Spoken along with the puruShArtha-s - dharma, kAma, artha - and full of kindness and providing happiness to the valiants, the beautiful narration of mahAbharata was heard by the members of the entire assembly.

kechidashrUNi mumuchuH shrutvA dadhyustathApare |
itihAsaM tamR^iShiNA pANAviva nidarshitam ||3-5-4

Some members released tears (wept) and others listened with meditation as the sage (vyAsa) had presented the history, as though it was seen on his hands.

sadasyAnso.abhyanuj~nAya kR^itvA chApi pradakShiNAm |
punardrakShyAma ityuktvA jagAma bhagavAnR^iShiH ||3-5-5

Taking the permission of the assembly and circumambulating the same and saying that he will meet them again, the lord sage (vyAsa) left.

anujagmustadA sarve prayAntamR^iShisattamam |
loke pravadatAM shreShThaM ye vishiShTAstapodhanAH ||3-5-6

As the best among sages, the best among the speakers of the world (vyAsa) was leaving, all the best among those having the wealth of penance (sages), followed him.

yAte bhagavati vyAse tadA brahmarShibhiH saha |
R^itvijaH pArthivAshchaiva pratijagmuryathAgatam ||3-5-7

After lord vyAsa left along with brahma sages, the priests of the sacrifice and the lords of the earth (kings) returned the same way as they left.

pannagAnAM sughorANAM kR^itAnAM vairayAtanAm |
jagAma roShamutsR^ijya rAjA viShamivoragaH ||3-5-8

Fulfilling the revenge against the highly terrible serpents, the king (janamejaya) left, abandoning his anger, like the serpents abandon their poison.

hotrAgnidIptashirasaM paritrAya cha takShakam |
AstIko.athAshramapadaM jagAma sa mahAmuniH ||3-5-9

Saving takShaka, whose head was brightened by the sacrificial fire, the great sage, AstIka returned to his hermitage.

rAjApi hAstinapuraM jagAma svajanAvR^itaH |
anvashAsachcha muditastadA pramuditAH prajAH ||3-5-10

The king (janamejaya) also returned to the city of elephant, surrounded by his own people and happily protected his subjects, who lived happily.

kasyachittvatha kAlasya sa rAjA janamejayaH |
dIkShito vAjimedhena vidhivadbhUridakShiNaH ||3-5-11

After the passage of some time, king janamejaya, who offers plenty of tributes (in sacrifices) observed the horse sacrifice as ordained.

saMj~naptamashvaM tatrAsya devI kAshyA vapuShTamA |
saMviveshopagamyAtha vidhidR^iShTena karmaNA ||3-5-12

devI vapuShTamA, the daughter of the king of kashi, went and slept with the slain horse, according to the ritual as prescribed.

tAM tu sarvAnavadyA~NgIM chakame vAsavastadA |
saMj~naptamashvamAvishya tayA mishrIbabhUva saH ||3-5-13

Seeing the queen with beautiful limbs, vAsava (indra) desired her. Entering the body of the dead horse, indra had intercourse with the queen.

tasminvikAre janite viditvA tattvatashcha tat |
asaMj~napto.ayamashvaste dhvaMsetyadhvaryumabravIt ||3-5-14

When the passion was born and realizing the truth, the king told the officiating priest responsible for ritually killing the animal (adhvaryu): The horse killed (ritually) by you is not dead.

adhvaryurj~nAnasaMpannastadindrasya vicheShTitam |
kathayAmAsa rAjarSheH shashApa sa puraMdaram ||3-5-15

The officiating knowledgable priest told the king sage (janamejaya): This is the action of indra. Then the king cursed the destroyer of cities (puraMdara, indra).

janamejaya uvAcha

yadyasti me yaj~naphalaM tapo vA rakShataH prajAH |
phalenAnena sarveNa bravImi shruyatAmidam ||3-5-16

janamejaya said:

If I obtain the fruits of the sacrifice or penance or protection of my subjects, then with all those results I say this. Let every one hear this:

adyaprabhR^iti devendramajitendriyamasthiram |
kShatriyA vAjimedhena na yakShyantIti shaunaka ||3-5-17

O shaunaka! (ugrashrava continued) (The king said thus) From today, no kShatriya will worship indra of the deva-s, who has not conquered his senses and who is not having a fixed mind, with the horse sacrifice.

