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Sixth Skandha · Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Unit 135 of 318Sixth Skandha · Chapter 13Sixth Skandha · Chapter 131 source entries

Sixth Skandha · Chapter 13

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इन्द्र उवाच साहसं कृतवान् राजा पूर्वं यत्कथितो मखः । वरुणाय प्रतिज्ञातः पुत्रं कृत्वा पशुं प्रियम् ॥ १ ॥ गते त्वयि पिता पुत्रं बद्ध्वा यूपेऽघृणः पुनः । पशुं कृत्वा महाबुद्धे वधिष्यति व्यथातुरः ॥ २ ॥ इत्थं निषिद्धस्तत्पुत्रः शक्रेणामिततेजसा । स्थितस्तत्रैव मायेशीमायया मोहितो भृशम् ॥ ३ ॥ यदा पुनः पुनः श्रुत्वा पितरं रोगपीडितम् । गमनाय मतिं चक्रे तदेन्द्रः प्रत्यषेधयत् ॥ ४ ॥ हरिश्चन्द्रोऽतिदुःखार्तः पप्रच्छ गुरुमन्तिके । स्थितं वसिष्ठमेकान्ते सर्वज्ञं हिततत्परम् ॥ ५ ॥ राजोवाच भगवन् कि करोम्यद्य कातरोऽस्मि व्यथाकुलः । त्राहि मां दुःखमनसं महाव्याधिभयातुरम् ॥ ६ ॥ वसिष्ठ उवाच शृणु राजन्नुपायोऽस्ति रोगनाशं प्रति स्तुतः । त्रयोदशविधाः पुत्राः कथिता धर्मसंग्रहे ॥ ७ ॥ तस्मात्क्रीतं सुतं कृत्वा यजस्व मखमुत्तमम् । द्रव्यं दत्त्वा यथोद्दिष्टमानयस्व द्विजोत्तमम् ॥ ८ ॥ एवं कृते मखे भूप रोगनाशो भविष्यति । वरुणोऽपि प्रसन्नात्मा भविष्यति यथासुखम् ॥ ९ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा प्रोवाच मन्त्रिणम् । अन्वेषय महाबुद्धे विषयेष्वतियत्‍नतः ॥ १० ॥ कदाचित्कोऽपि लोभार्थी ददाति स्वसुतं पिता । समानय धनं दत्त्वा यावत्प्रार्थयतेऽप्यसौ ॥ ११ ॥ सर्वथैव समानेयो यज्ञार्थे द्विजबालकः । न कार्या कृपणा बुद्धिस्त्वया मत्कार्यहेतवे ॥ १२ ॥ प्रार्थनीयस्त्वया पुत्रः कस्यचिद्‌द्विजवादिनः । द्रव्येण देहि यज्ञार्थं कर्तव्योऽसौ पशुः किल ॥ १३ ॥ इति सञ्चोदितस्तेन सचिवः कार्यहेतवे । अन्वेषयामास पुरे ग्रामे ग्रामे गृहे गृहे ॥ १४ ॥ एवमन्वेषतस्तस्य विषये कश्चिदातुरः । निर्धनस्त्रिसुतश्चासीदजीगर्तेति नामतः ॥ १५ ॥ तस्य पुत्रं शुनःशेपं मध्यमं मन्त्रिसत्तमः । आनयामास दत्त्वार्थं प्रार्थितं यद्धनं तदा ॥ १६ ॥ समानीय शुनःशेपं सचिवः कार्यतत्परः । राज्ञे निवेदयामास पशुयोग्यं द्विजात्मजम् ॥ १७ ॥ राजातिमुदितस्तेन विप्रानानीय सर्वतः । कारयामास सम्भारान्यज्ञार्थं वेदवित्तमान् ॥ १८ ॥ प्रारब्धे तु मखे तत्र विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । बद्धं दृष्ट्वा शुनःशेपं निषिषेध नृपं तदा ॥ १९ ॥ राजन्मा साहसं कार्षीर्मुञ्चैनं द्विजबालकम् । प्रार्थयाम्यहमायुष्मन् सुखं तेऽद्य भविष्यति ॥ २० ॥ क्रन्दत्ययं शुनःशेपः करुणा मां दुनोत्यपि । दयावान्भव राजेन्द्र कुरु मे वचनं नृप ॥ २१ ॥ परदेहस्य रक्षायै स्वदेहं ये दयापराः । ददति क्षत्रियाः पूर्वं स्वर्गकामाः शुचिव्रताः ॥ २२ ॥ त्वं स्वदेहस्य रक्षार्थं हंसि द्विजसुतं बलात् । पापं मा कुरु राजेन्द्र दयावान् भव बालके ॥ २३ ॥ सर्वेषां सदृशी प्रीतिर्देहे वेत्सि स्वयं नृप । मुञ्चैनं बालकं तस्मात्प्रमाणं यदि मे वचः ॥ २४ ॥ व्यास क्त्वच अनादृत्य च तद्वाक्यं राजा दुःखातुरो भृशम् । न मुमोच मुनिस्तस्मै चूकोपातीव तापसः ॥ २५ ॥ उपदेशं ददौ तस्मै शुनःशेपाय कौशिकः । मन्त्रं पाशधरस्याथ दयावान्वेदवित्तमः ॥ २६ ॥ शुनःशेपोऽपि तं मन्त्रमसकृद्वधकर्शितः । स्तुतस्वरेण चुक्रोश संस्मरन्वरुणं भृशम् ॥ २७ ॥ स्तुवन्तं मुनिपुत्रं तं ज्ञात्वा वै यादसां पतिः । तत्रागत्य शुनःशेपं मुमोच करुणार्णवः ॥ २८ ॥ रोगहीनं नृपं कृत्वा वरुणः स्वगृहं ययौ । विश्वामित्रस्तु तं पुत्रं कृतवान्मोचितं मृतेः ॥ २९ ॥ न कृतं वचनं राज्ञा कौशिकस्य महात्मनः । रोषं दधार मनसा राजोपरि स गाधिजः ॥ ३० ॥ एकस्मिन्समये राजा हयारूढो वनं गतः । सूकरं हन्तुकामस्तु मध्याह्ने कौशिकीतटे ॥ ३१ ॥ वृद्धब्राह्मणवेषेण विश्वामित्रेण वञ्चितः । सर्वस्वं प्रार्थितं तस्य गृहीतं राज्यमद्‌‍भुतम् ॥ ३२ ॥ पीडितोऽसौ हरिश्चन्द्रो यजमानो यतो भृशम् । वसिष्ठः कौशिकं प्राह वने प्राप्तं यदृच्छया ॥ ३३ ॥ क्षत्रियाधम दुर्बुद्धे वृथा ब्राह्मणवेषभृत् । बकधर्म वृथा किं त्वं गर्वं वहसि दाम्भिक ॥ ३४ ॥ कस्मात्त्वया नृपश्रेष्ठो यजमानो ममाप्यसौ । अपराधं विना जाल्म गमितो दुःखमद्‌भुतम् ॥ ३५ ॥ बकध्यानपरो यस्मात्तस्मात्त्वं वै बको भव । इति शप्तो वसिष्ठेन कौशिकः प्राह तं पुनः ॥ ३६ ॥ त्वमप्याडिर्भवायुष्मन् बकोऽहं यावदेव हि । व्यास उवाच एवं परस्परं दत्त्वा शापं तौ क्रोधपीडितौ ॥ ३७ ॥ अण्डजौ तरसा जातौ सरस्याडीबकौ मुनी । एकस्मिन्पादपे नीडं कृत्वासौ बकरूपभाक् ॥ ३८ ॥ विश्वामित्रः स्थितस्तत्र दिव्ये सरसि मानसे । अन्यस्मित्पादपे कृत्वा वसिष्ठो नीडमुत्तमम् ॥ ३९ ॥ आडीरूपधरस्तस्थावन्योन्यं द्वेषतत्परौ । दिने दिने तौ संग्रामं चक्रतुः क्रोधसंयुतौ ॥ ४० ॥ दुःखदं सर्वलोकानां क्रन्दमानावुभौ भृशम् । चञ्चुपक्षप्रहारैस्तु नखाघातैः परस्परम् ॥ ४१ ॥ जघ्नतू रुधिरक्लिनौ पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ । एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि पक्षिरूपधरौ मुनी ॥ ४२ ॥ स्थितौ तत्र महाराज शापपाशेन यन्त्रितौ । राजोवाच कथं मुक्तौ मुनिश्रेष्ठौ शापाद्वसिष्ठकौशिकौ ॥ ४३ ॥ तन्ममाचक्ष्व विप्रर्षे परं कौतूहलं हि मे । व्यास उवाच युध्यमानाब्वुभौ दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥ ४४ ॥ तत्राजगामानिमिषैर्वृतः सर्वैर्दयापरैः । तावाश्वास्य जगत्कर्ता युद्धतो विनिवार्य च ॥ ४५ ॥ शापं संमोचयामास तयोः क्षिप्तं परस्परम् । ततो जग्मुः सुराः सर्वे स्वानि धिष्ण्यानि पद्मभूः ॥ ४६ ॥ सत्यलोकं जगामाशु हंसारूढः प्रतापवान् । विश्वामित्रोऽप्यगात्तूर्णं वसिष्ठः स्वाश्रमं गतः ॥ ४७ ॥ मिथः स्नेहं ततः कृत्वा प्रजापत्युपदेशतः । मैत्रावरुणिनाप्येवं कृतं युद्धमकारणम् ॥ ४८ ॥ कौशिकेन समं भूप दुःखदं च परस्परम् । को नाम मानवो लोके देवो वा दानवोऽपि वा ॥ ४९ ॥ अहङ्कारजयं कृत्वा सर्वदा सुखभाग्भवेत् । तस्माद्‌राजंश्चित्तशुद्धिर्महतामपि दुर्लभा ॥ ५० ॥ यत्‍नेन साधनीया सा तद्विहीनं निरर्थकम् । तीर्थं दानं तपः सत्यं यत्किञ्चिद्धर्मसाधनम् ॥ ५१ ॥ (श्रद्धात्र त्रिविधा प्रोक्ता सात्त्विकी राजसी तथा । तामसी सर्वदेहेषु देहिनां धर्मकर्मसु ॥ सात्त्विकी दुर्लभा लोके यथोक्तफलदा सदा । तदर्धफलदा प्रोक्ता राजसी विधिसंयुता ॥ तामसी त्वफला राजन्न तु कीर्तिकरी पुनः । कामक्रोधाभिभूतानां जनानां नृपसत्तम ॥) वासनारहितं कृत्वा तच्चित्तं श्रवणादिना । तीर्थादिषु वसेन्नित्यं देवीपूजनतत्परः ॥ ५२ ॥ देवीनामानि वचसा गृह्णंस्तस्या गुणान्स्तुवन् । ध्यायंस्तस्याः पदाम्भोजं कलिदोषभयार्दितः ॥ ५३ ॥ एवं तु कुर्वतस्तस्य न कदाचित्कलेर्भयम् । अनायासेन संसारान्मुच्यते पातकी जनः ॥ ५४ ॥

