संजय उवाच श्रुत्वा मृत्युसमुत्पत्तिं कर्माण्यनुपमानि च। धर्मराजः पुनर्वाक्यं प्रसाद्यैनमथाब्रवीत्॥
Sanjaya said Having heard of the origin of Death and her strange deeds, the very virtuous king Yudhishthira, once more humbly addressing
युधिष्ठिर उवाच गुरुः पुण्यकर्माणः शक्रप्रतिमविक्रमाः। स्थाने राजर्षयो ब्रह्मन्ननघाः सत्यवादिनः॥
Yudhishthira said In many blessed countries there were many many monarchs, of virtuous deeds and of prowess equal to that of Shakra (Indra) himself. O Brahman, they were royal sages, sinless and lovers of truthful speech.
भूय एव तु मां तथ्यैर्वचोभिरभिबृहय। राजर्षीणां पुराणानां समाश्वासय कर्मभिः॥
Once again, do you address me in words of grave signification and comfort me with the story of the feats of those royal sages of ancient days.
कियन्त्यो दक्षिणादत्ताः कैश्च दत्ता महात्मभिः। राजर्षिभिः पुण्यकृद्भिस्तद्भावान् प्रब्रवीतु मे॥
What was the amount of the sacrificial gifts made by them? Who were those royal sages of high soul and virtuous practices that made them? Tell me all this, O almighty Rishi!
व्यास उवाच शैब्यस्य नृपतेः पुत्रः सृञ्जया नाम नामतः। सखायौ तस्य चैवोभौ ऋषी पर्वतनारदौ॥
There lived in days gone by, a king known by the name of Srinjaya. He had a son who was named Shaivya; the sages Parvata and Narada were his friends.
तौ कदाचिद् गृहं तस्य प्रविष्टौ तद्दिक्षया। विधिवच्चार्चितौ तेन प्रीतौ तत्रौ तत्रोषतुः सुखम्॥
Once on a time desirous of an interview with him, the Rishis entered his palace. Being duly adored by him, they continued to live there happily.
तं कदाचित् सुखासीनं ताभ्यां सह शुचिस्मिता। दुहिताभ्यागमत् कन्या सृञ्जयं वरवर्णिनी॥
One day when Srinjaya was seated with the sages at his ease, his very beautiful daughter of pure smiles came to him.
तयाभिवादितः कन्यामभ्यनन्दद् यथाविधि। तत्सलिङ्गाभिराशीभिरिष्टाभिरभितः स्थिताम्॥
Then saluted by that daughter of his, he greeted her with benedictions after her own desire, when she was standing beside him.
तां नीरीक्ष्याब्रवीद् वाक्यं पर्वतः प्रहसन्निव। कस्येयं चञ्जलापानी सर्वलक्षणसम्मता॥
Beholding that girl, Parvata smilingly said these words to Srinjaya-"Whose daughter is this girl of restless glances and auspicious marks?
उताहो भाः स्विदर्कस्य ज्वलनस्य शिखा त्वियम्। श्रीहीः कीर्तिधृतिः पुष्टिः सिद्धिश्चन्द्रमसः प्रभा॥
Is she the effulgence of the solar orb or the blazing flame of Fire? Or is she Sri or Hari or Kirti or Dhriti or Pushti or Siddhi or the splendour of the moon?"
एवं ब्रुवाणं देवर्षि नृपतिः सृञ्जयोऽब्रवीत्। ममेयं भगवन् कन्या मत्तो वरमभीप्सति॥
Thereupon king Srinjaya replied to the celestial sage who spoke those words, thus-"O almighty Rishis, this damsel is my daughter and she solicits my blessings."
नारदस्त्वप्रवीदेनं देहि मह्यमिमां नृप। भार्यार्थं सुमहच्छ्रेयः प्राप्तुं चेदिच्छसे नृप॥
Thereafter Narada addressed the king saying-"O monarch, if you desire to secure great good, give me this your daughter in marriage.”
