The Birth and Death of Golden-Spitter

Verse 1 (12.30.1)

ततो राजा पाण्डुसुतो नारदं प्रत्यभाषत । भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि सुवर्णष्ठीविसंभवम् ॥

tato rājā pāṇḍusuto nāradaṃ pratyabhāṣata | bhagavañchrotumicchāmi suvarṇaṣṭhīvisaṃbhavam

Then the king, Pandu's son, said to Narada: 'Revered one, I wish to hear of the birth of Suvarnashthivin.'

Verse 2 (12.30.2)

एवमुक्तस्तु स मुनिर्धर्मराजेन नारदः । आचचक्षे यथावृत्तं सुवर्णष्ठीविनं प्रति ॥

evamuktastu sa munirdharmarājena nāradaḥ | ācacakṣe yathāvṛttaṃ suvarṇaṣṭhīvinaṃ prati

Addressed thus by Dharmaraja, the sage Narada related, exactly as it had happened, the story of Suvarnashthivin.

Verse 3 (12.30.3)

एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथाऽयं केशवोऽब्रवीत् । कार्यस्यास्य तु यच्छेषं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि पृच्छतः ॥

evametanmahābāho yathā'yaṃ keśavo'bravīt | kāryasyāsya tu yaccheṣaṃ tatte vakṣyāmi pṛcchataḥ

'It is so, mighty-armed one, just as this Keshava has told you. I shall tell you, since you ask, what remains of this matter.

Verse 4 (12.30.4)

अहं च पर्वतश्चैव स्वस्रीयो मे महामुनिः । वस्तुकामावभिगतौ सृञ्जयं जयतां वरम् ॥

ahaṃ ca parvataścaiva svasrīyo me mahāmuniḥ | vastukāmāvabhigatau sṛñjayaṃ jayatāṃ varam

I and Parvata, the great sage, my sister's son, went wishing to stay with Srinjaya, the best of conquerors.

Note on the text: Corrected महाप्नुनिः → महामुनिः (misprint in Wikisource; CE reads mahāmuniḥ).

Verse 5 (12.30.5)

तत्रावां पूजितौ तेन विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा । सर्वकामैः सुविहितौ निवसावोऽस्य वेश्मनि ॥

tatrāvāṃ pūjitau tena vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā | sarvakāmaiḥ suvihitau nivasāvo'sya veśmani

There he honoured us with rites as the rules prescribe, and, well provided with every wish, we lived in his house.

Verse 6 (12.30.6)

व्यतिक्रान्तासु वर्षासु समये गमनस्य च । पर्वतो मामुवाचेदं काले वचनमर्थवत् ॥

vyatikrāntāsu varṣāsu samaye gamanasya ca | parvato māmuvācedaṃ kāle vacanamarthavat

When the rains had passed and the time for our departure had come, Parvata said to me these timely and meaningful words:

Verse 7 (12.30.7)

आवामस्य नरेन्द्रस्य गृहे परमपूजितौ । उषितौ समये ब्रह्मंस्तद्विचिन्तय सांप्रतम् ॥

āvāmasya narendrasya gṛhe paramapūjitau | uṣitau samaye brahmaṃstadvicintaya sāṃpratam

'We two have lived in this king's house, treated with the highest honour, for the proper time. Consider now, O brahmin, what is to be done.'

Verse 8 (12.30.8)

ततोऽहमब्रुवं राजन्पर्वतं शुभदर्शनम् । सर्वमेतत्त्वयि विभो भागिनेयोपपद्यते ॥

tato'hamabruvaṃ rājanparvataṃ śubhadarśanam | sarvametattvayi vibho bhāgineyopapadyate

Then I said to Parvata of fair appearance, O king: 'All this is fitting for you to decide, O lord, my nephew.

Note on the text: Corrected सुभदर्शनम् → शुभदर्शनम् (misprint in Wikisource; CE reads śubhadarśanam).

