श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच इमां भूमिं द्विजातिभ्यो दित्सुवै दक्षिणां पुरा। अङ्गो नाम नृपो राजंस्ततश्चिन्तां मही ययौ॥
The god of wind said Once on a time, O king, a king named Anga wished to give away the entire Earth as sacrificial present to the Brahmanas. At this, the Earth became stricken with anxiety.
धारिणी सर्वभूतानामयं प्राप्य वरो नृपः। कथमिच्छति मां दातुं द्विजेभ्यो ब्रह्मणः सुताम्॥
I am the daughter of Brahman. I hold all creatures. Having obtained me, alas, why does this foremost of kings wish to give me away to the Brahmanas?
साहं त्यक्त्वा गमिष्यामि भूमित्वं ब्रह्मणः पदम्। अयं सराष्ट्रो नृपतिर्मा भूदिति ततोऽगमत्॥
Renouncing my character as the soil, I shall now go to my father. Let this king with all his kingdom meet with destruction! Forming this conclusion, she departed for the region of Brahman.
ततस्तां कश्यपो दृष्ट्वा व्रजन्तीं पृथिवीं तदा। प्रविवेश महीं सद्यो मुक्त्वाऽऽत्मानं समाहितः॥
Seeing the goddess Earth about to go, the Rishi Kashyapa himself immediately entered the visibie body of the goddess, renouncing his own body, by the help of Yoga.
ऋद्धा सा सर्वतो यज्ञे तृणौषधिसमन्विता। धर्मोत्तरा नष्टभया भूमिरासीत् ततो नृप॥
Thus penetrated by the spirit of Kashyapa, the earth grow in prosperity and became full of all kinds of vegetable produce. Indeed, O king, for the time the Kashyapa pervaded the earth, Virtue became foremost everywhere and all fears ceased.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि दिव्यानि विपुलव्रतः। त्रिंशत: कश्यपो राजन् भूमिरासीदतन्द्रितः॥
Thus, O king, the earth remained penetrated by the spirit of Kashyapa for thirty thousand divine years, fully alive to all those functions which it used to discharge while it was penetrated by the spirit of Brahmana's daughter.
अथागम्य महाराज नमस्कृत्य च कश्यपम्। पृथिवी काश्यपी यज्ञे सुता तस्य महात्मनः॥
Upon the expiration of this period, the goddess returned from the region of Brahman and arrived here bowed to Kashyapa and from that time became the daughter of that Rishi.
एष राजन्नीदृशो वै ब्राह्मणः कश्यपोऽभवत्। अन्यं प्रब्रहि वा त्वं च कश्यपात् क्षत्रियं वरम्॥
Kashyapa is a Brahmana. This was the feet, O king, that a Brahmana did, teil mc the name of the Kshatriya who is superior to Kashyapa.
तूष्णीं बभूव नृपतिः पवनस्त्वब्रवीत् पुनः। शृणु राजन्नुतथ्यस्य जातस्याङ्गिरसे कुले।९।।
Hearing these words, king Arjuna remained silent. The god of wind once more said to him, Hear now, O king, the story of Utathya who was born in the family of Angirasa.
भद्रा सोमस्य दुहिता रूपेण परमा मता। तस्यास्तुल्यं पति सोम उतथ्यं समपश्यत॥
The daughter of Soma, named Bhadra, came to be considered as peerless in beauty. Her father Soma regarded Utathya to be the fittest of husbands for her.
सा च तीर्व तपस्तेपे महाभागा यशस्विनी। उतथ्यार्थे तु चार्वङ्गी परं नियममास्थिता॥
The famous and highly blessed maiden of faultless limbs, observing various vows practised the severest austerities from the desire of getting Utathya for her husband.
तत आहूय सोतथ्यं ददावत्रिर्यशस्विनीम्। भार्यार्थे स च जग्राह विधिवद् भूरिदक्षिणः॥
After some time, Soma's father Atri, inviting Utathya to his house, bestowed upon him the famous maiden. Utathya, who used to give away sacrificial presents in profusion, duly received the girl for his wife.
तां त्वकामयत श्रीमान् वरुणः पूर्वमेव ह। स चागम्य वनप्रस्थं यमुनायां जहार ताम्॥
It so took place, however, that the beautiful Varuna had, from a long time before, coveted the girl. Coming to the forest where Utathya lived, Varuna stole away the girl when she had plunged into the Yamuna for a bath.
जलेश्वरस्तु हृत्वा तामनयत् स्वं पुरं प्रति। परमाद्भुतसंकाशं षट्सहस्रशतह्रदम्॥
Abducting her thus, the Lord of the waters took her to his own house. That mansion was wonderful. It was adorned with six hundred thousand lakes.
न हि रम्यतरं किंचित् तस्मादन्यत् पुरोत्तमम्। प्रसादैरप्सरोभिश्च दिव्यैः कामैश्च शोभितम्॥
There is no palace that can be considered more beautiful than that of Varuna. It was adorned with many places and by the presence of various tribes of Apsaras and of various excellent articles of enjoyment.
