The Vaitarani and the Altar by the Sea

Verse 1 (3.115.1)

ततः प्रयातः कौशिक्याः पाण्डवो जनमेजय । आनुपूर्व्येण सर्वाणि जगामायतनान्यथ ॥

tataḥ prayātaḥ kauśikyāḥ pāṇḍavo janamejaya | ānupūrvyeṇa sarvāṇi jagāmāyatanānyatha

Then the Pandava set out from the Kaushiki, Janamejaya, and visited all the holy shrines in due order.

Verse 2 (3.115.2)

स सागरं समासाद्य गङ्गायाः संगमे नृप । नदीशतानां पञ्चानां मध्ये चक्रे समाप्लवम् ॥

sa sāgaraṃ samāsādya gaṅgāyāḥ saṃgame nṛpa | nadīśatānāṃ pañcānāṃ madhye cakre samāplavam

Reaching the sea at the mouth of the Ganga, O king, he bathed in the midst of the five hundred rivers.

Verse 3 (3.115.3)

ततः समुद्रतीरेण जगाम वसुधाधिपः । भ्रातृभिः सहितो वीरः कलिङ्गान्प्रति भारत ॥

tataḥ samudratīreṇa jagāma vasudhādhipaḥ | bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito vīraḥ kaliṅgānprati bhārata

Then that heroic lord of the earth went with his brothers along the shore of the sea toward the Kalingas, O Bharata.

Verse 4 (3.115.4)

एते कलिङ्गाः कौन्तेय यत्र वैतरणी नदी । यत्रायजत धर्मोपि देवाञ्शरणमेत्य वै ॥

ete kaliṅgāḥ kaunteya yatra vaitaraṇī nadī | yatrāyajata dharmopi devāñśaraṇametya vai

These are the Kalingas, son of Kunti, where the river Vaitarani flows, and where even Dharma offered sacrifice after taking refuge with the gods.

Verse 5 (3.115.5)

ऋषिभिः समुपायुक्तं यज्ञियं गिरिशोभितम् । उत्तरं तीरमेतद्धि सततं द्विजसेवितम् ॥

ṛṣibhiḥ samupāyuktaṃ yajñiyaṃ giriśobhitam | uttaraṃ tīrametaddhi satataṃ dvijasevitam

This northern bank, frequented by sages, fit for sacrifice and graced by hills, is ever visited by the twice-born.

Verse 6 (3.115.6)

समेन देवयानेन पथा स्वर्गमुपेयुषः । अत्रवै ऋषयोऽन्येऽपि पुरा क्रतुभिरीजिरे ॥

samena devayānena pathā svargamupeyuṣaḥ | atravai ṛṣayo'nye'pi purā kratubhirījire

Here too, long ago, other sages offered sacrifices, and went to heaven by the even road of the gods.

Verse 7 (3.115.7)

अत्रैव रुद्रो राजेन्द्र पशुमादत्तवान्मखे । पशुमादाय राजेन्द्र भागोयमिति चाब्रवीत् ॥

atraiva rudro rājendra paśumādattavānmakhe | paśumādāya rājendra bhāgoyamiti cābravīt

It was here, king of kings, that Rudra seized the victim at a sacrifice; and having seized it, O king, he said: "This is my share."

Verse 8 (3.115.8)

हृते पशौ तदा देवास्तमूचुर्भरतर्षभ । मा परस्वमभिद्रोग्धा माधर्म्यान्नीनशः पथः ॥

hṛte paśau tadā devāstamūcurbharatarṣabha | mā parasvamabhidrogdhā mādharmyānnīnaśaḥ pathaḥ

When the victim had been taken, O bull of the Bharatas, the gods said to him: "Do not covet what belongs to others; do not destroy the paths of dharma."

Verse 9 (3.115.9)

स्वयं यज्ञेश्वरो भूत्वा कर्मणां फलदायकः । यज्ञं विहन्तुं भगवान्नार्हसे जगदीश्वर ॥

svayaṃ yajñeśvaro bhūtvā karmaṇāṃ phaladāyakaḥ | yajñaṃ vihantuṃ bhagavānnārhase jagadīśvara

"You yourself are the lord of sacrifice and the giver of the fruits of rites; you ought not, Lord, master of the world, to wreck the sacrifice."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and '). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The gods' direct speech, begun in verse 8, fills this verse with no printed heading; given to them.

