12.122
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। aṅgeṣu rājā dyutimān vasuhoma iti śrutaḥ ॥12-122-1॥
Here too, they recount an ancient story: Among the Aṅgas, there was a renowned king named Vasuhoma.
sa rājā dharmanityaḥ san saha patnyā mahātapāḥ। muñjapṛṣṭhaṃ jagāmātha devarṣigaṇapūjitam ॥12-122-2॥
The king, ever devoted to righteousness, together with his wife, who was a great ascetic, then went to Muñjapṛṣṭha, a place honored by assemblies of divine sages.
tatra śṛṅge himavato merau kanakaparvate। yatra muñjavaṭe rāmo jaṭāharaṇamādiśat ॥12-122-3॥
There, on the peak of Himavat, on Meru, on the golden mountain, at the muñja altar, Rāma commanded the removal of his matted hair.
tadāprabhṛti rājendra ṛṣibhiḥ saṃśitavrataiḥ। muñjapṛṣṭha iti proktaḥ sa deśo rudrasevitaḥ ॥12-122-4॥
From then on, O King, that region, worshipped by Rudra, was called Muñjapṛṣṭha by sages of austere vows.
sa tatra bahubhir yuktaḥ sadā śrutimayair guṇaiḥ। brāhmaṇānām anumato devarṣisadṛśo'bhavat ॥12-122-5॥
There, he, always endowed with many qualities consisting of śruti, approved by the Brāhmaṇas, became like a divine sage.
taṃ kadācid adīnātmā sakhā śakrasya mānitaḥ। abhyāgacchan mahīpālo māndhātā śatrukarśanaḥ॥12-122-6॥
Once, the king Māndhātā, honored as the friend of Śakra and steadfast in spirit, destroyer of enemies, came to him.
so'bhisṛtya tu māndhātā vasuhomaṃ narādhipam। dṛṣṭvā prakṛṣṭaṃ tapasā vinayenābhyatiṣṭhata ॥12-122-7॥
But Māndhātā, having approached Vasuhoma, the king, saw him excelling in austerity and stood near him with humility.
vasuhomo'pi rājño vai gāmarghyaṃ ca nyavedayat| aṣṭāṅgasya ca rājyasya papraccha kuśalaṃ tadā ॥12-122-8॥
Vasuhoma also offered a cow and arghya to the king, and then inquired about the welfare of the eight-limbed and the kingdom.
sadbhir ācaritaṃ pūrvaṃ yathāvad anuyāyinam। apṛcchad vasuhomas taṃ rājan kiṃ karavāṇi te ॥12-122-9॥
Vasuhoma, seeing that he was properly following the ways established by the virtuous in the past, asked him: "O king, what can I do for you?"
so'bravīt paramaprīto māndhātā rājasattamam। vasuhomaṃ mahāprājñam āsīnaṃ kurunandana ॥12-122-10॥
O Kurunandana, Māndhātā, the best of kings, being extremely pleased, spoke to the greatly wise Vasuhoma, who was seated.
bṛhaspater mataṃ rājann adhītaṃ sakalaṃ tvayā। tathaivauśanasaṃ śāstraṃ vijñātaṃ te narādhipa ॥12-122-11॥
O king, you have studied all of Bṛhaspati's teachings, and likewise, you have understood the treatise of Uśanas, O ruler of men.
tad ahaṃ śrotum icchāmi daṇḍa utpadyate katham। kiṃ vā api pūrvaṃ jāgarti kiṃ vā param ucyate ॥12-122-12॥
I wish to hear this: How does punishment arise? What awakens first, or what is said to come after?
kathaṁ kṣatriyasaṁsthaś ca daṇḍaḥ sampratyavasthitaḥ। brūhi me sumahāprājña dadāmyācāryavetanam ॥12-122-13॥
How is punishment now established among the kṣatriyas? Tell me, O greatly wise one, and I will give the teacher's fee.
vasuhoma uvāca॥
Vasuhoma said.
