01.166
Library: Vishwamitra displays forgiveness even when his sons are killed.
gandharva uvāca॥
The gandharva said.
kalmāṣapāda ityasmiṃlloke rājā babhūva ha। ikṣvākúvaṃśajaḥ pārtha tejasāsadṛśo bhuvi ॥1-166-1॥
O Pārtha, there was a king named Kalmāṣapāda in this world, a descendant of Ikṣvāku, who was equal in splendor on earth.
sa kadācid vanaṃ rājā mṛgayāṃ niryayau purāt। mṛgān vidhyan varāhāṃś ca cacāra ripumardanaḥ॥1-166-2॥
Once, the king, the destroyer of enemies, set out from the city to the forest for hunting; he roamed about, shooting deer and boars.
sa tu rājā mahātmānaṃ vāsiṣṭham ṛṣisattamam। tṛṣārtaś ca kṣudhārtaś ca ekāyanagataḥ pathi ॥1-166-3॥
But the king, the great-souled descendant of Vasiṣṭha, best among sages, afflicted by thirst and hunger, proceeded along a single path.
apaśyad ajitaḥ saṅkhye muniṃ pratimukhāgatam। śaktiṃ nāma mahābhāgaṃ vasiṣṭhakulanandanam॥ jyeṣṭhaṃ putraśatāt putraṃ vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ॥1-166-4॥
Ajita saw in the battle the sage Śakti, who had come before him, most fortunate and the delight of the Vasiṣṭha lineage, the eldest among the hundred sons of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
apagaccha patho'smākamityevaṃ pārthivo'bravīt। tathā ṛṣiruvācainaṃ sāntvayañślakṣṇayā girā ॥1-166-5॥
"Go away from our path," said the king. Then the sage addressed him, soothing him with gentle words.
ṛṣis tu nāpacakrāma tasmin dharmapathe sthitaḥ। nāpi rājā muner mānāt krodhāc cāpi jagāma ha ॥1-166-6॥
But the sage remained steadfast on the path of dharma. Nor did the king, out of pride or anger towards the sage, depart from it.
amuñcantaṃ tu panthānaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ nṛpasattamaḥ। jaghāna kaśayā mohāt tadā rākṣasavan munim ॥1-166-7॥
But when the sage did not give way, the best of kings, deluded, struck him with a whip like a demon.
kaśā-prahāra-abhi-hataḥ tataḥ saḥ muni-sattamaḥ। taṃ śaśāpa nṛpa-śreṣṭham vāsiṣṭhaḥ krodha-mūrcchitaḥ ॥1-166-8॥
Then, struck by the blow of the whip, the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha, overcome with anger, cursed the foremost of kings.
haṁsi rākṣasavad yasmād rājāpasada tāpasam। tasmāt tvam adya prabhṛti puruṣādo bhaviṣyasi॥1-166-9॥
Because you, an outcast among kings, have killed an ascetic like a demon, therefore from this day forward, you shall become a man-eater.
manuṣyapiśite saktaś cariṣyasi mahīm imām। gaccha rājādhameti uktaḥ śaktinā vīryaśaktinā ॥1-166-10॥
You will wander this earth, attached to human flesh. Having been told, "Go, lowest of kings," by Śakti with the power of heroism.
tato yājyanimittaṃ tu viśvāmitravasiṣṭhayoḥ। vairam āsīt tadā taṃ tu viśvāmitro'nvapadyata ॥1-166-11॥
Then, for the sake of the sacrifice, enmity arose between Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha; at that time, Viśvāmitra pursued him.
tayor vivadator evaṃ samīpam upacakrame। ṛṣir ugratapāḥ pārtha viśvāmitraḥ pratāpavān ॥1-166-12॥
O son of Pritha, as those two were disputing in this way, the powerful sage Viśvāmitra, who had performed severe penance, approached them.
tataḥ sa bubudhe paścāttam ṛṣiṃ nṛpasattamaḥ। ṛṣeḥ putraṃ vasiṣṭhasya vasiṣṭham iva tejasā ॥1-166-13॥
Then the noble king realized that the sage before him was the son of Vasiṣṭha, possessing brilliance like Vasiṣṭha himself.
antardhāya tad-ātmānam viśvāmitro'pi bhārata। tau ubhau upacakrāma cikīrṣan ātmanaḥ priyam ॥1-166-14॥
O Bhārata, after Viśvāmitra had disappeared his form, both of them approached, wishing to do what was pleasing to themselves.