Verse 10 (3.115.10)

इतिकल्याणरूपाभिर्वाग्भिस्ते रुद्रमस्तुवन् । इष्ट्या चैनं तर्पयित्वा मानयांचक्रिरे तदा ॥

itikalyāṇarūpābhirvāgbhiste rudramastuvan | iṣṭyā cainaṃ tarpayitvā mānayāṃcakrire tadā

With such auspicious words they praised Rudra, and satisfied him with an offering and honoured him then.

Verse 11 (3.115.11)

ततः स पशुमुत्सृज्य देवयानेन जग्मिवान् । तत्रानुवंशो रुद्रस्यतं निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥

tataḥ sa paśumutsṛjya devayānena jagmivān | tatrānuvaṃśo rudrasyataṃ nibodha yudhiṣṭhira

Then he released the victim and departed by the road of the gods. Learn, Yudhishthira, the verse about Rudra that is handed down here:

Verse 12 (3.115.12)

अयातयामं सर्वेभ्यो भागेभ्यो भागमुत्तमम् । देवाः संकल्पयामासुर्भयाद्रुद्रस्य शाश्वतम् ॥

ayātayāmaṃ sarvebhyo bhāgebhyo bhāgamuttamam | devāḥ saṃkalpayāmāsurbhayādrudrasya śāśvatam

"Out of fear of Rudra, the gods set aside for him for ever the finest share of all the shares, one that is always fresh."

Verse 13 (3.115.13)

इमां गाथामत्र गायन्नपः स्पृशति यो नरः । देवयानोऽस्य पन्थाश्च चक्षुषाऽभिप्रकाशते ॥

imāṃ gāthāmatra gāyannapaḥ spṛśati yo naraḥ | devayāno'sya panthāśca cakṣuṣā'bhiprakāśate

Whoever touches the water here while singing this verse, before his eyes the road of the gods shines clear.

Verse 14 (3.115.14)

ततो वैतरणीं सर्वे पाण्डवा द्रौपदी तथा । अवतीर्य महाभागास्तर्पयांचक्रिरे पितृन् ॥

tato vaitaraṇīṃ sarve pāṇḍavā draupadī tathā | avatīrya mahābhāgāstarpayāṃcakrire pitṛn

Then all the Pandavas, and Draupadi too, those fortunate ones, went down into the Vaitarani and offered water to their ancestors.

Verse 15 (3.115.15)

उपस्पृश्येह विधिवदस्यां नद्यां तपोबलात् । मानुषादस्मि विषयादपेतः पश्य लोमश ॥

upaspṛśyeha vidhivadasyāṃ nadyāṃ tapobalāt | mānuṣādasmi viṣayādapetaḥ paśya lomaśa

Having duly touched the water of this river here, by the power of austerity I have passed beyond the human realm. Look, Lomasha!

Verse 16 (3.115.16)

सर्वाल्लोँकान्प्रपश्यामि प्रसादात्तव सुव्रत । वैखानसानां जपतामेष शब्दो महात्मनाम् ॥

sarvāllom̐kānprapaśyāmi prasādāttava suvrata | vaikhānasānāṃ japatāmeṣa śabdo mahātmanām

By your grace, you of good vows, I see all the worlds. This is the sound of the great-souled Vaikhanasas murmuring their prayers.

Verse 17 (3.115.17)

त्रिशतं वै सहस्राणि योजनानां युधिष्ठिर । यत्रध्वनिं शृणोष्येनं तूष्णीमास्स्व विशांपते ॥

triśataṃ vai sahasrāṇi yojanānāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | yatradhvaniṃ śṛṇoṣyenaṃ tūṣṇīmāssva viśāṃpate

The place whose sound you hear, Yudhishthira, is three hundred thousand yojanas away. Keep silent, lord of the people.

