The Serpent Nahusha Questions Yudhishthira

Verse 1 (3.182.1)

युधिष्ठिरस्तमासाद्य सर्पभोगेन वेष्टितम् । दयितं भ्रातरं धीमानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

yudhiṣṭhirastamāsādya sarpabhogena veṣṭitam | dayitaṃ bhrātaraṃ dhīmānidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Coming up to his beloved brother, wrapped in the serpent's coils, the wise Yudhishthira spoke these words:

Verse 2 (3.182.2)

कुन्तीमातः कथमिमामापदं त्वमवाप्तवान् । कश्चायं पर्वताभोगप्रतिमः पन्नगोत्तमः ॥

kuntīmātaḥ kathamimāmāpadaṃ tvamavāptavān | kaścāyaṃ parvatābhogapratimaḥ pannagottamaḥ

"Son of Kunti, how did you fall into this calamity? And who is this mighty serpent, vast as the bulk of a mountain?"

Verse 3 (3.182.3)

स धर्मराजमालक्ष्य भ्राता भ्रातरमग्रजम् । कथयामास तत्सर्वं ग्रहणादिविचेष्टितम् ॥

sa dharmarājamālakṣya bhrātā bhrātaramagrajam | kathayāmāsa tatsarvaṃ grahaṇādiviceṣṭitam

Seeing the King of Dharma, his elder brother, Bhima told him everything that had happened, from his seizure onward.

Note on the text: Corrected भ्रतरमग्रजम् → भ्रातरमग्रजम् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ā-sign; the critical edition reads bhrātaram agrajam).

Verse 4 (3.182.4)

अयमार्य महासत्वो भक्षार्थं मां गृहीतवान् । नहुषो नाम राजर्षिः प्राणवानिव संस्थितः ॥

ayamārya mahāsatvo bhakṣārthaṃ māṃ gṛhītavān | nahuṣo nāma rājarṣiḥ prāṇavāniva saṃsthitaḥ

"Noble brother, this mighty being has seized me in order to eat me. He is the royal sage named Nahusha, who abides here like a serpent living on air."

Note on the text: Removed a stray opening bracket "[" (Wikisource brackets verses 4–8 as a passage). Verses 4–8 are not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has them as 3.177.3d*0882, which gives this verse to Bhima (bhīma uvāca).

Verse 5 (3.182.5)

मुच्यतामयमायुष्मन्भ्राता मेऽमितविक्रमः । वयमाहारमन्यं ते दास्यामः क्षुन्निवारणम् ॥

mucyatāmayamāyuṣmanbhrātā me'mitavikramaḥ | vayamāhāramanyaṃ te dāsyāmaḥ kṣunnivāraṇam

"Long-lived one, let this brother of mine, whose valour is boundless, go free. We will give you other food to still your hunger."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it in 3.177.3d*0882, lines 3–4.

Verse 6 (3.182.6)

आहारो राजपुत्रोऽयं मया प्राप्तो मुखागतः । गम्यतां नेह स्थातव्यं श्वो भवानपि मे भवेत् ॥

āhāro rājaputro'yaṃ mayā prāpto mukhāgataḥ | gamyatāṃ neha sthātavyaṃ śvo bhavānapi me bhavet

"This prince is food that came to my mouth, and I have caught him. Go away; do not stay here, or tomorrow you too will be mine."

Note on the text: Restored the first line from the critical edition's apparatus (3.177.3d*0882, line 5): Wikisource repeats here the first line of the previous verse (मुच्यतामयमायुष्मन्भ्राता मेऽमितविक्रमः, Yudhishthira's plea), which cannot be the serpent's reply; the apparatus reads āhāro rājaputro 'yaṃ mayā prāpto mukhāgataḥ. Not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 7 (3.182.7)

व्रतमेतन्महाबाहो विषयं मम यो व्रजेत् । स मे भक्षो भवेत्तात त्वं चापि विषये मम ॥

vratametanmahābāho viṣayaṃ mama yo vrajet | sa me bhakṣo bhavettāta tvaṃ cāpi viṣaye mama

"This is my rule, mighty-armed one: whoever enters my domain becomes my food, my son. And you too are in my domain."

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रजेत् → व्रजेत् and स म भक्षो → स मे भक्षो (misprints in Wikisource; ब for व, and a dropped e-sign; the critical edition's apparatus reads vrajet and sa me bhakṣo). Not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it in 3.177.3d*0882, lines 7–8.