śṛṇu rājanyathā daṇḍaḥ sambhūto lokasaṅgrahaḥ। prajāvinayarakṣārthaṃ dharmasyātmā sanātanaḥ ॥12-122-14॥
Listen, O king, how punishment has come into being for the order of the world; for the protection of discipline among the people, the essence of dharma is eternal.
brahmā yiyakṣur bhagavān sarvalokapitāmahaḥ। ṛtvijaṃ nātmanā tulyaṃ dadarśeti hi naḥ śrutam ॥12-122-15॥
It has indeed been heard by us that Brahmā, the venerable grandfather of all worlds, desiring to test, saw that the priest was not equal to himself.
sa garbhaṃ śirasā devo varṣapūgān adhārayat। pūrṇe varṣasahasre tu sa garbhaḥ kṣuvato'patat ॥12-122-16॥
The god bore the embryo on his head for many years. When a thousand years had passed, the embryo fell out as he sneezed.
sa kṣupo nāma sambhūtaḥ prajāpati-rariṃdama। ṛtvig āsīt tadā rājanya-jñe tasya mahātmanaḥ ॥12-122-17॥
O subduer of enemies, he who was born as Prajāpati was named Kṣupa. At that time, the priest was present in the sacrifice of that great-souled Kṣatriya.
tasmin pravṛtte satre tu brahmaṇaḥ pārthivarṣabha | hṛṣṭarūpapracāratvād daṇḍaḥ so'ntarhito'bhavat ||12-122-18||
O bull among kings, when that sacrifice of Brahman commenced, due to the manifestation of a delighted form, the staff disappeared.
tasminn antarhite ca atha prajānāṃ saṅkaro 'bhavat। naiva kāryaṃ na ca akāryaṃ bhojyābhojyaṃ na vidyate ॥12-122-19॥
When he disappeared, then confusion arose among beings. There was no distinction of duty or non-duty, nor of what was edible or inedible.
peyāpeyaṃ kutaḥ siddhir hiṃsanti ca parasparam। gamyāgamyaṃ tadā nāsīt parasvaṃ svaṃ ca vai samam॥12-122-20॥
There was no distinction between what could be drunk or not, nor between what could be approached or not; there was no concept of others' property or one's own, and all was indeed equal. People did not harm each other.
parasparaṃ vilumpante sārameyā ivāmiṣam। abalaṃ balino jaghnur nirmaryādam avartata ॥12-122-21॥
They plundered one another like dogs fighting over flesh. The strong killed the weak and behaved without any restraint.
tataḥ pitāmaho viṣṇuṃ bhagavantaṃ sanātanam। sampūjya varadaṃ devaṃ mahādevam athābravīt ॥12-122-22॥
Then the grandsire, after worshipping Viṣṇu, the eternal divine bestower of boons, addressed Mahādeva.
atra sādhvanukampāṃ vai kartumarhasi kevalam। saṅkaro na bhavedatra yathā vai tadvidhīyatām ॥12-122-23॥
Here, you should show only true compassion. Let it be arranged in such a way that confusion does not arise here.
tataḥ sa bhagavān dhyātvā ciraṃ śūlajaṭādharaḥ। ātmānam ātmanā daṇḍam asṛjad devasattamaḥ॥12-122-24॥
Then the revered Lord, Śiva, after long meditation, himself created the staff by his own power, he who is the best among the gods.
tasmācca dharmacaraṇāṃ nītiṃ devīṃ sarasvatīm। asṛjaddaṇḍanītiḥ sā triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā ॥12-122-25॥
Therefore, the goddess Sarasvatī, who practises dharma and right conduct, created the science of punishment, which is renowned in the three worlds.
bhūyaḥ sa bhagavān dhyātvā ciraṃ śūla-varāyudhaḥ। tasya tasya nikāyasya cakāraikaikam īśaram ॥12-122-26॥
Again, the venerable one, Śiva, after meditating for a long time, with his excellent spear as his weapon, made each group have its own lord.
devānām īśvaraṃ cakre devaṃ daśaśatekṣaṇam। yamaṃ vaivasvataṃ cāpi pitṝṇām akarot patim ॥12-122-27॥
He made Indra, the lord of the gods, who has a thousand eyes; and Yama, the son of Vivasvat, he made the lord of the ancestors.
dhanānāṃ rakṣasāṃ cāpi kuberam api ceśvaram। parvatānāṃ patiṃ meruṃ saritāṃ ca mahodadhim ॥12-122-28॥
Kubera is the lord of treasures and of the Rākṣasas; Meru is the lord of mountains; and the great ocean is the lord of rivers.
apāṃ rājye surāṇāṃ ca vidadhe varuṇaṃ prabhum। mṛtyuṃ prāṇeśvaramatho tejasāṃ ca hutāśanam ॥12-122-29॥
He appointed Varuṇa as the lord in the kingdom of waters and among the gods; Death as the lord of life-breath; and Fire as the lord of energies.
