12.166
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atha tatra mahārciṣmānanalo vātasārathiḥ। tasyāvidūre rakṣārthaṃ khagendreṇa kṛto'bhavat ॥12-166-1॥
Then, at that place, the greatly radiant fire with the wind as its charioteer was present. Not far from him, for protection, the lord of birds (Garuda) created (something or some arrangement).
sa cāpi pārśve suṣvāpa viśvasto bakarāttadā। kṛtaghnastu sa duṣṭātmā taṃ jighāṃsurajāgarat ॥12-166-2॥
He, trusting the crane king, slept well at his side. But the ungrateful and wicked-minded one stayed awake, intent on killing him.
tato'lātena dīptena viśvastaṃ nijaghāna tam। nihatya ca mudā yuktaḥ so'nubandhaṃ na dṛṣṭavān ॥12-166-3॥
Then, with a blazing firebrand, he struck his confident foe. After slaying him, rejoicing, he did not pursue further.
sa taṃ vipakṣaromāṇaṃ kṛtvāgnāvapacattadā। taṃ gṛhītvā suvarṇaṃ ca yayau drutataraṃ dvijaḥ ॥12-166-4॥
He made the feathers of the opposing side and then cooked them in fire. Taking that and the gold, the Brahmin departed more swiftly.
tato'nyasmimgate cāhni virūpākṣo'bravītsutam। na prekṣe rājadarmāṇamadya putra khagottamam ॥12-166-5॥
Then, when another day had passed, Virūpākṣa said to his son: "Today, O son, O best of birds, I do not see the kingly duties."
sa pūrvasandhyāṃ brahmāṇaṃ vandituṃ yāti sarvadā। māṃ cādṛṣṭvā kadācitsa na gacchati gṛhānkḥagaḥ ॥12-166-6॥
He always goes to salute the Brahman at dawn. That bird never goes home without seeing me.
ubhe dvirātraṃ sandhye vai nābhyagāts mamālayam। tasmānna śudhyate bhāvo mama sa jñāyatāṃ suhṛt ॥12-166-7॥
O friend, know that my mind is not at peace, for both twilights and two nights have not come to my abode.
svādhyāyena viyukto hi brahmavarcasavarjitaḥ। taṃ gatastatra me śaṅkā hanyāttaṃ sa dvijādhamaḥ ॥12-166-8॥
If one who is deprived of self-study and devoid of spiritual brilliance goes there, I fear that the lowest of the twice-born may harm him.
durācārastu durbuddhir iṅgitair lakṣito mayā। niṣkriyo dāruṇākāraḥ kṛṣṇo dasyur ivādhamah ॥12-166-9॥
Kṛṣṇa, wicked in conduct and of evil intellect, was identified by me through his gestures; he is inactive, of terrible appearance, and is like a bandit, the lowest of men.
gautamaḥ sa gatastatra tenodvignaṃ mano mama। putra śīghramito gatvā rājadhamraniveśanam ॥ jñāyatāṃ sa viśuddhātmā yadi jīvati māciram ॥12-166-10॥
My mind is disturbed because Gautama has gone there. Son, quickly go from here to the royal court and find out at once whether that pure-souled one is still alive.
sa evam-uktas tvarito rakṣobhiḥ sahito yayau। nyagrodhaṃ tatra cāpaśyat-kaṅkālaṃ rājadharmaṇaḥ ॥12-166-11॥
Thus addressed, he quickly went with the rākṣasas. There, at the banyan tree, he saw the skeleton of King Rājadharmaṇa.
sa rudannagamatputro rākṣasendrasya dhīmataḥ। tvaramāṇaḥ paraṃ śaktyā gautamagṛhaṇāya vai ॥12-166-12॥
Weeping, the son of the wise king of the rākṣasas hastened with all his might to seize Gautama.
tato'vidūre jagṛhurgautamaṃ rākṣasāstadā। rājadharmaśarīraṃ ca pakṣāsthicaraṇojjhitam ॥12-166-13॥
Then, not far away, the Rākṣasas seized Gautama and the body of Rājadharma, which had been stripped of its wings, bones, and feet.
