The Birth of Rishyashringa and the Drought in Anga

Verse 1 (3.111.1)

एषा देवनदी पुण्या कौशिकी भरतर्षभ । विश्वामित्राश्रमो रम्य एष चात्र प्रकाशते ॥

eṣā devanadī puṇyā kauśikī bharatarṣabha | viśvāmitrāśramo ramya eṣa cātra prakāśate

This, O bull among the Bharatas, is the holy river of the gods, the Kaushiki, and here the lovely hermitage of Vishvamitra can be seen.

Verse 2 (3.111.2)

आश्रमश्चैव पुण्याख्यः काश्यपस्य महात्मनः । ऋश्यशृङ्गः सुतो यस्य तपस्वी संयतेन्द्रियः ॥

āśramaścaiva puṇyākhyaḥ kāśyapasya mahātmanaḥ | ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ suto yasya tapasvī saṃyatendriyaḥ

And here is the hermitage, called the Holy, of the great-souled Kashyapa, whose son was the ascetic Rishyashringa, master of his senses.

Note on the text: Corrected यस् → यस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the final akshara is dropped; the critical edition reads yasya).

Verse 3 (3.111.3)

तपसो यः प्रभावेन वर्षयामास वासवम् । अनावृष्ट्यां भयाद्यस्य ववर्ष बलवृत्रहा ॥

tapaso yaḥ prabhāvena varṣayāmāsa vāsavam | anāvṛṣṭyāṃ bhayādyasya vavarṣa balavṛtrahā

By the power of his austerity he made Vasava send rain: in a time of drought, out of fear of him, the slayer of Bala and Vritra poured down rain.

Note on the text: Corrected अनावृष्ठ्यां → अनावृष्ट्यां (misprint in Wikisource; ठ for ट; the critical edition reads anāvṛṣṭyāṃ, as does verse 7).

Verse 4 (3.111.4)

मृग्यां जातः स तेजस्वी काश्यपस्य सुतः प्रभुः । विषये लोमपादस्य यश्चकाराद्भुतं महत् ॥

mṛgyāṃ jātaḥ sa tejasvī kāśyapasya sutaḥ prabhuḥ | viṣaye lomapādasya yaścakārādbhutaṃ mahat

Born of a doe, that splendid and mighty son of Kashyapa worked a great wonder in the realm of Lomapada.

Verse 5 (3.111.5)

निर्वर्तितेषु सस्येषु यस्मै शान्तां ददौ नृपः । लोमपादो दुहितरं सावित्रीं सविता यथा ॥

nirvartiteṣu sasyeṣu yasmai śāntāṃ dadau nṛpaḥ | lomapādo duhitaraṃ sāvitrīṃ savitā yathā

When the crops had been made to grow again, King Lomapada gave him his daughter Shanta, as Savitri the Sun gave his daughter Savitri.

Verse 6 (3.111.6)

ऋश्यशृङ्गः कथं मृग्यामुत्पन्नः काश्यपात्मजः । विरुद्धयोनिसंसर्गः कथं च तपसा युतः ॥

ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ kathaṃ mṛgyāmutpannaḥ kāśyapātmajaḥ | viruddhayonisaṃsargaḥ kathaṃ ca tapasā yutaḥ

How was Rishyashringa, the son of Kashyapa, born of a doe? And how, born of so unlike a union, did he come to possess austerity?

Verse 7 (3.111.7)

किमर्थं च भयाच्छक्रस्तस्य बालस्य धीमतः । अनावृष्ट्यां प्रवृत्तायां ववर्ष बलवृत्रहा ॥

kimarthaṃ ca bhayācchakrastasya bālasya dhīmataḥ | anāvṛṣṭyāṃ pravṛttāyāṃ vavarṣa balavṛtrahā

And why, when drought had set in, did Shakra, slayer of Bala and Vritra, send rain out of fear of that wise boy?

Verse 8 (3.111.8)

कथंरूपा च सा शान्ता राजपुत्री पतिव्रता । लोभयामास या चेतो मृगभूतस्य तस्य वै ॥

kathaṃrūpā ca sā śāntā rājaputrī pativratā | lobhayāmāsa yā ceto mṛgabhūtasya tasya vai

What was she like, Shanta, the king's daughter, devoted to her husband, who won the heart of that deer-born one?

