03.107
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
स तु राजा महेष्वासश्चक्रवर्ती महारथः। बभूव सर्वलोकस्य मनोनयननन्दनः ॥०३-१०७-१॥
But he, the king, a great archer, universal monarch, and mighty chariot-warrior, became the delight of the minds and eyes of all people. (03-107-1)
स शुश्राव महाबाहुः कपिलेन महात्मना। पितॄणां निधनं घोरमप्राप्तिं त्रिदिवस्य च ॥०३-१०७-२॥
He, the mighty-armed, heard from the great-souled Kapila about the terrible destruction of the ancestors and their failure to reach heaven. (03-107-2)
स राज्यं सचिवे न्यस्य हृदयेन विदूयता। जगाम हिमवत्पार्श्वं तपस्तप्तुं नरेश्वरः ॥०३-१०७-३॥
He entrusted the kingdom to his minister and, with a heart full of grief, the king went to the slopes of the Himalayas to undertake austerities. (03-107-3)
आरिराधयिषुर्गङ्गां तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः। सोऽपश्यत नरश्रेष्ठ हिमवन्तं नगोत्तमम् ॥०३-१०७-४॥
Desiring to please Gaṅgā through austerities, with his sins burnt away, he, O best of men, beheld Himavant, the greatest of mountains. (03-107-4)
शृङ्गैर्बहुविधाकारैर्धातुमद्भिरलङ्कृतम्। पवनालम्बिभिर्मेघैः परिष्वक्तं समन्ततः ॥०३-१०७-५॥
It was adorned with peaks of various forms, rich in minerals, and on all sides surrounded by clouds suspended in the air. (03-107-5)
नदीकुञ्जनितम्बैश्च सोदकैरुपशोभितम्। गुहाकन्दरसंलीनैः सिंहव्याघ्रैर्निषेवितम् ॥०३-१०७-६॥
(It was) adorned with river-bank thickets with water, and inhabited by lions and tigers concealed in cave caverns. (03-107-6)
शकुनैश्च विचित्राङ्गैः कूजद्भिर्विविधा गिरः। भृङ्गराजैस्तथा हंसैर्दात्यूहैर्जलकुक्कुटैः ॥०३-१०७-७॥
With birds of various forms cooing diverse notes, and also by king-crows, swans, cranes, and waterfowls. (3-107-7)
मयूरैः शतपत्रैश्च कोकिलैर्जीवजीवकैः। चकोरैरसितापाङ्गैस्तथा पुत्रप्रियैरपि ॥०३-१०७-८॥
By peacocks, lotuses, cuckoos, jīvajīvaka birds, chakora birds, those with dark eyes, and also those fond of their offspring. (03-107-8)
जलस्थानेषु रम्येषु पद्मिनीभिश्च सङ्कुलम्। सारसानां च मधुरैर्व्याहृतैः समलङ्कृतम् ॥०३-१०७-९॥
In those beautiful watery spots, thronged with lotuses and adorned by the sweet calls of cranes, the place was most charming. (03-107-9)
किंनरैरप्सरोभिश्च निषेवितशिलातलम्। दिशागजविषाणाग्रैः समन्ताद्घृष्टपादपम् ॥०३-१०७-१०॥
The rocky plateau frequented by Kiṃnaras and Apsarases, and a tree rubbed on all sides by the tips of the tusks of the elephants of the quarters. (03-107-10)
विद्याधरानुचरितं नानारत्नसमाकुलम्। विषोल्बणैर्भुजङ्गैश्च दीप्तजिह्वैर्निषेवितम् ॥०३-१०७-११॥
It was followed by Vidyādharas, filled with various jewels, and inhabited by fiercely poisonous serpents with blazing tongues. (03-107-11)
क्वचित्कनकसङ्काशं क्वचिद्रजतसंनिभम्। क्वचिदञ्जनपुञ्जाभं हिमवन्तमुपागमत् ॥०३-१०७-१२॥
He approached the Himavat (Himalaya mountains), which at places appeared golden, at some places silver, and at some places like a mass of collyrium. (03-107-12)
स तु तत्र नरश्रेष्ठस्तपो घोरं समाश्रितः। फलमूलाम्बुभक्षोऽभूत्सहस्रं परिवत्सरान् ॥०३-१०७-१३॥
But there, the best among men, undertook severe austerity, subsisting on fruits, roots, and water, for a thousand years. (03-107-13)
संवत्सरसहस्रे तु गते दिव्ये महानदी। दर्शयामास तं गङ्गा तदा मूर्तिमती स्वयम् ॥०३-१०७-१४॥
But after a thousand divine years had passed, the great river Gaṅgā herself then revealed her embodied form to him. (03-107-14)
गङ्गोवाच॥
Ganga said.
