03.184
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Markaṇḍeya said.
atraiva ca sarasvatyā gītaṁ parapurañjaya| pṛṣṭayā muninā vīra śṛṇu tārkṣyeṇa dhīmatā ॥03-184-1॥
Here, O conqueror of enemy cities, hear the song sung by Sarasvatī, as recounted by the intelligent Tārkṣya, after being asked by the sage, O hero. (03-184-1)
tārkṣya uvāca॥
Tārkṣya said.
kiṁ nu śreyaḥ puruṣasyeha bhadre; kathaṁ kurvan na cyavate svadharmāt. ācakṣva me cārusarvāṅgi sarvaṁ; tvayānuśiṣṭo na cyaveyaṁ svadharmāt ॥03-184-2॥
O auspicious one, what truly is the highest good for a person here? How does one act so as not to deviate from his own duty? Please tell me everything, O beautiful-limbed one; being instructed by you, may I not swerve from my own duty. (03-184-2)
kathaṃ cāgniṃ juhuyāṃ pūjaye vā; kasminkāle kena dharmo na naśyet. etatsarvaṃ subhage prabravīhi; yathā lokān virajāḥ sañcareyam ॥03-184-3॥
How should I offer oblations to the fire, or worship it; at what time, by what means, so that righteousness does not perish? O fortunate one, please tell me all this, so that I may attain the pure worlds. (03-184-3)
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
evaṃ pṛṣṭā prītiyuktena tena; śuśrūṣum īkṣya uttamabuddhiyuktam। tārkṣyaṃ vipraṃ dharmayuktaṃ hitaṃ ca; sarasvatī vākyam idaṃ babhāṣe ॥03-184-4॥
Thus, when questioned with affection by him and observing Tārkṣya, the sage of excellent intellect, eager to listen, righteous and well-intentioned, Sarasvatī spoke these words. (03-184-4)
sarasvatyuvāca॥
Sarasvatī said.
yo brahma jānāti yathāpradeśaṃ; svādhyāyanityaḥ śucirapramattaḥ. sa vai puro devapurasya gantā; sahāmaraiḥ prāpnuyāt prītiyogam ॥03-184-5॥
He who knows Brahman according to the proper method, is always devoted to study, pure and vigilant; that person indeed will be the forerunner to the city of the gods, and together with the immortals may attain the state of joy. (03-184-5)
tatra sma ramyā vipulā viśokāḥ; supuṣpitāḥ puṣkariṇyaḥ supuṇyāḥ. akardamā mīnavatyaḥ sutīrthā; hiraṇmayairāvṛtāḥ puṇḍarīkaiḥ ॥03-184-6॥
There indeed were beautiful, spacious, and sorrowless lakes, abundantly blossomed and highly auspicious. Free from mud, teeming with fish, having excellent fords, and covered with golden lotuses. (03-184-6)
tāsāṃ tīreṣv āsate puṇyakarmā; mahīyamānaḥ pṛthag apsarobhiḥ. supuṇyagandhābhir alaṅkṛtābhiḥ; hiraṇyavarṇābhir atīva hṛṣṭaḥ ॥03-184-7॥
On their banks sits a meritorious man, greatly honored by many apsarases, who are adorned with auspicious fragrances and golden hues, feeling very delighted. (03-184-7)
paraṃ lokaṃ gopradāstv āpnuvanti; dattvā aṇaḍvāhaṃ sūryalokam vrajanti. vāso dattvā candramasaḥ sa lokaṃ; dattvā hiraṇyam amṛtatvam eti ॥03-184-8॥
Those who give cows truly reach the highest worlds; by giving a draught animal, they go to the world of the Sun; by donating clothing, they gain the world of the Moon; and by giving gold, one attains immortality. (03-184-8)
