Why Chyavana Tested Kushika

Verse 1 (13.90.1)

वरश्च गृह्यतां मत्तो यश्च ते संशयो हृदि । तं प्रब्रूहि नरश्रेष्ठ सर्वं सम्पादयामि ते ॥

varaśca gṛhyatāṃ matto yaśca te saṃśayo hṛdi | taṃ prabrūhi naraśreṣṭha sarvaṃ sampādayāmi te

“Take a boon from me, and tell me whatever doubt lies in your heart, best of men; I shall fulfil it all for you.”

Note on the text: Wikisource's input row carried only the second line; the first line ('वरश्च गृह्यतां मत्तो यश्च ते संशयो हृदि', CE 13.55.1a) is printed on the page and was restored from the raw page. Corrected प्रब्रूदि → प्रब्रूहि (misprint in Wikisource; द for ह, CE reads 'brūhi'). Lines = CE 13.55.1a, 1c. The page prints no speaker heading here; the critical edition heads the verse 'cyavana uvāca', continuing Chyavana's words, so the speaker is Chyavana.

Verse 2 (13.90.2)

यदि प्रीतोसि भगवंस्ततो मे वद भार्गव । कारणं श्रोतुमिच्छामि मद्गृहे वासकारितम् ॥

yadi prītosi bhagavaṃstato me vada bhārgava | kāraṇaṃ śrotumicchāmi madgṛhe vāsakāritam

“If you are pleased, venerable one, then tell me, O descendant of Bhrigu: I wish to hear the reason for what you did while staying in my house —”

Verse 3 (13.90.3)

शयनं चैकपार्श्वेन दिवसानेकविंशतिम् । न किञ्चिदुक्त्वा गमनं बहिश्च मुनिपुङ्गवः ॥

śayanaṃ caikapārśvena divasānekaviṃśatim | na kiñciduktvā gamanaṃ bahiśca munipuṅgavaḥ

“lying on one side for twenty-one days, saying nothing, and going out, O best of sages;”

Verse 4 (13.90.4)

अन्तर्धानमकस्माच्च पुनरेव च दर्शनम् । पुनश्च शयनं विप्र दिवसानेकविंशतिम् ॥

antardhānamakasmācca punareva ca darśanam | punaśca śayanaṃ vipra divasānekaviṃśatim

“vanishing suddenly and appearing again; and lying down once more, O brahmin, for twenty-one days;”

Verse 5 (13.90.5)

तैलाभ्यक्तस्य गमनं भोजनं च गृहे मम । समुपानीय विविधं यद्दग्धं जातवेदसा ॥

tailābhyaktasya gamanaṃ bhojanaṃ ca gṛhe mama | samupānīya vividhaṃ yaddagdhaṃ jātavedasā

“going out with your body anointed with oil; the food of many kinds that was brought together in my house and burned by the fire;”

Verse 6 (13.90.6)

निर्याणं च रथेनाशु सहसा यत्कृतं त्वया । धनानां च विसर्गश्च वनस्यापि च दर्शनम् ॥

niryāṇaṃ ca rathenāśu sahasā yatkṛtaṃ tvayā | dhanānāṃ ca visargaśca vanasyāpi ca darśanam

“your setting out swiftly in the chariot, so suddenly; the scattering of wealth, and the sight of the forest;”

Note on the text: Corrected निर्याणां → निर्याणं (misprint in Wikisource; CE reads 'niryāṇaṃ'). Lines = CE 13.55.5e, 6a.

Verse 7 (13.90.7)

प्रासादानां बहूनां च काञ्चनानां महामुने । मणिविद्रुमपादानां पर्यङ्काणां च दर्शनम् ॥

prāsādānāṃ bahūnāṃ ca kāñcanānāṃ mahāmune | maṇividrumapādānāṃ paryaṅkāṇāṃ ca darśanam

“the sight of many golden palaces, O great sage, and of couches with feet of jewels and coral;”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.6c, 7a.

