12.324
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
yadā bhakto bhagavata āsīdrājā mahāvasuḥ। kimarthaṃ sa paribhraṣṭo viveśa vivaraṃ bhuvaḥ ॥3-324-1॥
When the devotee of the Lord, King Mahāvasu, was present, for what reason did he, having fallen, enter the cavity of the earth? (3-324-1)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। ṛṣīṇāṃ caiva saṃvādaṃ tridaśānāṃ ca bhārata ॥3-324-2॥
Here too, O Bhārata, they recount this ancient history, the conversation between the sages and the gods. (3-324-2)
ajena yaṣṭavyam iti devāḥ prāhur dvijottamān। sa ca chāgo hy ajo jñeyo nānyaḥ paśur iti sthitiḥ ॥3-324-3॥
The gods said to the best of the twice-born: "The sacrifice should be performed with a goat." That goat is to be understood as the sheep and the goat, not any other animal—this is the rule. (3-324-3)
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ॥
The sages said.
bījairyajñeṣu yaṣṭavyamiti vai vaidikī śrutiḥ। ajasañjñāni bījāni chāgaṃ na ghnantumarhatha ॥3-324-4॥
The Vedic revelation states: "One should offer seeds in sacrifices." The seeds called 'aja' should not be taken to mean a goat; you ought not to kill the goat. (3-324-4)
naiṣa dharmaḥ satāṃ devā yatra vadhyeta vai paśuḥ। idaṃ kṛtayugaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ kathaṃ vadhyeta vai paśuḥ ॥3-324-5॥
O gods, this is not the righteousness of the virtuous, where an animal would be killed. This Kṛta Yuga is excellent; how could an animal be killed in it? (3-324-5)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
teṣāṃ saṃvadatāmevam ṛṣīṇāṃ vibudhaiḥ saha। mārgāgato nṛpaśreṣṭhas taṃ deśaṃ prāptavān vasuḥ॥ antarikṣacaraḥ śrīmān samagrabalavāhanaḥ॥3-324-6॥
While those sages were thus conversing together with the wise, the best of kings, Vasu, who moved in the sky, prosperous and possessing all forces and vehicles, arrived at that place. (3-324-6)
taṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasāyāntaṃ vasuṃ te tvantarikṣagam। ūcurdvijātayo devāneṣa chetsyati saṃśayam ॥3-324-7॥
Seeing him, the Vasu, suddenly approaching, the twice-born said to the gods about you, who move in the sky: "This one will dispel doubt." (3-324-7)
yajvā dānapatiḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvabhūtahitapriyaḥ। kathaṃ svid anyathā brūyād vākyam eṣa mahān vasuḥ ॥3-324-8॥
How could this great Vasu, who is a sacrificer, lord of gifts, excellent, and fond of the welfare of all beings, ever speak otherwise? (3-324-8)
evaṃ te saṃvidaṃ kṛtvā vibudhā ṛṣayas tathā। apṛcchansahasābhyetya vasuṃ rājānam antikāt ॥3-324-9॥
In this way, after coming to an agreement, the gods and sages together quickly approached King Vasu and questioned him directly. (3-324-9)
bho rājan kena yaṣṭavyam ajena aho svid auṣadhaiḥ। etan naḥ saṁśayam chindhi pramāṇaṁ no bhavān mataḥ ॥3-324-10॥
O king, by what should the sacrifice be performed—by a goat or perhaps by herbs? Please resolve this doubt of ours, for you are considered our authority. (3-324-10)
sa tān kṛtāñjalir bhūtvā paripapraccha vai vasuḥ। kasya vaḥ ko mataḥ pakṣaḥ brūta satyaṃ samāgatāḥ ॥3-324-11॥
He, Vasu, having joined his palms, respectfully asked them: "Among you, whose side is considered? Speak the truth, you who have assembled." (3-324-11)
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ॥
The sages said.
