Agastya's Sacrifice and the Rain

Verse 1 (14.94.1)

धर्मागतेन त्यागेन भगवन्सर्वमस्ति चेत् । एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व कुशलो ह्यसि भाषितुम् ॥

dharmāgatena tyāgena bhagavansarvamasti cet | etanme sarvamācakṣva kuśalo hyasi bhāṣitum

Blessed one, if everything is gained through a gift made in accordance with dharma, then tell me all of this, for you are skilled in speaking.

Verse 2 (14.94.2)

तस्योञ्छवृत्तेर्यद्वृत्तं सक्तुदाने फलं महत् । कथितं तु मम ब्रह्मंस्तथ्यमेतदसंशयम् ॥

tasyoñchavṛtteryadvṛttaṃ saktudāne phalaṃ mahat | kathitaṃ tu mama brahmaṃstathyametadasaṃśayam

O brahmin, you have told me of the great fruit that came from the gift of barley-meal by that gleaner, and that it is true beyond doubt.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.2a reads 'tatoñchavṛtter', 2c 'kathitaṃ me mahad brahmaṃs'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 3 (14.94.3)

कथं हि सर्वयज्ञेषु निश्चयः परमो भवेत् । एतदर्हसि मे वक्तुं निखिलेन द्विजर्षभ ॥

kathaṃ hi sarvayajñeṣu niścayaḥ paramo bhavet | etadarhasi me vaktuṃ nikhilena dvijarṣabha

How is the highest conclusion about all sacrifices to be reached? Please explain this to me fully, O best of the twice-born.

Verse 4 (14.94.4)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । अगस्त्यस्य महायज्ञे पुरावृत्तमरिंदम ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | agastyasya mahāyajñe purāvṛttamariṃdama

On this point they also cite this ancient tale, O subduer of enemies, of what happened long ago at the great sacrifice of Agastya.

Verse 5 (14.94.5)

पुराऽगस्त्यो महातेजा दीक्षां द्वादशवार्षिकीम् । प्रविवेश महाराज सर्वभूतहिते रतः ॥

purā'gastyo mahātejā dīkṣāṃ dvādaśavārṣikīm | praviveśa mahārāja sarvabhūtahite rataḥ

Long ago the greatly radiant Agastya, devoted to the welfare of all beings, entered upon a consecration lasting twelve years, O great king.

Verse 6 (14.94.6)

तत्राग्निकल्पा होतार आसन्सत्रे महात्मनः । मूलाहाराः फलाहाराश्चाश्मकुट्टा मरीचिपाः ॥

tatrāgnikalpā hotāra āsansatre mahātmanaḥ | mūlāhārāḥ phalāhārāścāśmakuṭṭā marīcipāḥ

At the sacrifice of that great-souled sage the priests were like fire itself: those who lived on roots, those who lived on fruits, those who crushed their grain with stones, and those who drank the sun's rays.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.6c reads 'mūlāhārā nirāhārāḥ sāśmakuṭṭā marīcipāḥ'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 7 (14.94.7)

परिपृष्टिका वैघसिकाः प्रसङ्ख्यानास्तथैव च । यतयो भिक्षवश्चात्र बभूवुः पर्यवस्थिताः ॥

paripṛṣṭikā vaighasikāḥ prasaṅkhyānāstathaiva ca | yatayo bhikṣavaścātra babhūvuḥ paryavasthitāḥ

The Paripristikas, the Vaighasikas and the Prasankhyanas, as well as ascetics and mendicants, were also present there, standing in attendance.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.7a has 'parighṛṣṭikā vaighasikāḥ saṃprakṣālās tathaiva ca'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 8 (14.94.8)

सर्वे प्रत्यक्षधर्माणो जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः । दमे स्थिताश्च सर्वे ते हिंसादंभविवर्जिताः ॥

sarve pratyakṣadharmāṇo jitakrodhā jitendriyāḥ | dame sthitāśca sarve te hiṃsādaṃbhavivarjitāḥ

All of them had direct perception of dharma, had conquered anger and mastered their senses, were firm in self-restraint, and were free of violence and hypocrisy.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.8d reads 'dambhamohavivarjitāḥ'; Wikisource's 'हिंसादंभविवर्जिताः' kept.

