The Story of Samanta Panchaka or the origins of Kurukshetra (ch53)

CHAPTER 53
(Gadayuddha Parva)-Continued

The story of Samanta Panchaka

SYNOPSIS

The sacred land of Kurukshetra, also called Samantapanchaka, is described as the eternal northern altar of Brahman, revered by celestials and mortals alike. The Rishis recount to Baladeva how this hallowed ground came to be sanctified by the unwavering efforts of King Kuru, a great and determined royal sage.

In ancient times, King Kuru began cultivating the soil of Kurukshetra with steadfast perseverance, declaring that all who died upon this land would be freed from their sins and ascend to heavenly realms. Intrigued and skeptical, Indra (Shakra), the king of the celestials, repeatedly questioned Kuru's actions and ridiculed his efforts. Despite this, Kuru remained undeterred, continuing his labor with unshaken resolve.

Concerned that Kuru's declaration might undermine the necessity of sacrifices to the gods, Indra sought counsel from the celestials. They advised him to stop Kuru by granting him a boon. Returning to the king, Indra promised that those who fasted, fought in a battle, or died with full consciousness on this sacred plain would attain heaven. Kuru agreed to this condition, thereby securing Kurukshetra’s sanctity and ensuring it as a place of immense spiritual merit.

From then on, Kurukshetra was established as the holiest of lands, endorsed by Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara, and the celestials. The Rishis proclaimed that penances performed, wealth donated, or sacrifices conducted on this land would yield unparalleled spiritual rewards. Even the dust of Kurukshetra, carried by the wind, was said to cleanse sins and grant liberation.

The divine sanctity of Kurukshetra has drawn kings, sages, and celestials over the ages. This revered ground remains a sacred site for Kshatriyas, ensuring blissful regions for those who perish there in battle, as promised by Shakra and sanctioned by Brahman.

CHAPTER 53

ऋषय ऊचुः
पजापतेरुत्तरवेदिरुच्यते सनातनं राम समन्तपञ्चकम्।
समीजिरे यत्र पुरा दिवौकसो वरेण सत्रेण महावरप्रदाः ॥ १ ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ
pajāpateruttaravedirucyate sanātanaṃ rāma samantapañcakam|
samījire yatra purā divaukaso vareṇa satreṇa mahāvarapradāḥ || 1 ||

The Rishis said

“O Rama, this Samantapanchaka is the eternal northern altar of Brahman the Lord of all creatures. There the celestials, the givers of great boons, performed in days of yore a great sacrifice.

पुरा च राजर्षिवरेण धीमता बहूनि वर्षाण्यमितेन तेजसा ।
प्रकृष्टमेतत् कुरुणा महात्मना ततः कुरुक्षेत्रमितीह पप्रथे ॥ २ ॥

purā ca rājarṣivareṇa dhīmatā bahūni varṣāṇyamitena tejasā |
prakṛṣṭametat kuruṇā mahātmanā tataḥ kurukṣetramitīha paprathe || 2 ||

That foremost of royal sages, viz., the great, intelligent, and energetic Kuru, had cultivated this field for many years. Hence it came to be called Kurukshetra (the field of Kuru)!”

राम उवाच
किमर्थं कुरूणां कृष्टं क्षेत्रमेतन्महात्मना ।
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं कथ्यमानं तपोधनाः ॥ ३ ॥

rāma uvāca
kimarthaṃ kurūṇāṃ kṛṣṭaṃ kṣetrametanmahātmanā |
etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ kathyamānaṃ tapodhanāḥ || 3 ||

Rama said

"Why did the great Kuru cultivate this field? I desire to have this described by you, you Rishis of great penances."