dhānyair yaṣṭavyam iti eṣaḥ pakṣaḥ asmākam narādhipa। devānām tu paśuḥ pakṣaḥ mataḥ rājan vadasva naḥ ॥3-324-12॥
O king, our view is that sacrifices should be performed with grains; but for the gods, the view is that animals are to be used. O king, please tell us your opinion. (3-324-12)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
devānāṃ tu mataṃ jñātvā vasunā pakṣasaṃśrayāt। chāgenājena yaṣṭavyamevamuktaṃ vacastadā ॥3-324-13॥
Then, having known the opinion of the gods, Vasu, taking sides, said these words: "A goat or a ram should be sacrificed thus." (3-324-13)
kupitās te tataḥ sarve munayaḥ sūryavarcasaḥ। ūcur vasuṃ vimānasthaṃ devapakṣārthavādinam ॥3-324-14॥
Then, all the sages, angered and radiant like the sun, spoke to Vasu, who was in the aerial car and advocating for the gods. (3-324-14)
surapakṣo gṛhītaste yasmāttasmādivaḥ pata। adya prabhṛti te rājannākāśe vihatā gatiḥ ॥ asmacchāpābhighātena mahīṃ bhittvā pravekṣyasi ॥3-324-15॥
Since you have seized the side of the gods, therefore fall from heaven. From this day onward, O king, your movement in the sky is obstructed. By the force of our curse, you will pierce the earth and enter it. (3-324-15)
tatastasmin muhūrte'tha rājo-paricaraḥ tadā। adho vai sambabhūvāśu bhūmer vivarago nṛpaḥ॥ smṛtis tvenam na prajahau tadā nārāyaṇājñayā॥3-324-16॥
Then, at that very moment, King Rājoparicara quickly went down into a hole in the earth. Yet, by the command of Nārāyaṇa, his memory did not abandon him at that time. (3-324-16)
devāstu sahitāḥ sarve vasoḥ śāpavimokṣaṇam। cintayāmāsuravyagrāḥ sukṛtaṃ hi nṛpasya tat ॥3-324-17॥
But all the gods together calmly considered the release from Vasu's curse; indeed, that was the king's good deed. (3-324-17)
anenāsmatkṛte rājñā śāpaḥ prāpto mahātmanā। asya pratipriyaṃ kāryaṃ sahitairno divaukasaḥ ॥3-324-18॥
By this act, for our sake, the king has received a curse from the great-souled one. In return, we, the dwellers of heaven, should together do what is pleasing to him. (3-324-18)
iti buddhyā vyavasyāśu gatvā niścayam īśvarāḥ। ūcus taṃ hṛṣṭamanasaḥ rājoparicaraṃ tadā ॥3-324-19॥
Thus, having quickly made up their minds with intellect and gone there, the lords then said to Rājoparicara with delighted hearts. (3-324-19)
brahmaṇyadevaṃ tvaṃ bhaktaḥ surāsuraguruṃ harim। kāmaṃ sa tava tuṣṭātmā kuryācchāpavimokṣaṇam ॥3-324-20॥
You are a devotee of the god devoted to Brahman, Hari, the teacher of gods and demons; if he is pleased with you, he may willingly remove the curse. (3-324-20)
mānanā tu dvijātīnām kartavyā vai mahātmanām। avaśyaṃ tapasā teṣāṃ phalitavyaṃ nṛpottama ॥3-324-21॥
But honouring the twice-born must indeed be done by the great-souled. Certainly, their austerity must bear fruit, O best of kings. (3-324-21)
yatastvaṁ sahasā bhraṣṭa ākāśānmedinītalam। ekaṁ tvanugrahaṁ tubhyaṁ dadmo vai nṛpasattama ॥3-324-22॥
Because you have suddenly fallen from the sky to the earth, we indeed grant you one favor, O best of kings. (3-324-22)
yāvat tvaṃ śāpadoṣeṇa kālam āsiṣyase 'nagha। bhūmer vivarago bhūtvā tāvantaṃ kālam āpsyasi ॥ yajñeṣu suhutāṃ vipraiḥ vasor dhārāṃ mahātmabhiḥ ॥3-324-23॥
O sinless one, as long as you must remain, due to the fault of a curse, within a cavity of the earth, you will experience that period. During that time, in sacrifices, you will receive the stream of ghee well-offered by the great-souled Brahmins. (3-324-23)
prāpsyase'smad-anudhyānān mā ca tvāṃ glānir āspṛśet। na kṣutpipāse rājendra bhūmeś chindre bhaviṣyataḥ ॥3-324-24॥
Through our contemplation, you will attain your goal; and let not fatigue affect you. O king, in the cavity of the earth, you will not experience hunger or thirst. (3-324-24)
vasordhārānupītatvāt tejasāpyāyitena ca। sa devo'smad-varāt prīto brahmalokaṃ hi neṣyati ॥3-324-25॥
