Indra as the Jackal and Kashyapa

Verse 1 (12.178.1)

बान्धवाः कर्म वित्तं वा प्रज्ञा वेह पितामह । नरस्य का प्रतिष्ठा स्यादेतत्पृष्टो वदस्व मे ॥

bāndhavāḥ karma vittaṃ vā prajñā veha pitāmaha | narasya kā pratiṣṭhā syādetatpṛṣṭo vadasva me

Grandfather, what is a man's firm support in this world: kinsmen, action, wealth, or wisdom? Asked this, tell me.

Verse 2 (12.178.2)

प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठा भूतानां प्रज्ञा लाभः परो मतः । प्रज्ञा निःश्रेयसी लोके प्रज्ञा स्वर्गो मतः सताम् ॥

prajñā pratiṣṭhā bhūtānāṃ prajñā lābhaḥ paro mataḥ | prajñā niḥśreyasī loke prajñā svargo mataḥ satām

Wisdom is the support of beings; wisdom is held to be the highest gain. Wisdom is the supreme good in the world, and for the good, wisdom is heaven.

Verse 3 (12.178.3)

प्रज्ञया प्रापितार्थो हि बलिरैश्वर्यसंक्षये । प्रह्लादो नमुचिर्मङ्किस्तस्याः किं विद्यते परम् ॥

prajñayā prāpitārtho hi baliraiśvaryasaṃkṣaye | prahlādo namucirmaṅkistasyāḥ kiṃ vidyate param

It was wisdom that brought Bali to his goal when his sovereignty was lost, and likewise Prahlada, Namuchi and Manki. What is there higher than wisdom?

Verse 4 (12.178.4)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । इन्द्रकाश्यपसंवादं तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | indrakāśyapasaṃvādaṃ tannibodha yudhiṣṭhira

On this subject they tell an ancient tale, the conversation of Indra and Kashyapa. Listen to it, Yudhishthira.

Verse 5 (12.178.5)

वैश्यः कश्चिदृषिसुतं काश्यपं संशितव्रतम् । रथेन पातयामास श्रीमान्दृप्तस्तपस्विनम् ॥

vaiśyaḥ kaścidṛṣisutaṃ kāśyapaṃ saṃśitavratam | rathena pātayāmāsa śrīmāndṛptastapasvinam

A certain vaishya, wealthy and proud, knocked down with his chariot Kashyapa, a rishi's son of strict vows, an ascetic.

Verse 6 (12.178.6)

आर्तः स पतितः क्रुद्धस्त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मानमथाब्रवीत् । मरिष्याम्यधनस्येह जीवितार्थो न विद्यते ॥

ārtaḥ sa patitaḥ kruddhastyaktvā''tmānamathābravīt | mariṣyāmyadhanasyeha jīvitārtho na vidyate

Hurt, fallen and angry, he gave up hope and said, ‘I shall die; for a poor man here there is no purpose in living.’

Verse 7 (12.178.7)

तथा मुमूर्षुमासीनमकूजन्तमचेतसम् । इन्द्रः सृगालरूपेण बभाषे क्षुब्धमानसम् ॥

tathā mumūrṣumāsīnamakūjantamacetasam | indraḥ sṛgālarūpeṇa babhāṣe kṣubdhamānasam

As he sat there wishing to die, silent and senseless, his mind agitated, Indra spoke to him in the form of a jackal.

Note on the text: Corrected मुमूर्षमासीनम् → मुमूर्षुमासीनम् (misprint in Wikisource; the ु is dropped, leaving no word; CE mumūrṣum āsīnam). Wikisource's क्षुब्धमानसम् against CE kruddhamānasam is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 8 (12.178.8)

मनुष्ययोनिमिच्छन्ति सर्वभूतानि सर्वशः । मनुष्यत्वे च विप्रत्वं सर्व एवाभिनन्दति ॥

manuṣyayonimicchanti sarvabhūtāni sarvaśaḥ | manuṣyatve ca vipratvaṃ sarva evābhinandati

All creatures everywhere long for a human birth, and among humans everyone delights in being a brahmin.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the jackal (Indra in disguise), whose speech begins here as the narration of verse 7 ends with babhāṣe. The page prints no heading until Bhishma's (12-178-52x) at verse 52, so the jackal's unheaded speech runs to verse 51. Kashyapa's own words in verse 6 (line 2) stay with the narrator, being part of a narrating verse.

