CHAPTER 49
(Gadayuddha Parva)-Continued
The story of Indra Tirtha
SYNOPSIS
The passage recounts a series of sacred pilgrimages and rituals performed by significant figures, highlighting the sanctity of various Tirthas (holy sites).
Vaishampayana narrates that Baladeva, a powerful Yadava leader, visited Indra-Tirtha, where Indra (Shakra) had performed a hundred horse sacrifices, earning the title Shatakratu. Indra’s sacrifices, guided by Brahmanas skilled in the Vedas, were performed on a grand scale, with immense wealth distributed.
Baladeva continued his pilgrimage to several holy sites, including:
• The Tirtha was named after Rama of Bhrigu’s lineage, who had vanquished Kshatriyas and offered the Earth as a sacrificial fee to his preceptor Kashyapa.
• The Yamuna Tirtha, where Varuna had performed the grand Rajasuya sacrifice after defeating celestial and earthly foes in battle.
• The Tirtha called Aditya, where the Sun God acquired dominion over all luminous bodies through his sacrifices.
At each site, Baladeva bathed, made offerings to Brahmanas, and honored ascetics and deities. The narrative also highlights significant events linked to these Tirthas, such as Vishnu’s triumph over the Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha and the attainment of extraordinary powers by sages like Vyasa and Asita-Deval through their penance and rituals.
The text emphasizes the sacredness of these Tirthas, their connection to divine acts, and their role in bestowing spiritual merit and powers.
CHAPTER 49
वैशम्पायन उवाचइन्द्रतीर्थं ततो गत्वा यदूनां प्रवरो बलः ।
विप्रेभ्यो धनरत्नानि ददौ स्नात्वा यथाविधि ॥ | १ ||
vaiśampāyana uvāca
indratīrthaṃ tato gatvā yadūnāṃ pravaro balaḥ |
viprebhyo dhanaratnāni dadau snātvā yathāvidhi || | 1 ||
Vaishampayana said
"The powerful chief of the Yadus, having gone to Indra's Tirtha, bathed there according to due rites and distributed wealth and gems amongst the Brahmanas.
तत्र ह्यमरराजोऽसावीजे क्रतुशतेन च ।
बृहस्पतेश्च देवेशः प्रददौ विपुलं धनम् ॥ २ ॥
tatra hyamararājo’sāvīje kratuśatena ca |
bṛhaspateśca deveśaḥ pradadau vipulaṃ dhanam || 2 ||
There the chief of the celestials had performed hundreds of horse-sacrifices and given immense wealth to Brihaspati.
निरर्गलान् सजारूथ्यान् सर्वान् विविधदक्षिणान् ।
आजहार क्रतूंस्तत्र यथोक्तान् वेदपारगैः ॥ ३ ॥
nirargalān sajārūthyān sarvān vividhadakṣiṇān |
ājahāra kratūṃstatra yathoktān vedapāragaiḥ || 3 ||
Indeed, through the assistance of Brahmanas, who were conversant with the Vedas, Shakra performed all those sacrifices there, according to the rites sectioned by the scriptures. Those sacrifices were performed on a liberal scale. Horses of all breeds were brought there. The gifts to Brahmanas were immense.
तान् क्रतून् भरतश्रेष्ठ शतकृत्वो महाद्युतिः ।
पूरयामास विधिवत् ततः ख्यातः शतक्रतुः ॥ ४ ॥
tān kratūn bharataśreṣṭha śatakṛtvo mahādyutiḥ |
pūrayāmāsa vidhivat tataḥ khyātaḥ śatakratuḥ || 4 ||
Having duly completed those hundred sacrifices, O chief of the Bharatas, Shakra passed by the name of Shatakratu.
तस्य नाम्ना च तत् तीर्थं शिवं पुण्यं सनातनम् ।
इन्द्रतीर्थमिति ख्यातं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम् ॥ ५ ॥
tasya nāmnā ca tat tīrthaṃ śivaṃ puṇyaṃ sanātanam |
indratīrthamiti khyātaṃ sarvapāpapramocanam || 5 ||
That auspicious and sacred Tirtha, capable of dissipating every sin. came to be called after his name as Indra-Tirtha.
उपस्पृश्य च तत्रापि विधिवन्मुसलायुधः ।
ब्राह्मणान् पूजयित्वा च सदाच्छादनभोजनैः ॥ ६ ॥
शुभं तीर्थवरं तस्माद् रामतीर्थं जगाम ह ।
upaspṛśya ca tatrāpi vidhivanmusalāyudhaḥ |
brāhmaṇān pūjayitvā ca sadācchādanabhojanaiḥ || 6 ||
śubhaṃ tīrthavaraṃ tasmād rāmatīrthaṃ jagāma ha |
Having duly bathed there, Baladeva worshipped the Brahmanas with excellent food and raiment. He then went to that auspicious and foremost of Tirthas called after the name of Rama.
