The Sages' Oaths over Agastya's Lotus

Verse 1 (13.143.1)

अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । यद्वृत्तं तीर्थयात्रायां शपथं प्रति तच्छृणु ॥

atraivodāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | yadvṛttaṃ tīrthayātrāyāṃ śapathaṃ prati tacchṛṇu

On this subject they recount an old tale, what happened on a pilgrimage to the holy places, concerning oaths. Listen to it.

Verse 2 (13.143.2)

पुष्करार्थं कृतं स्तैन्यं पुरा भरतसत्तम । राजर्षिभिर्महाराज तथैव च द्विजर्षिभिः ॥

puṣkarārthaṃ kṛtaṃ stainyaṃ purā bharatasattama | rājarṣibhirmahārāja tathaiva ca dvijarṣibhiḥ

Long ago, best of the Bharatas, a theft over a lotus took place among royal sages and brahmin sages alike, great king.

Verse 3 (13.143.3)

पुरा प्रभासे ऋषयः समग्राः । समेता वै मन्त्रममन्त्रयन्त । चराम सर्वां पृथिवीं पुण्यतीर्थां । तन्नः कामं हन्त गच्छाम सर्वे ॥

purā prabhāse ṛṣayaḥ samagrāḥ | sametā vai mantramamantrayanta | carāma sarvāṃ pṛthivīṃ puṇyatīrthāṃ | tannaḥ kāmaṃ hanta gacchāma sarve

Long ago, at Prabhasa, all the sages gathered together and took counsel: "Let us roam the whole earth with its holy places. That is our wish; come, let us all go."

Note on the text: Not matched by the aligner; hand-matched to CE 13.96.3 (a recension variant: the CE reads ṛṣayaḥ sametāḥ paścime vai prabhāse / samāgatā mantram amantrayanta / carāma sarve pṛthivīṃ puṇyatīrthāṃ / tan naḥ kāryaṃ hanta gacchāma sarve). Base reading kept.

Verse 4 (13.143.4)

शुक्रोऽङ्गिराश्चैव कविश्च विद्वां- । स्तथा ह्यगस्त्यो नारदपर्वतौ च । भृगुर्वसिष्ठः कश्यपो गौतमश्च । विश्वामित्रो जमदग्निश्च राजन् ॥

śukro'ṅgirāścaiva kaviśca vidvāṃ- | stathā hyagastyo nāradaparvatau ca | bhṛgurvasiṣṭhaḥ kaśyapo gautamaśca | viśvāmitro jamadagniśca rājan

Shukra, Angiras, the learned Kavi, Agastya, Narada and Parvata, Bhrigu, Vasishtha, Kashyapa, Gautama, Vishvamitra and Jamadagni, O king,

Verse 5 (13.143.5)

ऋषिस्तथा गालवोऽथाष्टकश्च । भरद्वाजोऽरुन्धती वालखिल्याः । शिबिर्दिलीपो नहुषोऽम्बरीषो । राजा ययातिर्धुन्धुमारोऽथ पूरुः ॥

ṛṣistathā gālavo'thāṣṭakaśca | bharadvājo'rundhatī vālakhilyāḥ | śibirdilīpo nahuṣo'mbarīṣo | rājā yayātirdhundhumāro'tha pūruḥ

the sage Galava, Ashtaka, Bharadvaja, Arundhati, the Valakhilyas, Shibi, Dilipa, Nahusha, Ambarisha, King Yayati, Dhundhumara and Puru,

Verse 6 (13.143.6)

जग्मुः पुरस्कृत्य महानुभावं । शतक्रतुं वृत्रहणं नरेन्द्राः । तीर्थानि सर्वाणि परिभ्रमन्तो । माघ्यां ययुः कौशिकीं पुण्यतीर्थाम् ॥

jagmuḥ puraskṛtya mahānubhāvaṃ | śatakratuṃ vṛtrahaṇaṃ narendrāḥ | tīrthāni sarvāṇi paribhramanto | māghyāṃ yayuḥ kauśikīṃ puṇyatīrthām

set out with the mighty Shatakratu, slayer of Vritra (Indra), honored at their head. Those lords of men travelled to all the holy places, and in the month of Magha they came to the sacred Kaushiki.

Note on the text: Removed the stray digit '1' (a page marker) printed as a line before the verse.