ऋषय ऊचुः
पुरा किल कुरुं राम कर्षन्त सततोत्थितम् ।
अभ्येत्य शक्रस्त्रिदिवात् पर्यपृच्छत कारणम् ॥ ४ ॥
इन्द्र उवाच किमिदं वर्तते राजन् प्रयत्नेन परेण च ।
राजर्षे किमभिप्रेत्य येनेयं कृष्यते क्षितिः ॥ ५ ॥
कुरुरुवाच इह ये पुरुषाः क्षेत्रे मरिष्यन्ति शतक्रतो ।
ते गमिष्यन्ति सुकृताँल्लोकान् पापविवर्जितान् ॥ ६ ॥
अवहस्य ततः शक्रो जगाम त्रिदिवं पुनः ।
राजर्षिरप्यनिर्विण्णः कर्षत्येव वसुधराम् ॥ ७ ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ
purā kila kuruṃ rāma karṣanta satatotthitam |
abhyetya śakrastridivāt paryapṛcchata kāraṇam || 4 ||
indra uvāca kimidaṃ vartate rājan prayatnena pareṇa ca |
rājarṣe kimabhipretya yeneyaṃ kṛṣyate kṣitiḥ || 5 ||
kururuvāca iha ye puruṣāḥ kṣetre mariṣyanti śatakrato |
te gamiṣyanti sukṛtāṁllokān pāpavivarjitān || 6 ||
avahasya tataḥ śakro jagāma tridivaṃ punaḥ |
rājarṣirapyanirviṇṇaḥ karṣatyeva vasudharām || 7 ||

The Rishis said

"Formerly, O Rama, Kuru was engaged in perseveringly cultivating this field. Coming down from heaven Shakra asked him the reason, saying, why O king, art thou assiduously employed (in this task). What is your object, the royal sage, for the accomplishment of which you are tilling the soil? - Thereupon Kuru replied, saying-- 'O performer of a hundred sacrifices, they that will die upon this plain shall proceed to regions of blessedness after being freed of their sins!'- Ridiculing this, the lord Shakra, returned to heaven. Without being at all depressed, the royal sage Kuru, however, continued to till the soil.

आगम्यागम्य चैवेनं भूयोभूयोऽवहस्य च ।
शतक्रतुरनिर्विण्णं पृष्ट्वा पृष्ट्वा जगाम ह ॥ ८ ॥

āgamyāgamya caivenaṃ bhūyobhūyo’vahasya ca |
śatakraturanirviṇṇaṃ pṛṣṭvā pṛṣṭvā jagāma ha || 8 ||

Shakra repeatedly came to him and repeatedly received the same reply went away and ridiculed him. Kuru, however, was not at all depressed.

यदा तु तपसोग्रेण चकर्ष वसुधां नृपः । तु
ततः शक्रोऽब्रवीद् देवान् राजर्षेर्यचिकीर्षितम्॥९॥

yadā tu tapasogreṇa cakarṣa vasudhāṃ nṛpaḥ |
tataḥ śakro’bravīd devān rājarṣeryacikīrṣitam||9||

[10th verse missing in original text]

Seeing the king till the soil with great perseverance, Shakra summoned the celestials and informed them of the king's work.

एतच्छुत्वाब्रुवन् देवाः सहस्राक्षमिदं वचः ।
अस्माननिष्ट्वा क्रतुभिर्भागो नो न भविष्यति ॥ ११ ॥

etacchutvābruvan devāḥ sahasrākṣamidaṃ vacaḥ |
asmānaniṣṭvā kratubhirbhāgo no na bhaviṣyati || 11 ||

Hearing Indra's words, the celestials said to their chief having a thousand eyes- 'Stop the royal sage, O Shakra, by granting him a boon, if you can.

आगम्य च ततः शक्रस्तदा राजर्षिमब्रवीत् ।
अलं खेदेन भवतः क्रियतां वचनं मम ।। १२ ।।
मानवा ये निराहारा देहं त्यक्ष्यन्तन्द्रिताः ।
वा निहताः सम्यगपि तिर्यग्गता नृप ॥ १३ ॥

āgamya ca tataḥ śakrastadā rājarṣimabravīt |
alaṃ khedena bhavataḥ kriyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama || 12 ||
mānavā ye nirāhārā dehaṃ tyakṣyantandritāḥ |
vā nihatāḥ samyagapi tiryaggatā nṛpa || 13 ||

If only by dying there men were to come to heaven, without having performed sacrifices to us, our very existence will be imperiled'-- Thus spoken to, Shakra returned to that royal saint and said - Do not work anymore! Act according to my words!

