The Tale of Pingala Among the Guest's Six Gurus

Verse 1 (skanda.6.184.1)

सूत उवाच । तृतीये च दिने प्राप्ते त्रयोदश्यां द्विजोत्तमाः । प्रातःसवनमादाय ऋत्विजः सर्व एव ते । स्वेस्वे कर्मणि संलग्ना यज्ञकृत्यसमुद्भवे

sūta uvāca tṛtīye ca dine prāpte trayodaśyāṁ dvijottamāḥ prātaḥsavanamādāya ṛtvijaḥ sarva eva te svesve karmaṇi saṁlagnā yajñakṛtyasamudbhave

Suta said: When the third day arrived, on the thirteenth tithi, O best of brahmins, all the ritwiks, having taken up the morning pressing of soma, engaged each in his own office of the sacrificial rites.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.184.2)

ततः प्रवर्तते यज्ञस्तदा पैतामहो महान् । सर्वकामसमृद्धस्तु सर्वैः समुदितो गुणैः

tataḥ pravartate yajñastadā paitāmaho mahān sarvakāmasamṛddhastu sarvaiḥ samudito guṇaiḥ

Then that great sacrifice of the Grandsire proceeded, abundant in every desired thing, adorned with every excellence.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.184.3)

दीयतां दीयतां तत्र भुज्यतां भुज्यतामिति । एकः संश्रूयते शब्दो द्वितीयो द्विजसंभवः

dīyatāṁ dīyatāṁ tatra bhujyatāṁ bhujyatāmiti ekaḥ saṁśrūyate śabdo dvitīyo dvijasaṁbhavaḥ

"Give! Give!" and "Let it be eaten! Let it be eaten!" — only these two sounds were heard there, the second one arising from the brahmins.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.184.4)

नान्यस्तत्र तृतीयस्तु यज्ञे पैतामहे शुभे । यो यं कामयते कामं हेमरत्नसमुद्भवम्

nānyastatra tṛtīyastu yajñe paitāmahe śubhe yo yaṁ kāmayate kāmaṁ hemaratnasamudbhavam

There was no third sound heard at that auspicious sacrifice of the Grandsire; whoever desired whatever object, made of gold or jewels,

Verse 5 (skanda.6.184.5)

स तत्प्राप्नोत्यसंदिग्धं वांछिताच्च चतुर्गुणम् । पक्वान्नस्य कृतास्तत्र दृश्यंते पर्वताः शुभाः

sa tatprāpnotyasaṁdigdhaṁ vāṁchitācca caturguṇam pakvānnasya kṛtāstatra dṛśyaṁte parvatāḥ śubhāḥ

obtained it without doubt, indeed fourfold beyond what he had desired. There were seen there splendid mountains of cooked food,

Verse 6 (skanda.6.184.6)

घृतक्षीर महानद्यो दानार्थं वित्तराशयः । एतस्मिन्नंतरे प्राप्तः कश्चिज्ज्ञानी द्विजोत्तमाः

ghṛtakṣīra mahānadyo dānārthaṁ vittarāśayaḥ etasminnaṁtare prāptaḥ kaścijjñānī dvijottamāḥ

great rivers of ghee and milk, heaps of wealth for the sake of giving. Meanwhile a certain man of knowledge arrived there, O best of brahmins,

Verse 7 (skanda.6.184.7)

अतीतानागतान्वेत्ति वर्तमानं च यः सदा । स ब्रह्माणं नमस्कृत्य निविष्टश्च तदग्रतः

atītānāgatānvetti vartamānaṁ ca yaḥ sadā sa brahmāṇaṁ namaskṛtya niviṣṭaśca tadagrataḥ

one who ever knew the past, the future, and the present; he bowed to Brahma and sat down before him.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.184.8)

कर्मांतरेषु विप्राणां स सर्वेषां द्विजोत्तमाः । कथयामास यद्वृत्तं बाल्यात्प्रभृति कृत्स्नशः

karmāṁtareṣu viprāṇāṁ sa sarveṣāṁ dvijottamāḥ kathayāmāsa yadvṛttaṁ bālyātprabhṛti kṛtsnaśaḥ