Verse 7 (13.143.7)

सर्वेषु तीर्थेष्ववधूतपापा । जग्मुस्ततो ब्रह्मसरः सुपुण्यम् । देवस्य तीर्थे जलमग्निकल्पा । विगाह्य ते भुक्तबिसप्रसूनाः ॥

sarveṣu tīrtheṣvavadhūtapāpā | jagmustato brahmasaraḥ supuṇyam | devasya tīrthe jalamagnikalpā | vigāhya te bhuktabisaprasūnāḥ

Cleansed of sin at all the holy places, they then went to the most sacred Brahmasaras. Blazing like fire, they bathed in the waters at the god's holy place, and fed on lotus stalks and blossoms.

Verse 8 (13.143.8)

केचिद्बिसान्यखनंस्तत्र राजन्न- । न्ये मृणालान्यखनंस्तत्र विप्राः । अथापश्यन्पुष्करं ते ह्रियन्तं । ह्रदादगस्त्येन समुद्धृतं तत् ॥

kecidbisānyakhanaṃstatra rājanna- | nye mṛṇālānyakhanaṃstatra viprāḥ | athāpaśyanpuṣkaraṃ te hriyantaṃ | hradādagastyena samuddhṛtaṃ tat

Some of them dug up lotus roots there, O king, and other brahmins dug up lotus stalks. Then they saw the lotus that Agastya had drawn up out of the lake being carried away.

Verse 9 (13.143.9)

तानाह सर्वानृषिमुख्यानगस्त्यः । केनाहृतं पुष्करं मे सुजातम् । युष्माञ्शङ्के पुष्करं दीयतां मे । न वै भवन्तो हर्तुमर्हन्ति पद्मम् ॥

tānāha sarvānṛṣimukhyānagastyaḥ | kenāhṛtaṃ puṣkaraṃ me sujātam | yuṣmāñśaṅke puṣkaraṃ dīyatāṃ me | na vai bhavanto hartumarhanti padmam

Agastya said to all those foremost sages: "Who has taken my beautiful lotus? I suspect you. Give me my lotus; you should not take a lotus."

Note on the text: Corrected नानाह → तानाह (misprint in Wikisource; "tān āha", CE 13.96.9a).

Verse 10 (13.143.10)

शृणोमि कालो हिंसते धर्मवीर्यं । सेयं प्राप्ता वर्तते धर्मपीडा । पुराऽधर्मो वर्तते नेह याव- । त्तावद्गच्छामः सुरलोकं चिराय ॥

śṛṇomi kālo hiṃsate dharmavīryaṃ | seyaṃ prāptā vartate dharmapīḍā | purā'dharmo vartate neha yāva- | ttāvadgacchāmaḥ suralokaṃ cirāya

I hear that Time is destroying the strength of dharma, and now this affliction of dharma is upon us. So long as adharma does not yet hold sway here, let us go to the world of the gods for a long time.

Verse 11 (13.143.11)

पुरा वेदान्ब्राह्मणा ग्राममध्ये । घुष्टस्वरा वृषलान्श्रावयन्ति । पुरा राजा व्यवहारानधर्मा- । न्पश्यत्यहं परलोकं व्रजामि ॥

purā vedānbrāhmaṇā grāmamadhye | ghuṣṭasvarā vṛṣalānśrāvayanti | purā rājā vyavahārānadharmā- | npaśyatyahaṃ paralokaṃ vrajāmi

Before brahmins in the middle of the village loudly recite the Vedas for shudras to hear, before the king looks upon lawsuits that go against dharma, I depart for the other world.

Note on the text: Removed the stray digit '1' (a page marker) printed as a line before the verse.

Verse 12 (13.143.12)

पुरा राजा प्रत्यवरान्गरीयसो । मंस्यत्यथैनमनुयास्यन्ति सर्वे । धर्मोत्तरं यावदिदं न वर्तते । तावद्व्रजामि परलोकं चिराय ॥

purā rājā pratyavarāngarīyaso | maṃsyatyathainamanuyāsyanti sarve | dharmottaraṃ yāvadidaṃ na vartate | tāvadvrajāmi paralokaṃ cirāya

Before the king comes to think the lowest the weightiest and everyone follows him in it, while this order, in which dharma stands foremost, has not yet ended, I go to the other world for a long time.