Verse 9 (12.178.9)

मनुष्यो ब्राह्मणश्चासि श्रोत्रियश्चासि काश्यप । सुदुर्लभमवाप्यैतन्न दोषान्मर्तुमर्हसि ॥

manuṣyo brāhmaṇaścāsi śrotriyaścāsi kāśyapa | sudurlabhamavāpyaitanna doṣānmartumarhasi

You are a human being, a brahmin and a learned one, Kashyapa. Having obtained this so hard to get, you ought not to die out of folly.

Verse 10 (12.178.10)

सर्वे लाभाः साभिमाना इति सत्यवती श्रुतिः । संतोषणीयरूपोऽसि लोभाद्यदभिमन्यसे ॥

sarve lābhāḥ sābhimānā iti satyavatī śrutiḥ | saṃtoṣaṇīyarūpo'si lobhādyadabhimanyase

‘All gains come with pride’: this saying of the scripture is true. Your condition is one to be content with, yet through greed you hold it in contempt.

Verse 11 (12.178.11)

अहो सिद्धार्थता तेषां येषां सन्तीह पाणयः । अतीव स्पृहये तेषां येषां सन्तीह पाणयः ॥

aho siddhārthatā teṣāṃ yeṣāṃ santīha pāṇayaḥ | atīva spṛhaye teṣāṃ yeṣāṃ santīha pāṇayaḥ

How accomplished are those who have hands here! I envy them exceedingly, those who have hands here.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints line 2 in square brackets with a doubled daṇḍa inside them (अतीव स्पृहये तेषां येषां सन्तीह पाणयः); removed the brackets and the stray daṇḍa, keeping the line. Line 1 = CE 12.173.11a; line 2 is not in the CE.

Verse 12 (12.178.12)

पाणिमद्भ्यः स्पृहाऽस्माकं यथा तव धनस्य वै । न पाणिलाभादधिको लाभः कश्चन विद्यते ॥

pāṇimadbhyaḥ spṛhā'smākaṃ yathā tava dhanasya vai | na pāṇilābhādadhiko lābhaḥ kaścana vidyate

Our longing for those who have hands is like your longing for wealth. There is no gain greater than the gain of hands.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 12.173.11c (pāṇimadbhyaḥ spṛhāsmākaṃ yathā tava dhanasya vai); line 2 = CE 12.173.12a. The alignment found no match because Wikisource divides the CE's couplets differently here.

Verse 13 (12.178.13)

अपाणित्वाद्वयं ब्रह्मन्कण्टकं नोद्धरामहे । जन्तूनुच्चावचानङ्गे दशतो न कषाम वा ॥

apāṇitvādvayaṃ brahmankaṇṭakaṃ noddharāmahe | jantūnuccāvacānaṅge daśato na kaṣāma vā

Because we have no hands, O brahmin, we cannot pull out a thorn, nor can we scratch off the many kinds of creatures that bite us on the body.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 12.173.12c (Wikisource's कण्टकं against CE kaṇṭakān is a variant, kept); line 2 is the CE star line 12.173.12d*0477_01 (jantūn uccāvacān aṅge daśato na kaṣāma ca; Wikisource वा for ca).

Verse 14 (12.178.14)

अथ येषां पुनः पाणी देवदत्तौ दशाङ्गुली । उद्धरन्ति कृमीनङ्गाद्दशतो निकषन्ति च ॥

atha yeṣāṃ punaḥ pāṇī devadattau daśāṅgulī | uddharanti kṛmīnaṅgāddaśato nikaṣanti ca

But those whose two ten-fingered hands are god-given pull the worms from the body and scratch off the ones that bite.

