Mahadeva and the Creation of Beings

Verse 1 (10.17.1)

हतेषु सर्वसैन्येषु सौप्तिके तै रथैस्त्रिभिः । शोचन्युधिष्ठिरो राजा दाशार्हमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

hateṣu sarvasainyeṣu sauptike tai rathaistribhiḥ | śocanyudhiṣṭhiro rājā dāśārhamidamabravīt

When all the armies had been slain in the night attack by those three chariot-warriors, King Yudhishthira, grieving, said this to the Dasharha (Krishna):

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (its rows are labelled 10-17-1 to 10-17-26 and the colophon reads सप्तदशोऽध्यायः । 17); its text is the critical edition's 10.17 (26 verses, no star passages), and the input agrees with the raw page's table row for row. The summary line above the table is a heading, not a verse. Nothing follows the colophon. Speakers: the page heads Vaishampayana (verse 1) and श्रीभगवान् (from verse 6; the CE heads Vasudeva, the page's heading is kept). Verses 2-5 are Yudhishthira's question to Krishna, unheaded (the input carried Vaishampayana over). Inside Krishna's story, verses 23 (Brahma to Rudra) and 25 (Rudra to Brahma) are whole-verse speeches without headings and are given to Brahma and Mahadeva; verses 13, 14, 17 and 24 mix narration with a character's words and stay with Krishna. Corrected सौप्तिकै → सौप्तिके (misprint in Wikisource; the locative ending is wrong, "in the night attack"; the CE has sauptike tai rathais tribhiḥ).

Verse 2 (10.17.2)

कथं नु कृष्ण पापेन क्षुद्रेण शठबुद्धिना । द्रौणिना निहताः सर्वे मम पुत्रा महारथाः ॥

kathaṃ nu kṛṣṇa pāpena kṣudreṇa śaṭhabuddhinā | drauṇinā nihatāḥ sarve mama putrā mahārathāḥ

"How was it, Krishna, that all my sons, great chariot-warriors, were slain by Drona's son, a sinful, mean man of crooked mind?

Note on the text: Speaker: Yudhishthira (his question, verses 2-5, unheaded; the input carried Vaishampayana over). Line 1 ends शठबुद्धिना where the CE has akliṣṭakarmaṇā (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 3 (10.17.3)

तथा कृतास्त्रविक्रान्ताः सङ्ग्रामेष्वपलायिनः । द्रुपदस्यात्मजाश्चैव द्रोणपुत्रेण पातिताः ॥

tathā kṛtāstravikrāntāḥ saṅgrāmeṣvapalāyinaḥ | drupadasyātmajāścaiva droṇaputreṇa pātitāḥ

And the sons of Drupada, skilled in weapons, valiant, never fleeing in battle, were struck down by Drona's son as well.

Note on the text: Corrected कृतास्‌र → कृतास्त्र (misprint in Wikisource; the त्र conjunct is broken into स् + ZWNJ + र, "skilled in weapons"; the CE has kṛtāstrā). Speaker: Yudhishthira (unheaded; the input carried Vaishampayana over). Line 1 ends सङ्ग्रामेष्वपलायिनः where the CE has sahasraśatayodhinaḥ (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 4 (10.17.4)

यस्य द्रोणो महेष्वासो न प्रादादाहवे मुखम् । निजघ्ने रथिनां श्रेष्ठं धृष्टद्युम्नं कथं नु सः ॥

yasya droṇo maheṣvāso na prādādāhave mukham | nijaghne rathināṃ śreṣṭhaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ kathaṃ nu saḥ

How could he slay Dhrishtadyumna, best of chariot-warriors, whom even the great archer Drona did not face in battle?

Note on the text: Speaker: Yudhishthira (unheaded; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 5 (10.17.5)

किन्नु तेन कृतं कर्म तथायुक्तं नरर्षभ । यदेकः समरे सर्वानवधीन्नो गुरोः सुतः ॥

kinnu tena kṛtaṃ karma tathāyuktaṃ nararṣabha | yadekaḥ samare sarvānavadhīnno guroḥ sutaḥ

What deed of such a kind had he done, bull among men, that our teacher's son alone in the fight killed all of us?"

Note on the text: Speaker: Yudhishthira (unheaded; the input carried Vaishampayana over).

Verse 6 (10.17.6)

नूनं स देवदेवानामीश्वरेश्वरमव्ययम् । जगाम शरणं द्रौणिरेकस्तेनावधीद्बहून् ॥

nūnaṃ sa devadevānāmīśvareśvaramavyayam | jagāma śaraṇaṃ drauṇirekastenāvadhīdbahūn

Surely Drona's son went alone for refuge to the imperishable Master of the masters of the gods; that is how he killed so many.

Note on the text: Speaker: Krishna (the Blessed Lord) as headed on the page (10-17-6x); the CE heads Vasudeva.

Verse 7 (10.17.7)

प्रसन्नो हि महादेवो दद्यादमरतामपि । वीर्यं च गिरिशो दद्याद्येनेन्द्रमपि शातयेत् ॥

prasanno hi mahādevo dadyādamaratāmapi | vīryaṃ ca giriśo dadyādyenendramapi śātayet

For when Mahadeva is pleased he can grant even immortality, and Girisha can give such strength that one could strike down even Indra.

Verse 8 (10.17.8)

वेदाहं हि महादेवं तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ । यानि चास्यपुराणानि कर्माणि विविधानि च ॥

vedāhaṃ hi mahādevaṃ tattvena bharatarṣabha | yāni cāsyapurāṇāni karmāṇi vividhāni ca

I know Mahadeva in truth, best of the Bharatas, and his many ancient deeds of every kind.

Verse 9 (10.17.9)

आदिरेष हि भूतानां मध्यमन्तश्च भारत । विचेष्टते जगच्चेदं सर्वमस्यैव कर्मणा ॥

ādireṣa hi bhūtānāṃ madhyamantaśca bhārata | viceṣṭate jagaccedaṃ sarvamasyaiva karmaṇā

He is the beginning, the middle and the end of beings, O Bharata; this whole world moves by his action alone.

Verse 10 (10.17.10)

एवं सिसृक्षुर्भूतानि ददर्श प्रथमं विभुः । पितामहोऽब्रवीच्चैनं भूतानि सृज माचिरम् ॥

evaṃ sisṛkṣurbhūtāni dadarśa prathamaṃ vibhuḥ | pitāmaho'bravīccainaṃ bhūtāni sṛja māciram

So, wishing to create beings, the Lord first looked upon them; and the Grandsire said to him, "Create beings, and do not delay."

Verse 11 (10.17.11)

हरिकेशस्तथेत्युक्त्वा दीर्घदर्शी तदा प्रभुः । दीर्घकालं तपस्तेपे मग्नोऽम्भसि महातपाः ॥

harikeśastathetyuktvā dīrghadarśī tadā prabhuḥ | dīrghakālaṃ tapastepe magno'mbhasi mahātapāḥ

Harikesha said "So be it", and then the far-sighted lord, the great ascetic, practised austerity for a long time, sunk in the water.

Note on the text: Corrected तथेत्युक्‌वा → तथेत्युक्त्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the त्व conjunct is broken into क् + ZWNJ + व, "having said"; the CE has uktvā). Line 1 ends दीर्घदर्शी तदा प्रभुः where the CE has bhūtānāṃ doṣadarśivān (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 12 (10.17.12)

सुमहान्तं ततः कालं प्रतीक्ष्यैनं पितामहः । स्रष्टारं सर्वभूतानां ससर्ज मनसाऽपरम् ॥

sumahāntaṃ tataḥ kālaṃ pratīkṣyainaṃ pitāmahaḥ | sraṣṭāraṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ sasarja manasā'param

After waiting a very long time for him, the Grandsire created by his mind another creator of all beings.

Verse 13 (10.17.13)

सोऽब्रवीत्पितरं दृष्ट्वा गिरिशं सुप्तमम्भसि । यदि मे नाग्रजोऽस्त्यन्यस्ततः स्रक्ष्याम्यहं प्रजाः ॥

so'bravītpitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā giriśaṃ suptamambhasi | yadi me nāgrajo'styanyastataḥ srakṣyāmyahaṃ prajāḥ

Seeing Girisha asleep in the water, he said to his father, "If there is no other born before me, then I will create beings."

Note on the text: Corrected सोऽब्रवीद्वातरं → सोऽब्रवीत्पितरं (misprint in Wikisource; वातरं is no word; the CE has so 'bravīt pitaraṃ, and the next verse has the father reply). Line 1 ends सुप्तमम्भसि where the CE has magnam ambhasi (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept). Speaker: Krishna (the story's narrator; the creator's words fill line 2).

