Mb Drona 40 1
Mahabharata · Chapter 7, Verse 40
हिन्दी अनुवाद
नारद ने कहा — हे श्रीञ्जय, हमने सुना है कि राजा भगीरथ भी मृत्यु को प्राप्त हुए। उन्होंने गङ्गा के तटों पर, जो उन्हीं के नाम पर भागीरथी कहलाती है, सोने की सीढ़ियों से सुसज्जित घाट बनवाए। समस्त राजाओं और राजकुमारों से श्रेष्ठ होकर उन्होंने ब्राह्मणों को सोने के आभूषणों से अलंकृत दस लाख कन्याएँ दान में दीं। वे सभी कन्याएँ रथों पर आरूढ़ थीं। प्रत्येक रथ में चार अश्व जुते हुए थे और प्रत्येक रथ के पीछे सौ गायें थीं। प्रत्येक गाय के पीछे अनेक बकरियाँ और भेड़ें थीं। राजा भगीरथ ने अपने यज्ञों में अपार दान दिया। इसी कारण वहाँ मनुष्यों की विशाल भीड़ एकत्र हो गई। उस भीड़ से पीड़ित होकर गङ्गा अत्यन्त व्याकुल हो उठीं। उन्होंने कहा — "मेरी रक्षा करो" — और वे उनकी गोद में बैठ गईं। और क्योंकि गङ्गा इस प्रकार पुरातन काल में उनकी गोद में बैठी थीं, इसलिए वे देवनर्तकी उर्वशी के समान विख्यात हुईं।
English Summary
"Narada said, 'Even king Bhagiratha, O Srinjaya, we hear, was dead. He caused the shores of Ganga, called after his name Bhagi- rathi to be covered with flights of steps made of gold.3 Surpassing all kings and all princes, he gave unto the Brahmanas a thousand times thousand damsels decked with ornaments of gold. All those damsels were upon cars. And unto every car were yoked four steeds, and behind each car were a hundred kine. And behind each cow were (many) goats and sheep. King Bhagiratha gave enormous presents at his sacri- fices. For that reason a large concourse of men assembled there. Afflicted there with Ganga was much pained. 'Protect Me,' she said and sat down on his lap. And because Ganga thus sat upon his lap in days of old, therefore, she, like the celestial dancer Urvasi came to be 1 Because juniors pre-deceased their seniors. The causative form of akarayan is a license. — T. 2 The four kinds of creatures that owned Kama's sway were (1) those that were oviparous, (2) those that were viviparous, (8) those born of filth, and (4) the vegetables. — T. 8 These were ghats for facilitating access to the sacred stream. — T.