Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 114

Mahabharata - Vana Parva

Mahabharata Book III Section 115:English

SECTION CXIV (Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O Janamejaya, the son of Pandu started from the river

• Kaushiki (कौशिकी) (III.114.1) and repaired in succession to all the sacred shrines. And, O protector of men, he came to the sea where the river
• Ganga (गङ्गा) (III.114.2) falls into it; and there in the centre of five hundred rivers, he performed the holy ceremony of a plunge. Then, O ruler of the earth, accompanied by his brothers, the valiant prince proceeded by the shore of the sea towards the land where the Kalinga tribes dwell."

"Lomasa said, 'There is the land, O Kunti's son, where the

• Kalingas (कलिङ्ग) (III.114.3-4) tribes dwell. Through it passeth the river
• Vaitarani (वैतरणी) (III.114.4), on the banks whereof even the god of virtue performed religious river, having first placed himself under the protection of the celestials. Verily, this is the northern bank, inhabited by saints, suitable for the performance of religious rites beautified by a hill, and frequented by persons of the regenerate caste. This spot (in holiness) rivals the path whereby a virtuous man, fit for going to heaven, repairs to the region inhabited by gods. And verily at this spot in former times, other saints likewise worshipped the immortals by the performance of religious rites. And at the very spot it was that the god Rudra, O king of kings, seized the sacrificial beast and exclaimed, 'This is my share!' O chief of the descendants of Bharata, then when the beast was carried away by
• Siva, the gods spake to him saying, 'Cast not a covetous glance at the property of others, disregarding all the righteous rules.' Then they addressed words of glorification of a pleasing kind to the god
• Rudra (रुद्र) (III.114.7). And they satisfied him by offering a sacrifice, and paid him suitable honours. Thereupon he gave up the beast, and went by the path trodden by the gods. Thereupon what happened to
• Rudra (रुद्र) (III.114.9), learn from me, O Yudhishthira! Influenced by the dread of Rudra, the gods set apart for evermore, the best allotment out of all shares, such as was fresh and not stale (to be appropriated by the god). Whosoever performs his ablutions at this spot, while reciting this ancient story, beholds with his mortal eyes the path that leads to the region of the gods.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the sons of Pandu and likewise the daughter of Drupada--all of whom were the favoured of Fate--descended to the river

• Vaitarani (वैतरणी) (III.114.13), and made libations to the names of their fathers.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O Lomasa, how great must be the force of a pious deed! Having taken my bath at this spot in a proper form, I seem to touch no more the region inhabited by mortal men! O saint of a virtuous life, I am beholding all the regions. And this is the noise of the magnanimous dwellers of the wood, who are reciting their audible prayers.'

"Lomasa said, 'O Yudhishthira, the place whence this noise comes and reaches thy ears is at the distance of three hundred thousand yojanas, to be sure. O lord of men, rest thou quiet and utter no word. O king, this is the divine forest of the Self-existent One, which hath now come to our view. There, O king,

• Vishwakarma (विश्वकर्मा) (III.114.17) of a dreaded name performed religious rites. On the mighty occasion of that sacrifice, the Self-existent One made a gift (p. 246) of this entire earth with all its hilly and forest tracts, to
• Kasyapa (कश्यप) (III.114.18), by way of gratuity, for ministering as a priest. And then, O Kuru's son, as soon as that goddess Earth was giving away, she became sad at heart, and wrathfully spake the following words to that great lord, the ruler of the worlds, 'O mighty god, it is unworthy of thee to give me away to an ordinary mortal. And this act of gift on thy part will come to nothing; (for) here am I going to descend into the bottom of the nether world.' Then when the blessed saint Kasyapa beheld the goddess Earth, despondent and sad, he, O protector of men, performed a propitiatory act calculated to appease her wrath. And then, O Pandu's son, the Earth was pleased with his pious deed. And she uprose again from within the waters, and showed herself in the form of a sacred altar. This, O king, is the spot which distinctly manifests the form of an altar. O great monarch, ascend over it, and thou wilt gain valour and strength. And, O king, this is the very altar which reaches as far as the sea, and rests itself upon its bosom. May good luck be thine, do thou mount hereupon, and of thyself cross the sea. And while thou this day mountest upon it, I shall administer the ceremony for averting all evil from thee; for this altar here, as soon as it gets a mortal's touch, at once enters into the sea. Salutation to the god who protects the universe! Salutation to thee that art beyond the universe! O Lord of gods, vouchsafe thy presence in this sea. O Pandu's son, thou must recite the following words of truth, and while so reciting, thou must quickly ascend this altar, 'The god of fire, and the sun, and the organ of generation, and water, and goddess and the seed of Vishnu, and the navel of nectar. The god of fire is the organ that generated the (ocean); the earth is thy body; Vishnu deposited the seed that caused thy being and thou art the navel of nectar.' Thus, O Pandu's son, the words of truth must be audibly recited, and while so reciting, one must plunge into the lord of rivers. O most praiseworthy of Kunti's son, otherwise this lord of waters of divine birth, this best storehouse of the waters (of the earth), should not be touched, O son of Kunti, even with the end of a sacred grass.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then when the ceremony for averting evil had been completed in his behalf, the magnanimous Yudhishthira went into the sea, and having performed all that the saint had bid, repaired to the skirts of the

• Mahendra hill (महेन्द्र) (III.114.26), and spent the night at that spot.'"

