वैशम्पायन उवाच भूय एव महाभाग्यं कथ्यतामित्यब्रवीत् पाण्डवो मार्कण्डेयम्। अथाचष्ट मार्कण्डेयः। अष्टकस्य वैश्वामित्रेरश्वमेधे सर्वे राजानः प्रागच्छन्॥
Vaishampayana said : The Pandavas again spoke thus to Markandeya, “Tell us again about the greatness (of the royal order)." And Markandeya said, "In the horse sacrifice of Ashtaka the descendant of Vishvamitra, all the kings came.
भ्रातरश्चास्य प्रतर्दनो वसुमना: शिबिरौशीनर इति। स च समाप्तयज्ञो भ्रातृभिः सह रथेन प्रायात्। ते च नारदमागच्छन्तमभिवाद्यारोहतु भवान् स्थमित्यब्रुवन्॥
His brothers, Pratardana, Vasumana and Shibi, the son of Ushinara also came. When the sacrifice was over, he was going with his brother on a car when he saw Narada coming. They saluted him and said, “Come with us on this chariot.”
तांस्तथेत्युक्त्वा रथमारुरोह। अथ तेषामेकः सुरर्षि नारदमब्रवीत्। प्रसाद्य भगवन्तं किचिदिच्छेयं प्रष्टुमिति॥
Saying "So be it" he got on the car. One of them, having gratified the celestial Rishi, the exalted Narada, said, 'All four of are blessed with long life and possess every virtue. We shall therefore go to a certain celestials region and live there for a long time. But who will among us fall down first? The Rishi said "This Ashtaka will fall first."
पृच्छेत्यब्रवीदृषिः। सोऽब्रवीदायुष्मन्तः सर्वगुणप्रमुदिताः। अथायुष्मन्तं स्वर्गस्थानं चतुर्भिर्यातव्यं स्यात् कोऽवतरेत्। अयमष्टकोऽवतरेदित्यब्रवीदृषिः॥ किं कारणमित्यपृच्छत्। अथाचष्टाष्टकस्य गृहे मया उषितं स मां रथेनानुप्रावहदथापश्यमनेकानि गोसहस्राणि वर्णशो विविक्तानि तमहमपृच्छं कस्येमा गाव इति सोऽब्रवीत्। मया निसृष्टा इत्येतास्तेनैव स्वयं श्लाघति कथितेन। एषोऽवतरेदथ त्रिभिर्यातव्यं साम्प्रतं कोऽवतरेत्॥
He asked, "For what cause?” The Rishi said, "I lived for a few days in the palace of Ashtaka. He one day took me out of the city on his car. I saw there thousands of cows each distinguished by various colour. I asked him whose kine are these. He said, “I myself have made gifts of them.” By these words he flourished his own praise; for this reason he will fall (first). (He said), "we shall then remain, there who among us will fall first?”
प्रतर्दन इत्यब्रवीदृषिः। तत्र किं कारणं प्रतर्दनस्यापि गृहे मयोषितं स मां रथेनानुप्रावहत्॥
The Rishi said, "Pratardana." "What is its cause?" "I also lived in the house of Pratardana. One day he took me in his car.
अथैनं ब्राह्मणोऽभिक्षेताश्वं मे ददातु भवान् निवृत्तो दास्यामीत्यब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणं त्वरितमेव दीयतामित्यब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणस्त्वरितमेव स ब्राह्मणस्यैवमुक्त्वा दक्षिणं पार्श्वमददत्॥
While doing so, a Brahmana said to him, "Give me a horse.” He said, "After my return, I shall give you.” The Brahmana said, “Give it to me without any delay.” He then unyoked the horse on the right (side of the car) and gave it to him.
अथान्योऽप्यश्वार्थी ब्राह्मण आगच्छत्। तथैव चैनमुक्त्वा वामपाणिमभ्यदादथ प्रायात् पुनरपि चान्योऽप्यश्वार्थी ब्राह्मण आगच्छत् त्वरितोऽथ तस्मै अपना वाम धुर्यमददत्॥
There came to him another Brahmana desiring to get a horse. Saying as before, he then unyoked the horse on the left (side of the car) and gave it to him. He then went on. But another Brahmana, desiring to get a horse again, came to him. He then gave him the horse yoked to the left front of his car.
