Arvavasu Brings the Dead Back to Life

Verse 1 (3.140.1)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु बृहद्द्युम्नो महीपतिः । सत्रं तेने महाभागो रैभ्ययाज्यः प्रतापवान् ॥

etasminneva kāle tu bṛhaddyumno mahīpatiḥ | satraṃ tene mahābhāgo raibhyayājyaḥ pratāpavān

Lomasha said: At this very time the illustrious and mighty King Brihaddyumna, whose sacrifices Raibhya conducted, began a long sacrificial session.

Verse 2 (3.140.2)

तेन रैभ्यस्य वै पुत्रावर्वावसुपरावसू । वृतौ सहायौ सत्रार्थं बृहद्द्युम्नेन धीमता ॥

tena raibhyasya vai putrāvarvāvasuparāvasū | vṛtau sahāyau satrārthaṃ bṛhaddyumnena dhīmatā

The wise Brihaddyumna chose Raibhya's two sons, Arvavasu and Paravasu, as his assistants for the session.

Note on the text: Corrected परासू → परावसू (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara in the name Paravasu, critical edition arvāvasuparāvasū).

Verse 3 (3.140.3)

तत्र तौ समनुज्ञातौ पित्रा कौन्तेय जग्मतुः । आश्रमे त्वभवद्रैभ्यो भार्या चैव परावसोः ॥

tatra tau samanujñātau pitrā kaunteya jagmatuḥ | āśrame tvabhavadraibhyo bhāryā caiva parāvasoḥ

With their father's leave the two went there, son of Kunti, while Raibhya stayed behind in the hermitage, and Paravasu's wife as well.

Verse 4 (3.140.4)

अथावलोककोऽगच्छद्गृहानेकः परावसुः । कृष्णाजिनेन संवीतं ददर्श पितरं वने ॥

athāvalokako'gacchadgṛhānekaḥ parāvasuḥ | kṛṣṇājinena saṃvītaṃ dadarśa pitaraṃ vane

Then Paravasu, wishing to see his home, went back alone, and in the forest he saw his father wrapped in a black antelope skin.

Note on the text: Corrected गृहानकः → गृहानेकः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, critical edition gṛhān ekaḥ).

Verse 5 (3.140.5)

जघन्यरात्रे निद्रान्धः सावशेषे तमस्यपि । चरन्तं गहनेऽरण्ये मेने स पितरं मृगम् ॥

jaghanyarātre nidrāndhaḥ sāvaśeṣe tamasyapi | carantaṃ gahane'raṇye mene sa pitaraṃ mṛgam

In the last part of the night, blind with sleep, while darkness still lingered, he took his father, moving through the dense forest, for a deer.

Note on the text: Corrected तमस्यापि → तमस्यपि (misprint in Wikisource; तमसि + अपि, the line has a syllable too many, critical edition tamasy api).

Verse 6 (3.140.6)

मृगं तु मन्यमानेन पिता वै तेन हिंसितः । अकामयानेन तदा शरीरत्राणमिच्छता ॥

mṛgaṃ tu manyamānena pitā vai tena hiṃsitaḥ | akāmayānena tadā śarīratrāṇamicchatā

Taking him for a deer and wishing to protect himself, he killed his father without meaning to.

Verse 7 (3.140.7)

तस्य स प्रेतकार्याणि कृत्वा सर्वाणि भारत । पुनरागम्य तत्सत्रमब्रवीद्भ्रातरं वचः ॥

tasya sa pretakāryāṇi kṛtvā sarvāṇi bhārata | punarāgamya tatsatramabravīdbhrātaraṃ vacaḥ

When he had performed all the funeral rites for him, O Bharata, he returned to the session and said to his brother:

Note on the text: Corrected अब्रवीद्धातरं → अब्रवीद्भ्रातरं (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, critical edition abravīd bhrātaraṃ).

Verse 8 (3.140.8)

इदं कर्म न शक्तस्त्वं वोढुमेकः कथंचन । मया च हिंसितस्तातो मन्यमानेन वै मृगम् ॥

idaṃ karma na śaktastvaṃ voḍhumekaḥ kathaṃcana | mayā ca hiṃsitastāto manyamānena vai mṛgam

'You cannot possibly carry out this rite alone. And I have killed our father, taking him for a deer.

