युधिष्ठिर उवाच दर्शने कीदृशः स्नेहः संवासे च पितामह। महाभाग्यं गवां चैव तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥
Yudhishthira said What is the nature of the compassion or pity that is felt at seeing the misery of another? What is the nature of that compassion or sympathy that one feels for another on account of his living in the companionship of that other? What is the nature of the supreme blessedness of kine? You should, O grandfather explain all this to me.
भीष्म उवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि पुरावृत्तं महाद्युते। नहुषस्य च संवादं महर्षेश्च्यवनस्य च॥
Bhishma said I shall, O you of great effulgence, recite to you in this connection an ancient narrative of a conversation between Nahusha and the Rishi Chyavana.
पुरा महर्षिश्च्यवनो भार्गवो भरतर्षभ। उदावासकृतारम्भो बभूव स महाव्रतः॥
Formerly, O chief of Bharata's race, the great Rishi Chyavana of Bhrigu's race, always practising high vows, became desirous of leading for sometime the mode of life called Udavasa, and sed himself to commence it.
निहत्य मानं क्रोधं च प्रहर्षं शोकमेव च। वर्षाणि द्वादश मुनिर्जलवासे धृतव्रतः॥
Renouncing pride, anger, joy and grief, the ascetic, pledging himself to observe that vow, set himself to live for twelve years, according to the rules of Udavasa.
आदधत् सर्वभूतेषु विश्रम्भं परमं शुभम्। जलेचरेषु सर्वेषु शीतरश्मिरिव प्रभुः॥
The Rishi inspired all creatures with trust. And he inspired similar confidence in all creatures living in water. The powerful ascetic resembled the Moon himself in his conduct to all.
स्थाणुभूतः शुचिर्भूत्वा दैवतेभ्यः प्रणम्य च। गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये जलं सम्प्रविवेश ह॥
Bowing to all the deities and having purged himself of all sins, he entered the water at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, and stood there like an inanimate post of wood.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्वेगं सुभीमं भीमनिःस्वनम्। प्रतिजग्राह शिरसा वातवेगसमं जवे॥
Placing his head against it, he bore the fierce and roaring current of the two rivers united together,—the current whose speed resembled that of the wind itself.
गङ्गे च यमुने चैव सरितश्च सरांसि च। प्रदक्षिणमृर्षि चक्रुर्न औनं पर्यपीडयन्॥
Ganga and Yamuna, however, and the other rivers and lakes, whose waters unite together at the confluence at Prayaga, instead of afflicting the Rishi, went beyond him.
अन्तर्जलेषु सुष्वाप काष्ठभूतो महामुनिः। ततश्चोर्ध्वस्थितो धीमानभवद् भरतर्षभ॥
Assuming the attitude of a wooden post, the great Muni sometimes laid himself down in the water and slept at ease. And sometimes, O chief of Bharata's race the intelligent sage stood erect.
जलौकसां स सत्त्वानां बभूव प्रियदर्शनः। उपाजिघ्रन्त च तदा तस्योष्ठं हृष्टमानसाः॥
He became quite agreeable to all creatures living in water. Without the least fear, all these used to smell the Rishi's lips.
तत्र तस्यासतः कालः समतीतोऽभवन्महान्। ततः कदाचित् समये कस्मिंश्चिन्मत्स्यजीविनः॥
In this way, the Rishi passed a long time at that grand confluence of waters. One day, some fishermen came there.
तं देशं समुपाजग्मुर्जालहस्ता महाद्युते। निषादा बहवस्तत्र मत्स्योद्धरणनिश्चयाः॥
With nets in their hands, O you of great effuigence, those men came where the Rishi was. They were many in number and all of them were bent upon catching fish.
व्यायता बलिनः शूराः सलिलेष्वनिवर्तिनः। अभ्याययुश्च तं देशं निश्चिता जालकर्मणि॥
Well-formed and broadchested, gifted with great strength and courage, and never returning in fear from water, those men who lived upon the earning by their nets, came there, resolved to catch fish.
