Matanga's Boon from Indra

Verse 1 (13.5.1)

एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु संशितात्मा यतव्रतः । सहस्रमेकपादेन ततो ध्याने व्यतिष्ठत ॥

evamukto mataṅgastu saṃśitātmā yatavrataḥ | sahasramekapādena tato dhyāne vyatiṣṭhata

Thus addressed, Matanga, keen in resolve and firm in his vows, then stood on one foot for a thousand years, absorbed in meditation.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has a variant of the pair only as star passage 13.30.1*0254_01-02 (evam ukto mataṅgas tu saṃśitātmā yatavrataḥ / sahasram ekapādena tato 'bdānām atiṣṭhata), printed after the heading 13.30.1 (the page's second line ends tato dhyāne vyatiṣṭhata).

Verse 2 (13.5.2)

तं सहस्रावरे काले शक्रो द्रष्टुमुपागमत् । तदेव च पुनर्वाक्यमुवाच बलवृत्रहा ॥

taṃ sahasrāvare kāle śakro draṣṭumupāgamat | tadeva ca punarvākyamuvāca balavṛtrahā

At the end of the thousand years Shakra came to see him, and the slayer of Bala and Vritra spoke the same words again.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passages 13.30.1*0254_03 (taṃ sahasrāvare kāle śakro draṣṭum upāgamat) and 13.30.1*0254_04 (tad eva ca punar vākyam uvāca balavṛtrahā; the CE prints it after an inline 'mataṅga uvāca' label that belongs to the garbled star sequence).

Verse 3 (13.5.3)

इदं वर्षसहस्रं वै ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । अतिष्ठमेकपादेन ब्राह्मण्यं नाप्नुयां कथम् ॥

idaṃ varṣasahasraṃ vai brahmacārī samāhitaḥ | atiṣṭhamekapādena brāhmaṇyaṃ nāpnuyāṃ katham

For this thousand years I have stood on one foot, a celibate student, composed in mind. Why should I not obtain brahminhood?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passages 13.30.1*0254_05 (idaṃ varṣasahasraṃ vai brahmacārī samāhitaḥ) and 13.30.1*0254_06 (atiṣṭham ekapādena brāhmaṇyaṃ nāpnuyāṃ katham).

Verse 4 (13.5.4)

चण्डालयोनौ जातेन नावाप्यं वै कथञ्चन । अन्यं कामं वृणीष्व त्वं मा वृथा तेऽस्त्वयं श्रमः ॥

caṇḍālayonau jātena nāvāpyaṃ vai kathañcana | anyaṃ kāmaṃ vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ mā vṛthā te'stvayaṃ śramaḥ

It can in no way be won by one born in a Chandala womb. Choose some other wish; let this labour of yours not be in vain.

Note on the text: Corrected चण्डालयोनो → चण्डालयोनौ (misprint in Wikisource; locative singular; CE caṇḍālayonau). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passages 13.30.1*0254_07 (caṇḍālayonau jātena nāvāpyaṃ vai kathaṃ cana) and 13.30.1*0254_08 (anyaṃ kāmaṃ vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ mā vṛthā te 'stv ayaṃ śramaḥ).

Verse 5 (13.5.5)

एवमुक्तो मतङ्गस्तु भृशं शोकपरायणः । अध्यतिष्ठद्गयां गत्वा सोऽङ्गुष्टेन शतं समाः ॥

evamukto mataṅgastu bhṛśaṃ śokaparāyaṇaḥ | adhyatiṣṭhadgayāṃ gatvā so'ṅguṣṭena śataṃ samāḥ

Thus addressed, Matanga, overcome by grief, went to Gaya and stood on his big toe for a hundred years.

Note on the text: = CE 13.30.1a, c. Speaker: narration; the page's शक्र उवाच heading (from verse 4) runs on over verses 5-7, which are narration, so the speaker is given to the narrator, Bhishma (the CE heads भीष्म उवाच at 13.30.1).