Note on the text: Corrected मृगभूस्य → मृगभूतस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves no word and the pada a syllable short; the critical edition reads mṛgabhūtasya). Wikisource's पतिव्रता (critical edition yatavratā) is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 9 (3.111.9)

लोमपादश्च राजर्षिर्यदाऽश्रूयत धार्मिकः । कथं वै विषये तस्य नावर्षत्पाकशासनः ॥

lomapādaśca rājarṣiryadā'śrūyata dhārmikaḥ | kathaṃ vai viṣaye tasya nāvarṣatpākaśāsanaḥ

And when the royal sage Lomapada was known to be righteous, how was it that the chastiser of Paka did not rain in his realm?

Verse 10 (3.111.10)

एतन्मे भगवन्सर्वं विस्तरेण यथातथम् । वक्तुमर्हसि शुश्रूषोर्ऋश्यशृङ्गस्य चेष्टितम् ॥

etanme bhagavansarvaṃ vistareṇa yathātatham | vaktumarhasi śuśrūṣorṛśyaśṛṅgasya ceṣṭitam

Holy one, I am eager to hear: tell me all of this in full and just as it happened, the deeds of Rishyashringa.

Note on the text: Corrected ऋश्यशृङ्गस् → ऋश्यशृङ्गस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the final akshara is dropped; the critical edition reads ṛṣyaśṛṅgasya).

Verse 11 (3.111.11)

विभाण्डकस्य ब्रह्मर्षेस्तपसा भावितात्मनः । अमोघवीर्यस्य सतः प्रजापतिसमद्युतेः ॥

vibhāṇḍakasya brahmarṣestapasā bhāvitātmanaḥ | amoghavīryasya sataḥ prajāpatisamadyuteḥ

Of the brahmin sage Vibhandaka, whose self was perfected by austerity, whose seed never failed, a holy man as radiant as Prajapati,

Verse 12 (3.111.12)

शृणु पुत्रो यथा जात ऋश्यशृङ्गः प्रतापवान् । महाह्रदे महातेजा बालः स्थविरसंमतः ॥

śṛṇu putro yathā jāta ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ pratāpavān | mahāhrade mahātejā bālaḥ sthavirasaṃmataḥ

hear how the son was born: the mighty Rishyashringa, of great splendour, a boy honoured as though he were an elder, born at the great lake.

Note on the text: Corrected स्थविरसंभतः → स्थविरसंमतः (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म; the critical edition reads sthavirasaṃmataḥ).

Verse 13 (3.111.13)

महाह्रदं समासाद्य काश्यपस्तपसि स्थितः । दीर्घकालं परिश्रान्त ऋषिर्देवर्षिसंमितः ॥

mahāhradaṃ samāsādya kāśyapastapasi sthitaḥ | dīrghakālaṃ pariśrānta ṛṣirdevarṣisaṃmitaḥ

Coming to a great lake, Kashyapa took up his austerities there, and that sage, the equal of the divine sages, laboured at them for a long time.

Note on the text: Corrected रिश्रान्त → परिश्रान्त (misprint in Wikisource; the first akshara is dropped; the critical edition reads pariśrānta).

Verse 14 (3.111.14)

तस्य रेतः प्रचस्कन्द दृष्ट्वाऽप्सरसमुर्वशीम् । अप्सूपस्पृशतो राजन्मृगी तच्चापिबत्तदा । सह तोयेन तृषिता गर्भिणी चाभवत्ततः ॥

tasya retaḥ pracaskanda dṛṣṭvā'psarasamurvaśīm | apsūpaspṛśato rājanmṛgī taccāpibattadā | saha toyena tṛṣitā garbhiṇī cābhavattataḥ

His seed fell when he saw the apsara Urvashi as he was touching water, O king; a thirsty doe drank it together with the water, and so she became pregnant.

Note on the text: The first two lines are the critical edition's 3.110.14; the third corresponds to its 3.110.15a, where Wikisource reads गर्भिणी चाभवत्ततः for sā garbhiṇy abhavan nṛpa.

