ददानीत्येव तं तत्र राजानं प्रत्युवाच ह। वसिष्ठः परमेष्वासं सत्यसन्धो द्विजोत्तमः
Then Vasistha, the foremost of twice-born, steadfast in truth and supreme among archers, replied to the king there, saying, 'I will give.'
ततः प्रतिययौ काले वसिष्ठः सह तेन वै। ख्यातां पुरीमिमां लोकेष्वयोध्यां मनुजेश्वर
Thereafter, at the proper time, Vasistha went together with him, O lord of men, to this renowned city in the world, Ayodhya.
तं प्रजाः प्रतिमोदन्त्यः सर्वाः प्रत्युद्गतास्तदा। विपाप्मानं महात्मानं दिवौकस इवेश्वरम्
Then all the people, delighted, came out to meet him—free from sin, great-souled, like the gods welcoming their lord.
सुचिराय मनुष्येन्द्रो नगरीं पुण्यलक्षणाम्। विवेश सहितस्तेन वसिष्ठेन महर्षिणा
After a long time, the king entered that city of auspicious marks, together with the great sage Vasistha.
ददृशुस्तं महीपालमयोध्यावासिनो जनाः। पुरोहितेन सहितं दिवाकरमिवोदितम्
The people of Ayodhya beheld that king, accompanied by his priest, as if the sun had risen.
स च तां पूरयामास लक्ष्म्या लक्ष्मीवतां वरः। अयोध्यां व्योम शीतांशुः शरत्काल इवोदितः
That best among the prosperous filled Ayodhya with splendor, like the autumn moon rising in the sky.
संसक्तिमृष्टपन्थानं पताकाध्वजशोभितम्। मनः प्रह्लादयामास तस्य तत्पुरमुत्तमम्
That excellent city, with its clean, well-trodden roads and adorned with banners and flags, delighted his mind.
तुष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णा सा पुरी कुरुनन्दन। अशोभत तदा तेन शक्रेणेवामरावती
That city, filled with contented and prosperous people, shone at that time by him, O joy of the Kurus, as Amaravati does by Indra.
ततः प्रविष्टे राजर्षौ तस्मिंस्तत्पुरमुत्तमम्। राज्ञस्तस्याज्ञया देवी वसिष्ठमुपचक्रमे
Then, when that royal sage had entered that excellent city, by the king's command, the queen approached Vasistha.
ऋतावथ महर्षिस्तु संबभूव तया सह। देव्या दिव्येन विधिना वसिष्ठः श्रेष्ठभागृषिः
Then, in due season, the great sage Vasistha, best among seers, united with the queen according to divine ordinance.
ततस्तस्यां समुत्पन्ने गर्भे स मुनिसत्तमः। राज्ञाभिवादितस्तेन जगाम मुनिराश्रमम्
When she had conceived, that best of sages, having been respectfully greeted by the king, departed to his hermitage.
दीर्घकालेन सा गर्भं सुषुवे न तु तं यदा। तदा देव्यश्मना कुक्षिं निर्बिभेद यशस्विनी
After a long time, though she bore the child, she did not give birth; then the illustrious queen split her womb with a stone.
ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे स जज्ञे पुरषर्षभः। अश्मको नाम राजर्षिः पौदन्यं यो न्यवेशयत्
Then, in the twelfth year, was born the foremost among princes, a royal sage named Ashmaka, who established Paudanya.
आश्रमस्था ततः पुत्रमदृश्यन्ती व्यजायत। शक्तेः कुलकरं राजन् द्वितीयमिव शक्तिनम्
Then, living in the hermitage, Adrushyanti gave birth to a son, the upholder of Shakti's line, like a second Shakti himself, O king.
जातकर्मादिकास्तस्य क्रियाः स मुनिसत्तमः। पौत्रस्य भरतश्रेष्ठ चकार भगवान्स्वयम्
That best of sages himself performed all the rites for his grandson, O best of the Bharatas, beginning with the birth ceremony.
