09.041
Library: Sarasvati, Sage Vasishtha and Sage Vishwamitra
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said:
vasiṣṭhasyāpavāho vai bhīmavegaḥ kathaṃ nu saḥ। kimarthaṃ ca saricchreṣṭhā tamṛṣiṃ pratyāvāhayat ॥9-41-1॥
How did the removal of Vasiṣṭha, who was of terrible speed, occur? And why did the best of rivers bring that sage back?
kena cāsyābhavadvairaṁ kāraṇaṁ kiṁ ca tatprabho। śaṁsa pṛṣṭo mahāprājña na hi tṛpyāmi kathyatām ॥9-41-2॥
O wise one, please tell me by whom and why he became an enemy, and what was the reason, O lord. I am not satisfied with what has been told.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
viśvāmitrasya caivarṣervasiṣṭhasya ca bhārata। bhṛśaṃ vairamabhūdrājaṃstapaḥspardhākṛtaṃ mahat ॥9-41-3॥
O Bhārata, there was intense enmity between Viśvāmitra and the sage Vasiṣṭha, O king, caused by their great competition in austerity.
āśramo vai vasiṣṭhasya sthāṇutīrthe'bhavanmahān। pūrvataḥ paścimaścāsīdviśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ ॥9-41-4॥
There was a great hermitage of Vasiṣṭha at Sthāṇutīrtha. To the east and west was the wise Viśvāmitra's domain.
yatra sthāṇurmahārāja taptavānsumahattapaḥ। yatrāsya karma tadghoraṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ ॥9-41-5॥
O great king, it is the place where Sthanu performed great penance, and the wise speak of his terrible deed.
yatreṣṭvā bhagavānsthāṇuḥ pūjayitvā sarasvatīm। sthāpayāmāsa tattīrthaṃ sthāṇutīrthamiti prabho ॥9-41-6॥
In the place where the blessed lord Sthanu worshipped and honored Sarasvati, he established that sacred site as Sthanutirtha, O lord.
tatra sarve surāḥ skandamabhyaṣiñcannarādhipa। senāpatyena mahatā surārivinibarhaṇam ॥9-41-7॥
There, all the gods anointed Skanda as the great commander to destroy the enemies of the gods, O king.
tasmin sarasvatītīrthe viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ। vasiṣṭhaṃ cālayāmāsa tapasogreṇa tacchṛṇu ॥9-41-8॥
In the holy place of Sarasvati, the great sage Vishvamitra disturbed Vasishtha with his intense penance; listen to this story.
viśvāmitravasiṣṭhau tāvahanyahani bhārata। spardhāṃ tapaḥkṛtāṃ tīvraṃ cakratustau tapodhanau ॥9-41-9॥
Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha, those two sages, engaged in intense competition of austerity day by day, O Bhārata.
tatrāpyadhikasantāpo viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ। dṛṣṭvā tejo vasiṣṭhasya cintāmabhijagāma ha ॥ tasya buddhiriyaṃ hyāsīddharmanityasya bhārata ॥9-41-10॥
Upon witnessing the splendor of Vasiṣṭha, the great sage Viśvāmitra was filled with excessive sorrow. His thoughts were indeed focused on the ever-righteous, O Bhārata.
iyaṁ sarasvatī tūrṇaṁ matsamīpaṁ tapodhanam। ānayiṣyati vegena vasiṣṭhaṁ japatāṁ varam ॥ ihāgataṁ dvijaśreṣṭhaṁ haniṣyāmi na sanśayaḥ ॥9-41-11॥
Saraswati will swiftly bring the sage Vasistha to me, the best among the chanters. Once he arrives here, I will certainly kill the best of the twice-born, without any doubt.
evaṃ niścitya bhagavānviśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ। sasmāra saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ ॥9-41-12॥
Having made up his mind, the revered sage Viśvāmitra, filled with anger, recalled the best of the rivers, his eyes turning red with rage.
sā dhyātā muninā tena vyākulatvaṃ jagāma ha। jajñe cainaṃ mahāvīryaṃ mahākopaṃ ca bhāminī ॥9-41-13॥
The sage's meditation caused her to become agitated. The radiant lady was born with immense heroism and anger.
