्सर्ववर्णानां ब्रह्मोत्तरमवर्तत ॥८॥
śantanupra-mukhaiḥ gupte loke nṛpatibhiḥ tadā। niyamāt sarvavarṇānāṁ brahmottaram avartata ॥8॥
[शन्तनुप्रमुखैः (śantanupra-mukhaiḥ) - with Śantanu at the head; गुप्ते (gupte) - being protected; लोके (loke) - the world; नृपतिभिः (nṛpatibhiḥ) - by kings; तदा (tadā) - then; नियमात् (niyamāt) - through discipline; सर्ववर्णानाम् (sarvavarṇānām) - of all varṇas; ब्रह्मोत्तरम् (brahmottaram) - supremacy of Brahmins; अवर्तत (avartata) - prevailed.]
Then, with the world protected by kings headed by Śantanu, the supremacy of the Brahmins prevailed through the disciplined conduct of all varṇas.
ब्रह्म पर्यचरत्क्षत्रं विशः क्षत्रमनुव्रताः। ब्रह्मक्षत्रानुरक्ताश्च शूद्राः पर्यचरन्विशः ॥९॥
brahma paryacarat kṣatram viśaḥ kṣatram anuvratāḥ। brahmakṣatra-anuraktāś ca śūdrāḥ paryacaran viśaḥ ॥9॥
[ब्रह्म (brahma) - the Brahmin class; पर्यचरत् (paryacarat) - was served by; क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kṣatriya class; विशः (viśaḥ) - the Vaiśyas; क्षत्रम् (kṣatram) - the Kṣatriyas; अनुव्रताः (anuvratāḥ) - obedient; ब्रह्मक्षत्रानुरक्ताः (brahmakṣatrānuraktāḥ) - devoted to Brahmins and Kṣatriyas; च (ca) - and; शूद्राः (śūdrāḥ) - the Śūdras; पर्यचरण् (paryacaran) - served; विशः (viśaḥ) - the Vaiśyas.]
The Kṣatriyas served the Brahmins; the Vaiśyas were obedient to the Kṣatriyas; and the Śūdras, devoted to both Brahmins and Kṣatriyas, served the Vaiśyas.
स हास्तिनपुरे रम्ये कुरूणां पुटभेदने। वसन्सागरपर्यन्तामन्वशाद्वै वसुन्धराम् ॥१०॥
sa hāstinapure ramye kurūṇāṁ puṭabhedane। vasan sāgara-paryantām anvaśād vai vasundharām ॥10॥
[सः (saḥ) - he; हास्तिनपुरे (hāstinapure) - in Hastināpura; रम्ये (ramye) - delightful; कुरूणाम् (kurūṇām) - of the Kurus; पुटभेदने (puṭabhedane) - capital city; वसन् (vasan) - residing; सागरपर्यन्ताम् (sāgara-paryantām) - extending to the ocean; अन्वशात् (anvaśāt) - governed; वै (vai) - indeed; वसुन्धराम् (vasundharām) - the earth.]
Residing in the delightful Hastināpura, capital of the Kurus, he ruled the earth extending to the ocean.
स देवराजसदृशो धर्मज्ञः सत्यवागृजुः। दानधर्मतपोयोगाच्छ्रिया परमया युतः ॥११॥
sa devarājasadṛśaḥ dharmajñaḥ satyavāk ṛjuḥ। dānadharmatapoyogāt śriyā paramayā yutaḥ ॥11॥
[सः (saḥ) - he; देवराजसदृशः (devarājasadṛśaḥ) - like the king of gods; धर्मज्ञः (dharmajñaḥ) - knower of dharma; सत्यवाक् (satyavāk) - speaker of truth; ऋजुः (ṛjuḥ) - upright; दानधर्मतपोयोगात् (dāna-dharma-tapo-yogāt) - by charity, righteousness, austerity, and discipline; श्रिया (śriyā) - with splendor; परमया (paramayā) - supreme; युतः (yutaḥ) - endowed.]
He was like Indra, a knower of dharma, truthful, upright, endowed with supreme splendor through charity, righteousness, austerity, and discipline.