Verse 18 (3.115.18)

एतत्स्वयंभुवो राजन्वनं दिव्यं प्रकाशते । यत्रायजत राजेन्द्र विश्वकर्मा प्रतापवान् ॥

etatsvayaṃbhuvo rājanvanaṃ divyaṃ prakāśate | yatrāyajata rājendra viśvakarmā pratāpavān

This divine forest of the Self-born shines here, O king, where the mighty Vishvakarman offered sacrifice, king of kings.

Verse 19 (3.115.19)

यस्मिन्यज्ञे हि भूर्दत्ता कश्यपाय महात्मने । सपर्वतवनोद्देशा दक्षिणार्थे स्वयंभुवा ॥

yasminyajñe hi bhūrdattā kaśyapāya mahātmane | saparvatavanoddeśā dakṣiṇārthe svayaṃbhuvā

At that sacrifice the Self-born gave the earth, with its mountains and forests, to the great-souled Kashyapa as the sacrificial fee.

Verse 20 (3.115.20)

अवासीदच्च कौन्तेय दत्तमात्रा मही तदा । उवाच चापि कुपिता लोकेश्वरमिदं प्रभुम् ॥

avāsīdacca kaunteya dattamātrā mahī tadā | uvāca cāpi kupitā lokeśvaramidaṃ prabhum

And the earth, as soon as she was given away, son of Kunti, sank down in despair; and in anger she said this to the lord, the ruler of the worlds:

Note on the text: Corrected लोकश्वरम् → लोकेश्वरम् (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign े is dropped; the critical edition reads lokeśvaram).

Verse 21 (3.115.21)

न मां मर्त्याय भगवन्कस्मैचिद्दातुमर्हसि । प्रदानं मोघमेतत्ते यास्याम्येषा रसातलम् ॥

na māṃ martyāya bhagavankasmaiciddātumarhasi | pradānaṃ moghametatte yāsyāmyeṣā rasātalam

"You ought not, Lord, to give me to any mortal. This gift of yours is in vain: I shall go down to Rasatala."

Note on the text: The Earth's direct speech, announced in verse 20, fills this verse with no printed heading; given to her.

Verse 22 (3.115.22)

विषीदन्तीं तु तां दृष्ट्वा कश्यपो भगवानृषिः । प्रसादयांबभूवाथ ततो भूमिं विशांपते ॥

viṣīdantīṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā kaśyapo bhagavānṛṣiḥ | prasādayāṃbabhūvātha tato bhūmiṃ viśāṃpate

Seeing her in despair, the blessed sage Kashyapa then set about appeasing the earth, lord of the people.

Verse 23 (3.115.23)

ततः प्रसन्ना पृथिवी तपसा तस्य पाण्डव । पुनरुन्नह्य सलिलाद्वेदीरूपास्थिता बभौ ॥

tataḥ prasannā pṛthivī tapasā tasya pāṇḍava | punarunnahya salilādvedīrūpāsthitā babhau

Then, pleased by his austerity, son of Pandu, the earth rose up again out of the water and stood shining in the form of an altar.

Note on the text: Corrected सलिलाद्देदी → सलिलाद्वेदी (misprint in Wikisource; द for व; vedīrūpā, as the critical edition reads). Wikisource's उन्नह्य (critical edition unmajjya) is kept as a recension variant.

Verse 24 (3.115.24)

सैषा प्रकाशते राजन्वेदीसंस्थानलक्षणा । आरुह्यात्र महाराज वीर्यवान्वै भविष्यसि ॥

saiṣā prakāśate rājanvedīsaṃsthānalakṣaṇā | āruhyātra mahārāja vīryavānvai bhaviṣyasi

Here it shines, O king, bearing the shape of an altar. Climb on to it, great king, and you will gain in strength.

Verse 25 (3.115.25)

सैषा सागरमासाद्य राजन्वेदी समाश्रिता । एतामारुह्य भद्रं ते त्वमेकस्तर सागरम् ॥

saiṣā sāgaramāsādya rājanvedī samāśritā | etāmāruhya bhadraṃ te tvamekastara sāgaram

This altar, O king, reaches the ocean and rests upon it. Climb on to it, and good fortune to you: cross the ocean by yourself.

