Kashyapa and Utathya: Vayu's Tales of Brahmin Power

Verse 1 (13.259.1)

इमां भूमिं द्विजातिभ्यो दित्सुर्वै दक्षिणां पुरा । अङ्गो नाम नृपो राजंस्ततश्चिन्तां मही ययौ ॥

imāṃ bhūmiṃ dvijātibhyo ditsurvai dakṣiṇāṃ purā | aṅgo nāma nṛpo rājaṃstataścintāṃ mahī yayau

Long ago a king named Anga wished to give this earth to the twice-born as a sacrificial fee, O king; and at that the Earth fell into anxious thought.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs slightly from CE 13.139.1a (CE: brāhmaṇebhyo, 'to the brahmins'); a recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (13.259.2)

धारिणीं सर्वभूतानामयं प्राप्य वरो नृपः । कथमिच्छति मां दातुं द्विजेभ्यो ब्रह्मणः सुताम् ॥

dhāriṇīṃ sarvabhūtānāmayaṃ prāpya varo nṛpaḥ | kathamicchati māṃ dātuṃ dvijebhyo brahmaṇaḥ sutām

‘Having got me, the bearer of all beings, how can this best of kings wish to give me, Brahma's daughter, to the brahmins?’

Note on the text: The Earth's unspoken thought, left with the narrator.

Verse 3 (13.259.3)

साहं त्यक्त्वा गमिष्यामि भूमित्वं ब्रह्मणः पदम् । अयं सराष्ट्रो नृपतिर्मार्भूदिति ततोऽगमत् ॥

sāhaṃ tyaktvā gamiṣyāmi bhūmitvaṃ brahmaṇaḥ padam | ayaṃ sarāṣṭro nṛpatirmārbhūditi tato'gamat

‘Then I shall give up my earthhood and go to Brahma's abode; let this king not remain with his kingdom.’ With this thought she departed.

Note on the text: The Earth's unspoken thought, left with the narrator.

Verse 4 (13.259.4)

ततस्तां कश्यपो दृष्ट्वा व्रजन्तीं पृथिवीं तदा । प्रविवेश महीं सद्यो युक्तात्मा सुसमाहितः ॥

tatastāṃ kaśyapo dṛṣṭvā vrajantīṃ pṛthivīṃ tadā | praviveśa mahīṃ sadyo yuktātmā susamāhitaḥ

Then Kashyapa, seeing the Earth going away, at once entered the Earth, his mind disciplined and perfectly composed.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.139.4c (CE: muktvātmānaṃ samāhitaḥ); the Wikisource reading is kept.

Verse 5 (13.259.5)

ऋद्धा सा सर्वतो जज्ञे तृणौषधिसमन्विता । धर्मोत्तरा नष्टभया भूमिरासीत्ततो नृप ॥

ṛddhā sā sarvato jajñe tṛṇauṣadhisamanvitā | dharmottarā naṣṭabhayā bhūmirāsīttato nṛpa

Thereafter, O king, the Earth prospered on every side, rich in grass and herbs, abounding in dharma, her fear gone.

Note on the text: Corrected तमतो → ततो (CE tato; misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 differs from CE 13.139.5a (CE: ruddhā sā); a recension variant, kept.

Verse 6 (13.259.6)

एवं वर्षसहस्राणि दिव्यानि विपुलव्रतः । त्रिंशतं कश्यपो राजन्भूमिरासीदतन्द्रितः ॥

evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇi divyāni vipulavrataḥ | triṃśataṃ kaśyapo rājanbhūmirāsīdatandritaḥ

Thus for thirty thousand divine years, O king, Kashyapa, firm in his great vows, remained the Earth, never weary.

Verse 7 (13.259.7)

अथागम्य महाराजन्नमस्कृत्य च कश्यपम् । पृथिवी काश्यपी जज्ञे सुता तस्य महात्मनः ॥

athāgamya mahārājannamaskṛtya ca kaśyapam | pṛthivī kāśyapī jajñe sutā tasya mahātmanaḥ

Then, O great king, the Earth came and bowed to Kashyapa, and she became Kashyapi, the daughter of that great-souled one.

