Muchukunda and Kubera: the Powers of Brahmin and Kshatriya

Verse 1 (12.74.1)

ब्रह्मक्षत्रस्य सामर्थ्यं कथितं ते पितामह । पुरोहितप्रभावश्च लक्षणं च पुरोधसः ॥

brahmakṣatrasya sāmarthyaṃ kathitaṃ te pitāmaha | purohitaprabhāvaśca lakṣaṇaṃ ca purodhasaḥ

You have told me, grandfather, of the power of Brahmins and Kshatriyas, of the influence of the royal priest, and of the marks of a priest.

Note on the text: The input merged the speaker heading (the backtick-marked line युधिष्ठिर उवाच, which the page prints as its own row, 12-74-1x) into the verse; it is removed from the text and made the speaker. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: lines 1-2 are the CE star passage 12.75.001d*0185_01-02 (0185_00 is its speaker line, yudhiṣṭhira uvāca), which the CE prints after its verse 12.75.1; Wikisource puts it first.

Verse 2 (12.74.2)

इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि ब्रह्मक्षत्रविनिर्णयम् । ब्रह्मक्षत्रं हि सर्वस्य कारणं जगतः परम् । योगक्षेमो हि राष्ट्रस्य ताभ्यामायत्त एव च ॥

idānīṃ śrotumicchāmi brahmakṣatravinirṇayam | brahmakṣatraṃ hi sarvasya kāraṇaṃ jagataḥ param | yogakṣemo hi rāṣṭrasya tābhyāmāyatta eva ca

Now I wish to hear the settling of the question of Brahmin and Kshatriya power. Brahmin power and Kshatriya power are the supreme cause of the whole world, and the security and welfare of the realm rest upon the two of them.

Note on the text: Removed the stray doubled daṇḍa and quote mark (।।') printed after the last line. Lines 1-3 are the CE star passage 12.75.001d*0185_03-05 (line 3 reads हि for च there), not in the CE's constituted text.

Verse 3 (12.74.3)

योगक्षेमो हि राष्ट्रस्य राजन्यायत्त उच्यते । योगक्षेमो हि राज्ञो हि समायत्तः पुरोहिते ॥

yogakṣemo hi rāṣṭrasya rājanyāyatta ucyate | yogakṣemo hi rājño hi samāyattaḥ purohite

The welfare of the realm, it is said, rests on the king; and the king's own welfare rests on his priest.

Verse 4 (12.74.4)

यत्रादृष्टं भयं ब्रह्म प्रजानां शमयत्युत । दृष्टं च राजा बाहुभ्यां तद्राज्यं सुखमेधते ॥

yatrādṛṣṭaṃ bhayaṃ brahma prajānāṃ śamayatyuta | dṛṣṭaṃ ca rājā bāhubhyāṃ tadrājyaṃ sukhamedhate

In a kingdom where the Brahmin calms the unseen dangers of the people, and the king, with his arms, the seen ones, that kingdom flourishes in happiness.

Verse 5 (12.74.5)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । मुचुकुन्दस्य संवादं राज्ञो वैश्रवणस्य च ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | mucukundasya saṃvādaṃ rājño vaiśravaṇasya ca

On this point they recall an ancient tale: the conversation of King Muchukunda with King Vaishravana.

Verse 6 (12.74.6)

मुचुकुन्दो विजित्येमां पृथिवीं पृथिवीपतिः । जिज्ञासमानः स बलमभ्ययादलकाधिपम् ॥

mucukundo vijityemāṃ pṛthivīṃ pṛthivīpatiḥ | jijñāsamānaḥ sa balamabhyayādalakādhipam

Muchukunda, lord of the earth, having conquered this earth, wished to test his strength and marched against the lord of Alaka.

Verse 7 (12.74.7)

ततो वैश्रवणो राजा राक्षसानसृजत्तदा । ते बलान्यवमृद्नन्त मुचुकुन्दस्य नैर्ऋताः ॥

tato vaiśravaṇo rājā rākṣasānasṛjattadā | te balānyavamṛdnanta mucukundasya nairṛtāḥ

Then King Vaishravana sent forth Rakshasas, and those night-wandering Nairritas trampled down Muchukunda's forces.

Note on the text: Corrected बलान्यवमृद्गन्त → बलान्यवमृद्नन्त (misprint in Wikisource; ग for न; the verb is from मृद्, CE avamṛdnantaḥ).

Verse 8 (12.74.8)

स हन्यमाने सैन्ये स्वे मुचुकुन्दो नराधिपः । गर्हयामास विद्वांसं पुरोहितमरिन्दमः ॥

sa hanyamāne sainye sve mucukundo narādhipaḥ | garhayāmāsa vidvāṃsaṃ purohitamarindamaḥ

As his army was being cut down, King Muchukunda, tamer of foes, reproached his learned priest.

