03.110
ऋश्यशृङ्गोपाख्यानम्
The story of Ṛśyaśṛṅga.
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
एषा देवनदी पुण्या कौशिकी भरतर्षभ। विश्वामित्राश्रमो रम्य एष चात्र प्रकाशते ॥०३-११०-१॥
O best of the Bharatas, this is the divine and holy river Kauśikī. Also, here the pleasant hermitage of Viśvāmitra appears. (03-110-1)
आश्रमश्चैव पुण्याख्यः काश्यपस्य महात्मनः। ऋश्यशृङ्गः सुतो यस्य तपस्वी संयतेन्द्रियः ॥०३-११०-२॥
There is the hermitage named Puṇya of the great-souled Kāśyapa; whose son is Ṛśyaśṛṅga, an ascetic with controlled senses. (03-110-2)
तपसो यः प्रभावेन वर्षयामास वासवम्। अनावृष्ट्यां भयाद्यस्य ववर्ष बलवृत्रहा ॥०३-११०-३॥
By the power of his penance, he caused Indra to bring rain; during drought, out of fear of him, the mighty Vṛtra-slayer (Indra) made it rain. (03-110-3)
मृग्यां जातः स तेजस्वी काश्यपस्य सुतः प्रभुः। विषये लोमपादस्य यश्चकाराद्भुतं महत् ॥०३-११०-४॥
He, the brilliant lord, son of Kaśyapa, who was born from a female deer, performed a great wonder in the kingdom of Lomapāda. (03-110-4)
निवर्तितेषु सस्येषु यस्मै शान्तां ददौ नृपः। लोमपादो दुहितरं सावित्रीं सविता यथा ॥०३-११०-५॥
After the harvest, King Lomapada gave his daughter Śāntā to him, just as Savitṛ (the Sun god) gave his daughter Savitri. (03-110-5)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ऋश्यशृङ्गः कथं मृग्यामुत्पन्नः काश्यपात्मजः। विरुद्धे योनिसंसर्गे कथं च तपसा युतः ॥०३-११०-६॥
How was Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the son of Kāśyapa, born from a female deer? How was he endowed with austerity in such a contrary union of birth? (03-110-6)
किमर्थं च भयाच्छक्रस्तस्य बालस्य धीमतः। अनावृष्ट्यां प्रवृत्तायां ववर्ष बलवृत्रहा ॥०३-११०-७॥
And for what reason, out of fear, did Śakra (Indra), the slayer of Bali and Vṛtra, cause it to rain during the drought for that wise boy? (03-110-7)
कथंरूपा च शान्ताभूद्राजपुत्री यतव्रता। लोभयामास या चेतो मृगभूतस्य तस्य वै ॥०३-११०-८॥
Of what appearance and tranquil disposition was that princess, devoted to vows, who indeed enticed the mind of him who had become a deer? (03-110-8)
लोमपादश्च राजर्षिर्यदाश्रूयत धार्मिकः। कथं वै विषये तस्य नावर्षत्पाकशासनः ॥०३-११०-९॥
How was it that Indra did not rain in the territory of Lomapāda the righteous royal sage, as it was heard? (03-110-9)
एतन्मे भगवन्सर्वं विस्तरेण यथातथम्। वक्तुमर्हसि शुश्रूषोरृष्यशृङ्गस्य चेष्टितम् ॥०३-११०-१०॥
O venerable one, you ought to recount in detail all this—the acts of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga—as it happened, for one who desires to listen. (03-110-10)
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
विभाण्डकस्य ब्रह्मर्षेस्तपसा भावितात्मनः। अमोघवीर्यस्य सतः प्रजापतисमद्युतेः ॥०३-११०-११॥
Of Vibhāṇḍaka, the Brahmarṣi, whose self has been purified by austerity, whose energy is unfailing, who is virtuous, and who possesses a splendour equal to Prajāpati. (03-110-11)
शृणु पुत्रो यथा जात ऋश्यशृङ्गः प्रतापवान्। महाह्रदे महातेजा बालः स्थविरसंमतः ॥०३-११०-१२॥
