Parva 3 Chapter 2: vyāsaṁ prati rājasūyaviṣaye janamejayapraśnaḥ - Janamejaya questions vyāsa about rājasūya

śaunaka said: (O the son of lomaharṣaṇa!) You have told us all about the genealogy of hari (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) with all the sections thereof as told by the disciple of vyāsa (vaiśampāyana) with intellect. tatkathyamānamamitamitihāsasamanvitam | prīṇātyasmānamṛtavatsarvapāpavināśanam ||3-2-2 Your recital of the story of hari, along with the itihāsa (of mahābhārata) provides immense pleasure for all of us, destroying all sins like nectar (amṛta). sukhaśrāvyatayā dhīra manohlādayatīva naḥ | janamejayastu nṛpatiḥ śrutvā cākhyānamuttamam | saute kimakarotpaścātsarpasatrādanantaram ||3-2-3 O self-controlled! Our minds are highly pleased by hearing this story which is good to tell and hear. O The son of lomaharṣana (sauti)! On hearing this best story, what did king janamejaya do after performing the snake sacrifice? sautiruvāca janamejayastu sa nṛpaḥ śrutvā cākhyānamuttamam | yadārabhattadākhyāsye sarpasatrādanantaram ||3-2-4 sauti, the son of lomaharṣaṇa (ugrashravas), said: (O śaunaka!) I shall tell you what king janamejaya did, after hearing this best story and after performing the snake sacrifice. tasminsatre samāpte'tha rājā pārīkṣitastadā | yaṣṭuṁ sa vājimedhena saṁbhārānupacakrame ||3-2-5 After concluding the snake sacrifice, the son of parīkśit, king janamejaya began to collect all items for performing the horse sacrifice. ṛtvikpurohitācāryānāhūyedamuvāca ha | yakṣye'haṁ vājimedhena hayamutsṛjyatāṁiti ||3-2-6 Summoning the ṛtvik-s (the four priests hotr, adharyu, brahman and udgātr) priests and the preceptors, the king said: I shall perform the horse sacrifice. Let the horse be set free. tato'sya vijṣāya chikīrṣitaṁ tadā kṛṣṇo mahātmā sahasā''jagāma | pārīkṣitaṁ draṣṭumadīnasattvam dvaipāyanaḥ sarvaparāvarajṣaḥ ||3-2-7 Knowing about the king's thoughts, kṛṣṇa dvaipāyana (vyāsa), the great soul who knows about all distant and near , arrived there suddenly to meet the son of parīkṣit, janamejaya, having a magnanimous mind. pārīkṣitastu nṛpatirdṛṣṭvā tamṛṣimāgatam | arghyapādyāsanaṁ dattvā pūjayāmāsa śāstrataḥ ||3-2-8 King janamejaya, son of parīkṣit, seeing that the sage has arrived, received him respectfully, and worshipped him as ordained, by washing his feet and offering a seat to him. tau chopaviṣṭāvabhitaḥ sadasyāstasya śaunaka | kathā bahuvidhāścitrāścakrāte vedasaṁhitāḥ ||3-2-9 O śaunaka! (sauti continued) Both of them sat comfortably. The members of the assembly sat around them. They discussed wonderful subjects of many kinds as given in vedas. tataḥ kathānte nṛpatirnodayāmāsa taṁ munim | pitāmahaṁ pāṇḍavānāmātmanaḥ prapitāmaham ||3-2-10 At the end of the discussion, the king prompted the sage, the grandfather of pāṇḍava-s, his great grandfather. mahābhāratamākhyānaṁ bahvarthaṁ shrutivistaram | nimeṣamātramapi me sukhaśrāvyatayā gatam ||3-2-11 (janamejaya said) The story of mahābhārata is full of multiple meanings. The meanings of shruti is explained in this. It is a good story to be told and heard. I heard the good story and for me the time of several days passed quickly like a blink of an eye. vibhūtivistārakaraṁ sarveṣāṁ vai yashaskaram | tvayā suvihitaṁ brahmaṣśaṅkhe kṣīramivāhitam ||3-2-12 As created by you, it explains the all pervading power of viṣṇu and honours all, O the one having the soul of brahma, as if the milk ocean is filled in a conch. amṛtena tu tṛptiḥ syādyathā svargasukhena ca | tathā tṛptiṁ na gachcāmi śrutvemāṁ bhāratīṁ kathām ||3-2-13 As one is not satisfied by