Parva 3 Chapter 5: janamejayāśvamedhaḥ indrasya kāpaṭyaṁ ca - indra wrecks janamejaya's ashvamedha

sūta (ugrashrava) said: (O śaunaka) Thus, the assembly heard the words of sage (vyāsa) about the immediate and distant future, giving solace to king janamejaya. amṛtasyeva saṁvāhaḥ prabhā candramaso yathā | atarpayata tacchrotraṁ maharṣervāṅmayo rasaḥ ||3-5-2 The sweet words of the great sage provided satisfaction to the ears, like the flow of nectar and (cool) like the moon light. dharmakāmārthasaṁyuktaṁ karuṇaṁ vīraharṣaṇam | ramanīyaṁ tadākhyānaṁ kṛtsnaṁ pariṣadā shrutam ||3-5-3 Spoken along with the puruṣārtha-s - dharma, kāma, artha - and full of kindness and providing happiness to the valiants, the beautiful narration of mahābharata was heard by the members of the entire assembly. kechidaśrūṇi mumuchuḥ śrutvā dadhyustathāpare | itihāsaṁ tamṛṣiṇā pāṇāviva nidarshitam ||3-5-4 Some members released tears (wept) and others listened with meditation as the sage (vyāsa) had presented the history, as though it was seen on his hands. sadasyānso'bhyanujṣāya kṛtvā cāpi pradakṣiṇām | punardrakṣyāma ityuktvā jagāma bhagavānṛṣiḥ ||3-5-5 Taking the permission of the assembly and circumambulating the same and saying that he will meet them again, the lord sage (vyāsa) left. anujagmustadā sarve prayāntamṛṣisattamam | loke pravadatāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ ye viśiṣṭāstapodhanāḥ ||3-5-6 As the best among sages, the best among the speakers of the world (vyāsa) was leaving, all the best among those having the wealth of penance (sages), followed him. yāte bhagavati vyāse tadā brahmarṣibhiḥ saha | ṛtvijaḥ pārthivāścaiva pratijagmuryathāgatam ||3-5-7 After lord vyāsa left along with brahma sages, the priests of the sacrifice and the lords of the earth (kings) returned the same way as they left. pannagānāṁ sughorāṇāṁ kṛtānāṁ vairayātanām | jagāma roṣamutsṛjya rājā viṣamivoragaḥ ||3-5-8 Fulfilling the revenge against the highly terrible serpents, the king (janamejaya) left, abandoning his anger, like the serpents abandon their poison. hotrāgnidīptaśirasaṁ paritrāya ca takṣakam | āstīko'thāśramapadaṁ jagāma sa mahāmuniḥ ||3-5-9 Saving takṣaka, whose head was brightened by the sacrificial fire, the great sage, āstīka returned to his hermitage. rājāpi hāstinapuraṁ jagāma svajanāvṛtaḥ | anvaśāsaccha muditastadā pramuditāḥ prajāḥ ||3-5-10 The king (janamejaya) also returned to the city of elephant, surrounded by his own people and happily protected his subjects, who lived happily. kasyachittvatha kālasya sa rājā janamejayaḥ | dīkṣito vājimedhena vidhivadbhūridakṣiṇaḥ ||3-5-11 After the passage of some time, king janamejaya, who offers plenty of tributes (in sacrifices) observed the horse sacrifice as ordained. saṁjṣaptamaśvaṁ tatrāsya devī kāśyā vapuṣṭamā | saṁviveśopagamyātha vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā ||3-5-12 devī vapuṣṭamā, the daughter of the king of kashi, went and slept with the slain horse, according to the ritual as prescribed. tāṁ tu sarvānavadyāṅgīṁ chakame vāsavastadā | saṁjṣaptamaśvamāviśya tayā miśrībabhūva saḥ ||3-5-13 Seeing the queen with beautiful limbs, vāsava (indra) desired her. Entering the body of the dead horse, indra had intercourse with the queen. tasminvikāre janite viditvā tattvatashcha tat | asaṁjṣapto'yamaśvaste dhvaṁsetyadhvaryumabravīt ||3-5-14 When the passion was born and realizing the truth, the king told the officiating priest responsible for ritually killing the animal (adhvaryu): The horse killed (ritually) by you is not dead. adhvaryurjṣānasaṁpannastadindrasya vicheṣṭitam | kathayāmāsa rājarṣeḥ śaśāpa sa puraṁdaram ||3-5-15 The officiating knowledgable priest told the king sage (janamejaya): This is the action of indra. Then the king cursed the destroyer of cities (puraṁdara, indra). janamejaya uvāca