CHAITRARATHA PARVA: Chapter 180

History of Aurva

और्व उवाच उक्तवानस्मि यां क्रोधात् प्रतिज्ञां पितरस्तदा। सर्वलोकविनाशाय न सा मे वितथा भवेत्॥
Arjuna said : O Pitris, the vow I uttered in anger for the destruction of all the worlds must not be in vain.

वृथारोषप्रतिज्ञो वै नाहं भवितुमुत्सहे। अनिस्तीर्णो हि मां रोषो दहेदग्निरिवारणिम्॥
I cannot to be one whose anger and vows are fruitless. This my anger will certainly consume me (if I do not accomplish my vow), as fire consumes the dry wood.

यो हि कारणतः क्रोधं संजातं क्षन्तुमर्हति। नालं स मनुजः सम्यक् त्रिवर्गं परिरक्षितुम्॥
The men, who suppresses his anger excited by a just cause, becomes incapable of duly compassing the Three varga (Dharma, Artha and Kama.)

अशिष्टानां नियन्ता हि शिष्टानां परिरक्षिता। स्थाने रोषः प्रयुक्तः स्यान्नृपैः सर्वजिगीषुभिः॥
The wrath, that the kings, desirous of subjugating the whole world, display, has its use. It serves to restrain the wicked and protect the honest.

अश्रौषमहमूरुस्थो गर्भशय्यागतस्तदा। आरावं मातृवर्गस्य भृगूणां क्षत्रियैर्वधे॥
When I was lying unborn within my mother and other women of the Bhrigu race as they were being massacred by the Kshatriyas.

संहारो हि यदा लोके भृगुणां क्षत्रियाधमैः। आगर्भोच्छेदनात् क्रान्तस्तदा मां मन्युराविशत्॥
O Pitris, when those wretches, the Kshatriyas, were exterminating the Bhrigus together with the unborn children to their race, anger filled my soul.

सम्पूर्णकोशाः किल मे मातरः पितस्तथा। भयात् सर्वेषु लोकेषु नाधिजग्मुः परायणम्॥
My mother and the other women of our race, each in a state of advanced pregnancy and my father also, though exceedingly afflic did not get a protector in all the world.

तान् भृगूणां यदा दारान् कश्चिन्नाभ्युपपद्यत। माता तदा दधारेयमूरुणैकेन मां शुभा॥
When the Bhrigu women did not find a single protector, my blessed mother held me (hidden) in one of her thighs.

प्रतिषेद्वा हि पापस्य यदा लोकेषु विद्यते। तदा सर्वेषु लोकेषु पापकृन्नोपपद्यते॥
If there be a punisher of crimes in the world, no one in all the worlds could dare commit a crime.

यदा तु प्रतिषेद्धारं पापो न लभते क्वचित्। तिष्ठन्ति बहवो लोकास्तदा पापेषु कर्मसु॥
If sin does not find any punisher, then many men live in sinful acts.

जानन्नपि च यः पापं शक्तिमान् न नियच्छति। ईशः सन् सोऽपि तेनैव कर्मणा सम्प्रयुज्यते॥
The man who having power to punish sin, does not do so, knowing that a sin has been committed, is himself defiled by that sin.

राजभिश्चैश्वरैश्चैव यदि वै पितरो मम। शक्तैर्न शकितास्त्रातुमिष्टं मत्वेह जीवितम्॥ अत एषामहं क्रुद्धो लोकानामीश्वरो ह्ययम्। भवतां च वचो नालमहं समभिवर्तितुम्॥
The kings and others, who were capable of protecting my fathers, did not protect them, neglecting to perform their duty by giving themselves up to the pleasures of life. Therefore, I have just cause to be enraged. I am the lord of creation, I am incapable of obeying your command.

ममापि चेद् भवेदेवमीश्वरस्य सतो महत्। उपेक्षमाणस्य पुनर्लोकानां किल्बिषाद् भयम्॥
Capable as I am of punishing this crime, if I abstain from doing it, men will once more have to undergo a similar persecution.

यश्चाहं मन्युजो मेऽग्निर्लोकानादातुमिच्छति। दहेदेष च मामेव निगृहीतः स्वतेजसा॥
The fire of my wrath, which is ready to consume the worlds, if suppressed, will certainly consume me by its own energy.

भवतां च विजानामि सर्वलोकहितेप्सुताम्। तस्माद् विधध्वं यच्छ्रेयो लोकानां मम चेश्वराः॥
O masters, I know you always seek the good of the worlds. Therefore, instruct me as to what may be good to myself or to the worlds.

पितर ऊचुः य एष मन्युजस्तेऽग्निर्लोकानादातुमिच्छति। अप्सु तं मुञ्च भद्रं ते लोका ह्यप्सु प्रतिष्ठिताः॥
The Pitris said : Throw this fire of your wrath which desires to consume the worlds into the waters. That will do you good. The worlds rest on water.

आपोमयाः सर्वरसाः सर्वमापोमयं जगत्। तस्मादप्सु विमुञ्चमं क्रोधाग्निं द्विजसत्तम॥
Every juicy substance is full of water; indeed the whole universe is full of water. Therefore, O best of the twice born, throw this your anger into the waters.

अयं तिष्ठतु ते विप्र यदीच्छसि महोदधौ। मन्युजोऽग्निर्दहन्नापो लोका ह्यापोमयाः स्मृताः॥
O Brahmana, if you desire it, let this fire of your wrath remain in the great ocean, consuming its water, for we have heard the worlds are made of water.

एवं प्रतिज्ञा सत्येयं तवानघ भविष्यति। न चैवं सामरा लोंका गमिष्यन्ति पराभवम्॥
O sinless one, in this way your word will be made true and the worlds with the celestials will not be destroyed.

वसिष्ठ उवाच ततस्तं क्रोधजं तात और्वोऽग्निं वरुणालये। उत्ससर्ज च चैवाप उपयुङ्क्ते महोदधौ॥
Vasishtha said: Thereupon Aurva threw the fire of his wrath into the abode of Varuna (sea) and that fire consumes the waters of the great ocean.

महद्धयशिरो भूत्वा यत् तद् वेदविदो विदुः। तमग्निमुद्रिद् वक्त्रात् पिबत्यापो महोदधौ॥
Assuming a greatly fearful head (that of a horse) and emitting fire from its mouth, it consumes the waters of the great ocean. The men learned in the Vedas call it Vadabamukha.

तस्मात् त्वमपि भद्रं ते न लोकान् हन्तुमर्हसि। पराशर पराँल्लोकान् जानज्ञानवतां वर॥
O Parashara, O foremost of all wise men, you are acquainted with the higher regions, you should not destroy the world.