Mahabharata 3.135: pañcatriṃśadadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

3.135.1

lomaśa uvāca |
eṣā madhuvilā rājansamaṅgā saṃprakāśate |
etatkardamilaṃ nāma bharatasyābhiṣecanam || 1 ||

"Lomasa said, 'Here, O king, is visible the river Samanga, whose former name was Madhuvila, and yonder is the spot named Kardamila, the bathing place of Bharata. The lord of Sachi, when fallen into misery in consequence of having slain Vritra, became freed from his sin, by performing his ablutions in this Samanga. Here, O bull among men, is the spot where the Mainaka mountain hath sunk into the interior of the earth; and it is hence called Vinasana. For obtaining sons, here Aditi in days of yore had cooked that celebrated food, (presided over by the Supreme Being). O ye bulls among men, ascended this lofty mountain and put an end to your inglorious misery unworthy to be uttered. Here, O king, before thee is the Kanakhala range, the favourite resort of sages. 'And yonder is the mighty river Ganga. Here, in ancient times, the holy sage Sanatkumara attained ascetic success. O scion of the Ajamidha race, by performing thy ablutions here in this river, thou wilt be freed from all thy sins. O son of Kunti, do thou together with thy ministers, touch (the waters) of this lake called Punya, and this mountain Bhrigutunga and also (the water of) these two rivers, called Tushniganga. Here, O Kunti's son, appeareth the hermitage of the sage Sthulasiras. Resign here thy anger and sense of self-importance. There, O son of Pandu, is seen the beautiful hermitage of Raivya, where perished Bharadwaja's son, Yavakari, profound in Vedic lore.'"

3.135.2

alakṣmyā kila saṃyukto vṛtraṃ hatvā śacīpatiḥ |
āplutaḥ sarvapāpebhyaḥ samaṅgāyāṃ vyamucyata || 2 ||

3.135.3

etadvinaśanaṃ kukṣau mainākasya nararṣabha |
aditiryatra putrārthaṃ tadannamapacatpurā || 3 ||

3.135.4

enaṃ parvatarājānamāruhya puruṣarṣabha |
ayaśasyāmasaṃśabdyāmalakṣmīṃ vyapanotsyatha || 4 ||

3.135.5

ete kanakhalā rājanṛṣīṇāṃ dayitā nagāḥ |
eṣā prakāśate gaṅgā yudhiṣṭhira mahānadī || 5 ||

3.135.6

sanatkumāro bhagavānatra siddhimagātparām |
ājamīḍhāvagāhyaināṃ sarvapāpaiḥ pramokṣyase || 6 ||

3.135.7

apāṃ hradaṃ ca puṇyākhyaṃ bhṛgutuṅgaṃ ca parvatam |
tūṣṇīṃ gaṅgāṃ ca kaunteya sāmātyaḥ samupaspṛśa || 7 ||

3.135.8

āśramaḥ sthūlaśiraso ramaṇīyaḥ prakāśate |
atra mānaṃ ca kaunteya krodhaṃ caiva vivarjaya || 8 ||

3.135.9

eṣa raibhyāśramaḥ śrīmānpāṇḍaveya prakāśate |
bhāradvājo yatra kaviryavakrīto vyanaśyata || 9 ||

3.135.10

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
kathaṃyukto'bhavadṛṣirbharadvājaḥ pratāpavān |
kimarthaṃ ca yavakrīta ṛṣiputro vyanaśyata || 10 ||

"Yudhishthira said, 'How did the mighty sage, Yavakri, son of the ascetic Bharadwaja, acquire profundity in the Vedas? And how also did he perish? I am anxious to hear all this, just as it happened. I take delight in listening to the narration of the deeds of god-like men.'"

3.135.11

etatsarvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ śrotumicchāmi lomaśa |
karmabhirdevakalpānāṃ kīrtyamānairbhṛśaṃ rame || 11 ||

3.135.12

lomaśa uvāca |
bharadvājaśca raibhyaśca sakhāyau saṃbabhūvatuḥ |
tāvūṣaturihātyantaṃ prīyamāṇau vanāntare || 12 ||