Verse 8 (13.90.8)

पुनश्चादर्शनं तस्य श्रोतुमिच्छामि कारणम् । अतीव ह्यत्र मुह्यामि चिन्तयानो भृगूद्वह ॥

punaścādarśanaṃ tasya śrotumicchāmi kāraṇam | atīva hyatra muhyāmi cintayāno bhṛgūdvaha

“and the disappearance of it all again — I wish to hear the reason. I am greatly bewildered by it as I ponder, O Bhrigu's descendant;”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.7c, 8a. The stray label '13-90-8b' printed on the page after this verse is not a verse.

Verse 9 (13.90.9)

न चैवात्राधिगच्छामि सर्वस्यास्य विनिश्चयम् । एतदिच्छामि कार्त्स्न्येन सत्यं श्रोतुं तपोधन ॥

na caivātrādhigacchāmi sarvasyāsya viniścayam | etadicchāmi kārtsnyena satyaṃ śrotuṃ tapodhana

“I cannot find the certain meaning of all this. I wish to hear the truth of it in full, O you rich in austerity.”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.8c, 8e.

Verse 10 (13.90.10)

शृणु सर्वमशेषेण यदिदं येन हेतुना । न हि शक्यमनाख्यातुमेवं पृष्टेन पार्थिव ॥

śṛṇu sarvamaśeṣeṇa yadidaṃ yena hetunā | na hi śakyamanākhyātumevaṃ pṛṣṭena pārthiva

“Listen to all of it without omission — what this was and for what reason. Asked thus, O king, I cannot leave it untold.”

Note on the text: Corrected अशेषेणि → अशेषेण (misprint in Wikisource; stray ि, CE reads 'aśeṣeṇa').

Verse 11 (13.90.11)

पितामहस्य वदतः पुरा देवसमागमे । श्रुतवानस्मि यद्राजंस्तन्मे निगदतः शृणु ॥

pitāmahasya vadataḥ purā devasamāgame | śrutavānasmi yadrājaṃstanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu

“Long ago, when the Grandfather was speaking in an assembly of the gods, I heard something, O king; hear it from me as I tell it.”

Verse 12 (13.90.12)

ब्रह्मक्षत्रविरोधेन भविता कुलसङ्करः । पौत्रस्ते भविता राजंस्तेजोवीर्यसमन्वितः ॥

brahmakṣatravirodhena bhavitā kulasaṅkaraḥ | pautraste bhavitā rājaṃstejovīryasamanvitaḥ

“Through strife between brahmins and kshatriyas there will be a mixing of families. A grandson of yours, O king, will be born, endowed with fiery energy and valour.”

Verse 13 (13.90.13)

ततः स्वकुलरक्षार्थमहं त्वां समुपागतः । चिकीर्षन्कुशिकोच्छेदं संदिधक्षुः कुलं तव ॥

tataḥ svakularakṣārthamahaṃ tvāṃ samupāgataḥ | cikīrṣankuśikocchedaṃ saṃdidhakṣuḥ kulaṃ tava

“So, to protect my own family, I came to you, wishing to bring about the destruction of the Kushikas, wishing to burn up your family.”

Verse 14 (13.90.14)

ततोऽहमागम्य पुरे त्वामवोचं महीपते । नियमं कञ्चिदारप्स्ये शुश्रूषा क्रियतामिति ॥

tato'hamāgamya pure tvāmavocaṃ mahīpate | niyamaṃ kañcidārapsye śuśrūṣā kriyatāmiti

“Having come to your city, O lord of the earth, I said to you, ‘I shall undertake a certain vow; let me be served.’”

Note on the text: Corrected आरप्सये → आरप्स्ये (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, CE reads 'ārapsye').

Verse 15 (13.90.15)

न च ते दुष्कृतं किञ्चिदहमासादयं गृहे । तेन जीवसि राजर्षे न भवेथास्त्वमन्यथा ॥

na ca te duṣkṛtaṃ kiñcidahamāsādayaṃ gṛhe | tena jīvasi rājarṣe na bhavethāstvamanyathā

“But I found no wrongdoing of yours in your house; for that reason you live, O royal sage — you would not have lived otherwise.”

