Narada Tells of Rantideva

Verse 1 (7.67.1)

साङ्कृतिं रन्तिदेवं च मृतं सृञ्जय शुश्रुम । यस्य द्विशतसाहस्रा आसन्सूदा महात्मनः ॥

sāṅkṛtiṃ rantidevaṃ ca mṛtaṃ sṛñjaya śuśruma | yasya dviśatasāhasrā āsansūdā mahātmanaḥ

We have heard, Srinjaya, that Rantideva, son of Sankriti, has died too — the great-souled king who had two hundred thousand cooks.

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 691–692. Line 1 reads साङ्कृतिम् (CE sāṃkṛtiṃ), a spelling variant.

Verse 2 (7.67.2)

गृहानभ्यागतान्विप्रानतिथीन्परिवेषकाः । पक्वंपक्वं दिवारात्रं वरान्नममृतोपमम् ॥

gṛhānabhyāgatānviprānatithīnpariveṣakāḥ | pakvaṃpakvaṃ divārātraṃ varānnamamṛtopamam

To the Brahmin guests who came to his house the servers brought, day and night, freshly cooked food of the choicest kind, like nectar.

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 693–694. Line 2 begins पक्वंपक्वम् where the CE reads pakvāpakvaṃ, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 3 (7.67.3)

न्यायेनाधिगतं वित्तं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ह्यमन्यत । वेदानधीत्य धर्मेण यश्चक्रे द्विषतो वशे ॥

nyāyenādhigataṃ vittaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo hyamanyata | vedānadhītya dharmeṇa yaścakre dviṣato vaśe

He regarded wealth rightly acquired as belonging to the Brahmins; having studied the Vedas according to dharma, he brought his enemies under his sway.

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 695–696.

Verse 4 (7.67.4)

उपस्थिताश्च पशवः स्वयं यं शंसितव्रतम् । बहवः स्वर्गमिच्छन्तो विधिवत्सत्रयाजिनम् ॥

upasthitāśca paśavaḥ svayaṃ yaṃ śaṃsitavratam | bahavaḥ svargamicchanto vidhivatsatrayājinam

Many animals, longing for heaven, came to him of their own accord — to him of firm vows, who sacrificed in sacrificial sessions according to the rule.

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 697–698. Line 1 reads शंसितव्रतम् where the CE has saṃśitavratam, a spelling variant.

Verse 5 (7.67.5)

नदी महानसाद्यस्य प्रवृत्ता चर्मराशितः । तस्माच्चर्मण्वती नाम ख्याता पुण्या सरिद्वरा ॥

nadī mahānasādyasya pravṛttā carmarāśitaḥ | tasmāccarmaṇvatī nāma khyātā puṇyā saridvarā

A river flowed out from his kitchen, from the heaps of hides; hence it became famed as the Charmanvati, the holy and best of rivers.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रवृतक्ता → प्रवृत्ता (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled form; the critical edition reads pravṛttā). 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 699–700. Line 2 differs from the CE (700: tasmāc carmaṇvatī pūrvam agnihotre 'bhavat purā).

Verse 6 (7.67.6)

ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददन्निष्कान्सौवर्णान्स प्रभावतः । तुभ्यं निष्कं तुभ्यं निष्कमिति ह स्म प्रभाषते ॥

brāhmaṇebhyo dadanniṣkānsauvarṇānsa prabhāvataḥ | tubhyaṃ niṣkaṃ tubhyaṃ niṣkamiti ha sma prabhāṣate

Giving the Brahmins golden niskas, that glorious king would say, ‘A niska for you! A niska for you!’

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 701–702. Line 1 differs slightly from the CE (701: brāhmaṇebhyo dadau niṣkān…).

Verse 7 (7.67.7)

तुभ्यन्तुभ्यमिति प्रादान्निष्कान्निष्कान्सहस्रशः । ततः पुनः समाश्वास्य निष्कानेव प्रयच्छति ॥

tubhyantubhyamiti prādānniṣkānniṣkānsahasraśaḥ | tataḥ punaḥ samāśvāsya niṣkāneva prayacchati

‘For you, for you!’ — so he gave niskas by the thousand; then, having comforted them again, he went on giving only niskas.

Note on the text: Corrected तत पुनः → ततः पुनः (misprint in Wikisource; missing visarga; the critical edition reads tataḥ punaḥ). 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 703–704.