rudrāṇām api ca īśānam goptāram vidadhe prabhuḥ। mahātmānam mahādevam viśālākṣam sanātanam ॥12-122-30॥
The master appointed Mahadeva, the great-souled and eternal lord of the Rudras, as their protector—he who is wide-eyed and everlasting.
vasiṣṭhamīśaṃ viprāṇāṃ vasūnāṃ jātavedasam। tejasāṃ bhāskaraṃ cakre nakṣatrāṇāṃ niśākaram ॥12-122-31॥
He made Vasiṣṭha the lord of the Brāhmaṇas, Jātavedas the lord of the Vasus, the sun the lord of the lustres, and the moon the lord of the stars.
vīrudhām aṃśumantaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ ca prabhuṃ varam| kumāraṃ dvādaśabhujaṃ skandaṃ rājānam ādiśat ॥12-122-32॥
He appointed Aṃśumant as the lord of plants, and Kumāra, the twelve-armed Skanda, as the best among the kings of beings.
kālaṃ sarveśam akarot saṃhāra-vinaya-ātmakam। mṛtyoś catur-vibhāgasya duḥkhasya ca sukhasya ca ॥12-122-33॥
He created time, the lord of all, characterized by destruction and restraint; and death, with its fourfold division, of suffering and happiness.
īśvaraḥ sarvadehastu rājarājo dhanādhipaḥ। sarveṣāmeva rudrāṇāṃ śūlapāṇiriti śrutiḥ ॥12-122-34॥
The Lord, who pervades all bodies, is the king of kings and the lord of wealth. Among all the Rudras, he is known as the one who holds the trident, as stated in the scripture.
tam ekaṃ brahmaṇaḥ putram anujātaṃ kṣupaṃ dadau। prajānām adhipaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sarvadharmabhṛtām api ॥12-122-35॥
He gave him, Kṣupa, the only son of Brahmā, born after, as the lord of the people, the best even among all upholders of dharma.
mahādevas tatas tasmin vṛtte yajñe yathāvidhi। daṇḍaṃ dharmasya goptāraṃ viṣṇave satkṛtaṃ dadau ॥12-122-36॥
Then Mahadeva, after that sacrifice was performed according to rule, gave the honored staff of dharma, the protector, to Viṣṇu.
viṣṇur-aṅgirase prādād-aṅgirā muni-sattamaḥ। prādād-indramarīcibhyāṃ marīcir-bhṛgave dadau ॥12-122-37॥
Viṣṇu gave (the knowledge) to Aṅgiras; Aṅgirā, the foremost sage, gave it to Indra and Marīci; Marīci gave it to Bhṛgu.
bhṛgur dadā vṛṣibhyaḥ tu taṃ daṇḍaṃ dharmasaṃhitam। ṛṣayaḥ lokapālebhyaḥ lokapālāḥ kṣupāya ca ॥12-122-38॥
Bhṛgu gave that staff of dharma to the sages; the sages gave it to the guardians of the worlds, and the guardians of the worlds gave it to Kṣupa.
kṣupas tu manave prādād ādityatanayāya ca। putrebhyaḥ śrāddhadevas tu sūkṣmadharmārthakāraṇāt॥ taṃ dadau sūryaputras tu manur vai rakṣaṇātmakam॥12-122-39॥
But the tree gave it to Manu and to the son of Āditya; the deity of śrāddha gave it to the sons for the subtle reason of dharma and artha. Manu, the son of Sūrya, indeed gave him as a protector.
vibhajya daṇḍaḥ kartavyo dharmeṇa na yadṛcchayā। durvācā nigraho bandho hiraṇyaṃ bāhyataḥkriyā ॥12-122-40॥
Punishment should be administered after due consideration and in accordance with righteousness, not arbitrarily. The restraint of those who speak ill is a form of bondage; the pursuit of gold is merely an external act.
vyaṅgatvaṃ ca śarīrasya vadho vā nālpakāraṇāt। śarīrapīḍāstāstāstu dehatyāgo vivāsanam ॥12-122-41॥
Mutilation or killing of the body, or such bodily afflictions, should not be inflicted for a slight reason; but abandonment of the body and banishment are (the punishments).