Note on the text: Not matched by the aligner; hand-matched to CE 13.96.12 (recension variant: CE purāvarān pratyavarān garīyaso / yāvan narā nāvamaṃsyanti sarve; tamottaraṃ yāvad idaṃ na vartate). Base reading kept.

Verse 13 (13.143.13)

पुरा प्रपश्यामि परेण मर्त्या- । न्बलीयसा दुर्बलान्भुज्यमानान् । तस्माद्यास्यामि परलोकं चिराय । न ह्युत्सहे द्रष्टुमीदृङ्नृलोके ॥

purā prapaśyāmi pareṇa martyā- | nbalīyasā durbalānbhujyamānān | tasmādyāsyāmi paralokaṃ cirāya | na hyutsahe draṣṭumīdṛṅnṛloke

Before I see mortals devoured by the stronger, the weak oppressed by the mighty, I shall go to the other world for a long time; for I cannot bear to witness such things in the world of men.

Verse 14 (13.143.14)

तमाहुरार्ता ऋषयो महर्षिं । न ते वयं पुष्करं चोरयामः । मिथ्याभिशंसा भवता न कार्या । शपाम तीक्ष्णैः शपथैर्महर्षे ॥

tamāhurārtā ṛṣayo maharṣiṃ | na te vayaṃ puṣkaraṃ corayāmaḥ | mithyābhiśaṃsā bhavatā na kāryā | śapāma tīkṣṇaiḥ śapathairmaharṣe

The sages, distressed, said to the great sage: "We have not stolen your lotus. You must not accuse us falsely; we shall swear fierce oaths, great sage."

Note on the text: Not matched by the aligner; hand-matched to CE 13.96.14 (recension variant: CE mithyābhiṣaṅgo bhavatā na kāryaḥ). Base reading kept.

Verse 15 (13.143.15)

ते निश्चितास्तत्र महर्षयस्तु । सम्पश्यन्तो धर्ममेतं नरेन्द्राः । ततोऽशपन्त शपथान्पर्ययेण । सहैव ते पार्थिव पुत्रपौत्रैः ॥

te niścitāstatra maharṣayastu | sampaśyanto dharmametaṃ narendrāḥ | tato'śapanta śapathānparyayeṇa | sahaiva te pārthiva putrapautraiḥ

The great sages, resolved on this, regarded it as dharma, O lord of men, and swore oaths one after another, together with their sons and grandsons, O king.

Note on the text: Not matched by the aligner; hand-matched to CE 13.96.15 (recension variant: CE saṃmanyanto dharmam evaṃ narendra). Base reading kept.

Verse 16 (13.143.16)

प्रत्याक्रोशेदिहाक्रुष्टस्ताडितः प्रतिताडयेत् । खादेच्च पृष्ठमांसानि यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

pratyākrośedihākruṣṭastāḍitaḥ pratitāḍayet | khādecca pṛṣṭhamāṃsāni yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him answer abuse with abuse, strike back when struck, and devour the flesh of backs (slander others behind their backs).

Verse 17 (13.143.17)

अस्वाध्यायपरो लोके श्वानं च परिकर्षतु । पुरे च भिक्षुर्भवतु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

asvādhyāyaparo loke śvānaṃ ca parikarṣatu | pure ca bhikṣurbhavatu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him neglect the study of the Veda, drag a dog about the world, and become a mendicant in the town.

Verse 18 (13.143.18)

सर्वत्र सर्वं पणतु न्यासे लोभं करोतु च । कूटसाक्षित्वमभ्येतु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

sarvatra sarvaṃ paṇatu nyāse lobhaṃ karotu ca | kūṭasākṣitvamabhyetu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him trade in everything everywhere, be greedy over deposits entrusted to him, and become a false witness.

Verse 19 (13.143.19)

जीवत्वहङ्कृतो बुद्ध्या विषमेणासमेन सः । कर्षको मत्सरी चास्तु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

jīvatvahaṅkṛto buddhyā viṣameṇāsamena saḥ | karṣako matsarī cāstu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him live swollen with pride, by a crooked and uneven judgment, a cultivator and an envious man.

Verse 20 (13.143.20)

अशुचिर्ब्रह्मकूटोस्तु श्वानं च परिकर्षतु । ब्रह्महाऽनिकृतिश्चास्तु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

aśucirbrahmakūṭostu śvānaṃ ca parikarṣatu | brahmahā'nikṛtiścāstu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be impure, a fraud in the matter of the Veda, a dragger of dogs, and the slayer of a brahmin who has made no atonement.