Verse 9 (3.140.9)

सोऽस्मदर्थे व्रतं तात चर त्वं ब्रह्मघातिनाम् । समर्थो ह्यहमेकाकी कर्म कर्तुमिदं मुने ॥

so'smadarthe vrataṃ tāta cara tvaṃ brahmaghātinām | samartho hyahamekākī karma kartumidaṃ mune

So for my sake, brother, keep the vow prescribed for those who have slain a brahmin. I alone am able to carry out this rite, O sage.'

Verse 10 (3.140.10)

करोतु वै भवान्सत्रं बृहद्द्युम्नस्य धीमतः । ब्रह्महत्यां चरिष्येऽहं त्वदर्थं नियतेन्द्रियः ॥

karotu vai bhavānsatraṃ bṛhaddyumnasya dhīmataḥ | brahmahatyāṃ cariṣye'haṃ tvadarthaṃ niyatendriyaḥ

Arvavasu said: Then you conduct the session of the wise Brihaddyumna. I, with my senses restrained, will perform the expiation for brahmin-slaying on your behalf.

Verse 11 (3.140.11)

स तस्या ब्रह्महत्यायाः पारं गत्वा युधिष्ठिर । अर्वावसुस्तदा सत्रमाजगाम पुनर्मुनिः ॥

sa tasyā brahmahatyāyāḥ pāraṃ gatvā yudhiṣṭhira | arvāvasustadā satramājagāma punarmuniḥ

Lomasha said: When he had completed the expiation for that brahmin-slaying, Yudhishthira, the sage Arvavasu came back to the session.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्यब्रह्महत्यायाः → तस्या ब्रह्महत्यायाः (misprint in Wikisource; the pronoun must be feminine to agree with ब्रह्महत्यायाः, critical edition tasyā brahmahatyāyāḥ).

Verse 12 (3.140.12)

ततः परावसुर्दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं समुपस्थितम् । बृहद्द्युम्नमुवाचेदं वचनं हर्षगद्गदम् ॥

tataḥ parāvasurdṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṃ samupasthitam | bṛhaddyumnamuvācedaṃ vacanaṃ harṣagadgadam

Seeing his brother arrive, Paravasu spoke to Brihaddyumna in a voice choked with glee:

Verse 13 (3.140.13)

एष ते ब्रह्महा यज्ञं मा द्रष्टुं प्रविशेदिति । ब्रह्महा प्रेक्षितेनापि पीडयेत्त्वामसंशयम् ॥

eṣa te brahmahā yajñaṃ mā draṣṭuṃ praviśediti | brahmahā prekṣitenāpi pīḍayettvāmasaṃśayam

'This slayer of a brahmin must not come in to look upon your sacrifice. A brahmin-slayer can harm you even with a glance; there is no doubt of it.'

Note on the text: Speaker set to Paravasu: the verse is his speech to Brihaddyumna, announced in the previous verse; the next printed heading (लोमश उवाच) follows it.

Verse 14 (3.140.14)

तच्छ्रुत्वैव तदा राजा प्रेष्यानाह स विट्‌पते । प्रेष्यैरुत्सार्यमाणस्तु राजन्नर्वावसुस्तदा । न मया ब्रह्महत्येयं कृतेत्याह पुनःपुनः ॥

tacchrutvaiva tadā rājā preṣyānāha sa viṭpate | preṣyairutsāryamāṇastu rājannarvāvasustadā | na mayā brahmahatyeyaṃ kṛtetyāha punaḥpunaḥ

Lomasha said: As soon as he heard this, lord of the people, the king gave orders to his servants. And as the servants drove him out, O king, Arvavasu said again and again, 'I did not commit this murder of a brahmin.'

Note on the text: Lines 2–3 are 3.139.14 of the critical edition; line 1 (तच्छ्रुत्वैव … विट्पते) is not in its constituted text and appears in the apparatus as 3.139.13d*0671 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 15 (3.140.15)

उच्यमानोऽसकृत्प्रेष्यैर्ब्रह्महा इति भारत । नैव स्म प्रतिजानामि ब्रह्महत्यां स्वयंकृताम् । मम भ्रात्रा कृतमिदं मया स परिमोक्षितः ॥

ucyamāno'sakṛtpreṣyairbrahmahā iti bhārata | naiva sma pratijānāmi brahmahatyāṃ svayaṃkṛtām | mama bhrātrā kṛtamidaṃ mayā sa parimokṣitaḥ

Called 'brahmin-slayer' again and again by the servants, O Bharata, he said: 'I do not admit that I myself committed the murder of a brahmin. My brother did this, and I have freed him from it.'

