The Curse Softened, the Hunter on Grief, and Kaushika's Return

Verse 1 (3.219.1)

एवं शप्तोऽहमृषिणा तदा द्विजवरोत्तम । अहं प्रासादयमृषिं गिरा वाक्यविशारदम् ॥

evaṃ śapto'hamṛṣiṇā tadā dvijavarottama | ahaṃ prāsādayamṛṣiṃ girā vākyaviśāradam

"Cursed in this way by the seer, best of brahmins, I then tried to appease him with words, for he was a master of speech:

Note on the text: Corrected द्विजबरोत्तम → द्विजवरोत्तम (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व, the critical edition reads dvijavarottama). अहं प्रासादयम् is a recension variant of abhiprasādayam and is kept.

Verse 2 (3.219.2)

अजानता मयाऽकार्यमिदमद्य कृतं मुने । क्षन्तुमर्हसि तत्सर्वं प्रसीद भगवन्निति ॥

ajānatā mayā'kāryamidamadya kṛtaṃ mune | kṣantumarhasi tatsarvaṃ prasīda bhagavanniti

'Sage, I have done this wrong today without knowing. Forgive it all, blessed one; be gracious.'"

Verse 3 (3.219.3)

नान्यथा भविता शाप एवमेतदसंशयम् । आनृशंस्यादहं किंचित्कर्ताऽनुग्रहमद्य ते ॥

nānyathā bhavitā śāpa evametadasaṃśayam | ānṛśaṃsyādahaṃ kiṃcitkartā'nugrahamadya te

"The curse cannot be otherwise; it will be just so, without doubt. But out of compassion I shall grant you some favour today.

Note on the text: Corrected आनृशंस्यात्त्वंहकिंचित् → आनृशंस्यादहं किंचित् (misprint in Wikisource; garbled aksharas, the critical edition reads ānṛśaṃsyād ahaṃ kiṃ cit).

Verse 4 (3.219.4)

शूद्रयोन्यां वर्तमानो धर्मज्ञो हि भविष्यसि । मातापित्रोश्च शुश्रूषां करिष्यसि न संशयः ॥

śūdrayonyāṃ vartamāno dharmajño hi bhaviṣyasi | mātāpitrośca śuśrūṣāṃ kariṣyasi na saṃśayaḥ

Though you live in a shudra's birth, you will know dharma, and you will surely serve your mother and father.

Note on the text: Corrected मातापित्रोश् → मातापित्रोश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition reads mātāpitroś ca). शूद्रयोन्यां … भविष्यसि is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 5 (3.219.5)

तयोः शुश्रूषया सिद्धिं महतीं समवाप्स्यसि । जातिस्मरश्च भविता स्वर्गं चैव गमिष्यसि ॥

tayoḥ śuśrūṣayā siddhiṃ mahatīṃ samavāpsyasi | jātismaraśca bhavitā svargaṃ caiva gamiṣyasi

Through serving them you will attain great perfection; you will remember your former birth, and you will go to heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected जातिस्मरश् → जातिस्मरश्च (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition reads jātismaraś ca). This verse is the first two lines of the critical edition's 3.206.5 (unaligned automatically).

Verse 6 (3.219.6)

भूत्वा च धार्मिको व्याधः पित्रोः शुश्रूषणे रतः । शापक्षये तु निर्वृत्ते भविताऽसि पुनर्द्विजः ॥

bhūtvā ca dhārmiko vyādhaḥ pitroḥ śuśrūṣaṇe rataḥ | śāpakṣaye tu nirvṛtte bhavitā'si punardvijaḥ

Having been a righteous hunter devoted to serving your parents, when the curse has run its course you will be a brahmin once more."

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) and separated भूत्वाच → भूत्वा च (word-spacing slip). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; star passage 1045, after 3.206.5d, in the apparatus); the second line is 3.206.5ef.

Verse 7 (3.219.7)

एवं शप्तः पुरा तेन ऋषिणाऽस्म्युग्रतेजसा । प्रसादश्च कृतस्तेन ममैव द्विपदांवर ॥

evaṃ śaptaḥ purā tena ṛṣiṇā'smyugratejasā | prasādaśca kṛtastena mamaiva dvipadāṃvara

"So was I cursed long ago by that seer of fierce energy, and so too did he show me his favour, best of men.