sa tu śaptas tadā tena śaktinā vai nṛpottamaḥ। jagāma śaraṇaṃ śaktiṃ prasādayitum arhayan ॥1-166-15॥
But he, the best among kings, having been cursed by Śakti at that time, went to Śakti seeking refuge, desiring to propitiate him.
tasya bhāvaṃ viditvā sa nṛpateḥ kurunandana। viśvāmitrastato rakṣa ādideśa nṛpaṃ prati ॥1-166-16॥
O descendant of Kuru, having understood his state, Viśvāmitra then instructed protection for the king.
sa śāpāttasya viprarṣerviśvāmitrasya cājñayā। rākṣasaḥ kiṅkaro nāma viveśa nṛpatiṃ tadā ॥1-166-17॥
By the curse of that Brāhmaṇa sage and by the command of Viśvāmitra, the demon named Kiṅkara then entered the king.
rakṣasā tu gṛhītaṃ taṃ viditvā sa munistadā। viśvāmitro'pyapakrāmattasmāddeśādariṃdama ॥1-166-18॥
O subduer of foes, knowing that he had been seized by the demon, the sage Viśvāmitra also left that region.
tataḥ sa nṛpatir vidvān rakṣan nātmānam ātmanā। balavat-pīḍyamānaḥ api rakṣasā antar-gatena ha ॥1-166-19॥
Then that wise king, even while being strongly tormented by the demon who had entered within him, protected himself by his own effort.
dadarśa taṃ dvijaḥ kaścid rājānaṃ prasthitaṃ punaḥ। yayāce kṣudhitaś cainaṃ samāṃsaṃ bhojanaṃ tadā॥1-166-20॥
A certain brāhmaṇa saw the king departing again; being hungry, he then requested him for a meal with meat.
tam uvācātha rājarṣir dvijaṃ mitrasahas tadā। āssva brahmaṃs tvam atraiva muhūrtam iti sāntvayan ॥1-166-21॥
Then the royal sage Mitrasaha said to the twice-born: "Rest here for a moment, O Brāhmaṇa," soothing him.
nivṛttaḥ pratidāsyāmi bhojanaṃ te yathepsitam। ity uktvā prayayau rājā tasthau ca dvijasattamaḥ ॥1-166-22॥
Having ceased, the king said, "I will give you food as you desire." Thus speaking, the king departed, and the best of the twice-born remained standing.
antargataṃ tu tadrājñastadā brāhmaṇabhāṣitam। so'ntaḥpuraṃ praviśyātha saṃviveśa narādhipaḥ ॥1-166-23॥
But the king, having entered the inner apartments, sat down, reflecting on what the brāhmaṇa had spoken.
tato'rdharātra utthāya sūdamānāyya satvaram। uvāca rājā saṃsmṛtya brāhmaṇasya pratiśrutam ॥1-166-24॥
Then, at midnight, the king quickly arose, remembered the promise made to the Brāhmaṇa, and spoke to Sūdamānā.
gacchāmuṣminnasau deśe brāhmaṇo māṃ pratīkṣate। annārthī tvaṃ tamannena samāṃsenopapādaya ॥1-166-25॥
Go to that place; there, a brāhmaṇa is waiting for me. He is in need of food; you should provide him with food and an equal share.
evam-uktas-tadā sūdaḥ so'nāsādyāmiṣaṃ kvacit। nivedayāmāsa tadā tasmai rājñe vyathānvitaḥ ॥1-166-26॥
Thus, when addressed, the cook, unable to find any meat anywhere, then informed the king, being afflicted with distress.
rājā tu rakṣasāviṣṭaḥ sūdam āha gatavyathaḥ। apy enaṃ naramāṃsena bhojayeti punaḥ punaḥ॥1-166-27॥
But the king, possessed by a demon and having lost all sense of pain, repeatedly told the cook, "Feed him with human flesh."
tathety uktvā tataḥ sūdaḥ sansthānaṃ vadhyaghātinām। gatvā jahāra tvarito naramāṃsam apetabhīḥ ॥1-166-28॥
After saying this, the cook then went to the place of the condemned and, without fear, quickly took the human flesh.
sa tatsaṃskṛtya vidhivad annopahitam āśu vai। tasmai prādād brāhmaṇāya kṣudhitàya tapasvine ॥1-166-29॥
He prepared the food according to the proper rules and quickly gave it to the brāhmaṇa, who was hungry and an ascetic.
sa siddhacakṣuṣā dṛṣṭvā tadannaṃ dvijasattamaḥ। abhojyamidamityāha krodhaparyākulekṣaṇaḥ ॥1-166-30॥
With his perfected vision, the foremost of the twice-born saw that food and, his eyes filled with anger, declared, "This is unfit to be eaten."