Verse 16 (13.90.16)

एवं बुद्धिं समास्थाय दिवसानेकविंशतिम् । सुप्तोस्मि यदि मां कश्चिद्बोधयेदिति पार्थिव ॥

evaṃ buddhiṃ samāsthāya divasānekaviṃśatim | suptosmi yadi māṃ kaścidbodhayediti pārthiva

“With this resolve I slept for twenty-one days, O king, thinking, ‘If anyone should wake me —’”

Verse 17 (13.90.17)

यदा त्वया सभार्येण संसुप्तो न प्रबोधितः । अहं तदैव ते प्रीतो मनसा राजसत्तम ॥

yadā tvayā sabhāryeṇa saṃsupto na prabodhitaḥ | ahaṃ tadaiva te prīto manasā rājasattama

“When you and your wife let me sleep and did not wake me, then, O best of kings, I was pleased with you in my heart at that very moment.”

Verse 18 (13.90.18)

उत्थाय चास्मि निष्क्रान्तो यदि मां त्वं महीपते । पृच्छेः क्व यास्यसीत्येवं शपेयं त्वामिति प्रभो ॥

utthāya cāsmi niṣkrānto yadi māṃ tvaṃ mahīpate | pṛccheḥ kva yāsyasītyevaṃ śapeyaṃ tvāmiti prabho

“When I rose and went out, I thought, ‘If you ask me, “Where are you going?”, I shall curse you,’ O lord.”

Verse 19 (13.90.19)

अन्तर्हितः पुनश्चास्मि पुनरेव च ते गृहे । योगमास्थाय संसुप्तो दिवसानेकविंशतिम् ॥

antarhitaḥ punaścāsmi punareva ca te gṛhe | yogamāsthāya saṃsupto divasānekaviṃśatim

“I vanished again, and again in your house I lay asleep for twenty-one days, resorting to yoga.”

Verse 20 (13.90.20)

क्षुधितौ मामसूयेथां श्रमाद्वेति नराधिप । एतां बुद्धिं समास्थाय कर्शितौ वां क्षुधा मया ॥

kṣudhitau māmasūyethāṃ śramādveti narādhipa | etāṃ buddhiṃ samāsthāya karśitau vāṃ kṣudhā mayā

“‘Hungry, they may resent me, or be wearied,’ O lord of men — with this thought I wasted you both with hunger.”

Verse 21 (13.90.21)

न च तेऽभूत्सुसूक्ष्मोपि मन्युर्मनसि पार्थिव । सभार्यस्य नरश्रेष्ठ तेन ते प्रीतिमानहम् ॥

na ca te'bhūtsusūkṣmopi manyurmanasi pārthiva | sabhāryasya naraśreṣṭha tena te prītimānaham

“Yet not the slightest anger arose in your mind, O king, nor in your wife's, O best of men; therefore I am pleased with you.”

Verse 22 (13.90.22)

भोजनं च समानाय्य यत्तदादीपितं मया । क्रुध्येथा यदि मात्सर्यादिति तन्मर्षितं च मे ॥

bhojanaṃ ca samānāyya yattadādīpitaṃ mayā | krudhyethā yadi mātsaryāditi tanmarṣitaṃ ca me

“The food that had been brought together and that I set on fire, thinking, ‘He may grow angry out of spite’ — that you bore patiently.”

Verse 23 (13.90.23)

ततोऽहं रथमारुह्य त्वामवोचं नराधिप । सभार्यो मां वहस्वेति तच्च त्वं कृतवांस्तथा ॥

tato'haṃ rathamāruhya tvāmavocaṃ narādhipa | sabhāryo māṃ vahasveti tacca tvaṃ kṛtavāṃstathā

“Then I climbed into the chariot and said to you, O lord of men, ‘Carry me, with your wife.’ And you did just so.”