Verse 15 (12.178.15)

वर्षाहिमातपानां च परित्राणानि कुर्वते । चेलमन्नं सुखं शय्यां निवातं चोपभुञ्जते ॥

varṣāhimātapānāṃ ca paritrāṇāni kurvate | celamannaṃ sukhaṃ śayyāṃ nivātaṃ copabhuñjate

They make shelters against rain, cold and heat; they enjoy clothing, food, comfort, a bed and a place sheltered from the wind.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from the CE (himavarṣātapānāṃ ca; Wikisource वर्षाहिमातपानां च), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (12.178.16)

अधिष्ठाय च गां लोके भुञ्जते वाहयन्ति च । उपायैर्बहुभिश्चैव वश्यानात्मनि कुर्वते ॥

adhiṣṭhāya ca gāṃ loke bhuñjate vāhayanti ca | upāyairbahubhiścaiva vaśyānātmani kurvate

Taking possession of cattle in the world, they use them for their enjoyment and make them draw and carry; and by many devices they bring others under their own sway.

Verse 17 (12.178.17)

ये खल्वजिह्वाः कृपणा अल्पप्राणा अपाणयः । सहन्ते तानि दुःखानि दिष्ट्या त्वं न तथा मुने ॥

ye khalvajihvāḥ kṛpaṇā alpaprāṇā apāṇayaḥ | sahante tāni duḥkhāni diṣṭyā tvaṃ na tathā mune

Those who have no tongue, who are wretched, weak and handless, endure those sufferings. It is fortunate, sage, that you are not so.

Verse 18 (12.178.18)

दिष्ट्या त्वं न शृगालो वै न कृमिर्न च मूषकः । न सर्पो न च मण्डूको न चान्यः पापयोनिजः ॥

diṣṭyā tvaṃ na śṛgālo vai na kṛmirna ca mūṣakaḥ | na sarpo na ca maṇḍūko na cānyaḥ pāpayonijaḥ

It is fortunate that you are not a jackal, not a worm, not a mouse, not a snake, not a frog, nor any other creature born of a sinful womb.

Verse 19 (12.178.19)

एतावताऽपि लाभेन तोष्टुमर्हसि काश्यप । किं पुनर्योऽसि सत्वानां सर्वेषां ब्राह्मणोत्तमः ॥

etāvatā'pi lābhena toṣṭumarhasi kāśyapa | kiṃ punaryo'si satvānāṃ sarveṣāṃ brāhmaṇottamaḥ

Even with this much gain you ought to be content, Kashyapa; how much more so when you are the best of brahmins among all creatures!

Note on the text: Corrected योसि → योऽसि (the avagraha of यो ऽसि is dropped in Wikisource; CE yo 'si).

Verse 20 (12.178.20)

इमे मां कृमयोऽदन्ति येषामुद्धरणाय वै । नास्ति शक्तिरपाणित्वात्पश्यावस्थामिमां मम ॥

ime māṃ kṛmayo'danti yeṣāmuddharaṇāya vai | nāsti śaktirapāṇitvātpaśyāvasthāmimāṃ mama

These worms are eating me, and for lack of hands I have no power to remove them. Look at this plight of mine.

Verse 21 (12.178.21)

अकार्यमिति चैवेमं नात्मानं संत्यजाम्यहम् । नातः पापीयसीं योनिं पतेयमपरामिति ॥

akāryamiti caivemaṃ nātmānaṃ saṃtyajāmyaham | nātaḥ pāpīyasīṃ yoniṃ pateyamaparāmiti

Even so, I do not abandon myself, thinking it wrong, lest I fall from this into a still worse birth.

Verse 22 (12.178.22)

मध्ये वै पापयोनीनां सृगालीयामहं गतः । पापीयस्यो बहुतरा इतोऽन्याः पापयोनयः ॥

madhye vai pāpayonīnāṃ sṛgālīyāmahaṃ gataḥ | pāpīyasyo bahutarā ito'nyāḥ pāpayonayaḥ

Among sinful births I have come to that of a jackal; there are many sinful births worse than this.

Verse 23 (12.178.23)

जात्यैवैके सुखितराः सन्त्यन्ये भृशदुःखिताः । नैकान्तं सुखमेवेह क्वचित्पश्यामि कस्यचित् ॥

jātyaivaike sukhitarāḥ santyanye bhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ | naikāntaṃ sukhameveha kvacitpaśyāmi kasyacit

Some are happier by birth alone, others are deeply wretched; nowhere do I see complete happiness in anyone.

