वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मान्नदीगतां चापि ह्युदपानं यशस्विनः। त्रितस्य च महाराज जगामाथ हलायुधः॥
Vaishampayana said Baladeva proceeded next to the tirtha Udapana in the Sarasvati, that had formerly been the habitation, O king, of the illustrious ascetic Trita.
तत्र दत्त्वा बहु द्रव्यं पूजयित्वा तथा द्विजान्। उपस्पृश्य च तत्रैव प्रहृष्टो मुसलायुधः॥
Having distributed profuse wealth and worshipped the Brahmanas, the hero, having the plough for his weapon, bathed there and was filled with joy.
तत्र धर्मपरो भूत्वा त्रितः स सुमहातपाः । कूपे च वसता तेन सोमः पीतो महात्मना॥
The great and pious ascetic Trita had lived there. While in a hole that great man had drunk the Soma juice.
तत्र चैनं समुत्सृज्य भ्रातरौ जग्मतुर्ग्रहान्। ततस्तौ वै शशापाथ त्रितो ब्राह्मणसत्तमः॥
His two brothers, dashing him down into a pit, had returned home. That foremost of Brahmanas, viz., Trita, had thereupon cursed them both."
जनमेजय उवाच उदपानं कथं ब्रह्मन् कथं च सुमहातपाः। पतितः किं च संत्यक्तो भ्रातृभ्यां द्विजसत्तम॥
Janamejaya said "What is the origin of Udapana? How did the great ascetic Trita fall into a pit there? Why was that foremost of Brahmanas thrown into that pit by his brothers?
कूपे कथं च हित्वैनं भ्रातुरौ जग्मुतुहान्। कथं च याजयामास पपौ सोमं त वै कथम्॥ एतदाचक्ष्व मे ब्रह्मश्रोतव्यं यदि मन्यसे।
How did his brothers, after throwing him into that hole, come back to their home? How did Trita celebrate his sacrifice and how did he drink Soma? Describe all his O Brahmana, if you think that I am worthy of listening to it.
वैशम्पायन उवाच आसन् पूर्वयुगे राजन् मुनयो भ्रातरस्त्रयः॥ एकतश्च द्वितश्चैव त्रितश्चादित्य संनिभाः।
Vaishampayana said In a former cycle, O king, there were three ascetic brothers. They were called Ekata, Dvita and Trita and all three were effulgent like the sun.
सर्वे प्रजापतिसमाः प्रजावन्तस्तथैव च॥ ब्रह्मलोकजिताः सर्वे तपसा ब्रह्मवादिनः। तेषां त तपसा प्रीतो नियमेन दमेन च॥
They were like Lords of the creation and had children. Brahmavadins as they were they had, by their ascetic penances, acquired the privilege of attaining to the regions of Brahman after death.
अभवद् गौतमो नित्यं पिता धर्मरतः सदा। स तु दीर्घेण कालेन तेषां प्रीतिमवाप्य च॥
For their penances, vows and self-restraint, their father, the virtuous Gautama, became highly pleased with them.
जगाम् भगवान् स्थानमनुरूपमिवात्मनः। राजानस्तस्य ये ह्यासान् याज्या राजन् महात्मनः॥
Greatly pleased with his sons, the worshipful Gautama, after living a long life here, went at last to the region in the other world that was fit for him.
ते सर्वे स्वर्गते तस्मिंस्तस्य पुत्रानपूजयन्। तेषां तु कर्मणा राजंस्तथा चाध्ययनेन च॥
Those kings, however, O king, that were the disciples of Gautama, continued to worship Gautama's sons after his ascension to heaven.
त्रितः स श्रेष्ठतां प्राप यथैवास्य पिता तथा।
Amongst them however, Trita, by his acts and Vedic studies, O king, became the foremost, even like his father Gautama.
तथा सर्वे महाभाग मुनयः पुण्यलक्षणा॥ अपूजयन् महाभागं यथास्य पितरं तथा।
Then all the great and pious ascetics began to worship Trita as they had worshipped his father Gautama before him.
