The Tale of Prishadhra

Verse 1 (markandeya.109.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच पृषध्राख्यो मनोः पुत्रो मृगयामगमद्वनम् । तत्र चंक्रममाणोऽसौ विपिने निर्जने वने ॥ 109.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca pṛṣadhrākhyo manoḥ putro mṛgayāmagamadvanam tatra caṁkramamāṇo'sau vipine nirjane vane

Markandeya said: Prishadhra, the son of Manu, went to the forest to hunt; there he wandered about in the lonely, uninhabited woodland.

Verse 2 (markandeya.109.2)

नाससाद मृगं कञ्चिद्भानुदीधितितापितः । क्षुत्तृट्तापपरीताङ्गः इतश्चेतश्च चंक्रमन् ॥ 109.2 ॥

nāsasāda mṛgaṁ kañcidbhānudīdhititāpitaḥ kṣuttṛṭtāpaparītāṅgaḥ itaścetaśca caṁkraman

Scorched by the sun's rays, his body afflicted by hunger and thirst, he wandered this way and that but did not come upon any deer.

Verse 3 (markandeya.109.3)

स ददर्श तदा तत्र होमधेनुं मनोहराम् । लतान्तर्देहछिन्नार्धां ब्राह्मणस्याग्निहोत्रिणः ॥ 109.3 ॥

sa dadarśa tadā tatra homadhenuṁ manoharām latāntardehachinnārdhāṁ brāhmaṇasyāgnihotriṇaḥ

Then he saw there a most lovely sacrificial cow, her body half-hidden amid the creepers, belonging to a brahmin devoted to the fire-offering.

Verse 4 (markandeya.109.4)

स मन्यमानो गवयमिषुणा तामताडयत् । पपात सापि तद्बाणविभिन्नहृदया भुवि ॥ 109.4 ॥

sa manyamāno gavayamiṣuṇā tāmatāḍayat papāta sāpi tadbāṇavibhinnahṛdayā bhuvi

Taking her for a wild ox, he struck her with an arrow; pierced through the heart by that shaft, she too fell to the ground.

Verse 5 (markandeya.109.5)

ततोऽग्निहोत्रिणः पुत्रो ब्रह्मचारी तपोरतिः । शप्तवान्स पितुर्दृष्ट्वा होमधेनुं निपातिताम् ॥ 109.5 ॥

tato'gnihotriṇaḥ putro brahmacārī taporatiḥ śaptavānsa piturdṛṣṭvā homadhenuṁ nipātitām

Then the fire-priest's son, a celibate student devoted to austerity, seeing the sacrificial cow lying struck down before his own father, cursed him.

Verse 6 (markandeya.109.6)

गोपालः प्रेषितः पुत्रो बाभ्रव्यो नाम नामतः । कोपामर्षपराधीनचित्तवृत्तिस्ततो मुने ॥ 109.6 ॥

gopālaḥ preṣitaḥ putro bābhravyo nāma nāmataḥ kopāmarṣaparādhīnacittavṛttistato mune

O sage, that son who had been sent to herd the cow was known by the name Babhravya; his mind then came under the sway of anger and indignation.

Verse 7 (markandeya.109.7)

चुकोप विगलत्स्वेदजललोलाविलेक्षणः । तं क्रुद्धं प्रेक्ष्य स नृपः पृषध्रो मुनिदारकम् ॥ 109.7 ॥

cukopa vigalatsvedajalalolāvilekṣaṇaḥ taṁ kruddhaṁ prekṣya sa nṛpaḥ pṛṣadhro munidārakam

His eyes rolling and clouded, glistening with streaming sweat, he flew into a rage; seeing him so enraged, King Prishadhra said to that sage's son:

Verse 8 (markandeya.109.8)

प्रसीदेति जगौ कस्माच्छूद्रवत्कुरुषे रुषम् । न क्षत्रियो न वा वैश्य एवं क्रोधमुपैति वै । । यथा त्वं शूद्रवज्जातो विशिष्टे ब्रह्मणः कुले ॥ 109.8 ॥

prasīdeti jagau kasmācchūdravatkuruṣe ruṣam na kṣatriyo na vā vaiśya evaṁ krodhamupaiti vai | yathā tvaṁ śūdravajjāto viśiṣṭe brahmaṇaḥ kule

"Be at peace — why do you give way to fury like a shudra? Neither a kshatriya nor a vaishya becomes angry in this way; though born in an eminent brahmin family, you act as though born a shudra."

