The Sarasvati Carries Vasishtha Away from Vishvamitra

Verse 1 (9.43.1)

वसिष्ठापवाहो ब्रह्मन्वै भीमवेगः कथं नु सः । किमर्थं च सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा तमृषिं प्रत्यवाहयत् ॥

vasiṣṭhāpavāho brahmanvai bhīmavegaḥ kathaṃ nu saḥ | kimarthaṃ ca saricchreṣṭhā tamṛṣiṃ pratyavāhayat

Janamejaya said: "Brahmin, how did Vasishthapavaha come to have that terrible swiftness? And why did the best of rivers carry that sage away?"

Verse 2 (9.43.2)

कथमस्याभवद्वैरं कारणं किं च तत्प्रभो । शंस पृष्टो महाप्राज्ञ न हि तृप्यामि कथ्यताम् ॥

kathamasyābhavadvairaṃ kāraṇaṃ kiṃ ca tatprabho | śaṃsa pṛṣṭo mahāprājña na hi tṛpyāmi kathyatām

"How did their enmity arise, and what was its cause, lord? Tell me, for I ask you, O man of great wisdom; I am not satisfied. Please relate it."

Note on the text: Corrected कथ्यति → कथ्यताम् (misprint in Wikisource; not a valid form, CE kathyatām).

Verse 3 (9.43.3)

विश्वामित्रस्य विप्रर्षेर्वसिष्ठस्य च भारत । भृशं वैरमभूद्राजंस्तपःस्पर्धाकृतं महत् ॥

viśvāmitrasya viprarṣervasiṣṭhasya ca bhārata | bhṛśaṃ vairamabhūdrājaṃstapaḥspardhākṛtaṃ mahat

Vaishampayana said: Great was the enmity, O Bharata, O king, between the brahmin sage Vishvamitra and Vasishtha, born of rivalry in austerity.

Verse 4 (9.43.4)

आश्रमो वै वसिष्ठस्य स्थाणुतीर्थेऽभवन्महान् । पूर्वतः पार्श्वतश्चासीद्विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः ॥

āśramo vai vasiṣṭhasya sthāṇutīrthe'bhavanmahān | pūrvataḥ pārśvataścāsīdviśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ

Vasishtha had a great hermitage at the Sthanu tirtha; to its east and west lay that of the wise Vishvamitra.

Verse 5 (9.43.5)

यत्र स्थाणुर्महाराज तप्तवान्परमं तपः । तत्रास्य कर्म तद्धोरं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ॥

yatra sthāṇurmahārāja taptavānparamaṃ tapaḥ | tatrāsya karma taddhoraṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ

There, O great king, Sthanu performed supreme austerity, and the wise tell of his dreadful deed done there.

Verse 6 (9.43.6)

यत्रेष्ट्वा भगवान्स्थाणुः पूजयित्वा सरस्वतीम् । स्थापयामास तत्तीर्थं स्थाणुतीर्थमिति प्रभो ॥

yatreṣṭvā bhagavānsthāṇuḥ pūjayitvā sarasvatīm | sthāpayāmāsa tattīrthaṃ sthāṇutīrthamiti prabho

There the blessed Sthanu, having sacrificed and honoured the Sarasvati, established that tirtha, which is therefore called Sthanutirtha, O lord.

Verse 7 (9.43.7)

तत्र तीर्थे सुराः स्कन्दमभ्यषिञ्चन्नराधिप । सैनापत्येन महता सुरारिविनिबर्हणम् ॥

tatra tīrthe surāḥ skandamabhyaṣiñcannarādhipa | saināpatyena mahatā surārivinibarhaṇam

At that tirtha the gods consecrated Skanda with the great command of the army, to destroy the enemies of the gods, O lord of men.

Verse 8 (9.43.8)

तस्मिन्सारस्वते तीर्थे विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । वसिष्ठं चालयामास तपसोग्रेण तच्छृणु ॥

tasminsārasvate tīrthe viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | vasiṣṭhaṃ cālayāmāsa tapasogreṇa tacchṛṇu

At that tirtha of the Sarasvati the great sage Vishvamitra tried to shake Vasishtha with fierce austerity; listen to that.

