Narada Tells of Gaya

Verse 1 (7.66.1)

गयं चाधूर्तरजसं मृतं सृञ्जय शुश्रुम । यो वै वर्षशतं राजा हुतशिष्टाशनोऽभवत् ॥

gayaṃ cādhūrtarajasaṃ mṛtaṃ sṛñjaya śuśruma | yo vai varṣaśataṃ rājā hutaśiṣṭāśano'bhavat

We have heard, Srinjaya, that Gaya Adhurtarajas has died too — the king who for a hundred years lived on what remained of the offerings.

Note on the text: Corrected ये वै → यो वै (misprint in Wikisource; the relative must agree with the singular राजा; the critical edition reads yo vai). Corrected वर्षशत राजा → वर्षशतं राजा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; the critical edition reads varṣaśataṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 648–649. The epithet अधूर्तरजसम् (CE amūrtarayasam) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (7.66.2)

तस्मै ह्यग्निर्वरं प्रादात्ततो वव्रे वरं गयः । तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण व्रतेन नियमेन च ॥

tasmai hyagnirvaraṃ prādāttato vavre varaṃ gayaḥ | tapasā brahmacaryeṇa vratena niyamena ca

Agni granted him a boon, and then Gaya chose his boon. He said: ‘By austerity, by chastity, by vow and by restraint,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 650–651.

Verse 3 (7.66.3)

गुरूणां च प्रसादेन वेदानिच्छामि वेदितुम् । स्वधर्मेणाविहिंस्यान्यान्धनमिच्छामि चाक्षयम् ॥

gurūṇāṃ ca prasādena vedānicchāmi veditum | svadharmeṇāvihiṃsyānyāndhanamicchāmi cākṣayam

‘and by the grace of my elders, I wish to master the Vedas; and by my own duty, without harming others, I wish for wealth that never fails.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 652–653.

Verse 4 (7.66.4)

विप्रेषु ददतश्चैव श्रद्धा भवतु नित्यशः । कन्यासु च सवर्णासु सुप्रजस्त्वं च मे भवेत् ॥

vipreṣu dadataścaiva śraddhā bhavatu nityaśaḥ | kanyāsu ca savarṇāsu suprajastvaṃ ca me bhavet

‘May I always have faith in giving to Brahmins, and may I have fine offspring from maidens of my own class.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 654–655. Line 1 = CE 654; line 2 differs from the CE (655: ananyāsu savarṇāsu putrajanma ca me bhavet).

Verse 5 (7.66.5)

अन्नमोजो महो मह्यं धर्मे मे रमतां मनः । अविघ्नं चास्तु मे नित्यं धर्मकार्येषु पावक ॥

annamojo maho mahyaṃ dharme me ramatāṃ manaḥ | avighnaṃ cāstu me nityaṃ dharmakāryeṣu pāvaka

‘May I have food, vigour and splendour, and may my mind delight in dharma; and may there never be an obstacle for me in works of dharma, O Purifier.’

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 656–657. Line 1 differs from the CE (656: annaṃ me dadataḥ śraddhā dharme me ramatāṃ manaḥ); line 2 = CE 657.

Verse 6 (7.66.6)

तथा भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । गयो ह्यवाप्य तत्सर्वं धर्मेणाराधयञ्जगत् ॥

tathā bhaviṣyatītyuktvā tatraivāntaradhīyata | gayo hyavāpya tatsarvaṃ dharmeṇārādhayañjagat

Saying, ‘So it shall be,’ Agni vanished on the spot. Gaya, having obtained all that, won over the world through dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected भिष्यती → भविष्यती (misprint in Wikisource; dropped syllable; भिष्यति is not a word, the critical edition reads bhaviṣyatīty). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 658–659. Line 2 differs from the CE (659: gayo 'py avāpya tat sarvaṃ dharmeṇārīn ajījayat).

Verse 7 (7.66.7)

स दर्शपूर्णमासाभ्यां कालेष्वाग्रयणेन च । चातुर्मास्यैश्च विविधैर्यज्ञैश्चावाप्तदक्षिणैः ॥

sa darśapūrṇamāsābhyāṃ kāleṣvāgrayaṇena ca | cāturmāsyaiśca vividhairyajñaiścāvāptadakṣiṇaiḥ

With the new-moon and full-moon sacrifices, with the first-fruit offerings in their seasons, and with the four-monthly and many other sacrifices that carried ample fees,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 660–661. The CE spells the first word darśapaurṇamāsābhyāṃ (दर्शपौर्णमासाभ्यां), a spelling variant.