While the brahmins were occupied with their various duties, O best of brahmins, he related in full everything that had befallen him from childhood onward.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.184.9)

ततस्त ऋत्विजः सर्वे कौतुकाविष्टचेतसः । पप्रच्छुर्ज्ञानिनं तं च विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः

tatasta ṛtvijaḥ sarve kautukāviṣṭacetasaḥ papracchurjñāninaṁ taṁ ca vismayotphullalocanāḥ

Then all the ritwiks, their minds filled with curiosity, their eyes wide with astonishment, questioned that knower.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.184.10)

विस्मृतानि स्मरंतस्ते निजकृत्यानि वै ततः । प्रोक्तानि गर्हणीयानि ह्यसंख्यातानि सर्वशः

vismṛtāni smaraṁtaste nijakṛtyāni vai tataḥ proktāni garhaṇīyāni hyasaṁkhyātāni sarvaśaḥ

Recalling then their own forgotten deeds, they spoke of them — countless deeds, every one of them blameworthy.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.184.11)

ततस्ते पुनरेवाथ पप्रच्छुर्ज्ञानिनं च तम् । लोकोत्तरमिदं ज्ञानं कथं ते संस्थितं द्विज

tataste punarevātha papracchurjñāninaṁ ca tam lokottaramidaṁ jñānaṁ kathaṁ te saṁsthitaṁ dvija

Then again they asked that knower: "How, O brahmin, has this transcendent knowledge come to reside in you?"

Verse 12 (skanda.6.184.12)

को गुरुस्ते समाचक्ष्व परं कौतूहलं हि नः । अहोज्ञानमहो ज्ञानं नैतद्दृष्टं श्रुतं च न

ko guruste samācakṣva paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ ahojñānamaho jñānaṁ naitaddṛṣṭaṁ śrutaṁ ca na

"Tell us who your guru is — this is a matter of the greatest curiosity to us. Oh, what knowledge! What knowledge! Never before has such a thing been seen or heard —"

Verse 13 (skanda.6.184.13)

यादृशं ते द्विजश्रेष्ठ दृश्यते पार्थसंस्थितम् । किं ब्रह्मणा स्वयं विप्र त्वमेवं प्रतिबोधितः

yādṛśaṁ te dvijaśreṣṭha dṛśyate pārthasaṁsthitam kiṁ brahmaṇā svayaṁ vipra tvamevaṁ pratibodhitaḥ

"the kind that appears established in you, O best of brahmins. Were you awakened to this by Brahma himself, O brahmin,"

Verse 14 (skanda.6.184.14)

किं वा हरेण तुष्टेन किं वा देवेन चक्रिणा । नान्यप्रबोधितस्यैवं ज्ञानं संजायते स्फुटम्

kiṁ vā hareṇa tuṣṭena kiṁ vā devena cakriṇā nānyaprabodhitasyaivaṁ jñānaṁ saṁjāyate sphuṭam

"or by a pleased Hara, or by the disc-bearing god? For without being awakened by another, such knowledge does not arise so clearly."

Verse 15 (skanda.6.184.15)

अतिथिरुवाच । पिंगला कुररः सर्पः सारंगश्चैव यो वने । इषुकारः कुमारी च षडेते गुरवो मम

atithiruvāca piṁgalā kuraraḥ sarpaḥ sāraṁgaścaiva yo vane iṣukāraḥ kumārī ca ṣaḍete guravo mama

The guest said: "Pingala, the kurara-bird, the serpent, the sāraṅga-deer that lives in the forest, the arrow-maker, and a maiden — these six are my gurus."

Verse 16 (skanda.6.184.16)

एतेषां चेष्टितं दृष्ट्वा ज्ञानं मे समुपस्थितम्

eteṣāṁ ceṣṭitaṁ dṛṣṭvā jñānaṁ me samupasthitam

"Having observed the conduct of these, knowledge came to rest in me."

