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च्यवनोपाख्यान (cyavanopAkhyAna)

 
Monier Williams Cologne
English
च्यवनोपाख्यान
n.
 ‘tale of Cyavana’,
N.
 of
MBh.
 xiii, chs. 50-52 (2641-2754) and of
PadmaP.
 ii, 80 and iv, 42.
Mahabharata
English
[Cyavanopākhyāna(ṃ)], “the episode relating to Cyavana.” § 745b (Ānuśāsanik.): Bhīshma said: In days past M.-ṛ. Cyavana Bhārgava set himself for twelve years to udavāsa (“dwelling in water”) at the confluence (madhye) of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, and stood there like a wooden post (description). He was caught in the net (description) of some fishers (kaivartāḥ) along with a large number of fish, etc. They were afraid
Cyavana said that he would either die with the fishes or be sold with them. With pale faces the fishers repaired to king Nahusha (XIII, 50), who immediately went to Cyavana with his ministers and priest
Cyavana asked him to pay the price for himself and the fishes
Nahusha ordered large sums to be paid to the Nishādas for Cyavana
but the latter declared that these could not represent his price, even his whole kingdom
Nahusha deliberated with his ministers and priests
then there came an ascetic living in the woods, born of a cow, and said that the cow was equal in value to the brahman
this Cyavana approved of, as svāhā- and vashaṭ-kāra are always established upon kine, etc. Cyavana accepted the cow from the fishermen, and caused them along with the fishes to proceed to heaven. The two Ṛ. gladdened king Nahusha by granting him many boons
he accepted the boon that he should himself remain firm in virtue. The two Ṛ. returned each to his own asylum, and Nahusha to his city (XIII, 51). Asked by Yudhishṭhira about Rāma Jāmadagnya, etc. (), Bhīshma recited an old history of the discourse between Cyavana and Kuśika, i.e. Cyavana-Kuśika-saṃvāda (c) (III, 52--56). Ś (What is not found under Ś should be sought for under S.)