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.
रब्राह्मणानां किलार्थाय ननु त्वं तप्तवांस्तपः। द्विजानामनधीता वै वेदाः संप्रतिभान्त्विति
"Was it not for the sake of the Brāhmaṇas that you performed austerities? Now, for the twice-born who have not studied, the Vedas appear to shine."
तथा कल्याणशीलस्त्वं ब्राह्मणेषुमहात्मसु। अनागाः सर्वभूतेषु कर्कशत्वमुपेयिवान्
"Though you were of virtuous conduct among the great-souled Brāhmaṇas, and innocent toward all beings, you have embraced harshness."
प्रतिषिद्धो मया तात रैभ्यावसथदर्शनात्। गतवानेव तं क्षुद्रं कालान्तकयमोपमम्
"Though I forbade you, my son, from going to Raibhya's dwelling, you went to that wretch, like one rushing to death."
यः स जानन्महातेजा वृद्धस्यैकं ममात्मजम्। गतवानेव कोपस्य वशं परमदुर्मतिः
"He, knowing, of great energy, my only son, though old, went under the sway of anger— truly of most evil mind."
पुत्रशोकमनुप्राप्त एष रैभ्यस्य कर्मणा। त्यक्ष्यामि त्वामृतेपुत्र प्राणानिष्टतमान्भुवि
"Stricken by grief for my son, because of Raibhya's deed, I shall abandon my life, dearest on earth, bereft of my child."
यथाऽहं पुत्रशोकेन देहं त्यक्ष्यामि किल्विषी। तथा ज्येष्ठः सुतो रैभ्यं हिंस्याच्छीघ्रमनागसम्
"As I, sinful, shall give up my body out of grief for my son, so too may Raibhya's eldest son quickly harm him, though innocent."
सुखिनो वै नरा येषां जाया पुत्रो न विद्यते। ये पुत्रशोकमप्राप्य विचरन्ति यथासुखम्
Truly happy are those men who have neither wife nor son; they roam about, free from the sorrow of losing a child, as they please.
ये तु पुत्रकृताच्छोकाद्भृशं व्याकुलचेतसः। शपन्तीष्टान्सखीनार्तास्तेभ्यः पापतरो नु कः
But those whose minds are greatly troubled by grief caused by their sons, who curse their dear friends in anguish—who could be more sinful than them?
परासुश्च सुतो दृष्टः शप्तश्चैष्टः सखा मया। ईदृशीमापदं कोत्र द्वितीयोऽनुविष्यति
I have seen my son in another's house, and I have cursed my friend; who else could ever experience such misfortune as this?
विलप्यैवं बहुविधं भरद्वाजोऽदहत्सुतम्। सुसमिद्धं ततः पश्चात्प्रविवेश हुताशनम्
Lamenting in many ways, Bharadvaja burned his son; then, after the fire was well kindled, he entered the sacrificial flames.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु बृहद्द्युम्नो महीपतिः। सत्रं तेने महाभागो रैभ्ययाज्यः प्रतापवान्
At that very time, the great and illustrious king Brihaddyumna, powerful and renowned, conducted a sacrificial session, with Raibhya as the chief priest.
तेन रैभ्यस्य वै पुत्रावर्वावसुपरासू। वृतौ सहायौ सत्रार्थं बृहद्द्युम्नेन धीमता
For the sake of the sacrifice, Raibhya's sons, Arvavasu and Paravasu, wise and capable, assisted Brihaddyumna.
तत्र तौ समनुज्ञातौ पित्रा कौन्तेय जग्मतुः। आश्रमे त्वभवद्रैभ्यो भार्या चैव परावसोः
There, with their father's permission, the two sons went, O son of Kunti; meanwhile, Raibhya's wife remained at the hermitage, as did Paravasu's.
अथावलोककोऽगच्छद्गृहानकः परावसुः। कृष्णाजिनेन संवीतं ददर्श पितरं वने
Then Paravasu, the observer, went home; in the forest, he saw his father, wrapped in a black deerskin.
जघन्यरात्रे निद्रान्धः सावशेषे तमस्यापि। चरन्तं गहनेऽरण्ये मेने स पितरं मृगम्
In the darkest part of the night, blinded by sleep and the lingering gloom, he saw his father wandering in the dense forest and mistook him for a deer.
मृगं तु मन्यमानेन पिता वै तेन हिंसितः। अकामयानेन तदा शरीरत्राणमिच्छता
Thinking him to be a deer, Paravasu harmed his father, unintentionally, while seeking to protect his own body.
तस्य स प्रेतकार्याणि कृत्वा सर्वाणि भारत। पुनरागम्य तत्सत्रमब्रवीद्धातरं वचः
Having performed all the funeral rites for him, O Bharata, Paravasu returned to the sacrificial session and spoke to his father.
इदं कर्म न शक्तस्त्वं वोढुमेकः कथंचन। मया च हिंसितस्तातो मन्यमानेन वै मृगम्
You are not able to bear this task alone in any way; father, I harmed you, mistaking you for a deer.
सोऽस्मदर्थे व्रतं तात चर त्वं ब्रह्मघातिनाम्। समर्थो ह्यहमेकाकी कर्म कर्तुमिदं मुने
So, for our sake, father, undertake the vow for those who have killed a Brahmin; I alone am capable of performing this task, O sage.
करोतु वै भवान्सत्रं बृहद्द्युम्नस्य धीमतः। ब्रह्महत्यां चरिष्येऽहं त्वदर्थं नियतेन्द्रियः
Let you conduct the sacrifice for the wise Brihaddyumna; I will undertake the penance for Brahmin-slaying for your sake, with controlled senses.