Chapter 107: Story of Vṛddhagautama and the old maid

SS 174-176

brahmovāca:

BRP107.001.1 vṛddhāsaṅgamam ākhyātaṃ yatra vṛddheśvaraḥ śivaḥ |
BRP107.001.2 tasyākhyānaṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇu pāpapraṇāśanam || 1 ||
BRP107.002.1 gautamo vṛddha ity ukto munir āsīn mahātapāḥ |
BRP107.002.2 yadā purābhavad bālo gautamasya suto dvijaḥ || 2 ||
BRP107.003.1 anāsaḥ sa purotpannas tasmād vikṛtarūpadhṛk |
BRP107.003.2 sa vairāgyāj jagāmātha deśaṃ tīrtham itas tataḥ || 3 ||
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BRP107.004.1 upādhyāyena naivāsīl lajjitasya samāgamaḥ |
BRP107.004.2 śiṣyair anyaiḥ sahādhyāyo lajjitasya ca nābhavat || 4 ||
BRP107.005.1 upanītaḥ kathañcic ca pitrā vai gautamena saḥ |
BRP107.005.2 etāvatā gautamo 'pi vyagamac carituṃ bahiḥ || 5 ||
BRP107.006.1 evaṃ bahutithe kāle brahmamātrā dhṛte dvije |
BRP107.006.2 naiva cādhyayanaṃ tasya sañjātaṃ gautamasya hi || 6 ||
BRP107.007.1 naiva śāstrasya cābhyāso gautamasyābhavat tadā |
BRP107.007.2 agnikāryaṃ tataś cakre nityam eva yatavrataḥ || 7 ||
BRP107.008.1 gāyatryabhyāsamātreṇa brāhmaṇo nāmadhārakaḥ |
BRP107.008.2 agnyupāsanamātraṃ ca gāyatryabhyasanaṃ tathā || 8 ||
BRP107.009.1 etāvatā brāhmaṇatvaṃ gautamasyābhavan mune |
BRP107.009.2 upāsato 'gniṃ vidhivad gāyatrīṃ ca mahātmanaḥ || 9 ||
BRP107.010.1 tasyāyur vavṛdhe putra gautamasya cirāyuṣaḥ |
BRP107.010.2 na dārasaṅgrahaṃ lebhe naiva dātāsti kanyakām || 10 ||
BRP107.011.1 tathā caraṃs tīrthadeśe vaneṣu vividheṣu ca |
BRP107.011.2 āśrameṣu ca puṇyeṣu aṭann āste sa gautamaḥ || 11 ||
BRP107.012.1 evaṃ bhramañ śītagirim āśrityāste sa gautamaḥ |
BRP107.012.2 tatrāpaśyad guhāṃ ramyāṃ vallīviṭapamālinīm || 12 ||
BRP107.013.1 tatropaviśya viprendro vastuṃ samakaron matim |
BRP107.013.2 cintayaṃs tu praviṣṭo 'sāv apaśyat striyam uttamām || 13 ||
BRP107.014.1 śithilāṅgīm atha kṛśāṃ vṛddhāṃ ca tapasi sthitām |
BRP107.014.2 brahmacaryeṇa vartantīṃ virāgāṃ rahasi sthitām || 14 ||
BRP107.015.1 sa tāṃ dṛṣṭvā muniśreṣṭho namaskārāya tasthivān |
BRP107.015.2 namasyantaṃ muniśreṣṭhaṃ taṃ gautamam avārayat || 15 ||

vṛddhovāca:

BRP107.016.1 gurus tvaṃ bhavitā mahyaṃ na māṃ vanditum arhasi |
BRP107.016.2 āyur vidyā dhanaṃ kīrtir dharmaḥ svargādikaṃ ca yat |
BRP107.016.3 tasya naśyati vai sarvaṃ yaṃ namasyati vai guruḥ || 16 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.017.1 kṛtāñjalipuṭas tāṃ vai gautamaḥ prāha vismitaḥ || 17 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP107.018.1 tapasvinī tvaṃ vṛddhā ca guṇajyeṣṭhā ca bhāminī |
BRP107.018.2 alpavidyas tv alpavayā ahaṃ tava guruḥ katham || 18 ||

vṛddhovāca:

