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.
स तस्यब्रह्महत्यायाः पारं गत्वा युधिष्ठिर। अर्वावसुस्तदा सत्रमाजगाम पुनर्मुनिः
Having crossed over the sin of Brahmin-slaying, O Yudhishthira, Arvavasu then returned to the sacrificial session, as a sage.
ततः परावसुर्दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं समुपस्थितम्। बृहद्द्युम्नमुवाचेदं वचनं हर्षगद्गदम्
Then, seeing his brother arrive, Paravasu, overwhelmed with joy, spoke these words to Brihaddyumna.
एष ते ब्रह्महा यज्ञं मा द्रष्टुं प्रविशेदिति। ब्रह्महा प्रेक्षितेनापि पीडयेत्त्वामसंशयम्
This is the Brahmin-slayer; let him not enter to witness your sacrifice. Even being seen by a Brahmin-slayer would surely afflict you.
तच्छ्रुत्वैव तदा राजा प्रेष्यानाह स विट्पते। प्रेष्यैरुत्सार्यमाणस्तु राजन्नर्वावसुस्तदा। न मया ब्रह्महत्येयं कृतेत्याह पुनःपुनः
Hearing this, the king immediately ordered his attendants; as Arvavasu was being driven away, he repeatedly said, 'I have not committed Brahmin-slaying.'
उच्यमानोऽसकृत्प्रेष्यैर्ब्रह्महा इति भारत। नैवस्म प्रतिजानामि ब्र्हमहत्यां स्वयंकृताम्। मम भ्रात्रा कृतमिदं मया स परिमोक्षितः
Though repeatedly called a brahmin-slayer by the servants, O Bhārata, I do not admit to having committed brahmin-murder myself. This was done by my brother, whom I have now released.
स तथा प्रवदन्क्रोधात्तैश्च प्रेष्यैः प्रभाषितः। तूष्णीं जगाम ब्रह्मर्षिर्वनमेव महातपाः
Thus spoken to in anger and addressed by those servants, the great ascetic brahmarshi became silent and went into the forest.
उग्रं तपः समास्थाय दिवाकरमथाश्रितः। रहस्यवेदं कृतवान्सूर्यस्य द्विजसत्तमः
Undertaking severe austerities and seeking the sun, the best of twice-born sages mastered the secret knowledge.
मूर्तिमांस्तं ददर्शाथ स्वयमग्रभुगव्ययः
Then, the imperishable one who partakes first of offerings appeared to him in person.
प्रीतास्तस्याभवन्देवाः कर्मणाऽर्वावसोर्नृप। तं ते प्रवरयामासुर्निरासुश्च परावसुम्
Pleased by his act, O King, the gods favored him; they granted him boons and restored Parāvasu to life.
ततो देवा वरं तस्मै ददुरग्निपुरोगमाः
Then the gods, led by Agni, granted him a boon.
स चापि वरयामास पितुरुत्थानमात्मनः। अनागस्त्वं ततो भ्रातुः पितुश्चास्मरणं वधे
He then requested the revival of his father and himself, freedom from the consequences of his brother's and father's killing, and the removal of memory of the murder.
भरद्वाजस्य चोत्थानं यवक्रीतस्य चोभयोः। प्रतिष्ठां चापि वेदस्य सौरस्य द्विजसत्तमः
He also asked for the revival of Bharadvāja and Yavakrīta, for both, and for the establishment of the solar Veda, O best of twice-born.
एवमस्त्विति तं देवाः प्रोचुश्चापि वरान्ददुः। ततः प्रादुर्बभूवुस्ते सर्व एव युधिष्ठिर
The gods replied, 'So be it,' and granted those boons; then all of them appeared, O Yudhishthira.
अथाब्रवीद्यवक्रीतो देवानग्निपुरोगमान्। समधीतं मया ब्रह्म व्रतानि चरितानि च
Then Yavakrīta spoke to the gods led by Agni: 'I have studied the Veda and performed the vows.'
कथं च रैभ्यः शक्तो मामदीयानं तपस्विनम्। तथायुक्तेन विधिना निहन्तुममरोत्तमाः
'How was Raibhya able to slay me, an ascetic, with such improper means, O best of immortals?'
मैवं कृथा यवक्रीत यथा वदसि वै मुने। ऋते गुरुमधीता हि स्वयं वेदास्त्वया पुरा
'Do not speak thus, Yavakrīta, as you say, O sage. The Vedas were learned by you formerly without a teacher.'
अनन तु गुरूनदुःखात्तोषयित्वाऽऽत्मक्रमणा। कालेन महता क्लेशाद्ब्रह्माधिगतमुत्तमम्
'Without serving the teachers, without pleasing them, and by your own effort, you attained the highest knowledge only after great hardship and much time.'
यवक्रीतमथोक्त्वैवं देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः। संजीवयित्वा तान्सर्वान्पुनर्जग्मुस्त्रिविष्टपम्
Having thus spoken to Yavakrīta, the gods led by Agni revived them all and then returned to heaven.
ततो वै स यवक्रीतो ब्रह्मचर्यं चचार ह। अष्टादश च वर्षाणि त्रिंशतं च युधिष्ठिर
Then Yavakrīta practiced celibacy for eighteen and thirty years, O Yudhishthira.
आस्रमस्तस्य पुण्योऽयं सदापुष्पफलद्रुमः। अत्रोष्य राजशार्दूल सर्वपापैः प्रभोक्ष्यसे
His hermitage was holy, always with trees bearing flowers and fruits; here, O tiger among kings, you shall stay and be freed from all sins.