R^itvijashchAbravItkruddhaH sa rAjA janamejayaH |
daurbalyaM bhavatAmetadyadayaM dharShitaH kratuH ||3-5-18

Becoming angry, king janamejaya also told the officiating priests: This sacrifice is wrecked because of your weakness.

viShaye me na vastavyaM gachChadhvaM saha bAndhavaiH |
ityuktAstatyajurviprAstaM nR^ipaM jAtamanyavaH ||3-5-19

Hence you will not live on my land. You shall go away (from my land) along with your relatives. The officiating priests who were told thus abandoned the king due to anger.

amarShAdanvashAsachcha patnIshAlAgatAH striyaH |
rAjA paramadharmaj~nastAmasau janamejayaH ||3-5-20

Because of anger, the most righteous king janamejaya, ordered the women who were in his wife's residence, about his wife.

asatIM vapuShTamAmetAM niryAtayata me gR^ihAt |
yayA me charaNau mUrdhni pAtitau reNuguNThitau ||3-5-21

Expel the unfaithful vapuShTamA from my residence. She has put her (dirty) leg, smeared with dust on my head. (She has insulted me).

shauNDIryaM me.anayA bhagnam yasho mAnashcha dUShitaH |
na chainAM draShTumichChAmi parikliShTAmiva srajam ||3-5-22

She is the one who destroyed my greatness. She spoiled the greatness of my fame. I do not wish to see her, like a discarded garland of flowers.

na svAdu so.ashnAti naraH sukhaM svapiti vA rahaH |
anvAste yaH priyAM bhAryAM pareNa mR^iditAmiha ||3-5-23
punarnaivopabhu~njanti shvAvalIDhaM haviryathA |

The one who lives with his dear wife who was touched by others will not be able to have tasty food. He will not have a comfortable sleep in the night, like the oblation licked by dog is not offered in the sacrifice again.

evamuchchaiH prabhAShantaM kruddhaM pArIkShitaM nR^ipam |
gandharvarAjaH provAcha vishvAvasuridaM vachaH ||3-5-24

vishvAvasu, the king of gandharva-s, spoke the following words to the son of parIkShit (janamejaya) who spoke thus loudly with anger.

vishvAvasuruvAcha

triyaj~nashatayajvAnaM vAsavastvAM na mR^iShyate |
apsarAstena patnI te vihiteyaM vapuShTamA ||3-5-25

vishvAvasu said:

vAsava (indra) does not tolerate you who has observed three hundred penances. Hence he made a divine woman as your wife vapuShTamA.

rambhAnAmApsarA devI kAshirAjasutA matA |
saiShA yoShidvarA rAjanratnabhUtAnubhUyatAm ||3-5-26

The daughter of the king of kAshI (vapuShTamA) is the divine woman, rambhA. O king! She is the best among woman, a jewel. You can accept her.

yaj~ne vivaramAsAdya vighnamindreNa te kR^itam |
yajvA hyasi kurushreShTha samR^iddhyA vasamopamaH ||3-5-27

Knowing about the (horse) sacrifice, indra created obstacles for your sacrifice. The one who observed the sacrifice, you, are the best among the kurus, equal to vAsava in prosperity.

bibhetyabhibhavAchChakrastava kratuphalairnR^ipa |
tasmAdAvartitashchaiva kraturindreNa te vibho ||3-5-28

O king! Due to the results of the sacrifice (which you are going to get on its completion), shakra (indra) is afraid of you O lord! That is why shakra wrecked your sacrifice.

mAyaiShA vAsaveneha prayuktA vighnamichChatA |

This is an illusion shown by vAsava (indra), desiring to prevent your sacrifice

kratorvivaramAsAdya saMj~naptaM dR^ishya vAjinam ||3-5-29
ratimindreNa rambhAyAM manyase yAM vapuShTamAm |

knowing about the sacrifice, indra possessed the (dead ) horse and had sex with rambhA, whom you consider as vapuShTamA.

atha te guravaH shaptAstriyaj~nashatayAjinaH ||3-5-30

You cursed the preceptors who conducted three hundred sacrifices for you.

bhraMshitastvaM cha viprAshcha balAdindrasamAdiha |
tvattashchaiva sudurdharShAstriyaj~nshatayAjinaH ||3-5-31

shakra (indra), by force, made you and the brahmins deviate (from doing the sacrifice). These priests who officiated for you for performing three hundred sacrifices were made undesirable by you.

bibheti ha sadA tvatto brAhmaNebhyo.api vAsavaH |
ekena vai tadubhayaM tIrNaM shakreNa mAyayA ||3-5-32

vAsava (indra) was always afraid of you and the best of brahmaNa-s. shakra (indra) conquered both (fears) with one act of illusion.

