14.006
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। bṛhaspateś ca saṃvādaṃ maruttasya ca bhārata॥14-6-1॥
Here too, O Bhārata, an ancient history is mentioned—the conversation between Bṛhaspati and Marutta. (14-6-1)
devarājasya samayaṃ kṛtamāṅgirase na ha। śrutvā marutto nṛpatir manyum āhārayat tadā॥14-6-2॥
When Marutta, the king, heard that the agreement of the king of gods was made by Āṅgirasa, he became angry at that time. (14-6-2)
saṅkalpya manasā yajñaṃ karandhamasutātmajaḥ। bṛhaspatim upāgamya vāgmī vacanam abravīt ॥14-6-3॥
Having mentally resolved upon the sacrifice, the grandson of Karandhama approached Bṛhaspati and the eloquent one spoke these words. (14-6-3)
bhagavan yan mayā pūrvam abhigamya tapodhana। kṛto'bhisandhir yajñāya bhavato vacanād guro ॥14-6-4॥
O Lord, having previously approached you, O ascetic, I made the resolve for the sacrifice at your word, O teacher. (14-6-4)
tam ahaṃ yaṣṭum icchāmi sambhārāḥ sambhṛtāś ca me। yājyo'smi bhavataḥ sādho tat prāpnuhu vidhatsva ca ॥14-6-5॥
I desire to sacrifice him; I have collected the necessary requisites; I am fit to be sacrificed for you, O noble one; therefore, obtain him and perform (the rite). (14-6-5)
bṛhaspatiruvāca॥
Bṛhaspati said;
na kāmaye yājayituṃ tvām ahaṃ pṛthivīpate। vṛto'smi devarājena pratijñātaṃ ca tasya me ॥14-6-6॥
O king, I do not wish to have you perform a sacrifice; I have been chosen by the king of the gods, and this has been promised to me by him. (14-6-6)
marutta uvāca॥
Marutta said;
pitryam asmi tava kṣetraṃ bahu manye ca te bhṛśam। na cāsmy ayājyatāṃ prāpto bhajamānaṃ bhajasva mām ॥14-6-7॥
I am an ancestral field of yours; I hold it in high regard and cherish it greatly for you. Nor have I become unfit for sacrifice. Accept me, who am devoted to you. (14-6-7)
bṛhaspatiruvāca॥
Bṛhaspati said.
amartyaṃ yājayitvāhaṃ yājayiṣye na mānuṣam। marutta gaccha vā mā vā nivṛtto'smyadya yājanāt ॥14-6-8॥
Having performed the sacrifice for the immortal one, I will not perform it for any human. O Marutta, go if you wish or do not, for today I have ceased conducting sacrifices. (14-6-8)
na tvāṁ yājayitāsmyadya vṛṇu tvaṁ yamihecchasi। upādhyāyaṁ mahābāho yaste yajñaṁ kariṣyati॥14-6-9॥
I will not be the one to cause you to perform the sacrifice today; choose, O mighty-armed one, whichever officiating priest here you desire—whoever will perform the sacrifice for you. (14-6-9)
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said.
evam-uktas tu nṛpatir marutto vrīḍito'bhavat। pratyāgacchac ca saṃvigno dadarśa pathi nāradam॥14-6-10॥
When thus addressed, King Marutta became ashamed. Anxious, he turned back and saw Nārada on the road. (14-6-10)
devarṣiṇā samāgamya nāradena sa pārthivaḥ। vidhivatprāñjalistasthāvathainaṃ nārado'bravīt ॥14-6-11॥
After Nārada, the divine sage, arrived, the king stood with joined palms as was proper. Then Nārada spoke to him. (14-6-11)
rājarṣe nāti-hṛṣṭo'si kaccit kṣemaṁ tavānagha। kva gato'si kuto vedam aprīti-sthānam āgatam ॥14-6-12॥
O royal sage, you do not seem excessively delighted; I hope all is well with you, O sinless one. Where have you gone, and from where do I know that you have arrived at a place of displeasure? (14-6-12)
śrotavyaṃ cen mayā rājan brūhi me pārthivarṣabha। vyapaneṣyāmi te manyuṃ sarvayatnair narādhipa ॥14-6-13॥
If I must hear something, O king, tell it to me, O best of kings. I will remove your anger by every effort, O lord of men. (14-6-13)
evam-ukto maruttas tu nāradena maharṣiṇā। vipralambham upādhyāyāt sarvam eva nyavedayat॥14-6-14॥
Thus, having been addressed by Nārada the great sage, Marutta reported in full to him all the deception by his teacher. (14-6-14)
gato'smyaṅgirasaḥ putraṃ devācāryaṃ bṛhaspatim। yajñārthamṛtvijaṃ draṣṭuṃ sa ca māṃ nābhyanandat ॥14-6-15॥
I went to see Bṛhaspati, the son of Aṅgiras and preceptor of the gods, as a priest for the sacrifice, but he did not welcome me. (14-6-15)
pratyākhyātaś ca tenāhaṁ jīvitum nādya kāmaye। parityaktaś ca guruṇā dūṣitaś cāsmi nārada ॥14-6-16॥
O Nārada, I have been rejected by him, and today I do not wish to live. Abandoned by the preceptor and disgraced, I am.
