12.030
Library: Yudhisthira asks about Kāñcanaṣṭhīvī, the son of Sṛñjaya. Krishna narrates the story of Narada receiving a curse to appear as a monkey, and then directs the question to Narada.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
स कथं काञ्चनष्ठीवी सृञ्जयस्य सुतोऽभवत्। पर्वतेन किमर्थं च दत्तः केन ममार च ॥१२-३०-१॥
How did he become Kāñcanaṣṭhīvī, the son of Sṛñjaya? For what reason and by whom was he given by Parvata, and by whom did he die?
यदा वर्षसहस्रायुस्तदा भवति मानवः। कथमप्राप्तकौमारः सृञ्जयस्य सुतो मृतः ॥१२-३०-२॥
If a man lives for a thousand years, how could Sṛñjaya's son die before reaching youth?
उताहो नाममात्रं वै सुवर्णष्ठीविनोऽभवत्। तथ्यं वा काञ्चनष्ठीवीत्येतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥१२-३०-३॥
Or was it only the name Suvarṇaṣṭhīvin? Or is it truly Kāñcanaṣṭhīvī? I wish to know this.
वासुदेव उवाच॥
Vāsudeva said.
अत्र ते कथयिष्यामि यथा वृत्तं जनेश्वर। नारदः पर्वतश्चैव प्रागृषी लोकपूजितौ ॥१२-३०-४॥
O lord of people, here I shall tell you what happened: Nārada and Parvata, the former sages, were both honored by the world.
मातुलो भागिनेयश्च देवलोकादिहागतौ। विहर्तुकामौ सम्प्रीत्या मानुष्येषु पुरा प्रभू ॥१२-३०-५॥
Long ago, the maternal uncle and his nephew, the lords, came here from the world of the gods, wishing to enjoy themselves affectionately among humans.
हविःपवित्रभोज्येन देव भोज्येन चैव ह। नारदो मातुलश्चैव भागिनेयश्च पर्वतः ॥१२-३०-६॥
O god, the pure oblation is to be enjoyed as food; Nārada, the maternal uncle, the sister's son, and Parvata (are to partake of it).
तावुभौ तपसोपेताववनीतलचारिणौ। भुञ्जानौ मानुषान्भोगान्यथावत्पर्यधावताम् ॥१२-३०-७॥
Those two, both ascetics, wandered the earth, enjoying human pleasures as appropriate.
प्रीतिमन्तौ मुदा युक्तौ समयं तत्र चक्रतुः। यो भवेद्धृदि सङ्कल्पः शुभो वा यदि वाशुभः ॥ अन्योन्यस्य स आख्येयो मृषा शापोऽन्यथा भवेत् ॥१२-३०-८॥
Both, full of affection and joy, made an agreement there. Whatever resolve, auspicious or inauspicious, might be in the heart of each other, that should be declared; otherwise, the curse would be false.
तौ तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय महर्षी लोकपूजितौ। सृञ्जयं श्वैत्यमभ्येत्य राजानमिदमूचतुः ॥१२-३०-९॥
The two great sages, honored by the world, after making their promise, approached King Sṛñjaya and Śvaitya and spoke these words to the king.
आवां भवति वत्स्यावः कञ्चित्कालं हिताय ते। यथावत्पृथिवीपाल आवयोः प्रगुणीभव ॥ तथेति कृत्वा तौ राजा सत्कृत्योपचचार ह ॥१२-३०-१०॥
We two will stay here for some time for your welfare, O lady. O king, please be favorable to us as is proper. Having agreed, the king honored and attended to those two.
ततः कदाचित्तौ राजा महात्मानौ तथागतौ। अब्रवीत्परमप्रीतः सुतेयं वरवर्णिनी ॥१२-३०-११॥
Then, at some point, the king, who was great-souled and had thus arrived, being extremely pleased, said to his daughter, this one of excellent complexion.
एकैव मम कन्यैषा युवां परिचरिष्यति। दर्शनीयानवद्याङ्गी शीलवृत्तसमन्विता ॥ सुकुमारी कुमारी च पद्मकिञ्जल्कसंनिभा ॥१२-३०-१२॥
This is my only daughter; she alone will serve you both. She is beautiful to behold, with flawless limbs, endowed with noble character and conduct. She is very delicate, a maiden, and resembles the filament of a lotus.
परमं सौम्य इत्युक्तस्ताभ्यां राजा शशास ताम्। कन्ये विप्रावुपचर देववत्पितृवच्च ह ॥१२-३०-१३॥
When the king was addressed as 'supreme gentle one' by those two, he ruled her. O maiden, O brāhmaṇas, serve her as you would a god and as a father indeed.
