दधीचिर् अप्य् आह गभस्तिम् ओजसा देवारयो मां द्विषतीह भद्रे न ते सुरा नेतुकामा भवन्ति संस्थापितान्य् अत्र वदस्व युक्तम्
Dadhīci also said to his virtuous wife: 'O gentle one, the enemies of the gods now hate me; the gods do not wish to take back the weapons they left here—tell me what is proper.'
सा चाह कान्तं विनयाद् उक्तम् एव त्वं जानीषे नाथ यद् अत्र युक्तम् दैत्या हरिष्यन्ति महाप्रवृद्धास् तपोयुक्ता बलिनः स्वायुधानि
She respectfully said to her beloved: 'You know, lord, what is proper here; the Daityas, greatly increased in power and endowed with austerity and strength, will seize the weapons.'
तदस्त्ररक्षार्थम् इदं स चक्रे मन्त्रैस् तु संक्षाल्य जलैश् च पुण्यैः तद् वारि सर्वास्त्रमयं सुपुण्यं तेजोयुक्तं तच् च पपौ दधीचिः
For the protection of those weapons, he performed a rite, sanctifying them with mantras and holy waters; that water, imbued with all the weapons and great merit and energy, Dadhīci drank.
निर्वीर्यरूपाणि तदायुधानि क्षयं जग्मुः क्रमशः कालयोगात् सुराः समागत्य दधीचिम् ऊचुर् महाभयं ह्य् आगतं शात्रवं नः
Then, by the influence of time, those weapons lost their power and gradually perished; the gods assembled and said to Dadhīci, 'A great danger has come upon us from our enemies.'
ददस्व चास्त्राणि मुनिप्रवीर यानि त्वदन्ते निहितानि देवैः दधीचिर् अप्य् आह सुरारिभीत्या अनागत्या भवतां चाचिरेण
'Give us, O eminent sage, the weapons that were entrusted to you by the gods.' Dadhīci replied, 'Out of fear of the enemies of the gods, and because you did not return soon—'
अस्त्राणि पीतानि शरीरसंस्थान्य् उक्तानि युक्तं मम तद् वदन्तु श्रुत्वा तदुक्तं वचनं तु देवाः प्रोचुस् तम् इत्थं विनयावनम्राः
'The weapons have been drunk, now residing in my body, as has been said; let them declare what is proper for me.' Hearing these words, the gods humbly spoke to him as follows.
अस्त्राणि देहीति च वक्तुम् एतच् छक्यं न वान्यत् प्रतिवक्तुं मुनीन्द्र विना च तैः परिभूयेम नित्यं पुष्टारयः क्व प्रयामो मुनीश
O best of sages, it is possible to say, 'Give us your weapons and body,' but nothing else can be said in reply. Without those weapons, we would always be overpowered by the well-nourished enemies. Where shall we go, O lord of sages?
न मर्त्यलोके न तले न नाके वासः सुराणां भविताद्य तात त्वं विप्रवर्यस् तपसा चैव युक्तो नान्यद् वक्तुं युज्यते ते पुरस्तात्
Today, O dear one, there can be no dwelling for the gods in the world of mortals, nor in the underworld, nor in heaven. You, excellent brahmin, endowed with ascetic power, are the only one fit to speak further in this matter.
विप्रस् तदोवाच मदस्थिसंस्थान्य् अस्त्राणि गृह्णन्तु न संशयो ऽत्र देवास् तम् अप्य् आहुर् अनेन किं नो ह्य् अस्त्रैर् हीनाः स्त्रीत्वम् आप्ताः सुरेन्द्राः
Then the brahmin said: Let the gods take the weapons formed from my bones—there is no doubt about this. The gods replied: What use is this to us? Deprived of weapons, O lord of gods, we have attained womanhood.
पुनस् तदा चाह मुनिप्रवीरस् त्यक्ष्ये जीवान् दैहिकान् योगयुक्तः अस्त्राणि कुर्वन्तु मदस्थिभूतान्य् अनुत्तमान्य् उत्तमरूपवन्ति
Then again, the eminent sage said: I will abandon my bodily life, united with yoga. Let the supreme weapons, possessing excellent forms, be made from my bones.
