The Ascetics Turn Pandu Back

Verse 1 (1.125.1)

तत्रापि तपसि श्रेष्ठे वर्तमानः स वीर्यवान् । सिद्धचारणसङ्घानां बभूव प्रियदर्शनः ॥

tatrāpi tapasi śreṣṭhe vartamānaḥ sa vīryavān | siddhacāraṇasaṅghānāṃ babhūva priyadarśanaḥ

Vaishampayana said: There too, engaged in the highest austerity, the valiant Pandu became dear to the hosts of Siddhas and Charanas.

Verse 2 (1.125.2)

शुश्रूषुरनहंवादी संयतात्मा जितेन्द्रियः । स्वर्गं गन्तुं पराक्रान्तः स्वेन वीर्येण भारत ॥

śuśrūṣuranahaṃvādī saṃyatātmā jitendriyaḥ | svargaṃ gantuṃ parākrāntaḥ svena vīryeṇa bhārata

Eager to serve, free of boasting, self-controlled and master of his senses, he strove, O Bharata, to reach heaven by his own strength.

Note on the text: Corrected सुश्रूषुर् → शुश्रूषुर् (misprint in Wikisource; स for श, the critical edition reads śuśrūṣur).

Verse 3 (1.125.3)

केषांचिदभवद्भ्राता केषांचिदभवत्सखा । ऋषयस्त्वपरे चैनं पुत्रवत्पर्यपालयन् ॥

keṣāṃcidabhavadbhrātā keṣāṃcidabhavatsakhā | ṛṣayastvapare cainaṃ putravatparyapālayan

To some he became a brother, to some a friend, while other seers cared for him as for a son.

Verse 4 (1.125.4)

स तु कालेन महता प्राप्य निष्कल्मषं तपः । ब्रह्मर्षिसदृशः पाण्डुर्बभूव भरतर्षभ ॥

sa tu kālena mahatā prāpya niṣkalmaṣaṃ tapaḥ | brahmarṣisadṛśaḥ pāṇḍurbabhūva bharatarṣabha

In the course of a long time, having gained an austerity free of stain, Pandu became like a brahmin seer, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 5 (1.125.5)

अमावास्यां तु सहिता ऋषयः संशितव्रताः । ब्रह्माणं द्रष्टुकामास्ते संप्रतस्थुर्महर्षयः ॥

amāvāsyāṃ tu sahitā ṛṣayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | brahmāṇaṃ draṣṭukāmāste saṃpratasthurmaharṣayaḥ

On the day of the new moon the seers of strict vows gathered together, and those great seers set out, wishing to see Brahma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.111.4*1171).

Verse 6 (1.125.6)

संप्रयातानृषीन्दृष्ट्वा पाण्डुर्वचनमब्रवीत् । भवन्तः क्व गमिष्यन्ति ब्रूत मे वदतां वराः ॥

saṃprayātānṛṣīndṛṣṭvā pāṇḍurvacanamabravīt | bhavantaḥ kva gamiṣyanti brūta me vadatāṃ varāḥ

Seeing the seers setting out, Pandu said: "Where are you going, sirs? Tell me, best of speakers."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.111.4*1171).

Verse 7 (1.125.7)

समवायो महानद्य ब्रह्मलोके महात्मनाम् । देवानां च ऋषीणां च पितॄणां च महात्मनाम् । वयं तत्र गमिष्यामो द्रष्टुकामाः स्वयंभुवम् ॥

samavāyo mahānadya brahmaloke mahātmanām | devānāṃ ca ṛṣīṇāṃ ca pitṝṇāṃ ca mahātmanām | vayaṃ tatra gamiṣyāmo draṣṭukāmāḥ svayaṃbhuvam

The Sages said: "Today there is a great gathering in Brahma's world of great-souled beings, of the gods, the seers and the great-souled ancestors. We are going there, wishing to see the Self-born."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.111.4*1171). Corrected समावायो → समवायो (misprint in Wikisource; samavāya, 'assembly', as in the apparatus).