Note on the text: Corrected नमस्कृत्यि → नमस्कृत्य (stray ि; CE namaskṛtya; misprint in Wikisource). Corrected पृथवी → पृथिवी (dropped vowel; CE pṛthivī; misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 8 (13.259.8)

एष राजन्नीदृशो वै ब्राह्मणः कश्यपोऽभवत् । अन्यं प्रब्रूहि वा त्वं च कश्यपात्क्षत्रियं वरम् ॥

eṣa rājannīdṛśo vai brāhmaṇaḥ kaśyapo'bhavat | anyaṃ prabrūhi vā tvaṃ ca kaśyapātkṣatriyaṃ varam

“Such a brahmin, O king, was Kashyapa. Now name another—or name a Kshatriya better than Kashyapa.”

Verse 9 (13.259.9)

तूष्णीं बभूव नृपतिः पवनस्त्वब्रवीद्वचः । शृणु राजन्नुचथ्यस्य जातस्याङ्गिरसे कुले ॥

tūṣṇīṃ babhūva nṛpatiḥ pavanastvabravīdvacaḥ | śṛṇu rājannucathyasya jātasyāṅgirase kule

The king fell silent, and the Wind spoke: “Hear, O king, of Utathya, born in the family of Angiras.”

Verse 10 (13.259.10)

भद्रा सोमस्य दुहिता रूपेण परमा मता । तस्यास्तुल्यं पतिं सोम उचथ्यं समपश्यत ॥

bhadrā somasya duhitā rūpeṇa paramā matā | tasyāstulyaṃ patiṃ soma ucathyaṃ samapaśyata

Bhadra, Soma's daughter, was reckoned supreme in beauty. Soma saw that Utathya was a husband equal to her.

Verse 11 (13.259.11)

सा च तीव्रं तपस्तेपे महाभागा यशस्विनी । उचथ्यं तु महाभागं तत्कृते वरयत्तदा ॥

sā ca tīvraṃ tapastepe mahābhāgā yaśasvinī | ucathyaṃ tu mahābhāgaṃ tatkṛte varayattadā

That renowned and greatly fortunate lady performed fierce austerities, and with that aim she then chose the greatly fortunate Utathya.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads वरयत् without the augment's avagraha (CE: 'varayat); the sense is unchanged. CE star line 13.139.11d*0643_01 is not in Wikisource.

Verse 12 (13.259.12)

तत आहूय चोचथ्यं ददामीति यशस्विनीम् । भार्यार्थे स च जग्राह विधिवद्भूरिदक्षिणः ॥

tata āhūya cocathyaṃ dadāmīti yaśasvinīm | bhāryārthe sa ca jagrāha vidhivadbhūridakṣiṇaḥ

Then Soma, summoning Utathya, said, “I give her,” and gave the renowned lady; and Utathya, lavish in sacrificial gifts, accepted her as his wife according to rule.

Note on the text: Recension variant of CE 13.139.12a (CE: tata āhūya sotathyaṃ dadāv atra yaśasvinīm); the Wikisource reading is kept, and with the commentary the verb 'gave' is understood after 'I give'.

Verse 13 (13.259.13)

तां त्वकामयत श्रीमान्वरुणः पूर्वमेव ह । स चागम्य वनप्रस्थं यमुनायां जहार ताम् ॥

tāṃ tvakāmayata śrīmānvaruṇaḥ pūrvameva ha | sa cāgamya vanaprasthaṃ yamunāyāṃ jahāra tām

But the glorious Varuna had desired her even before; coming to the forest, he carried her off at the Yamuna.

Verse 14 (13.259.14)

जलेश्वरस्तु हृत्वा तामनयत्स्वपुरं प्रति । परमाद्भुतसङ्काशं षट्सहस्रशतह्रदम् ॥

jaleśvarastu hṛtvā tāmanayatsvapuraṃ prati | paramādbhutasaṅkāśaṃ ṣaṭsahasraśatahradam

Having carried her off, the lord of the waters took her to his own city, of marvellous splendour, with six thousand hundreds of lakes.