Verse 9 (12.30.9)

वरेण च्छन्द्यतां राजा लभतां यद्यदिच्छति । आवयोस्तपसा सिद्धिं प्राप्नोतु यदि मन्यसे ॥

vareṇa cchandyatāṃ rājā labhatāṃ yadyadicchati | āvayostapasā siddhiṃ prāpnotu yadi manyase

Let the king be gratified with a boon; let him obtain whatever he wishes. If you agree, let him win fulfilment through the power of our austerity.'

Verse 10 (12.30.10)

तत आहूय राजानं सृञ्जयं जयतां वरम् । पर्वतोऽनुमतो वाक्यमुवाच कुरुपुङ्गव ॥

tata āhūya rājānaṃ sṛñjayaṃ jayatāṃ varam | parvato'numato vākyamuvāca kurupuṅgava

Then, with my consent, Parvata called the king, Srinjaya, best of conquerors, and spoke, O best of the Kurus:

Verse 11 (12.30.11)

प्रीतौ स्वो नृप सत्कारैर्भवदार्जवसंभृतैः । आवाभ्यामभ्यनुज्ञातो वरं नृवर चिन्तय ॥

prītau svo nṛpa satkārairbhavadārjavasaṃbhṛtaiḥ | āvābhyāmabhyanujñāto varaṃ nṛvara cintaya

'O king, we are pleased with the honours you have paid us, born of your sincerity. With our leave, O best of men, think of a boon.

Verse 12 (12.30.12)

देवानामविहिंसायां न भवेन्मानुषे क्षमम् । तद्गृहाण महाराज पूजार्हो नौ मतो भवान् ॥

devānāmavihiṃsāyāṃ na bhavenmānuṣe kṣamam | tadgṛhāṇa mahārāja pūjārho nau mato bhavān

Take a boon, great king, in which the gods suffer no harm and which does not exceed what is fitting for a mortal; in our eyes you are worthy of honour.'

Verse 13 (12.30.13)

प्रीतौ भवन्तौ यदि मे कृतमेतावता मम । एष एव परो लाभो निर्वृत्तो मे महाफलः ॥

prītau bhavantau yadi me kṛtametāvatā mama | eṣa eva paro lābho nirvṛtto me mahāphalaḥ

'If you two are pleased with me, that is all I need. This alone is the highest gain for me, a great reward already won.'

Verse 14 (12.30.14)

तमेवंवादिनं भूयः पर्वतः प्रत्यभाषत । शृणु राजन्सुसंकल्पं यत्ते हृदि चिरं स्थितम् ॥

tamevaṃvādinaṃ bhūyaḥ parvataḥ pratyabhāṣata | śṛṇu rājansusaṃkalpaṃ yatte hṛdi ciraṃ sthitam

To him, speaking thus, Parvata replied again: 'Listen, O king, to the fair wish that has long dwelt in your heart.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page heads this verse and all that follow with 'सृञ्जय उवाच' (carried over from verse 13), and the critical edition heads CE 12.31.14 'nārada uvāca'. Narada is the narrator of the whole tale, so he is given the narration; direct speech filling whole verses is given to the speaker (Parvata, Indra).

Verse 15 (12.30.15)

अभीप्ससि सुतं वीरं वीर्यवन्तं दृढव्रतम् । आयुष्मतं महाभागं देवराजसमद्युतिम् ॥

abhīpsasi sutaṃ vīraṃ vīryavantaṃ dṛḍhavratam | āyuṣmataṃ mahābhāgaṃ devarājasamadyutim

You long for a son who is heroic, mighty, firm in his vows, long-lived, greatly fortunate, with the splendour of Indra, king of the gods.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page's heading 'सृञ्जय उवाच' is a carry-over; these are Parvata's words (the CE reads 'abhīpsāmi' and gives the verse to Srinjaya, a recension difference).

Verse 16 (12.30.16)

भविष्यत्येष ते कामो न त्वायुष्मान्भविष्यति । देवराजाभिभूत्यर्थं संकल्पो ह्ये ते हृदि ॥

bhaviṣyatyeṣa te kāmo na tvāyuṣmānbhaviṣyati | devarājābhibhūtyarthaṃ saṃkalpo hye te hṛdi

That wish of yours will be fulfilled, but he will not be long-lived; for the resolve in your heart is aimed at overcoming the king of the gods.

Verse 17 (12.30.17)

सुवर्णष्ठीवनाच्चैव स्वर्णष्ठीवी भविष्यति । रक्ष्यश्च देवराजात्स देवराजसमद्युतिः ॥

suvarṇaṣṭhīvanāccaiva svarṇaṣṭhīvī bhaviṣyati | rakṣyaśca devarājātsa devarājasamadyutiḥ

He will be Golden-Spitter, from the gold he spits; and he will need protection from the king of the gods, though he will shine like him.'

Verse 18 (12.30.18)

तच्छ्रुत्वा सृञ्जयो वाक्यं पर्वतस्य महात्मनः । प्रसादयामास तदा नैतदेवं भवेदिति ॥

tacchrutvā sṛñjayo vākyaṃ parvatasya mahātmanaḥ | prasādayāmāsa tadā naitadevaṃ bhavediti

Hearing these words of the great-souled Parvata, Srinjaya pleaded then that it might not be so.

Verse 19 (12.30.19)

आयुष्मान्मे भवेत्पुत्रो भवतोस्तपसा मुने । न च तं पर्वतः किंचिदुवाचेन्द्रव्यपेक्षया ॥

āyuṣmānme bhavetputro bhavatostapasā mune | na ca taṃ parvataḥ kiṃciduvācendravyapekṣayā

'May my son be long-lived, O sage, through the power of both your austerities.' But Parvata, mindful of Indra, said nothing to him.

Note on the text: Corrected तपस मुन → तपसा मुने (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel signs; CE reads tapasā mune).

Verse 20 (12.30.20)

तमहं नृपतिं दीनमब्रवं पुनरेव च । स्मर्तव्योऽस्मि महाराज दर्शयिष्यामि ते सुतम् ॥

tamahaṃ nṛpatiṃ dīnamabravaṃ punareva ca | smartavyo'smi mahārāja darśayiṣyāmi te sutam

Seeing the king downcast, I said to him once more: 'Remember me, great king; when you remember me, I shall show you your son.

Verse 21 (12.30.21)

अहं ते दयितं पुत्रं प्रेतराजवशं गतम् । पुनर्दास्यामि तद्रूपं मा शुचः पृथिवीपते ॥

ahaṃ te dayitaṃ putraṃ pretarājavaśaṃ gatam | punardāsyāmi tadrūpaṃ mā śucaḥ pṛthivīpate

Even if your beloved son has gone under the sway of the king of the dead, I shall give him back to you in that same form. Do not grieve, lord of the earth.'

Verse 22 (12.30.22)

एवमुक्त्वा तु नृपतिं प्रयातौ स्वो यथेप्सितम् । सृञ्जयश्च यथाकामं प्रविवेश स्वमन्दिरम् ॥

evamuktvā tu nṛpatiṃ prayātau svo yathepsitam | sṛñjayaśca yathākāmaṃ praviveśa svamandiram

Having said this to the king, we two went off as we wished, and Srinjaya also went into his palace as he pleased.

Verse 23 (12.30.23)

सृञ्जयस्याथ राजर्षेः कस्मिंश्चित्कालपर्यये । जज्ञे पुत्रो महावीर्यस्तेजसा प्रज्वलन्निव ॥

sṛñjayasyātha rājarṣeḥ kasmiṃścitkālaparyaye | jajñe putro mahāvīryastejasā prajvalanniva

Then, after some time, a son of great prowess was born to the royal sage Srinjaya, blazing as it were with splendour.