कदाचिद्धि ततो राजन् भ्रातरवेकतद्वितौ॥ यज्ञार्थं चक्रतुश्चिन्तां तथा वित्तार्थमेव च।
Once upon a time, the two brothers Etaka and Dvita thought of celebrating a sacrifice and became anxious for wealth.
तयोर्बुद्धिः समभवत् त्रितं गृह्य परंतप॥ याज्यान् सर्वानुपादाय प्रतिगृह्य पशूस्ततः। सोमं पास्यामहे हृष्टाः प्राप्य यज्ञं महाफलम्॥ चक्रुश्चैवं तथा राजन् भ्रातरस्त्रय एव च।
They thought that they would take Trita with them and calling upon all their disciples and collecting the needful number of animals, they would joyfully drink the Soma juice and acquire the great merits of sacrifice. The three brothers, then O king, did as settled.
तथा ते तु परिक्रम्य याज्यान् सर्वान् पशून् प्रति॥ याजयित्वा ततो याज्याँल्लब्ध्वा तु सुबहून पशून्। याज्येन कर्मणा तेन प्रतिगृह्य विधानतः॥ प्राची दिशं महात्मान आज्गमुस्ते महर्षयः।
Calling upon all their disciples for animals and helping them in their sacrifices and receiving a large number of animals from them as gifts for the priestly services rendered by them those high-souled and great Rishis came towards the east.
समुपलप्स्यते। त्रितस्तेषां महाराज पुरस्ताद् याति हृष्टवत्॥ एकतश्च द्वितश्चैव पृष्टतः कालयन् पशून्।
Trita, O king, was cheerfully walking before them. Ekata and Dvita were in his rear, conducting the animals.
तयोश्चिन्ता समभवद् दृष्ट्वा पशुगणं महत्॥ कथं च स्युरिमा गाव आवाभ्यां हि विना त्रितम्।
Sceing that large herd of animals they began to think as to how they two could appropriate that property without giving a share to Trita.
तावन्योन्यं समाभाष्य एकतश्च द्वितश्च ह॥ यदूचतुर्मिथः पापौ तन्निबोध जनेश्वर।
Hear, O king, what those two sinful wretches, viz., Ekata and Dvita, said to each other.
त्रितो यज्ञेषु कुशलस्त्रितो वेदेषु निष्ठितः॥ अन्यास्तु बहुला गावस्त्रितः
They said-"Trita is a clever priest. Trita is well read in the Vedas. Trita is capable of earning many other kine.
तदावां सहितौ भूत्वा गाः प्रकाल्य व्रजावहे॥ त्रितोऽपि गच्छतां काममावभ्यां वै विना कृतः।
Let us two, therefore go away, taking the kine with us. Let Trita go wherever he likes, without being in our company."
तेषामागच्छतां रात्रौ पथिस्थानां वृकोऽभवत्।॥ तत्र कूपोऽविदूरेऽभूत् सरस्वत्यास्तटे महान्।
As they proceeded, they were benighted on the way. They then saw a wolf before them. Not far from that spot was a deep hole on the bank of the Sarasvati.
अद्य त्रितो वृकं दृष्ट्वा पथि तिष्ठन्तमग्रतः॥ तद्भयादपसर्पन वै तस्मिन् कूपे पपात ह।
Trita, who was going before, seeing the wolf, rain in fear and fell into that hole.
अगाधे सुमहाघोरे सर्वभूतभयंकरे॥ त्रितस्ततो महाराज कूपस्थो मुनिसत्तमः।
That hole was deep and terrible and capable of striking terror to all creatures. Then Trita, O king, that best of ascetics, from within that hole, began to bewail. His two brothers heard his cries.
आर्तनाद ततश्चक्रे तौ तु शुश्रुवतुर्मुनी॥ तं ज्ञात्वा पतितं कूपे भ्रातरावेकतद्वितौ। वृकत्रासाच लोभाच्च समुत्सृज्य प्रजग्मतुः॥
Knowing that he had fallen into a pit, his brothers Ekata and Dvita, actuated by fear of the wolf as also by temptation, went on, leaving behind their brother.
