The Story of Rikshashringa

Verse 1 (skanda.5.207.1)

ईश्वर उवाच। अन्यदाख्यानकं वक्ष्ये पुरा वृत्तं नराधिप। सकुटुम्बो गतः स्वर्गं मुनिर्यत्र महातपाः॥

īśvara uvāca| anyadākhyānakaṁ vakṣye purā vṛttaṁ narādhipa| sakuṭumbo gataḥ svargaṁ muniryatra mahātapāḥ||

Ishvara said: "O king, I shall now tell another ancient tale — how a sage of great austerity went to heaven together with his whole family."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.207.2)

उत्तानपाद उवाच। कथं नाकं गतो विप्रः सकुटुम्बो महानृषिः। कौतुकं परमं देव कथयस्व मम प्रभो॥

uttānapāda uvāca| kathaṁ nākaṁ gato vipraḥ sakuṭumbo mahānṛṣiḥ| kautukaṁ paramaṁ deva kathayasva mama prabho||

Uttanapada said: "How did that great brahmin sage go to heaven with his family, O God? It is a matter of the greatest wonder to me — tell it to me, O Lord."

Verse 3 (skanda.5.207.3)

ईश्वर उवाच। चित्रसेन इति ख्यातः काशीराजः पुराभवत्। शूरो दाता सुधर्मात्मा सर्वकामसमृद्धिमान्॥

īśvara uvāca| citrasena iti khyātaḥ kāśīrājaḥ purābhavat| śūro dātā sudharmātmā sarvakāmasamṛddhimān||

Ishvara said: "In ancient times there was a king of Kashi renowned as Chitrasena — valiant, generous, righteous of soul, and prosperous with every desired thing."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.207.4)

सा पुरी जनसंकीर्णा नानारत्नोपशोभिता। वाराणसीति विख्याता गङ्गातीरमुपाश्रिता॥

sā purī janasaṁkīrṇā nānāratnopaśobhitā| vārāṇasīti vikhyātā gaṅgātīramupāśritā||

That city, thronging with people and adorned with many jewels, renowned as Varanasi, rested upon the bank of the Ganga.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.207.5)

शरच्चन्द्रप्रतीकाशा विद्वज्जनविभूषिता। इन्द्रयष्टिसमाकीर्णा गोपगोकुलसंवृता॥

śaraccandrapratīkāśā vidvajjanavibhūṣitā| indrayaṣṭisamākīrṇā gopagokulasaṁvṛtā||

It shone bright as the autumn moon, was adorned with learned men, filled with festival poles raised to Indra, and encircled by cowherds with their herds.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.207.6)

बहुध्वजसमाकीर्णा वेदध्वनिनिनादिता। वणिग्जनैर्बहुविधैः क्रयविक्रयशालिनी॥

bahudhvajasamākīrṇā vedadhvaninināditā| vaṇigjanairbahuvidhaiḥ krayavikrayaśālinī||

It was thronged with many banners, resounding with the chant of the Vedas, and thriving with the buying and selling of merchants of many kinds.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.207.7)

यन्त्रादानैः प्रतोलीभिरुच्चैश्चान्यैः सुशोभिता। देवतायतनैर्दिव्यैराश्रमैर्गहनैर्युता॥

yantrādānaiḥ pratolībhiruccaiścānyaiḥ suśobhitā| devatāyatanairdivyairāśramairgahanairyutā||

It was beautified with waterworks, lofty avenues and other splendours, and was furnished with divine temples and dense hermitages.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.207.8)

नानापुष्पफलैर्रम्या कदलीखण्डमण्डिता। पनसैर्बकुलैस्तालैरशोकैराम्रकैस्तथा॥

nānāpuṣpaphalairramyā kadalīkhaṇḍamaṇḍitā| panasairbakulaistālairaśokairāmrakaistathā||

It was lovely with manifold flowers and fruits, adorned with groves of plantain, and set with jackfruit, bakula, palmyra, ashoka and mango trees.

