Indra Warns Matanga of the Long Road to Brahminhood

Verse 1 (13.4.1)

एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु संशितात्मा यतव्रतः । अतिष्ठदेकपादेन वर्षाणां शतमच्युतः ॥

evamukto mataṅgastu saṃśitātmā yatavrataḥ | atiṣṭhadekapādena varṣāṇāṃ śatamacyutaḥ

Thus addressed, Matanga, keen in resolve and firm in his vows, stood on one foot for a hundred years, O unfaltering one.

Verse 2 (13.4.2)

तमुवाच ततः शक्रः पुनरेव महायशाः । ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्लभं तात प्रार्थयानो न लप्स्यसे ॥

tamuvāca tataḥ śakraḥ punareva mahāyaśāḥ | brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhaṃ tāta prārthayāno na lapsyase

Then renowned Shakra spoke to him again: "Brahminhood is hard to gain, dear child; though you seek it, you will not obtain it."

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.29.2a; line 2 is the CE star passage 13.29.2b*0251_01 (brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhaṃ tāta prārthayāno na lapsyase). The CE's line 13.29.2c is in verse 3 of this page. Line 1 is narration and line 2 Indra's speech; speaker kept as the narrator.

Verse 3 (13.4.3)

मतङ्ग परमं स्थानं प्रार्थयन्विनशिष्यसि । मा कृथाः साहसं पुत्र नैष धर्मपथस्तव ॥

mataṅga paramaṃ sthānaṃ prārthayanvinaśiṣyasi | mā kṛthāḥ sāhasaṃ putra naiṣa dharmapathastava

Seeking the highest station, you will perish, Matanga. Do not venture so rashly, my son; this is not your path of dharma.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Shakra's (Indra's) own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading is Bhishma's; the CE likewise prints only भीष्म उवाच at 13.29.1). Line 1 corresponds to CE 13.29.2c (CE: mataṅga paramaṃ sthānaṃ prārthayann atidurlabham); line 2 = CE 13.29.3a.

Verse 4 (13.4.4)

विमार्गतो मार्गमाणः सर्वथा नभविष्यसि । न हि शक्यं त्वया प्राप्तुं ब्राह्मण्यमिह दुर्मते । अप्राप्यं प्रार्थयानो हि नचिराद्विनशिष्यसि ॥

vimārgato mārgamāṇaḥ sarvathā nabhaviṣyasi | na hi śakyaṃ tvayā prāptuṃ brāhmaṇyamiha durmate | aprāpyaṃ prārthayāno hi nacirādvinaśiṣyasi

By seeking by a wrong path, you will in every way come to nothing. For you cannot win brahminhood here, dull-witted one; seeking what cannot be had, you will soon perish.

Note on the text: Removed stray backtick and quote mark round line 1. Speaker supplied: Shakra's (Indra's) own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading is Bhishma's; the CE likewise prints only भीष्म उवाच at 13.29.1). Line 1 is not in the critical edition at this place; line 2 is the CE star passage 13.29.3b*0252_01 (na hi śakyaṃ tvayā prāptuṃ brāhmaṇyam iha durmate); line 3 = CE 13.29.3c.

Verse 5 (13.4.5)

मतङ्ग परमं स्थानं वार्यमाणोऽसकृन्मया । चिकीर्षस्येव तपसा सर्वथा नभविष्यसि ॥

mataṅga paramaṃ sthānaṃ vāryamāṇo'sakṛnmayā | cikīrṣasyeva tapasā sarvathā nabhaviṣyasi

Matanga, though I have forbidden you, you are bent on winning the highest station through austerity; in every way you will come to nothing.

Verse 6 (13.4.6)

तिर्यग्योनिगतः सर्वो मानुष्यं यदि गच्छति । स जायते पुल्कसो वा चण्डालो वाऽप्यसंशयः ॥

tiryagyonigataḥ sarvo mānuṣyaṃ yadi gacchati | sa jāyate pulkaso vā caṇḍālo vā'pyasaṃśayaḥ

Any being that has fallen into an animal womb and then attains human birth is born, beyond doubt, as a Pulkasa or a Chandala.

Verse 7 (13.4.7)

पुल्कसः पापयोनिर्वा यः कश्चिदिह लक्ष्यते । स तस्यामेव सुचिरं मतङ्ग परिवर्तते ॥

pulkasaḥ pāpayonirvā yaḥ kaścidiha lakṣyate | sa tasyāmeva suciraṃ mataṅga parivartate

Whoever here is seen to be a Pulkasa or of sinful birth keeps turning in that very condition for a very long time, Matanga.

