भीष्म उवाच ततस्तेषां समस्तानामृषीणामृषिसत्तमः। ऋषभो नाम विप्रर्षिविस्मयन्निदमब्रवीत्॥
Bhishma said Then the best of Rishis, viz., the twice-born Rishabha, sitting in the midst of all those Rishis, smiled a little and said
पुराहं राजशार्दूल तीर्थान्यनुचरन् प्रभो। समासादितवान् दिव्यं नरनारायणाश्रमम्॥
Formerly, O foremost of Kings, while sojourning among sacred places, I arrived O lord, at the beautiful hermitage of Nara and Narayana.
यत्र सा बदरी रम्या ह्रदो वैहायसस्तथा। यत्र चाश्वशिरा राजन् वेदान् पठति शाश्वतान्॥
There lies the charming spot called Badari, and there also is that lake in the sky. There the sage Ashvashiras, O king, reads the eternal Vedas.
तस्मिन् सरसि कृत्वाहं विधिवत् तर्पणं पुरा। पितृणां देवतानां च ततोऽऽश्रममियां तदा॥
Having performed my ablutions in that lake duly offered libations of water to the departed manes and the gods, I entered the hermitage.
रेमाते यत्र तौ नित्यं नरनारायणावृषी। अदूरादाश्रमं कञ्चिद् वासार्थमगमं तदा॥
Within that retreat the Rishis Nara and Narayana always spend their time happily. Not far from that place I went to another hermitage for taking up my quarter.
तत्र चीराजिनधरं कृशमुच्चमतीव च। अद्राक्षमृषिमायान्तं तनुं नाम तपोधनम्॥
While seated there I saw a very tall and emaciated Rishi, clad in rags and skins, coming towards me. Rich in penances, he was named Tanu,
अन्यैर्नरैर्महाबाहो वपुषाष्टगुणान्वितम्। कृशता चापि राजर्षे न दृष्टा तादृशी क्वचित्॥
Compared, O mighty-armed one, with other men, his height was eight times greater. Regarding his leanness, O royal sage, I can say that I have never seen its like.
शरीरमपि राजेन्द्र तस्य कानिष्ठिकासमम्। ग्रीवा बाहू तथा पादौ केशाश्चाद्भुतदर्शनाः॥
His body, O king, was as thin as one's little finger. His neck and arms and legs and hair were all of extraordinary character.
शिरः कायानुरूपं न कर्णी नेत्रे तथैव च। तस्य वाक्चैव चेष्टा च सामान्ये राजसत्तम॥
His head was proportionate to his body, and his ears and eyes, also, were the same. His speech, O best of kings, and his movements were highly feeble.
दृष्ट्वाहं तं कृशं विप्रं भीतः परमदुर्मनाः। पादौ तस्याभिवाद्याथ स्थितः प्राञ्जलिरग्रतः॥
Seeing that highly emaciated Brahmana I became very dispirited and frightened. Saluting his feet, I stood before him with clasped hands.
निवेद्य नामगोत्रे च पितरं च नरर्षभ। प्रदिष्टे चासने तेन शनैरहमुपाविशम्॥
Having given out to him my name and family, and having told him also the name of my father, O foremost of men, I slowly sat myself down on a seat that was pointed out by him.
ततः स कथयामास कथां धर्मार्थसंहिताम्। ऋषिमध्ये महाराज तनुर्धर्मभृतां वरः॥
Then, o king, that foremost of virtuous men, viz., Tanu, began to describe in the midst of the Rishis living in that hermitage the topics regarding Righteousness and Profit.
तस्मिंस्तु कथयत्येव राजा राजीवलोचनः। उपायाज्जवनैरश्वैः सबल: सावरोधनः॥
While engaged in discourse, a king, having eyes like lotus-petals and accompanied by his forces and the ladies of his seraglio, came on a car drawn by quick-coursing horses.
स्मरन् पुत्रमरण्ये वै नष्टं परमदुर्मनाः। भूरिद्युम्नपिता श्रीमान् वीरद्युम्नो महायशाः॥
The name of that king was Viradyumna. Of beautiful features, he was highly illustrious. His son's name was Bhuridyumna. The child has been missing, and the father, highly dispirited, came there in there in course of his wanderings amid the forest in pursuit of the missing one.
इह द्रक्ष्यामि तं पुत्रं द्रक्ष्यामीहेति पार्थिवः। एवमाशाहतो राजा चरन् वनमिदं पुरा॥
I shall find my son here!-I shall find my son here!-Carried on by hope in this way, the king wandered through that forest in those days.
दुर्लभः स मया द्रष्टुं नूनं परमधार्मिकः। एकः पुत्रो महारण्ये नष्ट इत्यसकृत् तदा॥
Addressing the emaciated Rishi he said,-Forsooth, that highly virtuous son of mine cannot be traced by me. Alas, he was my only son. He is lost and can nowhere be found.
दुर्लभः स मया द्रष्टुमाशा च महती मम। तया परीतगात्रोऽहं मुमूर्षुर्नात्र संशयः॥
Though he cannot be discovered my hope, however, of finding him is very great! With that hope (which is frequently disappointed) I am almost on the point of death.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु भगवांस्तनुर्मुनिवरोत्तमः। अवाक्शिरा ध्यानपरो मुहूर्तमिव तस्थिवान्।१८।।
Hearing these words of the king, that foremost of ascetics, viz., the holy Tanu, remained for a short while with head lowering down and himself immersed in contemplation.
तमनुध्यान्तमालक्ष्य राजा परमदुर्मनाः। उवाच वाक्यं दीनात्मा मन्दं मन्दमिवासकृत्॥ दुर्लभं किं नु देवर्षे आशायाश्चैव कि महत्। ब्रवीतु भगवानेतद् यदि गुह्यं न ते मयि॥
Seeing him immersed in contemplation, the king became highly disspirited. With great sorrow he began to say slowly and softly,-What, Ocelestial, Rishi, is that which cannot be conquered and what is it that is greater than hope? O holy one, tell me this if I may hear it without any objection.
मुनिरुवाच महर्षिभगवांस्तेन पूर्वमासीद् विमानितः। बालिशां बुद्धिमास्थाय मन्दभाग्यतयाऽऽत्मनः॥
The ascetic said A holy and great ascetic had been insulted by your son. He had done it through ill luck, actuated by his foolish understanding.
अर्थयन् कलशं राजन् काञ्चनं वल्कलानि च। अवज्ञापूर्वकेनापि न सम्पादितवांस्ततः। निविण्णः स तु विप्रर्षिनिराशः समपद्यत॥
The ascetic has asked your son for a golden jar and vegetable barks. Your son refused, out of contempt, to please the ascetic.
एवमुक्तोऽभिवाद्याथ तमृषि लोकपूजितम्। श्रान्तोऽवसीदद् धर्मात्मा यथा त्वं नरसत्तम॥
Thus treated by your son, the great sage became disappointed!-Thus addressed, the king adored that ascetic worshipped of all the world. Of virtuous soul, Viradyumna sat there, worn out with toil even as you, O best of men, noware.
अर्घ्यं ततः समानीय पाद्यं चैव महानृषिः। आरण्येनैव विधिना राज्ञे सर्वं न्यवेदयत्।॥
The great ascetic, in return, offered the dwellers, water to wash his feet and the Arghya.
ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे परिवार्य नरर्षभम्। उपाविशन् नरव्याघ्र सप्तर्षय इव ध्रुवम्॥
Then all the ascetics, O. foremost of kings, sat there, encircling that foremost of men like the stars of the constellation of Ursa Major surrounding the Pole star.
अपृच्छंश्चैव तं तत्र राजानमपराजितम्। प्रयोजनमिदं सर्वमाश्रमस्य निवेशने॥
And they asked the unvanquished king about the cause of his arrival at that hermitage.