खनताऽधिगतं वित्तं केनच्चिद्धृगुवेश्मनि। तद्वित्तं ददृशुः सर्वे समेताः क्षत्रियर्षभाः
—was discovered by someone while digging in the house of a Bhṛgu; and all the assembled kṣatriya chiefs saw that wealth.
अवमन्य ततः क्रोधाद्भृगूंस्ताञ्छरणगतान्। निजघ्नुः परमेष्वासाः सर्वांस्तान्निशितैः शरैः
Then, scorning those Bhṛgus who had taken refuge with them, the mighty archers, out of anger, slew them all with sharp arrows.
आगर्भादवकृन्तन्तश्चेरुः सर्वां वसुन्धराम्। तत उच्छिद्यमानेषु भृगुष्वेवं भयात्तदा
They cut the Bhargavas from the womb and roamed over the entire earth; thus, when the Bhargavas were being destroyed in this way out of fear—
भृगुपत्न्यो गिरिं दुर्गं हिमवन्तं प्रपेदिरे। तासामन्यतमा गर्भं भयाद्दध्रे महौजसम्
The wives of the Bhargavas fled to the inaccessible mountain Himavat; one among them, out of fear, bore a mighty child in her womb.
ऊरुणैकेन वाभोरूर्भर्तुः कुलविवृद्धये। तं गर्भमुपलभ्याशु ब्राह्मण्येका भयार्दिता
She concealed the child in her thigh for the sake of her husband's lineage; perceiving that pregnancy, one Brahmin woman, terrified, quickly—
गत्वा वै कथयामास क्षत्रियाणामुपह्वरे। ततस्ते क्षत्रिया जग्मुस्तं गर्भं हन्तुमुद्यताः
Went and reported it to the Kshatriyas in a secluded place; then those Kshatriyas set out, intent on killing that unborn child.
ददृशुर्ब्राह्मणीं तेऽथ दीप्यमानां स्वतेजसा। अथ गर्भः स भित्त्वोरुं ब्राह्मण्या निर्जगाम ह
They saw the Brahmin woman, blazing with her own radiance; then the child broke through her thigh and emerged.
मुष्णन्दृष्टीः क्षत्रियाणां मध्याह्न इव भास्करः। ततश्चक्षुर्विहीनास्ते गिरिदुर्गेषु बभ्रमुः
He robbed the Kshatriyas of their sight, like the midday sun; thus deprived of vision, they wandered in the mountain fastnesses.
ततस्ते मोघसङ्कल्पा भयार्ताः क्षत्रियाः पुनः। ब्राह्मणीं शरमं जग्मुर्दृष्ट्यर्थं तामनिन्दिताम्
Then those Kshatriyas, their efforts fruitless and stricken by fear, again approached the blameless Brahmin woman, seeking the return of their sight.
ऊचुश्चैनां महाभागां क्षत्रियास्ते विचेतसः। ज्योतिःप्रहीणा दुःखार्ताः शान्तार्चिष इवाग्नयः
Those Kshatriyas, bewildered and deprived of light, spoke to her, the illustrious one, as fires whose flames have died down speak in distress.
भगवत्याः प्रसादेन गच्छेत्क्षत्रमनामयम्। उपारम्य च गच्छेम सहिताः पापकर्मणः
By your grace, O blessed one, may the Kshatriyas be restored unharmed; having ceased from evil deeds, may we all depart together.
सपुत्रा त्वं प्रसादं नः कर्तुमर्हसि शोभने। पुनर्दृष्टिप्रदानेन राज्ञः संत्रातुमर्हसि
With your son, you ought to show us favor, O beautiful one; by granting us sight again, you should protect the kings.
गन्धर्व उवाच
The Gandharva said:
तेन चक्षूंषि वस्ताता व्यक्तं कोपान्महात्मना। स्मरता निहतान्बन्धूनादत्तानि न संशयः
It is clear that your sight was taken away by that great soul, out of anger, remembering his slain kin and the wrongs done—there is no doubt.
गर्भानपि यदा यूयं भृगूणां घ्नत पुत्रकाः। तदायमूरुणा गर्भो मया वर्षशतं धृतः
When you, O princes, killed even the unborn children of the Bhargavas, at that time I bore this child in my thigh for a hundred years.