Verse 8 (3.182.8)

चिरेणाद्य मयाऽऽहारः प्राप्तोऽयमनुजस्तव । नाहमेनं विमोक्ष्यामि न चान्यमभिकाङ्क्षये ॥

cireṇādya mayā''hāraḥ prāpto'yamanujastava | nāhamenaṃ vimokṣyāmi na cānyamabhikāṅkṣaye

"After a long time I have today found food — this younger brother of yours. I will not release him, and I want no other."

Note on the text: Removed a stray closing bracket and doubled danda (।।]) left from the bracketed passage. Not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 3.177.3d*0882, lines 9–10. (The automatic alignment to CE 3.177.11 is a near-repeat; that verse is verse 16 below.)

Verse 9 (3.182.9)

देवो वा यदि वा दैत्य उरगो वा भवान्यदि । सत्यं सर्प वचो ब्रूहि पृच्छति त्वां युधिष्ठिरः ॥

devo vā yadi vā daitya urago vā bhavānyadi | satyaṃ sarpa vaco brūhi pṛcchati tvāṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

"Whether you are a god, a Daitya or a serpent, speak the truth, serpent: it is Yudhishthira who asks you.

Verse 10 (3.182.10)

किमर्थं च त्वया ग्रस्तो भीमसेनो भुजंगम । किमाहृत्यविदित्वा वा प्रीतिस्ते स्याद्भुजंगम । किमाहारं प्रयच्छामि कथं मुञ्चेद्भवानिमम् ॥

kimarthaṃ ca tvayā grasto bhīmaseno bhujaṃgama | kimāhṛtyaviditvā vā prītiste syādbhujaṃgama | kimāhāraṃ prayacchāmi kathaṃ muñcedbhavānimam

Why have you seized Bhimasena, serpent? What must I bring you, or what must you learn, for you to be pleased? What food shall I give you? On what terms would you let him go?"

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 3.177.4d*0883); the other two lines are CE 3.177.5.

Verse 11 (3.182.11)

नहुषो नाम राजाऽहमासं पूर्वस्तवानघ । प्रथितः पञ्चमः सोमादायोः पुत्रो नराधिप ॥

nahuṣo nāma rājā'hamāsaṃ pūrvastavānagha | prathitaḥ pañcamaḥ somādāyoḥ putro narādhipa

"Sinless one, I was a king named Nahusha, your ancestor — the renowned son of Ayu, fifth in descent from Soma, O lord of men.

Verse 12 (3.182.12)

क्रतुभिस्तपसा चैवस्वाध्यायेन दमेन च । त्रैलोक्यैश्वर्यमव्यग्रं प्राप्तोऽहंविक्रमेण च ॥

kratubhistapasā caivasvādhyāyena damena ca | trailokyaiśvaryamavyagraṃ prāpto'haṃvikrameṇa ca

By sacrifices, austerity, Vedic study and self-restraint, and by my valour, I won undisputed sovereignty over the three worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected विकर्मेण → विक्रमेण (misprint in Wikisource; transposed letters turn "by valour" into "by wrongdoing", against the sense of the list; the critical edition reads vikramaṇena).

Verse 13 (3.182.13)

तदैश्वर्यं समासाद्य दर्पो मामगमत्तदा । सहस्रं हि द्विजातीनामुवाह शिविकां मम ॥

tadaiśvaryaṃ samāsādya darpo māmagamattadā | sahasraṃ hi dvijātīnāmuvāha śivikāṃ mama

Having gained that sovereignty, I was seized by pride, and a thousand brahmins carried my litter.

Verse 14 (3.182.14)

ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तोऽहमवमत्य ततो द्विजान् । इमामगस्त्येन दशामानीत इतिमे स्मृतिः ॥

aiśvaryamadamatto'hamavamatya tato dvijān | imāmagastyena daśāmānīta itime smṛtiḥ

Drunk with the pride of power, I slighted the brahmins, and Agastya brought me to this state — so I remember.

Verse 15 (3.182.15)

न तु मामजहात्प्रज्ञा यावदन्वेति पाण्डवः । तस्यैवानुग्रहाद्राजन्नगस्त्यस्य महात्मनः ॥

na tu māmajahātprajñā yāvadanveti pāṇḍavaḥ | tasyaivānugrahādrājannagastyasya mahātmanaḥ

Yet by the grace of that same great-souled Agastya, O king, my understanding has not left me, until a Pandava should come.