Verse 14 (10.17.14)

तमब्रवीत्पिता नास्ति त्वदन्यः पुरुषोऽग्रजः । स्थाणुरेष जले मग्नो विस्रब्धः कुरु वै प्रजाः ॥

tamabravītpitā nāsti tvadanyaḥ puruṣo'grajaḥ | sthāṇureṣa jale magno visrabdhaḥ kuru vai prajāḥ

His father said to him, "There is no other person born before you. This Sthanu lies sunk in the water; create beings without fear."

Note on the text: Line 2 ends कुरु वै प्रजाः where the CE has kuru vai kṛtim (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept). Speaker: Krishna (narration with the father's words in line 2).

Verse 15 (10.17.15)

भूतान्यन्वसृजत्सप्त दक्षः क्षिप्रं प्रजापतिः । यैरिमं व्यकरोत्सर्वं भूतग्रामं चतुर्विधम् ॥

bhūtānyanvasṛjatsapta dakṣaḥ kṣipraṃ prajāpatiḥ | yairimaṃ vyakarotsarvaṃ bhūtagrāmaṃ caturvidham

Daksha the Prajapati quickly created seven kinds of beings, with which he shaped all this fourfold multitude of creatures.

Note on the text: Line 1 (भूतान्यन्वसृजत्सप्त दक्षः क्षिप्रं प्रजापतिः) differs from CE 15a (sa bhūtāny asṛjat sapta dakṣādīṃs tu prajāpatīn); recension variant, Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 16 (10.17.16)

ताः सृष्टमात्राः क्षुधिताः प्रजाः सर्वाः प्रजापतिम् । बिभक्षयिषवो राजन्सहसा प्राद्रवंस्तदा ॥

tāḥ sṛṣṭamātrāḥ kṣudhitāḥ prajāḥ sarvāḥ prajāpatim | bibhakṣayiṣavo rājansahasā prādravaṃstadā

But those creatures, hungry as soon as they were made, O king, all suddenly rushed at the Prajapati, wishing to devour him.

Note on the text: Corrected बिभक्षयिवो → बिभक्षयिषवो (misprint in Wikisource; the ष is dropped, "wishing to devour"; the CE has bibhakṣayiṣavo).

Verse 17 (10.17.17)

स भक्ष्यमाणस्त्राणार्थी पितामहमुपाद्रवत् । आभ्यो मां भगवांस्त्रातु वृत्तिरासां विधीयताम् ॥

sa bhakṣyamāṇastrāṇārthī pitāmahamupādravat | ābhyo māṃ bhagavāṃstrātu vṛttirāsāṃ vidhīyatām

Being devoured, he sought safety and ran to the Grandsire: "Let your holiness protect me from them, and let a livelihood be ordained for them."

Note on the text: Speaker: Krishna (narration, with the Prajapati's plea in line 2).

Verse 18 (10.17.18)

ततस्ताभ्यो ददावन्नमोषधीः स्थावराणि च । जङ्गमानि च भूतानि दुर्बलानि बलीयसाम् ॥

tatastābhyo dadāvannamoṣadhīḥ sthāvarāṇi ca | jaṅgamāni ca bhūtāni durbalāni balīyasām

Then he gave them food: the plants and the things that do not move, and among moving creatures the weak as food for the strong.

Verse 19 (10.17.19)

विहितान्नाः प्रजास्तास्तु जग्मुस्तुष्टा यथागतम् । ततो ववृधिरे राजन्प्रीतिमत्यः स्वयोनिषु ॥

vihitānnāḥ prajāstāstu jagmustuṣṭā yathāgatam | tato vavṛdhire rājanprītimatyaḥ svayoniṣu

Their food provided, those creatures went back satisfied as they had come; then, O king, they grew, delighting in their own kinds.

Verse 20 (10.17.20)

भूतग्रामे विवृद्धे तु सृष्टे देवासुरे तदा । उदतिष्ठज्जलाज्ज्येष्ठः प्रजाश्चेमा ददर्श सः ॥

bhūtagrāme vivṛddhe tu sṛṣṭe devāsure tadā | udatiṣṭhajjalājjyeṣṭhaḥ prajāścemā dadarśa saḥ

When the multitude of beings had grown, and gods and asuras had been created, the eldest rose from the water and saw these creatures.

Note on the text: Corrected विवृद्वे → विवृद्धे (misprint in Wikisource; द्व for द्ध, "had grown"; the CE has vivṛddhe). Line 1 ends सृष्टे देवासुरे तदा where the CE has tuṣṭe lokagurāv api (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 21 (10.17.21)

बहुरूपाः प्रजाः सृष्टा विवृद्धाश्च स्वतेजसा । चुक्रोध बलवद्दृष्ट्वा लिङ्गं स्वं चाप्यविध्यत ॥

bahurūpāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭā vivṛddhāśca svatejasā | cukrodha balavaddṛṣṭvā liṅgaṃ svaṃ cāpyavidhyata

Seeing the many-formed creatures grown great by their own energy, he was violently angry and pierced his own linga.

Note on the text: Line 2 begins चुक्रोध बलवद्दृष्ट्वा where the CE has cukrodha bhagavān rudro (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 22 (10.17.22)

तत्प्रविद्धं तथा भूमौ तथैव प्रत्यतिष्ठत । तमुवाचाव्ययो ब्रह्मा वचोभिः शमयन्निव ॥

tatpraviddhaṃ tathā bhūmau tathaiva pratyatiṣṭhata | tamuvācāvyayo brahmā vacobhiḥ śamayanniva

Thrown down, it stood fixed in the earth just as it was. Then the imperishable Brahma spoke to him, as if calming him with words:

Verse 23 (10.17.23)

किं कृतं सलिले शर्व चिरकालस्थितेन ते । किमर्थं चेदमुत्पाद्य लिङ्गं भूमौ प्रवेशितम् ॥

kiṃ kṛtaṃ salile śarva cirakālasthitena te | kimarthaṃ cedamutpādya liṅgaṃ bhūmau praveśitam

"What have you done, Sharva, in the water, remaining there so long? And why, having produced this linga, did you plant it in the earth?"

Note on the text: Speaker: Brahma (his words to Rudra fill the whole verse, unheaded; the input carried Krishna over). Line 2 reads उत्पाद्य ... प्रवेशितम् where the CE has utpāṭya ... praveritam (recension variant, Wikisource reading kept).

Verse 24 (10.17.24)

सोऽब्रवीज्जातसंरम्भस्तथा लोकगुरुर्गुरुम् । प्रजाः सृष्टाः परेणेमाः किं करिष्याम्यनेन वै ॥

so'bravījjātasaṃrambhastathā lokagururgurum | prajāḥ sṛṣṭāḥ pareṇemāḥ kiṃ kariṣyāmyanena vai

Filled with fury, the teacher of the world then said to his own elder, "These creatures have been made by another; what shall I do with this?"

Note on the text: Speaker: Krishna (narration, with Rudra's words in line 2).

Verse 25 (10.17.25)

प्रजाः सृष्टाः परेणेमाः प्रजार्थं मे पितामह । ओषध्यः परिवर्तेरन्यथैवं सततं प्रजाः ॥

prajāḥ sṛṣṭāḥ pareṇemāḥ prajārthaṃ me pitāmaha | oṣadhyaḥ parivarteranyathaivaṃ satataṃ prajāḥ

"These creatures have been made by another, Grandsire; for the sake of the creatures, let the plants keep recurring, so that the creatures may always go on in this way."

Note on the text: Speaker: Mahadeva (Rudra's words fill the whole verse, unheaded; the input carried Krishna over). The verse differs from CE 25 (tapasādhigataṃ cānnaṃ prajārthaṃ me pitāmaha / oṣadhyaḥ parivarteran yathaiva satataṃ prajāḥ): Wikisource's line 1 repeats the first half of verse 24, line 2 is the CE's; recension variant, Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 26 (10.17.26)

एवमुक्त्वा स सक्रोधो जगाम विमना भवः । गिरेर्मुञ्जवतः पादं तपस्तप्तुं महातपाः ॥

evamuktvā sa sakrodho jagāma vimanā bhavaḥ | girermuñjavataḥ pādaṃ tapastaptuṃ mahātapāḥ

Having said this, Bhava, enraged and dejected, went to the foot of Mount Munjavat to perform austerities, that great ascetic.

Note on the text: The page ends here with its colophon (इति श्रीमन्महाभारते सौप्तिकपर्वणि ऐषीकपर्वणि सप्तदशोऽध्यायः । 17); Krishna's account of Rudra continues in the next adhyaya.