Bhagiratha and Brahma: No Austerity Beyond Fasting

Verse 1 (13.160.1)

दानं बहुविधाकारं शान्तिः सत्यमहिंसितम् । स्वदारतुष्टिश्चोक्ता ते फलं दानस्य वाऽपि यत् ॥

dānaṃ bahuvidhākāraṃ śāntiḥ satyamahiṃsitam | svadāratuṣṭiścoktā te phalaṃ dānasya vā'pi yat

You have told me of giving in its many forms, of peace, of truthfulness, of non-injury, and of contentment with one's own wife, and also of the fruit of giving.

Verse 2 (13.160.2)

पितामहस्य विदितं किमन्यत्तपसो बलात् । तपसो यत्परं तेऽद्य तन्नो व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥

pitāmahasya viditaṃ kimanyattapaso balāt | tapaso yatparaṃ te'dya tanno vyākhyātumarhasi

Grandfather, what do you know that is greater than the power of austerity? Whatever is higher than austerity, that you should explain to us today.

Verse 3 (13.160.3)

तपसः प्रक्षयो यावत्तावल्लोको युधिष्ठिर । मतं ममात्र कौन्तेय तपो नानशनात्परम् ॥

tapasaḥ prakṣayo yāvattāvalloko yudhiṣṭhira | mataṃ mamātra kaunteya tapo nānaśanātparam

The enjoyment of any world lasts only until the austerity that earned it is exhausted, Yudhishthira. My own view here, son of Kunti, is that there is no austerity higher than fasting.

Note on the text: Corrected ताल्लोको → तावल्लोको (misprint in Wikisource; the व of तावत् is dropped, so यावत्ताल्लोको is not a valid sandhi). The CE verse (13.106.3: tapaḥ pracakṣate yāvat tāval lokā…) words the first line differently (recension variant; Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 4 (13.160.4)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । भगीरथस्य संवादं ब्रह्मणश्च महात्मनः ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | bhagīrathasya saṃvādaṃ brahmaṇaśca mahātmanaḥ

On this subject they also recount an ancient account: the conversation between Bhagiratha and the great-souled Brahma.

Verse 5 (13.160.5)

अतीत्य सुरलोकं च गवां लोकं च भारत । ऋषिलोकं च सोऽगच्छद्भगीरथ इति श्रुतम् ॥

atītya suralokaṃ ca gavāṃ lokaṃ ca bhārata | ṛṣilokaṃ ca so'gacchadbhagīratha iti śrutam

Passing beyond the world of the gods and the world of the cows, O Bharata, Bhagiratha, so it is told, went on to the world of the sages.

Verse 6 (13.160.6)

तं तु दृष्ट्वा वचः प्राह ब्रह्मा राजन्भगीरथम् । कथं भगीरथाऽऽगास्त्वमिमं लोकं दुरासदम् ॥

taṃ tu dṛṣṭvā vacaḥ prāha brahmā rājanbhagīratham | kathaṃ bhagīrathā''gāstvamimaṃ lokaṃ durāsadam

Seeing him, Brahma spoke, O king: Bhagiratha, how have you come to this world, so hard to reach?

Note on the text: CE 13.106.6 has the same verse with recension variants (taṃ dṛṣṭvā sa vacaḥ prāha …; kathaṃ bhagīrathāgās tvam imaṃ deśaṃ durāsadam); Wikisource reading kept. Line 1 is narration, line 2 is Brahma's speech, so the verse stays with Bhishma.

Verse 7 (13.160.7)

न हि देवा न गन्धर्वा न मनुष्या भगीरथ । आयान्त्यतप्ततपसः कथं वै त्वमिहागतः ॥

na hi devā na gandharvā na manuṣyā bhagīratha | āyāntyataptatapasaḥ kathaṃ vai tvamihāgataḥ

Neither gods nor gandharvas nor men, Bhagiratha, come here without having practised austerity. How then have you come?

Note on the text: No speaker heading is printed before this verse, but it is wholly Brahma's speech to Bhagiratha; speaker made Brahma (the page carries it under Bhishma's heading).