dhenuṁ dattvā suvratāṁ sādhudohāṁ; kalyāṇavatsāmapalāyinīṁ ca. yāvanti romāṇi bhavanti tasyā; stāvadvarṣāṇyaśnute svargalokam ॥03-184-9॥
One who gives a cow of good vows, that gives proper milk, has an auspicious calf, and does not run away, attains the heavenly world for as many years as there are hairs on her body. (03-184-9)
anaḍvāhaṃ suvrataṃ yo dadāti; halasya voḍhāram-anantavīryam। dhurandharaṃ balavantaṃ yuvānaṃ; prāpnoti lokān daśa dhenudasya ॥03-184-10॥
Whoever gives a young, powerful bullock of good vows—one that draws the plough and has infinite strength and bears the yoke—attains the ten worlds attained by a giver of cows. (03-184-10)
yaḥ sapta varṣāṇi juhoti tārkṣya; havyaṃ tvagnau suvrataḥ sādhuśīlaḥ. saptāvarān sapta pūrvān punāti; pitāmahān ātmanaḥ karmabhiḥ svaiḥ ॥03-184-11॥
O Tārkṣya, one who, having good vows and a virtuous nature, offers oblations into the fire for seven years, purifies with his own actions his seven paternal ancestors and seven previous ancestors—his grandfathers. (03-184-11)
tārkṣya uvāca॥
Tārkṣya said.
kimagnihotrasya vrataṃ purāṇa; mācakṣva me pṛcchataścārurūpe. tvayānuśiṣṭo'hamihādya vidyāṃ; yadagnihotrasya vrataṃ purāṇam ॥03-184-12॥
What is the ancient vow of Agnihotra? O beautiful one, tell me who am asking. Here today, instructed by you, I wish to know what is the ancient vow of Agnihotra. (03-184-12)
sarasvaty-uvāca॥
Sarasvatī said.
na cāśucir nāpy anirṇikta-pāṇir nābrahma-vit juhuyān nā vipaścit | bubhukṣavaḥ śuci-kāmā hi devāḥ na aśraddadhānāt hi haviḥ juṣanti ॥03-184-13॥
Neither an impure person, nor one whose hands are unwashed, nor a person ignorant of the sacred formula, nor one unlearned in ritual should offer oblations. The gods, who desire food and purity, indeed do not accept oblations from one who lacks faith. (03-184-13)
nāśrotriyaṃ devahavye niyuñjyā; namoghaṃ parā siñcati tādṛśo hi. apūrṇamaśrotriyamāha tārkṣya; na vai tādṛgjuhuyādagnihotram ॥03-184-14॥
One should not appoint a non-śrotriya (unversed in Veda) to the offering for the gods; such a person pours the offering away in vain. Tārkṣya says that a non-śrotriya is incomplete; one should indeed not let such a person perform Agnihotra. (03-184-14)
kṛśānum ye juhvati śraddadhānāḥ; satyavratā hutaśiṣṭāśinaśca. gavāṃ lokaṃ prāpya te puṇyagandhaṃ; paśyanti devaṃ paramaṃ cāpi satyam ॥03-184-15॥
Those who offer oblations to the fire with faith, who are truthful in their vows and eat the remnants of sacrifices, after reaching the sinless, fragrant realm of the cows, see the Supreme God and also the Truth. (03-184-15)
tārkṣya uvāca॥
Tārkṣya said.
kṣetrajñabhūtāṃ paralokabhāve; karmodaye buddhimatipraviṣṭām। prajñāṃ ca devīṃ subhage vimṛśya; pṛcchāmi tvāṃ kā hyasi cārurūpe ॥03-184-16॥
O beautiful one with charming form, who are you, who have become the knower of the field at the time of death, entered into intelligence at the rise of action, and are called wisdom, the goddess? O fortunate one, considering thus, I ask you—who indeed are you? (03-184-16)
sarasvatyuvāca॥
Sarasvatī said.
