The Restoration of Indradyumna's Fame

Verse 1 (skanda.1.45.1)

॥ नारद उवाच॥ गृध्रस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा दुःखविस्मयसंयुतः॥ इन्द्रद्युम्नस्तमा पृच्छय मरणायोपचक्रमे

nārada uvāca gṛdhrasyaitadvacaḥ śrutvā duḥkhavismayasaṁyutaḥ indradyumnastamā pṛcchaya maraṇāyopacakrame

Narada said: "Hearing this word of the vulture, filled with sorrow and astonishment, Indradyumna, taking leave of him, once more set about to die.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.45.2)

ततस्तमालोक्य तथा मुमूर्षुं कौशिकादिभिः॥ स संहितं विचिंत्याह दीर्घायुषमथात्मनः

tatastamālokya tathā mumūrṣuṁ kauśikādibhiḥ sa saṁhitaṁ viciṁtyāha dīrghāyuṣamathātmanaḥ

"Then, seeing him so intent on death, Kaushika and the others, reflecting together, spoke of one even longer-lived than themselves.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.45.3)

मैवं कार्षीः श्रुणु गिरं भद्रक त्वं चिरंतनः॥ मत्तोऽप्यस्ति स्फुटं चैव ज्ञास्यति त्वदभीप्सितम्

maivaṁ kārṣīḥ śruṇu giraṁ bhadraka tvaṁ ciraṁtanaḥ matto'pyasti sphuṭaṁ caiva jñāsyati tvadabhīpsitam

"'Do not do this — hear my word, good friend; long-lived as you are, there is clearly still one who knows more even than I, who will surely know what you seek.'

Verse 4 (skanda.1.45.4)

मानसे सरसि ख्यातः कूर्मोमंथरकाख्यया॥ तस्य नाविदितं किंचिदेहि तत्र व्रजामहे

mānase sarasi khyātaḥ kūrmomaṁtharakākhyayā tasya nāviditaṁ kiṁcidehi tatra vrajāmahe

"'In Lake Manasa there dwells a tortoise renowned by the name Manthara; nothing at all is unknown to him — come, let us go there.'"

Verse 5 (skanda.1.45.5)

ततः प्रतीतास्ते भूपमुनिगृध्रबकास्तथा॥ उलूकसहिता जग्मुः सर्वे कूर्मदिदृक्षवः

tataḥ pratītāste bhūpamunigṛdhrabakāstathā ulūkasahitā jagmuḥ sarve kūrmadidṛkṣavaḥ

Then, heartened, the king, the sage, the vulture and the heron, together with the owl, all set out, eager to see the tortoise.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.45.6)

सरस्तीरे स्थितः कूर्मस्तान्निरीक्ष्य विदूरगान्॥ कांदिशीको विवेशासौ जलं शीघ्रतरं तदा

sarastīre sthitaḥ kūrmastānnirīkṣya vidūragān kāṁdiśīko viveśāsau jalaṁ śīghrataraṁ tadā

That tortoise, resting on the shore of the lake, seeing them approach from far off, took fright and plunged at once, swiftly, into the water.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.45.7)

कौशिकोऽथ तमाहेदं प्रहस्य वचनं स्वयम्॥ कस्मात्कूर्म प्रनष्टोद्य विमुखोऽभ्यागतेष्वपि

kauśiko'tha tamāhedaṁ prahasya vacanaṁ svayam kasmātkūrma pranaṣṭodya vimukho'bhyāgateṣvapi

Then Kaushika, laughing, himself spoke these words to him: "Why, O tortoise, have you fled today, turning your very back on your own guests?

Verse 8 (skanda.1.45.8)

अग्निर्द्विजानां विप्रश्च वर्णानां रमणः स्त्रियाम्॥ गुरुः पिता च पुत्राणां सर्वस्याभ्यागतो गुरुः

agnirdvijānāṁ vipraśca varṇānāṁ ramaṇaḥ striyām guruḥ pitā ca putrāṇāṁ sarvasyābhyāgato guruḥ

"'Fire is the guest of the twice-born, and the Brahmin is the guest of the other varnas; for a woman, her beloved is her guest; for sons, the teacher is their guest — for all beings alike, the guest is a teacher.'

