09.035
Library: Story of Trita, his two brothers and the well.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
tasmānnadīgataṃ cāpi udapānaṃ yaśasvinaḥ। tritasya ca mahārāja jagāmātha halāyudhaḥ ॥9-35-1॥
Therefore, O great king, Halayudha went to the river and the water-well of the glorious Trita.
tatra dattvā bahu dravyaṃ pūjayitvā tathā dvijān। upaspṛśya ca tatraiva prahṛṣṭo musalāyudhaḥ ॥9-35-2॥
Musalayudha, after giving much wealth and worshipping the Brahmins there, felt joyful after performing the rituals at that very place.
tatra dharmaparo hyāsīttritaḥ sa sumahātapāḥ। kūpe ca vasatā tena somaḥ pīto mahātmanā ॥9-35-3॥
There, Trita, who was devoted to dharma and of great penance, indeed drank Soma while living in the well.
tatra cainaṃ samutsṛjya bhrātarau jagmaturgṛhān। tatastau vai śaśāpātha trito brāhmaṇasattamaḥ ॥9-35-4॥
There, the two brothers left him and went home. Then, Trita, the most esteemed among the Brahmins, cursed them.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said:
udapānaṁ kathaṁ brahmankathaṁ ca sumahātapāḥ। patitaḥ kiṁ ca santyakto bhrātṛbhyāṁ dvijasattamaḥ ॥9-35-5॥
O Brahman, how is the well and the greatly austere one? What has fallen and what has been abandoned by the brothers, O best of the twice-born?
kūpe kathaṁ ca hitvainaṁ bhrātarau jagmaturgṛhān। etadācakṣva me brahmanyadi śrāvyaṁ hi manyase ॥9-35-6॥
"How did the two brothers leave him in the well and go home? Please tell me, O Brahman, if you think it is worth hearing."
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
āsan pūrvayuge rājan munayo bhrātaraḥ trayaḥ। ekataś ca dvitaś caiva tritaś cādityasaṃnibhāḥ ॥9-35-7॥
In a previous era, O king, there were three sage brothers named Ekata, Dvita, and Trita, who shone like the sun.
sarve prajāpatisamāḥ prajāvantastathaiva ca। brahmalokajitaḥ sarve tapasā brahmavādinaḥ ॥9-35-8॥
All are like Prajapati, having offspring, and similarly, they have conquered the world of Brahma through penance, being speakers of Brahman.
teṣāṃ tu tapasā prīto niyamena damena ca। abhavadgautamo nityaṃ pitā dharmarataḥ sadā ॥9-35-9॥
Gautama, always devoted to righteousness, became the father, pleased by their penance, discipline, and self-control.
sa tu dīrghena kālena teṣāṃ prītimavāpya ca। jagāma bhagavānsthānamanurūpamivātmanaḥ ॥9-35-10॥
But he, having won their affection over a long time, went to a place that seemed fitting for him.
rājānas tasya ye pūrve yājyā hy āsan mahātmanaḥ। te sarve svargate tasmiṁs tasya putrān apūjayan ॥9-35-11॥
The kings who were once his sacrificial priests, recognizing his greatness, worshipped his sons after he ascended to heaven.
teṣāṃ tu karmaṇā rājaṃstathaivādhyayanena ca। tritaḥ sa śreṣṭhatāṃ prāpa yathaivāsya pitā tathā ॥9-35-12॥
Among them, O king, Trita achieved excellence through both his actions and studies, just as his father did.
taṁ sma sarve mahābhāgā munayaḥ puṇyalakṣaṇāḥ। apūjayanmahābhāgaṁ tathā vidvattayaiva tu ॥9-35-13॥
All the great sages, who were of virtuous characteristics, worshipped him, the great soul, with wisdom.
kadāciddhi tato rājanbhrātarāvekatadvitau। yajñārthaṃ cakratuścittaṃ dhanārthaṃ ca viśeṣataḥ ॥9-35-14॥
Once upon a time, O king, the two brothers, united in purpose, decided to focus their minds on performing a sacrifice, particularly with the aim of acquiring wealth.
tayoś cintā samabhavat tritaṃ gṛhya parantapa। yājyān sarvān upādāya pratigṛhya paśūṃs tataḥ ॥9-35-15॥
A thought arose among them, O subduer of enemies, after taking Trita and accepting all the sacrificial animals, and then receiving the animals.
somaṁ pāsyāmahe hṛṣṭāḥ prāpya yajñaṁ mahāphalam। cakruścaiva mahārāja bhrātarastraya eva ha ॥9-35-16॥
"Delighted, we shall drink Soma after obtaining the great fruit of the sacrifice. O great king, the three brothers indeed did so."
tathā tu te parikramya yājyānsarvānpashūnprati। yājayitvā tato yājyāṁllabdhvā ca subahūnpaśūn ॥9-35-17॥
Thus, they circumambulated all the sacrificial animals and then, having performed the sacrifices, obtained many animals.
yājyena karmaṇā tena pratigṛhya vidhānataḥ। prācīṃ diśaṃ mahātmāna ājagmuste maharṣayaḥ ॥9-35-18॥
The great sages, having performed the sacrificial act and received according to the rule, arrived in the eastern direction.