Verse 17 (skanda.6.184.17)

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । कथयस्व महाभाग कथं ते गुरवः स्थिताः । कीदृशं च त्वया दृष्टं तेषां चैव विचेष्टितम्

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ kathayasva mahābhāga kathaṁ te guravaḥ sthitāḥ kīdṛśaṁ ca tvayā dṛṣṭaṁ teṣāṁ caiva viceṣṭitam

The brahmins said: "Tell us, O fortunate one, how these came to be your gurus, and what conduct of theirs you observed."

Verse 18 (skanda.6.184.18)

कस्मिन्देशे त्वमुत्पन्नः कस्मिन्स्थाने वदस्व नः । किंनामा किं नु गोत्रश्च सर्वं विस्तरतो वद

kasmindeśe tvamutpannaḥ kasminsthāne vadasva naḥ kiṁnāmā kiṁ nu gotraśca sarvaṁ vistarato vada

"In what land were you born, in what place — tell us; what is your name, and what your lineage — tell us all in full."

Verse 19 (skanda.6.184.19)

अतिथिरुवाच । आसन्नव पुरे विप्राश्चत्वारो ये विवासिताः । शुनःशेपोऽथ शाक्रेयो बौद्धो दांतश्चतुर्थकः

atithiruvāca āsannava pure viprāścatvāro ye vivāsitāḥ śunaḥśepo'tha śākreyo bauddho dāṁtaścaturthakaḥ

The guest said: "In a certain city there were four brahmins who had been exiled: Shunahshepa, then Shakreya, a Buddhist, and Danta, the fourth."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.184.20)

तेषां मध्ये तु यो बौद्धः शांतो दांत इति स्मृतः । छन्दोगगोत्रविख्यातो वेदवेदांगपारगः

teṣāṁ madhye tu yo bauddhaḥ śāṁto dāṁta iti smṛtaḥ chandogagotravikhyāto vedavedāṁgapāragaḥ

"Among them, the one who was a Buddhist was known as Shanta-Danta, calm and self-controlled; renowned in the Chandoga lineage, he was accomplished in the Vedas and their limbs."

Verse 21 (skanda.6.184.21)

नागरेषु समुत्पन्नः पश्चिमेवयसि स्थितः । तस्याहं प्रथमः पुत्रः प्राणेभ्योऽपि सुहृत्प्रियः

nāgareṣu samutpannaḥ paścimevayasi sthitaḥ tasyāhaṁ prathamaḥ putraḥ prāṇebhyo'pi suhṛtpriyaḥ

"Born among the Nagaras, he had reached his last years; I was his first son, dearer to him than his very life-breath."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.184.22)

ततोऽहं यौवनं प्राप्तो यदा द्विजवरोत्तम। तदा मे दयितस्तातः पंचत्वं समुपागतः

tato'haṁ yauvanaṁ prāpto yadā dvijavarottama tadā me dayitastātaḥ paṁcatvaṁ samupāgataḥ

"Then, O best among the twice-born, when I had reached youth, my beloved father passed from this world."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.184.23)

एतस्मिन्नंतरे राजा ह्यानर्ताधिपतिर्द्विजाः । सुतपास्तेन निर्दिष्टोऽहं तु कंचुकिकर्मणि

etasminnaṁtare rājā hyānartādhipatirdvijāḥ sutapāstena nirdiṣṭo'haṁ tu kaṁcukikarmaṇi

"Meanwhile, O brahmins, the king who was lord of Anarta appointed me, Sutapas, to the office of chamberlain,"

Verse 24 (skanda.6.184.24)

शांतं दांतं समालोक्य विश्वस्तेन महात्मना । तस्य चांतःपुरे ह्यासीत्पिंगलानाम नायिका

śāṁtaṁ dāṁtaṁ samālokya viśvastena mahātmanā tasya cāṁtaḥpure hyāsītpiṁgalānāma nāyikā

"trusting me, the great-souled one, having observed my calm, self-controlled nature. In his inner apartments there was a courtesan named Pingala,"

Verse 25 (skanda.6.184.25)

दौर्भाग्येण समोपेता रूपेणापि समन्विता । अथान्याः शतशस्तस्य भार्याश्चांतःपुरे स्थिताः

daurbhāgyeṇa samopetā rūpeṇāpi samanvitā athānyāḥ śataśastasya bhāryāścāṁtaḥpure sthitāḥ

"possessed of misfortune, yet endowed also with beauty. Besides her, there were hundreds of his other wives dwelling in the inner apartments."

