The Brahmin Woman's Curse on Kalmashapada

Verse 1 (1.198.1)

पुनश्चैव महातेजा विश्वामित्रजिघांसया । अग्निं संभृतवान्घोरं शाक्तेयः सुमहातपाः ॥

punaścaiva mahātejā viśvāmitrajighāṃsayā | agniṃ saṃbhṛtavānghoraṃ śākteyaḥ sumahātapāḥ

And once again the mighty son of Shakti, rich in austerity, gathered a terrible fire, wishing to destroy Vishvamitra.

Note on the text: Moved the speaker line गन्धर्व उवाच (printed with a stray backtick at the head of the verse text) out of the Sanskrit into the speaker field. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.173*1795.)

Verse 2 (1.198.2)

वासिष्ठसंभृतश्चाग्निर्विश्वामित्रहितैषिणा । तेजसा वह्नितुल्येन ग्रस्तः स्कन्देन धीमता ॥

vāsiṣṭhasaṃbhṛtaścāgnirviśvāmitrahitaiṣiṇā | tejasā vahnitulyena grastaḥ skandena dhīmatā

But that fire gathered by Vasishtha's descendant was swallowed, with his own fire-like energy, by the wise Skanda, who wished Vishvamitra well.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a doubled danda and a closing quote mark) at the end of the verse. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). (CE apparatus 1.173*1795.)

Verse 3 (1.198.3)

राज्ञा कल्माषपादेन गुरौ ब्रह्मविदां वरे । कारणं किं पुरस्कृत्य भार्या वै सन्नियोजिता ॥

rājñā kalmāṣapādena gurau brahmavidāṃ vare | kāraṇaṃ kiṃ puraskṛtya bhāryā vai sanniyojitā

For what reason did King Kalmashapada commit his wife to his teacher Vasishtha, the best of those who know Brahman?

Verse 4 (1.198.4)

जानता वै परं धर्मं वसिष्ठेन महात्मना । अगम्यागमनं कस्मात्कृतं तेन महर्षिणा ॥

jānatā vai paraṃ dharmaṃ vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā | agamyāgamanaṃ kasmātkṛtaṃ tena maharṣiṇā

And why did that great sage, the great-souled Vasishtha, who knew the highest dharma, go in to a woman he should not have approached?

Note on the text: Corresponds to the critical edition's 1.173.2ab–cd with a variant wording.

Verse 5 (1.198.5)

अधर्मिष्ठं वसिष्ठेन कृतं चापि पुरा सखे । एतन्मे संशयं सर्वं छेत्तुमर्हसि पृच्छतः ॥

adharmiṣṭhaṃ vasiṣṭhena kṛtaṃ cāpi purā sakhe | etanme saṃśayaṃ sarvaṃ chettumarhasi pṛcchataḥ

This seems a most unrighteous thing for Vasishtha to have done long ago, my friend. Cut away all this doubt of mine, for I ask you.

Note on the text: The first line is in the vulgate only (CE apparatus 1.173.2*1796); the second loosely parallels the critical edition's 1.173.2ef. Not otherwise in the critical edition.

Verse 6 (1.198.6)

धनञ्जय निबोधेयं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि । वसिष्ठं प्रति दुर्धर्ष तथा मित्रसहं नृपम् ॥

dhanañjaya nibodheyaṃ yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi | vasiṣṭhaṃ prati durdharṣa tathā mitrasahaṃ nṛpam

Dhananjaya, unassailable one, hear this that you ask me about Vasishtha and King Mitrasaha.

Verse 7 (1.198.7)

कथितं ते मया सर्वं यथा शप्तः स पार्थिवः । शक्तिना भरतश्रेष्ठ वासिष्ठेन महात्मना ॥

kathitaṃ te mayā sarvaṃ yathā śaptaḥ sa pārthivaḥ | śaktinā bharataśreṣṭha vāsiṣṭhena mahātmanā

I have told you all of how that king was cursed by Shakti, the great-souled son of Vasishtha, O best of the Bharatas.

