Seventh Skandha · Chapter 25
Sourceसूत उवाच - एकदा तु गतो रन्तुं बालकैः सहितो बहिः । वाराणस्या नातिदूरे रोहिताख्यः कुमारकः ॥ १ ॥ क्रीडां कृत्वा ततो दर्भान् ग्रहीतुमुपचक्रमे । कोमलानल्पमूलांश्च साग्राञ्छक्त्यनुसारतः ॥ २ ॥ आर्यप्रीत्यर्थमित्युक्त्वा हस्तयुग्मेन यत्नतः । सलक्षणाश्च समिधो बर्हिरिध्मं सलक्षणम् ॥ ३ ॥ पलाशकाष्ठान्यादाय त्वग्निहोमार्थमादरात् । मस्तके भारकं कृत्वा खिद्यमानः पदे पदे ॥ ४ ॥ उदकस्थानमासाद्य तदा बालस्तृषान्वितः । भुवि भारं विनिक्षिप्य जलस्थाने तदा शिशुः ॥ ५ ॥ कामतः सलिलं पीत्वा विश्रम्य च मुहूर्तकम् । वल्मीकोपरि विन्यस्तभारो हर्तुं प्रचक्रमे ॥ ६ ॥ विश्वामित्राज्ञया तावत्कृष्णसर्पो भयावहः । महाविषो महाघोरो वल्मीकान्निर्गतस्तदा ॥ ७ ॥ तेनासौ बालको दष्टस्तदैव च पपात ह । रोहिताख्यं मृतं दृष्ट्वा ययुर्बाला द्विजालयम् ॥ ८ ॥ त्वरिता भयसंविग्नाः प्रोचुस्तन्मातुरग्रतः । हे विप्रदासि ते पुत्रः क्रीडां कर्तुं बहिर्गतः ॥ ९ ॥ अस्माभिः सहितस्तत्र सर्पदष्टो मृतस्ततः । इति सा तद्वचः श्रुत्वा वज्रपातोपमं तदा ॥ १० ॥ पपात मूर्च्छिता भूमौ छिन्नेव कदली यथा । अथ तां ब्राह्मणो रुष्टः पानीयेनाभ्यषिञ्चत ॥ ११ ॥ मुहूर्ताच्चेतनां प्राप्ता ब्राह्मणस्तामथाब्रवीत् । ब्राह्मण उवाच - अलक्ष्मीकारकं निन्द्यं जानती त्वं निशामुखे ॥ १२ ॥ रोदनं कुरुषे दुष्टे लज्जा ते हृदये न किम् । ब्राह्मणेनैवमुक्ता सा न किञ्चिद्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १३ ॥ रुरोद करुणं दीना पुत्रशोकेन पीडिता । अश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना धूसरा मुक्तमूर्धजा ॥ १४ ॥ अथ तां कुपितो विप्रो राजपत्नीमभाषत । धिक्त्वां दुष्टे क्रयं गृह्य मम कार्यं विलुम्पसि ॥ १५ ॥ अशक्ता चेत्कथं तर्हि गृहीतं मम तद्धनम् । एवं निर्भर्त्सिता तेन क्रूरवाक्यैः पुनः पुनः ॥ १६ ॥ रुदिता कारणं प्राह विप्रं गद्गदया गिरा । स्वामिन् मम सुतो बालः सर्पदष्टो मृतो बहिः ॥ १७ ॥ अनुज्ञां मे प्रयच्छस्व द्रष्टुं यास्यामि बालकम् । दुर्लभं दर्शनं तेन सञ्जातं मम सुव्रत ॥ १८ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा करुणं बाला पुनरेव रुरोद ह । पुनस्तां कुपितो विप्रो राजपत्नीमभाषत ॥ १९ ॥ ब्राह्मण उवाच - शठे दुष्टसमाचारे किं न जानासि पातकम् । यः स्वामिवेतनं गृह्य तस्य कार्यं विलुम्पति ॥ २० ॥ नरके पच्यते सोऽथ महारौरवपूर्वके । उषित्वा नरके कल्पं ततोऽसौ कुक्कुटो भवेत् ॥ २१ ॥ किमनेनाथवा कार्यं धर्मसंकीर्तनेन मे । यस्तु पापरतो मूर्खः क्रूरो नीचोऽनृतः शठः ॥ २२ ॥ तद्वाक्यं निष्फलं तस्मिन्भवेद् बीजमिवोषरे । एहि ते विद्यते किञ्चित्परलोकभयं यदि ॥ २३ ॥ एवमुक्ताथ सा विप्रं वेपमानाब्रवीद्वचः । कारुण्यं कुरु मे नाथ प्रसीद सुमुखो भव ॥ २४ ॥ प्रस्थापय मुहूर्तं मां यावद् द्रक्ष्यामि बालकम् । एवमुक्त्वाथ सा मूर्ध्ना निपत्य द्विजपादयोः ॥ २५ ॥ रुरोद करुणं बाला पुत्रशोकेन पीडिता । अथाह कुपितो विप्रः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः ॥ २६ ॥ विप्र उवाच - किं ते पुत्रेण मे कार्यं गृहकर्म कुरुष्व मे । किं न जानासि मे क्रोधं कशाघातफलप्रदम् ॥ २७ ॥ एवमुक्ता स्थिता धैर्याद् गृहकर्म चकार ह । अर्धरात्रो गतस्तस्याः पादाभ्यङ्गादिकर्मणा ॥ २८ ॥ ब्राह्मणेनाथ सा प्रोक्ता पुत्रपार्श्वं व्रजाधुना । तस्य दाहादिकं कृत्वा पुनरागच्छ सत्वरम् ॥ २९ ॥ न लुप्येत यथा प्रातर्गृहकर्म ममेति च । ततस्त्वेकाकिनी रात्रौ विलपन्ती जगाम ह ॥ ३० ॥ दृष्ट्वा मृतं निजं पुत्रं भृशं शोकेन पीडिता । यूथभ्रष्टा कुरङ्गीव विवत्सा सौरभी यथा ॥ ३१ ॥ वाराणस्या बहिर्गत्वा क्षणाद् दृष्ट्वा निजं सुतम् । शयानं रङ्कवद्भूमौ काष्ठदर्भतृणोपरि ॥ ३२ ॥ विललापातिदुःखार्ता शब्दं कृत्वा सुनिष्ठुरम् । एहि मे सम्मुखं कस्माद्रोषितोऽसि वदाधुना ॥ ३३ ॥ आयास्यभिमुखो नित्यमम्बेत्युक्त्वा पुनः पुनः । गत्वा स्खलत्पदा तस्य पपातोपरि मूर्छिता ॥ ३४ ॥ पुनः सा चेतनां प्राप्य दोर्भ्यामालिङ्ग्य बालकम् । तन्मुखे वदनं न्यस्य रुरोदार्तस्वनैस्तदा ॥ ३५ ॥ कराभ्यां ताडनं चक्रे मस्तकस्योदरस्य च । हा बाल हा शिशो वत्स हा कुमारक सुन्दर ॥ ३६ ॥ हा राजन् क्व गतोऽसि त्वं पश्येमं बालकं निजम् । प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयांसं भूतले पतितं मृतम् ॥ ३७ ॥ तथापश्यन्मुखं तस्य भूयो जीवितशङ्कया । निर्जीववदनं ज्ञात्वा मूर्छिता निपपात ह ॥ ३८ ॥ हस्तेन वदनं गृह्य पुनरेवमभाषत । शयनं त्यज हे बाल शीघ्रं जागृहि भीषणम् ॥ ३९ ॥ निशार्धं वर्धते चेदं शिवाशतनिनादितम् । भूतप्रेतपिशाचादिडाकिनीयूथनादितम् ॥ ४० ॥ मित्राणि ते गतान्यस्तात्त्वमेकस्तु कुतः स्थितः । सूत उवाच - एवमुक्त्वा पुनस्तन्वी करुणं प्ररुरोद ह ॥ ४१ ॥ हा शिशो बाल हा वत्स रोहिताख्य कुमारक । रे पुत्र प्रतिशब्दं मे कस्मात्त्वं न प्रयच्छसि ॥ ४२ ॥ तवाहं जननी वत्स किं न जानासि पश्य माम् । देशत्यागाद्राज्यनाशात्पुत्र भर्त्रा स्वविक्रयात् ॥ ४३ ॥ यद्दासीत्वाच्च जीवामि त्वां दृष्ट्वा पुत्र केवलम् । ते जन्मसमये विप्रैरादिष्टं यत्त्वनागतम् ॥ ४४ ॥ दीर्घायुः पृथिवीराजः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः । शौर्यदानरतिः सत्त्वो गुरुदेवद्विजार्चकः ॥ ४५ ॥ मातापित्रोस्तु प्रियकृत्सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः । इत्यादि सकलं जातमसत्यमधुना सुत ॥ ४६ ॥ चक्रमत्स्यावातपत्रश्रीवत्सस्वस्तिकध्वजाः । तव पाणितले पुत्र कलशश्चामरं तथा ॥ ४७ ॥ लक्षणानि तथान्यानि त्वद्धस्ते यानि सन्ति च । तानि सर्वाणि मोघानि सञ्जातान्यधुना सुत ॥ ४८ ॥ हा राजन्पृथिवीनाथ क्व ते राज्यं क्व मन्त्रिणः । क्व ते सिंहासनं छत्रं क्व ते खड्गः क्व तद्धनम् ॥ ४९ ॥ क्व सायोध्या क्व हर्म्याणि क्व गजाश्वरथप्रजाः । सर्वमेतत्तथा पुत्र मां त्यक्त्वा क्व गतोऽसि रे ॥ ५० ॥ हा कान्त हा नृपागच्छ पश्येमं स्वसुतं प्रियम् । येन ते रिङ्गता वक्षः कुंकुमेनावलेपितम् ॥ ५१ ॥ स्वशरीररजःपङ्कैर्विशालं मलिनीकृतम् । येन ते बालभावेन मृगनाभिविलेपितः ॥ ५२ ॥ भ्रंशितो भालतिलकस्तवाङ्कस्थेन भूपते । यस्य वक्त्रं मृदा लिप्तं स्नेहाद्वै चुम्बितं मया ॥ ५३ ॥ तन्मुखं मक्षिकालिङ्ग्यं पश्ये कीटैर्विदूषितम् । हा राजन् पश्य तं पुत्रं भुविस्थं रङ्कवन्मृतम् ॥ ५४ ॥ हा देव किं मया कृत्यं कृतं पूर्वभवान्तरे । तस्य कर्मफलस्येह न पारमुपलक्षये ॥ ५५ ॥ हा पुत्र हा शिशो वत्स का कुमारक सुन्दर । एवं तस्या विलापं ते श्रुत्वा नगरपालकाः ॥ ५६ ॥ जागृतास्त्वरितास्तस्याः पार्श्वमीयुः सुविस्मिताः । जना ऊचुः - का त्वं बालस्य कस्यायं पतिस्ते कुत्र तिष्ठति ॥ ५७ ॥ एकैव निर्भया रात्रौ कस्मात्त्वमिह रोदिषि । एवमुक्ताथ सा तन्वी न किञ्चिद्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ५८ ॥ भूयोऽपि पृष्टा सा तूष्णीं स्तब्धीभूता बभूव ह । विललापातिदुःखार्ता शोकाश्रुप्लुतलोचना ॥ ५९ ॥ अथ ते शङ्कितास्तस्यां रोमाञ्चिततनूरुहाः । संत्रस्ताः प्राहुरन्योन्यमुद्धृतायुधपाणयः ॥ ६० ॥ नूनं स्त्री न भवत्येषा यतः किञ्चिन्न भाषते । तस्माद्वध्या भवेदेषा यत्नतो बालघातिनी ॥ ६१ ॥ शुभा चेत्तर्हि किं ह्यत्र निशार्धे तिष्ठते बहिः । भक्षार्थमनया नूनमानीतः कस्यचिच्छिशुः ॥ ६२ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा तैर्गृहिता सा गाढं केशेषु सत्वरम् । भुजयोरपरैश्चैव कैश्चापि गलके तथा ॥ ६३ ॥ खेचरी यास्यतीत्युक्तं बहुभिः शस्त्रपाणिभिः । आकृष्य पक्कणे नीता चाण्डालाय समर्पिता ॥ ६४ ॥ हे चाण्डाल बहिर्दृष्टा ह्यस्माभिर्बालघातिनी । वध्यतां वध्यतामेष शीघ्रं नीत्वा बहिःस्थले ॥ ६५ ॥ चाण्डालः प्राह तां दृष्ट्वा ज्ञातेयं लोकविश्रुता । न दृष्टपूर्वा केनापि लोकडिम्भान्यनेकधा ॥ ६६ ॥ भक्षितान्यनया भूरि भवद्भिः पुण्यमार्जितम् । ख्यातिर्वः शाश्वती लोके गच्छध्वं च यथासुखम् ॥ ६७ ॥ द्विजस्त्रीबालगोघाती स्वर्णस्तेयी च यो नरः । अग्निदो वर्त्मघाती च मद्यपो गुरुतल्पगः ॥ ६८ ॥ महाजनविरोधी च तस्य पुण्यप्रदो वधः । द्विजस्यापि स्त्रियो वापि न दोषो विद्यते वधे ॥ ६९ ॥ अस्या वधश्च मे योग्य इत्युक्त्वा गाडबन्धनैः । बद्ध्वा केशेष्वथाकृष्य रज्जुभिस्तामताडयत् ॥ ७० ॥ हरिश्चन्द्रमथोवाच वाचा परुषया तदा । रे दास वध्यतामेषा दुष्टात्मा मा विचारय ॥ ७१ ॥ तद्वाक्यं भूपतिः श्रुत्वा वज्रपातोपमं तदा । वेपमानोऽथ चाण्डालं प्राह स्त्रीवधशङ्कितः ॥ ७२ ॥ न शक्तोऽहमिदं कर्तुं प्रेष्यं देहि ममापरम् । असाध्यमपि यत्कर्म तत्करिष्ये त्वयोदितम् ॥ ७३ ॥ श्रुत्वा तदुक्तं वचनं श्वपचो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । मा भैषीस्त्वं गृहाणासिं वधोऽस्याः पुण्यदो मतः ॥ ७४ ॥ बालानामेव भयदा नेयं रक्ष्या कदाचन । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ७५ ॥ स्त्रियो रक्ष्याः प्रयत्नेन न हन्तव्याः कदाचन । स्त्रीवधे कीर्तितः पापं मुनिभिर्धर्मतत्परैः ॥ ७६ ॥ पुरुषो यः स्त्रियं हन्याज्ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतोऽपि वा । नरके पच्यते सोऽथ महारौरवपूर्वके ॥ ७७ ॥ चाण्डाल उवाच - मा वदासिं गृहाणैनं तीक्ष्णं विद्युत्समप्रभम् । यत्रैकस्मिन्वधं नीते बहूनां तु सुखं भवेत् ॥ ७८ ॥ तस्य हिंसा कृतं नूनं बहुपुण्यप्रदा भवेत् । भक्षितान्यनया भूरि लोके डिम्भानि दुष्टया ॥ ७९ ॥ तत्क्षिप्रं वध्यतामेषा लोकः स्वस्थो भविष्यति । राजोवाच - चाण्डालाधिपते तीव्रं व्रतं स्त्रीवधवर्जनम् ॥ ८० ॥ आजन्मतस्ततो यत्नं न कुर्यां स्त्रीवधे तव । चाण्डाल उवाच - स्वामिकार्यं विना दुष्ट किं कार्यं विद्यतेऽपरम् ॥ ८१ ॥ गृहीत्वा वेतनं मेऽद्य कस्मात्कार्यं विलुम्पसि । यः स्वामिवेतनं गृह्य स्वामिकार्यं विलुम्पति ॥ ८२ ॥ नरकान्निष्कृतिस्तस्य नास्ति कल्पायुतैरपि । राजोवाच - चाण्डालनाथ मे देहि प्राप्यमन्यत्सुदारुणम् ॥ ८३ ॥ स्वशत्रुं ब्रूहि तं क्षिप्रं घातयिष्याम्यसंशयम् । घातयित्वा तु तं शत्रुं तव दास्यामि मेदिनीम् ॥ ८४ ॥ देव देवोरगैः सिद्धैर्गन्धर्वैरपि संयुतम् । देवेन्द्रमपि जेष्यामि निहत्य निशितैः शरैः ॥ ८५ ॥ एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः । चाण्डालः कुपितः प्राह वेपमानं महीपतिम् ॥ ८६ ॥ चाण्डाल उवाच - (नैतद्वाक्यं सुघटितं यद्वाक्यं दासकीर्तितम्) चाण्डालदासतां कृत्वा सुराणां भाषसे वचः । दास किं बहुना नूनं शृणु मे गदतो वचः ॥ ८७ ॥ निर्लज्ज तव चेदस्ति किञ्चित्पापभयं हृदि । किमर्थं दासतां यातश्चाण्डालस्य तु वेश्मनि ॥ ८८ ॥ गृहाणैनं ततः खड्गमस्याश्छिन्धि शिरोऽम्बुजम् । एवमुक्त्वाथ चाण्डालो राज्ञे खड्गं न्यवेदयत् ॥ ८९ ॥
sūta uvāca - ekadā tu gato rantuṃ bālakaiḥ sahito bahiḥ | vārāṇasyā nātidūre rohitākhyaḥ kumārakaḥ || 1 || krīḍāṃ kṛtvā tato darbhān grahītumupacakrame | komalānalpamūlāṃśca sāgrāñchaktyanusārataḥ || 2 || āryaprītyarthamityuktvā hastayugmena yatnataḥ | salakṣaṇāśca samidho barhiridhmaṃ salakṣaṇam || 3 || palāśakāṣṭhānyādāya tvagnihomārthamādarāt | mastake bhārakaṃ kṛtvā khidyamānaḥ pade pade || 4 || udakasthānamāsādya tadā bālastṛṣānvitaḥ | bhuvi bhāraṃ vinikṣipya jalasthāne tadā śiśuḥ || 5 || kāmataḥ salilaṃ pītvā viśramya ca muhūrtakam | valmīkopari vinyastabhāro hartuṃ pracakrame || 6 || viśvāmitrājñayā tāvatkṛṣṇasarpo bhayāvahaḥ | mahāviṣo mahāghoro valmīkānnirgatastadā || 7 || tenāsau bālako daṣṭastadaiva ca papāta ha | rohitākhyaṃ mṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā yayurbālā dvijālayam || 8 || tvaritā bhayasaṃvignāḥ procustanmāturagrataḥ | he vipradāsi te putraḥ krīḍāṃ kartuṃ bahirgataḥ || 9 || asmābhiḥ sahitastatra sarpadaṣṭo mṛtastataḥ | iti sā tadvacaḥ śrutvā vajrapātopamaṃ tadā || 10 || papāta mūrcchitā bhūmau chinneva kadalī yathā | atha tāṃ brāhmaṇo ruṣṭaḥ pānīyenābhyaṣiñcata || 11 || muhūrtāccetanāṃ prāptā brāhmaṇastāmathābravīt | brāhmaṇa uvāca - alakṣmīkārakaṃ nindyaṃ jānatī tvaṃ niśāmukhe || 12 || rodanaṃ kuruṣe duṣṭe lajjā te hṛdaye na kim | brāhmaṇenaivamuktā sā na kiñcidvākyamabravīt || 13 || ruroda karuṇaṃ dīnā putraśokena pīḍitā | aśrupūrṇamukhī dīnā dhūsarā muktamūrdhajā || 14 || atha tāṃ kupito vipro rājapatnīmabhāṣata | dhiktvāṃ duṣṭe krayaṃ gṛhya mama kāryaṃ vilumpasi || 15 || aśaktā