परासुः स यतस्तेन वसिष्ठः स्थापितो मुनिः। गर्भस्थेन ततो लोके पराशर इति स्मृतः
Because his father had departed, the sage Vasiṣṭha was established as his guardian; and since he was in the womb when this happened, he became known in the world as Parāśara.
अमन्यत स धर्मात्मा वसिष्ठं पितरं मुनिः। जन्मप्रभृति तस्मिंस्तु पितरीवान्ववर्तत
That righteous sage regarded Vasiṣṭha as his father, and from birth onward, he behaved toward him as a son would toward his own father.
स तात इति विप्रर्षिं वसिष्ठं प्रत्यभाषत। मातुः समक्षं कौन्तेय अदृश्यन्त्याः परन्तप
He addressed the sage Vasiṣṭha as 'Father,' O son of Kuntī, in the presence of his mother Adṛśyantī, who was unseen.
तातेति परिपूर्णार्थं तस्य तन्मधुरं वचः। अदृश्यन्त्यश्रुपूर्णाक्षी शृण्वती तमुवाच ह
When he said 'Father' with full meaning, Adṛśyantī, her eyes filled with tears, heard those sweet words and spoke to him.
मा तात ताततातेति ब्रूह्येनं पितरं पितुः। रक्षसा भक्षितस्तात तव तातो वनान्तरे
'Do not call him father, my child; do not address him as your father. Your father was devoured by a Rākṣasa in the forest, my son.'
मन्यसे यं तु तातेति नैष तातस्तवानघ। आर्य एष पिता तस्य पितुस्तव यशस्विनः
'The one whom you call father is not your father, O sinless one. He is a noble man, the father of your illustrious father.'
स एवमुक्तो दुःखार्तः सत्यवागृषिसत्तमः। सर्वलोकविनाशाय मतिं चक्रे महामनाः
Thus addressed, that truthful and eminent sage, overwhelmed by grief, resolved in his mind to destroy all the worlds.
तं तथा निश्चितात्मानं स महात्मा महातपाः। ऋषिर्ब्रह्मविदां श्रष्ठो मैत्रावरुणिरन्त्यधीः
Seeing him thus determined, that great-souled and mighty ascetic, foremost among knowers of Brahman, Maitrāvaruṇi, who was wise, intervened.
वसिष्ठो वारयामास हेतुना येन तच्छृणु
Vasiṣṭha restrained him with reasoning; hear now by what means.
याज्यो वेदविदां लोके भृगूणां पार्थिवर्षभः। स तानग्रभुजस्तात धान्येन च धनेन च
O bull among kings, in the world, the Bhṛgus are foremost among those who know the Vedas and are worthy of sacrifice; they were honored, my child, with grain and wealth.
सोमान्ते तर्पयामास विपुलेन विशांपतिः। तस्मिन्नृपतिशार्दूले स्वर्यातेऽथ कथंचन
At the end of the Soma sacrifice, the lord of the people satisfied them with abundant gifts; and when that king ascended to heaven—somehow—
बभूव तत्कुलेयानां द्रव्यकार्यमुपस्थितम्। भृगूणां तु धनं ज्ञात्वा राजानः सर्व एव ते
Then, in that lineage, a need for wealth arose; and knowing of the Bhṛgus' riches, all the kings—
याचिष्णवोऽभिजग्मुस्तांस्ततो भार्गवसत्तमान्। भूमौ तु निददुः केचिद्भृगवो धनमक्षयम्
—came as supplicants to those best of Bhṛgus; some of the Bhṛgus hid their inexhaustible wealth in the earth.
ददुः केचिद्द्विजातिभ्यो ज्ञात्वा क्षत्रियतो भयम्। भृहवस्तु ददुः केचित्तेषां वित्तं यथेप्सितम्
Some gave it to other twice-born, fearing danger from the kṣatriyas; and some Bhṛgus gave away their wealth as they wished.
क्षत्रियाणां तदा तात कारणान्तरदर्शनात्। ततो महीतलं तात क्षत्रियेण यदृच्छया
Then, O child, because of another reason concerning the kṣatriyas, the wealth that had been hidden in the earth by a kṣatriya—