From Naimisha to Gaya; the Sacrifices of King Gaya

Verse 1 (3.93.1)

ते तथा सहिता वीरा वसन्तस्तत्र तत्र ह । क्रमेण पृथिवीपाल नैमिषारण्यमागताः ॥

te tathā sahitā vīrā vasantastatra tatra ha | krameṇa pṛthivīpāla naimiṣāraṇyamāgatāḥ

So, staying here and there together, the heroes came in due course to the Naimisha forest, protector of the earth.

Note on the text: Corrected ने → ते (misprint in Wikisource; न for त; the critical edition reads te) and restored a missing word space (तत्रतत्र → तत्र तत्र).

Verse 2 (3.93.2)

ततस्तीर्थेषु पुण्येषु गोमत्याः पाण्डवा नृप । कृताभिषेकाः प्रददुर्गाश्च वित्तं च भारत ॥

tatastīrtheṣu puṇyeṣu gomatyāḥ pāṇḍavā nṛpa | kṛtābhiṣekāḥ pradadurgāśca vittaṃ ca bhārata

Then, O king, the Pandavas bathed at the holy tirthas of the Gomati and gave away cows and wealth, Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्स्तीर्थेषु → ततस्तीर्थेषु (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara; the critical edition reads tatas tīrtheṣu).

Verse 3 (3.93.3)

तत्र देवान्पितॄन्विप्रांस्तर्पयित्वा पुनःपुनः । कन्यातीर्थेऽश्वतीर्थे च गवां तीर्थे च भारत ॥

tatra devānpitṝnviprāṃstarpayitvā punaḥpunaḥ | kanyātīrthe'śvatīrthe ca gavāṃ tīrthe ca bhārata

There they offered again and again to the gods, the ancestors and the brahmins, at Kanyatirtha, at Ashvatirtha and at Gotirtha, Bharata.

Verse 4 (3.93.4)

कालकोट्यां वृषप्रस्थे गिरावुष्य च कौरवाः । बाहुदायां महीपाल चक्रुः सर्वेऽभिषेचनम् ॥

kālakoṭyāṃ vṛṣaprasthe girāvuṣya ca kauravāḥ | bāhudāyāṃ mahīpāla cakruḥ sarve'bhiṣecanam

At Kalakoti, and having stayed on the hill of Vrishaprastha, the Kauravas all bathed in the Bahuda, lord of the earth.

Note on the text: Corrected विपप्रस्थे → वृषप्रस्थे (misprint in Wikisource; the place is the hill Vrishaprastha, and the critical edition reads vṛṣaprasthe). Wikisource's कालकोट्यां (for vālakoṭyāṃ) and कौरवाः (for pāṇḍavāḥ) are recension variants.

Verse 5 (3.93.5)

प्रयागे देवयजने देवानां पृथिवीपते । ऊषुराप्लुत्य गात्राणि तपश्चातस्थुरुत्तमम् ॥

prayāge devayajane devānāṃ pṛthivīpate | ūṣurāplutya gātrāṇi tapaścātasthuruttamam

At Prayaga, the place where the gods offer sacrifice, lord of the earth, they bathed their limbs, stayed, and practised the highest austerity.

Note on the text: Corrected ऊषुगप्लुत्य → ऊषुराप्लुत्य (misprint in Wikisource; ग for रा; the critical edition reads ūṣur āplutya).

Verse 6 (3.93.6)

गङ्गायमुनयोश्चैव संगमे सत्यसंगराः । विपाप्मानो महात्मानो विप्रेभ्यः प्रददुर्वसु ॥

gaṅgāyamunayoścaiva saṃgame satyasaṃgarāḥ | vipāpmāno mahātmāno viprebhyaḥ pradadurvasu

And at the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, those great souls, true to their word and freed from sin, gave riches to the brahmins.

Verse 7 (3.93.7)

तपस्विजनजुष्टां च ततो वेदीं प्रजापतेः । जग्मुः पाण्डुसुता राजन्ब्राह्मणैः सह भारत ॥

tapasvijanajuṣṭāṃ ca tato vedīṃ prajāpateḥ | jagmuḥ pāṇḍusutā rājanbrāhmaṇaiḥ saha bhārata

Then the sons of Pandu, O king, went with the brahmins, Bharata, to the altar of Prajapati, frequented by ascetics.

Verse 8 (3.93.8)

तत्र ते न्यवसन्वीरास्तपश्चातस्थुरुत्तमम् । संतर्पयन्तः सततं वन्येन हविषा द्विजान् ॥

tatra te nyavasanvīrāstapaścātasthuruttamam | saṃtarpayantaḥ satataṃ vanyena haviṣā dvijān

There the heroes dwelt and practised the highest austerity, constantly feeding the brahmins with the offerings of the forest.