cetkathaṃ tarhi gṛhītaṃ mama taddhanam | evaṃ nirbhartsitā tena krūravākyaiḥ punaḥ punaḥ || 16 || ruditā kāraṇaṃ prāha vipraṃ gadgadayā girā | svāmin mama suto bālaḥ sarpadaṣṭo mṛto bahiḥ || 17 || anujñāṃ me prayacchasva draṣṭuṃ yāsyāmi bālakam | durlabhaṃ darśanaṃ tena sañjātaṃ mama suvrata || 18 || ityuktvā karuṇaṃ bālā punareva ruroda ha | punastāṃ kupito vipro rājapatnīmabhāṣata || 19 || brāhmaṇa uvāca - śaṭhe duṣṭasamācāre kiṃ na jānāsi pātakam | yaḥ svāmivetanaṃ gṛhya tasya kāryaṃ vilumpati || 20 || narake pacyate so'tha mahārauravapūrvake | uṣitvā narake kalpaṃ tato'sau kukkuṭo bhavet || 21 || kimanenāthavā kāryaṃ dharmasaṃkīrtanena me | yastu pāparato mūrkhaḥ krūro nīco'nṛtaḥ śaṭhaḥ || 22 || tadvākyaṃ niṣphalaṃ tasminbhaved bījamivoṣare | ehi te vidyate kiñcitparalokabhayaṃ yadi || 23 || evamuktātha sā vipraṃ vepamānābravīdvacaḥ | kāruṇyaṃ kuru me nātha prasīda sumukho bhava || 24 || prasthāpaya muhūrtaṃ māṃ yāvad drakṣyāmi bālakam | evamuktvātha sā mūrdhnā nipatya dvijapādayoḥ || 25 || ruroda karuṇaṃ bālā putraśokena pīḍitā | athāha kupito vipraḥ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ || 26 || vipra uvāca - kiṃ te putreṇa me kāryaṃ gṛhakarma kuruṣva me | kiṃ na jānāsi me krodhaṃ kaśāghātaphalapradam || 27 || evamuktā sthitā dhairyād gṛhakarma cakāra ha | ardharātro gatastasyāḥ pādābhyaṅgādikarmaṇā || 28 || brāhmaṇenātha sā proktā putrapārśvaṃ vrajādhunā | tasya dāhādikaṃ kṛtvā punarāgaccha satvaram || 29 || na lupyeta yathā prātargṛhakarma mameti ca | tatastvekākinī rātrau vilapantī jagāma ha || 30 || dṛṣṭvā mṛtaṃ nijaṃ putraṃ bhṛśaṃ śokena pīḍitā | yūthabhraṣṭā kuraṅgīva vivatsā saurabhī yathā || 31 || vārāṇasyā bahirgatvā kṣaṇād dṛṣṭvā nijaṃ sutam | śayānaṃ raṅkavadbhūmau kāṣṭhadarbhatṛṇopari || 32 || vilalāpātiduḥkhārtā śabdaṃ kṛtvā suniṣṭhuram | ehi me sammukhaṃ kasmādroṣito'si vadādhunā || 33 || āyāsyabhimukho nityamambetyuktvā punaḥ punaḥ | gatvā skhalatpadā tasya papātopari mūrchitā || 34 || punaḥ sā cetanāṃ prāpya dorbhyāmāliṅgya bālakam | tanmukhe vadanaṃ nyasya rurodārtasvanaistadā || 35 || karābhyāṃ tāḍanaṃ cakre mastakasyodarasya ca | hā bāla hā śiśo vatsa hā kumāraka sundara || 36 || hā rājan kva gato'si tvaṃ paśyemaṃ bālakaṃ nijam | prāṇebhyo'pi garīyāṃsaṃ bhūtale patitaṃ mṛtam || 37 || tathāpaśyanmukhaṃ tasya bhūyo jīvitaśaṅkayā | nirjīvavadanaṃ jñātvā mūrchitā nipapāta ha || 38 || hastena vadanaṃ gṛhya punarevamabhāṣata | śayanaṃ tyaja he bāla śīghraṃ jāgṛhi bhīṣaṇam || 39 || niśārdhaṃ vardhate cedaṃ śivāśatanināditam | bhūtapretapiśācādiḍākinīyūthanāditam || 40 || mitrāṇi te gatānyastāttvamekastu kutaḥ sthitaḥ | sūta uvāca - evamuktvā punastanvī karuṇaṃ praruroda ha || 41 || hā śiśo bāla hā vatsa rohitākhya kumāraka | re putra pratiśabdaṃ me kasmāttvaṃ na prayacchasi || 42 || tavāhaṃ jananī vatsa kiṃ na jānāsi paśya mām | deśatyāgādrājyanāśātputra bhartrā svavikrayāt || 43 || yaddāsītvācca jīvāmi tvāṃ dṛṣṭvā putra kevalam | te janmasamaye viprairādiṣṭaṃ yattvanāgatam || 44 || dīrghāyuḥ pṛthivīrājaḥ putrapautrasamanvitaḥ | śauryadānaratiḥ sattvo gurudevadvijārcakaḥ || 45 || mātāpitrostu priyakṛtsatyavādī jitendriyaḥ | ityādi sakalaṃ jātamasatyamadhunā suta || 46 || cakramatsyāvātapatraśrīvatsasvastikadhvajāḥ | tava pāṇitale putra kalaśaścāmaraṃ tathā || 47 || lakṣaṇāni tathānyāni tvaddhaste yāni santi ca | tāni sarvāṇi moghāni sañjātānyadhunā suta || 48 || hā rājanpṛthivīnātha kva te rājyaṃ kva mantriṇaḥ | kva te siṃhāsanaṃ chatraṃ kva te