Note on the text: Corrected ब्र्हमहत्यां → ब्रह्महत्यां (misprint in Wikisource; transposed conjunct, critical edition brahmahatyāṃ) and restored a missing word space (नैवस्म → नैव स्म).

Verse 16 (3.140.16)

स तथा प्रवदन्क्रोधात्तैश्च प्रेष्यैः प्रभाषितः । तूष्णीं जगाम ब्रह्मर्षिर्वनमेव महातपाः ॥

sa tathā pravadankrodhāttaiśca preṣyaiḥ prabhāṣitaḥ | tūṣṇīṃ jagāma brahmarṣirvanameva mahātapāḥ

While he was saying this, the servants rebuked him angrily, and the brahmin seer of great austerity went off in silence to the forest.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.139.15f*0672, lines 1–2.

Verse 17 (3.140.17)

उग्रं तपः समास्थाय दिवाकरमथाश्रितः । रहस्यवेदं कृतवान्सूर्यस्य द्विजसत्तमः ॥

ugraṃ tapaḥ samāsthāya divākaramathāśritaḥ | rahasyavedaṃ kṛtavānsūryasya dvijasattamaḥ

There, taking up fierce austerities, the best of brahmins sought refuge in the Sun and performed the secret Vedic rite of Surya.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.139.15f*0672, lines 3–4.

Verse 18 (3.140.18)

मूर्तिमांस्तं ददर्शाथ स्वयमग्रभुगव्ययः ॥

mūrtimāṃstaṃ dadarśātha svayamagrabhugavyayaḥ

Then the imperishable god who is the first to partake of offerings appeared to him himself in bodily form.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (printed as 3-140-18a). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.139.15f*0672, line 5.

Verse 19 (3.140.19)

प्रीतास्तस्याभवन्देवाः कर्मणाऽर्वावसोर्नृप । तं ते प्रवरयामासुर्निरासुश्च परावसुम् ॥

prītāstasyābhavandevāḥ karmaṇā'rvāvasornṛpa | taṃ te pravarayāmāsurnirāsuśca parāvasum

The gods were pleased with Arvavasu's deed, O king. They chose him as the chief priest and cast Paravasu out.

Verse 20 (3.140.20)

ततो देवा वरं तस्मै ददुरग्निपुरोगमाः ॥

tato devā varaṃ tasmai daduragnipurogamāḥ

Then the gods, led by Agni, granted him a boon.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (printed as 3-140-20a); it is 3.139.17a of the critical edition, whose verse division differs here.

Verse 21 (3.140.21)

स चापि वरयामास पितुरुत्थानमात्मनः । अनागस्त्वं ततो भ्रातुः पितुश्चास्मरणं वधे ॥

sa cāpi varayāmāsa piturutthānamātmanaḥ | anāgastvaṃ tato bhrātuḥ pituścāsmaraṇaṃ vadhe

And he chose that his father should rise again, that his brother should be free of guilt, and that his father should have no memory of being killed;

Note on the text: Line 1 is 3.139.17c and line 2 is 3.139.18a of the critical edition.

Verse 22 (3.140.22)

भरद्वाजस्य चोत्थानं यवक्रीतस्य चोभयोः । प्रतिष्ठां चापि वेदस्य सौरस्य द्विजसत्तमः ॥

bharadvājasya cotthānaṃ yavakrītasya cobhayoḥ | pratiṣṭhāṃ cāpi vedasya saurasya dvijasattamaḥ

and that Bharadvaja and Yavakrita should both rise again, and that the Veda of the Sun should be established: this the best of brahmins chose.

Note on the text: Line 1 is 3.139.18c of the critical edition; line 2 (प्रतिष्ठां … द्विजसत्तमः) is not in its constituted text and appears in the apparatus as 3.139.18d*0673, line 1 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 23 (3.140.23)

एवमस्त्विति तं देवाः प्रोचुश्चापि वरान्ददुः । ततः प्रादुर्बभूवुस्ते सर्व एव युधिष्ठिर ॥

evamastviti taṃ devāḥ procuścāpi varāndaduḥ | tataḥ prādurbabhūvuste sarva eva yudhiṣṭhira

The gods said to him, 'So be it,' and granted the boons. Then all of them came back to life, Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Line 1 (एवमस्त्विति … वरान्ददुः) is not in the critical edition's constituted text and appears in its apparatus as 3.139.18d*0673, line 2 (found in the vulgate recension); line 2 is 3.139.19a.

Verse 24 (3.140.24)

अथाब्रवीद्यवक्रीतो देवानग्निपुरोगमान् । समधीतं मया ब्रह्म व्रतानि चरितानि च ॥

athābravīdyavakrīto devānagnipurogamān | samadhītaṃ mayā brahma vratāni caritāni ca

Then Yavakrita said to the gods led by Agni: 'I have studied the Veda thoroughly and kept my vows.

Note on the text: Line 1 is 3.139.19c and line 2 is 3.139.20a of the critical edition.

Verse 25 (3.140.25)

कथं च रैभ्यः शक्तो मामधीयानं तपस्विनम् । तथायुक्तेन विधिना निहन्तुममरोत्तमाः ॥

kathaṃ ca raibhyaḥ śakto māmadhīyānaṃ tapasvinam | tathāyuktena vidhinā nihantumamarottamāḥ

How then, best of the immortals, was Raibhya able to kill me in such a way, when I am a student of the Veda and an ascetic?'

Note on the text: Corrected अदीयानं → अधीयानं (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध, critical edition adhīyānaṃ). Lines are 3.139.20c–e of the critical edition. Speaker set to Yavakrita: the whole verse continues the speech he begins in the previous verse.

Verse 26 (3.140.26)

मैवं कृथा यवक्रीत यथा वदसि वै मुने । ऋते गुरुमधीता हि स्वयं वेदास्त्वया पुरा ॥

maivaṃ kṛthā yavakrīta yathā vadasi vai mune | ṛte gurumadhītā hi svayaṃ vedāstvayā purā

The Gods said: Do not think as you are saying, Yavakrita, O sage. You learned the Vedas long ago by yourself, without a teacher.

Verse 27 (3.140.27)

अनेन तु गुरून्दुःखात्तोषयित्वाऽऽत्मकर्मणा । कालेन महता क्लेशाद्ब्रह्माधिगतमुत्तमम् ॥

anena tu gurūnduḥkhāttoṣayitvā''tmakarmaṇā | kālena mahatā kleśādbrahmādhigatamuttamam

But he, by his own labour, pleased his teachers through hardship, and over a long time and with great toil won the supreme Veda.

Note on the text: Corrected अनन → अनेन, गुरूनदुःखात् → गुरून्दुःखात् and आत्मक्रमणा → आत्मकर्मणा (misprints in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, a stray अ for the halant, and transposed letters; critical edition anena tu gurūn duḥkhāt toṣayitvā svakarmaṇā).

Verse 28 (3.140.28)

यवक्रीतमथोक्त्वैवं देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः । संजीवयित्वा तान्सर्वान्पुनर्जग्मुस्त्रिविष्टपम् ॥

yavakrītamathoktvaivaṃ devāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ | saṃjīvayitvā tānsarvānpunarjagmustriviṣṭapam

Lomasha said: Having spoken thus to Yavakrita and brought them all back to life, the gods led by Agni returned to heaven.

Verse 29 (3.140.29)

ततो वै स यवक्रीतो ब्रह्मचर्यं चचार ह । अष्टादश च वर्षाणि त्रिंशतं च युधिष्ठिर ॥

tato vai sa yavakrīto brahmacaryaṃ cacāra ha | aṣṭādaśa ca varṣāṇi triṃśataṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira

After that, Yudhishthira, Yavakrita lived as a celibate student for eighteen years and thirty more.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` '). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.139.23d*0674 (reading aṣṭau daśa for aṣṭādaśa).

Verse 30 (3.140.30)

आश्रमस्तस्य पुण्योऽयं सदापुष्पफलद्रुमः । अत्रोष्य राजशार्दूल सर्वपापैः प्रमोक्ष्यसे ॥

āśramastasya puṇyo'yaṃ sadāpuṣpaphaladrumaḥ | atroṣya rājaśārdūla sarvapāpaiḥ pramokṣyase

This is his holy hermitage, its trees always in flower and fruit. Stay here, tiger among kings, and you will be freed from all your sins.

Note on the text: Corrected आस्रमः → आश्रमः and प्रभोक्ष्यसे → प्रमोक्ष्यसे (misprints in Wikisource; स for श and भ for म, critical edition āśramas … pramokṣyase).