10.017
Pancharatra-Ext and Core: Yudhishthira asks Krishna as to why Ashwatthama was able to cause such destruction, including the killing of the very powerful Dhrushtadyumna. Krishna responds by narrating how Ashwatthama sought refuge under Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva's glory.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
हतेषु सर्वसैन्येषु सौप्तिके तै रथैस्त्रिभिः। शोचन्युधिष्ठिरो राजा दाशार्हमिदमब्रवीत् ॥१०-१७-१॥
When all the armies had been destroyed in the night battle by those three charioteers, the grieving King Yudhishthira spoke these words to Dasharha (Krishna).
कथं नु कृष्ण पापेन क्षुद्रेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। द्रौणिना निहताः सर्वे मम पुत्रा महारथाः ॥१०-१७-२॥
O Kṛṣṇa, how is it that all my sons, the great warriors, have been killed by the sinful and petty son of Droṇa, whose actions were effortless?
तथा कृतास्त्रा विक्रान्ताः सहस्रशतयोधिनः। द्रुपदस्यात्मजाश्चैव द्रोणपुत्रेण पातिताः ॥१०-१७-३॥
In this way, the valiant warriors, including the thousands and hundreds of Drupada's sons, were all slain by the son of Drona.
यस्य द्रोणो महेष्वासो न प्रादादाहवे मुखम्। तं जघ्ने रथिनां श्रेष्ठं धृष्टद्युम्नं कथं नु सः ॥१०-१७-४॥
How did he, whose Droṇa, the great archer, did not face him in battle, manage to kill Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the best of chariot-warriors?
किं नु तेन कृतं कर्म तथायुक्तं नरर्षभ। यदेकः शिबिरं सर्वमवधीन्नो गुरोः सुतः ॥१०-१७-५॥
O best of men, what was that act performed by him, by which the son of our teacher alone destroyed our entire camp?
वासुदेव उवाच॥
Vasudeva said.
नूनं स देवदेवानामीश्वरेश्वरमव्ययम्। जगाम शरणं द्रौणिरेकस्तेनावधीद्बहून् ॥१०-१७-६॥
Indeed, Aśvatthāman alone sought refuge in the imperishable lord of lords, the supreme among the gods; by his act, many were slain.
प्रसन्नो हि महादेवो दद्यादमरतामपि। वीर्यं च गिरिशो दद्याद्येनेन्द्रमपि शातयेत् ॥१०-१७-७॥
If Mahadeva (Shiva) is pleased, he can grant even immortality; and Girisha (Shiva) can bestow such strength that one could even surpass Indra.
वेदाहं हि महादेवं तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ। यानि चास्य पुराणानि कर्माणि विविधान्युत ॥१०-१७-८॥
O best of the Bharatas, I truly know Mahadeva in essence, as well as his various ancient deeds.
आदिरेष हि भूतानां मध्यमन्तश्च भारत। विचेष्टते जगच्चेदं सर्वमस्यैव कर्मणा ॥१०-१७-९॥
O Bhārata, he is indeed the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings; and this entire world moves solely by his action.
एवं सिसृक्षुर्भूतानि ददर्श प्रथमं विभुः। पितामहोऽब्रवीच्चैनं भूतानि सृज माचिरम् ॥१०-१७-१०॥
Thus, wishing to create beings, the all-pervading one first observed. The grandsire then said to him, "Create beings without delay."
हरिकेशस्तथेत्युक्त्वा भूतानां दोषदर्शिवान्। दीर्घकालं तपस्तेपे मग्नोऽम्भसि महातपाः ॥१०-१७-११॥
Harikesa, after saying this, who could see the faults in beings, performed austerities for a long time immersed in water, being a great ascetic.
सुमहान्तं ततः कालं प्रतीक्ष्यैनं पितामहः। स्रष्टारं सर्वभूतानां ससर्ज मनसापरम् ॥१०-१७-१२॥
After waiting for a very long time, the grandsire (Brahma) mentally created another creator of all beings.
सोऽब्रवीत्पितरं दृष्ट्वा गिरिशं मग्नमम्भसि। यदि मे नाग्रजस्त्वन्यस्ततः स्रक्ष्याम्यहं प्रजाः ॥१०-१७-१३॥
He, seeing Giriśa (Śiva) immersed in water, said to his father: "If I do not have an elder brother, and you are someone else, then I myself will create beings."