Verse 8 (7.66.8)

अयजच्छ्रद्धया राजा परिसंवत्सराञ्शतम् । गवां शतसहस्राणि शतमश्वशतानि च ॥

ayajacchraddhayā rājā parisaṃvatsarāñśatam | gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi śatamaśvaśatāni ca

the king sacrificed with faith, year after year, for a hundred years; he gave a hundred thousand cows and a hundred hundreds of horses,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), line 662. Line 2 differs from the CE (663: daśa nāgasahasrāṇi śatam aśvaśatāni ca).

Verse 9 (7.66.9)

शतं निष्कसहस्राणि गवां चाप्ययुतानि षट् । उत्थायोत्थाय सम्प्रादात्परिसंवत्सराञ्शतम् ॥

śataṃ niṣkasahasrāṇi gavāṃ cāpyayutāni ṣaṭ | utthāyotthāya samprādātparisaṃvatsarāñśatam

a hundred thousand niskas, and six myriads of cows; rising up each time, he gave them year after year for a hundred years.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 664–665.

Verse 10 (7.66.10)

नक्षत्रेषु च सर्वेषु ददन्नक्षत्रदक्षिणाः । ईजे च विविधैर्यज्ञैर्यथा सोमोऽङ्गिरा यथा ॥

nakṣatreṣu ca sarveṣu dadannakṣatradakṣiṇāḥ | īje ca vividhairyajñairyathā somo'ṅgirā yathā

Giving the fees proper to the lunar mansions at all the nakshatras, he sacrificed with sacrifices of many kinds, as Soma and Angiras once did.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 666–667.

Verse 11 (7.66.11)

सौवर्णां पृथिवीं कृत्वा य इमां मणिशर्कराम् । विप्रेभ्यः प्राददद्राजा सोऽश्वमेधे महामखे ॥

sauvarṇāṃ pṛthivīṃ kṛtvā ya imāṃ maṇiśarkarām | viprebhyaḥ prādadadrājā so'śvamedhe mahāmakhe

At the great horse sacrifice the king made this earth golden, with its gravel of jewels, and gave it to the Brahmins.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रमिशर्कराम् → मणिशर्कराम् (misprint in Wikisource; प्रमिशर्कराम् is not a word; the critical edition reads maṇiśarkarām, “with gravel of jewels”). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 668–669.

Verse 12 (7.66.12)

जाम्बूनदमया यूपाः सर्वे रत्नपरिच्छदाः । गयस्यासन्समृद्धास्तु सर्वभूतमनोहराः ॥

jāmbūnadamayā yūpāḥ sarve ratnaparicchadāḥ | gayasyāsansamṛddhāstu sarvabhūtamanoharāḥ

Gaya's sacrificial posts were all of Jambunada gold, adorned with jewels, magnificent, and pleasing to the hearts of all beings.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 670–671.

Verse 13 (7.66.13)

सर्वकामसमृद्धं च प्रादादन्नं गयस्तदा । ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रहृष्टेभ्यः सर्वभूतेभ्य एव च ॥

sarvakāmasamṛddhaṃ ca prādādannaṃ gayastadā | brāhmaṇebhyaḥ prahṛṣṭebhyaḥ sarvabhūtebhya eva ca

Then Gaya gave food rich in every desirable thing to the delighted Brahmins, and to all beings as well.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्ममेभ्यः → ब्राह्मणेभ्यः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped and misplaced akshara; the critical edition reads brāhmaṇebhyaḥ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 672–673. Line 1 differs from the CE (672: sarvakāmasamṛddhāṃś ca prādāt tāṃś ca gayas tadā).

Verse 14 (7.66.14)

ससमुद्रवनद्वीपनदीनदवनेषु च । नगरेषु च राष्ट्रेषु दिवि व्योम्नि च येऽवसन् ॥

sasamudravanadvīpanadīnadavaneṣu ca | nagareṣu ca rāṣṭreṣu divi vyomni ca ye'vasan

And the many kinds of beings who lived in the seas, forests and islands, rivers and streams and woods, in cities and realms, in heaven and in the sky,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 674–675. Line 1 differs from the CE (674: samudradvīpaśaileṣu nadīnadavaneṣu ca); line 2 = CE 675.