कुरुष्व चेत्य् आहुर् अदीनसत्त्वं दधीचिम् इत्य् उत्तरम् अग्निकल्पम् तदा तु तस्य प्रियम् ईरयन्ती न सांनिध्ये प्रातिथेयी मुनीश
They said, 'Do so,' to Dadhichi, whose spirit was unwavering. At that moment, his beloved wife, like fire, expressing her affection, was not present, O lord of sages.
ते चापि देवास् ताम् अदृष्ट्वैव शीघ्रं तस्या भीता विप्रम् ऊचुः कुरुष्व तत्याज जीवान् दुस्त्यजान् प्रीतियुक्तो यथासुखं देहम् इमं जुषध्वम्
And the gods, not seeing her, quickly and fearfully said to the sage: 'Do it.' He, full of affection, abandoned his difficult-to-renounce life, saying, 'Enjoy this body as you wish.'
इत्य् उक्त्वासौ बद्धपद्मासनस्थो नासाग्रदत्ताक्षिप्रकाशप्रसन्नः वायुं सवह्निं मध्यमोद्घाटयोगान् नीत्वा शनैर् दहराकाशगर्भम्
Having spoken thus, he sat in the lotus posture, his gaze fixed at the tip of his nose, serene and radiant. Through the practice of controlling the breath, fire, and the middle channel, he gradually led his vital air into the space of the heart.
यद् अप्रमेयं परमं पदं यद् यद् ब्रह्मरूपं यद् उपासितव्यम् तत्रैव विन्यस्य धियं महात्मा सायुज्यतां ब्रह्मणो ऽसौ जगाम
Fixing his mind on that immeasurable, supreme state, that which is the form of Brahman and worthy of meditation, the great soul attained union with Brahman.
निर्जीवतां प्राप्तम् अभीक्ष्य देवाः कलेवरं तस्य सुराश् च सम्यक् त्वष्टारम् अप्य् ऊचुर् अतित्वरन्तः कुरुष्व चास्त्राणि बहूनि सद्यः
Seeing his body lifeless, the gods and the immortals, in great haste, said to Tvaṣṭṛ: 'Quickly make many weapons now.'
स चापि तान् आह कथं नु कार्यं कलेवरं ब्राह्मणस्येह देवाः बिभेमि कर्तुं दारुणं चाक्षमो ऽहं विदारितान्य् आयुधान्य् उत्तमानि
He said to them: 'How should this be done, O gods? I fear to act cruelly toward the body of a brahmin, and I am unable to do so. Yet, the excellent weapons must be fashioned.'
वज्रं मुखं वः क्रियते हितार्थं गावो देवैर् आयुधार्थं क्षणेन दधीचिदेहं तु विदार्य यूयम् अस्थीनि शुद्धानि प्रयच्छताद्य
For your benefit, the thunderbolt's head will be made. The cows, along with the gods, will provide weapons. In an instant, the body of Dadhichi was split open, and today you shall receive his pure bones.
ता देववाक्याच् च तथैव चक्रुः संलिह्य चास्थीनि ददुः सुराणाम् सुरास् त्वरा जग्मुर् अदीनसत्त्वाः स्वम् आलयं चापि तथैव गावः
At the gods' command, they did just so, gathering and giving the bones to the gods. The gods, full of vigor, quickly departed, and the cows likewise returned to their own abode.
कृत्वा तथास्त्राणि च देवतानां त्वष्टा जगामाथ सुराज्ञया तदा ततश् चिराच् छीलवती सुभद्रा भर्तुः प्रिया बालगर्भा त्वरन्ती
Having made the weapons for the gods, Tvaṣṭṛ then departed at the command of the gods. After a long time, Śīlavatī, the virtuous and fortunate wife, pregnant, hastened toward her husband's hermitage.
करे गृहीत्वा कलशं वारिपूर्णम् उमां नत्वा फलपुष्पैः समेत्य अग्निं च भर्तारम् अथाश्रमं च संद्रष्टुकामा ह्य् आजगामाथ शीघ्रम्
Taking a water-filled pot in her hand, bowing to Umā with fruits and flowers, she came quickly, desiring to see the fire, her husband, and the hermitage.
