03.093
अगस्त्योपाख्यानम्
The sub-narrative of Agastya
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ते तथा सहिता वीरा वसन्तस्तत्र तत्र ह। क्रमेण पृथिवीपाल नैमिषारण्यमागताः ॥०३-९३-१॥
Thus, those heroes assembled together, dwelling here and there, the protectors of the earth, gradually arrived at Naimisharanya. (03-93-1)
ततस्तीर्थेषु पुण्येषु गोमत्याः पाण्डवा नृप। कृताभिषेकाः प्रददुर्गाश्च वित्तं च भारत ॥०३-९३-२॥
Then, in the holy places on the river Gomati, the Pāṇḍavas, O king, after performing their ablutions, gave away fortresses and wealth, O Bhārata. (03-93-2)
तत्र देवान्पितॄन्विप्रांस्तर्पयित्वा पुनः पुनः। कन्यातीर्थेऽश्वतीर्थे च गवां तीर्थे च कौरवाः ॥०३-९३-३॥
There, the Kauravas repeatedly offered oblations to the gods, ancestors, and brāhmaṇas at the Kanyā tīrtha, the Aśva tīrtha, and the tīrtha of cows. (03-93-3)
वालकोट्यां वृषप्रस्थे गिरावुष्य च पाण्डवाः। बाहुदायां महीपाल चक्रुः सर्वेऽभिषेचनम् ॥०३-९३-४॥
O king, in Valakotya, Vṛṣaprastha, Girāvuṣya, and Bāhudā, all the Pāṇḍavas performed consecrations. (03-93-4)
प्रयागे देवयजने देवानां पृथिवीपते। ऊषुराप्लुत्य गात्राणि तपश्चातस्थुरुत्तमम् ॥०३-९३-५॥
O lord of the earth, at Prayāga, in the divine sacrifice of the gods, they dwelt; having bathed their bodies, they undertook supreme austerity. (03-93-5)
गङ्गायमुनयोश्चैव सङ्गमे सत्यसङ्गराः। विपाप्मानो महात्मानो विप्रेभ्यः प्रददुर्वसु ॥०३-९३-६॥
At the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, the steadfastly truthful, sinless, and noble-souled people gave wealth to the brahmins. (03-93-6)
तपस्विजनजुष्टां च ततो वेदीं प्रजापतेः। जग्मुः पाण्डुसुता राजन्ब्राह्मणैः सह भारत ॥०३-९३-७॥
Then, O King, the sons of Pāṇḍu, accompanied by brāhmaṇas, went to the altar of Prajāpati that was honoured by ascetics, O descendant of Bharata. (03-93-7)
तत्र ते न्यवसन्वीरास्तपश्चातस्थुरुत्तमम्। सन्तर्पयन्तः सततं वन्येन हविषा द्विजान् ॥०३-९३-८॥
There, those heroes dwelt, performing supreme austerities and constantly satisfying the Brāhmaṇas with offerings derived from the forest. (03-93-8)
ततो महीधरं जग्मुर्धर्मज्ञेनाभिसत्कृतम्। राजर्षिणा पुण्यकृता गयेनानुपमद्युते ॥०३-९३-९॥
Then they went to the mountain, which had been honored by the righteous king Gaya, whose merit and splendor were incomparable. (03-93-9)
सरो गयशिरो यत्र पुण्या चैव महानदी। ऋषिजुष्टं सुपुण्यं तत्तीर्थं ब्रह्मसरोत्तमम् ॥०३-९३-१०॥
The lake called Gayaśira, where the virtuous great river flows, enjoyed by sages and highly auspicious, that sacred place is the best of Brahma's lakes. (03-93-10)
अगस्त्यो भगवान्यत्र गतो वैवस्वतं प्रति। उवास च स्वयं यत्र धर्मो राजन्सनातनः ॥०३-९३-११॥
O king, where the revered Agastya went towards Vaivasvata (Yama) and where Dharma himself, the eternal one, resided.
