01.149
Core:Kunti's proposes to send Bhima.
kuntiyuvāca॥
Kunti said:
na viṣādastvayā kāryo bhayādasmāt kathañcana। upāyaḥ paridṛṣṭo'tra tasmān mokṣāya rakṣasaḥ ॥1॥
Do not be sorrowful, for this should not be done by you out of fear. The means have been thoroughly seen here, therefore, O demon, for liberation.
eka-stava suto bālaḥ kanyā caikā tapasvinī। na te tayos tathā patnyā gamanaṁ tatra rocaye ॥2॥
You have one son and one daughter, both ascetics. But I do not like their going there as your wives.
mama pañca sutā brahmaṁsteṣāmeko gamiṣyati। tvadarthaṁ balimādāya tasya pāpasya rakṣasaḥ ॥3॥
One of my five daughters will go to Brahman, taking an offering for your cause. The demon will bear the consequences of his sin.
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The Brahman said:
nāhametat kariṣyāmi jīvitārthī kathañcana। brāhmaṇasyātithēścaiva svārthe prāṇair viyojanam ॥4॥
I will not do this, for the sake of life, in any way. Nor will I separate the life for the Brahman or the guest for their own purpose.
na tvetadakulīnāsu nādharmiṣṭhāsu vidyate। yadbrahmaṇārthe visṛjēd-ātmānamapi cātmajam ॥5॥
There is no righteousness in those without lineage and without Dharma. One should not give up oneself or even the son for the Brahman’s cause.
ātmanastu mayā śreyo boddhavyamiti rocaye। brahmavadhyātma-vadhyā vā śrēya ātmavadhō mama ॥6॥
Indeed, I prefer the better path, which is the understanding of the self. The killing of a Brahman or self-destruction is indeed better for me.
brahmavadhyā paraṁ pāpaṁ niṣkṛtirnātra vidyate। abuddhipūrvam kṛtvāpi śrēyo ātma-vadhō mama ॥7॥
The killing of a Brahman is the greatest sin, there is no expiation for it. Even if done in ignorance, self-destruction is better for me.
na tvahaṁ vadhamākāṅkṣe svayamevātmanah śubhē। paraih kṛtē vadhe pāpaṁ na kiñcinmayi vidyate ॥8॥
I do not desire to kill, I prefer my own good. If done by others, I do not bear the sin in me.
abhisaṁdhikṛtē tasmin brāhmaṇasya vadhe mayā। niṣkṛtiṁ na prapaśyāmi nṛśaṁsaṁ kṣudramēva ca ॥9॥
If I had done this with intent, I would not see any expiation, only cruelty and a very small sin.
āgatasya gṛhē tyāgastathēva śaraṇārthinaḥ। yācāmānasya ca vadho nṛśaṁsaṁ paramaṁ matam ॥10॥
For the one who has come, renunciation and similarly killing of a seeker is regarded as supreme cruelty, according to my opinion.
kuryān na ninditaṁ karma na nṛśaṁsaṁ kadācana। iti pūrve mahātman āpaddharmavido viduḥ ॥11॥
They should never perform condemned actions, nor cruelty at any time. Thus, the great souls of the past, who know the dharma of adversity, are aware.
śreyāṁstu sahadārasya vināśo'dya mama svayam। brāhmaṇasya vadhaṁ nāhamanumansye kathāñcana ॥12॥
Indeed, the destruction of the wife today is better for me. I will not approve of the killing of a Brahman in any way.
kuntiyuvāca॥
Kunti said:
mamāpyēṣā matir brahman viprā rakṣyā iti sthirā। na cāpyaniṣṭaḥ putro mē yadi putraśataṁ bhavet ॥13॥
My opinion is firm, O Brahman, that my sons should be protected. Even if a hundred sons were born to me, none would be inauspicious.
na cāsau rākṣasaḥ śakto mama putravināśanē। vīryavān mantrasiddhaśca tējassvī ca suto mama ॥14॥
The demon is not capable of destroying my sons. My son is powerful, accomplished in mantras, and radiant.
rākṣasāya ca tat sarvaṁ prāpayīṣyati bhōjanam। mokṣayīṣyati cātmanamiti mē niścitā matiḥ ॥15॥
The demon will provide all of that as food. He will liberate my soul, thus my opinion is determined.
samāgatāśca vīreṇa dṛṣṭapūrvāśca rākṣasāḥ। balavanto mahākāyā nihatāścāpyanekashaḥ ॥16॥
Those demons who had previously been seen, and gathered with the hero, were powerful and of great size. They were killed many times.
na tvidam kēṣucid brahman vyāhartavyaṁ kathañcana। vidyārthino hi mē putrān viprakuryuḥ kutūhalāt ॥17॥
This should not be said in any way, O Brahman. Indeed, my sons will ask questions out of curiosity.
guruṇā cānanujñāto grāhayēdyaṁ suto mama। na sa kuryāt tayā kāryaṁ vidyayēti satāṁ matam ॥18॥
My son, without permission from the teacher, should not be made to take up work for knowledge, this is the opinion of the wise.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
evamuktaḥ tu pṛthayā sa vipro bhāryayā saha। hṛṣṭaḥ sampūjayāmāsa tadvākyam amṛtopamam ॥19॥
Thus spoken to, the Brahman, pleased, worshiped with his wife, those words, which were like nectar.
tataḥ kuntī ca vipraśca sahitāvanilātmajam। tamabrūtāṁ kuruṣvaiti sa tathētyabravīcca tau ॥20॥
Then, Kunti and the Brahman, together with the son of the wind, said to him, "Do it," and he replied, "So be it," to both.
