The Hunter Shows the Brahmin His Parents

Verse 1 (3.217.1)

एवं संकथिते कृत्स्ने मोक्षधर्मे युधिष्ठिर । दृढप्रीतमना विप्रो धर्मव्याधमुवाच ह ॥

evaṃ saṃkathite kṛtsne mokṣadharme yudhiṣṭhira | dṛḍhaprītamanā vipro dharmavyādhamuvāca ha

When the whole dharma of liberation had thus been set forth, O Yudhishthira, the brahmin, his heart filled with deep joy, said to Dharmavyadha:

Verse 2 (3.217.2)

न्याययुक्तमिदं सर्वं भवता परिकीर्तितम् । न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिद्धर्मेष्वभिसमीक्ष्यते ॥

nyāyayuktamidaṃ sarvaṃ bhavatā parikīrtitam | na te'styaviditaṃ kiṃciddharmeṣvabhisamīkṣyate

All that you have set forth accords with reason. There seems to be nothing in matters of dharma that is unknown to you.

Note on the text: Speaker: these are the brahmin's words to the hunter, introduced at the end of the previous verse; Wikisource prints no heading.

Verse 3 (3.217.3)

प्रत्यक्षं मम यो धर्मस्तं च पश्य द्विजोत्तम । येन सिद्धिरियं प्राप्ता मया ब्राह्मणपुङ्गव ॥

pratyakṣaṃ mama yo dharmastaṃ ca paśya dvijottama | yena siddhiriyaṃ prāptā mayā brāhmaṇapuṅgava

O best of the twice-born, look now on the dharma that is plainly mine, by which I have won this perfection, O bull among brahmins.

Verse 4 (3.217.4)

उत्तिष्ठ भगवन्क्षिप्रं प्रविश्याभ्यन्तरं गृहम् । द्रष्टुमर्हसि धर्मज्ञ मातरं पितरं च मे ॥

uttiṣṭha bhagavankṣipraṃ praviśyābhyantaraṃ gṛham | draṣṭumarhasi dharmajña mātaraṃ pitaraṃ ca me

Rise quickly, revered sir, and come into the inner house; you should see my mother and my father, O knower of dharma.

Verse 5 (3.217.5)

इत्युक्तः स प्रविश्याथ ददर्श परमार्चितम् । सौधं हृद्यं चतुःशालमतीव च मनोरमम् ॥

ityuktaḥ sa praviśyātha dadarśa paramārcitam | saudhaṃ hṛdyaṃ catuḥśālamatīva ca manoramam

So addressed, the brahmin went in and saw a lovely house, well kept, with four halls and exceedingly delightful.

Note on the text: Speaker: narration resumes here (the critical edition heads it mārkaṇḍeya uvāca); Wikisource carries the hunter's heading over, so verses 5–8 are given to Markandeya.

Verse 6 (3.217.6)

देवतागृहसंकाशं दैवतैश्च सुपूजितम् । शयनासनसंबाधं गन्धैश्च परमैर्युतम् ॥

devatāgṛhasaṃkāśaṃ daivataiśca supūjitam | śayanāsanasaṃbādhaṃ gandhaiśca paramairyutam

It was like a temple, with the deities in it duly worshipped, crowded with beds and seats, and fragrant with the finest scents.

Note on the text: Corrected देवतागृहसंकाश → देवतागृहसंकाशं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped anusvara; the critical edition reads devatāgṛhasaṃkāśaṃ).

Verse 7 (3.217.7)

तत्र शुक्लाम्बरधरौ पितरावस्य पूजितौ । कृताहारौ तु संतुष्टावुपविष्टौ वरासने ॥

tatra śuklāmbaradharau pitarāvasya pūjitau | kṛtāhārau tu saṃtuṣṭāvupaviṣṭau varāsane

There the hunter's parents, dressed in white and honoured, sat contented on fine seats after their meal.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्रशुक्लाम्बरधरौ → तत्र शुक्लाम्बरधरौ (word-spacing slip in Wikisource). This verse is CE 3.204.7ab + 7cd (the automatic alignment did not match it).

