03.135
yavakrītaupākhyānam
The story of Yavakrīta.
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
eṣā madhuvilā rājan samaṅgā samprakāśate। etat kardamilaṃ nāma bharatasya abhiṣecanam ॥03-135-1॥
O king, this is the river Madhuvilā, shining with a pure current. This spot is called Kardamila, the place of Bharata's consecration. (03-135-1)
alakṣmyā kila saṁyukto vṛtraṁ hatvā śacīpatiḥ। āplutaḥ sarvapāpebhyaḥ samaṅgāyāṁ vyamucyata ॥03-135-2॥
Because he was associated with misfortune, the lord of Śacī (Indra), after killing Vṛtra, having bathed in the river Samaṅgā, was freed from all sins. (03-135-2)
etad-vinaśanaṃ kukṣau mainākasya nararṣabha. aditir yatra putrārthaṃ tad annam apacat purā ॥03-135-3॥
O best of men, this perishing place is in the womb of Maināka, where once Aditi cooked that food for the purpose of obtaining a son. (03-135-3)
enaṃ parvatarājānam āruhya puruṣarṣabha। ayaśasyām asaṃśabdyām alakṣmīṃ vyapanotsyatha ॥03-135-4॥
By ascending this king of mountains, O best of men, you will dispel disgrace, lack of renown, and misfortune. (03-135-4)
ete kanakhalā rājaniṣīṇāṃ dayitā nagāḥ। eṣā prakāśate gaṅgā yudhiṣṭhira mahānadī ॥03-135-5॥
These are Kanakhala, the beloved cities of the royal sages. Here shines the Gaṅgā, O Yudhiṣṭhira, the great river. (03-135-5)
sanatkumāro bhagavān atra siddhim agāt parām। ājamīḍhāvgāhya enāṁ sarvapāpaiḥ pramokṣyase॥03-135-6॥
Sanatkumāra, the venerable one, attained supreme perfection here. O Ājamīḍha, by bathing in this (river), you will be freed from all sins. (03-135-6)
apāṃ hradaṃ ca puṇyākhyaṃ bhṛgutūṅgaṃ ca parvatam। tūṣṇīṃ gaṅgāṃ ca kaunteya sāmātyaḥ samupaspṛśa ॥03-135-7॥
O son of Kuntī, together with your ministers, touch the sacred lake of waters, the mountain called Bhṛgu-tūṅga, and the river Gaṅgā in silence. (03-135-7)
āśramaḥ sthūlaśiraso ramaṇīyaḥ prakāśate। atra mānaṃ ca kaunteya krodhaṃ caiva vivarjaya ॥03-135-8॥
The beautiful hermitage of Sthūlaśiras shines forth. Here, O son of Kuntī, abandon both pride and anger. (03-135-8)
eṣa raibhyāśramaḥ śrīmān pāṇḍaveya prakāśate। bhāradvājo yatra kavir yavakrīto vyanaśyata ॥03-135-9॥
O son of Pandu, this prosperous hermitage of Raibhya shines forth, where the sage Yavakrīta, son of Bhāradvāja, perished. (03-135-9)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
kathaṃ-yukto'bhavad ṛṣir bharadvājaḥ pratāpavān। kim-arthaṃ ca yava-krīta ṛṣiputro vyanaśyata ॥03-135-10॥
How did the sage Bharadvāja come to possess such might, and for what reason did the sage's son Yavakrīta meet his end? (03-135-10)
etat sarvaṁ yathāvṛttaṁ śrotum icchāmi Lomaśa। karmabhiḥ devakalpānāṁ kīrtyamānaiḥ bhṛśaṁ rame ॥03-135-11॥
O Lomaśa, I wish to hear all of this as it happened; I greatly delight in listening to the distinguished deeds of those who are like the gods being recounted. (03-135-11)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
bharadvājaś ca raibhyaś ca sakhāyau sambabhūvatuḥ। tāv ūṣatur ihātyantaṃ prīyamāṇau vanāntare॥03-135-12॥
Bharadvāja and Raibhya became friends; the two of them lived here together, always delighted with each other, in the depths of the forest. (03-135-12)
raibhyasya tu sutāv āstām arvāva-su-parāv asū. āsīd yava-krīḥ putraḥ tu bharadvājasya bhārata ॥03-135-13॥
Raibhya had two sons, Arvāvasu and Parāvasu. But Yavakri was the son of Bharadvaja, O Bhārata. (3-135-13)
raibhyo vidvānsahāpatyastapasvī cetaro'bhavat. tayoścāpyatulā prītirbālyātprabhṛti bhārata ॥03-135-14॥
Raibhya was learned, had children, and was an ascetic, while the other was as well. Between the two there was an unmatched affection from childhood onwards, O Bhārata. (03-135-14)
yavakrīḥ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā tapasvinam asatkṛtam। dṛṣṭvā ca satkṛtaṃ vipraiḥ raibhyaṃ putraiḥ sahānagha॥03-135-15॥
O sinless one, Yavakri saw his ascetic father being disrespected and saw Raibhya being honored by the Brāhmaṇas along with his sons. (03-135-15)
paryatapyata tejasvī manyunābhipariplutaḥ। tapastepe tato ghoraṃ vedajñānāya pāṇḍava ॥03-135-16॥
O Pāṇḍava, being tormented and completely overwhelmed by anger, the radiant one then practiced severe penance to acquire knowledge of the Veda. (03-135-16)
susamiddhe mahaty-agnau śarīram upatāpayān | janayām āsa santāpam indrasya sumahātapāḥ ॥03-135-17॥
Burning his body in the well-kindled great fire, the one of great austerity generated distress for Indra. (03-135-17)
tat indro yavakrītam-upagamya yudhiṣṭhira. abravīt kasya hetos tvam āsthitaḥ tapa uttamam ॥03-135-18॥
Then Indra approached Yavakrīta and said to him, "O Yudhiṣṭhira, for what reason have you undertaken such supreme austerity?" (03-135-18)
yavakrīr uvāca॥
Yavakri said.