Note on the text: Corrected आस्राद्य → आसाद्य (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र; the critical edition's apparatus reads āsādya). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.114.23d*0561.

Verse 26 (3.115.26)

अहं च ते स्वस्त्ययनं प्रयोक्ष्ये । यथा त्वमेनामधिरोहसेऽद्य । स्पृष्टा हि मर्त्येन ततः समुद्र- । मेषा वेदी प्रविशत्याजमीढ ॥

ahaṃ ca te svastyayanaṃ prayokṣye | yathā tvamenāmadhirohase'dya | spṛṣṭā hi martyena tataḥ samudra- | meṣā vedī praviśatyājamīḍha

And I will perform a rite of blessing for you, so that you may climb on to it today; for once a mortal has touched it, this altar sinks into the ocean, descendant of Ajamidha.

Verse 27 (3.115.27)

ओंनमो विश्वगुप्ताय नमो विश्वपराय ते । सान्निध्यं कुरु देवेश सागरे लवणाम्भसि ॥

oṃnamo viśvaguptāya namo viśvaparāya te | sānnidhyaṃ kuru deveśa sāgare lavaṇāmbhasi

"Om, homage to him in whom the universe lies hidden; homage to you who are beyond the universe. Lord of the gods, be present in the ocean of salt water."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.114.24d*0562.

Verse 28 (3.115.28)

अग्निर्मित्रो योनिरापोऽथ देव्यो । विष्णो रेतस्त्वममृतस्य नाभिः । एवं ब्रुवन्पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं । वेदीमिमां त्वं तरसाऽधिरोह ॥

agnirmitro yonirāpo'tha devyo | viṣṇo retastvamamṛtasya nābhiḥ | evaṃ bruvanpāṇḍava satyavākyaṃ | vedīmimāṃ tvaṃ tarasā'dhiroha

"Agni and Mitra are your womb, and the waters and the goddesses; you are the seed of Vishnu, the navel of immortality." Speaking these words of truth, son of Pandu, climb swiftly on to this altar.

Verse 29 (3.115.29)

अग्निश्च ते योनिरिडा च देहो । रेतोधा विष्णोरमृतस्य नाभिः । एवं ब्रुवन्पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं । ततोऽवगाहेत पतिं नदीनाम् ॥

agniśca te yoniriḍā ca deho | retodhā viṣṇoramṛtasya nābhiḥ | evaṃ bruvanpāṇḍava satyavākyaṃ | tato'vagāheta patiṃ nadīnām

"Agni is your womb and Ida your body; you are the bearer of Vishnu's seed, the navel of immortality." Speaking these words of truth, son of Pandu, one should then plunge into the lord of rivers.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.114.25d*0563 (lines 1–4, reading japan for ब्रुवन्).

Verse 30 (3.115.30)

अन्यथा हि कुरुश्रेष्ठ देवयोनिरपांपतिः । कुशाग्रेणापि कौन्तेय न स्प्रष्टव्यो महोदधिः ॥

anyathā hi kuruśreṣṭha devayonirapāṃpatiḥ | kuśāgreṇāpi kaunteya na spraṣṭavyo mahodadhiḥ

Otherwise, best of the Kurus, the lord of the waters, the great ocean born of the gods, should not be touched even with the tip of a blade of kusha grass, son of Kunti.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.114.25d*0563 (lines 5–6).

Verse 31 (3.115.31)

ततः कृतस्वस्त्ययनो महात्मा । युधिष्ठिरः सागरमभ्यगच्छत् । कृत्वा च तच्छासनमस्य सर्वं । महेन्द्रमासाद्य निशामुवास ॥

tataḥ kṛtasvastyayano mahātmā | yudhiṣṭhiraḥ sāgaramabhyagacchat | kṛtvā ca tacchāsanamasya sarvaṃ | mahendramāsādya niśāmuvāsa

Then, the rite of blessing done, the great-souled Yudhishthira went to the ocean; and having carried out all that Lomasha had instructed, he reached Mahendra and spent the night there.