Note on the text: Speaker: the sage's words end with verse 6; the hunter resumes his own account here (Wikisource has no new heading). ममैव is a recension variant of mamaivaṃ and is kept.

Verse 8 (3.219.8)

शरं चोद्धृतवानस्मि तस्य वै द्विजसत्तम । आश्रमं च मया नीतो न च प्राणैर्व्ययुज्यत ॥

śaraṃ coddhṛtavānasmi tasya vai dvijasattama | āśramaṃ ca mayā nīto na ca prāṇairvyayujyata

I drew the arrow out of him, best of brahmins, and carried him to his hermitage, and he did not lose his life.

Verse 9 (3.219.9)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा मम पुराऽभवत् । अभितश्चापि गन्तव्यो मया स्वर्गो द्विजोत्तम ॥

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yathā mama purā'bhavat | abhitaścāpi gantavyo mayā svargo dvijottama

I have told you all that befell me in the past. And before long, best of brahmins, I am to go to heaven."

Verse 10 (3.219.10)

एवमेतानि पुरुषा दुःखानि च सुखानि च । आप्नुवन्ति महाबुद्धे नोत्कण्ठां कर्तुमर्हसि ॥

evametāni puruṣā duḥkhāni ca sukhāni ca | āpnuvanti mahābuddhe notkaṇṭhāṃ kartumarhasi

"This is how men come by their sorrows and their joys, great-minded one. You should not grieve.

Note on the text: This verse and the first line of verse 11 are the critical edition's three-line 3.206.9 (unaligned automatically); आप्नुवन्ति is a recension variant of prāpnuvanti.

Verse 11 (3.219.11)

दुष्करं हि कृतं कर्म जानता जातिमात्मनः । लोकवृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञ नित्यं धर्मपरायण ॥

duṣkaraṃ hi kṛtaṃ karma jānatā jātimātmanaḥ | lokavṛttāntatattvajña nityaṃ dharmaparāyaṇa

For you have done a hard thing, knowing your own birth, O knower of the truth of the world's ways, ever devoted to dharma.

Note on the text: Separated कृतंकर्म → कृतं कर्म (word-spacing slip) and removed the square brackets in which Wikisource prints the second line. The first line is 3.206.9ef; the bracketed second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; star passage 1046, after 3.206.9f, in the apparatus).

Verse 12 (3.219.12)

कर्मदोषाच्च वै विद्वन्नात्मजातिकृतेन वै । कंचित्कालं मृष्यतां वै ततोसि भविता द्विजः ॥

karmadoṣācca vai vidvannātmajātikṛtena vai | kaṃcitkālaṃ mṛṣyatāṃ vai tatosi bhavitā dvijaḥ

It came about through the fault of a deed, learned one, not through anything your birth did. Bear it for a while longer; then you will be a brahmin.

Note on the text: Verses 12–13 together are the critical edition's three-line 3.206.10 (unaligned automatically); Wikisource numbers its last line separately. कर्मदोषाच्च is a recension variant of karmadoṣaś ca.

Verse 13 (3.219.13)

सांप्रतं च मतो मेऽसि ब्राह्मणो नात्र संशयः ॥

sāṃprataṃ ca mato me'si brāhmaṇo nātra saṃśayaḥ

And even now I hold you to be a brahmin; there is no doubt of it.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource, numbered as its own verse; it is the last line of the critical edition's 3.206.10.

Verse 14 (3.219.14)

ब्राह्मणः पतनीयेषु वर्तमानो विकर्मसु । दाम्भिको दुष्कृतप्रायः शूद्रेण सदृशो भवेत् ॥

brāhmaṇaḥ patanīyeṣu vartamāno vikarmasu | dāmbhiko duṣkṛtaprāyaḥ śūdreṇa sadṛśo bhavet

A brahmin who engages in forbidden acts that cause a man's fall, who is hypocritical and given to wrongdoing, becomes the equal of a shudra.

Note on the text: Corrected दाम्भिक्वो → दाम्भिको (misprint in Wikisource; stray akshara, the critical edition reads dāmbhiko).

