03.127
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kathaṃvīryaḥ sa rājābhūtsomako vadatāṃ vara। karmāṇyasya prabhāvaṃ ca śrotumicchāmi tattvataḥ ॥03-127-1॥
O best among speakers, I wish to truly hear of what prowess the king Somaka was, and his deeds and power. (03-127-1)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said;
yudhiṣṭhirāsīn nṛpatiḥ somako nāma dhārmikaḥ। tasya bhāryāśataṃ rājan sadṛśīnām abhūt tadā ॥03-127-2॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, a righteous king named Somaka, had at that time a hundred wives, all of equal status, O king. (03-127-2)
sa vai yatnena mahatā tāsu putraṃ mahīpatiḥ। kañcin nāsādayāmāsa kālena mahatā api॥03-127-3॥
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)
kadācit tasya vṛddhasya yatamānasya yatnataḥ। jantur nāma sutas tasmin strīśate samajāyata ॥03-127-4॥
Once, to that old man who was earnestly striving, a son named 'Jantu' was born to him, among a hundred wives. (03-127-4)
taṃ jātaṃ mātaraḥ sarvāḥ parivārya samāsate। satataṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā kāmabhogān viśāṃ pate॥03-127-5॥
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)
tataḥ pipīlikā jantuṁ kadācidadaśat sphiji। sa daṣṭo vyanadad rājaṁs tena duḥkhena bālakaḥ ॥03-127-6॥
Then, an ant bit the boy at some point on his buttock. Bitten, the boy cried out in pain, O king. (03-127-6)
tatastā mātaraḥ sarvāḥ prākrośan bhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ | parivārya jantuṃ sahitāḥ sa śabdas tumulo'bhavat ||03-127-7||
Then all the mothers, deeply aggrieved, cried out together as they surrounded the creature; their uproar became tumultuous. (03-127-7)
tam ārtanādaṃ sahasā śuśrāva sa mahīpatiḥ। amātya-pariṣan-madhye upaviṣṭaḥ sahartvijaiḥ॥03-127-8॥
The king, while seated with the priests in the midst of his ministers, suddenly heard that cry of distress. (03-127-8)
tataḥ prasthāpayāmāsa kim etad iti pārthivaḥ। tasmai kṣattā yathāvṛttam ācacakṣe sutaṃ prati ॥03-127-9॥
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)
tvaramāṇaḥ sa cotthāya somakaḥ saha mantribhiḥ। praviśyāntaḥpuraṃ putram āśvāsayad ariṃdamaḥ॥03-127-10॥
Being hasty, Somaka rose up with his ministers; after entering the inner apartments, the subduer of foes consoled his son. (03-127-10)
sāntvayitvā tu taṃ putraṃ niṣkramyāntaḥpurān nṛpaḥ। ṛtvijaiḥ sahito rājansahāmātya upāviśat ॥03-127-11॥
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)
somaka uvāca॥
Somaka said.
dhig astu ihaika-putratvam aputratvaṃ varaṃ bhavet| nityāturatvād bhūtānāṃ śoka evaika-putratā ॥03-127-12॥
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)
idaṁ bhāryāśataṁ brahman parīkṣyopacitaṁ prabho। putrārthinā mayā voḍhaṁ na cāsāṁ vidyate prajā॥03-127-13॥
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)
ekaḥ kathañcid utpannaḥ putro jantur ayaṁ mama। yatamānasya sarvāsu kiṁ nu duḥkham ataḥ param॥03-127-14॥
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)
vayaś ca samatītaṁ me sabhāryasya dvijottama। āsāṁ prāṇāḥ samāyattā mama cātraikaputrake ॥03-127-15॥
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)
syānnu karma tathā yuktaṁ yena putraśataṁ bhavet। mahatā laghunā vāpi karmaṇā duṣkareṇa vā ॥03-127-16॥
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)
ṛtviguvāca॥
The priest said.
asti vai tādṛśaṃ karma yena putraśataṃ bhavet। yadi śaknoṣi tatkartumatha vakṣyāmi somaka ॥03-127-17॥
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)
somaka uvāca॥
Somaka said.
kāryaṃ vā yadi vā akāryaṃ yena putraśataṃ bhavet। kṛtameva hi tad viddhi bhagavān prabravītu me ॥03-127-18॥
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)
ṛtvig uvāca॥
The priest said.
yajasva jantunā rājan tvaṁ mayā vitate kratau। tataḥ putraśataṁ śrīmad bhaviṣyaty acireṇa te॥03-127-19॥
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)
vapāyāṃ hūyamānāyāṃ dhūmamāghrāya mātaraḥ। tatastāḥ sumahāvīryāñjanayiṣyanti te sutān ॥03-127-20॥
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)
tasyāmeva tu te janturbhavitā punarātmajaḥ। uttare cāsya sauvarṇaṃ lakṣma pārśve bhaviṣyati॥03-127-21॥
But in her, a son, your offspring, will be born again; on his northern side there will be a golden mark. (03-127-21)