जालं ते योजयामासुनिःशेषेण जनाधिप। मत्स्योदकं समासाद्य तदा भरतसत्तम॥
Arrived at that water which, contained many fish, those fishermen, O chief of the Bharatas, tied all their nets together.
ततस्ते बहुभिर्योगैः कैवर्ता मत्स्यकाक्षिणः। गङ्गायमुनयोर्वारि जालैरभ्यकिरंस्ततः॥
Desirous of fish, of fish, those innumerable Kaivartas, united together and surrounded a portion of the waters of Ganga and Yamuna with their nets.
जालं सुविततं तेषां नवसूत्रकृतं तथा। विस्तारायामसम्पन्नं यत् तत्र सलिलेऽक्षिपन्॥
Indeed, they threw upon the water their net which was made of new strings, capable of covering a large space, and having sufficient length and breadth.
ततस्ते सुमहच्चैव बलवच्च सुवर्तितम्। अवतीर्य ततः सर्वे जालं चकृषिरे तदा॥
Getting down into the water, all of them began to drag with great force that net which was very large and had been wellspread over a large space.
अभीतरूपाः मंहृष्टा अन्योन्यवशवर्तिनः। बबन्धुस्तत्र मत्स्यांश्च तथान्यान् जलचारिणः॥
All of them were free from fear, cheerful, and fully determined to do one another's bidding. They had succeeded in catching a large number of fish and other aquatic animals.
तथा मत्स्यैः परिवृतं च्यवनं भृगुनन्दनम्। आकर्षयन्महाराज जालेनाथ चदृच्छया॥
And as they dragged their net, o king, they easily dragged up Chyavana the son of Bhrigu, along with a large number of fish.
नदीशैवलदिग्धाङ्गं हरिश्मश्रुजटाधरम्। लग्नैः शङ्खनखैर्गात्रे क्रोडैश्चित्रैरिवार्पितम्॥
His body was overgrown with the rivermoss. His beard and matted locks had become green. And all over his body could be seen conchs and other mollusca attached with their heads.
तं जालेनोद्धृतं दृष्ट्वा ते तदा वेदपारगम्। सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो दाशा: शिरोभिः प्रापतन् भूवि॥
Seeing that Rishi who was a master of the Vedas dragged up by them from the water, all the fishermen stood with joined hands and then laid themselves low on the ground and repeatedly bent their heads.
परिखेदपरित्रासाज्जालस्याकर्षणेन च। मत्स्या बभूवुफ्पन्नाः स्थलसंस्पर्शनेन च॥
Through fear and pain caused by the dragging to the net, and on account of their being brought upon the land, the fishes caught in the net died.
स मुनिस्तत् तदा दृष्ट्वा मत्स्यानां कदनं कृतम्। नभूव कृपयाविष्टो निःश्वसंश्च पुनः पुनः॥
Seeing that great onslaught of fishes, the ascetic became filled with compassion and sighed repeatedly.
मत्स्य पुरुष उवाच अज्ञानाद् यत् कृतं पापं प्रसादं तत्र नः कुरु। करवाम प्रियं किं ते तन्नो ब्रूहि महामुने॥
The fishermen said We have perpetrated this sin unwillingly. Be pleased with us! What wish of yours shall we fulfil? Command us, ogreat ascetic.
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्तो मत्स्यमध्यस्थश्च्यवनो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। यो मेऽद्य परमः कामस्तं शृणुध्वं समाहिताः॥
Bhishma said Thus addressed by them, Chyavana, from among that mass of fishes around him, said Do you with rapt attention hear what my most cherished wish is.
प्राणोत्सर्ग विसर्ग वा मत्स्यैर्यास्यामम्यहं सह। संवासान्नोत्सहे त्यक्तुं सलिलेऽध्युषितानाहम्॥
I shall either die with these fishes or do ye sell me with them. I have lived with them for a long time within the water. I do not wish to leave them at such a time!
इत्युक्तास्ते निषादास्तु सुभृशं भयकम्पिताः। सर्वे विवर्णवदना नहुषाय न्यवेदयन्॥
When he said these words to them, the fishermen became greatly terrified. With pale faces they went to king Nahusha and informed him of all that had occurred.