Rishyashringa Brought to Anga

Shloka 1 (bala.10.1)

सुमंत्रश्चोदितो राज्ञा प्रोवाचेदं वचस्तदा । यथर्ऋष्यशृङ्गस्त्वानीतो येनोपायेन मंत्रिभिः । तन्मे निगदितं सर्वं शृणु मे मंत्रिभिः सह ।। १०.१ ।।

sumaṃtraḥ codito rājñā provāca idam vacaḥ tadā | yathā ṛṣyaśṛṅgaḥ tu ānīto yena upāyena maṃtribhiḥ | tanme nigaditam sarvam śṛṇu me maṃtribhiḥ saha || 10.1 ||

Thus urged by the king, Sumantra then spoke these words: 'By what plan Rishyashringa was brought by the ministers — all of this I shall relate; hear it from me, together with your ministers.'

Shloka 2 (bala.10.2)

रोमपादमुवाचेदं सहामात्यः पुरोहितः । उपायो निरपायोऽयमस्माभिरभिचिन्तितः ।। १०.२ ।।

romapādam uvāca idam saha amātyaḥ purohitaḥ | upāyo nirapāyo ayam asmābhiḥ abhicintitaḥ || 10.2 ||

The chief priest, together with the ministers, said this to Romapada: 'This is a plan without any danger, well considered by us.'

Shloka 3 (bala.10.3)

ऋष्यशृङ्गो वनचरस्तपःस्वाध्यायसंयुतः । अनभिज्ञस्तु नारीणां विषयाणां सुखस्य च ।। १०.३ ।।

ṛṣyaśṛṅgo vanacaraḥ tapaḥ svādhyāya saṃyutaḥ | anabhijñaḥ tu nārīṇām viṣayāṇām sukhasya ca || 10.3 ||

'Rishyashringa is a forest-dweller, absorbed in austerity and the study of the Vedas; he has no knowledge of women, nor of worldly pleasures, nor of enjoyment —'

Shloka 4 (bala.10.4)

इन्द्रियार्थैरभिमतैर्नरचित्तप्रमाथिभिः । पुरमानाययिष्यामः क्षिप्रं चाध्यवसीयताम् ।। १०.४ ।।

indriyārthaiḥ abhimataiḥ naracitta pramāthibhi | puram ānāyayiṣyāmaḥ kṣipram ca adhyavasīyatām || 10.4 ||

'— we shall bring him to the city with desirable sensory objects that disturb men's minds; let this be resolved upon at once.'

Shloka 5 (bala.10.5)

गणिकास्तत्र गच्छन्तु रूपवत्यः स्वलंकृताः । प्रलोभ्य विविधोपायैरानेष्यन्तीह सत्कृताः ।। १०.५ ।।

gaṇikāḥ tatra gacchantu rūpavatyaḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ | pralobhya vividha upāyaiḥ āneṣyanti iha satkṛtāḥ || 10.5 ||

'Let beautiful, well-adorned courtesans go there; tempting him by various means, and duly rewarded, they shall bring him here.'

Shloka 6 (bala.10.6)

श्रुत्वा तथेति राजा च प्रत्युवाच पुरोहितम् । पुरोहितो मंत्रिणश्च तथा चक्रुश्च ते तदा ।। १०.६ ।।

śrutvā tathā iti rājā ca pratyuvāca purohitam | purohito maṃtriṇaḥ ca tathā cakruḥ ca te tathā || 10.6 ||

Hearing this, the king said to the priest, 'So be it,' and then the priest and the ministers set about doing exactly that.

Shloka 7 (bala.10.7)

वारमुख्यास्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वनं प्रविविशुर्महत् । आश्रमस्याविदूरेऽस्मिन्यत्नं कुर्वन्ति दर्शने ।। १०.७ ।।

vāramukhyāḥ tu tat śrutvā vanam praviviśuḥ mahat | āśramasya avidūre asmin yatnam kurvanti da^^rśane || 10.7 ||

On hearing this, the chief courtesans entered the great forest, and camped not far from that hermitage, striving to be seen by the sage.

Shloka 8 (bala.10.8)

ऋषेः पुत्रस्य धीरस्य नित्यमाश्रमवासिनः । पितुः स नित्यसंतुष्टो नातिचक्राम चाश्रमात् ।। १०.८ ।।

ṛṣeḥ putrasya dhīrasya nityam āśrama vāsinaḥ | pituḥ sa nitya saṃtuṣṭo na aticakrāma ca āśramāt || 10.8 ||

That resolute son of the sage, ever dwelling in the hermitage, was ever content with his father, and never strayed far from the hermitage.