Verse 9 (9.43.9)

विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठौ तावहन्यहनि भारत । स्पर्धां तपः कृतां तीव्रां चक्रतुस्तौ तपोधनौ ॥

viśvāmitravasiṣṭhau tāvahanyahani bhārata | spardhāṃ tapaḥ kṛtāṃ tīvrāṃ cakratustau tapodhanau

Vishvamitra and Vasishtha, O Bharata, those two rich in austerity, carried on day after day a fierce rivalry made of austerity.

Note on the text: Corrected तौ वतपोधनौ → तौ तपोधनौ (misprint in Wikisource; stray व, CE tau tapodhanau).

Verse 10 (9.43.10)

तत्राप्यधिकसन्तप्तो विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । दृष्ट्वा तेजो वसिष्ठस्य चिन्तामभिजगाम ह ॥

tatrāpyadhikasantapto viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | dṛṣṭvā tejo vasiṣṭhasya cintāmabhijagāma ha

Even there the great sage Vishvamitra burned the more with envy, and, seeing Vasishtha's radiance, fell into brooding.

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines a and c of the three-line CE verse 9.41.10 (tatrāpy adhikasaṃtāpo viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ / dṛṣṭvā tejo vasiṣṭhasya cintām abhijagāma ha); the CE's third line (10e) is line 1 of the next verse.

Verse 11 (9.43.11)

तस्य बुद्धिरियं ह्यासीद्धर्मनित्यस्य भारत । इदं सरस्वती तूर्णं मत्समीपं तपोधनम् ॥

tasya buddhiriyaṃ hyāsīddharmanityasya bhārata | idaṃ sarasvatī tūrṇaṃ matsamīpaṃ tapodhanam

This thought came to him, who was ever devoted to dharma, O Bharata: "This Sarasvati, swift as she is, will bring that ascetic to me,

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: line 1 is CE 9.41.10e (tasya buddhir iyaṃ hy āsīd dharmanityasya bhārata); line 2 is CE 9.41.11a, with इदं for CE iyaṃ (variant, kept).

Verse 12 (9.43.12)

आनयिष्यति वेगेन वसिष्ठं जपतां वरम् । इहागतं द्विजश्रेष्ठं हनिष्यामि न संशयः ॥

ānayiṣyati vegena vasiṣṭhaṃ japatāṃ varam | ihāgataṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ haniṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

"with her current, Vasishtha, the best of those who recite prayers; and when that best of the twice-born has come here, I shall kill him, without a doubt."

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: lines c and e of the three-line CE verse 9.41.11 (ānayiṣyati vegena vasiṣṭhaṃ japatāṃ varam / ihāgataṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ haniṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ).

Verse 13 (9.43.13)

एवं निश्चित्य भगवान्विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । सस्मार सरितां श्रेष्ठां क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः ॥

evaṃ niścitya bhagavānviśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | sasmāra saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ

Having decided thus, the blessed great sage Vishvamitra, his eyes red with anger, called to mind the best of rivers.

Verse 14 (9.43.14)

सा ध्याता मुनिना तेन व्याकुलत्वं जगाम ह । गत्वा चैनं महावीर्यं महाकोपं च भामिनी ॥

sā dhyātā muninā tena vyākulatvaṃ jagāma ha | gatvā cainaṃ mahāvīryaṃ mahākopaṃ ca bhāminī

Called to mind by that sage, she was thrown into agitation; and the lovely woman, going to him, so mighty and so wrathful,

Verse 15 (9.43.15)

तदा तं वेपमानाङ्गी विवर्णा प्राञ्जलिर्भृशम् । उपतस्थे मुनिवरं विश्वामित्रं सरस्वती ॥

tadā taṃ vepamānāṅgī vivarṇā prāñjalirbhṛśam | upatasthe munivaraṃ viśvāmitraṃ sarasvatī

then, her limbs trembling, pale, her palms joined, stood before the best of sages, Vishvamitra, the Sarasvati.

