Astika Praises Janamejaya's Sacrifice

Verse 1 (1.55.1)

सोमस्य यज्ञो वरुणस्य यज्ञः । प्रजापतेर्यज्ञ आसीत्प्रयागे । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

somasya yajño varuṇasya yajñaḥ | prajāpateryajña āsītprayāge | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifice of Soma, the sacrifice of Varuna, the sacrifice of Prajapati at Prayaga — Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Verse 2 (1.55.2)

शक्रस्य यज्ञः शतसङ्ख्य उक्त- । स्तथापरं तुल्यसङ्ख्यं शतं वै । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

śakrasya yajñaḥ śatasaṅkhya ukta- | stathāparaṃ tulyasaṅkhyaṃ śataṃ vai | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifices of Shakra are said to number a hundred, and so too another hundred, equal in count. Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Verse 3 (1.55.3)

यमस्य यज्ञो हरिमेधसश्च । यथा यज्ञो रन्तिदेवस्य राज्ञः । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

yamasya yajño harimedhasaśca | yathā yajño rantidevasya rājñaḥ | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifice of Yama and of Harimedhas, and the sacrifice of King Rantideva — Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Verse 4 (1.55.4)

गयस्य यज्ञः शशबिन्दोश्च राज्ञो । यज्ञस्तथा वैश्रवणस्य राज्ञः । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

gayasya yajñaḥ śaśabindośca rājño | yajñastathā vaiśravaṇasya rājñaḥ | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifice of Gaya and of King Shashabindu, and likewise the sacrifice of King Vaishravana — Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Note on the text: Corrected यज्ञसल्तथा → यज्ञस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray ल in place of the visarga-sandhi स्, the critical edition reads yajñas tathā).

Verse 5 (1.55.5)

नृगस्य यज्ञस्त्वजमीढस्य चासी- । द्यथा यज्ञो दाशरथेश्च राज्ञः । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

nṛgasya yajñastvajamīḍhasya cāsī- | dyathā yajño dāśaratheśca rājñaḥ | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifice of Nriga and of Ajamidha, and the sacrifice of King Rama, son of Dasharatha — Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Verse 6 (1.55.6)

यज्ञः श्रुतो दिवि देवस्य सूनो- । र्युधिष्ठिरस्याजमीढस्य राज्ञः । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

yajñaḥ śruto divi devasya sūno- | ryudhiṣṭhirasyājamīḍhasya rājñaḥ | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifice of King Yudhishthira of the line of Ajamidha, son of a god, was heard of even in heaven. Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Verse 7 (1.55.7)

कृष्णस्य यज्ञः सत्यवत्याः सुतस्य । स्वयं च कर्म प्रचकार यत्र । तथा यज्ञोऽयं तव भारताग्र्य । पारिक्षित स्वस्ति नोऽस्तु प्रियेभ्यः ॥

kṛṣṇasya yajñaḥ satyavatyāḥ sutasya | svayaṃ ca karma pracakāra yatra | tathā yajño'yaṃ tava bhāratāgrya | pārikṣita svasti no'stu priyebhyaḥ

The sacrifice of Krishna, the son of Satyavati, where he himself performed the rites — Like these is this sacrifice of yours, O foremost of the Bharatas. O son of Parikshit, may it go well with those dear to us.

Verse 8 (1.55.8)

इमे च ते सूर्यसमानवर्चसः । समासते वृत्रहणः क्रतुं यथा । नैषां ज्ञातुं विद्यते ज्ञानमद्य । दत्तं येभ्यो न प्रणश्येत्कदाचित् ॥

ime ca te sūryasamānavarcasaḥ | samāsate vṛtrahaṇaḥ kratuṃ yathā | naiṣāṃ jñātuṃ vidyate jñānamadya | dattaṃ yebhyo na praṇaśyetkadācit

These priests of yours, bright as the sun, sit at this rite as at the sacrifice of the slayer of Vritra. Nothing remains today for them to learn, and what is given to them is never lost.

Verse 9 (1.55.9)

ऋत्विक्समो नास्ति लोकेषु चैव । द्वैपायनेनेति विनिश्चितं मे । एतस्य शिष्या हि क्षितिं संचरन्ति । सर्वर्त्विजः कर्मसु स्वेषु दक्षाः ॥

ṛtviksamo nāsti lokeṣu caiva | dvaipāyaneneti viniścitaṃ me | etasya śiṣyā hi kṣitiṃ saṃcaranti | sarvartvijaḥ karmasu sveṣu dakṣāḥ

In all the worlds there is no priest equal to Dvaipayana — of this I am certain. His disciples travel the earth, all of them priests, each skilled in his own rites.

Verse 10 (1.55.10)

विभावसुश्चित्रभानुर्महात्मा । हिरण्यरेता हुतभुक्कृष्णवर्त्मा । प्रदक्षिणावर्तशिखः प्रदीप्तो । हव्यं तवेदं हुतभुग्वष्टि देवः ॥

vibhāvasuścitrabhānurmahātmā | hiraṇyaretā hutabhukkṛṣṇavartmā | pradakṣiṇāvartaśikhaḥ pradīpto | havyaṃ tavedaṃ hutabhugvaṣṭi devaḥ

The great-souled Vibhavasu, the bright-rayed one, golden-seeded, eater of oblations, whose path is blackened, his flames turning to the right, blazing high — the god, the consumer of offerings, desires this oblation of yours.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रदक्षिमावर्तशिखः → प्रदक्षिणावर्तशिखः (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण, the critical edition reads pradakṣiṇāvartaśikhaḥ).