tritasteṣāṃ mahārāja purastādyāti hṛṣṭavat। ekataśca dvitaścaiva pṛṣṭhataḥ kālayanpaśūn ॥9-35-19॥
O great king, Trita joyfully leads them from the front, while Dvita follows behind, herding the animals.
tayoś cintā samabhavad dṛṣṭvā paśugaṇaṃ mahat। kathaṃ na syur imā gāva āvābhyāṃ vai vinā tritam ॥9-35-20॥
Seeing the large herd of animals, they both became worried. They wondered how these cows could manage without the two of them, indeed, without a third person.
tāv anyonyaṃ samābhāṣya ekataś ca dvitataś ca ha। yad ūcatur mithaḥ pāpau tan nibodha janeśvara ॥9-35-21॥
The two, after conversing with each other from both sides, indeed said to each other, 'O sinners, listen to what we have to say, O lord of people.'
trito yajñeṣu kuśalastrito vedeṣu niṣṭhitaḥ। anyāstrito bahutarā gāvaḥ samupalapsyate ॥9-35-22॥
Trita, skilled in sacrifices and established in the Vedas, will obtain many cows, unlike another Trita.
tadāvāṃ sahitau bhūtvā gāḥ prakālya vrajāvahe। trito'pi gacchatāṃ kāmamāvābhyāṃ vai vinākṛtaḥ ॥9-35-23॥
"Then, we both shall go together after milking the cows. Let Trita also go as he wishes, indeed without us."
teṣām āgacchatāṃ rātrau pathi sthāne vṛko'bhavat. tathā kūpo'vidūre'bhūt sarasvatyās taṭe mahān ॥9-35-24॥
As they were coming at night, a wolf appeared on the path. Similarly, a great well was situated not far from the bank of the Sarasvati.
atha trito vṛkaṃ dṛṣṭvā pathi tiṣṭhantamagrataḥ। tadbhayādapasarpanvai tasminkūpe papāta ha ॥ agādhe sumahāghore sarvabhūtabhayaṅkare ॥9-35-25॥
Then Trita saw a wolf standing in front of him on the path. Out of fear, he moved away and fell into a bottomless, very terrible well that was frightening to all beings.
tritastato mahābhāgaḥ kūpastho munisattamaḥ। ārtanādaṃ tataścakre tau tu śuśruvaturmunī ॥9-35-26॥
Then the fortunate sage Trita, who was trapped in the well, cried out in distress, and the two other sages heard his cry.
taṁ jñātvā patitaṁ kūpe bhrātarāvekatadvitau। vṛkatrāsācca lobhācca samutsṛjya prajagmatuḥ ॥9-35-27॥
Realizing that he had fallen into the well, the two brothers, driven by fear of the wolf and their own greed, decided to abandon him and left.
bhrātṛbhyāṃ paśulubdhābhyāmutsṛṣṭaḥ sa mahātapāḥ। udapāne mahārāja nirjale pāṃsusaṃvṛte ॥9-35-28॥
The great ascetic was abandoned by his two brothers, who were hunters, and found himself in a dry well covered with dust, O great king.
buddhyā hy agaṇayat prājño mṛtyor bhīto hy asomapaḥ। somaḥ kathaṁ nu pātavya ihasthena mayā bhavet ॥9-35-30॥
The wise one, using wisdom, did not consider the non-drinker of soma, being afraid of death. How can I, who am here, drink soma?
sa evamanusañcintya tasminkūpe mahātapāḥ। dadarśa vīrudhaṃ tatra lambamānāṃ yadṛcchayā ॥9-35-31॥
The great ascetic, after contemplating, saw a creeper hanging by chance in that well.
pāṃsugraste tataḥ kūpe vicintya salilaṃ muniḥ। agnīnsaṅkalpayāmāsa hotre cātmānameva ca ॥9-35-32॥
The sage, contemplating the dusty well, envisioned the fires for the ritual and himself as part of it.
tatastāṃ vīrudhaṃ somaṃ saṅkalpya sumahātapāḥ। ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni manasā cintayanmuniḥ ॥ grāvāṇaḥ śarkarāḥ kṛtvā pracakre'bhiṣavaṃ nṛpa ॥9-35-33॥
Then the greatly austere sage, having resolved upon the Soma plant, contemplated the hymns, sacrificial formulas, and chants in his mind. He made stones and pebbles and performed the libation, O king.
