The Brahmin Gives Pritha the Mantra

Verse 1 (3.306.1)

सा तु कन्या महाराज ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम् । तोषयामास शुद्धेन मनसा संशितव्रता ॥

sā tu kanyā mahārāja brāhmaṇaṃ saṃśitavratam | toṣayāmāsa śuddhena manasā saṃśitavratā

That maiden, great king, firm in her own vows, satisfied with a pure heart the Brahmin of rigorous vows.

Verse 2 (3.306.2)

प्रातरेष्याम्यथेत्युक्त्वा कदाचिद्द्विजसत्तमः । तत आयाति राजेन्द्र सायं रात्रावथो पुनः ॥

prātareṣyāmyathetyuktvā kadāciddvijasattamaḥ | tata āyāti rājendra sāyaṃ rātrāvatho punaḥ

Sometimes the best of Brahmins would say, "I shall come in the morning," and then come in the evening, or at night, lord of kings.

Verse 3 (3.306.3)

तं च सर्वासु वेलासु भक्ष्यभोज्यप्रतिश्रयैः । पूजयामास सा कन्या वर्धमानैस्तु सर्वदा ॥

taṃ ca sarvāsu velāsu bhakṣyabhojyapratiśrayaiḥ | pūjayāmāsa sā kanyā vardhamānaistu sarvadā

At every hour the maiden honoured him with food of all kinds and with lodging, ever more lavishly.

Verse 4 (3.306.4)

अन्नादिसमुदाचारः शय्यासनकृतस्तथा । दिवसेदिवसे तस्य वर्धते न तु हीयते ॥

annādisamudācāraḥ śayyāsanakṛtastathā | divasedivase tasya vardhate na tu hīyate

The service of food and the rest, of bed and seat, grew for him day by day and never dwindled.

Verse 5 (3.306.5)

निर्भर्त्सनापवादैश्च तथैवाप्रियया गिरा । ब्राह्मणस्य पृथा राजन्न चकाराप्रियं तदा ॥

nirbhartsanāpavādaiśca tathaivāpriyayā girā | brāhmaṇasya pṛthā rājanna cakārāpriyaṃ tadā

Even in the face of the Brahmin's scolding and reproaches and his harsh words, Pritha did nothing at that time to displease him, O king.

Verse 6 (3.306.6)

स्वप्नकाले पुनश्चैति न चैति बहुशो द्विजः । सुदुर्लभमपि ह्यन्नं दीयतामिति सोऽब्रवीत् ॥

svapnakāle punaścaiti na caiti bahuśo dvijaḥ | sudurlabhamapi hyannaṃ dīyatāmiti so'bravīt

The Brahmin would come back at the hour of sleep, and often would not come at all; and he would say, "Let food be given me," even food that was very hard to obtain.

Verse 7 (3.306.7)

कृतमेव च तत्सर्वं यथा तस्मै न्यवेदयत् । शिष्यवत्पुत्रवच्चैव स्वसृवच्च सुसंयता ॥

kṛtameva ca tatsarvaṃ yathā tasmai nyavedayat | śiṣyavatputravaccaiva svasṛvacca susaṃyatā

And she, well disciplined, would report it to him all done just as he wished, like a pupil, like a son, like a sister.

Verse 8 (3.306.8)

यथोपजोषं राजेन्द्र द्विजातिप्रवरस्य सा । प्रीतिमुत्पादयामास कन्यारत्नमनिन्दिता ॥

yathopajoṣaṃ rājendra dvijātipravarasya sā | prītimutpādayāmāsa kanyāratnamaninditā

Just as he liked it, lord of kings, that blameless jewel of a maiden gave delight to the best of the twice-born.

Verse 9 (3.306.9)

तस्यास्तु शीलवृत्तेन तुतोष द्विजसत्तमः । अवधानेन भूयोऽस्याः परं यत्नमथाकरोत् ॥

tasyāstu śīlavṛttena tutoṣa dvijasattamaḥ | avadhānena bhūyo'syāḥ paraṃ yatnamathākarot

The best of Brahmins was pleased by her character and conduct, and in his meditation he then made a still greater effort for her good.

