॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ एकोनविंशोऽध्यायः - १९ ॥
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Discourse XIX
King Pṛthu performs a hundred horse-sacrifices (Preamble)
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मैत्रेय उवाच ।
अथादीक्षत राजा तु हयमेधशतेन सः ।
ब्रह्मावर्ते मनोः क्षेत्रे यत्र प्राची सरस्वती ॥ १॥
तदभिप्रेत्य भगवान् कर्मातिशयमात्मनः ।
शतक्रतुर्न ममृषे पृथोर्यज्ञमहोत्सवम् ॥ २॥
यत्र यज्ञपतिः साक्षाद्भगवान् हरिरीश्वरः ।
अन्वभूयत सर्वात्मा सर्वलोकगुरुः प्रभुः ॥ ३॥
अन्वितो ब्रह्मशर्वाभ्यां लोकपालैः सहानुगैः ।
उपगीयमानो गन्धर्वैर्मुनिभिश्चाप्सरोगणैः ॥ ४॥
सिद्धा विद्याधरा दैत्या दानवा गुह्यकादयः ।
सुनन्दनन्दप्रमुखाः पार्षदप्रवरा हरेः ॥ ५॥
कपिलो नारदो दत्तो योगेशाः सनकादयः ।
तमन्वीयुर्भागवता ये च तत्सेवनोत्सुकाः ॥ ६॥
यत्र धर्मदुघा भूमिः सर्वकामदुघा सती ।
दोग्धि स्माभीप्सितानर्थान् यजमानस्य भारत ॥ ७॥
ऊहुः सर्वरसान् नद्यः क्षीरदध्यन्नगोरसान् ।
तरवो भूरि वर्ष्माणः प्रासूयन्त मधुच्युतः ॥ ८॥
सिन्धवो रत्ननिकरान् गिरयोऽन्नं चतुर्विधम् ।
उपायनमुपाजह्रुः सर्वे लोकाः सपालकाः ॥ ९॥
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Maitreya continued: The king (Pṛthu) now consecrated himself as a preparation for (the performance of) a hundred horse-sacrifices in Brahmāvarta, the land of Swāyambhuva Manu, where flows the Saraswati in an easterly direction. (1)
The glorious Indra (the lord of paradise, who had attained to this exalted position by virtue of his performing a hundred sacrifices) grew jealous of the grand sacrificial festivities started by king Pṛthu inasmuch as he saw that the same would obscure his own achievements. (2)
For in that sacrifice Bhagavān Śrī Hari, the Lord of all sacrifices and the almighty Ruler, Teacher and Soul of the whole universe, was directly perceived by all. (3)
He was accompanied by Brahmā and Śiva and the other protectors of the world—who came with their retinue—and was being extolled by Gandharvas (celestial musicians), and hosts of Apsarās (celestial nymphs) as well as by sages. (4)
Along with the Lord came a number of (celestial and semi-celestial beings such as) Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Daityas, Dānavas, Guhyakas (Yakṣas) and so on, the foremost attendants of Śrī Hari led by Sunanda and Nanda, and devotees of the Lord like Kapila, Nārada and Dattātreya, as well as masters of Yoga like Sanaka and his three brothers, who are all eager to wait upon Him. (5-6)
In that sacrifice, O Vidura (a descendant of Bharata), goddess Earth attended in the form of a celestial cow, that supplies milk and clarified butter serving as oblations for the sacred fire and gratifies all one's desire, yielded to the sacrificer all the objects sought by him. (7)
Rivers bore (as their streams) all sorts of sweet and delicious drinks (pressed out of grapes and sugarcane), as well as milk, curds, butter-milk and clarified butter together with many liquid foods. The gigantic trees, which profusely dropped honey (from their pores) bore fruit in abundance. (8)
Oceans brought him heaps of jewels and mountains brought four kinds of foods. Similarly all the worlds with their guardians brought presents (for the king). (9) (1-9)
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इति चाधोक्षजेशस्य पृथोस्तु परमोदयम् ।
असूयन् भगवानिन्द्रः प्रतिघातमचीकरत् ॥ १०॥
चरमेणाश्वमेधेन यजमाने यजुष्पतिम् ।
वैन्ये यज्ञपशुं स्पर्धन्नपोवाह तिरोहितः ॥ ११॥
तमत्रिर्भगवानैक्षत्त्वरमाणं विहायसा ।
आमुक्तमिव पाखण्डं योऽधर्मे धर्मविभ्रमः ॥ १२॥
अत्रिणा चोदितो हन्तुं पृथुपुत्रो महारथः ।
अन्वधावत सङ्क्रुद्धस्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत् ॥ १३॥
तं तादृशाकृतिं वीक्ष्य मेने धर्मं शरीरिणम् ।
जटिलं भस्मनाच्छन्नं तस्मै बाणं न मुञ्चति ॥ १४॥
वधान्निवृत्तं तं भूयो हन्तवेऽत्रिरचोदयत् ।
जहि यज्ञहनं तात महेन्द्रं विबुधाधमम् ॥ १५॥