Verse 9 (skanda.1.45.9)

विहाय तमिमं धर्ममातिथ्यविमुखः कथम्॥ गृह्णासि पापं सर्वेषां ब्रूहि कूर्माधुनोत्तरम्

vihāya tamimaṁ dharmamātithyavimukhaḥ katham gṛhṇāsi pāpaṁ sarveṣāṁ brūhi kūrmādhunottaram

"'Abandoning this very dharma, how do you turn your back on hospitality? You take upon yourself the sin of everyone — tell us now your answer, O tortoise.'"

Verse 10 (skanda.1.45.10)

॥कूर्म उवाच॥ चिरंतनो हि जानामि कर्त्तुमातिथ्यसत्क्रियाम्॥ अभ्यागतेष्वपचितिं धर्मशास्त्रेषु निश्चितम्

kūrma uvāca ciraṁtano hi jānāmi karttumātithyasatkriyām abhyāgateṣvapacitiṁ dharmaśāstreṣu niścitam

Kurma said: "Being ancient, I well know how to perform the rites of hospitality — the honoring of guests is settled in the dharma-shastras.

Verse 11 (skanda.1.45.11)

सुमहत्कारणं चात्र श्रूयतां तद्वदामि वः॥ नाहं पराङ्मुखो जात एतावंति दिनान्यपि

sumahatkāraṇaṁ cātra śrūyatāṁ tadvadāmi vaḥ nāhaṁ parāṅmukho jāta etāvaṁti dinānyapi

"There is a very great reason for this — listen, and I shall tell you. In all these many days I have never once turned my back...

Verse 12 (skanda.1.45.12)

अभ्यागतस्य कस्यापि सर्वसत्कारसद्व्रती॥ किं त्वेष पंचमो यो वो दृश्यते सरलाकृतिः

abhyāgatasya kasyāpi sarvasatkārasadvratī kiṁ tveṣa paṁcamo yo vo dṛśyate saralākṛtiḥ

"...on any guest at all — I remain ever devoted to every rite of welcome. But this — this fifth one here, whom you see with so simple an appearance —

Verse 13 (skanda.1.45.13)

इंद्रद्युम्नो महीपालो बिभोम्यस्मादलंतराम्॥ अमुना यजमानेन रौचकाख्ये पुरा पुरे

iṁdradyumno mahīpālo bibhomyasmādalaṁtarām amunā yajamānena raucakākhye purā pure

"...King Indradyumna — from him alone I flee so utterly. By this very sacrificer, long ago, in a city called Rauchaka...

Verse 14 (skanda.1.45.14)

यज्ञपावकदग्धा मे पृष्ठिर्नाद्यापि निर्व्रणा॥ तन्मे भयं पुनर्जातं किमयं पुनरेव माम्

yajñapāvakadagdhā me pṛṣṭhirnādyāpi nirvraṇā tanme bhayaṁ punarjātaṁ kimayaṁ punareva mām

"...my back was scorched by the sacrificial fire, and to this day that wound has not healed. Therefore fear has risen in me once more — will he now again...

Verse 15 (skanda.1.45.15)

आसुतीवलमाधाय भुवि धक्ष्यति संप्रति॥ इति वाक्यावसाने तु कूर्मस्य कुरुसत्तम

āsutīvalamādhāya bhuvi dhakṣyati saṁprati iti vākyāvasāne tu kūrmasya kurusattama

"...make me his offering and burn me upon the earth?" O best of the Kurus, at the very close of the tortoise's words,

Verse 16 (skanda.1.45.16)

पपात पुष्पवृष्टिः खाद्विमुक्ताप्सरसां गणैः॥ सस्वनुर्देववाद्यानि कीर्त्युद्धारे महीपतेः

papāta puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ khādvimuktāpsarasāṁ gaṇaiḥ sasvanurdevavādyāni kīrtyuddhāre mahīpateḥ

a shower of flowers, released by hosts of Apsaras, fell from the sky; and the instruments of the gods rang out at the restoration of that king's fame.

Verse 17 (skanda.1.45.17)

विस्मितास्ते च ददृशुर्विमानं पुरतः स्थितम्॥ इंद्रद्युम्नकृते देवदूतेनाधिष्ठितं तदा

vismitāste ca dadṛśurvimānaṁ purataḥ sthitam iṁdradyumnakṛte devadūtenādhiṣṭhitaṁ tadā

Astonished, they saw a celestial chariot standing before them, sent then for Indradyumna's sake, with a messenger of the gods seated within it.

