13.102
puṣpādi-dāna-phalam
The result of offering flowers and similar gifts.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
śrutaṃ me bharataśreṣṭha puṣpadhūpapradāyinām। phalaṃ balividhāne ca tadbhūyo vaktumarhasi॥13-102-1॥
O best of the Bharatas, I have heard about the fruit of those who offer flowers and incense in the arrangement of offerings; you ought to explain that again. (13-102-1)
dhūpapradānasya phalaṃ pradīpasya tathaiva ca। balayaś ca kimarthaṃ vai kṣipyante gṛhamedhibhiḥ ॥13-102-2॥
What is the result of offering incense, a lamp, and other offerings? For what reason are these indeed offered by householders? (13-102-2)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam. nahuṣaṃ prati saṃvādam agastyasya bhṛgos tathā ॥13-102-3॥
Here too is cited an ancient account: the dialogue between Agastya and Bhṛgu concerning Nahuṣa. (13-102-3)
nahuṣo hi mahārāja rājarṣiḥ sumahātapāḥ। devarājyam anuprāptaḥ sukṛtena iha karmaṇā॥13-102-4॥
Nahuṣa indeed, O great king, was a royal sage of great austerity, who attained the kingdom of the gods here by virtuous actions. (13-102-4)
tatrāpi prayato rājanna huṣas tridive vasan। mānuṣīś caiva divyāś ca kurvāṇo vividhāḥ kriyāḥ॥13-102-5॥
O king, even there, Nahusha, dwelling in heaven, performed various human and divine rites with diligence. (13-102-5)
mānuṣyas tatra sarvāḥ sma kriyās tasya mahātmanaḥ। pravṛttās tridive rājan divyāś caiva sanātanāḥ॥13-102-6॥
O king, there, all the actions of that great-souled human, indeed, originated in heaven; they are truly divine and eternal. (13-102-6)
agnikāryāṇi samidhaḥ kuśāḥ sumanasas tathā। balayaś cānna-lājābhir dhūpanaṃ dīpakarma ca ॥13-102-7॥
Fire rituals, sticks, kuśa grass, flowers, food offerings with rice and parched grain, the offering of incense, and lighting of lamps (13-102-7)
sarvaṃ tasya gṛhe rājñaḥ prāvartata mahātmanaḥ। japayajñān manoyajñāṃs tridive'pi cakāra saḥ॥13-102-8॥
Everything in the house of the great-souled king was set in motion. He performed sacrifices of recitation and of the mind, even in heaven. (13-102-8)
daivatāny arcayaṃś cāpi vidhivat sa sureśvaraḥ। sarvāṇy eva yathānyāyaṃ yathāpūrvam ariṃdama ॥13-102-9॥
O subduer of foes, he, the lord of the gods, worshipped all the deities properly, in accordance with propriety, as before. (13-102-9)
athendrasya bhaviṣyatvād ahaṅkāras tam āviśat। sarvāś caiva kriyās tasya paryahīyanta bhūpate ॥13-102-10॥
Then, O king, because of Indra’s inclination toward the future, ego entered him, and all his actions began to decline.
sa ṛṣīn vāhayām āsa varadānamadānvitaḥ। parihīnakriyaś cāpi durbalatvam upeyivān॥13-102-11॥
He, filled with the pride from receiving a boon, made the sages serve him; being deprived of proper actions, he also became weak. (13-102-11)
tasya vāhayataḥ kālo munimukhyāṁs tapodhanān | ahaṅkārābhibhūtasya sumahān atyavartata ॥13-102-12॥
While he, overpowered by ego, was driving away the chief ascetic sages, a very long time passed for him. (13-102-12)
atha paryāyaś ṛṣīn vāhanāya upacakrame। paryāyaś cāpy agastyasya samapadyata bhārata॥13-102-13॥
Then, the turn for transporting the sages began. And, O Bhārata, the turn of Agastya also arrived. (13-102-13)
athāgamya mahāteja bhṛgur brahmavidāṁ varaḥ। agastyāśramasthaṁ vai samupetyedam abravīt॥13-102-14॥
Then the radiant Bhṛgu, foremost among the knowers of Brahman, came and, having approached the one living in Agastya's hermitage, spoke these words. (13-102-14)
evaṁ vayam asatkāraṁ devendrasya asya durmateḥ। nahuṣasya kimarthaṁ vai marṣayāma mahāmune॥13-102-15॥
Thus, O great sage, for what reason should we tolerate the disrespect toward Indra from this evil-minded Nahuṣa? (13-102-15)
agastya uvāca॥
Agastya said.