ते स्वर्गभाजो राजेन्द्र भविष्यन्ति महामते ।
तथास्त्विति ततो राजा कुरुः शक्रमुवाच ह । ॥ १४ ॥

te svargabhājo rājendra bhaviṣyanti mahāmate |
tathāstviti tato rājā kuruḥ śakramuvāca ha | || 14 ||

Those men that will die here, having fasted with all their senses awake, and those that will die here in battle, shall, O king, come to heaven.

ततस्तमभ्यनुज्ञाप्य प्रहष्टेनान्तरात्मना ।
जगाम त्रिदिवं भूयः क्षिप्रं वलनिषूदनः ॥ १५ ॥

tatastamabhyanujñāpya prahaṣṭenāntarātmanā |
jagāma tridivaṃ bhūyaḥ kṣipraṃ valaniṣūdanaḥ || 15 ||

They shall enjoy the blessings of heaven, O king!' - Thus addressed, King Kuru answered Shakra, saying- 'So be it!' – Taking Kuru's leave, the slayer of Vala, viz., Shakra, then, with a glad heart speedily returned to heaven.

 
एवमेतद् यदुश्रेष्ठं कृष्टं राजर्षिणा पुरा ।
शक्रेण चाभ्यनुज्ञातं ब्रह्माद्यैश्च सुरैस्तथा ॥ १६ ॥

evametad yaduśreṣṭhaṃ kṛṣṭaṃ rājarṣiṇā purā |
śakreṇa cābhyanujñātaṃ brahmādyaiśca suraistathā || 16 ||

Thus, O foremost of Yadu's race, that royal sage had, formerly cultivated this plain and Shakra had promised great merit to those that would give up their lives here.

नातः परतरं पुण्यं भूमेः स्थानं भविष्यति ।
इह तपस्यन्ति ये केचित्तपः परमकं नरा ॥ १७ ॥

nātaḥ parataraṃ puṇyaṃ bhūmeḥ sthānaṃ bhaviṣyati |
iha tapasyanti ye kecittapaḥ paramakaṃ narā || 17 ||

It was so sanctioned by all the foremost celestials headed by Brahman, and by the sacred Rishis, that on Earth there should be no more sacred place than this.

देहत्यागेन ते सर्वे यास्यन्ति ब्रह्मणः क्षयम् ।
ये पुनः पुण्यभाजो वै दानं दास्यन्ति मानवाः ॥ १८॥

dehatyāgena te sarve yāsyanti brahmaṇaḥ kṣayam |
ye punaḥ puṇyabhājo vai dānaṃ dāsyanti mānavāḥ || 18||

Those men, that practise austere penances here, would all, after renouncing their bodies, repair to Brahman's region.

तेषां सहस्रगुणितं भविष्यत्यचिरेण वै।
ये चेह नित्यं मनुजा निवत्स्यन्ति शुभैषिणः ॥ १९ ॥

teṣāṃ sahasraguṇitaṃ bhaviṣyatyacireṇa vai|
ye ceha nityaṃ manujā nivatsyanti śubhaiṣiṇaḥ || 19 ||

Those meritorious men, who would give away their wealth here, would soon have their wealth doubled.

यमस्य विषयं ते तु न द्रक्ष्यन्ति कदाचन । 

यक्ष्यन्ति ये च क्रतुभिर्महद्भिर्मनुजेश्वराः ॥ २० ॥

yamasya viṣayaṃ te tu na drakṣyanti kadācana |
yakṣyanti ye ca kratubhirmahadbhirmanujeśvarāḥ || 20 ||

Those who will, in expectation of good, live constantly here, will never have to behold the region of Yama.