Listen, O son, to how the powerful Ṛśyaśṛṅga, a boy of great energy, born in a great lake, was respected by the elders. (03-110-12)
महाह्रदं समासाद्य काश्यपस्तपसि स्थितः। दीर्घकालं परिश्रान्त ऋषिर्देवर्षिसंमतः ॥०३-११०-१३॥
Kashyapa, having reached the great lake, remained there in austerity. The sage, esteemed by the divine sages, grew exhausted over a long period. (03-110-13)
तस्य रेतः प्रचस्कन्द दृष्ट्वाप्सरसमुर्वशीम्। अप्सूपस्पृशतो राजन्मृगी तच्चापिबत्तदा ॥०३-११०-१४॥
His semen flowed when he saw the Apsaras Urvaśī; as he was bathing in the waters, O king, a female deer then drank it. (03-110-14)
सह तोयेन तृषिता सा गर्भिण्यभवन्नृप। अमोघत्वाद्विधेश्चैव भावित्वाद्दैवनिर्मितात् ॥०३-११०-१५॥
O king, together with the water, the thirsty woman became pregnant due to the unfailing and inevitable force of destiny, ordained by the divine. (03-110-15)
तस्यां मृग्यां समभवत्तस्य पुत्रो महानृषिः। ऋश्यशृङ्गस्तपोनित्यो वन एव व्यवर्धत ॥०३-११०-१६॥
In her, the doe, his son, the great sage Ṛśyaśṛṅga, was born. Ṛśyaśṛṅga, always devoted to penance, grew up in the forest. (03-110-16)
तस्यर्श्यशृङ्गं शिरसि राजन्नासीन्महात्मनः। तेनर्श्यशृङ्ग इत्येवं तदा स प्रथितोऽभवत् ॥०३-११०-१७॥
O king, of that great-souled one, a deer-horn was on his head. Therefore he then became known as Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. (03-110-17)
न तेन दृष्टपूर्वोऽन्यः पितुरन्यत्र मानुषः। तस्मात्तस्य मनो नित्यं ब्रह्मचर्येऽभवन्नृप ॥०३-११०-१८॥
He had not seen any other human apart from his father; therefore, O king, his mind was always devoted to celibacy. (03-110-18)
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु सखा दशरथस्य वै। लोमपाद इति ख्यातो अङ्गानामीश्वरोऽभवत् ॥०३-११०-१९॥
At this very time, however, Daśaratha's friend Lomapāda, famed as such, became the lord of the people of Aṅga. (03-110-19)
तेन कामः कृतो मिथ्या ब्राह्मणेभ्य इति श्रुतिः। स ब्राह्मणैः परित्यक्तस्तदा वै जगतीपतिः ॥०३-११०-२०॥
Therefore, it is stated that desire was wrongly committed with respect to the Brāhmaṇas. Then, the lord of the earth was indeed abandoned by the Brāhmaṇas. (03-110-20)
पुरोहितापचाराच्च तस्य राज्ञो यदृच्छया। न ववर्ष सहस्राक्षस्ततोऽपीड्यन्त वै प्रजाः ॥०३-११०-२१॥
Because of the king's offence against the priest and his arbitrary will, the thousand-eyed Indra did not send rain, and so the people were indeed afflicted. (03-110-21)
स ब्राह्मणान्पर्यपृच्छत्तपोयुक्तान्मनीषिणः। प्रवर्षणे सुरेन्द्रस्य समर्थान्पृथिवीपतिः ॥०३-११०-२२॥
The king, devoted to austerity, asked the wise Brāhmaṇas who were capable of causing Indra, the lord of gods, to bring rain. (03-110-22)
कथं प्रवर्षेत्पर्जन्य उपायः परिदृश्यताम्। तमूचुश्चोदितास्तेन स्वमतानि मनीषिणः ॥०३-११०-२३॥
“How should the cloud rain? Let a method be considered.” Then, impelled by him, the wise men spoke their own opinions. (03-110-23)
तत्र त्वेको मुनिवरस्तं राजानमुवाच ह। कुपितास्तव राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणा निस्कृतिं चर ॥०३-११०-२४॥
But there, one excellent sage indeed said to the king: O Rajendra, as your brāhmaṇas are angered, perform atonement. (03-110-24)