ājyaṁ ca salilaṁ cakre bhāgāṁśca tridivaukasām। somasyābhiṣavaṁ kṛtvā cakāra tumulaṁ dhvanim ॥9-35-34॥
He prepared clarified butter and water, and allocated shares for the gods. After making a libation of Soma, he created a loud sound.
sa cāviśad divaṃ rājan svaraḥ śaikṣas tritasya vai। samavāpa ca taṃ yajñaṃ yathoktaṃ brahmavādibhiḥ ॥9-35-35॥
He entered heaven, O king, with the sound of the student of Trita; and performed the sacrifice as instructed by the knowers of Brahman.
vartamāne tathā yajñe tritasya sumahātmanaḥ। āvignaṃ tridivaṃ sarvaṃ kāraṇaṃ ca na budhyate ॥9-35-36॥
In the present sacrifice of the great soul Trita, the three worlds remain unperturbed, and the causes are not understood.
tataḥ sutumulaṃ śabdaṃ śuśrāvātha bṛhaspatiḥ। śrutvā caivābravīddevānsarvāndevapurohitaḥ ॥9-35-37॥
Then Bṛhaspati heard a very loud sound and, having heard it, he, the priest of the gods, addressed all the gods.
tritasya vartate yajñastatra gacchāmahe surāḥ। sa hi kruddhaḥ sṛjedanyāndevānapi mahātapāḥ ॥9-35-38॥
"The sacrifice of Trita is taking place there; let us proceed, O gods. For in his anger, the great ascetic might create other gods as well."
tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya sahitāḥ sarvadevatāḥ। prayayustatra yatrāsau tritayajñaḥ pravartate ॥9-35-39॥
Upon hearing his words, all the gods went together to the place where Trita's sacrifice was taking place.
te tatra gatvā vibudhāstaṁ kūpaṁ yatra sa tritaḥ। dadṛśustaṁ mahātmānaṁ dīkṣitaṁ yajñakarmasu ॥9-35-40॥
The wise ones went there and saw the well where Trita, the great soul, was engaged in sacrificial rites.
dṛṣṭvā cainaṃ mahātmānaṃ śriyā paramayā yutam। ūcuścātha mahābhāgaṃ prāptā bhāgārthino vayam ॥9-35-41॥
Upon seeing this great soul, resplendent with supreme glory, they addressed him, saying, "O fortunate one, we have come seeking fortune."
athābravīdṛṣirdevānpaśyadhvaṃ māṃ divaukasaḥ। asminpratibhaye kūpe nimagnaṃ naṣṭacetasam ॥9-35-42॥
Then the sage addressed the gods, "Look at me, O heavenly beings, as I am submerged in this terrifying well, unconscious and lost."
tatastṛto mahārāja bhāgāṃsteṣāṃ yathāvidhi। mantrayuktānsamadadātte ca prītāstadābhavan ॥9-35-43॥
Then Trita, O great king, distributed their shares according to the rule, which were endowed with mantras, and they were pleased at that time.
tato yathāvidhi prāptānbhāgānprāpya divaukasaḥ। prītātmāno dadustasmai varānyānmanasecchati ॥9-35-44॥
Then, as per the rules, the gods, having received their shares, were pleased and granted him the boons he wished for in his heart.
sa tu vavre varaṁ devāṁstrātumarhatha māmitḥ। yaścehopaspṛśetkūpe sa somapagatiṁ labhet ॥9-35-45॥
He chose a boon and said, 'O gods, please protect me from this place. Whoever touches the water in this well shall attain the path to Soma.'
tatra cormimatī rājannutpapāta sarasvatī। tayotkṣiptastritastasthau pūjayaṃstridivaukasaḥ ॥9-35-46॥
There, O king, the Sarasvati river, filled with waves, arose. Trita, lifted by her, stood worshipping the heavenly beings.
tatheti coktvā vibudhā jagmū rājanyathāgatam। tritaścāpyagamatprītaḥ svameva nilayaṃ tadā ॥9-35-47॥
Thus, after speaking, the gods departed as they had come, O king. Trita, too, pleased, returned to his own abode at that time.
kruddhaḥ sa tu samāsādya tāvṛṣī bhrātarau tadā। uvāca paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ śaśāpa ca mahātapāḥ ॥9-35-48॥
In his anger, the great ascetic approached the two sage brothers and then spoke harsh words and cursed them.
paśulubdhau yuvāṃ yasmānmāmutsṛjya pradhāvitau। tasmādrūpeṇa teṣāṃ vai daṃṣṭriṇāmabhitaścarau ॥9-35-49॥
"You two, who are hunters of animals, left me and ran away. Therefore, you now wander around in the form of those with fangs."
bhavitārau mayā śaptau pāpenānena karmaṇā। prasavaścaiva yuvayorgolāṅgūlarkṣavānarāḥ ॥9-35-50॥
You two are cursed by me for this sinful act. You will be reborn as a bear and monkeys with a cow's tail.
ityukte tu tadā tena kṣaṇādeva viśāṃ pate। tathābhūtāvadṛśyetāṃ vacanātsatyavādinaḥ ॥9-35-51॥
Upon hearing these words, O lord of men, the beings instantly became visible due to the truth-speaker's words.
tatrāpyamitavikrāntaḥ spṛṣṭvā toyaṃ halāyudhaḥ। dattvā ca vividhāndāyānpūjayitvā ca vai dvijān ॥9-35-52॥
There, the mighty Balarama, known as Halayudha, also touched the water, offered various gifts, and worshipped the Brahmins with great reverence.
udapānaṃ ca taṃ dṛṣṭvā praśasya ca punaḥ punaḥ। nadīgataṃ adīnātma prāpto vinaśanaṃ tadā ॥9-35-53॥
Upon seeing the water-well and repeatedly praising it, the undaunted soul went to the river and then met his end.