Because he has drunk the stream of vital essence and has been nourished by brilliance, that god, pleased by our boon, will indeed lead him to the world of Brahma. (3-324-25)
evaṃ dattvā varaṃ rājñe sarve tatra divaukasāḥ। gatāḥ svabhavanaṃ devā ṛṣayaś ca tapodhanāḥ ॥3-324-26॥
Having thus granted the boon to the king, all the gods, the sages, and the ascetics present there returned to their own abodes. (3-324-26)
cakre ca satataṃ pūjāṃ viṣvaksenāya bhārata। japyaṃ jagau ca satataṃ nārāyaṇamukhodgatam ॥3-324-27॥
O Bhārata, he always performed worship to Viṣvaksena, and he always chanted the recitation that arose from the mouth of Nārāyaṇa. (3-324-27)
tatrāpi pañcabhiryajñaiḥ pañcakālānariṃdama। ayajaddhariṃ surapatiṃ bhūmervivarago'pi san ॥3-324-28॥
There too, O subduer of enemies, even after departing from the earth, he worshipped Hari, the lord of the gods, with five sacrifices at the five times. (3-324-28)
tato'sya tuṣṭo bhagavānbhaktyā nārāyaṇo hariḥ। ananyabhaktasya satastatparasya jitātmanaḥ ॥3-324-29॥
Then, Nārāyaṇa Hari, the Lord, being pleased by his devotion, favored the one who had undivided devotion, was true, intent on Him, and self-controlled. (3-324-29)
varado bhagavān viṣṇuḥ samīpasthaṃ dvijottamam। garutmantaṃ mahāvegam ābabhāṣe smayann iva ॥3-324-30॥
The boon-giving Lord Viṣṇu, standing near the foremost of the twice-born, addressed Garuḍa, the swift one, with a smile. (3-324-30)
dvijottama mahābhāga gamyatāṃ vacanān mama। samrāḍrājā vasur nāma dharmātmā māṃ samāśritaḥ ॥3-324-31॥
O most excellent of the twice-born, O greatly fortunate one, let it be done as I have said. The emperor named Vasu, who is righteous, has sought my protection. (3-324-31)
brāhmaṇānāṃ prakopena praviṣṭo vasudhātalam। mānitās te tu viprendrās tvaṃ tu gaccha dvijottama ॥3-324-32॥
Because of the Brāhmaṇas' anger, the earth's surface was penetrated. The foremost Brāhmaṇas have been honored by you; but now, O best of twice-born, you should go. (3-324-32)
bhūmer-vivarasaṅguptaṃ garuḍeha mamājñayā। adhaś-caraṃ nṛpaśreṣṭhaṃ khecaraṃ kuru māciram ॥3-324-33॥
O Garuḍa, by my command, make the best of kings, who is hidden in a cavity of the earth and moves below, into one who moves in the sky here; do not delay. (3-324-33)
garutmān atha vikṣipya pakṣau mārutavegavān। viveśa vivaraṃ bhūmer yatrāste vāgyato vasuḥ॥3-324-34॥
Then Garutmān, spreading his two wings and swift as the wind, entered the opening in the earth where Vasu (Kubera) sits in silence. (3-324-34)
tata enaṃ samutkṣipya sahasā vinatāsutaḥ। utpapāta nabhastūrṇaṃ tatra cainamamuñcata ॥3-324-35॥
Then, the son of Vinatā suddenly lifted him up, swiftly soared into the sky, and there released him. (3-324-35)
tasmin muhūrte sañjajñe rājoparicaraḥ punaḥ। saśarīro gataścaiva brahmalokaṃ nṛpottamaḥ ॥3-324-36॥
At that very moment, Rājoparicara, the best of kings, was reborn; with his body, he went to Brahma-loka. (3-324-36)
evaṃ tenāpi kaunteya vāgdoṣād devatājñayā। prāptā gatir ayajvārhā dvijaśāpān mahātmanā ॥3-324-37॥
Thus, O son of Kunti, by him also, due to a fault of speech and by the command of the deity, the state unworthy of a sacrificer was attained as a result of the curse of the twice-born, by the great-souled one. (3-324-37)
kevalaṃ puruṣas tena sevito harir īśvaraḥ। tataḥ śīghraṃ jahau śāpaṃ brahmalokam avāpa ca ॥3-324-38॥
Hari, the Lord, was served exclusively by that man. Then, he quickly gave up the curse and attained Brahma-loka. (3-324-38)
etatte sarvam ākhyātaṃ te bhūtā mānavā yathā। nārado'pi yathā śvetaṃ dvīpaṃ sa gatavān ṛṣiḥ ॥ tatte sarvaṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvaikamānā nṛpa ॥3-324-39॥
All this has been declared to you, as it happened with beings and humans. Nārada also, as he went to the White Island, the sage. That I shall tell you in full; listen with one-pointed mind, O king. (3-324-39)
