03.127
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
कथंवीर्यः स राजाभूत्सोमको वदतां वर। कर्माण्यस्य प्रभावं च श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥०३-१२७-१॥
O best among speakers, I wish to truly hear of what prowess the king Somaka was, and his deeds and power. (03-127-1)
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said;
युधिष्ठिरासीन्नृपतिः सोमको नाम धार्मिकः। तस्य भार्याशतं राजन्सदृशीनामभूत्तदा ॥०३-१२७-२॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, a righteous king named Somaka, had at that time a hundred wives, all of equal status, O king. (03-127-2)
स वै यत्नेन महता तासु पुत्रं महीपतिः। कञ्चिन्नासादयामास कालेन महता अपि ॥०३-१२७-३॥
He indeed, even with great effort and over a long period of time, the king did not obtain any son among them. (03-127-3)
कदाचित्तस्य वृद्धस्य यतमानस्य यत्नतः। जन्तुर्नाम सुतस्तस्मिन्स्त्रीशते समजायत ॥०३-१२७-४॥
Once, to that old man who was earnestly striving, a son named 'Jantu' was born to him, among a hundred wives. (03-127-4)
तं जातं मातरः सर्वाः परिवार्य समासते। सततं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा कामभोगान्विशां पते ॥०३-१२७-५॥
When he was born, all the mothers sat around him, keeping desires and pleasures always at the back, O lord of men. (03-127-5)
ततः पिपीलिका जन्तुं कदाचिददशत्स्फिजि। स दष्टो व्यनदद्राजंस्तेन दुःखेन बालकः ॥०३-१२७-६॥
Then, an ant bit the boy at some point on his buttock. Bitten, the boy cried out in pain, O king. (03-127-6)
ततस्ता मातरः सर्वाः प्राक्रोशन्भृशदुःखिताः। परिवार्य जन्तुं सहिताः स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥०३-१२७-७॥
Then all the mothers, deeply aggrieved, cried out together as they surrounded the creature; their uproar became tumultuous. (03-127-7)
तमार्तनादं सहसा शुश्राव स महीपतिः। अमात्यपरिषन्मध्ये उपविष्टः सहर्त्विजैः ॥०३-१२७-८॥
The king, while seated with the priests in the midst of his ministers, suddenly heard that cry of distress. (03-127-8)
ततः प्रस्थापयामास किमेतदिति पार्थिवः। तस्मै क्षत्ता यथावृत्तमाचचक्षे सुतं प्रति ॥०३-१२७-९॥
Then the king sent someone to ask, 'What is this?' and to him, the chamberlain explained all that had happened concerning the son. (03-127-9)
त्वरमाणः स चोत्थाय सोमकः सह मन्त्रिभिः। प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं पुत्रमाश्वासयदरिंदमः ॥०३-१२७-१०॥
Being hasty, Somaka rose up with his ministers; after entering the inner apartments, the subduer of foes consoled his son. (03-127-10)
सान्त्वयित्वा तु तं पुत्रं निष्क्रम्यान्तःपुरान्नृपः। ऋत्विजैः सहितो राजन्सहामात्य उपाविशत् ॥०३-१२७-११॥
But having consoled his son, when the king had come out of the inner chambers, he sat down with the priests and his ministers. (03-127-11)
सोमक उवाच॥
Somaka said.
धिगस्त्विहैकपुत्रत्वमपुत्रत्वं वरं भवेत्। नित्यातुरत्वाद्भूतानां शोक एवैकपुत्रता ॥०३-१२७-१२॥
Let having only one son be condemned here; having no son at all is better. Because, due to the constant distress of living beings, having only one son is indeed nothing but sorrow. (03-127-12)
इदं भार्याशतं ब्रह्मन्परीक्ष्योपचितं प्रभो। पुत्रार्थिना मया वोढं न चासां विद्यते प्रजा ॥०३-१२७-१३॥
O Brahman, I, desiring a son, have married this hundred wives after careful selection, O lord, but none of them has produced offspring. (03-127-13)
एकः कथञ्चिदुत्पन्नः पुत्रो जन्तुरयं मम। यतमानस्य सर्वासु किं नु दुःखमतः परम् ॥०३-१२७-१४॥
This single son, somehow born—this being of mine— what greater pain is there than this for one who strives in every way? (03-127-14)
वयश्च समतीतं मे सभार्यस्य द्विजोत्तम। आसां प्राणाः समायत्ता मम चात्रैकपुत्रके ॥०३-१२७-१५॥
O best of the twice-born, my age together with that of my wife has completely passed. The lives of these women and mine are dependent here on this only son. (03-127-15)
स्यान्नु कर्म तथा युक्तं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्। महता लघुना वापि कर्मणा दुष्करेण वा ॥०३-१२७-१६॥
There may indeed be such a deed, properly performed, by which one may obtain a hundred sons; whether by a great deed, or by a small one, or even by a difficult deed. (03-127-16)
ऋत्विगुवाच॥
The priest said.
अस्ति वै तादृशं कर्म येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्। यदि शक्नोषि तत्कर्तुमथ वक्ष्यामि सोमक ॥०३-१२७-१७॥
There is indeed such a way by which you may have a hundred sons; if you are capable of doing that, then I will tell you, O Somaka. (03-127-17)
सोमक उवाच॥
Somaka said.
कार्यं वा यदि वाकार्यं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत्। कृतमेव हि तद्विद्धि भगवान्प्रब्रवीतु मे ॥०३-१२७-१८॥
Whether it is an act that should or should not be done, by which a hundred sons might result, consider that as already accomplished; O revered one, let (him) declare that to me. (03-127-18)
ऋत्विगुवाच॥
The priest said.
यजस्व जन्तुना राजंस्त्वं मया वितते क्रतौ। ततः पुत्रशतं श्रीमद्भविष्यत्यचिरेण ते ॥०३-१२७-१९॥
O king, perform the sacrifice with this being performed by me. Then, very soon, a hundred illustrious sons will be born to you. (03-127-19)
वपायां हूयमानायां धूममाघ्राय मातरः। ततस्ताः सुमहावीर्याञ्जनयिष्यन्ति ते सुतान् ॥०३-१२७-२०॥
When the offering is being made, after the mothers have smelled the smoke, they will then give birth to your very powerful sons. (03-127-20)
तस्यामेव तु ते जन्तुर्भविता पुनरात्मजः। उत्तरे चास्य सौवर्णं लक्ष्म पार्श्वे भविष्यति ॥०३-१२७-२१॥
But in her, a son, your offspring, will be born again; on his northern side there will be a golden mark. (03-127-21)
