01.173
Library: Cursed by Brahmin's wife Kalmashapada asks sage Vasishtha to procreate.
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said.
राज्ञा कल्माषपादेन गुरौ ब्रह्मविदां वरे। कारणं किं पुरस्कृत्य भार्या वै संनियोजिता ॥१-१७३-१॥
For what reason did King Kalmashapada engage the wife with the teacher, the best among the knowers of Brahman?
जानता च परं धर्मं लोक्यं तेन महात्मना। अगम्यागमनं कस्माद्वसिष्ठेन महात्मना ॥ कृतं तेन पुरा सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि पृच्छतः ॥१-१७३-२॥
Knowing the supreme dharma to be observed, why did the great-souled Vasiṣṭha approach the unapproachable? Please tell all that was done by him in the past to the one who asks.
गन्धर्व उवाच॥
The gandharva said:
धनञ्जय निबोधेदं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि। वसिष्ठं प्रति दुर्धर्षं तथामित्रसहं नृपम् ॥१-१७३-३॥
O Dhananjaya, understand what you ask me: about Vasiṣṭha, the king who is unconquerable and able to withstand his enemies.
कथितं ते मया पूर्वं यथा शप्तः स पार्थिवः। शक्तिना भरतश्रेष्ठ वासिष्ठेन महात्मना ॥१-१७३-४॥
O best of the Bharatas, I have already told you how that king was cursed by Śakti, the great-souled son of Vasiṣṭha.
स तु शापवशं प्राप्तः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः। निर्जगाम पुराद्राजा सहदारः परन्तपः ॥१-१७३-५॥
But he, under the influence of a curse and with eyes agitated by anger, the king, scorcher of foes, departed from the city with his wife.
अरण्यं निर्जनं गत्वा सदारः परिचक्रमे। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं नानासत्त्वसमाकुलम् ॥१-१७३-६॥
He went to the deserted forest with his wife and wandered there, where it was filled with many kinds of deer and crowded with various creatures.
नानागुल्मलताच्छन्नं नानाद्रुमसमावृतम्। अरण्यं घोरसंनादं शापग्रस्तः परिभ्रमन् ॥१-१७३-७॥
Wandering in a forest thickly covered with various bushes, creepers, and trees, resounding terribly, and afflicted by a curse.
स कदाचित्क्षुधाविष्टो मृगयन्भक्षमात्मनः। ददर्श सुपरिक्लिष्टः कस्मिंश्चिद्वननिर्झरे ॥ ब्राह्मणीं ब्राह्मणं चैव मैथुनायोपसङ्गतौ ॥
Once, overcome by hunger and searching for food, he, greatly distressed, saw at a certain forest waterfall a Brāhmaṇa and his wife engaged in union.
तौ समीक्ष्य तु वित्रस्तावकृतार्थौ प्रधावितौ। तयोश्च द्रवतोर्विप्रं जगृहे नृपतिर्बलात् ॥१-१७३-९॥
But when the king saw that those two were frightened and unsuccessful and had run away, he forcibly seized the Brāhmaṇa while they were fleeing.
दृष्ट्वा गृहीतं भर्तारमथ ब्राह्मण्यभाषत। शृणु राजन्वचो मह्यं यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि सुव्रत ॥१-१७३-१०॥
Seeing her husband seized, the Brāhmaṇa's wife then spoke: "Hear, O king, the words I shall say to you, O virtuous one."
आदित्यवंशप्रभवस्त्वं हि लोकपरिश्रुतः। अप्रमत्तः स्थितो धर्मे गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः ॥१-१७३-११॥
You are indeed descended from the lineage of Āditya, renowned throughout the world, ever-vigilant, steadfast in righteousness, and devoted to serving your teacher.
शापं प्राप्तोऽसि दुर्धर्ष न पापं कर्तुमर्हसि। ऋतुकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते भर्त्रास्म्यद्य समागता ॥१-१७३-१२॥
O Durdharṣa, you are under a curse and must not commit any sin. However, now that the proper season has arrived, today I am united with my husband.