Verse 8 (13.160.8)

निश्शङ्कमन्नमददां ब्राह्मणेभ्यः । शतं सहस्राणि सदैवतानाम् । ब्राह्मं व्रतं नित्यमास्थाय विद्व- । न्न त्वेवाहं तस्य फलादिहागाम् ॥

niśśaṅkamannamadadāṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ | śataṃ sahasrāṇi sadaivatānām | brāhmaṃ vrataṃ nityamāsthāya vidva- | nna tvevāhaṃ tasya phalādihāgām

I gave food to brahmins without hesitation, a hundred thousand times over, with the rites of the gods duly performed. Holding constantly to the brahmic vow, know this, O wise one: it was not by the fruit of that that I came here.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मणोभ्यः → ब्राह्मणेभ्यः (misprint in Wikisource; CE brāhmaṇebhyaḥ). Matches CE 13.106.8 (8a, 8c); line 2 reads सदैवतानाम् here against CE sadaiva dānam, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 9 (13.160.9)

दशैकरात्रान्दशपञ्चरात्रा- । नेकादशैकादशकान्क्रतूंश्च । ज्योतिष्टोमानां च शतं यदिष्टं । फलेन तेनापि च नागतोऽहम् ॥

daśaikarātrāndaśapañcarātrā- | nekādaśaikādaśakānkratūṃśca | jyotiṣṭomānāṃ ca śataṃ yadiṣṭaṃ | phalena tenāpi ca nāgato'ham

I performed ten Ekaratra rites, ten Pancharatra rites, the eleven Ekadashaka sacrifices, and a hundred Jyotishtoma sacrifices; nor did I come by the fruit of those.

Verse 10 (13.160.10)

यच्चावसं जाह्नवीतीरनित्यः । शतं समास्तप्यमानस्तपोऽहम् । अदां च तत्राश्वतरीसहस्रं । नारीपुरं न च तेनाहमागाम् ॥

yaccāvasaṃ jāhnavītīranityaḥ | śataṃ samāstapyamānastapo'ham | adāṃ ca tatrāśvatarīsahasraṃ | nārīpuraṃ na ca tenāhamāgām

I lived constantly on the bank of the Jahnavi, practising austerity for a hundred years, and there I gave a thousand she-mules and a company of maidens; not by that did I come.

Verse 11 (13.160.11)

दशायुतानि चाश्वानां गोऽयुतानि च विंशतिम् । पुष्करेषु द्विजातिभ्यः प्रादां शतसहस्रशः ॥

daśāyutāni cāśvānāṃ go'yutāni ca viṃśatim | puṣkareṣu dvijātibhyaḥ prādāṃ śatasahasraśaḥ

At Pushkara I gave the twice-born ten myriads of horses and twenty myriads of cows, and I gave them by the hundred thousand.

Verse 12 (13.160.12)

सुवर्णचन्द्रोत्तमधारिणीनां । कन्योत्तमानामददं सहस्रम् । षष्टिं सहस्राणि विभूषितानां । जाम्बूनदैराभरणैर्न तेन ॥

suvarṇacandrottamadhāriṇīnāṃ | kanyottamānāmadadaṃ sahasram | ṣaṣṭiṃ sahasrāṇi vibhūṣitānāṃ | jāmbūnadairābharaṇairna tena

I gave a thousand of the finest maidens, wearing splendid golden crescents, and sixty thousand more adorned with ornaments of Jambunada gold; not by that did I come.

Verse 13 (13.160.13)

दशार्बुदान्यददं गोसवेज्या- । स्वेकैकशो दश गा लोकनाथ । समानवत्साः पयसा समन्विताः । सुवर्णकांस्योपदुहा न तेन ॥

daśārbudānyadadaṃ gosavejyā- | svekaikaśo daśa gā lokanātha | samānavatsāḥ payasā samanvitāḥ | suvarṇakāṃsyopaduhā na tena

At the Gosava sacrifices I gave ten arbudas of cows, O Lord of the world, ten cows to each brahmin, each with her calf and full of milk, with a golden vessel and a bronze milking-pail; not by that did I come.

Note on the text: Corrected ओकनाथ → लोकनाथ (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ल, CE lokanātha).

Verse 14 (13.160.14)

आप्तोर्यामेषु नियतमेकैकस्मिन्दशाददम् । गृष्टीनां क्षीरदोग्ध्रीणां रोहिणीनां शतानि च ॥

āptoryāmeṣu niyatamekaikasmindaśādadam | gṛṣṭīnāṃ kṣīradogdhrīṇāṃ rohiṇīnāṃ śatāni ca

At each Aptoryama sacrifice I regularly gave ten, and hundreds besides, of cows that had calved once and gave milk, and of tawny cows.

