Ch 16 Verse 1 Verse

Sanskrit Text

६.१६ षोडशोऽध्यायः । हैहयैर्धनाहरणेन सह भृगूणां वधवर्णनम् । जनमेजय उवाच । कुले कस्य समुत्पन्नाः क्षत्रिया हैहयाश्च ते । ब्रह्महत्यामनादृत्य निजघ्नुर्भार्गवांश्च ये ॥ १ ॥

English Translation

Janamejaya said :-- In whose family were born those Kṣattriya Haihayas that killed in ancient times the Bhārgavas, disregardless of the sin iñcurred in killing a Brāhmin?

Ch 16 Verse 2 Verse

Sanskrit Text

वैरस्य कारणं तेषां किं मे ब्रूहि पितामह । निमित्तेन विना क्रोधं कथं कुर्वन्ति सत्तमाः ॥ २ ॥

English Translation

O Grandsire! Never do the good persons become angry without a serious cause; therefore kindly state why they got angry.

Ch 16 Verse 3 Verse

Sanskrit Text

वैरं पुरोहितैः सार्धं कस्मात्तेषामजायत । नाल्पहेतोर्हि तद्वैरं क्षत्रियाणां भविष्यति ॥ ३ ॥

English Translation

How was the enmity caused between them and the priests? As far as I can think, the cause is not so simple a one as led to this enmity between the Kṣattriyas and the priests.

Ch 16 Verse 4 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अन्यथा ब्राह्मणान् पूज्यान्कथं जघ्नुरनागसः । बाहुजा बलवन्तोऽपि पापभीताः कथं न ते ॥ ४ ॥

English Translation

Otherwise why then would they slay the offenseless Brāhmins, fit to be worshipped; and how was it that the Kṣattriyas, though they were so very powerful, did not fear to commit a sin.

Ch 16 Verse 5 Verse

Sanskrit Text

स्वल्पेऽपराधे को हन्याद्वाडवान्क्षत्रियर्षभः । सन्देहो मे मुनिश्रेष्ठ कारणं वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ ५ ॥

English Translation

O Muni! Can any Kṣattriya Chief kill a Brāhmin, worthy of the highest respect, merely on a trifling cause! Describe to me, then, how this happened. A great doubt has thus arisen in my mind.

Ch 16 Verse 6 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सूत उवाच । इति पृष्टस्तदा तेन राज्ञा सत्यवतीसुतः । उवाच परमप्रीतः कथां संस्मृत्य चेतसा ॥ ६ ॥

English Translation

Sūta said :-- O Ṛṣis! Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, became very pleased when he was asked this question by Janamejaya, and, recollecting the whole course of events regarding the Haihayas, began to narrate it.

Ch 16 Verse 7 Verse

Sanskrit Text

व्यास उवाच । शृणु पारिक्षिते वार्तां क्षत्रियाणां पुरातनीम् । आश्चर्यकारिणीं सम्यग्विदितां च पुरा मया ॥ ७ ॥

English Translation

Vyāsa said :-- O son of Pariksit! I will now narrate that wonderful story of old that I know fully; now hear this very attentively.

Ch 16 Verse 8 Verse

Sanskrit Text

कार्तवीर्येति नाम्नाभूद्धैहयः पृथिवीपतिः । सहस्रबाहुर्बलवानर्जुनो धर्मतत्परः ॥ ८ ॥

English Translation

In ancient times there was a King named Kārtavīryārjuna of the family of Haihaya. He was of thousand hands, powerful, and always ready to observe religious duties.

Ch 16 Verse 9 Verse

Sanskrit Text

दत्तात्रेयस्य शिष्योऽभूदवतारो हरेरिव । सिद्धः सर्वार्थदः शाक्तो भृगूणां याज्य एव सः ॥ ९ ॥

English Translation

He was the incarnation of Hari, and the disciple of Maharṣi Dattātreya and the worshipper of the Supreme Force (Ādyā Śakti). He was well known as a perfect adept in the Yoga practices and of a very charitable disposition.