सा तु कन्या तथेत्युक्त्वा पितरं धर्मचारिणी। यथानिदेशं राज्ञस्तौ सत्कृत्योपचचार ह ॥१२-३०-१४॥
But that maiden, practicing righteousness, said 'so be it' to her father, and, having honored those two as per the king's instruction, indeed served them.
तस्यास्तथोपचारेण रूपेणाप्रतिमेन च। नारदं हृच्छयस्तूर्णं सहसैवान्वपद्यत ॥१२-३०-१५॥
By her service and her incomparable form, a sudden and intense desire arose in Nārada's heart.
ववृधे च ततस्तस्य हृदि कामो महात्मनः। यथा शुक्लस्य पक्षस्य प्रवृत्तावुडुराट्छनैः ॥१२-३०-१६॥
Then, in the heart of the great-souled one, desire gradually increased, just as the moon waxes slowly at the start of the bright fortnight.
न च तं भागिनेयाय पर्वताय महात्मने। शशंस मन्मथं तीव्रं व्रीडमानः स धर्मवित् ॥१२-३०-१७॥
But being ashamed, he, the knower of dharma, did not tell the intense love to Bhāgineya Parvata, the great-souled one.
तपसा चेङ्गितेनाथ पर्वतोऽथ बुबोध तत्। कामार्तं नारदं क्रुद्धः शशापैनं ततो भृशम् ॥१२-३०-१८॥
By his austerity and gesture, the mountain then understood the situation. Seeing Nārada afflicted by desire, the angry mountain severely cursed him.
कृत्वा समयमव्यग्रो भवान्वै सहितो मया। यो भवेद्धृदि सङ्कल्पः शुभो वा यदि वाशुभः ॥१२-३०-१९॥
Having made an agreement, you, remaining unagitated and together with me, should accept whatever resolve arises in the heart, whether it is auspicious or inauspicious.
अन्योन्यस्य स आख्येय इति तद्वै मृषा कृतम्। भवता वचनं ब्रह्मंस्तस्मादेतद्वदाम्यहम् ॥१२-३०-२०॥
He is to be described as belonging to each other; that was indeed falsely done by you. Therefore, O Brāhmaṇa, I say this.
न हि कामं प्रवर्तन्तं भवानाचष्ट मे पुरा। सुकुमार्यां कुमार्यां ते तस्मादेष शपाम्यहम् ॥१२-३०-२१॥
You never told me before about any desire arising. Therefore, regarding your delicate maiden, I now swear this.
ब्रह्मवादी गुरुर्यस्मात्तपस्वी ब्राह्मणश्च सन्। अकार्षीः समयभ्रंशमावाभ्यां यः कृतो मिथः ॥१२-३०-२२॥
Because you, being a brāhmaṇa, an ascetic, and a teacher who speaks of Brahman, have mutually committed a violation of our agreement.
शप्स्ये तस्मात्सुसङ्क्रुद्धो भवन्तं तं निबोध मे। सुकुमारी च ते भार्या भविष्यति न संशयः ॥१२-३०-२३॥
Therefore, being very enraged, I shall curse him—know this from me. Your wife will be a delicate woman; there is no doubt about it.
वानरं चैव कन्या त्वां विवाहात्प्रभृति प्रभो। संद्रक्ष्यन्ति नराश्चान्ये स्वरूपेण विनाकृतम् ॥१२-३०-२४॥
O lord, from the time of your marriage, men and others will see the monkey and the maiden (you) without your true form.
स तद्वाक्यं तु विज्ञाय नारदः पर्वतात्तदा। अशपत्तमपि क्रोधाद्भागिनेयं स मातुलः ॥१२-३०-२५॥
Nārada, having understood those words, then, being angry, cursed his nephew Parvata, he being the maternal uncle.
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्येन च दमेन च। युक्तोऽपि धर्मनित्यश्च न स्वर्गवासमाप्स्यसि ॥१२-३०-२६॥
Even if you are engaged in austerity, celibacy, truth, and self-restraint, and are always devoted to dharma, you will not attain residence in heaven.
तौ तु शप्त्वा भृशं क्रुद्धौ परस्परममर्षणौ। प्रतिजग्मतुरन्योन्यं क्रुद्धाविव गजोत्तमौ ॥१२-३०-२७॥
But those two, having fiercely cursed each other, both intolerant and enraged, approached one another like two mighty elephants in anger.
पर्वतः पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां विचचार महामुनिः। पूज्यमानो यथान्यायं तेजसा स्वेन भारत ॥१२-३०-२८॥
O Bhārata, the great sage, being honored everywhere, wandered the entire earth like a mountain, according to propriety, by his own splendor.