Verse 9 (3.93.9)

ततो महीधरं जग्मुर्धर्मज्ञेनाभिसत्कृतम् । राजर्षिणा पुण्यकृता गयेनानुपमद्युते ॥

tato mahīdharaṃ jagmurdharmajñenābhisatkṛtam | rājarṣiṇā puṇyakṛtā gayenānupamadyute

Then, O king of matchless splendour, they went to the mountain honoured by the royal sage Gaya, who knew dharma and did holy deeds,

Verse 10 (3.93.10)

नगो गयशिरो यत्र पुण्या चैव महानदी । वानीरमालिनी रम्या नदी पुलिनशोभिता ॥

nago gayaśiro yatra puṇyā caiva mahānadī | vānīramālinī ramyā nadī pulinaśobhitā

where stand the hill Gayashiras and the holy great river, a lovely stream garlanded with reeds and graced with sandy banks;

Note on the text: The first line is the critical edition's 3.93.10ab, which the automatic alignment missed; Wikisource's नगो (for saro, which Nilakantha notes as another reading) is a recension variant. The second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension), which records it in its apparatus as line 1 of 3.93.10b*0476.

Verse 11 (3.93.11)

दिव्यं पवित्रकूटं च पवित्रधरणीधरम् । ऋषिजुष्टं सुपुण्यं तत्तीर्थं ब्रह्मसरोऽतुलम् ॥

divyaṃ pavitrakūṭaṃ ca pavitradharaṇīdharam | ṛṣijuṣṭaṃ supuṇyaṃ tattīrthaṃ brahmasaro'tulam

the divine Pavitrakuta, the holy mountain; and the incomparable Brahmasaras, a most sacred tirtha frequented by seers;

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मसरोतुलम् → ब्रह्मसरोऽतुलम् (misprint in Wikisource; a missing avagraha; 'the incomparable Brahmasaras'; the critical edition reads brahmasarottamam). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension), which records it in its apparatus as line 2 of 3.93.10b*0476; the second line is the critical edition's 3.93.10cd, which the automatic alignment missed.

Verse 12 (3.93.12)

अगस्त्यो भगवान्यत्र गतो वैवस्वतं प्रति । उवास च स्वयं तत्र धर्मराजः सनातनः ॥

agastyo bhagavānyatra gato vaivasvataṃ prati | uvāsa ca svayaṃ tatra dharmarājaḥ sanātanaḥ

where the blessed Agastya went to Vaivasvata, and where the eternal King of Dharma himself dwelt;

Note on the text: Corrected रउवास → उवास (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र). Wikisource's धर्मराजः (for dharmo rājan) is a recension variant.

Verse 13 (3.93.13)

सर्वासां सरितां चैव समुद्भेदो विशांपते । यत्र संनिहितो नित्यं महादेवः पिनाकधृक् ॥

sarvāsāṃ saritāṃ caiva samudbhedo viśāṃpate | yatra saṃnihito nityaṃ mahādevaḥ pinākadhṛk

where all the rivers spring forth, lord of the people, and where Mahadeva, bearer of the Pinaka bow, is ever present.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (यत्रसंनिहितो → यत्र संनिहितो).

Verse 14 (3.93.14)

परिपूर्णः परंज्योतिः परमात्मा सनातनः । ब्रह्मादिभिरुपास्योऽयं भगवान्परमेश्वरः ॥

paripūrṇaḥ paraṃjyotiḥ paramātmā sanātanaḥ | brahmādibhirupāsyo'yaṃ bhagavānparameśvaraḥ

He is the Complete, the supreme Light, the eternal supreme Self; this blessed supreme Lord is worshipped by Brahma and the other gods.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (`) at the start of the verse. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); unlike the other additions in this adhyaya, this verse and the next are not recorded in the critical edition's apparatus here either.

Verse 15 (3.93.15)

तं प्रणम्य महादेवं चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम् । सिद्धिक्षेत्रमिदं मत्वा सर्वेषां मोक्षकाङ्क्षिणाम् ॥

taṃ praṇamya mahādevaṃ caturvargaphalapradam | siddhikṣetramidaṃ matvā sarveṣāṃ mokṣakāṅkṣiṇām

Bowing to that Mahadeva, giver of the fruit of the four aims of life, and deeming this place a field of perfection for all who seek liberation,

Note on the text: Corrected रसिद्धिक्षेत्रमिदं → सिद्धिक्षेत्रमिदं (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र that makes the pada a syllable too long) and restored missing word spaces (मत्वासर्वेषांमोक्षकाङ्क्षिणाम् → मत्वा सर्वेषां मोक्षकाङ्क्षिणाम्). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension), nor in its apparatus here.

