12.164
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
giraṃ tāṃ madhurāṃ śrutvā gautamo vismitastadā। kautūhalānvito rājanrājadharmāṇamaikṣata ॥12-164-1॥
O king, upon hearing that sweet speech, Gautama was astonished and, filled with curiosity, observed the royal duties.
rājadharmovāca॥
The kingly duty spoke.
bhoḥ kaśyapasya putro'ham mātā dākṣāyaṇī ca me। atithistvaṃ guṇopetaḥ svāgataṃ te dvijarṣabha ॥12-164-2॥
O, I am the son of Kaśyapa and my mother is Dākṣāyaṇī. O virtuous guest, welcome to you, O best of Brāhmaṇas.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
tasmai dattvā sa satkāraṃ vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā। śālapuṣpamayīṃ divyāṃ bṛsīṃ samupakalpayat ॥12-164-3॥
He honored him as prescribed by the rules and arranged a divine mat made of śāla flowers for him.
bhagīratharathākrāntān deśān gaṅgāniṣevitān। ye caranti mahāmīnāḥ tāṃś ca tasyānvakalpayat॥12-164-4॥
He imagined as his own those lands traversed by Bhagīratha's chariot and frequented by the Gaṅgā, where great fishes move about.
vahniṃ cāpi susandīptaṃ mīnāṃścaiva supīvarān। sa gautamāyātithaye nyavedayata kāśyapaḥ ॥12-164-5॥
Kashyapa offered well-kindled fire and very fat fishes to Gautama, who was his guest.
bhuktavantaṃ ca taṃ vipraṃ prītātmānaṃ mahāmanāḥ। klamāpanayanārthaṃ sa pakṣābhyām abhyavījayat ॥12-164-6॥
After the brāhmaṇa had eaten, the great-minded one, pleased at heart, fanned him with his wings to relieve his fatigue.
tato viśrāntam-āsīnaṃ gotrapraśnam-apṛcchata। so'bravīd gautamo'smīti brāhma nānyad-udāharat ॥12-164-7॥
Then, after resting and sitting down, he asked about the lineage. He replied, "I am Gautama," O Brāhmaṇa, and said nothing further.
tasmai parṇamayaṃ divyaṃ divyapuṣpādhivāsitam। gandhāḍhyaṃ śayanaṃ prādāt sa śiśye tatra vai sukham ॥12-164-8॥
He gave him a divine bed made of leaves, perfumed with celestial flowers and rich in fragrance; he lay there comfortably.
athopaviṣṭaṃ śayane gautamaṃ bakarāṭ tadā। papraccha kāśyapo vāgmī kim āgamana-kāraṇam ॥12-164-9॥
Then, eloquent Kashyapa, the king of cranes, saw Gautama seated on the bed and asked, "What brings you here?"
tato'bravīdgautamastaṃ daridro'haṃ mahāmate। samudragamanākāṅkṣī dravyārthamiti bhārata ॥12-164-10॥
Then Gautama said to him, "O great-minded one, I am poor and wish to go to the ocean to seek wealth," O Bhārata.
taṃ kāśyapo'bravītprīto notkaṇṭhāṃ kartumarhasi। kṛtakāryo dvijaśreṣṭha sadravyo yāsyase gṛhān ॥12-164-11॥
Kashyapa, pleased, said to him: "Do not feel longing. O best of the twice-born, your task is accomplished; you will return home with wealth."
caturvidhā hy arthagatir bṛhaspatimataṃ yathā। pāramparyaṃ tathā daivaṃ karma mitram iti prabho ॥12-164-12॥
O lord, according to the doctrine of Bṛhaspati, there are four means of attaining an object: tradition, fate, action, and friendship.
prādurbhūto'smi te mitraṃ suhṛttvaṃ ca mama tvayi. so'haṃ tathā yatiṣyāmi bhaviṣyasi yathārthavān ॥12-164-13॥
I have appeared to you as a friend, and my friendship is with you. Therefore, I shall act in such a way that you will become a person of truth.
