The King of Madra Questions Vyasa on Sacrifice

Verse 1 (13.15.1)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । मद्रराजस्य संवादं व्यासस्य च महात्मनः ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | madrarājasya saṃvādaṃ vyāsasya ca mahātmanaḥ

On this subject, too, they recount an ancient tale: the conversation between the king of Madra and the great-souled Vyasa.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 26-27 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, printed after 13.8.28 as 13.8.28d@001_0026-0027); the alignment found no match. It continues adhyaya 14.

Verse 2 (13.15.2)

वैताने कर्मणि तते कुन्तीपुत्र यथा पुरा । उक्तः स भगवान्यज्ञे तथा तत्राशृणोद्भवान् ॥

vaitāne karmaṇi tate kuntīputra yathā purā | uktaḥ sa bhagavānyajñe tathā tatrāśṛṇodbhavān

When the rite of the sacred fires was in progress, son of Kunti, as of old, that venerable one was addressed at the sacrifice, and you heard it there.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 28-29 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0028-0029; Wikisource उक्तः स भगवान्यज्ञे against CE ukto bhagavān yajñārthe).

Verse 3 (13.15.3)

कानि तीर्थानि भगवन्फलार्थाश्चेह केऽऽश्रमाः । क इज्यते कश्च यज्ञः को यूपः क्रमते च कः ॥

kāni tīrthāni bhagavanphalārthāśceha ke''śramāḥ | ka ijyate kaśca yajñaḥ ko yūpaḥ kramate ca kaḥ

Revered sir, what are the holy places, and which hermitages bring rewards? Who is worshipped, and what is the sacrifice? What is the sacrificial post, and who is it that strides?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 30-31 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0030-0031).

Verse 4 (13.15.4)

कश्चाध्वरे शस्यते गीतिशब्दैः । कश्चाध्वरे गीयते वल्गुभाषैः । को ब्रह्मशब्दैः स्तुतिभिः स्तूयते च । कस्येह वै हविरध्वर्यवः कल्पयन्ति ॥

kaścādhvare śasyate gītiśabdaiḥ | kaścādhvare gīyate valgubhāṣaiḥ | ko brahmaśabdaiḥ stutibhiḥ stūyate ca | kasyeha vai haviradhvaryavaḥ kalpayanti

Who is extolled in the sacrifice with chanted sounds? Who is sung in the sacrifice in sweet words? Who is praised with sacred utterances and hymns? For whom do the Adhvaryu priests here prepare the oblation?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 32-35 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0032-0035). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them (13-15-4a-d).

Verse 5 (13.15.5)

वर्णाश्रमे गोफले कश्च सोमे । कश्चोंकारः कश्च वेदार्थमार्गः । पृष्टस्तन्मे ब्रूहि सर्वं महर्षे । लोकज्येष्ठं कस्य विज्ञानमाहुः ॥

varṇāśrame gophale kaśca some | kaścoṃkāraḥ kaśca vedārthamārgaḥ | pṛṣṭastanme brūhi sarvaṃ maharṣe | lokajyeṣṭhaṃ kasya vijñānamāhuḥ

Who is the deity in the orders and stages of life, in the fruit of the gift of cows, in the Soma? What is the syllable Om, and what is the path to the meaning of the Veda? Great seer, being asked, tell me all this: of whom do they say that the knowledge is the eldest in the world?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 36-39 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0036-0039). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. Line 4 (लोकज्येष्ठं कस्य विज्ञानमाहुः) is CE line 0039 (lokajyeṣṭhaṃ yasya vijñānam āhuḥ), with कस्य for yasya.

Verse 6 (13.15.6)

लोकज्येष्ठं यस्य विज्ञानमाहुः । योनिज्येष्ठं यस्य वदन्ति जन्म । पूतात्मानो ब्राह्मणा वेदमुख्या । अस्मिन्प्रश्नो दीयतां केशवाय ॥

lokajyeṣṭhaṃ yasya vijñānamāhuḥ | yonijyeṣṭhaṃ yasya vadanti janma | pūtātmāno brāhmaṇā vedamukhyā | asminpraśno dīyatāṃ keśavāya

He whose knowledge they call the eldest in the world, whose birth they call the eldest of origins: to that Keshava, you pure-souled Brahmins, chiefs of the Veda, let this question be put.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 40-43 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0040-0043). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. Rejoined the word split across the line break with a hyphen (आहु- । र्योनि° → आहुः । योनि°; pausal form at the pāda end, where the CE prints āhur); the text is otherwise unchanged.

Verse 7 (13.15.7)

बालो जात्या क्षत्रधर्मार्थशीलो । जातो देवक्यां शूरपुत्रेण वीर । वेत्तुं वेदानर्हते क्षत्रियो वै । दाशार्हाणामुत्तमः पुष्कराक्षः ॥

bālo jātyā kṣatradharmārthaśīlo | jāto devakyāṃ śūraputreṇa vīra | vettuṃ vedānarhate kṣatriyo vai | dāśārhāṇāmuttamaḥ puṣkarākṣaḥ

He is young by birth and given to the duties and aims of a Kshatriya, born of Devaki to Shura's son, O hero; being a Kshatriya, he is indeed fit to know the Vedas: the best of the Dasharhas, the lotus-eyed one.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 44-47 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0044-0047). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. The page's heading reads ब्राह्मण उवाच (CE brāhmaṇaḥ).

