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.
इत्य् उक्त्वा चात्यजद् बालं भर्तृचित्तपरायणा पिप्पलानां समीपे तु न्यस्य बालं नमस्य च
Having said this, she, devoted to her husband's will, placed the child near the pippala trees, offered her respects, and abandoned the child.
अग्निं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य यज्ञपात्रसमन्विता विवेशाग्निं प्रातिथेयी भर्त्रा सह दिवं ययौ
Circumambulating the fire, carrying the sacrificial vessels, Pratitheyi entered the fire and, together with her husband, ascended to heaven.
रुरुदुश् चाश्रमस्था ये वृक्षाश् च वनवासिनः पुत्रवत् पोषिता येन ऋषिणा च दधीचिना
Those who dwelled in the hermitage, as well as the trees and forest-dwellers, all wept, for they had been nurtured like sons by the sage Dadhichi.
विना तेन न जीवामस् तया मात्रा विना तथा मृगाश् च पक्षिणः सर्वे वृक्षाः प्रोचुः परस्परम्
Without him, and likewise without her, we cannot live—the animals, the birds, and all the trees said this to one another.
स्वर्गम् आसेदुषोः पित्रोस् तदपत्येष्व् अकृत्रिमम् ये कुर्वन्त्य् अनिशं स्नेहं त एव कृतिनो नराः
Those people who constantly show genuine affection for the children of parents who have attained heaven—those alone are truly accomplished.
दधीचिः प्रातिथेयी वा वीक्षते ऽस्मान् यथा पुरा तथा पिता न माता वा धिग् अस्मान् पापिनो वयम्
Neither Dadhichi nor Pratitheyi looks upon us as before, neither father nor mother—shame on us, we are sinful.
अस्माकम् अपि सर्वेषाम् अतः प्रभृति निश्चितम् बालो दधीचिः प्रातिथेयी बालो धर्मः सनातनः
From this time onward, it is certain for all of us: the child Dadhichi Pratitheyi is the eternal dharma-child.
एवम् उक्त्वा तदौषध्यो वनस्पतिसमन्विताः सोमं राजानम् अभ्येत्य याचिरे ऽमृतम् उत्तमम्
Having spoken thus, all the medicinal herbs along with the trees approached King Soma and requested the supreme nectar.
स चापि दत्तवांस् तेभ्यः सोमो ऽमृतम् अनुत्तमम् ददुर् बालाय ते चापि अमृतं सुरवल्लभम्
And Soma gave them the unsurpassed nectar; they, in turn, gave that nectar, beloved of the gods, to the child.
स तेन तृप्तो ववृधे शुक्लपक्षे यथा शशी पिप्पलैः पालितो यस्मात् पिप्पलादः स बालकः प्रवृद्धः पिप्पलान् एवम् उवाच त्व् अतिविस्मितः
Satisfied by that, he grew as the moon waxes in the bright fortnight; nurtured by the pippala trees, that child, Pippalada, greatly increased and, filled with wonder, spoke to the pippala trees.
मानुषेभ्यो मानुषास् तु जायन्ते पक्षिभिः खगाः बीजेभ्यो वीरुधो लोके वैषम्यं नैव दृश्यते वार्क्षस् त्व् अहं कथं जातो हस्तपादादिजीववान्
Humans are born from humans, birds from birds, plants from seeds—no disparity is seen in the world; but how is it that I, a tree-dweller, was born possessing hands, feet, and life?
वृक्षास् तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वम् ऊचुर् यथाक्रमम् दधीचेर् मरणं साध्व्यास् तथा चाग्निप्रवेशनम्
Hearing these words, all the trees, along with the herbs, recounted in order the death of Dadhichi and the virtuous woman's entry into fire.
अस्थ्नां संहरणं देवैर् एतत् सर्वं सविस्तरम् श्रुत्वा दुःखसमाविष्टो निपपात तदा भुवि
Having heard in full detail from the gods about the gathering of the bones, he was overwhelmed by sorrow and then fell to the ground.
आश्वासितः पुनर् वृक्षैर् वाक्यैर् धर्मार्थसंहितैः आश्वस्तः स पुनः प्राह तदौषधिवनस्पतीन्
Consoled again by the trees with words imbued with righteousness and purpose, he, reassured, then addressed those medicinal plants and trees.
पितृहन्तॄन् हनिष्ये ऽहं नान्यथा जीवितुं क्षमः पितुर् मित्राणि शत्रूंश् च तथा पुत्रो ऽनुवर्तते
I will slay the killers of my father; otherwise, I am not fit to live. A son follows both the friends and enemies of his father in the same way.
स एव पुत्रो यो ऽन्यस् तु पुत्ररूपो रिपुः स्मृतः वदन्ति पितृमित्राणि तारयन्त्य् अहितान् अपि
He alone is truly a son; another, though appearing as a son, is considered an enemy. It is said that the friends of the father rescue even those who are hostile.
वृक्षास् तं बालम् आदाय सोमान्तिकम् अथाययुः बालवाक्यं तु ते वृक्षाः सोमायाथ न्यवेदयन् श्रुत्वा सोमो ऽपि तं बालं पिप्पलादम् अभाषत
The trees took that boy and went to Soma. The trees then reported the boy’s words to Soma, and upon hearing them, Soma spoke to Pippalāda.
गृहाण विद्यां विधिवत् समग्रां तपःसमृद्धिं च शुभां च वाचम् शौर्यं च रूपं च बलं च बुद्धिं संप्राप्स्यसे पुत्र मदाज्ञया त्वम्
Receive, by my command, the complete knowledge in due form, the accomplishment of austerity, auspicious speech, courage, beauty, strength, and wisdom, my son.
पिप्पलादस् तम् अप्य् आह ओषधीशं विनीतवत्
Pippalāda respectfully addressed the lord of the plants as well.
सर्वम् एतद् वृथा मन्ये पितृहन्तृविनिष्कृतिम् न करोम्य् अत्र यावच् च तस्मात् तत् प्रथमं वद
I consider all this to be in vain unless I make atonement for the slaying of my father. Therefore, tell me that first.