The Brahmin Gautama among the Bandits

Verse 1 (12.167.1)

विस्तरेणार्थसंबन्धं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः । मित्रद्रोही कृतघ्नश्च यः प्रोक्तस्तं च मे वद ॥

vistareṇārthasaṃbandhaṃ śrotumicchāmi tattvataḥ | mitradrohī kṛtaghnaśca yaḥ proktastaṃ ca me vada

I wish to hear in full, and truly, the whole story of the man you spoke of as a betrayer of friends and ungrateful. Tell it to me.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 12.162.27a (vistareṇārthasaṃbandhaṃ śrotum icchāmi pārthiva); kept as a variant.

Verse 2 (12.167.2)

हन्त ते वर्तयिष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम् । उदीच्यां दिशि यद्वृत्तं म्लेच्छेषु मनुजाधिप ॥

hanta te vartayiṣye'hamitihāsaṃ purātanam | udīcyāṃ diśi yadvṛttaṃ mleccheṣu manujādhipa

Very well, I shall tell you an ancient tale, O lord of men, of something that happened in the northern region among the Mlecchas.

Verse 3 (12.167.3)

ब्राह्मणो मध्यदेशीयः कृष्णाङ्गो ब्रह्मवर्जितः । ग्रामं दस्युगणाकीर्णं प्राविशद्धनतृष्णया ॥

brāhmaṇo madhyadeśīyaḥ kṛṣṇāṅgo brahmavarjitaḥ | grāmaṃ dasyugaṇākīrṇaṃ prāviśaddhanatṛṣṇayā

A brahmin of the Middle Country, dark of limb and devoid of Vedic learning and observance, entered a village crowded with bandits, out of greed for wealth.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads दस्युगणाकीर्णं प्राविशद्धनतृष्णया against the CE's prekṣya janākīrṇaṃ prāviśad bhaikṣakāṅkṣayā; kept as a variant.

Verse 4 (12.167.4)

तत्र दस्युर्धनयुतः सर्ववर्णविशेषवित् । ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यसन्धश्च दाने च निरतोऽभवत् ॥

tatra dasyurdhanayutaḥ sarvavarṇaviśeṣavit | brahmaṇyaḥ satyasandhaśca dāne ca nirato'bhavat

There lived there a wealthy bandit who knew the distinctions among all the classes, was devoted to brahmins, true to his word, and given to giving.

Verse 5 (12.167.5)

तस्य क्षयमुपागम्य ततो भिक्षामयाचत । प्रतिश्रयं च वासार्थं भिक्षां चैवाथ वार्षिकीम् ॥

tasya kṣayamupāgamya tato bhikṣāmayācata | pratiśrayaṃ ca vāsārthaṃ bhikṣāṃ caivātha vārṣikīm

The brahmin went to his house and begged from him, asking for shelter to live in and for provisions for the year.

Verse 6 (12.167.6)

प्रादात्तस्मै स विप्राय वस्त्रं च सदृशं नवम् । नारीं चापि वयोपेतां भर्त्रा विरहितां तथा ॥

prādāttasmai sa viprāya vastraṃ ca sadṛśaṃ navam | nārīṃ cāpi vayopetāṃ bhartrā virahitāṃ tathā

The bandit gave that brahmin a new garment of matching kind, and also a woman in the prime of life whose husband was gone.

Note on the text: Corrected सदशं → सदृशं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel ऋ; the CE reads sadṛśaṃ).

Verse 7 (12.167.7)

एतत्संप्राप्य हृष्टात्मा गौतमोऽथ द्विजस्तथा । तस्मिन्गृहवरे राजंस्तया रेमे स गौतमः ॥

etatsaṃprāpya hṛṣṭātmā gautamo'tha dvijastathā | tasmingṛhavare rājaṃstayā reme sa gautamaḥ

Receiving all this, the brahmin Gautama was delighted, and in that fine house, O king, Gautama took his pleasure with her.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 12.162.33a (etat saṃprāpya hṛṣṭātmā dasyoḥ sarvaṃ dvijas tadā); kept as a variant.

Verse 8 (12.167.8)

कुटुम्बार्थं च दस्योश्च साहाय्यं चाप्यथाकरोत् । सोऽवसद्वर्षमेकं वै समृद्धे शबरालये ॥

kuṭumbārthaṃ ca dasyośca sāhāyyaṃ cāpyathākarot | so'vasadvarṣamekaṃ vai samṛddhe śabarālaye

He also helped the bandit with the needs of his household. He lived there for a year in that prosperous Shabara settlement.

Note on the text: Corrected कुटुस्बार्थं → कुटुम्बार्थं (misprint in Wikisource; स for म; the CE reads kuṭumbārtheṣu). Line 1 is a variant of CE 12.162.34a (kuṭumbārtheṣu dasyoḥ sa sāhāyyaṃ cāpy athākarot) and line 2 of 34c; the alignment found no match.