Verse 8 (1.198.8)

स तु शापवशं प्राप्तः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः । निर्जगाम पुराद्राजा सहदारः परन्तपः ॥

sa tu śāpavaśaṃ prāptaḥ krodhaparyākulekṣaṇaḥ | nirjagāma purādrājā sahadāraḥ parantapaḥ

Fallen under the power of the curse, his eyes rolling with rage, the king, scorcher of foes, went out of his city with his wife.

Verse 9 (1.198.9)

अरण्यं निर्जनं गत्वा सदारः परिचक्रमे । नानामृगगणाकीर्णं नानासत्त्वसमाकुलम् ॥

araṇyaṃ nirjanaṃ gatvā sadāraḥ paricakrame | nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ nānāsattvasamākulam

Going to a forest empty of men, he wandered there with his wife — a forest thronged with herds of many kinds of deer and crowded with all manner of creatures,

Note on the text: Corrected सत्व → सत्त्व (misprint in Wikisource; single त for the conjunct त्त्व of sattva, as in the critical edition "nānāsattvasamākulam").

Verse 10 (1.198.10)

नानागुल्मलताच्छन्नं नानाद्रुमसमावृतम् । अरण्यं घोरसन्नादं शापग्रस्तः परिभ्रमन् ॥

nānāgulmalatācchannaṃ nānādrumasamāvṛtam | araṇyaṃ ghorasannādaṃ śāpagrastaḥ paribhraman

covered with many kinds of shrubs and creepers, overgrown with many kinds of trees, and loud with fearful cries. In that forest, seized by the curse, he roamed.

Verse 11 (1.198.11)

स कदाचित्क्षुधाविष्टो मृगयन्भक्ष्यमात्मनः । ददर्श सुपरिक्लिष्टः कस्मिंश्चिन्निर्जने वने ॥

sa kadācitkṣudhāviṣṭo mṛgayanbhakṣyamātmanaḥ | dadarśa suparikliṣṭaḥ kasmiṃścinnirjane vane

One day, gripped by hunger and searching for food for himself, sorely afflicted, he saw in a lonely part of the forest

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.8ab–cd, with a variant second line.

Verse 12 (1.198.12)

ब्राह्मणं ब्राह्मणीं चैव मिथुनायोपसंगतौ । तौ तं वीक्ष्य सुवित्रस्तावकृतार्थौ प्रधावितौ ॥

brāhmaṇaṃ brāhmaṇīṃ caiva mithunāyopasaṃgatau | tau taṃ vīkṣya suvitrastāvakṛtārthau pradhāvitau

a brahmin and his wife who had come together to make love. Seeing him, the two, terrified, their purpose unfulfilled, ran away.

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.8ef and 9ab.

Verse 13 (1.198.13)

तयोः प्रद्रवतोर्विप्रं जग्राह नृपतिर्बलात् । दृष्ट्वा गृहीतं भर्तारमथ ब्राह्मण्यभाषत ॥

tayoḥ pradravatorvipraṃ jagrāha nṛpatirbalāt | dṛṣṭvā gṛhītaṃ bhartāramatha brāhmaṇyabhāṣata

As they fled, the king seized the brahmin by force. Seeing her husband seized, the brahmin woman then said:

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.9cd and 10ab.

Verse 14 (1.198.14)

शृणु राजन्मम वचो यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि सुव्रत । आदित्यवंशप्रभवस्त्वं हि लोके परिश्रुतः ॥

śṛṇu rājanmama vaco yattvāṃ vakṣyāmi suvrata | ādityavaṃśaprabhavastvaṃ hi loke pariśrutaḥ

Hear my words, O king of good vows, which I shall speak to you. You were born in the line of the Sun and are renowned in the world;

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.10cd and 11ab.