ऋश्यशृङ्गं मुनिसुतमानयस्व च पार्थिव। वानेयमनभिज्ञं च नारीणामार्जवे रतम् ॥०३-११०-२५॥
O king, bring Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the sage's son, who is a forest-dweller, unacquainted with women, and delights in simplicity. (03-110-25)
स चेदवतरेद्राजन्विषयं ते महातपाः। सद्यः प्रवर्षेत्पर्जन्य इति मे नात्र संशयः ॥०३-११०-२६॥
O king, if that great ascetic were to descend into your territory, the rain-cloud would immediately begin to pour; of this I have no doubt at all. (03-110-26)
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राजन्कृत्वा निस्कृतिमात्मनः। स गत्वा पुनरागच्छत्प्रसन्नेषु द्विजातिषु ॥ राजानमागतं दृष्ट्वा प्रतिसञ्जगृहुः प्रजाः ॥०३-११०-२७॥
O king, after hearing this word and making atonement for himself, he went away and again returned when the twice-born were pleased. Seeing the king having arrived, his subjects welcomed him back. (03-110-27)
ततोऽङ्गपतिराहूय सचिवान्मन्त्रकोविदान्। ऋश्यशृङ्गागमे यत्नमकरोन्मन्त्रनिश्चये ॥०३-११०-२८॥
Then the lord of Aṅga, having called his ministers who were skilled in counsel, made efforts to decide the course of action regarding Ṛśyaśṛṅga's arrival. (03-110-28)
सोऽध्यगच्छदुपायं तु तैरमात्यैः सहाच्युतः। शास्त्रज्ञैरलमर्थज्ञैर्नीत्यां च परिनिष्ठितैः ॥०३-११०-२९॥
He understood the proper means, but only after consulting with those ministers and Acyuta, who were well-versed in the scriptures, proficient in practical wisdom, and fully accomplished in matters of policy. (03-110-29)
तत आनाययामास वारमुख्या महीपतिः। वेश्याः सर्वत्र निष्णातास्ता उवाच स पार्थिवः ॥०३-११०-३०॥
Then the king summoned the chief courtesans. The king spoke to those prostitutes, skilled everywhere. (03-110-30)
ऋश्यशृङ्गमृषेः पुत्रमानयध्वमुपायतः। लोभयित्वाभिविश्वास्य विषयं मम शोभनाः ॥०३-११०-३१॥
O beautiful women, by using some means, after winning the trust of and enticing the son of the sage Ṛśyaśṛṅga, bring him to my country. (03-110-31)
ता राजभयभीताश्च शापभीताश्च योषितः। अशक्यमूचुस्तत्कार्यं विवर्णा गतचेतसः ॥०३-११०-३२॥
The women, terrified both of the king and of a curse, said with pale faces and bewildered minds that the task was impossible. (03-110-32)
तत्र त्वेका जरद्योषा राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। प्रयतिष्ये महाराज तमानेतुं तपोधनम् ॥०३-११०-३३॥
There, however, one old woman said this to the king: "O great king, I shall try to bring that ascetic here." (03-110-33)
अभिप्रेतांस्तु मे कामान्समनुज्ञातुमर्हसि। ततः शक्ष्ये लोभयितुमृश्यशृङ्गमृषेः सुतम् ॥०३-११०-३४॥
But you should grant my desires; then I will be able to entice Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the son of the sage. (03-110-34)
तस्याः सर्वमभिप्रायमन्वजानात्स पार्थिवः। धनं च प्रददौ भूरि रत्नानि विविधानि च ॥०३-११०-३५॥
The king knew all her wishes; he gave wealth and many various jewels. (03-110-35)
ततो रूपेण सम्पन्ना वयसा च महीपते। स्त्रिय आदाय काश्चित्सा जगाम वनमञ्जसा ॥०३-११०-३६॥
Then, O king, she, endowed with beauty and youth, taking some women with her, went directly to the forest. (03-110-36)