agnihotrād aham abhyāgatāsmi; vipraṛṣabhāṇāṃ saṃśayacchedanāya. tvatsaṃyogād aham etad abruvaṃ; bhāve sthitā tathyam arthaṃ yathāvat ॥03-184-17॥
I have come here from the agnihotra for resolving the doubts of the foremost brāhmaṇas. Because I am united with you, I have spoken this, remaining in the true state, the true meaning as it is. (03-184-17)
tārkṣya uvāca॥
Tārkṣya said;
na hi tvayā sadṛśī kācid asti; vibhrājase hy atimātraṁ yathā śrīḥ. rūpaṁ ca te divyam atyantakāntaṁ; prajñāṁ ca devīṁ subhage bibharṣi ॥03-184-18॥
Indeed, there is no one like you; you shine exceedingly like Splendor herself. Your form is divinely and supremely beautiful; and, O fortunate one, you possess the wisdom of a goddess. (03-184-18)
sarasvaty uvāca॥
Sarasvatī spoke.
śreṣṭhāni yāni dvipadāṃ variṣṭha; yajñeṣu vidvan-upapādayanti. tair-evāhaṃ sampravṛddhā bhavāmi; āpyāyitā rūpavatī ca vipra ॥03-184-19॥
O eminent one among bipeds, O learned brahmin, whatever the best offerings in sacrifices are made, it is by those alone that I become well grown, nourished, and beautiful. (03-184-19)
yaccāpi dravyam upayujyate ha; vānaspatyam āyasaṃ pārthivaṃ vā. divyena rūpeṇa ca prajñayā ca; tenaiva siddhir iti viddhi vidvan ॥03-184-20॥
O wise one, know that whichever substance is utilized—be it vegetable, metallic, or earthly—or through divine form and wisdom; by that alone is achievement. (03-184-20)
tārkṣya uvāca॥
Tārkṣya said;
idaṁ śreyaḥ paramaṁ manyamānā; vyāyacchante munayaḥ sampratītāḥ. ācakṣva me taṁ paramaṁ viśokaṁ; mokṣaṁ paraṁ yaṁ praviśanti dhīrāḥ ॥03-184-21॥
The sages, regarding this as the highest and supreme good, strive for it with confidence. Tell me of that supreme, sorrowless liberation, the supreme state which the steadfast enter. (03-184-21)
sarasvaty uvāca॥
Sarasvati said.
taṃ vai paraṃ vedavidaḥ prapannāḥ; paraṃ parebhyaḥ prathitaṃ purāṇam। svādhyāyadānavratapuṇyayogaiḥ; tapodhanā vītaśokā vimuktāḥ॥03-184-22॥
Indeed, the knowers of the Veda who have taken refuge in that supreme (being), that being renowned as the greatest among all, the ancient one distinct from others, by the virtues of self-study, charity, vows, and meritorious practices, those whose riches are austerity, who are free from sorrow, become liberated. (03-184-22)
tasyātha madhye vetasaḥ puṇyagandhaḥ; sahasraśākho vimalo vibhāti. tasya mūlātsaritaḥ prasravanti; madhūdakaprasravaṇā ramaṇyaḥ ॥03-184-23॥
Then, in its midst, the fragrant thousand-branched pure bamboo shines. From its root, beautiful streams with honey-water outflows emerge. (03-184-23)
śākhāṃ śākhāṃ mahānadyaḥ saṃyānti sikatāsamāḥ। dhānāpūpā māṃśaśākāḥ sadā pāyasakardamāḥ॥03-184-24॥
In every branch, great rivers resembling sand converge; rice-cakes, meats, and vegetables are always a mass of milk-rice mud. (03-184-24)
yasminn agnimukhā devāḥ sendrāḥ saha marud-gaṇaiḥ। ījire kratubhiḥ śreṣṭhaiḥ tat padaṃ paramaṃ mune ॥03-184-25॥
O sage, that supreme state, in which the gods, with Agni at the forefront, Indra, and the companies of Maruts, worshipped by excellent sacrifices.