अकृतार्था ह्यहं भर्त्रा प्रसवार्थश्च मे महान्। प्रसीद नृपतिश्रेष्ठ भर्ता मेऽयं विसृज्यताम् ॥१-१७३-१३॥
I have not yet fulfilled my purpose with my husband, and the desire for progeny is great for me. Please, O best of kings, let my husband be released.
एवं विक्रोशमानायास्तस्याः स सुनृशंसकृत्। भर्तारं भक्षयामास व्याघ्रो मृगमिवेप्सितम् ॥१-१७३-१४॥
Thus, as she cried out, the tiger, in a most cruel act, devoured her husband as if he were its desired prey.
तस्याः क्रोधाभिभूताया यदश्रु न्यपतद्भुवि। सोऽग्निः समभवद्दीप्तस्तं च देशं व्यदीपयत् ॥१-१७३-१५॥
As she was overcome by anger, the tear that fell from her onto the ground became a blazing fire and illuminated that region.
ततः सा शोकसन्तप्ता भर्तृव्यसनदुःखिता। कल्माषपादं राजर्षिमशपद्ब्राह्मणी रुषा ॥१-१७३-१६॥
Then, overwhelmed by grief and her husband's misfortune, the Brahmin lady angrily cursed Kalmashapada, the royal sage.
यस्मान्ममाकृतार्थायास्त्वया क्षुद्र नृशंसवत्। प्रेक्षन्त्या भक्षितो मेऽद्य प्रभुर्भर्ता महायशाः ॥१-१७३-१७॥
Because of you, O mean and cruel one, while I watched helplessly, my greatly renowned lord and husband has been devoured today, leaving my purpose unfulfilled.
तस्मात्त्वमपि दुर्बुद्धे मच्छापपरिविक्षतः। पत्नीमृतावनुप्राप्य सद्यस्त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितम् ॥१-१७३-१८॥
Therefore, O wicked-minded one, as you are afflicted by my curse, you too, upon uniting with your wife in her season, will instantly lose your life.
यस्य चर्षेर्वसिष्ठस्य त्वया पुत्रा विनाशिताः। तेन सङ्गम्य ते भार्या तनयं जनयिष्यति ॥ स ते वंशकरः पुत्रो भविष्यति नृपाधम ॥१-१७३-१९॥
The sons of the sage Vasiṣṭha, whom you destroyed, will be replaced: your wife, after uniting with him, will bear a son. That son will continue your lineage, O lowest of kings.
एवं शप्त्वा तु राजानं सा तमाङ्गिरसी शुभा। तस्यैव संनिधौ दीप्तं प्रविवेश हुताशनम् ॥१-१७३-२०॥
Thus, after cursing the king, that auspicious Angirasi, in his presence, entered the blazing fire.
वसिष्ठश्च महाभागः सर्वमेतदपश्यत। ज्ञानयोगेन महता तपसा च परन्तप ॥१-१७३-२१॥
Vasiṣṭha, the greatly fortunate sage, perceived all this through the power of knowledge and great austerity, O scorcher of foes.
मुक्तशापश्च राजर्षिः कालेन महता ततः। ऋतुकालेऽभिपतितो मदयन्त्या निवारितः ॥१-१७३-२२॥
The royal sage, released from his curse by the passage of great time, then approached Madayanti in her season, but was prevented by her.
न हि सस्मार नृपतिस्तं शापं शापमोहितः। देव्याः सोऽथ वचः श्रुत्वा स तस्या नृपसत्तमः ॥ तं च शापमनुस्मृत्य पर्यतप्यद्भृशं तदा ॥१-१७३-२३॥
The king, under the delusion of the curse, did not remember it. But when he heard the queen's words, the best of kings recalled the curse and was deeply tormented at that moment.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजा वसिष्ठं संन्ययोजयत्। स्वदारे भरतश्रेष्ठ शापदोषसमन्वितः ॥१-१७३-२४॥
For this reason, the king appointed Vasiṣṭha. O best of the Bharatas, he was afflicted by the fault of a curse involving his own wife.
