09.051
Library: Kuṇi Gārgya's daughter and son of Gālava - how did the maiden engage in penance in ancient times? Balarama receives the news about death of Shalya.
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said:
kathaṁ kumārī bhagavaṁstapoyuktā hyabhūtpurā। kimarthaṁ ca tapastepe ko vāsyā niyamo'bhavat ॥9-51-1॥
O Lord, how did the maiden engage in penance in ancient times? What was the purpose of her penance, and what vow did she undertake?
suduṣkaramidaṃ brahmaṃstvattaḥ śrutamanuttamam। ākhyāhi tattvamakhilaṃ yathā tapasi sā sthitā ॥9-51-2॥
O Brahman, I have heard this excellent and very difficult truth from you. Please explain the entire truth as she is situated in penance.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana said:
ṛṣirāsīnmahāvīryaḥ kuṇirgārgyo mahāyaśāḥ। sa taptvā vipulaṃ rājaṃstapo vai tapatāṃ varaḥ ॥ mānasīṃ sa sutāṃ subhrūṃ samutpāditavānvibhuḥ ॥9-51-3॥
The sage Kuṇi of the Gārgyas, known for his great strength and fame, performed intense penance. O king, he was indeed the best among those who perform penance. He mentally created a beautiful-browed daughter, being the powerful one.
tāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā bhṛśaṃ prītaḥ kuṇirgārgyaḥ mahāyaśāḥ। jagāma tridivaṃ rājansantyajyeha kalevaram ॥9-51-4॥
Upon seeing her, Kuṇi Gārgya, who was greatly pleased and renowned, departed to heaven, leaving his mortal body behind, O king.
subhrūḥ sā hyatha kalyāṇī puṇḍarīkanibhekṣaṇā। mahatā tapasogreṇa kṛtvāśramamaninditā ॥9-51-5॥
She, with beautiful eyebrows and lotus-like eyes, indeed then, performed great fierce penance and established a blameless hermitage, auspiciously.
upavāsaiḥ pūjayantī pitṝndevāṃśca sā purā। tasyāstu tapasogreṇa mahānkālo'tyagānnṛpa ॥9-51-6॥
She used to worship the ancestors and gods with fasting in the past. However, due to her intense penance, a long time elapsed, O king.
sā pitrā dīyamānāpi bhartre naicchadaninditā। ātmanaḥ sadṛśaṃ sā tu bhartāraṃ nānvapaśyata ॥9-51-7॥
She, though being offered by her father, did not wish for a husband, being blameless. However, she did not find a husband who was suitable for her.
tataḥ sā tapasogreṇa pīḍayitvātmanastanum। pitṛdevārcanaratā babhūva vijane vane ॥9-51-8॥
Then she subjected her body to severe penance and became devoted to the worship of her ancestors and the gods in the lonely forest.
sātmānaṃ manyamānāpi kṛtakṛtyaṃ śramānvitā। vārdḍhena ca rājendra tapasā caiva karśitā ॥9-51-9॥
Even though she considered herself accomplished, she was weary and emaciated by old age and penance, O king.
sā nāśakadyadā gantuṃ padātpadamapi svayam। cakāra gamane buddhiṃ paralokāya vai tadā ॥9-51-10॥
When she was unable to move even a step by herself, she decided to depart for the other world.
moktukāmāṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā śarīraṃ nārado'bravīt। asaṃskṛtāyāḥ kanyāyāḥ kuto lokāstavānaghe ॥9-51-11॥
Nārada, upon seeing the body of the girl who desired liberation, said: "O sinless one, where are the worlds for your unrefined daughter?"
evaṃ hi śrutamasmābhirdevaloke mahāvrate। tapaḥ paramakaṃ prāptaṃ na tu lokāstvayā jitāḥ ॥9-51-12॥
Thus indeed, we have heard, O great vow, that supreme penance is attained in the world of gods, but you have not conquered the worlds.
tannāradavacaḥ śrutvā sābravīdṛṣisaṁsadi। tapaso'rdhaṁ prayacchāmi pāṇigrāhasya sattamāḥ ॥9-51-13॥
Upon hearing Nārada's words, she addressed the assembly of sages, offering half of her penance to the bridegroom, acknowledging the esteemed ones present.