Verse 9 (12.74.9)

तत उग्रं तपस्तप्त्वा वसिष्ठो धर्मवित्तमः । रक्षांस्युपावधीत्तत्र पन्थानं चाप्यविन्दत ॥

tata ugraṃ tapastaptvā vasiṣṭho dharmavittamaḥ | rakṣāṃsyupāvadhīttatra panthānaṃ cāpyavindata

Then Vasishtha, the foremost of those who know dharma, practised fierce austerity, destroyed the Rakshasas there, and found a way forward.

Verse 10 (12.74.10)

ततो वैश्रवणो राजा मुचुकुन्दमगर्हयत् । वध्यमानेषु सैन्येषु वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥

tato vaiśravaṇo rājā mucukundamagarhayat | vadhyamāneṣu sainyeṣu vacanaṃ cedamabravīt

Then King Vaishravana rebuked Muchukunda, and while the armies were being slaughtered he spoke these words.

Verse 11 (12.74.11)

बलवन्तस्त्वया पूर्वे राजानः सपुरोहिताः । न चैवं समवर्तन्त यथा त्वमिव वर्तसे ॥

balavantastvayā pūrve rājānaḥ sapurohitāḥ | na caivaṃ samavartanta yathā tvamiva vartase

Kings before you, together with their priests, were mightier than you, yet they did not conduct themselves as you do.

Verse 12 (12.74.12)

ते खल्वपि कृतास्त्राश्च बलवन्तश्च भूमिपाः । आगम्य पर्युपासन्ते मामीशं सुखदुःखयोः ॥

te khalvapi kṛtāstrāśca balavantaśca bhūmipāḥ | āgamya paryupāsante māmīśaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ

Those kings too were skilled in weapons and strong, yet they come and wait upon me as their lord in joy and in sorrow.

Verse 13 (12.74.13)

यद्यस्ति बाहुवीर्यं ते तद्दर्शयितुमर्हसि । किं ब्राह्मणबलेन त्वमतिमात्रं प्रवर्तसे ॥

yadyasti bāhuvīryaṃ te taddarśayitumarhasi | kiṃ brāhmaṇabalena tvamatimātraṃ pravartase

If you have strength of arm, you ought to show it. Why do you behave so arrogantly on the strength of a Brahmin?

Verse 14 (12.74.14)

मुचुकुन्दस्ततः क्रुद्धः प्रत्युवाच धनेश्वरम् । न्यायपूर्वमसंरब्धमसंभ्रान्तमिदं वचः ॥

mucukundastataḥ kruddhaḥ pratyuvāca dhaneśvaram | nyāyapūrvamasaṃrabdhamasaṃbhrāntamidaṃ vacaḥ

Then Muchukunda, angered, answered the lord of wealth with these words, reasoned, unagitated and unflustered.

Note on the text: Corrected पूर्वमसंलब्धमसं → पूर्वमसंरब्धमसं (misprint in Wikisource; ल for र; the sense needs 'unagitated', CE asaṃrabdham, matching असंभ्रान्तम्). Speaker: the page's heading धनद उवाच carries over, but this is narration, so it is given to Bhishma.

Verse 15 (12.74.15)

ब्रह्मक्षत्रमिदं सृष्टमेकयोनि स्वयंभुवा । पृथग्बलविधानं च तल्लोकं परिपालयेत् ॥

brahmakṣatramidaṃ sṛṣṭamekayoni svayaṃbhuvā | pṛthagbalavidhānaṃ ca tallokaṃ paripālayet

The Self-existent made Brahmin power and Kshatriya power from a single womb; separate strengths are assigned to each, and together they should protect the world.

Note on the text: Speaker: Muchukunda's own reply (no heading is printed; the page's धनद heading carries over).

Verse 16 (12.74.16)

तपोमन्त्रबलं नित्यं ब्राह्मणेषु प्रतिष्ठितम् । अस्रबाहुबलं नित्यं क्षत्रियेषु प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

tapomantrabalaṃ nityaṃ brāhmaṇeṣu pratiṣṭhitam | asrabāhubalaṃ nityaṃ kṣatriyeṣu pratiṣṭhitam

The strength of austerity and mantra is always established in Brahmins; the strength of missiles and arms is always established in Kshatriyas.

Verse 17 (12.74.17)

ताभ्यां संभूय कर्तव्यं प्रजानां परिपालनम् । तथा च मां प्रवर्तन्तं किं गर्हस्यलकाधिप ॥

tābhyāṃ saṃbhūya kartavyaṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam | tathā ca māṃ pravartantaṃ kiṃ garhasyalakādhipa

The protection of the people must be carried out by the two together. Why then, lord of Alaka, do you reproach me for acting so?

Verse 18 (12.74.18)

ततोऽब्रवीद्वैश्रवणो राजानं सपुरोहितम् । नाहं राज्यमनिर्दिष्टं कस्मैचिद्विदधाम्युत ॥

tato'bravīdvaiśravaṇo rājānaṃ sapurohitam | nāhaṃ rājyamanirdiṣṭaṃ kasmaicidvidadhāmyuta

Then Vaishravana said to the king and his priest: ‘I never grant a kingdom to anyone without naming it.’

