12.024
Library: Vyasa narrates the story of Sudyumna and concludes saying for a kṣatriya, the duty is to punish, not to shave the head.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said:
भगवन्कर्मणा केन सुद्युम्नो वसुधाधिपः। संसिद्धिं परमां प्राप्तः श्रोतुमिच्छामि तं नृपम् ॥१२-२४-१॥
O revered one, by whose actions did Sudyumna, the lord of the earth, attain supreme perfection? I wish to hear about that king.
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said:
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। शङ्खश्च लिखितश्चास्तां भ्रातरौ संयतव्रतौ ॥१२-२४-२॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: Śaṅkha and Likhita were two brothers who observed strict vows.
तयोरावसथावास्तां रमणीयौ पृथक्पृथक्। नित्यपुष्पफलैर्वृक्षैरुपेतौ बाहुदामनु ॥१२-२४-३॥
The two had charming residences, each separate, always surrounded by trees bearing flowers and fruits, situated along the Bahuda river.
ततः कदाचिल्लिखितः शङ्खस्याश्रममागमत्। यदृच्छयापि शङ्खोऽथ निष्क्रान्तोऽभवदाश्रमात् ॥१२-२४-४॥
Then, once, Likhita came to Śaṅkha's hermitage. By coincidence, Śaṅkha happened to have left the hermitage at that time.
सोऽभिगम्याश्रमं भ्रातुः शङ्खस्य लिखितस्तदा। फलानि शातयामास सम्यक्परिणतान्युत ॥१२-२४-५॥
Then Likhita, having come to the hermitage of his brother Śaṅkha, broke off the properly ripened fruits.
तान्युपादाय विस्रब्धो भक्षयामास स द्विजः। तस्मिंश्च भक्षयत्येव शङ्खोऽप्याश्रममागमत् ॥१२-२४-६॥
The Brahmin took those things and ate them confidently. While he was still eating, Śaṅkha also arrived at the hermitage.
भक्षयन्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा शङ्खो भ्रातरमब्रवीत्। कुतः फलान्यवाप्तानि हेतुना केन खादसि ॥१२-२४-७॥
But when Śaṅkha saw his brother eating, he said: "Where did you get these fruits? For what reason and by whom are you eating them?"
सोऽब्रवीद्भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठमुपस्पृश्याभिवाद्य च। इत एव गृहीतानि मयेति प्रहसन्निव ॥१२-२४-८॥
He respectfully touched and saluted his elder brother and said, smiling, 'I have indeed taken these from here.'
तमब्रवीत्तदा शङ्खस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः। स्तेयं त्वया कृतमिदं फलान्याददता स्वयम् ॥ गच्छ राजानमासाद्य स्वकर्म प्रथयस्व वै ॥१२-२४-९॥
Śaṅkha, filled with intense anger, said to him: "You have committed this theft by taking these fruits yourself. Go to the king and openly declare your action."
अदत्तादानमेवेदं कृतं पार्थिवसत्तम। स्तेनं मां त्वं विदित्वा च स्वधर्ममनुपालय ॥ शीघ्रं धारय चौरस्य मम दण्डं नराधिप ॥१२-२४-१०॥
O best of kings, this is truly the act of taking what is not given. Recognize me as a thief and uphold your duty; quickly inflict my punishment, O ruler of men.
इत्युक्तस्तस्य वचनात्सुद्युम्नं वसुधाधिपम्। अभ्यगच्छन्महाबाहो लिखितः संशितव्रतः ॥१२-२४-११॥
O mighty-armed one, thus, at his words, Likhita, steadfast in his vows, approached Sudyumna, the ruler of the earth.
सुद्युम्नस्त्वन्तपालेभ्यः श्रुत्वा लिखितमागतम्। अभ्यगच्छत्सहामात्यः पद्भ्यामेव नरेश्वरः ॥१२-२४-१२॥
But when Sudyumna heard from the frontier-guards that a written message had arrived, the king, along with his minister, went there on foot.
तमब्रवीत्समागत्य स राजा ब्रह्मवित्तमम्। किमागमनमाचक्ष्व भगवन्कृतमेव तत् ॥१२-२४-१३॥
Having approached him, the king, foremost knower of Brahman, said: "O venerable one, tell what is the reason for your arrival; that indeed has been done."
एवमुक्तः स विप्रर्षिः सुद्युम्नमिदमब्रवीत्। प्रतिश्रौषि करिष्येति श्रुत्वा तत्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥१२-२४-१४॥
Thus spoken to, the sage among Brāhmaṇas said this to Sudyumna: "You have promised, 'I shall do.' Therefore, having heard this, you should do that."
अनिसृष्टानि गुरुणा फलानि पुरुषर्षभ। भक्षितानि मया राजंस्तत्र मां शाधि माचिरम् ॥१२-२४-१५॥
O king, I have eaten fruits not permitted by my teacher, O best of men; therefore, punish me there without delay.