भ्रातृभ्यां पशुलुब्धाभ्यामुत्सृष्टः स महातपाः। उदपाने तदा राजन् निर्जले पांसुसंवृते॥ त्रित आत्मानमालक्ष्य कूपे वीरुत्तृणावृते।
Thus left behind by his two brothers who were tempted to appropriate those animals, the great ascetic. Trita, O king, while within that lonely pit covered with dust.
निमग्नं भरतश्रेष्ट नरके दुष्कृती यथा॥ स बुद्ध्यागणयत् प्राज्ञो मृत्योर्भीतो ह्यसोमपः।
Herbs and creepers, thought himself sunk, O best of the Bharatas, into hell like a sinful person.
सोमः कथं तु पातव्य इहस्थेन मया भवेत्॥ स एवमभिनिश्चित्य तस्मिन् कूपे महातपाः।
He was afraid of dying became he had not earned the merit of drinking Soma juice. Greatly wise as he was he began to think with the help of his intelligence as to how he could succeed in drinking Soma cven there.
ददर्श वीरुधं तत्र लम्बमानां यदृच्छया।॥
While thinking thus the great ascetic, standing in that pit, beheld a creeper hanging down into it.
पांसुग्रस्ते ततः कूपे विचन्त्य सलिलं मुनिः। अग्नीन् संकल्पयामास होतॄनात्मानमेव च॥
Although the pit was dry still the sage perceived the existence of water and of sacrificial fires there. Imagining himself the sacrificial priest.
ततस्तां वीरुधं सोमं संकल्प्य सुमहातपाः। ऋचो यजूषिं सामानि मनसा चिन्तयन् मुनिः॥
The great ascetic took the creeper for the Soma plant. He then mentally uttered the Rich's, the Yayushes and the Samans.
ग्रावाण: शर्कराः कृत्वा प्रचक्रेऽभिषवं नृप। आज्यं च सलिलं चक्रे भागाश्च त्रिदिवौकसाम्॥
The pebbles lying there were converted into grains of sugar (in imagination) by Trita. He, then, O king, (mentally) performed his ablutions. He took the water for the clarified butter.
ससोमस्याभिषवं कृत्वा चकार विपुल ध्वनिम्। चाविशद् दिवं राजन् पुनः शब्दस्त्रितस्य वैः॥ समवाप्य च तं यज्ञ यथोक्तं ब्रह्मावादिभिः।
He distributed amongst the celestials their respective shares (of those sacrificial offerings). Having next mentally drunk Soma, he began to inake a great noise. Those sounds, O king, first uttered by the sacrificing Rishi, entered into heaven and Trita performed that sacrifice after the manner laid down by Brahmavadins.
वर्तमाने महायज्ञे त्रितस्य सुमहात्मनः॥ आविग्नं त्रिदिवं सर्वं कारणं च न बुद्ध्यते। ततः सुतुमुलं शब्दं शुश्रावाथ बृहस्पतिः॥
During the celebration of that sacrifice of the great Trita, the entire region of the celestials was agitated. None knew, however, the cause. Brihaspati heard that loud noise.
श्रुया चैवाब्रवीत सर्वान् देवान् देवपुरोहितः। त्रितस्य वर्तते यज्ञस्तत्र गच्छामहे सुराः॥
The priest of the celestials said to them:"Trita is performing a sacrifice. We must go there, you celestials.
स हि क्रुद्धः सृजेदन्यान् देवानपि महातपाः। तच्छुत्वा वचनं तस्य सहिताः सर्वदेवताः॥
He is gifted with great ascetic merit if willing, he is capable of creating other celestials."
प्रययुस्तत्र यत्रासौ त्रितयज्ञः प्रवर्तते। ते तत्र गत्वा विबुधास्तं कूपं यत्र स त्रितः॥
Hearing those words of Brihaspati, all the gods, in a body, repaired where the sacrifice of Trita was going on.