Ch 16 Verse 10 Verse

Sanskrit Text

यज्वा परमधर्मिष्ठः सदा दानपरायणः । ददौ वित्तं भृगुभ्योऽसौ कृत्वा यज्ञाननेकशः ॥ १० ॥

English Translation

But this King was the client of the Brāhmins of the Bhārgava clan. He was always devoted to performing sacrifices, exceedingly religious, and always engaged in making gifts.

Ch 16 Verse 11 Verse

Sanskrit Text

धनिनस्ते द्विजा जाता भृगवो नृपदानतः । हयरत्नसमृद्ध्याढ्याः सञ्जाताः प्रथिता भुवि ॥ ११ ॥

English Translation

So many a time did he perform the great sacrifices and gave a profuse quantity of wealth to the Bhārgavas.

Ch 16 Verse 12 Verse

Sanskrit Text

स्वर्याते नृपशार्दूले कार्तवीर्यार्जुने पुनः । हैहया निर्धना जाताः कालेन महता नृप ॥ १२ ॥

English Translation

Due to the gifts and presents of Kārta Vīrya, the Bhārgava priests became possessed of many horses, and gems and jewels and so became wealthy and prosperous on the surface of this earth.

Ch 16 Verse 13 Verse

Sanskrit Text

धनकार्यं समुत्पन्नं हैहयानां कदाचन । याचिष्णवोऽभिजग्मुस्तान्भूगूंस्ते हैहया नृप ॥ १३ ॥

English Translation

O King! When Kārtavīryārjuna, the best of Kings, left the mortal coil and got up to Heavens, his descendants became entirely void of any wealth by the indomitable influence of Time.

Ch 16 Verse 14 Verse

Sanskrit Text

विनयं क्षत्रियाः कृत्वाप्ययाचन्त धनं बहु । न ददुस्तेऽतिलोभार्ता नास्ति नास्तीतिवादिनः ॥ १४ ॥

English Translation

Now, on a certain occasion, the Haihayas had to perform certain actions which necessitated a vast sum of money; they came to the Bhārgavas and humbly prayed for a very large amount of wealth.

Ch 16 Verse 15-16 Verse

Sanskrit Text

भूमौ च निदधुः केचिद्भृगवो धनमुत्तमम् । ददुः केचिद्द्विजातिभ्यो ज्ञात्वा क्षत्रियतो भयम् ॥ १५ ॥ कृत्वा स्थानान्तरे द्रव्यं ब्राह्मणा भयविह्वलाः । त्यक्त्वाऽऽश्रमान्ययुः सर्वे भृगवस्तृष्णयान्विताः ॥ १६ ॥

English Translation

But the Brāhmins, out of their greed of money, replied they had no money and thus they did not give any money whatsoever. Rather the Bhārgavas thought that the Haihayas would perforce take their wealth, and, fearing thus, some of them buried all their valuables underneath the ground; and others gave as charities to the Brāhmaṇas.

Ch 16 Verse 17 Verse

Sanskrit Text

याज्यांश्च दुःखितान्दृष्ट्वा न ददुर्लोभमोहिताः । पलायित्वा गताः सर्वे गिरिदुर्गानुपाश्रिताः ॥ १७ ॥

English Translation

The greedy Bhārgavas, bewildered with fear, thus transferred all their properties elsewhere, quitted their homes and fled away to mountains and other places.

Ch 16 Verse 18 Verse

Sanskrit Text

ततस्ते हैहयास्तात दुःखिताः कार्यगौरवात् । भृगूणामाश्रमाञ्जग्मुर्द्रव्यार्थं क्षत्रियर्षभाः ॥ १८ ॥

English Translation

The greedy Brāhmins did not give any wealth to their Yajamānas (their clients) though they saw them very much distressed; but they fled away out of fear to mountains and fastnesses where they found shelter.