Shloka 9 (bala.10.9)

न तेन जन्मप्रभृति दृष्टपूर्वं तपस्विना । स्त्री वा पुमान्वा यच्चान्यत्सत्त्वं नगरराष्ट्रजम् ।। १०.९ ।।

na tena janma prabhṛti dṛṣṭa pūrvam tapasvinā | strī vā pumān vā yacca anyat sattvam nagara rāṣṭrajam || 10.9 ||

From his birth that ascetic had never before seen a woman or a man, or indeed any other creature belonging to city or country.

Shloka 10 (bala.10.10)

ततः कदाचित्तं देशमाजगाम यदृच्छया । विभाण्डकसुतस्तत्र ताश्चापश्यद्वरांगनाः ।। १०.१० ।।

tataḥ kadācit tam deśam ājagāma yadṛcchayā | vibhāṇḍaka sutaḥ tatra tāḥ ca apaśyat varāṃganāḥ || 10.10 ||

Then, one day, he chanced by his own wish to come to that place, and there Vibhandaka's son beheld those lovely women.

Shloka 11 (bala.10.11)

ताश्चित्रवेषाः प्रमदा गायंत्यो मधुरस्वरम् । ऋषिपुत्रमुपागम्य सर्वा वचनमब्रुवन् ।। १०.११ ।।

tāḥ citra veṣāḥ pramadā gāyaṃtyo madhura svaram | ṛṣi putram upāgaṃya sarvā vacanam abruvan || 10.11 ||

Those women, wondrously attired, singing in sweet voices, all approached the sage's son and spoke to him these words:

Shloka 12 (bala.10.12)

कस्त्वं किं वर्तसे ब्रह्मन् ज्ञातुमिच्छामहे वयम् । एकस्त्वं विजने घोरे वने चरसि शंस नः ।। १०.१२ ।।

kaḥ tvam kim vartase brahman jñātum icchāmahe vayam | ekaḥ tvam vijane dūre vane carasi śaṃsa naḥ || 10.12 ||

'Who are you, O Brahmin, and how do you live here? We wish to know. Tell us, why do you wander here alone, in this lonely and fearsome forest?'

Shloka 13 (bala.10.13)

अदृष्टरूपास्तास्तेन काम्यरूपा वने स्त्रियः । हार्दात्तस्य मतिर्जाता ह्याख्यातुं पितरं स्वकम् ।। १०.१३ ।।

adṛṣṭa rūpāḥ tāḥ tena kāṃya rūpā vane striyaḥ | hārdāt tasya matiḥ jātā akhyātum pitaram svakam || 10.13 ||

Never before had he seen forms so desirable, for those women of the forest were of a form to be desired; and out of affection, a wish arose in him to tell them of his own father.

Shloka 14 (bala.10.14)

पिता विभाण्डकोऽस्माकं तस्याहं सुत औरसः । ऋष्यशृङ्ग इति ख्यातं नामकर्म च मे भुवि ।। १०.१४ ।।

pitā vibhāṇḍako asmākam tasya aham suta aurasaḥ | ṛṣyaśṛṅga iti khyātam nāma karma ca me bhuvi || 10.14 ||

'Vibhandaka is our father, and I am his own true son. My name and the story of my birth are known on this earth as Rishyashringa.'

Shloka 15 (bala.10.15)

इहाश्रमपदोऽस्माकं समीपे शुभदर्शनाः । करिष्ये वोऽत्र पूजां वै सर्वेषां विधिपूर्वकम् ।। १०.१५ ।।

iha āśrama pado.asmākam samīpe śubha darśanāḥ | kariṣye vo.atra pūjām vai sarveṣām vidhi pūrvakam || 10.15 ||

'Here, close by, is our hermitage, O fair ones; there I shall duly perform worship of all of you, according to rule.'

Shloka 16 (bala.10.16)

ऋषिपुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वासां मतिरास वै । तदाश्रमपदं द्रष्टुं जग्मुः सर्वास्ततोऽङ्गनाः ।। १०.१६ ।।

ṛṣi putra vacaḥ śrutvā sarvāsām matirāsa vai | tat āśrama padam draṣṭum jagmuḥ sarvāḥ tato aṃganaḥ || 10.16 ||

Hearing the sage's son's words, the desire arose in all of them to behold the threshold of that hermitage, and so all those women went there.

