Mahabharata 3.110: daśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

3.110.1

lomaśa uvāca |
eṣā devanadī puṇyā kauśikī bharatarṣabha |
viśvāmitrāśramo ramya eṣa cātra prakāśate || 1 ||

"Lomasa said, 'This is the pure divine river by name Kausiki. O chief of Bharata's race! and this is the delightful hermitage of Viswamitra, conspicuous here. And this is a hermitage, with a holy name, belonging to Kasyapa of mighty soul; whose son was Rishyasringa, devoted to penances, and of passions under control. He by force of his penances caused Indra to rain; and that god, the slayer of the demons Vala and Vritra, dreading him, poured down rain during a drought. That powerful and mighty son of Kasyapa was born of a hind. He worked a great marvel in the territory of Lomapada. And when the crops had been restored, king Lomapada gave his daughter Santa in marriage to him, as the sun gave in marriage his daughter Savitri.'

3.110.2

āśramaścaiva puṇyākhyaḥ kāśyapasya mahātmanaḥ |
ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ suto yasya tapasvī saṃyatendriyaḥ || 2 ||

3.110.3

tapaso yaḥ prabhāvena varṣayāmāsa vāsavam |
anāvṛṣṭyāṃ bhayādyasya vavarṣa balavṛtrahā || 3 ||

3.110.4

mṛgyāṃ jātaḥ sa tejasvī kāśyapasya sutaḥ prabhuḥ |
viṣaye lomapādasya yaścakārādbhutaṃ mahat || 4 ||

3.110.5

nivartiteṣu sasyeṣu yasmai śāntāṃ dadau nṛpaḥ |
lomapādo duhitaraṃ sāvitrīṃ savitā yathā || 5 ||

3.110.6

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ kathaṃ mṛgyāmutpannaḥ kāśyapātmajaḥ |
viruddhe yonisaṃsarge kathaṃ ca tapasā yutaḥ || 6 ||

"Yudhishthira said, 'How was the son of Kasyapa, Rishyasringa, born of a hind? And how was he endowed with holiness, being the issue of a reprehensible sexual connexion? And for what reason was Indra, the slayer of the demons Vala and Vritra, afraid of that same sagacious boy, and poured down rain during a period of drought? And how beautiful was that princess Santa, pure in life, she who allured the heart of him when he had turned himself into a stag? And since the royal saint Lomapada is said to have been of a virtuous disposition, why was it that in his territory, Indra, the chastiser of the demon Paka, had withheld rain? O holy saint! all this in detail, exactly as it happened, thou wilt be pleased to narrate to me, for I am desirous of hearing the deeds of Rishyasringa's life.'

3.110.7

kimarthaṃ ca bhayācchakrastasya bālasya dhīmataḥ |
anāvṛṣṭyāṃ pravṛttāyāṃ vavarṣa balavṛtrahā || 7 ||

3.110.8

kathaṃrūpā ca śāntābhūdrājaputrī yatavratā |
lobhayāmāsa yā ceto mṛgabhūtasya tasya vai || 8 ||

3.110.9

lomapādaśca rājarṣiryadāśrūyata dhārmikaḥ |
kathaṃ vai viṣaye tasya nāvarṣatpākaśāsanaḥ || 9 ||

3.110.10

etanme bhagavansarvaṃ vistareṇa yathātatham |
vaktumarhasi śuśrūṣorṛśyaśṛṅgasya ceṣṭitam || 10 ||

3.110.11

lomaśa uvāca |
vibhāṇḍakasya brahmarṣestapasā bhāvitātmanaḥ |
amoghavīryasya sataḥ prajāpatisamadyuteḥ || 11 ||

