The Rakshasa Charvaka Is Burnt by the Brahmins

Verse 1 (12.37.1)

प्रवेशने तु पार्थानां जनानां पुरवासिनाम् । दिदृक्षूणां सहस्राणि समाजग्मुः सहस्रशः ॥

praveśane tu pārthānāṃ janānāṃ puravāsinām | didṛkṣūṇāṃ sahasrāṇi samājagmuḥ sahasraśaḥ

When the Parthas entered, thousands upon thousands of the people of the city, eager to see them, came together.

Verse 2 (12.37.2)

स राजमार्गः शुशुभे समलंकृतचत्वरः । यथा चन्द्रोदये राजन्वर्धमानो महोदधिः ॥

sa rājamārgaḥ śuśubhe samalaṃkṛtacatvaraḥ | yathā candrodaye rājanvardhamāno mahodadhiḥ

With its crossings finely adorned, that royal road shone, O king, like the swelling ocean at moonrise.

Verse 3 (12.37.3)

गृहाणि राजमार्गेषु रत्नवन्ति महान्ति च । प्राकम्पन्तीव भारेण स्त्रीणां पूर्णानि भारत ॥

gṛhāṇi rājamārgeṣu ratnavanti mahānti ca | prākampantīva bhāreṇa strīṇāṃ pūrṇāni bhārata

The great houses along the royal roads, rich with jewels and filled with women, seemed to tremble under the weight, O Bharata.

Verse 4 (12.37.4)

ताः शनैरिव सव्रीडं प्रशशंसुर्युधिष्ठिरम् । भीमसेनार्जुनौ चैव माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ ॥

tāḥ śanairiva savrīḍaṃ praśaśaṃsuryudhiṣṭhiram | bhīmasenārjunau caiva mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau

As if softly and shyly, the women praised Yudhishthira, Bhimasena and Arjuna, and the two Pandava sons of Madri.

Verse 5 (12.37.5)

धन्या त्वमसि पाञ्चालि या त्वं पुरुषसत्तमान् । उपतिष्ठसि कल्याणि महर्षिमिव गौतमी ॥

dhanyā tvamasi pāñcāli yā tvaṃ puruṣasattamān | upatiṣṭhasi kalyāṇi maharṣimiva gautamī

"You are blessed, Panchali, who wait upon the best of men, O gentle lady, as Gautami waits upon the great sage."

Note on the text: The women's praise fills the whole verse, so it is given to the Women (the page prints no heading; it continues Vaishampayana's). Wikisource's महर्षिमिव (singular) stands for the CE's maharṣīn iva (variant, kept).

Verse 6 (12.37.6)

तव कर्माण्यमोघानि व्रतचर्या च भामिनि । इति कृष्णां महाराज प्रशशंसुस्तदा स्त्रियः ॥

tava karmāṇyamoghāni vratacaryā ca bhāmini | iti kṛṣṇāṃ mahārāja praśaśaṃsustadā striyaḥ

"Your deeds are never in vain, and your vow-keeping, O lovely lady." So, great king, the women praised Krishna (Draupadi) then.

Note on the text: Line 1 is still the women's speech and line 2 is narration, so the verse stays with the narrator.

Verse 7 (12.37.7)

प्रशंसावचनैस्तासां मिथः शब्दैश्च भारत । प्रीतिजैश्च तदा शब्दैः पुरमासीत्समाकुलम् ॥

praśaṃsāvacanaistāsāṃ mithaḥ śabdaiśca bhārata | prītijaiśca tadā śabdaiḥ puramāsītsamākulam

With their words of praise, their murmurs to one another and their cries of joy, the city was filled with sound, O Bharata.

Verse 8 (12.37.8)

तमतीत्य यथायुक्तं राजमार्गं युधिष्ठिरः । अलंकृतं शोभमानमुपायाद्राजवेश्म ह ॥

tamatītya yathāyuktaṃ rājamārgaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | alaṃkṛtaṃ śobhamānamupāyādrājaveśma ha

Passing duly along that royal road, Yudhishthira reached the royal palace, adorned and splendid.

Note on the text: Corrected मुपापाद्राजवेश्म → मुपायाद्राजवेश्म (misprint in Wikisource; पा for या; CE upāyād).