Verse 16 (3.93.16)

तत्र ते पाण्डवा वीराश्चातुर्मास्यैस्तदेजिरे । ऋषियज्ञेन महता यत्राक्षयवटो महान् । अक्षये देवयजने अक्षयं यत्र वै फलम् ॥

tatra te pāṇḍavā vīrāścāturmāsyaistadejire | ṛṣiyajñena mahatā yatrākṣayavaṭo mahān | akṣaye devayajane akṣayaṃ yatra vai phalam

there the heroic Pandavas then worshipped with the Chaturmasya rites, with a great sacrifice of the seers, where stands the great undying banyan. At that undying place of sacrifice to the gods, the fruit is undying.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (यत्रवै → यत्र वै). The first two lines are the critical edition's 3.93.13, which the automatic alignment missed; the third is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension), which records it in its apparatus as line 1 of 3.93.13d*0477.

Verse 17 (3.93.17)

ये तु तत्रोपवासांस्तु चक्रुर्निश्चितमानसाः । ब्राह्मणास्तत्र शतशः समाजग्मुस्तपोधनाः ॥

ye tu tatropavāsāṃstu cakrurniścitamānasāḥ | brāhmaṇāstatra śataśaḥ samājagmustapodhanāḥ

Brahmins rich in austerity, who had kept fasts there with resolute minds, gathered there in their hundreds.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तत्रशतशः → तत्र शतशः). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension), which records it in its apparatus as line 2 of 3.93.13d*0477 (with te for ये); the second is the critical edition's 3.93.14ab, which the automatic alignment missed.

Verse 18 (3.93.18)

चातुर्मास्येनायजन्त आर्षेण विधिना तदा । तत्र विद्यातपोवृद्धा ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । कथां प्रचक्रिरे पुण्यां सदसिस्था महात्मनाम् ॥

cāturmāsyenāyajanta ārṣeṇa vidhinā tadā | tatra vidyātapovṛddhā brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | kathāṃ pracakrire puṇyāṃ sadasisthā mahātmanām

They performed the Chaturmasya sacrifice by the rite of the seers. And there brahmins great in learning and austerity, masters of the Vedas, seated in the assembly, told holy tales of great souls.

Note on the text: The first line is the critical edition's 3.93.14cd and the other two its 3.93.15 (विद्यातपोवृद्धा and the singular कथां पुण्यां are recension variants); the automatic alignment missed them.

Verse 19 (3.93.19)

तत्र विद्याव्रतस्नातः कौमारं व्रतमास्थितः । शमठोऽकथयद्राजन्नाधूर्तरजसं गयम् ॥

tatra vidyāvratasnātaḥ kaumāraṃ vratamāsthitaḥ | śamaṭho'kathayadrājannādhūrtarajasaṃ gayam

There Shamatha, who had completed his studies and vows and kept the vow of lifelong celibacy, told of Gaya, son of Adhurtarajas, O king.

Note on the text: Wikisource names Gaya's father आधूर्तरजस् here and in verse 20; the critical edition has Amūrtarayas. Kept as printed.

Verse 20 (3.93.20)

आधूर्तरजसः पुत्रो गयो राजर्षिसत्तमः । पुण्यानि तस्य कर्माणि तानि मे शृणु भारत ॥

ādhūrtarajasaḥ putro gayo rājarṣisattamaḥ | puṇyāni tasya karmāṇi tāni me śṛṇu bhārata

Gaya, son of Adhurtarajas, was the best of royal sages. Hear from me his holy deeds, Bharata.

Verse 21 (3.93.21)

यस्य यज्ञो बभूवेह बह्वन्नो बहुदक्षिणः । यत्रान्नपर्वता राजञ्शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

yasya yajño babhūveha bahvanno bahudakṣiṇaḥ | yatrānnaparvatā rājañśataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

His sacrifice took place here, with abundant food and abundant gifts, where there were mountains of food, O king, by the hundreds and the thousands,

Verse 22 (3.93.22)

घृतकुल्याश्च दध्नश्च नद्यो बहुशतास्तथा । व्यञ्जनानां प्रवाहाश्च महार्हाणां सहस्रशः ॥

ghṛtakulyāśca dadhnaśca nadyo bahuśatāstathā | vyañjanānāṃ pravāhāśca mahārhāṇāṃ sahasraśaḥ

channels of ghee and hundreds of rivers of curds, and flowing streams of costly relishes by the thousands.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width joiner inside व्यञ्जनानां.

