13.106
anaśanamāhātmyam
The greatness of fasting.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
dānaṃ bahuvidhākāraṃ śāntiḥ satyama-hiṃsatā। svadāratuṣṭiś-coktā te phalaṃ dānasya caiva yat ॥13-106-1॥
Gift given in many forms, peace, truth, non-violence, and contentment with one's own wife—these are declared to be the fruit of charity and indeed that (which arises therefrom). (13-106-1)
pitāmahasya viditaṃ kimanyatra tapobalāt। tapaso yatparaṃ te'dya tanme vyākhyātumarhasi॥13-106-2॥
Is there anything known of the Grandfather apart from the power of austerity? If there is anything higher than austerity that you know today, you ought to explain that to me. (13-106-2)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
tapaḥ pracakṣate yāvat-tāval-lokā yudhiṣṭhira। mataṃ mama tu kaunteya tapo nān-aśanāt param ॥13-106-3॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, people declare austerity to be as long-lasting as the worlds themselves; but in my opinion, O son of Kunti, austerity is not superior to fasting. (13-106-3)
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। bhagīrathasya saṃvādaṃ brahmaṇaś ca mahātmanaḥ ॥13-106-4॥
Here too they relate an ancient history—the dialogue between Bhagiratha and the great-souled Brahma. (13-106-4)
atītya suralokaṃ ca gavāṃ lokaṃ ca bhārata। ṛṣilokaṃ ca so'gacchadbhagīratha iti śrutiḥ ॥13-106-5॥
O Bhārata, it is heard that Bhagīratha, having passed beyond the world of the gods, the world of cows, and the world of sages, went onwards. (13-106-5)
taṁ dṛṣṭvā sa vacaḥ prāha brahmā rājanbhagīratham। kathaṁ bhagīrathāgāstvamimaṁ deśaṁ durāsadam ॥13-106-6॥
Seeing him, Brahmā spoke these words to Bhagīratha: "O king, how have you, Bhagīratha, come to this place which is difficult to approach?" (13-106-6)
na hi devā na gandharvā na manuṣyā bhagīratha। āyāntyataptatapasaḥ kathaṁ vai tvamihāgataḥ ॥13-106-7॥
O Bhagīratha, neither gods, gandharvas, nor humans come here without performing austerities; how indeed have you come here? (13-106-7)
bhagīratha uvāca॥
Bhagīratha said.
niḥśaṅkam annam adadaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ; śataṃ sahasrāṇi sadaiva dānam। brāhmaṃ vrataṃ nityam āsthāya viddhi; na tvevāhaṃ tasya phalād ihāgām ॥13-106-8॥
I gave food without doubt to the Brāhmaṇas; hundreds of thousands in gifts at all times. Know that I always undertook the Brahmanical vow; but indeed, I have not come here as a result of its fruit. (13-106-8)
daśaika-rātrān daśa pañca-rātrā; ekādaśaika-daśakān kratūṁś ca। jyotiṣṭomānāṁ ca śataṁ yad iṣṭaṁ; phalena tenāpi ca nāgato'ham ॥13-106-9॥
I performed ten eka-rātra sacrifices, ten pañca-rātra sacrifices, sets of eleven sacrifices, and many sacrifices as well. Even with the result of a hundred jyotiṣṭoma sacrifices, whatever was offered, I have not attained (the desired result). (13-106-9)
yaccāvasaṃ jāhnavītīranityaḥ; śataṃ samāstapyamānastapo'ham। adāṃ ca tatrāśvatarīsahasraṃ; nārīpuraṃ na ca tenāhamāgām॥13-106-10॥
Though I dwelt constantly on the bank of the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā), practiced penance for a hundred years, and gave a thousand she-mules there, I did not thereby attain the city of women. (13-106-10)
daśāyutāni cāśvānām ayutāni ca viṃśatim। puṣkareṣu dvijātibhyaḥ prādāṃ gāś ca sahasraśaḥ॥13-106-11॥
I gave ten myriads and also twenty times ten thousand horses, and thousands of cows to the twice-born at the sacred ponds. (13-106-11)
suvarṇacandroḍupadhāriṇīnāṃ; kanyottamānāmadadaṃ sragviṇīnām. ṣaṣṭiṃ sahasrāṇi vibhūṣitānāṃ; jāmbūnadairābharaṇairna tena ॥13-106-12॥
I gave, among the best maidens who wore garlands and adorned themselves with golden, moon, and star-like ornaments, sixty thousand of them, decorated with gold ornaments, not by him. (13-106-12)
daśārbudānyadadaṁ gosavejyā; svekaikaśo daśa gā lokanātha। samānavatsāḥ payasā samanvitāḥ; suvarṇakāṁsyopaduhā na tena ॥13-106-13॥
I gave ten arbuda (ten billion) for the gosava sacrifice; O lord of the world, ten cows each, each having similar calves, filled with milk, and milked into golden and bronze vessels, were not given by him. (13-106-13)
aptor-yāmeṣu niyatam ekaikasmin daśād adam। gṛṣṭīnām kṣīra-dātrīṇām rohiṇīnām na tena ca ॥13-106-14॥
During the aptoryāma rituals, I partook ten times in each as prescribed; but not of the gṛṣṭī cows, nor of the milk-giving Rohiṇī cows, by that (act).
