King Prithu's Hundred Horse Sacrifices

Verse 1 (bhagavata.4.19.1)

मैत्रेय उवाच अथादीक्षत राजा तु हयमेधशतेन सः । ब्रह्मावर्ते मनोः क्षेत्रे यत्र प्राची सरस्वती ॥ १ ॥

maitreya uvāca athādīkṣata rājā tu hayamedha-śatena saḥ brahmāvarte manoḥ kṣetre yatra prācī sarasvatī

Maitreya said: Thereupon that king took initiation for a hundred horse-sacrifices, in Brahmavarta, the domain of Manu, where the Sarasvati flows toward the east.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.4.19.2)

तदभिप्रेत्य भगवान् कर्मातिशयमात्मनः । शतक्रतुर्न ममृषे पृथोर्यज्ञमहोत्सवम् ॥ २ ॥

tad abhipretya bhagavān karmātiśayam ātmanaḥ śata-kratur na mamṛṣe pṛthor yajña-mahotsavam

Perceiving how far this exceeded his own sacrificial deeds, the illustrious Shatakratu, Indra, could not bear Prithu's great sacrificial festival.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.4.19.3)

यत्र यज्ञपतिः साक्षाद्भगवान् हरिरीश्वरः । अन्वभूयत सर्वात्मा सर्वलोकगुरुः प्रभुः ॥ ३ ॥

yatra yajña-patiḥ sākṣād bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ anvabhūyata sarvātmā sarva-loka-guruḥ prabhuḥ

There the illustrious Lord Hari, master of sacrifice, the Self of all, teacher of all the worlds, was directly present and known to all.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.4.19.4)

अन्वितो ब्रह्मशर्वाभ्यां लोकपालैः सहानुगैः । उपगीयमानो गन्धर्वैर्मुनिभिश्चाप्सरोगणैः ॥ ४ ॥

anvito brahma-śarvābhyāṁ loka-pālaiḥ sahānugaiḥ upagīyamāno gandharvair munibhiś cāpsaro-gaṇaiḥ

Accompanied by Brahma and Shiva, and by the guardians of the world with their attendants, He was extolled in song by the Gandharvas, the sages, and the hosts of Apsarases.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.4.19.5)

सिद्धा विद्याधरा दैत्या दानवा गुह्यकादयः । सुनन्दनन्दप्रमुखाः पार्षदप्रवरा हरेः ॥ ५ ॥

siddhā vidyādharā daityā dānavā guhyakādayaḥ sunanda-nanda-pramukhāḥ pārṣada-pravarā hareḥ

The Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Daityas, Danavas, Guhyakas and the rest, and Hari's foremost attendants, led by Sunanda and Nanda, were present there as well.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.4.19.6)

कपिलो नारदो दत्तो योगेशाः सनकादयः । तमन्वीयुर्भागवता ये च तत्सेवनोत्सुकाः ॥ ६ ॥

kapilo nārado datto yogeśāḥ sanakādayaḥ tam anvīyur bhāgavatā ye ca tat-sevanotsukāḥ

Kapila, Narada, Datta, the masters of yoga headed by Sanaka, and all the devotees eager for His service, followed close behind Him.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.4.19.7)

यत्र धर्मदुघा भूमिः सर्वकामदुघा सती । दोग्धि स्माभीप्सितानर्थान् यजमानस्य भारत ॥ ७ ॥

yatra dharma-dughā bhūmiḥ sarva-kāma-dughā satī dogdhi smābhīpsitān arthān yajamānasya bhārata

O descendant of Bharata, there the earth — ever yielding dharma, granter of all desires — poured forth for the sacrificer whatever he wished for.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.4.19.8)

ऊहुः सर्वरसान्नद्यः क्षीरदध्यन्नगोरसान् । तरवो भूरिवर्ष्माणः प्रासूयन्त मधुच्युतः ॥ ८ ॥

ūhuḥ sarva-rasān nadyaḥ kṣīra-dadhy-anna-go-rasān taravo bhūri-varṣmāṇaḥ prāsūyanta madhu-cyutaḥ

The rivers ran with every kind of flavor, and with milk, curd, grain, and other dairy produce; and the tall, spreading trees dripped honey and yielded their fruit.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.4.19.9)

सिन्धवो रत्ननिकरान् गिरयोऽन्नं चतुर्विधम् । उपायनमुपाजह्रुः सर्वे लोकाः सपालकाः ॥ ९ ॥

sindhavo ratna-nikarān girayo ’nnaṁ catur-vidham upāyanam upājahruḥ sarve lokāḥ sa-pālakāḥ

