12.163
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
tasyāṃ niśāyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ gate tasmin dvijottame। niṣkramya gautamo'gacchatsamudraṃ prati bhārata ॥12-163-1॥
O Bhārata, when that night had passed and the best among the twice-born had departed, Gautama went out towards the ocean.
sāmudrakān sa vaṇijas tato'paśyat sthitān pathi। sa tena sārthena saha prayayau sāgaraṃ prati ॥12-163-2॥
He saw the sea-faring merchants standing on the road. Then, together with that caravan, he set out towards the ocean.
sa tu sārtho mahārāja kasmiṃścid girigahvare। mattena dviradenātha nihataḥ prāyaśo'bhavat ॥12-163-3॥
But, O great king, that caravan was mostly destroyed by a maddened elephant in a certain mountain cave.
sa kathañcittatastasmātsārthānmukto dvijastadā। kāndigbhūto jīvitārthī pradudrāvottarāṃ diśam ॥12-163-4॥
Somehow, the brāhmaṇa, having been released from the caravans, then, fearful and seeking to save his life, ran away towards the northern direction.
saḥ sarvataḥ paribhraṣṭaḥ sārthāt deśāt tathā arthataḥ। ekākī vyadravat tatra vane kimpuruṣaḥ yathā ॥12-163-5॥
He, having been cast out from all sides—his caravan, his country, and his purpose—ran alone into the forest, like a Kimpurusha.
sa panthānam athāsādya samudrābhisaraṃ tadā। āsasāda vanaṃ ramyaṃ mahat puṣpitapādapam ॥12-163-6॥
He then, having reached the path leading to the ocean, came upon a beautiful great forest filled with flowering trees.
sarvartukair āmravanaiḥ puṣpitair upaśobhitam। nandanoddeśasadṛśaṃ yakṣakiṃnarasevitam ॥12-163-7॥
Adorned with blossoming mango groves that flourish in all seasons, this place resembled the celestial Nandana garden and was frequented by Yakṣas and Kiṃnaras.
śālatāla-dhava-aśvattha-tvac-āguru-vanaiḥ tathā। candanasya ca mukhyasya pādapaiḥ upaśobhitam ॥ giriprasthyeṣu ramyeṣu śubheṣu susugandhiṣu ॥12-163-8॥
The mountain slopes, charming and auspicious, were adorned with groves of śāla, palmyra, dhava, aśvattha, aloeswood bark, and especially sandalwood trees, filling the air with fragrance.
samantato dvijaśreṣṭhā valgu kūjanti tatra vai। manuṣyavadanāstvanye bhāruṇḍā iti viśrutāḥ ॥ bhūliṅgaśakunāścānye samudraṃ sarvato'bhavan ॥12-163-9॥
All around, the best of birds sweetly sang there. Some others, known as Bharunda birds with human faces, were famous. Other Bhulingashakuna birds and others became the ocean from all sides.
sa tāny atimanojñāni vihaṅgābhirutāni vai। śṛṇvan suramaṇīyāni vipro'gacchata gautamaḥ ॥12-163-10॥
Gautama, the sage, hearing those exceedingly delightful and divinely charming songs sung by birds, proceeded onward.
tato'paśyatsurāmye sa suvarṇasikatācite। deśabhāge same citre svargoddeśasamaprabhe ॥12-163-11॥
Then he saw a beautiful, level, and wonderful region, heaped with golden sand, shining with a splendour equal to that of heaven.
śriyā'juṣṭaṃ mahāvṛkṣaṃ nyagrodhaṃ parimaṇḍalam। śākhābhir-anurūpābhir-bhūṣitaṃ chatrasaṃnibham ॥12-163-12॥
A great banyan tree, circular in shape, endowed with prosperity, adorned with suitable branches, and resembling an umbrella.
tasya mūlaṃ susaṃsiktaṃ varacandanavāriṇā। divyapuṣpānvitaṃ śrīmatpitāmahasadopamam ॥12-163-13॥
Its root was thoroughly moistened with the best sandal-water, adorned with divine flowers, resplendent and comparable to the glorious assembly of Brahmā.
taṃ dṛṣṭvā gautamaḥ prīto munikāntamanuttamam। medhyaṃ suragṛhaprakhyaṃ puṣpitaiḥ pādapairvṛtam ॥ tamāgamya mudā yuktastasyādhastādupāviśat ॥12-163-14॥
Gautama, upon seeing him, was pleased and beheld the unsurpassed delight of sages—a pure place, like the abode of the gods, surrounded by blossoming trees. Approaching him joyfully, he sat down below him.
tatrāsīnasya kauravya gautamasya sukhaḥ śivaḥ। puṣpāṇi samupaspṛśya pravavāvanilaḥ śuciḥ॥ hlādayansarvagātrāṇi gautamasya tadā nṛpa॥12-163-15॥
There, O Kauravya, as Gautama sat, a pure and auspicious happiness arose. The pure wind, having touched the flowers, blew, delighting all the limbs of Gautama at that time, O king.
sa tu vipraḥ pariśrāntaḥ spṛṣṭaḥ puṇyena vāyunā। sukham āsādya suṣvāpa bhāskaraś ca astam abhyagāt ॥12-163-16॥
But the brāhmaṇa, completely exhausted, touched by the auspicious wind, found comfort and slept well, and the sun set.
tato'staṃ bhāskare yāte sandhyākāla upasthite। ājagāma svabhavanaṃ brahmalokātkhagottamaḥ ॥12-163-17॥
Then, as the sun set and twilight approached, the best of birds returned from Brahmaloka to his own home.
nāḍījaṅgha iti khyāto dayito brahmaṇaḥ sakhā। bakarājo mahāprājñaḥ kaśyapasyātmasambhavaḥ ॥12-163-18॥
Nāḍījaṅgha, thus well-known, was the beloved friend of Brahmā; Bakarāja, a very wise one, was born from Kaśyapa himself.
rājadharmeti vikhyāto babhūvāpratimo bhuvi। devakanyāsutaḥ śrīmānvidvāndevapatiprabhah ॥12-163-19॥
He became well-known as 'rājadharma', unparalleled on earth; the son of Devakanyā, prosperous, wise, and possessing the splendor of the lord of gods.
mṛṣṭahāṭakasañchanno bhūṣaṇair arkasaṃnibhaiḥ। bhūṣitaḥ sarvagātreṣu devagarbhaḥ śriyā jvalan ॥12-163-20॥
Covered with polished gold and adorned with ornaments shining like the sun, the divine-born one was resplendent with splendor on all his limbs.
tam-āgatam dvijaṃ dṛṣṭvā vismito gautamo'bhavat | kṣut-pipāsā-parītātmā hiṃsārthī cāpyavaikṣata ॥12-163-21॥
When Gautama saw the arriving brāhmaṇa, he was astonished; afflicted by hunger and thirst, and also intent on violence, he looked on.
rājadharmovāca॥
The kingly duty spoke.
svāgataṃ bhavate vipra diṣṭyā prāpto'si me gṛham। astaṃ ca savitā yātaḥ sandhyeyaṃ samupasthitā ॥12-163-22॥
Welcome, O brāhmaṇa! By good fortune you have come to my house. The Sun has set and twilight has now arrived.
mama tvaṃ nilayaṃ prāptaḥ priyātithiraninditaḥ। pūjito yāsyasi prātarvidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā ॥12-163-23॥
You have come to my home as a dear and blameless guest; having been honored, you will depart in the morning according to the prescribed rite.
