Exercise 42
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१. प्रकृत्यैव यः कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि पश्यति स आत्मानमकर्तरं पश्यति ॥ १ ॥
One who sees that actions are performed solely by material nature (प्रकृति) sees that the Self (आत्मा) is inactive.
२. कृष्णस्तस्य लोकस्य पिता माता पितामहो धातास्ति ॥ २ ॥
Kṛṣṇa is the father, mother, grandsire, and creator of this world.
३. आचार्याः पितरः पुत्राश्च पितामहाः श्वशुरा नप्तरो युद्धायावस्थिताः । एतान्न हन्तुमिच्छामीत्यर्जुनो भगवद्गीतायामुवाच ॥ ३ ॥
"Teachers, fathers, sons, grandsires, fathers-in-law, and grandsons have assembled for battle. I do not wish to kill these!" — thus spoke Arjuna in the Bhagavadgītā.
४. कवयो लब्धपुत्रतायाः पितॄन्मातॄश्च तुष्टुवुः ॥ ४ ॥
Poets praised fathers and mothers for attaining fatherhood (respectively, parenthood).
५. भर्त्रा भार्या भर्तव्या । तस्माद्भार्येत्युच्यते ॥ ५ ॥
The wife is to be maintained by the husband. Therefore, she is called "bhāryā" (the one to be maintained).
६. सत्पुत्रः पितृभ्यः पिण्डान्ददाति । पितृभिः पिण्डदानमश्यत एवं च सुखजीवो जीवितुं शक्यते ॥ ६ ॥
A good son offers food oblations (पिण्ड) to his forefathers. Through the forefathers, the gift of food is consumed, and thus one can lead a happy life.
७. भ्रात्रा स्वसा न विवोड्धव्या । भातरि स्वसारं कामयमाने देवाः क्रुध्यन्ति ॥ ७ ॥
A brother must not marry his sister. If a brother desires his sister, the gods become angry.
८. क्थं भर्तुर्भ्रातोच्यते । देवेति भर्तुर्भ्राता वक्तव्यः ॥ ८ ॥
What is the husband's brother called? The husband's brother is to be designated as "devara" (brother-in-law).
९. नप्तॄणां लाभं पितैच्छत् ॥ ९ ॥
The father desired the attainment of grandsons.
Fig.: कृष्णस्तस्य लोकस्य पिता माता पितामहो धातास्ति
(Image source: Details)
Narrative: Sītā's Wedding (सीताविवाहः)
पुरा मिथिलायां जनको नाम राजा बभूव । तस्य सुता सीता नाम । सा रूपे शीले चानुपमा बभूव । तां परिणेतुमिछ्हन्तो ऽनेके राजकुमारा जनकाय दूतान्प्रेषयामासुः ॥
जनकस्तु तां वीर्यसम्पन्नाय क्षत्रियकुमाराय दातुमैच्छत् । अतः स तां वीर्येण क्रेतव्यामकल्पयत् । तथा हि — तस्य सकाशे गुरुतरं किमपि धनुरासीत् । य इदं धनुरुद्धृत्यास्मिन्शरं सन्धत्ते स मम सुतां परिणेष्यतीति जनकः प्रतिजज्ञे ॥
तां तस्य प्रतिज्ञां श्रुत्वा शतशो राजकुमाराः समाजग्मुः । परं नैको ऽपि तेषां तद्धनुश्चलयितुमपि शशाक । लङ्काधिपती रावणो ऽपि साटोपं समेत्य सलज्जं प्रतिनिवृत्त इति ज्ञायते ॥
सर्वान्राजकुमारान्प्रतिवृत्तान्विलोक्य को मे दुहितुर्भर्ता भविष्यतीति चिन्तापरो बभूव जनकः । अत्रान्तरे ऽयोध्याधिपतेर्दशरथस्य पुत्रः श्रीरामः सलक्ष्मणो विश्वा्मित्रेण तत्रानीयत । श्रीरामो महर्षेर्विश्वामित्रस्य वचनेन लीलयैव तद्धनुरुद्धृत्य यावत्तस्मिन्बाणमारोपयति तावत्तद्धनुर्द्वेधा भग्नं बभूव ॥
साधु साध्विति श्रीरामस्य वीर्यं प्रशशंसुर्जनाः ॥
जनकस्य राज्ञो हृदयं प्रहृष्टं बभूव । ततः स दशरथादीनानाय्य महता विभवेन सीतरामयोर्विवाहोत्सवं निरवर्तयन् ॥
Translation:
Once upon a time, there was a king named Janaka in Mithilā. He had a daughter named Sītā. She was incomparable in beauty and virtue. Many princes who wished to marry her sent messengers to Janaka.
But Janaka wished to give her to a powerful Kṣatriya prince. Therefore, he decreed that she must be "won" through heroic strength. The matter was this: He possessed an exceedingly heavy bow. Janaka promised: "Whoever lifts this bow and nocks an arrow upon it, shall marry my daughter."
When they heard this promise, princes came by the hundreds. Yet not one of them could move the bow even slightly. It is known that even Rāvaṇa, the ruler of Laṅkā, appeared full of arrogance and returned in shame. When Janaka saw that all the princes returned, he became full of worry, who would be the husband of his daughter. Meanwhile, Viśvāmitra led Rāma, the son of King Daśaratha of Ayodhyā, together with Lakṣmaṇa there. At the command of the great Ṛṣi Viśvāmitra, the splendid Rāma lifted the bow with playful ease. As soon as he nocked an arrow upon it, the bow broke into two pieces.
"Good, good!" — thus the people praised the heroic strength of the splendid Rāma.
The heart of King Janaka was exceedingly joyful. Then he summoned Daśaratha and the others and celebrated the wedding feast of Sītā and Rāma with great splendor.
Fig.: श्रीसीता श्रीरामश्च
(Image source: Details)