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.
यवक्रीतं स हत्वा तु राक्षसो रैभ्यमागमत्। अनुज्ञातस्तु रैभ्येण तया नार्या सहावसत्
Having killed Yavakrīta, the Rākṣasa went to Raibhya; permitted by Raibhya, he dwelt there together with that woman.
भरद्वाजस्तु कौन्तेय कृत्वा स्वाध्यायमाह्निकम्। समित्कलापमादाय प्रविवेश स्वमाश्रमम्
But Bharadvāja, O son of Kuntī, after performing his daily recitation and rituals, took up his bundle of sacrificial sticks and entered his hermitage.
तं स्म दृष्ट्वा पुरा सर्वे प्रत्युत्तिष्ठिन्ति पावकाः। न त्वेनमुपतिष्ठन्ति हतपुत्रं तदाऽग्नयः
In former times, all the fires would rise up to greet him when they saw him; but now, with his son slain, the fires did not attend upon him.
वैकृतंत्वग्निहोत्रे स लक्षयित्वा महातपाः। तमन्धं शूद्रमासीनं गृहपालमथाब्रवीत्
Perceiving a disturbance in the fire ritual, the great ascetic noticed the blind Śūdra sitting as the keeper of the house and spoke to him.
किंनु मे नाग्नयः शूद्र प्रतिनन्दन्ति दर्शनम्। त्वं चापि न यथापूर्वं कच्चित्क्षेममिहाश्रमे
"Why, O Śūdra, do the fires not welcome my presence? And you too are not as before— is all well in this hermitage?"
कच्चिन्न रैभ्यं पुत्रो मे गतवानल्पचेतनः। एतदाचक्ष्व मे शीघ्रं न हि शुद्ध्यति मे मनः
"Has my son, of little sense, gone to Raibhya? Tell me this quickly, for my mind does not find peace."
रैभ्यं यातो नूनमयं पुत्रस्ते मन्दचेतनः। तथाहि निहतः शेते राक्षसेन महात्मना
"Surely your son, lacking sense, went to Raibhya; for he now lies slain by the mighty Rākṣasa."
प्रकाल्यमानस्तेनायं शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा। अग्न्यगारं प्रतिद्वारि मया दोर्भ्यां निवारितः
"When he was being dragged away by that Rākṣasa with a spear in hand, I tried to stop him at the door of the fire-house with my arms."
ततः स विहताशोऽत्रजलकामोशुचिर्ध्रुवम्। निहतः सोऽतिवेगेन शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा
"Then, deprived of hope, longing for water, and impure, he was surely killed with great force by the spear-wielding Rākṣasa."
भरद्वाजस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा शूद्रस्य विप्रियं महत्। गतासुं पुत्रमादाय विललाप सुदुःखितः
Hearing the Śūdra's grievous words, Bharadvāja, deeply afflicted, took up his lifeless son and lamented.