dogdhrīṇāṁ vai gavāṁ caiva prayutāni daśaiva ha। prādāṁ daśaguṇaṁ brahman na ca tenāhamāgataḥ॥13-106-15॥
I have indeed given ten million milk-yielding cows, O Brahman, even ten times that number, and yet I have not thereby attained (my goal). (13-106-15)
vājināṃ bāhlijātānāmayutānyadadaṃ daśa। karkāṇāṃ hemamālānāṃ na ca tenāhamāgataḥ॥13-106-16॥
I gave ten ten-thousand horses born in Bāhlīka, and necklaces of golden garlands, but still, I have not attained (what I sought) by that. (13-106-16)
koṭīś ca kāñcanasyāṣṭau prādāṃ brahman daśa tv aham। ekaikasmin kratau tena phalenāhaṃ na cāgataḥ ॥13-106-17॥
O Brahman, I gave crores and eight pieces of gold; ten to you. In each sacrifice, with that result, I have not come (here). (13-106-17)
vājināṃ śyāmakarṇānāṃ haritānāṃ pitāmaha। prādāṃ hemasrajāṃ brahman koṭīr daśa ca sapta ca ॥13-106-18॥
O grandsire, O Brāhman, he gave ten crores and seven crores of green, dark-eared, golden-garlanded horses. (13-106-18)
īṣādantān mahākāyān kāñcanasragvibhūṣitān। patnīmataḥ sahasrāṇi prāyacchaṃ daśa sapta ca ॥13-106-19॥
I gave seventeen thousand (elephants) with arrow-like tusks, great bodies, adorned with golden garlands, and possessing wives. (13-106-19)
alaṅkṛtānāṃ deveśa divyaiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ। rathānāṃ kāñcanāṅgānāṃ sahasrāṇyadadaṃ daśa ॥ sapta cānyāni yuktāni vājibhiḥ samalaṅkṛtaiḥ ॥13-106-20॥
O Lord of the gods, I gave ten thousand chariots with golden parts, adorned with divine golden ornaments. And seven other chariots, yoked with horses and fully decorated, (I gave as well). (13-106-20)
dakṣiṇāvayavāḥ kecid vedair ye samprakīrtitāḥ। vājapeyeṣu daśasu prādāṃ tenāpi nāpy aham॥13-106-21॥
Some southern portions which have been mentioned by the Vedas—I gave in the ten Vājapeya sacrifices; yet even with that, I was not satisfied. (13-106-21)
śakratulyaprabhāvānām ijyayā vikrameṇa ca। sahasraṃ niṣkakaṇṭhānām adadaṃ dakṣiṇām aham ॥13-106-22॥
I gave as sacrificial gifts a thousand men adorned with gold niṣkas around their necks, equal in power to Indra, by sacrifice and prowess. (13-106-22)
vijitya nṛpatīn sarvān makhaiḥ iṣṭvā pitāmaha। aṣṭabhyaḥ rājasūyebhyaḥ na ca tena aham āgataḥ ॥13-106-23॥
Having conquered all the kings and performed sacrifices, grandfather did so. But from (those) eight Rājasūya sacrifices, I did not come even by him. (13-106-23)
srotaś ca yāvad-gaṅgāyāś channam āsīj jagatpate। dakṣiṇābhiḥ pravṛttābhir mama nāgāṃ ca tatkṛte॥13-106-24॥
O lord of the world, as long as the stream of Gaṅgā was covered by those moving southwards, my Nāgā also was affected because of that. (13-106-24)
vājināṃ ca sahasre dve suvarṇaśatabhūṣite। varaṃ grāmaśataṃ cāhamekaikasya tridhādadam ॥ tapasvī niyatāhāraḥ śamamāsthāya vāgyataḥ ॥13-106-25॥