Verse 16 (9.43.16)

हतवीरा यथा नारी साऽभवद्दुःखिता भृशम् । ब्रूहि किं करवाणीति प्रोवाच मुनिसत्तमम् ॥

hatavīrā yathā nārī sā'bhavadduḥkhitā bhṛśam | brūhi kiṃ karavāṇīti provāca munisattamam

She was deeply miserable, like a woman whose hero has been slain, and she said to that best of sages: "Tell me what I should do."

Verse 17 (9.43.17)

तामुवाच मुनिः क्रुद्धो वसिष्ठं शीघ्रमानय । यावदेनं निहन्म्यद्य तच्छ्रुत्वा व्यथिता नदी ॥

tāmuvāca muniḥ kruddho vasiṣṭhaṃ śīghramānaya | yāvadenaṃ nihanmyadya tacchrutvā vyathitā nadī

The angry sage said to her: "Bring Vasishtha here quickly, so that I may kill him today." Hearing this, the river was struck with distress.

Verse 18 (9.43.18)

साञ्जलिं तु ततः कृत्वा पुण्डरीकनिभेक्षणा । प्राकम्पत भृशं भीता वायुनेवाहता लता ॥

sāñjaliṃ tu tataḥ kṛtvā puṇḍarīkanibhekṣaṇā | prākampata bhṛśaṃ bhītā vāyunevāhatā latā

Then, with her palms joined, the lotus-eyed river trembled greatly in fear, like a creeper struck by the wind.

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: line 1 is CE 9.41.17a (sāñjaliṃ tu tataḥ kṛtvā puṇḍarīkanibhekṣaṇā); line 2 is the CE star line 9.41.19d*0254_01 (prākampata bhṛśaṃ bhītā vāyunevāhatā latā), printed here in place of CE 9.41.17c.

Verse 19 (9.43.19)

तथारूपां तु तां दृष्ट्वा मुनिराह महानदीम् । अविचारं वसिष्ठं त्वमानयस्वान्तिकं मम ॥

tathārūpāṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā munirāha mahānadīm | avicāraṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ tvamānayasvāntikaṃ mama

Seeing her in that state, the sage said to the great river: "Without hesitation bring Vasishtha to my side."

Note on the text: Corrected त्वमानयस्त्वान्तिकं → त्वमानयस्वान्तिकं (misprint in Wikisource; स्त्वा for स्वा, CE ānayasvāntikaṃ). Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.41.19d*0254_02-03 (tathārūpāṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā munir āha mahānadīm / avicāraṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ tvam ānayasvāntikaṃ mama).

Verse 20 (9.43.20)

सा तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ज्ञात्वा पापं चिकीर्षितम् । वसिष्ठस्य प्रभावं च जानन्त्यप्रतिमं भुवि ॥

sā tasya vacanaṃ śrutvā jñātvā pāpaṃ cikīrṣitam | vasiṣṭhasya prabhāvaṃ ca jānantyapratimaṃ bhuvi

Hearing his words and knowing his wicked intent, and knowing too the matchless power of Vasishtha on earth,

Note on the text: Not matched by the automatic alignment: these are the CE star lines 9.41.19d*0254_04-05 (sā tasya vacanaṃ śrutvā jñātvā pāpaṃ cikīrṣitam / vasiṣṭhasya prabhāvaṃ ca jānanty apratimaṃ bhuvi).

Verse 21 (9.43.21)

साऽभिगम्य वसिष्ठं च इदमर्थमचोदयत् । यदुक्ता सरितांश्रेष्ठा विश्वामित्रेण धीमता ॥

sā'bhigamya vasiṣṭhaṃ ca idamarthamacodayat | yaduktā saritāṃśreṣṭhā viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā

she approached Vasishtha and told him what the wise Vishvamitra had said to the best of rivers.

Verse 22 (9.43.22)

उभयोः शापयोर्भीता वेपमाना पुनःपुनः । चिन्तयित्वा महाशापमृषिवित्रासिता भृशम् ॥

ubhayoḥ śāpayorbhītā vepamānā punaḥpunaḥ | cintayitvā mahāśāpamṛṣivitrāsitā bhṛśam

Frightened of the two curses, trembling again and again, and thinking of the great curse, she was greatly terrified by the sages.

Note on the text: Corrected महाशापमृषिविप्रासिता → महाशापमृषिवित्रासिता (misprint in Wikisource; not a word, CE ṛṣivitrāsitā).

Verse 23 (9.43.23)

तां कृशां च विवर्णां च दृष्ट्वा चिन्तासमन्विताम् । उवाच राजन्धर्मात्मा वसिष्ठो द्विपदां वरः ॥

tāṃ kṛśāṃ ca vivarṇāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā cintāsamanvitām | uvāca rājandharmātmā vasiṣṭho dvipadāṃ varaḥ

Seeing her thin and pale and lost in worry, Vasishtha, the best of men and righteous in soul, said to her, O king:

Verse 24 (9.43.24)

पाह्यात्मानं सरिच्छ्रेष्ठे वह मां शीघ्रगामिनी । विश्वामित्रः शपेद्धि त्वां मा कृथास्त्वं विचारणाम् ॥

pāhyātmānaṃ saricchreṣṭhe vaha māṃ śīghragāminī | viśvāmitraḥ śapeddhi tvāṃ mā kṛthāstvaṃ vicāraṇām

"Save yourself, best of rivers, and carry me, swift-flowing one; for Vishvamitra would curse you. Do not hesitate."

Note on the text: Corrected सरिच्छेष्ठे → सरिच्छ्रेष्ठे (misprint in Wikisource; dropped conjunct, CE saricchreṣṭhe) and शपेद्वि → शपेद्धि (misprint in Wikisource; व for ध, CE śaped dhi). पाह्यात्मानं for CE trāhy ātmānaṃ is a variant ("protect yourself"), kept. Speaker given to Vasishtha: the whole verse is his direct speech, printed without a heading.

Verse 25 (9.43.25)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कृपाशीलस्य सा सरित् । चिन्तयामास कौरव्य किं कृत्वा सुकृतं भवेत् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā kṛpāśīlasya sā sarit | cintayāmāsa kauravya kiṃ kṛtvā sukṛtaṃ bhavet

Hearing his words, that river, thinking of the compassionate sage, wondered, O descendant of Kuru, what she could do that would be a good deed.

Verse 26 (9.43.26)

तस्याश्चिन्ता समुत्पन्ना वसिष्ठो मय्यतीव हि । कृतवान्हि दयां नित्यं तस्य कार्यं हितं मया ॥

tasyāścintā samutpannā vasiṣṭho mayyatīva hi | kṛtavānhi dayāṃ nityaṃ tasya kāryaṃ hitaṃ mayā

This thought rose in her: "Vasishtha has always shown me great kindness; his good must be done by me."

Note on the text: Corrected तस्या कार्यं → तस्य कार्यं (misprint in Wikisource; the feminine तस्या has no referent here, the reference is to Vasishtha, CE tasya kāryaṃ). The thought is unspoken and stays with the narrator.

Verse 27 (9.43.27)

अथ कूले स्वके राजञ्जपन्तमृषिसत्तमम् । जुह्वानं कौशिकं प्रेक्ष्य सरस्वत्यभ्यचिन्तयत् ॥

atha kūle svake rājañjapantamṛṣisattamam | juhvānaṃ kauśikaṃ prekṣya sarasvatyabhyacintayat

Then, O king, she saw the best of sages on her own bank, reciting prayers while Kaushika made his offerings, and the Sarasvati considered.

