09.040
Library: Story of Dalbhya and Baka and why animal sacrifice is inappropriate.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
brahmayonibhirākīrṇaṃ jagāma yadunandanaḥ। yatra dālbhyō bakō rājanpaśvarthaṃ sumahātapāḥ ॥ juhāva dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rāṣṭraṃ vaicitravīriṇaḥ ॥9-40-1॥
The descendant of Yadu went to the place filled with sages born of Brahma, where Dalbhya and Baka, O king, the great ascetic, performed sacrifices for the welfare of cattle, in the kingdom of Dhritarashtra, son of Vicitravirya.
tapasā ghorarūpeṇa karśayandehamātmanaḥ। krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān ॥9-40-2॥
The righteous soul, indeed glorious, was emaciating his own body through severe penance and was overcome by great anger.
purā hi naimiṣeyāṇāṃ satre dvādaśavārṣike। vṛtte viśvajito'nte vai pāñcālānṛṣayo'gaman ॥9-40-3॥
Once, indeed, after the twelve-year sacrificial session of the residents of Naimiṣa was completed at the end of Viśvajit, the sages went to the land of the Pāñcālas.
tatreśvaramayācanta dakṣiṇārthaṃ manīṣiṇaḥ। balānvitānvatsatarānnirvyādhīnekaviṃśatim ॥9-40-4॥
There, the wise sages requested the lord for a gift of twenty-one strong and healthy calves.
tān abravīd bako vṛddho vibhajad-dhvaṃ paśūn iti। paśūn etān ahaṃ tyaktvā bhikṣiṣye rājasattamam ॥9-40-5॥
The old crane instructed them to divide the animals, saying, "I will leave these animals and go to beg from the best of kings."
evamuktvā tato rājannṛṣīnsarvānpratāpavān। jagāma dhṛtarāṣṭrasya bhavanaṃ brāhmaṇottamaḥ ॥9-40-6॥
After addressing all the sages, the illustrious Brahmin proceeded to the palace of King Dhritarashtra.
sa samīpagato bhūtvā dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janeśvaram। ayācata paśūndālbhyaḥ sa cainaṃ ruṣito'bravīt ॥9-40-7॥
He approached King Dhritarashtra and requested cattle from Dalbhya. Dalbhya, being angry, responded to him.
yadṛcchayā mṛtā dṛṣṭvā gāstadā nṛpasattama। etānpaśūnnaya kṣipraṃ brahmabandho yadīcchasi ॥9-40-8॥
By chance, having seen the dead cows, then, O best of kings, if you wish, lead these animals quickly, O twice-born.
ṛṣistvatha vacaḥ śrutvā cintayāmāsa dharmavit। aho bata nṛśaṁsaṁ vai vākyamukto'smi saṁsadi ॥9-40-9॥
The sage, who was a knower of dharma, upon hearing the words, thought deeply. He lamented, "Alas, indeed, I have been spoken to with cruel words in the assembly."
cintayitvā muhūrtaṃ ca roṣāviṣṭo dvijottamaḥ। matiṃ cakre vināśāya dhṛtarāṣṭrasya bhūpateḥ ॥9-40-10॥
After contemplating for a moment and being overwhelmed with anger, the esteemed sage decided to bring about the downfall of King Dhritarashtra.
sa utkṛtya mṛtānāṃ vai māṃsāni dvijasattamaḥ। juhāva dhṛtarāṣṭrasya rāṣṭraṃ narapateḥ purā ॥9-40-11॥
He, O best of the twice-born, once offered the flesh of the dead to the kingdom of King Dhritarashtra.
avakīrṇe sarasvatyās tīrthe prajvālya pāvakam। bako dālbhyō mahārāja niyamaṁ paramāsthitaḥ ॥ sa taireva juhāvāsya rāṣṭraṁ māṁsairmahātapāḥ ॥9-40-12॥
At the pilgrimage site of Sarasvati, Baka Dalbhya, the great king, kindled a fire and, firmly observing his vow, offered his kingdom with flesh, demonstrating his great asceticism.
tasmiṁstu vidhivatsatre sampravṛtte sudāruṇe। akṣīyata tato rāṣṭraṁ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya pārthiva ॥9-40-13॥
In that ritual, which was conducted according to the prescribed rules and was extremely dreadful, the kingdom of Dhritarashtra was subsequently destroyed, O king.
chidyamānaṃ yathānantaṃ vanaṃ paraśunā vibho। babhūvāpahataṃ taccāpyavakīrṇamacetanam ॥9-40-14॥
O lord, as an endless forest is cut down with an axe, it was destroyed and scattered, lifeless.
dṛṣṭvā tadavakīrṇaṃ tu rāṣṭraṃ sa manujādhipaḥ। babhūva durmanā rājaṃścintayāmāsa ca prabhuḥ ॥9-40-15॥
Upon witnessing the scattered state of the kingdom, the ruler became troubled and began to ponder over the situation, O king.
mokṣārthamakarodyatnaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ sahitaḥ purā। athāsau pārthivaḥ khinnaste ca viprāstadā nṛpa ॥9-40-16॥
In the past, for the sake of liberation, the king made efforts along with the Brahmins. Then, the king became distressed, and so did the Brahmins, O king.
yadā cāpi na śaknoti rāṣṭraṃ mocayituṃ nṛpaḥ। atha vaiprāśnikāṃstatra papraccha janamejayaḥ ॥9-40-17॥
When the king finds himself unable to free the kingdom, Janamejaya then inquired of the assembly of questioners present there.