Verse 24 (12.178.24)

मनुष्या ह्याढ्यतां प्राप्य राज्यमिच्छन्त्यनन्तरम् । राज्याद्देवत्वमिच्छन्ति देवत्वादिन्द्रतामपि ॥

manuṣyā hyāḍhyatāṃ prāpya rājyamicchantyanantaram | rājyāddevatvamicchanti devatvādindratāmapi

Men, having become wealthy, next desire kingship; from kingship they desire godhood, and from godhood even Indra's rank.

Verse 25 (12.178.25)

भवेस्त्वं यद्यपि त्वाढ्यो न राजा न च दैवतम् । देवत्वं प्राप्य चेन्द्रत्वं नैव तुष्येस्तथा सति ॥

bhavestvaṃ yadyapi tvāḍhyo na rājā na ca daivatam | devatvaṃ prāpya cendratvaṃ naiva tuṣyestathā sati

Even if you were wealthy, you would not yet be a king or a god; and having become a god and then Indra, you would still not be content.

Verse 26 (12.178.26)

न तृप्तिः प्रियलाभेऽस्ति तृष्णा नाद्भिः प्रशाम्यति । संप्रज्वलति सा भूयः समिद्भिरिव पावकः ॥

na tṛptiḥ priyalābhe'sti tṛṣṇā nādbhiḥ praśāmyati | saṃprajvalati sā bhūyaḥ samidbhiriva pāvakaḥ

There is no satisfaction in gaining what one loves; thirst is not quenched by water. It blazes up again, like fire fed with fuel.

Verse 27 (12.178.27)

अस्त्येव त्वयि शोकोऽपि हर्षश्चापि तथा त्वयि । सुखदुःखे तथा चोभे तत्र का परिदेवना ॥

astyeva tvayi śoko'pi harṣaścāpi tathā tvayi | sukhaduḥkhe tathā cobhe tatra kā paridevanā

Sorrow exists in you, and joy exists in you too; pleasure and pain are both there. What cause then for lament?

Verse 28 (12.178.28)

परिच्छिद्यैव कामानां सर्वेषां चैव कर्मणाम् । मूलं बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामं शकुन्तानिव पञ्जरे ॥

paricchidyaiva kāmānāṃ sarveṣāṃ caiva karmaṇām | mūlaṃ buddhīndriyagrāmaṃ śakuntāniva pañjare

Having first set bounds to all desires and all actions, one holds in check their root, the group of the senses, as birds are held in a cage.

Verse 29 (12.178.29)

न द्वितीयस्य शिरसश्छेदनं विद्यते क्वचित् । न च पाणेस्तृतीयस्य यन्नास्ति न ततो भयम् ॥

na dvitīyasya śirasaśchedanaṃ vidyate kvacit | na ca pāṇestṛtīyasya yannāsti na tato bhayam

Nowhere is there the cutting off of a second head, nor of a third hand; there is no fear from what does not exist.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Both lines are the CE star passage 12.173.27d*0478_01-02 (na dvitīyasya śirasaś chedanaṃ vidyate kva cit / na ca pāṇes tṛtīyasya yan nāsti na tato bhayam), which the CE prints after 12.173.27; the page has it as a verse of its own after the verse that holds CE 12.173.27.

Verse 30 (12.178.30)

न खल्वप्यरसज्ञस्य कामः क्वचन जायते । संस्पर्शाद्दर्शनाद्वापि श्रवणाद्वापि जायते ॥

na khalvapyarasajñasya kāmaḥ kvacana jāyate | saṃsparśāddarśanādvāpi śravaṇādvāpi jāyate

For one who does not know taste, desire never arises anywhere; it arises from touch, from sight, or from hearing.

Verse 31 (12.178.31)

न त्वं स्मरसि वारुण्या लट्वाकानां च पक्षिणाम् । ताभ्यां चाभ्यधिको भक्ष्यो न कश्चिद्विद्यते क्वचित् ॥

na tvaṃ smarasi vāruṇyā laṭvākānāṃ ca pakṣiṇām | tābhyāṃ cābhyadhiko bhakṣyo na kaścidvidyate kvacit

You do not remember the taste of liquor or of the flesh of the latvaka birds; and nothing anywhere is more delicious than those two.