Verse 28 (9.43.28)

इदमन्तरमित्येवं ततः सा सरितां वरा । कूलापहारमकरोत्स्वेन वेगेन सा सरित् ॥

idamantaramityevaṃ tataḥ sā saritāṃ varā | kūlāpahāramakarotsvena vegena sā sarit

"Here is the moment," she thought, and that best of rivers, with her own current, carried away the bank.

Verse 29 (9.43.29)

तेन कूलापहारेण मैत्रावरुणिरौह्यत । उह्यमानः स तुष्टाव तदा राजन्सरस्वतीम् ॥

tena kūlāpahāreṇa maitrāvaruṇirauhyata | uhyamānaḥ sa tuṣṭāva tadā rājansarasvatīm

By that sweeping away of the bank, the son of Mitra and Varuna was carried off, and as he was borne along he praised the Sarasvati, O king.

Verse 30 (9.43.30)

पितामहस्य सरसः प्रवृत्ताऽसि सरस्वति । व्याप्तं चेदं जगत्सर्वं तवैवाम्भोभिरुत्तमैः ॥

pitāmahasya sarasaḥ pravṛttā'si sarasvati | vyāptaṃ cedaṃ jagatsarvaṃ tavaivāmbhobhiruttamaiḥ

"You have flowed forth from the lake of the Grandsire, Sarasvati; this whole world is pervaded by your best waters."

Note on the text: Speaker given to Vasishtha: the whole verse is his direct speech (his praise of the Sarasvati, introduced in the previous verse), printed without a heading.

Verse 31 (9.43.31)

त्वमेवाकाशगा देवि मेघेषु सृजसे पयः । सर्वाश्चापस्त्वमेवेति यथा वयमधीमहि ॥

tvamevākāśagā devi megheṣu sṛjase payaḥ | sarvāścāpastvameveti yathā vayamadhīmahi

"You, goddess, going through the sky, pour out water in the clouds; and you are all the waters, as we learn it in the scriptures."

Note on the text: Speaker given to Vasishtha (whole verse is his praise, as in the previous verse). Line 2 यथा वयमधीमहि for CE tvatto vayam adhīmahe is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 32 (9.43.32)

पुष्टिर्द्युतिस्तथा कीर्तिः सिद्धिर्बुद्धिरमा तथा । त्वमेव वाणी स्वाहा त्वं तवायत्तमिदं जगत् । त्वमेव सर्वभूतेषु वससीह चतुर्विधा ॥

puṣṭirdyutistathā kīrtiḥ siddhirbuddhiramā tathā | tvameva vāṇī svāhā tvaṃ tavāyattamidaṃ jagat | tvameva sarvabhūteṣu vasasīha caturvidhā

"You are growth, radiance, fame, success, understanding and Rama (Lakshmi); you are speech and Svaha; this world depends on you. You dwell in all beings, in a fourfold way."

Note on the text: Speaker given to Vasishtha (whole verse is his praise). बुद्धिरमा for CE vṛddhir umā is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 33 (9.43.33)

एवं सरस्वती राजन्स्तूयमाना महर्षिणा । वेगेनोवाह तं विप्रं विश्वामित्राश्रमं प्रति ॥

evaṃ sarasvatī rājanstūyamānā maharṣiṇā | vegenovāha taṃ vipraṃ viśvāmitrāśramaṃ prati

Praised thus by the great sage, O king, the Sarasvati bore him swiftly to Vishvamitra's hermitage.

Verse 34 (9.43.34)

न्यवेदयत चाभीक्ष्णं विश्वामित्राय तं मुनिम् ॥

nyavedayata cābhīkṣṇaṃ viśvāmitrāya taṃ munim

And she reported to Vishvamitra again and again that the sage had come.

Note on the text: Corrected चाक्षीक्ष्णं → चाभीक्ष्णं (misprint in Wikisource; not a word, CE cābhīkṣṇaṃ). The page prints this single line as a verse of its own (9-43-34a); it is line 32e, the third line, of the CE verse 9.41.32 (lines 32a and 32c are the previous verse).