Verse 9 (12.37.9)

ततः प्रकृतयः सर्वाः पौरा जानपदास्तदा । ऊचुः कर्णसुखा वाचः समुपेत्य ततस्ततः ॥

tataḥ prakṛtayaḥ sarvāḥ paurā jānapadāstadā | ūcuḥ karṇasukhā vācaḥ samupetya tatastataḥ

Then all the subjects, townsmen and countryfolk alike, drew near from all sides and spoke words pleasing to the ear:

Verse 10 (12.37.10)

दिष्ट्या जयसि राजेन्द्र शत्रूञ्छत्रुनिषूदन । दिष्ट्या राज्यं पुनः प्राप्तं धर्मेण च बलेन च ॥

diṣṭyā jayasi rājendra śatrūñchatruniṣūdana | diṣṭyā rājyaṃ punaḥ prāptaṃ dharmeṇa ca balena ca

"By good fortune you conquer, king of kings, slayer of foes; by good fortune the kingdom is won back, by dharma and by strength."

Note on the text: The people's words fill the whole verse (and the next); the page prints no heading, so they are given to the townsfolk and countryfolk named in verse 9.

Verse 11 (12.37.11)

भव नस्त्वं महाराज राजेह शरदां शतम् । प्रजाः पालय धर्मेण यथेन्द्रस्त्रिदिवं तथा ॥

bhava nastvaṃ mahārāja rājeha śaradāṃ śatam | prajāḥ pālaya dharmeṇa yathendrastridivaṃ tathā

"Be our king here, great king, for a hundred autumns; protect your subjects in dharma, as Indra protects heaven, O king."

Verse 12 (12.37.12)

एवं राजकुलद्वारि मङ्गलैरभिपूजितः । आशीर्वादान्द्विजैरुक्तान्प्रतिगृह्य समन्ततः ॥

evaṃ rājakuladvāri maṅgalairabhipūjitaḥ | āśīrvādāndvijairuktānpratigṛhya samantataḥ

Thus honoured with blessings at the door of the royal house, and receiving on every side the benedictions spoken by the brahmins,

Verse 13 (12.37.13)

प्रविश्य भवनं राजा देवराजगृहोपमम् । श्रुत्वा विजयसंयुक्तं रथात्पश्चादवातरत् ॥

praviśya bhavanaṃ rājā devarājagṛhopamam | śrutvā vijayasaṃyuktaṃ rathātpaścādavātarat

the king entered the palace, which was like the dwelling of the king of the gods, and, hearing the proclamations of victory, afterwards stepped down from his chariot.

Verse 14 (12.37.14)

प्रविश्याभ्यन्तरं श्रीमान्दैवतान्यभिगम्य च । पूजयामास रत्नैश्च गन्धमाल्यैश्च सर्वशः ॥

praviśyābhyantaraṃ śrīmāndaivatānyabhigamya ca | pūjayāmāsa ratnaiśca gandhamālyaiśca sarvaśaḥ

The glorious king went within, approached the deities, and worshipped them on all sides with jewels, perfumes and garlands.

Verse 15 (12.37.15)

निश्चक्राम ततः श्रीमान्पुनरेव महायशाः । ददर्श ब्राह्मणांश्चैव सोऽभिरूपानवस्थितान् ॥

niścakrāma tataḥ śrīmānpunareva mahāyaśāḥ | dadarśa brāhmaṇāṃścaiva so'bhirūpānavasthitān

Then the glorious and renowned king came out again and saw the worthy brahmins standing there.

Verse 16 (12.37.16)

स संवृतस्तदा विप्रैराशीर्वादविवक्षुभिः । शुशुभे विमलश्चन्द्रस्तारागणवृतो यथा ॥

sa saṃvṛtastadā viprairāśīrvādavivakṣubhiḥ | śuśubhe vimalaścandrastārāgaṇavṛto yathā

Surrounded then by brahmins eager to speak their blessings, he shone like the spotless moon ringed by the host of stars.