यत्र रामो महाभागो भार्गवः सुमहातपाः ॥ ७ ॥
असकृत् पृथिवीं जित्वा हतक्षत्रियपुङ्गवाम् ।
yatra rāmo mahābhāgo bhārgavaḥ sumahātapāḥ || 7 ||
asakṛt pṛthivīṃ jitvā hatakṣatriyapuṅgavām |
The highly blessed and ascetic Rama of Bhrigu's race repeatedly conquered the Earth and killed all the foremost Kshatriyas.
उपाध्यायं पुरस्कृत्य कश्यपं मुनिसत्तमम् ॥ ८ ॥
अयजद् वाजपेयेन सोऽश्वमेधशतेन च ।
प्रददौ दक्षिणां चैव पृथिवीं वै ससागराम् ॥ ९ ॥
upādhyāyaṃ puraskṛtya kaśyapaṃ munisattamam || 8 ||
ayajad vājapeyena so’śvamedhaśatena ca |
pradadau dakṣiṇāṃ caiva pṛthivīṃ vai sasāgarām || 9 ||
Then Rama performed in that Tirtha a Vajapeya sacrifice and a hundred horse sacrifices through the assistance of his preceptor Kashyapa. There, as the sacrificial fee, Rama gave to his preceptor the whole Earth with her oceans.
दत्त्वा च दानं विविधं नानारत्नसमन्वितम्।
सगोहस्तिकदासीकं साजावि गतवान् वनम् ॥ १० ॥
dattvā ca dānaṃ vividhaṃ nānāratnasamanvitam|
sagohastikadāsīkaṃ sājāvi gatavān vanam || 10 ||
The great Rama, having duly bathed there, made presents to the Brahmanas, O Janamejaya, and adored them. Having made diverse presents consisting of various kinds of gems, kine, elephants, female slaves, sheep, and goats, he then retired into the woods.
पुण्ये तीर्थवरे तत्र देवब्रह्मर्षिसेविते ।
मुनीश्चैवाभिवाद्याथ यमुनातीर्थमागमत् ॥ ११॥
puṇye tīrthavare tatra devabrahmarṣisevite |
munīścaivābhivādyātha yamunātīrthamāgamat || 11||
Having bathed in that sacred and foremost of Tirthas, which was the resort of gods and Rishis, Baladeva duly adored the ascetics there and then went to the Tirtha called Yamuna.
यत्रानयामास तदा राजसूयं महीपते ।
पुत्रोऽदितेर्महाभागो वरुणो वै सितप्रभः ।। १२ ।
yatrānayāmāsa tadā rājasūyaṃ mahīpate |
putro’ditermahābhāgo varuṇo vai sitaprabhaḥ || 12 |
The highly effulgent and blessed son of Aditi, Varuna, had in days of yore performed in that Tirtha the Rajasuya sacrifice, O king.
तत्र निर्जित्य संग्रामे मानुषान् देवतास्तथा ।
वरं क्रतुं समाज वरुणः परवीरहा ॥ १३ ॥
तस्मिन् क्रतुवरे वृत्ते संग्रामः समजायत ।
देवानां दानवानां च त्रैलोक्यस्य भयावहः ॥ १४ ॥
tatra nirjitya saṃgrāme mānuṣān devatāstathā |
varaṃ kratuṃ samāja varuṇaḥ paravīrahā || 13 ||
tasmin kratuvare vṛtte saṃgrāmaḥ samajāyata |
devānāṃ dānavānāṃ ca trailokyasya bhayāvahaḥ || 14 ||
Having subjugated both men and celestials in battle, Gandharvas and Rakshasas, Varuna, O king, that slayer of hostile heroes, celebrated his grand sacrifice in that Tirtha. Upon the commencement of that foremost of sacrifices, a battle took place between the gods and the Danavas, terrorizing the three worlds.
राजसूये क्रतुश्रेष्ठे निवृत्ते जनमेजय।
जायते सुमहाघोरः संग्रामः क्षत्रियान् प्रति ।। १५ ।
rājasūye kratuśreṣṭhe nivṛtte janamejaya|
jāyate sumahāghoraḥ saṃgrāmaḥ kṣatriyān prati || 15 |
After the termination of that foremost of sacrifices, viz., the Rajasuya (of Varuna), a terrible battle, O Janamejaya, ensued amongst the Kshatriyas.
