निष्पादितं महासत्त्रम् ऋषिभिः पारदर्शिभिः एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र देवानां प्रबलो रिपुः
A great sacrificial session was accomplished by the sages, who were seers of truth. Meanwhile, at that very place, a powerful enemy of the gods arose.
विश्वरूप इति ख्यातो मुनीनां सत्त्रम् अभ्यगात् ब्रह्मचर्येण तपसा तान् आराध्य यथाविधि विनयेनाथ पप्रच्छ ऋषीन् सर्वान् अनुक्रमात्
He, known as Viśvarūpa, approached the sages' sacrificial session. Observing celibacy and austerity, he duly honored them and, with humility, questioned all the sages in order.
ध्रुवं सर्वे यथाकामं मम स्वास्थ्येन हेतुना यथा स्याद् बलवान् पुत्रो देवानाम् अपि दुर्धरः यज्ञैर् वा तपसा वापि मुनयो वक्तुम् अर्हथ
Certainly, all of you, please tell me by what means—whether through sacrifices or austerity—a son might be born to me, strong and unconquerable even by the gods, and in accordance with my desire and well-being.
तत्र प्राह महाबुद्धिर् विश्वामित्रो महामनाः
Thereupon, the great-minded and wise Viśvāmitra spoke.
कर्मणा तात लभ्यन्ते फलानि विविधानि च त्रयाणां कारणानां च कर्म प्रथमकारणम्
My dear, various results are obtained through action, and among the three causes, action is considered the primary cause.
ततश् च कारणं कर्ता ततश् चान्यत् प्रकीर्तितम् उपादानं तथा बीजं न च कर्म विदुर् बुधाः
Then, the agent is the cause, and another is also mentioned—the material and the seed; but the wise do not consider action alone as the cause.
कर्मणां कारणत्वं च कारणे पुष्कले सति भावाभावौ फले दृष्टौ तस्मात् कर्माश्रितं फलम्
The causality of actions depends on the sufficiency of causes; the presence or absence of results is seen accordingly. Therefore, the result depends on action.
कर्मापि द्विविधं ज्ञेयं क्रियमाणं तथा कृतम् कर्तव्यं क्रियमाणस्य साधनं यद् यद् उच्यते
Action is to be understood as twofold: that which is being performed and that which has been done. The means for what is to be done is whatever is prescribed.
तद्भावाः कर्मसिद्धौ च उभयत्रापि कारणम् यद् यद् भावयते जन्तुः कर्म कुर्वन् विचक्षणः
The existence of those means is a cause for the accomplishment of action in both cases. Whatever a discerning being intends while performing action, that becomes the cause.
तद्भावनानुरूपेण फलनिष्पत्तिर् उच्यते करोति कर्म विधिवद् विना भावनया यदि
The fruition of results is said to correspond to the intention. If one performs action according to rule but without intention,
अन्यथा स्यात् फलं सर्वं तस्य भावानुरूपतः तस्मात् तपो व्रतं दानं जपयज्ञादिकाः क्रियाः
then all the results will be otherwise, according to the nature of the intention. Therefore, austerity, vows, charity, recitation, sacrifice, and other acts
कर्मणस् त्व् अनुरूपेण फलं दास्यन्ति भावतः तस्माद् भावानुरूपेण कर्म वै दास्यते फलम्
will yield results in accordance with the intention behind the action. Thus, the result is surely given according to the nature of the intention.
भावस् तु त्रिविधो ज्ञेयः सात्त्विको राजसस् तथा तामसस् तु तथा ज्ञेयः फलं कर्मानुसारतः
Intention is to be known as threefold: sāttvic, rājasic, and also tāmasic; and the result follows the nature of the action.
भावनानुगुणं चेति विचित्रा कर्मणां स्थितिः तस्माद् इच्छानुसारेण भावं कुर्याद् विचक्षणः
The condition of actions is manifold, corresponding to the intention. Therefore, a discerning person should shape his intention according to his desire.
पश्चात् कर्मापि कर्तव्यं फलदातापि तद्विधम् फलं ददाति फलिनां फले यदि प्रवर्तते
Afterwards, action too must be performed; the giver of results bestows a result of the same kind, if the one who bears fruit is engaged in the result.