Verse 15 (7.66.15)

भूतग्रामाश्च विविधाः सन्तृप्ता यज्ञसम्पदा । गयस्य सदृशो यज्ञो नास्त्यन्य इति तेऽब्रुवन् ॥

bhūtagrāmāśca vividhāḥ santṛptā yajñasampadā | gayasya sadṛśo yajño nāstyanya iti te'bruvan

were all sated by the wealth of that sacrifice, and they said, ‘No other sacrifice is like Gaya's.’

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 676–677.

Verse 16 (7.66.16)

षट्त्रिंशद्योजनायामा त्रिंशद्योजनमायता । पश्चात्पुरश्चतुर्विंशद्वेदी ह्यासीद्धिरण्मयी ॥

ṣaṭtriṃśadyojanāyāmā triṃśadyojanamāyatā | paścātpuraścaturviṃśadvedī hyāsīddhiraṇmayī

The golden altar was thirty-six yojanas long and thirty broad, and twenty-four from the rear to the front.

Note on the text: Removed an invisible zero-width non-joiner inside षट्त्रिंशद्. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 678–679.

Verse 17 (7.66.17)

गयस्य यजमानस्य मुक्तावज्रमणिस्तृता । प्रादात्स ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽथ वासांस्याभरणानि च ॥

gayasya yajamānasya muktāvajramaṇistṛtā | prādātsa brāhmaṇebhyo'tha vāsāṃsyābharaṇāni ca

The altar of the sacrificing Gaya was strewn with pearls, diamonds and jewels. Then he gave the Brahmins garments and ornaments,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 680–681.

Verse 18 (7.66.18)

यथोक्ता दक्षिणाश्चान्या विप्रेभ्यो भूरिदक्षिणः । यत्र भोजनशिष्टस्य पर्वताः पञ्चविंशतिः ॥

yathoktā dakṣiṇāścānyā viprebhyo bhūridakṣiṇaḥ | yatra bhojanaśiṣṭasya parvatāḥ pañcaviṃśatiḥ

and other fees as prescribed, to the Brahmins — Gaya, who gave abundant fees — and at that sacrifice there were twenty-five mountains of leftover food,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 682–683.

Verse 19 (7.66.19)

कुल्याश्च क्षीरवाहिन्यो रसानां चाभवंस्तदा । वस्त्राभरणगन्धानां राशयश्च पृथग्विधाः ॥

kulyāśca kṣīravāhinyo rasānāṃ cābhavaṃstadā | vastrābharaṇagandhānāṃ rāśayaśca pṛthagvidhāḥ

and canals flowing with milk, and streams of savoury juices as well, and heaps of garments, ornaments and perfumes of every kind.

Note on the text: Corrected चापभवंस्तदा → चाभवंस्तदा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray प; the line is a syllable too long and the critical edition reads abhavaṃs tadā). Corrected शारयश्च → राशयश्च (misprint in Wikisource; शारयः is not a word; the critical edition reads rāśayaś, “heaps”). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 684–685. Line 1 differs from the CE (684: kulyāḥ kṛśaravāhinyo rasānām abhavaṃs tadā).

Verse 20 (7.66.20)

यस्य प्रभावाच्च गयस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः । वटश्चाक्षय्यकरणः पुण्यं ब्रह्मसरश्च तत् ॥

yasya prabhāvācca gayastriṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ | vaṭaścākṣayyakaraṇaḥ puṇyaṃ brahmasaraśca tat

Through whose power Gaya became renowned in the three worlds — there was the undecaying banyan, and that holy lake of Brahma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 686–687.

Verse 21 (7.66.21)

स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया । पुत्रात्पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथाः । अयज्वानमदक्षिण्यमभि श्वैत्येत्युदाहरत् ॥

sa cenmamāra sṛñjaya caturbhadratarastvayā | putrātpuṇyatarastubhyaṃ mā putramanutapyathāḥ | ayajvānamadakṣiṇyamabhi śvaityetyudāharat

If even he died, Srinjaya — he who was four times more fortunate than you and more righteous than your son — then do not grieve for your son, who never sacrificed and gave no sacrificial fees. So Narada addressed him, calling him Shvaitya.

Note on the text: Corrected स़ञ्जय → सृञ्जय (misprint in Wikisource; a stray nukta in place of the vowel ṛ; the critical edition reads sṛñjaya). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.8 (inserted after 7.49.21), lines 688–690. This three-line refrain closes each king's story in the CE (the CE prints the speaker label nārada uvāca before the third line).