Verse 21 (13.143.21)

अकृतज्ञस्तु मित्राणां शूद्रायां च प्रजायतु । एकः सम्पन्नमश्नातु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

akṛtajñastu mitrāṇāṃ śūdrāyāṃ ca prajāyatu | ekaḥ sampannamaśnātu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be ungrateful to his friends, beget children on a shudra woman, and eat his rich meal alone.

Verse 22 (13.143.22)

चिकित्सायां प्रचरतु भार्यया चैव पुष्यतु । श्वशुरात्तस्य वृत्तिः स्याद्यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

cikitsāyāṃ pracaratu bhāryayā caiva puṣyatu | śvaśurāttasya vṛttiḥ syādyaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him practise medicine for a living, be maintained by his wife, and draw his livelihood from his father-in-law.

Verse 23 (13.143.23)

उदपानप्लवे ग्रामे ब्राह्मणो वृषलीपतिः । तस्य लोकान्स व्रजतु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

udapānaplave grāme brāhmaṇo vṛṣalīpatiḥ | tasya lokānsa vrajatu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him go to the worlds of that brahmin who, in a village where people bathe at a well, is the husband of a shudra woman.

Verse 24 (13.143.24)

वृथा मांसं समश्नातु दिवा गच्छतु मैथुनम् । प्रेष्यो भवतु राज्ञश्च यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

vṛthā māṃsaṃ samaśnātu divā gacchatu maithunam | preṣyo bhavatu rājñaśca yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him eat meat to no purpose, go to a woman by day, and become a servant of the king.

Verse 25 (13.143.25)

अनध्यायेष्वधीयीत मित्रं श्राद्धे च भोजयेत् । श्राद्धे शूद्रस्य चाश्नीयाद्यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

anadhyāyeṣvadhīyīta mitraṃ śrāddhe ca bhojayet | śrāddhe śūdrasya cāśnīyādyaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him study on days when study is forbidden, feed a friend at a shraddha, and eat at the shraddha of a shudra.

Verse 26 (13.143.26)

अनाहिताग्निर्मियतां यज्ञे विघ्नं करोतु च । तपस्विभिर्विरुध्येच्च यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

anāhitāgnirmiyatāṃ yajñe vighnaṃ karotu ca | tapasvibhirvirudhyecca yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him die without having kindled the sacred fires, obstruct a sacrifice, and quarrel with ascetics.

Note on the text: Not matched by the aligner; hand-matched to CE 13.96.26 (recension variant: CE anāhitāgnir mriyatāṃ ... tapasvibhir virudhyeta). Base reading kept.

Verse 27 (13.143.27)

अनृतौ व्रतनियतायां भार्यायां स प्रजायतु । निराकरोतु वेदांश्च यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

anṛtau vrataniyatāyāṃ bhāryāyāṃ sa prajāyatu | nirākarotu vedāṃśca yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him beget a child, out of season, on a wife who is keeping a vow, and let him reject the Vedas.

Note on the text: Not matched by the aligner; hand-matched to CE 13.96.27 (recension variant in line 1: CE anṛtau jaṭī vratinyāṃ vai bhāryāyāṃ saṃprajāyatu). Wikisource prints a lone label 13-143-27b with no text after this verse; no lines are missing in the CE, so nothing is restored.

Verse 28 (13.143.28)

अतिथिर्गृहसंस्थोऽस्तु कामवृत्तस्तु दीक्षितः । विद्यां प्रयच्छतु भृतो यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

atithirgṛhasaṃstho'stu kāmavṛttastu dīkṣitaḥ | vidyāṃ prayacchatu bhṛto yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be an ascetic living in a householder's house, an initiated man who follows his own desires, and one who teaches knowledge for hire.

Verse 29 (13.143.29)

नृशंसस्त्यक्तधर्मोऽस्तु स्त्रीषु ज्ञातिषु गोषु च । निहन्तु ब्राह्मणं चापि यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

nṛśaṃsastyaktadharmo'stu strīṣu jñātiṣu goṣu ca | nihantu brāhmaṇaṃ cāpi yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be cruel and forsake dharma towards women, kinsmen and cows, and let him even kill a brahmin.