Verse 15 (13.160.15)

दोग्ध्रीणां वै गवां चापि प्रयुतानि दशैव ह । प्रादां दशगुणं ब्रह्मन्न तेनाहमिहागतः ॥

dogdhrīṇāṃ vai gavāṃ cāpi prayutāni daśaiva ha | prādāṃ daśaguṇaṃ brahmanna tenāhamihāgataḥ

Of milch cows I gave ten prayutas, and I gave them tenfold, O Brahma; not by that did I come here.

Verse 16 (13.160.16)

वाजिनां बाह्लिजातानामयुतान्यददं दश । कर्काणां हेममालानां न च तेनाहमागतः ॥

vājināṃ bāhlijātānāmayutānyadadaṃ daśa | karkāṇāṃ hemamālānāṃ na ca tenāhamāgataḥ

I gave ten ayutas of horses born in Bahlika, white ones with golden garlands; not by that did I come.

Verse 17 (13.160.17)

कोटीश्च काञ्चनस्याष्टौ प्रादां ब्रह्मन्दशान्वहम् । एकैकस्मिन्क्रतौ तेन फलेनाहं न चागतः ॥

koṭīśca kāñcanasyāṣṭau prādāṃ brahmandaśānvaham | ekaikasminkratau tena phalenāhaṃ na cāgataḥ

O Brahma, I gave eight crores of gold on each of ten days, in every single sacrifice; not by that fruit did I come.

Verse 18 (13.160.18)

वाजिनां श्यामकर्णानां हरितानां पितामह । प्रादां हेमस्रजां ब्रह्मन्कोटीर्दश च सप्त च ॥

vājināṃ śyāmakarṇānāṃ haritānāṃ pitāmaha | prādāṃ hemasrajāṃ brahmankoṭīrdaśa ca sapta ca

Grandfather, of dark-eared green horses wearing golden garlands, O Brahma, I gave seventeen crores.

Verse 19 (13.160.19)

ईषादन्तान्महाकायान्काञ्चनस्रग्विभूषितान् । पद्मिनो वै सहस्राणि प्रादां दश च सप्त च ॥

īṣādantānmahākāyānkāñcanasragvibhūṣitān | padmino vai sahasrāṇi prādāṃ daśa ca sapta ca

Of huge elephants with tusks like plough-poles, adorned with garlands of gold and marked with the lotus, I gave seventeen thousand.

Note on the text: Corrected काञ्चतस्रग्विभूषितान् → काञ्चनस्रग्विभूषितान् (misprint in Wikisource; CE kāñcanasragvibhūṣitān). Corresponds to CE 13.106.19 (19a, 19c); line 2 differs (पद्मिनो वै … प्रादां vs CE patnīmataḥ … prāyacchaṃ), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 20 (13.160.20)

अलङ्कृतानां देवेश दिव्यैः कनकभूषणैः । रथानां काञ्चनाङ्गानां सहस्राण्यददं दश ॥

alaṅkṛtānāṃ deveśa divyaiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ | rathānāṃ kāñcanāṅgānāṃ sahasrāṇyadadaṃ daśa

O Lord of the gods, I gave ten thousand chariots with bodies of gold, decked with divine golden ornaments,

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 13.106.20a and 20c (CE 13.106.20 is a three-line verse; its third line 20e is the first line of the next Wikisource verse).

Verse 21 (13.160.21)

सप्त चान्यानि युक्तानि वाजिभिः समलङ्कृतैः । दक्षिणावयवाः केचिद्वेदैर्ये सम्प्रकीर्तिताः ॥

sapta cānyāni yuktāni vājibhiḥ samalaṅkṛtaiḥ | dakṣiṇāvayavāḥ kecidvedairye samprakīrtitāḥ

and seven more chariots yoked with decorated horses; these are some of the parts of the sacrificial fee that the Vedas proclaim.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 13.106.20e; line 2 is CE 13.106.21a.