khaḍgaḥ kva taddhanam || 49 || kva sāyodhyā kva harmyāṇi kva gajāśvarathaprajāḥ | sarvametattathā putra māṃ tyaktvā kva gato'si re || 50 || hā kānta hā nṛpāgaccha paśyemaṃ svasutaṃ priyam | yena te riṅgatā vakṣaḥ kuṃkumenāvalepitam || 51 || svaśarīrarajaḥpaṅkairviśālaṃ malinīkṛtam | yena te bālabhāvena mṛganābhivilepitaḥ || 52 || bhraṃśito bhālatilakastavāṅkasthena bhūpate | yasya vaktraṃ mṛdā liptaṃ snehādvai cumbitaṃ mayā || 53 || tanmukhaṃ makṣikāliṅgyaṃ paśye kīṭairvidūṣitam | hā rājan paśya taṃ putraṃ bhuvisthaṃ raṅkavanmṛtam || 54 || hā deva kiṃ mayā kṛtyaṃ kṛtaṃ pūrvabhavāntare | tasya karmaphalasyeha na pāramupalakṣaye || 55 || hā putra hā śiśo vatsa kā kumāraka sundara | evaṃ tasyā vilāpaṃ te śrutvā nagarapālakāḥ || 56 || jāgṛtāstvaritāstasyāḥ pārśvamīyuḥ suvismitāḥ | janā ūcuḥ - kā tvaṃ bālasya kasyāyaṃ patiste kutra tiṣṭhati || 57 || ekaiva nirbhayā rātrau kasmāttvamiha rodiṣi | evamuktātha sā tanvī na kiñcidvākyamabravīt || 58 || bhūyo'pi pṛṣṭā sā tūṣṇīṃ stabdhībhūtā babhūva ha | vilalāpātiduḥkhārtā śokāśruplutalocanā || 59 || atha te śaṅkitāstasyāṃ romāñcitatanūruhāḥ | saṃtrastāḥ prāhuranyonyamuddhṛtāyudhapāṇayaḥ || 60 || nūnaṃ strī na bhavatyeṣā yataḥ kiñcinna bhāṣate | tasmādvadhyā bhavedeṣā yatnato bālaghātinī || 61 || śubhā cettarhi kiṃ hyatra niśārdhe tiṣṭhate bahiḥ | bhakṣārthamanayā nūnamānītaḥ kasyacicchiśuḥ || 62 || ityuktvā tairgṛhitā sā gāḍhaṃ keśeṣu satvaram | bhujayoraparaiścaiva kaiścāpi galake tathā || 63 || khecarī yāsyatītyuktaṃ bahubhiḥ śastrapāṇibhiḥ | ākṛṣya pakkaṇe nītā cāṇḍālāya samarpitā || 64 || he cāṇḍāla bahirdṛṣṭā hyasmābhirbālaghātinī | vadhyatāṃ vadhyatāmeṣa śīghraṃ nītvā bahiḥsthale || 65 || cāṇḍālaḥ prāha tāṃ dṛṣṭvā jñāteyaṃ lokaviśrutā | na dṛṣṭapūrvā kenāpi lokaḍimbhānyanekadhā || 66 || bhakṣitānyanayā bhūri bhavadbhiḥ puṇyamārjitam | khyātirvaḥ śāśvatī loke gacchadhvaṃ ca yathāsukham || 67 || dvijastrībālagoghātī svarṇasteyī ca yo naraḥ | agnido vartmaghātī ca madyapo gurutalpagaḥ || 68 || mahājanavirodhī ca tasya puṇyaprado vadhaḥ | dvijasyāpi striyo vāpi na doṣo vidyate vadhe || 69 || asyā vadhaśca me yogya ityuktvā gāḍabandhanaiḥ | baddhvā keśeṣvathākṛṣya rajjubhistāmatāḍayat || 70 || hariścandramathovāca vācā paruṣayā tadā | re dāsa vadhyatāmeṣā duṣṭātmā mā vicāraya || 71 || tadvākyaṃ bhūpatiḥ śrutvā vajrapātopamaṃ tadā | vepamāno'tha cāṇḍālaṃ prāha strīvadhaśaṅkitaḥ || 72 || na śakto'hamidaṃ kartuṃ preṣyaṃ dehi mamāparam | asādhyamapi yatkarma tatkariṣye tvayoditam || 73 || śrutvā taduktaṃ vacanaṃ śvapaco vākyamabravīt | mā bhaiṣīstvaṃ gṛhāṇāsiṃ vadho'syāḥ puṇyado mataḥ || 74 || bālānāmeva bhayadā neyaṃ rakṣyā kadācana | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya rājā vacanamabravīt || 75 || striyo rakṣyāḥ prayatnena na hantavyāḥ kadācana | strīvadhe kīrtitaḥ pāpaṃ munibhirdharmatatparaiḥ || 76 || puruṣo yaḥ striyaṃ hanyājjñānato'jñānato'pi vā | narake pacyate so'tha mahārauravapūrvake || 77 || cāṇḍāla uvāca - mā vadāsiṃ gṛhāṇainaṃ tīkṣṇaṃ vidyutsamaprabham | yatraikasminvadhaṃ nīte bahūnāṃ tu sukhaṃ bhavet || 78 || tasya hiṃsā kṛtaṃ nūnaṃ bahupuṇyapradā bhavet | bhakṣitānyanayā bhūri loke ḍimbhāni duṣṭayā || 79 || tatkṣipraṃ vadhyatāmeṣā lokaḥ svastho bhaviṣyati | rājovāca - cāṇḍālādhipate tīvraṃ vrataṃ strīvadhavarjanam || 80 || ājanmatastato yatnaṃ na kuryāṃ strīvadhe tava | cāṇḍāla uvāca - svāmikāryaṃ vinā duṣṭa kiṃ kāryaṃ vidyate'param || 81 || gṛhītvā vetanaṃ me'dya kasmātkāryaṃ vilumpasi | yaḥ svāmivetanaṃ gṛhya svāmikāryaṃ vilumpati || 82 || narakānniṣkṛtistasya nāsti kalpāyutairapi | rājovāca - cāṇḍālanātha me dehi prāpyamanyatsudāruṇam || 83 || svaśatruṃ brūhi taṃ kṣipraṃ ghātayiṣyāmyasaṃśayam | ghātayitvā tu taṃ śatruṃ tava dāsyāmi medinīm || 84 || deva devoragaiḥ siddhairgandharvairapi saṃyutam | devendramapi jeṣyāmi nihatya niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ || 85 || etacchrutvā tato vākyaṃ hariścandrasya bhūpateḥ | cāṇḍālaḥ kupitaḥ prāha vepamānaṃ mahīpatim || 86 || cāṇḍāla uvāca - (naitadvākyaṃ sughaṭitaṃ yadvākyaṃ dāsakīrtitam) cāṇḍāladāsatāṃ kṛtvā surāṇāṃ bhāṣase vacaḥ | dāsa kiṃ bahunā nūnaṃ śṛṇu me gadato vacaḥ || 87 || nirlajja tava cedasti kiñcitpāpabhayaṃ hṛdi | kimarthaṃ dāsatāṃ yātaścāṇḍālasya tu veśmani || 88 || gṛhāṇainaṃ tataḥ khaḍgamasyāśchindhi śiro'mbujam | evamuktvātha cāṇḍālo rājñe khaḍgaṃ nyavedayat || 89 ||
English translation
1-12. Suta said Here, on the other hand, one day the boy RohitasVa went out with other boys to play at some place close to Kas’i. He first played with the his comrades; he then began to root out and collect, as far as he could, the Darbha (Kus’a) grass, with its ends and which had not deep roots. On being questioned why he was taking the Dharba grass, Rohita told his comrades that his master was a Brahmin and that he was collecting them for his satisfaction. Saying this, he began to collect carefully by his hands the sacrificial fuel (Samidha) and other fuel for the burning purposes. He collected the Palasa wood for Homa purpose and making it into a bundle with other articles already collected, took it on his head, but at every step he seemed to be fatigued. Feeling thirsty he went to a pool of water close by and keeping his load on the ground went down to drink water. Drinking water he rested a while and then as he had kept his load on the anthill, be began to take it back on his head, a very poisonous deadly serpent came out suddenly out of that anthill at the order of VisVamitra. The snake immediately bit the boy who instantly fell down and died. His comrades seeing RohitasVa dead went to the house of the Brahmin. With much anxiety the boys went soon out of fear, to his mother and said “O Brahmin’s maidservant! Your son went out with us to play outside; but suddenly a poisonous snake bit him and he is dead.” Rohita’s mother, hearing these cruel words like thunder and lightning at once fell down on the ground like a plantain tree, cut off from its roots. The Brahmin, then, came and sprinkled water on her face. When she regained her consciousness, the Brahmin then angrily spoke
13-19. O wicked One! It is very inauspicious to cry at the evening time; especially the disfavour of the Goddess Laksmi; the poverty comes to the householder, you know this; why are you then
weeping? Have you not a bit of shame in your heart? She made no reply at this. Rather very much immersed in grief for her son, she wept in a pitiful voice. Her body was covered with dust, hairs were dishevelled and her face covered all over with tears from eyes. She constantly wept out of sorrow. The Brahmin, then, became very angry and spoke to the queen “O Villain! O Wicked! Fie on you. I have bought you for money; yet you are hindering my luck. If you had this thought that you would not work under me, why did you take for nothing my money?” Thus repeatedly scolded by the Brahmin, she pitifully cried and spoke to the Brahmin in a voice choked with feelings “O Lord! My son has fallen into the jaws of death, being smitten by a serpent. O One of good vows! I will never be able to see him. So kindly permit me to go and see my boy.” Saying thus, that lady began again to weep in a pitiful voice. The Brahmin became very angry and spoke thus