Verse 30 (13.143.30)

गृहज्ञानी बहिःशास्त्रं पठतां विस्वरं पदम् । गरीयसोऽवजानातु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

gṛhajñānī bahiḥśāstraṃ paṭhatāṃ visvaraṃ padam | garīyaso'vajānātu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be learned only within his own house, study scripture outside the fold, recite a verse in a discordant voice among those who read, and look down on his betters.

Verse 31 (13.143.31)

अनृतं भाषतु सदा सद्भिश्चैव विरुध्यतु । शुल्केन ददतु कन्यां यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

anṛtaṃ bhāṣatu sadā sadbhiścaiva virudhyatu | śulkena dadatu kanyāṃ yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him always speak falsehood, be at odds with good men, and give his daughter in marriage for a price.

Note on the text: Corrected हरपि → हरति (misprint in Wikisource; CE harati).

Verse 32 (13.143.32)

पदा च गां संस्पृशतु सूर्यं च प्रति मेहतु । शरणागतं संत्यजतु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

padā ca gāṃ saṃspṛśatu sūryaṃ ca prati mehatu | śaraṇāgataṃ saṃtyajatu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him touch a cow with his foot, pass water facing the sun, and abandon one who has come to him for refuge.

Verse 33 (13.143.33)

करोतु भृतकोऽवर्षां राज्ञश्चास्तु पुरोहितः । ऋत्विगस्तु ह्ययाज्यस्य यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

karotu bhṛtako'varṣāṃ rājñaścāstu purohitaḥ | ṛtvigastu hyayājyasya yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him as a hired man cause a drought, become a king's household priest, and act as officiating priest to one for whom no sacrifice may be performed.

Note on the text: The speaker heading is misprinted as विश्वामिइत्र on the page; read as विश्वामित्र (CE viśvāmitra).

Verse 34 (13.143.34)

ग्रामे चाधिकृतः सोऽस्तु खरयानेन गच्छतु । शुनः कर्षतु वृत्त्यर्थे यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

grāme cādhikṛtaḥ so'stu kharayānena gacchatu | śunaḥ karṣatu vṛttyarthe yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be made headman of a village, travel in a donkey-cart, and drag dogs about for his living.

Verse 35 (13.143.35)

सर्वपापसमादानं नृशंसे चानृते च यत् । तत्तस्यास्तु सदा पापं यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

sarvapāpasamādānaṃ nṛśaṃse cānṛte ca yat | tattasyāstu sadā pāpaṃ yaste harati puṣkaram

Whatever sin is gathered up from every cruel act and every falsehood, let that sin be his always, whoever takes your lotus.

Verse 36 (13.143.36)

स राजास्त्वकृतप्रज्ञः कामवृत्तश्च पापकृत् । अधर्मेणाभिशास्तूर्वीं यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

sa rājāstvakṛtaprajñaḥ kāmavṛttaśca pāpakṛt | adharmeṇābhiśāstūrvīṃ yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him be a king without judgment, who follows his own desires and does evil, and let him rule the earth unrighteously.

Note on the text: CE has a star passage after 13.96.36 — 36d*0435, two speeches of Shuka and Yama — which Wikisource lacks; not added.

Verse 37 (13.143.37)

पापिष्ठेभ्यो ह्यनर्घार्हः स नरोऽस्तु स्वपापकृत् । दत्त्वा दानं कीर्तयतु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

pāpiṣṭhebhyo hyanarghārhaḥ sa naro'stu svapāpakṛt | dattvā dānaṃ kīrtayatu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let that man be held in less honor than the worst of sinners, a wrongdoer against his own kin, and let him proclaim a gift after he has given it.

Verse 38 (13.143.38)

श्वश्र्वाऽपवादं वदतु भर्तुर्भवतु दुर्मनाः । एका स्वादु समश्नातु या ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

śvaśrvā'pavādaṃ vadatu bharturbhavatu durmanāḥ | ekā svādu samaśnātu yā te harati puṣkaram

The woman who takes your lotus, let her speak ill of her mother-in-law, be ill-disposed towards her husband, and eat savory food alone.

Note on the text: CE has star passages after 13.96.38 — 38d*0436 and 38d*0437, speeches of Shunaka and Bharadvaja — which Wikisource lacks; not added.

