एकार्षेयास्तथा चान्ये वसिष्ठा नाम विश्रुताः
There are also other single-sage lineages, renowned as the Vasiṣṭhas.
इत्येते ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा मानसा अष्ट विश्रुताः
Thus, these eight mind-born sons of Brahmā are well known.
त्रींल्लोकान्धारयन्तीमान्देवर्षिगणसंकुलान्
These sustain the three worlds, filled with hosts of divine sages.
व्याप्ता येस्तु त्रयो लोकाः सूर्यस्येव गभस्तिभिः
The three worlds are pervaded by them, as by the rays of the sun.
इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डे महापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते मध्यभागे तृतीय उपोद्धातपादे ऋषिवंशवर्णनं नामाष्टमो ऽध्यायः
Thus ends the eighth chapter, named 'The Description of the Lineages of the Sages,' in the third section of the middle part of the Vāyu-recited Śrī Brahmāṇḍa Mahāpurāṇa.
आसीद्दाक्षायणी पूर्वमुमा कथमजायत
Formerly, Dākṣāyaṇī was; how did Umā come to be born?
के वै ते पितरो नाम येषां मेना तु मानसी
Who indeed are those fathers by name, of whom Menā is the mind-born daughter?
एकपर्णा तथा चैव तथा चैवैकपाटला
Ekaparṇā, and likewise, also Ekapāṭalā.
सर्वमेतत्वयोद्दिष्टं निर्देशं तस्य नो वद
All this has been described by you; now tell us the details of that.
पुत्राश्च के स्मृतास्तेषां कथं च पितरस्तु ते
Who are remembered as their sons, and how are those fathers related?
स्वर्गे वै पितरो ह्येते देवानामपि देवताः
Indeed, these fathers are in heaven, and are even the deities of the gods.
यथा च दत्तमस्माभिः सार्द्धं प्रीणाति वै पितॄन्
And as the offering given by us together pleases the ancestors.
स्वर्गे तु के च वर्त्तन्ते पितरो नरके व के
Who among the ancestors dwell in heaven, and who are in hell?
प्रतितामहं तथा चैव त्रिषु पिण्डेषु नामतः
And likewise, how are the ancestors known by name in the three offerings?
कथं च शक्तास्ते दातुं नरकस्थाः फलं पुनः
And how are those who are in hell able to receive the fruit again?
देवा अपि पितॄन् स्वर्गे यजन्तीति हि नः श्रुतम्
We have heard that even the gods worship the ancestors in heaven.
स्पष्टाभिधान मपि वै तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हसि
You should speak this matter clearly and explicitly.
मन्वन्तरेषु जायन्ते पितरो देवसूनवः
In the cycles of Manu, the ancestors are born as sons of the gods.
देवैः सार्द्धं पुरातीताः पितरो ऽन्येन्तरेषु वै
The ancestors who have passed away in previous ages are with the gods in other cycles.
श्राद्धक्रियां मनुश्चैषां श्राद्धदेवः प्रवर्त्तयेत्
Manu should perform the śrāddha rite for them, as the god of śrāddha.
तमुत्सृज्य तदात्मानमयजंस्ते फलार्थिनः
Desiring the fruit, they abandon that body and that self which was not sacrificed.
तस्मात्किञ्चिन्न जानीत ततो लोकेषु मुह्यत
Therefore, they know nothing; thus, they are deluded among the worlds.
अनुग्रहाय लोकानां पुनस्तानब्रवीत्प्रभुः
Then, for the benefit of the worlds, the Lord spoke to them again.
पुत्रान्स्वान्परिपृच्छध्वं ततो ज्ञानमवाप्स्यथ
Ask your own sons; then you will obtain knowledge.
अपृच्छन्संयतात्मानो विधिवच्च मिथो मिथः
With controlled minds, they questioned each other according to the rule.
प्रयश्चित्तानि धर्मज्ञावाङ्मनः कर्मजानि च
Those who know dharma spoke of expiations, and also of actions born of mind and deed.
यूयं वै पितरो ऽस्माकं यैर्वयं प्रतिबोधिताः
You are indeed our ancestors, by whom we have been instructed.
पुस्तानब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा यूयं वै सत्यवादिनः
Brahmā said to the ancestors: 'You indeed are speakers of truth.'
उक्तं च पितरो ऽस्माकं चेति वै तनयाः स्वकाः
And it was said: 'These are our ancestors,' thus their own sons.
तेनैव वचसा ते वै ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः
By that very statement of the supreme Brahmā, they indeed [became so].