01.220
Pancharatra: Sharngakas escaped fire due to the boon Mandapala got from Agni.
जनमेजय उवाच॥
Janamejaya said.
किमर्थं शार्ङ्गकानग्निर्न ददाह तथागते। तस्मिन्वने दह्यमाने ब्रह्मन्नेतद्वदाशु मे ॥१-२२०-१॥
O Brāhman, tell me quickly for what reason the fire did not burn the Śārṅgakas when he had arrived in that burning forest.
अदाहे ह्यश्वसेनस्य दानवस्य मयस्य च। कारणं कीर्तितं ब्रह्मञ्शार्ङ्गकानां न कीर्तितम् ॥१-२२०-२॥
I did not burn Aśvasena, the Dānava, and Maya; O Brahman, the reason for this has been stated, but the reason for the Śārṅgakas has not been mentioned.
तदेतदद्भुतं ब्रह्मञ्शार्ङ्गानामविनाशनम्। कीर्तयस्वाग्निसंमर्दे कथं ते न विनाशिताः ॥१-२२०-३॥
O Brahman, this is indeed a wonderful thing—the indestructibility of the Śārṅgas. Please describe, in the conflict with fire, how they were not destroyed.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
यदर्थं शार्ङ्गकानग्निर्न ददाह तथागते। तत्ते सर्वं यथावृत्तं कथयिष्यामि भारत ॥१-२२०-४॥
O Bhārata, I will tell you everything, just as it happened, about why the fire did not burn the Śārṅgakas when he arrived.
धर्मज्ञानां मुख्यतमस्तपस्वी संशितव्रतः। आसीन्महर्षिः श्रुतवान्मन्दपाल इति श्रुतः ॥१-२२०-५॥
Among those who know dharma, the foremost ascetic of firm vows was the great sage known as the learned Mandapala.
स मार्गमास्थितो राजन्नृषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्। स्वाध्यायवान्धर्मरतस्तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रियः ॥१-२२०-६॥
O king, he followed the path of the celibate sages, devoted to self-study, delighting in dharma, ascetic, and self-controlled.
स गत्वा तपसः पारं देहमुत्सृज्य भारत। जगाम पितृलोकाय न लेभे तत्र तत्फलम् ॥१-२२०-७॥
Having completed his austerities and given up his body, he, O Bhārata, went to the world of the ancestors, but there he did not receive the fruit (of his actions).
स लोकानफलान्दृष्ट्वा तपसा निर्जितानपि। पप्रच्छ धर्मराजस्य समीपस्थान्दिवौकसः ॥१-२२०-८॥
He saw that the worlds attained by austerity were fruitless, and so he asked the celestials who stood near Dharmarāja.
किमर्थमावृता लोका ममैते तपसार्जिताः। किं मया न कृतं तत्र यस्येदं कर्मणः फलम् ॥१-२२०-९॥
For what reason have these worlds, which are mine and acquired by my austerity, been obtained? What is it that I have not done there, for which this is the fruit of action?
तत्राहं तत्करिष्यामि यदर्थमिदमावृतम्। फलमेतस्य तपसः कथयध्वं दिवौकसः ॥१-२२०-१०॥
There, I shall do that for which this has been undertaken. O gods, tell me the fruit of this penance.
देवा ऊचुः॥
The gods said.
ऋणिनो मानवा ब्रह्मञ्जायन्ते येन तच्छृणु। क्रियाभिर्ब्रह्मचर्येण प्रजया च न संशयः ॥१-२२०-११॥
Hear how humans are born as debtors to Brahman: by rites, by celibacy, and by progeny—there is no doubt about this.
तदपाक्रियते सर्वं यज्ञेन तपसा सुतैः। तपस्वी यज्ञकृच्चासि न तु ते विद्यते प्रजा ॥१-२२०-१२॥
All that is removed by sacrifice, austerity, and sons. You are an ascetic and a performer of sacrifice, but you have no offspring.
त इमे प्रसवस्यार्थे तव लोकाः समावृताः। प्रजायस्व ततो लोकानुपभोक्तासि शाश्वतान् ॥१-२२०-१३॥
These worlds of yours are filled for the purpose of creation. Beget progeny, and then you shall enjoy the eternal worlds.
पुन्नाम्नो नरकात्पुत्रस्त्रातीति पितरं मुने। तस्मादपत्यसन्ताने यतस्व द्विजसत्तम ॥१-२२०-१४॥
O sage, a son is called 'Punnāma' because he delivers his father from the hell named Punnāma. Therefore, O best of the twice-born, strive to have children.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
तच्छ्रुत्वा मन्दपालस्तु तेषां वाक्यं दिवौकसाम्। क्व नु शीघ्रमपत्यं स्याद्बहुलं चेत्यचिन्तयत् ॥१-२२०-१५॥
Having heard that, Mandapala considered the words of the dwellers of heaven and thought, "Where indeed might there quickly be abundant offspring?"
स चिन्तयन्नभ्यगच्छद्बहुलप्रसवान्खगान्। शार्ङ्गिकां शार्ङ्गको भूत्वा जरितां समुपेयिवान् ॥१-२२०-१६॥
Thinking thus, he approached the birds with many offspring; becoming the Śārṅga bird, he went to Jaritā, the Śārṅgikā.
तस्यां पुत्रानजनयच्चतुरो ब्रह्मवादिनः। तानपास्य स तत्रैव जगाम लपितां प्रति ॥ बालान्सुतानण्डगतान्मात्रा सह मुनिर्वने ॥१-२२०-१७॥
He begot four sons in her, all knowers of Brahman. Leaving them there, he went to Lapitā. The sage, along with the mother, left the young sons, who were still in the egg, in the forest.