Verse 9 (14.94.9)

वृत्ते शुद्धे स्थिता नित्यमिन्द्रियैश्चाप्यबाधिताः । उपातिष्ठन्त तं यज्ञं यजन्तस्ते महर्षयः ॥

vṛtte śuddhe sthitā nityamindriyaiścāpyabādhitāḥ | upātiṣṭhanta taṃ yajñaṃ yajantaste maharṣayaḥ

Always established in pure conduct, and never hindered by their senses, those great sages performed the sacrifice and attended upon it.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.9 reads 'avāhitāḥ / upāsate sma taṃ yajñaṃ bhuñjānās te maharṣayaḥ'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 10 (14.94.10)

यथाशक्त्या भगवता तदन्नं समुपार्जितम् । तस्मिन्सत्रे तु यद्वृत्तं यद्योग्यं च तदाऽभवत् ॥

yathāśaktyā bhagavatā tadannaṃ samupārjitam | tasminsatre tu yadvṛttaṃ yadyogyaṃ ca tadā'bhavat

The venerable Agastya gathered the food as best he could; and whatever was needed and fitting at that sacrifice was there.

Note on the text: Lines correspond to CE 14.95.10a and 10c; CE 10c reads 'tasmin satre tu yat kiṃ cid ayogyaṃ tatra nābhavat', Wikisource has 'यद्वृत्तं यद्योग्यं च तदाऽभवत्' (recension variant, kept). CE 10e is the first line of the next verse.

Verse 11 (14.94.11)

तथा ह्यनेकैर्मुनिभिर्महान्तः क्रतवः कृताः । एवंविधे त्वगस्त्यस्य वर्तमाने तथाऽध्वरे । न ववर्ष सहस्राक्षस्तदा भरतसत्तम ॥

tathā hyanekairmunibhirmahāntaḥ kratavaḥ kṛtāḥ | evaṃvidhe tvagastyasya vartamāne tathā'dhvare | na vavarṣa sahasrākṣastadā bharatasattama

Many sages had indeed performed great sacrifices before; but while such a sacrifice of Agastya's was in progress, the thousand-eyed Indra sent no rain, O best of the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.95.10e; lines 2-3 = CE 14.95.11a, 11c (CE 11a reads 'evaṃvidhes tv agastyasya vartamāne mahādhvare'; recension variant, kept). Wikisource regroups the CE's three-line verse 10 and verse 11 into different verses.

Verse 12 (14.94.12)

ततः कर्मान्तरे राजन्नगस्त्यस्य महात्मनः । कथेयमभिनिर्वृत्ता मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् ॥

tataḥ karmāntare rājannagastyasya mahātmanaḥ | katheyamabhinirvṛttā munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām

Then, in a pause in the rites of the great-souled Agastya, this talk arose among the sages of purified souls, O king.

Verse 13 (14.94.13)

अगस्त्यो यजमानोसौ ददात्यन्नं विमत्सरः । न च वर्षति पर्जन्यः कथमन्नं भविष्यति ॥

agastyo yajamānosau dadātyannaṃ vimatsaraḥ | na ca varṣati parjanyaḥ kathamannaṃ bhaviṣyati

This Agastya, who is performing the sacrifice, gives food without envy; but Parjanya does not rain. How will there be food?

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 14 (14.94.14)

सत्रं चेदं महद्विप्रा मुनेर्द्वादशवार्षिकम् । न वर्षिष्यति देवश्च वर्षाण्येतानि द्वादश ॥

satraṃ cedaṃ mahadviprā munerdvādaśavārṣikam | na varṣiṣyati devaśca varṣāṇyetāni dvādaśa

O brahmins, this great sacrifice of the sage lasts twelve years, and the god will not rain for these twelve years.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 15 (14.94.15)

एतद्भवन्तः संचिन्त्य महर्षेरस्य धीमतः । अगस्त्यस्यातितपसः कर्तुमर्हन्त्यनुग्रहम् ॥

etadbhavantaḥ saṃcintya maharṣerasya dhīmataḥ | agastyasyātitapasaḥ kartumarhantyanugraham

Reflecting on this, you should show your favour to this wise great sage Agastya, so rich in austerity.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 16 (14.94.16)

इत्येवमुक्ते वचने ततोऽगस्त्यः प्रतापवान् । प्रोवाच वाक्यं स तदा प्रसाद्य शिरसा मुनीन् ॥

ityevamukte vacane tato'gastyaḥ pratāpavān | provāca vākyaṃ sa tadā prasādya śirasā munīn

When this had been said, the mighty Agastya bowed his head to the sages to win them over, and spoke to them.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.16c reads 'provācedaṃ vaco vāgmī prasādya śirasā munīn'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 17 (14.94.17)

यदि द्वादशवर्षाणि न वर्षिष्यति वासवः । चिन्तायज्ञं करिष्यामि विधिरेष सनातनः ॥

yadi dvādaśavarṣāṇi na varṣiṣyati vāsavaḥ | cintāyajñaṃ kariṣyāmi vidhireṣa sanātanaḥ

If Vasava does not rain for twelve years, I shall perform the sacrifice of thought; this is the eternal rule.