Verse 8 (1.125.8)

पाण्डुरुत्थाय सहसा गन्तुकामो महर्षिभिः । स्वर्गपारं तितीर्षुः स शतशृङ्गादुदङ्मुखः ॥

pāṇḍurutthāya sahasā gantukāmo maharṣibhiḥ | svargapāraṃ titīrṣuḥ sa śataśṛṅgādudaṅmukhaḥ

Vaishampayana said: Pandu rose at once, wishing to go with the great seers. Eager to cross to the far shore of heaven, he set out northward from Shatashringa

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's text (a variant of its apparatus line 1.111.4*1171, found in the vulgate recension); the second line = CE 1.111.5a.

Verse 9 (1.125.9)

प्रतस्थे सह पत्नीभ्यामब्रुवंस्तं च तापसाः । उपर्युपरि गच्छन्तः शैलराजमुदङ्मुखाः ॥

pratasthe saha patnībhyāmabruvaṃstaṃ ca tāpasāḥ | uparyupari gacchantaḥ śailarājamudaṅmukhāḥ

together with his wives; and the ascetics, climbing ever higher up the king of mountains as they faced the north, said to him:

Verse 10 (1.125.10)

दृष्टवन्तो गिरौ रम्ये दुर्गान्देशान्बहून्वयम् । विमानशतसंबाधां गीतस्वरनिनादिताम् । आक्रीडभूमिं देवानां गन्धर्वाप्सरसां तथा ॥

dṛṣṭavanto girau ramye durgāndeśānbahūnvayam | vimānaśatasaṃbādhāṃ gītasvaranināditām | ākrīḍabhūmiṃ devānāṃ gandharvāpsarasāṃ tathā

The Sages said: "On this lovely mountain we have seen many regions hard to reach: the pleasure grounds of the gods, the Gandharvas and the Apsarases, thronged with hundreds of celestial cars and ringing with the sound of song;

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is Wikisource v. 10 and the first line of v. 11; its second line is not in the critical edition's text (it stands in its apparatus, 1.111.6*1173; found in the vulgate recension). Speaker set to the ascetics (the Sages), whose speech is introduced by "said to him" in the previous verse; Wikisource prints no speaker line.

Verse 11 (1.125.11)

उद्यानानि कुबेरस्य समानि विषमाणि च । महानदीनितम्बांश्च गहनान्गिरिगह्वरान् ॥

udyānāni kuberasya samāni viṣamāṇi ca | mahānadīnitambāṃśca gahanāngirigahvarān

"the gardens of Kubera, on level ground and rough, the banks of great rivers, and deep mountain caverns.

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 11 and the first line of v. 12.

Verse 12 (1.125.12)

सन्ति नित्यहिमा देशा निर्वृक्षमृगपक्षिणः । सन्ति क्वचिन्महादर्यो दुर्गाः काश्चिद्दुरासदाः ॥

santi nityahimā deśā nirvṛkṣamṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | santi kvacinmahādaryo durgāḥ kāściddurāsadāḥ

"There are regions of everlasting snow, without trees, beasts or birds; and in places there are great chasms, some hard to pass, some impossible to approach,

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 12 and the first line of v. 13.

Verse 13 (1.125.13)

नातिक्रामेत पक्षी यान्कुत एवेतरे मृगाः । वायुरेको हि यात्यत्र सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः ॥

nātikrāmeta pakṣī yānkuta evetare mṛgāḥ | vāyureko hi yātyatra siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ

"which no bird could cross, much less any other creature. Only the wind goes there, and the Siddhas and the supreme seers.

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 13 and the first line of v. 14.

Verse 14 (1.125.14)

गच्छन्त्यौ शैलराजेऽस्मिन्राजपुत्र्यौ कथं न्विमे । न सीदेतामदुःखार्हे मा गमो भरतर्षभ ॥

gacchantyau śailarāje'sminrājaputryau kathaṃ nvime | na sīdetāmaduḥkhārhe mā gamo bharatarṣabha

"How could these two princesses, who have never deserved hardship, travel on this king of mountains and not falter? Do not go, O bull of the Bharatas."

