शक्तिं चापि हि धर्मज्ञं नातिक्रान्तुमिहार्हसि। प्रजायाश्च ममोच्छेदं न चैवं कर्तुमर्हसि
"You should not overstep Shakti, who was righteous; nor should you bring about the destruction of my descendants in this way."
शापाद्धि शक्तेर्वासिष्ठ तदा तदुपपादितम्। आत्मजेन स दोषेण शक्तिर्नीत इतो दिवम्
"It was by Shakti's curse, O Vasishtha, that this came to pass; through his own fault, your son Shakti was taken to heaven from here."
न हि तं राक्षसः कश्चिच्छक्तो भक्षयितुं मुने। `वासिष्ठो भक्षितश्चासीत्कौशिकोत्सृष्टरक्षसा। शापं न कुर्वन्ति तदा न च त्राणपरायणाः
"No Rakshasa was able to devour him, O sage; Vasishtha's son was consumed by Rakshasas released by Kaushika. At that time, they did not utter a curse, nor were they intent on protection."
क्षमावन्तोऽदहन्देहं देहमन्यद्भवत्विति।' आत्मनैवात्मनस्तेन दृष्टो मृत्युस्तदाऽभवत्
"Those patient ones burned their own bodies, saying, 'Let another body be formed.' Thus, by their own act, death was seen at that time."
निमित्तभूतस्तत्रासीद्विश्वामित्रः पराशर। राजा कल्माषपादश्च दिवमारुह्य मोदते
Viśvāmitra became the cause there, O Parāśara, and King Kalmāṣapāda, having ascended to heaven, rejoices.
ये च शक्त्यवराः पुत्रा वसिष्ठस्य महामुने। ते च सर्वे मुदा युक्ता मोदन्ते सहिताः सुरैः
And the sons of Vasiṣṭha, who were inferior to Śakti, all those, together with the gods, rejoice, filled with happiness.
सर्वमेतद्वसिष्ठस्य विदितं वै महामुने। रक्षसां च समुच्छेद एष तात तपस्विनाम्
All this is known to the great sage Vasiṣṭha; this is the destruction of the Rākṣasas, O dear one, by the ascetics.
निमित्तभूतस्त्वं चात्र क्रतौ वासिष्ठनन्दन। तत्सत्रं मुञ्च भद्रं ते समाप्तमिदमस्तु ते
You too have become the cause here in this sacrifice, O son of Vasiṣṭha; therefore, release this sacrifice—may good be yours, may this be completed for you.
एवमुक्तः पुलस्त्येन वसिष्ठेन च धीमता। तदा समापयामास सत्रं शाक्तो महामुनिः
Thus addressed by Pulastya and by the wise Vasiṣṭha, the great ascetic, son of Śakti, then brought the sacrifice to completion.
सर्वराक्षससत्राय संभृतं पावकं तदा। उत्तरे हिमवत्पार्श्वे उत्ससर्ज महावने
That fire, gathered for the destruction of all the Rākṣasas, he released on the northern side of the Himavat, in a great forest.
स तत्राद्यापि रक्षांसि वृक्षानश्मन एव च। भक्षयन्दृश्यते वह्निः सदा पर्वणि पर्वणि
There, even today, that fire is seen, always consuming Rākṣasas, trees, and stones, at every festival time.
पुनश्चैव महातेजा विश्वामित्रजिघांसया। अग्निं संभृतवान्घोरं शाक्तेयः सुमहातपाः
Again, with great energy, the son of Śakti, desiring to destroy Viśvāmitra, gathered a terrible fire, endowed with immense austerity.
वासिष्ठसंभृतश्चाग्निर्विश्वामित्रहितैषिणा। तेजसा वह्नितुल्येन ग्रस्तः स्कन्देन धीमता
And the fire gathered by Vasiṣṭha, wishing for Viśvāmitra's welfare, was consumed by the wise Skanda, whose brilliance was like fire.
राज्ञा कल्माषपादेन गुरौ ब्रह्मविदां वरे। कारणं किं पुरस्कृत्य भार्या वै सन्नियोजिता
By what reason did King Kalmāṣapāda, best among knowers of Brahman, assign his wife to his guru?