Verse 8 (13.4.8)

ततो दशशते काले लभते शूद्रतामपि । शूद्रयोनावपि ततो बहुशः परिवर्तते ॥

tato daśaśate kāle labhate śūdratāmapi | śūdrayonāvapi tato bahuśaḥ parivartate

Then, after a span of ten hundred, he attains even the state of a Shudra, and in the Shudra womb too he keeps turning for many births.

Verse 9 (13.4.9)

ततस्त्रिंशद्गुणे काले लभते वैश्यतामपि । वैश्यतायां चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते । ततः षष्टिगुणे काले राजन्यो नाम जायते ॥

tatastriṃśadguṇe kāle labhate vaiśyatāmapi | vaiśyatāyāṃ ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate | tataḥ ṣaṣṭiguṇe kāle rājanyo nāma jāyate

Then, after thirty times that span, he attains even the state of a Vaishya, and he keeps turning in the Vaishya state for a long time. Then, after sixty times that span, he is born a Kshatriya.

Note on the text: Corrected त्रिंशद्गणे → त्रिंशद्गुणे (misprint in Wikisource; 'thirty-fold' as in the parallel षष्टिगुणे, and CE triṃśad guṇe). Lines 1-2 = CE 13.29.8; line 3 = CE 13.29.9a. The CE's line 13.29.9c (rājanyatve ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate) is not in Wikisource.

Verse 10 (13.4.10)

ततः षष्टिगुणे काले लभते ब्रह्मबन्धुताम् । ब्रह्मबन्धुश्चिरं कालं ततस्तु परिवर्तते ॥

tataḥ ṣaṣṭiguṇe kāle labhate brahmabandhutām | brahmabandhuściraṃ kālaṃ tatastu parivartate

Then, after sixty times that span, he attains the state of a brahmabandhu, a brahmin in name only, and as a brahmabandhu he keeps turning for a long time.

Verse 11 (13.4.11)

ततस्तु द्विशते काले लभते काण्डपृष्ठताम् । काण्डपृष्ठश्चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते ॥

tatastu dviśate kāle labhate kāṇḍapṛṣṭhatām | kāṇḍapṛṣṭhaściraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate

Then, after two hundred spans, he attains the state of a kandaprishtha, one who lives by weapons, and as a kandaprishtha he keeps turning for a long time.

Verse 12 (13.4.12)

ततस्तु त्रिशते काले लभते जपतामपि । तं च प्राप्य चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते ॥

tatastu triśate kāle labhate japatāmapi | taṃ ca prāpya ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate

Then, after three hundred spans, he attains even the state of those who only recite the Gayatri; having reached it, he keeps turning in that state for a long time.

Verse 13 (13.4.13)

ततश्चतुःशते काले श्रोत्रियो नाम जायते । श्रोत्रियत्वे चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते ॥

tataścatuḥśate kāle śrotriyo nāma jāyate | śrotriyatve ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate

Then, after four hundred spans, he is born a Shrotriya, one learned in the Veda, and as a Shrotriya he keeps turning for a long time.

Verse 14 (13.4.14)

तदेवं शोकहर्षौ तु कामद्वेषौ च पुत्रक । अतिमानातिवादौ च प्रविशेते द्विजाधमम् ॥

tadevaṃ śokaharṣau tu kāmadveṣau ca putraka | atimānātivādau ca praviśete dvijādhamam

Then grief and joy, desire and hatred, excessive pride and boastful speech enter this lowest of the twice-born, my son.

Verse 15 (13.4.15)

तांश्चेज्जयति शत्रून्स तदा प्राप्नोति सद्गतिम् । अथ ते वै जयन्त्येनं तालं पक्वमिवापतेत् ॥

tāṃścejjayati śatrūnsa tadā prāpnoti sadgatim | atha te vai jayantyenaṃ tālaṃ pakvamivāpatet

If he conquers those enemies, he then attains a good end; but if they conquer him, he falls like a ripe palm fruit.

Verse 16 (13.4.16)

मतङ्ग सम्प्रधार्यैवं यदहं त्वामचूचुदम् । वृणीष्व काममन्यं त्वं ब्राह्मण्यं हि सुदुर्लभम् ॥

mataṅga sampradhāryaivaṃ yadahaṃ tvāmacūcudam | vṛṇīṣva kāmamanyaṃ tvaṃ brāhmaṇyaṃ hi sudurlabham

Matanga, having weighed this as I have urged you, choose some other wish; for brahminhood is exceedingly hard to gain.