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 14 and the first line of v. 15.

Verse 15 (1.125.15)

अप्रजस्य महाभागा न द्वारं परिचक्षते । स्वर्गे तेनाभितप्तोऽहमप्रजस्तु ब्रवीमि वः ॥

aprajasya mahābhāgā na dvāraṃ paricakṣate | svarge tenābhitapto'hamaprajastu bravīmi vaḥ

Pandu said: "Blessed ones, it is said that for the childless there is no door to heaven. Childless as I am, I am tormented by this, and so I speak to you.

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 15 and the first line of v. 16; Wikisource's speaker line for Pandu stands before it.

Verse 16 (1.125.16)

सोऽहमुग्रेण तपसा सभार्यस्त्यक्तजीवितः । अनपत्योऽपि विन्देयं स्वर्गमुग्रेण कर्मणा ॥

so'hamugreṇa tapasā sabhāryastyaktajīvitaḥ | anapatyo'pi vindeyaṃ svargamugreṇa karmaṇā

"So I, with my wives, having given up all care for life in fierce austerity, would win heaven by stern deeds even without offspring."

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 16 and the first line of v. 17. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 1.111.11*1177).

Verse 17 (1.125.17)

अस्ति वै तव धर्मात्मन्विद्म देवोपम शुभम् । अपत्यमनघं राजन्वयं दिव्येन चक्षुषा ॥

asti vai tava dharmātmanvidma devopama śubham | apatyamanaghaṃ rājanvayaṃ divyena cakṣuṣā

The Sages said: "Righteous one, godlike king, there is in store for you, as we know by our divine sight, offspring both auspicious and sinless.

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 17 and the first line of v. 18; Wikisource's speaker line for the sages stands before it.

Verse 18 (1.125.18)

दैवोद्दिष्टं नरव्याघ्र कर्मणेहोपपादय । अक्लिष्टं फलमव्यग्रो विन्दते बुद्धिमान्नरः ॥

daivoddiṣṭaṃ naravyāghra karmaṇehopapādaya | akliṣṭaṃ phalamavyagro vindate buddhimānnaraḥ

"Bring about by your own effort here what fate has appointed, tiger among men. The wise man who stays calm wins his reward without strain.

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 18 and the first line of v. 19.

Verse 19 (1.125.19)

तस्मिन्दृष्टे फले राजन्प्रयत्नं कर्तुमर्हसि । अपत्यं गुणसंपन्नं लब्धा प्रीतिकरं ह्यसि ॥

tasmindṛṣṭe phale rājanprayatnaṃ kartumarhasi | apatyaṃ guṇasaṃpannaṃ labdhā prītikaraṃ hyasi

"Now that this reward is foreseen, O king, you should make the effort; for you are to gain offspring rich in virtues who will bring you joy."

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 19 and the first line of v. 20.

Verse 20 (1.125.20)

तच्छ्रुत्वा तापसवचः पाण्डुश्चिन्तापरोऽभवत् । आत्मनो मृगशापेन जानन्नुपहतां क्रियाम् ॥

tacchrutvā tāpasavacaḥ pāṇḍuścintāparo'bhavat | ātmano mṛgaśāpena jānannupahatāṃ kriyām

Vaishampayana said: Hearing the words of the ascetics, Pandu grew deeply thoughtful, knowing that his own power to beget had been destroyed by the deer's curse.

Note on the text: Wikisource vv. 10–21 pair their half-lines one line out of step with the critical edition (1.111.6–21), so that the speeches of the ascetics and of Pandu begin and end in mid-verse (Wikisource prints the speaker lines between half-verses); re-divided here to follow the critical edition, 11 verses for Wikisource's 12, with no words changed except as noted. This verse is the second line of Wikisource v. 20 and Wikisource v. 21 (a single line); Wikisource's speaker line for Vaishampayana stands before it. Corrected पाण्डुस्चिन्ता → पाण्डुश्चिन्ता (misprint in Wikisource; स for श, the critical edition reads pāṇḍuś cintā).