Verse 26 (skanda.6.184.26)

ताः सर्वा रजनीवक्त्रे व्याकुलत्वं प्रयांति च । आहरंति परान्गन्धान्धूपांश्च कुसुमानि च

tāḥ sarvā rajanīvaktre vyākulatvaṁ prayāṁti ca āharaṁti parāngandhāndhūpāṁśca kusumāni ca

"All of them, as night's face drew near, would grow restless, and would fetch rare perfumes, incense, and flowers,"

Verse 27 (skanda.6.184.27)

विलेपनानि मुख्यानि सुरभीणि तथा पुरः । पुष्पाणि च विचित्राणि ह्यन्याः सूक्ष्मांबराणि च

vilepanāni mukhyāni surabhīṇi tathā puraḥ puṣpāṇi ca vicitrāṇi hyanyāḥ sūkṣmāṁbarāṇi ca

"the finest fragrant unguents, and before that, wondrous flowers, and other fine, delicate garments,"

Verse 28 (skanda.6.184.28)

तावद्यावत्स्थितः कालः शयनीयसमुद्भवः । मन्मथोत्साहसं युक्ताः पुलकेन समन्विताः

tāvadyāvatsthitaḥ kālaḥ śayanīyasamudbhavaḥ manmathotsāhasaṁ yuktāḥ pulakena samanvitāḥ

"for as long as the hour appointed for the bedchamber lasted, filled with the eagerness of passion, their hair standing on end with excitement."

Verse 29 (skanda.6.184.29)

एका जानाति मां सुप्तां नूनमाकारयिष्यति । अन्या जानाति मां चैव परस्परममर्षतः

ekā jānāti māṁ suptāṁ nūnamākārayiṣyati anyā jānāti māṁ caiva parasparamamarṣataḥ

"Each thinking, 'He knows I am lying asleep — surely he will summon me,' each thinking this of herself, they grew hostile toward one another,"

Verse 30 (skanda.6.184.30)

स्पर्धयन्ति प्रयुध्यन्ति विरूपाणि वदन्ति च । तासां मध्यात्ततश्चैका प्रयाति नृपसंनिधौ

spardhayanti prayudhyanti virūpāṇi vadanti ca tāsāṁ madhyāttataścaikā prayāti nṛpasaṁnidhau

"vying, quarreling, hurling harsh words at each other. Then, from among them, one would go into the king's presence,"

Verse 31 (skanda.6.184.31)

शेषा वै लक्ष्यमासाद्य निःश्वस्य प्रस्वपन्ति च । दुःखार्ता न लभन्ति स्म ताश्च निद्रां पराभवात्

śeṣā vai lakṣyamāsādya niḥśvasya prasvapanti ca duḥkhārtā na labhanti sma tāśca nidrāṁ parābhavāt

"while the rest, having merely glimpsed their goal, would sigh and lie down to sleep; tormented with grief, defeated, they could find no sleep,"

Verse 32 (skanda.6.184.32)

कामेन पीडितांगाश्च बाष्पपूर्णेक्षणाः स्थिताः

kāmena pīḍitāṁgāśca bāṣpapūrṇekṣaṇāḥ sthitāḥ

"their limbs afflicted by desire, remaining there with eyes full of tears."

Verse 33 (skanda.6.184.33)

आशा हि परमं दुःखं निराशा परमं सुखम् । आशानिराशां कृत्वा च सुखं स्वपिति पिंगला । न करोति च शृंगारं न स्पर्धां च कदाचन। न व्याकुलत्वमापेदे सुखं स्वपिति पिंगला

āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ nirāśā paramaṁ sukham āśānirāśāṁ kṛtvā ca sukhaṁ svapiti piṁgalā na karoti ca śṛṁgāraṁ na spardhāṁ ca kadācana na vyākulatvamāpede sukhaṁ svapiti piṁgalā

"Hope indeed is the greatest suffering; freedom from hope is the greatest happiness. Having turned hope into hopelessness, Pingala slept happily. She adorned herself no more, competed no more, fell into no more restlessness — Pingala slept happily."

