तस्मै प्रादाद्वरानिन्द्र उक्तवान्यान्महातपाः। प्रतिभास्यन्ति ते वेदाः पित्रा सह यथेप्सिताः
Then Indra, the great ascetic, granted him boons, saying: 'The Vedas will become manifest to you as you desire, together with your father.'
यच्चान्यत्काङ्क्षसे कामं यवक्रीर्गम्यतामिति। स लब्धकाम पितरं समेत्याथेदमब्रवीत्
And whatever else you desire, Yavakrīta, let it be so. Having obtained his wish, he then approached his father and spoke these words.
प्रतिभास्यन्ति वै वेदा मम तातस्य चोभयोः। अपि चान्यान्भविष्यावो वरा लब्धास्तथा मया
The Vedas will indeed appear to both myself and my father; moreover, I have obtained other boons as well.
दर्पस्ते भविता तात वराँल्लब्ध्वा यथेप्सितान्। स दर्पपर्णः कृपणः क्षिप्रमेव विनङ्क्ष्यसि
When you, father, receive the desired boons, pride will arise in you; but with that pride, you will soon perish, wretched and miserable.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमा गाथा देवैरुदाहृताः। मुनिरासीत्पुरा पुत्र बालधिर्नाम विश्रुतः
Here, too, are cited these verses spoken by the gods: There was once a sage, O son, renowned by the name Bāladhī.
स पुत्रशोकादुद्विग्रस्तपस्तेपे सुदुष्करम्। भवेन्मम सुतोऽमर्त्य इतितं लब्धवांश्च सः
Distressed by grief for his son, he undertook severe austerities, wishing, 'May my son become immortal,' and thus obtained that boon.
तस्य प्रसादो वै देवैः कृतो न त्वमरैः समः। नामर्त्यो विद्यते मर्त्यो निमित्तायुर्भविष्यति
The gods granted him their favor, but not equality with the immortals; a mortal cannot become immortal, for his lifespan is determined by fate.
यथेमे पर्वताः शश्वत्तिष्ठन्ति सुरसत्तमाः। तावज्जीवेन्मम् सुतो निर्वाणमुत मे मतः
As long as these mountains stand, O best of gods, so long shall my son live; this is my conviction regarding liberation.
तस्य पुत्रस्तदा जत्रे मेधावी क्रोधनस्तदा। स तु लब्धवरो दर्पादृषींश्चैवावमन्यत
At that time, his son was intelligent and irascible; having obtained the boon, he, out of pride, disrespected the sages.
विकुर्वाणो मुनीनां च व्यचरत्स महीमिमाम्। आससाद महावीर्यं धनुषाक्षं मनीषिणम्
Behaving arrogantly toward the sages, he wandered across this earth, and encountered the mighty, wise Dhanuṣākṣa.
तस्यापचक्रे मेधावी तं शशाप स वीर्यवान्। भव भस्मेति चोक्तः स न भस्म समपद्यत
Medhāvin, the son, insulted him, and the powerful sage cursed him, saying, 'Become ashes!' Yet he did not turn into ashes.
धनुषाक्षस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा मेधाविनमनामयम्। `मुनिस्तत्कारणं ज्ञात्वा स्वयं महिषरूपधृत्। शृङ्गेणाद्रीनचलयत्ततोऽयंभस्मसादभूत्
Dhanuṣākṣa, seeing Medhāvin unharmed, and understanding the reason, himself assumed the form of a buffalo and shook the mountains with his horn; then Medhāvin was reduced to ashes.
निमित्तमस्य महर्षिर्भेदयामास पर्वतान्। स निमित्ते विनष्टे तु ममार सहसा शिशुः
The great sage broke apart the mountains as the cause; when the cause was destroyed, the child died suddenly.
तं मृतं पुत्रमादाय विललाप ततः पिता
Taking his dead son, the father then lamented.
लालप्यमानं तं दृष्ट्वा मुनयः परमार्तवत्। ऊचुर्वेदविदः सर्वै गाथां यां तां निबोध मे
Seeing him lamenting so deeply, the sages, full of compassion, spoke these verses; listen to them from me.