Verse 18 (14.94.18)

यदि द्वादशवर्षाणि न वर्षिष्यति वासवः । स्पर्शयज्ञं करिष्यामि विधिरेष सनातनः ॥

yadi dvādaśavarṣāṇi na varṣiṣyati vāsavaḥ | sparśayajñaṃ kariṣyāmi vidhireṣa sanātanaḥ

If Vasava does not rain for twelve years, I shall perform the sacrifice of touch; this is the eternal rule.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 14.95.18a; line 2 = CE star passage 14.95.018b*0192_01 ('sparśayajñaṃ kariṣyāmi vidhir eṣa sanātanaḥ'). Not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 19 (14.94.19)

यदि द्वादशवर्षाणि न वर्षिष्यति वासवः । व्यायामेनाहरिष्यामि यज्ञानेतान्यतव्रतः ॥

yadi dvādaśavarṣāṇi na varṣiṣyati vāsavaḥ | vyāyāmenāhariṣyāmi yajñānetānyatavrataḥ

If Vasava does not rain for twelve years, I shall carry out these sacrifices through exertion, keeping my vows under control.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE star line 14.95.018b*0192_02 (repeating 18a); line 2 combines CE 18c ('vyāyāmenāhariṣyāmi', CE continues 'yajñān anyān ativratān') with the second half of CE star passage 14.95.018d*0193_01 ('dhyeyātmanā hariṣyāmi yajñān etān yatavrataḥ'). Recension variant, kept.

Verse 20 (14.94.20)

बीजयज्ञो मयाऽयं वै बहुवर्षसमाचितः । बीजैर्हितं करिष्यामि नात्र विघ्नो भविष्यति ॥

bījayajño mayā'yaṃ vai bahuvarṣasamācitaḥ | bījairhitaṃ kariṣyāmi nātra vighno bhaviṣyati

This sacrifice of seeds of mine has been built up over many years; I shall accomplish what is beneficial with seeds, and no obstacle will arise here.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.19c reads 'bījaiḥ kṛtaiḥ kariṣye ca'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 21 (14.94.21)

नेदं शक्यं वृथा कर्तुं मम सत्रं कथञ्चन । वर्षिष्यतीह वा देवो न वा वर्षं भविष्यति ॥

nedaṃ śakyaṃ vṛthā kartuṃ mama satraṃ kathañcana | varṣiṣyatīha vā devo na vā varṣaṃ bhaviṣyati

This sacrifice of mine cannot in any way be made vain. Either the god will rain here, or there will be no rain.

Note on the text: Corrected नवा → न वा (misprint in Wikisource; wrongly joined, as in CE 'na vā'). CE 20c reads 'na vā devo bhaviṣyati'; Wikisource's 'वर्षं भविष्यति' is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 22 (14.94.22)

अथवाऽभ्यर्थनामिन्द्रो न करिष्यति कामतः । स्वयमिन्द्रो भविष्यामि जीवयिष्यामि च प्रजाः ॥

athavā'bhyarthanāmindro na kariṣyati kāmataḥ | svayamindro bhaviṣyāmi jīvayiṣyāmi ca prajāḥ

Or if Indra will not of his own wish grant my request, I myself shall become Indra and bring the creatures to life.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.21a reads 'atha vābhyarthanām indraḥ kuryān na tv iha kāmataḥ'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 23 (14.94.23)

यो यदाहारजातश्च स तथैव भविष्यति । विशेषं चैव कर्तास्मि पुनः पुनरतीव हि ॥

yo yadāhārajātaśca sa tathaiva bhaviṣyati | viśeṣaṃ caiva kartāsmi punaḥ punaratīva hi

Each creature shall remain as the food from which it was born; and I shall make something special of it again and again, in the highest degree.

Verse 24 (14.94.24)

अद्येह स्वर्णमभ्येतु यच्चान्यद्वसु दुर्लभम् । त्रिषु लोकेषु यच्चास्ति तदिहागम्यतां स्वयम् ॥

adyeha svarṇamabhyetu yaccānyadvasu durlabham | triṣu lokeṣu yaccāsti tadihāgamyatāṃ svayam

Let gold come here today, and any other rare wealth that exists in the three worlds; let it come here of its own accord.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.23c reads 'tad ihāgacchatāṃ svayam'; Wikisource's 'तदिहागम्यतां' kept.