Verse 15 (3.111.15)

सा पुरोक्ता भगवता ब्रह्मणा लोककर्तृणा । देवकन्या मृगी भूत्वा मुनिं सूय विमोक्ष्यसे ॥

sā puroktā bhagavatā brahmaṇā lokakartṛṇā | devakanyā mṛgī bhūtvā muniṃ sūya vimokṣyase

She had once been told by the blessed Brahma, maker of the worlds: "You are a daughter of the gods; become a doe, and when you have given birth to a sage you will be set free."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.110.15b*0543.

Verse 16 (3.111.16)

अमोघत्वाद्विधेश्चैव भावित्वाद्दैवनिर्मितात् । तस्यां मृग्यां समभवत्तस्य पुत्रो महानृषिः । ऋश्यशृङ्गस्तपोनित्यो वन एवाभ्यवर्धत ॥

amoghatvādvidheścaiva bhāvitvāddaivanirmitāt | tasyāṃ mṛgyāṃ samabhavattasya putro mahānṛṣiḥ | ṛśyaśṛṅgastaponityo vana evābhyavardhata

Because the decree could not fail, and because what fate has fashioned must come to pass, his son was born of that doe, a great sage: Rishyashringa, ever intent on austerity, who grew up in the forest itself.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्व → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; व for य; the critical edition reads tasya). The first line is the critical edition's 3.110.15c; the other two are its 3.110.16.

Verse 17 (3.111.17)

तस्य शृङ्गं शिरसि वै राजन्नासीन्महात्मनः । तेनर्श्यशृङ्ग इत्येवं तदा स प्रथितोऽभवत् ॥

tasya śṛṅgaṃ śirasi vai rājannāsīnmahātmanaḥ | tenarśyaśṛṅga ityevaṃ tadā sa prathito'bhavat

That great-souled one had a horn on his head, O king, and so he became known as Rishyashringa, "Deer-horn".

Verse 18 (3.111.18)

न तेन दृष्टपूर्वोऽन्यः पितुरन्यत्रमानुषः । तस्मात्तस्य मनो नित्यं ब्रह्मचर्येऽभवन्नृप ॥

na tena dṛṣṭapūrvo'nyaḥ pituranyatramānuṣaḥ | tasmāttasya mano nityaṃ brahmacarye'bhavannṛpa

He had never before seen any human being other than his father; therefore, O king, his mind was always set on celibacy.

Verse 19 (3.111.19)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु सखा दशरथस्य वै । लोमपाद इतिख्यातो ह्यङ्गानामीश्वरोऽभवत् ॥

etasminneva kāle tu sakhā daśarathasya vai | lomapāda itikhyāto hyaṅgānāmīśvaro'bhavat

At that very time a friend of Dasharatha, known as Lomapada, was the lord of the Angas.

Note on the text: Corrected दशरशस्य → दशरथस्य (misprint in Wikisource; श for थ) and कलोमपाद → लोमपाद (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क before the name; the critical edition reads daśarathasya and lomapāda).

Verse 20 (3.111.20)

तेन कामः कृतो मिथ्या ब्राह्मणेभ्य इति श्रुतिः । दैवोपहतसत्त्वेन धर्मज्ञेनापि भारत । स ब्राह्मणैः परित्यक्तस्तदा भरतसत्तम ॥

tena kāmaḥ kṛto mithyā brāhmaṇebhya iti śrutiḥ | daivopahatasattvena dharmajñenāpi bhārata | sa brāhmaṇaiḥ parityaktastadā bharatasattama

We have heard that he broke faith with the brahmins over something he had promised them; his judgement struck down by fate, though he knew the law, O Bharata, he was then abandoned by the brahmins, best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the middle line. The first and last lines are the critical edition's 3.110.20 (last line reads tadā vai jagatīpatiḥ there); the middle line is in its apparatus as 3.110.20b*0545.

Verse 21 (3.111.21)

पुरोहितापचाराच्च तस्य राज्ञो यदृच्छया । न ववर्ष सहस्राक्षस्ततोऽपीड्यन्त वै प्रजाः ॥

purohitāpacārācca tasya rājño yadṛcchayā | na vavarṣa sahasrākṣastato'pīḍyanta vai prajāḥ

And because that king had wronged his family priest, it so happened that the thousand-eyed Indra sent no rain, and the people suffered.

Note on the text: Corrected यदच्छया → यदृच्छया (misprint in Wikisource; the ृ is dropped; the critical edition reads yadṛcchayā).

