03.109
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ prayātaḥ kaunteyaḥ krameṇa bharatarṣabha। nandām aparanandāṃ ca nad yau pāpabhayāpah e ॥03-109-1॥
Then Kunti’s son proceeded in order, O best of the Bharatas, to the two rivers Nandā and Aparanandā, which remove sin and fear. (03-109-1)
sa parvataṃ samāsādya hemakūṭam anāmayam| acintyān adbhutān bhāvān dadarśa subahūn nṛpaḥ ॥03-109-2॥
The king, having reached the Hemakūṭa mountain, which is free from affliction, saw very many inconceivable and wonderful forms. (03-109-2)
vāco yatrābhavanmeghā upalāśca sahasraśaḥ। nāśaknuvan tamāroḍhuṃ viṣaṇṇamanaso janāḥ॥03-109-3॥
Where words became as clouds and stones by the thousands, the despondent-minded people were not able to ascend that. (03-109-3)
vāyur nityaṃ vavau yatra nityaṃ devaś ca varṣati। sāyaṃ prātaś ca bhagavān dṛśyate havyavāhanaḥ॥03-109-4॥
Where the wind constantly blows and the god (Indra) continually sends rain, and in the evening and morning the revered Agni is visible. (03-109-4)
evaṃ bahuvidhān bhāvān adbhutān vīkṣya pāṇḍavaḥ। lomaśaṃ punar eva sma paryapṛcchat tad adbhutam ॥03-109-5॥
Having thus seen many kinds of wondrous phenomena, the Pāṇḍava again asked Lomaśa about that wonder. (03-109-5)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
yathāśrutam idaṁ pūrvam asmābhir arikarśana। tad ekāgramanā rājann ibodha gadato mama ॥03-109-6॥
O king, as this was formerly heard by us, O tormentor of foes, listen with a concentrated mind to my narration. (03-109-6)
asmin nṛṣabhakūṭe 'bhūd ṛṣabho nāma tāpasaḥ। anekaśatavārṣāyus tapasvī kopano bhṛśam॥03-109-7॥
On this Nṛṣabhakūṭa (mountain), there lived an ascetic named Ṛṣabha, who lived for many hundreds of years, was devoted to austerities, and was extremely irascible. (03-109-7)
sa vai sambhāṣyamāṇo'nyaiḥ kopād girim uvāca ha। ya iha vyāharet kaścid upalān utsṛjet tadā॥03-109-8॥
He, being addressed by others, angrily spoke to the mountain: "Whoever here speaks, let someone throw stones at him then." (03-109-8)
vātaṃ cāhūya mā śabdam ityuvāca sa tāpasaḥ। vyāharaṃś caiva puruṣo meghena vinivāryate ॥03-109-9॥
The ascetic called upon the wind and said, 'Do not make any sound.' Meanwhile, as the man speaks, he is held back by the cloud. (03-109-9)
evam etāni karmāṇi rājaṃs tena maharṣiṇā। kṛtāni kānicit kopāt pratiṣiddhāni kānicit ॥03-109-10॥
Thus, O king, these actions were performed by that great sage—some were done out of anger, and some were forbidden. (03-109-10)
nandām abhigatān devān purā rājan iti śrutiḥ। anvapadyanta sahasā puruṣā devadarśinaḥ॥03-109-11॥
O king, there was a report in former times that men who had beheld the gods and delighted in approaching them suddenly followed (them). (03-109-11)
te darśanam anicchanto devāḥ śakra-purogamāḥ. durgaṃ cakrur imaṃ deśaṃ giri-pratyūha-rūpakam ॥03-109-12॥
The gods, with Indra at their head, not wishing to be seen, made this place inaccessible, shaping it as a mountain barrier. (03-109-12)
tadā prabhṛti kaunteya narā girimimaṃ sadā। nāśaknuvanabhidroṣṭuṃ kuta evādhirōhitum ॥03-109-13॥
From that time onward, O son of Kunti, men have never been able to look closely at this mountain; how then could they possibly climb it? (03-109-13)
nātaptatapasā śakyo draṣṭumeṣa mahāgiriḥ. āroḍhuṃ vāpi kaunteya tasmānniyatavāgbhava ॥03-109-14॥
O son of Kunti, this great mountain cannot be seen or ascended by one whose austerities are unperformed; therefore, keep your speech under control. (03-109-14)
iha devāḥ sadā sarve yajñān ājahruḥ uttamān। teṣām etāni liṅgāni dṛśyante ’dyāpi bhārata॥03-109-15॥
Here, O Bhārata, the gods always obtained all the excellent sacrifices. The signs of them are seen even today. (03-109-15)
kuśākāra eva dūrveyaṁ saṁstīrṇa eva ca bhūriyam | yūpaprakārā bahavo vṛkṣāś ceme viśāṁ pate ॥03-109-16॥
O lord of men, this earth is like a mat of kuśa grass, like it has been spread with dūrvā; these many trees are like posts for altars. (03-109-16)
devāś ca ṛṣayaś caiva vasanty adyāpi bhārata। teṣāṃ sāyaṃ tathā prātar dṛśyate havyavāhanaḥ॥03-109-17॥
O Bhārata, even today gods and sages dwell (here); for them the carrier of offerings, Agni, is seen both in the evening and in the morning. (03-109-17)
ihāplutānāṃ kaunteya sadyaḥ pāpmā vihanyate। kuruśreṣṭhābhiṣekaṃ vai tasmātkuru sahānujaḥ॥03-109-18॥
O son of Kunti, those who bathe here have their sins instantly destroyed. Therefore, indeed, perform the bath of the best of Kurus here together with your brother. (03-109-18)
tato nandāplutāṅgas tvaṁ kauśikīm abhiyāsyasi। viśvāmitreṇa yatrograṁ tapastaptam anuttamam॥03-109-19॥
Then, with your body filled with bliss, you will proceed to Kauśikī, where Viśvāmitra performed his terrible and unsurpassed austerity. (03-109-19)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tatas tatra samāplutya gātrāṇi sagaṇo nṛpaḥ। jagāma kauśikīṃ puṇyāṃ ramyāṃ śivajalāṃ nadīm॥03-109-20॥
Then, having thoroughly bathed his limbs there with his retinue, the king went to the holy, beautiful, and auspicious Kauśikī river. (03-109-20)
