15.026
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततस्तस्मिन्मुनिश्रेष्ठा राजानं द्रष्टुमभ्ययुः। नारदः पर्वतश्चैव देवलश्च महातपाः ॥१५-२६-१॥
Then, at that time, the foremost sages Nārada, Parvata, and Devala, who were great ascetics, came to see the king. (15-26-1)
द्वैपायनः सशिष्यश्च सिद्धाश्चान्ये मनीषिणः। शतयूपश्च राजर्षिर्वृद्धः परमधार्मिकः ॥१५-२६-२॥
Dvaipayana with his disciples and other perfected, wise sages, and Śatayūpa, the elderly royal sage of supreme righteousness; (15-26-2)
तेषां कुन्ती महाराज पूजां चक्रे यथाविधि। ते चापि तुतुषुस्तस्यास्तापसाः परिचर्यया ॥१५-२६-३॥
O great king, Kuntī performed honors for them according to the prescribed rules, and those ascetics were also satisfied with her service. (15-26-3)
तत्र धर्म्याः कथास्तात चक्रुस्ते परमर्षयः। रमयन्तो महात्मानं धृतराष्ट्रं जनाधिपम् ॥१५-२६-४॥
There, those great sages, O dear, told righteous stories to delight Dhritarashtra, the great-souled lord of the people. (15-26-4)
कथान्तरे तु कस्मिंश्चिद्देवर्षिर्नारदस्तदा। कथामिमामकथयत्सर्वप्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान् ॥१५-२६-५॥
But in another story—at some time—the divine sage Nārada, who had witnessed everything directly, narrated this very tale. (15-26-5)
पुरा प्रजापतिसमो राजासीदकुतोभयः। सहस्रचित्य इत्युक्तः शतयूपपितामहः ॥१५-२६-६॥
Once upon a time, there was a king, equal to Prajāpati and fearless from all quarters. Known as Sahasracitya, he was the ancestor of Śatayūpa. (15-26-6)
स पुत्रे राज्यमासज्य ज्येष्ठे परमधार्मिके। सहस्रचित्यो धर्मात्मा प्रविवेश वनं नृपः ॥१५-२६-७॥
Having entrusted the kingdom to his supremely righteous eldest son, the righteous king who had performed a thousand sacrifices entered the forest. (15-26-7)
स गत्वा तपसः पारं दीप्तस्य स नराधिपः। पुरंदरस्य संस्थानं प्रतिपेदे महामनाः ॥१५-२६-८॥
That great-minded king, having reached the end of blazing penance, attained the abode of Purandara (Indra). (15-26-8)
दृष्टपूर्वः स बहुशो राजन्सम्पतता मया। महेन्द्रसदने राजा तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः ॥१५-२६-९॥
O king, that person has been seen many times before by me; having come into Indra's palace, the king, whose sins were burnt by penance. (15-26-9)
तथा शैलालयो राजा भगदत्तपितामहः। तपोबलेनैव नृपो महेन्द्रसदनं गतः ॥१५-२६-१०॥
Thus, the mountain-dwelling king, the grandfather of Bhagadatta, by the very power of his austerities, went to the abode of Mahendra (Indra). (15-26-10)
तथा पृषध्रो नामासीद्राजा वज्रधरोपमः। स चापि तपसा लेभे नाकपृष्ठमितो नृपः ॥१५-२६-११॥
In this way, there was a king named Pṛṣadhra, who was like the wielder of the thunderbolt. This king too attained heaven from here through his austerities. (15-26-11)
अस्मिन्नरण्ये नृपते मान्धातुरपि चात्मजः। पुरुकुत्सो नृपः सिद्धिं महतीं समवाप्तवान् ॥१५-२६-१२॥
O king, in this forest, the son of Māndhātṛ, King Purukutsa, also attained great success. (15-26-12)
भार्या समभवद्यस्य नर्मदा सरितां वरा। सोऽस्मिन्नरण्ये नृपतिस्तपस्तप्त्वा दिवं गतः ॥१५-२६-१३॥
His wife, Narmadā, the best of rivers, was born to him. That king, having performed austerity in this forest, attained heaven. (15-26-13)
शशलोमा च नामासीद्राजा परमधार्मिकः। स चाप्यस्मिन्वने तप्त्वा तपो दिवमवाप्तवान् ॥१५-२६-१४॥
There was a king named Śaśalomā, very virtuous. He also, having performed austerities in this forest, attained heaven. (15-26-14)
द्वैपायनप्रसादाच्च त्वमपीदं तपोवनम्। राजन्नवाप्य दुष्प्रापां सिद्धिमग्र्यां गमिष्यसि ॥१५-२६-१५॥
O king, through the favor of Dvaipayana, you too, by attaining this very challenging forest of asceticism, will achieve the supreme perfection. (15-26-15)
त्वं चापि राजशार्दूल तपसोऽन्ते श्रिया वृतः। गान्धारीसहितो गन्ता गतिं तेषां महात्मनाम् ॥१५-२६-१६॥
You too, O best of kings, when your austerities are complete and surrounded by glory, together with Gāndhārī, will follow the path of those great souls. (15-26-16)
पाण्डुः स्मरति नित्यं च बलहन्तुः समीपतः। त्वां सदैव महीपाल स त्वां श्रेयसि योक्ष्यति ॥१५-२६-१७॥
Pāṇḍu always remembers, and Balahantuḥ being near; you, O king, he will always employ in what is good for you. (15-26-17)
तव शुश्रूषया चैव गान्धार्याश्च यशस्विनी। भर्तुः सलोकतां कुन्ती गमिष्यति वधूस्तव ॥१५-२६-१८॥
Through your service and that of illustrious Gandhari, Kunti, your husband's wife, will attain to the same world as her husband. (15-26-18)
युधिष्ठिरस्य जननी स हि धर्मः सनातनः। वयमेतत्प्रपश्यामो नृपते दिव्यचक्षुषा ॥१५-२६-१९॥
She who is the mother of Yudhiṣṭhira is indeed the eternal Dharma. O king, we perceive this with divine vision. (15-26-19)
प्रवेक्ष्यति महात्मानं विदुरश्च युधिष्ठिरम्। सञ्जयस्त्वदनुध्यानात्पूतः स्वर्गमवाप्स्यति ॥१५-२६-२०॥
The great-souled one, Vidura, will enter Yudhishthira, and Sanjaya, purified by his constant meditation on you, will attain heaven. (15-26-20)
एतच्छ्रुत्वा कौरवेन्द्रो महात्मा; सहैव पत्न्या प्रीतिमान्प्रत्यगृह्णात्। विद्वान्वाक्यं नारदस्य प्रशस्य; चक्रे पूजां चातुलां नारदाय ॥१५-२६-२१॥
Hearing this, the great-souled king of the Kauravas, together with his wife, joyfully accepted. The learned one praised Nārada's words and offered Nārada exceptional honor. (15-26-21)
तथा सर्वे नारदं विप्रसङ्घाः; सम्पूजयामासुरतीव राजन्। राज्ञः प्रीत्या धृतराष्ट्रस्य ते वै; पुनः पुनः समहृष्टास्तदानीम् ॥१५-२६-२२॥
Thus, all the groups of Brāhmaṇas honoured Nārada exceedingly, O king. With the pleasure of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, they again and again became very delighted at that time. (15-26-22)