"Lomasa said, 'Bharadwaja and Raivya were two friends. And they dwelt here, ever taking the greatest pleasure in each other's company. Now, Raivya had two sons, named Arvavasu and Paravasu. And, Bharadwaja, O Bharata's son, had an only son, named Yavakri. Raivya and his two sons were versed in the Vedas, while Bharadwaja practised asceticism. But, O son of Bharata, from their boyhood, the friendship subsisting between those two was unequalled. O sinless one, the highspirited Yavakri finding that his father, who practised asceticism, was slighted by the Brahmanas, while Raivya with his sons was greatly respected by them, was overwhelmed with sorrow, and became sore aggrieved. Thereupon, O son of Pandu, he entered upon severe austerities, for (obtaining) a knowledge of the Vedas. And he exposed his body to a flaming fire. By thus practising the most rigid austerities, he caused anxiety in the mind of Indra. Then Indra, O Yudhishthira, went to him and addressed him saying, 'Wherefore, O sage, hast thou become engaged in practising such rigid austerities?' Yavakri said, 'O thou adored of celestial hosts, I am practising severe penances, because I wish that such a knowledge of the Vedas as hath never been acquired by any Brahmana whatever, may be manifest unto me. O conqueror of Paka, these endeavours of mine have been for Vedic lore. O Kausika, by the force of my asceticism. I purpose to obtain all sorts of knowledge. O lord, a knowledge of the Vedas as learnt through teachers, is acquired in a long time. Therefore, (with the view of attaining in short time a proficiency in the Vedas), I have put forth these high endeavours.' Indra said, 'O Brahmana sage, the way that thou hast adopted is not the proper way. What for, O Brahamana, wilt thou destroy thyself? Go and learn from the lips of a preceptor.'

3.135.13

raibhyasya tu sutāvāstāmarvāvasuparāvasū |
āsīdyavakrīḥ putrastu bharadvājasya bhārata || 13 ||

3.135.14

raibhyo vidvānsahāpatyastapasvī cetaro'bhavat |
tayoścāpyatulā prītirbālyātprabhṛti bhārata || 14 ||

3.135.15

yavakrīḥ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā tapasvinamasatkṛtam |
dṛṣṭvā ca satkṛtaṃ viprai raibhyaṃ putraiḥ sahānagha || 15 ||

3.135.16

paryatapyata tejasvī manyunābhipariplutaḥ |
tapastepe tato ghoraṃ vedajñānāya pāṇḍava || 16 ||

3.135.17

susamiddhe mahatyagnau śarīramupatāpayan |
janayāmāsa saṃtāpamindrasya sumahātapāḥ || 17 ||

3.135.18

tata indro yavakrītamupagamya yudhiṣṭhira |
abravītkasya hetostvamāsthitastapa uttamam || 18 ||

3.135.19

yavakrīruvāca |
dvijānāmanadhītā vai vedāḥ suragaṇārcita |
pratibhāntviti tapye'hamidaṃ paramakaṃ tapaḥ || 19 ||

3.135.20

svādhyāyārthe samārambho mamāyaṃ pākaśāsana |
tapasā jñātumicchāmi sarvajñānāni kauśika || 20 ||

3.135.21

kālena mahatā vedāḥ śakyā gurumukhādvibho |
prāptuṃ tasmādayaṃ yatnaḥ paramo me samāsthitaḥ || 21 ||

3.135.22

indra uvāca |
amārga eṣa viprarṣe yena tvaṃ yātumicchasi |
kiṃ vighātena te vipra gacchādhīhi gurormukhāt || 22 ||

3.135.23

lomaśa uvāca |
evamuktvā gataḥ śakro yavakrīrapi bhārata |
bhūya evākarodyatnaṃ tapasyamitavikrama || 23 ||

"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata, having said this, Sakra went away, and Yavakri of immeasurable energy, once more directed his attention to asceticism. O king, we have heard that carrying on severe austerities he again greatly agitated Indra. And the god Indra, slayer of Vala, again came unto that great sage, who was engaged in austere penances; and forbade him, saying, Thou art striving with the object that Vedic lore may be manifest unto thee as well as unto thy father; but thy exertions can never be successful, nor is this act of thine well-advised.' Yavakri said, 'O lord of the celestials, if thou wilt not do for me what I want, I shall, observing stricter vows, practise still severer penances. O lord of celestials! know that if thou do not fulfil all my desires, I shall then cut off my limbs and offer them as a sacrifice into a blazing fire.'

3.135.24

ghoreṇa tapasā rājaṃstapyamāno mahātapāḥ |
saṃtāpayāmāsa bhṛśaṃ devendramiti naḥ śrutam || 24 ||

3.135.25

taṃ tathā tapyamānaṃ tu tapastīvraṃ mahāmunim |
upetya balabhiddevo vārayāmāsa vai punaḥ || 25 ||

3.135.26

aśakyo'rthaḥ samārabdho naitadbuddhikṛtaṃ tava |
pratibhāsyanti vai vedāstava caiva pituśca te || 26 ||

3.135.27

yavakrīruvāca |
na caitadevaṃ kriyate devarāja mamepsitam |
mahatā niyamenāhaṃ tapsye ghorataraṃ tapaḥ || 27 ||

3.135.28

samiddhe'gnāvupakṛtyāṅgamaṅgaṃ hoṣyāmi vā maghavaṃstannibodha |
yadyetadevaṃ na karoṣi kāmaṃ mamepsitaṃ devarājeha sarvam || 28 ||

