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.
ततस्तमृषयो दृष्ट्वा हतं धर्मबलेन तु
Then, seeing that it had been defeated by the power of Dharma, the sages—
गतेषु मुनिसंघेषु देवा यज्ञं समाप्नुवन्
When the assembly of sages departed, the gods completed the sacrifice.
ततः प्रभृति यज्ञो ऽयं युगैः सह विवर्त्तितः
From that time, this sacrifice has evolved along with the ages.
तत्र त्रेतायुगे क्षीणे द्वापरं प्रतिपद्यते
When the Tretā age declines, the Dvāpara is entered.
परिवृत्ते युगे तस्मिंस्ततस्ताभिः प्रणश्यति
When that age passes, then those practices perish.
संभेदश्चैव वर्णानां कार्याणां च विपर्ययः
There is mingling of castes and reversal of duties.
एषा रजस्तमोयुक्ता प्रवृत्तिर्द्वापरे स्मृता
This activity, joined with passion and darkness, is known in Dvāpara.
द्वापरे व्याकुलीभूत्वा प्रणश्यति कलौ युगे
In Dvāpara, becoming confused, it perishes in the Kali age.
द्वैविध्यं प्रतिपद्येतेयुगे तस्मिञ्छ्रुति स्मृती
In that age, the Veda and tradition assume dual forms.
अनिश्चयाधिगमनाद्धर्मतत्त्वं न विद्यते
Because of uncertain attainment, the essence of Dharma is not known.