Verse 15 (3.219.15)

यस्तु शूद्रो दमे सत्ये धर्मे च सततोत्थितः । तं ब्राह्मणमहं मन्ये वृत्तेन हि भवेद्द्विजः ॥

yastu śūdro dame satye dharme ca satatotthitaḥ | taṃ brāhmaṇamahaṃ manye vṛttena hi bhaveddvijaḥ

But a shudra who is always intent on self-restraint, truth and dharma I regard as a brahmin; for it is by conduct that one becomes twice-born.

Verse 16 (3.219.16)

कर्मदोषेण विषमां गतिमाप्तोसि दारुणाम् । क्षीणदोषमहं मन्ये चाभितस्त्वां नरोत्तम ॥

karmadoṣeṇa viṣamāṃ gatimāptosi dāruṇām | kṣīṇadoṣamahaṃ manye cābhitastvāṃ narottama

Through the fault of a deed you have come to this hard and cruel state. But I believe your fault will soon be spent, best of men.

Verse 17 (3.219.17)

कर्तुमर्हसि नोत्कण्ठां त्वद्विधा ह्यविषादिनः । लोकवृत्तान्ततत्वज्ञा नित्यं धर्मपरायणाः ॥

kartumarhasi notkaṇṭhāṃ tvadvidhā hyaviṣādinaḥ | lokavṛttāntatatvajñā nityaṃ dharmaparāyaṇāḥ

You should not grieve. Men like you do not lose heart; they know the truth of the world's ways and are ever devoted to dharma."

Verse 18 (3.219.18)

प्रज्ञया मानसं दुःखं हन्याच्छारीरमौषधैः । एतद्विज्ञानसामर्थ्यं न बालैः समतामियात् ॥

prajñayā mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ hanyācchārīramauṣadhaiḥ | etadvijñānasāmarthyaṃ na bālaiḥ samatāmiyāt

"One should destroy pain of the mind by wisdom and pain of the body by medicines. This is the power of knowledge: one should not sink to the level of the foolish.

Note on the text: Corrected बालै → बालैः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga, the critical edition reads bālaiḥ). इयात् is a recension variant of vrajet and is kept.

Verse 19 (3.219.19)

अनिष्टसंप्रयोगाच्च विप्रयोगात्प्रियस्य च । मनुष्या मानसैर्दुःखैर्युज्यन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः ॥

aniṣṭasaṃprayogācca viprayogātpriyasya ca | manuṣyā mānasairduḥkhairyujyante cālpabuddhayaḥ

It is men of little understanding who are struck by sorrows of the mind, from meeting what they do not want and being parted from what they love.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रयिस्य → प्रियस्य (misprint in Wikisource; vowel sign misplaced, the critical edition reads priyasya).

Verse 20 (3.219.20)

गुणैर्भूतानि युज्यन्ते वियुज्यन्ते तथैव च । सर्वाणि नैतदेकस्य शोकस्थानं हि विद्यते ॥

guṇairbhūtāni yujyante viyujyante tathaiva ca | sarvāṇi naitadekasya śokasthānaṃ hi vidyate

All beings are joined to their states and parted from them in the same way; this is not the lot of one person alone, so there is no ground for grief.

Verse 21 (3.219.21)

अनिष्टेनान्वितं पश्यंस्तथा क्षिप्रं विरज्यते । ततश्च प्रतिकुर्वन्ति यदि पश्यन्त्युपक्रमम् ॥

aniṣṭenānvitaṃ paśyaṃstathā kṣipraṃ virajyate | tataśca pratikurvanti yadi paśyantyupakramam

Seeing a thing bound up with what is unwelcome, a man quickly turns away from it; and if people see a way, they set about remedying it.

Note on the text: Corrected अनिष्टनान्वितं → अनिष्टेनान्वितं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, the critical edition reads aniṣṭenānvitaṃ). Verses 21–24 are the critical edition's 3.206.18–20, divided differently (unaligned automatically).

Verse 22 (3.219.22)

शोचतो न भवेत्किंचित्केवलं परितप्यते । परित्यजन्ति ये दुःखं सुखं वाऽप्युभयं नराः ॥

śocato na bhavetkiṃcitkevalaṃ paritapyate | parityajanti ye duḥkhaṃ sukhaṃ vā'pyubhayaṃ narāḥ

Nothing comes of grieving; one only torments oneself. Those men who give up sorrow and joy alike —

Verse 23 (3.219.23)

त एव सुखमेधन्ते ज्ञानतृप्ता मनीषिणः । असंतोषपरा मूढाः संतोषं यान्ति पण्डिताः ॥

ta eva sukhamedhante jñānatṛptā manīṣiṇaḥ | asaṃtoṣaparā mūḍhāḥ saṃtoṣaṃ yānti paṇḍitāḥ

they alone grow in happiness, wise men content in knowledge. Fools are bent on discontent; the learned attain contentment.

