13.137
pavanārjunasaṁvādaḥ
Dialogue between the Wind (Vāyu) and Arjuna.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhisthira said.
kāṁ tu brāhmaṇapūjāyāṁ vyuṣṭiṁ dṛṣṭvā janādhipa। kaṁ vā karmodayam matvā tānarcasi mahāmate ॥13-137-1॥
O lord of men, for what reason relating to the worship of brāhmaṇas, or considering what beginning of action, do you honor them, O wise one? (13-137-1)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīm am itihāsaṃ purātanam। pavanasya ca saṃvādam arjunasya ca bhārata ॥13-137-2॥
Here, O Bhārata, they also relate this ancient story—the dialogue between Pāvana and Arjuna. (13-137-2)
sahasrabhujabhṛcchrīmānkārtavīryo'bhavatprabhuḥ। asya lokasya sarvasya māhiṣmatyāṃ mahābalaḥ ॥13-137-3॥
The illustrious Kārtavīrya, who bore a thousand arms, became the mighty lord of all this world at Māhiṣmatī. (13-137-3)
sa tu ratnākara-vatīṃ sa-dvīpāṃ sāgara-ambarām। śaśāsa sarvāṃ pṛthivīṃ haihayaḥ satya-vikramaḥ ॥13-137-4॥
But Haihaya of true valour ruled over the entire earth, possessing oceans, with islands, and whose space is covered by seas. (13-137-4)
svavittaṃ tena dattaṃ tu dattātreyāya kāraṇe| kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya vinayaṃ śrutam eva ca ॥13-137-5॥
He gave his own wealth to Dattatreya on that occasion, prioritizing the duty of a kshatriya, and also humility and learning. (13-137-5)
ārādhayāmāsa ca taṃ kṛtavīryātmajo munim। nyamantraya ta saṃhṛṣṭaḥ sa dvijaś ca varais tribhiḥ ॥13-137-6॥
The son of Kṛtavīrya worshipped the sage, and the delighted Brāhmaṇa addressed him, granting three boons. (13-137-6)
sa varaiḥ chanditasten nṛpo vacanam abravīt। sahasrabāhur bhūyāṃ vai camū-madhye gṛhe'nyathā॥13-137-7॥
Gratified with boons by him, the king said: "May I truly become one with a thousand arms in the middle of the army or otherwise at home." (13-137-7)
mama bāhusahasraṃ tu paśyantāṃ sainikā raṇe। vikrameṇa mahīṃ kṛtsnāṃ jayeyaṃ vipulavrata ॥ tāṃ ca dharmeṇa samprāpya pālayeyam-atandritaḥ ॥13-137-8॥
Let the soldiers in battle see my thousand arms; by valor I, of great resolve, may conquer the entire earth. And having obtained her by righteousness, may I guard her without weariness. (13-137-8)
caturthaṃ tu varaṃ yāce tvāmahaṃ dvijasattama। taṃ mamānugrahakṛte dātumarhasyanindita ॥ anuśāsuṃtu māṃ santo mithyāvṛttaṃ tadāśrayam ॥13-137-9॥
But as my fourth boon, O best of the twice-born, I request you, O blameless one, to grant me this for my favor: may the virtuous instruct me when I am engaged in false conduct connected with that. (13-137-9)
ityuktaḥ sa dvijaḥ prāha tathāstveti narādhipam। evaṃ samabhavaṃstasya varāste dīptatejasaḥ ॥13-137-10॥
Thus addressed, the twice-born said "So let it be" to the king, and thus, those brilliant boons came to him. (13-137-10)
tataḥ sa ratham āsthāya jvalanārkasamadyutiḥ। abravīd vīryasaṁmohāt ko nv asti sadṛśo mayā॥ vīrya-dhairya-yaśaḥ-śaucair vikrameṇa ojasā api vā॥13-137-11॥
Then he ascended the chariot, glowing like fire and the sun, and, deluded by his own strength, said: "Who is there equal to me in strength, courage, fame, purity, valor, or even energy?" (13-137-11)
tadvākyānte cāntarikṣe vāguvāca aśarīriṇī। na tvaṃ mūḍha vijānīṣe brāhmaṇaṃ kṣatriyād varam॥ sahito brāhmaṇena iha kṣatriyaḥ rakṣati prajāḥ॥13-137-12॥
At the end of that speech, a bodiless voice in the sky said: "You do not understand, O deluded one, that the Brāhmaṇa is superior to the Kṣatriya. Here, with the Brāhmaṇa, the Kṣatriya protects the people." (13-137-12)
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
kuryāṃ bhūtāni tuṣṭo'ham kruddho nāśaṃ tathā naye। karmaṇā manasā vācā na matto'sti varo dvijaḥ॥13-137-13॥
When I am pleased, I may do good to beings; when angered, I bring about their destruction as well. By action, by mind, and by speech, O twice-born, there is none superior to me. (13-137-13)