Ch 16 Verse 19 Verse

Sanskrit Text

भृगूंस्तु निर्गतान्वीक्ष्य शून्यांस्त्यक्त्या गृहानथ । चखनुर्भूतलं तत्र द्रव्यार्थं हैहया भृशम् ॥ १९ ॥

English Translation

At last the Haihayas, the best of the Kṣattriyas, became very sorry till, at last, for the sake of their good actions, they went to the Bhārgavaś houses for the sake of money and found they had quitted their homes and fled away; their homes were all vacant.

Ch 16 Verse 20 Verse

Sanskrit Text

खनताधिगतं वित्तं केनचिद्भृगुवेश्मनि । ददृशुः क्षत्रियाः सर्वे तद्वित्तं श्रमकर्शिताः ॥ २० ॥

English Translation

Then they began to dig underneath their houses for money and some got the money thus. Then the Kṣattriyas began to labour hard and got hordes of money from underneath the ground.

Ch 16 Verse 21 Verse

Sanskrit Text

यत्र यत्र समुत्पन्नं भूरि द्रव्यं महीतलात् । तदा ते पार्श्वभागस्थब्राह्मणानां गृहाण्यपि ॥ २१ ॥

English Translation

Next they raided upon other Brāhmaṇaś houses and dug and excavated and searched for more money.

Ch 16 Verse 22 Verse

Sanskrit Text

निर्भिद्य हैहया द्रव्यं ददृशुर्धनलिप्सया । ब्राह्मणाश्चुकुशः सर्वे भीताश्च शरणं गताः ॥ २२ ॥

English Translation

The Brāhmins were helpless and, crying, all took their refuge, out of fear, under the Bhārgavas.

Ch 16 Verse 23 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अतिचिन्वत्सु विप्राणां भवनान्निःसृतं बहु । निजघ्नुस्ताञ्छरैः कोपाद्वाडवाञ्छरणागतान् ॥ २३ ॥

English Translation

The Kṣattriyas made an exhaustive search of the Brāhmaṇaś houses and got lots of money. They then charged the Brāhmaṇas as having had spoken falsehood and they became very angry, and killed the Brāhmaṇas with arrows who took their refuge.

Ch 16 Verse 24 Verse

Sanskrit Text

ययुस्ते गिरिदुर्गांश्च यत्र वै भृगवः स्थिताः । आगर्भादनुकृन्तन्तश्चेरुश्चैव महीमिमाम् ॥ २४ ॥

English Translation

O King! The Haihayas were so very angry at that time that they went wherever the Bhārgavas took their shelter and cut asunder the foetus in the wombs of their Bhārgavaś wives and thus they roamed all over on the surface of the earth.

Ch 16 Verse 25 Verse

Sanskrit Text

प्राप्तान्प्राप्तान्भृगून्सर्वान्निजघ्नुर्निशितैः शरैः । आबालवृद्धानपरानवमन्य च पातकम् ॥ २५ ॥

English Translation

Wherever they saw any Bhārgava, be he a minor, or a youth or a old man, at once they killed him with sharp arrows, disregarding the sin Brahmahattyā.

Ch 16 Verse 26 Verse

Sanskrit Text

एवमुत्पाट्यमानेषु भार्गवेषु यतस्ततः । हन्युर्गर्भांश्च नारीणां गृहीत्वा हैहया भृशम् ॥ २६ ॥

English Translation

When the Bhārgavas were thus all killed, then they caught hold of their wives that were pregnant and destroyed their wombs.

Ch 16 Verse 27 Verse

Sanskrit Text

रुरुदुस्ताः स्त्रियः कामं कुरर्य इव दुःखिताः । गर्भाश्च कृन्तिता यासां क्षत्रियैः पापनिश्चयैः ॥ २७ ॥

English Translation

When the vicious Kṣattriyas thus destroyed the lives in their wombs, the helpless women began to cry like the awe-stricken ewe.