Verse 8 (3.217.8)

तस्य व्याधस्य पितरौ ब्राह्मणः संददर्श ह । धर्मव्याधस्तु तौ दृष्ट्वा पादेषु शिरसाऽपतत् ॥

tasya vyādhasya pitarau brāhmaṇaḥ saṃdadarśa ha | dharmavyādhastu tau dṛṣṭvā pādeṣu śirasā'patat

The brahmin saw the hunter's parents, and Dharmavyadha, on seeing them, fell with his head at their feet.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote mark around the first line (Wikisource's mark for an inserted passage). The first line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 3.204.4d*1038, placed there after verse 4); the second line is CE 3.204.7ef.

Verse 9 (3.217.9)

उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ धर्मज्ञ धर्मस्त्वामभिरक्षतु । प्रीतौ स्वस्तव शौचेन दीर्घमायुरवाप्नुहि । गतिमिष्टां तपो ज्ञानं मेधां च परमां गतः ॥

uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha dharmajña dharmastvāmabhirakṣatu | prītau svastava śaucena dīrghamāyuravāpnuhi | gatimiṣṭāṃ tapo jñānaṃ medhāṃ ca paramāṃ gataḥ

Rise, rise, knower of dharma! May dharma protect you. We are pleased with your purity; may you have a long life. You have reached the goal you sought, and austerity, knowledge and the highest wisdom.

Note on the text: The speaker heading वृद्धावूचतुः had slipped into the text; it is now the speaker (Wikisource prints it as a heading above this verse). Removed the square brackets around the third line. The first two lines are CE 3.204.8ab + 8cd (the automatic alignment did not match them); the third line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (a vulgate reading akin to CE apparatus 3.204.8d*1039, gatim iṣṭāṃ tathā jñānam).

Verse 10 (3.217.10)

सत्पुत्रेण त्वया पुत्र नित्यं काले सुपूजितौ । सुखमेव वसावोऽत्र देवलोकगताविव ॥

satputreṇa tvayā putra nityaṃ kāle supūjitau | sukhameva vasāvo'tra devalokagatāviva

Son, you are a good son; you have always honoured us well at the proper times. We live here in happiness, as though we had gone to the world of the gods.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote mark around the second line (Wikisource's mark for an inserted passage). The first line is CE 3.204.8ef (नित्यं काले for nityakālaṃ is a recension variant); the second line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; CE apparatus 3.204.8f*1040).

Verse 11 (3.217.11)

न तेऽन्यद्दैवतं किंचिद्दैवतेष्वपि वर्तते । प्रयतसत्वाद्द्विजातीनां दमेनासि समन्वितः ॥

na te'nyaddaivataṃ kiṃciddaivateṣvapi vartate | prayatasatvāddvijātīnāṃ damenāsi samanvitaḥ

Among all the gods there is no other deity for you. With a purity of mind like that of the twice-born, you are endowed with self-restraint.

Note on the text: Corrected द्विजातीनांदमेनासि → द्विजातीनां दमेनासि (word-spacing slip in Wikisource) and समनवितः → समन्वितः (misprint; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads samanvitaḥ). प्रयतसत्वाद् for prayatatvād is a recension variant.

Verse 12 (3.217.12)

पितुः पितामहा ये च तथैव प्रपितामहाः । प्रीतास्ते सततं पुत्र दमेनावां च पूजया ॥

pituḥ pitāmahā ye ca tathaiva prapitāmahāḥ | prītāste satataṃ putra damenāvāṃ ca pūjayā

Your father's grandfathers, and his great-grandfathers as well, are ever pleased with you, son, for your self-restraint and for the honour you show us.

Verse 13 (3.217.13)

मनसा कर्मणा वाचा शुश्रूषा नैव हीयते । न चान्या हि तथा बुद्धिर्दृश्यते सांप्रतं तव ॥

manasā karmaṇā vācā śuśrūṣā naiva hīyate | na cānyā hi tathā buddhirdṛśyate sāṃprataṃ tava

Your service never falls short in thought, deed or word, and no other way of thinking is now seen in you.

Verse 14 (3.217.14)

जामदग्न्येन रामेण यथा वृद्धौ सुपूजितौ । तथा त्वया कृतं सर्वं तद्विशिष्टं च पुत्रक ॥

jāmadagnyena rāmeṇa yathā vṛddhau supūjitau | tathā tvayā kṛtaṃ sarvaṃ tadviśiṣṭaṃ ca putraka

As Rama, the son of Jamadagni, honoured his aged parents, so have you done all this, my son, and more besides.

Note on the text: Corrected कृतंसर्वंतद्विशिष्टं → कृतं सर्वं तद्विशिष्टं (word-spacing slips in Wikisource).