Note on the text: Corrected तामनयस्त्वं पुरं प्रति → तामनयत्स्वपुरं प्रति (not a word in context; CE anayat svapuraṃ prati, 'took her to his own city'; misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 15 (13.259.15)

न हि रम्यतरं किञ्चित्तस्मादन्यत्पुरोत्तमम् । प्रासादैरप्सरोभिश्च दिव्यैः कामैश्च शोभितम् ॥

na hi ramyataraṃ kiñcittasmādanyatpurottamam | prāsādairapsarobhiśca divyaiḥ kāmaiśca śobhitam

There was no more charming city than that best of cities, adorned with palaces, with apsarases, and with divine pleasures.

Note on the text: Corrected वासादैरप्सरोभिश्च → प्रासादैरप्सरोभिश्च (CE prāsādair; misprint in Wikisource). Lines map to CE 13.139.15a and 15c.

Verse 16 (13.259.16)

तत्र देवस्तया सार्धं रेमे राजञ्जलेश्वरः । तदाख्यातमुचथ्याय ततः पत्न्यवमर्दनम् ॥

tatra devastayā sārdhaṃ reme rājañjaleśvaraḥ | tadākhyātamucathyāya tataḥ patnyavamardanam

There, O king, the divine lord of the waters took his pleasure with her. Then the outrage done to his wife was reported to Utathya.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.139.15e (tatra devas tayā sārdhaṃ reme rājañ jaleśvaraḥ); line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.139.16a (CE: athākhyātam utathyāya tataḥ patnyavamardanam), kept.

Verse 17 (13.259.17)

तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदात्सर्वमुचथ्यो नारदं तदा । प्रोवाच गच्छ ब्रूहि त्वं वरुणं परुषं वचः ॥

tacchrutvā nāradātsarvamucathyo nāradaṃ tadā | provāca gaccha brūhi tvaṃ varuṇaṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ

Hearing all this from Narada, Utathya then said to Narada, “Go, and deliver a harsh message to Varuna.”

Verse 18 (13.259.18)

मद्वाक्यान्मुञ्च मे भार्यां कस्मात्तां हृतवानसि । लोकपालोसि लोकानां न लोकस्य विलोपकः ॥

madvākyānmuñca me bhāryāṃ kasmāttāṃ hṛtavānasi | lokapālosi lokānāṃ na lokasya vilopakaḥ

“On my word, set my wife free. Why have you carried her off? You are a guardian of the worlds, not a plunderer of the world.”

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.139.17e, line 2 = CE 13.139.18a. The page prints no heading for this speech; it is Utathya's message to Varuna, and the whole verse is given to him.

Verse 19 (13.259.19)

सोमेन दत्ता भार्या मे त्वया चापहृताद्य वै । इत्युक्तो वचनात्तस्य नारदेन जलेश्वरः ॥

somena dattā bhāryā me tvayā cāpahṛtādya vai | ityukto vacanāttasya nāradena jaleśvaraḥ

“Soma gave me my wife, and today you have carried her off.” Thus the lord of the waters was addressed by Narada, in Utathya's words:

Note on the text: Corrected चापहृताऽद्य → चापहृताद्य (the avagraha is spurious, since ā + a = ā; CE cāpahṛtādya; misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 = CE 13.139.18c, line 2 = CE 13.139.19a.

Verse 20 (13.259.20)

मुञ्च भार्यामुचथ्यस्य कस्मात्त्वं हृतवानसि । इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य सोऽथ तं वरुणोऽब्रवीत् ॥

muñca bhāryāmucathyasya kasmāttvaṃ hṛtavānasi | iti śrutvā vacastasya so'tha taṃ varuṇo'bravīt

“Release Utathya's wife; why have you carried her off?” Hearing his words, Varuna then replied to him.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.139.19c, 'muñca bhāryām utathyasya' with the CE star line 13.139.19c*0644_01 (kasmāt tvaṃ hatavān asi); line 2 = CE star line *0644_02 (iti śrutvā vacas tasya) with 19c's close (atha taṃ varuṇo 'bravīt).