Verse 32 (12.178.32)

यानि चान्यानि भूतेषु भक्ष्यभोज्यानि काश्यप । येषामभुक्तपूर्वाणि तेषामस्मृतिरेव ते ॥

yāni cānyāni bhūteṣu bhakṣyabhojyāni kāśyapa | yeṣāmabhuktapūrvāṇi teṣāmasmṛtireva te

And of the other foods and delicacies among creatures that you have never eaten, Kashyapa, you have no memory at all.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from the CE (yāni cānyāni dūreṣu bhakṣyabhojyāni; Wikisource भूतेषु) and line 2 (yeṣām abhuktapūrvaṃ te teṣām asmṛtir eva ca); recension variants, kept.

Verse 33 (12.178.33)

अप्राशनमसंस्पर्शमसंदर्शनमेव च । पुरुषस्यैष नियमो मन्ये श्रेयो न संशयः ॥

aprāśanamasaṃsparśamasaṃdarśanameva ca | puruṣasyaiṣa niyamo manye śreyo na saṃśayaḥ

Not eating, not touching, not seeing: this is the rule for a man, and I think it is without doubt the better course.

Verse 34 (12.178.34)

पाणिमन्तो बलवन्तो धनवन्तो न संशयः । मनुष्या मानुषैरेव दासत्वमुपपादिताः ॥

pāṇimanto balavanto dhanavanto na saṃśayaḥ | manuṣyā mānuṣaireva dāsatvamupapāditāḥ

Men with hands, strong and wealthy, are without doubt made slaves by other men.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from the CE (pāṇimanto dhanair yuktā balavanto na saṃśayaḥ; Wikisource पाणिमन्तो बलवन्तो धनवन्तो न संशयः), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 35 (12.178.35)

वधबन्धपरिक्लेशैः क्लिश्यन्ते च पुनः पुनः । ते खल्वपि रमन्ते च मोदन्ते च हसन्ति च ॥

vadhabandhaparikleśaiḥ kliśyante ca punaḥ punaḥ | te khalvapi ramante ca modante ca hasanti ca

They are tormented again and again by killing, binding and distress, and yet they enjoy themselves, rejoice and laugh.

Verse 36 (12.178.36)

अपरे बाहुबलिनः कृतविद्या मनस्विनः । जुगुप्सितां च कृपणां पापवृत्तिमुपासते ॥

apare bāhubalinaḥ kṛtavidyā manasvinaḥ | jugupsitāṃ ca kṛpaṇāṃ pāpavṛttimupāsate

Others, strong of arm, learned and spirited, take up a despised, wretched, sinful livelihood.

Verse 37 (12.178.37)

उत्सहन्ते च ते वृत्तिमन्यामप्युपसेवितुम् । स्वकर्मणा तु नियतं भवितव्यं तु तत्तथा ॥

utsahante ca te vṛttimanyāmapyupasevitum | svakarmaṇā tu niyataṃ bhavitavyaṃ tu tattathā

And they have the courage to take up some other livelihood as well; but what is to be is fixed by one's own deeds, and so it is.

Verse 38 (12.178.38)

न पुल्कसो न चण्डाल आत्मानं त्यक्तुमिच्छति । तया तुष्टः स्वया योन्या मायां पश्यस्व यादृशीम् ॥

na pulkaso na caṇḍāla ātmānaṃ tyaktumicchati | tayā tuṣṭaḥ svayā yonyā māyāṃ paśyasva yādṛśīm

Neither a Pulkasa nor a Chandala wishes to give up his life; each is content with his own birth. See what an illusion this is!

Verse 39 (12.178.39)

दृष्ट्वा कुणीन्पक्षहतान्मनुष्यानामयाविनः । सुसंपूर्णः स्वया योन्या लब्धलाभोऽसि काश्यप ॥

dṛṣṭvā kuṇīnpakṣahatānmanuṣyānāmayāvinaḥ | susaṃpūrṇaḥ svayā yonyā labdhalābho'si kāśyapa

Seeing men who are crippled, struck by paralysis, or ill, you are fully endowed in your own birth: you have gained a prize, Kashyapa.

Note on the text: Corrected लब्धलाभोसि → लब्धलाभोऽसि (the avagraha of लाभो ऽसि is dropped in Wikisource; CE labdhalābho 'si).