Verse 22 (3.111.22)

स ब्राह्मणान्पर्यपृच्छत्तपोयुक्तान्मनीषिणः । प्रवर्षणे सुरेन्द्रस्य समर्थान्पृथिवीपते ॥

sa brāhmaṇānparyapṛcchattapoyuktānmanīṣiṇaḥ | pravarṣaṇe surendrasya samarthānpṛthivīpate

That lord of the earth questioned brahmins devoted to austerity, wise men able to make the king of the gods send rain:

Verse 23 (3.111.23)

कथं प्रवर्षेत्पर्जन्य उपायः परिमृश्यताम् । तमूचुश्चोदितास्ते तु स्वमतानि मनीषिणः ॥

kathaṃ pravarṣetparjanya upāyaḥ parimṛśyatām | tamūcuścoditāste tu svamatāni manīṣiṇaḥ

"How may Parjanya send rain? Let a way be found." Thus urged, the wise men told him their several views.

Verse 24 (3.111.24)

तत्र त्वेको मुनिवरस्तं राजानमुवाच ह । कुपितास्तव राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणा निष्कृतिं चर ॥

tatra tveko munivarastaṃ rājānamuvāca ha | kupitāstava rājendra brāhmaṇā niṣkṛtiṃ cara

But one excellent sage among them said to the king: "The brahmins are angry with you, king of kings; make atonement.

Note on the text: Corrected रमुनिवरस् → मुनिवरस् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र before the word; the critical edition reads munivaras).

Verse 25 (3.111.25)

ऋश्यशृङ्गं मुनिसुतमानयस्व च पार्थिव । ऐणेयमनभिज्ञं च नारीणामार्जवे रतम् ॥

ṛśyaśṛṅgaṃ munisutamānayasva ca pārthiva | aiṇeyamanabhijñaṃ ca nārīṇāmārjave ratam

"And bring here Rishyashringa, the sage's son, O king, the deer-born one who knows nothing of women and delights in simplicity.

Note on the text: The sage's direct speech, begun in verse 24, fills this verse and the next with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 26 (3.111.26)

स चेदवतरेद्राजन्विषयं ते महातपाः । सद्यः प्रवर्षेत्पर्जन्य इति मे नास्ति संशयः ॥

sa cedavataredrājanviṣayaṃ te mahātapāḥ | sadyaḥ pravarṣetparjanya iti me nāsti saṃśayaḥ

"If that great ascetic should come down into your realm, O king, Parjanya will rain at once; of this I have no doubt."

Note on the text: The sage's direct speech, with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 27 (3.111.27)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राजन्कृत्वा निष्कृतिमात्मनः । स गत्वा पुनरागच्छत्प्रसन्नेषु द्विजातिषु ॥

etacchrutvā vaco rājankṛtvā niṣkṛtimātmanaḥ | sa gatvā punarāgacchatprasanneṣu dvijātiṣu

Hearing these words, O king, he made atonement for himself; he went to the twice-born and came back when they had been appeased.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 3.110.27a–d.

Verse 28 (3.111.28)

राजानमागतं ज्ञात्वा प्रतिसंजगृहुः प्रजाः । स च ताः प्रतिजग्राह पितेव हितकृत्सदा ॥

rājānamāgataṃ jñātvā pratisaṃjagṛhuḥ prajāḥ | sa ca tāḥ pratijagrāha piteva hitakṛtsadā

Learning that the king had returned, the people welcomed him; and he in turn took them to himself, ever seeking their good like a father.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the second line. Corrected ता → ताः (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga of the plural is dropped; the critical edition's apparatus reads tāḥ). The first line is the critical edition's 3.110.27e (it reads dṛṣṭvā for ज्ञात्वा); the second is in its apparatus as 3.110.27f*0546.

Verse 29 (3.111.29)

ततोऽङ्गपतिराहूय सचिवान्मन्त्रकोविदान् । ऋश्यशृङ्गागमे यत्नमकरोन्मन्त्रनिश्चये ॥

tato'ṅgapatirāhūya sacivānmantrakovidān | ṛśyaśṛṅgāgame yatnamakaronmantraniścaye

Then the lord of Anga summoned ministers skilled in counsel and, in settling his plans, set to work on bringing Rishyashringa.