dvijānāmanadhītā vai vedāḥ suragaṇārcita. pratibhāntviti tapye'hamidaṃ paramakaṃ tapaḥ ॥03-135-19॥
I, performing this supreme penance, wish that the Vedas—unlearned by the twice-born but worshipped by the hosts of gods—may become clear (shine forth) to me. (03-135-19)
svādhyāyārthe samārambho mamāyaṃ pākaśāsana। tapasā jñātumicchāmi sarvajñānāni kauśika ॥03-135-20॥
O Kauśika, this endeavor of mine is for the purpose of self-study, O Pakaśāsana. By austerity, I wish to know all knowledge. (03-135-20)
kālena mahatā vedāḥ śakyā gurumukhād vibho। prāptuṃ tasmād ayaṃ yatnaḥ paramo me samāsthitaḥ ॥03-135-21॥
O lord, the Vedas can be attained from the teacher’s mouth only over a long time; therefore, I have undertaken this supreme effort. (03-135-21)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
amārga eṣa viprarṣe yena tvaṃ yātumicchasi. kiṃ vighātena te vipra gacchādhīhi gurormukhāt ॥03-135-22॥
This is not the proper path, O Brāhmaṇa-sage, by which you wish to proceed. Why create obstacles for yourself, O Brāhmaṇa? Go and learn from the lips of your teacher. (03-135-22)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said;
evam-uktvā gataḥ śakro yavakrīr-api bhārata। bhūya evākarodyatnaṃ tapasyamita-vikrama ॥03-135-23॥
After Śakra had thus spoken and departed, Yavakrī also, O Bhārata, again undertook great effort in performing austerities, possessing immeasurable prowess. (03-135-23)
ghoreṇa tapasā rājan tapyamānaḥ mahātapāḥ। santāpayāmāsa bhṛśam devendram iti naḥ śrutam ॥03-135-24॥
O king, we have heard that by terrifying austerities, the great ascetic, undergoing penance, greatly distressed Indra, the lord of the gods. (03-135-24)
taṁ tathā tapyamānaṁ tu tapastīvraṁ mahāmunim। upetya balabhiddevo vārayāmāsa vai punaḥ॥03-135-25॥
Balabhid, the god (Indra), having approached the great sage who was thus engaged in fierce penance, again indeed restrained him. (03-135-25)
aśakyo'rthaḥ samārabdho naitad-buddhikṛtaṃ tava। pratibhāsyanti vai vedās-tava caiva pituś-ca te॥03-135-26॥
The impossible task you have undertaken is not achieved by your intellect. The Vedas will indeed manifest themselves both to you and to your father. (03-135-26)
yavakrīr uvāca॥
Yavakrī said.