tata enaṃ vepamānā vivarṇā prāñjalistadā। upatasthe munivaraṃ viśvāmitraṃ sarasvatī ॥9-41-14॥
Then, trembling and pale, Sarasvatī, with folded hands, approached the great sage Viśvāmitra.
hatavīrā yathā nārī sābhavadduḥkhitā bhṛśam। brūhi kiṃ karavāṇīti provāca munisattamam ॥9-41-15॥
The woman, having lost her heroes, was deeply saddened and asked the best of sages, "What should I do?"
tāmuvāca muniḥ kruddho vasiṣṭhaṃ śīghramānaya। yāvadenaṃ nihanmyadya tacchrutvā vyathitā nadī ॥9-41-16॥
The angry sage instructed her to quickly bring Vasiṣṭha, threatening to kill him today. Hearing this, the river became distressed.
sāñjaliṁ tu tataḥ kṛtvā puṇḍarīkanibhekṣaṇā। vivyathe suvirūḍheva latā vāyusamīritā ॥9-41-17॥
With folded hands, she, whose eyes resembled lotuses, was agitated like a well-grown creeper stirred by the wind.
tathāgatāṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā vepamānāṃ kṛtāñjalim। viśvāmitro'bravītkruddho vasiṣṭhaṃ śīghramānaya ॥9-41-18॥
Upon seeing her arrive trembling with joined palms, Viśvāmitra, in anger, commanded to bring Vasiṣṭha quickly.
tato bhītā saricchreṣṭhā cintayāmāsa bhārata। ubhayoḥ śāpayorbhītā kathametadbhaviṣyati ॥9-41-19॥
Then, O Bharata, the best of rivers, being fearful of both curses, wondered how this situation would unfold.
sābhigamya vasiṣṭhaṃ tu imamarthamacodayat। yaduktā saritāṃ śreṣṭhā viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā ॥9-41-20॥
She approached Vasiṣṭha and conveyed the matter that was spoken by the wise Viśvāmitra, the best among rivers.
ubhayoḥ śāpayorbhītā vepamānā punaḥ punaḥ। cintayitvā mahāśāpamṛṣivitrāsitā bhṛśam ॥9-41-21॥
She, fearful of both curses and trembling repeatedly, thought deeply about the great curse and was greatly terrified by the sage.
tāṃ kṛśāṃ ca vivarṇāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā cintāsamanvitām। uvāca rājandharmātmā vasiṣṭho dvipadāṃ varaḥ ॥9-41-22॥
Upon seeing her thin and pale, and filled with anxiety, the righteous King Vasishtha, the best among bipeds, spoke.
trāhyātmānaṃ saricchreṣṭhe vaha māṃ śīghragāminī। viśvāmitraḥ śapeddhi tvāṃ mā kṛthāstvaṃ vicāraṇām ॥9-41-23॥
"Protect yourself, O best of rivers, and carry me swiftly. Viśvāmitra might curse you, so do not hesitate."
tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā kṛpāśīlasya sā sarit। cintayāmāsa kauravya kiṁ kṛtaṁ sukṛtaṁ bhavet ॥9-41-24॥
Upon hearing his words, the compassionate river pondered, "O descendant of Kuru, what virtuous act could have been accomplished?"
tasyāścintā samutpannā vasiṣṭho mayyatīva hi। kṛtavānhi dayāṃ nityaṃ tasya kāryaṃ hitaṃ mayā ॥9-41-25॥
Her worry arose because Vasiṣṭha had great compassion for me. Indeed, I always performed his beneficial work.
atha kūle svake rājañjapantamṛṣisattamam। juhvānaṃ kauśikaṃ prekṣya sarasvatyabhiyacintayat ॥9-41-26॥
Then, on his own bank, O king, seeing the great sage Kaushika chanting and offering oblations, Saraswati contemplated.