indra uvāca sāhasaṃ kṛtavān rājā pūrvaṃ yatkathito makhaḥ | varuṇāya pratijñātaḥ putraṃ kṛtvā paśuṃ priyam || 1 || gate tvayi pitā putraṃ baddhvā yūpe'ghṛṇaḥ punaḥ | paśuṃ kṛtvā mahābuddhe vadhiṣyati vyathāturaḥ || 2 || itthaṃ niṣiddhastatputraḥ śakreṇāmitatejasā | sthitastatraiva māyeśīmāyayā mohito bhṛśam || 3 || yadā punaḥ punaḥ śrutvā pitaraṃ rogapīḍitam | gamanāya matiṃ cakre tadendraḥ pratyaṣedhayat || 4 || hariścandro'tiduḥkhārtaḥ papraccha gurumantike | sthitaṃ vasiṣṭhamekānte sarvajñaṃ hitatatparam || 5 || rājovāca bhagavan ki karomyadya kātaro'smi vyathākulaḥ | trāhi māṃ duḥkhamanasaṃ mahāvyādhibhayāturam || 6 || vasiṣṭha uvāca śṛṇu rājannupāyo'sti roganāśaṃ prati stutaḥ | trayodaśavidhāḥ putrāḥ kathitā dharmasaṃgrahe || 7 || tasmātkrītaṃ sutaṃ kṛtvā yajasva makhamuttamam | dravyaṃ dattvā yathoddiṣṭamānayasva dvijottamam || 8 || evaṃ kṛte makhe bhūpa roganāśo bhaviṣyati | varuṇo'pi prasannātmā bhaviṣyati yathāsukham || 9 || vyāsa uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājā provāca mantriṇam | anveṣaya mahābuddhe viṣayeṣvatiyat‍nataḥ || 10 || kadācitko'pi lobhārthī dadāti svasutaṃ pitā | samānaya dhanaṃ dattvā yāvatprārthayate'pyasau || 11 || sarvathaiva samāneyo yajñārthe dvijabālakaḥ | na kāryā kṛpaṇā buddhistvayā matkāryahetave || 12 || prārthanīyastvayā putraḥ kasyacid‌dvijavādinaḥ | dravyeṇa dehi yajñārthaṃ kartavyo'sau paśuḥ kila || 13 || iti sañcoditastena sacivaḥ kāryahetave | anveṣayāmāsa pure grāme grāme gṛhe gṛhe || 14 || evamanveṣatastasya viṣaye kaścidāturaḥ | nirdhanastrisutaścāsīdajīgarteti nāmataḥ || 15 || tasya putraṃ śunaḥśepaṃ madhyamaṃ mantrisattamaḥ | ānayāmāsa dattvārthaṃ prārthitaṃ yaddhanaṃ tadā || 16 || samānīya śunaḥśepaṃ sacivaḥ kāryatatparaḥ | rājñe nivedayāmāsa paśuyogyaṃ dvijātmajam || 17 || rājātimuditastena viprānānīya sarvataḥ | kārayāmāsa sambhārānyajñārthaṃ vedavittamān || 18 || prārabdhe tu makhe tatra viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | baddhaṃ dṛṣṭvā śunaḥśepaṃ niṣiṣedha nṛpaṃ tadā || 19 || rājanmā sāhasaṃ kārṣīrmuñcainaṃ dvijabālakam | prārthayāmyahamāyuṣman sukhaṃ te'dya bhaviṣyati || 20 || krandatyayaṃ śunaḥśepaḥ karuṇā māṃ dunotyapi | dayāvānbhava rājendra kuru me vacanaṃ nṛpa || 21 || paradehasya rakṣāyai svadehaṃ ye dayāparāḥ | dadati kṣatriyāḥ pūrvaṃ svargakāmāḥ śucivratāḥ || 22 || tvaṃ svadehasya rakṣārthaṃ haṃsi dvijasutaṃ balāt | pāpaṃ mā kuru rājendra dayāvān bhava bālake || 23 || sarveṣāṃ sadṛśī prītirdehe vetsi svayaṃ nṛpa | muñcainaṃ bālakaṃ tasmātpramāṇaṃ yadi me vacaḥ || 24 || vyāsa ktvaca anādṛtya ca tadvākyaṃ rājā duḥkhāturo bhṛśam | na mumoca munistasmai cūkopātīva tāpasaḥ || 25 || upadeśaṃ dadau tasmai śunaḥśepāya kauśikaḥ | mantraṃ pāśadharasyātha dayāvānvedavittamaḥ || 26 || śunaḥśepo'pi taṃ mantramasakṛdvadhakarśitaḥ | stutasvareṇa cukrośa saṃsmaranvaruṇaṃ bhṛśam || 27 || stuvantaṃ muniputraṃ taṃ jñātvā vai yādasāṃ patiḥ | tatrāgatya śunaḥśepaṃ mumoca karuṇārṇavaḥ || 28 || rogahīnaṃ nṛpaṃ kṛtvā varuṇaḥ svagṛhaṃ yayau | viśvāmitrastu