immortality and also not by the pleasures of heaven, I am also not satisfied yet by hearing this story of bhārata. (I am eager to hear more). anumānya tu sarvajṣaṁ pṛchcāmi bhagavannaham | hetuḥ kurūṇāṁ nāśasya rājasūyo mato mama ||3-2-14 O lord! I want to ask you, who knows all, something with your permission. The rājasūya (sacrifice) is reason for the destruction of kurus. This is my inference. duḥsahānāṁ yathā dhvaṁso rājanyānāmupaplave | rājasūyaṁ tathā manye yuddhārthamupakalpitam ||3-2-15 Seeing the manner in which the kings who are difficult to conquer were destroyed in the great battle, I think that rājasūya sacrifice was the cause for the battle. rājasūyastu somena śrūyate pūrvamāhṛtaḥ | tasyānte sumahadyuddhamabhavattārakāmayam ||3-2-16 I have heard that soma had conducted the rājasūya sacrifice long ago. At the end of the sacrifice, the great war tārakāmaya took place. āhṛto varuṇenātha tasyānte sumahākratoḥ | devāsuraṁ mahāyuddhaṁ sarvabhūtakṣayāvaham ||13-2-17 At the end of the great (rājasūya) sacrifice conducted by varuṇa, there was a great war between the deva-s and asura-s, which caused the destruction of all beings. harishcandrashcha rājarṣiḥ kratumenamupāharat | tatrāpyāḍībakaṁ nāma yuddhaṁ kṣatriyanāśanam ||3-2-18 Afterwards, king sage harishcandra also conducted the rājasūya sacrifice. At the end of the sacrifice, the battle named āḍībakaṁ (battle between vasiṣṭha (in the form of an aquatic bird (ADI)) and viśvāmitra (in the form of a crane , Ardea Nivea (baka)) - see nīlakaṇṭha commentary and mārkaṇḍeya purāṇa) took place, destroying the kṣatriyas. tato'nantaramārgeṇa pāṇḍavenātidustaraḥ | mahābhārata ārambaḥ saṁbhṛto'gniriva kratuḥ ||3-2-19 Afterwards, the son of pāṇḍu (yudhiṣṭhira) conducted the highly difficult rājasūya sacrifice, which became, like the spark of a fire, the cause of the mahābhārata war. tadasya mūlaṁ yuddhasya lokakṣayakarasya tu | rājasūyo mahāyajṣaḥ kimarthaṁ na nivāritaḥ ||3-2-20 Then why did you not prevent this great sacrifice rājasūya, the cause of the war, which caused the decline of the world? rājasūyo hyasaṁhāryo yajṣāṅgaiścha duratyayaiḥ | mithyā praṇīte yajṣāṅge prajānāṁ saṅkṣayo dhruvaḥ ||3-2-21 It is difficult to perform all the parts of the rājasūya sacrifice, having the terrible concluding part (battle). If the sacrifice is not performed in full, definitely the people will be destroyed. bhavānapi ca sarveṣāṁ pūrveṣāṁ naḥ pitāmahaḥ | atītānāgatajṣaścha nāthaścādikaraścha naḥ ||3-2-22 You are the great grandfather for all our ancestors. You are our creator and protector, our lord, who knows about the past and future. te kathaṁ bhavatā netrā buddhimantaśchyutā nayāt | anāthā hyaparādhyante kunetāraścha mānavāḥ ||3-2-23 Why did those people, having intellect, in spite of having you as their leader, fall from the right conduct? Only the leaderless as well as those having wrong leaders commit mistakes. vyāsa uvāca kālenādya parītāste tava pūrvapitāmahaḥ | na māṁ bhaviṣyaṁ pṛcchanti na cāpṛṣṭo bravīmyahaṁ ||3-2-24 vyāsa said: Your ancestors (pāṇḍava-s) were seized by Time. (Under the influence of Time) they did not ask me about the future. I will not say anything if I am not asked. (Note 1) sāmarthyaṁ ca na paśyāmi bhaviṣyasya nivartane | parihartuṁ na śakyā hi kālena vihitā gatiḥ ||3-2-25 I do not see the ability in any one for changing the future. One is unable to stop the course of Time. tvayā tvidamahaṁ pṛṣṭo vakṣyāmyāgantu bhāvi yat | atashcha balavānkālaḥ śrutvāpi na kariṣyasi ||3-2-26 Since you asked me about this, I shall tell you about the imminent future. But then Time is more