Verse 30 (3.111.30)

सोऽध्यगच्छदुपायं तु तैरमात्यैः सहाच्युतः । शास्त्रज्ञैरलमर्थज्ञैर्नीत्यां च परिनिष्ठितैः ॥

so'dhyagacchadupāyaṃ tu tairamātyaiḥ sahācyutaḥ | śāstrajñairalamarthajñairnītyāṃ ca pariniṣṭhitaiḥ

With those ministers, learned in the scriptures, thoroughly versed in affairs and grounded in statecraft, the steadfast king found a way.

Note on the text: Corrected अर्थज्ञौर् → अर्थज्ञैर् (misprint in Wikisource; ौ for ै; the critical edition reads alam arthajñair).

Verse 31 (3.111.31)

ततश्चानाययामास वारमुख्या महीपतिः । वेश्याः सर्वत्रनिष्णातास्ता उवाच स पार्थिवः ॥

tataścānāyayāmāsa vāramukhyā mahīpatiḥ | veśyāḥ sarvatraniṣṇātāstā uvāca sa pārthivaḥ

Then the lord of the earth had the foremost courtesans brought, women skilled in every art, and the king said to them:

Verse 32 (3.111.32)

ऋश्यशृङ्गमृषेः पुत्रमानयध्वमुपायतः । लोभयित्वाऽभिविश्वास्य विषयं मम शोभनाः ॥

ṛśyaśṛṅgamṛṣeḥ putramānayadhvamupāyataḥ | lobhayitvā'bhiviśvāsya viṣayaṃ mama śobhanāḥ

"Lovely ones, by some device bring Rishyashringa, the sage's son, into my realm, enticing him and winning his trust."

Note on the text: Corrected अभिविश्चास्य → अभिविश्वास्य (misprint in Wikisource; च for व; the critical edition reads abhiviśvāsya). King Lomapada's direct speech fills the verse with no printed heading; given to him.

Verse 33 (3.111.33)

ता राजभयभीताश्च शापभीताश्च योषितः । अशक्यमूचुस्तत्कार्यं विषण्णा गतचेतसः ॥

tā rājabhayabhītāśca śāpabhītāśca yoṣitaḥ | aśakyamūcustatkāryaṃ viṣaṇṇā gatacetasaḥ

Those women, fearing the king and fearing a curse, dejected and dismayed, said the task could not be done.

Verse 34 (3.111.34)

तत्र त्वेका जरद्योषा राजानमिदमब्रवीत् । प्रयतिष्ये महाराज तमानेतुं तपोधनम् ॥

tatra tvekā jaradyoṣā rājānamidamabravīt | prayatiṣye mahārāja tamānetuṃ tapodhanam

But one old woman among them said this to the king: "I shall try, great king, to bring that ascetic.

Verse 35 (3.111.35)

अभिप्रेतांस्तु मे कामांस्त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि । ततः शक्ष्याम्यानयितुमृश्यशृङ्गमृषेः सुतम् ॥

abhipretāṃstu me kāmāṃstvamanujñātumarhasi | tataḥ śakṣyāmyānayitumṛśyaśṛṅgamṛṣeḥ sutam

"But you must grant me the things I desire; then I shall be able to bring Rishyashringa, the sage's son."

Note on the text: The old woman's direct speech, begun in verse 34, fills this verse with no printed heading; given to her. Wikisource's शक्ष्याम्यानयितुम् (critical edition śakṣye lobhayitum) is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 36 (3.111.36)

तस्याः सर्वमभिप्रेतमन्वजानात्स पार्थिवः । धनं च प्रददौ भूरि रत्नानि विविधानि च ॥

tasyāḥ sarvamabhipretamanvajānātsa pārthivaḥ | dhanaṃ ca pradadau bhūri ratnāni vividhāni ca

The king granted her all she wished, and gave her abundant wealth and jewels of many kinds.

Verse 37 (3.111.37)

ततो रूपेण संपन्ना वयसा च महीपते । स्त्रिय आदाय काश्चित्सा जगाम वनमञ्जसा ॥

tato rūpeṇa saṃpannā vayasā ca mahīpate | striya ādāya kāścitsā jagāma vanamañjasā

Then, O lord of the earth, she took with her some women endowed with beauty and youth and went straight to the forest.

Note on the text: Corrected सपन्ना → संपन्ना (misprint in Wikisource; the anusvara is dropped; the critical edition reads saṃpannā).