Verse 39 (13.143.39)

एकपादेन वृत्त्यर्थं ग्रामद्वारे स तिष्ठतु । धर्मज्ञस्त्यक्तधर्मास्तु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

ekapādena vṛttyarthaṃ grāmadvāre sa tiṣṭhatu | dharmajñastyaktadharmāstu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him stand on one foot at the village gate for his living, and, though he knows dharma, let him abandon dharma.

Verse 40 (13.143.40)

अग्निहोत्रमनादृत्य स सुखं स्वपतु द्विजः । परिव्राट् कामवृत्तोस्तु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

agnihotramanādṛtya sa sukhaṃ svapatu dvijaḥ | parivrāṭ kāmavṛttostu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let that brahmin neglect the agnihotra and sleep at ease, and become a wandering mendicant who lives as he pleases.

Verse 41 (13.143.41)

वालजेन निदानेन कांस्यं भवतु दोहनम् । दुह्येत परवत्सेन या ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

vālajena nidānena kāṃsyaṃ bhavatu dohanam | duhyeta paravatsena yā te harati puṣkaram

The cow who takes your lotus, let her be milked with a hair rope for her tether and a bronze vessel for the pail, and let her be milked with another's calf.

Verse 42 (13.143.42)

ततस्तु तैः शपथैः शप्यमानै- । र्नानाविधैर्बहुभिः कौरवेन्द्र । सहस्राक्षो देवराट् सम्प्रहृष्टः । समीक्ष्य तं कोपनं विप्रमुख्यम् ॥

tatastu taiḥ śapathaiḥ śapyamānai- | rnānāvidhairbahubhiḥ kauravendra | sahasrākṣo devarāṭ samprahṛṣṭaḥ | samīkṣya taṃ kopanaṃ vipramukhyam

Then, as they swore those many oaths of many kinds, O chief of the Kurus, the thousand-eyed king of the gods, greatly delighted, looked at that wrathful foremost brahmin,

Verse 43 (13.143.43)

यथाब्रवीन्मघवा प्रत्ययं स्वं । स्वयं समागत्य तमृषिं जातरोषम् । ब्रह्मर्षिदेवर्षिनृपर्षिमध्ये । यं तं निबोधेह ममाद्य राजन् ॥

yathābravīnmaghavā pratyayaṃ svaṃ | svayaṃ samāgatya tamṛṣiṃ jātaroṣam | brahmarṣidevarṣinṛparṣimadhye | yaṃ taṃ nibodheha mamādya rājan

and, coming in person to the enraged sage in the midst of the brahmin sages, divine sages and royal sages, Maghavan gave his own assurance. Hear from me now what he said, O king.

Verse 44 (13.143.44)

अध्वर्यवे दुहितरं ददातु । छन्दोगे वाऽऽचरितब्रह्मचर्ये । अथर्वणं वेदमधीत्य विप्रः । स्नायीत यः पुष्करमाददाति ॥

adhvaryave duhitaraṃ dadātu | chandoge vā''caritabrahmacarye | atharvaṇaṃ vedamadhītya vipraḥ | snāyīta yaḥ puṣkaramādadāti

Let him who takes the lotus give his daughter to an Adhvaryu priest, or to a Chandoga who has kept the vow of celibacy; and let that brahmin, having studied the Atharvan Veda, take the bath of graduation.

Verse 45 (13.143.45)

सर्वान्वेदानधीयीत पुण्यशीलोऽस्तु धार्मिकः । ब्रह्मणः सदनं यातु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम् ॥

sarvānvedānadhīyīta puṇyaśīlo'stu dhārmikaḥ | brahmaṇaḥ sadanaṃ yātu yaste harati puṣkaram

Whoever takes your lotus, let him study all the Vedas, be of holy conduct and devout, and go to the abode of Brahma.

Note on the text: CE star passage 13.96.45d*0438, two lines, follows in the CE; Wikisource lacks it; not added.

Verse 46 (13.143.46)

आशीर्वादस्त्वया प्रोक्तः शपथो बलसूदन । दीयतां पुष्करं मह्यमेष धर्मः सनातनः ॥

āśīrvādastvayā proktaḥ śapatho balasūdana | dīyatāṃ puṣkaraṃ mahyameṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

What you have uttered, slayer of Bala, is a blessing, not an oath. Give me back my lotus; this is the eternal rule.