Verse 9 (markandeya.109.9)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति निर्भत्सितस्तेन स राज्ञा मौलिनः सुतः । शशाप तं दुरात्मानं शूद्र एव भविष्यसि ॥ 109.9 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti nirbhatsitastena sa rājñā maulinaḥ sutaḥ śaśāpa taṁ durātmānaṁ śūdra eva bhaviṣyasi

Markandeya said: Rebuked thus by him, that sage's son cursed the wicked king: "A shudra indeed you shall become,

Verse 10 (markandeya.109.10)

प्रयास्यति क्षयं ब्रह्मन्यत्तेऽधीतं गुरोर्मुखात् । होमधेनुर्मम गुरोर्यदियं हिंसिता त्वया ॥ 109.10 ॥

prayāsyati kṣayaṁ brahmanyatte'dhītaṁ gurormukhāt homadhenurmama guroryadiyaṁ hiṁsitā tvayā

and, brahmin, whatever you have studied from your guru's own mouth shall perish, since it is my guru's sacrificial cow that you have slain."

Verse 11 (markandeya.109.11)

एवं शप्तो नृपः क्रुद्धस्तच्छापपरिपीडितः । प्रतिशापपरो विप्र तोयं जग्राह पाणिना ॥ 109.11 ॥

evaṁ śapto nṛpaḥ kruddhastacchāpaparipīḍitaḥ pratiśāpaparo vipra toyaṁ jagrāha pāṇinā

Thus cursed, the king too, enraged and tormented by that curse, took up water in his hand, O brahmin, meaning to launch a counter-curse.

Verse 12 (markandeya.109.12)

सोऽपि राज्ञो विनाशाय कोपं चक्रे द्विजोत्तमः । तमभ्येत्य त्वरायुक्तो वारयामास वै पिता ॥ 109.12 ॥

so'pi rājño vināśāya kopaṁ cakre dvijottamaḥ tamabhyetya tvarāyukto vārayāmāsa vai pitā

That excellent twice-born also worked himself into anger for the king's destruction; then his father, hurrying to him, restrained him.

Verse 13 (markandeya.109.13)

वत्सालमलमत्यर्थं कोपेनातीव वैरिणा । ऐहिकामुष्मिकहितः शम एव द्विजन्मनाम् ॥ 109.13 ॥

vatsālamalamatyarthaṁ kopenātīva vairiṇā aihikāmuṣmikahitaḥ śama eva dvijanmanām

"Enough, child, enough of this so excessively hostile anger! For the twice-born, peace alone is beneficial in both this world and the next.

Verse 14 (markandeya.109.14)

कोपस्तपो नाशयति क्रुद्धो भ्रश्यत्यथायुषः । क्रुद्धस्य गलते ज्ञानं क्रुद्धश्चार्थाच्च हीयते ॥ 109.14 ॥

kopastapo nāśayati kruddho bhraśyatyathāyuṣaḥ kruddhasya galate jñānaṁ kruddhaścārthācca hīyate

Anger destroys austerity; the enraged man falls away even from his own lifespan; the wrathful man's knowledge dissolves, and the wrathful man loses his wealth too.

Verse 15 (markandeya.109.15)

न धर्मः क्रोधशीलस्य नार्थं चाप्नोति रोषणः । नालं सुखाय कामास्ति कोपेनाविष्टचेतसाम् ॥ 109.15 ॥

na dharmaḥ krodhaśīlasya nārthaṁ cāpnoti roṣaṇaḥ nālaṁ sukhāya kāmāsti kopenāviṣṭacetasām

There is no dharma for one prone to anger, nor does the wrathful man attain wealth; for minds possessed by anger, even desire's pleasures cannot suffice.

Verse 16 (markandeya.109.16)

यदि राज्ञा हता धेनुरियं विज्ञानिना सता । युक्तमत्र दयां कर्तुमात्मनो हितबोधिना ॥ 109.16 ॥

yadi rājñā hatā dhenuriyaṁ vijñāninā satā yuktamatra dayāṁ kartumātmano hitabodhinā

If this cow was killed by the king knowingly, with full understanding, then it is fitting for one wise about his own good to show mercy here.