Verse 24 (13.90.24)

अविशङ्को नरपते प्रीतोऽहं चापि तेन ह । धनोत्सर्गेऽपि च कृते न त्वां क्रोधोप्यधर्षयत् ॥

aviśaṅko narapate prīto'haṃ cāpi tena ha | dhanotsarge'pi ca kṛte na tvāṃ krodhopyadharṣayat

“You felt no misgiving, O lord of men, and for that too I am pleased. Even when the wealth was thrown away, anger did not overcome you.”

Verse 25 (13.90.25)

ततः प्रीतेन ते राजन्पुनरेतत्कृतं तव । सभार्यस्य वनं भूयस्तद्विद्धि मनुजाधिप ॥

tataḥ prītena te rājanpunaretatkṛtaṃ tava | sabhāryasya vanaṃ bhūyastadviddhi manujādhipa

“Then, pleased with you, O king, I made this forest again for you and your wife — know that, O lord of men.”

Verse 26 (13.90.26)

प्रीत्यर्थं तव चैतन्मे स्वर्गसंदर्शनं कृतम् । यत्ते वनेऽस्मिन्नृपते दृष्टं दिव्यं सुदर्शनम् ॥

prītyarthaṃ tava caitanme svargasaṃdarśanaṃ kṛtam | yatte vane'sminnṛpate dṛṣṭaṃ divyaṃ sudarśanam

“It was for your pleasure that I made this sight of heaven for you — the divine and wondrous sight that you beheld in this forest, O king.”

Verse 27 (13.90.27)

स्वर्गोद्देशस्त्वया राजन्सशरीरेण पार्थिव । मुहूर्तमनुभूतोऽसौ सभार्येण नृपोत्तम ॥

svargoddeśastvayā rājansaśarīreṇa pārthiva | muhūrtamanubhūto'sau sabhāryeṇa nṛpottama

“In your own body, together with your wife, you experienced a region of heaven for a moment, O king, O best of kings.”

Verse 28 (13.90.28)

निदर्शनार्थं तपसो धर्मस्य च नराधिप । तत्र यासीत्स्पृहा राजंस्तच्चापि विदितं मया ॥

nidarśanārthaṃ tapaso dharmasya ca narādhipa | tatra yāsītspṛhā rājaṃstaccāpi viditaṃ mayā

“It was to show the power of austerity and of dharma, O lord of men; and the longing you felt there I also knew.”

Note on the text: Corrected तत्र नासीत्स्पृहा → तत्र यासीत्स्पृहा (misprint in Wikisource; न for य reverses the sense, CE reads 'tatra yāsīt spṛhā').

Verse 29 (13.90.29)

ब्राह्मण्यं काङ्क्षसे हि त्वं तपश्च पृथिवीपते । अवमत्य नरेन्द्रत्वं देवेन्द्रत्वं च पार्थिव ॥

brāhmaṇyaṃ kāṅkṣase hi tvaṃ tapaśca pṛthivīpate | avamatya narendratvaṃ devendratvaṃ ca pārthiva

“For you desire brahmanhood and austerity, O lord of the earth, disdaining kingship and even the lordship of the gods.”

Verse 30 (13.90.30)

एवमेतद्यथातत्वं ब्राह्मण्यं तात दुर्लभम् । ब्राह्मण्ये सति चर्षित्वमृषित्वे च तपस्विता ॥

evametadyathātatvaṃ brāhmaṇyaṃ tāta durlabham | brāhmaṇye sati carṣitvamṛṣitve ca tapasvitā

“It is indeed so, in truth: brahmanhood is hard to win, my son. Where there is brahmanhood there is sagehood, and where there is sagehood there is austerity.”

Verse 31 (13.90.31)

भविष्यत्येष ते कामः कुशिकात्कौशिको द्विजः ॥

bhaviṣyatyeṣa te kāmaḥ kuśikātkauśiko dvijaḥ

“This wish of yours will be fulfilled: from Kushika will come a Kaushika, a twice-born.”

Note on the text: Single-line verse in Wikisource: CE 13.55.30a.