yasmād abhojyam annaṃ me dadāti sa narādhipaḥ। tasmāt tasyaiva mūḍhasya bhaviṣyaty atra lolupā ॥1-166-31॥
The king who gives me food that is not fit to be eaten, therefore, only that deluded one will have greed here.
sakto mānuṣamāṃseṣu yathoktaḥ śaktinā purā। udvejanīyo bhūtānāṃ cariṣyati mahīmimām ॥1-166-32॥
He, who was formerly attached to human flesh as stated and empowered, will now roam this earth causing agitation among beings.
dviranuvyāhṛte rājñaḥ sa śāpo balavānabhūt। rakṣobalasamāviṣṭo visañjñaścābhavattadā ॥1-166-33॥
When the king uttered it twice, the curse became powerful. He was possessed by the strength of the demon and then became unconscious.
tataḥ sa nṛpatiśreṣṭho rākṣasopahatendriyaḥ। uvāca śaktiṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā nacirādiva bhārata ॥1-166-34॥
Then, O Bhārata, the best of kings, whose senses had been afflicted by the demon, saw Śakti and spoke to him, as if not much time had passed.
yasmādasadṛśaḥ śāpaḥ prayukto'yaṃ tvayā mayi। tasmāttvattaḥ pravartiṣye khādituṃ mānuṣānaham ॥1-166-35॥
Because you have inflicted this improper curse upon me, therefore, I shall henceforth proceed from you to eat humans.
evam-uktvā tataḥ sadyaḥ taṃ prāṇaiḥ viprayujya saḥ। śaktinaṃ bhakṣayāmāsa vyāghraḥ paśum iva īpsitam॥1-166-36॥
Having said this, the tiger immediately killed Śaktin and devoured him as he would a desired animal.
śaktinaṃ tu hataṃ dṛṣṭvā viśvāmitras tataḥ punaḥ। vasiṣṭhasyaiva putreṣu tadrakṣaḥ saṃdideśa ha ॥1-166-37॥
But when Viśvāmitra saw Śakti slain, he again commanded that rākṣasa to attack the sons of Vasiṣṭha.
sa tāñśatāvarānputrān vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ। bhakṣayāmāsa saṅkruddhaḥ siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgāniva ॥1-166-38॥
Enraged, the lion devoured those hundred sons of the great sage Vasiṣṭha as if they were mere small animals.
vasiṣṭho ghātitāñśrutvā viśvāmitreṇa tānsutān। dhārayāmāsa taṃ śokaṃ mahādririva medinīm ॥1-166-39॥
When Vasiṣṭha heard that his sons had been slain by Viśvāmitra, he endured that grief as the earth endures a great mountain.
cakre cātmavināśāya buddhiṃ sa munisattamaḥ। na tveva kuśikocchedam mene matimatāṃ varaḥ ॥1-166-40॥
He, the foremost among sages, resolved upon self-destruction, but did not at all contemplate the destruction of the Kuśika lineage, being the best among the wise.
sa merukūṭād ātmānaṃ mumoca bhagavān ṛṣiḥ। śiras tasya śilāyāṃ ca tūlarāśāv ivāpatat ॥1-166-41॥
The venerable sage released his life from the summit of Meru; his head fell on the rock as if into a heap of cotton.
na mamāra ca pātena sa yadā tena pāṇḍava। tadāgnimiddhvā bhagavān saṃviveśa mahāvane ॥1-166-42॥
He did not die from the fall, O Pāṇḍava; then, having kindled the fire, the venerable one entered the great forest.
taṃ tadā susamiddho'pi na dadāha hutāśanaḥ। dīpyamāno'pyamitraghna śīto'gnirabhavattataḥ ॥1-166-43॥
Then, O destroyer of enemies, although the fire was well-kindled and blazing, it did not burn him; instead, the fire became cool thereafter.
sa samudram abhipretya śokāviṣṭo mahāmuniḥ। baddhvā kaṇṭhe śilāṃ gurvīṃ nipapāta tad ambhasi ॥1-166-44॥
The great sage, overwhelmed with grief, went to the ocean, tied a heavy stone around his neck, and plunged into the water.
sa samudrormivegena sthale nyasto mahāmuniḥ। jagāma sa tataḥ khinnaḥ punarevāśramaṃ prati॥1-166-45॥
The great sage, having been cast onto the ground by the force of the ocean's waves, then, distressed, went again towards the hermitage.