Verse 22 (13.160.22)

वाजपेयेषु दशसु प्रादां तेष्वपि चाप्यहम् । शक्रतुल्यप्रभावाणामिज्यया विक्रमेण ह ॥

vājapeyeṣu daśasu prādāṃ teṣvapi cāpyaham | śakratulyaprabhāvāṇāmijyayā vikrameṇa ha

In ten Vajapeya sacrifices I gave these as well. And of men whose might equalled Shakra's, won by sacrifice and by valour,

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE 13.106.21c (vājapeyeṣu daśasu prādāṃ tenāpi nāpy aham; Wikisource reads तेष्वपि चाप्यहम्, a recension variant); line 2 is CE 13.106.22a.

Verse 23 (13.160.23)

सहस्रं निष्ककण्ठानामददं दक्षिणामहम् । विजित्य भूपतीन्सर्वानर्थैरिष्ट्वा पितामह । अष्टभ्यो राजसूयेभ्यो न च तेनाहमागतः ॥

sahasraṃ niṣkakaṇṭhānāmadadaṃ dakṣiṇāmaham | vijitya bhūpatīnsarvānarthairiṣṭvā pitāmaha | aṣṭabhyo rājasūyebhyo na ca tenāhamāgataḥ

I gave a thousand, wearing gold necklaces, as sacrificial fee. Having conquered all the kings and sacrificed with my wealth, Grandfather, at eight Rajasuya sacrifices; not by that did I come.

Note on the text: Three lines: CE 13.106.22c; CE 13.106.23a (vijitya nṛpatīn sarvān makhair iṣṭvā; Wikisource reads भूपतीन् … अर्थैः, a recension variant); CE 13.106.23c.

Verse 24 (13.160.24)

स्रोतश्च यावद्गङ्गायाश्छन्नमासीज्जगत्पते । दक्षिणाभिः प्रवृत्ताभिर्मम नागां च तत्कृते ॥

srotaśca yāvadgaṅgāyāśchannamāsījjagatpate | dakṣiṇābhiḥ pravṛttābhirmama nāgāṃ ca tatkṛte

O Lord of the world, as far as the stream of the Ganga extended, it was covered by the sacrificial fees I distributed; and for that purpose I gave elephants as well.

Verse 25 (13.160.25)

वाजिनां च सहस्रे द्वे सुवर्णशतभूषिते । वरं ग्रामशतं चाहमेकैकस्यां तिथावदाम् ॥

vājināṃ ca sahasre dve suvarṇaśatabhūṣite | varaṃ grāmaśataṃ cāhamekaikasyāṃ tithāvadām

I gave two thousand horses adorned with a hundred pieces of gold each, and on every lunar day a hundred excellent villages.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 13.106.25a and 25c; line 2 ends एकैकस्यां तिथावदाम् against CE ekaikasya tridhādadam, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 26 (13.160.26)

तपस्वी नियताहारः शममास्थाय वाग्यतः । दीर्घकालं हिमवति गङ्गार्थमचरं तपः ॥

tapasvī niyatāhāraḥ śamamāsthāya vāgyataḥ | dīrghakālaṃ himavati gaṅgārthamacaraṃ tapaḥ

Self-controlled, eating by rule, keeping peace and silence, I practised austerity for a long time on the Himalaya for the sake of the Ganga.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 13.106.25e; line 2 (दीर्घकालं हिमवति गङ्गार्थमचरं तपः) is a recension variant of CE 13.106.26a (dīrghakālaṃ himavati gaṅgāyāś ca durutsahām); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 27 (13.160.27)

मूर्ध्ना हरं महादेवं प्रणम्याभ्यर्चयन्नृपः । न तेनाप्यहमागच्छं फलेनेह पितामह ॥

mūrdhnā haraṃ mahādevaṃ praṇamyābhyarcayannṛpaḥ | na tenāpyahamāgacchaṃ phaleneha pitāmaha

As a king, I bowed my head to Hara, Mahadeva, and worshipped him; yet not by that fruit did I come here, Grandfather.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.106.26c (mūrdhnā dhārāṃ mahādevaḥ śirasā yām adhārayat); line 2 corresponds to CE 13.106.26e.

