प्रपच्छुरिद्रं संभूय को ऽयं यज्ञ विधिस्तव
They all approached Indra together and asked, 'What is this method of sacrifice of yours?'
ततः पशुवधश्चैष तव यज्ञे सुरोत्तम
Then, O best of gods, this killing of animals is found in your sacrifice.
नायं धर्मो ह्यधर्मो ऽयं न हिंसा धर्म उच्यते
This is not righteousness; indeed, this is unrighteousness. Violence is not called righteousness.
विधिदृष्टेन यज्ञेन धर्मेणाव्यपसेतुना
By a sacrifice prescribed by proper rule, with righteousness unbroken by transgression,
त्रिवर्षं परमं कालमुषितैरप्ररोहिभिः
For a maximum period of three years, with those that do not sprout.
एवं विश्वभुगिन्द्रस्तु ऋषिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
Thus, the lord of the universe, Indra, together with the seers who perceive the truth,
जङ्गमस्थावरैः कैर्हि यष्टव्यमिति चोच्यते
It is asked: With which moving or unmoving beings should the sacrifice be performed?
सन्धाय वाक्यमिन्द्रेण पप्रच्छुः खेचरं वसुम्
Having composed their words, they questioned Vasum, the sky-roaming one, on behalf of Indra.
औत्तानपादे प्रब्रूहि संशयं नो नुद प्रभो
"O descendant of Uttānapāda, speak and dispel our doubt, O lord."
वेदशास्त्रमनुस्मृत्य यज्ञतत्त्वमुवाच ह
Recalling the Vedas and the scriptures, he spoke about the true nature of sacrifice.
यष्टव्यं पशुभिर्मे ध्यैरथ बीजैः फलैरपि
"Sacrifice should be performed with sacrificial animals, grains, and also with fruits."
यथेह देवता मन्त्रा हिंसालिङ्गा महर्षिभिः
Just as here, the mantras for the deities have, according to the great sages, the implication of violence,
तत्प्रामाण्यान्मया चोक्तं तस्मात्स प्राप्तुमर्हथ
Therefore, based on that authority, I have spoken; thus, you ought to obtain it.
तथा प्रवततां यज्ञो ह्यन्यथा वो ऽनृतं वचः
Let the sacrifice proceed in this way; otherwise, your words would be untrue.
अवश्यभावितं दृष्ट्वा तमथो वाग्यताभवन्
Seeing that it was inevitable, they then became silent.
ऊर्ध्वचारी वसुर्भूत्वा रसातलचरो ऽभवत्
Vasu, who once moved above, became one who moved in the netherworld.
धर्माणां संशयच्छेत्ता राजा वसुरधोगतः
The king Vasu, who dispelled doubts about righteousness, fell down.
बहुद्वारस्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मा दूरतरा गतिः
The path of righteousness, having many doors, is subtle and far-reaching.
देवानृषीनुपादाय स्वायंभुवमृते मनुम्
Except for Manu, the son of Svāyambhuva, neither gods nor seers attained it.
ऋषिकोटिसहस्राणि स्वतपोभिर्दिवं ययुः
Thousands of crores of seers, by their own austerities, reached heaven.
उञ्छमूलफलं शाकमुदपात्रं तपोधनाः
Living on gleaned grains, roots, fruits, vegetables, and water as their wealth, the ascetics—
अद्रोहश्चाप्य लोभश्च तपो भुतदया दमः
Non-injury, absence of greed, austerity, compassion for beings, and self-restraint—
सनातनस्य धर्मस्य मूलमेतद्दुरासदम्
This is the difficult-to-attain root of the eternal Dharma.
प्रियव्रतोत्तानपादौ ध्रुवो मेधातिथिर्वसुः
Priyavrata, Uttānapāda, Dhruva, Medhātithi, and Vasu—
प्राजीनबर्हिः पर्जन्यो हविर्धानादयो नृपः
Prājīnabarhi, Parjanya, Havirdhāna and others, O King—
राजर्षयो महासत्त्वा येषां कीर्त्तिः प्रतिष्ठिता
These royal sages of great strength, whose fame is established—
ब्रह्मणा तपसा सृष्टं जगद्विश्वमिदं पुरा
This entire universe was formerly created by Brahmā through austerity.
द्रव्यमन्त्रात्मको यज्ञस्तपस्त्वनशनात्मकम्
Sacrifice consists of substance and mantra; austerity is of the nature of fasting.
ब्राह्मं तु कर्म संन्यासाद्वैराग्यात्प्रकृतेर्जयम्
Indeed, Brahmanical action is the conquest of nature through renunciation and detachment.
एवं विवादः सुमहान्य ज्ञस्यासीत्प्रवर्त्तने
Thus, a very great dispute arose regarding the initiation of knowledge.