ānupūrvyā ca daṇḍo'sau prajā jāgarti pālayan। indro jāgarti bhagavān indrādagnir vibhāvasuḥ ॥12-122-42॥
In succession, the authority watches over the people, protecting them. Indra, the blessed, stays awake; from Indra, Agni (Vibhāvasu, fire) stays awake.
agner jāgarti varuṇo varuṇāc ca prajāpatiḥ। prajāpates tato dharmo jāgarti vinayātmakaḥ ॥12-122-43॥
Varuṇa awakens from Agni; from Varuṇa, Prajāpati arises; from Prajāpati, then Dharma, which is of the nature of humility, awakens.
dharmāc ca brahmaṇaḥ putro vyavāsāyaḥ sanātanaḥ। vyavāsāyāt tataḥ tejo jāgarti paripālayan ॥12-122-44॥
Effort, the eternal offspring of dharma and Brahman, gives rise to energy, which then awakens and protects.
oṣadhyas tejasas tasmād oṣadhibhyaś ca parvatāḥ। parvatebhyaś ca jāgarti raso rasa-guṇāt tathā ॥12-122-45॥
Herbs originate from energy; from those herbs, mountains are formed; from the mountains, sap arises; thus, it is from the quality of sap.
jāgarti nirṛtirdevī jyotīṃṣi nirṛterapi। vedāḥ pratiṣṭhā jyotirbhyaḥtato hayaśirāḥ prabhuḥ ॥12-122-46॥
The goddess Nirṛti awakens, and even the lights belong to Nirṛti; the Vedas are established as the foundation above the lights; from that, Hayashiras is the lord.
brahmā pitāmahastasmājjāgarti prabhuravyayaḥ। pitāmahānmahādevo jāgarti bhagavāñśivaḥ ॥12-122-47॥
Brahmā, the grandfather, is ever-vigilant; from him, the imperishable Lord remains awake. From the grandfathers, Mahādeva, the blessed Śiva, remains ever-vigilant.
viśvedevāḥ śivāccāpi viśvebhyaś ca tatha ṛṣayaḥ | ṛṣibhyo bhagavān somaḥ somād devāḥ sanātanāḥ ||12-122-48||
All the gods, as well as from Śiva, and from all the gods, thus the sages; from the sages, the blessed Soma; from Soma, the eternal gods.
devebhyo brāhmaṇā loke jāgratītyupadhāraya। brāhmaṇebhyaśca rājanyā lokānrakṣanti dharmataḥ ॥ sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva kṣatriyebhyaḥ sanātanam ॥12-122-49॥
Understand thus: In the world, Brāhmaṇas remain vigilant due to the gods. And from the Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas protect the worlds by righteousness. Both the immovable and the movable are eternally dependent on the Kṣatriyas.
prajā jāgrati loke'smin daṇḍo jāgarti tāsu ca। sarvasaṅkṣepako daṇḍaḥ pitāmahasamaḥ prabhuḥ॥12-122-50॥
In this world, the subjects are vigilant; among them, punishment remains vigilant as well. Punishment, which encompasses all, is a lord equal to the grandsire.
jāgarti kālaḥ pūrvaṃ ca madhye ca ante ca bhārata। īśvaraḥ sarvalokasya mahādevaḥ prajāpatiḥ ॥12-122-51॥
O Bhārata, the Lord of all worlds, Mahadeva, the lord of creatures, awakens time at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end.
devadevaḥ śivaḥ śarvo jāgarti satataṃ prabhuḥ। kapardī śaṅkaro rudro bhavaḥ sthāṇurumāpatiḥ ॥12-122-52॥
Śiva, the god of gods, ever-awake lord, destroyer, beneficent, matted-haired, Rudra, source of existence, immovable, and consort of Umā, is always vigilant.
ityeṣa daṇḍo vikhyāta ādau madhye tathāvare। bhūmipālo yathānyāyaṃ vartetānena dharmavit ॥12-122-53॥
Thus, this punishment is established at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. The king who knows dharma should act according to this, in accordance with justice.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
itīdaṃ vasuhomasya śṛṇuyāddyo mataṃ naraḥ। śrutvā ca samyagvarteta sa kāmānāpnuyānnṛpaḥ ॥12-122-54॥
Thus, this is Vasuhoma's opinion; any man who listens to it and acts properly after hearing it, that king will attain his desires.
iti te sarvam ākhyātaṃ yo daṇḍo manujarṣabha. niyantā sarvalokasya dharmākrāntasya bhārata ॥12-122-55॥
O Bhārata, thus I have told you everything about that punishment which, being governed by dharma, controls all the worlds, O best of men.