Verse 16 (3.182.16)

षष्ठे काले मयाऽऽहारः प्राप्तोऽयमनुजस्तव । नाहमेनं विमोक्ष्यामि न चान्यदपि कामये ॥

ṣaṣṭhe kāle mayā''hāraḥ prāpto'yamanujastava | nāhamenaṃ vimokṣyāmi na cānyadapi kāmaye

At the sixth mealtime this younger brother of yours has come to me as food. I will not let him go, nor do I want anything else.

Verse 17 (3.182.17)

प्रश्नानुच्चारितानद्य व्याहरिष्यसि चेन्मम । तथापश्चाद्विमोक्ष्यामि भ्रातरं ते वृकोदरम् ॥

praśnānuccāritānadya vyāhariṣyasi cenmama | tathāpaścādvimokṣyāmi bhrātaraṃ te vṛkodaram

But if today you answer the questions I put to you, then I will set your brother Vrikodara free."

Note on the text: Corrected वायहरिष्यसि → व्याहरिष्यसि (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads vyāhariṣyasi).

Verse 18 (3.182.18)

ब्रूहि सर्प यथाकामं प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वचः । अपि चेच्छक्नुयां प्रीतिमाहर्तुं ते भुजङ्गम ॥

brūhi sarpa yathākāmaṃ prativakṣyāmi te vacaḥ | api cecchaknuyāṃ prītimāhartuṃ te bhujaṅgama

"Ask whatever you like, serpent, and I will answer you — if indeed I can give you satisfaction, O serpent.

Note on the text: Corrected चच्छक्नुयां → चेच्छक्नुयां and भुजङ्गम् → भुजङ्गम (misprints in Wikisource; a dropped e-sign, and a stray virama on the vocative; the critical edition reads cec chaknuyāṃ … bhujaṃgama).

Verse 19 (3.182.19)

वेद्यंच ब्राह्मणेनेह तद्भवान्वेत्ति केवलम् । सर्पराज ततः श्रुत्वा प्रतिवक्ष्यामि ते वचः ॥

vedyaṃca brāhmaṇeneha tadbhavānvetti kevalam | sarparāja tataḥ śrutvā prativakṣyāmi te vacaḥ

You know fully all that a brahmin must know. So, king of serpents, I will hear you and then answer."

Verse 20 (3.182.20)

ब्राह्मणः को भवेद्राजन्वेद्यं किंच युधिष्ठिर । ब्रवीह्यतिमतिं त्वां हि वाक्यैरनुमिनोमि ते ॥

brāhmaṇaḥ ko bhavedrājanvedyaṃ kiṃca yudhiṣṭhira | bravīhyatimatiṃ tvāṃ hi vākyairanuminomi te

"Who is a brahmin, king, and what is to be known, Yudhishthira? Tell me, for from your words I judge you to be of surpassing intelligence."

Note on the text: Corrected अनिमिनोमि → अनुमिनोमि (misprint in Wikisource; the prefix is anu-, "I infer"; the critical edition reads anumimīmahe, with a different ending that the following ते does not allow).

Verse 21 (3.182.21)

सत्यं दानं क्षमा शीलमानृशंस्यं तपो घृणा । दृश्यन्ते यत्र नागेन्द्र स ब्राह्मण इति स्मृतः ॥

satyaṃ dānaṃ kṣamā śīlamānṛśaṃsyaṃ tapo ghṛṇā | dṛśyante yatra nāgendra sa brāhmaṇa iti smṛtaḥ

"He in whom truth, generosity, forbearance, good character, kindness, austerity and compassion are seen, lord of serpents, is called a brahmin.

Note on the text: Corrected the word division यत्रनागेन्द्रस ब्राह्मण → यत्र नागेन्द्र स ब्राह्मण (misprint in Wikisource; the space had slipped after स, which belongs to the next word; the critical edition reads yatra nāgendra sa brāhmaṇa).

Verse 22 (3.182.22)

वेद्यं सर्प परं ब्रह्म निर्दुःखमसुखं च यत् । यत्रगत्वा न शोचन्ति भवतः किं विवक्षितं ॥

vedyaṃ sarpa paraṃ brahma nirduḥkhamasukhaṃ ca yat | yatragatvā na śocanti bhavataḥ kiṃ vivakṣitaṃ

What is to be known, serpent, is the supreme brahman, beyond sorrow and beyond pleasure, reaching which people grieve no more. What is it you wish to say?"

Note on the text: Corrected ब्र्हम → ब्रह्म (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads brahma).

