Sahasrapat's Curse and the Teaching of Non-Violence

Verse 1 (1.11.1)

सखा बभूव मे पूर्वं खगमो नाम वै द्विजः । भृशं संशितवाक्तात तपोबलसमन्वितः ॥

sakhā babhūva me pūrvaṃ khagamo nāma vai dvijaḥ | bhṛśaṃ saṃśitavāktāta tapobalasamanvitaḥ

In the past I had a friend, a brahmin named Khagama, whose words carried great force, my dear, and who was endowed with the power of austerity.

Verse 2 (1.11.2)

स मया क्रीडता बाल्ये कृत्वा तार्णं भुजंगमम् । अग्निहोत्रे प्रसक्तस्तु भीषितः प्रमुमोह वै ॥

sa mayā krīḍatā bālye kṛtvā tārṇaṃ bhujaṃgamam | agnihotre prasaktastu bhīṣitaḥ pramumoha vai

Once, playing as a boy, I made a snake out of grass, and while he was absorbed in the fire offering I frightened him with it, and he fainted.

Verse 3 (1.11.3)

लब्ध्वा स च पुनः संज्ञां मामुवाच तपोधनः । निर्दहन्निव कोपेन सत्यवाक्संशितव्रतः ॥

labdhvā sa ca punaḥ saṃjñāṃ māmuvāca tapodhanaḥ | nirdahanniva kopena satyavāksaṃśitavrataḥ

When he came to himself again, that ascetic, truthful in speech and strict in his vows, spoke to me as though he would burn me up with his anger:

Note on the text: Corrected नर्दहन्निव → निर्दहन्निव (misprint in Wikisource; CE nirdahann iva). Matches CE 1.11.3, which was not aligned automatically because the CE prints extra apparatus lines with it.

Verse 4 (1.11.4)

यथावीर्यस्त्वया सर्पः कृतोऽयं मद्बिभीषया । तथावीर्यो भुजंगस्त्वं मम शापाद्भविष्यसि ॥

yathāvīryastvayā sarpaḥ kṛto'yaṃ madbibhīṣayā | tathāvīryo bhujaṃgastvaṃ mama śāpādbhaviṣyasi

"As powerless as this snake you made to frighten me, so powerless a snake will you become by my curse."

Verse 5 (1.11.5)

तस्याहं तपसो वीर्यं जानन्नासं तपोधन । भृशमुद्विग्नहृदयस्तमवोचमहं तदा ॥

tasyāhaṃ tapaso vīryaṃ jānannāsaṃ tapodhana | bhṛśamudvignahṛdayastamavocamahaṃ tadā

Knowing the power of his austerity, ascetic, I was deeply shaken at heart, and I said to him then,

Verse 6 (1.11.6)

प्रणतः संभ्रमाच्चैव प्राञ्जलिः पुरतः स्थितः । सखेति हसतेदं ते नर्मार्थं वै कृतं मया ॥

praṇataḥ saṃbhramāccaiva prāñjaliḥ purataḥ sthitaḥ | sakheti hasatedaṃ te narmārthaṃ vai kṛtaṃ mayā

bowing low in my alarm and standing before him with joined palms: "Friend, I did this to you laughing, only as a joke.

Verse 7 (1.11.7)

क्षन्तुमर्हसि मे ब्रह्मञ्शापोऽयं विनिवर्त्यताम् । सोऽथ मामब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा भृशमुद्विग्नचेतसम् ॥

kṣantumarhasi me brahmañśāpo'yaṃ vinivartyatām | so'tha māmabravīddṛṣṭvā bhṛśamudvignacetasam

Forgive me, brahmin; let this curse be withdrawn." Then, seeing me so deeply troubled, the ascetic

Verse 8 (1.11.8)

मुहुरुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य सुसंभ्रान्तस्तपोधनः । नानृतं वै मया प्रोक्तं भवितेदं कथंचन ॥

muhuruṣṇaṃ viniḥśvasya susaṃbhrāntastapodhanaḥ | nānṛtaṃ vai mayā proktaṃ bhavitedaṃ kathaṃcana

sighed hot breaths again and again and, greatly perturbed, said to me: "What I have said is not false; it must come to pass, whatever happens.

Verse 9 (1.11.9)

यत्तु वक्ष्यामि ते वाक्यं शृणु तन्मे तपोधन । श्रुत्वा च हृदि ते वाक्यमिदमस्तु सदाऽनघ ॥

yattu vakṣyāmi te vākyaṃ śṛṇu tanme tapodhana | śrutvā ca hṛdi te vākyamidamastu sadā'nagha

But listen, ascetic, to what I shall tell you now, and once you have heard it, keep these words always in your heart, sinless one.