BRP107.019.1 ārṣṭiṣeṇapriyaputra ṛtadhvaja iti śrutaḥ |
BRP107.019.2 guṇavān matimāñ śūraḥ kṣatradharmaparāyaṇaḥ || 19 ||
BRP107.020.1 sa kadācid vanaṃ prāyān mṛgayākṛṣṭacetanaḥ |
BRP107.020.2 viśrāmam akarod asyāṃ guhāyāṃ sa ṛtadhvajaḥ || 20 ||
BRP107.021.1 yuvā sa matimān dakṣo balena mahatā vṛtaḥ |
BRP107.021.2 taṃ viśrāntaṃ nṛpavaram apsarā dadṛśe tataḥ || 21 ||
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BRP107.022.1 gandharvarājasya sutā suśyāmā iti viśrutā |
BRP107.022.2 tāṃ dṛṣṭvā cakame rājā rājānaṃ cakame ca sā || 22 ||
BRP107.023.1 iti krīḍā samabhavat tayā rājño mahāmate |
BRP107.023.2 nivṛttakāmo rājendras tām āpṛcchyāgamad gṛham || 23 ||
BRP107.024.1 utpannāhaṃ tatas tasyāṃ suśyāmāyāṃ mahāmate |
BRP107.024.2 gacchantī māṃ tadā mātā idam āha tapodhana || 24 ||

suśyāmovāca:

BRP107.025.1 yas tv asyāṃ praviśed bhadre sa te bhartā bhaviṣyati || 25 ||

vṛddhovāca:

BRP107.026.1 ity uktvā sā jagamātha mātā mama mahāmate |
BRP107.026.2 tasmād atra praviṣṭas tvaṃ pumān nānyaḥ kadācana || 26 ||
BRP107.027.1 sahasrāṇi tathāśītiṃ kṛtvā rājyaṃ pitā mama |
BRP107.027.2 atraiva ca tapas taptvā tataḥ svargam upeyivān || 27 ||
BRP107.028.1 svargaṃ yāte 'pi pitari sahasrāṇi tathā daśa |
BRP107.028.2 varṣāṇi muniśārdūla rājyaṃ kṛtvā tathā paraḥ || 28 ||
BRP107.029.1 svarge yāto mama bhrātā aham atraiva saṃsthitā |
BRP107.029.2 ahaṃ brahman nānyavṛttā na mātā na pitā mama || 29 ||
BRP107.030.1 aham ātmeśvarī brahman niviṣṭā kṣatrakanyakā |
BRP107.030.2 tasmād bhajasva māṃ brahman vratasthāṃ puruṣārthinīm || 30 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP107.031.1 sahasrāyur ahaṃ bhadre mattas tvaṃ vayasādhikā |
BRP107.031.2 ahaṃ bālas tvaṃ tu vṛddhā naivāyaṃ ghaṭate mithaḥ || 31 ||

vṛddhovāca:

BRP107.032.1 tvaṃ bhartā me purā diṣṭo nānyo bhartā mato mama |
BRP107.032.2 dhātrā dattas tatas tvaṃ māṃ na nirākartum arhasi || 32 ||
BRP107.033.1 athavā necchasi māṃ tvam apraduṣṭām anuvratām |
BRP107.033.2 tatas tyakṣyāmi jīvaṃ me idānīṃ tava paśyataḥ || 33 ||
BRP107.034.1 apekṣitāprāptito hi dehināṃ maraṇaṃ varam |
BRP107.034.2 anuraktajanatyāge pātakānto na vidyate || 34 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.035.1 vṛddhāyās tad vacaḥ śrutvā gautamo vākyam abravīt || 35 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP107.036.1 ahaṃ tapovirahito vidyāhīno hy akiñcanaḥ |
BRP107.036.2 nāhaṃ varo hi yogyas te kurūpo bhogavarjitaḥ || 36 ||
BRP107.037.1 anāso 'haṃ kiṃ karomi atapovidya eva ca |
BRP107.037.2 tasmāt surūpaṃ suvidyām āpādya prathamaṃ śubhe |
BRP107.037.3 paścāt te vacanaṃ kāryaṃ tato vṛddhābravīd dvijam || 37 ||

vṛddhovāca:

BRP107.038.1 mayā sarasvatī devī toṣitā tapasā dvija |
BRP107.038.2 tathaivāpo rūpavatyo rūpadātāgnir eva ca || 38 ||
BRP107.039.1 tasmād vāgīśvarī devī sā te vidyāṃ pradāsyati |
BRP107.039.2 agniś ca rūpavān devas tava rūpaṃ pradāsyati || 39 ||
349

brahmovāca:

BRP107.040.1 evam uktvā gautamaṃ taṃ vṛddhovāca vibhāvasum |
BRP107.040.2 prārthayitvā suvidyaṃ taṃ surūpaṃ cākaron munim || 40 ||
BRP107.041.1 tataḥ suvidyaḥ subhagaḥ sukānto |
BRP107.041.2 vṛddhāṃ sa patnīm akarot prītiyuktaḥ |
BRP107.041.3 tayā sa reme bahulā manojñayā |
BRP107.041.4 samāḥ sukhaṃ prītamanā guhāyām || 41 ||
BRP107.042.1 kadācit tatra vasator dampatyor mudator girau |
BRP107.042.2 guhāyāṃ muniśārdūla ājagmur munayo 'malāḥ || 42 ||
BRP107.043.1 vasiṣṭhavāmadevādyā ye cānye ca maharṣayaḥ |
BRP107.043.2 bhramantaḥ puṇyatīrthāni prāpnuvaṃs tasya tāṃ guhām || 43 ||
BRP107.044.1 āgatāṃs tān ṛṣīñ jñātvā gautamaḥ saha bhāryayā |
BRP107.044.2 satkāram akarot teṣāṃ jahasus taṃ ca kecana || 44 ||
BRP107.045.1 ye bālā yauvanonmattā vayasā ye ca madhyamāḥ |
BRP107.045.2 vṛddhāṃ ca gautamaṃ prekṣya jahasus tatra kecana || 45 ||

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ:

BRP107.046.1 putro 'yaṃ tava pautro vā vṛddhe ko gautamo 'bhavat |
BRP107.046.2 satyaṃ vadasva kalyāṇi ity evaṃ jahasur dvijāḥ || 46 ||
350
BRP107.047.1 viṣaṃ vṛddhasya yuvatī vṛddhāyā amṛtaṃ yuvā |
BRP107.047.2 iṣṭāniṣṭasamāyogo dṛṣṭo 'smābhir aho cirāt || 47 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.048.1 ity evam ūcire kecid dampatyoḥ śṛṇvatos tadā |
BRP107.048.2 evam uktvā kṛtātithyā yayuḥ sarve maharṣayaḥ || 48 ||
BRP107.049.1 ṛṣīṇāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā ubhāv api suduḥkhitau |
BRP107.049.2 lajjitau ca mahāprājñau gautamo bhāryayā saha |
BRP107.049.3 papraccha muniśārdūlam agastyam ṛṣisattamam || 49 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP107.050.1 ko deśaḥ kim u tīrthaṃ vā yatra śreyaḥ samāpyate |
BRP107.050.2 śīghram eva mahāprājña bhuktimuktipradāyakam || 50 ||

agastya uvāca:

BRP107.051.1 vadadbhir munibhir brahman mayā śrutam idaṃ vacaḥ |
BRP107.051.2 sarve kāmās tatra pūrṇā gautamyāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ || 51 ||
BRP107.052.1 tasmād gaccha mahābuddhe gautamīṃ pāpanāśinīm |
BRP107.052.2 ahaṃ tvām anuyāsyāmi yathecchasi tathā kuru || 52 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.053.1 etac chrutvāgastyavākyaṃ vṛddhayā gautamo 'bhyagāt |
BRP107.053.2 tatra tepe tapas tīvraṃ patnyā sa bhagavān ṛṣiḥ || 53 ||
BRP107.054.1 stutiṃ cakāra devasya śambhor viṣṇos tathaiva ca |
BRP107.054.2 gaṅgāṃ ca toṣayām āsa bhāryārthaṃ bhagavān ṛṣiḥ || 54 ||

gautama uvāca:

BRP107.055.1 khinnātmanām atra bhave tvam eva śaraṇaṃ śivaḥ |
BRP107.055.2 marubhūmāv adhvagānāṃ viṭapīva priyāyutaḥ || 55 ||
BRP107.056.1 uccāvacānāṃ bhūtānāṃ sarvathā pāpanodanaḥ |
BRP107.056.2 sasyānāṃ ghanavat kṛṣṇa tvam avagrahaśoṣiṇām || 56 ||
BRP107.057.1 vaikuṇṭhadurganiḥśreṇis tvaṃ pīyūṣataraṅgiṇī |
BRP107.057.2 adhogatānāṃ taptānāṃ śaraṇaṃ bhava gautami || 57 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.058.1 tatas tuṣṭāvadad vākyaṃ gautamaṃ vṛddhayā yutam |
BRP107.058.2 śaraṇāgatadīnārtaṃ śaraṇyā gautamī mudā || 58 ||
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gautamy uvāca:

BRP107.059.1 abhiṣiñcasva bhāryāṃ tvaṃ majjalair mantrasaṃyutaiḥ |
BRP107.059.2 kalaśair upacāraiś ca tataḥ patnī tava priyā || 59 ||
BRP107.060.1 surūpā cārusarvāṅgī subhagā cārulocanā |
BRP107.060.2 sarvalakṣaṇasampūrṇā ramyarūpam avāpsyati || 60 ||
BRP107.061.1 rūpavatyā punas tvaṃ vai bhāryayā cābhiṣecitaḥ |
BRP107.061.2 sarvalakṣaṇasampūrṇaḥ kāntaṃ rūpam avāpsyasi || 61 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.062.1 tatheti gāṅgavacanād yathoktaṃ tau ca cakratuḥ |
BRP107.062.2 surūpatām ubhau prāptau gautamyāś ca prasādataḥ || 62 ||
BRP107.063.1 abhiṣekodakaṃ yac ca sā nadī samajāyata |
BRP107.063.2 tasyā nāmnā tu vikhyātā vṛddhāyā munisattama || 63 ||
BRP107.064.1 vṛddhā nadīti vikhyātā gautamo 'pi tathocyate |
BRP107.064.2 vṛddhagautama ity ukta ṛṣibhiḥ samavāsibhiḥ |
BRP107.064.3 vṛddhā tu gautamīṃ prāha gaṅgāṃ pratyakṣarūpiṇīm || 64 ||

vṛddhovāca:

BRP107.065.1 mannāmnīyaṃ nadī devi vṛddhā cety abhidhīyatām |
BRP107.065.2 tvayā ca saṅgamas tasyās tasyās tīrtham anuttamam || 65 ||
BRP107.066.1 rūpasaubhāgyasampattiputrapautrapravardhanam |
BRP107.066.2 āyurārogyakalyāṇaṃ jayaprītivivardhanam |
BRP107.066.3 snānadānādihomaiś ca pitṝṇāṃ pāvanaṃ param || 66 ||

brahmovāca:

BRP107.067.1 astv ity āha ca tāṃ gaṅgā suvṛddhāṃ gautamapriyām |
BRP107.067.2 gautamasthāpitaṃ liṅgaṃ vṛddhānāmnaiva kīrtitam || 67 ||
BRP107.068.1 tatraiva ca mudaṃ prāpto vṛddhayā munisattamaḥ |
BRP107.068.2 tatra snānaṃ ca dānaṃ ca sarvābhīṣṭapradāyakam || 68 ||
BRP107.069.1 tataḥ prabhṛti tat tīrthaṃ vṛddhāsaṅgamam ucyate || 69 ||