Verse 35 (9.43.35)

तमानीतं सरस्वत्या दृष्ट्वा कोपसमन्वितः । अथान्वेषत्प्रहरणं वसिष्ठान्तकरं तदा ॥

tamānītaṃ sarasvatyā dṛṣṭvā kopasamanvitaḥ | athānveṣatpraharaṇaṃ vasiṣṭhāntakaraṃ tadā

Seeing him brought by the Sarasvati, Vishvamitra was seized by wrath and then looked for a weapon that would end Vasishtha.

Verse 36 (9.43.36)

तं तु क्रुद्धमभिप्रेक्ष्य ब्रह्मवध्याभयान्नदी । अपोवाह वसिष्ठं तु प्राचीं दिशमतन्द्रिता । उभयोः कुर्वती वाक्यं वञ्चयित्वा च गाधिजम् ॥

taṃ tu kruddhamabhiprekṣya brahmavadhyābhayānnadī | apovāha vasiṣṭhaṃ tu prācīṃ diśamatandritā | ubhayoḥ kurvatī vākyaṃ vañcayitvā ca gādhijam

Seeing him enraged, the river, afraid of the killing of a brahmin, carried Vasishtha off toward the east without delay, doing the word of both and deceiving the son of Gadhi.

Verse 37 (9.43.37)

ततोऽपवाहितं दृष्ट्वा वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम् । अब्रवीत्त्वथ सङ्क्रुद्धो विश्वामित्रः सरस्वतीम् ॥

tato'pavāhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā vasiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam | abravīttvatha saṅkruddho viśvāmitraḥ sarasvatīm

Seeing the best of sages, Vasishtha, thus carried away, Vishvamitra, greatly enraged, said to the Sarasvati:

Note on the text: Corrected ततोपवाहितं → ततोऽपवाहितं (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha, CE tato 'pavāhitaṃ).

Verse 38 (9.43.38)

यस्मान्मां त्वं सरिच्छ्रेष्ठे वञ्चयित्वा पुनर्गता । शोणितं वह कल्याणि राक्षसानां च सम्मतम् ॥

yasmānmāṃ tvaṃ saricchreṣṭhe vañcayitvā punargatā | śoṇitaṃ vaha kalyāṇi rākṣasānāṃ ca sammatam

"Since you have deceived me, best of rivers, and gone away, carry blood, auspicious one, blood that is dear to the Rakshasas."

Note on the text: Speaker given to Vishvamitra: the whole verse is his direct speech (his curse), printed without a heading. Line 2 राक्षसानां च सम्मतम् for CE rakṣogrāmaṇisaṃmatam is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 39 (9.43.39)

ततः सरस्वती शप्ता विश्वामित्रेण धीमता । अवहच्छोणितोन्मिश्रं तोयं संवत्सरं तदा ॥

tataḥ sarasvatī śaptā viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā | avahacchoṇitonmiśraṃ toyaṃ saṃvatsaraṃ tadā

Thus cursed by the wise Vishvamitra, the Sarasvati then flowed for a year with water mixed with blood.

Verse 40 (9.43.40)

अथर्षयश्च देवाश्च गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तदा । सरस्वतीं तथा दृष्ट्वा बभूवुर्भृशदुःखिताः ॥

atharṣayaśca devāśca gandharvāpsarasastadā | sarasvatīṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā babhūvurbhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ

Then the sages, the gods, the gandharvas and the apsarases, seeing the Sarasvati so, were greatly grieved.

Verse 41 (9.43.41)

एवं वसिष्ठापवाहो लोके ख्यातो जनाधिप । आगच्छच्च पुनर्मार्गं स्वमेव सरितां वरा ॥

evaṃ vasiṣṭhāpavāho loke khyāto janādhipa | āgacchacca punarmārgaṃ svameva saritāṃ varā

So the Vasishthapavaha became famous in the world, O lord of men; and the best of rivers later returned to her own course.