sa eSha sumahAtejA vijigIShuH puraMdaraH |
kathamanyairanAchIrNaM napturdArAnavikramet ||3-5-33

Will the destroyer of cities (puraMdara, indra) of high splendor, desirous of victory, ever take the wife of the great grandson (janamejaya), which is never done by others?

vishvAvasuruvAcha

yathaiva hi parA buddhiH paro dharmaH paro damaH |
yathaiva paramaishvaryaM kIrtitaM harivAhane |
tathaiva tvayi durdarShe triyaj~nashatayAjini ||3-5-34

vishvAvasu continued:

The same divine intellect, the right conduct, the divine tolerance and divine prosperity ascribed to the one having bay horses (indra) is ascribed to you as well, who performed three hundred sacrifices.

mA vAsavaM mA cha gurumAtmAnaM mA vapuShTamAm |
gachCha doSheNa kAlo hi sarvathA duratikramaH ||3-5-35

Do not blame vAava (indra), your preceptors, yourself or vapuShTamA (for the stoppage of your horse sacrifice). Time can not be violated by any means.

aishvaryeNAshvamAvishya devendreNAsi roShitaH |
AnukUlyena devasya vartitavyaM sukhArthinA ||3-5-36

Due to (your) prosperity, indra of deva-s, possessed the (dead) horse and made you angry. Those who desire welfare shall be obedient to the deva-s.

dustaraM pratikUlaM hi pratisrota ivAmbhasaH |

Opposing the deva-s is like opposing the flow of water.

strIratnamupabhu~NkShvemAmapApaM vigatajvaraH ||3-5-37

Discarding your fever of anger accept this jewel of women (your wife vapuShTamA) who has not committed any sin.

apApAstyajyamAnA vai tyajeyurapi yoShitaH |
aduShTAstu striyo rAjandivyAstu savisheShataH ||3-5-38

If the women who are not sinners are discarded, then the other women will discard you. O king! (janamejaya! vishvAsasu continued) The women, especially the divine women, do not have any defect.

bhAnoH prabhA shikhA vahnervedI hotre tathAhutiH |
parAmR^iShTApyasaMsaktA nopaduShyanti yoShitaH ||3-5-39

Even the light of the sun, the flame of fire, the sacrificial stage as well as the oblations to the sacred fire try to spoil them , the women will not be spoiled.

grAhyA lAlayitavyAshcha pUjyAshcha satataM budhaiH |
shIlavatyo namaskAryAH pUjyAH shriya iva striyaH ||3-5-40

Those with intelligence shall accept and honour women. The women with good habits shall be paid obeisance and worshipped as shrI, the goddess of good fortune.

iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe bhaviShyaparvaNi vishvAvasuvAkye pa~nchamo.adhyAyaH

Thus this is the fifth chapter of bhaviShyaparva, harivaMsha, khila of mahAbhArata, indra wrecks janamejaya's ashvamedha

nIlakaNTha commentary

3-5-1 ityevamiti ||
3-5-2 saMvAhaH pravAhaH ||
3-5-3 AkhyAnaM bhAratam ||
3-5-4 dadhyuH dhyAnaM kR^itavantaH ||
3-5-9 hotrANAM saMbandhino dhiShNyAgnayastairdIptashirasam ||
3-5-12 saMj~naptaM mAritaM saMvivesha tasamIpe upaviShTA ||
3-5-13 mishrIbabhUva mithunIbabhUva ||
3-5-14 asaMj~naptaH maraNaMprAptaH abravIdrAjA
3-5-20 anvashAsat Aj~naptavAn ||
3-5-21 Aj~nAmevAha - asatImiti ||
3-5-22 shauNDIryaM mAhAtmyam ||
3-5-28 AvvrtitaH vighnitaH ||
3-5-30 te tvayA ||
3-5-33 naptuH pautrasya | avikramedityatrAvirityupasargaH | a iti nipAto vA ||
3-5-38 aduShTAH alapadoShA ityarthaH ||
3-5-39 parAmR^iShTApyasaMsaktA dUShitApyadUShitetyarthaH ||

iti shrIharivaMshe bhaviShyaparvaNi TIkAyAM pa~nchamo.adhyAyaH ||

## Itranslated by G. Schaufelberger, schaufel @ wanadoo.fr August 20, 2008 ##
Proof-read by K S Rmachandran, ramachandran_ksr @ yahoo.ca.
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition, send corrections to A. Harindranath, harindranath_a @ yahoo.com
Translated to English by A. Purushothaman [purushothaman_avaroth @ yahoo.com] and A. Harindranath
November 5, 2011 ##