ŚRĪ PARĀŚARA SAMHITĀ – The Story of the History of Kapila – Kapilacaritra Kathanamm (21st Chapter)

21^st Chapter (Ēkavimśatitamah Paţalah)

“The Story of the History of Kapila”

(Kapilacaritra kathanamm)

श्रीपराशर:
उवाच कुशलं भार्या तव किं वक्ति मे वद
तमुवाच महाबाहो पोष्यवर्गस्य कारणात्।। 1

Parāśara is telling Mytrēya:

Hanumān divinely appeared and asked Kapila “Oh! Brahmin! Are you happy?” and “ Tell me what your wife is saying”. Then he (Kapila) told, “Oh! Great soul! Since there are people whom I had to feed, (1)

वन्यशाकमुपादाय जपांते गृहमागत:
नयामि दिवसानद्य शाकं नानीतवानहम्।। 2

After meditation, I used to collect leafy vegetables from forest and bring them home. But today I could not do so. (2)

अत एवंविधावाच: क्षुधार्ता वक्ति मामिति
प्रहस्योवाच विप्रेन्द्रं हनुमान्भूतभावन:।। 3

Hence my hungry wife was saying these things to me”. Thus informed, Lord Hanumān smiled and said so to that virtuous Brahmin, (3)

वरं वरय भद्रं ते मा कुरुष्वात्र संशयम्
श्रुत्वा हनुमतो वाक्यं कपिलो ह्र्ष्टमानस:।। 4

“You may seek a boon that benefits you. Ask without any doubt”; hearing Hanumān‘s words, Kapila with a happy consciousness, (and) (4)

उवाच वचनं धीमान् देशकालोचितं यथा
वरमन्यं न याचे हं त्वत्पादांबुजभक्तित:।। 5

In accordance with the situation – time and place – wise Kapila said, “Oh! Lord Hanumān! I do not seek anything but utmost devotion to your lotus feet”. (5)

तत: प्रोवाच हनुमान् भक्ति मुक्तिं ददामि ते
तव भार्यां वद ब्रह्मन् पश्चाद्भागे गृहस्य ते। 6

Then Hanumān said, “Oh! Brahmin! I am gifting you devotion. Tell your wife like this. In the backyard of your house, (6)

बदरीवृक्षमूले तु निक्षेपो वर्तते महान्
तद्गृहीत्वा धनं प्राज्यं यथेष्टं भुज्यतामिति।। 7

At the base of the Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) tree there is a big container of treasure. Using those riches enjoy life”. (7)

तथैवोक्ता स्वपतिना प्रहस्य प्राह तं द्विजम्
अहं तु मंदभाग्यास्मि मादृशी न जगत्त्रये।। 8

When the same was narrated to her by Kapila his wife laughed and told the Brahmin, “I am unfortunate. A woman like me does not exist in the three Worlds. (8)

यतो दारिद्र्ययदु:खेन सर्वेषामस्मि गोचरा
गृहे तु परुषं चोरमादिश्य बिलभेदने।। 9

Why, because I am looked down upon by all due to poverty like setting off a thierf to steal in the house, (9)

वृथा मांबाधते ब्रह्मान् एतद्दैन्यस्य वंचनम्
अथवा विद्यते नाथ! कटहो धनसंपदाम्।। 10

I am being troubled unnecessarily. This is a cruel deceit by the god. Husband! Otherwise, how can there be a box of treasure? (10)

तमुद्धर्तुं कथं नालं दैवं ते गिरिभेदकम्
कथं वा शक्तिरुद्धर्तुं शाकसात्कृतवत्र्मन:
नितांतकुशदीनाया: क्षुधिताया दिवानिशम्।। 11

How come your Lord, who is capable breaking the mountains is not capble of fetching treasure? How can people habituated to eating leaves like us can have strtength to to dig up the treasure? How wretched people ematiating constantly and hungry day and night can have such strength? (11)

अस्मासु यद्यनुक्रोश: कपिराजस्य धीमत:
उद्धृत्य नखराग्रेण दीयतां धनपेटिका।। 12

If at all that all-knowing monkey god has the slightest mercy on you, he can lift that treasure box with the tip of his little finger, (12)

अस्माकमतिमूढानां हतभाग्योपजीविनाम्
न चास्य महातो लोके-विद्यते शक्त्यगोचरा:।। 13

And give to us, the living luckless fools! There is nothing in this great World that is unachievable to attain by his great powers. (13)

गिरिंच गिरि श्रूंगाणि वहतो लीलया कपे:
निक्षेपपात्राहरणे कियान्भारो भविष्यति।। 14

Is the weight of a box containing treasure beyond the capacity of the godly monkey worrior? He can casually carry a mountain and mountain top. (14)

उपच्छंदेन वाक्येन न संतोषो भवेदिति
इति त्रूत्वा तु हनुमान् निद्रां च भजते वधू:।। 15

Hence what you said (about Him) give me no happiness”, Hearing these words of Kapila’s wife, Hanumān, while she was sleeping, (15)

ततोगत्वा धनस्थानं हनुमान्पादकुट्टनै:
भित्वा तद्धनपत्रंमे शिरसि स्थापय द्विज! ।। 16

Having gone to the spot of the treasure trove and digged up the treasure box with his foot, said, “Oh! Brahmin! Put this treasure box on my head”. (16)

इत्युक्त: प्राह तं विप्र: कथं ते शिरसि प्रभो!
स्थापयामीदृशं भारमपराधस्य कारणम्।। 17

On hearing that Brahmin Kapila said, “Oh! Great Soul! How can I keep this weight, a product of my guilt, on your head? (17)

तमुवाच हरिर्विप्रं मम भक्तार्थ भारत
न मे ग्लानिर्भवेदेव महात्मा न तु सीदति।। 18

Hearing that Hanumān said to the Brahmin, “The weight I bear for my devotees does not harm me at all. Good people sould never feel lazy. (18)

पुरा हं सेतुबंधार्थं समुद्रे रामचोदित:
कनकाचलमालोक्य वलिनोध्दर्तुमीप्सित:।। 19

Once, having been enthused by Lord Śrīrāma for construction of the bridge across the sea, I saw Mount Mĕru and thought of pulling jf out with my tail and carrying it away. (19)

एतद्ज्ञात्वा सुरश्रेष्ठो मां प्रार्थयितुमागत:
अवोचं स्त्रिदशास्सर्वे लोकपाला मरुद्गणा:।। 20

Learning about this, the best among the gods (Indra) came to worship me. “All gods, rulers of abodes (lōkapālakah), action-itinerant gods (marudgaņas), (20)

वसवस्सिद्धसाध्याश्च गंधर्वाप्सरसां गणा:
देवर्षयो वसन्त्यत्र कथं नेतुमिहार्हसि।। 21

The wealth and wealth creators (vasus), achievers (siddhas), accomplishers (sādhyas), mucisian gods (gandharvas), hevenly dancing nymphs (apsaras) and godly saints (dĕvarşis) live in this. So, how can youn take it away?” (21)

विरिंचिनैवमुक्तो·हं अवोचं भारतीपतिम्।। 22

So told by the Creator Brahma, I said to (him) the husband of Saraswati (vāņīpati) as follows. (22)

रामो दाशरथिश्श्रीमान् सत्यसंधो महाबल:
रावणं जेतुकामस्सन् सेतुबंधं समुद्यत:।। 23

“Determined to win over Rāvaņa,; śrīmanta (illustrious), satyasandha (stickler to truth), mahābala (very powerful), daśarathasuta (son of Daśaratha) Śrīrāma decided to build the bridge, (23)

तदर्थमेनं हेमाद्रिं शीघ्रं नेतुमिहागत:
किमन्यै: पर्वतस्तोकै: इति मत्या निमंत्रित:।। 24

That is why I came to take away this golden mountain. What is the need for lesser hills for me? Hence I got involved in this (task). (24)

प्रसारयामि लांगूलं तस्यागे्र सर्वदेवता:
तिष्ठंत्विमं महाशैलं न त्यजामि कथंचन 25

May be, all the celestials live on it! I am not going to leave this great mountain. Here I am spreading my tail.” (25)

श्रुत्वा तु मे बलोपेतं चलवाक्यं पितामह:
उपायेन जगत्कर्ता सुंदरं रामविग्रहम्।। 26

Hearing my such determined words, Creator Brahma thought of a solution and a beautiful idol of Rāma, (26)

कल्पयित्वा तन्मुखेन मां व्यदारयदीश्वर:
वृतांतमेतद् ज्ञात्वा पि रामशासनगौरवात्
अहं मेरुं परित्यज्य गिरीनन्यान्गृहीतवान्।। 27

He made and on that plea that capable one stopped me. Though I knew all these happenings, out of respect for Rāma’s virtuous rule, I left Mount Mĕru and took away other hills. (27)

मदानीतैश्च वै रामो बंधयामास सागरम्
अतो धनकटाहो यं न मे भाराय कल्पते।। 28

Lord Rāma built the bridge across the sea with the mountains brought by me. Hence this treasure box cannot be heavy for me”. (28)

द्विजस्संचोदितो यं कपीन्द्रेण महात्मना
स मेने तस्य तं भारं मूध्र्ना वाहयितुं पुन:।। 29

Even after all this was narrated by the great soul and best among the monkey warriors, Brāhmin Kapila did not like the idea of Hanumān casrrying it on His head. (29)

कपीन्द्रो पि निरीक्ष्यैवं तस्य भक्तिमहैतुकीम्
स्वयमेवानुमेने तं भारमुद्वोढुमादरात्।। 30

Seeing his unadulterated devotion, Lord Hanumān the great, decided to carry that weight Himself. (30)

इति निश्चित्य मनसा भारमुवाह्मा मौलिना
निद्रालोर्द्विजभार्याया: पुरोदेशे न्यपातयत्।। 31

Having decided in his soul to do like wise, Hanumān carried the weight on His head and put it in front of the sleeping wife of Kapila. (31)

तत: कपिलमाहूय हनुमान्भक्तवत्सल:
आमुष्मिकं च दास्यामीत्युक्त्वैवांतरधीयत।। 32

Then Hanumān, the dearest to devotees, called Kapila and having said, “I am giving you the required competence to attain spiritual liberation”, became invisible. (32)

सा वधू: प्रातरुत्थाय धनराशिं विलोक्य तम्
कौतूहलसमाविष्टा प्रोवाच स्वपतिं सती।। 33

Getting up in the morning, Kapila’s wife felt very happy to see the wealth and said to her husband, (33)

तप:प्रभावं विपेन्द्र तव पूर्वमजानती
साधारणं द्विजं मत्वा त्वां तु लोकविलक्षणम्।। 34

“Oh! Best among the Brahmins! In the past, without realizing the power of your austereties, I mistook you, a distinguished Brahmin to be an ordinary one, (34)

दारिद्र्य्कर्शिता नित्यं क्षुत्क्षीणैश्चैव बालकै:
अवोचमहमेतावत् तद्भवान्क्षंतुमर्हसि।। 35

Depressed day and night with destitution, unable to bear the children suffering with hunger. I said such things (to you). Please excuse me for the same”.(35)

इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठो भार्यासुतसमन्वित:
भुक्त्वाभोगान्वीतराग: काले मुक्तिमवाप स:।। 36

That goodd Brahmin readily excused his apologiging wife, enjoyed the family life with wife and children, ultimately relinquishing desires, attained spiritual liberation in time. (36)

इत्येवं षोडशार्णस्य महिमा स हनूमत:
कथितस्तव मैत्रेय! पुन: किं श्रोतुमिच्छसि।। 37

Parāśara told Mytrēya: “Such a power of the Hanumān’s 16-lettered mantra is explained to you. Oh! Mytrēya , do let me know what else you want to learn”.(37)

इतिश्रीपराशरसंहितायां श्रीपराशरमैत्रेयसंवादे षोडशाक्षरीप्रभावकपिलचरित्रकथनं नाम एकविंशतितम: पटल:

Thus ends the 21^st Chapter, entitled “The Story of the History of Kapila” ((Kapilacaritra kathanamm) of Śrī Parāśara Samhitā

Click here to visit the Contents of the Part 1.