Note on the text: Corrected यानति → यान्ति (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, the critical edition reads yānti).

Verse 24 (3.219.24)

असंतोषस्य नास्त्यन्तस्तुष्टिस्तु परमं सुखम् । न शोचन्ति गताध्वानः पश्यन्तः परमां गतिम् ॥

asaṃtoṣasya nāstyantastuṣṭistu paramaṃ sukham | na śocanti gatādhvānaḥ paśyantaḥ paramāṃ gatim

There is no end to discontent; contentment is the highest happiness. Those who have travelled the road do not grieve, for they behold the highest goal.

Note on the text: Corrected गतिं → गतिम् at the end of the verse (anusvara written for final म् before the pause).

Verse 25 (3.219.25)

न विषादे मनः कार्यं विषादो विषमुत्तमम् । मारयत्यकृतप्रज्ञं बालं क्रुद्ध इवोरगः ॥

na viṣāde manaḥ kāryaṃ viṣādo viṣamuttamam | mārayatyakṛtaprajñaṃ bālaṃ kruddha ivoragaḥ

Do not set your mind on despondency; despondency is the deadliest poison. It kills the man of untrained understanding as an angry snake kills a child.

Verse 26 (3.219.26)

यं विषादोऽभिभवति विषमे समुपस्थिते । तेजसा तस्य हीनस्य पुरुषार्थो न विद्यते ॥

yaṃ viṣādo'bhibhavati viṣame samupasthite | tejasā tasya hīnasya puruṣārtho na vidyate

When hardship comes and despondency overwhelms a man, his vigour fails, and for him no human aim can be achieved.

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition reads tasya) and separated यंविषादो → यं विषादो (word-spacing slip).

Verse 27 (3.219.27)

अवश्यं क्रियमाणस्य कर्मणो दृश्यते फलम् । न हि निर्वेदमागम्य किंचित्प्राप्नोति शोभनम् ॥

avaśyaṃ kriyamāṇasya karmaṇo dṛśyate phalam | na hi nirvedamāgamya kiṃcitprāpnoti śobhanam

The fruit of a deed that is done is surely seen; but no one gains anything good by giving way to despair.

Note on the text: Corrected क्रियमाणस् → क्रियमाणस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition reads kriyamāṇasya).

Verse 28 (3.219.28)

अथाप्युपायं पश्येत दुःखस्य परिमोक्षणे । अशोचन्नारभेतैव युक्तश्चाव्यसनी भवेत् ॥

athāpyupāyaṃ paśyeta duḥkhasya parimokṣaṇe | aśocannārabhetaiva yuktaścāvyasanī bhavet

Rather, one should look for a means of release from sorrow, and without grieving set to work, diligent and free from vice.

Note on the text: Corrected दुःखस् → दुःखस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition reads duḥkhasya).

Verse 29 (3.219.29)

भूतेष्वभावं संचिन्त्य ये तु बुद्धेः परं गताः । न शोचन्ति कृतप्रज्ञाः पश्यन्तः परमां गतिम् ॥

bhūteṣvabhāvaṃ saṃcintya ye tu buddheḥ paraṃ gatāḥ | na śocanti kṛtaprajñāḥ paśyantaḥ paramāṃ gatim

Those who reflect on the impermanence of beings and have passed beyond the intellect to the Supreme — those wise men do not grieve, for they behold the highest goal.

Verse 30 (3.219.30)

न शोचामि रमे विद्वन्कालाकाङ्क्षी स्थितोस्म्यहम् । एतैर्निदर्शनैर्ब्रह्मन्नावसीदामि सत्तम ॥

na śocāmi rame vidvankālākāṅkṣī sthitosmyaham | etairnidarśanairbrahmannāvasīdāmi sattama

I do not grieve, learned one; I am content, and I stand awaiting my time. Because of these examples, brahmin, best of the good, I do not lose heart."