Note on the text: Corrected तुतोप → तुतोष (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads tutoṣa).

Verse 10 (3.306.10)

तां प्रभाते च सायं च पिता पप्रच्छ भारत । अपि तुष्यति ते पुत्रि ब्राह्मणः परिचर्यया ॥

tāṃ prabhāte ca sāyaṃ ca pitā papraccha bhārata | api tuṣyati te putri brāhmaṇaḥ paricaryayā

Morning and evening, Bharata, her father would ask her, "Daughter, is the Brahmin pleased with your service?"

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (अपितुष्यतिते → अपि तुष्यति ते).

Verse 11 (3.306.11)

तं सा परममित्येव प्रत्युवाच यशस्विनी । ततः प्रीतिमवापाग्र्यां कुन्तिभोजो महामनाः ॥

taṃ sā paramamityeva pratyuvāca yaśasvinī | tataḥ prītimavāpāgryāṃ kuntibhojo mahāmanāḥ

"Very much so," the renowned girl would answer him; and at that the great-minded Kuntibhoja felt the highest joy.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (परममित्येवप्रत्युवाच → परममित्येव प्रत्युवाच).

Verse 12 (3.306.12)

ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे यदाऽसौ जपतां वरः । नापश्यद्दुष्कृतं किंचित्पृथायाः सौहृदे रतः ॥

tataḥ saṃvatsare pūrṇe yadā'sau japatāṃ varaḥ | nāpaśyadduṣkṛtaṃ kiṃcitpṛthāyāḥ sauhṛde rataḥ

Then, when a full year had passed and that best of those who pray, intent on her welfare, had seen no fault at all in Pritha,

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (जपतांवरः → जपतां वरः). Restored a missing word space (दुष्कृतंकिंचित् → दुष्कृतं किंचित्).

Verse 13 (3.306.13)

ततः प्रीतमना भूत्वा स एनां ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीत् । प्रीतोस्मि परमं भद्रे परिचारेण ते शुभे ॥

tataḥ prītamanā bhūtvā sa enāṃ brāhmaṇo'bravīt | prītosmi paramaṃ bhadre paricāreṇa te śubhe

the Brahmin, glad at heart, said to her: "I am very pleased with your service, good and gracious girl."

Verse 14 (3.306.14)

वरान्वृणीष्व कल्याणि दूरापान्मानुषैरिह । यैस्त्वं सीमन्तिनीः सर्वा यशसाऽभिभविष्यसि ॥

varānvṛṇīṣva kalyāṇi dūrāpānmānuṣairiha | yaistvaṃ sīmantinīḥ sarvā yaśasā'bhibhaviṣyasi

"Choose boons, lovely one, such as men here can hardly win, by which you will surpass all women in renown."

Note on the text: Corrected क्रल्याणि → कल्याणि (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र; the critical edition reads kalyāṇi). Corrected मानुपैरिह → मानुषैरिह (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads mānuṣair iha). Restored a missing word space (सर्वायशसाऽभिमविष्यसि → सर्वा यशसाऽभिमविष्यसि). Corrected ऽभिमविष्यसि → ऽभिभविष्यसि (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ; the critical edition reads abhibhaviṣyasi).

Verse 15 (3.306.15)

कृतानि मम सर्वाणि यस्या मे वेदवित्तम । त्वं प्रसन्नः पिता चैव कृतं विप्र वरैर्मम ॥

kṛtāni mama sarvāṇi yasyā me vedavittama | tvaṃ prasannaḥ pitā caiva kṛtaṃ vipra varairmama

"Everything has already been accomplished for me, since you, most learned in the Veda, and my father are pleased with me. I have no need of boons, Brahmin."

Note on the text: Corrected सस्या मे → यस्या मे (misprint in Wikisource; स for य; the critical edition reads yasyā me).