Verse 40 (12.178.40)

यदि ब्राह्मणदेहस्ते निरातङ्को निरामयः । अङ्गानि च समग्राणि न च लोकेषु धिक्कृतः ॥

yadi brāhmaṇadehaste nirātaṅko nirāmayaḥ | aṅgāni ca samagrāṇi na ca lokeṣu dhikkṛtaḥ

If your brahmin body is free from fear and disease, with all its limbs whole, and you are not reviled among people,

Verse 41 (12.178.41)

न केनचित्प्रवादेन सत्येनैवापहारिणा । धर्मायोत्तिष्ठ विप्रर्षे नात्मानं त्यक्तुमर्हसि ॥

na kenacitpravādena satyenaivāpahāriṇā | dharmāyottiṣṭha viprarṣe nātmānaṃ tyaktumarhasi

since no stigma attaches to you, nor any true charge that would degrade you, rise up for the sake of dharma, O brahmin seer; you ought not to cast yourself away.

Verse 42 (12.178.42)

यदि ब्रह्मञ्शृणोष्येतच्छ्रद्दधासि च मे वचः । वेदोक्तस्यैव धर्मस्य फलं मुख्यमवाप्स्यसि ॥

yadi brahmañśṛṇoṣyetacchraddadhāsi ca me vacaḥ | vedoktasyaiva dharmasya phalaṃ mukhyamavāpsyasi

If you will listen to this, brahmin, and trust my words, you will gain the chief fruit of the dharma taught in the Veda.

Verse 43 (12.178.43)

स्वाध्यायमग्निसंस्कारमप्रमत्तोऽनुपालय । सत्यं दमं च दानं च स्पर्धिष्ठा मा च केनचित् ॥

svādhyāyamagnisaṃskāramapramatto'nupālaya | satyaṃ damaṃ ca dānaṃ ca spardhiṣṭhā mā ca kenacit

Keep carefully to the study of the Veda and the tending of the sacred fire, to truth, self-control and giving, and do not rival anyone.

Verse 44 (12.178.44)

ये केचन स्वध्ययनाः प्राप्ता यजनयाजनम् । कथं ते चानुशोचेयुर्ध्यायेयुर्वाऽप्यशोभनम् ॥

ye kecana svadhyayanāḥ prāptā yajanayājanam | kathaṃ te cānuśoceyurdhyāyeyurvā'pyaśobhanam

How could those who have studied well and have attained the performing of sacrifices for themselves and for others grieve, or brood on anything inauspicious?

Verse 45 (12.178.45)

इच्छन्तस्ते विहाराय सुखं महदवाप्नुयुः । येऽनुजाताः सुनक्षत्रे सुतिथौ सुमुहूर्तके । यज्ञदानप्रजेहायां यतन्ते शक्तिपूर्वकम् ॥

icchantaste vihārāya sukhaṃ mahadavāpnuyuḥ | ye'nujātāḥ sunakṣatre sutithau sumuhūrtake | yajñadānaprajehāyāṃ yatante śaktipūrvakam

Those born under a good star, on a good lunar day, at a good hour, who strive as far as they are able in sacrifice, giving and the effort to have offspring, would gain great happiness for their enjoyment.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (12-178-45a-c). Line 1 = CE 12.173.43a; line 2 (येऽनुजाताः सुनक्षत्रे सुतिथौ सुमुहूर्तके) is a variant of CE 12.173.43c (uta jātāḥ sunakṣatre sutīrthāḥ sumuhūrtajāḥ); line 3 = the CE star line 12.173.43d*0479_01 (yajñadānaprajehāyāṃ yatante śaktipūrvakam). The alignment found no match because of the added line.

Verse 46 (12.178.46)

नक्षत्रेष्वासुरेष्वन्ये दुस्तिथौ दुर्मुहूर्तजाः । सम्पतन्त्यासुरीं योनिं यज्ञप्रसववर्जिताः ॥

nakṣatreṣvāsureṣvanye dustithau durmuhūrtajāḥ | sampatantyāsurīṃ yoniṃ yajñaprasavavarjitāḥ

Others, born under demonic stars, on bad days and at bad hours, fall into a demonic birth, deprived of sacrifice and offspring.