20-26. O Cheat! Your conduct is extremely blameable; you do not know how one commits a sin. The man who taking his pay from his master spoils his master’s work, he goes to the terrible hell Raurava and is being scorched there. Living in the Hell for a short while, he is born as a cock. Or it is useless for me to give you this instruction of the Dharma S’astra, for to speak to such to an illiterate, cruel, low, hypocrite and liar and to one addicted to sinful acts is to sow seed on an usar land and to see it fruitless. Now if you have any fear for the afterlife, come and do the household affairs. Hearing this, she said to the Brahmin, trembling “O Lord! Be graciously pleased and shew your mercy on a maidservant. Only for a moment I will go to see the dead son of mine; so give me order to go there for a moment.” That lady was deeply absorbed with sorrows for her son; then she put her head on the feet of the Brahmin and with a pitiful voice cried. The angry Brahmin with eyes reddened then began to speak.
27-41. What purpose of mine will be served by your son? Don’t you know about my anger? Have you forgotten about my whipping? So be ready and do my household work without any delay. Hearing his words, the queen held her patience and began to do the household work. She spent half the night time, when she finished champooing his feet. When this was over, the Brahmin spoke to her“You can go now to your son; but see, finish his burning ceremonies and come back quickly. See that my morning works do not suffer.” Thus getting the permission, the Queen went at that dead of night to look for her son, alone and weeping. Gradually she went out of the precincts of the city of KasT and there she saw her son like a poor man’s son lying on the ground over leaves and pieces of woods. Seeing her son dead, the humble Queen was very troubled with sorrow like an antelope, straying from its herd and as a cow missing her calf. The Queen Madhavi then began to lament, in a very pitiful tone, thus “O my Son! Come once before me; say why you are angry. Qh! My child! You used to come frequently to me, uttering Ma! Ma! Then why are you not coming now?” Saying thus, she tumbling went and fell over his son. She, regaining her consciousness, embraced her son and placing her face on the face of the child began to weep pitifully. “Oh! My son! Oh! My child! Oh my Kumara! Oh! My Beautiful! and began to beat her head and her breast with her hands. O King! Where are you now? You used to look upon your son dearer than even your life. Your that son is now lying dead on the ground. Come and behold him once. It seems that the son has got back his life.” Thus thinking she looked upon his face; but when it looked dead, she fell immediately unconscious. Getting back soon her consciousness, she held his face by her hands and said “O Child! Rise up from your sleep; awake; now is the dreadful night time; hundreds of jackals are yelling into our ears. Even Pretas, Bhutas, Pis’achas and Dakinis are roaming in packs and making terrible sounds Hum, Hum. Your comrades returned to their homes just at sunset; Why are you alone remaining here?