Ch 16 Verse 28 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अन्येऽप्याहुश्च तान्दृप्तान्मुनयस्तीर्थवासिनः । मुञ्चन्तु क्षत्रियाः क्रोधं ब्राह्मणेषु भयावहम् ॥ २८ ॥

English Translation

Then the other Munis, the inhabitants of the sacred places of pilgrimages, seeing the Haihaya Kṣattriyas inflamed with anger, said :-- “O Kṣattriyas! Quit your terrible anger towards the Brāhmins.

Ch 16 Verse 29 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अयुक्तमेतदारब्धं भवद्भिः कर्म गर्हितम् । यद्गर्भान्भृगुपत्नीनां निहन्युः क्षत्रियर्षभाः ॥ २९ ॥

English Translation

Being the best of the Kṣattriyas, you are killing the foetus in the wombs of the pregnant Brāhmaṇa ladies! You are doing, no doubt, a very vicious and unjustifiable act!

Ch 16 Verse 30 Verse

Sanskrit Text

अत्युग्रपुण्यपापानामिहैव फलमाप्नुयात् । तस्माज्जुगुप्सितं कर्म त्यक्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छता ॥ ३० ॥

English Translation

You should know that an act, very bad or very good, bears fruit in this life; therefore those that seek their welfare should entirely omit this exceedingly hateful and vicious act.”

Ch 16 Verse 31 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तानाहुर्हैहयाः क्रुद्धा मुनीनथ दयापरान् । भवन्तः साधवः सर्वे नार्थज्ञाः पापकर्मणाम् ॥ ३१ ॥

English Translation

Then the exceedingly angry Haihayas told the merciful ascetics :-- You all are saints; therefore you do not know the real import of what are called vicious acts.

Ch 16 Verse 32-34 Verse

Sanskrit Text

एभिर्हृतं धनं सर्वं पूर्वजानां महात्मनाम् । वञ्चयित्वा छलाभिज्ञैर्मार्गे पाटच्चरैरिव ॥ ३२ ॥ एते प्रतारका दम्भास्तादृशा बकवृत्तयः । उत्पन्ने च महाकार्ये प्रार्थिता विनयेन ते ॥ ३३ ॥ न ददुः प्रार्थितं विप्राः पादवृद्ध्यापि याचिताः । नास्तीतिवादिनः स्तब्धाः दुःखितान्वीक्ष्य याज्यकान् ॥ ३४ ॥

English Translation

These Bhārgavas are cheats, vain persons and their persuasions are like herons. A great act had to be done by us and we wanted money at 25 per cent interest with all the becoming humility; yet they did not give us the money; rather seeing on their face their clients distressed and sorrowful they spoke that they had no money, no money and then they remained silent.

Ch 16 Verse 35 Verse

Sanskrit Text

धनं प्राप्तं कार्तवीर्याद्रक्षितं केन हेतुना । न कृताः क्रतवः किं तैर्दानं चार्थिषु भूरिशः ॥ ३५ ॥

English Translation

True, they got all their money from Kārtavīrya; but it may be questioned why they stored it? Why did not they perform sacrifices with that? Why did not they give sufficient money to the other priests (Yāyakas) that did the sacrifices.

Ch 16 Verse 36-37 Verse

Sanskrit Text

न सञ्चितव्यं विप्रैस्तु धनं चापि कदाचन । यष्टव्यं विधिवद्देयं भोक्तव्यं च यथासुखम् ॥ ३६ ॥ द्रव्ये चौरभयं प्रोक्तं तथा राजभयं द्विजाः । वह्नेर्भयं महाघोरं तथा धूर्तभयं महत् ॥ ३७ ॥

English Translation

Never should any Brāhmin hoard his money; he should give that in charity and enjoy at his pleasure. O Twice-born! In amassing wealth, there exist three fears :-- Fear from the thieves and robbers, fear from the King, fear from dreadful fire accidents, and especially great terrible fear from the cheats. This is the nature of wealth; it leaves its preserver. See, moreover, when a hoarder of money dies, he certainly has to quit it.

Ch 16 Verse 38 Verse

Sanskrit Text

येन केनाप्युपायेन धनं त्यजति रक्षकम् । अथवासौ मृतो याति द्रव्यं त्यक्त्वा ह्यसद्गतिम् ॥ ३८ ॥

English Translation

If a wealthy man, before dying, performs sacrifices and other good pious acts by his earned money, then he gets certainly good states in future; otherwise, he quits his wealth, to no purpose and earns a bad state in his future life; there is no doubt in this.

Ch 16 Verse 39 Verse

Sanskrit Text

पादवृद्ध्या तथास्माभिः प्रार्थितं विनयान्वितैः । तथापि लोभसन्दिग्धैर्न दत्तं नः पुरोहितैः ॥ ३९ ॥

English Translation

We humbly wanted to pay a quarter interest and asked money for the performance of a great act; yet they, the greedy ones, were doubtful about our promise; and though our priests, they did not give us the money.

Ch 16 Verse 40 Verse

Sanskrit Text

दानं भोगस्तथा नाशो धनस्य गतिरीदृशी । दानभोगौ कृतीनां च नाशः पापात्मनां किल ॥ ४० ॥

English Translation

O Maharṣis! Gift, enjoyment and destruction, these are the three courses which any wealth has to pass through; those persons that have done good deeds, enjoy their wealth and give as charities and thus they make a good and real use of their money; and of those that are vicious, their wealth goes away in ruin and to no purpose.

Ch 16 Verse 41 Verse

Sanskrit Text

न दाता न च यो भोक्ता कृपणो गुप्तितत्परः । राज्ञासौ सर्वथा दण्ड्यो वञ्चको दुःखभाङ्नरः ॥ ४१ ॥

English Translation

He who does not enjoy nor give in charities but is only clever in hoarding and who is a miser, the Kings punish him by all means, that man who cheats himself and who suffers only pains and miseries.

Ch 16 Verse 42 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तस्माद्वयं गुरूनेतान्वञ्चकान्ब्राह्मणाधमान् । हन्तुं समुद्यताः सर्वे न क्रोधव्यं महात्मभिः ॥ ४२ ॥

English Translation

For that reason, we are now ready to kill those Brāhmins, the vilest of men, the cheats, though they are our Gurus. O Maharṣis! You are great persons; therefore you do not be angry after you have come to know all these.

Ch 16 Verse 43 Verse

Sanskrit Text

व्यास उवाच । इत्युक्त्वा हेतुमद्वाक्यं तानाश्वास्य मुनीनथ । विचेरुश्च विचिन्वाना भृगुदाराननेकशः ॥ ४३ ॥

English Translation

Vyāsa said :-- Thus consoling the Munis, with reasonable words, the Haihayas began to roam about, in search of the wives of the Bhārgavas.

Ch 16 Verse 44-45 Verse

Sanskrit Text

भयार्ता भृगुपत्न्यस्तु हिमवन्तं धराधरम् । प्रपेदिरे रुदन्त्यश्च वेपमानाः कृशा भृशम् ॥ ४४ ॥ एवं ते हैहयैर्विप्राः पीडिता धनकामुकैः । निहताश्च यथाकामं संरब्धैः पापकर्मभिः ॥ ४५ ॥

English Translation

The Bhārgava wives were very much distressed with fear and became very lean and thin. They fled away to the Himālayān Mountain weeping, and crying, and trembling with fear.

Ch 16 Verse 46 Verse

Sanskrit Text

लोभ एव मनुष्याणां देहसंस्थो महारिपुः । सर्वदुःखाकरः प्रोक्तो दुःखदः प्राणनाशकः ॥ ४६ ॥

English Translation

Thus the Bhārgavas were being killed by those vicious greedy Haihayas, infuriated with anger, and as they liked.