Shloka 17 (bala.10.17)

गतानां तु ततः पूजां ऋषिपुत्रश्चकार ह । इदमर्घ्यमिदं पाद्यमिदं मूलं फलं च नः ।। १०.१७ ।।

gatānām tu tataḥ pūjām ṛṣi putraḥ cakāra ha | idam arghyam idam pādyam idam mūlam phalam ca naḥ || 10.17 ||

When they had come there, the sage's son performed the rites of hospitality, saying: 'Here is water for the hands, here for the feet, here are roots, and here fruits, that are ours.'

Shloka 18 (bala.10.18)

प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजां सर्वा एव समुत्सुकाः । ऋषेर्भीताश्च शीघ्रं तु गमनाय मतिं दधुः ।। १०.१८ ।।

pratigṛhya tu tām pūjām sarvā eva samutsukāḥ | ṛṣer bhītāḥ ca śīghram tu gamanāya matim dadhuḥ || 10.18 ||

Though all of them, most eager, accepted that hospitality, yet, in fear of the sage [his father], they resolved to depart at once.

Shloka 19 (bala.10.19)

अस्माकमपि मुख्यानि फलानीमानि वै द्विज । गृहाण विप्र भद्रं ते भक्षयस्व च मा चिरम् ।। १०.१९ ।।

asmākam api mukhyāni phalāni imāni he dvija | gṛhāṇa vipra bhadram te bhakṣayasva ca mā aciram || 10.19 ||

'Take these choice fruits of ours too, O Brahmin; blessings upon you, holy one — eat them without delay.'

Shloka 20 (bala.10.20)

ततस्तास्तं समालिंग्य सर्वा हर्षसमन्विताः । मोदकान्प्रददुस्तस्मै भक्ष्यांश्च विविधान् शुभान् ।। १०.२० ।।

tataḥ tāḥ tam samāliṃgya sarvā harṣa samanvitāḥ | modakān pradaduḥ tasmai bhakṣyām ca vividhān śubhān || 10.20 ||

Then all of them, filled with delight, embraced him, and gave him sweet-balls and various other fine confections.

Shloka 21 (bala.10.21)

तानि चास्वाद्य तेजस्वी फलानीति स्म मन्यते । अनास्वादितपूर्वाणि वने नित्यनिवासिनाम् ।। १०.२१ ।।

tāni ca āsvādya tejasvī phalāni iti sma manyate | anāsvādita pūrvāṇi vane nitya nivāsinām || 10.21 ||

Tasting them, that radiant one took them only for fruits, never having tasted such things before, dwelling as he always did in the forest.

Shloka 22 (bala.10.22)

आपृच्छ्य च तदा विप्रं व्रतचर्यां निवेद्य च । गच्छन्ति स्मापदेशात्ताः भीतास्तस्य पितुः स्त्रियः ।। १०.२२ ।।

āpṛcchya ca tadā vipram vrata caryām nivedya ca | gacchanti sma apadeśāt tā bhītāḥ tasya pituḥ striyaḥ || 10.22 ||

Then, taking leave of the Brahmin and telling him of their vow of worship, those women, fearing his father, departed under that pretext.

Shloka 23 (bala.10.23)

गतासु तासु सर्वासु काश्यपस्यात्मजो द्विजः । अस्वस्थहृदयश्चासीद् दुःखाच्च परिवर्तते ।। १०.२३ ।।

gatāsu tāsu sarvāsu kāśyapasya ātmajo dvijaḥ | asvastha hṛdayaḥ ca āsīt duḥkhāt ca parivartate || 10.23 ||

When all of them had gone, that Brahmin, grandson of Kashyapa, became troubled at heart, and moved about in sorrow.

Shloka 24 (bala.10.24)

ततोऽपरेद्युस्तं देशमाजगाम स वीर्यवान् । विभाण्डकसुतः श्रीमान्मनसा चिन्तयन्मुहुः ।। १०.२४ ।।

tato.apare dyuḥ tam deśam ājagāma sa vīryavān | vibhāṇḍaka sutaḥ śrīmān manasā vicintayan muhuḥ || 10.24 ||

Then, on the next day, that mighty and glorious son of Vibhandaka came again to that place, his mind again and again recalling —

Shloka 25 (bala.10.25)

मनोज्ञा यत्र ता दृष्टा वारमुख्याः स्वलंकृताः । दृष्टैव च ततो विप्रमायान्तं हृष्टमानसाः ।। १०.२५ ।।

manojñā yatra tā dṛṣṭā vāramukhyāḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ | dṛṣṭvā eva ca tato vipram āyāntam hṛṣṭa mānasāḥ || 10.25 ||

— the lovely, well-adorned courtesans he had seen there; and on seeing that Brahmin arrive, they too were glad at heart.