ityukte cāsyā jagrāha pāṇiṃ gālavasambhavaḥ। ṛṣiḥ prākṣṛṅgavānnāma samayaṃ cedamabravīt ॥9-51-14॥
After these words, the son of Gālava took her hand. The sage named Śṛṅgavān spoke these words before the appointed time.
samayena tavādyāhaṃ pāṇiṃ spraḳṣyāmi śobhane। yadyekarātraṃ vastavyaṃ tvayā saha mayeti ha ॥9-51-15॥
"O beautiful one, by agreement, today I shall touch your hand if you agree to stay with me for one night."
tatheti sā pratiśrutya tasmai pāṇiṃ dadau tadā। cakre ca pāṇigrahaṇaṃ tasyodvāhaṃ ca gālavaḥ ॥9-51-16॥
"Thus, having promised, she gave her hand to him then. Gālava arranged the marriage and his wedding."
sā rātrāv abhavad rājaṃs taruṇī deva-varṇinī। divyābharaṇa-vastrā ca divya-srag-anulepanā ॥9-51-17॥
At night, she transformed into a young woman of divine beauty, O king, adorned with celestial ornaments, garments, garlands, and ointments.
tāṃ dṛṣṭvā gālaviḥ prīto dīpayantīmivātmanā। uvāsa ca kṣapāmekāṃ prabhāte sābravīcca tam ॥9-51-18॥
Gālava, upon seeing her, was pleased and stayed for the night, as she seemed to shine by herself. In the morning, she spoke to him.
yastvayā samayo vipra kṛto me tapatāṃ vara। tenoṣitāsmi bhadraṃ te svasti te'stu vrajāmyaham ॥9-51-19॥
O wise one, the agreement you made for me, the best among ascetics, has been fulfilled. May you be blessed, farewell, I am leaving.
sānujñātābravīdbhūyo yo'smiṁstīrthe samāhitaḥ। vatsyate rajanīmekāṁ tarpayitvā divaukasaḥ ॥9-51-20॥
Having been granted permission, he spoke again: "The one who is focused in this sacred place will remain for one night after offering satisfaction to the gods."
catvāriṁśatamaṣṭau ca dve cāṣṭau samyagācaret। yo brahmacaryaṁ varṣāṇi phalaṁ tasya labheta saḥ ॥ evamuktvā tataḥ sādhvī dehaṁ tyaktvā divaṁ gatā ॥9-51-21॥
The virtuous woman, after advising to practice celibacy for forty-eight years, left her body and ascended to heaven.
ṛṣirapyabhavaddīnastasyā rūpaṃ vicintayan। samayena tapo'rdhaṃ ca kṛcchrātpratigṛhītavān ॥9-51-22॥
The sage, distressed by contemplating her beauty, eventually accepted half of the penance with great difficulty over time.
sādhayitvā tadātmānaṃ tasyāḥ sa gatimanvayāt। duḥkhito bharataśreṣṭha tasyā rūpabalātkṛtaḥ ॥ etatte vṛddhakanyāyā vyākhyātaṃ caritaṃ mahat ॥9-51-23॥
After achieving self-realization, he followed her path, overwhelmed by her beauty, feeling sorrowful. O best of the Bharatas, this great story of the old maiden has been narrated to you.
tatrasthaścāpi śuśrāva hataṃ śalyaṃ halāyudhaḥ। tatrāpi dattvā dānāni dvijātibhyaḥ parantapa ॥ śuśoca śalyaṃ saṅgrāme nihataṃ pāṇḍavaistadā ॥9-51-24॥
While being there, Halayudha heard of Shalya's death. He gave gifts to the Brahmins and lamented the death of Shalya, who was killed in battle by the Pandavas.
samantapañcakadvārāttato niṣkramya mādhavaḥ। papraccharṣigaṇānrāmaḥ kurukṣetrasya yatphalam ॥9-51-25॥
Then Madhava, after leaving the gate of the five surroundings, asked the group of sages, including Rama, about the significance of Kurukshetra.
te pṛṣṭā yadusiṃhena kurukṣetraphalaṃ vibho। samācakhyurmahātmānastasmai sarvaṃ yathātatham ॥9-51-26॥
When asked by Yadu's lion about the outcome of Kurukshetra, the great souls explained everything to him exactly as it happened, O lord.