Verse 18 (skanda.1.45.18)

अयातयामाः प्रददुराशिषोऽस्मै सुरद्विजाः॥ साधुवादो दिवि महानासीत्तस्य महीपतेः

ayātayāmāḥ pradadurāśiṣo'smai suradvijāḥ sādhuvādo divi mahānāsīttasya mahīpateḥ

The gods and Brahmins, their offerings still fresh, gave him their blessings; great was the praise of that king throughout heaven.

Verse 19 (skanda.1.45.19)

ततो विमानमालंब्य देवदूतस्तमुच्चकैः॥ इंद्रद्युम्नमुवाचेदं श्रृण्वतां नाकवासिनाम्

tato vimānamālaṁbya devadūtastamuccakaiḥ iṁdradyumnamuvācedaṁ śrṛṇvatāṁ nākavāsinām

Then, leaning forward from the chariot, the messenger of the gods spoke this to Indradyumna in a voice raised for all the heaven-dwellers to hear —

Verse 20 (skanda.1.45.20)

॥देवदूत उवाच॥ नवीकृताधुना कीर्तिस्तव भूपाल निर्मला॥ त्रिलोक्यामपि तच्छीघ्रं विमानमिदमारुह

devadūta uvāca navīkṛtādhunā kīrtistava bhūpāla nirmalā trilokyāmapi tacchīghraṁ vimānamidamāruha

The messenger of the gods said: "O king, your fame stands now renewed, spotless, spread even through the three worlds; therefore mount this chariot at once.

Verse 21 (skanda.1.45.21)

गम्यतां ब्रह्मणो लोकमाकल्पं तपसोर्जितम्॥ प्रेषितोऽहमनेनैव तवानयनकारणात्

gamyatāṁ brahmaṇo lokamākalpaṁ tapasorjitam preṣito'hamanenaiva tavānayanakāraṇāt

"Go to the world of Brahma, ordained for you, won by your own austerity; I have been sent by him himself for the very purpose of bringing you.

Verse 22 (skanda.1.45.22)

यावत्कीर्तिर्मनुष्यस्य पृथिव्यां प्रथिता भवेत्॥ तावानेव भवेत्स्वर्गी सति पुण्ये ह्यनंतके

yāvatkīrtirmanuṣyasya pṛthivyāṁ prathitā bhavet tāvāneva bhavetsvargī sati puṇye hyanaṁtake

"As long as a man's fame remains spread across the earth, so long, his merit being unending, does he remain a dweller in heaven.

Verse 23 (skanda.1.45.23)

सुरालयसरोवापीकूपारामादिकल्पना॥ एतदर्थं हि पूर्ताख्या धर्मशास्त्रेषु निश्चिता

surālayasarovāpīkūpārāmādikalpanā etadarthaṁ hi pūrtākhyā dharmaśāstreṣu niścitā

"The building of shrines, lakes, step-wells, wells, gardens, and the like — for this very reason, works called purta are set down in the dharma-shastras."

Verse 24 (skanda.1.45.24)

॥इंद्रद्युम्न उवाच॥ अमी ममैव सुहृदो मार्कंडबककौशिकाः॥ गृध्रकूर्मौ प्रभावोऽयममीषां मम वृद्धये

iṁdradyumna uvāca amī mamaiva suhṛdo mārkaṁḍabakakauśikāḥ gṛdhrakūrmau prabhāvo'yamamīṣāṁ mama vṛddhaye

Indradyumna said: "These here are my own true friends — Markanda, Baka, and Kaushika, the vulture and the tortoise; this very power of theirs was worked for my own advancement.

Verse 25 (skanda.1.45.25)

तच्चेदमी मया साकं ब्रह्मलोकं प्रयांत्युत॥ पुरःस्थितास्तदायास्ये ब्रह्मलोकं च नान्यथा

taccedamī mayā sākaṁ brahmalokaṁ prayāṁtyuta puraḥsthitāstadāyāsye brahmalokaṁ ca nānyathā

"Therefore, if they go with me to the world of Brahma, standing there before me, only then shall I go to Brahma's world, and not otherwise.