I gave as gifts two thousand horses adorned with a hundred gold pieces, and also a hundred villages to each person, three times over. As an ascetic, with regulated diet, abiding in tranquility and restraint in speech. (13-106-25)
dīrghakālaṃ himavati gaṅgāyāś ca durutsahām। mūrdhnā dhārāṃ mahādevaḥ śirasā yāṃ adhārayat॥ na tenāpy aham āgacchaṃ phalena iha pitāmaha॥13-106-26॥
On Mount Himavat, for a long time, Mahādeva held up with his head the difficult-to-bear stream of Gaṅgā; yet even by that, O Grandfather, I did not attain the fruit here. (13-106-26)
śamyākṣepair ayajaṃ yac ca devāḥ; n sadyaskānām ayutaiś cāpi yat tat। trayodaśa-dvādaśāhāṃś ca deva; sa pauṇḍarīkān na ca teṣāṃ phalena ॥13-106-27॥
O gods, whatever sacrifices I did not perform by throwing wooden poles, and even those sadyaska rites by tens of thousands, and the thirteen-day and twelve-day sacrifices, and those performed with white lotus flowers, none of these brought the desired fruit for them. (13-106-27)
aṣṭau sahasrāṇi kakudminām ahaṃ; śuklarṣabhāṇām adadaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ। ekaikaṃ vai kāñcanaṃ śṛṅgam ebhyaḥ; patnīś ca eṣām adadaṃ niṣkakaṇṭhīḥ ॥13-106-28॥
I gave eight thousand hump-backed, white bulls to the Brāhmaṇas, each single one having a golden horn; I also gave their wives, adorned with gold necklaces. (13-106-28)
hiraṇyaratnanicitānadadaṃ ratnaparvatān। dhanadhānyasamṛddhāṃśca grāmāñśatasahasraśaḥ ॥13-106-29॥
I gave mountains heaped with gold and jewels, and hundreds of thousands of villages abounding in wealth and grain. (13-106-29)
śataṃ śatānāṃ gṛṣṭīnām adadaṃ cāpy atandritaḥ। iṣṭvā naikair mahāyajñair brāhmaṇebhyo na tena ca॥13-106-30॥
Even though I untiringly gave hundreds upon hundreds of cattle and, having performed many great sacrifices, bestowed them on the Brāhmaṇas, by that (alone) it was not (accomplished). (13-106-30)
ekādaśāhair ayajaṁ sadakṣiṇaiḥ; dvir dvādaśāhair aśvamedhaiś ca deva. ārkāyaṇaiḥ ṣoḍaśabhiś ca brahmaṁ; teṣāṁ phalena iha na cāgato'smi ॥13-106-31॥
O divine one, I performed sacrifices of eleven days with suitable gifts; twice, twelve-day sacrifices, and also horse sacrifices. O Brahman, with ārkāyaṇa sacrifices and sixteen as well. Yet through the fruit of those, I have not come here. (13-106-31)
niṣkaikakaṇṭhamadadaṃ yojanāyataṃ; tadvistīrṇaṃ kāñcanapādapānām. vanaṃ cūtānāṃ ratnavibhūṣitānām. na caiva teṣāmāgato'haṃ phalena ॥13-106-32॥
I have not obtained even a single golden-necklace, despite traversing a forest of golden trees, stretching a yojana in length and breadth; nor have I come upon any of their jewel-adorned mango fruits. (13-106-32)
turāyaṇaṃ hi vratam apradhṛṣya; makrodhano'karavaṃ triṃśato'bdān. śataṃ gavām aṣṭa śatāni caiva; dine dine hyadadaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ ॥13-106-33॥
Indeed, the unassailable vow called Turayana, I practiced without anger for thirty years. Every day, I gave one hundred and eight hundred cows to Brāhmaṇas. (13-106-33)