जानता वै परं धर्मं वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। अगम्यागमनं कस्मात्कृतं तेन महर्षिणा
Knowing the highest dharma, why did the great-souled Vasiṣṭha commit the act of approaching one who should not be approached?
अधर्मिष्ठं वसिष्ठेन कृतं चापि पुरा सखे। एतन्मे संशयं सर्वं छेत्तुमर्हसि पृच्छतः
Vasiṣṭha once did a most unrighteous deed, O friend; you ought to dispel all this doubt of mine as I ask.
धनञ्जय निबोधेयं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि। वसिष्ठं प्रति दुर्धर्ष तथा मित्रसहं नृपम्
Dhanañjaya, listen to what you have asked me, regarding Vasiṣṭha, who is difficult to overcome, and King Mitrasaha.
कथितं ते मया सर्वं यथा शप्तः स पार्थिवः। शक्तिना भरतश्रेष्ठ वासिष्ठेन महात्मना
I have told you everything, how that king was cursed by Śakti, the great-souled son of Vasiṣṭha, O best of the Bharatas.
स तु शापवशं प्राप्तः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः। निर्जगाम पुराद्राजा सहदारः परन्तपः
He, overcome by the force of the curse, his eyes agitated with anger, the king departed from the city with his wife, O subduer of enemies.
अरण्यं निर्जनं गत्वा सदारः परिचक्रमे। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं नानासत्वसमाकुलम्
Going to a deserted forest with his wife, he wandered about, filled with many kinds of beasts and crowded with various creatures.
नानागुल्मलताच्छन्नं नानाद्रुमसमावृतम्। अरण्यं घोरसन्नादं शापग्रस्तः परिभ्रमन्
Covered with many thickets and creepers, filled with various trees, that forest, resounding with dreadful noises, he wandered, afflicted by the curse.
स कदाचित्क्षुधाविष्टो मृगयन्भक्ष्यमात्मनः। ददर्श सुपरिक्लिष्टः कस्मिंश्चिन्निर्जने वने
Once, afflicted by hunger, seeking food for himself, he, greatly distressed, saw something in a certain lonely forest.
ब्राह्मणं ब्राह्मणीं चैव मिथुनायोपसंगतौ। तौ तं वीक्ष्य सुवित्रस्तावकृतार्थौ प्रधावितौ
A brahmin and his wife approached together as a couple; seeing him, both became very frightened and, their purpose unfulfilled, fled in haste.
तयोः प्रद्रवतोर्विप्रं जग्राह नृपतिर्बलात्। दृष्ट्वा गृहीतं भर्तारमथ ब्राह्मण्यभाषत
As they fled, the king seized the brahmin by force; seeing her husband captured, the brahmin woman spoke.
शृणु राजन्मम वचो यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि सुव्रत। आदित्यवंशप्रभवस्त्वं हि लोके परिश्रुतः
Hear my words, O king, which I will speak to you, O steadfast one; you are renowned in the world as sprung from the solar dynasty.
अप्रमत्तः स्थि धर्मे गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः। शापोपहत दुर्धर्ष न पापं कर्तुमर्हसि
You are vigilant in righteousness, devoted to serving elders; afflicted by a curse, O difficult-to-overcome one, you should not commit sin.
ऋतुकाले तु संप्राप्ते भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिता। अकृतार्था ह्यहं भर्त्रा प्रसवार्थं समागता
Now, at the proper season, tormented by my husband's misfortune, I have come together with him for the purpose of conception, yet my desire remains unfulfilled.
प्रसीद नृपतिश्रेष्ठ भर्ताऽयं मे विसृज्यताम्। एवं विक्रोशमानायास्तस्यास्तु न नृशंसवत्
Have mercy, O best of kings, release my husband; though she cried out thus, he did not act compassionately.
भर्तारं भक्षयामास व्याघ्रो मृगमिवेप्सितम्। तस्याः क्रोधाभिभूताया यान्यश्रूण्यपतन्भुवि
The tiger devoured her husband as a tiger devours its chosen prey; overcome by anger, her tears fell to the ground.
सोऽग्निः समभवद्दीप्तस्तं च देशं व्यदीपयत्। ततः सा शोकसंतप्ता भर्तृव्यसनकर्शिता
Those tears became a blazing fire and illuminated that place; then, tormented by grief and her husband's misfortune,