आगच्छन्तीं तां प्रातिथेयीं तदानीं निवारयाम् आस तदोल्कपातः सा संभ्रमाद् आगता चाश्रमं स्वं नैवापश्यत् तत्र भर्तारम् अग्रे
As she was coming, Prātitheyī was stopped at that moment by a meteor's fall. Alarmed, she reached her own hermitage but did not see her husband there.
क्व वा गतश् चेति सविस्मया सा पप्रच्छ चाग्निं प्रातिथेयी तदानीम् अग्निस् तदोवाच सविस्तरं तां देवागमं याचनं वै शरीरे
Astonished, she asked Agni, 'Where has he gone?' Then Agni explained in detail to her the coming of the gods and their request concerning his body.
अस्थ्नाम् उपादानम् अथ प्रयाणं श्रुत्वा सर्वं दुःखिता सा बभूव दुःखोद्वेगात् सा पपाताथ पृथ्व्यां मन्दं मन्दं वह्निनाश्वासिता च
Hearing of the taking of the bones and his departure, she became deeply distressed. Overcome by grief and anxiety, she slowly fell to the ground, comforted only by the fire.
उत्पद्यते यत् तु विनाशि सर्वं न शोच्यम् अस्तीति मनुष्यलोके गोविप्रदेवार्थम् इह त्यजन्ति प्राणान् प्रियान् पुण्यभाजो मनुष्याः
In the world of men, it is not sorrowful that all which is born perishes. For the sake of cows, brahmins, and gods, virtuous people here give up even their beloved lives.
संसारचक्रे परिवर्तमाने देहं समर्थं धर्मयुक्तं त्व् अवाप्य प्रियान् प्राणान् देवविप्रार्थहेतोस् ते वै धन्याः प्राणिनो ये त्यजन्ति
Those living beings are truly blessed who, having obtained a capable body endowed with righteousness while revolving in the cycle of worldly existence, give up their dear lives for the sake of gods or brahmins.
प्राणाः सर्वे ऽस्यापि देहान्वितस्य यातारो वै नात्र संदेहलेशः एवं ज्ञात्वा विप्रगोदेवदीनाद्य् अर्थं चैनान् उत्सृजन्तीश्वरास् ते
All the life-breaths of one who is embodied must surely depart—of this there is not the slightest doubt; knowing this, those who relinquish them for the sake of brahmins, cows, gods, or the destitute are indeed lords.
निवार्यमाणो ऽपि मया प्रपन्नया चकार देवास्त्रपरिग्रहं सः मनोगतं वेत्त्य् अथवा विधातुः को मर्त्यलोकातिगचेष्टितस्य
Even though I tried to restrain her, she who had taken refuge with me accepted the divine weapon; who can know the mind of another, or the intent of the Creator, regarding the extraordinary actions of mortals?
इत्य् एवम् उक्त्वापूज्य चाग्नीन् यथावद् भर्तुस् त्वचा लोमभिः सा विवेश गर्भस्थितं बालकं प्रातिथेयी कुक्षिं विदार्याथ करे गृहीत्वा
Having spoken thus, and after duly worshipping the fires, she entered, with her husband's skin and hair, the womb where the child lay, tore open Pratithi's belly, and took the child in her hand.
पित्रा हीनो बन्धुभिर् गोत्रजैश् च मात्रा हीनो बालकः सर्व एव रक्षन्तु सर्वे ऽपि च भूतसंघास् तथौषध्यो बालकं लोकपालाः
The child, deprived of his father, relatives, and kinsmen, and also bereft of his mother—let all beings, all the hosts of creatures, as well as the medicinal herbs and the guardians of the world, protect the child.
ये बालकं मातृपितृप्रहीणं सनिर्विशेषं स्वतनुप्ररूढैः पश्यन्ति रक्षन्ति त एव नूनं ब्रह्मादिकानाम् अपि वन्दनीयाः
Those who see and protect a child who is utterly bereft of both mother and father, and who has grown only by his own body, are indeed worthy of veneration even by Brahma and the other gods.