वैशम्पायन उवाच स गन्धर्ववचः श्रुत्वा तत् तदा भरतर्षभ। अर्जुनः परया भक्त्या पूर्णचन्द्र इवाबभौ॥
Vaishampayana said : Hearing these words of the Gandharva, that best of the Bharata race, Arjuna, was filled with devotion (towards him) and he stood as manifest as the full moon.
उवाच च महेष्वासो गन्धर्वं कुरुसत्तमः। जातकौतूहलोऽतीव वसिष्ठस्य तपोबलात्॥
His curiosity being excited by what he heard of Vasishtha's ascetic power, that best of the Kurus, that great bowman, thus spoke to the Gandharva,
वसिष्ठ इति तस्यैतदृषेर्नाम त्वयेरितम्। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं यथावत् तद् वदस्व मे॥
"I desire to hear the history of the Rishi whom you have mentioned by the name of Vasishtha. Tell me all about him in detail.
य एष गन्धर्वपते पूर्वेषां नः पुरोहितः। आसीदेतन्ममाचक्ष्व क एष भगवानृषिः॥
O chief of the Gandharvas, tell me who this illustrious Rishi was, he who was the priest of our forefathers."
गन्धर्व उवाच ब्रह्मणो मानसः पुत्रो वसिष्ठोऽरुन्धतीपतिः। तपसा निर्जितौ शश्वदजेयावमरैरपि॥ कामक्रोधावुभौ यस्य चरणौ संववाहतुः। इन्द्रियाणां वशकरो वशिष्ट इति चोच्यते॥
The Gandharva said : Vasishtha was the Brahma's son born of his mind; and he was the husband of Arundhati. Ever difficult of being conquered even by the celestials. Desire and Anger, having been conquered by his ascetic penances, shampooed his feet. He was so highsouled that he did not exterminate the Kushikas.
यस्तु नोच्छेदनं चक्रे कुशिकानामुदारधीः। विश्वामित्रापराधेन धारयन् मन्युमुत्तमम्॥
Though the excellent Rishi's anger was excited by Vishvamitra, though he was afflicted at the loss of his sons, though he was powerful, yet he appeared to be powerless.
पुत्रव्यसनसंतप्तः शक्तिमानप्यशक्तवत्। विश्वामित्रविनाशाय न चक्रे कर्म दारुणम्॥ मृतांश्च पुनराहर्तं शक्त पुत्रान् यमक्षयात्। कृतान्तं नातिचक्राम वेलामिव महोदधिः॥
He did not perform any dreadful deed for destroying Vishvamitra. Like the great ocean which does not cross its shore, he did not transgress the law of Yama by bringing back his sons from the land of the dead. It is by obtaining this self controlled and illustrious (Rishi), the kings,
यं प्राप्य विजितात्मानं महात्मानं नराधिपाः। इक्ष्वाकवो महीपाला लेभिरे पृथिवीमिमाम्॥१०
(Namely) Ikshaku and others, became the lords over the whole earth. Getting the excellent Rishi Vasishtha as their priest,
पुरोहितमिमं प्राप्य वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्। ईजिरे क्रतुभिश्चैव नृपास्ते कुरुनन्दने।११॥
O descendant of Kuru, o best of the Pandavas, these kings performed many great sacrifices. That Brahmarshi performed the priestly duty of all these excellent kings, as Brihaspati did that of the celestials.
स हि तान् याजयामास सर्वान् नृपतिसत्तमान्। ब्रह्मर्षिः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ बृहस्पतिरिवामरान्॥
Therefore, seek to appoint as your priest an accomplished Brahmana in whose heart virtue predominates and who is learned in the Vedas.
तस्माद् धर्मप्रधानात्मा वेदधर्मविदीप्सितः। ब्राह्मणो गुणवान् कश्चित् पुरोधाः प्रतिदृश्यताम्॥ क्षत्रियेणाभिजातेन पृथिवीं जेतुमिच्छता। पूर्वं पुरोहितः कार्यः पार्थ राज्याभिवृद्धये॥
O Partha, a Kshatriya of noble birth should first appoint a priest, if he is (at all) desirous of extending his dominions by conquering the earth. He, who is desirous of conquering the earth, should have a Brahmana before him.
महीं जिगीषता राज्ञा ब्रह्म कार्यं पुरस्सरम्। तस्मात् पुरोहितः कश्चिद् गुणवान् विजितेन्द्रियः। विद्वान् भवतु वो विप्रो धर्मकामार्थतत्त्ववित्॥
Therefore, let an accomplished and learned Brahmana, who has conquered his senses and who is learned in Dharma, Artha and Kama, be your priest.