तेषां त्रिविष्टपे वासो यावद्भूमिर्धरिष्यति ।
अपि चात्र स्वयं शक्रो जगौ गाथां सुराधिपः ॥ २१ ॥

teṣāṃ triviṣṭape vāso yāvadbhūmirdhariṣyati |
api cātra svayaṃ śakro jagau gāthāṃ surādhipaḥ || 21 ||

Those kings that will perform great sacrifices here will live as long in heaven as Earth herself will exist.

कुरुक्षेत्रनिबद्धां वै तां शृणुष्व हलायुध ।

पांसवोऽपि कुरुक्षेत्राद् वायुना समुदीरिताः ।
अपि दुष्कृतकर्माणं नयन्ति परमां गतिम् ॥ २२ ॥
सुरर्षभा ब्राह्मणसत्तमाश्च तथा नृगाद्या नरदेवमुख्याः ।
इष्ट्वा महाहैः क्रतुभिर्नृसिंहा संत्यज्य देहान् सुगतिं प्रपन्नाः ॥ २३ ॥

kurukṣetranibaddhāṃ vai tāṃ śṛṇuṣva halāyudha |
pāṃsavo’pi kurukṣetrād vāyunā samudīritāḥ |
api duṣkṛtakarmāṇaṃ nayanti paramāṃ gatim || 22 ||
surarṣabhā brāhmaṇasattamāśca tathā nṛgādyā naradevamukhyāḥ |
iṣṭvā mahāhaiḥ kratubhirnṛsiṃhā saṃtyajya dehān sugatiṃ prapannāḥ || 23 ||

The chief of the celestials, viz., Shakra, had himself composed a poem here and sang it. Listen to it, O Baladeva!-The very dust of Kurukshetra, carried by the wind, shall free persons of wicked acts and take them to heaven! — The leading celestials and Brahmanas and kings of the Earth such as Nriga and others, having performed rich sacrifices here, have, after renouncing their bodies, proceeded to heaven.

तरन्तुकारन्तुकयोर्यदन्तरं रामहदानां च मचक्रुकस्य च।
एतत् कुरुक्षेत्रसमन्तपञ्चकं प्रजापतेरुत्तरवेदिरुच्यते ॥ २४ ॥

tarantukārantukayoryadantaraṃ rāmahadānāṃ ca macakrukasya ca|
etat kurukṣetrasamantapañcakaṃ prajāpateruttaravedirucyate || 24 ||

The space between the Tarantuka and the Arantuka and the lakes of Rama and Chamachakra is known as Kurukshetra. Samantapanchaka is called the northern (sacrificial) altar of Brahman, the Lord of all creatures.

शिवं महापुण्यमिदं दिवौकसां सुसम्मतं सर्वगुणैः समन्वितम् ।
अतश्च सर्वे निहता नृपा रणे यास्यन्ति पुण्यां गतिमक्षयां सदा ॥ २५ ॥

śivaṃ mahāpuṇyamidaṃ divaukasāṃ susammataṃ sarvaguṇaiḥ samanvitam |
ataśca sarve nihatā nṛpā raṇe yāsyanti puṇyāṃ gatimakṣayāṃ sadā || 25 ||

This place endowed with all virtues is auspicious and highly sacred and is much respected by the celestials. It is for this that Kshatriyas slain in battle here obtain sacred and blissful regions.

इत्युवाच स्वयं शक्रः सह ब्रह्मादिभिस्तदा ।
तचानुमोदितं सर्वं ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वरैः ॥ २६ ॥

ityuvāca svayaṃ śakraḥ saha brahmādibhistadā |
tacānumoditaṃ sarvaṃ brahmaviṣṇumaheśvaraiḥ || 26 ||

This was said by Shakra himself about the glory of Kurukshetra. All that Shakra said was again approved and sanctioned by Brahman, Vishnu, and Maheshvara.