The oceans brought heaps of jewels as tribute, the mountains brought food of four kinds, and all the worlds, together with their guardian deities, brought their offerings.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.4.19.10)

इति चाधोक्षजेशस्य पृथोस्तु परमोदयम् । असूयन् भगवानिन्द्रः प्रतिघातमचीकरत् ॥ १० ॥

iti cādhokṣajeśasya pṛthos tu paramodayam asūyan bhagavān indraḥ pratighātam acīkarat

Thus, envious of Prithu's supreme prosperity — Prithu, whose lord was Adhokshaja Himself — the illustrious Indra set about obstructing it.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.4.19.11)

चरमेणाश्वमेधेन यजमाने यजुष्पतिम् । वैन्ये यज्ञपशुं स्पर्धन्नपोवाह तिरोहितः ॥ ११ ॥

carameṇāśvamedhena yajamāne yajuṣ-patim vainye yajña-paśuṁ spardhann apovāha tirohitaḥ

While the son of Vena, master of the sacrificial formulas, was performing the final horse-sacrifice, Indra, moved by rivalry and hidden from view, carried off the sacrificial animal.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.4.19.12)

तमत्रिर्भगवानैक्षत्त्वरमाणं विहायसा । आमुक्तमिव पाखण्डं योऽधर्मे धर्मविभ्रमः ॥ १२ ॥

tam atrir bhagavān aikṣat tvaramāṇaṁ vihāyasā āmuktam iva pākhaṇḍaṁ yo ’dharme dharma-vibhramaḥ

The illustrious Atri saw him hastening through the sky, clothed as if in the garb of heresy — that semblance of dharma set within adharma.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.4.19.13)

अत्रिणा चोदितो हन्तुं पृथुपुत्रो महारथः । अन्वधावत सङ्कुद्धस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् ॥ १३ ॥

atriṇā codito hantuṁ pṛthu-putro mahā-rathaḥ anvadhāvata saṅkruddhas tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt

Urged on by Atri to slay him, the great warrior, Prithu's son, pursued him in fury, crying out, 'Stand! Stand!'

Verse 14 (bhagavata.4.19.14)

तं तादृशाकृतिं वीक्ष्य मेने धर्मं शरीरिणम् । जटिलं भस्मनाच्छन्नं तस्मै बाणं न मुञ्चति ॥ १४ ॥

taṁ tādṛśākṛtiṁ vīkṣya mene dharmaṁ śarīriṇam jaṭilaṁ bhasmanācchannaṁ tasmai bāṇaṁ na muñcati

Seeing him in that appearance — matted-haired, smeared with ashes — he took him for dharma itself in bodily form, and did not release his arrow.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.4.19.15)

वधान्निवृत्तं तं भूयो हन्तवेऽत्रिरचोदयत् । जहि यज्ञहनं तात महेन्द्रं विबुधाधमम् ॥ १५ ॥

vadhān nivṛttaṁ taṁ bhūyo hantave ’trir acodayat jahi yajña-hanaṁ tāta mahendraṁ vibudhādhamam

When he thus refrained from the killing, Atri again urged him on: My son, kill Mahendra, destroyer of this sacrifice, lowest among the gods.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.4.19.16)

एवं वैन्यसुतः प्रोक्तस्त्वरमाणं विहायसा । अन्वद्रवदभिक्रुद्धो रावणं गृध्रराडिव ॥ १६ ॥

evaṁ vainya-sutaḥ proktas tvaramāṇaṁ vihāyasā anvadravad abhikruddho rāvaṇaṁ gṛdhra-rāḍ iva

Thus urged, Vena's grandson pursued him, greatly enraged, as he hastened through the sky — just as the king of vultures once pursued Ravana.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.4.19.17)

सोऽश्वं रूपं च तद्धित्वा तस्मा अन्तर्हितः स्वराट् । वीरः स्वपशुमादाय पितुर्यज्ञमुपेयिवान् ॥ १७ ॥

so ’śvaṁ rūpaṁ ca tad dhitvā tasmā antarhitaḥ svarāṭ vīraḥ sva-paśum ādāya pitur yajñam upeyivān

That self-ruling one then abandoned the horse and that disguise and vanished from that very place; and the hero, taking back the sacrificial animal, returned to his father's sacrifice.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.4.19.18)

तत्तस्य चाद्भुतं कर्म विचक्ष्य परमर्षयः । नामधेयं ददुस्तस्मै विजिताश्व इति प्रभो ॥ १८ ॥

tat tasya cādbhutaṁ karma vicakṣya paramarṣayaḥ nāmadheyaṁ dadus tasmai vijitāśva iti prabho

