01.164
Library: Brings up Vashishtha to highlight superiority of Brahmanas, and asks Arjuna to appoint a Brahmana.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
स गन्धर्ववचः श्रुत्वा तत्तदा भरतर्षभ। अर्जुनः परया प्रीत्या पूर्णचन्द्र इवाबभौ ॥१-१६४-१॥
O Bharata, when Arjuna heard the words of the Gandharva, he was filled with great joy and shone like the full moon.
उवाच च महेष्वासो गन्धर्वं कुरुसत्तमः। जातकौतूहलोऽतीव वसिष्ठस्य तपोबलात् ॥१-१६४-२॥
The great archer, foremost among the Kurus, driven by intense curiosity arising from the power of Vasiṣṭha's penance, spoke to the Gandharva.
वसिष्ठ इति यस्यैतदृषेर्नाम त्वयेरितम्। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं यथावत्तद्वदस्व मे ॥१-१६४-३॥
I wish to hear from you, exactly as it is, about the sage whose name "Vasiṣṭha" you have mentioned; please tell me that.
य एष गन्धर्वपते पूर्वेषां नः पुरोहितः। आसीदेतन्ममाचक्ष्व क एष भगवानृषिः ॥१-१६४-४॥
O lord of Gandharvas, who is this who was the priest of our ancestors? Please tell me, who is this venerable sage?
गन्धर्व उवाच॥
The gandharva said.
तपसा निर्जितौ शश्वदजेयावमरैरपि। कामक्रोधावुभौ यस्य चरणौ संववाहतुः ॥१-१६४-५॥
Even the immortals have always found desire and anger invincible, but by austerity, both have been conquered and have served at the feet of that person.
यस्तु नोच्छेदनं चक्रे कुशिकानामुदारधीः। विश्वामित्रापराधेन धारयन्मन्युमुत्तमम् ॥१-१६४-६॥
But he, noble-minded, did not destroy the Kuśikas, even while bearing supreme anger because of Viśvāmitra's offence.
पुत्रव्यसनसन्तप्तः शक्तिमानपि यः प्रभुः। विश्वामित्रविनाशाय न मेने कर्म दारुणम् ॥१-१६४-७॥
Though powerful, the lord, tormented by the misfortune concerning his son, did not deem the cruel act for the destruction of Viśvāmitra.
मृतांश्च पुनराहर्तुं यः स पुत्रान्यमक्षयात्। कृतान्तं नातिचक्राम वेलामिव महोदधिः ॥१-१६४-८॥
He, who wished to bring back his dead sons from Yama, did not cross the boundary set by Kṛtānta (Yama, god of death), just as the great ocean does not cross its shore.
यं प्राप्य विजितात्मानं महात्मानं नराधिपाः। इक्ष्वाकवो महीपाला लेभिरे पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥१-१६४-९॥
Having attained him, the kings—descendants of Ikṣvāku, rulers of the earth—who had conquered themselves and were great-souled, obtained this earth.
पुरोहितवरं प्राप्य वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्। ईजिरे क्रतुभिश्चापि नृपास्ते कुरुनन्दन ॥१-१६४-१०॥
O Arjuna, having secured Vasiṣṭha, the best among priests and foremost among sages, those kings also performed sacrifices.
स हि तान्याजयामास सर्वान्नृपतिसत्तमान्। ब्रह्मर्षिः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ बृहस्पतिरिवामरान् ॥१-१६४-११॥
O best of the Pāṇḍavas, the Brahmarṣi conquered all those foremost of kings, just as Bṛhaspati conquers the immortals.
तस्माद्धर्मप्रधानात्मा वेदधर्मविदीप्सितः। ब्राह्मणो गुणवान्कश्चित्पुरोधाः प्रविमृश्यताम् ॥१-१६४-१२॥
Therefore, a Brāhmaṇa whose nature is primarily dharma, who seeks knowledge of Vedic dharma, and who is virtuous, should be carefully chosen as the priest.
क्षत्रियेण हि जातेन पृथिवीं जेतुमिच्छता। पूर्वं पुरोहितः कार्यः पार्थ राज्याभिवृद्धये ॥१-१६४-१३॥
O Pārtha, a kṣatriya who desires to conquer the earth must first appoint a priest for the prosperity of the kingdom.
महीं जिगीषता राज्ञा ब्रह्म कार्यं पुरःसरम्। तस्मात्पुरोहितः कश्चिद्गुणवानस्तु वो द्विजः ॥१-१६४-१४॥
Therefore, for a king wishing to conquer the earth, a virtuous and twice-born priest should precede all sacred acts for you.
