युधिष्ठिर उवाच किमुत्तरं तदा तौ स्म चक्रतुस्तस्य भाषिते। ब्राह्मणो वाथवा राजा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, what reply was given by either the Brahmana or the king to Virupa after he had finished his speech.
अथवा तौ गतौ तत्र यदेतत् कीर्तितं त्वया। संवादो वा तयोः कोऽभूत् किं वा तौ तत्र चक्रतुः॥
What king of end was it, amongst those described by you, that they acquired? What, indeed, was the conversation that took place between them, and what did they do there?"
भीष्म उवाच तथेत्येवं प्रतिश्रुत्य धर्मं सम्पूज्य च प्रभो। यमं कालं च मृत्युं च स्वर्ग सम्पूज्य चार्हतः॥
Saying,-Let it be as you have said, the Brahmana, adored Dharma and Yama and Time and Mrityu and Heaven all of whom deserved adorations.
पूर्वं ये चापरे तत्र समेता ब्राह्मणर्षभाः। सर्वान् सम्पूज्य शिरसा राजानं सोऽब्रवीद् द्विजः॥ फलेनानेन संयुक्तो राजर्षे गच्छ मुख्यताम्। भवता चाभ्यनुज्ञातो जपेयं भूय एव ह॥
He also adored all those foremost of Brahmanas that had come there by bending his head to them. Addressing the king then, he said,-Gifted with the reward of my recitation, O royal sage, acquire an eminent position. With your permission I shall set myself to my recitations again.
वरच मम पूर्वं हि दत्तो देव्या महाबला श्रद्धा ते जपतो नित्यं भवत्विति विशाम्पते॥
O you of great power, the goddess Savitri gave me a boon, saying,-Let, your devotion to recitation be continuous.
राजोवाच यद्येवमफला सिद्धिः श्रद्धा च जपितुं तव। गच्छ विप्र मया साधु जापकं फलमाप्नुहि॥
If your success has become futile, and if your heart is bent upon practising again, go, O learned Brahmana, half and half with me, and you alone enjoy the reward of the recitations.
ब्राह्मण उवाच कृतः प्रयत्नः सुमहान् सर्वेषां संनिधाविह। सह तुल्यफलावावां गच्छावो यत्र नौ गतिः॥
The Brahmana said You have exerted your best before all these men. Let us then become equal regarding our rewards, and let us go to receive our end.
भीष्म उवाच व्यवसायं तयोस्तत्र विदित्वा त्रिदशेश्वरः। सह देवैरुपययौ लोकपालैस्तथैव च॥
Apprised of these determination, the king of the celestials came there, accompanied by the gods and the Regents of the world.
साध्याश्च विश्वे मरुतो वाद्यानि सुमहान्ति च। नद्यः शैला: समुद्राश्च तीर्थानि विविधानि च।॥ तपांसि संयोगविधिर्वेदाः स्तोभाः सरस्वती। नारदः पर्वतश्चैव विश्वावसुर्हहाहुहूः॥ गन्धर्वश्चित्रसेनश्च परिवारगणैर्युतः। नागाः सिद्धाश्च मुनयो देवदेवः प्रजापतिः॥ विष्णुः सहस्रशीर्षश्च देवोऽचिन्त्यः समागमत्। अवाद्यन्तान्तरिक्षे च भेर्यस्तूर्याणि वा विभो॥
The Sadhyas, the Vishvas, the Mantras, various sorts of loud and sweet music, the Rivers, the Mountains, the Seas, the Sacred Waters, the Penances, the Ordinances about Yoga, the Vedas, the Sounds accompanying the singing of the Samans, Sarasvati, Narada, Parvata, Vishvavasu, the Hahas, the Huhus, the are Gandharva Chitrasena with all the members of his family, the Nagas, the Siddhas, the Munis, the god of gods, viz., Prajapati, and the inconceivable and thousand-headed Vishnu himself, came there. Drums and trumpets were beat and blown in the sky.
पुष्पवर्षाणि दिव्यानि तत्र तेषां महात्नाम्। ननृतुश्चाप्सरःसंघास्तत्र तत्र समन्ततः॥
Celestial flowers were poured upon those great beings. Bevies of Apsaras danced all around.
अथ स्वर्गस्तथा रूपी ब्राह्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। संसिद्धस्त्वं महाभाग त्वं च सिद्धस्तथा नृप॥
Heaven, in his embodied form, came there. Addressing the Brahmana, he said,-You have acquired Success. You highly blessed.-Then addressing the king, said,-You have also, O king acquired success.
अथ तौ सहितौ राजन्नन्योन्यविधिना ततः। विषयप्रतिसंहारमुभावेव प्रचक्रतुः।।१६
O king having done good to each other, the king and the Brahmana, withdrew their senses from the objects of the world.
प्राणापानौ तथोदानं समानं व्यानमेव च। एवं तौ मनसि स्थाप्य दधतुः प्राणयोर्मनः॥
Fixing the vital airs Prana, Apana Samana, Udana, and Vyana in the heart, they fixed the mind in Prana and Apana united together.