Note on the text: Speaker: line 1 is narration and line 2 opens Vaishravana's speech; the verse is given to the narrator (Bhishma), and the speech continues in the next verse.

Verse 19 (12.74.19)

नाच्छिन्दे वाऽप्यनिर्दिष्टमिति जानीहि पार्थिव । प्रशाधि पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां मद्दत्तामखिलामिमाम् । एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच मुचुकुन्दो महीपतिः ॥

nācchinde vā'pyanirdiṣṭamiti jānīhi pārthiva | praśādhi pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ maddattāmakhilāmimām | evamuktaḥ pratyuvāca mucukundo mahīpatiḥ

‘Nor do I take away what has not been named; know this, O king. Rule this whole earth, all of it given by me.’ Thus addressed, King Muchukunda replied.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets round line 3 and the doubled daṇḍa inside them. Lines 1-2 are CE 12.75.17ac (the alignment left them unmatched because of the extra line; the CE reads वीर where Wikisource has कृत्स्नां); line 3 is the CE star line 12.75.017d*0186_01 (evam uktaḥ pratyuvāca mucukundo mahīpatiḥ), a narration line inside Vaishravana's verse.

Verse 20 (12.74.20)

नाहं राज्यं भवद्दत्तं भोक्तुमिच्छामि पार्थिव । बाहुवीर्यार्जितं राज्यमश्नीयामिति कामये ॥

nāhaṃ rājyaṃ bhavaddattaṃ bhoktumicchāmi pārthiva | bāhuvīryārjitaṃ rājyamaśnīyāmiti kāmaye

I do not wish to enjoy a kingdom given by you, O king. I desire to eat of a kingdom won by the strength of my own arms.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page prints no heading here and the input carries over धनद; the CE heads this verse mucukunda uvāca, and the sense requires Muchukunda.

Verse 21 (12.74.21)

ततो वैश्रवणो राजा विस्मयं परमं ययौ । क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितं दृष्ट्वा मुचुकुन्दमरिन्दमम् ॥

tato vaiśravaṇo rājā vismayaṃ paramaṃ yayau | kṣatradharme sthitaṃ dṛṣṭvā mucukundamarindamam

Then King Vaishravana was filled with great wonder, seeing Muchukunda, tamer of foes, firm in the Kshatriya duty.

Verse 22 (12.74.22)

ततो राजा मुचुकुन्दः सोन्वशासद्वसुंधराम् । बाहुवीर्यार्जितां सम्यक्क्षत्रधर्ममनुव्रतः ॥

tato rājā mucukundaḥ sonvaśāsadvasuṃdharām | bāhuvīryārjitāṃ samyakkṣatradharmamanuvrataḥ

Then King Muchukunda ruled the earth he had won by the strength of his arms, faithfully following the Kshatriya dharma.

Verse 23 (12.74.23)

एवं यो ब्रह्मविद्राजा ब्रह्मपूर्वं प्रवर्तते । स भुङ्क्ते विजितामुर्वीं यशश्च महदश्नुते ॥

evaṃ yo brahmavidrājā brahmapūrvaṃ pravartate | sa bhuṅkte vijitāmurvīṃ yaśaśca mahadaśnute

Thus the king who knows Brahman and acts with the Brahmin placed first enjoys the earth he has conquered and wins great glory.

Note on the text: Corrected विजितामुवीं → विजितामुर्वीं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र् from उर्वीम्; CE urvīm).

Verse 24 (12.74.24)

नित्योदकी ब्राह्मणः स्यान्नित्यशस्त्रश्च क्षत्रियः । तयोर्हि सर्वमायत्तं यत्किंचिज्जगतीगतम् ॥

nityodakī brāhmaṇaḥ syānnityaśastraśca kṣatriyaḥ | tayorhi sarvamāyattaṃ yatkiṃcijjagatīgatam

A Brahmin should always keep water at hand for his rites, and a Kshatriya should always bear arms; for all that exists in the world depends on these two.

Verse 25 (12.74.25)

यशश्च तेजश्च महीं च कृत्स्नां । प्राप्नोति राजन्विपुलां च कीर्तिम् । प्रधानधर्मं नृपते नियच्छ । तथा च धर्मस्य चतुर्थमंशम् ॥

yaśaśca tejaśca mahīṃ ca kṛtsnāṃ | prāpnoti rājanvipulāṃ ca kīrtim | pradhānadharmaṃ nṛpate niyaccha | tathā ca dharmasya caturthamaṃśam

He wins fame, splendour, the whole earth and wide renown, O king. Take up the foremost dharma, lord of men, and likewise a fourth share of dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected तेजश्व → तेजश्च (misprint in Wikisource; व for च; CE tejaś ca). Four lines = the CE star passage 12.75.022d*0187_01-04 (printed after 12.75.22), not in the CE's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension).