Chapter 111: The Prince as Serpent

SS 187-189

brahmovāca:

BRP111.001.1 nāgatīrtham iti khyātaṃ sarvakāmapradaṃ śubham |
BRP111.001.2 yatra nāgeśvaro devaḥ śṛṇu tasyāpi vistaram || 1 ||
BRP111.002.1 pratiṣṭhānapure rājā śūrasena iti śrutaḥ |
BRP111.002.2 somavaṃśabhavaḥ śrīmān matimān guṇasāgaraḥ || 2 ||
BRP111.003.1 putrārthaṃ sa mahāyatnam akarot priyayā saha |
BRP111.003.2 tasya putraś cirād āsīt sarpo vai bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ || 3 ||
BRP111.004.1 putraṃ taṃ gopayām āsa śūraseno mahīpatiḥ |
BRP111.004.2 rājñaḥ putraḥ sarpa iti na kaścid vindate janaḥ || 4 ||
BRP111.005.1 antarvartī paro vāpi mātaraṃ pitaraṃ vinā |
BRP111.005.2 dhātreyy api na jānāti nāmātyo na purohitaḥ || 5 ||
BRP111.006.1 taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīṣaṇaṃ sarpaṃ sabhāryo nṛpasattamaḥ |
BRP111.006.2 santāpaṃ nityam āpnoti sarpād varam aputratā || 6 ||
BRP111.007.1 etad asti mahāsarpo vakti nityaṃ manuṣyavat |
BRP111.007.2 sa sarpaḥ pitaraṃ prāha kuru cūḍām api kriyām || 7 ||
BRP111.008.1 tathopanayanaṃ cāpi vedādhyayanam eva ca |
BRP111.008.2 yāvad vedaṃ na cādhīte tāvac chūdrasamo dvijaḥ || 8 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.009.1 etac chrutvā putravacaḥ śūraseno 'tiduḥkhitaḥ |
379
BRP111.009.2 brāhmaṇaṃ kañcanānīya saṃskārādi tadākarot |
BRP111.009.3 adhītavedaḥ sarpo 'pi pitaraṃ cābravīd idam || 9 ||

sarpa uvāca:

BRP111.010.1 vivāhaṃ kuru me rājan strīkāmo 'haṃ nṛpottama |
BRP111.010.2 anyathāpi ca kṛtyaṃ te na sidhyed iti me matiḥ || 10 ||
BRP111.011.1 janayitvātmajān vedavidhinākhilasaṃskṛtīḥ |
BRP111.011.2 na kuryād yaḥ pitā tasya narakān nāsti niṣkṛtiḥ || 11 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.012.1 vismitaḥ sa pitā prāha sutaṃ tam uragākṛtim || 12 ||

śūrasena uvāca:

BRP111.013.1 yasya śabdād api trāsaṃ yānti śūrāś ca pūruṣāḥ |
BRP111.013.2 tasmai kanyāṃ tu ko dadyād vada putra karomi kim || 13 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.014.1 tat pitur vacanaṃ śrutvā sarpaḥ prāha vicakṣaṇaḥ || 14 ||

sarpa uvāca:

BRP111.015.1 vivāhā bahavo rājan rājñāṃ santi janeśvara |
BRP111.015.2 prasahyāharaṇaṃ cāpi śastrair vaivāha eva ca || 15 ||
BRP111.016.1 jāte vivāhe putrasya pitāsau kṛtakṛd bhavet |
BRP111.016.2 no ced atraiva gaṅgāyāṃ mariṣye nātra saṃśayaḥ || 16 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.017.1 tat putraniścayaṃ jñātvā aputro nṛpasattamaḥ |
BRP111.017.2 vivāhārtham amātyāṃs tān āhūyedaṃ vaco 'bravīt || 17 ||

śūrasena uvāca:

BRP111.018.1 nāgeśvaro mama suto yuvarājo guṇākaraḥ |
BRP111.018.2 guṇavān matimāñ śūro durjayaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ || 18 ||
BRP111.019.1 rathe nāge sa dhanuṣi pṛthivyāṃ nopamīyate |
BRP111.019.2 vivāhas tasya kartavyo hy ahaṃ vṛddhas tathaiva ca || 19 ||
BRP111.020.1 rājyabhāraṃ sute nyasya niścinto 'haṃ bhavāmy ataḥ |
BRP111.020.2 na dārasaṅgraho yāvat tāvat putro mama priyaḥ || 20 ||
BRP111.021.1 bālabhāvaṃ no jahāti tasmāt sarve 'numanya ca |
BRP111.021.2 vivāhāyātha kurvantu yatnaṃ mama hite ratāḥ || 21 ||
BRP111.022.1 na me kācit tadā cintā kṛtodvāho yadātmajaḥ |
BRP111.022.2 sute nyastabharā yānti kṛtinas tapase vanam || 22 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.023.1 amātyā rājavacanaṃ śrutvā sarve vinītavat |
BRP111.023.2 ūcuḥ prāñjalayo harṣād rājānaṃ bhūritejasam || 23 ||

amātyā ūcuḥ:

BRP111.024.1 tava putro guṇajyeṣṭhas tvaṃ ca sarvatra viśrutaḥ |
BRP111.024.2 vivāhe tava putrasya kiṃ mantryaṃ kiṃ tu cintyate || 24 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.025.1 amātyeṣu tathokteṣu gambhīro nṛpasattamaḥ |
BRP111.025.2 putraṃ sarpaṃ tv amātyānāṃ na cākhyāti na te viduḥ || 25 ||
380
BRP111.026.1 rājā punas tān uvāca kā syāt kanyā guṇādhikā |
BRP111.026.2 mahāvaṃśabhavaḥ śrīmān ko rājā syād guṇāśrayaḥ || 26 ||
BRP111.027.1 sambandhayogyaḥ śūraś ca yatsambandhaḥ praśasyate |
BRP111.027.2 tad rājavacanaṃ śrutvā amātyānāṃ mahāmatiḥ || 27 ||
BRP111.028.1 kulīnaḥ sādhur atyantaṃ rājakāryahite rataḥ |
BRP111.028.2 rājño matiṃ viditvā tu iṅgitajño 'bravīd idam || 28 ||

amātya uvāca:

BRP111.029.1 pūrvadeśe mahārāja vijayo nāma bhūpatiḥ |
BRP111.029.2 vājivāraṇaratnānāṃ yasya saṅkhyā na vidyate || 29 ||
BRP111.030.1 aṣṭau putrā maheṣvāsā mahārājasya dhīmataḥ |
BRP111.030.2 teṣāṃ svasā bhogavatī sākṣāl lakṣmīr ivāparā |
BRP111.030.3 tava putrasya yogyā sā bhāryā rājan mayoditā || 30 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.031.1 vṛddhāmātyavacaḥ śrutvā rājā taṃ pratyabhāṣata || 31 ||

rājovāca:

BRP111.032.1 sutā tasya kathaṃ me 'sya sutasya syād vadasva tat || 32 ||

vṛddhāmātya uvāca:

BRP111.033.1 lakṣito 'si mahārāja yat te manasi vartate |
BRP111.033.2 yac chūrasena kṛtyaṃ syād anujānīhi māṃ tataḥ || 33 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.034.1 vṛddhāmātyavacaḥ śrutvā bhūṣaṇācchādanoktibhiḥ |
BRP111.034.2 sampūjya preṣayām āsa mahatyā senayā saha || 34 ||
BRP111.035.1 sa pūrvadeśam āgatya mahārājaṃ sametya ca |
BRP111.035.2 sampūjya vividhair vākyair upāyair nītisambhavaiḥ || 35 ||
BRP111.036.1 mahārājasutāyāś ca bhogavatyā mahāmatiḥ |
BRP111.036.2 śūrasenasya nṛpateḥ sūnor nāgasya dhīmataḥ || 36 ||
BRP111.037.1 vivāhāyākarot sandhiṃ mithyāmithyāvacouktibhiḥ |
BRP111.037.2 pūjayām āsa nṛpatiṃ bhūṣaṇācchādanādibhiḥ || 37 ||
BRP111.038.1 avāpya pūjāṃ nṛpatir dadāmīty avadat tadā |
BRP111.038.2 tata āgatya rājñe 'sau vṛddhāmātyo mahāmatiḥ || 38 ||
BRP111.039.1 śūrasenāya tad vṛttaṃ vaivāhikam avedayat |
BRP111.039.2 tato bahutithe kāle vṛddhāmātyo mahāmatiḥ || 39 ||
BRP111.040.1 punar balena mahatā vastrālaṅkārabhūṣitaḥ |
BRP111.040.2 jagāma tarasā sarvair anyaiś ca sacivair vṛtaḥ || 40 ||
BRP111.041.1 vivāhāya mahāmātyo mahārājāya buddhimān |
BRP111.041.2 sarvaṃ provāca vṛddho 'sāv amātyaḥ sacivair vṛtaḥ || 41 ||

vṛddhāmātya uvāca:

BRP111.042.1 atrāgantuṃ na cāyāti śūrasenasya bhūpateḥ |
BRP111.042.2 putro nāga iti khyāto buddhimān guṇasāgaraḥ || 42 ||
BRP111.043.1 kṣatriyāṇāṃ vivāhāś ca bhaveyur bahudhā nṛpa |
BRP111.043.2 tasmāc chastrair alaṅkārair vivāhaḥ syān mahāmate || 43 ||
BRP111.044.1 kṣatriyā brāhmaṇāś caiva satyāṃ vācaṃ vadanti hi |
BRP111.044.2 tasmāc chastrair alaṅkārair vivāhas tv anumanyatām || 44 ||
381

brahmovāca:

BRP111.045.1 vṛddhāmātyavacaḥ śrutvā vijayo rājasattamaḥ |
BRP111.045.2 mene vākyaṃ tathā satyam amātyaṃ bhūpatiṃ tadā || 45 ||
BRP111.046.1 vivāham akarod rājā bhogavatyāḥ savistaram |
BRP111.046.2 śastreṇa ca yathāśāstraṃ preṣayām āsa tāṃ punaḥ || 46 ||
BRP111.047.1 svān amātyāṃs tathā gāś ca hiraṇyaturagādikam |
BRP111.047.2 bahu dattvātha vijayo harṣeṇa mahatā yutaḥ || 47 ||
BRP111.048.1 tām ādāyātha sacivā vṛddhāmātyapurogamāḥ |
BRP111.048.2 pratiṣṭhānam athābhyetya śūrasenāya tāṃ snuṣām || 48 ||
BRP111.049.1 nyavedayaṃs tathocus te vijayasya vaco bahu |
BRP111.049.2 bhūṣaṇāni vicitrāṇi dāsyo vastrādikaṃ ca yat || 49 ||
BRP111.050.1 nivedya śūrasenāya kṛtakṛtyā babhūvire |
BRP111.050.2 vijayasya tu ye 'mātyā bhogavatyā sahāgatāḥ || 50 ||
BRP111.051.1 tān pūjayitvā rājāsau bahumānapuraḥsaram |
BRP111.051.2 vijayāya yathā prītis tathā kṛtvā vyasarjayat || 51 ||
BRP111.052.1 vijayasya sutā bālā rūpayauvanaśālinī |
BRP111.052.2 śvaśrūśvaśurayor nityaṃ śuśrūṣantī sumadhyamā || 52 ||
BRP111.053.1 bhogavatyāś ca yo bhartā mahāsarpo 'tibhīṣaṇaḥ |
BRP111.053.2 ekāntadeśe vijane gṛhe ratnasuśobhite || 53 ||
BRP111.054.1 sugandhakusumākīrṇe tatrāste sukhaśītale |
BRP111.054.2 sa sarpo mātaraṃ prāha pitaraṃ ca punaḥ punaḥ || 54 ||
BRP111.055.1 mama bhāryā rājaputrī kiṃ māṃ naivopasarpati |
BRP111.055.2 tat putravacanaṃ śrutvā sarpamātedam abravīt || 55 ||

rājapatny uvāca:

BRP111.056.1 dhātrike gaccha subhage śīghraṃ bhogavatīṃ vada |
BRP111.056.2 tava bhartā sarpa iti tataḥ sā kiṃ vadiṣyati || 56 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.057.1 dhātrikā ca tathety uktvā gatvā bhogavatīṃ tadā |
BRP111.057.2 rahogatā uvācedaṃ vinītavad apūrvavat || 57 ||

dhātrikovāca:

BRP111.058.1 jāne 'haṃ subhage bhadre bhartāraṃ tava daivatam |
BRP111.058.2 na cākhyeyaṃ tvayā kvāpi sarpo na puruṣo dhruvam || 58 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.059.1 tasyās tad vacanaṃ śrutvā bhogavaty abravīd idam || 59 ||

bhogavaty uvāca:

BRP111.060.1 mānuṣīṇāṃ manuṣyo hi bhartā sāmānyato bhavet |
BRP111.060.2 kiṃ punar devajātis tu bhartā puṇyena labhyate || 60 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.061.1 bhogavatyās tu tad vākyaṃ sā ca sarvaṃ nyavedayat |
BRP111.061.2 sarpāya sarpamātre ca rājñe caiva yathākramam || 61 ||
BRP111.062.1 ruroda rājā tadvākyāt smṛtvā tāṃ karmaṇo gatim |
BRP111.062.2 bhogavaty api tāṃ prāha uktapūrvāṃ punaḥ sakhīm || 62 ||
382

bhogavaty uvāca:

BRP111.063.1 kāntaṃ darśaya bhadraṃ te vṛthā yāti vayo mama || 63 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.064.1 tataḥ sā darśayām āsa sarpaṃ tam atibhīṣaṇam |
BRP111.064.2 sugandhakusumākīrṇe śayane sā rahogatā || 64 ||
BRP111.065.1 taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīṣaṇaṃ sarpaṃ bhartāraṃ ratnabhūṣitam |
BRP111.065.2 kṛtāñjalipuṭā vākyam avadat kāntam añjasā || 65 ||

bhogavaty uvāca:

BRP111.066.1 dhanyāsmy anugṛhītāsmi yasyā me daivataṃ patiḥ || 66 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.067.1 ity uktvā śayane sthitvā taṃ sarpaṃ sarpabhāvanaiḥ |
BRP111.067.2 khelayām āsa tanvaṅgī gītaiś caivāṅgasaṅgamaiḥ || 67 ||
BRP111.068.1 sugandhakusumaiḥ pānais toṣayām āsa taṃ patim |
BRP111.068.2 tasyāś caiva prasādena sarpasyābhūt smṛtir mune |
BRP111.068.3 smṛtvā sarvaṃ daivakṛtaṃ rātrau sarpo 'bravīt priyām || 68 ||

sarpa uvāca:

BRP111.069.1 rājakanyāpi māṃ dṛṣṭvā na bhītāsi kathaṃ priye |
BRP111.069.2 sovāca daivavihitaṃ ko 'tikramitum īśvaraḥ |
BRP111.069.3 patir eva gatiḥ strīṇāṃ sarvadaiva viśeṣataḥ || 69 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.070.1 śrutveti hṛṣṭas tām āha nāgaḥ prahasitānanaḥ || 70 ||

sarpa uvāca:

BRP111.071.1 tuṣṭo 'smi tava bhaktyāhaṃ kiṃ dadāmi tavepsitam |
BRP111.071.2 tava prasādāc cārvaṅgi sarvasmṛtir abhūd iyam || 71 ||
BRP111.072.1 śapto 'haṃ devadevena kupitena pinākinā |
BRP111.072.2 maheśvarakare nāgaḥ śeṣaputro mahābalaḥ || 72 ||
BRP111.073.1 so 'haṃ patis tvaṃ ca bhāryā nāmnā bhogavatī purā |
BRP111.073.2 umāvākyāj jahāsoccaiḥ śambhuḥ prīto rahogataḥ || 73 ||
BRP111.074.1 mamāpi cāgataṃ bhadre hāsyaṃ taddevasannidhau |
BRP111.074.2 tatas tu kupitaḥ śambhuḥ prādāc chāpaṃ mamedṛśam || 74 ||

śiva uvāca:

BRP111.075.1 manuṣyayonau tvaṃ sarpo bhavitā jñānavān iti || 75 ||

sarpa uvāca:

BRP111.076.1 tataḥ prasāditaḥ śambhus tvayā bhadre mayā saha |
BRP111.076.2 tataś coktaṃ tena bhadre gautamyāṃ mama pūjanam || 76 ||
BRP111.077.1 kurvato jñānam ādhāsye yadā sarpākṛtes tava |
BRP111.077.2 tadā viśāpo bhavitā bhogavatyāḥ prasādataḥ || 77 ||
BRP111.078.1 tasmād idaṃ mamāpannaṃ tava cāpi śubhānane |
BRP111.078.2 tasmān nītvā gautamīṃ māṃ pūjāṃ kuru mayā saha || 78 ||
383
BRP111.079.1 tato viśāpo bhavitā āvāṃ yāvaḥ śivaṃ punaḥ |
BRP111.079.2 sarveṣāṃ sarvadārtānāṃ śiva eva parā gatiḥ || 79 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.080.1 tac chrutvā bhartṛvacanaṃ sā bhartrā gautamīṃ yayau |
BRP111.080.2 tataḥ snātvā tu gautamyāṃ pūjāṃ cakre śivasya tu || 80 ||
BRP111.081.1 tataḥ prasanno bhagavān divyarūpaṃ dadau mune |
BRP111.081.2 āpṛcchya pitarau sarpo bhāryayā gantum udyataḥ |
BRP111.081.3 śivalokaṃ tato jñātvā pitā prāha mahāmatiḥ || 81 ||

pitovāca:

BRP111.082.1 yuvarājyadharo jyeṣṭhaḥ putra eko bhavān iti |
BRP111.082.2 tasmād rājyam aśeṣeṇa kṛtvotpādya sutān bahūn |
BRP111.082.3 yāte mayi paraṃ dhāma tato yāhi śivaṃ puram || 82 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP111.083.1 etac chrutvā pitṛvacas tathety āha sa nāgarāṭ |
BRP111.083.2 kāmarūpam avāpyātha bhāryayā saha suvrataḥ || 83 ||
BRP111.084.1 pitrā mātrā tathā putrai rājyaṃ kṛtvā suvistaram |
BRP111.084.2 yāte pitari svarlokaṃ putrān sthāpya svake pade || 84 ||
BRP111.085.1 bhāryāmātyādisahitas tataḥ śivapuraṃ yayau |
BRP111.085.2 tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrthaṃ nāgatīrtham iti śrutam || 85 ||
BRP111.086.1 yatra nāgeśvaro devo bhogavatyā pratiṣṭhitaḥ |
BRP111.086.2 tatra snānaṃ ca dānaṃ ca sarvakratuphalapradam || 86 ||