Verse 47 (12.178.47)

अहमासं पण्डितको हैतुको वेदनिन्दकः । आन्वीक्षिकीं तर्कविद्यामनुरक्तो निरर्थिकाम् ॥

ahamāsaṃ paṇḍitako haituko vedanindakaḥ | ānvīkṣikīṃ tarkavidyāmanurakto nirarthikām

I was a sham scholar, a reasoner and reviler of the Veda, devoted to the pointless science of logic, the Anvikshiki.

Verse 48 (12.178.48)

हेतुवादान्प्रवदिता वक्ता संसत्सु हेतुमत् । आक्रोष्टा चातिवक्ता च ब्रह्मवाक्येषु च द्विजान् ॥

hetuvādānpravaditā vaktā saṃsatsu hetumat | ākroṣṭā cātivaktā ca brahmavākyeṣu ca dvijān

I was an arguer, a speaker of reasoned argument in assemblies, a scoffer and a great talker, who abused brahmins on matters of sacred speech.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from the CE (ākroṣṭā cābhivaktā ca brahmayajñeṣu vai dvijān; Wikisource ब्रह्मवाक्येषु च द्विजान्), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 49 (12.178.49)

नास्तिकः सर्वशङ्की च मूर्खः पण्डितमानिकः । तस्येयं फलनिर्वृत्तिः सृगालत्वं मम द्विज ॥

nāstikaḥ sarvaśaṅkī ca mūrkhaḥ paṇḍitamānikaḥ | tasyeyaṃ phalanirvṛttiḥ sṛgālatvaṃ mama dvija

A non-believer, suspicious of everything, a fool who thought himself learned: this is the fruit that came of it, my being a jackal, O brahmin.

Verse 50 (12.178.50)

अपि जातु तथा तत्स्यादहोरात्रशतैरपि । यदहं मानुषीं योनिं सृगालः प्राप्नुयां पुनः ॥

api jātu tathā tatsyādahorātraśatairapi | yadahaṃ mānuṣīṃ yoniṃ sṛgālaḥ prāpnuyāṃ punaḥ

Might it ever happen, even after hundreds of days and nights, that I, a jackal, should obtain a human birth again?

Verse 51 (12.178.51)

संतुष्टश्चाप्रमत्तश्च यज्ञदानतपोरतः । ज्ञेयं ज्ञाता भवेयं वै वर्ज्यं वर्जयिता तथा ॥

saṃtuṣṭaścāpramattaśca yajñadānataporataḥ | jñeyaṃ jñātā bhaveyaṃ vai varjyaṃ varjayitā tathā

Then I would be content and careful, devoted to sacrifice, giving and austerity; I would be a knower of what is to be known and an avoider of what is to be avoided.

Verse 52 (12.178.52)

ततः स मुनिरुत्थाय काश्यपस्तमुवाच ह । अहो बतासि कुशलो बुद्धिमांश्चेति विस्मितः ॥

tataḥ sa munirutthāya kāśyapastamuvāca ha | aho batāsi kuśalo buddhimāṃśceti vismitaḥ

Then the sage Kashyapa rose and said to him, amazed, ‘Ah, how clever and wise you are!’

Note on the text: Corrected अहो बतामि → अहो बतासि (misprint in Wikisource; म for स; CE aho batāsi). The page's heading Bhishma uvāca (12-178-52x) resumes here; line 2 contains Kashyapa's words inside Bhishma's narrating verse, so the verse stays with Bhishma.

Verse 53 (12.178.53)

समवैक्षत तं विप्रो ज्ञानदीर्घेण चक्षुषा । ददर्श चैनं देवानां देवमिन्द्रं शचीपतिम् ॥

samavaikṣata taṃ vipro jñānadīrgheṇa cakṣuṣā | dadarśa cainaṃ devānāṃ devamindraṃ śacīpatim

The brahmin looked at him with the far-seeing eye of knowledge, and saw that it was Indra, god of the gods, the husband of Shachi.

Verse 54 (12.178.54)

ततः संपूजयामास काश्यपो हरिवाहनम् । अनुज्ञातस्तु तेनाथ प्रविवेश स्वमालयम् ॥

tataḥ saṃpūjayāmāsa kāśyapo harivāhanam | anujñātastu tenātha praviveśa svamālayam

Then Kashyapa honoured the god whose steeds are bay horses, and, given leave by him, entered his own dwelling.