Verse 15 (3.217.15)

ततस्तं ब्राह्मणं ताभ्यां धर्मव्याधो न्यवेदयत् । तौ स्वागतेन तं विप्रमर्चयामासतुस्तदा ॥

tatastaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ tābhyāṃ dharmavyādho nyavedayat | tau svāgatena taṃ vipramarcayāmāsatustadā

Then Dharmavyadha presented the brahmin to them, and they welcomed the brahmin and honoured him.

Verse 16 (3.217.16)

प्रतिगृह्य च तां पूजां द्विजः पप्रच्छ तावुभौ । सपुत्राभ्यां सभृत्याभ्यां कच्चिद्वां कुशलं गृहे । अनामयं च वां कच्चित्सुखं वेह शरीरयोः ॥

pratigṛhya ca tāṃ pūjāṃ dvijaḥ papraccha tāvubhau | saputrābhyāṃ sabhṛtyābhyāṃ kaccidvāṃ kuśalaṃ gṛhe | anāmayaṃ ca vāṃ kaccitsukhaṃ veha śarīrayoḥ

Accepting their honour, the brahmin asked them both, 'Is all well in your house, with your son and your servants? And are you both free of illness and at ease here in body?'

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतिगृह्यच → प्रतिगृह्य च (word-spacing slip in Wikisource) and अनामय → अनामयं (misprint; a dropped anusvara; the critical edition reads anāmayaṃ). सुखं वेह for sadaiveha is a recension variant.

Verse 17 (3.217.17)

कुशलं नौ गृहे विप्र भृत्यवर्गे च सर्वशः । कच्चित्त्वमप्यविघ्नेन संप्राप्तो भगवन्निति ॥

kuśalaṃ nau gṛhe vipra bhṛtyavarge ca sarvaśaḥ | kaccittvamapyavighnena saṃprāpto bhagavanniti

All is well with us at home, O brahmin, and with our servants in every way. Have you too arrived here without hindrance, revered sir?

Note on the text: The speaker heading वृद्धावूचतुः had slipped into the text; it is now the speaker (Wikisource prints it as a heading above this verse). नौ and भगवन्निति for no and bhagavann iha are recension variants.

Verse 18 (3.217.18)

बाढमित्येव तौ विप्रः प्रत्युवाच मुदान्वितः । धर्मव्याधस्तु तं विप्रमर्थवद्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥

bāḍhamityeva tau vipraḥ pratyuvāca mudānvitaḥ | dharmavyādhastu taṃ vipramarthavadvākyamabravīt

'Certainly,' the brahmin replied to them with joy. Then Dharmavyadha spoke to the brahmin words full of meaning:

Note on the text: Corrected हाढमित्येव → बाढमित्येव (misprint in Wikisource; ह for ब; the critical edition reads bāḍham ity eva).

Verse 19 (3.217.19)

पिता माता च भगवन्नेतौ मे दैवतं परम् । यद्दैवतेभ्यः कर्तव्यं तदेताभ्यां करोम्यहम् ॥

pitā mātā ca bhagavannetau me daivataṃ param | yaddaivatebhyaḥ kartavyaṃ tadetābhyāṃ karomyaham

My father and mother, revered sir, are my highest deity. Whatever is to be done for the gods, I do for these two.

Note on the text: Speaker: the hunter's speech begins here, introduced at the end of the previous verse; Wikisource prints no heading and carries Markandeya's over, so verses 19–29 are given to the hunter.

Verse 20 (3.217.20)

त्रयस्त्रिंशद्यथा देवाः सर्वे शक्रपुरोगमाः । संपूज्याः सर्वलोकस्य तथा वृद्धाविमौ मम ॥

trayastriṃśadyathā devāḥ sarve śakrapurogamāḥ | saṃpūjyāḥ sarvalokasya tathā vṛddhāvimau mama

As the thirty-three gods, all led by Shakra, are to be worshipped by the whole world, so are these two aged ones to me.

Verse 21 (3.217.21)

उपाहारानाहरन्तो देवतानां यथा द्विजाः । कुर्वन्ति तद्वदेताभ्यां करोम्यहमतन्द्रितः ॥

upāhārānāharanto devatānāṃ yathā dvijāḥ | kurvanti tadvadetābhyāṃ karomyahamatandritaḥ

As the twice-born bring offerings to the gods and serve them, so I serve these two, untiringly.