payasvinīnām atha rohiṇīnām; tathaiva cāpy anaḍuhāṃ lokanātha. prādāṃ nityaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ sureśa; nehāgatāstena phalena cāham ॥13-106-34॥
O lord of the people, I have always given milk-giving cows, red cows, and even those not yet milked to the Brāhmaṇas, O lord of the gods; yet I have not attained any fruit from that here. (13-106-34)
triṃśad agnim ahaṃ brahman nayajaṃ yac ca nityadā| aṣṭābhiḥ sarvamedhaiś ca naramedhaiś ca saptabhiḥ ॥13-106-35॥
O Brahmin, I have performed thirty agni-sacrifices, always performed them, along with eight Sarvamedha-sacrifices and seven Naramedha-sacrifices. (13-106-35)
daśabhirviśvajidbhiśca śatairaṣṭādaśottaraiḥ। na caiva teṣāṃ deveśa phalenāhamihāgataḥ ॥13-106-36॥
O lord of the gods, I have come here not for the fruit (results) of those ten viśvajit sacrifices, nor for the hundreds (performed) that exceeded by eighteen. (13-106-36)
sarayvāṃ bāhudāyāṃ ca gaṅgāyām atha naimiṣe। gavāṃ śatānām ayutam adadaṃ na ca tena vai॥13-106-37॥
In the Sarayū, Bāhudā, and Gaṅgā rivers, and then at Naimiṣa, I gave ten-thousand hundreds of cows, yet by that indeed I was not satisfied. (13-106-37)
indreṇa guhyaṃ nihitaṃ vai guhāyāṃ; yadbhārgavastapasehābhyavindat. jājvalyamānamuśanastejaseha; tatsādhayāmāsa mahaṃ vareṇyam ॥13-106-38॥
The secret that was placed by Indra in the cave—this Bhārgava discovered here by penance. Uśanas, blazing with splendor here, accomplished that great and most excellent (achievement). (13-106-38)
tato me brāhmaṇās tuṣṭās tasmin karmaṇi sādhite. sahasram ṛṣayaś cāsan ye vai tatra samāgatāḥ ॥ uktas tair asmi gaccha tvaṃ brahmalokam iti prabho ॥13-106-39॥
Then my brāhmaṇas, being pleased when that act was accomplished, and a thousand sages who had assembled there, addressed me: "Go to Brahmaloka," O lord. (13-106-39)
prītenoktaḥ sahasreṇa brāhmaṇānāmahaṃ prabho। imaṃ lokamanuprāpto mā bhūtte'tra vicāraṇā ॥13-106-40॥
O Lord, I have attained this world, spoken of by a thousand brāhmaṇas out of affection. Let there be no deliberation about this here for you. (13-106-40)
kāmaṁ yathāvad vihitaṁ vidhātrā; pṛṣṭena vācam tu mayā yathāvat। tapo hi nānyac cānaśanān mataṁ me; namo'stu te devavara prasīda॥13-106-41॥
Whatever has been rightly established by the creator, indeed; and what I should say when asked, I must say properly. For austerity is, in my view, nothing other than fasting. Salutations to you, O best of gods—be gracious. (13-106-41)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said;
ity-uktavantaṃ taṃ brahmā rājānaṃ sma bhagīratham. pūjayāmāsa pūjārhaṃ vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā ॥13-106-42॥
Having thus spoken, Brahmā indeed honored King Bhagīratha as worthy of honor, by an act performed according to the prescribed rules. (13-106-42)
