13.003
viśvāmitropākhyānam
The sub-narrative (story) of Viśvāmitra.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
brāhmaṇyaṃ yadi duṣprāpaṃ tribhirvarṇairnarādhipa। kathaṃ prāptaṃ mahārāja kṣatriyeṇa mahātmanā ॥13-3-1॥
O king, if the state of being a Brāhmaṇa is difficult to attain by the three castes, how was it attained by the great-souled Kṣatriya, O great king? (13-3-1)
viśvāmitreṇa dharmātman brāhmaṇatvaṃ nararṣabha। śrotum icchāmi tattvena tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥13-3-2॥
O grandsire, O righteous-souled one, O bull among men, I wish to hear truly about the brāhmaṇa-hood of Viśvāmitra; please tell me that. (13-3-2)
tena hy amitavīryeṇa vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ। hataṃ putraśataṃ sadyas tapasā prapitāmaha ॥13-3-3॥
O great-grandfather, indeed, by that immeasurably powerful one, the hundred sons of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha were immediately killed by austerity. (13-3-3)
yātudhānāś ca bahavo rākṣasās tigmatejasaḥ। manyunāviṣṭadehena sṛṣṭāḥ kālāntakopamāḥ ॥13-3-4॥
Many demons and rākṣasas of fierce brilliance, created with bodies possessed by anger, were like the destroyer at the end of time. (13-3-4)
mahān kuśika-vaṃśaś ca brahmarṣi-śata-saṅkulaḥ। sthāpito nara-loke 'smin vidvān brāhmaṇa-saṃstutaḥ ॥13-3-5॥
The great Kuśika lineage, filled with hundreds of Brahmarṣis, was established in this world of men by a wise one, praised by Brāhmaṇas. (13-3-5)
ṛcīkasya ātmajaś caiva śunaḥśepo mahātapāḥ। vimokṣito mahāsatrāt paśutām abhyupāgataḥ ॥13-3-6॥
Śunaḥśepa, the son of Ṛcīka and a great ascetic, who had been released from the state of being a sacrificial victim at the great sacrifice. (13-3-6)
hariścandra-kratau devāṁs toṣayitvā ātma-tejasā। putratām anusamprāpto viśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ ॥13-3-7॥
Having pleased the gods by his own splendor in the sacrifice of Hariścandra, he attained the status of son to the wise Viśvāmitra. (13-3-7)
nābhivādayate jyeṣṭhaṃ devarātaṃ narādhipa। putrāḥ pañcaśatāścāpi śaptāḥ śvapacatāṃ gatāḥ ॥13-3-8॥
O king, because he does not greet his elder Devarāta, his five hundred sons have also been cursed and have become dog-eaters. (13-3-8)
triśaṅkur bandhu-santyakta ikṣvākuḥ prīti-pūrvakam। avāk-śirā divaṃ nīto dakṣiṇām āśrito diśam ॥13-3-9॥
Triśaṅku, a descendant of Ikṣvāku, abandoned by his relatives, was affectionately led with his head downwards to heaven, having resorted to the southern direction. (13-3-9)
viśvāmitrasya vipulā nadī rājarṣisevitā। kauśikīti śivā puṇyā brahmarṣigaṇasevitā ॥13-3-10॥
The broad river of Viśvāmitra, served by royal sages, is known as the holy and auspicious Kauśikī, attended by groups of Brahmarṣis. (13-3-10)
tapovighnakarī caiva pañcachūḍā susaṁmatā। rambhā nāmāpsarāḥ śāpādyasya śailatvamāgatā ॥13-3-11॥
Rambhā, the well-esteemed celestial nymph known as Pañcachūḍā, who was an obstacle to austerities, due to a curse, has become a mountain. (13-3-11)
tathaivāsya bhayādbaddhvā vasiṣṭhaḥ salile purā। ātmānaṃ majjayāmāsa vipāśaḥ punarutthitaḥ ॥13-3-12॥
Thus, out of fear of him, Vasiṣṭha once bound himself and immersed himself in the water; the river Vipāśā brought him up again. (13-3-12)
tadāprabhṛti puṇyā hi vipāśābhūnmahānadī। vikhyātā karmaṇā tena vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ ॥13-3-13॥
From that time, the Vipāśā became a holy and great river, renowned because of the deed of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha. (13-3-13)
vāgbhiś ca bhagavān yena deva-senāgragaḥ prabhuḥ। stutaḥ prīta-manāś ca āsīt śāpāc ca enam amocayat ॥13-3-14॥
The Lord, having been praised by words by the leader of the divine army, was pleased in mind and released him from the curse. (13-3-14)
dhruvasyauttānapādasya brahmarṣīṇāṃ tathaiva ca। madhye jvalati yo nityamudīcīmāśrito diśam ॥13-3-15॥
Just as Dhruva, the son of Uttānapāda, and the Brahmarṣis, so too, in the midst, he who always shines, having resorted to the northern direction. (13-3-15)
tasyaitāni ca karmāṇi tathānyāni ca kaurava। kṣatriyasyetyato jātamidaṃ kautūhalaṃ mama ॥13-3-16॥
O Kaurava, these actions of his and other such actions of a kṣatriya—thus, therefore, this curiosity has arisen in me. (13-3-16)
kim etad iti tattvena prabrūhi bharatarṣabha। dehāntaram anāsādya kathaṃ sa brāhmaṇo 'bhavat ॥13-3-17॥
O best of the Bharatas, explain in reality what this is. How did he become a Brāhmaṇa without attaining another body? (13-3-17)
etattattvena me rājan sarvam ākhyātum arhasi। mataṅgasya yathātattvaṃ tathaiva etad bravīhi me ॥13-3-18॥
O king, you ought to tell me all this truthfully; just as is the reality regarding Mataṅga, so indeed tell me this. (13-3-18)
sthāne mataṅgo brāhmaṇyaṃ nālabhadbharatarṣabha। caṇḍālayonau jāto hi kathaṃ brāhmaṇyamāpnuyāt ॥13-3-19॥
O best of the Bharatas, Matanga did not attain Brahminhood in the proper way. Indeed, being born from a Caṇḍāla woman, how could he ever become a Brahmin? (13-3-19)
