13.050
cyavanopākhyānam
The story of Cyavana.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
darśane kīdṛśaḥ snehaḥ saṃvāse ca pitāmaha। mahābhāgyaṃ gavāṃ caiva tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥13-50-1॥
O grandsire, what kind of affection arises upon seeing and living together? Also, tell me, O grandsire, about the great fortune of cows. (13-50-1)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi purāvṛttaṃ mahādyute। nahuṣasya ca saṃvādaṃ maharṣeścyavanasya ca ॥13-50-2॥
Indeed, I will tell you the ancient story, O greatly radiant one—the conversation between Nahuṣa and the great sage Cyavana. (13-50-2)
purā maharṣiś cyavano bhārgavo bharatarṣabha। udavāsa-kṛtārambho babhūva sumahāvrataḥ ॥13-50-3॥
Long ago, O best of the Bharatas, the great sage Cyavana, a descendant of Bhṛgu, undertook a great vow and began his residence. (13-50-3)
nihatya mānaṃ krodhaṃ ca praharṣaṃ śokam eva ca। varṣāṇi dvādaśa munir jalavāse dhṛtavrataḥ ॥13-50-4॥
The sage, steadfast in his vow, having overcome pride, anger, excessive joy, and sorrow, lived in water for twelve years. (13-50-4)
ādadhatsarvabhūteṣu visrambhaṃ paramaṃ śubham। jalecareṣu sattveṣu śītaraśmiriva prabhuḥ ॥13-50-5॥
The lord, like the cool-rayed moon, instills supreme and auspicious confidence in all beings, especially among aquatic and living creatures. (13-50-5)
sthāṇubhūtaḥ śucirbhūtvā daivatebhyaḥ praṇamya ca। gaṅgāyamunayormadhye jalaṃ sampraviveśa ha ॥13-50-6॥
Having stood motionless and purified himself, and after bowing to the deities, he entered the water between the Gaṅgā and Yamunā rivers. (13-50-6)
gaṅgā-yamunayor-vegaṃ subhīmaṃ bhīma-niḥsvanam। pratijagrāha śirasā vāta-vega-samaṃ jave ॥13-50-7॥
He received upon his head the very terrible speed and roaring sound of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, which was as swift as the wind. (13-50-7)
gaṅgā ca yamunā caiva saritaś cānugās tayoḥ। pradakṣiṇam ṛṣiṃ cakrur na cainaṃ paryapīḍayan ॥13-50-8॥
Ganga, Yamuna, and indeed the rivers and their followers circumambulated the sage and did not crowd or oppress him. (13-50-8)
antarjale sa suṣvāpa kāṣṭhabhūto mahāmuniḥ। tataścordhvasthito dhīmānabhavadbharatarṣabha ॥13-50-9॥
The great sage, having become like a piece of wood, slept in the water. Then, O best of the Bharatas, the wise one rose up and stood upright. (13-50-9)
jalaukasāṃ sa sattvānāṃ babhūva priyadarśanaḥ। upājighranta ca tadā matsyāstaṃ hṛṣṭamānasāḥ ॥ tatra tasyāsataḥ kālaḥ samatīto'bhavanmahān ॥13-50-10॥
He became pleasing to look at among the water-dwellers and other beings; then, the fishes, delighted, approached and sniffed him. There, as he stayed, a long time passed. (13-50-10)
tataḥ kadācitsamaye kasmiṃścinmatsyajīvinaḥ। taṃ deśaṃ samupājagmurjālahastā mahādyute ॥13-50-11॥
Then, once at a certain time, some fishermen, holding nets and of great splendor, came together to that region. (13-50-11)
niṣādā bahavas tatra matsyoddharaṇaniścitāḥ। vyāyatā balinaḥ śūrāḥ salileṣvanivartinaḥ॥ abhyāyayuś ca taṃ deśaṃ niścitā jālakarmaṇi॥13-50-12॥
Many Nishadas, determined to lift fish, well-built, strong, and brave, who do not turn back in the waters, approached that region, resolved in the work of netting. (13-50-12)
jālaṃ ca yojayāmāsurviśeṣeṇa janādhipa। matsyodakaṃ samāsādya tadā bharatasattama ॥13-50-13॥
O best of the Bharatas, O ruler of people, they especially cast the net, having reached the water where the fish were, at that time. (13-50-13)