सुद्युम्न उवाच॥
Sudyumna said:
प्रमाणं चेन्मतो राजा भवतो दण्डधारणे। अनुज्ञायामपि तथा हेतुः स्याद्ब्राह्मणर्षभ ॥१२-२४-१६॥
O best of Brāhmaṇas, if you, O king, consider evidence in the wielding of punishment, then even in granting permission, there may be a reason.
स भवानभ्यनुज्ञातः शुचिकर्मा महाव्रतः। ब्रूहि कामानतोऽन्यांस्त्वं करिष्यामि हि ते वचः ॥१२-२४-१७॥
O noble one, you who are pure in deeds and steadfast in great vows, having been permitted, speak of any other desires you have; I shall indeed fulfill your word.
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said:
छन्द्यमानोऽपि ब्रह्मर्षिः पार्थिवेन महात्मना। नान्यं वै वरयामास तस्माद्दण्डादृते वरम् ॥१२-२४-१८॥
Even when entreated by the noble king, the Brahmarṣi chose no boon other than Daṇḍa.
ततः स पृथिवीपालो लिखितस्य महात्मनः। करौ प्रच्छेदयामास धृतदण्डो जगाम सः ॥१२-२४-१९॥
Then the king, upholding justice, ordered the hands of the noble Likhita to be cut off and departed.
स गत्वा भ्रातरं शङ्खमार्तरूपोऽब्रवीदिदम्। धृतदण्डस्य दुर्भुद्धेर्भगवन्क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥१२-२४-२०॥
He went to his brother Śaṅkha, appearing distressed, and said: 'O venerable one, you should forgive Dhṛtadaṇḍa, who is evil-minded.' 12-24-20.
शङ्ख उवाच॥
Śaṅkha said:
न कुप्ये तव धर्मज्ञ न च दूषयसे मम। धर्मस्तु ते व्यतिक्रान्तस्ततस्ते निष्कृतिः कृता ॥१२-२४-२१॥
I am not angry with you, O knower of dharma, nor have you wronged me. But your dharma has been transgressed; therefore, your atonement has been performed.
स गत्वा बाहुदां शीघ्रं तर्पयस्व यथाविधि। देवान्पितॄनृषींश्चैव मा चाधर्मे मनः कृथाः ॥१२-२४-२२॥
Go quickly to the Bāhudā river and, as prescribed, offer oblations to the gods, ancestors, and sages; and do not let your mind dwell on unrighteousness.
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said:
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शङ्खस्य लिखितस्तदा। अवगाह्यापगां पुण्यामुदकार्थं प्रचक्रमे ॥१२-२४-२३॥
After hearing those words from him, Likhita then entered the holy river to fetch water.
प्रादुरास्तां ततस्तस्य करौ जलजसंनिभौ। ततः स विस्मितो भ्रातुर्दर्शयामास तौ करौ ॥१२-२४-२४॥
Then his hands, resembling lotuses, appeared; then, astonished, he showed those two hands to his brother.
ततस्तमब्रवीच्छङ्खस्तपसेदं कृतं मया। मा च तेऽत्र विशङ्का भूद्दैवमेव विधीयते ॥१२-२४-२५॥
Then Śaṅkha said to him: "This was done by me for the sake of austerity. Do not have any doubt about this; only fate is at work here."
लिखित उवाच॥
Likhita said:
किं नु नाहं त्वया पूतः पूर्वमेव महाद्युते। यस्य ते तपसो वीर्यमीदृशं द्विजसत्तम ॥१२-२४-२६॥
O best of twice-born, O greatly radiant one, was I not already purified by you before, whose austerity possesses such power?
शङ्ख उवाच॥
Śaṅkha said:
एवमेतन्मया कार्यं नाहं दण्डधरस्तव। स च पूतो नरपतिस्त्वं चापि पितृभिः सह ॥१२-२४-२७॥
Therefore, this is not my duty; I am not your punisher. The king is purified, and you too, along with your ancestors.
व्यास उवाच॥
Vyāsa said:
स राजा पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ श्रेष्ठो वै तेन कर्मणा। प्राप्तवान्परमां सिद्धिं दक्षः प्राचेतसो यथा ॥१२-२४-२८॥
He, the king, foremost among the Pāṇḍavas, by that very action attained the highest perfection, just as Dakṣa, the son of Pracetas, did.
एष धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां प्रजानां परिपालनम्। उत्पथेऽस्मिन्महाराज मा च शोके मनः कृथाः ॥१२-२४-२९॥
The duty of kṣatriyas is to protect their subjects. O great king, do not let your mind be overcome by grief in this adversity.
भ्रातुरस्य हितं वाक्यं शृणु धर्मज्ञसत्तम। दण्ड एव हि राजेन्द्र क्षत्रधर्मो न मुण्डनम् ॥१२-२४-३०॥
O best knower of dharma, listen to the beneficial words of his brother. O king, for a kṣatriya, the duty is to punish, not to shave the head.