"Lomasa said, 'Hear how Rishyasringa, of dreaded name, was born as a son to Vibhandaka, who was a saint of the Brahmana caste, who had cultured his soul by means of religious austerities, whose seed never failed in causing generation, and who was learned and bright like the Lord of beings. And the father was highly honoured, and the son was possessed of a mighty spirit, and, though a boy, was respected by aged man. And that son of Kasyapa, Vibhandaka, having proceeded to a big lake, devoted himself to the practice of penances. And that same saint, comparable to a god, laboured for a long period. And once while he was washing his mouth in the waters, he beheld the celestial nymph Urvasi--whereupon came out his seminal fluid. And, O king! a hind at that time lapped it up along with the water that she was drinking, being athirst; and from this cause she became with child. That same hind had really been a daughter of the gods, and had been told of yore by the holy Brahma, the creator of the worlds, 'Thou shall be a hind; and when in that form, thou shall give birth to a saint; thou shalt then be freed.' As Destiny would have it, and as the word of the creator would not be untrue, in that same hind was born his (Vibhandaka's) son a mighty saint. And Rishyasringa, devoted to penances, always passed his days in the forest. O king! there was a horn on the head of that magnanimous saint and for this reason did he come to be known at the time by the name of Rishyasringa.

3.110.12

śṛṇu putro yathā jāta ṛśyaśṛṅgaḥ pratāpavān |
mahāhrade mahātejā bālaḥ sthavirasaṃmataḥ || 12 ||

3.110.13

mahāhradaṃ samāsādya kāśyapastapasi sthitaḥ |
dīrghakālaṃ pariśrānta ṛṣirdevarṣisaṃmataḥ || 13 ||

3.110.14

tasya retaḥ pracaskanda dṛṣṭvāpsarasamurvaśīm |
apsūpaspṛśato rājanmṛgī taccāpibattadā || 14 ||

3.110.15

saha toyena tṛṣitā sā garbhiṇyabhavannṛpa |
amoghatvādvidheścaiva bhāvitvāddaivanirmitāt || 15 ||

3.110.16

tasyāṃ mṛgyāṃ samabhavattasya putro mahānṛṣiḥ |
ṛśyaśṛṅgastaponityo vana eva vyavardhata || 16 ||

3.110.17

tasyarśyaśṛṅgaṃ śirasi rājannāsīnmahātmanaḥ |
tenarśyaśṛṅga ityevaṃ tadā sa prathito'bhavat || 17 ||

3.110.18

na tena dṛṣṭapūrvo'nyaḥ pituranyatra mānuṣaḥ |
tasmāttasya mano nityaṃ brahmacarye'bhavannṛpa || 18 ||

And barring his father, not a man had ever before been seen by him; therefore his mind, O protector of men! was entirely devoted to the duties of a continent life. At this very period there was a ruler of the land of Anga known by the name of Lomapada who was a friend of Dasaratha. We have heard that he from love of pleasure had been guilty of a falsehood towards a Brahmana. And that same ruler of the world had at that time been shunned by all persons of the priestly class. And he was without a ministering priest (to assist him in his religious rites). And the god of a thousand eyes (Indra) suddenly abstained from giving rain in his territory; so that his people began to suffer and O lord of the earth! he questioned a number of Brahmanas, devoted to penances, of cultivated minds, and possessed of capabilities with reference to the matter of rain being granted by the lord of gods, saying, 'How may the heavens grant us the rain? Think of an expedient (for this purpose).' And those same cultured men, being thus questioned, gave expression to their respective views. And one among them--the best of saints--spake to that same king, saying, 'O lord of kings! the Brahmanas are angry with thee. Do some act (therefore) for appeasing them. O ruler of the earth! send for Rishyasringa, the son of a saint, resident of the forest knowing nothing of the female sex, and always taking delight in simplicity. O king!

3.110.19

etasminneva kāle tu sakhā daśarathasya vai |
lomapāda iti khyāto aṅgānāmīśvaro'bhavat || 19 ||

3.110.20

tena kāmaḥ kṛto mithyā brāhmaṇebhya iti śrutiḥ |
sa brāhmaṇaiḥ parityaktastadā vai jagatīpatiḥ || 20 ||

3.110.21

purohitāpacārācca tasya rājño yadṛcchayā |
na vavarṣa sahasrākṣastato'pīḍyanta vai prajāḥ || 21 ||

3.110.22

sa brāhmaṇānparyapṛcchattapoyuktānmanīṣiṇaḥ |
pravarṣaṇe surendrasya samarthānpṛthivīpatiḥ || 22 ||

3.110.23

kathaṃ pravarṣetparjanya upāyaḥ paridṛśyatām |
tamūcuścoditāstena svamatāni manīṣiṇaḥ || 23 ||