एवं वैन्यसुतः प्रोक्तस्त्वरमाणं विहायसा ।
अन्वद्रवदभिक्रुद्धो रावणं गृध्रराडिव ॥ १६॥
सोऽश्वं रूपं च तद्धित्वा तस्मा अन्तर्हितः स्वराट् ।
वीरः स्वपशुमादाय पितुर्यज्ञमुपेयिवान् ॥ १७॥
तत्तस्य चाद्भुतं कर्म विचक्ष्य परमर्षयः ।
नामधेयं ददुस्तस्मै विजिताश्व इति प्रभो ॥ १८॥
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The powerful Indra grew jealous of such great prosperity of king Pṛthu—who looked upon Lord Viṣṇu (who is beyond sense-perception) as his (sole) lord and master—and threw obstacles in his way. (10)
While Pṛthu (the son of Vena) was (therefore) engaged in worshipping Lord Viṣṇu (the Lord of sacrifices) through the performance of the last (hundredth) horse-sacrifice, the jealous Indra stole away the sacrificial animal, himself remaining hidden from view. (11)
The venerable Atri detected him hurrying through the air in the garb of a heretic, which he had taken on himself as an armour, and which leads one to mistake unrighteousness for righteousness. (12)
Egged on by Atri to kill him, Pṛthu's son, who was a great car-warrior, gave a chase, all inflamed with rage, and shouted, "Halt! Halt!" (13)
Indra wore elf-locks on his head and was besmeared with ashes. Seeing him in that guise, the prince took him to be piety incarnate and refrained from shooting an arrow at him. (14)
When he returned without having killed Indra, Atri urged him once more to slay the wrong-doer, saying, "Strike, dear child, the great Indra, who is (in fact) the vilest of gods, inasmuch as he has interfered with (your father's) sacrifice." (15)
Thus incited by Atri, Pṛthu's son gave chase to Indra as he was hastening through the sky, even as Jaṭāyu (the king of the vultures) chased Rāvaṇa (when he was flying with Sītā in his aerial car). (16)
Indra (the lord of paradise) gave up for the prince the horse as well as the guise which he had assumed and vanished (from the view of his pursuer). The hero (then) came back to (the site of) his father's sacrifice, bringing the horse with him. (17)
Witnessing the wonderful achievement of Pṛthu's son, the great sages (Atri and others, who had been officiating at the sacrifice) gave him the (significant) name of Vijitāśwa (the conqueror of the horse), O Vidura (an incarnation of Dharma)! (18) (10-18)
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उपसृज्य तमस्तीव्रं जहाराश्वं पुनर्हरिः ।
चषाल यूपतश्छन्नो हिरण्यरशनं विभुः ॥ १९॥
अत्रिः सन्दर्शयामास त्वरमाणं विहायसा ।
कपालखट्वाङ्गधरं वीरो नैनमबाधत ॥ २०॥
अत्रिणा चोदितस्तस्मै सन्दधे विशिखं रुषा ।
सोऽश्वं रूपं च तद्धित्वा तस्थावन्तर्हितः स्वराट् ॥ २१॥
वीरश्चाश्वमुपादाय पितृयज्ञमथाव्रजत् ।
तदवद्यं हरे रूपं जगृहुर्ज्ञानदुर्बलाः ॥ २२॥
यानि रूपाणि जगृहे इन्द्रो हयजिहीर्षया ।
तानि पापस्य खण्डानि लिङ्गं खण्डमिहोच्यते ॥ २३॥
एवमिन्द्रे हरत्यश्वं वैन्ययज्ञजिघांसया ।
तद्गृहीतविसृष्टेषु पाखण्डेषु मतिर्नृणाम् ॥ २४॥
धर्म इत्युपधर्मेषु नग्नरक्तपटादिषु ।
प्रायेण सज्जते भ्रान्त्या पेशलेषु च वाग्मिषु ॥ २५॥
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Creating a thick mass of darkness, the mighty Indra stole once more under cover of it the horse, tied with the gold chain, from the sacrificial post and the wooden ring placed in front of it (to which the horse had been secured). (19)
As Indra was hurriedly passing through the skies Atri directed the attention (of Vijitāśwa). The hero, however, did not obstruct him, holding as he did (in his hand) a staff with a skull on its top. (20)
Urged, however, by Atri, he set an arrow to his bowstring in indignation and aimed it at him. Indra (thereupon) gave up the horse as well as his garb and stood invisible. (21)
The hero too thereupon returned to (the scene of) his father's sacrifice, taking the horse (with him). It was (some) weak-minded people who accepted as their own the reproachful garb assumed and shed by Indra. (22)