Verse 6 (13.5.6)

सुदुर्वहं वहन्योगं कृशो धमनिसन्ततः । त्वगस्थिभूतो धर्मात्मा स ततापेति नः श्रुतम् ॥

sudurvahaṃ vahanyogaṃ kṛśo dhamanisantataḥ | tvagasthibhūto dharmātmā sa tatāpeti naḥ śrutam

Bearing a yoga hard to bear, wasted, with his veins standing out, only skin and bone, that righteous man, we have heard, went on practising austerity.

Verse 7 (13.5.7)

तं तपन्तमभिद्रुत्य पाणिं जग्राह वासवः । वराणामीश्वरो दाता सर्वभूतहिते रतः ॥

taṃ tapantamabhidrutya pāṇiṃ jagrāha vāsavaḥ | varāṇāmīśvaro dātā sarvabhūtahite rataḥ

Vasava, lord of boons, the giver, intent on the good of all beings, ran to him as he practised austerity and took him by the hand.

Verse 8 (13.5.8)

मतङ्ग ब्राह्मणत्वं ते विरुद्धमिह दृश्यते । ब्राह्मण्यं दुर्लभतरं संवृतं परिपन्थिभिः ॥

mataṅga brāhmaṇatvaṃ te viruddhamiha dṛśyate | brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhataraṃ saṃvṛtaṃ paripanthibhiḥ

Matanga, your claim to brahminhood is seen here to be contradicted; brahminhood is harder still to win, hedged round by those who lie in wait.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page's heading शक्र उवाच (printed again before this verse). Corresponds to CE 13.30.4a with its star lines 13.30.4a*0255_01 (viruddham iha dṛśyate) and 13.30.4a*0255_02 (brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhataraṃ), which Wikisource has rearranged into two lines (CE: mataṅga brāhmaṇatvaṃ te saṃvṛtaṃ paripanthibhiḥ).

Verse 9 (13.5.9)

पूजयन्सुखमाप्नोति दुःखमाप्नोत्यपूजयन् । ब्राह्मणे सर्वभूतानां योगक्षेमः समाहितः ॥

pūjayansukhamāpnoti duḥkhamāpnotyapūjayan | brāhmaṇe sarvabhūtānāṃ yogakṣemaḥ samāhitaḥ

One who honours brahmins gains happiness; one who dishonours them gains sorrow. In the brahmin the winning and keeping of the goods of all beings is firmly lodged.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 = CE 13.30.4c and 13.30.5a (Wikisource divides the CE verses into different couplets).

Verse 10 (13.5.10)

ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽनुतृप्यन्ते पितरो देवतास्तथा । ब्राह्मणः सर्वभूतानां मतङ्ग पर उच्यते ॥

brāhmaṇebhyo'nutṛpyante pitaro devatāstathā | brāhmaṇaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ mataṅga para ucyate

From brahmins the ancestors and the gods draw their satisfaction. The brahmin, Matanga, is called the highest of all beings.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 = CE 13.30.5c and 13.30.6a.

Verse 11 (13.5.11)

ब्राह्मणः कुरुते तद्धि यथा यद्यच्च वाञ्छति ॥

brāhmaṇaḥ kurute taddhi yathā yadyacca vāñchati

For a brahmin brings about whatever he wishes, in whatever manner he wishes.

Note on the text: Printed as a single line on the page (13-5-11a only); it is CE 13.30.6c, whose first line (6a) stands as line 2 of the previous verse here. Nothing is lost.

Verse 12 (13.5.12)

बह्वीस्तु संसरन्योनीर्जायमानः पुनःपुनः । पर्याये तात कस्मिंश्चिद्ब्राह्मण्यमिह विन्दति ॥

bahvīstu saṃsaranyonīrjāyamānaḥ punaḥpunaḥ | paryāye tāta kasmiṃścidbrāhmaṇyamiha vindati

Passing through many wombs, being born again and again, in some cycle a being gains brahminhood here, dear child.