Verse 24 (12.30.24)

ववृधे स यथाकालं सरसीव महोत्पलम् । बभूव काञ्चनष्ठीवी यथार्थं नाम तस्य तत् ॥

vavṛdhe sa yathākālaṃ sarasīva mahotpalam | babhūva kāñcanaṣṭhīvī yathārthaṃ nāma tasya tat

In due time he grew, like a great lotus in a lake, and became Golden-Spitter, a name true to its meaning.

Verse 25 (12.30.25)

तदद्भुततमं लोके पप्रथे कुरुसत्तम । बुबुधे तच्च देवेन्द्रो वरदानं मनीषिणोः ॥

tadadbhutatamaṃ loke paprathe kurusattama | bubudhe tacca devendro varadānaṃ manīṣiṇoḥ

That most wondrous event became known throughout the world, O best of the Kurus, and Indra learned of the boon given by the two wise sages.

Verse 26 (12.30.26)

ततः स्वाभिभवाद्भीतो बृहस्पतिमते स्थितः । कुमारस्यान्तरप्रेक्षी नित्यमेवाभ्यवर्तत ॥

tataḥ svābhibhavādbhīto bṛhaspatimate sthitaḥ | kumārasyāntaraprekṣī nityamevābhyavartata

Then, afraid of being overcome himself, he followed Brihaspati's counsel and kept always about the boy, watching for a chance.

Verse 27 (12.30.27)

चोदयामास तद्वज्रं दिव्यास्त्रं मूर्तिमत्स्थितम् । व्याघ्रो भूत्वा जहीमं त्वं राजपुत्रमिति प्रभो ॥

codayāmāsa tadvajraṃ divyāstraṃ mūrtimatsthitam | vyāghro bhūtvā jahīmaṃ tvaṃ rājaputramiti prabho

He urged his thunderbolt, the divine weapon that stood before him in bodily form: 'Become a tiger and kill this prince, mighty one.

Note on the text: Corrected दिव्यास्रं → दिव्यास्त्रं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त; CE reads divyāstram). Corrected मूर्तिमत्स्थ्रितम् → मूर्तिमत्स्थितम् (misprint in Wikisource; stray ्र; CE reads mūrtisaṃsthitam).

Verse 28 (12.30.28)

प्रवृद्धः किल वीर्येण मामेषोऽभिभविष्यति । सृञ्जयस्य सुतो वज्र यथैनं पर्वतोऽब्रवीत् ॥

pravṛddhaḥ kila vīryeṇa māmeṣo'bhibhaviṣyati | sṛñjayasya suto vajra yathainaṃ parvato'bravīt

Grown strong in power, he will overcome me. Vajra, he is Srinjaya's son, as Parvata described him.'

Note on the text: Speaker: Indra's words to Vajra, filling the whole verse though unheaded on the page.

Verse 29 (12.30.29)

एवमुक्तस्तु शक्रेण वज्रः परपुरंजयः । कुमारमन्तरप्रेक्षी नित्यमेवान्वपद्यत ॥

evamuktastu śakreṇa vajraḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ | kumāramantaraprekṣī nityamevānvapadyata

Thus instructed by Shakra, Vajra, conqueror of enemy cities, kept constantly watching for the boy's moment of weakness.

Verse 30 (12.30.30)

सृञ्जयोऽपि सुतं प्राप्य देवराजसमद्युतिम् । हृष्टः सान्तःपुरो राजा वननित्यो बभूव ह ॥

sṛñjayo'pi sutaṃ prāpya devarājasamadyutim | hṛṣṭaḥ sāntaḥpuro rājā vananityo babhūva ha

And Srinjaya, having obtained a son shining like Indra, was delighted, and the king with his household came to live constantly in the forest.

Note on the text: Corrected सान्तः पुरो → सान्तःपुरो (misprint in Wikisource; stray space inside the compound).

Verse 31 (12.30.31)

ततो भागीरथीतीरे कदाचिन्निर्जने वने । धात्रीद्वितीयो बालः स क्रीडार्थं पर्यधावत ॥

tato bhāgīrathītīre kadācinnirjane vane | dhātrīdvitīyo bālaḥ sa krīḍārthaṃ paryadhāvata

Then once, in a lonely forest on the bank of the Bhagirathi, the boy, with only his nurse for company, ran about at play.

Verse 32 (12.30.32)

पञ्चवर्षकदेशीयो बालो नागेन्द्रविक्रमः । सहसोत्पतितं व्याघ्रमाससाद महाबलम् ॥

pañcavarṣakadeśīyo bālo nāgendravikramaḥ | sahasotpatitaṃ vyāghramāsasāda mahābalam

The boy, about five years old, with the stride of a lordly elephant, came upon a mighty tiger that suddenly sprang out.

Verse 33 (12.30.33)

स बालस्तेन निष्पिष्टो वेपमानो नृपात्मजः । व्यसुः पपात मेदिन्यां ततो धात्री विचुक्रुशे ॥

sa bālastena niṣpiṣṭo vepamāno nṛpātmajaḥ | vyasuḥ papāta medinyāṃ tato dhātrī vicukruśe

Crushed by it, the king's son trembled and fell lifeless to the ground, and the nurse cried out.

Verse 34 (12.30.34)

हत्वा तु राजपुत्रं स तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । शार्दूलो देवराजस्य माययान्तर्हितस्तदा ॥

hatvā tu rājaputraṃ sa tatraivāntaradhīyata | śārdūlo devarājasya māyayāntarhitastadā

Having killed the prince, the tiger vanished on the spot, hidden then by the magic of the king of the gods.

Verse 35 (12.30.35)

धात्र्यास्तु निनदं श्रुत्वा रुदत्याः परमार्तवत् । अभ्यधावत तं देशं स्वयमेव महीपतिः ॥

dhātryāstu ninadaṃ śrutvā rudatyāḥ paramārtavat | abhyadhāvata taṃ deśaṃ svayameva mahīpatiḥ

Hearing the cry of the nurse, weeping in bitter distress, the king himself ran to that spot.

Verse 36 (12.30.36)

स ददर्श शयानं तं गतासुं पीतशोणितम् । कुमारं विगतानन्दं निशाकरमिव च्युतम् ॥

sa dadarśa śayānaṃ taṃ gatāsuṃ pītaśoṇitam | kumāraṃ vigatānandaṃ niśākaramiva cyutam

He saw him lying lifeless, his blood drunk, the boy robbed of all joy, like a fallen moon.

Verse 37 (12.30.37)

स तमुत्सङ्गमारोप्य परिपीडितवक्षसम् । पुत्रं रुधिरसंसिक्तं पर्यदेवयदातुरः ॥

sa tamutsaṅgamāropya paripīḍitavakṣasam | putraṃ rudhirasaṃsiktaṃ paryadevayadāturaḥ

Taking him onto his lap, his chest crushed, drenched in blood, the king, in anguish, lamented his son.

Verse 38 (12.30.38)

ततस्ता मातरस्तस्य रुदत्यः शोककर्शिताः । अभ्यधावन्त तं देशं यत्र राजा स सृञ्जयः ॥

tatastā mātarastasya rudatyaḥ śokakarśitāḥ | abhyadhāvanta taṃ deśaṃ yatra rājā sa sṛñjayaḥ

Then the boy's mothers, weeping, worn thin with sorrow, ran to the place where King Srinjaya was.

Verse 39 (12.30.39)

ततः स राजा सस्मार मामेव गतमानसः । तदाऽहं चिन्तनं ज्ञात्वा गतवांस्तस्य दर्शनम् ॥

tataḥ sa rājā sasmāra māmeva gatamānasaḥ | tadā'haṃ cintanaṃ jñātvā gatavāṃstasya darśanam

Then the king, his mind turned inward, remembered me; and I, knowing his thought, went to see him.

Verse 40 (12.30.40)

मयैतानि च वाक्यानि श्रावितः शोकलालसः । यानि ते यदुवीरेण कथितानि महीपते ॥

mayaitāni ca vākyāni śrāvitaḥ śokalālasaḥ | yāni te yaduvīreṇa kathitāni mahīpate

Overcome with grief, he heard from me those very words that the hero of the Yadus has spoken to you, O lord of the earth.

Verse 41 (12.30.41)

संजीवितश्चापि पुनर्वासवानुमते तदा । भवितव्यं तथा तच्च न तच्छक्यमतोऽन्यथा ॥

saṃjīvitaścāpi punarvāsavānumate tadā | bhavitavyaṃ tathā tacca na tacchakyamato'nyathā

And then, with Indra's consent, he was brought back to life. So it had to be; it could not have been otherwise.

Verse 42 (12.30.42)

तत ऊर्ध्वं कुमारस्तु स्वर्णष्ठीवी महायशाः । चित्तं प्रसादयामास पितृर्मातुश्च वीर्यवान् ॥

tata ūrdhvaṃ kumārastu svarṇaṣṭhīvī mahāyaśāḥ | cittaṃ prasādayāmāsa pitṛrmātuśca vīryavān

After that the boy Golden-Spitter, of great fame and prowess, gladdened the hearts of his father and mother.

Verse 43 (12.30.43)

कारयामास राज्यं च पितरि स्वर्गते नृप । वर्षाणां शतमेकं च सहस्रं भीमविक्रमः ॥

kārayāmāsa rājyaṃ ca pitari svargate nṛpa | varṣāṇāṃ śatamekaṃ ca sahasraṃ bhīmavikramaḥ

And he ruled the kingdom, O king, after his father went to heaven, for a thousand and a hundred years, of terrible prowess.

Verse 44 (12.30.44)

तत ईजे महायज्ञैर्बहुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः । तर्पयामास देवांश्च पितॄंश्चैव महाद्युतिः ॥

tata īje mahāyajñairbahubhirbhūridakṣiṇaiḥ | tarpayāmāsa devāṃśca pitṝṃścaiva mahādyutiḥ

Then he performed many great sacrifices with abundant gifts, and the radiant king satisfied the gods and the ancestors.

Verse 45 (12.30.45)

उत्पाद्य च बहून्पुत्रान्कुलसंतानकारिणः । कालेन महता राजन्कालधर्ममुपेयिवान् ॥

utpādya ca bahūnputrānkulasaṃtānakāriṇaḥ | kālena mahatā rājankāladharmamupeyivān

Having fathered many sons who continued his line, in the fullness of time, O king, he met the end that death ordains.

Note on the text: Corrected कुलसतान → कुलसंतान (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; CE reads kulasaṃtāna).

Verse 46 (12.30.46)

स त्वं राजेन्द्र संजातं शोकमेकं निवर्तय । यथा त्वं केशवः प्राह व्यासश्च सुमहातपाः ॥

sa tvaṃ rājendra saṃjātaṃ śokamekaṃ nivartaya | yathā tvaṃ keśavaḥ prāha vyāsaśca sumahātapāḥ

So, O king of kings, put away this grief that has come upon you, as Keshava has told you, and Vyasa of great austerity.

Note on the text: Corrected व्यामश्च → व्यासश्च (misprint in Wikisource; CE reads vyāsaś ca).

Verse 47 (12.30.47)

पितृपैतामहं राज्यमास्थाय धुरमुद्वह । इष्ट्वा पुण्यैर्महायज्ञैरिष्टं लोकमवाप्स्यसि ॥

pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyamāsthāya dhuramudvaha | iṣṭvā puṇyairmahāyajñairiṣṭaṃ lokamavāpsyasi

Take up your father's and grandfather's kingdom and bear its burden; having performed great and holy sacrifices, you will attain the world you desire.'