Sarasvati Instructs Tarkshya

Verse 1 (3.189.1)

अत्रैव च सरस्वत्या गीतं परपुरंजय । पृष्टया मुनिना वीर शृणु तार्क्ष्येण धीमता ॥

atraiva ca sarasvatyā gītaṃ parapuraṃjaya | pṛṣṭayā muninā vīra śṛṇu tārkṣyeṇa dhīmatā

Hear, too, on this very subject, O hero, conqueror of enemy cities, what Sarasvati sang when she was questioned by the wise sage Tarkshya.

Verse 2 (3.189.2)

किं नु श्रेयः पुरुषस्येह भद्रे । कथं कुर्वन्न च्यवते स्वधर्मात् । आचक्ष्व मे चारुसर्वाङ्गि सर्वं । त्वया शिष्टो न च्यवेयं स्वधर्मात् ॥

kiṃ nu śreyaḥ puruṣasyeha bhadre | kathaṃ kurvanna cyavate svadharmāt | ācakṣva me cārusarvāṅgi sarvaṃ | tvayā śiṣṭo na cyaveyaṃ svadharmāt

"Gracious lady, what is the highest good for a man in this world? How should he act so as not to fall from his own dharma? Tell me everything, you who are lovely in every limb; taught by you, I shall not fall from my dharma."

Note on the text: Corrected किंन → किं नु (misprint in Wikisource; "किं न" would ask what is not good; the critical edition reads kiṃ nu).

Verse 3 (3.189.3)

कथं चाग्निं जुहुयां पूजये वा । कस्मिन्काले केन धर्मो न नश्येत् । एतत्सर्वं सुभगे प्रब्रवीहि । यथा लोकान्विरजाः संचरेयम् ॥

kathaṃ cāgniṃ juhuyāṃ pūjaye vā | kasminkāle kena dharmo na naśyet | etatsarvaṃ subhage prabravīhi | yathā lokānvirajāḥ saṃcareyam

"How should I offer into the fire, or how should I worship? At what time, and by what means, is dharma not lost? Tell me all this, fair one, so that I may move through the worlds free from passion."

Verse 4 (3.189.4)

एवं पृष्टा प्रीतियुक्तेन तेन । शुश्रूषुणा चोत्तमबुद्धियुक्तम् । तार्क्ष्यं विप्रं धर्मयुक्तं हितं च । सरस्वती वाक्यमिदं बभाषे ॥

evaṃ pṛṣṭā prītiyuktena tena | śuśrūṣuṇā cottamabuddhiyuktam | tārkṣyaṃ vipraṃ dharmayuktaṃ hitaṃ ca | sarasvatī vākyamidaṃ babhāṣe

Questioned thus with affection by Tarkshya, the brahmin eager to listen, gifted with the finest understanding, righteous and well-meaning, Sarasvati spoke these words:

Note on the text: Corrected बुद्दियुक्तम् → बुद्धियुक्तम् (misprint in Wikisource; द्द for द्ध; the critical edition reads buddhiyuktam).

Verse 5 (3.189.5)

यो ब्रह्म जानाति यथोपदेशं । स्वाध्यायनित्यः शुचिरप्रमत्तः । स वै पुरो देवलोकस्य गन्ता । सहामरैः प्राप्नुयात्प्रीतियोगम् ॥

yo brahma jānāti yathopadeśaṃ | svādhyāyanityaḥ śucirapramattaḥ | sa vai puro devalokasya gantā | sahāmaraiḥ prāpnuyātprītiyogam

"He who knows Brahman as it has been taught, ever devoted to the study of the Veda, pure and vigilant, goes on ahead to the world of the gods and gains joyful union with the immortals."

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from मार्कण्डेय (carried over) to सरस्वती: her answer begins here (the critical edition heads 3.184.5 sarasvaty uvāca).

Verse 6 (3.189.6)

तत्र स्म रम्या विपुला विशोकाः । सुपुष्पिताः पुष्करिण्यः सुपुण्याः । अकर्दमा मीनवत्यः सुतीर्था । हिरण्मयैरावृताः पुण्डरीकैः ॥

tatra sma ramyā vipulā viśokāḥ | supuṣpitāḥ puṣkariṇyaḥ supuṇyāḥ | akardamā mīnavatyaḥ sutīrthā | hiraṇmayairāvṛtāḥ puṇḍarīkaiḥ

"There are delightful, wide lotus pools, free of sorrow, full of flowers and most holy, without mud, full of fish, with fine bathing places, and covered with golden lotuses."