Note on the text: Corrected पनुःपुनः → पुनःपुनः (misprint in Wikisource; a broken repeat).

Verse 13 (13.5.13)

तदुत्सृज्येह दुष्प्रापं ब्राह्मण्यमकृतात्मभिः । अन्यं वरं वृणीष्व त्वं दुर्लभोऽयं हि ते वरः ॥

tadutsṛjyeha duṣprāpaṃ brāhmaṇyamakṛtātmabhiḥ | anyaṃ varaṃ vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ durlabho'yaṃ hi te varaḥ

So give up brahminhood, hard to gain for the unrefined. Choose some other boon, for this boon of yours is hard to win.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passage 13.30.7d*0256_01-02 (tad utsṛjyeha duṣprāpaṃ brāhmaṇyam akṛtātmabhiḥ / anyaṃ varaṃ vṛṇīṣva tvaṃ durlabho 'yaṃ hi te varaḥ), printed after 13.30.7.

Verse 14 (13.5.14)

किं मां तुदसि दुःखार्तं मृतं मारयसे च माम् । त्वां तु शोचामि यो लब्ध्वा ब्राह्मण्यं न बुभूषसे ॥

kiṃ māṃ tudasi duḥkhārtaṃ mṛtaṃ mārayase ca mām | tvāṃ tu śocāmi yo labdhvā brāhmaṇyaṃ na bubhūṣase

Why do you torment me, already afflicted with grief? Why do you kill one already dead? But I grieve for you, who having obtained brahminhood do not wish to be a brahmin.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Matanga's reply, with no printed heading (the page's heading is still Shakra's; the CE heads मतङ्ग उवाच at 13.30.8). Line 2 reads त्वां तु शोचामि … बुभूषसे (second person) against the CE's 'taṃ tu śocāmi … bubhūṣate'; the page's reading is kept.

Verse 15 (13.5.15)

ब्राह्मण्यं यदि दुष्प्रापं त्रिभिर्वर्णैर्दुरासदम् । सुदुर्लभं तदावाप्य नानुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः ॥

brāhmaṇyaṃ yadi duṣprāpaṃ tribhirvarṇairdurāsadam | sudurlabhaṃ tadāvāpya nānutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ

If brahminhood is hard for the three classes to attain and difficult to approach, still, having won so rare a thing, men do not live by it.

Note on the text: Corrected सदावाप्य → तदावाप्य (misprint in Wikisource; 'always having obtained' makes no sense here; CE tadāvāpya).

Verse 16 (13.5.16)

ये पापेभ्यः पापतमास्तेषामधम एव सः । ब्राह्मण्यं योऽवजानीते धनं लब्ध्वेव दुर्लभम् ॥

ye pāpebhyaḥ pāpatamāsteṣāmadhama eva saḥ | brāhmaṇyaṃ yo'vajānīte dhanaṃ labdhveva durlabham

Among those worse than sinners, he is the lowest who scorns brahminhood, as one might scorn a rare treasure he has won.

Verse 17 (13.5.17)

दुष्प्रापं खलु विप्रत्वं प्राप्तं दुरनुपालनम् । दुरवापमवाप्यैतन्नानुतिष्ठन्ति मानवाः ॥

duṣprāpaṃ khalu vipratvaṃ prāptaṃ duranupālanam | duravāpamavāpyaitannānutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ

Brahminhood is indeed hard to gain, and hard to keep once gained; having won what is so hard to win, men do not live by it.

Verse 18 (13.5.18)

एकारामो ह्यहं शक्र निर्द्वन्द्वो निष्परिग्रहः । अहिंसादममास्थाय कथं नार्हामि विप्रताम् ॥

ekārāmo hyahaṃ śakra nirdvandvo niṣparigrahaḥ | ahiṃsādamamāsthāya kathaṃ nārhāmi vipratām

I, Shakra, delight in solitude, free from the pairs of opposites, owning nothing; having taken up non-violence and self-restraint, how am I not fit for brahminhood?

Note on the text: Corrected निर्न्द्वद्वो → निर्द्वन्द्वो (misprint in Wikisource; transposed conjuncts; CE nirdvaṃdvo).

Verse 19 (13.5.19)

दैवं तु कथमेतद्वै यदहं मातृदोषतः । एतामवस्थां सम्प्राप्तो धर्मज्ञः सन्पुरन्दर ॥

daivaṃ tu kathametadvai yadahaṃ mātṛdoṣataḥ | etāmavasthāṃ samprāpto dharmajñaḥ sanpurandara

How else than by fate has it come about that I, though I know dharma, have reached this state through my mother's fault, O Purandara?

Note on the text: Corrected पुरन्दरं → पुरन्दर (misprint in Wikisource; the vocative, as in verse 24; CE puraṃdara). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passage 13.30.12d*0257_01-02 (daivaṃ tu nūnam etad vai yad ahaṃ mātṛdoṣataḥ / etām avasthāṃ saṃprāpto dharmajñaḥ san puraṃdara); the page reads कथम् where the CE star has नूनम्.

Verse 20 (13.5.20)

नूनं दैवं न शक्यं हि पौरुषेणातिवर्तितुम् । यदर्थं यत्नवानेव न लभे विप्रतां विभो ॥

nūnaṃ daivaṃ na śakyaṃ hi pauruṣeṇātivartitum | yadarthaṃ yatnavāneva na labhe vipratāṃ vibho

Surely fate cannot be overcome by human effort, since I, though I strive for this very end, do not gain brahminhood, O lord.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passage 13.30.12d*0257_03-04 (nūnaṃ daivaṃ na śakyaṃ hi pauruṣeṇātivartitum / yad ahaṃ yatnavān evaṃ na labhe vipratāṃ vibho).

Verse 21 (13.5.21)

एवंगते तु धर्मज्ञ दातुमर्हसि मे वरम् । यदि तेऽहमनुग्राह्यः किञ्चिद्वा सुकृतं मम ॥

evaṃgate tu dharmajña dātumarhasi me varam | yadi te'hamanugrāhyaḥ kiñcidvā sukṛtaṃ mama

That being so, O knower of dharma, you ought to grant me a boon, if I deserve your favour, or if I have any merit at all.

Note on the text: Corrected किचिद्वा → किञ्चिद्वा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped palatal nasal; CE kiṃ cid vā). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passage 13.30.12d*0257_05-06 (evaṃ gate tu dharmajña dātum arhasi me varam / yadi te 'ham anugrāhyaḥ kiṃ cid vā sukṛtaṃ mama).

Verse 22 (13.5.22)

वृणीष्वेति तदा प्राह ततस्तं बलवृत्रहा । चोदितस्तु महेन्द्रेण मतङ्गः प्राब्रवीदिदम् ॥

vṛṇīṣveti tadā prāha tatastaṃ balavṛtrahā | coditastu mahendreṇa mataṅgaḥ prābravīdidam

"Choose," said the slayer of Bala and Vritra to him then; and urged by great Indra, Matanga spoke thus.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page's heading वैशम्पायन उवाच (the CE prints भीष्म उवाच inside the star passage 13.30.12d*0257_06). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passage 13.30.12d*0257_07-08 (vṛṇīṣveti tadā prāha tatas taṃ balavṛtrahā / coditas tu mahendreṇa mataṅgaḥ prābravīd idam).

Verse 23 (13.5.23)

यथा कामविहारी स्यां कामरूपी विहङ्गमः । ब्रह्मक्षत्राविरोधेन पूजां च प्राप्नुयामहम् ॥

yathā kāmavihārī syāṃ kāmarūpī vihaṅgamaḥ | brahmakṣatrāvirodhena pūjāṃ ca prāpnuyāmaham

May I roam as I please, take any form I wish, and move through the sky like a bird; and may I gain honour without opposition from brahmins and kshatriyas.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Matanga's request, with no printed heading (the page's last heading is वैशम्पायन; the CE likewise has no change of heading). = CE 13.30.13a, c (the CE's star 13.30.12d*0258_01 introducing it is not in Wikisource).