ददानीत्येव संहृष्टः सृञ्जयः प्राह नारदम्। पर्वतस्तु सुसंकुद्धो नारदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Filled with delight (at the Rishi's proposal) Srinjaya said to Narada-"I shall give her in marriage to you." Thercat the other sage Parvata excited with wrath, said these words to Narada.
हृदयेन मया पूर्वे वृतां वै वृतवानसि। यस्माद् वृता त्वया विप्र मागाः स्वर्ग यथेप्सया॥
"You have accepted this girl for your wife, whom before you I had chosen in my heart to be my wife; and because you have done this, you shall not, O Brahmana, go to heaven at your will."
एवमुक्तो नारदस्तं प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं वचः। मनोवाग्बुद्धिसम्भाषा दत्ता चोदकपूर्वकम्॥ पाणिग्रहणमन्त्राश्च प्रथितं वरलक्षणम्। न त्वेषा निश्चिता निष्ठा निष्ठा सप्तपदी स्मृता॥
Thus spoken to, Narada said to him these words in reply "The husband's heart, his speech, the giver's consent, the speeches of both of them, the actual gift made with the sprinkling of water. The mantras specified for holding the bride's hands, these have been said to be the indications by which one becomes know as the husband of a damsel. But these Ceremonials are not sufficient, the essential one being the walk for seven paces after the marriage.
अनुत्पन्ने च कार्यार्थे मां त्वं व्याहृतवानसि। तस्मात् त्वमपि न स्वर्गे गमिष्यसि मया विना॥
"Without any provocation whatever, you have pronounced a curse on me. Therefore you also shall not go to heaven save in my company."
अन्योन्यमेवं शप्त्वा वै तस्थतस्तत्र सौ तदा। अथ सोऽपि नृयो विप्रान् पानाच्छादनभोजनैः॥ पुत्रकामः परं शक्त्या यत्नाच्चोपाचरच्छुचिः। तस्य प्रसन्नाविप्रेन्दाः कदाचित् पुत्रमीप्सवः॥ तपःस्वाध्यायनिरता वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः। सहिता नारदं प्राहुर्देह्यस्मै पुत्रमीप्सितम्॥
Thus having cursed each other those two sages continued to live there. Meanwhile Srinjaya, desirous of obtaining a son and purifying himself, began to gratify the Vipras to the best of his resources, with drinks, garments and foods. After a while, those Brahmanas devoted to the study of the Vedas and acquainted with the contents of the scriptures and their various auxiliaries, being gratified with the king, who desired to have a son, came in a body to Narada and said to him-"Give this king a son of the sort he desires."
तथेत्युक्त्वा द्विजैरुक्तः सृञ्जयनारदोऽब्रवीत्। तुभ्यं प्रसन्ना राजर्षे पुत्रमीप्सन्ति ब्राह्मणाः॥
Thus spoken to by the regenerate sages, Narada said Let it be so': and then he addressed Srinjaya saying-'0) royal sage, the Brahmanas have been gratified with you and they desire to bestow a son on you.
वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते यादृशं पुत्रमीप्सितम्। तथोक्तः प्राञ्जली राजा पुत्रं वद्रे गुणान्वितम्॥ यशस्विनं कीर्तिमन्तं तेजस्विनमरिंदमम्। यस्य मूत्रं पुरीषं च क्लेदः स्वेदश्च काञ्चनम्॥
Good betide you. Ask for the boon about the kind of the son wish to have.' Thus addressed, the king with folded palms, solicited the boon of getting a son endued with all qualities, famous, possessed of glory, highly energetic and subduer of all foes, whose urine, excreta, secretions and perspiration would be gold.”
सुवर्णष्ठीविरित्यवं तस्य नामाभवत् कृतम्। तस्मिन् वरप्रदानेन वर्षयत्यमितं धनम्॥
The king then obtained a son in due time who came to be called Suvarnasthivi on earth and through the virtue of that boon the child began to increase the wealth of his father beyond all limit.