yadyasti me yajṣaphalaṁ tapo vā rakṣataḥ prajāḥ | phalenānena sarveṇa bravīmi śruyatāmidam ||3-5-16 janamejaya said: If I obtain the fruits of the sacrifice or penance or protection of my subjects, then with all those results I say this. Let every one hear this: adyaprabhṛti devendramajitendriyamasthiram | kṣatriyā vājimedhena na yakṣyantīti śaunaka ||3-5-17 O śaunaka! (ugrashrava continued) (The king said thus) From today, no kṣatriya will worship indra of the deva-s, who has not conquered his senses and who is not having a fixed mind, with the horse sacrifice. ṛtvijaścābravītkruddhaḥ sa rājā janamejayaḥ | daurbalyaṁ bhavatāmetadyadayaṁ dharṣitaḥ kratuḥ ||3-5-18 Becoming angry, king janamejaya also told the officiating priests: This sacrifice is wrecked because of your weakness. viṣaye me na vastavyaṁ gacchadhvaṁ saha bāndhavaiḥ | ityuktāstatyajurviprāstaṁ nṛpaṁ jātamanyavaḥ ||3-5-19 Hence you will not live on my land. You shall go away (from my land) along with your relatives. The officiating priests who were told thus abandoned the king due to anger. amarṣādanvaśāsaccha patnīśālāgatāḥ striyaḥ | rājā paramadharmajṣastāmasau janamejayaḥ ||3-5-20 Because of anger, the most righteous king janamejaya, ordered the women who were in his wife's residence, about his wife. asatīṁ vapuṣṭamāmetāṁ niryātayata me gṛhāt | yayā me charaṇau mūrdhni pātitau reṇuguṇṭhitau ||3-5-21 Expel the unfaithful vapuṣṭamā from my residence. She has put her (dirty) leg, smeared with dust on my head. (She has insulted me). śauṇḍīryaṁ me'nayā bhagnam yasho mānaścha dūṣitaḥ | na chaināṁ draṣṭumicchāmi parikliṣṭāmiva srajam ||3-5-22 She is the one who destroyed my greatness. She spoiled the greatness of my fame. I do not wish to see her, like a discarded garland of flowers. na svādu so'śnāti naraḥ sukhaṁ svapiti vā rahaḥ | anvāste yaḥ priyāṁ bhāryāṁ pareṇa mṛditāmiha ||3-5-23 punarnaivopabhuṣjanti śvāvalīḍhaṁ haviryathā | The one who lives with his dear wife who was touched by others will not be able to have tasty food. He will not have a comfortable sleep in the night, like the oblation licked by dog is not offered in the sacrifice again. evamucchaiḥ prabhāṣantaṁ kruddhaṁ pārīkṣitaṁ nṛpam | gandharvarājaḥ provāca viśvāvasuridaṁ vacaḥ ||3-5-24 viśvāvasu, the king of gandharva-s, spoke the following words to the son of parīkṣit (janamejaya) who spoke thus loudly with anger. viśvāvasuruvāca triyajṣaśatayajvānaṁ vāsavastvāṁ na mṛṣyate | apsarāstena patnī te vihiteyaṁ vapuṣṭamā ||3-5-25 viśvāvasu said: vāsava (indra) does not tolerate you who has observed three hundred penances. Hence he made a divine woman as your wife vapuṣṭamā. rambhānāmāpsarā devī kāśirājasutā matā | saiṣā yoṣidvarā rājanratnabhūtānubhūyatām ||3-5-26 The daughter of the king of kāśī (vapuṣṭamā) is the divine woman, rambhā. O king! She is the best among woman, a jewel. You can accept her. yajṣe vivaramāsādya vighnamindreṇa te kṛtam | yajvā hyasi kuruśreṣṭha samṛddhyā vasamopamaḥ ||3-5-27 Knowing about the (horse) sacrifice, indra created obstacles for your sacrifice. The one who observed the sacrifice, you, are the best among the kurus, equal to vāsava in prosperity. bibhetyabhibhavāccakrastava kratuphalairnṛpa | tasmādāvartitaścaiva kraturindreṇa te vibho ||3-5-28 O king! Due to the results of the sacrifice (which you are going to get on its completion), śakra (indra) is afraid of you O lord! That is why śakra wrecked your sacrifice. māyaiṣā vāsaveneha prayuktā vighnamicchatā | This is an illusion shown by vāsava (indra), desiring to prevent your sacrifice kratorvivaramāsādya saṁjṣaptaṁ dṛśya vājinam ||3-5-29 ratimindreṇa rambhāyāṁ manyase yāṁ vapuṣṭamām | knowing about the sacrifice, indra possessed the (dead ) horse and had sex with rambhā, whom you consider as vapuṣṭamā. atha te guravaḥ śaptāstriyajṣaśatayājinaḥ ||3-5-30 You cursed