Shloka 26 (bala.10.26)

उपसृत्य ततः सर्वास्तास्तमूचुरिदं वचः । एह्याश्रमपदं सौम्य ह्यस्माकमिति चाब्रुवन् ।। १०.२६ ।।

upasṛtya tataḥ sarvāḥ tāḥ tam ūcur idam vacaḥ | ehi āśrama padam sauṃya asmākam iti ca abruvan || 10.26 ||

Then all of them, drawing near, spoke to him these words: 'Come, gentle one, to our hermitage,' thus they said.

Shloka 27 (bala.10.27)

चित्राण्यत्र बहूनि स्युर्मूलानि च फलनि च । तत्राप्येष विशेषेण विधिर्हि भविता ध्रुवम् ।। १०.२७ ।।

citrāṇi atra bahūni syuḥ mūlāni ca phalani ca | tatra api eṣa viśeṣeṇa vidhiḥ hi bhavitā dhruvam || 10.27 ||

'There are many wondrous roots and fruits to be had there, and a very special hospitality shall surely be yours.'

Shloka 28 (bala.10.28)

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तासां सर्वासां हृदयङ्गमम् । गमनाय मतिं चक्रे तं च निन्युस्तदा स्त्रियः ।। १०.२८ ।।

śrutvā tu vacanam tāsām sarvāsām hṛdayam gamam | gamanāya matim cakre tam ca ninyuḥ tathā striyaḥ || 10.28 ||

Hearing those heart-pleasing words of all of them, he resolved to go there, and then those women led him away.

Shloka 29 (bala.10.29)

तत्र चानीयमाने तु विप्रे तस्मिन्महात्मनि । ववर्ष सहसा देवो जगत्प्रह्लादयंस्तदा ।। १०.२९ ।।

tatra ca ānīyamāne tu vipre tasmin mahātmani | vavarṣa sahasā devo jagat prahlādayan tadā || 10.29 ||

As that great-souled Brahmin was thus being brought there, the god of rain, to the joy of the world, suddenly sent down rain.

Shloka 30 (bala.10.30)

वर्षेणैवागतं विप्रं विषयं स्वं नराधिपः । प्रत्युद्गम्य मुनिं प्रह्वः शिरसा च महीं गतः ।। १०.३० ।।

varṣeṇa eva āgatam vipram tāpasam sa narādhipaḥ | prati udgaṃya munim prahvaḥ śirasā ca mahīm gataḥ || 10.30 ||

The king, upon that Brahmin's arrival together with the rain in his own realm, went forth to meet the sage, bowing his head and touching the ground —

Shloka 31 (bala.10.31)

अर्घ्यं च प्रददौ तस्मै न्यायतः सुसमाहितः । वव्रे प्रसादं विप्रेन्द्रान्मा विप्रं मन्युराविशेत् ।। १०.३१ ।।

arghyam ca pradadau tasmai nyāyataḥ susamāhitaḥ | vavre prasādam vipreindrāt mā vipram manyuḥ āviśet || 10.31 ||

— and, with careful attention, duly offered him the guest-water, and sought a boon from that foremost of Brahmins: that no wrath should ever seize the Brahmin, his father.

Shloka 32 (bala.10.32)

अन्तःपुरं प्रविश्यास्मै कन्यां दत्त्वा यथाविधि । शांतां शान्तेन मनसा राजा हर्षमवाप सः ।। १०.३२ ।।

antaḥpuram praveśya asmai kanyām dattvā yathāvidhi | śāṃtām śāntena manasā rājā harṣam avāpa saḥ || 10.32 ||

Then, bringing him into the inner apartments and duly giving him his daughter Shanta in marriage according to rule, the king, with a tranquil mind, attained joy.

Shloka 33 (bala.10.33)

एवं स न्यवसत्तत्र सर्वकामैः सुपूजितः । ऋष्यशृङ्गो महातेजाः शन्तया सह भार्यया ।। १०.३३ ।।

evam sa nyavasat tatra sarva kāmaiḥ supūjitaḥ | ṛṣyaśR^ṅgo mahātejā śantāyā saha bhāryayā || 10.33 ||

Thus that greatly resplendent Rishyashringa dwelt there, held in the highest honour, with all his desires fulfilled, together with his wife Shanta.