Verse 11 (1.55.11)

नैह त्वदन्यो विद्यते जीवलोके । समो नृपः पालयिता प्रजानाम् । धृत्या च ते प्रीतमनाः सदाहं । त्वं वा वरुणो धर्मराजो यमो वा ॥

naiha tvadanyo vidyate jīvaloke | samo nṛpaḥ pālayitā prajānām | dhṛtyā ca te prītamanāḥ sadāhaṃ | tvaṃ vā varuṇo dharmarājo yamo vā

In this world of the living there is no other king like you, a protector of his subjects. I am always delighted by your steadfastness. You are either Varuna, or Yama, the king of dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतीमनाः → प्रीतमनाः (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel signs were transposed, the critical edition reads prītamanāḥ).

Verse 12 (1.55.12)

शक्रः साक्षाद्वज्रपाणिर्यथेह । त्राता लोकेऽस्मिंस्त्वं तथेह प्रजानाम् । मतस्त्वं नः पुरुषेन्द्रेह लोके । न च त्वदन्यो भूपतिरस्ति यज्ञे ॥

śakraḥ sākṣādvajrapāṇiryatheha | trātā loke'smiṃstvaṃ tatheha prajānām | matastvaṃ naḥ puruṣendreha loke | na ca tvadanyo bhūpatirasti yajñe

As Shakra himself, wielder of the thunderbolt, is the protector in this world, so are you the protector of your subjects here. O lord of men, we hold you to be our king in this world, and at a sacrifice there is no other king but you.

Note on the text: Corrected जज्ञे → यज्ञे (misprint in Wikisource; ज for य gives two finite verbs side by side, the critical edition reads yajñe).

Verse 13 (1.55.13)

खट्वाङ्गनाभगदिलीपकल्प । ययातिमान्धातृसमप्रभाव । आदित्यतेजःप्रतिमानतेजा । भीष्मो यथा राजसि सुव्रतस्त्वम् ॥

khaṭvāṅganābhagadilīpakalpa | yayātimāndhātṛsamaprabhāva | ādityatejaḥpratimānatejā | bhīṣmo yathā rājasi suvratastvam

You are like Khatvanga, Nabhaga and Dilipa; your might equals that of Yayati and Mandhatri; your splendour matches the splendour of the sun; like Bhishma, you shine, true to your vows.

Verse 14 (1.55.14)

वाल्मीकिवत्ते निभृतं स्ववीर्यं । वसिष्ठवत्ते नियतश्च कोपः । प्रभुत्वमिन्द्रत्वसमं मतं मे । द्युतिश्च नारायणवद्विभाति ॥

vālmīkivatte nibhṛtaṃ svavīryaṃ | vasiṣṭhavatte niyataśca kopaḥ | prabhutvamindratvasamaṃ mataṃ me | dyutiśca nārāyaṇavadvibhāti

Like Valmiki's, your strength is held in check; like Vasishtha's, your anger is restrained; your lordship, I believe, equals Indra's; and your radiance shines like Narayana's.

Verse 15 (1.55.15)

यमो यथा धर्मविनिश्चयज्ञः । कृष्णो यथा सर्वगुणोपपन्नः । श्रियां निवासोऽसि यथा वसूनां । निधानभूतोऽसि तथा क्रतूनाम् ॥

yamo yathā dharmaviniścayajñaḥ | kṛṣṇo yathā sarvaguṇopapannaḥ | śriyāṃ nivāso'si yathā vasūnāṃ | nidhānabhūto'si tathā kratūnām

Like Yama, you know the settled judgments of dharma; like Krishna, you are endowed with every virtue; as the Vasus are the home of wealth, so you are the home of fortune; and you are a treasure-house of sacrifices.

Verse 16 (1.55.16)

दम्भोद्भवेनासि समो बलेन । रामो यथा शस्त्रविदस्त्रविच्च । और्वत्रिताभ्यामसि तुल्यतेजा । दुष्प्रेक्षणीयोऽसि भगीरथेन ॥

dambhodbhavenāsi samo balena | rāmo yathā śastravidastravicca | aurvatritābhyāmasi tulyatejā | duṣprekṣaṇīyo'si bhagīrathena

In strength you equal Dambhodbhava; like Rama you know both weapons and missiles; in splendour you match Aurva and Trita; and like Bhagiratha, you are hard to look upon.

Verse 17 (1.55.17)

एवं स्तुताः सर्व एव प्रसन्ना । राजा सदस्या ऋत्विजो हव्यवाहः । तेषां दृष्ट्वा भावितानीङ्गितानि । प्रोवाच राजा जनमेजयोऽथ ॥

evaṃ stutāḥ sarva eva prasannā | rājā sadasyā ṛtvijo havyavāhaḥ | teṣāṃ dṛṣṭvā bhāvitānīṅgitāni | provāca rājā janamejayo'tha

Thus praised, all of them were pleased — the king, the members of the assembly, the priests and the fire. Seeing the feelings they showed, King Janamejaya then spoke.