अथ तामलभत्कन्यां नारदः सृञ्जयात्मजाम्। धर्मेण धर्मप्रवरः सुकुमारीमनिन्दिताम् ॥१२-३०-२९॥
Then Nārada, the most virtuous, righteously obtained the delicate and blameless maiden, the daughter of Sṛñjaya.
सा तु कन्या यथाशापं नारदं तं ददर्श ह। पाणिग्रहणमन्त्राणां प्रयोगादेव वानरम् ॥१२-३०-३०॥
But that maiden, as per the curse, saw Nārada as a monkey, indeed, due to the application of the marriage mantras.
सुकुमारी च देवर्षिं वानरप्रतिमाननम्। नैवावमन्यत तदा प्रीतिमत्येव चाभवत् ॥१२-३०-३१॥
The delicate maiden did not despise the divine sage with the monkey-like appearance at that time; rather, she became full of affection.
उपतस्थे च भर्तारं न चान्यं मनसाप्यगात्। देवं मुनिं वा यक्षं वा पतित्वे पतिवत्सला ॥१२-३०-३२॥
She served her husband faithfully and, even in thought, did not consider any other—be it god, sage, or yakṣa—as her husband, being devoted to her husband.
ततः कदाचिद्भगवान्पर्वतोऽनुससार ह। वनं विरहितं किञ्चित्तत्रापश्यत्स नारदम् ॥१२-३०-३३॥
Then, at a certain time, the venerable Parvata indeed followed. In the forest, which was somewhat deserted, he saw Nārada there.
ततोऽभिवाद्य प्रोवाच नारदं पर्वतस्तदा। भवान्प्रसादं कुरुतां स्वर्गादेशाय मे प्रभो ॥१२-३०-३४॥
Then, after offering his salutations, Parvata said to Nārada: "O lord, please bestow your favor upon me so that I may receive the command of heaven."
तमुवाच ततो दृष्ट्वा पर्वतं नारदस्तदा। कृताञ्जलिमुपासीनं दीनं दीनतरः स्वयम् ॥१२-३०-३५॥
Seeing Parvata sitting with joined palms, looking dejected, Nārada, who himself was even more dejected, spoke to him.
त्वयाहं प्रथमं शप्तो वानरस्त्वं भविष्यसि। इत्युक्तेन मया पश्चाच्छप्तस्त्वमपि मत्सरात् ॥ अद्यप्रभृति वै वासं स्वर्गे नावाप्स्यसीति ह ॥१२-३०-३६॥
You first cursed me, saying, 'You will become a monkey.' In response, out of envy, I also cursed you: 'From today onwards, you will not obtain residence in heaven.'
तव नैतद्धि सदृशं पुत्रस्थाने हि मे भवान्। निवर्तयेतां तौ शापमन्योऽन्येन तदा मुनी ॥१२-३०-३७॥
This is not befitting of you; you are like a son to me. Let those two withdraw the curse from each other then, O sage.
श्रीसमृद्धं तदा दृष्ट्वा नारदं देवरूपिणम्। सुकुमारी प्रदुद्राव परपत्यभिशङ्कया ॥१२-३०-३८॥
When the delicate girl saw the prosperous Nārada, who appeared divine, she fled, fearing he was another's husband.
तां पर्वतस्ततो दृष्ट्वा प्रद्रवन्तीमनिन्दिताम्। अब्रवीत्तव भर्तैष नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥१२-३०-३९॥
The mountain, seeing the blameless woman running away, said: "This is your husband; there is no need for deliberation here."
ऋषिः परमधर्मात्मा नारदो भगवान्प्रभुः। तवैवाभेद्यहृदयो मा ते भूदत्र संशयः ॥१२-३०-४०॥
The sage Nārada, whose nature is of supreme righteousness, the revered lord, said: "Your heart is truly impenetrable; let there be no doubt about this for you."
सानुनीता बहुविधं पर्वतेन महात्मना। शापदोषं च तं भर्तुः श्रुत्वा स्वां प्रकृतिं गता ॥ पर्वतोऽथ ययौ स्वर्गं नारदोऽथ ययौ गृहान् ॥१२-३०-४१॥
She, led along the peak in many ways by the great-souled mountain, and having heard of her husband's curse, returned to her own nature. The mountain then went to heaven, and Nārada then went to his abode.
प्रत्यक्षकर्मा सर्वस्य नारदोऽयं महानृषिः। एष वक्ष्यति वै पृष्टो यथा वृत्तं नरोत्तम ॥१२-३०-४२॥
O best of men, this great sage Nārada, whose actions are evident to all, will indeed tell (you) what happened when asked.