Verse 26 (skanda.1.45.26)

परेषामनपेक्ष्यैव कृतप्रतिकृतं हि यः॥ प्रवर्तते हितायैव स सुहृत्प्रोच्यते बुधैः

pareṣāmanapekṣyaiva kṛtapratikṛtaṁ hi yaḥ pravartate hitāyaiva sa suhṛtprocyate budhaiḥ

"He who, expecting nothing in return, acts purely for another's good, out of reciprocated deed alone — him the wise call a true friend.

Verse 27 (skanda.1.45.27)

स्वार्थोद्युक्तधियो ये स्युरन्वर्थास्तेप्यसुंधराः॥ मरणं प्रकृतिश्चैव जीवितं विकृतिर्यदा

svārthodyuktadhiyo ye syuranvarthāstepyasuṁdharāḥ maraṇaṁ prakṛtiścaiva jīvitaṁ vikṛtiryadā

"Those whose minds are bent only upon their own gain are earth-bearers in name alone; death is their true nature, and life itself is but a distortion —

Verse 28 (skanda.1.45.28)

प्राणिनां परमो लाभः केवलं प्राणिसौहृदम्॥ दरिद्रा रागिणोऽसत्यप्रतिज्ञाता गुरुद्रुहः

prāṇināṁ paramo lābhaḥ kevalaṁ prāṇisauhṛdam daridrā rāgiṇo'satyapratijñātā gurudruhaḥ

"the supreme gain for any living being is fellowship among beings, and that alone. The destitute, the passion-driven, breakers of their word, betrayers of their teachers,

Verse 29 (skanda.1.45.29)

मित्रावसानिनः पापाः प्रायो नरकमंडनाः॥ परार्थनष्टास्तदमी पंच संप्रति साधवः

mitrāvasāninaḥ pāpāḥ prāyo narakamaṁḍanāḥ parārthanaṣṭāstadamī paṁca saṁprati sādhavaḥ

"and those who abandon a friend at the last — such sinners are for the most part destined for hell. But these five here, having lost themselves for another's sake, are true and virtuous men —

Verse 30 (skanda.1.45.30)

मम कीर्तिसमुद्धारः स प्रभावो महात्मनाम्॥ अमीषां यदि ते स्वर्गं प्रयास्यन्ति मया सह॥ तदाहमपि यास्यामि देवदूतान्यथा न हि

mama kīrtisamuddhāraḥ sa prabhāvo mahātmanām amīṣāṁ yadi te svargaṁ prayāsyanti mayā saha tadāhamapi yāsyāmi devadūtānyathā na hi

"it is by the power of such great souls alone that my fame has been restored. If they go to heaven with me, then I too shall go, O messenger of the gods — and not otherwise."

Verse 31 (skanda.1.45.31)

॥देवदूत उवाच॥ एते हरगणाः सर्वेशापभ्रष्टाः क्षितिं गताः

devadūta uvāca ete haragaṇāḥ sarveśāpabhraṣṭāḥ kṣitiṁ gatāḥ

The messenger of the gods said: "All of these are Ganas of Hara, fallen through curses down to this earth —

Verse 32 (skanda.1.45.32)

शापांते हरपार्श्वे तु यास्यंति पृथिवीपते॥ विहायेमानतो भूप त्वमागच्छ मया सह

śāpāṁte harapārśve tu yāsyaṁti pṛthivīpate vihāyemānato bhūpa tvamāgaccha mayā saha

"and when their curses end, they shall return to Hara's own side, O lord of the earth. Leave them behind, O king, and come with me.

Verse 33 (skanda.1.45.33)

न चैषां रोचते स्वर्गो हित्वा देवं महेश्वरम्॥ ॥इंद्रद्युम्न उवाच॥ यद्येवं गच्छ तद्दूत नायास्येहं त्रिविष्टपम्

na caiṣāṁ rocate svargo hitvā devaṁ maheśvaram iṁdradyumna uvāca yadyevaṁ gaccha taddūta nāyāsyehaṁ triviṣṭapam

"Heaven does not please them at all, once they have left the great Lord Maheshvara." Indradyumna said: "If this is so, then go, O messenger — I too shall not go to that heaven of the thirty gods.