Verse 15 (1.198.15)

अप्रमत्तः स्थितो धर्मे गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः । शापोपहत दुर्धर्ष न पापं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥

apramattaḥ sthito dharme guruśuśrūṣaṇe rataḥ | śāpopahata durdharṣa na pāpaṃ kartumarhasi

you stand vigilant in dharma, devoted to serving your elders. Though struck by a curse, unassailable one, you should not commit a sin.

Note on the text: Corrected स्थि → स्थितो (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, as in the critical edition "sthito dharme"). The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.11cd and 12ab (variant).

Verse 16 (1.198.16)

ऋतुकाले तु संप्राप्ते भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिता । अकृतार्था ह्यहं भर्त्रा प्रसवार्थं समागता ॥

ṛtukāle tu saṃprāpte bhartṛvyasanakarśitā | akṛtārthā hyahaṃ bhartrā prasavārthaṃ samāgatā

My season has come, and, pining for my husband, I came to him for the sake of a child; my wish is still unfulfilled.

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.12cd and 13ab, with variant wording.

Verse 17 (1.198.17)

प्रसीद नृपतिश्रेष्ठ भर्ताऽयं मे विसृज्यताम् । एवं विक्रोशमानायास्तस्यास्तु स नृशंसवत् ॥

prasīda nṛpatiśreṣṭha bhartā'yaṃ me visṛjyatām | evaṃ vikrośamānāyāstasyāstu sa nṛśaṃsavat

"Be gracious, best of kings; let this husband of mine go." But even as she cried out in this way, he, like a heartless man,

Note on the text: Corrected न नृशंसवत् → स नृशंसवत् (misprint in Wikisource; न for स inverts the sense — the critical edition reads "sa sunṛśaṃsakṛt", 'he, doing a most cruel deed'). The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.13cd and 14ab.

Verse 18 (1.198.18)

भर्तारं भक्षयामास व्याघ्रो मृगमिवेप्सितम् । तस्याः क्रोधाभिभूताया यान्यश्रूण्यपतन्भुवि ॥

bhartāraṃ bhakṣayāmāsa vyāghro mṛgamivepsitam | tasyāḥ krodhābhibhūtāyā yānyaśrūṇyapatanbhuvi

devoured her husband, as a tiger devours the deer it craves. The tears that fell to the ground from her, overcome with anger,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.14cd and 15ab.

Verse 19 (1.198.19)

सोऽग्निः समभवद्दीप्तस्तं च देशं व्यदीपयत् । ततः सा शोकसंतप्ता भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिता ॥

so'gniḥ samabhavaddīptastaṃ ca deśaṃ vyadīpayat | tataḥ sā śokasaṃtaptā bhartṛvyasanakarśitā

became a blazing fire and set that whole place alight. Then, burning with grief, worn down by her husband's calamity,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.15cd and 16ab.

Verse 20 (1.198.20)

कल्माषपादं राजर्षिमशपद्ब्राह्मणी रुषा । यस्मान्ममाकृतार्थायास्त्वया क्षुद्र नृशंसवत् ॥

kalmāṣapādaṃ rājarṣimaśapadbrāhmaṇī ruṣā | yasmānmamākṛtārthāyāstvayā kṣudra nṛśaṃsavat

the brahmin woman in her fury cursed the royal sage Kalmashapada: "Because, base wretch, you have cruelly, while my desire was still unfulfilled,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.16cd and 17ab.

Verse 21 (1.198.21)

प्रेक्षन्त्या भक्षितो मेऽद्य प्रियो भर्ता महायशाः । तस्मात्त्वमपि दुर्बुद्धे मच्छापपरिविक्षतः ॥

prekṣantyā bhakṣito me'dya priyo bhartā mahāyaśāḥ | tasmāttvamapi durbuddhe macchāpaparivikṣataḥ

devoured my beloved, illustrious husband today before my eyes, therefore you too, evil-minded one, stricken by my curse,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.17cd and 18ab.