कारयामास नृपतिः सौवर्णं सर्वमीप्सितम्। गृहप्राकारदुर्गाणि ब्राह्मणावसथान्यपि॥ शय्यासनानि यानानि स्थाली पिठरभाजनम्। तस्य राज्ञाऽपि यद् वेश्म बाह्याश्चापस्कराश्च ये॥ सर्वे तत् काञ्चनमयं कालेन परिवर्धितम्।
King Srinjaya then caused all objects of his desire to be made of gold; and his houses and walls and fortresses and the residencies of the Brahınanas, his beds, conveyances, plates and all kinds of cups, saucers and the mansion he possessed and all implements and utensils, domestic and otherwise. Were caused to be made of gold. In the course of time his treasure went on increasing
अथ दस्युगणाः श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा चैनं तथाविधम्॥ सम्भूय तस्य नृपतः समारब्धाश्चिकीर्षितुम्।
Then certain robbers hearing of the prince and seeing him to be such banded together and endeavoured to do mischief to the king.
केचित् तत्राब्रुवन् राज्ञः पुत्रं गृह्णीम वै स्वयम्॥ सोऽस्याकरः काञ्चनस्य तस्य यत्तं चरामहे।
Some of them said. "We shall seize the son of the king. He is the mine of gold of his father. Let us therefore try to seize him."
ततस्ते दस्यवो लुब्धाः प्रविश्य नृपतेर्गृहम्॥ राजपुत्रं तथा जहुः सुवर्णष्ठीविनं बलात्।
Thereafter those robbers, led by covetousness, entered the king's palace; and forcibly look away the young prince Suvarnasthivi.
गृह्येनमनुपायज्ञा नीत्वारण्यमचेतसः॥ हत्वा विशस्य चापश्यन् लुब्धा वसुन किञ्चन। तस्य प्राणैर्विमुक्तस्य नष्टं तद् वरदं वसु॥
Seizing him and carrying him to the woods, lose idiots not knowing what to do with him. (Out of avarice slew him and cut him to pieces. But they found not any gold inside his frame. When that child was deprived of his life, all the gold consequent the sages boon, disappeared.
दस्यवश्च तदान्योन्यं जघ्नुर्मूर्खा विचेतसः। हत्वा परस्परं नष्टाः कुमारं चाद्भुतं भुवि॥
The robbers then, ignorant and idiotic as they were, slew one another; for having slain that wonderful prince, they also met with their destruction.
असम्भाव्यं गता घोरं नरकं दुष्टकारिणः। तं दृष्ट्वा निहतं पुत्रं वरदत्तं महातपाः॥
These robbers of wicked deed were plunged to an awful and unimaginable hell. Then on beholding his son obtained through a boon slain, that one of great asceticism, viz.,
विललाप सुदुःखार्तो बहुधा करुणं नृपः। विलपन्तं निशम्याथ पुत्रशोकहतं नृपम्॥
King Srinjaya began to lament plaintively being afflicted with terrible grief. Hearing the king afflicted with grief caused by his son's death thus lament.
प्रत्यदृश्यत देवर्षि रदस्तस्य संनिधौ। उवाच चैनं दुःखार्ते विलपन्तमचेतसम्॥
The celestial Rishi Narada revealed himself before the king. And he spoke these words to the bewailing and woc-stricken and senseless.
सृञ्जयं नारदोऽभ्येत्य तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर। कामानामवितृप्तस्त्वं सृञ्जयेह मरिष्यसि॥
King Srinjaya. O Yudhishthira listen on 10 those words. Narada said : You shall have to die, O Srinjaya, with many of your desirc', unfulfiled.
यस्य चैते वयं गेहे उषिता ब्रह्मवादिनः। आविक्षितं मरुत्तं च मृतं सृञ्जय शुश्रुम॥
Although we the reciters of the sacre. Veda live under your roof. O Srinjaya, we had ) hear of the death of even Avikshita's son Marutta.