kat h ameṣa mayā śakyaḥ śaptuṃ yasya mahāmune। varadena varo datto bhavato viditaś ca saḥ ॥13-102-16॥
O great sage, how can I possibly curse this one, to whom, by you—the granter of boons—a boon has been given, and who is also known to you? (13-102-16)
yo me dṛṣṭipathaṃ gacchetsa me vaśyo bhavediti। ity anena varo devād yācito gacchatā divam ॥13-102-17॥
"Whoever should enter my range of sight should become subject to me"—with this intent, the boon was requested from the god as he was going to heaven. (13-102-17)
evaṃ na dagdhaḥ sa mayā bhavatā ca na saṃśayaḥ। anyenāpy ṛṣimukhyena na śapto na ca pātitaḥ॥13-102-18॥
Thus, there is no doubt that he was not burnt by me or by you. Even by another foremost sage, he was neither cursed nor overthrown. (13-102-18)
amṛtaṃ caiva pānāya dattamasmai purā vibho। mahātmane tadarthaṃ ca nāsmābhirvinipātyate ॥13-102-19॥
O lord, nectar was indeed formerly given to him to drink; for that very purpose, it is not relinquished by us to the great-souled one. (13-102-19)
prāyacchata varaṃ devaḥ prajānāṃ duḥkha-kārakam। dvijeṣu adharma-yuktāni sa karoti narādhamaḥ॥13-102-20॥
The god granted a boon that caused suffering to the people. That vilest of men commits acts associated with unrighteousness among the twice-born. (13-102-20)
atra yat-prāpta-kālaṃ nas tad brūhi vadatāṃ vara। bhavāṃś cāpi yathā brūyāt kurvīmahi tathā vayam ॥13-102-21॥
Here, please tell us what is timely, O best of speakers. Whatever your honor may suggest, that we will do accordingly. (13-102-21)
bhṛguruvāca॥
Bhṛgu said.
pitāmahaniyogena bhavantam aham āgataḥ। pratikartuṃ balavati nahuṣe darpam āsthite ॥13-102-22॥
I have come to you by the command of the grandsire, in order to counter the arrogance assumed by the mighty Nahusha. (13-102-22)
adya hi tvā sudurbuddhī rathe yokṣyati devarāṭ। adya enam aham udvṛttaṃ kariṣye 'nindram ojasā ॥13-102-23॥
Today, indeed, the very evil-minded king of the gods will yoke you to the chariot. Today, by my power, I will make that arrogant one without Indra. (13-102-23)
adyendraṃ sthāpayiṣyāmi paśyataste śatakratum। sañcālya pāpakarmāṇam indrasthānāt sudurmatim ॥13-102-24॥
Today I will establish Indra—the thousand-tasked—in his place before your eyes, after casting out the evil-minded doer of wicked deeds from Indra's throne. (13-102-24)
adya cāsau kudevendras tvāṃ padā dharṣayiṣyati। daivopahatacittatvād ātmanāśāya mandadhīḥ ॥13-102-25॥
Today, that false king of the gods will insult you by his foot. Because his mind is overcome by fate, he acts for his own destruction, being of dull understanding. (13-102-25)
vyutkrāntadharmaṃ tamahaṃ dharṣaṇāmarṣito bhṛśam। ahirbhavasveti ruṣā śapsye pāpaṃ dvijadruham॥13-102-26॥
I, deeply enraged by his outrageous act, at him whose righteousness has departed, shall angrily curse, saying: "Become a serpent"—for the sinner who injures a Brahmin. (13-102-26)
tat enaṁ sudur-buddhiṁ dhi-śabda-abhibhata-tviṣam। dharaṇyāṁ pātayiṣyāmi prekṣataḥ te mahā-mune ॥13-102-27॥
Therefore, O great sage, I will cast down this extremely wicked one, whose radiance has been subdued by the word 'dhi', onto the earth before your very eyes. (13-102-27)
nahuṣaṃ pāpakarmāṇam aiśvaryabalamohitam। yathā ca rocate tubhyaṃ tathā kartāsmyahaṃ mune ॥13-102-28॥
I will deal with Nahusha—who, possessed of evil deeds and deluded by the power of sovereignty—in whatever way is pleasing to you, O sage. (13-102-28)
evam-uktas tu bhṛguṇā maitrāvaruṇir avyayaḥ। agastyaḥ parama-prīto babhūva vigata-jvaraḥ ॥13-102-29॥
Thus, when addressed by Bhṛgu, the imperishable son of Mitrāvaruṇa, Agastya became greatly pleased and free from distress. (13-102-29)