taṃ putraṃ kṛtavānmocitaṃ mṛteḥ || 29 || na kṛtaṃ vacanaṃ rājñā kauśikasya mahātmanaḥ | roṣaṃ dadhāra manasā rājopari sa gādhijaḥ || 30 || ekasminsamaye rājā hayārūḍho vanaṃ gataḥ | sūkaraṃ hantukāmastu madhyāhne kauśikītaṭe || 31 || vṛddhabrāhmaṇaveṣeṇa viśvāmitreṇa vañcitaḥ | sarvasvaṃ prārthitaṃ tasya gṛhītaṃ rājyamad‌‍bhutam || 32 || pīḍito'sau hariścandro yajamāno yato bhṛśam | vasiṣṭhaḥ kauśikaṃ prāha vane prāptaṃ yadṛcchayā || 33 || kṣatriyādhama durbuddhe vṛthā brāhmaṇaveṣabhṛt | bakadharma vṛthā kiṃ tvaṃ garvaṃ vahasi dāmbhika || 34 || kasmāttvayā nṛpaśreṣṭho yajamāno mamāpyasau | aparādhaṃ vinā jālma gamito duḥkhamad‌bhutam || 35 || bakadhyānaparo yasmāttasmāttvaṃ vai bako bhava | iti śapto vasiṣṭhena kauśikaḥ prāha taṃ punaḥ || 36 || tvamapyāḍirbhavāyuṣman bako'haṃ yāvadeva hi | vyāsa uvāca evaṃ parasparaṃ dattvā śāpaṃ tau krodhapīḍitau || 37 || aṇḍajau tarasā jātau sarasyāḍībakau munī | ekasminpādape nīḍaṃ kṛtvāsau bakarūpabhāk || 38 || viśvāmitraḥ sthitastatra divye sarasi mānase | anyasmitpādape kṛtvā vasiṣṭho nīḍamuttamam || 39 || āḍīrūpadharastasthāvanyonyaṃ dveṣatatparau | dine dine tau saṃgrāmaṃ cakratuḥ krodhasaṃyutau || 40 || duḥkhadaṃ sarvalokānāṃ krandamānāvubhau bhṛśam | cañcupakṣaprahāraistu nakhāghātaiḥ parasparam || 41 || jaghnatū rudhiraklinau puṣpitāviva kiṃśukau | evaṃ bahūni varṣāṇi pakṣirūpadharau munī || 42 || sthitau tatra mahārāja śāpapāśena yantritau | rājovāca kathaṃ muktau muniśreṣṭhau śāpādvasiṣṭhakauśikau || 43 || tanmamācakṣva viprarṣe paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me | vyāsa uvāca yudhyamānābvubhau dṛṣṭvā brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ || 44 || tatrājagāmānimiṣairvṛtaḥ sarvairdayāparaiḥ | tāvāśvāsya jagatkartā yuddhato vinivārya ca || 45 || śāpaṃ saṃmocayāmāsa tayoḥ kṣiptaṃ parasparam | tato jagmuḥ surāḥ sarve svāni dhiṣṇyāni padmabhūḥ || 46 || satyalokaṃ jagāmāśu haṃsārūḍhaḥ pratāpavān | viśvāmitro'pyagāttūrṇaṃ vasiṣṭhaḥ svāśramaṃ gataḥ || 47 || mithaḥ snehaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā prajāpatyupadeśataḥ | maitrāvaruṇināpyevaṃ kṛtaṃ yuddhamakāraṇam || 48 || kauśikena samaṃ bhūpa duḥkhadaṃ ca parasparam | ko nāma mānavo loke devo vā dānavo'pi vā || 49 || ahaṅkārajayaṃ kṛtvā sarvadā sukhabhāgbhavet | tasmād‌rājaṃścittaśuddhirmahatāmapi durlabhā || 50 || yat‍nena sādhanīyā sā tadvihīnaṃ nirarthakam | tīrthaṃ dānaṃ tapaḥ satyaṃ yatkiñciddharmasādhanam || 51 || (śraddhātra trividhā proktā sāttvikī rājasī tathā | tāmasī sarvadeheṣu dehināṃ dharmakarmasu || sāttvikī durlabhā loke yathoktaphaladā sadā | tadardhaphaladā proktā rājasī vidhisaṃyutā || tāmasī tvaphalā rājanna tu kīrtikarī punaḥ | kāmakrodhābhibhūtānāṃ janānāṃ nṛpasattama ||) vāsanārahitaṃ kṛtvā taccittaṃ śravaṇādinā | tīrthādiṣu vasennityaṃ devīpūjanatatparaḥ || 52 || devīnāmāni vacasā gṛhṇaṃstasyā guṇānstuvan | dhyāyaṃstasyāḥ padāmbhojaṃ kalidoṣabhayārditaḥ || 53 || evaṃ tu kurvatastasya na kadācitkalerbhayam | anāyāsena saṃsārānmucyate pātakī janaḥ || 54 ||