Verse 32 (13.90.32)

तृतीयं पुरुषं प्राप्य ब्राह्मणत्वं गमिष्यति । वंशस्ते पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ भृगूणामेव तेजसा ॥

tṛtīyaṃ puruṣaṃ prāpya brāhmaṇatvaṃ gamiṣyati | vaṃśaste pārthivaśreṣṭha bhṛgūṇāmeva tejasā

“On reaching the third generation, your line will attain brahmanhood, O best of kings, through the very energy of the Bhrigus.”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.30c, 31a.

Verse 33 (13.90.33)

पौत्रस्ते भविता विप्रस्तपस्वी पावकद्युतिः । जमदग्नौ महाभाग तपसा भावितात्मनि ॥

pautraste bhavitā viprastapasvī pāvakadyutiḥ | jamadagnau mahābhāga tapasā bhāvitātmani

“Your grandson will be a brahmin, an ascetic radiant as fire — in Jamadagni, O fortunate one, whose soul is made perfect by austerity.”

Note on the text: Removed the stray closing quote mark (।।') after the second line. Lines = CE 13.55.31c and star line 13,055.032b*0328_01 ('jamadagnau mahābhāga tapasā bhāvitātmani'); the star line stands in the critical edition after 13.55.32a. The star's second line (*0328_02) is not in this verse (compare 13.91.9).

Verse 34 (13.90.34)

यः स देवमनुष्याणां भयमुत्पादयिष्यति । त्रयाणामेव लोकानां सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥

yaḥ sa devamanuṣyāṇāṃ bhayamutpādayiṣyati | trayāṇāmeva lokānāṃ satyametadbravīmi te

“He will cause fear to gods and men and to all three worlds; this I tell you truly.”

Note on the text: Corrected देवमनुष्याणआं → देवमनुष्याणां (misprint in Wikisource; stray आ, CE reads 'devamanuṣyāṇāṃ'). Lines = CE 13.55.32a, 32c.

Verse 35 (13.90.35)

वरं गृहाण राजर्षे यस्ते मनसि वर्तते । तीर्थयात्रां गमिष्यामि पुरा कालोऽतिवर्तते ॥

varaṃ gṛhāṇa rājarṣe yaste manasi vartate | tīrthayātrāṃ gamiṣyāmi purā kālo'tivartate

“Choose a boon, O royal sage, whatever is in your mind. I shall go on a pilgrimage to the holy places; the time is passing.”

Verse 36 (13.90.36)

एष एव वरो मेऽद्य यत्त्वं प्रीतो महामुने । भवत्वेतद्यथार्थत्वं भवेत्पौत्रो ममानघ ॥

eṣa eva varo me'dya yattvaṃ prīto mahāmune | bhavatvetadyathārthatvaṃ bhavetpautro mamānagha

“This itself is my boon today, great sage, that you are pleased. May it be so, as you have said, and may the grandson be mine, O sinless one.”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.34a, 34c (variant second line).

Verse 37 (13.90.37)

ब्राह्मण्यं मे कुलस्यास्तु भगवन्नेष मे वरः । पुनश्चाख्यातुमिच्छामि भगवन्विस्तरेण वै ॥

brāhmaṇyaṃ me kulasyāstu bhagavanneṣa me varaḥ | punaścākhyātumicchāmi bhagavanvistareṇa vai

“Let brahmanhood belong to my family, venerable sir; that is my boon. And I wish to hear it told once more, in detail,”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.34e, 35a.

Verse 38 (13.90.38)

कथमेष्यति विप्रत्वं कुलं मे भृगुनन्दन । कश्चासौ भविता बन्धुर्मम कश्चापि सम्मतः ॥

kathameṣyati vipratvaṃ kulaṃ me bhṛgunandana | kaścāsau bhavitā bandhurmama kaścāpi sammataḥ

“how my family will come to brahmanhood, O joy of the Bhrigus; and who that kinsman of mine will be, and who else, esteemed by me.”

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.55.35c, 35e.