Verse 23 (3.182.23)

चातुर्वर्ण्यं प्रमाणं च सत्यं च ब्रह्म चैव हि । शूद्रेष्वपि च सत्यं च दानमक्रोध एव च । आनृशंस्यमहिंसा च घृणा चैव युधिष्ठिर ॥

cāturvarṇyaṃ pramāṇaṃ ca satyaṃ ca brahma caiva hi | śūdreṣvapi ca satyaṃ ca dānamakrodha eva ca | ānṛśaṃsyamahiṃsā ca ghṛṇā caiva yudhiṣṭhira

"The fourfold order of classes is authoritative, Yudhishthira, as are truth and brahman. Yet truth, generosity and freedom from anger are found even among Shudras, and kindness, non-violence and compassion as well.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (3.177.18c): Wikisource has only the first and last lines of this three-line verse, and without the middle line (śūdreṣv api ca satyaṃ ca dānam akrodha eva ca) the serpent's objection — that these virtues are found among Shudras too, which Yudhishthira answers in the next verses — is lost.

Verse 24 (3.182.24)

वेद्यं यच्चात्र निर्दुःखमसुखं च नराधिप । ताभ्यां हीनं पदं चान्यन्न तदस्तीति लक्षये ॥

vedyaṃ yaccātra nirduḥkhamasukhaṃ ca narādhipa | tābhyāṃ hīnaṃ padaṃ cānyanna tadastīti lakṣaye

And as for what you say is to be known — that which is without sorrow and without pleasure — I see no other state, lord of men, that is free of both."

Verse 25 (3.182.25)

शूद्रे तु यद्भवेल्लक्ष्म द्विजे तच्च न विद्यते । न वै शूद्रो भवेच्छूद्रो ब्राह्मणो न च ब्राह्मणः ॥

śūdre tu yadbhavellakṣma dvije tacca na vidyate | na vai śūdro bhavecchūdro brāhmaṇo na ca brāhmaṇaḥ

"If these marks are present in a Shudra and absent in a twice-born, then the Shudra is no Shudra, and the brahmin no brahmin.

Verse 26 (3.182.26)

यत्रैतल्लक्ष्यते सर्प वृत्तं स ब्राह्मणः स्मृतः । तत्रैतन्न भवेत्सर्प तं शूद्रमिति निर्दिशेत् ॥

yatraitallakṣyate sarpa vṛttaṃ sa brāhmaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ | tatraitanna bhavetsarpa taṃ śūdramiti nirdiśet

He in whom this conduct is seen, serpent, is called a brahmin; and he in whom it is not found, serpent, should be called a Shudra.

Note on the text: Corrected वेत्सर्प → भवेत्सर्प (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara leaves the line a syllable short and वेत् meaningless; the critical edition reads bhavet sarpa).

Verse 27 (3.182.27)

यत्पुनर्भवता प्रोक्तं न वेद्यं विद्यतेति च । ताभ्यां हीनमतोऽन्यत्र पदं नास्तीति चेदपि ॥

yatpunarbhavatā proktaṃ na vedyaṃ vidyateti ca | tābhyāṃ hīnamato'nyatra padaṃ nāstīti cedapi

As for what you said — that there is no such object of knowledge, and that apart from those two there is no state free of both —

Verse 28 (3.182.28)

एवमेतन्मतं सर्प ताभ्यां हीनं तु विद्यते । यथा शीतोष्णयोर्मध्ये भवेन्नोष्णं न शीतता ॥

evametanmataṃ sarpa tābhyāṃ hīnaṃ tu vidyate | yathā śītoṣṇayormadhye bhavennoṣṇaṃ na śītatā

that is your view, serpent; yet a state free of both does exist, just as between cold and heat there may be something neither hot nor cold.

Verse 29 (3.182.29)

एवं वै सुखदुःखाभ्यां हीनमस्ति पदं क्वचित् । एषा मम मतिः सर्प यथा वा मन्यते भवान् ॥

evaṃ vai sukhaduḥkhābhyāṃ hīnamasti padaṃ kvacit | eṣā mama matiḥ sarpa yathā vā manyate bhavān

In the same way there is somewhere a state free of both pleasure and pain. This is my view, serpent — or what do you think?"

Verse 30 (3.182.30)

यदि ते वृत्ततो राजन्ब्राह्मणः प्रसमीक्षितः । वृथा जातिस्तदायुष्मन्कृतिर्यावन्न विद्यते ॥

yadi te vṛttato rājanbrāhmaṇaḥ prasamīkṣitaḥ | vṛthā jātistadāyuṣmankṛtiryāvanna vidyate

"If, king, you judge a brahmin by his conduct, then birth counts for nothing, long-lived one, so long as there is no deed to match it."