English translation

1-6. Indra said “O Prince! The King Haris’chandra promised before to Varuna that he would celebrate for his propitiation the great Naramedha sacrifice when he would offer his own son as a victim to be immolated. O Prince! You are very intelligent; can’t you grasp this idea that your father has become merciless due to his suffering in this illness and no sooner you go there than he will make you the victim and tie you to the sacrificial post when you will be slaughtered.” The indomitable Indra thus prohibiting the son, he began to stay there deluded by the Maya of the great Maha Maya. O King! Thus whenever the prince heard of his father’s severe illness, he wanted to go to his father, Indra repeatedly used to go to him and prevent him from doing so. On the other hand, the King Haris’chandra became very much afflicted, and, seeing his family Guru all-knowing well-wisher Vas’istha close by, asked him, “O Bhagavan! what am I to do now? I am now very impatient with the agonies of this disease and am very weak; besides I am very much afraid of it. Kindly give me a good advice and save me.”

7-9. Vas’istha said “O King! There is a good remedy for the cure of your disease. It is stated in the S’astras that the sons are of thirteen kinds; Aurasa, Ksattraja, Datrima, Kritrima; etc. Therefore pay the reasonable price and buy one good Brahmin boy and perform your sacrifice with that boy. O King! Thus Varuna will be pleased and you will be cured of your disease.”

10-24. Vyasa said O King! Hearing thus the words of Vas’istha, the King Haris’chandra addressed to his minister“O Minister-in-

Chief! You are very sharp and intelligent, therefore you better try your best and seek in my kingdom a Brahmin boy. In case a poor Brahmin be willing, out of his love for money, to give over his son, then give him any amount he wants and bring his son. O Minister! By all means, bring a Brahmin boy for this sacrifice; in other words, do not be miserly or act lazily to perform my business. You should pray to any Brahmin thus Take this money and give your son, who will be sacrificed in a sacrificial ceremony as a victim.” Thus ordered, the minister sought for a Brahmin boy in towns after towns, villages after villages, and houses after houses. Till, at last, he came to know that in his kingdom there was a poor distressed Brahmin named Ajigarta, who had three sons. Then the minister gave to the Brahmin that he wanted and purchased his second son named S’unahs’epha and brought him before the King. And handed him over to the King, saying that this Brahmin boy is fit for the sacrificial victim. The King then gladly brought the best Brahmins versed in the Vedas for the performance of the sacrifice, and collected all the articles requisite for the purpose. When the sacrifice was commenced, the great Muni VisVamitra, seeing S’unahs’epha tied, prohibited the King and said - “O King! Do not be so bold as to sacrifice this boy; let this boy be free. O long-lived One! I am asking this thing from you today and if you obey it, certainly it will do good to you. O King! This boy S’unahs’epha is crying; his cries are paining my heart and I am feeling pity for him. Hear my word and free this boy out of mercy.

See! The purehearted Ksattriyas, in ancient days, used to sacrifice their own bodies and thus preserve others’ bodies, so that they might attain the Heavens. And now you are killing this Brahmin boy forcibly so that you may preserve your own body; judge how vicious is this your act! Be merciful to this boy. O King! Everyone likes his own body to the same extent; you are feeling this yourself; therefore if you take my word, then quit this boy.”

25-36. Vyasa said O King! The King Haris’chandra was ailing very much; hence be did not pay any heed to the Muni’s words and did