Verse 25 (14.94.25)

दिव्याश्चाप्सरसां सङ्घा गन्धर्वाश्च सकिन्नराः । विश्वावसुश्च ये चान्ये तेऽप्युपासन्तु मे मखम् ॥

divyāścāpsarasāṃ saṅghā gandharvāśca sakinnarāḥ | viśvāvasuśca ye cānye te'pyupāsantu me makham

Let the divine hosts of apsarases, the gandharvas with the kinnaras, Vishvavasu, and whoever else there is, also attend my sacrifice.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.24 reads 'divyāś cāpsarasāṃ saṃghāḥ sagandharvāḥ sakiṃnarāḥ / viśvāvasuś ca ye cānye te 'py upāsantu vaḥ sadā'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 26 (14.94.26)

उत्तरेभ्यः कुरुभ्यश्च यत्किंचिद्वसु विद्यते । सर्वं तदिह यज्ञेषु स्वयमेवोपतिष्ठतु ॥

uttarebhyaḥ kurubhyaśca yatkiṃcidvasu vidyate | sarvaṃ tadiha yajñeṣu svayamevopatiṣṭhatu

Whatever wealth there is from the Uttara Kurus, let all of it present itself of its own accord at my sacrifices.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 14.95.25a, 25c ('yajñe me' in the CE; Wikisource 'यज्ञेषु', kept).

Verse 27 (14.94.27)

स्वर्गः स्वर्गसदश्चैव धर्मश्च स्वयमेव तु । इत्युक्ते सर्वमेवैतदभवत्तपसा मुनेः । तस्य दीप्ताग्निमहसस्त्वगस्त्यस्यातितेजसः ॥

svargaḥ svargasadaścaiva dharmaśca svayameva tu | ityukte sarvamevaitadabhavattapasā muneḥ | tasya dīptāgnimahasastvagastyasyātitejasaḥ

Let heaven, the dwellers in heaven, and dharma itself come of their own accord. When he had said this, all of it came to pass through the austerity of the sage, of Agastya, who blazed with the radiance of fire and was of surpassing splendour.

Note on the text: Corrected चैवक → चैव (misprint in Wikisource; stray क). Line 1 = CE 14.95.25e (CE reads 'svargaṃ'; Wikisource 'स्वर्गः', kept); line 2 = CE 26a; line 3 = CE star passage 14.95.026b*0194_01 (not in the numbered text). Line 1 completes Agastya's speech; the rest is narration, so the verse is kept whole under the narrator.

Verse 28 (14.94.28)

ततस्ते मुनयो हृष्टा ददृशुस्तपसो बलम् । विस्मिता वचनं प्राहुरिदं सर्वे महार्थवत् ॥

tataste munayo hṛṣṭā dadṛśustapaso balam | vismitā vacanaṃ prāhuridaṃ sarve mahārthavat

Then the sages, delighted, saw the power of his austerity, and in amazement they all spoke these weighty words.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 14.95.26c, 26e.

Verse 29 (14.94.29)

प्रीताः स्म तव वाक्येन न त्विच्छामस्तपोवनम् । तैरेव यज्ञैस्तुष्टाः स्मो न्यायेनेच्छामहे वयम् ॥

prītāḥ sma tava vākyena na tvicchāmastapovanam | taireva yajñaistuṣṭāḥ smo nyāyenecchāmahe vayam

We are pleased with your words, but we do not wish for a grove of austerity. We are content with those very sacrifices, and we desire to proceed by the lawful way.

Note on the text: Corrected तुष्टाः स्य → तुष्टाः स्मो (misprint in Wikisource; 'स्य' is not a word here; CE reads 'smo'). Wikisource 'तपोवनम्' (CE 'tapovyayam', the apparatus also notes it) and 'तैरेव' (CE 'svair eva') are recension variants, kept. Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 30 (14.94.30)

यज्ञं दीक्षां तथा होमान्यच्चान्यन्मृगयामहे । तयोस्संधर्षितैर्यज्ञैर्नान्यतो मृगयामहे ॥

yajñaṃ dīkṣāṃ tathā homānyaccānyanmṛgayāmahe | tayossaṃdharṣitairyajñairnānyato mṛgayāmahe

Sacrifice, consecration, offerings, and whatever else we seek: through sacrifices pressed on by those two we seek it, and from nowhere else.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick and closing quote mark, and the doubled danda inside the second line. Recension variant: CE 14.95.28 reads 'yajñān dīkṣās tathā homān … tan no 'stu svakṛtair yajñair nānyato mṛgayāmahe'; Wikisource's reading kept. Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 31 (14.94.31)