Ch 16 Verse 47 Verse

Sanskrit Text

सर्वपापस्य मूलं हि सर्वदा तृष्णयान्वितः । विरोधकृत्त्रिवर्णानां सर्वार्तेः कारणं तथा ॥ ४७ ॥

English Translation

O King! This greed is the greatest enemy of a man, residing in his own body; this greed is the root of all evils, of all sins. Life is in danger due to this covetousness.

Ch 16 Verse 48 Verse

Sanskrit Text

लोभात्त्यजन्ति धर्मं वै कुलधर्मं तथैव हि । मातरं भ्रातरं हन्ति पितरं बान्धवं तथा ॥ ४८ ॥

English Translation

It is due to this greed that quarrels ensue amongst the several castes, the Brāhmins, etc., and that the human beings are very much troubled with thirst after worldly enjoyments.

Ch 16 Verse 49-50 Verse

Sanskrit Text

गुरुं मित्रं तथा भार्यां पुत्रं च भगिनीं तथा । लोभाविष्टो न किं कुर्यादकृत्यं पापमोहितः ॥ ४९ ॥ क्रोधात्कामादहङ्काराल्लोभ एव महारिपुः । प्राणांस्त्यजति लोभेन किं पुनः स्यादनावृतम् ॥ ५० ॥

English Translation

This greed makes a man forsake all his religious rites and long existing customs and observances of his family; and it is due to this avarice of gold that men kill their fathers, mothers, brothers, friends, Gurus, sons, acquaintances, sisters, and sisters-in-law and others.

Ch 16 Verse 51 Verse

Sanskrit Text

पूर्वजास्ते महाराज धर्मज्ञाः सत्पथे स्थिताः । पाण्डवाः कौरवाश्चैव लोभेन निधनं गताः ॥ ५१ ॥

English Translation

Really when a man is bent on avarice, nothing heinous remains to him that cannot be done by him. This greed is a more powerful enemy than anger, lust and egoism.

Ch 16 Verse 52 Verse

Sanskrit Text

यत्र भीष्मश्च द्रोणश्च कृपः कर्णश्च बाह्लिकः । भीमसेनो धर्भपुत्रस्तथैवार्जुनकेशवौ ॥ ५२ ॥

English Translation

O King! Men abandon their lives for their greed; what more can be said than this? So one should be always alert on this.

Ch 16 Verse 53 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तथापि युद्धमत्युग्रं कृतं तैश्च परस्परम् । कुटुम्बकदनं भूरि कृतं लोभातुरैरिह ॥ ५३ ॥

English Translation

O King! Your forefathers, the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas, were all religious and they followed the path of virtue and goodness. Yet they all were ruined simply for this greed.

Ch 16 Verse 54 Verse

Sanskrit Text

हतो द्रोणो हतो भीष्मस्तथैव पाण्डवात्मजाः । भ्रातरः पितरः पुत्राः सर्वे वै निहता रणे ॥ ५४ ॥

English Translation

See! The dreadful fight and separation amongst the relatives took place where there were the high-souled persons like Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kripācārya, Karṇa, Vahlika, Bhīmasena, Yudhiṣṭhira, Arjuṇa, and Keśava, only through the avaricious feelings. In this battle Bhīṣma, Droṇa and the sons of Pāṇḍavas were all slain; the brothers and fathers were all slain in battle.

Ch 16 Verse 55-56 Verse

Sanskrit Text

तस्माल्लोभाभिभूतस्तु किं न कुर्यान्नरः किल । हैहयैर्निहताः सर्वे भृगवः पापबुद्धिभिः ॥ ५५ ॥

Sanskrit Colophon

इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठस्कन्धे हैहयैर्धनाहरणेन सह भृगूणां वधवर्णनं नाम षोडशोऽध्यायः ॥ ६.१६॥

English Translation

Thus what improper acts and mischiefs can there be that cannot be committed when the human minds are overpowered by this greed? O King! The vicious Haihayas slew the Bhārgavas all through this avarice. Here ends the Sixteenth Chapter in the Sixth Book on the incidents preliminary to the Haihaya and Bhārgava affairs in the Mahāpurāṇam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.