42-56. Suta said The thin-bodied queen, thus saying, began to lament, “Oh my Child! Oh! My son. Oh! Rohitas’va, O Kumara, why
are you not replying to my words! Oh my Child! I am your mother; do you not recognise me; look at me once. O Child! I am deprived of my kingdom and exiled from my country; my husband has sold even his body and I am myself reduced to slavery. What man is there that can live in this state! I am living simply by seeing your lotus-face. The astrologer who cast your horoscope at your birth, calculated future events in your life; but where? none of them is fructified. They said that this child will be a hero, warrior, long-lived, very charitable man, and always ready to do the worship of the Devas, Dvijas and the Gurus. What more than this that the child will be one paramount sovereign and with his sons and grandsons will enjoy his kingdom. This boy will be the master of his senses and will fulfil the desires of his father and mother. Oh my Son! Now all those predictions have turned out false. O Child! You have on your palms so many auspicious signs, discus, fishes, umbrella, S’ri Vatsa, Svastika, flags, Kalas’a (earthen jar), Chamara and other signs; besides these, various other auspicious omens exist on your hands. Are all these become in vain today! O Son! You are the Lord of this whole dominion; but where are your that Kingdom now, those ministers, that royal throne, that umbrella, that axe, that vast amount of riches, that Ayodhya city, those palatial buildings, those elephants, horses, and chariots? Where have gone your subjects! O Child! Where have you gone now, quitting all these and even me! O beloved Husband! See the condition of your son who in his early childhood used to move on all fours (the hands and feet) and get up on your broad chest, anointed with Kumkum, and spoil it with dust; O King! Come once and witness the condition of your child who used to press, out of ignorance due to his young age, the Tilak on your forehead, prepared of Mriganabhi, (musk). Alas! Flies are now sitting on the lotus face today which I used to kiss over, covered with dirt; the insects are now stinging that. Oh! This I have got to witness now! O King! Come and see once your child is now sleeping on the ground like a poor man’s dead son. O Fate! What bad act did I commit in my past life, that I have got to suffer so much in this life and I do not get an end of them! O Child! O Son! Oh, my Kumara! Oh! My Beautiful! Shall I not be able to see you once any more elsewhere?” The
Queen Madhavi thus lamented very much when the warders of the city, hearing her lamentations awoke and came to her without any delay, greatly astonished. They asked her thus
57-77. Who are you? Whose son is this? Where is your husband? Why are you weeping here in this dead of night, without any fear? Though thus questioned, the thin Queen did not reply anything.
Being again asked, she remained silent; and in the next moment she was pained with extreme agony and began again to cry. Tears flowed incessantly from her two eyes out of her sorrow. The guards then began to suspect her and were greatly afraid. So much that hairs stood on their ends out of terror. They at once raised their arms and began to talk with each other. When this lady is not giving any sort of reply, she is then certainly not a woman; most probably she will be a Raksasi, knowing magic and destroying young children. So she should be killed with great attention. If she be not a Raksasi, then why she should stay in this dead of night outside the city? No doubt, this Raksasi has brought someone’s child to eat here. Thus saying, they, without any delay, tied her hairs closely and some caught hold of her hand and some caught hold of her neck, saying Q Raksasi! where will you go now? The armed men, then dragged her perforce to the house of the Chandala and handed her over to him. All the people said “Q Chief of the Chandalas! We have caught today outside the city this child eating Raksasi; so you better take her quickly on the slaughter ground and slaughter her.” The Chandala looked at her body and said, “This Raksasi is widely celebrated in this world. I know her from before; but nobody is able to see her. This Mayavini has devoured many sons of many persons. You all will acquire great merit when she will be slaughtered and your good name will be known to all and will last long. You better now go back to your own homes. The man who kills women, children, cows and Brahmins, who burns another’s house with fire, who destroys the wayfares of others, who steals his Guru’s wife, who quarrels with saintly persons, and who drinks wine, if killed, will certainly yield
merits to the man who kills him. If such a one be a female or a Brahmin, no sin will accrue if he or she be slaughtered.
So it is my paramount duty to kill her.” Saying this, the Chandala tied her closely and drawing her by her hairs, began to beat her with a rope. Then he told to Haris’chandra in terse language “O Slave!
Kill her; this woman is by her very nature wicked; so do not judge anything in this matter of killing her.” Hearing these harsh words, like the falling of a thunderbolt, the King shuddered. When he came back to his nature, he fearing lest a woman be killed, said to the Chandala “I am not at all able to carry this order out; so kindly make over this task to some other servant of yours. He will kill her. I will certainly carry out any other order that you would task me to do.” Thus hearing the King, the Chandala said Discard your fear and take the sword; this Mayavini kills always the children; so to kill her is meritorious; in no way whatsoever ought she to be saved. The King became very sorry and said Women should always be protected with care, never to be killed; the more so as the religious Munis have assigned greater sin in the killing of women. The man who kills consciously or unconsciously females, certainly becomes boiled in the Maha Raurava hell.
78-79. The Chandala said “Don’t you say this; take this sharp sword, lustrous like a lightning; where killing one engenders happiness to many, abundance of merits are acquired in doing that. This wicked fellow has eaten many children of this place; so kill her as early as possible and bring peace and happiness to the KasT people.”
80. The King said “O Chief of the Chandalas! I have taken the difficult vow from my childhood, not to kill any woman. Therefore I cannot exert myself in this matter of killing the woman as you order.”
81-82. The Chandala said “O Wicked Fellow! No work is superior which is not the master’s work. Why then are you cancelling today to carry out my order, when you are taking pay from me. The servant that spoils his master’s work, taking his money, is not freed from the hell even if he remains for ten thousand years there.”
83-86. The King said “O Lord of the Chandalas! Put me to some other task that is very difficult. I will do that easily. Or if you have an enemy, specify and I will kill him no doubt within an instant. I will give you the whole earth by killing him. Even if Indra comes against you with the other Devas, or Danavas, or Uragas, or Kinnaras, or Siddhas, or Gandharbas, I will slay him with my sharpened arrows, but I will never be able to kill a woman.” The Chandala, then, began to tremble with anger at these words and said to the King.
87-89. You are a servant and what you have spoken is not fit for a servant. Working as a slave of a Chandala, you are speaking the words of the gods. Therefore, O slave! hear now what I say; no need of exchanging any further words. O Shameless One! If you fear sin a bit why then did you accept the slavery in a Chandala’s house. Take this sword and cut off her head.” Thus speaking the Chandala gave him the axe.
Here ends the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Seventh Book on the quarrels between Haris’chandra and Vis’vamitra in the Maha Puranam, S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, of 18,000 verses, by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25165, revision 76311 (2016-08-19T05:21:26Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk07ch25.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.