तत्रापि लाङ्गली देव ऋषीनभ्यर्च्य पूजया ।
इतरेभ्योऽप्यदाद् दानमर्थिभ्यः कामदो विभुः ॥ १६ ॥
tatrāpi lāṅgalī deva ṛṣīnabhyarcya pūjayā |
itarebhyo’pyadād dānamarthibhyaḥ kāmado vibhuḥ || 16 ||
Having worshipped the Rishis there, the ever-liberal and powerful Baladeva, made many presents to those that desired them.
वनमाली ततो हृष्टः स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः ।
तस्मादादित्यतीर्थं च जगाम कमलेक्षणः ॥ १७ ॥
vanamālī tato hṛṣṭaḥ stūyamāno maharṣibhiḥ |
tasmādādityatīrthaṃ ca jagāma kamalekṣaṇaḥ || 17 ||
Filled with joy and lauded by the great Rishis, Baladeva, that hero ever decked with garlands of wildflowers and possessed of eyes like lotus leaves, then went to the Tirtha called Aditya.
यत्रेष्ट्वा भगवाञ्ज्योतिर्भास्करो राजसत्तम ।
ज्योतिषामाधिपत्यं च प्रभावं चाभ्यपद्यत ॥ १८ ॥
yatreṣṭvā bhagavāñjyotirbhāskaro rājasattama |
jyotiṣāmādhipatyaṃ ca prabhāvaṃ cābhyapadyata || 18 ||
There, O best of kings, having performed a sacrifice, the worshipful and effulgent Sun, obtained the sovereignty of all luminous bodies (in the universe) and acquired also his great energy.
तस्या नद्यास्तु तीरे वै सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ।
विश्वेदेवाः समरुतो गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्च ह ।
द्वैपायनः शुकश्चैव कृष्णश्च मधुसूदनः ।
यक्षाश्च राक्षसाश्चैव पिशाचाश्च विशाम्पते ॥ २० ॥
एते चान्ये च बहवो योगसिद्धाः सहस्रशः ।
तस्मिंस्तीर्थे सरस्वत्याः शिवे पुण्ये परंतप ॥ २१ ॥
तत्र हत्वा पुरा विष्णुरसुरौ मधुकैटभौ ।
आप्लुत्य भरतश्रेष्ठ तीर्थप्रवर उत्तमे ॥ २२ ॥
tasyā nadyāstu tīre vai sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ |
viśvedevāḥ samaruto gandharvāpsarasaśca ha |
dvaipāyanaḥ śukaścaiva kṛṣṇaśca madhusūdanaḥ |
yakṣāśca rākṣasāścaiva piśācāśca viśāmpate || 20 ||
ete cānye ca bahavo yogasiddhāḥ sahasraśaḥ |
tasmiṃstīrthe sarasvatyāḥ śive puṇye paraṃtapa || 21 ||
tatra hatvā purā viṣṇurasurau madhukaiṭabhau |
āplutya bharataśreṣṭha tīrthapravara uttame || 22 ||
There, in that Tirtha situated on the bank of that river, all the gods with Vasava at their head, the Vishvedevas, the Maruts, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Island-born Vyasa, Shuka, Krishna the slayer of Madhu, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas and the Pisachas, O king and various others. thousands in numbers, all crowned with ascetic success, always live. Indeed, in that auspicious and sacred Tirtha of the Sarasvati, Vishnu himself having in days of yore slain the Asuras, Madhu, and Kaitabha, had, O chief of the Bharatas, performed his ablutions.
द्वैपायनच धर्मात्मा तत्रैवाप्लुत्य भारत ।
सम्प्राप्य परमं योगं सिद्धिं च परमां गतः ॥ २३॥
dvaipāyanaca dharmātmā tatraivāplutya bhārata |
samprāpya paramaṃ yogaṃ siddhiṃ ca paramāṃ gataḥ || 23||
The Island-born Vyasa also, O Bharata, having bathed in that Tirtha, acquired great Yoga powers and Siddhi.
असितो देवलचैव तस्मिन्नेव महातपाः ।
परमं योगमास्थाय ऋषिर्योगमवाप्तवान् ॥ २४ ॥
asito devalacaiva tasminneva mahātapāḥ |
paramaṃ yogamāsthāya ṛṣiryogamavāptavān || 24 ||
Having bathed in that very Tirtha with a concentrated mind, the Rishi Asita-Deval also obtained great Yoga powers.
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