3.135.29

lomaśa uvāca |
niścayaṃ tamabhijñāya munestasya mahātmanaḥ |
prativāraṇahetvarthaṃ buddhyā saṃcintya buddhimān || 29 ||

"Lomasa said, 'Knowing the determination of that high-souled sage, the sagacious Indra reflected and hit upon some expedient to dissuade him. Then Indra assumed the guise of an ascetic Brahmana, hundreds of years old, and infirm, and suffering from consumption. And he fell to throwing up a dam with sands, at that spot of the Bhagirathi to which Yavakri used to descend for performing ablutions. Because Yavakri, chief of the Brahmanas, paid no heed to Indra's words, the latter began to fill the Ganga with sands. And without cessation, he threw handfuls of sand into the Bhagirathi, and began to construct the dam attracting the notice of the sage. And when that bull among the sages, Yavakri, saw Indra thus earnestly engaged in constructing the dam, he broke into laughter, and said the following words, 'What art thou engaged in, O Brahmana, and what is thy object? Why dost thou, for nothing, make this mighty endeavour?' Indra said, 'I am trying, O my son, to dam the Ganga so that there may be a commodious passage. People experience considerable difficulty in crossing and recrossing (the river) by boat.' Yavakri said, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, thou canst not dam up this mighty current. O Brahmana, desist from, what is impracticable, and take up something that is practicable.' Indra said, 'O sage, I have imposed on myself this heavy task, even as, for obtaining a knowledge of the Vedas, thou hast begun these penances, which can never be fruitful.' Yavakri said, 'If, O chief of the celestials, those efforts of mine be fruitless, even as those of thy own, then, O lord of heavenly hosts, be thou pleased to do for me what is practicable. Vouchsafe unto me boons whereby I may excel other men.'

3.135.30

tata indro'karodrūpaṃ brāhmaṇasya tapasvinaḥ |
anekaśatavarṣasya durbalasya sayakṣmaṇaḥ || 30 ||

3.135.31

yavakrītasya yattīrthamucitaṃ śaucakarmaṇi |
bhāgīrathyāṃ tatra setuṃ vālukābhiścakāra saḥ || 31 ||

3.135.32

yadāsya vadato vākyaṃ na sa cakre dvijottamaḥ |
vālukābhistataḥ śakro gaṅgāṃ samabhipūrayan || 32 ||

3.135.33

vālukāmuṣṭimaniśaṃ bhāgīrathyāṃ vyasarjayat |
setumabhyārabhacchakro yavakrītaṃ nidarśayan || 33 ||

3.135.34

taṃ dadarśa yavakrīstu yatnavantaṃ nibandhane |
prahasaṃścābravīdvākyamidaṃ sa munipuṃgavaḥ || 34 ||

3.135.35

kimidaṃ vartate brahmankiṃ ca te ha cikīrṣitam |
atīva hi mahānyatnaḥ kriyate'yaṃ nirarthakaḥ || 35 ||

3.135.36

indra uvāca |
bandhiṣye setunā gaṅgāṃ sukhaḥ panthā bhaviṣyati |
kliśyate hi janastāta taramāṇaḥ punaḥ punaḥ || 36 ||

3.135.37

yavakrīruvāca |
nāyaṃ śakyastvayā baddhuṃ mahānoghaḥ kathaṃcana |
aśakyādvinivartasva śakyamarthaṃ samārabha || 37 ||

3.135.38

indra uvāca |
yathaiva bhavatā cedaṃ tapo vedārthamudyatam |
aśakyaṃ tadvadasmābhirayaṃ bhāraḥ samudyataḥ || 38 ||

3.135.39

yavakrīruvāca |
yathā tava nirartho'yamārambhastridaśeśvara |
tathā yadi mamāpīdaṃ manyase pākaśāsana || 39 ||

3.135.40

kriyatāṃ yadbhavecchakyaṃ mayā suragaṇeśvara |
varāṃśca me prayacchānyānyairanyānbhavitāsmyati || 40 ||

3.135.41

lomaśa uvāca |
tasmai prādādvarānindra uktavānyānmahātapāḥ |
pratibhāsyanti te vedāḥ pitrā saha yathepsitāḥ || 41 ||

"Lomasa said 'Then Indra granted boons, as was prayed for by the mighty ascetic, Indra said, 'As thou desirest, the Vedas will be manifest unto thee, yea--even unto thy father. And all thy other desires will also be fulfilled. Return home, O Yavakri.'

3.135.42

yaccānyatkāṅkṣase kāmaṃ yavakrīrgamyatāmiti |
sa labdhakāmaḥ pitaramupetyātha tato'bravīt || 42 ||