Verse 17 (12.37.17)

तांस्तु वै पूजयामास कौन्तेयो विधिवद्द्विजान् । सुमनोमोदकै रत्नैर्हिरण्येन च भूरिणा । गोभिर्वस्त्रैश्च राजेन्द्र विविधैश्च किमिच्छकैः ॥

tāṃstu vai pūjayāmāsa kaunteyo vidhivaddvijān | sumanomodakai ratnairhiraṇyena ca bhūriṇā | gobhirvastraiśca rājendra vividhaiśca kimicchakaiḥ

Kunti's son duly honoured those brahmins with flowers and sweet cakes, with jewels and abundant gold, with cows and garments, O king of kings, and with gifts of every kind, asking each what he wished.

Note on the text: Three-line verse: line 1 = CE 12.39.17a; lines 2–3 = CE 12.39.18a, 18c. The alignment found no match for CE 12.39.17–18. Wikisource prints CE 17c and the star line after it as the next verse.

Verse 18 (12.37.18)

धौम्यं गुरुं पुरस्कृत्य ज्येष्ठं पितरमेव च । प्रविवेश सभां राजा सुधर्मां वासवो यथा ॥

dhaumyaṃ guruṃ puraskṛtya jyeṣṭhaṃ pitarameva ca | praviveśa sabhāṃ rājā sudharmāṃ vāsavo yathā

Placing his teacher Dhaumya and his elder, his father Dhritarashtra, before him, the king entered the assembly hall, as Vasava enters Sudharma.

Note on the text: Rebuilt from the printed row: Wikisource prints the second line inside backticks and quote marks with a doubled daṇḍa (`प्रविवेश ... यथा।।'); these stray marks are removed and the verse-end restored to ॥. Line 1 = CE 12.39.17c; line 2 is the CE star line 12.39.17d*0053_01 (praviveśa sabhāṃ rājā sudharmāṃ vāsavo yathā), not in the CE's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 19 (12.37.19)

ततः पुण्याहघोषोऽभूद्दिवं स्तब्ध्वेव भारत । सुहृदां प्रीतिजननः पुण्यः श्रुतिसुखावहः ॥

tataḥ puṇyāhaghoṣo'bhūddivaṃ stabdhveva bhārata | suhṛdāṃ prītijananaḥ puṇyaḥ śrutisukhāvahaḥ

Then arose the holy cry of the blessing-day rite, as if it stunned the sky, O Bharata, delighting his friends, pure, and sweet to the ear.

Note on the text: Wikisource's प्रीतिजननः stands for the CE's harṣajananaḥ (variant, kept).

Verse 20 (12.37.20)

हंसवन्नेदुषां राजन्द्विजानां तत्र भारती । शुश्रुवे वेदविदुषां पुष्कलार्थपदाक्षरा ॥

haṃsavanneduṣāṃ rājandvijānāṃ tatra bhāratī | śuśruve vedaviduṣāṃ puṣkalārthapadākṣarā

There, O king, the speech of the Veda-knowing brahmins was heard, sounding like swans, full of meaning in every word and syllable.

Verse 21 (12.37.21)

ततो दुन्दुभिनिर्घोषः शङ्खानां च मनोरमः । जयं प्रवदतां तत्र स्वनः प्रादुरभून्नृप ॥

tato dundubhinirghoṣaḥ śaṅkhānāṃ ca manoramaḥ | jayaṃ pravadatāṃ tatra svanaḥ prādurabhūnnṛpa

Then arose the delightful sound of drums and conches, together with the voices of those proclaiming victory, O king.

Verse 22 (12.37.22)

निःशब्दे च स्थिते तत्र ततो विप्रजने पुनः । राजानं ब्राह्मणच्छद्मा चार्वाको राक्षसोऽब्रवीत् ॥

niḥśabde ca sthite tatra tato viprajane punaḥ | rājānaṃ brāhmaṇacchadmā cārvāko rākṣaso'bravīt

When the company of brahmins had grown silent and still again, the rakshasa Charvaka, disguised as a brahmin, spoke to the king.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मणच्छझा → ब्राह्मणच्छद्मा (misprint in Wikisource; झ for द्म; CE brāhmaṇacchadmā ('disguised as a brahmin')).

Verse 23 (12.37.23)

तत्र दुर्योधनसखा भिक्षुरूपेण संवृतः । साङ्ख्यः शिखी त्रिदण्डी च धृष्टो विगतसाध्वसः ॥

tatra duryodhanasakhā bhikṣurūpeṇa saṃvṛtaḥ | sāṅkhyaḥ śikhī tridaṇḍī ca dhṛṣṭo vigatasādhvasaḥ

That friend of Duryodhana stood there covered in the guise of a mendicant: a Sankhya, wearing a topknot, carrying the triple staff, bold and without fear.