सर्वासां सरितां चैव समुद्भेदो विशां पते। यत्र संनिहितो नित्यं महादेवः पिनाकधृक् ॥०३-९३-१२॥
O lord of men, the source of all rivers is that place where Mahadeva, the wielder of Pinaka, always abides. (03-93-12)
तत्र ते पाण्डवा वीराश्चातुर्मास्यैस्तदेजिरे। ऋषियज्ञेन महता यत्राक्षयवटो महान् ॥०३-९३-१३॥
There, those heroic Pāṇḍavas worshipped (that place) by performing the Cāturmāsya and the great sacrificial rites for the Ṛṣis, at the spot where the great imperishable banyan tree stands. (03-93-13)
ब्राह्मणास्तत्र शतशः समाजग्मुस्तपोधनाः। चातुर्मास्येनायजन्त आर्षेण विधिना तदा ॥०३-९३-१४॥
Brāhmaṇas by the hundreds who were ascetics assembled there, and then performed the Cāturmāsya sacrifice, following the procedure prescribed by the Ṛṣis. (03-93-14)
तत्र विद्यातपोनित्या ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः। कथाः प्रचक्रिरे पुण्याः सदसिस्था महात्मनाम् ॥०३-९३-१५॥
There, the Brāhmaṇas, ever devoted to knowledge and austerity, expert in the Vedas, seated in the assembly of the great-souled ones, discussed virtuous stories. (03-93-15)
तत्र विद्याव्रतस्नातः कौमारं व्रतमास्थितः। शमठोऽकथयद्राजन्नामूर्तरयसं गयम् ॥०३-९३-१६॥
There, Śamaṭha, who had bathed after completing his vow of learning and had undertaken the vow appropriate for youth, spoke to Gaya, O king, about one named Amūrtarayasa. (03-93-16)
अमूर्तरयसः पुत्रो गयो राजर्षिसत्तमः। पुण्यानि यस्य कर्माणि तानि मे शृणु भारत ॥०३-९३-१७॥
Gaya, the son of Amūrtaraya, was the best among royal sages. Hear from me about those meritorious actions of his, O Bhārata. (03-93-17)
यस्य यज्ञो बभूवेह बह्वन्नो बहुदक्षिणः। यत्रान्नपर्वता राजञ्शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥०३-९३-१८॥
O king, here the sacrifice of whom was performed, abundant with food and rich in gifts; where mountains of food rose by hundreds and thousands. (03-93-18)
घृतकुल्याश्च दध्नश्च नद्यो बहुशतास्तथा। व्यञ्जनानां प्रवाहाश्च महार्हाणां सहस्रशः ॥०३-९३-१९॥
There were channels of ghee, of curds, and rivers numbering in the hundreds; likewise, streams of the most exquisite condiments flowed in their thousands. (03-93-19)
अहन्यहनि चाप्येतद्याचतां सम्प्रदीयते। अन्यत्तु ब्राह्मणा राजन्भुञ्जतेऽन्नं सुसंस्कृतम् ॥०३-९३-२०॥
Day by day this (food) is given to the beggars, but the Brahmins, O King, eat separately well-prepared food. (03-93-20)
तत्र वै दक्षिणाकाले ब्रह्मघोषो दिवं गतः। न स्म प्रज्ञायते किञ्चिद्ब्रह्मशब्देन भारत ॥०३-९३-२१॥
There, O Bhārata, at the time of the southern course, the Vedic sound ascended to heaven. Now, nothing at all is understood by the word 'Brahma' (Veda-sound).
पुण्येन चरता राजन्भूर्दिशः खं नभस्तथा। आपूर्णमासीच्छब्देन तदप्यासीन्महाद्भुतम् ॥०३-९३-२२॥
O king, as you moved with virtue, the earth, quarters, sky, and atmosphere likewise were all filled with sound, and even that was most marvelous. (03-93-22)
तत्र स्म गाथा गायन्ति मनुष्या भरतर्षभ। अन्नपानैः शुभैस्तृप्ता देशे देशे सुवर्चसः ॥०३-९३-२३॥
O foremost among the Bharatas, there indeed, men sing songs; radiant and satisfied by auspicious food and drink in every region. (03-93-23)
गयस्य यज्ञे के त्वद्य प्राणिनो भोक्तुमीप्सवः। यत्र भोजनशिष्टस्य पर्वताः पञ्चविंशतिः ॥०३-९३-२४॥
At Gaya's sacrifice, which living beings today desire to eat, there are twenty-five mountains of food leftovers. (03-93-24)
न स्म पूर्वे जनाश्चक्रुर्न करिष्यन्ति चापरे। गयो यदकरोद्यज्ञे राजर्षिरमितद्युतिः ॥०३-९३-२५॥
Neither the men of former times have done, nor will others do, what Gaya, the royal sage of immeasurable splendor, did in sacrifice. (03-93-25)
कथं नु देवा हविषा गयेन परितर्पिताः। पुनः शक्ष्यन्त्युपादातुमन्यैर्दत्तानि कानिचित् ॥०३-९३-२६॥
How, then, will the gods, who have been fully satisfied with the offering by Gaya, be able to accept any further offerings given by others? (03-93-26)
एवंविधाः सुबहवस्तस्य यज्ञे महात्मनः। बभूवुरस्य सरसः समीपे कुरुनन्दन ॥०३-९३-२७॥
O joy of the Kurus, many such (wondrous things) were present at the sacrifice of that great-souled one, near his lake. (03-93-27)