the preceptors who conducted three hundred sacrifices for you. bhraṁśitastvaṁ ca viprāścha balādindrasamādiha | tvattashcaiva sudurdharṣāstriyajṣśatayājinaḥ ||3-5-31 śakra (indra), by force, made you and the brahmins deviate (from doing the sacrifice). These priests who officiated for you for performing three hundred sacrifices were made undesirable by you. bibheti ha sadā tvatto brāhmaṇebhyo'pi vāsavaḥ | ekena vai tadubhayaṁ tīrṇaṁ śakreṇa māyayā ||3-5-32 vāsava (indra) was always afraid of you and the best of brahmaṇas. śakra (indra) conquered both (fears) with one act of illusion. sa eṣa sumahātejā vijigīṣuḥ puraṁdaraḥ | kathamanyairanācīrṇaṁ napturdārānavikramet ||3-5-33 Will the destroyer of cities (puraṁdara, indra) of high splendor, desirous of victory, ever take the wife of the great grandson (janamejaya), which is never done by others? viśvāvasuruvāca yathaiva hi parā buddhiḥ paro dharmaḥ paro damaḥ | yathaiva paramaiśvaryaṁ kīrtitaṁ harivāhane | tathaiva tvayi durdarṣe triyajṣaśatayājini ||3-5-34 viśvāvasu continued: The same divine intellect, the right conduct, the divine tolerance and divine prosperity ascribed to the one having bay horses (indra) is ascribed to you as well, who performed three hundred sacrifices. mā vāsavaṁ mā ca gurumātmānaṁ mā vapuṣṭamām | gaccha doṣeṇa kālo hi sarvathā duratikramaḥ ||3-5-35 Do not blame vāva (indra), your preceptors, yourself or vapuṣṭamā (for the stoppage of your horse sacrifice). Time can not be violated by any means. aiśvaryeṇāśvamāviśya devendreṇāsi roṣitaḥ | ānukūlyena devasya vartitavyaṁ sukhārthinā ||3-5-36 Due to (your) prosperity, indra of deva-s, possessed the (dead) horse and made you angry. Those who desire welfare shall be obedient to the devas. dustaraṁ pratikūlaṁ hi pratisrota ivāmbhasaḥ | Opposing the deva-s is like opposing the flow of water. strīratnamupabhuṅkṣvemāmapāpaṁ vigatajvaraḥ ||3-5-37 Discarding your fever of anger accept this jewel of women (your wife vapuṣṭamā) who has not committed any sin. apāpāstyajyamānā vai tyajeyurapi yoṣitaḥ | aduṣṭāstu striyo rājandivyāstu saviśeṣataḥ ||3-5-38 If the women who are not sinners are discarded, then the other women will discard you. O king! (janamejaya! viśvāsasu continued) The women, especially the divine women, do not have any defect. bhānoḥ prabhā śikhā vahnervedī hotre tathāhutiḥ | parāmṛṣṭāpyasaṁsaktā nopaduṣyanti yoṣitaḥ ||3-5-39 Even the light of the sun, the flame of fire, the sacrificial stage as well as the oblations to the sacred fire try to spoil them , the women will not be spoiled. grāhyā lālayitavyāścha pūjyāścha satataṁ budhaiḥ | śīlavatyo namaskāryāḥ pūjyāḥ shriya iva striyaḥ ||3-5-40 Those with intelligence shall accept and honour women. The women with good habits shall be paid obeisance and worshipped as śrī, the goddess of good fortune. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi viśvāvasuvākye paṣchamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the fifth chapter of bhaviṣyaparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, indra wrecks janamejaya's ashvamedha nīlakaṇṭha commentary · 3-5-1 ityevamiti || · 3-5-2 saṁvāhaḥ pravāhaḥ || · 3-5-3 ākhyānaṁ bhāratam || · 3-5-4 dadhyuḥ dhyānaṁ kṛtavantaḥ || · 3-5-9 hotrāṇāṁ saṁbandhino dhiṣṇyāgnayastairdīptaśirasam || · 3-5-12 saṁjṣaptaṁ māritaṁ saṁviveśa tasamīpe upaviṣṭā || · 3-5-13 miśrībabhūva mithunībabhūva || · 3-5-14 asaṁjṣaptaḥ maraṇaṁprāptaḥ abravīdrājā · 3-5-20 anvaśāsat ājṣaptavān || · 3-5-21 ājṣāmevāha - asatīmiti || · 3-5-22 śauṇḍīryaṁ māhātmyam || · 3-5-28 āvvrtitaḥ vighnitaḥ || · 3-5-30 te tvayā || · 3-5-33 naptuḥ pautrasya | avikramedityatrāvirityupasargaḥ | a iti nipāto vā || · 3-5-38 aduṣṭāḥ alapadoṣā ityarthaḥ || · 3-5-39 parāmṛṣṭāpyasaṁsaktā dūṣitāpyadūṣitetyarthaḥ || iti śrīharivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ paṣchamo'dhyāyaḥ ||