not quit the boy. Thereupon the very fiery spirited VisVamitra became very angry with the King. Then VisVamitra, the son of Kus’ika, the foremost of the knowers of the Vedas, shewed mercy on S’unahs’epha and gave him the “Varuna Mantram.” S’unahs’epha, very much afraid to lose his life, earnestly repeatedly remembered Varuna and uttered that mantram in pluta tone (lengthened or prolonged). Varuna, too, the ocean of mercy, knowing that the Brahmin boy was praising him with hymns came up to that spot and freed S’unahs’epha from his bondage and freed the King also from his disease and went back to his own abode. Thus the Maharsi Vis’vamitra became very glad to rescue the Muni’s son from the jaws of death. The King Haris’chandra did not observe the words of Vis’vamitra; hence the son of Gadhi harboured within his heart anger towards the King. One day while the King Haris’chandra was riding in a forest and there, at midday, on the banks of the river Kaus’ik, when he desired to kill a boar, Vis’vamitra in the garb of an old Brahmin asked from him everything that he had, including his dominion and thus cunningly took away everything from the King. The Maharsi Vas’istha, seeing his Yajamana Haris’chandra suffering much, became wounded and felt pain in his mind. One day when he met casually with Vis’vamitra in a forest, he said “O wicked Ksattriya! A disgrace to your family! You have in vain put on the garb of a Brahmin; your religion is like a crane; you ate full of vanity; you boast for nothing. The best of kings, Haris’chandra is my client; be is faultless; still, O Fool! Why are you giving him so much trouble. As you are religious as a crane is religious, so take your birth as a crane.” Vis’vamitra, thus cursed by Vas’istha, cursed Vas’istha in return, and said “O Vas’istha! As long as I will remain a crane, so long you also remain as S’arali or Adi bird.”

37-42. Vyasa said O King! The two angry Munis thus cursed each other and the two were born as Crane and S’arali or Adi bird. The crane Vis’vamitra built its nest on the top of a tree on the Manasarovara lake and began to live there. Vas’istha, too, assumed

the form of an Adi bird, and built his nest on the top of another tree and lived there. Thus the two Risis spent their days in full enmity towards each other. These two birds used to shriek so terribly loud that they became a nuisance to all; they fought daily with each other. They used to strike each other with beaks and wings and nails and thus they were covered all over their bodies with cuts and wounds and they were smeared with blood. They began to look like Kims’uka trees. Thus the two Risis, in the shape of birds, in their states of bondage, due to each other’s curse, passed many years there.

43. Janamejaya said “O Brahmana! Kindly tell me how Vas’istha and Kaus’ika, the two Risis, became free from their curses; I am very curious to hear this.”

44-54. Vyasa said Brahma, the Grandsire of his subjects, came there with all the Devas, filled with mercy, on seeing those two Risis at war against each other. Brahma, the Lotus-seated, made them desist from such a fight, consoled them and freed both of them from each other’s curses. Then the Devas went back to their own abodes and the illustrious lotus-seated Brahma went to the Satyaloka, seated on his Swan. Maharsi Vas’istha and Vis’vamitra became then friends and were tied with bonds of affection at the advice of Brahma; they went back to their own As’ramas. O King! Now see, that the Maharsi Vas’istha, the son of Mitra-Varuna, fought for nothing with Vis’vamitra, so painful to both the parties. Who, then, amongst the human beings, the Danavas or the Devas can conquer his Ahamkara (egoism) and be always happy? Therefore the Chitta- S’uddhi, the purity of the heart (that purity which imparts to man the blessedness of God-vision) is very difficult even for the high-souled persons; with the greatest caution and utmost effort one has to practise for that. To those persons, that are void of this Chitta S’uddhi, it is all vain to go to places of pilgrimage, to make charities, to practise tapasya, to be truthful; in fact, anything, which is the

means to attain Dharma, becomes useless. O King! S’raddha (Faith) is of three kinds (1) Sattviki, (2) Rajasiki and (3) Tamasiki to all persons in all their religious matters. The Sattvik faith is the only one of the three that yields entire results; and it is very rare in this world. The Rajasik faith, done according to due rules, yields half the results thereof and the Tamasik faith is fruitless and inglorious; the Tamasik faith arises with those persons that are overwhelmed with lust, anger, greed, etc. Therefore, O King! Keep to the company of the good and hear the S’astras, Vedanta, etc., and free the heart of worldly desires and then concentrate it to the worship of the Devi and live in a sacred place of pilgrimage. Men afraid and troubled with the defects of the Kaliyuga, should always take the name of the Devi, sing praises, and meditate on Her lotus feet. Thus the JTvas will not have any fear of Kali and the fallen vicious persons will easily be able to cross this ocean of the world and be free. There is no doubt in this.

Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the description of the battle between Adi and Baka after the discourse on S’unahs’epha in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Mahapuranam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 33259, revision 86848 (2016-10-24T01:32:27Z). 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/bk06ch13.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.