O lord, beholding that wondrous deed of his, the great sages bestowed upon him the name Vijitashva — Conqueror of the Horse.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.4.19.19)

उपसृज्य तमस्तीव्रं जहाराश्वं पुनर्हरिः । चषालयूपतश्छन्नो हिरण्यरशनं विभुः ॥ १९ ॥

upasṛjya tamas tīvraṁ jahārāśvaṁ punar hariḥ caṣāla-yūpataś channo hiraṇya-raśanaṁ vibhuḥ

Spreading a dense darkness, the mighty Indra, hidden from sight, again seized the horse, which was tethered by a golden cord at the crowned sacrificial post.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.4.19.20)

अत्रिः सन्दर्शयामास त्वरमाणं विहायसा । कपालखट्वाङ्गधरं वीरो नैनमबाधत ॥ २० ॥

atriḥ sandarśayām āsa tvaramāṇaṁ vihāyasā kapāla-khaṭvāṅga-dharaṁ vīro nainam abādhata

Atri again pointed him out, hastening through the sky, now bearing a skull and a skull-topped staff; yet the hero still did not harm him.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.4.19.21)

अत्रिणा चोदितस्तस्मै सन्दधे विशिखं रुषा । सोऽश्वं रूपं च तद्धित्वा तस्थावन्तर्हितः स्वराट् ॥ २१ ॥

atriṇā coditas tasmai sandadhe viśikhaṁ ruṣā so ’śvaṁ rūpaṁ ca tad dhitvā tasthāv antarhitaḥ svarāṭ

Urged once more by Atri, he angrily fitted an arrow against him; whereupon that self-ruling one abandoned both the horse and the disguise, and stood there, vanished from sight.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.4.19.22)

वीरश्चाश्वमुपादाय पितृयज्ञमथाव्रजत् । तदवद्यं हरे रूपं जगृहुर्ज्ञानदुर्बलाः ॥ २२ ॥

vīraś cāśvam upādāya pitṛ-yajñam athāvrajat tad avadyaṁ hare rūpaṁ jagṛhur jñāna-durbalāḥ

And the hero, taking the horse, returned once more to his father's sacrifice. That reprehensible disguise of Indra's was afterward adopted by those weak in true knowledge.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.4.19.23)

यानि रूपाणि जगृहे इन्द्रो हयजिहीर्षया । तानि पापस्य खण्डानि लिङ्गं खण्डमिहोच्यते ॥ २३ ॥

yāni rūpāṇi jagṛhe indro haya-jihīrṣayā tāni pāpasya khaṇḍāni liṅgaṁ khaṇḍam ihocyate

The various disguises Indra put on in his wish to steal the horse are, here, called the fragments of sin, each outward mark a fragment of it.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.4.19.24)

एवमिन्द्रे हरत्यश्वं वैन्ययज्ञजिघांसया । तद्गृहीतविसृष्टेषु पाखण्डेषु मतिर्नृणाम् ॥ २४ ॥

evam indre haraty aśvaṁ vainya-yajña-jighāṁsayā tad-gṛhīta-visṛṣṭeṣu pākhaṇḍeṣu matir nṛṇām

Thus, because Indra stole the horse in his wish to ruin the sacrifice of Vena's son, the minds of men have since inclined toward those heretical guises he took up and then discarded.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.4.19.25)

धर्म इत्युपधर्मेषु नग्नरक्तपटादिषु । प्रायेण सज्जते भ्रान्त्या पेशलेषु च वाग्मिषु ॥ २५ ॥

dharma ity upadharmeṣu nagna-rakta-paṭādiṣu prāyeṇa sajjate bhrāntyā peśaleṣu ca vāgmiṣu

Taking it for dharma, men mostly grow attached, out of delusion, to these counterfeit religions — nakedness, red robes, and the like — and to their smooth-tongued, eloquent teachers.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.4.19.26)

तदभिज्ञाय भगवान्पृथुः पृथुपराक्रमः । इन्द्राय कुपितो बाणमादत्तोद्यतकार्मुकः ॥ २६ ॥

tad abhijñāya bhagavān pṛthuḥ pṛthu-parākramaḥ indrāya kupito bāṇam ādattodyata-kārmukaḥ

Learning of this, the illustrious Prithu, of vast prowess, grew angry at Indra, and, raising his bow, took up an arrow.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.4.19.27)

तमृत्विजः शक्रवधाभिसन्धितंविचक्ष्य दुष्प्रेक्ष्यमसह्यरंहसम् । निवारयामासुरहो महामतेन युज्यतेऽत्रान्यवधः प्रचोदितात् ॥ २७ ॥

tam ṛtvijaḥ śakra-vadhābhisandhitaṁ vicakṣya duṣprekṣyam asahya-raṁhasam nivārayām āsur aho mahā-mate na yujyate ’trānya-vadhaḥ pracoditāt