Mahabharata Book III Chapter 114:Sanskrit

 1  [वै]
     ततः परयातः कौशिक्याः पाण्डवॊ जनमेजय
     आनुपूर्व्येण सर्वाणि जगामायतनान्य उत
 2 स सागरं समासाथ्य गङ्गायाः संगमे नृप
     नथीशतानां पञ्चानां मध्ये चक्रे समाप्लवम
 3 ततः समुथ्रतीरेण जगाम वसु धाधिपः
     भरातृभिः सहितॊ वीरः कलिङ्गान परति भारत
 4 [ल]
     एते कलिङ्गाः कौन्तेय यत्र वैतरणी नथी
     यत्रायजत धर्मॊ ऽपि थेवाञ शरणम एत्य वै
 5 ऋषिभिः समुपायुक्तं यज्ञियं गिरिशॊभितम
     उत्तरं तीरम एतथ धि सततं थविज सेवितम
 6 समेन थेव यानेन पदा सवर्गम उपेयुसः
     अत्र वै ऋषयॊ ऽनये ऽपि पुरा करतुभिर ईजिरे
 7 अत्रैव रुथ्रॊ राजेन्थ्र पशुम आथत्तवान मखे
     रुथ्रः पशुं मानवेन्थ्र भागॊ ऽयम इति चाब्रवीत
 8 हृते पशौ तथा थेवास तम ऊचुर भरतर्षभ
     मा परस्वम अभिथ्रॊग्धा मा धर्मान सकलान नशीः
 9 ततः कल्याण रूपाभिर वाग्भिस ते रुथ्रम अस्तुवन
     इष्ट्या चैनं तर्पयित्वा मानयां चक्रिरे तथा
 10 ततः स पशुम उत्सृज्य थेव यानेन जग्मिवान
    अत्रानुवंशॊ रुथ्रस्य तं निबॊध युधिष्ठिर
11 अयात यामं सर्वेभ्यॊ भागेभ्यॊ भागम उत्तमम
    थेवाः संकल्पयाम आसुर भयाथ रुथ्रस्य शाश्वतम
12 इमां गादाम अत्र गायन अपः सपृशति यॊ नरः
    थेव यानस तस्य पन्दाश चक्षुश चैव परकाशते
13 [व]
    ततॊ वैतरणीं सर्वे पाण्डवा थरौपथी तदा
    अवतीर्य महाभागा तर्पयां चक्रिरे पितॄन
14 [य]
    उपस्पृश्यैव भगवन्न अस्यां नथ्यां तपॊधन
    मानुषाथ अस्मि विषयाथ अपैतः पश्य लॊमश
15 सर्वाँल लॊकान परपश्यामि परसाथात तव सुव्रत
    वैखानसानां जपताम एष शब्थॊ महात्मनाम
16 [ल]
    तरिशतं वै सहस्राणि यॊजनानां युधिष्ठिर
    यत्र धवनिं शृणॊष्य एनं तूष्णीम आस्स्व विशां पते
17 एतत सवयं भुवॊ राजन वनं रम्यं परकाशते
    यत्रायजत कौन्तेय विश्वकर्मा परतापवान
18 यस्मिन यज्ञे हि भूर थत्ता कश्यपाय महात्मने
    स पर्वत वनॊथ्थेशा थक्षिणा वै सवयं भुवा
19 अवासीथच च कौन्तेय थत्तमात्रा मही तथा
    उवाच चापि कुपिता लॊकेश्वरम इथं परभुम
20 न मां मर्त्याय भगवन कस्मै चिथ थातुम अर्हसि
    परथानं मॊघम एतत ते यास्याम्य एषा रसातलम
21 विसीथन्तीं तु तां थृष्ट्वा कश्पयॊ भगवान ऋषिः
    परसाथयां बभूवाद ततॊ भूमिं विशां पते
22 ततः परसन्ना पृदिवी तपसा तस्य पाण्डव
    पुनर उन्मज्ज्य सलिलाथ वेथी रूपास्दिता बभौ
23 सैषा परकाशते राजन वेथी संस्दान लक्षणा
    आरुह्यात्र महाराज वीर्यवान वै भविष्यसि
24 अहं च ते सवस्त्ययनं परयॊक्ष्ये; यदा तवम एनाम अधिरॊक्ष्यसे ऽथय
    सपृष्टा हि मर्त्येन ततः समुथ्रम; एषा वेथी परविशत्य आजमीढ
25 अग्निर मित्रॊ यॊनिर आपॊ ऽद थेव्यॊ; विष्णॊ रेतस तवम अमृतस्य नाभिः
    एवं बरुवन पाण्डव सत्यवाक्यं; वेथीम इमां तवं तरसाधिरॊह
26 [व]
    ततः कृतस्वस्त्ययनॊ महात्मा; युधिष्ठिरः सागरगाम अगच्छत
    कृत्वा च तच्छासनम अस्य सर्वं; महेन्थ्रम आसाथ्य निशाम उवास