Verse 23 (3.93.23)

अहन्यहनि चाप्येवं याचतां संप्रदीयते । अन्ये च ब्राह्मणा राजन्भुञ्जतेऽन्नं सुसंस्कृतम् ॥

ahanyahani cāpyevaṃ yācatāṃ saṃpradīyate | anye ca brāhmaṇā rājanbhuñjate'nnaṃ susaṃskṛtam

Day after day this was given to all who asked; and other brahmins, O king, ate food that had been well prepared.

Verse 24 (3.93.24)

तत्र वै दक्षिणाकाले ब्रह्मघोषो दिवं गतः । न च प्रज्ञायते किंचिद्ब्रह्मशब्देन भारत ॥

tatra vai dakṣiṇākāle brahmaghoṣo divaṃ gataḥ | na ca prajñāyate kiṃcidbrahmaśabdena bhārata

There, at the time of the gifts, the sound of the Vedas rose to heaven, and nothing else could be heard above the sound of the holy chant, Bharata.

Verse 25 (3.93.25)

पुण्येन चरता राजन्भूर्दिशः खं नभस्तथा । आपूर्णमासीच्छब्देन तदप्यासीन्महाद्भुतम् ॥

puṇyena caratā rājanbhūrdiśaḥ khaṃ nabhastathā | āpūrṇamāsīcchabdena tadapyāsīnmahādbhutam

Earth, the quarters, the sky and the heavens were filled with that holy sound as it spread, O king; that too was a great wonder.

Verse 26 (3.93.26)

यत्र स्म गाथा गायन्ति मनुष्या भरतर्षभ । अन्नपानैः शुभैस्तृप्ता देशे देशे सुवर्चसः ॥

yatra sma gāthā gāyanti manuṣyā bharatarṣabha | annapānaiḥ śubhaistṛptā deśe deśe suvarcasaḥ

There, bull of the Bharatas, men full of splendour, satisfied with fine food and drink, sang these verses in land after land:

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (यत्रस्म → यत्र स्म) and corrected मरतर्षभ → भरतर्षभ (misprint in Wikisource; म for भ; the critical edition reads bharatarṣabha).

Verse 27 (3.93.27)

गयस्य यज्ञे के त्वद्य प्राणिनो भोक्तुमीप्सवः । तत्र भोजनशिष्टस्य पर्वताः पञ्चविंशतिः ॥

gayasya yajñe ke tvadya prāṇino bhoktumīpsavaḥ | tatra bhojanaśiṣṭasya parvatāḥ pañcaviṃśatiḥ

'What creatures are there now who still wish to eat at Gaya's sacrifice? Of the food left over there stand twenty-five mountains.'

Verse 28 (3.93.28)

न तत्पूर्वे जनाश्चक्रुर्न करिष्यन्ति चापरे । गयो यदकरोद्यज्ञे राजर्षिरमितद्युतिः ॥

na tatpūrve janāścakrurna kariṣyanti cāpare | gayo yadakarodyajñe rājarṣiramitadyutiḥ

'What the royal sage Gaya of boundless splendour did in his sacrifice, men before him never did, nor will those who come after.'

Verse 29 (3.93.29)

कथं तु देवा हविषा गयेन परितर्पिताः । पुनः शक्ष्यन्त्युपादातुमन्यैर्दत्तानि कानिचित् ॥

kathaṃ tu devā haviṣā gayena paritarpitāḥ | punaḥ śakṣyantyupādātumanyairdattāni kānicit

'Having been sated with oblations by Gaya, how will the gods ever again be able to accept anything given by others?'

Note on the text: Corrected पुन → पुनः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped visarga; the critical edition reads punaḥ).

Verse 30 (3.93.30)

सिकता वा यथा लोके यथा वा दिवि तारकाः । यथा वा वर्षतो धारा असंख्येयाः स्म केनचित् । तथा गणयितुं शक्या गययज्ञे न दक्षिणाः ॥

sikatā vā yathā loke yathā vā divi tārakāḥ | yathā vā varṣato dhārā asaṃkhyeyāḥ sma kenacit | tathā gaṇayituṃ śakyā gayayajñe na dakṣiṇāḥ

'As the grains of sand on earth, as the stars in the sky, as the streams of falling rain can be counted by no one, so the gifts at Gaya's sacrifice cannot be counted.'

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (वर्षतोधारा → वर्षतो धारा). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it in its apparatus as 3.93.26d*0478.

Verse 31 (3.93.31)

एवंविधाः सुबहवस्तस्य यज्ञा महीपतेः । बभूवुरस्य सरसः समीपे कुरुनन्दन ॥

evaṃvidhāḥ subahavastasya yajñā mahīpateḥ | babhūvurasya sarasaḥ samīpe kurunandana

Many such sacrifices of that king took place near this lake, delight of the Kurus.