तत्र देवस्तया सार्धे रेमे राजन् जलेश्वरः। अथाख्यातमुतथ्याय ततः पल्यवमर्दनम्॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदात् सर्वमुतथ्यो नारदं तदा। प्रोवाच गच्छ ब्रूहि त्वं वरुणं परुषं वचः॥ मद्वाक्यान्मुञ्च मे भार्यो कस्मात् तां हृतवानसि।
There, within that palace, the Lord of waters, O king, sported with the damsel. A little while after, Utathya came to know of the ravishment of his wife. Indeed, having heard all the facts from Narada, Utathya addressed the celestial Rishi, saying, Go, O Narada, to Varuna and speak with due severity to him. Ask him as to why he has abducted my wife, and, indeed, tell him in my name that he should give her up.
लोकपालोऽसि लोकानां न लोकस्य विलोपकः।।१८ सोमेन दत्ता भार्या मे त्वया चापहृताद्य वै।
You may tell him further, You are a protector of the worlds, O Varuna, and not a destroyer. Why then have you abducted my wife bestowed upon me by Sona?
इत्युक्तो वचनात् तस्य नारदेन जलेश्वरः॥ मुञ्च भार्यामुतथ्यस्य कस्मात् त्वं हृतवानसि।
Thus requested by Utathya, the celestial Rishi Narada went to where Varuna was and addressing him, said, Do you liberate the wife of Utathya. Indeed, why have you abducted her!
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य सोऽथ तं वरुणोऽब्रवीत्॥ ममैषा सुप्रिया भार्यां नैनामुत्स्रष्टुमुत्सहे।
Hearing these words of Narada, Varuna replied to him, saying, This timed girl is very dear to me. I dare not let her go.
इत्युक्तो वरुणेनाथ नारदः प्राप्य तं मुनिम्। उतथ्यमब्रवीद् वाक्यं नातिहष्टमना इव॥ गले गृहीत्वा क्षिप्तोऽस्मि वरुणेन महामुने। न प्रयच्छति ते भार्यो यत् ते कार्यं कुरुष्व तत्॥
Receiving this reply, Narada went to Utathya and cheerlessly told him, O great ascetic, Varuna has driven me from his house, catching me by the throat. He is reluctant to restore to you your wife. Do you act as you please.
नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा क्रुद्धः प्राज्वलदाङ्गिराः। अपिबत् तेजसा वारि विष्टभ्य सुमहातपाः॥
Hearing these words of Narada, Angirasa became enraged. Having penances for wealth, he solidified the waters and drank them off, by his energy.
पीयमाने तु सर्वस्मिंस्तोयेऽपि सलिलेश्वरः। सुहृद्धिर्भिक्षमाणोऽपि नैवामुञ्चत तां तदा।॥
When all the waters were thus drunk off, the Lord of that clement became very dispirited with all his friends and kinsfolk. For all that, he did not still give up Utathya's wife.
तत: क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद् भूमिमुतथ्यो ब्राह्मणोत्तमः। दर्शयस्व स्थलं भद्रे षट् सहस्रशतह्रदम्॥
Then Utathya, that foremost of twiceborn persons, filled with anger, commanded Earth, saying, O amiable one, do you show land where there are at present the six hundred thousand lakes.
ततस्तदीरिणं जातं समुद्रस्यावसर्पतः। तस्माद् देशान्नदीं चैव प्रोवाचासौ द्विजोत्तमः॥ अदृश्या गच्छ भीरु तवं सरस्वति मरून प्रति। अपुण्य एष भवतु देशस्त्यक्तस्त्वया शुभे॥
At these words of The Rishi, the Ocean receded from the spot marked out, and land appeared which was highly sterile. To the rivers which flowed through that region, Utathya said. O Sarasvati, do you become invisible here. Indeed, O timid lady, leaving this region, go you to the desert. O auspicious goddess, let this region, destitute of you, cease to become sacred.
तस्मिन् संशोषिते देशे भद्रामादाय वारिपः। अददाच्छरणं गत्वा भार्यामाङ्गिरसाय वै॥
When that rcgion became dry, he repaired to Angirasaa, taking with him Utathya's wife, and made her over to him.
प्रतिगृह्य तु तां भार्यामुतथ्यः सुमनाऽभवत्। मुमोच च जगद् दुःखाद् वरुणं चैव हैहय॥
Getting back his wife, Utathya became cheerful. Then, O chief of the Haihaya family, that great Brahmana rescued both the universe and the Lord of waters from the situation of distress into which he had reduced them.
ततः स लब्ध्वा तां भार्यां वरुणं प्राह धर्मवित्। उतथ्यः सुमहातेजा यत् तच्छृणु नराधिप॥ मयैषा तपसा प्राप्ता क्रोशतस्ते जलाधिप। इत्युक्त्वा तामुपादाय स्वमेव भवनं ययौ॥
Knowing every duty, the highly energetic Rishi Utathya, after getting back his wife, O king, said to Varuna, I have recovered my wife, O lord of waters, with the help of my penances and after inflicting such distress on you as made you cry aloud in pain. Having said this, he went home, with that wife of his.
एष राजन्नीदृशो वै उतथ्यो ब्राह्मणर्षभः। ब्रवीम्यहं ब्रूहि वा त्वमुतथ्यात् क्षत्रियं वरम्॥
Even such, O_king, was Utathya, that foremost of Brahmanas. Shall I go on? Or, will you yet persist in your opinion? What, is there a Kshatriya that is superior to Utathya?