Verse 8 (13.15.8)

पाराशर्य ब्रूहि यद्ब्राह्मणेभ्यः । प्रीतात्मा वै ब्रह्मकल्पः सुमेधाः । पृष्टो यज्ञार्थं पाण्डवस्यातितेजा । एतच्छ्रेयस्तस्य लोकस्य चैव ॥

pārāśarya brūhi yadbrāhmaṇebhyaḥ | prītātmā vai brahmakalpaḥ sumedhāḥ | pṛṣṭo yajñārthaṃ pāṇḍavasyātitejā | etacchreyastasya lokasya caiva

Son of Parashara, tell what you would tell the Brahmins, you of glad heart, equal to Brahma, of fine understanding, exceedingly radiant. Asked by the Pandava about the purpose of the sacrifice, this is what is best for him and for the world.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 48-51 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0048-0051). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them.

Verse 9 (13.15.9)

उक्तं वाक्यं यद्भवान्मामवोचत् । प्रश्नं चित्रं नाहमत्रोत्सहेऽद्य । छेत्तुं विस्पष्टं तिष्ठति त्वद्विधे वै । लोकज्येष्ठे विश्वरूपे सुनाभे ॥

uktaṃ vākyaṃ yadbhavānmāmavocat | praśnaṃ citraṃ nāhamatrotsahe'dya | chettuṃ vispaṣṭaṃ tiṣṭhati tvadvidhe vai | lokajyeṣṭhe viśvarūpe sunābhe

You have spoken the words that you addressed to me. This is a wondrous question, and I do not venture to settle it today; the clear answer rests with one such as you, the eldest of the world, of universal form, with the lovely navel.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 52-55 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0052-0055). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. Rejoined the word split across the line break with a hyphen (यद्भवान्मामवोच- । त्प्रश्नं → यद्भवान्मामवोचत् । प्रश्नं; pausal form at the pāda end); the text is otherwise unchanged.

Verse 10 (13.15.10)

तत्त्वं वाक्यं ब्रूहि यत्त्वं महर्षे । यस्मिन्कृष्णः प्रोच्यते वै यथावत् । प्रीतस्तेऽहं ज्ञानशक्त्या यथावत् । तस्मान्निर्देशे कर्मणां ब्रूहि सिद्धिम् ॥

tattvaṃ vākyaṃ brūhi yattvaṃ maharṣe | yasminkṛṣṇaḥ procyate vai yathāvat | prītaste'haṃ jñānaśaktyā yathāvat | tasmānnirdeśe karmaṇāṃ brūhi siddhim

Great seer, speak that true word in which Krishna is rightly declared. I am pleased with you, as is fitting, for your power of knowledge; therefore, in setting out the rites, tell of their accomplishment.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 56-59 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0056-0059). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. Rejoined the word split across the line break with a hyphen (यथाव- । त्तस्मान् → यथावत् । तस्मान्; pausal form at the pāda end); the text is otherwise unchanged.

Verse 11 (13.15.11)

उक्तवाक्ये सत्तमे यादवानां । कृष्णो व्यासः प्राञ्जलिर्वासुदेवम् । विप्रैः सार्धं पूजयन्देवदेवं । कृष्णं विष्णुं वासुदेवं बभाषे ॥

uktavākye sattame yādavānāṃ | kṛṣṇo vyāsaḥ prāñjalirvāsudevam | vipraiḥ sārdhaṃ pūjayandevadevaṃ | kṛṣṇaṃ viṣṇuṃ vāsudevaṃ babhāṣe

When the best of the Yadavas had spoken, Krishna Vyasa, with joined palms and together with the Brahmins, honoured the god of gods and addressed Krishna, Vishnu, Vasudeva.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 60-63 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0060-0063). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. The page's heading reads वैशम्पायन उवाच, although Bhishma is the speaker of the surrounding account; the printed heading is kept.

Verse 12 (13.15.12)

आनन्त्यं ते विश्वकर्मंस्तवैवं । रूपं पौराणं शाश्वतं च ध्रुवं च । कस्ते बुद्ध्येद्वेदवादेषु चैतत् । लोके ह्यस्मिञ्शासकस्त्वं पितेव ॥

ānantyaṃ te viśvakarmaṃstavaivaṃ | rūpaṃ paurāṇaṃ śāśvataṃ ca dhruvaṃ ca | kaste buddhyedvedavādeṣu caitat | loke hyasmiñśāsakastvaṃ piteva

O maker of all, such is your endlessness: your form is ancient, eternal and unchanging. Who could grasp this of you in the disputations of the Veda? For in this world you are the ruler, like a father.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 64-67 of the CE's inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0064-0067). Four lines (pādas), as the page prints them. Rejoined the word split across the line break with a hyphen (चैत- । ल्लोके → चैतत् । लोके; pausal form at the pāda end, where the CE prints caital); the text is otherwise unchanged.