Verse 24 (12.37.24)

वृतः सर्वैस्तथा विप्रैराशीर्वादविवक्षुभिः । परस्सहस्रै राजेन्द्र तपोनियमसंस्थितैः ॥

vṛtaḥ sarvaistathā viprairāśīrvādavivakṣubhiḥ | parassahasrai rājendra taponiyamasaṃsthitaiḥ

He was surrounded by all those brahmins, who were eager to speak their blessings, O king of kings, well over a thousand of them, steadfast in austerity and vows.

Note on the text: Wikisource's परस्सहस्रै stands for the CE's paraṃsahasrai (sandhi variant, kept).

Verse 25 (12.37.25)

सुदुष्टः पापमाशंसुः पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । अनामन्त्र्यैव तान्विप्रांस्तमुवाच महीपतिम् ॥

suduṣṭaḥ pāpamāśaṃsuḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | anāmantryaiva tānviprāṃstamuvāca mahīpatim

That wicked one, wishing evil on the great Pandavas, spoke to the king without consulting those brahmins.

Note on the text: Wikisource's सुदुष्टः पापमाशंसुः stands for the CE's sa duṣṭaḥ pāpam āśaṃsan (variant, kept).

Verse 26 (12.37.26)

इमे प्राहुर्द्विजाः सर्वे समारोप्य वचो मयि । धिग्भवन्तं कुनृपतिं ज्ञातिघातिनमस्तु वै ॥

ime prāhurdvijāḥ sarve samāropya vaco mayi | dhigbhavantaṃ kunṛpatiṃ jñātighātinamastu vai

"All these brahmins have said, laying their words upon me: Shame on you, wicked king, slayer of your kin! So be it."

Verse 27 (12.37.27)

किं ते राज्येन कौन्तेय कृत्वेमं ज्ञातिसंक्षयम् । घातयित्वा गुरूंश्चैव मृतं श्रेयो न जीवितम् ॥

kiṃ te rājyena kaunteya kṛtvemaṃ jñātisaṃkṣayam | ghātayitvā gurūṃścaiva mṛtaṃ śreyo na jīvitam

"What use is the kingdom to you, son of Kunti, when you have wrought this slaughter of your kin and killed your elders? Death were better than life."

Verse 28 (12.37.28)

इति ते वै द्विजाः श्रुत्वा तस्य दुष्टस्य रक्षसः । विव्यथुश्चुक्रुशुश्चैव तस्य वाक्यप्रधर्षिताः ॥

iti te vai dvijāḥ śrutvā tasya duṣṭasya rakṣasaḥ | vivyathuścukruśuścaiva tasya vākyapradharṣitāḥ

Hearing these words of that wicked rakshasa, those brahmins were troubled and cried out, struck by what he said.

Note on the text: Narration, not Charvaka's speech (the page's Charvaka heading before verse 26 had been carried over to verses 28–29). Wikisource's दुष्टस्य stands for the CE's ghorasya (variant, kept).

Verse 29 (12.37.29)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे स च राजा युधिष्ठिरः । व्रीडिताः परमोद्विग्नास्तूष्णीमासन्विशांपते ॥

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve sa ca rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | vrīḍitāḥ paramodvignāstūṣṇīmāsanviśāṃpate

Then all those brahmins, and King Yudhishthira too, ashamed and deeply distressed, fell silent, O lord of men.

Note on the text: Corrected परमोद्विग्रा → परमोद्विग्ना (misprint in Wikisource; ग्र for ग्न; CE paramodvignāḥ). Narration, not Charvaka's speech (see verse 28).

Verse 30 (12.37.30)

प्रसीदन्तु भवन्तो मे प्रणतस्याभियाचतः । प्रत्यासन्नव्यसनिनं न मां धिक्कर्तुमर्हथ ॥

prasīdantu bhavanto me praṇatasyābhiyācataḥ | pratyāsannavyasaninaṃ na māṃ dhikkartumarhatha

"Be gracious to me, I who bow before you and implore you. Do not rebuke me, one whose calamity is upon him."