tataste bahubhiryogaiḥ kaivartā matsyakāṅkṣiṇaḥ। gaṅgāyamunayorvāri jālairabhyakiraṃstataḥ ॥13-50-14॥
Then the fishermen, eager for fish, used many methods and covered the waters of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā with their nets. (13-50-14)
jālaṃ suvitataṃ teṣāṃ navasūtrakṛtaṃ tathā। vistārāyāmasampannaṃ yattatra salile kṣamam ॥13-50-15॥
Their net, well-spread and made with new threads, likewise endowed with width and length, which was suitable there in the water. (13-50-15)
tataste sumahaccaiva balavacca suvartitam। prakīrya sarvataḥ sarve jālaṃ cakṛṣire tadā ॥13-50-16॥
Then, all of them spread out the very great, strong, and well-arranged net on all sides and drew it in. (13-50-16)
abhītarūpāḥ saṁhṛṣṭās te'nyonyavaśavartinaḥ। babandhus tatra matsyāṁś ca tathā'nyāñ jalacāriṇaḥ ॥13-50-17॥
Those with fearful forms, delighted and acting under each other's control, there bound the fishes and other aquatic creatures. (13-50-17)
tathā matsyaiḥ parivṛtaṃ cyavanaṃ bhṛgunandanam। ākarṣanta mahārāja jālenātha yadṛcchayā ॥13-50-18॥
Thus, O great king, the descendant of Bhṛgu, Cyavana, who was surrounded by fishes, was being dragged by chance with a net. (13-50-18)
nadīśaivaladigdhāṅgaṃ hariśmaśrujaṭādharam। lagnaiḥ śaṅkhagaṇairgātraiḥ koṣṭhaiścitrairivāvṛtam ॥13-50-19॥
His body was smeared with river algae, bearing a green-moss beard and matted hair, with groups of conch shells clinging to his limbs, as if covered with variegated cavities. (13-50-19)
taṃ jālenoddhṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā te tadā vedapāragam। sarve prāñjalayo dāśāḥ śirobhiḥ prāpatan bhuvi ॥13-50-20॥
Seeing him, the master of the Vedas, lifted up in the net, all the servants, with joined palms, fell to the ground with their heads. (13-50-20)
parikhedaparitrāsāj jālasya ākarṣaṇena ca। matsyā babhūvur vyāpannāḥ sthala-saṅkarṣaṇena ca ॥13-50-21॥
Due to distress and fear, as the net was drawn and dragged to the land, the fishes were destroyed. (13-50-21)
sa munis tat tadā dṛṣṭvā matsyānāṃ kadanaṃ kṛtam। babhūva kṛpayāviṣṭo niḥśvasaṃś ca punaḥ punaḥ ॥13-50-22॥
The sage, having then seen the slaughter of the fishes, became overcome with compassion, sighing again and again. (13-50-22)
niṣādā ūcuḥ॥
The Nishadas said.
ajñānādyatkṛtaṃ pāpaṃ prasādaṃ tatra naḥ kuru। karavāma priyaṃ kiṃ te tanno brūhi mahāmune ॥13-50-23॥
O great sage, whatever sin has been committed by us out of ignorance, please bestow your grace there. Tell us what is dear to you, so that we may do that. (13-50-23)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
ityukto matsyamadhyasthaś cyavano vākyam abravīt। yo me'dya paramaḥ kāmas taṃ śṛṇudhvaṃ samāhitāḥ ॥13-50-24॥
Thus addressed, Cyavana, who was in the midst of the fish, spoke these words: "Hear attentively my supreme desire of today." (13-50-24)
prāṇotsargaṃ vikrayaṃ vā matsyairyāsyāmyahaṃ saha। saṃvāsānnotsahe tyaktuṃ salilādhyuṣitānimān ॥13-50-25॥
I am unable to abandon these who dwell in water, with whom I have lived together; I will go with the fishes, whether it be to death or to be sold. (13-50-25)
ityuktās te niṣādās tu subhṛśaṃ bhayakampitāḥ। sarve viṣaṇṇavadanā nahuṣāya nyavedayan ॥13-50-26॥
When these words were spoken, the Nishadas, greatly trembling with fear and all with dejected faces, reported everything to Nahusha. (13-50-26)