न दिष्टमर्थमत्येतुमीशोऽमर्त्यः कथंचन। महर्षिर्भेदयामास धनुषाक्षो महीधरान्
No immortal can ever overcome what is destined; Dhanuṣākṣa, the great sage, broke apart the mountains.
एवं लब्ध्वा वरान्बाला दर्पपूर्णास्तपस्विनः। क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यन्ति यथा न स्यात्तथा भवान्
Thus, when children obtain boons and become full of pride, ascetics quickly perish; may you not become like them.
एष रैभ्यो महावीर्यः पुत्रौ चास्य तथाविधौ। तं यथा पुत्र नाभ्येषि तथा कुर्यास्त्वतन्द्रितः
This Raibhya is of great prowess, and his sons are likewise; O son, do not oppose him, but act with vigilance.
स हि क्रुद्धः समर्थस्त्वां पुत्र पीडयितुं रुषा। रैभ्यश्चापि तपस्वी च कोपनश्च महानृषिः
For, when angered, he is capable of harming you, O son, with wrath; Raibhya is an ascetic, irascible, and a great sage.
एव करिष्ये मा तापं तात कार्षीः कथंचन। यथा हि मे भवान्मान्यस्तथा रैभ्यः पिता मम
So I shall act; do not grieve, father, in any way. As you are honored by me, so too is Raibhya, my father.
उक्त्वा स पितरं श्लक्ष्ण यवक्रीरकुतोभयः। विप्रकुर्वन्नृषीनन्यानतुष्यत्परया मुदा
Having spoken gently to his father, Yavakri, reckless and heedless, then began to disturb the other sages, rejoicing greatly in his own delight.
चङ्क्रम्यमाणः स तदा यवक्रीरकुतोभयः। जगाम माधवे मासि रैभ्याश्रमपदं प्रति
Then Yavakri, wandering about, set out during the spring month towards the hermitage of Raibhya.
स ददर्शाश्रमे रम्ये पुष्पतद्रुमभूषिते। विचरन्तीं स्नुषां तस्य किन्नरीमिव भारत
There, in the beautiful hermitage adorned with flowering trees, he saw Raibhya’s daughter-in-law wandering, radiant like a celestial maiden, O Bharata.
यवक्रीस्तामुवाचेदमुपतिष्ठस्व मामिनि। निर्लज्जो लज्जया युक्तां कामेन हृतचेतनः
Yavakri shamelessly addressed her, saying, 'Come to me, O lovely one,' though she was modest and he was overcome by desire.
सा तस्य शीलमाज्ञाय तस्माच्छापाच्च बिभ्यती। तेजस्वितां च रैभ्यस् तथेत्युक्त्वा जगाम ह
Recognizing his nature and fearing his curse, and also mindful of Raibhya’s power, she replied, 'So be it,' and departed.
तत एकान्तमानीय लज्जयामास भारत। आजगाम तदा रैभ्यः स्वमाश्रममरिंदम
Then, taking her aside, she was overcome with shame, O Bharata; and at that moment, Raibhya returned to his own hermitage, O subduer of foes.
रुदतीं च स्नुषां दृष्ट्वा भार्यामार्ता परावसोः। सान्त्वयञ्श्लक्ष्णया वाचा पर्यपृच्छद्युधिष्ठिर
Seeing his daughter-in-law, the wife of Paravasu, weeping in distress, Raibhya gently comforted her and questioned her, O Yudhishthira.
सा तस्मै सर्वमाचष्ट यवक्रीभाषितं शुभा। प्रत्युक्तं च यवक्रीतं प्रेक्षापूर्वं तथाऽऽत्मना
She told him everything—what Yavakri had said, and also what she herself had replied to Yavakri, recounting it all as it happened.
शृण्वानस्यैव रैभ्यस्य यवक्रेस्तद्विचेष्टनम्। दहन्निव तदा चेतः क्रोधः समभवन्महान्
Hearing of Yavakri’s actions from her, Raibhya’s heart burned as if on fire, and a great anger arose within him.
स तदा मन्युनाऽऽविष्टस्तपस्वी कोपनो भृशम्। अवलुप्य जटामेकां जुहावाग्नौ सुसंस्कृते
Then, seized by wrath, the ascetic, greatly enraged, tore out one of his matted locks and offered it into the well-prepared fire.