कर्मकारो न तत्रास्ति कुर्यात् कर्म स्वभावतः तद् एव चोपदानादि सत्त्वादिगुणभेदतः
There is no maker of action there; one acts according to one's own nature. That alone, along with material and other causes, is distinguished by the qualities of sattva and so on.
भावात् प्रारभते तद्वद् भावैः फलम् अवाप्यते धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां कर्म चैव हि कारणम्
Just as actions arise from intention, so too are their results obtained through intentions; indeed, action is the cause of righteousness, wealth, desire, and liberation.
भावस्थितं भवेत् कर्म मुक्तिदं बन्धकारणम् स्वभावानुगुणं कर्म स्वस्यैवेह परत्र च
Action performed with a particular disposition leads either to liberation or to bondage; one’s own action, in accordance with one’s nature, bears fruit here and hereafter.
फलानि विविधान्य् आशु करोति समतानुगम् एक एव पदार्थो ऽसौ भावैर् भेदः प्रदृश्यते
Quickly, various results are produced, following the disposition; though the substance is one, it appears as diverse through different dispositions.
क्रियते भुज्यते वापि तस्माद् भावो विशिष्यते यथाभावं कर्म कुरु यथेप्सितम् अवाप्स्यसि
Whether one acts or enjoys the results, disposition is paramount; act according to your disposition, and you will attain what you desire.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा ऋषेर् वाक्यं विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः तपस् तप्त्वा बहुकालं तामसं भावम् आश्रितः
Hearing these words of the wise sage Viśvāmitra, he undertook severe austerity for a long time, adopting a dark disposition.
विश्वरूपः कर्म भीमं चकार सुरभीषणम् पश्यत्सु ऋषिमुख्येषु वार्यमाणो ऽपि नित्यशः
Viśvarūpa performed a terrible and dreadful act, frightening even the gods, while the foremost sages looked on and repeatedly tried to restrain him.
आत्मकोपानुसारेण भीमं कर्म तथाकरोत् भीषणे कुण्डखाते तु भीषणे जातवेदसि
Following his own anger, he performed that terrible act in the dreadful pit and in the fearsome sacrificial fire.
भीषणं रौद्रपुरुषं ध्यात्वात्मानं गुहाशयम् एवं तपन्तम् आलक्ष्य वाग् उवाचाशरीरिणी
Meditating on himself as a terrifying, fierce being dwelling in the cave of the heart, as he was thus engaged in austerity, a bodiless voice spoke.
जटाजूटं विनात्मानं न च वृत्रो व्यजीयत वृथात्मानं विश्वरूपो जुहुयाज् जातवेदसि
Without matted locks, he was not recognized as Vṛtra; in vain did Viśvarūpa offer himself into the sacrificial fire.
स एवेन्द्रः स वरुणः स च स्यात् सर्वम् एव च त्यक्त्वात्मानं जटामात्रं हुतवान् वृजिनोद्भवः
He alone became Indra, he became Varuṇa, he became everything; abandoning himself, he offered only his matted locks, and from this sin arose.
वृत्र इत्य् उच्यते वेदे स चापि वृजिनो ऽभवत् भीमस्य महिमानं को जानाति जगदीशितुः
He is called Vṛtra in the Veda, and he too became sinful; who knows the greatness of the terrible Lord of the universe?
सृजत्य् अशेषम् अपि यो न च सङ्गेन लिप्यते विररामेति संकीर्त्य सा वाण्य् एनं मुनीश्वराः
He who creates all things and is not tainted by attachment—when this was proclaimed, the great sages praised him as 'He who ceases.'
भीमेश्वरं नमस्कृत्य जग्मुः स्वं स्वम् अथाश्रमम् विश्वरूपो महाभीमो भीमकर्मा तथाकृतिः
Having bowed to the Lord Bhīma, they each returned to their own hermitages; Viśvarūpa, mighty and terrible in deed and form, remained.
भीमभावो भीमतनुं ध्यात्वात्मानं जुहाव ह तस्माद् भीमेश्वरो देवः पुराणे परिपठ्यते तत्र स्नानं च दानं च मुक्तिदं नात्र संशयः
Meditating on himself as the terrible one, with a dreadful form, he offered himself; therefore, the god Bhīmeśvara is celebrated in the Purāṇas. Bathing and giving gifts there surely grant liberation—of this there is no doubt.