Verse 28 (13.160.28)

शम्याक्षेपैरयजं यच्च देवा- । ञ्शतैः क्रतूनामयुतैश्चापि यच्च । त्रयोदशद्वादशाहैश्च देव । सपौण्डरीकैर्न च तेषां फलेन ॥

śamyākṣepairayajaṃ yacca devā- | ñśataiḥ kratūnāmayutaiścāpi yacca | trayodaśadvādaśāhaiśca deva | sapauṇḍarīkairna ca teṣāṃ phalena

I worshipped the gods with Shamyakshepa sacrifices, with hundreds and with tens of thousands of sacrifices, with the thirteen-day and twelve-day rites together with Paundarikas, O god; not by the fruit of those.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 13.106.27, with the variants देवाञ्शतैः … (CE devān sadyaskānām …) and त्रयोदशद्वादशाहैश्च (CE trayodaśadvādaśāhāṃś ca); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 29 (13.160.29)

अष्टौ सहस्राणि ककुद्मिनामहं । शुक्लर्षभाणामददं द्विजेभ्यः । एकैकं वै काञ्चनं शृङ्गमेभ्यः । पत्नीश्चैषामददं निष्ककण्ठीः ॥

aṣṭau sahasrāṇi kakudmināmahaṃ | śuklarṣabhāṇāmadadaṃ dvijebhyaḥ | ekaikaṃ vai kāñcanaṃ śṛṅgamebhyaḥ | patnīścaiṣāmadadaṃ niṣkakaṇṭhīḥ

I gave to brahmins eight thousand humped white bulls, each with a horn of gold, and I gave their mates, the cows, wearing necklaces of gold.

Verse 30 (13.160.30)

हिरण्यरत्ननिचयानददं रत्नपर्वतान् । धनधान्यैः समृद्धांश्च ग्रामाञ्शतसहस्रशः ॥

hiraṇyaratnanicayānadadaṃ ratnaparvatān | dhanadhānyaiḥ samṛddhāṃśca grāmāñśatasahasraśaḥ

I gave heaps of gold and jewels, mountains of jewels, and villages rich in wealth and grain, by the hundred thousand.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 13.106.29 (hiraṇyaratnanicitān adadaṃ ratnaparvatān …); the wording differs slightly (recension variant), Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 31 (13.160.31)

शतं शतानां गृष्टीनामददं चाप्यतन्द्रितः । इष्ट्वाऽनेकैर्महायज्ञैर्ब्राह्मणेभ्यो न तेन च ॥

śataṃ śatānāṃ gṛṣṭīnāmadadaṃ cāpyatandritaḥ | iṣṭvā'nekairmahāyajñairbrāhmaṇebhyo na tena ca

Tirelessly I gave a hundred hundreds of cows that had calved once; having performed many great sacrifices, I gave to the brahmins; but not by that did I come.

Verse 32 (13.160.32)

एकादशाहैरयजं सदक्षिणै- । र्द्विर्द्वादशाहैरश्वमेधैश्च देव । गवां धनैः षोडशभिश्च ब्रह्मं- । स्तेषां फलेनेह न चागतोऽस्मि ॥

ekādaśāhairayajaṃ sadakṣiṇai- | rdvirdvādaśāhairaśvamedhaiśca deva | gavāṃ dhanaiḥ ṣoḍaśabhiśca brahmaṃ- | steṣāṃ phaleneha na cāgato'smi

O god, I sacrificed with Ekadashaha rites accompanied by fees, twice with Dvadashaha rites, with Ashvamedhas, and with sixteen rites of cattle-wealth, O Brahma; by the fruit of those I have not come here.

Verse 33 (13.160.33)

निष्कैककण्ठमददं योजनायतं । तद्विस्तीर्णं काञ्चनपादपानाम् । वनं चूतानां रत्नविभूषितानां । नचैव तेषामागतोऽहं फलेन ॥

niṣkaikakaṇṭhamadadaṃ yojanāyataṃ | tadvistīrṇaṃ kāñcanapādapānām | vanaṃ cūtānāṃ ratnavibhūṣitānāṃ | nacaiva teṣāmāgato'haṃ phalena

I gave a forest of golden mango trees adorned with jewels, a yojana long and as wide, with a single necklace of nishkas on the neck of each; not by the fruit of that did I come.