na cai tad evaṁ kriyate devarāja mama ipsitam। mahatā niyamena ahaṁ tapsye ghorataraṁ tapaḥ ॥03-135-27॥
This is not done as I desire, O king of the gods. With greater discipline, I shall practice an austerity still more severe. (03-135-27)
samiddhe'gnāv upakṛtyāṅgam aṅgaṃ; hoṣyāmi vā maghavan tan nibodha। yady etad evaṃ na karoṣi kāmaṃ; mama-ipsitaṃ devarāja iha sarvam ॥03-135-28॥
If, O Maghavan, my desire here is not fulfilled by you, then know that I shall offer each of my limbs, one by one, into the kindled fire. (03-135-28)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
niścayaṃ tam abhijñāya munes tasya mahātmanaḥ। prativāraṇa-hetvarthaṃ buddhyā sañcintya buddhimān ॥03-135-29॥
The intelligent one, having understood the resolve of that great-souled sage, and thoughtfully considering with his intellect for the purpose of prevention, acted. (03-135-29)
tat indro'karod rūpaṃ brāhmaṇasya tapasvinaḥ। anekaśatavarṣasya durbalasya sayakṣmaṇaḥ ॥03-135-30॥
Then Indra took the form of a Brāhmaṇa ascetic who was very old, weak, and afflicted with consumption. (03-135-30)
yavakrītasya yat tīrtham ucitaṃ śaucakarmaṇi। bhāgīrathyāṃ tatra setuṃ vālukābhiś cakāra saḥ॥03-135-31॥
He made, for Yavakrīta, a bridge of sand at the bathing place appropriate for purification in the river Bhagirathi. (3-135-31)
yadāsya vadato vākyaṁ na sa cakre dvijottamaḥ। vālukābhis tataḥ śakro gaṅgāṁ samabhipūrayan ॥03-135-32॥
When the best of the twice-born did not act while he was uttering his word, then Śakra (Indra) began to fill the Gaṅgā with sand. (03-135-32)
vālukāmuṣṭimaniśaṃ bhāgīrathyāṃ vyasarjayat। setumabhyārabhacchakro yavakrītaṃ nidarśayan ॥03-135-33॥
Indra began building a bridge by casting handfuls of sand repeatedly into the Gaṅgā, demonstrating it as if playing with barley grains. (03-135-33)
taṁ dadarśa yavakrīstu yatnavantaṁ nibandhane। prahasaṁścābravīdvākyamidaṁ sa munipuṅgavaḥ॥03-135-34॥
But Yavakrī saw him diligently engaged in his task; smiling, the foremost of sages spoke these words to him. (03-135-34)
kim idaṃ vartate brahman kiṃ ca te ha cikīrṣitam। atīva hi mahān yatnaḥ kriyate 'yaṃ nirarthakaḥ॥03-135-35॥
O Brahman, what is happening here? And what indeed do you intend? This great effort truly seems useless. (03-135-35)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
bandhiṣye setunā gaṅgāṃ sukhaḥ panthā bhaviṣyati. kliśyate hi janastāta taramāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ॥03-135-36॥
I shall build a bridge across the Gaṅgā; the road will become easy. O dear, people are indeed afflicted, crossing it again and again. (03-135-36)
yavakrīr uvāca॥
Yavakri said.
nāyaṃ śakyastvayā baddhuṃ mahānoghaḥ kathaṃcana। aśakyādvinivartasva śakyamarthaṃ samārabha ॥03-135-37॥
This great flood cannot in any way be bound by you. Turn away from the impossible and undertake what is possible. (03-135-37)
indra uvāca॥
Indra said.
yathaiva bhavatā ca idaṁ tapaḥ vedārtham udyatam। aśakyaṁ tad vada asmābhiḥ ayaṁ bhāraḥ samudyataḥ ॥03-135-38॥
Just as you have undertaken this austerity for the sake of the Veda, tell (us) if this burden undertaken by us is impossible. (03-135-38)
yavakrīr uvāca॥
Yavakri said.
yathā tava nirartho' yam ārambhas tridaśeśvara। tathā yadi mamāpi idaṃ manyase pākaśāsana ॥03-135-39॥
O lord of the gods, if you think that my undertaking is also as useless as yours, O Indra, (so be it). (03-135-39)
kriyatāṃ yad bhavet śakyaṃ mayā suragaṇeśvara। varāṃś ca me prayacchānyānyair anyān bhavitāsmy ati ॥03-135-40॥
O lord of the hosts of gods, let me do whatever is possible by me. Also, grant me boons; by others, I shall become others indeed. (03-135-40)
lomaśa uvāca॥
Lomaśa said.
tasmai prādād varān indra uktavān yān mahātapāḥ। pratibhāsyanti te vedāḥ pitrā saha yathepsitāḥ॥03-135-41॥
Indra, who was possessed of great austerity, granted to him the boons he had spoken of, declaring, 'The Vedas will appear to you along with your father, just as you desire.' (03-135-41)
yaccānyatkāṅkṣase kāmaṃ yavakrīrgamyatāmiti. sa labdhakāmaḥ pitaramupetyātha tato'bravīt ॥03-135-42॥
And whatever other object you desire, let Yavakrī go there. Having attained his desire, he then approached his father and spoke thus. (03-135-42)