Verse 7 (3.189.7)

तासां तीरेष्वासते पुण्यभाजो । महीयमानाः पृथगप्सरोभिः । सुपुण्यगन्धाभिरलंकृताभि- । र्हिरण्यवर्णाभिरतीव हृष्टाः ॥

tāsāṃ tīreṣvāsate puṇyabhājo | mahīyamānāḥ pṛthagapsarobhiḥ | supuṇyagandhābhiralaṃkṛtābhi- | rhiraṇyavarṇābhiratīva hṛṣṭāḥ

"On their banks sit those who have earned merit, each honoured by apsarases adorned with holy fragrance and golden in hue, and they are filled with joy."

Verse 8 (3.189.8)

परं लोकं गोप्रदास्त्वाप्नुवन्ति । दत्त्वाऽनड्वाहं सूर्यलोकं व्रजन्ति । वासो दत्त्वा चान्द्रमसं तु लोकं । दत्त्वा हिरण्यममरत्वमेति ॥

paraṃ lokaṃ gopradāstvāpnuvanti | dattvā'naḍvāhaṃ sūryalokaṃ vrajanti | vāso dattvā cāndramasaṃ tu lokaṃ | dattvā hiraṇyamamaratvameti

"Those who give cows reach the highest world; by giving an ox men go to the world of the sun. By giving clothing one reaches the world of the moon, and by giving gold one attains immortality."

Verse 9 (3.189.9)

धेनुं दत्त्वा सुप्रमां साधुदोहां । कल्याणवत्सामपलायिनीं च । यावन्ति रोमाणि भवन्ति तस्या- । स्तावद्वर्षाण्यासते देवलोके ॥

dhenuṃ dattvā supramāṃ sādhudohāṃ | kalyāṇavatsāmapalāyinīṃ ca | yāvanti romāṇi bhavanti tasyā- | stāvadvarṣāṇyāsate devaloke

"He who gives a well-formed cow that is easy to milk, with a fine calf and not given to straying, dwells in the world of the gods for as many years as there are hairs on her body."

Note on the text: Wikisource reads सुप्रमां where the critical edition has suvratāṃ; kept as printed ("well-proportioned").

Verse 10 (3.189.10)

अनड्वाहं सुव्रतं यो ददाति । हलस्य वोढारमनन्तवीर्यम् । धुरंधरं बलवन्तं युवानं । प्राप्नोति लोकान्दशधेनुदस्य ॥

anaḍvāhaṃ suvrataṃ yo dadāti | halasya voḍhāramanantavīryam | dhuraṃdharaṃ balavantaṃ yuvānaṃ | prāpnoti lokāndaśadhenudasya

"He who gives a well-trained ox, a bearer of the plough, of boundless strength, a strong young beast fit for the yoke, attains the worlds of one who gives ten cows."

Verse 11 (3.189.11)

ददाति यो वै कपिलां सचैलां । कांस्योपदोहां द्रविणैरुत्तरीयैः । तैस्तैर्गुणैः कामदुहाऽथ भूत्वा । नरं प्रदातारमुपैति नाकैः ॥

dadāti yo vai kapilāṃ sacailāṃ | kāṃsyopadohāṃ draviṇairuttarīyaiḥ | taistairguṇaiḥ kāmaduhā'tha bhūtvā | naraṃ pradātāramupaiti nākaiḥ

"He who gives a tawny cow draped in cloth, with a bronze milking-pail and with further gifts of wealth: that cow, becoming a wish-granting cow through those very gifts, comes to the giver in the heavens."

Note on the text: Verses 11–15 are not in the critical edition's constituted text; they appear there as star passage 914 (lines 1–20), after 3.184.10.

Verse 12 (3.189.12)

यावन्ति रोमाणि भवन्ति धेन्वा- । स्तावत्फलं लभते गोप्रदाने । पुत्रांश्च पौत्रांश्च कुलं च सर्व- । मासप्तमं तारयते परत्र ॥

yāvanti romāṇi bhavanti dhenvā- | stāvatphalaṃ labhate gopradāne | putrāṃśca pautrāṃśca kulaṃ ca sarva- | māsaptamaṃ tārayate paratra

"As many hairs as there are on the cow, so much reward one gains from the gift of a cow. He carries his sons, his grandsons and his whole family, to the seventh generation, safely across in the world beyond."