Verse 9 (skanda.5.207.9)

राजवृक्षकपित्थैश्च दाडिमैरुपशोभिता। वेदाध्ययननिर्घोषैः पवित्रीकृतमङ्गला॥

rājavṛkṣakapitthaiśca dāḍimairupaśobhitā| vedādhyayananirghoṣaiḥ pavitrīkṛtamaṅgalā||

It was further beautified with golden-shower, wood-apple and pomegranate trees, and was made sacred and auspicious by the resounding of Vedic study.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.207.10)

तस्या उत्तरदिग्भागे आश्रमोऽभूत्सुशोभनः। तन्मन्दारवनं नाम त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्॥

tasyā uttaradigbhāge āśramo'bhūtsuśobhanaḥ| tanmandāravanaṁ nāma triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam||

On its northern side there was a most beautiful hermitage, known throughout the three worlds by the name Mandaravana.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.207.11)

बहुमन्दारसंयुक्तं तेन मन्दारकं विदुः। विप्रो दीर्घतपा नाम सर्वदा तत्र तिष्ठति॥

bahumandārasaṁyuktaṁ tena mandārakaṁ viduḥ| vipro dīrghatapā nāma sarvadā tatra tiṣṭhati||

Because it was filled with many mandara trees, it was called Mandaraka; there a brahmin named Dirghatapas dwelt continually.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.207.12)

तपस्तपति सोऽत्यर्थं तेन दीर्घतपाः स्मृतः। स तिष्ठति सपत्नीकः ससुतः सस्नुषस्तथा॥

tapastapati so'tyarthaṁ tena dīrghatapāḥ smṛtaḥ| sa tiṣṭhati sapatnīkaḥ sasutaḥ sasnuṣastathā||

He practised austerity to an extreme degree, and so was called Dirghatapas ("of long penance"); he dwelt there together with his wife, his sons, and his daughters-in-law.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.207.13)

शुश्रूषन्ति सदा तस्य पुत्राः पञ्च प्रयत्नतः। तस्य पुत्रः कनीयांस्तु ऋक्षशृङ्गो महातपाः॥

śuśrūṣanti sadā tasya putrāḥ pañca prayatnataḥ| tasya putraḥ kanīyāṁstu ṛkṣaśṛṅgo mahātapāḥ||

His five sons always served him with diligent care; his youngest son was the greatly austere Rikshashringa.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.207.14)

वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्नो ब्रह्मचारी गुणान्वितः। योगाभ्यासरतो नित्यं कन्दमूलफलाशनः॥

vedādhyayanasampanno brahmacārī guṇānvitaḥ| yogābhyāsarato nityaṁ kandamūlaphalāśanaḥ||

He was accomplished in Vedic study, a virtuous celibate student, ever devoted to the practice of yoga, and lived on roots, bulbs and fruits.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.207.15)

तिष्ठते मृगरूपेण मृगयूथचरस्तदा। दिनान्ते च दिनान्ते च मातापित्रोः समीपगः॥

tiṣṭhate mṛgarūpeṇa mṛgayūthacarastadā| dinānte ca dinānte ca mātāpitroḥ samīpagaḥ||

He would remain in the form of a deer, roaming with herds of deer; yet at the close of each and every day he would come near his mother and father.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.207.16)

अभिवादयते नित्यं भक्तिमान्मुनिपुत्रकः। पुनर्गच्छति तत्रैव कानने गिरिगह्वरे॥

abhivādayate nityaṁ bhaktimānmuniputrakaḥ| punargacchati tatraiva kānane girigahvare||

That devoted young son of the sage would always offer his salutations, and would then go back again to that same forest, to the mountain cave.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.207.17)

क्रीडन्बालमृगैः सार्द्धं प्रत्यहं स मुनेः सुतः। कदाचिद्दैवयोगेन ऋक्षशृङ्गो ममार सः॥

krīḍanbālamṛgaiḥ sārddhaṁ pratyahaṁ sa muneḥ sutaḥ| kadāciddaivayogena ṛkṣaśṛṅgo mamāra saḥ||

Each day that son of the sage would play together with the young fawns. Then once, by a stroke of fate, Rikshashringa died.