Verse 10 (1.11.10)

उत्पत्स्यति रुरुर्नाम प्रमतेरात्मजः शुचिः । तं दृष्ट्वा शापमोक्षस्ते भविता नचिरादिव । एवमुक्तस्तु तेनाहमुरगत्वमवाप्तवान् ॥

utpatsyati rururnāma pramaterātmajaḥ śuciḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvā śāpamokṣaste bhavitā nacirādiva | evamuktastu tenāhamuragatvamavāptavān

There will be born a pure youth named Ruru, the son of Pramati. When you see him, you will be freed from the curse before long." Spoken to in this way by him, I took the form of a snake.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and ।।') around the third line. The first two lines are CE 1.11.10 (not aligned automatically); the third line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 11 (1.11.11)

स त्वं रुरुरिति ख्यातः प्रमतेरात्मजोऽपि च । स्वरूपं प्रतिपद्याहमद्य वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥

sa tvaṃ rururiti khyātaḥ pramaterātmajo'pi ca | svarūpaṃ pratipadyāhamadya vakṣyāmi te hitam

You are the one known as Ruru, the son of Pramati. Now that I take back my own form, I will tell you what is for your good.

Verse 12 (1.11.12)

स डौण्डुभं परित्यज्य रूपं विप्रर्षभस्तदा । स्वरूपं भास्वरं भूयः प्रतिपेदे महायशाः ॥

sa ḍauṇḍubhaṃ parityajya rūpaṃ viprarṣabhastadā | svarūpaṃ bhāsvaraṃ bhūyaḥ pratipede mahāyaśāḥ

Then that bull among brahmins, of great renown, cast off the dundubha's form and took on again his own radiant shape.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 13 (1.11.13)

इदं चोवाच वचनं रुरुमप्रतिमौजसम् । अहिंसा परमो धर्मः सर्वप्राणभृतां वर ॥

idaṃ covāca vacanaṃ rurumapratimaujasam | ahiṃsā paramo dharmaḥ sarvaprāṇabhṛtāṃ vara

And he spoke these words to Ruru of matchless vigour: "Non-violence is the highest dharma, best of all living beings.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The second line is the first half of CE 1.11.12; Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.

Verse 14 (1.11.14)

तस्मात्प्राणभृतः सर्वान्न हिंस्याद्ब्राह्मणः क्वचित् । ब्राह्मणः सौम्य एवेह भवतीति परा श्रुतिः ॥

tasmātprāṇabhṛtaḥ sarvānna hiṃsyādbrāhmaṇaḥ kvacit | brāhmaṇaḥ saumya eveha bhavatīti parā śrutiḥ

Therefore a brahmin should never harm any living creature. In this world a brahmin is gentle by birth: so says the highest scripture.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.11.12 (second half) and 1.11.13 (first half); Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.

Verse 15 (1.11.15)

वेदवेदाङ्गविन्नाम सर्वभूताभयप्रदः । अहिंसा सत्यवचनं क्षमा चेति विनिश्चितम् ॥

vedavedāṅgavinnāma sarvabhūtābhayapradaḥ | ahiṃsā satyavacanaṃ kṣamā ceti viniścitam

He knows the Vedas and the Vedangas and gives freedom from fear to every creature. Non-violence, truthful speech and forbearance, it is settled,

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.11.13 (second half) and 1.11.14 (first half); Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.

Verse 16 (1.11.16)

ब्राह्मणस्य परो धर्मो वेदानां धारणापि च । क्षत्रियस्य हि यो धर्मः स नेहेष्येत वै तव ॥

brāhmaṇasya paro dharmo vedānāṃ dhāraṇāpi ca | kṣatriyasya hi yo dharmaḥ sa neheṣyeta vai tava

are the highest dharma of a brahmin, together with holding the Vedas in memory. The dharma that belongs to a kshatriya is not meant for you.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.11.14 (second half) and 1.11.15 (first half); Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.

Verse 17 (1.11.17)

दण्डधारणमुग्रत्वं प्रजानां परिपालनम् । तदिदं क्षत्रियस्यासीत्कर्म वै शृणु मे रुरो ॥

daṇḍadhāraṇamugratvaṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam | tadidaṃ kṣatriyasyāsītkarma vai śṛṇu me ruro

Wielding the rod of punishment, sternness and the protection of subjects: this was the work of the kshatriya. Listen to me, Ruru.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.11.15 (second half) and 1.11.16 (first half); Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.

Verse 18 (1.11.18)

जनमेजयस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिन्सर्पाणां हिंसनं पुरा । परित्राणं च भीतानां सर्पाणां ब्राह्मणादपि ॥

janamejayasya yajñe'sminsarpāṇāṃ hiṃsanaṃ purā | paritrāṇaṃ ca bhītānāṃ sarpāṇāṃ brāhmaṇādapi

Long ago, at this sacrifice of Janamejaya, there was the slaughter of the snakes, and there was also the rescue of the terrified snakes by a brahmin,

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.11.16 (second half) and 1.11.17 (first line); Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.

Verse 19 (1.11.19)

तपोवीर्यबलोपेताद्वेदवेदाङ्गपारगात् । आस्तीकाद्द्विजमुख्याद्वै सर्पसत्रे द्विजोत्तम ॥

tapovīryabalopetādvedavedāṅgapāragāt | āstīkāddvijamukhyādvai sarpasatre dvijottama

by Astika, foremost of the twice-born, rich in austerity, strength and energy, master of the Vedas and Vedangas, at the snake sacrifice, best of brahmins."

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.11.17 (second and third lines); Wikisource pairs the half-verses of vv. 13–19 differently from CE 1.11.12–17, so they were not aligned automatically.