Krishna Tells of the Rakshasa Charvaka

Verse 1 (12.38.1)

ततस्तत्र तु राजानं तिष्ठन्तं भ्रातृभिः सह । उवाच देवकीपुत्रः सर्वदर्शी जनार्दनः ॥

tatastatra tu rājānaṃ tiṣṭhantaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha | uvāca devakīputraḥ sarvadarśī janārdanaḥ

Then, while the king stood there with his brothers, Janardana, the son of Devaki, who sees all, spoke to him.

Note on the text: Adhyaya note: the page is the right adhyaya (rows labelled 12-38-1 to 12-38-13; the colophon reads अष्टत्रिंशोऽध्यायः । 38). Its text is the critical edition's 12.39.38-49 (the end of the CE's adhyaya 39; the CE and Wikisource divide the adhyayas differently), preceded by a two-line opening that is a CE star passage. The title line above the table is a heading, not a verse. The page ends with its colophon; nothing follows it. Speakers: the page heads Vaishampayana (verse 1) and वासुदेव (from verse 2); verses 9-10 are Brahma's words inside Krishna's story, unheaded, and are given to Brahma; verse 8 mixes narration with Brahma's words and stays with Krishna. Corrected तिष्ठन्ते → तिष्ठन्तं (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative participle agreeing with राजानं is required; the critical edition's star passage reads tiṣṭhantaṃ). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 12.39.37*0054 (lines 01-02, after a heading vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca), with the verse-initial reading tatas tatra tu rājānaṃ tiṣṭhantaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha.

Verse 2 (12.38.2)

ब्राह्मणास्तात लोकेऽस्मिन्नर्चनीयाः सदा मम । एते भूमिचरा देवा वाग्विषाः सुप्रसादकाः ॥

brāhmaṇāstāta loke'sminnarcanīyāḥ sadā mama | ete bhūmicarā devā vāgviṣāḥ suprasādakāḥ

Dear son, brahmins are always to be honoured by me in this world. They are gods walking the earth, whose words are poison and yet who are easily pleased.

Verse 3 (12.38.3)

पुरा कृतयुगे राजंश्चार्वाको नाम राक्षसः । तपस्तेपे महाबाहो बदर्यां बहुवार्षिकम् ॥

purā kṛtayuge rājaṃścārvāko nāma rākṣasaḥ | tapastepe mahābāho badaryāṃ bahuvārṣikam

Long ago, in the Krita age, O king, there was a rakshasa named Charvaka. He practised austerities for many years at Badari, O mighty-armed one.

Verse 4 (12.38.4)

वरेण च्छन्द्यमानश्च ब्रह्मणा च पुनः पुनः । अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो वरयामास भारत ॥

vareṇa cchandyamānaśca brahmaṇā ca punaḥ punaḥ | abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo varayāmāsa bhārata

Brahma urged him again and again to choose a boon, and he asked for freedom from fear from all beings, O Bharata.

Verse 5 (12.38.5)

द्विजावमानादन्यत्र प्रादाद्वरमनुत्तमम् । अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो ददौ तस्मै जगत्पतिः ॥

dvijāvamānādanyatra prādādvaramanuttamam | abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dadau tasmai jagatpatiḥ

The Lord of the world granted him that supreme boon of freedom from fear from all beings, except where the twice-born were insulted.

Verse 6 (12.38.6)

स तु लब्धवरः पापो देवानमितविक्रमः । राक्षसस्तापयामास तीव्रकर्मा महाबलः ॥

sa tu labdhavaraḥ pāpo devānamitavikramaḥ | rākṣasastāpayāmāsa tīvrakarmā mahābalaḥ

Having gained his boon, that wicked, fierce-acting, mighty rakshasa of boundless prowess began to torment the gods.