Mahabharata Book III Chapter 114:Transliteration

 1  [vai]
     tataḥ prayātaḥ kauśikyāḥ pāṇḍavo janamejaya
     ānupūrvyeṇa sarvāṇi jagāmāyatanāny uta
 2 sa sāgaraṃ samāsādya gaṅgāyāḥ saṃgame nṛpa
     nadīśatānāṃ pañcānāṃ madhye cakre samāplavam
 3 tataḥ samudratīreṇa jagāma vasu dhādhipaḥ
     bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito vīraḥ kaliṅgān prati bhārata
 4 [l]
     ete kaliṅgāḥ kaunteya yatra vaitaraṇī nadī
     yatrāyajata dharmo 'pi devāñ śaraṇam etya vai
 5 ṛṣibhiḥ samupāyuktaṃ yajñiyaṃ giriśobhitam
     uttaraṃ tīram etad dhi satataṃ dvija sevitam
 6 samena deva yānena pathā svargam upeyusaḥ
     atra vai ṛṣayo 'nye 'pi purā kratubhir ījire
 7 atraiva rudro rājendra paśum ādattavān makhe
     rudraḥ paśuṃ mānavendra bhāgo 'yam iti cābravīt
 8 hṛte paśau tadā devās tam ūcur bharatarṣabha
     mā parasvam abhidrogdhā mā dharmān sakalān naśīḥ
 9 tataḥ kalyāṇa rūpābhir vāgbhis te rudram astuvan
     iṣṭyā cainaṃ tarpayitvā mānayāṃ cakrire tadā
 10 tataḥ sa paśum utsṛjya deva yānena jagmivān
    atrānuvaṃśo rudrasya taṃ nibodha yudhiṣṭhira
11 ayāta yāmaṃ sarvebhyo bhāgebhyo bhāgam uttamam
    devāḥ saṃkalpayām āsur bhayād rudrasya śāśvatam
12 imāṃ gāthām atra gāyan apaḥ spṛśati yo naraḥ
    deva yānas tasya panthāś cakṣuś caiva prakāśate
13 [v]
    tato vaitaraṇīṃ sarve pāṇḍavā draupadī tathā
    avatīrya mahābhāgā tarpayāṃ cakrire pitṝn
14 [y]
    upaspṛśyaiva bhagavann asyāṃ nadyāṃ tapodhana
    mānuṣād asmi viṣayād apaitaḥ paśya lomaśa
15 sarvāṁl lokān prapaśyāmi prasādāt tava suvrata
    vaikhānasānāṃ japatām eṣa śabdo mahātmanām
16 [l]
    triśataṃ vai sahasrāṇi yojanānāṃ yudhiṣṭhira
    yatra dhvaniṃ śṛṇoṣy enaṃ tūṣṇīm āssva viśāṃ pate
17 etat svayaṃ bhuvo rājan vanaṃ ramyaṃ prakāśate
    yatrāyajata kaunteya viśvakarmā pratāpavān
18 yasmin yajñe hi bhūr dattā kaśyapāya mahātmane
    sa parvata vanoddeśā dakṣiṇā vai svayaṃ bhuvā
19 avāsīdac ca kaunteya dattamātrā mahī tadā
    uvāca cāpi kupitā lokeśvaram idaṃ prabhum
20 na māṃ martyāya bhagavan kasmai cid dātum arhasi
    pradānaṃ mogham etat te yāsyāmy eṣā rasātalam
21 visīdantīṃ tu tāṃ dṛṣṭvā kaśpayo bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
    prasādayāṃ babhūvātha tato bhūmiṃ viśāṃ pate
22 tataḥ prasannā pṛthivī tapasā tasya pāṇḍava
    punar unmajjya salilād vedī rūpāsthitā babhau
23 saiṣā prakāśate rājan vedī saṃsthāna lakṣaṇā
    āruhyātra mahārāja vīryavān vai bhaviṣyasi
24 ahaṃ ca te svastyayanaṃ prayokṣye; yathā tvam enām adhirokṣyase 'dya
    spṛṣṭā hi martyena tataḥ samudram; eṣā vedī praviśaty ājamīḍha
25 agnir mitro yonir āpo 'tha devyo; viṣṇo retas tvam amṛtasya nābhiḥ
    evaṃ bruvan pāṇḍava satyavākyaṃ; vedīm imāṃ tvaṃ tarasādhiroha
26 [v]
    tataḥ kṛtasvastyayano mahātmā; yudhiṣṭhiraḥ sāgaragām agacchat
    kṛtvā ca tacchāsanam asya sarvaṃ; mahendram āsādya niśām uvāsa