Verse 34 (skanda.6.184.34)

ततो मयापि तद्दृष्ट्वा तस्याश्चेष्टितमुत्तमम्। आशाः सर्वाः परित्यक्ताः स्वपिमीह ततः सुखी

tato mayāpi taddṛṣṭvā tasyāśceṣṭitamuttamam āśāḥ sarvāḥ parityaktāḥ svapimīha tataḥ sukhī

"Then I too, having observed her excellent conduct, abandoned every hope, and since that day I sleep happily here."

Verse 35 (skanda.6.184.35)

ये स्वपंति सुखं रात्रौ तेषां कायाग्निरिध्यते। आहारं प्रतिगृह्णाति ततः पुष्टिकरं परम्

ye svapaṁti sukhaṁ rātrau teṣāṁ kāyāgniridhyate āhāraṁ pratigṛhṇāti tataḥ puṣṭikaraṁ param

"Those who sleep happily at night — for them the bodily fire is kindled; the food they then take becomes most nourishing."

Verse 36 (skanda.6.184.36)

तदेत्कारणं जातं मम तेजो भिवृद्धये। गुरुत्वे पिंगला जाता तेन सा मे द्विजोत्तमाः

tadetkāraṇaṁ jātaṁ mama tejo bhivṛddhaye gurutve piṁgalā jātā tena sā me dvijottamāḥ

"This, then, became the cause of the increase of my inner vigor; through this, Pingala became my guru — that is why, O best of brahmins, she is counted mine."

Verse 37 (skanda.6.184.37)

आशापाशैः परीतांगा ये भवन्ति नरो र्दिताः। ते रात्रौ शेरते नैव तदप्राप्तिविचिन्तया

āśāpāśaiḥ parītāṁgā ye bhavanti naro rditāḥ te rātrau śerate naiva tadaprāptivicintayā

"Those men who are bound by the fetters of hope, tormented, never lie down at night, consumed by the thought of not attaining it."

Verse 38 (skanda.6.184.38)

नैवाग्निर्दीप्यते तेषां जाठरश्च ततः परम्। आहारं वांछते नैव तन्न तेजोभिवर्धनम्

naivāgnirdīpyate teṣāṁ jāṭharaśca tataḥ param āhāraṁ vāṁchate naiva tanna tejobhivardhanam

"For them the fire is never kindled, nor the belly's fire thereafter; they have no desire for food at all, and hence no increase of their vital vigor."

Verse 39 (skanda.6.184.39)

सर्वस्य विद्यते प्रांतो न वांछायाः कथंचन

sarvasya vidyate prāṁto na vāṁchāyāḥ kathaṁcana

"For everything there exists a limit — but for craving there is none whatsoever."

Verse 40 (skanda.6.184.40)

यथायथा भवेल्लाभो वांचितस्य नृणामिह। हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव वृद्धिं याति तथातथा

yathāyathā bhavellābho vāṁcitasya nṛṇāmiha haviṣā kṛṣṇavartmeva vṛddhiṁ yāti tathātathā

"In this world, the more a man's desired gain increases, so, like fire fed with oblations, does his craving grow more and more."

Verse 41 (skanda.6.184.41)

यथा शृंगं रुरोः काये वर्धमानस्य वर्धते। एवं तृष्णापि यत्नेन वर्धमानेन वर्धते

yathā śṛṁgaṁ ruroḥ kāye vardhamānasya vardhate evaṁ tṛṣṇāpi yatnena vardhamānena vardhate

"As the horn on the body of a growing deer keeps growing, so too craving, nurtured by effort, keeps on growing."

Verse 42 (skanda.6.184.42)

एवं ज्ञात्वा महाभागः पुरुषेण विजानता। दिवा तत्कर्म कर्तव्यं येन रात्रौ सुखं स्वपेत्

evaṁ jñātvā mahābhāgaḥ puruṣeṇa vijānatā divā tatkarma kartavyaṁ yena rātrau sukhaṁ svapet

"Knowing this, O fortunate ones, a discerning man should perform such deeds by day as will let him sleep happily by night."