The hypocritical garbs and appearances that Indra assumed with the intention of stealing away the horse (came to be known by the name of 'Pākhaṇḍa' inasmuch as they) were the marks of a sinful propensity (पापस्य खण्डानि). The word 'Khaṇḍa' has been used here in the sense of a mark. (23)
In this way the mind of men was (foolishly) attracted towards the deceitful garbs assumed and dropped by him (Indra) when he stole away the horse with the motive of interrupting the sacrificial performance of Prṛthu, as well as towards false creeds passing as true religion under the attractive labels of 'Nagnas' (a fraternity of naked mendicants), Raktapaṭas (monks with red robes) and so on, and preached with exceptional eloquence. (24-25) (19-25)
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तदभिज्ञाय भगवान् पृथुः पृथुपराक्रमः ।
इन्द्राय कुपितो बाणमादत्तोद्यतकार्मुकः ॥ २६॥
तमृत्विजः शक्रवधाभिसन्धितं
विचक्ष्य दुष्प्रेक्ष्यमसह्यरंहसम् ।
निवारयामासुरहो महामते
न युज्यतेऽत्रान्यवधः प्रचोदितात् ॥ २७॥
वयं मरुत्वन्तमिहार्थनाशनं
ह्वयामहे त्वच्छ्रवसा हतत्विषम् ।
अयातयामोपहवैरनन्तरं
प्रसह्य राजन् जुहवाम तेऽहितम् ॥ २८॥
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When the venerable Prṛthu, who possessed extraordinary prowess, came to know this, he lifted his bow and took up an arrow in (great) indignation to strike at Indra. (26)
Prṛthu's might and rapidity of movement were irresistible; he was terrible to look at (on account of his great fury). When the priests officiating at the sacrifice saw that he had made up his mind to kill Indra, they prevented him, saying, O king of great wisdom, it is not worthy of you to kill anyone other than the beast approved of (by the scriptures) on this (sacred) occasion. (27)
We will invoke to this very place through powerful spells Indra, who has thwarted your purpose and has been eclipsed by your glory, and will without delay forcibly throw your enemy, O king, (as an oblation) into the fire. (28) (26-28)
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इत्यामन्त्र्य क्रतुपतिं विदुरास्यर्त्विजो रुषा ।
स्रुग्घस्तान् जुह्वतोऽभ्येत्य स्वयम्भूः प्रत्यषेधत ॥ २९॥
न वध्यो भवतामिन्द्रो यद्यज्ञो भगवत्तनुः ।
यं जिघांसथ यज्ञेन यस्येष्टास्तनवः सुराः ॥ ३०॥
तदिदं पश्यत महद्धर्मव्यतिकरं द्विजाः ।
इन्द्रेणानुष्ठितं राज्ञः कर्मैतद्विजिघांसता ॥ ३१॥
पृथुकीर्तेः पृथोर्भूयात्तर्ह्येकोनशतक्रतुः ।
अलं ते क्रतुभिः स्विष्टैर्यद्भवान् मोक्षधर्मवित् ॥ ३२॥
नैवात्मने महेन्द्राय रोषमाहर्तुमर्हसि ।
उभावपि हि भद्रं ते उत्तमश्लोकविग्रहौ ॥ ३३॥
मास्मिन् महाराज कृथाः स्म चिन्तां
निशामयास्मद्वच आदृतात्मा ।
यद्ध्यायतो दैवहतं नु कर्तुं
मनोऽतिरुष्टं विशते तमोऽन्धम् ॥ ३४॥
क्रतुर्विरमतामेष देवेषु दुरवग्रहः ।
धर्मव्यतिकरो यत्र पाखण्डैरिन्द्रनिर्मितैः ॥ ३५॥
एभिरिन्द्रोपसंसृष्टैः पाखण्डैर्हारिभिर्जनम् ।
ह्रियमाणं विचक्ष्वैनं यस्ते यज्ञध्रुगश्वमुट् ॥ ३६॥
भवान् परित्रातुमिहावतीर्णो
धर्मं जनानां समयानुरूपम् ।
वेनापचारादवलुप्तमद्य
तद्देहतो विष्णुकलासि वैन्य ॥ ३७॥
स त्वं विमृश्यास्य भवं प्रजापते
सङ्कल्पनं विश्वसृजां पिपीपृहि ।
ऐन्द्रीं च मायामुपधर्ममातरं
प्रचण्डपाखण्डपथं प्रभो जहि ॥ ३८॥
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Having addressed Pṛthu (the master of the sacrifice), in these words, O Vidura, his priests were indignantly proceeding to pour oblations into the sacred fire (with the avowed object of invoking Indra), with the sacrificial ladle in their hand, when Brahmā (himself) appeared (before them) and prevented them (from proceeding further), saying, "Indra does not deserve to be killed by you, for Yajña (by which name the then Indra was called), whom you seek to get ride of, is a manifestation of the Lord Himself, while the gods who are (being) propitiated (by you) are (so many) forms of Indra alone. (29-30)