Note on the text: Corrected द्विजः → द्विजाः (misprint in Wikisource; the singular does not agree with the plural आहरन्तो … कुर्वन्ति; the critical edition reads dvijāḥ).

Verse 22 (3.217.22)

एतौ मे परमं ब्रह्मन्पिता माता च दैवतम् । एतौ पुष्पैः फलैरन्नैस्तोषयामि सदा द्विज ॥

etau me paramaṃ brahmanpitā mātā ca daivatam | etau puṣpaiḥ phalairannaistoṣayāmi sadā dvija

These two, my father and my mother, are my supreme deity, O brahmin; I always please them with flowers, fruits and food, O twice-born.

Verse 23 (3.217.23)

एतावेवाग्नयो मह्यं यान्वदन्ति मनीषिणः । यज्ञा वेदाश्च चत्वारः सर्वमेतौ मम द्विज ॥

etāvevāgnayo mahyaṃ yānvadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | yajñā vedāśca catvāraḥ sarvametau mama dvija

These two are for me the sacred fires of which the wise speak; they are the sacrifices and the four Vedas. These two are everything to me, O twice-born.

Verse 24 (3.217.24)

एतदर्थं मम प्राणा भार्या पुत्रः सुहृज्जनः । सपुत्रदारः शुश्रूषां नित्यमेव करोम्यहम् ॥

etadarthaṃ mama prāṇā bhāryā putraḥ suhṛjjanaḥ | saputradāraḥ śuśrūṣāṃ nityameva karomyaham

For their sake are my life, my wife, my son and my friends. With my wife and son I serve them always.

Verse 25 (3.217.25)

स्वयं च स्नापयाम्येतौ तथा पादौ प्रधावये । आहारं च प्रयच्छामि स्वयंच द्विजसत्तम ॥

svayaṃ ca snāpayāmyetau tathā pādau pradhāvaye | āhāraṃ ca prayacchāmi svayaṃca dvijasattama

I bathe them myself and wash their feet, and I give them their food with my own hands, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 26 (3.217.26)

अनुकूलाः कथा वच्मि विप्रियं परिवर्जये । अधर्मेणापि संयुक्तं प्रियमाभ्यां करोम्यहम् ॥

anukūlāḥ kathā vacmi vipriyaṃ parivarjaye | adharmeṇāpi saṃyuktaṃ priyamābhyāṃ karomyaham

I speak to them only of pleasing things and avoid what is unpleasant. Even what is bound up with adharma I do for them, if it pleases them.

Verse 27 (3.217.27)

धर्ममेव गुरुं मत्वा साक्षादेतौ द्विजोत्तम । अतन्द्रितः सदा विप्र शुश्रूषां वै करोम्यहम् ॥

dharmameva guruṃ matvā sākṣādetau dvijottama | atandritaḥ sadā vipra śuśrūṣāṃ vai karomyaham

Regarding these two as dharma itself and as my guru in visible form, O best of the twice-born, I serve them always, O brahmin, without weariness.

Verse 28 (3.217.28)

पञ्चैव गुरवो ब्रह्मन्पुरुषस्य बुभूषतः । पिता माताऽग्निरात्मा च गुरुश्च द्विजसत्तम ॥

pañcaiva guravo brahmanpuruṣasya bubhūṣataḥ | pitā mātā'gnirātmā ca guruśca dvijasattama

A man who seeks to prosper has five gurus only, O brahmin: his father, his mother, the sacred fire, his own self and his teacher, O best of the twice-born.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मनपुरुषस्य → ब्रह्मन्पुरुषस्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped virama; the critical edition reads brahman puruṣasya).

Verse 29 (3.217.29)

एतेषु यस्तु वर्तेत सम्यगेव द्विजोत्तम । भवेयुरग्नयस्तेन परिचीर्णास्तु नित्यशः । गार्हस्थ्ये वर्तमानस्य एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥

eteṣu yastu varteta samyageva dvijottama | bhaveyuragnayastena paricīrṇāstu nityaśaḥ | gārhasthye vartamānasya eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

He who conducts himself rightly toward these, O best of the twice-born, has by that conduct tended the sacred fires at all times. This is the eternal dharma of one who lives as a householder.

Note on the text: Corrected भवेयुरप्रयस्तेन → भवेयुरग्नयस्तेन (misprint in Wikisource; अप्रयः is not a word; the critical edition reads bhaveyur agnayas). तेन for tasya and एष धर्मः for dharma eṣa are recension variants.