Verse 8 (7.67.8)

अल्पं दत्तं मयाऽद्येति निष्ककोटिं सहस्रशः । एकाह्ना ताम्यति ततः क्वाद्य विप्रा इति ब्रुवन् ॥

alpaṃ dattaṃ mayā'dyeti niṣkakoṭiṃ sahasraśaḥ | ekāhnā tāmyati tataḥ kvādya viprā iti bruvan

‘Too little has been given by me today,’ he would think, though he had given thousands of crores of niskas. Within a single day he would grow distressed, crying, ‘Where are the Brahmins today?’

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 705–706. Both lines differ from the CE (705–706: alpaṃ dattaṃ mayādyeti niṣkakoṭiṃ pradāya saḥ / ekāhnā dāsyati punaḥ ko 'nyas tat saṃpradāsyati), which is the variant the Wikisource footnote records.

Verse 9 (7.67.9)

द्विजपाणिवियोगेन दुःखं मे शाश्वतं महत् । भविष्यति न सन्देह एवं राजाऽददद्वसु ॥

dvijapāṇiviyogena duḥkhaṃ me śāśvataṃ mahat | bhaviṣyati na sandeha evaṃ rājā'dadadvasu

‘From parting with the Brahmins' hands I shall suffer great and lasting sorrow, without a doubt.’ Thus the king gave away his wealth.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears nowhere in the CE, neither in its constituted text, nor in its star passages, nor in its Appendix I.

Verse 10 (7.67.10)

सहस्रशश्च सौवर्णान्वृषभान्गोशतानुगान् । साष्टं शतं सुवर्णानां निष्कमाहुर्धनं तथा ॥

sahasraśaśca sauvarṇānvṛṣabhāngośatānugān | sāṣṭaṃ śataṃ suvarṇānāṃ niṣkamāhurdhanaṃ tathā

He gave thousands of golden bulls, each followed by a hundred cows. A niska, as they reckon it, is a hundred and eight gold pieces; such was the wealth he gave.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 707 (Appendix I.8, inserted after 7.49.21); not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension). Line 2 is not in the CE anywhere (neither in its constituted text, nor in its star passages, nor in its Appendix I).

Verse 11 (7.67.11)

अध्यर्धमासमददद्ब्राह्मणेभ्यः शतं समाः । अग्निहोत्रोपकरणं यज्ञोपकरणं च यत् ॥

adhyardhamāsamadadadbrāhmaṇebhyaḥ śataṃ samāḥ | agnihotropakaraṇaṃ yajñopakaraṇaṃ ca yat

Every fortnight, for a hundred years, he gave the Brahmins whatever serves for the Agnihotra and for sacrifice —

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 708–709.

Verse 12 (7.67.12)

ऋषिभ्यः करकान्कुम्भान्स्थालीः पिठरमेव च । शयनासनयानानि प्रासादांश्च गृहाणि च ॥

ṛṣibhyaḥ karakānkumbhānsthālīḥ piṭharameva ca | śayanāsanayānāni prāsādāṃśca gṛhāṇi ca

to the sages, water-pots, jars, dishes and cooking-pots, beds, seats and vehicles, palaces and houses —

Note on the text: Corrected शयनासनायानानि → शयनासनयानानि (misprint in Wikisource; a stray long ā; the line is a syllable too long and the critical edition reads śayanāsanayānāni). 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 710–711. In line 1 the CE reads sthālīpiṭharam eva ca for स्थालीः पिठरमेव च, a minor variant, kept.

Verse 13 (7.67.13)

वृक्षांश्च विविधान्दद्यादन्नानि च धनानि च । सर्वं सौवर्णमेवासीद्रन्तिदेवस्य धीमतः ॥

vṛkṣāṃśca vividhāndadyādannāni ca dhanāni ca | sarvaṃ sauvarṇamevāsīdrantidevasya dhīmataḥ

trees of many kinds he would give, and foods and riches; everything belonging to the wise Rantideva was made of gold.

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 712–713.

Verse 14 (7.67.14)

तत्रास्य गाथा गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जनाः । रन्तिदेवस्य तां दृष्ट्वा समृद्धिमतिमानुषीम् ॥

tatrāsya gāthā gāyanti ye purāṇavido janāḥ | rantidevasya tāṃ dṛṣṭvā samṛddhimatimānuṣīm

About him those who know the ancient lore sing a song. Seeing Rantideva's superhuman prosperity,

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 714–715.