उपस्थितकृतौ तौ च नासिकाग्रमधो भ्रुवोः। भृकुट्या चैव मनसा शनैर्धारयतस्तदा॥
They then placed the two united airs in the abdomen, and fixed their eyes on the tip of the nose and then immediately below the nose and then immediately below the two eye-brows. They next saw the two airs, with the help of the mind, in the interstice between the two eyebrows, bringing them there by and by.
निश्चेष्टाभ्यां शरीराभ्यां स्थिरदृष्टी समाहितौ। जितात्मानौ तथाऽऽधाय मूर्धन्यात्मानमेव च॥
With bodies perfectly motionless they were absorbed with fixed gaze. Having controlled their souls, they then placed the soul within the brain.
तालुदेशमथोद्दाल्य ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मनः। ज्योतिर्चाला सुमहती जगाम त्रिदिवं तदा॥
Then passing the crown of the great Brahmana a fiery flame of great effulgence went up to heaven,
हाहाकारस्तथा दिक्षु सर्वेषां सुमहानभूत्। तज्ज्योतिः स्तूयमानं स्म ब्राह्मणं प्राविशत् तदा॥
Loud exclamations of sorrow, uttered by all creatures, were then heard on all sides. Lauded by all, that splendour then entered Brahmana's self.
ततः स्वागतमित्याह तत् तेजः प्रपितामहः। प्रादेशमात्रं पुरुषं प्रत्युद्गम्य विशाम्पते॥
Coming forward, the great grandfather addressed that splendour which had become like a span in size saying,-Welcome.
भूयश्चैवापरं प्राह वचनं मधुर तदा। जापकैस्तुल्यफलता योगानां नात्र संशयः॥
And again he uttered these sweet words: Verily, Reciters acquire the same end with the Yogins.
योगस्य तावदेतेभ्यः प्रत्यक्षं फलदर्शनम्। जापकानां विशिष्टं तु प्रत्युत्थानं समाहितम्॥
When the Yogins attains his end he gets a direct vision unto all these (here assembled). Regarding Reciters, however, there is this distinction, that they are honoured by Brahmana's advancing forward to receive them.
उष्यतां मयि चेत्युक्त्वाचेतयत् सततं पुनः। अथास्यं प्रविवेशास्य ब्राह्मणो विगतज्वरः॥
Live you in me,-Thus spoke Brahman and once more gave consciousness to that splendour. Indeed, then, freed from all anxieties, the Brahmana entered the mouth of the Creator.
राजाप्येतेन विधिना भगवन्तं पितामहम्। यथैव द्विजशार्दूलस्तथैव प्राविशत् तदा॥
The king Ikshvaku, too, in the same way, entered the divine Grandfather like that best of Brahmanas.
स्वयम्भुवमथो देवा अभिवाद्य ततोऽब्रुवन्। जापकानां विशिष्टं तु प्रत्युत्थानं समाहितम्॥
The deities saluted the self-create and said, A very superior end is, indeed, laid down for Reciters.
जापकार्थमयं यत्नो यदर्थं वयमागताः। कृतपूजाविमौ तुल्यौ त्वया तुल्यफलाविमौ॥
This your exertion is for Reciters. We only came here for seeing it. You have made these two equal, honoured them equally, and granted them an equal end.
योगजापकयोदृष्टं फलं सुमहदद्य वै। सर्वा ल्लोकानतिक्रम्य गच्छेतां यत्र वाञ्छितम्॥
We have seen to-day the high end that is reserved for both. Yogins and Reciters. Transcending all happy regions, these two are capable of going wherever they like.
ब्रह्मोवाच महास्मृतिं पठेद् यस्तु तथैवानुस्मृतिं शुभाम्। तावप्येतेन विधिना गच्छेतां मत्सलोकताम्॥
Brahmana said-He also who would read the great Smriti (viz., the Vedas) and he too who would read the other sacred Smritis that follow the former, (viz., Manu's and the rest), would, similarly allain to the same region with me.
यश्च योगे भवेद् भक्तः सोऽपि नास्त्यत्र संशयः। विधिनानेन देहान्ते मम लोकानवाप्नुयात्। साधये गम्यतां चैव यथास्थानानि सिद्धये॥
He also, who is devoted to Yoga, will, forsooth, acquire likewise, after death, my own regions. I go hence. Go ye all to your respective abodes for the accomplishment of your ends.
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्त्वा स तदा देवस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयता आमन्त्र्य च ततो देवा ययुः स्वं स्वं निवेशनम्॥
Having said so that foremost of gods disappeared there and then. Having obtained a leave from him beforehand the gods returned to their respective quarters.
ते च सर्वे महात्मानो धर्म सत्कृत्य तत्र वै। पृष्ठतोऽनुययू राजन् सर्वे सुप्रीतचेतसः॥
Having honoured Dharma, all those great beings proceeded with well-pleased hearts, O king, walking behind that great god.
एतत् फलं जापकानां गतिश्चैषा प्रकीर्तिता। यथाश्रुतं महाराज किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥
These are the rewards of reciters and this their end. I have described them to you as ] myself had heard of them. What else, O king, do you wish to hear of?