अरागद्वेषसंयुक्तः सोमवत्प्रियदर्शनः। तेजसा सूर्यसङ्काशो वायुवेगसमो जवे ॥ अन्तकप्रतिमः कोपे क्षमया पृथिवीसमः ॥१२॥
arāgādveṣasaṁyuktaḥ somavat priyadarśanaḥ। tejasā sūryasaṅkāśaḥ vāyuvegasamo jave॥ antakapratimaḥ kope kṣamayā pṛthivīsamaḥ ॥12॥
[अरागद्वेषसंयुक्तः (arāga-dveṣa-saṁyuktaḥ) - free from passion and hatred; सोमवत् (somavat) - like the moon; प्रियदर्शनः (priyadarśanaḥ) - pleasing to behold; तेजसा (tejasā) - in brilliance; सूर्यसङ्काशः (sūryasaṅkāśaḥ) - like the sun; वायुवेगसमः (vāyu-vega-samaḥ) - equal to the speed of wind; जवे (jave) - in swiftness; अन्तकप्रतिमः (antaka-pratimaḥ) - like Yama in wrath; कोपे (kope) - in anger; क्षमया (kṣamayā) - in forbearance; पृथिवीसमः (pṛthivī-samaḥ) - like the earth.]
Free from passion and hatred, pleasing like the moon, brilliant like the sun, swift as the wind, like Yama in wrath, and like the earth in forbearance.
वधः पशुवराहाणां तथैव मृगपक्षिणाम्। शन्तनौ पृथिवीपाले नावर्तत वृथा नृप ॥१३॥
vadhaḥ paśu-varāhāṇāṁ tathaiva mṛgapakṣiṇām। śantanau pṛthivīpāle nāvartata vṛthā nṛpa ॥13॥
[वधः (vadhaḥ) - killing; पशुवराहाणाम् (paśu-varāhāṇām) - of domestic animals and boars; तथा एव (tathā eva) - likewise; मृगपक्षिणाम् (mṛga-pakṣiṇām) - of deer and birds; शन्तनौ (śantanau) - under Śantanu; पृथिवीपाले (pṛthivīpāle) - the protector of the earth; न (na) - not; आवर्तत (āvartata) - occurred; वृथा (vṛthā) - in vain; नृप (nṛpa) - O king.]
Under King Śantanu, the protector of the earth, the killing of animals, boars, deer, or birds did not occur without purpose, O king.
धर्मब्रह्मोत्तरे राज्ये शन्तनुर्विनयात्मवान्। समं शशास भूतानि कामरागविवर्जितः ॥१४॥
dharmabrahmottare rājye śantanuḥ vinayātmavān। samaṁ śaśāsa bhūtāni kāmarāgavivarjitaḥ ॥14॥
[धर्मब्रह्मोत्तरे (dharma-brahma-uttare) - where dharma and Brahmins were supreme; राज्ये (rājye) - in the kingdom; शन्तनुः (śantanuḥ) - Śantanu; विनयात्मवान् (vinayātmavān) - possessed of humility; समम् (samam) - equally; शशास (śaśāsa) - ruled; भूतानि (bhūtāni) - beings; कामरागविवर्जितः (kāma-rāga-vivarjitaḥ) - free from lust and attachment.]
In a kingdom where dharma and the Brahmins were supreme, Śantanu ruled all beings equally with humility, free from lust and attachment.
देवर्षिपितृयज्ञार्थमारभ्यन्त तदा क्रियाः। न चाधर्मेण केषाञ्चित्प्राणिनामभवद्वधः ॥१५॥
devarṣi-pitṛ-yajñārtham ārabhyanta tadā kriyāḥ। na ca adharmeṇa keṣāñcit prāṇinām abhavat vadhaḥ ॥15॥
[देवर्षिपितृयज्ञार्थम् (devarṣi-pitṛ-yajñārtham) - for sacrifices to gods, sages, and ancestors; आरभ्यन्त (ārabhyanta) - were undertaken; तदा (tadā) - then; क्रियाः (kriyāḥ) - rites; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अधर्मेण (adharmeṇa) - by unrighteous means; केषाञ्चित् (keṣāñcit) - of any; प्राणिनाम् (prāṇinām) - living beings; अभवत् (abhavat) - occurred; वधः (vadhaḥ) - killing.]
Then, sacrificial rites for gods, sages, and ancestors were undertaken, and no living being was slain unrighteously.