Verse 24 (13.5.24)

यथा ममाक्षया कीर्तिर्भवेच्चापि पुरन्दर । कर्तुमर्हसि तद्देव शिरसा त्वां प्रसादये ॥

yathā mamākṣayā kīrtirbhaveccāpi purandara | kartumarhasi taddeva śirasā tvāṃ prasādaye

And may my fame be imperishable, O Purandara. Please grant this, O god; I implore you with bowed head.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.30.13e; line 2 is the CE star passage 13.30.13f*0259_01 (kartum arhasi tad deva śirasā tvāṃ prasādaye).

Verse 25 (13.5.25)

मतङ्ग गम्यतां शीघ्रमेवमेतद्भविष्यति । स्त्रियः सर्वास्त्वया लोके यक्ष्यन्ते भूतिकर्मणि ॥

mataṅga gamyatāṃ śīghramevametadbhaviṣyati | striyaḥ sarvāstvayā loke yakṣyante bhūtikarmaṇi

Go quickly, Matanga; it shall be so. All the women of the world will worship you in rites for prosperity.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has the lines only as star passage 13.30.14*0260_01-02 (mataṅga gamyatāṃ śīghram evam etad bhaviṣyati / striyaś ca sarvās tvā loke yakṣyante bhūtikarmaṇi), printed after the heading इन्द्र उवाच (the page's heading is शक्र उवाच). The page reads सर्वास्त्वया where the CE star has सर्वास्त्वा.

Verse 26 (13.5.26)

छन्दोदेव इति ख्यातः स्त्रीणां पूज्यो भविष्यसि । कीर्तिश्च तेऽतुला वत्स त्रिषु लोकेषु यास्यति ॥

chandodeva iti khyātaḥ strīṇāṃ pūjyo bhaviṣyasi | kīrtiśca te'tulā vatsa triṣu lokeṣu yāsyati

You will be renowned as Chandodeva and be worshipped by women; and your fame, dear child, will be peerless and will travel through the three worlds.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.30.14a; line 2 is the CE star passage 13.30.14b*0261_01 (kīrtiś ca te 'tulā vatsa triṣu lokeṣu yāsyati).

Verse 27 (13.5.27)

एवं तस्मै वरं दत्त्वा वासवोऽन्तरधीयत । प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा मतङ्गोपि प्राप तत्स्थानमुत्तमम् ॥

evaṃ tasmai varaṃ dattvā vāsavo'ntaradhīyata | prāṇāṃstyaktvā mataṅgopi prāpa tatsthānamuttamam

Having granted him this boon, Vasava vanished; and Matanga, giving up his life, reached that supreme station.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration; the page's शक्र उवाच heading (last printed before verse 25) has run on, but this verse is narration, so it is given to the narrator, Bhishma (the CE heads भीष्म उवाच at 13.30.15).

Verse 28 (13.5.28)

एवमेव परं स्थानं मर्त्यानां भरतर्षभ । ब्राह्मण्यं नाम दुष्प्रापमिन्द्रेणोक्तं महात्मना ॥

evameva paraṃ sthānaṃ martyānāṃ bharatarṣabha | brāhmaṇyaṃ nāma duṣprāpamindreṇoktaṃ mahātmanā

So it is, O best of the Bharatas, with this supreme station of mortals: brahminhood, hard to attain, as it was spoken by the great-souled Indra.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma's own closing words, addressed to Yudhishthira (भरतर्षभ), not Shakra's. Line 1 combines CE 13.30.16a with the first line of the CE star passage 13.30.16d*0262_01 (martyānāṃ bharatarṣabha); line 2 = CE star 13.30.16d*0262_02 (brāhmaṇyaṃ nāma duṣprāpam indreṇoktaṃ mahātmanā).