Verse 21 (13.259.21)

ममैषा सुप्रिया भार्या नैनामुत्स्रष्टुमुत्सहे । इत्युक्तो वरुणेनाथ नारदः प्राप्य तं मुनिम् । उचथ्यमब्रवीद्वाक्यं नातिहृष्टमना इव ॥

mamaiṣā supriyā bhāryā naināmutsraṣṭumutsahe | ityukto varuṇenātha nāradaḥ prāpya taṃ munim | ucathyamabravīdvākyaṃ nātihṛṣṭamanā iva

“She is my dearly loved wife; I cannot bring myself to give her up.” Thus answered by Varuna, Narada went to that sage and spoke to Utathya, looking not very pleased.

Note on the text: Page prints three lines (21a–c) as one verse. Line 1 = CE 13.139.19e; lines 2–3 = CE 13.139.20a and 20c.

Verse 22 (13.259.22)

गले गृहीत्वा क्षिप्तोस्मि वरुणेन महामुने । न प्रयच्छति ते भार्यां यत्ते कार्यं कुरुष्व तत् ॥

gale gṛhītvā kṣiptosmi varuṇena mahāmune | na prayacchati te bhāryāṃ yatte kāryaṃ kuruṣva tat

“Varuna seized me by the throat and flung me aside, great sage. He will not give back your wife; do whatever you must do.”

Note on the text: The page prints no heading; the whole verse is Narada's report, so it is given to him.

Verse 23 (13.259.23)

नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा क्रुद्धः प्राज्वलदङ्गिराः । अपिबत्तेजसा वारि विष्टभ्य सुमहातपाः ॥

nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā kruddhaḥ prājvaladaṅgirāḥ | apibattejasā vāri viṣṭabhya sumahātapāḥ

Hearing Narada's words, the angry descendant of Angiras blazed up, and that great ascetic, holding the water in check by his radiance, drank it up.

Verse 24 (13.259.24)

पीयमाने तु सर्वस्मिंस्तोयेऽपि सलिलेश्वरः । सुहृद्भिर्भिक्षमाणोऽपि नैवामुञ्चत तां तदा ॥

pīyamāne tu sarvasmiṃstoye'pi salileśvaraḥ | suhṛdbhirbhikṣamāṇo'pi naivāmuñcata tāṃ tadā

Even as all the water was being drunk, the lord of the waters, though his friends begged him, still did not release her.

Verse 25 (13.259.25)

ततः क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद्भूमिमुचथ्यो ब्राह्मणोत्तमः । दर्शय स्वस्थलं भद्रे षट्सहस्रशतह्रदम् ॥

tataḥ kruddho'bravīdbhūmimucathyo brāhmaṇottamaḥ | darśaya svasthalaṃ bhadre ṣaṭsahasraśatahradam

Then Utathya, best of brahmins, said angrily to the Earth, “Show your own ground, good lady, with its six thousand hundreds of lakes.”

Verse 26 (13.259.26)

ततस्तदीरणं जातं समुद्रस्यावसर्पतः । तस्माद्देशान्नदीं चैव प्रोवाचासौ द्विजोत्तमः ॥

tatastadīraṇaṃ jātaṃ samudrasyāvasarpataḥ | tasmāddeśānnadīṃ caiva provācāsau dvijottamaḥ

Then that place became barren ground as the sea drew away; and from that region the best of the twice-born also spoke to the river:

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.139.25a (CE: samudraś cāpasarpitaḥ); the Wikisource reading is kept.

Verse 27 (13.259.27)

अदृश्या गच्छ भीरु त्वं सरस्वति मरून्प्रति । अपुण्य एष भवतु देशस्त्यक्तस्त्वया शुभे ॥

adṛśyā gaccha bhīru tvaṃ sarasvati marūnprati | apuṇya eṣa bhavatu deśastyaktastvayā śubhe

“Go unseen, timid one, Sarasvati, toward the deserts; and let this land that you have abandoned be unholy, good lady.”

