03.093
agastyopākhyānam
The sub-narrative of Agastya
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
te tathā sahitā vīrā vasantas tatra tatra ha। krameṇa pṛthivī-pālā naimiṣāraṇyam āgatāḥ ॥03-93-1॥
Thus, those heroes assembled together, dwelling here and there, the protectors of the earth, gradually arrived at Naimisharanya. (03-93-1)
tatastīrtheṣu puṇyeṣu gomatyāḥ pāṇḍavā nṛpa। kṛtābhiṣekāḥ pradadurgāś ca vittaṃ ca bhārata॥03-93-2॥
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)
tatra devān pitṝn viprān tarpayitvā punaḥ punaḥ। kanyātīrthe'śvatīrthe ca gavāṃ tīrthe ca kauravāḥ॥03-93-3॥
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)
vālakoṭyāṃ vṛṣaprasthē girāvuṣya ca pāṇḍavāḥ। bāhudāyāṃ mahīpāla cakruḥ sarvē'bhiṣēcanam ॥03-93-4॥
O king, in Valakotya, Vṛṣaprastha, Girāvuṣya, and Bāhudā, all the Pāṇḍavas performed consecrations. (03-93-4)
prayāge devayajane devānāṃ pṛthivīpate. ūṣurāplutya gātrāṇi tapaścātasthuruttamam ॥03-93-5॥
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)
gaṅgā-yamunayoś caiva saṅgame satya-saṅgarāḥ। vipāpmāno mahātmāno viprebhyaḥ pradadur vasu ॥03-93-6॥
At the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, the steadfastly truthful, sinless, and noble-souled people gave wealth to the brahmins. (03-93-6)
tapasvijana-juṣṭāṁ ca tato vedīṁ prajāpateḥ। jagmuḥ pāṇḍusutā rājan brāhmaṇaiḥ saha bhārata॥03-93-7॥
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)
tatra te nyavasan vīrās tapaḥ ca atasthuḥ uttamam। santarpayantaḥ satatam vanyena haviṣā dvijān॥03-93-8॥
There, those heroes dwelt, performing supreme austerities and constantly satisfying the Brāhmaṇas with offerings derived from the forest. (03-93-8)
tato mahīdharam jagmur dharmajñenābhisatkṛtam। rājarṣiṇā puṇyakṛtā gayenānupamadyute॥03-93-9॥
Then they went to the mountain, which had been honored by the righteous king Gaya, whose merit and splendor were incomparable. (03-93-9)
saro gayaśiro yatra puṇyā caiva mahānadī. ṛṣijuṣṭaṃ supuṇyaṃ tattīrthaṃ brahmasarottamam ॥03-93-10॥
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)
agastyo bhagavān yatra gato vaivasvataṃ prati। uvāsa ca svayaṃ yatra dharmo rājan sanātanaḥ॥03-93-11॥
O king, where the revered Agastya went towards Vaivasvata (Yama) and where Dharma himself, the eternal one, resided.
sarvāsāṁ saritāṁ caiva samudbhedo viśāṁ pate| yatra saṁnihito nityaṁ mahādevaḥ pinākadhṛk ॥03-93-12॥
O lord of men, the source of all rivers is that place where Mahadeva, the wielder of Pinaka, always abides. (03-93-12)
tatra te pāṇḍavā vīrāś-cāturmāsyais-tadejire. ṛṣiyajñena mahatā yatrākṣaya-vaṭo mahān ॥03-93-13॥
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)
brāhmaṇās tatra śataśaḥ samājagmus tapodhanāḥ। cāturmāsyenāyajanta ārṣeṇa vidhinā tadā॥03-93-14॥
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)
tatra vidyātaponityā brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ। kathāḥ pracakrire puṇyāḥ sadasisthā mahātmanām ॥03-93-15॥
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)
tatra vidyā-vrata-snātaḥ kaumāraṃ vratam āsthitaḥ. śamaṭho'kathayad rājan nā mūrtarayasaṃ gayam ॥03-93-16॥
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)
amūrtarayasaḥ putro gayo rājarṣisattamaḥ। puṇyāni yasya karmāṇi tāni me śṛṇu bhārata॥03-93-17॥
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)
yasya yajño babhūveha bahv-anno bahu-dakṣiṇaḥ। yatrānna-parvatā rājan śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ॥03-93-18॥
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)
ghṛtakulyāś ca dadhnaś ca nadyo bahuśatās tathā। vyañjanānāṃ pravāhāś ca mahārhāṇāṃ sahasraśaḥ ॥03-93-19॥
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)
ahany ahani cāpy etad yācatāṃ sampradīyate। anyat tu brāhmaṇā rājan bhuñjate 'nnaṃ susaṃskṛtam॥03-93-20॥
Day by day this (food) is given to the beggars, but the Brahmins, O King, eat separately well-prepared food. (03-93-20)
tatra vai dakṣiṇākāle brahma-ghoṣo divaṃ gataḥ। na sma prajñāyate kiñcid brahmaśabdena bhārata॥03-93-21॥
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).
puṇyena caratā rājan bhūr diśaḥ khaṁ nabhas tathā। āpūrṇam āsīt śabdena tad api āsīn mahād-bhutam॥03-93-22॥
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)
tatra sma gāthā gāyanti manuṣyā bharatarṣabha। annapānaiḥ śubhaiḥ tṛptā deśe deśe suvarcasaḥ ॥03-93-23॥
O foremost among the Bharatas, there indeed, men sing songs; radiant and satisfied by auspicious food and drink in every region. (03-93-23)
gayasya yajñe ke tvadya prāṇino bhoktumīpsavaḥ। yatra bhojanaśiṣṭasya parvatāḥ pañcaviṃśatiḥ॥03-93-24॥
At Gaya's sacrifice, which living beings today desire to eat, there are twenty-five mountains of food leftovers. (03-93-24)
na sma pūrve janāścakrur na kariṣyanti cāpare. gayo yadakarodyajñe rājarṣiramitadyutiḥ ॥03-93-25॥
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)
kathaṁ nu devā haviṣā gayena paritarpitāḥ। punaḥ śakṣyantyupādātum anyair dattāni kānicit॥03-93-26॥
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)
evaṁ-vidhāḥ subahavaḥ tasya yajñe mahātmanaḥ। babhūvuḥ asya sarasaḥ samīpe kurunandana॥03-93-27॥
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)