Verse 34 (13.160.34)

तुरायणं हि व्रतमप्यधृष्य- । मक्रोधनोऽकरवं त्रिंशदब्दान् । शतं गवामष्टशतानि चैव । दिनेदिने ह्यददं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः ॥

turāyaṇaṃ hi vratamapyadhṛṣya- | makrodhano'karavaṃ triṃśadabdān | śataṃ gavāmaṣṭaśatāni caiva | dinedine hyadadaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ

Free from anger, I kept the unassailable Turayana vow for thirty years, and every day I gave brahmins a hundred cows and eight hundred more.

Verse 35 (13.160.35)

पयस्विनीनामथ रोहिणीनां । तथैवान्याननडुहो लोकनाथ । प्रादां नित्यं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः सुरेश । नेहागतस्तेन फलेन चाहम् ॥

payasvinīnāmatha rohiṇīnāṃ | tathaivānyānanaḍuho lokanātha | prādāṃ nityaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ sureśa | nehāgatastena phalena cāham

Of milch cows and tawny cows, and likewise of other oxen, O Lord of the world, I gave daily to brahmins, O Lord of the gods; not by that fruit have I come here.

Verse 36 (13.160.36)

शम्याक्षेपेण पृथिवीं त्रिधा पर्यचरं यजन् । त्रिंशदग्नीनहं ब्रह्मन्नयजं यच्च नित्यदा । अष्टाभिः सर्वमेधैश्च नरमेधैश्च सप्तभिः ॥

śamyākṣepeṇa pṛthivīṃ tridhā paryacaraṃ yajan | triṃśadagnīnahaṃ brahmannayajaṃ yacca nityadā | aṣṭābhiḥ sarvamedhaiśca naramedhaiśca saptabhiḥ

Sacrificing with the Shamyakshepa rite, I went around the earth three times. O Brahma, I built thirty fire-altars and sacrificed at them continually, with eight Sarvamedhas and seven Naramedhas,

Note on the text: Stray backtick removed. Line 1 (शम्याक्षेपेण पृथिवीं त्रिधा पर्यचरं यजन्) is CE star passage 13,106.034d*0471_01; lines 2 and 3 correspond to CE 13.106.35a and 35c (CE triṃśad agnim ahaṃ brahmann ayajaṃ …).

Verse 37 (13.160.37)

दशभिर्विश्वजिद्भिश्च शतैरष्टादशोत्तरैः । न चैव तेषां देवेश फलेनाहमिहागमम् ॥

daśabhirviśvajidbhiśca śatairaṣṭādaśottaraiḥ | na caiva teṣāṃ deveśa phalenāhamihāgamam

and with ten Vishvajit sacrifices and eighteen additional hundreds; O Lord of the gods, not by the fruit of those did I come here.

Verse 38 (13.160.38)

सरय्वां बाहुदायां च गङ्गायामथ नैमिषे । गवां शतानामयुतमददं न च तेन वै ॥

sarayvāṃ bāhudāyāṃ ca gaṅgāyāmatha naimiṣe | gavāṃ śatānāmayutamadadaṃ na ca tena vai

On the Sarayu, the Bahuda, the Ganga and at Naimisha I gave ten thousand hundreds of cows; nor by that did I come.

Verse 39 (13.160.39)

इन्द्रेण गुह्यं निहितं वै गुहायां । यद्भार्गवस्तपसेहाभ्यविन्दत् । जाज्वल्यमानमुशनस्तेजसेह । तत्साधयामासमहं वरेण्य ॥

indreṇa guhyaṃ nihitaṃ vai guhāyāṃ | yadbhārgavastapasehābhyavindat | jājvalyamānamuśanastejaseha | tatsādhayāmāsamahaṃ vareṇya

What Indra had hidden away in a cave, the secret that Bhargava won by his austerity, blazing with the brilliance of Ushanas, that, O most excellent one, I accomplished.

Verse 40 (13.160.40)

ब्राह्मणार्थाय कर्माणि रणं चैव करोमि यत् । ततो मे ब्राह्मणास्तुष्टास्तस्मिन्कर्मणि साधिते । पूजितैर्ब्राह्मणैर्नित्यं न च तेनाहमागतः ॥

brāhmaṇārthāya karmāṇi raṇaṃ caiva karomi yat | tato me brāhmaṇāstuṣṭāstasminkarmaṇi sādhite | pūjitairbrāhmaṇairnityaṃ na ca tenāhamāgataḥ

I perform works, and even battle, for the sake of brahmins. Then the brahmins were pleased when that work was accomplished. With the brahmins always honoured, even so it was not by that I came.

Note on the text: Backticks and stray quote marks removed (and the doubled danda before the quote). Line 1 is CE star passage 13,106.038d*0472_01 (brāhmaṇārthāya karmāṇi raṇaṃ caiva karomi yat); line 2 is CE 13.106.39a; line 3 is a recension variant of CE star line 13,106.039b*0473_01 (pūjitair brāhmaṇair nityaṃ vacanenāham āgataḥ).

Verse 41 (13.160.41)

सहस्रमृषयश्चासन्ये वै तत्र समागताः । उक्तस्तैरस्मि गच्छ त्वं ब्रह्मलोकमिति प्रभो ॥

sahasramṛṣayaścāsanye vai tatra samāgatāḥ | uktastairasmi gaccha tvaṃ brahmalokamiti prabho

A thousand sages were gathered there. By them I was told, O Lord: Go to the world of Brahma.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 13.106.39c and 39e.

Verse 42 (13.160.42)

प्रीतेनोक्तः सहस्रेण ब्राह्मणानामहं प्रभो । इमं लोकमनुप्राप्तो मा भूत्तेऽत्र विचारणा ॥

prītenoktaḥ sahasreṇa brāhmaṇānāmahaṃ prabho | imaṃ lokamanuprāpto mā bhūtte'tra vicāraṇā

Thus, O Lord, I was told by a thousand pleased brahmins, and so I have come to this world; let there be no doubt in you about this.

Verse 43 (13.160.43)

कामं यथावद्विहितं विधात्रा । पृष्टेन वाच्यं तु मया यथावत् । तपो हि नान्यच्चानशनान्मतं मे । नमोस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद ॥

kāmaṃ yathāvadvihitaṃ vidhātrā | pṛṣṭena vācyaṃ tu mayā yathāvat | tapo hi nānyaccānaśanānmataṃ me | namostu te devavara prasīda

All is indeed rightly ordained by the Creator; yet, being asked, I had to answer truthfully. I hold that there is no austerity other than fasting. Homage to you, best of gods; be gracious.

Verse 44 (13.160.44)

इत्युक्तवन्तं ब्रह्मा तु राजानं स भगीरथम् । पूजयामास पूजार्हं विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

ityuktavantaṃ brahmā tu rājānaṃ sa bhagīratham | pūjayāmāsa pūjārhaṃ vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

To King Bhagiratha, who had spoken thus, Brahma showed honour, to one worthy of honour, by the rite prescribed.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मि → ब्रह्मा (misprint in Wikisource; CE brahmā).

Verse 45 (13.160.45)

तस्मादनशनैर्युक्तो विप्रान्पूज्य नित्यदा । विप्राणां वचनात्सर्वं परत्रेह च सिध्यति ॥

tasmādanaśanairyukto viprānpūjya nityadā | viprāṇāṃ vacanātsarvaṃ paratreha ca sidhyati

Therefore, joined to fasting, always honour brahmins; through the word of brahmins everything is accomplished, here and hereafter.

Note on the text: Corrected परत्रेहं → परत्रेह (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara, CE paratreha). Not in the critical edition's numbered text: CE star passage 13,106.042d*0474_01-02.

Verse 46 (13.160.46)

वासोभिरन्नैर्गोभिश्च शुभैर्नैवेशिकैरपि । शुभैः सुरक्षणैश्चापि स्तोष्या एव द्विजास्तथा । एतदेव परं गुह्यमलोभेन समाचर ॥

vāsobhirannairgobhiśca śubhairnaiveśikairapi | śubhaiḥ surakṣaṇaiścāpi stoṣyā eva dvijāstathā | etadeva paraṃ guhyamalobhena samācara

With garments, food, cows, good things for the household, and good protection, the twice-born are to be praised and pleased. This is the highest secret; practise it without greed.

Note on the text: Corrected गोभिस्च → गोभिश्च (misprint in Wikisource; CE gobhiś ca). Not in the critical edition's numbered text: CE star passage 13,106.042d*0474_03-05 (CE reads toṣyā eva dvijās tvayā for स्तोष्या एव द्विजास्तथा; Wikisource reading kept).