प्रकीर्णकेशाः किल मे मातरः पितरस्तथा। भयात्सर्वेषु लोकेषु नाधिजग्मुः परायणम्
My mothers, their hair disheveled, and my fathers too, did not find refuge anywhere in the worlds, seized by fear.
तान्भृगूणां यदा दारान्कश्चिन्नाभ्युपपद्यत। माता तदा दधारेयमूरुणैकेन मां शुभा
When no one would accept the wives of the Bhṛgus, then my blessed mother bore me in her thigh.
प्रतिषेद्धा हि पापस्य यदा लोकेषु विद्यते। तदा सर्वेषु लोकेषु पापकृन्नोपपद्यते
When there is someone in the world to restrain evil, then the evildoer does not arise in all the worlds.
यदा तु प्रतिषेद्धारं पापो न लभते क्वचित्। तिष्ठन्ति बहवो लोकास्तदा पापेषु कर्मसु
But when evil finds no one to restrain it anywhere, then many people persist in wicked deeds.
जानन्नपि च यः पापं शक्तिमान्न नियच्छति। ईशः सन्सोऽपि तेनैव कर्मणा संप्रयुज्यते
Even one who knows an evil act and has the power to stop it, but does not, is implicated in that very deed, though he be a ruler.
राजभिश्चेश्वरैश्चैव यदि वै पितरो मम। शक्तैर्न शकितास्त्रातुमिष्टं मत्वेह जीवितम्
If my fathers, though kings and lords, had the power but could not protect, then life here is not to be cherished.
अत एषामहं क्रुद्धो लोकानामीश्वरो ह्यहम्। भवतां च वचो नालमहं समभिवर्तितुम्
Therefore, angered, I am the lord of the worlds; and your words, I am not bound to obey.
ममापि चेद्भवेदेवमीश्वरस्य सतो महत्। उपेक्षमाणस्य पुनर्लोकानां किल्बिषाद्भयम्
If even I, being a great lord, were to neglect the worlds, then surely fear from sin would arise among the people.
यश्चायं मन्युजो मेऽग्निर्लोकानादातुमिच्छति। दहेदेष च मामेव निगृहीतः स्वतेजसा
This fire of wrath within me seeks to consume the worlds; but if restrained by my own power, it would burn me alone.
भवतां च विजानामि सर्वलोकहितेप्सुताम्। तस्माद्विधद्ध्वं यच्छ्रेयो लोकानां मम चेश्वराः
I know you all desire the welfare of every world; therefore, O lords, do what is best for the worlds and for me.
य एष मन्युजस्तेऽग्निर्लोकानादातुमिच्छति। अप्सु तं मुञ्च भद्रं ते लोका ह्यप्सु प्रतिष्ठिताः
This fire of wrath within you that seeks to consume the worlds—release it into the waters; blessings to you, for the worlds are established in water.
आपोमयाः सर्वरसाः सर्वमापोमयं जगत्। तस्मादप्सु विमुञ्चेमं क्रोधाग्निं द्विजसत्तम
All flavors are made of water, and the whole world is composed of water; therefore, best of twice-born, release this fire of wrath into the waters.
अयं तिष्ठतु ते विप्र यदीच्छसि महोदधौ। मन्युजोऽग्निर्दहन्नापो लोका ह्यापोमयाः स्मृताः
Let this fire of wrath, if you wish, remain in the great ocean, O brāhmaṇa; though burning, it will not harm the waters, for the worlds are said to be made of water.
एवं प्रतिज्ञा सत्येयं तवानघ भविष्यति। न चैवं सामरा लोका गमिष्यन्ति पराभवम्
Thus, this promise of yours, O sinless one, will be fulfilled; and the worlds, together with their allies, will not come to ruin.
ततस्तं क्रोधजं तात और्वोऽग्निं वरुणालये। उत्ससर्ज स चैवाप उपयुङ्क्ते महोदधौ
Then, O father, Aurva released that fire born of wrath into Varuṇa's abode, and it entered the great ocean.