powerful, since, even after hearing about what is to be done, you will not do it. na saṁrambhānna cārambhānna vai sthāsyasi pauruṣe | lekhā hi kālalikhitāḥ sarvathā duratikramaḥ ||3-2-27 You will not be able to stay firm in prowess either by fear or by effort. The line drawn by Time can not be crossed by any means. aśvamedhaḥ kratuḥ śreṣṭhaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṁ pariśrutaḥ | tena bhāvena te yajṣaṁ vāsavo dharṣayiṣyati ||3-2-28 It is well known that the horse sacrifice is best for kṣatriyas. Due to this greatness of the sacrifice, vāsava (indra) will spoil your sacrifice. yadi tacchakyate rājanparihartuṁ kathaṣchana | daivaṁ puruṣakāreṇa mā yajethāścha taṁ kratum ||3-2-29 O king! Is it possible to prevent this by any means? Is it possible to overcome fate with poweress? Hence please do not perform this sacrifice. na cāparādhaḥ śakrasya nopādhyāyagaṇasya te | tava vā yajamānasya kālo'tra duratikramaḥ ||3-2-30 There is no fault of indra in this, no fault of the priests, not your fault, who is the lord of the sacrifice. Time can not be challenged. tasya saṁsthākṛtamidaṁ kālasya parameṣṭhinaḥ | yathā dṛṣṭaṁ prajāsargaṁ gamiṣyati yugakṣaye ||3-2-31 That is the nature of Time as prescribed by the lord, the creator. As seen by the lord, the creations will go to their natural destruction at the end of yuga. tathā yajṣaphalānāṁ ca vikretāro dvijātayaḥ | tatpraṇeyaṁ nibodhasva trailokyaṁ sacarācaram ||3-2-32 As prescribed by the creator, the fruit of the sacrifice is dealt by the Brahmins. All the fixed and moving objects of the three worlds is under the control of Time. janamejaya uvāca nivṛttāvaśvamedhasya kiṁ nimittaṁ bhaviṣyati | śrutvā parihariṣyāmi bhagavanyadi manyase ||3-2-33 janamejaya said: What will be the cause for stopping the horse sacrifice? O lord! If you agree to tell me, I will try to compensate for it. vyāsa uvāca nimittaṁ bhavitā tatra brahmakopakṛtaṁ prabho | yatethāḥ parihartuṁ tvamityetadbhadramastu te ||3-2-34 vyāsa said: O lord! The cause will be your anger against Brahmins with which the cause for stopping the sacrifice will occur. Try to compensate it. This is what I have to tell you. Let there be good to you. tvayā vṛttaṁ kratuṁ caiva vājimedhaṁ paraṁtapa | kṣatriyānāhariṣyanti yāvadbhūmirdhariṣyati ||3-2-35 O the one who tortures the enemies! The horse sacrifice similar to the one performed by you will not be performed by any kṣatriya-s till the time the earth exits. janamejaya uvāca nivṛttāvaśvamadhasya brahmaśāpāgnitejasā | ahaṁ nimittamiti me bhayaṁ tīvraṁ tu jāyate ||3-2-36 janamejaya said: If I am the reason for stopping the horse sacrifice due to the splendor of the fire of the curse by Brahmins, then I am terribly upset. kathaṁ hyakīrtyā yujyeta sukṛtī madvidho janaḥ | lokānutsahate gantuṁ khaṁ sapāśa iva dvijaḥ ||3-2-37 The good men like me who do good deeds will not like to have bad fame. Like a bird tied with a rope, which tries to reach the sky, we do not want to face the world with bad fame. yathā hyanāgatamidaṁ dṛṣṭamatra praṇāśanam | yadyasti punarāvṛttiryajṣasyāśvāsayasva mām ||3-2-38 As you see the destruction of the sacrifice in future, if there is a way to perform the sacrifice, then console me by telling me about it. vyāsa uvāca upāttayajṣo deveṣu brāhmaṇeṣūpapatsyate | tejasā vyāhṛtaṁ tejastejasyevāvatiṣṭhate ||3-2-39 vyāsa said: The splendour of the sacrifice will be contained in the gods and the brahmins. The splendor (of the sacrifice) which originates from splendor will definitely be contained only by the splendor. audbhijjo bhavitā kaśchitsenānīḥ kāśyapo dvijaḥ | aśvamedhaṁ kaliyuge punaḥ pratyāhariṣyati ||3-2-40 There will be a kashyapa Brahmin, named senāni who will come up from the bowels of earth. He will again perform the horse sacrifice in the kali era. tadyuge tatkulīnaścha rājasūyamapi kratum | āhariṣyati rājendra śvetagrahamivāntakaḥ ||3-2-41 yathā balaṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ kartṝṇāṁ dāsyate phalam | yugāntadvāramṛṣibhiḥ saṁvṛtaṁ vicharishyati ||3-2-42 O the indra of the kings! During that era, the one who is born in the same good race will perform the rājasūya sacrifice in the same way like the śvetagraha (the appearance of which bodes calamity) appears at the destruction of the world. It will be fruitful for those men who do the sacrifice as per the power. The opening at the end of the era will be protected by the ṛṣi-s as required. tadāprabhṛti hāsyanti nṛṇāṁ prāṇāḥ purākṛtīḥ | na nivartiṣyate loke vṛttāntāvartaneṣviha ||3-2-43 From that day, the soul of men will abandon the good conduct established in yore. The prescribed order will not sustain in the affairs of the world. tadā sūkṣmo mahodarko dustaro dānamūlavān | cāturāśramyaśithilo dharmaḥ pravichaliṣyati ||3-2-44 Then the subtle dharma will provide great results. But due to many obstacles it will be difficult to follow the dharma. The root of the dharma will be carity. On breaking up of the four states, dharma will also deviate from its form. tadā hyalpena tapasā siddhiṁ prāpsyanti mānavāḥ | dhanyā dharmaṁ chariṣyanti yugānte janamejaya ||3-2-45 Then men will attain expertise even with a little penance. O janamejaya! (vyāsa continued) At the end of the era, only the blessed will follow the path of dharma. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi janamejayaprashne dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the second chapter of bhaviṣya parva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, janamejaya questions vyāsa about rājasūya Note 1: Instead of "kālena viparītāste" (Gita Press and Chitrashala editions), we have adopted "kālenādya parītāste" (BORI). nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 3-2-1 uktoyamiti || · 3-2-9 vedasaṁhitāḥ vedanibaddhāḥ || · 3-2-11 me mama nimeṣamātramapi saṁvatsaro'pi nimeṣamātramiva gataḥ | apirivārye || · 3-2-15 duḥsahānām ajeyānām || · 3-2-18 ADI jalacharaḥ pakṣiviśeṣaḥ tadrūpeṇa vasiṣṭhaḥ bakarūpeṇa viśvāmitraścha | ṛṣittvāllajjayā ca prākaṭyena yuddhaṁ kartumashaktau tayoryuddhamāḍībakaṁ nāma tannimittaṁ ubhayapakṣapātināṁ kṣatriyāṇāṁ nāśo vṛtta ityarthaḥ | · 3-2-19 mahābhārate bhāratayuddhanimittam Arabhyata ityārambhaḥ || · 3-2-21 asaṁhāryaḥ sarvāṅgopetaḥ kartumaśakyaḥ || · 3-2-23 netrā guruṇā || · 3-2-25 vihitā gatiḥ vihitāṅgam || · 3-2-27 saṁrambhāt bhayāt ārambhāt utsāhāt pauruṣe puruṣavaṁśe | · 3-2-28 tena bhāvena mahattvakāraṇena buddhipūrvakadveṣādityarthaḥ || · 3-2-31 tasya kratoḥ saṁsthā samāptistadarthaṁ kṛtamidaṁ bhāvi kāluṣyam | kālasya icchayeti śeṣaḥ || · 3-2-32 tatpraṇeyaṁ kalādhīnam || · 3-2-37 dvijaḥ pakṣī || · 3-2-39 upātta upasaṁhṛto yato'śvamedhaḥ devādiṣu jṣānarūpeṇāvasthāsyati || · 3-2-40 udbhidya jāyata ityaudbhijjaḥ bhūbilasyo yogī khanyamānāyāṁ bhuvi prakaṭībhaviṣyatītyarthaḥ || · 3-2-41 śvetagrahamutpātaviśeṣam antakaḥ pralayakālaḥ || · 3-2-42 balaṁ śraddhādirūpaṁ phalaṁ dāsyate kraturiti śeṣaḥ | saṁvṛtaṁ gopitaṁ vichariṣyati janaḥ || · 3-2-43 tadāprabhṛti yugāntamārabhya prāṇā indriyāṇi purākṛtī śiṣṭācārānvartaneṣu ācāreṣu vṛttāntaḥ pūrvavṛttaṁ na nitarāṁ vartiṣyate || · 3-2-43 sūkṣmo'lpo'pi dharmaḥ mahodarko mahāphalaḥ | dustaro vighnabāhulyāt || iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ ||