03.110
ṛśyaśṛṅgopākhyānam
The story of Ṛśyaśṛṅga.
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
eṣā devanadī puṇyā kauśikī bharatarṣabha। viśvāmitrāśramo ramya eṣa cātra prakāśate ॥03-110-1॥
O best of the Bharatas, this is the divine and holy river Kauśikī. Also, here the pleasant hermitage of Viśvāmitra appears. (03-110-1)
āśramaś caiva puṇyākhyaḥ kāśyapasya mahātmanaḥ। ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ suto yasya tapasvī saṁyatendriyaḥ॥03-110-2॥
There is the hermitage named Puṇya of the great-souled Kāśyapa; whose son is Ṛśyaśṛṅga, an ascetic with controlled senses. (03-110-2)
tapaso yaḥ prabhāvena varṣayām āsa vāsavam। anāvṛṣṭyāṃ bhayād yasya vavarṣa balavṛtrahā ॥03-110-3॥
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)
mṛgyāṃ jātaḥ sa tejasvī kāśyapasya sutaḥ prabhuḥ। viṣaye lomapādasya yaścakārādbhutaṃ mahat ॥03-110-4॥
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)
nivartiteṣu sasyeṣu yasmai śāntāṃ dadau nṛpaḥ। lomapādo duhitaraṃ sāvitrīṃ savitā yathā॥03-110-5॥
After the harvest, King Lomapada gave his daughter Śāntā to him, just as Savitṛ (the Sun god) gave his daughter Savitri. (03-110-5)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ kathaṁ mṛgyām utpannaḥ kāśyapātmajaḥ। viruddhe yoni-saṁsarge kathaṁ ca tapasā yutaḥ॥03-110-6॥
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)
kimarthaṃ ca bhayāc chakras tasya bālasya dhīmataḥ। anāvṛṣṭyāṃ pravṛttāyāṃ vavarṣa balavṛtrahā॥03-110-7॥
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)
kathaṁrūpā ca śāntābhūd rājaputrī yatavratā। lobhayāmāsa yā ceto mṛgabhūtasya tasya vai॥03-110-8॥
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)
lomapādaś ca rājarṣir yad āśrūyata dhārmikaḥ। kathaṃ vai viṣaye tasya nā varṣat pākaśāsanaḥ ॥03-110-9॥
How was it that Indra did not rain in the territory of Lomapāda the righteous royal sage, as it was heard? (03-110-9)
etan me bhagavan sarvaṃ vistareṇa yathā tatham। vaktum arhasi śuśrūṣor ṛṣyaśṛṅgasya ceṣṭitam ॥03-110-10॥
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)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
vibhāṇḍakasya brahmarṣes tapasā bhāvitātmanaḥ। amoghavīryasya sataḥ prajāpatisamadyuteḥ॥03-110-11॥
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)
śṛṇu putro yathā jāta ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ pratāpavān। mahāhrade mahātejā bālaḥ sthavirasammataḥ ॥03-110-12॥
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)
mahāhradaṃ samāsādya kāśyapas tapasi sthitaḥ. dīrghakālaṃ pariśrānta ṛṣir devarṣi-saṃmataḥ ॥03-110-13॥
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)
tasya retaḥ pracaskanda dṛṣṭvā apsarasam urvaśīm। apsu upaspṛśataḥ rājan mṛgī tat ca apibat tadā ॥03-110-14॥
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)
saha toyena tṛṣitā sā garbhiṇy abhavan nṛpa। amoghatvād vidheś caiva bhāvitvād daivanirmitāt॥03-110-15॥
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)
tasyāṃ mṛgyāṃ samabhavat tasya putro mahān ṛṣiḥ। ṛśyaśṛṅgas taponityo vana eva vyavardhata॥03-110-16॥
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)
tasya ṛṣyaśṛṅgaṃ śirasi rājan āsīn mahātmanaḥ। tena ṛṣyaśṛṅga ity evaṃ tadā sa prathito 'bhavat॥03-110-17॥
O king, of that great-souled one, a deer-horn was on his head. Therefore he then became known as Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. (03-110-17)
na tena dṛṣṭapūrvo'nyaḥ pitur anyatra mānuṣaḥ। tasmāt tasya mano nityaṃ brahmacarye'bhavan nṛpa ॥03-110-18॥
He had not seen any other human apart from his father; therefore, O king, his mind was always devoted to celibacy. (03-110-18)
etasminn eva kāle tu sakhā daśarathasya vai। lomapāda iti khyāto aṅgānām īśvaro'bhavat॥03-110-19॥
At this very time, however, Daśaratha's friend Lomapāda, famed as such, became the lord of the people of Aṅga. (03-110-19)
tena kāmaḥ kṛto mithyā brāhmaṇebhya iti śrutiḥ. sa brāhmaṇaiḥ parityaktaḥ tadā vai jagatīpatiḥ ॥03-110-20॥
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)
purohitāpacārāc ca tasya rājño yadṛcchayā। na vavarṣa sahasrākṣas tato'pīḍyanta vai prajāḥ॥03-110-21॥
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)
sa brāhmaṇān paryapṛcchat tapo-yuktān manīṣiṇaḥ। pravaṛṣaṇe surendrasya samarthān pṛthivī-patiḥ॥03-110-22॥
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)
kathaṁ pravaṛṣet parjanya upāyaḥ paridṛśyatām. tam ūcuḥ coditāḥ tena svamatāni manīṣiṇaḥ ॥03-110-23॥
“How should the cloud rain? Let a method be considered.” Then, impelled by him, the wise men spoke their own opinions. (03-110-23)
tatra tveko munivaras taṃ rājānam uvāca ha। kupitās tava rājendra brāhmaṇā niskṛtiṃ cara ॥03-110-24॥
But there, one excellent sage indeed said to the king: O Rajendra, as your brāhmaṇas are angered, perform atonement. (03-110-24)
Ṛśyaśṛṅgaṃ munisutam ānayasva ca pārthiva। vāneyam anabhijñaṃ ca nārīṇām ārjave ratam ॥03-110-25॥
O king, bring Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the sage's son, who is a forest-dweller, unacquainted with women, and delights in simplicity. (03-110-25)
sa ced avataret rājan viṣayaṃ te mahātapāḥ। sadyaḥ pravarṣet parjanya iti me nātra saṃśayaḥ॥03-110-26॥
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)
etat-śrutvā vaco rājan kṛtvā niskṛtim ātmanaḥ। sa gatvā punar āgacchat prasanneṣu dvijātiṣu ॥ rājānam āgatam dṛṣṭvā pratisañjagṛhuḥ prajāḥ ॥03-110-27॥
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)
tato'ṅgapatir āhūya sacivān mantrakovidān। ṛṣyaśṛṅgāgame yatnam akarot mantraniścaye ॥03-110-28॥
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)
so'dhyagacchadupāyaṁ tu tairamātyaiḥ sahācyutaḥ। śāstrajñairalamarthajñairnītyāṁ ca pariniṣṭhitaiḥ॥03-110-29॥
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)
tat ānāyayāmāsa vāramukhyā mahīpatiḥ। veśyāḥ sarvatra niṣṇātās tā uvāca sa pārthivaḥ॥03-110-30॥
Then the king summoned the chief courtesans. The king spoke to those prostitutes, skilled everywhere. (03-110-30)
ṛśyaśṛṅgam ṛṣeḥ putram ānayadhvam upāyataḥ। lobhayitvā abhi-viśvasya viṣayam mama śobhanāḥ ॥03-110-31॥
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)
tā rājabhaya-bhītāś ca śāpa-bhītāś ca yoṣitaḥ। aśakyam ūcus tat kāryam vivarṇā gata-cetasaḥ॥03-110-32॥
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)
tatra tvekā jaradyoṣā rājānam idam abravīt। prayatiṣye mahārāja tam ānetuṃ tapodhanam॥03-110-33॥
There, however, one old woman said this to the king: "O great king, I shall try to bring that ascetic here." (03-110-33)
abhipretāṁs tu me kāmān samanujñātum arhasi। tataḥ śakṣye lobhayitum ṛśyaśṛṅgam ṛṣeḥ sutam॥03-110-34॥
But you should grant my desires; then I will be able to entice Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the son of the sage. (03-110-34)
tasyāḥ sarvam abhiprāyam anvajānātsa pārthivaḥ। dhanaṃ ca pradadau bhūri ratnāni vividhāni ca॥03-110-35॥
The king knew all her wishes; he gave wealth and many various jewels. (03-110-35)
tato rūpeṇa sampannā vayasā ca mahīpate. striya ādāya kāścit sā jagāma vanam añjasā ॥03-110-36॥
Then, O king, she, endowed with beauty and youth, taking some women with her, went directly to the forest. (03-110-36)
