ब्रूहीदानीं मयोद्दिष्टान्कामप्रश्नान्यथार्थतः
Now, speak forth the questions of desire that I have set before you, just as they are.
साग्रं प्रश्नसहस्रं तु शाकल्यः सो ऽकरोत्तदा
Then Śākalya put forth a thousand questions, complete in every respect.
शाकल्यस्त्वास निर्वादो याज्ञवल्क्यस्तमब्रवीत्
Śākalya was without dispute, and Yājñavalkya spoke to him.
पणप्राप्यस्य वादस्य ब्रुवतोर्मृत्युरत्र वै
In a debate for a wager, truly, death comes to whichever of the two speakers is defeated.
अध्यात्मस्य गतिं मुख्यां ध्यानमार्गमथापि वा
Whether it be the principal path of the inner self, or the way of meditation—
शाकल्यस्तमविज्ञाय तथा मृत्युमवाप्तवान्
Śākalya, not understanding that, thus met his death.
एवं विवादः सुमहानासीत्तेषां धनार्थिनाम्
In this way, a great debate arose among those seekers of wealth.
जगाम वै गृहं स्वच्छं शिष्यैः परिवृतो वशी
The self-controlled one went to his own pure home, surrounded by his disciples.
चकार संहिताः पञ्च बुद्धिमान्वेदवित्तमः
The wise knower of the Veda composed five collections.
खलीयान्सुतपा वत्सः शैशिरेयश्च पञ्चमः
Khalīya, Sutapā, Vatsa, and Śaiśireya were the fifth.
निरुक्तं च पुनश्चक्रे चतुर्थं द्विजसत्तमः
And the best of twice-born made Nirukta as the fourth.
धीमाञ्छ तबलाकश्च गजश्चैव द्विजोत्तमाः
Dhīmān, Tabalāka, and Gaja—these were excellent Brāhmaṇas.
त्रयस्तस्याभवञ्च्छिष्या महात्मानो गुणान्विताः
Three noble disciples of his were endowed with great qualities.
तृतीयश्चार्जवस्ते च तपसा शंसितव्रताः
The third was Ārjava; they were steadfast in austerity and firm in their vows.
इत्येते बहूवृचाः प्रोक्ताः संहिता यैः प्रवर्तिताः
Thus, these many-versed collections were declared, which were set forth by them.
षडशीतिस्तु तेनोक्ताः संहिता यजुषां शुभाः
He proclaimed eighty-six auspicious collections of the Yajur Veda.
एकस्तत्र परित्यक्तो या५वल्क्यो महातपाः
Among them, one was abandoned—Yājñavalkya, the great ascetic.
सर्वेषामेव तेषां वै त्रिधा भेदाः प्रकीर्त्तिताः
Among all of them, threefold divisions are described.
उदीच्या मध्यदेश्याश्च प्राच्यश्चैव पृथग्विधाः
Those from the north, the central region, and the east are of different kinds.
मध्यदेशप्रतिष्ठाता चासुरिः प्रथमः स्मृतः
Asuri is remembered as the foremost founder of the tradition in the central region.
इत्येते चरकाः प्रोक्ताः संहिता वादिनो द्विजाः
Thus these Carakas are described, twice-born ones, as expounders of the Saṃhitā.
किं चीर्णं कस्य वा हेतोश्चरकत्वं हि भेजिरे
What was done, and for what reason, did they assume the state of Carakas?
मेरुपृष्ठं समासाद्य तैस्तदा त्विति मन्त्रितम्
Having reached the summit of Meru, they then deliberated thus.
स कुर्याद्ब्रह्महत्यां वै समयो नः प्रकीर्तितः
He would commit the killing of a Brahmin—this is the agreement declared by us.
प्रययुः सप्तरात्रेण यत्र संधिः कृतो ऽभवत्
In seven nights they went to the place where the agreement had been made.
शिष्यानथ समानीय स वैशंपायनो ऽब्रवीत्
Then Vaiśampāyana, having gathered his disciples, spoke.
सर्वे यूयं समागम्य ब्रूत कामं हितं वचः
All of you assemble and speak whatever words are beneficial as you wish.
बलेनोत्थापयिष्यामि तपसा स्वेन भावितः
Empowered by my own austerity, I will raise him up by force.
उवाच यत्त्वयाधीतं सर्वं प्रत्यर्पयस्व मे
He said, 'Whatever you have learned, return it all to me.'
रुधिरेण तथाक्तानि च्छर्दित्वा ब्रह्मवित्तमाः
Having vomited what was thus stained with blood, O best knowers of Brahman,