तस्मिन्गते महाभागे लपितां प्रति भारत। अपत्यस्नेहसंविग्ना जरिता बह्वचिन्तयत् ॥१-२२०-१८॥
O Bhārata, after the departure of the greatly fortunate one, Jaritā, filled with affection for her child, thought deeply about Lapitā.
तेन त्यक्तानसन्त्याज्यानृषीनण्डगतान्वने। नाजहत्पुत्रकानार्ता जरिता खाण्डवे नृप ॥ बभार चैतान्सञ्जातान्स्ववृत्त्या स्नेहविक्लवा ॥१-२२०-१९॥
By him, both the abandoned and those sages who should not be abandoned, as well as the unborn beings in the forest, were not abandoned; nor did the distressed Jaritā in Khāṇḍava abandon her sons, O king. And she, overcome by affection, raised these children by her own conduct.
ततोऽग्निं खाण्डवं दग्धुमायान्तं दृष्टवानृषिः। मन्दपालश्चरंस्तस्मिन्वने लपितया सह ॥१-२२०-२०॥
Then the sage saw Agni approaching to burn the Khandava forest; Mandapala was wandering there in the forest together with Lapita.
तं सङ्कल्पं विदित्वास्य ज्ञात्वा पुत्रांश्च बालकान्। सोऽभितुष्टाव विप्रर्षिर्ब्राह्मणो जातवेदसम् ॥ पुत्रान्परिददद्भीतो लोकपालं महौजसम् ॥१-२२०-२१॥
Having understood his resolve and his sons, the Brāhmaṇa sage praised Agni (Jātavedas). Out of fear, he entrusted his sons to the mighty protector of the world.
मन्दपाल उवाच॥
Mandapāla said.
त्वमग्ने सर्वदेवानां मुखं त्वमसि हव्यवाट्। त्वमन्तः सर्वभूतानां गूढश्चरसि पावक ॥१-२२०-२२॥
O Agni, you are the mouth of all the gods and the conveyor of offerings. You dwell hidden within all beings and move as the purifier.
त्वामेकमाहुः कवयस्त्वामाहुस्त्रिविधं पुनः। त्वामष्टधा कल्पयित्वा यज्ञवाहमकल्पयन् ॥१-२२०-२३॥
The sages say you are one; they also say you are threefold. Again, having conceived you in eight forms, they made you the bearer of the sacrifice.
त्वया सृष्टमिदं विश्वं वदन्ति परमर्षयः। त्वदृते हि जगत्कृत्स्नं सद्यो न स्याद्धुताशन ॥१-२२०-२४॥
The supreme sages say that this universe was created by you; without you, O Fire-god, the entire world would not exist even for a moment.
तुभ्यं कृत्वा नमो विप्राः स्वकर्मविजितां गतिम्। गच्छन्ति सह पत्नीभिः सुतैरपि च शाश्वतीम् ॥१-२२०-२५॥
After offering obeisance to you, Brāhmaṇas who have attained the state through their own actions proceed, along with their wives and sons, to the eternal realm.
त्वामग्ने जलदानाहुः खे विषक्तान्सविद्युतः। दहन्ति सर्वभूतानि त्वत्तो निष्क्रम्य हायनाः ॥१-२२०-२६॥
O Agni, you are called the clouds in the sky, scattered with lightning. The years, which have emerged from you, burn all beings.
जातवेदस्तवैवेयं विश्वसृष्टिर्महाद्युते। तवैव कर्म विहितं भूतं सर्वं चराचरम् ॥१-२२०-२७॥
O Jātavedas, O great effulgent one, this entire creation is indeed yours. All actions, all that exists, both moving and unmoving, have been ordained by you alone.
त्वयापो विहिताः पूर्वं त्वयि सर्वमिदं जगत्। त्वयि हव्यं च कव्यं च यथावत्सम्प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१-२२०-२८॥
You established the waters in the beginning; all this world exists in you; in you, both the offerings to gods and to ancestors are properly established.
अग्ने त्वमेव ज्वलनस्त्वं धाता त्वं बृहस्पतिः। त्वमश्विनौ यमौ मित्रः सोमस्त्वमसि चानिलः ॥१-२२०-२९॥
O Agni, you alone are the fire, the creator, Bṛhaspati, the Aśvins, the Yamas, Mitra, Soma, and also Anila (the wind).
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
एवं स्तुतस्ततस्तेन मन्दपालेन पावकः। तुतोष तस्य नृपते मुनेरमिततेजसः ॥ उवाच चैनं प्रीतात्मा किमिष्टं करवाणि ते ॥१-२२०-३०॥
Thus, when Mandapala praised him, Agni, pleased with the sage of immeasurable energy, O king, spoke to him with a delighted mind: "What do you wish me to do for you?"
तमब्रवीन्मन्दपालः प्राञ्जलिर्हव्यवाहनम्। प्रदहन्खाण्डवं दावं मम पुत्रान्विसर्जय ॥१-२२०-३१॥
Mandapala, folding his hands, said to Agni, "As you burn the Khandava forest, please spare my sons."
तथेति तत्प्रतिश्रुत्य भगवान्हव्यवाहनः। खाण्डवे तेन कालेन प्रजज्वाल दिधक्षया ॥१-२२०-३२॥
Thus, having promised, the revered Agni blazed up in Khāṇḍava at that time, desiring to consume it by fire.