Verse 34 (skanda.1.45.34)

तथा तथा यति ष्यामि भविष्यामि यथा गणः॥ अविशुद्धिक्षयाधिक्यदूषणैरेष निंदितः

tathā tathā yati ṣyāmi bhaviṣyāmi yathā gaṇaḥ aviśuddhikṣayādhikyadūṣaṇaireṣa niṁditaḥ

"As they go, so shall I go; whatever they become, that same I too shall become — a gana. This heaven, ever tainted by the faults of impurity, decline, and excess...

Verse 35 (skanda.1.45.35)

स्वर्गः सदानुश्रविकस्तस्मादेनं न कामये॥ तत्रस्थास्य पुनः पातो भयं न व्येति मानसात्

svargaḥ sadānuśravikastasmādenaṁ na kāmaye tatrasthāsya punaḥ pāto bhayaṁ na vyeti mānasāt

"...known always only by report and never otherwise — I do not desire it for that reason. Even dwelling there, the fear of falling again never leaves the mind.

Verse 36 (skanda.1.45.36)

पुनः पातो यतः पुंसस्तस्मात्स्वर्गं न कामये॥ सति पुण्ये स्वयं तेन पातितो निजलोकतः

punaḥ pāto yataḥ puṁsastasmātsvargaṁ na kāmaye sati puṇye svayaṁ tena pātito nijalokataḥ

"Since a man falls again even from there, I do not desire heaven; even while merit still remains, he is cast down from his own world once that merit is spent —

Verse 37 (skanda.1.45.37)

चतुर्मुखेन वैलक्ष्यं गतोऽस्मि कथमेमि तम्॥ इतीदमुक्त्वा दूतं तं श्रृण्वतोऽस्यैव विस्मयात्

caturmukhena vailakṣyaṁ gato'smi kathamemi tam itīdamuktvā dūtaṁ taṁ śrṛṇvato'syaiva vismayāt

"...by the very decree of the four-faced one himself. I have already suffered that disgrace once — how then should I go there again?" Having said this to the messenger, amid the astonishment of all who heard it...

Verse 38 (skanda.1.45.38)

अप्राक्षीद्भूपतिः कूर्मं तदायुःकारणं तदा॥ इदमायुः कथं जातं कूर्म दीर्घतमं तव

aprākṣīdbhūpatiḥ kūrmaṁ tadāyuḥkāraṇaṁ tadā idamāyuḥ kathaṁ jātaṁ kūrma dīrghatamaṁ tava

...that king then asked the tortoise the cause of his lifespan: "How, O tortoise, did so exceedingly long a life come to you?

Verse 39 (skanda.1.45.39)

सुहृन्मित्रं गुरुस्त्वं मे येन कीर्तिर्ममोद्धृता

suhṛnmitraṁ gurustvaṁ me yena kīrtirmamoddhṛtā

"You are my true friend, my very teacher, by whom my own fame has been restored to me."

Verse 40 (skanda.1.45.40)

॥कूर्म उवाच॥ श्रृणु भूप कथां दिव्यां श्रवणात्पापनाशिनीम्॥ कथां सुमधुरामेतां शिवमाहात्म्यसंयुताम्

kūrma uvāca śrṛṇu bhūpa kathāṁ divyāṁ śravaṇātpāpanāśinīm kathāṁ sumadhurāmetāṁ śivamāhātmyasaṁyutām

Kurma said: "Listen, O king, to a divine story, one that destroys sin merely by the hearing of it; this most sweet story, bound up with the greatness of Shiva.

Verse 41 (skanda.1.45.41)

श्रृण्वन्निमामपि कथां नृपते मनुष्यः सुश्रद्धया भवति पापविमुक्तदेहः॥ शंभोः प्रसादमभिगम्य यथायुरेवमासीत्प्रसादत इयं मम कूर्मता च

śrṛṇvannimāmapi kathāṁ nṛpate manuṣyaḥ suśraddhayā bhavati pāpavimuktadehaḥ śaṁbhoḥ prasādamabhigamya yathāyurevamāsītprasādata iyaṁ mama kūrmatā ca

"Even hearing this story, O king, a man, with true faith, becomes free of sin in his very body. By the grace of Shambhu alone came this long life of mine, and this form of a tortoise too, by that same grace."