Verse 31 (3.182.31)

जातिरत्रमहासर्प मनुष्यत्वे महामते । संकरात्सर्ववर्णानां दुष्परीक्ष्येति मे मतिः ॥

jātiratramahāsarpa manuṣyatve mahāmate | saṃkarātsarvavarṇānāṃ duṣparīkṣyeti me matiḥ

"Among human beings, great serpent of great wisdom, birth is hard to establish, because all the classes have mingled — that is my view.

Verse 32 (3.182.32)

सर्वे सर्वास्वपत्यानि जनयन्ति यदा नराः । वाङ्मैथुनमथो जन्म मरणं च समं नृणाम् ॥

sarve sarvāsvapatyāni janayanti yadā narāḥ | vāṅmaithunamatho janma maraṇaṃ ca samaṃ nṛṇām

For all men beget children on women of every class; and speech, intercourse, birth and death are the same for all people.

Verse 33 (3.182.33)

इदमार्षं प्रमाणं च ये यजामह इत्यपि । तस्माच्छीलं प्रधानेष्टं विदुर्ये तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥

idamārṣaṃ pramāṇaṃ ca ye yajāmaha ityapi | tasmācchīlaṃ pradhāneṣṭaṃ vidurye tattvadarśinaḥ

Hence the authority of the seers, the words "we who sacrifice, whoever we are"; and so those who see the truth know good conduct to be what matters most.

Verse 34 (3.182.34)

प्राङ्नाभिवर्धनात्पुंसो जातकर्म विधीयते । तथोपनयनं प्रोक्तं द्विजातीनां यथाक्रमम् । तत्रास्य माता सावित्री पिता त्वाचार्य उच्यते ॥

prāṅnābhivardhanātpuṃso jātakarma vidhīyate | tathopanayanaṃ proktaṃ dvijātīnāṃ yathākramam | tatrāsya mātā sāvitrī pitā tvācārya ucyate

Before a male child's navel cord is cut, the birth rite is performed for him; and likewise investiture with the sacred thread is prescribed for the twice-born in due order. In that rite the Savitri is called his mother and the teacher his father.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राङ्गाभिवर्धनात् → प्राङ्नाभिवर्धनात् (misprint in Wikisource; ग for न; the critical edition reads prāṅ nābhivardhanāt, and the page's own commentary glosses नाभिवर्धनात्). Removed the quote marks (` ') around the middle line, which is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has a similar line as 3.177.29b*0887, line 2); the other two lines are CE 3.177.29.

Verse 35 (3.182.35)

वृत्त्या शूद्रसमो ह्येष यावद्वेदेन जायते । तस्मिन्नेवं मतिद्वैधे मनुः स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत् ॥

vṛttyā śūdrasamo hyeṣa yāvadvedena jāyate | tasminnevaṃ matidvaidhe manuḥ svāyaṃbhuvo'bravīt

Until he is born into the Veda, he is equal to a Shudra in his conduct. Where opinions were thus divided, Manu Svayambhuva declared:

Verse 36 (3.182.36)

कृतकृत्याः सर्ववर्णा यदि वृत्तं न पश्यति । संकरस्त्वत्र नागेन्द्र बलवान्प्रसमीक्षितः ॥

kṛtakṛtyāḥ sarvavarṇā yadi vṛttaṃ na paśyati | saṃkarastvatra nāgendra balavānprasamīkṣitaḥ

"Though all the classes have performed their rites, if no good conduct is seen in them, lord of serpents, then the mixing of classes is judged to prevail."

Verse 37 (3.182.37)

यत्रेदानीं महासर्प संस्कृतं वृत्तमिष्यते । तं ब्राह्मणमहं पूर्वमुक्तवान्भुजगोत्तम ॥

yatredānīṃ mahāsarpa saṃskṛtaṃ vṛttamiṣyate | taṃ brāhmaṇamahaṃ pūrvamuktavānbhujagottama

So, great serpent, the one in whom refined conduct is now found is the one I earlier called a brahmin, best of serpents."

Verse 38 (3.182.38)

श्रुतं विदितवेद्यस्य तव वाक्यं युधिष्ठिर । भक्षयेयमहं कस्माद्भ्रातरं ते वृकोदरम् ॥

śrutaṃ viditavedyasya tava vākyaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | bhakṣayeyamahaṃ kasmādbhrātaraṃ te vṛkodaram

"I have heard your words, Yudhishthira, you who know all that is to be known. Why then should I eat your brother Vrikodara?"