Verse 47 (13.143.47)

न मया भगवँल्लोभाद्धृतं पुष्करमद्य वै । धर्मांस्तु श्रोतुकामेन हृतं न क्रोद्धुमर्हसि ॥

na mayā bhagavam̐llobhāddhṛtaṃ puṣkaramadya vai | dharmāṃstu śrotukāmena hṛtaṃ na kroddhumarhasi

Revered sir, I did not take the lotus out of greed. I took it because I wished to hear the teachings of dharma; you should not be angry.

Verse 48 (13.143.48)

धर्मश्रुतिसमुत्कर्षो धर्मसेतुरनामयः । आर्षो वै शाश्वतो नित्यमव्ययोऽयं मया श्रुतः ॥

dharmaśrutisamutkarṣo dharmaseturanāmayaḥ | ārṣo vai śāśvato nityamavyayo'yaṃ mayā śrutaḥ

I have heard that this is the highest flowering of what is taught on dharma, a flawless bridge of dharma, handed down by the seers, eternal, constant and imperishable.

Verse 49 (13.143.49)

तदिदं गृह्यतां विद्वन्पुष्करं द्विजसत्तम । अतिक्रमं मे भगवन्क्षन्तुमर्हस्यनिन्दित ॥

tadidaṃ gṛhyatāṃ vidvanpuṣkaraṃ dvijasattama | atikramaṃ me bhagavankṣantumarhasyanindita

So take back this lotus, learned one, best of brahmins; and forgive my transgression, blameless lord.

Note on the text: CE star passage 13.96.49d*0439, four lines, follows in the CE; Wikisource lacks it; not added.

Verse 50 (13.143.50)

इत्युक्तः स महेन्द्रेण तपस्वी कोपनो भृशम् । जग्राह पुष्करं धीमान्प्रसन्नश्चाभवन्मुनिः ॥

ityuktaḥ sa mahendreṇa tapasvī kopano bhṛśam | jagrāha puṣkaraṃ dhīmānprasannaścābhavanmuniḥ

Thus addressed by Mahendra, the ascetic, so quick to anger, took the lotus, and the wise sage became pleased.

Verse 51 (13.143.51)

प्रययुस्ते ततो भूयस्तीर्थानि वनगोचराः । पुण्येषु तीर्थेषु तथा गात्राण्याप्लावयन्त ते ॥

prayayuste tato bhūyastīrthāni vanagocarāḥ | puṇyeṣu tīrtheṣu tathā gātrāṇyāplāvayanta te

Then those forest-dwellers went on again to the holy places, and at the sacred waters they bathed their limbs.

Note on the text: CE star passage 13.96.51d*0440, one line, follows in the CE; Wikisource lacks it; not added.

Verse 52 (13.143.52)

आख्यानं य इदं युक्तः पठेत्पर्वणिपर्वणि । न मूर्खं जनयेत्पुत्रं न भवेच्च निराकृतिः ॥

ākhyānaṃ ya idaṃ yuktaḥ paṭhetparvaṇiparvaṇi | na mūrkhaṃ janayetputraṃ na bhavecca nirākṛtiḥ

One who with devotion recites this story on every parva day will not beget a foolish son, and will not be cast out.

Note on the text: Corrected पठेत्वर्वणिपर्वणि → पठेत्पर्वणिपर्वणि (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct, CE paṭhet parvaṇi parvaṇi).

Verse 53 (13.143.53)

न तमापत्स्पृशेत्काचिद्विज्वरो न जरावहः । विरजाः श्रेयसा युक्तः प्रेत्य स्वर्गमवाप्नुयात् ॥

na tamāpatspṛśetkācidvijvaro na jarāvahaḥ | virajāḥ śreyasā yuktaḥ pretya svargamavāpnuyāt

No calamity of any kind will touch him; he will be free of fever, and old age will not bring him decline. Free of dust and joined to what is good, after death he will reach heaven.

Verse 54 (13.143.54)

यश्च शास्त्रमधीयीत ऋषिभिः परिपालितम् । स गच्छेद्ब्रह्मणो लोकमव्ययं च नरोत्तम ॥

yaśca śāstramadhīyīta ṛṣibhiḥ paripālitam | sa gacchedbrahmaṇo lokamavyayaṃ ca narottama

And he who studies the scripture guarded by the sages will go, best of men, to the imperishable world of Brahma.