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.
ततः समभवन्नारी तस्या रूपेण संमिता। अवलुप्यापरां चापि जुहावाग्नौ जटां पुनः
From that, a woman appeared, matching her in form; then, tearing out another lock, he again offered it into the fire.
ततः समभवद्रक्षो दीप्तास्यं घोरदर्शनम्। अब्रूतां तौ तदा रैभ्यं किं कार्यं करवामहे
From that, a fierce demon appeared, with blazing mouth and terrifying aspect; both then addressed Raibhya, 'What shall we do?'
तावब्रवीदृषिः क्रुद्धो यवक्रीर्वध्यतामिति। जग्मतृस्तौ तथेत्युक्त्वा यवक्रीतजिघांसया
The sage, enraged, said to them, 'Let Yavakri be slain.' They replied, 'So be it,' and set out with the intent to kill Yavakri.
ततस्तं समुपास्थाय कृत्या सृष्टा महात्मना। कमण्डलुं जहारास्य मोहयित्वा तु भारत
Then, approaching Yavakri, the spirit created by the great sage, after deluding him, seized his water-pot, O Bharata.
उच्छिष्टं तु यवक्रीतमपकृष्टकमण्डलुम्। तत उद्यतशूलः स राक्षसः समुपाद्रवत्
Yavakri, now defiled and deprived of his water-pot, was then charged at by the demon, who brandished a raised spear.
तमाद्रवन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य शूलहस्तं जिघांसया। यवक्रीः सहसोत्थाय प्राद्रवद्यत्रवै सरः
Seeing the demon rushing at him, spear in hand and intent on killing, Yavakri leapt up in haste and fled towards a lake.
जलहीनं सरो दृष्ट्वा यवक्रीस्त्वरितः पुनः। जगाम सरितः सर्वास्ताश्चाप्यासन्विशोषिताः
Finding the lake dry, Yavakri hurried to all the rivers, but they too had all been dried up.
स काल्यमानो घोरेण शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा। अग्निहोत्रे पितुर्भीतः सहसा प्रविवेश ह
Pursued by the fierce demon with the spear, and terrified, he suddenly entered his father’s sacrificial fire.
स वै प्रविशमानस्तु शुद्रेणान्धेन रक्षिणा। निगृहीतो बलाद्द्वारि सोऽवातिष्ठत पार्थिव
As he was entering, he was seized by a Śūdra, a blind guard, who forcefully restrained him at the door, O king.
निगृहीतं तु शूद्रेण यवक्रीतं स राक्षसः। ताडयामास शूलेन स भिन्नहृदयोऽपतत्
The Rākṣasa, seeing Yavakrīta held by the Śūdra, struck him with a spear; his heart pierced, he fell down dead.