evam-uktas-tu rājñā sa nāradaḥ pratyuvāca ha। āvikṣitaṃ mahārāja vācā sañjīva-yann-iva ॥14-6-17॥
Thus, when addressed by the king, Nārada replied, as though reviving Āvikṣita with his words, O great king. (14-6-17)
rājan naṅgirasaḥ putraḥ samvarto nāma dhārmikaḥ। caṅkramīti diśaḥ sarvā digvāsā mohayan prajāḥ॥14-6-18॥
O king, Samvarta, the righteous son of Aṅgiras, wanders in all directions wearing only the quarters as his clothing, bewildering all beings. (14-6-18)
taṁ gaccha yadi yājyaṁ tvāṁ na vāñchati bṛhaspatiḥ। prasannastvāṁ mahārāja saṁvarto yājayiṣyati॥14-6-19॥
Go to him; if Bṛhaspati does not wish to conduct your sacrifice, O great king, the gracious Saṁvarta will undertake your sacrificial rite. (14-6-19)
marutta uvāca॥
Marutta said;
sañjīvito'ham bhavatā vākyenānena nārada। paśyeyaṃ kva nu saṃvartaṃ śaṃsa me vadatāṃ vara ॥14-6-20॥
Nārada, I have been revived by this statement of yours. O best of speakers, tell me where Saṃvarta is so that I may see him. (14-6-20)
kathaṁ ca tasmai varteyaṁ kathaṁ māṁ na parityajet। pratyākhyātaś ca tenāpi nāhaṁ jīvitum utsahe ॥14-6-21॥
How should I behave towards him, and how might he not abandon me? Having been rejected even by him, I am not able to live. (14-6-21)
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said.
unmattaveṣaṃ bibhrats ca caṅkramīti yathāsukham। vārāṇasīṃ tu nagarīm abhīkṣṇam upasevate ॥14-6-22॥
He roams about in the guise of a madman, wandering as he wishes, but he repeatedly frequents the city of Vārāṇasī. (14-6-22)
tasyā dvāraṃ samāsādya nyasethāḥ kuṇapaṃ kvacit। taṃ dṛṣṭvā yo nivarteta sa saṃvarto mahīpate ॥14-6-23॥
When you approach her door, place a corpse there somewhere. Whoever, having seen that, turns back—that is Saṃvarta, O king. (14-6-23)
taṃ pṛṣṭhato'nugacchetā yatra gacchetsa vīryavān। tamekānte samāsādya prāñjaliḥ śaraṇaṃ vrajeḥ॥14-6-24॥
You should follow him from behind wherever that powerful one may go. Having approached him in solitude, you should seek shelter with folded hands. (14-6-24)
pṛcchet tvāṁ yadi kena ahaṁ tava ākhyāta iti sma ha। brūyās tvaṁ nāradena iti santapta iva śatruhan ॥14-6-25॥
If I should ask you, 'By whom was I spoken about to you?'—you, as if tormented, O destroyer of enemies, should say, 'By Nārada.' (14-6-25)
sa cet tvām anuyuñjīta mama abhigamana-ipsayā। śaṁsethā vahni-mārūḍham mām api tvam aśaṅkayā ॥14-6-26॥
If he tries to follow you with the desire to reach me, you should, without any suspicion, say that I too have mounted the fire. (14-6-26)
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said.
sa tatheti pratiśrutya pūjayitvā ca nāradam. abhyanujñāya rājarṣir yayau vārāṇasīṃ purīm ॥14-6-27॥
He, having promised "so be it" and honored Nārada, and having received his permission, the royal sage went to the city of Vārāṇasī. (14-6-27)
tatra gatvā yathoktaṃ sa puryā dvāre mahāyaśāḥ। kuṇapaṃ sthāpayāmāsa nāradasya vacaḥ smaran॥14-6-28॥
There, having gone as was instructed, he of great fame placed the dead body at the city gate, remembering the words of Nārada. (14-6-28)
yaugapadyena vipraś ca sa purīdvāram āviśat। tataḥ sa kuṇapaṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasā sa nyavartata॥14-6-29॥
At the same time, the Brāhmaṇa and he entered the city gate; then, upon seeing the dead body, he suddenly turned back. (14-6-29)
sa taṃ nivṛttam ālakṣya prāñjaliḥ pṛṣṭhato'nvagāt। āvikṣito mahīpālaḥ saṃvartam upaśikṣitum॥14-6-30॥
Āvikṣita, the king, having perceived Saṃvarta returning, followed him from behind with joined palms in order to learn from him. (14-6-30)
sa enaṃ vijane dṛṣṭvā pāṃsubhiḥ kardamena ca| śleṣmaṇā cāpi rājānaṃ ṣṭhīvanaiś ca samākirat ॥14-6-31॥
He, having seen the king alone, sprinkled him with dust, mud, phlegm, and spit. (14-6-31)
sa tathā bādhyamāno'pi saṁvartena mahīpatiḥ. anvagādeva tam ṛṣiṁ prāñjaliḥ samprasādayan ॥14-6-32॥
Thus, even while being afflicted by Saṁvarta, the king followed the sage with joined palms, earnestly seeking his favor. (14-6-32)
tato nivṛtya saṁvartaḥ pariśrānta upāviśat। śītalacchāyam āsādya nyagrodhaṁ bahuśākhinaṁ ॥14-6-33॥
Then Saṁvarta, having withdrawn and exhausted, sat down beneath a banyan tree with many branches and cool shade. (14-6-33)