Verse 16 (3.306.16)

यदि नेच्छसि मत्तस्त्वं वरं भद्रे शुचिस्मिते । इमं मन्त्रं गृहाण त्वमाह्वानाय दिवौकसाम् ॥

yadi necchasi mattastvaṃ varaṃ bhadre śucismite | imaṃ mantraṃ gṛhāṇa tvamāhvānāya divaukasām

"If you want no boon from me, good girl of the bright smile, then take this mantra for summoning the dwellers of heaven."

Note on the text: Corrected त्वमाह्रानाय → त्वमाह्वानाय (misprint in Wikisource; ह्र for ह्व; the critical edition reads āhvānāya).

Verse 17 (3.306.17)

यंयं देवं त्वमेतेन मन्त्रेणावाहयिष्यसि । तेनतेन वशे भद्रे स्थातव्यं ते भविष्यति ॥

yaṃyaṃ devaṃ tvametena mantreṇāvāhayiṣyasi | tenatena vaśe bhadre sthātavyaṃ te bhaviṣyati

"Whatever god you summon with this mantra will have to come under your power, good girl."

Verse 18 (3.306.18)

अकामो वा सकामो वा स समेष्यति ते वशे । विबुधो मन्त्रसंभ्रान्तो वाक्यैर्भृत्य इवानतः ॥

akāmo vā sakāmo vā sa sameṣyati te vaśe | vibudho mantrasaṃbhrānto vākyairbhṛtya ivānataḥ

"Unwilling or willing, he will come under your power — the god, overwhelmed by the mantra, bowing to your words like a servant."

Verse 19 (3.306.19)

न शशाक द्वितीयं सा प्रत्याख्यातुमनिन्दिता । तं वै द्विजातिप्रवरं तदा शापभयान्नृप ॥

na śaśāka dvitīyaṃ sā pratyākhyātumaninditā | taṃ vai dvijātipravaraṃ tadā śāpabhayānnṛpa

The blameless girl could not refuse that best of Brahmins a second time, O king, for fear of a curse.

Note on the text: Corrected शशक → शशाक (misprint in Wikisource; the ā-sign dropped; the critical edition reads śaśāka).

Verse 20 (3.306.20)

ततस्तामनवद्याङ्गीं ग्राहयामास स द्विजः । मन्त्रग्रामं तदा राजन्नथर्वशिरसि श्रुतम् ॥

tatastāmanavadyāṅgīṃ grāhayāmāsa sa dvijaḥ | mantragrāmaṃ tadā rājannatharvaśirasi śrutam

Then, O king, the Brahmin taught the flawless girl that set of mantras which is heard in the Atharvashiras.

Verse 21 (3.306.21)

तं प्रदाय तु राजेन्द्र कुन्तिभोजमुवाच ह । उषितोस्मि सुखं राजन्कन्यया परितोषितः ॥

taṃ pradāya tu rājendra kuntibhojamuvāca ha | uṣitosmi sukhaṃ rājankanyayā paritoṣitaḥ

Having given it to her, lord of kings, he said to Kuntibhoja: "I have lived happily, O king, well satisfied by your daughter,"

Note on the text: Corrected उपितोस्मि → उषितोस्मि (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads uṣito 'smi). Corrected परितोपितः → परितोषितः (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads paritoṣitaḥ).

Verse 22 (3.306.22)

तव गेहे सुविहितः सदा सुप्रतिपूजितः । साधयिष्यामहे तावदित्युक्त्वाऽन्तरधीयत ॥

tava gehe suvihitaḥ sadā supratipūjitaḥ | sādhayiṣyāmahe tāvadityuktvā'ntaradhīyata

"well cared for in your house and always honoured. Now we shall be on our way." Saying this, he vanished.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तवगेहे → तव गेहे).

Verse 23 (3.306.23)

स तु राजा द्विजं दृष्ट्वा तत्रैवान्तर्हितं तदा । बभूव विस्मयाविष्टः पृथां च समपूजयत् ॥

sa tu rājā dvijaṃ dṛṣṭvā tatraivāntarhitaṃ tadā | babhūva vismayāviṣṭaḥ pṛthāṃ ca samapūjayat

The king, seeing the Brahmin vanish right there, was filled with wonder and showed honour to Pritha.