tataḥ prabhātasamaye sukhaṃ pṛṣṭvābravīdidam। gaccha saumya pathānena kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyasi ॥12-164-14॥
Then, at dawn, after asking kindly, he said: "Go, dear one, by this path; you will achieve your purpose."
itastiryojanaṃ gatvā rākṣasādhipatirmahān। virūpākṣa iti khyātaḥ sakhā mama mahābalaḥ ॥12-164-15॥
From here, after traveling three yojanas, there is the great lord of the rākṣasas, Virūpākṣa, who is well-known and is my friend of great strength.
taṃ gaccha dvijamukhya tvaṃ mama vākyapracoditaḥ। kāmān abhīpsitāṃs tubhyaṃ dātā nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ॥12-164-16॥
Go to him, O foremost of the twice-born, as directed by my words. The giver will surely grant you the wishes you desire; there is no doubt about this.
ityuktaḥ prayayau rājan gautamo vigataklamaḥ। phalāny amṛtakalpāni bhakṣayan sma yatheṣṭataḥ ॥12-164-17॥
O king, thus addressed, Gautama departed, his fatigue gone, eating fruits like nectar as he wished.
candana-aguru-mukhyāni tvak-patrāṇāṃ vanāni ca। tasmin pathi mahārāja sevamānaḥ drutam yayau॥12-164-18॥
The great king quickly proceeded along that path, passing through forests of sandalwood, aloeswood, and other principal trees with bark and leaves.
tato meruvrajaṃ nāma nagaraṃ śailatoraṇam। śailaprākāravapraṃ ca śailayantrārgalaṃ tathā ॥12-164-19॥
Then there was the city called Meruvraja, with a stone archway, stone ramparts, and also a stone mechanical bolt.
viditaś cābhavat tasya rākṣasendrasya dhīmataḥ। prahitaḥ suhṛdā rājan prīyatā vai priyātithiḥ॥12-164-20॥
O king, it became known to the wise king of the rākṣasas; the dear guest was sent by his friend with affection indeed.
tataḥ sa rākṣasendraḥ svān preṣyān āha yudhiṣṭhira। gautamo nagaradvārāc chīghram ānīyatām iti ॥12-164-21॥
Then the king of the rākṣasas instructed his messengers, "Yudhiṣṭhira, have Gautama quickly brought from the city gate."
tataḥ puravarāttasmātpuruṣāḥ śvetaveṣṭanāḥ। gautametyabhibhāṣantaḥ puradvāramupāgaman ॥12-164-22॥
Then, men dressed in white garments came from the chief city, addressing him as "O Gautama", and approached the city gate.
te tamūcurmahārāja preṣyā rakṣaḥpaterdvijam। tvarasva tūrṇamāgaccha rājā tvāṃ draṣṭumicchati ॥12-164-23॥
The messengers of the lord of the Rākṣasas said to the Brāhmaṇa, "O great king, hurry and come quickly; the king wishes to see you."
rākṣasādhipatir vīro virūpākṣa iti śrutaḥ। sa tvāṃ tvarati vai draṣṭuṃ tat kṣipraṃ saṃvidhīyatām॥12-164-24॥
The heroic lord of the demons, Virūpākṣa, as he is called, has been mentioned. He is eager to see you; therefore, make arrangements quickly.
tataḥ sa prādravadvipro vismayādvigataklamaḥ। gautamo nagararddhiṃ tāṃ paśyanparamavismitaḥ ॥12-164-25॥
Then the Brāhmaṇa, Gautama, ran forward, his fatigue gone due to astonishment; seeing her and the city's prosperity, he was utterly amazed.
taireva sahito rājño veśma tūrṇam upādravat। darśanaṃ rākṣasendrasya kāṅkṣamāṇo dvijas tadā ॥12-164-26॥
Then the brāhmaṇa, accompanied by those very ones, quickly approached the king's palace, desiring an audience with the king of the rākṣasas.