षडङ्गश्चाखिलो वेद इमं गर्भस्थमेव ह। विवेश भृगुवंशस्य भूयः प्रियचिकीर्षया
The entire Veda, with its six branches, entered this child while still in the womb, wishing to do good to the Bhargava lineage.
सोऽयं पितृवधाद्व्यक्तं क्रोधाद्वो हन्तुमिच्छति। तेजसा तस्य दिव्येन चक्षूंषि मुषितानि वः
Because of the slaying of his ancestors, he clearly wishes, out of wrath, to destroy you; by his divine energy, your sight was taken away.
तमेव यूयं याचध्वमौर्वं मम सुतोत्तमम्। अयं वः प्रणिपातेन तुष्टो दृष्टीः प्रदास्यति
You should approach that Aurva, my excellent son; if you bow before him, he will be pleased and restore your sight.
एवमुक्तास्ततः सर्वे राजानस्ते तमूरुजम्। ऊचुः प्रसीदेति तदा प्रसादं च चकार सः
Thus addressed, all those kings then spoke to Aurva, asking for his favor, and he granted them his grace.
अनेनैव च विख्यातो नाम्ना लोकेषु सत्तमः। स और्व इति विप्रर्षिरूरुं भित्त्वा व्यजायत
By this very name he became renowned among the worlds; thus the sage Aurva, bursting from the thigh, was born.
चक्षूंषि प्रतिलभ्याथ प्रतिजग्मुस्ततो नृपाः। भार्गवस्तु मुनिर्मेने सर्वलोकपराभवम्
Then, having regained their sight, the kings departed; but the sage of the Bhargava line considered this to be the defeat of all the worlds.
स चक्रे तात लोकानां विनाशाय मतिं तदा। सर्वेषामेव कार्त्स्न्येन मनः प्रवणमात्मनः
At that time, O dear one, he resolved upon the destruction of the worlds; his mind became wholly inclined toward this purpose.
इच्छन्नपचितिं कर्तुं भृगूणां भृगुनन्दनः। सर्वलोकविनाशाय तपसा सहतैधितः
Desiring to avenge the Bhṛgus, the delight of the Bhṛgu lineage, blazing with ascetic power, undertook to destroy all the worlds.
तापयामास ताँल्लोकान्सदेवासुरमानुषान्। तपसोग्रेण महता नन्दयिष्यन्पितामहान्
He began to torment those worlds—gods, asuras, and humans—with fierce and mighty austerity, wishing to gladden his ancestors.
ततस्तं पितरस्तात विज्ञाय कुलनन्दनम्। पितृलोकादुपागम्य सर्व ऊचुरिदं वचः
Then, O dear one, his ancestors, recognizing their descendant, came from the world of the ancestors and all spoke these words:
और्व दृष्टः प्रभावस्ते तपसोग्रस्य पुत्रक। प्रसादं कुरु लोकानां नियच्छ क्रोधमात्मनः
"Aurva, your power, O son, born of fierce austerity, has been seen; show favor to the worlds, restrain your anger."
नानीशैर्हि तदा तात भृगुभिर्भावितात्मभिः। वधो ह्युपेक्षितः सर्वैः क्षत्रियाणां विहिंसताम्
"At that time, O dear one, the Bhṛgus, whose minds were purified, were not able to prevent it; all endured the slaughter by the Kṣatriyas, though they were being harmed."
आयुषा विप्रकृष्टेन यदा नः खेद आविशत्। तदाऽस्माभिर्वधस्तात क्षत्रियैरीप्सितः स्वयम्
"When, due to a long life, weariness overtook us, then, O dear one, we ourselves desired death at the hands of the Kṣatriyas."
निखातं यच्च वै वित्तं केनचिद्गृगुवेश्मनि। वैरायैव तदा न्यस्तं क्षत्रियान्कोपयिष्णुभिः
"And whatever wealth was buried in the house of the Bhṛgus by someone, was placed there only to incite enmity by those wishing to anger the Kṣatriyas."
किं हि वित्तेन नः कार्यं स्वर्गेप्सूनां द्विजोत्तम। यदस्माकं धनाध्यक्षः प्रभूतं धनमाहरत्
"What use have we for wealth, O best of twice-born, who long for heaven, when our lord of wealth has already brought us abundant riches?"