Look at the great violation of Dharma committed by Indra, O Brāhmaṇas, with the intention of obstructing this (sacrificial) performance of King Pṛthu (which mischief is likely to be repeated if he is not conciliated). (31)
Therefore, let the number of sacrifices standing to the credit of Pṛthu of wide renown fall short of one hundred by one. (Turning to Pṛthu himself, Brahmā said,) You have no use for sacrifices well performed, since you are conversant with the Dharma conducive to Liberation. (32)
It is not worthy of you to show anger against the mighty Indra, who is your second self; for God bless you, both of you are manifestations of the Lord enjoying excellent renown. (33)
Brood no more over this incident, O mighty monarch, and listen to our word with an attentive mind. For the mind of the man who contemplates achieving what has been thwarted by Providence gets highly enraged and is steeped in blind infatuation. (34)
Let this sacrificial performance cease; for the gods are obstinate (by nature). It is due to this performance that Dharma is being violated through pseudo-religious practices started by Indra. (35)
Look at these men being carried away by the attractive forms of false religion given currency of Indra, who has interfered with your sacrifice and stolen your horse. (36)
A ray of Lord Viṣṇu, you have now appeared on this earth from the body of Vena in order to preserve the religious faith of the people, conforming to the various scriptures, that had been undermined by his misdeeds, O Pṛthu ! (37)
Therefore, considering the (true) welfare of this universe, O Ruler of the people, fulfil the desire of the progenitors of the world (such as Bhrgu and others, who have fondly cherished the hope that the Lord Himself will manifest in your person and bring salvation to the world) and foil the conjuring trick employed by Indra in the shape of the terrible path of pseudo-religion (shown by him) which gives rise to a number of false creeds. (38) (29-38)
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मैत्रेय उवाच ।
इत्थं स लोकगुरुणा समादिष्टो विशाम्पतिः ।
तथा च कृत्वा वात्सल्यं मघोनापि च सन्दधे ॥ ३९॥
कृतावभृथस्नानाय पृथवे भूरिकर्मणे ।
वरान् ददुस्ते वरदा ये तद्बर्हिषि तर्पिताः ॥ ४०॥
विप्राः सत्याशिषस्तुष्टाः श्रद्धया लब्धदक्षिणाः ।
आशिषो युयुजुः क्षत्तरादिराजाय सत्कृताः ॥ ४१॥
त्वयाऽऽहूता महाबाहो सर्व एव समागताः ।
पूजिता दानमानाभ्यां पितृदेवर्षिमानवाः ॥ ४२॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
चतुर्थस्कन्धे पृथुविजये एकोनविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ १९॥
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Maitreya went on : Thus advised and instructed by Brahmā, the progenitor and preceptor of the world, Pṛthu (the ruler of the people) did as he was told (insisted no more on completing the hundredth horse-sacrifice) and not only came to terms with Indra but also bestowed his affection on him. (39)
When Pṛthu, who had many a (noble) deed to his credit, had finished the ceremonial bath taken at the end of a sacrifice, the gods (the bestowers of boons) that had been propitiated by him during his sacrifices, conferred boons (of their choice on him). (40)
The Brāhmaṇas, whose blessings (always) came true and who had received their sacrificial fees and had been (duly) honoured with reverence, pronounced their blessings on king Pṛthu (the first constitutional monarch), O Vidura, (highly) gratified, (and added:—). (41)
"All those who had assembled (here) in response to your invitation, O mighty-armed ruler!—manes, gods, Ṛṣis and human beings—have been (duly) honoured by you with gifts and attention." (42)
Thus ends the nineteenth discourse forming part of the Story of Pṛthu's Conquest, in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (39-42)
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