Note on the text: Wikisource's प्रत्यासन्नव्यसनिनं stands for the CE's pratyāpannaṃ vyasaninaṃ (variant, kept).

Verse 31 (12.37.31)

ततो राजन्ब्राह्मणास्ते सर्व एव विशांपते । ऊचुर्नैष द्विजोऽस्माकमन्यस्तु तव पार्थिव ॥

tato rājanbrāhmaṇāste sarva eva viśāṃpate | ūcurnaiṣa dvijo'smākamanyastu tava pārthiva

Then, O king, all those brahmins said: "This is no brahmin of ours; he is someone else, O king, and it is you he concerns."

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्माणा → ब्राह्मणा (misprint in Wikisource; stray ā in ब्राह्मण). Line 2 differs from the CE's (CE ūcur naitad vaco 'smākaṃ śrīr astu tava pārthiva, 'this speech is not ours; may good fortune be yours'); recension variant, kept. The sense of अन्यस्तु तव is uncertain; the translation follows the plain reading.

Verse 32 (12.37.32)

जज्ञुश्चैनं महात्मानस्ततस्तं ज्ञानचक्षुषा । ब्राह्मणा वेदविद्वांसस्तपोभिर्विमलीकृताः ॥

jajñuścainaṃ mahātmānastatastaṃ jñānacakṣuṣā | brāhmaṇā vedavidvāṃsastapobhirvimalīkṛtāḥ

And those great-souled brahmins, learned in the Vedas and purified by austerities, then recognised him with the eye of knowledge.

Verse 33 (12.37.33)

एष दुर्योधनसखा विश्रुतो ब्रह्मराक्षसः । परिव्राजकरूपेण हितं तस्य चिकीर्षति ॥

eṣa duryodhanasakhā viśruto brahmarākṣasaḥ | parivrājakarūpeṇa hitaṃ tasya cikīrṣati

"This is Duryodhana's friend, the well-known Brahmarakshasa, who in the guise of a wandering mendicant seeks to serve his friend's interest."

Note on the text: Wikisource's विश्रुतो ब्रह्मराक्षसः stands for the CE's cārvāko nāma rākṣasaḥ (the page's commentary notes the variant); kept.

Verse 34 (12.37.34)

न वयं ब्रूम धर्मात्मन्व्येतु ते भयमीदृशम् । उपतिष्ठतु कल्याणं भवन्तं भ्रातृभिः सह ॥

na vayaṃ brūma dharmātmanvyetu te bhayamīdṛśam | upatiṣṭhatu kalyāṇaṃ bhavantaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha

"We did not say this, O righteous soul. Let such fear leave you. May good fortune wait on you and your brothers."

Verse 35 (12.37.35)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे हुंकारैः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः । निर्भर्त्सयन्तः शुचयो निजघ्नुः पापराक्षसम् ॥

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve huṃkāraiḥ krodhamūrcchitāḥ | nirbhartsayantaḥ śucayo nijaghnuḥ pāparākṣasam

Then all those pure brahmins, faint with rage, rebuked the evil rakshasa with roars of "hum" and struck him down.

Verse 36 (12.37.36)

स पपात विनिर्दग्धस्तेजसा ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । महेन्द्राशनिनिर्दग्धः पादपोऽङ्कुरवानिव ॥

sa papāta vinirdagdhastejasā brahmavādinām | mahendrāśaninirdagdhaḥ pādapo'ṅkuravāniva

He fell, burnt to ashes by the radiance of those who speak of Brahman, like a sprouting tree burnt by Mahendra's thunderbolt.

Verse 37 (12.37.37)

पूजिताश्च ययुर्विप्रा राजानमभिनन्द्य तम् । राजा च हर्षमापेदे पाण्डवः ससुहृज्जनः ॥

pūjitāśca yayurviprā rājānamabhinandya tam | rājā ca harṣamāpede pāṇḍavaḥ sasuhṛjjanaḥ

The honoured brahmins blessed the king and departed, and the Pandava king rejoiced with his friends.

Note on the text: The CE has a further star passage before its 12.39.37 (12.39.37*0054_00–02, in which Krishna begins to speak); it is not on this page and is not added.