3.110.24

tatra tveko munivarastaṃ rājānamuvāca ha |
kupitāstava rājendra brāhmaṇā niṣkṛtiṃ cara || 24 ||

3.110.25

ṛśyaśṛṅgaṃ munisutamānayasva ca pārthiva |
vāneyamanabhijñaṃ ca nārīṇāmārjave ratam || 25 ||

3.110.26

sa cedavataredrājanviṣayaṃ te mahātapāḥ |
sadyaḥ pravarṣetparjanya iti me nātra saṃśayaḥ || 26 ||

if he, great in the practice of penances, should show himself in thy territory, forthwith rain would be granted by the heavens, herein I have no doubt at all.' And, O king! having heard these words Lomapada made atonement for his sins. And he went away; and when the Brahmanas had been appeased, he returned again, and seeing the king returned, the people were again glad at heart. Then the king of Anga convened a meeting of his ministers, proficient in giving counsel. And he took great pains in order to settle some plan for securing a visit from Rishyasringa. And, O unswerving (prince)! with those ministers, who were versed in all branches of knowledge, and exceedingly proficient in worldly matters, and had a thorough training in practical affairs, he at last settled a plan (for gaining his object). And then he sent for a number of courtesans, women of the town, clever in everything. And when they came, that same ruler of the earth spake to them, saying, 'Ye lovely women! Ye must find some means to allure, and obtain the confidence of the son of the saint--Rishyasringa, whom ye must bring over to my territory.' And those same women, on the one hand afraid of the anger of the king and on the other, dreading a curse from the saint, became sad and confounded, and declared the business to be beyond their power. One, however, among them--a hoary woman, thus spake to the king, 'O great king! him whose wealth solely consists in penances, I shall try to bring over here.

3.110.27

etacchrutvā vaco rājankṛtvā niṣkṛtimātmanaḥ |
sa gatvā punarāgacchatprasanneṣu dvijātiṣu |
rājānamāgataṃ dṛṣṭvā pratisaṃjagṛhuḥ prajāḥ || 27 ||

3.110.28

tato'ṅgapatirāhūya sacivānmantrakovidān |
ṛśyaśṛṅgāgame yatnamakaronmantraniścaye || 28 ||

3.110.29

so'dhyagacchadupāyaṃ tu tairamātyaiḥ sahācyutaḥ |
śāstrajñairalamarthajñairnītyāṃ ca pariniṣṭhitaiḥ || 29 ||

3.110.30

tata ānāyayāmāsa vāramukhyā mahīpatiḥ |
veśyāḥ sarvatra niṣṇātāstā uvāca sa pārthivaḥ || 30 ||

3.110.31

ṛśyaśṛṅgamṛṣeḥ putramānayadhvamupāyataḥ |
lobhayitvābhiviśvāsya viṣayaṃ mama śobhanāḥ || 31 ||

3.110.32

tā rājabhayabhītāśca śāpabhītāśca yoṣitaḥ |
aśakyamūcustatkāryaṃ vivarṇā gatacetasaḥ || 32 ||

3.110.33

tatra tvekā jaradyoṣā rājānamidamabravīt |
prayatiṣye mahārāja tamānetuṃ tapodhanam || 33 ||

3.110.34

abhipretāṃstu me kāmānsamanujñātumarhasi |
tataḥ śakṣye lobhayitumṛśyaśṛṅgamṛṣeḥ sutam || 34 ||

Thou wilt, however, have to procure for me certain things, in connection with the plan. In that case, I may be able to bring over the son of the saint--Rishyasringa.' Thereupon the king gave an order that all that she might ask for should be procured. And he also gave a good deal of wealth and jewels of various kinds. And then, O Lord of the earth, she took with herself a number of women endowed with beauty and youth, and went to the forest without delay."

3.110.35

tasyāḥ sarvamabhiprāyamanvajānātsa pārthivaḥ |
dhanaṃ ca pradadau bhūri ratnāni vividhāni ca || 35 ||

3.110.36

tato rūpeṇa saṃpannā vayasā ca mahīpate |
striya ādāya kāścitsā jagāma vanamañjasā || 36 ||