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रांसच् → पुत्रांश्च (misprint in Wikisource; transposed and wrong sibilant; star passage 914 reads putrāṃś ca). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage 914, after 3.184.10).

Verse 13 (3.189.13)

सदक्षिणां काञ्चनचारुशृङ्गीं । कांस्योपदोहां द्रविणैरुत्तरीयैः । धेनुं तिलानां ददतो द्विजाय । लोका वसूनां सुलभा भवन्ति ॥

sadakṣiṇāṃ kāñcanacāruśṛṅgīṃ | kāṃsyopadohāṃ draviṇairuttarīyaiḥ | dhenuṃ tilānāṃ dadato dvijāya | lokā vasūnāṃ sulabhā bhavanti

"For one who gives a brahmin a cow made of sesame, with a fee, with lovely horns of gold, a bronze milking-pail and further gifts of wealth, the worlds of the Vasus are easily won."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage 914, after 3.184.10).

Verse 14 (3.189.14)

स्वकर्मभिर्दानवसंनिरुद्धे । तीव्रान्धकारे नरके पतन्तम् । महार्णवे नौरिव वातयुक्ता । दानं गवां तारयते परत्र ॥

svakarmabhirdānavasaṃniruddhe | tīvrāndhakāre narake patantam | mahārṇave nauriva vātayuktā | dānaṃ gavāṃ tārayate paratra

"When a man is falling into hell, into blinding darkness, hemmed in by demons because of his own deeds, the gift of cows carries him across in the world beyond, like a ship driven by the wind across the great ocean."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage 914, after 3.184.10).

Verse 15 (3.189.15)

यो ब्राह्मदेयां तु ददाति कन्यां । भूमिप्रदानं च करोति विप्रे । ददाति दानं विधिना च यश्च । स लोकमाप्नोति पुरंदरस्य ॥

yo brāhmadeyāṃ tu dadāti kanyāṃ | bhūmipradānaṃ ca karoti vipre | dadāti dānaṃ vidhinā ca yaśca | sa lokamāpnoti puraṃdarasya

"He who gives a daughter in marriage by the Brahma rite, who makes a gift of land to a brahmin, and who gives gifts according to the rule, attains the world of Purandara."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text (star passage 914, after 3.184.10).

Verse 16 (3.189.16)

यः सप्तवर्षाणि जुहोति तार्क्ष्य । हव्यं त्वग्नौ नियतः साधुशीलः । सप्तावरान्सप्तपूर्वान्पुनाति । पितामहानात्मना कर्मभिः स्वैः ॥

yaḥ saptavarṣāṇi juhoti tārkṣya | havyaṃ tvagnau niyataḥ sādhuśīlaḥ | saptāvarānsaptapūrvānpunāti | pitāmahānātmanā karmabhiḥ svaiḥ

"He who for seven years, Tarkshya, offers oblations into the fire, self-restrained and virtuous, purifies by his own deeds seven generations after him and seven of his forefathers before him."

Verse 17 (3.189.17)

किमग्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराण- । माचक्ष्व मे पृच्छतश्चारुरूपे । त्वयाऽनुशिष्टोऽहमिहाद्य विद्यां । यदग्निहोत्रस्य व्रतं पुराणम् ॥

kimagnihotrasya vrataṃ purāṇa- | mācakṣva me pṛcchataścārurūpe | tvayā'nuśiṣṭo'hamihādya vidyāṃ | yadagnihotrasya vrataṃ purāṇam

"What is the ancient observance of the agnihotra? Tell me, lovely one, since I ask. Taught by you, may I learn today the ancient observance of the agnihotra."

Note on the text: Corrected पृच्तश् → पृच्छतश् (misprint in Wikisource; त for छत; the critical edition reads pṛcchataś).

Verse 18 (3.189.18)

न चाशुचिर्नाप्यनिर्णिक्तपाणि- । र्नाब्रह्मविज्जुहुयान्नाविपश्चित् । बुभुत्सवः शुचिकामा हि देवा । नाश्रद्दधानाद्धि हविर्जुषन्ति ॥

na cāśucirnāpyanirṇiktapāṇi- | rnābrahmavijjuhuyānnāvipaścit | bubhutsavaḥ śucikāmā hi devā | nāśraddadhānāddhi havirjuṣanti

"No one impure, no one with unwashed hands, no one ignorant of Brahman and no unlearned man should make the offering. The gods, who seek understanding and love purity, do not accept an offering from one who lacks faith."

Verse 19 (3.189.19)

नाश्रोत्रियं देवहव्ये नियुञ्ज्या- । न्मोघं पुरा सिञ्चति तादृशो हि । अपूर्णमश्रोत्रियमाह तार्क्ष्य । न वै तादृग्जुहुयादग्निहोत्रम् ॥

nāśrotriyaṃ devahavye niyuñjyā- | nmoghaṃ purā siñcati tādṛśo hi | apūrṇamaśrotriyamāha tārkṣya | na vai tādṛgjuhuyādagnihotram

"One should not employ a man unversed in the Veda for an offering to the gods; such a man pours out in vain from the very start. The Veda calls the unlearned man incomplete, Tarkshya; such a man should not offer the agnihotra."

Verse 20 (3.189.20)

ये वै कृशानुं जुह्वति श्रद्दधानाः । सत्यव्रता हुतशिष्टाशिनश्च । गवां लोकं प्राप्य ते पुण्यगन्धं । पश्यन्ति देवं परमं चापि सत्यम् ॥

ye vai kṛśānuṃ juhvati śraddadhānāḥ | satyavratā hutaśiṣṭāśinaśca | gavāṃ lokaṃ prāpya te puṇyagandhaṃ | paśyanti devaṃ paramaṃ cāpi satyam

"Those who offer into the fire with faith, true to their vows and eating only what remains of the offering, reach the fragrant world of the cows and behold the supreme god, the Truth."

Note on the text: Corrected रये → ये (misprint in Wikisource; stray र; the critical edition reads ye) and प्राप्यते → प्राप्य ते (misprint in Wikisource; wrong word division, since the passive does not construe with लोकं; the critical edition reads prāpya te).

Verse 21 (3.189.21)

क्षेत्रज्ञभूतां परलोकभावे । कर्मोदये बुद्धिमभिप्रविष्टाम् । प्रज्ञां च देवीं सुभगे विमृश्य । पृच्छामि त्वां का ह्यसि चारुरूपे ॥

kṣetrajñabhūtāṃ paralokabhāve | karmodaye buddhimabhipraviṣṭām | prajñāṃ ca devīṃ subhage vimṛśya | pṛcchāmi tvāṃ kā hyasi cārurūpe

"I see in you the understanding that enters the knower of the field as the next world and the fruit of deeds take shape, and I see divine wisdom; so I ask you, fair and lovely one: who are you?"

Note on the text: Corrected बुद्दिम् → बुद्धिम् (misprint in Wikisource; द्द for द्ध; the critical edition reads buddhim).

Verse 22 (3.189.22)

अग्निहोत्रादहमभ्यागताऽस्मि । विप्रर्षभाणां संशयच्छेदनाय । त्वत्संयोगादहमेतदब्रुवं । भावे स्थिता तथ्यमर्थं यथावत् ॥

agnihotrādahamabhyāgatā'smi | viprarṣabhāṇāṃ saṃśayacchedanāya | tvatsaṃyogādahametadabruvaṃ | bhāve sthitā tathyamarthaṃ yathāvat

"I have come from the agnihotra to cut away the doubts of the best of brahmins. Because of my bond with you I have told you this, standing in my true state: the real meaning, just as it is."

Verse 23 (3.189.23)

न हि त्वया सदृशी काचिदस्ति । विभ्राजसे ह्यतिमात्रं यथा श्रीः । रूपं च ते दिव्यमनन्तकान्ति । प्रज्ञां च देवीं सुभगे बिभर्षि ॥

na hi tvayā sadṛśī kācidasti | vibhrājase hyatimātraṃ yathā śrīḥ | rūpaṃ ca te divyamanantakānti | prajñāṃ ca devīṃ subhage bibharṣi

"There is no one like you; you shine beyond measure, like Shri herself. Your form is divine, of endless beauty, and you bear divine wisdom, fair one."

Verse 24 (3.189.24)

श्रेष्ठानि यानि द्विपदांवरिष्ठ । यज्ञेषु विद्वन्नुपपादयन्ति । तैरेव चाहं संप्रवृद्धा भवामि । चाप्यायिता रूपवती च विप्र ॥

śreṣṭhāni yāni dvipadāṃvariṣṭha | yajñeṣu vidvannupapādayanti | taireva cāhaṃ saṃpravṛddhā bhavāmi | cāpyāyitā rūpavatī ca vipra

"Best of men, the finest things that the learned offer up in sacrifices: by those very things I grow, brahmin, and am nourished and made beautiful."

Verse 25 (3.189.25)

यच्चापि पात्रमुपयुज्यते ह । वानस्पत्यमायसं पार्थिवं वा । दिव्येन रूपेण च प्रज्ञया च । तेनैव सिद्धिरिति विद्धि विद्वन् ॥

yaccāpi pātramupayujyate ha | vānaspatyamāyasaṃ pārthivaṃ vā | divyena rūpeṇa ca prajñayā ca | tenaiva siddhiriti viddhi vidvan

"Whatever vessel is used there, whether of wood, of iron or of earth, know, learned one, that success comes through it, by divine form and by wisdom."

Note on the text: Corrected दिव्येन रूपेण प्रज्ञया च → दिव्येन रूपेण च प्रज्ञया च (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped च leaves the pada a syllable short; the critical edition reads divyena rūpeṇa ca prajñayā ca).

Verse 26 (3.189.26)

इदं श्रेयः परमं मन्यमाना । व्यायच्छन्ते मुनयः संप्रतीताः । आचक्ष्व मे तं परमं विशोकं । मोक्षं परं यं प्रविशन्ति धीराः । सांख्या योगाः परमं यं वदन्ति । परं पुराणं तमहं न वेद्मि ॥

idaṃ śreyaḥ paramaṃ manyamānā | vyāyacchante munayaḥ saṃpratītāḥ | ācakṣva me taṃ paramaṃ viśokaṃ | mokṣaṃ paraṃ yaṃ praviśanti dhīrāḥ | sāṃkhyā yogāḥ paramaṃ yaṃ vadanti | paraṃ purāṇaṃ tamahaṃ na vedmi

"Thinking this the highest good, the sages strive with full conviction. Tell me of that supreme liberation, free from sorrow, which the steadfast enter, the highest that the Samkhyas and the Yogins speak of. That supreme and ancient one I do not know."

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (3.184.21 and the first line of star passage 915, which follows it): Wikisource prints only the final line, numbered "26f", so Tarkshya's question had lost its first five lines; the line it keeps is the second line of star passage 915.

Verse 27 (3.189.27)

तं वै परं वेदविदः प्रपन्नाः । परं परेभ्यः प्रथितं पुराणम् । स्वाध्यायदानव्रतपुण्ययोगै- । स्तपोधना वीतशोका विमुक्ताः ॥

taṃ vai paraṃ vedavidaḥ prapannāḥ | paraṃ parebhyaḥ prathitaṃ purāṇam | svādhyāyadānavratapuṇyayogai- | stapodhanā vītaśokā vimuktāḥ

"That supreme one, renowned as higher than the highest, the ancient one: the knowers of the Veda have reached it. Rich in austerity, through the holy disciplines of study, giving and vows, they are free from sorrow and released."

Verse 28 (3.189.28)

तस्याथ मध्ये वेतसः पुण्यगन्धः । सहस्रशाखो विपुलो विभाति । तस्य मूलात्सरितः प्रस्रवन्ति । मधूदकप्रस्रवणाः सुपुण्याः ॥

tasyātha madhye vetasaḥ puṇyagandhaḥ | sahasraśākho vipulo vibhāti | tasya mūlātsaritaḥ prasravanti | madhūdakaprasravaṇāḥ supuṇyāḥ

"In its midst shines a vast reed-tree of holy fragrance with a thousand branches. From its root flow rivers, most holy, streaming with honey and water."

Verse 29 (3.189.29)

शाखांशाखां महानद्यः संयान्ति सिकताशयाः । धानापूपा मांसशाकाः सदापायसकर्दमाः ॥

śākhāṃśākhāṃ mahānadyaḥ saṃyānti sikatāśayāḥ | dhānāpūpā māṃsaśākāḥ sadāpāyasakardamāḥ

"Great rivers with sandy beds flow to branch after branch, bearing parched grain and cakes, meat and vegetables, and their mud is ever milk-rice."

Verse 30 (3.189.30)

यस्मिन्नग्निमुखा देवाः सेन्द्राः सहमरुद्गणाः । ईजिरे क्रतुभिः श्रेष्ठैस्तत्पदं परमं मुने ॥

yasminnagnimukhā devāḥ sendrāḥ sahamarudgaṇāḥ | ījire kratubhiḥ śreṣṭhaistatpadaṃ paramaṃ mune

"That is the supreme abode, sage, where the gods led by Agni, with Indra and the hosts of Maruts, worshipped with the finest sacrifices."