pūrvo brahmottaro vādo dvitīyaḥ kṣatriyottaraḥ। tvayoktau yau tu tau hetū viśeṣas tvatra dṛśyate ॥13-137-14॥
The earlier argument ended with Brahman, and the second with Kshatriya, have been spoken by you; however, a distinction between the reasons for those two is observed here. (13-137-14)
brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśritāḥ kṣatraṃ na kṣatraṃ brāhmaṇāśritam। śritān brahmopadhā viprāḥ khā danti kṣatriyān bhuvi॥13-137-15॥
Brāhmaṇas who take refuge in the kṣatriya class, and not the kṣatriyas sheltered by Brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇas, by means of Brahma's counsel, destroy kṣatriyas on earth who seek their protection. (13-137-15)
kṣatriyeṣvāśrito dharmaḥ prajānāṃ paripālanam। kṣatrādvṛttirbrāhmaṇānāṃ taiḥ kathaṃ brāhmaṇo varaḥ ॥13-137-16॥
The duty established among kṣatriyas is the protection of the subjects. The livelihood of the brāhmaṇas comes from the kṣatriyas; by that, how is a brāhmaṇa superior? (13-137-16)
sarvabhūtapradhānāṁstān bhaikṣavṛttīn ahaṁ sadā। ātmasambhāvitān viprān sthāpayāmy ātmano vaśe ॥13-137-17॥
I always bring under my control those Brāhmaṇas who are the foremost among all beings, who maintain themselves by mendicant ways, and who are self-respecting. (13-137-17)
kathitaṃ hyanayā satyaṃ gāyatr yā kanyayā divi। vijeṣyāmyavaśānsarvānbrāhmaṇāṃścarmavāsasaḥ ॥13-137-18॥
Indeed, this truth has been spoken by her, by Gāyatrī, the maiden in heaven: I will conquer all the powerless Brāhmaṇas who are clad in hide. (13-137-18)
na ca māṃ cyāvayet rāṣṭrāt triṣu lokeṣu kaścana। devo vā mānuṣo vā api tasmāt jyeṣṭhaḥ dvijāt aham ॥13-137-19॥
No one in the three worlds—god or man—could remove me from the kingdom; therefore, I am the eldest among the twice-born. (13-137-19)
adya brahmottaraṃ lokaṃ kariṣye kṣatriyottaram। na hi me saṃyuge kaścit soḍhum utsahate balam ॥13-137-20॥
Today, I will make the world regard the kṣatriya as greater than the brāhmaṇa. For indeed, in battle, no one is able to withstand my strength. (13-137-20)
arjunasya vacaḥ śrutvā vitrastābhūnniśācarī। athainamantarikṣasthastato vāyurabhāṣata ॥13-137-21॥
Hearing the words of Arjuna, the night-wanderer became frightened; then, as he stood in the sky, Vāyu spoke to him. (13-137-21)
tyajainam kaluṣaṃ bhāvaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo namaskuru | eteṣāṃ kurvataḥ pāpaṃ rāṣṭrakṣobho hi te bhavet ||13-137-22||
Abandon this impure feeling and offer obeisance to the Brāhmaṇas. If one commits a sin against them, a disturbance of the kingdom will surely arise for you. (13-137-22)
atha vā tvāṃ mahīpāla śamayiṣyanti vai dvijāḥ। nirasīṣyanti vā rāṣṭrād dhatotsāhaṃ mahābalāḥ॥13-137-23॥
Now, O king, either the Brahmins will pacify you, or the mighty ones will expel you from the kingdom after your spirit is broken. (13-137-23)
taṃ rājā kastvamityāha tatastaṃ prāha mārutaḥ। vāyurvai devadūto'smi hitaṃ tvāṃ prabravīmyaham॥13-137-24॥
The king said to him, "Who are you?" Then Marut replied to him: "I am Vāyu, the messenger of the gods; I declare what is beneficial to you." (13-137-24)
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
aho tvayā adya vipreṣu bhaktirāgaḥ pradarśitaḥ। yādṛśaṃ pṛthivī bhūtaṃ tādṛśaṃ brūhi vai dvijam ॥13-137-25॥
Ah! Today you have shown such devotion to the Brāhmaṇas. Tell me, O twice-born, what kind of being on earth that is like this. (13-137-25)
vāyor vā sadṛśaṃ kiñcid brūhi tvaṃ brāhmaṇottamam| apāṃ vai sadṛśaṃ brūhi sūryasya nabhaso'pi vā ||13-137-26||
O foremost of Brahmins, tell (me) if there is anything similar to the wind, or tell if there is anything similar to water, or to the Sun, or to the sky. (13-137-26)