Verse 31 (3.219.31)

कृतप्रज्ञोसि मेधावी बुद्धिश्च विपुला तव । पापान्निवृत्तोसि सदा ज्ञानवृद्धोसि धर्मवित् ॥

kṛtaprajñosi medhāvī buddhiśca vipulā tava | pāpānnivṛttosi sadā jñānavṛddhosi dharmavit

"You are wise and intelligent, and your understanding is vast. You have always turned away from sin; you are rich in knowledge and you know dharma.

Note on the text: The second line (पापान्निवृत्तोसि सदा ज्ञानवृद्धोसि धर्मवित्) is a recension variant of the critical edition's nāhaṃ bhavantaṃ śocāmi jñānatṛpto 'si dharmavit and is kept.

Verse 32 (3.219.32)

आपृच्छे त्वां स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु धर्मस्त्वां परिरक्षतु । अप्रमादस्तु कर्तव्यो धर्मे धर्मभृतांवर ॥

āpṛcche tvāṃ svasti te'stu dharmastvāṃ parirakṣatu | apramādastu kartavyo dharme dharmabhṛtāṃvara

I take my leave of you. Fare well, and may dharma protect you. Be ever watchful in dharma, best of those who uphold it."

Verse 33 (3.219.33)

बाढमित्येव तं व्याधः कृताञ्जलिरुवाच ह । प्रदक्षिणमथो कृत्वा प्रस्थितो द्विजसत्तमः ॥

bāḍhamityeva taṃ vyādhaḥ kṛtāñjaliruvāca ha | pradakṣiṇamatho kṛtvā prasthito dvijasattamaḥ

"'So be it,' the hunter said to him with joined palms; and the best of brahmins walked around him in reverence and departed.

Verse 34 (3.219.34)

स तु गत्वा द्विजः सर्वां शुश्रूषां कृतवांस्तदा । मातापितृभ्यामन्धाभ्यां यथान्यायं सुसंशितः ॥

sa tu gatvā dvijaḥ sarvāṃ śuśrūṣāṃ kṛtavāṃstadā | mātāpitṛbhyāmandhābhyāṃ yathānyāyaṃ susaṃśitaḥ

The brahmin went home and, firm in his resolve, rendered every service to his blind mother and father, as was right.

Note on the text: Separated गत्वाद्विजः → गत्वा द्विजः (word-spacing slip in Wikisource). अन्धाभ्याम् is a recension variant of vṛddhābhyām and is kept.

Verse 35 (3.219.35)

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं निखिलेन युधिष्ठिर । पृष्टवानसि यं तात धर्मं धर्मभृतांवर ॥

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ nikhilena yudhiṣṭhira | pṛṣṭavānasi yaṃ tāta dharmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃvara

I have told you all of this in full, Yudhishthira — the dharma you asked me about, my son, best of the upholders of dharma:

Verse 36 (3.219.36)

पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणस्य च सत्तम । मातापित्रोश्च शुश्रूषा धर्मव्याधेन कीर्तिता ॥

pativratāyā māhātmyaṃ brāhmaṇasya ca sattama | mātāpitrośca śuśrūṣā dharmavyādhena kīrtitā

the greatness of the faithful wife and of the brahmin, best of men, and the service of mother and father, as the righteous hunter declared it."

Verse 37 (3.219.37)

अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन्धर्माख्यानमनुत्तमम् । सर्वधर्मविदांश्रेष्ठ कथितं मुनिसत्तम ॥

atyadbhutamidaṃ brahmandharmākhyānamanuttamam | sarvadharmavidāṃśreṣṭha kathitaṃ munisattama

"Brahmin, best of all who know dharma, best of sages, this tale of dharma you have told is most wonderful and unsurpassed.

Verse 38 (3.219.38)

सुखश्राव्यतया विद्वन्मुहूर्त इव मे गतः । न हि तृप्तोस्मि भगवञ्शृण्वानो धर्ममुत्तमम् ॥

sukhaśrāvyatayā vidvanmuhūrta iva me gataḥ | na hi tṛptosmi bhagavañśṛṇvāno dharmamuttamam

It was so pleasant to hear, learned one, that the time has passed for me like a moment. Blessed one, I am not sated as I listen to this highest dharma."