15.027
शतयूपप्रश्नः
The question of Śatayūpa;
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
नारदस्य तु तद्वाक्यं प्रशशंसुर्द्विजोत्तमाः। शतयूपस्तु राजर्षिर्नारदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥१५-२७-१॥
But the foremost brāhmaṇas praised that statement of Nārada, and Śatayūpa, the royal sage, addressed Nārada with these words. (15-27-1)
अहो भगवता श्रद्धा कुरुराजस्य वर्धिता। सर्वस्य च जनस्यास्य मम चैव महाद्युते ॥१५-२७-२॥
Indeed, O greatly radiant one, the venerable one has increased the faith of the king of the Kurus, of all the people here and of me as well. (15-27-2)
अस्ति काचिद्विवक्षा तु मम तां गदतः शृणु। धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति नृपं देवर्षे लोकपूजित ॥१५-२७-३॥
O divine sage honored by the world, I have a certain intention to speak to King Dhritarashtra—please listen to what I say. (15-27-3)
सर्ववृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञो भवान्दिव्येन चक्षुषा। युक्तः पश्यसि देवर्षे गतीर्वै विविधा नृणाम् ॥१५-२७-४॥
O divine sage, you know the essence of all events; endowed with the divine eye, you indeed see the various paths of men. (15-27-4)
उक्तवान्नृपतीनां त्वं महेन्द्रस्य सलोकताम्। न त्वस्य नृपतेर्लोकाः कथितास्ते महामुने ॥१५-२७-५॥
You have spoken of the same world as Mahendra for the kings, but you have not told me of the worlds of this king, O great sage. (15-27-5)
स्थानमस्य क्षितिपतेः श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं विभो। त्वत्तः कीदृक्कदा वेति तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥१५-२७-६॥
O Lord, I desire to hear from you the place of this king — what it is, what kind, and when; therefore, tell me this as I ask. (15-27-6)
इत्युक्तो नारदस्तेन वाक्यं सर्वमनोनुगम्। व्याजहार सतां मध्ये दिव्यदर्शी महातपाः ॥१५-२७-७॥
Thus addressed by him, Nārada, the great ascetic with divine vision, spoke words in complete accord with everyone's mind in the midst of the virtuous. (15-27-7)
यदृच्छया शक्रसदो गत्वा शक्रं शचीपतिम्। दृष्टवानस्मि राजर्षे तत्र पाण्डुं नराधिपम् ॥१५-२७-८॥
O royal sage, by chance, I went to the abode of Śakra (Indra, the husband of Śacī), and there I saw Pāṇḍu, the lord of men. (15-27-8)
तत्रेयं धृतराष्ट्रस्य कथा समभवन्नृप। तपसो दुश्चरस्यास्य यदयं तप्यते नृपः ॥१५-२७-९॥
There, O king, this story of Dhritarashtra occurred: how the king is practicing this difficult austerity. (15-27-9)
तत्राहमिदमश्रौषं शक्रस्य वदतो नृप। वर्षाणि त्रीणि शिष्टानि राज्ञोऽस्य परमायुषः ॥१५-२७-१०॥
O king, there I heard this from Śakra as he was speaking: three years remain of the full life-span of this king. (15-27-10)
ततः कुबेरभवनं गान्धारीसहितो नृपः। विहर्ता धृतराष्ट्रोऽयं राजराजाभिपूजितः ॥१५-२७-११॥
Then, accompanied by Gāndhārī, this king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, honored by the lords of kings, enjoyed himself in Kubera's palace. (15-27-11)
कामगेन विमानेन दिव्याभरणभूषितः। ऋषिपुत्रो महाभागस्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः ॥१५-२७-१२॥
The greatly fortunate son of the sage, whose sins were consumed by austerities, was adorned with divine ornaments and rode in a wish-fulfilling aerial chariot. (15-27-12)
सञ्चरिष्यति लोकांश्च देवगन्धर्वरक्षसाम्। स्वच्छन्देनेति धर्मात्मा यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥१५-२७-१३॥
The righteous one whom you ask about will move freely through the worlds of gods, gandharvas, and rākṣasas. (15-27-13)
देवगुह्यमिदं प्रीत्या मया वः कथितं महत्। भवन्तो हि श्रुतधनास्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषाः ॥१५-२७-१४॥
This great divine secret has been affectionately told by me to you; for you are indeed rich in learning and your sins have been burnt up by austerity. (15-27-14)
इति ते तस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा देवर्षेर्मधुरं वचः। सर्वे सुमनसः प्रीता बभूवुः स च पार्थिवः ॥१५-२७-१५॥
Thus, after they heard that sweet speech of the divine sage, all those of good mind became pleased, and so did the king. (15-27-15)
एवं कथाभिरन्वास्य धृतराष्ट्रं मनीषिणः। विप्रजग्मुर्यथाकामं ते सिद्धगतिमास्थिताः ॥१५-२७-१६॥
In this way, after consoling Dhṛtarāṣṭra with stories, those wise ones attained liberation and went their ways as they desired. (15-27-16)