महद्धयशिरो भूत्वा यत्तद्वेदविदो विदुः। तमग्निमुद्हिरद्वक्त्रात्पिबत्यापो महोदधौ
Taking the form of a great horse's head, as the knowers of the Veda declare, that fire, emerging from its mouth, drank up the waters of the great ocean.
तस्मात्त्वमपि भद्रं ते न लोकान्हन्तुमर्हसि। पराशरं पराँल्लोकाञ्जानञ्ज्ञानवतां वर
Therefore, for your own good, you too should not destroy the worlds; O foremost among the wise, Parashara, do not send souls to other realms.
एवमुक्तः स विप्रर्षिर्वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। न्ययच्छदात्मनः क्रोधं सर्वलोकपराभवात्
Thus addressed by the great-souled Vasishtha, that sage among Brahmins restrained his own anger, for the sake of the welfare of all beings.
ईजे च स महातेजाः सर्ववेदविदां वरः। ऋषी राक्षससत्रेण शाक्तेयोऽथ पराशरः
And that mighty and radiant Parashara, best among those who know all the Vedas, performed a sacrifice to destroy the Rakshasas.
ततो वृद्धांश्च बालांश्च राक्षसान्स महामुनिः। ददाह वितते यज्ञे शक्तेर्वधमनुस्मरन्
Then that great sage, recalling the killing of Shakti, burned both the old and the young Rakshasas in the extended sacrifice.
न हि तं वारयामास वसिष्ठो रक्षसां वधात्। द्वितीयामस्य मां भाङ्क्षं प्रतिज्ञामिति निश्चयात्
Vasishtha did not restrain him from the slaughter of the Rakshasas, being firmly resolved that he himself would bear the second share of the vow.
त्रयाणां पावकानां च सत्रे तस्मिन्महामुनिः। आसीत्पुरस्ताद्दीप्तानां चतुर्थ इव पावकः
In that sacrifice, the great sage appeared among the three blazing fires as if he were a fourth fire at the front.
तेन यज्ञेन शुभ्रेण हूयमानेन शक्तितः। तद्विदीपितमाकाशं सूर्येणेव घनात्यये
By that pure sacrifice, offered with power, the sky was illuminated as if by the sun after the clouds have cleared.
तं वसिष्ठादयः सर्वे मुनयस्तत्र मेनिरे। तेजसा दीप्यमानं वै द्वितीयमिव भास्करम्
There, all the sages led by Vasishtha regarded him, shining with energy, as a second sun.
ततः परमदुष्प्रापमन्यैर्ऋषिरुधारधीः। समापिपयिषुः सत्रं तमत्रिः समुपागमत्
Then, Atri, the sage of firm resolve, who was difficult for others to approach, came to complete that sacrifice.
तथा पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुश्चैव महाक्रतुः। तत्राजग्मुरमित्रघ्न रक्षसां जीवितेप्सया
Likewise, Pulastya, Pulaha, and the great Kratu came there, O destroyer of foes, desiring to preserve the lives of the Rakshasas.
पुलस्त्यस्तु वधात्तेषां रक्षसां भरतर्षभ। उवाचेदं वचः पार्थ पराशरमरिन्दमम्
Pulastya, O best of the Bharatas, spoke these words to Parashara, the subduer of enemies, regarding the slaughter of the Rakshasas.
कच्चित्तातापविघ्नं ते कच्चिन्नन्दसि पुत्रक। अजानतामदोषाणां सर्वेषां रक्षसां वधात्
"My child, does this destruction not cause you distress? Are you not troubled by the killing of all the Rakshasas, who are ignorant and without fault?"
प्रजोच्छेदमिमं मह्यं न हि कर्तु त्वमर्हसि। नैष तात द्विजातीनां धर्मो दृष्टस्तपस्विनाम्
"You should not bring about the destruction of my lineage; this is not the duty seen among ascetics of the twice-born, my son."
शम एव परो धर्मस्तमाचर पराशर। अधर्मिष्ठं वरिष्ठः सन्कुरुषे त्वं पराशर
"Restraint is the highest duty—practice that, O Parashara. You, the best among men, are acting in a most unrighteous way, Parashara."