Seeing him thus set on killing Indra, terrible to look upon, his fury unbearable, the priests restrained him: O great-souled one, it is not fitting here to kill anyone other than what was ordained for the sacrifice.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.4.19.28)

वयं मरुत्वन्तमिहार्थनाशनंह्वयामहे त्वच्छ्रवसा हतत्विषम् । अयातयामोपहवैरनन्तरंप्रसह्य राजन् जुहवाम तेऽहितम् ॥ २८ ॥

vayaṁ marutvantam ihārtha-nāśanaṁ hvayāmahe tvac-chravasā hata-tviṣam ayātayāmopahavair anantaraṁ prasahya rājan juhavāma te ’hitam

We shall now summon Marutvan, Indra — the destroyer of your undertaking, his splendor already dimmed by your own fame — and, O King, with fresh, unspent invocations, we shall forthwith cast your enemy into the fire by force.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.4.19.29)

इत्यामन्त्र्य क्रतुपतिं विदुरास्यर्त्विजो रुषा । स्रुग्घस्ताञ्जुह्वतोऽभ्येत्य स्वयम्भूः प्रत्यषेधत ॥ २९ ॥

ity āmantrya kratu-patiṁ vidurāsyartvijo ruṣā srug-ghastāñ juhvato ’bhyetya svayambhūḥ pratyaṣedhata

O Vidura, having thus, in anger, invoked Indra as lord of the sacrifice, the priests, ladles in hand, were on the point of offering the oblation when the self-born Brahma arrived and forbade them.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.4.19.30)

न वध्यो भवतामिन्द्रो यद्यज्ञो भगवत्तनुः । यं जिघांसथ यज्ञेन यस्येष्टास्तनवः सुराः ॥ ३० ॥

na vadhyo bhavatām indro yad yajño bhagavat-tanuḥ yaṁ jighāṁsatha yajñena yasyeṣṭās tanavaḥ surāḥ

Indra is not to be killed by you, for sacrifice itself is the very body of the Lord, and he whom you wish to destroy through this sacrifice — the gods themselves are his own cherished forms.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.4.19.31)

तदिदं पश्यत महद्धर्मव्यतिकरं द्विजाः । इन्द्रेणानुष्ठितं राज्ञः कर्मैतद्विजिघांसता ॥ ३१ ॥

tad idaṁ paśyata mahad- dharma-vyatikaraṁ dvijāḥ indreṇānuṣṭhitaṁ rājñaḥ karmaitad vijighāṁsatā

Behold, O brahmanas, this great confusion of dharma, brought about by Indra in his wish to destroy the king's sacrificial rite.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.4.19.32)

पृथुकीर्तेः पृथोर्भूयात्तर्ह्येकोनशतक्रतुः । अलं ते क्रतुभिः स्विष्टैर्यद्भवान्मोक्षधर्मवित् ॥ ३२ ॥

pṛthu-kīrteḥ pṛthor bhūyāt tarhy ekona-śata-kratuḥ alaṁ te kratubhiḥ sviṣṭair yad bhavān mokṣa-dharma-vit

Let Prithu, of vast renown, then, be content with ninety-nine sacrifices duly performed — enough well-completed sacrifices for you, since you already know the path to liberation.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.4.19.33)

नैवात्मने महेन्द्राय रोषमाहर्तुमर्हसि । उभावपि हि भद्रं ते उत्तमश्लोकविग्रहौ ॥ ३३ ॥

naivātmane mahendrāya roṣam āhartum arhasi ubhāv api hi bhadraṁ te uttamaśloka-vigrahau

You should not direct your wrath at Mahendra, as if against your own self, for both of you — may all go well with you — are embodiments of the Lord of matchless glory.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.4.19.34)

मास्मिन्महाराज कृथाः स्म चिन्तांनिशामयास्मद्वच आदृतात्मा । यद्ध्यायतो दैवहतं नु कर्तुंमनोऽतिरुष्टं विशते तमोऽन्धम् ॥ ३४ ॥

māsmin mahārāja kṛthāḥ sma cintāṁ niśāmayāsmad-vaca ādṛtātmā yad dhyāyato daiva-hataṁ nu kartuṁ mano ’tiruṣṭaṁ viśate tamo ’ndham

O great King, do not brood over this; hear our words with a receptive heart. For a mind that dwells constantly on undoing what fate itself has thwarted, once it grows too enraged, sinks into blinding darkness.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.4.19.35)