अथ प्रायात् पुनरन्य आगच्छदश्वार्थी ब्राह्मणस्तमब्रवीदतियातो दास्यामि त्वरितमेव त्वरितमेव मे दीयतामित्यब्रवीद् ब्राह्मणस्तस्मै दत्त्वाचं रथधुरं गृहणता व्याहृतं ब्राह्मणानां साम्प्रतं नास्ति किंचिदिति॥
When proceeding, another man desirous of getting a horse, also came to him. He said to the Brahmana, "On my return I shall give (you the horse).” But the Brahmana said, "Give it to me without delay.” He gave the Brahmana the only horse he had. He, then himself seizing the yoke of the car, began to drag it. He said, “There is now nothing (to give) to the Brahmanas."
य एष ददाति चासूयति च तेन व्याहतेन तथावतरेत्। अथ द्वाभ्यां यातव्यमिति कोऽवतरेत्॥
The king had no doubt given away in charity), but he did it with detraction. For this reason he will fall (first). (He asked), “We shall then remain two, who among us will fall first?"
वसुमना अवतरेदित्यब्रवीदृषिः॥
The Rishi said, “Vasumana will fall first."
किं कारणमित्यपृच्छदधाचष्ट नारदः। अहं परिभ्रमन् वसुमनसो गृहमुपस्थितः॥
He asked "For what cause?” Narada said, “Wandering about I came to the house of Vasumana.
स्वस्तिवचनमासीत् पुष्परथस्य प्रयोजनेन तमहमन्वगच्छं स्वस्तिवाचितेषु ब्राह्मणेषु रथो ब्राह्मणानां दर्शितः॥
He was engaged in the ceremony of Svastivachana for a flowery car, and at that time I came there. When the Brahmanas finished the Svastivachana ceremony, then the car became visible to them.
तमहं रथं प्राशंसमथ राजाब्रवीद् भगवता रथः प्रशस्तः। एष भगवतो रथ इति॥
I praised that car and then the king spoke to me thus, "O exalted one, this car has been praised by you, let this car therefore by yours.”
अथ कदाचित् पुनरप्यहमुपस्थितः पुनरेव च रथप्रयोजनमासीत्। सम्यगयमेष भगवत इत्येवं राजाब्रवीदिति पुनरेव तृतीयं स्वस्तिवाचनं समभावयमथ राजा ब्राह्मणानां दर्शयन् मामभिप्रेक्ष्याब्रवीत्। अथो भगवता पुष्परथस्य स्वस्तिवाचनानि सुष्ठु सम्भावितानि एतेन द्रोहवचनेनावतरेत्॥
Once upon a time, I again went to him. I went there because I was in need of a car and the king said, “It is yours.” For the third time I went to the king and praised a car. The king exhibited the flowery car to the Brahmanas and looking at me said, “O exalted one, you have enough praised the flowery car." He simply said this but he did not give it to me. For this he will fall down (from heaven).
अथैकेन यातव्यं स्यात् कोऽवतरेत् पुनर्नारद आह शिबिर्यायादहमवतरेयमत्र किं कारणमित्यब्रवीत्। असावहं शिबिना समो नास्मि यतो ब्राह्मणः कश्चिदेनमब्रवीत्।।१६ शिबे अन्नार्यस्मीति तमब्रवीच्छिबिः कि क्रियतामाज्ञापयतु भवानिति॥
One said, "Between the one thus will go with you and you yourself who will go and who will fall? Narada again said, "Shibi will go, but I shall fall down. "He said "what is its cause?" Narada said-I am not the equal of Shibi. (One day) a Brahmana came to Shibi and spoke to him thus. “O Shibi, I have come to you for food," To him Shibi replied, "What shall I do, command me."
अथैनं ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीद् य एष ते पुत्रो बृहद्गर्भो नाम एष प्रमातव्य इति तमेनं संस्कुरु अन्नं चोपपादय ततोऽहं प्रतीक्ष्य इति। ततः पुत्रं प्रमाथ्य संस्कृत्य विधिना साधयित्वा पाश्यामर्पयित्वा शिरसा प्रतिगृह्य ब्राह्मणममृगयत्॥
The Brahmana then said, “Your son Brihadgarbha should be killed and cooked by you for my food.” Thereupon I waited to see. He (Shibi) killed his son and cooking him in the proper way, placed it on a vessel and then taking it on his head he went to search for the Brahmana.
अथास्य मृगयमाणस्य कश्चिदाचष्ट एष ते ब्राह्मणो नगरं प्रविश्य दहति ते गृहं कोशागारमायुधागारं स्त्र्यगारमश्वशालां हस्तिशालां च क्रुद्ध इति॥
When he was thus searching, some one spoke to him thus, “The Brahmana whom you search, having entered the city, is setting fire to your house in anger, setting fire to your treasure house, your arsenal, your apartment for females and to your stables for horses and those for elephant."
अथ शिबिस्तथैवाविकृतमुखवर्णो नगरं प्रविश्य ब्राह्मणं तमब्रवीत् सिद्धं भगवन्नन्नमिति ब्राह्मणो न किंचिद् व्याजहार विस्मयादधोमुखश्चासीत्॥
Shibi heard all this without any change of colour in his face. Entering the city, he thus spoke to the Brahmana, "O exalted one, the food is ready.” Hearing this the Brahmana stood silent. From surprise he stood with down-cast looks.
ततः प्रासादयद् ब्राह्मणं भगवन् भुज्यतामिति। मुहूर्तादुद्वीक्ष्य शिविमब्रवीत्॥
He then gratified the Brahmanas and said "O exalted one, eat." Looking at Shibi for a moment he said.
त्वमेवैतदशानेति तत्राह तथेति शिबिस्तथैवाविमना महित्वा कपालमभ्युद्धार्य भोक्तुमैच्छत्॥
"Eat it yourself." Thereupon Shibi said, “Be it so", He then without the least hesitation took down the meat.
अथास्य ब्राह्मणो हस्तमगृहणात्। अब्रवीचैनं जितक्रोधोऽसि न ते किञ्चिदपरित्याज्यं ब्राह्मणार्थे ब्राह्मणोऽपि तं महाभागं सभाजयत्॥
The Brahmana then caught hold of his hand and thus spoke to him, “You have (really) conquered anger. There is nothing which you cannot give to a Brahmana.” Then the Brahmana worshipped that greatly exalted one.
स झुद्वीक्षमाणः पुत्रमपश्यदग्रे तिष्ठन्तं देवकुमारमिव पुण्यगन्धान्वितमलङ्कृतं सर्वं तमर्थं विधाय ब्राह्मणोऽन्तरधीयत॥
And as he (Shibi) looked in front, he saw his son standing before him like a celestials boy adorned with ornaments and full of fragrance all over his body. The Brahmana having done all this disappeared.
तस्य राजर्षेर्विधाता तेनैव वेषेण परीक्षार्थमागत इति तस्मिन्नन्तर्हिते अमात्या राजानमुचूः। किं प्रेप्सुना भवता इदमेवं जानता कृतमिति॥
It was Vidhata himself who had thus come to try in disguise that royal sage. When he (Vidhata) had disappeared, the ministers thus spoke to the king, “You know everything, why did you then do all this?”
शिविरुवाच नैवाहमेतद् यशसे ददानि न चार्थहेतोर्न च भोगतृष्णया। पापैरनासेवित एष मार्ग इत्येवमेतत् सकलं करोमि॥
Shibi said: It was not for fame or for wealth or from desire of acquiring any object of enjoyment that I did all this. This path is (never) sinful; it is for this I do all this,
सद्भिः सदाध्यासितं तु प्रशस्तं तस्मात् प्रशस्तं श्रयते मतिमें। एतन्महाभाग्यवरं शिबेस्तु तस्मादहं वेद यथावदेतत्॥
The path trodden by the virtuous is laudable; my heart is always inclined to such a path. I know this noble example of Shibi's greatness; and therefore I have narrated it to you.