Note on the text: Corrected अणुण्यभूषो भवतु → अपुण्य एष भवतु (CE apuṇya eṣa bhavatu; misprint in Wikisource). Corrected देशस्त्यक्तस्तया → देशस्त्यक्तस्त्वया (CE tyaktas tvayā, 'abandoned by you'; misprint in Wikisource). The page prints no heading; the whole verse is Utathya's address to the Sarasvati, so it is given to him. Line 1 reads मरून्प्रति (CE: maruṃ prati, singular); kept.

Verse 28 (13.259.28)

ततश्चूर्णीकृते देशे भद्रामादाय वारिपः । अददाच्छरणं गत्वा भार्यामाङ्गिरसाय वै ॥

tataścūrṇīkṛte deśe bhadrāmādāya vāripaḥ | adadāccharaṇaṃ gatvā bhāryāmāṅgirasāya vai

When the region had been reduced to ruin, the lord of the waters took Bhadra and, seeking refuge, gave his wife back to the descendant of Angiras.

Note on the text: Corrected देशेक → देशे (stray क; CE deśe; misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.139.27a (CE: tasmin saṃcūrṇite deśe); the Wikisource reading is kept.

Verse 29 (13.259.29)

प्रतिगृह्य तु तां भार्यामुचथ्यः सुमनाऽभवत् । मुमोच च जगद्दुःखान्मरुतश्चैव निर्मलाः ॥

pratigṛhya tu tāṃ bhāryāmucathyaḥ sumanā'bhavat | mumoca ca jagadduḥkhānmarutaścaiva nirmalāḥ

Taking back his wife, Utathya became glad at heart, and he freed the world from its distress, and the winds became pure.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from CE 13.139.28c (CE: varuṇaṃ caiva haihaya); the commentary records that reading as a variant. The Wikisource reading is kept.

Verse 30 (13.259.30)

ततः स लब्ध्वा तां भार्यां वरुणं प्राह धर्मवित् । उचथ्यः सुमहातेजा यत्तच्छृणु नराधिप ॥

tataḥ sa labdhvā tāṃ bhāryāṃ varuṇaṃ prāha dharmavit | ucathyaḥ sumahātejā yattacchṛṇu narādhipa

Then, having regained his wife, Utathya, knower of dharma and of great radiance, spoke to Varuna; hear what he said, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Corrected यत्तुच्छृणु → यत्तच्छृणु (CE yat tac chṛṇu; misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 31 (13.259.31)

मयैषा तपसा प्राप्ता क्रोशतस्ते जलाधिप । इत्युक्त्वा तामुपादाय स्वमेव भवनं ययौ ॥

mayaiṣā tapasā prāptā krośataste jalādhipa | ityuktvā tāmupādāya svameva bhavanaṃ yayau

“I won her by austerity, lord of the waters, while you cried out.” So saying, he took her and went to his own house.

Note on the text: Line 1 is Utathya's speech and line 2 is narration; the verse is not split since the page prints no heading.

Verse 32 (13.259.32)

एष राजन्नीदृशो वै उचथ्यो ब्राह्मणर्षभः । ब्रवीमि हान्यं ब्रूहि त्वमुचथ्यात्क्षत्रियं वरम् ॥

eṣa rājannīdṛśo vai ucathyo brāhmaṇarṣabhaḥ | bravīmi hānyaṃ brūhi tvamucathyātkṣatriyaṃ varam

“Such was Utathya, O king, a bull among brahmins. I tell you: name another—name a Kshatriya better than Utathya.”

Note on the text: Line 2 (ब्रवीमि हान्यं …) is a recension variant of CE 13.139.31c (CE: bravīmy ahaṃ brūhi vā tvam); the Wikisource reading is kept. Commentary glosses printed after the colophon (13-259-3 to 13-259-29) are not added.