वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु कौन्तेयो गुडाकेशेन पाण्डवः। नोवाच किंचित् कौरव्यस्ततो द्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said Thus addressed by Arjuna of curly hair, the Kuru king, son of Kunti, remained silent. Then Dvaipayana (Vyasa) said.
व्यास उवाच बीभत्सोर्वचनं सौम्य सत्यमेतद् युधिष्ठिर। शास्त्रदृष्टः परो धर्मः स्थितो गार्हस्थ्यमाश्रितः॥
Vyasa said The words of Arjuna, O amiable Yudhishthira, are true. The highest religion as sanctioned by the scriptures, consists in the duties of a householder.
स्वधर्मं चर धर्मज्ञ यथाशास्त्रं यथाविधि। न हि गार्हस्थयमुत्सृज्य तवारण्यं विधीयते॥
You are acquainted with all duties. Do you then duly practise the duties prescribed for you (viz., the duties of a householder.) A life of retirement in the forest forgetting the duties of a householder, has not been laid down for you.
गृहस्थं हि सदा देवाः पितरोऽतिथयस्तथा। भृत्याश्चैवोपजीवन्ति तान् भरस्व महीपते॥
The gods, Pitris, guests, and servants all depend (for their maintenance) upon householder. Do you then support all these, O king.
वयांसि पशवश्चैव भूतानि च जनाधिप। गृहस्थैरेव धार्यन्ते तस्माच्छेरूष्ठो गृहाश्रमी॥
Birds and animals and various other creatures, O king, supported by a are householders. He, therefore, who belongs to that mode of life, is superior to all.
सोऽयं चतुर्णामेतेषामाश्रमाणां दुराचरः। तं चराद्य विधि पार्थ दुश्चरं दुर्बलेन्द्रियैः
The life of a householder is the inost difficult of all the four modes of life. Do you practise that mode of life then, O Partha, which is difficult of being practised by persons of uncontrolled senses.
वेदज्ञानं च ते कृत्स्नं तपश्चाचरितं महत्। पितृपैतामहं राज्यं धुर्यवद् वोढुमर्हसि॥
You have mastered all the Vedas. You have earned great ascetic merit. You should, therefore, bear like an ox the burden of your ancestral kingdom.
तपो यज्ञस्तथा विद्या भक्ष्यमिन्द्रियसंयमः। ध्यानमेकान्तशीलत्वं तुर्ज्ञािनं च शक्तितः॥ ब्राह्मणानां महाराज चेष्टा संसिद्धिकारिका।
Penances, sacrifices, forgiveness, learning, mendicancy, restraint of senses, contemplation, living in solitude, contentment, and knowledge (of Brahma), should, O king, be practised by Brahmanas to the best of their ability for the attainment of success.
क्षत्रियाणां तु वक्ष्यामि तवापि विदितं पुनः॥ यज्ञो विद्या समुत्थानमसंतोषः श्रियं प्रति। दण्डधारणमुग्रत्वं प्रजानां परिपालनम्॥ वेदज्ञानं तथा कृत्स्नं तपः सुचरितं तथा। द्रविणोपार्जनं भूरि पात्रे च प्रतिपादनम्॥ एतानि राज्ञां कर्माणि सुकृतानि विशाम्पते। इमं लोकममुं चैव साधयन्तीति नः श्रुतम्॥
I shall now tell you the duties of Kshatriyas. They are not unknown to you. Sacrifice, learning, activity, ambition, holding, the rod of chastisement, dreadfulness, protection of subjects, knowledge of the Vedas, practise of all kinds of penances, enances, good conduct, acquisition of wealth, and gifts to deserving person, these, o king, when performed properly by the Kshatriyas, secure for them both this world and the next, as heard by us.
एषां ज्यायस्तु कौन्तेय दण्डधारणमुच्यते। बलं हि क्षत्रिये नित्यं बले दण्डः समाहितः॥
Of them, O son of Kunti, wielding the rod of chastisement has been declared to be the foremost. A Kshatriya must always have strength, and upon strength depends chastisement.
एता विद्याः क्षत्रियाणां राजन् संसिद्धिकारिकाः। अपि गाथामिमां चापि बृहस्पतिरगायत॥
Those I have mentioned are, O king, the principle duties for Kshatriyas and lead greatly to their success. Brihaspati, in this matter, sang this verse :
भूमिरेतौ निगिरति सर्पो बिलशयानिव। राजानं चाविरोद्धारं ब्राह्मणं चाप्रवासिनम्।१५।।
Like a snake devouring a mouse, the Earth devours a king who is inclined to peace and a Brahmana who is greatly addicted to a life of domesticity!
