01.209
Pancharatra: Background behind crocodile curse. Birth of Babruvahana.
vargovāca॥
The group said.
tato vayaṃ pravyathitāḥ sarvā bharatasattama । āyāma śaraṇaṃ vipraṃ taṃ tapodhanamacyutam ॥1-209-1॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, all of us, greatly agitated, let us seek refuge with that imperishable ascetic Brāhmaṇa.
rūpeṇa vayasā caiva kandarpeṇa ca darpitāḥ । ayuktaṃ kṛtavatyaḥ sma kṣantum arhasi no dvija ॥1-209-2॥
O Brahmin, made proud by beauty, youth, and the god of love, we have acted improperly; you ought to forgive us.
eṣa eva vadho'smākaṃ suparyāptastapodhana । yadvayaṃ saṃśitātmānaṃ pralobdhuṃ tvāmihaāgatāḥ ॥1-209-3॥
This alone is truly our ruin, O ascetic, that we have come here to tempt you, whose mind is firmly resolved.
avadhyāstu striyaḥ sṛṣṭā manyante dharmacintakāḥ । tasmāddharmeṇa dharmajña nāsmāṁ hiṁsitumarhasi ॥1-209-4॥
"Women are considered by those who reflect on dharma to be not to be killed. Therefore, O knower of dharma, you should not harm us by righteousness."
sarvabhūteṣu dharmajña maitro brāhmaṇa ucyate । satyo bhavatu kalyāṇa eṣa vādo manīṣiṇām ॥1-209-5॥
A brāhmaṇa is called one who knows dharma and is friendly to all beings. Let this statement of the wise be true and auspicious.
śaraṇaṃ ca prapannānāṃ śiṣṭāḥ kurvanti pālanam । śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapannāḥ sma tasmāttvaṃ kṣantumarhasi ॥1-209-6॥
The virtuous protect those who seek refuge. We have sought refuge in you; therefore, you ought to forgive us.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evam-uktas-tu dharmātmā brāhmaṇaḥ śubhakarmakṛt । prasādaṃ kṛtavān vīra ravisomasamaprabhaḥ ॥1-209-7॥
Thus, when addressed, the righteous brāhmaṇa, performer of auspicious deeds, graciously favored (him), O hero, shining with the radiance of the Sun and Moon.
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The brāhmaṇa said.
śataṃ sahasraṃ viśvaṃ ca sarvam akṣayavācakam । parimāṇaṃ śataṃ tv etan naitad akṣayavācakam ॥1-209-8॥
The words 'hundred', 'thousand', 'all', and 'everything' indicate the imperishable, but when used as a measure, 'hundred' does not indicate the imperishable.
yadā ca vo grāhabhūtā gṛhṇantīḥ puruṣāñjale । utkarṣati jalāt kaścit sthalaṃ puruṣasattamaḥ ॥1-209-9॥
O best among men, when your crocodile-formed ones seize men in the water, if someone drags (them) from the water to the land.
tadā yūyaṃ punaḥ sarvāḥ svarūpaṃ pratipatsyatha । anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me hasatāpi kadācana ॥1-209-10॥
Then all of you will regain your original forms again. I have never spoken a falsehood, not even in jest.
tāni sarvāṇi tīrthāni itaḥ prabhṛti caiva ha । nārītīrthāni nāmneha khyātiṃ yāsyanti sarvaśaḥ ॥1-209-11॥
From this point onward, all those holy places will be known as 'women-holy places' here, and they will attain fame in every way.
puṇyāni ca bhaviṣyanti pāvanāni manīṣiṇām ॥1-209-11॥
The meritorious deeds of the wise will become purifying.
vargovāca॥
The group said.
tato'bhivādya taṃ vipraṃ kṛtvā caiva pradakṣiṇam । acintayāmopasṛtya tasmād deśāt suduḥkhitāḥ ॥1-209-12॥
Then, after saluting the brāhmaṇa and circumambulating him, we approached and, being very sorrowful, departed from that place.
kva nu nāma vayaṃ sarvāḥ kālenālpena taṃ naram । samāgacchema yo nas tadrūpam āpādayet punaḥ ॥
Where, indeed, are we all, that we might soon meet that man who could restore that form to us again?
tā vayaṃ cintayitvaivaṃ muhūrtādiva bhārata । dṛṣṭavatyō mahābhāgaṃ devarṣimuta nāradam ॥1-209-14॥
O Bhārata, after pondering thus for a moment, they beheld the highly fortunate divine sage Nārada.
sarvā hṛṣṭāḥ sma taṃ dṛṣṭvā devarṣim amitadyutim | abhivādya ca taṃ pārtha sthitāḥ sma vyathitānanāḥ ॥1-209-15॥
All the women, delighted, upon seeing the divine sage of immeasurable splendor, after saluting him, O Pārtha, stood there with distressed faces.
sa no'pṛcchad duḥkhamūlam uktavatyo vayaṃ ca tat । śrutvā tac ca yathāvṛttam idaṃ vacanam abravīt ॥1-209-16॥
He asked us, who had spoken about the root of sorrow, and after hearing that, we narrated this matter as it had occurred.
dakṣiṇe sāgarānūpe pañca tīrthāni santi vai । puṇyāni ramaṇīyāni tāni gacchata māciram ॥1-209-17॥
On the southern seashore, there are five sacred and beautiful places; go to those without delay.
tatrāśu puruṣavyāghraḥ pāṇḍavo vo dhanañjayaḥ । mokṣayiṣyati śuddhātmā duḥkhādasmānna saṃśayaḥ ॥1-209-18॥
There, Dhanañjaya, the pure-souled son of Pāṇḍu and tiger among men, will quickly release us from sorrow; there is no doubt about it.
tasya sarvā vayaṃ vīra śrutvā vākyam ihāgatāḥ । tad idaṃ satyam eva adya mokṣitaḥ aham tvayā anagha ॥1-209-19॥
O hero, all of us came here after hearing his words. Truly, today I have been freed by you, O sinless one.
etāstu mama vai sakhyaścatasro'nyā jale sthitāḥ । kuru karma śubhaṃ vīra etāḥ sarvā vimokṣaya ॥1-209-20॥
But these are my four friends, and the others are standing in the water. Perform the auspicious act, O hero, and release all of them.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tatastāḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭhaḥ sarvā eva viśāṃ pate । tasmācchāpādadīnātmā mokṣayāmāsa vīryavān ॥1-209-21॥
Then, O lord of men, the best among the Pāṇḍavas, full of strength, released all those from the curse, his spirit undaunted.
utthāya ca jalāttasmātpratilabhya vapuḥ svakam । tāstadāpsaraso rājannadṛśyanta yathā purā ॥1-209-22॥
O king, the Apsarases, having risen from that water and regained their own forms, then became invisible just as they were before.
tīrthāni śodhayitvā tu tathānujñāya tāḥ prabhuḥ । citrāṅgadāṃ punardraṣṭuṃ maṇalūrapuraṃ yayau ॥1-209-23॥
After purifying the sacred places and granting them permission, the lord went again to Maṇalūra city to see Citrāṅgadā.
tasyām ajanayat putraṃ rājānaṃ babhravāhanam । taṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavo rājan gokarṇam abhito 'gamat ॥1-209-24॥
He begot a son named Babruvāhana in her. Upon seeing him, O king, the Pāṇḍava went towards Gokarṇa.