क्रतुर्विरमतामेष देवेषु दुरवग्रहः । धर्मव्यतिकरो यत्र पाखण्डैरिन्द्रनिर्मितैः ॥ ३५ ॥

kratur viramatām eṣa deveṣu duravagrahaḥ dharma-vyatikaro yatra pākhaṇḍair indra-nirmitaiḥ

Let this sacrifice — this stubborn contention among the gods, in which dharma has become confounded through the heresies Indra has fashioned — now come to an end.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.4.19.36)

एभिरिन्द्रोपसंसृष्टैः पाखण्डैर्हारिभिर्जनम् । ह्रियमाणं विचक्ष्वैनं यस्ते यज्ञध्रुगश्वमुट् ॥ ३६ ॥

ebhir indropasaṁsṛṣṭaiḥ pākhaṇḍair hāribhir janam hriyamāṇaṁ vicakṣvainaṁ yas te yajña-dhrug aśva-muṭ

Behold him — the one who wronged your sacrifice and stole your horse — now carrying people away through these seductive heresies devised by Indra.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.4.19.37)

भवान् परित्रातुमिहावतीर्णो धर्मं जनानां समयानुरूपम् । वेनापचारादवलुप्तमद्य तद्देहतो विष्णुकलासि वैन्य ॥ ३७ ॥

bhavān paritrātum ihāvatīrṇo dharmaṁ janānāṁ samayānurūpam venāpacārād avaluptam adya tad-dehato viṣṇu-kalāsi vainya

O son of Vena, you have descended here to protect the dharma of the people, fitting to the age — dharma that had today been ruined by Vena's own transgression — for you are a portion of Vishnu, born from that very body.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.4.19.38)

स त्वं विमृश्यास्य भवं प्रजापते सङ्कल्पनं विश्वसृजां पिपीपृहि । ऐन्द्रीं च मायामुपधर्ममातरं प्रचण्डपाखण्डपथं प्रभो जहि ॥ ३८ ॥

sa tvaṁ vimṛśyāsya bhavaṁ prajāpate saṅkalpanaṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ pipīpṛhi aindrīṁ ca māyām upadharma-mātaraṁ pracaṇḍa-pākhaṇḍa-pathaṁ prabho jahi

Consider, then, O lord of the people, the purpose of this your descent, and fulfill the intent of the creators of the universe. And, O lord, put an end to Indra's illusion, mother of these counterfeit religions, that violent path of heresy.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.4.19.39)

मैत्रेय उवाच इत्थं स लोकगुरुणा समादिष्टो विशाम्पतिः । तथा च कृत्वा वात्सल्यं मघोनापि च सन्दधे ॥ ३९ ॥

maitreya uvāca itthaṁ sa loka-guruṇā samādiṣṭo viśāmpatiḥ tathā ca kṛtvā vātsalyaṁ maghonāpi ca sandadhe

Maitreya said: Thus instructed by the teacher of the worlds, the lord of the people acted accordingly, and, with affection, made peace with Maghavan, Indra, as well.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.4.19.40)

कृतावभृथस्नानाय पृथवे भूरिकर्मणे । वरान्ददुस्ते वरदा ये तद्बर्हिषि तर्पिताः ॥ ४० ॥

kṛtāvabhṛtha-snānāya pṛthave bhūri-karmaṇe varān dadus te varadā ye tad-barhiṣi tarpitāḥ

To Prithu, who had accomplished so much and had now taken the concluding sacrificial bath, those boon-granting deities, satisfied at his rites, in turn granted their boons.

Verse 41 (bhagavata.4.19.41)

विप्राः सत्याशिषस्तुष्टाः श्रद्धया लब्धदक्षिणाः । आशिषो युयुजुः क्षत्तरादिराजाय सत्कृताः ॥ ४१ ॥

viprāḥ satyāśiṣas tuṣṭāḥ śraddhayā labdha-dakṣiṇāḥ āśiṣo yuyujuḥ kṣattar ādi-rājāya sat-kṛtāḥ

O Kshatta, the brahmanas — whose blessings never fail — satisfied and duly honored, having received their sacrificial fees offered with faith, bestowed their blessings upon that first of kings.

Verse 42 (bhagavata.4.19.42)

त्वयाहूता महाबाहो सर्व एव समागताः । पूजिता दानमानाभ्यां पितृदेवर्षिमानवाः ॥ ४२ ॥

tvayāhūtā mahā-bāho sarva eva samāgatāḥ pūjitā dāna-mānābhyāṁ pitṛ-devarṣi-mānavāḥ

O mighty-armed one, at your summons all have gathered here — ancestors, gods, sages, and men — and you have honored every one of them with gifts and with respect.