युधिष्ठिर उवाच तिष्ठते मे सदा तात कौतूहलमिदं हृदि। तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तः कुरुपितामह॥
Yudhishthira said This curiosity, O sire, is always living in my mind. O grandfather to the Kurus, I wish to hear everything about it form you!
कथं देवर्षिरुशना सदा काव्यो महामतिः। असुराणां प्रियकरः सुराणामप्रिये रतः॥
Why was the celestial Rishi, the great Ushanas, called also Kavi, engaged in doing what was agreeable to the Asuras and disagreeable to the gods.
वर्धयामास तेजश्च किमर्थममितौजसाम्। नित्यं वैरनिबद्धाश्च दानवाः सुरसत्तमैः॥
Why was he engaged in diminishing the energy of the gods? Why the Danavas always fought with the foremost of the gods.
कथं चाप्युशना प्राप शुक्रत्वममरद्युतिः। ऋद्धिं च स कथं प्राप्तः सर्वमेतद् वदस्व मे॥
Endued with the effulgence of an immortal, why did Ushanas obtain the name of Shukra? How also did he acquire such superior excellence? Tell me all about these things.
न याति च स तेजस्वी मध्येन नभसः कथम्। एतदिच्छामि विज्ञातुं निखिलेन पितामह॥
Though highly energetic, why can he not go to the centre of the sky? I wish, O grandfather, to learn everything about all these matters.
भीष्म उवाच शृणु राजन्नवहितः सर्वमेतद् यथातथम्। यथामति यथा चैतच्छुतपूर्वं मयानघ॥
Bhishma said Listen, O king, attentively to all this as it actually took place, O sinless one, I shall describe these masters to you as I have heard and understood them.
एष भार्गवदायादो मुनिर्मान्यो दृढव्रतः। सुराणां विप्रियकरो निमित्ते कारणात्मके॥
O firm vows and respected by all, Ushanas, that descendant of Bhrigu's race, became engaged in doing what was disagreeable to the gods for some good cause.
इन्द्रोऽथ धनदो राजा यक्षरक्षोऽधियः सदा। प्रभविष्णुश्च कोशस्य जगतश्च तथा प्रभुः॥
The royal Kuvera, the chief of the Yakshas and the Rakshas, is the lord of the wealth of Indra, that master of the universe.
तस्यात्मानमथाविश्य योगसिद्धो महामुनिः। रुद्ध्वा धनपतिं देवं योगेन हतवान् वसु॥
The great ascetic Ushanas, crowned with Yoga-success, entered the person of Kuvera, and depriving the lord of wealth of his liberty by means of Yoga, robbed him of all his riches.
हृते धने ततः शर्म न लेभे धनदस्तथा। आपन्नमन्युः संविग्नः सोऽभ्यगात् सुरसत्तमम्॥
Seeing his riches taken away from him, the lord of wealth became highly displeased. Filled anxiety, and his anger also being worked up, he want to that foremost of god, viz., Mahadeva.
निवेदयामास तदा शिवायामिततेजसे। देवश्रेष्ठाय रुद्राय सौम्याय बहुरूपिणे॥
Kuvera reported the matter to Shiva of great energy, that first of gods, fierce and amiable, and endued with various forms.
योगात्मकेनोशनसा रुद्ध्वा मम हृतं वसु। योगेनात्मगतं कृत्वा निःसृतश्च महातपाः॥
He said Ushanas, having spiritualised himself by Yoga, entered my body and depriving myself of liberty, has taken away all my riches. Having by Yoga entered my body he has again left it.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततः क्रुद्धो महायोगी महेश्वरः। संरक्तनयनो राजशूलमादाय तस्थिवान्॥
Hearing these words, Maheshvara of Supreme Yoga-powers became filled with ire. His eyes, O king, became blood-red, and taking up his lance he waited.
क्वासौ क्वासाविति प्राह गृहीत्वा परमायुधम्। उशना दूरतस्तस्य बभौ ज्ञात्वा चिकीर्षितम्॥
Having taken up that foremost of weapons, the great god began to say, Where is he? Where is he?—Meanwhile, Ushanas, having learnt the purpose of Mahadeva from a distance, waited silently.
स महायोगिनो बुद्ध्वा तं रोषं वै महात्मनः। गतिमागमनं वेत्ति स्थानं चैव ततः प्रभुः॥
Having learnt the fact of the anger of the great Maheshvara of superior Yoga-power, the powerful Ushanas began to think as to whether he should go to Maheshvara or fly away or remain where he was.
संचिन्त्योग्रेण तपसा महात्मानं महेश्वरम्। उशना योगसिद्धात्मा शूलाग्रे प्रत्यदृश्यत्॥
Thinking, with the help of his severe penances, of the great Mahadeva, Ushanas, of soul crowned with Yoga-success, put himself on the point of Mahadeva's lance.
विज्ञातरूपः स तदा तप:सिद्धोऽथ धन्विना। ज्ञात्वा शूलं च देवेशः पाणिना समनामयत्॥
Understanding that Ushanas, whose penances had been crowned with success and who had converted himself into the from of pure Knowledge, was staying at the point of his lance, the bow-armed Rudra, bent that weapon with his hand.
आनतेनाथ शूलेन पाणिनामिततेजसा। पिनाकमिति चोवाच शूलमुग्रायुधः प्रभुः॥
When the fierce-armed and powerful Mahadeva of great energy had thus bent his lance that weapon came to be called from that time by the name of Pinaka.
पाणिमध्यगतं दृष्ट्वा भार्गवं तमुमापतिः। आस्यं विवृत्य ककुदी पाणिना प्राक्षिपच्छनैः॥
The lord of Uma, seeing Bhargava thus brought upon the palm of his hand, opened his mouth. The chief of the gods then threw Bhargava into his mouth and swallowed him up.
स तु प्रविष्ट उशना कोष्ठं माहेश्वरं प्रभुः। व्यचरच्चापि तत्रासौ महात्मा भृगुनन्दनः॥
The powerful and great Ushanas of Bhrigu's race, entering the stomach of Maheshvara, began to wander there.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच किमर्थं व्यचरद् राजनुशना तस्य धीमतः। जठरे देवदेवस्य किं चाकार्षीन्माहद्युतिः॥
Yudhishthira said How, O king, could Ushanas wander within the stomach of that foremost (god) of superior intelligence? What also did that great god do while the Brahmana was within his stomach.
भीष्म उवाच पुरा सोऽन्तर्जलगताः स्थाणुभूतो महाव्रतः। वर्षाणामभवद् राजन् प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च॥
Bhishma said Then Mahadeva of severe vows, entered the water and remained there like an immovable wooden stake, O king, for millions of years.
उदतिष्ठत् तपस्तप्त्वा दुश्चरं च महाह्रदात्। ततो देवातिदेवस्तं ब्रह्मा वै समसर्पत॥ तपोवृद्धिमपृच्छच्च कुशलं चैवमव्ययः। तपः सुचीर्णमिति च प्रोवाच वृषभध्वजः॥
His Yoga penances of the austerest type having been over, he rose from the great lake. Then that prime god of the gods, viz., the eternal Brahman, approached him, and enquired after the progress of his penances and well-being. The god having the bull for his emblem answered, saying,—My penances have been well practised.
तत्संयोगेन वृद्धिं चाप्यपश्यत् स तु शंकरः। महामतिरचिन्त्यात्मा सत्यधर्मरतः सदा॥
Of inconceivable soul, endued with great intelligence, and ever devoted to the religion of truth, Shankara saw that Ushanas within his stomach had become greater on account of those penances of his.
स तेनाढ्यो महायोगी तपसा च धनेन च। व्यराजत महाराज त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान्॥
That foremost of Yogins. (viz., Ushanas), rich with that wealth of penances and the wealth (of Kuvera), shone brightly in the three worlds, gifted with great energy.
ततः पिनाकी योगात्मा ध्यानयोगं समाविशत्। उशना तु समद्विग्नो निलिल्ये जठरे ततः॥
After this, Mahadeva armed with Pinaka, that soul of Yoga, once more began to roam within the stomach of the great god.
तुष्टाव च महायोगी देवं तत्रस्थ एव च। नि:सारं काङ्क्षमाणः स तेन स्म प्रतिहन्यते॥
The great ascetic began to sing the praises of the god from where he was desirous of finding on outlet for escape. But, having stopped all his outlets, Rudra, prevented him from coming out.
उशना तु तथोवाच जठरस्थो महामुनिः। प्रसादं मे कुरुष्वेति पुनः पुनररिंदम॥
The great ascetic Ushanas, however, O chastiser of enemies, from within Mahadeva's stomach repeatedly addressed the god, saying,-Show me your kindness.
तमुवाच महादेवो गच्छ शिश्नेन मोक्षणम्। इति सर्वाणि स्रोतांसि रुद्ध्वा त्रिदशपुङ्गवः॥
To him Mahadeva said,-Go out through my urethra!-He had closed up all other outlets of his body.
अपश्यमानस्तद् द्वारं सर्वतः पिहितो मुनिः। पर्यक्रामद् उह्यमान इतश्चेतश्च तेजसा॥
Closed on all sides and unable to find out the outlet pointed out, the asetic began to roam hither and thither. burning all the while with Mahadeva's energy.
स वै निष्क्रम्य शिश्नेन शुक्रत्वमभिपेदिवान्। कार्येण तेन नभसो नाध्यगच्छत मध्यतः॥
At last he found the outlet and came out through it. On account of this incident he passed by the name of Shukra, and it is for this he also became unable to attain the central point of the sky.
विनिष्कान्तं तु तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा। भवो रोषसमाविष्टः शूलोद्यतकरः स्थितः॥
Seeing him come out of his stomach and shining bringhtly with energy, Bhava filled with anger, stood with lance uplifted in his hand.
अवारयत तं देवी क्रुद्धं पशुपति पतिम्। पुत्रत्वमगमद् देव्या वारिते शंकरे च सः॥
The goddess Uma then interposed and forbade the angry lord of all creatures, viz., her consort, to kill the Brahmana. And on account of Uma's having thus prevented her lord from fulfilling his purpose, the ascetic Ushanas became the son of the goddess.
देव्युवाच हिंसनीयस्त्वया नैव मम पुत्रत्वमागतः। न हि देवोदरात् कश्चिनिःसृतो नाशमृच्छति॥
The goddess said-This Brahmana no longer deserves to be killed by you. He has become my son. O god, one who comes out of your stomach does not deserve to be killed by you.
भीष्म उवाच ततः प्रीतो भवो देव्याः प्रहसंश्चेदमब्रवीत्। गच्छत्वेष यथाकाममिति राजन् पुनः पुनः॥
Bhishma said Pacified by these words of his wife, Bhava smiled and said repeatedly these words, O king, viz.,-Let this one go wherever he likes.
ततः प्रणम्य वरदं देवं देवीमुमां तथा। उशना प्राप तद्धीमान् गतिमिष्टां महामुनिः॥
Bowing to the boon-giving Mahadeva and also to his wife the goddess Uma, the great ascetic Ushanas, gifted with superior intelligence, proceeded to the place he chose.
एतत् ते कथितं तात भार्गवस्य महात्मनः। चरितं भरतश्रेष्ठ यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि॥
I have thus described to you, O chief of the Bharatas, the story of the great Bhargava about which you had asked me.