किमिच्छसि महाराज मत्तः किं च ददानि ते। तद्ब्रवीहि नरश्रेष्ठ करिष्यामि वचस्तव ॥०३-१०७-१५॥
O great king, what do you wish from me? What shall I give you? Tell me that, O best of men; I will carry out your word. (03-107-15)
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच राजा हैमवतीं तदा। पितामहा मे वरदे कपिलेन महानदि ॥ अन्वेषमाणास्तुरगं नीता वैवस्वतक्षयम् ॥०३-१०७-१६॥
Thus addressed, the king replied to Haimavatī: O giver of boons, my paternal grandfather and his party, seeking the horse, were led by Kapila into the great river and to the abode of Vaivasvata. (03-107-16)
षष्टिस्तानि सहस्राणि सागराणां महात्मनाम्। कापिलं तेज आसाद्य क्षणेन निधनं गताः ॥०३-१०७-१७॥
Sixty thousand Sāgaras of great soul, upon encountering Kapila's energy, were instantly destroyed. (03-107-17)
तेषामेवं विनष्टानां स्वर्गे वासो न विद्यते। यावत्तानि शरीराणि त्वं जलैर्नाभिषिञ्चसि ॥०३-१०७-१८॥
For those thus perished, there is no residence in heaven as long as you do not sprinkle those bodies with water. (03-107-18)
स्वर्गं नय महाभागे मत्पितॄन्सगरात्मजान्। तेषामर्थेऽभियाचामि त्वामहं वै महानदि ॥०३-१०७-१९॥
O great river, O greatly fortunate one, lead my fathers, the sons of Sagara, to heaven. For their sake, I indeed beseech you.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राज्ञो गङ्गा लोकनमस्कृता। भगीरथमिदं वाक्यं सुप्रीता समभाषत ॥०३-१०७-२०॥
Hearing the king's words, Gaṅgā—honored by the worlds—happily addressed this speech to Bhagīratha. (03-107-20)
करिष्यामि महाराज वचस्ते नात्र संशयः। वेगं तु मम दुर्धार्यं पतन्त्या गगनाच्च्युतम् ॥०३-१०७-२१॥
O great king, I will do your command—there is no doubt about it. But my force, which is hard to restrain, has fallen due to the falling (object or person) from the sky. (03-107-21)
न शक्तस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कश्चिद्धारयितुं नृप। अन्यत्र विबुधश्रेष्ठान्नीलकण्ठान्महेश्वरात् ॥०३-१०७-२२॥
O king, in the three worlds, no one is able to bear (it) except the best of the gods, the blue-throated one, Maheshvara. (3-107-22)
तं तोषय महाबाहो तपसा वरदं हरम्। स तु मां प्रच्युतां देवः शिरसा धारयिष्यति ॥ करिष्यति च ते कामं पितॄणां हितकाम्यया ॥०३-१०७-२३॥
Propitiate him, O mighty-armed, with austerities—the boon-giving Hara. That god will bear me, when I have fallen, upon his head. He will also fulfill your desire for the welfare of your ancestors. (03-107-23)
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राजन्महाराजो भगीरथः। कैलासं पर्वतं गत्वा तोषयामास शङ्करम् ॥०३-१०७-२४॥
O king, having heard this speech, the great king Bhagīratha went to Mount Kailāsa and began to please Śaṅkara (Śiva). (03-107-24)
ततस्तेन समागम्य कालयोगेन केनचित्। अगृह्णाच्च वरं तस्माद्गङ्गाया धारणं नृप ॥ स्वर्गवासं समुद्दिश्य पितॄणां स नरोत्तमः ॥०३-१०७-२५॥
Then, O king, after meeting someone at the appointed time, he, the best among men, accepted from him the boon of sustaining (bringing) Gaṅgā, having in mind the abode in heaven of his ancestors. (03-107-25)