ददृशुस्तं महात्मानं दीक्षितं यज्ञकर्मसु। दृष्टा चैनं महात्मानं श्रिया परमया युतम्॥
Having proceeded to that spot, the gods beheld the great ascetic engaged in the performance of his sacrifice.
ऊचुश्चैनं महाभागं प्राप्ता भागार्थिनो वयम्। अथाब्रवीदृषिर्देवान् पश्यध्वं मां दिवौकसः॥
Beholding that great beautiful ascetic the gods addressed him, saying-"We have come for our shares (in your offerings).
अस्मिन् प्रतिभये कूपे निमग्नं नष्टचेतसम्। ततस्त्रितो महाराज भागांस्तेषां यथाविधि॥
The Rishi said to them-"Behold me, you denizens of heaven, fallen into this terrible pit almost deprived of my senses.
मन्त्रयुक्तान् समददत् ते च प्रीतास्तदाभवन्।
Then Trita, O monarch, duly allotted to them their shares with proper mantras. The gods took them and were greatly delighted. Having duly received their respective shares, the denizens of heaven, pleased with him, granted him the boons he wanted.
ततो यथाविधि प्राप्तान् भागान् प्राप्य दिवौकसः॥ प्रीतात्मानो ददुस्तस्मै वरान् यान् मनसेच्छति।
The boon, however, that he prayed for was that the gods should relieve him from his painful condition.
स तु वने वरं देवांस्त्रातुमर्हथ मामितः॥ यश्चेहोपस्पृशेत् कूपे स सोमपगतिं लभेत्।
He also said-"Let him that bathes in this well, achieve the end that is attained by persons that have drunk Soma.'
तत्र चोर्मिमती राजन्नुत्पपात सरस्वती॥ तयोत्क्षिप्तः समुत्तस्थौ पूजयंस्त्रिदिवौकसः।
Thereat, O king, the Sarasvati. with her waves, appeared within that well. Raised above by her, Trita came up and worshipped the celestials.
तथेति चोक्त्वा विबुधा जग्मू राजन् यथागताः॥ त्रितश्चाभ्यागमत् प्रीतः स्वमेव निलयं तदा।
The gods then said to him-"By it as you wish." All of them then, O king, returned to their respective habitations and Trita, filled with joy, proceeded to his owe abode.
क्रुद्धस्तु स समासाद्य तावृषी भ्रातरौ तदा॥ उवाच परुषं वाक्यं शशाप च महातपाः।
Meeting with those two Rishi, viz., his brothers, he became enraged with them. Endued with ascetic merit, he spoke harshly to them and cursed them, saying.
पशुलुब्धौ युवां यस्मान्मामुत्सृज्य प्रधावितौ॥ तस्माद् वृकाकृती रौद्रौ दंष्ट्रिणावभितश्चरौ। भवितारौ मया शप्तौ पापेनानेन कर्मणा॥
Since, actuated by covetousness, you ran away, leaving me, therefore, you shall become dreadful wolves with sharp teeth and range the forest cursed by me on account of that sinful act of yours.
प्रसवश्चैव युवयोर्गोलाङ्गलक्षवानराः। इत्युक्तेन तदा तेन क्षणादेव विशाम्पते॥ तथाभूतावदृश्येतां वचनात् सत्यवादिनः।
Your offspring will also consist of leopards and bears and apes!' After Trita had said these words, O monarch, his two brothers were soon transformed into tigers on account of the curse of that truthful sage.
तत्राप्यमितविक्रान्तः स्पृष्ट्वा तोयं हलायुधः॥ दत्त्वा च विविधान् दायान् पूजयित्वा च वै द्विजान्। उदपानं च तं वीक्ष्य प्रशस्य च पुनः पुनः॥
The highly powerful Baladeva touched the waters of Udapana. And he gave away various kinds of wealth there and worshipped many Brahmanas.
नदीगतमदीनात्मा प्राप्तो विनशनं तदा॥
Beholding Upadana and and praising it repeatedly, Baladeva next proceeded to Vinashana which also was on the Sarasvati.