Verse 17 (markandeya.109.17)

अथवाऽजानता धेनुरियं व्यापादिता मम । तत्कथं शापयोग्योऽयं दुष्टं नास्य मनो यतः ॥ 109.17 ॥

athavā'jānatā dhenuriyaṁ vyāpāditā mama tatkathaṁ śāpayogyo'yaṁ duṣṭaṁ nāsya mano yataḥ

Or if this cow was destroyed unknowingly by me myself, then how is he fit to be cursed, since his mind held no evil intent?

Verse 18 (markandeya.109.18)

आत्मनो हितमन्विच्छन्बाधते योऽपरं नरः । कर्तव्या मूढविज्ञाने दया तत्र दयालुभिः ॥ 109.18 ॥

ātmano hitamanvicchanbādhate yo'paraṁ naraḥ kartavyā mūḍhavijñāne dayā tatra dayālubhiḥ

One who, seeking his own good, causes hurt to another out of mistaken understanding — the compassionate ought to show mercy in such a case.

Verse 19 (markandeya.109.19)

अज्ञानतः कृते दण्डं पातयन्ति बुधा यदि । बुधेभ्यस्तमहं मन्ये वरमज्ञानिनो नराः ॥ 109.19 ॥

ajñānataḥ kṛte daṇḍaṁ pātayanti budhā yadi budhebhyastamahaṁ manye varamajñānino narāḥ

If the wise inflict punishment even for what was done in ignorance, then I consider ignorant men better than the wise.

Verse 20 (markandeya.109.20)

नाद्य शापस्त्वया देयः पार्थिवस्यास्य पुत्रक । स्वकर्मणैव पतिता गौरेषा दुःखमृत्युना ॥ 109.20 ॥

nādya śāpastvayā deyaḥ pārthivasyāsya putraka svakarmaṇaiva patitā gaureṣā duḥkhamṛtyunā

"This king ought not to have been cursed by you today, my son; this cow has fallen to a painful death by her own past deed alone."

Verse 21 (markandeya.109.21)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच पृषध्रोऽपि मुनेः पुत्रं प्रणम्यानम्रकन्धरः । प्रसीदेति जगादोच्चैरज्ञानाद्घातितेति च ॥ 109.21 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca pṛṣadhro'pi muneḥ putraṁ praṇamyānamrakandharaḥ prasīdeti jagādoccairajñānādghātiteti ca

Markandeya said: Prishadhra too, bowing his head low, prostrated before the sage's son and cried aloud, "Be gracious — it was killed only through ignorance;

Verse 22 (markandeya.109.22)

मया गवयबुद्ध्या गौरवध्या घातिता मुने । अज्ञानाद्धोमधेनुस्ते प्रसीद त्वं च नो मुने ॥ 109.22 ॥

mayā gavayabuddhyā gauravadhyā ghātitā mune ajñānāddhomadhenuste prasīda tvaṁ ca no mune

mistaking her for a wild ox, O sage, I unknowingly killed your sacrificial cow; be gracious, you too, O sage."

Verse 23 (markandeya.109.23)

ऋषिपुत्र उवाच आजन्मनो महीपाल न मया व्याहतं मृषा । क्रोधश्चाद्य महाभाग नान्यथा मे कदाचन ॥ 109.23 ॥

ṛṣiputra uvāca ājanmano mahīpāla na mayā vyāhataṁ mṛṣā krodhaścādya mahābhāga nānyathā me kadācana

The sage's son said: "O king, from my very birth I have never spoken falsely, and this anger of mine today is no different —

Verse 24 (markandeya.109.24)

तन्नाहमेनं शक्नोमि शापं कर्तुं नृपान्न्यथा । यस्ते समुद्यतः शापो द्वितीयः स निवर्तितः ॥ 109.24 ॥

tannāhamenaṁ śaknomi śāpaṁ kartuṁ nṛpānnyathā yaste samudyataḥ śāpo dvitīyaḥ sa nivartitaḥ

so, O king, I am not able to make this curse otherwise; but the second curse that you had made ready to launch — that I have caused to be withdrawn."

Verse 25 (markandeya.109.25)

इत्युक्तवन्तं तं बालमादाय स पिता ततः । जगाम स्वाश्रमं सोऽपि पृषध्रः शूद्रतामगात् ॥ 109.25 ॥

ityuktavantaṁ taṁ bālamādāya sa pitā tataḥ jagāma svāśramaṁ so'pi pṛṣadhraḥ śūdratāmagāt

Having spoken thus, the father then took that boy and went away to his own hermitage; and Prishadhra himself came to be a shudra.