सुद्युम्नश्चापि राजर्षिः श्रूयते दण्डधारणात्। प्राप्तवान् परमां सिद्धिं दक्षः प्राचेतसो यथा॥
It is heard again that the royal sage Sudyumna, only by wielding the rod of chastisement, gained the highest success, like Daksha himself, the son of Prachetas.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच भगवन् कर्मणा केन सुद्युम्नो वसुधाधिपः। संसिद्धिं परमां प्राप्तः श्रोतुमिच्छामि तं नृपम्॥
Yudhishthira said O holy sage, by what acts did king Sudyumna gain the highest success? (I wish to hear the king.)
व्यास उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। शङ्खच लिखितश्चास्तां भ्रातरौ संशितव्रतौ॥
Vyasa said 'In this matter is also cited this old history. There were two brothers, viz., Shankha and Likhita of rigid vows.
तयोरावसथावास्तां रमणीयौ पृथक् पृथक्। नित्यपुष्पफलैर्वृक्षरुपेतौ बाहुदामनु॥
The two brothers had two separate beautiful houses. Situate by the bank of the river called Vahuda, both of those houses were decorated with trees always bearing flowers and fruits.
ततः कदाचिल्लिखितः शङ्खस्याश्रममागतः। यदृच्छयाथशङ्खोऽपि निष्क्रान्तोऽभवदाश्रमात्॥
Once on a time Likhita come to the house of his brother Shankha. At that time, however, Shankha had left his asylum with no fixed purpose.
सोऽभिगम्याश्रमं भ्रातुः शङ्खस्य लिखितस्तदा। फलानि पातयामास सम्यक्परिणतान्युत॥
Arrived at the asylum of his brother, Shankha, Likhita plucked many ripe fruits.
तान्युपादाय विस्रब्यो भक्षयामास स द्विजः। तस्मिंश्च भक्षयत्येव शङ्खोऽप्याश्रममागतः॥
Getting them the Rishi Likhita began to eat them without feeling any pinch of conscience. While thus eating Shankha returned to his hermitage.
भक्षयन्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा शङ्खो भ्रातरमब्रवीत्। कुतः फलान्यवाप्तानि हेतुना केन खादसि॥
Seeing him eating, Shankha addressed his brother, saying,-Whence have these fruits been got and for why are you eating them?
सोऽब्रवीद् भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठमुपसृत्याभिवाद्य च। इत एव गृहीतानि मयेति प्रहसन्निव॥
Approaching his elder brother and saluting him, Likhita smilingly replied, saying,—I have taken them even from this hermitage.
तमब्रवीत् तथा शङ्खस्तीव्ररोषसमन्वितः। स्तेयं त्वया कृतमिदं फलान्याददता स्वयम्॥
Filled with great anger, Shankha said to him,—You have committed theft by taking yourself these fruits.
गच्छ राजानमासाद्य स्वकर्म कथयस्व वै। अदत्तादानमेवं हि कृतं पार्थिवसत्तम॥
Go to the king confess what you have done. Tell him,-O best of kings, I have committed the offence of taking what was not given to me.
स्तेनं मां त्वं विदित्वा च स्वधर्ममनुपालय। शीघ्रं धारय चौरस्य मम दण्डं नराधिप॥
Knowing me for a thief and following your duty of order, do you punish me O king, like a thief.
इत्युक्तस्तस्य वचनात् सुद्युम्नं स नराधिपम्। अभ्यगच्छन्महाबाहो लिखितः संशितव्रतः॥
Thus commanded by his brother, the highly blessed Likhita of rigid vows proceeded to king Sudyumna.
सुद्युम्नस्त्वन्तपालेभ्यः : श्रुत्वा लिखितमागतम्। अभ्यगच्छत् सहामात्यः पद्भ्यामेव जनेश्वरः॥
Hearing from his gate-keepers that Likhita had come, king Sudyumna, with his counsellors, went out (for receiving him.)
तमब्रवीत् समागम्य स राजा धर्मवित्तमम्। किमागमनमाचक्ष्व भगवन् कृतमेव तत्॥ एवमुक्तः स विप्रर्षिः सुद्युम्नमिदमब्रवीत्। प्रतिश्रुत्य करिष्येति श्रुत्वा तत् कर्तुमर्हसि॥
Meeting with him, the king addressed that best of all persons conversant with duties, saying,-Tell me, O reverend sir, why you have Know it is already accomplished.-Thus accosted, that Rishi said to Sudyumna,-Do you promise first that you will do it. You should then, after hearing me, fulfil that promise.
सुद्युम्न उवाच अनिसृष्टानि गुरुणा फलानि मनुजर्षभ। भक्षितानि महाराज तत्र मां शाधि मा चिरम्॥ प्रमाणं चेन्मतो राजा भवतो दण्डधारणे। अनुज्ञायामपि तथा हेतुः स्याद् ब्राह्मणर्षभ।॥
O foremost of men, I ate some fruits that had not given me by my elder brother. Do you, o king, punish me for it forthwith, Sudyumna answered,-If the king be considered to wield the rod of chastisement, he come. should be regarded, O foremost of Brahmanas, as equally competent to pardon.
स भवानभ्यनुज्ञातः शुचिकर्मा महाव्रतः। ब्रूहि कामानतोऽन्यांस्त्वं करिष्यामि हि ते वचः॥
Purged in sin, you of high vows, consider yourself as pardoned. Tell me now what else do you wish. I shall certainly accomplish those your commands.'
व्यास उवाच संछन्द्यमानो ब्रह्मषिः पार्थिवेन महात्मना। नान्यं स वरयामास तस्माद् दण्डादृते वरम्॥
“Thus honoured by the great king, the Rishi Likhita, however, did not ask for any other favour.
ततः स पृथिवीपालो लिखितस्य महात्मनः। करौ प्रच्छेदयामास धृतदण्डो जगाम सः॥
Then that king caused the two hands of the high-souled Likhita to be cut off, whereupon the latter, bearing the punishment, went away.
स गत्वा भ्रातरं शङ्खमार्तरूपोऽब्रवीदिदम्। धृतदण्डस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्भवांस्तत् क्षन्तुमर्हति॥
Returning to his brother Shankha, Likhita, in great agony said,-'You should now pardon this wretched man who has been duly punished (for what he did)'.
शङ्ख उवाच न कुप्ये तव धर्मज्ञ न त्वं दूषयसे ममा सुनिर्मलं कुलं ब्रह्मन्नस्मिञ्जगति विश्रुतम्। धर्मस्तु ते व्यतक्रान्तस्ततस्ते निष्कृतिः कृताः॥
Shankha said "I am not angry with you nor have you injured me, O foremost of all persons conversant with duties. Your virtue, however, had deteriorated. I have saved you from that plight.
त्वं गत्वा बाहुदां शीघ्रं तर्पयस्व यथाविधि। देवानृषीन् पिढेश्चैवं मा चाधर्मे मनः कृथाः॥
Proceed forthwith to the river Vahuda and please duly, with oblations of water, the gods, Rishis, and the Pitris, and never again think of sin.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा शङ्खस्य लिखितस्तदा। अवगाह्यापगां पुण्यामुदकार्थं प्रचक्रमे॥
Hearing these words of Shankha, Likhita performed his ablutions in the sacred river and began to perform the water-rite.
प्रादुरास्तां ततस्तस्य करौ जलजसंनिभौ। ततः स विस्मितो भ्रातुर्दर्शयामास तौ करौ॥
Thereat, two hands, like two lotuses, appeared at the extremities of his stumps. Stricken with wonder he returned to his brother and showed him the two hands.
शङ्ख उवाच ततस्तमब्रवीच्छङ्खस्तपसेदं कृतं मया। मा च तेऽत्र विशङ्काभूद् दैवमत्र विधीयते॥
Shankha said All this has been done by me through my penances! Do not be surprised at it. Providence is the instrument here.
लिखित उवाच किं तु नाहं त्वया पूतः पूर्वमेव महाद्युते। यस्य ते तपसो वीर्यमीदृशं द्विजसत्तम॥
Likhita answered: O you of great splendour, why did you not purify me at first, when, O best of Rishis, such was the power of your penances?
शङ्ख उवाच एवमेतन्मया कार्यं नाहं दण्डधरस्तव। स च पूतो नरपतिस्त्वं चापि पितृभिः सह॥
Shankha said I should not have acted otherwise. I am not your punisher. The king has been himself purified as also yourself, along with the Pitris.
व्यास उवाच स राजा पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ श्रेयान् वै तेन कर्मणा। प्राप्तवान् परमां सिद्धिं दक्षः प्राचेतसो यथा॥
Vyasa said That king, O eldest son of Pandu, became great by this act and obtained the greatest success like the lord Daksha himself.
एष धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां प्रजानां परिपालनम्। उत्पथोऽन्यो महाराज मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः॥
Such is the duty of Kshatriyas, viz., the ruling of subjects. Any other, O king, would be considered as a wrong path for them. Do not grieve.
भ्रातुरस्य हितं वाक्यं शृणु धर्मज्ञ सत्तम। दण्ड एव हि राजेन्द्र क्षत्रधर्मो न मुण्डनम्॥
O best of all persons conversant with duty, listen to the wholesome words of this your brother. Holding the rod of chastisement, O king, is the duty of kings and not the shaving of the head. more