Verse 15 (7.67.15)

नैतादृशं दृष्टपूर्वं कुबेरसदनेष्वपि । धनं च पूर्यमाणं नः किं पुनर्मनुजेष्विति ॥

naitādṛśaṃ dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ kuberasadaneṣvapi | dhanaṃ ca pūryamāṇaṃ naḥ kiṃ punarmanujeṣviti

‘Nothing like this has been seen before, even in Kubera's mansions; wealth ever filling up before our eyes — how much less among men!’

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 716–717.

Verse 16 (7.67.16)

व्यक्तं वस्वोकसारेयमित्यूचुस्तत्र विस्मिताः । साङ्कृते रन्तिदेवस्य यां रात्रिमतिथिर्वसेत् ॥

vyaktaṃ vasvokasāreyamityūcustatra vismitāḥ | sāṅkṛte rantidevasya yāṃ rātrimatithirvaset

‘Surely this is Vasvokasara, the city of golden dwellings!’ they said there in wonder, in the house of Rantideva, son of Sankriti, on any night when a guest stayed.

Note on the text: Corrected सारेयमित्युचुस् → सारेयमित्यूचुस् (misprint in Wikisource; the perfect of वच् is ऊचुः, with long ū; the critical edition reads ity ūcus). 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 718–719. Line 2 reads साङ्कृते (CE sāṃkṛte), a spelling variant.

Verse 17 (7.67.17)

आलभ्यन्त तदा गावः सहस्राण्येकविंशतिः । तत्र स्म सूदाः क्रोशन्ति सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः ॥

ālabhyanta tadā gāvaḥ sahasrāṇyekaviṃśatiḥ | tatra sma sūdāḥ krośanti sumṛṣṭamaṇikuṇḍalāḥ

Twenty-one thousand cows were slaughtered then, and the cooks, wearing polished jewelled earrings, would cry out there:

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 720–721.

Verse 18 (7.67.18)

सूपं भूयिष्ठमश्नीध्वं नाद्य मांसं यथा पुरा । रन्तिदेवस्य यत्किञ्चित्सौवर्णमभवत्तदा ॥

sūpaṃ bhūyiṣṭhamaśnīdhvaṃ nādya māṃsaṃ yathā purā | rantidevasya yatkiñcitsauvarṇamabhavattadā

‘Eat plenty of soup! There is not as much meat today as there was before.’ Whatever Rantideva then had that was made of gold —

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 722–723. Line 1 differs slightly from the CE (722: sūpabhūyiṣṭham aśnīdhvaṃ nādya māṃsaṃ yathāpuram).

Verse 19 (7.67.19)

तत्सर्वं वितते यज्ञे ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ह्यमन्यत । प्रत्यक्षं तस्य हव्यानि प्रतिगृह्णन्ति देवताः ॥

tatsarvaṃ vitate yajñe brāhmaṇebhyo hyamanyata | pratyakṣaṃ tasya havyāni pratigṛhṇanti devatāḥ

all of it, at his far-spread sacrifice, he regarded as belonging to the Brahmins. Before his eyes the gods took his oblations,

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 724–725.

Verse 20 (7.67.20)

कव्यानि पितरः काले सर्वकामान्द्विजोत्तमाः । स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया ॥

kavyāni pitaraḥ kāle sarvakāmāndvijottamāḥ | sa cenmamāra sṛñjaya caturbhadratarastvayā

and the ancestors, in due season, his offerings to the dead, and the best of Brahmins every desire. If even he died, Srinjaya — he who was four times more fortunate than you —

Note on the text: The second line is the first line of the refrain that closes each story (CE 727); Wikisource ends this verse there and begins the next at the second line of the refrain. 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 726–727.

Verse 21 (7.67.21)

पुत्रात्पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथाः । अयज्वानमदक्षिण्यमभि श्वैत्येत्युदाहरत् ॥

putrātpuṇyatarastubhyaṃ mā putramanutapyathāḥ | ayajvānamadakṣiṇyamabhi śvaityetyudāharat

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 पुत्रात्पुण्डतरस्तुभ्यं → पुत्रात्पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं (misprint in Wikisource; ड for य; the refrain elsewhere and the critical edition read puṇyataras). 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 728–729. These two lines are the second and third lines of the refrain (the CE prints the speaker label nārada uvāca before the third).