tato vaiprāśnikāḥ prāhuḥ paśuviprakṛtastvayā। māṁsairabhijuhotīti tava rāṣṭraṁ munirbhakaḥ ॥9-40-18॥
Then the inquirers said, "The animal is harmed by you, and the sage Baka offers sacrifices with meat in your kingdom."
tena te hūyamānasya rāṣṭrasyāsya kṣayo mahān। tasyaitattapasaḥ karma yena te hyanayo mahān ॥ apāṃ kuñje sarasvatyāstaṃ prasādaya pārthiva ॥9-40-19॥
By that sacrifice, your kingdom faces great destruction. This act of penance is the cause of your great misfortune. In the grove of Sarasvati's waters, please him, O king.
sarasvatīṃ tato gatvā sa rājā bakamabravīt। nipatya śirasā bhūmau prāñjalirbhartarṣabha ॥9-40-20॥
The king, after reaching the river Sarasvati, addressed Baka. He prostrated himself on the ground, head down, with folded hands, O best of the Bharatas.
prasādaye tvā bhagavannaparādhaṃ kṣamasva me। mama dīnasya lubdhasya maurkhyēṇa hatacētasaḥ ॥ tvaṃ gatistvaṃ ca mē nāthaḥ prasādaṃ kartumarhasi ॥9-40-21॥
I seek your forgiveness, O Lord, for my offenses. I am wretched, greedy, and my mind is destroyed by foolishness. You are my refuge and my lord; please bestow your grace upon me.
taṁ tathā vilapantaṁ tu śokopahatacetasam। dṛṣṭvā tasya kṛpā jajñe rāṣṭraṁ tacca vyamocayat ॥9-40-22॥
Seeing him lamenting in such a way, whose mind was troubled by grief, compassion arose in him and he liberated the kingdom.
ṛṣiḥ prasannastasyābhūtsaṁrambhaṁ ca vihāya saḥ। mokṣārthaṁ tasya rāṣṭrasya juhāva punarāhutim ॥9-40-23॥
The sage, being pleased, abandoned his anger and offered oblations again for the liberation of his kingdom.
mokṣayitvā tato rāṣṭraṃ pratigṛhya paśūnbahūn। hṛṣṭātmā naimiṣāraṇyaṃ jagāma punareva hi ॥9-40-24॥
"Having freed the kingdom and reclaimed many animals, the joyful soul returned once more to Naimisharanya."
dhṛtarāṣṭro'pi dharmātmā svasthacetā mahāmanāḥ। svameva nagaraṃ rājā pratipede maharddhimat ॥9-40-25॥
Dhritarashtra, known for his virtue and calm demeanor, returned to his prosperous city as its king.
tatra tīrthe mahārāja bṛhaspatirudāradhīḥ। asurāṇāmabhāvāya bhāvāya ca divaukasām ॥9-40-26॥
At that holy place, O great king, Bṛhaspati, with his noble intellect, aimed to destroy the demons and ensure the prosperity of the celestial beings.
māṁsairapi juhāveṣṭimakṣīyanta tato'surāḥ। daivatairapi sambhagnā jitakāśibhirāhave ॥9-40-27॥
The demons, having offered sacrifices with flesh, were then diminished. The gods, along with the victorious ones, shattered them in battle.
tatrāpi vidhivaddattvā brāhmaṇebhyo mahāyaśāḥ। vājinaḥ kuñjarāṃścaiva rathāṃścāśvatarīyutān ॥9-40-28॥
There, the great illustrious one also properly gave horses, elephants, and chariots equipped with mules to the Brahmins.
ratnāni ca mahārhāṇi dhanaṃ dhānyaṃ ca puṣkalam। yayau tīrthaṃ mahābāhuryāyātaṃ pṛthivīpate ॥9-40-29॥
The mighty-armed one, possessing very precious gems, wealth, and abundant grains, went to the pilgrimage site, O lord of the earth.
yatra yajñe yayātestu mahārāja sarasvatī। sarpiḥ payaśca susrāva nāhuṣasya mahātmanaḥ ॥9-40-30॥
In the sacrifice conducted by Yayati, O great king, the river Sarasvati flowed with ghee and milk for the great soul Nahusha.
tatreṣṭvā puruṣavyāghro yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ। ākrāmadūrdhvaṃ mudito lebhe lokāṃśca puṣkalān ॥9-40-31॥
There, after performing sacrifices, the noble Yayati, king of the earth, joyfully ascended to the heavens and attained abundant realms.
yayāteryajamānasya yatra rājansarasvatī। prasṛtā pradadau kāmānbrāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām ॥9-40-32॥
O King, in the place where Sarasvati flowed for Yayati, the performer of sacrifices, she fulfilled the desires of the great Brahmins.
yatra yatra hi yo vipro yānyānkāmānabhīpsati। tatra tatra saricchreṣṭhā sasarja subahūnrasān ॥9-40-33॥
Wherever the brahmin desires something, the best of rivers creates many essences there.
tatra devāḥ sagandharvāḥ prītā yajñasya sampadā। vismitā mānuṣāścāsandṛṣṭvā tāṃ yajñasampadam ॥9-40-34॥
There, the gods and Gandharvas were delighted by the wealth of the sacrifice, while the humans were amazed upon witnessing it.
tatastālaketurmahādharmaśetu; rmahātmā kṛtātmā mahādānanityaḥ। vasiṣṭhāpavāhaṃ mahābhīmavegaṃ; dhṛtātmā jitātmā samabhyājagāma ॥9-40-35॥
Then Tālaketu, a great soul and the embodiment of dharma, known for his generosity and self-realization, approached Vasiṣṭha's vehicle, which was of immense and fearsome speed, with a steadfast and controlled mind.