idam antaram ity eva tataḥ sā saritāṃ varā। kūlāpahāram akarot svēna vēgēna sā sarit ॥9-41-27॥
At this interval, the best of rivers caused bank erosion with her own speed.
tena kūlāpahāreṇa maitrāvaruṇirauhyata। uhyamānaśca tuṣṭāva tadā rājansarasvatīm ॥9-41-28॥
By the removal of the riverbank, Maitrāvaruṇi was swept away. As he was being carried, he praised the goddess Sarasvati, O king.
pitāmahasya sarasaḥ pravṛttāsi sarasvati। vyāptaṃ cedaṃ jagatsarvaṃ tavaivāmbhobhiruttamaiḥ ॥9-41-29॥
O Sarasvati, you have emerged from the lake of the grandsire. Your excellent waters have indeed pervaded the entire world.
tvamevākāśagā devi megheṣūtsṛjase payaḥ। sarvāścāpastvameveti tvatto vayamadhīmahe ॥9-41-30॥
O goddess, you are the one who releases water in the clouds, and all waters come from you. This is what we understand.
puṣṭirdyutistathā kīrtiḥ siddhirvṛddhirumā tathā। tvameva vāṇī svāhā tvaṃ tvayyāyattamidaṃ jagat ॥ tvameva sarvabhūteṣu vasasīha caturvidhā ॥9-41-31॥
You embody nourishment, splendor, fame, success, growth, and Uma. You are indeed the speech and Svaha. The world depends on you. You dwell in all beings here in fourfold ways.
evaṃ sarasvatī rājan stūyamānā maharṣiṇā। vegenovāha taṃ vipraṃ viśvāmitrāśramaṃ prati ॥ nyavedayata cābhīkṣṇaṃ viśvāmitrāya taṃ munim ॥9-41-32॥
Thus, O king, the river Sarasvati, praised by the great sage, swiftly carried the sage towards Viśvāmitra's hermitage and repeatedly presented him to Viśvāmitra.
tamānītaṃ sarasvatyā dṛṣṭvā kopasamanvitaḥ। athānveṣatpraharaṇaṃ vasiṣṭhāntakaraṃ tadā ॥9-41-33॥
Upon seeing what was brought by Sarasvati, he was filled with anger and then sought the weapon that would destroy Vasistha.
taṁ tu kruddhamabhiprekṣya brahmahatyābhayānnadī। apovāha vasiṣṭhaṁ tu prācīṁ diśamatandritā ॥ ubhayoḥ kurvatī vākyaṁ vañcayitvā tu gādhijam ॥9-41-34॥
The river, fearing the sin of killing a Brahmin, carried the angry Vasiṣṭha eastward effortlessly, while deceiving the son of Gādhi by fulfilling the words of both.
tato'pavāhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā vasiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam। abravīdatha saṅkruddho viśvāmitro hyamarṣaṇaḥ ॥9-41-35॥
Then, seeing the revered sage Vasiṣṭha removed, the intolerant Viśvāmitra spoke in anger.
yasmān mā tvaṃ saricchreṣṭhe vañcayitvā punargatā। śoṇitaṃ vaha kalyāṇi rakṣogrāmaṇisaṃmatam ॥9-41-36॥
"Because you, O best of rivers, have deceived and returned, carry the blood, O auspicious one, as approved by the chief of the demons."
tataḥ sarasvatī śaptā viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā। avahacchoṇitonmiśraṃ toyaṃ saṃvatsaraṃ tadā ॥9-41-37॥
Then, the wise Vishvamitra cursed Sarasvati, and she carried away the water mixed with blood for a year.
atharṣayaśca devāśca gandharvāpsarasastathā। sarasvatīṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā babhūvurbhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ ॥9-41-38॥
Then the sages, gods, celestial musicians, and nymphs saw Sarasvati and were deeply saddened.
evaṃ vasiṣṭhāpavāho loke khyāto janādhipa। āgacchacca punarmārgaṃ svameva saritāṃ varā ॥9-41-39॥
Thus, O ruler of people, the stream of Vasishtha, renowned in the world, returned to its original course, truly the best among rivers.