संवर्तो याजयामास स्पर्धया वै बृहस्पतेः। यस्मै राजर्षये प्रादाद् धनं स भगवान् प्रभुः॥ हैमं हिमवतः पादं यियक्षोर्विविधैः स वै। यस्य सेन्द्राऽमरगणा बृहस्पतिपुरोगमाः॥ देवा विश्वसृजः सर्वे यजनान्ते समासते। यज्ञवाटस्य सौवर्णाः सर्वे चासन् परिच्छदाः॥
Piqued with Brihaspati, he had compelled even Samvarta himself to be a office-bearer in one of his greal sacrifices. To that royal sage, the illustrious divinity (Mahadeva) had given wealth in the shape of a golden plateau of Himavat. There with Marutta had accomplished numerous sacrifices. After the accomplishment of his sacrifices, various tribes of celestials, the creators of the world, accompanied by Indra and headed by Brihaspati, used to come to him. All the carpets and furniture's of his sacrificial compound were made of gold.
यस्य सर्वं तदा ह्यन्नं मनोऽभिप्रायगं शुचि। कामतो बुभुजुर्विप्राः सर्वे चान्नार्थिनो द्विजाः॥ पयो दधि घृतं क्षौद्रं भक्ष्यं भोज्यं च शोभनम्। यस्य यज्ञेषु सर्वेषु वासांस्याभरणानि च॥ ईप्सितान्युपतिष्ठन्ते प्रहृष्टान् वेदपारगान्। मरुतः परिवेष्टारो मरुत्तास्याभवन् गृहे॥
At his sacrifices the twice-born sects desirous of food all ate as it pleased them-food that was purified and suited to their tastes. At all his sacrifices, milk and curds and clarified butter and honey and other kinds of drinks and edibles, all of the finest sort and garments and ornaments precious and desirable, used to be given to Brahmanas thoroughly acquainted with the scriptures. The very gods became the distributors of food in Marutta's palace.
आविक्षितस्य राजर्षेर्विश्वेदेवाः सभासदः। यस्य वीर्यवतो राज्ञः सुवृष्ट्या सस्यसम्पदः॥ हविर्भिस्तर्पिता येन सम्यक् क्लृप्तैर्दिवौकसः। ऋषीणां च पितॄणां च देवानां सुखजीविनाम्॥ ब्रह्मचर्यश्रुतिमुखैः सर्वैर्दानैश्च सर्वदा। शयनासनयानानि स्वर्णराशीश्च दुस्त्यजाः॥ तत् सर्वममितं वित्तं दत्तं विप्रेभ्य इच्छया। सोऽनुध्यातस्तु शक्रेण प्रजाः कृत्वा निरामयाः॥ श्रद्दधानोजिताँल्लोकान् गत: पुण्यदुहोऽक्षयान्।
The Visvadevas were the courtiers of that royal sage the son of Avikshita. By him were propitiated the dwellers of heaven with oblations of clarified butter; gratified therewith, the gods, in their turn, increased that sovereign's wealth of corn by profuse showers of rain. He always contributed to the pleasure of the Rishis, the ancestral manes and the celestials and thereby made them propitious, as also by practising Brahmacharya, by the study of the Vedas, by observance of obsequial rites and by offering all kinds of gifts. His beds and carpets and conveyances and his vast treasures of gold difficult to be given away, in reality, all that vast among of wealth of his, were voluntarily distributed among the Brahmanas. Indra himself wished him well. His subjects were made happy by him. Performing all acts through piety, he finally attained to the eternal regions of bliss acquired by his religious merit.
सप्रजः सनृपामात्यः सदारापत्यबान्धवः॥ यौवनेन सहस्राब्दं मरुत्तो राज्यमन्वशात्।
With his children, counsellors wives, descendants, relatives, king Marutta, in the days of his youth, ruled his dominions for a thousand years.
स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया॥ पुत्रात् पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथाः। अयज्वानमदाक्षिण्यमभि श्वैत्येव्याहरन्॥
When even such a monarch, O Srinjaya, superior to you in respect of the four cardinal virtues and who, superior to you, was much more superior to your son, had to suffer death, do not lament for your son, saying Shvaitya,' who performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial presents.