Verse 9 (12.167.9)

बाणवेधे परं यत्नमकरोच्चैव गौतमः । चक्राङ्गान्स च नित्यं वै सर्वतो वनगोचरान् । जघान गौतमो राजन्यथा दस्युगणास्तथा ॥

bāṇavedhe paraṃ yatnamakaroccaiva gautamaḥ | cakrāṅgānsa ca nityaṃ vai sarvato vanagocarān | jaghāna gautamo rājanyathā dasyugaṇāstathā

Gautama devoted himself to archery. Every day, O king, he killed the wild geese that roam the forest on every side, just as the bandit bands did.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 167-9a/b/c); the alignment found no match. Line 1 = CE 12.162.34e (bāṇavedhye paraṃ yatnam akaroc caiva gautamaḥ); line 2 is a variant of CE 12.162.35a (the page has चक्राङ्गान् where the CE has vakrāṅgāṃs, and the page's note glosses चक्राङ्गान् as हंसान्); line 3 = CE 12.162.35c.

Verse 10 (12.167.10)

हिंसापटुर्घृणाहीनः सदा प्राणिवधे रतः । गौतमः सन्निकर्षेण दस्युभिः समतामियात् ॥

hiṃsāpaṭurghṛṇāhīnaḥ sadā prāṇivadhe rataḥ | gautamaḥ sannikarṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ samatāmiyāt

Skilled in violence, without pity, always delighting in the killing of living things, Gautama through close company grew to be like the bandits.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads हिंसापटुः for the CE's hiṃsāparaḥ; kept as a variant.

Verse 11 (12.167.11)

तथा तु वसतस्तस्य दस्युग्रामे सुखं तदा । अगमन्बहवो मासा निघ्नतः पक्षिणो बहून् ॥

tathā tu vasatastasya dasyugrāme sukhaṃ tadā | agamanbahavo māsā nighnataḥ pakṣiṇo bahūn

So he lived happily in the bandit village, and many months went by as he killed a great many birds.

Verse 12 (12.167.12)

ततः कदाचिदपरो द्विजस्तं देशमागतः । जटाचीराजिनधरः स्वाध्यायनिरतः शुचिः ॥

tataḥ kadācidaparo dvijastaṃ deśamāgataḥ | jaṭācīrājinadharaḥ svādhyāyanirataḥ śuciḥ

Then, at some time, another brahmin came to that land, wearing matted locks, bark and a black-antelope skin, devoted to Vedic recitation, and pure.

Verse 13 (12.167.13)

विनीतो वेदशास्त्रेषु वेदान्तानां च पारगः । अदृश्यत ततस्तत्र सखा तस्यैव तु द्विजः । तं दस्युग्राममगमद्यत्रासौ गौतमोऽभवत् ॥

vinīto vedaśāstreṣu vedāntānāṃ ca pāragaḥ | adṛśyata tatastatra sakhā tasyaiva tu dvijaḥ | taṃ dasyugrāmamagamadyatrāsau gautamo'bhavat

Trained in the Vedas and their treatises and a master of the Vedanta, he was a friend of that very Gautama. He was seen there, having come to the bandit village where Gautama lived.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 167-13a/b/c); the alignment found no match. Lines 1-2 are variants of CE 12.162.39a and 39c (vinīto niyatāhāro brahmaṇyo vedapāragaḥ / sabrahmacārī taddeśyaḥ sakhā tasyaiva supriyam); line 3 = CE 12.162.39e (taṃ dasyugrāmam agamad yatrāsau gautamo 'bhavat).

Verse 14 (12.167.14)

स तु विप्रगृहान्वेषी शूद्रान्नपरिवर्जकः । ग्रामे दस्युसमाकीर्णे व्यचरत्सर्वतो द्विजः ॥

sa tu vipragṛhānveṣī śūdrānnaparivarjakaḥ | grāme dasyusamākīrṇe vyacaratsarvato dvijaḥ

Looking for a brahmin's house and avoiding food from Shudras, that brahmin went about everywhere in the village crowded with bandits.

Note on the text: Corrected विप्रगृहान्वेपी → विप्रगृहान्वेषी (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the CE reads vipragṛhānveṣī).

Verse 15 (12.167.15)

ततः स गौतमगृहं प्रविवेश द्विजोत्तमः । गौतमश्चापि संप्राप्तस्तावन्योन्येन संगतौ ॥

tataḥ sa gautamagṛhaṃ praviveśa dvijottamaḥ | gautamaścāpi saṃprāptastāvanyonyena saṃgatau

Then that best of brahmins entered Gautama's house, and Gautama too came up, and the two met each other.

Verse 16 (12.167.16)

चक्राङ्गभारस्कन्धं तं धनुष्पाणिं धृतायुधम् । रुधिरेणावसिक्ताङ्गं गृहद्वारमुपागतम् ॥

cakrāṅgabhāraskandhaṃ taṃ dhanuṣpāṇiṃ dhṛtāyudham | rudhireṇāvasiktāṅgaṃ gṛhadvāramupāgatam

He saw him come to the doorway of the house, his shoulder bent under a load of wild geese, bow in hand, weapons borne, his body drenched in blood.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads चक्राङ्गभारस्कन्धं and line 2 धृतायुधम् against the CE's vakrāṅgabhārahastaṃ … kṛtāgasam; kept as variants.

Verse 17 (12.167.17)

तं दृष्ट्वा पुरुषादाभमपध्वस्तं क्षमागतम् । अभिज्ञाय द्विजो व्रीडन्निदं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā puruṣādābhamapadhvastaṃ kṣamāgatam | abhijñāya dvijo vrīḍannidaṃ vākyamathābravīt

Seeing him like a man-eating ogre, ruined and fallen low, the brahmin recognised him and, ashamed, spoke these words.

Note on the text: Line 1 ends क्षमागतम् where the CE reads kṣayāgatam, and line 2 differs from CE 12.162.43c; kept as variants.

Verse 18 (12.167.18)

किमिदं कुरुषे मोहाद्विप्रस्त्वं हि कुलोद्भवः । मध्यदेशपरिज्ञातो दस्युभावं गतः कथम् ॥

kimidaṃ kuruṣe mohādviprastvaṃ hi kulodbhavaḥ | madhyadeśaparijñāto dasyubhāvaṃ gataḥ katham

'What is this you are doing, out of folly? You are a brahmin, born in a good family and known in the Middle Country. How have you come to the ways of a bandit?

Note on the text: Corrected कुरुपे → कुरुषे (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the CE reads kuruṣe).

Verse 19 (12.167.19)

पूर्वान्स्मर द्विज ज्ञातीन्प्रख्यातान्वेदपारगान् । येषां वंशेऽभिजातस्त्वमीदृशः कुलपांसनः ॥

pūrvānsmara dvija jñātīnprakhyātānvedapāragān | yeṣāṃ vaṃśe'bhijātastvamīdṛśaḥ kulapāṃsanaḥ

Remember your forefathers, brahmin, renowned masters of the Veda, in whose line you were born, such a disgrace to your family.

Verse 20 (12.167.20)

अवबुध्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं सत्वं शीलं श्रुतं दमम् । अनुक्रोशं च संस्मृत्य त्यज वासमिमं द्विज ॥

avabudhyātmanā''tmānaṃ satvaṃ śīlaṃ śrutaṃ damam | anukrośaṃ ca saṃsmṛtya tyaja vāsamimaṃ dvija

Know your own self; remember goodness, character, learning, self-restraint and compassion, and leave this dwelling, brahmin.'

Note on the text: The CE's star passage 12.162.46d*0433_01-04 (kugrāmavāsaṃ ca kumitrasaṅgam …) is not on the page.

Verse 21 (12.167.21)

स एवमुक्तः सुहृदा तेन तत्र हितैषिणा । प्रत्युवाच ततो राजन्विनिश्वस्य तदाऽऽर्तवत् ॥

sa evamuktaḥ suhṛdā tena tatra hitaiṣiṇā | pratyuvāca tato rājanviniśvasya tadā''rtavat

Spoken to thus by his friend, who wished him well, he sighed deeply and replied, O king, as if in distress.

Note on the text: Corrected हितैपिणा → हितैषिणा (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the CE reads hitaiṣiṇā). Corrected तदाऽऽर्तबत् → तदाऽऽर्तवत् (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व; the CE reads tadārtavat). Line 2 differs from CE 12.162.47c (viniścitya for viniśvasya); kept as a variant.

Verse 22 (12.167.22)

निर्धनोऽस्मि द्विजश्रेष्ठ नापि वेदविदप्यहम् । वित्तार्थमिह संप्राप्तं विद्धि मां द्विजसत्तम ॥

nirdhano'smi dvijaśreṣṭha nāpi vedavidapyaham | vittārthamiha saṃprāptaṃ viddhi māṃ dvijasattama

'I am poor, best of brahmins, and not learned in the Veda either. Know, best of the twice-born, that I came here for the sake of wealth.

Verse 23 (12.167.23)

त्वद्दर्शनात्तु विप्रेन्द्र कृतार्थोऽस्म्यद्य वै द्विज । अध्वानं सह यास्यावः श्वो वसस्वाद्य शर्वरीम् ॥

tvaddarśanāttu viprendra kṛtārtho'smyadya vai dvija | adhvānaṃ saha yāsyāvaḥ śvo vasasvādya śarvarīm

By seeing you today, best of brahmins, I have gained my end. We shall travel the road together tomorrow; stay here tonight.'

Verse 24 (12.167.24)

स तत्र न्यवसद्विप्रो घृणी किंचिदसंस्पृशन् । क्षुधितश्छन्द्यमानोऽपि भोजनं नाभ्यनन्दत ॥

sa tatra nyavasadvipro ghṛṇī kiṃcidasaṃspṛśan | kṣudhitaśchandyamāno'pi bhojanaṃ nābhyanandata

The brahmin stayed there that night, but full of disgust he touched nothing, and though hungry and pressed to eat, he did not accept the meal.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Both lines are the CE star passage 12.162.49d*0435_01-02 (sa tatra nyavasad vipro ghṛṇī kiṃ cid asaṃspṛśan / kṣudhitaś chandyamāno 'pi bhojanaṃ nābhyanandata), printed after 12.162.49. The CE's other star line there (12.162.49d*0434_01, gautamena tathety ukte suṣvāpa dvijasattamaḥ) is not on the page.