न्यायेनोपार्जिताहाराः स्वकर्माभिरता वयम् । वेदांश्च ब्रह्मचर्येण न्यायतः प्रार्थयामहे ॥

nyāyenopārjitāhārāḥ svakarmābhiratā vayam | vedāṃśca brahmacaryeṇa nyāyataḥ prārthayāmahe

We have earned our food lawfully and take delight in our own duties; and we seek the Vedas through celibacy, in the lawful way.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 32 (14.94.32)

न्यायेनोत्तरकालं च गृहेभ्यो निःसृता वयम् । धर्मदृष्टैर्विधिद्वारैस्तपस्तप्स्यामहे वयम् ॥

nyāyenottarakālaṃ ca gṛhebhyo niḥsṛtā vayam | dharmadṛṣṭairvidhidvāraistapastapsyāmahe vayam

In due time, and lawfully, we left our homes; by the ordained ways that dharma has shown we shall practise austerity.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 33 (14.94.33)

भवतः सम्यगिष्टा तु बुद्धिर्हिंसाविवर्जिता । एतामहिंसां यज्ञेषु ब्रूयास्त्वं सततं प्रभो ॥

bhavataḥ samyagiṣṭā tu buddhirhiṃsāvivarjitā | etāmahiṃsāṃ yajñeṣu brūyāstvaṃ satataṃ prabho

Your resolve, free of violence, is truly approved by us. Lord, you should always teach this non-violence in sacrifices.

Note on the text: Corrected हिसाविवर्जिता → हिंसाविवर्जिता and एतामहिंसा → एतामहिंसां (misprints in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; CE reads 'hiṃsāvivarjitā' and 'etām ahiṃsāṃ'). Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 34 (14.94.34)

प्रीतास्ततो भविष्यामो वयं तु द्विजसत्तम । विसर्जिताः समाप्तौ च सत्रादस्माद्व्रजामहे ॥

prītāstato bhaviṣyāmo vayaṃ tu dvijasattama | visarjitāḥ samāptau ca satrādasmādvrajāmahe

Then we shall be pleased, O best of the twice-born; and when we are dismissed at the completion, we shall depart from this sacrifice.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the sages' direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 35 (14.94.35)

तथा कथयतां तेषां देवराजः पुरंदरः । ववर्ष सुमहातेजा दृष्ट्वा तस्य तपोबलम् ॥

tathā kathayatāṃ teṣāṃ devarājaḥ puraṃdaraḥ | vavarṣa sumahātejā dṛṣṭvā tasya tapobalam

While they were still speaking thus, Indra, king of the gods and destroyer of cities, of great radiance, saw the power of Agastya's austerity and sent rain.

Verse 36 (14.94.36)

आसमाप्तेश्च यज्ञस्य तस्यामितपराक्रमः । निकामवर्षी पर्जन्यो बभूव जनमेजय ॥

āsamāpteśca yajñasya tasyāmitaparākramaḥ | nikāmavarṣī parjanyo babhūva janamejaya

Until the sacrifice was completed, Parjanya, of unmeasured might, rained as much as was wished, O Janamejaya.

Note on the text: Recension variant: CE 14.95.34 reads 'asamāptau ca yajñasya … nikāmavarṣī devendro babhūva'; Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 37 (14.94.37)

प्रसादयामास च तमगस्त्यं त्रिदशेश्वरः । स्वयमभ्येत्य राजर्षे पुरस्कृत्य बृहस्पतिम् ॥

prasādayāmāsa ca tamagastyaṃ tridaśeśvaraḥ | svayamabhyetya rājarṣe puraskṛtya bṛhaspatim

And the lord of the thirty gods came in person, putting Brihaspati in front, and appeased that Agastya, O royal sage.

Verse 38 (14.94.38)

ततो यज्ञसमाप्तौ तान्विससर्ज महामुनीन् । अगस्त्यः परमप्रीतः पूजयित्वा यथाविधि ॥

tato yajñasamāptau tānvisasarja mahāmunīn | agastyaḥ paramaprītaḥ pūjayitvā yathāvidhi

Then, when the sacrifice was completed, Agastya, greatly pleased, honoured those great sages according to the rule and sent them away.

Note on the text: CE has a star line after 14.95.36a ('vipine tatra nakulo nakulo 'ntarhitas tadā', 14.95.036b*0195_01) that Wikisource does not print.