Verse 22 (1.198.22)

पत्नीमृतावनुप्राप्य सद्यस्त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितम् । तेन प्रसाद्यमाना सा प्रसादमकरोत्तदा । यस्य चर्षेर्वसिष्ठस्य त्वया पुत्रा विनाशिताः ॥

patnīmṛtāvanuprāpya sadyastyakṣyasi jīvitam | tena prasādyamānā sā prasādamakarottadā | yasya carṣervasiṣṭhasya tvayā putrā vināśitāḥ

"shall lose your life the moment you approach your wife in her season." (Entreated by him, she then softened the curse.) "The sage Vasishtha, whose sons you destroyed —

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around the middle line, which is in the vulgate only (CE apparatus 1.173.18*1799). The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.18cd and 19ab, with that line between them. The middle line is narration within the curse, so the verse stays with the narrator.

Verse 23 (1.198.23)

तेन संगम्य ते भार्या तनयं जनयिष्यति । स ते वंशकरः पुत्रो भविष्यति नृपाधम ॥

tena saṃgamya te bhāryā tanayaṃ janayiṣyati | sa te vaṃśakaraḥ putro bhaviṣyati nṛpādhama

with him your wife will unite and bear a son. That son will carry on your line, O basest of kings.

Note on the text: Corrected सते → स ते (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together, as in the critical edition "sa te vaṃśakaraḥ"). The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.19cd and 19ef.

Verse 24 (1.198.24)

एवं शप्त्वा तु राजानं सा तमाङ्गिरसी शुभा । तस्यैव सन्निधौ दीप्तं प्रविवेश हुताशनम् ॥

evaṃ śaptvā tu rājānaṃ sā tamāṅgirasī śubhā | tasyaiva sannidhau dīptaṃ praviveśa hutāśanam

Having cursed the king in this way, that fair woman of the line of Angiras entered a blazing fire in his very presence.

Verse 25 (1.198.25)

वसिष्ठश्च महाभागः सर्वमेतदवैक्षत । ज्ञानयोगेन महता तपसा च परन्तप ॥

vasiṣṭhaśca mahābhāgaḥ sarvametadavaikṣata | jñānayogena mahatā tapasā ca parantapa

And the illustrious Vasishtha saw all this through his great power of yogic insight and his austerity, O scorcher of foes.

Verse 26 (1.198.26)

मुक्तशापश्च राजर्षिः कालेन महता ततः । ऋतुकालेऽभिपतितो मदयन्त्या निवारितः ॥

muktaśāpaśca rājarṣiḥ kālena mahatā tataḥ | ṛtukāle'bhipatito madayantyā nivāritaḥ

After a long time the royal sage was freed from his curse. When he approached his queen in her season, Madayanti held him back.

Verse 27 (1.198.27)

न हि सस्मार स नृपस्तं शापं काममोहितः । देव्याः सोऽथ वचः श्रुत्वा संभ्रान्तो नृपसत्तमः ॥

na hi sasmāra sa nṛpastaṃ śāpaṃ kāmamohitaḥ | devyāḥ so'tha vacaḥ śrutvā saṃbhrānto nṛpasattamaḥ

For the king, deluded by desire, did not remember that curse. Hearing the queen's words, the best of kings was alarmed;

Note on the text: Corresponds to the critical edition's 1.173.23ab–cd, with variant wording.

Verse 28 (1.198.28)

तं शापमनुसंस्मृत्य पर्यतप्यद्भृशं तदा । एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजा वसिष्ठं सन्ययोजयत् । स्वदारेषु नरश्रेष्ठ शापदोषसमन्वितः ॥

taṃ śāpamanusaṃsmṛtya paryatapyadbhṛśaṃ tadā | etasmātkāraṇādrājā vasiṣṭhaṃ sanyayojayat | svadāreṣu naraśreṣṭha śāpadoṣasamanvitaḥ

recalling that curse, he was then sorely distressed. For this reason, best of men, the king, bound by the taint of the curse, appointed Vasishtha to his own wife.

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.173.23ef and 24ab–cd.