tam-ādāyātha rakṣāṃsi drutaṃ meruvrajaṃ yayuḥ। rājñaś-ca darśayāmāsuḥ śarīraṃ rājadharmaṇaḥ ॥ kṛtaghnaṃ puruṣaṃ taṃ ca gautamaṃ pāpacetasam ॥12-166-14॥
Then, having seized him, the demons swiftly went to Meruvraja and showed the body of Rajadharmaṇa to the king. They also pointed out the ungrateful man, Gautama, who was evil-minded.
ruroda rājā taṃ dṛṣṭvā sāmātyaḥ sapurohitaḥ। ārtanādaś ca sumahān abhūt tasya niveśane ॥12-166-15॥
When the king saw him, he wept, accompanied by his ministers and priests; and a very great cry of distress arose in his residence.
sastrīkumāraṃ ca puraṃ babhūvāsvasthamānasam। athābravīnnṛpaḥ putraṃ pāpo'yaṃ vadhyatāmiti ॥12-166-16॥
The city, filled with women and children, became disturbed in mind. Then the king said to his son, "Let this wicked one be killed."
asya māṁsair ime sarve viharantu yatheṣṭataḥ। pāpācāraḥ pāpakarmā pāpātmā pāpaniścayaḥ ॥ hantavyo'yaṁ mama matir bhavadbhir iti rākṣasāḥ ॥12-166-17॥
Let all these enjoy his flesh as they wish. He who is of evil conduct, evil deeds, evil soul, and evil resolve is to be killed—this is my opinion, O Rākṣasas.
ityuktā rākṣasendreṇa rākṣasā ghoravikramāḥ। naicchanta taṃ bhakṣayituṃ pāpakarmāyamityuta ॥12-166-18॥
When thus addressed by the king of the rākṣasas, the rākṣasas of terrible prowess did not wish to eat him, saying, "This one is of evil deeds, indeed."
dasyūnāṃ dīyatāmeṣa sādhvadya puruṣādhamaḥ। ityūcustam mahārāja rākṣasendraṃ niśācarāḥ ॥12-166-19॥
The night-wanderers said to the king of the rākṣasas, "O great king, let this lowest of men be given to the robbers today, O good one."
śirobhiś ca gatā bhūmim ūcū rakṣogaṇādhipam। na dātum arhasi tvaṃ no bhakṣaṇāyāsya kilbiṣam ॥12-166-20॥
They bowed their heads to the ground and said to the lord of the demon hosts: "You should not give us the sin of eating him."
evam astv iti tān āha rākṣasendraḥ niśācarān। dasyūnāṃ dīyatām eṣa kṛtaghno 'dyaiva rākṣasāḥ ॥12-166-21॥
The king of the rākṣasas said to the night-wanderers, "So be it." He ordered, "O rākṣasas, let this ungrateful one be handed over to the robbers today."
ityukte tasya te dāsāḥ śūlamudgarapāṇayaḥ। chittvā taṃ khaṇḍaśaḥ pāpaṃ dasyubhyaḥ pradadus tadā ॥12-166-22॥
When this was said, his servants, armed with spears and maces, cut the wicked one into pieces and then gave him to the robbers.
dasyavaś cāpi naicchanta tam attuṃ pāpakāriṇam। kravyādā api rājendra kṛtaghnaṃ nopabhuñjate ॥12-166-23॥
Even robbers did not wish to eat that evil-doer. O king, even flesh-eaters do not consume the ungrateful person.
brahma-ghne ca surāpe ca core bhagna-vrate tathā। niṣkṛtir vihitā rājan kṛtaghne nāsti niṣkṛtiḥ ॥12-166-24॥
O king, expiation is prescribed for the slayer of a Brāhmaṇa, the drinker of intoxicating liquor, the thief, and the breaker of a vow; but for the ungrateful one, there is no expiation.
mitradrohī nṛśaṃsaś ca kṛtaghnaś ca narādhamaḥ। kravyādaiḥ kṛmibhiś cānyair na bhujyante hi tādṛśāḥ॥12-166-25॥
Those who betray friends, are cruel, ungrateful, and the lowest among men—such people are not consumed even by flesh-eating beings, worms, or others.