Verse 7 (12.38.7)

ततो देवाः समेताश्च ब्रह्माणमिदमब्रुवन् । वधाय रक्षसस्तस्य बलविप्रकृतास्तदा ॥

tato devāḥ sametāśca brahmāṇamidamabruvan | vadhāya rakṣasastasya balaviprakṛtāstadā

Then the gods, worn down by his strength, gathered together and said this to Brahma, asking for the rakshasa's death.

Verse 8 (12.38.8)

तानुवाच ततो देवो विहितं तत्र वै मया । यथाऽस्य भविता मृत्युरचिरेणेति भारत ॥

tānuvāca tato devo vihitaṃ tatra vai mayā | yathā'sya bhavitā mṛtyuracireṇeti bhārata

Then the god said to them, "I have already made provision for this, so that his death will come before long, O Bharata."

Note on the text: Corrected अचिरणेति → अचिरेणेति (misprint in Wikisource; dropped े; the critical edition reads acireṇaiva). Line 1 begins तानुवाच ततो देवो where the CE has tān uvācāvyayo devo (recension variant).

Verse 9 (12.38.9)

राजा दुर्योधनो नाम सखाऽस्य भविता नृषु । तस्य स्नेहावबद्धोऽसौ ब्राह्मणानवमंस्यते ॥

rājā duryodhano nāma sakhā'sya bhavitā nṛṣu | tasya snehāvabaddho'sau brāhmaṇānavamaṃsyate

"Among men there will be a king named Duryodhana, who will be his friend. Bound to him by affection, the rakshasa will show contempt for brahmins."

Note on the text: Brahma's words inside Krishna's story, unheaded; the input carried Vasudeva over.

Verse 10 (12.38.10)

तत्रैनं रुषिता विप्रा विप्रकारप्रधर्षिताः । धक्ष्यन्ति वाग्बलाः पापं ततो नाशं गमिष्यति ॥

tatrainaṃ ruṣitā viprā viprakārapradharṣitāḥ | dhakṣyanti vāgbalāḥ pāpaṃ tato nāśaṃ gamiṣyati

"Then the brahmins, enraged and wronged by his insults, will burn that sinner with the power of their words, and so he will meet his end."

Note on the text: Brahma's words inside Krishna's story, unheaded; the input carried Vasudeva over.

Verse 11 (12.38.11)

स एष निहतः शेते ब्रह्मदण्डेन राक्षसः । चार्वाको नृपतिश्रेष्ठ मा शुचो भरतर्षभ ॥

sa eṣa nihataḥ śete brahmadaṇḍena rākṣasaḥ | cārvāko nṛpatiśreṣṭha mā śuco bharatarṣabha

There he lies, slain by the brahmins' rod of punishment, that rakshasa Charvaka. O best of kings, O best of the Bharatas, do not grieve.

Verse 12 (12.38.12)

हतास्ते क्षत्रधर्मेण ज्ञातयस्तव पार्थिव । स्वर्गताश्च महात्मानो वीराः क्षत्रियपुङ्गवाः ॥

hatāste kṣatradharmeṇa jñātayastava pārthiva | svargatāśca mahātmāno vīrāḥ kṣatriyapuṅgavāḥ

Your kinsmen, O king, have been slain according to the warrior's law, and those great-souled heroes, the foremost of kshatriyas, have gone to heaven.

Verse 13 (12.38.13)

स त्वमातिष्ठ कार्याणि मा ते भूद्बुद्धिरन्यथा । शत्रूञ्जहि प्रजा रक्ष द्विजांश्च परिपूजय ॥

sa tvamātiṣṭha kāryāṇi mā te bhūdbuddhiranyathā | śatrūñjahi prajā rakṣa dvijāṃśca paripūjaya

So take up your duties, and let your mind not turn aside. Slay your enemies, protect your subjects, and honour the brahmins fully.

Note on the text: Corrected भूद्वुद्धि → भूद्बुद्धि (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब, the word is बुद्धि "mind"). Line 1 differs from the critical edition (12.39.49: sa tvam ātiṣṭha kalyāṇaṃ mā te bhūd glānir acyuta) and line 2 ends with परिपूजय for pratipālaya; recension variants.