तमब्रवीत्पिता नास्ति त्वदन्यः पुरुषोऽग्रजः। स्थाणुरेष जले मग्नो विस्रब्धः कुरु वै कृतिम् ॥१०-१७-१४॥
The father said to him, "There is no one older than you. This Sthāṇu (Śiva) is immersed in the water. Go ahead and perform the act with confidence."
स भूतान्यसृजत्सप्त दक्षादींस्तु प्रजापतीन्। यैरिमं व्यकरोत्सर्वं भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम् ॥१०-१७-१५॥
He created all beings, namely the seven Prajapatis starting with Daksha, by whom this entire world of living beings of four kinds was diversified.
ताः सृष्टमात्राः क्षुधिताः प्रजाः सर्वाः प्रजापतिम्। बिभक्षयिषवो राजन्सहसा प्राद्रवंस्तदा ॥१०-१७-१६॥
O king, all those creatures, just created and hungry, suddenly rushed at Prajapati, desiring to eat him.
स भक्ष्यमाणस्त्राणार्थी पितामहमुपाद्रवत्। आभ्यो मां भगवान्पातु वृत्तिरासां विधीयताम् ॥१०-१७-१७॥
He, while being devoured and seeking protection, approached the grandsire. May the Lord protect me from them; let the livelihood of these be provided.
ततस्ताभ्यो ददावन्नमोषधीः स्थावराणि च। जङ्गमानि च भूतानि दुर्बलानि बलीयसाम् ॥१०-१७-१८॥
Then he gave them food, herbs, immobile and mobile beings, so that the weak creatures would serve as sustenance for the strong.
विहितान्नाः प्रजास्तास्तु जग्मुस्तुष्टा यथागतम्। ततो ववृधिरे राजन्प्रीतिमत्यः स्वयोनिषु ॥१०-१७-१९॥
The subjects, having received their allotted food, contentedly returned as they had come. Thereafter, O king, they flourished joyfully in their own realms.
भूतग्रामे विवृद्धे तु तुष्टे लोकगुरावपि। उदतिष्ठज्जलाज्ज्येष्ठः प्रजाश्चेमा ददर्श सः ॥१०-१७-२०॥
When the multitude of beings had increased and the preceptor of the world was satisfied, the eldest arose from the water and saw these creatures.
बहुरूपाः प्रजा दृष्ट्वा विवृद्धाः स्वेन तेजसा। चुक्रोध भगवान्रुद्रो लिङ्गं स्वं चाप्यविध्यत ॥१०-१७-२१॥
When Lord Rudra saw the creatures of many forms that had grown by his own power, he became angry and pierced his own linga.
तत्प्रविद्धं तदा भूमौ तथैव प्रत्यतिष्ठत। तमुवाचाव्ययो ब्रह्मा वचोभिः शमयन्निव ॥१०-१७-२२॥
That which was thrown down then remained on the ground in the same way. The imperishable Brahma spoke to him with words, as if soothing him.
किं कृतं सलिले शर्व चिरकालं स्थितेन ते। किमर्थं चैतदुत्पाट्य भूमौ लिङ्गं प्रवेरितम् ॥१०-१७-२३॥
O Śarva, what were you doing in the water for such a long time? And why did you uproot this liṅga and throw it on the ground?
सोऽब्रवीज्जातसंरम्भस्तदा लोकगुरुर्गुरुम्। प्रजाः सृष्टाः परेणेमाः किं करिष्याम्यनेन वै ॥१०-१७-२४॥
He, now agitated, the teacher of the world, said to his own teacher: "These creatures have already been created by the Supreme; what am I to do with this (creation)?"
तपसाधिगतं चान्नं प्रजार्थं मे पितामह। ओषध्यः परिवर्तेरन्यथैव सततं प्रजाः ॥१०-१७-२५॥
O grandsire, the food gained through austerity is meant for the welfare of progeny; let the plants always change just as all living beings do.
एवमुक्त्वा तु सङ्क्रुद्धो जगाम विमना भवः। गिरेर्मुञ्जवतः पादं तपस्तप्तुं महातपाः ॥१०-१७-२६॥
Thus, after saying this, the enraged and dejected Bhava (Śiva), the great ascetic, went to the foot of Mount Muñjavat to perform austerities.
